Glad your cat doesn’t have anything serious SG. I don’t envy you having to get tablets in to her.

When we were in that situation, we’d wrap her up in a towel, almost like a swaddled baby. Then while one of us held on tight, the other tackled getting them into her mouth and stroking her throat to make her swallow. Yes, traumatic for all concerned, but the only way we could get them into her.

Anyway, hope you find a good way to persuade your kitty to take her meds and she’ll soon be fit and well again.

Thanks Sunny, cat has a urinary tract infection and needs antibiotics. Have you ever tried to get tablets down a cat. We have bought her some soft food to hide them in (them – 1 antibiotic, 1 antistress and another I cant remember what for), she licks around them and just leaves them.

Diet is bouncing between 71.5 and 71.7 – today 71.7 – not reason. Except I roasted some chickpeas and keep dipping into them, only about 10 or so a day. The rest of the chickpeas have been made into hummus with lots of garlic and tahini. Yum.

Another successful step

Thank you SunnyB, I definitely feel better already so thats enough to spur me on, long may it last!

So…. I woke up this morning after day 1 and I didn’t have a headache, I wouldn’t say I jumped out of bed like I’d won the lottery but I got up pretty easy and didn’t straight away think of carbs. I’m in the office today and have prepared breakfast and lunch to take with me. Hopefully I can keep this up.
Thank you all so much for your support xx

Pootle, good to see you back … and with an excellent positive too.
Annie, always pleased to see someone different posting here. Well done on finding the silver linings … not always easy.

My positives for today …..
📝📝 for the first time in a long time, I actually tracked my food intake properly today … feels like a real fresh start and positive step forward
🛏🌙 fresh sheets on the bed for tonight
🎁🎁 some gifts and cards sorted out for upcoming birthdays this month
Overall it’s been an okay day 🙂 hope yours had hern okay too

SG, really hope your cat will be okay. Well done on your progress, I’m sure you’ll be reporting more discards before the end of Feb.
V, think the mindset needs to be more ‘I will do my best’ rather than ‘I have to be perfect’, but I recognise that’s sometimes easier said than done. I know there have been times I’ve definitely fallen in to the trap of giving up on eating right, just because I’ve made one small mistake. Anyway, I’m working on fostering the ‘I will do my best’ mindset at present, although like you, last week wasn’t my best.
So, nothing lost in the past week, but on the plus side no gain either. Today I’ve started track my intake properly, which proved interesting. Was surprised that whilst cals were pretty much on point, carbs were a little over. My intension is to keep on tracking for the next few weeks … and hopefully seeing some progress!
Over the past week, I have been making an effort to move more and am incorporating a little exercise on most days, which has to be a plus point as motivation doesn’t come easily for me.

Suzy, lots of us have been struggling with getting back to basics recently (myself included), so you are not alone. As others have said, the forum is all about providing support and encouragement, so feel free to join in on any of the threads and you’ll be sure of a warm welcome.

You’ve taken the first step, now you just need to keep going, each day it should be easier, but there will be ups and downs, so be sure to shout out if you’re struggling. Oh and please keep us posted on progress … we love to have an excuse to celebrate 🙂

Not often I post here but here goes:

My husband caught one of the winter viruses and has been ill since a couple of days after Christmas. Each time he’s appeared to improve there has been a set back (bonus? I’ve had the bed to myself for quite a few nights since then as he’s decamped to the spare). Yesterday we managed to get out for a walk together, round the village, and have done it again this afternoon – two days in a row – in the sunshine. Fingers crossed he is now almost completely recovered.

I really like to get my washing drying outside. I’ve been able to put it out a few times this year but today it actually dried – and it was towels, so I am ecstatic😀.

Didn’t see any squirrels on today’s walk (we usually see at least a couple) but the birds were singing and the snowdrops and primroses were showing themselves off. The sunshine makes everything feel better, even when your walking boots are covered in mud from the trail. These two days in a row have really lifted my spirits. I don’t get SAD but have had a glimpse of what it must be like this last couple of long, grey, dark and miserable months; my heart goes out to those that do.

Pootle congratulations on your weight loss, that’s really inspiring and more so that your diabetes is in remission. That’s amazing. It’s shocking how quickly you can spiral with the good old “Just one won’t hurt” and ”I had that so I might as well have this” 

Sunshine-girl roll on tomorrow’s clear head. I can’t wait to lose the rough headache mornings.

I’ve been listening to Dr Ben Bikman on YouTube, he makes a lot of sense. Especially the Ceo interview which I’ve not finished yet. It’s very long

Hi everyone, reporting in for my weekly weigh in. I have lost just 1lb so far this month. A combination of losing 1lb then gaining 2lbs for my birthday and spending the next week and half getting rid of it. Will we ever learn but, as Verano say, this is life. Anyway, I am not downhearted as my goal was 3lbs per month and already lost 6lbs for Jan and Feb so far. Hoping for another 2lbs before end of Feb.

Verano, I am not looking for my perfect self and I am not miserable as I am. What would make me miserable would be if I put the weight back on and ended up at square one. Which for me was just over 13 stone and I am now just over 11 stone. I am still motivated to lose around 6 or 7 more pounds before the cruise, but mainly to give me some leeway on the eating and drinking that is sure to go on. I will do my best but don’t want to spend a miserable holiday denying myself or a miserable return with an extra half a stone and BG out of control. Yes it is difficult but I just keep on.

We have a problem with cat number 2 at the moment. She has started peeing everywhere but not doing much so we spend nearly 3 hours at the vet yesterday, mainly waiting for results, oh and an emergency came in and knocked our appt back by nearly and hour. We had to get a urine sample overnight – ever tried that – and dropped that at the vet this morning, so waiting for the results as all her scan was okay – liver, kidneys, heart etc. I suspect she has an infection and needs antibiotics but I am not a vet so we are just waiting.

Have a good week.

Suzy, kindness costs nothing but you will find more than that here. You will find empathy because we have all been there and we are there for you. Keep on keeping on…

BTW you wont wake up feeling rough tomorrow or maybe the next day – clean eating clears the mind and body.

Hi Lucy,

I hope that your tummy troubles have eased….I think you are right about the stress, it certainly doesn’t help with any health conditions! I also hope that your son’s wedding preparations are going well, how wonderful to have 2 weddings…but even more stress I suppose.

You are in my thoughts.

K.xxx

Hi,
I really feel for you. I think many of us find that we relax our guard and then ‘give up’! BUT, I have found a huge amount of support on these forums and cannot better the advice already given.
I lost 4 stone in weight in 2016/17 and kept it off until 2020 when I started the downward spiral of “Just one won’t hurt”…”I had that so I might as well have this” and so on until I put all that weight back on and put even more on in the first 6 months of 2024. I had not heard of the BSD until I was desperate to reverse the Diabetes diagnosis in June last year. Since then I have been committed to this way of life…losing 5 stone in the last 6 months of 2024 and now maintaining my ‘ideal’ weight (10st 7lb) & keeping my diabetes in remission since Christmas!

I know if I slip, I will find friendship, advice and encouragement on this site. (Not judgement!! )

Good luck… xxxx

Sorry to have been absent again….I have been reading all the threads but only on email notifications… Now getting so busy with work and home!

A Positive that is sustaining me going forwards;
I could not have done any of the things that I am currently doing at this time last year. I was so incapacitated, it was a struggle just to walk around. Now I am rejuvenated..and happy to be busy and able! 😅

Thank you all.

Clarinetcathy, I had a rummage around the forum last night and can see I’m not alone. Life tends to throw me lots of curve balls as well but it’s reassuring to know there are lovely people out there who can spur us on.

Sunshine-girl I woke this morning tired and with my usual headache and a sleepy thought of I feel rough I need a costa then remembered I wasn’t doing that as ‘today is the day’ so I reached for the water I took to be bed in preparation and had that then my cuppa tea to make me semi human!

Californiagirl I cleared out my cupboards last night and feel ready to climb the mountain again you are totally right I can fix this is. I’m going to try your suggestion of protien and NO CARBS to slay the carb monster. I’m going to look up Dr Ben Bikman right now and start my day listening to him.

Thank you all so much, your advice and kind words mean alot.
I guess all we can do is try our best and keep trying even when the bumps come along.

V, I’ll be starting afresh with you tomorrow. It’s been an odd week on the food front, but I’m going to start tracking properly again this week. My SAD lamp certainly helps, although even with that I still struggle when a winter is as gloomy as this one.

Anyway, my positives for today …..
🚮📦 had a sort out of some things disturbing while the new door was being installed. A few things binned, a couple boxed for charity and the rest tidied
🌷💛 noticed one little tulip beginning to open in the front garden and lots of mini daffs preparing to put on a display soon

Two will do for today …. what about you?

Hello from one sunshine to another. Are you prepared to start. If you have done it before you know to clear the cupboards as much as possible, buy in loads of godd stuff and be mentally ready.

Don’t say tomorrow. Wake up in the morning and say ‘todays the day’. Then get on with it. You will have no lack of support and you will probably find it harder the second time around as the initial endorphin flush of something new will be a little less, but don’t let that put you off. Head towards that woman you have left behind 3 stone lighter, she is still in there somewhere.

Good luck.

Hey Suze, OUCH!! I feel for you and I can only imagine how frustrated you are right now.
Ok, deep breath…this is fixable. It is a mountain but you can climb it — and the minute you start you are going to start feeling better. Trust the process. Trust your body. Trust yourself.
So first off, you had admirable success with your program last year. And you did it in a way that worked for you — that is key. Why not start there?
If today you walked into the kitchen and threw out all your non-BSD foods and then went to the grocery store and laid in all BSD friendly foods, that would kick start your plan.
You can start again at your very next meal.
As a person who had to start over and over and over again before I finally got my brain and body to understand, I KNOW that “just starting again” can work.
You know the first couple of days are going to be a struggle. That’s normal!! If you are totally starving eat a bit but eat some protein and NO CARBS. Chicken breast, eggs, steak, ham, cheese or anything protein — your only goal at first is to slay the carb monster.
You have gut bacteria that want carbohydrate — your goal is to starve those little creeps and feed the bacteria that want protein and vegetables. You are changing your gut biome and they are not going without a fight.
My best advice is to look up Dr Ben Bikman — he has the podcasts that changed my life. He is a researcher at BYU in Utah and his research dovetails the BSD but he tells you WHY it works. He is a very low carb advocate. I used his suggestions and the combination of BSD plus Bikman was my formula for success.
Please go listen to his podcasts — they are wonderful motivators — just Google his name.
Hope to hear back from you soon!

Hi Suzysunshine and welcome to the forum. There are many of us here who can relate to your story. I for one lost 42lb back in 2017 following the BSD and gradually over the years my weight he crept up. I’ve never put it all back on but I am heavier than I want to be and hence I am here and trying hard to get my weight back down to where I feel comfortable. Many starts and stops along the way as life has a habit of knocking me down. You will definitely get support, tips, advice and encouragement from the lovely people who frequent the forum. I am still here despite ups and downs and have made many friends on the forum.
Good luck to you as you start your journey. . Like you, I lost weight last year and in September when on a cruise where I put on a few pounds and I’ve never got them off so I am working hard to get my weight back to where I want it to be. Have a good look around the forum and you will see that you are in great company. Tomorrow is the start of your new journey. .

Hi everyone, I’m new on the site but not new to BSD. Feb’24 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, my GP asked how I felt about going on medication. I said no thanks. She suggest I read the BSD diet by Michael M. Hubby and I had a week off work so we ate out a few times, too many times 😁. My mentality was one less binge!
I read the book over this time so I was ready for lift off after my annual leave. I didn’t do 800 as it felt too restrictive for me. I didn’t calorie or carb count as after years of failed diets I didn’t want to track, count, point, syn or weigh food ever again. I wanted something easy (for me) to sustain. I cut out white and sweet potatoes, rice, pasta, cous cous, quinoa, bread, crisps, cake, biscuits, chocolate etc etc. Also fruit other than berries. I was mindful to only eat low carb foods. I ditched all low fat and half fat food. Bought full fat greek yoghurt, Feta, Hallumi 😍. Extra Virgin olive oil.

From Feb’24 to Sept’24 I lost 3 stone, it was actually really easy and I loved it. My blood pressure became normal and my GP was thrilled.
But then…… we went on holiday for 5 days in Sept and I ate CRAP then beat myself up. Sunk into a deep deep hole and from then to now have put the 3 stone back on.

To say I hate myself doesn’t come close to how I feel. I had managed to get clothes on I hadn’t worn in years, my relationship with Hubby was so much better as I was becoming happier and more confident which I’ve never been.
I was sleeping really well and physically felt better than I had in years.
I have a good 100lbs to lose and am hesitantly saying I’m going to start again tomorrow. I really really want to but I’ve spent 4 months saying I’ll start tomorrow.
Im hoping this forum and you guys might help keep me on track if you’ll have me 🤗

Good evening.

Thought I’d pop in just to say ‘hello’.

This last week hasn’t been my finest and no way will I make my target for the month. I really do have a ‘have to be perfect or failed ’ problem. I just have to tell myself ‘this is life as it is’. Enjoy, as you are, or be miserable because you aren’t your ‘ideal image of you’. Yes we can all strive to achieve our ‘goals, wishes, fantasies’, and there is no problem with that. BUT …. how much of life ‘now’ is passing us by ? Are we missing out on life because our eyes are so focused on the ‘future’ ‘perfect self’? What’s perfect???

Sorry! I think all this meditation is finally changing my ‘mind’. Hope the new week, for those of us who start on Tuesday, is a good one and for those who start on other days equally as good.

Thought I should pop in with some positives.

It’s so easy to zone in on the things in life that are going wrong and then that makes it so difficult to find the positives. Over the last six weeks or so we’ve had our share of sadness, which I guess is expected as we age. Today we’ve had little flashes of sunshine and I did notice yesterday afternoon, that despite it being a dark miserable day, it was still light after 5pm.

So …….
🌤️☀️🌤️ Days are lengthening which is always a bonus. Just over five weeks now until the clocks ‘spring forward’. Definitely on the last lap of winter now.

🥗🫐🫒 Friends here for lunch tomorrow so my ‘shout’! I do make a dessert, or should I say I buy a really nice one, but I don’t get tempted. Amazing how a sweet tooth disappears with time.

💡💡💡 And then there was light…. my new ‘daylight’ bulbs really are having a great effect on my mood. I can now understand how a SAD lamp could work really well in the winter.

The end of yet another week for me tomorrow. So great because that means another new start! Still ‘at sea’ but improving so that’s positive! Have a good week.

Hi all, and here we go for another week!

I need to get fully back on board! January just felt like hibernation season for me : all I wanted to do was cosy up and keep warm. But the last few days have started to seem a little bit lighter and brighter, and coincided with lots of outings and events at which I indulged the carb monster far too much. So as a result have put back on the two pounds I’d lost, and am also feeling bloated and sluggish.

But this week is another new start. And I’m in a much more positive frame of mind. I also want to redo the Couch25K running programme that I did during the pandemic, to start getting a bit fitter again. So hopefully can do that this week too.

Hello to everyone one here. This was going to be a longer post, responding to everyone’s recent news, but I\m having some tree surgery done today and they’ve just turned up very early so I need to go and sort things out. So will catch up properly later!

Have a good week everyone X

Reporting in with some weekend positives…..
🥂🍾💝 Friday we had a lovely evening valentines celebration
🚪🛠👍🏻 today, OH successfully replaced our back door, despite a couple of unexpected setbacks

Hope there we’re plenty of positives in your weekend.

Yes V, agree about the soups, it was just the time taken and the cost (around €4) but one of the ready soups we buy in france is Knorr packet and they are usually very good with the ingredients.

No weight movement today but BG is still down in the 70’s at 14 units. I am still very proud of myself as we had some very bad news yesterday and I was so tempted for a drink. Our sitter has been diagnosed with cancer and they have cancelled the whole trip. I really feel for them as it was a special trip to Maldives, Dhubi, Europe for 3 months total, a retirement present from her husband. I can only wish them the very best. Re-opened site for applications and we already have 3 possibles.

Today I am going to have a bit of retail therapy. I don’t really like shopping for clothes but I am looking for some snazzy trainers and some jewellery for the cruise and all the walking about. Just want to get out of the house and spend some money.

Enjoy your weekend.

S-g I don’t think you can ever compare canned soup to homemade but if you do use a can I’m sure Baxter’s is the best. Apart from anything else, you control what you put in the pan and it always tastes fresher and better!

Strangely enough I only ever had two covid jabs and that was because we were going on a cruise and it was ‘compulsory’. I’m not a great fan of vaccinations as I have an autoimmune disease. As it so happens when I saw my consultant last December and we spoke about flu jabs etc and I said I was dubious, he said the fewer jabs I had the better. But that just for me as I don’t need to rev up my immune system anymore than it’s revved up now. I do agree s-g cruising brings its own hazards. I think one of the worst hazards comes in the form of ‘excursions on coaches. Anyway, fingers crossed we can all avoid any such issues.

I’ve had a really ‘lazy’ day today. Caught up with some TV I missed last night and have generally been pottering around. Sometimes it’s good o have a day with ‘no purpose’. Hope the weekend brings calmness and happiness to all.

Hi, no more weight loss today but trying to stick with between 20 and 30g carbs. Today I made my own pea and ham soup and when I worked out the cost per portion it would have been cheaper to buy a tin or packet so I did a comparison between the lowest calorie tinned which was Baxters at 130 cals and 22g carbs. Mine came in at 170 cals and 6g carbs but loads of ham. So that’s the difference of making your own.

Total carbs today 27g which was mainly the peas and I felt the need for a Ryvita or the soup would have been a nothing sort of meal. Calories are 640 for the day but will make that up with some more ham and maybe a cube of cheese later.

Had another covid jab today. Wasn’t sure if it was necessary until we found out a friend of our hairdressers’ husband died last week from covid. Plus we are going on the cruise and that is always a big risk for health. Confined and breathing the same circulating air, bit like being on a plane but at least we can get outside.

Thanks for the advice CaliforiaGirl. Yes, I’ve had a daylight lamp for many years and for this winter, started using it in September, before being lucky enough to have 3mths in Turkiye. It does help, but it’s not a complete fix as I’m something of a hothouse flower …. definitely should have been born somewhere warm and sunny and not the middle of January in Scotland!!

Thanks Mariet, the pain has gone now. It wasn’t half as bad as it sometimes has been in the past, years ago I ended up in the A & E dept a couple of times with it. In the end my GP prescribed morphine so that I always had it at hand but I haven’t needed that for a very long time. I know I need to drink more water to prevent stones from forming in the first place but I find water gives me heartburn at the minute, it’s a vicious circle as if I was a couple of stone lighter I wouldn’t get heartburn so the answer is in my own hands!
Your dental work sounds really painful 😬I hope it’s finished soon🤞
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
Dawn X

Dawn, I hope the kidney stone pain has gone now, such awful pain. It’s hard to concentrate on anything else.
CC, how is the second eye going?
I’m in the middle of a whole lot of dental work 😩 two separate teeth need root canal therapy as well as a separate extensive filling. I wish teeth could just stay healthy. I’ve been on fluids only for the past week because my toothache has been bad, it’s so good to be pain free today.
Weigh day today and I am 400g down. I had hoped for more considering I’ve been existing on coffee and a protein drink but better than gaining 😁

Hey Verano, thank you! Love to see your posts.
Hey SunnyB, sorry that February is a bad month — I certainly know the weather there in February as I was living in Bristol last February and in 2024 it was a very cold and wet month. I had a lot of short wet walks, always ending where I could get a flat white — I figured the freezing walk burned off the flat white. I did a lot of pilates and a local weights class so at least it was a warm happy place to go. I read a stoic book that was a day by day stoic training and that was super helpful. I bird watched in the Avon Gorge every afternoon at 3ish so it filled that last bit of daylight with outdoor activity. I took a lot of naps. Also I found an on-line voice lesson from a voice coach (live time). I get it!
Do you use a SAD light in the mornings? My sister who lived in Portland Oregon for thirty years swore by hers.

I’d like to be reporting a daily discard SG, but sadly nothing worth mentioning. As for the constipation, it’s a constant issue for me, so I’m especially envious of the result you had today!
V, well done on 13 consecutive days of meditation, I’m sure you must feel better for it. I’ve allowed mine to lapse and I’m thinking it would be a good idea to get it rolling again.

My positives for today ….
🙂👍🏻 found some really interesting recipes in the Tesco mag to try out
📿😍 made a bracelet for OH as a little valentine gift
🌱🌿 today I bought a honeysuckle plant, planted some sunflower seeds and transplanted a little cactus …. roll on the warmer weather so I can get gardening in earnest again.
Oh, and one extra one … so far this week I’ve included some exercise each day. Not loads, but some, which must be better than none.

Whatever you are doing tomorrow, whether you’re celebrating or not, be sure to find a positive or two.

Glad you have found what works for you, CaliforiaGirl, it’s what we all need to do.

Sorry you found the festive posts of regretting off-piste indulgence depressing, however we have always been a safe space for people to make themselves accountable and to seek support when things get away from them. No one is expected to take on being anyone’s food police, just to offer a little empathy and encouragement if possible.

I’m afraid as someone for whom SAD is an issue, Jan (despite it bring my birthday month) and Feb are the very worst months for me and here in the UK it feels like it has been grey since early Dec, with no sign it might change anytime soon. That said, little signs of spring are offering hope, there are primroses and snowdrops on the grass verges and new shoots appearing on trees and shrubs.

SG, really pleased you’re still making good progress, you must be thrilled. Unfortunately, I’ve nothing to report of interest on the weigh front right now. The struggle goes on to get things moving in the right direction, so I will just keep on keeping on.

Julia lovely to hear from you! I think about you often and I think you got bad ‘press’ on another thread. Just glad to see you back and yes for me now Ben Bikman is my new ‘hero’.
Take care of yourself. Good to see you back.

Yes!! This is exactly what works for me. It is why I go on and on and on about Dr Bikman and his research.

Super low carbs so my main meals are a protein (animal source) (meat, cheese, eggs) and some vegetable (green) — soups and salads in the same vein and fats, heavy cream, olive oil and butter (no seed oils!!)
I only add in more carbs when I have done some serious exercise — then I can add in fruit and potato and more nuts and whole milk and now and then (rare but fun) a piece of cake. My weakness is beer — I will hike for an hour just to justify a beer ha ha. I recommend finding the food that justifies YOUR serious exercise!
I hope you are all well — I gave up posting after reading one-too-many Christmas posts about stuffing down the wrong stuff then coming on the forum to “report” the “failure” and then pledge to “atone” for it all. I am not anyone’s food police — I have enough trouble policing myself around food.
I don’t like reading about all the failures. It makes me desperately sad.
I love February — sun is coming back, daffodils are blooming (or soon) and Valentines Day is a personal favorite — and I share a Feb birthday with Sunshine girl (mine is the 10th). Spring is already half way here!
Find something that makes you happy, then keep on doing it! Happiness is good for your health!!

Yes!! This is exactly what works for me. It is why I go on and on and on about Dr Bikman and his research.

Super low carbs so my main meals are a protein (animal source) (meat, cheese, eggs) and some vegetable (green) — soups and salads in the same vein and fats, heavy cream, olive oil and butter (no seed oils!!)
I only add in more carbs when I have done some serious exercise — then I can add in fruit and potato and more nuts and whole milk and now and then (rare but fun) a piece of cake. My weakness is beer — I will hike for an hour just to justify a beer ha ha. I recommend finding the food that justifies YOUR serious exercise!
I hope you are all well — I gave up posting after reading one-too-many Christmas posts about stuffing down the wrong stuff then coming on the forum to “report” the “failure” and then pledge to “atone” for it all. I am not anyone’s food police — I have enough trouble policing myself around food.
I don’t like reading about all the failures. It makes me desperately sad.
I love February — sun is coming back, daffodils are blooming (or soon) and Valentines Day is a personal favorite — and I share a Feb birthday with Sunshine girl (mine is the 10th). Spring is already half way here!
Find something that makes you happy, then keep on doing it! Happiness is good for your health!!

Well done s-g!

Decided that I really do need to find some positives today. As has been said still half of February to go and I mustn’t let it get me down. So ……

🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️ Now 13 straight days meditating. Think that’s a record for me. Yesterday I didn’t manage a session until early evening and I slept like a log last night. Maybe I should take away something from that!

🛠️🔨💡 Few minor tweaks to my revamped kitchen were completed today. The new lights, brighter than before, have been a real eye opener. I really hadn’t realised how dull lighting can make you feel ‘dull’. Problem solved!

🥦🫛🥚 So far so good with low carb eating today. Having 2 meals a day at the moment but am having green tea as my first drink so fasting overnight for roughly 16 hours which is an improvement on my 12 broken with milk in tea around 7am.

So yes feeling more positive just have to stop myself from expecting miracles happening overnight!
Enjoy Valentines tomorrow if you celebrate it, but if you don’t….. just enjoy Friday!

Not much to say really

Another half a pound down – maybe you could try it Sunny-b. I was in despair at not losing – but…..
Kept weekly shop to €71, which is then added to the freezer shop of €17. Total of €88 which is back almost to pre-everythingnowsobloodyexpensive. I have been spending around €130 a week.
Had a pooh – yeah… Sorry about that one but it has been 3 days.

I really dont mind February, possibily because it is my birthday but also it is a short month – tomorrow we are half way through it.

Another half pound of which is good as I still didn’t go – if you know what I mean. Nearly made a massive mistake today. I often now buy a large mousakka with only 5g carbs as it is just aubergine, tomatoes, peppers, etc with a sprinkle of cheese. Bought a different one and when I logged it I would have been having 20g carbs so I am only having half my portion which makes 10g, plus I had half an apple at lunch – total carbs today are 33, it is amazing how quickly they add up even when not eating obvious carbs. At least I logged it before I ate it so I have the chance to avoid it.

BG up a little (108) which is not too bad, will stick with 14 units as it is likely to settle down. (perfect tolerance is between 85 and 125). Now I cant wait for each morning to see how much more I can lose this week. Still no flowers on our daffs but should be soon.

Sunny maybe it’s just a February ‘thing’. I always find this month the most difficult to navigate and I really don’t think this cold, dank miserable weather helps. Anyway, as s+s says we’ll just have to keep on keeping on……
Roll on spring!

Verano, I sympathise – I’m definitely not making any progress either. From being just a smidge over a pound away from the right stone bracket, I’ve bounced back to being 3.5lb away from that milestone and to be honest, I’ve no idea why. Consequently I’ve been struggling not to get completely demoralised by the situation.

To give myself a bit of breathing space, I decided this week I would just stick to OMAD and then next week add in fasting again and include full on tracking of everything consumed.

SG, you are doing brilliantly, I know you will keenly monitor your BG, hope the insulin adjustment works well for you. Keep on keeping on!

That’s an impressive result, SG. I’m quite envious, as I seem to be making zero progress at the moment, despite efforts imcluding fasting, OMAD etc.

Anyway, regardless there are still positives to be had, including …
💐💐 saw lots of roadside snowdrops and primroses today, which must mean spring will soon be putting in a full appearance.
👍🏻🙂 bagged a couple more charity shop bargains – 2 x mulled wine glasses for £1 which match a pair I already have and a three strand necklace with large crystal beads and long silvertone spacers for £3.50.

Do you have a positive to tell us about?

Hi everyone,
Cathy I’m pleased you’ve had your cataract operation and hope any pain has gone now. I still haven’t weighed myself since 2 Fridays ago as had a couple of days off plan last week. May not weigh until Friday next week as I was poorly on Saturday with vomiting and I’ve had kidney stone pain this week so have been feeling a bit fed up and keep going off plan☹️I’m feeling better tonight so am hoping to get firmly back on track from tomorrow🤞I hope everyone else is having a good week! Dawn X

S-g yes your really do have to keep a closer eye than usual on your BS.
What you’re saying makes a lot of sense. At the moment I think I should just be reporting on the ‘2025- come alive’ thread because I really am ‘all at sea’! This last week I seem to have gained a bit almost each day. Really demoralising!
Anyway, it is what it is and I’m not stressing really.
Good luck with your 14 units, an amazing achievement!

Another day of keto with 29g carbs but all made up of salad etc. Lost a total of 2lbs in 2 days. Could have lost more but after my rather upset tummy on Monday I had no movement yesterday.

Today I am well up on calories but also carbs at 37g but no white carbs as these are from Greek yoghurt and avocado, salad and a clementine. I don’t think they will do any damage. Will know tomorrow.

V, I was always around 50g but apparently just dropping another 10 or 15 makes a big difference. I also used to say if I was under 50g I was not getting enough calories, but it is the type of calories I can have like avocado, cheese, meat etc which can keep the calories up. It is still a balancing act but I have got around to it by cutting out those bits of carbs that dont add up to many calories but are the wrong kind of carbs, example with my 2 boiled eggs I usually have a Ryvita with butter, cutting that out saves me 7 g carbs and nearly 100 cals (the butter). Had a small cheat by having a tablespoon of that sage and onion stuffing which came to 20g carbs, so I could have been down to 17g for the day. Must not pick at or add small white carbs that really add up (ie stealing 4 chips or the Ryvita). I don’t think it is sustainable to stay at 20g every day but it is what I am aiming for and as long as they are not white carbs it makes a difference.

Should also say that my BG has dropped so much, hubby is worried about me. I am having to get up at around 5am to check as I know when I am feeling ‘weird’. So, you are right that I will have to keep adjusting, was on 18 units and tonight going to 14 units.

Hi ladies, Pootle I was telling my daughter and sil about the Captains night when they had a 5ft display of champagne coups and they filled them by standing on the balcony. They didn’t think it would be possible on a moving ship – well, you don’t really feel any movement. I get sick before the channel ferry has even left port yet found cruising had no bad effect on me. Enjoy your soak.

Sunny-B, yes that is what I found with chair yoga and there were some things I couldn’t do for a couple of weeks. At the end of the month I was totally back to strength and breathing ability. Not gone back to it although I do proper yoga with Adrienne on YT.

V, fingers crossed for your husbands quick recovery.

My positives are
Still on keto – not worrying about calories as a 100 cals of cheese are better than 100 cals of bread.
Lost a total 2lbs in 2 days
Did 30 mins difficult aerobics yesterday

Wonderful to see lots of lovely positives being posted.
SG and V, how exciting you are both only a couple of months away from your cruise holidays. I’m especially envious as we don’t yet have any definite dates for our next trip.
Pootle, that sounds like a good job jobbed and I would think very satisfying too.

Positive from me for today ….
🪑🙂 did some chair yoga (my first time). Was surprised to find it’s more strenuous that it appears. My intension is to try to do some sort of exercise each day now.

Sorry I haven’t posted for a few days… whilst there wasn’t a lack, there just didn’t seem to be any ‘different’ positives in my life! 🤔🥴

I am envious of your planned holidays but not that they are cruises🚢 …..,I get sea-sick in a barge moored on a canal… and a ferry makes me feel sick for days afterwards! ! We last went on holiday in May 2017 (a week at a b&b in the Lake District) which was fine, but I really would like a break where I get pampered!! 🍾

So today’s positive was that my husband and I teamed up with a chainsaw, loppers, secateurs and trailer to do some serious pruning which has been neglected for a couple of years! 🌲🌳🏡
Very tired and achy but satisfied tonight… a long soak in the bath 🛁🫧coming up… pure bliss! 😄

Good evening! Thought I should pop-in with some positives.

S-g we have 63 days before we set off on our trip. We have six nights in Tenerife then cruising up to Lisbon from where we then fly down to the Algarve to see our son and his family. Really looking forward to the trip except my husband is now having a hernia repair on March 18th so just keeping everything crossed we will actually make it!

So to my positives ….

🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️ 12 straight days of meditation and I have to admit it’s getting easier and I can now ‘follow’ my breathing when I wake in the night and get back to sleep really quickly.

🥦🍅🥒 Feel like I’m eating really well although I’ve not quite got my head around the ‘Keto’ way of eating.

📚✒️📚 Doing lots of reading on my kindle this last week or so which is really satisfying.

Just had a bizarre happening …. while I was writing I must have ‘touched’ something because the last five minutes of conversation I had with my OH appeared here!!! Need to be careful.!

Anyway, enjoy your evening and jeep positive!

Thanks s-g, I always thought 20g but when I look up ‘how many carbs to get into ketosis’ virtually every response is 50g or less! BTW well done on a great first day. Looking forward to what tomorrow brings you! I’m sure you know that you have to be extra careful about very low carb when you’re taking insulin. I’m sure you’re clued up.

As for me I’m still reading and digesting and ‘making a plan’ although I have become more mindful of my carbs. I’ve taken another look at the HAVA app and that has been improved quite a lot. Now after you enter your food items you can switch between calorie count and carb count. Quite handy. Anyway I’m still planning so not much more to say at the moment apart from having an unexplained half pound gain overall this week! Such is life! Just have to keep on keeping on ……..