5 Years of BSD – A Blog of Memories

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• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 27 Jun 2021 at 15:19

  

  Tomorrow I will have been doing the Blood Sugar Diet for 5 years. To commemorate that and to give people an insight to the diet I am dragging up some of my old blog from another site – Sparkpeople (USA). I have been notified that Sparkpeople is closing down and reopening as an app under the name Spark America but thought this was a good time to cut and paste all my blog entries which were written as a reminder to myself of what I was going through at the time and how I have progressed.

  For anyone wanting to start this diet you will probably recognise the thoughts and feelings I had as you will be going through the same right now. Us ‘oldies’ can still remember what it was like to be you. I did this diet for my diabetes and the reason I am still on it is because it works and it has become a way of eating for life – I mean that literally, it has saved my life. Yes I have lost weight along the way but that was not my motivation. Hope you enjoy reading my walk down memory lane.

  ‘The Day Before – 27th June 2016

  I have heard about this before but just read the book by Dr Michael Mosley – and he is a real doctor. It claims to reduce or reverse diabetic symptoms in 8 weeks. The diet is very strict but high is saiety so I should not feel hungry. I will report here every 2 weeks to see how I am going.

  Diary today, weight 79.9 kg. waist 43 inches (measured across the bellybutton) and fasting blood this morning 182 (higher than usual) – aim to lose 3kg and get blood glucose back to my usual 120 reading before a stupid nutritionist put me on a high carb diet.

  I will be starting the diet in a couple of days when I have stocked my shelves with avocados, nuts and vegetables.
  I have planned my meals for the next week and think I am going to need all the support I can get, even if it is just me talking to myself.

  I have neatly typed my menu planner with calories and recipe page and I know I am going to be hungry but this is for a good cause, to get my blood glucose down to the more normal level. Before I went to see the beep beep nutritionist (she makes me so cross) I had readings for between 85 and 125 but occasionally I would drop to around 60 or 65 and on one occasion had a black out which frightened me. She put me on a low protein / high carb diet. Told me I had to have carbs with every meal i.e. toast or cereal for breakfast, bread with my lunch and pasta or rice with my evening meal. This was way too much for me but I had to trust her – sorry I ever did. She even told me to eat 2oz of cheese at the end of my lunch and dinner. Don’t forget I live in France and they live on baguettes and love their cheese. For me cheese is a big no no but she said I was wrong and cheese did nothing to increase my blood glucose.

  Anyway, before I go on anymore about what has happened I now need to look forward and heal myself.

  Today I have stocked up on every veg known to man or woman and I am ready to start tomorrow morning. In the meantime I am going to allow myself a couple of glasses of wine tonight and I have just eaten a mini pack of malteers (do you get those in America??) but I am normally so good they had a use by date of March 2015 so were a bit soggy.

  Will check in again tomorrow with my b/g and weight and let you know how I am getting on.’

  I will post day one of my dieting memories tomorrow. DDD – Diabetic Diet Day.

• posted by Verano
  on 28 Jun 2021 at 15:04

  

  Happy Anniversary! I remember it all so well…….

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 28 Jun 2021 at 16:08

  

  This is the blog I wrote on the first day of my new diet. I remember I was asked to add the opening paragraph about not recommending the diet as I was told it was too dangerous. Some of the comments I received were quite scathing – your brain will shrivel up, you cant live on such low calories, think you need to learn to read and do some research or call a doctor and one that just said junko diet bound to fail.
  ———————————————————————————————-
  First Day – 28th June 2016
  Can I be clear here, I am not recommending this diet I am just trying it and reporting on how I get on. I have seen my doctor and will be seeing him again in 6 weeks. I will monitor myself regularly. If you want to follow such a strict diet you should talk to your doctor. Also my husband is going to keep a close eye on me for any signs of hypo.

  Just a quick note about the diet. It is basically the Mediterranean Diet but with only 800 calories. Rules include cutting out bad carbs i.e. the white stuff – sugar, pasta, rice, potatoes plus the obvious cakes, full sugar fizzy drinks etc. He includes fats in the diet but only the good stuff like olive oil, avocado, nuts. He bans any diet foods, low fat foods and allows full fat milk and yogurts. Exercise is included but only a 10 minute strength routine daily and a 10 minute mindfullness session (meditation) to keep the stress levels down. He provides a list of low calorie recipes and a weekly menu planner to help you make right and varied choices. I don’t want to go into every aspect of the diet here but if you have any questions, please ask. You can also get information from http://www.thebloodsugardiet.com.

  Woke up this morning and the first thing I thought was ‘oh poop, I’m going on that really strict diet’. I feel both afraid and excited at the same time. Went through my normal routine of weight, blood glucose and also measured my waist as the main thing is to reduce belly fat. Funnily enough he says you measure across the belly button which to me is quite low down and not where I usually measure but I am following his plan – it makes my waist bigger than it usually measures.

  Measurements:
  Weight 79.9 kilos or 176 lbs.
  Waist measurement 44 inches.
  Blood glucose 157 (higher than normal but I did have those malteers yesterday).
  Insulin given last night 37 units.

  I am allowed my usual green tea and a glass of water with the juice of half a lemon. Take my 5 tablets with this. (Diabetic, blood pressure and cholesterol tablets).

  Breakfast: melon, spinach and blueberry smoothie – tastes very nice – Calories 130

  Lunch: Just had lunch and I struggled to finish it, I am so full. A whole red pepper roasted with olive oil then stuffed with feta, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, pomegranate seeds, salad onion, pistachio nuts and the juice of half a lemon. Calories 220.

  Note to self, leave off the lemon juice and it was sooooo sour and I can’t stop burping.

  Just had a 30 minute swim, took it nice and steady with hubby nearby to keep an eye on me. I have also done the 5 strength exercises, 10 reps of each.

  Maybe the swim was a mistake, it is 5.30 pm and I am starting to feel hungry. I normally have a snack at 4 pm but not enough spare calories, anyway can look forward to dinner in a couple of hours if I can keep myself occupies.

  One thing, phone call from daughter to say house move (see earlier blog) had gone through and she wasnt going to be homeless. Husband put a bottle of champagne in the fridge for a celebration drink. Really not fair, I took it out and told him he can have a large whiskey but I am not ruining my diet on day one.

  Blood glucose test before dinner: 93 – lowest it has been for a long time.

  Dinner: baked aubergine with spicy lamb mince. Calories 320. This was a miscalculation on my part as I was supposed to eat a whole aubergine but only had half so will need to have another 130 calories later.

  I am now going to have to think carefully about how much insulin I inject tonight – might drop it by 2 units to 36.

  Had a 90 gram can of tuna on rye cracker – total 120 calories – Total for day around 800 cal

  Feeling fine and not hungry, I could hardly finish the meals I made but managed. Lets see what tomorrow brings.
  ———————————————————————————
  I hardly remember Dr M saying we had to do strength exercises to maintain muscle and the 10 minutes of mindfulness. Anyway that was the start of my life on the BSD and I am still here.

• posted by RubyG
  on 28 Jun 2021 at 17:51

  

  Thank you so much for posting these SG, I have subscribed to the thread.
  Having read your recent posts about your weight, energy, BG and cholesterol readings, insulin units, etc. it must be so refreshing to look back on the advice of just 5 years ago. You are indeed an inspiration!

• posted by Verano
  on 29 Jun 2021 at 10:36

  

  S-g thanks for these posts they have prompted me to look back on my 5 years as well. This morning, in the cold light of day, I have had to be truthful with myself.
  Having taken a long hard look at the last couple of years I realise that my first mistake was to abandon my daily journal. I used to look back to the early days and that kept me focused on where I had come from and how far along the road I’d travelled. Solution: start a new journal!
  My second downfall was to abandon meal ‘plans’ but still eat low carb. I more or less eat what I ‘fancy’ and roughly work out my carbs and calories. Portion size has also become a bit random. All a bit too sloppy.
  Solution: get back to meal planning and FatSecret !
  My final downfall is my love of red wine. In one of my first threads somebody reminded me of MM’s words that …. 5 glasses of wine a week was equivalent to 4 doughnuts. Who eats 4 doughnuts??? Nobody. But how easy is it for a few glasses of red wine to slip down with dinner!!!
  Solution: look at a glass of wine and visualise a doughnut! I hate doughnuts!
  So, as my 5th anniversary approaches I am still in a better place than I was when I started and my BS is still ‘normal’ without any medication.
  I have my wake-up call. I can’t let this way of life slip away.
  S-g dropping from 38 units to 17 (or less?) really is a huge achievement. Well done you ….. in your words ….. we just have to keep on keeping on!

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 29 Jun 2021 at 14:07

  

  Hi Ruby, I hadnt intended to make a daily thing of this but if it is of interest I will keep on…… For a while at least.

  Verano, you are much more of an inspiration having got rid of the diabetes meds completely. I think you call yourself diabetic in remission rather than cured or reversed. Whatever, I really still want to be there with you even if I have to continue with the tablets.

  Here is the 2nd day of my diet and yes, it reminds me how strict I was and how much that has slipped and like you V, I really must put some good habits back in place. I manage my food quite well but the afternoon snack has crept back in and I really feel hard done by if I cant have a couple of drinks at the weekend. My poison of choice is white wine or vodka. Usually stick with the vodka as I can stop after 2 glasses but seem to drink wine like water.
  —————————————————————————————————
  Day 2 – 29th June 2016
  GOOD MORNING

  Fasting blood glucose 120 (189 Sunday,185 Monday, 157 Tuesday)
  Weight not measured today
  Waist measurement 41 inches (down from 44 inches in 1 day!!!!)
  Insulin given last night 37 units – kept it the same as I decided too early to reduce
  Calories yesterday: 800

  Husband has just brought in the promotions catalogue for the supermarket this week and read out that it is American week. Boxes of burgers, snacks etc. Just had to tell him that was insensitive of him at this time. Like putting champagne in the fridge last night.

  Breakfast: Strawberries, green tea and Greek yogurt Smoothie – 100 calories – as well as green tea and a glass of water with lemon juice 0 calories

  Been finding out more about the diet. It was developed by doctors to feed overweight diabetics who had undergone bariatric surgery (gastric band etc) as a 600 calories liquid diet. Then it was tried on o/w diabetics without gastric surgery and under medical supervision again at 600 calories. Both times the desired results were found. However, it was decided that 600 calories was too low for people going about normal daily lives rather than being in a hospital bed, so they tried it at 800 calories. And there we have it. The aims are to reduce belly fat, reduce the fat around the liver and pancreas, shock the pancreas to start working (that is the theory) and therefore reduce or reverse diabetes. This is the unbelievable part, this is what I want to test out.

  Lunch: Ploughman’s – in case you don’t know what that is – sliced ham, cheese, apple, celery, walnuts and pickle. Calories 270

  When I looked at the plate I didn’t think I was going to be able to eat it all, the apple alone was overwhelming. I was going to save some for an afternoon snack but managed to eat it. It was delicious.

  I am not getting hungry except for a twinge after swimming yesterday. I’m not sure about the loss of 3 inches from my belly since yesterday but Dr Mosley does say that the first 3 days any loss is likely to be fluid, so will keep an eye on it. Another aspect is likely to be bowel movements with constipation possible – drinking plenty of water is recommended. I have suffered the opposite BUT I have been on a course of antibiotics for a mild infection that a non-diabetic would dismiss, but diabetics don’t heal quite as well. Anyway, that has given me an upset stomach but I take my last doses tomorrow.

  The other reason I started this diet is that up until 2 years ago (and that diet) anything I asked my doctor about, eyes, kidneys, neurological issues, he said my b/g was so good I would not have to worry about that for many years. Now I have lost the feeling in both my big toes, so it has started. That frightens me more than having 800 calories a day.

  Dinner: Chicken, fennel and lentils – Calories 470

  Total Calories for day 830 (an acceptable range)

  Felt a bit hungry around 5 pm but I usually snack at 4 pm so my body is probably expecting food. In fact, didn’t eat until an hour late as the dinner took longer than I thought – must check recipes beforehand.

  Nothing much to say. Feeling fine.

  Evening blood glucose 105, so happy with that.

  I did the set of exercises but cannot hold the plank for 20 seconds, it hurt my shoulder (old injury) still, they are set to measure improvements in performance so can only get better.
  ——————————————————————————————————
  Some of my explanations are because the site I was posting on is American and they didnt understand some of the terms or foods I talked about. Just going to pop onto the site and see what the comments threw up for this days blog.

  Just looked back at the comments and they were all positive and encouraging. One was from someone called Polskarenia who I believe went on to follow the diet with her husband. I posted a blog yesterday to do a 5 year update and she was still around and wishing me well. Turns out she lives in France near Pergignan – lovely area. Wonder if she is on here under another name.

• posted by RubyG
  on 29 Jun 2021 at 14:21

  

  Hi SG, there is no pressure to post every day, but I have found the posts useful.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 29 Jun 2021 at 14:32

  

  Ruby, it doesnt take much doing as the blogs are already written. I will keep going until you get bored. 🙂

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 30 Jun 2021 at 12:28

  

  Today would have been day 3 of my diet. It all seemed so complicated back then, juggling shopping, cooking and not wanting to waste ingredients. Now it is second nature.
  ————————————————————————————————————–
  Day 3 – 30th June 2016
  Fasting blood glucose 178 (189 Sunday,185 Monday, 157 Tuesday, 120 Wednesday)
  Weight: 79.2 kg or 174.4 lbs – lost 1.1 lbs
  Waist measurement 41 inches (down from 44 inches in 1 day)
  Insulin given last night 37 units – kept it the same as I decided too early to reduce
  Calories yesterday: 830

  Breakfast: half an avocado and a poached egg – Calories 200

  Only lost 1.1 lb in 3 days but not unhappy as I rarely lose anything when I am on a diet. I am not surprised at the raise of blood glucose to 178. As most diabetics know there is a thing called the dawn effect where if you don’t eat for a long period your body produces more glucose and you have a peak in the morning. For this reason I normally have a small snack before bedtime. Last night I didn’t have anything as I had no calories available and was expecting the result. From now on I am going to make sure I save a little from one meal and eat it before bed.

  Lunch: tuna and cream cheese dip with crudities (cucumber, red pepper, carrot and celery) for dipping. Calories 195
  Saved teaspoon of dip for tonight but no need to adjust calories as I will still be eating them, just a bit later.

  Lunch today was a bit of a carry on. I didn’t have all the ingredients for the meal I was supposed to have. Got back from shop late so no time to cook (beetroot falafels). Made up the dip but it was supposed to be sardines, which I cannot stand. Used tuna instead but had to adjust the calorie count to match. Thank heaven for Sparkpeople, as I was able to enter ingredients, adjust and come up with a balance.

  That is one thing about this diet. The meals are quite different to my normal diet and needs thinking about, shopping for and preparation. I guess it will get easier as I get used to the recipes and have the ingredients to had. Lots of fresh veg but only using half of this or quarter of that, so will have to blend the recipes to I get to use up the leftovers.

  30 minute gentle swim. Still surprised I am not feeling hungry. Checked b/g before swim and it was 129.

  Blood glucose before dinner 111

  Dinner: red pepper and chick pea frittata. Calories 320
  1 10 gram square of very dark chocolate Calories 50

  Total Calories 765 – a bit low, might have to have something later although I have already saved a mouthful of frittata and a tablespoonful of tuna dip – if I add a rye cracker that gives me another 30 calories

  Total 795
  ——————————————————————————————————–
  I always was a slow loser and for that reason I never compared myself to others doing the diet.

• posted by HopefulinOz
  on 30 Jun 2021 at 21:18

  

  I am really enjoying reading these sunshine-girl 🙂 You were so organised in the early days! I swear I just ate the same thing almost every day just to make it easy 🙂

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 1 Jul 2021 at 13:34

  

  Hi hopeful, I am always organised but it is not always a good thing as small things being out of place can throw me into a panic. Same with my food plans. Hubby would say I am a control freak – I am sure I am but often it is that I like routines that keep me on track. For example, every day I put out my needles for my evening injection. I always do it at around 9pm then I lock the door and take the key out. If for some reason I forget my injection or not sure if I have done it, I just look across to the door. If the keys are still in… you get my drift. In that case it would be deadly dangerous to say oh I’ll just inject as I would be overdosing myself. So literally a matter of life and death.

  Hope you are not affected by the new covid outbreaks or the fires (I think artic was talking about Oz when she mentioned fires).

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 1 Jul 2021 at 13:42

  

  Day 4 of my diary from 5 years ago. I will stop doing daily updates after the first weeks weigh in and then only do the weekly weigh in days unless there is something to report. I also stopped using kilos as it was confusing to the Americans and sometimes my conversion calculations get confused.
  —————————————————————————————————–
  Day 4 – 1st July 2016

  Fasting blood glucose 153
  Weight not done today
  Waist measurement 41 inches (down from 44 inches in 1 day)
  Insulin given last night 37 units – kept it the same as I decided too early to reduce

  Breakfast: grilled mushrooms stuffed with spinach and chick peas Calories 150

  Dinner: beetroot falafels with Greek yogurt dip Calories 290

  Once again I am full to bursting, recipe made 4 falafels but only ate 3 so I have saved one for my evening snack. The point of the diet that it contains ‘good’ carbs that keep you full for longer, they have a low glycemic index.

  Do I miss anything. Well hubby had chips with his frittata last night and I could have killed him to get some off his plate (though I cooked them). Resisted. I like a square of dark chocolate after my evening meal which I can have but only if I have enough calories left over. I did yesterday so had a small square and cherished it. I normally have one coffee per day after lunch but as I am fussy about the taste I have a spoonful of drinking chocolate mixed in. Can’t do that so not having the coffee at all.

  30 minutes swim plus done the 5 strength exercises Dr Mosley recommends

  Evening blood glucose 92 – very good

  Dinner: Chicken stir fry Calories 340

  Total Calories 780
  ———————————————————————————————————
  I honestly dont remember ever stirring drinking chocolate into my coffee – sound disgusting. Never the drinking chocolate at all now as even the very low calories stuff is super sweet to me and, even though it is not actual sugar, it raises my BG.

  After reading through these memories I decided to go back to some of the recipes I used to do and quite by coincidence I am having beetroot burgers tonight. Not the falafels as I found them very hard and dry. Also note that the days are exactly the same, so 1st July 2016 was also a Thursday. Last night I had fritatta and just to show how much I have slipped I had several oven chips which I would never have done in the early days – must stop that.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 2 Jul 2021 at 13:08

  

  Here is day 5 of my diet. My fasting blood glucose at 140 is a good reduction but not when I look at where I am now. Also 3 lbs may not seem like a good weight loss but when you are pumping yourself full of insulin every night it is actually a fantastic loss and the road to even more.
  ———————————————————————————————-
  Day 5 – 2nd July 2016

  Fasting blood glucose 140
  Weight: 173 lbs – lost 3 lbs
  Waist measurement 42 inches (was 44)
  Insulin given last night 37 units – kept it the same as I decided too early to reduce
  Calories yesterday: 780

  Breakfast: blueberry and green tea smoothie – Calories 100

  Lunch; Chicken, pepper and fennel salad Calories 200

  It was a bit of a shock when I got on the scales this morning. I am so used to seeing ’79’ that my mind registered 79.5 and I thought I had gained it all back. When I looked again and saw it was 78.5 I danced around the bathroom. I haven’t seen a 78 for nearly 2 years.

  Dinner: Skinny chilli with yogurt Calories 460

  10 gram square of 75% dark chocolate Calories 50

  Evening blood glucose 91 – very good

  Total Calories 810
  ——————————————————————————————————

• posted by Verano
  on 2 Jul 2021 at 19:36

  

  Thank you s-g. It’s wonderful to be reminded of how we were ‘way back when’. Your posts are certainly making me take a serious look at my ‘way back when’.!
  Just have to keep on keeping on ……..

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 3 Jul 2021 at 14:03

  

  Day 6 of my blog. Someone asked if I still write it. No, besides a couple of updates over the 5 years and a final farewell as the site is closing down, I no long write this blog. It would be just too much of the same and a food diary whereas back then it was all to do with emotions and a new adventure. The thought of reducing diabetes or putting it into remission was very little known back then. I think there were only about 20 or 30 of us on this site and we sort of considered ourselves a bit like experimental rats in a lab. So glad the science has moved on even though the medical world has not quite caught up – it will.
  __________________________________________________________
  Day 6 – 3rd July 2016

  Fasting blood glucose 125
  Weight: 173 lbs – lost 3 lbs – but not weighing today
  Waist measurement 42 inches (was 44)
  Insulin given last night 37 units – kept it the same as I decided too early to reduce

  No breakfast today as it is Sunday so it will be a brunch then a main meal with snacks.
  Brunch: Cheesy baked beans Calories 260

  The hardest thing about this diet is the organising. If I followed his weeks menu plans exactly it would be easy but I don’t always like what he suggests e.g. salmon or prawns, or know I cannot get what he suggests in the shops, so I have to fiddle around making the days calories tally and getting the right nutrients. I have just spent an hour doing just that. So I am ready with week 2 menu plan and I have to go through the recipes and check fridge and cupboards for ingredients or add to shopping list, Pretty well got it sorted and trying new things all the time, not just repeating last weeks menu.

  Evening blood glucose 75 – a bit low but will be eating in half an hour

  Dinner: pork loin with apples and shallots, served with leeks Calories 430

  Snack 2 slices of ham Calories 60

  Total Calories 700

  Will add extra snack before bed – had a square of 75% dark chocolate Calories 50
  ____________________________________________________________________

  Just remembered that fasting blood glucose – down from 157 and even higher on days leading up to the diet – actually reached 178 one day. I think in the next day or so I had a bit of a panic about it.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 4 Jul 2021 at 13:01

  

  Day 7 of my blog – oh my just look at my BG levels, 107 – I had never seen them so low and it frightened my a bit but knew I was about to have breakfast. The breakfast is something I must do again. I stopped doing smoothies because I was buying almond milk in mini cartons that cost a fortune and turned out the be the sugared ones. The large cartons of unsweetened would get opened for one meal and left to go off. Forgot I could just use a yoghurt instead.
  _______________________________________________________________________
  Day 7 – 4th July 2016

  Fasting blood glucose 107
  Weight: 173 lbs – lost 3 lbs – not weighing today
  Waist measurement 42 inches (was 44)
  Insulin given last night 37 units – kept it the same as I decided too early to reduce

  Today my blood glucose is the best it has been for nearly 2 years. Down from a regular 180 / 190 with the occasional 230 blip when I have had something particularly naughty. I am almost ready to reduce my insulin but will wait until I have completed the full week so will see what tomorrow brings.

  Yesterday I struggled to eat the 800 calories as it was a day when there were only 2 meals. I bumped the calories up by having a couple of slices of ham, a square of dark chocolate and a coffee with milk.

  Breakfast: Blueberry and green tea smoothie Calories 100

  This is a good stand-by choice of breakfast as on a Monday I have little in the fridge and rushing to go shopping. Whereas I always have frozen blueberries in the freezer, green tea in the cupboard and a plain yogurt – plus almonds and sesame seeds.

  Lunch: Warm chicken salad on a bed of white beans and walnuts Calories 270

  One thing I have noticed is that there is not a lettuce leaf in sight (although that might change). Normally when I am on a diet I live on lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber, with chicken or tuna, so not much at all. This diet has similar calorie content but is filling with beans and nuts etc.

  Had a 30 minute swim.

  Evening blood glucose 91

  Dinner: Tuna fishcakes with brocolli Calories 400

  10 grams dark chocolate Calories 50

  Total Calories 810

  For the first time I am feeling very hungry. Possibly the swim used up too many calories. If needed I will eat some cold meat before bed.
  ______________________________________________________________

• posted by Verano
  on 5 Jul 2021 at 18:01

  

  Thank you for your ‘early days blogs ‘ ….. it’s been a real eye opener!
  Think you have probably made quite a few of us look back, realise how we were/are, re-evaluate and start again/move on. Thank you …. you have certainly made me rethink!
  Keep on keeping on ………

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 5 Jul 2021 at 20:13

  

  End of my first week and my first proper weigh in. Reminded how much of a slow loser I was but I wasnt bothered because any weight loss was something I had not been able to do before.
  Thanks for the kind words V. Remember when we set our own personal goals. I wanted to get my wedding ring back on and I think you wanted to be able to paint your toenails.
  __________________________________________________________________________
  Day 8 – 5th July 2016

  Fasting blood glucose 70 – worried that is too low
  Weight: 172.5 lbs – lost 3.5 lbs
  Waist measurement 42 inches (was 44)
  Insulin given last night 37 units

  Today completes the first week of my ‘diet’, I have lost 3.5 lbs, 3 inches from my stomach and my blood glucose is down from 180 / 190 to 70. I know this is too low and it signals that it is time to start reducing the amount of insulin I am using. Tonight I will be injecting 35 units.

  The weight loss is fantastic but the main reason for the diet (see blog 800 calorie diet) is to reduce my diabetic symptoms. The diet also claims to be able to reverse diabetes by reducing fat around the liver and pancreas and kick starting the pancreas back into production of its own insulin. That yet remains to be seen but is my main reason for continuing the diet. I suspect if I went back to my previous way of eating I would see my blood glucose start to go up again very quickly. For that reason, I am now looking forward to week 2.

  From now on I will blog less frequently and in less detail, probably just a summary of my results.

  I do know that some people are reading this and I hope you are enjoying. So far I have not had any bad comments although I know people think the low calorie aspect is quite mad. The blog is for my own benefit but I do hope you keep reading from time to time.
  ___________________________________________________________
  The comment about not posting every day will also apply here and if they are short and sweet I will put a couple on each time I post my memories.

• posted by Verano
  on 6 Jul 2021 at 09:17

  

  S-g I’ve joined your ‘club’!
  Today is my 5th anniversary!
  It’s been a bumpy five years for me but the results are still pretty good. I’ve maintained a 10% weight loss and, more importantly, my Blood Glucose has remained in the ‘normal ’ zone, drug free, for well over 4 years. So all good here.
  This is my WOL now and I really can’t see me ever going back to that high carb, high processed food diet of yesteryear!
  Here’s to our 6th year!🥗🍳🥑🥂

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 6 Jul 2021 at 13:16

  

  Congratulations V. Imagine being on a diet most people thought was crazy back then. Not possible to live without carbs. Your brain needs carbs to function etc. Low carb being mistaken for no carbs – which is impossible unless you live on meat and dairy. Anyway, you are one of those people who proved this can work. We have also shown the it is hard work and not to be messed with if you want to remain well. Also, how much it becomes a way of life. Besides the odd bread mistake and nicking a few chips I dont even think about the other stuff like rice or pasta I dont even eat oats unless I am running out of breakfast ideas. I am not saying I couldnt eat a jacket potato with lashings of cheese but I just dont go there. 🙂 .

  Here is my next blog entry a few days later. Still not losing weight so I can understand it when people on here go through this – I have been there too.
  _________________________________________________________________
  8th July 2016

  Not lost any more weight (3.5 lbs in 7 days) but confident it will happen. Remember this is the blood sugar diet and that is the most important thing for me.

  Blood sugar over last 3 days, 106, 94 and 87, so I am very pleased and have already reduced insulin from 37 to 35 units and will decrease again tonight to 34 – gently does it.

  Not feeling particularly hungry besides some twinges around 4 / 5 pm which is when I would normally have had a snack. I have had one very low reading of 60 due to having done quite a bit of exercise but advised to have a complex carb so I now have a stand-by of a couple of prunes and a tablespoonful of greek yoghurt (rather than bread or sweet juice as I would have had before). To help prevent the dawn effect I make sure I have a little left over from either lunch or dinner for a snack before bed and it seems to be working. I don’t go to bed hungry and I don’t have a glucose spike in the morning.

  All in all I am feeling great and very positive, my mood is better than it has been for a long time although i did win a competition of tickets to a French theme park and have booked for us to take our grandkids when they come out next month.

  Onwards and upwards – but not the blood glucose.
  _______________________________________________________________
  Because nothing changed over the next few days I didnt post except some photos of my meals. They were very well received but I cant post them on here.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 7 Jul 2021 at 13:04

  

  Really motoring on here and done 2 full weeks and today is weight day. Again I was a very low loser but very persistent. Looking at what I wrote that should be Spanish chorizo and chickpea soup. Still one of my absolute favourites and have it at least once a fortnight.
  ______________________________________________________________________________
  July 12th 2016

  Start blood glucose – 190 Start weight – 176 lbs Insulin 37 units

  GOOD MORNING

  Today is the end of week 2 of the diet. Here are my daily blood glucose results, all taken before breakfast and my weight and total loss.

  Today I weigh 172lbs – a loss of half a pound this week with a total loss of 4 lbs

  A bit disappointing but it is 4 lb more than I have lost before so a step in the right direction. However, this is the Blood Sugar Diet and that is my main objective.

  Morning blood glucose for week:
  Wed 106 Thurs 94 Fri 87 Sat 95 Sun 105 Mon 78 Tues 85

  Insulin – 33 units (down from 40)

  I couldn’t be happier with those results. I am loving the food and trying things I haven’t had for years because I thought I didn’t like it, such as aubergine. I am also eating things we have traditionally been told are not allowed like full fat cheese, butter, olive oil. Really the only thing I am not allowed, besides the obvious like sugar, cake, biscuits etc, is white carbohydrates like potato, rice, pasta and bread. The high glycemic carbohydrates are replaced with slow release carbs such are chickpeas, lentils, vegetable or quinoa. I have only once had a ‘salad’ and the lettuce in my fridge has been there for over 2 weeks and is likely to be thrown out. Today I am having Mexican chickpea and chorizo soup for lunch and chicken stir fry for dinner, so no need to feel deprived.

  I should also mention that I have lost 7 inches (bust, midriff, waist and hips) which includes 3 inches from my waist and 2 inches from my bust, so already look slimmer. I also feel fantastic although that could be partly psychological but surely having ‘normal’ blood glucose makes a difference.

  Looking forward to another week of fab food and good health.
  _________________________________________________________________________
  More tomorrow.

• posted by Verano
  on 8 Jul 2021 at 07:56

  

  Yes S-g we were seen as a bit ‘nutty’ following this ‘crazy’ diet back then, but then I think we have probably had the last laugh! I no longer think of my self as having diabetes after years of seeing myself as in ‘remission’. The doctor still has me registered as having T2 but then he gets paid for that! I still get checked every year and each time I have a blood test the nurse smiles. She can’t believe I still eat low carb and as you say rice, pasta etc don’t even enter my head. But it’s not only my blood sugar that’s improved it’s my cholesterol as well!
  You came from a far more difficult place than me. To more than halve your insulin is miraculous. I was only taking metformin which is far easier to ditch. Anyway, as they say the proof is in the pudding, low carb of course! Neither of us have ended up with more and more medication to control our blood sugar as the usual prognosis goes with T2. I’m just pleased that more and more medics are seeing the value in this way of eating. We’ll just have to keep on keeping on ………..

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 9 Jul 2021 at 14:15

  

  A few more days of my blog from 5 years ago. Quite a few Americans were following this blog and some have started the diet. Notice I gave a big shout out to The Blood Sugar Diet and this site.
  ____________________________________________________________________
  July 16th 2016
  Yesterday I came across an interesting video on YouTube. It is a very clear explanation of why I am on low carbohydrate diet. This does not so much address the calories and is not part of this plan, but it does make a lot of things clear. Go to YT and type in Tedx PurdueU then look for Dr Sarah Hallberg’s talk on Reversing Type 2 Diabetes. Sorry I am not techie enough to share the link (just tried).
  As an update today, I cannot feel happier than if I had won the Euro Millions last night (but I didn’t). I feel so well and energetic and slimmer. I will do a full report back on Tuesday 19th as that is my official weigh-in day.

  Lunch today is minted pea and chickpea hummus with lots of celery, red pepper, cucumber and carrot sticks. For dinner I am having lamb meatballs. When I see what they look like I might post some photos later today.

  Here is lunch

  __________________________________________________________

  July 19th 2016 – Week 3 Weigh In

  Start blood glucose – 190 Start weight – 176lbs Insulin 37 units

  GOOD MORNING

  Today is the end of week 3 of the diet. Here are my daily blood glucose results, all taken before breakfast and my weight and total loss.

  Today I weigh 171lbs – a loss of a pound this week with a total loss of 5 lbs

  A bit disappointing but it is 5 lb more than I have lost before so a step in the right direction. However, this is the Blood Sugar Diet and that is my main objective.

  Morning blood glucose for week:
  Wed 86 Thurs 72 Fri 69 Sat 68 Sun 107 Mon 108 Tues 90

  Insulin – 29 units (down from 37)

  I am very happy with my blood sugar results. I am aware that a couple (69 and 68) are a bit low but taken first thing in the morning before any food or drink, that is 3.7 on the other scale and I am informed that it is okay as long as I am about to eat. I would prefer to keep my levels between 80 and 120 but as I am reducing I will have the odd low and need to deal with it immediately. That is why I have been reducing my insulin by about 1 unit per every other day. Over the last 2 days I have reduced my diamicron because they are known to be the cause hypos. I would not advise anyone else to play around with their meds but my doctor is okay with me adjusting my insulin. He just might not be happy about cutting the diamicron. I normally take 3 tablets in the morning and I have cut it to 2 and will leave it there until I have discussed it with him.

  I must say I am not too happy with the weight loss, it is 5 lbs but considering I lost most of that in week 1, I would have expected more. However, it is a Blood Sugar Diet and my excellent results in that area are going to spur me on to finishing the 8 weeks at least.

  There is a web site called thebloodsugardiet.com and reading the forums we are all part of a bigger experiment, taking this action on our own initiative and it is not for everyone. The real research is the Newcastle University trials being carried out by Prof. Roy Taylor – you can look him up, and these trials are expected to last another 5 years. The main diabetic organisation in the UK, called Diabetes UK, have just given professor Taylor and 74 million pounds grant to continue his work. The largest donation ever made to any research programme. We, the people doing this, are not wanting to wait that long.

  Looking back on my earlier blogs I notice that one of the things that set me on this path was losing the feeling in my big toes. My thoughts were, what next, my eyes, my kidneys. I didn’t want to wait and see and rely on medical intervention which just adds more drugs into the mix. They say there is nothing you can do and my doctor told me when I lost the feeling, that that was it, it was gone, finished, never to come back. Well, I am going to tell him he was wrong, I now have feeling back in both my toes and am informed (by the experimental people) that all neuropathic symptoms can be reversed.

  Well, here goes for another week and I have just had a delicious breakfast of full fat greek yogurt with passion fruit and flaked almonds and a lunch of roasted chicken breast with roasted asparagus and red peppers, served with a dressing of greek yogurt with lemon and garlic. Besides the fact that I stink of garlic it was so lovely.

  I am so looking forward to reducing the insulin even more and maybe this week I might lose a bit more weight.
  ___________________________________________________________________
  July 20th 2016 – Start of Week 4

  There seems to be some confusion about my b/g results. I use the mg/dL scale so between 80 and 120 is excellent but when others say they are at 90 and it is a really bad result so I don’t know what scale they are using. To make it clear I will also publish the HBA1c equivalent. So 80 is 4.5 and 120 is 5.6 – all within normal range.

  Here is an update of last week’s results giving both scales.

  Morning blood glucose for week showing Monitor reading in ml/moll followed by HbA1c reading.

  Wed 86 – 4.7 Thurs 72 – 4 Fri 69 – 3.8 Sat 68 – 3.7 Sun 107 – 5.9 Mon 108 – 6 Tues 90 – 5

  Insulin – 29 units (down from 37)

  Hope that is clearer for some of you. Although this blog is for me to recall my journey I know so people are following and I would be happy to answer any questions.
  ______________________________________________________________________
  I still dont understand the other scale that also gets used in the UK but I keep mine to what readings appear on my monitor and convert by dividing by 18.5 to get somewhere close to the HbA1c levels.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 10 Jul 2021 at 13:10

  

  Here is the next installment of my blog from 5 years ago. I was getting a lot of questions about some of the things we have all heard about diets. People were getting interested in doing the diet but had so many worries. So todays blog was just to chat about those things.
  __________________________________________________________
  22nd July 2016 – Questions Answered

  No results today. Just to answer a few questions and criticisms.

  Am I hungry on 800 calories. No, not often. The meals are quite filling and I have just left half of my lunch (beetroot hummus with lots of veg sticks) and will have the rest of it for my afternoon snack. That is not to say I don’t get hungry. Yesterday I was hungry most of the afternoon and also later in the evening. I am not here to starve myself so I had a few nuts in the afternoon. I had no calories allowance left for an evening snack but I allowed myself a piece of chicken breast (about 50 grams) so probably added about 70 calories. Hey ho, I’m human after all. Drinking lots of water helps fill you up and doing something to distract yourself can take your mind off hunger if it is just a passing feeling. If you are really hungry you should eat, but the right things.

  Someone said I need to eat more calories as I am not losing massive amounts of weight. I guess that is based on the theory that low cal diets lowers the metabolism, also rapid loss equals rapid gains quickly after quitting the diet. Firstly, if you live on cabbage soup or grapefruits or cinnamon tea, or whatever latest fad diet is doing the rounds, you are going to be hungry. Not only that, it is not sustainable for any period of time, it is not pleasant, it is not satisfying to the eyes, mouth, smell, anything, it is just torture. When you stop it you eat ‘normally’ you are bound to put it all straight back on. Also you have not taught yourself any new eating habits.

  On this diet the 800 calories are packed with good nutrients, good fats to keep you feeling full longer and good proteins like egg, fish, cheese, chicken and a small amount of red meat. Your body needs oils and proteins, it does not need simple carbohydrates. This is not a carb free diet or even a very low carb diet. It is the right carbs diet. You will find all the carbs you need in most of the food you eat. My carbs come from beans and pulses and vegetables. I eat lots of chickpeas, lentils, spinach, peppers, celery, celeriac, aubergine etc.

  My main worry on this diet was having too low blood glucose and the possibility of having a hypoglycemic incident. Well, twice I have been nearing the point of ‘too low’ but, as I am checking myself regularly I am able to nip it in the bud and have a snack. On one occasion I had just had a 30 minute swim just an hour or so before dinner was due, so I was getting quite hungry. I am not going to risk my life for the sake of a diet and getting something to eat fairly quickly was what was needed. Previously I would have had something high in carbs or sugars, like a slice of bread, a spoonful of jam or a sweet drink. Now I have 2 prunes and a spoonful of full fat yogurt. I have also re-timed my exercise so I am not doing it on an empty stomach, so an hour after breakfast, lunch or dinner, not just before when I need food. It is knowing your own body and taking notice of it. Read my opening paragraph about keeping careful checks on myself.

  I think that is enough said for today, I might have to look at the myths about metabolism another day before I bore you all to tears.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 12 Jul 2021 at 12:51

  

  Hi there, another installment of my blog. Again, people were asking questions and some were insisting the diet was all wrong and could cause damage so I addressed some of their fears. Like the bit about starving (or fasting in our case) and fat burning increasing.
  __________________________________________________________________________
  24th July 2016

  Someone said that eating such a low calorie diet slows down the metabolism. Well, I am not a doctor or a scientist and I am not losing masses of weight so maybe there is some truth in that. Apparently your body goes into starvation mode and holds on to the fat. However, according to recent research this is no longer thought to be true. I don’t want to plagerise from Dr Mosley’s book so I am paraphrasing what he has to say on this.

  The theory was based on the Minnesota experiment using men who had come back from concentration camps after WW2 (yes, that long ago). They put the volunteers on a very restricted diet of potatoes, bread and turnips in very small amounts. These people were already starving and their bodies had nothing left to give so just shut down. A more recent experiment asked people to live on nothing but water for 4 days and their metabolism increased by 14%. Now they can do so many more tests like put people in tanks and measure their oxygen, blood tests to look at hormones etc. This experiment found that the fat burning hormone actually increased when the body was starved so that it could use up more fat to get its energy. It is now believed that the metabolism does eventually slow down as you lose weight because you are no longer carrying around the equivalent of 30, 40 or 50 kilos of lard around with you, so the body does not have to work so hard.

  The diet recommends doing at least 3 session of muscle building exercise each week so the body is not depleting muscle mass. I try to do that but often forget as I am more of an aerobics or swimming type of person. However, aerobic exercise is not known for its fat burning properties.

  Note to self, must do the muscle exercises. There are only 5 that are necessary, arm curls, press ups, stomach crunches, a plank and squats, so not too hard to add into the day. Anyway, I am going for a swim now so I can at least follow his rule on mindfulness and relax and clear my mind.

  There is one thing with me, and I might have said this in another days blog but I have always eaten a diet very low in calories with a big BUT. I had yogurt for breakfast, tuna or chicken salad for lunch and homemade vegetable soup for dinner, around 600 calories, and here’s the BUT, then I would be starving and make myself a chicken or tuna sandwich or drink half a bottle of wine. So my body was not getting the nutrients, I was still not losing weight and, any weight I did lose I put back on over the weekend with wine and maybe a few treats. My daughter says I ate so little before that this diet is not too much of a body shock, which is why I am not losing loads of weight but at least I am losing and not putting it back on week in week out.

  This weeks results on Tuesday.
  _________________________________________________________________
  Results tomorrow.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 13 Jul 2021 at 15:29

  

  Blog for end of week 4. I have included a one day example of the diet sheet from the nutritionist and I am reminded now of the rubbish she wanted me to eat. No wonder I gained weight and my BG went sky high. Hoever, even on this diet I am still a slow loser but put that down to the insulin injections which cause the body to hang onto fat. Wont go into the science but it is well documented.
  _______________________________________________________________________________
  26th July 2016 – Week 4 Weigh In

  Today is the end of week 4 of the diet. Here are my daily blood glucose results, all taken before breakfast and my weight and total loss.

  Today I weigh 12 st 2 lbs – a loss of a pound this week with a total loss of 6 lbs

  A bit disappointing but it is 6 lb more than I have lost before so a step in the right direction. I can honestly say I have not broken the diet except for maybe having an extra 50 to 100 calories on the very occasional hungry day. That would still have me at 900 calories so would expect to be losing more. There are people on the BSD site that are losing tons of weight but one or two like me who are slower losers. I have a photograph taken a couple of weeks before I started this diet. I am going to retake the same photo when I hit the 12 stone mark to get a visual of any difference.

  However, this is the Blood Sugar Diet and that is my main objective.
  Morning blood glucose for week:
  Wed 79 – 4.3 Thurs 86 – 4.7 Fri 104 – 5.7 Sat 114 – 6.3 Sun 101 – 5.6 Mon 91 – 5.05 Tues 109 – 6.05
  Insulin – 28 units (down from 37) Gliclazide (Diamicron) 2 per day, down from 3.

  I am really pleased with these results and look forward to my official test in 2 weeks time and see what my doctor thinks of this. I know he will probably say I am not eating enough calories and I am not eating enough carbs.

  I have just found a copy of the diet sheet from the nutritionist and I have added up the carbs per day.
  *********
  Breakfast: water with lemon juice, 40g of cereal, 1 yogurt, 1 fruit, handful of nuts and green tea without sugar. Plus 10g of butter if the carb was bread.
  Lunch: Bowl of vegetable soup or vegetable sticks, 1 portion of meat, fish or chicken, vegetables or salad, 100g of rice or pasta, 40g of bread, 1 teaspoon of oil or butter, 1 fruit or a yogurt.
  Afternoon snack: 1 glass of water, 1 tea or coffee with milk but no sugar, 1 piece of fruit preferably a banana.
  Dinner: Bowl of veg soup and 1 portion of meat etc, vegetables or salad, small portion of rice, pasta etc, 1 piece of bread, 1 teaspoon of oil or butter, 1 piece of fruit, tea or coffee with milk.

  That’s 240g of high sugar carbs (bread, pasta etc) in one day and that’s not counting the good carbs in the veg and fruit.
  ************
  I followed those rules for 3 months with a promise that my blood sugars would stabilise and I would lose weight, based on the idea that it would boost my metabolism. 5 kg heavier and blood sugar out of control I went back to ‘normal’ eating.

  No wonder we are totally confused about good nutrition. When I showed it to my doctor who is a 6ft 5in man, he said he doesn’t eat that much. So I will remind him of this when he tells me to eat more.

  How am I feeling. Very well, lots of energy. Had to cut down on exercise for a couple of weeks until my body got used to less calories but also found I could do as much exercise if I timed it right. I am back to swimming at least 30 mins daily so hope that will have a positive impact on next weeks weight. I have also had a minor problem with…. sorry….. constipation. Used to going twice a day, it has been more like once every other day. However, that seems to be sorting itself out. Hunger, not really, just the occasional twinge and learning to save some calories for snacks, sometimes just leaving part of my lunch or dinner on my plate for later.

  I promised myself I would see this diet to the end so here begins week 5. Bon chance et bon courage as they say here in France.
  ________________________________________________________________

  More tomorrow.

• posted by Verano
  on 13 Jul 2021 at 17:03

  

  That diet ‘sheet’ from your dietitian is quite scary in the light of new research. At least we now know the best way to go with carbs. Five years on still doing well!

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 14 Jul 2021 at 14:24

  

  Back again for another day of my 5 years ago blog. Got to read it myself first. Well, as it says, nothing much to write home about but I did do great on not touching any alcohol for the whole 8 weeks. And yes, the diet is still quite intensive with planning, shopping etc but part of my usual routine now. I really should get back to looking at some new recipes and doing a weekly menu plan.
  ____________________________________________________________________
  30th July 2016

  Just realised it has been a week since I last wrote a blog. I am getting so used to the diet it is just so normal for me, so, as they say, nothing to write home about.

  What don’t I like about this diet. Well nothing really. I haven’t had a glass of wine or a vodka and tonic for nearly 6 weeks and I get a little twinge when I see my husband with his glass of red at the weekend but not actually wanted one. I just so want this diet to work that I haven’t had one single cheat, unless you can count a few extra nuts if I am feeling peckish, last night I had a couple of ounces of chicken over my allowance and I have had a square of dark chocolate – which is allowed but only within the calorie allowance.

  I eat something different every day. Nearly the end of 5 weeks and there are only a handful of meals I have repeated because I really like them. Sunday I am having pork loin stuffed with apricots for the second time because I loved it. Before I used to eat salad and salad and more salad every lunchtime and 5 days out of 7 I would have the same homemade soup for dinner. I had the same because I had made it and didn’t want it to go to waste, now if a make 3 or 4 portions I freeze them for another day and never have the same thing two days in a row.

  That brings me to the downside. The diet is labour intense. Planning, shopping, storing, cooking, freezing and then planning again for the next week. I am hoping I will just have ‘go to’ foods that I don’t have to think about but then that can lead to making mistakes or just grabbing what is there.

  Someone on a TV diet programme said you know you are being good when your salad / veg drawer spills over into the rest of the fridge. Well, the whole of my fridge is full of veg and fruit but very little traditional salad. Also, my freezer is full to bursting with all my left over prepared meals. Okay, that means that one week I will eat everything in my freezer and not have to plan, shop or cook. Yipeeee.

  Here are one weeks worth of lunches. Sunday not included as I allow myself a brunch of grilled bacon, scrambled eggs, grilled mushrooms and grilled tomatoes.

  Minted pea hummus and veg sticks
  Courgetti with feta cheese and raspberries
  Bacon and avocado salad
  Chicken, manchego cheese and orange salad
  Poughmans lunch
  Roasted red pepper, asparagus and chicken salad

  I no longer go to jars of mayo and dress my ‘salads’ with full fat greek yogurt with lemon and mint, or olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
  _______________________________________________________________
  It might be time for a weight check tomorrow.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 15 Jul 2021 at 14:30

  

  A bit more from my BSD diary. Dont worry folks it doesnt go on for 5 years, just a few more weeks. So here goes with a couple of my posts.
  ______________________________________________________
  2nd August 2016 – End of Week 5

  Start blood glucose – 190 Start weight – 176 lbs – Insulin 37 units

  Today is the end of week 5 of the diet. Here are my daily blood glucose results, all taken before breakfast and my weight and total loss.
  Today I weigh 168.5 lbs 12 st 0.5 lb – a loss of 1.5 lbs this week with a total loss of 7.5 lbs

  More than happy with my weight loss. It is not a massive amount but it is consistent and more than I have lost of previous diets. The main reason for this is, first and foremost, it is for my health and I am seeing dramatic changes in the blood glucose readings. Although I always dieted for health reasons, I have never seen my results as good, ever, so have usually given in to temptation. The thought process being ‘well if its not working, why bother’. This is working. Secondly, I have a determination for this diet to work, partly because I am blogging but also because this is an experimental diet that has not been done outside of strict medical conditions (although I am not the only one doing it) and it could give such hope to other diabetics. In some ways I am a little afraid to break the rules of this diet in case I see all my hard work undone, I don’t think it is worth that risk for a slice of toast or a plate of pasta. That is not too much to give up but my health is. Yes, I would love a vodka and tonic treat on a Saturday night and the odd glass of wine and I will be able to have that, just not yet. The 8 weeks target is in sight and I am going to do this. When I go onto the maintenance part of the diet I will be allowed the odd glass of wine. Currently, my little treat is a 10g square of really dark chocolate (50 calories) most nights but only allowed within my calories allowance.

  However, this is the Blood Sugar Diet and that is my main objective.

  Morning blood glucose for week:

  Wed 90 or 5 – nearly perfect
  Thurs 117 or 6.5 – still within normal range
  Fri 92 or 5.1 – as close to perfect
  Sat 83 or 4.5 – perfect
  Sun 101 or 5.6 – pretty darn good
  Mon 102 or 5.7 – still happy
  Tues 93 or 5.16 – very happy

  Insulin – 27 units (down from 37) Gliclazide (Diamicron) 2 per day, down from 3.

  I am reluctant to reduce the Gliclazide any further without the permission of my doctor but will be taking my insulin down to 26 tonight and leaving it there for a full week. Monday of next week I will be having my bloods done professionally before I see my doctor on Wednesday. That will be judgement day.
  _____________________________________________________________
  3rd August 2016

  Looking back at my first blog on this called ‘800 calorie diet’, I set myself 2 main goals. First was to get my blood glucose down to 120 (6.6) and, secondly to lose 3kg in weight. I achieved the first goal by the end of week 1 and my readings have been below that goal, usually around 100 (5.5) and never higher than 117 (6.5). My weigh in for the end of week 5 shows a total loss of 3.4kg so I have managed to hit my second target too, and both targets early as I still have 3 weeks to go.

  I have family coming to visit next week and my grandchildren will be staying with me for nearly 3 weeks so I don’t have much hope of losing more but I will do my best to stick to the principles of the diet i.e. low calorie low carb. I hope to have lost another 0.6 kg before they arrive making my total loss 4kg. Fingers crossed.
  _________________________________________________________________
  So sad now to remember family coming to visit and our daughter letting our grandsons stay on their own for 3 weeks. We had a fantastic time although it was a bit long for them missing their mum and dad. I few back to the UK with them. Oh those were the days.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 16 Jul 2021 at 14:16

  

  Another installment. I have just been listening to Dr Jason Fung and he was explaining what injecting insulin does to the body. He explained that if you are eating 2000 calories and your body is burning at that rate your body will use 2000 calories. If you inject 100 units of insulin (which is a lot but not unusual) your body will take 1000 calories and store it somewhere (not sure of the details) and that is 1000 calories you can never get rid of and your body is living on 1000 calories so you will be nutrient deprived as well as having 1000 calories hanging around. I was on 37 units (lets say 40 for ease) so my body would hang on to or block the use of 400 calories. Imagine it like eating an extra 400 calories that the body has no idea what to do with and cannot use.
  ______________________________________________________________
  6th August 2016

  Start blood glucose – 190 Start weight – 176 lbs Insulin 37 units

  Just checking in to see how I am feeling, not giving weigh in details until Tuesday (my official weigh day).

  I started this diet with lots of worries. It claims to reduce or reverse diabetes and I never for one minute believed that but any diet was worth a try. I had tried them all anyway and nothing had an impact on my blood glucose, not really. It might go down a little one day then back up and it can take months to see it come down to a good reading with traditional diets.

  So, off I went again trying yet another diet worried that I would not be able to stick to 800 calories a day. Well that part is easy. I just eat such good things that I don’t actually miss anything and the things I eat are designed to keep you feeling full longer so there is no need for me to have an afternoon snack. The only reason I have a bedtime snack is because not doing so can send blood glucose up with the dawn effect (technical reasons to do with how the liver works during the night). Now my nighttime snack is usually a small portion from either lunch or dinner. Or sometimes a bit of both.

  Besides the weight loss I have seen a big reduction in my blood glucose readings and have reduced my insulin by 11 units (from 37 to 26). Insulin being one of the things that causes weight gain, which is probably why I am a slow weight loser but the less insulin I take the better my weight control.

  I have now discovered that my blood pressure has come down to a level where I might have to ask my doctor to stop or reduce my b/p medication. BP normally 140/80 on medication, now 120/70. I will not interfere with the medication, will leave that to my doctor who I will be seeing on Wednesday. I could understand this if I had lost several stones (a stone is 14 lbs in the UK) say 3 stone or 42 lbs but I have only lost half a stone – 7 lbs (at last weigh in) so question: is it the diet. Well, my husband, who has high blood pressure went to see the cardiologist for his annual check up and was told his blood pressure is low enough not to be on medication. He was told to buy a machine and take records to show his doctor along with a letter from the cardiologist. Now why would his blood pressure suddenly come down (last checked 2 months ago) and mine too. He has been inadvertently following the same diet although I will make him chips or mashed potato or rice, most times he says not to bother as he is happy with what I am eating and will have the same.

  Because of this I have been taking my blood pressure in time to show my doctor my lowered results too. We will see what happens on Wednesday. Also, my husband’s cholesterol has gone down from 4.5 to 3.2 but I am not having mine checked this time so don’t know about me.

  Finally, although losing weight quite slowly I have taken measurements of bust, midriff, waist, stomach, hips and top of both legs, and have lost a total of 13 inches, 5 of that from my waist, which is where the bad fat is held.

  Looking forward to Monday when I get my bloods done officially at the laboratory, looking forward to Tuesday when I get weighed for the end of this week and looking forward to Wednesday when I see my doctor (assuming my blood results are good). I will blog again when I get my results. Blood taken 8 am Monday so should have the results by the same afternoon.
  __________________________________________________________________________

• posted by Verano
  on 16 Jul 2021 at 16:47

  

  Thanks s-g. It’s so good to read about the ‘early days’ and relive them again. It’s so easy to forget what huge strides forward we made in those early days in every aspect of our health.
  The health benefits have remained with me but just wish I could get back that same initial impetus to keep losing weight!

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 17 Jul 2021 at 14:51

  

  Another installment. Yes V, I remember telling people about this diet and being ridiculed my most. Also, when my BG dropped so quickly I did a post called What Are We Doing To Ourselves. I was really scared and almost gave up.
  ________________________________________________________________
  8th August 2016

  I have been to the laboratory this morning and I now have my 3 monthly HBA1c results. I have only been on the diet for 6 weeks so was not expecting miracles. Fortunately, miracles do happen. So here goes:-

  HBA1c was 8.1 in June. Now 6.6

  I am absolutely over the moon. Firstly, because I was in despair as nothing I did seemed to get my b/g down. Secondly, because this diet was an experiment and I never really expected it to work. This gives me such hope for the next 3 months to get the results down to 5.0 or normal.

  The other blood tests that were done today show that my triglycerides are right down – that shows improved liver function. Finally, my cholesterol is also down, total cholesterol 3.7 down from 4.1. I also know that my blood pressure is down but will wait for my doctor to verify that.

  After being in despair I am now crying with happiness and dancing around like a lunatic, driving my husband mad.

  I will report on my weight loss tomorrow as that is my official weigh-in day and I am seeing my doctor on Wednesday afternoon. Much as my results speak for themselves I still don’t think he is going to be happy about the 800 calories. I have typed out a menu plan which includes everything I have eaten over a 5 day period so when he sees, for example, melon shake he will know everything it contains and that it is not just melon. Today for lunch I have had a 150 gm portion of roasted chicken with roasted red peppers and asparagus served on a bed of spinach leaves with a yogurt garlic and lemon dressing. Delicious. Even if I stop this diet I would still eat things like that, but why would I want to stop. Not only have I typed the menu’s I have translated them into French so I don’t have to try to explain to him.

  Looking forward to Wednesday with trepidation.
  _______________________________________________________________________________________
  9th August 2016 – End of Week 6 Weigh In

  Today is the end of week 6 of the diet.

  Today I weigh 166.5 lbs – a loss of 2 lbs this week with a total loss of 9.5 lbs.

  I originally set myself a goal of 3kg loss in 8 weeks. I met that goal in week 5 and set it to lose a further 1kg by the end of 8 weeks (again) and have already reached that by week 6. I am not setting any further loss goals as I have family arriving for a 3 week stay and have so many planned outings I am going to find it difficult to keep to the calories, but I have every intention on keeping to the principal of low carb eating.

  I am not going to publish my daily blood glucose readings as I had my HBA1c, Cholesterol and Triglycerides done at the laboratory yesterday. My results were:-

  HBA1c 6.6 (down from 8.1)
  Cholesterol 3.7 (down from 4.1)
  Triglycerides 1.21 and 1.38 (down from 1.50 and 1.71)

  Insulin reduced from 37 units to 26. Glicazide reduced from 30mg to 20mg.

  It is interesting that my cholesterol and triglycerides have come down as I am now eating more ‘fat’. However, this is not like the low carb high fat diets of the past where you can have fried foods, fatty meats and cut out all simple carbs without replacing them with complex carbs. This diet allows complex carbs and good fats like olive oil, avocados and nuts, vegetables, pulses, beans etc. It is basically the Mediterannean diet but low calorie.

  I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow afternoon and will be getting my blood pressure done by him. I have a machine at home which has been showing reading between 116/70 and 105/65 with a constant resting pulse rate of 60 ‘ish but I am not fully trusting the machine as that seems a bit low.

  I have just been googling my medications to find out what I am on and why. If you are diabetic you will know what it is like to be on so many drugs that you forget what is for what. I am on 2 blood pressure tablets (Atenonol and Zesteril). And I must apologise to someone who commented on an earlier blog that BP medication can protect your kidneys. It turns out the Zestril can be prescribed for this.

  I am not confident my doctor will appreciate the fact I am on only 800 calories but will go armed with a list of what I eat in a day so he can see I have lots of good, nutritious foods, plenty of good oils, a variety of complex carbs and a delicious and varied diet.

  I just hope that the evidence speaks for itself and he can see that this diet is working for me.

  Wish me luck for tomorrow and the next 3 weeks of chaos in my house.
  _____________________________________________________________________

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 18 Jul 2021 at 12:21

  

  Starting week 7 of the blog and the diet. Not a lot of weight off but my BG has come down fantastic amounts.
  _________________________________________________________________________________________
  10th August 2016

  End of week 6

  Now weigh 11 st 11.5 lbs – 166.5lbs – lost 9.5 lbs
  Official HBA1c 6.6 (was 8.1)
  Cholesterol down from 4.1 to 3.7
  Triglycerides down from 1.50 to 1.21
  Insulin 26 units

  Today I had my 3 monthly check up with my doctor. I was a little worried he would not be happy about my diet, especially the 800 calories per day aspect of it. I gave him my results and he was so pleased. He asked me what I had been doing different and I showed him my book The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet by Dr Michael Mosley and I explained that it was 800 calories. Of course, he asked me how I managed, what I ate and did I feel hungry. I showed him my diet sheet for the past 5 days with a list of all my meals in detail along with what I don’t eat and what carbs I eat to replace the rice, pasta, potatoes etc. I also told him I eat only full fat foods like yogurt, milk and cheese and no lo-fat substitutes. He said it is a very healthy, balanced diet. I did say I was worried he might be cross with me for not telling him it was only 800 calories when I told him I was going on the diet. He said as long as I feel well and I am not hungry or weak he is more than happy for me to continue with the diet. He said the evidence speaks for itself, my numbers are down, my health has improved and I have lost weight.

  I showed him the ‘Notes for Doctors’ from the research web site and told him I have reduced my insulin from 40 units (that was what I took 3 months ago, then 37 when I started this diet) and that I am now on 26. Also that I have reduced my Gliclazide from 3 tablets daily to 2. Again, he is okay.

  He is totally on board with this except he said he was not ready to reduce my blood pressure medication just yet and will review the situation in 3 months.

  Phew, what a relief. I am so happy with this diet I hope to eat this way until the 8 weeks is over, then I am going to do another 8 weeks to get my all my numbers down further and continue to improve my health.

  One small snag at the moment. My family arrive tomorrow and it is going to be party central all the way. We are booked into a restaurant famous for its 7 course meals with all drinks included all for a set price of 38 euros (around 32 uk pounds) per person. However, French restaurants don’t usually serve rice, pasta or potatoes, just lots of lovely meat and salads so I might be able to stick to the low carb principle. I am going to have to be really strong willed but I might allow myself a couple of glasses of wine. On Friday we are spending the day canoeing so I might get plenty of exercise and I am taking a picnic lunch full of low carb goodies.

  For people who have said I am starving myself, that doctors don’t allow less than 1200 calories and all the horror stories about what happens to your body when you have less, I think I have shown that there is another way and it is safe. Medical science is moving on and a lot of the rules we live by were written 40 or 50 years ago (like the research on low cal diets lowering metabolism – 1946 research) that it is about time we opened our minds to new ideas and looked at alternatives to the traditional beliefs about dieting.
  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
  From starting this diet 6 weeks ago and having comments like you are starving yourself, your brain will shrivel up without carbs, and so on, I am now getting the following comments.

  Sissy 21 – Very impressed with your diet and results! I agree that 1200 cal a day are not always necessary. I am adding you as a friend if that is ok. Find this very interesting. And congratulations on your great results!

  OSONIYE
  You’re doing great!
  That “don’t go below 1200 cal” stuff is hog wash!

  1920SMP – You are doing great Sunshine. Keep blogging and inspiring.
  So glad your doc is on board too
  Hoping to be able to share same story soon 😀

  PISKIER1980 – Good for you, very smart. Great research. Being honest with your dr. Is also very smart. I look forward to your future posts. I would like to add you as a friend. Very curious of your outcome. I too am looking for better health more than clothe size.

  Happy with those comments and gained quite a few ‘followers’.
  _____________________________________________________________________________

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 19 Jul 2021 at 14:39

  

  Another installment, getting to the end of the 8 weeks soon. Family still visiting. Oh to have that time back again.
  _______________________________________________________
  18th August 2016– End of 7 weeks + 2 DAYS

  End of week 7 plus 2 days

  Now weigh – not declaring a weight until Tuesday (see below)
  Official HBA1c 6.6 (was 8.1)
  Cholesterol down to 3.7 from 4.1
  Triglycerides down to 1.21 from 1.50
  Insulin 26 units

  After the end of week 6 my house became full of visitors. I have cooked for them and made them meals they would enjoy whilst sticking to my own regime. We have been out for meals and now we have been away for 3 days to a French theme park. Because of this I have not been near a set of scales and expect to have put on around 1 to 2 lbs.

  I have managed to stick to the low carb principle and even found a chick pea salad in a fast food outlet at the theme park. Also managed to tailor my meals in the hotel restaurant so I did not have anything with potatoes, chips or rice/pasta. I have allowed myself a few glasses of wine but I have been swimming daily and yesterday must have walked for 3 or 4 hours.

  Today I finally gave in (yes I have to be honest or there is no point doing this). After an early start and a long a tiring drive back home I shoved a couple of pizzas in the oven for my hubby and 2 grandsons and made myself a ham salad. Trouble was it was typical of one of my old salad meals, drab and uninteresting with not much flavour. I just couldn’t resist it and I had a slice of pizza. I don’t know exactly what sort it was as it just tasted like eating cardboard with cheese and tomato mush. So, no I didn’t enjoy it and, no, I won’t be doing it again.

  Tomorrow I will head out to the supermarket and get myself some good food stocks and stick to the carbs and the calories ready for my weigh in on Tuesday. Hopefully, I won’t have done too much damage.

  In all of this I have managed to keep my blood glucose around 100 (5.5) which I am very happy about as this is more about my health than my weight.

  Keep on keeping on – onward and downwards.
  ______________________________________________________________________
  20TH August 2016 – 7 weeks and 4 days and have visitors

  End of week 7 plus 4 days

  Now weigh – not declaring a weight until Tuesday (see below)
  Official HBA1c 6.6 (was 8.1)
  Cholesterol down to 3.7 from 4.1
  Triglycerides down to 1.21 from 1.50
  Insulin 26 units

  Did eventually get on the scales and have gained 2lbs, just as I suspected. Nothing to be ashamed of or worried about if I can put it behind me and carry on.

  Started back on the diet properly after a big supermarket shop and had a day of my usual, delicious low carb low calorie meals.

  Started the day with a melon, spinach and almond milk shake. For lunch I had grilled hallumi salad with a yogurt and garlic dressing. Then, for dinner I had 2 homemade turkey & apricot burgers again on a pile of courgetti with cherry tomatoes and dressing.

  This morning I have lost 1lb, so it does work and I am back on track. Also my blood glucose had crept up to around 100 / 110 (5.6 and 6.1) which is still within the normal range but has now gone back down to 85 (4.7) which is a brilliant reading and the result I am looking for in the long term.

  I have my next HBA1c in November and hope to be down from 6.6 to 6.0, I am not rushing this and will be on this diet for a long time but it took me 53 years to get diabetes, I don’t expect to cure it overnight.

  When the family have gone home in 1 weeks time I will take stock of where I am and will set myself a new range of goals. Now I am just going to enjoy time with my family, relax and do my best for myself and my health.
  _______________________________________________________________________________

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 20 Jul 2021 at 13:57

  

  Here is the end result of my 8 weeks on BSD. I lost 9lbs. Not great but as I kept on saying, I had never been able to lose weight before. I now understand that every 10 units of insulin is the equivalent of 10 calories of fat being stored away. So 40 units was 400 calories my body was no long able to make use of and just stored as fat. It all makes sense when you have it explained.

  I know a lot of people expect to lose a lot of weight and if that is your goal and you have no other medical issue that might interfer with that then okay. I lost a total of 9 lbs and was more than happy with that.
  ___________________________________________________________________________
  23rd August 2016 – End of Week 8 Weigh In

  Start blood glucose – 190 (10.5) Start weight – 176 lbs or 79.9 kg Insulin 37 units

  End of week 8

  Now weigh – 167 lbs – Total loss 9 lbs
  Official HBA1c 6.6 (was 8.1)
  Cholesterol down to 3.7 from 4.1
  Triglycerides down to 1.21 from 1.50
  Insulin 26 units (down from 37 units)
  Medication, reduced Glyclzide from 90 mg to 60 mg

  When I started this I set myself 2 main goals.
  Number 1 to reduce my HBA1c from 8.1 to 7.0. It is now 6.6.
  Daily home testing results were 190 wanted to get to 120 – now down to 90 or 95.
  Weight: wanted to lose 3 kg and have lost 4 kg.

  My thoughts about this diet is that it is do-able but you have to be determined and stick to it. I have only felt hungry on the first 3 or 4 days whilst my body got used to the 800 calories. It can only work if you are prepared to put effort into making interesting and nutritious meals because, if you try to do 800 calories of boring salad type meals you are going to be disheartened. Preparation is key on this diet.

  My conclusion is that it has worked for me. I have not lost masses of weight but I have exceeded my 8 week goal. The most important thing is that my blood test have shown a big improvement in my health with every marker coming down into normal levels. I feel and look better because of the weight loss but also because I am not upset day in day out at my blood glucose readings. I am confident that this improvement will continue as I go ahead for a further 8 weeks. I am not ready to shift to the maintenance plan. I have had diabetes for 11 years, so a few more weeks are not too much to ask of myself.

  I still think I have a long way to go in reversing my diabetes although some people who are either pre-diabetic or recently diagnosed (3 to 4 years) have seen their blood glucose come back to normal using the glucose test (there is a proper name). That is when you do a pre-meal finger prick test, drink a glucose solution then do another finger prick 2 hours later. If your b/g has returned to the level it was on the first test within that time your body is behaving as a non-diabetics would. I have not done this test as I am not there yet and have every intention of staying on this diet, at this strict 800 calorie level, for the foreseeable future.

  I am setting myself new goals when I have had time to think about it and when my family have gone home, they are here on holiday. In the meantime, I will enjoy some family time whilst sticking to the principles of the plan (I no longer call it a diet) but allowing a little leeway just because I am human.

  I am now more than happy to recommend this diet with the proviso that you do your research, talk to your doctor and take good care of yourselves.
  ___________________________________________________________
  Here is a round up of the full 8 weeks but it is just repeating so I have cut some of it.

  I have completed the planned 8 weeks on this diet to see if it did what it promised which was to greatly improve blood sugar readings, reduce medication and, in some case, reverse diabetes completely. It also has the benefit of weight loss, in some cases rapid and big results, though not for me and that was not my aim. After 8 weeks my results are:-

  Now weigh – started at 176 lbs now 167 Total loss 9 lbs
  Official HBA1c 6.6 (was 8.1)
  Cholesterol down to 3.7 from 4.1
  Triglycerides down to 1.21 from 1.50
  Insulin 26 units (down from 37 units)
  Medication, reduced Glyclzide from 90 mg to 60 mg

  For me this diet has done what it promised so I am continuing for a further 8 weeks at the same level (800 calories) and sticking to the low carbohydrate principles. Since finishing I have had a break with visitors and several meals out. I have stayed true to the low carb but I have had more calories and rather too much wine. As a consequence I have gained 1 kg or 2lbs.

  I started back on this plan yesterday and have already lost 2 lb of what I gained so I am starting with a new weight and new goals.

  Today I weigh 167 lbs
  Weight loss goal 9 lbs
  Morning blood glucose 104 or 5.7 (depending on which measure you use) so not trying to lower that but maintain
  HBA1c was 6.6 and I want it to be 6.00 when I have my next check up with my doctor.

  Looking forward to a successful and delicious adventure into changing my life as a diabetic.
  _________________________________________________________________________

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 21 Jul 2021 at 12:49

  

  Hi there, I continued to write my blog on the odd occasion and this posting is after 5 months and is an update. Probably wont post any more for a while and there is a lot more of the same. One thing I noticed reading back on this is my HbA1c 5.9 and 24 units of insulin. Today I am at 5.8 but only using 15 units of insulin. I am still aiming to get rid of the needles completely and 5 years on I am still following this plan. It is a way of life now and I never want to go back to those dark days of crying over 180 / 190 BG reading and 40 units of insulin. My weight is still around a 19lb loss although I did get down to 25lbs. That still continues.
  _____________________________________________________________________________
  November 2016

  This is an update because I have had a further HBA1c blood test, which shows the sugar levels in the blood over a 12 week period.

  Starting HBA1c Pre-diet in Feb was 8.2
  Next HBA1c also Pre-diet in May was 8.2 – after trying my hardest to reduce this with a low fat high carb diet – as recommended by a nutritionist.
  HBA1c six weeks into the diet (August) 6.7
  HBA1c last week 5.9

  This indicates an improvement from the blood sugar diet which I did not achieve on the medically recommended diet.

  All other health markers also show an improvement with results in August showing total cholesterol down from 4.1 to 3.7, triglycerides down from 1.50 to 1.21 and blood pressure down from 140 / 80 to 130 / 70.

  Finally, the weight loss. This has been slow but steady and I have now lost 18lbs. This is not a massive loss but it is the most I have ever lost, looking back when I joined SparkPeople and have been on a diet forever. Some people show greater losses on this plan but usually have a lot more to lose than me. I probably only had 3 stone to lose so I am half way there. Also, I have had several weeks when, although sticking to the low carb principle I have had more calories whilst having people visiting us throughout the summer and 2 holidays totalling 3 weeks. One holiday travelling around, eating out every lunchtime and evening and staying with family who did not understand the concept of low carb and happily fed me fish and chips….. Hey ho.

  I am seeing my doctor on Monday 5th December but did not wait for this appointment to post my results as I am sure he will be very happy with me. I will do another blog if there is any significant news from that appointment, although it should just be routine for now. I continue to adjust my own medications and have gone from 3 x 30gm gliclazide to 2 x 30gm and have reduced my daily insulin from 38 units to 24 units. My current blood glucose of 5.9 would be considered non-diabetic if I were not helping it along with medication. My next big goal is to come off insulin completely and be a diet controlled diabetic. Reaching a point where I can be declared ‘cured’ is still a long way off for me due to the long duration of my illness i.e. 11 years.

  What have I really learnt from this experiment is that the traditional belief that diabetes is a chronic life-time lasting progressive illness needing more and more drugs to control it and its side effects is a thing of the past and no longer holds true for those of us who are taking health care into our own hands.

  _____________________________________________________________________________________

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 24 Jul 2021 at 13:32

  

  A full 5 years of BSD. This is the final, final installment to celebrate 5 years on the BSD with an update of all my numbers.

  Including a few pounds I lost after I ditched the nutritionists diet but before starting BSD I lost a total of 25lbs. I am now on 15 units of insulin so even more improvement in the last 2 months.
  ______________________________________________________________________
  28th June 2021

  Today it is exactly five years since I started the 800 calorie Blood Sugar Diet by Dr Michael Mosley. I was told to put a disclaimer at the start saying I wasnt recommending the diet etc etc. Today I can quite clearly recommend it for anyone who wants to get good control of their diabetes symptoms.

  I started the diet at 79.9 kilos and I was using between 37 and 40 units of insulin every night. I also took tablets for high cholesterol and high blood pressure. A total of 7 tablets daily. Today I am still diabetic but I only inject 16 units of insulin and still have hopes of stopping completely. I now take less medication and completely stopped the cholesterol meds as my cholesterol is well down at around 3.2 total. During the 5 years I have had no illness of any kind, not even a cold and my doctor says I have sort of stopped the deterioration in my health that he would expect of a diabetic. Cant say he totally approves of my diet but his attitude is ‘if it works for you and does no harm’. He cant get his head around me never eating bread. The French like to have their baguettes every day.

  On the subject of the actual diet. It is not always possible to stick to 800 calories every day but I have a menu plan with aims for that and I usually relax that a bit at the weekend but mainly with a few glasses of wine. There have been times when I have completely ignored the calories like on a cruise or at Christmas but I NEVER, EVER eat white starchy carbs.

  I have lost around 25 lbs in weight and never seem to get much further, mainly because I am not really bothered. However, my daughter has announced she is getting married in August 2022 and I would really like to be slim for that. To that end I am currently making a concerted effort to lose more. I am doing this by introducing intermittent fasting into my routine. I eat my last food at between 7.30 and 8.00 pm and cannot have anything at all until 10 am when I have breakfast. Over the past 2 weeks I have lost a further 2kgs but honestly they were what I had put on during covid lockdown. So I am now back to a 25lb loss and aiming to do better.

  So many people told me this diet was dangerous but it has done me only good. My blood glucose readings never go above 80 pre food in the morning. I was also told it was not sustainable but it was only meant to be for 8 weeks on the full strict version so that was not a problem but I am still sticking to it 5 years later. I continue to eat this way because it is healing me and protecting me from all the bad effects that diabetes can bring including leg and feet problems (ulcers and wounds), loss of feeling in hands and feet – I had started to lose the feeling in my toes but not any more. Eye problems, kidney failure, the list goes on for diabetics. I had a full medical just 3 weeks ago and all my numbers are just getting better and better. I would also be on more and more medication and then medication to stop the problems the other meds cause, yet I take less and less instead.

  I really cannot see myself going back to eating bread, potatoes, pasta, rice or any cereals and cant see why I should, they are not a necessary component to a diet and they turn to glucose in the blood which is why they are a problem for diabetics whereas most people think of cakes and biscuits (cookies) being the things to give up. Yes they are but a plate of potatoes is as bad as a slice of cake.

  I said I would recommend this diet or this way of eating now but with the warning that it is really hard to do and I wouldnt do it just to lose weight. But to gain control of my health it is worth the sacrifice of not eating starch.

  This site is closing down soon and I just thought I would post my last blog on this particular day and let people know how I am getting on. I doubt there is anyone reading this who were here 5 years ago but if they are then hi.
  ___________________________________________________________________________________________
  Reviews

  LETS GO PLAY – I am here – and happy you found what works for you!!!I think there is plenty there that will help others too

  POLSKARINIA -Thanks for sharing. I’m with you on the blood sugar diet. Because of Michael Mosley’s ideas, my hubby and I both feel heaps better and lose weight more easily. He is no longer pre-diabetic, I have lost over thirty pounds relatively easily and still going strong, despite not sticking to the 800 calories a day.
  Salut and santé!
  We too enjoy our French wine here just outside Perpignan and yes, I remember you from 5 years ago…

  MEADSBAY – Thank you so much for sharing!
  I’m so glad that you found a way of eating that is helping you regain your health in so many areas.
  Keep it up

• posted by Verano
  on 24 Jul 2021 at 17:40

  

  Sunshine-girl reading your blogs has been fascinating. I’ve probably said before that we are too hard on ourselves for not being ‘perfect’ but when I read you blog from 28/6/21, it just makes me realise how far we’ve all come. In theory (well the ‘old’ theory) we should be taking more medication not less and be in worse health not better. One of the, maybe silly, things that stands out for me is never having that ‘afternoon dip’ when blood sugar sank after a sandwich and crisps lunch, and then the need for those 40 winks. I never get sugar lows/dips anymore!
  Yes, it’s been quite a journey but not one that I want to end either. I enjoy my homemade Thai curry on a bed of sliced cabbage or tender stem broccoli and could never imagine eating a plate of rice or pasta again. Mind you once in a blue moon I love a few pieces of sushi! But then no harm in a those carbs very occasionally I guess.
  S-g thanks for this thread it’s been a good reminder of where we were and where we are now….. we all need to try and remember the positives and not dwell on the number on the scales.
  In your words I can only say …….. let’s keep on keeping on ……………….

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 25 Jul 2021 at 12:11

  

  Thanks Verano, we have come a long way, both personally and how the diet is now seen by others. Still not totally accepted but getting there.

• posted by JessKirkpri1
  on 26 Jul 2021 at 05:30

  

  Thanks for sharing Sunshine Girl, I’m definitely going to work my way through these gems 🙂

• posted by WindyJulz
  on 26 Jul 2021 at 12:37

  

  sunshine-girl – thank you for sharing! So fascinating and a great reminder this is all about better health and sustainability! You have done wonderfully well and turned your health around which is just great. Really inspirational.

  xx

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 3 Aug 2021 at 15:06

  

  Just in case anyone missed this – blowing my own trumpet

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 14 Aug 2021 at 15:00

  

  bump

• posted by Bernie R
  on 8 Nov 2021 at 20:55

  

  Hello Sunshine girl!
  Well done and thanks for sharing your journey !
  One question I wAS THINKING ABOUT SEEING SOME ADVICE ABOUT MY DIET MAYBE A NATRUOPATH NOW I am thinking twice after reading your thread.
  Also Next question please I have a teaspoon of cacoa it is classed as a super food I have it with my oats , with a sprinkle if ciniamon and sprinkle of flaked nuts it tastes amazing but wonder if it suits the BSD way of life?
  Thanks Bernie

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 8 Nov 2021 at 22:25

  

  Hi Bernie, thank you for reading my blog. I reproduced it here as the site it was originally on was closing down and I didnt want to lose the memories.
  I know you have BG issues but cant remember if you have been diagnosed diabetic, pre-diabetes or just told to be careful. Whatever, we all need to watch our carbs to look after our blood glucose. On the question of cacoa I cannot say it is a superfood as such but it does contain the highest amount of antioxidants and flavonoids than any other food. Also a good source of magnesium and iron. The calories in a teaspoon are around 5 and the carb rating is about 2.3 grams per teaspoon. So I think you are safe to keep on doing what you do. Just one word of warning. Make sure it is real cacoa and not cocoa as they are basically the same thing but the way they are processed changes the nutritional values and high roasting temperature for cocoa usually has the need for sugar, oil or milk fat. I always think of that little orangey red box when I think of cocoa and something much darker and richer for cacoa. You can still have cocoa for pretty much the same valuests. long as you read the label for added ingredients. Do not using drinking chocolate as it is almost pure sugar and even the very low cal versions like Hi Lites send my BG soaring as I found out the other night. Hope that helps.

• posted by Bernie R
  on 10 Nov 2021 at 22:19

  

  Hi Sunshinegirl
  Thanks for your information it was very helpful.
  My blood sugar level fasting was 5.8 it as been at this level since 2018 .
  I went in over the years to seek help told just to be careful.
  In june I had a racing heartbeat and now after many months know I have a Tachycardia which is treated by lifestyle changes.
  I went in to the doctor Just to talk about How I can bring my blood sugar and fats into a lower level.
  Hence the Blood Sugar way of eating.
  I have about 4 / 5 Kgs to lose.
  Thanks again for your insight very helpful indeed.
  Hope your feeling much better this morning !
  Regards Bernie

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 6 Apr 2022 at 13:09

  

  Bringing this up to the top again as there are a couple of diabetics who might benefit from reading, at least the first couple of weeks. What it was like, how it felt, how scared I was and that diabetes can be improved or put into remission.

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