I’m fat, fifties and fed up with permanent fatigue!

Have been researching this for a few weeks, since I stumbled across it on another forum. Decided to start when I got back from holiday – so after a fortnight of pizza, pasta and icecream – all in mega USA portions – today’s the day!

It’s so encouraging to start with so many other newbies. And, having read Lynne’s thread from start to finish while I was away, it’s so nice to see her in the flesh, as it were, in the Daily Mail.

I’ve bought the books, stocked the cupboards and confessed to my partner that I need help with this. That was hard. But he’s up for the challenge. He’s kindly going to make a Thai red curry tonight, from the new recipe book.

The next hard thing has been to face the truth: my waist is almost 50 inches. Bigger than my bust or hips. How can I not have noticed?

So time for a change!

hi ‘theangelwithin’ I started the 800 yesterday … breaking myself in over the first three days, as – despite researching it – I’ve gone for a feet-first impulsive let’s start today (yesterday) and haven’t read the actual book or cleared the (food decks). I managed around 800 kcal’s yesterday, but with a bit of carb; today I’m aiming for around 800-900, again with a teensy bit of carb (daughter made an amazing cake and am going to have a slither). Big supermarket shop due, so having a think about what I shall eat, and whether to aim for breakfast and dinner; or sml breakfast, sml lunch and a reasonable dinner.

I am 47 this year, I am 3 and a half stone overweight (48lbs to be precise). I have suffered with ME/CFS for the past 3 and a bit years, but in this last year my energy has been returning in fits and starts and is now at a level where I feel a lot more me again. Which is wonderful. I love seeing other shorties like me listing their heights, so at 5 ft 1 and a half you can imagine that I’m a little on the round side 🙂 I don’t actually mind being bigger, but I am concerned about the health issues associated with being officially ‘obese’ and am pretty sure that carrying so much extra weight won’t be helping to shift the fatigue that is still there.

Generally truly rubbish at ‘dieting’ or changing me eating habits. The only thing that ever worked for me, to shift the baby weight, was Atkins … great though that was, it didn’t feel like something that I could be comfortable with for life. Michael Mosley’s version – which is very similar (it is), seems a far healthier version (lentils, legumes). I don’t want to be purely carnivorous!

So here I am, Day 2 of the Fast 800. Have decided to start with this – and if I truly struggle I can work my way unto the 5:2. I am very serious about losing weight and feeling healthier. Holiday planned for Easter next year … and I want to feel less self-conscious in a swimsuit on the beach.

Be lovely to know who else is just at the start of their journey. Possibly share some tips, what’s working and what isn’t. I’ll be checking the boards for those who’ve been on for a while as they have been there, done that … but it’d be lovely to start a thread with anyone else at a similar stage.

Breakfast: 2 egg omelette;
Snack: slither plum cake and 4 spoons custard (honestly, don’t ask … worth it though as my 13 year old made it and wanted me to taste it. This won’t be happening very often, Honest!)
Dinner: Planned – chicken curry, served with veg and chick pea curry.
Coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee and lots and lots of water.

Just typing this out makes me think I need some more veg in there (adding to shopping list in a mo).

Well ladies today is my start day. I’ve just eaten for the first time today. Portion of chilli and green salad with a little avocado. One coffee and bottle of water. I’m sat in work and I feel fine as its hit my stomach like a brick after being so hungry so I arrogantly sit here thinking, this is a piece of cake hahahaha now you know where I’m coming from.

Read the book and cleared the already healthy cupboards and have to admit its not my diet that so poor but my lazy fat attitude to having a rewarding bottle of red after a hard days work followed by a hearty homecooked meal which can be upto 3 pork chops and veg and baked potatoe, see not that bad! Yeah right, fatty me is getting older and not younger and I’m fed up of seeing some woman look fabulous for their age (I’m 45) and I need to lose at least 2 stone but preferably 3 and I want to look good too. I look like a potatoe with legs. I want my waist back and my life back. I need to stop seeing food and drink as a reward and more as a necessity and a healthy one.

My wife is supporting me through this also, yes I said wife, she is my world along with our children. She too is going to attempt the diet with me and we are hitting this nice and full on in the face. I think I need you’re help more than ever as only you ladies will know exactly what I feel everyday and will be able to empathise. I promise I will listen to you all moan at me too haha.

I’m excited to think that before Christmas we will all be lighter and brighter as I have no intention of killing myself anymore with wine and huge portions. I feel tired and I ache, I’m sure you all understand that.

I have my yoga dvds at the ready and I’m geared up. I gave up smoking 6 years ago and I found that quite cathartic and rewarding and havent smoked since and nor do I want to so I think I am now ready to rid myself of the spare tyre that might one day kill me.

I’m with you and hope you will be with me.

Hi Keavney21 ,

more than happy to start this journey with you. Like you, I enjoy a glass or two of wine or a G&T in the evening, and although it’s just one or two, I’m going to miss it.

Turns out I have also missed ‘nibbling’ throughout the day … I hadn’t realised I punctuated most things in the day with a little bite of something … I think, perhaps, eating has become a little bit of a hobby. I really missed it today.

However, as I sit here with a cup of tea, I am feeling very, very happy that Day 2 has gone well. Very surprised indeed. Have been peckish but not absolutely, grumpily starving.

How has your day been?

Great, let’s support each other. End of day one. To my surprise, I’m not hungry. Had three meals from MM’s recipes – Thai Red Curry is lovely by the way – with a couple of cheats. I added in a banana, a milky coffee and a teeny portion of whole grain rice. Now I write that down, it doesn’t look so good.

Also weighed myself – I don’t have scales at home. 5’2″ and 14 stone on the nose. The only way is down! Good luck all.

Xx

Hi ‘the angelwithin’,
Welcome to the forums and the BSD way of life. You’ll notice over the next days and weeks that you get used to this way of eating. As you know part of it is cutting down on starchy carbs.
This is just a word of warning….by sneaking in carbs you delay the inevitable carb withdrawal and also delay weight loss. If you can be strict with yourself at first you’ll give your satiety hormones time to regulate, you’ll not get hungry and you’ll be feeling great. You must believe me that you’ll get to a point where you don’t consider starchy carbs anymore.
So…….there’s not a lot you can do about being in your fifties (me too) but you can eliminate the ‘fat, fed up and fatigue’ from the initial description in your thread.
Oh, the other thing that may be helpful – there are people on the forums that don’t own scales and weigh themselves at the local chemist/health centre and also if you can’t weigh yourself if you have a tape measure you can do this whole BSD just measuring your waist – the measuring often shows weight shifting around (and the reduction in visceral fat) rather than a decrease on the scales (especially if you add in exercise).
I hope this has been helpful and I wish you and Poppetini and keavney21 the very best of journeys.

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to reply, Switzerland.

You have skewered the weaknesses in my thinking! I thought: 800 is really low, a bit more won’t matter. Maybe I can wean myself off carbs and avoid carb flu.

After I read your post, I went down to breakfast where four lovely yellow bananas winked at me.

Readers…I hid them in the cupboard! Went for Greek yoghurt and strawberries instead, with a few nuts.

The rice with curry I can leave alone, I think. Had cauliflower rice last night – as well as the brown real stuff – and it was good.

Milky coffee will be more difficult. I’m used to half and half- coffee and skimmed milk. As a first step I’ll switch to full fat, then I’ll need less of it.

So here goes for day 2 – miso soup with tofu, prawns, courgetti and butternut noodles for lunch.

More Thai curry, from yesterday, for dinner along with MMs chard recipe from new book.

I’m sitting on the train and really thirsty so I know what my next resolution must be…

All best to everyone as we take our early, baby steps on this new path.

X

Is the Thai red curry in the new recipe book? I only have the original BSD book and can’t find it in there, any chance someone could post it please? I have seen a few folk say it’s good, thanks, Sue

Will post it when I get home, if no-one else posts it first.x

Hi Suoon2bthinner!

Thai red curry:
Calories 300
carbs 14g

serves 2

I large chicken breast sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1tbsp olive oil
I large garlic clove, diced
2cm root ginger, diced
3-4 heaped tsp Thai red curry paste
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1/2 400ml tin coconut milk
1/2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1/2 tsp lime zest or kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1/2 cauliflower, grated
Generous handful fine beans.

Heat oil in a wok or wide-based saucepan and fry chicken and onion. When begins to brown, add garlic, ginger and curry paste. Fry gently for a few minutes then add the red pepper, coconut milk, fish sauce and lime zest. Cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the cauliflower rice.
A few minutes before the end of cooking time, throw the green veg in the pan.

Enjoy! it’s delicious

Hi like many here I’m new.Just a quick insight into my background.Im 52 5ft8 & weigh 100kgs approx 15″10
I suffer with high blood pressure as well as reactive and osteoarthritis.I have tried loosing weight many times but just seem to sleep back into the same routine ..Skip breakfast, and eat mainly junk food on the go,I find evenings the most difficult as I seem to eat out of sheer boredom.Anyway I’m determined to see this thru and get down to my target weight by Christmas ( using it as a Christmas present to myself) I will be starting on Sunday as I’m currently laid up with a double ear infection and am on antibiotics till then.Look forward to sharing my weight loss journey with other members of the forum…..So good luck and let’s be positive,Never give up trying!
Regards Andy.

Hello all,

Day 3 for me. The first two days have gone well enough, and today at 3pm I am hungry … but a very containable sort of a hungry. I had yoghurt and raspberries for brekkies, followed by a 2 egg omelette with peppers and cucumber for lunch … and four spoons of high fat luxury custard (oops). So, either those pesky custard carbs have made me peckish, or perhaps i’m not adding enough veggies right now.

Loving the sound of the thai curry. Tonight am planning to do homemade chicken tikka, with a cucumber raita … if I make it to the shops I may also try the cauliflower rice. My lovely family with have homemade flatbreads, which will be a definite challenge for me.

I’ve managed an hour and a half dog walk, and am planning on a few mins on my children’s trampoline (someone mentioned using an indoor trampette to get their day’s steps up, so decided to have a go on the trampoline … it’s harder work that in looks even doing mini bounces).

The recipe book arrived today, and am off googling some more ‘sensible’ 800 cal day planners to stop me winging it, and hopefully ensure the nutrition is there.

How is everyone else today?

Thank you, will try soon, sounds delish!

Just to say that we substituted tofu for chicken in the Thai curry. Also put in less curry paste than it said, as it was really hot. The dish was delicious, not quite what we’d expected in that it wasn’t red. The coconut milk dilutes the red colour of the paste. It has lovely creamy sauce, that doesn’t feel like being on a “diet” at all.

We also felt that it needed more veg, though that would up the carbs and cals a weeny bit. Next time I’ll put in more green beans.

Hey ladies, sorry not been on since yesterday as had a day off work and wow that was hard. I’m so used to punctuating my day with lunch time and being busy. So as I didn’t eat until 1.30ish (that’s over 14 hours fasting) I went for half roast chicken shared and salad and I’m unsure if this is the right thing as doesn’t feel right. I understood that if you starve your body your metabolism will slow down and then store all food as energy aka fat as its safety storage. Can anyone dispell this??

I feel OK. Walked bloody miles today around sodding supermarket, for eye test and then docs and back to the car, all on starvation mode!!!

Don’t feel as bloated as I suffer from ibs and slept well too. Drinking hmm where’s my wine gone…. Wow am missing it already, I feel so weak willed. I want chicken skin and a bottle of red but I know this is the right thing so I quash the food deserving monsters and continue onwards.

God it will get better won’t it. I’m super strict and my fridge looks like a vegetarian heaven, I’m doing it all right just doesn’t feel right starving myself. So got yoghurts for tomorrow and hope this wistful feeling passes.

Glad it hear you’re all doing so well. Send me some positivity please hahaha I’m needing it. Until tomorrow, better go attack some veggies for dinner….. Victoria x

Hi Victoria

No, the story about ‘starving’ your body making the metabolism slow down and store more fat is incorrect (in fact Dr MM discusses it in the BSD). Fasting is recommended, but it may take a little getting used to. Chicken and salad sounds absolutely fine!

You are in early days, there will be some changes in your body as your hormones adjust, be patient and you will soon be feeling better.
Drink lots, plan your meals well (as you seem to be doing), and you will be absolutely fine!

Onwards and downwards (that’s the weight) 😉

Today was a much trickier day – Day 3 of anything is usually my downfall, my high hopes give way to temptation. However, today has worked out well.

I am tired-er than normal, but will see how that goes. I see from more regular posters that the tiredness can last a week or two. I’m also drinking water by the pint, frequently.

Tomorrow I’m going to have a stock-cube drink to get a bit of extra salt in – as I’m sure that will help. And finally get myself to the supermarket to ensure I’ve got some goodies in that suit me.

Managed not to eat a flatbread with the homemade chicken tikka. Woohoo!

Hello everyone!
I liked the topic of this post so I’m latching on to it, hope no one minds!
I’ve been type 2 diabetic for 10yrs since getting gestational diabetes with my first pregnancy! That really screwed my totally natural hypnobirthing, birth up!
Anyway I swiftly moved through the range of diabetic medication and on to insulin! The insulin did make an incredible difference to my energy and fatigue so I won’t complain. I am relatively fit, I walk as much as possible, surf and run (I use the word very loosely) I love fruit but also pasta, I don’t eat takeaway or junk foods but I love chocolate and baking. I never considered that I could change my diagnosis! But a few weeks ago I was driving with the radio on and heard MM talking about his book. I came straight home and got the kindle version. Read it and realised it was what I’ve been waiting for! It’s funny how I’m a trained nurse, I test my blood sugars and inject insulin and I know that losing weight would help my diabetes but it took MM talking about this to make the penny drop and me to start. So a new start for a new life. I’m 85kg (13st3), 170cm (5′”7). Today was my first day and to be honest I’ve been grouchy and angry all day. I’ve even warned my boys not to pee me off for the next week. Shame they are only 10, 7 and 5! Anyway I drank loads of water and a few coffees when I would normally only have one coffee a day but it helped with the cravings. I hope it gets better soon. I can feel the headache starting. Roll on tomorrow. Good luck everyone for tomorrow!

Hi Gooberz
(there is a thread somewhere on the inspiration for your BSD name!)

Good luck with BSD, hope it goes well.
Do be careful of the fruit though, if you’re trying to eat low carb.
Lots of us use MyFitnessPal or FatSecret to log food & track carbs and calories

I made A4 colour prints from these graphics that are still on my kitchen wall as a quick reminder of carby and less carby fruit and veg.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/fruits

Hi Gooberz,

welcome on board – it was theangelwithin who started this thread, and like you I joined as I like the name. If it’s any help, I have found drinking pints of water – frequently – throughout the day are somehow helping with the crankiness. I also read that a ‘salty’ drink can help, so am going to have a stock cube drink today. It sounds strange, but we are not eating as much salt in our food on 800 kcals, so might need to add some. I’d imagine – that as a nurse – that might make your eyebrows go up. But it might be worth a try … and it’s another hot drink that isn’t coffee.

I usually drink one coffee a day too, and then couldn’t sleep after however many I’d had on day 1 🙂

Can’t believe I’m actually still here of Day 4 (3’s usually my limit for any food related ambitions). And … ta da … 7lbs have mysteriously vanished. Water retention maybe … but they’re 7lbs that have been there for months and now they’re GONE!!! Smiling, happy, delighted … yippee.

Hi everyone
Like you angelwithin I’m fat and fifty and need to get it sorted day four for me thought I would start it this week as I’m off work for a week and if I’m going to get grumpy I will be able to do it in private 😀 But so far so good have my berries few nuts and Greek yogurt for breakfast and that sets me up for the morning (used to skip breakfast) and find I’m not reaching for the biscuits mid morning I drink decaf coffee so not buzzing from too much caffeine made a soup from the recipes page and twicked it a bit and turned out very well and find cauliflower rice bloody lovely love stir frys as there so quick and easy going to do the curry tonight with my new found favourite cauliflower rice and try it out on family without them knowing will add rice with theirs so see if they notice
so good luck everyone my weigh in Friday so will see how I have done
Coady

Hi everyone, I was going to call this thread Fifty, Fat, Fed up and Fatigued. Then I thought – that’s so negative. And, hopefully, it won’t be true any more. So I so glad that this positive vibe of a new start and new lives for us all has resonated with others.

Well done everyone. I’m on day three now and the big surprise is that I’m not hungry. I’m a bit over the 800 cals, I expect, as I’m taking milk in my coffee and was so desperate for something sweet last night that I had some (unsweetened) stewed peaches and some Greek yoghurt. Rachel’s organic Greek yogurt is lovely and sweet (not sweetened) and not at all tangy. Like cream.

Thanks for the fruit and carbs guide, Frog. The culprits aren’t always what you think.

On the salt issue, I think it’s not just that we’re not taking so much in, but that we’re flushing it out with all the water loss. I’m drinking miso soup, which is delicious and has protein too.

Had a two egg, protein powder and cheese omelette for breakfast with a non allowed banana. I’ve got to break that habit. I’m still full up. Kind partner has made me peanut and cream cheese dip with crudités for lunch. Its in the first book. It’s still in my bag – I’m going to keep it until I’m actually hungry.

It’s really interesting to see what others are eating.

First weigh in tomorrow, when I go to the pool. Fingers crossed!

Thinking of you all. X

Hello everyone and thanks for welcoming me!
Day 2 and I’m still grouchy and hungry but filling up on the water to try counter this.
I had a soup for lunch to try improve my salt intake. No idea what to do for dinner. Its really difficult to do this with kids who just stare at me like I’m insane when I suggest they try something other than chicken/fish/carrots/cucumber and pasta!
My middle son has coeliacs disease so I get up every second morning at 5am to make him fresh bread for school and always have a big, fat hot slice so this morning was tough but I took some deep breaths and moved on!
I have a feeling chatting to everyone on this site is going to be what gets me through this.
Still got the underlying headache but its not developed into anything worse.
Going to the shop for some berries and yoghurt.
Onwards and downwards all!
Candi

Dear Candi

Do you have one of the books? The good news is that they are full of chicken and fish recipes, which you could pad out with pasta and the like for the rest of the family.

Do make sure that you are filling up with enough fat and protein – those are the cornerstones of this approach as far as I can see. It’s not just low carb.

Other than my sneaky cheats with milk and a banana I’ve eaten only recipes from the book and to my surprise I’m not at all hungry. They are fairly simple with lots of ideas for quick lunches and so on. Another advantage of doing it by the book is that you don’t have to count cals and carbs. This is the first time that I’ve followed a diet meal plan and the recipies are really delicious.

This early stage is all about finding our way, I think, so keep going.

Best x

Hi everyone
Is any one else sat in front of the TV watching bake off and thinking why am I on my 8 week diet and why am I watching it 😱 Or am I the only nut case lol time for my glass of water

I am too. First time watching it. I just want to eat those cakes! However I am sucking on my new nicotine free grape flavour shisha pen in the hope it will stop me eating something I shouldn’t.

Hi all
How is everyone doing was hard last night my fault was watching bake of so was mazzawazzawoo so I hope you didn’t fall off the wagon 😀 I got through it and not going to watch it again lol
im still going strong I am going to do this , then next year i am off to buy all nice clothes in normal shops off the peg as they say instead of buying from catologs or finding out if they have a plus size department so that’s my goal I have 5 nieces that are going to give me a make over lol and take me shopping ( will end up looking like a clown knowing that lot) but I don’t care So that’s my goal so I’m going to post my journey on here so I hope you don’t mind reading utter dribble you can tell me to do one. but I won’t do it every day 😀
Good luck and I hope we all reach our goals
Coady

Hi all – hope you’re all surviving post Bake Off temptation. We’ve only recently moved house, and NONE of the TV aerials work, so I shall be grateful for one less temptation.

Having said that, my two girls made a chocolate cake last night (to take into school today, thank god) …and I found myself having to submerge every last cooking utensil into soapy water as soon as possible to stop me licking, tasting or just throwing myself into the bowl naked …

DAY 5 for me today. I need more FIBRE, so had an omelette with mushrooms, with a side of broccoli and asparagus for breakfast. Off to make broccoli soup for lunch (not sure why I’m torturing myself with my least favourite vegetable).

Dinner tonight … either a steak hache (like a burger, from M&S yesterday) with lots of veggies, or a marinaded chicken breast …

EXERCISE – decided to see how long it would take me to do 10,000 steps … an hour and forty minutes of walking. Tiring all in one go, and maybe a weeny bit too time consuming for me. Anyone got any other thoughts?

Good luck today everyone (me included)!

Hello again. Good news on the first mini- weigh in – 2lb down after three days. Enough to keep me going anyway.

Fish and Mediterranean vegetables, from the new recipe book, tonight.

Not hungry. Rather thirsty, and I’m not doing enough to keep up with that.

Also, rather tired. I feel exhausted reading about 10,000 steps! Well done. Maybe tomorrow …
Good luck all x

Hi all
Well it’s day 5 and just walked into town to get weighed and OMG I have lost a stone yes 1 stone ,14 pounds or 6.35 kl I Cannot believe it I know you lose a lot in your first week and a lot of it is fluid but I don’t care I have lost a stone and I am going to treat myself to a banana lol 😀Hope everyone else is doing good

Well done Coady, that is some loss. I noticed you walked into town, that is another plus. Keep it up and go easy on the bananas.

Thanks sunshine only having one banana as a treat if I do good next week it’s an orange sounds sad but I mean to stick to this and I have my Fitbit to help 🏃😀

Hello all,
Frog thanks for webpage on low carbs. It was a real help. Depressing regarding fruit but it’s gotta be avoided.
Coady, wow, amazing a stone!!! I’m day 4 now and the only thing I’m lossing is my sanity! Actually I’m only going to weigh myself weekly so got a few days to go.
My headache has finally gone as I had to take some paracetamol for it eventually.I also had a terrible hypo at 1.30am two nights ago. I’ve never had one at night before. Ate a peach and nectarine to recover. I’ve brought my insulin down from 50units a night to 20units. No excessive highs or lows since. I did go to the GP and asked for a blood test to check that I didn’t have slow onset type 1! He stared at me like I was insane and said he had never heard of it!!! I told him to speak to someone who had and get back to me. I’ve been called back on Monday. Let’s see what happens?
I have the recipes in the 8 week book theangelwithin, do you suggest another recipe book?
Wishing you all a good and healthy weekend!
Candi

Wow Coady – good on you. Lovely to hear.

Although I managed to stick to low carbs yesterday, my nibbling of antipasti type meats and veg, plus a wrong-reading of the calories brought me in at nearly 1400 kcal’s.

Nibbling. That appears to be my speciality … those little snibbles that suck me in, by their littleness.

Practiced harder today – still had some nibbles: artichokes in oil; 2 teaspoons peanut butter; mixed nuts (not roasted). So, healthy nibbles, but ended up missing out on breakfast (which I strangely didn’t mind, so maybe that’s an option for me).

Tonight will be a test. Off round to one of my favourite foodie friends house … and I’m one of her best foodie friends (we are the only chubsters in our whole social group), and I’m going to not join in with the foodie thing. OMG. I actually feel a mixture of ‘not fun’ and as though I’m letting her down (even though I know that I’m doing a great thing for me).

Or with the wine (good excuse though, as I’m driving).

Saturday – Day 7 of BSD Fast 800. Really, really struggled today. Have gone over on kcal’s, but stayed low on carbs. Eaten loads of veg though too. I feel as though I’ve done the best I can today, but am missing ‘eating as a hobby’ … I hadn’t realised how attached to cooking, nibbling, having a lovely glass of wine or a beer I am both in terms of sheer pleasure, but also as an activity.

Didn’t get a good night’s sleep last night – which always makes me hungrier. So maybe a combination of the two.

Managed not to eat the homemade cornflake crisps my youngest daughter made, or eat even a lick of the spoon of Hagen Das … so am not beating myself up. Just went over with Roast Pork Belly …

Today is a blip, and I shall hope to get back on track tomorrow. Fingers crossed. If not, my wiggle room is that I can perhaps swap over to the having a couple of days of more regular calories, and do 3/4/5 Fast800 days. We’ll see.