I don’t know if I quite belong on this thread but I thought I’d check in to tell you my experience. I am pre-diabetic, 45 years old, about 25 kgs overweight. I started the blood sugar diet straight after Christmas but never had more than a few days in a row 100% sticking to the diet. Most days were more like 1000 calories, sometimes more, and often those extra calories were chocolate! So I never got away from refined sugar. And I didn’t exercise. By week eight I couldn’t really be said to be on the diet at all, I was just eating whatever. Nevertheless I never felt like I completely abandoned it, I was still eating a lot more veges that I used to!

Over the eight weeks I lost a total of 4 kgs. I’m not sure whether to be happy with that or not, it doesn’t seem much for a lot of work but on the other hand it was “real” weight that didn’t come straight back on once the diet was over. I have regained a little bit in the last couple of weeks after an endless stream of parties.

Anyway, after a break from dieting and feeling yuck when I eat too much junk, I’m starting again next week and this time plan to actually stick to the plan! 800 calories of clean food, and gentle exercise. I’ll see what the results are like if I follow the rules.

Wowowowo such inspiring stuff. I heard about this last night on the radio during a bout of insomnia. I have ordered the book online and reading the feedback here is so great…so great for you all. I hope to join you all soon. I am fortunate nit to be diabetic but am wanting to avoid it and lose weight. I have tried so many things. ….Each one I think is the one (avoid bit like men..apologies) and then a let down so I am soo hoping this will be ‘the one’

Natalie if you start and stick to this diet properly you will be amazed at the results. Go for it girl and enjoy a new you 🙂

Welcome to the forums schnauzer!

Don’t wait to get started! Google daily mail 8 week blood sugar diet, it will have michael Mosley’s name to the 5 articles. There are 4 weekly food plans. I downloaded and printed the menus and stuck them in a book.

Remember : drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day
Enjoy full fat dairy
Keep carbs low.

What to do now:
WEIGH yourself
MEASURE yourself
PHOTOGRAPH youself in your undies

Next: watch everything change as the weight drops off !

Looking forward to your posts 🙂

You will be joining people who have tried lots of diets which have failed – this is the ONE!

If you want any advice or support just shout, there are lots of people here to help 🙂

Hi, I am starting this diet today March 22, I am prediabetic and weigh 14.6lbs I’m a chocolaholic and would swap dinner for anything sweet given the choice, and advice or tips would be appreciated, thank you

Welcome to the forums Reideen, stick with the diet and before you know it you will not want chocolate even when offered. I am still reeling at turning my nose up at it – and i used to love choccy!

If you want help or advice just shout, the forums are full of kind and helpful people!

Important points:
* drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day
* eat full fat dairy
*keep your carbs low

At first it helps to plan your meals ahead, even prepare the days meals in the morning.

If you have always eaten a lot of sugary foods you may experience sugar and carb ‘flu’ – it won’t last long just take paracetamol til it goes.

Get some fizzy water in and some herbal teas. Fizzy water with a small splash of lemon or lime juice is very palatable. Some people make herbal teas and chilll them.

Just shout if you want help or support there are lots of us to help 🙂

Hi Reideen – you’ll be amazed at how quickly your tastes change. Like you I was a chocoholic. Now I never even think about it. Give the BSD a try and use the forum for support. The first few days can be tough but worth the effort.

Judith ??? ( You just KNEW this was coming) You have skimpy underware pictures ??? WOW
Reideen Schnauser, and Natalie, a big BSD welcome from me too.
Great too see all the newbies arrive every week, if you 3 stick to this eating plan, and remember to drink the water, you are all going to be very happy bunnies.
Just remember that full fat is GOOD on this diet so chuck the fat free stuff in the bin.
I’m expecting great things from all of you at the week one weigh ins.

OMG Bill, I walked right into that one lol. Ive got to say I took the first weeks shot with my eyes closed – didn’t want to have nightmares! Now, for first time in years, I’m happy to look in a mirror! 🙂

Love it Judith
I haven’t quite got to the happy stage when I look in a mirror yet, but i’m getting there.
I got a major confidence boost this week as I listened the OH telling the rest of the family how proud she is of me.
A little encouragement goes a long way 🙂

Thanks Bill. Looking forward to it now and especially all the support and diet tips

Well I have finally got over the line and join you illustrious people who have done the same. Was hoping for 40lbs off over the 8 weeks but managed 37lbs instead which I am absolutely thrilled about. I don’t post much but do a lot of post reading and the advice and encouragement on this forum is very inspiring, so I take my hat off to you. I will still be doing the 800 for a few weeks yet and then going on a 5;2 later, maybe. Still a lot to lose. I really don’t think I can face upping my calorie count to be honest, maybe a gradual rise in the future. HbA1c has come down to 40 but want to get it down further. Any people out there starting, thinking of starting or thinking of stopping, keep at it, have a go, do your best, follow the advice on this forum and you will win through. Onwards and downwards.

Bob 37 pounds gone !!!!!!
You really put me in the shade but I’m going to try my best to get there.
I join you over the finishing line next week but, like you will be hanging around to lose the extra weight.
Your story will be another wonderful inspiration in the 8 weeks and over thread, imagine a new starter joining the forum and reading THAT. It’ll start the weight moving all by itself.

Thanks for that Bill. I’m sure that at the end of next week you will be very happy with your results, like I am with mine. What a wonderful journey we are all on after the years of mis-information.

Oh, that’s lovely that your wife is so proud of you Bill. You’ll inspire her to do this diet full on at this rate 🙂

Bob Fox, I am in awe!!! 🙂

Thank you Hashminto, love all the advice and tips, I’m reading through the older posts and everyone has done so well on this so I have mad myself a promise to do the full eight weeks and have a new me just ready for summer😎😎😎

Great attitude Reideen
I sense a litle retail therapy in the air soon, I’ve promised myself a shopping trip (Promised ??? I detest shopping 🙁 ) at the beginning of June just before my holiday.
I suspect Hashi’s old bloomers will be ready for consignment to the bin by then too 😀

Welcome to all the newbies 😃

Bill, I was waiting for your response on the photos 😉 I’ve already had to do some clothes shopping, but will probably need to go again before I go to Italy early in June.

Bob, amazing results. Congratulations. 😃

Hi reideen
Welcome!
Because we have been sold an addictive substance of course we re addicted to it. But as you ll see, it soon goes and things you lived taste horribly sweet and yr just not tempted anymore v
Good luck
Penny

Hi Schnauzer
It is the one!!
Penny

It’s great to hear about about people doing well on it. I was curious if you could extend it if you have more weight to lose. I’m on day one and feeling hungry :).

I was 19st a few years ago and I’m pretty sure I was pre-diabetic. I was utterly shattered and taking loads of painkillers because of pain in my hip. I started doing the 5:2 and without changing much of the rest of my diet I lost 3st, the pain in my leg cleared up and I generally felt much better.

However just before Christmas last year, I suddenly started to feel really tired, listless, low mood, poor sleep. I stopped doing the fast days, stopped exercising, and ate whatever I could for energy. My memory and concentration started to go as well which was pretty scary because my Dad started to slip into dementia at the same time (caused by his diabetes). I figured I was starting to get diabetes myself, but then after my arm went numb I was diagnosed with B12 deficiency, which explained my symptoms and more besides.

My doctor’s great but lots of reading about B12 have me suspecting the guidelines for treatment are inadequate, so I’ve been following the protocol from the Pernicious Anemia/B12 Deficiency Facebook page and started self injecting myself regularly. As with this diet it feels a bit strange to be going off the beaten track of received medical wisdom but very quickly the fog started to lift and my mood began to improve. Such a relief to be feeling better mental but physically I’m left a bit of a wreck. Back to 19st, hip pain, shoulder pain, tired and terribly breathless (from the deficiency). It would be great to think I could make a significant difference in a few months. When you have so much weight to lose it seems like an unrealistic mountain to attempt to climb. With my injections, pills, glucose monitor, and now this I feel like my own one woman science experiment :).

Sorry for the marathon post. Just curious to see if I can make it to the veterans club. I’ve taken all my measurement and weight and I’ll post again in 8 weeks time with how I got on, if I manage to stick it out. Fingers crossed!

Hi hallie please, please don’t wait 8 weeks to post again, there are so many of us on these forums who would love to support you in your goal.

Your comments about energy, concentration and poor sleep resonated with me. You could have been describing me BEFORE this diet. Less than two weeks in and I was a new woman. You will be too.

I found my first week a bit difficult – hungry, headachey and light headed. I took paracetamol to cope. After 4 or 5 dsys things began to change.

Your current weight – forget it, it will soon be your ‘can you believe I used to weigh….’. weight

Please post every day, we would love to hear from you and you can just give us a shout for support or advice

Really am wishing you all the best x

Hi hallie.

I agree with Hashimoto, please keep posting. We look forward to watching your progress, and to the day you join this veterans club.

That’s very sweet guys! I know the first couple weeks will be toughest, so just going to try to put the head down and get through it. Great to have knowledgeable people to ask advice from if I need it :).

Hi to all the new members,
I totally agree with everything Bill, Hashimoto and CaptainLynne have said.
Keep posting because you will get lots of support, advice and encouragement. We all love staying in touch with each other and helping where we can. We have members in different parts of the world so there’s usually someone awake somewhere. Although most of the action seems to go on while I’m asleep, I wake up and find all these hilarious or inspiring posts on here. Great start to my day 🙂
This way of eating is the best gift you will ever give yourself. So start unwrapping it as soon as you can and enjoy the surprises in store for you. All the best.

Hi Hallie
I started the diet just over4 weeks ago starting weight just over 20 stone, I lost 16lb the first 3 weeks nothing week 4 and so far this week have lost 2lb. I will be doing the 8 week then we are away for two weeks to Dominican republic. I will still be doing low carb but will have a few drinks, once back I am going to the 8 weeks again as I still have lots to lose.
The diet really works and you CAN do it. I had a lot of pain in my knees and back, they are both so much better now.
The first 2 weeks were the toughest, make sure you keep your fluids up 2_3lt .
AL the best and I look forward to hearing your results.

Bill, Judith, Penny, Lynne and Cherianne and others that I might have missed, special shoutout to you for all the help you give people. It’s truly inspiring! I love dipping in once or twice a week to see what is going on. I think that one of the things that stands out about this forum to me is that people are honest about what they are experiencing as they go through the 8 weeks. On one hand, it seems to be an especially easy diet to follow in terms of satisfaction and lack of hunger after the first couple of days, but on the other hand, people experience challenges and differing responses to the diet along the way. My comment about honesty is that it’s important that people know what to expect and the early-adopters have started, seen off the challenges and emerged out the other side ( cue beautiful butterfly image).

For example:
1. Rapid weight loss first week or two (yay!) and then a marked decrease in progress for a week or two ( sad face) and then back to sloughing it off ( double yay).
2. Blood Sugars – after a few weeks, Fasting BG drop to normal ranges, and then spike up again for a week or two, then return to normal ranges. ( I had two of these spike periods – one around 4 weeks and again at the end, but all back to normal now so…. yay!)

Those are a couple of the biggies which a lot of people struggle with in terms of fear and doubt, but you guys are there to encourage and give a little helping hand, so cheers from down under!

I’m going to do a separate reply on some of the changes I’ve made post the 8 weeks to help in shedding the kilo’s towards my goal.

Gez

Ok, so just a quickie to update on changes I’ve made since the 8 weeks were up and a few numbers to show results.
My first goal with the BSD was to normalise blood pressure and blood sugars (TICK!) and get a BMI of under 30 – i.e. Overweight, not Obese

Measurement history to date:
Start of 8 weeks – Jan 11, 2016
108.9 kg – Waist 122 cm – BMI 34.37

End of 8 Weeks – 6 Mar, 2016
98.2 kg – Waist 111 cm – BMI 30.99

End of 10 weeks and 2 days 22 Mar, 2016
95.9kg – Waist 109 cm BMI (still maddeningly) 30.27

Diet – added some carbs in the form of a piece of fruit and a glass of milk and a couple of slices of homemade wholegrain bread for week 8 and 9 as I was experiencing tired legs rather than the amazing spring I had in my step a few weeks into the diet.

Exercise – Started regular walking around week 8 – 3.5 km 5 days per week. I have really bad feet and ankles so walking has never been attractive, yet I really wanted to exercise (what?), so I’ve gone to a podiatrist to get help with orthotics so I can walk without the pain in my feet all the next day. Waiting for next appointment as I bought the running shoes he recommended, but feet still ache.

Week 10, felt that weight was coming off veerrrryyyy slooowwwwly, even though I was still at around 1500 kcal / day with my extra carbs so…..

Added 9 minutes of High intensity cycling to my exercise days ( 2min light pedal, 20 secs sprint against resistance, repeated 3 times and a 2 minute warm down at end), but now only exercise every second day to give my decades-ignored muscles some recovery time. So I spend 9 minutes on the bike and go for my 3.5 k walk.

Diet – basically BSD around 1000 kcal per day on the exercise days and 1500 kcal on the recovery days.

Legs still feel tired in the afternoon on the exercise days ( and I exercise in the late afternoon), but I have the springy step when I wake up the next morning and for the duration of the day on the recovery days. The addition of the HIT exercise seems to have bought back the energy in my legs, so hoping that as I continue to lose weight, this will stay around for longer.

Final note, weight loss and waist measurement reduction speeded up immediately following the HIT introduction.

Cheers

Thanks Gez.

We’re in at the start of this – trailblazers (or pathfinders) as I said on another post – so I think we have to be honest. Our findings and comments can help the newbies. In their turn they will help those following and the BSD family will continue to grow.

It would have been pointless to not be honest on here. It would be counter-productive.
We are the living proof that this works. Our results prove it. Our improved health proves it. Our stories can help and support others. We are creating a database of knowledge, solutions to the problems some people encounter.

Just think of all the people who are being helped already, then of all those who could be helped. 😃 Amazing!

Hi Gez, thankyou for your kind words. I agree with everything lynne said and she said it so well. We needed to be honest to help ourselves and others. We so much want others to find freedom from diabetes drugs and a new healthier, therefore happier life.

I read on the BBC news app this morning that the government is investing money to provide help for people with pre diabetes. My heart sank. This means the 100,000 people getting ‘help’ will be spun the old line leading to increased poor health. We know the answer lies in this diet!

BTW Gez, I like what you have written about exercise! You are proving with your data that it really works 🙂

Thanks Judith, as Lynne says…. It’s amazing! The proof of the pudding so to speak will be maintaining the weight loss over time and keeping it off. Calorie and Carb restriction to lose the weight and get your insulin response under control and lower Carb intake (compared to pre BSD diet) coupled with regular moderate-intensity exercise to keep it off.

I personally want to be able to eat fruit as I please and have the odd carbohydrate heavy meal as time goes on, so developing an exercise habit will be key to that dream……

However, back to reality for a moment. I’ve still got about 16 – 20 kg to go to get to what I consider my trim weight and now that my visceral fat has diminished, I’ve still got a large amount of subcutaneous fat around my middle ( mega muffin-top) and chest that has just got to go 🙂

So, while walking and calorie restriction is seeing it recede slowly, adding HIT while restricting carbs on those 800 kcal fasting days should theoretically speed fat burning.

I’m also doing (very light at the moment to avoid injury) upper body weights on a home gymnasium machine to make sure that I’m putting muscle back into the ecosystem. I’m doing this set on my “recovery” days, but it can easily be done as the set of exercises that Dr M lists in his BSD book. There’s more info and plans in the Fast Exercise book.

Just to add one more piece to the puzzle, I used the “mindfulness” app that Dr M recommended in the beginning to help get to sleep when I cut the glasses of wine every night back to 1. I know I was using wine as a sleeping and de-stress aid. That really helped me in the beginning and then with exercise increasing, I didn’t need anything to help me get off to sleep so it is a very holistic approach. I’m still on just 1 glass a day and haven’t used the mindfulness app since week 2 😀.

Sharon, 18lbs? way to go girl! Fantastic news! 🙂

Gez that is a remarkable set of results
Well done mate and thanks for sharing, others will find your experience so inspiring.
Hi Sharon, that was the perfect answer to Hallies post, you are showing just what can be done and that is exactly the kind of support needed
Hallie you won’t believe it yet, but in a couple of weeks it will be your posts that are inspiring others.
I hope I get an invite to one of these diabetes bootcamps, I suspect I won’t last long 😀

Thank Bill,

You guys have all been so much help to me all the encouraging and supportive post have really kept me going. I was feeling really anxious when I made the decision to do this diet until I started reading the forum. I want to help and support others like you guys all did for me. The more people that do the BSD the better I say.

Hi Sharon. Glad you find these forums. Keep posting your progress, the more the merrier. It’s a great resource for those following us on this adventure.

Looking forward to joining the “Vets” on Monday.
It’s going to be tough pushing for that last pound or two with the Easter weekend and my wife’s Birthday.
Still, what the heck if I do slip up for a few days – this is going to be a way of life.

Looking forward to you joining us on Monday stringbreaker – have a good weekend.

Hi all. I’m a bit of an interloper on this thread as I started off intending to do the Fast800 for 7.5 weeks which I have just completed. I am not diabetic, but very obese. I have lost 12.5kg in those weeks which I am very pleased with.

I had four bad days two because we had people staying and two because I went to an unsuitable restaurant and ate things I shouldn’t have. I haven’t drunk any alcohol and am looking forward to a glass tonight. The last few weeks my average has been more like 900 rather than 800, but I am rigorous in recording everything even when I eat too much.

I started off allowing myself 1 diet cola per day, which became occasionally two and then ended up as three or four after six weeks. I have stopped that altogether and feel better, but I am a bit bored of water because I don’t really drink tea or coffee.

It is low carb Mediterranean lifestyle for ten days and then back to the Fast800 for three or four weeks. This will be followed by some 5:2 variant for several months if not years.

Hi FoFi

Don’t worry, 7.5 weeks is close! Welcome.

I tried Diet Coke for the first time in ages while I was away. The first two were OK, but the third made me feel so ill! And yesterday I had to choose between still water and 7-up free. Unfortunately I chose the latter. Two mouthfuls and I had to throw it away – far too sweet😱

I prefer fizzy dinks, so always try to buy fizzy water. Sometime I add a slice of lemon or lime.

Looking forward to seeing your progress.

A little bit “off-piste” but does anyone out there really know how the calories in/out thing works?
If you go out and burn 500kCals doing exercise does that REALLY mean you can add 500kCals to your intake and stay within limits?
Personally, I’ve always doubted it, but if somone can reassure me that it’s true, then it will be great because I’ll be able to have my first beer this year 🙂
Actually it will only be a pint, so about 200kCals, but I’m still sceptical.

I can’t help with that one stringbreaker because I really don’t know, I have had a few extra calories when I have had a particularly gruelling hill walk just to stop myself going giddy and walking like a drunk! 🙂

stringbreaker, the general advice in the book is not to add extra calories to replace those used in exercise. In general if your not trying to lose weight weight I think that if you burn more you should be able to eat more and maintain equilibrium.

You do need to be careful about about the calorie information you see. An active male might burn 100kcal every waking hour, some machines add this info into to the numbers displayed.

Obviously for many (including me) having that first drink makes saying no to the second that much harder, and the bag of salted peanuts…

Thanks FoFi

I’ll have a nice glass of water instead. 🙂

Hi folks, a few of us on here started this petition asking the NHS to encourage T2 diabetics to follow the blood sugar diet, we would love for as many signatures as possible!! 10000 and the government must respond. 100000 and it should be heard in the House.

We can put it on facebook, twitter, email it to friends etc

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/125704

Hi guys, this is a great thread :-). On day five now and I have to say it is getting harder. Day one and two I wasn’t really hungry, it was the cravings that were killer. Today and yesterday though I have felt very weak and really hungry all the time. At what point did you guys start to feel better? Thinking of adding a few spoonfuls of brown rice to my cauliflower rice tonight because I don’t feel great. Or is it better to push through?

On the plus side, I weighed myself on Wednesday morning and I’d already lost 5lb :-).

Hi hallie, try to push through if you can, it will soon improve if you do.

Try a hot drink, even hot water with a splash of lemon, I don’t know why but hot drinks can ease the hunger pangs 🙂

Hi Hallie

I’d say it was best to push through. We don’t want to keep that carb monster happy. The more we allow carbs in the longer it will take to get them out of our system.

Most people find that adding fat into their diet, and drinking plenty of water helps with the hunger pangs.

Great loss of 5 pounds 😃

Thanks captainlynne I’ll add extra olive oil to the cauliflower instead.

Hallie, I found the first week very easy, but the second and third week harder. I wasn’t weak or hungry just slightly obsessed with food. I would try the suggestion to add more fat because if that works it will be great for you long term. But also, to me, the book isn’t as extreme as many on this forum and mixing in a spoon of brown rice, or one of the other allowed low GI/GL carbohydrates should be okay (as long as you include the calories in your total).

Also you could try more non-root vegetables to bulk out your meals if you are hungry.