Hi,

I am two days in to the Fast 800, trying to get my head around it all. I had an awful day today but stuck to it. I do feel shattered though and it feels like my heart is fluttering but not sure if that is just anxiety as blood pressure was fine this morning.

How did everyone else feel during their first week on the plan?

Thanks, Sam

Many people experience various ‘carb flu’ withdrawal symptoms. This covers many different symptoms but should only last 4-7 days at most so if you can just push through them. I was lucky enough that the diet I tried immediately before BSD was low enough in carb that I had already adjusted to the lower carbs. Be kind to yourself, treat any symptoms such as headaches as usual and, if you have to, go over the 800 calories but keep the carbs low for the first few days. Make sure you are drinking at least 2 litres of water a day, I try to have 3 litres, and some people have been up to 4 litres for short periods to ‘break’ stalls or plateaus. You may also need to add salt to cooking, or on the plate, as when you go low carb it purges a lot of retained sodium and you can get a deficiency when you are no longer eating a lot of processed food.

Thanks Mixnmatch

I like forums like this cos it helps to know that what I am experiencing others have too and that it isn’t just me. I didn’t know about the salt aspect. I will add a little.

I’m on day two as well and really hungry, I have never craved tatties so much in my life! But looking in the book and forums we just need to push through ( although I did end up at nearly 1000 calories today after having an extra apple and some nuts… but not going to beat myself up!). By the end of the week I’m sure we’ll be used to it 😊

Like Mixnmatch, I was on a low carb diet for several months before I started the BSD, and I was fortunate to never experience any carb withdrawal symptoms. As far as hunger is concerned, it doesn’t bother me nowadays. I was only ravenous in the early days after exercise, and now the rare times I actually feel a tummy rumble, I take real pleasure in it. I think of it as reinforcement that my body is no longer deceived into thinking it needs food just because I’m craving a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos.

My advice for taming hunger is fiber. Oat fiber, psyllium husks and inulin added to a glass of water and chugged (they don’t taste great, best not to linger), or chia seeds added to almond milk do a great job of expanding in your stomach and making you feel nice and full. They’re also calorie and carb free (except for the chia in almond milk, but it’s very low in calories).

Good luck! It’s all worth it, I promise.

Thank you Esnecca

Thanks Clootiedumpling … I don’t seem to be craving anything just now but just very tired. I have M.E. too and ended up sleeping 13hours last night.

Feel better for it today though. I am struggling a bit with myfitnesspal telling me the calories, carbs, fat etc. I look at it like I should know if I’m doing good or not – really I don’t have a clue lol. I just know I am eating far less calories than I used to.

What aspects of My Fitness Pal are confusing you? If it’s the macronutrient breakdown (the amount/percentage of carbs, protein and fats), this post by LindaA has it down to a science: https://thebloodsugardiet.com/forums/topic/20th-feb-starters/page/4/#post-58403 .

It is the macronutrient breakdown, plus it is based on higher calories than I am on. Will have a look thank you 🙂

I try to get close to what they suggest with the fats, carbs and protein percentages, never quite get it exactly.

You can set your calorie limit to 800 day on MFP. Click on the Goals tab and edit your Daily Nutrition Goals. There you can change the calories to 800 and the macronutrient percentages/grams. I currently have mine set to 800 calories, 10% (20 grams) carbs, 60% fat (53 grams) and 30% (60 grams) protein. My carbs are so low because I’m insulin resistant. Your daily carb limit is probably higher. Follow Linda’s system and you’ll sort it out in no time flat.

Because the 800 calories goal is very low compared to most diet plans, MFP will yell at you that you haven’t eaten enough when you click the “Complete this Entry” button at the end of the day, so my solution to that is simply to never click the complete button. Whatever function it is meant to perform is irrelevant to me. I’m just using the tool to log and plan my meals and it works just fine.

Esnecca, thank you for your help. I have now adjusted MFP goals. Too much carbs not enough protein according to that.

Getting headaches and light headed, not used to drinking so much water and still not drinking enough, about 500ml short. I will get there though.

I don’t know if it is anxiety trying to get this right, or anxiety hoping I lose some weight or what but I keep getting palpitations. Did you get those, or does anyone else have them when starting out?