Oh well done, Flick – quite a milestone, and a very well deserved one.

However, I think your idea of our Christmas, and possibly even my lifestyle, may be a little romanticised 😉 Yes, it is a family tradition to “dress for dinner” but only on high days and holidays, Christmas and NYE being two of those occasions. But otherwise, living by the sea, trust me, I spend most of my life in scruffy salty sailing or muddy walking gear, invariably in wellies either of the blue sailing or green walking variety. Even the “fine dining” establishments around here don’t expect anything other than jeans /open neck shirt etc – though they probably draw the line at wellies 😉 Which is probably why we have decided, as a family, to carry on the traditions of our rather over the top “occasions”. As you say, it’s lovely to dig out our posh frocks occasionally 😊 We always dig out the silver candelabras too. Really 😊

But one of the huge advantages of living a coastal life is the fresh fish, which we either catch ourselves or buy from local fishermen. And, as far as things like salmon and trout are concerned, my nephew is a ghillie and runs his own fly fishing school about 90 mins drive from us, so we have a regular supply whenever we want (which is often😉)

I love Allie’s term “depleted frontal assets” too, although it’s not something I suffer from. I was always rather over-endowed in that department so losing weight has brought me down to a very respectable 32D.

Allie, so pleased you like my granddaughter’s turn of phrase. I thought it may appeal because her choice of words often remind me of you. She often comes up with a succinct comment, and I think “that’s just the type of thing Allie would say”. And yes indeed, Essie would slot right into one of our formal occasions, a perfect fit. BTW I always have a smile on my face when I read your posts too. Nothing quite like a bit of banter between friends, so indeed why should we apologise? 😄

Wow, sunshine-girl, this course excites me, I’ll be taking a look tonight after
dinner, on this side of the pond! Can’t thank you enough for thinking of me
and offering this suggestion. It will be fun to have V on board too!

Allie

As MnM says, the recipes in the book are approximations, at best, anchor points for you to push off from without having to do all the math yourself. The idea is to ease people in to low carb living, I think, so it includes foods people are comfortable with even when their carb content is high (beets, oatmeal, sugary fruits, etc.) as long as it’s not the simple/refined carbs that are imperative to eliminate.

I understand that he’s not promoting the BSD as entirely carbless and that he’s loosey-goosey about certain categories of whole foods, but to be honest I find it seriously problematic that the calorie counts are so inaccurate, sometimes an enormous amount, like by hundreds of calories. How are you supposed to make a rational meal plan if you don’t know if you need to add 200 calories to a dish to make the numbers add up right for a day? He’s not vague about the 800 cals a day goal like he is about the daily carb limit (which he doesn’t really go into), so messing up the numbers to such a degree based on the idea that things will probably shake out okay by the end of week’s average is, as my father would say, half-assed. All of us seem to be able to calculate recipe and serving calories just fine using MFP or Fat Secret. Why couldn’t he? His wife did it in the follow-up recipe book, and she bothered to include carb counts too.

Zojo, deep breath. You are doing great and you’re going to be even greater. Plenty of people have been successful following the meals in the book, calorie/carb counts notwithstanding, because cutting the bad carbs has a powerful impact on your blood sugar levels. Most of us came from rather dire dietary circumstances, carb-wise. Eliminating bread, pasta, rice, cereal, potatoes and those big bads and going from caloric overload to careful consumption will lead to weight loss.

If you have a lot of weight lose or the losses start stalling, you can always reevaluate, start counting on your own and shave off carbs by ditching onions and apples. That’s in the future and by then you’ll feel more comfortable with the food and maybe even be ready to modify your own old favorites into BSD-friendly versions. Chin up, sister. You’ve got this. 🙂

Good morning from Sunny Melbourne. Two days done and slightly under the 800 calories on day one and a bit over yesterday however this was offset by exercise both days. Feeling heady this morning as my body adjusts to the carb cravings but haven’t caved in yet and know this will soon pass.
.One of the things I find very beneficial about this way of life is the choices we make in preparing our menus for the day. Yesterday went to local market and purchased meats, salads and fresh vegetables . For dinner I had smoked trout and salad which is something I would probably not have considered previously so it opens your mind to trying new and better/healthier options. It also makes you think more about what you choose to consume and in my case to look up recipes as I enjoy cooking and preparing and trying new dishes suitable to the BSD lifestyle.

When I originally started the BSD in September I weighed 104 kgs (16.3 stone) and lost 26 pound and was able to come off my morning and evening insulin although I still remain on medications to control my t2. Even in the 2 days I have been on the rebooted program my bgl’s have shown an improvement and this proves a great motivator along with all your posts regarding your own individual journeys.

I look forward to our continued successes over the coming eight weeks and wish you well in your individual journeys.

Regards

Cameron

Thanks Squidge, it was actually a training day today and we could have a health check (BMI /viseral fat / muscle :fat ratio etc) so it came up in convo, mainly as I was so chuffed I’ve lost 7lb so far (prob some water in there but got to be some fat too!).

I’ve only got the recipe book at the moment, is it under 50g of carbs we’re aiming for as I’ve just been out for a Nandos which was pre arranged and unavoidable but I checked first and had the best I could have which still meant I went over by 430 cal today but I kept my carbs below 50. Do we think it’s more important to keep carbs low if going over on calories?

Also any one else getting headaches? My head was banging last night and has started again tonight, I have been drinking loads of water and herbal tea with 2 cups of black coffee per day.

Not been struggling with food yet but guess it’s all still quite novel! Well done and welcome Willothewisp

Thanks Squidge, we actually had a training day today and one of the activities we could do was a health check (BMI / fat:muscle ratio / viseral fat etc) so it did come up in convo, partly as I was so chuffed I’ve lost 7lb! Prob a good bit of water in there but got to be some fat! And my viseral fat was well in healthy range which I was really pleased with! Well done and welcome Willothewisp!

Any ideas on going over on calories? I’ve just been out for a Nandos which was pre arranged and unavoidable but I checked first and had the best I could have which still meant I went over by 430 cal today but I kept my carbs below 50, do people think it’s more important to keep carbs low if going over on calories? I only have the recipe book at the mo, is it 50g carbs we’re aiming to stay under?

Also (sorry for long post) anyone else getting headaches? My head was banging last night and has started again tonight, I’m drinking loads of water/herbal tea and have had 2 cups of black coffee per day. Not been struggling with food so far though, suppose it all seems quite novel at the moment though! Thanks

Allie, there is an organisation called Futurelearn.com. They run free online courses, one of them is The Science of Nutrition and it is starting again on 8th January or 12th March, it is 4 weeks and you only need do around 3 hours per week. I am sure you would enjoy this. I am also sure Verano will be with me on this recommendation. I have done about 6 courses, they are all free although you can pay to upgrade which means you get to keep the course on your computer forever but they run so often I just dip in and out.

PS Essie, my only post-Christmas sale purchase so far is a full set of waterproof walking gear – weather has been so appalling that I’m fed up getting soaked every time I walk the dogs. Thrilled with both the jacket and the trousers, but hardly high fashion 😉Sorry, black again, though trimmed with shocking pink. O/h took one look at the trousers (size extra small) and declared them to be only an inch wide 😊 But they fit a treat😊😊

And yes – the colour of that dress was definitely bought with you in mind. They had it in red or navy and I thought “what would Essie choose?” No contest 😊 And yes, suede, though evidently indecisive, knee highs.😉

Yay color! With red predominant! You got that dress just for me, didn’t you? Ooh, and are those knee-high black suede boots I see under that happy mini-floral print dress? I love the just barely squared-off toes. It’s like they were going for witchy then changed their minds at the last minute. 😀

Thanks Zolou, you’re exactly right! So much of our success comes from self-belief and I’ll definitely be able to draw on that from now on!
Hope your hunger pangs and ‘general zonkdom’ are waning!!

Yup. It’s extremely common. Carbs retain water and so do fat cells. When you cut the carbs you lose the retained water and when the pounds drop so does the water hanging out in your fat cells. Be sure to add salt to your food to keep your electrolyte levels up. You could also add a bottle of high mineral sparkling water to your daily intake. Gerolsteiner, suggested to me by Californiagirl on this very forum when I posted about the vast quantities of water I was ingesting particularly after my walks, is absolutely delicious and high in trace elements including electrolytic ones like sodium and potassium.

Good on you for getting to the Michael-Palin-saying-“It’s…!” at the beginning of Monty Python episodes thirst levels on just your second day. It bodes well for your detoxing from carbs and achieving your weight loss goals. Congratulations!

Cool shoes, Essie – a bit “business at the front, party at the back” just like my little black number 😉 I haven’t actually got a decent photo of that outfit – being totally black it didn’t photograph well – front looked very plain (though actually very sleek and elegant) and the wonderful chiffon floaty, flouncy back just didn’t show up. Will try again when I get the chance, but not holding my breath. However, here’s my little mini number, which you’ve obviously already seen on the other thread – mental aberration, I thought I was posting it on this one, doh!!!….

https://s9.postimg.org/tunhrqf3z/20171215_122239-1.jpg

Looking forward to seeing your other sale purchases.

Luvtocook, I just needed to give you another huge thank you for that link you gave to the low-carb vegetable sides. I’ve just finished my second lot of the mashed cauliflower (why did I never think of doing it in the food precessor??) with garlic and rosemary, oh yum!
And last night, seeing my two daughters almost coming to blows over who got the last roasted mushroom, brought joy to this mothers heart, lol!
Seriously though, they have always been pretty good with eating veg but my 8 yr old now craves bowls of spinach sautéed in butter and garlic and they both beg me to make roast cauliflower or cabbage for every dinner, and my 11yr old who hates mushrooms will now eat a plateful of them when roasted with thyme, lemon and butter. So that’s a nsv right there!
Yours and Esnecca’s recipes have helped me enormously to stay on this path, I just find food so much more interesting and satisfying now and my whole family is benefitting, thanks to you and all the lovely people who share their food ideas on this amazing forum!

Just completed day 2 – and I am feeling so thirsty – I’m drinking plain water or black tea, mainly water. is this a common experience?

Hi JGwen,
I found your post on laminitis really interesting and makes complete sense! It’s such an awful affliction for horses and so great that this different diet can help so much. Will pass it on to some of my lucky friends who are horse owners. I have even heard recently of dogs with diabetes, presumably from all the grain-heavy commercial dog food out there.
I try to feed ours grain- free food with lots of eggs, sardines and they adore fresh veg, I have an Irish wolfhound in particular who adores raw cabbage, cauliflower etc, and begs for scraps of these when I’m cooking!
Great result on your waist loss too, scales can be frustrating but the tape measure never lies!

Hi Marie123, I’m so looking forward to seeing a 9 on the scales, I’m impressed you managed 9 13 even if it was only for a day. It will be lovely to cheer each other on through the 9s. I’ve recently whispered quietly to myself that 8st 7lbs would be an incredible weight to be so that’s my pipe dream. 9 and a half was my initial goal but I now see there will still be a lot of fat to shift even when I get there. My tummy seems to be the most difficult to lose from. What is your goal?

Just a thought. Has anyone else seen that advert for Jane plan ready diet meals? Am I being particularly thick or do the scales she stands on really say 10 at 28 lbs??!! It fascinates me.

Kazz am so glad your new scales are not as horrendous as mine. I have started the trek towards 9st 12 again. This morning I was 10 st 4 and a quarter 😊

Squidge, I love oats for breakfast – here’s my favourite recipe, just need to LEAVE OUT the brown sugar/maple syrup (really doesn’t need it!)

https://www.theyummylife.com/Slow_Cooker_Apple_Cinnamon_Oatmeal

I make this on a Sunday afternoon and that’s my breakfast sorted for a week – I just heat up a portion each morning with some milk, and sprinkle some extra Cinammon on top. Yes it’s 25g carbs and 145 calories per serve, but I can eat it at 6am and not be hungry for 7 hours.
When I was eating this regularly I was losing weight, but then again I don’t have T2 diabetes.
This morning I had Portabello “toast” with spinach & chickpeas, and had an egg with it too. An hour later I feel hungry! I’m going back to my oats next week!

I have just watched Tom kerridge and just thought that that low fat sugar substitute wasn’t the way to go. I would rather have full fat and have smaller portions than any kind of substitute. Luckily I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth.

Trust me I’m a doctor however intrigued me. I have been drinking fizzy water instead of wine but I hadn’t noticed it making me more hungry. Interesting thoughts!

I have coconut oil in my cupboard so can’t wait for next week’s episode on that one!

I know what you’re thinking. “Why hasn’t Essie posted any of her sweet buys from the post-holiday sales yet? We all know she hit as many of them as humanly possible.” You are correct, my dear phoenixes, and I apologize for the unconscionable delay.

How about a handsome almond-toe pump in a rich magenta color? https://s13.postimg.org/k8oiha0rb/spoolshoes2.jpg

I know what you’re thinking now. “Okay nice enough, I suppose.” Well then allow me to TURN AROUND. https://s13.postimg.org/itmxsn7ev/spoolshoes1.jpg

Oh yeah. Your eyes do not deceive you. Those are ombre’ striped heels shaped like a stack of thread spools and I am so deeply here for them.

What do you think about these? https://s13.postimg.org/4n76xfbzb/toepoimt.jpg

Don’t tell me. I’ll guess. “Handsome neutral dove grey and elegant pointed toe, but of a biz snooze compared to your usual.” SPLADOW! https://s13.postimg.org/lnq363wqf/pow.jpg

That’s right. All this time the messenger of the gods has been among you and you didn’t even know it.

I’ll stop for now but there is more. I’m keeping them in the hopper to give Theo a chance to post her HAWT new awesomely colorful happy minidress and her legendary “party in the back” Christmas/New Year’s look. And I know there are others in this very forum who have some killer festive outfits to post so get on that, would you?

Hi SunnyB no I just leave them much the size they are originally if that makes sense!

OK so i managed 918 cal on my first day and today just over 800, . However its mainly been beetroot and veg soup and cheese ( ends of Christmas cheese ) so I am not too sure its going to show as much of a weight loss.

My start weight this morning was 12.10.5 and I’ve been guzzling water and hanging fire eating until midday .. however yesterday i did find myself nibbling too late in the evening to make the 16.8 today ..

This week feels like a ‘get rid of Christmas sludgy-ness week’ .. although its true i haven’t been that active yet ! . I have dug out my fitbit and rebooted it though (it needed an upgrade and I had to download the new app as had changed my pc since I last used it . I have also re-logged into Myfitness pal .. am pleased to find all my old lists and recipes still there !.

So am feeling like i have made a positive start (even if i dont lose this week) .

JGwen – I think an inch off your waist is a great result – my waist measurements are proving impossibly slow to reduce. Also, that’s an interesting conversation about coconut. Might introduce some into my diet and see. Will let you know if I notice any difference in my nails.

JulesP – It looks like we’re going to shift into those 9’s pretty much together. I was 10st but put on 2lbs over Christmas so might be a little behind you, but it’ll be nice to support each other down through the 9s. Where are you hoping to get to?

Jackie – we’ve chatted about this on my recent post – I’ve eaten more meat and yoghurt on BSD than you would believe – in fact, I could count on one hand the number of times I’d eaten steak (3) before BSD. I’m determined to widen out what I eat again and definitely up my greens!

Butterlover – hope today has gone well for you, and everyone else – good wishes for the rest of the week.

Great start, WillotheWisp!

The occasional small apple and onion (but not on the same day) are doable at the 40-50g end, as I always had the occasional one as part of meals. Spring onions are better carb wise than the usual white onion. If you want to just follow the recipes in the book do so, the book went much more for an ‘average’ figure over the week of 800 calories, with some days over and some days under, quite probably they did the same with carbs too.

Allie, I am appropriating the term ‘depleted frontal assets’. You are hilarious.

Not at all, I love you all being here!

Allie, you need not worry that you are missing newies. You are such a stalwart here and I always feel your support, strong and true.

Just a word of caution re fish, some not so reliable sources will list catch from huge, destructive (evil in my view) factory ships as ‘wild caught’. Getting to know your fish monger, local fishing fleets, etc. is one of the few reliable ways ro ensure fish consumption isn’t contributing to the destruction of precious fish stocks and our beautiful oceans.

Theodora, your Christmas sounds like something beautiful on the BBC. We are so casual here in Australia, but I love an opportunity to frock up! Just doesn’t happen often enough.

And while I have so cleverly put the focus on me – this morning I passed the 10kg lossed marker!! 67.9.

Well the Theo style travelling fast worked until I got to my destination when olives, smoked salmon and houmous beckoned, still, quite a light day by comparison with what had gone before. On the reboot now and 2 pounds of my extra water weight is gone already in one day. Hopefully the rest will soon follow… I was under 700 calories yesterday, but over 900 today when the planned menu went out of the window, still okay on average. I have been keeping the fat macro very high as the keto sites recommend, as my body fat is still low enough at around 25% that to go much below 50g would mean likely muscle loss. KOKO everyone 😀

Zojo when I first came on here I was confused too. A lot of people on here (me included) try to keep our carbs under 50g or 20g a day. In which case, apples and onions are too high. However, the BSD book excludes some fruit and white carbs such as pasta, potatoes and rice. You will lose weight following the book recommendations regardless of carb content. I still use some of the recipes (The Red Slaw and Rainbow Salad are wonderful), but I sometimes substitute scallions for onion.

I hope this has made things a little clearer. Good luck.

Nonna Mary
xxx

No worries Allie, will be persevering with the book, maybe it will make more sense once I’ve finished it. I’ve also found myself more and more interested in how my body works and as I’ve said before, this is the first time I ‘ve been successful in losing weight. Still some way to go though, and I’ve been really interested to read the other thread about maintenance. You’ve all done so well and looking forward to joining you all on the maintenance thread whenever that is this year. On the subject of Tom Kerridge, I’m just wondering why he said at the beginning of the programme that he ditched carbs and beer to lose his weight, but his recipes don’t seem to be low carb…

Well done everyone on getting through Christmas and New Year. I too have just made this way of eating part of my life and don’t ever intend to return to being fat. I still sit on/around 60kg with a BMI of 21.3 and simply do a 24 hour fast if I’ve indulged in too many nuts, Greek yoghurt, cheese or cream. My ‘secret’ if you call it that, of maintaining this weight is to keep the carbs low (20-30g per day? I don’t measure anything anymore) and if I want to indulge, I do it with fat, not carbs. I check my ketones via a blood test every week or so just to make sure I’m still on track.

I now wear a bikini when I go swimming, can you believe it! I haven’t worn a bikini since I was in my late teens and now I’m nearly 58😳.

Someone on this forum once said ‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’ and I’ve never forgotten it. I think about it every time someone offers me sugary or carbs food and it really helps. In saying that, I just don’t have the cravings any more.

We drove 13 hours from Sydney to country Queensland for Christmas lunch in 2017 and no one questioned my way of eating, no one ‘forced’ me to eat what I didn’t want, in fact they were so busy shoving crappy food into their mouths no one even cared.

I had a conversation with one of the adults who runs a school canteen about the availability of sugary drinks in schools and although they no longer sell soft drinks (soda, pop), they still sell juices. When I suggested that juices had as much , if not more sugar in them as soft drinks I was reliably told that fructose was an essential nutrient for children in order for them to get their energy! My husband gave me the look that said ‘shut up now’ so I didn’t pursue it, but I was sorely tempted. Both this woman and her husband are overweight. I do preach this way if eating to everyone that will listen, but I didn’t want to start a fight on Christmas Day!

Thank you so much everyone for your continued support, I don’t post often any more but I do read everyone’s posts and I find it an essential tool for keeping on the straight and narrow!

I hope everyone enjoyed their celebrations and continues to live life to the fullest!
Cheers
Linda

Thanks for the tip on cauli mash V. Mine always tends to be a bit on the sloppy side, so will give your method a whirl – do you cut the florets quite small?

I might try your method for perfect cauli mash, V. Thanks!

The discussion here about braised celery reminded me of a not often
remembered similar dish. I don’t love celery in any of it’s reincarnations,
but I like to cook fennel by the same method, and finish it with fennel
fronds and a quick grating of orange zest, to accompany a plate of fish
and steamed spinach. Maybe some of you would find that interesting?

Let fly with the creativity, everyone!

Allie

I personally have never used the recipes in the book, opting to build my own dishes and menus, but I would say if you are using the menu plans in the book, stick with what they say. I know some people have questioned the calorie content of some of the recipes, but there is no doubt that people have succeeded in losing weight using the recipes/menu plans in the book. However, I would suggest being cautious about snacks, unless they are stipulated in the menu plans.

Hello everyone. Can I join your thread for support? My husband and I started on Jan 1st. I have 3 stone 5lbs to lose.This morning I had lost 5lbs (happy). No alcohol for us either. We are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary in June so I am aiming to do three lots of 8 weeks before this date, hoping this will be enough time to lose the 3 stone. We are both looking forward to the challenge of this way of eating. Good luck everyone.

Everyone talking about apples and onions been carby but they are included in the recipes especially on the 8 week plan which is what I am currently doing. I’m so confused as I’m concerned my count is off due to the above even though I’m following the 8 week meal plan in the recipe book. Can someone clarify as I like to have a small apple and handful of nuts as snack

Just needed to post … I have actually worked out how to make perfect cauli mash ….. it’s only taken me 18 months!

I have found mine has been ‘sloppy’. I think the secret, for me, is ultra fresh cauliflower, steam for just 25 mins, put in a hot oven to ‘dry out’ for 5 to 10 minutes then whizz with butter using a hand blender. Tonight’s was the best I’ve ever made much better than mashed potatoes, but the same consistency. Cracked it at last!

Luvtocook, I shall be interested in your experience too. I stuck rigidly to the BSD for the 8 weeks and lost well. I gradually introduced beans and lentils and continued to lose but at a slower rate. I certainly missed the fibre though.

I’ve just made a lentil and spinach Dahl for lunch tomorrow. It comes in quite heavy on the carbs at 15g for 300g but keeps me from feeling hungry and as I won’t be home till 8pm or so, I’m hoping it will keep me on the straight and narrow while I get into the swing of things again.

I shall be watching the shows tonight. Hilarious how all these “Diet” shows start in January. Diets don’t work, we know that! We have to change our woe permanently. That’s the tough bit but actually easier once we accept it.

Allie, I stayed away from the truffles!

L xx

Theo, I’m completely charmed by your grandaughter’s description of that
little black number for Christmas and New Years. Better keep an eye on your
closet before you find her foraging there. Your dress sounds like an ideal
choice for me with my depleted frontal assets! I like your mini dress, and
yes, I do recognize those telltale pelvic bones. Who’d have ever thought
that we’d be so comfortable in this new and happy place 🙂 🙂 🙂 Essie
could certainly have been a guest at your table of formal attire with her
coat and tails, not to mention the felt fedora! I can’t keep apologizing for
our constant chatter, though, because we seem powerless to ever run out
of things to say to each other, my friend. Never possible to read your posts
without a ludicrous, over sized grin on my face..long may it continue! Who
can predict what we’ll get up to in the year ahead??? Sky’s the limit, I say!

Happy New Year!

xoxo
Allie

p.s. My Mother was a scrabble genius too, and usually put me under the
table with her extensive vocabulary, even at 94 🙂

Quite right. You should be posting it in the phoenixes thread. 😀

Allie, excellent advice on fish buying, thank you. I only buy sustainably line-caught wild fish, either fresh or smoked. I didn’t know about the sneaky Faroe Island trick. Forewarned is forearmed.

Thanks so much for the additional info on Rosemary Conoly, s-g! I will be looking
her up on the web. I can appreciate yours and Sandy’s conclusions re Taubes
books. They do take some extra effort to absorb, and I agree that they amount
to more than yet another diet book. Maybe this is why Mosley’s work is so
important…He writes in an easy style and focuses on the blood sugar issue,
a problem that has reached epidemic proportions in both the UK and USA!
It does really dishearten me that the BSD is virtually unknown here, though
our very small contingent of Americans for so vast a country, Californiagirl,
Esnecca, Luvtcook, and I do our best to spread the word! I’m not very good
at being told what to do though, so Taubes work provides the “why” for me,
and the clouds parted for me after reading it. Thank you all for the interesting
discussion. Having achieved weight loss and maintenance, I’m hyper focused
on increasing my knowledge of nutrition/health in general, so all the
recommendations here are a great place to start.

Thanks everyone for your contributions 🙂

Allie

Been playing catch up all day, as I overslept this morning, so later than usual in posting on the forum today. Do have some positives though:

1) Lovely charity shop find today – a pretty and flattering green lacy top in size 10 for £2.50, which will team beautifully with a new pair of palazzo pants I bought recently.
2) Used up some tired veggies to make a yummy veg and stilton soup, which made a delicious lunch and these plenty for the next day or two as well.
3) Good scales reading this morning, which is probably due to getting rid of water retention from over carbing over new year, but hoping to build on it during the rest of the week.

Like your attitude V, best to concentrate on one day at a time – certainly the way I’m going at the moment.

DON’T GIVE UP
After completing my 8 weeks last January I continued to check the carb and sugar content of all the groceries I would buy from my local supermarkets. I found it very educating reading the nutritional values and soon realised where I was previously going wrong.
After losing 12 pounds have only put 2 pounds back on I feel like I am in control of my diet.

I however am at a point where I feel like getting on my soap box and screaming when I see how many people are in the biscuit and sweets/chocolate isles are in my local supermarket. I wish the government would do something about sugar in foods which contribute to so many hospital visits, the NHS needs beds. Sugar addiction should be taught in school along side of drugs etc.

Sorry for ranting, one the best things I have done is follow the posts on this site. There are some great girls on here who are here to help and give advice to you if you are struggling.

Why I have decided to write this is that my brother has just asked me why I drink unsweetened roasted almond milk. After a while I remembered that I was struggling at one point on the diet, and found i could not drop and further pounds. I was advised to look at my milk intake from one of the girls on here…(and I was putting a lot of semi-skimmed in my tea). However, I did not realise how many calories it added up to throughout the day(please measure yours). The carb and sugar levels were quire high also, unlike almond milk which has zero carbs and sugar content well Alpro unsweetened doesn’t haven’t checked other brands.Please note I do not work for Alpro.

Good luck everyone ..keep going..its not a diet now to me…its the way I eat to stay healthy

Chris

Jut wanted to add my condolences. A loss such as yours throws one into a period of huge adjustment and turmoil. It has to be said that you are very brave and bold to be taking charge of your health and wellbeing at such a difficult time. There has already been plenty of advice posted for you, so I will just say I hope we will see you on other threads as well, as the challenge threads offer wonderful support.

Final word – please be gentle and kind to yourself.

Hey Theo, good to see you back. It’s just sinusitis, not coffee. Phew! 🤪

Thanks for starting this thread Verano, great idea! I did buy the Gary Taubes book after recommendation (might have been yours Allie!) but am also finding it hardgoing. Thanks for making me feel better about that s-g, thought it was just me ☺

Glad things are improving for your family Theo and that you have managed to gain a few pounds to put you in a more comfortable position weight-wise. I’m feeling good about taking control again with the 800/20 and 16:8. Had an excellent day yesterday and things are looking good today as well. Not posting any results until weekly weigh-ins, even though I weigh daily – like things to settle and consolidate before I make anything public!

Well done to all those maintaining successfully.

Nice dress

Sorry to be late to the party today. Somehow I overslept and seem to have been playing catch up all day. Have managed to read most of today’s posts on the thread though and it seem that everyone has made a strong start. I’m pleased to report my scales showed a drop this morning, but so as not to tempt fate, I’ll only post the weekly consolidated result. Can say I was under on both cals and carbs yesterday and so far today, things are headed in the right direction too. It feels so right to take back control and to be doing the 800/20 again.

As I had various veg in the fridge, that were getting close to being past their best – leeks, swede, celery and romanesco cauli – I made a stilton and veg soup today and a batch of cauli mash. The soup is very tasty and I’m looking forward to some cauli mash with dinner this evening.

Keep up the good work everyone!

Thank you Essie. Good to be back, though still having a few family issues (mostly, but not exclusively, health related) but things do seem to be improving, albeit slowly.

Funnily enough, I recently treated myself to a new little mini-dress……

https://s9.postimg.org/tunhrqf3z/20171215_122239-1.jpg