Has anyone else found that the calorie count for many of the recipes given in the book is very inaccurate? I am gluten and dairy intolerant, and follow a low FODMAP diet to help manage my IBS, so I knew I would have to make a fair number of substitutions for some of the foods used in the recipes. I am only on day 3, so haven’t checked on that many yet, but of the recipes I have checked, I get a different calorie count every time, and all but one coming up with a higher number than is stated!
Sometimes it is as little as 20 or 30 calories (Spinach & Pea omelette, Chicken Butterbean and Walnut salad) which isn’t that significant, but it can be as much as 116 calories more (Sardine Dip).
I know that Michael has commented on another thread that in the ‘Almond Butter with Apple’ recipe (page 186) it should read: ‘makes 12 portions’ of the almond butter rather than the ‘4 portions’ stated in the book, but that only brings the calorie count down to 150 for the butter, and that is before adding the apple, seeds and goji berries!!
Michael says in the book that keeping to 800 calories is important at this stage, but just going by the calorie count in the book, it isn’t likely to be possible without calculating the calories for every recipe you use, which take ages – and I speak from experience!!

I’ve not tried any of the recipes as I always tend to do my own thing. (Two of my meals per day need to be easily constructed the night before, thrown into Tupperware, then eaten cold at work.) That said, were I to follow any, I would calculate my own calories as I went – and check everything.

Hi Guys, I havent calculated any. I have been using the book along side some of my own. Cooked since Monday when i started. Lost 5lbs. I will say i exercise each day for over an hour ( we have 2 dogs) - running, cycling. walking and climbing which is really good for the whole body. I have been dieting since September when i was diagnosed, so have lost weight prior to buying the book and signing up for this lifestyle. You cant help noticing the portion size has reduced dramatically too. I have stopped drinking alcohol and reduced decaf coffee and tea intake. I will use the books recipes as much as i can unless i find post here that say theirs is more accurate. Cheers guys . Best of luck. MARK

It seems that quite a few of the recipes have calorie counts that aren’t quite right. I use the nhs calorie counter website to check all my ingredients just in case, and it doesn’t take me long at all. Usually, I have found the book overestimates the calories, for instance the trout with lime and mushy peas was much less when I worked it out.

I’m a bit bemused by the issue around the calorie counts. If I’m going to plan on eating 800 cals a day and using someone else’s recipes, I’d like to know that what I’m eating really will give me 800. Errors in the recipes in the book seem to mean I might think I was eating 800 but find I was taking in a lot less – which sounds dangerous. Or it might mean I ate a lot more, which sort of defeats the purpose. I accept that people are getting good weight loss results with these recipes, even if they don’t check the calories themselves. But, I suppose if you thought you were eating 800 but actually were eating say 600 to 1200 then you would see a weight loss. But personally, I wanted more than that – I wanted to eat 800 cals a day to reverse type 2 diabetes, the loss of weight is a nice side affect of that. That hope was what I got from Dr Mosley’s tv programme. Doesn’t look like I can rely on these recipes to get me there. Perhaps the new version of the Weightwatchers plan, with its strong restriction of carbs, and backed by reliable recipes and support would be better. I am disappointed.

Thanks for the tip about the NHS website Janet 1973. That has speeded up the process of checking the recipes quite a bit.
I too am disappointed Cloud that more care wasn’t taken with making sure the the calorie counts were correct before publishing such an important book. Having said that, I am sticking with the recipe plan and making good progress. I’m just getting very at memorizing the calorie values of ingredients!

No problem gonnabedazzling. I suck at memorising stuff so I keep my own list of favourite foods written in my diary per 100g for quick reference.

Cloud, I have just come from the new version of weight watchers, indeed I have been a leader twice. The new version, although much improved, is still based on at least double the cals of the bsd. Of course, this is because it is meant as a long term steady weight loss program with most people losing 1-2 pounds a week. If you want to see the results promised by the bsd you would have to cut the smartpoints a lot. Also, ww is still very much about low fat so you will find full fat products carry a lot of smartpoints.

I am not personally using the recipes much as they just don’t fit with the kinds of food I like. 800 calories doesn’t really give any of us a massive amount to choose from but I am finding that going back to the basics of getting a good source of protein plus lots of vegetables and a little bit of fat is really all I need to be doing.

Then there is the cost, they have new kit for these new smartpoints of course, not mention the cost of meetings if you want the group support.

The recipes were not prepared by Dr Mosley and I do agree that they let the book down but don’t let them detract from the fact that Dr Mosley’s work is groundbreaking and working for many people on these forums. You might not agree with me but because of other people’s good experiences here, I think its worth doing the calorie counts myself. Once I’ve recorded them in my diary, I don’t have to do them again.

Hi everyone so glad to confirm I’m not going mad! I bought the book last night & entered several recipes into my calorie counter – so many of them were wildly different than stated – some of them double calories!! I think I will use the recipe ideas but plug the calories in to check – otherwise we’ll be eating way more than the 800 cals required for these results. So incredibly frustrating!!

Hi all. I’ve also been calculating the calories and have found them to be more than stated in the recipes. E.g.
Apple,mango and hazelnut with yoghurt (if using full fat which they tell you to do as it contains less sugar) – recipe states 180 cals but it is actually 383 cals plus of course it contains mango and on a previous page they tell you not to eat mango as it contains too much sugar!
Pea and spinach omelette states 180 cals but is actually 252 cals.
No carb bircher states 180 is actually 217
That is just the first section of recipes !!
Certainly not going to help me lose weight or my husband reverse his T2 diabetes 😕
I must admit i did think the meals were a generous size !! Guess we’ll just have to remember calculate all the recipes and adjust them accordingly ?

Or, like me you can stick with the recipes for a couple of weeks and see how it goes.
I have lost 17 and a half pounds in 4 weeks using this method, it works for me and many others.
Calorie counting just isn’t my thing, I’ll consider it if the weight loss stops BUT the comment about your husband not reversing his T2D is totally wrong ! Stopping the simple carbs will achieve that, not counting calories.

mrsmoog, please don’t get waylaid by worry about counting calories. It will just add to your stress. So many people here are losing weight successfully despite the calorie counts not being accurate. The low carb bit is the key to weight loss and blood sugar control.
Just look at the inspirational stories people have posted on Bill’s ‘this has to work for me’ thread. You’ll see for yourself the amazing results!

A question on calories – In the book there is often recipes that says serves 2 – does this mean the calorie count quoted is for the 2 people and you half it or for one of the two portions? i.e. there is a tasty humous recipe and it states a 270 calorie count and that there are 3 serving in it – is this for all three or for one of the servings? Many thanks. Day 2 only – craving sugar but i hope it will pass – drinking mint tea!

Hello Silver, The calorie counts given for each recipe are for a single serving – that’s on the page preceding the recipes themselves. However, for some of them, the total count hasn’t been subdivided so is way off. In addition, as you can see from this thread, many people have found the counts given on a number of the recipes to be inaccurate. It’s up to you whether to just use the counts as given and assume that because you are eating less than usual, and notably, less carbs, you will lose weight, or whether to calculate the calories yourself so you know what you are eating. The count for the hummus recipe is for a single portion, although the recipe makes 3 portions. The hummus recipes are some of the few that seem to be reasonably accurate! I drink fruit tea, but sometimes have a cup of Bovril – 10 calories, warm and savoury and good when a meal is a way off.

Hello, The recipes in the book, although look like lovely food, aren’t really what I like. I’m afraid I’m more into “plain” food. I assume as long as I stick to 800 cals with low carb I will get some results? I already have a carb/calorie counting guide so am hoping to invent some meals around this.

Leanne, I’ve been sticking pretty much to 800 cals, and so far I’ve lost 5 lbs in just 4 days. i have been using the recipes in the book, but i’m spending ages each day working out the calories and sugar content – I just don’t believe any of the figures in the book, so far, every recipe I’ve looked at has been wrong. Like you, I will also improvise and will also adapt recipes from other books and the Internet. Doing these sums is helped a lot by staying on with Weightwatchers – their iPhone app is great for getting all the nutritional data for the food types and to help track it. I wouldn’t in any case stop going to Weightwatchers, though, because it gives me lots of support – the meetings and the other members. Also, I go there with my husband. He’s not diabetic, and I don’t think he will be able to do 800 cals a day for 8 weeks – so we are both carrying on with WW, and I’m cutting sugar intake right down, guided by the blood sugar book. The weight loss is nice, but isn’t really why I’m doing the blood sugar diet. I want to reverse my type 2 diabetes. As I understand the research that the book and the TV programme talk about, that means 800 calories a day for 8 weeks. I’ve read lots of reports on this web site from people with big weight losses. But in any case, you get that at weightwatchers, to be honest. What will be great will be when lots of people start reporting reversal of T2 on this web site.

By the way, does anyone know if the calorie restriction to 800 automatically means eating very little sugar,? It doesn’t seem to be mentioned when the scientists summarise their research for us (I mean the research like the Newcastle experiment etc.) I must say I have noticed one big big advantage to giving up the sugar – after a while it definitely stops the cravings. So it makes the diet much easier to keep on with. Is that why there is a big focus on avoiding eating sugar in this diet, not just on 800 cals?

Hi Cloud,
All the carbs we cut out on this diet means that straight away you are on a low sugar programme, obviously there is no room here for cakes, biscuits or chocolate either (maybe a tiny bit of very dark chocolate).

I never experienced large weight losses quickly with weight watchers – sure – over a very long period of time – if I could stay motivated that long. I’d suggest it could become quite confusing to try combining the current points system with the bsd as they are not both based on the same assumptions. Ww is still very much low fat and not yet low enough sugar and definitely doesn’t approve of 800 calories.

Leeanne, I don’t use the recipes much either for the same reason as you. I just prefer to have something like an omelette, Quorn sausages or a piece of fish with two or three vegetables. As you say, as long as you stick roughly to your 800 and keep it low carb, you’ll be fine.

it depends on the amount that you consume as most of the recipes are for 2 people , so cut it in half , they seem like they could be a bit more but so far im on it four weeks and have lost 15 lbs and blood sugar is right down to 5.5 in morning and 5.7 in evening , it was out of control anything between 9 to 16 , and i tried so hard to get it under control

What good news peterking. I bet you’re pleased with those results. And losing a stone makes you feel so much better. I’m amazed at how more flexible I am already having also lost my first stone – although there are several more to go!
It is very encouraging to see the scales shift so much, and referring back to Janet1973’s comment about the difficulty of keeping motivated if you are aiming to lose weight slowly over a long period, I think this is one of the big plusses of this diet.

I have asked the Tech people to check whether you are contravening guidelines for posting on this site as you are advertising your blog to sell products.

GonnaBeDazzling – was not reporting you. I reported a post and it immediately disappeared – so obviously the Tech people were already on the case.

I don’t trust the calorie counts on the recipes, so I’ve been logging and recording everything on myfitnesspal anyway. It also really depends on what brand you are using, for example if I use 5% fage yoghurt, it has 93 cals per 100g, and if I use aldi greek yoghurt, it has 132cals per 100g, so you don’t know what exact ingredients MM has used in the book, therefore it is better to scan and record every packet onto myfitnesspal and weigh each bit of veg etc on the scales and add it in, if you want much better accuracy.

I’d rather be truly accurate as if I am under it means I can eat more!

So glad I Googled “BSD recipes inaccurate calories” and found this thread! I too am used to using MyFitnessPal to record my calories and macros, and have found inaccuracies so far in almost every recipe. For example the seedy flapjacks are lovely, but nowhere near 80 Cal’s per piece. Mine calculated at 111 calories (nearly 40% higher)! Also take care with the delicious Spicy spinach and lentils: 200gm of raw green lentils produces about 457gm of cooked lentils, whereas a 390gm can of lentils drained is 236 cals. We followed the full recipe, and our 200gm of raw lentils came to 526 cals; that’s a big difference to 236 cals! We turned the two main courses into 4. So it’s worth checking…