Back on the Horse – and dreaming of carbs!

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  • posted by vjc2270
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    Hi all
    I did the BSD/Fast 800 in 2016 and dropped around 8kg (not sure what that is in lbs). Having gone full-tilt “goblin-core” since early 2020 I recently found myself just a hairs’ breadth away from the heaviest I’ve ever been and my BMI had finally wobbled into the ‘obese’ zone. (Personally, I blame COVID… I’m sure all that wine, ice cream and inactivity had nothing to do with it – hahahahaaaa!) Anyway, I’m back on the BSD and have lost about 2kg in the past week (yay!), but this time round, the cravings are driving me nuts! I would wrestle my granny – anyone’s granny, in fact – for a slice of toast or a bowl of rice. Let’s not even talk about what I’d do for a bottle of wine! Unlike my first time on the BSD, I’ve had to completely change – not just modify – the way I cook and eat, because omitting/substituting the bread or rice or whatever from my usual fare just makes me miserable (all I can think about is how rubbish it is without the ‘missing’ component!). This didn’t happen when I did the BDS in 2016 – maybe it’s because my diet/motivation/activity have been SO out of kilter in recent months that I’m noticing it more? Does anyone have any similar experiences or advice to share?

    Thanks & all the best
    V

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi vjc, welcome back. Sounds to me like you are not in the right headspace for dieting. I know myself when I first started not a morsel of bad carb, over 800 cals or glass of wine touched my lips. Now it is harder but you are coming back to this new and refreshed and should be full of enthusiasm. Sit down and re-read the book(s) and set yourself some short-term goals like clearing out the cupboards, writing menu plans and shopping lists. Ask yourself why you want to lose weight and how important it is to you. I can give you one idea for motivation – diabetes – you know it is in your family. I have a daughter who is about 1.5 st over what she should be (although she has lost a bit recently) and has diabetes in the family (me and her gran). I always tell her something which would probably get me chucked off this site. But here goes. If you are not at risk of serious health problems why make yourself miserable. I know the rapid weight loss is a big draw on this diet but it is only in the first 3 or 4 weeks and then it slows down to what you would see in any diet that you actually stuck to. You dont need to completely deprive yourself of very carb going. If you can bear not to lost 10lbs in one week then cut to 1000 cals and have a few carbs. Not much, a tablespoon of rice or mash or pasta, or whatever everyone else is having. Half a bowl of sugar free cereal for breakfast (20g but add some fruit or yoghurt) oats is good, a one slice of bread sandwich for lunch i.e. bread and butter with something piled on top and eaten with a knife and fork or lunch might be a good time for a strict meat and salad so you can have a carb with dinner. It might take you a bit longer to lose the weight but you will be happier and more likely to stick to it. This can stop the all or nothing line of thinking and you dont feel so bad if you can have something guilt free.

    Have a look on YouTube at Dr Becky Gillespy – she has loads of videos and her and her husband were both seriously overweight and had health problems so they are aware how difficult it can be to diet. Look at one called 10 ways to Stop Eating Sugar – it explains the science and the pschology of those cravings you are having.

    You actually lost 17lbs before (thats your 8kgs). You can do it again but maybe not so quickly. Good luck.

  • posted by Californiagirl
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    Hi V, Sunshine girl has given you good tips — my additional thought is that you have developed a very high insulin load — the weight gained and the carb foods you have been eating (don’t feel rubbish, we all needed coping to get through Covid although I think we all learned eating wasn’t/isn’t the answer) have likely put you in a very high insulin state.
    The real problem with high insulin is it isn’t very easy to just “power through” it to get it down. It literally locks your fat calories in your cells so your body cannot access them easily. So you ARE hungry because on a cellular level you are basically sort of starving — you’ve got the calories onboard (your extra weight) but insulin is keeping them locked up.
    And, to make it worse, you are craving carbs — OF COURSE you are because your body wants quick calories.
    My best suggestion is to go full keto — as few carbs as possible — even vegetables can be too much at this point, except lettuce or spinach, kale, other greens. So meat and eggs and green salad for a couple of days — I think your awful cravings will quickly ease and you can start to add in more veg and a couple of nuts. Then transition to BSD recipes and a more complex diet.
    Full keto will cut the cravings very quickly and you will feel better immediately. Maybe eat more calories (only keto) for a few days and then as your insulin calms down you can cut down on calories. I had to sort of “glide” into this way of eating but it worked fine starting slow (I’m 7 years now and still maintaining)
    Doing some fasting will also really really help — keep pushing out meal times and skip if you can. If you can get in a 24 hour fast that would be useful. And by the way, it took me many attempts to fast for 24 hours — I got to 16, then 18, then 20 then 22 then finally 24! And I have done 48 hours but that was in my uncomfortable zone and I likely won’t do it again although it definitely worked.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    I agree with Californiagirl. The only way to stop the cravings is to completely stop the carbs. They are what drives hunger but it is not real hunger. Just reading Dr Mosleys new Keto book and loved the idea that when we are craving and want to eat and eat our body is actually searching for protien. My solution still allows you a small amount of carbs but honestly, you need to get rid of the cravings to make your dieting life easier. I personally never eat starchy carbs and do a daily partial fast (TRE) of 14 to 16 hours, eating dinner earlier and not having breakfast until late. However, my situation is not the same as yours and it is up to you what suits you best.

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