Dear Dr Mosley and all BSDers,
How depressing is this advice from the NHS on eating ‘healthily’?
‘Have a balanced diet – this is eating a variety of food from the five main groups of fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates such as pasta and potatoes, protein like pulses, fish, eggs and meat, dairy such as milk and yoghurt and fats
Have a healthy breakfast every day to avoid snacking on high fat and sugar foods
Get at least your five-a-day of fruit and vegetables
Get fibre from wholegrain foods and nuts
Make carbs just over a third of the food you eat. Carbohydrates, including bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and oats, are an important source of energy
Have protein every day which can include fish, eggs and pulses
Eat two portions of fish a week, only one should be oily fish like salmon or mackerel
For dairy – try and choose low-fat options of milk, yoghurt and hard cheese
Limit food and drinks high in fat and sugar like fizzy drinks and biscuits
Choose healthy snacks such as salad vegetables, hummus, and vegetable soup
Source: NHS Choices’

That seems a recipe to condemn so many people to a life of over-weight and ill-health while they feel a complete failure because they are desperately trying to do the ‘right’ thing.
It makes me so angry that the powers that be refuse to look at current science and stick to out-dated, and completely wrong, advice.
I think it has to be up to us BSDers to keep spreading the word.
Sorry – rant over…

SSB

Hi,
Well I’m an NHS practice nurse who also does clinics for people with diabetes and I am trying valiantly to give people the correct advice (which I don’t believe is as NHS Choices would have you believe above). Diabetes UK are finally (sort of) getting on board with the issue of carbs, but so many people I see are still eating breakfasts of orange juice, porridge and wholewheat bread because they think it’s ‘healthy’ and wondering why their diabetes control isn’t great. I also practice what I preach because my brother has type 2 and had a gastric bypass last year because his weight and control had got to such a poor state. I am NOT going there, and anyhow, I LIKE this way of eating. It fits into normal life with a few adjustments (when eating out, say). I don’t tell anyone I am on a ‘diet’ (because I’m not) and I have found ways to substitute other things for carbs and it works fine. I will keep trying! 🙂

Thank heaven for great people like you loversghost – we just have to keep spreading the word. I work in a school and I know so many staff who are forever on diets and failing because they keep to the low-fat/high-carb advice. I have managed to convert a few who have been delighted with the results but others cannot let go of the ‘low-fat’ mantra.
Keep up the good work!
SSB

It takes a huge mental shift to go from thirty years of “low-fat” teaching to embracing fats and letting go of lots of grains, lots of fruit and carbohydrates. For so long we have been taught to focus on the foods that actually do us harm and make it almost impossible to lose weight.
From reading these posts for over a year, it is the people who are brave enough to try the difference out for themselves who find success. Once you spend a few months on a low carb diet, going back to carbs is just weird and feels unhealthy.
The thing is, early dietary research before WW2 was leading to BSD-type recommendations. It got off base in the 1960’s and never recovered.
Great book on this is Gary Taubes “Good Calories Bad Calories” — fantastic history of how our current dietary recommendations evolved and why they are wrong. I re-read this book tegularly to stay focused when I am tempted to eat garbage (pretty rarely now after 18 months following BSD principles).

Hi Californiagirl – yes, years and years of ‘fat is bad’ is sometimes hard to let go although somehow I always thought that butter had to be better than artificial margarines! I also found out many years ago that the more carbs I have, the more I want.
Gary Taubes is excellent – The Case Against Sugar is also very good.
Let’s hope that eventually people will realise that the old messages are wrong – I’m just sad and angry that so many will suffer ill-health and maybe premature death needlessly because the powers that be can’t/won’t change their health messages.
SSB

Yup, it is so frustrating to see how slowly the new research is being disseminated — I know doctors want to give advice that has been fully researched but I have to say, when you read Gary Taubes book (in my post above) it is obvious that they adopted the “low-fat mantra” with almost NO research at all!!! It was a knee jerk response to the growing issue of heart disease — they didn’t even look at sugar and refined carbohydrate.

I think it may be worse than that – political and big corporation pressures have consistently played down the dangers of sugar and have suppressed any evidence to the contrary – look how slow governments have been even to bring in sugar taxes, limits on advertising etc. Lobbying from the big soft drinks companies has prevented any real action for decades. Another good read is Death by Food Pyramid which looks at the history of government health advice and the constant meddling by big companies and politicians with vested interests – it’s actually as bad as the smoking campaigns and the tobaccos companies’ continued resistance to any kind of restrictions.
All we can do is keep spreading the message.
SSB

I have only just started this diet, after seeing great results on some family members who have done it for a while.
I get married in September, so it’s a final attempt to lose some chins before that!
I’ve tried crash dieting for what feels like all my life, and to no avail… but even though I’m only a week i to BSD, I already feel some kind of difference.
Getting my head around the old mantra of fat is bad for you, and always going for low fat options, has been difficult to stop.
My partner doesn’t understand it, because it’s been hammered into him as well that fat is bad for you and carbs are healthy!

I’m determined to do this for as long as I can, and I really hope it gives results!

Thank you everyone for being wonderful on forums for this newbie to read through!!

GO BSD TEAM!
-ontheceiling

It is sad that the low carb/high fat message is taking so long to get through to the powers that be, as thousands and thousands of people will continue to struggle and fail, because of following flawed advise. There was a snippet on our local news (we are in Somerset, UK) either Thursday or yesterday, that doctors at a west country hospital have found that children with epilepsy, who are put on a low carb/high fat diet, instead of the usually recommended low fat/high carb diet, have far fewer fits. It seems that the model we are all using thanks the DrMM and the studies done by Prof Taylor, has the potential for far reaching health benefits, but as SSB says, there are too many political funding corporations, impacting on the message being heralded by our government health advisors.

It does take awhile to squash that low fat/high carb mind-set, ontheceiling, but it will happen if you persist. There will be times you forget, or slip up – especially in the early days – the secret is not to beat yourself up about it, just get right back to the BSD asap and you’ll do just fine. Remember to let us know how you get on, by posting your results. I’m sure you will make good progress before your big day. Well done on taking the decision to make this change for yourself and best wishes for a great outcome.

Thank you SunnyB!

I’m so happy that this diet is surrounded by so much research and science – and it blows me away that it isn’t wider common knowledge!

I’ll keep going! (Craving carbs so much today, I’m hungrier than any other day so far – but had greek yoghurt and nuts as a filler, and it seemed to work!!)

Thanks for your support!

P.S I’m in Bath!

-ontheceiling

A small cube of cheese can help to squash cravings too. Or add a little cream to a cup of coffee or tea. Actually I’m lucky, I’ve been doing this a long time now, so rarely crave carbs and almost never something sweet – indeed a lot of stuff is just too sweet for me to tolerate these days! Don’t worry, you will get there too – well done on progress so far. Hope you enjoyed your bath!

First diagnosed a year ago, I spoke about the BSD 8-week programme to my practice nurse. She hadn’t heard of it and said “what are you going to do after the 8 weeks”, then sent me on a one-day NHS course. I learned a lot about diabetes as a disease and what terrible progressive effects it could have. But nutritionally I was advised to eat smaller portions of potatoes, avoid fats, and replace sugar with artificial sweeteners in tea/ coffee and cooking. And to be fair, eat more vegetables.

A year later, having lost 10 lbs over six months, lowered blood sugar, regained 12 lbs and further increased blood sugar, I have started the BSD online with BSD Australia. Nurse wanted to put me on metformin and statins. I want to take responsibility for my health and was kind of hoping for some encouragement. Thank goodness for online support and my hubby’s complete buy in. I will do this. Maybe just to prove NHS mistaken.

All power to you Luckylil! There are lots of people on this forum who have avoided medication, or now no longer need to take the medications they used to, so there is real hope and it is realistic to think that you can achieve the changes you want to, using the BSD.

The secret is not to think of this as a ‘diet’, but as a step change in your way of eating for life. We all know on some level, that it is the way we have eaten in the past, that has brought us to the point of seeking a solution and turning to the BSD. So logically, there can be no returning to the way we ate before at the end of the 8 weeks. Some people will need to do another 8 weeks, some will move on to the 5:2 or Mediterranean way of eating, or simply make increases in the calories they eat on the BSD Fast 800 and small increases in the carbs. But whatever you decide to do after the 8 weeks, you really can’t go back to old eating patterns and expect not to gain those pounds back.

Anyway, you have our support too, so best of luck to you and we look forward to reading about your progress.

Thanks SunnyB. Have lost 4.5 lbs in my first week. What’s really weird though, is I haven’t been hungry. I’ve tried every diet going, over the years, and when you cut calories, you usually suffer. But I can honestly say I am managing all day with no snacks, and no cravings. And I can’t believe I’m doing it teetotal as well. Long may it continue.

Your name is appropriate then, Luckylil, as most of us have some form of carb withdrawal, but great that you’re not having to do it tough and as you say, long may it continue. Good result in your first week and I’m sure you’ll be reporting good things next week too.

Hello SaltySeaBird:

Regarding your post – it looks as if certain food industries are ‘leaning on‘ the NHS Choices advisors. Just checked the web page, and some of the advice seems contradictory to me. Thanks for flagging this up, much appreciated.

I recognise the contradiction; I am struggling to get back on the “BSD” wagon as I am having a little too much carbs and sugar a little too often after a shocking last four to five months – with elderly parents simultaneously ill in different hospitals. I have gone back to being stressed-out, worried and tired after starting the year with confidence and a determination to get the HbA1c numbers down (despite lukewarm response from my GP re. the “BSD”). To be fair, my GP has also told me that he won’t be putting me on any medication: he wants me to be proactive post-diagnosis, and exercise. Advice which I accept is good for me, but have no time to work out right now.

Am recommitting to the “BSD”, as I do not want to contemplate the alternative. Other posters on this thread seem to be managing, and I take comfort and encouragement from that.

Thanks again.

Hey Caramella, why not join us on the Review, Renew and Refocus: 7 days to kick start BSD again, and/or Spring or Fall a Challenge For All threads. The first thread was started as lots of us have got a bit jaded and getting stuck in a rut with the BSD and the later, is a four week challenge, where we try to encourage each other to achieve our personal goals.

Anyway, perhaps we’ll see you on one of the threads. Best of luck getting back on track and hope you will be seeing some good results soon.

Hi Caramella, yes, I think lots of people wondered why the government was so reluctant to impose any restriction on the advertising and sale of sugary foods and drinks but with the soft drinks manufacturers and the likes of Tate & Lyle putting pressure on, it’s not really surprising.
On the Beeb website last week, there was another report on the ‘dangers’ of saturated fat by the American Heart Association citing studies that ‘prove’ that saturated fat is bad for us – however, they only referenced 4 very old studies which have since been found unreliable and they also failed to mention that the AHA is heavily funded by the producers of, guess what? …. vegetable oils and fats – no surprises there either.
We just have to keep quietly and persistently spreading the message.
SSB

The powers that be do not want the people to know about real good healthy eating because it would put them out of business!! There advice sounds healthy, but all my life Iv had bloating problems with anything to do with grain! Taken me all this time to know that!

Hello all, thanks for the replies!

Shocked to discover that despite my lapses, I have still lost a little weight – confirmed at my check-up with my GP. The advice on the “NHS Choices” website is still confusing, though. Also note that Diabetes UK is starting to champion their take on the LCHF diet. Interesting…
…they certainly weren’t a year ago.

Hi there, just to chip in and say it is not just the NHS. Here in France I have finally got my doctor on board but he insists on doing Cholesterol tests every 3 months along with my HbA1c because, although he now has faith in the diabetes and carb results, he is not sure about the ‘fats’ in my diet – it is only non faddy fats like butter and cheese and olive oil and nuts, that sort of thing, not saturated fat or processed fats or worse still “low fat” rubbish. However, my Cholesterol is down from 6.5 to 3.4 but I had a glitch up to 4.2 which he jumped up and down about (I had just go back from a cruise and eaten too much of the bad stuff – meats mainly). I dont care, let him test again and again.

However, I go to a lovely chiropodist for my diabetic foot care and she is recommending my diet to all her diabetic or overweight patients. Yesterday I went for my regular treatment and it was someone different. I was told Claire is 3 months pregnant and having a few problems with tiredness and was having a few days off. With a new person in her place questions about general diabetic issues is discussed like do I have good control, do I walk much (why walk when I have a pool) do I use foot creams and then, the bombshell DO I EAT PLENTY OF CARBS TO KEEP MY BG STABLE. As you can imagine I gave her a quick precise of the diet and the damage starchy carbs can do. Hopefully, that is another medical person put straight.

Hello sunshine-girl.

Oddly enough, I had my first podiatry appointment post-diagnosis just a few days ago; was asked amongst other things by the Podiatrist if I had been to the DESMOND sessions that promotes sensible eating for newly diagnosed diabetics (my GP insisted I attend). I learnt at the DESMOND presentation that a baked potato has as much as the equivalent of 13 cubes of sugar: but we were NOT told to be specifically careful around carbs. Yet it was also stated that carbohydrate is (equal to) sugar. Was a little confused until I read the BSD book earlier this year, and understood that I should minimise sugars and carbs.

I try not to argue with medical professionals; I am no doctor. However, I will stick up for the BSD because I am losing weight safely, I understand how the science works and I can make the principles of the BSD work for the different cuisines that I like, which gives me flexibility.

It is just as bad in my doctors surgery. I was waiting for the receptionist to finish a phone call and browsing on a leaflet ‘Advice to Diabetics’ when in the 5 steps to good health, there it was in black and white = Eat a starchy carbohydrate 5 times a day – 3 with meals and 2 snack’. That is exactly the advice I followed after seeing a nutritionist and I gained 5kg in 3 months and BG shot up from 120 to 190. Ahgggggggggg

I was only recently (about 3 or 4 weeks ago) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, put on Metformin, and given an appointment with the diabetic nurse. I already knew something about Michael Mosely, having seen his TV programmes, so I bought the book, and decided to start straight away. I spoke with GP, and told her what I was doing, and she was ok with it, but the diabetic nurse was another story! She was VERY sceptical, seemed to think I was going on some sort of miracle cure/fad diet and should really be following NHS guildelines! She insisted she had to refer me to the hospital for a group session (about 3 or 4 hours I gather). Still haven’t got the appointment, but as I work, and have no intention of following their eating suggestions, and have read extensively about diabetes (know people who’ve lost their sight, or had amputations) I don’t think I shall go anyway! I had already lost 3/4 stone in the previous three weeks as my gall bladder has flared up, and so I can’t eat much fat (eggs, cheese a complete no-no for now, and the flax seed was not good either!) but altogether (now a total of 8 weeks, I’ve lost over a stone and a half – but the initial period I was still eating potatoes, bread and pasta). Now finding it really easy to stick to the eating plan. Not just using the recipes in the book, but adapting our own (and Jamie Oliver’s thai style fishcakes from his “Five Ingredients” series are to die for! Throughly recommended!). Rarely feel hungry, and determined to make this a change for life (I’ve been overweight my entire life, so nothing like starting at 65 to be slim!)

Eliza52, stick to your guns! This diet is the third rail, and the way
forward. Don’t be deterred by age, PLEASE. I began this journey
at 285lb. Today I’m 138.5lbs. I’m 68. This is truly the truth and
the light, all things are possible.

My very best wishes to you!

Allie

So Sorry, I meant to type Eliza52!

Whilst I understand people’s frustration about some (not all) health care professionals outdated ideas re eating and diabetes, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the education and advice you were offered, because it will give you information about lots of aspects of living with diabetes and looking after yourself for better health and is not just about diet. It will explain about Hba1c and other blood tests and what constitutes good diabetes care. I do diabetes clinics twice a week in my GP practice and we try really hard to help people improve their health in all sorts of ways, but especially by empowering people with information so that they can make better choices with regard to their future health and they can choose (or not) to take control. It sometimes is frustrating when people want to ignore their diagnosis and don’t make any changes and then get cross at us for pointing out the inevitable.

If anyone wants to take this a step further, have a look at The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson – it’s interesting that he calls it a ‘diet’ because although food is a major component, it embraces a whole lifestyle including exercise, sleep, relaxation etc. The science behind it is the same as the BSD but with more emphasis on reducing carbs. It’s fascinating reading and, like the BSD, surprisingly easy to do.
SSB

Thank you Loversghost for your reply. I am certainly not dismissing advice out of hand, and I’m definitely not ignoring the diagnosis. I have every intention of reversing my glucose levels, and keeping the disease at bay, starting with the BSD plan. I have regular blood tests (not just Hba1c, but also cholesterol and lipids, along with kidney and liver function, thryroid, etc). What I AM ignoring is the dietary advice, which seems contrary to a lot of the latest research, in emphasising low fat, but plenty of carbs like pasta and wholemeal bread, along with the fruit and veg of course – but I was already eating my five a day, and I don’t ever eat ready meals – haven’t done for over 20 years. We always cook from scratch, with an eye to a low GI regime as a matter of course. I don’t drink (well, not more than about five G & T’s in a year, and I’ve never liked wine, beer or cider – I lived in Italy for 12 years and drank tap water!). I DID eat pasta (if you’ve lived in Italy as long as I did, it’s second nature!) but haven’t had any at all since starting on the BSD (swapped for courgetti, which is going to be a permanent change). And I do know it’s not all about diet too – that fitness and exercise etc is important as well. I’m due an Hba1c test on Monday, so looking to see if there is already a change.

Good luck with the HbA1c Eliza52 – please report back here.

Hi Eliza52
I was diagnosed a couple of months ago and pretty much had the same experience with the practice nurse. I had my first meeting with the dietician yesterday where she recommended having carbs with every meal. I spoke about the BSD and low carbing. Her response was that she was giving the guidance the NHS followed, that while the guidance may change in the future, for now this was it.

SaltySeaBird – your right – it is depressing advice – but I’m really hopeful that the research programme being undertaken with GPs and healthcare teams by Roy Taylor and Mike McLean using nutrition (well, I think it’s still mostly ‘shakes) to treat 300 people with Type II diabetes will have an impact on future treatment of diabetes in GP practices. (I understand he’s presenting their initial findings in December – and he’s kind of indicated the results are positive. There’s been so much money ploughed into this research the NHS can’t just ignore it if they’ve been successful).

This doesn’t help me right now, so, like you Eliza52, I’m ignoring their dietary advice, doing all my own research, and following BSD. Where I think we’ve fallen really lucky is being diagnosed at a point where the idea of putting diabetes into remission is seen more and more as a possibility, and the information on how to do it is around.

All the very best – good luck with your HbA1c test on Monday – I’m going to go check out those Thai fishcakes!.

Went to have my blood test this morning, and checked that they were doing the HbA1c test….which they weren’t! They had requested “fasting glucose”, but from reading the book, and also quite a few posts on the forum, it seemed to me I should be having the HbA1c test (if anyone can tell me if this is correct I’d be grateful) Anyway, the phlebotomist said if I got the duty Dr to write it up there and then, she’s take for that too. So I asked the receptionist, who asked the duty doctor, and hey presto, they included it! I was quite impressed! Due to see GP Weds, and have been told result will be back, so fingers crossed. I realise it may not be within “normal” ranges at this stage, but it will at least give me a base line to work from. I”m four weeks into BSD, but I’d already lost about 3/4 stone (10 lbs) because I have gall stones and my gall bladder has flared up, so for about four weeks before that I’d been on a virtually fat free diet, and even now, on the BDS, I can’t eat eggs or cheese (after several pain free days, thought a fried egg would be nice with the spinach and mushrooms; result? Two days of pain!) However, I’ve lost nearly a stone in the last four weeks, so a total of almost 2 stone – which I’m really pleased about. Not feeling hungry (most of the time), clothes definitely getting baggier! Really enjoying some of the new recipes – not all from the BSD book, and can definitely see them being part of a total change in eating habits, in order to maintain weight once I reach target. Currently 12 st 5, and hoping to be 11 st by Christmas (my daughter will be home from the US, and I haven’t told her about the diet (or the diagnosis) and I’d like to surprise her!) Fingers crossed the blood results are positive!

Good for you Eliza for putting your foot down or at least expressing your views. It pays obviously. Hope you have reasonably good results even just after 4 weeks and do let us know.

Thrilled by my results! Fasting glucose 4.1 (previously 8.4) and Hb1ac 40 (previously 64)! Have appointment with nurse for foot assessment (turns out she should have done it when she did my original diabetic check-in, but I can only presume she was so annoyed about me telling her I was doing the BSD and NOT following NHS dietary advice, that she forgot what she was supposed to be doing!) Anyway, I have printed out the advice sheet for medical practitioners (gave one copy to GP, who fortunately is completely on board) and will give the other to nurse tomorrow, along with the news of the blood results. In the meantime I am totally motivated to continue with BSD and lose the rest of the excess weight – a couple of stone.

Oh, that is brilliant news. I’m so thrilled for you. You’ve done so well managing everything – great results after just 4 weeks.
All the very best with your future weight loss, although it’s clear to anyone you’re going to achieve it!
Marie x

Thank you marie123! I am not struggling with the diet at all…but I’m still not exercising enough. I’ve been running up and down stairs three or four times, several times a day for a few days to help, but my knee is now complaining badly! (My knee was the reason I wasn’t “overdoing it” in the beginning!. Thinking of getting an excercise bike, but given the one place I have no fat is my bum, and I can’t sit on hard seats (I use a coccyx cushion at home) not sure how long I could sit on a saddle without being in agony, and it’s a lot of money to fork out if then I can’t use it. I know I should just go for long walks, but I’ve never really enjoyed walking just for the sake of walking, and I’d be kidding myself if I said I’d start doing it everyday (especially with winter approaching). But I know I need to do SOMEthing!

Do you have a place within easy walking distance (say 10 minutes) that’s worth going to? Even just a cute park or library or grocery store? When I started out I walked around the block. It was .8 miles and I had to stop half way to pant like I’d run a marathon. There was no joy in it, I assure you. Now I routinely walk 6-8 miles a day, and if I had the time I’d keep going indefinitely. Walking is surprisingly self-reinforcing. It clears your head and gives you time to think in a way that you rarely do during the course of your busy life. I’ve had some brilliant ideas on walks.

Start with an easily manageable endpoint, get a pedometer, mechanical or smartphone app, and see what happens. If you’re anything like me, it will shock you how much you come to love it.

Esnecca, how are the sit-ups going?!

Have you heard David Sedaris talking about walking with a pedometer ?… very funny!

I initially used a pedometer to work out 5,000 steps and then did it, same every day, sometimes twice sometimes less, until it felt manageable. Maybe that would work? The lovely Dr Chatergee on TV got someone to count lampposts and start walking there and back one, then twice then one more etc. We don’t have many lampposts here though!

Good luck with the walking, little and often just as good to start.

By the way, it’s perfectly possible to lose weight without exercising, I have done it several times. I do exercise now, but more muscle building than fat burning, other than walking of course 😁😁

Oh Jackie, I am awful at them! I’m in Italy on hols at the moment so I’ve been sticking with my usual core (stomach vacuum, plank, pelvic raises, leg and arm lifts) because I’m an old hand at them so can crank them out and get on with it, but before I left last week I was still barely capable of lifting my hips in the reverse situp. I haven’t given up yet, though. I wish I could just borrow you for a day so I could learn how to do them right instead of bumbling my way through some semblance of the real thing. 😀

Haven’t touched a bite of pasta, pizza, alcohol, bread, sugar or anything else in the bad carb category, btw, nor will I. Even in Italy my motto reigns supreme: not one step backwards!

Bravo, Esnecca! Enjoy your trip. I love Italy in October. The “perfect”
time to be there!

Hi Eliza52
I know exactly what you mean about exercise – it’s never something I’ve done or liked. I’ve never liked walking – to what end – and have only been in a gym twice in my life – both when I got free sessions. Both a very long time ago.
But after my diagnosis of diabetes in August (and a couple of weeks into BSD) it struck me that I either find a form of physical activity I like which is handy (nearby or easy to get to) or I have to learn to like something I currently dislike. So I’ve done 2 things.

I’ve bought a pedometer and started walking pretty much as Esnecca describes. I’ve tried to walk every day and mostly now I manage 10,000 steps in either one long walk or two short walks. Sometimes I almost have to throw myself out of the front door to do it. There are days when my feet or knees hurt a bit and I don’t go, or do a smaller walk. I try hard to think about what I am enjoying about it as I’m walking. So far I’ve learnt to enjoy the fact that I feel much lighter as I walk, I can breathe better, and being with my husband when he comes with me (although I have turned the air blue with my under-the-breath swearing when he has presented me with an unexpected steep slope). Early days, but I’ve committed to carry on as best I can through the winter. Do I really enjoy it yet ? Hand on heart, no, not yet. But if Esnecca and others have learnt to love it, then why not me/you.

When I was with the dietician last week she mentioned an exercise on prescription type thing run by the local authority (or leisure centres) where, if you are newly diagnosed diabetic, you can be referred into a 12 week programme at a local leisure centre were you can see an advisor/trainer and then try out different types of activity. I think there is a small fee but the programme is subsidised so it shouldn’t be too much. I’ve sent my application off and am waiting to hear back. I’m planning to try a few different things to see if there’s anything I’d enjoy and so keep up after the 12 weeks e.g. some kind of dance exercise. (Dancing would actually be my first choice of something to do, if I could find a willing partner). My understanding is that a lot of council’s run these types of schemes now – it might be something worth pursuing.

I did think about an exercise bike at home, too, but I know it’s too early for me to commit to investing in something like that.

Hope you find something you can enjoy. Keep posting and let us know how you get on. Marie x

Many thanks for all the support and encouragement. Jackie M, I know I can loose the weight without the exercise (I’ve just lost almost two stone in 7 weeks without doing any real exercise) but all the evidence points to the fact that fitness is almost as important as weight loss in overall health. I console myself with the fact that I don’t sit down all day – most days I’m on my feet most of the time, with only a few relatively brief spells at the computer (I work from home). But I know that’s not “exercise”, and that I do need to do more. Thanks for your advice about NHS exercise things, Marie – I’ll look into that. I discovered today that there’s a Ceroc dancing session locally, with a beginners course due to start soon, so half thinking I might sign up for that. Not sure it’s quite my thing, but who knows? Maybe I’ll love it! And it’s only round the corner and it doesn’t cost a fortune.

Eliza52- where did you find the advuce sheet for medical practitioners? I remember seeing it on the BSD site a long time ago but can’t find it now. Would be useful to give to the practice nurse who’s still advocating low fat. Thanks.
The posts about exercise are interesting. I do Pilates and Yoga an walk another day. But reading these posts tell me I should be walking
more. The pedometer idea is a good one thanks x

Hi Eileen27 – the info you want is under the heading Resources. If you then select ‘information for professionals – a little way down in this section you will see a pdf to download.

Thank you KrysiaD. Sorted! X

Reading over some of the posts, I came across my own from about a month ago (with all the stats, which is useful as I never write anything down!) At that point (about four weeks ago) I’d already lost two stone, and now I’ve lost almost another stone (I started at 14 st 2 lbs, was 12 st 5 lb in Oct, and now 11st 7 lb. I’m still basically doing the BSD 800 – I don’t find I get hungry at all. I don’t write anything down, because having worked out a variety of dishes/menus that work, I tend to rotate them, and I figure the odd 20 cals here and there isn’t going to make much difference (the weight’s coming off, so it can’t be). I’ve had to go out and shop for clothes – TWO sizes smaller, which is great! Still hoping to make it to 11 st by Christmas.

I share a house with my sister, who isn’t diabetic, but who is happy to lose a bit of weight, so we more or less eat the same things (except she has a huge bowl of porridge and fresh fruit for breakfast, while I have mushrooms/tomatoes/aubergines and an egg and sometimes a slice of ham – 27 cals, so MUCH better to put your egg on than an slice of toast!) We’ve already decided that Christmas lunch will be slightly indulgent in the sense that we’ll eat a bit more, but not the wrong things. So no roast and trimmings, but steak with celery and pepper caponata (it’s in the recipe section, and tastes fantastic). Maybe some smoked salmon to start, or a prawn and avocado salad with a yogurty dressing. No chocolate yule logs…maybe ONE box of mince pies for the whole holiday – so one each (my daughter and a friend will be home with us). No cake (we don’t like it anyway) no Xmas pud (not keen on that either). And no alcohol (again, we rarely do – haven’t had any for the last three months, and before that it was a G&T about once a month!)

I have received my appointment for “diabetic education” for February (if I really needed info, and I was diagnosed in September, this seems quite a while to have to wait!). I was inclined not to go as I am reasonably well informed about diabetes (my uncle had type 1 and his wife was in charge of nursing for an entire county, and I worked in a GP practice for several years, not to mention having researched the internet before and after my own diagnosis) and have no intention of following the NHS dietary advice. But then I figured I should go so I can encourage others to at least try the BSD plan – and show them that it CAN work! I do appreciate that it may not work for everyone, but surely everyone (type 2) should be encouraged to TRY it before filling up on pasta and wholemeal bread.

Wow Eliza52, what amazing progress! I definitely think you should go to the ‘advice’ session – give them your stats and show them how, in real life, the BSD is soooooo much better than ‘traditional’ advice.
Have a fabulous and healthy Christmas
SSB

An interesting thread. I started at Slimming World 6 years ago and lost reasonably for a while but then plateaued and couldn’t shift any more weight. I was following their diet which advocated loads of rice, pasta etc particularly if you were vegetarian. Having down a lot of reading a year ago I decided to try cutting out carbs such as bread race of any kind and potatoes but went back to full fat cheese and things like nuts and peanut butter. Lo and behold the weight started going again and I’ve now lost 4 1/2 stones altogether.

I decided to buy the BSD books as a friend who is Type 2 was doing it and was interested to see that it was based on what I’d discovered for myself.

There are so many people still convinced that low fat is the way to go. I work with someone and she won’t accept that things like low fat yogurts contain so much sugar. 🙂

When I talked to my doctor some years ago I was presented with the NHS guidelines and had I followed those I would still be a lot heavier!

Hi Pottypeg,
All we can do is keep spreading the word and using our own experiences as evidence.
Well done on your fantastic weight-loss – you are a great example of what works.
SSB