I’ve done all this before, with amazing results, several years ago. My hba1c dropped into a healthy range, and then life happened – perimenopause, pandemic, some big family changes – and here I am again.

I’m waiting on a blood test result but I’m expecting my hba1c is around 48-50 as I’ve had some episodes very like hypos, had that dreadful thirst and other little bits and pieces that tell me I’m in a danger zone. Meanwhile, I’ve been referred to the NHS Healthier You team which I’m feeling very doubtful about. It’s a WeightWatchers thing, and I want to use the BSD instead.

I’ve done 2 weeks BSD so far, fairly easily, but without calorie counting due to circumstances – I’ve already lost 9.5 lbs. I have a long-term goal of losing 7 stone so this is a huge deal. I really want the support the NHS plan might offer because I’m so driven to change but I have a history of failures behind me, horribly unsettled hormones, dodgy joints and a history of depression – I don’t believe I can carry this through alone, But will they accept the BSD? I’ve looked at all kinds of options that might help me with accountability, encouragement and guidance, especially when it comes to exercise, and I just don’t know what will be compatible with the BSD 800 calorie goals.

Does anyone have experience of this? Or advice?

Sarah
Your first sentence sums up what you need to do …….
“I’ve done all this before, with amazing results, several years ago. My hba1c dropped into a healthy range……. “
You know BSD works especially for those of us with T2.
“ ….and then life happened – perimenopause, pandemic, some big family changes – and here I am again.” Join the club!
Lots of us have been in the same position. “Failure” is not a good word to use. Lots of us have lapses but just get back on the ‘horse’ when we fall off.
The NHS programme …. what’s to stop you having the support the plan offers but follow the BSD Way of Life?
There’s plenty of support and encouragement on these threads. Possibly the weekly thread, that renews every Tuesday, would be a good place for you to start especially as there are newbies joining all the time. But there are also lots of experienced BSD’ers to give you advice and the benefit of their experience.
You know this works for weight loss and more importantly for blood sugar control. Lots of us keep our BS stable with low carbs, you’ve done it before and can do it again but it has to be a WOL to keep your HbA1c down, not just a short term fix…. I know!
Best of luck and enjoy your journey.

Good luck SARAH! I echo everything that VERANO said.
Doesn’t matter if you fell off the horse,as long as you get back on it,clippetty clop!
Nelson Mandela said..
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again”. So true! 👍👍
Good luck,you’re already 9.5 lbs down!..keep going onwards and downwards! X

Hi Sarah
I’m a bit late responding but I’ve just read your post. I wonder if it might be worth getting the telephone number from your GP practice for the Healthier You team and speaking to one of them directly about the content of the programme, particularly the diet bit. Also, I just looked up the Healthier You programme. I can’t find the content but apparently Diabetes UK is one of the key partners behind the programme. They have been a major funder of Prof Roy Taylor’s research linked to his Newcastle Diet (the ‘low-calorie shakes then food’ plan) on which MM based the original BSD book (Roy Taylor wrote the intro to BSD). So, hopefully some of the messages around low cal/reducing carbs from Roy Taylor’s research might be incorporated into the Healthier You programme. Even if it is a weightwatchers-type programme I know there may be some negatives around the dietary advice (which I’d just quietly ignore – you’ve already got that bit!) but the real positive, as you say, would be the support of the other participants – and all the other non-dietary bits of the programme which might be really helpful. If you do go for the Healthier You programme, I’ll be really interested to hear what the programme is about.

Oh, and 9.5 lb – not too far to that first stone gone. Yeah!
Jennie xx
PS As Verano says you could do the NHS course and come on here as well for the BSD support. xx