oh bingeingqueen I really feel for you
I just totally despise myself so much – even more so when I binge
and I also get that ‘complete rational justification’ of what I am eating, UNTIL AFTERWARDS!!

I tend to binge on sweet foods mostly, but I admit I am scared of imagining a world without them at all

I certainly turn to food the instant my emotions wobble, and if I don’t eat then I will punish myself in some other way

there was a programme I saw last week – I think this is the link

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=why+are+thin+people+not+fat+documentary&view=detail&mid=899E9160D89B70CACB8F899E9160D89B70CACB8F&FORM=VIRE4

where they do find that some people are biologically more able to stay thin

🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

one of my aims is to get back some of the true pleasure I used to have in eating ‘treats’ – as a child they were strictly limited and hence savoured

although I do think some of that parental control has contributed to my difficulties as I find it very hard to know when I am really hungry, or judge how much of something I actually ‘need’

I had problems with food as a child – couldn’t chew some meat – preferred puddings! – watched closely by rest of family to see if I would waste anything – don’t talk, sit up, manners …….. meals were not exactly relaxing

people laugh when I say food frightens me – but it does – it is an endless nightmare of decisions, shoulds, shouldn’ts, trying not to, punishing, and as you say – always a social pressure – wherever you go

but you are doing the very best you can
xx

Hi Queen,
I think that many of us ‘eat our emotions’. No one’s life is lovely, there are parts that are good, balanced with those elements that are much harder to cope with. When I am tired, bored, lonely, stressed or hungry then I am vulnerable.

I have spent the week eating good wholefoods and apart from a meal out, I have been making good choices. Yesterday,I went out for a tough and long 5 mile run/walk/stagger-dressed in kit that was too warm and no water. I spent the day alone, my boys all at work, friends away for Easter and felt very lonely.I came back from the shops with a Pain Chocolat and a packet of 6 ice creams-ate 2 yesterday. So with those 3 items I had scoffed around 1000 calories!!!!

I have made a series of changes over the years to what we have in the fridge/cupboards. You can choose not to have those foods in the house and the step children will adapt to having healthier options at your house. But you will have to make that change because it is to no ones advantage except yours to make that change. Are you important? Does your health matter?

On the plus side an avocado is very good for you. Try it with salad and tuna, but leave out the bread. Very tasty with a dressing of 1 tablespoon olive oil/1 teaspoon white wine vinegar/half teaspoon Dijon mustard-all together in a small jam jar with lid on-give it a good shake-scrumptious!

Going out for coffee/shopping doesn’t have to be with cake, I know because I no longer have cake and have found that my friends have stopped having cake too. How much of what we do is out of habit? I have stopped sugar in my tea after 40+ years-well I moaned for a week and then got used to it, now several months in and I don’t even think about it.

You don’t need pink shorts, you can make your own goal. What could yours be? It could be a day sticking to your TDEE where you at what you like as long as you stick to that number? I found that making smarter choices meant that I could eat much more that was a lot more healthier.

My changes have all been small, but add up to a huge change in what I like to eat and how much. I am maintaining but would like to be smaller, so need to review what I eat and how much after this weekend. I have bought eggs for the boys and on more than 1 occasion I have been tempted to scoff a chocolate bunny when I have had a tough day. The calorie content has been enough for me to put them back in the cupboard!

Nothing you describe in terms of explaining what you do and why is alien to us, we have all been there.If you want to be different, then changes will have to be made. I never thought that the 5:2 would work, but here I am slimmer/lighter and with a normal blood pressure, eating smaller portions of better quality food. My knees don’t hurt all the time, I am 3 bra sizes smaller and 3 dress sizes smaller.

I live with 4 young men that I feed every day.Food is a big part of my day too.

Hey you lovely misfit islanders! Queen dear you aren’t alone, as you can easily see. Annette, Keep, and welcome Tango — thanks all for weighing in (ha ha) and reminding me that we’re actually pretty normal. EVERYONE if they’re honest has triggers and cravings. The sugar one is a beast, revved by all the added sugar in processed food nowadays, which just perpetuates the craving. But it can be tamed, though it requires some gritty abstention. I don’t like feeling deprived, but if there is a goal at the end, I can usually get there. So that’s my goal, to be free of the sugar chains.

After just a week+ of “no sweets”…the cravings are less. I’ve had whole foods of all kinds – carbs too – and not worried much about whether I was truly hungry or just fighting off a sugar craving. One goal at a time for me 😋 Then I had dessert last night at a dinner party, and I’d like to say “meh” but no, it was good. And that’s good, I like the idea of dessert being a real treat. I’m thinking of you here, Keep! And the sugar lizard woke up, but he was groggy, just barely conscious. I had the choice then, whether to wake him up real good 😏 like playing with a hedgehog – cute as they are. When we got home, I did think “well why not have a few more sweets, you can be good again tomorrow” but hey why not jump off a cliff while I’m at it. I mean, does that sound familiar, the old I’ve blown it so let’s blow this mother sky high and get our money’s worth. I do not want to go back to feeling controlled in sugar hell. Even feeling a little less controlled is better than that.

For me, there is no other way. I suspect for you too, Queen. I guess I’m lucky that my trigger is sweets. Maybe it’s a psychological trigger, because I love bread, but it isn’t the same. Maybe if you could just eliminate one trigger at a time, you could figure out which are worse and gradually ease them out of your life? So many other things working on you I know – fatigue, kids, job stress….I really do advise trying one eating goal at a time. The psych benefit of achieving that is contagious and will lead to more good changes. You too Keep, I hate to read of any of us feeling that way, so down on ourselves when we are all quite lovable ♥️♥️♥️

Must run now to get Sat chores done. Will check in later, love these thinking sessions and the mutual support here. jade xxxxxxxxx

Hi Queen,
The measures for the dressing are for a whole plate of salad, most of it goes over the lettuce/tomatoes/cucumber although a drizzle over the avocado is delicious to me. Yes avocados are high in fat-but good fat and high in calories(160calories/100g) but very filling-a complete meal. I can have a larger avocado with a plate of salad, or a small one mashed on 2 slices of wholemeal toast-very good post run if you have a ripe avocado.

I was a skinny kid who became a slim young woman(who was without curves and miserable). I married young and couldn’t cook, my husband could cook but had no idea of portion sizes so we both put on a bit of weight. Our first baby died from SIDS and we both put on weight-no surprise there. We had 4 boys under 6 and I worried all the time whether they would survive, my husband worked long hours and I was on my own with the boys from when they woke until after they went to bed. I had gone from a UK 10(US 14)to struggling to fit into a UK 16(US 20). Then at 40 I found myself as a single parent of 4 boys of 5,7,9, and 11. I had to move house with distraught boys and make a new life, learn to manage my own finances entirely, do all the after school stuff alone and learn to cook. I remember my youngest son trying to put is arms around my waist and being sad that he couldn’t-I signed up for weight watchers the very next week.

Looking good is not about vanity alone, it is also about developing self esteem and good health. Think about the hip to waist ratio-a good indicator of health-less visceral fat. How we look is important. What is worse for your hips and knees is not boot camp or binge eating, it is your weight.Simple. My knees and hips have stopped aching now that I am 3 stone lighter, I am no longer breathless going upstairs and I am much faster walking too.

I suspect that you are the centre of your family, but by putting yourself at the bottom of the pile, your health is suffering.By putting your needs first you will be helping your family to thrive and you will be healthier too.

The clear light at the end of the tunnel is surely a healthier, slimmer and fitter you? What changes do you need to make so that can happen? As Nike say ‘Just do it’.

If I can do it, then anyone can.

As Dr Robert Lustig said, we are all victims of our biochemistry, ditch the sugar and lose the urge to binge.I know, like you and Jade that less sugar means losing that urge to binge. Menu plan for the week, get rid of the rubbish and then snack on fruit or nuts when you are hungry. Remember HALT? Are you hungry?Angry?Lonely?Tired?

I had a dress try on last night. I have half a dozen simple summer dresses that will need altering before I can wear them, as they are too big now on the bit between the shoulder and the bust, where there was fat there is a gap! Thrilling to ‘see’ a difference. Skirts that were too tight, now fit, even though the scales stay the same. A bit closer with those pink shorts.I do a lot of shopping in charity shops-I love them since my shape and size has changed, I can have new clothes to celebrate that don’t cost much and experiment with new shapes/styles/colours.

Off for a very short run as I am trying to get faster or in 3 weeks I will be the very last one to finish. Everyone out at work, so alone for the day.

Ah that’s right, if Annette can do it, I can too. And believe me if *I* can do it, i.e. beat the sugar, then truly anyone can. Queen, I think you have to do this for your sanity as well as your physical health. You aren’t such a hopeless case, you know. You’re the same heat-seeking missile we all are when it comes to cravings (and thank you Tango for that perfect analogy!). When there is a root cause of those cravings, as I know there is with me, then resisting the cravings is way harder than attacking the cause.

I think I am much like you internally, because I can go for days without cravings and then boom, I am a sugar furnace. And yes, the dopamine reaction you describe, too – all of that. It’s exactly the way Dr Lustig described it, so I am a convert. Not that it’s easy, I fell under the bus pretending to be normal during the holidays and it’s been HELL getting back on the bus this year. In fact, I didn’t even understand that I was under the bus, not on it — I was just finding it harder and harder to 5:2 until I finally realized the sugar on nFDs kept dumping me into the cravings trap. Literally – my blood sugar had to be swinging like a trapeze. And FDs seemed to last 80 hours, and I kept caving.

Seriously, I know we all love treats and hate the thought of food being boring, but listen – try the no-sugar approach, you will LOVE not being controlled by sugar, by junk, by the food industry, damn their hides. If you don’t love it, here’s an iron-clad guarantee: you can always go back to eating sugar and it will quickly trap you again. You will have sugar highs again, no question.

And by sugar, of course I mean junk carbs too – white flour, anything where the fiber has been processed out, and all the other sugars (honey etc.). You will not have to give them all up forever. For me, the biggest, baddest lizards are in sweet sugar, so most any kind of dessert. When they are off limits to me, I behave around other food.

Queen, please take Annette’s advice to heart about putting yourself first. Tell your family what you need to do to feel healthy and fit again, and that is to get the sugar and simple carbs out of the house. Out out out. No one in the family will starve or die without them. Or they can have them somewhere else if thy absolutely have to. I hear your cry for help but no one there will hear it if you keep putting your health last, behind the unhealthy food choices that your family is used to having available. Please do this for yourself, because I see such a happier life for you with these small changes. And as I wrote above, it’s not easy to do, but it’s impossible if you see these off-limit foods every time you go into your own pantry. You say you can binge on whole grains, and you may at first, but maybe after a few days, a week, you will find that you are less and less nutty around them when you have cut out the sugar. Buy natural peanut butter to spread on whole grain toast, with some sliced grapes on top. No, it’s not low calorie, but that’s not the most urgent goal at this point. One thing at a time is the only way to build a normal body chemistry that will help you feel better. Then you can move to the next goal of dropping some weight, and you’ll find FDs actually doable when you aren’t nagged to death by cravings. Hunger is still a hurdle for weight loss, but it is not the mile-high hurdle that it is when you’re in sugar hell.

There, my rant/advice is done. And believe me, I have to give myself this lecture every day, because I’ve spent many years in sugar hell without even knowing it. Now that I do, I can love the taste of sweets but resent what they do to me when they become a habit, and I hate it enough to keep fighting it.

Cheers all, I’m going to do a little gardening on the island now in the hopes of someday harvesting some lovely veggies and herbs in a month or so 🌴🌱💕jade xxx

This discussion of sugar and its effects on binging was exactly what I needed to read right now, so thank you all for your frank sharing and excellent suggestions.

Two weeks without sugar and I feel sane again! Why is it so hard to remember that I’m not “cured” just because I’m feeling so well today? Eating sweet stuff sends me off into a food rampage — I’m better off without the sugar and that’s how I want to stay.

I make my own yogurt too! It is not easy to ditch all sugar! I now make the majority of things myself which is a big step in the right direction. I no longer use artificial sweeteners either. Basically if it has chemicals I do go there. I discovered recently there is now a fake cheese product that is used on cheap pizzas! Where does it end? I spent years and a great deal of money on weight watchers and lost loads of weight but I virtually lived on chemical laden ww foods! There are worse things than being fat it seems. Hopefully I can address the stone and a half I need to lose but have to say my heart is not in it now! I am happy with my clean food and hope to reduce further the sugar!

Thanks for the reading list, annette — I think I’ll find that enlightening. It’s very exciting to see so many of you ahead on a successful path when I’m just discovering mine.

I simply can’t use sugar any more, that much is clear. When I do, there’s not enough food in the world. When I don’t, meals start AND stop.

No chocolate as they don’t do chocolate eggs here…lots of bunnies though but I avoided them. Also lots of posh chocolate. So no to chocolate which is a major achievement for me. I made a Victoria sponge this week and have eaten some. I also cannot pass the pantry without grabbing a handful of dried fruit which is very bad as it is another thing not available here and I stock up on rare visits to the UK. Hubby loves his fruit cake! Am working on stopping baking but it is something I enjoy. Also I always have an egg mountain due to having chickens, ducks and geese. I give loads away too. I like a bit of honey in my morning porridge but porridge is another thing that comes from the UK so maybe I can give that up.
In May our first nucleus of bees arrive and next year I hope we will have our own honey. I am hoping honey is not considered bad!
I have done weeks without bingeing but at some point it always returns! The quantities are much less now but I still have a need to do it! I keep a stock of plain nuts and have fresh fruit every day. This sugar thing is so strong.
I know too that when I am on the sugar I feel low! Off it I feel better. One day I hope I easily avoid it!
By the way I use no convenience foods which is a big step forward.

Hi everyone!,

Thanks for the warm welcome! Been an ok couple days, apart from silly collisions with Easter eggs, I almost hate them, if I didn’t like them so much! I got one for a present with some sweet bunnies, I looked at the sell by date, and thought “I’ll save that for October and a nice treat’, half an hour later there were only ‘crumbs’ really no surprise, and not going to beat myself up! I was amazed at just how many eggs were around in the shops, shelves heaving with them, when where I live plenty of homeless people, a silly irony.
Queen, you asked why I’d put the weight back on, and tbh, it’s that I’m not being honest with myself, it’s like avoiding the issue, ‘yes I can handle sugar’ etc…but deep down that dishonesty means not thinking it matters (and it does) but at the same time, making FD accomplishments less important, by saying “Oh it doesn’t matter, a little cake here and there”. So I think I undermine my own efforts by not honestly acknowledging what I want to achieve!, so no more, I can see many of us are off the sugar fast lane, or trying and as Jade said (sorry if it wasn’t 😉 having small goals makes the difference, otherwise not do-able. I not only worry about the impact on my health, choice of clothes but also my teeth!

Annette, that was must have been incredibly painful, your account of your baby, am so sorry. Congratulations on the running, fab! I ran too over a period of time, but have had to stop because of a painful knee. The Latin dance classes don’t seem to affect my knee, luckily, cos I’d cease to exist without my classes, they are an absolute passion, and saw me through a very rough period of bereavement and marriage breakdown. Didn’t set out consciously to start my classes, it did just kind of happen, a friend recently said to me ‘have you got a business plan? I’d never even considered it one, now I’m a bit more savvy. The great part for me is seeing people come to the class who have goals, and achieve them 😉
Last year when I managed to lose all the weight, I had all the FD’s written down above my fridge, and each one I did I gave myself a star! it sounds a bit corny, but it’s a huge accomplishment, and on those dodgy days, I have sayings such as ‘you’re giving your body a rest’ ‘not today, but tomorrow who knows’ (if you really want a biscuit) or if I’m really “hangry’ I go and brush my teeth or have a cup of tea. I’m going to start having the FD’s as a commitment to myself,and also as the days are getting longer, apart from the wild storm Katie today, just take a walk if I’m overwhelmed.

Hi alysans and lolly, welcome! xxxx bye for now

Oh dear! About a week’s posts on several threads I read and I’m overwhelmed so forgive me for bursting in mid-stream. 😗

Welcome to everyone who’s new! You’ve found the right place and I hope we can all help one another along the road!

I’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is I. Was. A. Pig. I engaged in every possible form of gluttony. The only thing I didn’t devour is candy. It didn’t even tempt me. 😲 Can’t understand that! But I did compensate by chowing down on everything else including strawberry shortcake. 😋

And I didn’t even feel guilty. I just took 3 days off and made the most of them.

The good news is by not fasting over the weekend I put myself on a more convenient Mon & Tues schedule. And the even better news is I slipped right back into the pattern of fasting like chubby seal into water. Lunchtime is usually the hardest part for me but I looked up from what I was doing to notice it was already 1:30 and I hadn’t even had a twinge of hunger. Now it’s approaching dinnertime and my only problem has been the stoopid stomach acids again. 😡 But I’m sure I’ll get through that.

I may try for 3 FDs to atone for busting out of the size 12s almost as soon as I shoehorned myself into them last Thurs. We’ll see if I can manage it.

Other news is that some friends are coming up to visit next week. Happily, Mrs. has been IFing for about a month now. She’s already trim and fit but she wanted to take off a few pounds so she thought she’d try it. She is one of my foodie friends so, since she’s also IFing, she won’t be dismayed or put out when I’m not eating. And Mr. who’s skinny as a rail is already accustomed to Mrs. fasting.

Hope you all enjoyed the holiday! And I hope you managed it much better than I did. 😝

I just watched ‘That sugar film’ by Damon Gameau, and what an eye-opener! All the lectures in the world could not have done more for me than watching that healthy young man droop into lethargy by replacing his usual food with the same number of calories using off-the-shelf manufactured products containing sugar. He gained weight on the SAME calorie count despite doing the same exercise — light bulb moment.

Thank you so much, annette, for suggesting it. This forum is chockablock with useful stuff to help us pick what works for each. Loved your checklist, comespring! It’s good sense, and that’s what I want to use.

Sugar’s a massive trigger for me. Can it really be that simple to change my life? (Note — didn’t say EASY!!) I owe it to myself to continue on with this sugar “avoidance” (love that!) and to value the peace over the sweet.

Queen- Thank you for such kind comments.I also studied for a degree at the same time. Very very stubborn, but I like resilient!

I would never think that you were shallow, we all have our own struggles. I thought long and hard about sharing the sudden death of my baby daughter, but it is part of my history and part of why I became overweight. I ate my emotions and that is never healthy.

I wanted to encourage you to make the changes, to see that it was possible and to urge you to put yourself first.No one will help you make a change if it is inconvenient or doesn’t benefit them-remember that. You are central to how your family works, so take care of you and put your health first.No one else will do it for you. I stopped buying fruit yoghurts an chocolate mousses for the boys and after a lot of fridge door opening and comments, I explained that there was too much sugar in them and that I wasn’t buying them anymore, they complained, I suggested that they bought them themselves….and no one did or mention it again.No one looks in the fridge after a meal anymore…they go via the fruit bowl instead.

Running all started because I wanted to be able to get round a Half Marathon to raise money for research into SIDS and support for bereaved families…and with my son, we have raised money several times now. The running is going very slowly.

We are all here queen, standing behind you, urging you on. If i can so it…then anyone can.

annette, it was kind of you to share that painful story. We all — no matter how long we’ve lived and what we’ve experienced to the contrary — keep that illusion that everyone else’s lives are “normal” and operate smoothly.

The downside of that is then we hold ourselves responsible for all the hiccups and heartaches in our own.

Better, like you, to focus on recovery, pick a goal at a time, and let ourselves move forward. Thanks for trusting us with your story and your victory.

Chubs, we’ll only be smug if we avoid the other 40+ names that the food industry try to sneak in. The sugar shortage might be my fault, I have realized that I was having 56 teaspoons of sugar in my tea alone!!!

Lolly_ Yes, it really is that simple. I am very much a work in progress, but feel so much better with less of the white stuff in my life. I had no idea I was an addict on the binge/crave cycle. Miss Sticky Toffee Pudding is no more…and I feel brilliant.

spring-great list and so very true.

Tango-thank you.

Jade-How far we have come?

Sorry if I have missed anyone out, but dashing out the door.

Jade, try looking under ‘The Sugar Film’ on YouTube. ‘The’, not that. The whole film is there for the moment. I sent off for my own DVD today as I have a few people I care about who need to see this, too.

Gosh — I hope I haven’t spoiled the plot for you! 😀

Jade, I will have to search down that piece of music. It’s the one with the Ode to Joy, yes? But I’m not sure I can remember what movement you’re referring too. The whole piece, of course, is big and moving but I’ll have to come up to speed with what you experienced. Meanwhile, great job on the run!

annette, a man who was formerly Surgeon General of the US, David Kessler, wrote something similar. He said his biggest regret is that be began his research into commercial food preparation after he was out of office and had the platform he might have had. He was dogged in his research, tho. He hunted down people who were willing to be candid and even dumpster dove to get samples for analysis. And his conclusion was that American food producers — both industrial and restaurant chains — deliberately ADD the trifecta, sugar, salt and fat, in order to make food MORE addictive so that they can use that biochemistry against us. His book was called “The End of Overeating; Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite” if you’re interested.

Both you and Jade are doing a tremendous job of cutting out the sugar. I’m impressed! And I’m glad you’re managing to skip the little spoonful in your tea. 👍 Are you able to taste the lovely notes in the actual tea better? I just hate when tea gets spoiled by things like flowers (except Jasmine), herbs, sugar and milk. And here I am in Vancouver where they won’t even *make* iced tea without sugar! 😡 I have to carry my own around with me.

Queen, do come back when you can and report on how you’re doing. I hope you’re carving out tiny goals and adaptations to give yourself some success to build on.

GREAT day for me. I’m in the 3rd day of water fasting and it’s going great. My husband has a business dinner so I won’t need to be around food later. I’m making a fabulous loaf of bread for company that’s coming this weekend. I’m back in the size 12s and it took me less than a minute to get the zipper all the way up. (Where’s the emoticon for sucking in your breath????) And I did an hour of intervals on the bike at the gym.

I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of HIT. I didn’t realize the program was customizable but I’ve now got it at a point that whips my *ss and breaks out a sweat for 4 minutes then I do 4 more at the lowest possible resistance. I managed an hour and I’m looking forward to when I get fit enough to get back down to my resting heart rate at my cruising intervals. The best I could do today was +40 at cruising speed and +70 at kick-butt speed.

And speaking of fitness, I KNOW you’re going to do great, annette! When you’re at the event and the adrenalin starts pumping and that’s what the whole universe is about you’ll come through. And that’s what’s important: finishing and mastering yourself not where you place. I KNOW you’ll do it! 💪

Hi there!

Managed a FD yesterday, so feeling quite good, and today was a fairly good day. The marketing ‘men’ have done a good job on me, lol, so when I read the BSD 800 cal plan I thought Michael was kidding with his suggestions of dollops of creme fraiche etc, but I’ve realized I’m that person who was getting bigger through the low fat diet, not only that but I don’t think twice about chowing down on a Freddo chocolate, but had drawn the line with good FAT. So apart from dropping the usual suspects, my triggers, which are endless, I’m adding some of the Fats I wouldn’t go near, e.g Feta cheese/halloumi/cottage cheese (difficult to buy full fat) and sour creme. Am only having these as a side, and Micheal did suggest, ‘match box’ size bits of cheese, and tbsps of sour creme or what have you. It is amazing how these small changes can work wonders 🙂

Last year when I finally quit bread as we know it, I found a low GI version, so thought it worth a try, WRONG, kept eating more and more rounds of toast, to get a ‘hit’ as it were, so that has gone, and I don’t do butter, because toast is a major trigger. As Jade mentioned FD’s are so much harder with the dreaded sugarlurking. Yesterday was hard bc the day before had a Portuguese ‘tarta de nata’ a beautiful thing, but by 6pm I had such a sugar crash, and it added to my ‘gnawings’ yesterday, 🙁 serves me right)

Am Fasting tomorrow, and really trying to work on colour themes on FD’s a plate of orange, red and green veg, with a bit of olive oil (to get the vitamins kicking in) and a couple of boiled eggs or tuna/salmon, maybe have a few cals for raspberries and a bit of greek yoghurt. I like the thought of FD’s really being a day off for your body/ and really turbo charge the amount of water I drink, I got ghastly headaches last year, so literally drink on the hour.
and add orange slices to fizzy water if I’m at home. Am also big on the herbs, Thyme for roasted veg, paprika too, and a huge chili fan. To add ‘sweet’ I put cinnamon and nutmeg on greek yoghurt, both I hated to begin with, but cinnamon is said to lower blood sugar and other benefits.

Recently I got scared reading BSD bc there’s a quiz you can do to find out if your addicted to carbs, I got ‘moderately addicted’ and ‘probably at risk of diabetes’, sobering news. The book is great, (although I did shout at Michael a bit) for the recipes, all low carb, you can find them online. Why did I shout at him? because he says in the book, the original 5:2 is based on 500 cals, but now he says ‘going up to 800 cals is unlikely to make much difference’ I was so annoyed (that’s when the shouting started) not much difference? why the hell didn’t I do 800 from the beginning? the loss would have been slower for sure…anyway, once I had calmed, I did see his point, and I’m glad I stick to 500-600ish, always got the safety net of 800..I’ve got a few goals coming up, so am hoping to do 8 pure and classic FD’s and see what it does, also will be keeping off the carbs. Queen you have support here! If I can do it, anyone can…don’t always have successful days, on my report it might say, ‘good progress, keep at it’. Comespring did love your list, especially number 7, life can be too short.

Annette and Jade, hope to join you on the running quest, it’s a beautiful thing, this ‘man’ is down though, due to injury, will have to start from the beginning, as have not ran since Jan 18 (when I did my knee in) this weekend am planning a trot on the grass, run/walk/run/walk back to basics..

See you soon
hi la chubster, lolly and anyone else I’ve forgotten..xxx :):)

Yes, Lolly. Jade and annette were definitely inspirations to me.

I started by setting a timer and getting up once an hour to walk on my inclined treadmill for 5 minutes at a time. Actually, before I got to that point I just got up and walked around my house. But the spirit of their activity and their accomplishments drew me in and got me taking my movement seriously.

We all have to start somewhere. 😏

Hi, Tango. Nice to meecha!

A lot of the first stage is just the kind of experimentation and learning you’re doing. Eventually I think we all discover that we only make things harder and slower for ourselves if we don’t give up the sugar and the refined starchy stuff. I had to go much farther because I discovered there are no grains that don’t make me behave like a food addict. But I’m so glad I figured that out because it’s been pretty smooth sailing since then. …hiccups like Easter notwithstanding. 😳

But, seriously, this is the easiest and most reliable diet I’ve ever been on. I think I can do this forever. I don’t even miss the stuff I’ve given up when I do the fasts that keep me on track.

Thanks again Lolly, I was able to watch “the” sugar film in its entirety on YouTube. Yay! 🎉 Funny, I started not to, felt it a waste of time as I KNOW sugar is bad for me. But it’s another thing to watch – seeing the change in him, and seeing him pour pure sugar on his food or eat a sugar cube sandwich was just sickening. I need to visualize the same in all the sugar-added food, and really stick to it this time!! I’m pleased to say we had lunch out yesterday and I did NOT have ketchup with my fries. 👍🎖Right!? Seriously, I know fries aren’t the healthiest, but they’re worse (esp for me) covered with sugar.

Chubs keep singing, sister – your pep talks always cheer me up! I don’t think I’m grain sensitive though I do need to look for no-sugar-added. I hope that is the key for permanent control. After lunch yesterday I was barely hungry at dinner, had some hummus and snap peas plus a few Triscuits. Then a massive glass of water with my old friend, the lemon slice 😍 Worked like a charm. And feeling almost normal today. So far.
ps: just saw your post, *sigh* yet another poison in our food, and one that the mfrs know is bad. Phase out by 2017 I mean don’t rush into it or anything. Luckily I don’t ever use canned soups or veg, though do the canned tomatoes and beans. Easy enough to use dried beans. Thanks for the link!

Tango, thanks also for sharing your experience, yes it is hard to buy full fat! The plain yogurt they sell at Costco for instance is fat free, but no sugar added so good choice for me. I use butter much more liberally now and yum esp on seafood 😋 Your FD colors sound like a gorgeous feast! Lol, weaving an edible placemat, Lolly 😂 I saw an article about edible spoons, can’t say I haven’t wanted to eat a few wooden spoons in my day. And I do love to walk and jog, but for anyone who can’t, the endorphins are the thing, just get them by swinging a cat or bench pressing a dog. In fact, I need to do more strength exercises but I seem to find any other way to use my spare energy 💪 Youngest daughter is into cross-fit as are many of my students, but at my age I think I’ll stick with what I know. 👍

Annette I had a wild thought to try a 10k or half coming up, but am seriously behind in training. I’m such a copycat, I know I want to do it because you are having all the fun. Probably best I sit in the bleachers and just cheer you on 🎉 for now. 😊

Must go clean the house before the cleaner gets here and sees how messy we really are! 😧 jade xx

Wow, LA — you made me sit up and take notice. I’ve relied more than I’d like on tins for some things in my larder. This is going to change.

So glad you were able to see the film, Jade. It struck me so forcefully, watching him eat that sugar, how I was doing the same — and so much worse. I’ve taken a mental screen capture for my brain wall!

You people are insatiable — now I have to go out and buy a cat to swing, apparently.

Oh Aly I agree, how could they…in the sense of why do they. Money talks though, and so many secrets just get swept under the rug – while often those in the know avoid the dangers. Until finally we’re all sick enough that it must be acknowledged, and then studied, and etc. before the problem is actually addressed. Makes me nuts. 😡

Chubs, glad you felt the power! I often go classical for exercise, it makes me feel timeless. And especially when outside for a jog, nature all around seems magnified by the great classics. It’s just a punch to the heart sometimes 👊 in a good way of course! LOL the chimp toes!!!!

Lolly yes you must have at least 2 cats! And two dogs. Bonus is that they provide daily opportunities for bending, stretching, and cardio floor scrubbing! It’s a win-win 😂

So much for a FD here, we are going out with friends tonight. But yesterday was so restrained, I feel pretty good about the week. The sugar cycle is rough going for a few days but when the cloud lifts, it’s really noticeable. I think, like Gameau, it’s far worse if your system is fairly clean before the onslaught, which for me was Easter. But that’s even greater incentive for me to keep it up. Catch you all later! jade xx

OY, I knew I should not have done that. Could not resist seeing if I was in shape to run a 10k. I am not! But do one I did, in the blistering time of 88 minutes. And now with runner’s nausea, despite carrying water to sip along the way. What a hard head I have…..however, I am 16,000 steps on the good side for the day. And can promise you all I do not want any sugar.

Annette surely there are wackos like me in your race. You will not be the last. But even if you are, you should be proud for getting out there. In my marathon of years ago, I was passed by people who looked at least 90 and I finished 4 minutes before the course closed!! And I did train for it, not being entirely insane. Just enjoy it and don’t fret, que sera sera and all that. And at least you know you are faster than I am! xx