I managed to get a GP appointment today for a meds review. He was amazed and asked what my secret was (in view of the low HBA1C, etc). He’d never heard of BSD.
My BP was fine as was cholesterol and obviously a much lower HBA1C of 6.3. He actually said that this level is lower than he would normally treat for type 2.
However, I’m still on 2.5mg BP tablet, 20mg statin and my Metformin has now officially been halved to 2 a day. I had hoped to stop these and plan to take the matter up with the nurse next week at my diabetic review for feet, weight, etc. My BMI is 27 now – still about half a stone to go to get to 25. I am left a bit confused when I seem to be in the best shape ive ever been yet still on meds!!

You ladies are a filthy bunch aren’t you! Good grief, this thread has taken a very “50 shades” turn for the worst! It’s too much for my delicate* and innocent disposition.

*my disposition is neither delicate nor innocent.

Glad you liked them 🙂 Definitely, yes and I will give you full credit 🙂 I haven’t had too many lately, there is a classic one from Home Bargains on my husband’s phone. The thing is, it’s always my children that notice them in shops. My daughter found the ‘Cock soup’ one. She was in the middle of the aisle crying with laughter, we couldn’t move her. Had to walk off and leave her. Oooooooh Twitter, found you too, thanks for the add 😀

I like Waitrose but… sheeesh. Pricey. I found a spice there the other day that I needed for my Shawarma but it was £3!!! I think I need to dissect the ingredients and make it myself next time!

Sainsbury’s do some pretty good salad pots. Theres a good goats cheese one and also a hot smoked salmon one. I just leave off the dressing to make sure I’m not getting any hidden sugar.

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/salad-bowls/sainsburys-avocado—goats-cheese-salad-200g

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/salad-bowls/sainsburys-beetroot—goats-cheese-salad–taste-the-difference-150g

In fact, all of these are probably ok. Just check the ingredients and watch for potatoes or hidden sugar in the dressing!

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/fruit-veg/salad-bowls#langId=44&storeId=10151&categoryId=210807&parent_category_rn=12518&top_category=12518&pageSize=30&orderBy=FAVOURITES_FIRST&searchTerm=&beginIndex=0&facet=86

Muahahaha you’re done for now.. I’ve found you on Twitter too.. love the blog pics.. I have a couple you will appreciate as ‘guest contributions’!!

Agave… Waitrose no doubt already rubbing their hands with glee and preparing my free coffee as they stock up the shelves and wait for my next visit..

OH MY GOD!!!! *Retch* but bwahahahahahah. That reminds me of something I posted on my blog… have a gander, http://flusteredshell.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-not-quite-right-gallery.html 24th picture down. You can’t miss it. We passed on those, that day… and every day EVER. Spunky coconut… for the love of God and all that is holy, no!

Awwwwww Janey, and there’s me with litres and litres of bloody Agave syrup. I can’t get rid of the stuff. Pah… *eye rolls with you* (psssssst – what’s Agave syrup when it’s at home???)

Hi Forkers, my fail safes if I’m not organised enough to bring food into work with me are cooked chicken (fresh counter at Morrisons gets a thumbs up) or the utterly delicious Longley Farm full fat cottage cheese which I have with some rocket, other salad bits, olives.. You’ll find you can get three lunches out of that collection of goodies!

Another stifled snigger (less necessary now as the boss has buggered off out) when I stumbled across ‘Chicken Meatballs from Spunky Coconut’ in Elana’s Pantry!!!! I kid you not…https://elanaspantry.com/chicken-meatballs/ I’m not sure I could get anything ‘spunky’ past my lot at home.. There are some other more sane recipes (brownies for example) however more exotic ingredients required.. I seem to be all out of agave syrup or dates *eye roll*

I do struggle a bit with cauliflower rice. When I was on the standard 5.2 I seemed to get through it OK but on the BSD I do find it a bit ‘organic’ tasting. The utterly pretentious quinoa is now my new favourite. And the kids will polish that off without feigning vomiting.

And to confirm, I DO NOT WEIGH! I have never owned a set of scales (broken or otherwise) and my boyfriend got an ear bashing when he suggested bringing his over when he moved in. I think he weighs himself on the shipment scales at work now.. The last time anyone told me how much I weighed, it was the midwife when I was pregnant. And she gave me the numbers in KG so I have no idea if it was good or bad 😉

Hi guys,
Any tips for buying lunch when you’re at work?
I’ve been organised so far apart from one day I had m&s Mexican dips etc as part of the mexi platter recipe but It made me feel.awful due to.the added sugar.
I was surprised this was allowed on the diet.
Sometimes, you just have to buy something on the day and it would be good to have a couple of go to places that wasn’t just miso soup from its as that won’t fill me up!

Also all the cold plain chicken drumsticks etc in m&s is a
Cooked in a sugar marinade!

Hi. I’ve had Hypothyroidism for about 12 yrs. Recent labwork showed sugar & raised HDL; then I had A1C & tested my own fasting BG at home, both were diabetic. Both of my sons are Type1, so there’s no way I’m going to be Type2 without a fight! So I started the BSD, & I’m on week 3 (with 1 week before where I was reading the book & kind of started… lol). I’ve lost 13 lbs & am down 1 size. I can’t help but feel those without Hypothyroidism maybe lose more faster, but I’m going to celebrate my success. If I weigh daily, I notice my weight fluxuating up & down a couple of lbs. That’s frustrating, considering I’m eating only 800 cal. a day.

Very impressed with those of you eating heathily on holiday. I went totally off the rails and put on 4 pounds which was less than I thought. I now hate not weighing myself once a week. I feel out of control. Keep up the good work and enjoy the rest of your holiday. Great that some folks have met each other too, how wonderful!

Tokyo, we’re madder than an entire box of frogs. Some more than others. Ok, ok… I’m madder than an entire box of frogs. Right, have you taken your measurements down? If you don’t fancy the scales, why not do it by inches? I know Janey doesn’t weigh, right Janey? It’s not for everyone. I can see if I was smaller, and the weight losses were smaller and less frequent, it would really, really wind me up. There would be no glue in the world that would put my scales back together. Maybe you could weigh once a fortnight or something? Might be an idea? Personally I’m doing both. But I’m only checking measurements once a week, on my Saturday weigh. And also taking a front, side and back view underwear pic. My own personal ‘Gallery of Shame’. Oh God, your hedge cutters! I have some, I am terrified of them for that reason. I won’t touch them. I have hedges in my front garden and all down one side of my back garden, 40 feet worth *sob*. Hubby has been very poorly for the last seven years, so when they’ve had to be cut, I’ve had to do them the old fashioned way, with step ladders (cos I’m a shortass) and shears.

‘The Failed Cauliflower Cookery Book’. That could actually be a thing. No, don’t try it. ‘Twasn’t nice. Maybe it would be better with smoked haddock, I don’t know, I don’t know if it was just the cauli in it that was wrong. It was also dry. And how *was* Elana’s Pantry? Huh? Huh? 😉 In my humble one, I don’t think my hubby or kids would bat an eyelid if they found flour in the fridge. They don’t know how to use a laundry basket/pee into a massive receptacle without hitting the floor or wall/switch a light off before leaving a room, so I’m sure their ‘flour storage knowledge’ is slim to none. I’d say nothing. Wing it.

Hi Switzerland,
Yes it feels like a luxury now to have a shower again. It will be a long time before I take it for granted. It wouldn’t have been so bad in the summer but Autumn hit with a vengeance in the Adelaide hills. What was scheduled to take two weeks to complete took well over two months!
All is well now though.

Hi all

Have been reading for the past few weeks and now I POST!

Am in week four and a little confused as before I loved sugar and carbs and now I feel energetic without them and not hungry. I put on loads of weight due to illness and steroids and then five eye ops last year which had a terrible effect on my health and mobility I lost depth perception so tended to trip over very easily. Not to be trusted out walking alone!

So eyes much improved and am walking on a treadmill it’s hard but 18 months of no exercise takes a lot of turning around. Luckily in the privacy of my own home no one sees the sweat or red face!

Eating at home is fine but what I find hard is turning down desserts when out with a group it’s not that I particularly want them but more I don’t want to be the ‘special one’ who turns them down. Why is this? Then we went out and had to preorder and got a special order of berries.. So maybe I will try this anyway in normal restaurants.

I don’t weigh or measure myself as it makes me a bit ocd and then give up if I plateau so it’s done by how my clothes feel and so far so good.

I love the comments what a great bunch of people and not a word about the vote.

Hi, Dianne here and have lost 2.2 kilos and feeling great no bloating and no reflux and just really pleased. Thanks to you Nettle for the encouragement it really helped. Please you have made such a difference to your life. I will continue with the healthy eating plan as the 8 week diet is really a life style change. Thanks again😀😀😀

Sorry, another stifled hysterical giggle behind my computer screen in the office from the mental image of having one’s kebabs munched on!!!! Naughty me.

Ah yes, cauliflower gate. There is still evidence in the freezer of that little horror story. Sounds like your kedgeree should also be consigned to the ‘failed cauliflower cookery’ book. Remind me not to try that any time soon…

Re the new and frightening ingredients.. I am checking out Elana’s Pantry (NO, not another euphemism, stop that). https://elanaspantry.com/why-almond-flour/ may give me some pointers on how to sneak new foods past the boys, and also shows that you can make cake-type products on this WOE! I like your suggestion about removing all labelling to fool them into thinking the carb fairy has returned though… Apparently you should refrigerate almond flour though. That might give the game away. Hmm…

Yoghurt and berries, med platter (low carb, of course), fish and salad, an apple.

Hi Cherrianne,
My goodness your spoiled – an inside shower – absolute luxury!

how long have you been on it ?

Well done Janey, you go girl!!

Tokyo, I bet you’re pleasantly surprised when you get on those scales! I lost 8lbs in the first week, up to 16lbs in total now. Don’t be nervous 😊

you seem like such a fun bunch you made me smile this morning !!
its stupid to be nervous about scales but i just am . planning to keep busy today more gardening front this time see if i can do it without breaking any garden appliances broke hedge cutters yesterday by cutting thru cable!!!
i am managing on the diet but do miss sugar in my tea gone from two to none am sure it will pass but finding that bit hard x

Janeyyyyyyyyy, you must have posted while I was typing my reply to Tokyo 🙂 Good morning and woooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooo WELL DONE! Size 14, wow. *Hovis Music* … When I were a lass, I were once a size fourteen… Huge well done, I bet you’re chuffed to ruddy bits!

Remember Cauliflower-gate. Don’t tell them. Don’t. Tell. Them. Or decant said flours into empty plain and self raising flour bags. You’re welcome 🙂 What are you planning on making first? Hubby is grinning like a Cheshire cat at the thought of munching on my kebabs tonight. I could rephrase that, but… you know me #filth #fnarr

Morning Tokyo, nice to meet you 🙂 No, of course I don’t mind you replying, the more the merrier 🙂
That’s a good little weight loss to kick you off, isn’t it? 2.4 kg, that’s over 5 lbs. I should imagine it’s shifted further by now, and definitely by tomorrow! Can’t see your Vimto doing that much damage, especially after so much gardening. I’ve got a big garden too, I feel your pain. It never ends, does it?

Be brave, I’m sure you’ll have a good loss tomorrow, make sure you check in and let us know! 🙂

Morning all, I’m so glad we have our ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’ back again (see what I did there?!). PMT is a nasty thing and makes us into very odd creatures momentarily, but glad you got through it! JCH – don’t beat yourself up over a slice of cake. There will always be cakes and other carb-tastic temptations in our lives but as Lucky says, we will see them as treats rather than our staple diets 🙂 I for one would weep uncontrollably if I thought I could never have a square of ‘heroin’ chocolate (see earlier post!) or a slice of freshly baked bread and butter again. HOWEVER not every day! No, no.

Tokyo14 – welcome onboard and mind those scales. Don’t be like Lucky and have to glue them back together after hormonal induced tantrums!! Gardening is good for you (although I hate it) and a glass of Vimto won’t send you over the edge!

I have two things to report today. 1. I bought a second hand White Stuff skirt for summer in size 16, and when it arrived yesterday IT WAS TOO…. BIG!!! I never thought I would be happy to know I’ve wasted money, but this means my booty is now most definitely a 14!!!!! Cue streamers, marching bands and fireworks (but not big ones as I don’t like them). 2. Today’s package from the postman at work (who thinks I have an online shopping addiction) contained almond flour and coconut flour, plus cashews. I am terrified but also excited at the thought of trying to cook with these exotic ingredients. I shall experiment and report back on whether the boys enjoyed, endured or declined my latest offerings…

Had delicious cauliflower rice the other night with a prawn curry made with tomatoes and peppers – sooo nice! Makes such a difference when the cauliflower is baked! I had done it before by heating and once in microwave but way nicer in the oven. Mixed in cumin and chilli flakes and baked until it was going crispy/toasted looking – really didn’t miss nan bread or fluffy rice at all! Great texture and flavour and even friend had some and liked it more than rice.

Breakfast this morning was mushroom, few tomatoes, small rasher and two eggs and was v tasty. Maybe even a bit too filling but it will be a long day so hopefully will keep me going. Have smoothies with nut butter, greek yoghurt, strawberries and chia seeds usually, so this was good change. (Still can’t find the FAGE yoghurt except for the o% fat one which I turn up my nose at ;-))))

Also one last dinner that worked well – last night had courgette noodles, half a yellow pepper and mixed it all up with the chopped up pesto chicken from the book – basically chicken breast cooked in the oven with tablespoon of home made pesto on top – was yum!

hi i have been reading your post this morning hope uou dont mind me replying it has cheered me up
i have been doing this diet since thurs so tomorrow is my week one weigh in i have lost 2.4kg up to sunday but havent stepped on the scales since!!!
i have to say i am really nervous about weigh in tomorrow i havent cheated apart from a half glass of vimto yesterday after i did two and half hours gardening !!!(bloody big garden)
but the thought of stepping on those scales terrifies me in case no movement
any advice anyone thanks

Yesterday was a fast day for me and I had 2 poached eggs and half an avocado for breakfast, then chicken breast with stirfry vegetables in the evening. Both pretty quick to cook! I think my stirfry included chilli, garlic, ginger, pepper, broccoli, spring onion and mushrooms. It was lush.

Can’t help on the picking as it’s never been a habit of mine. Only thing I can suggest is to repeat the rhyme “Little pickers wear big knickers” over in your head when you’re making meals for others! 😉

Sounds like you’re learning to relax and chill and enjoy just being without doing… another thing to thank Michael Mosley for on this diet?! It’s a new skill, embrace it !
Have a great day !
Julia (toiling away at the office)

Hi Newstart, Systema, Gayn55,
In reference to your comment on carbs. I am vegetarian and started this food plan at the beginning of February and lost 33lbs in 10 weeks. I started on the 800 cals and having looked at the meal plan realised it was not suitable for veggies and too much work to adapt it. I decided to take the Newcastle Research approach of shakes and soups. I could not get the shakes they used as I was not doing this through a doctor so I bought some from Boots. I did lose weight, but less off of my waist than I would have expected. Someone advised me to check the carbs I was eating and I discovered that the shakes were high in carbs – 100g per day.
MM does not give a carb limit other than it should be low. He also points out that everyone’s is different.
Given my proteins come from eggs, chees, dairy and pulses I found it hard to prepare a menu lower than 60g per day that was sensible and maintainable. Also – I did try a couple of time to go lower and got severe cramps overnight.
My weight loss, dropping two dress sizes, and although not prediabletic or diabetic I was heading that way and am now out of that danger, was done on 60g carbs per day on average. I still worked on 800 cals, but watched the carbs and if they were going over 60g I modified the next meal to keep me close to the 60g.
I stopped oats as I would rather have pulses, but I do not miss it for breakfast as I now have 60g Yeo Full Fat Geek Yoghurt, 30g blueberries, 3g each of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseeds, almonds chopped with a good sprinkle cinnamon. That fills me as much as my previous oat one I had that used skimmed yoghurt.
If you do a search on ‘Chunky Ratatouille’ with your internet search engine – Rose Elliot’s recipe should come up and the version with cumin and a tin of cannelloni beans is great and freezes well. Likewise frittatas are a good option as you can cut them to a size ( 2 or 4) depending on the size and they freeze well. On M&S – they do a ‘Superfood Salad’ that is great – one of the few without meat or fish – it is a green one with edamame beans with a zingy dressing of mint.
Hope that helps and good luck to you all.

Slipped off the exercise wagon on Sunday.
Sad to report my step count for that day was 629 steps and I was well on the bottom of the step-count buddies-chart.
Had a cold and went out for a Turkish meal for Father’s Day. Hit the cold starter Meze with too much enthusiasm and ate biscuits and chocolate for tea!!!!
Needless to say the scales reported a 3lb gain in weight the following morning!
Monday’s step count was about 1600 steps …so not good either….. but yesterday I did 13,000 steps.
Back on the BSD diet and my weight is back to its previous level.
Only 4 more pounds before I reach my healthy weight……yipee!

Sandie…. woopee… I bought 3 new bras yesterday that actually fit…..it was no easy task!!!

Hey JCH 🙂 I definitely agree, that’s what used to get me over a plateau in WW sometimes, weeks of STS and putting on and losing the same pound over and over. Finally lose the plot, drink three bottles of Grenache Shiraz, eat a kebab and my body weight in M&M’s and – I lose three pounds. And yes, it is a rollercoaster, one I’ve been on since I was 16. It’s taken me 24 years to get this figure so it’s not going to change overnight 😉 I think it would take one hell of a committed person to eat this way for the rest of their life with zero lapses. I won’t be that person, I can tell you that now. In time, there will be cake. There will be wine. There will be chocolate. There will be crisps. There will be rice, and there will be potatoes. But it won’t be (at least) one of those things every day of every week. Like it used to be. It will be one of those things. Occasionally.

Hubby has lost another 2lb this morning too, so that takes his loss to 12lbs 🙂 That’s two stone between us in 12 days! Happy happy happy home today 🙂

Thank you so much for yr support. This is the strictest diet i’ve ever been on & stuck to & was just disappointed for giving in after only 2wks. Anyway back on track today 😊

Thank you – barley, quinoa, beans etc are a big part of my diet as well as the occasional sandwich so will stick with the 800 cals. I went in M and S yesterday evening and they had strawberries reduced to 80p for a large box so have stocked up on them in the freezer (not bother if they go soft in porridge).
Seitan is made with vital wheat gluten and chickpea flour plus flavourings and cooked in the pressure cooker.
Thanks for the reply and I will now set out my plan for 800 cals a day.
Will have a look on the net to find out the reference to 50gms of carbs.

Hi gang,
I am on holiday at home this week.
I said I would have jet lag.
Feeling very lazy this morning, I feel….. Chilled out.

Meeting a friend for lunch for a long walk.
Then another straight after they finish work, going out for a meal. Nothing crazy.

The bed is not made, the washing machine is not doing its tango around the kitchen.

I am playing on my iPad. I will probably feel guilty next week when I am shackled to my desk. Why didn’t I do x y or z?

Don’t know why or how I woke up in this mood , but there you go, I am only human.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

I had a bad day yesterday, I had a piece of someone’s birthday cake and then ate too much at dinner time. But I’m back on track today and I’m not beating myself up over it. I sometimes feel it helps your metabolism to have a higher calorie day and pushes the weight loss along. For some of us weight loss is a real roller coaster 😊

😀 Thanks Izzy. Can’t believe I was so daft yesterday, especially when I know it’s going to happen and that there’s a reason for it. Full steam ahead for me now! And no more silliness. Not for at least 27 days 😉

*lovingly glues together Lucky’s scales*

They will work better now 😉

I do know that in my store, it was a mixed case, there was milk and a white variety in the same box, so have a rummage around just in case they are hidden, or sometimes there’s a full box behind 🙂

Well, I’m pleased to report that – I didn’t eat chocolate. My kedgeree was an out and out disaster, I’m not sure if I’m personally going to be able to use cauliflower as a rice substitute. But I can use it as a couscous substitute so, I’m happy with that. And if I ever get hysterical again, you have my permission to gently slap me across the face. I know I said I wasn’t weighing but… 16 stone 7 lb this morning. Three pounds off, sixteen in total 😀 #getagripwoman Normal service has been resumed. Feel a bit of a tube now, to be honest. I know I need to move more, as well. My sights are now set on my next goal, another 5 lbs off and I’ve lost a stone and a half. Another thing I need to remember too, is that on New Year’s Day morning, I weighed 18 stone 6 lbs. So all in all, halfway through the year, I am just about 2 stone lighter than I started it. Bigger picture.

Today’s cooking includes celery soup for lunch (how can such a ‘meh’ vegetable make such a gorgeous soup??) as it’s super low in calories and my tea is going to be a little higher tonight, I am making Seekh kebabs, and we will have them on chickpea wraps with salad and some quickly chucked together raita dip. So hopefully today I will have a tea that I’ll actually eat! 🙂 fingers crossed

Thanks Julia, that might be my weekend experiment then, trying to make a low carb pastie lol.

Had a longer lie this morning as my childminder has a hospital appointment so isn’t working today and my husband is off so he is looking after our son. It’s meant an extra hour in bed for me 🙂

Just had my breakfast and having my cuppa before I get going.

Breakfast- fage yoghurt and strawbs.
Lunch- pickled egg, salad, crackers
dinner- stir fry pork.

Have a lovely day everyone 🙂

hi fozziebecs
I totally get how frustrating it all is
although I don’t have any helpful tips
as I have been doing this for over 6 weeks now (with one fail week in the middle)
and have only lost just under 10 lbs (so it seems you are doing twice as well as me!!)
I see people on here losing that in a week and – like you – I have around another 4 stone to lose

I do know I have been eating over 800 cal – but then there are others here doing that too and still losing massively
reading all that was encouraging to start with
now it is just making it harder and harder to continue
personally I think I need to stop reading and try to enjoy the odd 1lbs

some people find measuring is showing loss when there is no weight shift but I am finding the measurements refusing to budge
indeed they have barely changed at all since starting this (unlike the fastdiet where I lost several inches)

but like you – I will continue because I KNOW this is a healthier way to eat/live
and I do believe you will continue to move ‘downwards’, as I have to believe I will too

just to say drinking lots of water is also important

sorry this is not a very supportive/helpful reply, but I wanted you to know that there are others of us feeling like you

xx

Hi Lucia and BSDers,
This is the 3rd post I’ve composed and both others have been gobbled into the internetosphere!
So, this one isn’t as eloquent as I’ve run out of time.
We had a wonderful midwinter’s day – fairy lights in the pear tree in the front yard and internal fairy lights for that added touch of winter magic.
Lucia, if you haven’t already discovered it – Youtube ‘Gazillion Bubbles’ for those times you can’t blow your own bubbles.
OK – sending now – let’s see if this one works…….

Even if you have not started exercising, try starting walking daily to see if that helps at all. I’ve just started on day 8. I’ve lost 4kg but I know this is mainly water. However, I feel tired & low energy. I hope this will improve soon.

Hi Marsie,
Hang in there, you will find it gets easier the longer you are on the BSD. The trick is to resist the carbs and the craving will disappear like magic. If you get a craving for something you shouldn’t have, choose to eat a small portion of protein or fat instead. So have a few spoonfuls of full fat plain yoghurt with some berries, a piece of cheese, some olives or nuts, even strawberries and cream. Choose sweet or savoury depending on what you are craving, even if it takes you a bit over your calorie count. Also drink a full glass of water and then go and do something that will keep you occupied until your brain registers the fact that you’re not hungry. Distraction does help with emotional eating, you might have to pack some water and a snack and go for a long walk or something to resist temptation and clear your head.
It would have been nice to have met up with you in Perth. Judith and I both found everyone there to be quite helpful and friendly. We loved the public transport system, very cheap and easy to negotiate. I never use public transport at home because we have to use the card system, but it was so easy to hop on a bus and pay the driver a few dollars and get advice on how to get to places. I think the quay down by the Swan is amazing with all the paving, landscaping and street art. I loved the coloured lighting at night. I’m not a city girl at all but I was impressed with all the gardens and Kings Park was just beautiful. I only got to see a tiny portion but you are very lucky to have such a huge garden in the middle of your city.
Now I’m back to the reality of house renovation and Judith is back in England tackling her overgrown lawn! I do have functioning bathrooms finally lol, after we all had to shower in one of those mobile showers you can hire. It was a bit chilly emerging from a hot shower into a cold rainy day, doing a mad dash to get indoors. Never a dull moment.
Good luck with the BSD all my fellow Aussies 😀

Thanks Christine.

Some great ideas there. One lady normally sews bags, but this time she made aprons (some for adults & some for children) and some lingerie pouches. Some of the ladies make really beautiful cards, and we had some plants. Also books, toys, bric a brac etc. And of course the cake stall.

Now I’ve been here a year I have a better idea how things run, and what works. Also who will get involved.

Living in a village there’s a small group of people to get in to events, which is strange for me as I’m a city girl. But I love being in this village.

We don’t have tombolas, raffles or anything like that, so are dependent on what we can sell. Now things have settled down a little ready for the holiday season I’ll look through my fabric stash and patterns – see what I can come up with. A craft group in the village has swamped the market with cushion covers and a few other things, so I’m looking for something different. I need to get over my low boredom threshold when making things – I don’t really like making lots of the same thing, that’s why I made different types of cake!

Thanks again
Lynne

Hi Izzy
Cream cheese = philadelphia cheese
Great seeing all your progress!
Julia

Hi Lynne,
I have been thinking about your next event at your church this Christmas, we have made little crochet key rings, and crochet flower brooches, we also made flowers, poinsettias, anemones, bluebells, Christmas tree decorations, all knitted or crocheted, we sewed oven gloves, peg bags, aprons, carrier bag holders, place mats, coasters, tea towels.
For the children we made knitted and crochet rabbits, teddies. Dinasaures, and we bought a doll from a charity shop cleaned it up then dressed it , gave it a name, then did ‘guess the babies name’ that was a good money spinner!
Hope that gives you food for thought.
Christine

Thanks Weescotty 🙂 tonights pie was ok I enjoyed it enough but it wasn’t popular with the family so I might give that one a go sometime. I saw in the article something resembling a cornish pastie – now wouldn’t that be amazing! would miss the chunks of potato though lol. When they say cream cheese what do you suppose they mean? I’ve not cooked with cream cheese. I don’t like cottage cheese but I’ve used quark in the past, would that do?

Thankfully today has gone better than yesterday and I had time to eat my lunch and make the pie.

I’m thinking of following your example weescotty and making myself a month long menu plan.

Hi Systema
If I understand the diet correctly – Mosley proposes 3 approaches – the toughest hard hit is 800 calories a day, EVERY day for 8 weeks. Within these 800 calories though you need to not have any sugar and the carbs are really limited to wholegrain and actually ones which have a low gylemic index that is they don’t cause your blood sugar to spike as much as more quickly broken down carbs. So I think I am answering if I say that 800 cals INCLUDES any carbs. I am not sure about your reference to gms … that does not ring any bells.
I am eating carbs – barley, a little wholegrain rice, quinoa – but not much because eating the pulses veggies (and my fish) fills me up much more and I want my volume of food !!
I’ll look up Seitan .. thank you !

Well done Bill you seem to have got it all sussed i must learn to weigh everything

Do you count the carbs on this 800 cals a day or just eat what you want. I thought it was 50gms a day and really did struggle with that number today as my salad and apple made exactly 50. Just made a black bean chilli with lots of veg and just going to count out the carbs but think I will just stick with the cals as I know what they are per portion.
I also buy chia seeds etc online but Home Bargains sell them – will have to check the price, someone told me about them but I have quite a few in the cupboard so have not checked out the price. Do you make Seitan – we eat quite a bit of it as it is low cal but again have to get the flour off the net as it is not available in any shops near me.
Like you foods for today – will keep a note of them.