Wow you guys! What a great first week. Maccaslim and Caz ->10lb is amazing! How did you do that??

I’m happy though: Week 1 check in is 4lb down, 4 waist inches down, BMI 32.4. All going in the right direction and the cravings have gone.

Good luck for week 2 everybody.

Hi Cowslip – your results are awesome too – it’s just they are showing differently – my waist measurement has only changed by an inch and a half!

Plus my BMI is higher than yours – so I’d got more to lose!

Hi
Can I join in? I started same date. Lost 7lb so far. Starving tonight though and 200 over already. Trying to ignore it now. Any tips?

Whew! Week one is done. 7.5 pounds down, 4 1/4 inches lost on my waist. I’m not really having any cravings but I am still just absolutely starving!
@ feelinghopeful only two suggestions. hot decaf tea or just give up and go to bed. I ended up in bed reading at 7:45 Thursday night just to get away from the kitchen.

Sometimes i can’t sleep when i am too hungry …… i used to eat just a little bit of something.

Now i try and dip into my veggie mix (just a handful or so) … sugar snap peas, sliced cucumber (did some nice thin ones cut on a diagonal to look pretty), small tomatoes, pecans (because i like them but they are not my favorite), …. anything low calorie or low carb. Sometimes you need just a little something …. so keep an assortment of before-bed snacks in a couple of plastic containers.

I even bought some cheddar cheese on sale …. going to cut it up and wrap small portions.

Anyone ever eaten a celery stalk dipped in ordinary yellow mustard??

I love a little cottage cheese with a ton of chives or green onions!!

Oh well done everyone , I think I lost a large amount because I have a shed load of weight to loose . I have drank “Sleepy tea” the last couple if nights and have had a better nights sleep or it could be my body getting used to fewer carbs . Enjoy your day x

Thanks Igor for the measurement tips! I don’t know where my tape measure is so I will find some test garments and see what happens with them. Have already had to go onto the next belt hole and the one after that won’t be far off! Usually it’s going the other way….

I’ve just done my official end of week one weigh in and am 10lbs down! Can’t believe it 🙂 Well done everyone on your week 1 successes too – I hope you are feeling like you can take on week 2 with ease now!

Feelinghopeful – welcome! I often do what dlmoulton does and head for bed. But other things to stave off hunger include a big glass of sparkling water, something crunchy like celery sticks, or just distracting myself by going upstairs away from the fridge and cupboards!

Thanks for tips all. Yeh it’s not too bad going to bed early at this time of year. Today was easier, had no hunger pangs. This week seems slower weight loss, but still going. Makes me quite excited to think of 8 weeks time.

Oooh late night shopping – now there’s an idea! I think that might be better than online shopping as they always seem to give you the dodgy stuff that goes out of date the next day….And no baking smell would be ideal 😉

Nope! But I do celery sticks with a dab of humous; last night I tried celery dipped in a tad of Bovril (veggie version) and it was surprisingly yummy – really satisfies the need for a strong savoury flavour.

Please can I join too? I started the same week but have taken a little bit of time to get my head around posting on forums.
I am 5’6″ BMI 33 and have 40lbs to loose…. Have felt so over whelmed by the prospect of so much to loose that I’ve tried and failed at most diets. I read this book last week and felt so inspired by the success stories. Also I felt it just made sense! I was diabetic in my last pregnancy but have been told I’m insulin resistant so really hoping this diet is as good as it sounds.
Due to panicking about dropping to 800cal daily I did the first week on slim fast advanced nutritional shakes (180 cal) for breakfast and lunch then a low carb med style meal for supper. I was amazed to weigh in 10lbs lighter in just one week…… This has really spurred me on to week 2.
I feel this week like I have read the recipes enough times to stop the shakes and switch to proper food. That said, since I’ve done this I am starving!
I’ve had a few headaches since starting but they seem to be easing as each day passes. I’m drinking 2.5litres of water plus tea with milk from calorie allowance.
Is anyone else still feeling hungry at this stage? I’m almost tempted to go back to one shake a day but they are quite bland and expensive and I like the idea of eating proper low-carb food (as my kids say).
Anyway looking forward to reading your posts which are truly inspirational!! Good luck for the rest of this week….. I’m hoping for a good loss again but just keep thinking after 10lbs last week I surely can’t loose anything this week……
Final question: I’m worried about Gallstones as I have had one before that got stuck when I was pregnant (the same one that I was diabetic) and they said it probably happened from rapid weight loss when I had become severely ill. This is mentioned in the book and advises keeping fat in your diet…. How do you all make sure you’re getting enough fat whilst balancing the calories so as not to be starving hungry? Thanks

Started last Thursday and down 5 pounds and 3/4 inch off the waist. I didn’t expect that much as I was doing intermittent fasting a couple days a week. Most significant is my fasting blood sugar has gone from 110 to 92. I saw my Doctor yesterday and thankfully he is on board, saying people wouldn’t need Bari artic surgery if they would just go on the diet. I’ve found nice crunchy pickles helpful for those late night cravings.

Hi Kjandtheboys,

Well done on your 10lb loss! That is good going. I am also now in week two and have been experiencing some hunger pangs (although I didn’t do shakes in week 1). I think it is just a matter of getting used to a drop in calories and eating less. To compensate for that, make sure you are drinking lots and once you are, drink more! Also make sure you’re including a good level of fat in your diet (olive oil, avocados, full fat dairy, for example) as this will help you feel full. Another forum user called Igorasusual as posted a macro (carb/protein/fat) calculator somewhere which is really useful in helping to figure out how much of each you need each day. I can’t find it right now but if you search for something like “keto calculator” in the search box in top righthand corner you should be able to find the link!

Well done to you too, OldTigress (love your name!). Great news on blood sugars too. Will bear the pickles in mind for when those cravings strike!

Hi thanks for the tips Flash21 I’ll definitely check out the Keto calculator. I had a shake for late breakfast as its been one of this kinda days for me. I ate a 200 cal lunch (homemade) and drinking gallons of water… I guess it’s early into the new regime so I’m gonna trial a few different things until I find a way that works for me within the 800 cals. I weighed again this morning and was down another 3lb…. It’s definitely keeping me on track!!

@kjandtheboys 10lbs is fantastic! If you’re feeling very hungry you may need to adjust your protein \ fat count upwards a little. These satiate your hunger far more. Again, if it’s craving-style hunger you may have carbs set a little too high for your metabolism. As Flash says, more water helps too – try for 3l daily: that can also help with headaches.

@flash, I find that cravings are the first sign that my carbs are too high – is it worth checking the carb count on the shakes compared with your non-shake diet in week 1? Carb intolerance differs for individuals, so you may find it useful to double-check the carb count. If it’s actually higher this week than last, you could nudge them incrementally until cravings go again?

My youngest came home from school today having baked bread. ! had to have a sliver to avoid disappointing her and it was truly yummy, but thankfully wholegrain with hazelnuts and lots of spices: hopefully I can absorb that ounce or so into today’s carb count.

Hi @cowslip. Thanks for your support. I have been logging into FMP to record my food/800cal. I looked at your comments and then found a section in the app the shows breakdown of intake by fat protein and carbs…. Guess what you are spot on it said that I had 37% carbs yesterday (my hungry day) compared to 20% and 25% on the days either side!! Whilst I didn’t think I’d had too many the proof was there!! I definitely know that I need to monitor this very carefully.
I think you may have just helped me to stay on track…. Thank you so very much!
@flash21 do you think the Keto calculator and MFP are essentially the same way of recording the data….. I had a brief look at the KC version and it seems to ask for the same info I put into MFP? I’m very new to these apps so doubt my ability all the time.
I hope everyone is having a great week again this week, half the week done…. Closer to week 3……..I’m definitely noticing a difference in how I look in my clothes this week. 😜

Started on the 26th and first week I was down 8.6. Had headaches at night some and was hungry but now the hunger has mostly gone away as well as the headaches! My blood sugar numbers are down also and i feel so much better already! I’ve only lost half a pound so far this week though, day 4 of week 2, but I’m sticking with it and know that it will come off. I’m going to measure when I get home!

That’s brilliant @anewday!
You should feel very proud of yourself… When I’ve dieted in the past a mid week weigh in could be catastrophic for me…. I would loose interest but as you say sticking with it really is the way to go… Those blood sugars are the real wins!

Hi everyone i also started on 29 September now halfway thru second week. Lots of success with keeping to plan on serving sizes and calorie counting. I have lost 3 kilos which is really encouraging as on other diets i have managed sometimes half a kilo. Now challenging myself to do the strength exersises at home at least 3 times a week. Only managed knee pushups, not the proper ones, and holding the plank for 15 seconds not 30. But then i guess it is a starting place to work from. The other exersises i managed ok. I have my man back home from tonight he has been warned that while he is home he gets to do the 800 calories too, but then he can afford to loose some round his middle too! The challenge for me will be sticking to my plans. It is encouraging to read posts from everyone i dont feel like the only one managing the hunger pangs alone. Thanks everyone and keep posting.

Thanks for that advice Cowslip! I didn’t link cravings as a sign of a higher carb count but it does seem as though that is the case as I had a little blip the other night with a higher carb dinner than usual. I will try to bring my carbs back down for the rest of this week (next “official” weigh in is Tuesday) and will see what impact that has.

KJ – I think the keto calculator sets you on the right track if you’re not sure how to break down your 800 cals in the right proportions (if that makes sense!). As the typical carb limit for this way of eating is around 50g (although some people do go down to about 25-30g) then you’ve already got one macro to put into the calculator and it works out the remaining recommended quantities of protein and fat to go along with it. MFP does essentially the same thing, but after you’ve put in what you’ve eaten. With the other calculator you can figure out your macros before you start meal planning etc. Having said that, I don’t tend to us MFP that much and instead am manually tracking carbs, cals and food the old fashioned way! You’re obviously on the right track being another 3lbs down and clothes fitting better so keep going!

Anewday – glad to hear your blood sugars are going down as well as the weight! Hope you had a good set of measurements.

Lifeafter50 – well done on your weight loss too! And great work with the exercises. I haven’t been doing any of the exercises yet because I have some pretty serious back problems but knee pushups and 15 sec planks sound great to me!

Thanks Kjandtheboys. The midweek weigh in can be discouraging so I think I’ll do the once a week and be pleasantly surprised each week!

I started on September 26th too, /’d have been reading everyone’s progress with interest.
It’s Day 13 today and I’m really struggling. I have period cramps and feel rough – I am dying for a bar of chocolate! It’s my period-blues-banishing stand-by.
I have a massive amount to lose, but my real consideration is getting my blood sugar in order and both my blood pressure and cholesterol down. My GP wants me on pills but I’ve persuaded her to give me 8 weeks to try and correct it.
So far I’ve lost 5kg and 2 inches from my waistline.
As long as I’ve planned I’m finding 800 calories ok, although my love of lentil soup can push my carbs above 50g a little.
How do others cope with cravings at difficult times of the month?

Hi Cecily. Well done on your achievements so far. I haven’t got many cravings whilst I’ve been following the 800 cal. I have had hungry days but they’ve been higher carb days so I now monitor really carefully. Yesterday I made s 2 egg omlette with some cheese and smoked salmon for breakfast (was eaten at 7am) and I was so satisfied I didn’t eat again until 7pm…….
As for pmt I just have a warm bath and go to bed…. It’s not very sociable but I figure if I’m in bed early it’s damage limitation…..
Sorry nothing more concrete to offer… The book did have a recipe for brownies so maybe you could try that? I’m planning on making the muffins this week to see if they’re any good.
Good luck this week…

Thanks for the encouragement everyone….. Right back at ya! Good luck getting through the weekends I definitely find these the toughest days….

Hi all, I’m literally just back from the Inner Hebridean island holiday and obviously had a bit of cheating!
However I had lost 8lbs in the first 5 days before I left and I’ve remained static so quite relieved.
Back to reality tomorrow but one thing I did realise is that I no longer crave chocolate or bread.
I’m 5’4″ and started off at 14.1.
Well done to everyone who as lost so far

@newforestdieter: that’s amazing…. Well done…. I’m intrigued about if I were to have a non fasting day if I’d head straight to the bread bin😁😱
I’m finding weekends the hardest as all the children and hubby are home and I’m preparing meals for them all which includes things that for me are off limits at the moment…. Made potatoe dauphinois for hubby to accompany the salmon and green beans we were both having…. It was delicious but omg I was desperate to dive into the potatoes!!!
Fortunately I’m spurred on by need/want to have a good reading on the scales on Tuesday!
I honestly had zero willpower before starting on this 800cal fast diet. I must have super will powers at the mo as I haven’t seen swayed once.
Good luck for tomorrow and getting back onto the new normal regime. Keep us posted of your progress x

Kjandtheboys – Thanks, I was amazed too! Luckily my kids no longer live with us and i’m vegetarian whereas hubby isn’t so not so hard for me. Plus he gets home later after i’ve eaten and i’ve NEVER eaten after 6pm….I believe this makes a difference.

Good luck to you too:)

Hi – I started on the 26th September too and I lost 7lbs in the first 2 weeks so I am 14 10 now but nothing since – it’s good to see other veggies and those of you that are measuring your loss – I need to get a tape measure and scales for the kitchen as I’m guesstimating my food intake.
I’m eating porridge/ seeds for breakfast then salad for lunch; I have a small evening meal with lots greens. I am snacking on nuts/ natural yoghurt and still having a slice of rye bread daily. I’ve cut out pasta, pizza, rice and cakes but I’ve hit this plateau. I can use eggs, cheese, lentils and beans to make my meals; I often have an avocado with my salad and olives.
I’m concerned that the darker days are going to make me crave carbs – I find I’m happy to avoid a lot of the food I’ve got in for my 20 year old son – I’m having many more types of tea to stave off eating. I go to yoga classes two evenings a week and can’t eat much beforehand. As a veggie I reckon I need to plan my meals a little better and maybe cut down on the nuts and be more active.

NewForest and Ariana, I don’t eat meat either, although I do eat fish.
I’ve found the amount of cheese I can have and stay under 800 calories is minuscule which is frustrating for a cheese obsessed greedy guts like myself. However, going for really strong cheeses has helped: 25g of goats cheese crumbled over a salad adds a lot of taste.

Veg and lentil soup has been my saviour on cold days. Also, harissa paste. A stew of mixed veg and beans with a large blob of harissa is very warming and still under 200 calories.

KJ – all the sympathy in the world! I have 3 kids aged 10, 14 and 17. Making pasta, pizza, sausage and mash for them, it does feel like a cruel punishment. We watched a movie together last night and I nibbled on one Pringle while everyone else helped themselves. At least when it’s chilli or curry it’s easier to avoid the carbs they tuck into.

Hi Cecily – yes I may have too much cheese but not eating fish means I can have more than you 😉
I should do more batch cooking – I’ve just got a larger freezer but it seems to be full already with pizza, chips and garlic bread though I’ve got lots of frozen veg in too. I will have a go at making a stew and soup to have during the week; my son will eat the same as me when I cook so maybe I’ll stop buying separate food in for him apart from his packed lunch stuff. I’ve bought some tofu but I’m not sure what to do with it.
NewForestDieter – I have to eat later on my yoga days but I’d find it hard to have nothing after 6pm – you’re doing well. I’m finding it easier to wait to eat and to be hungry – I’m enjoying what I eat more for doing so. I’m lucky to live with an adult son who has no expectations of me cooking for him – he sees it as a bonus when I do and is supportive of me losing weight. When I did have 3 children at home I found it much harder to do my own thing.

So interested to see several of you mentioning cheese. I’m a cheese addict and, despite keeping within my calorie and carb targets, I have not shifted at all on days when I eat cheese… actually that could be dairy generally. Anyone else find this?

Hi Cowslip,

I’ve been wondering about that too. I LOVE cheese and would be miserable without it. However, although it’s been within my allowances, I have eaten quite a lot of it this week and have not seen any weight loss either. The same happens with milk intake too. I did read somewhere that dairy wasn’t great for insulin resistance but then full fat dairy seems to be well recommended on BSD. A bit confused now!

I have great news to share!!!
What started me looking into this diet was being told my blood pressure was 170/100 – scary!

I’m supposed to monitor it twice a day now.

2 weeks on the BSD and it’s now 145/80.
😃😃😃
I can’t believe the improvement in such a short time

Hi Cecily,

That is fantastic – well done!! You must be very pleased with that. I take it you have done a happy dance? 🙂

A happy armchair boogie – I slammed my foot in a door yesterday and am massive bruised so dancing is out for a day or two.
But yes, I am DELIGHTED

Ouch! Sounds painful. But an armchair boogie is better than nothing! Hope your foot heals up quickly.

Yesterday glucose down to 88. I’m almost down to 160, my first short term goal, will need to get to 153 for BMI to be overweight rather than obese.
Yesterday was the first day I got really hungry.I suppose this is what a low carb diet feels like to someone with normal glucose values.

Hi everyone. I’ve eaten some small amounts of cheese this week and whilst I’ve lost this week it’s considerably less than last week (as I expected) but I would not consider the 3lbs to be “rapid weight loss”. I’m not disheartened I just think it’s our bodies adapting to the new regime…. On a different thread a lady Calle Lucia stated she’s not lost weight but had lost inches…. I would second this as my stomach has really slimmed down this week….. I’m not sure that I’ll hit the “average of 22lb” as mentioned in the BSD 800cal book but I’m going to keep chugging away in the basis that it’s almost one stone gone in 2 weeks which is amazing for me.
My friend and I went out for lunch today which is the first time I’ve eaten out whilst following the diet and she thought she was doing me a favour by taking me to a salad bar restaurant….. Well I’ve been hungry all day since eating the rabbit food!! I did order the steak salad but it was not sustaining and as soon as I got home the sugar cravings kicked in big time….. I relented and had some apple slices in caramel dipping sauce (100cal) within my allowance but now I feel terrible…. Sleepy and lethargic!
This all goes to prove to me that I’m better for following low carb diet and to avoid the said salad venue!!
Good luck with your weigh-ins this week….. Can’t believe we are starting week 3!!

*called not Calle.
22lb was average over 4 weeks

Hi Everyone,

Today is my second day on the 800 calorie BSD.
It has been great to read about all your success’.

I ate 777 calories my first day (yesterday), drank lots of water, (total carbs were 15), worked out on my elliptical, got 14,000 steps in, washed the car and basically kept busy all day but when I got on the scale this morning, I had actually gained 3 lbs. Craziness! I’m not going to let it stop me. Maybe my body was shocked at the attempt to lose water weight and held on to everything it could. I drank a lot of water!

I’m looking forward to a possible drop in water weight tomorrow. I will make it through week 8 on 800 low-carb calories.

Keep posting! It really helps knowing there are others out there that are doing this too! :–)

Congratulations Cecily! That is a huge improvement regarding your BP! Wow! :–)

Hi jmarie41: well done on getting started. I’m not sure about the putting weight on at the beginning as I didn’t weigh myself for the first 4 days…. I think sometime the body just needs time to adjust. But there are other influencing factors such as hormones etc. I know I can retain water at certain times in the month so maybe this could be something you monitor.
Good luck with just setting on your new venture of 800cal BSD. I think I found the first week the most challenging whilst trying to get my head around the amount of food versus cals etc. I have really found it helpful logging it into the myfitnesspal app. There are numerous other apps around but this one syncs with my Fitbit.
I re-read the book daily to keep my motivation going and head back to this thread daily too. Fingers crossed the scales give you some encouragement soon.

Hi how is everyone? I’m feeling great today….. Finally feel like I’m in the “zone” and that results are going to be good over the next few weeks.
I’ve lost another 4lbs this week which means I’ve hit a stone exactly in 2 weeks! I have previously achieved this type of loss on the Atkins diet, but it was a long time ago and once I’d fallen off that wagon I never got back on…. It’s great to have the encouragement of this group and to know once I’ve reached my goal the Mediterranean diet is one I can easily stick with.
I still have a long way to go….according to the General BMI charts I need to loose another 15lb just to get into the overweight category….. And then another 25lb to get to a healthy weight BMI…. It all seems very daunting and I’m not going to focus on the overwhelming numbers….. A good loss each week is obviously important in order to help me on my journey……I’m hoping to stick with the full fasting diet until December which will be about 10 weeks in total…… If I carry on losing at the 3-4lb mark then I should be 24-32lbs lighter which just sounds amazing! And could quite honestly be my goal!
Anyway I’m rambling…… I hope you are all still encouraged by your hard work and reaping the same euphoria!! Onwards and upwards for week 3 x

Everyone’s posts are so encouraging! It’s great to hear about the blood pressure and blood sugar improvements. It’s nice to know others deal with some of the same things I do. I had to throw away my peanut butter. It was staring me down and won a couple of times. Oh, well. Still have lost 11.5 in two weeks. I’m not weighting mid-week anymore so I hope I’m pleasantly surprised on Sunday! I can’t believe it’s week 3 already either! I’ve been trying new low carb recipes and have found some favorites! Skinnytaste.com has some really good ones. I hope everyone has an awesome week!

Good evening, how is every body doing . Third week weigh in and I have lost 17lbs , my blood pressure is down to 121/65 nearly perfect ,my clothes are looser and generally feel good. Today , though, my stomach is making noises louder than the bowels of the titanic and wind parp! Hope it calms down lol X

Weigh day tomorrow but had a challenging weekend!!
I’m hoping to stay the same which will still be a stone lost!
Good luck everyone…. I was straight back on track today so fingers crossed for next week x

Maccaslim – wow 17lbs is amazing! Well done 🙂 I’ve lost 12lbs so far – 10lb in first week and then 2 more over the last couple of days following a very stubborn week 2 and most of week 3! I’m hoping I’ll continue to see a downward trend now for the next few weeks. My clothes are feeling a little looser and am on the way to moving down a second belt notch.

Kjandtheboys – good luck with your weigh in. A stone lost will be fantastic!

Well as expected I did stay the same this morning. In some ways I’m very relieved but on the other hand disappointed that having spent 5 out of the 7 days following the 800cal diet, I could not loose this week when the 2 challenging days were still considerably under (calories) my pre-BSD days. But, I will not loose heart…. I’m still benefitting from the general wellness that I’m feeling and my water intake has been down the last few days…… So onwards and downwards (weight) I go!
I’ve set myself a challenge of walking every day this week instead of alternate days (I’m recovering after surgery, having torn my Achilles and ligaments 3 months ago – exercise is still very difficult). Oh and to get back to drinking more water! Good luck friends….. I wish you all a good weight loss week!
Flash21: 10lbs is impressive…… Are you still using the app? Stay strong…. Determination on this diet is key I’m sure and on some other threads people have either lost slower or not changed weight but have still lost inches!!!! We are in this for the long haul!!

Hi – many of you are doing so well – I’ve been suffering from a no-loss plateau this last week – this was disheartening but today I’d lost 2 lbs. To date I’ve lost 9 lbs but I can see from your examples I can do better; ‘ve yet to start calorie counting in earnest. I found the colder weather and darker days made me hungry but I’ve reduced my carb intake and it’s starting to feel easier again.
I’ve bought Rose Elliott’s low carb veggie book as I usually enjoy her recipes – she’s been a constant ever since my student days 35 years ago. I have a week off work next week and I’m going to buy those scales, find the ingredients and learn to cook tasty low carb recipes and freeze whatever I can for when I’m back at work.
I was given chocolates at the weekend and I’ve given them away outside of the family – a first!

KJ – don’t lose heart at all! You are doing very well 🙂 Good to hear you’ve set yourself some challenges. I hope your post-surgery recovery is going well. Yup, definitely need a healthy dose of determination for this! I just really want the weight loss to pick up a bit now that I’ve been on a bit of a plateau for nearly 2 weeks. Hard to not get frustrated but onwards and downards as you say!

Ariana – 9lbs is still a great weight loss! But I think you’re right in needing to be stricter on calorie and carb counting to see more benefits. Good plan to prepare some meals and have them in the freezer ready to go. And well done for giving away the chocolates – that must have been hard!