Hi OPM. Check out Diet Dr. monk fruit is listed as the number 3 sweetener to use after Stevia and Erythritol. Link below. The same caveats that SG mentioned are also listed.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/sweeteners

CG, lits ofnlovely positives there, thanks for sharing. I’m with you on fasting …24hrs is about my limit, not helped by the fact OH doesn’t like me ‘not eating’. This means to fast I have to be sneaky. Have been fasting today, as he hasn’t been around, so will manage 24hrs today.

So I guess that is my first positive from today ..
🥨 and the 2nd is that fasting has meant I’ve resisted all snacking.
🙂 some lovely family time yesterday afternoon, we met DD and family at a classic car show and had a pleasant time
🌸 have started to make some nature petal confetti for DD’s wedding next year. Have been gathering rose petals, little pansy flowers, anemones petals etc. frok my garden and drying them slowly in egg boxes placed at the back of the aga. Should have a nice little stash in time for the big day.
Have to wash, as we’re about to go off on a road trip. More soon ….

Sunshine girl & OrangePandaMomma. I just came on this thread to see if this would help with your hair loss. I’ve started hubby on this as his hair loss is getting worse. (He also has to have B12 injections – low B12 can make you lose your hair too so get yours checked). Anyway this is by ‘The Ordinary’ Deciem. He’s only been using it for 2 weeks but already I’m noticing baby hairs growing on him. It’s inexpensive too. Look up the reviews on their website as some people it works almost miracles on.
Got him onto a regime now the multi-peptide at nighttime before he goes to bed & the hemi-squalane in the morning. Nighttime one costs £15.80 for 60ml, Squalane costs just £2.75 for 30ml. I think you can buy a bigger bottle of the Squalane too???
https://deciem.com/en-gb/theordinary/mas-rdn-multi-peptide-serum-for-hair-density.html
https://deciem.com/en-gb/theordinary/mas-rdn-100pct-plant-derived-hemi-squalane.html?dwvar_mas-rdn-100pct-plant-derived-hemi-squalane_size=30ml&quantity=1

Might be worth you all looking at their make-up too. I adore their serum foundation @just £5.70 for 30ml. The serum is lovely, it covers REALLY well & makes your skin feel really good & it has an SPF of 15 too! It’s a steal at this price & just as good as some I’ve paid over £50 for. They also do a concealer but you can layer on the foundation instead in the areas you need toned down. It covers well & often just looks natural but better, if you know what I mean.
https://deciem.com/en-gb/theordinary/mas-rdn-serum-foundation-eu.html

I’m still keeping on, keeping on. Doing probably a 4:3 instead of a 5:2 at the moment & keeping to a 16:8 intermittent fasting daily. Weight loss has slowed to around 1-1.5lbs a week for me BUT I’m OK with that. Hubby won’t get on the scales – Is it because he’s snacking when I lose sight of him for 10mins OR as he says ‘Once a week or fortnight is enough for me’ Who knows? I’m still over the moon at being in remission & I absolutely love this WOE, It’s SO easy now. I find even if I cheat now (Sidolis dairy Ice-cream (Lemon Meringue Pie flavour is my downfall) I can stay in Ketosis – I think probably as we always do 16:8 & if I have a craving I eat it within an hour, Probably more like 10-15mins.

Hope the above helps some-one & keep on keeping on all as the BSD turns your health for the better – as I keep telling everyone who’ll listen
Linda xxxx

Hi everyone, OPM glad to see you are still with us. Lets concentrate on you and your weight loss goals and plans and we will support you in that. On that subject, the vanilla syrup is not a good idea. If it tastes sweet then your body will react as if it is sugar and you will get insulin spikes (even if not diabetic) and craving will start up or continue if you have not lost the sweet tooth.

Nothing much to report. My hair is still coming out in strands (not chunks) and is so thin. I am seeing my hairdresser tomorrow and although she wont be able to help me I am going to ask her to cut it a bit shorter and not to do a colour and my usual tabby cat streaks. I have just washed it myself so hopefully she will just wet it and gently blow dry.

Just going to do a bit more of my Polish lessons. Thing is, at a basic level I am learning that the girl eats an apple, the boy eats an apple, but nothing very useful. I should get onto greetings soon. Take care everyone and keep on keeping on…

OrangePandaMomma You have been through a lot and am sending you virtual hugs. Just a thought maybe he is scared that if you succeed and lose the weight, you will find someone else and leave him so he undermines you to keep the status quo. In the end losing the weight is for you and not for him. So celebrate your successes here and use us to prop you up when the hard times hit.

DCT how lovely to hear from you! So glad your wedding day went well and you’ve had a good break 🙂
I like the idea of starting on Friday 1st Oct, as it’s the 1st day of a new month…or otherwise Monday 27th September if everyone prefers to start on a Monday? Depends on what everyone else wants to do, I’m easy 🙂
And as for names, how about Countdown to Christmas Reboot?

I’m so glad your wedding day was so happy, DCT, and if you can’t splurge a little on your honeymoon when can you! I’m sure the small increase will disappear quickly.
I’m also on a challenge, so far have walked 67km this month. We have mostly had beautiful weather this September and it’s been a pleasure.
400g down this week which has made me happy, that’s2.8 down since my reboot so pretty much back where I was before lockdown started 3 months ago. 3 more kilos to my first mini goal.
I can’t think of a thread name. Crusaders on The Christmas Coach? I don’t think so but maybe someone else will be inspired.

I’m so glad your wedding day was so happy, DCT, and if you can’t splurge a little on your honeymoon when can you! I’m sure the small increase will disappear quickly.
I’m also on a challenge, so far have walked 67km this month. We have mostly had beautiful weather this September and it’s been a pleasure.
400g down this week which has made me happy, that’s2.8 down since my reboot so pretty much back where I was before lockdown started 3 months ago. 3 more kilos to my first mini goal.
I can’t think of a thread name. Crusaders on The Christmas Coach? I don’t think so but maybe someone else will be inspired.

Hello everyone! I’m back and just been catching up with all the recent posts. Lovely to read good news from many posts; and sending love and good vibes to any who are struggling in any way.

Thank you for all your good wishes. Everything went as well as it could and we had a wonderful wedding day. We’ve been away for most of the time since then and it’s been a lovely break – with lots of wining and dining of course. I almost didn’t dare get on the scales this morning! and yes, there is a bit of an increase but it’s not as bad as I’d feared.

But now it’s back to reality. This week my aim is to get my diet back under control again, and also ramp up the exercise. A bit like you Sue, I’ve signed up to a fitness challenge that will hopefully motivate me to do 10000 steps per day; and as part of that I also plan to get back into the running this week after rather too long a break.

And soon it will be time for our Christmas bus to depart! Any views on when we start? This current challenge was intended to run up to the end of September, so we could maybe either board the bus either Thursday 30th September or Friday 1st October? And all ideas for names appreciated: I think we called it Countdown to Christmas last year so maybe something similar but different, if that makes sense?

Hope you all have a really good week, both diet-wise and in whatever else is happening in your lives X

Sorry,! Something came up when I was in the middle of writing and I had to leave suddenly so I just posted what I had at the time.

Monk fruit. I was talking to my sister about wanting to make a London Fog (Earl grey tea, milk, vanilla syrup) at home without using sugar. She runs a mobile coffee cafe business so I thought she could give me tips. Anyway, she sweetly surprised me by preparing a bottle of sugar free vanilla syrup made out of vanilla beans, water, and monk fruit. It was super nice of her, but since I don’t know much about that alternative sweetener, I thought I’d ask our resident experts. I would hate to knock myself off the track.

SG- your comment both warmed my heart and made me laugh. My marriage is definitely a cause of stress, but I do not believe in divorce without adultery so I’m doing my best to stick together and improved my situation. Our dear Wendy has received more than a few sad texts over the last year as my spouse and I went through a rougher patch, but alas, in the end, I decided to make things work. To answer your questions: he isn’t a god, but he does have a six-pack. 😉 He can be insensitive, unfeeling and downright cruel at times, but I am more forgiving in nature so it takes a lot for me to blow my top. We were both abused as children and our shared pain is actually what brought us together. Over the years we’ve been through a lot, and whether you believe me or not, this man loves me. When I was in a severe car accident and in a coma, he stayed by my side and ensured I was taken care of properly, even after my family gave me up for dead. When I woke up, I had to relearn how to talk, eat, and walk. He carefully looked after me in such a tender way… Unfortunately, a few years ago, an incident happened that severely affected his mental health and he dramatically changed. I understand you care about me and I’m grateful, but just as he stuck around for my hard times, I don’t want to give up on him. Recently things have been getting better; it’s still not perfect obviously, but I can genuinely say there’s improvement. While things may never be the same, I hope we have renew the respectful and peaceful environment in our home.

Sorry, I missed a few days. Work because crazy suddenly and I was swamped! Yesterday was not quite right; I did not have any grains or desserts, but it was definitely over 800 (watermelon, homemade beef stew with carrots, celery, and potatoes.)

Also, what’s the general consensus of monk fruit?

Hello all!
I am writing from not-so-smoky Lake Tahoe, California where we have turned a corner in the two biggest wildfires (Caldor and Dixie) and we even got a substantial amount of rain last night which is so welcome! So lovely in our drought-desperate California.
We have also become the first state in the United States to be declared to be on the backside of the Covid “Delta Wave”, which is also good news and I hope continues downward until we no longer even have to think about Covid anymore. Maybe we can put to rest the vaccination disagreements and end mask wearing — right now masks are a county-by-county decision (California is divided into 58 political regions) so you can drive three hours in California and have six different mask rules to deal with — it’s a bit funny when you stop for gas and a cup of coffee.
All of which keeps everyone here a bit on edge — not so good for keeping cortisol levels low but we are moving on with real life.
I am still (in Sunshinegirl’s words) “keeping on keeping on”. I love this way of eating — six years on.
I have been reading a few comments about protein intake — I follow Dr Ben Bikman’s recommendations of 1-1.5 gr protein per kg of ideal body weight — I use the higher number — that has worked perfectly for me, controls hunger, can build muscle and feel great. If you haven’t checked him out, Dr Bikman is a lively podcast guest and his podcasts are very informative.
My most interesting BSD experience revolves around fasting right now — the more I do it, the better I get. It took me months to get to 18 then 20 then 22 hours. Then months more to 24 hours (which seemed impossible) but now I can comfortably go 27 hours and I assume it would get better if I want to try but I am not sure if I want to push further, I am trying to keep myself in a steady and comfortable place, and pushing fasting “feels” stressful. Weird but worth listening to.
I like the research that says that your health benefits from a very regular pattern of eating/sleeping/exercise (whatever that means for YOU).
So when I get truly hungry, I eat.
Actually, fasting is incredibly good for teaching your brain what “true hunger” feels like — it’s been an eye opener. And I never panic about mealtime anymore — I am calm when food is hours away.
Stay strong! A lot of what we are doing today will pay off in a decade. Years of healthy life await!
Julia

Thanks SunnyB and sunshinegirl for keeping the thread going and welcome CurryTruck and Igglyboo!
Good to see regulars posting .

Clare I hope things settle for you and you can keep a depressive episode at bay . It’s hard to interact with our partners when we are feeling fragile and it’s not easy to share what is going on . School starting again and getting into that routine when you are tired is hard. Delegate where you can Clare ?

Lauren, that is so good that you were validated and appreciated by your pupils in your promotion. I hope the workload is becoming more manageable now ?

Hi caronl , hi Merry ! I always feel warm and cuddly knowing you are both still there ! Julz you are a legend with your running and that’s brilliant that you are managing that staying low carb. There is a book called ‘ The art and science of low carbohydrate living’ by Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinny that advocates low carb for athletes . You amaze me Julz !!

I love the fact that this thread allows us to discuss so much more than weight and our struggles with food. Reading the posts this week there are so many more issues that come into play .

SG I too thought your post was honest and brave . It is most definitely true that we spend a lot of time trying to please others, fearing the consequences if we imagine changing things and ultimately going with status quo as it’s less challenging or that we expect things to improve . We are not responsible for others’ behaviour and we can only take responsibility for our own . I admire your strength and insight and your hubby is lucky to have you !! Maybe a bit scared by that strength because deep down he knows he needs you ?

Amz/ Orangepanda you know that I have followed your posts from the first time you came on the thread and I have often been saddened and yes outraged to hear how you are at times belittled and sabotaged in your efforts. I have often said that you are worth more and you shouldn’t allow it but I am not in your situation and no one can really tell you what to do ( I’ve been very tempted I will admit !!!)
Amz it’s your life, your health and you really must not allow anyone to put you down. Always remember this … THEIR BEHAVIOUR SAYS SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THEM THAN IT DOES ABOUT YOU !
I wonder if your hubby is fearful and insecure and masks that by exerting some control ( over you ?) You should feel supported and encouraged in your relationship but ultimately you have to feel strong in yourself and uplifted by your progress regardless of what anyone does to undermine you .
I do think you are getting stronger though Amz and you are learning to filter the negativity around you. I hope you will read sunshinegirl’s post and not be fearful of what she is voicing . We are all here to support you Amz and even if at times some things are uncomfortable to read, you are safe with us . We have your back .
Please don’t go away ( I will come and find you 😉 )

By the way hair loss is often cited as a consequence of low carb. I think dietdoctor discusses it and if I remember rightly it can help to increase protein.

About loose skin . I lost 30 kg and did not have any loose skin (some wrinkly bits on my thighs and arms but not loose as such ) I always include some form of fasting in my week as simple as never eating breakfast to doing extended fasts up to 60 hours when that feels ok and I think that has had some effect . Remember Jason Fung never referred his fasting patients for loose skin surgery . I however do not have a flat stomach and doubt I ever will but that does not bother me .
Amz you are making great progress with your weight loss and exercise regime . Remember to focus on you , stay strong and stay with us !!!

I am going to have a nose round SG’s house now !!!

Well ! So much to comment on and I will do that in a bit .

I’m back from our 5 nights break in the Gers region of France , about an hour and a half’s drive from here . We had a little gîte on a farm and we were visited daily by lots of little kittens so I had to feed them up a bit !! It was very quiet and I reckon anyone looking for a tranquil second home in France would easily find a beautiful little stone house in the Gers and never have to worry about the neighbours !!!
We visited lots of little villages and markets , walked a bit and only had one grey day and storms at night so that was nice . We were recommended a restaurant in a town called Lectoure and the meal was spectacular .Lots of the ingredients are foraged locally and I indulged in some wonderfully prepared and lovingly presented food .It included figs poached in red wine with a hazelnut cake and chocolate ganache… so there !!!

I actually began my week 3 kilos down following my September reboot ( which I began a week earlier to be honest) and I expect I will not have maintained that but will be back to normal this week …..
I am still staying away from nuts but dairy did feature in my week !

No demands were made on me until Friday came around and I had to deal with some upsetting news for a friend involving social services . Sometimes it’s hard to understand certain behaviours and decisions but often there are no options but to make the most of it . Tomorrow will be a tough day for my friend and his son though .

Happy Sunday. Hope you are all well. AMZ, I hope I didnt overstep the mark. Just remember what ever is going on in our lives this is our safe space. Stick with us and you will get all the support and encouragement you need. That goes for everyone else of course.

Nothing to report except we have had so very heavy rain here and we left the pool cover off overnight. Hence, 20 degrees. Think that is the last of the pool for this year. Will have to start thinking about going to the local one although it is not so local – about 30 mins away. At least it is heated.

Been a bit relaxed on the diet this weekend – only every 12 weeks. Diet for 12, see the doctor, get good results then have a little break. No harm done, just gained 0.1 of a kilo so nothing really.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend girls. I say girls because Jeremy seems to have disappeared – where are you? 🙂

Such a thoughtful and poignant post Sunshine-girl. You do have such inner strength and your advice and support for everyone here is so valued. I hope you do believe in your strength and abilities, and that the move back to the UK will give you a new sense of freedom and choice.
🙏🙏

Thanks Sunny I’ll give that one a try but will have to use fish rather than prawns as my OH doesn’t eat shellfish!
There’s nothing quite like a hairdressing appointment to put a bounce into your step.
I’ll pop back later with some positives.

Verano, your post has flipped us on to a new page of positives …. only 1 page away from 100 pages of positives now.

Okay, here’s the curry recipe, but please note, I haven’t any idea of cal/carb values, but don’t think it’s too bad. The dish is called South Indian Kinf Orawn Thokku
Before you start cooking, put raw king prawns in a bowl with 2tbsp of yogurt, half spoon of turmeric and quarter tsp of chilly powder and a little salt and stir together.

Heat 2tbsp oil and add 1tsp mustard seeds, quarter tsp cumin seeds, 6 curry leaves and 1 thinly sliced onion. Mix well and cook until onion is translucent.
Add 2tsp each of ginger and garlic paste and cook for about 3mins .. add a little water if the mix begins to stick.
Once mix is light golden brown add 1 small chopped tomato and 200ml tomato passatta, cook on medium heat until sauce begins to thicken.
Add 1tsp each of ground coriander and sweet paprika, 1tsp agave syrup, again add little water if necessary. Allow to cook for a couple of mins and then add the prawns with marinade and cook until prawns are no longer translucent. Add 6 more curry leaves and more water if needed. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary and you’re ready to serve.

One more positive from me …. have just secured an appointment with my Turkish hairdresser for the day after we arrive…. condition treatment, cut and colour. One more thing to look forward to.🙂

Sunny …. so pleased you have flights booked …. how about the South Indian curry recipe before you go ???

Wonderful to see you are still here V, like you I’m planning trips to look forward too, the most distant of which like yours will be early 2023, but not actually booked yet. Enjoy your mini break in Yorkshire, it’s such a charming and beautiful place.

So here are my positives…..
✈ Yes Verano, we are off the Turkey …. yippee!!!!! Flights booked to go out on 3rd Oct, which is just 15 sleeps away. Can’t tell you how excited I am!!!
🍴🍷had a wonderful date night last evening, made a south Indian king prawn dish which was delish, definitely one to do again and I think it would work well with other fish too.
🌸 quiet leisurely day today, bit of pottering in the garden, bit if laundry, a nap this afternoon as I was awake stupidly early this morning and now a chill out evening ahead …. lucky girl.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone and please do come and tell us about your high spots when time allows.

Welcome Igglyboo, it sounds like you are very much in the zone and doing well. Great you have already identified that the positive benefits of this way of eating, are much wider than just weight loss.

Hope you will keep us posted on your progress, but meanwhile, if you have any questions just shout out and someone will respond. Don’t panic if things stall remember weight loss isn’t linear and there will be times when the scales don’t reflect effort, but keep looking for those additional positives … inches lost, sleeping better, clearer skin etc, they all count too.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Hello everyone, hope you are enjoying your weekend.

OPM/AMZ – you havent heard about the soap trick…. If you suffer from leg cramps at night here is a tip. Take a small bar of soap – like the ones you get in hotels – and simply put it in the bed at night and it stops cramps. The science says there is no reason for this but suggests that a built up of ions in the enclosed space causes the cramps and the soap breaks down the ions. Whatever the reason, it does work and was recommended to me by my lovely doctor and my chiropodist. I think I suffer because of the statins I take although I have reduced the dose from 60mg to 10mg since being on this diet.

Can I also say I was very upset about the way your husband talks to you. I am sure you know him much better than I do so ask yourself (and tell us if you want to) is he just insensitive, unfeeling or downright cruel because those comments sounds like the latter to me. Sometimes men want to be involved (not controlling) but dont know what to contribute so say stupid things. You are 36 and from your overweight comments already are your own biggest critic, but I am not so sure. Yes you are heavy, yes you are trying to do something about it and its bloody hard – we all know that – but is your critical voice coming from you or from what has been drilled into you over the years. Tell me to mind my own business but I wouldnt put up with this behaviour. What does he look like, is he a god with a six pack. Maybe you should make a few comments of your own to him. You are 36 and have many years ahead of you, how many of them are you going to let this go on. Sorry, you might be perfectly happy but I dont think so. I also noticed at the end of your comments you asked for opinions but deflected it back onto yourself, about your stomach. Sod that, it doesnt matter what your stomach is like, that isnt your biggest problem. I will shut up now but if I had done what I should have at 36 when I noticed the controlling aspects of my husbands nature I would have probably have dumped him and had 33 years of happiness and self worth (I am 69). My daughter told me on her recent visit that she was appalled at how mine talks to me, little digs here and there, even downright insults. And to be honest I dont even notice but I have lost a lot of myself over the years. My confidence – he wont even let me drive the car or go to the doctors on my own. But as I said, I am 69 and it is too late now. Dont get me wrong, I give it back to him or tell him what I think of his behaviour. I just have to accept now that he is a stupid old man and wont change.

Sorry about that but we do put up with so much and spend out lives trying to please others. My move back to England might be a lot more than that. Not leaving him but getting out with my daughter, joining a gym, going to the cinema etc. Things I cant do here on my own – mainly the language, mainly because no-one speaks to you.

I’ll go now. Hope I havent upset you OPM.

Hello everyone, I’m pretty new to BSD and the forum. I read the book a few years ago and I’ve been meaning to get around to it ever since. I’m now on day 17 and I’ve (somehow!) managed to stick to pretty close to 800 each day. I’m aiming to get my bmi down to about 23 from 28, which means losing 22kg from my heaviest. I have 14.5 kg to go. I lost 3kg before the summer doing TRE but not otherwise counting anything, and then another 4.5kg since I started the BSD. I am finding it tough, but getting results is really helping. I’ve lost 4 inches off my waist and feel like my body is gradually starting to re-emerge from under all the flab! It’s inspiring to read about all the positives you have all found from following the diet. I had begun to believe that nothing I could do would ever make any difference and I was stuck getting heavier and unhealthier each year. This is making a difference, and furthermore it isn’t going to take years. According to my fitbit, my resting heart rate has dropped from mid 70s to low 60s within a week of starting. I just need to keep with it!

Silver01, your post looks like a promotional for the app you’ve posted the link to, so will report it to the administrators.
If you have a genuine interest in the BSD way of eating and being part of our merry band, my apologies.

Good morning.
Thought I would get in my positives from the last two days in early so I can get on with my laundry!
So……
1. 🧳🕶🎒Packing for a few days away next week…. West Yorkshire. Looking forward to that.
2. ☀️🌈☀️Feeling ‘Sunny’ this morning…. not sure why but I’ll just go with the flow and long may it last.
3. 🛳🛫🌤 Planned a trip yesterday for way in the future, 2023! But really need something to look forward to.
Sunny hope you manage to get away to Turkey now that the ‘rules’ are changing!
Have a good weekend.

Partners eh?! Mine didn’t get any of the tact or sense genes when they were handing them out either 🙄😆🤣
SG, Dr Gorgeous sounds a hoot as well as gorgeous 😁
Well, I have not lost any weight to speak of yet…I am still really struggling to remain on plan- I have not managed a single day near to 800 to without some kind of carbs….I guess I need to try harder with meal prep as well as saying no to home made goodies…
However, it’s my son’s bday party today and I have made (another!) cake and again, there’s no way I won’t be eating some…so….restart properly Monday bding mindful of what I eat other than cake….
One positive is picking back up on various forms of exercise this week, so at least that side of things is going right!
Love to all, T xxx

The weekend has rolled around again and another week done and dusted, how is everyone doing?
Today marks the beginning of Week 13 of our 2 week lockdown, but there is hope on the horizon that restrictions will begin to ease next month, as long as 70% of the population is fully vaccinated, so that’s something.
Mariet – so glad your sons colleague is doing better, I had been thinking of her.
I’m sure the staff on the wards you will be working on will be happy to have your expertise.
I had a video consultation with one of my specialists yesterday – I hope they are here to stay as an option in the future, so much easier than travelling in to the hospital 🙂
Dawn – I hope your mum continues to improve, she is lucky to have you and your sister to care for her, I agree with Mariet in that it is hard to focus on diet when life is so hectic, so be kind to yourself 🙂
My walking is going well, my target was to walk 100km during September and I’m up to 70km already, so will definitely achieve that goal. I’m really enjoying it too, and finding that it’s getting easier to walk uphill, and my pace is getting faster. I’m discovering parts of my suburb too, parks that I used to just drive past and glance at, but are really quite lovely to visit, with pockets of bush land, creeks, native birds etc that I haven’t had the time to really notice before.
I did weigh myself this week – was going to wait till the end of this challenge – and I was still the same as a few weeks ago. I do need to refocus and get back into weight loss mode, starting with TRE I think. I was looking back at my diary from earlier this year and I was losing the most weight when sticking to 16:8.
I was looking through my Fast 800 book last night and realised there’s still loads of recipes I haven’t tried yet, so that’s another goal for this week – a meal plan that includes some new meals 🙂
Hope everyone else is well, we are on the last part of our Autumn/Spring journey together, not long now till the Countdown to C starts!
Lastly – Yowzer thank you for popping in
with your quotes this week, they always make me smile 🙂

SunnyB- thanks for setting up the new thread.

Sunshine-girl- I’m also losing my hair, which is unfortunate because while it is longish, it is rather thin. I think mine is due to the extraordinary amount of stress I was dealing with, so hopefully it will sort itself out.
I would like to know more about the soap and muscle cramps fix you mention.
—–
I’ve been actively trying to lose weight for 22 days now and I’m down 12.4 lbs. I’ve been trying my best to exercise 4-5 days a week and that’s going okay.

I laughed at the comments about husbands being annoying, but sometimes I also feel that way. Some of you might remember my many complaints about my mate’s feelings on my weight. Well, this time around I’m doing my best not to let it get to me and keep my weight loss as my own desire, not something I’m doing for him… But it’s still hard sometimes. There are times when everything is fine, but then other times he says hurtful things, like comparing something he changed to my weight loss- “I already stopped drinking, why are you still fat” type of thing. I’ve talked myself silly trying to explain that abstaining from alcohol cannot be compared to weight loss, because losing weight takes time. If I could instant become slim, I definitely would! But he doesn’t see his argument as irrational… So I’ve just been trying to tune out his negative talk as best I can. He did surprise me yesterday, however, when he said I would need to have surgery. He was talking about the loose skin. I’m 36 and exercising, so I’m hoping it will not be too severe… I am hoping to lose about 100 lbs (243 to 150), and I’ve been overweight most of my adult life…
Does anyone have opinions on this matter? Is it possible to get a flat stomach after being obese?

Happy Friday everyone. Just back from the doctors (still gorgeious). He was so happy with my results and weight down another kilo on last visit. Said I have lost 5kg since lockdown – that just shows me how much I had regained – must have been kidding myself but I think I did say 5kgs – so all gone now and at the weight I was at the end of around week 28 on this woe back in 2016. That was before a cruise when I regained around 2.5kg then Christmas…. you know how it goes.

Merry I hear what you are saying about stress around the house sale but it has only been on the market for 2 days. OK all the planning started around 3 weeks ago but I have had the hair problem for around 5 or 6 months. My hairdresser noticed when I saw her in June after not seeing me for many months – she saw a big difference.

I asked the doctor what he could recommend and he cracked me up. He said ‘do I look like I would know about hairloss’ (remember he is completely bald). I asked if he lost his hair or shaved it off. He said it all fell out when he was around 17 and showed me a photo of him and his son who is now 23 and also nearly bald. I told him it was a very sexy look on some men but not so much on women. He thinks I am an hilarious nutcase. Correct. Anyway he suggested I use baby shampoo and conditioner and when I see the hairdresser tell her to cut a couple of inches off as the end can be dry and brittle. Also not to get it coloured this time. Moi colour, no it is all natural – that made him laugh.

He has put me on some new diuretic medication due to my usual one going out of business. I have to have blood tests to check my kidneys are not being damaged. Just shows why we want to get off of meds – they can kill you. Sorry to rabbit on but on the subject of medication I told him I was only using 14 units of insulin and he said, if it is the same on my next check up it is something we should talk about. Maybe he can give me a tablet instead but one that doesnt give me the runs.

Sorry to have nattered on. So much going around in my head. We have a viewing at 5pm and agent told me not to clean. Like I wouldnt. All ready and going to relax by doing some Polish and some French, although I have worn my French out today with the doctor and the pharmacy.

Have a good weekend everyone. I might just have a treat.

Hi Sunshine Girl.
Thanks for the link to your home – I just want to dive in to your pool! Gorgeous!
Your hair loss may be related to the stress around the sale and move etc. But I found after a while on this WOE that I was getting hair loss – and I upped my protein and that seemed to help. Not sure of your age 🙂
I know there are discussions on here about protein levels – but many of those studies don’t include older people I’m now 65 – and I do eat higher than the “.8g” of protein. The study in this link talks about older people. https://thebloodsugardiet.com/forums/topic/one-week-at-a-time-beginning-23rd-february-2021-on-we-go-in-2021/page/2/#post-133612
cheers
Merry

Aw Tulip, chin up, you can have an off day, times are tough. Focus on something positive. you got this. xx

SunshineGirl what a lovely home….. love the pool which looks perfect in the sunshine! I too have had some bouts of hair loss, and interestingly some psoriasis on my head. It seems to be worse the lower carb i am. Never suffered from either until late last year. I agree though it could be stress related, and the psoriasis i think relates to having a sweat head for long periods (long runs and riding hats!)

Good work Elle-Mae…. I think OHs can just be irritating….irrespective of food! haha.

Stresseatingpro, i hope you made it through day 4 alright….. it is the hardest day and the other side is glorious!!

I deliberately didnt post on Tuesday – fed up of saying “yes, im in” and then drifting off course by thursday! Anyway, this week i went ultra low carb, almost Fat Fasting, really to try and get over the hump, day 3 and 4 is always a hump for me when ive been wayward. Anyhoo, here I am, Friday and i’ve been really quite successful! Eaten mostly salmon, avocado, eggs, bacon, cheese and a little yogurt. I feel SO much better for it. And interestingly i ran 10k first thing yesterday morning totally fasted and felt great, best ive felt in ages! So beginning to start to believe i can still run well low carb and all the ‘carb loading’ for distances is NOT needed!! Now just to keep it up through the weekend, and maybe treat myself to some salad and vegetables. haha

Thank you Tulip and SG. SG your house looks lovely. I also found my OH irritating last week, I wonder if it’s being so tightly controlling with the food making me want to be more controlling generally. I am trying hard not to get wound up and annoyed but to let things just be, because it’s better for my blood pressure.

Evening folks …. hope everyone is doing okay and that the day has been kind.
Mine has brought a few positives ….
🍂 another misty autumnal morning … think this will be the norm now.
🍴🙂 lunch with DD, was lovely to catch up and have a good chat.
🌹couldn’t resist a new miniature rose in a vivid orange and a tray of viola. Not sure yet where I’ll home them, but will find somewhere to make them comfy.
🌅 gorgeous sunset this evening.
All in all a good day and I’m looking forward to the weekend, which for us will start with date night tomorrow evening🙂

Elle, you are doing so well after all you have been through recently!

I slipped up with a colleague’s homemade brownies today….but otherwise have been fairly low carb if not very low cal….

otherwise, I’m tired, and a bit fed up now the new school term has settled in….so much toing and froing every sodding day, and tbh the hubby is getting on my nerves…..oh well, hopefully this is an off day and not the start of another depressive episode…..

Love to all, Tulip xxx

CurryTruck, my daughter went to teeside university so know the A19 very well. Enjoy your stay.

The house looks lovely, SunshineGirl. Now that it’s out there, I’m sure you’ll get buyers soon.
As for the hair loss, I have it on and off too and there can be many reasons, including stress and hormonal changes. My guess is for you it may be stress related at the moment. Good news is, it will likely regrow … I’ve been using Planter-19 tonic, which seems to be helping …. could be worth a try?

On my route Northallerton is just off the A19! We head to Teeside.

Did visit Northallerton when we camped at Osmotherley one time.
Love it up there!

Hi all, hope you are all doing okay.

One thing I havent mentioned and I am sure you good people can help me here, but I have been losing my hair. This happened before a few years ago, happened for about a year but it was more thinning around the hairline. It stopped by itself. This time it is coming out in not quite clumps but enough to have to clean my brush everytime I use it after hairwashing. I have gathered quite a bit in the last 3 weeks and photo to show my doctor. I am now frightened to wash my hair. My hair is long and was very thick to the point where I used to moan about it, not moaned since the last hairloss as I now appreciate it but it is going again. Because it is long I wear a scrunchy in bed but it is a soft one, not a tight band. Seeing hairdresser on Tuesday so will have a word with her too but she wasnt much help last time. I know keto can cause hairloss but I am not really fully keto and have been doing this diet for 5+ years.

Elle-mae, dont rush to come off the meds. They will do you no harm and maybe lots of good. I am sure your doctor will steer you in the right direction. Even if your cholesterol is low the doctor will probably put that down to the statins but dont worry – I still take a mini daily dose just to be on the safe side. The side effects of statins are minimal and manageable. My only problem was muscle cramps which I cure by putting a slither of a bar of soap in my bed at night. Anyone using this trick and finds it stops working after a while, you need to reactivate the soap by scratching the surface – I use a fork – to get it working again. Yes I know you all think I am mad, but it works.

Stresseatingpro – cant wait for your weigh in results. Good going.

House has gone on the internet but I am not happy with the listing. They dont show bathrooms (in France) and it says – bathroom with shower, bath, WC and sink. Wow – that should sell it. I have re-worded it for her. Large bathroom with walk in shower stall, large bath, double vanity sink units and heated towel rail. She is going to change it. Also the photos are rubbish. She makes all the rooms look small. If you are interested in seeing where I live the link is https://www.frenchestateagents.com/french-property-for-sale/view/A08409/house-for-sale-in-le-fleix-dordogne-aquitaine-france. I might get into trouble for that but I am not advertising as I am nowhere near any of you, just waving hi to some friends.

Take care. Will report back on doctors visit tomorrow.

Oh the North Yorks Moors, my old stomping ground (help I sound just like my husband). We used to live in Northallerton just off the A1.

Hi Freester,
Good to hear you’ve had long term success. That’s what I want too.

The scales aren’t showing any significant change over the last few days but I feel better and definitely have more energy.
We’re away for a few days next week but our host is fully on board so we’ll be ok.
I’m hoping we’ll do a fair bit of walking on the North York Moors if the weather is ok.
Will be interesting to step on the scales when we get back.

Hi CurryTruck. Just another to say welcome and keep it up.

I took on this WoE in Jan 2020. I did 6 weeks of 800 cals before going 5:2 for a while and now just maintaining successfully ever since. The ‘I’ve only felt hungry rarely’ is the bit that surprised me too. The lethargy will pass. It’s your body getting used to accessing fat reserves rather than sugar highs for energy.

You’re doing well. Please check in and update us!

Stresseatingpro try drinking water to fill yourself up, although you will be up in the night for the loo 🤣.
Lost 2lb of the weight I had put on over the weekend. I had a phone call follow up from the hospital consultant today. He told me that in the 3 weeks from being diagnosed to when I was in hospital with the stroke my blood sugar and cholesterol had come down. I have a cholesterol blood test at the GP’s on Tuesday so hopefully even lower. I will ask if the numbers are lower maybe I could come off the drugs. We will see.
Keep up the good eating, together we can do it.
Elle

Hi all! Wishing everyone the best keeping up with the 800 cals.

I’m only on day 4. Day 1-3 was all right, but today I definitely started to feel some cravings – fighting through that… in 3 hours it’s bedtime so have until then to keep up 😊 I haven’t weight myself but took waist and hip measures because I’m scared to step on the scale.

Caronl- I love that saying onwards and downwards!

Sunshine girl- congrats on the reduction on insulin!

Yowser, hope you are feeling renewed from your hairdressing appointment. Lovely to catch up with friends and especially so when you weren’t expecting to see them. Great quote as always.
V, hope your tuna curry is a hit. Really loving the idea of dipping into memories when positives are a little illusive… shall definitely be doing that. I’m confident good memories are every bit as beneficially therapeutic, as finding present day positives.

Time for some positives then …
👩‍🍳 made a batch of high fibre almond crackers … I’ll be able to have some marmite again now.
🍂🌫 wonderful autumnal start to the day, all very misty and atmospheric.
🌱🌸 three mini gardening sessions today. Still have tasks to get done out there, but it’s in a holding pattern.
🙂 a memory one: sitting on our sun terrace in Turkey drinking sundowners and watching the sun set.

Going to close with something I read today ….
“Whatever you do today, do it with the confidence of a 4yr old in a Batman Tshirt!”

Good to see everyone is upbeat and confident in their food decisions. I made a batch of almond crackers today and confess I probably ate too many 🤭. Not too worried as I make them very high in fibre, with plenty of flax, chia and psyllium.
SG, your blood results are great and I know you will enjoy presenting them to Dr. G.
Ruby, well done on not giving in to crisps. Good luck for the coming days, when your food choices won’t be fully in your control …. I know you’ll do your best with what’s available.
Merry, good to see you posting … hope upping your water intake goes well.
Onestep, sounds like you have found your groove. If you keep an eye on the carbs, you can get away with a few extra calories.
Keep up the good work everyone.

Hi
Hope you hairdressers appointment went well Yowzer. A few weeks ago I was ‘restyled’. I’ve had a medium length cut flicking out for ages but now I have a long bob ….. feel like I look five years younger but it’s taken me a few weeks to get used to it …….

1. So I guess that’s my first positive……
2. Tuna red Thai curry for dinner tonight. I’ve never used fresh tuna in a curry before and I’m guessing it’s going to be a cross between salmon, which I have used before, and chicken, which I mainly use. Hope so anyway!
3. Memories ….. are wonderful …. Calderstones Park …. I love the rhododendron walk when they are in flower …. reminds me of walking through the park many, many moons ago, in late spring, with one of my first boyfriends! Thanks for the reminder Yowzer!

As I write this it makes me realise that happy memories are just as valid as ‘today’s’ positives. Maybe when we struggle to find three good things that have happened today we can tap into happy memories from the past ….. they probably have the same therapeutic effect.
Have a good evening.

Hi everyone, glad you all seem to be doing so well. For those of you struggling please just keep the faith and stay with us. We are here to cheer you on in good times and not so good.

I held off posting today as I had my blood tests done this morning. Yeah – BG down to 5.7, cholesterol the same as last time, triglycerides up just a smidge but there was some alcohol and rich food while the family were here. Really pleased as my insulin was now down to 14 units daily when it used to be 40 units a day. Cant wait to see my doctor on Friday.

Hoping to get a swim later but there are storms around so might have to miss out today. You all keep on keeping on… and I’ll keep dancing around the living room.

Merry – dziekuje ci. Struggling but writing everying down and going over Mondays lesson again today to drill it into my brain. The words are so difficult. Brain training rocks – right.

Sorry for quick call in again. Back later hopefully to catch up.
Quote for Wednesday…
I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing. ( Herman Melville) Good philosophy for life! X

Just a quicky,off out to hairdressers…
*~ Which is positive no 1! So grateful for a lovely gifted hairdresser who’s become a good friend over the years. I have two or three young friends,and I love having younger friends,helps keep me young too, I hope,as well as friends similar age to me. Five I have known for over 50 years.
*~ Lovely afternoon yesterday in a beautiful and historic park called Calderstones. I’m sure VERANO will agree with me that it’s a great place to visit. Such gorgeous trees to sit beneath and watch the squirrels chase each other. A robin sat right by us all the time we were drinking our coffee outside the cafe.
*~ Bumped into two female friends who I hadn’t seen since 2019, lovely to see them! and one male friend. Male friend,his wife and their two children (one aged 5 and one 6 months) had all had covid really badly but thankfully all recovered well.
Great quote for how to live life…
❤️“I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing.” ( Herman Melville)❤️

A good food choices day yesterday, took my soup and some milk kefir to the office, but didn’t drink much water which wasn’t so good.
I managed to hold my nerve when I heard someone eating crisps from the other side of the office – it is nearly a year since I had a crisp, and I could so easily have succumbed yesterday, but I didn’t!
We are away for a long weekend and Saturday night supper is out of our control in what is on offer, so we will make the best choices possible without offending our hosts. In preparation, I am going to load up on the prebiotics and probiotics for the next couple of days to keep my good gut bugs happy and able to defend themselves against any carb-loving bugs which may infiltrate. So, tinned mackerel and kraut for lunch today.
ODAAT!