Day 8
1. Your tastebuds come alive. I can now taste the sweetness in tea with just semi milk in it.
2. A healthy snack is not something to be frightened of if you are doing hard exercise.
3. It is possible to eat 800 to 1000 cals [exercise day] each day and feel energised.
This from someone who was probably averaging 3000 cals per day for years, through thinking exercise would take care of everything. Muscle strength and full enjoyment of exercise has normalised again on Day 8.
4. It’s good to try new combinations of foods to reinvigorate one’s enjoyment of eating.
Who would have thought that stewed rhubarb and whole yoghurt would make a satisfying and tasty breakfast?
5. You don’t have to start the day with carbs.
This was the habit that I thought would be most hard to break.
My favourite meal was a breakfast of toast with jam, then porridge and fruit/nuts [and previously muesli].
Low carb is a pleasant change, with the brunches particularly enjoyable at the weekend.
6. The BSD book needs a bit of organising.
The route to the menus passes a week of menu photos – I thought that was the first week. It also goes past lots of recipes, so I stopped off and picked out healthy ingredients randomly, only later realising that the 8-week menus are at the back. Maybe by week 3 I’ll be following it instead of picking out recipes according to what’s in the fridge. However the direction is clear.
7. Losing weight [6 lbs] is gratifying but the other benefits might be more.
All the other things that I was growing to accept as a normal part of ageing: snoring, indigestion, lack of energy and enthusiasm, are getting better too. It’ll be remarkable if this continues. I am taking on faith the lowering of blood sugars since my Dr doesn’t believe in fasting glucose testing.
8. The Mindfulness forum is very quiet, with just 5 topics, two of which are about the No Carb Bircher and Portobello mushrooms!
I’m guessing you are all being mindful, but I posted some clues and links for beginners for anyone interested.

Hi Jackie WilsonSaid,
Great post – I agree – there are also a lot of other benefits when you realise that you are running upstairs again, and have the energy back for a few years ago.
Mindfulness – I’ve posted, but as you say – not much take up so far. I try to do 15 mins per day and it really helped me through a very stressful period in February/March. Normally that stress level would have detailed any new eating plan, and I would have been running to the local shops daily for a bag of sweets, or a couple of bags crisps. I started this plan 2/2/16, and kept it going without an issue. I am sure the Mindfulness played a part, as well as the lower sugar intake.

A lot of it is about habit, isn’t it? We’re so used to high carb breakfast that we think we need them and we get used to eating more than we use up without really realising it.

It’s amazing how much we learn on the BSD. Week 2 Day 5 and my biggies are 1. Mindfulness meditation 2. Full fat dairy, olive oil and coconut oil are O.K. 3.Eating 800 calories a day can be satiating. 4. A daily walk helps with weight loss and assists mindfulness. 5. BSD is about establishing new habits.

orchid – pleased to hear that Mindfulness is making a difference; my daughter is having a go after years of my dropping hints, but it’s not until you try meditation and engage that you realise the potential.

Patsy – agree – habits and some almost a belief system!

Switzerland – interesting to hear your learning. I *knew* about full fat dairy but not to the extent of substituting carbs. I haven’t been able to grasp the walking thing yet, partly as we live on a hill [my excuse] but adjacent to lovely countryside and not far from a pleasant canal. I’m wondering if cycling might get me out more frequently once the weather breaks. Again my excuse is that I prefer cycling at the coast – very regularly visit my elderly mother. I even like to walk there – perhaps, mrs jws, it’d be better to just move..!

9. how easy it is to make your own F**e yoghurt and so much cheaper. How delicious it is on blueberries.

10. You don’t have to feel hungry or that you are missing out on foods.

11. You can retrain your tastebuds to really taste food again.

12. Even your slippers get to big and slip off.

13. How helpful and supportive people are on this forum.

Spirit,
Thanks for adding – I’ll bite – tell me about #9 if you would.
I got as far as working out that you refer to Fage Greek yoghurt.
I see EasiYo have simple and cheap yog makers like a thermos, but haven’t Googled enough to work out how to get to the Greek and not Greek style.
Tell me it’s an extra easy step please or I’ll be worrying – I am shocked to see that I have been enjoying mere Greek style yog from Tesco. and not the real deal!