Way to go, Craig. It's an interesting journey, though not one I'd ever anticipated taking, and I'm finding it's got a few twists and turns to it.
If it helps others to anticipate what may be ahead, I've now done 21 days straight and lost 20lbs, which means I was 17st 5 on 12th May (which was well down from my previous weight on diagnosis last autumn, but I'm not counting that here), and this morning I was 15st 13. That's beginning to show in my face and my wife says my bum's disappeared (she has a wonderful way with words) and my trousers are now visibly 'baggy' in that area, even though I dropped down a size 2 weeks ago.
All that's good, and it's making me
feel good, too, which really helps when you are tempted to eat something you shouldn't do or have more than the diet allows.
There is a downside, though: I feel tired more often than I used to, although that doesn't last too long. Likewise, I've started getting some pretty severe hunger pangs but they're soon over as well (they're a bit like the cravings I used to get when I gave up smoking), so I can cope with those. My colleagues are slowly becoming used to a loud rumbling tummy noises coming from my direction at various points during the day.
I've been a bit bunged-up, which is not at all like me. It's not uncomfortable, more disconcerting, but it's starting to worry me. Does anyone have any ideas of roughage I can eat without upsetting my calorie count? I'm drinking lots of water (at least 8 pints a day) but that can be very inconvenient when you travel during your work, and it's not prevented the problem so far, nor has the milled linseed that was suggested on here a few days ago.
Last, though not least, I've developed a short temper. I've noticed it, and my wife's definitely noticed it, given its been mostly directed at her. I feel myself becoming impatient - often at the most trivial of things (e.g. "Why have you put xyz away? I was going it use it again in a minute.") - and then find myself letting fly. I instantly regret what I've said but I can see why Prof Taylor and the Newcastle Univ team say that support of your friends and family is so important.
I'm close to mirroring your present weight and targets, Craig, currently standing at 15st 13 and hoping to get to 14st by the time I've finished. That seems quite a way off, with the imminent possibility that I'll run out of old clothes to change down into, long before I get there.
Unfortunately, my wife chucked out my flares and corduroy trousers a long, long time ago. Pity that .........