So, quick background, I live in France with dh and two kids, I have no other family around, my mother is food OBESSED so I haven’t told her, my sister is diabetic type 2 but has decided to live with it no dieting, no medications etc and has accepted her fate as it was, so I guess I have put some pressure on myself. DH and kids are supportive (love them <3)

So I have been doing the 800 for 6 days whilst on my metformine 850 and have lost a grand total of 1kg, WTF? Have been swithering of being diagnosed or not from Dr for 2 years. Went to the Dr for her support she said that I could do the diet without the metformin, but she said that she thought I was kidding myself as its not just related to weight (the diabetes) as Im not obese or anything, so yes do it for 8 weeks if that is what you want but be prepared to come back in two weeks with raised BG levels, high blood pressure etc, and all the implications that that can install in your body, basically she’s telling me to go ahead and kill myself, its SO depressing, so that makes me panic and wonder if this is really what I need to do, but the thought of going back onto medication for the rest of my (shortened) life is a terrifying thought to me, what have I done wrong that I have only lost 1kg with 800 calories per day (even less some days) I try to walk 5km per day but long work days several times a week dont help? Could it be the simple fact that the metformin does not help you loose weight? Is that really all it is? Needing some more information and insight into what I need to do to resolve the whole weight loss problem.

Thanking you all, sorry for the long first post, and well done for getting to the end of this marathon.

Firstly, welcome ewe2lambs, secondly sadly you are not the only person to have been so negatively dealt with by their physician and I’m guessing won’t be the last. It’s frustrating and off-putting, but not insurmountable with support from fellow BSDers.

I didn’t come to the BSD because of T2 or being pre-diabetic, but there are many here who have and who have had hugely positive results, some successfully coming off meds despite the skeptical reception the idea of the BSD received from their medics. I believe that the advise is to remain on meds until advised by your (surprised) doctor to reduce or cease taking them. I’m sure someone with more experience in this area will respond though and give you a better idea of whether Metformin hinders weight loss.

It’s important to understand though, that we are all unique and some of us – me included – are slow losers and that’s just the way our bodies work and the only choice is to accept that’s how it is. You don’t give any indication as to what weight you started at, but if you don’t have much to lose, that will also be a contributing factor with regard to what you perceive as a low loss.

The 800 calories is not in and of itself the secret to A) losing weight and B) lowering blood sugar. Another important factor is the level of carbohydrates in those 800 calories. Not all calories are equal, so it’s important to look at how many grams of carbs you are having each day. Some people find they lose very successfully at around 50>60g a day, but others need to pull that figure much lower to around 20g to see successful weight loss. That sounds impossible, but there are many of us on the forum who do this routinely. Be sure to include plenty of good fats and keep well hydrated, so drink plenty of water – good hydration is surprisingly important for weight loss. You have the exercise cracked, so no need to worry on that front.

Please do make the most of the forum and join other threads that seem relevant – you’ll get a warm welcome and there is a raft of advice, support and encouragement to be had here, so just shout.

Looking forward to seeing you posting again – hopefully with more positive results. Best wishes for every success.

SunnyB thank you for your reply, its so great to have some supportive words, the kids and dh are supportive but are doing their thing and I understand that I cannot get growing teenagers to live on 800 a day LOL. I have about 15kg to loose or about 30lbs I think, I guess I had hoped that I would loose loads of weight in the first week and be inspired seeing the difference, but I guess I have to accept the fact that that’s not going to be the case, also I want to see my BG levels changing quickly so that I can move on to the next phase of my life changing decision. Probably being abit impatient, but now I guess I want to prove to my Dr that she’s wrong LOL

Hi ewe2, here is a wave from SW France. Another think you need to consider with the 800 cals very low carbs it that, despite not wanting to lose weight, your body needs to shock the visceral fat around the pancreas and liver into helping those organs kick start into working again. If you have only been diagnosed for 2 years you might have a very good chance of turning this around and putting diabetes into remission. Sounds like your doctor is washing her hands of you and this could be because a) you are not overweight so she cannot see the point as she doesn’t understand the principles of the diet – b) she is protecting herself from malpractice by putting the decision in your hands (legally she cannot condone this diet as a treatment) and/or c) she has seen so many people promise to ‘do better’ that she is just a bit jaded. Now it is your job to prove her wrong. Yes, it is a bloody hard diet, yes it takes a lot of organising and there are side effects from carb withdrawal. But, it is well worth it when you see your BG come down. So get on with it, dont cheat or be on it half hearted because I can hear you feeling like it isn’t worth it or that you are going to fail. Get some determination going and just do it. You ask why you have only lost 1kg in 6 days and my answer is the above – maybe you are not quite doing it because of what your doctor has told you.
I too told my doctor and he didn’t quite dismiss me like yours has but he didn’t think I could really do it. More than 2 years on I am still sticking with the low carb, mainly 800 cals and still doing great. BG is down from 190 to 80 / 90, HbA1c was 8.4 before diet now 5.6, BP and cholesterol are way down. I have reduced my insulin by 50%, glycazides by 2 thirds and now cut statins from 40mg to 10mg. It does work but it is up to you.

Hi ewe2lamb – could I suggest you join the ‘Come on everyone let’s do this together ! Festive Focus ….Nov 26th and onwards’ thread. It’s populated by people at various stages – some new some seasoned – there is heaps of support and advice to tap into there.

Stay positive, as any loss is a step in the right direction, whether its 200g or 2kg. SunshineGirl is proof that those with T2 using the BSD, can make a huge difference to their health and therefore the future they face. Don’t let your disappointment in what you see as a disappointing start derail you – you CAN do this and there are people here who’d love the chance to share your journey.

Thank you both for your replies, I shall follow your suggestion SunnyB and move on to the thread.

Ewe2lambs, I just love your username! Sunny is absolutely correct, you will find the thread she recommended
replete with “old timers” who have chosen this path and changed our futures forever, as well as those just
starting out on this journey. This is a warm and welcoming community with lots of love and support to
share, so hop on over so that we can get to know you! Congratulations to you for taking things into your
own hands and fighting for your good health. The BSD changes lives, and you will find all the support you
may feel is lacking in your immediate family or at the hands of your M.D. We may be a “crazy” bunch,
but we get results 🙂 Best wishes,

Allie

Hi ewe2 🙂 Your story sounds so like mine! Many here have read of it for 5 months now so I wont bore with the details . . . but in 6 months I discarded 12 kgs . . . lowered HbA1c from 12.9 to 6.9 and feel like a million dollars. Find the BSD foods that you really LOVE . . . and stick with them until the body says oh well if this is what youre giving me I guess it will be this or nothing. It doesnt take long and we just need to be strong. Imagine . . . there is a persistent child wanting an iceblock or icecream or (whatever) and keeps hounding you. You stand your ground with the no response . . . . (I remember this with my two sons!!!and would offer fruit or a sandwich or (whatever) as an option if they were really hungry!!!) Well thats how I handled this. Brekkie was eggs, bacon, mushrooms, instead of cereals. Lunch was something yummy replacing my crispbreads with tomato, cheese, avocado or whatever which were driving my BSL’s skyhigh!!! Imagine my surprise when my AMAZING chilli prawns, or savoury mince with veges, cold roast pork and chunky or shredded salads saw me discard weight and lower BSL’s! Its been like a miracle – and just today I saw two friends for the first time in a year and the first thing they said was . . . MY how GREAT you look!!! That alone was worth any of the hiccups. I KNOW it is doing everything I could have wished and hoped for and more 🙂 I have a favourite soft-limegreen, linen, slimline shirtmaker dress I havent had the heart to part with because I like it so much and . . . I wore it again for the first time in maybe 8 years this morning. Life is GREAT!!!! And a huge part of my transformation is due to so many here who held/hold my hand through the valleys . . and rode/ride with me on the peaks! Thanks all!

WoodDuckie, such wonderful things to share! You make me smile 🙂 It’s never ever too late to make these
changes, regardless of chronological age, and in some respects it’s like discovering “the holy grail”. We
need to spread the word always, one person at a time, until the medical community educates itself. The
USA is woefully behind the learning curve, and I can only hope that Australia is farther along than we are..
It’s lovely to have friends recognize the hard work that we’ve done, but feeling fantastic and knowing that
we have changed our future prospects is the greatest reward. Hats off to you 🙂

Ewe2lambs – I have never been on medication so can’t really help on the metformin but like WoodDuckie I lowered my HbA1c from 12% back into the normal range (5.5%) by using BSD. Don’t worry too much about your GP. My GP and nurse were also very cynical about my ‘fad diet’ until they saw the results. You can do it.

If you haven’t done it already, it might be worth searching and reading some of the success stories on the forum (using search box) – there are some great previous posters as well as present ones who have come off their Metformin. Inspiration from their stories kept me going when I first did BSD in 2016/2017 (Bill1954 and Captain Lynne are 2 I particularly remember – I know Bill1954’s story included coming off Metformin).
Best Wishes
Jennie

Just checked – Bill1954’s thread was called ‘This has to work for me’ x

Thank you to all of you for your support, information and advice, I really appreciate it, I’m going to hope on the the thread and then read some more, even although I’ve read the book I need to keep going back and learning more, although the myfitness app thingy is most useful, I’ve started weighing everything LOL nothing escapes me!!