Happygirl, try having eggs for breakfast or Greek yoghurt you will find that it’s very satisfying and you won’t get the cravings that toast will inevitably result in. I have found the less carbs I eat the less hungry I am.

Thanks for that Gardengreen.
I am trying to wean myself off carbs slowly as I know that if if I were to cut them out completely, this diet wouldn’t last a day.
Have you read the book The Chimp Paradox? It says we all have an inner chimp that always tries to sabotages our good intentions , especially when it comes to food.So I have befriended my inner chimp and throw him a piece of toast made from homemade bread, in order to placate it. It’s one of my survival tactics.

I am aware that I sound like a complete nutcase as I write this!!!

Nevertheless, thank you for your sound advice and if you ever see a tall mad looking Irish woman beating herself with a banana – run away as far and as fast as you can😉

Cheers

for anyone that’s just started and is thinking about buying a spiralizer, I was in a branch of Morrisons today, and spotted that they had the Salter one on special offer for £12.
It’s larger than the one I bought a while ago, but I used one at a cookery class this morning and it worked really well.

*****Reposting this from another thread (that’s not as active as this one) so I can join in here too!*****

Hello all!
I am re-starting the diet today. I made it four weeks before I was sidelined with unrelated health issues.

I did my prep yesterday and laid out all my food for the work week. Mon-Fri will basically look like this:

Breakfast – Two Eggs, Cottage Cheese

Lunch – Home made Chili, Laughing Cow Cheese (2)

Dinner – Cauliflower, Hummus, hard-boiled egg

I have major food allergies (nuts, most raw fruit/veg), so you won’t see much of that in my menu.

I’ve listed my goals and rewards in my profile if you’d like to check them out.

Have a great day!
Cheers.
Deb

Hi CallMeDeb … you have some extra challenges there!! Good luck 🙂

ah HappyGirl … we should get our inner chimps together …. and send them off to play by themselves!! 🙂

HAPPYGIRL I ve had the Chimp Paradox on my bookshelves for two years at least!
I’ ll give it a go now you’ve mentioned it x i DID start it! My chimp is a close friend of the Carb Monster who went off in a huff when i stopped craving carbs!😛😛😛 x

Only one chimp each?

had a small portion of a pasta dish – first pasta in 2 months – and it was tasteless… the kind of thing I would eat as a regular quick cook before.

Tonight came in feeling peckish, there were crisps in the house and I craved….. some yoghurt !!!

Hi all. I have started the BSD and would love to join your group. I have read the book and would love the support. I am from the Gold Coast Australia. I am 56 years old and was diagnosed with diabetes two, three years ago. I have 24 kg to loose and hope this will kick start be and even turn my diabetes around. Good luck everyone 😬

We should send our chimps on play dates… Far. Far. Away.

So i’ve been thinking about what I learned the first time around on the BSD and thought I might share what I think are my best hints. YMMV.

1. You’re going to mess up. You’re human. It will be okay as long as you don’t let it defeat you in the long run. Every minute is an opportunity for a fresh start. You are worth going on this journey – never forget that.

2. Reward yourself with non-food items when you reach a milestone (see my profile for mine as examples).

3. DRINK WATER. It helps with the carb cravings and it fills you up.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The people on this forum are amazing human beings, I learn from them every day.

Happy Journey!
Deb

Hi PurpleDragonLady 🙂

Great hints CallMeDeb!

Seems like i re-start every day!!

I am going to try new foods …. or old ones. My aunt used to put a small anchovy on plain sliced boiled egg …. that should spice up a plain dish.
If my avocado has become a bit squishy i mush it up with some high carb but delicious salad dressing to make the dressing go further.
I’m going to try some new foods!

Good Morning PurpleDragonLady & All
Glad so see someone else in Aus. I will have someone around to chat to while our UK friends are sleeping.
The coq au vin recipe from the book was delicious, and what a revelation cauliflower mash is, sound awful but taste ok.
Making lentil soup for dinner.

Hi all,

Hope Day 3 went well for you. I don’t want to speak too soon but today I felt far more energetic than the previous two days. Maybe my body is getting used to surviving on fewer calories? I swear I even felt slightly “high” at one point!

Today, I just did two 400cal meals. I am not doing snacks since I would rather have two or three bigger meals…well, as big as it get gets on 800 cals! Also, I read that topping up your body with regular snacks stops it going in to fat burning mode effectively.
Meal 1 was scrambled eggs, salmon, mushrooms and tomatoes with pine nuts and feta. Meal two was tuna steak with lots of veg and cauliflower rice.

I have had a sneaky look at the scales and seem to have dropped a few pounds already. This has really motivated me. I had a reality check this morning when I worked out that my BMI is 29.8 so almost obese category. I was shocked. As a tall person, I don’t think I look massive but I clearly have lots of visceral fat that needs to go.

I am determined to do this!

Onwards to Day 4…almost halfway through our first week.

I started when BMI was in the obese – I am tall too, so more places to hide it all, without looking drastically out of proportion , so was in denial about how many stones need to loose to be healthy.

keep at it – should be heading away from carb flu etc towards all the benefits to come.

Jodes82 thank you for the video link to MM on Australian TV it was most informative & my husband & I found the programme very useful. Hearing Professor Taylor explaining his research will certainly help our motivation to keep going in the next eight weeks.

Today was my first day. I am from the USA. Did well today, but it is now evening, which is the hardest time for me, the time I usually eat despite not being hungry. So far I have kept myself from the nightly binge. Hoping it gets easier with time. Had a total of 770 calories, and 47 carbs for the day. Need to do better on the carbs, but much better than I used to do!

Renazee, it gets easier. I won’t lie, the first day was bad and the second day was worse. But for me by the middle of the third day it was getting easier (I’m currently on day 7). If you’re someone who has trouble getting to sleep without eating something, and I’m one of them, it can help to try and keep a limited number of calories available for a planned snack. If you need it, you can eat it without feeling like you’re messing up. I know the ideal is not to eat before bed, but better to plan for it than to snack on just anything you can find in the kitchen. Good luck!

Hi guys. I started Monday week ago. My fasting sugar was regularly 9.9 with metformin. 9 days in and it’s gone down to 6.6. Yayyyyy. I am already thin 54kg so weight loss in general is not so important. The first few days I was hungry but now not so much. Good luck everyone.

Day 1 went ok:
Breakfast -eggs
Lunch – chicken salad with cashews
Dinner – chicken with steamed veg, basmati rice and feta
It was a busy day so I didn’t have much time to think about food but usually I’d grab unhealthy snacks all day so I’m feeling pleased that I didn’t fail on day 1. Also drank lots of water and paid for that by disturbing 3 times during the night! Hubby not too impressed with that. I’m hoping the book will arrive soon. Thank you Jodes82 for the link to MM in Australia, very interesting and motivating. I didn’t realise type 2 diabetes was such a time bomb worldwide, quite enlightening. So here goes day 2 …. Small steps!!

Hmmm self sabotage has already kicked in!

Ate sandwiches at work yesterday during lunch meeting – despite having butternut squash and carrot soup with me!

Also had a cereal bar – which is carb heavy

And then had my chicken and veg for dinner- followed by a yoghurt and loads of biccies at 2am!! Great start 🙁

I need to read then book properly and get my head round it rather than trying to make things up – so will read the book over the next 2 nights and work it properly.

Having chicken and veg again tonight, brekkie will be scrambled egg and mushroom and can either have leftover chicken and veg for lunch or that soup still in the fridge.

Will also go to swimming tonight – starts late night so kids will be sorted by that time = no excuses!!

Any tips on not sabotaging myself?

not brilliant, best to avoid altogether, but lighter carb snack bars that I like include Nakd (esp the cherry bakewell), and Kind – with real very good chocolate. But I am still not great at having them in the cupboard and not eating them 🙂
Try measuring nuts into small portions and having with you instead of an energy bar.

Lunch meetings – is it an option to let everyone know that you’re on a low carb diet, and have a BSD friendly salad arranged when you’re in a lunch meeting?

Chuck the biscuits (if there’s any left!) – don’t buy any more
try having a drink rather than giving in to the cravings – and once you get into BSD, the cravings for sweet & carby stuff will lessen

I’m having difficulty finding out an accurate carbohydrate listing per 100grs & although I am rereading the BSDiet book I’m not sure how many carb grams we are supposed to be eating with 800 calories a day? Having eaten avocado yesterday I was trying to find out how many carbs are in a large avocado. They are one of my favourite foods & I have three more in the fridge!
We are embarking on day two so hoping it will be OK because we have never had two “fast” days together before.
Good luck everyone on their second day.

Hi Wendy 1947

Advacardo has 9 g of carbohydrate per 100 gram according to my information source hope that helps
Good luck with the day
Cathy

Hello Emily and all of the 1 October starters, I don’t have a huge amount to lose, but it would be heaven to be a stone less, but I have dieted and lost and found the same 14 lbs over and over again, since I was nineteen!!!! NOt good, but now I am older (67) it gets harder and harder to lose a pound let alone a stone, I have thyroid problems which don’t help either – but I have stuck with the diet since 1 October and feel really motivated that so many of us are doing this together, with all of its ups and downs and I don’t want to let anyone down so that way my conscience has stopped me drinking wine (despite a family BBQ ) and eating away from the confines of the diet. ITs easy to follow and the food is good I went out for a mammoth shop today to make sure I had the foods on the menu plan so fingers crossed on SAturday when we post our weight ( if peeps want to) I will be happy to have lost anything, though more would be better than less! Food today, no breakfast, ploughmans – no carb for lunch and one sausage and cauliflower mash for dinner, with tea etc just over 800, good luck to everyone X

Hi everyone,
I think we should all give ourselves a big pat on the back for realising we want to improve ourselves and for being here.
I started the diet yesterday with my Husband – who I don’t think really believes me – but I think will change his mind once he starts seeing the results – as long as he is honest with himself and me!
Yes I’m hungry – but I keep telling myself that’s a good thing – my body is using the food I give it.
I think using the books and being organised is the key – and reading the great posts on here to keep us going.
Best of luck everyone – we can all do this!!!

Day 5 and so far feeling good, coping with the hunger as I know it will pass so I try and ‘surf the urge” to eat between meals’
I am loving the recipes – very tasty it’s my sort of food and not missing bread/pasta/potatoes etc at all.
Last night 9pm was my worst moment felt very hungry and angry -“hangry”, family got the brunt of it but had a drink of water ( fluids really helping me between meals) apologised and went to bed and woke up in a much better mood. Sleeping so much better that I have actually been waking before my alarm goes off and not feeling groggy at all.
In fact I have so much more energy that I have managed to do 10,000 steps each day, something I struggled with when I was ‘overdosing” on crappy carbs.
I am making time to organise and plan my meals and to walk more. I am going to weigh in weekly, I started at 16 stone 5lb so will weigh in on Friday. Finding everyones posts so inspiring and encouraging.
Where is the best place to find out the carb values of food?

Thank you Cathy🙂

Yes I agree lisylis we should all pat ourselves on the back because we are all making this commitment to improve our own future health & lives. It’s easy to be told to improve ones diet & take more exercise but takes organisation & a will to do it!
My husband has just come back from seeing his GP who fortunately is most interested in what he is doing & has sent him off for a blood test & wants to see him after eight weeks & another blood test. She has taken him off gliclazide & took the information sheet about Professor Taylor’s research & seems to be viewing my husband as an interesting ongoing experiment & is awaiting the outcome! She knew nothing about the BS Diet & is the GP specialist in diabetes in the practice! but seems supportive so a hurray for her!!

Suluro it’s so encouraging to read you have more energy! You are putting me to shame so I’m going to get my Fitbit out👍👣👣👣

Wow – this thread has really taken off. It’s fab to se so many other people starting out with me!

Hello everybody. I was away on holiday on the 1st but I started on Monday ! I’m doing the 800 cal diet. I am fed up of piling on weight I’m not enormous but my clothes do not fit me andI do not want to keep buying bigger sizes. I have 2 brothers with type 2 diabetes and my mother had it too so this is a preventative diet for me. I haven’t found these first few days too difficult eating wise but have not managed 2-3 litres of water. I have had 1 litre + tea most days. Does anyone else struggle with this? I’m 58 ( for a few more days) and cannot do much exercise due to various ailments.

I’m sure Canidoit that the water in tea & coffee can still be included in the total water total for the day. Also Professor Taylor said increasing exercise is better done after the eight weeks are completed to then help keep the weight off.

Thanks for replying. That’s not so bad then @wendy1947 I am a bit of a tea drinker. Good news about the exercise too. Have you been doing it long? Have you seen any weight loss yet? 😀

I bought this small paperback book, Calorie King Calorie, Fat, and Carb Counter. It has everything imaginable in it. Has been very helpful! It’s compact enough to keep in my purse.

Hi Canidoit my husband & I started yesterday after having family to lunch on Sunday. I stood on my scales this morning & I have lost one pound but I expect that is all fluid because of eating low carb😀

Good Morning all!

Just a couple of “slips” yesterday. I had a handful of Pringles (before I banished them to Legal) and I found my stash of chocolate covered jujubes in my room. Luckily there were only 5, but my fasting BS this morning wasn’t great.

So I’ve logged everything, put them behind me, and am moving onwards! I’ve had my eggs and cheese this morning and am steeping a big pot of tea.

I struggle with the sweet tooth too. What I’ve found has worked for me in the past is 0 Cal/0 Carb tea that has a fruity flavour. I sometimes add a little splenda and try to fool the craving. Works most of the time for me, but YMMV.

Make today a great one!

Cheers,

Deb

You are doing better than me then @wendy1947 I got on the scales and was a 1lb heavier than yesterday. I’m not going to weigh myself for a few days now. Just been to the dentist and he’s told me not to eat for 1 1/2 hours and I’m starving it’s 3.30 and I haven’t had lunch yet! 😆

Hi Canidoit
you may find it best to weigh first thing in the morning, before you’ve eaten or had anything to drink (and you’ve had a pee)
aside from the lightest time of the day – you’ve just fasted for 8 hours (assuming no fridge raids in the night 🙂 , its also likely to be the most consistent time of day to weigh yourself as well. The additional benefit is that you’ll either have no clothes, or nightwear is likely to be a consistent weight.
good luck

Try & go with the flow Canidoit & try to ignore any hunger pangs. Sipping water helps or a hot drink, my oh & I have Bovril instead of soup because it gives some salt & savoury flavour because we are all drinking much more water & a little salt helps stop dehydration. I hope your mouth is not sore?
Like Frog I weighed first thing this morning before drinking anything without clothes!

I find a cup of miso staves off the hunger pangs for about an hour or more if you add a chopped spring onion and a chunk of tofu.

Hi everyone, well it’s going well so far and hubby and I went along to get the key ingredients for most of the recipes so the cupboard is well stocked.
We had the salmon for lunch today with lemon nutty crust on bed of med roasted veg was yummy 🙂
I don’t know about anyone else but still suffering shocking with headaches so I guess it’s the body reacting to sugar withdrawal. Drinking plenty so I’m hoping these will subside after week 1 when the body has accepted it.
Still smiling and hopefully losing weigh in is Sunday! X

Hi to Emily and all 1st October starters!

I started the BSD two days ago and would also like to join this group for support. I have just finished reading the book and a number of your posts and I’m feeling very motivated.

I’m mid thirties, 5ft 6 with a starting weight of 16 stone, eekkk! a long way to go to get to my ideal 11 stone, and back to feeling great on the beach!! Also looking forward to feeling fit, healthy and energised again.

Couldn’t resist so weighed this morning and it looks like 2kg have gone! There again the amount of time I spent in loo had to count for something. Other half found it kicked in for him as he got up three times in night lol. Today I had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast, soup for lunch and now about to have a feta cheese salad. Feeling brighter and less bloated. Onwards and downwards.

In the book – the 8 week Blood Sugar diet – Dr. Mosley says there are three core principles of the diet:

1. Going Mediterranean
2. Getting Active
3. Sorting out your Head

In the documentaries I’ve watched – he has said several times – THIS IS HARD.

What I took from this: If I want to be successful, I have to be mentally HARD (or equal) to the challenge. I think you have to mentally have a large enough reason. In order to get this mental toughness, I have to have a rock solid reason.

One phrase from the documentary “Eat, Fast and Live Longer” (which you can find on youtube) one of the doctors said: “You have to make a decision now – in your case – what do you want to do? There’s a lot of drugs you can be taking – and is that what you want to do – and if you do so …. in a few years you will be one of the typical 65 year olds in Europe that takes 8 drugs a day”.

My rock solid reason for doing this? I will remain active until the day I die. I will not put myself in bed so that others have to take care of me and wipe my butt because I cannot control my diet or my activity level. I will not be dependent upon prescription drugs when I am 65, I will not put myself at the higher risk of EVERY type of cancer (I really, really do not want cancer). I will not put myself at the higher risk of heart disease. I will not put myself at the higher risk of getting diabetic neuropathy anywhere in my body that would cause me to lose my sight, lose a limb, kidney function, etc, etc, etc.

So for all of you fighting that “Chimp” in your head, knock it out for these 8 weeks with a rock solid punch. Find your reason! Make it bigger and stronger than you reasons not to. THIS IS HARD!

Stacey, see you have read Prof. Peters Chimp Paradox. Sometimes getting what we really want takes sacrifice. I am happy to sacrifice simple carbs for the sake of my health, this is not a case of I don’t want to be fat or I want to look nice in a bikini. We are of the same mind, I don’t want to be ill. Good for you and good luck.

Day 2 and it’s going quite well, so far.

Breakfast: yoghurt, raspeberries, strawberries and berries
Lunch: minestrone soup with parmesan
Dinner: planning fish and veg or some sort.

I am drinking more water but haven’t given up on tea. Reducing carbs, caffine and sugar in one day seems too much. I am counting the milk into my daily 800 allowance. I have no idea how many carbs I am having but I know I have knocked all the rubbish out of my diet. I am doing what I can to get me through the first week and then I might look at the carb/calorie ratio. I had a real mid day slump. Dealt with it b chomping blackcurrent Airways and decluttering bedroom cupboards. I am on leave from work this week so it has been an easy start. It’s weird, I have never been able to lose weight for vanity reasons but thinking about the long term health benefits is motiviating me, so far. I keep telling myself that 8 weeks is challenging but not as challenging dealing with poor health further down the line.

hello all!
I just started on Monday 3rd and looking for support!
I’m 5.6 and weight 14st 10lb would ideally like to get down to a good healthy weight however I’d be happy to break the 14 stone barrier first but I’m doing this to kick start it all!!
I did try this once before but lost my way during a week off but I certainly found that organisation is the key to success with this! bulk cooking and freezing batches with calorie content on labels was a good idea so I’m planning that this weekend!!
also invested in new bathroom scales today to stay on top of the weight loss!!
good luck everyone xx

Hi Luisa bulk cooking and freezing is a great idea. What sort of meals are you freezing because I’m getting a bit stuck trying to come up with dinner options. I am mostly ending up with eggs! 😔

Hi,

I am 5.6 as well and started out on Friday at 13st 10lb I am down to 13st 4lb in 3 days of the diet!

Stick with it and think of where you want to be and try not to think about food too much, that is what I am doing.

Good ludic with it!

FB

Well said StaceySmith 😃💐

It’s been said that we want to die with our feet on, with functioning kidneys and decent eyesight. The alternative is unthinkable for us.

Hello to all who have joined us today.

Day 4

Breakfast: Greek yoghurt with raspberries, blueberries, 6 almonds (200cals)
Lunch: Omelett, handful of watercress, two small slices tomato (200cals)
Dinner: Skinny aubergine lasagne (p146 recipe book) (200cals per portion)

I was not looking forward to breakfast as I don’t really like greek yoghurt or raspberries. Must admit it was lush:-) Will be having it again in the morning to use the ingredients.
We were going to have Halloumi kebabs, Hubby went shopping for the artichoke hearts and when he came home I decided that 430 calories on lunch was way to many Also did not want the faff or making them. Will do them for an evening meal to use up ingredients.
Skinny aubergine lasagne was lush. At 200 cals for a portion we finished it off. Admittedly hubby had two large portions and mine were smaller. Next time I make it I will just mix everything up and cut the aubergine into chunks instead of strips. Might even add mince or chicken. Really, really enjoyed this meal. It hit the spot tonight.

Not drank as much as I should today and struggled to go to the loo! (sorry) But have felt so much better generally since starting this diet. Like others I am on it to loose weight, upto 9 stones:-( , but I really want to feel healthy instead of how I have been feeling.

Not craved anything again today and certainly feel full after dinner tonight.