Thanks Frog. Nice to see you on here again. 😃 Life sometimes has a habit of getting in the way, doesn’t it?

Nettle – think my ‘alien’ moments come when I see my reflection in a full length mirror. A very different ‘me’ is looking back at me. Quite a shock!

Hi Team

Great results posted by you which keeps others focused.
This week I had a few ‘alien’ moments. I felt so different and quite strange to be this weight. Based on past experience, the diet would have been long gone by now with no great expectations of ever being this size and shape. The BSD is the first to keep me successfully engaged.

On day 3 of Week 19 now, no plans to flip over to 5:2 just yet. Lost 14kg and loads off the waist and other hefty bits, hence the alien reaction.

Some days I have a lot more than three things to be grateful for, if appropriate I share those with friends and family, spreading the love. 😊

Planning the formal 10km walk by the end of the year and a beach holiday some time soon being as it is mid winter here with glorious snow all around. Buying a new swim suit is high on the list….it’s one of those REALLY???? moments. Relishing the thought of the choices available in the smaller sizes, and the bargains, big suits were never cheap!

Thanks again CaptL for your inspiration, welcome back Frog, thanks for hopping back in.

Nettle.

Hi Lucia and Imogen,
At the risk of preaching to the converted have you tried upping your fat intake? It was recommended to me when I hit a plateau and it worked for me. Worth a try?
Good luck either way.
Christine

Thanks Penny, I had a good Day 6 (Saturday) too.

I’ve been dreading the weekend – simply because I normally find that is the time that I tend to over-indulge or give up.
However, I stuck with it and I am so proud of myself.

Breakfast: 2 Boiled Eggs with 50g Avocado
Lunch: M&S Chicken Salad
Dinner: 100g Greek Yogurt with 10g Lizi’s Low Sugar Granola (just for the ‘crunch’)
Snacks: 35g Cashews and a handful of Cherries

Total: 850 calories, 52g carbs
Water: 1L
Steps: 5,991

Make it
These Fudgy Paleo Brownies are so simple to make, are not cakey at all, and are the perfect chocolate treat! So delicious and gluten free,…
Ingredients
Vegetarian, Gluten free
Refrigerated
2 Eggs
Condiments
3/4 cup Honey
Baking & spices
2 oz Chocolate, unsweetened
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
1/4 cup Coconut flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
Oils & vinegars
1/2 cup Coconut oil
Drinks
1 tsp Fair trade espresso
couldn’t copy the picture

Taken!

Well done Jumbalaya,
I too am nearing the end of my first week. Although it has been difficult – it has definitely been easier than I expected.
Now that the weather is heating up in the UK, I can say that I’m missing ice-cream. I would have loved a McFlurry today – but fortunately I did not cave in.

it was really nice. I’m actually thinking it was worth the carbs!

Me too… wretched plateau!!!

Think I may dispense with the scales as they are stubbornly refusing to move – even after I went walking for two hours today 😕. Oh well.

Hang in there Lucia🌻

Righto I am definitely ready for bed tonight! Will catch you all tomorrow, lovely ladies 😀 Hopefully the sun will be shining 🙂 Hopefully Tokyo will be back too… Sleep well 🙂

None of it’s permanently set up though. They’re all clothes hangers in various parts of the house 😉

No, it’s not shown up Josie

(3) Pinterest • The world’s catalogue of ideas

am not sure if this works but its a recipe for brownies the ingredients all look like something we now have hopefully it will show same

Hee hee husband sounds very open to new stuff 👏🏻👏🏻 Will be dying to hear about your first class, hopefully one near by.

great about mini gym in your house!! No excuse so 😜

Omg, I just got post number 1111. A number I see everywhere since years. Of course I did!

My emoticons are crap when I’m on the PC, only smiles, grins and sad faces! Pffffffffft. I’m more proud of myself for exercising at this time of the month, usually I’d pull in about 600. And on a Saturday too! Saturday is our family’s ‘day of rest’ because Sunday is boring, that if we’re not off out watching our rugby team at home, then we’re cleaning. I accept your 8500 challenge. I will do my best. Probably in two increments again, but I’ll be moving more around the house tomorrow than today. I want to see if there’s a local beginner’s yoga class, hubby also seems interested in yoga. He also likes boybands. Lucky is worrying.

I only went to the gym once. I was 16. Never, ever again. I have treadmill, exercise bike, rowing machine, abs trainer, little exercise bike thingy that you can use sat on a chair, and shedloads of weights. I can’t swim. I am hopelessly uncoordinated and I have failed at every sport I have ever tried. I can’t run or jog because I have massive tatas (And I means massive, 46FF) and it’s so uncomfortable. My arms and legs don’t move at the right time together, so any form of dance or aerobics is out. Pretty much, walking and darts work for me.

Pilates is good, have done it before and it makes you feel long and lean! But yoga is just great as makes your head work too 👏👏

My first week on the BSD is coming to a close. I stuck to it (mostly) except for Thursday, when we had a presentation at work with a buffet lunch and there were NO fruit and veg, like we usually have! So I was forced to eat sandwiches and a huge raspberry muffin! However, was back on track the next day.

Today, I had scrambled egg with chives and tomato slices which was lovely and for dinner I had griddled chicken with white bean mash; I was pleasantly surprised, it was really tasty.

I am still hungry, but no more so than when I was eating ‘normally’. Right now, I’m missing my weekend glass of white wine or prosecco and white chocolate.

Hi gang,
I am happily in my plateau.
But
I will get my own back, I am not going to weigh myself for a month!
Take that!
Love Lucia
Xxxx

I need to up the ante on exercise as really not doing very much at the moment. I used to go to the gym but there never seems to be the time now. I’m either working or juggling kids! I hate swimming too. It’s boring (unless you’re in a pool in Corfu, mucking about!) Maybe I need a yoga or Pilates class?

Yaaaay!! That’s the key, they all add up those active minutes! 👏👏👏👏👏👯
(Yes bunnies, but they’re celebratory😝)

That’s great, I went for big rambling walk too and clocked up loads of steps while basically people and dog watching 😂

Ok tomorrow 8500 that’s only tiny bit more but brill to keep it up. More of this and you’ll be going to yoga next week 😳😂😂😂 Go team💃🏻💃🏻

I’m not doing the exercises yet, just trying to walk more at the moment, Josie. I know from experience that it does help with my weight loss, and especially now with my staying the same this week, I’m throwing everything at it. I’ve only given the recipes in the book a cursory glance to be honest, I just took note of what I could and couldn’t eat and ran with it. So far I’ve bought three flours, coconut sugar and butter that I didn’t use before, and I think I’ll get through those in time. Anything too exotic, I won’t be bothering.

Hi Lynne
congratulations on the weight and blood sugars – brilliant news!
– I’m nearly at the end of week 8 now, 10 kilos lost, bit more to go.
Haven;t logged on in ages – I decided I needed to get more active and less time at my laptop thinking about it!

Day 6 went surprisingly well, considering it’s a Saturday. (I hope the day went well for you too, reversing_prediabetes)

I slept in for the first time in months and it was exactly what my body needed.
So, instead of breakfast and lunch I had an incredibly yummy brunch of 2 portobello mushrooms with baked beans and cheese. It was so good I practically licked the plate!

I was going to the cinema (Ghostbusters is awesome!) and worried about breaking the diet with the sharing of popcorn and chocolate that usually happens, so I had a small dinner beforehand of avocado and smoked salmon. I brought the other half of my marshmallow bar from yesterday in my bag, just in case I was overcome with the need for sugar, but I miraculously did not need it! I was so surprised and happy and proud of myself.

I have come home and made a cup of peppermint tea and have had a handful of raspberries as a treat.

Total kcal: 797, carbs 57.2g
Steps just under 6000

I think I will need to be stricter with myself with carbs next week, as I know the best results happen when you keep it under 50.

Hi Izzy – glad your well – sounds like the time investment in the loft project was well spent!
If I’m really focused on some thing I do that thing of switching off and not realising that I’m cold/thirsty/need to go to the loo. It’s really warm here though.
I bought a new duvet today though – I realised a few weeks ago that my ‘old’ one wasn’t nearly as warm as it used to be, so probably needed replacing, a half price sale in M&S decided me on the matter. The ‘autumn’ part of the current one is warm enough for now though, so the new one can stay in the box for now.

i don’t really do the exercise every day but have started walking more at work, i have tried to keep within the 800 calories and have done so mostly didn’t do well at lunch as i had a fish cake with some salad. I have not kept to the plan in the book as i kept buying things and then wouldn’t need it again.

I had an eye test a few weeks ago, about a year since the last one.
My reading vision had deteriorated slightly (by about 0.25 for each eye, I think the prescription is now about 1.75 and 2.25), but my distance vision had improved – it had never been particularly bad, I had glasses but rarely wore them, but I now don’t need any correction to my distance vision. The optician (I’ve had the same one for about 12 years), said that this improvement was quite normal when blood sugars stabilise – my diabetes was diagnosed about two years ago.
My reading vision, sadly, is an age thing!
Is it worth having a chat with your optician, as he/she will have more knowledge of your specific history?

ooohh, sounds amazing. I usually live on pasta and am really missing it.

Thanks for posting!

Eps, just did a cheeky 15 minuter while hubby was on phone to his sister. 8251 steps 🙂 Woooooooohooooooo! Smug mode engaged! Ready for tomorrow now! Am I sticking to 8000 for another day, oh wise Personal Trainer?

Lynne – you are amazing! Such an inspiration!

Hi
I’ve not logged in for ages – I decided I needed to spend less time in front of my laptop and get more active!
Few slip ups, but noting major, I’ve lost around 10 kilos altogether – bit of a plateau at the moment, but a couple of parties, too many glasses of wine!
Almost at the end of the eight weeks – but planning to keep on with it until I’ve lost a lot more.
Hope that everyone is well

I wonder where Tokyo is? I even tweeted her before to see if I could prompt a reaction. Hope she’s ok.

I think coconut flour is a pain. Too dry (hence yesterday’s disaster in the Friday bake) and your defrosting nightmares. No wonder it’s usually only mixed with the million dollar almond.

I’ve bought on that we shop before Izzy – it’s a lot cheaper than everywhere else ( and I like the green packaging!) Will put my order in next weekend after I get paid. Maybe 2 kg of the flour while I’m feeling flush? Hey have a good offer on coconut oil too at the mo. I’m really getting into cooking with it…

Yes, we are all very sad about Nice. Do try to enjoy your holiday. The French are very resilient and just get on with it, life goes on.

I guess Lolli has her (or his) reasons for waiting. Maybe there is a family event coming up, a holiday or birthday. It is good to plan, gives you time to get the rubbish out of the kitchen and stock up on new things you will need. Although, don’t go buying fancy flours, you won’t be making anything bready or cakey if you are following the 800, you wont have enough calories to spare of the treats. Besides buying lots of veg I do buy the almond milk for the breakfast shakes.

I have seen that it is 50g of carbs per day but I have followed the menu planners almost exact so not been counting carbs, just totting up the calories so I keep to the 800.

Good luck, it is sooooooo worth it.

Omg freaky!! I wonder how many more similarities there are? My eldest also doesn’t like butter or marge – except on toast… as long as the toast has nothing else on. So a bacon toastie would be dry, breakfast toast would have butter. He explained it to me a few years ago as he didn’t like the idea of melted butter on food, for example a chip butty. My daughter, however, she won’t entertain new potatoes unless they’re swimming in a pile of butter. It makes me heave, the smell of it, melted butter. Same with cheese on toast, the smell of the cheese makes me feel physically ill. Yet, when it’s on a pizza, it’s the most desirable smell in the world. And – I’d be the first to stick my finger in a bowl of leftover buttercream! There’s nowt as queer as folk, I tell thee! Or maybe it’s just me that’s peculiar!

I’ve got that bookmarked from quite a few weeks ago, probably near the start of this journey, they caught my interest. They look ‘normal’ enough, don’t they? I think it’s the freezing that’s the key. The Lemon and Blueberry scones were amazing. Absolutely amazing. Once frozen though, they fell apart. Soft. Had to squidge them back together when they were defrosting, and reheating in the oven did nothing to help. Still tasted lovely but when you stuck your spoon into them, they just crumbled. That was an almond/coconut mix. The Blueberry muffins froze great, they were almond only.

I don’t think I have seen anything about this. When I first had diabetes my eyesight changed dramatically. It returned to normal when I got my medication sorted (very short sighted – worn glasses since age 15). I last had my eyes tested on 10th June this year and everything was same, no change to my prescription for the last 6 years. Trying to read today, I couldn’t focus on the words at my usual distance and had to hold the book at arms length. Took my glasses off and found I had better distance sight than usual. I am as blind as the proverbial without glasses but things were much clearer although not at any distance.

What are the chances of eyesight changing as blood sugar level change.

Any medical peeps out there who can help answer this.

remember that separated at birth thing Lucky?

I also have my sandwiches dry and never added butter or milk to my potatoes, but I never added cream either I just had them plain and mashed (or roasted…)

It’s genetic for me – my mother didn’t like butter/marge/milk and although she did give me some as a child I turned my nose up at them very early. My daughter also prefers her sandwiches dry and doesn’t like milk.

The kids like Elana’s silver dollar pancakes, and I’ve found they freeze really well so you wouldn’t lose any if you made a batch and they didn’t like or want them you could just freeze them.

Hi Izzy

Thank you for your comments, it is interesting that now I have broken the eat carb, feel ravenously hungry thing I am now able to have very small portions of things.

I think you are right, (and this is the value of the forum, as it is easy to go off at a tangent) that I need to cut back on fruit.

I am having yogurt, full fat for breakfast with a good coffee (skimmed milk and the calories counted)
Lunch is the issue as it is often grabbed on the go, (I do sometimes forget) and you are right hard boiled eggs are a life saver

The in the evening salad, or stir fry, or roasted veg with a protein, tonight it was salmon.

Lots of water.

And now on a warm summers evening a good long walk, (7 steps)

How are you doing?

Cheers – Doug

If that bread is good, my and hubby’s Christening butties will be made out of it lol.

Good evening 🙂 chilling out for 5 mins before my son goes to bed.

Tonight I had butterbean mash, I cooked them, mashed them and added cheese and salt and pepper and it was actually very nice. I was a little disappointed to begin with when I realised I’d need to keep my portion really quite small but in actual fact it was enough. It was very filling and I will definitely have it again.

I still have 3/4 of the pasta dough left so I’ve decided that tomorrow I will use it up for dinner. I think it will be amazing with hunters chicken and I’m pretty sure my husband will enjoy it as well. I’ll have less of it tomorrow though.

Then next time I’ll see if Almond flour works.

That does work out a fair bit cheaper, doesn’t it Izzy? I haven’t given the goodies to my children yet because only one actually eats nuts, and after the effort and cost, I don’t like the idea of them going to waste. I may try the next time I make a batch of something, cut it into four and see, but they don’t really eat that much cake or biscuits anyway really, they’re quite good with fruit (but the good stuff, no cheap 68p kilos of bananas for these, oh no… bloody watermelons, punnets of raspberries, cherries etc). Would be easier and cheaper if we all ate this way, because I’m still buying bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc for them.

My friend mentioned butterbeans last week, when I said I’d made my own baked beans, she said she preferred butterbeans over any bean. I don’t think I’ve ever tried them? I wouldn’t have cheese and I would have put cream in my mashed potato because I also don’t eat butter or margarine (unless baked!). It’s not a dietary thing, I had yellow jaundice when I was 2 and after that, wouldn’t entertain butter, margarine or cheese, despite eating them up to that point. Funny huh? People have asked if it was a dairy thing but I carried on with milk, cream, yogurt etc. Just wouldn’t eat it because I didn’t like the taste. Eaten dry bread for 38 years, I’m a nightmare at a buffet… well, I’ll be an even bigger nightmare now! I’m catering for my great nephew’s Christening at the end of August, that’s going to be fun and games! Was it a more passable ‘mash’ than cauli??

The bread does look good, it looks like bread and it looks like it might sustain – a) sandwich filling and b) toasting!!!! YAY!!!!!

Hey Stewart that’s an incredible achievement you’ve lost so much already! I don’t think ‘only’ losing 4lb is a big deal though that’s still a great loss, it’s not really realistic (in my opinion) to expect more than that.

I do think apples for breakfast and lunch possibly are not the best idea, 1 apple comes in at almost 20g of carbs and if you’re having 3 that’s 60g of carbs without counting whatever else you may eat. In addition you are not getting the input of protein and fat that is recommended.

In the book he says fruit should be adding taste and not the main event. I’d say maybe to switch to some berries and nuts for breakfast, have something better for lunch – if you like to keep it small maybe some boiled eggs, or I sometimes just have some cheese and cherry tomatoes.

However you’ve lost an incredible amount of weight by doing it your way – and it hasn’t stopped working. You may choose to just carry on 🙂

hi everyone. I buy almond flour 4kg at once now along with piles of nuts as we all eat them. My husband tries to gain as I try to lose lol. This is the cheapest website I’ve found – it still isn’t cheap but it’s half the price of amazon and I really love some of the recipes I use it for. i justify the cost by remembering that I don’t buy juice/crisps/chocolate/general crap anymore, and this is healthful for the whole family as they all eat my stuff.

http://www.realfoodstore.co.uk/gluten-free-flours/

I like the look of the nutty bread recipe! I might give it a try, but not tonight.

Tonight I tried butterbean mash! It was nice but have to keep your portion quite small however really filling in fairness you don’t need much. I just cooked em, mashed em up with a little cheese, added salt and pepper – yum Some recipes online add cream but I liked my mashed potato plain so I’m guessing I’d not like that. More calories as well.

Well done Josie, that’s a fab amount yourself! And at least you had a loss this week, three quarters of a pound more than I had!!! Always better off than on, no matter how small an amount it is. I’m determined now for this coming week, I’m going to wear that treadmill out 🙂 The diet isn’t enough, I need to show up with the exercise too.

Hey there welcome 🙂 I’d say why wait? Start sooner and you won’t look back!

I’m not a vegetarian but we do have a few here that will be happy to help, in the meantime I have an almond milk shake almost every morning for breakfast which is suitable for you, I use almond milk because it is lower calorie and I prefer the taste. I put 1/2 cup of fruit in the blender (raspberries or strawberries or blueberries usually, or a mix) a dollop of full fat greek yoghurt, 1.5 cups of almond milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, blitz it, drink it… sometimes I leave out the yoghurt, sometimes I add ice. It has become my morning thing. If I really want a treat I add 1/4 of a banana. I know how to live ya know.

Eggs are very versatile I love having a couple boiled and mashed up with salt and pepper just as it is, but often make a big fritatta type thing with eggs and courgette, onion, pepper and cheese. I add bacon but you can leave that out.

Instead of rice, many of us enjoy cauliflower rice – it’s not quite like eating rice but it is ok if you’re having it with something saucy, courgetti is lovely as a pasta alternative – I like mine fried up a little in olive oil with garlic and chilli.

Tonight with my dinner I tried butterbean mash – suggested by someone here in the recipes. I just cooked them and mashed them with a bit of cheese and salt and pepper – it was the closest thing to potato mash I’ve come across and I will definitely have it again.

so week 5 for me also and have lost 15 1/2 its but only 3/4 this week. Having a roast tonight with many vegetables no potatoes.

And so it goes on. well done on 25lbs thats truly amazing

I thought it might help to share some of the things I have been eating

Stir fry veg (bean sprouts, courgette, onion, red pepper, mushroom, broccoli) finished with yogurt and mustard to make a sauce
Mushrooms fried and then finished with yogurt and chilli
Pardon peppers, fried in olive oil
Baked Beans – 1 can of organic beans is 400 cals and good if I want something simple
Hard boiled egg when I need a snack, very filling and now Pret a manger etc sell them as snack its easy to get
Hummus with chopped low starch veg
An apple
Raspberries
Yogurt

There are so many lovely things to have, I often have the fruit and nuts at Costa 200 calories for a 40g bag, but that is fine for lunch.

Do ask if you need any help…

D

A lot cheaper too, I’m sure! Hey, have you just had one of those paleo newsletters?

http://paleogrubs.com/seed-and-nut-sandwich-bread

Oh. My. God. I might revise my ‘no baking week’ decision… I bet THAT would be lovely toasted with peanut butter on.

It is not about the fat content, it is about protein.

The thing I like about this diet is that it can be very healthy living, and low fat.

So I am doing low fat, low carb, high protein.

However I do avoid any foods labelled low fat as they tend to have carbs added to replace the fat.

So I have full fat yoghurt, but that is cause of the carbs in low fat.

Hope this helps.

Thank you Lolli, it is a wonderful diet, and as long as you steer clear of carbs you do not get hungry!

I hope you achieve you goals…

Kind regards

Doug