In mid May 2016 I was 18 stone 7lbs or 119 kg, just over 50 years old 5 feet 10 and had been overweight for a very long time. A variety of diets came and went and it was always difficult.Like most people I like my food and drink. Then I visited my doctor for a routine 50 plus MOT test for cholesterol, blood sugar, weight, blood pressure etc. Some results were immediately apparent such as blood pressure which was high and cholesterol was 5.8 which was also not acceptable. What scared me the most was the HB1AC returned a reading of 51 and should have been under 42. My doctor was straight to the point and said the result was in the diabetic range type 2 diabetes and with the usual terrible consequences and I would be on meds for life. This really shocked me to the core. Then by chance I heard about Michael Mosleys Blood Sugar Diet and went out and bought it. That night me and my husband read it in full and committed ourselves to going through at least 8 weeks. Not long after we purchased a digital blood sugar testing device, a digital set of scales that measures body fat, water content, muscle content and BMI etc and a good quality exercise bike. My husband,although he didnt have any blood sugar issues did have elevated blood pressure and weighed 16 stone 6lbs. We both stuck rigidly to around 800 calories a day , banished rice, bread and pasta and virtually no alcohol. That was the hardest part of the diet. In the first week alone I lost 9lbs. I started with the bike by just doing 10 minutes then a week later 20 minutes until after two weeks I was routinely on 30 minutes. By mid June I was 16 stone 3. Mid July 15 stone 2. Mid August 14 stone 4. and now after 18 weeks I am 13 stone 6. I used to be in size 22 and now size 12! My husband is currently 13 stone 7. Between us we have lost 8 stone. It was good to throw out all the large size clothes, but now I need a new wardrobe. It is such a good feeling to have people who havent seen me for a while say wow! I have just had some new tests done and my blood pressure is normal, cholesterol normal range but best of all my new HBA1c test came back as 35! I am sleeping so much better and feel great. My personal goal is to lose another half stone or so to get into the healthy BMI range. I started at 34.6 and am now 26. Yes there are times when the weight plateaued but persevere and it starts again. Its important to keep the faith and keep the booze down. This is a lifestyle change and soon we will both change over onto the Mediterranean maintenance diet and continue to regulate our weight. It was without question worth all the hard work and saying no to those temptations. Best still I wont be on meds for life.
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What an amazing achievement slimlady you can justifiably feel very proud of yourself!
My husband & I will be starting the 800 cal BSD on Monday with me hoping to lose 3-4 stone & my husband who is a Type 2 diabetic to lose 1-2 stone & to reduce his medication or if all goes well be able to manage without any. It’s certainly worth him trying this & I would love to be slimmer before Christmas. Good luck with your maintenance diet. -
That’s really amazing and so encouraging. Fantastically well done!
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Wow you must be so very proud of yourselves you’ve inspired me even more and my exercise bike is calling me!!
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What an incredibly result. Thank you for sharing – it’s very motivational for others (by others I mean me!).
Congratulations 🙂
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Congratulations to you both. This is so inspiring to read , I am at the start of my journey (day 2 ) and am really encouraged by your post. Thank you for sharing .
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Slimlady, that is an absolutely amazing result. What an achievement. Proof that it can be done. I’ll remember you when I’m feeling a bit bleak.
You must feel immensely pleased and your doctor must be really impressed. I bet doctors wish they saw more people like you. Congratulations. -
Morning thank you to all who replied. Saturday weigh in this morning and now 13 st 5 . Saturday’s are when I have my weigh in and blood sugars and record it in a diary. Each Saturday we would have a small cooked breakfast of one egg lean bacon tomatoes mushrooms which counts as 400 call. At night a mixed tandoori grill no sauce is the highlight of the week and serves as a treat. A couple if him and slim line tonics also help keep away the monotony of any repetitive diet but still the weight came off. Exercise is crucial in my opinion to this diet. Half an hour in the bike listening to your iPod burns around 400 calories and it all makes the difference .
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Slimlady you are an inspiration! I’m starting tomorrow and I know stories like yours will keep me going.
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5 stones in 4 and a half months is amazing!! It took me about 2 years to lose that much through a slimming club! Thank you for sharing.
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I have just ordered the book and am looking into this diet at the moment. I would be ecstatic if I could get results like you and your husband. Well done to you both. Best wishes, Shirley
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Well done – what a fabulous achievement. I hope your doctor will be giving this diet out now to anyone else in a similar position. I’ve a similar amount to lose and although I haven’t seen the dramatic drops some people have, it is coming off slowly but surely. I don’t mind if it takes a while as (so far anyway) I don’t find it particularly difficult to to. Its given me the energy to get exercising again, which I enjoy but had something of a mental block on. Good luck with the next half stone x
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Phenomenal achievement – well done and good luck with the maintenance!
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Wow what an achievement, you’ve both worked hard and it’s so good to hear stories like yours. I’m just starting out from a very similar starting point, so fingers crossed I’ll be the same. Thank you for sharing it’s an inspiration x
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that’s brilliant – well done & lots of good wishes for the maintenance plan
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Really inspiring Slimlady.
I’m your height, though with a lower starting weight (but almost 200 lbs is nothing to be proud of). Your journey serves to beat a path through the food and headspace jungle for others to follow, and your incredible results show it is so worthwhile, and so doable. Seeing proof that 20 weeks of disciplined eating could see me at my BMI goal has really spurred me on today. I’m already a third of the way. If I stay strong, by The end of February I will have broken out of this fat T2D body and become a healthy butterfly. I’ve already drastically cut my fasting blood glucose and cut meds by two thirds – in six weeks. I hoped, but never thought this would be possible. Your advice on exercise is timely, too, I’ve been avoiding my (expensively hired) rowing machine (‘ooh, it’s too noisy, I’m too tired/too warm/too cold/too hungry’ ) – too pathetic and lazy, is the real reason! Now I can’t wait to get on and burn that fat faster!
Thank you for showing us the way and waving encouragement from the other side. MK x -
Massive congratulations! You are a great inspiration to us all! Like you I cannot bear to think I will have to be on medication for the rest of my life, I really believe any tablets have side effects and it seems Metformin then leads to insulin injections ! I had no symptoms as being diabetic but since being diagnosed 10 weeks ago I have been experiencing some foot pain and my feet get quite hot at night. I’m worried I might have neuropathy but I thought this was something you get after having diabetes a long time? Will have to ask the nurse when I go for my first fasting blood test 9th January, finger crossed my blood sugar will be normal.
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Very well done! Truly inspirational. I will be starting my 8 weeks but of course with Christmas looming will wait until January. Won’t be going mad at Christmas either. Thank you for sharing and the inspiration!
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Incredible results. Well done to both of you.
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Thanks so much for sharing! You have given me hope. I’m 6’0, size 2X, and started at 19 stone 2. Am in my first week and amazed at how little I can eat. Did you have any trouble continuing on with the 800 cal diet after 8 weeks? I hadn’t considered that but I’d love to be done with this!
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Congratulations to you both Slimlady and hubby!!!!! What an inspiration to us all!
My hubby and I are starting this after the weekend ! We are both tired of the way we look and our lack of energy .
He had a massive shock when his triglycerides and cholesterol results came back as very high as did his ALT ( liver function) he’s 18 stone and 6ft 3ins I am 5ft 2 ins and 12 stone. ( we both have diabetes in our families so are at grave risk of T2D.One of our biggest problems is he is working abroad in the West Indies, tough stressful job only one day off a week to shop , plan meals etc ……his choice of food items is very poor, most supermarkets sell very highly processed or canned foods, fresh fruit and veg choice is poor and spoils very quickly ……..the restaurants and eateries cater very much for the Americans who visit the island in droves ( fast fried foods etc) so he and I are both concerned how he will cope!
He is registered now on here and I’ve sent him the book ……I’ve started planning meals for him that he can batch cook and freeze soups/ one pot meals etc , we both adore all the “white stuff” and do drink far too much ( I am worse especially as I’m by myself all the time and get lonely and down which leads me to becoming demotivated and unfocused )
I really hope we can do this as we want to live a long and healthy happy life , he keeps me focused and grounded so hopefully we we’ll get there albeit across the Atlantic!
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slimlady I’ve just found this and I’m on day 12congratulatiomsto you both!
I was originally 118kg at my highest and have lost n gained bet 82 now 103.2. Your story is inspirational as I’m lowering my weight and bsl and reducing the amount of insulin already to half within 2 semis of starting the 8 week 800 cal plan. I was also encouraged by your increased exercise