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You are ALL bloomin' marvellous

Brunneria

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,884
Location
Lincolnshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm in size 22 jeans for the first time in 15 years.

Now, I know that weight loss stories and stuff are wonderful and a lot of you are going through the same, brilliant, experiences, but if you've seen many of my posts you will have noticed that I'm pretty resigned to NOT losing weight. I have been content with not gaining and just feeling well. Weight loss just doesn't figure on my horizon because it only happens when I'm in deep ketosis, and frankly, I can't face that for long enough to make a difference.

(I'm currently reading Bernstein's book on controlling diabetes, and while I am in awe of the approach, I ain't ever going to stick with his diet.)

So imagine my stunned delight when I pulled the wrong jeans out in my morning zombification, and they fitted.

:eek: :woot: :couchpotato:

So THANK YOU ALL - your enthusiasm, dedication and general wonderfullness is obviously pulling me deeper into ketosis, rather like being in the slipstream of a supersonic aircraft.

:happy:
 
Well done .. I've always worn elasticated waistbands since getting fat so no idea what size I am.. But since low carbing, my stomach isn't holding my clothes up so what I thought was a shortish skirt is now down to my ankles nearly!!!
 
Thanks Everyone.

The amazing thing is that I'm not even trying.

I'm stuffing my face with pork scratchings, Brie, cream in curries, butter on veg...

Am beginning to think that my periodic difficulties staying low carb was because of 2 things:
  • Carbs still too high - enough to trigger cravings (I need very very very low carb to lose weight)
  • Not enough fat to satisfy appetite

I totted up calories (for a laugh) a few days ago.
3,000 - in one day
That is ridiculously high for a 47 yr old, fairly sedentary woman. Absurd.

Yet I am losing. Very slowly, but effortlessly and comfortably, and I'm enjoying my food more too.
 
Brunneria said:
Thanks Everyone.

The amazing thing is that I'm not even trying.

I'm stuffing my face with pork scratchings, Brie, cream in curries, butter on veg...

Am beginning to think that my periodic difficulties staying low carb was because of 2 things:
  • Carbs still too high - enough to trigger cravings (I need very very very low carb to lose weight)
  • Not enough fat to satisfy appetite

I totted up calories (for a laugh) a few days ago.
3,000 - in one day
That is ridiculously high for a 47 yr old, fairly sedentary woman. Absurd.

Yet I am losing. Very slowly, but effortlessly and comfortably, and I'm enjoying my food more too.
Click to expand...
Oh help,
I really need to try this. I am also thinking that I have to chose between weight loss and BG control. 3000 calories mainly from fat? Is that right?
 
@Pipp I am lo wish carbing but not going mad on fat - mainly eating lean meats and restricting my cheese( otherwise 3000 calories would look like a snack ) and I'm losing weight for the first time in years - my BG levels are better as well and I'm hoping they'll continue to improve. I don't eat anywhere near 3000 cals a day and try and stick to around 1200 to 1500- I eat a cooked breakfast of bacon and tomatoes etc most days, sometimes an egg, lunch is tuna or mackerel plus salad items then I have a meat based main meal with veg, or more salad. The Metformin has certainly helped curb my appetite as before I was always snacking- now I might have a 12g portion of cheese or a slice of cooked meat as a snack. If I want something sweet I have strawbs and yogurt with a sprinkle of chocolatey flaxseed on it- occasionally I have 1 sq of 85% chocolate with a coffee. I intend to do this until I have lost a couple more stone then will think about what carbs I want to reintroduce on an infrequent basis as I know that they are just too addictive for me to go back to carbs with every meal or even every day.
I think you have to find what works for you as we are all different. I want the weight off fairly quickly so I am happy to restrict both carbs and calories, but others might want to eat more and lose weight more slowly.
 
You must be burning at least 3000 calories a day somewhere Brunneria (or whatever your fat + protein calories are) to have kept a stable or slowly changing weight?
 
Pipp said:
Oh help,
I really need to try this. I am also thinking that I have to chose between weight loss and BG control. 3000 calories mainly from fat? Is that right?
Click to expand...

3,000 calories??????? The recommended maximum for adults (not athletes or enthusiastic exercisers) is 2,000.

In my opinion, weight loss and lower BS levels go hand in hand. Concentrate on weight loss and your BS levels will drop simultaneously. You need to carb and calorie count. or at least that has worked for me.

I have followed a lowish carb increased fat diet, which is also calorie controlled by portion sizes. I have lost 3 stones more or less and my BS levels according to my meter are steadily dropping to normal levels. I haven't cut out bread or potatoes, just changed my bread to a more suitable one and limited the portions to fit in with my carb and calorie counting. I don't overdo the fat, I don't deliberately daub it on everything, but I don't actively avoid it. I eat about 70g of carbs a day and consumed 1200 calories, now on 1450 as I want to stop losing weight.
 
Brunneria said:
Thanks Everyone.

The amazing thing is that I'm not even trying.

I'm stuffing my face with pork scratchings, Brie, cream in curries, butter on veg...

Am beginning to think that my periodic difficulties staying low carb was because of 2 things:
  • Carbs still too high - enough to trigger cravings (I need very very very low carb to lose weight)
  • Not enough fat to satisfy appetite

I totted up calories (for a laugh) a few days ago.
3,000 - in one day
That is ridiculously high for a 47 yr old, fairly sedentary woman. Absurd.

Yet I am losing. Very slowly, but effortlessly and comfortably, and I'm enjoying my food more too.
Click to expand...

Do what is best for you, and you are definitely going in the right direction, because it's working, WELL DONE :happy:
 
That's excellent news. Of course, you know you're going to have to splurge out on even more, and lower sized, clothes as you continue - so worth it though! Well done.
 
Well done Brunneria! I'm a little jealous....I have my old size 22's ready to wear, but am not brave enough to try them on yet.......maybe tomorrow! And thank you too - I needed a little motivation today. I am so happy to hear your news. x
 
cold ethyl said:
@Pipp I am lo wish carbing but not going mad on fat - mainly eating lean meats and restricting my cheese( otherwise 3000 calories would look like a snack ) and I'm losing weight for the first time in years - my BG levels are better as well and I'm hoping they'll continue to improve. I don't eat anywhere near 3000 cals a day and try and stick to around 1200 to 1500- I eat a cooked breakfast of bacon and tomatoes etc most days, sometimes an egg, lunch is tuna or mackerel plus salad items then I have a meat based main meal with veg, or more salad. The Metformin has certainly helped curb my appetite as before I was always snacking- now I might have a 12g portion of cheese or a slice of cooked meat as a snack. If I want something sweet I have strawbs and yogurt with a sprinkle of chocolatey flaxseed on it- occasionally I have 1 sq of 85% chocolate with a coffee. I intend to do this until I have lost a couple more stone then will think about what carbs I want to reintroduce on an infrequent basis as I know that they are just too addictive for me to go back to carbs with every meal or even every day.
I think you have to find what works for you as we are all different. I want the weight off fairly quickly so I am happy to restrict both carbs and calories, but others might want to eat more and lose weight more slowly.
Click to expand...
Thank you @cold ethyl.

I am just in a muddle right now. I should rejoice at having good b g control, but weight loss well and truly stalled, and recently going the wrong way. Originally lost 42 kg doing Newcastle diet. Have had almost 3 years non-diabetic b g levels. Had 18 months serious illness, 2 major operations and regained some weight. Recently lost around 5 kg on Newcastle, but it is not feasible for me to stay on that indefinitely. Tried LCHF, but not happy with the nausea from cream butter etc. have spent last two weeks 'experimenting' with carb foods and beer etc. to see the effect on b g levels. That was not clever, b g seem ok, but shocking weight gain. Need to think about this as everyone is different, and although I am happy with b g , still need to lose a lot of weight. Maybe a short shock of Newcastle dieting while I think about it.
 
Pipp said:
Thank you @cold ethyl.

I am just in a muddle right now. I should rejoice at having good b g control, but weight loss well and truly stalled, and recently going the wrong way. Originally lost 42 kg doing Newcastle diet. Have had almost 3 years non-diabetic b g levels. Had 18 months serious illness, 2 major operations and regained some weight. Recently lost around 5 kg on Newcastle, but it is not feasible for me to stay on that indefinitely. Tried LCHF, but not happy with the nausea from cream butter etc. have spent last two weeks 'experimenting' with carb foods and beer etc. to see the effect on b g levels. That was not clever, b g seem ok, but shocking weight gain. Need to think about this as everyone is different, and although I am happy with b g , still need to lose a lot of weight. Maybe a short shock of Newcastle dieting while I think about it.
Click to expand...
Yes Pipp I agree we are all different. I feel for you. I seem to be able to have either good BG levels or weightloss - not both. It doesn't make any sense to me. I think you may be right with a short shock of Newcastle diet, just to shift your recently gained weight. It's frustrating that we seem to learn what doesn't work for us as individuals much more quickly than what does work. I suppose I try to vary things a bit, just to keep my metabolism guessing. At the moment it'll be really confused because I went right off the rails for a little while, but hey, I'm back on track now.....and so will you be. x
 
zand said:
Yes Pipp I agree we are all different. I feel for you. I seem to be able to have either good BG levels or weightloss - not both. It doesn't make any sense to me. I think you may be right with a short shock of Newcastle diet, just to shift your recently gained weight. It's frustrating that we seem to learn what doesn't work for us as individuals much more quickly than what does work. I suppose I try to vary things a bit, just to keep my metabolism guessing. At the moment it'll be really confused because I went right off the rails for a little while, but hey, I'm back on track now.....and so will you be. x
Click to expand...
Thank you, @zand
I think we must be related. Haha. Sorry I am not making light of your situation, but we often seem to mirror each other. But, that is not such a bad thing, if you are on track then I must be too.
 
I think the 3,000 calories was an excessively splurgy day - I'm definitely not doing that every day!

But then neither am I under 2,000 cal...

Probably a fluctuating fig between the two.

Also worth noting that I'm not trying to lose weight! This has happened over several months, without me even being consciously aware. I would guess at 0.5-1 pound a week. Probably less.

But I can definitely say that the weight loss never happened when I was counting cals and controlling fat.
Or when I was low carbing and controlling fat.

It only seems to happen in ketosis - and when I'm in ketosis, eating fat doesn't seem to make me put on weight, so I either stay stable, or lose a tiny, tiny, tiny amount.

But it seems as though all those tinys are sloooowwwwllllyyyyy adding up.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Brunneria said:
I think the 3,000 calories was an excessively splurgy day - I'm definitely not doing that every day!

But then neither am I under 2,000 cal...

Probably a fluctuating fig between the two.

Also worth noting that I'm not trying to lose weight! This has happened over several months, without me even being consciously aware. I would guess at 0.5-1 pound a week. Probably less.

But I can definitely say that the weight loss never happened when I was counting cals and controlling fat.
Or when I was low carbing and controlling fat.

It only seems to happen in ketosis - and when I'm in ketosis, eating fat doesn't seem to make me put on weight, so I either stay stable, or lose a tiny, tiny, tiny amount.

But it seems as though all those tinys are sloooowwwwllllyyyyy adding up.
Click to expand...
Well done to you, @Brunneria . Sorry for planting my whinge in the middle of your good news. Guess I should be satisfied with the good b g levels. Weight loss would be a bonus. Maybe I have been selfish as I used to be a lot heavier than now. So, I make my public pledge to give over whining and get on with the job.
Support from forum members is priceless, so I agree with @Brunneria You are ALL bloomin' marvellous.
 
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