Really devastated, hba1c result is 46, higher than before I started this woe and ten points above what my average reading from my meter would predict. Not sure what else I can do!

Rosebery I feel for you. Firstly, don’t get disheartened.

I’m not a great fan of meters as they are only measuring ‘a point in time’ and I think they can be really misleading unless of course you take insulin then you have no choice. The HbA1c gives a reading over a three month period and red blood cells live between 8 and 12 weeks. If I remember correctly you’ve not been following this WOE for that long. If that’s the case then your three month test won’t necessarily reflect where you are today.

What did your GP/nurse say?

I agree with Verano, how long have you been BSD ing, what was your result at last test, how much higher is it now.

Sending hugs Rosebery. I don’t take these tests so can’t comment but Verano’s comments sound very sensible and i hope they help. Thinking of you.

Hi All. I weighed in this morning, up .5kg, so I’m also disappointed in myself. I’m back to work today after a week off, so determined to keep trying.Walked 7000steps at work so that should help. It seems the main battle is the weekend when I had unplanned meals and a few drinks.Someone left a nice crunchy loaf of sourdough bread on my kitchen bench and I gave in . It sounds weird that I’m pleased that I did it with full awareness and I controlled myself to just a couple of slices instead of mindlessly eating the whole loaf.never the less my total calories for the week are over 800 most days but BSD friendly foods.portion control needs to be strict this week.those of you who are also struggling just chalk it up to a bad week and keep going.Well done to those of you who have achieved your goals.Its great to read all about your success ,it keeps me going. cheers to everyone

Theodora, what progress! Such results! wooohooo!!:) Enjoy your break. Think Med Style food, walk lots, you’ll romp it in.

Great to see so many posting, some great results, some strugglers (including moi), but we’re all here and that’s a win. Week 3 now, just watch us go……

Thanks everyone- I have been low carbing since the first hba1c I had which was 42. The doc did one 4 weeks later and it was 45. Twelve weeks later it is 46. The meter readings I was going by was the average of all readings over a 90 day period. I have been taking them on waking and often before and 2 hrs after meals. I know meters are not completely accurate but this seems a really long way out, like the difference between an average meter reading of 6 and an hba1c suggesting an average reading of 7.5. 25% different. I’ve lost about 15% of my body mass and have done loads of exercise- not much the last couple of weeks it has to be said but overall regularly- I ran 5k this morning for example. Beginning to think I should blame cortisol.

Rosebery, I do my blood glucose every morning at it was coming out at 80 to 85 (around 4.5 to 4.7). If I ask my machine to do a 12 week average my HbA1c should have been 4.9 to 5.2 but it was actually 5.9 on the real test. Our machines are said to be about 10% out and I believe under NOT over which is why the HbA1c is the more accurate test. The last few weeks I have been between 70 and 75 (3.8 and 4.1) so really low and when I ask the machine to do my average 12 week result it say 86 or 4.7. But, I bet when I have the test done next week I will actually be around 5.5 to 5.9. The difference you mention is quite small and just one or two higher days when you have slipped up could account for that. The thing to do is stick with the plan and if you do lapse just make sure it is BSD friendly and don’t be like some people and expect miracles. I am expecting this to take quite some time, 8 months in and probably need another 6 to 12 months to get rid of insulin totally. I know going up is not what you expected but it is just a glitch in a long process. Stay with it.

Hi Rosebery

You know you’re levels aren’t that high. 46 is 6.4% in old money and that is classed as pre-diabetic by medics. But you have to reach more than 7% to be classed as diabetic. You don’t say if you’re taking any medication. Your results haven’t really altered that much 6.0 to 6.4%.

How low are your carbs? It’s the carbs that cause the blood sugar spikes. Also, I think that we have to look at the figures almost as an arbitrary measure. Some people naturally have higher/lower figures than ‘the norm’ in many aspects. You’re other markers have improved so maybe you are worrying too much.

Just one more note about readings. I have had wildly varying readings from 7+ down to 4.2!! My last 2 HbA1c’s have been 5.5 a figure never indicated by my readings!!!

I’m not a doctor but I remember a few years ago I was having tests in hospital and my BG was 8.8 I was horrified but the staff didn’t seem to think it was high. I think that ‘out of control’ blood sugar would be far far higher than yours. What does your doctor think? All we really need to do is stay in control so we don’t end up with the nasty complications of diabetes. Doesn’t seem that your bloods are out of control.

End of wk 2. Now 10st 13lbs. Just one pound down for the 2 weeks so far but at least it’s going down. Finding things a bit tougher in the past few weeks. Need to get the portions of nuts under control. Also had a few glasses of wine that I hadn’t been having up to recently. Have a busy weekend coming up so need to be mindful of eats and drinks. Aiming for another pound by end of wk 3. Good luck all. That’s for all the stories of the ups and downs. All inspiring.

A quick end of week 2 update from me. I’ve had a loss of 900g , or just under 2lb, this week which is very close to my 1kg per eeek goal. Steps were 73,343 for the week, so I met my step goal too. I’m especially pleased as I’ve had a couple of days where I’ve gone well over 800 calories!
Thanks to everyone who’s shared their stories this week. I look forward to reading them each day. Although we all live far & wide, have our share of trials & tribulations, we all have one common goal – was going to say weight loss but really it’s to improve our health!
Good luck everyone for week 3!

Hi all. finally found a few minutes to read all the posts and reply. Really good to see so many good results. I weighed yesterday morning and lost 2lbs from the previous Tuesday so really pleased with that. I hope I can keep it up. I did an 18 hour fast starting after dinner last night until lunch time today. Planning to do the same for the rest of this week. Hopefully I’ll get a good result by doing that. It’s been a real struggle for me for various reasons. I started in October but have lost less than 1 stone in all that time. I do sympathise with those who aren’t getting the results they hoped for but as has been said many times we just have to keep going. Summer is coming. Looking forward to lots of daylight and sunshine!!

Good luck to all for week three. Hoping for more good results next week.

Hi Rosebery, Averaging the reading you have taken yourself on a home monitor is different to the HbA1c reading. The Diabetes Australia explanation of the HbA1c is that it shows an average of your blood glucose level over the past 10–12 weeks. (This is a 24 hour x number of days arrived at average). The HbA1c test doesn’t show the highs and lows that your home testing shows. Therefore it does not replace the tests you do yourself but is an added tool in giving the overall picture of your blood glucose management.

Hope this helps with an explanation for you.

Just got back from my Wednesday swim, first in 2 weeks as the kids have been on holiday so the oldie swim club gets cancelled. Good news today, I was swimming much faster and stronger than usual, I had to move from the ‘slow coach’ lane to the ‘a little bit faster’ lane. I think it is because I have been doing 100 reps per arm biceps curls and 100 reps per arm triceps dips. That is on top of my 20 min walk only taking 15 mins so I am walking faster too.

Weight is down again, but not declaring yet and BG was 4.8, blood test now in 6 days inc. today.

End of week two, and I am still sitting at the same weight as last week. That’s my major problem I’m sure — I’m still sitting 😕!!! Spent the week writing everything down after carefully weighing it (to make sure my portions are correct), drinking my 2.5 litres at least (and spending the additional time in the loo), and keeping under my 800/40 limit (well under most days). That just leaves exercise — or more accurately, the lack thereof. Have written down daily exercise goals for next week, so . . . .

Congratulations to everyone who mastered this week’s goals, and for those who didn’t —- keep on keeping on 🤗

Two well organised days and down a bit. Heck yes, I’m back on the scales every day…they were calling to me😋 Today needs careful management as we’re eating out with no 1 son tonight at one of our favorite ‘destination’ restaurants Bistro Guillaume. Delicious but rich, might have to share.

Opposite for me Marsie! Glad you’re back on track. I’m an everyday weigher as well. It doesn’t bother me if I don’t have access to scales, I’m not obsessive, but I do need to weigh to keep myself in check.

Day 3 of my personal challenge and I need to get back into the loop. Tuesday I ‘relaxed’ a bit, not a great deal, and last night we were out. So today I’m up 1lb. It’s no huge problem it’s just back to basics with renewed vigour and no biscuits!

Glad you had a good day yesterday SG hope today is just as good!

Have a good day.

Thanks V, had another weight loss today, only 1 tenth of a kilo but it is still downward. Want to get to 72 kg before doctors appointment on 17th which should be easy if I am good at the weekend. I am sure I will be as I have my HbA1c on Monday 13th. BG is still good at 4.7and not going too low in the afternoon/evening so all is good.

To get rather personal, I did notice while looking in the bathroom mirror when brushing my teeth that my boobs were not moving all over the place and they are all out front and not bursting out under my arms. Too much information but I made me feel good.

Just been catching up. I weigh daily as well to keep me focused. Think we all seem to be taking things cautiously today. I’m contending with what seems to have become an habitual mid-week bounce back. This has happened to me the last two weeks (this being the third) and so far, I have been able to record a fair loss at weekly weigh-ins on the Monday, so I am hoping this will once again be the case.

Am a bit headachy today, so I am being careful to keep the hydration up. Other than that, I don’t have any plans for meals out or anything exciting – hope those of you that do, have a wonderful time.

Marsie, enjoy your dinner out with your son, it sounds delicious – as I’ve said before, and will say again, there is no point in getting slim and healthy if we cannot factor in enjoyable occasions too.

Same goes for you Verano – that pesky pound will be gone again before you know it.

sunshine-girl, I’m loving the TMI on your boobs description. Well done, and if that isn’t a result, I don’t know what is! 🙂

SunnyB, our bodies are funny things, aren’t they? Yours always seems to inflct a mid-week “bounce” on you, mine inflicts a plateau every couple of weeks – 2 weeks loss, then a week static, then another 2 weeks loss etc. But as long as, long term, the trend is down I think we can congratulate ourselves 🙂 Hope the headache clears up soon.

Not in a position to weigh myself this week, as we are away, but I did measure my waist this morning and it was 1/2 inch down from the last measurement last weekend 🙂 I also had a long walk in very muddy conditions this morning and experienced something I have not experienced in years – my wellies were flopping up and down, they are now so loose around my calves 🙂 They have straps and buckles, so I tightened them as far as they would go, but still rather loose – not that I am complaining 🙂

I’m out for dinner this evening too, so fingers crossed that I can find something BSD friendly. But I have no doubt whatsoever that there will be wine……………

You’ll be fine SG just 7days, only 7 days, before your appointment. You can do it just need to concentrate the mind a little and take one day at a time. Great BG results though. I’m sure your doctor will be delighted with your results.

I sometimes wonder if our bodies are just readjusting to our new weight when we have a day or so standing still. I also think the odd gain here and there gives the body a bit of a wake up call. Well that’s my excuse for gaining and I’m sticking to it!!!

Well, I did enjoy our night out at this beautiful Bistro Guillaume. Great service, delightful food, won’t mention the prices. Survived with only .3 kg uptick, worth it and can handle it.

Let me show you how I survived this, and to demonstrate the sort of choices I could have made (in fact have done in the past):
OH’s main : gluten free Leg of duck Confit w peas, speck, shallot
#1 son : Beef Daube in red wine sauce on bed of Paris mash
Moi: (Entree size) Leek w Jamon Iberico, slow cooked egg w Heart of
Palm and Mustard seed vinaigrette
Plus a side of Watercress Salad w endive, pear, Roquefort and
walnut vinaigrette

I was especially proud of the amount left on the plate 😇

I also had no more than 50 ml of a delicious red from Pemberton in our south west😇😇

Yes, dessert. Had about 1/3 of the serving of lemon tart, none of the crust, #1 had the rest along w his creme brulee. OH did not allow sharing of his GF profiteroles, no way!

Rolled out of there, feeling desperately full. In the not distant past I would have had a full main course, don’t forget the bread, and a full desert, might have shared tastings with and of the other plates on the table. Maybe, despite my dithering over the months of BSD, just maybe, I have made some progress. ……

Ps. Fellow BSDers, despite my fairly mean sharing of the night’s feast, I have faith that it will not send you screaming towards the nearest French Bistro😉

Sounds like a wonderful meal, Marsie and it seems your perseverance with the BSD, has you firmly on the right tracks now. That side salad sounds especially good, Roquefort and walnut is one of my fav combos.

I had a blip last night – a piece of battered haddock from the local fish and chip shop. Too frightened to calculate what that cost me in cals and carbs and this morning I weighed at above this weeks start weight. I have ’til Monday to get it sorted – wish me luck, think I’m going to need it!

Ah Marsie, you did so well! And it all sounds so delicious!

Was out this week with the girls for a leaving do at our local Italian. Chiose well, without fuss, nobody would have known there was anything amiss. Quietly refused shared prosciutto wrapped breadsticks and bruschetta – idly ate the garnish, had a delicious chicken and ham dish with a dressed rocket salad, drank lovely strong Italian coffee in lieu of dessert. Fizzy water with lemon looked festive throughout.

Was a bit of a challenge as tbh have been avoiding social gatherings and the temptation they bring.but all ok.

It occurred that this is the way I must and can live now – about enjoying the moment, not fretting over bl**dy food, relishing the health it brings. A bit of a lightbulb moment. It’s taken long enough! (Must be one of those low energy bulbs.. Bit dim! )MK x

Sounds lovely Marsie!

I know that we can all socialise and stay within BSD guidelines and still enjoy ourselves if we just take a little time to think about the situation. I don’t have any problem really when we’re away in a hotel or in a restaurant. My real difficulty comes with Chinese food out. At home I can make a ‘friendly’ meal but in a restaurant I usually have Tom Yum soup, if available, and then I end up having fish with nothing as a main!!! But hey I only eat Chinese out once in a blue moon now so no problem.

Once you realise that actually nobody else is concerned about your food choices it all becomes quite easy!

Maharani kitten
I am finding the same – it has become really easy to quietly refuse the shared bread and make good food choices when out.

Today is the start of month 4 on maintenance. On 10th December I was 9stone 7.25lbs. Today am 9stone 7.5lbs. So although am up a quarter of a pound it is still pretty amazing.

Have definitely added muscle and lost a bit more fat. I feel so strong when I do my power walking and squats and planks etc. Blood sugars are brilliant also.

Although still weighing and logging food and myself daily – it has become a normal way of eating for me. If I am hungry I eat more BSD food – if I am not hungry I just don’t eat as much.

Will try to post but not having much success on other threads. Weight the same but been a bit lacking in the toilet department for the past 3 days so hoping for more loss. BG 5.2 so still a happy bunny.

Anyone seen the Tom Kerridge low carb dopamine cook book – on offer just now in Waterstones? Really inspirational weight loss, good mind stuff, and really scrummy recipes, all carb-counted. Will definitely use for entertaining and some everyday stuff. Lovely, the book is a great non-food treat. Mkx

Yes, MK – I have the book and I agree there are some really lovely recipes. I haven’t made any yet but once I reach maintenance I shall certainly be cooking from Tom’s book.

Back from a week working in deepest Provence, with only a few brief forays into the viennoiserie department. I even managed to fit in some swimming in the hotel pool.

Another 1lb off, but waist has dropped another inch so now definitely changing shape if not seeing stellar weight drop. But very happy with this trend and it shows flexibility is still possible.

Oh, JulesMaigret, what hardship, Provence! Joking aside, your changes sound obvious and positive. Congrats.
SunnyB, a blip on one day is just that, one day, you’ll be right if the other days are on track. I have a friend who orders the battered fish, removes the batter before eating the fish, says the flavour is delicious from the deep frying in the “parcel” but without the extra cals and carbs. Her theory and she’s sticking to it🤔
Maharani kitten, sounds like one of those light bulbs that increases in luminosity until it is shining brightly🤗

JulesMaigret – am envious of your Provence trip even if it was for work.

Well done JM! I think it may get easier to follow BSD when away from home the longer you follow the plan. It seems to for me!

Having a ‘treading water’ week this week. My own doing as I have the need for carbs at the moment. The last few days I have been closer to 60g than 30g but my body seems to need them or is it just my mind??? Anyway, did put on a little but its gone again. Not sure if the scales will down by Tuesday though. Will have to wait and see.

Amazon have the Tom Kerridge hardback book at £6.99 at the moment but you will need to make that up to £10 in books for free delivery!

Interesting stuff in the Daily Mail *coughs up hairball* (I have my MiL staying – it’s not allowed in the house otherwise!) – prof Taylor saying pre-diabetic over 50s on low cal diets don’t need to exercise because it makes them hungry. Getting plenty of bile in the comments section from the ‘eat less, move more’ brigade. It does go on to say that once you get past 8 weeks to maintenance, exercise is recommended. But made me worry a bit about long term induction phase and potential loss of muscle mass, heart health. Mkx

Best advice is not to read the DM. You’ll worry less about lots of things.

Amen to that, Patsy.

Lol. 😀😀Quite so. There’s just a hypnotic fascination…… 😈😈

Hi All, Im feeling a bit more positive, I’m a daily weigh person which keeps me on track ,I had a few good days at work and I’m down to 83.2 KG lowest ever, so I had a morning happy dance.My down fall is usually weekends and I had a large latte and a date scone at the shops today so its like Ive already sabotaged my good work. Never mind I will press on try to get below 83KG by Tuesday.I hope you are all getting through the weekend successfully.cheers

Well done, BL, on that lowest ever. Work on cancelling out that date scone tomorrow, make it a one-day only blip.

Would be wonderful if I would follow my own advice. My Saturday? Pick, pick, pick, nibble, nibble, nibble……Ok, one day only. Better day tomorrow, planning now.

Well done all, and for those who are struggling, keep on keeping on. Things are on the move again but not the weight, if you get my meaning, but all has stayed good. BG 5.3, test on Monday so I am determined not to have anything naughty this weekend. Doing well so far. Have a good weekend everyone.

Good on you, S-g, I’m sure you’ll make that test in great style.
Meeting butterlover for a walk and a cuppa down at the marina this morning.

Good luck tomorrow SG. Sure your bloods will be fine.

Well, I’m back to last Tuesday’s weight so I doubt if there will be a loss for me this week. We are out for lunch today but it will be manageable so no great problem there. My personal 7 day challenge has been a bit of a flop this week. I am going away in 2 weeks and I have a goal of dropping another 4.8lbs by then. So 14 days to go! I’m starting another personal challenge today to lose 5lbs by the 26th! Just have to keep that amount in the forefront of my mind!

Hope you are all having a good weekend.

Sunshine-girl – good luck with your blood test on Monday – I am sure it will be a really good result as your blood sugars have been brilliant lately.

Thanks all, BG this morning 4.7. Weight the same as yesterday but I am still lower than last week and I have stuck firmly to the plan. Test tomorrow, I will be having a bet with the doctor at the laboratory that I will be 5.5, fingers crossed. As I have said before, if I am still 5.9 it will be a success as it will be 5.9 with less insulin. My doctor is worried about cholesterol as mine dropped from around 5.2 to 3.5 on my last test. So why is he worried, I think it is because I tell him I can eat things like cheese and eggs, he is French so he doesn’t worry about butter but seems to think I eat lots of fat, yeah like where would I find the calories to eat lots of fat. What he doesn’t seem to get is that I used to eat things before that, although claim to be low fat or low sugar or margarine, were actually doing harm to the system. Now I eat natural, real food. Anyway we will see, just hope that is good too.

Have just read an article in the Sunday Mail, yes I know!!! But MM is now suggesting that on the fast days of 5:2 diet you can eat 800 calories and still lose weight. Begs the question …. should we be attempting 800 a day in the long term??

Hi V, maybe he is right, 600 calories is one hell of a drop if you are on 5;2 and not calorie counting. 800 is fine for me although I never thought I would be able to do it. In the long term I dont want to count calories this low forever but without the bad carbs it is not too difficult to stay under 1000, a strict diet in anyones language. So for the future and maintenance I might be at 1000 but still avoiding white carbs.

I weighed in this morning (always Monday for me), lost a bit over a kilogram this week, unfortunately it’s the same kilogram I keep finding again! (Spoiler: I think it’s hiding in the cookie jar.) need to banish it forever.

I saw a doctor I hadn’t met before last week, young new GP at my local clinic, and had rather frustrating experience when she wanted to weigh and measure me. Height – 1.5cm less than anyone else has measured (and I’m very short so that half inch is important!), I told her my naked weight from that morning but she wanted to weigh me herself – in jeans and a belt so of course several kg heavier – then waist measurement very casually taken more than 5cm more than I get at home but I’d given up disputing by then! So of course she thinks my already high BMI is even higher than reality! She booked me in to come back for a long appointment so she can lecture me on losing weight but I’ll be cancelling that. No desire to hear how I need to eat low fat and lots of whole grain bread. That clinic changes doctors too often, im going to try somewhere else so I get some continuity of care.

Saw Adele here in Sydney Saturday night, she was awesome but my husband took a photo of me that made me miserable. I’d thought I was looking quite nice until I saw it! Depressed me for hours. And people wonder why we avoid having our photo taken…

I was re-reading the book yesterday as I have come to the end of my first 8 weeks and noticed it does say “800 calories per day (instead of 600) is fine for 5:2 fast days and shouldn’t make a difference (to weight loss)” – not quoting Word for word as I don’t have the book with me, but I definitely read that. It works out well for me as I’ve just started my 2nd round of BSD 8 weeks, but was going to do 5:2 in some of the weeks (to cover Easter, Anzac Day and a short holiday).

Natalie, I hear you with how you felt after seeing your photo – happens to me all the time. It’s still nice to have them to look back on though, a record of your journey.
This weekend I was sorting through stuff at home and I found a “before” (aka fat!) picture of myself I had my husband take for a diet I started in 2008. I had printed it and put a sticker on it saying “Am I really hungry?” And I kept it on the fridge.
Now I look at the photo wistfully as I wish I still looked like that! I’m at least another 10-15kg heavier now than I was back then!
So try not to let photos upset you, and concentrate on all the positives 🙂

Sadly I have to report an increase at my weekly weigh-in – 1.4lb on last Monday’s result. This is galling, as although it had been an up and down week, with daily weight fluctuating, I had made efforts to really keep tight control over the last few days, but to no avail. I admit the cals and carbs have been a bit erratic – daily calories averaged at 847 over the week and carbs had been as high as 41g, but as low as 14g, with most days around the 20g mark. Haven’t had any big splurges and only one small whisky (15ml) during the week. However, I am being dogged by constipation again and yes, hydration continues to be a problem. I am trying to be mindful of this and be sure to drink more, but still struggling. Think I need to really focus on sorting this out.

Would love to have a visit from the whoosh! fairy, but as she hasn’t honoured me before, I know this is unlikely. I still have four weeks to my personal deadline to get to my goal weight, before we go on holiday – I need to drop 3lb in that time and hopefully this will happen by then, even if it doesn’t happen by the end of this challenge. It should be absolutely do-able and I’m trying to be positive, but it’s all feeling a bit gloomy at the moment. It will pass I’m sure.

Hope everyone else has a great result at their weekly weigh-in – looking forward to reading everyone’s results soon.