Just started today, after reading article in the paper and downloading the book. I have got on the scales for the first time today in months and cried. It’s given me even more motivation. Has anyone here been EXTREMELY over weight and found this has helped?

Hi Bells,

Welcome, there are lots of people here at a range of weights, those with more to lose tend to extend the 8 weeks, others ease across to the 5:2 version for a slower ride.

put captainlynne into the search – she was in the article and lost a lot, very encouraging and inspiring poster.

Biggest journeys all start with the same single step…. and all that stuff – the decision is a step, I planned a week before I started, it allowed me to de-carb the house, plan meals and shop for the right kind of foods. It can be so demoralising finding you don’t have the diet plan foods in the house and the pizza in the freezer is calling you…. Once you have a week under your belt and some confidence in the plan it then is easier to resist.

When I started I had an extremely daunting 9 stone 4 pounds target to lose to reach what I had decided was my healthy weight, six stone of that has now gone. I am in Size 14 clothes again after decades in larger sizes. It hasn’t all been plain sailing, after initially losing 3 stone last year I went straight back to my old habits at the end of the year and put on a stone in three months. The difference this year has been discovering the existence of the carb monster and realising just how much the cravings and unconscious habits it feeds drove me to put on weight. I have lost four stone this year so far and will be tackling my first Fast 800 8 week program from next week. It won’t be too much of a step up as I am already doing 5 days a week at 800 calories. Some people had more weight to lose than me, but I can’t think of very many people of any starting weight it hasn’t helped. As Avila said, this journey starts with the first step, which in this case is simply deciding to do it.

Hi Bells

I’ve lost more weight since I was interviewed for the article. Now I’ve lost 6st 12lb, taking me 5 pounds under my original target at the top of my healthy BMI. I’ve now got the 100 pound figure in my sights!

This is all really good to hear 🙂 Iv set a goal of 8stone in my head but realistically I need to loose 13! My husband and I have decided to have a baby but after getting on the scales today it needs to wait until Iv lost at least 8 stone. I don’t want to but myself or a baby in any danger! I have never been so motivated so fingers crossed I can stick to it for the 8 weeks! I then plan to introduce the 5:2 once this 8 weeks is complete.

Welcome to the posts Bells! You’ve come to the right place — no matter how much you need to lose. This way of eating is going to change your entire mindset about food but it is going to take a bit of time. My best recommendation is to not overthink it in the beginning — don’t evaluate it, just follow the guidelines. We are very quick to analyze things but I found just keeping on doing the plan, without too much critical judgment is what works best. So put those thoughts about how much you need to lose in a little space in the back of your mind and just focus on today and how to eat right for this day, this week. Over time, the way you look at food is going to change, for the better and for permanent. Keep trying to stick with the recommended calories (but consider any day a success even if you were a bit high), stay as low carb as possible (it gets easier with practice), add some salt to your food (helps with “carb-flu”) and most of all, never quit. It is the day to day, just keeping on, that finally does the trick. You are going to amaze yourself. I will look forward to your posts!

Hi Bells

It may seem daunting at first but it does get easier. Read the book and then prepare yourself and start!

Keep reading the forum posts there are so many inspiring stories and when you feel low just get on here and post there is always somebody to listen and help.

You’ve taken the first step to your new life . Good luck on your journey.

Bells – may I suggest that instead of focusing entirely on your final goal, you set yourself mini goals along the way.

Also, many of us on here who have had more weight to lose have stayed on the 800 calorie BSD for longer than the original 8 weeks. I stayed on it for 38 weeks to reach my target.

I look forward to reading about your progress.

Hi Bells,
I read todays article in the paper & thought ‘ I have got to do this’ !!
I have the book on my kindle but never read it !!
I have spent all afternoon reading it & am so inspired by the stories.
I have about 7 stone to lose, but I am not brave enough to get on the scales.
I have tried all the diets over the years & have got fatter !! this one will work.
I am not diabetic as far as I know , but have a strong family history of Type 2, so want to stop it happening to me.
I like cooking so am hoping to be inspired to cook a different way.
Sadly I am a carb fan. So thats going to be tough.
Good luck to us both & looking forward to hearing your progress

Hi annie2 and welcome.

Many of us have said the same as you, but have proved that it works.

Keep reading the posts – there’s lots of support and advice on here. Because of different time zones there usually someone awake and posting.

Let us know how you get on.

Hi Annie2 same here re carbs! Love my pasta and potatoes, Iv also done lots of diets with no luck, I’m also not diabetic but most likely heading that way! We can do this 🙂 X

Hi again

Before I started the BSD last December I lived on carbs. If I could put it between two slices of bread I was happy. Plus the pasta etc.

I think most if not all of the people on here could say something similar.

But it does get easier once you cut out the carbs. The cravings do go. And you start to feel so much better.

Please don’t worry. Just go a day at a time. And keep looking on here.

Check out the thread ‘101 ways with cauliflower’ . Cauliflower and courgetti spaghetti will become your new ‘best friends’.

Annie 2 get on those scales!!! More importantly measure ….. waist especially. Sometimes if you hit a plateau the scales don’t move bug your waist gets smaller.

Good luck.

I love carbs, but keep mostly to small doses these days and have upped the quality over what I used to eat. Remember to eat mindfully when you do indulge and you will find you are really satisfied with far smaller quantities. However that is for the future when the monster is tamed, at least for the 8 weeks most people find it easier to just give them up totally, and in most cases don’t try to find alternatives past the ubiquitous cauliflower rice/couscous or courgetti etc. For real chocoholics, find a dark chocolate bar and try just a couple of squares when you want a treat (Counted within the calories of course). It doesn’t seem to provoke the same impulse to just finish the whole bar that the sweeter ones do.