I hope you are going to join us in this last of the monthly threads. We will be starting a new thread in the New Year with a seasonal theme so dont forget to look out for that.

In the meantime we have just over weeks before Christmas. Plenty of time to get into that lbd (little black dress) or whatever you want to wear. Lets support each other and make this a Christmas to feel proud of ourselves, whether it be a slimmer you or someone who has improved their blood glucose. Can we also include tips and hints for avoiding the madness that leads up to the big day – yes it is just one day so no need to make it the undoing of all your good work.

See you all here.

Sunshine-girl

Thank you s-g for setting up the monthly thread …. again! Odd to think this will be the last one but I’m sure we will all benefit from the new seasonal thread.

In the meantime, I promise to be more ‘present’ this month and post as often as I can.

‘Delicious’ has such a warm, wholesome, and possibly decadent, but not too decadent, feel about it. One of my ‘delicious’ breakfasts is a bit ‘decadent’, ’ scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Not ‘naughty’ but very nice. I love avocado so another go to this month. I’m trying to eat much more protein but with far fewer carbs this month so that’s my goal for December.

Hope it’s a good month for everyone.

Hi SG, thank you for setting up the new thread 🙂 🙂 🙂

(p.s. where is Wendy (Wendleg)- I may have missed something due to being intermittently absent myself)? x

Hi there Verano and Tulip, the start of the month is always a time of great motivation. First tip of the month -I am lucky to be retired and living deep in the countryside not bothered by office parties or lots of temptations but if you are you can try to alter your mindset and handle difficult situations by planning ahead. How many times have you started with good intentions and change you mind when you see what other people are ordering that are normally off limits to you. Can you check online what is on the menu and know exactly what you are going to order. I am going to a quiz tonight and I know there will be very few carbs as it is not in the French nature to add potatoes or chips to a meal. BUT there will be bread. I plan to have just one slice but use it like the Glucose Goddess advises, do not eat it first – make sure I have some veg before to line to gut opening which slows down the absorption of sticky carbs.

Tulip, I was speaking to Wendy yesterday as you reminded me we have not been in touch for a while. She is fine, she spent a lot of time in Australia being a new grandma and she is enjoying life with closer family in France. Just faded away from the site – just like I am going to do. We had both been on it for years and life moves on.

Have a great week.

S-g are you really planning on ‘fading away’?

Just wondering if anybody had heard from Lucy or Pootle lately?

Hi all, had the expected weight gain from the quiz night but the good news is WE WON. We have joined up with some great people who had a team of 4 and we are allowed 6 so they asked us to join them as we always came second to them but with just 2 of us. There were 5 of us this week and win a bottle of wine each – 6 into 5 doesnt go so we gave one person 2 bottles so they could add it to the Christmas charity raffle. We also booked to go to a feast on NY Eve. The menu is a buffet so plenty of low carb for me followed by roast guinea fowl, then a buffet of cheeses and desserts. Not like us to go out on NYE but what the heck – we have some good friends and better than moping at home.

Verano, do I really mean to fade away from the site. No, not from the site, just from running things. It was okay when there were 3 of us sharing and I don’t know how we managed when it was weekly. I would like someone to take over. Possibly I will set up a thread for January (3 months) for a winter period. I am not really losing weight, just managing to maintain with occasional spurts of loss for holidays etc and then the usual gain. Because I am setting up the thread I feel I have a responsibility to keep it going and welcome newbies and just keep everyone upbeat. Just getting fed up with it and sure others must be sick of me going on – which I do for something to say to keep people interested and gee up the comments. Like you, I will have been on this site for 10 years in June, so maybe take a back seat. Also, my diabetes is what it is, I cannot do more. Even after all this time I still stick with around 800 to 1000 cals daily and rarely eat white carbs, try to exercise 3 to 5 times a week – so I even bore myself going on about it.

Have a good week.

S-g I understand exactly where you’re coming from and must admit to feeling somewhat the same. Just sort of maintaining between holidays! I guess at the end of the day ‘health’ is more important now than weight per se. As you say your diabetes ‘is what it is’. My mobility ‘is what it is’ and sometimes we just have to ‘accept’ and make the best of, and move forward.

I think, for me, dipping in and out of the boards helps to keep me from letting my blood sugar fall back into the diabetic range and really I’m quite happy with just that. Anyway, I’m not going anywhere and if it helps I’d be happy to help you. Maybe, as ?’Dreamscometrue’’ does on the annual thread, just once a week check in on the three month thread might be enough to keep the thread alive?

BTW you are never boring!

Well had a shocker today with my results. 7.3, that is the highest it has ever been except from when I came back from a cruise and didnt have time to get myself back on track. Need to give myself a good talking to and look at what I am doing wrong. My BG each morning seems to be around 90 and I dont eat carbs. What I have noticed is that I am having a late night snack around 10.30 but usually just meat or cheese but sometimes on a Ryvita, also having Ryvita most mornings with my boiled eggs. Also, if I get shakey in the afternoon I have a Werthers original for the sugar rush. I need to cut out the Ryvita as it is the only true carb I have, also no Werthers if I feel a crash coming although it is more habit than necessity now. Also try to go back to TRE and have nothing from 8pm. Oh well, I guess I know what I have to do from now on – stick to it properly.

Sorry to hear your results s-g. Who knows, one offs happen. You know your own body best so good luck with sorting it all out.
Just two more weeks before the days start to lengthen again. WHOOPEE!
Have a good weekend.

Delicious December!

Well for me it is/isn’t as I have yet another birthday in 11 days. I guess that’s good because I’ve (almost) made another year!

I was watching Jason Fung on youtube today and he just confirms, that at my (advanced) age, I just need to look after my health. The number on the scale, although we take that as the gold standard, is really not that important. I guess it’s horses for courses given our ages.

Anyway, have a healthy and happy weekend.

Verano, I am wondering if we are in the same age group and our bodies are slowly telling us we need to do something different, something extra. When I came back from cruise I was 7.3 as it was taken only 3 weeks later. Then after another 3 months is went down to 6.7, okay, still not back to normal but we know these things take time. But to then jump back to 7.3 is so out of whack that I am not sure what is going on. I still have the same diet as I did when I was regularly around 6.2 – for years, I am using more insulin but not eating white carbs. Something else is going on. My doctor might tell me to increase insulin but I want to try anything to avoid that. Anyway, it is Sunday – we have a viewing tomorrow so fingers crossed. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Sunshine-girl I’m a few years older than you but not enough to really make our ‘biology’ that different. Yes really odd numbers. Can I make a suggestion? Ok, so no carbs but maybe switch around the time of your meals. If you are only eating two meals maybe try three … two smaller and a main meal. Or, even a larger protein breakfast and a smaller evening meal. I’m absolutely convinced our bodies get so used to our ‘routines’ that they think ok it’s 8am here comes the yogurt, it’s 12pm here comes the salad etc etc etc. I can’t be bothered dealing with these it’s too boring. Maybe our bodies need a bit of a wake-up call…. no breakfast, or breakfast if you don’t normally have it, a hot lunch instead of a cold lunch, an earlier/later evening meal with maybe some fruit or something afterwards.

I don’t really know what I’m talking about but I do think our bodies need to have a ‘surprise’ now and again? It could just wake them up and get them back into ‘burning’ mode?

Hope your viewing goes well.

Hello & sorry for being absent from the site. Thank you S-G for setting up Delicious December & I hope your results will get back on a more even track.🤞🤞
My husband & I have been away for a couple of days staying near Portsmouth & visiting the Walking Amongst Giants Display at Fort Nelson. It was very thought provoking & humbling seeing them all with each life sized silhouette representing service people as well as some French Resistance members who had died in World War Two 🤔🙁.
The hotel was OK but the food rather indifferent & of course I have gained weight but we were tempted to have a cream tea which was nice 🫣 but I think it’s eating breakfast that always has an impact on my daily calories despite walking 8500 steps on two days. I’m quite pleased to be back home & I am now in the midst of house cleaning before putting up our Christmas decorations.
I think a seasonal thread will be useful for keeping in touch in the new year to certainly re-motivate me to start losing weight again. The grey rainy days are not helping me & I am not really going to try battling my weight gain before Christmas but just try to resist eating too many mince pies or shortbread! However we have plenty of wine options with me winning first prize in the village bazaar raffle with ten bottles of wine plus bottles of Calvados, Cognac, & Vintage Port!
Take care everyone
Margaret xx

Hi all, there is still time to lose some weight before the Xmas parties kick in or, like me, visiting family for the whole holiday period. Just a couple of pounds could make a big difference to how you feel when you get back on the diet in the New Year and have gained less than you thought. Yes we will all gain but it is Christmas.

Thanks for your thoughts Verano. I am pretty much of the same mind as what you have said. Wracking my brains, I am still exercising but not as much a swimming every day, more like aerobics 3 x a week, still eat exactly the same diet and low cals low carb.

Just watched our hero Jason Fung and he actually talked about people who are on insulin, its effects and the effects of fasting. I keep seeing the benefits of fasting and think I cant really do it or my BG goes too low and I get weak and shakey but he explained you can get past that with just a small adjustment like bone broth, going to look into it further.

So what has changed
1. not being doing TRE and stopping eating between 7.30 pm and 10.30 am. I am snacking at around 10.30 pm. Just meat or cheese but sometimes a Ryvita.
2. Doctor increased my insulin from 14 to 20 units when I had one hight HbA1c after a cruise – just one. More insulin = more insulin resistance = higher BG.

Given that, I am going to do TRE this week and see if I can get my BG right down again. I am only running at between 90 and 110, was that too high – bizzare as that is pretty perfect so not sure what went wrong. Dr Fung says your finger prick readings can be low but that doesnt mean your body isnt storing sugar. Then I am going to reduce my insulin at least down to 14 (I was using 7 a year ago). I know the doctor will say it is my age, expect the diabetes to get worse blah blah blah. But when did we listen to our doctors. I wish I could get him to watch Jason Fung. Then Christmas is going to come along and I will not worry too much but I still wont be eating carbs. I hate christmas cake and pudding. My only downfall is alcohol and I love a gala pie.

Hey ho, lets all keep on …. until the celebrations start for real.

Hello S-g and Wendy and anybody else reading this.

Well Sunday we were 8 for lunch here but pretty low carb for me. I resisted the fruit tart, the ice cream and the bread! So no real damage. One thing I have discovered this last week is that I need to eat earlier in the day, preferably by 10am. If I don’t eat breakfast I find that after dinner I’m still ‘hungry’ but not for ‘real food’ but for ‘junk’ chocolate, biscuits, crisps, in fact anything! Maybe we each need to take a long hard look at what ‘our own’ body responds to best. When I think about it all ‘diets’ are aimed at the masses but that doesn’t mean that it suits everyone and maybe we should take a little more time time tweaking eating plans to fit our individual needs?

S-g I love Jason Fung too and he has done some really good chats with the ‘CEO’ on YouTube. There’s so much information out there and I’m guilty of ‘cherry picking’. I’m sure if we maybe just followed one ‘way of eating’ instead of ‘cherry picking’ it would work so much better.

Anyway, we have a pretty quiet Christmas, by choice. We have a few dozen people here for drinks and canapés/tapas on the 21st, then two for lunch on Boxing Day. Looking forward to a comparatively quiet time. Although to be honest the shopping still seems to be endless!

Have a good week.

gosh V, you call that quiet, a few dozen for drinks. You would love it here, we have just bought 4 dozen bottles of wine for just over €100 to take back with us. Not for drinking but for storing for our eventual move.

We have nothing until Tuesday when our housesitters arrive and I will be making them a meal. I am at the doctors tomorrow. Expecting a telling off and a lecture but I will just smile and nod and then do my own thing. Nothing worth worrying about until after Christmas.

Good morning & the sun is actually shining here in West Sussex for a change 🌝
Well I have just weighed & to my surprise I have lost 0.75lbs which is much better than gaining weight 😀. I have three meals out this next week & a further lunch out with family next Sunday so having pre-ordered food it’s just about certain that carbs will be included but I will continue with TRE on most days. We have got some Christmas lights up inside & out & I have assembled our dark green artificial Christmas tree having dithered over getting a live one but not decorated it yet & it’s on today’s to do list !!🎄⭐️
Our youngest son is coming to us on 23rd & we will go out to the cinema where we can have something to eat watching the latest Avatar film & on Christmas Eve out to our local pub for dinner. Our son requested that I make a Boeuf en Croute for Christmas Day lunch for a change with us having already eaten two Roast Turkey meals that week. I will have to look up the cooking times because I only make it once a year😂 a whole fillet of beef is so expensive now to buy but still cheaper than buying a whole one already assembled. I am planning to use a mixture of mushroom & pork pâtes in the croute. Oh well a busy time with neighbours coming in for mince pies & Bucks Fizz or Mulled Wine next Saturday & getting the house decorated before then & lots of presents to wrap 🥂🍷🎁🎁😀
I will weigh again next Saturday but my push to start really trying to lose weight will start after Christmas 🤞🤞
Meanwhile let us enjoy the social events & manage what we will be eating as best we can having a healthy & a Merry Christmas.
Margaret xx

Lovely message and a great reminder for all of us.

With a few weeks still to go before Christmas, this really is the perfect time to stay focused without pressure. Whether the goal is feeling confident in an outfit, improving blood glucose levels, or simply building better habits, every small win matters.

I completely agree that Christmas is just one day, not a reason to undo weeks of progress. A few things that help me personally are sticking to regular meal timings, staying hydrated, choosing one indulgence instead of many, and reminding myself that consistency matters more than perfection.

For anyone looking for lighter festive friendly treats, I recently came across this helpful guide on Thai bubble tea that explains ingredients and ways to enjoy it more mindfully without overdoing sugar. Sharing it here in case it helps someone stay on track while still enjoying flavours they love
https://kongsiteabar.in/thai-bubble-tea-explained-taste-ingredients-recipe/

Looking forward to supporting each other through the rest of December and into the new seasonal thread in the New Year. Let us make this a Christmas we can all feel proud of.

See you all here.

Good morning,
Sorry I have been absent from the site for a couple of months, so have missed your news. Life got very hectic and I felt I had nothing of importance to share. 🥴
I am ending the year another stone lighter than last Christmas and still in remission from diabetes. (Although my latest Hb1Ac is still just into the pre-diabetic range). I have been very strict with no carb until this month, but have just relaxed a little and treated myself to the (very) occasional slice of granary toast, roast potato or mini mince pie. Not all on the same day! 😅
I cannot thank you enough for all the advice and encouragement when I was desperate to avoid metformin and get the diabetes under control. I started this journey at 15st 8lb and this morning weighed in at 9st 9lb (in October I went down to 9st 7lb)
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas.. hope to see you in the New Year. I am keeping on, keeping on.. determined to keep the weight off and diabetes in remission!
Pootle.

Hi Pootle! Good to see you and well done for your achievements this year.

S-g sounds great and yes I would love it! Actually we have help at the weekend so it’s just a case of ordering/buying ‘stuff’. My cooking days for lots of people are over now but we do still love to entertain!

Margaret we have to ‘live’ as well as keeping healthy! So just Enjoy!

S-g how did you get on with your doctor? I’m guessing you’re leaving tomorrow or at least very soon so safe journey.

Will post again during the next week or so.

Hi everyone, sorry for my absence, I have been busy with cleaning, viewing, doctors, vaccines and more cleaning.

Doctor was not happy about 7.3 but said he knows I will sort it out so he is not changing any of my meds, not increasing insulin. Also, gave me a prescription for a new machine. I had to have a vaccine for bronchitis due to having asthma so that was 2 trips to the pharmacy, one to book it and next day to have it done.

Verano, I like your idea of catering. Here the supermarkets so buffets of many different types so that is where I would go to cater for anyone although never have anyone here anymore.

Packing all done, I think!! Now just waiting for sitters to arrive. They got lost around Poitier so are running late.

Pootle, so glad you are still a success story as you and Lucy took a lot of persuading. Now you can tell everyone else that it works. Dont worry about the pre- we all have ups and downs. Any news on Lucy, say hi if you are still reading.

I will be back on 30th so only one day to set up new thread which will be Winter/Spring for 3 months. Any ideas for a catchy name. By for now and a very merry Christmas to you all.

Hi all,

I’ve been keeping up with you all through the forum posts, but a death and a cancer diagnosis in the family has left me struggling a bit, so I’ve not really been in the right frame of mind to post anything.

I’d like to thank you all for your support and positive encouragement. I doubt I’d have been successful without you in my corner, and I shall be counting on your advice and support next year as I learn to live with my new ‘normal’ diet.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas, and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Love and hugs,
Lacy xxx

Shetland Lace one step forward at a time and you will come through all your traumas. Hopefully the new year will bring new optimism and a better year for you.

Sunshine- girl enjoy your trip back to the UK and hope you have a wonderful time with your family.

Pootle just keep doing what you’re doing! Happy hols to you and yours.

Margaret enjoy the ‘happy season’! Whatever makes you happy just go with it. ….. life (especially at our age) is uncertain so best to just enjoy!

Hey everyone, great to see the updates—sounds like a whirlwind of chores, docs, and pre-holiday hustle! 7.3 isn’t ideal but awesome your doc trusts you to dial it in without med tweaks; that new machine should make tracking a breeze. Smart move on the bronchitis vaccine with asthma in the mix—stay safe through the chaos.

Verano’s catering tip is spot-on; supermarket buffets are a lifesaver for low-effort variety without the fuss. Fingers crossed the sitters make it soon—Poitiers traffic can be a nightmare!

Pootle, you’re killing it as the success story—inspire the rest of us! Hugs to Lucy if she’s lurking. New thread name idea: “Winter Thaw Triumphs” or “Frost to Flourish: Q1 Wins.” Merry Christmas back at ya—catch you on the 30th!

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Merry Christmas everyone & I hope it will be a relaxing & not too stressful time if you are hosting.
🎄🎁🥂⭐️❤️
Margaret xx

How is everyone doing? I’m prepping for a friend coming to lunch tomorrow then I will start clearing carbs from the kitchen in preparation for starting my diet on Monday 5th January. I suppose I will have to bravely stand on my scales on Saturday 🫣🤔😂
Margaret xx

Hello Margaret!
Sunshine-girl hope you’re still with us!

Just wanting to wish all the contributors to these monthly threads throughout the year a ‘Happy and Healthy’ new year.

2026 can be what you want it to be!!!

Hi all, I got back last night and I am just about to start a new thread – called New Year New You a 3 month challenge. Excuse if I dont say much as we havent even started to unpack and we have friends coming tonight so we can to the the NY party in our car (hubby wont drink much) and we still have their bed to make up after our other guests left this morning.

See you on 1st January