1) sunshine and great dog walk

2) size 8 jeans comfortable on – tight but can fit keys in pocket

3) can see muscles in my legs, but butt still has enough fat on it to be comfortable to sit on hard surface

Hey there Squidge. I do a lot of online shopping (Ocado) in the UK and all the stuff is there (well, don’t know about oat fibre). I assume, therefore, it probably is in most supermarkets. Cacao nibs are little chunks, I assume what they then grind for powder. I like cacao powder, struggle with nibs. In the US all cocoa is untreated, apparently, but ours has something done to it that takes out a lot of nutrients. So apparently any US brand cocoa is better for us (Is that right US ladies?)

Sorry I cant help you on a brand of monitor as I live in France and mine is on prescription. However, there is another thread running on this subject and you will find it if you type blood sugar (or glucose) monitor in the search at the top of the page.

Hi kelbel60s, the short answer is yes. I was always high on cholesterol levels (around 5.3) but after following this plan I am now in the 3’s – so normal. It is hard to get your head around the higher fats but it is not a high fat diet, it is a good fat diet. So you should be cooking with either coconut (near research proves it increases HDL without causing problems to LDL) or rapeseed oil, use olive oil for salad dressings and eat plenty of avocados, nuts (especially walnuts), olives etc. You will not be eating loads of these things as they are high in calories but enough to make a difference. One big difference is you will be eating natural foods rather than the chemically changed ‘low fat’ substitutes. Oh, and eggs are okay too, not true they increase cholesterol.

Thanks Wannabeslim, hopefully we’ll all get to our targets together.

I’ve just made a spreadsheet to put my weights and measurements in and realised the end of the 8 weeks is when we’ve booked flights to France to see our new Grandson due on 5th March, hopefully I’ll be a skinny Nana by then & Grandpa will be diabetes free.
Now that’s motivation!

Ooh Legend2cv. You are a legend that is brilliant, no wonder you are excited . That’s nearly down a size another week and one size gone yippee! I will hold on to your coat tails …hope you don’t mind🤩

Hi ScubaDo, we’ll done!
I think I might be at the excitable stage all the way through! I’ve lost 6lbs this week (but only started BSD on Weds) and all the measurements below waist are a little less. Although I know it’s water loss it’s still encouraging.
Really enjoying the food side of things, just need to find the motivation to exercise now!

Well done Scubado. Enthusiasm is always good for us all. I am similarly down today after a few trips in the night if it pushes us through to day 3 then happy days!

Day 2. Good morning, I’m still at the excitable stage so checking my weight each day and…. look at that water weight go – down 1kg to 75.9kg. Definitely worth the extra couple of trips to the loo overnight!

Oh rats! I’ve been having the occasional teaspoon of oat bran on yoghurt, assuming it was entirely non soluable fibre. I’ve never seen oat fibre for sale here in Australia and a quick search for an Australian supplier only turned up one that seemed to be saying it was made from oat bran, just more finely milled. Different to the American descriptions above. Off to the organic health food store tomorrow to investigate further. I struggle to get enough fibre in my meals and no where near the recommended 30g daily. Not a fan of chia seeds, the texture is unpleasant to me.

I am a 54 year old female and was diagnosed with Type 2 last Spring after a Health MOT at the surgery. It was a massive shock but Iimmediately decided to do the 8 week blood sugar diet. I’d read the book already but had put off doing anything about it. I decided this was the wake-up call I needed. Within 3 months I’d shed about 20 pounds and felt much better. When I was re-tested after 3 months of the original diagnosis, my levels had come down to normal so I was very pleased. I have managed to maintain the weight loss and find the diet a good one to follow. I have completely lost my craving for crisps but still have cravings for chocolate so I try and eat dark chocolate with 85% cocoa content. I’ve never been a drinker so alcohol is not a problem and have never smoked. However, between Christmas and New Year I did fall off the wagon with chocolate and put on 5 pounds. I knew I would it was just too much of a temptation! I suppose I thought i could get away with it. However, within a week old symptoms of being very thirsty and going to the loo a lot returned. Have managed to lose the 5 pounds I gained within a week . I am due to have my blood tests again this month for my 6 month check. I have noticed I’m very thirsty so am worried about what my results are going to be. I really want to control this by diet alone. The surgery never gave me a glucose monitor so am thinking I need to measure levels myself. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Luvtcook and Esnecca.

I’m in the UK. That’s why I wondered if we had different names for the same thing – it happens!

Oat fibre (as we spell it!!!) isn’t something I’ve seen for sale here, but I’ve not looked yet. Would that work for thickening sauces in place of cornflour? (I think it’s called cornstarch in the US.) That’s almost entirely carbohydrate, so I’m avoiding that – forever!

I did look for hemp hearts yesterday. Be impressed, I walked to the shop where I get my chai and flax and it’s 4 miles each way. No hemp, but I got some ground pumpkin, sunflower and flax seed mix, which I’ll try in porridge and as a crispy coating (with parmasen cheese) to chicken. In muesli, I’d have the pumpkin and sunflower seeds whole.

I can get unsweetened dried fruits quite easily, but I can see they’re still high in natural sugar. I think it would be better to stick with adding fresh fruit when I want sweetness. Four fresh strawberries would seem plenty, four raisins would not!

Would cacao nibs be like dark, unsweetened chocolate? There are so many new things for me to try.

UK? Sun? 😂
That’s why we moved to Spain.
Btw, some people claim that when they reduced their carbs significantly, i.e. enough to be in ketosis some of the time, they found their skin much less susceptible to burning – I really have no idea if that’s true but certainly the high-carb, high PUFA diet appears to increase the risk of cancer so perhaps sunburn and high-carb are a very bad combination.
SSB

I’m surprised you didn’t hear me roar across the Pacific as I checked the websites to see how close i was getting to the healthy range. i am really chuffed.

When I was a teenager many girls would rub themselves with coconut oil before sitting in the sun to help get a tan – the opposite of sunscreen! That’s what I associate that smell with. You could almost hear them frying in the Aussie sun. Not recommended, we have such a high rate of skin cancer here. I’m allergic to coconut anyway, inside and out, glad I was never tempted to destroy my skin like that. But I guess in England you don’t have our kind of sun.

Another pound lost! That’s 8 lbs since the start of the year. That’s not fast in BSD terms, but it seems pretty good to me. It’s certainly fast enough to make me want to continue. If I keep going at this rate, I’ll reach my target weight by the end of February.

I feel healthier too. Whether that’s the diet, exercise or lack of alcohol, I’m not sure. Maybe a combination?

I’m afraid I’m not sure of the exact date of my first meeting my husband, it was in February but not sure which day. But it’s coming up for 19 years, we’ve still got a long way to go for 50!

Just as well – people might think I had piña colada for breakfast 😂

Hi SSB – yes a little goes a very long way. I do find however that the mild coconut smell disappears as soon as the oil is absorbed.

Hi Atlas

I’m not diabetic but find eating low carb helps me feel better both physically and emotionally. I don’t do the 800 plan but eat as per the principles of the med plan set out in the book. I’d echo what SSB said, grab a copy of the book and read all the way through. It’ll help you make an informed decision about what might work for you. I’m in awe of the people on here who eat the 800 way but as I’m not diabetic I choose to take the slower route that seems to work for me. I wish you well.

Hi Theodora,
I used coconut oil as a moisturiser this morning – goodness, doesn’t a little go a long way?, my skin feels very soft now but I do smell very coconutty!
SSB

Hi Atlas, the evidence suggests that lower-carb is better for most people, the argument being that with starchy carbs, even whole grain, raise your blood glucose (not just in diabetics) and so trigger an insulin response; insulin is then used to store the glucose as fat. Insulin can also cause a ‘sugar-crash’ which means you end up hungry again and so the cycle goes on.
The problem with WW is that they are still using the high-carb, low-fat mantra which has been seriously discredited. Likewise with calories vs exercise
Can I suggest you take a look at Dr Mosley’s books:
The BSD (which goes with this site)
Eat, Fast, Live Longer (5:2 intermittent fasting), and
Fast exercise

I have lost over 10lbs doing this way of eating and I am not diabetic. I have also tried (and failed miserably) with low fat.
Hope this helps – there’s loads of excellent support and advice on these forums to help you get started.
SSB

That’s a fabulous recovery Busybee, well done, you must be feeling very in control.

Well done Flick, you must be absolutely delighted!

Hi, I know that this is an old thread, but I just wanted to say thank you! I needed to learn how to thicken the liquid of a pork and bacon casserole that I’m making which before would have been roux or cornflour. A quick search on this forum and there is the answer.

You guys are great!

Good morning. What lovely positive thoughts. Allie and Theo you both made me think back and the 50 year anniversary of our first date was New Years Eve! So much water under the bridge since then but if I had my time again I would do the same all over!

Enough said!

Hi there, I got my bloods back today and my lipid profile isn’t pretty. Will the BSD help sort this out if I follow it properly?

Help!!

Such a beautiful dress Theo, you look so slim! I wlways look forward to seeing the pics you post!
Inka

What LTC said. Oat bran is the ground up outer coating of an oat groat. It has the same nutrional profile as oats themselves, ie, some fiber, a smattering of protein and lots and lots of carbs. Oat fiber is derived from the hull of the groat and it is composed entirely of insoluble cellulose-based fiber. That’s why it’s carbless. When ground into flour, it makes a useful addition to low carb bread mixes, can be dissolved in water for a disgusting but effective fiber supplement, and when mixed in with a bunch of seeds, nuts etc. for a porridge, the yucky sludginess that makes it so terrible to drink dissolved in water works like a charm to add soft richness and a smooth base for the varying textures of the other ingredients.

It’s easy enough to find the US these days. I’m not sure where you’re located, Squidge, but I bet you can find an online supplier that can ship you oat fiber.

The mixed seeds/nuts/etc. could definitely be a muesli kinda thing. I make a trail mix, which is not dissimilar to muesli, from tamari almonds, pecans, flaxseeds, hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, spiced pumpkin seeds (pepitas) coconut flakes and pure unsweetened cacao nibs. High in healthy fats, protein and fiber, rock buttom low in sugar. Dried fruits you buy commercially are usually sweetened, and even in their natural state are so high in sugar they’d ruin the vibe, but coconut and, if you can find them, dried raspberries or bluberries with zero added sugar can be added in modest amounts without damning your carb counts.

Oat bran is not the same as oat fiber….the bran has 48 net carbs per cup and the oat fiber has 0….BIG DIFFERENCE.

And, yes, absolutely personalize every and all recipes to suit yourself. Tweek it to make it hit the just the right spot, just what your looking for. The peanut butter does add some substance/umph to the flax/chia porridge, but any nut butter would do….and you may like it better with less or none at all. Go for it.

Great memory to charish Allie. So glad the low weight issue resolved as well. Hope things continue to stay stable for you.

Flick, you are a beast. Great job!

I am seriously about to hyperventilate here. That dress is freaking EVERYTHING and you look like a freaking Boticelli goddess in it. You’ve found a rare unicorn: the floral gown that looks elegant and lengthening while still being full of life and movement. Flirty but demure. White but not bridal. Floral but not couchy or carpetbaggy. You look like you’re about to take flight, borne aloft by gossamer fabric and fluttery ruffles. Theo’s Rite of Spring will be one for the ages.

And let’s take a moment to acknowledge the awesomeness of you breaking out of your old patterns to embrace your body and all the great things it can do now thanks to your hard work and dedication. I’m not saying stack all your wellies in the backyard, pour lighter fluid on them and strike a match — way too much money and usefullness to go up in smoke — but to rip off Footloose (okay Eccelsiastes), there is a time to every purpose under heaven and you need a glorious new dress for all of them!

I tip the black velvet cloche I bought yesterday to you from across the ocean, Madame. [Insert many hands clapping and fireworks emoticons]

Theo – what a beautiful dress, what a slender model, you look fabulous.

Woohooo Flick! Well done you 😊 What a milestone – congratulations.

Now, onwards and downwards…..😀😁😄

Thank you Flick – and I’ve been called a lot of things in my time, but sadly tall isn’t one of them😢 Something I’ve always aspired to, however, so thank you kindly, ma’am 😊

😊😊😊😊😊 Do it, Al. Not sure Cornwall is ready for you (we are rather a rural, undeveloped community) but hey – you could certainly set the place alight. Why not knock us totally for six, and bring Essie too?!!!! Now THAT would be something to write home about 😉

PS Cornwall is lovely, gorgeous, stunning, wonderful and any other superlative you care to throw at it, but sophisticated and cosmopolitan? Errr, maybe not!

Theo, this IS your phoenix dress. This is the new you 🙂 Wear it with
confidence and joy! Have an over the top garden party. Can I be on
the guest list??? I don’t think your cosmopolitan, sophisticated friends
would find me too over the top, do you? 🙂 (Ha!) We need only tell them
that we were separated at birth…Cornwall beckons 🙂 🙂 🙂

Theodora, that dress looks fabulous – and you look so …. tall.

Morning everyone,

gosh Busybee that’s an excellent recovery and what a terrific break with your son. I’m a bit shocked by how fast the weight can return. The key seems to be to address it as soon as practical so it and the eating patterns don’t set in. Very encouraging to read your posts.

I hope I’m not jinxing myself but, after 5 days at last weeks weigh in 67.5, I lost .6kg overnight. Most excitingly this means I just scrape into the healthy BMI range for my height. I’m so pleased and find myself almost hoping it stays stable, if tipping back up into the overweight range is a risk. No pleasing some people!

Two more days before weigh in on Tuesday, so fingers crossed.

Aww bless you Allie. And thank you Victoria.

I was a little unsure when I saw the dress because it is soooo different from what I usually wear, so your approval means a lot. I shall definitely wear it on my trip, but after that. ……? Who knows? Maybe I need a posh garden party to go to?

Allie – do it! Europe (and in particular the UK ) need you – our lives and culture will be seriously enriched by an Alliecat visit.

You look gorgeous Theo!

OH MY GOD, Theo!!!!!!!! What a breathtakingly beautiful dress!!! Will you
be my personal shopper? THAT is the embodiment of Spring! It were
on anyone else but you, I would be downright jealous 🙂 I looked far
and wide last summer for a silk midi skirt with kicky ruffles, but the only
one I found was $500.00, so I came to my senses! Where did I think
I was going to go in it, I wonder!? You have an exciting trip to look
forward to, however. I hope you will began to share the plans/itinerary
as the time approaches. I’ve been giving some serious thought to a
solo U.K. trip this Spring, to meet up with some of my new BSD friends..
Weekends have been crazy of late, so haven’t gotten to the electronics
store for my new phone, but it’s coming, never fear! I’m afraid that when
my head hits the pillow tonight, I’ll be fantasizing about the perfection
of your dress! Just STUNNING…

XOXO

Allie

😂 Theodora, yes they are still here. My excitng news for the day though is that after 5 days at 67.5 (good to know my response to Round 2 so far is consistent) the scales moved down to 66.9 this morning!

This means I have just scraped into the healthy BMI range for my somewhat dimished height! 🌟🌟🌟🎉🎉🎉😁😁😁

Alliecat, such good news that your weight loss has reversed. And congrats for your wonderful first meeting anniversary! You too Theodora, well approaching anniversary.

Here are my positives for today –

1. It is positively and wonderfully cold here this morning. 9oC with a clear blue sky and yesterday’s wild wind has abated. It is going to be a glorious day.

2. Yesterday was the 5th morning at 67.5 for me. 😩 In need of a non scale victory, I discovered that a very nice pair of trousers I wore on a fabulous Namibia, Botswana, Zambia 4wheel drive safari I thoroughly enjoyed 10 years ago, FIT!! Size 12! So now I have a pair of beautifully fitting, great quality bushwalking pants! I think I kept them in the bottom of the drawer all this time as they were connected to some of my favourite travel memories.

3. My daughter’s first home purchase has settled and she and her partner have just about completed the move. I’m off over there today to help with the final bits, including the final clean up of their rental property. Not a fan of housework, but it is always a lot of fun n to spend time with these two.

Also scales moved this morning!

Hi.

I’m not diabetic, exercise 5 days a week and eat relatively healthy. (Pescetarian diet) However, I can’t shift my ‘love handles’!! I’m 40 in June and I’ve been advised that my hips could become an issue later in life.
Don’t I need complex carbs to support my exercise?
Please help someone who’s confused and has tried weight watchers!

I’m not convinced by this study. No views about coconut oil, but the results attributed to butter just don’t make sense to me. Raised LDLs levels by 10% in 4 weeks? The population of France, and me, should definitely be dead by now!

Definite non scale victory this evening. We had home made meatballs in tomato sauce. A bit high on the carbs but I had calculated for them. I had them with courgetti and spinach, but the real test was the Ciabatta that my husband made to go with them. Plus we usually have a bottle of wine between us with something like that on a Saturday night. I resisted all of it, and thoroughly enjoyed my meal! (Just check my post and the spell check had changed courgetti to confetti. A bit soggy with the sauce I think!)

Hi Squidge, 9st 2 is ok for my height but I still have too much belly fat – typical TOFI. I’m hoping that if I can get to 8 1/2 it might reduce the fat. I’m wondering whether to do keto for a few weeks as that is supposed to really hit the body fat.
I’d like to think I could give up alcohol forever but having just moved to Spain, I think that might be asking too much! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
Keep smiling.
SSB