Have read so many really inspiring posts here and I’m so ready to start. I have been monitoring my ‘normal’ eating for the last few days and wonder how I will ever get my calories down to 800 a day!!!!

I am going to start on Thursday 7th July. Would love to hear from any other new starters on that day. I use the Fatsecret app which seems pretty good. It builds in calories used sleeping and resting and these change when you add in exercise. But I’m new so maybe there are better apps.

Am so looking forward to my new way of life!!!

Look forward to hearing from other new starters.

I am starting tomorrow and I have just written out my meal plans for the day and poached the fish so I can quickly make my lunch before work tomorrow. I’ve done 5:2 for a few weeks but now I’m going to try the 8 week BSD to kick start everything.

Very good luck to you both! I am on my last day of 8 weeks, and have lost more than 12% of my starting weight, which is 19 lbs. Didn’t have a lot to lose to start with, so very very pleased with the results – just 3lbs off my ambitious target, and think I will get there if I continue to keep off refined carbs and keep carb count low – I’ve been sticking to a challenging 20g of carbs per day, but many people have great success on 50g or less.

But I just wanted to pop in and say, re the Fatsecret app (I use MyFitnessPal, but am sure it’s much the same, and very good), ideally you don’t want to add in the extra calories you’re ‘awarded’ for exercise over the target 800. Stick to 800 or thereabouts, no matter what the app says you can have because of your exercise.

Onwards and downwards! 🙂

Thanks. Do you know the ideal number of carbs and protein you should have each day? 20g of carbs seems very low. I’m probably having closer to 100 on a normal day and that doesn’t include processed foods or starchy carbs. I do eat quite a bit of fruit.

I have mobility problems so exercise won’t be a huge feature for me!! But thanks for pointing that out.

Well done on your loss. What are you going to do now?

Hi Verano

Yes, 20g of carbs is low, many people try and stick to 50g or less to see real benefits from the BSD – not compulsory though I did find to start off with that some veg had very high carb counts (I remember a red cabbage experience!). You can track this on your app – I think Fatsecret will do this for you, as I do on MyFitnessPal. I did the low target for carbs because I had comparatively little to lose. I was able to set my goals on the app – think you will be able to do that too, so you can put your carbs in where you like, and it will adjust the fat and protein. Don’t forget that full fat is good for you – and fills you up.

If you check the nutritional breakdown of you are eating on the app, it is very illuminating how much the various foods vary. Fruit is ok, but Michael Mosley does say – don’t snack on fruit, it has too much fructose (sugar) in it for a main portion of your meal. Just use it as part of a meal, so not too much.

If you want to explore the nutritional breakdown more, you could use something like
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com
which you can enter your details on, set your target carbs, and it will suggest the protein/fat breakdown as well as give you a forecast of weight loss. You can then use these figures on your fitness app. It also tells you your Base Metabolic Rate, which is how many calories you actually need to keep your weight level. I was quite surprised how few that was! Education for the future.

Thanks for your congratulations – I’m going to carry on keeping carbs low, probably 50-75g per day, allow my calories to increase slightly, and continue not eating refined carbs at all (except perhaps the odd slice of very good bread – if I find any! – and roast potatoes at Christmas). I will do the 5:2, so 5 days on the programme of increased calories/low carbs, and 2 days of perhaps 600 calories per day.

I have found not eating refined carbs makes me feel wonderful! So alive. 🙂

Hope all that helps, and Good Luck!

Thanks Igorasusual. Will checkout the keto calculator.