Latest forum posts

  • posted by  Esnecca on Bread breakfast
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    You don’t want to eat eggs every day but you do want bread every morning? I suspect repetitiveness isn’t the problem. It’s the carb withdrawal making you crave breakfast toast. That being the case, you might want to try varying your breakfast with something that is not the drug that drove you to BSD rehab in the first place. Greek yogurt and berries, say, or coconut cream chia pudding or smoked salmon with capers and a thinly sliced green onion drizzled with 14 grams of cream cheese thinned out with the juice of half a lemon. Break out of the mold a little. It’s rewarding, I promise you.

    To answer your question, there are commercial low carb breads out there, yes. I used them as a crutch quite often when I first started the BSD. Eventually I found I no longer cared enough to bother with the expensive online orders and since I love to cook and have easy access to ingredients, when I do want a “bun” for a burger or a buttered muffin with my omelette I just make one. I gather from your Sainsburys and £10 references that you are in the UK. All my sources are US-based, but these sites have a couple of options for you: https://www.carblife.co.uk/carblife-bakery/ , http://www.sugarfreemegastore.com/acatalog/Fresh-Bread.html . I’ve tried several Great Low Carb Bread Company products and the plain bagels aren’t bad at all. Also Joseph’s Mini Pita Bread and Mama Lupe’s Tortillas.

  • posted by  Verano on Bread breakfast
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi I think it may be best if you try to think of life ‘without’ bread just for the moment. Most people find that you just have to go cold turkey and cut out simple carbs like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. Lots of people have Total (fage) full fat Greek yogurt with some berries and maybe some nuts for breakfast if you don’t fancy a protein breakfast. I have that or an eggy breakfast occasionally with smoked salmon, or a kipper, or smoked haddock and an egg and I’m sure others will add their favourites……???

  • Marianne

    A good website is fatesecret.co.uk where you can record your daily intake of calories carbs etc and get great nutritional information about all sorts of foods. Also you can put in your own recipes into the ‘cook book’ section and it will work out the carbs etc for you. Some of the recipes in the book don’t have accurate calorie etc, counts so be a bit wary. Best of luck to you and your family on your journey.

  • posted by  Pancita on Bread breakfast
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Maybe someone else can recommend a suitable loaf.
    But I’m not sure the “alternatives” are helpful. They’re likely to be a bit pants compared to the original version (and your mindset doesn’t change). I had a recipe book for paleo, someone lent it to me. The bread was made with about 100 probiotic capsules and an awful lot of expensive, ground-up things as flour substitutes. I buy a lovely, 4-ingredient, small sourdough loaf once in a blue moon. We enjoy a bit fresh, then toasted, then as breadcrumbs, then it’s gone til the next time. Each to their own!
    Why are eggs your only option? Can’t you eat yogurt? Avocado? Smoked fish? Nuts? Even baked beans?

  • Hi, I too am starting the BSD tomorrow! (I have breakfast sorted but probably need to do a bit of planning!). I’m 52, 5’5”, 13st 10, on BP tablets, narrowly avoided being prescribed statins by my doctor last week and pre diabetic! So unless I do something and soon I think I shall be in the same boat as you (frightening situation).

    It’s incredibly scary though because I have many failed dieting attempts behind me and my mind wants to tell me why do you think this time’s going to be any different? But I have to try again so that I don’t feel quite so helpless.

    Hubby will be doing this as well as he’s been diagnosed with kidney disease and needs to lose weight too (he has an iron will and no problems sticking to it; what is it with men?!!!). I don’t think my two grown sons will take kindly to it as they have quite physical jobs.

    I shall be relying on the book and this site as I don’t have a smartphone (about the best mine will achieve is the calculator function!!).
    I love cooking (part of my downfall) and am looking forward to making some of the recipes.

    So I will follow your posts with interest and see if we share the same experiences.

    Tootlepips and have a good Tuesday!

    Marianne

  • Hi KazzUK

    Thank you so much for your welcome and good wishes.

    I think the hardest part for me is sorting out the food plan and doing the shopping list. So that has been done and I hope as weeks go, it will be come easier.

    Will keep you all posted with my journey. And my family as well. They are on board at the moment 🤗
    First day done, organised for tomorrow.

    Positive thinking.
    Welshannie

  • Weigh day again! It seems to come around so quickly 😊

    63.4 today, 0.9kg or 2lb gone. I’d like to say gone forever but I am in one of those seesaw periods where everything returns for an encore.

    I am a little disappointed because I have not only been strict with myself, I had an extended fast of 48 hours due to a tummy bug. I was kinda hoping for the silver lining but oh well, it’s still a loss.

    I don’t post much but I read every comment and they all help me stay on the path so thank you all and crossing my fingers that you have the results you’re looking for.

  • MnM thank you. Yes you are a bit younger than me! I am really encouraged that skin tone can keep improving for up to two years. So encouraging. I have to be honest at the moment it’s just bingo wings but, the visions that spring before me, from gastric bypass surgery, are truly frightening!

    Allie strangely enough Captainlynne is a ‘captain’ in the Salvation Army, not sure if you know of that in the US but it’s a Christian organisation. I think her talk of make up etc was more a result of her being featured in the Daily Mail as a great loser on BSD. I think somebody posted the link to that article on another thread, maybe Remember, Remember. She did so well, she was very generous with her help for us newbies at the time and I was sorry that she had to come back. I’m even more sorry that she did come back only briefly as she probably needed our support but didn’t stay around for us to help her. She had been having a rough time.

    If you are out there Captainlynne come back and say hello!

    Lots of people have come and gone on these boards and you often wonder if they made it, in the long term, and are living the ‘dream’ or have fallen by the wayside, and need help but are too ‘ashamed ‘ to come back.

    We are all still here continuing our journey, whatever that may be, but the important thing is we are all still here giving/taking advice and help. That’s why we are all succeeding!

  • posted by  Veiled1 on Bread breakfast
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    I am struggling about breakfast. I have done a week now, and I dont wnt egg every day, I dont have time to cook and im not so good at it anyway. Is there any bread we can eat? Any bread we can make without weird stuff for ingredients. Went to sainsburys today with a list of ingredients for low carb bread and couldnt find any of it. Saw a bag of almond flour in the health food shop but it was tiny and £10!
    Please someone tell me there is a ready made low carb bread out there……

  • posted by  Dreamscometrue on Starting in January 2017 – Anyone?
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Hi everyone

    Thanks for getting in touch Theodora and lovely to hear updates now and again from all that are still on this thread. I’m good: am well and happy and have a renewed determination to get to my goal – which is the same as yours CC. Well done you on getting so close – you have inspired me to keep trying.

    I’m basically on maintenance but would like to shift those last few pounds so have been stepping it up a bit over the last few days and am now touching 10 stone. What I find is that I get to a significant point then wobble around it for a while before it stabilises. So I’m hoping to fix on 10 stone very soon then start getting beneath: will keep you posted.

    But whatever the numbers say, I’m so glad to have found this WOE. I feel so much better and have tons more energy – have even started jogging which I’ve never been able to do before but seem to manage now 🙂 I love that you can have the occasional indulgence then rein it back in as needed. And as others have previously remarked, once you start eating more healthily it has a cumulative effect in that you no longer want to stuff yourself with crap the rest of the time!

    Good luck everyone and do keep in touch X

  • Mixnmatch, I really appreciate all the contributions that you make to
    these forums. It’s interesting that you bring up captainlynne. When
    I first started reading posts on this forum I heard of her spectacular
    story. I took the time to read thru all of her past replies hoping to
    gain some additional knowledge by doing so. I read about reversing
    T2D, a huge accomplishment indeed! Shortly before she stopped
    posting, only to briefly return several months later to report a gain
    of 17lbs, I noticed that a lot of her posts were focused on vanity
    issues like make-up consultations, pencil skirts, hair stylists,
    wardrobe consultations and the like, and no longer had much
    to do with overall health. This made a big impression on me,
    believe it or not, and I’ve been determined to not lose focus on
    the journey forward. Everyone here has such generosity of spirit,
    and I’m so happy to get to know all of you!

    Allie

  • Certainly from my experience this WOE doesn’t leave you with masses of loose skin, even after my losses, although there is still a creased effect with loose skin on my thighs and a small fold on my stomach as well as the usual ‘bingo wings’ although even they seem to be reducing. My bikini body is a thing of the past but almost any other clothing option is still there if I want to. I am younger than you, I think at 51, but Captainlynne was older and reported a similar lack of issues when she reached this stage. I am hopeful that things will continue to improve as well, as they say it can for up to two years after weight loss. Certainly I never needed to consider surgery, and wouldn’t think they could find more than a couple of ounces to cut off!

    I haven’t actually been true fasting today as I have started my own version of FMD and all I have had all day is lots of water, herbal tea, black coffee, a green banana, and a cup of marmite. Tomorrow I will do a proper plan to make sure I am getting the best nutrition I can despite the lower protein and carbs, and will have to be careful as it is a badminton day, but I am looking forward to seeing if the results are as dramatic as the last time I tried this.

  • posted by  ClarinetCathy on Starting in January 2017 – Anyone?
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Hi Theodora

    Still here and still not at target weight! Today I weigh 134.8. On Friday last week I weighed in at my lowest weight at 133.6 so was 0.6 off my goal. I just can’t seem to get to 133. My weight goes up every time I have a drink of water! I will keep on trying. Like you Theodora I have got rid of all my big clothes and now my wardrobe consists of nothing above a size 12. I’ve purposely done this so that I don’t give in. Previously I had a range of sizes so that I always had something I wear in my size. After putting all this effort into losing 3 stone there is no way I will put it back on ever! I am going to keep following BSD and hopefully will get to 130lb at some point so that I have some extra room for indulgences. I remember that I had difficulty getting lower than 140 lb earlier in the year but I did it eventually. The trend is heading in the right direction. Your luxury safari sounds like the perfect reward for your hard work. What a lovely thing to look forward to-and wearing size 6- amazing!!!!

    My youngest son is getting married next summer and I am looking forward to buying my wedding outfit in the springtime so I will be staying focused.

    Rather worryingly, my diary is getting filled up with Christmas celebrations so December will be a challenging time for me. I think there may be a few extra fasts in December and probably in January too. I hope that on 8.1.18 which is my one year anniversary of starting BSD that I will be less that 133lb. I really do need to try and get as much weight off as possible before middle of December.

    Would be lovely to catch up on all our other January friends. I know SueBlue is doing the November challenge with us. Hope everyone else is doing OK.

  • Allie very interesting ideas about Alzheimer’s and weight. Another good reason not to lose too much! To be honest I know somebody who had a gastric bypass and I was shocked at the result. The amount of loose skin was on the verge of grotesque. I just don’t fancy the idea of having to cover my body, literally from head to toe, in winter and summer! We spend quite a chunk of the year in warmer climates and I need to wear summer clothes without frightening everyone to death!

    Marie that’s really interesting I wonder what the science behind it is? I think if you lose weight especially quickly after a life time of obesity then there is far more chance of tons of loose skin. I have never heard of that benefit of fasting before. I have sort of started fasting after a fashion. I don’t eat solids until lunchtime but I do have tea/coffee/water so not sure if that’s true fasting. I think you’re right to wait until after your HbA1c. Until my blood sugar was stabilised in the normal range without medication I was afraid to miss a meal.

    Lessmuffintop it is confusing. I can’t really help with fat and protein I just eat them so long as they are in my calorie allowance. I agree with you about fruit I miss it too but you can have berries in moderation. Also there are some very low carb vegetables like spinach, broccoli and asparagus. There was one day last week when I had fewer than 20g of carbs but that was more by accident than design. I started the day with smoked salmon and eggs and I was stunned by how few carbs there were. I think most people aim for less than 50g and lots make their goal 30g so that would give you a little more room for fruit and vegetables.

    So pink top is ironed and tried on… it fits ok but shows a few too many ‘rolls’. It will soon be hanging in pride of place on the outside of my wardrobe!

    Allie I know without this website and the forums there is no way I would have come so far and be where I am today. So my thanks go to everyone who contributes and especially to those of you who help me day after day, week in week out, especially those with pom-poms and those who have been here as long as, if not longer, than me!

  • Hi Verano,

    I’ve just been reading this thread and thought it might be worth mentioning Jason Fung’s comment on fasting and how his diabetic patients who have lost many, many pounds through his fasting protocols very rarely have loose skin or need surgery afterwards. He ascribes it to autophagy and the cleansing out of the body’s old cells. He mentions it in his book (which I’m currently re-reading). I also heard him discuss it briefly on a couple of interviews.

    I haven’t done any fasting yet (don’t want to do anything until after my Hba1c test which is coming up) so can’t comment on whether this particular facet of fasting works or not, but thought I’d mention it. It’s the reason I’m considering it.

    Great idea about the pink top. I tried an old ring of mine on the other day and it almost fit. (It goes on but I’m still a bit worried it might get stuck – so not quite there yet). So, I’m going to follow your example and put it out where I can see it. I’m going to wear that ring on Christmas Day!
    Cheers
    Marie x

    n.b. My husband has just come in so I told him about the ring. He was clearly touched – he bought it – I didn’t want to say I’d forgotten that bit – I just really like the ring!

  • Hey Mokovex — I know exactly what you are talking about — there is an odd way to fall back into old patterns very quickly — I think because they were comfortable for us, even if they lead to disastrous results — and, that pattern is giving you a dopamine rush (and a sugar rush) which your body has learned to love. This is a chemical thing — you are responding to chemical drivers.
    Your description of ” it’s like a switch” is very accurate because I think it IS a switch and the pattern just falls into place.
    I used to have more of those moments, but now almost two years into BSD, I only rarely have one.
    My experience is that it is best to stop immediately — don’t let that old pattern get reestablished.
    Throw out (or give away) anything non-BSD-friendly in the house. I STILL cannot have any treats in our house or I WILL eat them — even the freezer doesn’t work, I can eat frozen trash very easily!
    Curtail your activities so you are always in easy reach of BSD-friendly food and I cut out social activities until I gain control. Small price to pay.
    And can you get going on some fasting? That truly truly helps reset your brain and reminds your body how much better you feel with less/better food.
    And, are you 20 grams or less of carbohydrates per day? The carbs will drive you to eat the wrong foods so that is a good place to start getting control.
    Esnecca is giving you good advice, don’t be passive. One day turns into a week, a week into a month — not good — you have the tools here to calm down your body’s out-of-control response. Start with one and the others will fall into place.

  • Hi Alliecat / Verano
    That is really interesting on the Alzeihmers. I kind of dont really care what the scales say but I do like wearing nice clothes so I definitely diet for a dress or jeans and in fact thought about stopping recently when I had to discard some lovely clothes that were too big! but I got over it and bought more. I was working on body fat and have made significant headway but have got confused .

    1. Im not sure what weight I should try and be so not as motivated to keep losing.
    2. I am getting all muddled on carbs and protein and fats. I cant get to 20g carbs and eat enough veg and I miss fruit.

    but I do like this WOE .

    Who had the definitive answer to the ideal weight and what to eat…answers on a postcard.

  • Hi Allie, Mary and Kazz — there are so many super active threads right now that I’m having trouble keeping up — sorry for slow posting, so many things going on right now with issues with my 94 year old dad, my niece having twins (and a very difficult delivery — 3 days so far and no babies yet — I’m mad they won’t just give her a C-section but I’m not the doctor) — roof repair (yay, rain on the way!) and about a hundred other things —
    Mary, my daughter is just 35 next week and she is pretty independent too, like yours — does not take advice well so I’ve stopped trying to offer any. She is a lot of fun though, I love her self-determination and she is an amazing cook. In fact, I’m going to press her into service for Thanksgiving because we will be at my younger sisters house and she (sister) CANNOT cook and even burns the turkey.
    One year she cooked the turkey at about 450 degrees and we only figured it out when the baster melted — hmmm, not so good! I was like, why is the plastic baster melting? Then saw the temp that the oven was set to… Ha ha.
    Kazz, fasting is my current salvation — anytime I get over-eager in the food department I follow up with fasting for 24 hours and that seems to set me back on track. I haven’t been able to go longer than 24 hours but I would like to try like Theodora and Esnecca — I just need a good “window” to give it a try. It took me a long time to work up to 24 hours so I think I can go longer if I practice. The problem I have is that my OH would like to have dinner with me every evening — good problem to have!
    Allie, love reading your posts — are you getting ready for Thanksgiving on east coast (you are back on the “right” coast, am I correct?)
    I don’t even think all that dressing and potatoes and pie even sounds that good anymore — although, I am looking forward to my daughter’s pumpkin pie — I do love the pumpkin pie!
    I am going to be BSD-strict for the next two weeks so I am ready for the pumpkin pie.

  • Thanks so much Verano for putting your thoughts and goals to
    paper: I completely understand your concerns about baggy skin
    and the “gaunt” look. It’s not just that we lose the ability to produce
    collagen, but that our skin actually gets thinner when we reach the
    age you and I are. I can actually see veins now that I swear
    I’ve never seen before. Sometimes it’s a little disconcerting 🙂
    My approach though is that no one needs to see what goes on
    under my clothing except my husband and my doctor! I saw a very
    interesting tv program on cognitive decline and Alzheimers disease.
    The National Institutes of Health (U.S.) has been following a large
    sample of folks in this category group for more than 15 years.
    In addition to a lot of information on markers on CT scan results,
    what caught my attention was the fact that those individuals who
    were about 20lbs. overweight had a much slower rate of decline
    than patients who were thin. I found that fascinating. So, perhaps
    aiming for an ideal weight similar to our early adulthood isn’t the
    best plan. I try to hedge my bets and eat 1 Tbs of raw unsweetened
    cacao nibs, just in case! 🙂
    I’m happy to hear that you are well onto refocusing. I think that
    it is only this thread that is responsible for mine, i.e., exercise,
    so thanks again for beginning it. Your one stone at a time idea
    makes excellent sense to me!

    Have a great day,

    Allie

  • Hi WelshAnnie

    A very warm welcome to you. There are many people here with extensive knowledge so you are in the right place. That must have been very scary for you all. Take comfort – you have made your decision, shopped and got organised and have your family on board – that is wonderful. Lots of support here so anything you need to know, just ask. I hope your first day is going well? Don’t forget to drink lots of water. See you tomorrow!

  • posted by  CJK on Struggling to get enough fat
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Thanks for all the advice, and good sleuthing sunshine-girl!
    I am modifying the diet due to breastfeeding, so yes, eating lots of cheese, and having more calories. I’ve been getting closer to my fat target by adding more butter, mayonnaise, yoghurt etc. I have just bought some coconut oil (very expensive!) to try too.

  • Mixnmatch, I think you are spot on with the speculation that the Biggest Loser folks did NOT provide maintenance info and support to those folks that worked so hard to get the weight off. Maintenance doesn’t make for “good TV” so they were probably just given a pat on the back and sent home to fend for themselves.

    The problem really is that too much of the dieting “expertise” and advise from the 1960s- 2000 was not based on scientific evidence, but simply some MD making what he thought was a logical guess. It is only recently that science is actually studying how REAL metabolism works and that it is NOT just all about the calories.

    Someone in one of the forums had suggested that Michale Mosley derserves a Nobel prize for the work that he has done. I couldn’t agree more….or at least a Knighthood. There has been no one that has worked as hard to educate the public and the scientific community in general to data based strategies for weight loss, exercise and now gut health. Frankly, the man is my hero. If he makes some money of the extremely helpful books he has published, good for him. He deserves it. He is so generous with his time to keep supporting these forums and generally provide encouragment.

    And thanks to all of you, especially the ones that have actually hit maintenance to continue back to follow and support this community. The BSD shows every sign as being the big breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. We can finally get rid of the old rubbish advise so many medical schools pedelled for so long based on real research at all.

    So downward and onward. And hurray for the NSVs along the way. Spent a good chunk of Saturday weeding through my closet of 3 sizes tossing the TOO BIGS (charity pile) and organizing the FITS NOW and the ALMOSTS.

    Have a great week everybody.

  • Ok Allie, I’d like to lose just 2 stone, 28lbs, initially. That would take me down to my lowest weight just after I was very ill 10 years ago. Then another 14lbs would get me to a weight I would ‘like ‘ to be. And maybe a further 14lbs after that so 48lbs altogether. My fear is that I’ll be ‘baggy’ if I lose another 4 stone, that’s why I’m talking in small chunks because I need to see what I’m looking like before I go further. However, even if I do lose all of that weight I could probably still lose more! Part of me feels that because I’m getting older I may look ‘ill’ or scrawny! Fortunately I don’t have any health issues, apart from my diabetes which is in remission, and my mobility, so we will just have to wait and see where the journey takes me!

  • Well done on staying on plan over the weekend, s-g – really looking forward to hearing your scale results tomorrow.

    Krysia, great news about your eyes – how fantastic.

    Mokovex, great advice from Esnecca, so keep plodding on, you’ll get there.

    TC – well done on resisting all those carbs. A tonne of cake outside your office door is FAR better than a tonne of cake on your hips, so feeling proud of you.

  • KrysiaD, great and encouraging news about your eyes, so happy for you.

    MaisieMouse, interesting thoughts from the Clever Guts book. Narrowing it down like that may be just the answer …. junk food craving gang vs fish and veg craving gang. I became somewhat overwhelmed by all the many and varied bacteria, good and bad, so thank you.

    Esnecca, that was a great post of yours in response to Mokovex. Listen to her Mokovex, she knows ……. I hear you though, as one who only had 10 or so kg to lose, stuck at 6kg, gradually became 5 then 4kg, I’m listening too.

    sunshine-girl, good news about your recent successes. Fingers crossed for you for Tuesday weigh-in.

    I’m away from any scales until Thursday morning. Will weigh then and post results of several days away with a fairly eaty, drinky crowd and as much as I feel I’m hanging in reasonably well, things can slip by over time, especially with portions sizes. The sheer press of three meals a day in company can put stresses on the best of intentions. I am enjoying myself, however.

    Good weigh-ins everyone.

  • Hi Verano, I really like the “pink top (sexy?) plan” that you are putting
    in place! I used getting my rings back on my size 5 1/2 finger
    as the same sort of measure. It took forever, and I was only 7lbs
    from target when they finally slipped on. I was so pleased with
    myself that I took up polishing my nails again 🙂 I’m not sure that
    I agree with the conversation here about the need to up protein if
    we feel sapped of energy and a bit moody. I know that excess
    protein gets stored as fat, so I do keep an eye on that figure.
    What did come to mind though was SAD (seasonal affective disorder),
    particularly for those of us in northern hemispheres. It has reminded
    me to order some more vitamin D3 + K. I think SAD affects more
    people than is generally reported. It’s simple enough to get a blood
    test done for low levels of vit. D. It’s the right time of year for it!
    I don’t think I know how much more weight you’d like to get rid of,
    so share this if you are comfortable doing so, and all of us will
    be cheering you on to victory each day. I’m gearing up for some
    daring athletic moves as we speak!

  • Morning all

    After my self-absorbed wittering last week I gave myself a stern talking to over the weekend (which basically consisted of going up to bits of food and saying ‘you don’t own me’ to it!) and stuck to the plan 100% for the weekend. CArbs under 30g both days, average cals of 765.

    As a result I have a crashing carb withdrawal headache which I consider to be progress, and have stuck to plan so far today despite there being a literal tonne of cake sitting right outside my office door – I mean it, I’m not exaggerating – really….

    Onwards to weigh day!

  • Verano, so glad to have made you laugh, and thrilled to hear you are back on track. What with your pink clingy top hanging on your door, and my shocking pink pompoms being shaken as if my life depended upon it, how can you fail?😛

    Kazz, how great that your JOTP have become your JOTF😋 Your post about them reminded me of a ridiculously expensive designer dress o/h bought me 45 years ago, to thank me for his first-born son (it cost him approx. 6 weeks’ wages!!!). Haven’t been able to get into it for YEARS and YEARS, but could never bear to throw it away. I can now get my wedding dress on, but this dress (scarlet) was even smaller, so would be a real test! Time to dig it out and try it on methinks😀

  • posted by  Theodora on Starting in January 2017 – Anyone?
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Hi fellow January starters. Our thread seems to have gone a bit quiet, so I was wondering how you are all doing?

    Seasidenana (and grandpa), seems ages since we’ve had an update from you, so really hoping you are hanging on in there, that all is lovely for you and that your wedding plans are going well? Have you moved yet? I do hope life is settling down and that you are back on track?

    How goes it with you, CC – that last pesky pound still coming and going? And Sue, 7 weeks left until Christmas, so have you made any inroads into that 5kg? And DCT – under the magic 10st yet?

    I’m not sure how many of us Jan starters are still here, we may be down to just us few – CC, SueBlue, Dreamscometrue, me and (hopefully) Seasidenana seem to be the full compliment, but at least we are still going……..

    I will be hitting my 6 month maintenance birthday in a few days, and the scales are still being kind. As of this morning (official weigh in day for me) they registered 7st 13lbs, so 8lbs of wriggle room. I’ve finally cleared all my big clothes (with the exception of a few big chunky jumpers which can go over my new clothes when / if it gets really cold this winter – I see the met office is predicting a really cold, snowy one) and have even got rid of some of the new clothes (UK size 12s and 10s) acquired earlier in my BSD journey. Now my wardrobe consists entirely of 8s, with the odd 6 thrown in for good measure.

    I now have an added incentive (if I needed one) to make it to my one year maintenance birthday as, having booked a fabulous luxury Safari for the end of April (my BSD success reward from o/h – in fact I will be celebrating my 1 year maintenance in Africa), I have been buying up shorts/ cargo pants, T shirts, etc in the sales – all 8s and 6s – as we have been advised to wear neutral colours (beiges / greens / olives etc). Now, I don’t “do” those sorts of colours, I’m at my most comfortable in blacks and blues, with the odd bright colour thrown in as accent, but have been advised by the safari people that blues and blacks attract the insects, and that the “brights” stand out too much against the bush! Hence the sale shopping (really didn’t want to pay full price for clothes I’ll never wear again!), so I really need to still be able to fit into them next Spring.

    Keep going, my trusty Januaries – we can all achieve our goals, no matter what they be, together. xx

  • Glad to be of service, Verano … 🙂

    … the other thing… last year, the security man said to me when he saw me on dress down Friday wearing my £8 Matalan “pumps” – “heeeyyyy, rocking the Converse, I see?”. I thought, what the hell is he talking about …. I googled… that was it, I’ve coveted ever since but not until I’m in the size 12 Levis!

  • posted by  KazzUK on I will get to my goal weight!!!
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Andy – I totally empathise with you! You’re pretty much half way there already and still have 6 weeks to go so I am routing for you!

  • posted by  KazzUK on New life choice for determined alcoholic
    on in Welcome to the BSD
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    Mary – meant to say, I’m impressed at you making your own Kimchi. I plan to have a go doing that next week. Your aubegine lasagne sounded delish too!

    I’m having 2 hard boiled eggs and spinach for lunch today – I love that meal! Thing is, I can’t eat any kind of salad without a bit of salad cream! I’m trying to ween myself off and tried it with oil, lemon and pepper dressing but I didn’t enjoy it. I’m not a fan of oily dressings…. but I must persevere with that. 🙂

    Kxx

  • posted by  KazzUK on New life choice for determined alcoholic
    on in Welcome to the BSD
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    Hiya Allie and Mary

    Looks like it’s just us 3 at the moment. Hope everyone else is okay.

    Allie – in answer to your question about fasting – absolutely, it’s the best thing I’ve come across for me. I would find it difficult to stick to 800 cals if I was eating 3 times a day. It’s so much easier to manage only eating twice or once per day. The thing that used to sabotage me before was having to cook myself a healthy dinner. After my 11 hour day (including the commute), chopping and prepping veg was the last thing I wanted to do and having beans on toast, egg on toast, cheese on toast, was so much quicker and easier. If I was super organised at the weekend, I’d prep and cook a load of veg on a Sunday which would keep in the fridge for the week, but once mum got ill, all my weekend organisation went out of the window. Now, when I get home, it is so nice to know that if I don’t particularly want to have any dinner, then I don’t have to and just have a portion of walnuts or something. It is easier for me working full time though. I’m on holiday next week – another life laundry week at home, so it will be interesting to see how I get on with the fasting that week.

    Christmas will be just me and my mum this year. We always used to go to my brother’s but things have changed this year as my sis in law’s mum is now on her own so she will be going to stay with them for a few days plus my niece has a partner now so they will also both be going, plus 3 small dogs! I love my sis in law to bits however, Xmas lunch always makes us smile…. she is so highly organised and practical – and always conscious of weight gain at all times – over the years, some of the starters have been weight watchers soup, low fat pate and 1 slice of WW toast! Portions of main dinner could fit on a tea plate and she always counts the sprouts! We get 4 each! I kid you not! One year, she mis-counted and so she only had 3! We would never hurt her by saying anything but mum and I have found it very amusing over the years, guessing the sprouts. Well, once we got over the initial dumfoundedness! 🙂 So, mum and I are pushing the boat out this year and we can’t BLOODY wait! Watch what we want on the tv too, nice and warm. Astonishing, right?!! Bless her but you can understand why mum and I are so excited! 🙂

    I’ll catch you later, best check my emails…

    Love Kazeeeeeeee xxx

  • posted by  sunshine-girl on Diary
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Hi lovedogs, I have heard that said before but do not remember it from my multiple readings of the book. I might have skimmed over it as I use a website called Sparkpeople to log everything. Can you say what page it is on so we can try to solve this for you. From memory I dont think there is such a thing on this site and it might be referring to when you join the ‘paid for’ 12 week plan as you do get personalised support.

  • posted by  sunshine-girl on Struggling to get enough fat
    on in Starting the BSD
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    Hi everyone, I have just found out the CJK (the OP) is currently breastfeeding, so most of our advice is rubbish for her. She should be having higher amounts of dairy even if it includes ff cheese. Although yoghurts and vegetables (Kale etc) contain calcium. Just saying we should have all the facts before we can give advice.

  • hello folks, another successful day yesterday and a very successful weekend. Yes, it can be done when I really try.

    Great news about the eye check KrysiaD. Mokovek just be grateful for whatever loss the fat fairy brings and start with a new resolve. Marie123 so glad I have been of help. It helps me too as I cannot be doling out advice while stuffing my face, keeps me true to myself.

    Great result on the scales this morning with a happy dance but not declaring until the weigh in tomorrow. Have a good day everyone.

  • That’s the spirit Kazzee! Yes you will get there. Well done so far. Funnily enough I had a good clear out of clothes last week and sent loads to the charity shop. In fact my OH has just rung me to say there was a pair of M&S trousers still with the label on and did I really mean to put them in the charity bag …. yes …. because they are too big and I’ve never worn them!!! But I digress, I did find a lovely pink top which is quite clingy but I love it and would love to get back into it. In fact I think I will make that my goal rather than a specific weight. Yes I will hang in on my wardrobe as a constant reminder of where I want to be. Thank you for reminding me to have something ‘for the future’ . I am just in between sizes at the moment so that really should be incentive enough to get down …. so near and yet so far …. keep on keeping on ……

  • Hi Verano – and think, all of us with lots to lose, may well be close to our targets in another 6 months time …. joining the maintenance thread, having reached our goal… Don’t want to leave you behind! I’ve got an old pair of size 12 Levi jeans… 35 years old they are and I still have a photo of me wearing them when I was 20. I can’t get them past my calves at the moment (I’m size 26ish and was size 30 back in August when I started this). BUT, I WILL get them on eventually and I use them as a measure in the meantime. If you’ve not got anything similar already, go out and buy a pair! Hang them on your wardrobe door, a permanent reminder. Works for me! 🙂

    Kazzeexx

  • Two more pounds to drop and I will have lost a stone in 6 weeks. So pleased. Lost another pound over the weekend, despite the little slips on Friday and Sunday. Felt hungry last night. I wonder if that’s because I had a bowl of soup and a bowl of fruit with cream?. My body craved more!?! In the end I had a couple of walnuts and a black coffee and lost the hunger pang, thankfully. No weight gain this morning, which pleased me. In fact the scales had gone down another couple of ounces to 9st.0.0 so I’m still on track. Not much inch loss though, which is diisappointing, but I guess the internal fat is going from my pancreas, etc. The nurses have always wondered why I was diabetic, as I wasn’t grossly overweight. So, perhaps I was more of a TOFI than I realised. (Thin on the outside but fat on the inside). My skirts and trousers do feel looser though…

  • Good morning

    Theodora thank you for making me smile. I couldn’t let you cheer me on and then fail, so socks firmly pulled up I’m still on my journey but with a tad more resolve.

    Caron please don’t admire me because I just don’t deserve it. I have been resting on my laurels for far too long, probably since the end of May, and am only maintaining because I weigh everyday and I don’t eat simple carbs. It’s not because I am actively maintaining it’s just luck! WOW I hadn’t realised that that’s 5 months without any loss. I have been within the same 3 or 4lb band for nearly half a year! Time to get serious I think.

    Ancient Weaver I have never calculated how much protein I need but that’s a really interesting idea. I’m going to check back over fatsecret and see just how much I have been eating, well on the days I’ve logged! I may just not have been having enough.

    So off to work out my protein grams per day and get myself back on track. I don’t want to be here in another 5 months still hovering around the same weight when I still have quite a lot to lose. That’s the silly thing there’s no way I should be in maintenance I should be shedding fat!

  • Marie You were right!

    NSV
    Non Scale Victory

    a dieting and weight loss term for noticing your weight loss success off the scale.
    A NSV is getting rid of clothes because they are too big.

    Shopping in the “regular” stores is a nsv.
    #weight loss#dieting#losing weight#health#skinny