So here is my report at the end of my first four week challenge.
I started on 150 lb and wanted to boost motivation to lose the final 3lb to hit target of 147lb. I knew if I put my mind to it I could lose 2lb in a week but I just wasn’t concentrating.
Well the good news is that this morning I wegh 147.1lb which is near enough to target for me to take it but truthfully I still haven’t been concentrating on weight. The weight loss has been almost entirely due to a regular Friday fast that I started throwing in there. I suppose the upside is that maintaining is not as scary as I once found it as I haven’t been counting calories just more or less sticking to the low carb rules and throwing in a few exceptions when I eat out.
I do want to lose another 3 or 4 lbs but I’m not going to officially sign up to the new challenge just keep lurking and reading to keep me sort of on track.

Well done all for good results, those hitting target -amazing and for those keeping on – just keep on we are all here together.

Well my challenge results
Wk1 -8
Wk2 -2
Wk3 -4
Wk4 – 1/2
Total 14.5lb delighted. Struggled last week as was off on holiday, daughter caught stomach bug, was confined to house so steps were down, visitors arrived, slipped up on food choices went over on carbs and had a few g&t’s 😱 now husband has caught stomach bug and I’m due to go back to work on Thursday – so hoping I don’t catch it – although OH has lost 5lbs since Sunday! Oh well just keeping on. Thanks for all the support this challenge has really helped to refocus me – off to sign up to the next one x

well not had the best of weeks and went off plan 😭😭… but im back on it AGAIN today.
Started on 26th Feb @ 117.7kgs and today I weigh 114.6kgs … so ive only lost 3kgs.
My challenge target was to lose 1kg per week which i did but the fact ive gained 2.4kgs this week is not good… I’m ready for the next challenge…

Sadly no weight loss to report again this week, but continuing with NSV’s. Over this challenge I am down 2.4kg, 2 inches on waist measurements and 1.5 inches on the hips so not as bad as I was thinking when I was focusing on there being no weight loss for the last couple of weeks.

The positives from this challenge is that my body has obviously started on getting rid of the spare tyre at last and I am starting to notice other none scale victories. I am starting to feel different about myself. Having made the change from driving an elderly grey car with grey interior to a less old vehicle with leather heated seats, I also don’t want to stay wearing increasingly “baggy but will do” clothes so have had a big clear out. I even noticed yesterday that I am less hesitant in trusting my once broken ankle when going up or down stairs.

Marcassin – congratulations on getting to your 147lb target
Oh2bthin – sorry to hear about the family bugs but – wow – 1 stone – that is a fantastic challenge result!
bigmama – 3kgs is still a good loss. Sometimes weeks just turn out like that, don’t they. Glad to hear you’re back on it today, though. Onward and downward into the next challenge.
JGwen – Those positives are real victories – for me nothing else beats them! (I read about the car earlier – just a bit jealous).

My target for this challenge was to lose 7lbs. Didn’t quite manage it – I lost 5lbs in total. But, I’m happy with that. In the Feb Challenge I lost 0lbs, so to be losing again is great.
Hope everyone else has good report-ins – will be back later to continue hearing everyone’s news.

SueBlue, you’re making inroads, that’s the main thing and if I remember correctly you are doing against the odds of difficult health & medications so you take your positives where you find them.
Mokovex, a small blip on your path to goal. We’ll be cheering you on during the next challenge.
Marcassin, I admire your preparation for your “needy” days. Clever. And reaching your goal, very clever, congratulations👏👏👏🎉
Cheers everyone x

Hi all This has been a lovely busy group, and some really impressive results! Welcome to new starters – Hummingbird, messyjessy, Gloria1977 and others. Congrats to familiar names for losses and Keeping On Keeping On. 3kg is a good result BigMama, and I am sure you will find that the 2.5kg will melt away as you get back on track. Shanshi best wishes to you too in a challenging time. JGwen – I love your posts, and keep thinking of your friend’s dumbstruck reaction to your weight loss. I hope I get some similar reactions when I visit the UK next month!

To round off this challenge, I can report a further loss of 0.4kg and a total for the challenge of 3kg. So:
Start of this challenge: 76.5
Week 1: 76.0
Week 2: 75.2
Week 3: 73.9
Week 4: 73.5

Total loss since mid-October, 17 kilos (nearly 2 stone 10lbs) and now 5.5 kilos within my healthy BMI range.

Like Marcassin, I plan to lurk for the next challenge. I have reached the lowest weight I have been since 1982 (probably before a lot of posters were born!). Longer term I would like to make it to 70 kilos, but after 5 months I want to take a bit of a break. Without going mad of course! Over the next four weeks I am going to focus on toning exercises – try to look less scrawny (at least on top) and more toned! But am going to gently increase the calories I am eating.

I am rather nervous going into a maintenance phase – so will keep lurking here to pick up tips. Very best wishes to all those starting the next challenge.

So, I just wanted to flick back a page to say
Shanshu, like Marcassin, I also think you are doing brilliantly under difficult circumstances. Keep going and keep posting. Xx
Mokovex – thank you. You’ll get there on this next challenge for certain. Hurray!
Jackie – well done in getting to your 57s target. I think you’ve got this BSD woe cracked, so you’ll sort out the emotional eating/what to eat thing. I’ve ruthlessly copied a lot of what you’ve done (e.g. I have your yoghurt breakfast nowadays) so if you come up with a solution do post it!
(Btw, Marcassin, scones used to be one of my favourite things so your tip is another one to file away.)
Marsie – your end weight may not be what you hoped, but it’s not too awful; you are such a great support to everyone else – I’m really willing you to get your mojo back, re-focus and achieve what you want to in the next challenge. Xx
caronl – great weight losses for both this challenge and in total. I understand where you’re at, although I’m joining the next challenge, I’m also thinking about upping my calories. Good luck with this maintenance period.

Congratulations, everyone! These 4 week challenges are great, because they are always lively threads,
with a good mix of newcomers and more experienced BSDers. 🙂

Caron, you’ve done extremely well, and it won’t be long now! Lots of us were a bit nervous about maintenance
too. Look in on “After reaching your target…” There are probably as many ways of successfully managing
maintenance as there are posters on that thread. We’d be delighted to see you there 🙂

Allie

So many nice messages left for me here – thank you.

I went to Sainsburys last night with the intention of buying on diet food. Came to twice the amount I expected and then the supermarket wouldn’t accept the points I had saved up to pay for the shop because I’d never been to that shop before. I burst into tears! I didn’t mean to but it’s all getting a little much.

Anyway today I’m probably all ready over calories because there’s been a lot of cheese snacking but I am low carbing it. And there’s nothing in the accommodation that’s off diet. And I have promised myself I won’t walk over to the shop because that’s just going to end up with me buying chocolate.

I shall make an omelette at 1 with some garlic, herbs and maybe some more cheese. And perhaps a scattering of leek. Again more calories than there should be but if I spend the next two days eating BSD food then hopefully it won’t be such a jump when I take the next step on Thursday to eating BSD food and only 800 calories.

Tonight I will have a venison burger with veg. No bun. Maybe cheese on top.

Hi all,
Great to read about your losses… too many to namecheck!! I started this challenge on 159.6lb and I’m now 152.6lb, so I’ve lost 7lb. Most of that was early on, but I’ve lost a couple in the last 2 days so I’m feeling motivated again!
I’ll be joining the next challenge too 🙂

Shanshu – great plan for today and until Thursday. Also, it’s a sign of how far I’ve come, I read about your omelette and actually thought – yum – never before! Hope you enjoy.

Hi all
Well done everyone – some amazing losses reported. And those struggling – keep going…
Sadly I’m on full self-destruct mode and there is nothing I can do to stop myself! I didn’t get on the scales today and I haven’t checked my blood glucose in over a week – far too scared of the readings. I may need to switch to a gentler 5:2 for a while rather than the very strict fast800 before I undo all the good work I’ve done so far…
I’m hanging my head in shame as I write this…

Hi Gattina
Please don’t ever hang your head in shame. I remember reading previous posts of yours where you’ve described to people what a big change this is with lots of ups and downs. You also said there’s no point in beating ourselves up when things go wrong – brilliant advice. You must take it

Step away from self destruct mode. There are lots of things you can do to stop yourself, you’ve been doing them successfully until now (you may have struggled at points – but as you say we all do). Do what you must, switch to 5:2, keep carbs low but go for higher calories, whatever you think will help best, but keep on keeping on, and keep on posting. Take care xx

Hi Gattina – don’t give up please. You have done so well and there is no need to hang your head in shame ever (although I totally understand the sentiment and have been feeling similar).

Marie123 says it all better than me but for my tuppence worth – you know this works for you but it is hard to continue with the 800 for long periods for some of us especially if you have the magical 8 weeks number in your head.

Do what you need to do to be good to yourself and not cause too much of a backslide. You know that you can lose what you put on because you did it before and you will do it again. It’s just tiresome losing the same lbs – I know because I’m going to have a massive backslide to report when I Finally get to some scales.

So hang in there, keep posting and do what feels comfortable to reduce or stop the damage carbs will do. I’ve gone low carb big calories to get me past the carb craving where I want to eat everything in sight. I’m hoping a couple of days of this and then I’ll feel happy to reduce portion sizes.

Sending you hugs – I know this feeling well xxx don’t give up xxx

Gattina, please don’t resort to shame – It’s such a negative emotion! A bit of tough love and a gentle kick
in the tail feathers is more constructive. Keep posting, and maybe together we can work out strategies for
getting you past the rough spots. Take Marie’s always kind words to heart, instead 🙂 Let us know how
we can help!

Allie

Gattina – the ladies are right. You are awesome and you’ve got this. My advice would be lots of lovely fatty calories and don’t worry about how many but keep to the low carbs until the feeling passes. The amount of 90% chocolate I eat! And the amount of double cream I’ve Glugged and the melted cheese I’ve eaten straight off a plate fresh from the microwave!

And the teaspoons of peanut butter! Sometimes on the aforementioned dark chocolate. Also creme fraiche, or cauliflower with mountains of butter or whatever else makes me feel indulged but safe. Nom nom.

Hi guys – thank you for your supportive posts. They brought tears to my eyes when I read them – this is a genuinely supportive network which will help me through my self-destruction! Although Marie it’s unfair of you to quote my posts back to me – how can I disagree with that! Very effective 🙂
This is a familiar pattern for me – I’m an all or nothing kind of person – I throw myself into things but then easily lose interest – whether its jobs, hobbies and obviously ways of eating. This is what happened last year but I don’t want that to happen again. I’m not disappearing and I will keep posting because I find these forums so helpful. I am inspired by the people on here – the maintainers that have turned their lives around and the continued dedication of those of you on your journey. However, I do have to slow things down I’ve done the fast 800 for 9 weeks (properly) and 2 weeks of disordered/binge eating. I will switch to the 5:2 and only count calories/carbs for 2 days a week. For the other 5 I will continue to eat in a low carb way – I now know the foods which are high in carbs so I can make good choices and avoid them. I may come back to the fast800 in time but for now I need to focus on not undoing all my good work.
Thank you again for your kind works – they really helped.

I’m signing off for this challenge – I’ve only lost 2 lbs but I’ve still lost 2.5 stones overall which I’m very pleased about.
I will see you on the new challenge thread 🙂

Hi
Well I lost 4lbs from 11st 12 to 11 st 8
Not the 6lbs I wanted but better than nothing
I am also going to join the next challenge!
Madmare