Happy December everyone!

Verano – how great that you got back on it and are now on the way down. November’s weight loss is brilliant.

Good luck to you, Peapod. We will both have to stay strong in the face of (no doubt) severe encouragement to “have just a bit …. more … go on, treat yourself…” etc!!

Congratulations Snoop – those landmark points are so important to celebrate. I have a list of them! Every 5 lbs, every half stone, every whole number of BMI, etc. That way I have something to tick off really frequently (as long as I work hard!).

Yes, topac, shields up!! We will survive!

I have something to celebrate today – I lost 1.2 lbs, compared to yesterday and I crashed through the 13 stone barrier and I am now 12 stone something!!! Yay! Just before we go away later today. It’s going to be hard to keep turning down lovely things – NO, I DON’T EVEN THINK THEY ARE LOVELY ANY MORE!!

I know all the text books say you should only weigh once a week but for me I’ve found that gives me 6 days to be naughty and one horrid day in which to try to undo all the damage before the weigh-in the following day. By weighing every day, I have to face the truth every day. And yes, sometimes I’ve been good and the scales still go up, but I am learning to accept that the road goes up and down a bit, even though it is generally downhill.

Go for it, everyone! Make Christmas 2016 your healthiest and slimmest for some time.

Looks like my calculations were wrong for Tuesdays weigh in and I have gained just over half a pound – not 1 lb. Today that has dropped 1.5 lbs so an overall loss of 1 lb. Sometimes it gets a bit complicated, a bit up here and a bit down there, but overall it all counts. More determined to be good this weekend, want another 1 lb off before I see the doctor. Just realised another quarter of a pound will take me to 72.something. Must check my BMI.

BG was up a bit this morning to 6.5 but it is probably just readjusting as I have reduced the insulin plus I always get a slight gain when my weight goes down almost like my body doesn’t know what the hell is happening. It will either level off again or I will put the insulin back up and reduce half a gliclizide.

Have a good day everyone.

Did any of you see Lorraine (Lorraine Kelly on ITV). Interview with Dr Hilary who was speaking to a woman who was pre-diabetic. He told her to cut out starchy foods, great but didn’t explain what they were, then went on to say if you get rid of sugar in your diet (he probably meant all sugars) but it confused the issue as people might now think that by starchy he mean sugars. Lorraine went on to say that the girl who does the exercise on her Slim for Summer, Little Black Dress Diet (Maxine??) has reversed her diabetes with low carb eating and Dr Hillary agreed. You might be able to watch it again if you are in UK. Just a shame he made a confusion with starches and sugars but going in the right direction.

Hello everyone, not lost, just late. Well done to all those losing and well done to all those plugging away with hope. My Tuesday weigh-in was .1kg less than last week. Slowly, slowly, the tortoise won the race;)

Hi Butterlover, yes it was a good meet-up and I was very impressed with us leaving at least 1/2 the serving of O & A cake on the plate, meaning no more than 1/4 of the serve each. Well done, us, but I’m so sorry you were unwell later. My unwell day has been today, of my own making – a bowl of choc coated macadamias on the table between a friend and I, her place, while sitting with coffee, middayish. Those things said “eat me” and I did. Maybe 1/2 dozen but wasn’t really counting until later, could have been more(oh, the shame, hands covering eyes). Late afternoon, I was in pain and, well, if I tell you more it would be way too much information.

Suffice to say, OH put his own dinner together tonight and I’ve had nothing but sips of water for hydration of my one and only kidney. Now at 9.30pm and I’m considering a camomile tea with a dry corn thin. Don’t know though, feeling erghh just at the thought.

Those choc coated macadamias used to be a common indulgence. Think I might have cured that!!! Not only saving carbs, calories, but cash too:)

Tomorrow will be a better day, for us all………..

Marsie
Hope you are beginning to feel a lot better.

I have just walked around Waitrose – remembering all the frantic buying of Christmas goodies that I had done last year. As I walked around I was thinking OMG – just think how many carbs are in all that stuff. Although my major thought was that I was saving so much money this year – which made me feel surprising good.

Funnily enough though – it didn’t even look that appetising. So Christmas goodies is probably the wrong word for all the high carb/sugar stuff. Is Christmas baddies the better description? So CarolH – I don’t think of them as lovely anymore either.

KrysiaD I’m a soup fan too. That sounds like a great new recipe! As an alternative to cheese, I drop a soft poached egg into soups when it is all I am having for lunch. And lots of chilli flakes 🙂

Tigs – actually that is a really good idea for a really quick and very healthy meal. So thanks for that – I shall definitely be trying it – probably tomorrow. It would be great for a breakfast also.

Hi girls

Ironing today and caught up with Missing at the same time! I started to watch the first episode but thought it was really weird so never watched it. Everyone seems to be so in love with it I thought I’d do catch-up. Have seen the first 4 …. didn’t have 4 hrs of ironing …. thank goodness!

Nice to read through all your posts but sorry if I don’t reply individually I’m going out to eat tonight but well done to the losers and the soups are all good. I wrote out a list of vegetables with their carb and calorie values. Amazing that onions are so high, spring onions are the best carb wise but celery is almost nothing. When I get a moment I’ll post it. It’s very handy having all the vegetables in a list instead of having to look them up all the time.

One observation … now that Marsie had posted we still have 75% of our original posters still on the sleigh and we have 3 new starters this week. So altogether we are now 41 ‘strictly’ dancers, 31 on the sleigh and 10 running behind trying to catch up!! Come on girls the reindeer aren’t going that fast jump back aboard … it’s never too late!!

Another non-food strategy for control I have discovered quite by accident: the scent of a ‘salted caramel’ candle, which I bought a couple of weeks ago. Was really struggling last night with post dinner hunger had 1 square of Lindt 90% and lots of Rooibos tea. But then thought needed some distraction so put on a movie and the candle was lit. A few deep whiffs of the candle was as good as if eaten and the hunger dissipated anyway. Sad but true 🙂

Hi Everyone,
I’m back to work after having the Thanksgiving holiday off so I haven’t had much time to respond to anyone’s posts! You’ve all sustained me through the week by sharing. Last night I was walking down my hallway, feeling like I wanted to eat but not really hungry and thought to myself that you all were going through similar feelings–it felt good to know I wasn’t in this alone; that we are all here supporting each other through the BSD.
This morning I weighed in and had lost a half a pound. Finally! Even just this little amount made me happy. I have one more half a pound to drop in order to weigh in at a weight I haven’t seen in many years. I am so excited about it and can’t hardly stand waiting for it to happen. But. . .I have to be patient! Sometimes it feels like how it feels to wait for water to boil. . .the more you watch, the longer it takes!!!
Sorry to hear about your fall, Mixnmatch. Glad you are on the mend.
Verano, thanks for sharing your experience of being saved by the lettuce :–)
Topcac–I am also preparing myself for the on slot of office food. I’m going to just say no! I figure if I’m going to go off plan, then I’m going to choose what I want to eat. So many times I’ve eaten food that I really didn’t want or enjoy just because I didn’t want to offend someone or because it was just there. Not this time!
Cosmic Goddess–Congrats on getting through your 1st week with good results. Must feel great!
Snoop–Congrats on losing just over 10%. Nice!
Cleverblonde73 (Hazel)–good luck at your 6 week weigh in tomorrow. Thinking of you with the buying and selling situation. Never easy! It’s already a stressful time of year and to have that added in the mix. Ugh!

To everyone else I didn’t put a mention in to–thinking of you all as you go through this 2nd week. It’s December 1st and I can officially say, “Happy Holidays” to all of you.

I’m still here, but I think I’m one of the ones running along behind. Someone throw me a rope pls?

Cleverblonde73 we moved this time last year – so stressful finding somewhere, auctions going over our price range, and of course selling the old house. We ended up happy so I hope it goes as well for you.

I’m sick today, not allowed to comfort myself with carbs and much too hot for soup (bit of a heatwave here in Sydney) so not sure what I’m going to eat today! I’ll start with a little yoghurt and see how I go.

Am still here, loitering but still reading posts and being inspired. Still losing, weight this morning 175lbs from 200lbs start 9 weeks ago. Aiming to make sleigh lighter!

Hello

I restarted the BSD today (3rd time lucky?!).

Hope you don’t mind me joining this lively thread – it’s what I need.

Taking one day at a time this time round. Trying to put the upcoming festive season and all the delish food that comes with it to the back of my mind.

Well done to all of you that are going so well. Inspirational.

KrysiaD – actually, it’s true! All that high sugar stuff isn’t tempting me at all – – – yet! But our family Christmas is at our house this year so I’m not planning to have too much stuff standing around.
And turkey & loads of veg is a healthy meal – just won’t eat potatoes.
Verano – great idea writing out a list of the carb values of vegetables! And perhaps some other stuff too. My OH does most of the cooking (aren’t I lucky!) and it will help him choose wisely. I’ve been using MyNetDiary to keep a count but it’s so easy to use that I don’t always look closely at WHY my carbs are higher one day compared to another – I’ve just stopped eating once I’ve reached my limit!!

Jmarie41 – hope that next but if weight comes off quickly for you. Fingers crossed.

Hi Nedds mum – You only fail when you stop trying to succeed so you’re doing the right thing. This time, hopefully, for us all!

Tigs
Tried the poached egg in the kale and soup this morning and it was really good and really quick. On Friday’s we go shopping before 7am so I need a really quick breakfast. Added chia seeds for extra fibre. Also had some homemade Kefir more chia seeds and Inulin (not in the soup). So 13g of fibre and some of my 5 a day already.

Verano – that would be great if you could post your chart of veggies and carbs. Have only just realised that kale and celery have hardly any net carbs compared with carrots, onions and cabbage.

Must dash – husband’s almost ready to go to Tesco.

Good morning, confession time! I’ve had a rough 2-3 days (family Christmas plans sent awry by the ‘usual suspect’!) and resorted to comfort eating my way through the emotional fog 🙁 . Interestingly (and rather pleasingly) I wasn’t in the least bit tempted to load up on carbs as I would have done previously – in terms of food types I didn’t wander off piste at all, but did indulge in large meals, copious amounts of cheese, nuts, milky coffee… sigh!

Back in a better frame of mind this morning and celebrating the small victory of not loading up on carbs, more than that, not even feeling remotely tempted by home made goodies (baddies?) being served at an event I attended! Also, to my amazement the scales were very friendly this morning too. So, much to be thankful for. X

KrysiaD so pleased the soup was a success with the egg. I am certainly hooked on that combo haha

Awesome response avoiding carb loading Daisiesmum! Perfect way to ’emotionally eat’ if push comes to shove. You are going so well!

DAY 4 …. WEEK 2

Hi everyone

Pleased to hear there are some still hanging on at the back …. jump back on!! Welcome Nedds mum always room for more!

I went out for a meal last night and that led on to a really ‘carby’ night after having a good day. Such is life no point dwelling just need to get on with today! Will do my best to post the vegetable list later. Does anybody know whether I could write it in Word and then just copy ands paste to here?

Have a good day.

Morning everyone,

For everyones ups and downs I cant help but feel this sleigh has quite a party atmosphere (without the naughty snacks!).
My 6 week weigh in this morning at 64.7kgs that is 0.9kgs since last week and 6.1kg since I started so very pleased with that as these past 2 weeks have been either static or a tiny loss only to go back up again.

As well as being in the midst of trying to buy/sell houses ( thanks for the positive thoughts), I have a job interview today and with Christmas fast approaching and a load still to do to in the past I would have dealt with the stress with chocolate or crisps. No more! I really dont want to de-rail this train even if its chugging along slowly and a cuddle with my little one, the support of my other half and the thought of seeing the diabetic nurse at the end of Jan are all I need.
Have a positive day everyone
Hazel

Beans & Legumes

Per 100g carbs cals

Butterbeans (canned) 13.0 89

Chickpeas (canned) 22.6 119

Haricot beans (canned) 20.4 113

Lentils red (dry) 60.1 353

Lentils red (cooked) 18.7 165

Quinoa (dry) 68.9 374

Quinoa (cooked) 26.3 143

Red kidney beans (canned) 14.5 82

Sorry about that I was just testing and I seem to have lost the spacing ….sorry. Hope you get the picture. Will try again

LinD49 well done on your fantasic loss. Are you doing another 8 week fast?
Natalie hope you soon feel better.
We moved house in July 2016, should have been May 2015, but buyer pulled out. We had our belongings packed for over a year!! But the house we were after sold just before we sold ours. So we had another look at one we had passd over previously and decided it was perfect. Fate intervened and we are set up for our retirement now and couldn’t be happier or in a better place.
Have a great day everyone.

Hi to all fellow travellers.
Just popped in to mention I have lost another 1.5 lbs since Monday. I have had a few days of pipe bloggage which finally unplugged, and showed on the scales today. One more pound to reach one and half stone! This sleigh ride is great and I now have noticed that The Elf On The Shelf bought for my grandchildren, is keeping an eye on me!!
Have a good day
X B

Just got the book and need to start 8 week plan ASAP I need to get on this any help or, suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Many thanks

Morning all Just quick catch up reading,no time to reply right now except to say a big THANK YOU VERANO for the cals/ carbs beans and legumes. X v v useful to have x and welcome HEALTHYNEWME X

Hmm – Feeling decidedly out of sorts today. The daily challenge (for I fear this is what it will become) of avoiding treats in the run up to Christmas today saw me face to face with my absolute nemesis, 80s retro sweets. Black Jacks, parma Violets…the list goes on but I won’t elaborate…as it’s not helpful to others.

I managed to deflect them with my shields and had yoghurt, berries and seeds for breakfast but now I feel very shaky and my heart feels like its fluttering in my chest (I know it’s not, it’s just a very strange feeling – palpitations?). Any clue what might be causing this?

I might just be tired, I’m already on a 50 hour week and that doesn’t include today – bring on the weekend!

Stay strong everyone, I know the weekend brings its challenges but personally I prefer it as I can be in control of what is in front of me!

Vegetables

Per 100g Carbs Cals

Asparagus…………………………………..3.9………………20
Butternut squash 8.3 39
Beansprouts 4.0 34
Cabbage 5.6 24
Cauliflower 5.3 25
Celery 3.0 14
Courgette 3.3 16
Green Beans 7.1 31
Kale 9.0 49
Mange tout 3.5 72
Mushrooms 3.3 22
Parsnips 18.0 75
Petit Pois frozen Birds Eye 6.75 69
Peppers red 6.4 36
Peppers green 4.6 20
Spinach 3.0 34
Sugar Snap Peas 5.0 25
Sweet Potato 20.0 86
Watercress 1.3 11

Onions:
White/brown 10.1 42
Red 10.0 48
Leeks 14.1 61
Shallots 16.8 72
Spring onions 7.3 32

Thank you Verano for going to the trouble of posting the carb list. Can you or anyone else, tell me how I can copy and save it on an iPad or is it possible to post it in recipes?
X B

Thanks Verano, great list.

Busybee, I’ve just taken a screenshot of the list, haven’t tried to do anything else with it yet. Running out of time, will possibly print it off tomorrow. Don’t know if this will help you.

Thanks KrysiaD, have gradually improved as day has gone on.

Thanks for the list Verano. Have copied it and saved it to word. Very useful.

The only puzzling thing was that on my pack of Organic Curly Kale from Tesco it says 1.4 carbs and 3.1 fibre for 100g. I am almost sure that my pack of Curly Kale from Sainsbury and Waitrose said similar. But if you search the internet it says 9g of carbs for 100g.

I wonder why these UK companies have got it so wrong. Still – even if it is 9g of carbs for 100g – one bag of 200g Kale has made at least 6 servings of kale soup and has been added to about 5 stir frys this week (for husband also) so the 18g of carbs isnt that bad when spread around the week.

Topcac – parma violets – my nemisis also. When husband bought sweets to give out on haloween he had strict instructions to hide them because I always ate all the parma violets.

The strange feeling you are getting – are you on any diabetes meds and blood sugars going too low? Have you drunk too much caffiene to cope with your long hours? if not it might be good to get it checked out.

Healthynewme1 – if you are following the recipes the Bloodsugar cookbook recently released by Michael Mosley is good. There is a huge amount of expertise on this forum and if you have a question – just ask, or type it in to the search box at the top right side of the screen. A lot of people use my fitness pal or fat secret to log their food – which I find helpful and also keeping carbs at 50 or below will also help weight loss. I don’t follow recipes but have cut out the potatoes, rice a pasta from the meal and substituted spiralised courgettes and other veg instead. Have also cut out all sugar, refined carbs, bread etc.

Natalie – hope you recover soon. It is going around East Anglia and is not a very nice bug.

Hi Busybee
If you hold your finger at the top of text until it says copy, then drag the blue dots until all text required is highlighted, click on copy then you can paste wherever you want. If this isn’t clear enough, just shout and I’ll try and make it more detailed. It’s a great list! Thanks x

Hi Krysia

I checked Tesco and Sainsbury’s and they are as you say. Wikapeadia and other nutritional data sites give the carbs as 9 per 100 g so I really don’t know. The difference is vast so probably needs to be checked again!!

Hi Krysia

Have looked again and it is a puzzle. I think maybe the best way is to use just one counter Wiki or Fatsecret or MFP or supermarkets own counts.

Topac – I have a suggestion regarding your palpitations. I used to have the same trouble and now don’t. For me it turned out that it was actually dehydration. If I don’t demrink enough water I get to feel shaky and my heart beats either quickly or very strongly and sometimes both. I’ve sometimes been woken up by it at night and then lie there, hearing my heat beat in my ears against the pillow and frightened I’m going to have a heart attack. But I’ve discovered that for me, if that happens, I have a large glass of water and in 10-20 minutes it settles down. And now, by drinking a large glass of water at regular times (e.g. When I wake, with each meal and during the evening) I don’t get it (nor the UTIs I was constantly getting!!). Also keeps my tummy full so don’t crave bad food and gives me something instead of nibbles whilst I’m relaxing during the evening.
I can honestly say that assiduously drinking water has made a big change to my life. I can’t promise it will work for you but you can give it a try. x

Verano – THANK YOU SO MUCH for that list!!! Must have taken you ages! But very very helpful.

Determinedthistime – yes that method of copying works fine. Thanks. Going to email it to myself.

Thank you Determinedthistime for trying to help me, but I can’t do it! I am not very good at anything out of the ordinary, but perhaps an easy to copy edition of the list will appear as some stage.
X B

Hi Busybee – I have copied the list into recipes, ( I hope that’s ok ?!) Thanks Verano, it’s very helpful, you’ve done a brilliant job 😀

Love love love this thread.
Although I haven’t been able to post today, I have had sneaky peeks at the posts throughout the day as they arrive in my inbox.

Had a few tricky moments today and in reading the posts I’ve been able to re focus. Thank you.

Day 2 very very nearly ✅

Well done everyone and thanks verano for the list!

Room in the sleigh for one more? I’m 2.5 weeks into my first (proper) 8 weeks and doing fairly well. No major hunger pangs and when I’ve eaten out I think I have stuck fairly well to the principles.

The egg in soup mentioned above sounds yummy – did you poach it in the soup, or cook separately?

Hi GingerbredMama welcome always room for more. Think you’re joining us Determinedthistime … aka … DTT! Not sure that f you’re on board but hope you are!

Anyway welcome newbies and for the rest of you … keep strong!!!!!

Thanks Verano – definitely DTT!

Thanks Verano, yes I will jump onboard please……nearly 10 weeks in now, had lots of stop/starts, but think I’m up to about 24 pounds lost now, which I’m very pleased with. I’m just going to carry on, as I’m probably not going quite as low either calorie or carb wise as 800 / under 50, but it’s working and I’m enjoying being so much healthier.
As everyone says this forum is a total lifesaver!! I’ve never posted anything before coming onto this site, so didn’t think about an easy user name…..Andi is a lot more user friendly……best wishes to all for a great weekend. Andi x

Thanks Trelawny. Yes am continuing indefinitely. This is the only eating plan that has worked for me in nearly 50 years of dieting! Thanks Dr M. Plus the encouragement of this blog. What kick started me was the article and photos in the Mail which coincided with pre-diabetes diagnosis.

Great results LinD49.

I’m one of the photos in the Mail, and have lost more weight since then, now working to maintain rather than lose much more. I’m really pleased that the article helped 😀

LinD49, like you I saw the article just after a prediabetes diagnosis. I was amazed at how the women had lost weight and how good they looked in their dresses. I then bought the book and started reading the forum. Reading how people like CaptainLynne fared on the diet has spurred me on. You certainly did help Lynne !
I will ease off a little over Christmas then go back to BSD eating in January. Have a large amount to lose so will be reading the forum regularly.

Wow! Day 1 of my days away and I’ve been superb – in fact probably eaten TOO LITTLE! Had just 402 calories and 10g of carbs.
But hey, tomorrow we move on to visit friends who will probably be trying to feed us handsomely, So a very low day shouldn’t be too bad.
Sadly no scales here at Mum’s so can’t see, tomorrow, if today has made a difference.

Well done Nedds mum, Day 2 done and dusted! Day at a time and be very very strong – you CAN do it 🙂

GingerbreadMama, I soft poach the egg first and then drop into the soup on serving. Sometimes with a big bowl and when needing a bit more protein, I add a second one. Chop through soup as eating. I made the Jamie O Creamy Asparagus Soup. Skipped the toast in that recipe of course. It is divine.

KrysiaD and Verano – Re Kale nutritional values. Just to further complicate the issue, the online counter I use (Australian) has 6.7g/100g of carbs of which 1.3g is fibre (therefore nett of 5.4g carbs). Different again! I wonder if with something like kale it depends on the proportion of leaf to stem that was included in the nutritional composition testing? I could imagine that they have different values. My counter specifies that 39% of the sample tested was the stems and ‘mid-rib parts’ with the rest the leaves. Is your bag from Tescos just leaves? Anyway – I’m not a scientist. This is pure speculation!
C

KrysiaD and Verano – postscript re Kale – I just realised that the nutritional info on my site is per a 67g serving (?!? – a useful quantity to be sure). So that makes the per 100g more like the 9g total carbs per 100g you have seen elsewhere.

Ok, I’m throwing out an idea here that has worked for me and you can consider it heresy or you can adopt it for your own … When it comes to leafy green veggies, like kale, chard, spinach, lettuce, parsley, Bok Choy, cilantro, mint etc… I eat as much as I want and I don’t measure carbs at all — I only measure butter or oil or toppings — there are SO few carbs in greens that once you subtract the fiber, it’s literally not important. What this does for me is encourages large portions of greens (I usually top with lemon and garlic) and I fill up on super greens. My innards are happy because they get fiber, my stomach is happy because it is full of warm, cooked food and I think my health is responding to all these greens — my hair grows, my skin is clear and I have lots of energy. I think we should consider greens a “freebie”!