Hi, I’ve read the book and am embarking on the 8 week diet today. I’m really excited and desperate to make it work. I’d love to chat to anyone – whether you’re starting today too or well on your way!
I had a diabetes diagnosis a couple of years ago but no medication. I could do with losing over 50 pounds but hoping for maybe 30 in the next 2 months.
I also had a diagnosis of Grave’s disease about 18 years ago. The symptoms settled after a year or two, but left me with weakened muscles in my arms and legs. I wonder if that ties in with something in the book about energy being sent to fat cells rather than muscles.
Anyway, here I go!

Welcome Clarerocks
I’ve just finished week 4 on the 8-week diet and am starting week 5, but I’ve only been using the forums for a short while. This is a friendly forum and everyone is very welcoming. Feel free to ask questions or for advice on anything – there will be someone here who will be able to share their experiences. There are a few of us ‘newbies’ as well as some ‘old-timers’. The old timers’ advice is great as they have so much experience in living this way of life.

There are a few challenges going on – so feel free to sign up to any of them – currently a 4-week challenge and an 8-week challenge. These help to keep people focused and can be less daunting as there is an end point.

I hope you find that this helps with your health problems – it will help control your blood glucose – I’m afraid I don’t know much about Grave’s disease. Best of luck and I look forward to hearing your updates.

Hi Clarerocks,

I too started yesterday. Didn’t know how I would go and felt a bit hungry, but slept well and am pleased I am already on my and into day 2. I have a family party tonight so have pre-prepared my food and will eat before I go and chug down a few diet tonics instead of my normal bottle of wine!
I have about 15 kg to loose and hope I can do this in my 8 weeks.

Cheers

Sam

hello Clarerocks. Well I started this diet awhile back and was losing weight quite easily more so than with any other diet I had tried. recently I went back on weight watchers which absolutely does not work for me and I found it very discouraging. I was dieting and tracking and not eating more than 1200 calories daily, but I was not losing and it was very frustrating and made me want to just give up altogether. I can see how this diet is much more encouraging because you see results much quicker and consistently. I plan to switch over to the 5:2 diet once I lose the weight that I need to lose. However I think this diet is quite do-able. Good luck to all of us!

Hello Gattina, Sam and PurplePetunia,
Thank you for getting in touch. I’ve survived and even enjoyed day 1. I went to a friend’s and drank water, but that was just fine. Not sure how many days before I miss some wine!
I’m looking forward to cooking some new dishes this week and intend to make good use of the veg spiraliser I bought months ago that has sat in a cupboard. (I cut my finger on it and rather gave up on it).
Hope you’re all having good days:)
Clare

Hello Clare, Gattina, Sam and Purple Petunia,
I am ashamed to say that this is my fourth time on this forum. I do a month to 7 weeks, lose between 5 – 7 kilos and then go back to my old ways and put it on.

A bottle of wine is my downfall. I am going to stay away from booze for at least a month and then reassess whether I can trust my self to drink socially. I have also found a psychologist to try and find a way of changing these negative patterns.

I am now at my heaviest ever I think 🙁 I weighed less when 9 months pregnant:-(

Lucy.

Hi Lucy,

I am in a similar boat to you. I weight 13 kg more than when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child. Eating “nice big lunches” at my desk as well as sitting all day have taken there toll but the booze is the killer. I get home, I am tired a little stressed and go for a glass of wine. That signals the end of the day and there is no more movement apart from to change the TV remote.

This time last year I did not even know about the 800 BSD and just decided to quit alcohol for two months and the results were astounding………however as you say you go back to your old ways and sadly I am fatter that I was this time last year.

However we can do this …Its a new day!!! and time to take control.

Sam

Just wanted to welcome everyone and say that to be successful, in the long term, this can’t be thought of as a ‘diet’ to start and finish and then go ‘back’ to old ways, but a new ‘way of life’. If you look at some of Esnecca’s posts, she very eloquently describes how ‘treats’ really are anything but! Maybe she will catch this thread and give one of her pep-talks. I don’t want to sound gloomy about never eating the foods you consider to be a ‘treat’ now, but once you get into a ‘new habit’ your taste buds change and you really no longer want refined, stodgy, simple carbs. For some wine, in moderation, can be incorporated in this way of eating. In a similar vein some people need to drop their carbs really low whilst others can happily eat 50g or so a day and still lose weight consistently. I think the most important thing is that this isn’t some sort of ‘race’ but rather a ‘journey’ that each person tailors to their own needs but still all arriving at their goal of a lower weight and better health, which really is maintainable.
Enjoy the journey!

Thanks Verano – that is exactly what I did wrong last year. This is the second time I’m tackling this way of eating. I did the 800 BSD last year for 8 weeks – go brilliant results but couldn’t sustain it and spent the rest of the year on a massive binge!
This year my approach has to be different – after the 8 weeks I may increase the calorie allowance but will keep to the principles of low carb eating. Also last year I didn’t join in the forums – I lurked in the background – I’m hoping this great support will help keep me on the straight and narrow. I look forward to sharing my journey with you.

Verano, don’t you know how dangerous it is to invoke the pep talk? it’s like looking in the mirror and saying “Candyman” three times. 😆

Clarerocks, LucyJane, Sam, just like Verano says, it is so important that you actively counter your old habits and that starts with the way you think of and talk about food. The high carb foods and beverages are not “nice” or “treats” or “lush” or even “naughty,” which makes them sound like a honeymoon teddy. They are traps. Once you fall into them, the mechanism of blood sugar spike to insulin spike to blood sugar crash will drive you to eat more of them and you’ll have to work 10 times harder to break out of the cycle again. There is no comfort to be found in these foods, no solace, no joy, only imprisonment.

If you find yourself pining for junk, talk yourself out of it. Visualize the destruction they wreak, think of the recent study of how sugar plays a major role in Alzheimer’s, think of how you’ve broken the cycle already just by starting the BSD and draw strength from the important steps you’ve taken, no matter how far along the path you are. You have already proven yourselves capable of doing this simply by doing it. That takes real fortitude. Believe that about yourself. You are not a passive shell of a human, buffeted by chaotic impulses towards wine or cake or pasta. There is steel in your spine. Feel it. Take pride in it. Keep your eyes on the prize and move in one direction only: forward.

Good luck!

Well not an extraordinary day yesterday. Food ok. With a low carb spinach/ricotta quiche for lunch, dinner white fish with steamed broccoli, tablespoon sweet potato but ended on cruskits with butter and cheese! Oh and a chobani so calories were more like 1200. Still better than my usual 2000 +

Oh well at least the chocolate was left out.

Today so far a skim flat white, vegetable stir fry with two poached eggs and dinner bolognese with zucchini noodles.

Hi Sam, Yes wine is my downfall.
My commitment for 2018 is to permanently change the way I drink. This is going to be difficult as my partner loves wine and athough happy to give it up for a month or so will not permanently. It is a way too big a part of our life.

I really want to get to the point where I only drink socially, or at least only on weekends, and then no more than 3 glasses at one time.
This is my biggest struggle.

Hi All,

Day three and I am feeling pretty good. I felt a bit light headed yesterday but slept reasonably well. Yesterday was quite hard but today seems somewhat easier. Not sure why but pleased and would welcome any insights from those who have been there before.

Keep it up LucyJane, I know its hard but my fingers are crossed for you!

Sam

Gattina sharing the journey definitely makes it easier. Thank you Esnecca for your ‘pep-talk’ I hope that some of the newbies especially, will take your thoughts on board. It has however, made me sit up and think, yet again! Your words about old habits are so true and in fact, you’ve inspired me to start a new thread ‘Break-Free in February’ I’m just off to post now!

A very big thank you to all the above posters.i have started the BSD just yesterday and very much need all the info. and pep talks available…I fact I may just spend all my waking moments on this forum!

Hi everyone, I am newbie here.

Thanks for the tips people! It’s so good to have a mix of experienced and newbie people to talk to. I’m now on day 3 and so far so good! I had a big plate of cooked breakfast this morning, but the eggs, bacon, mushroom and tomato still only totalled 150 calories as well as v few carbs. I’m full of energy too. Yesterday, my car broke down and I had to walk home a couple of miles, which was great in the sunshine. I also found a dance class I take was easier than usual. I’m expecting a bit of a crash at some point I guess though. Also have lost 4 and a half ponds since Monday😀
Does anyone have a fitness app that lets them eat 800 calls a day? I like My Fitness Pal, but it wants me to have a minimum of 1000 calls a day.

Thanks for the tips people! It’s so good to have a mix of experienced and newbie people to talk to. I’m now on day 3 and so far so good! I had a big plate of cooked breakfast this morning, but the eggs, bacon, mushroom and tomato still only totalled 150 calories as well as v few carbs. I’m full of energy too. Yesterday, my car broke down and I had to walk home a couple of miles, which was great in the sunshine. I also found a dance class I take was easier than usual. I’m expecting a bit of a crash at some point I guess though. Also have lost 4 and a half ponds since Monday😀
Does anyone have a fitness app that lets them eat 800 cals a day? I like My Fitness Pal, but it wants me to have a minimum of 1000 calls a day.

Welcome Amy and Lijust and well done Clare.

Day four for me today. No rapid weight loss in the first couple of days and felt quite hungry yesterday but hung in there because I knew it would pass.

This morning I woke up and I have lost 1 kg or 2 and a bit pounds. It amazes me how the body works and I wonder if this is the thing they refer to as the Whoosh effect. Love to hear the thoughts of those who have experienced the same thing.

Clare I am using fitness pal and yes the under 1000 cal thing is annoying but haven’t found another better substitute.

Sam

There’s a simple solution to the MFP 1000 calorie squawking. Don’t click “Complete This Entry” at the end of the day. I gather that feature is linked to some of the charts and reports the app can generate, but I don’t care about those and have never run any. No clicking the complete button, no stern warnings of impending caloric doom. 🙂

Good morning. I have found my steel it seems. I just hope I’ll have it still in three months. So far so good. No wine and actually not missing it/ relieved to finally be giving my body a break. So far today boiled egg, half an avocado, story fry veg. Tonight is the tuna patties from the book. 4 pounds down this morning. Phew nothing like seeing the scales move to motivate!

Outstanding. With steel like that, your spine would put Robocop to shame. Don’t talk yourself out of it with ominous predictions of future danger. Enjoy your victory right now in the moment. There will be many more of them to come, no matter what frustrations you encounter along the way. Congratulations on the great loss!

Hi! I just wanted to say I am new to this too. I am on day four today and had a little blow out with the fruit sponge pudding. Otherwise I’ve been doing really well. The only thing I have noticed is that by the late afternoon/evening I am really bloated each day. Bloated to the point of almost painful (I look pregnant). Has anyone else had this issue?

Hi to all those just setting out on their BSD journey.

As someone who has had an iffy relationship with alcohol at various points in my life, I can sympathise with the ‘big part of our life’ sentiment, however, the BSD has completely changed my approach to alcohol and my relationship with it. No longer do I feel deprived if I can’t have a glass of wine with a meal or split a bottle between us on a Friday evening. The BSD has taught me to be mindful of how and when I drink and I’ve learnt (the hard way) not to drink due to social pressure. It’s my body and now I won’t be pressured to put alcohol in it, just as I won’t be pressured to eat a slice of cake. I’m not say that I never do these things, but it is only on my terms these days. Hopefully that is where you will be at the end of your eight weeks, Lucyjane. By that time, your tastes will have changed and the wine will in all likelihood, not be as essential to you as it is right now.

Thanks SunnyB that is great insight.

I must admit I feel pretty good. Nothing to drink for five days, 800 calories a day, wonderful sleep and I can not believe that I stepped on the scale today and I have lost 2kg.

Thanks to all of you that have been here before encouraging us, you are all wonderful!

I have been doing about 7000 steps a day but am yet to start the exercise regime ie pushups, crunches etc..as I have just been too tired. Will this be detrimental in the long term?????

Sam

Hey, congratulations you guys on all these terrific results. The first little bit of this can be challenging, as you step away from well entrenched habits and may be unsure just how well you are going to manage, all the usual negative self assessments.

It is a big triumph to be pressing on when it is all so unfamiliar. I just want to emphasise Esnecca’s point, you have to really own the triumphs. Give yourself regular pats on the back, acknowledge every win, whether it’s making a great meal choice, saying nope to a glass of wine or seeing a loss in the scales. You are making this happen, no one else and how wonderful to be discovering how clever you are! A brief ‘meh’ to slips and blips but absolutely wallow, unashamedly in the victories, big and small!

Well done to all of you. Great to hear that you are all doing so well, keep going. It works, many of us still posting and maintaining are testament to that.

As far as MFP giving you warnings of doom and gloom about calorie deficit, you could try FatSecret instead. It actually allows you to set your own calorie requirements.

Sam, exercise is always going to be beneficial, but not crucial to losing the pounds, particularly in the early weeks when tiredness can be caused by carb flu while your body learns to adapt to burning fat instead. Once this happens, your energy levels will soar. Personally, the only exercise I do is walking, but a lot of it (about 8 – 10 miles a day) as I have 2 big, bouncy dogs who demand exercise. So no push ups / crunches etc for me. Good luck.

Congratulations on all the good work so far – well done. This woe is a big change for most of us so your achievements are great. KOKO

I use MFP to record everything and I do as Esnecca suggests – I just don’t click on complete the entry!

Thanks for advice about MF P! I have tweaked it so that it lets me record everything as if I’m doing 800 cals, by percentage rather than grams of stuff. However, it is still resolute in its disapproval of my diet and won’t complete daily reports! ( I’m sure most of you know this already!) I will look at the others people have mentioned though it would be good if they came with an automatic 5kg loss when you use them…
Chani, I’ve had the bloated look a bit, though overall I’ve felt better than normal. I guess my body is readjusting to less and different. Today’s the first day since I started when I’ve lost no weight, which I knew would happen, but has dispirited me in the past. I won’t let it today though.
I had a session with a personal trainer yesterday, which I found tough! I had to be measured on this boditrax machine, which gave out some surprising results. I have some Omron scales at home which measure fat and muscle etc. The results from both machines are contradictory. One said I have very high visceral fat, the other that it is normal. One that I have very good muscle tone, the other very poor. Much as I’m tempted to believe the more positive readings, I think I’m better off going with how I feel – I know I need to lose fat and build muscle. I’m going to keep going with the personal trainer for a few more sessions, while I’m on the 8 week plan. Oh, and we also did the High intensity training which I found v hard, but I suspect I really need. (It had been on the tv the night before in Michal Mosley’s programme about getting fit).
Have a good day everyone.👍

I always trust my boditrax readings over my bathroom scales at home, since it uses the hand sensors as well any picture of your upper body fat levels will be much less extrapolated and more accurate than those which only use the feet sensors. Boditrax has me at around 23% fat, my bathroom scales at around 33% but that is because I am ‘pear shape’ and my legs and thighs still hold most of my remaining fat.

Hello everyone,

I have not done a body scan as yet fat read yet and the idea of it terrifies me!

Today is end of the first week. I have had done ok. I am sticking closer to 1000 calories this week but following the diet. I had an awful headache tiredness day 5 and 6.

Last night I went to the cricket with a girl friend and drank two beers with her. I’m ok with that – I need to be on this diet for 6 months and so what I really want to do is break the habit of drinking wine at home long term as I know that is where my weight problems up and down are coming from.

So all in ok. Will do a weigh in tomorrow and see where weight is. Hoping to be stricter this week with calories and no alcohol at all.

How was everyone’s else first week? Weigh in today or tomorrow?

Lucy

Hi Lucy,

I had my weigh in this morning and I have lost 2.5 kg. I started at 81.9 and am now 79.4kg. I can’t believe it. I read other peoples posts but until experiencing it for myself I just couldn’t see it happening. I feel good but I must admit I do have a short fuse and this might be down to Carb Flu..It feels light tiredness combined with terrible PMT.

Happy overall and love reading the wisdom and thoughts of others who have walked this path before me.

Sam

Hi everyone,
One week down today and I know I should be feeling positive as I’ve lost 2.5 kg, like you Sam. However, I lost the weight in the first two or three days and since then it’s been about the same. I’m a bit greedy for weight loss and I’ve been pretty damned good on this diet. (Though I did have a couple of glasses of wine at the weekend).
I know I’m at a dangerous point where I think my body is simply refusing to let the fat go and has devised some plan of turning water back into fat. Must be positive, positive, positive.
I have found this forum very helpful and there are some inspirational people here.
Anyway, I’m off to zumba in a little while, which is always fun.
Clare

Well done Sam and Clarerocks – that is a really good result for your first week.
Clarerocks – don’t be despondent about not losing more, I’m hungry for it too but it’s not going to happen overnight. Think about how long it took to put the weight on – that didn’t happen in one week it happened over time, so losing the weight will happen over time. Being positive is good – particularly as you’ve done so well. I hope you enjoyed the Zumba

Hi Sam, Claire, Gattina and everyone,

I had a super busy day yesterday and that made it easy to stick to 800 calories. Claire if I find the scales don’t move I make an extra effort to guzzle water, like 3 – 4 litres and I often see a drop the next day. Its weird I would think drinking so much more I would weigh more but it doesn’t work like that. I am now down close to 3 kilos in a week however I think I had a lot of water retention and drinking heaps has helped flush it out.

Claire I am planning to be on this for a long time and dinners out, weekends away and a few glasses of wine are going to get in there. I’m aiming for 80% good 20% not so good.

The carb flu has now departed thankfully. Off to make a salad with prosciutto, bocconcini, rocket and pickled peaches. Hm yum.

I have also bought some delicious prepacked soups which are 250 calories each to take into work when I have nothing else ready…

Have a great week everyone!
Lucy

Thanks for the encouragement Gattina. I am feeling much more positive today! Zumba was great!
Lucy Jane, glad to hear your carb flu has passed. I shall try increasing my water consumption. I’ve heard that can make a big difference, though I think I drink quite a lot.(water not wine … well wine too sometimes).
Hope the salad was nice. Never had pickled peaches!

13 days done and I’ve lost 9lb! 5 the first week and 4 this week. I’ve quite enjoyed it, most of the time, and have generally had plenty of energy. Jumbo mushrooms and courgettes are my very good friends now! Have a nice day.
Clare

Hi Clare. Well done on the 9 pounds. I am 15 days in and have lost about 8 pounds. I am very happy with that as I have allowed myself red wine on three nights but kept to the principals otherwise. I am aiming to lose at least 15 kilos and will be on this for 6 months so doing a slightly modified version of 1000 calories 4 days a week, up the 1500 on the weekend but eating the BSD way. I have also ramped up exercise with 2 sessions personal training a week. This is my year!

Look forward to seeing how you do in a week.

Well done, Clare – and everyone else who is getting themselves slimmer, healthier and fitter.

My own results are quite slow, but I’m definitely headed in the right direction and feel I’ll be able to stick with this long term. Like LucyJane, I plan to be ‘good’ most of the time, but accept that I’ll sometimes eat something carby and not use that as an excuse to go back to my old, unhealthy ways.

Hi all
Those are great results – well done Lucy and Clare. This woe is really working for you.

Thanks Lucyjane, Sqidge and Gattina and well done on your weight loss too Lucyjane!
I’m still losing, with the odd hiccup – about 3.5 lb this week. I think thats because I can see the scales descending I’m able to stick to the principles, but I have been treating myself with the odd glass of wine and teenie cubes of heavenly blue cheese. Also, I’m not a fan of coffee generally but I now make time for a coffee with double cream every day. (I generally drink lemon and ginger tea ). The hardest thing is having to cook and butter toast for my mum (she has dementia). Generally though, I feel much better without the carbs. It seems so strange, but true!
Have a good weekend.😀

Hi Clare rocks
3.5lbs is fantastic well done. You are doing really well. I can imagine that toast smells amazing, ummmm, I can almost taste it 😀 but you don’t need it. You’ve got this 👍
Keep up the good work.

Thanks Gattina! I do find I keep turning to these forums – really cheers me up & so supportive! Feeling happy today after a little whoosh! Also I weighed in at my gym yesterday on their Boditrax machine. When I first went on it I was prepared for the shock and shame of revealing my weight, as I already knew what it was, but I hadn’t expected to be given my metabolic age – new one on me. Mine was 73. As I’m 61 this was horrible! However at my weigh in yesterday it had gone down to 67, so I was well chuffed😀 (I’m 3 and a bit weeks into the BSD and the first weigh in was in my first week). Another 6 years to go! Another plus for this new eating plan.🥑

Halfway point today, although I may extend the BSD for a week or so.
I would never have thought I’d have so much energy on 800 cals a day, but today I took part in an hour of Zumba, some gym time and a 1 km swim. (Not every day’s like this!!!). I’ve lost over 16 pounds, though last week was much slower.
Loving my egg, bacon and avocado breakfasts. My OH has joined me, ditching his usual toast, and has lost quite a bit of weight just by doing that. Generally not hungry although the odd meal out is more difficult. However, must recommend Bella ItAlia who not only swapped pasta for spiralised veg, but also did me a tuna steak on roasted Mediterranean veg which saved the day.(twice).
Finally, pleased that my metabolic age is still dropping (73 down to 64!) 3 years to go.
Have a good week everyone!

For my info as much as anything!
Starting week 7 today. Weight loss 25.2 lb, which includes about 3 lb from just before starting the BSD. Losses have slowed a little but this is probably due to a few glasses of wine creeping in.
Metabolic age now 61 – my real age!
I’m enjoying the food but probably need to be a little more adventurous now.
Have a good week everyone😀

8 weeks done and lost 26lbs, 30 when I include pre diet preparation.

Wow, Claire, well done!

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Hi Hummingbird and thank you for your kind comments! I was really chuffed and wanted to share my news!
I’m continuing for another week before I go on holiday. Then I will have a few weeks break from the diet before going to round 2. I suspect that will be tough…
My willpower is rubbish so I’m amazed I stuck to this woe but a few of the things that helped were having this up and coming holiday. I want to try scuba diving but the thought of wearing a wetsuit was horrendous. I will give it a go now! On the diet front I found courgettes, mushrooms and celeriac were good for making me feel I was eating something substantial, I loved celeriac chips.
Also I splashed out on a couple of personal trainer sessions and that helped by focussing me and making me exercise. They have a machine called Boditrax which as well as weighing you gives your metabolic age. That was a nasty shock. It gave me an age of 73. I’ve weighed myself each week on it and I’m now down to 55 apparently!
I used my fitness pal all the time and my Fitbit. That was helpful. Finally, people can be the greatest support. Buddies on forums have been great and I love it when people I know gape a bit and say you’ve lost loads of weight!
Congratulations on your weightloss so far and good luck with week 2. I’d love to hear how you get on.x

Just out of interest, Claire, and you don’t have to answer!, what is your real age?