Hello all, i read the book yesterday. I am not new to low carbing but have somewhat fallen off of the wagon since my holidays.

I am always been on the big size except for a brief period in my early 20s where i subsided on fags and coffee! However i am now a semi respetcable mother of 2 and a lot older and heavier. Since my youngest was born 2 years ago i have lost about 2 st from my starting weight of nearly 16st, i am 5ft 5. I still have a long way to go and whilst i love lchf i am finding that i am messing about losing and gaining the same 1/2st.

I had gestational diabetes and am worried that i am at risk of developing full blown diabetes. I am nearly 40 and am starting to see the effect of my weight, on my body- basically now is the time.

I did a vlcd for my wedding, so i know its doable and i like that this diet is all about real food and nutrients. I am fairly fit and exercise sporadically but intensely, so my aim is to get out for a walk every day my my husband puts the kids to bed and to generally walk more and rely less on the car. I also do kettlebells but i need to start that again.

After a lot of humming and haaing about whether i should wait until after the weekend etc i just woke up this morning and decided to go for it.

My breakfast today was a green smoothie – i love these, made with spinach, avocado and half an apple. So 250 cals and 8g of carbs. I have had it as late as possible as i would like to try and do 2 meals aday so i can have a substantial meal in the evening. We eat really early at 5-6pm and i am busy during the day, does anyone else do this?

Any advice you might have for a newbie would be appreciated. Thanks Blessed

Hi and welcome
my advice is first to read through the posts on the forum to understand how this works and the pitfalls involved.
I would start my first week by concentrating on cutting out the carbs, then, after you get over any side effects from that (there are some) look at the calories.
Within a week you should be over any side effects and you will have registered your first weight loss.
This diet works and is sustainable long term.
Forget about low fat products, put any you have in the bin and make sure you replace the lost calories from the carbs with extra fat.
Be sure to keep your non sugary fluid intake up to at least 2 litres per day and we’ll all be seeing a happy post from you this time next week.
Best of luck on the journey.

Hi Bill, thanks for the advice. I am an experienced low carber so i know what i am letting myself in for. I have been cutting my carbs except for a blip yesterday but the next step is to get my calories down as on lchf i usually eat around 1700 cals. I drink loads of water but will have to give up my coffee with cream – boo.

I was thinking of yoghurt and berries for breakfast or green smoothies. If i have to have lunch i will make some chinese or thai style soups with green veg and then a small but normalish dinner – i generally avoid carbs and have cauli rice, courgetti etc. Going back to weighing and counting is going to be a chore but needs must.

My next big goal is going to be heading out everyday for a walk after dinner, i can do that whilst my husband does the bath and bed routine with my little ones but its getting off the sofa that is the hard part!

I am interested in how much weight people have lost in the 8 weeks. I dont actually weigh myself as it makes me a bit demented but i have a pair of jeans that i would love to get into and are several sizes to small – they are pretty old (about 15yrs) and are my goal item, they are so old they are probably back in fashion now.

Would also love any soup recipes if anyone has any quick and tasty ones. Thanks

Feeling great so far but its only been 4 hrs!

Well done blessed. I’m about 5 weeks in. I’m not doing the 800, but a mixture of the 5:2 and the Med Style. I’m not really counting calories, but I’ve knocked drinking alcohol on the head, stopped snacking (apart from a few nuts if desperate) and reduced my carbs right down. The only carbs I’m currently eating is from veg and nuts. I’m probably averaging 1200-1600 calories per day and I’m doing a regular mix of swimming and weigh training with the odd run thrown in for good measure. I’m 6’4 and started off at 99.5kg and 5 weeks in I’m clocking 91.3kg. I’m only 6kg off my target weight.

This way of eating is phenominal. As Bill says, really drill down on the carbs first because that is the main culprit.

I have just made a veg and gammon ham soup (using leftovers) and for dinner i will have a oven roasted chicken thigh with broccoli, so my totals come in at 800 cals and 20g of carbs. Just doing the countdown until lunch now, might hoover the house that should take my mind off of things! I am feeling a bit weak and hungry so off for another glass of water. Pesky carb withdrawl.

Wow Timmy thats a great loss, well done. I am fine not drinking in the week but i like my fizz fridays, i will miss them but alcohol knocks me for six when i low carb so probably for the best. I need to get back to my kettlebells but i think that will be next weeks mission.

I am happy with 20g of carbs, i couldnt go any lower without sacrificing some veg and good nutrition.

Some people have found that with carbs too low they haven’t lost as much so keep an eye on that, and if needs be increase them up a bit, but not going over the 50g per day.

Thanks Timmy,i will bear that in mind. I ended up having my lunch at 12.30 and now it seems a long wait until tea time. How long did you find it took for your appetite to reduce? Traditionally on a low carb diet it takes me 3-4 days but thats a looonng 3-4 days!

I think i will have to get up earlier and do my walk then as i have been spending all day trying to talk myself out of it – doing it in the evening gives me enough time to think of an excuse why i should put it off.

So my first day didnt end well! So i have a new plan, i will go low carb following my usual high fat low carb plan, then when i am in the zone i will go low cal and follow the diet properly. Back in a few days!

We will be here for you when you return, don’t beat yourself up about taking a few days to get into the zone.

You CAN do it and you WILL!!!!

Seconded
you know how low carbing works, should be a breeze for you.

So i am here and just getting prepped to start in the morning. I have been low carbing all this week so that my appetite is under control. I have downloaded a book to listen to on my walks and i am just getting together a few recipes for later this week. Tomorrow i will make some soup for lunch. I have taken my measurements and my weight urrgghh! Starting at 14st 10lbs. School summer hols start on Tuesday this week and my plan is to carry on until the 18th September. Wish me luck!

Good luck blessedenough. You CAN do this.

So it starts….. I am feeling really positive. I have a wedding in a few weeks and a dress that’s too tight so that is my goal. Starting my pedometer and just having first glass of water. Being it on!

Good luck Blessedenough, I look forward to reading how you’ve got on.

So first proper day and just had my breakfast 3hrs after getting up. It was lovely and surprisingly filling blue berries and Greek yoghurt. I am about 2 pints of water down. Non sleeping toddler is going to bed soon and I might have a lie down as feeling tired. When he is up we are going for a walk in the sunshine, I might even get my legs out!

Told my husband about this and he just rolled his eyes but he is used to me starting diets on Mondays and reverting to type by tuesday! He did laugh when I said no wine for 8 weeks – need to show him now.

I made and iced 48 dairy cakes yesterday and didn’t even lick my fingers.

I bow before you, blessedenough…..48 fairy cakes and you didn’t lick your fingers! Stick with it – you’ll blitz this. As the weeks go by you don’t even feel like putting the sugary/floury simple carbs in your body.

Non sleeping toddler continued to be non sleeping so i him in the pram and went for a walk. My pedometer says i am up to 7000 steps already but i dont believe it. Its boiling here and i live in a very hilly part of the country. We went shopping for supplies and then i popped them in my back pack, so i have def had a good workout.

Lunch was a hurried affair, i had shop bought hummus with 3 processed ham slices and spinach leaves – i was supposed to have the hummus on cucumber but it had gone all soft. Todays totals so far are 362 cals and 13.2g carbs. Just need to decide what to have for dinner. I am thinking grilled chicken breast with garlic butter, broccoli and spinach. My tummy is rumbling and i have a banging headache.

I have had the 8 day BSD diet book for several weeks and read it several times but could not get motivated to start. Yesterday I went to a friend’s daughters wedding. I struggled to find something to wear and when I did find something I looked bloated in it – honestly this is not self deprecating. I have a photo to prove it. I got the book out this morning and decide to just go for it.I am 60+ years old, 5 ft 4 inches and weigh 204 pounds. I have a desk job so am quite inactive during the day. I do not think I am pre diabetic but I just want to loose weight and loose it fast to stay motivated. Any help from any of you would be delightfully welcome.
This morning I had yogurt and blueberries. I was not sure how much yogurt I could have or how many berries. Where would I find this type of information?

Just take paracetamol for the headaches, they are a normal effect of beginning low carbing and just last a couple of days or so.
At least it shows you are doing things right 🙂
dharako I usually have a couple of tbsp full of yoghurt with a handful of berries.

Thanks Bill I did have paracetamol in the end and another pint of water. I have been low carbing all week so I thought I was past the carb flu stage. Oh well. I had another portion of yoghurt and raspberries as I was still hungry but I have accounted for it.

DHARAKO I Google all of my meal choices and tot it up. Its taking a while but I hope to build a selection of go to recipes.

This evening I am making ricotta quiches with chorizo and cheese. They are yummy and about 120 cals each. They will be perfect for picnics and quick breakfasts. Sadly I don’t like eggs. I have had a text from the school and need to make more blasted fairy cakes, my daughter was going to help but her main input was licking the spoon!

I AM SO HUNGRY!!! I can’t believe how HUNGRY I am. I have lovely biscuits and chocs bought by our visiting foreign students and they are calling me. Aarrggh on my hflc diet I didn’t feel HUNGRY – didnt lose enough weight either. How long will this last? Otherwise it will be a very very long 8 weeks. Woe is me.

Chin up blessedenough, it will pass I promise. Important things are to drink plenty and make sure there is enough fat in your meals, as this will help you to feel full quicker and for longer. It can be tough in the first few days though, keep with it though, because it will come right. Your new body is waiting for you to discover it, so don’t do anything to make it wait any longer than it needs to.

I have been low carbing and I thought I was in the zone. I had to eat 4 slices of gouda. So whilst I am now at aprox1200 cals I kept low carb. My tummy is turning in on its self urgh.

Feeling sorry for myself today. I know it’s worth it and this feeling will pass but I wasn’t expecting to feel so bad after a week of lchf.

I am unsure on how to add more day without going over cals?? I had 2x Greek yog. Hummous. Chicken breast with a tsp of garlic butter so plenty of fat for the cals. Any ideas?

That should obvs say FAT silly auto correct.

Are you eating plenty of above ground veggies, as they can help bulk your meals for relatively low cals and carbs? Have you tried the cauliflower rice for instance? This is great for adding bulk to a meal and is only 38cals and 3g carbs per 100g and you’d be surprised just how much that is once you get it on a plate. Things like lettuce, spinach, chard etc. are all good too. Lastly, don’t panic if you are a little over on the cals especially in the early days, providing you are keeping the carbs 50g or under.

Thanks sunny I am an experienced low carber and usually I get most of my cals from fat about 75%. On this diet I am struggling to get enough fat to make me full whilst keeping carbs low and cals on track.

Right so a big part of my change in body shape and mindset is honesty… So here goes. I ate the bloody chocolates urgh. Biscuits went in the bin.

The problem is we have a meal out tonight to celebrate my daughter leaving pre school and starting big school in Sept. I COULD manage a low carb option but I know I will want to eat a burger and probably fries. I always struggle when I have an event coming up. Luckily after today we don’t have much in the diary. I REALLY want to do this and I WILL. starting tom -again! There was much eye rolling from hubby.

Hiya – congrats to your daughter (and you!) on the next big step.

Can you look at the restaurant menu before going and make a “good” choice? I often have two starters – small portions and variety of tastes – and that means you’re in line with everyone else.

I know you will “want” the burger and chips but you don’t have to have it – Michael Mosley says in the book that sometimes he resists stuff to prove HE’S in charge.

Whatever you choose, good luck!

I am back and I start tomorrow. I feel stuffed, tired and a bit sick- lesson learnt! I like the idea of proving I am in charge, will def try that one. I never have 3 courses and the starters are usually the tastiest not on the menu. Before I became a carb addict I never had dessert as they always promised so much but never tasted that great. I have 3 days worth of meals prepped and I am out and about tomorrow so that will keep me busy and out of the fridge.

Hang in there Blessedenough!! Just climbing back on the pony will do the trick. It is clear that you’ve the mind-set to do this, just bring your cranky, resistant physical self along gently. I got hungry too — sometimes it was just unbelievable and I would stand in the kitchen arguing with myself in front of the fridge. When it got to be too much, I ate a tiny portion of something with protein — like salami (uncured so you don’t eat nitrates) or left over chicken — Then I went outside. You will find your own coping mechanisms (keep trying new ideas) and in a few weeks it will be much much easier until it literally becomes second nature. You’ve got this — I can hear it in your posts.

So back from my morning missions and so far so good. I caught sight of myself in a full lenght mirror and it gave me a fright and a tonne of willpower haha. I will be doing some cooking this afternoon so I have a fridge full of easy stuff to eat. Thanks for everyones support, it has really helped.

Had a busy day. Non sleeping toddler still non sleeping so I drive around for an hr in an attempt to make him sleep but no! However my spiraliser arrived today so I cooked 1kg! Of pasta for our foreign students and me and hubby had courgetti with bacon and tomato sauce yum. I had a tiny portion but sufficently full. They very studiously picked out very tiny bit of veg, I host aprox 60 spanish, french, Italian and German students a yr and haven’t met one that actually eats veg.

I am feeling much better today, more energy, less heavy and much more positive.

So i have done a lot of batch cooking this evening, i have made spanish mush for topping courgetti and i have made ricotta cups which are great for picnics and breakfasts. I have added both recipes to the recipe section. I have the ingredients for making a lovely thai style broth, i just need to work out the carbs but my brain hurts now.

I have been a bit slack on drinking water so i will have to chug down another pint before bed. Good news is no headache and feeling positive.

Feeling tired today as I felt so full of energy yesterday I didn’t get to sleep until midnight.

Beach trip today with friends yay. I will be road testing my new wetsuit so lots of swimming and running after wayward children.

I will leave breakfast to as late as possible and have a green smoothie just before I leave. Probably cauli rice and spanish mush for dinner. I try to avoid lunch but I have Greek yog and blueberries in.

Have a great day all.

Just had my green smoothie and full to the brim now. Sun is burning through the clouds- beach here we come!

Just back from beach and it was amazing. Had a great swim in the sea andceent body boarding with the kids. Just had a coffee made with coconut oil and milk – all weighed and counted of course. Feel full now. Also drink loads of water.

Blessed do you have the recipe for the Thai broth. Sounds Devine!

1960 will post recipe shortly just need to dig it out. Argh just eaten way over my cal allowance but I kept my carbs below 50g, so limited damage. I had cheese slices at lunch with the plan of skipping dinner- rookie move. Lesson learnt.

Hello Newbie:

Welcome! I to just started this 2 days ago. I have copied IZZY and write my diet and excercise daily on a posting. It works wonders. I just need a scale and pedometer to use every day.

f you go to bed after 10, you may want to eat dinner an hour or 2 later for feeling full 3-4 hours after dinner. Then you may not be snacking an hour before bed.

Ask any questions since I am new also. Any advice, please share some with all.

Daniel

Hi Daniel. I can’t eat dinner later as I eat with the kids but I am thinking of saving a few cals for an evening snack. By eating extra at lunch I didn’t have enough for a decent dinner and then got too hungry and had an attack of the f*uck its! I wasn’t even hungry at lunch I just wanted to eat. Grrr. Feeling better today just need to get used to my new eating pattern.

After previously doing a vlcd I know it’s a head game and if your head is in the right zone it’s easy – just need to get there now! I might go and try on my too small dress that should do the trick.

It’s a good idea to save a few calories for an evening snack – or maybe just save part of your dinner to use for that. If you make sure you are drinking plenty and have enough fat in your calories, you should find you don’t get the hunger pangs quite so badly. It might not happen over night, but your body will adjust, it just needs to get used to being deprived of those simple carbs.

Stay positive and it will eventually come together. Keep us posted.

Maybe I should save a few calories myself for late night snacking. I do get the urges also.

YAY! Saratoga Raceway Opening day was today! So much fun. Sucks having to munch on diet food when all were barbecuing burgers and eating cheesecakes. LOL

Wish you all good luck on your munchies this weekend!