PS ummm – obviously “mist bad” friendly was meant to read “mostly bsd friendly”!!

And Allie, was obviously meant to read “what you feel”.

Bloomin predictive text😨

Hi folks,
Just returned home after our very sociable luncheon party. Ate and drank far too much, mist bad friendly, but in the service of putting on weight, I did have dessert – stupid really, as I was never really a “pud” person. Just really didn’t want anyone to think I had become a “faddy” eater! Other than that, it was a delicious lunch, although probably ate too much, albeit bsd friendly food

.PS – Allie, I don’t misunderstand you. We are kindred spirits, what you feelike, I feel. Love you xxx

PPS Verano, thank you for your kind words, but I do feel really uncomfortable about posting about losing too much/ not being able to regain weight when so many people are struggling. I feel as though I may come across as “smug” and that is certainly not how I feel.

What I actually feel is deep, abiding gratitude that I found this WOE and this forum before it was too late, but having my weight drop too low, I kind of feel as if posting about it may seem like boasting, and that is the last thing on earth I want to do. I just want everyone to benefit from this WOE. Xx

Verano, thank you for your words spoken with so much grace. I’ve been feeling that
I’m a little misunderstood recently, and you’ve put all of my fears to rest. I deeply
appreciate your understanding. It’s lovely to meet a true “lady”. 🙂

Allie

Hi all
As promised, I am reporting in after my first week. I have lost 4.7kg! I know that this rate of loss won’t continue, but I am pleased with the start I have made.
I hope everyone else is successful at their weekly weigh=ins, and look forward to hearing from you all.
Maggie

I have made labneh with all sorts of yogurt and would say that having one with live bacteria in not a factor in ending up with a curdy cheese. The process is simply separating the liquid from the solid , so it’s really just a drainage issue if the end product is too soft.

Just been reading this thread. I did have it ticked but must have unticked it somehow. You are all just so inspirational and I think I read that some of you want to leave other threads because you are complaining about not being able to gain and it’s unfair to those of us still losing. It isn’t!! Please don’t stop.

Essie, if I may call you that, you brought a tear to my eye, what a wonderful achievement. Indeed you have all achieved so much, it’s great to read your stories and be inspired by you.

We are all benefitting from bettter health being here so we must carry on regardless.

Wish I could still lose on as much as 1500 calories a day, KrysiaD. The only way I seem to be able to gain any extra wriggle room is to revert to the 800/20 ratio! On the upside, staying under my target weight doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue, I just need to make sure a have a few days a week keeping a weather eye on the carbs. Big bonus is that I don’t feel hungry or deprived, so it’s all good.

Hi Tony Californiagirl is absolutely right …. remission does indeed seem possible. My experience is not unusual. I was diagnosed with T2 about 6 years ago and after 3 months following the dietary advice from the doctor I was given metformin. Started at 1000mg a day and then increased to 2000mg slow release a day. In the middle of 2016 my diabetic nurse started talking about adding a second drug, a dear friend had lost a toe because of poorly managed T2 and was having problems with a second and I found the BSD book. So all these things happening at the same time were a real wake up call.

My diabetes was never really out of control. Pre metformin it was around 7.2, then with the drug settled at 6.4ish. I didn’t stop my medication when I started BSD but my BS dropped and kept dropping so in May this year my metformin was reduced by half, the next HbA1c was lower and then in August I became ‘drug free’. The last three months haven’t been the best for me. My weight is more or less stable, even if there is still too much of it, but I was probably having in excess of 50g of carbs a day on average. However my HbA1c had fallen yet again and is now 4.8!

I’m sure this has to be a lifetime change if Diabetes is to be kept in remission. Both my diabetes nurse and doctor are astonished at my results. Time alone will now tell. We have no way of knowing if those who have reversed their diabetes have stayed in the ‘normal’ zone because they have, in the main, stopped posting. I still need the support to stay on track so I think I’m here for the duration!

You are doing really well and yes remission is possible but I think it may take a lifetime of vigilance to remain ‘free’.

KrysiaD, thanks for the feedback on the kefir, because I love it and don’t want to drop it. Doing better today and think things should be pretty much back to normal BUT after a 4 day fast and eating very sensibly and low carb over this 3 day Thanksgiving holiday, I am at the same place I started before the fast. Was down 5 1/2 lbs at the end of the fast then crept back up day by day to where I started. I know that it is just not possible to not have lost any real weight after all that….so am patiently waiting it out. I know its going to show up at some point. I love the saying on a plaque I once saw: “God give me patience….but please hurry up”. That about sums it up for me.

Its now 11:15 and off to prepare my first meal of the day. Finding this suits me well. No breakfast but black coffee, big meal at 11:30 and lite supper at 5 is. All eating for the day done by 6:30. The evening cravings are a thing of the past and for that I am very pleased. I used to think I just could not possibly go to bed on an empty stomach. This WOE has changed all that. Just not really hungry any more and falling asleep not contingent on a full belly.

Love to all.

Go Tony! You are doing fantastically well, especially with the strain and stress of travel added to it all.
I think there are several people here who can give you full assurance on the issue of remission of the diabetes — hopefully Verano, Esnecca, Allie cat and others who have become diabetes-free will check in. Also read the old Bill1954 thread — it has a clear account of Bill’s beating his diabetes.
It will be fun to hear what the airlines consider a “diabetic meal” — let us know.

Tony, sounds like everything is headed in the right direction for you. To make you feel even better, you might want to watch this video of Michael Mosely’s Horizon program (on YouTube). I rewatch it every time I need a little bump of encouragement. Such a well done, interesting and informative program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihhj_VSKiTs

Yes you can reverse your type II diabetes but it can come roaring back if you put the weight back on and start eating significant carbs again. That is why so many on this forum talk about a Way of Eating and not a diet….it is a lifetime thing, but a lifetime on the mediterranean diet sound just fine to me.

Hi buggerlugs, long time since I have heard that term – I’m from Yorkshire in England and it was a common phrase when I was a kid. As for the calories versus carbs I can only tell you what I found. If you have the book and you cut out all the white carbs like wheat, rice, bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta, sugar and any processed foods AND try to keep to 800 calories the carbs will pretty much take care of themselves. Some do go for 20 grams but I found the juggling act to get enough calories at that low level caused me such a headache. Even with the good carbs you are likely to make some mistakes i.e. not realising how many carbs are in a carrot for instance. You will also eat good carbs and make mistakes with the calories i.e. how many calories in an apple or avocado. Do what I do and share and apple or an avocado with your husband. My husband is also a TOFI and not much wrong with him until he went to the doctors this week and found he is on the edge of pre-diabetes.

Good luck with the diet and dont hesitate if you have any questions. You might try the search engine first as many people have asked and many people have answered so they might just already be there for you. But dont worry if you ask something that has been dealt with before, it is always good to remind people who are new to this. We are all learning all the time.

Well done and good luck for the next 4 weeks. Enjoy Christmas dinner, it is only one day??????

Hi all, I havent gone away. Can report another small loss of quarter of a pound, not much but not bad for the weekend. Today I weigh exactly the same as I did when I saw my doctor nearly 3 months ago and still have 2 weeks to lose weight before my next visit. That means I have lost any weight gained over my UK visit holiday in October and having visitors here in September with lots of meals out.

I might join the next challenge for the weeks before I go away (19th December) and look forward to there being a challenge for January just in case 🙂

Bonne continuation pour le weekend a tous. Or should that be bon continuation as the weekend is masculine but then again ‘continuation’ is a feminine word. Oh what the heck, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Hi, all. Congratulations to those of you who are reporting significant losses during this
challenge! It is a confidence builder, isn’t it?

Marsie, thanks to you for setting up the next challenge. It will be great to see you posting
again! May I join you? I’m on month 7 of maintenance now, but I don’t feel confident
with it yet. Like Theo, my problem is not weight rebound, but trying to stabilize and not
continue to drop an extra 2lbs. each month. Thanks to the great suggestions that I
have received, I’ve been able to stay constant for 10 days! I don’t know what I thought
maintenance would look like after dumping 10+ stone, but I’m certainly not finding it
as easy as some 🙂

I’ll be watching out for cleverly named new thread!

Allie

Hello everyone, have been offline again for a couple of days, rather time poor recently. Consequently, I’ve not caught up with all your news although two jumped out at me …..
SueBlue, how exciting! Congrats. Now it’s KOKOODAAT😊

Also, arcticfox, good news, well done.

Re our next challenge, I’ll get the new topic opened up tomorrow so we can move straight over after our Tuesday weigh-in reports. Look for:

BUSY, BUSY WITH SANTA’S ELVES, WHILE CARING GENTLY FOR OURSELVES: 4week challenge ending 26 December”.

Theodora – my coat probably belongs in the charity shop also. But it is so useful for dog walking – especially on the coast. No rain here but it is bitterly cold.

I am very envious that you are struggling to stop your weight from dropping further. To lose weight since I have been on maintenance I have to lower my calories to 1500/1600 a day. It goes down ok as long as I stick to that level.

Essie, I’m generally known as Theo, or TJ (initials), by friends and as we are friends, please feel free to do likewise 😃

Jackie, I agree with you entirely, the junk we feed our children these days is deplorable! There should be a law against it!! Youngsters of today are reckoned to be the first generation not to have a longer expected lifespan, despite medical advances, than their parents! And many will predecease their parents! All because of diet. Appalling, frightening and something we need to get a grip on NOW before it’s too late! At least we have seen the light – we must spread the word. Eating healthy food is enjoyable. Moving / exercise (preferably in the fresh air) is fun. Good health is a blessing not to be squandered. Sorry, off my soapbox now, but I do feel passionately about it, and the dreadful legacy we are leaving our children and our children’s children.

Krysia, I too have had a long coastal dog walk, layered up like the Michelin man (remember him?) with an old waterproof on top as rain was forecast, and the waterproof still DROWNED me😃 Think it belongs in the charity shop!

Another pound gone today, so back to 11lbs wriggle room. Just can’t seem to hang onto the small gains😢 But out to a luncheon party today, so hopefully the pound – or maybe even 2 – will be back by tomorrow. Can’t believe I’m whinging about losing weight!!!!

Have a good Sunday everyone.

Theo xx

Hi, I’m in pretty much the same situation as Miss Muffet, although I luckily only have 2.5 stone to loose. I was diagnosed T2 3 years ago, but was only just over and although I followed (UK) NHS diet guidelines at the beginning I lapsed and wasn’t too worried as I have no symptoms.

However, although I still have no symptoms, my numbers were well up this time and the doctor has put me onto 4 metformin, so I really need to get a grip before it gets any worse. I know this isn’t a good time of year to start, but I’m going to do it, and I’ve already worked out how I can cope with most events that I’ll be going to. The tricky ones are likely to be Christmas lunch with my sister-in-law, where to refuse pudding could cause a major family incident, and New Year, for similar reasons.

If I do really well, I aim to be close to my target for an amateur productions of Spamalot that I am performing in late January. It will be good to look nice in the photos, not lumpy!!

I’ve been attempting 16:8 daily, then having between 800 – 1000 calories per day (mostly!) and the weight and measurements are slowly going down, which is good. But I was just wondering, if I have some protein powder with almond milk (the only milk I like) in the morning will that be breaking my 16:8?

JackieM – that would have been me also. Once I started on the sugary stuff it turned into a sugar orgy. In the months prior to being hospitalized with undiagnosed out of control diabetes – I had real sugar cravings all the time
.

Every evening on my way home from teaching Pilates I would drop in to a service station and stock up on sweet rubbish. I remember being mortified when the young man serving me said ‘ you really must stop doing this – it is so bad for you’. I felt like an out of control addict – but I had no idea how to stop it. There was no BSD then.

Esnecca – what a lovely reaction from your mother and father. They must be so happy that you can now look forward to a healthy life. I do feel, however, that even though good health is our priority – nothing feels better than putting on our slim clothes.

Today I put on a warm winter jacket that I zipped up with difficulty 2 years ago. I couldn’t wear a warm fleece under it. Today I wore a vest, a thermal base layer, a fleece top and a fleece jacket underneath it. There was still loads of room – I could have added even more fleeces. It is cold here in Norfolk – but I must admit I was a little too warm on the dog walk.

Tonight I clicked the “Diabetes Meal” option for my flight from Hong Kong to London on Wednesday. I have no idea what that will be though, and suspect it won’t be up to scratch when not comes to the BSD.

In other news my blood ketone level is 1.5 mmol/L. I am pretty pleased with this, although the weight loss is slowing.

Today I managed 25,000 steps, 100 mins on the exercise bike and 20 mins on the rowing machine. Pretty happy with that. 🙂

End of week 4 for me. This diet certainly has me shedding the pounds and feeling great. 1.3 stone down! I might have to tweak my goal as I’m ahead of schedule for my 10kg loss for Christmas.

Summary of progress to date:

Week 1: 3.9kg (8.6lbs)
Week 2: 1.7kg (3.7lbs)
Week 3: 1.3kg (2.9lbs)
Week 4: 1.6kg (3.5lbs)

Total: 8.5kg (18.7lbs)

I don’t have much more to lose, so I expect losses will be smaller for the second half of my BSD800. I’d be delighted with to manage a further 4kg loss.

My 8 weeks end on Christmas Eve, and I’m really looking forward to Christmas Dinner where I can up my intake (staying low carb mind!)

I admit I just eat 2 hard boiled eggs in the morning, – best breakfast on the go ever!

Morning all, what a lovely Thanksgiving story Esnecca. Your dad must be so proud of you and so relieved you are in a healthy zone.

I weigh 1/2kilo more today than yesterday, which is weird as yesterday I ate with big gaps and not to excess. The only thing I can think is 1) fluids 2)ate at Wagamamas and had a curry (no rice) but maybe more calories than it seemed. Anyway, I often fluctuate like this so I have no doubt I’ll be lower again soon.

I was herding teenagers around the 02 in London. What a lot of crap food they have on offer there. And the girls came with their own money and seemed intent on inflicting damage on themselves. I treated them to something in Starbucks and they had some horrific choc/fudge/cream confection and I kind of felt OK at least that’s them done – THEN they bought themselves some sweets, THEN some had icecream (luckily the sizes are tiny and the cost is high and I had my daughters purse at that point and she could tell I was about to blow) and then asked if they could have candy floss at which point I just said no. But all around me there were small (5-8 yo), overweight girls stuffing themselves as the candy floss/popcorn/icecream vendors peddled their wares and their parents complied. What is even HAPPENING to this world?!

Of course back in the summer I would probably have been involved in some if not all of the sugar orgy, so I know exactly what’s going on. I do wonder if politicians need to get involved though – sugar tax?! – the willpower of the individual v mega companies seems a pretty unfair fight to me.

Luvtcook – I have Kefir every day and it definitely doesn’t cause ‘transit problems’. I agree with other posters that upping fibre and water is the key and you have been given some good suggestions that really will work.

Arcticfox – well done for getting below 13 stone – and well done for avoiding the sugary and starchy carbs at your meeting. Hope your horse gets better soon.

Hello,
I live in Australia, and my husband and I have just started the blood sugar diet.
We are confused about whether we need to be counting carbs or calories. I know the BSD relies on 800 calories a day, but how many carbs should one aim to eat to have a low carb diet? We have researched a fair bit and have found that to lose weight you roughly need to aim for 20g of carbs. I need to lose weight, while my husband is a TOFI….thin outside and fat inside, been diagnosed with Type 2.
We would very much appreciate any guidance or help that more experienced people may have.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Best wishes
Buggerlugs

Hi AnnieW the Milbona I have is just Natural Greek yogurt not Greek style but I have no idea if it’s live or not! I prefer Total but it’s not available where I am. You. Could be right about the bacteria.

Oh, right. Sorry about that whole two countries separated by a common language thing. 😀

Thank you! To paraphrase an old adage, if I can do it after two decades of paralysis, you can do it too. Things can and will change for you, even things you’ve thought immutable, just like they did for me. There’s a forum full of people here who know what you’re going through and are happy to give you whatever support you need. Eyes on the prize, Miss Muffet!

Yes I understood that. I was congratulating you on weighing 119lbs which is 8.5 st xx

I didn’t lose 119 pounds. That’s my current weight. I lost at least 200. 🙂

Wow Esnecca! That 8.5 stone! (14lbs in a stone) that’s an amazing achievement.

Sarahkeay Congratulations on your baby, my high blood pressure started when I was pregnant and it never came down. I have a joke that I’m still trying to loose my baby fat…..and my baby is 29! Lol!

I’m overwhelmed by the kind words and support xx

Jackie, isn’t fitting into that size S the greatest? I’m still amazed when a sweater fits easily over my head and floats to my hips without impediment. I’m so glad you went shopping and got to enjoy one of the sweetest payoffs of all your hard work. 🙂

Theodora (please do call me Essie, I always want to call you Theo because I think it sounds cool :D), I think you’re very right that it’s about the reclaiming of my health and happiness that moved my mother. The hot outfit was just a symbol. My father broke into the warmest, slowest smile as I walked down stairs. It was like I was going to the prom or something! A lovely moment I will cherish forever.

I heartily second the motion on the table as regards a hot booties photo section. Perhaps we should clarify for the mods that we are referring to footwear, however, not body parts. 😆

Nonna Mary, you’re going to be hitting the shops like nobody’s business very soon, all the more excitedly because it’s been such a big effort on your part to get there. Next Thanksgiving you can come over to my parents’ house and enjoy some fabulous roast turkey and tell us all about your father’s mastery of the bird.

I really did, SunnyB. It was such a warm and positive atmosphere and a great time was had by all, carbers and low-carbers alike. 🙂

Vinegar brining is a quick and dirty shortcut to make pickles. The kind you find in a grocery store are almost all like that. Traditional pickles, on the other hand, are raw, unpasteurized and fermented using a saline fluid and various spices alone. They’re sour but that’s from the extraordinarily healthy lacto-bacilli produced in the fermentation process. There is zero vinegar involved. I used to hate dill pickles too, but after a few weeks on the Fast 800 and the complete elimination of sugar from my diet, I started to crave it. Then I found the real fermented pickles (and kimchi, garlic sauerkraut, horseradish leek kraut, gingered carrots, red cabbage kraut, even beets) and they were a complete revelation to me. Now I can’t let a day go by without eating at least 3 fermented products.

I’m not saying you should run right out and find some properly fermented pickles. I doubt you’ll find them all that different from the vinegar brined crap because it’s probably not the acetic acid that’s really bugging you so much as the sour flavor it imparts which vinegar mimics on the cheap. I am saying that you should keep an open mind and not get too hung up on your old habits. You wouldn’t be considering so drastic a lifestyle change as the BSD if your old habits were something work clinging to. Your tastes change enormously when you cut out sugar and refined carbs. If you’re anything like me, you won’t even recognize yourself because of how profoundly altered your palate has become.

Good luck!

Miss Muffet, I weighed more than 300lbs at 5’2″. I avoided the scale for years so I don’t know what my highest weight was, at least 320lb, I have good reason to believe. Today I weigh 119lbs, less than I weighed in high school. That’s what? Fourteen+ stone? It took me a year and a half, 14 months of it on the Fast 800. Admitting that I was killing myself and had to confront a hideous reality unflinchingly was the most important step, and you’ve done that. I second Californiagirl. Cutting your carbs to below 20 grams while enjoying lovely healthy fats and proteins will break a very long-standing, entrenched pattern of pernicious dieting while giving you a feeling of true satiety that is simply impossible to achieve while eating bad carbs of any kind. In your case, it should also help drop that terrifying blood sugar figure as quickly as possible.

Sarahkeay, I’d never heard of Graze so I looked it up. It’s quite high in carbs thanks to ingredients like cashews (one of the worst of all nuts, carb-wise), rice flour and two different kinds of sugar (maltodextrin and sucrose). Given your history of gestational diabetes, you might need to be extra vigilant about hidden sugars and simple carbs. I understand women who have experienced GD are at great risk of developing diabetes even if it cleared up post-partum. I’m insulin resistant and it wasn’t until I found the BSD and started monitoring the ingredients and carb count of everything I ate, eliminating all sugars and white carbs, that I finally reversed 20 years of steady weight gain and went from moribdly obese to my high school weight in just over a year.

I know from bitter personal experience how denial can become like an old, comfy blanket we wrap ourselves in, and the pattern of gorging the night before “starting a diet” is just another form of avoidance. It’s also a deadly trap because carbs spike insulin which scrapes the glucose out of your blood which makes you crave more carbs and on and on it goes. Cutting them drastically (20 grams or fewer a day, none from wheat, cereals, grains, sugar, starchy veg) can break that pattern better than anything else.

Good luck! Don’t be afraid of the calorie restrictions and counting. It may feel unfamiliar and scary, but it is liberation.

I’ve not made this but wonder if the yoghurt used needs to be “live”? I stopped buying Milbona and went back to Total because, as far as I could find out, although it tastes good Milbona is not live – no bacteria in it. (Milbona is Greek style – don’t know if the word style makes the difference.) No experience, just a thought.

Wow, I’m not completely sure what is happening other than a bit of a strange week, but while every 100g of weight loss was quite hard won at the beginning of the month, I’m certainly losing now. I’ve lost a whole kg since last reporting in on Tuesday. While I have been trying to get on more of a 5:2 pattern, in reality my eating has been all over the map this week. I had a fast day on Tuesday and I intended to break that fast on Wednesday morning by eating breakfast at work shortly before a 9am meeting I was scheduled to be in. Unfortunately my one route to work was blocked by a load of marble countertops that had fallen off the back of a truck and I didn’t get there until 9:30, so no time to eat and I ended up breaking the fast at noon instead. Then on Wednesday night, I was noticing indications that my horse was getting sick, so went back to the yard where I keep him on Thursday morning to check on him, and he was definitely sick. I had to wait for the vet to come and didn’t get to work until 11am, and was so hungry that I ended up eating my breakfast and lunch back to back, which was just as well because I had to be in a meeting for the afternoon where there were lots of sugary and starchy carbs on offer as snacks, and as I was satisfied, I was able to just ignore them completely. I was really on 16:8 for those two days. Then Friday I fasted again. Other than Thursday morning, I haven’t been hungry at all, even when fasting and I’ve been feeling really good and mentally alert as well. I’m sticking to low carb mediterranean type food when I’m not fasting but not calorie counting, just eating to satiety. I’m down to 82.4kg this morning, so only 400g to go to meet my mini weight goal for this challenge. When I convert that to lbs, I have lost exactly 20lbs since starting on September 24th, and I have finally managed to get below 13 stone (12st 13.8lbs)! I’m thrilled because this means that maybe by the time my horse gets better I’ll be light enough to actually ride him without putting undue strain on him. I’m not going to meet my goal of losing 2 inches off my waist, but the measuring tape this morning may have been showing a 1/4 inch lost so at least it is finally moving in the right direction.

Hi there,

My daughter turns 6 months old tomorrow and it is my line in the sand. I had gestational diabetes in pregnancy and like you have been in denial. I have the typical – harmful fat around the middle. I always think ‘I’ll start tomorrow’ which means I feast the night before with the result I Form a good intention most days and feast most days. I am about 20 kg ( 3 stone ) overweight and it affects my mood. 4 weeks tomorrow until Christmas Eve and I’d like to have lost 4 – 5 kg by then.

The thing that has worked for me is this:

Seaweed snacks – 20 kcal per pack but so deeply savoury it is oddly satisfying
Graze veggie power protein boxes ( 130 kcal per box )

Black tea. I can’t drink normal tea bag tea black as it’s tannic and vile and gives me nausea but proper ( expensive ) black tea is DELICIOUS. It’s the only way I’ll drink it black and I crave it.

Good luck!

Hi, MissMuffet, and a very warm welcome to the forums! As one of the “biggest
losers” here, I know your story, and you have indeed found the way forward. Spend
as much time as you can reading different forums, join the new thread about to
begin in Dec., ask every question you can think of! We maintainers love to share
our knowledge with new BSDers. Californiagirl, I recommend Gary Taubes’ book
as often as you do. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but it revolutionized
how I think about food and nutrition forever. I’ve never looked back, and you can
do so too, MissMuffet. Good luck to you!!!!

Allie

Drastic things call for drastic measures, Luvtcook. Magnesium tablets for today, I
think! In the summer I use an extra spice/coffee bean grinder to pulverize the nibs
(also high in fiber) and combine with raspberries (high in fiber) and grass fed whey
protein powder (from Dr. Axe online store) to make a smoothie. Most of the year I
add to greek yogurt along with chia seeds. Because I have cardiomyopathy (enlarged
heart) I am ever mindful of keeping the balance between calcium, magnesium and
potassium as correct as possible. Husband needs this too! Let us know how you
are getting on with solving this problem. I’m sympathetic. My idea of a big blow out
treat these days is to put a tsp of cacao nibs on top of a plump, dried apricot half,
fold it over, and shove into my mouth. Nirvana! But only 1!

Hi, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the weekend…….We’re off to take a walk down by the river. There’s a nice boardwalk, and it’s a lovely crisp day.

Kazz, I’m sorry to hear about the leg/foot cramps. I hope that the soap tip works for you!
I’m picturing you outside today working on the leaves. My father was a big believer in
“free labor” so as children we were always enlisted for our servics on Autumn weekends.
Our own lawn was several acres of landscaped property with at least 12 mature oaks
on the property, so too much work for jim and I, left basically to the weekend. If it
rained, we were pretty much doomed. Consequently, our lawn service did it after the
first year. When I’m “allowed” access to the computer in the study I’ll reply. I got a chance
to read thru your email last night, and I’m sincerely grateful. You are so bright,
perceptive and intuitive, I knew you would be able to help me make the best decision
for me. More on that, later 🙂 Since you and friend Mary both enjoy Sat. night programming
of “Dancing…”, would it be fun to skype and watch it together?? It makes me happy to
think so 🙂 🙂 🙂

Love to all,

Allie

Hi, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the weekend…….We’re off to take a walk down by the river. There’s a nice boardwalk, and it’s a lovely crisp day.

Kazz, I’m sorry to hear about the leg/foot cramps. I hope that the soap tip works for you!
I’m picturing you outside today working on the leaves. My father was a big believer in
“free labor” so as children we were always enlisted for our servics on Autumn weekends.
Our own lawn was several acres of landscaped property with at least 12 mature oaks
on the property, so too much work for jim and I, left basically to the weekend. If it
rained, we were pretty much doomed. Consequently, our lawn service did it after the
first year. When I’m “allowed” access to the computer in the study I’ll reply. I got a chance
to read thru your reply last night, and I’m sincerely grateful. You are so bright,
perceptive and intuitive, I knew you would be able to help me make the best decision
for me. More on that, later 🙂 Since you and friend Mary both enjoy Sat. night programming
of “Dancing…”, would it be fun to skype and watch it together?? It makes me happy to
think so 🙂 🙂 🙂

Love to all,

Allie

Welcome to the end of your thirty years of useless diets Miss Muffet — this way of eating is going to revolutionize your health, your weight and your life.
So good that you are “just starting”, even though it is the holidays! You are absolutely correct, there is no “good” time to start (well I take that back, the good time to start is NOW but you have already done that!)
Even if the holidays throw you a couple of curve balls, if you just go right back to it again and again, it will become second nature — then the weight loss and how good you feel will motivate you. Just don’t quit — that’s the only way this diet doesn’t work.
As you are feeling some hunger, the best way to get that under control is to get your daily carbohydrate count way way down — as low as 20 grams of carbohydrate per day. It will take a bit of time but you will quickly memorize carb counts and you will find your weight loss is quick and your hunger subsides.
I’m probably a broken record by now but I always recommend new starters get a copy of Gary Taubes book “Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It” because it is an excellent description of what we have done wrong in our diets and how to wrap our heads around a new way of eating (low carbohydrate and more good fats). It is a great companion book to the BSD book.
I drink Gerolsteiner sparking water because tap water tastes like pond water to me. Try that if you are struggling to drink water. It also has high mineral content, 25% of daily calcium, good all round.
There are a lot of stories here that mirror your own — you are in good company. Welcome and good for you in just starting!! You are going to amaze yourself.

Thank you all!
I drink my tea black anyway and have done for 20 years, I hate milk in my tea, yuck! So that’s something in my favour.
Oh yes my water definitely tastes of something, probably all the chemicals they put in it to clean it lol! I’ll keep sipping it though 🙂 xx

Jacki M that will be a great and easy alternative,
Thank you!

Phew…spent the day with two snotty, coughy grandies again. They are so lovely even as they are…how does so much gunk come out of such small noses? Anyway…knackered now.

Kazz…bloody well done and thank goodness for the weight loss…but then…you do work hard so you deserve it !

I am going to enjoy Strictly and I’m a Celeb tonight.

Take care everyone.

Love Mary xxx

Allie, all suggestions welcomed. Have been low carbing for about 5 yrs and never ran into this issue before per eating LOTS of veg. The cocoa nibs sound like a great option for daily maintenance. Will give that a shot. Magnesium pills and psyllium for today I am afraid.

By the way…how do you do your nibs? What do you put them on as I assume you aren’t just swallowing them with gulps of water. On yogurt ….or ricotta?

Miss Muffet I make myself a pitcher of black tea and just let it set on the counter and drink glasses of it through the day…have stopped even bothering with sugar (or ice as we Americans do) and just have it room temp. It works for me and is reported to help with weight loss. See info posted on the Livestrong website (which also has a free option to track your calories, carbs and protien if you wish).

“Research published so far suggests that black tea has the potential to support weight loss. The digestive enzyme lipase is inhibited in laboratory animals that consume black tea flavonoids. Since fats aren’t digested without lipase, some dietary fats are eliminated from the body rather than absorbed. When lab mice were fed a high-fat diet, the animals receiving a higher dose of black tea polyphenols lost more weight than the group that got fewer polyphenols, reported Nutrition in 2011”.

Luvtcook – I’m sorry you haven’t resolved this uncomfortable situation. I certainly
don’t want to be a nag, please forgive me, but I take 1 tb of raw cacao nibs every
day FOR the magnesium! 🙂

Miss Muffet – diet coke or any other diet drink will send your BG (blood glucose) sky high, it has the same effect on the body as sugar because the liver cannot differentiate. My daughter bought a water bottle with a central bit to put fruit into so you can say, put in 2 or 3 strawberries and get a fruity flavour.