What a great discussion! I am definitely ‘all or nothing’ in most things (which is why the 5:2 system suits me), but some days 800 cals feels like too much nothing, if you know what I mean!
Verano, brussel sprouts ARE sweeter than they used to be due to selective breeding or something (honest – I saw it on The One Show), but I’m sure with our changing tastebuds they would seem sweeter still, I’ve not been a fan in the past, but I saw a delicious looking recipe for roast sprouts and pecan nuts, so I will give that a try sometime.
Nearly weigh in time… time flies. Don’t know if I’ve lost weight, but my body feels awesome (am I allowed to say that about myself?) and I have so much energy, even my fitness seems to have miraculously improved – I was dancing today and felt great, not my usual ‘ I might need a defibrillator ‘ moment leading me to crawl back to my chair hoping no one noticed!
This way of eating has so many health benefits, I’m definitely a convert. Before reading the BSD book I would have laughed in the face of low carb dieting. Now I could become evangelical about it – when I see ‘pleasantly portly’ folk in shops and so on I want to run up to them and yell “I’ve found the answer!”, I wouldn’t, of course, but it does cross my mind! (Not my usual method of winning friends and influencing people.)
Well, happy BSD Monday everyone!

Well I made it through the Thanksgiving holiday without a single taste of mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, rolls with butter, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce and so on. I had 2 chocolate chips cookies in the evening! They were really good and somehow I managed to not keep eating them. I indulged in just a bit too much wine so did go over my 800 calorie mark but my dinner plate only had turkey and salad on it. Not bad for cooking the entire meal for 12 people and serving dessert afterward. My weight hasn’t dropped this week but it hasn’t gone up either so I’m okay with that. I knew Thanksgiving wouldn’t be easy to get through. I’ve done my workout each day! My sister’s, daughter and niece went out to lunch the day after Thanksgiving to a very fancy restaurant. I ordered the hamburger without a bun and turned down the fries. I had a house spring mix salad with no dressing (brought my own olive oil and balsamic vinegar). I ate half the burger and all the salad. I did not miss the carbs! Bread was served with pats of butter but I resisted that too. It really feels good to be able to go out to a nice restaurant and enjoy it without eating carbs. I didn’t feel guilty afterward or deprived. I started week 8 today and will go as strong as I can through at least 9 weeks to make up for any days I didn’t hit the 800 mark. I’ll do 10 if I have to then I’ll continue the plan but add a few more calories a day and see how my weight looks. I’ll cut back again if it starts to climb.

WEEK 1 DAY 7

Ok so last day of our first week. Where did that go???? If you’ve had a good week great, if you haven’t then there’s still today before tomorrows weigh in!!!

I had a completely disorganised day yesterday. Started badly because I didn’t have breakfast until 11.30am so was starving and just had some left over salmon with 3 thin oat cakes … odd I know! Anyway, that was the start of a ‘hungry’ day and I picked at food most of the afternoon. We were going out for an early evening meal so didn’t want to eat too much before hand!! Today I will be back to yogurt and berries at a ‘normal’ breakfast time and then plan the day from there.

From yesterday’s discussion of ‘all or nothing’ I realise that I’m a’ planner’. If I don’t plan my day in the morning then I’m setting myself up to fail. I know the answer then!!!

Glad to hear you’re feeling good Daisiesmum!

Well done you jmarie!!!!

Here’s to a good day.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Overall, it’s the end of week 16 for me. First eight-weeks saw a loss of 36lb and second eight-weeks has been 25lb. Original plan was a total 98lb (seven stone) loss by my birthday next June. I’ve upped the target to 100lb off and reckon it will take me at least another three eight-week cycles in 2017.

Still, I’m really chuffed with a loss of 61lb since the start of August. Next mini-goal is another three pounds off by Christmas so weight will start with an 18. Off to the US today for four days to see a client in a small town in Minnesota, so not foreseeing a great week BSD-wise.

Daisiemum and Jmarie, welldone on your control. Know what you mean about telling everyone, unfortunately not many would take heed!! Verano I need to plan as well, when I have a meal arranged I look forward to it, if it’s a snatch meal it seldom seems to sustain me in the same way and then food is on my mind continually. Not hungry for food though, just a need for food, just the way I am, and why I am overweight!! But things are changing, feeling more in conrol, had fresh baked mince pies in the house over the wekend and not a crumb passed my lips!! Feeling good. Have a great day everyone, we are all doing well. We prove that by returning to this forum and being enthused by all involved?

Sunshine-girl – thanks for the tip about not adding the cheese etc before freezing the soup – will do that next time.

Verano – forgot to say that I substituted a bit of cream for the milk to make it lower carb. Also I think it makes 6 portions because husband said it was so filling the bowl full I gave him was too much.

I am a planner also. I plan the whole day first thing in the morning and it really works for me. It’s much easier since I started using fat secret. But I am an all or nothing planner. On a diet I plan meticulously – when I reach target I stop completely. It wasn’t until I read Captainlynne’s post about how she has continued with the recording and planning while on maintenance that the penny finally dropped. I have to continue with the planning and recording to be successful at maintenance and keep the weight off.

Maharani kitten – I loved your chocolate tale of shame.

Yowzer49 – good tip about putting chopped nuts on top of my yoggy alternative Christmas desert – it will definitely make it even more delicious.

Your alternative non food treat is spot on. We will feel so good after our BSD Christmas . We won’t feel deprived because although we have kept carbs low we have eaten more calories (and very satisfying fatty calories) but won’t have that awful feeling on 1st Jan that now we have to undo all the damage we have done over the holiday.

Daisiesmum – that’s exactly how I feel but you are so right – it is not the best way to win friends and influence people.

Jmarie41
Congratulations on your successful BSD thanksgiving and the lovely low carb meal at the restaurant the next day. It’s great to be able to eat out and not feel deprived.

Hi chaps and chapettes,

Joining late – a week and a half into my own ‘it’s five weeks until Christmas’ mini challenge… assume no-one minds 😉

I started with BSD at the beginning of September and lost 8kg before a work trip to the US exactly 8 weeks later. The US was HARD – much harder than in Sydney Australia to find cheap and easy low-carb options when eating out every meal!! I managed to keep my weight the same through lots of 16:8 fasting… black coffee for breakfast and only two (as low carb as practical) meals a day. Combining lots of methodologies!!!

Now that I am back, need to get rid of the carbs properly again. I find counting makes me too ‘diet’ rather than life-style focussed – so carrying on low-carb and regular fasting, rather than calorie restriction. Slower, but better for the weirdo relationship my brain has with food! Not always easy, but compared to feeling hungry on WW, or guilty eating whatever with no boundaries, or deprived and then ‘treating’ myself to excess – this is a doddle!

Except for gelato. Walking past good gelato is very very hard. Following from previous discussion in this thread: I still can’t decide if ‘never’ or a deliberate and mindful ‘occasionally’ is a better long-term strategy. Never and forbidden = more likely to binge (based on past experience). But occasionally also has the danger of ‘first taste is free!’ i.e. not being able to stop after the little bit. Dunno.

I want to thank all the regular posters – I have been lurking since I started 3 months ago and this is my first actual post. You guys have been a massive inspiration and I have appreciated your candour and generosity!!

Take care all,
Cath.

Jules … well done! Happy travelling.

Krysia. Going to make the broccoli soup this morning. After my weekend I think I may have a soup only day! Will let you know how the soup turns out.

Chicken … welcome to our group the more the merrier. Just post your weight loss tomorrow for this week if you can.

HI everyone, Happy Monday. I hope it was a good weekend.
Verano I agree with being a planner, I went out with my mum and dad and my little one yesterday, went into a bit of a panic with an unexpected lunch out and then tea at their house!
It ended up OK went to a Beefeater and after the kindly waitress tried to offer me baked potato, rice etc when I tried to swap the chunky chips, she eventually “got it” and my chicken dish arrived with green beans, sprouts and peas! may have been lucky as it was Sunday roast day but it worked.
I also had to do some digging in my mums cupboards as tea without some form of bread is unheard of. I ended up with 2 oatcakes with cheese and a hard boiled egg. I’m pretty pleased I made a plan and didn’t just give in to the easy carb options.
FInally after what seems like forever the scales have moved too this morning, so feel like its my reward for sticking to the plan.

So … confession time! Saturday was a friend’s birthday so I ate an omelette for lunch and drank 6 G&Ts in the evening, then yesterday woke up craving bacon. I should have just had some but ended up having yogurt and berries which didn’t stop the craving, so I promised myself bacon and egg would sort me out then just didn’t stop eating for the rest of the day 🙁 I even had a small bowl of ice-cream! I have no idea how many calories and carbs I got through and can’t believe that I did it!! I felt so ill last night and had a really upset stomach – serves me right! Not only that but I only wrote about 200 words of my 1800 word assignment that has to be in tomorrow.
New day today – today will be a fasting day and I have taken a day’s leave to write my assignment. 900 words completed so far so treating myself to a confessional coffee break before cracking on with the second half.
I have spent the last 40 odd years dieting and then putting back more weight than I lost and I can’t afford to do it this time. This WOE was working so well for me, not feeling hungry, feeling healthier, so don’t understand what happened yesterday. All I know is I’m not going back there again and knowing that all you lovely people are here has made me more determined to see this through.
Feeling better now I’ve vented – onwards and downwards!!
Immi x

Hi Immi,

It was just one day! Maybe you needed that to show you that a.You ended up feeling terrible and don’t want to go back there and b. You feel strong enough to write off the one bad day rather than seeing it as an excuse to throw in the towel and go back to your old eating habits again.

The support on these forums is awesome. I read all the time for inspiration 🙂

I hope the assignment goes well and you feel happier and back on track
Hazel

IMMI you said,have spent the last 40 odd years dieting and then putting back more weight than I lost and I can’t afford to do it this time
I echo your words! That is ME
Part of the prob of my” all or nothing” dieting mentality means i have great success, then when i blow it,its blown big style and the weight goes back on,with a little extra on top. Repeated that over and over and over…which is the fatal flaw of all or nothing.
Finding it so much easier to stay ‘ good’ all the time, now the carb addiction has gone…why didnt we know about carb monsters years ago!!

Hope yr tum feels better now and good luck with yr written work! X

CleverBlonde and Yowzer

Thanks for your support and advice – just knowing other people understand makes such a difference!
I’ve just submitted my assignment and that’s kept my mind off food so win-win. Feel like I’m definitely back on track today, don’t know where my head was yesterday but glad it’s back, lol.
Yowzer, I’m trying to emulate your ‘good all the time’ but it doesn’t come easily – must be the rebel in me 😉
So grateful for this forum x
Immi

Oh well done IMMI on getting that assignment done and dusted! And being back on track! X
To be honest, i dont think “good all the time” can work in general for most diets…As often demonstrated by myself over the years,sooner or later the deprivation gets too much and you snap and go foodcrazy!
Seems to be quite a good strategy tho for some of us on BSD..the less refined carbs we eat,the less we crave them. Its a bit scary what an addiction carbs can be…seem so innocent but as bad as and less avoidable in daily life ( if you have a family eating bread and so on) than booze and cigarettes.
i was all or nothing as a smoker…smoked 30 a day for years then gave up overnight,just before a christmas too. Took years tho before i truly felt with all certainty that i wd never smoke again! x

I was doing so well then someone on here mentioned drinking a mojito and I thought, I have half a lime in the fridge and some white rum in the cupboard, so I made one. Then another, then a couple of glasses of red with my meal. I was going to just try some sage and onion stuffing but we had none left so I was saved from that. Anyway, weight up a little, will check in formally tomorrow.

Reduced insulin to 24 units and BG was 3.5 so will watch it for a couple of days and maybe reduce again. Have a good day everyone and keep on keeping on…

Yowzer you mention giving up smoking. I stopped about 18 years ago.

I had stopped earlier but after 6 months and a very minor family problem I had my excuse to start again. Then about five years later my mother died from lung cancer. You would think that that would be more than enough for me to stop. But no!!! Then suddenly about 5 years later I decided to stop. Never smoked again and never wanted to.

I think getting healthy following an eating plan is similar. You just have to have the right mindset and the time has to be right for each individual. One thing I really do find life saving is having these threads. I’ve not had the best of weekends but all is not lost this week. Because I know I have to ‘report in’ tomorrow I have been really careful today. So this board is helping to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Well done with your bg sunshine-girl. Coming here and confessing all helps to draw a line under any slips. Really if your bloods are improving, and they are, then you’re winning!

Immi …. you’ve got the ‘right ‘ head on again so well done. Apart from captainlynne we all have our off days!

I made the broccoli soup this morning and it’s really good. I’ve not put the cheese in yet will do that before serving it. Also I took the lazy out and just boiled the broccoli in the stock I didn’t bother roasting it first! Maybe it would be even better if I had!

A cheery hello from a very chilly Wiltshire. Please may I join you on this Strictly quest? I finished my first 8 weeks with a loss of 22lbs (runs round room cheering and waving hands in the air) and am definitely continuing for the next 4 weeks. The BSD way of eating is amazing! X

Well done OiMadam and welcome!

Heehee OIMADAM! Youmade me laugh both with yr name and yr description of your reaction to your excellent weightloss!
Best feeling in the world isn’t it!Definitely a moment to run around waving yr hands and maybe pulling yr jumper up over yr face while you do so!😄
Welcome aboard our sleigh ride,galloping over the rooftops towards the festive season! X

Thank you lovelies. If I’m honest ‘run’ was a bit of an exaggeration. I quite like the term gallumphing instead – but inside my head I was sprinting. If I pull my jumper over my head I might let loose two clangers and could easily knock myself out! Xxx

Thank you for the congrats KrysiaD and Trelawny!
I’m still holding at 17 lbs. down on Day 51.
Two of my granddaughters are here from North Carolina and leave tomorrow. They are busy making Gingerbread houses so there is a lot of candy, and cookies around but it is not bothering me at all! I’m really enjoying watching them as they moved far away a few years ago and I wasn’t sure I’d get these experiences as much with them.
I’m really enjoying reading all your posts. All the experiences everyone shares is such a support! The ups and downs of staying on track and knowing that once in a while we all stray but get back to our plan pays off!
I keep looking at each meal as how can I shaved off carbs and lower the calories but still enjoy my meal.
I’m also trying hard not to snack a lot because it adds up so quickly.

Welcome chicken106!

Good morning, it’s a cold frosty one up here in the East Midlands….brr! I woke full of energy and vigour, I have even been on my mini rebounder (my favourite aerobic exercise besides walking). Who knew that curbing the carbs could be so life enhancing.
My scales aren’t exactly cooperating though. I’m only 0.2lb down on last week (sigh) but it was week 4 for me, and DrM says in the book it’s common to plateau around then so I’m grateful for any loss!

OiMadam, you’ve put images in my head I can’t unsee – hilarious, I have the same problem if I get on my rebounder before I’m fully dressed – ha ha!

Family and I have finally settled our Christmas plans (when who’s visiting whom) so I can strategise accordingly. It’s not looking too complicated. I think my biggest challenge will be not upsetting my long term low-fat diet loving, pre diabetic sister with my new found evangelical fervour for low carb, full fat!

Indulgent low carbs for me over Christmas will include macadamia nuts, gorgeous cheeses, double cream in my coffee and an occasional snifter of brandy. What do others suggest?

I’m looking forward to reading everybody’s posts today, progress, slip ups, Christmas tips and everything!

Here’s Wishing you all the best of everything.

Checking in before a cold, busy day – a two hour bus journey each way to visit someone who is very ill in hospital.

Since 22nd November my weight has stayed at 8st 9lb, with a couple of dips down to 8.8. So I am very happy with that.

Some unexpected party food appeared in front of me last night (salmon sandwiches, sausage rolls and lemon meringue pie). But I’d already eaten. So I sat with my black coffee and enjoyed the chats. I did eat the filling out of one of the cocktail size sausage rolls, but the pastry stayed on my plate. It was ok – nothing more than that. Another lady just ate the filling of her slice of lemon meringue – not dieting, just doesn’t like shortcrust pastry. A reminder that many people adapt the food provided, not just us. And nobody round that table commented. Sometimes it seems me overthink things and think others are more interested in what we eat, or don’t eat, while most really don’t care – they’re too busy talking or eating what’s in front of them.

Keep warm everyone, and I look forward to reading your posts later.

WEEK 2 DAY 1

Hi everyone

Week 2 starts here! Hope week 1 has been good to you all. Daisiesmum a loss is a loss!! I am really pleased to announce a 3.2lb loss!!! Best I have had for months. I think my soup day yesterday got me back to my pre-weekend weight. I wanted to lose 5lb before xmas and 7 if possible. I’m still going for the 5 that’s 1.8lbs away and then hopefully I can make the 7 but don’t want to put too many hurdles in the way.

Daisiesmum I’m with you on the cheese front. I made broccoli and stilton soup yesterday. I’ve not had stilton for ages and I only had about 30g but it was heaven. I’m now thinking I may forgo the pudding I’ve promised myself and have the cheese instead!

There are now 38 of us on this sleigh just hope everyone is still aboard for week 2!!

Have a good day.

Well done Lynne! Your maintenance plan is working beautifully.

I’ve been ‘maintaining’ for around four weeks when I really should have been losing! This challenge has got me back on track so now I must just keep going. You’re an inspiration to us all in showing what can be done when you stick to the plan!

Have a good day.

I just wanted to let you know I’ve signed up for the futurelearn course about diabetes. At the moment there’s a welcome page where people are introducing themselves. So far around 530 people have said ‘hello’. There are people from many different countries and different walks of life. There are lots of professionals: nurses, retired and practising, doctors, people with relatives with diabetes, those of us with diabetes and those trying to avoid getting it in the future.

Of the 530ish there appear to be maybe 4 of us who low carb! One person has reversed her diabetes with the Newcastle Plan, and there are two others who have confessed to low carb eating and me! One person asked what BSD is and when I told her her response was ‘I’ll starve without potatoes, pasta and rice’! Typical response I guess.

Anyway, I think it may be really interesting. I have a feeling the course leaders are going to cover, maybe even recommend, low carb eating. We’ll see!!!

Good morning everyone, my weigh-in for week one of the Strictly challenge is a whopping four pounds in a week. Having said that, some has gone back on overnight/yesterday after my new low or it would have been five. So the challenge now is to navigate the holidays trying to learn how to maintain and end up on the 20th December after three big parties at still around the 10:13 to 11:00 stone mark, or maybe a little lighter if I continue with some fast days.

Well done all those who have lost weight AND all those that are hanging on even when the scales don’t play ball!! Keep logging in and giving us your thoughts and reading about how others get by. I am pleased to say 1lb down. To begin I thought ‘1lb is that all!’ But gave myself a good talking to, I am 1lb nearer my goal another week into changing my eating habits forever. What’s not to celebrate?
What does everyone’s family and friends think of the BSD? Have any of them taken up the banner? My daughter gets it and my cousin and her husband have embraced it and are losing and feeling good. Other people I have mentiond it to disregard it straight away. Low fat, cereal based diets are so ingrained within us all. Let’s hope this is the start of the revolution against those who want to keep us fat ‘cos it puts big bucks in their pocket!!
Have a strong day everyone.

My weigh-in:
80.4 kg
Target for four weeks was 2.1 kg, now reversed and 1.2 kg. Looks impressive by my standards (I lose very slowly compared to some of you) but I think most of it was losing what I put on over a trip back to Britain. Even so, I’m quite surprised as I had a massive calorie and carb bust on Saturday and Sunday.

Good morning. Wow its cold! At least its supposed to be a sunny one here in Sussex, so will hopefully make my lunch break walk.
Weigh in this morning at 64.9 kilos so about 10stone 3. I normally weigh on fridays and thats actually 0.7kilo off since Friday so am v pleased with that as had been stuck on a dreaded plateau for more than a week before.
Verano I chuckled at your post as a work collegue of mine i was chatting to yesterday about my progress who happens to be a nurse, said those very words! “I would starve without bread, rice, pasta etc”
Well done to everyone for carrying on through ups and downs and thankyou for the support you all bring.
Have a great day Hazel

Trelawny – Viva la Revolution! I will be spending time over Christmas with my sis who has been on a low-fat diet for around 30 years and has all the accompanying health issues – high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, etc despite being very slim.

We are from the low-fat, high carb generation and BSD seems counter intuitive to us, but WOW, what an eye opener this has been! I got off the low fat train a few years ago adopting an “all things in moderation” approach which kept my weight within reach, but my health still suffered, high bp, lethargy, sleepy, heart palpitations, acid reflux, foggy head etc. All of the above have improved greatly since going low carb. Oh here I go preaching again!

Have to keep preaching Daisiesmum because its so easy to forget how things were!! We all need reminding that we don’t want to go back there.

Cleverblonde … you know we may have all said the same thing before we ‘saw the light’! When you think back to a ‘traditional’ diet you would wonder what on earth you would eat if you took out the bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. Just that we know better!!!!

Well done to everyone who has lost, especially those of us have been ‘challenged’ at times during the last week. There will be many more temptations over the coming month so if we can contain those AND keep losing that will be marvellous.

Well done Verano, Trelawney, Mixnmatch, Snoop and Cleverblonde73 for your super weight losses.

Verano – I am glad the stilton in the soup worked well – I will try it next time. Will also do what you did and just simmer the broccoli in the stock rather than roasting it – much quicker. I also didn’t add the bacon garnish because I am not that keen on bacon.

Captainlynne
I am sure that you are absolutely right – that we over think it and actually other people don’t really care about what we eat or don’t eat. I have gradually come to realise it and it has given me a wonderful freedom to eat exactly what I want when I eat away from home.

Trelawney – in the beginning people were sceptical but now they are amazed at my weight loss and the reversing of the diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Because I stuck completely to BSD food when daughters visited me it spooked them a bit and they mentioned concerns about eating disorders and anorexia. They were not used to me sticking with healthy eating in the face of temptation. But they quickly realised that no one with anorexia would tuck into the clotted cream with such gusto.

I agree that we are at the start of a revolution against the people who champion low fat cereal based diets and all the added sugar low fat entails. Unfortunately for the food industry this addictive way of eating means huge profits for them and also the drug companies who treat the ill health caused by this way of eating – so there will be a lot of resistance to this healthy way of eating.

This week I have stayed exactly the same at 9stone 9 1/2lbs. Am happy with that as I am only 2lbs off my target which will take me to exactly the middle of healthy BMI.

Also my shape is changing and I can see that lean muscle mass is building and replacing the fatty wobbly bits. I have had problems building muscle in the past but not on BSD.

Yesterday I did an amazing 18k steps and felt absolutely fine. I had a 5 hour break midday and I walked to the city centre (a half hour walk each way) had hair done and then walked around lots of clothes shops (it was lots) but didn’t see anything that really caught my eye. Then I taught classes for three hours in the evening. I couldn’t have done that when I started in May last year.

Krysia you sound so positive and I think that may be one of the secrets of success. If you feel good you’re far more likely to treat yourself ‘well’. Maintaining is far more difficult than losing but you’re on track … so really well done.

The soup was lovely. I added some celery to the onions, sweated down in a tablespoon of rapeseed oil, then added just one crushed clove of garlic. I’m not that fond of garlic in soup, love it most other ways!!! Then I threw in the broccoli, crumbled in 2 vegetable stock cubes and covered it with water and simmered until the broccoli was soft and then whizzed. Easy. I took sunshine-girls advice and only added the cheese when I served it, 15g to a portion and gently reheated in the microwave. That worked out, with 6 portions, at 6.3g carbs and 146 calories. I found it to be a really satisfying low calorie lunch and the stilton made it feel just that little bit more special, although I’m sure cheddar works just as well.

Verano – I will try the celery also as it is such a healthy veg and would work well. With the variations I think this may be the only soup I make over the winter because it is amazingly delicious. Can’t wait to try it with stilton.

Verano – I do feel so positive. I have learn’t so much reading posts in this forum and know that this time I can enjoy the weight loss and the health benefits without having to worry about putting the weight back on. I have made notes from posts that really resonated with me and I feel I have now got a real personalised maintenance plan that fits into my way of life and personality traits so I can enjoy the weight I have lost so far and know that I will be ok in the long term. Also – every morning when I get dressed I look in the mirror and rather vainly admire the fact that there is very little fat left to lose and I see a body in the mirror that has been wrapped in fat (varying amounts because of the yo yo dieting) since 1965.

Here’s another good soup I made last night for three: one chopped onion sweated in olive oil (butter would be even better), to which I added a couple of good-sized, chopped courgettes, then about a quarter of a litre of water and a vegetable stock cube. I made it in a pressure cooker so ten mins at high pressure, then let pressure fall naturally. When pressure has released, add 25 g of blue cheese and blend in till the soup is smooth. If you have carbs to spare, add in some cooked white beans with the cheese before blending. I needed to add more liquid while blending. If you make this in a saucepan, you’ll need to cook till veg are soft enough for easy blending. Serve with a swirl of yogurt (we had sheep’s milk yogurt yesterday, absolutely gorgeous). This is an all-time favourite for us and friends. Dead simple, but very satisfying in every respect.

Hello fine people.

0.8 kg gone since this time last week (although 1.1kg over the past two weeks, so some of this is most likely measurement error!) and just over 9kg in all. Whoop! Only 30-odd to go…. but best not think of it like that I guess.

Tonight was a bit of a debacle though. Dinner at a neighbours – pasta (with peas and feta)!! Oh well. Small serving and lots of salad. Not the end of the world. I don’t like being the ‘fussy eater’ when I go to dinner at someone’s home, especially given they have a new 3 week old baby so I didn’t want to add to the degree of difficulty!!

Krysia – “no one with anorexia would tuck into the clotted cream with such gusto” HA!!! I laughed. I’m waiting for my mum to be convinced I have a mental illness like she thought the last time I lost much weight 15 years ago (obviously the only way anyone like me could loose weight, apparently). She’s an excellent saboteur. Do other people have these sorts of issues with people being actively critical??? Bah!

I hope we all have awesome weeks.

C.

Chicken106 – my mother – after I had lost a lot of weight sometime ago and I felt really good (when I was yo yo dieting) introduced me to some people I didn’t know with the words ‘this is my daughter – she used to be really fat. I’ve got the photographs’. We laugh about it now but at the time it was mortifying.

Hi All,
So end of my week 4 and have lost another 2.5 lbs making my total in 4 weeks 19.5lbs. Slightly disappointed with only 2.5 this week as I set my own target for the 8 weeks of 35lbs and it feels a long way off still even though I’m at the half way mark.
Still, I’ve stuck to the plan although a couple of days I went over 50g of carbs (52) so am going to stick to under 50. I’m also going to increase my exercise, being stuck at a desk all day is tough but the toilet furthest away from me is 500 steps there and back so I’m going to go there (providing I’m not desperate!!) Drinking 2.5-3 litres of water a day too.
Today I didn’t have any breakfast as I decided to stretch my fast through to lunch (17hrs) but will have lunch at 12.00 as I’m starving!
Great to see everyone doing well and the support on here for everyone is amazing, or as my sister would say ‘MAZING!!’
Weight loss wishes to all.
You guys rock!
Nicky x

Morning all, although it is afternoon here. I have gained 1lb and am very cross with myself. I never learn. Okay 3 weekends before Christmas and no alcohol at all. I was also hampered with my bad shoulder so didn’t do any exercise. I am okay now and did 30 mins aerobics this morning and will be swimming tomorrow.

BG 3.2 so getting a bit worried, will be reducing my insulin again tonight. Any tips (no I am not going to stop completely) from those who have done this, should I cut out another glycizide or reduce the insulin, or both.

Well, off to French class again, homework all done. Husband not coming as he is claiming to be still ill, okay he is still coughing and blowing his nose but he should just man up. Poor lad.

Hello all

Thanks for posting all your week one weigh ins and I’m glad to see so many of you feeling positive. I normally weigh on a Monday so yesterday I was up 1.5lbs – oops – that was definitely the alcohol and cheesecake talking – but in honour of this particular thread I also weighed today and I’m pleased to say that I’ve dropped 1.25lbs again. So…I still have 4.25lbs to lose to target (9st 2lbs) but it’s not as much as it was yesterday.

Will stop weighing quite so often and just stick to the plan!

Just having breakfast – yes it’s lunchtime – it’s been a busy morning… 🙂
TC

A random observation, as I am on a couple of recipe sharing Facebook pages. If anyone see’s recipes or menu ideas on line is their first thought related to carbs rather than whether the food looks good or not?

I have been happily low carb brainwashed. Seriously, someone just posted a photo of their home made Tikka Massala with basmati rice and chips and the first thing that came into my head was OMG their carb intake must be through the roof!!

Verano – I’ve just signed up for that course too.

Lynne

That’s great. If you have time read through the welcome page to get a flavour of the other participants. I thought there were only 4 low carbers out of the 650 or so of those that have posted but actually I think there may be a couple more. Still a very low percentage!

I think it may be very interesting particularly as there are quite a high number of professionals both practicing and retired.

Sunshine-girl when are you seeing your doctor? Maybe you should get in touch about the way to go as your bg is so low. He is probably the most qualified to help you. Never mind the weight there!s always tomorrow!

Well done to everyone who I’ve not included so far . We still quite a few to sign in yet!

Cleverblonde I’m with you on this one. Also if any recipe photo is obviously full of cooked cheese that turns me off too. Funny how you can change your whole mindset when it comes to food. I was just doing an internet order for a few days before Christmas and truthfully the cakes etc hold no interest for me but I have to keep thinking that l can’t deprive my poor grandchildren!!!

Congratulations to everyone who lost weight this week!

I didn’t lose any but I didn’t gain and that is okay with me. My family left this morning to head back to North Carolina. I got up to say goodbye to them at 4:45 am. As soon as they were gone, I went through the refrigerator and threw all the high carb thanksgiving food away–cookies, pumpkin pie, stuffing, rolls, etc.–I didn’t want to tempt myself now that they are gone and I’m alone. There are still crackers and sweets in the pantry and if for any reason I get tempted, those will be thrown away as well. My husband is in Europe for the week so I’m on my own! In the past it would be easy to eat junk while he was gone but not this time. I’ve worked too hard to slip. My plan is to stay busy and keep reminding myself how much healthier I feel about myself. Eating junk only satisfies me for a very short time–then I’m left with feeling guilty and sad that I went off my plan. It is not worth it!

I took today off of work to get the house back in shape. There is a lot of laundry to do from all the bedding, and towels used. I also plan to take all the Thanksgiving decorations down, put those away and start decorating for Christmas. I will spend some time working out today!

Onward to week 2 of the 4 week count down to Christmas.
Thank you all for sharing your struggles and success’! I appreciate all you share on this forum. :–)

Verano I am seeing the doctor on Monday, but the last time I discussed having low BG he sent me to see a nutritionist who put my on a high carb diet to stop the lows. I know better now, but I will ask him about stopping the gliclazide as I can control my insulin okay. Just wondered if anyone else had seen this effect and what had they done. I know Krysia went cold turkey and completely stopped the insulin but I don’t feel I am ready for that just yet. As my lows are in the mornings it is probably the insulin as I don’t take the gliclazide until breakfast after I have measured blood. If I am low in the evening (which I am) that is probably the gliclizide so I think I can answer my own question. Reduce both by a bit.

Good morning world! Very fun to wake up and have a long line of posts to catch up on as I drink my coffee (2 Tablespoons heavy cream added — man you should see me jump out of bed for coffee!LOL).

Weather here in California is cold-ish with some hard frost this morning which will finally pull the rest of the leaves off the trees. Good for the fruit trees that need “chill hours” and good for me because I love putting on my rubber boots and tromping about in the garden.

Yay — we are on week two! My maintenance is going well — I am so happy that I no longer am in a panic state about food and weight gain — I wasted so much energy on what I had eaten, what I had gained, which clothes were too tight — good gracious, if I only had those wasted hours back — now I stick to low carb and eat only at meals and I am finding it easy to stay at proper weight.

Verano — I took a future learn course last winter and it was really fun and very interesting and it was a great thing to focus on during the dark cold months of winter and a good mental break from work. Mine was through Cardiff University in Wales — fantastic international student mix!

KrysiaD — I know what you are saying about your body shape changing — mine has too and it is interesting to see what low carb is doing. My stomach is WAY flatter and I’m holding more fat on my upper thighs. That is so interesting — we are literally depositing fat in a different pattern.

Trelawney– your comments regarding profits and bad food resonates — I believe the food industry has invested billions in cereals/breads/sugars and they need us to keep eating it all. I also think there is a sad undercurrent of worry about how to feed so many people on this planet if we don’t stuff them with grains — I think we need to get more creative in that regard so we can feed everyone but healthfully.

My Christmas coping tip of the day is : stir one heaping teaspoon of julienne sliced sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (don’t buy water pack) into scrambled eggs and add a bit of grated cheddar just at the finish. Totally yum!! Happy day all!

Sunshine-girl maybe you’ve hit the nail on the head!! You know your own body best. I presume it’s better for your bg to be on the low side rather than very high. I’m sure you will get it to the right place soon.

Californiagirl pleased your managing your maintenance well. I think that’s harder than actually losing as you don’t have the same motivation usually.

The eggs sound lovely will give them a go. I use to love egg mayonnaise sandwiches with tomato so that sounds like something similar! Sometimes I make deconstructed egg mayo sandwiches …. egg with a little mayo, tomato slices on crisp romaine or little gem lettuce…. it’s actually better than bread!!!

This is my second future learn course. The first was a Spanish course, four weeks, but I’m yet to start it!!! Will get around to it very soon.