Hi – I am just starting out, my 8-week BSD Recipe Book arrived today, and I am keen to get started.
The only thing that is daunting me is how to follow the diet when you are in an office from 8-6 Monday to Friday. It’s difficult to be able to prepare meals, particularly with fish and eggs in the office kitchen……I have already been recommended the ‘speedy, spicy beans’ but wonder if people who are already on the programme can recommend other dishes that are easy to eat in an office environment…..and also any other advice for a newbie – many thanks.

Hey there Jojo! welcome aboard the train! Loads of passengers here to help encourage advise and support you 🙂 While I dont have to do the “go out to work” thing anymore, my I suggest what works for me in my retirement 🙂 I dont count EVERY calorie or EVERY carb, but I stay as close as possible to the lowest possible. Purchase the readymade salad or stirfry bags . . . mixed greens, grated carrot, coloured cabbage etc. When arriving home . . . l layout some takeaway chinese food containers – (or lunch boxes whatever you wish . . .) and divide the salad bag. Then maybe add snow peas, parsley, shallots, celery as extras – whatever extras you may like. Close them off and stack in the fridge. Make up some “extra small snack bags” with small quantities of nuts/seeds. Then have hardboiled eggs, cheese, avocados, cold meat (leftovers maybe?) – at the ready, and (when you are preparing each morning for your day at the office) – just grab a salad box, an avocado, a hardboiled egg . . . some cheese . . . a tub of yoghurt some strawberries maybe . . . the nuts . . . whatever is on offer . . . and there you are 🙂 If you dont need it all . . . it can come home or stay in the fridge or desk drawer for tmrw 🙂 I also have several “party dips” in my fridge – carefully scrutinised to be lowest carb!!! and a small spoonful added to the salad box – (in your case before leaving of a morning!) – acts as a VERY tasty dressing 🙂 Hope this helps 🙂 Good luck and every success awaits you for effort!

Thanks for your advice, WoodDuckie, that’s very kind. I think my biggest challenge will be salads – historically I have been a real salad dodger, it just doesn’t appeal to me – potatoes have always been my first love! However, my health comes first, so I guess I am just going to have to suck it up and see the difference that it makes!
But eggs, avos and cheese are all good, and I am learning a lot from the recipes on this site, so I have to be hopeful that I will be able to make this work for me.
Thanks again – it’s good to know that there are people out there to answer my questions 🙂

🙂 Youre more than welcome. Im not a vege OR salad lady 🙂 So I have struggled quite a bit – AND its winter! But the stirfry veges have flavour – are crisp – and when added to some diced pork or chicken pieces cooked in garlic and ginger . . or chilli . . . at the last minute and steamed for 30 seconds or so it is like eating out at a swish restaurant! I also like baby spinach is SO versatile! A favourite is a handful of baby spinach leaves, two babt beets diced, shallots and crumbled feta cheese, add to that an atlantic salmon steak poached in its pouch! OH YUMMMMMM 🙂 Im thinking summer will be easier for me but Im AMAZED and DELIGHTED with 11 kgs gone in 6 weeks – feeling elated and enthusiastic about life – being told I look 10 year younger with skin and eyes brighter than in many a year . . . and planning a two week touring trip with my sister-in-law for the end of September beginning October . . . Life’s good!

Hi Jojo, welcome! I have the same issue. Last weekend I discovered the omelette wrap! I make a large thin omelette with two eggs in a large frying pan/skillet. About the size of a dinner plate. Tip out and leave to cool. Then add whatever filling I fancy. Yesterday I spread it with a tsp of Dijon mustard and tsp mayo. Cooked chicken, spinach leaves, chopped spring onion/scallions. Fold the sides in then roll up from the bottom. Cut in half. The filling choices are many! I got bored with salad and soup for lunch!
Kazzeexx

Wow! Good for you! I loathe spinach and feta, but I know that I have gotten myself into the situation I am in right now with my eating, and my priority has to be my own health – really encouraging to hear that you have done so well in such a short space of time though – well done you!
I think the stir fry route will be my saviour, you’re right. I remember going through a phase of eating stir fry a few years back, which was not really as part of any controlled diet plan, and the weight dropped off, and that was still with regular noodles etc, so with a few tweaks, I am sure that would work again – thanks for that!

HI Kazz, thanks for the info – will definitely give that a go – I find that living on my own, it’s hard to motivate myself to cook properly, and have fallen into the habit of not eating a proper meal in the evening and then at about 9.30 I get ravenous, and just binge on rubbish!!! I have become more aware, and am trying to rectify this but it’s a habit I have fallen into over a few years, so it’s quite hard to break however, this is my health, so I need to make changes – thanks for your support 🙂

Happy to hear that you’re feeling so “chipper”, WoodDuckie 🙂 24lbs lost in 6 weeks IS something to dance a jig
about! In honor of your achievement, I’m executing a virtual cartwheel for you!

Welcome, JoJo! If you’re not a big fan of salads, how about cooking up a batch of mini omelets, either in a muffin
tin, or as thin pancakes that you can add cheese, vegetables and/or chicken or ham to? KazzUK is a master at
these, and I’m sure that she would be happy to share her recipes. I’ve seen photos, and they always make me
hungry 🙂 There is an entire community of experienced BSDers here, so just shout out if you need any help…Join
any thread that speaks to you, and you’ll be made very welcome. Best of luck,

Allie

Me too Jojo, also single. My rubbish was living on bread! Oh and too much red wine! That’s banished along with potatoes, my other love, but bread can creep in at weekends so shop online now. I’m a work in progress! 😁. I’ll never give up trying though.

Thanks Allie,
This will be a massive learning curve for me – I’m not a fan of omelettes either, so will probably need some recommendations from KazzUK to change my mindset! My go to food has always been potatoes, so it’ll be a real life change for me – it’s a bit of a family joke about me and potatoes, so it’s time to change things up.
As WoodDuckie has said, stir fries will be a gentle shift for me, as I am fine with them, and have been taking a look at some of the recipes in the BSD book an here online, so will just have to see what works for me.
I have seen some lasagne dishes using cabbage instead of pasta…….that seems odd to me, I was expecting maybe aubergine or squash, but cabbage? Can that really work??

Ah yes, JoJo, potatoes! Half a jacketed potato was always the first bite I would put into my mouth if it was on my
dinner plate 🙂 That was over 2 years ago…My tastes have drastically changed since then, and I’ve learned to really
prefer the feeling of not being “full” after a meal. It may be hard to imagine in early BSD days, but it does seem to happen
for those of us that go “cold turkey”. My thinking these days is that a potato would feel like a brick in my stomach!
I’m sorry, I never used the recipe book, so don’t know much about pasta substitutes. I guess I pretty much went
cold turkey on that one, too! I know that a lot of people here use spiralized courgette in place of pasta, with a
bolognese sauce. I’m sure they will chime in with suggestions 🙂

Allie

Jojo, the other option is to make enough dinner so you have left overs for lunch. Also my omelettes are so thin, they’re not ‘eggy’. Like filo pastry! Knob of butter and a good non stick pan. I also add 2/tbsp of water to the 2 medium eggs. Blanched greens like broccoli, green beans, asparagus, left to cool, dressed with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper makes a good veg salad. Add piece of cooked salmon, chicken. You’ll find what works for you. There’s also a recipe on here for seed crackers. Good for crunch!

Thanks Kazz – that’s so helpful – this site really is great for support 🙂
I will look through the book and plan my week’s shopping and eating on Sunday – I have my sister’s 50th b-day party tomorrow night, so am going to go out on a high!!!

Hey,
One of our go-tos for lunch is the flourless quiche from the Blood Sugar Diet recipe book.
It makes enough for 4 portions and goes well with a simple salad to bulk it up (I know – sorry).
It takes about 30 min to cook, but preparation is very quick. It keeps for plenty of time and I think it tastes better cold.

Here’s the recipe. However this site has changed the cheese and creme fraiche to low fat. The original recipe is full fat and that’s what to go for. Strong or vintage cheese is important. The cheese is the main flavour.

Also I’ve found it takes 30+ minutes to get nice and brown on the top. Last time I made it we just turned the oven off after 30 and left it to crisp up as the oven cooled down and it was lovely. Browning the top does add a lot of flavour too.

https://www.healthyfood.co.uk/recipe/low-carb-quick-quiche-dish/

Good luck!
Marty

Thanks Marty – have printed it off to add to my reading list/meal planning for the coming week 🙂

Hi Allie! Nice to have had a mood change from a couple of days ago 🙂 Thanks for doing the cartwheel and HOPE you landed safely! heheheh! I havent used recipes here as you may remember 🙂 rather initially chose what I can “enjoy” from the “best choices” on offer and went with them. A couple of weeks ago, a fiend sent me some “Tasty” Low carb recipe breakfasts (via FB). Two were VERY interesting and one I have adopted and (unsure if I already have . . .) wish to share 🙂 Minced beef mixed with whatever spices your taste buds desire . . . With a patty cake or small muffins tin, line the reservoirs with the compressed mince. Then add whatever you chose . . . diced/sliced leek, bacon, onion, tomato, cold chicken etc.. Whip eggs with a little pepper and salt added . . . and gently pour to fill the gaps. 20 minutes in the oven makes these taste mini quiches. GREAT for lunch with salad . . . reheated for breakfasts . . . or a snack when ravenous 🙂 The other one was an avocado halved like a boat top to bottom . . . with an egg in the reservoir left by the removed seed. Oven baked could be a weekend breakfast when there is a little more time to spare 🙂

Hi Jojo! Alone is both easy . . . (cos you can please yourself!) – and maybe harder enjoyment for cooking! Because . . .? there are NO Surprises when the meal arrives on the table!!! With regards to the snacking, eating when we please . . . brunches etc., ALONE is good! Only need to prepare when WE need to . . . and if a healthy snack suffices as a meal then there is NO ONE complaining 🙂 I ALWAYS HAVE . . . cold meat, hard boiled eggs, stirfry veges, leeks, baby beets, cashews/almonds, haloumi, feta, cream, mushrooms AT THE READY!!! When Im really hungry and need food like NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can pop a piece of feta in my mouth while doing the 5 minute stirfry – OR – a hard boiled egg with the babyspinach, baby beet, feta and leek salad is SO QUICK!!!!! Plus I found some VERY SMALL Protein bars which were in a bulk box at Aldi’s. One has to eat 3 to get 10gms of carb, so I cut one into several smallpieces . . . the “squishy” inside is like chewing gum. I AM VERY DELIBERATE when eating one of these . . . I chew it and chew it until ALL the flavour has gone before swallowing 🙂 Then when I have my 50/50 water milk coffee . . . I imagine I have had a Tim Tam and drawn the coffee through that decadent treat! Playing mindgames with food have REALLY helped me – Like today its 11.30am. Ive been here at my comp for 2.5 hours – delaying eating . . . and brunch isnt far away. So it will be two meals today . . . in between cooking my baby quiches, and meals to take to my son’s place for my sleep-over Sunday/Monday. Maybe we could start a “SINGLE BSD’ers” thread to see how others going it alone – and living alone motivate and manage . . .? Think maybe that might be a GREAT way to offer/make some innovative changes to our routines. 🙂

Hi Kazz! Love to read your (and Allie’s along with many others who are fast becoming regular friends) – contributions here and enjoy yr frankness and sense of humour 🙂 Thank you for always giving me a lift 🙂 Just gloating here for a minute! I live alone, semi-rural – (15-20 minutes to a store) – and as a result, ALWAYS had an ample pantry/stock of “stuff” for any emergency or occasion! So while out to lunch with a girlfriend yesterday, I handed over TWO LARGE shopping bags of pantry stables, amongst which were crispbreads, bag of Rissoto rice, emergency supply of flour for my flatbreads – (one of my successes according to friends who had shared them over the years!!!) – sago, tapioca, the last box of breakfast cereal, bag of dates and Simmer Sauce jars! She was MOST grateful . . . as was I! The pantry could be filmed next week for Home and Garden!!! Re BREAD!!!! I still have bread in my freezer . . . two slices per sealed sandwich bag. It is a darker bread just called 85% less carb. 22 (smaller sized) slices per loaf – (which is like a half loaf) . . . and only 2.5 gms of carb per slice. I have maybe 1slice a week or 10 days . . . and it is a real treat! SO o o o o nice with scrambled egg, or piled high with avocado, topped with drooly buttered mushrooms steamed with leek – which was today’s brunch 🙂 Its kinda like a link to the past in a way – but so enjoyed when I just want to break away from the “rules”! Heheheheh!!! Continued successes!

WoodDuckie Just wanted to say that I love your posts and your enthusiasm. Go girl!

JoJo lots of good suggestions here.
I find lunch really easy. Sometimes I have dinner leftovers, otherwise soup or salad. On Sundays I’ll make soup in my slow cooker and then put it into containers in the fridge and sometimes freezer. I love roasted vegetables in my salad – pumpkin, cauliflower, beetroot, mushrooms, red capsicum, zucchini etc. I cook these either on the weekend or in the evening while I’m making dinner.
The spicy purple veg recipe in the BSD recipe book is lovely hot or cold, I often make up a batch of this on the weekend and it lasts all week.
Ploughman’s style lunches are quick and easy to make – celery, walnuts, ham, cheese and apple.
The trick is to be prepared. I almost always make my lunch, and sometimes breakfast the night before, so I just grab it in the morning.
I keep tins of tuna and salmon in my desk drawer. We also have a freezer in our office kitchen so I keep a bag of frozen veggies in there as well as some containers of soup. So if I ever forget my lunch I’m covered 🙂
Good luck!

Just have to agree with Caron, here, WoodDuckie! You are a delight 🙂 It is inspiring to hear how you manage
your nutrition, and the creative ways you have come up with for treating yourself well. Starting a thread for
BSDers who live alone is a marvelous idea. Go for it 🙂 I’ve made fabulous friends here, and I can barely
remember life before the forums. Pre 8/13/2017, I had been lurking about, having lost a ton of weight on
my own. I didn’t even know that this website existed, or that I had been doing the BSD all along! How crazy
is that?? I had been following a thread that is no longer active, and on 8/13 I came across Kazzi’s first
post. I joined on the spot, completely enchanted by her honesty and self deprecating sense of humor. I
just love the free Aussie spirit….You’ve definitely got it, and it is always a pleasure to read your posts. I don’t
have too many filters either, so I can relate! Hang in with us, it’s a whole new world full of opportunities
for laughter, joy and the acquisition of knowledge through friendship. I love it!!!

Allie

Awww thank you so much 🙂 Being here with friends is just like having them in my sunroom for a cuppa and chinwag 🙂 And as I LOVE to help, and get excited at achievements which Im anxious to share, I’m guess Ive found a soapbox from which to do so! AND plenty with same or similar core values! Certainly similar goals! AND . . . . SO MANY have found the gateway to SUCCESSFUL weight discard and control . . . without limits really 🙂 Having set that . . . Im off to do some research on what I ate last night which gave me an elevated BSL’s this morning 🙁 If I wasnt doing my best to keep them LOW LOW LOW to stay off meds – (and am yet to see my Endocrinologist to present my case so EVERY reading for now is recorded in my finger pricker machine!!! 🙂 ) – it wouldnt be so critical. I have a feeling it was the snow peapods, coconut shreds and/or coconut cream I added to my curried prawns . . . . even though the can said 1 carb per 100ml and I used half a can. Thanks all for being being so supportive during my ups and downs 🙂

Thank you! Always a pleasure to see your name come up on a notification 🙂

Hi WoodDuckie Enjoy the sun-room and cyber coffee/chat! I would cross-examine the snow peas! I wonder if you have had a look at diet doctor. com? I found the pictures of veg, nuts etc really useful in getting a handle on better and best choices. Almonds rather than cashews etc. See what you think! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/vegetables

AH HA!!! Hi there and Thank you for that link. Still couldnt find Snow or Snap Peas but (on another calorie counter site) – seems a 100gms of podded peas is around 7gms of carb. Cashews – (unsalted) – yes I can see they are the higher end so grateful for that tip . . . and thankfully I have only ever had around 12-15 a day – (and certainly not everyday!) – . . . but will now alternate and lean more towards the almonds. Seems Ive unwittingly leaned to the lesser ends of the scale on most things which is a real bonus! But have bookmarked the site for future reference 🙂 Thank you so much 🙂 Good news is, the Sunday night and Monday morning redings yielded 6’s on my BSL scale . . . so VERY pleased with them 🙂

That’s great news, WoodDuckie. I also have to agree with the others that you are a great fun to have around!
I also like the idea of a thread for living alone… What was it Greta Garbo said…. “I vant to be alone…!” Except not everyone does… or another phrase… “I am here for me when I need someone!”… hahaha… just kidding around… it is a good idea though, to share tips etc. 🙂

Hi again Kazz . . . Blushing at your compliments so tytytytyty! It seems to me single/living alone folks have a different set of hurdles to couples . . . and couples with one or the other wanting/needing to do the BSD – or one not wanting nor needing . . . have another set. Just though there might have been shortcuts which could assist either situation 🙂 Think Im entering week 7 – and have NO INTENTION of stopping at 8 . . . Ill just keep on the way I am going . . . not too rigid but not too flippant . . . just using the guidelines while enjoying my newfound freedom, compliments and energy 🙂 At my age doing anything with strict limits can draw stubborness and/or refusal to obey to the fore . . . and I have no wish to restrict or punish myself anymore than I have for the previous seven decades + . . . in so many arenas 🙂 A little joy and laughter with a healthier body is a great gift to oneself 🙂 And with a little adjusting in this adjusting time will auger well for the future when all will become second nature 🙂 I guess with the results Ive achieved, I havent done anything too badly with my choices which is a great comfort 🙂 To say nothing of the VASTLY improved BSL’s – (the baddies of which were responsible for bringing me here!)