Hi, after doing a low carb/high fat diet for 6 weeks I have lost 9 pounds, but that was in the first 3 weeks. Then no loss but put 2 pounds on. I wanted to lose weight but mainly to reduce my blood sugar as I was told I was prediabetic. My HbA1c was 47, and went down to 42. I can feel the difference as I am not having the sugar spikes or the crashes. My cortisol saliva test showed high levels and I’m no longer feeling the palpitations after food and at night. But, I’m looking at the BSD in more detail as I seem to have stalled, no more weight loss, put it on, and feeling tired.

Having bought the BSD book I feel more inspired to get a handle on this but have 2 major problems. One, I hate cooking! I certainly don’t want, and can’t afford to be buying some of these ingredients. I am spending more already on different foods, herbs, spices, nuts and seeds. I also don’t want to be grating beetroot or roasting pine nuts! I have little interest in food, although I am enjoying it more the past 6 weeks than I ever have. The 2nd problem is that I have a disability due to a spinal issue and am going to a chiropractor which helps and I’m walking around my home regularly if I can’t get out. So, it’s difficult to be as active as I need to be. I was diagnosed with a fatty liver 12 months ago after having a benign tumour removed from my liver, aling with my gall bladder. Maybe these are barriers? I am worried about the fat around my middle but can’t do crunches to reduce it.

I’m looking for recipes that use ordinary ingredients, preparation and cooking. I’m on my own and bought a slow cooker a few weeks ago which has been great and bought the skinny 5:2 slow cooker diet cookbook last Thursday. Will try the recipes out this week. I just wondered if anyone else is out there who is not interested in cooking, can’t do much exercise and has a liver disease! Oh, I am on thyroxine too. I stopped taking statins 2 months ago as well because I don’t believe in the fat causes heart disease hypothesis . I discovered statins are very bad news, especially useless for women. The side effects of them have greatly reduced too. Any advice would be fantastic, thank you. Sorry for such a long post. 🙂

Hi AB 🙂
I also don’t really cook, because I live alone – that’s been one of my recent eating problems – toasted sandwiches and lots of bread based things.
I really don’t want to cook recipes at all really but then get tired of veggie omelette variations. I’m interested to read other replies about this. And yes the statin question is ongoing isn’t it. I saw the MM programme where he decided on balance to take them I think. I cant exercise very much but doo feel better when I have. I go to a gym and use their bikes and strength machines – to get into shape for walking lol!
But good luck xx

Hi speedy,
I was doing the same things, just having sandwiches or baked potatoes or at best a simple pasta. Carbs, carbs and more carbs! I want recipes that don’t need a lot of ingredients or spend a lot of preparation time. Having looked through the recipes on here and in the book there some I will do. But some take too many steps and time. I mean, 30-40 mins to make a breakfast!

How are you managing? Are you doing this diet? At least you can exercise that’s great. I don’t think there are going to be any more replies to my post to help us though. 🙁

I know in my town there is a group formed who cook for others. Maybe you have a friend who has a friend…… who would could cook for two at least a main meal and share with you? Might be something you could do in return that they can’t or won’t do? Just an angle to think about. I love the cooking -but some days I wish I could just make a sandwich it is so easy. However I can’t be bothered with the washing up – still lots even making for one. No room for a dishwasher in tiny flat. Press on regardless. Hope somebody else has the same issue and thought of recipes ( gap in the market for a book? or at least a blog )

I love to cook, but I’ve been without an oven for the last 4 weeks! New one arrives on Friday (thank goodness!).

My staple breakfast takes seconds to prepare, but you do need to do some groundwork for the first time. I’ve got a tupperware that once a week I fill up with a mixture of seeds and nuts that I roughly chop, then mix up. Breakfast 5 days out of 7 consists of 2 dollops of natural yoghurt, a couple of spoons of the nut/seed mix and a handful of frozen berries from the freezer. Job done!

Just make sure you work out the calories the first time you have it, then it’s easy.

My other breakfast is simply mushrooms (currently fried, but will be grilled when I have a grill again!) and 2 poached eggs. I’ve got some of those silocone egg poacher floaty things which make the nicest poached eggs ever. Prep/cooking time for this is about 5 mins.

I’ve also found a curry paste (paste though, not sauce which would be full of sugar) with no added sugar and very low carbs. I’ve been mixing it up with a bean curry or a chicken curry. Fry off some onions and if you’re having chicken, some chicken also (just to sear it). Then add in the curry paste and mix. Put in a splash of water then stir for a couple of minutes. Throw in some tinned tomotoes, whatever veg you like and pulses, stir, then simmer with a lid on for 20-30 mins.

I haven’t put in quantities because it depends on how much you want to make and how many calories you are going to allow yourself. But you can portion it up and freeze it if you like. The prep takes about 10 mins, but you could get a few meals out of it. Also, if you shop around, you can get poppadoms that are made from gram flour (chickpeas) to go with the curry! In fact, I’m having it for lunch today!

I like the idea of mushrooms Timmy, they are my favourites – in fact I’ve eaten sandwiches etc so long now that I really don’t fancy a cooked meal anymore – or rarely so.
AB, I can exercise but it’s very limited because of my weight. But I really like the idea of getting ideas like Timmy’s breakfasts sorted so I don’t resort to bread – it’s so easy to do so! I lost quite a bit on the 5:2 diet 2 years ago but stopped and put it all back on again and more. My circumstances mean I am often alone and that makes it easy for me to relapse.
This is very interesting – and echoes what MM says and DR Chatterjee and Dr Malhotra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TxvkRzFMi8 about low carb/sugar diet and illness weather we are fat or obese or not.
Though I know enough facts and info – it’s just getting into the state of mind to do it.
Keep posting though AB, it does help.

Hello Speedy, Timmy’s breakfast ideas are great, I enjoy cooking but just do not have the time at breakfast. Sometimes I poach an egg (takes 2 minutes max) and weigh out some smoked salmon, or yoghurt and berries involves no prep or cooking. Could always fry a piece of bacon.
The other thing mum and I have just started doing this week is cooking those new Heck paprika smoked chicken sausages, timing them to come on and finish the time we eat breakfast 🙂 or they can be enjoyed cold at lunchtime if you have to go into work.
Another idea is soup, I have a lot of this and really believe it aids weight loss. All it requires is shoving veg and maybe meat plus stock in a souper or liquidiser however you like. Add cheese if you like! Good snacks are nuts and babybels.
Cottage cheese is good on a dark rye ryvita which is only 7g carb approx.

All good ideas. Thanks 🙂
I’m veggie though 🙁 I Try to eat fish but cant quite do it. Just buy it and give it to my dog! I thin I must be odd in that soup usually makes me feel hungry. Maybe I associate it with a mean to come! Eggs, mushrooms, berries and cheese are all good though.
I also make a sort of coleslaw with lots of raw red and white cabbage and peppers etc and nuts and mayo and maybe hard boiled eggs. Probably eat too much of it though – but I feel another batch of that coming on today! It seems to satisfy that need for something crunchy and without that cloying feel cooked food gives me lately! Thanks 🙂

There is definitely a gap in the market for someone not into cooking! I don’t have things like blenders and food processors and don’t want to buy them either. The ease sometimes of just being able to make a simple sandwich is wonderful. I’m sure I’ll get more organised soon . Good luck. 🙂

Thanks Timmy, lots of good advice there. Will shop for the breakfast stuff tomorrow, that will be so much easier. I love the sound of the curry too. I hope you enjoy your new cooker! Mine hasn’t worked in over 2 years, that’s how much I’m interested in cooking. 🙂 I use the hob, my microwave and a slow cooker. Just made beef goulash today which I will have with cauliflower rice. The goulash is 228 cals per serving and found it in a 5:2 fast diet slow cooker recipe book. That was fairly easy. 🙂

Hi, I know how you feel …I too don’t like cooking, before this I used to eat junk food and bread and cheese, and cereals etc. Continuous snacks and no proper meals, unless I ate out. But I’ve been doing BSD since early April and am veggie (and old) so normally I find it so hard to lose. I’ve lost one pound off 2 stone, not as amazing as some, but very good for me – I have a lot more to lose. I do no exercise to speak of – I need to start or I will be very saggy.

I eventually came to terms with cooking a bit, I had to really or I’d just be eating cottage cheese salad all the time!! I love that this way of eating has, for first time in my life, stopped me craving food, and wanting to binge. So as I’m getting results I’ve made myself cook a bit.

Usually I bulk cook at weekend .. nothing gourmet …quorn chilli or quorn chicken chunks in a sauce from recipes, and add some tinned pulses. I freeze in bags, then take a chilli to work. Also I love the Recipe for cottage pie with cauli mash ( I use Quorn) I freeze portions.

Or make a salad in morning. I love Waitrose spinach falafels, they are lowish carb, one or two crumbled in salad with cottage cheese is yummy.(I freeze them) Sometimes I add few chickpeas for protein.

I get frozen Linda McCartney sausages, 2 fried with a 1 egg omelette, chives, pepper and a little frozen spinach added, and tomatoes and courgette is quick and tasty.Good protein and carbs.

Or I chop the sausages up, fry them with mixed veg, and incorporate in an omelette.

If I’m going out and might be tempted, I take 2 hard boiled eggs as a snack, they are really filling. Or I eat one or two just chopped up with ff mayo and pepper.

I get the FF Greek yoghurt too (Lidl is cheap) and chopped nuts/seeds I keep in fridge, and few frozen cherries,berries. I take it to work as a breakfast.

I totally agree there is a gap in market – I’d buy soups/veggie meals that were made to BSD requirements. Even sauces etc.

Good luck, it really does work.

I used to be a sandwich and crisp girl but now I have replaced my bread with romaine lettuce. Romaine lettuce with ham, cheese, tomato, or chicken and avocado even bacon and tomato.
I used to love my tuna jacket potato with cheese sweet corn and olives but I have replaced the potato with red pepper. Half and de seed a red pepper, brush skin with olive oil, grill in the oven face down skin side up for about 10 mins. Then stuff it with your favourite fillings (low carb of course)!
Quick and easy is an omelette. I usually cook with butter (a lot tastier) spinach and sprinkle Parmesan cheese.
You could roast a small chicken over the weekend and store the rest for weekday roast with veg or even a romaine lettuce sandwich.
Hope this helps

Thanks barby, sounds like you have it sussed! I think that is a great weight loss too, nearly 2 stone is fantastic. I love your easy and quick ideas, thanks for sharing. 🙂

Thanks rubbu, never thought of using a lettuce like bread for a sandwich, I’ll try it. I too used to love tuna baked potato, usually with cheese! I do miss that but will try the pepper idea as I do like them. I hope I can roast a chicken in my slow cooker. I did a gammon joint last week so I don’t see why not. Thanks for the tips. 🙂