Bill and John

For years the medics have said I should be 9st 7lbs. Rarely have I been anywhere near that. At age 11 I weighed 11 stone!

I did successfully lose weight once, reaching 8st 7lbs. I was ill, with severe stress, and couldn’t eat. I lived on 2 slices of WW malted grain bread (dry) made into a sandwich with well-grilled bacon and slices of beetroot. It was all I could force down my throat. 😱 A photo taken at the time could be used to scare people! From the neck down it was great, tops tucked in yo straight skirts. English size 8. But from the neck up – not good. I looked really gaunt, with a sunken face! Not a good look.

Perhaps because I’ve been told for so long I should be 9.7, that’s the goal in my head. An alternate site I read about on the forum gave me 10.3 for my height and age. But, being awkward, part of me would like to see my weight start with a 9!

My thinking at the moment is that I will decide around week 34 or 35. Why? I’m going to London to get fitted for a new uniform on 17th August. Once that’s done I can’t change weight too much. That’s 5 or 6 weeks away, so not unrealistic to think my weight then may well be the weight I decide to stay at.

My plan is to weigh daily, as I do now, then do an official weigh in here each Saturday as I do now. As Bill says, 4 weeks is too long. But for this who want to weigh monthly, that’s fine too.

Writing this half way through my cheesy baked beans on mushroom toast…oh my, oh my oh MY!!! What a gorgeous plate of comforting scrumptiousness!!! This will be my go-to supper whenever my husband is not home for dinner and any time it suddenly feels all wintery outside (let’s face it, the way this summer is going I could be eating this a lot!!)

This has to be the easiest most satisfying diet I’ve ever been on, plus I’ve lost 5lbs and week 1 is not even over!

Bring on the next 7 weeks…I can’t wait 😀😀😀

Ok… and here are the inch loss measurements for the first four weeks to go with the 25lb weight loss … *Drumroll*

Left thigh – 2 inches; Right thigh – 3 1/2 inches; Left calf – 1 1/4 inches (yayyyyyyyy); Right calf – 1 1/2 inches; Hips – 3 1/2 inches; Waist – 6 inches; Chest – 2 inches; Left arm – 3 inches; Right arm – 1/2 inch.

Any lurkers or ‘shall I start’ers – this works! Do it!

Tokyo, may I join you in smug mode today, please???

Hi everyone.

Hard to believe, but today is end of week 29 😱

Another 3 pounds has disappeared, making a total to date of 74 pounds. 😃

Decided to check my waist measurement because I’ve had to take in skirts and trousers. And ….. since starting, my waist has shrunk by “drum roll” 16 inches😃 No, not a typo – sixteen inches!!!!!

But – still more weight to lose. Not much more to go. Probably between 7 and 17 pounds, depending on what I decide is my target.

I’m going to be fitted for a new uniform in mid August, so won’t want to change weight much after that. So weight at week 34/35 should be really close to target.

Switzerland thats ok but do tell about Timbuktu. I am really starting my training now, I remain 3 1/2 stone overweight so it is a big ask and my fear is that the other riders will be all skinny. I have a can do attitude and will achieve this just nervous. This forum has helped me keep on track and am 21 pounds down ye ha. It is a fabulous charity called Maternity Worldwide the monies go to university training for the midwives from Malawi. Last year I went to Ethiopia to see the ongoing projects there it is heart breaking to see women struggling to birth their babies safely.
Mammals in lycra mmmm the women are as bad as the men but just because you can wear lycra doesn’t mean you should!! That is all I will say.Ha ha.
Anyway as I cycle today I will hear the music from the television coverage in my head.
Have fun all

Another idea is to have a little feta cheese salad with your dinner – few baby spinach leaves, dressed with olive oil and seasoned and then some feta cheese. Delicious and refreshing.

I also often have halloumi cheese with my breakfast eggs. Mmmm

But you do have to plan those calories in – I use MyFitnessPal to note everything and plan ahead.

Good luck 🙂

Wow that is amazing thank you! Very encouraging
Jill

Hi.

End of week 29! Another 3 pounds gone, total now 74 pounds.

Still some weight to lose, so keeping going.

The trainee I had this week had Cariad tattoo’d on his arm 🙂 Top lad he was as well. Of to training centre for a month now, so I’ll make one of my positives about him.

He is only 26 but has lived a little shall we say- it was refreshing to come across a young man with a very mature outlook, the ability and motivation to learn my job well, and the ethics I like to see in a person. I enjoyed my week with him.

We got around to watching the end of Game of thrones series 5 last night, on to 6 next 🙂

My son is sat beside me happily munching an apple.

Hi there!

Yes, you can eat one meal a day if you like. I have had success with 2 – late breakfast/early lunch and then as early a dinner as I can (6-7pm).

Whilst away for work I have also done good breakfast and them loads of water through the day and no dinner. That probably wasn’t enough calories for 8 weeks though.

It is actually good to have as long a fessible gap between meals – also helps keep blood sugars level and that’s discussed in the book.

You do what feels best, and so long as you eat the right food, try and keep carbs down and feel full by eating full fats, keeping calories to target, then one meal should be fine.

Good luck! 🙂

Morning 🙂 Tokyo, you popped up must have been minutes after we went up to bed, I was so tired last night, and I even had a lie in this morning! 7.40 am I woke up! So unlike me. I’m in a lot of discomfort today with my back, hips and knee but I try not to moan about it because I believe what you focus on persists. The more weight I lose, the better it’s going to be for my poor body parts that have had to lug me around for years. And the less strong pain relief I have to take, it knocks me silly and I’m daft enough as it is!

So, at the start of week 5, I am still weighing in at 15 stone 12 lbs for the third day running I think, but I’ll take that gladly. Measurements will come later. Weight loss broken down over the first 4 weeks has been; 14 lbs, 4 lbs, 3 lbs and 4 lbs. Wonder what week 5 will bring?

Really looking forward to the measuring though, I will give hubby until 9… lol then I will go and wake him up. There is one body part though, that… grrrrr. Ok – back story. I have massive feet for such a little woman. Size 8 and I think they’re size 8 wide too. Hubby calls me Pingu. If you can’t picture why, google Pingu and look at his feet. Buying shoes is a bit of a ‘mare… buying boots however… So. Simply Be were having a sale AND I had a code for an extra 20% off everything and free delivery just before my birthday. It would have been rude not to. I wanted some flat boots, because I can’t wear heels. Found a lovely pair, in brown and black. Ordered both. Tried the first boot on. Wouldn’t go up around my left calf. Tried the next pair, the same thing happened. I decided not to say anything and just shoved them in the wardrobe, to pretend they’ve been there for years… ‘These old things?’. A couple of weeks later, I thought, try again. So this time I must have put the right boot on first. Went on lovely. Excited much. Put the left boot on, wedged on the bottom of my calf. What the hell… before I sent them back to Simply Be, with a complaint that they’d sent me one of a different sized pair each, I measured my calves. They’re different sizes, aren’t they? My left calf was an inch and a half bigger than my right! Hubby was laughing, the air was blue… In the last 3 weeks, I’ve only lost half an inch off the bloody thing. Yet I’ve lost an inch off the right one. So there’s an other Cinderella moment I need to have, Tokyo, two pairs of boots that won’t go on my mis-shaped odd legs. I’d been going on the treadmill on incline. Googled what to do to lose weight off calves, walking. Yay! I think to myself. NOT on an incline. It makes them muscular. 12 yo son then started calling me ‘Muscular Mummy!’ and ‘MOM CENA!’

🙁

Fabulous to hear, Jabbygirl. Very very very well done – inspirational! 🙂

Just wanted to update you that I am now on 9st 1lb, 21 lbs down and 14%+ lost of starting weight.

8.5 weeks of keeping carbs low seems to be the recipe of success.

Saw my daughter last night for the first time in just over a month and she is totally incredulous at results.

Hope things are going well for you, Julie and Sydneygirl. Don’t give up – it CAN be done 🙂

Hooray!

Lost another 2lbs this morning so that’s 21lbs down in 8.5 weeks and more than 14% of starting body weight.

1lb from my initial target – now on holiday for a week but am planning to continue to keep carbs low for that further pound. Let’s see what happens!

Good luck to everyone. 🙂

Can’t comment on book recipes – I have had my success cooking myself with weighed ingredients. Sure someone will come back to you.

Re the carb count – no, there is no recommendation for 50g of carbs in the book. It simply says 800cals. Keeps it simple.

However many people here have found it very helpful to keep a note of nutrients (I use MyFitnessPal) as it is really helpful to know. And if you keep the carbs under 50g then it can be even more successful

I had comparatively little to lose (often really difficult, had been totally unsuccessful dropping the stone and s half for some time) and by keeping around 20g of carbs per day (cals 800-1000) have lost 21lbs in 8.5 weeks. And enjoying it.

I hope that helps.

Following not flowing of course!

Another ex nurse and I agree with Sunshine girl. This way of eating has made me more constipated, but as I had IBS for 30+ years that is a bit of a treat! Lots of water and some kind of stool softener ( you did ask!) should get things moving again and the piles should heal up.
Best of luck, piles can be miserable. 👍

I am really interested to know the answer to this one too as I am flowing the recipes instead of tracking on the assumption all is already calculated. Anyone help us here please?
Jill

One lb down on last week, really happy with that as I’m trying to stabilise/maintain weight now. I did 5:2 and found that fine, in fact I had missed the discipline of the 800 cals and the sense of achievement from going to bed a bit hungry and looking forward to the scales the next day! Sounds a bit weird I know, but I’m trying to get my head around what motivates me and keeps me on track.
Happy weekend everyone.

Well today is a week since I got my new scales and shocked myself by just how much I did weigh. I think I have been kidding myself, but when your clothes size goes from a 14 to a 24 then you know you have a problem!

Anyway this morning I got on the scales and was shocked, no amazed that I have lost a huge (to me) 4.4kg! I really would love to shout it from the roof tops, I have just done a conversion and that equates to 9.7lbs OMG!

I admit reading the book was the easy bit and it did make sense but as low fat is about as ingrained in us as walking and talking I sometimes feel I am doing something bad. I know that feeling will pass but I am trying my best to ignore that little voice and just get on with it. I am not diabetic but do have a fatty liver so when I go for my next lot of bloods done I’m hoping that we will see an improvement and I would love to come off the blood pressure tablets.

I haven’t gone as low as 800 everyday but have have stuck to the principals and haven’t been hungry, shakey or headachey at all, as I get used to eating so much less then I will still have somewhere to go when the weight won’t come off.

I think keeping track of what you eat and drink everyday and the fabulous support on here is really a big help in staying in a mind set you need to complete the journey so thanks guys, keep on keeping on!

Weeks holiday put 9 pounds on
Had a great relaxing time
Oh well I’ve got the tools to get back on track
Alanhypno being positive

Thank you Imogen, I will weigh the cheese next time…I’m sure my ‘matchboxes’ have weighed quite a bit more!! Oh well I would rather keep to the correct calories 🧀

Well done jabbygirl – great results.

Morning Switzerland. Or Bore da! Yes, we were all very proud of the Welsh team for doing so well, true team spirit. They arrived home yesterday to a heroes welcome. Here are some more words to add to cariad. It’s a very lyrical language isn’t it?
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-stuff/34-welsh-words-phrases-just-9545321
Hwyl fawr.
Bissell

End of week 8 and very pleased with how it’s gone. Two pauses for health and surgery on my knee but have still kept going. Just signed up for the 12 week online program.

Oops Collie,
I’m having a geographical problem and got Malawi and Mali confused…..apologies all round.

Hi Jan
The 9th week and beyond are just the same. I’m more focused on reaching my goal of 65kg than anything else, so I stick to my routine, day in day out and just keep going.
OH and I are going to a friends place for dinner tonight and they kindly rang this morning to check what I could and couldn’t eat as they didn’t want to sabotage me. That was nice😀
Every 2nd Sat, a friend and I go to the produce markets to get all our fruit and veges, this morning, one of the ladies that we normally purchase from asked if I’ve lost weight! Yeah! I think that’s the first person to have asked. It feels great that people are finally noticing.
Well done on your walk with the dog, I just got back from walking mine and we did a 15,000 step walk. Took us just over 2 hours and now he’s flaked out on the lounge! What sort of dog have you got? You’ll find that you’ll get quicker and fitter the longer you go on, my dog now struggles to keep up sometimes!
Keep going
Cheers
Linda

Hi Bissell,
I accidentally posted a reply to you some days ago on ? Lucia’s my eight weeks.
I can’t remember my post exactly BUT I’ve added another Welsh word to my vocabulary – cariad – so pleased I happened upon this one.

Hi Izzy,
Congratulations on achieving your current weight. It’s really nice that the lady noticed your weight loss when you were at the shops. It certainly boosts self esteem.
Two days ago I achieved a BMI of 29 – I never thought I’d be so happy to say that I’m overweight – but it’s all part of the process ie. obese, overweight, normal weight. The ease of the BSD makes this achievable. Having people on the forums for support is such a bonus.
Have a great day Izzy and BSDers.

Hi Christine,
I love the idea of a BSD sign for Le Tour – the trouble is all of the cycling fraternity would probably think it’s some new team that’s going to edge it’s way into the competition!
To my knowledge Cadel Evans has retired from competition.
While it’s a bit more difficult for us to get there, we’re fortunate that our government run multi-cultural TV station covers the Tour really well. Live coverage at night, highlights at 07:00, 13:00 – 15:00, highlights again from 17:00 – 18:00. The great thing about that is if it’s too tiring to stay up at night, you can generally catch up the next day at some point. I really do love when Le Tour de France is on. It gives me an interest in the middle of Winter, there’s the actual race and then there’s the spectacular scenery. A win:win situation.

Hi Collie,
Our roads also are streaming with mammals. Some even wear BMC racing gear. A charity ride in Malawi – now that’s commitment. Do you go near Timbuktu?

Jake: Thank you, but I’m sure a lot of it was water weight, plus the fact I have a lot to lose also. Most of my carbs are from fruit and veggie. But I did have popcorn twice during the week. I have an air popper and I weighed it out before I pop it. 3 tablespoon is only 120 calories so that helped to fill me up.

Welcome to all the new starters 🙂 its truly brilliant to see so many new people starting this great journey. I’ve only been on the plan for a week and already I can say it is working for me . Hard? yes definitely-I miss my carbs-worth it-totally because I feel so much better and more energised after only 1 week. As every9ne else has said we are all different and lose weight differently so it might take time especially if you dont have much to lose-but you will get there-never forget the whole forum is here for you whenever you have a wobble-thats why we have a forum. Its to support and help us when we need *hugs*

Wow, 8 lbs. in one week is awesome and it sounds like you’re not going too low on calories or carbs. That’s encouraging. Good luck with week 2

My first week is over and I lost 8 pounds. I started the first week eating between 800-1000 calories and 50-75 carbs. I figured if I didn’t do well I could always cut back on my calories and carb.

My first week is over and I lost 8 pounds. I started the first week eating between 800-1000 calories and 50-75 carbs. I figured if I didn’t do well I could always cut back on my calories and carb.

Hi,
I know the book suggests 2-3 meals daily. I find it hard to stick to 800kcals due to my job and lack of support at home. Would eating 1 meal a day be possible or is it detrimental to the diet? This is the 3rd week I’m starting and failing and I hope I can find some way of making it work for me. Thank you 🙂

Day 10 of the bsd and lost 14 lbs keep pinching myself, never felt so well other than when I was young.

Hi KittyHoney,

I read that a matchbox size of cheese = 30g ….so a small matchbox😕!

Hope that helps,

Imogen🌻

Hi collie,
I will, love that your dogs like the music, our 5 year old granddaughter, who we have looked after, while mum is at work, since she was a baby also loves the music, she used to dance when it came on!
Wow I wish I could ride, I think that’s why I admire them so much and love to watch it, I have really weak legs and a bad back so am unable to ride a bike, even an excercise bike is torture for me!
My husband, David, rides most days so he is a mammal or a very old man in Lycra!
Christine

thats what i was thinking the salad and cottage cheese thought yoghurt and fruit for breakfast sorted !!!!!
my hubby loves the lamb !!!
1 oinion lamb mince salt pepper
2teaspoons each. tumeric cumin and cinnamon done i serve with luckys wraps bit salad call me jaime oliver sorted !!

Mmm I may have to try your non faff lamb. Reckon my lot will eat it too so no need for seperate or ‘modified’ dinners.

Big bottle of sparkling water for you at work next week then Tokyo. And salad pack-ups I reckon. I live on rocket, toms, cucumber, a big spoonful of cottage cheese and either a small portion of flaked salmon or chicken pieces most days at work. Fills me up all afternoon 👍🏼

Keeptrying i have just read this entire thread and I have to say I’m so impressed with you for sticking to things. 2 1/2 stone is fantastic well done. Like you I have been struggling with the carbs(today i would have done literally anything for a slice of bread) but I am in this for the long haul just like you and I decided that my health the most important thing. I totally understand that urge to binge on everything that is bad for you and the fact that you made the choice not to is something to be truly proud of. I hope I can be as strong as you and make the healthy choices.
Like everyone else has said please don’t ever feel you are alone-that’s why this forum is here-so we can all support each other when it’s needed.
Keep going and be proud of your fantastic achievement!!

my word its been busy on here tonight !!!
i made my non faff lamb with mint luckys wraps huge success but like you i couldnt eat it all !!!! i feel full quicker i have found
although today i have craved something sweet think its after the blinkin cookies yesterday !!!!!
so back to work for me mon tues weds next week only work part time but have to get organised with breakfast and lunches to take to work then something for tea when i get in !!!!the key is to be organised !!!
but how will i fit writing on here i will have to take a notepad like lucky said or sneak off and use my phone !!!!
i need to get my fluids in too we never have time for a drink so taking a huge bottle of water with me !!!

Ok, so the recipe no-carb ploughmans suggests a matchbox sized piece of cheddar..now my ‘matchbox’ sizes seem to vary dependant on how hungry I feel at the time..Has anyone else had this problem. Has anyone weighed a matchbox sized piece of cheddar?? I find that having a weight to go by helps me stick to the correct portion size.

Query. My sister has just started the bsd 800 she is following the recipes in that book, she isn’t counting the carbs as apparently I haven’t checked but she said the book doesn’t ask you to count carbs. Listening to what she has eaten today, she has obviously gone over her 800 cals and definitely well over her 50 carbs. So out of curiosity I calculated the cals and carbs in the no carb Bircher recipe. The book says there is no carbs and 180 cals. Using my pal app it tells me the cals are 287.50 and the carbs are 38.1. !
Curious has anyone else found this or am I doing this all wrong. I don’t follow the book, I take the recipes and work it out for myself, I have lost 14 lbs in ten days I don’t think I would have done if I had just taken the recipes at face value.

Weighed in today have now lost 14 lbs, keep thinking this is to good to be true, but it is yeahhhhhh.
So end of the day just done 3000 steps with the dog did the walk in exactly half the time I did it 8 days ago.
Breakfast fage and raspberries cals 196 carbs 4
Milk cal 11
Lunch prawn salad 214 cals carbs 18.2
Two fresh apricots cals 60 carbs 7
Dinner mackerel salad cals 347 carbs 4.25

Cals for day 838 and 18.7 carbs.

Feeling well, not hungry and no apparent side effects.

Hi Christi1948
Have a fab time I would love to go , maybe next year. I am off today so watched it on tv Chris C was amazing. It’s really funny here but the collies respond to the music I think they can sense my excitement. Our roads are now littered with mammals (middle aged men in Lycra) ha ha . I’m training for a charity ride in Malawi so a I will abe a women in Lycra !!!!!
Have fun yell out for me xxx🙋🏻🐾🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴

oh collie – I wish I could learn to smile and say nothing – but no – I gob on – and its not at all helpful to people with eating disorders!! why cant I shut it? but I care about them, they care about me
but you are right – I was like them, I STILL am like them, its just that for the moment I have some control

as I walk down the street and see people eating junk food, or watch the piles of crap people put in their trolleys in Tesco – I want to shout from the roof tops
but I AM that person – the one who buys/bought her binge foods in secret – who eats in hiding – who is bitterly ashamed and only lets people see the ok side of her eating habits, who hides food around the house so they are not seen

I don’t want to be like that any more

Starcyl – thank you for your reply also – I was a similar size to you – was wearing 20’s but lots were too tight
– now they are loose but don’t seem to have fallen off yet
I wonder how I managed to walk around like that, but I did,

it is very humbling to hear that you think of me as inspirational, although I don’t feel like that at all, but thank you

and I have no doubt YOU will do it too, you will keep going, and pick yourself when you fall

xx

Ooooh I will give that a try soon 🙂 Thanks 🙂

no i remember reading it somewhere, just grate courgette and then squeeze the water out of it, mix it with some egg and then press flat on the pizza tray. bake in the oven for a little while until its dried out a bit
i mix some tomato puree and passatta and spread on the top and then just add everything else and bake until it looks done
A fairly medium courgette is enough for one pizza