I read somewhere that the calorie counts aren’t always accurate, and after counting the calories in my first BSD meal (I’m just starting today) I got 210 calories for the 180 calorie No Carb Bircher. I can cut that down I think by just using one walnut in future rather than 1 tbsp chopped walnuts.

How important is it to stick to 800 calories? Or should I just stick to the recipes and not worry about a few extra calories here and there? It’s all healthy foods so if a day ended up at 850 or 900 would that be okay? Maybe for best results I need to be super disciplined and add up the calories in everything just to be sure.

Hi Catherine80

I have read same on the forums about the recipes being inaccurate and have noticed one recipe myself in the book where calories were definitely underestimated.

Im using Myfitness Pal for recording my daily meals and its great for counting calories. I think the book says you can have some higher or lower days but as long as it evens out its ok.

Im only 3 days in and have a question about the weekends and how people manage it. Usually its my time to splurge, do people usually include the alcohol in the 800 calories, wouldnt leave alot to eat I imagine?

Hi Sydneygirl

You can of course plan in a glass or two of wine into your calorie count. However I would just warn you that not only are they empty calories, doing you no good, and preventing you from eating ‘good’ valuable things for your body BUT THEY CAN ALSO CAUSE THE MUNCHIES!!

I fell majorly off the wagon by going out to dinner with ex-colleagues and having a couple of glasses of white wine (had planned for one glass of red, so difficult to resist what happened), ate sensibly and then on the way home felt the need to pop into Pret a Manger and buy a wrap and then ate two large slices of bread and butter when I got home. Still can’t understand what came over me.

I concluded that it would be safer to swerve the wine for the period of the BSD, so could you perhaps consider having fizzy water, or some other pleasant but non-alcoholic drink? Or if you must have wine, make yourself unable to have more than what you’ve planned and added in?

I have followed the recipes to the letter, and although they might be a little higher than what the book says I have still seen huge results.

It depends in what you are trying to achieve, if you need to lose the weight and lower the blood sugar, due to medical advice, then being as rigid as you possibly can, is a good idea.

However, if you are doing it for general health and well-being, following the recipes will still result in losing weight, and improving all the other stuff.

Once you have finished a couple of weeks, and realise you have a ton of unused veg in the fridge, make a soup, and have that for lunch, I haven’t counted a calorie, but i know that it wont be more than 200 calories, so i guesstimate, and then follow recipes from the book for breakfast and lunch.

not massively scientific, but the principles remain.

The biggest change i think you will find after a week or two, is how you dont seem to feel the need to snack during the day, as the food you are eating fills you up correctly.

Hi catherine80,

Count every calorie. Milk in tea/coffee, alcohol, drinks, juices. They all count.

I’ve found the calorie count in the book a little difficult to follow. I’ve ended up removing items from the recipes that are superfluous and simply add calories.

For example, the no-carb bircher:
– Removed the flax seeds. Don’t use for anything else, expensive and not required.
– Only use 30ml of apple juice. 50mls was too much/too sweet.

Veg curry – don’t need cauliflower rice. Extra 70 calories you don’t need.

Reduction in items reduces overall calories without reducing flavour.

Same can be done with other meals.

Good luck

hey Igorasusual

Thanks for the tips re alcohol, I have successfully avoided it for the last 3 weeks so I hope to keep going. Its been hard tho, lots of work dos on campus with wine, cheese and patisserie cake but thankfully there has been lots of antipasti and fruit so I dont feel left out of the occasion. Thankfully Im more excited right now about fitting into all my clothes again then getting stuck into free food and wine! It will be there when I want it and am at the size Im happiest with.

Thankfully my husband doesnt drink alcohol so I dont feel the need to join in with him. And if I dont bring it home then I just dont drink in the house.

Spcox good points re taking out superfluous calories where possible, will keep that in mind when I make the bircher, I have been looking forward to making that.