I totally get the staying busy as a distraction while fasting – I cannot even think about on weekends, for example, but if I’m in the office during the week it’s more achievable (sometimes…).

Deep ketosis is interesting, others may know more. In that original link that JGwen posted, to the video clip, the guy measured 0.54 or something like that and said that meant he was “just” in ketosis. I don’t think he meant that literally, I think he meant he was getting “just” into peak fat burning. I think he was aiming for around 1. I have never yet been anywhere near that!! I have seen that when people are doing it for really strict medical reasons, like trying to manage the risk of a brain tumour regrowing, they seem to aim for well over 1. But, they are also using much more accurate machines than our little devices. I have also seen links from diet doctor saying that as we get more keto adapted we actually use ketones more efficiently and stop “leaking” them into the breath. So that means what we measure on the breathalyser would theoretically go down despite the fact that we are perhaps using ketones almost completely.

So I think that maybe up to a point a higher number is associated with more fat burning, but if you get really adapted then the number might fall and still be a good sign? I really hope JGwen is around to comment on this, she may know more!

Also, do remember that our little devices probably aren’t super accurate: I think 0.6 sounds really good! I am often well below that. I haven’t had my breathalyser for a longer fast yet – I am hoping for one this week but I said that last week and couldn’t do it – but when I manage it I will be really interested to see if/how much the numbers change.

I really hope you can stick with this despite the frustration, I’m sure you’ll break this stall eventually. xx

Kafin – I certainly hear you. I feel like I’ve been doing so much better recently, but in spite of that I’ve stalled out too on the weight and the inches front. I know the weight gain I’ve had in the last few days has to be mostly fluid, but it is still incredibly frustrating. Even without a breathalyser I know I’ve been in ketosis for at least part of each day over the last few days. I haven’t been feeling a surge of energy either. I am much more energetic than I was several weeks ago but that is due to my iron and b12 levels coming up. I never felt that energy even when fasting. I just seem to get tired and sleepy and quite down, mood wise. I was struggling to get up the stairs at work on Friday as well, because my legs felt dead like they do after a hard workout. So it should be that I’ve drained my glycogen stores somewhat, but no result in terms of size or weight loss. When I was on the BSD before I would lose fairly steadily for 3 weeks and then the week before my TOTM it would stop or slow significantly and then I would have a whoosh after and get back on track. I have not been tracking or counting as you have so meticulously have been doing, so that might have to be the next step for me. It seems so unfair to be working so hard without a result! If things don’t start moving after this week, I think I’ll have to make an appointment for some blood work. I have a strong history of hypothyroidism in my family. My thyroid has always been fine when tested before, but I haven’t had it done in over 3 years so it is probably time. Have you had your serum ferritin tested? It may not be what is responsible for the sweet cravings in your case, but it always seems to be the culprit for me. I think the only reason I’m doing better on the carb craving front now is because my levels have started to come up.

Elky – like you, my name is related to my initials, not my latitude! I think it is entirely possible that some parts of Alaska have better access to ingredients than I do here. I used to live on a small island that only had 3 days of food supply available at any one time, so if something happened to interrupt shipments, shelves went bare really quickly. But due to the more hippy/touristy vibe I could get some quite exotic foods there. I never expected things to be so different when I moved here. I thought I was coming to an outdoorsy/hiking/skiing/watersports kind of place given that we are surrounded by some great nature, but that is certainly not what the vast majority of people engage in here. Lots of active programs for kids, but there seems to be some kind of weird unspoken acknowledgement that adults are just supposed to sit on the sidelines and watch. Anyway, at least the farming season is now in full swing and my favourite vegetable market opens next weekend. Very excited about that!

Kafin – sorry to hear you’re having a tough time of it with weight and inch loss. I know how you feel and admire your willpower in keeping going; it can be so demoralising. I’m on the Obesity Code Facebook group and I think in their help files, for a stall, they mention looking at what you eat and changing things up; i.e. some people find they need to drop dairy or nuts for a week or two to get things going again. Or perhaps try early TRE – i.e. breakfast and lunch instead of lunch and dinner as I’ve heard that can help too.

Good luck and hope you see some movement soon to reward your efforts.

Morning all

Well done Amz on your discard and your exercise video, I am just walking still and doing a few dips to try and stop my bingo wings😂😂. I think it is high time I started doing more and you have spurred me on to do so!❤️

Kafin I am also sorry you are at a stake mate hun😢. I know with your meds it is a little more complicated and your sleep pattern so I would suggest trying to cut some of your protein down, swap out dairy and change it up or go back to what you were eating before. I did this when I stalled and it got things moving again. Spice helps and so does ginger cordial that I make myself. Just bring grated ginger to the boil and lightly simmer for a few minutes, strain cool and then just add a bit to your water and drink. It also helps with keeping us regular😂. Hope this helps?❤️ You are so strong and I am in awe of your will power my lovely💞

Beegirl thank you it was fab and I wish I could post a picture for you. Lovely to hear how you are getting on but please do your weeding in the proper stance we don’t want you hurting yourself badly❤️❤️

Merry you are such a warm summer breeze on here and I love how you have evolved into a regular poster❤️ I remember your first post and how you made me feel and it was lovely. Do you remember? You said you had been reading but hadn’t posted but you posted for me and that was so so lovely thank you and thank you for being there for all of us. We are all at different stages and any help and advice is good.💞

Elky you ate another little star on here and it is lovely how you have settled in too. Keep going guys and keep posting it is exactly what we all need.

Articfox where are you? Sorry have I missed it I get so confused to where you are in the world😂😂. I have been loving all your info on your BG machine results it is fab thank you.

JGwen where are you my lovely we need you and miss you.

Esnecca how are you??? It has been a long time hun❤️❤️

6T your purchases sound great! Hope you had fun buying them.

Have a great day everyone, Blighty is supposed to be getting a heatwave! I say bring it in😂😂. Birdy 💞🦜

Yesterday was my 3 year anniversary of being on the blood sugar diet. Where am I today – 15lbs lighter with still a stone to go but I never seem to shift it. HbA1c was 8.2 now 6.2, cholesterol was 6.3 now 4.2. I seriously think this diet saved my life and I am as determined as ever to reduce those numbers further as they were my last test results after 3 weeks on a cruise so what will they be without all that food and drink.

We are having a heatwave here, temperatures around 43 degrees – tooooooo hot, even too hot to get in the pool as it is in full sun but I will have a swim later wearing my beanie hat and a T-shirt. Enjoy the good weather everyone, even in the UK I think.

Hi Kafin,
I am sorry to hear that you are struggling. – My personal take on the readings on the breathalyser is that the important point is to have a none zero reading. –

Each of us will have a different level of carbs you can eat without triggering insulin levels that prevent fat burning. Some of us have to be on under 20g of carbs, others can manage with slightly higher levels. – Any none zero reading on the breathalyser means that we are burning fat as our fuel source. I view that as being a very important safeguard. – The calorie counting only diets do work, but as the body is blocked from burning fat you are burning other tissues as a fuel source and that is not sustainable longterm, so the body reduces your metabolic rate to match your calorie intake. Sometimes you see advice to people on this forum that they could aim for 50g of carbs and keep on that pattern long term. But that worries me. I know from using a breathalyser myself that coming up to 21 months after starting eating low carb I drop out of ketosis if I have 30g of carb in a day. Which would mean that if I followed that advice long term I would end up risking reducing my metabolic rate further as this would be nothing more than a calorie counting diet.

So the next question on progress is how to measure progress.

Our bodies can store fat around the organs and under the skin. The fat around the organs isn’t a good place for our health, but when that fat is being burnt up, you will not see the change in body shape.

The fat under the skin isn’t limited to the waist and hips. There are a few of us that have dropped a shoe size. Most of us report seeing collar bones emerging before we see any changes in our waist and hip measurements. So a tape measure isn’t always the easiest method of monitoring progress. Sadly our bodies are designed to cope with us carrying our fat stores as a spare tyre. Especially women because our body is designed to cope with pregnancy.

I know its hard, I know what its like to want to see progress in exchange for sticking with this WoE. I still miss the early days when I had progress to report on a weekly basis and I haven’t been there for nearly a year. I have learnt that those reporting more than a small change in the scales are reporting water loss, and its nothing to envy. – I have learned to look for all sorts of signs for progress, like how tight socks feel around my calves. But somehow coming on to the forum to say that your socks don’t cut into your calves so much anymore doesn’t seem the same. 🙂 Also progress isn’t just about body shape, its about changes in tastes and emotional eating, and views of self worth.

All I can say to you is the same as I say to myself. If the breathalyser is showing I am burning fat, If my calories in are controlled and are less than those I am burning during the course of the day, then I am making up the difference from my fat stores from somewhere in my body and sooner or later those fat stores will be the ones in my spare tyre. I didn’t get to this shape in a couple of years, Its taken me all my life to build up those fat stores and that has been mixed in with yo yo dieting, so I have probably slowed down my metabolism. I have learned that it is pointless to set targets like drop in dress size or scale reading by dates, and I have learned to look in the mirror without flinching to look for changes. I have learned that my posture, and standing proud, causes people to remark on how well I look even if there hasn’t been any inch or change in the scales.

I have lost enough weight and gained enough strength to enjoy my life again, I am not a perfect shape, that’s work in progress. I still have an estimated 18 lbs of fat to burn up before I get down to an acceptable body fat percentage. However, in the process of using my body I will be increasing my muscles strength, and the strength of my bones, so I have no idea what the scales will read come the day when I get to beach body dimensions. (If I live that long), but lazing around on a beach has never been something that important to me.

Hello Everyone.
I have just read everyone’s replies on this thread and it has inspired me. I have started the Blood Sugar Diet this morning and I have about 4 stone to lose to get to a healthy BMI. I have struggled with my weight my whole life and I have done a VLCD before, but it was just shakes. I lost a lot of weight, but it all went back on.

Unfortunately, in 2015, my ex partner and I split up when I was pregnant and I lost a lot of weight again. Since then, my weight has crept back up and I am now at the stage of beginning this weight loss journey and trying to keep it off.

I have 2 kids and they keep me very busy. I also work 3 days a week and am currently in the process of renovating my house, so I’m hoping the busy schedule will keep me picking at food.

I’m looking forward to starting my journey with you all.

A warm WELCOME to you, newdayrising! I very much like your username. Your experience with shakes unfortunately
mimics many others. My perpetual objection to them is they aren’t sustainable, and learning how to prepare a healthy
plate of wholefood in appropriate portions is how we make this a long term lifestyle. There are many very experienced
BSDers on this thread that have been in maintenance for several years, and between us, we enjoy sharing the tips
and tricks, and sometimes tweaks, that will get you over the finish line. No question or concern is silly, so speak up,
shout out, and one of us will come running 🙂 We cover many time zones, so there is always one of us out and about.
This whole BSD process is an adventure, and can be life changing, if you can think of it as a marathon, and not a sprint
or a quick fix “diet”. It truly works, if you “work it”! Very best to you 🙂 I look forward to getting to know you!

Allie

Welcome New Day Rising and I, too, love your name.
I have only been here for a week but you will see, in time, what lovely people there are on this Forum.
I am still finding it all quite confusing and way over my head to be honest! I consider myself very lucky to be a fit older woman so don’t have the health problems many have on here but my goal is to lose weight healthily and I am picking up tips every day although am a bit remiss about keeping in touch but I read the posts avidly!
Where are you I the world? I am in the Uk….East Anglia to be more precise.
Good luck on your new journe
Sunderland

Forgot to say that I indulged in a free cake and hot drink today (the voucher was expiring today and I am a terror for a bargain!) after vitually no carbs for over a week and I felt nauseous afterwards! Is this a hopeful sign of progress?
Sunderland

Thank you everyone for your kind and helpful information and advice. I got so frustrated that I had my regular breakfast yesterday and then ate a bunch of macadamias (I never eat nuts or even keep them in the house because I can’t be trusted so I had to go out and buy some but at least I got them from the bulk bins so much less quantity than buying a pre-packaged bag), coconut chips and cheese so was way over on my calories and carbs (and the other two) and then interestingly, this morning I was at 0.7 on the breathalyzer (plus up a pound on the scales). So, now I’m really confused. I’ve never hit 0.7 before.
Articfox – my bloodwork was done fairly recently and it was all completely normal, so nothing there which makes it even more frustrating as I am the daughter of a scientist and I like logic and scientific reasoning!
Birdy – I’ll try the ginger cordial, sounds like a nice change from just water
Happy anniversary S-G!
JGwen – you are my guru so thank you for your information. I actually measure upper arms,thighs and calves as well as the usual ones and even though my upper arms looked smaller to me, the tape measure says no. No change in shoe size but even at my heaviest that never changes or swells up. I know that I don’t lose weight through exercise, I spent many years with personal trainers killing myself to find that out but I do need to move more. Problem is my meds cause major fatigue and even just washing my hair in the mornings will exhaust me. I know I’m not that unfit and it gets better as the day progresses but it’s hard to deal with. I think I just have to be patient

Forgot to ask – for those that eat OMAD, do you have the full 800 calories then?

What a great post as usual from JGwen. Thank you for all your useful information and advice as well as pointing things out from a different perspective.
I’ve been gaining and losing the same 6lbs since March. Once I reach my lowest point the weight just increases again. I’m sticking relatively to the BSD but admittedly not as strict as in the first 8 weeks. I can’t seem to get my breathalyzer to register at all. But I can’t even get it to register with alcohol either so I’m not getting hung up on it. My bg levels are remaining consistently low so I’m accepting that as my main goal and happy that I’m achieving it.
Welcome to all the new members on here. So many of them recently that I can’t keep up! I can honestly say this is a life changing diet especially if you are diabetic. Stick with it and you will see results. Obviously as you can tell from the posts we all have our hiccups from time to time. But with the support of all the lovely people on here we get over them and carry on.
This is my last week of working full time and I’m so excited. From next week I’ll only be working 3 days. I’m expecting that to increase my mood and my motivation and hopefully reach the elusive 11 stones.
Kafin, you’re doing so well despite your other problems. You should be so proud of yourself for keeping going. I know I would have caved before now. You’re obviously a strong willed person. Well done!
Wendy, good luck with your op. Hope it all goes well. You’ve certainly had your fair share of hospitals recently.
Birdy, glad you enjoyed the ball and got loads of compliments on your fantastic new look. People noticing the weight loss and complimenting it is always a great feeling and helps make it all worthwhile. You are doing so well. Well done to you too. You’re an inspiration to us all.

Hi guys just to let you know I have set up this weeks new thread! One week at a time starting the 25th of June. See you all over there soon. Birdy 💞🦜

Hi Scottishgal, can anyone else get your breathalyser to register with alcohol. If not then it could simply be faulty.

173.8
Feeling tired, but going okay. I was going to fast today, but I made it omad at dinner time because I was just feeling so weak. I plan to get to bed earlier today and hopefully shake off this exhaustion.

JGwen, I love your perspective on weight not moving, very insightful. I’ve saved your message to read it again and again 🙂

AFM I have metallic taste in my mouth! Super excited! Let’s get those fat reserve burning lol

Hello LouiseKangeroo, I am fascinated by your saying about the metallic taste in your mouth. I have had it for days and in my ignorance wondered what was happening. So this is ketosis? Is this an achievement in WOE? All answers on a postcard …..please ….. wink, wink
Sunderland

Morning Sunderland yes it is and now you are burning your own fat hun🤗. But we are now all over on this weeks thread. Hope to see you over there💞🦜 Birdy. One week at a time starting 25th of June xx

Birdy, I did see the change in week but the original message was on last week”s posting so I thought I had better go there.
I feel I have achieved a milestone then and am now going to re-measure myself in more detail (as someone mentioned on the forum)
I watched an old programme by Michael Moseley last night and learnt that the 10,000 steps theory is only based on the name the Japanese gave to some gadget they invented and has no proof in research! Did you know that?