Forgot to say it is much easier for me to follow diet as do not have children. You must have fantastic willpower traceyanne! I am in awe, don’t think I could have resisted toad in the hole and mash. Well done.

Yes, i would assume you have to weigh the extras and add the calories. I know I do with spicy bean burgers page 209 for e.g. I had them with cauliflower rice and veggies last week.☺

Hi everyone,

My partner and I decided to start the BSD on 2nd January. We are both classed as “obese” on the BMI scale, and my partner has type 2 diabetes, so we thought we’d give it a go after I read MM’s book. Doing it together means we have each other’s support, and can plan, prepare and eat the same meals, which is helpful.

We had a really successful first week – I lost 8lbs and my partner lost 6lbs. But we have just weighed ourselves this morning, and neither of us have lost any weight at all. In terms of eating, we had a really good week, although I did treat myself to a glass of pink G&T on Sunday night! I read somewhere that on weeks 2/3 of a VLCD, weight may plateau, and to expect another big drop around week 4. It seems odd to me that we have literally halved the amount we eat, but didn’t lose anything at all.

I just wanted to check other people’s experiences in the second week?

FluteToot

Hi Y’all, and thank you for the birthday wishes. I sit on the horns of a dilema and boy is it sore! On Saturday the family came around and we had a lovely meal. I cooked it and know what went into it and it was low carb. Then Jovis and I had a little drink on the evening. I then find I have gained 2 pounds. Which I have NOT lost, despite doing back to back 24 hour fasts!

My quandary is this. Should I go out for a celebration meal with my lovely Jovis, to our favourite Italian Restaurant? Or, do I stay in and have a lovely meal cooked by Jovis? I would imagine, that either way, wine will be on the menu…although I am feeling quite anti-vine! If I do have a meal and drinkypoo, will I gain another TWO POUNDS that take a week to lose (for me anyway)?

I would be pleased to hear your views on this. I hope everyone is keeping well.

Lots of love
Mary
xxx

a challenge last night…..dinner for the children, toad in the hole and mashed potato, two of my favourite foods!!!! 🙁

But I over came the challenge and enjoyed my chicken in parma ham and some lovely green beans and spinach!

Quick question for you all, I have the recipe book and some of the recipes say to serve with…………… In these situations I’m assuming you have to add extra calories to the total as they haven’t been included? 🙂

Hello all and we’ll done with loss so far. I did really well on this diet in April 2017 so hope i can join you and succeed again.
Unfortunately, blood in urine led to tests and treatment. Feeling fighting fit again now. I am on hormone treatment to prevent breast cancer reccurence so know diet can still work JuliaV. 🙂 Kept weight off until thyroid issues led to depression before Christmas and i ate badly for several weeks. Mental state is SO important. When really low you just don’t care about yourself. Planning to do the meditation recommended.
Started diet Monday 8th. Lost 3lbs the first week, now into my second. Hope to lose 3lb per week (or more if i can!). Good luck to you all. For me, I found planning was the key (obvious I know).

Hello all and we’ll done with loss so far. I did really well on this diet in April 2017 so hope i can join you and succeed again.
Unfortunately, blood in urine led to tests and treatment. Feeling fighting fit again now. I am on hormone treatment to prevent breast cancer reccurence so know diet can still work JuliaV. 🙂 Kept weight off until thyroid issues led to depression before Christmas and i ate badly for several weeks. Mental state is SO important. When really low you just don’t care about yourself. Planning to do the meditation recommended.
Started diet Monday 8th. Lost 3lbs the first week, now into my second. Hope to lose 3lb per week (or more if i can!). Good luck to you all. For me, I found planning was the key (obvious I know).

Good morning!

Just popping in quickly whilst no one is around. Was off yesterday and 7 of us went for lunch. A lot of these places don’t seem to provide good old fashioned veg! Everything is either chips/fries/wedges or frozen/mushy peas! I ended up having a chicken breast (minus the burger) with the most boring green salad you could imagine! That frilly lettuce stuff! What is that? Impossible to prong with the fork and get in your mouth neatly! 🙂 No dessert! Just one black coffee. I think in future, we will have to go to a carvery!

Don’t despair Nonna Mary, you know it will come right, it always does – forget about it and enjoy your birthday today. Are you doing anything nice or was that at the weekend?

Marie – imagining myself emerging from a chrysalis is the only way to get through winter!

Well done, Tilly! Keep going! 🙂

Have a lovely day everyone 🙂

Kazeee xx

Mine are back down (after a Christmas rise) to 84 which is 4.6 and that to me is perfect. I know when I have my 3 monthly HbA1c that will translate to around 5.5 so it is not as low as we were led to believe.

Hi everyone, I can report a loss of 1lb for this week which is a bit of a relief after the ups and downs I saw during the week. People say you shouldn’t weigh every day but for me it was an incentive to do better and really look at, in particular, my snacks. When I do my menus and they come out at say 650 or 700 or 750, I have never accounted for my evening snack but I know I have between 50 and 150 calories to play with. However, lets say I have a handful of nuts in the afternoon when my BG can go too low, recently I have resorted to a chocolate Roses (so full of cream something or other) to get my BG up quickly. So either of the 2 could amount to 50 / 60 calories. Then I have a Ryvita (yes a carb) with butter and a slice of ham oh, and maybe a bit of cheese and, of course, some pickle for my before bed snack to stop my BG rising during the night. Having spoken to others (Laska and the butter) I realise I am as much at fault as anyone in kidding myself that the evening snack is around 60 calories – no – the Ryvita is 30 the butter is around 35 the ham is again 35 and the pickle about 30 – whoa that is around 130 calories THEN to add a bit of cheese, maybe another 100 calories. OMG so that is where I am going wrong. Also the Ryvita being a carb might also be making me retain fluids. So, weighing myself daily has made me look at everything I put in my mouth and reassess my total calorie intake. I have been kidding myself. And, as we know, even eating 900 or 1000 calories can stunt weight loss as our bodies are used to the lower range. Slap on the wrists and a new outlook.

Can I also say that I am a slow loser – when I started this plan in June 2016 I was rigidly strict (no Ryvita) for the full 8 weeks and lost a total of 13 lbs, all around me I was seeing others losing that amount in 2 or 3 weeks. However, I also noticed that I had a total of 3 stone to lose and some had 5 or 6 or more stones and hence the bigger losses. I am sure they wont mind me saying that as we do have a LOST 100 lbs group on this site. Anyway, I also put it down to being on insulin which is known as the fat magnet and even my doctor is surprised that I am able to lose weight but still keeps nagging me to lose more. I do find that 2nd 3rd 4th or 5th on the really strict version, I do manage to have a good weight loss in the first week and then it goes in fits and starts. I think you all know my by my saying of keep on keeping on… so that is exactly what I will continue to do.

Sorry for the long post but even after 20 months I am still learning. I should also say I am half way to my 8 week goal of 10lbs but I am not going to slow down or give in to little cheats. Is anyone still doing dry January or is it an accepted part of the diet that wine has way too many calories. No alcohol for me until my birthday on 7th Feb – hint hint.

“glad” was the wrong word. “relieved” would be better! Sorry!

Topcac, you are a champion in more ways than one. You are doing what you can, you are still posting a loss since after Christmas, and I like your way of being selective with unfamiliar food, that had me giggling.

And more, you’ve nailed the name for our next challenge, in my opinion. “Keeping carbs at bay over Valentine’s Day”. Brilliant!! If it meets the group consensus would you like me to start it up on your behalf as you won’t be posting for a few days?

Busybee, that was a sizable loss after your time away. Do I recall that you would often have a “balancing/body catching up” time after a loss? In any case, you will be moving forward……and, congratulations to you and Mr Busybee on your anniversary:) Having recently also celebrated our 50th in conjunction with Mr M’s 80th, I tried to remember that “celebration” really doesn’t need to mean overindulgence. It helped me to be reasonably restrained …not totally … just not a disaster. Bb, I’m not preaching, just wishing you well.

Mokovex, JackieM, VictoriaM, you are not alone. You could be writing my story … emotional eating … in secret … loss of awareness leading to mini-binge. At least I can now say mini-binge as a couple of years ago it would have been major-binge.

Have a good week everyone xxx

Hi all. I’m not sure I’m glad that others are in this position too, but I too have had a much smaller loss this week – down 0.5 kilos to 80.4. On the bright side, this makes my loss 10.1 kilos since beginning October and starting BSD, so a nice milestone to reach. The top of my BMI is only 1.4 kilos away. So my resolve is definitely still there!

Had a vivid dream last night that I had consumed a whole pack of Penguins (chocolate covered biscuits, just in case they are unknown outside the UK!). I was so pleased and relieved when I woke up!

Resolution for this week is to dust off my favourite exercise DVD. And use it.

Best wishes to everyone for the coming week.

Morning all four week challengers. I am reporting an STS today which I consider a victory because of what went in my mouth this week! I attribute it to upping my exercise, more walking and parkrun on Saturday. Water intake has been good and I’m staying out of the way of alcohol.

On one occasion this week I too did some secret eating – it gave me no pleasure and about 1700 calories. It’s directly related to work. Maybe I need to rethink my career – would I wolf down 5 doughnuts in 5 minutes in my car at Tesco if I was a dog walker….unlikely!…And I’d be fitter.

So I have restarted – again – and am on day 4. I’ve gone over on calories in the first three days but at least have kept my carbs low. That seems to be my limit at the moment. On a positive note, I am still posting a loss since after Christmas and I’m off to China on Saturday where I will hardly eat anything all week due to my reluctance to eat anything I don’t recognise, or that has more bones in it than I do. SO I will not be posting next week but will hopefully pick up the new 4 week challenge after that – any name ideas yet? “Keeping carbs at bay over Valentine’s Day?”

Hi everyone and so many apologies for not posting very often. This week has been mad with work an absolute pain and house renovations started this weekend (why is it always January) so I haven’t been on line at all in the last few days. Still, it looks like you’re doing just fine without me!

I stayed the same this week and I put this down to a terrible diet, made slightly better by lots of exercise. Had a couple of days where I ate the most atrocious crap but reigned it in and upped the walking and the running just to stand still weight wise. That’s NOT going to get me under 10 stone!!! So I am basically on day four again….and I’m off to China on Saturday (work not play unfortunately) where I hope to get away with eating a) something I recognise, b) something that doesn’t want to make me retch, c) something that isn’t noodles! What I will do is stock up my suitcase with 6 days worth of macadamia nuts so, even if I find nothing to eat, a bag of those babies is 750 calories and 5g carbs!! Also, weather permitting, there is a lovely long stretch along the river which is perfect for an early morning power walk. No more excuses!

But for now – keep to plan, keep walking, keep on keeping on!

Hi Mary,

Happy Birthday. Have a lovely day.

Hope everyone else is doing well. It’s a lovely, bright winter’s morning here so I’m off for a walk.

Kazz – I read on the ‘positives’ thread a while back you saying you were wrapping up for winter and will emerge from your chrysalis in Spring – yep, me too.

Marie x

Hello fellow Challenger’s.
I too am disappointed as I have gained weight over the last few days and after the initial loss last week everything has come to a halt. I seem to have lost motivation – what with the poor weather, missing the family and knowing we are away for a couple of nights next weekend to celebrate our anniversary.
I will try to reign it in and at the very least maintain at this weight and then I will read the book, again, refocus and start afresh next week when I presume some kind person will start another challenge.
What would we do without those of you who arrange these to encourage and support us?
Will attempt to MOODAAT,!
X B

Hi all, pleased to report a further loss of 2kg this week, taking me down to 96.2kg total of 5.4kg in two weeks. This is actually based on around 1000 calories a day (800 too few for me) plus some wine and a bit more leeway at weekends.

Would love to get to 85kg at end of eight week period but I realise that is optimistic.

Great efforts reported here – really helps to read them.

Well my astonishing weight loss this week is …. half a pound! It’s down, not up so just keep on keeping on. 10st 2 and three quarters. Getting under 10 is a real struggle at the moment but perseverance …… X

Hi Mokovex,

I totally understand your emotional eating and particularly the secret eating. Since starting BSD I have swung from 3 weeks of sticking to it, which worked brilliantly, then 2 weeks over Christmas of back to binge and carbs. Then back to BSD.

I also stop posting and checking my blood sugars when I know I’m being bad, some awareness of my long term well being seems to disappear into short term bingeing.

One thing I need to be careful about is transferring my secret eating to low carb treats because that doesn’t work for 800 cals either.

We can do this, we know that this WOE works. We won’t change the habits of a life time overnight, and we need to be aware when we slip and then pick ourselves up and start again as quickly as possible..

Oh most definitely the first, Jackie, most definitely the first 😊😊😊

Is it raspberry-juice stained by any chance?😉Not that I’m doubting your story of course 😉 We do definitely need pictures! 😊

No weight change again today, maybe the initial water loss is gone, I’m still feeling great (despite a bit of backache) and very positive. Bit worried about lunch today but people are more important and I’ll be as good as I can.
Have a great day everyone
AMx

So, it goes back 30 years, the Himalayan foothills and a grateful breeder of rare fruit when I saved his raspberry bushes from a maurading tribe of women wearing very dramatic shoes ….

Or maybe husband got it as a souvenir when he took a sabbatical and went round the world (before my time).

You can choose which story you prefer! 😁

If I ever get savvy enough to post a picture I will, if I can find it. It used to feature heavily in dress up time, but the kids are beyond that as a daily activity now.

Happy Birthday nonna Mary. Hope you have s lovely day with your jovis and hope the scales are kind to you today. I am 10 st 2 and three quarters this morning which is half a pound down. Aarrggghhh!! Still it’s down, not up. Small mercies etc ….. X

Hi Cameron, that’s so great to hear – exactly how I felt when things seemed to be going the wrong way – stronger resolve, not less! Because we know that it’s doable and that underlying what the scales say, we must be going in the right direction. Great work keeping the fluids up to metabolise those fuel stores 🙂

Victoria, that’s amazing – half way already!

Morning all, as predicted the weight loss has been very slow this week. Another 2lb off though so not going to complain about that but have felt more tired and exercise has been a real struggle this week.
Hope everyone’s scales are making them smile today 🙂

Good morning everyone. This morning, if not a whoosh, at leat the scales moved after 6 days and I lost 1 lb. this means that I am exactly half way through my total BSD weight loss target. If I can keep it up at 3lbs per week (just on that edge at the moment) I will be on target for finishing by my birthday in mid March. If not, and I slow down towards the end, I have a back up target of a holiday in Cyprus at the end of March.

I notice there are a few other stalls on this on this thread at the moment, maybe we’re all in a similar pattern of the body adapting to us rebooting 800. Hopefully we’ll all start to move forward again.

Hi zolou,

Whilst disappointed, it has increased my resolve and I believe the increase to be exagerated due to my weighing prior to going to the bathroom and an increased fluid intake over the last couple of days. Been a lot more diligent today and will continue to push on and work towards a more desirable result at next weeks week 3 weigh in.

Thanks for your support and good luck to you to as we undertake this journey to better health and lifestyle.

Regards

Cameron

Great news SunnyB!
I have been finding the ‘positive’ difficult of late so just one to get me back into the right frame of mind…..
Today I will re-read The Blood Sugar Diet book yet again! I have gone a smidgeon over my ‘trigger’ weight so the time is here to “re-read, reconsider and regroup’.
Have a good day everyone.

Hi All,

No, no loss to report from me either this week. I’ve stayed the same at 10 stone (63.5 kg). I got back last night from a great 3 night stay in a hotel. I ate all BSD food and avoided the fantastic looking deserts at my brother-in-laws birthday party (not that I’m still thinking about them, you understand) but probably ate more calories than I normally would. Also, I didn’t get the walks in I’d hoped for.

While, it’s good that I lost last week and I haven’t gained this week, the fact is I’m the same weight I was before Christmas (over 3 weeks ago). I need to get my act in gear!

Mokovex – I know exactly what you mean about the head space. I’m still trying to settle back into my weekly routine. I need to get my head fully into it, too.

Busybee – 6lb is a great initial weight loss after your New York/New Jersey sojourn (isn’t that a lovely word – just popped into my head), – hope to hear more positive news today.

Flick – what a bummer. I’ve got the flags ready to put out again any minute now – a healthy BMI is a place to be cheered!

Natalie/Marsie – I think I’ve worked out MFODAAT – let’s do that.
And yes, OH did start talking cricket again. Unfortunately, I mentioned Natalie’s Sixers while on a 2hr journey travelling in the car – when will I learn!

Look forward to reading everyone else’s news this week. Then, as Marsie says, let’s all really push downwards for the last week of this Challenge.

Hey Mokovex, I eat emotionally too, I sympathise. I have found eating whatever I want but low carb has helped. But high fat for that ‘treat’ feeling. I feel very self conscious about eating this kind of food in front of family, after years of secret eating, but now I figure it’s part of a plan and I need to be out and proud. Slowly, slowly changing habits and KOKO xx

It’s interesting to hear that it may not be so easy second time – a cautionary tale! For me (I am first time round), I had a complete stall for the second half of week 2 – 2 days with no loss and then a gain – but now in the second half of week 3, it’s on the move again, thank goodness. I was cheered by the thought that the fat *must* have gone and been temporarily replaced by water, and I’m sticking to that theory!

Hi Natalie, hope you are feeing better. You’ve done really well not to be derailed by being unwell – if you can weather that, you can weather anything!

Cameron, that’s rough! How do you feel? Are your scales working OK do you think?

Cathy, sorry you can’t join in with the exercise – poor you, spraining both ankles!

I wonder how others are getting on with the exercise part of the programme (steps, HIT and strengthening)? It feels like it plays an important role for me in telling my body to keep the metabolism moving and it’s a way to have a bit more control of how fast the scales move.

Morning all,

this week + 2.5lb

I know why! I have really not got this WOE licked at all. Still very much emotionally driven to eat. I have also been lax about my morning routine of posting on here which is indicative of what is going on in my head. Oh well, it is all about stopping the rot.

Onwards and downwards.

x

Hi all, Tuesday weigh-in day again. 62.3kg. Up from last week. I know, I know, it’s only by 200 gms but I can’t account for it. Annoying, so I’m just going to call it “somewhat the same” as last week. And JulesMaigret has recently stressed the general unreliability of bathroom scales. I’m paraphrasing, JM, hope you don’t mind.

And again, we exclaim at the speed of passing time as we begin the 4th week of our HNY challenge. Let’s see some downward pressure here, folks, moi included! !💝

Keep on MFODAAT

What a fascinating job sunshine-girl! My info was from many years ago so obviously no longer (if it ever was) accurate. TV news hype not always the most reliable source.

My grandmother used to work for a chocolate factory. She said people always asked if she got sick of chocolate – the answer was always no!

Allie, whilst I love Vivaldi, sorry but I couldn’t get your link to work😢

Essie, if you were talking about my fascinator, it certainly won’t be going to Arica with me😨 It will be used to dress my confection up for weddings, baptisms etc.

On the other hand….. I’m sure I could find room in my safari bag for Jackie’s pith helmet!😉 Jackie………..

BTW Jackie…dare I ask why on earth you are the proud (and much envied) possessor of a pith helmet???

Thanks sunshine girl, that is really helpful. I have currently been doing fasting levels so would be interesting to see how it goes throughout the day.

Today has been really hard, I’ve had a thumping headache despite drinking lots of water – eventually I went over my calories with nuts and homemade no flour apple & cinnamon muffins. The headache went but I feel like I’ve cheated myself 😞

However tomorrow is a new day…..

That’s fun, Jackie! Care to model it for us??? I used to have an 87
year old neighbor that had been on multiple safari expeditions, and
on summer weekends he could be sighted, sitting on his riding mower,
with his pith helmet on, protecting his bald pate from the noon day
sun!

I’m the same Natalie, i just love sleeping now and feel very protective of it. It kicked in quite early for me so I put it down to a combination of low carb and low(no for me) alcohol. I hadn’t really lost enough weight for that to be a contributor.

Very very hard not to obsess about the scales. I caught myself just now trying to count back water drunk yesterday – lordie, that way the path of despair. Time to get out into this beautiful sunshiny, quite mild summer day.

Hi Luvtcook,
Thanks for your answer.
It isn’t about missing the luxury button or living the life of an ascetic. We eat incredibly well and our food is full of flavour.
There is something about a big carb hit that gives me a visceral, hormonal satisfaction that I don’t seem to get from other foods. If I could replicate that feeling without carbs I would be a happy man.
Have you tried the noodles made with konjac root? They have 0 calories and actually are a pretty good spaghetti substitute. They tend to have a fishy smell when you open the package but a good wash gets rid of that. They are one of the few “substitute” foods that I am happy with.
Jan

Oh dear, Thanks for your lovely cheering and well wishing, but it seems I got a bit ahead of myself. This weeks wrap up is very disappointing. Yesterday I was 66.6kg and that deep wailing noise you heard this morning was me looking down at a .7kg gain in the scales this morning. Only change was to spread the calories over three meals and eat to breakfast out. Loads of steps as I enjoyed a day of furniture shopping and browsing with my daughter. Who knows what is going on.

Round 2
Starting Weight 67.5
Week 1 67.3 = -.2 and back into the overweight BMI range at 25.2

I know it’s just not sensible to panic over a single blip on the scales (even one this spectacular) but how maddening! I’m tempted to immediately start a 24 hour fast, but I think as it is early days I will sit tight, stick to 800/20 and just see what this body is actually up to. If it looks like the weight loss is going to be erratic or super slow, I will introduce fasts.

Oh on the bright side another centimetre has nelted from my wait. My hips remain generous!

Flick (and Mariet) it’s crazy isn’t it how we can eat so little and still not lose much! I agree with all you said, it’s not a linear calories-in calories-out process. But it’s hard not to start stressing, trying to work out what I did wrong, any other diet they would say we’re not losing because we’re not eating enough, going into starvation mode etc etc. we know this works, just got to keep going.

My NSV is that I’ve been sleeping soundly which is very unusual for me. That alone (almost) makes the difficult change of lifestyle worth it. I do still find it difficult – my daughter made banana raspberry cupcakes yesterday! And it’s tropical fruit season, the fruit bowl is full!

That’s true Natalie!

Like a few others here I’m disappointed in my loss this week, 0.4 kg. Maybe it’s a week two thing? On the Biggest Loser show they always lost big in week one, not much week two.

Kero believing?? Sorry, KEEP believing! Silly typo!

Laska, this is my second time round too and am losing incredibly slowly but I seem to remember someone on here saying that for some reason that’s just what happens. It’s like you get a ‘free pass’ the first time around, then your body goes, wait a minute! the next time and grimly hangs on to everything. I’m finding it a real effort but finally dropped down into the next kilo bracket this morning so I know it’s still working but at about a quarter of the speed!
We just have to keep in and kero believing. It will definitely happen, though like you I’m astonished at how little I’m eating and how little I’m losing!

Natalie, It is definitely not a competition, but if it were I would win. I have finished this week, Week 1 of Round 2 for me, down a whopping, eye watering 200 grams! Yesterday I was 66.6kg (🤘), tracking nicely for a 1kg loss and wham … 67.3kg this morning. Up .7kg overnight. Overall my calories and food choices were within 800/20 but spread over three instead of my usual two as I ate breakfast out – BSD food only, so who knows what’s going on. Oh dear, back into the overweight BMI range.

I had drafted an encouraging post to you Natalie, reminding that weight loss is not linear, our bodies are complex wonders, a loss is a loss etc. and I still offer those thoughts to you, and I suck them up myself!

Mariet, MEEEE TOOOOOO!

So weekly wrap up –

Starting Weight 67.5
Week 1/9 67.3 = -2

Thank you Angela, and yes it does – I always wondered if people in the Med really did live long lives – and now I know it’s very possible if you eat this way!

Hi Atlas,

I think I was in a very similar situation as yourself this time last year and I have had amazing success with the BSD.

I did the 8 week fast 800 and have eaten low-carb since and have lost 12kg.

I even trained for a half marathon during the 800. The only extra calories I had was an extra pint of semi skimmed milk for the protein post run / exercise. Running without carbs is strange at first but the body adapts. Staying hydrated is WAY more important as is keeping up your salt levels. It’s suggested to drink a pint of salted water an hour before exercise. I hadn’t read that at the time and carried a bottle of salted water on my long runs. Tastes like sea water but I got used to It!

Best, Marty

Week 2weigh in, an increase of 3.2 kgs this week from last week. For an overall increase of 1.4 kgs over the two weeks.
Started back at work from holidays yesterday so hopefully this is a slight glitch and things revert to normal from here on in. Not sure why the massive gain but no good stressing about it. Recording everything that goes in my mouth and weighing everything as I knuckle down for the next six weeks.
Good luck to you all on your journey

Regards

Cameron