Here we go, everyone! Thanks to all who participated this past week. It’s great fun getting to know new comers,
and visiting with my old pals each day 🙂 Let’s put this week “away”, too!

Best of luck, but then we don’t need that, do we??

Allie

I’ll be there and hopefully can put the last week behind me. I must say it does explain a few things now I put it all together, bloating, constipation and dark urine all show a fluid imbalance. So I am off the magnesium tablets and starting again.

Hi I will do my best to join in this week but still away for another couple of days. When I get up Thursday morning I will get weighed and then get back on track. I will need to!

We have just been having a really sociable time of late and have arrangements for Friday night and Sunday lunch. Problem is we can’t put life on hold, and nor should we really. I still eat BSD friendly food but just too much of it! Now I think I would find it so difficult to start eating simple carbs again and I have no desire to. I have to admit, apart from on the odd occasion, most hotels and restaurants are quite happy to accommodate my BSD tastes.

Anyway, looking forward to having some structure back in my life again and to joining you all on this next weekly challenge.

Very happy to have you onboard, V. 🙂 We miss you when your off gallavanting in some far flung outpost!
But as you can see, we’ve done our best to keep your thread active. It will be good to have you back in the
fold!

I’ll be here too. Week 5 for me, and this week I’ve noticed I’m waking up hungrier than I have done so far. I’ve settled into two meals a day, early lunch and dinner and as I usually wake early, 5 or 6, its a long wait till lunch. Anyone else found increased hunger at this point? Weightwise I’m nearly half way through. I’ve lost 13lbs, 9% of my starting weight. I will stick at it, but just wondered if anyone else had noticed anything similar.

My next challenge is to get into a cream cotton dress that I love, which is hanging in my wardrobe. i tried it a couple of weeks ago and got stuck half into it, so havent been brave enough to try again.

Elle

Morning!

I am jumping in now if I may…think it will help me be consistent in staying focused to be part of this too…

I know that planning my meals is KEY to success but I find that so tedious ( no idea why) and so tend to go day by day. I also find it hard working on 800 cals but as many many others succeed then obviously its doable! Any tips or ideas?

Am on medication, too, that is known to induce hunger, ahhh , sounds like a bunch of excuses here doesn’t it, well am just being honest folks. I know we can do it. Here’s to a successful day for all of us.

Allie no far flung outpost this time just Stratford upon Avon and it’s environs! Mind you there were so many tourists from the US, Japan, China and South America, to name but a few, that Stratford felt like a far flung outpost! Now in the very heart of Yorkshire enjoying some relaxed country house hotel living for a few days. Still I am looking forward to getting back to ‘normal’ eating again soon. I think I may be too frightened to get on the scale on Thursday! Have a good start to the challenge today everyone.

Good morning all,
Thank you for setting this week challenge, Allie.
I’ve had a bit of a bumpy past three days and put a couple of pounds up, but because I have lost about 6lb from Tuesday until Friday, it wasn’t that bad, lost 4lb.
for this coming week I would like to lose 2, preferably 3+ lb, if possible.
It is possible, I know but will try to lose without any gains :-). It appears my weekends are the biggest offenders when having friends and family around expected or unexpectedly visiting.
Have a wonderful day.
skinny to be
xx

Goodmorning and joining the challenge.

current weight 173
Doc appoint in 10.5 weeks and said I would be 154.
Trying to avoid being put on higher statins and first blood pressure meds.
Calling this DAY 1 AGAIN!
I have planned out meals and will be traveling the next week, but have that planned with groceries and restaurants where I can get plain meats and salads. Won’t be able to weigh again until next Thursday

Well I managed to lose 2lbs over night after ditching the magnesium supplement – who knew it caused fluid retention – plus I am on meds to prevent fluid retention. Really, docs should think first. So I am starting at 77.1 kg, which is about where I was last week but hopefully with this new knowledge. Having said that, we are having lunch out tomorrow. I will keep it real on the carbs but bound to have a couple of glasses of wine.

Ellem, it occurred to me that you are feeling particularly hungry because you ARE hungry. On the only day I stick with 2 meals (Sunday) I have a brunch around 11am and dinner at about 7pm – I find I am starving all day. What time do you have your evening meal. If it is around 7 or 8 then you are going 15 or 16 hours without food. Sorry but I am not into fasting due to my diabetes but hunger catches up with us one time or another. Try feeding your morning hunger around 8am with something small like a boiled egg, just to make you feel better without upsetting the plan.

Decided I really need to focus on getting my water intake up for this week’s challenge – and to cut down on the coffee’s and tea’s with milk that have snuck back into my daily intake. As a bonus NSV, I have noticed that a pair of my old faithful gardening trousers are now too big around my behind – hoorah!

That makes sense sunshine girl. I’ll switch things around a bit this week and see how it goes.

Found you! Thanks for starting a new thread alliecat.
Ellem – losing 9%of your weight in 5 weeks is really impressive. I’ve just worked out that I would need to lose 21lb to do the same.
I’m struggling today. Feeling hungry, tired, thinking about carb foods, and emotional – may all be hormone related than diet.
Are there any scientists around? I’m on an antidepressant called Clomipramine for OCD. My symptoms have been stable for quite a while but I’ve been feeling more anxious for the last week or so. It has coincided with me starting the diet but may be a coincidence. But doing a bit of reading about it today and found some info about serotonin which is thought to be reduced in people with ocd, and is increased by taking antidepressants like mine. Anyway apparently carbs are needed to make serotonin. I’m a bit confused as another report said amino acids were needed!
I did cut back on my carbs a couple of years ago and didn’t notice any problems but it is making me wonder. Any thoughts?? I’m thinking if things don’t settle down I may need to start eating carbs to see if it helps. I have been very unwell with the ocd in the past and don’t want to go back there again.

Ellem, if you want to get into ketosis you can be confident that it is starting 12 hours after your last meal. So if you have lunch at midday that is giving you at least six hours of fat burning; it is the fat burning that is the secret to good weight loss and targeting any liver or visceral fat.
A lot of what we interpret as hunger is in fact thirst or demands from your gut biome to be fed. If you can power through the morning sensation of hunger then you will make faster progress. What I enjoy about fasting, whether 16:8 or longer fasts, is that I feel in control of my body rather than letting my body dictate to me. For me that was the breakthrough.
Maggie

Hi everyone Im in for this week. target to loose 1kg.I also miss breakfast replace it with fluids v8 juice or miso soup .then a high protien lunch around 11.30 am another snack at 4ish and dinner at 7 pm my big challenge is after dinner.usualy a few frozen blueberries.nothing after 9pm.Its a workable plan but I usually only achieve it a few times a week.life happens to distrupt my plans.just koko

Am pleased with my day so far! Had 3 on plan meals, drank almost 2 litres, if I include the 4 cups of mint tea! so not bad, think my posting earlier today has prompted me tho..

All good weight losses shared today, long may it continue.
I am to see my specialist DN tomorrow so am really hoping she is on board with the WOE and supports me as my intention is to get off some of these meds..

TODAY’S MENU
b/fast – Asda Kippers in butter
Lunch – No carb Ploughman’s from the original book
Dinner – Skinny Chilli with broccoli rice and a dollop of greek yoghurt, again from the Original book

Doing well! Good luck with your DN, hope she’s positive.

Ehmm, what’s DN?
I have been doing ok today. May have gone over 800cals but fewer than 50g protein and about 23g carbs.
I’ve always been proud of my drink regime but today I had nine (9) pint glasses of water with a bit of lemon squeeze for ‘colour’ four (4) mugs of herbal tea and three coffees. In total EIGHT litre of liquids. When going to the loo the pee was as clear as water. Was well pleased with myself. All those years of ensuring my body had enough fluids paid of.
All in all it’s been a good day.
All the best, friends.
Skinny to be
xx

DN is diabetic nurse. I really despair on this water drinking subject so I am posting a link. The race to drink more and more water is dangerous.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318619.php
Please read this article.
And this@
https://www.health24.com/…/is-drinking-5-litres-of-water-a-day-bad-for-me-20060310

Whether you can drink 2 3 or 4 litres is not the point, it seems to be a competition as to who is drinking most and that it is actually good for you. It isn’t.

Sorry the second link didn’t work – just google what happens to my body when I drink 5 litres of water a day.

I have reported a post regarding water intake as I feel there are some very dangerous practices now taking place on this site. It is no one particular person, rather a case of misinformation and using known information to an extreme limit. I have asked if there can be some medical intervention into the facts about things that are being advised here.

Sunshine, I’m in no competition with my anyone. As it’s quite hot and I spent one hour of my lunch sitting in the court yard and during that time had my miso soup and two tall glasses of water as too hot. I tend to have a glass of water with my coffee and tea and I do start a day with a large glass or warm/hot water. It all adds up. But as I said, I was training myself for over 10 years in drinking a minimum of 3-4 litres a day and in this hot period of past month I was prepared and well prepared to cope with the weather than anyone around me. And I work in an aircon office.

Skinny, it is not just you, it seems to be who is drinking the most. A man can drink up to 3lts per day and a woman 2.2ltrs, so I dont know why people are trying to drink more and more. Although I suspect your calculations are a bit out as 9 pints of water is just over 4 litres plus miso, 4 teas at 200ml each, 3 coffees x 200ml probably around 5 to 6 litres litres. However, that is still a very dangerous amount to be drinking. Are you replacing your electrolytes safely to compensate. Your claim of drinking 8 litres would actually have made you seriously ill but the fact you have claimed to have done it might make someone else try to better that. It also depends how quickly you drank them. Anyway, whatever the case, it seems to be a trend here and as someone who has a nursing background I do not feel comfortable with these contributions and think some clarity is needed. All I have asked of the moderators is that they give some advice on this, particularly in the hot weather. We are told to keep up our hydration during the heat but no-one says how much, or how much is too much. As this is basically a medical site I think they should take some responsibility.

Sunshine,
The amount is spread from 5.30am until the 9pm when I was having my latest glass. On average it’s a small glass an hour.

As I said, Skinny, it is not you. It is a trend and it was just that your post prompted me.

I agree with sunshinegirl. The drinking of more and more water is dangerous and hard on your kidneys. The Boy Scouts use the rule that if you pee six times per day, WHILE HIKING, that’s plenty.
We aren’t usually hiking so we don’t need to take in that much fluid.
All fluids are countable — and SG is right — 2.2 liters of ALL fluids is probably enough unless you are heavily sweating.

Californiagirl, that isn’t what Michael Mosely says in the book. People are entitled to their own points of view, but this is the BSD forum and Michael Mosely has been quite clear.
Maggie

What exactly is his recommendation?

Hello, friends. I’ve been away from these forums today, so only getting back here now. I’m feeling
a bit uncomfortable at the tone this thread has taken, and that it has been continued over to the
new week. No one here is a medical doctor, or even a certified nutritionalist, so what we really
have to share in the way of support is our own individual experiences. I enjoy reading all points
of view, and often benefit the most from those that diverge from my own. Some of us use Mosley’s
books as the gospel, and others find them a good starting point and extend our knowledge of
health and nutrition far beyond. We all have the option to accept or reject what resonates with
us or doesn’t. I’m certain that whatever is said here is only done with the very best of intentions…
and I’ll continue to believe that. Can we leave WATER behind?
I’m focused on day 2 and hope you all are too!

Allie

Good morning and I realise I can make today my first day of this week’s challenge rather than wait until tomorrow to begin. So here goes!

I really think moderation in all aspects of life is the best way to keep healthy. More of something that is ‘good for you’ doesn’t necessarily translate into extra benefits for the body. We each have to listen to our own bodies and I’m listening to mine right at this moment and it’s saying ‘PLEASE, don’t keep giving me more and more ‘good fats and low carbs’, enough is enough!’ So back on track today. Have a good one.

Verano – that is exactly how I was in April. My body loved the healthy fats and low carbs but it was saying ‘ this is just way too much food – even though it is healthy it is WAY WAY too much food’. The difference in how I feel now is amazing. My body feels so happy between 1300 and 1500 calories – weight gently dropping and energy levels high.

Krysia I think we just get a bit complacent and because we aren’t eating the ‘bad’ carby foods we think all is well. In fact we both know it’s too much of the good stuff that can start to cause problems too. I know how well you have done to get back on track and I’m hoping to follow in your footsteps…. just one day at a time and back to two meals a day instead of the three that have crept back in over the last few weeks.

Hi all,
Yummymummy2be, when I started this WOE 10 weeks ago I was on antidepressants for anxiety. I found quite quickly that reducing the carbs made my meds too strong so cut down from one each day to one every other day. Then asking my doctor for a new lower prescription before stopping the meds altogether. You might find you need to adjust your meds as well. I should say my doctor did recommend that I could reduce my dose safely if I ever felt I could cope without them.

😊

Hi payroll queen that’s interesting you seem to have had the opposite effect to me! I’m feeling a bit better today so just keeping an eye on things for now.

I think I am going to leave this site as I am more and more worried about some of the advice given without any medical knowledge. I was going to leave it some time ago but I saw someone advise a diabetic that it was okay to do strenuous exercise on an empty stomach and if they felt ill just to exercise through it and their fat cells would give them the energy they needed. When I intervened they said ‘ oh I didn’t know it was different for diabetics, I didn’t know they were diabetic’. Now that really worried me as we could have had someone in a hypoglycaemic coma on that advice. Just to finish the water thing. Page 135 of The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet says we should drink between 2 and 3 litres of non calorie liquids, water, tea or coffee without milk – not 3 to 5 OR as one person said they drink 8 litres a day. Sorry, this site is going beyond what is safe and I cannot continue on it without stirring up a hornets nest every time I see something that is wrong or dangerous. The moderators are going to look into this and until I hear from them I will not participate in this free for all.

I really wish you wouldn’t, Sunshine-girl. Those of us that have been here for a long time really value
your advice to newly diagnosed diabetics. Please do what is best for you, however. 🙂 Hope to see
you out and about on other threads. When the moderators do weigh in, I believe they do so in a post
that has green shading? Will have to wait and see…Best,

Allie

I think the water issue is important enough to struggle through a discussion of it, even though it might be difficult.
Obviously there can be different points of view on this, as everyone is unique, but sunshinegirl is correct in warning people not to drink TOO much water because it IS bad for you.
Mosely recommends 2-3 liters per day from ALL sources — I think that is safe. Drinking 4-8 liters just might be too much, unless you are exercising hard in the heat for many hours.
Drink to thirst. You have a finely tuned system to tell you when you are in need of fluids.

Hi sunshine-girl I know exactly where you are coming from and I share your concerns. One of my pet hates is the ‘fasting’ question. People often only hear what they want to hear and quite often miss points like ….. fasting over a certain length of time should only be done under medical supervision, which Jason Fung for one, stresses over and over again.

I think there are possibly two issues here. Firstly, we have been participating on these boards for a long time so have probably seen more misleading information than many of the newer people here. Secondly, this is a ‘blood sugar diet’ which was devised primarily for those of us looking to improve our diabetic status. Over time many people wishing to lose weight and improve their health, but without further medical complications, have started to eat this way too. I am in no way saying this is wrong, everyone should try to be as healthy as they can. However, I feel as you do, that some of the advice given is not medically sound and could possibly cause harm.

I’m pleased that you have contacted the moderators and in fact I think they should take more responsibility for the safe running of this site. It almost as though they have unleashed a ‘monster’. Other ‘diets’ aimed purely at weight loss and not a health issue such as diabetes, are less likely to end up with serious repercussions. Although any diet can be dangerous if abused.

Finally s-g if you really feel you can no longer contribute here I would ask you to just keep an eye on what goes on because at least you can intervene when you see something dangerous, especially in the absence of good moderation here.

Godo afternoon,
Can I also put my point across. I posted my liquid intake on yesterday. Nowhere have I said the 8L is my DAILY intake.
I believe Sunshine is referring to me and in any of my posts you cannot see me encouraging or preventing people from their liquid intakes. I do feel offended as the whole shebang triggered Sunshine into this unfortunate conversation upsetting people around. She hasn’t asked me whether it was my DAILY aim, goal or asked why I’d do so…
I am very pleased with myself that I am supplying my body with the recommended daily intake, and on occasion as it was yesterday, well, it doubled. I posted in the evening that this intake was done between 5.30AM and 9.00PM – almost 16 HOURS stretch, therefore on average I was drinking a reasonable amount of liquids and while sitting outside in the courtyard while having lunch in the middle of the day when the sun was quite strong I did my best to keep me hydrated.

It wasn’t you Skinny — there has been a lot of recommendations to drink massive amounts of water — this has gone on for two years. It is a constant refrain.
You are obviously prudent in your water intake and I believe sunshinegirl tried to convey that in her post.

I hope you didn’t get burned Skinny! My scalp is still painful from spending 6 hours hatless at a cricket match on Sunday. Lesson learned 😡
Maggie

Thank you Verano, that was my concern really, This is the blood sugar diet and, although anyone is welcome to participate they should not be offering advice on subjects they know nothing about, like exercise when they dont even bother to read a personal profile or previous posts to see if their advise might not be appropriate. It has become a free for all and in particular on the fasting, which I just ignore and on the ‘lets get out carbs lower and lower’ which I again ignore.

Skinny – no one said you drank it daily but drinking that amount at all is extremely dangerous and the tone was like it was something to be proud of –
I quote: I’ve always been proud of my drink regime but today I had nine (9) pint glasses of water with a bit of lemon squeeze for ‘colour’ four (4) mugs of herbal tea and three coffees. In total EIGHT litre of liquids. When going to the loo the pee was as clear as water. Was well pleased with myself. All those years of ensuring my body had enough fluids paid of.
All in all it’s been a good day.
All the best, friends.
Skinny to be

That was my point. I will be still around but I really want the moderators to look into some of these issues and make it clear on the homepage that some of us are actually ILL and this is a site for people with Blood Sugar issues and not a place to bandy around myths and false information.
I will be watching Verano, keep yourself well. At least we are knowledgeable enough not to get drawn in – as are a lot of us old timers.

Sunshine-girl you have really got yourself back on track recently but please don’t fall by the wayside now. You have come so far, done so well and are progressing towards your ultimate goal …. no insulin. Krysia did and so can you, just keep on keeping on……

Sunshine, exactly that was my point. I have always been proud I keep the daily recommended intake. I had to learn to listen when the body was saying it’s thirsty rather than hungry and it is not a myth people are dehydrated easily because from quite early age our parents would tell us to ‘Just be patient until we get home then you can have something to drink.’ And we learnt to be patient to a point we suppressed the thirst and exchanged for a label ‘HUNGRY and when we got thirsty then we ate thinking we were hungry.
A few years ago on BBC radio2 which also endorses MM had a Dr who explained that. It was also said that increasing our intake just by one glass this or that ailment could be prevented, an additional would lower the chances by a serious %. It was stressed that we can learn again to listen and distinguish what signals are hunger and what thirst.

Over the past 10+ years I gradually learnt to understand what is my thirst, my hunger and when the ‘Pigging out’ sign was on (although I never learnt to conquer the latter).
Yesterday, after i posted my comment it was all on the back of the above.
However, the response within minutes was that you’ve reported on the irresponsible advice people are dishing out and the encouragement and competition to see who can drink more.
Even if it was not, Sunshine, aimed at me as you stating it gives the impression your righteous anger and subsequent comments made me feel this way.

You are very knowledgeable with the ‘old-timers’ as you put a label on it. You explained the mechanics, the ins and outs, the scientific articles in layman terms and I commend upu for that.
Keeping it to yourself and watching from the distance what people are talking about and not participating but willing to report them… this is not Sunshine I met weeks ago and told myself ‘watch this one, she knows her stuff’.

If you decide to leave these forums, fair enough, that would be your decision and I would respect that but not having you here sharing your journey your ups and down would cause significantly more damage to us all.

With love,
Skinny to be
xx

…and just to add my yesterday’s liquid intake was out of ordinary hence I posted it..

Maggie,
I hope you will feel better soon and less sore.
It could never happen to me. 😀

I forgot my hat on many occasions before but I wouldn’t sit 6 hours watching the cricket because I do not understand one iota and the two sides running back and forth look like they dont know whether they’re coming or going to me.
That’s how big a cricket ignorant I am. I had the rules explained to me, repeatedly, but as you can see from above it’s more fun than serious to me.

I hope you’re team won or scored or whatever is the right word for being victorious as it could soften the burns.

Skinny to be
xx

Skinny-to-be one of the things that I have learnt here over the years here is that the ‘written word ‘ is so often misinterpreted. There has been the odd poster who was just confrontational but the other 99.9% are here to learn, and give, and make friends and travel the road to better health together peacefully. I think maybe we should all take Californiagirl’s idea on board that ‘we should drink to thirst’.

Let’s just all carry on with our journey, giving, and learning but all reaching our own ‘perfect’ place with the help of our ‘friends’

Well saw my DN who was quite positive and seeing my bg results for past week come down out of double figures she’s fine with the woe. Whoop whoop

Hiwever, I have realised that although am eating via the principle of the diet I have been “picking” throughout the day or evening , here and there so it might be a small taste of butter or piece cheese and even an apple! Consequently my weight loss is slower than should be – hence- am restarting again!

Have just enjoyed the Skinny Cottage pie out of the recipe book – totally lush!!

Skinny can I repeat, it was not you but several posts and a trend towards giving bad advice and yours just happened to be just above my comments about having reported a trend. Obviously it hit a nerve with you and you have reacted even though I didn’t report you. It wasn’t even about the water issue on its own, it was mainly about a growing trend for giving people with diabetes poor advice from people who are not diabetic and didn’t take this into consideration when giving their advice. If it is just a general view or a personal observation about any aspect of dieting or exercise or whatever that is none of my business. I gave an example of someone telling a diabetic it was okay to exercise on an empty stomach and to ignore any feelings of illness as they could work their way through it. That was the main thrust of my reporting. Not you, not specifically the water, not anyone in particular. Just a trend that has become noticeable.

I have been on this site and I have never reported any one person in particular. We have all reported the scams and the advertising and the fake sites – we look after our own here. But I have not reported anyone, just a general concern. So as for me lurking around and reporting people that would never happen. I would like to be around to give advice to people with diabetes who are struggling either with the condition or with how the diet works.

For now I will leave and let allie get on with running this thread. I will be back after the summer holiday and, dont worry Verano, I am never stopping doing the diet – my health depends on it.

Wise and considered words, californiagirl and Verano! Sunshine, have a wonderful holiday! Where
are you off to this year? We do really look after our own, don’t we? That notion is very much in
keeping with how passionately I feel about this community, too 🙂