Hi,
Anyone else starting this week or started?
My first attempt and feeling really motivated but may be need a little support many thanks

hi candlelight – you will find lots of support here. Keep posting and also dip into anything else that interest you, you will be most welcome. Good luck.

Hi Candlelight,
I started yesterday. I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing! Eek! I am not weighing myself at all, will be judging weight loss on how I feel & dress size. I have a holiday booked for the end of August. Being fit & healthy for then is my goal.
How are you doing so far today? I have the lovely carb flu headache, water is our friend!
Happy to support you, & be supported. We’ve got this!
CC

Thank you Sunshine girl, appreciate the support

Hi CC,

I hope the headache has started to ease.
oh boy need to keep the fluids up then, really not looking forward to that part.
Yep, not sure either, I have read the book and the menu planners, just seems a bit random. I need a list of things, like mayonnaise is it good or bad? When can I fit a cup of tea in? Although some very good ideas such as if feeling hungry take a walk or phone someone. The nhs website has a good calorie counter.
Haven’t booked a holiday yet, just want to get back into my clothes, which are not anywhere near fitting me.
A wake up call when I checked Bmi and waist measurements quite shocking, however my friend has lost 9lb since Christmas and I don’t think she started it straight away, very inspiring.
So yes we can do this 😊

I’ve only been going for a week and I completely agree I felt a bit frazzled heading out to do my first proper BSD food shopping. I ended up making quite a few changes to suit budget / waste as I went along. Week 2 meals are pretty extravagant – lobster, crab, prawns, passionfruit… etc. these things are way out of my budget so I’m just substituting with the best I can. I did substitute pumpkin for sweet potato in the Veg curry in Week 1 and it was “ok” but when I had the leftovers a few nights later for my dinner, i bloated up like a balloon, so maybe that wasn’t a good swap!
I’m still having coffee every day – single shot with a splash of milk (down from a normal flat white!) and a cup of tea in the morning (splash of milk).
Mayo – I would just substitute with yoghurt or sour cream.
My headaches passed after probably day 4.
GOOD LUCK!

Hi,
Yes think I need to meal plan properly on this one. I had downloaded the two day trial and fortunately I had most of the ingredients. Although a lot were frozen, as a lot cheaper to buy and keep the vitamins longer than fresh veg.
Thinking about headache is giving me one lol.
No one has said anything about feeling hungry that I have seen?? Although I had the mushroom and spinach omelette did not have chives but put a few bits of onion in that was good. Unbelievably I had some halloumi in the fridge and frozen asparagus for lunch all very tasty.
Thank you for the tips re Mayo and hot drinks.
Just out of interest have you noticed much change in yourself after 1week?
Also just ordered recipe book, anyone else got it? Or do you use the receipes on the website?
Happy eating 😊

Mayo is fine. It’s made out of eggs and oil, so it has very few carbs. It is high in calories, however, so I make my own out of tofu so I can use as much as I want without having to fear the calorie build-up. Tea is also fine, but dairy milk is high in sugar and the cals can add up far more easily than you might think. A “splash” seems like a little but it rarely is when you actually measure and calculate the true carb and calorie count. If you’re a milky tea person, try an alternative milk like coconut, almond, hemp or soy.

Read the ingredients and nutrional panel of everything when you’re shopping. Look up the stats of fresh food on your phone before you buy it. You’ll be amazed at high in carbs some veg and fruit are, and how many things have added sugars and starches. Even something like pre-grated cheese that should be an easy BSD-friendly choice has potato starch added to keep the stupid shreds from clumping. Anything you see on the label that ends in -ose is a sugar. Then there are a myriad other names that turn out to be sugars and artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, xylitol, malitol) that can have a blood sugar impact and are bad for your gut bacteria.

Well done all of y’all for taking this step towards good health and liberation. The BSD transformed me from a hyperobese, couch-bound depressive to a slim energy factory with 5 different kinds of sauerkraut in my fridge. It is by far the greatest accomplishment of my life. Welcome to the forum!

My headache is gone, slightly suspicious as I can’t have got away with it that easily! I have been drinking so much water so it has probably helped. I’m keeping my foods simple & shopping for ingredients daily to start. Once I find out what I like I can start to meal plan.

Esnecca, thanks for the welcome & well done, sounds like this diet has been a huge success for you! I used to be an energetic gym bunny, so really hoping I can get back to that!

Great that headache has gone, long may it stay gone.
Just had taco lettuce for dinner with cheese, a bit dry, maybe because I used less than 5% fat mince?

Please let me second C.C. Comments to you Esnecca, you have done so well. Many thanks for the tips I would certainly have missed some of the sugar and who would have thought about the grated cheese.
I am looking forward to seeing the cook book, as I quite a few vegetables to munch through.

Thank you for help and support today it has been wonderful.
Have a good evening 😊

Hi all. Yes. I had the tuna salad for Lunch and a snack and mince for tea. It’s missing something but it did. I’ve been very tired lately so I’m hoping to get some energy back. I also haf a couple of cups of tea, one green, no milk and a coffee today. I added some fresh broccoli and cauliflower to dinner. Is thst Ok? I’m not quite sure if I’m allowed veg or not.

Eat lots of veg, just not lots of root veg (measure carbs on root veg, and control portions). I limited my veg too much and if you go too low fibre it can mess with your bowel movements and your cholesterol.

Morning Folks,
Well I am a serial weigher and am over the moon on day I have lost 2lb, yes I know mainly water, but impressed.
Also aware I may go up as well as down, but will keep a weekly tally.
Need to shop today, not looking forward to it. Any advise on high fibre foods beside veg, missing my bran flakes.
Thank you 🙃

Candlelight – chia seeds and flax seeds, li seeds etc a bit of a high fibre revelation, don’t need much, relatively low carb. Have fixed me up nicely!

Thank you Jackie M. It is quite a learning curve, but thanks to helpful friendly people they are making it easier.
Thank you

Morning Candlelight,
I can imagine how excited that 2lb made you feel, who cares if it’s water!! How are you feeling?
Great question on the fibre, I’m already noticing that I’m going to need extra. Thanks Jackie for the advice on that!
So, day 3 for me & the headache is gone! I’m feeling a little lacking in energy but had cleared my week of anything too strenuous. I’m only eating two meals a day as I’m not a breakfast person. So lunch is spinach with left over veggie chilli (an adapted Jamie Oliver recipe) & sour cream.
Hope everyone has a good day! Keep drinking that water!

Hi C.C,

So pleased headache has gone. I too have been drinking tons of water, I like it hot with a bit of lemon in it.

Thank you, I was very pleased, feeling ok, but feeling the cold today, despite having been out to relatives to,check on them and pet shop for food for them, however Failed on the shopping front as it is a very damp depressing day also hoping recipe book turns up soon. I seem to have a lot of uncooked mince left over from last night so have tried to save calories to try and do something with it with vegetables, calorie counter to the ready.

Sorry to hear you are lacking in energy hopefully it will fully return tomorrow.

Going to try the exercises in a moment as do not feel I have done much today.
Have a good afternoon/evening, with lots of positive thoughts 😊

Hi Candlelight,

It’s been damp & depressing here today too. I managed a short dog walk but it took quite a lot of effort.

How did the exercises go? I’m a yoga fan so am following an online programme.

Hope your mince was yummy. I had spicy soup & mushrooms, I’m already starting to feel full on such a small amount.

Hope you’re evening is good.

CC

Hi, there.

Hi CC,

How are you getting on? Energy levels?

Failed miserably on the exercise yesterday ☹️. However I have a Pilates class later and it is a fast class like a baby workout, wish me luck 😂😂. That was good of you to go walking. How was the yoga? I tried it for a year but much prefer Pilates, I think it is just what suits the individual.

Mince was fine, thank you, I added vegetables and some bovril, but it looked huge and I panicked slightly as I was below 800 for the day, so needed to eat it. I did manage to in the end and only a little unnder 800, a bit of lesson learnt. Your soup sounds delicious. I too think my tummy is shrinking too.
Must admit I love fried halloumi never liked it before, added Chia seeds, could not taste them, so a great form of fibre. The recipe book has arrived and I have book marked a lot so feeling positive.
Have a great afternoon 😊

Hi CLindsey,
Are you a new starter too?
Good luck, lots of help and support here.
Best wishes 😊

I’m a bit late to the party but also started on the 22nd, I think it will become easier once my grocery shop arrives as having to be a little creative at the moment.

Wishing you the best of luck

Hi Peonevie,

Welcome, I started on the 22nd and CC on the 21st. So we are all newbies 😊
How are you finding it? Headaches, tiredness? Hopefully none of this.
I did a shop today, based around the diet and the recipe book marks the ingredients that are used most. It has helped lunch today.

For me the funniest part of this, is my husband is away and has no idea that I have started it!! He is home Saturday am, fortunately he loves Mediterranean food.

So are you managing to exercise much?

Shout if you need a hand etc
Good luck 😊

Thank you for your reply 🙂

I didn’t drink anywhere near enough on day one and learned my lesson pretty sharpish, but energy wise I’ve not dipped as much as expected.

Between having a 2 year old and a 9 month old, and a connective tissue condition I’m not getting much exercise done. Trying to take more steps and aiming to do yoga more regularly in the evenings.

Do either of you have specific aims/goals weight/health wise?

Hi Peonevie,

You sound busy enough with two little ones, I’m sure that’s exercise enough for now!
Yes, the water is so important. The more you drink the more you shrink too!

My only goal is to be 100% focused on this way of eating. I have a holiday booked for late August & hoping not to have to make my husband & girls practice photo poses that hide me – yes, I really do that! I’m not weighing myself but I have lovely clothes that I would like to fit back into.

How about you?

Have a good day!

CC

Hi Candlelight,

I love Pilates too! I actually grew 1inch from Pilates…well, obviously I didn’t but that’s how bad my posture was! I walked the dog twice yesterday! Energy levels are still low but I’m sure they will start to pick up soon.

How are you feeling? Did you step on the scales again today? I imagine weighing daily will show lots of fluctuations but the temptation must be huge.

How is the recipe book? How many vegetarian options are there? I haven’t bought the book because I wasn’t sure if there would be many recipes for a vegetarian.

Thanks for the chia seed tip, will be putting that to use straight away!

I bet you can’t wait for your husband to come home, it’s good that he likes all the food. So far I have found it really adaptable for my family. I just don’t have the rice or bread options. Planning is definitely our friend here!

Have a great day!

CC

Hi,
Two little ones, that will be a handful. Yes water is the answer, I have just had red berry fruit tea, really wanted sugar in it but resisted the temptation, I also like a squeeze of lemon or lemon in hot water, something I had not,done much of before.
Yes the scales are still heading downwards, by just a tad, fingers crossed they stay that way.
Regarding the recipe book, it depends if you eat fish or not. If you do, there is a reasonable selection, I only bought it as I find looking through the on line ones a bit fiddly. But really it is for ideas and getting more of a sense of what I can adapt to fit recipes. I don’t really cook.

My goals are to be able to look at myself in the mirror and not groan, to enjoy life and get back into my clothes, a way to go, but the first major step taken, I am here and I have started. I have problems with m.e. Had it over 25 years and I manage it, I have worked full time and worked out at the gym, had a blip a while back so need to get in control. So,most of my gym stuff is Pilates, no more running on the treadmill, I would fall off the back and not stop laughing.
Have a great evening 🙃

Morning Folks,
I hope you are all well, and starting to see/feel some benefits, swear my jeans were a fraction less snug yesterday, or my imagination is overactive.
Trying to think of a daily positive thought, the only problem is, is that I have only just had the idea, any suggestions welcome.
Do you all write everything done that you eat and drink? I do it helps with knowing how much water I have had. Also starting a note book of things I seem to use regularly so I stop looking them up on calorie counter all the time.
Are you up to much today? Weather here is good this morning but coming in wet by noon.
Though for the day
💜 Your positive action combined with positive thinking results in success 💛
Have a great day

Fab news about the jeans🙂

I hopped on the scales and have lost 2.7kg since Monday which was lovely to see (though I have a very high starting weight and am aware it’s likely to fluctuate)

Love the ‘thought for the day’, mine has been the much less imaginative ‘I can and I will’

Oh, and I use ‘my fitness pal’ to record my intake and look up calories.

Fabulous news 2.7kg that is brilliant so pleased for you, you must be over the moon, well done you 😀😊😃
Yes it may fluctuate but the scales are going in the right direction no matter the what the starting weight.
Yes I have used that app, it is good, just sometimes I am too lazy to boot up, I know it only takes seconds, a bit old fashioned I am afraid.
Are you and the children going to the park if you have the weather? Or still too wet, nothing like a wet slide.
I like your motto, nice and easy to remember.
Having a gentle stretch class today, the one I did yesterday was tough, even my fit friend commented on it.
Have a lovely day

Hey!

I have loads of energy today. I did a kettle bell workout & I now have my headphones on & I am rockin’ out while I’m doing housework!

How are your days going Candlelight & Peonevie? Your weight losses sound great, cannot wait for the day of loose jeans!

I’ve been wearing leggings for so long I’m not going to notice them getting loose for a while but I’m definitely feeling great! That’s all I need for motivation right now.

My positive thought today is a song, is that allowed? It’s ‘This Is Me’ from ‘The Greatest Showman’. The lyrics speak to me so much ❤️

Wow, that is fabulous news, well done C.C.
Kettle bells don’t think I could lift one let alone do a work out, blown away by your energy . 💃🏼🕺🏻💃🏼
Peonevie look what we can look forward to and if calculations are right it will be tomorrow.
We have all had an excellent exciting day.
I too am doing housework after a stretch class today which was painful, in fact I burst out laughing in the middle of it, one stretch was more convulated than a contortionist’s…….
Love the song, brilliant and excellent lyrics.
Struggling a bit with even meals, seem to have too many calories to make up, may have to make some naughty snacks from recipes.
C.C. I have only one pair of jeans, that I just fit in too, the rest are leggings too. However I am sure you must be ahead of us in the weight loss, as Peonevie is ahead of me, I have lost 4.5lb or a fraction over 2kg. So happy for you both 😁😃

Hi, CC W, and welcome to the forums! 🙂 I’ve been in maintenance
for 9 months, after a weight loss of 148 lbs. I well remember that
surge of energy when one’s body switches over to fat burning!
It’s still makes me smile with delight when I read the posts of
newcomers to our community who are experiencing it for the first
time. Quite something, isn’t it?
Posting a song is every bit allowed! I enjoyed the personal
nature of yours, and I have my own BSD song that speaks to
me also. Enjoy!

you tube “One Moment In Time” by Whitney Houston

Very best wishes for much success with this way of life,

Allie

P.s. a light bulb moment will washing the kitchen floor, have more cups of tea that will up my count through the day, but does that count towards my fluid intake or not? Hmmm

Wow Allie at, that is staggering, well done on maintaining, may I ask do you still have a low calorie count or do you do a 5:2 or just watch the scales and act as necessary? Thank you

Honestly Candlelight, it’s amazing! I’m worried I’m overdoing it, haha! I was a massive fitness freak & a racetrack car accident sadly left me injured & piling on the lbs. Now I’m feeling better & determined to get back to ME!

Well done for sticking to the stretches, they do sound interesting & I know I would have laughed to had I been in your class 😂

My little treat if I need extra cals is a string cheese!

As I’m not weighing my motivation is obviously non scale victories, & oh my goodness there have already been so many! Waking up without a carb hangover is awesome!

Can’t wait to see your 1 week number! Well done to you too!

Candlelight, I only drink water but I imagine tea without any milk will count for something?? Hope you get an answer.

Oh Allie,

What have you started? I am now diva-ing to Whitney, what more inspiration can you need?! Great song choice! Thank you, & thank you for the welcome! Is this energy here to stay? Honestly it’s awesome!

Woah!!! Your weight loss story is so inspirational, especially the maintenance as I always seem to hear people excited to have lost weight on certain other diets & then they go quiet as the weight comes back on. I’ll be honest, I am wondering about what the weight loss will do to my skin but being fit & healthy is far too important to me to let that worry stop me!

Thank you for the best wishes, same to you!
CC

The good nutrition and hydration on this way of eating seem to leave us with less in the way of loose skin than other diets. I lost 8 stone and have nothing that is visible clothed, and even naked nothing to cause any issues, just a bit of loose belly skin, and a bit of wobbly skin at the top of my thighs. I am not a teenager any more. Love the description of your energy, it was a revelation when I hit that too.

Hi Mixnmatch,

Thank you so much for your reply. I know this is about so much more than looking good but that really is good to hear.

Well done on your amazing weight loss! You must feel so proud of yourself! I love that every night now I’m not lying in bed beating myself up for making bad food choices. It’s a new feeling that I honestly treasure!

I’ve had such a good day, housework has never felt so good!

CC

A very warm welcome to you too, Candlelight. I hope this weight
loss journey will transform your life as it has mine, whatever
your chronological age may be. 🙂 With respect to your questions,
there are probably as many answers as there are personalities here.
The most valuable advice I received on how to manage “maintenance”
was to increase my calories to 850 in week 1, 900 in week 2, etc.
During this process I continued to lose weight, and if anyone had
told me that I’d be able to consume 1430 calories a day eventually,
I would have laughed out loud! Hands down, the most significant
factor for me while losing weight or maintaining the losses rests
with carb counting. For 10 months I ate under 20 gm/per day,
and I’ve increased it to between 20-35 in maintenance. I
realized very quickly that success would be contingent on not
ever returning to the idea that my body would ever accept the
concept of “carbs in moderation”. That might be hard to imagine
when just starting out, but the longer you avoid the stuff, the
faster you arrive at a place where such things have no appeal
to you any longer. I’m just one of many who have had that
experience, and we’re here most days to share the miracle with
new members of the community. I don’t like the concept of 5:2
for me personally, because I don’t think I’d be particularly good
at having to keep changing things up. There is a direct correlation
between how much energy I have and the amount of carbs I eat.
I never feel deprived, and I just add more of the healthy food that
I’ve been eating all along to increase the calorie count. I’m 12lbs
under target, and 21.6 lbs inside a healthy BMI. These days I
actually have to make sure I eat enough, or my weight drops too
low. These forums are the secret weapon we all share, wherever
we are on this crazy life journey, so I encourage you to join one
of the 4 week challenges, where you will meet many knowledge-
able and committed BSDers who are more than happy to welcome
you and support you with kindness and grace.

Very best wishes,

Allie

Hi. I started Monday. And as with all New eating I’m failing miserably. I’m good on the food . Not hungry and enjoying it. I like wine. Everyday and it’s only Thursday I have a couple of glasses. Apart from that. I’m doing fine. But absolutely no move on the scales. Defeated.

Are you weighing, measuring and calculating the carb and calorie content of all your food, Ainet? I don’t mean estimating. I don’t mean only using the recipes in the book either. The key, in my experience, is measuring every morsel you eat on a reliable kitchen scale. If you don’t, you are almost certainly far off of 800 calories and 50 grams of carbs or below a day. (The 50 gram figure is not from Michael Mosley, btw; it’s the area in which many people find that they remain in a fat-burning state rather than a carb-burning state.)

The wine isn’t helping. Sugar coursing through your system can stall weight loss, especially when you do it like clockwork. Once a week, on weekends, whenever you do it, it will get in the way of your body turning to fat stores for energy. Having said that, if by “a couple” you mean two literal (not estimated, not fudged) 5 oz servings of wine a day, it wouldn’t be that much of a big deal for some people. Others, such as myself, cannot eat sugar of any kind without gaining, and that includes complex carbs like beans, quinoa, oats, etc. On this diet, however, constantly ingesting sugar of any kind is a bad idea if you want good, fast results.

Wave away that defeated nonsense. Don’t let it take up a single inch of space in your mind. If losing weight were easy peasy, none of us would need the BSD. Put your eyes on your goals and move forward to the next step. Time to hit the weights and measures and find out exactly what you’re eating and drinking, what your daily carb count is and how many calories you’re eating. Use MyFitnessPal or Fat Secret to tally it all up. They do the math for you and have databases where you can look up the nutrient content of foods so all you have to do is input the serving size you’ve used (hence the need for measuring).

Steel in the spine, Ainet. Don’t be afraid and don’t be weakened by a process that is almost never linear for anybody. I lost 200 lb and the first week I weighed myself (week 4) I fluctuated wildly, gaining or losing 2-3 even 4 pounds a day. It was just my body going a bit crazy as it recalibrated is all. You cannot take this stuff to heart. It’s not personal. It’s just biological flukes. You wail a little, maybe beat your head against the wall a couple of times, then you rally and do what you have to do.

Good luck and be sure to report back!

Hi Ainet, I too love a drink, most nights ok virtually every night, really fancied a glass this evening, so made my self a hot fruit tea, not as good but comforting and the same arm action. Don’t give up! You have done the hardest part and made a start, but full understand the alcohol side, try putting a glass of water next to you with a bit of orange or lemon it is quite pleasant. Good luck 😉 p.s. try the headspace app for a bit of relaxation

Thank you both for taking the time to reply to me. It means a lot and no more wine tonight. Thank you.

Allie,
Thank you so much for that information, I will have to read it a few times, so full of information.
Yes I will certainly join a 4 week challenge.
So very impressed with how encouraging and friendly everyone is.
I cannot thank you enough for all the information you have given me, although a way to go yet.
Many thanks for your kindness

I assure you, Candlelight, the pleasure is all mine 🙂 Pop on to
any other thread that resonates with you as well, even if it’s off
topic, and we will be happy to respond 🙂

CC W, the energy can “certainly be here to stay” if you are able
to see it in terms of the role that low carbs play in the overall
equation. I’m delighted that Whitney resonates with you! I
hoped that she might, after reading your post. I really need to
get a pair of headphones, though, so that I don’t antagonize
my neighbors! Fortunately, most of them aren’t around during
the day. Throw in a few dance steps too, any and all movement
is good 🙂 I think the loose bits of skin have a lot to do with
a) chronological age and b) % of overall body weight lost. Mine
is safely hidden under my clothes, and for the strangest of
reasons, doesn’t seem to have affected my face at all. My
reply to Candlelight is intended for you, too. Please let me
know how you are doing, and find me anywhere on the forums
if I can be of any help!

Allie

Hi Esnecca,
Jim47 here. As usual you are so full of good, useful advice and I feel sorry for myself because I have fallen off the wagon big style and can’t seem to get the energy to get back on again. I know that Christmas didn’t help but I am going to re-start on the 29th and follow your advice of absolute counting, I know what to do, now I just have to do it one day at a time. I’m glad that I came on here tonight it was the Eternal Gods looking after me because I am the sort of person that can’t do anything unless Jupiter is aligned with Mars…oh! and it’s a rainy Monday and Scotland won at rugby at the weekend if you get my drift. I am now resolved to go for it….I will report back next week. Just keep up the inspirational posts so that I have something to latch onto and thank you for your help.

It’s great to hear from you, Jim. Are there cheerleaders in rugby? Because I don’t know a thing about the sport other than it appears to involve many large men forming muddy piles, but I will gladly holler my throat raw to get you out from under the random assortment of elbows, double-wide quadriceps, loose teeth and odd configurations of noses.

You’ve already faced down some of the worst things life can throw at a person. You’ve been open and direct about it on this forum, to my eternal admiration, and I know in my deepest gut that you can do this. I was a useless schlub for years, unlike yourself, and then I wasn’t. Keep your focus laser-sharp and you’ll come out on the other side amazed at what you were able to accomplush. Just holler if you need anything at all.

Rah rah rah, goooooo, Jim!