Sorry, Al – still not working. They all say “oops, the page you’re looking for isn’t available”

I’ll just have to use my infinite imagination 😉

I’m so sorry, my friends, for wasting your time. Obviously I’m
not cut out to be a data entry clerk or a secretary either, for that
matter. Probably best to stay in the creative lane, where I feel
the most at home…I shall try again, begging your indulgence 🙂

1. ponte knit slim-leg pants – Color: black/stone
http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product.aspx?item=Z2053F&rPFID=14&sk=
M&h=M

2. pure jill refined comfort jacquard cardi – Color: Rubi/mult
http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product.aspx?item=Z2100M&rPFID=19&sk=
M&h=M

3. knit border-print boat neck tunic
http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product.aspx?item=Z2099H&rPFID=3712&
sk=M2h=M

4. lace d’orsay flats
http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product.aspx?item=Z2098P&rPFID=52&sk=
A&h=A

5. cambridge coat – color: true red
http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product.aspx?item=Z2056H&rPFID=11&sk=
M&h=M

Now I’m just going to hold my breath…………

Hi Shansu

These 4 week challenges usually start on and end on Tuesdays – so the next one will start on Tuesday, 23rd Jan.

I think the suggested new title is “Keeping carbs at bay over Valentine’s Day” – suggested title courtesy of topcac – sounds good to me, too, Marsie – so look out for that.

But you’re welcome to join in on this one for the last few days – might help over the weekend!

Marie

I know what you mean! I haven’t got a weight in mind, being an old dear I think I’ll see how things look when I’ve lost a couple of stone. I remember when I first joined WW back in the 80’s, they gave me a target of 9st 7lbs. I did get there but looked like death warmed up! So don’t want that again.

With you on that one, V. No way am I putting all that blubber back on.

My positives. ………

1) Yesterday morning o/h suddenly, apropos of nothing, invited me out for lunch at a newly refurbished lakeside pub. So we enjoyed a 2 mile walk (with the dogs) around the lake, in bitterly cold but very sunny weather, finishing with a lovely lunch in front of a roaring fire.

2) This morning we received in the post an invitation to the wedding of my younger son’s best friend and his girlfriend – lovely couple, and am exceedingly fond of them, but rarely see them so this came out of the blue and was totally unexpected, but we were thrilled to be included., especially as our boy is Best Man😊

3) Despite gale force winds last night and being surrounded by damage to buildings and felled trees, we have escaped unscathed. O/h spent the morning rebuilding an elderly neighbour’s fence.

Hello to all the ladies that have posted. You have all been very informative and I like Esnecca’s advice about weighing and counting calories. As you may be aware, I last did Slimming World where there is no weighing or counting so I deffo need to get into that habit daily.
I can’t wait to start and hope this one works !

Thanks again to you all 😘

Of course I’d never give up on you, Allie – it’s the new phone I might admit defeat on😉 Sadly life often gets in the way of good intentions 😢

Sadly your links didn’t work for me, so cannot admire your latest acquisitions 😢 but I’m sure they are stunning 😊

…if I’m going off the rails, it’s going to be cake 🍰

I seem to remember my mother giving me Ribena (and rose hip syrup) because of its vitamin content rather than the low fat aspect. I also remember the nurse at my school dishing out some noxious brown malt product, incredibly high carb, which is still available at Holland & Barrett. I also remember being berated for refusing to eat fatty meat.

I must say, if I’m going off the rails I would rather do it by eating a cake rather than a glass of ribena or a spoonful of malt extract.

Hi JulesMaigret,
I didn’t see it but it doesn’t surprise me – to think it used to be sold as a ‘healthy’ drink for children – because, of course, it’s low fat!
I am interested in your other point about self-appointed ‘police’ – I belong to a Facebook group which is about a particular Keto diet – I am often amazed at people who come on and claim that it must be done this way or that, even when that isn’t actually in the diet book, and also, more scarily, people who give medical advice quite forcefully when they cannot know the details of a contributor. Fortunately, as on here, the moderators are very good and will step in if they need to.
I do understand how evangelical we can be about this woe and it’s easy to get carried away but, as NonnaMary says, we have to take responsibility for ourselves and work out what’s right for us.
Sorry – soapbox moment over 😉
Keep smiling.
SSB

Hi all – hope you don’t mind me crashing in. I’ve noticed these 4 week threads and wondering if I can participate in the next one? Does it start on the 24th?

Thanks

Many years ago we had a boxer dog who required surgery and we were told to put coconut oil around the stitches as it was antibiotic but also dogs aren’t keen on the taste so it stops them licking and picking at the stitches. Seemed to work but not sure about the dietary impact though

Zoot, alors!!!

Interestingly – did anyone see the programme the other night on how they make Ribena? Apart from the large amount of blackcurrants involved, their site receives ten tankers of sugar a day – that’s 270 tons a day, when they’re in production!

In terms of the site, there is some interesting research done by Harvard on behaviour on sites where there are varying levels of moderation. Like/dislike is regarded as one of the easiest ways of causing “disruptive” behaviour within a community. Just look at newspaper comments sections.

Apparently in non-moderated comments, the high risk is the self-appointed “orthodoxy police”, who attempt to enforce a single set of opinions across fora. We had a couple, I think, a while ago, (“MM says in the book that you must….”) but what always impresses me is the openness and willingness of people to discuss their experiences and ideas.

Hi again, angiepix! I stepped out for a few minutes, only to
find that Essie and Sunny have arrived on the scene to echo
exactly what I would have said. Thank you, ladies, very articulate,
as always. Angie, there is an entire community of maintainers
here who have reached their goals, but we are all passionate
about what is possible with this way of eating. We are always
out and about, so give a shout out to any one of us with your
thoughts or concerns. We’re always more than happy to help!

Very best to you, Angie

Allie

Yet it’s quite easy to eat BSD food at his pub and if you mention low carb, the dishes are automatically transformed.

I’ve met him a couple of times and he comes across as quite a nice guy. He quite happily offered a free meal for four at the Hand and Flowers as a lot in a charity auction I was involved in a few years ago.

SunnyB this certainly is a thread for positive thoughts! Yes I have a ‘trigger’ weight, as I’m sure lots of others do, that I will not go above because I know that would be the beginning of the slippery slope. I only allow myself a 3lb window and if I go above that then it’s back to the plan, although I do steer clear of refined carbs anyway. Couldn’t even think about regaining weight, and going back there with an extra 62lbs or so, high blood sugars and metformin!

I bet you’ll do great on the BSD, Ange. Your previous diets were all high carb-low fat and Slimfast shakes practically sugar bombs for many years. It sounds like your diet is already BSD-friendly. You’ll probably be able to stick with foods you’re used to making with only minor adjustments.

My one suggestion would be to measure, weigh and tally up the carb and calorie totals for everything you cook. Some of the vegetables and fruit you’ve been used to eating may turn out to be surprisingly high in carbs, and when you have a history of difficulty losing weight, you might need to drop your daily carb intake significantly. I stick to less than 20 grams a day religiously because I’m insulin resistant and all kinds of carbs, even ostensibly “good” complex ones, make me put on weight. A more common limit is around 50 grams a day. That seems to be a sweet spot for a lot of people that keeps them in a fat-burning state. Your mileage may vary, so it’s important to know exactly how much you’re eating of what so you can make adjustments if necessary.

Good luck!

Don’t give up on me Theo (as if you would :), that phone is in
the cards, but trying to schedule our lives with O/h new semester
course load, has been really challenging. Things have fallen thru
the cracks already, and we’re only in to week 2. Only one car
at the moment, and he’s out in it 12 hours a day! I’m going to
try and post links here to my newest acquisitions, certainly no
qualifiers for “hottest looks”, but garments in which I swish
about town…
1. “true red” jacket:
http://www.jjill.com/jillonline/product/product.aspx?item=Z2056H&rPFID=
11&sk=M&h=m

2. polka dot slim pants: Color: blackstone
http://www.jjill.com/jillonline/product/product.aspx?item=Z2053F&rPFID=
14&sk=M&h=m

3.black tunic
http://www.jjill.com/jillonline/product/product.aspx?item=Z2099H&rPFID=
3712&sk=M&h=m

4. black velvet d’Orsay flats
http://www.jjill.com/jillonline/product/product.aspx?item=Z2100Y&rPFID=
52&sk=A&h=a

Because desserts are PROPER LUSH.

😀

Hi SunnyB,
Thanks you so much for explaining things. I received the BSD book and the recipe book earlier today, the book is a really interesting read. Now need to get some recipes sorted and do a shopping list, so will be good to start tomorrow.
I will be on the forum again, I’m sure and will posting my thoughts or questions as they come up.

Thanks again,
Ange x

I am sticking to what I know fits at the moment!

Yes you are right, if you have more to lose then it does goes quicker at first. My target is 3st, but if I get near that and think I look OK then I may stop. I haven’t been that weight since my daugher was 4 – she’s nearly 23!

Ooops! Sorry, Verano. Still it’s good that you are back below trigger weight and even that is making progress towards target, so all good. Keep on Keeping on!

Hi Angiepix – it takes a bit of time to get into the BSD properly, as it turns all we have been told for years, about low fat and high carb on it’s head. With BSD fat becomes a friend and it’s the carbs that are avoided. It sounds like it should suit you, but be prepared for a period of adjustment, both in your approach to what you consume and the way you body may initially react. Even though you don’t have a sweet tooth, you may still have some carb withdrawal symptoms. I didn’t eat cakes, biscuits, sweets etc, but did have potatoes, pasta, rice etc. and still had withdrawal symptoms, although not as major as some people have to contend with.

Once you get used to the way the BSD works, it is very doable and you should find it quite easy to make BSD friendly choices in all situations. Don’t panic about the exercise thing, it sounds like you already have a good foundation you can build on, but you’ll find the pounds should fall with or without the exercise.

Give the book another read, make a plan of action and then start. We’re a friendly crowd and you’ll be welcomed on any thread you wish to contribute to. It’s worth joining a challenge – there’s a new four week one starting next week I think. Keep us posted on progress and shout if you need advice or support.

Why does Tom Kerridge have a dessert with EVERY meal? Even if you’ve never heard of cutting carbs (which obviously he has) it seems mad to be encouraging overweight people to regularly eat dessert. It seems irresponsible.

He’s really patronising too. ‘If you pay attention and try really hard you might just manage this recipe, you thickos,’ he says, then just slices and stirs stuff.

I don’t like him all that much.

It seems quite a lot when I try on a fitted dress!

Rates do vary and it does seem those with more to lose tend to shift it slightly more quickly. To be honest the speed doesn’t greatly bother me as long as things keep going in the right direction. I have 18 lbs to go. And it will go!

Sometimes our bodies just need a bit of time to regroup and adjust and in these periods, the scales stop dropping. Watch out for the non-scales victories though, you might find even if the scales haven’t moved, the tape measure shows a decrease or your clothes feel less restrictive.

Just remember that as long as you stick with the BSD, the pounds will start to fall again.

Hi Squidge

Good to hear you are less ‘marshmallow’ like and feeling healthier. I suppose we are all different and lose in different ways and I don’t think you have that much to lose do you?

Hiya, thanks for your reply.
I have tried weight watchers, Slimming World, but didn’t like the restriction on fat, never had a sweet tooth, fortunately but am a cheese addict. I know its restricted on the diet, but at least full fat is welcome.
I also did Slim fast for 2 weeks and didn’t lose a pound! I had 2 shakes per day plus evening meal which were all low fat ready meals.
I am hoping this diet wil be a little easier to stick to as it includes a lot of the food I like, such as fish, veg, salad etc
Don’t do a lot of excercise except walking for 20 mins a day and some callanetics for muscle strength.

Hi, Angiipix, and welcome to the forum.Of the different diets
that you tried to date, were any of them low carb, moderate
protein and high fat? How many calories per day? Many of
us here are peri, menopausal and post. We’d be happy to share
our success stories with you in answer to your question, but
a bit more of your history would help 🙂

Allie

I don’t remember where that recipe was posted either and search isn’t very helpful, but here’s one very simple almond cracker recipe from SunnyB that can easily be modified to decrease the almond meal and add seeds. I’ve made a version with chia, golden flax, rosemary, garlic and sea salt that came out great.

https://thebloodsugardiet.com/recipes/snappy-almond-crackers/

LTC, wasn’t the best ever seed cracker recipes one of yours?

Victoria, how did your thickening project go?

arcticfox, I’m so pleased to hear the creamy salad dressing tips have been of use to you. I love finding new ingredients that work to inject the creamy element. My latest find is fromage blanc, a French farmer’s cheese that is very yogurt-like. It’s low in fat but unlike the usual low-fat products, there are no sugars. It does a great job of adding creaminess without jacking up the calorie count of a salad.

Yes I hadn’t really thought through the ‘button’ issue but maybe you are all right. Interaction, good or bad, is probably a more honest way to go.

I am 50 and perimenopausal. I have read numerous web pages regarding difficulty in weight loss during peri-menopause and have experienced this having tried various diets over the last 5 years. Can anyone tell me whether this diet/lifestyle works during this phase of life. I have read the Blood Sugar Diet book and am very excited to try it out and to cut out the ‘bad’ carbs.
My current weight is 12 stone and my ideal weight for my height is around 10 stone. Most of my fat is around my belly.
Any thoughts or views welcome please.

I haven’t lost anything for a few days either. Maybe tomorrow?

SunnyB that was ‘trigger’ not ‘target’ have a way to go before I hit that!

Great s-g!

I’ve not lost any weight the last few days, but I’m starting to feel healthier and less like a marshmallow. (And I’ve realised the forum hadn’t suddenly gone really quiet, I’d somehow turned all the notifications off!)

Like/love/disagree buttons can have unexpected consequences, too. I was on a forum many years ago where the feature was introduced and a few people immediately started using it negative ways. The more likes a post got, the more disagrees it got too. It was depressing as hell. Better to just duke it out and deal with issues that crop up using our words and accountable to our forum names. Secret ballots are great for elections. They’re dangerous in forums.

I haven’t used coconut oil yet, but I’ve done some reading on the subject and many people report that refined coconut oil is neutral in flavor. No suntan lotion omelette syndrome. It also has a higher smoke point, so is more versatile for roasting, baking, etc. If you buy it organically made (no chemicals, additives, anything shady), there is no difference between the MCT/lauric acid content in refined oil vs. virgin.

I was thinking that CaliforniaGirl, though a lot less eloquently. Thankyou x

I remember many years ago when I was 16 I read about the wonders of coconut oil for the hair. I washed my hair before bed and following the instructions from my Diana magazine, slathered it with the oil and wrapped a warm towel around my head and went to bed like that. Yes, I was supposed to leave it on overnight (I think). Got up early to wash my hair and after about 3 or 4 washes and rinses had to go to work with hair like rats tails for about 3 days until I could get it out. Never used it on my hair again.

Thanks Jgwen, your research is consistent with what I’ve read
also. Coconut oil is a natural antibacterial, and was actually used
as such to treat wounds in war theaters. Our skin is teeming
with bacteria, so it can be very helpful in that capacity as well.
After taking IV as well as oral antibiotics for 8 years, I developed
systemic candida which manifested as raised, itchy scaley patches
on my back. Using coconut oil, although rather messy, has
cleared the condition up by 90%! Some people swear by oil
pulling with it for a cleaner mouth and healthier gums. Thanks
for the link 🙂

Allie

I do not want a “like” or “Love” or “disagree” button. Although it can be hard to read sometimes, part of what is so great about the forums is the honest give and take of real human interaction.
I think it is part of being fully engaged in the diet — it is being fully “present” in our lives and our discussions.
I hate the “like” button — it fosters group-think.

I’m in agreement with Tillybud regarding how one needs to approach weight loss and maintenance. Too many people seem to think that the Fast800(or any other diet for that matter) is the magic bullet – the weight will be lost and then they can just go back to eating in the same way as they used to. For those of us here, making the BSD a way of life is essential if we are to maintain our new weight and our new bodies in their revised form. I guess any weight loss achieved using any other diet, also requires continued modified eating, if the weight is not to be regained.

Also agree with Victoria, I think it is very misleading that TK is promoting a diet that did not take him to his huge weight loss and I think it patronising that he says the way he did it is tough and implies us mire mortals could not stay the course. I can’t watch his programme, because A) I just can’t get past the hypocrisy and B) I’m so tired of the same old stuff being repackaged and resold, which we know is dooming people to ultimate failure.

Excellent news Sunshine – onwards and downwards. Sounds like you have been quite pampered, V and great that you are back below your target weight.

My positives today are:
1) Hit a new low on the scales today – not brave enough to post it, want to see where I am next Tuesday first.
2) Enjoying researching accommodation for our drive back from Turkey in July.
3) OH isn’t working this afternoon, so sometime together.

Like many others, I don’t much like the taste of coconut oil for general cooking, but find it works fine for curries and the like. We all have our flavour likes and dislikes though. Some people have been enthusing about liquorice teas, I’m a huge fan of herbal teas, but very much dislike all the ones containing liquorice. I’m not sure what it is about it in tea, as I’m okay with liquorice sweets (not that I actually eat such things anymore).

Scales were kind to me today, but I’m not reporting any results until Tuesday next week. We have a meal out with friends tomorrow evening and the weekend in between now and then, so not counting any chickens! Suffice to say I’m content with how things are going at the moment.

Oh Sarah, I’m so delighted for you!!! I related my own CFS history
with you earlier on, in the hopes that this WOE would make the
same difference in your energy levels that it did for me. Keep
going, you’re doing great 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie

Hi Allie,

Anyone looking into the benefits of coconut oil may want to also search for information on the different acids, for example, there has been lots of research into the components of milk which help the young of each species develop their gut bacteria.

Lauric Acid which is one of the components of coconut oil is so effective in controlling Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, (bad bacteria) that there has been research into the benefits of adding it to the diet of diary cattle to reduce the incidence of mastitis needing treatment with antibiotics. http://www.dairyglobal.net/Articles/General/2015/9/Mastitis-control-starts-with-a-healthy-udder-2671613W/

Caprylic Acid has benefits in controlling yeast infections as well as controlling the same bad bacteria.

Capric Acid has benefits in the same area.

There was some research mentioned in The Times yesterday that found that mothers who breastfed for more than 6 months didn’t suffer from diabetes, and those who breast fed for less than 6 months had lower levels of diabetes than women who had not breast fed their children. All three acids are found in milk, more in human milk than diary. Makes me wonder if in producing the milk the mothers body also benefits from increased levels.

Thanks for all the helpful information that you’ve given me. I guess my main concern was that I am on a lot of medication not insulin, but steroids and blood pressure medication, and therefore was wondering what such a sudden drop in blood sugar might do to ones overall health.

I am of course going to carry on with the diet as I believe that it is having a positive impact on my general health. I am only on week two and have ME/CFS but have noticed a massive increase in my energy levels in that time.

You are quite right. However, my understanding was that Sarah, who is not diabetic, was concerned that her blood sugar would continue to descend from safe, acceptable (desirable even) levels to being permanently and dangerously low. I may be wrong, but I don’t think this is likely to happen. I was concerned that someone would arbitrarily tell her, a pre diabetic, that this eminently suitable diet was not for her.