i’m in week 6 of the 8 weeks, have lost over a stone so far but still have 4 stone to go. I was diagnosed with diabetes 7 weeks ago after being tested for something else, so all a big shock still. When I saw the local diabetes nurse on Tuesday, she was fairly harsh with what she said – but – she also said that I needed to finish this plan at 8 weeks and then go onto a more calorific eating plan as otherwise, if I stick to the 800 calories for any longer, my body will panic and start hoarding fat and I won’t lose anything.

I’m really confused now – I just want to carry on with the 800 calories plan, no bread/rice/pasta/potatoes/alcohol/sugar etc and walking my 10,000 steps a day plus for at least another block of 8 weeks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I feel very down after everything the diabetes nurse said to me – she wasn’t very supportive of this blood sugar diet : (.

Your diabetic nurse is wrong. The latest science and research is by Professor Roy Taylor and Michael Mosley has put together the latest as well. Look up the Minnesota trials re starvation mode. Michael Mosley suggests the 5.2 after the 8 weeks or just following the principles of the BSD. Many participants have followed the 800cals a day for months with no adverse affects. Professor Roy Taylor has had participants on 800cals a day for 16 weeks.

A lot of health professionals do not keep abreast of the latest research.

Well, that’s my opinion anyway. All the best.

Bigeater

Hi Freckled, many people have stayed on the plan at 800 cal for a long time with no ill effects and continued weight loss. I’ve just finished 16 weeks but many have done lots more. For me, loss has slowed but I am close to my goal weight now so that’s not unusual.

You don’t say how your blood sugar control is. If it’s good or improving and you are feeling well you could keep going. If you decide to relax it just make sure the extra calories come from healthy foods and fats not carbs.

I am not diabetic but I am sure some of the many on this forum who are can give you good advice. Good luck!

Wow, this keeps happening to so many people! The diabetes nurses have made so many people very upset with their comments. I assume it is because they have had dogmatic training — although medicine is a science, it sometimes seems like it is a religion.
My experience on the BSD is that I lost more and more weight, even faster as I continued to the five month mark when I got to maintenance. I got better at following it and better at periods of fasting and I never got “stuck”. I didn’t follow it perfectly, I blew it over and over but I just kept starting again the next day.
So obviously, her opinion does not apply to all people’s bodies.
The other thing that I have noticed is that I just don’t gain the weight back now — and I ascribe that to the change in my gut biota from my excellent diet.
So I can eat about 2200 calories per day and I am maintaining now a year — I do exercise a lot but I am eating a full diet, mostly low carb (averaging around 40 -50 gr carb per day) and I even have a draft beer after hiking because that is where I want to spend my carb allowance!
Don’t quit because of her advice. Try it for yourself and modify as you go — YOU are the best judge of you.

Hi Freckled24,

Like you I have a harsh Diabetes nurse, but, in my case in a positive way. She had heard of BSD but had never had a patient try it and was therefore understandably sceptical. Like you I had decided to commit to this and after eight weeks she sent for a full suite of blood tests because she was more concerned that the restricted calorie intake would mean I would not be getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals. I was fine. She is brilliant as she will challenge my thinking without being negative. It was her who suggested a variety of exercises rather than a standard gym or run or walk programme. Her son is an Olympic canoeist so I took it she knows what she is talking about it.

I have been doing BSD since September 2016 and have lost 101lb, reduced my HBA1C into normal levels, lowered both my blood pressure and cholesterol level and reversed my non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. I am a great believer in if you’re still feeling fine then just carry on. I am now on around 1400 calories a day, still low carb and still losing at about 1lb a week.

Hello Freckled24, well all I can say is 2 fingers to your nurse. I have been on this plan since 28th June 2016 so a year but 2 weeks. I do come off the calorie count from time to time but not often, just when I go on holiday but I always stick to the no bad carbs rule and it is a rare thing for me to have bread or steal a chip from hubby’s plate. I just dont fancy it anymore. You will not go into starvation mode and damage your metabolism (see pages 99-100 of BSD book) in fact the opposite is true. Yes, you will hit plateaux when you dont lose anything for days or even weeks but that is just your body readjusting. If you feel unsure after the 8 weeks, go onto the 5:2 or Med for a week and then go back to 800 cals. You will still lose weight. Would be interested to know what your new blood glucose results were.

I should say that I am not on this diet to lose weight although I do have a stone and half to lose but this is for my BG and to get rid of my diabetes medications.

I’ve been using the BSD since 14/1/17 with no problems. My weight has fallen from 13-12 (194lbs, 87,7kgs) to 12-6 (174lbs, 78,.7kgs), with my BMI dropping from 25.9 to 23.5 . A year ago I was 15 stone – BMI 28.4, approaching being obese, and I decided to get my weight down – I got down to 14 stone, but it always felt as though I was on a knife edge of putting weight back on, but since starting the BSD I seem to be able to maintain my current weight with no real effort. My BG has reduced a little, although not as much, nor as quickly as I would like, but it is reducing.
One thing that does puzzle me – California girl says that she has around 2200 calories a day, the NHS site reckons that I should be eating 1964-2525 a day; my average intake (there have been some quite big fluctuations, mind you) since I started back in January is 814. I never kept records of what my intake was before 1/1/17, but even totting up the sort of daily intake I used to have pre-BSD it was never anything like the NHS recommendation – and for my age I am pretty active.
I really do think that the BSD works pretty well.
Mike

I have now been following the regime for 65 weeks since I started on March 16 2016. So far, I have lost 18 kg and have had no ill effects whatsoever.
Last year, I went to my diabetes nurse and she was absolutely thrilled at the progress.
In addition, my obstructive sleep apnoea has been eliminated and the CPAP machine returned to the hospital.
My doctor has agreed that I have moved from diabetic to the bottom of the Pre diabetic range. I expect to move even further to non diabetic this year.

Jim

Wow!! You’re all amazing thank you so so much for your positive, supportive and inspiring replies – you’ve helped me more than you’ll ever know : ). The 2 fingers comment made me smile ; ).

I have no symptoms, no issues or any diabetes in my family – except that after 3 sets of tests (i initially didnt see the doctor for anything to do with diabetes), my glucose fasting one was 8.1 from fasting, to 14 two hours later after drinking the glucose drink. Nurse has said she won’t retest me until i’ve lost ALL the weight i need to – which is another 4 to 5 stone, which has demotivated me too as i’ve not slipped up once and am so dedicated with this. She also claims there is no evidence as to the BSD but yet i know from reading up and all my research that there is – so, s*d it, i’m doing it my way and that means BSD : ).

I”m a healthy person apart from this diabetes, no health issues at all so hopefully by continuing on with the BSD, i can happily and healthily reverse my diagnosis and move on healthier than ever – fingers crossed.

Thanks again, you’ve all been brilliant x

I would suggest that you give this as much time as you think you need – you will know when you lose some weight, then go back and see your DOCTOR and ask for an HbA1c to see if you are diabetic. It is a simple blood test. I dont understand the Glucose test seems contra productive to me to fill someone with glucose and see how the body deals with it. I have never had one and been diabetic for 12 years.

Further to my last post about following Michael Mosely for 65 weeks. It is not a diet – it is now a way of life.
I am now 77 years old and feeling just fine.

Jim

I’ve been following this 800 cal diet for about 6 weeks now. All was good until I got my insulin checked. It’s gone up from 12 to 27! Any ideas why?

Angua47, all the evidence from people on here is that this diet reduces blood glucose and sometimes quite dramatically. There can be peaks now and then and your results will depend on lots of things.

First thing is, are you diabetic, I know a lot of people on here test just because it is a blood sugar diet but actually have no history of diabetes. How are you testing, who is doing it, what time, what have you eaten, have you fasted etc. If you can answer those questions then we need to look at exactly what you are eating. But start with the blood glucose results first.

Can someone convert the 12 and 27 results into mmol/l as I am not familiar with that scale.

Angua47 I have been looking at the different charts for converting bg and cannot find the one you mention although from memory I know people on here who would talk about bg of 35 or 47 one being low the other high so it sounds as though those numbers you quoted are very low readings anyway. Can you give the measurement, i.e. mmol/l or mg/dl or something else.

Angua47 were your measurements from a BGL or a Glucose tolerance test? If it’s a BGL we’re the readings done professionally? Either way 27 is very high. Is a doctor treating you? It is hard to imagine how the BSD if followed could lead to this. Maybe something else is happening.

Hi Jenni from the Block, can you explain to me what the reading relate to. I am used to using mmol.l i.e. 4.5 or 5.6 or I convert to mg/dl so have reading like 85 or 120. This reading is new to me and you say it is very high. I would be interested to know what Angua47 has been eating as people can make some fairly basic mistakes on this diet. For example, someone who say oats as a good carb and had been having it for breakfast everyday but 40 grams with raw honey!!!

Angua47, if you can answer these questions i.e. bg test and food.

S-G we don’t know exactly what Angua47 has been measured by and for but these quotes from the Mayo Clinic (the authority on line in my opinion) say:
1. Random blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken at a random time. Regardless of when you last ate, a random blood sugar level of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) — 11.1 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) — or higher suggests diabetes.
2. Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast. A fasting blood sugar level less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is normal. A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. If it’s 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, you have diabetes.
3. Oral glucose tolerance test. For this test, you fast overnight, and the fasting blood sugar level is measured. Then you drink a sugary liquid, and blood sugar levels are tested periodically for the next two hours. A blood sugar level less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is normal. A reading of more than 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) after two hours indicates diabetes. A reading between 140 and 199 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L and 11.0 mmol/L) indicates prediabetes.
4.The HbA1C test measures the glucose (blood sugar) in your blood by assessing the amount of what’s called glycated hemoglobin. … An A1C level below 5.7 percent is considered normal. An A1C between 5.7 and 6.4 percent signals pre-diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when the A1C is over 6.5 percent.

Hence 12 or 27 are high if any of the above were measured.

But I still dont understand what 12 or 27 are – do they convert to 120 or 270 or are they something else. All the things you quoted I am more than familiar with being a diabetic for 12 years, and when I measure say 120 mg/dl I convert by dividing by 18 which gives me 6.6 mmol/l, but what is 12 and 27??? 12 and 27 what.

Sunshine-girl – I may be absolutely wrong but I do think that those measurements indicate how much insulin is circulating in the body. As I have only had blood sugar tests I know nothing about insulin levels and whether those numbers are good or bad.

Thanks KrysiaD, I totally misread the question, thinking it referred to glucose levels. So I will disappear now as I know nothing….. as they used to say in Hello Hello.

Sunshine-girl – I also know nothing – but wouldn’t it be interesting to find out what our insulin levels are.

KrysiaD I have just had a whole raft of bloods done, sedimentation rates, uree, creatine, white cell count, HbA1c, lipids and so on, maybe I should ask to have insulin test but I dont really know what that would tell me. That I am producing insulin again???

Sunshine-girl – not sure either what that would tell us. I wonder if it would tell us if we are producing loads of insulin and are insulin resistant, or alternatively that our pancreas isn’t producing very much insulin at all. Not sure if knowing either would be that helpful – maybe it would just add more stress. Another number to worry about. Also – if we are injecting insulin would that mess up the test? Maybe it is an expensive test or doesn’t contribute much to our knowlege of diabetes – which is why we are not offered it on the NHS.

It would be good to hear from anyone on this forum who has had the test and whether it helped to manage diabetes more effectively.

I don’t think there is a accurate way to measure insulin. The only one I am aware of that measures some sort of ability to produce insulin in pancreas is called a C-peptide test. Its less of a value really, just indicates sometimes that you are still producing insulin.

Thank you shubz – you are right – it wouldn’t be that helpful.

Hi all,
Ive just read this stream and as a nurse have to say that diabetic nurse is quite obviously ignorant. I am not a diabetic nurse true but despite the evidence everyone on this forum is proving her wrong. She will see for herself when you go back.
What does worry me though is her saying she won’t retest you until you’ve lost weight. That is a real worry. If you’re at all concerned I would be investing in a machine to test yourself. I don’t believe they are too costly. I’m in Australia and chemists we’re giving them out for free a few years ago. Maybe they still are. Alternatively I believe some chemists will do a BSL for you for no charge or your GP can do it.
I can only hope I never have the need to meet that nurse!

Here in NZ, our GPs ask for BSL tests every 6 months for those diagnosed as either Pre Diabetic or Diabetic.. The tests themselves are free in our system. There is also an annual eyesight check that is also free.
Jim.

I was diagnosed diabetic 10 years ago. I have managed it with diet and keep my blood sugar within the recommended limits. Here that means between 4 and 8. But my issue isn’t blood glucose. It is the insulin figure. It should be around 2 but jumped from 12 to 27. I followed the Blood Sugar Diet to the letter and only used the recipes provided. I was hoping to reduce the insulin to normal limits.

Hi, I have never heard of insulin being measured. So really can’t comment. Hope you sort it out one way or the other.

Thanks Beldom and jimnz for your replies : ) – i’m unsure as to why she win’t re-test me until i’ve lost all my weight either – i know i’m not my ideal BMU etc etc but she’s adamant no re-test until i’m at the right BMI for my height etc. I’ve lost 5 inches from my waist now (i’m in week 7) but she wasn’t interested in that either.

I’ll give it another 6 months with her/the surgery as luckily i have another which is as close if i feel i need to change (hopefullt not though). Thank god for the community on here – otherwise i would be confused knowing what to believe.

She’s referred me for a dietician appt (but said ‘the NHS haven’t caught up so will recommend high carbs etc – the booklet she have me said ‘yes’ to drinking beer and white wine and actively promotes potatoes/pasta/bread!!) and an optician appointment (i’ll go to that one) so that’s good.

I might invest in agood blood monitor – if she won’t re-test me, to help see how i’m getting on : ).

Freckled, if you get at test kit try to do your test first think in the morning before you have eaten anything. You dont have to fully fast the night before so you will not be getting a fasting BG but a pretty close idea. Let us know what your readings are like.

DO NOT GO TO THE NUTRITIONIST – THAT’S WHAT GOT ME INTO THIS MESS – RECOMMENDED 6 HIGH CARBS A DAY. BG raging and weight up 5kg in 3 months – do not go….

Thanks sunshine-girl will have a look at the different ones available. Nurse warned me off the NHS dietician too lol – definitely going to save myself the trip and just stick with this ; )

Hi everyone
Just picking up on the insulin point – I’m due to have mine tested tomorrow. As the name suggests, I am a Tofi and had been rather despairing as simply hadnt been able to bring my fasting levels down despite trying all the various options detailed on the forums and reaching the lowest bmi for a healthy range. My hba1c came back after a few months having reduced to prediabetic but bearing in mind how strict I had been, I was gutted. I read a book called The Blood Code by a Dr Mercola and it seems to have really helped as it advises that my using body fat calipers you can work out if your issues are more diet or exercise related and it turns out mine were the latter and I needed to increase to 15 mins HIIT and 15 minutes strenuous resistance a day. Since doing that all my tests have been in the normal range! Something else it suggested is getting your insulin levels checked because that can tell you whether it is a case of having lots of insulin but your body being resistant to it or whether you have low insulin generally and need to focus on exercise to maximise the amount you have. This latter option often seems to be the case for lean diabetics and may mean I am not in fact a Tofi after all (ie my high sugar may have been caused by low insulin levels rather than visceral fat making me resistant) I’m also having the test for Type 1 so I can hopefully dismiss that as an option and am then going to have an appointment with a specialist to discuss all my questions, the possibility of LADA etc. Will keep you posted on what I discover.

I am finding this thread very interesting. My family and I are into the second 8 weeks of BSD since mid January. The first round, a small person left the household. Hubby 16 k, son 1 x 15 k, son 2 x 7 k, son 3 x 13 k, me x 8 k. Everyone ran their own race and stuck to the diet and exercise regimen to varying degrees.
I am the only one who has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and since BSD, my blood sugars have been consistently under 5.
I was 76 k in January and finished the first 8 weeks at 68 k. At the beginning of week 3 of this second 8 weeks, I was 65.3 k. Sadly weighed in at 65.9 this morning which is disappointing, though I am aware of the why! The last two mornings I haven’t walked due to inclement weather and have had to be satisfied with a couple of 10 min stints on the exercise bike and also there have been a couple of Non BSD meals, that I haven’t been able to avoid. It is only 600 g after all, but it is always disheartening when the numbers go up instead of down. The great thing is that I feel in control of my body and know I can rectify the glitch quite easily.
I have found that doing some sprints or fast walks for 20 seconds at a time during my 4 k walk, kick started the weight loss last time round, and I have kept this up.
When I first saw a diabetic dietitian when first diagnosed with Type 2, she promoted those no fat yogurts and dairy that taste disgusting and don’t fill you up and leave you so hungry so soon after eating, and my doctor said I would have to go without everything (just about) that makes eating enjoyable, to manage my diabetes and I should count on allowing myself just one day a year when I could eat whatever I liked! It was very depressing! I weighed 83 k at that time. He also said that I should count on being diabetic forever and that these ‘fad’ diets usually ended up with you putting on more weight in the long run. There is obviously a lot of misinformation out there. The last time I saw my doctor, he said my results were non diabetic and that he and his wife had done the 8 weeks BSD and had found it fantastic.
I love full fat dairy and my greek yogurt for breakfast with steel cut oats, chia, honey and berries is a wonderful way to start my day!
I would also recommend some caution as everyone is different and other medical issues may come into play. However, having said this I cannot recommend BSD enough for the change it has made in my sons and husband and my daughters as well, who haven’t done the diet but are looking at us longingly as walking examples of how good it is.
I feel that for at least two of my sons it has been a major factor in improving their general health and well being and I still marvel at the physical change/ improvement it has made to my husband. His blood pressure has gone from high to normal and I need to buy him new pants as he has baggy britches where he has lost weight from his butt, and has had to put more holes in his belt where he has lost his gut!
Keep at it and keep posting. We are changing the world!

Great post Lyn.g. Encouraging for all of us in the weight loss front, especially rewarding and encouraging for those of us who have or had diabetes. To send our diabetes into remission or reverse or decrease our BGLs on the way, is the real excitement of this way of eating. Even though I have slipped a bit on the weight war my HbA1Cs are at levels of normal for non diabetic people (2 over 9 months since starting). Back on track with amount of food consumed now but needing constant reinforcement from this forum and the good stories. I guess change takes time but still disappointing that so many in the medical profession in many countries can still give such dis-spiriting advice. At risk of sounding a bit evangelical I really feel so lucky to have found the BSD.

I have just had some great news! I asked to have another blood test last week (week 7 of BSD) to check my sugar levels. I got a call from a different diabetes nurse at my surgery (than the unhelpful one i saw) and……..my levels are down from 42 to 36! Not entirely sure what it means but the nurse said it was great, really positive and i’m close to being pre-diabetic rather than diabetic now!

She also said she thinks the surgery was too quick to say i was definitely type 2 rather than pre, but hey ho, it gave me a kick up the backside and i’m 20 pounds lighter and have lost 6 inches from my waist – whoop whoop.

I’m definitely keeping going with another 8 week block and now have an appointment with a different diabetes nurse for my next review – though it would be nice to chat to the previous one who told me the BSD wouldn’t work/no evidence lol ; )

Well done!
Mike

Thanks Mike : )

Oh well done freckled, what positive news. And how great , after your last one, to have a supportive nurse.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks Theodora : ) – it’s a huge relief to know i’m going in the right direction. Thank heavens for the BSD! : )