hi everyone –

i have been reading the forums without posting but have decided to jump in! you’re all very inspirational!

quick little back story: five years ago i gained 50lbs; four years ago i lost 50lbs and kept it off for 3 years – in this past year, all 50 have come back & a bit more. my doctor & i have struggled to identify a cause as there have been no significant changes in diet or activity level. i am not diabetic or pre-diabetic; all my numbers are good save for weight, BMI & waist circumference. i have struggled with losing it again – despite trying the same things that worked 4 years ago. i am getting married at the end of august & really want to feel (& look!) my best. i had done heaps of reading & had decided a VLCD was my best option, and then found the BSD. read the book in one sitting & now here we are…..

day one:

weight: 209.8lbs
calories: 857
carbs: 57
breakfast: black coffee
lunch: sauteed purple cabbage, onion & garlic with chicken sausage.
dinner: ground beef with broccoli & bean sprouts
snacks: popcorn

yesterday was my day one & it went pretty okay! i felt great, but i struggle on day one of anything because i frequently think ‘i could just start tomorrow’. my living situation isn’t ideal right now and i don’t have much control over what food in the house – so temptation was everywhere!! my fiance was having a couple of beers & i would have loved one. when i finished dinner i was still really low on calories & so had some plain popcorn with coconut oil. it actually REALLY helped with the beer craving – carby but not a lot & very satisfying with the coconut oil.

the biggest thing was that i did it – i didn’t throw in the towel & say – i’ll just start tomorrow.

will check in later with today (day two)!

day two:

weight: 203.1 (diff: -6.7)
calories: 786
carbs: 35
breakfast: black coffee
lunch: sautéed purple cabbage, onion, garlic & chicken sausage
dinner: tossed green salad, sashimi tuna, purple cabbage
snacks: small glass red wine

whoa! difference in weight was quite significant for one day – 6.7lbs, which is 3kg. didn’t feel particularly ‘light’ but that number was certainly a very nice surprise! on the other hand, my mood was AWFUL today – i was so irritable & i couldn’t pinpoint a reason. had to hold my lips shut at work just to make sure i didn’t say something i’d regret later on!

heading to bed slightly early tonight – mostly because i’m grumpy & want popcorn. not tonight, céleste, not tonight.

i didn’t feel hungry or deprived – anyone else have major mood changes?

céleste x

Hi celeste, welcome to bsd. Well done for sticking to your resolve, that’s half the battle won right there! I’m on day 4, (for the second time, I started in January but then fell off the wagon big time) and yes have been irritable and touchy, like a bad case of pms!! I was very weepy yesterday too, for no particular reason. But I put it down to carb withdrawal, it can definitely make you emotional. Hang in there, I’m sure it will pass once we get used to not having so many carbs.

Carb withdrawal symptoms without a doubt folks.
Just stick to what you’re doing, the symptoms should vanish by the end of week 1
Congratulations on taking the first steps Celeste. Stephie, welcome back, all the way to the end this time?

Thanks Bill, yes that’s the plan, stick it out until it’s done 🙂

Great attitude Stephie.
This time if you have any problems just shout out and the BSD’ers will come running to the rescue 🙂

I really bought the book in the hopes I could get OH, who is type 2 diabetic, off the metformin – don’t think it’s doing him any favours in terms of side-effects, and also he has lots of pills for other things so quite frankly 4 less (yes he’s on 4 daily metformin) can only be good.

But he said ‘I don’t want to get any thinner’. He thinks it will make him look older, though in my view he often doesn’t look well, and this is the most ageing factor.

So I’ve been pressing on doing the BSD for myself, and of course saying how much I’m enjoying the food, how proud I am I’ve given up sugar, how much livelier I feel, and also serving up a few quite BSDish type menus.

Son came home for a visit, and OH has been talking about ‘this diet we’ve been doing’, and we all agreed that refined carbs were really not good.

This morning he mentioned he had a blood test coming up on Tuesday – last time, he had a high blood sugar just ahead of an operation, and it meant that there was risk the surgeon wouldn’t go ahead. So it’s quite important his blood sugar is better this time.

I suggested he tried cutting out the refined carbs just till Tuesday, and to show him what it was like, logged him on to My Fitness Pal, and we entered his breakfast (I cooked this, bacon, eggs, asparagus), and his potential lunch and dinner. I had set his carbs at 50gm target, which I do appreciate is challenging, but he’s only working to Tuesday at present.

Never seen anyone quite so horrified at the effect of 2 tsp of sugar in c 6 drinks per day – by far the worst! – together with the sugar/carbs in an apple and an orange. He’s agreed to abandon his usual post-prandial choc ice, and the bowl of ice-cream he often has as a late-night snack. And the chocolate bars. And to resist eating handfuls of nuts (which he introduced as a healthy element without realising that you can’t eat bucketsful of them). Bread and potatoes are also out for the present.

Whether or not he can keep up with this remains to be seen, but I have to say it’s informative when you really get down to what you’re eating.

hi everyone!

thank you so much for posting – i really think the forum will be a major source of inspiration ( it already is!) & information as i continue down this 8 weeks!

stephie63 – good luck with your 8 weeks! we can do this! & yes totally PMS came into my head but i thought – wrong time! haha

bill1954 – oh yesss you are most likely right. i didn’t even think about that so early on in the process but it makes sense! hoping today is bit better mood-wise, if only for the safety of my colleagues!

igorasusual – yes i imagine it is very informative once you really get down to it & when you see exactly what you’re putting in your body! i think sometimes it’s that i haven’t thought at all, or i’m ignoring things i know to be true! not this time! best of your luck to you!

celeste x

hi all –

day three:

weight: 201.9 (diff: -7.9)
calories: 790
carbs: 49
breakfast: black coffee
lunch: korean pork lettuce wrap
dinner: market salad, half
snacks: small glass red wine

so today was my first real ‘outing’ on the fast 800 – heading out for lunch with some of my new colleagues, as i’ve just begun a new position in a new city. i was a little worried that everyone would be drinking and wonder why i wasn’t eating much – a little self-centred of me i guess!!! the women were lovely & everyone ordered….whatever they wanted – some burgers & fries, some soups & me with lettuce wraps and water. it was totally fine. phew!

i have not been feeling hungry at all….actually been feeling bloated i think? i can’t really tell actually if it’s fullness or bloating. i don’t know why i would feel fullness at only 800 calories. weird, reactions are weird! i am certainly in a better mood today – thankfully!

it’s a long weekend up here in canada this weekend with monday off – really preparing so i can it up throughout the weekend! i find weekends tend to be more of a derailer than work days – what about you guys?

celeste x

hello all!

day four:

weight: no weigh- in today due to scale unavailable
calories: 928
carbs: 53
breakfast: huevos rancheros
lunch:
dinner:
snacks: red wine & popcorn

i must purchase a new scale! today was an odd eating day – had brekkie out but was careful with food choice – it was delicious & moderate at 500 cal. didn’t eat for the rest of the day but then had a board game date with my fiancée & my parents – my parents who don’t know i’m on this diet & i’m not yet keen on telling them. i had some red wine & popcorn – not too much but know these cant be staples of my diet going forward. sometimes treats i suppose!

am thinking of getting a fitbit to track steps etc. i had one ages ago but lost it & never bothered to get a new one as i didn’t routinely use it – i feel very committed this time so am considering the investment. anyone else use one?

celeste

okay!

day five:

weight: no weigh- in today due to scale unavailable
calories: 0
carbs: 0
breakfast: black coffee
lunch: —
dinner: —
snacks: —

today was a weird day. it was hectic as we bought a house! there was so much going with the going back and forth that i didn’t realize i hadn’t eaten til the end of the day – at which point i decided to just leave it as a fasting day with plenty of fluids. i did manage to run out & get a new fitbit & a the fitbit scale! i decided to wait until tomorrow to do that.

hope you are all doing well!!

celeste x

hello all

day six:

weight: 196.0 (diff: – 13.8)
calories: 903
carbs: 48
breakfast: portobello mushroom, avocado, poached egg, spinach, grape tomatoes & pea shoots
lunch: —
dinner: one boneless skinless chicken breast, 1 cup broccoli
snacks: popcorn & red wine
exercise: weightlifting

i imagine my weight loss is due to the fasting day that was yesterday, so we’ll see how tomorrow looks! but but almost 14lbs down in 6 days! that’s incredible. i do know that if i’d like to keep losing i need to cut out my red win & popcorn – but it almost keeps me sane – you know? does anyone else have anything that’s keeping them going on this diet – my little bit of plain popcorn with coconut oil & a small glass of red wine to look forward makes the days go by much faster!!

after 6 days i think i’m ready to add in fitness & exercise to the program now that i feel accustomed to the fewer calories each day – yesterday i went to the gym & weightlifted, & today likely a run & maybe some yoga.

how is anyone else finding exercise?

celeste x

hi everyone –

day seven:

weight: 196.0 (diff: – 13.8)
calories: 1000
carbs: 53
breakfast: black coffee
lunch: —
dinner: steak, mashed potatoes, salad, mushrooms
snacks: red wine
exercise: —

i think my total fasting day made me hungry! i was really struggling with hunger and knew i was going out to celebrate buying our new house and tried to keep the calories low by skipping out on brekkie & lunch. had a bit too much wine & it made me feel AWFUL….so strange that this is a change from a week ago when a couple glasses of wine wouldn’t make me feel anything! it’s a good lesson though. we are heading to the pub to watch the toronto raptors game (basketball) and i’ll stick with soda water with a splash of cranberry!

celeste x

WEEK ONE WEIGH IN – 196.3, down 13.5lbs (6.1kg)

I think the weightloss will slow this week as this seems quite dramatic for one week! But I’m glad it’s gone and looking forward to a healthier slimmer future!

hi all –

day eight:

weight: 196.3 (diff: – 13.5)
calories: 1913
carbs: 75
breakfast: two hard boiled eggs
lunch: ground beef with veggies
dinner: chicken burger with lettuce bun
snacks: wine
exercise: —

whoa. this day just didn’t go as planned. feeling super discouraged. perhaps i need to get better organized. here’s hoping tomorrow is better.

celeste x

hello –

day nine:

weight: 196.7 (diff: – 13.2)
calories: 2000
carbs: 167
breakfast: almonds & brie
lunch: —
dinner: fish tacos
snacks: beer
exercise: —

another bad day. but today there is some hope as i decided to just get back on track right now. not monday. not tomorrow. but right now. and i just have to keep making that decision. over and over again.

this is keeping me accountable.

celeste x

hi again –

i think i’m the only that read my posts here however it helps to keep me accountable.

day 10, 11 & 12 were write-offs. i was on a road trip with a friend & though i did not by any means go crazy (or what crazy would have meant pre-BSD), it was certainly not below 800cal/day. i’m a little bit struggling with whether this counts as ‘starting over’ or if it’s simply part of the journey of ups & downs. i think i’m going to continue with my day count.

my wedding is august 28th, which is 90 days (13 weeks) away and i would like to continue this fast 800 journey until (but definitely not including) that day, and then move to the 5:2 method. so i have thirteen weeks.

today is day 13 & i’m going strong. keep going celeste!!

celeste x

Hi celeste

I would say it’s part of the journey….if you intend this to be a way of life rather than just a ‘diet’ until you reach your goal then you will have lots of blips along the way, life will put obstacles in your path and the only way to deal with it is to face it head on, realise your only human and don’t beat yourself up about it.

It will only become a problem if your ‘blips’ happen everyday and you no longer follow the principles.

Hi Celeste, I have read all your posts and like you I too have had 3 ‘bad’ days, saying that they were a great improvement on my pre-BSD days. Sometimes life just gets in the way and it’s hard to stay focused in certain situations. This is my first post ever on a forum but I have been lurking for a few weeks, currently just starting week 3, I started on 12 stone and am now 11.7, not a huge amount but it’s good for me as I am a very slow loser! However I feel so much better and feel as if I’ve lost more than that hence I am going on stronger today and putting the ‘blip’ behind me. I am using myfitnesspal and aim for 800 cal and 50 carb which I have been managing until the bank holiday weekend – back on track today, I’m not counting it as starting over, just a continuation of the journey with a tiny setback and you have the most amazing reason to continue 👰

I started reading Lucia’s posts and have got hooked – I catch up with all the posts daily and have found a huge amount of motivation and support from other people’s experiences, I don’t think I could do it without the inspiration from this forum, the veterans inparticular are just so encouraging and probably have no idea of the lurkers like me that are drawing so much from them and you too who has also just had a little blip like me – so come on let’s put our blip behind us and go forward stronger and more determined!

I don’t have diabetes or pre-diabetes ( had blood tests recently for something else and blood sugar all fine) however I am overweight and after years of SW and WW which were never common sense to me, this way of eating just seems to make sense.

Hope you’re having a good day today – like you I’m hoping this will keep me accountable! 🤗

Hi celeste

I’m just starting week three and have lost 5lbs in total although it was 7, I just put a couple back on after a difficult weekend that included eating out, ice cream and chocolate!!
My biggest fear was that it would be the end of my sticking to this, but I’ve decided to just view it as a blip, and simply pick up where I left off. So even while the struggle to change my eating habits forever continues, something has changed in my mindset, and I’m no longer thinking ‘its all over, I may as well give up’. More that it’s just part of this journey, and there will be days when it’s easy and days when it isn’t. Such is life innit?

hi all –

well, i’m back. back with my tail between my legs. these past few weeks have not been kind health wise & i’ve put back on 8 of the 14lbs i had initially lost on BSD.

as of today i have 10 weeks until my wedding and i am going to do my utmost to stick to the fast 800 BSD until that time. i am responsible for my choices & my health. this diary i hope will help keep me accountable, and i’ll be more active so as to help encourage others. i need remember that excuses are only that – excuses. yes i have some weird variables in my life right now, but who doesn’t have challenges to face when they are changing their life?! if i must eat out, i will have salad & protein, no dressing. i will do my utmost to NOT eat out and to cook lovely meals at home. this won’t be possible on thursdays, but i will plan ahead.

will check in tonight with today’s numbers. all the best to everyone out there!!

celeste x

Welcome back!

You must be so excited about the wedding. I am sure you will be making great choices…and enjoying some great health giving food over the next eight weeks.
Make sure you get plenty of rest and relaxation to keep your energy up in the lead up to the celebration.

Just picture yourself in your perfectly fitted beautiful wedding dress/ outfit. 💖

hi imogen –

i am so SO excited for the wedding and to have all the people i love in one room! you are so right, i am going to focus on the health giving food. that’s a great way to look at it! i’m going to try my best to get some rest but….planning a wedding is darn busy!

that’s exactly what i’m going to do – picture the dress and looking AND feeling beautiful in it!

thanks imogen!

celeste x

ps – i love your name!

Thanks Celeste,

It is a name I have chosen, not the one given me by my parents🌻

I’m glad it’s not just me! I’ve been struggling to stick to 800 calories and haven’t posted for a few weeks. I haven’t gained any weight but I haven’t lost any more either, stuck at the same 7lbs lost at the end of week 2. I think I know the problem, I’m eating too many carbs and this is reflected in my FBS too. I really need to get back on board with this, I’m thinking of moving onto having slim-fast as I might find that easier to control
We will get there in the end Celeste!

Hi Stephie

Slim-fast and similar products often contain large amounts of sugar. Please be careful.

hi everyone!

stephie63 it’s definitely not just you! the thing is to keep coming back – we’ll both get there like you said!! good luck!

day one (again!):

weight: 203.8 (diff: – 6.2)
calories: 953
carbs: 60
breakfast: black coffee & green tea
lunch: roasted broccoli with chicken and tzatziki
dinner: cheese, prosciutto, olives
snacks: one beer, 3 cups popcorn
exercise: 3.5km run, 30min weightlifting

well back on the wagon. i went for a run at lunch then hit the gym with the fiancee after work – didn’t feel hungry at all. went out for a beautiful beer & charcuterie to celebrate the solstice – i avoided the bread entirely! i think last time i wasn’t exercising quite enough – i find exercise really helps me stay focused and motivated! this time i will not make that mistake.

day one out of seventy days completed!

celeste x

hi all –

day two:

weight: 202.2 (diff: – 7.8)
calories: 911
carbs: 71
breakfast: black coffee
lunch: vermicelli and chicken
dinner: swiss cheese
snacks: 3 cups popcorn
exercise: —

calories were okay today but carbs were way too high! it was pouring rain & thunder & lightning so my run got kiboshed but that’s just life so i’m going to roll with it. popcorn has always been my losing weight go-to treat, but it’s just so high in carbs i think i need to keep it as a once and awhile treat, maybe once a week. that’s okay, i’m learning. i drink much more coffee than usual when i’m on this diet – i think because it’s low-calorie & it feels like a treat but it’s not really! i drink it black, no sugar or milk.

celeste x

morning!

day three:

weight: 203.0 (diff: – 7.0)
calories: 836
carbs: 55
breakfast: black coffee
lunch: roasted broccoli, chicken breast & tzatziki
dinner: swiss cheese, pea shoots, turkey, dill pickle
snacks: 3 cups popcorn
exercise: 20min run, 30min weightlifting

oh dear just after i said no popcorn i had popcorn! it’s so hard. i think it’s the quantity. it feels like a lot & i can munch on it but it doesn’t give me a lot of calories. kept my carbs to 55 though, so that’s better! weight slightly up, but i think that’s just water; we’ll see tomorrow. i ran stairs today with a goal to lower my time by the end of summer. not feeling dizzy or weak or grumpy like the beginning last time!

celeste xx