Starting my BSD journey today! Sat 15 Sept 2018

We have not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you are have any health related symptoms or concerns, you should contact your doctor who will be able to give you advice specific to your situation.

  • posted by Sabz
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    Hi everyone,
    Just saw the mention of Gary Taubes book and thought where have i heard that name? The funny thing is when I checked my kindle I have it already! lol sometimes your just not ready to accept the information your read and I must have conveniently forgotten about it. I’m going to re read it and see if I’m ready now to take on the advice. Wish me luck 🙂
    Allie and California Girl , I’m in Scotland and its lovely reading your description of the Aspens, sounds beautiful 🙂 I’m getting back to going hillwalking with my daughter again and its just so wonderful when your a bit lighter it makes it all a bit easier and more enjoyable.

    I’m loving this forum and knowing we are all in it together. Good luck everyone and thank you for all the support.

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Wow, californiagirl that was incredibly helpful and I will stop torturing myself immediately. I had no idea that just looking at food porn and watching TV food programmes can actually raise insulin levels. I have to confess to not looking at the carb totals each day so I will do from now on. The myfitnesspal app is great at showing all that stuff so there is no excuse. I too am really liking the people and advice on this forum it’s very supportive and global! ( I am an Englishman recently emigrated to Australia!).

    Two weeks on BSD tomorrow so looking forward to weigh in. Steve.

  • posted by Violinist
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    Sounds like fall is in the air for most of you. We are still in the 90’s here in Florida south.

    California and Allie, such good advice, thank you

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Californiagirl that helped me a lot too, thank you. Steve I must have been in your footsteps as I did a weird late night binge yesterday too… So much yoghurt and so many nuts… and stuff… Wow I felt awful about it today. I’m really pretty ok at keeping on track during the day, but something about after-dinner just gets to me. I haven’t been recipe browsing or watching food porn though! It’s just a real pit of the stomach hunger. I’m hoping my insulin levels aren’t still very high. I think mine might also reacting to even higher cortisol than normal for me as it has been a hugely stressful week. And although I’m already really watching them closely, I am also going to work to keep those carbs super low too.
    Haven’t weighed myself for a few days as I don’t think it will be a good result and I don’t want to feel worse, though MM says to do it every day in his book. I am doing the stationary cycling HIIT thing too, that’s hard. … IDK, just not a good few days. Feeling a bit miserable about it all to be honest.
    But onward and upward.

    The autumn colours sound so beautiful all of you in the U.S- how lovely to watch the leaves turn.
    Sabz I love Scotalnd- what a stunning landscape it is. Getting warmer here by the day, but I don’t love the heat unfortunately.

    Anyway. I’ll stop rambling. Have a good weekend everyone. x

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Hey Wolfgirl. Nobody said it would be easy. Just take each new day at a time and stay focused. I know it’s easier said than done but I am determined to crack this and a couple of good Days in a row and you will feel great.

    If you feel like you are struggling reach out to the group, with all the time zones someone will be awake and respond!

    Good luck and have a great weekend too.

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Thanks Steve. I needed that. Wise words.
    Did some cycling this afternoon and washed the dog. He’s so funny he always makes me feel better. AND I avoided the kitchen. 🙂

    As Anne Of Green Gables says-
    “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet…”

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Okay here goes. Weight loss after 2 weeks – 4.4kgs, blood sugar reading 5.4mmol/L and waist 127cm which feels less. I think the blood sugar must be wrong as it’s a home kit reader but I will take it again next week and see if it’s similar. Really pleased that all the efforts of the last 2 weeks have paid off and I am feeling better but the next few weeks are crucial. This is normally when I relax get complacent and start to fall off the wagon so I will need to be very strong. Good luck everyone else with your weigh ins and enjoy the journey! Steve

  • posted by FreshStart
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    ugh… it’s my 2-wk weigh-in today and I’m not happy but not surprised with my results. I lapsed the last couple days and ate things I shouldn’t have so I went up 200gms from last week and my blood sugar not good, either.

    weight: 98.7kgs (<1.8kgs)
    blood sugar: 6.7 (>.1)

    I’m going to do more exercise and be more mindful of what i’m eating for the next 6 weeks. I’ve decided to be vegetarian for Oct because I’m almost vegetarian now (except when I lapsed) and I’m hoping it will force me to eat more vegetables.

    keep going, guys….

  • posted by wendleg
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    Great result Steve ! You are doing really well.Stay on the wagon!
    I am a stone down at the end of Week 4 but I’ve stalled a bit this Week. Hope to start losing again next Week.I sort of expected this ‘plateau’ and it is well documented on the forum.

    As you say , you are feeling better. Just think how sluggish you would feel if you hit the pies 😉

    How are you feeling Wolfgirl ? Feel free to ramble !

    Keep going FreshStart !

    Sabz : any more thoughts about OMAD ?

  • posted by Sabz
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    Hi Everyone! Well done Steve your results are great! You put me on guard about watching food programs and I caught myself just in time and switched channels.
    Fresh start keep going I’ve read that although exersise doesn’t necessarily make you more hungry it does however stress your body which releases more cortisol. Cortisol can then make you hold on to waterweight and as well documented chronic stess leads to inflammation. I would suggest don’t over compensate for bad food days by exersising tooo much just go back to your normal routine. Just some thoughts .

    Wendleg wow, a stone in 4 weeks I can’t remmber doing that since my teens! Congrats 😊
    I’ve now done 2 days of blood sugar diet and yesterday I did OMAD surprisingly it wasn’t too bad. I wasn’t partularily hungry just short bursts at certain times of the day. I did however feel apprehensive about it because I’m used to a dry religious fast where once you make up your mind to start the day that way there is no going back! However yesterday I did the wet fast, drank water and a couple of coffees and had a delicious meal and most importantly didn’t overeat! I did a tot up on MVP and my cals came to 823. I’m chuffed 😀
    By the way is it ok to have coffee on OMAD with a dash of milk?
    Keep going everyone this group is a great support 😄

  • posted by wendleg
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    That’s great Sabz ! Well done on your OMAD success yesterday.

    Yes I think it is important to keep drinking. I could never cope without my green tea and water throughout the day and it’ s important for weight loss too.

    Coffee in milk ? I’m not sure . I read somewhere that a doc was drinking coffee with coconut oïl or coconut cream . Healthy fats are good on BSD but they would bump up the calories quite a bit. I have never fancied putting butter or coconut oïl in my coffee.It’s usually just an expresso but I am far away from those lovely coffee shops in the Uk where I could spend many a happy hour with a capuccino !

    Keep going Sabz !

  • posted by Sabz
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    Hi Wendleg I agree with you putting coconut oil ect in coffee is not really for me. I think I’ll stick to normal coffee with a dash of milk for just now . I’m using it as a crutch to get to 7pm. Let’s see how the weightloss goes. I’m feeling lighter and less stiff already and had the energy and motivation to go out for a long walk yesterday and hit my 10k steps. I’m planning on going again today. I think with OMAD there is less food prep, planning and shoppping or washing to do! I do like that😀More time for life!
    Hope to hear more good results from you guys 😊Keeps me going .

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    freshstart please don’t despair! You are doing FABULOUSLY! We all have down days, hard days, bad days, sad days, falling off the wagon days… That’s called life… We are not perfect and life isn’t either. I’m at two weeks and have had some shockers too so don’t feel alone. keep going. A bit more exercise might just help you feel more energised and motivated and shift some of the negative thoughts as well as get that muscle moving. I’ve been doing it and it actually helps.

    chin up, we are here
    hugs
    wg xxx

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Sabz I have a little splash of whole milk or unsweetened almond milk (super low carb) in my coffee. I don’t think it’s a deal breaker when you are careful with it and count it in. I only have one a day and I love it too!
    wg x

  • posted by FreshStart
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    Wolfgirl thank u so much for the supportive words. I was feeling pretty frustrated with myself by I’m picking myself back up now x

  • posted by Sabz
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    Thanks Wolfgirl, that’s reassuring . I’m just having one coffee in the day and so far the weight is coming down ( I had a sneak peak today) I’m now on day 5 and OMAD is getting easier too!

    Fresh start : keep going, a little blip just makes us human. Hope you had a better day today 🙂 every day we succeed we are a day closer to our goal.

    Wendleg and Steve How are you doing?

    Any advice about how to cope with going to a charity tea party? it’s with friends but I don’t want to broadcast what I’m doing because I feel that I’ve been failing at diets for ever!
    Also My OH is a saboteur however Mondays is his day off and he likes to take me out to eat. more often than not he likes to eat fast food but occasionally I’ve managed to encourage going to a nice place. How do you manage to socialise and eat out while on this plan and doing OMAD. Any advice appreciated 🙂

    Keep going everyone!

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Hey Sabz you are doing well and even just talking about the challenges ahead will help. I am doing well, now on day 16 and the myfitnesspal app just exploded when I put this in mornings weight – 5 kg lost so far woop woop.

    It’s hard when you are out eating, for the first time in my life I have started looking at the vegetarian and vegan options on the menus. I’ve ordered food I would never dreamed of before and everything tastes amazing. I eat meat sparingly and refuse to stick to chicken and fish, I just eat smaller quantities. If your other half is eating fast food that’s tough and most fast food outlets have very few options for us. I just have a coffee and watch my other half and grab real food where I can. This journey can be lonely without a supportive other half but this is for YOU and not them. It’s your body and your journey and we cannot use them as an excuse for us failing.

    Stay strong and celebrate the small wins, believe me it will be worth it.

    Steve

  • posted by Sabz
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    Hi Steve , thanks so much for ur supportive words. I managed to navigate Monday without a hitch, I just kept in mind that I’m doing this for myself. Your results are fabulous it’s really motivating ! Keep it up😄

    How are the rest of you doing?

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Hey, it’s all gone very quiet in this group. I am sure you are all just focussed on sticking to the plan but I have to confess I fell off the wagon big time last night and felt terrible… until I stepped on the scales and had dropped another .5 of a kg this morning. I have no idea what is going on but I need help to keep this up because so am still feeling Soooo hungry by the evenings that my willpower falls badly. Any ideas? I don’t want to go to bed early as it’s the only time I get to myself all day but it’s no good if I spend that snacking on carbs! Any suggestions welcome – this is hard! Steve.

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Hi Steve,
    Yes, I totally get it. Don’t feel bad, your weight loss is totally amazing and the continuing loss shows that you are avoiding the insulin spikes and surges that cause so many problems with blood sugar and fat deposition. You are going in absolutely the right direction. Remind yourself of that. It’s a really good result and you should be proud…

    I’m at just over two and a half weeks and it’s been really really hard the last few days. That’s why I’ve been quiet. I think for me the amount of stress in my life at present makes it really difficult. I get very hard on myself with every lapse. As I have said, like you I also struggle evenings with really wanting a snack. I didn’t weigh myself at all earlier in the week because of lapses over the weekend. I had a few glasses of wine and ate more than I should. When I did weigh, I hadn’t put any weight on actually but was feeling yuk- thirsty and very tired. I have been super strict with carbs and was wondering if perhaps I’d gone a bit overboard and my body needed some..? Last night I had a serving of lasagna made by a friend (a home cooked healthy version, but with actual pasta in it) and I actually felt a bit better today.

    Keep going Steve. Your body has to be pretty surprised by this and its getting used to a whole new way of functioning. A healthy, fabulous way. Don’t give up!

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Also
    Some low carb snack ideas – Please add some everyone!!
    avocado slices, cottage cheese, almonds, sliced boiled eggs or mashed up with some tuna, natural nut butter (i’ve found one with no added sugar or anything else that is delicious) …..

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Just found in UK restaurant Ask Italian so tried it at home to make it a bit healthier. Courgette chips. Courgette cut into small chips, dipped in egg and parmesan cheese, oven baked for about 30 mins until crispy. The restaurant version were also in breadcrumbs and probably deep fried which is why I changed the recipe.

  • posted by Mixnmatch
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    Steve, try a(nother) glass of water, preferably still, in case what feels like hunger is thirst, and maybe try just a dash of salt on your fingertip in case it is a low sodium craving. If that doesn’t work then I always found a teaspoon of peanut butter, cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt or a babybel cheese would do the trick. If you can, plan it into your calories, but even if you end up going over on calories stay away from the carbs. Your body will thank you.

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Agree with Mixnmatch re the carbs- despite my little bit of pasta the other night- the first simple carbs I’ve had in two weeks. Also the teaspoon of a little “treat”, but now I’m counting it in too. I had the eggplant “lasagna” from the BSD cook book last night and it was really good. Filled with eggplant, mushrooms, spinach, capsicum, tomato and made with cottage cheese. The extra hit of good complex carb veggies made me feel great, and not hungry afterwards. I also have been having a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in water before meals. It helps.
    good luck everyone

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Thank you all so much for your kind words of support. I will try the apple cider vinegar trick in water just before each meal. Tomorrow is the big weigh in and measurement day which I am feeling very nervous about but 3 weeks into this and already I am starting to feel my clothes are a little looser.

    I too have tried the eggplant lasagna and it was lovely. Weekends are great for having the time to try new recipes so all my cookbooks are out (but I’m not reading them because that causes insulin spikes!)

    Have a good one everyone and stay strong.

    Steve

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Hi all. Just did my measurements at the end of week 3. It’s been an up and down journey this week and I have strayed on one or two days so it’s not getting any easier. That said I have now lost 7.2 kgs since I started on this thing and 2cm around my gut which for men is the biggest problem. I am still along way from my waist measurement being half my height but this is just as important to me as the overall weight loss. It’s Saturday today so I will be planning meals and cooking something nice to celebrate. Good luck everyone, I hope your weigh ins are just as positive. Steve.

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Steve that is a fantastic result- 7.2 kg- you are a star!
    Congratulations. The waist circumference will follow don’t worry , that visceral fat is more resistant. But WOW!! Well done .

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Ahhh Thanks Wolfgirl, I hope you are doing well too. The Apple Cider Vinegar seems to help.

  • posted by FreshStart
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    Great work, Steve!

    My results nowhere near as impressive:

    Weight: 98.4 (<2.1kgs)

    Don’t know blood sugar as I’ve run out of sticks so that’s coming.

    5 weeks to go… 🙂

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Hey Freshstart, I have much more to lose than everyone else so I need the big gains to have a chance. Well done on your loss, I know it gets harder as you get thinner and it all helps.

    How is everyone else doing?

    Steve

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Hi Steve,
    My weight loss is steady but quite small compared to many others. It’s just over 3kg in three weeks. I don’t have all that much to lose, so I’m ok with it being like this (though would love it to drop off of course !!) The tummy is the slowest. It’s strange as I never really had any significant abdominal fat until recently and that’s what set the alarm bells ringing for me. It’s really resistant… The weekend was hard with socialising and having people over for meals, but I am back on the wagon today. I have also been doing more exercise- some weight training etc, and am hoping I’ve built some muscle, which they say weighs more that fat… I still struggle in the evenings though Arrrrgghh, it’s annoying.
    The apple-cider vinegar is good hey? I actually like the taste. Apparently it also helps metabolise fat. Yay!

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    OMG I had over 2000 calories yesterday and I could not help myself. I was really good, hitting the 800 mark at dinner with only a few hours to go to bedtime then the cravings started. Ryvita’s and Slices of Edam cheese were the main culprits in a feeble attempt to fend off the craving monster. This has been a long term problem and is always the same pattern when I go on diets. I am trying really hard to get to 800 calories and then just stop eating. Any other ideas other than going to bed early or drink more water would be much appreciated as this a real problem for me. Thanks. Steve

  • posted by FreshStart
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    hey Steve

    it’s just one day out of the many days that you’ve done great. just continue doing the good work

    have you thought about having your last meal just before bedtime so you’re not going to bed feeling hungry? I do that sometimes and find that I really look forward to that last meal and sleep well cos I’m full and happy

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Thanks FreshStart, I tried the eating late thing which was hard but did work going to bed full. Thank you so much.

    Steve

  • posted by JGwen
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    Hi Steve, I find having something else to concentrate on deals with the nibble cravings. – If I am watching TV then kitting or sewing that also keeps my hands busy works for me. – Or do something other than watching TV that ensures you focus on what you are doing.

    There is a lot of research that eating late at night isn’t good for us, there is documented differences in results of eating the same number of calories earlier in the day against later in the day. – There is also some research that our bodies are designed to have a period of a number of hours without eating before going to sleep to enable the hormone cycle that controls our hunger to work properly. So I would suggest that for a while take up a hobby other than watching TV, to get away from eating late in an evening.

  • posted by FreshStart
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    I think it’s OK to leave the final meal to just before bedtime to help you get through this 8-week only plan. We’re consuming only 800 calories over the day so the final meal is going to have much fewer calories than that, possibly a bit more than a snack.

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    I agree FreshStart, and Steve- I’m glad it helped for you to eat a bit later. I think we all know that eating too late is not the best for our bodies and we can work towards that, but if it’s that or going way over the 800, it’s I believe a better option even just for the 8 weeks. We have to live in the real world and weigh up the risks. You can always delay your morning meal a little to get the long period of fasting to keep insulin low. Then eventually work toward the earlier meal when things settle.

    Also Steve, I have been getting some nice old-fashioned iceberg lettuce, washing it well and putting in a container in the fridge so it is very crisp and crunchy. Then chop it up in sort of cubes. You can put some salt and apple cider vinegar on it and pop it in a bowl. It is just so crunchy and strangely satisfying. I don’t get sweet cravings, but miss my salty potato chips sooooo much. Weirdly the munching on lettuce helps. It may not work for you but it’s another idea!!

    Steve- You are doing AMAZING! And FreshStart- my starting-day buddy- hope it’s going well…
    WG x

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Wow Wolfgirl, what a great idea. I will def try the lettuce and I am eating later which does reduce my snacking time and still goes me some me time at the end of the day.

    Thank you so much for all your ideas and support, this really does help and good luck everyone!

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    FreshStart I’m afraid it’s not ok to eat late in the evening if you want to get the best out of this 8 week kickstart. Your logic sounds fine until you understand that insulin response to food is higher later in the day; for anyone who’s aim is controlling their insulin this is really important.
    Experiments have been done with individuals testing early time restricted feeding and later time restricted feeding on themselves. On every metric, from weightloss to insulin levels, the early feeding pattern was a significant winner. In both tests the calorie intake was identical.
    There’s a lot to get your head around with all the new knowledge about our hormones and weight; really, we need to forget everything we’ve been told for so long and explore the vast amount of new research that turns much of what we believed to be true on its head. Unless we truly get to grips with the way our bodies work they’ll still be in control.
    https://idmprogram.com/the-critical-importance-of-meal-timing-for-weight-loss/#comments

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Hi MaggieBath, Steve, FreshStart and everyone, thank you for sharing that link MaggieB- it’s a good one.
    I’ve read that research too and yes it is definitely compelling and useful. I am aware that insulin responds differently to not only what but when we eat, and it is fascinating.

    I think what we are trying to do here is find a way that we can make steps towards achieving those goals in the long term and maintaining them. The beginning of a whole new way of thinking about food, nutrition, and overall health is always hard, and it is impossible I believe for most of us as humans to make huge changes in the way we live in very short periods of time, particularly after years of ingrained habit. Doing the 800 cal diet is for many people a really big step and a very significant change. It is a rapid and successful way to lose weight and improve BSLs. It needs to be done hard and fast because that’s how it works.

    With the timing of meals though, particularly for people who struggle with evening hunger, I think we can be aware of all that very good research and use it to make changes, but sometimes these changes may have to incremental to be sustainable.

    I just completed a yoga course and one of the concepts we discussed was “Kaizen”. There are numerous references online referring to business, but it applies very well to our daily lives.

    Here is one definition:
    ‘The Kaizen approach is based on the belief that continuous, incremental improvement adds up to substantial change over time… 
    Think of it as an antidote to every “go big or go home” motivational trope you’ve seen in your newsfeed. Kaizen is less about hustle and working more, and more about thoughtful adjustments, accepting failure, and applying learnings in order to work better.’
    (https://qz.com/work/1183536/the-japanese-philosophy-of-kaizen-can-reinvent-your-daily-routine/)

    I have been using the philosophy to make my evening meal earlier each night. For example- Instead of saying, “I’m not going to have dinner at 8.30pm, I’m going to have dinner at 5.00, from now onward!!” (which would never work, for me anyhow), I moved my dinner time earlier by 10 minutes each day. Just made that conscious effort to eat the last meal a little earlier each and every day, honoured that decision, and kept going with it. Some days it didn’t work out, but that’s ok. I just did it the next day. This was before i started the BSD, which has brought up its own challenges, but I’m glad to say my mealtimes are now a good hour and a half to two hours earlier on most nights, work and everything else permitting.

    So don’t despair Steve, keep going with the great work on the 800 cals and as for late night eating- ‘Kaizen it’ as my yoga teacher says. You’ll get there 🙂

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Great post WG and really interesting to hear about Kaizen, I have used it in business but never thought about using the technique in my personal life. Thats a really great idea. I did a diet many years ago that forced a 5 hour break between meals to keep insulin levels down. It was pretty strict but it worked (for a while) and I only stopped because I came to hate the shakes. The science behind insulin management is sound and as you get older it seems harder to control and the body produces less. I will have a go at moving my evening meals slowly to earlier in the evening and hope that I don’t get back to snacking. Thanks everyone for your support. Steve.

  • posted by JGwen
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    Because this forum is about blood sugar , we tend to focus on Insulin Resistance, but it is not the only hormone involved in regulating our eating habits. – While Insulin is linked to our craving for carbs, its a hormone leptin that is released by fat cells and has receptors in the brain which controls our hunger . – https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/role-of-leptin-in-obesity-2165-7904-1000258.php?aid=50231. I recently read a book on leptin resistance, which suggested that the time of eating is important on restoring leptin sensitivity. The authors advice was to have at least 4 hours gap between eating anything and going to bed, getting a full nights sleep and to have at least a 12 hour window of not eating around sleeping.
    Did you see the program on BB2 at 9pm last night on sleep patterns. They covered that getting time out in day light is important in ensuring quality of sleep and length of sleep, and they had some different glasses which filters light to provide the right (frequencies?) it was blue light that they mentioned that they used to help night shift workers to get a full period of deep sleep.

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Steve it’s really up to you how well you succeed on the BSD. It seems to me you were very clear that you had powerful reasons, health and family and that you had started well.
    OK, you’ve hit a sticky patch – we all do; read the book again, understand particularly the issue of addiction and get going with new resolve.
    There will always be people who give you permission to fail – it’s rather reminiscent of the saying “misery loves company”; don’t fall for it. I’ve seen it time and again. You can do this; think of all the amazing reasons why you want to lose that weight and stay focused.
    Give us the opportunity and we’ll support and help you to be successful . Maggie

  • posted by FreshStart
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    My 4 week weigh-in:

    weight: 95.1 (<5.4) woop woop!!!

    I had some blood tests done last week so I’ll see how my HbA1c (?) is next week when I see the doctor. Getting blood test sticks next week so not able to do the daily tests yet.

    Wolfgirl and Steve, hang in there, guys! We’re halfway there…

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Hi everyone its the end of week 4 for most of us who started on the 15th September and here are my results: Total weight lost 7.4kg, waist measurement reduced by 4cm and blood sugar down from over 8 to 7.3 mmol/L. I’ve only lost 200g since last week but I guess a loss is a loss and overall in 4 weeks I’m pretty happy with the results so far.

    I’ve had two really bad evenings where I’ve lost control and binged on Carbs, both in the last week so I have to get back into a more positive mindset and focus on the goal. Nobody said this would be easy and to be honest every day is still a struggle but the combination of emotional support and science from you all on this tread has helped a LOT so thank you.

    I said at the beginning I had the most to lose. Percentage wise I’ve lost 5.8% of my body weight since I started and most of the books say anything over 5% is medically significant. I know some of you have lost similar percentages so here’s to another 4 weeks and another 5% loss! Good luck everyone and enjoy the weekend.

    Steve

    +ves:

    Weight Loss, clothes feel looser, discovered myfitnesspal app, reduction in Blood Sugar readings, feel less lethargic and have more energy, work shirts are not bulging and fit better.

    -ves:

    Its still bloody hard and every day is a challenge, evening snacking is still a problem, not many people have said anything to my face about my weight loss so far, I still look very fat in the mirror.

    Steve

  • posted by Stevepoker28
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    Well done freshstart, amazing result and good luck with the HbA1c results. I find taking the blood sugar reading once a week quite satisfying but it has been up and down so I’m not sure how good these home kits really are.

  • posted by JGwen
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    Hi Steve,
    If you have stepped off the wagon on two occasions this week that will have caused your failure to loose weight this week. – The body has different requirements on water when burning carbs against fat so your weight will increase after any carb binge as it holds on to water in preperation for the next carb based meal. (1 litre of water weighs 1 kg) – Stay back on the wagon for a few days and you will see it drop again.

  • posted by Wolfgirl
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    Steve and FreshStart yayyyyy!!! Well done you guys!
    I’ve lost about 6.5% body weight and week four ends on Monday morning for me. I’ve felt actually now comfortable to recommend the programme to a good friend who has been having a struggle with post 50’s weight gain as well. I’m an evidence-based girl (science background) and all the reading I’ve done has backed up the anecdotal evidence I have built up by observing the way my own body reacts to the different things and ways I have eaten over the years. When people asked me how I stayed slim when I was younger I used to laughingly recommend what I called my “wolf diet” i.e – I would eat well but not worry much most of the time, then not eat much at all for a few days. I worked shift work and many hours. This was just how I rolled, it wasn’t pre-mediated. When I read about MM’s 5:2 diet, I realised that this is what I was doing unconsciously, because it worked for me.
    There is also a lot written about the gut bacteria, and how they begin to change when the carb levels in our diet fall. This has huge ramifications for hunger (leptin again), and how we process nutrients, as well as for cravings. So lets keep feeding those good guys in our guts and celebrate our successes of the last few weeks.
    but not with carbs 😉
    WG x

  • posted by MaggieBath
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    Sounds like there’s a lot of good stuff going on, congratulations to you all!
    Steve have you read MM’S book Clever Guts? That gives you a real understanding of how our bodies respond to different food groups and how what we understand to be hunger frequently isn’t. It’s well worth reading as the greater our knowledge of what’s going on with our bodies the better equipped we are to cope with challenges.

  • posted by FreshStart
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    Great stuff, Steve and WG!!! Go us!

    I’m finally noticing the benefits within myself, though no one else had said anything. I’m sleeping better, not wanting a nap during the day, just generally have more energy and feeling more optimistic. Exercise and healthy eating and eating less really are mood enhancers.

    I’m thinking of the next 4 weeks as the start of another challenge… phase 2. Just because mentally it makes it feel more exciting to me to begin a new thing than to continue the same plan (even though in reality I’m doing the same plan)… weird, I know…

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