Hi all
I’m starting this tomorrow (today – Thursday, depending what time you read this!) for the first time. I’m a failed yo yo dieter, my health is suffering, I’m exhausted, miserable, fed up of being fat, fed up of failing, fed up with my body being the way it is and just disgusted with myself for being such a failure with my weight. I would like to lose a lot of weight, and get significantly healthier. My husband is treating me to a lovely spa break in 6 weeks time and would love to feel better about myself by then and feel healthier too and more positive. I hope this low carb low cal option will work as I am feeling very depressed and angry with myself for failing at so many diets. I just need to take control of my life. My confidence, health and self esteem are at an all time low right now. Do you think 6 weeks will show a difference? Did you notice a difference in 6 weeks? I’m scared I’ve broken my metabolism with my years of yo yo dieting 😩
Anyway any encouragement would be welcome
Many thank to you all

I hope you can stop feeling angry and guilty, you don’t deserve that! We are so surrounded by unhealthy foods which trigger cravings that it’s really difficult to break free. This diet works for so many people. I’ve got halfway to my goal and feel so much healthier (and thinner!). After a five month break I’ve just restarted BSD 800 to finish the job. Why don’t you join a couple of group threads, we all encourage each other.

Hi BrandNewMe – firstly, most diets set you up to fail, so really there is no other option for those following them and so it’s not right that YOU have failed, it’s much more that THEY have failed YOU. Secondly, a great big YES – six weeks on the BSD will make a difference and by then you will almost certainly be feeling much more positive, with noticeable changes to your body and your feelings of wellbeing. The BSD will help you take control and help to reset your metabolism. Most importantly, it doesn’t take very long to feel healthier either. I can empathise with your feelings regarding where you find yourself right now, but you are taking a step towards a much happier, brighter, healthier future – congratulations on deciding to do that for yourself.

As Natalie says, do join any thread you feel might help you and the challenge threads are especially helpful. You will get a warm welcome and as they are populated by people at various stages along their BSD journey, you will benefit from their knowledge and experience, support and encouragement. It is certainly what got me to goal weight and has kept me successfully maintaining. Like Natalie, I took breaks along the way. However I always kept to the BSD principles, so as not to gain too many pounds back each time. We have to bear in mind that this is not a ‘diet’, so much as a new way of life – there is no going back to how we used to eat, as that is what did the damage and brought us here in the first place.

Right now though, focus on each day as it arrives; don’t beat yourself up if you go a little over calories on one day – it will balance out along the way, just start immediately start again. There will be trips and stumbles, but you’ll find us here waiting to spur you on, so keep posting your progress, whether that’s a loss on the scales or the tape measure or having to get clothes in a smaller size – it all counts.

Anyway, all best wishes to you for every success in your BSD quest and we’ll be looking forward to hearing how you are.

Hello there! Welcome aboard this wonderful train with the BSD’ers! Havent read ONE erson who hasnt had success in someway or at sometime . .. and we ALL know from those experiences no two of us are the same 🙂 “It” happens . . . but at different times in different ways . . .and thats why these forums are so GREAT! There has been/is ALWAYS – someone here who has been through what I went though. Not in a bad way . . . just curiosity because it is SO DIFFERENT!!! I took up this way of life due to high sugar levels. The “pills” doctor had prescribed made me both ill, depressed and took away my appetite. I ate WHAT I liked from the lost of permissable choices . . . and didnt weigh anything. 11kgs disappeared in the first few weeks. Having said that I think that depends on age, how much each of us weighs to begin with . . . how uch exercise some are or are not used to. I dont and havent exercised . . . . . I have however been SO DILIGENT with the cards I think Id be lucky to make 15 a day let alone the 20!!! SO I did it my way . . . without too much stress because I was already dealing with so much I didnt need any more pressure. Id suggest you give yourself a treat! Eat something special EVERYDAY if not for breakfast for lunch if not lunch then dinner/supper. And then why not at all three meals. Make t something delectable that you really like which is permitted!!! Kinda reward for effort!!! Learn to NOT deride yourself for ANYTHING. Insist that your body did its best with its – and your – new plan 🙂 Allow the transition to this way of life and eating to evolve . . . gradually and naturally . . . and dont exect too much – that way you will be pleasantly surprised at what does happen 🙂 After all . . . YOU are worth it! I wish you all the VERY BEST and thank you for opening up to us 🙂 We have all a fascinating story to tell 🙂 Im starting on week 1 of my next 8 week plan 🙂 Today breakfast was bacon, mushrooms and shallots in a butter and coconut cream sauce with one slice of 85% less carb toast. Lunch was cold pork with salad . . . dinner curried prawns, coconut, snow peas and onions in coconut cream sauce. Yesterdays lunch was baby beets feta, greens and atlantic salmon steak. I have NEVER eaten so well in all my life . . , and at 74 this week, am feeling alive again. Go girl! You can do it and your life will change 🙂

WoodDuckie, you are so impressive!

Well you humble me Violinist! Thank you 🙂 I was in a terrible place when this “diet” info reached me. I cannot express all the changes and opportunities . . . the interest and enthusiasm Ive gathered again after what was a nightmare ride. So many here are part of that nightmare and pulling me out of the despair – encouraging, answering my concerns . . . and sharing that the rough patches – which once started on the programme were VERY few – were perfectly normal and always added suggestions how to handle them when next they arrived – if they did! Today Ive felt like Ive eaten LOADS of food – and am still ravenous. Im unable to see whats missing – so therefore why I feel this way . . . but think it is a leftover from “before” when I ate because I was tired. And the past two days have been full-on! with only four hours sleep two nights ago to begin them! Thinking it is wiser that even though I have had dinner/supper, some feta, nuts, a protein bar and a coffee – maybe Ive been cutting the carbs too fine . . . and by body is just exhausted after these two BIG days . . .and if Im asleep . . . I wont be hungry!!! And so . . , wont be tempted to “hunt” which is what Ive been doing for the past two hours and NOTHING is suppressing the hunger 🙂 Tomorrow is another day 🙂

Hello! I am a returning BSDer… I did this diet originally in Jan and Feb 2017 and lost a stone and a half in 6 weeks. I recently did this again prior to a holiday and I lost a stone in a few weeks however the summer holiday eating mode hasn’t stopped and I got back from holiday mid July!!
Having just had a dreadful moment in a changing room where the trousers wouldn’t do up and the blouses have gone up a size, I have given myself a bit of a talking to! I will be psyching myself up to start in a couple of days time, get a good shop in full of good foods and mentally prepare (I have to get in the zone!). I WILL get back into my wardrobe full of clothes that are now too small for me…..

Note to myself – stop eating all the pasta, stop buying sandwiches for lunch as you are too lazy to make a salad, stop drinking all the wine, get your head in the game and you can do this!!! Trust yourself.

Hope i can join you in your journeys and I hope everyone is having a good day.
Lets do this together :o)

Rebecca xxxx

Thank you very much everyone for the lovely responses. I managed Day 1 yesterday and am now on day 2. Feeling hungry though…that’s my big problem!

Welcome BrandNewMe!
Cutting down your daily carbohydrate intake to 20 grams of carb will get your hunger under control (maybe for the first time in your life). It will take a couple of days though, so be patient and really carefully read labels and check carb levels — this ONE thing will make it so much easier as you go forward.
I am stressing this important point because your first post gave me a couple of clues — you said you are a failed yo yo dieter and you “need to take control”.
As you move forward with this way of eating and start to read up (and watch podcasts) on the research posted here, you are going to see that the reason you have NOT been able to “take control” is not because you are weak but because you are struggling against a VERY powerful system in your body that is literally making you lose control.
As you gained weight and ate simple carbs like sugars and breads and pastries and chips and all the other things we all grew up on, your body began to produce more and more insulin. Insulin is your “fat-storage” hormone and insulin levels drive your body to store fat. As you get fatter, it raises your insulin level, which drives your appetite (especially for bad carbs), which makes you eat (out of control), which raises your insulin levels….
My experience was that controlling my carbohydrate intake was the single most important thing I did and after you do that and your insulin levels fall (which they will precipitously within just a few days) your appetite will normalize and your progress will be steady.
You are going to amaze yourself. You do not have a broken metabolism — we ALL thought that (as this is a group of former yo yo’ers!!) but it isn’t true. Your metabolism is fantastic and waiting for you — you just need to control your carbohydrates so it can work as it was designed to work.
Your metabolism has been hijacked by simple carbohydrates. This option is going to work for you, as it has for every other one of us who stuck with it.
You go girl!

Welcome back Buffylover! Good to see you back and back on track!

CaliforniaGirl, what a wonderfully clear and concise post. You make it so easy to see what’s important. It’s such a pity we can’t pin posts because I’d pin this one!

Oh good, thanks Angela06, I sometimes worry that I’m too direct and I scare people but I really have come to believe that it will be helpful to know the research up-front, so people can at least consider it from the beginning. I wish I had this information fifty years ago!

Oh wow there are some incredibly insightful posts on this thread and as a newbie I feel privileged to be able to benefit from them.
SunnyB, Woodduckie and Californiagirl you are amazing !

BrandNewMe you have made the first positive move coming on here so it’s time to stop beating yourself up . Believe in yourself and your ability to succeed on this programme. I understand it takes commitment but reading all the inspirational stories on the forum there is no reason you should not succeed this time. .I am sick of yo yo dieting too and want to live a long and healthy life. All the crappy carbs that we have been eating for so long have to go. They are not friends and all the lovely recipes you can find in the Blood Sugar Diet recipe book and elsewhere are designed to do your body good and to make you feel well. I try to remember to ask myself if I reach for the crisps ‘ Is this going to do my body good ?’ I write everything down in my notebook ..recipes, daily foods, calories, carbs etc and I enjoy that and yes it is taking control and that works for me.

Keep coming back to the forums.There are some great people on here .I am impressed and I have only been posting for a week.

Go for it BrandNewMe you can do this and if you have a wobble that’ s ok too. Lots of lovely folk here to pick you up xxx

Thank you so much everyone for taking the time to share your experiences, I really appreciate it. I’m on day 4 now and have managed to stick to the principles so far. I’m just taking it a day at a time. My confidence is still at a low but I think once I start seeing my clothes fit better then I’ll start to feel more confident that maybe I can do this xx

Californiagirl, I know we have talked before about this, but when you say “20 grams of carbs”, do you mean you eat more than that in carbs and then subtract the fiber out to get to 20 carbs? So, let’s say you ate 18 g fiber and 38 grams total carbs. 38-18=20 g carbs. I understand that the English only see the net carbs on their labels, where we in the US see total carbs and fiber and must do the math. Do I still have all this right?

You do, Violinist!

Thank you from Florida, Californiagirl!

Violinist, I think you may have californiagirl and me confused? Julia covers the west coast, and I’ve got
New England 🙂 Do you expect any repercussions from the hurricane where you are in Fla.? Stay safe
and prepared!

Allie

Nope, Igot it that you are up north and east and calgirl is west.

Oh, right, you answered my question for Calgirl. Got it!

Californiagirl and I essentially eat the same way, though we’re 3,000 miles from each other. We do almost
complete each others sentences, so its an easy mistake to make, Violinist 🙂

We’re looking to you to cover the south, and recruit more Americans 🙂 🙂 🙂

BrandNewMe I could have written your original post! I feel like I have tried everything and yet I just can’t seem to stick to any of them. I’m pretty good during the week at work but come the weekend it all goes out the window. I’m waiting for the BSD book to arrive (should be today, yay!) so I can understand more about the diet, so far I gather it’s 800 cals a day and <20g carbs. I’m giving myself the weekend to read up and stock up and then starting on Monday (always on a Monday, lol). I’m a little scared about just 800 calories though, seems like such a small amount!
How did you get on with your first week BrandNewMe? I haven’t had chance to read the other posts fully yet but will do over the weekend… it seems there’s lot of support on here which I hope to make the most of to ensure this isn’t just another diet I can’t stick to. I’m excited to start!

Hi BestMeEver and welcome. You are right – there is plenty of support for you here and you have already taken the first step. Some people here do stick to 20g of carbs a day. Others like me have been able to lose quite a bit on 50g a day – it depends on your own sensitivity to carbs. You could kick off with 800cals and 50g target and see how you get on. If your weight loss stalls, you will then have room to go lower on carbs. I know that sense of starting a few days off (!). But it would be useful already to start cutting out the obvious things that are doing you harm – sugar, potatoes, rice and pasta. That will set you up well for your Monday start.

The website can be a bit difficult to navigate. Feel free to join in where you like, and you will be made welcome. There are two threads that renew on a monthly (called “zoomers”) and weekly (called “I have a plan) basis. These groups have a mix of new and experienced members which can prove very helpful.

Anyway, welcome, and wishing you lots of success.

Morning Alliecat and all!
If you meed the south, you got the south here in Florida!

I mean need

Hey there and welcome! When I first started I did what I could and gradually trimmed things. eg: I had all the right foods, didnt weigh or count anything but the carbs. received the most attention. And they received that attention before I bought the food! I KNEW whatever I had in the fridge or pantry was low . . , and how much of it I could have. Those changes were enough to handle to start . , and within a week it was like riding a bicycle. Once you get the hang of it it is easy 🙂 I automatically know how much of a dip container I can include either as a snack or dressing if I chose to have that . . . I know cauliflower broccolli celery shallots leeks onions arent an issue . . . nor is the stirfry vege pack . . . milk – have worked out roughly how much per day . . . butter no problem . . . bacon eggs . . . and just began mixing and matching. Once the bread, crispbreads, crackers, pasta, noodles, rice and potatoes are gone . . . 20 is easy 🙂 I have even found a delicious 85% less carb bread so when I want a treat of scrambled egg on toast . . , one slice only has 2.5 grams! Ready – set – go!!! And like a family at varying stages of their “lives” . . . we are all here cheering you on, ready to catch you if you stumble or have any questions!!! All the very best!!

Hi BrandNewMe. You sound just like the ‘me’ of 5 weeks ago. I was overweight and fed up, thinking that no diet would ever work for me. I don’t like to think how much I’ve spend on diet clubs over the years only to be heavier than I ever was. That all changed 5 weeks ago when a friend told me about the BSD diet. My initial reaction was that there was NO WAY that I could live on 800 calories a day, let alone cut out the carbs. I lived on pasta and potatoes! Anyway, I had nothing to loose, so started the diet – and all I can say is – it works! 5 weeks in and I’m 22lbs lighter, and have lost inches all over, including 3 inches off my waist. Now the results are starting to show and I feel so good inside and out, that nothing will stop me from seeing this journey to it’s end. I can practically guarantee that you’ll feel the same. The plan uses normal, everyday food that’s tasty and every meal is filling. So believe in yourself, you can and you will do it:)