Sounds lovely Simon. The only ingredient to be slightly wary of is the balsamic. I know it’s ‘vinegar’ but it’s really high in sugar/carbs!

Well done Lucy!

Just because your on holiday try not to overindulge in the high sugar foods. With a bit of luck you might find lots of stuff too sweet after eating this way for 3 months!
Anyway, the most important thing is to ENJOY!

So guess what???? Woohoo 5lbs this week.
Total 2 stone. 13 weeks and 2 stone lighter!
I know probably this week was a big loss because I haven’t been well. But have still stuck to it.
On holiday on weds and had big trying on session last night. Got in loads of holiday clothes that have been sitting sadly in my wardrobe for ages.
I know I will put on weight away but I know I can come back and get back on it. Want to lose 2 more stone but even 1 would be great.
Thanks again to everyone.

Hi everyone. Well, on Monday I will be one month in. I had lost 10lbs when I weighed in last Monday so excited to see what it is this time, although I won’t be disheartened if it’s slowed a bit. I have three stone to lose in total.

I am finding it very easy to be honest, and just thought I’d share what is working for me In Case it helps anyone else.

For breakfast I tend to go for either Greek yoghurt with chia seeds and blueberries, a mushroom omelette or scrambled eggs with a couple of slices of Parma ham.

For dinner, I find whatever I have, I have with either spinach and mushrooms or a salad. For the salad, I’ve modified a favourite one:

Crush a clove of garlic and lie it at the bottom of a bowl. Add a stem of basil, chopped in half, then add a few quartered tomatoes. Drizzle a dash of red wine vinegar, olive oil and balsamic. Leave that to marinade for ten mins, then add some rocket and basil leaves. Blitz some chestnut mushrooms in a blender, sprinkle them over the top and if the calorie count for the day allows it, crumble over it a very little blue cheese/ feta/ spoon of cottage cheese. Mix it all together so that the liquid covers it all. Remove the basil stem and then dish up. Delicious!

To go with it, I either have a piece of fish, chicken or my favourite meat – game. A venison steak, partridge, pheasant, guinea fowl or pigeon breast is fabulous, and I find much more flavoursome than chicken.

Hope that is of interest, and also, if there’s something in there I’m unaware is working against the objective, please do say!

Thanks SueBlue and MixnMatch. I was very interested to read your experience SueBlue on arthritis and BSD. I am really hoping that this way of eating will make a difference quickly. I gather that 1kg loss reduces strain on the joints by 4kg. That’s an encouraging thought too. And your experience of feeling a major improvement after three weeks is a great motivator. So I am pressing on. The dog arrived today and will be expecting a decent amount of walking!

wow, I hadn’t seen this thread!
Going to explore…and use cauliflower more! I hated it as a child….always too many insects still in it when served up, over-boiled and (frankly) disgusting!!!! (Sorry Mum!)
Will definitely try Verano’s potato ricer followed by hand blender, but I will use a little wholegrain mustard rather than horseradish!
Thanks for refreshing this topic! .

xx

Heidi, good to hear from you. I am far from organised and disciplined about eating normally, which is why lockdown had such a dire effect on my weight, which was only compounded by the chaos of the move etc.

I found the last time I dropped the weight just how effective this WOE is, and I always have to log everything on an app, including any little extras/snacks. It took me two years to lose the weight last time, although only the last six months or so was this BSD way, the rest was a series of false starts, and two steps forward one step back.

The plan now is to try to get back down to a reasonable weight for my height by next Easter in what will be a 3 part (ish) plan. The first part is this hundred days, the second part in the new year will be my first ever water only fast (although I will still supplement with the fish oil and multivitamins) for 7-10 days, followed by a return to this Week/Weekend pattern for 8 weeks. Part 3 will depend then on how much I think there is to lose still at that point. As I am not diabetic I can indulge in the occasional ‘off diet’ day and just get back to it the day after. That takes care of any birthdays or other social occasions. I usually log them anyway, I am pretty good at sight estimates of food now, and may well extend the ‘joker’ if that works well over Christmas.

Well I have weighed a day early & have lost 0.75lbs. I know it’s better than gaining weight but still disappointing but I’m going to a MacMillan Cancer fund raising tea this afternoon where I’m also playing Mahjong. I will weigh again tomorrow in case I might have lost any more weight & I am seeing a Orthopaedic Consultant on Thursday.
I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend.
Margaret xx🍀🍀

Hello again! Thanks for bringing this to the top again. I guess now that winters on its way we should take another look at this thread and the ‘soup’ thread too.

reported -off topic spam?

Crème fraiche is brilliant in mashes as well. I do remember trying it in Cauli mash last time round the WOE.

Thanks for bumping this post up, some great ideas in here.

Hi Lucy,
Sorry to hear you have been unwell, hope you have now recovered and have a positive weigh in tomorrow!
Isn’t it a boost when someone comments on our weight loss? My GP did as well! Made me feel 10 foot tall! 😂
All the best for tomorrow…I will be thinking of you! I think I will be a 2lb loser again this week…🤞

K.x

Good luck Heidi!
Just wanted to share my experience with this WOE and arthritis. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and when I first started BSD in 2017 I was on a lot of medication for pain and inflammation. I experienced significantly less pain and inflammation within 3 WEEKS of following the diet – so much so that I was able to reduce medication. This was before any significant weight loss, I may have lost something like 3kg at that stage. It showed in my regular blood tests that my inflammation markers were down. When I was talking to the specialist about it she said she’d had other patients who noticed improvement in pain once they reduced their sugar intake.

I remember after being on the diet for a few months it was Easter and we went away for a few days break. To ‘treat’ myself I had pizza, donuts, beer and chocolate (not all at once lol!). And boy didn’t I pay for it! On the Monday my knees were swollen and I was in SO much pain I had to hobble around! That proved it for me!

Anyway, all the best!

Hi I wanted to say thank you all for the warm welcome. I have taken a long time to get started, but the 25 in yesterday’s date was a good prompt to get on with things. 3 months to Christmas! The other major motivator is the amount of pain in my knees. I am determined to stop the arthritis in its tracks through weight loss and more exercise. So I have visited the podiatrist today, have physio on Monday and tomorrow we adopt a labrador who is retiring from guide dog duties! A four-footed personal trainer.

I’m hoping that this will get me and keep me on track and keep me away from stress and comfort eating, Mixnmatch I am so impressed with your disciplined approach, particularly when you have moved house and are dealing with your husband’s health issues. I shall try to follow your example. It is so easy for me to con myself that I am being kind to myself when I console myself with something sugary. When in fact it is more an act of self-harm.

So thank you again for the welcome, and I hope to report some progress soon.

Hi s-g our cruise leaves Barcelona then goes along the coast of France and Italy with a couple stops in Corsica and Sicily then a couple of stops in Greece and then Kotor and Split and ending in Valletta. We are staying in Malta before flying home. Our last stay in Malta was 34 years ago so I guess it will have changed!

So to my positives…..

🧺🧺 Washing almost complete but holiday ironing is finally done so just have to pack now.

👩🏻👩🏻 Friend called today who I’ve not seen for a few months so lovely to catch up.

🌶️🥦 Korean roast chicken with cauliflower mash and green beans tonight for dinner. So glad I no longer feel obliged to eat ‘salad’ because it’s summer!

S-g so glad you’ve lost your gained weight. I’ve decided to set some proper goals like you, when we get home. At the moment I’m thinking 4lb a month but just have to work out how many months that will take!!!

Had a positive today …. post it … one will do!

Thanks S-G & I will try to avoid the stodge however we are also mammals with cave man bodies preparing for winter with the reduction of daylight etc but it may be my SAD kicking in plus the idea of comfort eating. Well done on continuing to reduce your weight.
I have lots of veg to use plus I must empty out my kitchen freezer to defrost it & who knows what I might find buried in its depths that might be useful?😀
Margaret xx

Hi all, where are your positives.

My first positive Verano, is we too are doing the Med in April 2025, there are so many different places so you can go a few times. This time we will be in Spain 3 times including Barcelona where have been, then Sardinia (been before but different side) then we are going to Rome. Croatia is beautiful, not been to Split but Dubrovnik (a bit touristy due to Game of Thrones) and then up to Sebinek which is right on the top coast – beautiful.
Went to cinema last night and, even though the film was rubbish, it was a night out.
Lost all my gained weight and do not want to do that again. Want to be out of that 2 off 2 on. I chose 3.33 lbs because I want to lose 9 kgs in my 6 month project and that is the monthly pound conversion – 1.5kgs per month.

Have a great rest of the week.

Hi all, my weight is right back down and for the Sept/Oct challenge I have lost just over 1lb so just over 2lbs to go in two weeks. Determined and refusing to go out for a meal. If it was a special occasion I would still go but not just for the sake of it. We have a night out on 16th Oct with a buffet that I have been assured will include healthy food as well as some cra….

Margaret, to answer your question, No humans do not go into a hibernation phase but I think you mean do we tend to store more fat to keep ourselves warm. But that will depend on what you choose to eat. Most people not on a diet will use this as an excuse to load up on stodgey foods like stew and dumplings (yum) but we know you can have the stew without the dumplings and still have a hearty meal. Good season for homemade soups with lots of veg and maybe beans or lentils.

We to cinema last night and we got out nights wrong. It was still a film we (hubby) wanted to see but my choice is on Sunday. So we saw Megaopolis and it was absolute rubbish, no idea what it was about. Some sort of analogy between a rich evil leader and a rich man who had a vision of what the world could be like – I thought Trump and Musk but it played out as Ciscero vs Caesar. Still rubbish no matter what the heck it was about. Into all our lives a little rain must fall – hey ho 🙂

Have a great day.

Is there such a thing as our bodies going into winter hibernation mode? I have test weighed & have not so far this week lost any weight even though I’m spending lots of pennies & eating low carb! I’m fasting today until supper & will weigh on Saturday but might tomorrow instead because of Macmillan cancer fund raising tea where I play Mahjong tomorrow afternoon & I know I will be tempted to have at least one cake after paying my £5!🤔😳
Margaret

Shardiya Navratri 2024, the festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, is approaching and will begin on October 3. This nine-day festival is considered highly auspicious and involves grand celebrations, including the traditional Ghatasthapana in homes. According to the Hindu calendar, Navratri will start on a Thursday and conclude on a Saturday, which holds special significance.

As per the Devi Purana, when Navratri starts on a Thursday, Goddess Durga arrives on a palanquin, and when it ends on a Saturday, it indicates her departure on foot. While palanquin arrivals and foot departures are believed to be inauspicious, devotees should ensure careful worship during this period for blessings of prosperity and protection.

Additionally, there are concerns about possible global disruptions and economic downturns during this period. Stay updated with india news in hindi for timely information.

https://www.nayaindia.com/life-style/maa-durgas-arrival-in-palanquin-and-walking-on-foot-during-navratri-are-inauspicious-signs-474042.html

Hi, sorry haven’t been well this week and have hols next week. Hoping I get better in time.
Put on a pound ladt week which was very annoying . But I did have a weigh a couple days ago and I think I’ve lost 3 this week which woukd be amazing. Friday I will let you know.. Pootle
You’re continuing to do well, and forget the pudding you had . It won’t hurt you at all. I’ve had a few moments and they’ve been little consequence to the overall picture. A treat does you the world of good in my opinion.
I’m getting so close to the 2 stone mark now. Had to visit doctor this week and she hasn’t seen me since I started dieting and she couldn’t get over it , said I looked completely different.
So that was nice even though I wasn’t feeling well.
See where I am at tomorrow. All the best

Hi Lucy,

I hope you are OK.

Thinking of you 🤞.
xx

Hi s-g our long-haul days are over!

So we are back to the Med but with Kotor and Split this time. I believe the sail into Kotor is amazing and that’s the day of our anniversary!

Glad you’re still sticking to your 3.33. I love that figure!

So my only positive today is our Granddaughter is seven today! Only one granddaughter so the ‘apple of our eye’! Would have been even more positive if we could have been with her but ….such is life.

Another positive for me is that my washing is up to date and I’ve made inroads into the ironing.

All good!

Hope life has thrown some positives towards you today!

Oh I’m also getting all my jabs next month Flu, Covid & the new RSV vaccination for the Respiratory Synctial Virus. The NHS are releasing the booking sites today online vis the website or ap but I think the RSV is through GP surgeries & only for over 75 year olds.
Margaret xx

Thanks Margaret, a dodge bowel is one of the things diabetics have to put up with. The other thing I get from time to time is hair loss but it is thick and glossy right now so thankful for that.

You are doing very well S-G & I hope your IBS quickly settles down.
My husband & I went to see the film The Critic which was excellently acted but I must admit I found the behaviour of the main characters rather disturbing & unsettling but I won’t say what it is because it would give the plot away. I wouldn’t want to see it again unlike some films such as The Ministry of Ungentlemenly Warfare which although based on true exploits but very slapstick & James Bondish & amusing boys own stuff.
I’m noticing that since I dropped my carbs & calories my appetite is much reduced & I hopefully will lose some weight this week. I’m averaging between 800-900 calories each day & spending lots of pennies😂
Keep on going everyone 👍🍀🍀
Margaret xx

Enjoy the cruise V, where are you off to this time.

Positives,
Still able to hang out the washing (yes, the little things)
Losing the weight gain bit by bit and looked at my overall plan – it is still do-able even with the odd treat and gain. Which is why I set it quite low at 3.33 lbs per week.
Going to the cinema tonight – getting out quite a bit more. Don’t mind if food is not involved and mainly French adults do not snack, that is just for kids.

Hi all, another notch down. I would like to do some exercise but I suffer from a sort of IBS and was confined to the loo yesterday and looks like I am going to be the same today. I do take Imodium but hate to stuff myself up so prefer to wait for it to settle down. I know eggs can be a culprit so had 25g oats and a kiwi fruit today and might be okay later.

We are going to the cinema tonight. Twice in 2 weeks and then again on Sunday. We prefer to see British/American films in the original language as some of the language can get lost in the slang as some of us have been learning on the 30 French Challenge. It is great to learn the slang – and it is not kids slang, just everyday ways the French say things – but it is hard to use as it is not ingrained in us as it is with them. Like using the word baraque to mean my house – but when you think about it barracks are where you live.

Anyway, we currently have a spate of films in English and went to see Trap by Night M Shalayman a few weeks ago. Beetlejuice was on last week and tonight we are seeing It Ends with Us which has mixed reviews. We wanted to see Deadpool 3 but they didn’t show it in English and the humour in that would have been impossible in French. That is why we are having a few trips to the cinema.

Bryla, as Californiagirl says, don’t fret about an extra 100 cals. Think logically if you were still eating a ‘normal’ diet you would be having between 2000 and 2500, so 900 is still a big drop. Yesterday I only had 650 but the day before I touched on 850 so it evens itself out. Weight loss is not linear, our bodies have minds of their own and what we eat depends a lot on how we feel. I want to eat less meat but find adding beans really ramps up the calories so have to share the meals out during the week and not have beans everyday. Just keep on going.

Please, please, don’t be “disappointed” about eating 963 calories, Bryla. That is actually a very low number.
Being stuck on just a number is really hard on our brains — it can result in black and white thinking — as in, well “I blew it” (by eating a tiny bit more food than I had planned) so now I will just give up and keep eating whatever. I have seen it happen over and over. It is a common point of failure for so many!
The drive to eat is biological and the strongest human drive we have.
Keep prioritising protein, eat as low carb as possible. Vegetable carbs don’t affect the body the same way that cake and bread carbs do — it matters more what kind of food you are eating than the total calories.
Don’t let “perfect” get in the way of “good enough”.

And Lucia, where are you? Missing your interesting and personal posts!

Hello everyone
I’m back from my anniversary weekend and ready to knuckle down after a very hectic and off plan September. So glad I worked hard to get my weight down before the cruise. Anyway, I am 4lb up and weigh 154 lb this morning so not too bad considering how much off plan I’ve been since 1st September. Back to reality now. I think I’ve used all my ‘jokers’ up in one go! I need to detox from the carbs this week and then hopefully I can steadily start to lose some weight before Christmas. I am not stressing myself with unrealistic goals. I will aim to keep low carb and nutritious with unprocessed foods. I know how my body works and it doesn’t do what I want it to do. I am really quite excited to draw a line under “dieting” once and for all after Christmas and to concentrate on maintaining. This has been an arduous slog for quite a number of years and I like the plan for maintenance in the New Year. I am prepared to put in the work in the remaining 90 days to Christmas Eve and to see what I can achieve. 142-145 would make a lovely Christmas present!
Nice to see you in the thread Mixnmatch. You sound extremely focused and well done on your weight loss. Well done to everyone who is losing. Because I’ve been away most of September I’ve not been reading the thread as I usually do but I promise I’ll be reading every day now and keeping up with the ups and hopefully downs. I’m hoping to get another steroid injection in my toes to keep me walking. Speaking to the orthopaedic surgeon today. Am trying to delay toe fusion surgery until after my eye procedures. I hope he will agree to topping me up.
Hoping to get rid of the 4lb holiday excess in the next few weeks and making progress into the 140’s. I did achieve 148 just prior to my cruise so with some work I can hopefully get there again. Have a good week everyone.

Great – thank you that’s excellent.
I’m not going to let anything spoil this as I’m finding it so easy. The only thing I am noticing is that I’m struggling a bit with the gym, unlike previous times when I’m done it. I do feel the lack of energy more this time. Getting older I guess!

Simon a couple of tips: the Caesar should be ok if you ask for the dressing on the side so you can monitor how much you have and leave out the croutons. That shouldn’t be too bad.

Hi, thanks so much for this. Just to be clear, I won’t be drinking alcohol, only water. My problem is we are going for dinner first and it will be impossible find anything which is under 800 cals and low carb. The closest I can find is a chicken Caesar salad at pizza express but it’s still over the amount, hence my question. (I can try not to eat it all, I guess!)

Planning out my hundred days, the hundredth day is Christmas Eve. I think I will be introducing 3 ‘jokers’ I can play pre-Christmas to cover social occasions. These will be still low carb but alcohol allowed, and not counting calories. Each joker day used then gets observed as it should have been originally between Christmas and New Year.

5 day Fast (fasting mimicking diet at around 300 calories a day) is now completed, first low carb ‘weekend’ at 1600 calories permitted including alcohol and also the first two ‘Week’ days at 800 no alcohol. Nearly a stone off at the moment, and hoping for a sustainable drop in weight over the rest of my 8 weeks to give me 2 stone about off by Christmas. Getting back into the swing of it now.

Good to hear everyone else’s progress too. Keep on keeping on folks!

Thanks for the welcome back, everyone! Well, I’ve thought about food a little less today which is good. And I’m happy that I have some hard-wom lessons under my belt to draw on. I downloaded fatsecret again, which helped me so much previously. And I know that since I live alone, I have the luxury of just not keeping unhelpful foods in the house. I really admire everyone who has to exercise self-control over family members’ food choices! I’ve put new batteries in the scales, but I also know it doesn’t work for me to weigh myself daily.

You’re going great guns recovering the blip, Sunshine Girl! Well done. Plus one day closer with the French challenge.

I’m a bit disappointed with myself today. I’ve ended on 963 calories. I think the tbsp of dbl cream in my 2 coffees has to go. I’m more concerned with the 50g carbs, though, since I know it’s the carbs that actually make me feel bad. I used to find it easy to stay under 30. How? I think today the broccoli and peas were at fault. BUT I have not touched a cracker, or bit of pizza or a ready meal in 3 days, and I’m not missing them. Onwards and upwards! Hope everyone has had a good day.

HELLO!

Sorry I’ve not been around and posting.

So the last few days I’ve had a ‘pulled muscle’ sensation in my thigh. I have so much metal in my leg I’m sure that I could rival ‘Tin man’!

So feeling better today ….. a definite plus!

Packing for trip leaving Monday. Can’t believe we are about to celebrate 55 years ….. goodness I was a ‘child’ !!!

We are cruising but will try to keep with ‘fresh food’ and low carb where possible!

Hi Simon, just re-read your post and notice you have only been on the plan for 3 weeks and lost 7lb. Be aware you could easily regain 3 or 4 lbs of that and wonder whether you think it is worth it.

On a good note I got straight back on plan and stuck to around 700 cals yesterday and have already lost 2 or the 3lbs gained. So it is possible to make a quick recovery if you are determined.

Hi all, welcome back Bryla. You will soon be back in the groove with very few side effects.

I can happily say that my indulgences over the weekend are behind me and I have lost more than half of my gain. Just a couple more notches down on the kg scale and I will be back to normal and then try to get into the losing zone again,

Not much to report so will go a do my daily French. Day 24 today so nearly there for the 30 day challenge.

Bryla, sorry life knocked you off course, but you have definitely come to the right place for support and encouragement. Try to plan your meals ahead of time, to remove temptation to take a quick and easy carby option.
Most importantly though, is be kind to yourself as you start to get back on the BSD road. Please shout out if you need advice, encouragement or just want to vent … keep us posted on progress too, so we can celebrate positive results with you.

Welcome back Bryla & I hope you will soon be feeling much better once you get back into the low carb routine 👍
With best wishes
Margaret. Xx

Hello everyone. In 2021, I joined this forum to help me with the BSD, which I was doing both to support my diabetic dad, and to lose some weight. It completely changed my way of eating (I thought forever!) and made me feel so much healthier, including putting paid to 30 years of migraine, and a decade of osteoarthritis pain. I could not have done it without everyone here, including a few familiar usernnames I still see now.
Anyway, a few months ago, I fell off the wagon. A hugely stressful period that gave me so little time to cook/prepare food and look after myself got the better of me and I succumbed to fast food and lots and lots of crackers. Even pizza! I feel horrible physically and mentally and my trousers are way too tight. So yesterday I decided enough was enough. I cut out all refined carbs and am already weeing like a racehorse and thinking about nothing but food. I know I got past this before, but I think I need a bit of support this time too. So I hope it’s ok if I jump back in x

Hi S-G.

I think the 2lb a week is because I still have a lot of weight to lose before reaching a sensible weight. I expect to need to continue with the diet for life, but maybe not so strictly counting calories or carbs…but keeping a close eye on weight and counting again if I gain too much. One lucky thing; I have not drunk wine for about 10 years. I became allergic to the sulphites and wine (always a glass whilst cooking supper, and at least 2 more whilst eating) made me sneeze repeatedly and my eyes & nose run incessantly!🥴😢 So I only have the very occasional glass of Southern Comfort or Cherry Brandy (about 3 times a year, Christmas, birthday and wedding anniversary!😂)

I am not missing the carbs particularly now…only as a convenience, making a piece of toast is so quick and easy! I did enjoy the 10 chips and creme brûlée I had on Saturday, but I don’t have a craving for more…so think I am extremely lucky!

I am certain that you will achieve your goal by the 8th Oct…and then move on to another goal!

Keeping on Keeping on!
K.x

Life is for living.
Love that you counted the chips – I do the same.

Back after my day of no tech. To be honest I didn’t feel any benefit but then I am not a mindless scroller. I am usually online to do puzzles or general knowledge quizzes or I come one here and don’t even turn on any tech until after lunch. One thing with our crossword, when we got really stuck we couldn’t just take a peek at the answers so had to bear with it and eventually finished the whole thing. I checked online today and we got everything right.

Gave myself a free pass to have a few drinks over the weekend – thinking 7000 steps would compensate – and I have had a serious gain but I am sure it will be gone in a couple of days. We have no more social events until 16th October so a good couple of weeks to get back on track.

Pootle I wish I was in the 2lb a week club, I am lucky if I manage 1lb but I am permanently on this diet unless I allow myself some wine, and never allow carbs. I wouldn’t even think of having say mashed potatoes with Sunday lunch. We had roast pork with 4 different veg, so that doesnt bother me, the wine does but less and less.

Still sticking to my goal of losing 3.3lbs by 8th October so really determined again.

Hi Simon, a weekend can really mess things up. I have been on the BSD (Im diabetic) for 8 years and every time I take a break my weight shoots up. This weekend I gave myself a free pass and allowed in a couple of bottled of wine (over 3 days) and have gained 3lbs. However, I do know that 50% of that is fluid and will be gone in 2 days. You just have to think is it worth it, can I deal with a gain without letting it put me totally off track. Even though I didnt have carbs like bread or potato the wine was enough carbs in itself. My guess is you want to have a few drinks with a friend. There are tips to help, as Pootle said, line your gut with vegetable or salad matter it slows down the digestion of carbs, try to avoid the bread, in fact avoid any bad carbs and ask for extra veg. Most important is that you get straight back on plan when your night out is over. You know from experience what happens when you let things slide. You know life is for living so just enjoy yourself.

Wow Pootle consecutive drops of two pounds each week that’s brilliant & you are setting such a good example of sticking with it! 👏👏
Wendy I hope you are feeling much better now?
I’m fasting again today from supper last night to supper this evening so about 24hours & changing my summer clothes over to warmer ones. It’s a right faff since I mostly store my seasonal clothes in wheeled boxes & zipped bags under my bed & my husband has had to extract them because I find it difficult kneeling now. Unfortunately I don’t think many of the clothes are going to feel much looser but I suppose on the plus side I haven’t gained much weight just gone up & down a few pounds this year. But it still feels like a bit of a wasted time since January but I am trying to do better until Christmas. I have got a family gathering in Leeds to negotiate in a couple of weeks time with eating out & a buffet no doubt filled with carbs for the family gathering. I always feel like a spare part as the other half at these events since I don’t know most of them but will soldier on🤔 with a glass of wine in my hand🙀
Keep on going everyone 👍🍀🍀
Margaret xx

Hi SimonforSure,
I know that there are many more experienced people on this forum who will advise…but…
I started the BSD in mid June and, like you, rapidly lost weight…going from 15 1/2 st to just under 11st 10lb. I have been very strict with calorie and carb counting, only ‘falling off the Wagon” a couple of times. I found that, as long as I got straight back to the diet and was strict with myself afterwards, it didn’t seem to set me back!
I am also going to have to relax the calorie and carb counting for a few days in a couple of weeks time, as I am going to be away in a hotel for work. I understand that the important thing is to try to avoid the obvious things…and only eat carbs after lining the stomach with salad or meat, but this may be because I am diabetic and trying to get down out of the diabetic range, as well as lose weight. Hence the BSD rather than the fast 800!
I have succeeded in dropping down from diabetic to pre diabetic…and am delighted! Just need to lose another stone…and get out of the pre range if possible!

Good Luck 🤞. Let us know how you get on!

Apologies for not posting here sooner, but good to see plenty of positives being posted by others. We had a really good journey out to Turkiye and settled innicely. Have a few positives myself and time to post, so here they are ….
😀🙂 very happy to say OH took the whole of the first week here away from any kind of work. Has been lovely just relaxing together, with no particular plans each day.
🌞🌞 so enjoying the Turkish sunshine …. wonderful to wake up to blue skies and warmth each day.
👩‍🦰💇‍♀️ had my hair cut and coloured by my lovely hairdresser, always makes a huge difference having it in good shape again.
☕🫖 have been catching up with friends here too, mostly over a cuppa, but sometimes with something a bit stronger. Good to catch up in person instead of just messaging.

Hope everyone is able to find at least one positive each day and if you have a moment to post, we’d love to read about it too.

Hi everyone. I was on this lovely group about three years ago. I was 15st and got down to 13 in three months. I’m a 51 year old 5’8 male, so I needed to lose another stone and a half but stopped for a rest and gradually fell into bad habits. I never eat junk or processed food and am reasonably fit, my weakness is cheese and wine. Anyway, this time having turned 50, I have turned a corner and this time it will stay off.

I started the fast800 three weeks ago. I was 14st at the start, so a bit of a head start. I weigh in every Monday. Last week I’d lost half a stone. I am noticeably losing weight so very excited and have had no temptations at all. Hoping tomorrow will bring more good news.

My only frustration is that this Saturday I’m going to a gig and have to have dinner with my friend beforehand. I don’t want to break the rules so trying to find some sort of option on menus, but generally, if you end up going over 800 or over the carb count, just once, does it set you back terribly?

Brilliant news Margaret and Star Gazer. I am still in the 2lb club…lost 2lb each week since the end of July! So a good steady loss. I went off piste yesterday, with a meal out! 🥴 BUT today I am back on track…
I hope your no internet day went well S-G. I love the idea..will have to try to persuade hubby and give it a go!

Keep on keeping on!
xxx