Hi MnM

I don’t want to be a killjoy, but 50kg is very heavy. If I were you, I would be a little cautious trying to lift and control a weight like that.

But congratulations again, it is a truly remarkable achievement.

Just starting week 3 on the diet – weight loss is 1st, next mini goal is to lose next 4lbs and get to next stone down. as it were. Diet seems fine so far, not suffering with hunger pangs etc

Thanks JM, not a killjoy, just realistic and with probably more understanding than I have about lifting such heavy weights. I will be very cautious indeed. I have no desire to injure myself or anyone else, and even my probable failure to lift it more than maybe an inch or so from the ground at most would be very powerful in terms of showing me how far I have come. I certainly have no intention of wearing it at that weight, although I might give it a go with the 26 kg.

Hi Northernbloke, great weight loss so far, and the lack of hunger pangs is the thing that distinguished this diet for me from all of the others I have tried. I remember only too well the classic ‘low fat’ feeling of emptiness.

Mix&match, that is honestly such an inspiration. Last time I lost 3 stones I put it in a rucksack and went for the brisk walk I do morning and evening – only got halfway round! Imagine the reduced strain on every part of you! You’ve really spurred me on today. Amazing! MKx

M&M that’s great to hear how much of a loser you are, careful now you don’t fade away?
How long has it taken the 8 stone to come off?
I think I need to refocus as I do well in the week but weekends seem to be my down fall, still keeping 3 stone off but the downward trend has really slowed down?

Great to read that so many are reporting good results and cracking mini-goals along the way. I too can report achieving another mini-goal, which was getting to 9st, but actually I broke through that and came in as 8st 13lb today at my weekly weigh-in. This was a slight bounce back from the lowest weight registered during the week, but I’ll happily take it.

So I’m setting a new mini-goal now. Aiming to drop 4lb to get to exactly 2st lost, which actually is only 2lb away from my ultimate goal of 8st 7lb, which was my weight when I got married almost 20yrs ago. 2st 2lb might not seem like a big deal in the scheme of things, but being very short means that I was almost three dress sizes bigger than I am now.

Anyway, hope everyone is making good progress towards their next personal mini-goal. Looking forward to reading everyone’s great results soon.

Hi Sumo, I made the eight stone off in exactly two years, with my anniversary date of 1st February being the actual day I first hit it bizarrely enough. Life is rarely so tidy. I had three stone off in the first year, but between June (my birthday) and Christmas put a stone back on so you are already doing better than me. The other six went between January last year and first of February this year at an ever increasing rate as I got better and more focused on what I was doing. I didn’t start BSD until the end of April last year, which is when things really started happening, and have only had one fast 800 8 weeks session with the rest being variations of 5:2. (4:3, 2:5).

Hi Mixnmatch. I think my excess weight is going to take two years to go! It is coming off very slowly.
I started on the 1st October and have now lost about 17Kg. I could get disheartened but I am trying very hard not to.
You and others have done very well and I congratulate you all.

Hi Fairyface, I have been thinking about how it happened for me, and I think a big factor was how fit I got, so just keep on keeping on with the exercise and it may for you get to a stage like it did with me where my metabolism changed into a Rolls Royce fat burner. Certainly my first year was just a repeat of other years where I have lost three or four stone through dogged effort of dieting and then relaxed and in the past put it all back on again. The difference last year was the mindfulness focus and the exercise I am sure (along with the realisation that white stuff carbs have the same lack of off switch that I already knew existed for refined sugar).

Mixnmatch……this is the first diet I have been on that I think I can stick to. Not a diet but a new way of life:-)
I am very lazy and have not been out for a walk for quite a while. Hopefully will be out walking more as the weather warms up and we go to our caravan and get out in our motorhome. I always find something to do when we are at home…..sit and read, knit etc etc.
I have settled into the BSD way of eating quite happily now. But I do like a munch….a few nuts are high on my agenda. We cook most of the recipes in the book and have a weeks worth of meals banked in the freezer so I don’t have to cook this week. Just add the veg and hey ho done. I still feel well and motivated although a gin and tonic seems to take a week to shift. I seem to retain fluid when I have a drink! Which is very rarely I might add.
I don’t have the complication of being a diabetic and this I am grateful for. I take my hat off to all who have to keep an eye on their blood sugar. It seems so complicated.
I do hope that once I am taking regular walks my weight moves a bit quicker than it is doing.
I am trying to think of a ‘goal’ for Veranos next thread. Although I am grateful for a pound less each week.

M&M thanks for that, I can stop beating my self over not getting there fast enough, I think my focus is increased pain in my knees, & my ankles coming out in sympathy.

Those that can just get on and do it are an inspiration but that is not the norm for the rest of us, life gets in the way?

Mixnmatch – that’s an interesting thought – the lack of an off switch when you eat white carbs and sugar.

That’s exactly what it feels like for me – there is no off switch. I have no problem with not eating them in the first place and have no cravings or desire to eat them. So even if I was surrounded by the most delicious looking carby sugary stuff (and often have been since I started in May) I have no problem saying no. It takes absolutely no willpower as it is just so easy. Actually it doesn’t look that delicious to me anymore.

But one mouthful and the off switch malfunctions and the craving for more of the starchy sweet stuff really get going and I just can’t stop – even when I have really eaten too much and feel uncomfortable. I have done that so often in the past and have always hated myself afterwards for the lack of willpower.

It is a rather nice thought – it was never about a lack of willpower – it was always about not having an off switch. So my strategy of not eating a single mouthful of sugary and starchy carbs is absolutely the right strategy for me and will enable me to continue with maintenance in the long term.

And anyway who needs that stuff when you have Fage yoghurt, stilton cheese, avocados, broccoli and stilton soup, delicious stir fries, nuts and Lindt 90% dark chocolate and last but not least – Nespresso coffee with cream.

Hi Sumo

I think one of the great things about this way of eating is that you can actually ‘live’ life. I think the plan is so flexible that you can fit it around your lifestyle and succeed. I agree that some people are able to follow a smooth path almost straight down to their goal but for most the ride is a little bumpy. The really important thing is that we all get there in the end.

I hear what you say about your pain in your knees and ankles and it will improve as your weight drops. I have mobility problems and walk with crutches but I have noticed that I am now able to stand up from a seated position far more easily and the pains I suffer from my hip are far less noticeable. So just focus on becoming pain free and you will get there. It may take time but the time will pass anyway!!!

Good luck with your journey.

Krysia

What you’re describing sounds like the description of a recovering alcoholic. Fine until you have the first drink/mouthful. I suppose when you think about it there’s no reason why ‘addiction’ to any substance should be any different. I guess it’s just that you would never have considered sugary carbs to be ‘addictive’ until recent times.

Interesting thoughts! At least once you recognise your own ‘poison’ you have a chance to improve life. It’s only when you keep your head in the sand that miss out on all the good things in life.

Enjoy the snowdrops!

Verano – actually that’s exactly what my daughter’s have said in the past. They have said – thank goodness I have never liked alcohol as it would have been worse if the addiction had been to alcohol. So my addiction is to the carby and sugary stuff – and you are right that once you identify your poison you have a chance to improve your life.

My 25th wedding anniversary day has dawned, bright and sunny. The wedding dress fitted perfectly, maybe a little looser than it was 25 years ago even, and I have photographs to prove it. Project rucksack is now up to 32 kg, I weighed it on the bathroom scales, yesterday, but my current weight lost is now over 51kg. I have great difficulty lifting even this weight, so will obviously struggle when the extra 18kg is added finally. Will definitely not be attempting anything like wearing it.

Final weigh in for the largest of my mini-goals 10 stone 8.8 pounds. 2.2 pounds lighter than 25 years ago when we got married. Next mini goal challenge is to do this again in five years to make me keep it off 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Well done MnM!!!!

A great achievement on many counts. Great goal to have now and I’m sure you’ll do it. If you do put any on you could take some out of that rucksack and ‘wear’ it for a few days. I’m sure that will keep you on the straight and narrow!

51kg … WOW!!!

Great achievement M&M, it will be my 25th next year so here’s hoping I am the same weight I was on my wedding day, although only 9 stone I thought I was fat then, oh to have that again.

Wow, MnM – well done you, and a huge congratulations on your silver wedding anniversary. I bet you look great in that dress – oh how I wish we could post photos on this site 😉 I cannot imagine managing to lift that rucksack now, let alone with the extra 18kg in it!!! What an amazing achievement (losing the weight, not lifting the rucksack 😉 ). Enjoy your celebrations 🙂

Don’t think I will ever get into my wedding dress (48 years ago) as I was a tad under 7st then and, interestingly enough my 12yr old granddaughter, who is TINY for her age and exceedingly slender, tried it on recently and, apart from the length, it was a more or less perfect fit. I think when we were young (well me anyway, cos I am obviously heaps older than you) everyone was so much smaller (I certainly wasn’t unusual among my friends), the whole population is bigger these days, even those who are not overweight. Though interestingly enough, my daughter is only a few pounds over the 7st mark.

Funnily enough, I recently came across a vintage Ossie Clark dress which my husband treated me to immediately after the birth of our first son, way back in 1971, because we had a posh wedding to go to 3 weeks later. It is literally about 4″ wide, and it was a tad tight on the said granddaughter when she tried it on, but it fitted me perfectly 3 weeks after giving birth to my 2nd child!!! But I don’t remember anyone ever telling me I was thin – I certainly didn’t feel it. Pity I can’t wear it now, because I still love it and it really hasn’t dated at all.

s-g, I’m sure you will manage to fit into your wedding dress too – you have a year to go, and it’ll be a great motivator 🙂

Oh, Mixnmatch, 51kg!!🎊🌠🌠 Congratulations on your 25th anniversary and your weight loss. And fitting 🙆into your wedding dress. What a mighty effort.
Ps. Mind your back when you pick up that backpack!

Speaking to my sister in Australia last weekend I told her how much I had lost. She said “that’s how much I weigh!” So that has really been put into perspective for me. Scary thought.

Mixnmatch that really does concentrate the mind!!!! It makes your achievement even greater.

Ok so I’m back on track with a new overall goal of 52lbs!!! I know it’s a huge amount but for my next mini-goal I would like to lose 3lbs to get me into the 40’s. I would love to do that in the next 2 weeks. So here goes ……