Latest forum posts

  • posted by  SunnyB on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    Having been AWOL for a few days, thought it was high time to offer up a some positives ….
    🌿🌱 another good gardening session, mainly weeding and pruning, things are looking tidier and the green waste bin is ready for collection on Friday🙂
    🪴🪴 have bought some new plants which need to be planted in … need another fine period to get that job done though
    🍲🍽 lovely family meal out last evening, to celebrate DD’s birthday. Very pleasant evening and we’ve found a really nice restaurant to visit again.

    If you have noticed some recent positives, please be sure to share one or two with us.

  • posted by  ClarinetCathy on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    I am definitely overweight Verano with a BMi which is currently 29. I didn’t feel that my expectations were unrealistic but they’re proving to be very unrealistic. I hoped that fasting and eating low carb would result in a few pounds of loss but my body has other ideas. I am going to concentrate on eating a healthy whole food diet. I’m vegetarian and have been for forty years. My working ground is accepting myself and learning to like myself. Once my plantar fasciitis settles down and I’m currently on the waiting list for more steroid injections into my toes I hope I can walk more over the spring/summer. I am also working on not comparing myself to others. The How to Eat book is hopefully going to educate me that dieting won’t work but eating healthy non processed food will improve my overall health and maybe help shed some of my excess weight. I’m going to try a more relaxed approach and try to not be so hard on myself.
    Have a good week everyone. Lots to think about as we March on

  • posted by  Verano on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    “ I do have health issues and I feel that I am wasting month after month trying to be a certain weight. I might be better to eat well and relax more”

    “I am a size 12/14- maybe this is me! It would make sense to accept who I am and enjoy every day.”

    Yes! I think you have worked it out! From what you say you’re clearly not overweight. Maybe, as you say, you should just relax!

    Actually, Jenkinson says that when his patients want bariatric surgery he warns them before hand to be ‘realistic’ about their weight loss. I can’t remember the exact figures but he says that if a patient is 21stone they shouldn’t expect to reach 9stone after surgery, 13stone is more realistic. If they don’t reach ‘their’ expected weight they often feel like the surgery has failed when in fact it was their expectations that were ‘unrealistic’.
    I think maybe lots of us have ‘unrealistic’ expectations!

  • posted by  ClarinetCathy on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    Morning and thank you for your inspiring post Verano. It looks like I’ve reset my set point to 159 from 161! I’m currently reading his new book which is about choosing healthy, non processed foods. I’m only a short way through the book. I did listen to him on a well being podcast with Liz Earle. I think many of us were conned back in the 80s. I know that my issue is that I’ve dieted too many times and messed up my metabolism. I’m up on the scales again today and the advice to ditch the scales seems very sensible but I worry that I would go out of control weight wise. I wonder if I might be better going for some counselling to like myself more and stop obsessing about my weight. I do have health issues and I feel that I am wasting month after month trying to be a certain weight. I might be better to eat well and relax more. I am enjoying the book and am focusing on proper food, nourishing my body and maybe I am programmed to be this weight now. I am 63 this year. I am a size 12/14- maybe this is me! It would make sense to accept who I am and enjoy every day. I have also bought The Obesity Code. I hope I can crack this code and if I maintain by eating well then I think I can accept myself. Maybe I am never going to be who I think I should be.

  • posted by  Verano on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    Hi Cathy

    Have you started to read Andrew Jenkinson’s book yet? It might just give you more hope.

    I’ve re-listened to his first book and in its crudest form he argues:

    He says obesity rates started to rise in the 70’s as the Heart Health diet became popular and saturated fats were demonised. Our diets changed from fresh home cooked foods to UPF’s.

    – Low calorie diets in fact all ‘diets’ don’t work.

    – We each have a ‘weight set-point’ and our bodies will always return to that. How many ‘diets’ have we all done only to regain the weight and more. He names them, to mention just a few…. Weight Watchers, Slimming World, South Beach, Atkins, Lighter Life, Cabbage Soup, Keto, etc. etc. I’m sure somebody can name a few more! He suggests that each time you regain weight + more, your ‘set-point goes up.

    – His answer is low carb but using the Glycaemic Load as a guide rather than carbs per se. He gives an example of water melon which has a high Glycaemic Index but a low GL.

    – He also says 16:8 works to lower your ‘set-point’.

    – He suggest a that it’s the ‘quality’ not the ‘quantity’ of food that affects your ‘set-point’. So the least processed a food is, the it is better for you.

    – He argues that reducing insulin, by reducing carbs, ie. avoid, sugar, wheat and corn, will lower your ‘set-point’.

    – He also says ‘dump the scales’, doubt I could do that, and be ‘realistic’ about your weight loss.

    Obviously there’s a lot more in the book especially about flawed ‘research’ funded by Big Business and Big Pharma. Apparently, the statin industry was worth $35 billion in 2010!

    In a ‘nutshell’ he says a diet of grains, vegetable oil and sugar leads to obesity. So it would seem if these are cut out then all will be well.

    Now I’m onto the new book which I’m sure will reiterate some of ‘Why We Eat (Too Much). We shall see!

  • posted by  ClarinetCathy on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    Hello everyone- another week of disappointment for me. So I’ve gone low carb and 19 hour fasts all week. No bread, pasta, rice or sugar etc- back to BSD basics . I’ve had salad, yoghurt, berries, walnuts, feta, etc etc. however yesterday we went to my visit my mother in law and my sister in law made pasta bake for lunch and I ate it! I did not eat any birthday cake! I’ve not drank any alcohol all week and today I am 0.2 lbs up on the week. I know it will be water weight after the pasta yesterday. I hoped to lose 2lb this week. I really am struggling to find a weight loss diet that works for me. I would love to show you my chart which is up and down the same 4 lbs since January. I’m becoming slightly obsessed and I don’t feel I’m in a healthy mind set at the moment. I’ve not been walking due to the plantar fasciitis and I have an appt in two weeks at the heel pain clinic so I am hoping I can get some tips and start walking after my appointment.. I’ve no choice but to keep chipping away and finding out what will work for me. I’ve had no breakfasts this week, salad style lunches and low carb evening meals. I know the pasta yesterday has screwed my data. Another week beckons and I will see how this week goes. I’m not putting on any weight but I’m not losing any either. I’m going to retract my desired weight plan for April as it is not achievable to be 150 lb by 1st April. I will just be what I will be. Today my average weight for the week is 157.1 lb. I was 155 lb on Thursday – I’m doing rubbish! Oh well- here I go again.

  • posted by  Verano on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    My plan was to just pop in a couple of times a week …. BUT … today I was overwhelmed by really ‘heavily laden ‘ early flowering cherry trees. The blossom is so ‘heavy’ it’s wonderful. Just hoping that the blossom to come will be so abundant!

    Magnolias here need maybe two sunny days until they ‘explode’. We are very fortunate that we have some very mature magnolias very close to us.

    Spring really does feel as though it’s almost, maybe 90%, here.

    New ‘Spring’, winter almost gone, summer not too far away.

    We have to look at the ‘positive’ side of the coin!

  • Hi all, glad to report further weight loss. Now over 8lbs down.

    Margaret it sounds as though you have come to realise what you need to change. I know it sounds boring but just cut out the carbs and basically the calories will take care of themselves. Do you have a goal, time, special occasion in mind. As for that DVD, I keep mine in the player and just press the play button. I do an exercise that doesn’t take much faffing around, I can do it it jeans and a t-shirt. Once I hear the opening music I think, well I might as well just do it. I also tell myself it is just half an hour or an hour out of 24 in the day and not going to be so difficult to fit in. So I just get on with it and before I know it I am on the cool down – my favourite part 🙂

    1960smp, the 5:2 is 5 days normal food and 2 days fasting or 800. Always has been. Some people find that easier to cope with if they can’t face 7 days at 800 but don’t make the mistake of eating everything in sight on the none fast days. You are here, so you are all geared up, just need that final push. Organisation. Plan, shop, cook.

  • Thanks SG, I hear what you’re saying. Think I was intrigued when I read the intro section as he commends 5:2 but reverses it so it is 5 days eating normally and 2 strictly on 800 cals.

    I weighed in at 2lbs heavier today and can see how. Overall, i am not counting cals or carbs 🙃 i really need to adjust this as i will quickly return to my heavier weight.

  • Good morning everyone so I have just weighed & gained 1/2lb. I had hoped to have not gained anymore weight but I suppose I have to face the truth now that I am being much more careless about what I’m eating & need to completely review my meal planning. Part of the problem is I haven’t lost my sweet tooth regained over Christmas & find myself wanting something sweet in the evening after supper & this is usually a small piece of dark chocolate or a mango sorbet fruit lolly which is 70 calories both extra to my planned daily weekday calories of 800-900 . I’ve also been relaxing too much over the weekend going above my planned BMR calorie limit of 1300 calories to allow myself more relaxed eating & a couple of treats now usually a pud, or nibbles with wine adding too many carby calories 🙀 As I become older I seem to need to eat even fewer calories to continue to lose any weight.
    My reality now is that my knees are more sore & I am taking more pain relief & my body is flabbier through sitting more!! I am knitting hedgehogs for charity , finishing my jumper & spending a long time on my iPad particularly on DuoLingo which sends daily lesson reminders & also no longer exercising to my Jane Fonda dvd with my hand weights. It’s so easy to slip back into unhelpful & unhealthy habits & I am still finding it difficult to get re-motivated because it feels more challenging each day preparing every meal from scratch with fresh food & mentally battling with myself to get out my exercise dvds & just do it!!
    I suppose my message today is don’t let yourselves like me lose focus & slip back into an unhealthy & unhelpful routine🤔
    Margaret xx

  • SG re Vinted I think it depends on the clothing brands. My favourite is Gudrun Sjoden…lots of original prints and organic cottons and linen. Her clothes sell quickly at the right price. The new stuff is too expensive for me but I have found some pre loved treasures.
    I.have also sold White Stuff and Sea salt Cornwall items.
    It’s true that stuff can stay unsold for a good while.

  • Hi Wendy, how do you make money on Vinted. I have had a pair of shoes on for about 6 months, lots of interest but no sale. They are on for €8, so how low do you have to go. I put a only worn once, blue velvet full length evening dress on a month before Christmas hoping someone would want it for a special event, started at €20, reduced to €15, then had someone ask me half a dozen questions that were ridiculous and said she would have it if I would do it for €5. I took it off the site and will be wearing it on the cruise. I might get it taken up to modernise it but I am certainly not giving it away. All the other stuff I had on, 4 tops, one dress, I ended up giving to my friend when she came out and now anything else goes to the local charity shop.

    The problem with stars like Sharon and ozempic is they don’t need it. When a diabetic takes it, it helps with weight loss and therefore reduces BG levels but it is carefully monitored and stopped after a certain amount of time. I hope other so called celebrities take a good look at her – I felt so sorry for her.

    Great you can get updates from the nursery, you might even get videos of major events like first steps, although I am sure you will get them if it happens at home. I got videos of kittens being born and then 3 cats all in one box with 12 kittens piled on top of them fighting for nipples :), lucky me.
    Have a good weekend.

  • Hi everyone !
    Just checking in as the weekend begins.The weeks are flying by and we are finally getting some bright Spring like days which is a bonus .
    I was another kilo down last time I looked and I am enjoying trying on clothes like SG . I have sold quite a few items and found an outfit for the Greek wedding.I quite like colourful clothes these days . I had my ‘beige time’ and baggy tunics and leggings when I was younger and trying not to attract any attention but no more . Looking at the shops here there are a lot of floral appliqué type fabrics so without realising it I am on trend 😉 Not to forget my wacky matching earrings !

    Not diet related but I had a lovely thing happen this week .My ” daughter in law’ sent me an invitation to join the application for my grandson’s daycare centre which he started this week at 5 months .So I get regular photos, videos and messages of the activities and feedback from his lovely carers .It makes me feel connected and less far away .Technology is fab sometimes !

    I can’t believe we are approaching the end of this 12 week reset ! It feels good to break the cycle I was in . I definitely want to keep going until we go to Greece when there will be some excess but I can handle that .

    Yes SG I read about Sharon Osbourne and her awful experience with Ozempic, like many Hollywood celebrities .She did lose weight but apparently cannot gain at all now and is very gaunt .I have also heard about lots of issues with stomach paralysis , migraines and worse .Also weight gain is inevitable after stopping the medication.I would never ever contemplate such a dangerous drug .

    So have a good weekend everyone and keep going
    Oh and a big welcome to Clarinet Cathy to this thread ! I will check out the book mentioned . I think we probably know most of it but there is never any harm having a booster !
    Wendy x

  • posted by  Dreamscometrue on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    Hi everyone, hope you’ve had a good week. Just checking in quickly in between coming in and going out again!

    I’ve seen a small loss this week. Slightly behind where I wanted to be but I’m definitely not complaining as there have been a few times when I’ve veered off plan. Well done to all who are also moving in the right direction. CATHY I hope your determination and change of strategy really pays off, And SUE, well done for your daily steps. Glad you enjoyed the gig too. My husband plays bass in a band and we’re off out shortly for a gig tonight. YOWZER, well done for your loss and here’s hoping it continues.

    One final thought to (hopefully!) inspire you. I saw a headline on the BBC website today that the new editor of Vogue views getting dressed as one of the most joyful things in her day. Now for me that has not been the case recently at all! In fact not for as long as I can remember. So many of my clothes don’t fit properly, that even if I get them on they don’t look nice. I may be being too hard on myself here, but I know I’ve drifted into the pattern of wearing the same few things over and over again, hoping they’ll disguise the bulgy bits. Meanwhile, I have other lovely things that I just can’t wear, but equally can’t bear to get rid of. So when I read that comment I was initially irritated, but then thought hell yes . . . I want to be at the point where I feel positively joyful about getting dressed because I have things that I love, that I want to wear, and that fit. Here’s hoping I’ll be in that mindset by the end of this journey 🤞

    Have a great weekend everyone xx

  • posted by  sunshine-girl on Simple foods
    on in Welcome to the BSD
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    Hi VinnieMac, welcome to the site. First of all this diet might be low sugar but sugar can also be in the form of carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, breakfast cereals, in fact these are the biggest source of sugars unless, of course, you are living on cake and and desserts. So get your head around the carbs in your life. That soup, those beans and the bread, all high in carbs – e.g. can of Heinz Chicken Soup is 20g carbs, a can of Asda baked beans is 30g. One main thing is to get rid of anything in a can or packet with ingredients you would find in a chemistry lab.

    Not to make this too difficult for you at the start and assuming your not diabetic you need to reduce your carbs to under 100g, which is considered moderate carbs and you can go lower once you are used to the diet. There is no need for fancy cooking. If you want quick look at eggs – boiled (and easily transportable for lunch), scrambled with full fat cheese for breakfast or lunch, omelette with a few veg thrown in like chopped red pepper and mushrooms for dinner. No, you cant live on eggs. Baked beans are ok now and then, look for low sugar, bread should be high in grains and not just pretend to be ‘brown’ or ‘healthy’. Yes a bit dearer but you will only be having one slice instead of 2 or 3. Real oats, rolled oats are good, do not buy ready oats, you only need 30g to 40g serving – most people pour out too much cereal for it to be a ‘diet’ meal. Look at buying nuts and seeds to sprinkle on the oats – chia, linseed, flaked almonds etc.

    Can you cook a bit. Make a batch of mince with a few veg like peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms with canned tomatoes (yes you can have them, look on the back of the can, it is mainly tomato). If you do enough for 3 or 4 meals you can portion and freeze. Same applies to a beef or chicken stew – quite simple to make. One other thing, do not give up on good fats, do not buy low fat foods, again looking on the packaging they are full of sugars or things like rice powder (another carb). Buy full fat yoghurts, cheese etc. Those avocados don’t have to be fancy, just slice, take out the stone and eat. Do you eat salads, tuna, chicken, ham.

    If you think, sod that for a game of monkeys (is that the saying), don’t give up. Come back and tell us what it is you want to achieve i.e. weight loss, better health, looser clothes. We won’t give up on you.

    Good luck.

  • posted by  VinnieMac on Simple foods
    on in Welcome to the BSD
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    I am convinced the low sugar diet is the way to go, but looking at the recipes in the book they are too much of a faff to bother with. Its the same with all these books, they put in these fancy recipes with the hope of it being attractive and to make the book up-market. But all I want to know is what foods can you buy and eat that are common and cheap to buy and don’t require much cooking.
    I am used to eating things like a tin of soup, beans on toast, a tuna sandwich, or a bowl of porridge, all of which takes five mins to prepare with a min of washing up. I am not bothered about an Avocado curry or some other exotic dish and I just wouldn’t be motivated into making special shopping trips to buy the ingredients. I just want to know what the basic foods are.

  • posted by  SunnyB on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    I adore daffs, V. Mine have done well and seem to be lasting for a good while too. Staying positive is great advice, it can be all too easy to disappear down the ‘negativity rabbit hole’.

    My positives for today are …..
    🌯🍲 got a good amount of food prep done ready for tomorrow’s date night.
    🩸❤ blood pressure machine arrived, so we’ve started to take readings. So far so good, with both of us well within normal parameters. Will be interesting to see if that remains the case over subsequent checks.
    📱🙂 Nice phone catch up with Mum … happily both she and Dad are doing well.

    I’m sure there was at least one positive in your day so do take a moment to tell us about it.

  • posted by  Verano on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    Hello.

    Just wanted to pop-in and say ‘hello’.

    I’m plodding along losing slowly so all positive here

    My daffodils are at their peak and looking wonderful when I open the blinds each morning.

    Sorting out trips we have booked this year and thinking of ‘scaling down’ a bit given the world situation. I know that doesn’t really sound positive but I feel it is because at least we are making decisions!

    My meditation is still going really well and am definitely feeling better for it , even if it’s only for 20 minutes a day!

    Stay positive and try to always look on the bright side,

  • posted by  SunnyB on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    Good to see others joining in with their positives. Like the mantra K4r3n. SMP, I agree, it’s always good to get some proper time with one’s partner … that’s in short supply here at the moment.

    Okay, here are my positives for today ….
    🌸🌸 took delivery of some new plants arrived today … a baby Tree Fern and three dahlia tubers (which are a good size). Hoping all will do well.
    🛏🛏 today I finally got around to ordering a new duvet for one of the spare beds, should arrive before our friends visit next weekend 🤞🏻
    👍🏻🚘 eldest GS has at last booked his theory test and asked me to take him to it on 6th April … hopefully it goes well🤞🏻🤞🏻

    Looking forward to reading your positives soon 😀

  • posted by  Yowzer49 on I Am Better Than That.
    on in Fast 800
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    Good mantra K! Glad its inspiring you.
    Like you,i was very successful on this WOE,but weight has slowwwwwwwly climbed back up over the last seven years,and ive lost pounds here or there,but ive never managed to recapture that frame of mind of going cold turkey and just sticking it out until it became second nature,hardly needed to think about what i was going to eat.
    I’ll give your mantra a go and see if it helps me 👍👍x

  • posted by  Yowzer49 on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    Love Human League SUEBLUE! and “ Temptation” should be the theme song of every dieter! 😄
    3lb down for me,but im fearing that will return with the arrival of Easter! Still,its damage limitation. Keep marching on!

  • posted by  SueBlue on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    Cathy you sound like a woman on a mission! Good luck and I think it’s a great idea to change tactics. Something I thought about when you mentioned people on Reddit losing large amounts of weight is that it is all relative. So someone who needs to lose 10 stone and they’ve lost 2st has lost 20% of the weight they need to lose. Whereas a person who only needs to lose 1 stone will reach 20% of their goal after losing only a few pounds.
    I’m having a good week so far, managing at least 10,000 steps walking each day. Last night I went to see The Human League perform, it was a great concert but I’m very tired today!
    I’ll check in again at the end of the week 🙂

  • Verano, the big 5 food organisations are who control what we eat. Nestle SA, PepsiCo Inc, Mondelez International Inc, Unilever Plc, and Mars Inc. I know someone who works for one of these and I am sure from previous posts you can work out who. However, she is very much into healthy eating and changing the culture of the company. In her role she can suggest for example, not to use a certain oil which is on the endangered list but she has to know what to replace it with and then the big thing is cost so she has to source it to the best advantage of the company. In small ways she is encouraging them to move to a healthier options. She calls it slaying the beast from the inside. But obviously the good of the company has to be at the fore but also appropriate or she wouldn’t have a job.

    On the subject of Ozempic. Has anyone watched Celebrity Big Brother and looked at Sharon Obsorne who has been on it for a long time. Too long by the looks of it. There was a scene when she was shuffling around the kitchen in her dressing gown and she looked like a very wizzened old lady. Absolutely terrible. Good advert for not using drugs to lose weight.

    BTW 2 vodka and tonics poured at home – yes easily 0.2 of a kilo 🙂

  • Hi Cathy

    I’m assuming you’ve bought his latest book. I’ve not read it yet. I’m back to his first book . I have the audio addition and am on my second time around. I’m half way through my reread and the stand out is ‘diets don’t work’. He stresses how we all have a weight ‘set point’ and how this is very difficult to overcome. Metabolism is a huge part of his theories.

    I’ve not read enough yet to say more.

    Will keep you updated!

  • S-g two vodka and tonics = 0.2kg, maybe, but as you would say just a good poop! You need some little pleasures and a vodka and tonic is better than a chocolate biscuit or two!

    Taking the medication ….. great ….. if you have a ‘disease’ that can be cured. Metformin doesn’t ‘cure’ diabetes if you don’t change your diet. Too many people take cholesterol drugs or metformin and think they can carry on as their ‘normal’. Doesn’t work. As sunny-girl and I both know, from personal experience, you can only really be well, with or without medication, if you change your diet.

    It really annoys me that ‘Big Food’ persists in selling us highly addictive UPFs then ‘Big Pharma’ pops in with the answer, Ozempic, not sure of spelling, to get rid of the fat caused by ‘Big Food’. Just a money pot!

    Frightening really because at the end of the day it comes down to ‘profit’. I have no problem with profit per se but when it’s made on ‘ill health’ that’s unethical for me.

    OK of my soap box now!

  • Hi Verano
    I have ordered the book! It’s come at a good time for me. I read fast feast repeat at Christmas and tried intermittent fasting for the last three months but with very poor results. I am hoping this book will inspire me. I’m back to low carb along with intermittent fasting but am looking forward to reading what Dr Jenkinson has to add. I love to add to my knowledge so thank yoi for mentioning the book in your post and inspiring me. It will go alongside the other numerous “diet” books I’ve accumulated over the years. It’s good to have knowledge.

  • posted by  sunshine-girl on I Am Better Than That.
    on in Fast 800
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    Thank you for your input K4r3n59. Glad it is working for you. I am doing this for my health so my mantra is to stay as healthy as I can and I know how to do it with low carb.

  • Hi all, after my little foot stamping last night and 2 vodka and tonics I have gained around quarter of a pound (0.2 kgs) so that is me back on track until Monday when we are going out for lunch with our hairdresser – sort of for my husbands birthday but mainly because he is getting his hair cut at home on that day and our hairdresser is dying to go to the restaurant we are always talking about.

    Margaret, I didn’t know your husband was diabetic. I can believe you are doing your best to keep him on the right track but will know how hard it is with food being one of the great pleasures of life. I normally don’t feel sorry for myself but now and then it gets me down. Especially, when I was so pleased with how things are going then someone knocks me down.

    I have friends who have diabetes and no-one every says until I do. They are shocked that I would talk about it. As for their diets, they usually just take the medication and think they can live and eat as they have always done. 2 have died from such an attitude. One ate a full packet of chocolate digestives every morning with her coffee, the other made lemon drizzle cake at least twice and week in case someone turned up but still ate the lot to herself. The cake person said she would rather be dead than give up the things she loved. Well, she is now. Sorry if that was morbid but it used to make me so cross when they could have had a full and sort of healthy life with just a few sacrifices.

    Verano, on the subject of leptin resistance and insulin resistance. Yes it is quite a puzzle that all diabetics are insulin resistant as that is what has caused the diabetes in the first place (there are exception) and then pump them full of insulin. I have learnt from Dr Jason Fung that modern medicine is in effect causing our other medical problems and eventually early death. Sorry, I am being a bit morbid but it is true. Insulin doesn’t remove sugar from the blood it just stashes it somewhere else like in the liver, kidneys, heart, eyes etc. As he says, every cell in our bodies is affected by diabetes.

    Any good news. I think the cats have stopped giving birth. My daughter not only has 3 stray cats and their 12 kittens, she also has 4 cats and a dog of her own and 5 kids (blended family) so in my eyes she is an absolute hero. Not only that she is a senior scientist in the food industry and holds down a full time job.

    Today it is 20 degrees and I have spent time outside weeding and trying to trim the bay tree. That counts as my exercise for the day.

    Have a good rest of the week all.

  • posted by  1960smp on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    Positives today!
    *Made the right decision to return a kitchen gadget I did not need and there was no hassle about it!Saved me £££
    *Lunch out with hubby – so nice when just us 2
    *Lovely light mornings and daylight is later in the early evenings, means I get bit more done…

  • OO this week is flying by! Seems like a day or two ago I posted!
    Well done on those blood test results SG! Am sure you are thrilled. And wow your daughter is pretty good taking on those kittens and cats. I do love any animal but my hubby is not the same…
    V that book does sound interesting, hoping you enjoy the rest of it and it might be one I add to my ‘reading list’
    A great loss LDG and hopefully continues you for you!
    SB good news on your weight loss too, it is so encouraging when we see it on the scales. Thanks for the note that we have a ‘goodly portion of the month to go thru yet!
    Margaret, our children seem to always need us, no matter the age and that is one thing I do love! I went out with one of my daughters to a day spa many miles from home, as a gift from her for Mothers day. It was so lovely. I did not know a soul and that was even better BUT I could see how my body shape is so different to 2 years ago. I was able to get into, quite comfortably, my cozzy of several years too. We had a buffet lunch which was salads, meats and soup. Really lovely.
    I am in the process of compiling a shop online list from the meals on the freshwell site. Easy and doable so makes life easier. I have my youngest grandson here tomorrow for 8 days while my 2 daughters head off to a week in the sun for her 30th!! Am hoping I will survive, he is 6 but with several issues ….

  • Julia yes it does look like insulin resistance and leptin resistance are similar but yet quite different.

    I purchased the audio book “How to Eat (and still lose weight )” last week but as I started to listen to it I realised that I had Dr Andrew Jenkinson’s previous book , “Why we Eat ( too much)” so I decided to listen to that audio book again before I get into the latest one.

    So, I realise that I had heard of leptin resistance before but had obviously forgotten! I’m not far enough along with the book yet to see how to change leptin resistance but have to say it’s fascinating so far. Basically he’s talking about how ‘diets’ / calorie control, doesn’t work in the long term! I’ll report back when I’ve read a little more.

    Well done s-g on all your achievements this year … the year is still young so plenty time to reach for the starts!

    Hope everyone is having a good week.

  • Ah S-G I’ve always been pleased to read your helpful & wise advice regarding this low carb way of eating & whilst you have written about your health issues I felt sad reading how much of a daily impact they have on you. I am aware that compared to many I have few health problems & I suppose that I follow this WOE to try to look after myself & to lose weight but also to keep my husband as healthy as possible with his Type 2 diabetes & march him off to GP if I think he is ever unwell. He seems to generally ignore his own well being apart from regularly taking his medication so I suppose that I’m always keeping a watchful eye on him that he probably finds irritating & naggy of me!
    I think the only thing any of us can do is soldier on & take what joy we can from each day 👍🙂 I am aged 76 now with my husband almost exactly a year older & it will be our 50th wedding anniversary in August & we will be going to Gibraltar for a long weekend because it’s on our bucket list😂
    Take care & enjoy looking forward to your cruise.
    Margaret xx

  • Hi Verano,
    I have read about leptin resistance before — it appears that it usually resolves with the loss of excess weight (like insulin resistance).
    It is interesting that researchers started out with trying to INCREASE the leptin levels in test subjects (like rats) and then started to try to DECREASE leptin levels as they started to believe leptin was high because the rats had developed resistance to it and so the rat body was making too MUCH leptin, which led to resistance.
    And, of course, this is exactly what goes on with diabetics — they are insulin resistant BECAUSE they are making too much insulin. And then we treat them with MORE insulin, which only increases insulin resistance. It’s a damaging cycle. As Dr. Bikman points out, the real goal must be to reduce insulin with low carb eating and weight loss. I suspect leptin resistance is similar.
    Good news from what I have read is that weight loss helps with all of it. But maybe there are some good ideas about which foods to eat — does your book have specific food suggestions?
    Julia

  • posted by  K4r3n59 on I Am Better Than That.
    on in Fast 800
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    I was successful loosing weight on the blood sugar diet and kept it off for over a year. Slowly the weight krept on and nothing that I tried helpt my back on the diet. That was until I found my new mantra: “I Am Better Than That”
    “I am better than that” is my go to mantra when I feel myself wanting high carb food. (or even anything that is not good for me)It works every time. I know it won’t work for everyone but give it a try.
    Wishing everyone love and success xXx

  • posted by  K4r3n59 on I Am Bett Than That.
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    I was successful loosing weight on the blood sugar diet and kept it off for over a year. Slowly the weight kept on and nothing that I tried helpt my back on the diet. That was until I found my new mantra: “I Am Better Than That”
    “I am better than that” is my go to mantra when I feel myself wanting high carb food. (or even anything that is not good for me)It works every time. I know it won’t work for everyone but give it a try.
    Wishing everyone love and success xXx

  • posted by  K4r3n59 on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    “I am better than that” is my go to mantra when I feel myself wanting high carb food. It works every time. I know it won’t work for everyone but give it a try. Love and success to you all on this wonderful journey. xXx

  • Margaret, I hope you don’t think I was guilt tripping you by asking what you are eating. Quite the contrary, I could say I am envious of you having that joy in your life which is so much more important than a few pounds here and there. Enjoy the next few days with your son and for your granddaughters birthday. Why am I envious. First because my diet is imposed on me by my health and I really have no choice. Secondly, you have the joy of family around you and no one pointing a finger. Just briefly, after all the effort I have put in over the last 3 months with my BG and weight and the great response from my doctor I decided to relax and poured a vodka and tonic and if you could have seen the look on my husbands face. Just to say he can suck the joy out of any happy situation. We are going on a cruise and he will watch every sip that passes my lips, watch everything I do and so on. He always has the sob story that his mother died from alcohol and it scares him but I am not his mother. I have managed to reach 71 and not killed myself yet.

    BTW, every Thursday he buys himself 2 individual cakes of some sort and 4 croissants for the Friday and Saturday breakfast. When I suggested that he gave them up he was shocked I would suggest it as it is only once a week. Well I have a drink about once or twice a month. Wait until we get to the supermarket on Thursday 🙂 I will certainly be watching and tutting like he does.

    So just enjoy your life and your family and don’t listen to me – you are living the life I wish I had.

  • posted by  SunnyB on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    Glad your Doctor is on the same page as you, SG. Very envious of the warm weather there … we’re told we can expect some warmer days later this week, but we’ll wait and see. You must be really happy with the clothes fitting so well, definitely a great motivator and lovely to have extra things you can take on your trip.

    Anyway, let’s see what positives I can rustle up for today …
    🥙😍 menu planned for Friday’s date night and food bought this morning
    🌹🌸 third attempt at ikebana (Japanese style) flower arranging … very happy with the result. Really like that something striking can be made with just a few blooms
    Those will do for today. Hope others will join in and offer up a positive or two though.

  • Very pleasing to hear about your good results S-G & good heavens so many kittens for your daughter to look after but I should think once word gets out people will want to adopt or buy them👍
    My food choices for the past four days have been less than ideal & more carb laden on Mothering Sunday with roast potatoes & a Yorkshire puddings with my roast beef, a banoffee pie pud & wine. Yesterday croissants, a little cous cous, cheese & biscuits (given to me in a Mothers Day hamper with wine & shared) & nibbles & more wine than usual which will stop now until next Sunday when we all meet up at our eldest sons for a family gathering & my granddaughters early birthday celebration! I will be fasting for a couple of days before the weekend & weighing on Saturday to see how my weight looks. But what is positive for me is that my youngest son has definitely benefited from being here, sharing food, wine & chatting & if I gain some weight from that I feel it’s a price worth paying with rather unexpectedly having to conjure up food from my freezer, cupboard & the small village shop to create meals for three although I wasn’t eating breakfast. Sorry I’m wittering on a bit but I suppose I’m also re-evaluating the past few days as well & feeling quite settled & more balanced in myself as well. My past as a therapeutic counsellor catching up with me because I definitely get lots of emotional transference when he is here that badly affects me & my sleep 🤔 We never stop trying to be supportive parents how ever old our children become! Oh well onwards I will go & do my best to get back to my low carb eating 😀
    Margaret xx

  • posted by  ClarinetCathy on Marching on through 2024
    on in Fast 800
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    Been shopping today and bought lots of cottage cheese, avocado, eggs, olives, hummus, walnuts, beetroot, salad and vegetables. Will make some home made soups and tonight I’m having field mushrooms with garlic cheese and mozzarella from the keto cookbook. I don’t think I’ll weigh 150 lb by 1st April but I am determined I’ll be as near as I can be. Am feeling positive and motivated. Heel is still very painful so walking is out of the question at the moment. I am going to look through alll my MM books tonight for some recipe inspiration. I am Marching on and hopefully downwards.

  • posted by  sunshine-girl on Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?
    on in Fast 800
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    Positives for today

    Appt with doctor went very well, he is pleased with my results and said to reduce my insulin to 12 units (so I have come down from 20 since Xmas).
    Weather is getting warm at 17 today and 21 tomorrow so will be out in the garden. Lots of daffodils I didn’t know we had.
    Tried on several dresses and jeans for holiday and everything just glides on and fit perfectly.

  • Hi everyone. Today is my weigh in and I was a bit apprehensive as I hadn’t weighed since Saturday. No need to worry as I am down 1lb this month. I know it is slow but it is steady. Total of 8lbs since 2nd Jan with just under 2 weeks to our 12 week deadline.

    Just back from the doctor and all is well. He is super pleased with all my results (he did about 30 different blood tests because of my problems) and all is well. I showed him my book of numbers for insulin and BG and told him I had dropped from 20 units to 14 and that my BG is still very low so he says to drop down to 12 units. One thing worried me, I received a prescription in the post this morning to get a whole load of tests done mainly for my liver. My SPGT was a bit high but my doctors says a slightly fatty liver is normal for diabetics and also the meds I am on. But his locum has obviously picked up my results and decided I need more tests. My doctor took one look and threw it in the bin. Yeah….. She was also testing for my gall bladder function. If she had gone back to my history she would have seen I don’t have a gall bladder so it would have been a waste to test my bilirubin levels.

    Really pleased for those of you who are losing weight. Don’t give up if you are stalling or life is getting in the way, it will come good. Margaret, what is in your sharing dishes that cause your weight to go up. Maybe you could adjust as Wendy and I do when we have visitors.

    A small bit of new from daughter. Cat number 3 has given birth to 5 – I watched it happen on WhatsApp, they are so tiny. Now she has 3 mother cats and 12 kittens – all less than a week old. Don’t know what she is going to do when she has to name them all 🙂 for the adoption website.

    Have a good week.

  • Wow LittleDrummerGirl & SunnyB congratulations on your weight losses 👏👏
    I doubt that I will lose any weight this week because our son is still here for a couple more meals & we always eat more sharing dishes. However he seems to be doing better in himself now & is settling in to his new contact & he has had an honest discussion with his boss who seems to micromanage interrupting work flow which was irritating considering our son is employed as the IT team lead. My husband & I are also feeling less concerned about him but are keeping our fingers crossed 🤞🤞
    Very well done for those of you keeping on track 👍
    Margaret xx

  • SG, thanks for the clothing hacks, they will be useful. Well done to your daughter, caring for all those cats and kittens, must be very challenging, especially with a family to care for as well.

    I’m reporting in early today with my weekly results, which are slightly better than usual at 1.5lb. That gives me a bit more confidence, that I’ll be able to hit target before we go away next month.

    Hope everyone else has had a successful week, but if it’s been a struggle or not gone to plan, dust off and make today a fresh start. We still have a goodly portion of the month left, to make good progress towards our personal goals … let’s make it count!