Got my period in my first week of bsd. Is that bad? I feel like I won’t lose any weight in the first week cos of it.
The main weight I need to lose is around my torso stomach area and I just don’t see that going. I’ve been sticking to 800 cal don’t feel any different.

I’ve had two since starting, and the second one I didn’t bloat or anything. Less tenderness etc, though not pain free. I lost weight both times. I hope that as I get used to lots less calories it will improve even more. You might retain water I guess, but I am generally drinking so much water now I don’t think I did. Also, eating way more red meat now, that’s gotta help in this regard, surely.

I am slowly shrinking – 7kg down after 5 weeks but I wouldn’t say it’s mostly off my stomach. But I have at least 9kg to go, so no wonder. Some days I think the whole 7kg is off my face and ankles, but I do sense the fattier parts are getting smaller too – but have more to lose there so makes sense they are not smaller. If you don’t see any difference it could be your internal fat shifting, and that’s the most important kind for health and future weight loss.

Everyone’s different – I guess just enjoy finding out what suits your body, drink lots of water and keep the carbs low.

Good luck xx

What’s the minimum I should lose in the first week

Hi Shublo! Every body is completely different– you cannot really get another person to comment on your unique metabolism — it literally is your own personal journey so embrace the interesting story of “you” and start watching how your body responds to how you eat and move. I learned so much about my own body over my months on BSD — it is now my solid friend instead of my enemy. You will get there too!

How long have you been doing it and you still stick to 800 cal. I see that some ppl have been on it for many many months. Don’t u waste away on 800 cal?

Thirteen months and couting. I’ve lost about 180 pounds if that’s what you mean by “wasted away,” which is not how I would describe it. I was morbidly obese and losing all that fat was what I needed to do to have a life worth living, or a life at all, for that matter. If you’re referring to muscle wastage, I’ve done weight training throughout to keep my muscles strong.

May I ask why you’re so driven to speculate about exact weight loss figures? Everyone has their own rate of loss and their own complex issues to deal with. My experience is not going to be mappable to yours. You’re just setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration. There is no point in driving yourself nuts spending all this time and energy trying to predict the future and add up how much weight you’ll lose per week. Do the BSD, stick to 800 calories, 50 grams of carbs or less per day, cut out all sugar, wheat, cereals, grains and starchy vegetables. You’ll get the answers to all your questions in the end by taking action, not by obsessing over numbers.

Hi again Shublo — Esnecca has some very valid thoughts — this diet works best when you just begin the diet, and evaluate as you move forward. If you build up your expectations ahead of time for a specific weight loss, it will be very frustrating when your own body doesn’t “perform” as desired.
I did the 800 for about five or six months, but I will quickly admit I did it pretty poorly, with many days where I ate more than 800 calories. But I just kept going back to it and back to it and back to it, and finally I got it into my thick head and it just clicked for me. Overall I lost about 45 pounds and best part is that I have maintained since last summer. Now it is automatic — I still eat BSD-friendly foods, but more calories and if I am eating too much, I throw in a couple of 24 hour fasts and that seems to just get me back in control.
I was one of the people who needed to drop my carbohydrate WAY down (I tried to stay under 30 grams/day but went as low as 20 to kick start the weight loss). I still avoid almost all carbohydrate except non-starchy vegetables (unless I go hiking, in which case I reward myself with a beer!)
Like Esnecca, I do a couple hours of weight workout each week (join a class!) and I gained muscle over the diet.
You will not waste away. You will amaze yourself that you can do this and your body will love you for making it healthy again. Just begin and no matter how many times you mess up, just start again.
There is power in just starting — the first time or the tenth time.

Hi, Shublo, and welcome to these forums!

As a 144 lb loser over 10 months time staying strictly to the Fast800, I also kept net carbs really low (<20).
I categorically agree with everything Esnecca and Californiagirl have said. They are both extremely knowledgeable
on all aspects of this diet, and between them probably know more about nutrition than most people here.
This is going to be an exciting new journey for you! Embrace it, just keep your head down and put one foot
in front of the other each day. Before you know it you’ll be seeing results.

Best of luck to you.

Allie

Esnecca – Just wanted to hop in here, since this is where you are posting today, to thank you for the great
recommendation re kimchi and garlic kraut. It is wonderful, addictive even! Somehow I have the impression
that you are living in the South? Are you safe and out of harm’s way from this horrific hurricane Irma?

Best,

Allie

Wow Alliecat — your loss is just amazing — like Esnecca you have so much reason to be pleased with yourself — truly inspiring!!

Oops, forgot to say also to Esnecca — you are in North Carolina??? I also hope you are safe and away from the worst of Irma — it is awful watching it from the west coast — like a slow motion disaster — so much devastation. Very hard to take in.

Thank you, Californiagirl!

I always enjoy your posts, your wit, and your humor, and I’ve learned so much from you. As someone trying my hand at maintenance, it’s really so helpful to many of us that you’re still posting here. Congratulations on your success, also! I envy you living in Cali. We lived in the S.F. bay area for about 2 1/2 years, and loved it.

Have a great sunday!

Allie

Wow, you guys are the powerhouse of BSD. Learning so much from you. Complete convert, 5 weeks in. Loved reading all this, it makes SO MUCH SENSE.

Shublo, why don’t you measure yourself a bit more? Then you’ll know if it’s working? The miinimum weight loss is, of course, 0, but I can’t think that anyone who genuinely follows low carb, restricted calorie will not lose weight. If 800 is too extreme for you, ease into it. This is for the rest of your life. But the quicker you restrict stuff the quicker you will lose weight. And you don’t have to ‘waste away’ because you can have more calories anytime you want, as long as they are low carb, just the loss will be slower.

Alliecat, Californiagirl, I’m in Georgia and we’re battening down the hatches. Thankfully we’re not on the coast so we’re expecting a very bad storm with at least 40 mph winds, but not the full brunt of the hurricane. Keeping my fingers crossed for the best case scenario. If not, we have plenty of bottled water and a gas stove so we’ll pull through. Thank you for thinking of me. 🙂

I’m so thrilled you love the Gold Mine kraut and kimchi as much as I do, Allie. The first time I ordered it I was annoyed the smallest jars I could get were 16 oz. Now I order the 32 oz two at a time and blow through them easily. I have to get a second jar of kimchi just for the OH to bring to work with him. It’s his favorite snack. Did you see they sell the raw sauerkraut, garlic kraut and kimchi JUICE in bottles? I have to try that. Imagine adding it to mayo with some horseradish and using it as a spread for a salad cup Reuben. A romaine or green leaf, some pickle juice horseradish mayo spread, thinly sliced turkey pastrami or lean corned beef (if there is such a thing) topped with more garlic kraut and a half slice of Swiss. A minute under the broiler if you like it melty, then go to town. How good would that be?

Esnecca:

I’m relieved to hear that you are safe!. As New Englanders, we know this hurricane
scenario, but I’m nevertheless glad that you aren’t in Fla. My second order is already
en route to Gold Mine Natural Foods. I can’t stop thinking about the reuben cups!
I think Ill bust that one out next Sat. lunch. Have a great week, and stay dry. 🙂

Allie

I’ve weighed myself and I’ve only lost 1 kg. I’m really disappointed. 🙁

Is that after one week? If you haven’t had water retention problems due to your previous diet that is really good. I rarely lost more than 1.5 pounds a week except for the first week where shifting my muscle glycogen caused a 9 pound or 4kg loss. Remember that to lose a pound you need a 3,500 calorie deficit compared to your TDEE.

For my first week I was hoping for more loss. Could it be because do didn’t do much exercise? What could be the reason.

Exercise can help, drinking lots of water, up to a max of about 4 litres, making sure you get plenty of the good fats in your meals, particularly omega 3, keep your fibre intake up, add a little salt if you have cut out all processed foods as you can get deficient when the body depletes its stores and above all don’t get stressed about not losing more as stress itself stops weight from being lost for hormonal reasons. If you are still on your period as well, you may still have water retention for other hormonal reasons. Track weight daily if you like, but watch the overall trend rather than day to day totals, the body can quite easily be 1-2 kg heavier due to non fat related reasons on any given day. Above all though, give it time. You didn’t put the weight on in a week.

I find that I am bloated and crave foods that aren’t conducive to weight loss during my periods. Even if I still strictly to foods that are better for me, I am more prone to overeat. So I know for me I’m always pleased when I lose that week.
In any 4 weeks, i will normally lose 6lb week 1, lose 2lb week 2 and 3, then lose nothing or put on week four. (Week 4 being my period week.)
Whatever weight loss plan or way of eating I’ve ever followed, the pattern remains the same, though the weight lost each week varies.

Judging future loss off one week is not going to give you realistic or reliable answers. better ask yourself how did you feel? How well did you follow the diet? How much did you move above what you normally do? How are your bloods?

1kg loss is great. Some people would notice that, others won’t. It depends on you and your individual circumstances. Keep doing what you are doing. 🙂

Hey Shublo — 1 kg is fantastic! Keep going — you will see how quickly these numbers add up and how much better you feel as you continue!

Thanks for the support guys.
I’m thinking of doing weights as I’ve read that burns fat as opposed to muscle. I have no idea what I’ve lost a kilo of muscle or fat. I have really done much exercise at all.

It’s fat. Your body is designed to use the fat you have stored well before it would ever touch muscle. If you think about it, it would be non-evolutionary for us to eat our muscle when we are in a low-calorie state — we store fat to use fat so don’t worry.
That said, weights are great for muscle building and fitness and blood sugar control — definitely do a couple weight workouts every week!

Do some weights, by all means. The more muscle you have the higher your basal metabolic rate and thus the more calories you use without doing any exercise at all. It is also, I think easier while fasting to do strength training and HIIT style short bursts than long running sessions. Having said that, once your body has adapted to burning fat as the primary fuel source you have the advantage of never running out of ‘energy’ (although your muscles still complain a lot if you overdo it). I don’t do enough weights, probably. I must dig some back out of my rucksack and do some this week.

I lost another kilo but a few days later I gained 0.5. It’s really demotivating me. I wonder if it’s cos I have pcos. I’m also gonna have my thyroid checked.