Hi,
Quick question… (apologies if this has been asked before – I’ve literally just joined and I haven’t fully mastered searching the forum – besides – I hope you’ll agree – it’s a topical question!)
Should I start my 8-week low-calorie diet now and navigate around holiday events like Christmas, or wait until the season is over to complete it without interruptions? I’m fully committed but concerned about staying on track after Christmas Day if I take a break. I’m not one to make excuses or be tempted by holiday treats, but family events like Christmas Day make it nearly impossible not to participate. Looking for advice from those who’ve done the 8 weeks and had to pause it for things like weddings and Xmas?
I’m sure it won’t make a huge difference – to not do it for a couple of days over the holidays – but psychologically speaking – how have others managed when this happened?

Heading into our last week of November and a month until Christmas. 🎄🎅🤶
Despite a diversion of dinner and wine with a friend I’ve discarded 1 kilo – 2 more to go. I don’t have T2, but low carb really helps ease inflammation in my body due to an autoimmune condition, and eases arthritic pain as well.
Hi Pootle – I don’t eat breakfast either and try to eat 12-8pm. But I think that a good breakfast with protein and veg would work well for me too, with an early dinner about 5. I just have to get to sleep earlier so I don’t start to feel hungry around 11pm.
Your lavender sounds lovely Sunshine girl. How many do you have? I just have one near my front door 🙂
I was inspired by the chaffle chat – and bought a mini waffle maker yesterday and am planning a chaffle as part of my dinner.
Merry 🌺

S-g … well just have to say ‘cheers ‘ to the gin and tonic!!!

Yes it can be so difficult when it comes to ‘holiday’ food. I guess it all depends on ‘why’ you’re here. If it’s to lose weight with no medical issues then fine indulge here and there if you feel like. However, if you’re here because you have had a T2 diagnosis then that’s a totally different ball game.

To control T2 it’s not a case of lose weight and stay at that weight and all will be well. There are ‘thin’ people who are fat on the inside so have T2. It’s very much a case of just not eating high carb. That’s a short term solution , its a new way of life.

Both s-g and I can testify that if you have T2 and you follow a low carb diet your blood sugar will normalise. Sunshine-girl takes insulin but is managing to reduce the dose. So all is good.

Hi all, just come back after reading a few posts.

As you know Pootle, I have asked for a low carb diet on my Christmas Lunch and it can be done – cant hurt to ask. Or as Verano says, just ask them to leave off the potatoes and add extra veg or salad. Following the Glucose Goddess I hope there is a salad choice for starter so I can line my gut and slow down the movement of any fast digesting foods I might find myself having.

Margaret, sorry about the wait you are having. If you lived in France you would have had it done within a couple of months of your original diagnosis. Yes France has a fantastic medical system but don’t forget you have to pay for it. As 2 oldies we are paying €210 per month for our insurance. They are not allowed to base it on any illnesses, just age. Even though we both have conditions which give us lifetime free care they dont reduce for that. BTW the free care is only for your condition so if you see a specialist for a hernia (just saying) you would have to pay but if I go for my routine heart check up that is free because it is in with the diabetes. You don’t have to have extra insurance as the state pays a certain amount i.e. you visit a doctor and it costs €26.50 you get back €18. It is when something big happens like my surgery which would have cost us around €4000 but with insurance cost €200. The UK is hell bent on hanging onto free at the point of care but something has to give. I remember going to the doctor on Tuesday with a problem that needed a gastro investigation gut up and down. He said can you make next Thursday – that’s about a good as it is.

I know it is a time for too many social occasions but I would say, if you are well enough then just enjoy it. You can be a bit picky for the diet if you want to stick with it but I have to eat the way I do every day because of the big D. People say, cant you just forget about it for one day but my diabetes doesn’t go away for a day. Also, as you all know the one day turns into 4 or 5 at this time of year so I have to stick with it at every event. Daughter is learning how it is for me as she has now gone vegan for medical reasons, she is also low carb and gluten free. When she eats meat, bread, etc she has terrible diarrehea and also skin rashes. She is facing her first Christmas on her diet. Her hubby said ‘your not eating like this over Christmas are you’. Of course she said yes. If she wants I will have the same as her. Fortunatley she can still have a gin and tonic.

Cheers folks.

Pootle I understand ‘conference’ food may be limited but when eating out I always check the whole menu for green vegetables. If they are offering broccoli for example on one dish then I’ll ask for a portion with my choice of main meal. I must admit I never have a problem asking for potatoes etc to be left off and green vegetables to be added. The problems only start if you ask for something not listed anywhere on the menu.

We had a lovely lunch for 10 here today. My shout so salmon, salad, humous, tsatsiki, and lots of Greek bits and bobs plus potato salad for those who wanted it. Lovely company so a good afternoon. No dinner needed so hoping to make my 1lb loss by Tuesday although I think that might be a tall order.

Oh Margaret, it really is sad that the NHS has such delays. My husband and I are agreed that the NHS should come with a Government Health Warning⚠️. (You are likely to get a lot worse before we can get round to helping you 😢!)

Whilst it is great for your social life having lots of eating out lunches and dinners, it does play havoc with the diet! Still it saves you having to cook!!! 🥴
I am at a conference early next year, and have put on the booking form, under dietary requirements “Low Carb; no potatoes, pasta, rice or bread”. I have no idea whether they will be able to accommodate that, but I think it is becoming more widespread. I have spoken to a few people recently, who have certainly heard of the BSD and some who have used it. So I have my fingers crossed! 🤞

Take care, I hope you have a good week too!

I have just been reading all your posts & thank you everyone for your birthday good wishes. In truth I’m not doing very well just eating what is easy to prepare including frozen baked potatoes 🤔🙀. My weight has increased again but I must get back on track because I need to be able to still fit into my clothes.
Well done everyone still losing weight 👏👏👏⭐️⭐️
My December is full of sociable eating out lunches & dinners which is very unhelpful for losing any weight.
I have a five to six week wait to see a Senior Musculoskeletal Practitioner. I think the NHS is truly broken!!
I hope you all have a good week 👍
Margaret xx

Well that worked. I can now see previous posts.

Dont know why but this thread is blank to me. I can read the latest post on the main page but there is nothing there when I open the thread, Putting this on in the hope that it brings it back for me. Anyone else not seeing these postsl

Hi all, still around 71.5 but not official weigh in until Tuesday. Feels like I have been this weight for weeks but looking back on my fridge chart it is only just coming up to 2 weeks so I have to KOKO… Still true to no alcohol November and will stick that out as well.

Lovely weather today at 20 degrees. Thought we could go out and finish the lavendars first trim but hubby prefers to use the hedge trimmer, quicker than by hand, and we are not allowed to use machines on Sunday after 12 noon. No hedge trimmers, no mowers etc. Just lovely peace and quiet. So I think it will be tomorrow when it will still be around 18 degrees.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

I have always thought winter is the hardest season for dieting. Comfort eating during the cold months of the year is like a warm fluffy blanket! But, hearty casseroles, hotpots and good old fashioned roasts (Without the potatoes and parsnips), often avoided in most ‘conventional’ diets, are taking the place of hot buttered toast, doughnuts and boxes of chocolates. So I am finding that I am not craving my usual winter fare!
BUT still at the same weight I was on Friday 15th November. So I am going to mix things up a bit. I find eating breakfast a chore! I was so relieved to read that Dr Mosely said breakfast is not essential, if you are not hungry. So I have been having lunch about 12.00 and supper at 6pm. I am going to try having breakfast and skipping lunch for a few days, to see if that makes any difference. I only have 5lb to go to reach my target weight. 🤞I get there by Christmas!

Hope you are all well.
S-G I am keeping on keeping on!

S-G and Verano Loving your cleaning product positives! 😂 I wish I could wave a magic wand and my house would be clean like the ads!

My positives for today:
Found “The Grain Brain” cookbook 2nd hand on the internet, which has nutritional analysis per serving printed with the recipes (Like the Mosely cookbooks). Some great recipes to try out. Had Meatloaf stuffed with hard boiled eggs for supper yesterday…served with spinach and mashed cauliflower! Delicious.

Bertie hasn’t turned our power off YET!

The ram has tupped the last ewe!! So final lambing should be around easter next year. 🐑🐏😁

Here is a recipe I just found on the web…plan to make this Thanksgiving for vegetarian guest. Comments on the site are raving about it. Anxious to try it and see.

.* * * * * * * * * * *

Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Feta
Milk Street

This is our adaptation of a recipe from Diane Kochilas’ book “My Greek Table.” A mixture of olive oil, mustard, balsamic vinegar, honey and garlic is slathered onto a head of cauliflower before roasting. The cauliflower then gets a finishing swipe of mustard and a coating of feta and parsley before roasting for a few minutes more to soften the feta. The cauliflower is simply cut into wedges for serving.

4 Servings

Don’t forget to line the baking sheet with foil or kitchen parchment. This will help prevent any drips of the oil-mustard mixture from scorching and smoking during roasting. Also, don’t worry if the cauliflower browns very deeply—chars, even—in the oven. This caramelization adds sweet, nutty flavor to the dish.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons keto honey
2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 pound head cauliflower, trimmed
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges, to serve

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or kitchen parchment.

In a small bowl, whisk until creamy the oil, 2½ tablespoons of mustard, the vinegar, honey, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Measure ¼ cup of the mixture into a small bowl and set aside.

Place the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet and brush the surface with the remaining oil-mustard mixture.

Roast until deeply browned and a skewer inserted all the way through the head and into the core meets just a little resistance, 40 to 55 minutes.

While the cauliflower roasts, in a small bowl, toss together the feta and parsley.

When the cauliflower is ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool 10 minutes to make stuffing the feta into it easier.

Brush the remaining 1½ tablespoons mustard over the surface, then stuff the feta-parsley mixture into the gaps between the florets. Rub any leftover bits over the surface area. Can make ahead to this point and let sit at room temp until ready for final warming to melt the feta mixture.

Return to the oven and continue to roast until the feta begins to melt, 5 to 8 minutes (longer if cauliflower is at room temp).

Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cauliflower to a cutting board, then cut the head into 4-5 wedges.

Serve with lemon wedges and the reserved oil-mustard mixture.

Verano, so amazing you are still on the site and helping people find their way! Kudos to you ! Nice to hear from you. And YES, I know where to come to. This diet works. And there are good kind people here to help. As I was doing a reset, thought some of the things that are helping me could help others as well. But everybody is different. Gotta find your own groove.

Hi Luvtcook! Good to see you!
I still point people towards your recipes!
OK so you put some weight back on but you know where to come to!
Eat well and get back to where you want to be with all the support here.

My Top Tips for starting out the BSD:

Like others, I have done a score of different diets, and this is the only one that reliably works for me. Had lost 60 lbs on it in 2017 and over the years have slowly put half of that loss back on. Have tried easier/slower diets to re-lose the extra weight but nothing has really worked till I jumped back on the BSD. Now down 10 lbs in about 5 weeks. It works.

My Top Tips for newbies and Oldies and Goodies needing a re-set:

1. I highly recommend you start out on a keto diet for two big reasons. You will lose quickly on it but the biggest reason is that IT KILLS HUNGER. You may feel “empty” at times, but the hunger goes away. That is half the battle.

2. Per #1 above, start out with mainly eating eggs with as much butter as you want for the first 3 days (google “The Egg Diet”). Again, kills hunger.

3. Lose the white carbs (white rice, potatoes, sadly pasta, etc).

4. Start by keeping net carbs (carbs minus any fiber in them) to 30 and under. What carbs you do it should be low on the “GI INDEX” (google it). These foods are high in fiber and very slow to raise your glucose. Great examples are garbanzo beans and lentils. Very filling, and a good trade off re. calories and blood glucose. When I have a higher carb day, these are the carbs I go for. After success on 30 net carbs you may want to go to 30 total carbs. I now typically do about 10 total carbs a day which ends up being a big pile of green veg with butter and 4-6 oz of grilled/broiled/sauteed meat or fish.

5. Pasta is tough. My fix has been a max of 2 oz of whole wheat or gluten free pasta mixed with a half of a medium zucchini cut into long thing strands about the size of linguini (can use a spiralizer but I use a mandoline to get thin slices rotating the zucchini to get only the outside and discarding the core). Then I hand slice into thin pasta-ish ribbons). Don’t need to ‘cook’ the zucchini….just salt and let sit to draw out the excess water, then toss into the water your 2 oz of pasta for its final 30 seconds to merely warm it, and your done. Actually is very satisfying…the little bit a pasta adds a chewiness to the combo. Am not nuts about zucchini “noodles” alone.

6. There are lots of good keto bread recipes out there. My current favorites are on these web sites:

https://victoriasketokitchen.net/breads
http://indigonili.com/category/recipies/keto/egg-white-bread/

Also just google “chaffles” … a 4 minute “bread’ that can be used as a bun, toast, or great companion to a bowl of soup. Add something crunchy that you really miss when watching carbs.

7. I am from the US and am typically a coffee drinker. But nothing zaps a sneaky bit of hunger starting to annoy me like hot black tea with a bit of liquid stevia (like that MUCH better than the powdered form).

8. Fat is your friend…helps with satiety. But it is calorie dense so you have to balance that out with what ever else you are eating.

9. Full fat yogurt and cottage cheese are a great bang for the calories. Just 4 oz of full fat Greek Yogurt (with stevia) and topped with 1 tsp of diluted sugar free jam for breakfast keeps me going until lunch (total of 125 calories).

10. Soup …enough said. Filling, comforting, a big bang for the calories. Great for cold weather months. Love a good lentil soup, any soup with garbanzo beans, vegetable soups, vegetable heavy cream soups.

Hello MerryMelba! Lucky you having summer arriving. We have winter arriving! It’s showing its nasty head with snow! I don’t ever remember snow in November.

So, my week so far is, for some reason, a bit static. Not sure why I’m fluffing around. I can only put my inertia down to the snow!

Realistically I think my ‘head’ has taken over this week. We were due to eat Thai out on Thursday but changed plans and then we are 10 for lunch here tomorrow. Maybe my mindset at the beginning of my week, Tuesday, was ‘ok this is going to be a difficult week, relax and just don’t let it get out of hand’. I haven’t but I’m still ‘static’.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Top tips for starting and succeeding on the BSD. Lots of experience here. Hoping posts here are not too long and rambling….just quick tips on what helped you most in the first 3 months of the diet, and then tips on staying the course.

Hi Pootle, hi everyone
Have not been 100 percent this week due to circumstances.. .meeting people and being out and about etc. Have had a couple of slips. Nothing major. Still doing it ….
But I lost my usual 1lb so am happy. As someone said earlier if I expect a single lb then that’s still good.
Usef to be a 2lb a week club member….now it’s a 1lb a week member. But hey it’s a loss. 2 stone 5lbs total…
Well.done on not putting any on….its def harder work now.
X

😂😂s-g!

Hello everyone
I’ve been absent from the forums for a while. I read them everyday and really enjoy keeping up with all your news.
I hadn’t posted as I was not concentrating on my food intake the way I need too, so a bit off piste! Too many crackers and cheese and chocolate. BUT the last 2 weeks I have been back on and am feeling good for it. I am small framed and short – 4foot 10inch – so even though I don’t need to scale down by that many kilos, every kilo is significant for my size.
Very fortunate that summer has arrived here in Melbourne to coincide with my renewed enthusiasm – 37C today – so protein, salads and berry fruits (in moderation) are easy to do. Sticking to 16/8.
Also – I was looking up about Michael Mosley and what was been done research wise since his sad death. I found there is a Just Giving page where Clare and family are trying to raise funds for a 500,000 Pound research fund. So far it’s only raised 30,000 pounds – 🙁
So pass on that to friends and family if they are interested in donating a pound or two. It is also on The Michael Mosley facebook page.
🌺🌼

Hi Lucy,
Hope you have had a better week. I have my 🤞 for your weigh in tomorrow. I am still on a plateau, but I am putting it down ( mostly) to the cold weather. My body is conserving fat against the winter weather. At least I haven’t put any back on!

Verano, hubby found a product under the sink and used it to clean our new stainless steel hob, so now he wants to buy some more. It wasn’t something to be astonished by but you can get thing clean in a flash 🙂 He has also added to our UK shopping list the same one you mention but as a mould and mildew blaster.

S-g just having our second portion tonight! So good to have an easy meal. Sounds like you’ve been very productive.

I just have one positive that is so ‘POSITIVE’. Years and years ago I used a cleaning product that I’d forgotten about until very recently. I am absolutely ‘Astonished’ by the results I have. Sparkling stainless steel, wonderfully clean glass oven door. Have to say lots of elbow grease but such satisfying results!

Yes I know having just one positive, which is housework related, is really sad but you know it made me so ‘happy’ so I’m going to take it as a positive.

(Now wandering around the house with my new ‘miracle’ cleaner looking for something else to attack!)

If you prefer you can start your own thread, we can all rally round and encourage you then. You may get naturally joined by a couple of others at a similar stage which can help, but we have all been there! SG I think our posts must have crossed.

Fast day today, as mentioned on the Hundred days challenge. So far so good, already planning a good late brunch tomorrow though.

Hi all, Verano, great minds, I did a massive casserole but just the beef, onions and garlic (always garlic) and split it into 5 portions. Had one on the day, one last Sunday and 3 more waiting. I just add whatever I feel like or have in the fridge, so peppers, carrots etc.

Nothing exciting from me but….

Put the dress in my box on Debenhams site ready to click when it gets nearer the time.
Wrapped my lemon trees in fluffy stuff (forget the name of it) to keep them nice and warm.
Had bio oil in my box for Amazon. the UK site to build up a basket for delivery to daughters then saw they had reduced the price from £23 to £14 but had to order quick as it was a Black Friday price. Clicked on Prime and got a free week. So my oil is on its way.

Weekend coming up, have a good one.

Hi all, no real news, weight has gone down a tiny bit, heading back to 71.3 – fingers crossed.

PSL68 you can always start your own thread as a person just starting out on the diet. There are always newbies coming on site. Or, as Verano says, join in with us on this thread. You are already welcome. If you are thinking more in terms of one of the paid courses then this site doesn’t cater for them, we are all people doing the diet on our own for our own reasons. I think they have their own forum on Facebook but not sure.

PSL68 threads and people come and go so you can never tell who posts. These threads are started by individuals not by ‘BSD’ per se. Feel free to join any thread where you will find a mix of new and long time BSD’ers. You will always find support and help.

Hi, does anyone know if there is a new group doing the diet coming up soon. Thanks!

Sorry to hear that s-g but could be a good sign that you need fewer units of insulin? Keep your eye on that dress!

Margaret … HAPPY BIRTHDAY … for yesterday. Hope you had a good day. Do hope your knee surgery isn’t too far away. It will happen (you know you can ask to be referred to hospitals throughout the country, not just your local ones). Life will be so much better after your surgery.

I’m popping over to the ‘positive ‘ thread now!

Hi all, had another hypo last night. Not serious, I got up for the toilet at 5am and felt strange so took my BG and it was super low. Had to eat something so had some ham, a glucose sweet and then a piece of cheese. Makes dieting very hard as I have to eat. I will reduce my insulin tonight to try to stop it happening again. Being diabetic is a constant pain in the butt.

Still got my eye on that dress. I am going to order in 2 sizes and get them sent to daughters in time for us arriving. Free delivery and free returns from Debenhams so can decide then. Don’t think they are going to sell out as the 16 has said only 3 left for the past 2 weeks.

Bit colder here today at 11 degrees but we are forecast for 22 on Sunday so I am hoping to get back into the garden and finish the lavendar.

Hi MARIET,NOKIE,DCT and everyone XXX
ARCTIC,well done on your ongoing detective work sorting out what you can have and cant have. X
CCATHY I’m so disappointed for you about the cataract op. What does the vitrectomy entail?X
I’m full of admiration for you guys who can do long fasts..I think the longest Ive done is 20:4 and when I think,Ive been a faster since about 2014,I should have done better by now.
To all of us now in the wintry season,the bus is toasty warm and dry,so stay aboard,its the best place to be!
Soon be time for us to sing a few Christmassy songs as we bowl over hills and dales,admiring all the sparkly Xmas trees we see along the way!
I love this Audrey Hepburn quote…
💕⭐️💕⭐️💕⭐️ “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says “I’m possible!” Isnt that fab! X 💕⭐️💕⭐️💕

Hi everyone,
November is always such a tough month for me. Dark and cold, and this year quite wet too. It’s been a very dreary couple of weeks so far, but we had a little bit of snow over the last few days. Saturday was a mess as it was very wet snow and the ground wasn’t frozen. I was out digging some little trenches in the horse paddock on Sunday to try to get it to dry out. Luckily Monday was nice, but today more snow. At least the ground was frozen this time, so much less messy. It is going down to -10 C tonight, so quite cold. I had to get the electric water tubs out for the horses.
I’ve been cooking on the wood stove in the basement the last few days. I normally only do that in a power outage, but it seems silly to turn on the electric stove when I have so much heat coming off the wood one already. Tonight I had broccoli slaw with dal makani (out of a tin, but decent ingredients) and paneer. It was quite good and quick too.
I have been making progress on the elimination diet. It has revealed some surprises. I added almonds in two weeks ago, and they were fine, so I had some almond milk and had a big GI upset. I think it is the emulsifiers. This brand had carageenan and guar gum. I know Tim Spector always says that emulsifiers have a big impact on the gut microbiome, and that these non-dairy milks are usually ultraprocessed, so I suppose it is not that surprising. I’m back to having dairy milk now as it does not cause any upset. Unfortunately eggs continue to be an issue. I don’t know if I should experiment further to see if it is the egg white or yolk, or both. Maybe once I’m further along and have added most other things back. Unfortunately mushrooms have also been causing problems. So my list is now, no:
tomatoes
mushrooms
eggs
emulsifiers; and
soy (due to my previous known allergy)
It’s a lot of very common things, but luckily I still have quite a few protein options.
I have not made any progress weight or size-wise so far, but I think it was important to sort out what I could and couldn’t eat first. Hopefully I will do better in the new year. My aim is to have this elimination diet wrapped up before Christmas.
Good to see everyone keeping at it.
Yowzer, well done on reaching the 50lb mark, that is impressive!
Cathy and Mixnmatch – I can’t wait to be able to start longer fasting again. Christmas will mark the 1 year mark since I was able to go more than about 16 hours. I am able to skip breakfast, but find I have to eat lunch or risk stomach pain. I may have another go in the new year though once I’ve sorted out what to eat when not fasting.

Happy Birthday Margaret. I really hope you can get the knee dealt with soon. 🤞Being in constant pain is so wearing and leads to so many other problems. 1.5lb as a result of celebrating with family and friends seems reasonable! 🥴 It just needs a little nudge in the other direction!

S-G. Our bodies are amazing things, they suddenly just stop the fat being lost, then lose a whole lot in one drop, when they feel the time is right …I am sure you will get back on track…
Wow 18 *, unlike much of the uk, we don’t actually have any snow here yet, but it is very cold. So I expect my body will try to conserve some of its remaining fat! 😉
Keeping on…
Xx

Hi Margaret, happy birthday – nearly missed it as your post was on the previous page and we had just jumped to page 2 but it came up as an email on my phone. So, happy birthday again, hope you have a great day and lots of treats.

Also, hope things are going to go in the right direction for your knee surgery. It must be awful to be in pain all the time and constant painkillers cannot be the answer. Take care and stay strong.

You’ll soon get to your target mixnmatch with a couple of long fasts. I find doing two long fasts a week really help. I am going to fast from Sunday after my evening meal until Tuesday 10 am every week and do a Wednesday or Thursday fast as well until the week before Christmas when I’ll do Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday. I’ve put the days in my calendar. I am 100 committed. I eat a fairly normal diet on the eating days but to be honest after a long fast my stomach doesn’t really want much and I am not going to undo my hard work by eating the wrong things so I’ll be sticking to healthy foods. My plan is that in the New Year i will fast every Monday and throw in another fast as and when but definitely make Monday a fast day every week. Let us know how you are doing . You could lose that 4lb in two weeks!

Hi CC, now that is a great idea. My initial 8 weeks has just finished and I am still 4 pounds short of my pre-Christmas target. I may be able to stick to that sort of fast easier than I have found the full 8 weeks at 800 which plan died after about 2.5 weeks. So fasting 5:2 starting at 10pm the night before, with the day immediately after the full fast TRE with nothing until 10am. Will pick a couple of suitable days to try that this week. The good news is no weight back on so still starting from my lightest since I started back on this WOE.

Hi all, weigh in today and gone from 71.3 to 71.6 so not a happy bunny. I would be okay with it if there was an actual reason but our bodies are mysterious. I will not let it get me down as I have been here before when I was 74.3kgs and that passed eventually. Anyway, I am 1.5lbs down from 2 weeks ago so just under the 1lb a week. Forever the optimist.

Verano, I think I am going to have to look at the house before she arrives and work out my priorities instead of just saying ‘comme d’hab’ i.e. the usual. If I want a particular corner by the bookshelf cleaning I should tell her, if I want her to include the kettle and the toaster wiping over when she does the kitchen then I will put it on the list. And I will tell her not to be quite so vigourous with the vacuum cleaner. It really is a big help and I have to remember how we would leave things until they were really needing doing and then making a big job of it. So that is what I will do. I wont hand her a list but explain then write things down so she can refer to them. It is only ever 5 weeks so not a financial burden and I do other things I wouldn’t ask her to do like the bookshelf – too many things on it that would have to be cleared first, same with the sideboard – full of photos.

Did 30 mins exercise yesterday and might have a look at doing some yoga today – just to get some flexibility back.

I have seen all the snow in the UK and hate to say it is 18 degrees here today but it really is damp and miserable as well so can’t really get out into the garden to trim the lavendar and do other bits.

Have a good week.

Hello everyone
A cold morning here in the North West but not as much snow as I expected. I’ve just done a 36 hour fast! I am determined to end the year at least one stone lighter than I started it so I am doing two 36 hour fasts each week until Christmas. The week before Christmas I’m going to do 3 to try and ensure I am weighing 147 lbs. I started the year at 163lb. Today I am 154 lb which is the weight I was when I came back from my cruise. I reckon it’s doable. I don’t have my MRI results yet. I’ll chase them this week: sadly the cataract operation did not improve my vision so it looks like I’ll be having the vitrectomy but I’m seeing the ophthalmologist at the beginning of December so we can have a chat! I’m not that keen to have it. I am struggling with my vision because I have a pair of glssses with only one lens in now. The left eye has a new intraocular distance lens but I can’t see well out if it and that eye has now got no reading lens either so I am really struggling to see well. Anyway, I am focused (no pun intended) on taking control of my weight as we approach the festive season and aim to lose 2lb a week with long fasts and sensible eating!
How are you all doing? Hasn’t this year gone by quickly? It would be lovely if we could all achieve a weight loss by the end of the year. Yowser you have smashed it this year and I couldn’t be happier for you. You have encouraged me and everyone on this thread through thick and thin and you deserve your success. I would love to be a loser this year too. I’m going to do my best to get to 147 lb so I can be proud of myself. That would be my lowest weight for quite some time!
Have a good week everyone.

Hello everyone & a post I sent yesterday seems to have disappeared. I have gained 1.5 lbs & it’s my birthday today & my husband & I had our family visit over the weekend for a joint celebration birthday lunch on Sunday where I cooked roast beef with all the trimmings & dinner out on Saturday for my husbands birthday. None of which is exactly slimming but only once a year.
I now have received my orthopaedic consultants letter after five weeks of waiting which is grim reading about my right knee but hopefully now after my self referral to my local Musculoskeletal team & support from my GP with a further urgent referral to the NHS might be able to take some positive helpful action. I’m not sleeping well & taking my sleeping tablets & paracetamol more frequently but refuse to take the Co-Drydramol which was the only « help » my GP gave me because it doesn’t do much with my pain but is also addictive. At least I’m unlikely now to have surgery before Christmas so at least can plan my time up until then.
Oh well I still feel I am in limbo & it’s difficult to keep focusing on losing weight although I should do for my knees & certainly still want to be stay wearing my current clothes.🤔🤞
Well done those oh you managing to keep on track 👏👏
Margaret xx

Pootle what a brilliant positive. I don’t even think about my smaller sizes … maybe next year!

Sunny sorry to hear about SIL’s crash but glad all was well. I think it’s so important to take time away from tech. I feel like I’m like a mouse on a wheel at the moment. Note to self … have some restraint and take time away from the keyboard!

S-g maybe you could have the dress delivered to your daughter just before you come over then you would still have time to return it if it didn’t suit?

So to my positive …..

🌨️⛄️🌨️ We have snow! It seems very early this year and it’s really only on the trees and grass the pathways loom quite clear. Good excuse for making soup!

Sure I’ll have more later but just one for now.

Good morning!

Still on track for my goal of 1lb a week with a bonus 1/2lb this week too. Having spent the last couple of weeks ‘experimenting’ with eating times I’m finding that two meals a day, mid morning, which is earlier than I had been eating, and early evening seem optimum at the moment. I’m finding if I have a high protein brunch I’m not hungry until late afternoon when an apple or a few olives or nuts get me through until dinner. I think we each have to find the eating pattern that our own body responds to.

S-g yes a dilema indeed! I know exactly how you feel it’s really irritating when things aren’t done as you like them. I guess you just have to look at the jobs you hate doing or can’t do as easily these days and make a judgement from there. We also live on one level but are both mobility challenged so there are some jobs we just can’t do like climbing ladders to clean windows!

So just five more weeks before Christmas and then one more to the end of the year. I’m on track to be over a stone less than at the beginning of the year. Not a great deal you could argue but given our trips away this year I’m quite happy to have enjoyed life and still dropped weight!

Have a good week,

Hi all, starting thinging of planning for my 2 country holiday, so learning some Spanish and Italian. Hope I dont get them mixed up. Learnt Spanish before and know the basics like como for food, nino for boy, hombre for man but that isnt going to get me far. Doing it on Dulolingo but still have to keep up with my French – I am on a 65 day streak.

Thinking of telling my cleaner I don’t need her any more. After I knew I didn’t need her anymore, thought it would be just nice to have the house cleaned once a month but she doesn’t do a proper job. I employed her when I was post surgery and wasnt able to do anything. Then I thought she is young and she can get into all the nooks and crannies but she doesn’t. She polishes and cleans the kitchen and bathroom and then she vacuums for about half an hour and washes the floors in about 2 minutes. I was a bit put out this time as I had just bought a new cooker hob and she spent 20 minutes cleaning a perfectly clean, unused hob. Then she smashes the vacuum into all the walls, it is brand new and she would have cracked the front except I left the protective plastic on it. We bought a new lightweight vac as she said our Dyson was too heavy and that is why she took so long to vacuum. Then I had to go into the bedroom and clean behind the bedside tables and behind the radiators. I have told her but unless I mention every little thing she doesn’t do it properly. Am I wrong. My house has all tiled or parquet floors, is on one level and we are a couple who clean up after ourselves as we go so it is never dirty and I feel I can do a better job.

Sorry for the moan but I don’t think I need her anymore. Anyway, I have 4 weeks to think about it.

Have a good week.

Hello. Hope everyone has had a good weekend.

Well done Pootle! Must feel really good to have had the forethought to keep your smaller sizes and even better to fit into them again!

Well done s-g on managing that 200kg pool cover. Sounds like a terrible job but then again a job well done!

Plodding along here. Just about on track for my pound-a-week. But, really could do better. Made my first ‘winter’ casserole on Friday and really enjoyed it and the bonus is that I have several portions in the freezer = cooking free nights!

This coming week has a couple of less easy situations. Thai meal on Thursday but I manage with morning glory or pak choi instead of rice so hopefully not too carby. Then on Sunday we are 8 or 10 for lunch here. My call, so will keep plenty of low carb proteins on the menu. Fortunately I don’t really enjoy desserts so that shouldn’t be a problem especially as we give left-overs to a neighbour = temptation gone!

Hope the new week brings new resolve and in the UK wrap up well it’s going to be very very cold!

Hi all, Pootle, bet that made you feel fantastic. I want to get down another pound before I sort out my wardrobe, although things fit me last year and I am only about half a stone lighter so not much difference.

Managed to get the pool cover on. The weight (about 200kgs) is not important if we can get it done bit by bit and pegging it down as we go, but it nearly killed us. So proud to have it done.

A bit fed up of dithering around the 71.3 mark for the past 2 weeks although that is still nearly 2lbs lighter on my 1lb a week challenge as I lost most of it in the first week then stuck. Not giving up. Annoyed that I have had no alcohol either and it doesn’t seem to make much difference to weight – again, not giving up. 13 days to go to end of Nov alcohol free.

Winter is definitely here now with temperatures touching on 10 degrees so I am wearing my thermals.

Saying hello to a new week. Keep on keeping on…

Hope all is well with everyone today.. The sun is shining here and making everything seem more hopeful!

Just spent a fun afternoon, trying on clothes that I have stored since 2022 and packing away the clothes that I bought at the end of 2023 and early this year! I am so pleased I didn’t send my smaller sized clothes to a charity shop, but had the forethought to store them….in hope!!

Verano….cooking is so satisfying! 🥦

SunnyB…sparkly shoes…wow! They may go with my hat! 😂

S-G… it really feels good when you can prove you are correct! Bet the courier had a red face when he delivered!

My positives for today…
1. Having tried several times, only for it to ‘time out’, I have finally managed to download a major update for my computer! Yay! (our broadband is exceptionally slow) 💻
2. Managed to print the tickets for a local event! 🎟️
3. Packed away all my (GB) size 20 and 22 clothes…unpacked all my size 14 and 16 clothes that have been stored since 2021/2. 👗

Decided to go ahead and buy a dress I absolutely love. Decided to get the bigger size so as not to pressure myself. Then found they don’t deliver to France. Why is that a positive – because it stops me from dithering between will I buy or wont I buy. There will be others.
Beautiful full moon tonight – so big and silver.
Parcel finally delivered that courier told me my address doesn’t exist so I have had a bit of a battle with them. Well they have delivered now so what have they to say to that – reported them to Amazon.

Not very exciting but the dress and the parcel have both been causing me to feel stressed so now I can relax.

Hello lovely positives thread people … apologies for not posting more regularly … it’s not due to lack of positives, just not using tech as often right now. Warm welcome to flickertrend and pootle, always good to have new people posting here and thank you to SG and V for your efforts to keep the thread live. Anyway, let’s see what positives I can offer up this time…
🚘💥 SIL’s car skidded on a muddy road and crashed into a ditch … the positive is that he’s injuries were minor and no-one else was involved
👭☕ lovely morning out with my neighbour, browsing shops and drinking coffee
👠👠 bought a lovely pair of sparkly black shoes … couldn’t resist 🤭

There is always a positive to be found, it’s just that sometimes we just need to look a little harder.