Allie I feel I’m a bit of a newbie to manage the challenge, but am happy to accept the baton if nobody else has the time.
Maggie

I hope this is something that will be useful. I’ve found the change in eating styles a little hard to match with ingredients; when I find something that is a good fit I do a virtual fist pump – but thought who better to share it with? So here goes!
Iceland: fantastic burgers, no fillers. Wagyu, venison and lamb. Also the choice of wild caught fish and shellfish is amazing.
Lidl: small free range chicken which is perfect for Zuni chicken https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/zuni-roast-chicken-with-bread-salad-56389456 – obviously ignore the bread in the salad! This is absolutely the best chicken you will ever eat!
Sainsburys: miso soup and paste for a virtually instant meal.
Anyone else have a great find to share?

I’m excited about your idea for a new thread, JGwen! I’ll be there 🙂 I will
be handing the weekly challenge on to someone else on tuesday. Verano?
Krysia? Maggie? I need to catch up on other threads! Let’s finish up
strong, kids! 🙂

Allie

Hello all,
Yep, as I predicted yesterday, I made the bread and other stuff my my little girl for the nursery bring and share picnic. I ate the bread rolls and then some. While I was at it I had to try the biscuit too. You know the ‘drill’ 🤔
So today had a coffee and then we went to the city centre to buy some clothes for the Alps for my little girl so all of us are well suited and booted for the holidays. Then popped to the butchers to get some meat for the pulled pork I’m trying to make the first time and hopefully it’ll be awesome as want to make for September little girl’s b’day party. Also bought some chipolates and cooked them for lunch. 4xfor the girl, 6x for the Mr Skinny to be and 2x for me. I need to rectify the yesterday’s shenannigans. Now sitting in the garden under the parasol with frozen raspberries and a bit of double cream over them and pretending it’s an ice cream wherever the double cream froze over the raspberries. Hopefully, the damage isn’t too great. I panicked and didn’t hop on the scales this morning but am determined to deliver a loss to compare on the starting weight.
I hope you all are enjoying the lovely weather.
All my love,
Skinny to be
xx

Ps. The pulled pork smells heavenly, only 6hours to go – loooooooool 😀, I think the smoked paprika, cumin and a tsp of brown sugar are the magic mixture traveling around the house. xx

Squidge – Thanks for reminding me – I’ve had lots of lovely NSV’s – feeling lighter, being able to wear a special ring I’d not been able to wear for ages, my feet and ankles becoming a bit more delicate looking, and, like you, walking more easily and fitting into clothes I’ve loved but not been able to wear FOR YEARS. Just thinking of those things brings a smile to my face.

I remember years ago a friend of mine telling me that in the village in Greece where he lived when you asked a much older person how they were their response was ‘still walking’. That’s my WHY. I’m in my early 60s and I want to be as healthy and active as I can, be able to go places, see and do things, for as long as I can.

I’m a new maintainer (since April). My main NSV goals are to get fit so keep going to the exercise classes & gym I started last year – been a bit hit & miss lately – and learn to cook a wide range of delicious BSD recipes as I know if I don’t have a variety of delicious food I won’t stick long-term – I keep starting to do this and then stopping. As californiagirl says in another post changing the habits and mindset of a lifetime isn’t easy!

So, my NSV challenges are to go to the gym or exercise classes 3 times a week and to cook 2 new recipes a week, and I’m committing to reporting on here to keep myself responsible.

Crikey, O’Reilly! – now I’ve gone and done it
Marie

n.b. Maggie – I think you’re so right. One of the reasons I’ve been hit and miss with the exercise/gym more recently is I’ve got back into the old habit of putting everybody else’s needs and wants before my own. Like the sound of the oils.

It seems something a lot of us share is not spending time on ourselves- I suppose for me it’s a question of self-esteem; if you don’t value yourself then you don’t think you’re worth spending time on.
So, I broke through that barrier when Allie gave me a link to Josh Axe’s site and ordered a range of oils. This recipe I use every day for my face and neck is https://draxe.com/anti-aging-essential-oils/ and if it isn’t making a difference I believe it is and that’ll do for me!
I’ve also made up a body oil which makes my skin feel and look really hydrated and glowing.
So if anyone fancies a boost then oils are highly recommended, because you’re worth it 😊
Maggie

I don’t think it’s particularly vain to feel pleased that you’ve got your eating under control, and the improvement to your health is clearly visible.

I agree with the advice to gradually increase what you eat – and that it’s trial and error.

As you say, this is for life. You have to find what works for you, but you’ve got lots of time to do that. If you do have a bit of a wobble, don’t just give up – learn from it and adapt when/how/what you eat so the same thing doesn’t happen again.

I’m looking forward to reading other people’s stories . Sometimes it’s just small things that give us pleasure like being able to fasten the seat belt on the plane and having some belt left over to flick about from side to side in the sheer amazement that you can !!

Great thread. I agree that wanting to look good in your swimsuit isn’t trivial. How we feel is very important, and part of feeling good is being happy with how we look. Doesn’t mean we have to look like suprmodels – for me it’s more a case of being able to look in the mirror and notice something other than how fat I look.

My two biggest NSVs so far are –

My wardrobe. When I’m going out, I can now choose which item is most suitable for the occasion, without first checking I can do it up. It’s like being given an armful of new outfits, as there are things in there I haven’t been able to wear for years.

My fitness. I’m not superfit, but when we go out for the day, I can keep walking as long as I like. I don’t have to tell myself I don’t really want to climb up somewhere to look at the view, or that I’m not interested in whatever is furthest from the car park, because I don’t have the energy to get over there. Of course I’m pleased that being fitter is good for my health too.

I’m with the others Mrs T no ‘WHY’ is trivial.
I’m not setting my WHY until after my blood test results on Monday. I am in the doldrums at the moment so really pleased you have set up this challenge JGwen it has come at a really good time for me. Very much at a crossroads at the moment and I am anticipating poor results on Monday. Think the time to concentrate my mind is imminent. Will report my WHY on Monday. Have a good weekend.

Allie no problem with the measurements I just googled! I haven’t opened the avocado oil yet but I have to admit coconut oil isn’t for me. It’s probably fine in a Thai dish but I found the flavour overpowering for general use.

Mrs T – I’m with KristenLouise and JGwen, getting into your swimming costume will be a great NSV. One of mine is to buy and get into a lovely pair of boots. I haven’t been able to fit into a pair of boots for years. So, opposite to you, KristenLouise, I’m in the middle of summer, waiting for winter!

Wanting to look good in a swimming costume isn’t trivial. Whatever motivates you to step away from the carbs when temptation calls go with it.
For those who have joined the forums in the last couple of months, I started back in October 2017 my initial WHY was to get back to riding weight after 8 years of physical inactivity as a result of complications from a broken ankle. I have achieved that, now I want to improve my shape. When my work was office based it was relatively easy to fit in going to a gym and have time for myself in an evening and at weekends, but its not so easy when you work at home in a property that needs renovation. – I want to go into town twice a week to go to the gym to work out with weights followed by a swim and time in the sauna. Sad to say I need the accountability of reporting in to push myself to take time for myself.
I am coming to realise that taking time for myself is linked to a whole range of issues, like grabbing something to eat rather than taking time to cook something healthy is what got me hooked on carbs initially.

Scott, when I felt faint on my BP’s my GP told me to drop the dose. Obviously I’m not a doctor so can’t advise you; however if you’re monitoring your BP give the surgery a call asap and ask for their advice.
Sounds as though you’re doing well. Congratulations.
Maggie

I was wondering if someone can relate to my experience. I have been on high blood pressure tablets(150 mg) for over 10 years and am now prediabetic. I am active and exercise a lot. I have found though 5 weeks in as I get up I feel quite lightheaded and faint. It passes and then goes away. This tends to happen in the morning or at night. I have been measuring my blood pressure and it is certainly down now I am on this diet. I have lost 7kgs in 5 weeks.
Many thanks
Scott

I absolutely love almond butter,any kind of nut butter and cheese.I just keep peanut butter in the house to avoid being tempted too much.With other nut butters,especially the almond I could just eat the whole jar in one go.Also I love different kinds of cheese e.g. Wensleydale,Double Gloucester,,Cheshire etc and feel so tempted when they are in the house.Sometimes I weigh 40g and put it in a tub and that’s my allowance for the day or I could be tempted to cut a bit off every time I’m in the kitchen!Hope we don’t get too tempted over the weekend.

Such a good idea JGwen- we have so many little victories that aren’t scale related. Sharing and enjoying them will be great, and hopefully reinforce that it isn’t all about pounds and ounces.
Maggie

Thanks for the encouragement, Verano. I tend to be an all or nothing person so if I ‘fail’, I have a two year old tantrum, stamp my foot and say ‘can’t do it, won’t do it.’ It’s not quite that bad but I’m pretty good at beating myself up.
I’ve made it through this first day with less struggle than I’d feared and largely – mainly – down to this forum. Late afternoon, witching hour began to call so I came back here, re-read everything and then decided to walk to the supermarket before supper. The walk did me good and just looking at what I had in my basket at the check-out was refreshing: 2 bottles of sparkling water; 2 bags of mixed lemons and limes; 1 carton Greek yoghurt; a few one-size portion tins of tuna; herring roe, oh yes and an avocado.
Catmadgal, good to hear about the change in your quality of sleep and how taste can change. I experienced a little of this (return of taste) when I managed a month last year and I’m looking forward so much to having that again.
I know tomorrow is likely to be another struggle but I feel good this evening and positive. Thank you all.

Hi, I have gone ahead to set up a thread we can use as a ‘none weight’ challenge thread. – I thought we needed flexibility to cover all WHY’s – For newcomers, a few months ago I came across a suggestion that focusing on WHY you wanted to loose weight is a more powerful motivator than thinking in terms of wanting to loose ?? lbs. Your WHY may be an activity, or going to an event, or health markers. But if thinking about your WHY is more powerful than thinking in lbs, then combining it with the power of reporting progress each week should be even better.

The title is My NSV has set me free! I’ve got a non scale victory!

The initial idea is that its a place for people to share their WHY and report in on progress on a weekly basis. – As each person’s WHY is likely to be different, I don’t have any strong views on the details, such as should the thread run for a set period of time. – Lets see what works for us and go from there.
Lets have a different day for reporting progress to the weight challenges. – How about having our non scale report day on a Monday?

Did this last year and lost 22lb came off put abit back on, was diagnosed with high blood pressure and leg probs due to varicose veins so doc says! dont want to be on bp tabs , so im back again to get the rest of this weight off once and for all
I am hoping to get lots of walking in which im sure will help my vein probs , im a hairdresser so am on my feet all day which doesnt help need lots of support cos really want to get 2 stone off .

There’s absolutely nothing trivial about wanting to feel good in a swimming costume! That will probably be a goal for me too further down the track, but fortunately we’re in the middle of winter so I don’t have to face that fear yet!

Great idea to set this up! The scales are not always an accurate representation of what’s going on so it’s such a good idea to look at the other stuff that’s improving.
So my current goal is to fit into my new turquoise swimming costume and to feel comfortable in it in time for a spa day with some girlfriends in exactly 3 weeks time. I haven’t seen them in a while, and it would be great if they can see the difference in me. I know it’s a bit trivial compared to improving my blood sugars, but if I can feel like I look good in this swimming costume in 3 weeks time, I’ll be so happy!

Thanks for starting this. My Non Scale Goal is to see how much I can reduce my waist measurement in four weeks. That will be my focus and I will consider any weight I lose to be a bonus. Onwards and downwards 😀

Hi Zoomers.
A few months ago I saw a suggestion that thinking about WHY we want to loose weight is far more powerful than just setting a target in lbs. – Its much easier to stay motivated if you focus on a bigger aim, which can be about a personal passion for an activity, or a looking good for a special event, than the reading on the bathroom scales. Some of us have discussed our WHY’s on the forums at different times,
The zoom and weekly challenges, where we report progress on weight targets in on a weekly basis has proved very helpful to many of us. I thought it would be worth setting up a similar idea focusing on our None Scale aims.
The title is My NSV has set me free! I’ve got a non scale victory! The initial idea is that its a place for people to share their WHY and report in on progress on a weekly basis. – As each person’s why is likely to be different, I don’t have any strong views on the details, such as should the thread run for a set period of time. – Lets see what works for us and go from there.
Lets have a different day for reporting progress to the weight challenges. – How about having our non scale report day on a Monday.

I have two aims for starting this thread.
1. There are the regular 1 week and 4 week challenges, but I wanted to complement them by providing a thread to focus on our None Scale targets such as fitness levels, inch loss, or health markers.
2. Thinking and setting a WHY, can be very helpful in helping us through times of temptation. – While setting ourselves a target weight is a good start, its not as powerful as thinking about why you want to loose weight. Maybe you have an activity which you enjoy and your spare tyre is getting in the way, maybe you have a special event to go to. What ever your WHY, focusing on it will be more inspiring than the reading on the bathroom scales and take away the stress from a weight loss plateau.

I’m sorry about my American measurements, V.! I’ll ask Kazz for some conversions during our next
face to face, and make up a chart. I keep forgetting about this!

V., I’ve never thought to try avocado oil in a salad but I use it exclusively for high temperature searing
or frying, because it has a high smoke point, and doesn’t set off the screeching smoke alarm. I’ve
never picked up any particular flavor from it, which isn’t the case with coconut oil. I’ll have to do
a taste test, now 🙂

Well all I’ve experienced here thankfully has been positive, so I’m genuinely interested in what you’ve found negative Amarela. Maybe it’s on a board that I’ve not seen?
There’s so much stress in the “real” world that the last thing I will tolerate is stress in the “virtual” one. We need a safe place to ask questions, learn and express how we’re feeling as we go through this process as those in “real” life who aren’t doing it can’t particularly relate. Let’s keep it supportive here…we need to be helping and encouring each other to get through tough times and slip ups that we inevitably make on this journey. If we’re not doing that then there’s no point to this forum.

Booze free 4 months tomorrow, Quality sleep is the best thing for me. Whilst out to lunch celebrating his Birthday this week, he had a paired glass of wine for each course. Picpoul was one of my favourites whilst drinking, I had a very small sip of his because he was enthusing so much, I was quite surprised how my palate took it. It tasted most odd and very strong! I was more than happy to return to my glass of fizzy water with fresh lime juice in it. I find it very strange how my palate has changed over the course of 4 months. I now actually look forward to a soft drink, at the moment I am enjoying a passionfruit, lime juice and fizzy water mix. A glass of tonic water with a slice of lemon also goes down well. I have not been near the scales for a week, will return to them on Monday…..!

Nixi the important thing is that people ARE starting again. There is no ‘failure’ here and while we still keep trying and posting we aren’t getting lost by the wayside never to start again. You maybe didn’t give yourself enough time last time. Wipe the slate clean, start over again, and take one day, one week, one month at a time. You WILL make it.

The 50 calories reverse dieting does seem sensible and I think that’s what I’ll do when I get there. Elle I’m glad it’s not just me that feels nervous! Marie thanks for the advice…that was exactly my mindset with previous diets – I’d finish them and then give into temptation because I didn’t have to be so strict and it was a slippery slope which each time has led to me putting on even more weight than before. Which is why I’m so nervous! I have to remember that this is for life now…each day has to follow the BSD principles..,there’s no “end” with this diet, it’s a new way of life and approaching food. Really do not want to screw this up!

“Do it again and again and you will get better and better at it. Don’t give up — this is a learning process — just start again.”
Thanks again, Californiagirl – this helps. I’ve been lurking for some months and I must admit I was beginning to feel a bit demoralised at how many people trying so hard here find themselves starting again, and again. If others are struggling – has been my thinking – how can I do it and keep going? I’m going to have faith in what you say here – maybe it’s a bit like taking a run-up for the long jump. You get faster and faster as you build up momentum and finally you take the leap and land on the other side of the sandpit.
And I love learning and watching others learn so that’s how I’ll try to think of it (if only I could stop thinking about it quite so much! But then maybe that conscious aspect lessens too in time).
Agree, Verano.

Hello girls,
How are you doing? I’ll be short this evening as a very long day at work (financial year end coming up) and also we HAVE TO BAKE with my little one.
I’m dreading that as the bread is already smelling like heavens front yard…
Knowing myself, anything goes…
I have bought a pair of M&S size 12 trousers at the beginning of the year and was too fat for the buttons to meet. Guess what, I wore them over the past two days as finally fitting in them looking reasonably well. My husband complemented me. He’s expression is also that I’m taking less room in any room 😀.
You gotta love this man. That’s why I married him 😍🤪

Violinist, enjoy NY and I hope you’re having a marvellous time.
Zinny, Wendy it’s so nice when the scales ate moving down and the clothes start hanging on the hips. And the realisation one does have HIPS not something podgy 👏

Have a lovely weekend
xx

Wise words Californiagirl! We can probably apply your advice to many aspects of our lives.

Thanks Allie. (For other metric users 0.25 of a cup is 59ml). My recipe called for 4 anchovies, 150ml of olive oil, the juice of a whole lemon and 50g of cheese which was a lot! So maybe the extra oil and cheese made it so thick. I will give your ‘real American ‘ recipe a try and let you know. I have just bought some avocado extra virgin oil and am eager to try that in a salad dressing but possibly a simple one based on oil and vinegar. If anyone had used avocado oil I’d love any ideas or advice.

Hi Nixi — we never know who our posts will help — thank you for your comments — they feel like a gift.
My best advice is just..start…again. Do it again and again and you will get better and better at it. Don’t give up — this is a learning process — just start again.

Hello, friends! I’ve turned a Caesar salad into a full course summer salad by adding pre-cooked
chicken, lightly steamed broccoli florets, and cherry tomatoes to it, and omitting the croutons. By
request, this is the recipe for the dressing:

2 anchovy filets, rinsed
2 garlic cloves
pinch of coarse salt
juice of 1/2 – 1 lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 dashes worcestershire sauce
1 egg yolk, optional (I omit it)
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbs freshly grated parmesan (I use 1 1/2Tbs pecorino romano)
freshly ground black pepper

Mince and mash anchovies, garlic and salt into a paste and transfer to a small bowl. Add lemon
juice, dijon, worcestershire. Whisk in olive oil, and stir in cheese. Season liberally with pepper.

Dress romaine lettuce, and add chicken on top, with a bit of dressing dribbled over. I add some
broccoli and tomato around the side. Enjoy!

Hi All — I get sad when I read that perhaps a “bad” vibe has somehow developed on our forums — there is no way we can be here on such momentous issues in our lives and not knock heads now and then — these are hard, lifetime problems for most of us and we are literally trying to change lifetime habits and mindsets.
This is BIG work! This is NOT easy. Everyone here is doing an amazing job of just FACING the problem of our weight and diabetes. We are taking full responsibility for ourselves in a way we have never done before. I am SO proud to be a part of this group and be honored with the struggles that people share with me.
We aren’t perfect — we will disagree and get mad and write less than perfect posts. But it’s good for us because we are often, for the first time, also finding our own unique voice. It is part of our work on the BSD — to find our new inner selves.
Anyone feeling frustrated, please stay — your voice is very important to all of us.

I’ll be glad to, V.! I’ll put it over on the salad thread 🙂

Allie can you share your dressing recipe please. I guess it’s a Caesar dressing? I made my first home made one last week but it seemed very thick and a bit too parmesanny for my taste buds. Would love a lighter dressing.

So I’ve not posted on this thread for ages, not because there have been no positives, but rather I’ve sort of lost the art of posting on almost any thread. I am having a quiet tennis watching weekend but will be back posting next week. Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Who mentioned cheese!!!!!! Who said ‘blue’!!!!! My complete and utter downfall. To make life more difficult we have friends around for dessert after dinner out tonight …… a cheese board! Stilton, Roquefort, manchego, emmental, Wensleydale with cranberries and a fabulous cheddar that we discovered only a few weeks ago. For those cheese lovers here in the U.K. try Proctors ‘Kick Ass Cheddar’ if you can find it. I think it may only be available in a decent deli or cheese shop. It is wonderfully creamy but beautifully strong. A very close second is Black Bomber cheddar from Wales. Oh I have to go before I raid the fridge!

A quick ps. I’m sort of post-menopausal at the age of 60. I stopped bleeding around two years ago without any fuss or bother but then started having hot flushes which seem to coincide with very achey legs (feels muscular and mainly in my thighs but sometimes knee joints too). Things seemed to be gradually improving but have now worsened ie the aching is more frequent and always unpredictable. I’ve hardly ever seen a doctor but was desperate enough to go about a year ago. I asked if he thought my symptoms were due to menopause but he couldn’t say. I asked him about supplements but he wasn’t convinced.
What I’m long-windedly getting round to asking is do any older ladies here have any experience of this low blood sugar way of eating easing menopausal symptoms?

Californiagirl, I found your guidance so helpful way back on 16 June. Thank you. There was so much I needed to hear: the reassurance about sleep getting better in time; the gradual muting of the siren call to drink; the way you limit your reading of the posts and so on.
I did quite well for around ten days, losing 9 lbs which was a real boost and I felt so much better. Then something happened. I think I let myself get too tired and took my eye off the ball and my journal-keeping (this is quite time-consuming even though I now do it on the computer, but it helps me to feel as if I’m achieving something while taking responsibility for myself too). So I come here today a bit crest-fallen and shame-faced as I stopped counting and measuring and have put almost all the nine pounds back on. But I want to start again and know that here are others who are doing the same. Today is another day 1 and if I can say that here I know I’m being accountable. Three days before I go back to work so I hope to get into a new rhythm. No alcohol this evening and I’ve already had my day’s carbs after a 16 hour fast so will eat lightly, healthily and early tonight I hope.

Thank you all for posting here.

Yes Wendyq I’m pleased to see them getting too big. I’ve got jeans in all sizes, here, so I won’t need to go out buying new ones just yet. However I did try on a pair of linen trousers in Debenhams and they did not have my size, so I took a chance and ordered online. Very pleased after trying them on as they are a size smaller, than the ones I tried on in the shop. In fact if I had been a bit more patient I could have maybe got down another size, but by the time that happens it will good bye hot weather hello Autumn. ! I found that for me it takes about 21 lb to get down to the next size. Mind you the stores are not all the same are they? A garment from M and S in a 12 will be more generous than a Peacocks size 12. Saying that I bought a linen dress from peacocks size 12 and lined for £20. This was bought last year and was really too tight then. I tried it on today and it’s still snug, but it is wearable. However if I dropped anything on the floor it would have to stay there.
Away from home this weekend, so I will try to be careful.
Down we go.

Morning ladies!
I am in NY very busy. Glad you are all well.

Thank you everyone for all your kind comments and tips! Already feel so positive and supported! And weirdly after just 1 day I feel a lot better – calmer hormones, bloating gone, cravings going 😀
Yesterday I’d decided not to tell my other half about this, as I was worried he’d get annoyed – we’ve been together 3 years and I’ve constantly been trying new diets and ways to battle the weight and PCOS only to end up fatter and fatter. Last night I caved and told him because I knew it’d be tricky to keep it a secret and he was so supportive! Fingers crossed this is the last time I have such a huge amount of weight to lose.

Amarela, I think I understand what you mean. The format isn’t great and it’d be good to be able to share photos etc more easily, but you do all seem like a really friendly and supportive small group, which is less intimidating than the massive facebook groups.

We do all get on well Allie and close to each other- though much of the year elder daughter is at sea where she’s a maitre d’.
I’ve no ambitions to live forever but now I know how to live well I’m going to do my best 🙂
Maggie

Was just wondering th same thing Mrs T.
Amarela I belong to a closed FB a group called 8 week blood sugar diet friends, there’s about 15k members on there and we share recipes, ideas etc. but to be honest I find the forums friendlier.
I was in another FB group but had to leave as people got really nasty towards one another if they didn’t agree on things. I find my forum friends a lovely, friendly, supportive bunch and we have the added bonus of anonymity here 🙂

Crikey I’ve not felt any vibe! Is there anything specifically that’s bothering you? Xx