I seem to have lost my way this weekend and really need to get back on track before I have a mountain not a molehill to climb!
So just for the next 7 days I’m going back to basics …. counting, weighing and logging….. it’s just seven days…
DAY 1 of 7….
…today I will stay within 900 calories and 40g of carbs. I need to do this today. Tomorrow never comes so no time like the present!
Join me if you fancy a challenge … it’s just 7 days!
Hi Verano.
I have also been more hungry lately. I am not sure why but it has been challenging keeping calories down. I haven’t eaten simple carbs but have felt like it which is also unusual.
Regarding Metformin and hunger, I didn’t notice it increased my appetite when I stopped.
I need motivation and strictness at the moment so will join you. Best of luck.
Bigeater
Thanks for joining me Bigeater. Interesting about stopping metformin not increasing your appetite. I think I’m clutching at straws here!
Maybe with a bit of serious ‘counting’ we can get our appetites under control this week. Let’s hope so!
Hi Verano
I have to skip dinner tonight as I have already eaten 1100 cals and 90g carbs. I dont usually count carbs but will do for next 7 days!
I have found a second round of 800 cals too hard so have been trying to stick to 1000 and bsd principles of course.
I will try to reduce carbs too.
Thanks for your post and lets see what we get up to tomorrow.
Joining you too. I keep losing then regaining the same 5 kilos. So frustrating! In my case it’s stress which is my undoing every single time and 2017 has brought levels of stress I had hoped not to see again. On the plus side while I have lost and gained the same 5 kilos 3 times this year , at least I have lost them each time. Hoping to lose them again and then some before holiday 1-15th July – during which I plan to stay on BSD.
Berries and natural yoghurt this morning, soup for lunch. Nothing in between. .. Now I have said it, have to do it. With you both in spirit!
Hi everyone. I’ll join you too. I’ll still keep on the 4 weeks but concentrate more on the logging on FatSecret for 7 days and see how I go. I’ve increased my calories to 1000, I was getting too down hearted not sticking to 800. I’ll try to keep within 50 carbs though. I’ll weigh and start tomorrow. Thanks Verano. Can always rely on you to cone up with something. ! X
Hi this is just what I need to get me started again. So I’ll join in and take it one day at a time.
Hi Verano . Sorry to hear you are having such a struggle. I am not on any medication so I can’t help you with that. However with a lot of trial and error I have decided that I need to cut my carbs to under 20 to get anywhere. I have even stopped having yoghurt and berries. I now have berries and double cream (no carbs) which seems to work for me. I never count calories as it’s too much like work!! I do try to leave long gaps between meals and eat loads of fat. I am not above a spoonful of coconut oil by itself if I’m feeling hungry. I find it helps.
I have lost 3lbs since Tuesday 23rd. Also dietdoctor.com is a great website for information and recipes. I hope this helps a bit.
Good to see a few more joining our little band of short, sharp, shockers. Just 7 days … we can manage that. In fact it’s only 6.5 now!!!
Cara you really are drastic but I do know that some people need to have very low carbs to get results. I do get emails from dietdoctor and you’re right it is a great site I particularly like the ‘pictures’ where you can see the low carb fruits etc. all together.
Struggling a bit today but it’s only day 1 so I’ll struggle on and just keep drinking the water!!
Have a good day.
Hi. I would love to join you as well. I am just starting week 2 of my second 8 weeks and I am really struggling to stick to my calories. I really need a good dose of willpower so I am hoping this will be it!!
Good luck everyone
Hi Verano
Posting today’s damage. 1200 cals 68 carbs.
Got quite upset over something and had 20g dark chocolate.
Could have been worse like the bad old days.
Still well over the 1000mark. Will try harder!
How did everyone go with day 1? I was tempted in the evening as felt hungry – but I managed to stay off the lemon iced buns my daughter had! Verano I hope the water helped you – for me it has to be hot tea! Cara54, re yoghurt, I stick to greek as it has fewer carbs. Peartree, we’ll hang in there together. Lots have managed successive rounds, just think about what you have achieved already! Happyitsworking, Eileen27 and bigeater – one meal at a time!
Stay strong one and all!
I was staying overnight elsewhere looking after someone and slept badly. However I already know that tiredness always leads to poor choices with food so I will get some cherry tomatoes on the way to work to supplement the soup left there yesterday for when the munchies hit me.
Bigeater – 85% chocolate wouldn’t do much damage – a square is just 2g carbs. Depending upon the brand and size of square! Get some if you don’t have it already – it’s the only type of chocolate that doesn’t leave me desperate for more than a square, while satisfying the craving.
Hi Julia18togo,
Yes was 85percent dark chocolate. I guess not too much damage but added to my calorie count when I didn’t need to.
Thanks though
Bigeater
Bigeater – ah well, today is a new day! Power to the BSDers😆
DAY 2 of 7
Well how quickly did that day go! So now just 6 days to get back on track.
Yesterday was fine for me even if I did struggle a bit. That was, until the evening, when we ‘road tested’ a new wine to check it out for some guests on Sunday!!! The wine was fine but it did push up my calories and carbs. Despite that I’ve dropped the 2lbs of water weight that I’d put on over a weekend of mindless eating. So I’m back on track now I hope.
As Julia18togo says, today is another day, clean sheet so just for today lets stick to our goals. For me it’s 900/40 again.
Have a good day!
I ended up with 920 cals. and 36 net carbs. yesterday and was down 2.4 lbs for my first day back restarting.
Bigeater: I have Lindt 90% cocoa supreme dark that I keep on hand. Its hard to eat more than one square.
happyitsworking I force myself to eat 2!! Anymore than that would be difficult though.
My weight today is 10st 9lbs. Exactly the same as last week. In fact that’s pretty good as we has a weekend of eating – friends for dinner which wasn’t too difficult but then it was cake on Sunday morning! So I feel lucky to have kept the same. Starting in earnest again today with the goal of 2lbs off in 7 days. Should be achievable reading the achievements of many others. I’m trying 1000cals/50 carbs. I should be able to keep within that. Any lower and I fail! I too end the day with 1 square 85 or 90% choc. I feel I’ve had a treat then. One is enough to satisfy as many others say. Have a good week everyone x
Ah you all seem excellent at keeping the carbs low. Yesterday I had run out of the greek yoghurt I usually have and ended up using the standard natural stuff which is higher carb. So yesterday was under at 769 calories but 52 carbs. Today looks like 42 carbs and 800, provided I don’t succumb to anything not planned, of course. I find anything below 40 is too restrictive but maybe I just love heaps of veg too much!
Keep up the good work everyone!
HI – I hope you don’t mind me joining on Day 2 – unfortunately for me inadvertently days 1 and 2 have been a disaster. I can’t do ‘weeks’ at the moment – only one day at a time and even that’s not working. My lovely new trousers and shirts that I bought a few months ago are straining at the seams and I have 18 days before I get married.
I can’t seem to stop eating the wrong things or too much of the OK things. I had a bag of nuts today. 25g carbs which is OK but 1600 calories.
It’s my birthday and I feel rotten but I will try to pick myself up and do another day tomorrow – without the nuts, and the cupcakes (2) and the fruit chews (countless) 🙁
Topcac I just saw your profile – how far you have travelled and what success you have achieved. I am trying to put my past few months behind me before holiday on 1st July. I know that I can’t achieve much in that time but I want to do my best. One meal at a time. With you on the journey…
I decided to log my meals a full day ahead so I am a bit more focused when I get up each day – helps me to enjoy what I can eat rather than thinking of what I want to eat if I haven’t planned ahead. Not sure that makes sense to others but it is working for me.
topcac….. huge big deep breaths …. breath in 1 2 3 4 ….. breath out 1 2 3 4 . OK.
So now let’s get on with it …. you have a wedding …. stress, stress, stress! So you just have to go with the flow ….. weddings are stressful. You may not like this but just calm down, don’t worry about the scales, just think about how far you have come on your journey and think about your special day.
Oh and BTW …. 🎶HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, happy birthday, happy birthday🎶
All will be well just try and enjoy ….. weight is just a number!!
Julia18togo Thank you for your comment. I Use Greek youghurt as well, usually Yeo Valley which is 4g carbs per 100g. It took me 8 months to lose 18lbs. A lot of the time very frustrated by the lack of progress. I have read a lot lately especially Diet doctor and Dr Jason Fung. I have both his books and have come to understand how carbs work when I eat too many and how lots of healthy fats keep hunger away so I can build up my fasting time. I am no longer afraid to use fat and have coconut oil and cream in my coffee if I’m feeling hungry.
I just started the very low carb regime last week and lost 3 lbs in 6 days. I was very happy with that but it’s early days and so I’ll see how it goes. The only thing is I now know that I can only have the fatty coffee on fasting days otherwise it just means extra calories and does the opposite of what I want it to do.
DAY 3 of 7
Well hope everyone is still standing after two days. Personally, I feel just about in control of my eating again.
I have just posted on another thread about the ‘Mindful Coffee and Cake’ section in the ‘Blood Sugar Diet’ section at the top of the page. A really interesting exercise and one that could be practiced with any food. I know that if I tried this with a digestive biscuit, my current ‘mindless eating go to’, I’d probably never eat one again.
Looks like being another sunny day over most of the UK so out with the salads again. Must go easy with the dressings! So another 900/40 day for me. I seem to be managing that reasonably well so no point in upping the pressure at the moment.
Hope you all have a good day.
Morning all. So pleased to report that the scales are already down to 82.5kg from 85. I know that a lot of that will be water but it is encouragement all the same. Eggs for breakfast and salad for lunch after a run in the sunshine. Cauli/ground almond pizza for dinner while I watch the family devour the real stuff. No hardship as I quite like the low carb version.
Have a good day all. Hope topcac is feeling better.
Julia18togo well done! All sounds good.
I’m interested in your cauli/almond pizza maybe you could share your recipe. Thanks.
Hi Verona, Hi Everyone!
just joined up and hoping not to late to jump into your challenge…i know i have missed 2 days but like you find that tomorrow does not come!
today’s weight is 10st 11lbs
joining the BSD for so many reasons including weight loss, but also for mental clarity and to stop feeling so tired and sluggish all the time.
i look forward to feeling some accountability by joining in with you.
Wishing everyone a great day!
Zohra
That’s it Zohra, it’s not just about the weight but the feeling of well – being. I find this the biggest benefit. I have far more energy, don’t feel so sluggish and feel more comfortable within myself, having more control. What’s more my head is clearer, a great reduction in hay fever symptoms and allergic rhinitis. Great unintended consequences. Still a lot of weight to go for me but I’m on the journey!
x
Hi Verano
I got the low carb pizza dough recipe off Izzy’s thread last year. http://www.ditchthecarbs.com/2015/04/23/fat-head-pizza/
But I often make one with cauliflour similar to these – there are loads of recipes out there but I tend not to measure quantities any longer so cannot give you what I actually use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaCYSX5WE5M
http://detoxinista.com/2012/01/the-secret-to-perfect-cauliflower-pizza-crust/
Hope these are helpful!
Thanks Julia I’ll give it a go. I’m not a huge pizza fan but really do enjoy one in the summer with a salad. They look great!
Just notice there’s a low carb pizza recipe in the BSD book. Haven’t given it a try but think I will x
The cauliflower based pizza is delicious!
Agree re the cauli pizza but I like the other (fat head one) because you can pick it up like the normal ones if so minded – somehow it seems more authentic! Happy experimenting!
I have been reasonably good today – hard to know precisely how many carbs as I didn’t weigh everything for the pizza (had made the low carb base the other week and cut into 4 to keep in the freezer)
Day 4 of 7
Good morning
Well we’re almost half way through our week and I hope everyone is getting some benefit from taking control again.
I have set my target as 900/40 but am slipping slightly. I was really ‘hungry’ yesterday but managed with some almonds although I did have a few raisins as well! Nonetheless, the scales have moved down again today so I’m really pleased.
Just 4 days to go on this challenge, but it will also take me to the end of my 11th month of BSD. In fact this is now my ‘way of life’, I don’t eat simple carbs, but I still need to lose weight, so I will have to control my calories and carbs more strictly for a while to come yet.
My aim now is to stop gaining the odd few pounds here and there only to have to lose them again! I’d love to see my weekly totals just gently moving downwards without any blips. Maybe that’s asking a lot but I’m going to give it my best shot!
Hope you are all managing to stay with your chosen goal for the week. Have a good day!
Hi All,
I have stuck my neck out and eaten 2400 calories today. All bsd friendly food. I read that increasing calories for a day may shake a bit of weight off. I am getting desperate especially with the gains while sticking to the principles and caloric restriction. It’s a bit of upside down thinking but won’t have done much damage if the plan doesn’t work. See what tomorrow brings and back to 1000cals tomorrow.
Some of you are probably gasping in horror!
Good work Verano, your plan has had good results – I guess I did the opposite of what I planned. A topsy turvy day.
Good luck on your bsd journeys everyone.
Hello bigeater, on the contrary I think it’s quite a good idea. When I was struggling I changed the myfitnesspal levels to 1200 calories. As long as you are still in control. I made sure sometimes that even when I ate way over my calories, I still logged everything to be able to see how many grams of carbs I had. Carbs is key!
Thanks for that Baristagirls. yep it was a low carb high fat day! Fingers crossed.
Hi bigeater
I have to agree with Baristagirls … it’s the carbs. I have been shocked at how easy it is to have a low calorie day that’s really high carbs. I blame it on the vegetables, but you know I still think a higher carb day from BSD friendly foods is OK. When I go OTT it’s digestive biscuits both plain and chocolate. Don’t ask me why!! I never used to eat them! But I’ m sure my weight gains are water attracted by the simple carbs. If it really was ‘fat’ there’s no way it would go as soon as I have one day back on plan.
I also agree that sometimes you need to shake your routine up by having a higher calorie day. I think your body gets use to the same old same old and needs a bit of a shock now and again. Hope it’s good news soon …..Proof of the pudding! ……
Thanks Verano, I have been rigidly sticking to the bsd principles so through some fluke haven’t had anything like a cake or biscuit etc. I have sworn off that stuff for life. But it’s true that I could be more careful with other carbs in the allowable foods as I haven’t really counted before. I use cronometer and it works out the carbs. While low, I admit they could go lower. Onwards and upwards or downwards etc etc tomorrow. All the very best to you.
Coincidentally I made cauliflower pizza last night, topped with some tomatoes and pepperoni – it was delicious, but I didn’t use parchment paper so it was well stuck to the tin. Will know better next time!
I haven’t been logging for a few weeks, mainly because my apps stopped talking to each other for some reason – what is it with technology?! However I put on a pair of slim trousers this morning – size 12!! – which were really too tight when I last wore them a month or so ago, and they are just perfect, so I must be doing something right!!
Sorry for all the exclamation marks, but I just love this way of eating….:-)
That’s great Norfolkgal. This clothes thing is driving me nuts. I have three sleeveless tops, same style different colours, never worn They were too skimpy on the hips but now they are too big on the bust and gaping under the arms! I so want to wear them but wonder if it’s worth all the effort of trying to alter them …. probably not. Looks like yet more never worn clothes for the charity shop! (please don’t apologize for the exclamation marks they just fall from my hand constantly!)
Bigeater I was just checking and on the dietdoctor site they suggest 20-50g of carbs as ‘low’. I’m sure other sites have a higher count for low carb so I think at the end of the day it’s trial and error. I am fine at 30g a day but it’s hard to keep that low but I know others have to go even lower. Maybe you could just cut back your normal carb allowance for a few days and see if that helps. Sometimes we just have to ‘count’ although I know some people don’t , I have to.
All this talk of pizza is making me really fancy one. My OH is just about to have a ‘real’ one I’ll just have to stay out of the way until he has eaten it all! I am definitely going to try a BSD friendly one very soon.
What a lot of activity on here since I last logged on! Late logging in here today, but although I am over on the calories (1112) without having seen these posts until now (too busy to check the emails today, even at lunchtime) I am quite pleased as in spite of the calories, I have managed to keep the carbs to 39. That for me is an achievement as I love having lots of veg, which tends to bump up the carbs a bit. Hoping for similar results to others when I step on the scales tomorrow. This morning, in spite of careful logging, the numbers had gone up (how dare they?!). However, I’ve been at this long enough to know that I get a lot of fluctuations, and will persevere.
Seven days seems an achievable target, Verano – it was a good idea to start this. Sometimes life gets in the way and 4 weeks seems too much for me to handle. But this forum is definitely keeping me accountable.
Have a good evening all. (except those in Aus/NZ – good morning for later)
Re clothes – I find smart work trousers the worst for fitting, tops less of an issue. This year I have lost and gained 5 kg several times and have to have 2 sets of clothes. The best fitting ones only fit when at lowest weight, yet the larger ones hang off me… all my weight is round my belly button and above, I am a veritable tree trunk with no hips to speak of. Total apple, not pear. All of which is a classic risk factor for T2 diabetes, which additionally runs strong in the family genes even with the thinner folk. Never mind – I cannot change all my circumstances, but I can change the way I respond to them., thanks to MM and the BSD.
Norfolk gal – those teflon liners are also brilliant for the cauliflour pizza. If I am putting normal pizza in the oven for the rest of the family at the same time as the low carb one for me, I find that the parchment paper sometimes sticks to the pizza too, due to the higher temp required for the dough based one.
Thanks Verano re carbs, I will try harder to cut them down further. I had lost 1kg this morning but don’t know if it was due to increasing calories yesterday. As I mentioned my weight is swinging wildly up and down anyway, but if it is still gone tomorrow I will take heart.
Must admit I am getting a little depressed about the weight situation as I have a lot more to lose and want to reverse diabetes (normal hba1c but high fbg readings).
Well done to all those sticking to it.
All the best
Bigeater
Dear Bigeater, I think the best thing to happen for me on this diet was that it became obvious that my scales were not working properly, giving some very wild readings when compared with the doctor’s scales and the reading from the dexascanner. I have not replaced them, so the weight fluctuations for me are totally unseen. Mind you I haven’t thrown them out either, but that’s about recycling, not this program.
Since my goal is to reverse the T2diabetes, blood sugar is the only measurement on which I am concentrating. It does save a lot of angst and if it is up, I can usually look at my food diary and figure out why. That is a power, having control.
For myself, after 4 weeks of the program, logging everything that went in my mouth, fasting and after dinner blood sugars and taking it all to the doctor along with half way results, my metformin has been reduced by half. Next check three months. Given that I was initially weighed on the dexascanner, and then on the doctor’s stand on scales with winter clothes on, we estimate I’ve lost about 9kg, which is nice, but not the ultimate point.
So don’t fash about the weight and the messages from the scales. Keep up the good work on the 800 or so cals a day, and work towards the blood sugars adjusting as the visceral fat disappears, as it will, on this program.
All the best from Crabbycams.
thanks crabbycams for your thoughts. hope your journey is going well.
DAY 5 of 7
Well we have come a long way. Just three days left to get ourselves back on track and then move forward towards our goals.
I had another reasonably good day yesterday. I’m more or less within my 900/40 but don’t seem to be able to get back that resolve that I had much earlier on the journey. Maybe it’s because my last HbA1c was 33 (5.2) at my last review, and although I want/need to lose more weight my primary target has been reached. My next one is to come of metformin completely. Weight loss seems to be playing a less important role at the moment. I am aware though that if I start to eat high carb again my diabetes will probably run away with itself.
Saying all this the scales have shown another tiny loss this morning. So for me it’s still 900/40 today. Just have to keep on keeping on ……
Bigeater I wonder, as crabbycams suggests, if your scales are working properly!!! Why do we always assume it’s our ‘fault’ if our weight fluctuates. Try weighing in a chemist once a week it may just give you a more accurate picture of what really is going on. The other thing that I think we sometimes forget is that it is the carbs that get our blood sugars spiking. Maybe you really do need to count carbs more accurately for a week or so. Personally I’m not a fan of home blood sugar testing for T2 diabetes. I think there are too many factors leading to vastly differing results and they are not really accurate. The HbA1c it the measurement that really is most important for T2.
Anyway, I hope everyone has a good day and is back on track or getting closer.
Hi Verano
Cronometer tells me my carbs every day, I just haven’t taken a great deal of notice but now I will. Should I subtract fibre from the total carb count as I read others do. Yes, maybe my scales are stupid too!
I just signed in as bugeater, an interesting tangent perhaps?
Thanks for your support Verano and for me too, weightloss is just a means to an end – an end of diabetes that is.