Becky I think that's a really good way to lose weight - the slower you lose it the more likely it is to stay off. Keep going, you are doing fantastically well. 9Kg is approximately 19lbs (I think) so if you think of it like pounds of butter, it's a lot!

well, i am so greatfull for all the information, my part is:
my thyroid doesnt function what so ever, after they radiate too high. so i became a very big since then, even that i followed to the letter some diets it didnt help what so ever. now i follow gluten free and sugar free diet, as well i separate proteins, and if i want to have a little sin i eat 2 dry fruits (i read that it doesnt contain any sugar added). that is that only way that helps me. i lost 9 kg (within 6 months, i know it is far too little, but according to my health status, i am very very happy that the weight scale goes to the right direction!!) it makes me smile and feel a little bit better so i am very thankful and that is why i share it with you guys, have an healthy winter and enjoy quilting

I've always been 'allergic' to mornings too But I have the dubious honour of not having a 24 hour body clock - I actually naturally run to a 26 hour cycle Usually I can 're-set' it every morning (unless I am unwell), but it is still a struggle, as I always want to stay in bed for another couple of hours. It was my mother who noticed this about me when I was a baby, and she reminded me about it when Izzy came along, in case she wasn't a 24 hour body clock either ( actually she appears to be - and a 'morning person' too )

Sounds like you have a great plan, Lotti, and good advice along with good advisors too! Glad you got over the joint pain, for sure it would be a hindrance to quilting comfortably.

Never knew or considered about two proteins at the same time. So, that standard breakfast of bacon or ham and eggs isn't good, according to your information.

I get energy at the end part of the day also, but the beginning of the day is slow motion.

My dietitian is a professor at the Zurich University Hospital - he spends about half the year telling people like me how to eat more healthily and get a grip on our addictions - the other part of the year he spends as a volunteer in africa - trying to get the poor starving babies and their families back on track.
i didn´t mind paying the expensive bills so much because i know that with that money people who really need it will get some proper care.
a bit of a roundabout way of donating to the needy - but it works for me

in addition i got my physician´s assistance to do the metabolic balance tests last year - after years of pain in the joints where i had trouble writing and sometimes could barely walk i tried just about everything - the two best things i found is a "witchdoctor" - my energy guy who fixed the energy flow and managed to clear my system of residue from years of taking chemicals to get my overactive thyroids straightened out - combined with metabolic balance based diet where i had detailed blood tests and the diet plan was worked out from those - along with trial & error of testing additional foods.

i´ve been on the scuzzy tablets for my thyroid again for just over a year now and will have to continue at least until june/july - but with periodic visits to the energy guy and watching what i eat and how i combine my foods - it´s all under control.

it´s so much easier for me since i semi-understand the basic theory behind insulin and how it will make the body react to foods. of course i cheat all the time and have an awful lot of trouble in not mixing my proteins - apparently the body gets confused if it receives different types of proteins at one go and has trouble converting them into energy - so - breakfast today: 2 eggs, tomato and an apple for desert, breakfast tomorrow: bacon, carrots (or some other veg - but since carrots need fat for the body to be able to convert the vitamins for use - this is a goodish combo), and a kiwi for desert ....

my favorite breakfast: a handful of almonds (soaked in a little water overnight) - roughly chop - 1 large carrot - finely grated - 1 apple grated - 1-3 tbsp walnut oil - eat two almonds while you chop the rest - then mix all together and enjoy (i´m supposed to eat 3 tbsp walnut or rapeseed oil every day - the amount in my breakfast muesli depends on how much fat i will be eating the rest of the day)

oh no - almost one am again - yup overactive thyroid - way too much energy about - unfortunately generally at the wrong times

thank you all for all the information! success to every body

Lotti, Your advice was great. Thanks and congratulations, yourself, on staying with that process and being advised you are ready for the next step. That is a very important accomplishment.

Lotti, your piece makes the most sense that I have yet heard outside the Harcombe forum. Actually the bit about taking it in 3 month steps is brilliant, we cannot change the eating habits of a lifetime overnight, but we can do it bit by bit. Any chance we could clone your wonderfully sensible dietician & physician to spread the word on how to get to eating healthily?

I had realised that my gain was most probably water, and haven't been too upset about it, just peeved. And I do have a food diary, I just need to actually get on & write in it for it to be of benefit to me.

but you'd have nice strong broken bones.

Thank you for sharing Lotti I agree Beverly we can support eachother on here.

good one terrie, but as with so many other things, jumping down a flight of stairs has a different effect on young bones, muscles and tendons than on our more mature ones... at my age i certainly wouldn´t want to compete with your grandson

Lotti, great inspiration and very sensible. I believe this forum is going to help a lot of us get where we want to go.

Lotti - great rant.

Talk to my grandson, though, about jumping down a flight of stairs! LOL!

actually the "heap" of pounds you add on from one or two individual meals/events is generally just water retention. if i remember correctly what my dietician told me: 1 gram of carbs holds 10 grams of water...
i might be off on the exact figure - but it´s definitely similar to this.

munch a pizza and the next day you´re bound to be a couple of pound heavier - you can probably also feel it in your fingers as they become slightly swollen with the water - in my case i can generally tell within half a day even and hands & feet become quite painful (if i keep the carb-intake up - i can add knees, ellbows, and generally all joints to that - there is a reason why i´m supposed to cut most of the carbs out of my diet).

carbs are not just bread, pasta, etc. they´re in all sugars & all alcohol.

it´s important to remember that most of us react differently to different items - so try out - keep a diary - make a note of what feels good (not just while you´re eating/drinkin it - but also a day or more likely two days later) - and act accordingly.

i´m fine with potatoes - should stay totally away from wheat - rye i ok - corn so so... chocolate - better not - most fruit great - pasta (even wheat pasta) ok if al-dente - absolute no-no if well cooked...
the best way to find out what works is to start with a few basics - eat only those - if they are fine, add individual items one at a time and wait a day or two to see how your body reacts - then add other items - also individually.

i have also found that starting the meal with protein helps - i.e. the first 2 - 3 bites should be protein - eat slowly - the body then realizes there is something good coming that it can use and starts processing it so when the other stuff is added, it also gets processed (used). if you start with carbs - the system says - oh yeah sugars - and immediately produces insulin which causes the body to store the food instead of turning it into ready energy.

another important factor is: wait 5 hours between meals - i.e. full meal of protein - some carbs - veg followed by fresh fruit (sugars always last so the processing is in full working order when they enter the system) - these should be within half an hour to 45 minutes - then absolutely no food (or juice or othe sugars) for 5 hours - so that the body has time to really use up what it has received and hopefully also some of the stuff stored in the fat cells. the moment you add some food or sugars between meals, the body again produces insulin which starts the storage process again (turning calories into fat deposits instead of energy). the time between food during the night (your rest period), should be 8 to 10 hours - the longer this is the more stored energy is being used.

a bit long winded - and probably not all correct the way i explained - but this is what i got out of the stuff my dietician and my physician have tought me - and itßs helped me loose quite a bit of weight in the first part of this year - i´ve had to hold that weight steady and am ready for the next step to loose. according to my dietician, if you go to much too quickly it´s just taking on momentum to make it up the hill again... work at loosing weight for 3 months or so - then amend your eating habits so you stay steady at this weight - when you donßt really have to work too hard at keeping it steady, you´re ready for the next loosing session. when you want to go downstairs, you don´t jump to the next landing (or out the window), but take one step at a time.

the idea is to change our eating habits so that they become our way of life - if we think we´re having to forego stuff all the time - we´ll never be able to stick to it - or will probably become unbearable grumps.

every ounce helps - as lorchen said - the idea is not to become a stick insect - but to become healthier and get more energy to do the things that are important for us. and if you had an great meal - fell off the wagon so to speak - don´t waste time worrying about it - but enjoy the good time you had and check yourself a bit more during the next couple of days.

and on that note - good night - time to sleep off some of those reserves

Well the nattering went on until 2am...