Hi Flick
Well done on that “whoosh” on Saturday! Good also that your friends were accommodating at the weekend: it’s great to have support from people in real life as well as the brilliant camaraderie on this forum.
I hope your weekly weigh-in goes/went well
Maggie

Hello all. What a lovely group you are – matter of fact about serious health challenges, practical advice on temptations (I love the idea of adding up all the things I would have eaten. And bright yellow visceral fat is quite an image!), and reporting some great successes. Even when we struggle, if we are hanging in here we are avoiding worse outcomes!

I can’t report a weight yet. Difficult to believe, but I forgot to weigh myself this morning! But a few comments on the week: when I went to dress up for our Christmas carol concert, I had to scrabble around for a pair of dressy trousers – the usual ones made me look like a clown they were so baggy. 🙂 My red cabbage coleslaw went down well at the choir buffet, and I avoided all bread and cake. So whatever the scales tell me tomorrow, I feel good and on track. I type this, wearing size 16 jeans that I rediscovered in my scrabbling. Haven’t been able to wear them in three years. Maybe it is time for a serious wardrobe clear out! Best wishes to all for Christmas and thank you for all the support and advice.

Hi Chazly1, excellent results to date – well done.

By all means take a bit of a break over the festive season, but try to stick to the BSD principles, so only have carbs in moderation – eat and drink mindfully. I would suggest setting yourself a limit for the alcohol and try to stick with it, having sparkling water in between drinks. Be cautious with things like beer and mixers that can be very carb heavy and try to avoid ‘nibbles’ as it’s easy to load up on these and swallow down a whole heap of carbs without really thinking about it.

Relax and enjoy your festive season, try to keep it high protein, full fat, low carb and you should be just fine. Just get straight back to the BSD proper after the festive season and any pounds gained should disappear again pretty rapidly.

Best of luck for good results at the doctors tomorrow and for continued success.

They all very much belong on this thread Natalie. This one is a space to share any of life’s positives, not just those related to the BSD. It’s to make us look for all the blessings in our life, no matter how big or small, weight related or otherwise. Enjoy your pool and garden, it sounds like you didn’t get the chance to use it much last year, so revel in it this summer.

Glad you ECG was okay, V. Well done on returning to strict BSD for a few days, that should give you plenty of scope with this time next week. I’m not calculating and recording, but I am making the effort to keep things low carb to preserve the wriggle room I already have, so I can ease up a little for the main event.

My positives for today are:
1) My OH has defrosted my car for me this morning, so I don’t need to stand out in the cold sorting that before going into town.
2) Managing to get my cold under control and feeling much better today.
3) Last visit to the shops today, prior to final food shop on Saturday evening – phew!

I have just had an eye opener. I started to fill in my Fatsecret diary again today. Breakfast 10 blueberries and 3 cherries just 21 calories but over 5g of carbs! Just makes me realise that the odd few things I mindlessly eat out of the fridge really can do so much damage.

Natalie whatever puts a smile on your face and a skip in your step will make you more likely to have a good BSD day so just go with it!

4 weeks in and it’s coming up to party season, I was a big drinker but after a slap by the doctor I started the BSD, I’m gonna be honest after the first week of cravings it has been very satisfying, and I’ve found it quite easy and once In the zone that’s it. My food has been so varied and still eating some great homemade currys and fish meals I’ve lost two stone. Tomorrow I’m back to the doctors to check my “close to type 2” but I’m hoping I can keep this mindset with party time coming up, some say a break can kick start it again but ?

Thanks everyone for all the support. Just want Christmas out of the way now so I can get started. Feeling motivated.

Hmm just realised my list was things I am grateful for rather than BSD related NSV, maybe not right for this thread, but it made me happy thinking about them anyway!

Positives for today:
1. Our new swimming pool, which we thought would be ready last summer, was finally finished mid-winter so now it’s hot again we are swimming nearly every day. I get some gardening done by pulling a few weeds then getting back in the lovely cool water!
2. Still on the backyard, a year ago it was an sterile construction site and I was worried about the wildlife that the previous home owners had welcomed here. But now we’ve restored a garden next to the pool they’ve all come back. Kookaburras on the shed roof, blue-tongue lizards basking on the mulch, even a resident water dragon who was peering over the top of a pot at me this afternoon. And lots of spiders. At least they are keeping the flies and mozzies down. But I killed the red-back spider by the back door.
3. State level Big Bash cricket starts on TV this evening! My favourite spectator sport. I go for the Sydney Sixers.

Hello challengers, I hope everyone else is KOKO better than I am at the moment. I’ve had a bad old couple of weeks work wise and with my fall last week a less active than usual week, despite all my good intentions and have been catching myself slipping back into ‘good’ old-fashioned comfort eating and not budging out of the house when the weather is less than clement. I know it’s a mental thing, and I just need to get moving so I will. The end result is I am currently the heaviest I have been since ending BSD 8 weeks over a year ago at 11 stone 8.4 pounds, a whole pound past my trigger weight. Today will therefore be a total fast day. Tomorrow an 800 day (with one session of badminton, my last before the new year). Thursday may well be back to alcohol and unwise nibbles due to a Christmas party but I will try to keep the carbs down. Friday will be another 800 day and then Saturday I am going away and will just have to be as in control as I can be, when not in control of the menu. Most of the weight must be water as it (as usual) went on far to quick to be the luminous yellow stuff, so control of carbs should be enough to kick it out again, but the cleansing feeling of the fast will be very welcome.

I have had another small weight loss this week and can’t understand why because I have been so busy getting ready for Christmas that my calorie counting has been very lax over the past few days. My wife is a childminder and although I am retired from “work”, I am now doing more than when I went out to work, and this is a very busy time of year for childminder’s but I can now see the winning post looming up and a 10 day break coming up, so almost there.

I notice that there are people on this thread who have very serious health issues, but who are so matter of fact about it and it makes me realise that my problems are nothing in comparison to others. Although I have been probably over eating I have kept on plan and won’t even consider consuming sugar, or any high carb food, and as I was shopping in the supermarket at the weekend I was wondering how much of the food produce in there that was not necessary for daily living. It would probably be about 80%, and I always wonder what future generations will think about the way that we have been manipulated by business and governments to eat all this rubbish that is so detrimental to human health.

I would once again like to thank all the strong characters on this forum who keep me grounded and have helped me in immeasurable ways to keep on keeping on. I will now close this rambling post and wish you all a Merry Christmas and I will be carrying on in the New Year, so see you all then.

Good morning. Sorry but I have really lost track of this thread because there has been so much activity. So well done all the losers and for the ‘maintainers’, like me, just keep trying and for anyone who has gained today is another day so just try and make it count.

Seasons greetings to everyone, see you next Tuesday for our last weigh-in.
P.S. I hate ‘wet’ food so it’s neither gravy or jus for me!

Good morning everyone! This thread really makes me count my blessings and I love hearing all the positives. So yesterday for me saw ….

1. Had an ECG because of a very cautious GP, not a bad thing, but all seems fine.
2. Received yet more flowers for my birthday.
3. Made the decision to restart a strict BSD routine today for the next six days.

Natalie I like your vision of 26 but I have to be a bit more realistic! Slim earlobes , I love it! Fingers, wrists and feet all get smaller so why not? I don’t wear earrings so would never have thought of that one.

Anyway, hope you all have a good day!

They are many Yoga asanas and exercise that can reduce belly fat faster. Among them few of the asanas can be practiced by any healthy person. In any case, it is imperative to comprehend that so as to dispense with the paunch fat, it is important to concentrate on sustenance as this is as much as 70 percent of the outcome.

If you want to reduce belly fat faster then you have to practice these Yoga asanas daily at your home.

List Of The Yoga Asanas

Bhujangasana
Kumbhakasana
Pavanamukthasana
Dhanurasana
Padahastasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana

for information check out the link given below
http://www.crazyhealthplan.com/how-to-lose-belly-fat/

Hello all our busy, Elvish challengers. Christmas is a-coming🎅

61.5kg this morning. This is 200 gm above my most recent low point but 700 gm less than last Tuesday. I am so pleased🙆 This had been a challenging period for restaurant/cafe socialising and I have shown myself that care with choice and portion control can reap rewards, even with some off-plan (eg icecream) eating happening.
A couple more eating-out challenges before actual Christmas Day, but I’m hopeful the control will hold.

Hi Milalin, yes the strawberries have been delish so far, also the blueberries. Good work on putting back the pre-cooked meal. Was it Churchill who said “the price of peace is eternal vigilance”? (Or some such, forgive me if I’m misquoting). It seems we need eternal vigilance to hold back our more destructive habits. Also, best wishes with your health issues.

Butterlover, back to your plan, as you were saying yesterday …

I’m needing to rush off now, will catch up with everyone’s results later in the day. Hope it’s a happy day for you all xxx

Hi Flick great news! And I’m imagining the visceral fat image too! Merry Christmas to you x

Hi everyone and Merry Christmas from me.
I just wanted to comment on how far I’ve come in such a short time and was just thinking of mindfulness . I was in the supermarket to pick up some strawberrries recently. I’ve really been enjoying them and was thinking h it’s the best summer ever for them. Then I thought, maybe my taste has already changed so I’m enjoying them more?!
As I waited to pay, I turned to notice all the ends of aisles were loaded with hi carb crap. There were soft drinks, chocolates, chips, savoury snack biscuits and more all on promotion. There wasn’t one non food item like detergent or toilet paper often there. Nothing on those aisle ends had any real nutrient value. And I know the companies pay a premium to display in those highly visible areas.
Another thought, I went to another store that I love for fruit, veg, fish, meat etc they have hot prepared meals not far from the registers and their food is nice. I’ve often bought a meal to take Home in the past. So I picked up a spaghetti bolognaise and put it in with the fruit n veg. I was waiting to pay for a good 5 minutes before I thought ‘what am I doing ?’ And left the queue to put it back. The habit had not even registered. I hadn’t even had the thought ‘that it wasn’t good for me. Absolute autopilot.
Just thought I’d share the experience. I’m sure you all have similar experiences. Between the advertising bombarding us and old habits it requires constant vigilance for our success!

Allie, why yes I do happen to remember where I got them. It’s the same place where I scored those adorable mod boots, and they just so happen to be on sale if you’re in the market for two pair. I got a second pair in royal blue. Here you go: https://www.modcloth.com/shop/accessories/accent-your-ensemble-tights/153603.html . The red ones I got just say “red” when you click on the color swatch, but the official name is Candy Apple, and that’s exactly the color they are. True primary. I think they’re a smashing accent for a classic like your new LBD. Congratulations on getting back in the skirt game! Time to show off those mile-high gams. 😀

Oops I forgot to post my results Im up to 81.3 kg today .I expected it to be worse as Im eating rubbish and not working so less exercise. I set my limit at 82Kg.and I will stick to the principles untill boxing day. I dont have the will power to be too strict at the moment.best wishes to everyone for a memorable and Happy Christmas .

Play on, Flick! Playing with nail polish was one of the few fashion-adjacent things I could do during my couch-bound days. At one point I had more than 60 different colors. Eventually I had to toss them out because it was impossible to use enough of a bottle before it dried up. I haven’t done more than a clear coat for years until the OPIs caught my eye with their shimmering samite sexiness.

The skirt is an a-line, box-pleated gold thread brocade midi number that I got from the same shop where I bought my fabulous floral pants suit. I bought it a couple of months ago specifically for the party and by the time I wore it it was loose. Just a size or so off, but because there’s some weight to it it wound up rather longer than it was when I bought it, hitting low on my shin rather than at the midpoint. That only makes me love it more. 😀

The ankle boots are 4 1/4″ platforms. You can imagine how horror-stricken I was when it decided to snow Friday night. It is yet another miracle that I didn’t find myself flat on my back 20 times before I made it to the safety of the party. I’ll tell you what, though, my feet didn’t hurt once. I never had to sneakily remove them or lean on OH to hobble around. I stomped that banquet hall like Allie and Theo doing a walk-off. 😆

Hi Milalin.Im so impressed that you are doing this while on dialysis. Im a nurse and my hubby was on haemodyalisis for two years.so I have a vague idea of what you are dealing with,
I suggest you talk to the nephrologist and the pharmacist. Review you metabolic supplements things like magnesium, chloride bicarbonate , calcium.the collective advice of a team of professionals might help. Also discuss with other patients for ideas and do your own tesearch so that you can ask well informed questions. Good luck.never give up.merry christmas

I’ve been secretly hoping you would model what glorious outfit you had planned for
the corporate Christmas party, Esnecca! Elegant and quirky, just my idea of how
to do your own thing…..I have a splendid jersey knit “little black dress” that I’ve
recently purchased (first dress in about 20 years!) that could definitely profit from
a pair of red tights…Do you remember where you got them from?
Love those snappy red boots, by the way 🙂

Thanks Allie, thanks for the list. I’m pretty good with that, I had been having avacado and I’m allowed 1/4 per day but if I have that there’s a whole list I can’t have that day like artichoke for ex. As I had t had the problem before I identified the shake and huge raw salads plus not boiling veges . I just got the result and it’s still too high but has come down significantly already. Plus that blood was taken before I dialysed so I’ll keep an eye on it. I’m sorry your husband is dealing with his heart condition too. I have had heart problems too. I have 2 cardiac stents and went flat at dialysis in my second week here. I’ve always dreaded doing haemo dialysis for this reason it’s much harder on the heart than peritoneal dialysis which I did up until about 6 weeks ago. I’m not too worried about Christmas Day as we are going to a buffet that will have seafood. I’ve learnt how to navigate buffets by now and I need to help my parents too. If there are nuts and cherries I’ll be in heaven. They always mean Christmas to me. I haven’t been drinking for a while and don’t really miss that now. It is extremely hot here so I tend not to want as much to eat, so I’m confident that by the time I get to sit down I’ll be ok with the diet. I wish you both a wonderful Christmas too.

Hi, Milalin, it’s good to know how you’re doing! I have much empathy for you with
respect to something as serious as renal failure, and I admire your spirit and the
example you are setting for your daughter, who must deal with this condition too.
I hope this information may be helpful to you. My husband has stage 3 heart failure,
and keeping his potassium levels high enough are important to the management of
this condition. Consequently, I’m well aware of high potassium foods. I wonder
if you have been eating any of these regularly and possibly contributing to your
high levels? I’m certainly not giving you medical advice, just a list of the top 10
potassium rich foods for your consideration:

1. Avocado 6. Dried apricots
2. Acorn squash 7. pomegranite
3. Spinach 8. coconut water
4. Sweet potato 9. White Beans
5. Wild Salmon 10. Bananas

Please stay in touch as you prepare for surgery in Jan. 2018

Merry Christmas,

Allie

Hi Donnaellen,

What a great way to start the new year! I add my voice to making any preparation you can fit in between now and your official start. I didn’t, just jumped straight in and ended up with carb flu for a couple of days and having to scramble to get all the delicious carbs out of the house. It worked out fine but would have been a littke less dramatic if I’d planned and eased in a bit.

I made the big ‘no alcohol for 8 weeks’ commitment at the start, and was quite worried about this element. I love good wine, it’s a part of most of my social get togethers and meals out, and meals in for that matter. It is summer here so perfect for delicious icy limey gin and tonics at the end of the day.

Anyway, I figured I owed it to myself to take this effort seriously and give myself the best chance to reclaim my health and vitality. I’m just starting week 6 of my first round and have maintained my no alcohol approach. Longest I’ve gone without wine since my two pregnancies some 30 years ago.

It’s not always easy, I’ve been in a couple of uncomfortable situations, where a friend has felt awkward to be drinking alone or someone at a function tried to apply pressure to get me to join in, and I would have to chant – ‘lordie, it’s only 8 weeks’ quietly to myself.

BUT, it has always felt just a little bit fabulous to be sticking to my commitment to myself. I just didn’t know what I was capable of until I gave it a real go.. And I’m quite sure no alcohol definitely gives your system more space to get on with healing and strengthening. I have never, ever, felt this good.

8 weeks goes by quickly but a lot of life happens in 8 weeks – we can each only do our best and the results keep coming.

See you in the new year!

Thank you Allie it’s been driving me nuts!
I’ll give you a bit of an update while I’m here. I still think I’m doing pretty well but have hit a few speed bumps. On Thursday my blood results showed my potassium was dangerously high. As a renal patient this is a bit different to the rest of you but it sent me into a bit of a tailspin. I’ve been really enjoying the bsl diet. Anyway after waiting 6 weeks the renal dietician finally turned up. Straight up “the diet is not renal “ etc . “Do Lo fat eat 5 x bread” etc so I said look at my weight loss, look at my bsl results…. to her credit she sat with me for about 11/2 hours and we went through everything I eat. All the wonderful salad and veges need to either be limited or boiled before use, meaning only small salads. I have been having a commercial diet shake for breakfast which I’ve now stopped. So I took her advice and started changing my diet but still basically following the BSD. I bought a loaf of heavy rye . I cut it super thin and had it as a snack on Saturday . Subsequently my BSL went to 12.2! And was hard to get down again. Today I’m waiting on blood results to see if the potassium is now down. I’ll update later. As long as I watch the potassium and phosphorus I think it should be doable. I know I feel much better on it. Hearing the whole do low fat eat more carbs , I know it doesn’t work for me. So have modified it a bit while I wait for the potassium result. I’m having a nut snack and a few other things as I was also told The 800 cal might also be causing the potassium to rise. We’ll see, wish me luck as it did upset me but I’m determined to sort this. I haven’t been weighing in to all the conversations here yet but I’m really enjoying all the tips and support.

Hey, Flick, you negotiated a much anticipated weekend like a rockstar! So, so well done!
It does get easier, doesn’t it?? Kazzi’s image of the yellow visceral fat is one that
everyone can appreciate, regardless of where they might be on this journey to wellness.

May you continue to pile success upon success!

Allie

Oh Esnecca – the rare miracle of the matching reds! I thought it was a myth. Not a ky are those boots totally gorgeous, that looks like a fabulous skirt. I cannot wait to reach my taget weight and discover what lovely new styles will suit my new fit, slim bod.

Yikes – nail polish, that hadn’t ocurred to me. I usually have painted toe nails (love Opi colours) but just clear finger nails. And here I have been admiring how much stronger my nails are. Yippee, something else stylish to play with.

Maybe enjoying it even more than you are, Essie. You are the pied piper, and where
you go, we follow!

🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie

Milalin, it stands for way of eating, and way of life.

I can hardly believe it ismthe end of week three of the December Challenge. Next weigh in will be Boxing Day and we’ll all be thinking about our New Year commitments and target.

Thanks to the massive .9kg whoosh on Saturday I’m happy to report Week 3 challenge drop of 1.1kg bringing me to 71.1kg. I’ve been this weight now for 4 days, so I’m hoping for another lovely whoosh before Boxing Day to get me close to my challenge target of 70kg. My other commitment was no alcohol and I’m not having too much difficultynwith that. My plan is no alcohol for thr full 8 weeks and with 5 completed I’m feeling good a out meeting thatbyarget.

Best news though, I have now lost 6cm from my waist and 5cm from my hips! Yippee.

I spent the weekend away with my scuba diving friends, starting with Christmas drinks party at the dive shop on Friday night followed by dinner with a couple of friends who were not heading to the coast with us on Saturday. I managed to stay on plan all weekend, however, following some other clever person on this forum who gathered up all the snacks she woukd have eaten in a day and put them in a tin, I made a list of all the things I would have eaten and alcohol I would have drunk from Friday to Sunday evening. And I have to say it is a startling and slightly gross list. Even with all the exercise undertaken over the weekend I would have been thousands of calories in excess of requirements and my poor old liver would have had to turn most of the food (vast majority of which would have been quite high quality but carb and sugar loaded) into fat while it dealt with the aocohol! 🤢🤢🤢

I’m going to keep this list and the vision of toxic yellow visceral fat at front of mind whenever a cheat day seems like a good idea or misplaced notion of a well earned reward.

WOE: Way of eating

WOL: Way of life

🙂 🙂 🙂

Hi everyone. I hope you are all doing well! I have a question, I might sound like an idiot. What does WOE:WOL -weight… stand for ?

Morning,

I can hardly believe it is the end of week 5 and begining of week 6. Where has the time gone?

As reported earlier, the 7 day stall finally broke last Saturday and while I’ve now been at that weight for 4 days, the whoosh means I have a good weight loss to report for this week. Here’s the run down –

Starting weight 78.3
End Week 4 – 72.2
End Week 5 – 71.2
Week 5 loss = 1.1kg
Total loss over 5 weeks = a whopping 7.2kg.

BMI starting point = 28.7 now 26.1

Now that is pretty thrilling but wait, there is more –

Starting waist measurement =90cm
End week 5 = 84cm 🌟🌟🌟🌟🎉🎉🎉🎉🤩🤩🤩 6 whole centimetres (2 and a bit inches!)
Starting Hip = 109cm
End week 5 = 104cm 🌟🌟🌟🌟🎉🎉🎉🎉🤪🤪🤪 5 lovely centimetres (a smidgenunder 2 inches)

I am starting to be able to see the difference.

In other news it is going to be 39o C here today, so I have no excuse but tomstay in doors and wrap presents.

Natalie, happily this WOE presents us with many options, low carb, 5:2 and Fast800,
and any and all permutations in between! I always see it as a learning curve, however
we choose to approach it. I’m an all or nothing perfectionist type, so I can only speak
to what has been successful for me. There are few aspects of life where I’m
comfortable not being in control, and for the first time in almost 2 decades I’m
the one calling the shots with respect to my body and diet. My only wish for everyone here
who is not happy with their weight or wellness is that they master the formula
for cracking their own personal “obesity code”. That’s one of the reasons why we
maintainers that have reached our objectives remain active on these threads, for
us it is a way of “paying it forward”. I didn’t even find these forums until I had already
lost an extreme amount of weight. Inspite of this fact, I was warmly welcomed into
the fold and it has been transformative. I DO and will continue to wish the same for
everyone on this journey, regardless of whatever news the scales deliver to us each
morning!
Be the best that you can be,

Allie

I prefer jus to gravy. It’s yummy and brothy and salty and you can tell what’s in it. Meat absorbs it far better than it absorbs gravy and you can convert leftovers into soup or add it to salad dressing to thin it out without needing to use high calorie oils.

There are no-carb solutions to making thick gravies, dressings and sauces, by the way. Xantham gum, guar gum and glucomann/konjac powder are all insoluble fiber so have zero net carbs. Sprinkle a tsp per cup of liquid and whisk hard until it disappears. Wait a couple of minutes. That’s all she wrote. You can see it visibly thicken before your eyes. I buy mine in bulk at the organic food store, but you can also easily find plant gums online.

Theo, I weep for your mother’s lost clothes. I hope they went to good homes even though it wasn’t yours. I’m very grateful that my mom develops sentimental attachment to clothes and has lugged them around every time they moved no matter how incovenient. I got her a vintage 100% cashmere cocoon coat from the 1960s for Christmas this year and already gave it to her (she was in desperate need of a properly warm winter coat) and she fell in love with it at first site. She immediately hit her closet of wonders and tore through it digging up a dozen old scarves, shawls, fur collars, stoles and even a mink muff. One gorgeous (and ENORMOUS!) embroidered silk Valentino scarf looked so chic and vibrant draped around her shoulders like a capelet. It was the greatest thing to see her enjoy her beautiful old clothes again as much as I have enjoyed them. 🙂

Thank you, ladies, for the lovely words about the thread. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it as much as I am.

Flick, we can most certainly talk about lipstick. I went to the store a few weeks ago to replenish my Biotin, Vitamin C and Magnesium Citrate supplements and walked out with 60 dollars worth of new lipsticks, glosses and liners, all as red as red can be. There may have been a bottle or two of different shades of red OPI nail lacquer in there too. 😀

I got a chance to take my shiny red lips out for a joyride to my guy’s office holiday party Friday night. Red turned out to be the dominant accent color, thanks to the new lippy and the Christmas miracle of my happy red tights being the exact same shade as my extremely hot red ankle boots. I bought them weeks apart and it didn’t even enter my my mind that they might match because they’re such different fabrics and besides, random reds never match. There’s always some variation. When I held them up against each other I was shocked and amazed at the perfect union.

https://s13.postimg.org/fbya10wqv/party.jpg

Yes, yes, yes, Natalie! Feeding up our loved ones with unhealthily made gravy isn’t
the way to show love. Serving jus is a fine idea! I’ve read recently on these forums that
“eating well/healthily is a form of self respect. I very much like that concept!

All best wishes for the new year,

Allie

Have had the week from hell, including a 41 hour day last Tuesday, so everything went out the window. Back on track as of today. Weight
: 78.6.

Recent studies in mice show that a restricted calorie diet can increase lifespan by 50%. Also, intermittent fasting (same total calories but only eating every second day) improves brain function. They are going to test 5:2 IF in humans.

Essie, I’ve had many replies using my new email account, so it might be possible
that I have not recorded your address correctly. No worries though, we can always reach each
other by phone. We have logged in several hours by now, all extremely enjoyable
on my end.
I never see your comments as peevish , but only as extremely valuable insights
on how you’ve made this WOL work for you. You have made me laugh, cry and
salute your indominable (sp?) spirit, and celebrate every joy and accomplishment with
you. You are an icon on this forum, and I’m just one of many that continue to learn
from you on a regular basis. Will talk soon, and hope to reschedule our evening
together in the near future 🙂 🙂 🙂 I can’t believe my good fortune in having you both
located in our area. A true gift to be grateful for!!
Turning everything back over to Lucia! You are a delight.

Allie

Wine isn’t a problem for me Donnaellen – but a world full of Doritos is!

Sorry Lucia for bringing down your happy thread! I will be joining you in breaking a few rules (and I’m not actually derailing my diet because I haven’t properly started yet). And yes you are wonderful.

I can’t quite drop this subject without responding to an issue. Esnecca you talk about a carb addicted person being stuck in an insulin spike cycle and them needing the BSD more than anyone, or words to that effect. Yes indeed. But…. so how do you end this. And don’t say ‘just don’t eat carbs’ to an addicted person, please! Does that work with heroin addicts? There is a scene in the movie As Good As it Gets where Melvin barges into his psychiatrist’s office and is told he isn’t allowed to do that. Melvin says “Dr Green, how can you diagnose someone as an obsessive compulsive disorder, and then act like I have some choice about barging in here?”

Alliecat apparently you just told your body that was the way it was going to be. Well I envy you that it worked! I’ve have done BSD before, on the good rounds I last around six weeks, try to be perfect, then slip and slip and slide away. Apparently my body doesn’t listen when I tell it no. Well, I’m not giving up and I’m about to try again. But it’s not just a matter of deciding.

Good luck Natalie. I have done it once….but not with any real commitment! And didn’t prepare for it. This time my husband will doing it too, so I can get all the junk food out of the house. Giving up my wine will be my biggest challenge.

Allie, I didn’t receive your email. I checked the spam folder and it’s not there either. Whether my post was on topic is debatable. Since it was a direct response to an ethos that is often unquestionably accepted in the wider world as well as on this forum, I thought it was very much on topic. Still, I take your larger point that you were too delicate to make, namely that this is Lucia’s thread to steer however she wishes. I’ll take myself and my holiday pet peeve out of the equation.

Great advice about using this week for preparation. I too am starting after Christmas (not my first time though, I’ve done BSD three (? I think) times before over the past two years) and I’m using this time to plan some meals and increase water.

Hello Donnaellen – there’s lots of support on the forum, which is populated by many friendly and supportive people. It certainly got me through some sticky times and eventually to my ultimate goal. Every four weeks, there is a four week challenge kicked off, which is definitely worth joining, as everyone posts a goal for the four weeks and reports on progress, supporting each other when things aren’t going well and helping you celebrate successes.

Could I suggest starting to cut out at least some of the carbs from your daily intake now, so that you begin to acclimatise – it may even result in a pound or two dropped, even before you start the BSD proper. It’s also worth making sure you are hydrating well, another step you can take before actually starting on this new way of eating.

Make good use of the forum, it’s a great place to vent when things are not going so well and someone will respond with advice and encouragement to help you push ahead and stick with it.

Have a great festive season and best of luck to you when you start the BSD properly.

Hi natalie,

Or lucia’s law, if you cant cope with brick size pieces of life
Go for lego sizes instead,

And they are more useful,
Colourful,
More connections
More creative
More imagination.

I who am wonderful are going to break all the rules,

I am going to have choclate
Pringles
Toast with real butter,

But not all in the one meal.

Over christmas.

Then one lego at a time , i will do the bs diet,
Bit by bit

I will recover and
Lose a bit more weight
Then get healthier.

Want to join me

Love lucia
Xxxx

Essie, this is very off topic for the thought provoking discussion in progress here today.
I’ve sent you a new email address that has the quirks worked out, and will appear
on your device as “allie’s functional email”, just in case it ends up in your spam!

I think it was inevitable that the subject of how to approach holiday eating would
eventually manifest itself. What I appreciate the most about fully embracing this
WOL for the past 17-18 months is that it has completely changed my tastes, and
after avoiding bread substitutes and sugar substitutes for the duration, they no
longer present a temptation for me. I feel no sense of missing out on the treats
available to me, and I don’t think I would have arrived at this empowered place if
I had allowed myself “treats” along the way. I simply informed my body that no
carbs or substitute carbs, no sugar or substitute sugar would be coming its way,
and it better get used to the new normal. There is no momentary gratification
that can possibly compete with wearing size small clothing or moving my body
effortlessly from place to place. It took me 17 years to gain 147 lbs. and 10 months
to get rid of it. Why would I change a single thing or take a single risk because of
a holiday??? It’s a non starter for me. I wish you all healthy choices and peace of
mind in the days ahead.

Merry Christmas 🙂

Allie