Buffy, I was like that for the first three days, and today, my fourth day, I struggled a little too. The body is really changing the way it burns fat — it’s a radical change and of course we’re going to feel some discomfort. Just ride it through, and as Janet says, lots of water and some salt. Good luck, don’t give up!

Great to read all your informative and friendly posts, so nice to have this wee community.
Rotten weather so porridge, apple and cinnamon for breakfast, poached eggs and spinach for lunch then Greek yoghurt berries and seeds for dinner.
I find it very inspiring keeping in touch with this forum, positive reinforcement abounds.
Have a great day everyone 🙂

Good morning everyone! Let’s smash it today. I’m fasting till lunchtime and working form home today. It’s a drizzly, mizzly morning in Belgium and I am looking forward to having pork-balls and spinach in homemade chicken broth for lunch, and possibly roast lamb or sauteed salmon fillet for dinner.
Have my two-litre bottle of Evian beside me as I type away.
Good luck to all of us, we’re in this together!
(Butter, how much oatmeal do you use er portion? Porridge is my absolute favourite.)

Our weather sounds the same today Fabulist, I’m in not so sunny Scotland.
I use 30g of filled oats and make it with water, with half an apple and some cinnamon it comes out at 131 local, 23.2 carbs, 2.1 fat and 3.3 protein.
I’m in this way of eating for the rest of my life so absolutely have to factor porridge in. Scrummy it is 🙂
Have a great day.

Curses upon you predictive text, I meant rolled oats of course.

I perked up at “filled oats” and spent a happy 10 minutes dreaming of what the fillings could be 🙂 The consequences of fasting. Have a wonderful day too! Onward and downward…

Mizzly in Yorkshire too. Yogurt for breakfast and griddled chicken on white bean mash for lunch. Lettuce cups for dinner, Just had the dog out for an hour. Again didn’t quite trigger the pound this morning, but 10oz less than yesterday. I can live with that. Good luck folks

Hi everyone – started the BSD on 14th March….so hope I can become a ‘Motivated Marcher’ and join this group !? 3 days done and feeling good….have done countless ‘diets’ over the years so know I can succeed over the first 2-3 weeks, the trick is to keep going and really change habits. Hoping that by joining this forum that I can ‘meet’ like minded people and be part of a support group !!!

Welcome Yvie. You’re right and I suspect a lot of us have had similar experience. So buckle down and get changing that life

BTW can anyone explain why there are no recipes involving liver? I know it’s not for everyone, but it is full of iron and low in cals.

BEEF LIVER (100 g)
Calcium 11.0 mg
Phosphorus 476.0 mg
Magnesium 18.0 mg
Potassium 380.0 mg
Iron . 8.8 mg
Zinc . 4.0 mg
Copper 12.0 mg
Vitamin A 53,400 IU
Vitamin D 19 IU
Vitamin E .63 mg
Vitamin C 27.0 mg
Thiamin .26 mg
Riboflavin 4.19 mg
Niacin 16.5 mg
Pantothenic Acid 8.8 mg
Vitamin B6 .73 mg
Folic Acid 145.0 mcg
Biotin 96.0 mcg
Vitamin B12 111.3 mcg

Hi All,

Day 5 today and feeling on top of the world! Carb flu has gone, 4 days booze free and sleeping miles better, although I will be having a gin this evening, but inter spaced with lots of pure slimline tonic…. so a lot less than I would do previously. I’m having a nice bowl of the Hungarian Goulash (from MM’s recipe book) with cauliflower rice for tea before I go out so I know I won’t fall foul of the pub crisp situation….!!

I weighed this morning and I am 5lbs down so that holiday weight has dropped off for me, or is dropping shall I say as I have a few more to go, but I can comfortably do up the trousers that I couldn’t do up the last night of the cruise, and my tops are looser around my back/bra area which is a great sign. I’m not feeling hungry at all actually which is good, I have slipped back into the routine much more easily than I thought I would.

Looking forward to this weekend – I like a brunch on a Saturday and Sunday and manage with 2 meals each day so much easier – Fish cakes (again from MM’s book and they are gorgeous!) tomorrow night with veg and then a crayfish and crab salad when we go out for lunch on Sunday. Perfect… that then leads on to week 2.. Who said dieting was hard?!

Hope you are all smashing your Friday and having a good day :o)

Rebecca xxx

Thank you Fletch – sorry no idea about liver !

Hi Fletch – its very high in cholesterol – when I was young used to love liver and onions – 🙂 Haven’t touched it in years.

Hi BuffyLover and Mixnmatch. Thanks for replying, it is really kind of you. I am more more determined than ever now., great news so thank you. It does seem a really good diet. I was hungry the first couple of days but that has worn off now and I am getting into the routine now. I have lost over 4 pounds already which is a great incentive. Hope you are all doing well.

Thanks Lucky Linda

I am joining the thread more actively now, as I am supposed to be maintaining but reached my predetermined trigger weight this morning so am going back to basics for a while. I am still so close to my target that I won’t be doing 800 every day, out of concern that I could lose muscle, but have successfully stuck to 800 (ish) today. Tomorrow I will try to stick to 1200 calories, with around 40g carb, 80g protein and 80g fat. I will be doing this until I get back to my target, and probably a couple of pounds lower for some wiggle room. I still have plenty of time to get this back, my deadline day is at the end of April when my 25th wedding anniversary and fitting into my dress again is the test.

My first morning weigh in sees a 2.5 pound drop already, so back down to 11:4.8. It would be nice if I could lose about a stone to take me a bit under my 10:11 target again for a bit of wiggle room, before trying maintenance again. Next mini-goal is to get back under 11:4 which was my 7 1/2 stone marker. It feels wrong to be back above that. Exercise is key as well, I am convinced that I was so active while I was on holiday when I lost a pound despite eating freely that when I came home and went back to my sedentary job but tried eating the same it didn’t work out. Next maintenance attempt will have more control built in, maybe 1 fast day a week, maybe more.

Well done Mixnmatch. My plan is 6, days for a week, then 5, then 4, then 3, until I end up on 5:2. Anyone tried this approach?

I haven’t tried it but I kind of did the opposite before doing my 8 weeks (5:2, 4:3, 2:5, then the full fast, but four weeks on each before the full fast). It is a very interesting idea, and I may pinch it for my transition back to maintenance 😊

For those doing or intending to fast, this article caught my eye:
https://www.ketovangelist.com/fast-purpose-not-punishment/
Cheers
Linda

LindaA
The fact that we have over-eaten is evident. I think this article is a good few steps beyond simple over eating. I see nothing in the article for me. But thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the link Linda. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I will take heed of the positive message. It has also served to remind me to look further into mindfulness 🙂

Another big drop this morning, so clearly the weight rise was very water affected. Now back to 11:1.2 and close to BMI healthy weight again. I need to lose another 5 pounds to get back down to my lowest, and then I will try to go a few pounds lower, so the bounce back doesn’t take me over trigger weight again. Then I will bring the calories back up gradually, avoiding a sudden increase and with at least one fast day a week for maintaining the discipline. This was something I intended to do last time but it didn’t happen. At the very least, considering how quickly the water drops off when I fast again, it will keep that under control more. I will also do no white stuff except for one day a week ‘treat’ day and try to keep that disciplined as well. That is where I went wrong after my holiday, I think.

Morning All!

Welcome to Monday, I’m feeling motivated today, hope you are too.

I was away over the weekend but have just caught up on the weekend postings, what a great little group we have.

I had a couple of temptation moments but was able to resist. It’s bread that calls my name constantly and if I’m not well planned there becomes so little choice of “bought lunch” although a subway salad saved me….

Have a great day!!

LJ

Hi LJ,
morning to you as well. Nothing lost today but reached a milestone yesterday 17stone which meant 12 lbs lost in 12 days. Generally I don’t feel hungry, but last night fancied one of my wife’s kit-kats. Resisted and had a few walnuts instead. So the scales show only a few ounces this morning, but I have faith in the diet, and I am feeling good. Next milestone the stone loss and should be a change in the waistline tomorrow morning. Go well.

Well done Fletcherf!

It’s so motivating to see the scales change. Even a small drop makes all the difference.

Good luck!

LJ

Morning to you all and great to hear of your successes! I have now followed the diet for 7 days and lost just under 5 pounds. I hope to lose about 24 pounds in the eight weeks. The weekends always seem a bit more difficult but only “cheated” once with a slice of delicious low GI bread baked in our local bakery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it didn’t seem to do much damage!

I am really chuffed with my initial weight loss but am prepared for that to reduce substantially this week. (Of course, secretly I hope to lose a good amount, 3/4 pounds but know I must be prepared to keep going even if I have weeks where I don’t lose).
I do have periods when I feel really hungry but try to just ignore it or eat a couple of brazil or walnuts. I don’t eat meat but do eat fish.

Best of luck to you all.

Hi everyone
I’m just starting today so hoping I can join in your motivated march’ers?
I’ve had scrambled eggs with 80g mushrooms for brekkie, feeling a bit nervous but hopeful I can stick at this way of eating. I’ve done diets like weight watchers and slimming world but only lost a stone each time and got demotivated after about 3 months in so I’m hoping this will give me better results so I keep going. I have a holiday booked for 3rd July and that is my goal. I am probably 3-4 stone overweight. Even if I could lose half of that by July that would be amazing. I am off work this week so hoping I can concentrate on making sure I plan the meals and keep myself busy. The real test will be back at work next week!
Looking forward to reading all your posts and submitting my success too.

Welcome Slim4summer.
Planning is the key, and my advice is use some of your time this week to get stuff ready for next week. Batch cook where poss, and make sure your shopping lists have enough for the menu and no more. Also check the cupboards for think you might find tempting. Go well.

hello fellow motivated marchers, its spring!

I have lost 6lbs in 6 days so far- which will tail off but happy at 14st 4 – need to be max 10st 4. I have made cauli flower cheese, bulgar wheat risotto and skinny cottage pie and have the next 12 eve meals sorted. I have to be v prepared so I don’t eat something I shouldnt- I have bought an iceberg lettuce and at 14 calories per 100g I have added it to eve meal if needs be, or in a tub in the fridge for when I get the munchies. going onto herbal tea so don’t need milk. is anyone doing a lot of exercise?? I tried a class at the gym and found it v difficult before lunch – lightheaded. so sticking to alternating between Michael’s 7 mins hiit on a bike or strength training. Lovely to get all your updates – S xxxx

Great to hear all your updates! Well done to you all – impressive so far. I’m quite pleased too with my progress. I started on Thursday and have lost 4.9 lbs so far, with only one or two minor slipups. (3 stone to go so still a little way yet!).My main problem is keeping under 800 so I’ve allowed myself to go up to 1000 this week and will gradually reduce. I haven’t upped my exercise yet but am going to do that this week – I already do a lot of walking with two young very active dogs so it’s the resistance I need to do. Very motivating to hear all the successes. Good luck to us all xx

Hi MMs – I’ve been so busy of late with little or no time to come on here – though I did find the Facebook page for this plan and have popped in there once or twice. Glad I did, because I learned about celeriac (celery root there) fries, mashies etc. For dinner Saturday, I made oven roasted Alaskan salmon with steamed broccoli and oven-fried celeriac chips. SOOO DELICIOUS!! Even my hubby liked them.

Sounds like everyone is doing really well and having success with the plan.
My work schedule is keeping me from any meaningful exercise but I’m not going to stress about it – the schedule will slow way down in a couple of months. My hubby and I are planning a hiking/camping trip on the Lake Superior Hiking Trail this summer so I’ll have that to motivate me to get in shape.

I began the BSD on March 2nd though I didn’t get truly into the 800 BSD until Mon March 6th. To date, I’ve lost 13 lbs and I’m extremely happy about that – just one more and I’ll be down a full stone. I have plenty more to lose after that but I’m taking this in one stone increments.

Bye for now everyone.

Good morning folks,
just wanted to share that this morning I reached the dizzying low of 16st 13lb, a stone category I haven’t been in for 18 months.
So that’s 13 lb and 2.5 inches off the belly, and all in 2 weeks. I love this diet!

That’s brilliant fetchrf, a huge achievement.
You also remind me I must measure my waist!

Had the tuna and butterbean hash yesterday (but used salmon as all I had in). Had it with a salad and it was very tasty and filling so can recommend it.

That’s great news Fletchrf!!! Well done!!

Week 2 day 2 for me, half a stone down and doing well… Thai red curry for tea tonight from the cook book, I may make cauli mash to go with it rather than rice. I’m cooking for my dad tonight so he will just have normal rice with his.

I’m feeling really positive about it all, looking forward to what the scales will say towards the end of the week as I am awaiting my next whoosh! I find being at work easier to control my diet as its all about routines and times, whereas the weekend its harder, especially with fluid intake. I find it odd sitting with a cup of coffee/fruit tea and a pint of water/squash in front of me at home whereas at work it doesn’t seem so strange?

The biggest thing for me has been breaking the habit of having a drink in the evenings. I have substituted the wine with a coke zero when I get in, and then I move to peppermint tea. Highly exciting stuff!! It’s working though….

Hope you all have a good day and are feeling good!

Much Love
Rebecca xx

Thanks Firecrest and Buffylover. It sounds like you’re both on a roll as well. Keep on truckin. xx

Hi, I started yesterday so can I join please? Sticking to the recipe plan in the book sort of – have to repeat some recipes in the week or will be big food waste as doing on my own! Came in at 836 yesterday including some evening spoonfuls of far too sugary yoghurt pinched from OH. Must admit I was hungry last night and ravenous this morning-how long did it take for you guys to stop feeling like that? MM says 48 hrs, is this about true? I work 12.5 hour shifts so hoping it will wear off by next one on thurs or I’ll struggle to resist the ward treat tin..!

Hi
First day went well. I enjoyed making the recipes at lunch and dinner. Felt a bit hungry at times but just tried to ride it out with a glass of water. I must admit I am finding it hard to go completely without sugar in my tea. I’ve cut down to half a teaspoon. I also made those pear and chocolate brownies from the recipe book and have frozen them in pairs so that I am not tempted to eat them all! They do taste lovely though and I had one last night whilst watching tv which helped as that is the time I can over indulge. This morning I’ve had yogurt,seeds and berries and I’ve done 20 minutes of hiit (from YouTube the body coach) and so far feeling good. It’s really inspiring reading everyone’s successes on here and very motivating for me to keep going
Thanks everyone

Clootiedumpling. The menu as printed is incredibly wasteful and costly. I am sticking with it for the first 4 weeks, but my other half is helping me After that we’ll plan a menu that uses things up rather than chucking them out.
Slim4Summer are you sure you are hungry or just missing the movement of hand to mouth? I’ve not felt hungry at all, although don’t have the same bloated feeling without the carbs. I tried cold turkey on sweeteners in drinks and couldn’t do it but cut down the sweeteners by over half. If you really want to sort out your blood sugar you have to stop the sugar….. you cann do it.

Feeling a bit down — we entertained over the weekend and I had to cook and bake and of course, fell of the wagon. Not far, but far enough. Lost 1.5 pounds in my first week, and it could have been so much more. I have found intermittent fasting (no breakfast, just lunch and dinner) really punishing, especially as a diabetic (not sure when or whether to take metformin, doctor would be appalled if I asked her) so have decided to return to three small meals a day and keep it under 800 cals.
My mum, 85, is in hospital again with diabetic complications, and I so don’t want to be in her situation in future. I know it’s technically possible to reverse T2, I just don’t seem to have the strength to. This is so difficult for me.

Fabulist, dont feel down. Didn’t you enjoy having company and being with friends, sharing the fruits of your labour and enjoying your life. I have just read something that I am going to steal. You are first of all a human being, you are then a dieter. Live life and dont worry if your not perfect, who is.

Fabulist. Perhaps you ought to see the GP. Make it clear you are going to do it and ask for help. If they don’t change GPs, I just don’t think you should be tinkering with the metformin. Good luck.

Hi fabulist

we’ve all been there and may be again. Key is to get back on as soon as you’re ready and keep going you are lighter than you were last week xxx

Thank you all so much for the lifeline. I almost didn’t come back here, but I am so glad I did. Fletcher, you are completely right, I am not tinkering with metformin anymore! I am sticking to my original dosage and timings and if I feel “funny” I will certainly go tot he doctor, but I know she will lecture me about eating more than 800 calories, etc. I will go anyway, because I don’t want to mess about on my own. Thank you all again, so much.

Morning everyone, it’s all gone a little quiet? How are you all doing, or is it just a long week? 🙂

Here in Devon it is a grey day but it looks like the weekend will brighten up, hope a little sunshine brightens all our days.

I have some cold meats for lunch today and a 10cal Hartley jelly. Feeling positive.

Have a great day

LJ

Good morning all. So motivational to read how you are all doing, well done everyone:) I’ve been finding this approach really easy and I’ve not been hungry but I do still worry about the amount of fat I’ve been getting. Those low fat messages are clearly deeply internalized and so contradictory with new thinking.
I don’t have scales so no idea what the state of play is and my waist still measures 40 inches, but I feel great
I’ve discovered the joy of Greek yoghurt. So very very good. Halumi I find a bit salty but tasty enough. I can’t eat fish and am not keen on meat other than beef and chicken so it’s been fun finding new recipes. One of my favourites is spinach and mushrooms with a poached eggs. This week I’m going to try feta cheese – saute spinach,, mushrooms and garlic then transfer to an oven dish, crumble feta on top, mix eggs and milk together and pour over the feta, top with moczerella and parmesan, bake until cheese bubbly and golden.
All the best everyone 🙂

I’m with you Buttermeup, I find it easy to stick to the diet ….. until yesterday. Had a very stressful family thingy, came home and although I enjoyed katylou’s Aubergine bake, I also consumed several whiskies and a glass of red wine. However, the scales forgave me, and another pound ticked off – 15lb all together. Well chuffed. I would seriously try to get some scales though. Watching the pounds drift by is helping to keep me motivated. Go well.

Hello you Marvelous March’ers!
Fabulist – I’m so glad you came back here for support. It’s easy to cut ourselves off and berate ourselves when we’ve gone astray, however briefly. Coming here, you’ll see that even the most successful of us have had similar experiences. It’s a learning experience and we can’t expect to be perfect, right from the get go. I agree that you should definitely speak with your Dr. before altering your meds.

I’m now, officially in my fourth week and feeling pretty darned good. I’m down a full stone in that time. The ravenous hunger has passed (thank heavens – I think it lasted much longer for me than most, based on what I’ve read). I’m sticking, for the most part, to 800 cals per day – sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. I haven’t re-measured yet – will wait until I get to the half-way point to do that.

Have a challenge this weekend – dinner at my brother-in-laws tomorrow and friends coming to dinner at my house on Saturday. I’m coming up with my strategy – I told my in-laws that I was on a blood glucose reduction eating plan and couldn’t eat anything like pasta, potatoes, rice etc. They’re making lasagna – of course – but promised they’d have a huge salad to go along with it. I’ll bring some cooked chicken breast, my own dressing, and perhaps an avocado to supplement the salad. Saturday, I’m making roast leg of lamb. Hubby is making neeps and tatties so I’ll have to pass on those, but I’m going to make celeriac chips for me. For a veg, I’m making loads of steamed broccoli. For dessert: Hubby is making a pie of some kind for everyone else and I’m going to have whole milk yogurt with blackberries. I’ve decided to not have any alcohol – not even a glass of wine. Past experience has taught me that I’m more likely to waver if I’ve had any alcohol. So, I’ll just play it safe and pass on it completely.

So, I think I’m all set – just making the plan, writing it down has already given me confidence that I’ll be just fine.
That’s if for me for today.
Bye for now.

Sounds really good Phreckles. Well thought through…. good luck with the execution.

Hello all.
Phreckles, you are not the only one who feels ravenous at times, worst luck!

I work from home so eat brunch at 11 ish then have my main meal to look forward to, which I try to have before 6:30. I just find it easier to have 2 meals rather than 3. Then I am not hungry during the evening.

Went to a production of Silver Linings written by Sandi Toksvig with some friends. Had lunch first, luckily at vegetarian cafe. Had lovely green lentils and sweet potato. Was very chuffed when I stuck to my no cake decision…..they looked gorgeous. The play was brilliant, very funny but also extremely touching. I would highly recommend you see it if it comes to your area.

Not losing as much this week (as expected) but hope I have lost 3 pounds by Monday morning weigh in…..not looking too good at the moment unfortunately. I will try and increase my exercise.

Anyone else had a good reduction the first week but lost very little the second? If so, did you improve week 3?