Hi, bit of background. Need to lose lots of weight , have tried and failed numerous diets and starting on this. 4 days in, doing OK . Not too worried about 800 calories at the moment as previously was eating far too much sugary items and carbs so trying to get used to this first. I have high blood pressure and just drifted from pre diabetic to diabetic so this has made me take stock and start this. I have to do this successfully.
I just wanted to check what I’m eating is all ok as am awaiting delivery of the book.
So ..
B…fesh fruits and zero fat yogurt
Mid morning…coffee with coffee mate
L…omelette, mushrooms, runner beans or salad etc. Or boiled eggs and one slice low carb bread
D.. steak or fish or chicken breasts with veg and mushrooms
I’m finding I’m a bit hungry at times which is to be expected. Not eating at all between meals and ending eating by 6pm and not eating till 9 next morning.
I’m finding my way and it’s hard considering what I used to eat. I’m rather ashamed of what I’ve become, I csnt do much exercise due to bad back and gave up smoking three years ago and am in the menopause so all these things have mad me put on so much weight. Also under active thyroid which is now managed.
Sorry for going on.
Lucy x
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Hi Lucy, welcome to the site. There is no need to be ashamed, what good is that going to do you. Why do we beat ourselves up so much.
I see you have a lot of weight to lose but reading on and seeing you have just dropped into diabetes I think you need to concentrate on that. Losing weight will help with your diabetes of course but it is getting rid of the white carbs that can do most good.
Looking at what you are eating and you know it is so much less than before, you seem to be on the right track. I would be interested to know what medications you are on, it can be important in giving advice without interferring with your treatment.You are also doing Time Restricted Eating (TRE) by not eating between 6pm and 9am so your body gets a rest from food and it has a chance to start adpating to fat burning.
I think you will do very well on this diet. Try to make sure you drink plenty of water and also have something you can nibble on if the hunger gets to you like a slice of roast chicken, some ham, a boiled egg – something around 50 to 70 calories. Not to be eaten every day but there just in case you look around for something. I personally have homemade houmous and carrot sticks, or 4 or 5 olives.
Good luck, we are always here to listen to you and answer any questions.
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Hi thanks for your help. I am not on any meds apart from thyroid meds. Have tried 7 different blood pressure meds and had horrendous side effects so this now has to work. As for diabetes, I have only just drifted into that from being pre diabetic for many years and not heeded the warning. I have ro have another blood test in 2 weeks so haven’t got around to meds etc with that. I need to lose 4 stone.
A couple of questions….can I have brown rice occasionally, like a small amount .maybe once a week. I’m struggling with things to eat at timesbut have so far stuck to it. Can I have hummus or low carb bread? Not only am I giving up carbs but sugar too as I used to eat a lot of rubbish. So it’s all a bit of a shock.
Thanks for taking the time. I’m wondering hiw much weight it’s possible to lose. I’m not counting calories as such at the moment but I should be around 800 I would think
Thanks again -
Glad to be of help Lucy. I am glad you are not on any meds – do you have an understanding doctor who is letting your sort this out yourselfe. Metformin is the first drug of choice but it has been in the press for being worse than useless and only reduces BG by a few points. When I started on this diet I was reading over 200 and within 3 weeks was down to 130. I will always be diabetic as I came to this very late and already on insulin. Lets not see you go down the same route. If you have improved your HbA1c numbers at your next test ask you doctor to let you continue with your diet plan for say 3 or 6 months to see what results you can get. You are taking it seriously now and that is good, I don’t want to frighten you but it is really serious.
You ask about brown rice now and then and a small portion. Maybe we wouldnt see so much diabetes if people ate carbs as an addition to the meal rather than the main event. So, yes maybe once or twice a week and only a small amount raw in the palm of your hand – say 20g or 30g. Make sure it is a good quality brown rice or better still wild rice. Only thing is it takes ages to cook.
One reason we try to rid ourselves of carbs is their addictive quality. They give you a fast high spike which feels good but soon drops down again making you want more, things like brown rice as much more slow burning. I am always so hungry on the days I have a portion of oats for breakfast. I would suggest you watch a YouTube video by The Glucose Goddess on her 10 glucose hacks. She explains what happens and how you can eat carbs but in a different way so it may give you hope that you can have a white carb now and then. You can also print off her list of 10 hacks for free.
It is early days so take it easy and don’t be hard on yourself if you slip up – I do all the time.
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Thanks again. Yes my doctor is great. I have said I’m not doing anymore BP meds and she explained it’s dangerous but I just need to get my weight down and hopefully the diabetes will recede and my BP will lower.
Day 4 today and struggling in honesty.
Just so hungry but maybe I’m not eating enough or enough fats
I’ve had fruit salad for breakfast and cheese, ham and egg salad for lunch.
Are you allowed hummus or bread at all?
I’m glad I can have a small amount of brown rice…
I feel a bit egged out already lol!
What is te average weight loss per week roughly?
Thanks again -
It is good you have an understanding doctor, we hear so many horror stories, being treated like children, being dictated to etc.
That is why I didn’t go straight in with the no bread when you said you have low carb bread. Lets be honest, all bread has too many carbs, low carb and keto is around 19g whereas real bread has around 49g. So at least a bit better. But it is the addictive quality of the carbs that cause problems. I personally eat no obvious carbs, no bread, no rice, no pasta, no potatoes, no breakfast cereal except occasional real oats (25g portion) and then there are the obvious baddies like biscuits and cakes or ready meals, tinned foods etc.
I am assuming you have the BSD book which is geared towards diabetics and is stricter than the Fast 800 or the keto book. Just do your best for now but try to learn to live without carbs over time. Have your heard of cauliflower rice or courgetti spaghetti, it just gives you something to soak up sauces. You can eat pretty much a normal diet if you cook from scratch so you can still have a chicken curry, beef stew or bolognaise but without the carbs. My husband has hardly any health problems but over the years he has stopped eating carbs. He just doesn’t see the point of them
You asked about hummus – and on that subject you can have things like chickpeas, lentils, bulgar wheat, couscous or pearl barley – these are the good carbs but only in small amounts. Back to the hummous – make your own. Here is the recipe using the chickpea water instead of oil. I’ll just go an find it and cut and paste here.
one can (400g) chickpeas or fresh soaked overnight and cooked for 15 mins – plus some of the aqua fava
lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic and 2 tablespoons tahini. Whiz and put into serving dish. For serving use a little olive oil and sprinkle with paprika but you can leave off the oil to save calories but Olive Oil is very good for you.You might want to join us on a thread called Join Us In July One Month At a Time where we have a few newbies and a couple with newly diagnosed diabetes. I am giving them pretty much the same advice.
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Thanks. I’ve just had fresh fish with small amount if brown rice, runner beans and peas.
I’m worse after I eat. I just want to eat more.
I struggle with being hungry. Drinking lots of water.
You have done amazing never eating those things again. Very disciplined.
What about a bit of cheese here and there as a snack? Sorry for all the questions.
Would you say what I’m eating at the moment for b,l and d is good
I’m waiting for book to be delivered. Thanks
What would rhe average weight loss be per week in your experience. Thanks -
How much can you lose, no idea. I personally lost 13lbs in 8 weeks but my starting point was lower, I have lost 23lbs in total now. But I am using insulin which piles on the pounds. At your weight you would almost certainly lose 5 to 7 pounds in the 2 weeks to your appointment. Probably more if you really stick to it.
BTW are you testing your bloods at home.
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No, not testing. No idea what any of my readings have been either. But after my next blood test I will most definitely ask what difference there qas between the 2.
I have a dreadful habit of weighing too often. And I’m fine whilst losing but if I don’t that’s when the sod it emotion comes in and I I go downhill. Trying to weigh only once or twice a week now. -
You will get a number called HbA1c Glycated Haemaglobin (in English sugar in the blood). The range if 5.6 normal, 5.6 to 6.9 is pre-diabetes and 7.0 is diabetes. They can measure on a different scale which is 100 mg/Dl normal, over 100 to 125 mg/Dl pre and over 126 mg/Dl is diabetic. The HbA1c is usuall in the small numbers for some reason. Just ask for your HbA1c and we will know how to interpret it. I personally weight daily but that is so I don’t miss a rise or fall which would affect me food intake or my insulin injection. Things don’t change much daily but if I got out of the habit I might forget (not likely). A daily weight can be false due to a lot of things like urine output, food intake, time of the month, stress levels etc so don’t take it to heart if you don’t seem to lose. Once a week is ideal.
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Cheese is carb free but also high in calories so just a small square. I put 1oz grated into scrambled eggs now and then.
Glad you have jumped onto the other thread (July One Month etc) as I am getting a bit confused between Lucy and Lucia as you are both on the same path and asking similar questions. There will be more people to give their advice than relying on me.
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Hi Lucy, I am also new to the diet and group! Like you I had just slipped into diabetes and had 5 and a half stone to lose. I have shifted 21lb so far.
I am about a month in. I gave up all obvious carbs (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice) about 6 days in, after trying to cut down on them. I found I wanted more after eating a half slice of granary bread and was definitely hungry about an hour later. It took about a week of being extremely strict with myself before I started doing it naturally, but it has become much easier! The books are brilliant with ideas for meals. I have been adapting them somewhat, where there are ingredients I dislike replacing with ones I do. Today I came across a site that will calculate the nutritional values of your recipe if you input the ingredients… “Verywell Fit”. I tried out my adapted ‘Mediterranean’ veg tonight, but I haven’t explored any further.
Good luck! -
Wow that’s amazing Pootle. Really well done. I need to hear things like that it keeps me focused.
I struggle with hunger at the moment. To be honest I prb have nearer five stone to lose but would be happy with 4. It seems massive now but trying to focus day by day. Thanks for replying.
You have lost 21lbs in a month. That’s amazing.
Well done! -
Hi Lucy,
It isn’t easy, but I am finding the challenge ‘stimulating’. I am having my version of the fish pie from the 8 week blood sugar diet this evening. I am using Hake and King prawns cooked in semi-skimmed milk, with spinach in the bottom and samphire under the mashed celeriac topping. I tried the recipe analyser and it is 314 calories and 23.9g carbohydrate per portion. However, my husband will eat more than half! 🥴😂 I am going to serve it with a small portion of frozen peas.
I have found that trying to do something (cleaning out a cupboard or even being on the computer looking things up) detracts from the hunger. I also found that the hunger was much less a few days after I gave up the conventional carbs completely. Also drinking sparkling water when the hunger starts to grumble helps.
Keep going…one day at a time! xx -
Hi Lucy,
How has today been for you? I have had a very difficult day! A friend (who I had recently done a favour for) brought me a thank you present. I told her last week that I am now diabetic and cannot have sugar or carbs and am desperately trying to lose weight, so she chose to buy me a box of assorted Scottish shortbread!! 😢Saying she thought I deserve a treat now and then!! 🥴 The box is staring at me from the sideboard…I daren’t put it away…as I know if I see it by surprise, when I open the cupboard door, I won’t be able to resist! I have a friend coming to stay on Friday night and I am desperately hoping I can hold out until she can take it away with her! Shame when people just don’t understand, I know she meant well!Other than that, the fish pie went well…quite tasty…and I made a batch of soup that is 105 cal per portion.
Hope you are finding it less difficult! XXX -
Oh dear Pootle, I know your friend is well meaning but it does you no favours. I would put the box away somewhere it wont surprise you, then give it to your visitor on Friday but ask her not to open them. If it helps you can see the sugar crawling around your blood like nasty little insects and causing all sorts of damage. Getting into your kidneys, your heart, your liver, doing untold damage. When my daughter failed to take my condition seriously and serve me something I couldn’t eat she would always say ‘It won’t kill you mum’ my answer was always no not today but tomorrow. I think it has finally got through to her as she tries her best to make sure I get enough good food but she still doesn’t seem to know what a salad is – especially in winter when I still eat one every day.
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Hi, been an awful day today. I’m just too hungry. I’ve felt sick and like I am going to faint. No energy, nothing. Just literally starving. And really miserable. I had fruit for breakfast and salad for lunch and feel like uts just not enough. Going from what I used to eat to this seems impossible right now. Thought I was going to have to stop the car earlier as I felt so sick and faint. And I weighed rhis morning and have only list 4lbs this week, I feel like I should have lost 4 stone. Sorry for all the negativity 😔, it’s just a rubbish day.
Well done resisting shortbread!! That’s amazing.
Think I woukd rake a bullet for a piece right now.
Again sorry for moaning. X -
Hi Lucy, just rushed to the keyboard to answer you. You are diabetic, make sure you are eating enough. Fruit and a salad don’t sound like much. You might be having a very big drop in BG in which case you should eat something. Prior to finding this diet I would head for the jam and bread or a sweet but now think more like some protien and fat, some meat, chicken, cheese, a yoghurt with 2 or 3 dried prunes chopped in. Always have something to hand in case you have a drop. Please google symptoms of a hypo (you are not quite hypo but could be heading that way). Get to know your own body.
There is another thing called carb flu which is the body withdrawing from carbs which can make you shakey, sweat and feel very weak and sometimes weepy. You will have to know the difference between that which will pass in a few days and a hypo which can happen any time.
Don’t give in, just don’t let yourself collapse.
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Should also have said, if you are having a hypo you should have some emergency glucose – you can buy sachets from the pharmacy – don’t take any risks with your health. I also carry a little pack of Werthers Originals in case I feel woozy when I am out and about. It is what I call a sod the diet moment when you have to act fast. Not trying to frighten you but if you have been a big eater (you said you were) this will be a big shock and you wont have experienced hypos before.
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S-G Well I have managed to resist…and after making up the bed, have moved the box of shortbread to the spare bedroom! I know tomorrow’s visitor will take care of it, she and her daughter will enjoy them!
Your imagery is very graphic… ugh, really makes you stop and think!I am still finding it hard to stop the carbs. Although I have a sweet tooth and always have a dessert after our main meal, I am finding the temptation of a slice of bread with lashings of butter almost more difficult to do without! My mouth is watering at the very thought!
Still, “It is not an option”….so onwards and upwards!
Hope you are ok Lucy? x -
Oh Lucy,
I am so sorry you are having a rubbish time…I believe the advice from S-G is spot on. Maybe you are taking too far too soon. I am trying to have more protein and full fat yoghurt as well. Look after yourself…4lb is good.. it is a start and think of it as the basis for a positive outcome! I missed your post, as I had started my previous one and was called away from the computer…when I returned I just carried on with my original post, and only saw your post after I had pressed submit!Thinking of you…I hope you can stick with it! xxx
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Thanks….I’m sure its just not eating enough so I am going to cook some chicken tonorrow and keep in fridge. If I see another egg ir mushroom I’m going to be really ill! Problem is I’m a very fussy eater. But apart from cod, chicken and beef
I don’t know what else to have. And always have with veg which I’m already sick of . Eggs evey which way hav e been consumed.
Oh I don’t know I think I’m feeling sorry for myself and if I’m honest I was disappointed by 4lbs considering how very little I have eaten.
Thank 😊 you so much for keeping in touch! I’m sure tomorrow I will feel better -
Lucy,
My mother used to say “tomorrow is another day”, and told us not to carry over to tomorrow today’s woes! Much easier said than done…a bit like this diet/way of life.
Have you received the books yet? There really are some great recipes, even if you have to adapt them to fit in with your tastes. I am not exactly a fussy eater, but hate spiced food so much I even intensely dislike too much black pepper grated onto a meal. I also cannot eat most cheeses (They make me sick🤷♀️), so I have had to be inventive in altering the recipes. I am also not keen on a lot salad ingredients 😩!!! BUT I am trying to get used to them!See you tomorrow… 🤞you find that eating a little more will make you feel better!
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Yes, not eating enough. 800 calories is low enough but you should make sure you get at least 800 without any of the carbs. If you are fed up with eggs have you tried overnight oats – soak 30g in water (or milk) in the fridge then add some FULL FAT Greek yoghurt and maybe some berries and/or nuts and seeds. If you are in the UK go to Grape Tree and stock up on Linseed, Pumpkin, Sunflower Seeds and Chia. I have a whole cupboard dedicated to jars of nuts and seeds, nuts – flakes and whole almonds, walnuts, pistachio (not salted).
You will have to get used to having more fats in your diet which is hard to get your head around when we have been told not to eat fat. Good fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel etc (I hate fish). Full fat cheeses and yoghurts rather than ‘low or no’ fat.
Yesterday I had marinated apricots (3) overnight in a tablespoon of olive oil, lime or lemon juice and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Blast in the microwave then leave for 5 mins as they will be burning hot – top with Yoghurt and some flakes almonds. Hope that cuts the eggs down a bit.
Use the recipes and menu plan at the back of the BSD book for more ideas. Buy the BSD cookbook by Dr Mosley’s wife, Clare Bailey for lots more ideas.
Keep on keeping on… and stay safe.
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Hi Lucy,
Just popping on here to say that even though I’m not diabetic, but a reactive hypoglycemic, I could never eat just fruit for breakfast and expect to feel well. I would have a hypo for sure. I need to eat protein and fat with any carbs. Because I’m not on any blood sugar controlling medication, my body does eventually rectify the situation on it’s own, so it’s not as dangerous as for someone who is on medications, but it still drives me to eat more than I would otherwise. I wore a continuous glucose monitor for a month at one point and it was very educational to watch how my body responded to certain foods. I don’t have breakfast much at all anymore as I usually don’t eat before 11am, but when I do, it is often greek yogurt (for the protein) with nuts and/or seeds with just a bit of fruit as a topping. I will also have eggs occasionally, but I know you are sick of them.
S-g has given some good suggestions. There are so many things you can eat with this way of eating and it is helpful to think of it as an adventure and opportunity to try new things, rather than to think of all the things you can’t eat and view it in a restrictive way. That will only set you up to fail. It does take some time to adjust though, so also go easy on yourself during this period and don’t beat yourself up if you are struggling or make mistakes. Consistency is key and you will get there if you keep trying. -
Thanks, I’m not diabetic as such yet, just slipped into it on ladt blood test . 4.8 apparently but having repeated on 23rd.
I don’t just have fruit , I have skyr with it which is high protein, no fat,
But coming from what I used to eat I think this is not agreeing with me at the moment. My doctor has suggested letting a few carbs in initially, maybe once a day as I have a lot of weight to lose and giving up sugar and carbs in one go is too much. Maybe have one slice of low carb bread or a couple of potatoes or small.prortuon brown rice. But only once a day.
Not sure what to do but as I have thyroid issues too she says I have to be a bit careful.
Thanks for all your support
1 week today I started so did my first week weigh and lost 5lbs. Thanks 😊 -
Lucy, that is great, 5lbs is a good loss and shows this is working.
A couple of things worry me, you said you have a yoghurt with no fat. Skyr is a great choice as it is naturally low in fat, just stay away from things that have had the fat taken out – it is replaced by carbs. I get what you were saying that you didn’t just have fruit but do not be afraid of fat, it helps keep you fuller and some of the good stuff like olive oil or avocados are actually good for you.
Your doctor is right that it might be easier if you allow some carbs but maybe educate him about good and bad carbs (I know we never do contradict our doctors). I answered this question for you early on in your post and suggest you use good rice like wild rice but only once or twice a week, not once a day. You need to get rid of the addiction to the bad carbs. But he must know that you are not going NO carbs, unless you live on eggs and meat everything that doesn’t come from an animal has carbohydate in it. An apple has 29g, courgette 3.1g, carrots 10g. So you can see the difference.
Yes, have carbs but not fake bread or brown this or brown that which is really no different. Try having a small portion of lentils or a few chickpeas, celeriac is a good substitute for potato – do not have sweet potato, the truth is in the name.
Have you seen thedietdoctor.com site. He does a visual of what carbs are in what veg and rates them from good to bad. Easy to see. I have it stuck on my fridge door.
We are not having a go here and we are not perfect – I had a massive error of judgement with a baguette yesterday. We want you to succeed. Especially us diabetics who don’t want you to go through what we have to live with day in day out. Eating less carbs is a small price to pay. We are here for you so keep trying, keeping asking questions and keep to the plan as best as you can. Not everyone can go cold turkey.
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The only truly low carb bread I’ve come across in the UK is Livlife which is a seriously seeded bread. It only has 3.4 g of carbs per slice, which is small, much the size of the very small hovis. I does however have 80 cals per slice so not low calorie but it is very satisfying. Biggest problem is that it only seems to be available in one supermarket.
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Thanks, you have been so helpful. The only thing I did yesterday was have one piece of low carb toast wirh my breakfast. Other than that was pretty good. I’m trying my hardest and uts great knowing you are there to answer any questions etc. My husband has hidden the scales at my request so I can only weigh once a week. So I have to wait till next Friday which is my weigh in day. I have to do this so I am trying my hardest, as rhis isn’t just about weight anymore and I do understand the seriousness of the situation. Do you think my reading may all ready be lower when I have blood test a week Tuesday?
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Also I’m becoming concerned regarding my breakfast rhat I have eaten for years. Is this OK for me to eat diabetes / blood sugar wise
Fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, grapes, blueberries ? Say 6 to 7 of each, one kiwi and about 20 blueberries?
With skyr yogurt. Never really thought about it before, but is this the best start to the morning or should I have later in the day?
😊 thanks -
Hi Lucy, how are your feeling today.
When I first saw your post I nearly fainted. I thought you were eating all of those at one meal. If you are having a Skyr yoghurt (100g) that is a good source of protein and by adding 6 to 10 strawberries or raspberries, or yoghurt and 20 blueberries or 1 kiwi you are okay. I would also add a heaped teaspoon of seeds, just one type at a time, chia, pumpkin, sunflower, linseed etc or a tablespoon of flakes almonds to give it some crunch and added fibre for gut health.
Personally I would give grapes a miss but everything is okay. My doctor told me not to eat grapes or cherries early on in my diagnosis and he knows nothing about this diet, just that they are high in sugar. Also the obvious sweet fruits like mango, pawpaw, papaya but you can have pineapple, passionfruit, apricots (3 small) or one peach, pear or apple.
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Gosh I dont know how to say this but yes uts all one meal. A big fruit salad. Thought it was a great way to start the day. It’s about 6 of each fruit, one kiwi and 20 odd blueberries
I don’t know if you read rhe post from me above rhe fruit one but yes I’m OK. All I did yesterday was have one piece of low carb toast with my fruit salad . Other than that was very good There’s more on that post too
Thanks again and let me know if rhat is horrendous breakfast!!!! -
Ok Lucy, I have picked myself up off the floor and looked at this logically. Taking everything in your fruit salad and one yoghurt you are not having a massive amount of calories but you are having around 34g of carbs. I think what you have to consider is the amount of sugar in that breakfast. If you add the bread you are having 43g carbs. You don’t say if you are having anything on the bread?? We tend to aim for around 50g per day you are heading for 50g per meal. Honestly the fruit wont be doing much to fill you up either so you would be better having say 2 or 3 berry selection with the yoghurt and, as I said before, add a few seeds or nuts. When you measure nuts it should be no more than 4 or 5 walnuts, 6 or 7 almonds, a tablespoon of flaked almonds and with the seeds a teaspoon of a couple of them.
I remember you saying you were pre-diabetic but had slipped into diabetes at 48 mmol/mol is diabetic, not just slipped into it. You are diabetic and you need to kick that into touch now.
I dont want you to starve yourself after coming from what I imaging was a really hefty diet so, yes you can take it slowly, but you want your numbers to be down for your next test. As you are now eating better I am sure it will be but that is just the start of the journey. There is your weight to reduce too and that won’t come down to where you want to be in a couple of weeks. 5lb is a good start but next week it might just be 2lbs then 1lb then you will be fed up and quit. If you can get yourself onto around 1200 calories a day (not the 800 it is too low for you at this point) you will be making a good start. Carbs you can reduce to between 50g and 80g to see if that is easier for you. Then you can maybe reduce further as you get used to the new foods.
I know you have told me what you are having for each meal but you don’t mention any quantities, and given the fruit situation it might be a good exercise to log exactly what you eat into an online counter like myfitnesspal.com. Put in what you are eating now and take it from there.
You ask if this should be eaten later in the day. You can have your breakfast whenever you want, don’t go without or skip meals or you will get cravings and hungry. Yes we are a bit hungry on this diet but it soon passes as we get used to. I was hungry last night and had a piece of cheese but my piece of cheese was weighed and was a 1oz square.
We are here for you.
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Thank you for the advice. Can I have that fruit split up through the day or no to that quantity full stop. I mean if I had half in the morn and half after dinner? Sorry I’m so new to ths and my weight needs to drop so for me rhats what ive been having for many a year.
I’m confused as to what I can eat still….I have given up all potatoes, pasta etc and now I can’t have too much fruit so what do I snack on? I can’t surely just eat chicken and beef etc. The only fish I like is cod. I don’t like lentils beans etc so I’m starting to feel overwhelmed. There’s has to be more than eggs and meat. Sorry if I’m sounding a drag. What about salad and veg?
My piece of toast is 5g just with small bit of butter. I used to eat a lot of rubbish which of course I am no longer doing. But is it harmful for me to keep some brown pasta , rice, noodles in my diet.
This is what I’ve had today. B. Fruits as described. L 2 x boiled eggs. D chicken, beef , cheese salad. It’s just not enough really. I’m so sorry to be a pain and I’m so appreciative of your help. 😊 Thanks -
Lucy I feel for you. I know just how difficult it can be to get your head around low carb eating. Please try not to be overwhelmed.
Sunshine-girl has given you some great advice and tips.
If I could just re-iterate a couple…..1. Go to dietdoctor.com and check out the visual guides to foods and drinks. At a glance you will be able to see the high carb foods/drinks which are best avoided at the moment. This really is a brilliant first step.
2. Try weighing all you eat for a day or two and note the number of carbs you are eating. As sunshine-girl says we try to stay around 50g or less. You will be surprised at just how many you are eating. On the positive side just take a look a typical days eating before you started to low carb. You will probably get a real shock so really you are doing well even if you are eating 100-150g a day compared to what you were eating before.
3. Weigh and make notes. I think all of us weighed food religiously when we first started. I even weighed lettuce … sad I know. The thing is it’s only by looking at carbs and portion size that you will get to recognise just what a ‘healthy’ portion of certain foods are.
Try and take it just one step at a time. Try to master low carb eating before concentrating on the number on the scales. Easier said than done I know but I can promise you that once you get your head around the number of carbs in foods it will all fall into place. Then you can control your portions, ditch foods that aren’t really doing you any favours and you will lose weight. I think weighing out all the foods you eat at first is the best way to go.
Good luck. You can do it!
No point throwing yourself in the pool and hoping to swim if you’ve never had a lesson. This way of eating is similar. Try to get your head around carbs first!
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Thanks, I think i am being a bit too hard on myself. I think I am going to take advantage of seeing the nutritionist at my surgery.
I am embarrassed to say what I used to eat hence rhe situation I find myself in…along with ither contributory factors such as undercarive thyroid, giving up smoking 3 years ago and eating more for sure doing that and from then on. Having a bad back and not being able to exercise much.
But typically it would involve a lot of packets of crisps, bars of chocolate,cakes etc on top of eating 3 good meals a day. And lots and lots of toast! Terrible isn’t it?
So to be doing what I am doing now, for me, is amazing. Basically fruit for breakfast, eggs for lunch and salad for tea….never thought I was capable of it. I always give up on diets as hunger gets me. Whilst this is an issue to some extent at the moment it is not overwhelming .
I have to keep going….and turn this all around
Also I am fasting from 6pm to approx 9am
Thanks again for your time -
Oh Lucy, I had written a comprehensive reply.. went to edit one word and lost the lot! 😢
So a much shorter version below!
Just to say you are not alone, I have been bingeing on doughnuts, biscuits, cake , crisps etc and most of all chocolate…I have been weighing my food portions and checking the Carb and calorie content…It takes more time, but Io think it is well worth it.
I am also keeping a diary of what I am eating, what the carbs and calories are and also what my activities have been etc. Writing it up in my risk time for snacking!!
I have hated cauliflower since childhood, but found microwavable cauliflower rice on Amazon as it is not available locally. I used it tonight and my husband didn’t know it wasn’t rice…and even I looked it.
I hope the nutritionist can help you.. thinking of you with 🤞. xxx
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Thsnk you. I haven’t touched any of the rubbish since starting this diet. So I am quite amazed. That’s just typically what I used to eat. So I guess what I’m saying is the steps I have made are so good that i can maybe afford myself a bit of slack.
It’s going to be hard rhis morning, I meet my son round my parents (my dad has alzheimers, more stress!) and my mum always makes us a bit of breakfast . Tea and toast! Yikes, heaven help me to resist 😬
Thanks again for the support. -
Hi Lucy, sorry if I have put you off but I am not in your shoes and cannot imagine what you are going through. I was just making suggestions but also gave you leeway by saying you could add say seeds to your fruit and cut the fruit down a bit. Judging from what you say your new diet is such a big change that you are pleased with it. Yet you were really disappointed at only losing 5lbs. ONLY 5lbs, hell girl that is a great loss. I wouldn’t want you to go back to your old ways and finding your way through this new diet is your journey but you did keep asking.
I am coming from a different starting point. One, I was only about 2.5 stone overweight but my BG was off the scale and I was crying every night when I had to inject myself and crying every morning when I saw my BG was still through the roof. Crying when my doctor was tut tutting at me and saying I would never ‘get it’, Then I found this diet and I stuck to it 100% for 8 weeks. No bad carbs, 800 calories per day even on hungry days. Even when on my first day we had a big celebration and hubby opened a bottle of champagne (wine is my weakness) and I refused. So my motivation was totally different from yours.
As I have said before and above. This is your journey, anything anyone else says is just trying to help
Pootle is on a similar journey to you so you two should pair up and support each other and I will let you carry on as you are as you are already doing so well. Please don’t give up, yes see the nutritionist but you might find the advice is counter productive as most of us here have already discovered. Pootle is your best source of help and advice.
Good luck.
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Sunshine girl. Thank you so much for the time erc, you have been so helpful and informative, I really appreciate it. Yes 5lbs is food, its not going to be a quick thing when I have so much to lose . I’m finding my way through it all and doing my very best. Time will tell. And many congrats on what you have achieved. Xx
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just don’t give up. I don’t want you to follow in my shoes
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Hello again Lucy, Sunshine-Girl and Verano
I am still struggling not to binge on chocolate, particularly after a meal! ( I am having a 3g square of 85% Green and Blacks dark chocolate at night, during my real craving time). Also as an ex-smoker, I am craving a cigarette despite having given up some time ago!!
I am lucky that I have always cooked 99% of our meals from scratch, so am used to adapting recipes and working out what works for me taste wise. What I am finding difficult is eating completely different things, and maintaining a balanced diet without the obvious carbs, (Pasta, rice, potato and bread) but I have only had 1/2 slice of granary bread since starting the BSD on the 16th June. I am still eating bananas occasionally…not good I know, but I am finding it extremely difficult to ditch them and I think the goodies they have are worth it!
I had a lot of trouble at the beginning and am still not finding it easy, but I am so delighted with my weigh in this morning…..13st 10lb.Yaaayyy!! This shows that being strict with myself is paying off!!
I don’t know if it will help you Lucy but I will tell you what I ate yesterday;
Breakfast 8.00am: 1x black coffee and one small banana. (100cal. 25g carb.) Sparkling water.
11s; 1x black coffee.
Lunch 1pm: 1x boiled egg with long green broccoli dippers. (116cal. 2.5g carb). Sparkling water.
100g full fat greek style bio- yoghurt ( 90cal. 7.9g carb) with 3 blueberries, 1 strawberry and 1 raspberry (not sure of cal but educated guess at 5g carb)
3.pm; Black tea.
Supper 6pm: “hake on a stick” My recipe for a type of kebab. 4 cubes of hake (you could use cod) each wrapped in a rasher of smoked bacon, on a kebab stick. Served with a little lemon mayonnaise, cauliflower rice and 50g frozen peas. (510cal. 9.5g carb) Sparkling water. black coffee.9pm; 3g 85% dark chocolate. (36cal. 1.4g carb.) Sparkling water.
Total Cal= 852 (I know this is over the allowance, but on Friday I was under by 65!)
Total Carb= 51g (again a little over the 50g mark but on Friday I was at 45g)When I get hungry, I try to do something to distract myself.
Each pound I can lose is a pound less I have to carry round with me, and a step towards reversing the diabetes!
That is how I am thinking of it!I know you are seeing the nutritionist…and I really hope that he/she is helpful. 🤞The Diabetes nurse that I saw was definitely not on the ball with the low carb approach!!!!!!! But I had tried to reverse a pre -diabetes diagnosis in 2016 using salads with bread, soup with bread, breakfast cereals, low fat etc, all the things they recommend. I lost weight but didn’t get out of being pre-diabetic! 😩 Then in 2020 it all went to pot and this year I put on over a stone in 4 months eating all the wrong things as I said above.
I know 2 messages have come in whilst I have been typing this, but didn’t want to lose the message, so I hope it is still relevant!
Keeping going!!
XXXX -
Lucy,
I also wanted to tell you I fully understand how much more difficult it is when dealing with stress. My weight really started to balloon when we were looking after my mother-in-law (she lived 100 yards away) who developed Alzheimers and I was on constant call, thus tenterhooks, worrying about what she would do next. At the same time, my mother developed vascular dementia. She lived 4 miles away, but my father was able to look after her mostly. I took to comfort eating in a big way, and think I am now paying the price!
I think the only thing I can say to you is; in all the worry and stress, try not to lose sight of “you” and your needs. You are important and sometimes you need to put yourself first!
And 5lb is excellent!!
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Hi Pootle, thanks for your reply. That’s so weird, I too am craving a smoke! My husband still has a few a day but I won’t go back to it. Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish if it’s food or a cigarette you want. And I gave up 3 years ago!!
How much weight have you lost over what period of time? You have been so good, well done. I went to my parents and didn’t have toast! Been doing rhat for years. Stress is a major player especially as I no longer have the crux of a cigarette….its become food over rhe last 3 years.
I am finding it very tough and struggle with what to eat but hey I’m still doing it. I do have the occasional slice of very low carb bread , no more rhan once a day. Sometimes not at all. We are having a bbq this evening before rhe football. And I have chicken breast on the bbq instead and a low fat burger. Also a couple of drinks will be nice . But shorts with coke zero. Looking forward to next Friday for weigh in, can’t weigh before as I asked hubby to hide the scales.
It’s all not easy but I’m doing my very best. X -
Wow Lucy, we have so many similarities!!! I know exactly what you mean about cigarettes being a prop when stressed, and that changing to food when you stop smoking! I stopped about 12 months ago…my husband changed to a vape 8 years ago…and I tried that, but just couldn’t get on with it! Then 12 months ago, I suddenly thought ‘what are these doing to me?’ and decided to stop. I haven’t had one since although I still have a packet in the car…will probably be really stale now! 😆.
I think that is the most difficult thing I have ever done. The willpower was in overdrive and I kept say it wasn’t an option to have another! So well done you for keeping it up for 3 years…I think I am still in probation mode!In February I started a nasty cough…not really bad but a nuisance! The GP gave me antibiotics and seeing I was an ex-smoker sent me to the breathing/chest specialist nurse. She diagnosed COPD and I was prescribed an inhaler…..I got worse and worse….saw 5 different GPs, changed inhaler once and ended up unable to climb 2 steps without the pain. tightness and heaviness in my chest overcoming me! Couldn’t do anything, or exercise, but could eat….doughnuts, biscuits, cake, chocolate etc etc. Put on over a stone in 4 months!! I was unable to sleep lying down and eventually paid to see a consultant. It was a mis-diagnosis. I have asthma. Change of inhaler and the difference is unbelievable.
BUT on the 10th June the GP told me my bloods had come back as diabetic (49). So I started dieting, at that point I weighed 15stone 6lb.
I bought the Michael Mosley book and his wife’s recipe books (Dr Clare Bailey) and started the BSD on Sun 16th June. I have been extremely strict since then! I think the first weight loss was probably water retention. So in one month of really watching the calories and carbs I have lost 24lb.
I think if you can give up smoking…such a pervasive addiction…you can do anything!
Chicken on a BBQ sounds perfect…just avoid the burger bun!Was your Mum supportive when you refused the toast this morning? I hope so…maybe suggest something she can do quickly for your breakfast instead…I will put my thinking cap on!
Take care…xxx
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Wow that’s an amazing loss. Well done. And well done on the smoking too. It’s so hard. I had so many failed attempts to give up and vowed I wouldn’t swap one habit for another so always refused to use a vape. But in the end I did, went down through the strengths and then stopped. Found it OK in the end. That’s what vapes should be used for!
You have done so well sticking to the diet etc. I’m doing my best which is a couple of added items like occasional low carb bread. But I’ve been good apart from that it’s hard though. Always been a big eater even when I was thin. Have had a lot of stress in my life over several years and eating has bee my relaxant, presumably instead of nipping out side for a smoke! Have tried evey diet and failed every one but being told I’m in diabetic range really leaves me no choice.
Have asked hubby to hide the scales as I beat myself up too mich as I keep weighing. So next weigh in will be Friday, watch this space!
Glad rhey sorted your cough out etc.
You sound like you have iron will power! Good on you. Are you having another blood test to see what’s happening. Have you reversed yours etc?
X -
Ps yes my mum is full supportive.
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Pps also in the menopuse which doesn’t help either!
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Hi Lucy, how are you doing?
I have been away for a ‘celebration’, and was extremely concerned that I would be unable to check what I was eating! As it was, the meal I had ordered about 2 months ago was not too bad for calories and carbs (I think 🤞) especially as I left the new potatoes on the plate!! I did avoid the dessert…(unheard of for me to say no to ‘pud’) but I did succumb to 4 chocolates’😩!!! I was extremely pleased with myself, to have slipped so little 😂…. I have also crossed the 28lb barrier! It has been tough, but when I see my weight..(whether it has gone up, down or stayed the same) it spurs me on. I am afraid I have to weigh every day, otherwise I start to think “Well one won’t matter…I can put it right tomorrow” (and never do…the slippery slope!) I just wish I could tell whether I am having an effect on my diabetes! That is very difficult, not knowing whether I am achieving anything. But I have to trust that I am as they will not retest my BS until September!
I came out the other side of the menopause a few years ago, but do still, very occasionally, get a symptom again! It must be very hard for you. I smoked and ate my way through it!
I hope your weigh in today went well for you and you have been able to stick to the diet.
My husband is supportive, and will eat the same as me, but I make sure he has a bigger portion and granary bread or something as well! I made the celeriac chips from the book on Tuesday..wow, they were delicious! The hardest thing with those was portion control!
I have a good appetite, and have reduced plate sizes to try to curb my intake as well as weighing and measuring!
xxx
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That sounds like you did really well. And two stone down , amazing.
My weigh in didnt go too well. Was gutted I only lost a pound. Was pretty distraught if I’m honest. But I have decided to change things round. I think I am eating too much fruit for breakfast, the carbs add up. I have a fruit salad as told earlier up the thread and despite cutting it down it obviously hadn’t helped. So I think I’m going to have eggs for breakfast and leave my fruit and yogurt for tiny snack moments. In small amounts. Feeling a bit down because of the rubbish weight loss and waiting a week for it was such an anti climax . Onwards and upwards!
Well done to you!