Hee hee thanks lucky, Smug is good😂 Guess I should feel smug I made fage yoghurt and raspberries and chia seeds smoothie thing this morning and though v annoyed with my boyfriend I have resisted the urge to throw it at him 😎 Would be such a waste of all that working out messurements 😂😂😂(don’t worry I don’t throw things at him, it’s just internal battle!!)
Wouldn’t mind hiding out with a coffee with Janey, except coffee makes me more irritated usually!!

Good luck at fair, who knows what you might find! 😝

Haha Tokyo, you’re full of surprises! No, he isn’t a fan, he just likes taking the mickey out of me. My eldest was a fan though, he had all the wrestling figures and rings and all sorts. Dvd upon Dvd. Woooop well done! That’s nearly another pound off! I’m thinking, I might mix it up a bit on the scales too and switch to kg after I get my next weight loss. I do that on occasion because it throws me (plus you get to see your weight going down in smaller increments – win win win most days there!) and I don’t know what I weigh properly, just if it’s going down or not 😉

Smug mode engaged x 2 then!

Thank you Epspecially! Have you got anything to be smug about today? Diet or non diet related, feel free to join us!

Peeing down here, and it’s the school summer fair. So it’s being held inside a rather small school hall. What this means is, I’ll get there, attempt to spend the allocated money in the shortest amount of time possible, and get soaked on the 10 minute walk home.

Bring these women a pot of hurrah and the robes of smugness!!! Proof time and again that this isn’t a fad or con! I have celebrated our success by buying a new top. Size 14! Currently hiding out in Costa with a skinny cappuccino to get away from the bloody kids.

Lucky I know your pain with calves and boots. Even when I was ‘slim’ my legs were big 😢 I own one pair of suede kitten heel boots that are wider calf fitting. I even struggle with ankle boots. Next time around I don’t care if I look like the back end of a bus.. As long as I have shapely legs!!

BBQ is looking dodgy tonight. Keeps raining. I refuse to give in to the weather though!

OH complained his shorts felt a bit tight round the waist this morning. I suggested that 3 weeks on the BSD would put that right. His face fell at the thought of not eating rolls for lunch and mountains of rice or pasta even tho I assured him he wouldn’t feel hungry! We shall see… He’s not exactly fat (32′ shorts were snug) but it wouldn’t hurt to lose the muffin top he’s accrued in the last year!

Not sure where I went wrong given that it’s such a basic recipe but the brownies came out of the oven a while ago and I’ve just tasted one. They have no sweetness at all and I can taste the cacao which is slightly bitter. Gonna have to count this batch as a fail 🙁

Hi libertina
Sorry only just seen your post, you can do it, I was like you lost 3 st with Slc and put it all back on, always stuffing my face.so if I can do it we all can . I feel amazing now want to fast walk everywhere, so keep it up let me know how you are doing.
Regards jan

Wahooooo Tokyo and Lucky, brill results !👏👏👏👏💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 great news for a Saturday!

Hi Collie,
Just ignore my reference to Timbuktu – I mistook Malawi (where you’re going) for Mali (where Timbuktu is).
What a great charity to be a part of. In developed countries we take safe birthing for granted.
Have a safe ride.
Have a great week-end everyone.

I know exactly what you mean. I made the bolognese this week and served it with courgetti. It was soooooo good. I’m also a convert to cauliflower rice. Tonight, I’m giving the Aubergine lamb a go. It’s like discovering a whole new dimension to food combos.

Hi ruthdownunder.
Hehe do you mean you live in Australia, sounds like you are doing well, keep up the good work
Regards
Jan

Week 19 for me. Still 12lbs to go to get to my max recommended weight. Current BMI 27. I’ve got 6 months until I have a repeat HBA1C and am hoping my GP will take me off medication altogether. Recent HBA1C was 6.3. In my dreams I’d love to be 10st (currently 11st 12lb).

yes yes yes ( aka daniel bryan !!)
with the mom cena reference i am guessing someone likes the wrestling ??
dont get me started on it if thats the case its my guilty pleasure !!!( from haveing a son who loved it as a kid and still does !!!)
how marvellous are your tesults when you write it down and look it its really amazing !! well done you !!
i had a cheeky weigh in today 0.3kg down so going in right direction 1.3 kg off first goal !!!
i think we all deserve to be a tad smug !!!!!

That’s one of my favourites too 😊

Fat pixies 😂

Hi LindaA
Thankyou for the advice, it’s so good to hear from those who are in it for the long haul. I had 104 lbs to loose, so I am like captainlynne plodding on.
We have a rescue show type cocker, Lady Lucy, very beautiful, 6 yrs old with severe PTSD she comes from best in category at crufts, sire and dam won many cocker shows, so has a very aristocratic disposition so we have to treat her like a lethal weapon as she doesn’t run away she bites, if threatened. But we’ve had her a few years now, and she is a darling, with us, loves cuddles, gets my slippers etc. Great to walk as she doesn’t pull. We got her from britains only cocker rescue centre, and were privileged lol, to be allowed to have her as we are experienced with this breed they need very different type of training as they are flushing dogs. Hence why so many end up biting, and being put down, because they have been trained incorrectly. How about you what sort of darling pooch do you have.
Hope your weekend is a happy one jan

I wish I had read this thread before giving the brownies recipe a go 🙁

I had my doubts about what to do with the cacao nibs but as I’ve not used them before I decided to bow to the authors greater authority and bung them in the mixing bowl without doing anything to them first. I ended up with a biscuit coloured mixture dotted with intact chips. I tasted it and it was not especially good. As an experiment I’ve put them in the oven anyway but my expectations are very low. Next time I’ll go with my instincts. There are some great ideas here, I may borrow them in future 🙂

Hi

I’ve just passed the 7 week point and was iron deficient to begin with, I’m waiting for a referral as I can’t tolerate iron tablets. I’m eating more red meat and leafy greens on this diet but have suffered with aching and restless legs all the way through and I just can’t shake it off no matter what I eat. I’ve also been taking a magnesium supplement but it doesn’t seem to be helping. Be interesting to hear if anyone has any ideas!

greenjanet, that is so apt. I get weighed every morning and my weight has gone down by 3.5 lbs in one week – nothing this week yet. I lie in bed a feel where my stomach used to be but still afraid I am going to get weighed and it has all been a dream.

Hi there.
Wowser, a new you emerging, I expect your life has changed beyond recognition, I am on week 2 day 4 and 14lbs down, haven’t had one side effect other than concerns the fat pixies are having a joke and waiting to ambush me with it all. I’m also in it for the long haul, I had 104 lbs to loose , but you are an amazing role model for this fantastic miraculous way of eating. Thankyou for taking the time to blog here. Hope you have a happy day, regards jan

Hi Izzy

(Un)fortunately the uniform is tailored and the jacket is difficult to alter – way too many seams! There’ll be a little ‘wriggle room’ but not too much 😃

I’m 5ft 2in tall, so top of my healthy BMI is 9.11. Realistically (uniform issue aside) – if I continue to lose at a similar rate, another 5 or 6 weeks should bring me very close to target 😃 Then just need to maintain!

Everyone welcome in this club, officially or otherwise😃

Hi Em,
I’m only 10 days in but I haven’t been too strict on calories at the moment. I measure it all on MyFitnessPal but it’s usually over 800, although never more than about 1100 and sometimes around 900 or so. I think the key is that everything I’ve been eating is natural, healthy, low/good carbs and plenty of (good) fats and water.
I am prepared to need to be stricter with the 800 and lower carbs though if I start to hit plateau in coming days / weeks!
(7lb down so far of about 30lb to lose)

I dream of being sround 9st so hopefully one day I will follow you there! Well done for getting there you have done so well!

Day 6 for me and I’m really pleased with how it’s going. I felt really anxious on day 3 (which may have been nothing to do with the diet) but great since then. Yesterday was the first day I felt hungry but other than that the food has been lovely and I’ve mainly been eating similar meals but without the carbs. Yesterday was Greek salad for lunch and fish and veg for dinner. It works well because I just add a portion of carbs for the family and it feels like we’re eating the same dinner. My go-to packed lunch for work has been cooked chicken with salad, olives and olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. I’ve noticed too that food has been a lot more tasty and enjoyable as I have actually been peckish when it’s time to eat!

How often is everyone weighing themselves? I’ve been weighing every day this week on digital scales which has been fantastic when the number goes down but it jumped up by half pound this morning. I didn’t monitor steps yesterday and did a lot less conscious moving around so that may be why. I’ll try and limit weigh-ins to two or three times a week from now on I think! Still really happy as the scales showed 4.5lbs down since Monday and clothes are feeling a little looser.

Congrats to all who have finished or are approaching the end of the first week. Good luck with your weekend away Loopylou! Hope you have a great time.

I love the food too 🙂 it is surprising both how much you can eat for 800 calories, and how much yumminess can be found in less carbs.

well done on 5lbs down!

Dont let your uniform dictate your weight CaptainLynne! It could be altered. I’d also like to see my weight start with a 9, soon at least it will start with a 10 for the first time in years so I am edging closer. I’d like to get to 9 st, with a view to staying under 9 st 7 🙂 I’m only 5ft tall so 9st 2 is bmi 25, but from history if I go lower I feel too skinny.

Could be a good while yet before I get to officially join this club.

Thank you Switzerland, well done for getting to bmi 29! it really is an achievement and you are right BSD makes it possible 🙂

I had a little of my nut brittle yesterday, it is good but actually the macademia’s are not the best to mix in they seem to burn quicker than the optimum time to cook the rest, but it is still nice. I do like the mix of nuts and seeds though so I will certainly continue to make it this way just skip the macademias. I didn’t actually go over 800 though as I wasn’t hungry and didn’t feel I wanted to. Gone are the days of eating for the sake of it.

Remember the chicken curry pasties I made a week or two ago? Well I’ve had an idea… make the pastry as before, but adding some grated cheese, a little tomato puree and some pepperoni… pizza pasties. So today I plan to make those, and a batch of crackers as I ate the last of my stash yesterday. The almond flour crackers are great as they last all week in an airtight tub.

I tried on a summer dress I’ve had for a few years yesterday, I didn’t want to wear it just wanted to see if I wanted to keep it lol. It used to be bigger and fitted my larger body but then when we were staying with relatives it shrunk in the wash and didn’t fit but I kept it anyway. It fits really nicely now so I will keep it for now. Also because 4 days/week I wear a work uniform, sometimes a couple of weeks will go by in between me wearing certain other garments. The jeans I have grown (down) into still fit well but I can certainly feel them looser around the leg than they were a couple weeks ago when I last wore them. My shoulders are looking less rounded, I can definitely see myself changing.

Food today is going to be raspberry almond milk shake (I’ve already had it) pizza pasties for lunch (hopefully) and I’m doing a roast chicken for dinner. I will do roast veg including potatoes for the others, and I think I will make some fresh tomato salsa to have with salad with mine and a few carrot chips maybe.

When my friend the other day asked my secret and I explained mostly that I’ve stopped trashy carbs, she said but what do you eat? I flippantly just said – everything else and now that I’ve been doing this I know that ‘everything else’ is a lot of amazing food and not boring or difficult at all. I have to confess though that 3 months ago I was a little like her, thinking that cutting carbs would be difficult.

I know from my losses being on the slow side that as time goes on I might need to cut my carbs further, I know I eat more than many, but I’m prepared to do that in the future to get where I want to be. For the moment though I’m happy to continue slowly because what I eat feels easy to stick to which gives me long term ability to continue and make this a lifelong lifestyle change.

Well I’m off to get busy with my baking 🙂 Have a great day everyone!

Hey pink sunshine. Hope you are feeling better. How did the weigh in go? Im also in my first week, day 7 tomorrow and finding it fine so far but I’ve not had any social occasions to deal with…but I did manage to resist the office biscuits/cakes and felt really proud of myself for saying no! What helped for me us that I have weighed daily and seen a little more off every day. Do what works for you but I need my daily motivation, can’t hang on for a weekly weigh in or I’d give up! Take care and have a great day! 😀

Hi everyone and welcome to all the new starters. Oldtyke, your mexican salad sounds lovely. Can you post the recipe.
Anna, please don’t be downhearted 4 1/2 pounds is still a great loss. It may be that you don’t have quite as much to lose as some of us!
Hapyyitsworking, great results. I think you are our “biggest loser so far”!

Although am doing great, i had a takeaway curry last night (chicken sag and cauliflower bhaji, no rice, no naan) and still the scales are down, I have a major challenge ahead. Today I am off on a girly short break for four days to France. Wine is a major component of these trips. I have to make a decision whether to tell them what I am doing or just try and stick to low carb. Wish me good luck and I will catch up with you all when I get back.

Keep up the great work.xxx

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.