Right everyone , we have a few people struggling right now so we need to motivate the troops !

Noone is perfect , we can all have a ‘moment’ but what counts is how we deal with it . In my book there are no errors, just experiences and we can all learn from those.
I would also say focus on successes not failures , do not linger on the carb binges, move on and limit the self sabotage . It’s ok .
Lauren are you listening ?? 😉

Our thread is a lovely friendly, supportive place where noone judges or criticises . It’s safe so there is no need to worry !

Lockdown is easing in the Uk, lots of positives there . Enjoy meeting up with a few friends or family outdoors. Make the most of the beautiful Spring weather and smile !

So we don’t dwell on any negatives, on we go for another week !!

Here is the updated list

I just want to thank Denise/ Sunshinegirl for lots of really supportive and helpful input . Thanks for responding to everyone so promptly and keeping everyone going throughout the week !

wendleg, Sunny B, sunshine girl
JGwen
sixturkeys
Starina
Verano
ADD6605 ( Dawn)
Riccoh
Russianroulade
Tulip1 ( Clare)
Mifoz
MerryMelba
Maryanne Carlos-Mascarenhas
WindyJulz
articfox
Olive1
lauraknits
Marsie (Marilyn)
EllieAllegra
EC:Erin
Hello66
Jordana
Alipetunia/Alison
RubyG and hubby
Ditchedthemet
Dizzychicken
SlinkyTinks
LonelyAdipose
Emzijw
Barefoot girl
Life Diet
allicat1A ( Allie, formerly alliecat !)
RedRooster
nhatha3432
sprox
skittle
Daisybean
workingfromthe fridge
Bombalone
PSL68
ScottM
florobo85/Lauren
Tamara1
MillieMoo/Claire
SummerTwinkles/ Summer
Sheila Canning
JustKeepFasting
Bryla
kiltgirl
Deb2003
Donnadoobie
HappiR
WilLuck
PaulaZ
Faithlyn67
Onetowatch
nicnocgee
Smead01 ( Samantha)
Goforgoal
Britta
Mokovex
DebOflo
Riverrock
HopefulinOz

Hi everyone, dont forget there is always someone here for you no matter where you are in your journey. Stay with us even if you are ‘sitting it out’. You never know, we might just reel you back in.

With freedom on the horizon now is a good time to rethink those plans whether they are diet related, what to wear, who you are going to see first or who can get to the pub first to order a pint of water. Just like a diet these things cant be rushed, remember to stay safe. Unfortunately, France is not yet in a position to open up with ever rising numbers of cases. We are getting our jabs but many arent. We will just have to wait a bit longer.

Have a good week everyone and stay safe.

My week was also one of Time Restricted Eating ( TRE) with an experiment in alternate day fasting . It felt fine but I had to abandon the schedule on Friday as I was offered a very unexpected slot for the AZ vaccine after a cancellation. As you know , France has not been very efficient with the vaccine rollout ( to say the least) so I was just lucky as I am not in the vulnerable or over 70 age group.

I did feel a bit wonky and foggy the following day and with achy legs but paracetemol sorted me out . We even get a badge in France saying

“Je suis vacciné contre la Covid, et vous ?”

Denise is like me though , we dare not wear our badges in public as we don’t want to be seen to be gloating . The French are slowly becoming less reticent ….

I know numbers on the scales are so important for lots of you and that is fine. I am still using my jeans as a target . Weight discard is slow for me now , I accept that so I don’t want to get distracted by the ‘wrong’ number . I did weigh weekly in the early days for sure .

About the Gary Taubes book . Yes he is very thorough in his research and the information can be difficult to digest . I personally found Jason Fung’s books ‘spoke ‘ to me more as did books by Zoe Harcombe ‘ Why do you overeat …. ? and The Diet Fix

I found Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore very clear and concise too .

On we go folks !!!

A great post to open up the new weekly thread, Wendy. You are right that many of us need to review and get back to basics. I’m giving myself another week on maintenance, before doing just that as I’ll be looking to rid myself of the last few stubborn pounds to get me back to target.

This week I’ll be reading all the posts and keeping up with everyone’s progress, but probably not posting very frequently. Determined to be back on it next week though. Meanwhile, have a good week folks

RubyG and hubby clocking-in for the next week 🙂

Lauren and SG – I sometimes take a VitC supplement (1000mg fizzy ones) and find 2 x dispersible aspirin in with one of those doesn’t affect me, but dispersible aspirin on its own always makes me cough!

I am also wading through Why We Get Fat………. and finding it hard work. I have 2 books on the go, this is my downstairs book to be read while hubby is watching something on telly I’m not that interested in, but I find myself falling asleep within a page or 2. Like SG I will persevere, because I’m stubborn!

Also, Lauren, your help and advice in the last few days has been great, please don’t beat yourself up.

I’m also checking in for another week. Last week was a bit of a write-off to be honest, seems a bit harder to get into the zone with it this time, but logging in for another week is a good step. Onwards and upwards!

Hi Sunshine-girl,

I would suggest dropping the artificial sweetner. – As you say, the fundamental issue is keeping insulin low. – Because the difference between normal, and high blood sugar levels is so small. our body releases insulin if we have anything which tastes sweet even if it doesn’t actually have sugar in it. So artificial sweeteners cause a release of insulin even though they have 0 carbs.

Hi all. Lovely to join you all 🙂 I have been reading lots of different posts on the forum for the past few weeks, and am only 3 weeks (today) into the Fast 800. So far 4.2kg down, with the aim of another 8.8kg to get in the middle of a healthy BMI range. After 3 years of paleo without losing even a kg, and too many other diets to speak of with pretty much no success, this one seems to actually be working. I am tracking everything, trying to keep carbs as close to 20g as possible, and unfortunately have a terrible coffee habit which is using up about 8g of those carbs a day. The wonderful Lauren has provided me with lots of suggestions regarding cream and milk alternatives which I am going to look at today. I am missing broccoli and cherry tomatoes (which are surprisingly high in carbs), but substituting with lots of spinach and rocket. I hope you all have a lovely day 🙂

I’m in.
I’ve been putting off the full re-commitment, and really its only excuses. So thats enough. Its Tuesday, new thread day, and its almost april so i will get a 2 day head start on the month! The clocks have changed, the daffodils are out, i cant feel demotivated due to the dark etc, i have extra hour in the evening and I will get back into my stride!
i had a good but way-over-calorie day yesterday on the premise of ‘recovering from running a half marathon distance on Sunday’. Im pretty sure it wasnt necessary but that excuse is now gone too! The goal will be 4 weeks back on plan with 800 calories with the aim of being a little bit lighter to run another long one at the end of April!
I’m so ready to see a bit of a shift on the weight front, I miss feeling a bit more ’empty’ and im fed up of making excuses and knowing it! One week at a time is for sure the way to go, wee steps, day by day. I also need to commit to getting back tot he meditation!
Today i’m going to fast most of the day, just as a re-set really and to remind myself i can cope fine if im a little bit hungry. I find this a really useful tool. Wendy i did try a bit of alternate day fasting but after the second week i felt pretty awful running so i packed it in, and have struggled to find some mo-jo since. I need to be less extreme i think, but one long fast a week is, as i recall, very doable and very rewarding on many levels!

Britta – i feel you with the struggling to really get back into it….. not sure how to help each other other than dig deep, grit our teeth and get through a couple of weeks which will remind us how and why!

Welcome Hopefulinoz, you are doing great! I have a coffee habit too and as much as i love my milky or creamy coffees i have converted to black with a twist of salt. It was suggested to me this time last year and i thought there was NO WAY i could do it. I remember pouring my first black cup and staring at it for ages before drinking it…..only to be surprised it was quite nice! I now try and drink only black coffee in the morning. Then have a cup with milk after lunch as a ‘pudding’. And if i drink it in the afternoon it is decaf – cant believe how much ive changed! haha! I do have coffee with milk for breakfast at the weekends, especially if im running before I eat….. i figure thats ok. 🙂

Right – i need to promise to come on here at the end of the day and confirm the following:
– no food cheats
– meditation complete
– enough water consumed
– exercise complete
– and how i feel about it all!

Julz

So today was Tuesday weigh-in, and again a small gain since Friday, but still down week-on-week from last Tuesday, and on plan to be down again week-on-week for Friday.
This is doing a reverse 5:2, 5 days of close to 800cals and low carbs, and higher cals over the weekend (which is sometimes Friday to Sunday so 3 days higher cals).
We had chicken kiev on Friday night, made with some freshly picked wild garlic, which was lovely. Saturday night we had the Reblochon which had been stinking out my fridge for a week or more, with some salad and crispy bacon bits – I think the cheese alone was our 800cals each! It was good, though, and not too much damage done on the scales.
I spent most of Sunday sorting out clothes, reviewing the camping gear (yes, we will get to do some camping this year, I hope) and realising that while I once again fit into my couple of pairs of shorts, hubby has one pair that fit and many pairs that fall straight off, so more shopping required!
I am going to take this week one day at a time, and plan for the 4-day Easter weekend.
I am trying to do some gardening each evening after work, some fresh air and sunshine on my skin, and not being near the kitchen cupboards.
We can do this!

Hi everyone, beautiful day here and will be going for a walk shortly.

Just having my after lunch coffee which I normally have with stevia. As I am pumping myself with insulin daily I am not really bothered about the insulin response but the TRE has made me think about it more in terms of it increasing BG. I dont have artificial sweeteners because they are usually made with chemicals so I only use a natural product which I make myself. I have a stevia plant in a pot most of the year and just one small leaf in some hot water for a few mins can sweeten 20 coffees. In winter I have dry the leaves which I also brew. Anyway, yes it is still sweet and it will cause a response so I will cut it out. Lets see if it helps reduce blood glucose response in the mornings as I cant measure my insulin. So to reduce the amount of insulin I am using I have to stop causing sweet spikes and BG rises and insulin response. I wish it was that easy but anything that helps is worth a try.

Walk time. No jacket, no jumper, just a T shirt. Better make the most of it as we are forecast for rain for most of next week.

This is going to be boring so unless you have an interest in diabetes / insulin resistence etc then skip this post.

I have a question for those in the know. I have been diabetic for 16 years now and apparently my pancreas has completely given up producing insulin. This is why I have to inject it. So – how can my having something sweet create an insulin response. I have read so many articles, medical journals etc and dont really understand. Diabetes is when the body cannot efficiently produce insulin to deal with glucose in the blood and eventually it stops producing insulin at all. This is called insulin resistence. The danger from diabetes is a build up of glucose in the cells with no way of it being dispersed. Hence, insulin injections. If that is true then my having something sweet will not create an insulin response but will store the glucose where it can cause damage. If it was not true glucose as in a sweetener then what is the response and is it still treated as glucose and stored in the cells. If I can get my pancreas to work again through some form of diet then it will start to produce its own insulin. Job done. Surely that is what I want then I wont have to artifically provide the insulin. So this talk of insulin resistence and insulin response really doesnt apply to me as I dont have any. Sorry to bang on but I really dont understand.

Sunshinegirl I’m no expert but I seem to remember reading in Jason Fung’s diabetes code that insulin dependent diabetics can start to produce insulin again once they drain their pancreas of fat, maybe not enough to be completely sufficient but maybe you’ve started producing a small amount again as you’ve drained your pancreas of fat? Personally though I’m not sure stevia, grown by yourself, is going to do anymore damage in terms of insulin than say a tomato if you’re only using tiny amounts as you are but as I said I’m not an expert

L x

Hi all,
I’ve been really tired yesterday and today, felt dead at work and Egyptian mummy after, haven’t recovered from clocks forward at all yet:(
Thanks for all the messages and good advice, will try to read the thread again when my head is in full order to comprehend. Welcome HopefulinOz! Well done for the good work so far.
I haven’t been able to stick to my calories despite good intentions, I blame the lack of sleep. I was doing fine until Monday – never felt so energetic in my life! (Probably because my diet before was so junky, and then made a radical change and started eating up to 500g-800g a day of non-starchy veg, full of phyto- and micronutrients!) The book seems to be right again / effects of sleep deprivation! I haven’t turned to carbs, but to fats instead -OMG, I’ve emptied the 100% peanut butter jar. Not sure if I’ll lose anything this week -hoping rest of the week goes better. I think I’ll go to bed now!

Just read on a medical site that stevia does not affect glycemic or insulin responses. Still wont have the stevia and see if I can reduce glucose levels further. This is also true of aspartamine although some others do spike insulin like Splenda, Sweet N Low etc.

Although just reading the Harvard Medical School journal it says this is a question that has been asked by scientists for years and they still dont have an answer. Their response is that it can create cravings for sweet things and that causes people to overeat sweet things. Conclusion is that until they have a firm answer it would be good to treat like sugar and keep it to a minimum.

I guess we are just as knowledgeable as they are 🙂

Haha yes, I love it when one of my students asks “how does this drug work” or “how does this organ work” and my answer is just weeeeelllllll the thing is we don’t really know, but it does.

Thanks all for your support yesterday, I’m trying to get back on track one meal at a time but already got carb withdrawal – punishment I guess!

Goforgoal, you’ve got this!! Well done for sticking with the fats going over your calories, I did not manage the same over the weekend!

HopefulinOz you’ve had an amazing first few weeks, well done you!

Lauren x

Hey all, glad to se you all this week. Hope it’s a successful one for us all.

SG, that is a great question re insulin response. You have sent me down the rabbit hole thing about this as I also understand your confusion and I’m trying to make sense of it! I’m no expert, and I’m basing this purely on what I’ve read/ found online.
From my understanding:
Glucose is utilised by the body to move blood into our muscle, fat, and liver, where it’s used for energy. When the glucose level in our body is too high, our pancreas releases insulin to reduce the glucose to a safe level. When we are fasting, the liver releases stored glucose (or converts to burning fat where there is no glucose) for energy.

one article from Healthline suggests
“When it comes to sucralose, a small study found that sucralose elevated blood sugar levels by 14% and insulin levels by 20% in 17 people with severe obesity who didn’t regularly consume artificial sweeteners. These results indicate that sucralose may elevate blood sugar levels in new users but have little effect on regular consumers.
For individuals with diabetes who do not produce insulin or do not respond to the hormone properly, a spike in blood sugar levels could cause serious health problems.”
Sadly it didn’t go into more detail that that. My speculation (and it’s purely that) is that it may trigger the liver to release glucose because theres no actual glucose in the sweetner and still makes the body try to produce insulin. I don’t know how that works when you can’t produce it but maybe it’s the attempted release of the Insulin response that breaks a fast?

Apologies SG, I see I toook so long to write that reply, you’d already sent a second message! I blame work 🙂

A question for you good folks!
I have a feeling I may be self sabotaging and I’m looking for advice on that.
Some boring background: I was diganosed with T2 Diabetes on 13th January, bought the Blood Sugar Diet book and started on the Blood Sugar Diet on January 16th this year. I combined the BSD with TRE of 16:8 (so many accronyms) and lost a lot of weight over the 8 weeks (38lbs). However, I would still like to lose the same weight again to get to a healthy BMI and also attempt to reverse my type 2 diabetes. I decided to keep going with 800 calories a day for another 4 weeks to try and keep going with the weight loss. Sadly, I’m now 10 days without any change in weight and I’m halfway through week 11 (I think! – lockdown makes it all blend together). Anyway, I was recently gifted the Fast 800 recipe book and whilst reading that, I noticed a section about ensuring you have a long enough fast between meals.
I generally eat my breakfast at 12 noon and take some tea and milk with breakfast. My evening meal is about 6-6:30pm, followed again by a cup of tea with milk with an aim to start fasting at 7-7:30pm. Lunch is a bit of a hit or miss for me. I always plan to have it, but sometimes I’m not hungry until 4pm and it seems pointless to eat that late when I’ll be having dinner in 2 hours. What I have started to do though to ensure I don’t eat through boredom is have a cup of tea (again with milk – try as I might, i cannot stand black tea) in the afternoon about 2pm and again at 4pm. I was under the impression that as I fast for 16 hours a day, the duration between my meals (or tea) wouldn’t have an impact but from reading the F800 book, I wonder if I am mistaken here.
Should I be cutting down/out on the tea? It is possible I am becoming slightly obsessed with my weight journey and very frustrated with the lack of change in the last week and a half so I may be overthinking this, but I thought some knowledgeable outside perspective would help!

Hi again Scott, I dont know if you realise just how well you are doing. You have lost a lot of weight, your BG measurements are a lot better than when you started and you are bound to have other health improvements.

First of all, as you are newly diagnosed and not on any meds (I assume as you dont say you are) you are in such a good place to completely reverse your diabetes. Although, remember what got you to that diagnosis can always return if you slide into old habits. Im sure you wont. I am so looking forward to your post BSD diet blood works as I am sure you and your doctor are going to be amazed.

Secondly, you are in week 11 ish and not seeing any loss. You are well overdue for a small plateau and must have been very lucky or trying very hard not to have had this happen before. I suspect it is not luck but your determination. It will pass but you mustnt let things slide. Stick with it and you will get the whoosh effect. Ask JGwen but I think it is something to do with the fat cells being emptied of fat are now holding onto water and one day soon they will just let go and whoosh, the weight goes with it. Just keep doing what you have been or you could reduce calories a bit but 800 is pretty low anyway. You could cut carbs down to 20g but I dont know what you are on right now. I personally cannot go much lower than around 30g.

Stick with it. Dont give in and neither starve yourself or deprive yourself of those strawberries. It will happen. You might want to re-assess things after 12 weeks as that is the maximum we are supposed to do the diet. However, there are lots of us who have been on it for years although not on a continuous basis. Odd breaks for holidays etc.

ScottM I agree with sunshinegirl probably the first thing to look at is reducing your carbs – cutting the milky tea might help there, but I don’t think the “fasting” aspect of cutting the tea between meals will make much of a difference weight wise but of course there may be other benefits! Can you try flavoured tea? Are there any you like? I don’t like fruit teas but the herbal ones are nice – Pukka have some lovely flavours which are strong so it’s not insipid, my particular favourite at the moment is vanilla chai – it’s sweet with no sugar, and lots of cinnamon and I think turmeric or ginger so it’s a bit spicy too, it’s really nice and you can sip it slowly so it helps keep you full. Have you been measuring yourself as well as you might well be losing visceral fat but not weight, if you’re exercising remember 1lb muscle takes less space than 1lb fat so although it weighs the same, your measurements might change because the muscle takes up less space.

Guys I really need some help getting my head back in and this is rambling and boring so please feel free to ignore if you want!

I’ve planned all my meals the next week and it’s varied etc. all under cal and carb count, etc. But the trouble is, I’m just not really enjoying eating at the moment, yes I had a bit of a carb binge over the weekend, which has made me more hungry, and I’ll get past that, but tonight for example – I planned in a stir fry with chicken, pak Choi, mange tout, broccoli, spring onion, green beans, soy, garlic, chilli and ginger, sounds nice right? Normally I’d agree, but while cooking it I just came over feeling really sick and ended up not eating it but having something bland instead. This has happened a lot recently. It also makes me sad because I’ve always been someone who likes their food and at the moment it’s literally the only thing I’ve got to look forward to with all the covid restrictions and I’m not enjoying it. As well, and I know this is the cardinal sin of this site to admit this, but I DO feel like I’m missing out when I serve my partner some pasta or rice or lovely bread, i know I should enjoy all the things I can have and I know I shouldn’t want the stodge, but maybe I’m broken or something because I do. Maybe that goes in time?? Like a lot longer?? My name is Lauren and I love stodge 😂

I’ve still got a lot to lose, and the thing is I know this works, it has been working – I’m not feeling “healthier” but as I’ve said before I had a pretty nutritious diet before hand so not expecting miracles, but I have been losing weight – with some plateaus but that’s fine and to be expected, and I know I can do it if I’m in the right space but I just don’t feel very motivated at the moment. I think I was mentally gearing up for wedding and dress and stuff and now that’s not happening till next year I don’t know I feel like I’ve lost my momentum. I’m really really trying to get back in the game but I’m just struggling!

Any advice much appreciated!

Lauren x

Hi Sunshine-girl,

As I understand it Insulin Resistance is a staged issue. If we eat a normal diet, we occasionally store sugar in our cells and at other times drain that sugar supply and instead use our fat stores for fuel.

If we have a high carb diet and don’t have periods when our body has the opportunity to use some of that sugar to keep the storage levels normal then we end up with all our cells full of as much sugar as they want to take.

At that point the cells do not want to accept any more sugar and the body has to have higher insulin levels to force the cells to accept any more sugar. This is known as Insulin resistance.

Over time the amount of time insulin levels are raised and how high they are raised after each meal increases and increases until it gets to the point where the body just can not produce enough insulin to force the cells to accept sugar. At which point the blood sugar levels start to rise and someone is diagnosed as T2.

————————————-

As I understand it. By reducing the carbs and the insulin levels the sugar levels in the cells will drop, and over time the cells will no longer be resistant to insulin so your body will not need as high a level of insulin to in response to sugar.

———————————

The fine detail that I am not sure of is the reduction in the levels of medication taken by someone with T2. – I know that Dr Fungs team do offer online support and coaching on their monthly subscription program. I would also guess that of his books on fasting, the one on diabetes will address this point. If you prefer Dr Bikmans work, he does now work with a team who do offer a subscription service for advice.

I have found this article which addresses what research exists and includes a table of recommendations on adjusting medication.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6521152/

Hi Lauren, it is very late here but I have been thinking of you. There are a couple of things you mention that ring true with me and I know with other dieters. Having been on this site for 5 years now (yes I am a determined little bu**er) I recognise some of the worries you have. I will come back on tomorrow and have a chat about things. Try to get a good nights sleep and see how things are tomorrow.

Hi Scott,

Those who have been around on the forum for a while will have heard me make the same points more than once. –
Measuring progress by the scales is not a good move. our weight fluctuates for a number of reasons. We are recommended to drink a couple of litres of water a day, each litre weighs 1kg. So depending on where you are in your water in/out cycle your weight can fluctuate by upto 4.4lbs.
Your weigh includes the contents of your digestive system. – 800 calories of celery weighs more than 800 calories of cheese.
High insulin levels do not just impact on your bodies ability to access fat stores, it also prevents your body from repairing itself. As soon as your body has periods of lower insulin it will start to build stronger bones and build muscle in response to exercise. Both of which are positive for long term health but does increase weight. So you may have lost inches but stayed at the same weight.

Its not considered that weight loss has plateaued until there is no change in shape or weight for 3 weeks.

Apparently a few years ago a scientist was asked at a conference why people eating low carb go through a cycle of no weight loss, then a whoosh of releasing fluid with an associated inch loss. – He came up with a theory that as a little bit of fat is taken from a batch of cells at a time, the body is topping up those cells with water and when all the fat is used the water is released and the cells collapse. – He has since researched this topic and realise that theory was false, but by then lots of people at the conference had gone on to publish articles online on the assumption that the theory was correct. They still do not know why weight loss goes in that pattern and the story of fat cells filling with water still circulates.

Hi Lauren,
My thoughts go out to you. I know I am new here and to this way of eating, but I can definitely empathise. At the moment I am the only one in our family of four eating this way. Usually I am cooking my kids their dinner first (trying to break the habit of nibbling or licking my fingers/spoon) as I serve up. I then make my meal. But I have drawn the line at my husbands, and he is currently cooking his own as he prefers something different to the kids but definitely not low-carb or portion controlled! This has made it easier for me, and fortunately he is supportive of me doing this if thats what I want to do.

I think what really ‘switched the switch’ for me, was realising that I am doing this for me, not for anyone else. When I eat this way, I am nourishing my body, because I am worth it, and I know that a body that is nourished and healthy (and not overweight and suffering from health problems) allows me to live my best life, and is likely to decrease any anxiety I might have (unfortunately something I deal with from time to time). When I remember this, rather than feeling like I have to do without, I can actually remember that in a way I’m not…I am actually placing myself and my health and my happiness as a firm priority. You also deserve that in your life. I think getting into it is always the most difficult part – fighting off the carb monster, going through the keto flu, waiting for your appetite to finally come back etc. But you have done this before, so I bet you remember that once you get properly into it, you are clear headed, feeling really positive about yourself. You are doing this for yourself, nobody else, and making your health and how you feel a priority xx

Hi Lauren,

I know what you mean about reaching a point where you loose interest in eating. – I wonder if this is a sign that we are getting our hormone systems under control and are reversing Insulin Resistance.

Let me explain. When we are Insulin Resistant we have a higher than normal background level of insulin and the spike of insulin from eating a meal is higher and lasts longer than the response would be to the same meal for someone who is not insulin resistant. When insulin levels are raised our bodies can not access fat stores, and shortly after eating we need to eat again to provide our bodies with energy. Also the gut bacteria which digest sugar have the ability to signal to our brain that they want feeding.

As IR is reversed, and our bodies become fat adapted we become more metabolically flexible, our bodies can switch between using fat for fuel or carbs more seamlessly so our body no longer needs to panic and drive us to eat multiple meals each day. At the same time as we keep carbs low the ratio of sugar digesting gut bacteria will change so the its easier to not listen to them trying to drive us to feed them.

i used to listen to people talking about Alternative Day Fasting and wonder how they do it, no matter how much I wanted to I couldn’t control the craving to eat each day. I am sure if you go back far enough on the forum you will find regular posts I wrote wishing I could get over the habit I had of link finishing work for the day with a root through the fridge for something to eat. – In the last few months thats changed, and even after a day when I indulged in a piece of cake (well it was home made, in front of me, by someone who wanted to do something to then share.) I don’t crave eating and have had a fasting day today.

I wonder if just as we talk about having lost awareness of what it feels like to be physically hungry rather than emotionally hungry.. So we need to learn the difference between desiring to cook particular meals because our bodies have a nutritional need for that dish rather than selecting a meal due to the cravings driven by gut bacteria and unbalanced hormones.

I have been pondering of late if its possible for our bodies to work out that we have fat levels which are not healthy and our bodies would then decide that they want to fast to heal that so we don’t feel the need to eat.

Hi Sunshine-girl,

I have just seen a post on the facebook page for Dr Fungs group asking for advice about fasting and being on an insulin pump. The recommendation is to take advantage of the 1 week free trial of the support group which includes people with long term experience of supporting people moving from T2 on medication to fasting to reverse IR.

You may as well try the free week to see what they would recommend in your case.

Hi HopefulinOz,

You have reminded me of the answer I have been using a lot lately, I prefer right now to finish digesting a meal I have previously eaten. rather than eat another meal. –

Dear all. You Are so inspiring, kind to eachother and supporting. Good to read. I have been away for months(and wasnt very active om the forum before that). But I have been really active almost every day. Long long walks. Have eaten quite well, but last weeks/month I have eaten more, and more carbs than planned. Chocolate. Snacks. So disappointed. Feel bloated. Weight increasing. So i Will Follow the low kcal BSD for 8 weeks to get back on good eating habits and to Feel better. Thanks for the thread.

hello BSD family
Once again, I have been rather MIA….I have been sporadically doing a big read of posts and composing replies in my head-just not committing to text!!
Harking back to a few from the past few weeks
M. Melba-oh, YES to Grace tame for PM-hard to believe that that such a wise head is on such an amazing young woman!! (and she just gets better…standing up to our useless current PM)

There was a thread on nuts I think last week…After years of burning them on a skillet or in the oven, I now “toast” mine for a minute and a half in a bowl in the microwave-works beautifully!

So….my own health journey has been pretty bumpy….the lesion on my pelvis after XRay, PET scan and most recently a biopsy (still waiting for the FINAL results on that) is, after several possible diagnoses looking as if it’s a sarcoma (a relatively rare cancer) Fortunately, it still looks as if it’s a solitary tumour, but I’m still likely looking at chemo and definitely surgery
On the good side, I have the BEST team and also being referred to experts in Melbourne and my partner (go figure!) works in complementary cancer support, so now that I’m on good pain meds feeling positive (now that I know it’s not worse news) -just want to be on the other side of all the treatment

BSD wise, I’ve actually been grateful that I haven’t lost weight suddenly lately 😉 and while I haven’t been super diligent, I’m not over-eating and definitely off alcohol, so no increases

Well done to all in the UK with your vaccine rollout!! Ours is painfully slow here, and there’s been an outbreak in Brisbane via Papua New Guinea and other returned travellers, so while most of us have had a relatively easy run with COVID her in Aus, noone is out of the woods

Anyhow, we are packing for our weekend camping trip with most of the family this Easter weekend (12 of us in total) so I’ll be hanging out with the Cape Barren geese and the wombats!
Have a great long weekend all of those who have time off, and thanks to those who are working through it!

Just wanted to say how amazing you all are . Reading through the posts this week you are all brilliant . I am not a scientist and I need things to be explained to me in very simple terms before I really get the message about insulin resistance etc so I am glad JGwen came in to explain some of the research. Thank you Jillie .

In terms of regaining motivation , what Hopefulin Oz said resonated with me . ABSOLUTELY agree with eveything in your message . Remember it is about making yourself and your health a priority and that means putting nutritious food in your body which is that … nutrition, not carbage .

Lauren I know you are so disappointed and frustrated about your postponed wedding plans which means a shift in focus generally but I am pretty sure you are looking at long term changes and you have deep understanding of physiology and low carb eating . I honestly , really and truly believe that the urge for stodge will ease . When you say ‘stodge’ do you mean foods that make you feel full , satiated in a way that low carb choices don’t ? It’s not a cardinal sin to say you feel deprived when seeing Craig eating pasta, bread etc ( Julz had a moment like this as if she was grieving for certain foods in the supermarket ) but you will reach a time when those stodgy foods lose their appeaL Give it a bit more time .

I chunter on about this all the time but try to think in terms of food having control over you and finding that a bit annoying !
You can get back in control and break the cycle . You want to be feeding your body goodness and sugar will most definitely not do that . I still think in terms of sugar being toxic and that was a lightbulb moment for me . Do not underestimate how far you have come and your success so far . We would be so sad if you strayed too far off plan now . You have your meals planned . Just make sure you really really enjoy those dishes so you cannot be disappointed . You really want to feel a million dollars for your wedding , and you will !

Julz I read that you run half marathons !!! OMG you are totally amazing . I doubt I could run half a mile !! You are very good at listening to your body and changing things up . I know it sounds daft but just waiting to eat when I feel HUNGRY has been key for me after drifting into grazing mode . I need to feel ’empty’ too otherwise I can just over indulge . I have come to believe that as a long term over eater it is something I have to be aware of even after all this time . If I am not truly hungry then the satiety signals get very very fuzzy .

Well done everyone for your continued efforts and if you are still flagging just keep checking in so we can all offer a bit of support . Keep going Britta , however hard it feels this time round, don’t give up . You can get back that control . Thinking of you too GoforGoal.
Lots of love to RubyG and hubby xx

What are your plans for Easter ? Is anyone feeling anxious about Easter Excesses ??? We can talk about that .

Scott …. I don’t really think a bit of milk in your tea will cause too much damage but as Lauren has said you could gently try a few alternatives . I’m a fan of loose leaf tea and switch between green teas and Rooibos tea as well as lots of herbal infusions we can find here . One of my favourites is Pu erh which is a fermented tea which tastes sort of woody and earthy but I love it ! You have been given some great advice already . Maybe all I can say is celebrate how far you have come and don’t get too fixated on what you perceive to be a slow and frustrating lack of progress .

If you haven’t checked in this week we would love to hear from you !

Hi everyone, did 14.5 hour fast last night. Not sure if it is helping but I found the article cited by JGwen on Intermittent Fasting in Diabetes very interesting and it might have given some of the conclusions that I am heading to. Still waiting to see how it goes before I decide on its efficacy. The jury is still out as they say.

Not sure on the description of how you get diabetes still holds true that we are all carb eating and overweight. Yes a lot of overweight and obese people develop diabetes mainly due to the diet that made them obese but it is also true that a lot of diabetics are not overweight. It is possibly true to say that diabetes is caused by diet which is why we are now treating it with diet. I was always on a low fat diet, always reasonably slim (around 4’11” and 8.5 stone) and always at the gym but my main factor was 2 parents with diabetes. Although my outcome was medically unavoidable in old thinking, if I had followed this diet rather than low fat I might have avoided the so called inevitable. This is all debatable and the scientists dont all agree so why should we.

Lauren, hope you are feeling better. It has been a disappointing time for you with the wedding being on and off. I could say it has been the same for a lot of people, me included (family visits booked and cancelled) but that doesnt make it any easier for you to bear or make what you are feeling any less. However, we are the people who are going through this terrible time doing something positive for ourselves. Lots of people go on diets and give up. I think most diets last about a week. Some are always starting again on Monday – done that myself many times. We dont give up even if we do slip up, we just quickly get back on it and put the past behind us. Someone on here always says find your ‘why’. Why are you doing this, what do you want to achieve, what do you visualise for yourself in say 3 months, 6 months, a year from now. Can you see yourself in your wedding dress walking towards a beaming Craig on the big day. I know my ‘why’ is to be healthy and fortunately for me I cannot just give up or I will have really bad consequences. I sometimes would love something savoury like a freshly baked baguette when I walk through the supermarket or some hot buttered toast when I smell it from the kitchen as hubby makes a snack. I do give in sometimes and I either enjoy the moment or, more often, think was that it. Is that what I have been missing, nothing much at all. I would say, and I will be blasted for this, have whatever it is you are missing BUT that should be it. I think we have carb binges because we eat something ‘forbidden’ and think we have blown it and might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb as the saying goes. No, not true, it might just satisfy your curiosity, quell that yearning or make you realise it wasnt that great anyway. I am only saying this to those who have been on this diet for several weeks, not people in the first few weeks but those doing this long term.

I have to go now as hubby wants help taking some heavy equipment to the tip (an old portable air con unit etc). So I will see if I get blasted when I get back.

Hello friends! It’s certainly been awhile since I’ve been here. Can’t believe it’s been about 5 years since I’ve joined up. Just wanted to say it has been an incredible up and down journey ever since I’ve discovered the wonderful Michael Mosley and his approach towards reversing type 2 diabetes, keeping your cholesterol levels in check as well as dropping weight. For the past 5 years I’ve completed the the fast 800 two times now. Both times I’ve been successful at keeping my blood sugars at normal range and cholesterol levels in check. And then because of work related stress due to Covid, personal issues with declining health of family members and relatives, I fell into bad habits and gained back most of the weight I’ve lost. I realized that when I get stressed I turn towards food as way to alleviate it which then brought back bad habits(overeating) and indulging in pretty much all kinds of junk and greasy food.

Fast forward to a few days ago, I’ve committed myself to attempting this yet a 3rd time. This time armed with research I’ve learned and gathered I’m pretty sure I can make it. For the next 3 to 4 months my plans are: I will be doing Michael’s fast 800 diet mediterranean keto style, implementing principles from Thomas Delauer and Greg Doucette. As for Cardio I’m on my feet all day long at work, plan to take long walks during the day and indoor cycling on my days off. By the 2nd month as my cardio improves, I can supplement with martial arts training and Athlean X’s programs(purchased them all don’t know one which to start first, maybe the athlean xero program lol) As for food, I keep it simple and make a soup comprised of chopped tomatoes, herbs, and skinless boneless chicken thighs or extra lean ground beef(Lunch time daily). As an afternoon snack I’ll have a smoothie(mine is Maximum Vibrance but only 1 scoop) mixed other stuff. Then I’ll fast right up until lunch time the next day…and repeat.

So in summary 1 meal with an afternoon snack, lots of water and some coffee in the morning. ACV cocktails when I wake up and in between meals. So far so go good on day 3.

I wish everyone the best of luck. Let us all support and help eachother whenever we can to achieve our goals after completing this diet.

Hi all!
Quetzal, Omnipinoy – well done for the restart! EC – top tip about nuts prep, thanks! Enjoy the Easter camping trip. Sunshine-girl – sounds really unfair getting T2D despite being slim and active 🙁 Lauren – spring is the best time to lose weight! And you´ll be glad when the summer and hot temperatures come that you did stick with it! But you must have done 12 weeks already, should you increase the calories just a bit now? Just saying what I read from the book, not my own experience! 🙂 3 months is the longest I´ve ever managed to stick to any diet in the past. I think dieting fatigue may be well overdue for you! You have done really well and have come such a long way.
I´m not sure how chronic fatigue syndrome and amount of carbs play together.

It was still a bit hard this morning to get up 1 hr “too early” but at least the brain fog has gone 🙂 I decided to do a 24 hr fast today after my peanut butter feast yesterday. I´m now past my 3rd hunger wave. It hasn´t been too hard. I sense peacefulness – it´s hard to explain – inner peace that originates somewhere in the gut. Didn´t have this good feeling before the diet, when I was gorging on junk food and thinking – erroneously – that I was having the time of my life! I feel great now compared to that misery.
It´s not a zero-cal fast, however. I find the thought of plain water -only fast far too difficult. I want to enjoy a nice cuppa with a splash of my favourite plant milk (unsweetened of course), plus a nice glass of fizzy water with a slice of lemon and ice in. Bit of a hedonist and always will be. I now only have a few hours left, I´m thinking of having an early night, to make sure I complete the fast 🙂

Keep on keeping on everyone, one day at a time!

You’re all so lovely thank you!

JGwen, thank you for your advice – it’s always helpful to have some interesting science behind the thinking. I have actually dabbled with fasting for 24 hours occasionally but at the moment it’s not something I enjoy, I still get very headachy and feel awful when fasting at the moment but it’s definitely something I’ll keep trying as I do think there are benefits, I agree I’ve probably forgotten what it means to actually be hungry and actually eat for need rather than pleasure.

Sunshinegirl thank you so much for your thoughts last night and your advice today, I think it’s so hard sometimes to admit that this is actually hard! Your words were very kind! I think you’ve probably got a point about letting go a bit occasionally, we’re actually meeting up for pizza on Sunday which has been planned for ages. If it was just my mum and dad I’d probably make something separate and low carb for myself but my sister is coming and she is mega evangelical about all this and weight loss etc. And all about being happy in your own skin and that not being tied to weight etc. So to be honest it’s easier to just not have the conversation so I will have a couple slices but I’ll just write off that meal and start again straight away. To be honest pizza isn’t my favourite so I won’t overindulge – we’re ordering pizza because it’s the easiest thing to do and still stick with social distancing, no cross contamination, no prepping three households food separately in my minute kitchen. And well done on the extended fasting, you’re doing really great especially when even a week ago you were in a very different routine and had concerns about your sugars etc. Well done you!

Hopeful, you were also very kind and had some good advice, I have trouble focusing on me and myself as I’m so inured to helping everyone else first but I shall try and focus on the bigger picture! I think a problem I have is that my goals at the moment are quite large and overwhelming – like my initial goal was “fit in my wedding dress” which sounds really shallow but it was tangible and I could picture it, but the long term goals are things like “don’t develop diabetes” and “be healthy for my (currently) non existent children” which all just feels a bit abstract to me but absolutely you’ve got the right idea!

EC so sorry to hear about your health problems and the potential long term treatments, that must be very frightening and you’re doing so well to keep motivated despite that. Hope you can continue to face things head on but of course we’re here to support you if you need it! What an interesting idea with the nuts, I would never have thought to do them in the microwave! Shall certainly try that!!

Omni and Quetzal welcome back!!

Wendy it’s strange with the stodge, I can’t really describe it – even in the wider context of carbs I’ve always preferred them on the stodgy side – undercooked pastry, puddingy Yorkshire puddings, overcooked rice! I’m a weird fish, don’t know if it’s just the texture or like you say the satiety or even just the blandness, I hope in time it eases though like you say!! I do try and think of food like you say but it’s very hard to change mindset but I shall continue persevering. You’re right I do understand the physiology (I teach it so I should hope so!) I wonder if that’s why I find it frustrating as it seems sometimes like the science doesn’t apply to my body!

Goforgoal, I think diet fatigue is definitely a thing and I definitely think I’m feeling it but more than that I think it’s coinciding with lockdown fatigue, been working from home for a year now and sick of that and I’m also sick to death of just cooking all the time – I love cooking but I’ve had enough! Much as some of the recipes I make are lovely, and some of them simple, sometimes I’m tired and I just want a cheese toastie or macaroni cheese (with vinegar, my Nan always had malt vinegar on it and I do too, its weird!) or turkey dinosaurs with oven chips and beans!! It’s dumb I know! I think my CFS is also playing up for whatever reason which isn’t helping matters.

It’s so lovely to have a safe space to share all my worries and concerns. It’s been such a horrid time for just everyone, we’ve all had such disappointments and trauma and continuing let downs and it’s all a lot, so I’m very grateful for all of you who take time to support each other despite all the cr*p we are all going through! I’ve been for a long walk today and managed to distract myself from my crashing headache (likely carb withdrawal) and I’m going to bed super early, not been sleeping well so hope to get a decent sleep. I’ve figured I’m just going to do my best this week and next week (with the aforementioned upcoming pizza blip on Sunday accounted for) and then we’re going away for a few days for what should have been our honeymoon so I’ll be as good as I can that week and then just get back on track when I get back.

Thank you all so much

Lauren xx

Hi everyone, I’ve really had my head down working away at getting my place ready for my horse to come home next month. And getting the garden started, and getting people in to measure me up and provide quotes for new windows, etc. etc. Just popping in to say hi on my lunch break (which is really breakfast because it is my first meal of the day). I’m having one of my favourite coleslaw recipes.
Lauren, I completely understand about not wanting to eat all the healthy low carb foods and veggies. I’ve been that way myself lately, and really struggling with what to eat. I’ve completely gone off eggs, and I keep harvesting spinach and kale out of my garden and they mostly just go to waste in the fridge. But I do know that my iron levels must be low again because in addition to craving carbs, my hair has started to fall out. I am dreading going back on the tablets. The other nutrient that I can sometimes get deficient in that seems to affect my ability to taste and enjoy my food is zinc. I solve that one by getting those zinc throat lozenges and sucking on a couple each day for a few weeks. I remember that one time when I was doing really well with my diet and exercise and had no deficiencies I was so enjoying my food, and it was all really healthy stuff and I didn’t feel the need to eat between meals, carbs were fairly low and moderately high protein (which I needed because I was exercising so much and putting on so much muscle). I would really love to get back to that.
Anyway, off to pound in some fence posts, which should definitely build some muscle! Have a great day everyone.

Haha Arctic Fox if I never see another egg again it’ll be too soon, not the biggest fan at the best of times but now I am EGGED OUT!! Doesn’t help that I won’t eat eggs in very specific circumstances – defo no runny yolk of any description, I hate them poached or undercooked omelette etc, won’t eat eggs with peppers or cheese or anything Asian 😂😂 – basically my egg repertoire is “cooked until you could use it at a bouncy ball”, “plain” or with ham or mushrooms or as an ingredient in things. Craig thinks I’m so weird, I had people over for a buffet style thing about a year ago and I made some quiches and a sort of stir fry thing. When I was making the stir fry I moved the eggs out of the kitchen so they weren’t contaminated with the soy sauce/ginger/spring onions etc. – he looked at me as if I’m nuts but it made sense in my head.

Forgot to ask, I have two pak choi in my fridge now after the aborted stir fry attempt last night, has anyone got any ideas of what to do with it as it seems stir fry is off the menu for a while (honestly felt so sick making it last night)

L x

Hi All.
Just want to say, I think you are all amazing! I have been following the posts but not got around to writing anything until now. Everyone on their own personal journeys- but we are all trying our best to do well for our health 😍.
Lauren! Yes to stodge- I like the softer dough-y yorkshires too and bendy cookies mmmmmm…..raw cookie dough too 😂🤣.
EC- huge virtual hugs for you diagnosis and treatment, so glad there is a plan.
So, I’m not 100% sure I have this 5:2 thing under control….it’s the 5 that is the issue and my naturally massive appetite 🙄🙄…..but I am sticking with it for now….maybe also influenced by not bouncing back after my 2nd vaccine- it’s 11 days now and I still can’t exercise like normal- my CFS, as I said before, is mostly in remission, but little (or big) things can still set me back and my body tells me- and I have learned to listen finally- when I can and can’t push through- and at the moment, I can’t. Sigh. Also, totally not enjoying the whole clock changing shizzle.
Loving this Spring weather tho!!
Love to all xxxxx

Lauren- I used to have a recipe pre-kids where you steam pak choi whole to go with a salmon fillet recipe- cooked in the oven in a sauce of soy sauce, lemon and lime juice and honey, also noodles….obvs wasn’t doing BSD then….the salmon recipe is still one of my faves but I put it with any steamed green veg and I don’t serve myself noodles (usually do for the rest of the fam)- also v light on the honey now. And I usually cook mushrooms and peppers in the pan with the salmon and the sauce too. I partly don’t bother with the whole pak choi as there are 5 of us now and it’s just a bit of a pretty fancy thing I think, and any green veg is just as yummy, but if u have pak choi in, it’s lush. If u don’t like fish, u could do chicken or halloumi or tofu instead maybe. Oh, I just remembered- originally it was a marinade that u then thickened up in a saucepan and I think maybe pan fried the salmon, but frankly I cba (can’t be arsed) hence all in the pan now, oven for 20 mins, job done.
x

Tulip bendy cooooookkkiiiess!! I used to live in Brighton and there was a shop called Ben’s Cookies – they did the bendiest most delicious almost raw cookies, I miss them!

Salmon recipe sounds interesting, you guessed my next question straight after – what if you hate salmon 😂😂. I’ve tried so hard to get on board with fish but I just can’t do it! But I do eat my weight in chicken so that would possible work!

Hi Lauren,
Have you ever tried pak choi, raw, in a salad? I love it! I usually toss it with some sesame oil, spring onions, and a splash of white wine vinegar – so good. You can also add a scattering of sesame seeds or some roasted nuts 🙂

Lauren- I think best not move back to Brighton then…imagine the temptation!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Morning all, I’ve been a bit quiet of late, but reading all the posts every night.
SG you seem to be getting the hang of the TRE, not something I’ve done since starting the BSD last year, but may go back to a longer overnight fast and no breakfast once we go back to the office.
Sorry to hear you are struggling Lauren, and a few others – know that you have support on here.

I’ve had a “meh” week, both busy and stressy with work, but I have been forcing myself to log off at a decent hour and get outdoors for an hour before cooking supper – Monday and Tuesday it was digging bramble roots from a soon-to-be-vegetable bed – very therapeutic! And yesterday I dragged hubby out with me for a short forest walk and a wild garlic forage – he needed to get away from work! Food-wise I haven’t tracked this week, but am trying to keep to the principles of egg + tomatoes/mushrooms for breakfast, soup and small portion of protein (chicken or egg) for lunch, and suppers so far have been protein + salad (last night we had sirloin steak which I had been saving for the weekend, but we both needed a lift last night, and the steak and salad hit the spot).
I do understand the longings for stodge, but so far I have had potatoes twice since starting the BSD and they fell way short of expectations. Rice I can take or leave, and haven’t eaten any since October. Pasta – I do miss it, and know that abstaining is the only way for me, as far as I can.
Lauren – do you like seafood / shellfish if not fish? Prawns and mussels are packed with flavour and protein and no carb.

Most weeks we have an Asian-style chicken broth for lunch, and this is my primary use for pak choi if not in a stir-fry. I poach 1 chicken breast fillet in ~2litres water with 1 stock cube, for about an hour, and include aromats like lemongrass, allspice, star anise, whole split red chilli, and chunks of ginger, garlic, turmeric. I then remove the “bits” to leave a broth, and add chopped pak choi, radishes, spring onions, celery and bean sprouts if I have any. To serve – shred the chicken (we have 1/4 of the breast per portion) and top with the soup. It is negligible calories and carbs and surprisingly filling and satisfying. Maybe I’ve just convinced my brain to enjoy it if I want a higher cal supper 🙂

There are no hot-cross buns in the house, and no plans to buy any – Happy Easter all!

Tulip, nope defo not moving back to Brighton anytime soon!

RubyG haha sadly no I don’t like seafood either, it’s weird cos I’ve had prawns occasionally when I’m out – big giant ones and always crispy and as part of something else like a side in tapas or something but when I’ve tried to cook them at home I just can’t get past the crunchy/soft texture. I don’t like squid for the same reason and mussels are just too strong for me. I also struggle with soups and broths – I used to get tonsillitis as a child every couple of weeks and spent so much time off school forcing down soup and fruity ice lollies only to be sick and throw it all up again that just the thought of either of those makes me feel sick! I did make Vietnamese pho from scratch last year and it was ok, but such a palaver and Craig doesn’t like it so it feels a lot of work to do it just for me! Maybe I’ll have a look at my recipe though and see if I can pare it down a bit.

One thing I’ve missed is peanut butter on toast, and in sandwiches – I have been using whole Earth peanut butter sparingly (such high calories!!) as it’s just peanuts and salt and a little oil, and today I’m having a tiny bit on a psyllium husk flatbread for lunch which has lots of fibre and plenty of healthy fat so will be filling and hopefully hit the spot at least a bit!

Stressful work is no good RubyG! Hate it! Hope you have a nice long weekend now to enjoy. I got home after seeing my mum yesterday to find out our recycling bin wasn’t taken because our chavvy mcchaverson chav chav neighbours had snuck some of their non-recyclable rubbish into our bin after we put it out. Not the first time they’ve done it. I was incandescent, Craig had to hold me back from going and throwing it in their stupid chavvy faces!

L x

Aah, bin wars! 🙂

Peanut butter – I have recently started buying Meridian Roasted Crunchy peanut butter – no palm oil, just peanuts and a slightly deeper flavour. BUT – it is eaten on a teaspoon out of the jar!!!!!! The trick is keeping it to one teaspoon…………

I understand the soup thing, and hubby was not a huge soup fan previously, but he likes the broth one, so we do rely on it A LOT.
He was complaining to his sister last night that he’s not allowed to eat anything – I asked him if he would prefer beans on toast last night while I had sirloin steak and rocket/radicchio salad with blue cheese? He’s hardly deprived.

How do you normally prepare your chicken – we may have some ideas to help on that front, and someone mentioned halloumi as an alternative.

Hi Ruby

I do allllll the things with chicken! We have it simply roasted with veg, or roasted and coated in spices or pesto or garlic mayonnaise, or breaded with ground almonds or pistachios. Or we have it in a curry or stew or casserole or sauces like a mustard sauce or stroganoff or all sorts of variation on that theme. In fajitas, enchiladas, minced as burgers or meatballs, we use mince turkey for chilli usually, in salads – all sorts! We do eat halloumi sometimes, we often have that instead of chicken in Mexican dishes actually like fajitas!

🙂 OK Lauren, sounds like you have all the chicken bases covered!

Hi folks, another sunny day but a sad one for France. We are going back into lockdown – not that we ever really came out – from Saturday. The restaurants, cafes and bars have never reopened so they remain closed. Non-essential shops will be closing and we are not allowed to travel more that 10km without a good reason and a declaration. Otherwise we dont need declarations for local trips, shopping, exercise etc, also schools are closing for the Easter holiday but not reopening until end of April. Today we are heading out to the pool shop as we normally open up around mid April (usually after our Easter visit to family ready for them to come out in May) so it is good we have some notice and get to the non-essential pool shop to buy the chemicals. Then we are heading to our local decheterrie (French for the tip and sound so much better) as we noticed yesterday they have tonnes of fresh compost which is free to local people. You can only have as much as you can carry and, as we only have a normal car and not a wagon or trailer, we will be taking a couple of bin bags to fill. Enough to do my potting out later this month assuming I can go to the garden centre – they stayed open before. The lockdown is to last 4 weeks to end of April.

Who says the French has no sense of humour. Today is Poisson d’Avril (April Fools Day) so called because the children stick paper fishes on others back unnoticed and shout Poisson etc. The one on our local mayors website says that from Saturday all the postmen (women) will be working from home. They have been authorised to open everyones letters and read them. If it is something important they will telephone and let you know. Then we had a phone call which was not an April Fool, we have a parcel waiting to be delivered but there is customs duty to pay on it. We can pay over the phone with our credit card…… Yes a scam.

Now I have bored you to death with life in France so on to the TRE. I am regularly doing 14/15 hours and have cut out the stevia completely. Dont know why I had it, or rather I do but thats another story. Anyway, since last Wednesday I have lost 1.5kg and this morning my blood glucose was at a very low 3.4 or (64 mmol whatever). Tonight I will reduce my insulin again. Currently down from 27/28 to 25 last night. Thanks to JGwen giving me the link to a scientific paper I now know what to do safely. It says I should cut my dose by half so should be using 14 units but I am more cautious than that and that was for someone doing 16/8. I still wonder if the weight loss is due to not having a snack and therefore dropping another 100 to 150 cals and keeping well within the 800 rather that tipping over now and then. But it could also be the fat burning. More important to me is the drop in BG. Will keep going and keep reporting in.

For those of you with your new freedoms in the UK, enjoy it but stay safe.

Off I go no for the last time this month on a shopping trip more than 10kg from here and for non-essential items 🙂 🙂

Really rubbish about the French lockdown sunshinegirl, it really feels like this will never end doesn’t it

Can I ask a fasting/OMAD question for those who do it? I’d been thinking about doing occasional fasts or occasional OMAD to try and mix things up a bit, and JGwen has repiqued my interest in this. I’m only thinking 24 hours at the moment which is why I ask about OMAD as well as essentially for me it would be the same thing, but I think it would be interesting to see if I can do it and break the connection to eating regularly etc. – as I said the other day although I’m hungry at meal times I can’t honestly say I enjoy eating at the moment, so maybe some of that is emotional hunger rather than nutritional.

Anyway, my question to those of you who do it is how many calories do you eat when you have OMAD or fast for 24 hours? I was thinking to just do it as “normal” and have a meal of around 400ish as if it was a normal meal, but is that too much? Too little? Should I try and eat 800cal – I don’t physically think I could without adding oil etc. by the tablespoon and I don’t know if I’d find that pleasant, I’m generally not a fan of very wet or oily food (I’m that person who will overreduce a sauce or pat veg dry with a kitchen towel before I eat it, and I’ll throw food away rather than eat it wet!)

Just wondering!

L x

Hi Lauren,
I think the simple answer to your question about TRE and OMD is that it isn’t about the calories.

Our bodies don’t see calories, they have hormone responses to carbs, and protein ad can switch between chemical processes to use sugar or fat for fuel.

So the most important thing is to keep you carbs low enough to be in ketosis If you do that then your body can make up the difference between calories eaten and calories burnt from your bodies fat stores so you don’t have to aim for eating a specific number of calories a day. –