I started following the BSD three weeks ago. In the first week, I religiously kept track of calories and on average thru the week, I managed 800 cal/day (sometimes lower than 800 or 700, sometimes a bit higher than 900. I lost 4 lbs in the first week and my blood sugar reading was down to 6.4 mmol, down from 8.4 usually. So was truly proud and encouraged. My second week was tough as I was travelling for work, which disrupted any new routine I was starting to develop. So my blood sugar was back to 8.1 (though this was also after I forgot to take my evening medication. (I take 4 tabs of Metformin and 2 of Gliclizide a day). Now, my third week, blood sugar is 7.8 (all tests btw were taken in the am, before breakfast). So I think I’m getting stuck, and a bit disheartened. Though I am now also increasing my exercise (10k steps 2x this week plus a 1-HR visit to the gym (mainly cardio), a 1-HR Zumba class, a 20 min bike ride and tomorrow a 1-hr tai chi class. What could I be doing wrong?

Hi Pinay
That’s very discouraging for you. I saw a good TED talk on you tube. A doctor called Sarah Hallberg who deals with diabetes. Worth a look, very encouraging – she tells her patients ‘No GPS’ which is no grains, potatoes, sugar. At least easy to grasp!
Hope things start improving for you.
Penny

Thanks, Penny. I’m giving myself 10 weeks to reverse my diabetes, which is type 2 and genetic. I know there will be ups and downs.

Hey Pinay, stick with it !!!
I had a day when my sugar reading, rather than go down, shot up from 9.8 to 12 !!! I persevered and after a couple of days it sorted itself out.
the weight loss “plateau” is a well known phenomonen. Just keep going, you’ll get there.

I feel the same. I have always been around 5.8-6.2 for my FBS and it is more or less the same after 4 weeks, although rarely seeing a 6 now. I am fighting a Cold but even so I was hoping for a more dramatic drop, seeing 4’s instead of 5’s. Weight is at a BMI of 22.7 and have dropped 9lbs but really doing this for blood sugar levels and like you say, it feels like I’m stuck. First test showed 6.8 this morning! I thought that can’t be right and a retest showed 5.7, phew.

Hi Donna
There does seem to be a phenomenon of slightly raised BG immediately after getting up in the morning. Presumably to give you a bit of energy as someone with normalBG readings may be a bit low having not eaten for 12 hours. Then it sorts out after a short time. Lots of people have written about it on the forums. So maybe it’s not a problem? Only if it stays high. I’m no expert, I’ve just noticed it and vaguely remember reading about it.
Penny

Yes , I know about the ‘dawn phenomenon’ as I have been monitoring my FBS for a year now. Mine generally stays slightly raised until lunchtime or if I eat. I was feeling positive that blood sugars were dropping but it’s back up to 6.2 today 😥. Not sure this is working for me. Have been very strict and not gone over 800 cals at all.

Hi Donna
Have a look at the YouTube TED talk by Sarah Hallberg. Very inspiring!
Penny

I,m not diabetic thankfully although my dad was. I do however struggle with my weight so I,m doing this to try to finally get a handle on it. My heart goes out to all of you guys.
I,m currently on week 2. Week 1was fine and Imlost 5lbs. Coping with 800 calories and NO alcohol is not fab but achievable. This week though I put 1lb ON between Monday and Tuesday. Did nothing different other than no walking due to the weather. That 1lb has come off this morning but no more, meaning I,ve stuck since Sunday.
I,ve got around 2stones to lose. Has anyone else plateaued so soon ?, I don’t want to become despondent too soon.
Suzie55

Hi Suzie
I’ve plateaued from the start! I’m on day 12. So far lost 2.5 lbs, one inch off waist despite doing 1000s of steps every day., and sticking to the diet. My sisters the same. It’s strange. But I am sleeping better and feeling better so I’m carrying on with fingers crossed.
Good luck
Penny

I think I’m starting to go the same route. I don’t get weighed again until tomorrow but my Sugar levels have went up again despite me sticking religiously to the diet.
I’m not going to give up but it is disappointing.

Hi Bill, are you monitoring sugar levels after every meal? There may something causing a spike for you that you didn’t expect?

No I monitor pre bedtime and when I wake in the morning although I did notice the other day that at teatime, my level was showing 6.8
Previously when I was having a sandwich and a bag of crisps for lunch I was always between 4 and 5 at that time of day and low fat cottage cheese with celery and pepper dippers shouldn’t have raised it.
I prefer the theory that the diabetes is fighting back, coz if that what it wants, I’m well up for the battle 🙂

Hi Bill
I think maybe your crisps and sandwich had more fat. Now you’re having almost no fat at all – the veggies have none, just carbs, water, vitamins, minerals etc, and the cottage cheese has more carbs than fat. I think if you change to full fat cottage cheese this BG prioblem may not happen. I think Michael is in favour of full fat dairy for this reason. It doesn’t raise your BG and stops you being hungry. I think we’ve been told for so long to not eat fat it goes against the grain but according to Michael, that’s the answer.
Penny

Did you watch the latest series of trust me i’m a doctor? There was an interesting piece on how blood sugar is a very personal thing. What raises one person’s levels will have no effect on another person’s and its to do with gut bacteria. This is the link, its only four minutes; http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03gqssd

Hi Janet
Yes I saw that. Frustrating because we’re not all rushing to Israel for tests!
On the other hand if, like Bill, you swap a high fat lunch for a no fat lunch, logically, as you’re eating really just carbs and protein, then a blood spike makes sense.
Roll on the day we can all have our poo tested.! Meanwhile… No low fat dairy!
Penny

Hi Penny. I,ve just been reading some of the other posts and it seems that it’s not unusual to either plateau for a while or take a while to start losing. Fristrating I know but surely it must all kick In eventually if you,re only having 800 cals a day. I do feel better so i,m going to stick with it. Having the weekend off as we,re going away…but Tuesday will see me back on it and keeping a diary. Reading other posts, that seems to help.
Best of luck to you and your sister. Fingers crossed we,re all happy on the end !
Sue

I follow Dr.. Jason Fung.. fasting sure has helped me alot.. look him up on youtube. he has many webinars..

I’m having a weight plateau – 2 weeks with very small weight loss. It’s tough to keep motivated but I just keep thinking the weight is going down so stuck with it. Now the weather’s better I can get some walking done which should help. I’m on week 6 and had hoped to lose w stones by week 8 but it’s not looking that way. Still I’ll keep plodding on.

Bill you are an inspiration thanks for all your input which is helping lots of folks including me 😊