Hello! If there’s another thread for people starting this week y’all feel free to point me there. I thought this would be a good way for several of us to touch base daily. I look forward to meeting all the 9/26 starters … and anyone else who wants to hang out with the newbies. 🙂

Hi. I started today and am really exited to begin this journey! It is way overdo!! Good luck to all who start this week.

I started today too. 12st 5lb and5ft 2inches. I want to lose 3 stone by next summer and I think this is the kick start I need. I am in the right frame of mind but great to have support from others like you.

Hi everyone
I started today. Had an ok day but I’m still hungry. Going to have an early night so it will keep me out of the kitchen😊😊. Good luck everyone x

Hello everyone! I’m glad I’m not the only one hungry. I’m rationing my apple from lunch like I may never have access to food again!

Hi, I started today by fasting for 12 hours. I had to do this to allow my stomach to shrink after over indulging all weekend!
I will follow 800 cal using the recipe book from tomorrow.
Luckily I’m on holiday from Saturday on a remote Scottish island which will help me as there are no shops. I will be food prepping prior to departure. Wish me luck please – no wifi on the island so won’t be able to keep in touch.

I started today too.

I’m 5’5 and weighed in at exactly 15st this morning :S

I suspect I’m probably prediabetic – but don’t know for sure. However my blood pressure has gone through the roof – and that’s why I’m here!

My calories for today came in at 754 – and didn’t find that too much of a struggle. Have made lunch ready to take to work with me tomorrow – just need to plan for dinner tomorrow night!

I’m excited to see how we all get on!

Day 1 is in the books. Poached egg for breakfast, no carb ploughman’s lunch and chicken stir fry with coconut milk and lime for dinner. I only managed a few bites of dinner – really didn’t care for it. Calories for the day came to 770. The struggle was mostly a mental one. The idea of heading to an island without a grocery store sounds like heaven!

Hi. Started today. Planning not to have anything other than a cup of tea for breakfasts, salad or soup for lunches and a small low carb portion of what I make for my family for dinner. Not intending to weigh myself for a while because that would be super depressing and more importantly, demotivating, and the fit of my clothes will tell me whether the weight is going or not.

Hi just thinking of getting started tommrow.can I eat anything on plan at anytime?

I have the recipe book and will be swapping a few meals for alternatives as there are some things I don’t like…such as eggs!!
As long as you eat foods that are allowed and keep to around 800 calories you should be ok

Another starter here. I was going to commence the 5:2 but after buying the kindle 800 book, looking at recipes and deciding I need a good kick start I’ve opted for the 800 diet.
I’ve ordered some ketostix online also- hoping that gives me a measurement ( and motivation ) as well as using the myfitness pal app.
I’m on operation Christmas dress as my first goal- new dress a bit tight and I reuse to go up a size.

I’m a new starter too. Made the mistake of taking 25g of nuts as a snack to work. Then found out how many calories that is (169!!) but couldn’t stop eating them. Backed off for dinner, so went over 800 by 50 cals. Won’t make that mistake again 🙂

Day 2 is going well though.

I started yesterday too. Technically I’m not a new starter because I successfully followed the plan for 8 weeks earlier in the year and lost 4 kilos then. More than happy with that because I’m a short older lady and I lose weight very slowly. But I went travelling for 9 weeks, had the most amazing time, but came back with a few more kilos than I set out with. Seven, to be precise. : ( I had expected it though. I’d made up my mind to just enjoy my holiday and start again when I got home again because I’m not likely to get an opportunity to travel like this again in a hurry. So here I am, on track so far and looking forward to the next 8 weeks, even though I have three family birthdays coming up. In addition I have a teenage house guest who needs regular feeding, so meals aren’t quite as straight forwards as they were when I was on my own. But losing my extra weight, being able to buy nice clothes and hopefully coming off my Metformin altogether would make putting in the extra effort well worth while. Looking forward to checking in regularly and catching up with you all.

Good luck everyone

Started today – nice to feel I’m not alone! I’ve heard it gets easier with time. I am also not going to weight myself as it sometimes makes me press the self-destruct button! Good luck all.

Yes, good luck to everyone.

Don’t forget to MEASURE will you? Either with a tape measure (although I can never find mine when I want it), or with clothes to test whether your waist is going down…..

Lots of people sharing that even if weight is not going down as fast as you’d like, you can see the effect on your waist as the visceral fat starts melting.

🙂 🙂

Love the idea of visceral fat melting away! Very motivating. Happy to measure rather than weigh! Greek yogurt with berries and toasted seeds was a delicious start to the day! I just need to get used to the smaller portions, but will love the food that’s suggested.

Hope i can join you …. I supposedly started last week but that was one TOTAL bust.

I’m 67, female, diabetic for 20 years or so, 5 ft. 6 in. and probably weigh 235 again (i think i gained last week but have been sick so i haven’t been to the gym to weigh in).

I’m up very early, been looking up calories and carbs for stuff i usually eat.

Made a nice breakfast of 3 eggs over a tiny amount of chopped honey ham and onion. And a coffee with cream. approx. 345 calories and 11 carbs.
I may have corn fried catfish for lunch and a cauliflower and spinach soup for supper. Maybe some sugar snap peas.

Until i replace my broken oven and get a fridge with a freezer compartment i’m going with simple things i can cook on 1 electric element or the electric frying pan.

I’ll be walking to the laundromat several times today 🙂 … washer is broken too! Blew all my money on house repairs! But i am looking forward to cooking and roasting … soon

Another new starter here. Supporting my husband on the diet who is a type 2 diabetic , I am grossly overweight (bmi40 )with slightly raised cholesterol (5.7), blood pressure is in the danger zone of becoming high and my sugar levels are normal which I want to keep that way😊 drinking lots of water and scouring the recipes …good luck everybody x

Welcome all new starters! Thought I might share a thought from seven months out (I started March, got to goal in July now on maintenance) — if you find your scale to be abusive like mine is (it just accuses me when i step on it) — you can go the whole way with a friendly and supportive tape measure! I have lost four clothing sizes and I still won’t get near that stupid scale — I refuse to get on it at the doctors office too. They are always so surprised but I point out that my belly is flat and I’m in size 8 jeans so they relent (although they give me dirty looks). So if you find the scale to be depressing and mentally limiting, just spend three dollars on a plastic tape measure — also your tape measure can travel! Try traveling with a scale….😁😜

Hello all,

I’d like to join in too please! I’ve started my own diary thread as well in an effort to remain accountable throughout this process but it’s also fun to hear about how everyone else is approaching this 🙂 I got semi-started last week but just had a weekend away which derailed my (minimal) progress so am back on the wagon today and full steam ahead! Thanks to Igor and Californiagirl for the reminders to measure. I will get on that tonight, not that I really want to find out just how enormous I am! But my current mini-goal is to drop a dress size by 1st Jan, so I guess doing the measurements will spur me on. I’m also going to make more of an effort to try new recipes so I don’t just flop about complaining I have nothing to eat and then bingeing on crisps and the like. So, there is my plan of sorts! Good luck with everything everyone 🙂

Hi Flash21

I don’t want to get you to be too confident. But I can tell you, for certain, that if you stick to the BSD and enjoy changing your lifestyle to accommodate the 800 calories and no refined carbs, ONE dress size down by January is ABSOLUTELY AND DEFINITELY ACHIEVABLE.

In fact, I look forward to catching up with you in a few weeks to hear how you’ve already done it and are moving towards the next milestones. 🙂

Onwards and downwards, all 🙂

Glad to see we’re all doing well so far! Day 2 was pretty great. I fasted until lunch. Lunch was cherry tomatoes, 2 ounces avocado, cucumber, red bell pepper and celery with 2tb hummus, a little feta and 4 strawberries. For dinner I made lemon chicken breasts in the instant pot and had 3 ounces of chicken mixed with 1 cup of roasted cauliflower. Snacked on 1 ounce of almonds while I prepared dinner. Total calories for the day was just under 800. Are y’all eating 2 meals a day or 3?

No set rule for me as to meals per day. Depends on when i get up (i’m retired) and what my plans are for the day.
I haven’t been doing this long enough to know how things will work ….
so far
Some form of eggs as the first meal

Eat LUNCH or supper when hungry … if i’m out and eating in restaurants … i will eat things like …
a sandwich or wrap … but not the bread or wrapping
burger without the bun
miso or consomme with vegetables
fish and chips … vegetables instead of chips
salad … dressing on the side

At home i make a big batch of soup : with any combination of the following : vegetables, beans or lentils or chicken/meat in store bought stock/broth. If i’m too high on carbs i use meat without the beans or lentils.

Thanks Igor, that is very encouraging!! I will definitely keep my diary thread updated and will post here too. I am just beginning to realise that preparation is the absolute key to this. I can’t rely on my usual habits of popping to the shop or work canteen as I know I’ll fold when faced with things that are currently off limits. I was never a planner/preparer before but am now getting quite into finding new ideas for packed lunches etc. Just need to set the willpower dial to firm now!

Dlmoulton – your lunch sounds delicious! Like shalimar, I don’t have a set plan for meals as I just try to eat when I am hungry and not if I am not, if that makes sense. Sometimes I will intentionally fast but not regularly yet. My meals are typically yoghurt and blueberries for breakfast, cold meats or prawns with salad for lunch and something like chicken and veg for dinner. Keeping to sensible portion sizes is one of my main problems!

Just popped to Tesco and as soon as I stepped through the doors I feel hungry even though I wasn’t before. I kept my willpower and stuck fastidiously to my shopping list and it felt so good!

Luckily I live in the New Forest and we’ve had great weather all Spring/Summer so I go for long walks with the dogs to keep me occupied, fit and out of the house.

After just 2 days I no longer feel bloated. I suffer from IBS but have had no symptoms since starting this diet.

I need to lose 4 st and have never felt so determined so it’s nice to know that I can share my journey with others in the same situation.

Just a little update..
There was a lot of excitement in my bathroom this morning because I got on the scales and I’ve lost 2lb in 2 days. Not believing the reading, I must have got on and off them 20 times and still to be doubly sure I got my set of weightwatchers scales out and yes, 2lb. 2lb normally takes about a month on slimming world to loose. I have about a stone and a half to loose.. I was very hungry on day 1 but yesterday didn’t find it a problem. I have just made breakfast muffins with spinach, tomato, cottage cheese and egg whites with a tiny sprinkle of cheese on the top. Haven’t worked the calories out yet but they were delicious xx

NewForestDieter – well done! I find shopping quite hard sometimes, especially when I see/smell all the fresh bread. It must feel great knowing you stuck to your list and now have a fridge and cupboard full of lovely food!

Joanne6446 – congratulations! 2lb in two days is fab 🙂 I like the sound of those muffins too!

Flash21 – Thank you. I leave in the very early hours of Saturday morning (3am to be exact) for my remote Scottish island holiday so won’t check in now until my return

Still sticking to it too. I am not weighing myself till the end but I change into a dress when I get in from work that is not that flattering at the moment. I hope to see this improve as the days and weeks go on. Plus, where it looks so awful on, it has kept me motivated not to give up. Keeping in carb range on my fitness pal. My only concern is that the semi skimmed milk is logged as zero carb. Surely this is wrong?

That does seem odd, sharonjean5cc. I still have skimmed milk (I like it), and 20 cl is given as 10 carbs on Fat Secret.

Weighed in yesterday at 336 pounds. This week has been going a lot better than last.

Blood sugars except for 1 reading was under 10.

Nice flavour combination this morning : can of solid tuna in water, drained, with 1 tbsp. of Miracle Whip mayonnaise and a handful of chopped celery …. and 1/3 or so of sliced cucumber …. never tried that combo before and it was great.

Hi Shalimar
That sounds really good, I’ve put it in my plan for tomorrow’s lunch – wrapped in lettuce leaves, mmmm yum.
I wondered what miracle whip was, and now I know !! Any other tasty tips, let us know 😀

Hey i just lost 100 pounds in the last hour ……………. misprint …. i am 236 pounds nor 336 pounds 🙂 🙂 🙂

I think of Miracle Whip as mayonnaise with extra lemon. I even make an easy tarter sauce with just Miracle Whip and green relish.

p.s. Just tried Oikos Greek Yogurt with frozen raspberries … 1/2 c yogurt and 1/4 c. raspberries …. if you like tart, and i do …. that was gooooddd!!

That is an impressive weightloss technique 🙂

Hi! Can I join?

I’m a 42-year-old female, slow loser, coming off a typical SAD diet (lots of refined grains, fried foods, potatoes, etc.). I fortunately don’t have a craving/desire for sugary things like soda or pie or cake, so rarely eat those types of treats, but I can easily eat enough pasta in one meal for a family of 6.

I started on Monday and so far, so good. Most days I fast through breakfast, and sometimes I fast through lunch. Then I eat a low carb dinner and low carb bedtime snack. I may overdo it on dairy and nuts right now, but I’ll cut back when my weight loss stalls.

So far I’ve lost 4 pounds, but I am an experienced dieter, so I know it’s glycogen/water stores.

Friday and Saturdays are my “food fun” days usually, so I am hoping I can make it through them without too much damage. Plan tonight is taco salad.

Great to meet everyone!

I put my measuring tape next to the scale. God help anyone that moves it!

I put my measuring tape next to the scale. God help anyone that moves it!
I’d like to join you, I started 9 / 29. I have been taking Metforum about 8 months, would like to stop. I had a heart attack 2 1/2 years ago and my fasting has been a bit above normal ever since,I suspect made worse by the statin drugs, as it went up to 148. I was doing well yesterday until husband decided he wanted to have cereal before bed. I went upstairs rather quickly. He was apologetic about it and said he knows he needs to”cut back” too. Hope he joins me soon, he really needs to lose about 50 pounds

Still here – still trying (after a whole 5 days :s) but feeling like I’m failing right now.

Hoping everyone else who has posted here, has had a better day and week (especially day) than me!!

It may not be going well right now – but I haven’t given up – and don’t intend to. So see you all again soon 🙂

Just want to say HI to everyone! Wishing us all good luck. The measuring tape can be a good friend when the scale isn’t.
I soooo love that even with a little weight loss … clothes fit so much better!

My saviour in the evening is hot chocolate. Half to a teaspoon of cocoa powder,2 sweeteners. Add boiling water. Stir and add milk. Tastes better than low calorie bought sachets as not sickly sweet.

Shopping online and getting it delivered is a great way to get out of the red mist of supermarkets.

I started on 26/9 too. Good to see there are a few of us. First time on 8wk for me – I’ve high hopes as I’ve tried many others in the past.

Done 4 days and lost 3lbs and 3″ from waistline. Hope it keeps going.

The end of week one : weight down 11lbs -BMI 38.4 , waist 2.5 inches smaller and for the last couple of days full of energy . I have been quite surprised at the tastiness of the recipes and haven’t paticularly felt hungry. I have , though, had trouble sleeping and experienced frequent ocular migraines….hoping things get back to normal soon! My hubby who has type 2 has lost 10 lbs and his Sugar levels have reduced to an average of 6.2 …amazing in just a week . How are you all doing ?

Just checking in. End of week 1 and I’ve lost 4lb. Thrilled to bits. Can honestly say I don’t feel hungry and I don’t crave any carbs. Start of week 2, hope its a good one xx

End of week one post from me – and I’m 10lbs down! It’ not always been easy, and I definitely haven’t been perfect with it – but am thrilled with the outcome!

Well done everyone! Really great to be reading about successes and achievements today as it’s spurring me on to keep going for week 2.

Cowslip – totally agree about online shopping! Although I have found that the pickers give you stuff that runs out quite quickly, whereas if I’d chosen myself I could root around for the longest best before date! However, anything that keeps me away from bread is good in my book!

Sharonjean – thanks for the advice about the hot chocolate!

I haven’t measured myself yet. What do you typically measure? Just waistline or all over?

Hi there, Flash!

In terms of measurements, you can do waist, hips, thighs, chest – I think waist is most important as it’s the one which seems to move most!

Or you can have test garments – shirt, pair of jeans, belt – which will show you the same thing without the need for writing down.

I found the garments best, as I would lose the tape measure, then measure and lose the bit of paper I wrote the results down on. And after all it’s the effect on clothes you’re most interested in…..:)

In terms of supermarkets – I find late night shopping helps – if possible and practical for you.

They have stopped baking by 10pm at night (probably earlier – but I tend to go after that), and you get the extra exercise of climbing around the trolleys they use to restock the shelves!