Yayyyyyyy! XX enjoy the book when it comes !
But double check with yr pharmacist when they ring, just to be sure bout the meds x

Yowzer you are a star 🌟
Thanks so much for info I have just ordered book as well
Take care Lv nokie x💞

PS NOKIE ive been on Amitriptyline for many years,30g now,used to be 75g. I find it does help with pain,and my doctor told me that paracetamol doesnt interact negatively with it. It’s opoids like morphine that you shdnt combine with Amitriptyline.

Hi yowzer
Thankyou so much I will order it now
❤️lv nokie

Hi NOKIE! Its called “ 5:2 your life.Get happy,healthy and slim” by Kate Harrison
£7.99 but I got my copy ( new) for about a fiver on ebay and there are pre owned copies for sale on there for less.
It has 2 sections,one on 5:2 fasting and one on 5:2 living as well. Lots of tips and guidelines,great book to dip into,and 359 pages long.
I think its an excellent idea for you to get into while youre getting better! 🩷💜xx

Thankyou yowzer
You always cheer me up!!
You mentioned the 5.2 your life who is that by? I was thinking maybe I could do that while I am trying to get better I looked on line but not sure which book it is
Would be nice to read a different one I think I can manage 2 days !!
Lv nokie x💞

✶*¨*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨*.✫*¨*.¸.¸¸.✶*¨*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨*.✫*¨*.¸.¸¸.✶*¨* ✶*¨*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨*.✫*¨*.¸.¸¸.✶*¨*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨*.✫*¨*.¸.¸¸.✶*¨*
NOKIE Im so sorry youre suffering so much xxx we wont forget you,so dont worry about writing,just get better asap and your cabin is waiting,all ready for you,when youre better xx
SUE you too have suffered so much with shingles,so many times over the years! You and Nokie have made me resolve to go into my surgery and get the jab.
DCT my plan is treating January – June in 5:2 fashion. Five days a week where I do the basics and 2 days where I get stuck in and make a difference. Started off quite small in Jan but even small changes add up and I can see the improvement already,including two absolutely bulging bags for the local cat rescue charity shop. The bags include clothes,some of which to my shame still have labels on,never worn and now too big,and some I didnt even know i had,no memories of buying them,they have hung unnoticed in my wardrobe for a long time! The book “5:2 your life” really gave me the kick up the bum I needed to get started. Ever since lockdown ( nearly five years ago now!) Ive been procrastinating and getting lazy, no wonder I put on weight!
Anyhoo TGIF! Have a good weekend on the boat,folks! X
“ 🎸🎶🎵🎸 We joined the Navy,to see the world,but what did we see- we saw the sea.. 🎸🎶🎵🎸 !” Sing up everyone!

Thankyou sueblue
I really hope I don’t get it 20 times !once is enough 😥I am taking Amitriptyline 10 mg just one at night I have just rang pharmacy to see if I can take paracetamol for the pain but still waiting to find out
I might ask if I can have the jab as well
Thanks again for your good wishes
Lv nokie x💞

Nokie, sorry to hear about your shingles. It’s an awful illness, I’ve had it more than 20 times now – I wish I was exaggerating 🙁 however since having the shingles vaccine about 6/7 years ago, now when I have episodes it’s usually very mild. And I’m also able to tell when I’m getting it so start on antivirals straight away – I get nerve pain in my back before the spots appear. Touch wood but I haven’t had it for a few years now. I hope the tablets help. Not sure which ones you have been prescribed, but I take a Lyrica tablet each day for nerve pain in my feet and it helps.

Mariet – yes I’m. LOVING this cooler weather. It was 42 degrees on Tuesday and I felt so miserable and far too hot to want to do anything. Whereas today being in the mid 20s I was able to walk 15,000 steps and get all my errands done!

Hello all
Firstly well done to the loss this week your posts keep me going ! I am sorry i cannot write much every time I write ✍️ it shoots pain ☹️
I had to go to doctors again yesterday as I can’t cope with the pain unfortunately I now have post herpetic Neuralgia caused by the shingles it’s when all the nerves 😢 hurt
I have been given a tablet to take each night apparently they are anti depressants!! And it could go on for several months
Not sure 🤔 about my diet but will keep going sorry if i don’t reply often but just so you all know i am still with you all
Have a good week everyone and weekend
Lv nokie x💞

YOWZER – our posts crossed! But thank you so much for that fabulous quote. It really resonated with me and, like you, I want to apply it to various other aspects of my life as well as the weight loss. Very inspiring so thank you X

And yes, how wonderful to see the back of January, certainly for us in the UK. It’s been such a long, grey, cold, wet, miserable month (I could go on . . . . . !! ) – so here’s to brighter sunnier times for us all 🌞

Well here we are,gang,we’ve made it through the post crimbo slump of January! Go,us!🥳
Congrats to those who lost weight this month,and congrats even more to those who are sticking with it even when the scales are showing slow progress. As for me,in January I quickly lost the Christmas weight,and then managed to maintain my pre xmas weight,even though my Carb Monster and my Inner Chimp are already pestering me about hot cross buns and easter eggs.
I’m embracing again the quotation that got me back into reasonable shape since taking it on board last June,and now applying it to my home,to get all those things done there that Ive neglected,either through laziness or not being able to make decisions about what I want/ dont want.
This saying made a deep impression on me –
” In six months time you will have six months of excuses or six months of progress. The choice is yours”
So by June this year,my home should be as shipshape as our ship!
Love to all xx Hopefully those of us attending the ship’s sick bay with various ailments and illnesses will soon be improving as spring starts to edge closer. 🥳⭐️🥰xx

Morning all!

NOKIE how are you doing? Your shingles sounds awful, and I hope it starts clearing up soon so that you can begin to enjoy your new home.

POOTLE great to see you, and to hear how well you are maintaining. As you say, we all have so much to thank Michael for.

ARCTICFOX good news about the positioning of your lump. I hope you get the full scan results soon and that they can get your sorted. And I agree with Mariet about reading about your way of life – it’s so different to mine (I’m UK based) and I’m always full of admiration at your energy and resourcefulness, even when you’re not feeling brilliant in yourself.

MARIET I love it when that happens! Weight disappears for no apparent reason. There was a chat earlier on this thread about weigh days. I like to weight every day, just to observe the fluctuations and try and pinpoint causes. Sometimes it’s obvious, but other days not at all. I also have a weekly weight target for Friday each week, and this week have managed to meet mine for the first time this year so far, so I’m happy with that. A long way to go, but then that’s the point of a longer thread, to take things at our own pace and understand that life happens along the way.

DAWN good luck with your Elevens goal. I hope that you make it by next Friday!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend xx

Hi everyone,
Just a quick post to thank everyone for their congrats on my weight loss so far. I’m due another weigh in today but have had a few days a bit off plan so am going weigh myself next Friday instead when I really hope I may have made it down to the 11’s as that was my first BIG goal so🤞 I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. Dawn XX

Edit double post

Nokie, I hope the shingles are improving, so painful. I haven’t had my vaccination yet though I am eligible and it’s a reminder to me to organise it.
CC, good luck for your next eye op, I hope you have another brilliant result 😁
Arctic Fox, great news from your MRI. I love reading your posts, your way of life (Canada? Alaska?) is so very different to anything I’ve ever experienced growing up in Australia and living in heat all my life.
Sueblue, I hope you’re enjoying this cooler weather! It makes exercise so much easier.
I woke this morning to an unexpected 800g loss! No change to anything so I guess it just takes a while for it to show up. It made me happy ❤️
Onward and downward for us all!

Excellent news about your kitchen refurbishment, V … enjoy!
Pootle, hope the new project gives you something to get your creativity zinging.

My positive/s for today are ….
🛏🛏 changed the bed linen this morning, so fresh sheets to slide onto tonight
🌤🌤 actually saw the sun for a few hours today 🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️
👍🏻🙂 good progress has been made with our decorating project…. just the walls left to emulsions now.

V, Brilliant news that your kitchen revamp is finished and is wonderful! 🎉

Positives for today;

1. It didn’t rain!!! 🌂 yay!!! ☔️
2. Had a ‘creative’ day….working on a new idea for work! 👩‍🎨 great as I have been feeling unimaginative for the last month!
3. Like you V, I continued my low carb regime, with very tasty pork fillet in Parma ham with cauliflower mash and tenderstem broccoli! 🥦🥦

Hi everyone,
Nokie- sorry to hear about your shingles. What an awful thing to have. I’m eligible for a vaccine on my birthday this year, and I think I will schedule it for that day, and hope I don’t get shingles before then. I had a really severe case of chicken pox as a kid, so shingles scares me. I have noted an increase in shingles among younger people following Covid infections, so I wonder if the Covid virus has reactivated the chicken pox virus in some people. There was some speculation that some long Covid was a result of reactivated Epstein-Barr virus, and they are both herpes viruses, so perhaps? Just some speculation.
Cathy – I hear you about the fasting. On one hand, I would like to start it again as it was the only thing helping me to lose weight, but I don’t know if my stomach will allow me anymore. Also, my metabolism seems to have really changed as I now may be in full menopause, and not just peri-menopause. I feel like I have been making some progress this week by just eating lots of veggies and fibre (especially hemp seeds, chia and flax), and going for walks and doing some workouts from my online gym. Probably no weight or inches lost at this point, but definitely feeling more energy.
Dawn – congrats on your discard. That’s a brilliant start!
Mariet – I have been averaging around 7000 steps per day, so you are beating me! I get out for a walk on one of my coffee breaks each day and that helps, but otherwise, I don’t think I have time to do more right now. At least not on work days (I can’t wait to be retired too, but still a ways to go for me!). I console myself that at least some of my steps are very difficult. It is sitting at -6 to-12 C right now. My outdoor hydrant is frozen, even though it is supposed to be frost free, so I am running buckets of water for the horses from the basement bathroom in the house. I am carrying the buckets up the stairs and then about 200m out to the shelter area. That’s about 18kg in each hand while walking, and I am out of breath by the time I get to the gate, so it must be doing something!
DCT and everyone who has wished me well and asked about results – the follow up phone call with the surgeon was a bit disappointing as he didn’t have any new info, just that he was sending the scan to the cancer agency, which he had already told me. I had a call from the agency yesterday to confirm my personal info though, so presumably they are now working on it. The report from the radiologist landed in my inbox this morning though. One good piece of news – the previous ultrasound had identified it as being intramuscular, but the MRI has confirmed that it is intermuscular and does not appear to infiltrate the muscle. It is just sitting in between the muscles in my thigh. So hopefully that means it will be easier to remove, whatever it is.

Good evening!
Hello…..

Well I don’t have three positives but I do have two…..

🐟🫛🥦 Salmon and vegetables tonight. So continuing with my low carb regime.

🌱🌱🌱 daffodils starting to poke their heads above the soil. Spring is on its way!!!

Ok so I do have number 3……
Kitchen revamp just finished! Looking wonderful! Very happy!

Thank you Sunny for offering to kick off our February thread. I did so many threads in the past that I’m quite happy to take a back seat now. But, I will step forward if needed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎉🥂🎉🥂 (belated) Sunny hope it was a lovely day. My birthday is a week before Christmas so really short days but with lots of ‘anticipation’ around the mood is brighter.

So coming towards the end of January, in general, I have ‘jumped’ into 2025. Had an eye opener yesterday. I had a full on carb day. A very small piece of wheat and rye sourdough bread. Carrot and BUTTERBEAN soup…. I should have known ….. 1lb gain this morning. I realise this is ‘water weight’ so I’ve not gone off the rails just had chicken breast for brunch and salmon and veggies for dinner so hoping the ‘number’ Will be more favourable tomorrow.

P.S. s-g is your birthday the 7th?

Pootle, I usually get my Agave Syrup from Tesco or Lidl, but I’m sure other supermarkets must stock it. Lovely to be spontaneously taken out for a meal.
V, well done on your progress … 1.5lb is not to be sniffed at! I need to take a leaf from you book and start a clear out. I was looking for some shoes in one of my cupboards and it occurred to me a good sort out wouldn’t go amiss.
Do you remember Yowsers 27 in 9? Getting rid of or reorganising 27 items on each of 9 consecutive days. Remember doing that a couple couple times and it really gave a feel good factor.

Anyway, to my positives ….
🙂🙂 have arranged to visit my parents in Feb
👛💷 my new wallet arrived, very happy as the zip on my old one had become temperamental and was annoying me.

Seems a number of us struggle with mood and motivation at this time of year, it’s certainly a tough time for me.
January is my birth month, but I loath it with its short cold grey days and almost constant rain! And quite often it doesn’t really improve much until well into March!
Anyway, let’s stay focused and do our best to finish January strong. If there’s a slip or two, we’ll forgive ourselves and get right back on track ready to start February forcefully 🙂.
I’m happy to kick-off the thread for February, but also happy to step aside if anyone else would like to do it.

Forging ahead gets my vote too!
January is my ‘difficult’ month, closely followed by February. I find motivation almost impossible, for many years I have thought I should hibernate! But January is nearly over, and February a short month, so nearly out if the woods… so hard not to comfort eat, but remaining strong, and self forgiving if I slip slightly..(6 chips yesterday! )

Nokie
So sorry to hear your shingles are soooo bad! Really hope you can get some relief soon.

Hello everyone,
Sorry I don’t post much anymore, but I do like to see how everyone is doing.
I am keeping weight where I want it… and diabetes still in remission… so I don’t have much to share…except to say, it CAN be done and I am so grateful to Dr Michael Mosley (😢 that he is no longer with us) and everyone in the forums on this site!
As S-G says… keeping on, keeping on!
Xx

Hello all

Great to read your posts I am so sorry but I can’t write much at the moment I am in so much pain with my shingles !!😢 I don’t know what to do with myself I haven’t forgotten everyone just feel really bad at moment I will post soon keep going everyone
Lv to all nokie x💞

Morning everyone, just catching up with recent posts.

DAWN well done! I’m really pleased you’re off to such a great start. NOKIE how are you? I hope the shingles are beginning to calm down a bit? What bad timing!

ARCTIC FOX how are you? Any news on your test results?

CATHY so much is happening for you and I’m sorry for your disappointments (and also your treatment by the junior doctor btw). But as you say we are still relatively early in the year so there’s still plenty of time to come alive. I’m talking to myself as much as anyone else as I’ve been a really slow starter. But this week I’ve reverted to two meals a day as I just don’t have time to fit in breakfast and lunch – as I was trying to do – before leaving for work. So it’s a late morning brunch for me – in fact, need to dash and sort that out now!!

MARIET and SUEBLUE keep on keeping on. You’re both getting into great routines and the weight loss will follow. MARIET I’m glad you’re enjoying retirement. I retire in April and now just can’t wait. Like you said SUE, I’m at the “filling time” stage now!

HEIDI how are you doing? Baby steps are good! Every little helps on this journey – we’re in it for the long term not a quick fix. So getting into good habits is one of the keys to success.

Hello to YOWZER, VERANO, MIXnMATCH and anyone I’ve managed to miss (I know – from bitter experience- if I scroll back I lose what I’ve typed!) Hope all is well X

Hello everyone
I love reading your posts every morning when I wake up. I’m afraid to admit that I haven’t come alive in 2025 yet. I’ve been trying with my fasts and with time restricted eating but last weeks Chippy Tea hasn’t helped at all! The 36 hour fasts have made absolutely no difference to my weight and I remember this happening last year too. I then went to a local eat healthy group and did manage to lose some weight. So I’ve bought a nice little spiral bound note book from Aldi that says ‘productivity’ on the cover and it’s a priorities planner to stay on track of multiple weekly tasks – it says ‘ensure nothing gets missed and achieve better balance’ so I am going to try writing things down. For £3.99 it might help motivate me. I have been out walking and I’ve been eating smaller portions this week but the scales were up again on Friday and I’m blaming the infamous chippy tea I ate on Wednesday and no doubt a surge in cortisol after my hospital appointment!! . Anyway, it’s only week three so back to basics again for me. I’m going to take things day by day for a few weeks. I feel that I’m in a bit of a turmoil . Having my second cataract op on 10th Feb and I feel that may be a turning point. I have been wearing one lens in my specs for months now so it will be good to get new glasses in March and be able to read properly. My niece’s wedding is in June and I’ve got a lovely long slim dress and short sleeved jacket I want to wear. It won’t look good with bulges! I can feel a tyre growing around my middle that feels horrible so the notebook is being launched today- just seen on the first page thet it says small steps each day lead to significant achievement over time. So 2025 can become an achievement if I take things slow and steady every day.
Well done to everyone who is off to a good start. 1lb a week is a step in the right direction. I would be delighted with 1lb this week – so far I am up since the start but that will change next week.

Forging ahead gets my vote too. I always find February a difficult month so battling ahead fits my mood well!

Mariet – when I read your post I thought my goodness, I could have written this! Am in exactly the same position, this is my 3rd week of heathier eating and recording and I’ve only lost 1kg too. My step count is a bit lower – I average around 7,000 a day, but some days it’s only 1500 say and another it could be 15,000.
Today and yesterday I started the day with a 45 minute walk, which is around 5,000 steps. I’m at the stage now where I really look forward to my morning walk, it’s starting to become a habit which is good.
I’m happy that you are enjoying retirement so far 🙂 I’m really looking forward to retiring later this year. While I like my job, I’m no longer passionate about it, and feel like I’m just filling in time… and it’s like having to go to work (just 2 days now), it interferes with what I’d like to do! I guess that’s true for most of us though 🙂
DAWN – congratulations! What a good start you’ve got off to!
CATHY – glad your eye specialist appointment went so well! And it’s good your jeans fit – I love those sort of NSV’s.
I’m going to measure myself again at the end of the week, I feel I may have lost a little around my waist/hips as with one pair of my jeans I now need to wear a belt – admittedly they are the size 18 ones I kept from a few years ago, I donated
Most of my bigger clothes when I last lost weight a few years ago, and now so many of my smaller ones don’t fit.
There’s no way I’m going to fork out for bigger clothes again so I have to lose more weight if I don’t want to be wearing the same few clothes!

Well done Dawn, fabulous results!
I’ve been weighing and recording religiously for 21 days now and there’s little movement for me. Since the start of the year I am 1kg down, way better than gaining of course but doesn’t feel like much progress after a lot of effort.
But it feels good to be in a settled way of eating. I find it easier to hold back from snacks etc (even though they would be low carb) knowing that I will be recording it!
I’m averaging 9000 steps a day and 30 minutes of moderate exercise which really helps to keep my mental outlook good.
So far retirement is a dream! I can’t imagine going back to work and always have so much to do.
Hoping things continue going for everyone, looking forward to hearing how everyone is going.

I like the idea of forging ahead because I know it’s going to take effort on my part to keep going!
Well done with losing 2lbs SunnyB 👏👏
Margaret xx

Pootle ….. 👍👍👍. Absolutely right. We need to ‘live’ . Eating what we fancy without the really nasty carbs is the way to go. We can eat well without the UPFS and we will benefit. In saying that the odd chip or piece of bread won’t ☠️ ‘kill’ us. Just have to balance our food with our medical ‘needs’.

So while I’m here…
👍👍👍 Feeling pretty good at the moment. My loss this week was half a pound short of my 2lb per week goal but quite happy. Might or might not catch up next week but hey! still going in the right direction.

👚👗🩳 Have started a ‘charity shop’ bag. I have so much ‘stuff’. Just need to ‘cleanse’. So started with the ‘swimsuit’ drawer. Can’t even remember when I used some of the ‘stuff’ so out they go. Feels wonderful. Next step is all of those tops I’ve kept because I thought they would fit…. they won’t … so out they go too! Feels great to have a ‘clear out’.

🥗🐓🥦 My final is that I’m still enjoying ‘eating well’.

Have a good week!

Sunny B I haven’t heard of agave syrup… where do you get it? I don’t want to use stevia or xylitol as I wish to eat ‘natural’ as far as possible. I did a 40 mile round trip last week to find full fat crème fraiche that hadn’t been produced by arla! I just don’t trust them about feeding bovaer. Scientists thought it harmless to use sheep offal in cattle feed years ago(without telling the farmers buying the feed)…resulting in BSE and Creutzfeldt Jakob disease !!!🐄🐄🐄
A new carpet sounds exciting and brilliant news on the weight front!

Today I was feeling down…January gets me like that… and when I sighed as I was trying to get enthusiastic about preparing our evening meal, husband said, “come on, we will go out tonight.” So my positive is garlic mushrooms followed by gammon steak and I was strong enough to turn down the bread and chips…although I have eaten 6 of husband’s chips!
😇😇😂

Those brownies sound interesting, Pootle. I do a similar thing when it comes to sugar in recipes, although I usually use a little Agave Syrup, as it’s surprisingly low in carbs for a natural sweetener. Csn’t stand stevia, as it tastes the same an artificial sweeteners to me.

I have a couple of positives for today ….
🪣🖌 started the task of refreshing the paintwork on our landing and upstairs hallway. Once it’s done, we can order new carpet …. yippee!!!
🛁⚖ bathroom scales surprised me with a reading 2lb lower than this time last week. More than happy with that!

If you have a moment, why now share one I’ve your positives with us?

Quick report in with my weekly weigh in result. Pleased to say that I’m 2lb down on last week’s reading, which is a really good outcome given I’m a really slow loser.

Have been giving some thought to a title for February’s thread. Two ideas came to mind ….. Forging Ahead in February, or perhaps Feel Fabulous in February …. has anyone else got any thoughts or ideas?

Agree V, January is too long after we have already had Nov and Dec. I check the clock every evening to see what time I am putting on the livingroom light. Moved from 5.20 to 5.45 so we are moving in the right direction. February has my birthday so something to look forward to.

S-g ‘fed up’, ‘cold and wet January’ (and February, March and April ( here in the UK at least) Yes I see it.

I feel the same in the winter. Just have to look towards the positives …. less than 8 weeks before the clocks ‘spring forward’ on March 30th. We can do this. Clocks move forward on March 30th just less than 8 weeks away. We will all feel better with lighter and brighter nights.

January for me has been at best an ‘average’ month but in saying that the ‘number’ is reducing.

Looking forward to February, onwards and upwards goals.

Hi everyone, thank you for your kindness and support. As I said I wasn’t looking for advice and it really was nothing to do with pickle. It was more like living this way for 20 years – almost to the day. Just feeling really fed up in a cold, wet January and husband making a stupid remark.

Weight has stayed the same so I can be proud I didn’t go off the rails after my little meltdown. I will declare my final weight on Friday. I set myself a goal of 3lbs a month and sure I have done better than that.

I am heading off now to get my feet done. Have a good week.

I am deeply saddened by the news of Dr. Michael Mosley’s passing. Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute. It’s clear that he touched countless lives with his expertise, compassion, and unwavering dedication to improving health and wellness. Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Mosley’s kindness and generosity will be fondly remembered. His innovative spirit and genuine concern for others stand as a testament to how one individual can truly make a positive impact in the world. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues. He will be profoundly missed, but his legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come. May he rest in peace.

Thanks Pootle. She thinks it’s stomach acid irritating my stomach. Have to take some tablets and see how it goes. In addition as a precaution i have to have some bloods done….I have asked to have the diabetes one again whilst they’re doing it…to which she agreed. So that will be interesting! Very uncomfortable at the moment. But have been perfect on diet!

Hi Lucy,
I hope the GP has been able to pinpoint your trouble and that you feel better!
K xxx

Ah S-G be gentle with yourself but I do really sympathise with you because it’s so frustrating feeling restricted on a daily basis!!. You are so supportive of everyone on here & we are all here to also give you some support. How about giving yourself a different kind of pampering treat such as a massage or facial right now & of course also whilst you are on your cruise?
I have read that the Chinese have a screaming tree to shout at & offload & Ive always thought that was an excellent idea except my neighbours would hear me in my garden🙁failing this bashing the hell out of a cushion ? We are all allowed to have an occasional meltdown & I frequently stomp around like a two year old!!
Do take it easy & pat yourself on your own back for how well you are managing your diabète in such an inspirational way👏👏👏⭐️
Margaret xx

S-G
So sorry you are having a difficult time…maybe cut yourself some slack…I think we all lose it from time to time, and regret what we can or cannot any longer do/have. I don’t really understand why people have a ‘dry month’ in January. I find January a very depressing and difficult month without depriving myself! Perhaps a little retail therapy will be restorative.
I see Verano and Sunny B have some suggestions….and I think you should know that we are all here to support if we can.
xx

My positive for today:
I tried adapting a recipe I found online for an aubergine and chocolate brownie… dropped the 100g sugar, added 1 small dessert spoon of honey instead.

It has worked well… suits my changing tastes being less sweet! 👩‍🍳😄

S-g yes I understand how sometimes we all reach that ‘tipping point’. It can be the smallest of things that turn out to be the ‘straw’ but it’s worse when it comes from someone who we feel should know better!

I wonder if you can maybe just relax a little. A few posts back you said you aren’t ‘fat’. Maybe you shouldn’t worry about the calories sometimes. Even if it’s just one day a week or one meal a week. Sad to think you are worrying about the food on your cruise. I know it’s not easy when faced with all those temptations. We don’t go to afternoon tea as there’s no point for me! I have learned to eat a ‘taste’ of something but it’s taken me years. I know this wouldn’t be the way for everyone but I can quite happily take one spoon of a dessert and leave the rest. That works for me. I know you have to be far more careful but I wonder if one of the constant glucose monitors might help you work out which foods actually do send your blood sugar high. I think people have different tolerances to different carbs and maybe you could try and find which ones you could have that don’t spike your blood sugars. Speak with Dr Gorgeous I’m sure he will help if he can.
Anyway, when all else fails, as you say, a little retail therapy usually does the trick. Happy shopping!

Positives for today …
🥘👩‍🍳 menu has been planned for date night
🚅🚆 we’ve booked a shuttle day trip to Calais for two weeks time, for us and eldest DD, as a birthday treat for her

Did a positive pop in to your day today?

How about while hubby indulges in afternoon tea on the cruise, you indulge in something for you …. a shampoo and blow dry, a facial, a swim or some other onboard activity? Just a thought.
Right now, a bit of retail therapy might be just what’s needed to help lift your spirits a little.

Thank SunnyB. These rules I live by are self-imposed and necessary to keep me well. I am a good cook and do experiment but mainly day to day food is the same old, same old. I think one thing that is getting me down is not being able to have a drink. Yes, I decided to do dry January, mainly to give my body a rest and also lose weight. It is not that I want a drink but just that I can’t have one – why, because I would be so disappointed in myself if I didn’t see out the challenge. So most of my problems are not only self-imposed but self-inflicted.

I will be back to my sunny self in a few days and might go a do some shopping, look at some nice jewellery to go with my cruise outfits, maybe buy a few bits that are totally unnecessary and see if I can cheer myself up.

SG, I hear your frustration and imagine it must get really tough, having to live constantly under certain restraints because the alternative is so grim.

It’s okay not to be okay and without doubt this is the place to come and vent. Once you’re feeling more upbeat, perhaps we can help you think of ways to incorporate more robust flavours in your meals, meanwhile, take care and be gentle with yourself. As V said, sunnier days are on their way, when we’ll all be able to get out in nature and enjoy some warmth.