Hi DG, good to hear from you. As far as acv, it’s best you google its benefits as there are so many for me to list. As far as coffee yes drink it black but really try to just have protein and fat at breakfast was the msg I was trying to get across.
And yes I agree w no junk in the house. I have 3 young men living w me who are alll over 6 feet and when they were young i had nothing processed in the house- if they wanted junk they used their pocket money and biked to the store to get it. I heavily influence healthy eating with them and 2 of 3 are now health nuts. If they wanted cookies we would make them tgthr to teach them about ingredients. You cant binge if you dont have junk in the house. Also take some time to read on low GI carbs as these should be all you eat when you have a craving-quinoa, sweet potatoes, brown rice etc. Your insulin won’t spike.
Baby steps for you. I feel you need to reevaluate why humans need food in the first place. It’s for fuel and nothing else.
As far as your moods, Ive had depression in the past so i can relate. Try exercising instead for mood. When you feel a low drop get outside and have a nice walk. Its better than carbs 🙂
You will get there. My road has been long and i research all day is why i finally know what to do.
Enjoy your wkd and i am here for you come monday!.

Hi DG, thinking of you, hoping you are doing ok. I got smashed on sat night at my sister-in-law’s on dbl vodkas. Needless to say yesterday I didn’t feel so great. However I ate my 10x, did pilates and a bike workout (after a nap and advil of course)….so you can still stay on track. Keep in touch 🙂

Hi

Still here and lost my last post and since then work has rudely been getting in the way of my posts.

Fire – POPPYCOCK and NINCOMPOOP 🙂 I haven’t heard those words for some time. I have to say fire I do love nut butters, oatcakes etc but can still overeat on these things so you’re right about not having all in the house. Thank you though it reminds me if I don’t have things like that to hand though I eat the kid’s stuff! I’m sorry to hear you have had low mood too. Nothing wrong with health professional background very admirable and how interesting lifestyle as an area of interest too. I have utmost respect for all health care professionals. I was just saying there doesn’t seem to be any clinical evidence for carb addiction – I sort of wish there was then I could say I’m addicted and sorry I can’t have any and that would sort the problem out to soem extent. Though he argument is if one is addicted it’s not like heroin and I suppose by labelling it as such it takes away a feeling of being able to stop oneself – I won’t stop eating all cakes as I’m addicted. I on the other hand delude myself I always say just one won’t hurt…..

Suzy – you’re so right about re-evaluating about why we need food and I have realised most the time I eat it’s because of habit or because I’m reacting to an emotion or other people. I do actually als really like food – too much,. So good and bad stories to tell, I had an excellent day yesterday skipped breakfast with just the black coffee in the am. I probably signed the end of the day off with 1000 – 1200 berries, seeds, high protein greek yoghurt, apple, rye bread-prob bit too much of the rye and some milk. Success. This morning woke euphoric but hungry and stupidly it was a day off and I had breakfast partly carby one dark choc brownie and frothed milk coffee… I know, then I went for 4 mile walk, did some errands and some work and then I raided the eat natural bars and then bread, cake etc. I wasn’t bothered by it yesterday and felt great. Grr, I looked at the calendar and TOM but still annoyed as my mood had also been good why would I totally go against myself? I obviously still see food as a way of treating myself. Started to feel flat this afternoon and very tired and could hardly keep going, had to have a five minute sleep. I just wonder why the self destruct button came on… For the moment I am going to have to make sure I am not given the opportunity to overeat on days off/WFH days. I was going to book into a spinning class this am and then thought that would be embarrassing as I am so unfit and didn’t want to make myself too worn out …. well that wasn’t a good idea 🙂

Yes. I have to say it’s my birthday this week so one day with some vodka please…

Glad you are back! Don’t be hard on yourself. You are learning and slow changes is the best way. Glad you had a great day! Yes I will be doing prob around 1100 cals. You could do either 1200 those days or 2 days of 1000 as you are still very new at this. Glad you are still here. Cheers.

Hi DG, good to hear from you. Yes i need a lot of sleep and can’t sleep if I’m hungry, so I also eat before bed even if it’s very little calories. Speaking of gut health I eat kefir every night with berries before bed. As far as bread, once you lower your blood sugar you won’t crave bRead bc I sure don’t. Honestly you won’t crave it. It will take a while though for your bod to adjust, but you will get there. Have a great wkd!

Well I was given the fast800 recipe book so meals already planned. I do think I’m going to have something very small in before bed – vanilla low sugar kefir this evening. I might but ask my husband to pass me a single oat cake before bed.

Hope you’re all well. Added artichokes to evening meal (love artichokes!).

Hope you’re doing well.

Hi!

I don’t think my last post posted… So sorry for the silence. Ooo pumperknickel I’m looking to find where I can get this.

I am preparing for a strict 3 days. Weekend Sunday wasn’t great and went off track as was shattered nut not as off track as usual. I ahve to be careful not to think “oh well I’m being good tomorrow” and eating more than I would have!Then when I get back on track as I did today I remind myself the being good, feels so much better, I’m mentally sharper, in a better mood… so mind games. I did come in from work and have a pint of milk… I had planned 1 hot milk…. it ended up being more.

How are you?

Hi Suzie

Sorry to hear (or am I sorry? sounds like you had fun) about your weekend but glad you’re back on track.

I got back on track yesterday but a work from home day today and I woke up starving and raided the chocolates from my birthday and had milky coffees as a treat. I think I’ve also been on a panic having guests over this evening and lots of food involved. They are all carb loves so I obviously want to eat with them and make something everyone will enjoy.

You’re so self aware and I’m noticing just like you, first day post excess I’m fine to stick to strict eating but the next day is a challenge. Also when I come in from work always an ongoing challenge as I’m so involved in the headspace of work thinking about looking after myself is the last thing on my mind.

I’ve brought the fast800. I think the recipes look great but I will need to add in a little extra to avoid insomnia. My plan is to do this during the week but adding an additional 200 kcal to have before bed. This may be a small bowl porridge (maybe a mistake as too carby (?) or kefir like you suggested. Keeep us posted Suzie.

Forgot to add, porridge is fine anytime, as it’s a slow-release carb so it won’t spike your blood sugar. It also fills you up, snd is so healthy! Just make sure you add no sweetener.

Thinking i might do 6:1 all summer to maintain.

Hi both,

Suzy great job! I wonder if you ever really “binge” or overeat anymore at all? I know there is the odd vodka but surely that’s all part of a balanced diet 😀

I’m better than I used to be but after some very low kcal days I overeat a lot…so I’m having to work this one out. Yesterday. I prepared by having a cup of soaked steel cut oats in the fridge for after work. I did raid them and then wanted more but made sure there was nothing else to hand and said to myself I can have something tomorrow. I think after an hour or two I felt full from the oAts and all cravings gone. Had an omelette for t. So success.

Desperate but driven I have just brought the fast800 book partly because I can never think what to give my husband and they are foods he will eat too. I have now got used to black coffee in the am as an espresso and I love it but it’s taken me a long time to get used to it. I think I may have been od’ing on it though as sometimes – sorry to be graphic- it gives me indigestion and I never had that before despite being a caffeine fiend.

uay but you’re three days a week are based on similar principles of the fast800 (correct me if I’m wrong – I often skim read)low carb and 1000 kcal…So great you have such a healthy attitude towards food now.

Desperate, I was glad Suzy replied as she gives fantastic constructive advice (thank you Suzy you are brilliant!)I would also say, for me my, big step has been giving up breakfast (this seems to cause me to overeat and often my breakfasts weren’t that great- I have been known to have chocolate biscuits for breakfast so it giving it up was going to be healthy for me!). I now just delay it and try and leave 12 hours fasting. This is because I take ages, I mean ages to get myself to change my habits and not collapse and give in.

I think something else for me (again thank you Suzy) is also knowing you can do it and you can keep going back and trying again working out how to make it work for you. Having the support here is lovely.

Hi

Your weekends sound v exciting Suzy, mine are but are interspersed with walking kids, and feeding kids. I’m sorry to hear you are hungover – lots of fluids! I actually think if you have 1 day overeating or certainly not controlling I am sure that won’t do bad things to your metabolism.

I’m struggling again. Yesterday I was very tired when I woke, took kids for 4 mile walk had 1/4 pizza and salad and then started on a work project… in the kitchen. I was stupid feeling exhausted, really stressed and tired. Started one biscuit then another and then just raided everything whilst working. A childlike response! I’m also nervous when I loose a pound I get the urge to overeat it’s like my body’s kicking in – excuses? maybe it’s psychological but all that hard work over the week…destroyed in over a few hours. I was htinking I’ll regret this later at the time but carried on anyway. Small blessings though as did my work and all kids fed, bathed, homeworked etc!

I am unsure how to move on from here

Hi DG, so sorry you are struggling. I feel your binges after a loss are: yes your body doesn’t like change (homeostasis thing) so it is trying to gain back what you lost, plus maybe your mindset for after the strict days isn’t set up properly yet. Really try after a strict day to stay to your 10x, and count everything, and if you want a biscuit then have one/two, but count the calories in and HOLD yourself accountable and make sure you fill up on water as well. It’s not easy to change how we think of food. The important thing is you are not giving up so don’t be upset with yourself. You just don’t have it all figured out yet.
I’m looking frwrd to tmrw’s fresh start. Looking for another drop, then that’s me done. Before you do another strict day, write down somewhere visible how you are going to eat your first day off and stick to it. You got this. Cheers!!

Hi all. Been a quiet forum as of late, hope everyone is well. I’m finishing up my last hard day here and it’s going really well. I’m learning tricks along the way, like bpcoffee in the morning does me till lunch where I don’t crave carbs, bc the coffee does that. Before I have my lunch I have a T of acv in water bottle which lowers your blood sugar ie cravings so I don’t crave any carbs after lunch either. Oxo is a perfect fix when you have hunger headaches, and lastly fill up on 2litres of water through the day. Hoping for a good weigh-in tmrw then that’s me. I’m trying to get ahead of the game as hubby and I are seeing the Stones on the wkd so that will be a wild night of food+booze.
Good luck to everyone and cheers.

Hi DG, yay sounds like you are figuring things out and doing so well!! I am so happy for you! On the oats thing, not sure why they made you crave more, maybe they are somehow processed? Or maybe any little carb causes you to crave? Not sure. Yes women’s cycles wreak havoc on our urges. I’m thankfully all through all that but it was a long 10 years of nasty symptoms, and yes low sleep and stress don’t help. The important thing here is you are listing your triggers and are aware of them so this is great news!
On my end weigh-in was no good today. Only lost 1/2lb which I was kind of expecting bc every time I’ve done this I’ve lost decently so I knew this would happen, plus last week’s was a good drop. I’m feeling a little bloated for some reason so I’m trying to deal with that. I also did some decent strength exercises the last few days so it could also be muscle. Either way I’m drinking lots of water today and watching my cals/carbs snd going to have some porridge to clean me out (sorry!) but every bit helps. This may be my summer maintenance and that’s ok. My body has done very well this year re weight loss so I’m going to listen to it. Let me know how Tmrw goes 🙂

Hi Suzy

How are you doing? My weigh In 10 stone 7 and 5ft 5…

Hi Suzy,

Great to hear from you. Ooo party season sounds challenging but planning ahead will help. For events I can’t control I’m sort of thing I’ll just go for the nut, proteins and salads but failed at a party yesterday as had sausage and chicken then caved to a bread roll (which on the scale of things isn’t bad at all) but I was actually really hungry just having the protein (there were no additional fats to add or salads)and watching everyone else eat was hard! I resisted cake though and the icing was calling me.

It’s harder when you’re round somebody else’s house and they have kindly catered for the masses.

It sounds like you have a plan though and most parties usually have a salad or something to go along with the protein options. It’s also watching out fo the nibbles I smacked on nuts and dread to think how much I actually ate.

Keto? Have you tried that before? Oh it does sounds ouch hot over there! Mind you usually when it’s hot people aren’t serving lots of stodgy food – not sure what the staple diet is like in Canada?

Weight is funny, my body fat is 33% but I don’t think I weigh that much really which goes to show how accurate weight is in terms of reflecting health. My bottom is huge 😂

I think you’re doing brilliantly thinking ahead. I even have got think about the next few hours and have a plan let alone a whole season 😁

Tomorrow I work from home and if I reflect usually by mid afternoon, of work has been stressful I often snack and subsequently overeat. I need to plan for this. It won’t be a lower kcal day but hopefully a TDEE day without excessive carbs. Had breakfast today and snacking has been hard to resist. Didn’t have breakfast yesterday and was happily going without food until 11:30 when I felt genuinely v hungry so ate.

Hope you’ve had a lovely weekend 😀

Hi Suzy! Well the weekend sounds like a lot of fun .. you were at the beach, sigh Canadian beaches sound lovely…

I think the great thing about you (one of the many, many great things Suzy) is you just get back on track. You appreciate the overindulging and are realistic. You just get back on it.

I’m doing a bit better…. I had my body fat measured it’s nearly 40% so you know my weight doesn’t reflect that, I don’t think but my bottom size does 🙂

I have found on days I’ve cut down again it’s affecting my sleep, but it hasn’t been a fast just reduced kcal. I need to have the discipline to save all kcal for the evening. Last night I was hungry and had a egg and broccoli because they were cooked and in the fridge for another meal. It’s amazing how we are all so different, I’ve read some people sleep really well fasting.

I also think I’ve been a bit stupid times I’ve been bingeing I’ve always thought are psychological (there has always been some stress trigger prior) but yesterday there was that huge carb urge after work, but I didn’t want the kids to eat alone and sat with them and had a fish curry… carb urge gone so was it actually low blood glucose.

Any way, my day is delaying breakfast. I am going to Starbucks for a treat but will be choosing something that isn’t excessive. Some dark chocolate mid afternoon and likely something spice for tea but I may choose lentils or veg for side dish rather than rice/bread.

Good luck keep me posted on your progress.

HI Suzy,

I imagine you’re looking and feeling awesome 🙂 27% body fat, that’s great, no wonder others are noticing too! well done you.
Your heart will be a happy one.

I’ve had an odd day today really failed diet wise (I know it’s not good to think of failing but been a bit compulsive/bingey) but felt awful, feeling flat (had been feeling very upbeat) dizzy and really tired (I haven’t been cutting kcal massively so it’s not that). I don’t want to repeat myself too much as posted already on the forum but just all over the place today and slightly concerned it may be my body sensing weight loss. I’ve only lost a pound this week but I am sure have had excess 3500 kcal today – crazy. Anyway…it’s also possible I’m getting ill…

Starting afresh tomorrow and taking an oxo cube to work. I also, for the past few days when at work have been (perhaps ignorantly) allowing myself 5 oat cakes (they come in little pakcs about 44 kcal each) and a rye baguette when I come in from work, which is complex carbs (so still getting my carb treat) but wondered if it’s just too much carb in one go (I recognize it’s quite a lot!) and then I don’t want to go over my kcal so don’t eat later but am hungry again by bed time. I still sit with kid/s at dinner time and just have the peas/lentils/veg portion of whatever they’ve been having. Last night as pouring away left overs I went to eat some pastry (I don’t even like pastry (obviously they don’t either!)without even thinking about it – how often do I eat the kids leftovers and don’t even think about it or log it as my daily food intake!

For lunch at work I have been having a salmon chickpea salad thing which I thought was pretty healthy and filling.

I think I had been doing pretty well, being disciplined but I’m still allowing myself treats when I come in from work and need to find a non food treat.

0/10 for trying today
0/10 achieving today
Must do better and apply myself!

I think I need to be pretty strict (which I haven’t been) to help get my momentum back. I have to try and put it in perspective. I am taking heed of your advice too, I think lowering carbs may be key but think I just overeat! I keep thinking my insulin should be fine as having oat cakes/rye baguettes but I think I’m maybe using this as an excuse to overeat … it’s for the microbiome don’t you know…she says whilst munching another load of oat cakes 🙂

Speak soon 🙂

Hi Suzy,

Your camping trip sounds like a lot of fun, although I’d rather stay n a nice hotel with air con so you have my respect!! Well done with continuing watching what you eat whilst with others. That’s a very good plan and suppose naturally that automatically stops you nibbling at crisps, cakes, biscuits and preventing overload. That would work for me too I think as the foods I overeat are the carby ones. Def Leppard that brings back memories 🙂 I see more vodka on your horizon.

Well done with the yoga – you sound so cool and zen.

I had another off the rails day yesterday and ill today. I was just craving crabs and felt wiped out. I’m ill today so was obviously fighting a big but still I need to not turn to carbs when tired/flat/stressed. I am better than I used to be although the chocolate waffles didn’t stand a chance yesterday… not brought for me I might add. It’s such a child like response but my brain thinks I wants carbs now. The day before I had done very well fasting until midday and having a low carbish supper (aubergine parmigiana) hmm. I think the total intake was very low in energy though.

Rye bread and oat cakes and rice cakes definitely have something in which makes my brain want more. Interestingly I don’t want a small amount I am not only greedy but think I’m looking for that carb rush. I’ve always been very sensitive to drugs I probably am to food too and have used it in a incorrect way.

I know when I have been on holiday I have often lost weight and got the appreciation of food back, loving fish delicately cooked with vegetables, beautiful delicate curries and a lovely glass of red. That’s not what I’m interested in on week nights…! Overeating/bingeing is not really about loving food. It’s about using food for a hit.

I was also reading about David Ludwig always hungry, not sure what your thoughts are (or anyone else’s reading this)

Back to it and I can’t wait to hear how Def Leppard goes!

Speak soon.

Hi Suzie,

It’s sounds like you’re having a very fun summer. I’d be very interested to hear how full on keto goes! It’s so great you’re feeling energetic -see my bit below (me not so much).

We go away in five days so am hoping I can do a bit of a quick fix before going so not sure if I’m going to try and do fast800 or try lowering the carbs or both.

We have had family over and today had a late breakfast of eggs Benedict on toast with hollandaise and milky coffee and felt so lethargic and about two hours later was looking for another snack!

You’re still doing brilliantly Suzie. 😀

Wow bad spelling!!!
Seek= week
Combing=combining