Hi, I’m Beverley, an overweight Aussie with several health problems but no type 2 diabetes (yet). I’m sure I’m heading that way though. Mum had type 2 and I’m sure her heart problems stemmed from that. I’d like to eventually lose 40kg and get back to 70kg. It’s gradually piled on over the last 30 years and although we’ve changed our diet to a substantially healthy one we still have sweet tooths and eat way too much sugar every day. I think the Fast 800 is going to work wonders and I need the incentive losing weight rapidly will bring. My husband is joining me on the diet – his health problems are as worrying as mine, although again, type 2 diabetes isn’t an issue (yet). We’re looking forward to dropping years as well as weight – both of us feel decades older than we should.

Hi Beverley and welcome to the forums.
If you and the husband can stick to 50grams or less of carbohydrate per day and round about 800 calories, within a week you will see the weight falling off and you will feel extra benefits, ie sleeping and just generally feeling better.
Remember to keep up the fluid intake to 2 – 3 ltrs / day and do not be afraid of full fat dairy products, in fact throw all the low fat stuff in the bin!
The sugar cravings should be gone by the time you hit week 2 and you’ll find that you don’t even think about sweet stuff any more.
If you run into any problems just shout out, there is nearly always someone here to help.
Above all, enjoy your journey and let us know how you are getting on.

Hi Beverley,
I’m also in OZ and started to day .. Good Luck with your Journey ..

Hi and welcome yo the BSD family. I’m looking forward to reading your progress

I’ve also just started BSD and finding the replies from people like yourselves extremely helpful, especially with regards to the daily 50g amount of carbs.I have been doing a variance of 5:2 for several months and reached my maintenance weight but needed more advice regarding carbs as other information I found on the internet just gave ranges eg under 25 g, 50 – 100g etc and it’s much easier having a definite figure to aim for. Thank you.

Thanks Bill for the helpful information and to everyone for the welcome. I ordered Michael’s book last night and am looking forward to reading it – I think the menu plan will come in helpful. Anyone else used it?

Hello there. I’m a newbie too and tried every diet ever invented! I’m from Oz too. I reckon I can do this.
Cheers
Leanne

Hi guys, also a Aussie from Perth, started 2 weeks ago, 5 kilos down even with a couple of lapses (a kilo of lamb ribs yesterday ) but feeling pretty good and my fasting blood sugar was 5.2 this morning, glad to be doing this

Another female overweight Aussie here! Pre-diabetic, diverticulosis, sleep apnoea, feel older and tireder than I should at 45. I started at 83.0 kg yesterday, lost over a kg overnight. I know it’s mostly water weight but it’s still nice to see on the scale! I tend to get a bit peckish in the afternoons, especially when the kids get home from school and snack on Easter eggs. Low-calorie vegetable soup at the ready!

Overnight invasion alert !!!
Welcome to the BSD folks
You will find all the information you need on these forums along with some great tips, recipes, and a few laughs along the way.
You will read some amazing success stories while you read, and, in just 8 weeks, it will be your own stories providing the inspiration to the next group of newbies.
Don’t panic about the 800 calories, when you are eating the right foods, it’s plenty to keep you feeling full.
Any problems, just shout and someone will be along to help.

Another welcome to all the newbies.

It’s great to see so many joining the BSD family. The word is spreading😃

Welcome to all our Aussie pals!

Natalie – I too suffer from diverticulitis – last bout requiring antibiotic treatment was immediately before I started this diet in early January. NOTHING SINCE!!!!! This diet seems to help with the problem as I was regularly rolling about at night unable to sleep with the pain.

Kick those Easter Eggs into orbit and get a few sunflower seeds in!! Make sure you use the lowest carb veg for your soups – i.e. those which grow above ground and add some FAT to the soup, swirl of olive oil, cream cheese, full fat yoghurt or grated harder cheeses. Stilton is lovely with cauliflower, courgette or broccoli soups.
Fat is so important on this diet!
🙂

Great to see other Aussies here!

I’ve started a blog to track my progress and to record carbs/calories for what I eat: http://bsdfast800.blogspot.com.au/. It is mostly for me to learn the carb/calorific value of what I am eating so eventually I’ll just look at something and simply know. 🙂

I’m looking forward to some fast weight loss though right now I’m not 100% confident we’ll stick to the diet. I’m not going to punish myself if I fall off the bandwagon – I’m hoping to note and and problem solve the issue at the heart of it, come up with ways to circumvent the same situation arising again.

Beverly there is no punishment here
If we fall off this cart there is a soft landing then we climb back aboard and carry on as if nothing happened.
Blips are blips, we’re all human but, whatever the slip ups, the end result is well worth it.

Thanks Bill. 🙂

I have problems with perfectionism, my brain is conditioned to respond in a “it’s all or nothing” kind of way and I’m slowly but surely retraining it. I get confused and cranky when I’m hungry (or any kind of stress) and I look for sweet things to make me feel happy again. I put that down to desserts being the highlight of any meal and lollies being a reward for good behaviour – a couple of things endemic to the way I (and many others) were brought up. Sadly I brought the kids up the same way – our love of dessert was definitely passed on. Staying positive about the diet – which is where this forum is absolutely necessary for me – is key.

Staying positive about the diet is paramount but it gets much easier as you progress.
Soon all those sugar cravings will go and you, will get to the point where you are wondering why you used to eat that stuff.
It sounds too good to be true but it happens and it doesn’t take long.

Hi All,

I started the BSD yesterday so I though I’d ‘tag’ along to see how it goes. Beverley’s story is similar to mine with a sweet tooth and a all or nothing mindset. I keep ‘falling off the wagon’ of diets then losing my motivation. Hopefully joining you guys will keep me strong. Oh, and I might need extra help – I am a cake designer…..surrounded by cake and cookies all day – ARGH!!!

Wow DebCN you have a challenge on your hands! All that temptation at work !
If you can get past that you can do anything.
Follow the plan and shout if you need help, even you will lose the sweet tooth rather quickly although I wonder what will happen if, like me and some others, you actually end up finding the smell of sugar (it does have one) or the taste of the stuff, offensive.

Aha!! The Aussie revolution in healthy eating commences. Welcome to all the new BSDers. You won’t believe the difference this way of life makes to your health and energy levels.
I’ll add my voice to Bill, Lynne and Hashimoto, you won’t find any judgement on these forums. Just the friendliest most helpful and supportive folk around. We’ve all been where you are now, and struggled and laughed together through various issues, so have lots of useful tips that will help you. Keep posting as staying in touch is one of the best ways of maintaining your motivation. We love to celebrate along with you when you see your goals becoming reality. 🙂

Well, it’s started…..today is my first day, only 55 days to go !! It is now late at night [ I’m an Aussie ] and my insides are gnawing away and I am quite light headed. I have been drinking gallons of water and as a consequence, spent most of the day in the smallest room of the apartment. I have read many blogs and most people say it gets better after 2 days….I hope they are right.
Please keep your fingers crossed for me.

Hi jillyB,
It will get better very soon, you only have a couple more days and you’ll start to feel amazing. You’ll be posting about your weight loss and increased energy before too long. 🙂
It is helpful to go to bed when you’re feeling hungry at night. Much better than snacking and you’ll get a longer overnight fast.

Heya DebCN, I was thinking about your comment about cakes and wondered if you’d come across the raw food movement at all? There are heaps of delicious raw food cakes. I have lots of friends on the raw food bandwagon that keep enticing me with lots of tempting alternatives to baked cakes and desserts. I’m trying to retrain how I eat, give up my dessert habit, otherwise I’d be right into making and creating all these awesome wonders myself. 🙂

Hi everyone, just completed the second week and I am logging everything I consume and averaging 81 g carbs per day and 824 cals per day. I have lost 6 lb but I am within my maintenance range of 120 – 125 lbs, so not surprised that I had only lost 1.2 lb in the second week. Pleased to say that I have had no chocolate cravings and no sugar highs and lows, which is the main reason I am trying BSD. I did have a banana split on my wedding anniversary and thoroughly enjoyed it! Sleep patterns have changed and I am now getting a good 6 hours sleep every night with the knock on effect that I feel more energetic the following day. Drinking lots of water – quite often I think I’m hungry, but in fact I’m thirsty. I don’t have any tempting food in the house ie biscuits, cakes, sweets or chocolate (apart from cocoa powder and occasionally eat a teaspoon of that to keep me sweet) because my will power is such that I wouldn’t stop at one portion!

That’s great news Alexginda! I am finding that drinking water is critical to maintaining loss on a daily basis. And like you have noticed that I used to mistake thirst for hunger. I put a little bit of lemon juice in my water to make it more palatable or turn it into plain soda water with our Soda Stream – sometimes when I drink straight water I feel unwell. My carbs are averaging a bit higher than yours but I’m managing to stick to around 800 cals. I still haven’t received the book so am simply adjusting our previous meals.

Hi! Mind if an American joins your thread?
I started the BSD on Thursday, the 7th of April. (Feel free to read my profile.) I’ve felt privileged reading every ones’ post because of the honesty, sharing, and caring. I have to agree with you all: I’ve also found this way of eating easier than I thought. I’ve lost 5 lbs.

Following more of Dr. Mosley’s advice, I purchased a Fitbit. Any device that tracks your steps would work I imagine. I love it; it pushes me to walk more. Is anyone else using a tracker?

Hi and welcome EvaZ. I’m using the vivosmart. I’m finding it very good as it also “talks” to Myfitness Pal, where I’m logging my calorie intake. It can all be a bit addictive though. Lol.

Hi everyone – today is day 1 of my 8 weeks. I’m another middle-aged Aussie trying to reverse my post menopausal weight creep. I use a Fitbit as well as the My Fitness Pal site for entering food. I also use the Map My Ride, Map My Walk apps and these all synchronise with my Fitbit and My Fitness Pal. I like exercising but I also like to snack too much especially in the evenings. I’m looking forward to reading about the progress you are making as well as the struggles on the way!

Hi EvaZ, you are very welcome here, the more the merrier. You will definitely get your HbA1c down if you follow the fast 800 and join our BSD tribe here. Read the over the 8 week line post to see just how many of us have reduced our blood sugar levels to the non diabetic range. We have people who have come off meds, including insulin, or are no longer at risk of needing them as the next step in managing their diabetes. The success stories will inspire you. 🙂

G’day I love to bike ride,
Welcome to the BSD. Sounds like you are all set for success with your tracker and apps all organised. You will soon lose the urge to snack as long as you keep your fluid and fat intake up. It’s surprising how quickly this works, once you’ve reduced your carb levels.
If you need to snack at first, make sure it’s low carb eg boiled egg, a few almonds or pecans ( pecan pieces from the baking aisle of Coles or Woolies are very cheap and you feel like you’re eating more), some strawberries, 20g slice of cheese etc.
Keep posting and let us know how you’re going. 🙂

Hi EvaZ

You are very welcome. Hope to see more from your side of the pond on here😃

Looking forward to reading about your progress.

If you have any questions, just ask. There’s usually someone around to answer – we cover a lot of time zones now 😃

Hi EvaZ and I love to bike ride, welcome to the forums! We’re all part of the BSD family, regardless of nation, creed etc. The important thing is that we are all on this journey together! 🙂

Great tips! Thank you. Second day going well – coping with the hunger by snacking on a strawberry or nut.

Four weeks in and 10kgs lighter. Happy. Now for the next four weeks. I’m hoping to lose another 10kg. 🙂

Beverley, that’s great news! That’s a good amount of weight you’ve lost. Is your husband doing well too? I just finished my 3rd week and have lost 10lbs (about 4.5kgs). What has helped you stay motivated?

I started another post about a week ago, when I ‘started the diet again’, but I jumped in too quick, I wasn’t ready to start again because I’ve fallen off the wagon a couple of times again. The diet seemed really easy to start with but the trick is not cutting back on calories or carbs – the trick to staying on the diet is changing how and what we eat – it’s switching to the Mediterranean way of eating. Moseley indicates in the book that we can do it with other foods, which is what I did, making up my own menus and recipes using veggies and spices I’m used to, but I think that is why I am failing to stick to the plan… I’m not ‘getting’ the Mediterranean connection part of the diet. I’m not changing the habits of a life time – what I eat and when. And that makes it all too easy to want some of those foods that I used to eat and to sneak them in them now and then. And now and then suddenly becomes everyday again.

I’m not beating myself up over this. I’m telling myself that tomorrow I’ll start again. That I’m making progress regardless. It’s just a little slower than it was. And that’s another issue too – the motivation in this diet comes from how quickly we lose weight – seeing it drop off keeps us on target to say no to the sugar and complex carbs.

But I’m also recognising that I’m unwell and when I’m unwell it is hard for me to refuse old ‘comfort foods’ – and I need to remind myself it’s okay and it’s really important I don’t give up just because I can’t stick to the diet this week.

And I’ve noticed that I haven’t been coming online and reading the forum posts for support either – perhaps that is something I really need to do daily to keep me on task and focused on the diet?

What works for you to keep you motivated on this diet? What do you to do help when you feel you are slipping, eating too much of the foods you really don’t want to, etc?

Hi Beverley

Well done for voicing how you feel. I’m starting today as day 1, had a few failed attempts and then punished myself by overeating and then the cycle begins.

A friend gave me good advice which was that one bad choice of food doesn’t ruin the day, just make better choice sthe next time you eat.

I also think you’re right, this is about changing old patterns and habits that helped us be where we are now. Change is hard. you have done so well, keep it up!

xxx

Hi Beverley your post struck a chord with me, re I also don’t do so well when not coming here daily and reading the forums, which do really encourage and inspire me, so thanks everyone.

I had a week off on holiday and still kept the calories down, but did eat more carbs, also exercised a lot more. I haven’t weighed since (it would demoralize me to find weight gain) but I don’t feel that much fatter. I got back on it for 3 days at work, find it easy then. Weekends are harder and this afternoon I’m accompanying a friend for an alpaca experience which I know includes a cream tea!!!! I love alpacas, and also scones. I will have a brunch before I go, cheese and spinach omelette, and try to keep to one small scone, and a smear of jam, with lots of cream.

In reality I don’t think I can avoid these situations in my life, so must so the best I can. When not socialising I make a deal with myself that I will be really low carb. I have found my appetite as decreased a lot, no way I’d eat two scones now. Off to drink some more water, it does help but is easy to forget to do. Good luck everyone.

Ditto to Barby – the forums are helpful, and non judgemental which is defintiely what I need around weight/ health struggles.

Tibetan & Beverly, I am with you on an official ‘ Day 1’ too.
I had a few trials of starting and it lasted 2-3 days then I would get sidetracked because I wasn’t in the real woutine of it and theat is really essential. So I am going to write a list here of what I will do (some of which Michael advocates) as my commitment to helping myself:

Throw / give away the remaining sugary food I have at home tonight: Jam i can give to my friend, bread can feed the birds.
Take all my raw chocolate treats to my office and lock the drawer, give my friend the key.
Get my fitbit working and start tracking steps. Do at least one 30 minute walk down to beach and walk on sand every evening (classic overeating time)
Write my food plan/ adjust it on MFP every day to keep track of cals/ carbs & read these forums /post on the ‘new starter’ thread every day.
Do alternate nose breathing when I get the urge to binge.

Keep checking in- its good to know we are doing it at the same time!!

SarahDawn xx

Beverly,

Great to see you back! I had wondered how you were doing. I like that you aren’t beating yourself up. You’ve heard that saying: It’s not the number of times you fall, it’s the number you get yourself back up and try again. I salute you!

I agree with SarahDawn, Tibetan, and barby. They’re giving great advice. I don’t always have the best of days with the diet but by tracking my calories, using the Fitbit, and reading the success stories and struggles on this forum, I get back on track. I’m keeping my eye on the prize: Good Health.

Wishing you, Sarahdawn, Tibetan, barby, and all continued success! (And me too!)

Best, EvaZ