Marsie – my Mum and Dad used a similar method to measure our height but with a pencil – there were six of us. That meant a lot of marks over the years – but no names, so I just remember squabbling with my brothers and sister about who’d been what height when. A spirit level is a good idea, though – must remember that.

I’m still 5′ 2″ (the practice nurse measured my height in August) but my friend was telling me just a couple of weeks ago she’s lost some height (we’re both 62). I wonder what makes us shrink? You’ve got my sympathy about the chocolate – learnt at Christmas I just can’t go there – whatever the type!

Good going on the walking – another reason to love that grandson of yours.

Mokovex – ooh, I’d love to be in the low 9’s – or even in the 9’s. I’m so close at 10 stone but that 9st 13lb is just so elusive. What a great idea – aiming for the flatlands. Me, too. (Another of those descriptions that captures the imagination – I find them so helpful).

Mariet – good on you for keeping going – I’ve often been at a plateau for a couple of weeks at a time, it’s so frustrating – but, you know it will come off in the end.

Busybee – great to hear you had such a good time visiting your son. Was it New Jersey you went to. My son and I are hoping to get to New York this year. For some reason lost in the mists of time, we both want to go to New Jersey while we’re there. Hope these last few days of refocusing has gone well.

Milalin, Butterlover and Natalie – hope you’re all doing well. Milalin, hope you’re back at home and things are on more of an even keel.

I’m off to a surprise birthday party for my husband’s brother this weekend. I’ve found I’m usually OK when I’m staying away (we’re in a hotel for 3 nights) because I’m super strict with myself. I’ve got to stay focused on that 9st 13lbs.

Have a good weekend everyone

n.b. Natalie/Marsie – My husband suddenly stopped talking about the cricket – hmm, I wonder why?

Sandy13

I also think that SW encouraged you to eat more than you need to, and not necessarily healthy food either.

I have that concern too. If (or should that be when?) I have lost the weight I want to, will my now huge belly hang like an elephants ear?
I will have to tuck it into my big knickers!

Well, I’ve tried most diets over the years & if it was WW or SW they always were pleased if you’d lost a pound or half! It was too slow & I think most people got disheartened.

The only thing I worry about now is the fact that my skin has little elasticity and I’ll be left with lots of baggy bits!? But apart from that I’m quite happy on BSD & if you are then ignore people’s comments, it’s only jealousy.

Squidge – have a look at Death by Food Pyramid by Denise Minger – it’s a comprehensive and scientific review of all the food ‘advice’ handed out over the decades. It’s quite long but she writes well and it’s very entertaining – just be prepared to be outraged at the political and big money interests which have skewed and damaged our health.
SSB

Hi Strawberry13, that’s amazing – it’s almost impossible to explain to people how different this woe is and how great you can feel. We just have to keep spreading the word.
SSB

Squidge

Good for her! She was obviously a trail blazer for the BSD. I am now going to ignore the doubters and gloom merchants.

I’m reminded of a time at work, when a slim healthy woman (in her 50s) used to bring in salads for lunch and ate nuts and cheese as snacks. She was constantly given unwanted dietary advice from very overweight men – ‘you shouldn’t eat cheese, you shouldn’t snack, you’ll get fat eating that much etc’. One day she snapped and said that if they said another word before they’d slimmed down to half her weight, she’d report them for harassment!

Hello Sandy13 and Flick

I”m a child of the 60’s, so probably similar meals and like you spent my childhood running wild, so weight wasn’t a problem until my 20s when I started cooking for myself!

Flick, you are completely right. I have had a couple of comments this week on how you should only lose 1lb a week, higher than that is not good for you, but I think that eating fresh food as advocated on the BSD is so much healthier than other plans. Adding to these annoyances is that the comments have come from someone who is severely obese, but thinks she is an expert on losing weight and how I am an “idiot” for doing the BSD.

Hi all, I’ve also found some people think rapid weight loss is a problem, believing it is much harder to maintain than slow steady loss – body has time to adjust etc. If course the evidence tells us there is no difference. Weight loss, however achieved, is hard to maintain. As this way of eating, lovely fresh food, no processed carbs etc, becomes familiar, we at least start that challenge from a position of strength. Go us!

Hi all!! Just thought for anyone reading this that is considering starting… just do it!!

I’ve completed 4 days and have weighed in this morning with a 7lb weight loss!! Not only that.. I must have had about 10 comments about my skin/that I look different/that I’m glowing etc.. My skin has completely cleared up. I feel completely different after, believe me, doing every ‘diet’ under the sun… forever! I’m actually finding this easy to stick to and even though 800 calories doesn’t sound a lot… not once have I been hungry. Plus I’m eating and enjoying, truly delicious meals.

Any delish recipe recommendations.. would be gratefully received 🙂

Hello Legend2cv, that sounds like a terrific start. Don’t forget to drink buckets of water!

Hi Jules & Squidge, as I’m probably a bit older than you two, i remember some lovely meals in the fifties. Mum was a good cook and we always had ‘pudding’ of some sort every day! But then we did a lot of games etc at school and spent evenings out in the street running or rollerskating so worked it off! I rarely have a dessert these days and do miss them.
I haven’t weighed myself again and will wait till Monday morning, when my first week is up.

But well done all

It’s the marketing people who’re to blame. There’s more profit in junk food than apples and cabbages, so it’s the junk food which gets promoted as something we should want and feel good about eating. If anything healthy suddenly becomes trendy or a ‘superfood’ then you can bet it’s really expensive.

Fab news for you nonna Mary! Great stuff. Scales are a pain sometimes. I posted on another thread that my new scales had me at 10st 5 and three quarters and on my old ones I was 9st 12. I am finding actually getting down into the 9s quite difficult now! Hi will persevere. Steroids down to 8 mg next week (fingers crossed).

LeeLee. Hope you get on top of your health issues soon. Good luck. I’ve never been to Ireland but it sounds lovely and I’d love a “full Irish”! You have to be right for your trip.

Keep going ladies. And I’ll link arms to get to Liz’s, however long it might take. As long as she knows we’re here and won’t go away

Tillybud x

I think that’s exactly right Squidge, finding new ‘favourites’ so the craving for other things reduces. It’s also about mindset – it’s odd that we call things which make us unwell ‘treats’. I’m with you on milk though, I couldn’t drink black tea but I am working towards reducing milk in coffee – by that I mean coffee with milk instead of full lattes 😂. I think really good ice-cream will have to stay as a very occasional ‘treat’.
SSB

Exactly, they made everything: butter, bread, cheese, puddings from fresh fruit. Wherever we go we are bombarded with unhealthy food, I know you don’t have to buy/eat it, and from now on I won’t be. This loss has really motivated me to change my eating habits for good.

I think so. Plus if people wanted a cake or whatever, they had to make it – they couldn’t buy unhealthy snacks everywhere they went.

I eat some flax or chai seeds each day for the omega three. In BSD terms, is one any better than the other?

You are right Squidge.

We have all been indocrinated into thinking fat is bad, and therefore low fat is good. I’m sure in the ‘olden days’ before processed foods there wasn’t the same amount of overweight people and was this because they ate from the land and water – meat, poultry, fish, veg, dairy, nuts, berries?

I’ve always had lots of milk (Dad really was the milkman!) and don’t suffer any digestive troubles so I’m going to keep having it. I’d feel really deprived without and give up. I have cut down as I’m no longer drinking it on its own – just in tea.

I’ll get some halloumi next time we’re shopping and try it. We’ve decided to try lots of new low carb things. Maybe we’ll get new favourites to replace some of the carby things we used to love?

Oooh, great results, both of you!

We’ve all been told for years that low fat food is the only sensible way to lose weight and anything else is faddy and because low fat diets are harder to stick to, we expect weight loss to be slow – it’s probably not surprising that this diet seems ‘wrong’ to some people.

Personally I think (and did before BSD) that guzzling lots of cakes, biscuits and fizzy drinks with ‘low fat’ printed on the label can’t be healthy. Any diet which is mostly fresh food must be better than that.

Hi all,
In keto circles, dairy is limited because some people don’t tolerate it well and some think that it causes low-level inflammation which can affect weight-loss. I think you need to see how you feel – I still have dairy but I do sometimes wonder if it’s great for me. The sugar in milk is lactose, but it doesn’t affect bg levels – if you have too much though, the calories add up.
Halloumi is great for frying Squidge because it doesn’t melt – it just goes a lovely crispy golden colour – yum!
SSB

Well the results are in and Mr Pacman had lost 12lb since the 4th Jan. He was very happy with that. I lost another 1lb this morning so making me a 12lb loss as well. I had thought he would lose more being a male, but apparently not. I have spoken to a few of my friends about this diet and thay have said it is a ridiculous way to lose weight, but the proof of the pudding is in the results. I have have tried so many diets over the years and have to say this has been the most successful in terms of weight loss and I haven’t really struggled – just the occasional craving for something sweet!

You are right Squidge, half a stone in 12 days is really good and glad to hear the exercise is getting easier. I have been lifting some weights as I am waiting for a knee operation and can’t do much normal exercising apart from walking. My arms are aching, but like you, think it is getting better.

Have a great weekend, I’m looking forward to my fakitos tomorrow!

Another day with no weight loss. I suspect I’m eating a little more than I should be. I’m rather slapdash about the measuring and counting. Must make more effort! Having said that, if I was on a normal low fat calories controlled diet, half a stone in twelve days would seem quite fast weight loss, so I can’t be going too far wrong.

My waist is a little smaller! I’m getting much more used to the exercise too – I mean the idea of doing it. I’m still unfit! My recovering is a little quicker and I’m less achy in the mornings, so I’m slowly getting there.

Still no alcohol. I’m feeling a bit smug about that, especially as we have some nice drinks in the house.

I agree, very hard going this week. Here’s to better things next week

Thank you,
2 days in and my head is full of meal plans, weights and calorie counts but my body is already 3lb lighter, and most exciting, my husband’s fasted blood sugar has gone down from 9.7 to 5.3 (although the 9.7 was post a slice of birthday cake).
The only thing I’m confused with is the calorie counts in the blood sugar diet book, I know product nutrition varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and veg weights vary but my ‘actual’ calorie count is vastly different to those in the book.
I’ve made a spreadsheet of the ingredients I’ve used and am balancing around the 800 mark, meal planning & calorie counting the night before then adjusting with actual weights as I prepare it. It seems to be working.
Next step will be to start some strength exercises too.

Good morning and thank you Esnecca and marie123. You made my morning both of you, and strengthened my resolve! I have slightly watery eyes in a good way, you guys are wonderful.

Well done, Granny!

Milk has sugar in it (lactose). I think that’s the reason it’s supposed to be limited. I don’t think cream and butter do, so they’re OK as long as you account for the calories.

I’ve never tried halloumi. Does it not melt when cooked?

Brilliants, stuff Zolou! It’s really good that you’re feeling well and energetic.

From reading other threads, it seems common for weight loss to slow up or stop for a while and then get going again, so if you’re doing everything right, that’s not something to worry about.

You’ve reminded me I hadn’t measured my waist again since starting. Just have and it’s smaller!

Well done everyone, so inspiring and informative to read this thread 👍. Well it’s my 10 day point and I’ve lost 2.4kg so very pleased 😀, my post Christmas bloated tummy is definitely reducing and I feel so much more energetic. I find that’s one of the most encouraging things about the BSD woe – you feel the benefits quickly 👍. I too love halloumi, have only recently discovered it through BSD, and shall definitely try it as ‘bacon’ for my Sunday brunch! On reading some of the articles I’m getting the feeling that dairy should be limited- is this right or am I misunderstanding ? I like single cream in my coffee once a day and I also have sugar free jelly with a deserspoon of single cream as a desert. Have s great day everyone 💪

Hang in, Mariet, this, too, shall pass. Can’t help with the fermentation thing as I’ve not ventured into making it. I do eat lots of kimchi and s/kraut though, love it.

Lots of good steps so far today with OH and grandson in King’s Park … walking … walking … looking out over Perth … walking …

Jande9: I have found the same thing about restaurant eating. We used to enjoy the occasional meal out but over the last year that’s changed….I just can’t seem to make myself interested. Mostly it’s because we eat so well at home…very plainly, but the ingredients are always fresh and good quality. Having said that, over Christmas, we had some fabulous sea bass with a side dish of courgettes sautéed in olive oil with garlic, parsley and pinenuts. Awesome! And easy to replicate…

Good morning all. Well finally finished week 1 and I must say it was hard going certainly not a ‘joyful’ learning experience. If it wasn’t for you making me feel ashamed for not completing I would have given up out of boredom! I also took four attempts to answer the protein question Esnecca. I think it’s the question not us!

I’m off to finish week 1 of my Liver Disease course now but here’s to week 2 and let’s hope the new course is more exciting.

That’s fantastic Zolou, keep looking at the non-scale victories and I’m sure the weight will soon follow. It’s great just to have more energy isn’t it. Keep smiling.
SSB

Good morning. Great news Nonna Mary! It’s great when you get into ‘remission’ but for me I then lost my impetus to lose more weight. However, today I have hit my top ‘trigger weight’ so no more messing around otherwise I will become one of the ‘returners’ and I’m not going there!

JM I think I need a dose of your self control! Not that I think I would need much control to refuse jellyfish! I don’t think any airline is BSD friendly but I’m sure you’ll manage, it’s just one day.

So yesterday ……
1. I was taken back to another time in my life when I was often asked “How can you live without potatoes and bread?” I was asked the same question yesterday but just ignored it. Partly because the person asking has an OH with diabetes who neglects himself, and I didn’t want to cause an argument. Cowards way out maybe.
2. Almost finished my book, Catherine Alliott “About Last Night”, not as funny as her other books but a good light holiday read.
3. Finished the first week of the Science of Nutrition course. Hopefully it will get better in week 2!

So I’m off now to have my first half litre of water and plan my menu for today then I can report a successful day in tomorrow’s post. Have a good day!

Morning,

today -0.1lb.

Keep on everyone

x

Linda and Natalie – I did the drink once. Never again. Although it led to diagnosis of insulin resistance, it really does seem bizarre to load an ill person up with what ails them. You don’t get offered that on the NHS, just a blood test. Which is infinitely less disgusting. Presumably the drink is a more sensitive test, or at least a more expensive one? 😳😉

Thankyou NonnaMary, learning fast here! Informed anectodate very useful. What a terrrobel experience for your husband. Illuminating thought about the liver, thankyou.

End of my second week today. Here are my results:

Steps: Hit the average 10,000 steps target (in fact it was 12,900 because of yesterday’s adventures).
HIT: Did my 3 days of 3 HIT sprint bursts
Strength: Still doing daily yoga
Weight: Lost 3.2lb (Current: 156.6; Start of BSD: 167.2; Target: 133; Overall loss: 10.6)
Waist: Lost 4″ since beginning – didn’t measure last week (Current: 40″; Start of BSD: 44″; Target: 33″ – half height)

Overall, weight stalled at this point, but still feeling confident in the programme and good – sharp and energetic – and loving the food.

Hi Marie
Your Galway experience sounds about right. Us Galwegians love visitors and are very proud of our town! You are more than welcome to join our growing party….😀

Woke up tired as usual. Roll on Monday, when my weekend starts. I hate on call weekends!

L x

Mine are about self control and good choices.

Went out for a meal with clients in China last night.
1) No rice or noodles – just one “good luck” dumpling.
2) No booze – stuck to a fabulous range of local teas
3) Ate lots of sensible proteins – lots of fish (whole and steamed), great seafood (including the unfortunately named “Penis worm” – Fat Innkeeper worm for those who eat Korean) and jellyfish and loads of fried and steamed veg.

After 22000 steps yesterday, I may have destroyed today’s calories count but still think I’m onto a winner. The challenge will be the flight back tonight – Air France is not really renowned for its BSD friendly menus.

You never know!

I got into tea to replace wine during my first BSD800 and it satisfies the need for a variety of beverage tastes and a nerdy level of knowledge.

You had me at “raspberry fields.” 😀 I’ve long had a dream of a big ol’ BSD party where we get together and indulge in a sumptuously low carb feast with a little something for everyone. LTC do I recall correctly that you’re in the northeast somewheres? If there’s any way to make this happen, we should get to work on it. Open invitation to all our BSD brothers and sisters across the world, it goes without saying. Just imagine coming the US and not having to deal with the horrors of making judicious choices in the post-apocalyptic strip mall landscape that is so hard to avoid here.

Here’s a reliable source for defatted peanut butter powder, Allie: http://www.holdthecarbs.com/low-carb-staples/low-carb-peanut-butter-powder . It weighs very little, so you get a lot more bang for your 2 Tblsp buck than you do with intact peanut butter. That same site, btw, is also my primary source for inulin (high fiber, natural sweetness http://www.holdthecarbs.com/low-carb-staples/inulin-fiber ), glucommanan/konjac powder (high fiber, instant thickener http://www.holdthecarbs.com/low-carb-staples/konjac-glucomannan-powder ) and these unbelievably delicious gems that, I discovered today, are AMAZING ground up with tamari almonds to make a butter: http://www.holdthecarbs.com/low-carb-baking-essentials/toasted-coconut-chips-unsweetened . They also sell the best coconut cream I’ve ever had ( http://www.holdthecarbs.com/low-carb-staples/coconut-cream ). It’s so lush and thick it’s basically like eating ice cream before you do a thing to it. No need to refrigerate it to solidify the cream and separate it from the water. There is no water. It’s all cream. This is the secret weapon in my chia pudding.

Thank you, LindA for the links that you have posted. Since o/h has done
so well on our plan, I haven’t thought about doing additional research
on sat. fat. However, I’m always interested in keeping well informed
on anything and everything that could have an impact on my husband’s
long term prospects, so I appreciate having access to more information.

Best wishes,

Allie

Hey, Judy! I’m rather glad that you started this thread, because now I always
know where to find you 🙂 You sound like you’re off to a very good start,
and aren’t finding any of this too difficult. Whereabouts in the midwest
are you? It’s been frigid here (CT) too, and a real impediment to walking
outside, earlier in week. I never noticed the cold when I was morbidly
obese, so this winter has been a shocker! A 10lb loss is an impressive
start. I am curious about one thing, however. Did I somehow miss why
you are opting for the 5:2 instead of the Fast800?
Please keep in touch,
Allie

Linda I have that 2 hour glucose tolerance test every year (because I had gestational diabetes 11 years ago) and not only do I have to drink that disgusting sugar but I have to “carb load” for three days beforehand to get accurate results. Apparently a lot of clinics don’t do carb loading any more, but mine does. Someone asked why I have the GTT and not a HbAC1 or whatever it’s called and I have no idea. I will discuss it with my new doctor when it comes around this year. My fasting bloods are always fine, it’s only the bottle of sugar that makes me spike and feel very ill.

Congrats JulesP!

‘Evening, All! Thanks to the gastronomical geniuses around here, my
interest in re-engaging in creative cooking has been peaked. I think
it’s time to seek additional fat + fiber options beyond avocado and
seeds and nuts. On the outer threads Essie was talking about defatted
peanut butter power (sugar free). Any ideas for sources, anyone?
Or recipes? I’m a very respectable cook, just haven’t done much of it
in a few years because prior to the BSD I never had the energy and
couldn’t stand long enough to have it be an enjoyable activity. Nothing
is fun when you’re in pain every day 🙂 I’m more interested in the savory,
not snacks or treats. Any ideas or recipes would be much appreciated!
My current fantasy is to find Essie and Luv together in a kitchen creating
a one of a kind meal, and the price of admission could be to offer my
skills as a sous chef, and chief stork for retrieving items residing on
upper shelves out of their reach! Oh yes, and tour guide to the
raspberry fields….Not sold yet? I can probably think of a few more…

Allie

JulesMaigret when I visited China I went to a tea tasting. I don’t recalled what their weight-loss one was called but it smelled like manure-filled stable straw. I’m not in a position to compare the two tastes as I’ve never had a brew of stable straw, but didn’t like the tea. Maybe you lose weight because it puts you off eating?

That’s interesting about marinara sauce, in Australia it definitely means it contains seafood and Aussies overseas get very disappointed if that is not what they get when they order it!