Love this diet, thank you so much for all the research, guidelines and work put into the book. I don’t have diabetes but I was starting to put on weight at an alarming rate. I have completed 3 weeks so far, but was on holiday for 2 weeks in between and couldn’t continue. However, I’m in my 4th week and still seeing great results.

I took my mum to the doctor yesterday as I’d like her to give it a go. She’s 82, has Diabetes 2 and takes medication to control her Diabetes and blood pressure. The doctor hadn’t read the book but was familiar with Dr Michael Mosley through the 5:2 so had no doubt this would be good too.
She was happy for mum to do it, but wouldn’t be taking her off her medication and suggested giving her 1000 calories a day and an allowance of some carbohydrates. I asked her what she recommended and she said whatever she likes.
With regard to monitoring my mum’s progress, she recommended we buy a blood pressure monitor, which she would be happy to demonstrate the use of, and to show us how to watch out for trends.
As I’m quite new to this I was just wondering if you feel that’s good advice, as I want to make sure we’re doing the best for mum. And if some carbohydrates are better than others?
Thanks very much.

Well Vixter, that all sounds quite positive. Can’t really comment on the blood pressure monitoring and the recommended calories, as this came from a medical professional and she is obviously advising what she believes is the best course of action for your Mum.

Yes some carbs are better than other. As you know, on the BSD you are advised to avoid bread, pasta, rice, etc and anything containing sugars, because these are simple carbs and it is these that our bodies become addicted to and causes that familiar blood sugar spiking, followed by hunger. However things like lentils, chickpeas, beans, nuts, quinoa etc are fine as they contain complex carbs, which don’t behave in the same way.

Hope that helps – I’m sure others will offer up some additional advise soon. Good luck to you and your Mum and hope to see some positive results posted soon.

People who do not listen to a professional doctor, Chandler on FRIENDS has a message from MR T:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd31b4Oz5D4

The secret is everything in moderation. I lack that confidence myself at times.
SunnyB gave some good guidelines.
Keep asking questions. that is why the forum is here for.

Cheers,

PrincetonianStud

My partner, Jon, started the diet because his GP was on it and recommended it to him. Jon is not a huge fan of diets but gave it a go as he’d started getting arthritis in a toe and knew of its associations with insulin resistance and arthritis – Jon is 6ft and weighed around 109kilos. I agreed to be his diet buddy – I needed to lose that annoying last bit that never goes when you hit 50.

We’ve now a month in and the diet has changed our life in so many ways. My partner weighed is now 98kg, I’m 67kilos instead of 71 and am a good size 12. We eat 800 calories on work days, and probably head into the 1000 cals in the weekend when we’re at home. We love the food. I am a pretty good cook and we eat a lot of “clean eating” type stuff from the Hemsley sisters – buckwheat pancakes and chick pea pancakes are family favourites . We love the food and the way it makes us feel. It’s given us our life back.

We’re going on holiday in 3 weeks so will be following the 800 calories for 7 weeks but have both vowed that we wont return back to the way we ate before – Jon unsupervised turned away bread in restaurant the other day: – he was always My Bagel man . The alcohol is easy as we don’t drink and we don’t drive and cycle everywhere so the exercise is fine. We have also joined a gym.

I’ll report back at the end of 7 weeks. Jon’s target is to get to around 94 kilos (i.e. below 15 stone) before the holiday and then continue the broad lifestyle so that he gets down to 13.5 which is his BMI.

Thanks very much for all your comments and support. The list of complex carbohydrates was a really good guide as my mind had gone blank.

The doctor was really helpful and encouraging. But it was the allowance of carbs I was struggling with. And no monitoring of mum’s blood sugar levels. I guess that’ll get picked up in one of the 6m check ups.

Hi Vixter, I am not so old as you mum, ‘only’ 70, and you do not say how overweight she is, but you do need to monitor her blood pressure regularly if she is on medication.

This time last year I lost 4-.5 kilos in a month on HPLC lo cal and my BP plummeted. I stopped the diet then – shakes – and one high protein meal – for other reasons but this time I am on BSD and knew to check my BP often as I am on medication also. A good friend your mum’s age – not overweight – took a double dose the other day by accident and ended in hospital for 3 days. I thought BP went down a point a pound, but it seems much more for me, so keep a watch on her.

Good luck to you both, I am i n week 5 and very happy as I am a lousy dieter – no BS problem – just fat! I also make non wheat pancakes but I have for years, and still put some honey on mine, and try to have a smaller one

Ruth

ps. I endorse SunnyB’ s comments on good carbs – remember this is low carb, not no carb
R(::

Hi,

Long time reader of the forums, but your topic struck a chord with me.

My mum is 81, has Parkinson’s disease, recently diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and is pre-diabetic. On her last visit to the GP the Dr told her to try this diet as she didn’t want diabetes added to her list of problems. She’s not very active due to her ailments so 800 cals is probably all she needs. She probably has a few more than 800 cals as she has a milky coffee and greek yogurt with strawberries as extras when she wants a little more. We were very lucky that the GP recommended the diet, and was also on it herself as she wouldnt recommend anything to her patients that she hadn’t tried herself.

I mainly follow the menu plans/meals in the book, which does contain good carbs of pulses etc and in the 8 wks shes been on the diet has lost 14lb, which considering her activity level is great. No blood tests yet, due some next month but she feels fine considering all she has been going through with the RA. Also, on the day we go the hospital for her RA treatment we go out for dinner, so she has a treat meal once a week, where she can eat what she wants within reason!

We have both found the diet very easy, i also had/have lots of weight to lose so have been on the diet too although a bit longer and have lost 52lb in 13 weeks, and am carrying on till i lose another 75lbs i think.

Hope that is helpful, as others have said monitor your mum and how she feels, plenty of water to keep hydrated, but rest assured my mum with all her health problems is doing well on the diet and hopefully can avoid diabetes!

Well done Helsbels and Mum – what great results for you both and such inspiration!

Thank you so much for posting. I think wherever you are on this journey – Type 2 or not, other issues or not, lots to lose or not – your story couldn’t fail to inspire!

Tell your Mum, won’t you – congratulations! 🙂

Good luck to you and your Mum!
She sounds a lot easier than my Dad, whom I spent several years trying to eat a more ‘diabetic friendly ‘ diet.
He refused wholemeal, but I did get him eating that 50/50 bread, because I’d read that it was lower GI – all went well until he had a cataract operation. Once he could read the label he said he didn’t like it, and wouldn’t eat it anymore.

Thanks all for the kind words of support!

Frog, yes my mum is easy, i ask her what she feels like and she just says give me whatever and she eats it, her favourites are the no carb waffles, the turkey and apricot burgers and the cod with lettuce and peas, but she honestly enjoys it all. She was in a food rut with little appetite before the diet, except for cakes! Now as we are having such a variety of food and different everyday shes enjoying it more.

As others have experienced, we sit there looking at each other in wonder saying ‘are you hungry, cos i’m not!’ its amazing. My mum is happy with her own weight loss and inches too but is made up with my weight loss as well, i tell her its partly down to her for doing the diet with me and being so easy, as i find it easier when both of us are on it, eating the same things and using up ingredients etc,

So sorry for the delay in getting back to you, it’s been an unusually busy time, and although I read your messages when they came in, this is the first chance I’ve had to respond.

Thank you ruthdownunder, for your comments and advice regarding blood pressure. That was very interesting. My mum is 5’3″ and weighs approx 11 stone. I will monitor it closely. I was pleased with the advice from the doctor as she was very enthusiastic, but I had forgotten to mention regular blood tests and wondered if that was a problem. I can see now it probably wasn’t. It’s also really good to read how well you are doing on the diet, even with honey. I was really encouraged by your post, thanks for taking the time to respond.

It was really good reading your post Helsbels as there are parallels with our mothers. I’m so glad you responded as I was planning to be quite strict with mum and the way you put it made me realise I need to be more lenient. The milky coffee your mum has, reminded me my mum likes milk in her tea, and a biscuit at night when taking her tablets. I want to congratulate you both on your weight loss to date, it’s phenomenal. Mum doesn’t like exercise although she does keep busy around the house with washing and cleaning so that’s good. I like the idea of taking mum out for a meal once a week too. Inspirational.

Hi, wholegrain basmati rice is good – a small portion, perhaps around 25g dry weight, is nice. It takes about 25mins to cook it but it only needs a small saucepan.

Hi Vixter,

Glad i came across as lenient as my mum thinks i’m very strict with her! We stick to the meals in the book, but allowing a few more calories here or there wont make that much difference, especially when you spread it over the week. I think it says that in the book, not to get too caught up in the 800cals thing, one day we have 690 cals, the next 890 cals. If the Dr recommended 1000 cals, stick to the 800 cals for food but any treats like the milk in tea or the biscuit with the pills will take you up to that.

I struggled with my mums pills as she needed to take them at night with food but all at different times so i have ended up giving her cheese or some peanut butter to take them with, something low carby. I did give her a biscuit to begin with but have got her to have the cheese instead now.

My mum is not mobile at all on dry land, so it is a miracle she’s lost the weight she has and that is all due to the diet. She’s planning on trying to go swimming again once she has the rheumatoid arthritis under control, as she can move far more easily in the water. If your mum is active around the house that will stand her in good stead – reminds me of the Horizon programme on recently that Michael Moseley did about exercise talking about HIIT but also just being active in your everyday life and moving more, not necessarily exercising, worth a watch.

I told my mum of all your supportive and kind words and she was made up, but still looking forward to her treat meal tomorrow! She’s a cheeky monkey!