Hi JGwen,
I’d love to meet up – I come up to Brecon once a week for work on Weds (for BBNPA) if that is easier for you to meet up. Text me on 07967 683 416 when you get a mo.
ATB

Hi treelady,
Thanks for your number, sorry folks for carrying on the conversation via the list, but its quicker to pass on a complex message on the forum than via text.

I need to replace my car and I have been trying to make arrangements to view a vehicle at a car dealership near you (on the A40) for a couple of weeks. First the bad weather got in the way, and now the dealer doesn’t know when the car will be back from the workshop.

If its back today then I will plan to be over to see it on Saturday. – Even if isn’t then on Saturday I plan to view another couple of vehicles with a journey which takes me via the clothes outlet store at the junction of the A40 with the M50. – Am getting into the habit of wandering around clothes shops rather than standing at the window looking in wistfully.

I should hear back from the car dealer near you sometime today, and when I do will send you a text letting you know my plans in more detail for Saturday.

If Saturday doesn’t work out, then I do pop over to Brecon on occasions, especially as I am tourism ambassador for the BBNP. So maybe we can arrange to meet up on a Wednesday some time.

Hi all – hope your day is going well.

Mokovex and Blessedenough welcome back. Blessed – it’s awful when illness coincides with work commitments. I hope it all went OK and you’re feeling better now.
Mokovex – 2.7lbs to goal is amazing. Well done you 🙂
Marsie – enjoy your meal tonight.
All the animals in the oven stories have made me laugh 🙂 I’m a city girl so not used to having livestock around, except for my cats. I imagine they would quite like to snuggle into a warm oven on a cold day.

It’s almost the weekend – when most of the challenges for this woe come in. Good luck everyone – have lovely weekends and stay focused.

Hi JGwen,
I haven’t been to the outlet store at Ross for ages – very happy to meet up with you there in the next few weeks. Good luck with the car hunting – there’s so much choice these days it’s not an easy thing to do.
Theo – sending lots of prayers and positive vibes to your boy at the vet – everything crossed that he pulls through.
Wet day here, and I have a lamb and kale stew in the slow cooker making the house smell lovely – and the other half who dislikes courgettes won’t even be able to tell that I have grated 3 into the stew.

Ah, subterfuge, Treelady! I like the way you think….I’ve been known to practice that on
occasion, too. Why is it that men have preconceived (childhood) notions of what they
like and don’t like? I usually just smile benignly, and tell o/h that he doesn’t like this or that
because his Mother didn’t cook it properly 🙂 Sometimes it even works!

Allie

Allicat – we’d been together 10 years before he finally told me he doesn’t like courgettes – and I always thought because he ate them first off his plate, he loved them. Must be true love.

It’s not just men. A lot of people get stuck in their old likes and dislikes as if our tastes were static, unmovable things instead of constantly evolving. When I was a kid, I thought everything was too salty, hated gorgonzola, loved white chocolate and would not touch dark, and vociferously rejected all spicy food. Now I have six different kinds of gourmet salts in my cabinet, including one infused with ghost peppers that’ll set your tongue on fire with the smallest pinch, eat blue cheese as often as possible, indulge in a square of unsweetened 100% chocolate topped with salt flakes and cinnamon for dessert and get furious when restaurants advertise something as hot only to find it mildly spiced at best.

Our bodies change over the years, BSD or no BSD, and our taste buds are no exception. Clinging to childhood preferences is just a mental setting.

You found a true gentleman, treelady! My o/h isn’t as gracious. Recently I served him
kimchi. Lots of pulled faces! At Esnecca’s suggestion (and the aid of her kimchi deviled
eggs recipe) I now serve it in that form, and he gobbles it up like there is no tomorrow!
Sigh 🙂 I now am saddled with peeling a box of eggs a week, however…Be careful what
you wish for, I guess!

hi Marie

Firstly, huge well done on dropping so much body fat, that’s awesome👌🤸‍♀️

Also, what a great memory you have. Yes at the top of my BMI I had c.40%+ body fat (measured on my Tanita scales). I have come across different charts showing an range of what would be considered a healthy body fat percentage.’ However, these can be blunt tools as, like the BMI, they don’t take all factors into account. I am naturally an 🍎 shape with skinny little legs so I have been using the hip-waist ratio stats alongside the body fat guides in order to gauge how much visceral fat was coming off. I have decided to aim for 25% body fat as it was only when I came in just under 27-28% that the hip to waist ratio put me in a healthy bracket. 25% puts me closer to ‘excellent’ but not into fitness which I think is about right given my fitness levels are goodish but not great. My hip-waist ratio is now spot on so I know I am basically there. Because I don’t carry fat on my legs It will be interesting to see what the ultrasound shows next month in terms of my stats as they measure the fat in 7 different places, particularly curious about my tum.
FYI this site has been particularly interesting
https://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03/ideal-body-fat-percentage-chart/

Hi Marie and Marsie and all the gang. Hoping everyone is doing well. I have to tell you all your good wishes have worked. I’m escaping today. Yes it has been my last week in hospital. I was a bit down last time I posted but I’m ecstatic today. My dialysis has only about another 15 min today then the ambulance transport will take me back to the other hospital where I will be discharged this afternoon! Physio shave given me the okay to go in the car too. It’s been more than 6 weeks now. I can’t wait to get in my own bed. I’ve lined up aqua classes with physics and gym work and plan lots of walking to get ready for my transplant. Today at dialysis
I weighed 96.2 . I’m hoping my sister will take me for a Vietnamese meal tonight to celebrate! I know I’ve neen very slack on here but I’m energised now. So looking forward to catching up with everyone and all the new people too!
Good luck to everyone!

Hello, Milalin! I’m still here too, and routinely check this thread, though well past the weight
loss stage, hoping to hear from you. 🙂 I can only imagine how ecstatic you must feel to
be on your way home! I hope you have turned the corner in your recovery, it has been
such a long, protracted one. I’m looking forward to reading more updates from you now
that you’re feeling better. What is the anticipated date for your transplant? We are all
celebrating your homecoming with you. Sleep well tonight!

Allie

Hi Milalin – that’s fantastic news. I’m so pleased for you. I can just imagine the sheer pleasure of sleeping in your own home, in your own bed again – bliss! and the thought of Vietnamese food is making my mouth water. Hope your sister is a good sister.
Catch up soon.
Marie x

Hi Mokovex
Thanks so much for your response – and for your enthusiasm about the drop in my body fat %. xx
To be honest, the reduction in my body fat % seems so slow to me (blah) but I know it’s not a quick win and I’ve got to just keep plugging away. It’s really interesting that you’re using the hip to waist ratio alongside the charts. I’ve been checking my waist to height but I’d forgotten all about the hip to waist ratio. I did work it out once quite a while ago – I’m definitely going to pick that one up again. Thanks also for the link – I’ve had a quick look at the charts – and I’ll check the rest of the site later. I was thinking of setting my goal weight at 9 stone, but it looks like it might need to be lower if I want to achieve a good body fat %.

Hey, but it’s great to think you’re pretty much there, Mokovex,. I know it’s been a bit tortuous recently but you must be so pleased now. Hope you go well for the rest of the weekend xx

Hi Maid2Measure – I’ve been wondering for a while how you’ve been getting on. I’m going to update my measurements on your thread later. Would love to hear how you’re doing on here or over there. xx

Hi All
I feel very guilty as when I signed up to this challenge I met to post regularly but life has diverted my focus somewhat. I had a burst pipe last Sunday which dripped onto the wiring and fused the lights so it has been a bit like camping all week until I got it fixed on Friday. To further cause trouble on Thursday I got caught up in a snowstorm and had to abandon my car and walk home, only about 10 minutes though.
Foodwise it’s been up and down, on Sunday I went to Ikea with my daughter and had there meatballs & mash and predictably the scales reacted with a 2 gain, I managed to get rid of that and pottered along on 148.6 lb for 4 days and then have fasted from Thursday night and been rewarded by weighing 146.7lb this morning which is UNDER MY TARGET of 147lb. I know it will go up tomorrow after I eat again but for now I am delighted.
I was very interested in your conversation about bodyfat percentages, my bmi is now 23.6 but my bodyfat is still saying 33.9% which I think is quite high. I haven’t done much exercise recently and hope that I can get that percentage down as the weather gets better and I get more active . My waist is now about 29 in and my hips 37 in so probably could cope with losing more weight from my waist?
Super NSV though yesterday, due to not being able to do amy washing all week, I was down to my last clean pair of jeans yesterday and then I got them covered in mud and had to go into work later. My first thought was I would nip into Matalan and buy something but then I just went upstairs and borrowed a pair of my daughter’s size 10 jeans.

Today -1lb (new low)
To goal : 1.7lb

Having a little whoosh as I enter the last leg. As expected, I don’t think I will hit goal this challenge but happy to do it in the next.

Milalin- beyond thrilled for you that you are home. Do let us know how things are going with re-entry and if you are happy to say when your transplant is scheduled for. Xx

Hi marcassin – that sounds awful no water or electricity. I hope it’s all sorted now. Your daughter’s size 10 jeans 🤗 fabulous!
Mokovex – well done on the new low😀
I don’t think I’ll hit my target this challenge either I’ve very generous with calories this week. BG very high this morning so not good. Oh well KOKO everyone.

Well, first time for a while I’ve lost a post…. I wonder if i even pressed the submit button, 😵?
Summarising:
Milalin, hello! So pleased to see your lift in spirits and happy for you that you are heading home at last. Take care, don’t overdo, but enjoy your Vietnamese meal 😊
Another low for me this morning, dipped under the 59kg mark, still 1kg over the very top of my normal BMI (which has always seemed so unattainable). So, now to hold on to, or progress, this downward movement over the weekend, having already had Thursday and Friday nights dining out.
New addition:
Marcassin, so well done on achieving your goal amidst the chaos of broken pipes. 👏👏

Mokovex, so close, you are progressing beautifully. 👏👏

I’m not sure now who I may have missed but enjoy your weekend everyone while making judicious food choices xx. MFODAAT

It’s maddening, isn’t it Marsie, to see a post evaporate before you can even hit the submit
button!!! I have this happen more than I care to admit 🙂 Perhaps one of the techno-geniuses
here will explain it to us?

Well I’ve had a rocky road starting maintenance with a very social weekend seeing me above my target. It’s not much but back on it to get back down. I hope everyone has had a good week.

Mariet, although I’m not anywhere near it yet I’m sure maintenance will be full of ups and downs. I guess the trick is to keep our eyes on the ball and reverse gains as they occur – at least we have the tools to do this.
I’ve had a good week, with a 0.5kg (1lb) loss. So this means a 1.3kg overall loss for this challenge so far. I’d love to lose another 0.7kg over the next week to round it out to a 2kg loss for the challenge overall. Fingers crossed!
Good luck to everyone else weighing in today/tomorrow (it’s Tuesday morning here in Australia).

Hi there, been a bit absent – will try and catch up later. Hope all well!

My observation about maintenance – which technically I am in in the sense of being a healthy weight – is that I am very stable weight, getting below it is a struggle but staying at it is easy as I stay low carb. I don’t weigh or measure anything anymore but I don’t eat high carb foods and that seems to be enough, together with IF, (16:8) to keep me stable.

Lost 600g last week, which is a massive hooray! Gave up cream in coffee, as I was chugging too much of it – swapped for almond milk in tea instead. Down to 58kg last time I looked. 😄😄

If anyone is after some recipe inspiration I can recommend this book:
http://slimspirationalfood.co.uk/shop/
The author, Lynette Anderson is an Admin of a Facebook BSD group that I’m a member of. She has been posting delicious recipes on her Facebook page
https://m.facebook.com/slimspirationalgrub/ And sharing them to the group for the last few years. Everyone said she should write a book and she has!
The recipe for the cream cheese pancakes I shared on this forum a few weeks ago came from Lynette.
My copy arrived yesterday and I can’t wait to start cooking!

Hi, SueBlue! Those of us who have reached target and have found a renewed interest in cooking are always
interested in new low carb recipes. If you come across anything great in your new cookbooks, please post
your favorites on the “Good Eats..” thread. I know that we would all appreciate it 🙂

Jackie, I’m a bit of an old hen, and always notice the absence of regular posters…How have
you been? I’d actually been looking for clues as to whether I’d missed notification that you were on
holiday. Good to hear from you! Catch up, girl 🙂

Good morning on this our 3rd weigh-in day of this challenge (new title for next one? Or are people getting tired of the concept? This one has slowed down, incl self as I’ve missed a couple of days)

I’d reached a new low during the week but am up a little this morning – 59.3kg.
Am feeling bloated so will skip breakfast, especially as we’re out to lunch today. This will definitely be a salad of some sort.
Goodness this has been a very social couple of weeks. After today I think we have a lull before the next outings which is good because I’m a little weary. I’ve thought that I’d been very well controlled with my food choices, alcohol not a feature, but I guess it all adds up.

Good weigh-ins everyone xx
ps. Have just read back and it sounds a little down, sorry. Hangover from a funeral yesterday, perhaps. Not someone really close, we were there more in support of a friend.

Hi all – sorry for the lack of posts. I have been rushed off my feet and not as focussed on this as I want to be.

I did make the roasted broccoli and cheese soup – thank you again to whoever recommended it to me. Absolutely delicious.

Unfortunately I accidentally tipped it over my right hand scalding myself but it’s starting to heal and thanks to keeping my hand in ice water for 20 mins, the damage was minimal and looks like it should all heal in no time. What a clutz.

Im now away with my OH and working from home. We have access to a kitchen this week so plan to be good. Fell off the wagon last night after an extremely stressful day (excuses excuses) and am typing away now (at 1.30am) because I’m not feeling well at all.

I’m also going to miss weigh-in as no scales. So will do a mid week report on Sat Instead. I then won’t be able to report until the following Thurs as away again.

Please keep doing these challenges – they have been a godsend. I will be late joining the next one so can’t offer to start it but really hope someone else does. Not sure about a name… something to do with April showers maybe?

With the name for the next thread I was also thinking we could use an April fool theme – ‘Don’t be an April Fool, eat low carbs to be cool’ 😎
That’s a bit cheesy but hopefully you get my drift!

W3D2 – Tuesday weighin – current weight = 112.3kgs. This week I’ve only lost 1Kg so total lost for 2 weeks is 5.4kgs (11.9lbs)

Hi all
SueBlue – cheese works for me! 🙂
1 1/2 off this week. Good luck to everyone else!
Kazzeee

Morning all

Wk 1: 124.9lb
Wk 2: 122.2lb
Wk:3 – away & no scales
Today: 120.7lb
Total loss: 4.2lb
To goal: 1.7lb

Really happy with these results. I think I will definitely hit my goal next challenge. The losses are small at the moment as I am so close to goal.
Yesterday I tried on a dress I bought for a wedding in May. It was the first time in what seems forever that I chose something I like and not for its cover up properties. It is going to take some time to get used to this.

Bigmama99- what a fantastic result, I hope you are thrilled about it?
Shanshu- good to hear from you, weigh and post when you can, it will help to keep you going,

Echo the cry for another challenge, I would start one if I was any good at thinking of names. Sueblue👍

I think even if life gets hectic and the thread slows down, it is helpful to be know it is here to return to and, crucially, be accountable to.

Go well all.
X

my punt at an April challenge name … “lets make Sugar ‘Nil’ in April”.

No change in weight to report this week, I seem to be in a stalled period at present.
Its not the first time I have gone through a period of feeling very thirsty and having a period where fluid output doesn’t match input, then a whoosh day occurs and the scales change. So just plodding along.
I would like there to be another challenge as well please, as its good to help me feel focused knowing that I have to report in somewhere, but I am not good at thinking of catchy names for a challenge.

Mokovex – I am pleased with losing 1kg but have to admit i was hoping for more after cutting calories all week.but it’s my TOTM so hoping next week will be a better one.

Love it Big Mama 🙂
We could always combine our suggestions? – ‘Don’t be an April Fool! Make Sugar Nil in April – 4 week challenge ending …’

I’m on a roll tonight 🙂
I also like Shanshu’s April showers.
So we could have ‘April Showers & April Fools, let’s make April ‘nil’ sugar and follow the rules’
Maybe it’s a bit long though….

Hello crew! Great to catch up with you all and so impressed with everyone’s efforts! I get married in 12 days and the last eight weeks have been well, not consistent enough. I would really like to do what I can over these last few days to look my best- so aiming for 800/20 and 16:8 and lots of water. I am back up at 78 after a low of 71 and would love to be 74 if at all possible for the big day- unlikely but let’s see! Big high five to everyone for the day.

Hi all
Start of this challenge: 76.5
Week 1: 76.0
Week 2: 75.2
Week 3: 73.9

Total loss since mid-October, 16.6 kilos (2 stone 8lbs) and now 5 kilos within my BMI range. This week I am going to tackle my wardrobe – sizes ranging from 14 to 20 are very confusing! One week to go and then I shall take stock. Congratulations to al losers, including BigMama, KazzUK and Mokovex, and to us all for being on this journey. Look forward to reading your posts today. Good luck for the coming week.

Hi All,
I’ve lost 2lb this week. I weighed 9st 11lbs at the beginning of this challenge and this morning I weigh 9st 6lbs. So I’m pretty pleased with that. Onwards and downwards! My target for this challenge was to lose 7lbs so, surprisingly to me, it’s still do-able.

I’d also like there to be another challenge. What about shortening SueBlue’s original suggestion to ‘No April Fool, low carbs is cool’ 4 week challenge ending…. sorry, can’t think of any other suggestions right now.
I’m off to Pilates so will catch up with how everyone’s doing later.

Good morning all – well done all losers. Great to see this thread come alive today. I’ve not been good at posting recently – too embarrassed to admit my binges:(
I’m all for a new challenge in April and I vote for SueBlue’s cheesey suggestion – like the idea of being cool 🙂
My week has not been great foodwise and I have a gain to report. I’ve put on 1.5lbs since last week. I am in full self-sabotage mode and considering how many overindulgences I’ve had this week I’m surprised the gain isn’t more! It is ironic as last week I was posting about ‘fear of success’. And looking back at my records from last year it was the same week when this woe just went out the window – I had a modest loss in week 9 and then a massive gain in week10. So embarking on week 11 and week 4 of this challenge – I would have to lose 8.5 lbs to meet my challenge goal. Not realistic but if I manage to lose 6lbs then I will have lost an overall 3stones – so that is my new goal for this challenge. Still ambitious but it would be good to achieve and it will take me into the 14s. Blood glucose unsurprisingly high!
Exercise-wise I’ve been really good – keeping up my walking and doing well over 10,000 steps every day. This morning I even tried the Couch to 5K app for the first time. Running is a bit ambitious for anyone over 15 stones but I managed to do 6 of the 8 runs – each lasting 60 seconds. I’m shattered now! And I really need to invest in a new sports bra 🙂

Onetowatch – good luck for the wedding. I’m sure you’ll look great.
Bigmama – well done – that’s a really good loss so far. Second week is always a bit tough on any new way of eating – your body reacts to the reduced calorie intake but should adjust over the next week and I’m sure you’ll see a really good loss next week.
JGwen – hang in there – the whoosh will happen. I hope I have a whoosh too!
Mokovex – 1.7lbs to goal – that’s amazing. well done.
Shansu – good to hear from you. update when you can and hang in there – I’m sure you’re doing well.
Sueblue – thanks for the link – I loved the cream cheese pancakes and have made them a few times.
All the best anyone I’ve missed.
KOKO xx

Gattina you are still here and that’s what counts, we’ve all been there, we are just keeping on.

I’d really like another challenge this one has really helped refocus my efforts.
Wk 1 -8
Wk 2 -2
Wk 3 -4 can’t believe it so chuffed and down 4inches on my waist measurement.

Well done everyone another week under our belt 😁

Good morning or afternoon to you all.
After yet another turbulent week of either being exceptionally “good or bad”, I have decided not to finish this challenge. I am such an all or nothing girl and can so easily talk myself into giving into temptation and need to turn that around.
When I read back over the past couple of months, I know I sound like a stuck LP label ( showing my 71 year age here) with the constant ups and downs of the same 10 lbs, which must be boring to read week after week. I’m also aware that I am a forum taker rather than a suppprtive giver and I am embarrassed about my selfishness.
We are going away in eight weeks and I will try hard to tackle my problem excess pounds which probably are in my head. I expect I will lurk in the background to see how you are doing but like to think I may be able to visit here to record some success before our trip.
Lots of love and hugs
X B

gattuna hold on – tomorrow is another day- try to do just one meal at a time and wen the binge urge comes on do something else and drink a pint of water – I am totally with you as I can so easily slip into bingeing. Do you find you are actually hungry or more anxious or bored?

Jackiem I am so impressed – I remember we were about the same place and you have kept up so well!!

Very inspiring- go you! And well done all of you! Today I have eaten a small bowl of oats – I know I know- with yoghurt and now a big salad with a little chicken and a slice of cheese.

Dinner is a duck breast and kale

Busybee – please don’t think you are being selfish. I think we are all takers and givers at different points. At the moment I’m a taker too – I’ve had a rubbish week with my food and as I’m writing this I’m eating a pack of kettle crisps! Which I probably won’t finish now… Of course you have to do what is best for you but the whole purpose of these forums is to provide support from each other from people who are going through the same things. There is no point in me telling my friends how I struggled over a packet of crisps – they’ll just say that a small pack won’t do any harm. But people on this forum understand what it means as part of this way of eating. We understand that this is a big change and weight loss is not an easy path – there are ups and downs along the way and for some of us it will take longer than others.
Do carry on lurking and whenever you get the urge to post, please do. Despite my lapse – I do know this works and will help us both in reaching our goals.
Best of luck busybee

Thank you Gattina – I have been eating this way of life for 18 months now and probably have just lost my mojo. All I do know is that I WILL NOT GIVE UP. I suspect I will get withdrawal symptoms and creep back sooner rather than later!
X B

Hi Onetowatch – it’s really weird but I don’t feel any of those things – I’m not hungry, bored or anxious. In fact I’m not really sure how I feel. I just get that little devil in my head saying – a packet of crisps would be really good right now – and it doesn’t go away until I eat that packet of crisps. But then that’s followed up by the little devil saying – some chocolate ice-cream would be really nice after those crisps… and so on. There is a very friendly corner shop at the end of my road who are used to me going in several times a day buying junk food – they seemed pleased to see me the other day as I haven’t been in there all year!
Up to now I have really adapted to this woe – I don’t feel hungry and just feel really well both physically and emotionally. This is all in my head and I have to find a way of combatting it before it gets out of hand…
Tomorrow is another day and I only have bsd friendly food in the house – so planning is key.

Gattina, I think you have summed it up brilliantly. I rarely feel hungry on this diet….but still have the ” an XYZ would really be nice right now” sort of feeling. More habit and a desire to taste something interesting than hunger or cravings. I find a cup of something hot usually helps (hot green tea, or coffee with cream , etc). The hunger and need to eat is gone….but you still have to fight the desire to amuse your taste buds with food.

Milalin, just now seeing that you were to go home from hospital. Hope all went as planned and that you are doing well.

Did you ever get any answers as to what was going on? Hope they helped you and that you have sunnier days ahead.

LTC

Dear Busybee, for your sake do what you feel you must do, and know how to do. For our sakes I hope we see you sooner rather than later. Enjoy good health and a good time away. Hugs from me xx Marilyn

Hi Gattina, sometimes, as only a longtime emotional/mindless/habitual eater can understand, one day at a time can sometimes seem a bridge too far. That’s when you get down to one step at a time or one hour at a time. I’ve found, honestly still find, that I have to really narrow my focus. Just do this task, I can eat such&such when I’ve finished if I want to. Lots of verbalising, negotiating with my “other, incessantly hungry” self. (mouth hunger, not real hunger). After a while the need to do this drops away and I’ll be in a very productive phase. Then a few days or weeks later, I go through it all again.
There is a quotation “the price of peace is constant vigilance” (or similar). I feel it fits here. Sigh… sometimes I’m at peace, sometimes I’m at war – with my own deeply entrenched eating behaviors.

Best wishes with overcoming your own battle, Gattina xx

Morning/afternoon/evening all 😀

Gattina, – really feel for you at the moment but like everyone else want to encourage you to keep coming back. I still struggle with bingeing, the latest being 4 krispy Kreme doughnuts in a row + biscuits 😒 but because I keep coming back here, I keep going, KOKO is so true. I have found that progress is not linear but has many setbacks and stalls. Each day I wonder if this is going to be the day I blow it but the biggest change in my thinking is knowing that I will come back again tomorrow however badly today has gone. This has helped me past my embarrassment and shame and time is doing the rest. As a result, I have experienced more good days than I would have otherwise.I know I will get to goal still with some disordered thinking around food, I am not ‘fixed’ but changing, it feels oh so slow but it is happening. Keep going xxx