I love long winded!!!

Ok, I have had high cholesterol (290 – should be under 200)since my 20’s when I was all of 110 pounds. No doc put me on statins until age 40. I have also had high triglycerides but right now in March they were 153 with 150 being the top of healthy. Cholesterol is about 220 right now and I got my a1c in the last year from 6.2 to 5.7. I now take 40 mg but do not have cramps. Doc wants me on even more. Blood pressure also creeping up in the 140/90’s. Wine and manhattans have been a nightly favorite along with potatoes and red meat. Weight increased in 8 years from 150 to 170.

That is why I am here for all of the above

I do envy those talking about aiming for 150lbs, thats a weight I will never achieve. I didn’t report in the final results on last months zoom challenge, but it would have been another week of no weight change – which is a little frustrating as it includes a 46 hour fast that ended yesterday evening. – but again a noticeable inch change. I have had to change to using the tightest eyes when fastening my bras this week.
Just to be clear for those who are newcomers to the forum, you don’t have to fast, Alliecat managed her weight loss without any fasting and achieved a regular loss each week, but thats just not the pattern my body is following, so I have been looking at the recommendations of a range of experts on insulin, am just going with what feels right.

Back to your question violinist. I was diagnosed with high cholesterol 20 years ago on a routine BP check as I knew something was not right and felt like my head was going to explode. At the time my BP was 210 / 120 and the nurse nearly collapsed. I was driven straight to the local hospital and all the tests were done. My cholesterol was 11.2 and I should technically have been dead but I was immediately taken off HRT and put on 40mg statins. Some months later my cholesterol was down to around 8 but they increased the dose to 60mg. Even that never brought it down below around 6. I was told it was nothing to do with my diet as I was slim, exercised regularly and always ate low fat, so I was a mystery. They decided it was familial and when I asked what I could do about it I was told, start again with 2 different parents. Not very helpful.

When I moved to France, signing on with a new doctor meant a whole raft of tests and it was discovered I had diabetes. It still annoys me that I had probably had it for years and, even though I had regular blood tests for cholesterol they never did it for diabetes even though they knew my mother had it. Anyway, here in France 40mg is the top dose allowed so it was reduced down but as I was receiving treatment for the T2 my cholesterol did go down a bit. I was usually around 5.8 to 6.0 – not good enough for my doctor. Then I started suffering cramps and was taken off the statins but my cholesterol went straight back up to 8.4 so I was put back on but a dose of 20mg. Again I was around 5.8 to 6.0. Just looking back on my results I see in June 2014 my Total was 6.3. 3 weeks before starting this diet my HbA1c was 8.1, cholesterol 6.3, triglycerides (liver function) 1.75 (1.50 is the max allowed). Then I discovered this diet and my cholesterol went down to 4.6 on the first test 2 months after starting the diet, then my HbA1c was 6.6, cholesterol 3.7 and triglycerides 1.21. I was tested again last month and my HbA1c was 5.9, total cholesterol 2.07 and triglycerides 1.20. From this I think you can understand why my doctor is well on board with this diet but he still has nagging doubts and makes me have tests every 3 months.

Because of my excellent results I want to come off statins but doctor says no. So I told him about the cramps – even though I was using the soap trick and they were pretty much okay – because I wanted him to try me without statins. Now it could be a total disaster and the cholesterol could shoot back up but if they stay within an acceptable level (under 4.5) then he might let me stay off them, worse case he might put me back on at 10mg dose. I will let you know when I have my next test in September. He did say I should stop for a month, go back on for a month then stop again for the final months. Mainly to see it the cramps returned. I guess that is it. Sorry it is a bit longwinded.

Hi All,
Would like to join this challenge. We got back yesterday from a 10 day holiday in Spain. (Allie, I managed to get a last-minute break after all). I did some walking and kept to low carb food. Blood sugars this morning were good, but I have put on 4lbs. So, my challenge is to get back to my 9st maintenance weight and push on with maintenance.

Haven’t had a chance to read everyone’s posts but will catch up over the next few days, I’m sure.

Hope everyone does really well this month! Here we go…..
Marie
xx

Decided I really need to focus on getting my water intake up for this week’s challenge – and to cut down on the coffee’s and tea’s with milk that have snuck back into my daily intake. As a bonus NSV, I have noticed that a pair of my old faithful gardening trousers are now too big around my behind – hoorah!

Well Yummy, it is magic, you put a small bar of soap in the bed near your legs and feet and voila, no more cramps. I dont know how it works, it just does and it is recommended by both my doctor and my chiropodist. The theory is that a build up of static, especially if you have restless legs, causes the cramps. I have also heard it said that a cork in the bed or even the little sachets of nitrate you get when you buy a new handbag also work. The soap neutralises the static. No proof, just know it works. We have lots of little tips like, placing whole in the shell walnuts around the house deters spiders. We started this last year and not seen a spider since, plenty of flies and mozzies though.

Violinist, one of our neighbours has just died and we were invited to sign a card and contribute towards a plaque so we had to pop in to a different neighbour for this. A bit testing as they dont speak English. Funny thing is though, once there the French starts to flow and we had a good hour of conversation. Very sad though.

Afternoon all, another 2lbs lost over the last week, and despite the heat, sleeping well at night too. Off to join the next one week challenge now. Onwards and downwards.

I’m really liking your results, Krysia! Would you remind me again of the lengths of your fasts? I’ve just managed
4 days of 18/6 by eliminating breakfast. Now I don’t know what to do with 4 cartons of yogurt 🙂 I’d dearly
love to look younger, too! We’re the same age approx. Do you recall how long it took to see a difference in
your face? Thanks!

Not familiar with Megan Ramos, Maggie. HGH interests me too! I’d be interested in her age…

Going to be out of town most of the day, so will catch up later. Have a great one!

Allie

What a result Krysia, weightloss and eternal youth all in the same package! That would keep me bumbling along in a happy cloud for quite some time. Congratulations 🤩
Maggie

Holibobs starts tomorrow with an early flight. Can’t wait!!

How does soap help with night cramps? I’m intrigued!

I had a miso soup for lunch and 10 almonds.

For brekkie, I had 1 rasher of bacon, about 80g of shiitake mushrooms and two egg omelette with spring onion greens on top.
it was lovely. I still have about 412 cals for today but am unsure what to have for dinner.

Maybe I’ll give the recipes section a go.

All the best, girls.
Skinny to be
xx

Wendyq,
if you were not that far away, I’d asked you to come and do something about my back garden to keep you ‘occupied’.
You go, girl, you’ll do well today.

V, how’s the holibobs going? xx

Hi Violinist, I will get around to your question but it will be a longish answer and I have to go visit a neighbour then go to the pharmacy to pick up my meds. Talk later.

Well I managed to lose 2lbs over night after ditching the magnesium supplement – who knew it caused fluid retention – plus I am on meds to prevent fluid retention. Really, docs should think first. So I am starting at 77.1 kg, which is about where I was last week but hopefully with this new knowledge. Having said that, we are having lunch out tomorrow. I will keep it real on the carbs but bound to have a couple of glasses of wine.

Ellem, it occurred to me that you are feeling particularly hungry because you ARE hungry. On the only day I stick with 2 meals (Sunday) I have a brunch around 11am and dinner at about 7pm – I find I am starving all day. What time do you have your evening meal. If it is around 7 or 8 then you are going 15 or 16 hours without food. Sorry but I am not into fasting due to my diabetes but hunger catches up with us one time or another. Try feeding your morning hunger around 8am with something small like a boiled egg, just to make you feel better without upsetting the plan.

Sunshine, I am interested in the history of you being on statins and going off statins. How long have you been on them, what dosage was highest, and what was your hdl and ldl and triglyceride readings? Thanks.

Hello everyone, well I can report I cut out the supplement magnesium yesterday and have dropped 2 lbs. That takes to me exactly where I was a week ago. Not great be actually a great relief as I thought I was heading in the wrong direction. No more magnesium and I put the soap back in my bed. I stopped using it as I know it stops night cramps but I didn’t want to confuse the results of taking magnesium and coming off statins. Funny thing is, when I took the soap out of the bed my husbands night cramps returned. I will have to get him his own soap – just the mini bars you get in hotels or on the ferry. BG has been running at 4.2 for the last 3 mornings so it is time to reduce the insulin yet again. So I will be on 26 units and want to get back down to 22 which was my pre-cruise, pre-giant Italian pasta meal. Of course, I want my HbA1c to be 5.5, it was 5.9 on last test but of higher insulin, want to achieve both low number plus low insulin.

Will be jumping to the next challenge and try not to cause any more trouble.

Kristen, you have had 3 social events in the last week. I think any diet would fail given that we can get away with one maybe 2 cheat days but realistically not three. Keep on keeping on and give the diet a chance.
Yummy, 5lb is a very good weight loss and with this diet you might not get that again, but you can regularly get 3lbs a week and not slow down over the weeks. You might hit a plateau in the near future but this will soon pass and your weight loss will resume. Some weeks you have small losses and then you get the whoosh effect (google it). Look at it this way, at least we are not charging you £6.95 a week (or whatever). Like Kristen, just give it a chance.

How cute!

Goodmorning and joining the challenge.

current weight 173
Doc appoint in 10.5 weeks and said I would be 154.
Trying to avoid being put on higher statins and first blood pressure meds.
Calling this DAY 1 AGAIN!
I have planned out meals and will be traveling the next week, but have that planned with groceries and restaurants where I can get plain meats and salads. Won’t be able to weigh again until next Thursday

and another good thing, I have exactly 8 weeks til my holiday in France, where I want to enjoy red wine, cheeses and a little bread.

Strangely I’ve had loads of camping trips, social events, works dos, birthdays, picnics up until now, but nothing scheduled in my diary for the next 8 weeks, apart from one weekend camping trip with my OH, so I’ve got no excuses!

Thanks,Skinny to be,I haven’t tried miso soup before,we don’t have a Waitress in these parts(Scotland) but will have a look for those sachets in the other supermarkets.Our son is sleeping better,thanks but awake very early,around 5ish.I’ve just made myself a cup of Bovril,it’s along time until 7pm!I’m keeping myself very busy today doing the garden so won’t have time to think of food.

Thank you for the well wishes!

Holibobs = holiday 🙂
xx
Skinny @5‘5″ age 40

Holibobs? Skinny, I am 3 hours north of the city in Binghamton, NY.

So let’s see
Violinist 173 @ 5’4” age 62
Wendy 169.5
Skinny 177
Zinny 158
Mixnmatch ?
Kazz?

So to remind myself, here is today’s menu.

5 am – coffee and 1.5 ounces leftover thurkey thigh
8 am – 1/2 cup egg whites in 1/4 chopped green pepper
12 pm – 1 cup romaine, 4 cherry tomato, oil and vinegar – 1 tablespoon, 1/3 cup avocado, 3 kalamata, 3 ounces leftover turkey thigh

6:30 pm – 6 ounce lamb chop and 1/2 cup broccoli

Violinist,
Good morning, your weight is duly noted.
Have a safe flight and we’ll see you when we see you. Enjoy your holibobs in NYC.
All the best,
Skinny to be
xx

Morning folks!
173 this morning

I’m in!
I’m also halfway through the 8 weeks and need to retain focus on 800kc a day no more! Especially not if I go to the pub. It will all be counted…
I’ve got 20 lbs to loose to get into the healthy end of BMI so weight loss is my goal but not for weights own sake, for health and well being.
I’m 198lbs today. I was a stone heavier when I started 4 weeks ago.
In that time my blood pressure has dropped from 180/105 to 140/90. A good NSV!
I’m hoping to get that number further down.
Fitting back into some nice Levi’s is another NSV I’m chasing.
Good luck everyone.

Godo morning Wendyq,
that’s a fantastic starting weight. I’m thinking of putting a s/sheet together with all the participants to track it and then one sweet day to just post it for us to have it in our eyes week by week 🙂
I’ve ‘discovered’ Miso soup sachets. Waitrose has them like 5 sachets per packet at £2 (not sure of other supermarkets but they would be in the similar bracket) and when I tried the first one I was trying to persuade myself it is quite gross after the first sip. But the longer I sipped it the better it tasted. It has 21calories and quite good in all the other numbers so it could help you today to ‘tackle’ the hunger.
I brought I packet of those soups with me to work as well as a packet of almonds and am trying to leave my wallet at home so would not be tempted by the divine smells from the canteen and would need to rely on my own lunches (which I do most of the time) or would need to ‘treat’ myself to the miso soup and almonds.
Happy days, Wendy. I hope your son is now sleeping well through the nights and you’re having a little more sleep for yourself.
Skinny to be
xx

What good weight losses Zinny and Skinny.Just got weighed and I’m 169.5 pounds .Well the tapas restaurant is closed for the holidays unfortunately so we’re looking at going to Bella Italia instead as there’s a good Groupon deal.Typical we’re going out for a meal at the beginning of a new challenge but it’ll be fine.I’m going to just to have fluids and eat spinach if I’m hungry in order to save calories for tonight,wish me luck!I won’t starve to death,my hunger will be all in the mind,mind over matter,that’s what I’m going to tell myself all day.
Have a good day everyone.

Hi, both of us, my husband and I, decided that we needed to take control of our health and weight. Neither of us has a diabetic diagnosis but because of our questionable eating habits over many years felt that we could be prime candidates. Had seen Michael’s TV programme and thought that BSD was the way forward for us.
Have been following the BSD for four weeks, my husband has lost 1st 8lbs (age 57) and I’ve lost 1st 3lbs (age 70). We’re both thrilled and the challenge of creating tasty meals has been great. We don’t think of this as ‘being on a diet’ but rather ‘this is how we eat from now on’. Looking forward to a slimmer healthier future, best wishes to all of you.

Forgot to report my 4 week loss. With this weeks half pound I have lost 3 lb over the 4 weeks – and most of it is from around my tummy and middle. Blood sugars really good.

By the way, I was asking about the squishy tummy earlier, and you were right, jeans have definitely gotten very loose despite the scales not showing much of a loss.
Must get measuring again.

Morning zoomers!

I hear you on the NSV’s JGwen. I haven’t been doing any “formal” exercise either but it’s wonderful how much easier the day to day exercise has gotten, walking the dogs, gardening, playing with the kids. I’m toying with the idea of joining a gym or exercise class in the autumn when kids go back to school.

But the biggest NSV for me has been the improvement in mood! And I say this as someone who has struggled with depression for years, antidepressants, CBT, the works, and it’s ditching the carbs that has made the biggest difference.

But onwards and downwards, I want to continue adding in exercise and lose another 5kgs/11lbs in the next 4 weeks. Might be a bit
ambitious since I’ve definitely been losing slower since going from obese to “just” overweight but it’s something to work towards.

Forgot to say that I am joining this challenge – goal is to improve BS and insulin resistance.

Maggie – that is very interesting. I have noticed since doing the intermittent fasting that my face looks younger. I thought I would start looking haggard at just above 9st but I haven’t. I mentioned to a couple of people lately that I am 70 now and they were totally shocked because they said they thought I was in my 50s.

Your trip sounds lovely Amarela and what a thoughtful husband ! I agree with your approach, enjoy the moment and don’t let dieting thoughts spoil it. This way of eating puts us in control and treats and days off can be managed.
Maggie

Hello!
The weight has slowly creeped on over the last two years, nearly three stone! I did give up smoking earlier this year, and had a stint on mind meds that piled on the weight , now free of those.

I’m quite good on the exercise front, I do yoga and motorbike trail riding however I can’t fit into my motorbike gear!

My granny died of T2 complications in her early 60s and I have the same body shape as her, the weight is piling on around my tummy. I’ve hit a grim realisation that I will end up in an early grave if I do not do something drastic about the 4 stone I am carrying around with me. I get gout pain in my toe, indigestion, breathlessness, I’m struggling to tie my shoelaces, and my scratches don’t heal as quickly as they should.

Can the doc do a test to see if I am pre-diabetic?

Right, lets get to it! Wish me luck.

So my weeks loss is 5lb. I think I’m being unrealistic as was hoping for more! As KristenLouise says I’ve lost similar weight in the first week with weight watchers or slimming world. I thought such drastic calorie reduction and cutting carbs would do more. But I’m going to persevere in the hope that I may lose another 5lb this week – which I wouldn’t do on conventional diets. I know this diet is a lot about the other health benefits but for me at the moment the priority is weight loss!

Maggie – you know l am not sure if I have still got it. Will have to do an attic search when it cools down here. I have a feeling that I was 9st 7lbs on my wedding day so I should fit into it with room to spare. Will be really interesting to try it on.

Posting a half pound loss this week. This is amazing because I have been totally inactive this week – sitting for hours at my computer getting to grips with one drive, converting my files from word 97 and catching up after my computer break down. My goal actually was to continue to work on insulin resistance and after meal blood sugars but am happy still to continue losing. Weighed in at 9st 1 and a half pounds this morning. The lowest I have been since 1969!

Wow Krysia, that’s an achievement!

Theblackspot, I’m now starting week 3 of round 2. I did have a 2 week break inbetween but that was due to a holiday, looking back I should’ve just continued back to back as I’ve been having a hard time getting my mojo back ever since.

I’ll report a loss of 1 pound this week, actually had a better number on the scales Saturday but my gorgeous husband surprised me with a lovely little trip, just the two of us. So a lunch, big dinner, few glasses of wine and a hotel breakfast was had… was worth it though!

See you all in the next challenge zoomers!

JGwen, quite true what you say about NSV. I was watching a video by Megan Ramos and she was saying how she dropped to 95lbs and was wearing a size 4 but now is 115lbs and wearing a size 0; the difference is in her muscle mass and bone density, which have improved through fasting and triggering of high amounts of Human Growth Hormone.
Good luck everyone, I hope you achieve your goals.
Maggie

I guess it varies for everyone although Sunshine Girls facts are certainly what come up when you google, so maybe the best to follow those safe levels unless you find you need more. I just drink so much water, I’ve never measured it but it’s easily more than 3 ltrs. However my kidneys used to be so prone to infections and this is what helps it. If I don’t drink enough I feel quite unwell. I tend to keep sipping throughout the day.
Having said that, I do counteract it with salty foods to keep my sodium levels normal.
I heard once of a tragic case where a mum drank so much (4ltrs I think, in a couple of hours) in such a short space of time that she did die, from brain swelling. However it’s interesting to note she was replacing most meals with soup or fluids, and I think most of us BSDers tend to eat more solid food as well as soup.

Morning everyone, and thank you for the advice and experience shared above.
I’ve had a few slips and trips this week. Liquid toast, followed by a thoughtless kebab, not logging the food in my fitness pal, not getting my steps in. Just a bit too relaxed…
End result is no loss this week, but no gain!
So I am 198lbs. 4 weeks ago I was 211, 4 weeks and one day ago I was 215lbs. So I’m happily telling people that I lost a stone in 3 weeks.
I will be carrying on, zooming into August and beyond! For I don’t know how long.
Thanks everybody for all the help.

KristenLouise – as a serial WW dieter (plus numerous other slimming programmes since 1970 — too many to list here) I can definitely say – if you want to end up slim and healthy for the rest of your life this is the one to choose.

Did you have more carbs at your social event? If you did it will just be water weight and will go quickly.

Thank you Allie – I hadn’t realised that it was so easy and inexpensive to sort out. I thought it would be a very expensive trip to the jewellers to get it sorted.

Well done everyone! Have you still got your wedding dress Krysia 😉 – that would be something, to fit into your wedding dress!
No losses for me; this week’s been fairly hectic socially so I gave myself a free pass 😁
Really pleased that I could eat and drink what I wanted without mega damage. Happy that a burger in a brioche bun tasted OK, but the bun was totally tasteless so didn’t eat it.
Time to put the cider and wine behind me and get on with the final sprint to the end; or crawl, it’s going to be interesting.
Maggie

Good morning all,
Thank you for setting this week challenge, Allie.
I’ve had a bit of a bumpy past three days and put a couple of pounds up, but because I have lost about 6lb from Tuesday until Friday, it wasn’t that bad, lost 4lb.
for this coming week I would like to lose 2, preferably 3+ lb, if possible.
It is possible, I know but will try to lose without any gains :-). It appears my weekends are the biggest offenders when having friends and family around expected or unexpectedly visiting.
Have a wonderful day.
skinny to be
xx

Hi Krysia. Stop by a jewelry store and pick up a “ring guard”. Problem solved 🙂