I bet you’ll do great on the BSD, Ange. Your previous diets were all high carb-low fat and Slimfast shakes practically sugar bombs for many years. It sounds like your diet is already BSD-friendly. You’ll probably be able to stick with foods you’re used to making with only minor adjustments.

My one suggestion would be to measure, weigh and tally up the carb and calorie totals for everything you cook. Some of the vegetables and fruit you’ve been used to eating may turn out to be surprisingly high in carbs, and when you have a history of difficulty losing weight, you might need to drop your daily carb intake significantly. I stick to less than 20 grams a day religiously because I’m insulin resistant and all kinds of carbs, even ostensibly “good” complex ones, make me put on weight. A more common limit is around 50 grams a day. That seems to be a sweet spot for a lot of people that keeps them in a fat-burning state. Your mileage may vary, so it’s important to know exactly how much you’re eating of what so you can make adjustments if necessary.

Good luck!

Don’t give up on me Theo (as if you would :), that phone is in
the cards, but trying to schedule our lives with O/h new semester
course load, has been really challenging. Things have fallen thru
the cracks already, and we’re only in to week 2. Only one car
at the moment, and he’s out in it 12 hours a day! I’m going to
try and post links here to my newest acquisitions, certainly no
qualifiers for “hottest looks”, but garments in which I swish
about town…
1. “true red” jacket:
http://www.jjill.com/jillonline/product/product.aspx?item=Z2056H&rPFID=
11&sk=M&h=m

2. polka dot slim pants: Color: blackstone
http://www.jjill.com/jillonline/product/product.aspx?item=Z2053F&rPFID=
14&sk=M&h=m

3.black tunic
http://www.jjill.com/jillonline/product/product.aspx?item=Z2099H&rPFID=
3712&sk=M&h=m

4. black velvet d’Orsay flats
http://www.jjill.com/jillonline/product/product.aspx?item=Z2100Y&rPFID=
52&sk=A&h=a

Because desserts are PROPER LUSH.

😀

Hi SunnyB,
Thanks you so much for explaining things. I received the BSD book and the recipe book earlier today, the book is a really interesting read. Now need to get some recipes sorted and do a shopping list, so will be good to start tomorrow.
I will be on the forum again, I’m sure and will posting my thoughts or questions as they come up.

Thanks again,
Ange x

I am sticking to what I know fits at the moment!

Yes you are right, if you have more to lose then it does goes quicker at first. My target is 3st, but if I get near that and think I look OK then I may stop. I haven’t been that weight since my daugher was 4 – she’s nearly 23!

Ooops! Sorry, Verano. Still it’s good that you are back below trigger weight and even that is making progress towards target, so all good. Keep on Keeping on!

Hi Angiepix – it takes a bit of time to get into the BSD properly, as it turns all we have been told for years, about low fat and high carb on it’s head. With BSD fat becomes a friend and it’s the carbs that are avoided. It sounds like it should suit you, but be prepared for a period of adjustment, both in your approach to what you consume and the way you body may initially react. Even though you don’t have a sweet tooth, you may still have some carb withdrawal symptoms. I didn’t eat cakes, biscuits, sweets etc, but did have potatoes, pasta, rice etc. and still had withdrawal symptoms, although not as major as some people have to contend with.

Once you get used to the way the BSD works, it is very doable and you should find it quite easy to make BSD friendly choices in all situations. Don’t panic about the exercise thing, it sounds like you already have a good foundation you can build on, but you’ll find the pounds should fall with or without the exercise.

Give the book another read, make a plan of action and then start. We’re a friendly crowd and you’ll be welcomed on any thread you wish to contribute to. It’s worth joining a challenge – there’s a new four week one starting next week I think. Keep us posted on progress and shout if you need advice or support.

Why does Tom Kerridge have a dessert with EVERY meal? Even if you’ve never heard of cutting carbs (which obviously he has) it seems mad to be encouraging overweight people to regularly eat dessert. It seems irresponsible.

He’s really patronising too. ‘If you pay attention and try really hard you might just manage this recipe, you thickos,’ he says, then just slices and stirs stuff.

I don’t like him all that much.

It seems quite a lot when I try on a fitted dress!

Rates do vary and it does seem those with more to lose tend to shift it slightly more quickly. To be honest the speed doesn’t greatly bother me as long as things keep going in the right direction. I have 18 lbs to go. And it will go!

Sometimes our bodies just need a bit of time to regroup and adjust and in these periods, the scales stop dropping. Watch out for the non-scales victories though, you might find even if the scales haven’t moved, the tape measure shows a decrease or your clothes feel less restrictive.

Just remember that as long as you stick with the BSD, the pounds will start to fall again.

Hi Squidge

Good to hear you are less ‘marshmallow’ like and feeling healthier. I suppose we are all different and lose in different ways and I don’t think you have that much to lose do you?

Hiya, thanks for your reply.
I have tried weight watchers, Slimming World, but didn’t like the restriction on fat, never had a sweet tooth, fortunately but am a cheese addict. I know its restricted on the diet, but at least full fat is welcome.
I also did Slim fast for 2 weeks and didn’t lose a pound! I had 2 shakes per day plus evening meal which were all low fat ready meals.
I am hoping this diet wil be a little easier to stick to as it includes a lot of the food I like, such as fish, veg, salad etc
Don’t do a lot of excercise except walking for 20 mins a day and some callanetics for muscle strength.

Hi, Angiipix, and welcome to the forum.Of the different diets
that you tried to date, were any of them low carb, moderate
protein and high fat? How many calories per day? Many of
us here are peri, menopausal and post. We’d be happy to share
our success stories with you in answer to your question, but
a bit more of your history would help 🙂

Allie

I don’t remember where that recipe was posted either and search isn’t very helpful, but here’s one very simple almond cracker recipe from SunnyB that can easily be modified to decrease the almond meal and add seeds. I’ve made a version with chia, golden flax, rosemary, garlic and sea salt that came out great.

https://thebloodsugardiet.com/recipes/snappy-almond-crackers/

LTC, wasn’t the best ever seed cracker recipes one of yours?

Victoria, how did your thickening project go?

arcticfox, I’m so pleased to hear the creamy salad dressing tips have been of use to you. I love finding new ingredients that work to inject the creamy element. My latest find is fromage blanc, a French farmer’s cheese that is very yogurt-like. It’s low in fat but unlike the usual low-fat products, there are no sugars. It does a great job of adding creaminess without jacking up the calorie count of a salad.

Yes I hadn’t really thought through the ‘button’ issue but maybe you are all right. Interaction, good or bad, is probably a more honest way to go.

I am 50 and perimenopausal. I have read numerous web pages regarding difficulty in weight loss during peri-menopause and have experienced this having tried various diets over the last 5 years. Can anyone tell me whether this diet/lifestyle works during this phase of life. I have read the Blood Sugar Diet book and am very excited to try it out and to cut out the ‘bad’ carbs.
My current weight is 12 stone and my ideal weight for my height is around 10 stone. Most of my fat is around my belly.
Any thoughts or views welcome please.

I haven’t lost anything for a few days either. Maybe tomorrow?

SunnyB that was ‘trigger’ not ‘target’ have a way to go before I hit that!

Great s-g!

I’ve not lost any weight the last few days, but I’m starting to feel healthier and less like a marshmallow. (And I’ve realised the forum hadn’t suddenly gone really quiet, I’d somehow turned all the notifications off!)

Like/love/disagree buttons can have unexpected consequences, too. I was on a forum many years ago where the feature was introduced and a few people immediately started using it negative ways. The more likes a post got, the more disagrees it got too. It was depressing as hell. Better to just duke it out and deal with issues that crop up using our words and accountable to our forum names. Secret ballots are great for elections. They’re dangerous in forums.

I haven’t used coconut oil yet, but I’ve done some reading on the subject and many people report that refined coconut oil is neutral in flavor. No suntan lotion omelette syndrome. It also has a higher smoke point, so is more versatile for roasting, baking, etc. If you buy it organically made (no chemicals, additives, anything shady), there is no difference between the MCT/lauric acid content in refined oil vs. virgin.

I was thinking that CaliforniaGirl, though a lot less eloquently. Thankyou x

I remember many years ago when I was 16 I read about the wonders of coconut oil for the hair. I washed my hair before bed and following the instructions from my Diana magazine, slathered it with the oil and wrapped a warm towel around my head and went to bed like that. Yes, I was supposed to leave it on overnight (I think). Got up early to wash my hair and after about 3 or 4 washes and rinses had to go to work with hair like rats tails for about 3 days until I could get it out. Never used it on my hair again.

Thanks Jgwen, your research is consistent with what I’ve read
also. Coconut oil is a natural antibacterial, and was actually used
as such to treat wounds in war theaters. Our skin is teeming
with bacteria, so it can be very helpful in that capacity as well.
After taking IV as well as oral antibiotics for 8 years, I developed
systemic candida which manifested as raised, itchy scaley patches
on my back. Using coconut oil, although rather messy, has
cleared the condition up by 90%! Some people swear by oil
pulling with it for a cleaner mouth and healthier gums. Thanks
for the link 🙂

Allie

I do not want a “like” or “Love” or “disagree” button. Although it can be hard to read sometimes, part of what is so great about the forums is the honest give and take of real human interaction.
I think it is part of being fully engaged in the diet — it is being fully “present” in our lives and our discussions.
I hate the “like” button — it fosters group-think.

I’m in agreement with Tillybud regarding how one needs to approach weight loss and maintenance. Too many people seem to think that the Fast800(or any other diet for that matter) is the magic bullet – the weight will be lost and then they can just go back to eating in the same way as they used to. For those of us here, making the BSD a way of life is essential if we are to maintain our new weight and our new bodies in their revised form. I guess any weight loss achieved using any other diet, also requires continued modified eating, if the weight is not to be regained.

Also agree with Victoria, I think it is very misleading that TK is promoting a diet that did not take him to his huge weight loss and I think it patronising that he says the way he did it is tough and implies us mire mortals could not stay the course. I can’t watch his programme, because A) I just can’t get past the hypocrisy and B) I’m so tired of the same old stuff being repackaged and resold, which we know is dooming people to ultimate failure.

Excellent news Sunshine – onwards and downwards. Sounds like you have been quite pampered, V and great that you are back below your target weight.

My positives today are:
1) Hit a new low on the scales today – not brave enough to post it, want to see where I am next Tuesday first.
2) Enjoying researching accommodation for our drive back from Turkey in July.
3) OH isn’t working this afternoon, so sometime together.

Like many others, I don’t much like the taste of coconut oil for general cooking, but find it works fine for curries and the like. We all have our flavour likes and dislikes though. Some people have been enthusing about liquorice teas, I’m a huge fan of herbal teas, but very much dislike all the ones containing liquorice. I’m not sure what it is about it in tea, as I’m okay with liquorice sweets (not that I actually eat such things anymore).

Scales were kind to me today, but I’m not reporting any results until Tuesday next week. We have a meal out with friends tomorrow evening and the weekend in between now and then, so not counting any chickens! Suffice to say I’m content with how things are going at the moment.

Oh Sarah, I’m so delighted for you!!! I related my own CFS history
with you earlier on, in the hopes that this WOE would make the
same difference in your energy levels that it did for me. Keep
going, you’re doing great 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie

Hi Allie,

Anyone looking into the benefits of coconut oil may want to also search for information on the different acids, for example, there has been lots of research into the components of milk which help the young of each species develop their gut bacteria.

Lauric Acid which is one of the components of coconut oil is so effective in controlling Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, (bad bacteria) that there has been research into the benefits of adding it to the diet of diary cattle to reduce the incidence of mastitis needing treatment with antibiotics. http://www.dairyglobal.net/Articles/General/2015/9/Mastitis-control-starts-with-a-healthy-udder-2671613W/

Caprylic Acid has benefits in controlling yeast infections as well as controlling the same bad bacteria.

Capric Acid has benefits in the same area.

There was some research mentioned in The Times yesterday that found that mothers who breastfed for more than 6 months didn’t suffer from diabetes, and those who breast fed for less than 6 months had lower levels of diabetes than women who had not breast fed their children. All three acids are found in milk, more in human milk than diary. Makes me wonder if in producing the milk the mothers body also benefits from increased levels.

Thanks for all the helpful information that you’ve given me. I guess my main concern was that I am on a lot of medication not insulin, but steroids and blood pressure medication, and therefore was wondering what such a sudden drop in blood sugar might do to ones overall health.

I am of course going to carry on with the diet as I believe that it is having a positive impact on my general health. I am only on week two and have ME/CFS but have noticed a massive increase in my energy levels in that time.

You are quite right. However, my understanding was that Sarah, who is not diabetic, was concerned that her blood sugar would continue to descend from safe, acceptable (desirable even) levels to being permanently and dangerously low. I may be wrong, but I don’t think this is likely to happen. I was concerned that someone would arbitrarily tell her, a pre diabetic, that this eminently suitable diet was not for her.

Sunshine Girl and Verano – I so agree! I tried an omelette today with it and yuck yuck yuck! Butter or olive oil for me for now I think. I probably used too much. But quite nice if you fry up just veg and meat and it becomes part of the dish. It’s way better in baked goods like nut crackers, I think.

Thanks for the idea VictoriaM, I don’t think too many kitted cushion covers will be that useful with a couple of dogs and cats around the house. May take a little practice though, I think the one time as a child I tried to make a hat for myself it ended up a strange triangular shape. :-)) I know my step in mum makes small items for sale to support a charity she is involved in, so I could also ask her if she needs any extra items. – There were some crochet butterflies for sale at the local craft fair the other week and i was fascinated by the effect they had managed to create using different threads for the wings.

Hey, all! You may find this link interesting on the subject of
coconut oil and other MCT oils. I don’t have any experience
with this site, but there’s a ton of info on MCT’s on the net 🙂

Allie

http://www.wildfoods.co/shop/mct-oil-with-lauric-acid

My positive are
Under 12 stone today
Under 76 kgs (into the 75’s)
Able to stay wrapped up warm indoors in this miserable weather

Unfortunately a diabetics blood sugar can plummet, doubt to zero but I have had a low where I went unconscious, my bg was 2.1. However, you are right in that there are many factors and, in fact, I had my plummet just after eating a high carb breakfast of 3 Weetabix. No accounting for how our bodies work. I am in total agreement that this is not a reason to abandon this way of eating, in fact it is the reason we are doing it. Having looked at Sarah’s profile I see she is not on any medication so cannot adjust but must carefully watch her blood sugar. Mine in currently on the downward slope and I am very happy to be 4.2 this morning but I will reduce my insulin (injection) by one unit. I have gone from up in the high 6’s after Christmas to now back in the 4’s and have reduced my insulin from 29 units to 26 in the last week.

I agree we are all responsible for ourselves. My issue with TK is that unless you pay close attention to his disclaimer about the way he lost weight, it would be easy to assume that the method that worked for his tremendous weight loss is what he is advocating and that is just not true.

Hi all,

Thanks for the advice sunshine-girl, I’ll take it and go with the spritzer and sip not guzzle!

On coconut oil, I love it, and enjoy it in lemony salad dressings which make me think I’m somewhere warm and exotic. Cooking wise, I do restrict it to high flavour, spiced or garlicky meals so the flavour doesn’t come through. For more delicate flavours I use olive oil.

For me it’s jigsaws! Love your idea VictoriaM will look into that.

Yes! Mary that sounds like a great idea. But maybe we could add a ‘disagree’ button also which could stop the odd bits of ‘nastiness’ that creep in here from time to time!

Yes we are responsible for ourselves, our lifestyles and our diets. As they say “you pays your money and you take your chance! “

Hi JGwen,

I agree, in my case it’s crochet not knitting, but same principle. If you want something simple, hospitals always want little tiny caps for prem babies (plenty of patterns on line). If you want something a bit more complex they also want octopus because the babies can cuddle the head and grip the legs rather than gripping the wires in their arms.

Well done s-g just have to follow your own advice and keep on keeping on……

I don’t think you can get past the smell and taste of coconut oil. I bought some ages back and to be truthful it only suits my palate if I use it in a Thai curry!! Maybe we should follow Theo’s advice and use it as face/body cream….. just reminds me of Hawaiian Tropical sun oil! It just isn’t for me in any shape, way, or form. Sorry to all lovers of coconut oil.

Hi sunshine – I suppose what I wanted to say is that there is more to blood sugar movement than the food you put in your mouth. It doesn’t plummet to nothing simply because you don’t eat carbs. Non diabetics need not worry too much, but I know that even if you eat as near zero carbs as is possible your liver (I think it’s your liver) will produce glucose. I know this because I have woken with raised blood sugar after a day of exemplary eating.

Low blood sugar is, surely, due to a combination of drugs (insulin etc) and food consumption. To tell someone that they should not be following a supremely healthy way of eating because they have expressed concern that their blood sugar will continue to drop risks their abandoning the BSD. Sarah, don’t worry – this healthy diet is unlikely to send blood sugar plummeting to zero. You could, if you are on diabetic drugs, check with your doctor to see if your new way of eating means your dosage could be lowered. Please don’t be discouraged and believe me when I say a chocolate cake diet to raise your BS is not indicated!

Just a quick question. I have finally bought some coconut oil based on the research on Trust Me with MM. How do you get past the smell and taste of coconuts. Dont get me wrong, I like the taste but not necessarily in my omelette or bolognaise.

I think everyone should push the moderators for a like and love button! Luv ya Tilly.

Mary
xxx

Sarah, I know when you have had high BG with pre or diabetes it can be pretty scary to find you are ‘going low’. And it think I have already given my experience when you mentioned this on another thread (or was that someone else). Briefly, I went from 11.0 to 5.5 in about 3 or 4 weeks and went into a right old panic. Just to put this into perspective – the optimum range for BG in a diabetic is between 80 and 120 – that equates to 4.4 to 6.6. You are running at 4.2 (as am I too) so nothing to worry about, it is the aim of this diet and that is what it has achieved for you. The only caveat is to keep a close eye on it by extra testing and knowing how you are feeling if you go too low, fuzzy head, tingling lips or fingers, blurred vision, shaky etc and have something to eat to put things back up a little. I now dont stuff my face with a cheese sandwich as I used to do. I just have some ham, maybe some yoghurt and a couple of prunes, give it 15 mins and test again. If it hasn’t gone up a little then maybe a glucose sweet or tablet might be in order.

YSYG, it is true that non-diabetics have good BG regulating in the normal bodily functions but diabetics do not and the next step from going too low is unconsciousness and in the worst instance, coma. It is knowing our own bodies and how to take care of ourselves that is important in this process. If my blood glucose goes much over 5.0 then I start to panic that it is getting too high.

I quite agree with you Mary. Weight loss responsibility is ours and no one else’s. Sure life throws shit at you sometimes but you have to suck it up and get on with it. No one force feeds anyone. As you say there are plenty of “diets” and successful diets. The problem starts when people reach their target and go back to how they were eating before and then wonder why the weight goes back on. Finding this way of eating is the key – not diet, “way of eating” and blips will happen, life will get in the way but keep on keeping on. We should be more evangelical to others and maybe WE can change the nation’s eating habits. One pound at a time!!

Sorry I’ll get off my soapbox now. And I stopped watching TK after the first one too. Good luck on the journey to everyone. Pat yourself on the back. You are doing it! X 😌

Another day and another success. Now under the dreaded 76kgs and also under 12st. Great incentive to make the rest of the week as successful. Have a good day everyone.

Victoria, About the wine, if you have only been on this diet and alcohol free for 2 or so weeks then it is not going to go straight to your head. However, how about making it go further and have the prosecco and a wine spritzer with dinner, you might be able to have 2 spritzers if that is the equivalent of one whole glass.

I wondered what people thought of the short article on the following TV program where Dr MM is one of the presenters where research showed that carbs eaten in an evening had less effect on BS levels than carbs eaten in a morning.

I wondered what the people on here who monitored their blood sugar levels have noticed. Does the same apply if you are having limited carbs?