Hi, I am a 41 yr old T2 diabetic, need to lose a fair bit of weight and also suffer from high BP which despite being on medication for, has never really been fully controlled. Since diagnosis of T2 three years ago, I have managed to keep it fairly under control by low-carbing but in the last six months I have definitely felt that I have lost control and carbs started creeping back into my diet and rather than a very occasional thing, they began to form a part of my daily diet again. Over the summer I felt utterly crap, I was feeling hot all the time, my heart would race for no apparent reason, I ached all over, was piling on weight like there was no tomorrow and I was exhausted but not sleeping very well and when I did have the time to relax, I just didn’t seem to know how any more. I felt like I needed to do something drastic to improve my health or face years of feeling terrible, gathering up more and more ailments and conditions before dying an inevitable early death. Sorry if that sounds dramatic but it is really how I felt

I had heard of the Newcastle Diet before and although the results of it certainly appealed to me, I never thought in a million years I could stick to 8 weeks of a restricted calorie diet like that and also, I was under the impression that you had to be referred by your GP and I knew that there was no chance of that happening as my doc was vehemently pro NICE low-fat guidelines for diabetics and had told me many times that I must eat mainly carbs (I didn’t argue with him, I just said I ate “healthily” when he asked how I controlled my BGs)

Anyway, after reading online about the “Saving Dad” project, one evening as I was laying in bed exhausted but unable to sleep, I downloaded the 800 Blood Sugar Diet onto my kindle, read it in one go and thought it was worth a good go. More than anything, it sounded achievable. I really felt I could do it. So I waited a few weeks til I had a full 8 weeks ahead of me to concentrate on wholly changing the way I eat and read everything I could about it (including every post on this forum)! and finally started two weeks ago.

A fortnight in and I have lost a stone, my FBGs are down in the 4’s and 5’s (from the 6’s and 7’s) and I just feel generally fantastic. I’m sleeping like a baby, lovely uninterrupted dreamless sleep, the kind I haven’t had on a regular basis for years, which sets me up brilliantly for the next day. I haven’t been hungry at all (though I am always ready for my meals) and am really enjoying eating proper food that nourishes my body. I am enjoying food not being the focus of my day.

Now I realise I am only two weeks in, I’m well aware that the bulk of the work is ahead of me and it might not always be this easy to follow and hard times might be on their way, not least following this way of life for the rest of my life but I do feel like I can stick to this for another six weeks very easily and then reassess my goals from there. My goals were to lose 2 stone in weight and to get my blood sugars down and I am definitely well on the way to doing that. Anything more would be a bonus.

Anyway, I just wanted to write this to encourage any lurkers who aren’t sure if they can do this that you certainly can and it is worth a shot for anyone. I started to feel better after one day and after a fortnight the difference is ridiculous. I am not expecting any miracle cures but I do feel like this has been a great decision on my part to do the 800 BSD.

Will update with more as I progress xx

Laurel that’s fantastic! 1 stone in a fortnight. I am really pleased for you. Hang in there, you can do this, even if it gets more difficult.

Thank you for sharing your story Laurel! You are doing amazing and your story is motivational to me on my 10th day. I’ve lost 9 lbs. now and so excited about it!!!! I know you will make it through and continue to get a grip on your BS and BP. It is time for all of us to stand up to our doctor’s who try to push carbs on diabetics. Obviously this way of eating works and there are so many healthy foods as part of this plan. You rock!!! :–)
Cheers to all of us who are making it through our first 8 weeks, or second 8 weeks, or on to the maintenance phase. We can all do this!!

Thank you BaristaGirls and Jmarie41 for your lovely posts. JMarie- you’re doing great too!

As I said before, I have read every post on this forum and found great inspiration here from real people who had actually done/ were in the process doing this diet and I just wanted to add to that.

I also forgot to add that I have been doing the mindfulness exercises as recommended by MM and have found these to be very beneficial for my overall well-being. They’re not for everyone, I suspect, but worth a try.

Hi laurel

One part of your post really struck me. After 10 weeks on BSD I have never felt hungry, but always ready for my meals. It’s just struck me that that’s how it should be. I used to eat at meal times whether hungry or not.

Good luck

That is wonderful Laurel. And JulesMaigret I totally agree about that quote. I am still halfway through week two so not far behind you, starting to feel the good effects.

I haven’t told my doctor about this diet. I haven’t told anyone! I know my husband, who is a lovely supportive man, would be very worried. I’ve just told him “Mediterranean low-carb” not the number of calories. I’ll tell him, and others, a bit later once I can show I’ve lost weight on this without getting sick or going crazy.

Hi Laurel, well done that’s a brilliant result! I concur with the whole feeling better thing. I have honestly felt so well doing this diet and have still been able to slightly “break-fast” you might say and still lose weight. It’s inspirational to read of people’s success. I too have lost one stone and though it’s slowing down, I feel that I can easily continue and have no intention of introducing frequent starchy carbs into my daily diet. As I wrote in the forums on Sunday about the glory of toast, I do find that I don’t crave startchy carbs like I used to when I was eating them every day.
You sound like it going really well, so congratulations and hope it continues!