Marie, I did smile at Allie’s “walking wardrobe” comment but shuddered at the thought of the reason for it. I can’t really imagine it …. the various times I’ve visited the northern hemisphere have always been in the spring/summer touring season. Meanwhile, here in Perth, this had been an extremely mild summer, with no runs of days over the 40°c (although the eastern states have had their heat waves). And our winters are also mild, sometimes some snow might fall on Bluff Knoll, down near Albany in the south of our very large state, but is rare for it to last a day if indeed it doesn’t melt as it touches the ground. In Perth, we might have just a few nights diving to single figures °c and with the days mostly in the low to mid teens. All of which is not helping you, is it, only showing why I can sympathise but not empathise. Be safe, warm and well my dear friends.

Experienced a very nice NSV today – going out for lunch, decided to put on a pair of white, stretchy pants which I’ve had for about 3 years and usually wore with longer, floaty tops. Didn’t need to do that today. I was able to wear a slim line, hip length, stretch knit top taken from my TOTF back-of-the-wardrobe-bag. (For the uninitiated TOTF=Tops Of The Future, likewise JOTF, POTF, SOTF etc). The top fitted as it was meant to when I bought it a dozen or more years ago and the pants fitted like a pair of well cut slacks instead of unflatteringly bulging tights. Was I happy? Thrilled? YES, I WAS🙆🙆🙆 (checked the full length mirror more than once, just to be sure😉)

Have a good weekend, everyone. MFODAAT💜

Mild weather here in Sydney, 27 today and I also can’t imagine the temperatures you’re dealing with in the northern hemisphere. Stay safe!

My weight is unchanged but I have a NSV, my waist has dropped to a new low of 76cm, suddenly down 3cm which makes me very happy. This is way less than half my height!

Have a great weekend everyone 🎉🎊🎉

Oh, well done, Mariet, I’m not surprised you’re happy!👏👏👏🙆. I still have some way to go with that stat I’m afraid, so I’m full of admiration. That is a definite, and very nice, NSV for you☺

Hi, Nicola12, welcome to the thread. Come on and post whenever you want –
results, questions, always someone around to “talk” to. Hope you do well with your goals 👍

Happy Saturday all
Good news I’ve got heat. I did as the engineer suggested yesterday and poured warm water over the condensation pipe outside and it worked. It had frozen which stopped the boiler working. So I had a nice warm house last night and woke up to lovely warmth 😀. So good 🤗
On the plus side I’ve lost 3 lbs since Tuesday probably because I was shivering so much.
Marsie and Mariet well done on your nsv
Welcome Nicola I look forward to hearing your updates and good luck on your journey.

Oh, Gattina, that is such good news. I was just going to ask how you were doing. I bet you were thrilled 3lbs down, too – hurray, I bet you’ll enjoy this day!

🤗 thanks Marsie.

Marsie and Mariet
Thanks for the kind thoughts and sympathy. I must admit I was extremely grateful to get home safe and sound from Cardiff on Wednesday. Given the forecast for Storm Emma’s arrival in the South-West on Thursday, I felt I had to set out but I drove through some quite treacherous weather and saw a nightmare-long line of cars stuck on the M1 south-bound as we drove north-bound. I have to say the more I hear about Australia, the weather, the terrain, the outdoor lifestyle, the more appealing it sounds!

Great non-scale victories for you both – isn’t it great, Marsie, to put something on without a struggle, and Mariet – that’s a fantastic nsv. To get your waist cm well below your height is brilliant – like Marsie, it’s one I’m still working on.

Nicola – welcome from me too, look forward to hearing how you get on.

Marsie, I love that totf, will def be using that. I have a wardrobe of the future wotf😱 cant resist a charity shop bargain even if I have to slim into it, but never do 🤔
Gattina, glad you have warmth, its been so cold. Our snow has gone and its much warmer here. My 6yr old is gutted.
Well done everyone with their cms and lb loses. I have been messing about with little nibbles etc, so no losses but no gains either.
I am having a real struggle with myself, I gave up booze at new year and today I really want a drink this evening. I know it will stall my weightloss so I decided not to drink until this round is over. I won’t give in but I keep having an internal debate!

Hi blessedenough
Hope you managed to overcome the urge to have that drink. Those internal battles can be so exhausting, can’t they – now when I’m struggling I read one of Esneccas ‘steel in spine’ type posts. They remind me I’ve got that steel, too. I just need to keep using it. Btw, love the name

Apropos of nothing at all – your name reminds me of seeing a TV interview with a headteacher once. His name was Mr Wellbeloved; his teachers and pupils were all singing his praises. Apart from the fact that it is a brilliant Thomas Hardy-type name, it made me wonder about the impact a name like that would have on your life, people’s (and your own) perception of you, etc. Anyway, I’m going off track…..

Thanks marie, no wine for me last night. I have just been out for a run in the rain and managed my furthest distance yet 4.5km. I really wanted to stop but kept plodding on, so perhaps I do have a spine of steel. My user name is a play on “children are a blessing” and I am blessed enough with my two! Although I do appreciate everyday how lucky I am, with a lovely family, just enough money and no health problems and a job I love. My weight is just the albatross around my neck coupled with possible future health probs so I am glad I found this forum. My 6 yr old gave up sugar for lent and next week its mine and my son’s birthday, I said we could have a break for birthday cake and then not eat sugar for the rest of lent, she has decided she will not have any cake but will wait until lent is over- I am very impressed with her, that is def a spine of steel.

I’m a bit late to the challenge but keen to have the 20th as a goal (and then hopefully extend till Easter and earn lots of choc!)
I’m relatively fit exercise-wise but just binge too much and go through the repetitive cycles of “i’ll start again tomorrow” etc etc. Anyway this will be my 2nd time doing the 800, got stuck into it last time and felt great afterwards.
Does anyone have advise or tips of what you do at social events that involve drinking and/or food ? I have a few coming up over the next month but don’t want sacrifice the BSD?
Cheers!

Jenjen you’ll lose weight faster if you are able to avoid alcohol during the 8 weeks. However there were times I went out for social events and I wanted to have a drink, despite knowing it would slow weight loss – so I’d have vodka, lime and soda water (60-70 cals from memory) or white wine with soda or mineral water (1/2 & 1/2). The wine has carbs whereas the vodka doesn’t. You can alternate each drink with plain fizzy water – I find it helps keep me full.
As for food – if at a restaurant there’s usually a few meals that are BSD friendly or can be adapted (asking for salad instead of chips, asking for dressing on ththe side etc). I would compensate by having fewer calories during the day, but not going out hungry (a boiled egg and some veggie soup for lunch for example).
At work events I just say “no thanks” if offered something like cake. If people press me then I just explain that eating wheat doesn’t agree with me (it causes joint pain and inflammation). Again it helps if I’m not hungry, so I’ll have a cup of coffee with full cream milk and a few almonds.
Good luck 🙂

Thanks for the welcome all ☺️

I’ve had an ok weekend food-wise, went to a cafe yesterday for brunch and there was no low-carb options, so I ended up ordering Granola, and not eating all of it. It felt like a very naughty treat and today I’ve lost another pound and the ketostix are still purple so it hasn’t affected me too much! I’m now down 12.6lbs total, can’t wait to be down a stone.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend! x

Woohoo! It’s not challenge day until tomorrow but I’m claiming this now- 61.8kg today, 700g below my final goal!! 😁😁😁😁🎼🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😱😱😱

Can’t believe it! I know it’ll bounce up tomorrow because that’s what I do but I’m so excited, can’t stop grinning. That’s 23.4kg gone, 51.5lb in total. BMI 24.75.

Stepped on and off the scales and kept going back in case it was a mistake. Now I’m floating off to work, thrilled to bits.

I hope the weather is moderating for you all in Europe and that everyone has had a great weekend. KOKO, 👁 on the prize!

I’m very excited for you, Mariet! Huge congratulations and a few cartwheels coming your way from frigid
NEw England! Is there anything that compares with reaching a healthy BMI? The challenges of maintenance
await…Stay with us! This is all part of the wonderful journey called “Life” 🙂

Allie

HUGE congratulations Mariet! I know how hard you have worked for this 🙂
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Even if you do bounce back up a bit again, at least you know 61.5 is achievable 🙂 everytime I have a whoosh and hit a new low weight I go back up again, then have to work back towards it – our bodies love to test us!

Mariet – that is fantastic news – I’m so happy for you. And you know what, if it bounces up tomorrow – just don’t say anything. Well done, that woman!

Mariet- what a fantastic achievement 51.5 lb loss WOW! Your commitment, determination and perseverance has rewarded you. Well done and enjoy the wonderful feeling of achievement! We are all so thrilled for you.

Mariet – WOOHOO 🎉🎉🎉🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🌟🌟🌟🌟💫💫💫💫🤩🤩🤩🤩💪💪💪 🎄

You are such a champion!! Congratulations. These last bits of weight are very stubborn and really test resolve and commitment. You are an inspiration of quiet persistance and strength.

My last day in BSD today and your news has added a huge happy boost. Hats off to you.

blessedenough – what a lovely thing for your little girl to do, she sounds great. You definitely are blessed. Well done on keeping going with the run, and on not having the drink. You’ve got this. You’re right about the forum, keeping posting, reading other people’s success stories, like Mariet’s, and joining in the Challenges have really helped me. I’ve gone from 13st 1lb when I started BSD to 9st 9lb and I promise you, genuinely, if I can do it anyone, and everyone, can.

Hi Nicola
Good on you for not having all of the granola. 12.6 lb is so close – won’t be long before you’ll be reporting that 1 stone weight loss.
Marie

Out of the mouths of babes, Blessedenough! What a sweet, sweet child 🙂 Extensive studies have been
done on the future life success of children who have the capacity to “delay gratification”. Your precious
daughter seems to already have figured this concept out. That is indeed wonderful 🙂 🙂 🙂

Mariet – huge congratulations. You must be dancing on air. What an inspiration to the rest of us!! Fantastic achievement!

omg Mariet.. 50lbs lost..that is amazing… it’s stories like this that keep me motivated to carry on.. it my 1st week weigh in tomorrow so fingers crossed it will be a good one x

Mariet – 👏🤗🥂 that’s great news well done. All that hard work has paid off. I’m very pleased for you.
Nicola welcome. That stone is not far off. Best of luck getting there. Log into this forum for support any time.
Jenjen – I’ve avoided social occasions but I won’t be able to keep doing that. That’s good advice from sueblue and I daresay we’ll have to develop strategies to ask for what we want food wise are learn to say no to non bad food.
Blessedenough – your daughter sounds amazing. You must be very proud.

I’ve had a very quiet day at home today. Sadly that meant I ate all day. I had bought a box of lindt extra dark chocolate I was saving for Easter, but that is now finished. Not I a good idea as I feel a bit sick now😒
Oh well. I’m going to bed now and will start again tomorrow.
Good night all

I’ve just discovered I have no water! There are burst water pipes in the area and the water has gone off in my road in the past couple of hours. Nearby areas have not had water since yesterday. This extreme weather has really taken it’s toll. I can’t wait for this winter to be over 😕 I may not be able to do my 2+litres of water tomorrow 😒

Hi Jenjen,
Just wanted to say I pretty much do the same as SueBlue. I don’t go out to social events that include food and drink as much nowadays, so when I do I usually have an alcoholic drink, but just the one, and just include it in my cal/carb count for that day. (But, I’ve never been much of a drinker so I’m fine with only one). I usually have one wine and soda (in a tall glass) and make that last as long as I can. I’ll then switch to soda water or fizzy water with a slice of lemon (and a slice of lime if they’ve got it).

Food-wise if I’m in a pub or restaurant I usually stick to a plain protein (chicken, fish, steak, gammon) and like SueBlue I’ll swap chips or potatoes for salad. If there’s below ground veg as part of the dish, I’ll look to see if they’re serving green veg elsewhere on the menu and ask them to switch the veg around. If they can’t I just stick to the salad. I find most places these days are happy to switch things around.

The only other thing I wondered is if it’s a function is there any way you can find out what food they will be serving so you can pre-plan what you’ll have?

Good luck with it; let us know how you get on.

Gosh, Gattina, you’re just having no luck with this weather. I hope they can get things sorted quickly for you.

Hi
I know I am dreadfully late to the party but can I join?

I want to lose 6lbs by the 20 th. it is do-able I just have to stick to the diet.
I have a lot more I would like to lose but this way of breaking down to bite sized pieces is a good start.
So here we go,
Madmare

Madmare welcome to the party. Bite size pieces is the way to go. Best of luck on your journey.

I’ve only just woken up but I know it’s going to be a good day. My water is back 🤗 and I’ve lost 4.5lbs since last Tuesday 🤗😀 Doesn’t seem right after my big binge yesterday.
I felt very sick after eating all that chocolate and was ill during the night. I used to eat much more than that before but my stomach can no longer take it.
That’s when I discovered the water was back. It’s not right having to think about whether to flush the loo or not! But I’ve been on Twitter and it seems some areas still don’t have water so I have been very lucky.
I’m going to celebrate by drinking a very large glass of water.
Have a good day all 😀

hi.. it’s my week1 weigh-in today and ive lost 4.4kgs (9.7lbs) which im very happy with 😁.
This WOE isnt as hard as I thought it was going to be… have to admit I didn’t stick to a strict 800 cals over the weekend but kept my carbs down and only went up to 1200 cals on both days so it wasn’t a massive increase from 800 but a massive decrease to what i would usually eat on a weekend !… Week 2 here i come 😁

BM99
Woo hoo I’m so delighted for you, brilliant start, bring on week 2 huh get it gone 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Gattina lol we had x 3 occasions of frozen pipes last week and two power cuts, but we live in unusual circumstances so not so unexpected, but still taxing.
Looking forward to my weekly weigh in on Wednesday, seems so strange to say that
Happy week everyone
🙋 jan

Wow everyone some really great losses.
Welcome madmare.
Mariet well done on your loss.

I think I need a pad and pen when reading this thread to note everything down, there is so much good stuff going on!

Sadly I fell off the bsd last night, it sucks when my 6 yr old can do it and I struggle with ingrained patterns! The culmination of 4 months worth of work starts today for a week, its been a massive project and my first proper job since starting back to work after being at home with the children. I knew at some point I was going to mess it up all either through wine or stress eating – well it was pizza and cookies. So I am drawing a line under yesterday and re focusing, there are 15 days of this challenge and 19 days until I go away for the weekend. I refuse to beat myself up about it as that will make things worse but argh! I don’t think I will weigh today! Good luck everyone.

Bigmamma, good luck with your second week, that was a fab loss in week 1. Dont get disheartened if you dont lose as much this week as weightloss isnt linear and you will be losing proper fat now not water. Don’t forget to take your measurements as they can change even when your weight doesn’t.

Gattina, hope you get water soon, the beast from the east is causing havoc for you.

Yay, Mariet, congratulations, thrilled to bits for you🎉👍👏👏🎉.

Gattina, I’ve been there, done that with chocolate. I know how you feel and hope never to know that again. Never mind, refocus and keep going, the way you know you can.

blessedenough, we’ve all done that, some of us more often than others. It’s only a problem if you let it be one but re-focusing on BSD straight away builds your resilience I think. That’s what I tell myself anyway, and I’ve been here a while.

Hi, Madmare, welcome. Join in and good wishes towards your goals.
bigmama99, that’s an impressive loss, very well done👏👏👏

Look forward to seeing everyone’s weigh-in posts tomorrow. (I think we’ll take yours today, Mariet😀) MFODAAT x

Hi Gattina, – If I hadn’t been snowed in I would have joined you on the chocolate feast last night. The pizza and cookies option also appealed Blessedenough. I still haven’t got to the point where I don’t want to respond to feeling stressed by having something high carb and if I didn’t live 9 miles plus from the nearest shop I would have given in yesterday.

(I wanted to type nice, but didn’t want the BSD police jumping up and down – I must not refer to chocolate as a treat……..).

I haven’t worked out an alternative strategy yet for the times when I just want to curl up on the settee and eat my way through a packet of something before I dust myself down and get back to the fray of life. Perhaps the maintainers could chip in here with their strategies?

Well done everyone on your losses. I’ve completed my first week with a 6.6lbs lost – very happy. 😊

I do however notice that my heartbeat feels much stronger. Anyone else had/have this? Not sure if it is blood pressure, anxiety, or just my body working very hard to burn fat? Feel good otherwise.

On the bright side, no more excuses not to attend Pilates today now that the snow has melted… 😬 x

Hi JGwen – it really wasn’t worth it. I felt so sick afterwards. I’ll remember that feeling next time and I’m sure it’ll be a good deterrent.

Hello, ladies!

JGwen, perhaps this is something other than a specific strategy, more of a bit of amateur psychology, on
my part. Why do we self medicate with chocolate or pizza? (and yes, I am a proud member of the BSD
police 🙂 ) As rational human beings, I think the impulse arises from the reality that a great deal of life’s
stresses are actually out of our control, and none of us like that feeling. Stress comes in all forms, i.e.,
natural disasters/extreme weather events, possibly betrayal by a friend, or medical emergencies where
a loved one’s life is at risk, just to cite a few. The craziness of it all is that when the food or wine fest is
over, we are left with shame as well as stress! In reality, one of the few things we DO have control over
is what we choose to put in our mouths. We aren’t mindless creatures doing the bidding of superior
forces. Failure to plan is in effect a plan to fail. Whatever your poison of choice is, ban it from the
your environment! You’ll be surprised by how little you think about something that you have no prospect
of mindlessly eating. The impulse usually passes when it involves making an extra trip out somewhere.
There are numerous publications available with creditable research on the damage done to us by sugar,
in all of its sneaky incarnations. It’s breathtaking when you become a dedicated reader of nutritional
labels 🙂 So, whole, unproccessed food it is, then….Persevere, my friends! All it takes is planning
and practice. I’ll abandon my soapbox for today, all. Have a good one 🙂

Allie

Hello everyone – I’m dreading tomorrow. As anyone who has seen my check in posts will know, I tried to be good when I went away but by Saturday night I was eating pizza and Sunday I had a small chocolate bunny, some popcorn and a piece of choc chip shortbread – oh and some Chinese takeaway for tea. I guess my reasoning was – if I have to break diet, let’s do it in style. Grrrr – moderation is clearly not my middle name.

Predictably I got a nasty shock stepping on the scales this morning. A whole 6lbs up on what I was on Wednesday morning (and 4lbs up on last week’s weigh in. I know some of that is water retention but it’s depressing to have to lose it again. And even though I told myself this would happen and I was ok with it on Sunday – I’m NOT okay with it today.

So I’m currently fasting. It’s been 18 hours. I’m drinking lots of water. I’m thinking I’ll see how I feel this evening and may go 22 hours as it’s my first one. I know that’s not going to magic the lbs away in time for the morning but it feels like the right thing to do.

I will be back in the morning with a sheepish expression and my tail between my legs. Hopefully it won’t take too long to lose it again.

Oh, Shanshu, I genuinely feel for you! The scales are a terrible “truth teller”, aren’t they? Make this a better
week ahead, we’re all here for you 🙂

Hi Shansu I hope the fast helps you. It can feel very cleansing after an overindulgence. But don’t beat yourself up too much. You’ve only put on 4lbs from last week and after your fast it may not be that much. Learn from what you did then draw a line underneath. Tomorrow is a new day and the start of a new week. Regardless of what the scales say let’s make it a good week 😀👍 You can do this. One week’s slip up is not the end.

well done Heidio79 on completing your 1st week 👏👏👏.. I personally haven’t noticed my heartbeat any faster this last week and my fitbit is recording as per normal rate.. enjoy your pilates x

Mariet, well done you – totally amazing and so deserving 😁 hope you haven’t stopped grinning.

Well done also to all the great first week big losers – that feeling is amazing. To all the strugglers remember you still came back and that is truly something to keep pushing on especially when you’ve had a bad time.

This week has been a challenge especially with the weather we didn’t suffer from heating loss or burst pipes but our only village shop run out of everything and Tesco couldn’t deliver as we were snowed in – made for some interesting food choices 😱 too many nuts on Saturday but on the plus I managed to get lots of steps in with long snowy trudges and many trips back and fore to the woodshed – hoping it all adds up to a loss for tomorrow. Any how looks like the weather is improving – well snow has stopped & now we have flooding – god love the British weather.

Well here it is. My Week two challenge weigh in and the one that marks the end of Round 2 and for me the end of BSD Fast 800, My revised weight goal was 60 kg but I recently revised this again to be whatever weight I was at the end of 16 weeks. This suited me and I’m in no way recommending it for others. I just knew that after a solid commitment for 16 weeks, I did not want to become focussed on a particular number and spend weeks or months chasing small losses just to get to a number. At that time I was confident that whatever weight I was at the end of 16 weeks it would be well within my healthy BMI range so, for me, it was all getting a bit moot.

Anyway sorry for the long winded introduction – here are the lovely numbers –

Challenge start weight – 63.7
Week 1 – 61.7 kg
Week 2 – 60.2 kg that’s a very satisfying 1.5kg 🌟🌟🎉🎉💫💫🤩🤩🤩💪

My original starting weight back in November 2017 was 78.3 = a very wonderful 18kg loss. As important, my waist hip and under rib measurements have reduced massively, indicating a big reduction in nasty nasty fisceral fat. I am soooo happy.

So my darlings, I’m going to sign off from this challenge (my third). I have found them and all the support, commaradie and shared experiences invaluable. All my very best and deeply heartfelt wishes to you all as you so courageously confront the challenge of giving your health priority while managing all the other demands of busy lives. I have nothing but admiration for all of you.

Just one last thing -,

JGwen I found managing those cravings for carbs at times of stress easier to manage once I understood some of the chemistry going on. This helped explain why I was craving them (and no its not because I’m a pathetic loser) and in turn helped me defeat them. I could then see them as what they are and I could find other, healthier ways to trigger my dopamine system. Frankly I treated these cravings in the same way as struggling drug addicts or alcoholics have to. It doesn’t work to say, just this time, things are really tough right night so I will start rehab again tomorrow, I’ll give up when all the planets are aligned. You keep triggering your dopamine system with carbs, you reinforce that neural pathway. Either you go through the withdrawal or keep binging on carbs periodically or often. Simple, not easy, but not complicated. Sorry to be the police. 🤗

Flick, congratulations on a marvellous effort and result! Well done indeed. Good luck with maintenance, I’m sure you’ll manage that as brilliantly as you’ve done your weight loss.

Thank you so much everyone for your kind wishes. I have had a bounce today as expected but not worrying about it, What you wrote above, Flick, about being focussed on the number rather than the result has really hit me. So I begin my maintenance as well, with an upper trigger- can’t believe I’ll really need a lower trigger! I’ll start the reverse diet now, upping by 100cal each week (carbs <40)until I reach my TDEE. I *am* anxious that weight will go back on but if others can do it I can too 🙂

I want to thank all the wonderful people I’ve met on these forums over the past 12 months, many sadly not posting now, for the wisdom, generosity of time and friendliness I see and have experienced. You are all fabulous!

Mariet and Flick, so well done on reaching your goals and moving to maintenance. Hope we don’t lose your voices altogether as you have been/are such valued members of “our” threads. Congratulations and good wishes. You are inspirational. 💝👏👏

As usual my graph continues to resemble a mountain range. I’m 59.9kg today, 100g more than last week – looks like nothing, feels like a ton. But my resolve is back, inspired by our friends on maintenance.

Mariet and Flick, I second Marsie’s post. We value each and every positive thought and experience
here, and I hope that posting as maintainers is something that fits in with your lifestyle 🙂 I find
that communicating my way through maintenance has been an indispensible tool leading to
my confidence, which grows daily, but requires vigilance at all times. Savor the moment, ladies..
You’ve earned it! I’d like to present each of you with one perfect rose. The choice of color is
yours, but the gift is from us all 🙂 🙂 🙂

Mariet and Flick – congratulations on reaching your targets and getting into maintenance. That is a wonderful achievement for you both. I too hope that we don’t lose you from the forums. Log on to get some support for your maintenance but also share your experiences and wisdom. 😀
My weekly weigh in hasn’t changed from yesterday, 4.5lb loss this week making a total 6.5lb loss for the challenge. That’s almost halfway to my goal of 14lb loss for the challenge. My BMI has moved into the 30s so I am now only severely obese – I’m not sure that term makes me feel any better.
Good luck with your weekly weigh in everyone.