I decided that I couldn’t be faffed to measure milk in tea all the time – especially if I’m drinking it when I’m out and about.

I estimated how much I use, assessed that it seemed logical in line with how long a carton of milk lasts, and the ratio of tea at home and tea out, and then just put that amount in as a daily allowance. If I use a lot in a particular recipe, I’ll log that separately.
I do only use a dash of milk in tea, and none in coffee – it’s not as if I’m drinking loads of lattes.
Some days may be up, others down, but I don’t think its going to matter drastically

My original estimate was 200ml daily – on measuring that amount out on days I’ve been largely at home, it’s more like 150ml based on the amount left at the end of the day.

Thank you, FiFiP and GrannyMo for this interesting link to the paper about the inulin research.

I actually like chicory, but i see that the inulin is derived from the chicory root, so not so sure how much is obtained from the leaves themselves. If I decide to take the inulin, I will buy a supplement, which is readily available on the net, I see.

By the way, Sammy1967, are you calculating in the sugar effect of your OJ in the morning? Does this not take your sugar/carbs too high?

reply to self – googled and found this article
http://kickincarbclutter.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/why-does-low-carb-diet-make-you-feel.html

it seems ‘pseudohypoglycemia’ could be my thing – i had one day in week 1 when my pulse was around 120 for most of the day and i could feel it through my body

other places it seems to be called reactive hypoglycaemia
oh well

Thanks you two. I have had a better day today as I have planned a bit better. Have ordered the book because I have only been using the website and you guys for advice so far. I actually feel so much better for taking control of sugar, even if I didn’t get the calories as low as I should have. Not looking forward to giving up the wine, but will have a go. Thanks again-it’s great to feel supported.x

Both my husband & I are on the BSD and have picked up on the inulin debate, an article which appears to be based upon a randomised trial is at https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com – I input – inulin visceral fat – into my search engine & it pulled that up. Interesting reading especially the variance in results on visceral fat from those taking the inulin v cellulose, we are now sprinkling it onto our yoghurt/berries along with psyllium husk every morning.

Chicory leaves are one of the (only) 3 veggies I cannot stand, and as the compound comes from the roots I am happy to use the powder instead of fighting the gag reflex every time I eat the leaves in a salad!!

Evidently some more solid research studies are needed and will be interesting to see if this features on an episode of Trust Me I’m a Doctor later in the year!

Thanks, a good start 🙂

Well done! That sounds like a good start, keep it up!

I’m almost 4 weeks in now and have found the forum posts so helpful, both in terms of support and recipes. I can recommend Izzy’s hunter’s chicken recipe btw, it’s amazing.

Help! I’m almost 4 weeks in and I haven’t touched sugar or carbs, but I’m still craving chocolate. Is there anyway I can satisfy this without breaking the 800 calorie limit?

Hi Leeanne,
I think it’s always easier when there are friendly folk around to share the ups and the downs.
It’s a delight to read that you’re motivated today.
Best wishes.

Thank you lovely people!
I’ve woken up today full of determination. FBS this morning was 8.8 – to be expected but better than pre-BSD.
It’s good that we can share our downfalls once in a while!!

Hi webbj54

I agree with LindaA – first of all jump back on the wagon, you know what to do.

Then I would really consider if you could steer away from the wine for this 8 weeks. I have been generally very good with the BSD and found it relatively easy to do, but my big slip was on an evening out with colleagues. I’d planned in for a glass of red wine, but had two glasses of white wine (more calories than red, who knew?) and despite eating sensibly in the restaurant, got an attack of the munchies on the way home and ate a 400+calory Pret a Manger vegetable wrap, followed up at home by two slices of bread and butter!

I think that maybe the wine might have set me off………

So I’m thinking to either avoid wine in the rest of my 8 weeks, or at least be prepared for the subsequent munchies. Perhaps I could have an emergency carrot in the bag?

Gooood Morning >>>>> *bounding in like a woman possessed*

I’m excited. I weighed in this morning and only need to lose 0.4 to hit my first stone barrier 🙂 so surely that should happen by my official weigh in on tuesday.

I just had to scroll back through some *very* silly messages with my friend to remind myself when I pickled my eggs. It was 10 days ago! time is passing so quickly! I can crack open a jar and see what those are like later this week!

Out of curiosity I froze the left over almond pancakes yesterday and defrosted them to see if they freeze well, I just had one and they do, so that makes them super useable! The only downside being that almond flour is really quite expensive 🙁 and unlike coconut flour you use a lot of it in the recipes. The cheapest I have found is a big purchase of 4 kg still costing almost £40. However the last bag I bought which is already empty was about £10 for 500g, so a lot cheaper to buy the 4kg and it should last a few months I guess. There are many things I haven’t tried yet 🙂

It’s easier to justify the purchase (I will buy) when I consider it not only an investment in my own health but the kids. They didn’t like the crackers but they do like the pancakes. Being able to give them things like that and knowing they are healthier than the other ones is a nice thing.

In addition, I was easily spending £15-£20 regularly in a week on sandwiches, crisps, chocolate and other rubbish. I never felt I had to ‘justify’ that to myself, I just walked into the shop and paid. I’m saving money that way anyway lol. Haven’t went to a shop at work for lunch since I started.

I ramble on a lot, I know, but it helps me along.

todays fooood.

Breakfast- pancakes
lunch- spicy tomato and lentil soup (with cracker dunkers)
and for dinner I might make some of these… https://elanaspantry.com/carrot-scallion-latkes/ and I have some turkey steaks I might jazz up a bit with some herbs/spices.

and if I have calories left maybe some salsa and more carrots. Might be too many carbs but I will count before I make it. Have a great day BSD-ers

I’m eating better than ever!

Hi webbj54
Don’t worry, jump back on the wagon and go again tomorrow. You’ve learnt something, now put it into practice.

Are you drinking at least 2-3 litres of water, are you counting your carbs?

If you’re in Australia, you can download an app called EastDietDiary – try and get into the habit of weighing everything and entering your food into the app. You learn a lot about where carbs hide and it tends to keep you accountable.

Most people give up the alcohol whilst they’re on the 8 weeks, wine hides calories and sugar and lessons your willpower, at least it does mine!

You can eat really well on 800 cals per day when you eat the right foods and you won’t feel hungry after the first couple of days.

You can do this and you will succeed. Keep reading the book and follow the recipes for the first few weeks till you get the hang of it.
Good luck😀
Linda

Thanks, always thought the best time was a fasting blood test … saying that went over my 800 cals yesterday by eating a jam sandwich before I went to bed, this ,morning my blood pressure was raised but blood sugar down to 6!!! Think I have a lot of ‘jiggaling’ (if that is even a word!) to get this to work for me.

End of week 1.

4lbs off, lost 2″ from my waist, 1.5 from my hips and my jeans are falling down lol. FBS 9.8 this morning.

Joyforlife: well done on reaching the end of week one! 6.5lbs off is fantastic, and like you I haven’t found it too difficult to stick to either. I’ve stopped snacking for the most part, just an occasional blip when my will power was low or the cravings high, but they’ve largely been healthy snacks of berries or nuts, so I think that’s ok. I also crochet in the evenings, I find it so relaxing, plus I have a lot of orders for blankets to get through from people I work with. I could do with giving up work and crocheting full time!

Pippa62 and awfulauntie: welcome to bsd, you’ll find lots of inspiration and support in the forums. Anything you want to know, there is always someone with advice which I’ve found so helpful in this first week. And yes it’s a good idea to freeze your leftover portions, I’m currently cooking for two (well one and a half really, I have to adapt the recipes for hubby as he’s not on board with this yet) so any leftovers either get frozen or I eat them the next day. Keep posting your progress, we all love to see how everyone is doing.

Awfulauntie: as far as I can tell there aren’t too many restrictions on what you can eat, but be mindful of the carbs. The basis of this plan is that it’s low carb and both bananas and baked beans are fairly high in carbs and sugar, so personally I’d give them a miss for now. Quinoa on the other hand is high in protein so I think that would be OK. Most of us on here use my fitness pal app to record what we eat, and that also gives you a breakdown of the nutrient content, I aim for around 60g of carbs daily. Also the book has quite a few recipes in it, so although I’ve not been following them to the letter, it gives a good idea of the kind of things you can base your meals on. As far as snacking is concerned, I think it’s a good idea (for me anyway) to try and reduce my snack habit, and I’m trying to only eat when I’m actually hungry. Not as easy as it sounds as I’m so ingrained to eat because the clock says it’s lunchtime or whatever, but I’m sure if I persevere with it I can reset my eating cues. That said, I have had the occasional snack and again there are recipes in the book, the guilt free muffins are ok – not like a real muffin in texture, but not at all bad. There are also recipes on this site that members have posted that you could use. Soups, hummus and carrots, berries with full fat yogurt, ham and cheese, etc all are low in carbs, just remember to keep a tally of your calories and carb intake.
And don’t be too hard on yourself, we are all still learning how to eat this way and the odd slip up is inevitable, just be kind to yourself, pick up where you left off and carry on!

Bill: it’s pma, positive mental attitude. That’s basically the difference between winners and losers, and it works! Diabetes will NOT get the better of me, the only reason I’m where I am is because I’ve allowed it to happen. I’m taking back control and kicking those eratic bs readings into touch! It’s such a liberating feeling, and the inspiration from everyone is keeping me motivated. Together we will do this!

Ooh, I’ve stirred myself up into a frenzy of positiveness lol. ( or is it just ketosis euphoria?) I think a long walk while the weather is nice will help to burn off some of this energy. See you later!

Hi Happy! so happy for you and all your positive changes! I think there is a link between carrying weight and stooping from a physical sense, but I also think that when we feel better about ourselves our confidence also grows and we naturally stand taller. Subconsciously I think some of us (I can’t speak for you) try to hide and blend not really wanting to be noticed until our confidence starts to break through. Either way I am happy for you!

And calcium! what a great and easy fix!

I’m ok with the crackers, I was just over excited at having missed them for so long! Now I know I can plan in crackers and cheese/salad, as well as dipping them in soup, they will be planned in like most other things I consider as snack/treat foods. Like the carrot crisps and salsa, and chick peas.

Keep having an awesome time!

To be honest I wouldn’t class any vegetables as being high in sodium when compared to other food groups, and as Poppyflower says it’s all the added salt in things that you need to be more wary of – these levels are significantly higher. I’m not sure what calculator you’re using to get your sodium values, is it definitely accurate?

The standard recommendation for adults is to have no more than 6g of salt a day, which is equal to 2.4g of sodium = 2400mg sodium.

Google gives me an average carrot sodium content of 69mg per 100g of carrots… which means you’d need to eat 3.5kg of carrots to hit your daily sodium limit – so I really don’t think you should worry about veg at the levels you’re consuming it at.

A single slice of bread has 400mg = the equivalent of nearly 600g of carrots.

It sounds like you’re having healthy balanced meals, so don’t be so hard on yourself – you’re doing great!!

Hey Loubaggins
I too don’t drink normal milk. I’m not huge on soy and almond milks. Really don’t like the taste. I use rice milk (brown rice) or coconut milk, but only in small amounts as I also have not yet found out what is or isn’t recommended on the BSD – so I am just going with what I usually have and am hoping for the best. I just make sure to check the sugar and carb content and go with the lowest I can find and add it to my calories for the day. Good luck.

good morning to you all

i had a thread about my first week, which went into my second, but thought this would be more useful as it would fit for however long

i finished week 2 this morning – only lost 1 1/2 pound but that is 5lb in 2 weeks so i should be happy
i am not counting calories or counting anything actually – just cut grains, starchy veg and most sugar – and not binged for 2 wks!!

one thing that is happening from time to time, is i go shaky and a bit wobbly before meals
it happened yesterday, while i was shopping and it had only been 2 hours since my breakfast – i came so close to buying chocolate to deal with it but instead managed to resist and have a few of the raspberries i had bought, as i walked home
it has happened again this morning
i am not diabetic, and i would say i am certainly getting enough carbs/sugars/fats and salts –
any ideas?
could it be my body adjusting to burning fat as fuel – in which case could it burn more please and i will put up with ‘shaky’ !! 🙂

I started yesterday and made it through the first day!! I had a plain yogurt and pear for breakfast, 2 egg omelette with herbs and celery for lunch and the cottage pie with cauliflower mash and peas for dinner. The cottage pie recipe I got from here and it was delicious, 5 portions in the freezer!

I easily drank 2.5l water, plus a couple of cups of tea (normal and peppermint) but still felt mildly headachy all day and very hungry/craving which I’m sure will go in time.

Today I’m opting for brunch, mushrooms with cheesy beans plus skinny chilli tonight.

Thank you to everyone who posts recipes and what they’re eating, I’m not a very good cook and lack imagination and these really help me!

Im starting tomorrow too and ive got a couple of questions? Can you eat baked beans, bananas and quinoa? Also, any tips for snacking as I don’t like nuts?
Thanks in advance

Day 7, stats are looking good; 6.5lbs lost; plus loss on the key measurements of 1″. They say that weaning off sugar (carbs) is akin to giving up addiction to heroin – so this is tough. Mentally I feel good, like I have given myself more control over one aspect of my life and it’s all to the good. I don’t have the highs / lows off when I have shovelled in quantities of sugars i.e. wine. chocolate, potato wedges or bread (plus the weekly shop is cheaper!). When I eat a balanced plate of food it tastes really good plus the snacking has stopped too. I have taken up my crochet again whilst watching TV to stop the mindless munchies, in the evenings! My increase in exercise has also helped me, as I was always am promising myself and then generally don’t follow through!
My areas for improvement: reduce the portion sizes i.e. use a smaller dinner plate; up the water consumption to 2ltrs a day.
All in all a GREAT first week and so much easier than I anticipated it would be, to regress now would mean I have to go through wk 1 all over again; a bit like when you give up cigarettes – keep going everyone and thanks for taking the time to share experiences and tips 🙂

Hi Mehreen
Shorter period, but I lost 2kg in the first couple of days, then a plateau,
I’ve definitely been a lot less active the last couple of days – so I definitely need to up the exercise.
If you’ve just started fast walking again, that’s definitely a step in the right direction. (or steps – sorry about the pun!)
good luck with it all!

Hey fat blaster. Don’t despair and don’t give up. You seem to have been doing amazing so far and the old way of living isn’t really living if your allergies are flaring and you are feeling no good. It is sometimes so easy just to go back to what is habit and comfortable. Remember anything worthwhile is rarely easy. Keep going and think positive. Good luck.

wow – sounds really healthy to me Liv
as long as you’re not adding salt when you’re cooking, I wouldn’t worry too much.

It’s probably less salt than you’d consume if you were eating convenience food, and the conditions that are impacted by high salt, such as blood pressure, stroke and heart problems, are also adversely impacted by being overweight.

Hi Liv,

I will start by saying that I have no medical background but I do have some thoughts about the sodium issue.
In a normal western diet we eat a lot of sodium without even knowing it. Every thing from bread to breakfast cereal and any other processed food we eat is full of sodium. Milk and cheese, especially hard cheese and things like haloumi are very high in sodium. Then there is the snack foods and takeaway foods that we eat for treats, again all loaded with sodium.
In your life pre BSD you may have had toast and cereal with coffee for breakfast, maybe a salad with cheese, ham or salami for lunch and some takeaway for dinner. You would never have even given the sodium a thought unless you were on a low sodium diet for medical reasons.
I am finding that some days I am eating foods with a lot of sodium but that is balanced by days when I eat foods with very little sodium.
Like you most of the sodium I ingest is coming from vegetables. The days that I have lots are the days that I eat cheese as I am not eating any processed foods.
I think that unless you have a medical condition that requires a low sodium diet don’t worry too much and look for balance across the week.
I hope this helps.

HI FeltWicked
in the UK Tesco sell no added sugar chocolate – the brand is Chocologic, but I’ve only found it in Tesco
It’s OK, but still 1/5 sugar – and 1/3 carbs
it wasn’t particularly rich (or good) so easy to eat a lot of it – you’re probably better with a good quality dark chocolate where you’ll feel sated by a couple of squares.
I find cocoa powder made to a drink with sweetener – I use 1/4 teaspoon of Stevia – and a dash of milk is a good way of getting an occasional low sugar low carb chocolate shot.

nutrition for the milk Chocologic (100g)
Energy 484kcal
Carbohydrate 33.7g
sugars 20.9g
Fibre 17.0g
Protein 7.9g

Hi Tallyhoo,

I love Eumundi, and I used to work near Auchenflower. I’m in Woodridge (it’s a lot better now than back in the ’90s).

As for the doctor, no I haven’t told him yet. He is one of those “If it isn’t recommended by the Diabetic association (NDSS) then don’t do fad diets” types. I am visiting him for the full blood test very soon as I am interested in the results. I am carefully monitoring my BS and BP. I am amazed that the readings have barely increased without the medications. I am not a person who likes to take pills without good cause – admittedly I would not advise anyone to do what I did, this is my body and health and I, alone, am responsible for it, every one else must do what they feel is the right way for them.

Keep in touch,

FeltWicked.

Hi Feltwicked……………..have you told your doc you’ve dropped your meds? Makes me nervous……………..! I’ve lost 45 lbs now which is 20.4 kilos I think, in 16 weeks. My bs has pretty much halved and I have just dropped half of my metformin – will see doc next week after having had hb1ac tests so we’ll see what he says. It is amazing though isn’t it! I’m just too scared to drop all meds without being told – generally a sadly obedient perso!!

We lived in Oz for 10 years – had a house in Eumundi and also in Auchenflower so know Brisbane quite well, kids went to UQ and lived in St Lucia – returned home to the UK in 2013.

Hi everyone,

My partner and I just remembered seeing no-sugar chocolates (and other sweets) in our local chemist. We’ve had them before we discovered the BSD and they are very nice. My query is, how do they rate for this diet? I won’t have the opportunity to check out the ingredients and nutrition info on the packet until tomorrow as it’s Sunday afternoon here Down Under.

Any heads up warnings or positives I can glean?

Thanks
FeltWicked.

Morning gang,
It’s warm here already.
Are you all ready for another day of challenges and goals.

Do something crazy, do something wild, do something fun, something light hearted
But just…. Do something!

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi. Day 2 for me and as its a sunday im researching meals for the week and checking i am getting all i need nutritionally. I thought i was doing well, making everything from scratch, this being breakfast: x2 eggs with spinach and mushrooms, lunch: pea and ham soup, dinner: chicken breast with carrots, broccolli and chard. However when I have added it into my food calculator it says I am way over my healthy sodium levels. More research has told me that carrots, chard and spinach has a huge amount of sodium. This really upsets me actually, as I thought I was doing so well only to find that I am not doing my body any good if my sodium is high. What do others think? Is having high sodium levels from natural raw or slightly cooked veggies bad? Thanks 🙂

Hi LindaA,
8 kms around Narrabeen Lakes is a great effort. I used to do the bay run (but I’d walk it) around Iron Cove years ago when I lived in the inner west and from memory that was 8 kms.
So pleased to read that there was no smoke. It has cleared here now, so we can get out and about. I hope the charity raised a lot funds.

Hi Christi1948,
I was reading your question about chicken gujons and the egg/cauliflower rice. I haven’t tried it but it sounds like it would work.
The other thing that’s good instead of bread crumbs is LSA mix. Is it available where you live? It’s ground linseeds, sunflowers and almonds. I haven’t got a carb count to hand. I know it’s really nice on fish.
Happy cooking.

Week 4 – day 2
718 cal. 23 carbs

B 1/2 egg, 1 oz cheese, 8 grapes
L lettuce, 2 oz cheese, 1/3 avocado, 1 T dressing
D lettuce, 3 oz crab, 1 egg, 1 T dressing

Huge congrats to you Bill – you give
Us all hope if we keep doing this we will also get to our goals and be healthier!
Round of applause for you!!
😍

Thanks Izzy!

Today was exceptional and so much better than I could have hoped for as my husband’s family took us to an American restaurant instead of Chinese so there would be good I could eat!! I got a Louie salad and am actually under 800 cal today and only 23 carbs.
On top of that great news someone posted on another forum about their tummy troubles and how taking calcium stopped them. So yesterday we bought some and I took one and voila today life is normal again. I guess I have IBS or it’s the bile issue from no gallbladder some
get. The lady who posted started taking it 1998 and has not had any problem since. What an easy resolution and I can’t wait to tell my doctor when I get home!!
I even added lettuce, eggs, and cheese back to my diet today which will greatly improve my variety!
We spent an awesome day with our 10year old grandson.
Other good things I am noticing and so did my hubby:
I am walking straight up!! I used to bend over slightly all the time (guess the weight was pulling me forward and it’s gone).
I am walking fast! I used to slow him down and now fast is my normal. It’s so weird. In just 3.2 weeks.
Life is changing for the good and forever. I couldn’t ask for more. It’s like getting a new life already and I can’t wait to see what more weight loss will bring.

Hugs for a happy day to you and watch out for too many crackers. Even without the total carbs just “needing” them can set you up for cravings.
💜

Hi Switzerland
I’m back from my walk and it seems 8kms is around 12,000 steps and it took just shy of 2 hours. There’s a smoke haze around now but it wasn’t too bad around Narrabeen Lakes, probably the sea breeze keeping it at bay.

How lucky you are to have the bush on your doorstep! We’ve got bush nearby, but not that close so I mainly walk through the suburbs and check out people’s houses and gardens.

I’m off now to take my 85 yo mother to visit my 88 yo uncle, both of them as fit as a fiddle and going very strong.
Hope you’re not housebound for too long.
Linda

Sweet dreams Lucia,
I have a lilac tree in my back yard that’s getting towards the end of it’s life. So……I also have 2 very small lilacs that I’m nurturing in pots. I’m hoping to plant them out and get them established before the other one succumbs to old age. I love the fragrance of their flowers.

Like you my walks are often social….even down in the bush. You’re so right in saying a smile is a gift. When I’m out walking it’s rare that a smile is not returned……..then there’s the guy from 7 houses down the street that jogs regularly. He’s always wary of scaring me so shouts out ‘behind’ on his approach, then is always apologising because I jump when he calls out…….There’s also a man who runs and is so fast that he can lap me 3 times when I’m on an eighty minute walk (it’s a big loop)! It’s a great way of meeting people. There are some locals that I only ever see down there.

We’ve got some wonderful bird life. Kookaburras (always laughing at me), magpies, white cockatoos, black cockatoos, eastern rosellas, king parrots, wattle birds and on the rare occasion galahs and butcher birds. In the warmer seasons blue wrens and Gouldian finches. I talk to all of the birds – some of them sing back.

Hi all, here’s my details taken from my Profile too.

Residing in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, male, age 54, Type 2 Diabetic for 10 years, on 2x tablets of Galvumet (Diaformin won’t dissolve in my innards for some obscure reason), High Blood Pressure on 1x tablet Exforge.
Abbreviations: Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS); Blood Pressure (BP); Weight (W)
Started BSD 28 April 2016 – W 98.4kg; FBS 4.8 mmol; BP 130/75.
Week 1: W 96.1kg (-2.3 kg to date); FBS 4.9; BP 126/70
All medication ran out on 20160506 so stopped using it.
Week 2: W 95.1kg (-1kg (-3.3kg to date)); FBS 4.6; BP 142/76
Week 3: W 94.1kg (-1kg (-4.3kg to date)); FBS 5.6; BP 131/82

Now in Week 4 … my partner, Jeanette, is also on this diet and has lost more weight than I – our girths are trimming down too. Thank goodness … Okay … thank Michael!

Hi everyone,

Its been 4 weeks since I started the BSD. Feeling great!! I don’t have diabetes, I just wanted to lose weight for myself.
I was starting to get concerned about my rate of weight loss but reading everyone’s responses here has given me great encouragement so I thought I would share my experience so far.

My initial weight was 69kg, and now I am at 65 after 4 weeks of no carbs. Today I am on day 3 of week 5. I took up fast walk again from today. I lost 2kg in first week, 1 each in 2nd and 3rd weeks, but nothing in week 4. It seems that this pattern is quite common so I should not give up and keep at it. Because of my slow weight loss I am intending to keep going till the end of week 10 instead of 8. I have read in Michael’s book that some people take it upto 10-12 weeks, depending on what the ideal wight is that they are trying to achieve.
I have to say this is an amazing community with so much positivity!! Well done to everyone! Take pride in what you have achieved!!

Hi everyone,

Its been 4 weeks since I started the BSD. Feeling great!! I don’t have diabetes, I just wanted to lose weight for myself. My son was diagnosed with autism about 5 years ago, and since then I let myself go. Things are so much better now and he is great, I have a 2 year old girls as well and my husband and I are in a really good place again. I thought now is the time to bring back the body that I have lost over time. My initial weight was 69kg, and now I am at 65 after 4 weeks of no carbs. Today I am on day 3 of week 5. I took up fast walk again from today. My concern is that my weight has started to plateau. I lost 2kg in first week, 1 each in 2nd and 3rd weeks, but nothing in week 4. I don’t want to lose steam and I have a long way to go, I ideally wish to bring my weight down to 58-59 kilos. Any advice?

Day 7. Have felt very blah the last 2 days, but I’m not giving up. Sitting on 3kg down. Bad knees have been playing up, but this is just one of the reasons I’m doing this. No surgery until BMI is well under 35.

hi Isabel

I don’t normally weigh myself normally – only when I’m trying to loose weight.
I read something the other day – not sure if on here, the BSD book or somewhere unrelated, and it suggested that when you’ve reached a target weight, that you continue to weigh yourself regularly and ensuring that you stay within a kilo of your target weight.
I know it sounds incredibly obvious, but as someone who clearly hasn’t done very well in 50+ years of not weighing myself regularly (or being at an ideal weight), it was a real light bulb moment!

I looked back at a recipe that I had created on myfitnesspal – it attempts to find the ingredients and match them – the nutrients looked a bit out to what I’d calculated. On checking, they’d added banana chips instead of courgettes, found canned tomatoes but added 1 gram instead of a 400g can, baby sweetcorn instead of yellow peppers – some very odd choices.
At least I know to check now if continue that instead of my spreadsheet!

Hi, I’ve been wondering about carbs/calories as well. I sometimes use My Fitness Pal and it seems to be OK.
I don’t weight myself, had a book called Throw Away The Scales, and tend to go by how my clothes feel. Almost finished week 2 and feeling lighter.

Half past midnight,
Up at 6am to have another go.
Night night
Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi Switzerland.

I am not a Tree hugger.

But as I walk, I may stop and smell the lilac trees, syringa.
I will walk a bit and find a pink carpet of cherry blossom petals under the tree.

I walk a bit and stop and say hello to someone who looks lonely, who may not have spoken to another soul all day. Talk about the weather, the garden, the view, anything.

Then I give them a gift but they give it back to me bigger and better….. The gift…. A smile
. I give a smile and they respond automatically by giving me a biggest smile right back.

Then I may see a plant in someone’s garden. I love the blue flowers on a bush called ceanothus.

Walk a bit and look at the shapes of the clouds, trying to find a funny shape.
Walk a bit and sing,
Walk a bit and splash
Walk a bit and nose I someone’s front living room window as I walk past.
Walk a bit and whistle.
Walk a bit and find where the beautiful song of the blackbirds coming from.
Walk a bit and laugh at starlings, they remind me of slicked back teddy boys.

Then realise I need to come right back and off we go again.

Yes, I am no tree hunger, but as other bloggers will Confirm I have been out and shouted at my cheery blossom tree as it never blossoms before next doors tree.

Love Lucia
🌲🌳🌴🌱🌿🎄🌵🌳🌲🌴🐲🎍🎄🌱🌴🌳🌴🌱🎄🌴🌴🌳🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌳🌳🌳🌲🌴🌱
Xxxx

Thankyou Switzerland, and no the coat won’t fit for a long time yet! it’s one of the smallest sized items. I’ve kept it though. You never know maybe this winter will be the year I get to wear it! I started my 40’s 4 stone overweight, hopefully by the time I turn 41, I won’t be.

I have spent the evening going through everything again, I’ve added more to the charity pile and the rest is sectioned into piles of things that will fit soonish, then things that should fit in 6-8 weeks, and then the smallest things that should fit when I’m done.

The ‘fit soonish’ stuff is in my wardrobe. The rest is piled into a tower in between two chests of drawers where I can see them. The smallest is at the bottom, my aim now being to get to the bottom of that pile adding the things that fit to my wardrobe as it happens 🙂

I’m about 3 stone away from those smallest clothes… but 5 weeks ago, I was almost 4 stone away. That’s a big step nearer!

Glad it went well Celeste – I went to Prezzo, and had a steak and rocket salad – its excellent, just thin slices of rare steak on top of rocket, a few olives, peppers, cherry tomatoes – and rocket. Under 400 calories, one site said it has 25 carbs – I assume most is from the balsamic dressing – I must remember to ask for it on the side next time, and just for olive oil.

Omg.
I have it.
Here it is.

I can’t be the best , but I can be better than last week!

I love it,simple , honest and it gives you something to build on.
Must keep being better than the previous week.

I have done my task of searching. This is one that hits home for me.

I need to be mindful of this.
Love luciaXxxx