I am a long time lurker who has plucked up the courage to post (after working out how to…..). I am in the 5th week, I am on this diet as a supporter to my OH who is diabetic and has developed high blood pressure this year.The GP has advised he loses a stone and a half weight and then has another test, if it’s still high then it will be medication. I need to lose some weight too so it’s win win all round. His diabetes has been under control with a low carb diet (no meds) but too many “treats” have crept in over the last year, specially as there has been a lot of stress washing around us from close family circumstances.

Because we have been mainly low carb for a while, this diet hasn’t been too much of a shock. But the restriction to 800 calories has been tricky, as we have never counted calories before or been on a “proper” diet. I have no idea how much weight I may have lost as we have unreliable scales, and I haven’t measured anything. I can see that OH has lost weight though, and more importantly, so can he.

The stress around us is still ongoing so it has been tricky not to make some (low carb Bergen) toast as comfort food when it’s at it’s worse – but we have managed!

Our “cheats” with this diet has been 20g of All Bran a day for OH, and 1 weetabix, and the equivalent weight (18g) of oats as porridge a day for me. This is to ‘keep things moving’ (iyswim), as without they virtually stopped which wasn’t helping anything! I am planning on losing the weetabix next week and just have porridge mixed with flaxseed. (I was originally eating 2 weetabix each morning).

I found it quite tricky at the beginning as I sort of freaked out when I got to the recipe section of the book and found it to be full of food we either couldn’t afford or didn’t like. I am of the fussy type, won’t eat pulses (unfortunate side effects) and loathe spicy food. However, I persevered and have come up with a list of meals that are low carb, low calorie, (not low fat), and that we like. Sometimes it means cooking two different meals or slightly altering a meal for me. I work out a meal plan for the each week, use the freezer a lot to batch cook and freeze in portions, and try and buy whats on offer.

I’m afraid I can’t be any help in offering exciting weight losses, or inch losses as an encouragement to others. But I am very encouraged by other peoples stories, so thank you.

I am a member of a Facebook group but am finding there seem to be a lot of “serial dieters” on there (not being mean by saying that) who put forward lots of rules that don’t seem to be in the book.

By the way, I tried the coconut flatbreads that are in the recipe section, which we had along with a salad, and they were very nice!

Anyway, that’s me, and I hope I’ve posted this in the right place. Apologies if not.

Hi Lizzy 🙂 a belated but big welcome from me
Your postings may not be about exciting weight losses but you have 5 weeks experience, you have seen the successes and the pitfalls and you’ll have some very important advice to give to others.
I sympathise with you re the serial dieters but this diet is so good it works for anyone and who are we to judge.
I suspect that most of them only became serial because they never found a way of eating that took weight off and kept it off.
In truth they could become this diets biggest asset, there won’t just be (ex) diabetics shouting about it, The whole thing could go mainstream and provoke a food revolution.
Pie in the sky ?
Stranger things have happened.

Oh please don’t think I am criticising anyone who has tried lots of diets, I’m really not, that was a bad choice of words. I meant those who have their own rules and apply them strictly to all forms of eating, and anything different is wrong. I feel I may have dug myself a hole here, and can’t get out of it…….

I’ll try again later. No offence was meant, I apologise to all.

Welcome Lizzy, congrats on you and your OH progress and welcome to the forums. There are some great people and ideas here, Imhave been a serial dieter for nearly forty years but have finally found that this way of eating answers all the questions the others did not. I no longer crave sweet things, have no raging hunger to battle against, sleep better and have more energy……hope to hear your progress soon 😀

No hole, we’ve had 1 or 2 here, they don’t get a lot of response, I try to think of them as professional dieters doing it to improve performance or look better. It’s their choice.
Loads of people have been conned over the years into diets that don’t perform so, in that respect, I suppose we are all serial dieters to some extent

Welcome Lizzy! I am nearly at the end of week 4 and I have found this forum, or rather the lovely people on it, very welcoming, helpful and not at all arrogant or know it all. the support and encouragement I have received have been great. keep us all posted how you are doing and good luck to both of you in reaching your goals.

Too late to edit my original post, so thank you for your very kind and welcoming posts. I am not a judgemental person but seem to have come across as such. So I’ll take my red face off to a corner and have a think.

worry not as far as I am concerned (and I expect others will say the same.) – I don’t think you came across as judgemental at all – there are many forums that I don’t join as people are competitive or seem to try to “score points” – I understand that we all can behave in ways that we wish we didn’t sometimes, it is just that I don’t want to be part of a support group that isn’t supportive! (sounds like you don’t either?)
so come out of the corner and enjoy the support to be had here……best wishes.

Hi bizzy lizzy, you are allowed an opinion. That”s the essence of debate and honest dialogue so get out of that corner and keep us posted.

I’m with Bill and M, no hole dug, no red face needed. This is a great place for people who are making lif changing progress, the support here is genuine and real …….have seen a couple of ‘ off piste’ posts suggesting to try another diet etc that are not supportive and get short shrift!

This is a way of eating that can help T2’s and many others and we are all here as proof of it, welcome me again 😀

Hope you’re feeling okay now lizzy, I agree with the others, no need to worry at all, you didn’t come over as judgemental. Posting on a new forum can be a bit nerve-wracking but this one looks like a rare gem… one where people are all about supporting each other and not about scoring points – long may that last!

Thank you, out of the corner and a normal colour now!

Hi bizzylizzy. Glad to see you out of the corner – there really was no need to Ho there, though.

It’s a great group here. Always someone around to answer questions or give support as well as delight in your progress.

Welcome bizzylizzy

I agree with what the others have said and pleased your out of the corner.