Oh yes I did know about kefir but it had fallen off my radar! Will go and get some later. Thank you for that and the other info.

Brilliant to hear your good news Sunshine-girl!

Good news again, dress has been reduced from £75 to £60 – also a jacket from £45 to £41.

Hi everyone, good news today – my weight has dropped under 71kg to 70.85kgs. I am now exactly 2 stone lighter than when I first started 8 years ago (yes a long time but being on insulin makes it harder). Also, as I had gained weight over the past 8 years I keep having to set new goals. I have lost 4.5kgs since January 1st. On my 6 month challenge I have now lost (revert to pounds) 9lbs which is pretty much on target. And I am joining Verano on 1lb a week to Christmas and at the end of week 3 I have lost 3.5lbs. So yeah – all is going to plan. Now just need to get into that size 16 dress. Talking of which, going to look on the site I have saved it on to see if there is a discount for Black Friday.

Casey, just because something has carbs doesn’t mean it is bad for you. Apples are a good source of fible as are the sweet potatoes Verano talks about. Just to be aware and maybe only have now and then.

Going to check the Debs site.

Welcome CaseyJ12. It sounds as though you are doing all the right things. Do you know about Kefir which keeps your gut bacteria happy? Eating some pulses although they obviously include carbs can help a more fibrous diet plus kale & lots of other veg but avoiding potatoes but I do occasionally eat sweet potatoes which make a good substitute & wholewheat cous cous. However I am not diabetic just arthritic 🙂
Good luck for next week 🍀🍀
Margaret

Thanks Sunshine-girl.

I’m using the FatSecret app to log things, and yes I had an apple last week and was shocked! Today a portion of my carbs has been from a small slice of toast – one of those small white loaves that is 10.8 carbs for a slice. I appreciate as carbs go it’s not a good one.

Congratulations on your fabulous progress. So encouraging to hear! I will carry on!

Hi all, happy Thanksgiving to our American friends and family.

Welcome to CaseyJ12, You are not trying to lose much weight and are not seriously overweight so your losses will be lower and slower. I was just about 13kgs overweight and lost only 1lb in week one and 2lbs in the second by the end of my 8 week BSD I had lost a total of 13lbs. You say it is more about getting away from a carb heavy diet rather than the number so keep doing what have been. Where are you getting your carb measurements from and what type of carbs are you eating. There can be some surprises like apples coming in at 28g of carbs without realising. If there are adjustment to make you will work it out along the way. Keep asking questions if you have any worries.

Going to watch the final of Bake Off before someone on TV spoils it for me.

Hello, just found this forum and jumping in to say Hi!
This is my second week of fast 800. Calories are averaging 750, protein around 58g, and carbs around 48g. I’m right at the top of the healthy weight range for my height and hoping to lose around 9kg to bring it nearer ideal. This isn’t just about the numbers for me – I had a really carb heavy diet and working at home I don’t do much active stuff at all. Honestly my body has just turned to blubber really and whilst I thankfully don’t have health issues right now I know I need to get on top of things.
I have lost less than 1kg so far but I’m trying not to panic about that and just keep going.
I was struggling a bit with constipation but I’ve upped my water intake and it’s not so bad.
I’ve started doing a brisk half hour walk at lunchtime. Not sure what else I should do or whether just keeping going is the best.
Nice to see the forum so active and knowledgeable. If anyone has any tips or advice that would be great!

Have a wonderful time with your family Californiagirl 🥂🍷🍰🌮🍹👍Happy Thanksgiving Day
Margaret xx

Hi All,
Tomorrow is our national Thanksgiving — one of may favourite holidays in the year — the food is good and you can choose a bit less cornbread stuffing and a bit more Brussel sprouts…of course, the pie is another matter but I only really like the pumpkin filling in pumpkin pie (don’t tell my sister that her crust is stodgy and boring) — we will start with Old Fashioneds, move on to the mains and end up with pie. There will be wine and Sauterne in unseemly amounts.
The next day we will head to the beach and try to burn it off (down in Santa Barbara at my oldest sister’s house). The second night my family uses up all the turkey with an enchilada feast, enchiladas. guacamole, beer — it used to be for my Dad’s birthday on the 28th but he is gone now and the tradition lives on.
The following day we are back to low carb and low cal. Ahhhh, but what a lovely holiday it is.
Enjoy your holidays! I won’t be in England this year for Christmas but I will think of you and all the lovely goose and cake and all that.
Back to the BSD after the great day (two max for me!!).

MARIET please try not to worry about your successor once youve left. As my great niece says,NMP..not my problem..and its really not your problem once youve gone. I know you’ll have done your best for the person taking over.
It can take a little while,but just give yourself time to settle into your retirement and hopefully you will find how pleasant it can be.
I love it! I find that I have time to enjoy the seasons more and the different things that each season brings.
Its so nice to have breathing space,to be able to arrange your day to suit yourself,to choose if you want to be busy today or to take it easy,go out or stay in. See friends more,read more,catch up on films and tv you didnt have time or energy to watch before,enjoy pottering in the garden or the house for hours. Go to bed late as youre no longer a slave to the alarm clock,or get up early and have a leisurely peaceful first hour or so,instead of rushing out to work. Take an afternoon nap if you feel like one.
Yeh I do think it can be really hard to stick to eating plans when youre home all the time,but tbh,that was difficult at work too. For me anyway,the stresses of my job often made me eat more,and it always seemed to be somebodys birthday and cakes being passed around,drinks down the pub,staff meals out,and “leaving do’s”,biscuits and chocolates in the staff kitchen,and so on.
At least at home,if youve managed not to buy goodies,you dont have to look at them in your fridge!😄
I wish you a lovely long and happy and rewarding retirement! X ⭐️💕🌼⭐️ Im sure you deserve it XX

Thoughts and prayers 🙏are with you tomorrow Dawn also all your family xx💞🙏
Lv nokie x

We’ll be thinking of you and the family tomorrow DAWN 🙏💕xx worst time of year to lose a loved one xx

Hi everyone,
Thank you all so much for your kind words, they mean a lot.It’s the funeral tomorrow which will be difficult for all of the family but we will get through it together and look after each other.I will try to,post again next week.Love to all.
Dawn XX

Thank you Margaret but I think the point is I am upset at how large the dresses are. I don’t remember wearing size 19
8s. My trousers now are all size 14 and most of my tops as well. But dresses are a different matter. The 2 size 18s are very fitted and the brands are known to be be tighter fits (Roman and Oasis). I need to lose at least another half a stone to be getting back into clothes I was wearing on my cruise 8 years ago when I had first started this diet. I lost just over 2 stone and got down to 11 stone, currently lost just under 2 stone – so nearly there. Actually, it doesn’t sound so bad.

Not worrying as I still have 4 months before the cruise.

Well done S-G it feels so good getting back in to wearing previously tight clothes. I’m sure your family will notice how good you are looking when you see them for Christmas 👏👏⭐️👗
Your perseverance is paying off!
Margaret xx

Just had a dress try on and quite a surprise. I vary between a very fitted size 18 and a looser fitting 14. This is why I don’t know what size dress to buy without trying it on first. Going hedge my bets at 16 and hope it is tight but still time to lose more weight.

Hi everyone, good news today. I have finally hit 71kgs. Fingers crossed it is not just a blip.

Hi 54 and welcome to our monthly thread. It has never gone away, just changes its name every month. Great to hear you are doing so well and, no it is not an easy ride. The habits will kick in when you face things you never thought you could like no longer liking sweet foods or feeling a cringe when you think about eating something carby and your head tries to work out what to do to avoid it. Not sure if you are diabetic as your profile mentions a friend having an amputation – possibly it was just his weight that concerned you. Keep on keeping on….

Someone asked how many lavendar I have – 15 all in a line from my gate to my door. Mixture of English and French lavendar – although I am looking at replacing the French (also known as butterfly) as the flowers die off too quickly. They are fantastic for attracting bees and the bees are tiny and you can put your hand into the flower and the bees dont sting – think they must be a nonsting breed.

Going to try some of my current dresses now to see if they are getting baggy – still don’t know what size to order for my special dress.

reported cfsc……

Dawn, Yowser and Sueblue, I am so sorry you’re going all through this. It’s very hard for all of you and sitting quietly at the back of the bus sounds very reasonable.
I have not just stalled, I’ve gone backwards and gained 3kg so whatever the consensus is, I will be here for the next bus. I’m thinking of you all and hoping you are able to find peace.
I have two more weeks to work then I am retiring. I’m anxious because I don’t feel I’ve been able to train my successor properly and also I’m worried I don’t have enough money (although looking logically I do) and really worried that being home more I’ll just eat more 🙄
Those who are retired might be able to give me some advice.
Thinking of you all.

DAWN just want to say hello and that I’m sorry to hear your sad news. Your family has been through a lot recently and I hope you’re ok. Look after yourself and just sit tight until you’re ready to pick things up again.

And thanks YOWZER for the cheers re my medal. The virtual fitness challenges I do are only a small personal goal, but they get me up and out, and I do love the feeling of achievement. I now just need to apply that same sense of motivation to my WoE!

On which point, everyone have a think about where we go from here in terms of this thread? We had discussed setting up a longer term thread that was more to do with maintenance rather than short term challenges. But I sense many of us on here still want/need to keep going in terms of weight loss. So perhaps the answer is that we set up a new single multipurpose thread to run throughout the whole of 2025? There will be some who are happy to maintain and drop in now and then to keep in touch, some who are actively pursuing a particular goal at any given time, and others who want to get back on board but are currently resting for whatever reason. Maybe that would tick all the boxes and give us a supportive environment when we need it but without feeling pressured if we need to step back.

Anyway, let me know your thoughts. And I hope that the rest of the week goes as well as it can for each of you, whatever is happening in your life at the moment.

Lots of love, DCT X

I’m still here and lurking but don’t post much. Still down 35kg and full-on keto. No sugar, no grains, no lentils or pulses, no potatoes. As 54 says, this isn’t a diet, it’s a way of life and when I figured that out (years ago), I knew I could do this forever as this is an investment for my future health. I’m now nearly 65 and am planning on walking the French Camino next May. I’ve never had so much energy, I’m always walking and I can’t sit still. My habits are now ingrained, when I’m offered cake or biscuits or whatever, my answer is simply “No thanks, I don’t eat sugar (or wheat or whatever)”. There is no compromise, there are no treats or one offs (how is getting diabetes and the slippery slope that goes with that a treat!!).
My ex husband passed away at 68 about 3 years ago of complications resulting from type 2. Heart disease, kidney failure, dialysis…. the list goes on. He was 68!!! I’m not going down that path and I’ll be saying ‘no’ to the wrong foods till the day I drop dead (probably of exhaustion!!).
For those that find it difficult, keep thinking of your ‘why’ and realise that the cravings will pass. If you find a food that although is technically keto (mine is greek yoghurt and nuts) but you find you can’t stop eating them, STOP eating them. Buy a steak, lamb chop, chicken thigh – whatever and fry it in butter and eat that. I challenge you to still be hungry. Get up and go for a walk, have a bath, go for a swim – just distract yourself. The cravings will go, I promise.
Although I started out on the 800 cals and lost all my weight in 6 months, I’m not a huge fan and would do it differently if I had to do it again. Just cut out all carby foods and eat till satiated. Not full, satiated!
It’s been 8 years now and I’ll never go back to that 100kg self that I started out as.
Best of luck everyone!

Hi 54 and all,
Oh that sounds brilliant. It is tough…
We do just have to ‘keep the faith’.
Sadly I’ve put back on a stone… but never lost that last stone.
But my ankle replacement operation with a different hospital, is now booked for 24th Jan 25. So now must lose that stone I addes on! . Even if for now I don’t do more than that, it would still be good.
To add to my life I’m finally getting my puppy too. Will be 16wks old before imported next month .. cross everything it all goes ok.
Mad I know. New hospital wasn’t doing the op til May or June so figured doggie would be a year old and have learned most things by then.
But I was then offered the Op in Jan .. so in some ways better as then by next summer I’ll be ‘basic recovered’ and beginning to be more stable on my feet. And the dog woupd have learned a fair bit by then too.
I’ve bought a 2nd hand mobility scooter, an IWalk and a knee scooter. I think all can play their part. I can walk the dog using the mobility scooter. Surgeon reckons by month 5 I’ll be walking so not too bad!
Anyway restarted the cutting back on food and today restarted in earnest.
I bought mimi spencer Fast Cook to help with the odd alternative ideas…
I’m trying to stick to my sald lunch with a few alternatives and meat/fish/chicken and veg for dinner. The odd apple and mini satsuma and few nuts. So cutting back quantity if my usual food but no bread and butter!! 😁🙏
Really hope we all shed the pounds, and get to our perfect weight as soon as possible. 🙏🤞🤞👍😁

Hi Folks

How is everyone out there?
Just found this new thread !!
I started to think that this weight loss thing is a very long chore and was looking forward to getting back to normal !! But then I started to realise its not a chore, its a journey to a newnormal, a new way of thinking, to a new me, a me that has new habits in his daily routine, habits that help maintain that healthy weight I seek !! Once realised, its not a chore at all relly, just some hard work on a journey to a better place !!

So yes, still on it, working hard on the route

Weight now 111 KG so approx 17st 7 pounds in old money (From a 25 stone re start start january!!) All good and progress still being made
Ive done a solid 12 weeks at 800 calls a day and have moved to the recommended 1500 for 4 weeks before looking to cut back again on another round !

Bonus is I am losing weight and feeling MUCH more energetic

Downside: Im slowly sending all my 4XL clothes to VINTED or the charity shop !!

Keep on going

54

Hi Folks

How is everyone out there?

Do tell us all how things are going, struggles, barriers and of course successes !!
I started to think that this weight loss thing is a very long chore and was looking forward to getting back to normal !! But then I started to realise its not a chore, its a journey to a newnormal, a new way of thinking, to a new me, a me that has new habits in his daily routine, habits that help maintain that healthy weight I seek !! Once realised, its not a chore at all relly, just some hard work on a journey to a better place !!

So yes, still on it, working hard on the route

Weight now 111 KG so approx 17st 7 pounds in old money All good and progress still being made
Ive done a solid 12 weeks at 800 calls a day and have moved to the recommended 1500 for 4 weeks before looking to cut back again on another round !

Bonus is I am losing weight and feeling MUCH more energetic

Downside: Im slowly sending all my 4XL clothes to VINTED or the charity shop !!

Keep on going

54

Im looking to leave the old me behind and move to a ‘new’ me, with new habits, with new ways of doing things: so

Hi Dawn
Sending you lots of love Dawn. Sad that many of our friends are going through difficult times. Take care and we will see you on the next bus. it’s been a rocky ride.

Hi all, yes Margaret we also get free jabs because of age – just had our flu jab. Don’t know about prescriptions due to age but hubby and I both get free. We pay for dentist and have recently had a check up, xray and clean which cost around €150 (£135) and we got back €75 on our insurance and from the state. Enough of that now.

Managed to get back down to 71.3kg but that is a zero loss for the past 2 weeks. I am just under the 1lb a week for the run up to Christmas challenge as I lost nearly 3lbs in the first week. Still keeping on….. Although I have promised myself a drink on Sunday evening (1st Dec) after a full month of abstinence. Then we only have one pre-Christmas event here in France and they are catering for my diet.

All hell breaks lose when we get back to the UK as daughter has 3 Christmas dinners planned. Why you ask – some family visiting on the 23rd, her husbands children are never allowed to be with them on the actual day so the 24th is their Christmas, then we will have the real day on the 25th – I will be sick of it by then but hopefully will have kept to low carbing at all these events.

Had a really bad night and only slept for 3hrs 25mins (fitbit tells me) so I am hoping to sleep well tonight. It all starts with restless legs and not being able to get comfortable and I just keep moving about. I got up at 5am and watched an episode of Undercover Boss USA with a woman who made cupcakes. Ironic.

KOKO…

Ah no,more sad news. We are going through it at the moment arent we 🫤 Thinking of you DAWN and the family xx
Very very well done DCT on getting that medal.Thunderous applause and lots of cheers resounding round the bus xxxxx 👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍

Hi kasper, well done on the weight loss. I don’t know about the bones and teeth except I notice on your profile you say you are struggling to eat more than 50g of protein so maybe you need more meat, cheese, eggs and dairy in your diet. This might also stop you losing more if that is what you want right now. As for the bad breath, yes ketones smell rather like peardrops or acetone (nail polish remover or alcohol) which is why diabetics get mistaken for being drunk when their BG goes too low.

I have lost 10 kgs in 4 months and am now experiencing some issues with my teeth. They feel different and I am suddenly getting sensitivity I did not have before. I was told that very rapid weight loss can affect the enamel of your teeth and also make your bones softer. It also appears that ketosis gives you bad breath !
Has anyone else experienced any of these issues.

Also I could not stop losing weight even after I increased my calory intake to around 1000 and only now after 6 weeks like that am I starting to stay ‘even’ weight. Is this normal ?

Hi everyone,

I’m so sorry to hear about your mother-in-law Sueblue and also your sister Yowzer, and send my condolences.I also have sad news as my lovely father-in-law passed away last week.The nurse at his care home thought he didn’t seem like himself and called for an ambulance and he never got back to the care home but passed away in hospital six days later.I can totally understand what you mean Sueblue about feeling you have started losing someone much earlier, my F-i-l had catastrophic brain bleeds 20 months ago after a fall in the garden and he was never the same. We went through a similar thing with my Dad a few years back when he passed away after years of dementia.You feel a sense of relief that they are now at peace but it’s still not easy.I’m sending everyone big hugs and, like you Sueblue, will sit quietly at the back of the bus until our next trip.
Dawn XX

Thank you S-G for your details of how the French health system works & certainly would be helpful if copied here. At the moment my husband & I do pay for our optician & dental appointments & treatments but I we both do have free prescription medicines because of our ages & of course the various jabs currently available for the winter. I do now have a face to face appointment with my own GP so hopefully that might help things move on.
My husband & I watched the Chris Van Tulleken tv programme last night which was very eye opening but not surprising with the tobacco companies now involved with many of the large food companies & using the same denial tactics & amended research to address ultra processed food. No wonder people were healthy during the war walking everywhere, growing their own food & with limited sugar & sweets. Unfortunately processed food is convenient & cheaper then buying fresh food plus the time it takes to prepare meals from scratch!🤔 I know that recently I have been fed up with the time spent in the kitchen preparing fresh food & resorted to a fried eggs, low sugar baked beans & a frozen baked potato 🙀
I am trying to go back to a better routine now 🤞🤞
Keep on going everyone 👏👏
Margaret xx

Pootle well done!
I’m convinced the body needs a bit of a shake-up now and again. It’s so easy to fall into a pattern where we’re eating much the same foods at the same time everyday and a change could be all we need.

Yay, my change of routine has worked! dropped 2lb at weigh in this morning. Phew. Thought I might be stuck forever! 😇🤣

SUEBLUE I’m so sorry to hear about your MIL. I know things had been difficult for all of you for some time. Try and take time now to look after yourself, though I know there will be yet more of our dreaded “sadmin” to do. But take things easy when you can, be kind to yourself, and build in some little treats now and again, such as a bit of pampering or a trip out somewhere. You need time to adjust and regroup and I’m sure we’ll all be here in some other thread when you’re ready to rejoin fully again.

Sending love and hugs to you SUE, and also to YOWZER. I didn’t know your sister had died and am so sorry to hear that. I remember you being concerned about her some time ago. Such sad news. As you say, she is free now, but it will take you time to come to terms with her loss. I hope that you are ok YOWZER, you are always so positive and encouraging to all of us on here, and I know we are all thinking of you with fondness right now. And it’s especially inspiring that you have achieved such amazing weight loss with all that’s been going on in the background.

A quick hello to everyone else too. CATHY and MIXnMATCH how are the fasts going? MIXnMATCH it’s great to hear you’re at your lowest weight since restarting this WoE. And CATHY I hope you get some positive answers from your ophthalmology appointment next week. NOKIE any progress on the move? You also mentioned family stuff going on and I hope that things are improving there. ARCTICFOX I hope you are coping well with the cold and dark, and also that you are adjusting to the findings on your elimination diet. You sound really determined and are doing so much to make progress and move forward.

VERANO thanks for the heads up on that BBC programme. I will catch up with it over the next couple of days.

Still almost a month to go before Christmas so here’s hoping that we can all make some progress towards where we want to be. My weight loss has stalled which is totally understandable as I’ve been giving priority to these fitness challenges I’ve been doing. The main one has finished now – and yes I am in possession of that shiny medal! I’m feeling well and maybe even a bit fitter, but will turn attention back to the numbers now. I’d still like to shed around 4lb before Christmas but need to review my eating which has slipped into more carbs than usual. Will report back in due course!

Hope that everyone has a positive week in some way. And do keep posting so that we can help each other along. X

S-g maybe it’s time for a bit of a shake up. I’ve been back on 2 meals a day so I think this week I’ll drop in the odd yogurt and berry breakfast. I find if I have eggs for lunch I lose. I think I must unconsciously eat less at dinner because I’m not as hungry. Who knows!

I also get SMS messages to remind about appointments but that’s about as mechanised as it gets. The NHS is in such a mess that we’re way passed the ‘tinkering’ stage to get things right. It needs a complete overhaul. I agree with Margaret ‘too many chiefs’. Nurses need to be valued more and paid accordingly to help stop the ludicrous situation where doctors and nurses leave the NHS and become ‘agency’ workers at hugely inflated sums. Not only is it a financial drain on the system but in my experience, and it is only my experience, agency staff aren’t as ‘committed’ to their work and, IMHO, don’t care as much.

Anyway, here we go with another week. Let’s make it a productive one.

Yowzer and SueBlue sorry to hear of your losses xx

Thanks Ladies,i appreciate it xxxx

Hello sue blue
Sorry to hear your sad news but she is at peace now I wish all your family love and sympathy
Also yowzer I send my love to you on the loss of your sister
I 🙏 pray you will both will take time to heal
Sending love and 🤗 hugs
Nokie x💞🙏

Hello SueBlue
Sending love and sympathy to you and your family at this sad time. Your mother in law is now at peace. I know you’ve had a difficult year. Take time to reflect and heal.
Yowser- sending love and sympathy to you- so sorry to read you recently lost your sister. Lots of love to you.

SUEBLUE its very hard when you lose someone twice – firstly when they get dementia,then again when they pass.
Its a happy release though isnt it when they had very poor quality of life. My sister died recently after being bedbound for over a year. No longer able to do the things she loved,so she was ready to go
Hard for us left behind though 💕. Sending love to you and your family xx

Hello all, just a quick update from me.
My mother in law passed away peacefully at the end of last week.
The last 2 months have been very hard as her health declined. She was almost 90 and had a good life. It’s a relief that she is finally free of Alzheimers and dementia to be honest, we essentially lost her 2 years ago…
So for now I’ll sit down quietly at the back of the bus but I’ll certainly be right up the front on the next one!

Hi there, you have just under 5 weeks to get used to the diet and possibly lose between 8 and 14 lbs depending on your start weight and how strict you follow the plan. If you can manage that you are already at a psychological advantage to manage with no treats or be selective because you will have great knowledge by then. Hopefully, if you can keep to a reasonable diet but allow some goodies you will be in a good frame of mind to continue after the celebrations. The real downfall would be if you say what the hell and blow it. You will feel pretty bad and struggle to get back on plan.

Have a plan, follow it as best you can and face the new year with a new determination.

Hi all, same, same here, no change. Verano, put it on to record as it is Monday and I have so much else to watch. I like the 2 main soaps – Emmerdale and Corrie and I also like Only Connect and then University Challenge.

Margaret, the payment system for the health care is quite simple. You have a card which is connected to the CPAM (the NHS) and they have all the information regarding health, appointments etc, they are also connected to your bank and to any private insurance – it is a fully joined up system (a computer system that works). When you see a medical person they put your card in a machine they all have and they tell it what care you have had and if you have to pay it works out the states share, the insurance share and then how much you have to pay. Some ask for cash, in which case they money (according to the forementioned calculations) is paid back into your bank account. When I go to the hospital I call in the admin department first and all that get done. Because I have 100% free care for my diabetes I rarely have to pay anything up front but when I have, the money is usually back in my bank account within 2 days. So simply it works like a debit/credit card. One great thing is if you go for treatment and are not sure about what you have or had or drugs you are on etc they just put the card in their machine and voila, it is all there. They also connect to reminder systems. So today I had an SMS saying I have an appt on 2nd Dec, then 3 days before I will get another reminder and another on the day. If you are worried about being racist i.e. asking someone if they are entitled to French healthcare or not, everyone has to provide ID along with the card before a course of treatment so you are not making judgement calls based on how someone looks i.e. race. I think UK hospitals are worried about having to ask if people are entitled to use the NHS because they look different, then don’t treat them different, ask everyone to provide that information. That is not to say the French system isn’t struggling, it has its problems.

That’s not my soapbox just my experience of a part paid system. BTW if you are under certain financial constraints i.e. very poor you get free treatment, same for children, pensioners under a certain wage level or on benefits. We had a very similar system in Australia.

Enough about that.

Have a great week everyone.

“IRRESISTABLE: WHY WE CAN’T STOP EATING” with Chris van Tulleken, BBC2 this evening. or on catch-up now.
I have just watched this on catch-up and I promise this is a program that you NEED to watch!

“IRRESISTABLE: WHY WE CAN’T STOP EATING” with Chris van Tulleken, BBC2 this evening. or on catch-up now.

I have just watched this on catch-up and I promise this is a program that you NEED to watch!

“IRRESISTABLE: WHY WE CAN’T STOP EATING” with Chris van Tulleken, BBC2 this evening. or on catch-up now.

I have just watched this on catch-up and I promise this is a program that you NEED to watch!

Hello lifemaestro.

Yes hard but not impossible! You don’t say if you have diabetes or want to lose weight per se. If you have T2 then start now and do your very best to limit the damage over Christmas. As Mixnmatch says you can limit the damage by not having all the trimmings. Maybe one roast potato rather than a plate full. Plenty of green vegetables. A ‘taste’ of one of your favourite ‘goodies’ rather than all you can eat.

If on the other hand this is for weight loss then a day or two off will stop your progress but won’t affect your health.

Start today, tomorrow never comes? Good luck!

Thank you for your thoughtful reply Mixnmatch!
Yeah -the timing for me totally sucks – I think it’s hobsons choice for me really. I don’t want to wait until after Xmas before I start – I’m obviously worried that Xmas might scupper me – but I’ll just have to keep my eye on the bigger picture. I was just curious to know how hard it is to keep going if you lose a day here or there to unavoidable food-centric events. Hard, but not impossible by the sounds of it.

Thank you Pootle & S-G for your good wishes about my knees etc. It is ironic that I used to work for the NHS but of course when I originally was training at Guys Hospital we were supported by a Government bursary & not having to pay back horrendous fees now for any medical or other university courses.
S-G I found your explanation of the French health system fascinating & I agree a part payment system is needed here especially to identify health tourists that come here but the accounting infrastructure would need to be set up. I think as a minimum patients should be fined for not turning up to their appointments! My impression whilst still working there was a creaking not joined up IT system that I think they are trying to improve plus too many chiefs & not enough people working on the front line. I’m also worried about the future training & provision of properly trained medical personnel with cheaper associate interim roles already being created. Oh well such is life here at the moment! Sorry if I’m being controversial it’s just my personal perspective🤔
I’m trying to get back on track eating low carb & tolerating feeling hungry & spending lots of pennies no doubt losing carb fluid.
Keep on going everyone you are all inspiring me to become refocused on eating wisely. 👍😀
Margaret xx

Welcome lifemaestro, I have never had Christmas Day as part of my 8 weeks by design, even my current Hundred days challenge finishes on Christmas Eve, but if you are fine with the idea I would say go for it! I have navigated funeral buffets and parties by selecting the lowest carb options, tapas or two starters instead of a main course can work well when eating out, and just leaving the bread and potato servings if not. Christmas lunch or dinner is quite easy to low carb / 800 if you avoid, or strictly limit most of the traditional accompaniments. I am on a longer than 8 weeks plan due to the amount I still need to lose, but mine is currently 5:2 until after Christmas. Caution is needed if you decide to stop totally controlling what you eat, i will be allowing myself three ‘joker’ days where I can go out and have a meal through December but if used I will be adding an extra fast day for each joker used after Christmas. I have found it difficult to get back the control afterwards, but then I am very much a carb addict, and find them pulling me back if I indulge in too many, until I have a fast to reset. Whatever you decide it is best to have a plan and stick to it, good luck!