Luvtcook, can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to reading about Valter Longo’s
research and fast mimicking diet. I’m grateful to you for directing me toward what sounds
like an excellent point of departure to acquire the knowledge that I lack. I haven’t done a
full 24 h fast yet, but I’m attempting it today. The menu from El Pulpo looks wonderful,
so today appears to be the day, if the weather headed this way cooperates!

Thanks a bunch for starting a cooking thread. I know that it is going to be much
appreciated by all! Stay warm this weekend!

Lovely to hear from you,

Allie

“Baked” Italian Style Cauliflower with Meat Sauce

One of my favorite winter meals….fast, warming, filling, and dirties only two dishes and one is only to steam (or par boil) the cauliflower. Don’t omit the kalamata olives….add a depth to the dish that it really needs.

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 ounces lean ground sirloin or can use Italian sausage
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups sugar free marinara sauce (such as Rao’s)
2 ounces pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds cauliflower, cut into large knobs/florets (about 1 1/2 inches each )
1/2 cup grated mozzarella

Preparation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in beef. Sprinkle with salt and peppers, and sauté 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in sauce and olives.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Steam cauliflower 4 minutes or until crisp-tender (or can par boil in salter water for 2-3 min depending on the size of you pieces).
4. Add cauliflower to the skillet and toss with the meat sauce. Cook for 3 min to heat all through.
5. Sprinkle cheese over cauliflower mixture. Put skillet under broiler and broil 4 minutes or until browned.

Amazing isn’t it, the things which we had had to sideline, that suddenly fit us again? For me it was rings – wedding and engagement in particular. OH would periodically make comment about me never wearing them and then when I had the courage to tell him it was a case of ‘couldn’t’ rather than ‘choosing not to’, he’d occasionally suggest getting them made larger. I always resisted though, convinced one day I’d be able to wear them in their original size. Still doesn’t seem real that that actually happened though!

Positive thoughts for the day:

1) Christmas gift shopping has finally been completed and now I just need to get all the wrapping done.
2) Wriggle room is slowly increasing without any real effort.
3) Tonight is cocktail night and this week it’s going to be Passion Fruit Martinis.

Allie, hope you are feeling less blue after your much anticipated double date with Esnecca.

Also, did you do your 1 day fast as planned? I have modified mine consistent with this clip form one of the researchers M Mosely featured in his 5:2 Horizon production. This note is part of a posting he recently attached on his TWEET section on the face page of the BSD web site.

Fast Mimicking diet: Created by Professor of gerontology and biological sciences at USC, Valter Longo, it comprises of meal boxes designed to be used for 5 days every month. Using natural, gluten-free and plant-based ingredients, meals are low-protein, low-carb and high in good fat, with 770 to 1,100 calories aimed for per day.

Instead of a full fast, I am now having one meal of a humongous tossed salad (starts with half a head of Romaine) with a vinaigrette with 2 TBS of ex virgin olive oil….so in the end it is about 350 cal low protein, low carb and high in good fat.

Due to the olive oil, I find it very satisfying and I know I am getting a lot healthy low carb veg in it (I put in a good cup of sliced red cabbage, 1/2 a cucumber, 1 stalk of celery, a chopped canned artichoke bottom, and some chopped gardiniera….some of the cauliflower and red pepper). Very happy with that.

And nosh on some chia seeds after. Thank you for that suggestion No more transit issues, and I find them very satisfying (with some good guzzles of water in the process to ensure no issues there).

Yes, Yes, YES, Kazzi – Another very successful week for you! Your lead up to Christmas
is going great guns, isn’t it magnificent to feel in control again? 🙂 🙂 🙂 I hope we find the
time to diagnosis the email problem this weekend. What’s so frustrating about it is that it’s
intermittent. Fortunately I can mitigate against it here on the threads, and in day to day
life with friends there is always the phone. Even I can’t mess that one up! Speaking
of the telephone, I’ve bee thinking about looking into upgrading our phone service to
international coverage if it’s not too cost prohibitive. It would be wonderful to be able
to wish you Merry Christmas with my voice, and not my fingertips! Navigating the accents
would be hilarious. I have 2 friends, one from Switzerland and another from Nicaragua,
and what they say and what I hear can be wildly dissimilar experiences….
Yesterday passed without too much sadness, thanks. When the sleeping giant regains
consciousness, I’ll check the mail. I hope you get your cards done tomorrow with snow
in the forecast. That’s to be the weather event here today. I hope it doesn’t “foil our
plans” for this evening. Essie has a lot farther to travel than I do, so we’ll just have to
wait and see what the afternoon brings. If you like your new hairdo, it would be fun
to see it by our usual channels. 🙂 Until later, my sweet!

Thank you Marie, for your thoughtfulness. It’s very much appreciated. I didn’t fare as
badly as I feared, thanks in no small part to keeping busy on the forums yesterday.
There is so much energy and truth on the Dec. challenge, in no small part due to your
willingness to be so honest about your emotions. I see that you are resonating with
so many over there, and it is magnificent to see how the concept of mindfulness is
being embraced. Have a wonderful weekend. Mine should be over the top! You may
very well hear laughter booming from this side of the Atlantic. You’ll be with us in
spirit!

VictoriaM: might this work for you?

When I am yearning for something at the end of a meal, these are two yogurt fixes that work for me. I especially like them as the end to a light soup and salad meal.

1. 1/2 cup of Greek full fat yogurt (I like mine semi sweetened with about 4 drops of liquid Stevia), mixed with 1/2 tsp of matcha green tea powder (pricy but goes a long way) topped with 1 tsp of sliced almonds. This is a really yummy way to use matcha powder.

2. Take a bag of frozen raspberries. Dump into a glass jar and let thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter if in a hurry (or defrost gently in microwave if in a BIG hurry).

I do 1/2 cup of semi sweetened Greek yogurt topped with 2 Tbs of the thawed and juicy raspberried, again topped with 2 Tbs of sliced almonds.

If you like your raspberry “compote” thicker, you can add 1-2 Tbs of chia seeds. I like it fine the way it is but the chia is really good for you. You can sweeten a bit with a few drops of stevia, but I like mine tart.

I also serve my yogurt concoctions in a piece of fancy stemware (martini glass my favorite, wine glass also works) so it looks fancy and convinces me that I am eating something special and elegant….because it IS. And its good for your gut. The carbs are higher than some items on BSD but I have read a lots of opinions that the true carb count is lower than that published because the act of fermentation to make yogurt cosumes a lot of the lactose in the milk it is made with. I can live with it either way and just count it into my total for the day.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MCzkrZ_4IT8/Uoq8t5xmATI/AAAAAAAAXhg/Cqgt5sQRU-4/s1600/CrustedKabocha2.jpg

Found the MOST WONDERFUL NEW SQUASH……taste and texture of sweet potato but 1/3 less calories and half the carbs of butternut squash.

Its KOMBUCHA SQUASH

According to OrganicAuthority.com:

1. Kabocha is like butternut squash‘s sadly underappreciated sister. A single cup of kabocha has forty calories compared to butternut squash’s 60, and has less than half of the carbs of butternut squash (7 grams vs. 16 grams). But, it tastes better… the perfect substitute.

2. Kabocha squash is an excellent source of beta-carotene, owing to it’s bright orange flesh, which can be converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is important for healthy white blood cells, good immunity and for vibrant eyes, skin and hair. A single serving of kabocha squash provides 70% of the day’s recommended requirement!

3. Kabocha is also a good source of iron, vitamin C and some B vitamins.

4. In addition, it contains fiber, which we could all use a little more of. To boost the fiber content even more, cook it with the edible skins on.

5. Which brings us to the next great advantage: You can eat the peel! And it is soft and delicious.

Had it for the first time last night and loved it. Very filling. One serving was supposed to be 1/4 of the squash (4 wedges) but could only finish 2 when served with Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli and sauteed filet of Spanish Mackerel.

So glad to find a yellow veg with beta carotene that is carb friendly….the other big players (carrots, butternut, acorn) all have too many carbs to eat as frequently as one would like.

Here is a reciped based on one from Yotam Ottolenghi in Plenty .

Parmesan & Herb Crusted Kabocha

http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2013/11/parmesan-herb-crusted-kabocha-with.html

1 1/2 lbs pumpkin or squash of choice (skin on)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp dried white breadcrumbs ….substitute ground golden flax seed for low carb
6 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 1/2 tsp finely chopped thyme
grated zest of 2 large lemons
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and white pepper
1/4 cup olive oil (or enough to coat squash as needed)

Topping
1/2 cup sour cream (or use Greek yogurt)
1 Tbsp chopped dill

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cut the squash into 3/8-inch-thick slices and lay them flat, cut-side down, on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

Mix together in a small bowl the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, half the lemon zest, the garlic, a tiny amount of salt (remember, the Parmesan is salty) and some pepper.

Brush the squash generously with olive oil and sprinkle with the crust mix, making sure the slices are covered with a nice, thick coating. Gently pat the mix down a little.

Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until tender: stick a little knife in one wedge to make sure it has softened and is cooked through. If the topping starts to darken too much during cooking, cover loosely with foil.

Mix the sour cream with the dill and some salt and pepper. Serve the wedges warm, sprinkled with the remaining lemon zest, with the sour cream on the side.

Note: squash is easier to deal with if you trim off the two stem plugs, slice in half (used my heavy rolling pin to pound my chef knife down thru it) and then microwaved the half I was cooking that night in the microwave for 2 minutes….THEN cut it into wedges

Low carb recipes and food information

Allie, Kazz – wanted to come over and say a quick Hi before I go off-line for the weekend.

Allie, I was thinking of you, too, yesterday. Hope things were OK for you. Have a great, great time tonight with Esnecca and your OH’s (god help both of them!). I’ll be listening out for the screams of laughter from here. And I’m quite jealous because the restaurant sounds great.

Kazz – I kept meaning to come on and congratulate you last week on your 6lb weight loss – but somehow didn’t. Sorry about that. That was a fantastic result – and another 2lbs off now – half a stone in 2 weeks, wow! It’s a nice day again here in the north-east so no snow for us yet. Hope you get out to the hairdressers OK. Yes, I was just thinking the other day that I need to change my hairstyle because my face is so much thinner. Let me know how yours goes.

Have a good Sat/Sun – I’m off to do some moderate intensity exercise – hoovering – groan.

It’s always so helpful reading these posts

SueBlue – all those childhood happenings certainly struck a chord with me, too. I can certainly identify as a comfort eater, but I’d never really thought of how certain foods can relate so profoundly to people or places until I tried to give up my cups of tea with milk a few weeks ago. I experienced really strong emotions which I eventually realised was because drinking tea together was something my mum and I used to do – and I felt like I’d be betraying that somehow by doing something different. Anyway, Nonnie, Allie and Kazz helped me get past that one! Now, every time I start to feel some emotions around a food I know I need to look at what’s really going on.

VictoriaM – it’s nice to hear your happy today – nice weight loss. What you say about ‘pudding’ is just where I’m at right now. I feel like I’m eating so much less and my dinner seems to be over so quickly that I started having some Fage yoghurt after my dinner every night. Recently, I’ve started having a couple of trips back to have some more. It might be my body is craving more fats – need to maybe incorporate more in my main meals – but it definitely feels like I’m losing a little bit of control – it’s in danger of becoming a secret eating type thing – so I’m definitely going to knock it on the head.

JulesP – congratulations – I bet that’s a fabulous feeling being right back on track – and at your lowest BSD weight. Getting into the next stone down will be a great way to start 2018 – here’s hoping for Christmas!.

I’m enjoying the clothes thing, too. A couple of weeks ago I pulled out a whole load of favourite clothes, including some pretty new, that I hadn’t worn because they were too small. Now, I’ve lost so much weight I’ll soon be out of them! But, it’s great – and I’m wearing clothes I like rather than just clothes that I bought because they fit.

Mokovex – that description of the overgrown garden/neural pathways is so helpful to me – I’ve just hit my weight loss target for this challenge (which I’ll report in on Tuesday), but one of my other challenges for this month is to try to embed all the good BSD habits into my daily routine – no snacking, leaving 4/5 hours between meals and particularly drinking more water! I’m going to walk that path of yours daily for the rest of the challenge.

Blah – last but not least – a day without blowouts is a real achievement – well done!

Marie x

Hi Flick, not been on here for a bit cos my phone’s goosed, and was also having a bit of a stall so wasn’t feeling like posting. But, was my work Christmas lunch yesterday and I’d already decided I was going to give myself a day off, but all I ate that wasn’t on the plan was a bit of rice and half a piece of cake – I didn’t actually want the other half, which is unheard of for me. I ate many more than 800 calories though and wouldn’t you know it, I weigh less today than I did yesterday – over half a kilo off in the last two days.

Welcome Milalin and congratulations on your achievements so far. I think we’ve picked the worst time of year to try and lose weight, but i suppose there is no time like the present.

Hope everyone else is coping with the Christmas onslaught.

Hi Marie123

Firstly, thank you, and yes, I”m thrilled with the results! My cholesterol has never been WAY out of range, just the top level of normal (don’t have the figures, but I think around 5.5 or 5.6?) But my triglycerides were ridiculously high. When they were first tested about 25 odd years ago they were something like 29! (normal upper limit 2!). They repeated the test as they thought there was an error – that is that they thought I should be dead already with readings like that! It came back a fraction less but still mid 20s. I’ve been on Fenofibrate 267 ever since, plus, more recently, statins. I know that triglycerides, as opposed to cholesterol, although they too are fat in the blood, are not CAUSED by fat, but by sugars. I imagine therefore that the reduction in carbs is the cause of the drastic normalisation. I didn’t eat cakes and biscuits much anyway, but I did have ice-cream for dessert several times a week, and things like mango, chutneys, dried fruit, along with pasta, rice etc. Since starting the BSD, I have had NO potatoes, rice, pasta, pastry, bread, cakes, ice-creams, tropical fruits (I eat a small – kids – apple chopped in a salad two or three times a week, and strawberries with balsamic vinegar or raspberries and yogurt most evenings for dessert). However, I also have a dodgy gall bladder and I can’t eat high fat. Some things in particular trigger it – flax seed for one! I couldn’t eat eggs for a couple of months, but I can now eat one at a time – so fried egg on a celeriac rosti, cooked with a few cubes of pancetta and a little chopped shallot, for breakfast (yummy!). Cheese I have to be VERY careful with – I do courgettes with tomatoes in the oven (evenly slice both, and mix with a spoonful of red pesto, layer in a tray, overlapping slices – I do three courgette slices, one of tomato and so on, one slice overlapping the other. Bake at 180 for 20 mins, then I sprinkle with a very small amount of Panko crumbs – yes, I know that’s bread, but i use about 1 tbs for two of us, and the calorie/carb count of that amount is minimal, and grated cheddar – 2 oz for two, and bake for another 15 mins. It’s great with salmon fillet, and two good veg!) I can’t eat haloumi for example, or cooked mozzarella (or even uncooked real full fat bufalo). I do limit oils too, purely because of gall bladder, but I use spray oil fairly liberally, and a teaspoon of sesame oil for a stir fry. So I’m probably having less fat than most. However, some people have high cholesterol because of a gene defect – my dad had it (I was tested for it, and fortunately I don’t, which may be why my levels for that have not been too outrageous previously). But I suppose it could explain why even with healthy eating, your levels remain elevated. Though I would also say, wait til you see your latest results – if you had a recent blood test, and they did the cholesterol, you should be able to ring the surgery and ask for the results – that’s what I did as I’m not due to see GP til next week, and I couldn’t wait to see what they were!

Allie – correction to above. 16.5, 2lbs off! I’ve since been to the bathroom after 2 days! Seems it does make a difference! Or I could just be kidding myself! Either way, i’ll take it!

Morning all,

Today +0.4lb.
Yesterday I got so cold and soooo hungry at work that I only went and bought a flapjack, came home and had 2 portions of my (BSD) supper and a couple of beers. Am not treating this as a failure as that negativity just feeds more self sabotage but as an ‘ironing board moment’. Thanks Sueblue, your post was spot on and very timely, that image of your ironing board representing automatic behaviours is what I am carrying into the weekend.

JulesP- well done on the loss and moving into the uncharted territory of your new weight. That feeling of smaller clothes slowly getting closer to fitting is great isn’t it? Here’s to the day they make it up to the hips 😀

JackieM- hope you are feeling better and are being kind to yourself x

VictoriaM – I totally get the obsession around whether this is the time it will stick! I guess a huge factor is time and confidence in this WOE. Confidence that this is a truly healthy way to treat and care for our bodies and then allowing time to be the thing that embeds our neurological re-wiring and the recovery of our metabolic health.

When my kids are struggling with a new skill I am always banging on about it being like walking in a seriously overgrown garden where the grass is over their heads. As they start, they have to hack their way through (effort) to begin to forge a discernible path. If they continue to walk the same path daily then over time that path becomes easy to navigate and the effort is reduced. This is how I like to think of the neural networking in my brain and how over time, these new habits will become the easiest automatic paths to take. I can say it to the kids but it is much harder to say it to myself 😏

Today is another day to practice this skill of self care.

X

Good morning, I’m happy this morning, finally 1lb this week! Not the 3 of my target, but still an average I’ve 4lb per week over the first two weeks of the Bsd. Hopefully that is the transition from water loss to fat loss. 1st 10 lbs to go. My final target is 12st (I’m 5ft 11in).

I agreed with the whole thread of habit and auto response. I still find myself looking for something for “pudding”. I know I am not hungry, I won’t have anything sweet but having 2 courses is obviously buried deep in my psyche. I sometimes fight it and sometimes have a couple of nuts, but I do need to get over it.

Like you JulesP I buy a lot from charity shops at the moment, or cheap clothes. It goes a bit against the grain because I prefer to buy things that will last and keep clothes on average for 8 years, but hopefully soon!

Delighted to see I’ve lost 4lbs since Monday and am now a pound below my lowest weight on bsd last year so new territory, 2 more pounds and will be in next stone range and hit one of my goals for this challenge. Now happily back on it with a vengeance, and feeling fabulous again. Yesterday I bought two pairs of trousers and a skirt which I can’t get above my thighs – these are my new motivation clothes as I’m almost into my current ones. I’m only buying from Charity shops whilst losing as hopefully nothing will fit for long – luckily my town has some lovely ones with very good quality clothes. I also bought some other lovely clothes which fit now so new wardrobe for Christmas for next to nothing – god I love BSD! Jx

Thanks for your comments Allie 🙂 I wish I could say I have lost an extreme amount of weight but despite being on BSD since Jan I’ve only lost 12kg (20 something lb).
I’m glad though that my meanderings struck a chord with you – for me it was one of those ‘lightbulb’ moments – I’ve never thought of myself as a comfort eater as such. But looking back, I started t realise how much emotions are connected with food – when I was ill as a child my mum would often buy me chocolate or a cake “to cheer me up”, my dad would come home on payday with sweets for us “because we’d been good”, we never had desserts as a rule except on special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, Easter etc – so it’s no wonder we see chocolate, cakes, biscuits etc as rewards or treat foods!
As I mentioned I’m certainly no saint – every week I go off plan at some point, whether it’s a glass of wine or a slice of pizza, but it’s almost always a conscious decision – whereas what happened this week was totally different. I’m certainly learning something all the time on this WOE!

Wow Esnecca- you look amazing! So slim!! Thank you for posting the fairytale. Our Dreams actually have come true. What an inspiration you are to Everyone!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Hi Jimmy,
I responded to you in Emu’s post earlier but as you can’t say it too many times – Congratulations!!!
That is a brilliant Hba1c result and in such a short space of time – and great weight loss, to boot. Well done, that man.

Marie

Hi Veiled1, I had a ‘planned day off’ during my 8 weeks and quite close to the end of it where I indulged in a three course meal and some wine, got straight back on it the next day and had no ill effects, in fact I had one of the higher losses of the later weeks on average that week. If you are diabetic there are other concerns such as blood sugar levels spiking, but if just doing this for weightloss and general health improvements then it will do you no harm, and indeed has been known to kickstart a little extra weightloss if you get straight pack to plan afterwards. You may find yourself making considered choices about where to ‘spend’ your carbs even on indulgent days, I know I do.

Managed a day without blowouts! Thanks all for your encouragement and ideas.

Weight this morning: 77.6kg
Cals: 677
Carbs: 48gms

Did it! Day 1 without blowouts! 677 cals, 48gms carbs (32 net).

Weight this morning: 77.6kgs

Thanks for the encouragement.

The ham roll idea on one of the other threads was spectacular! 1 lettuce leaf filled with 3 slices ham (the super thin slices), 1/2 tbsp cream cheese, a couple of capers and 3 grape tomatoes. Was the perfect snack for 3pmish.

I was just wondering about Christmas.I really want my christmas dinner, and christmas pudding! is it sooooo bad to have it and then get straight back on the wagon the following day? Is anyone else going to eat a christmas dinner?

Great thread!

1- Going to get my hair cut, and will ask for a more geometric short bob style now my face is slimmer and I don’t want to ‘hide’
2- Will write all my Xmas cards this weekend and wrap presents with Nat King Cole playing
3- Make more seed crackers
4- Enjoy the icy sparkling world outside – even the wheelie bin looks attractive!

😁

Well done Jimmy! Join the growing club. Nothing tastes as good as the feeling you get when you get a ‘normal’ HbA1c.

I think it is definitely the simple carbs for me. I came off medication in August and had another blood test in November. I was a little concerned because I had gained a pound or so and hadn’t been counting my carbs and calories. I had been conscious of not going over 50g of carbs a day and didn’t have any simple carbs, apart from a few digestives, which I no longer eat! Anyway the upshot was that my HbA1c had dropped from 33 to 29! I thnk I will always need to be mindful of my carb intake and of course not regain weight otherwise all my hard work will have been for nothing.

Best of luck with your continuing good health.

OH MY WORD, Esnecca! You did this! You made your dream come true! I have a lump in my throat!

I wish all of you incredible maintainers NOTHING but the very best! Total inspiration, the lot of you!

Xxx

Luvtcook I had a similar experience with a watch. Just over two years ago my OH bought me a lovely watch but it was too small and he had to take it back and have two extra links fitted. Now …. it’s positively loose! I must admit I never thought about wrists losing weight either.

So my three positives from yesterday …..
1. I ‘stopped’ after eating 30g of cheese.
2. I finally disposed of a pair of trousers that were in danger of ending up around my ankles.
3. I walked around a supermarket without having to sit down once. Unheard of for many years before my hip surgery three months ago.

Have a good day!

Hi Allie 😁. I’ve emailed you finally. Sorry to hear your email to me didn’t send. I defo haven’t received it so hope you can re-send? I love your lively ramblings!

1 lb off this week. 16.6. Still going downwards but a bit of a contrast to last week! I didn’t do any 48 fasts this week.

Hugs to you Allie in remembering your mum yesterday. I’ve said more in my email. I hope you are feeling better today?

I need to venture out later this morning to get my hair cut. Must dig out my ice grippers to put over my boots! They keep me upright! Heavier snow is forecast tomorrow. I’m on leave on Monday and am supposed to be out for lunch. I’ve checked the menu online. There are a couple of things I can have.

Have a wonderful time with Esnecca and partners tonight. How exciting! Looking forward to hearing all about it! It’s quite marvellous how this website has brought people together!

Ok my friend, I’ll hear from you soon, no doubt! Enjoy!

Kazzee xxxxx

Hi Emu, JimmyLanger and Eliza52,

Emu – I’ve just read this post and wanted to say I was diagnosed with diabetes in August and have been testing my blood sugars daily – like your husband I needed to know what was happening. My blood sugar readings have been similar to his 4’s and 5s. I had my first post-diagnosis hba1c results a couple of weeks ago and it is down to 35 – back in the normal range – it was much higher than your husband’s on diagnosis – so fingers crossed for when he gets his next hba1c result. (Btw, I left arranging my hba1c until 4 months rather than 3 months to cover the period I felt I’d been doing the diet properly – first couple of weeks were trial and error for me!)

Jimmy and Eliza52 – congratulations to both on your Hba1c scores. Jimmy, isn’t it great to know that this way of eating is so effective.

Eliza52 – those cholesterol results are also great – I remember you were concerned about them. Can I ask if there was anything special you did that might have helped bring them down or was it just losing weight and following the diet. My cholesterol in August was 6.1. I accessed my November Hba1c results online (don’t see the nurse until 27 December) but there was no updated cholesterol figure, so don’t know if it is up or down. I’m going to speak to the nurse about it but wondered if you have any advice/can give me an idea of what you did.

Marie

Hi Milalin, welcome and what impressive results you are achieving. I’m so glad you found this forum, you’ll find so much useful information and many, many encouraging and heart warming stories. I also check into the December challenge thread -‘busy busy with Santa’s elves …’ you will find it is full of people, just like us, doing their best to gain control of their health and weight. It’s brimming with encouragement and friendly advice. Still plenty of time left to join in.

I look forward to cheering you over the coming months. Happy reading

You’ve brought me nothing but fashion luck, Allie, so if the pattern holds I should have that tuxedo shirt in my clutches soon. I’m so looking forward to tomorrow that not even the predicted snow can daunt me. I will have to modify my shoe selection to something more practical, though, with traction and all that boring stuff. Oh well, thankfully I have rainproof suede booties with a faux fur lining that manage to look cute while keeping me from falling resoundingly onto my ass. 😀

See you in 19 hours!

Hi Milalin! I’ve read your profile, and you certainly have a lot of health challenges ahead
of you, and a beautiful spirit in seeking the best way ahead for yourself. You mentioned
on this thread and multiple others that you want to give yourself every chance to succeed.
My sincerest, heartfelt advice to you toward achieving your goals is to seek out the maintainers
here who have been wildly successful in weight loss as well putting T2D into remission.
One such thread is “After Reaching Target..”, and another is “Busy, Busy..” I know it
may be more comfortable to chat with other newcomers, and the list of user names
can be somewhat overwhelming, but we maintainers are passionate about this way
of life, and nothing makes us happier than to share the knowledge and wisdom that
we have accumulated along the road to success. I have rid myself of 10 stone in
as many months, so I understand where you have been and more importantly, where
you are capable of going. I wish you every success. Call on me anytime if you have
questions, I’m always out and about! For other newbies, the same message and
welcome extends to you as well. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Best of luck to you all!

Allie

Hello Lucia I saw your posts on another thread, very positive and helpful. Now that I’ve found you I’m sure I’ll enjoy reading the conversation here!

Good luck!

Good luck!

Interesting my guests commented on the bathroom effect today hahaha

Depending on the recipe I will have or double it as often it’s only me . But this week with 2 more people in the house all the leftovers got cleaned up and they made the Brazil pear brownie! We all got into it and cooked together which was also fun!

Pleased I’ve found this I have only been doing it 12 days but have cooked the recipes every day and live them. Great to get feedback from everyone on what I haven’t tried yet. Thought I might list some I’ve teied. I did substitute some things using up meat in my freezer at the start and I’m not super strict on measurements but I’m getting there. Love cauliflower rice and zucchini spaghetti.
From the recipe book:
Mushroom omelette and variations w herbs/ chilli
Full English breakfast
Tuna artichoke Butterbean salad
Viet pho prawn
Salmon lemon dill roast veg( made for guests)
Beef stir fry w asparagus ( made for guests)
Spaghetti no4 meatballs( made for guests)
Cabbage stir fry Chinese
Pear Brazil nut brownie
Desserts we have punned strawberries and dollop Greek yoghurt or stone fruit in season here. If overripe I boil with 2 x cinnamon sticks, water and lemon skin. Delicious.
Mostly my fruit is fresh strawberries and that is my snack. Mornings I usually have a shake. I can’t wait to try more recipes. My new hobby!

Hi Miss Muffett I’m excited about everything! I’m also very pleased to see that like me you have lots to lose. For me it’s 6 stone and then some… I can’t even contemplate the number so breaking it up into weeks and other targets like bsl is great. I’ve been type 2 for more than 20 years and recently went into insulin after surgery. I’d managed all that time on pills so it was a big shock feeling like I’d realky lost control of Bsls. I started 27.11 so v close to you. 👀 ng forward to this journey and many successes!

Hi JSWT I’m not far ahead of you and loving the recipes… my new hobby! Best wishes. I have Christmas Day in mind as we are having family Christmas at a buffet. I already know I won’t go crazy but will allow myself a few extras I like if I see them. I’m still thinking nuts etc rather than pudding! Well that’s the plan anyway. Best wishes for success everyday in no matter how big or small but in some way forward😊

Hi everyone, I’ll add as I approach the end of week 2, my bp has dropped and I’ve come off 10mg minipress daily. I’ve seen my cardiologist . I asked him about the diet and he’s happy I’m doing it. I’m at dialysis 4x a week so nurses are watching me record my nos daily and checking w my Drs. I’m so excited about the immediate results! Also throughout this week 4, yes 4 people commented on how good my skin looks and how my colour has improved. This is something I’ve never been told in the time I’ve been an ESRD – end stage renal patient! (About 3 years) Only 1 was a nurse. She’s not my daily nurse and I said is it the new dialysis regime now I’ve been in haemo a month after being on peritoneal dialysis since 8.8.16. She said no it’s be the diet!! I can’t express how excited I am about my results.just hoping I can sustain it. Some Drs I’ve spoken too are not very confident about sustaining it longer term. I’m determined and finding the forums and wonderful people and stories I more determined than ever! Thanks everyone here. I might by post that regularly as I do get extremely tired but you have all given me extra energy today😊

Hi blah! I’m new here and new to all of this too! I started 27.11 and I’m going well. Yesterday I had the 3 pm thing. Ist time. Just shows when I thought I was settling in bam! Anyway back to it this morning and my over indulgence meant I decided a late start with brunch today being Saturday here. I busied myself with chores before and didn’t feel hungry anyway. I’m having fun with the recipe book . It’s my new hobby trying different recipes every day!
I love everyone’s comments above and
Lucia’s day names. My weight goal for the 8 weeks is just as much as possible . My first mini goal is to get off insulin . After 1 week I had halved it. My Endocrinologist said I’d get off if I lost weight. I’ve only recently gone on it.
So that’s No1 goal. I’m also facing at least 3 major surgeries in2018 and a planned kidney transplant so whatever I can do to be successful to give myself the best chance is where I’m at. Idk y it took me til now but I’ve made a mental shift finally and on my way. Wish you every success as we change our lives!

slimlady I’ve just found this and I’m on day 12congratulatiomsto you both!
I was originally 118kg at my highest and have lost n gained bet 82 now 103.2. Your story is inspirational as I’m lowering my weight and bsl and reducing the amount of insulin already to half within 2 semis of starting the 8 week 800 cal plan. I was also encouraged by your increased exercise

Okay, Essie, you’ve finally rendered me completely and utterly speechless with delight upon
reading your post! The absence of your “head” in the photograph makes it all the more
intriguing…I can hardly believe that the mystery will be solved tomorrow evening. I simply
can’t wait to meet you both! I think we will find that silk shirt, too 🙂

Gather round, phoenixes. It’s story time.

A long time ago in a land far, far away there was a girl, young woman really, who yearned tragically for one particular outfit: a perfectly fitted and tailored tuxedo coat with tails and the whole nine. Alas, we are not all blessed to look as fly as Marlene Dietrich in menswear. Our young heroine was petite with a small bust and waist and shapely derriere, the classic pear-shape in other words, which made finding her dream look impossible. Getting a bespoke suit made to order to suit her frame was prohibitive, and the retail options were all tuxedo-inspired, not the perfect 30s Puttin’ on the Ritz top-hat-and-spats outfit she’d pictured a million times in her dreams.

Time passed and her dream faded as her increasingly ungainly body became harder and harder to fit into anything, never you mind a perfectly fitted and tailored tuxedo coat with tails and the whole nine. More time passed. Too much time passed. Then, like a Fairy Godmother, Michael Mosley appeared in her life. He turned her pumpkin body into a crystal carriage and she took full advantage of the wishes he had granted her, filling her closet with hot boots and even one pair of velvet skinny pants with a satin stripe down the outside of each leg, tuxedo style. Modified, yes, but still that girl inside was nothing but happy that she could even step into the kind of things that had been slightly sad compromises when she was young and stupid.

Then, in an online vintage fashion store, she saw something. Her breath caught in her throat. Tiny dots of light flooded her field of vision. There it was. The coat. Tailored, wasp-waisted, high in the front tailed in the back. But oh God, the measurements… There wasn’t even an inch to spare anywhere. Did she dare take the risk? She had already checked out by the time she consciously decided she sure as hell was going to dare.

Less than a week later, the mirror, mirror on the wall reflected this mirage back at her:

https://s8.postimg.org/x6moh3s39/tux.jpg

Now if only she could find a pleated front collared white cotton/silk shirt that fits like a glove to go under it. To be continued…

Hi SueBlue, I SHOULD be in engaging in dinner preparation this side of the pond, but
I really needed to pop onto this thread and thank you for all the insight provided in
your post. I think you made the point with great clarity as to why some of us who have
lost extreme amounts of weight and have been maintaining the loss for months, continue
to participate on this forum! We know how to do the BSD backwards and forwards,
but we want to remain ever mindful of what we do day to day. I feared maintenance
failure far more than I did weight loss failure. Thanks to the support and insight of
people such as yourself, I’m 7 months into maintenance after losing 146lbs. Thank
you so much for your post today! 🙂

Allie

Flick thankyou for this topic. I’m new to all this and will be at 2 weeks on Monday. Day 12 today! I’ve just found this so am eager to read previous posts over the weekend. I don’t have a specific end goal yet but my aim atm is to maximise what I can lose before 25.1.18 which is my next major surgery date. I am so happy with my experience so far and hadn’t even stumbled until I smacked yesterday. So that fitted into the 8 week plan. Also I’ve already halved my insulin and getting great bsl numbers. So excited to find all of you for info, advice and support.

Hi Emu
Well done to both of you for the results achieved! I had an Hb1ac done about 4 weeks in – fortunately the GP was happy to do it (I gave both the GP and our practice diabetes nurse – the latter VERY antagonistic when I told her what I was doing – the information sheet that you can download from this site, specifically for health professionals. It is recommended in the sheet that frequent testing initially is advisable because of the possible rapid weight loss (compared with other diets in the past, where much slower losses were advised). After just 4 weeks my Hb1ac was down from 64 to 40 – I too had refused the meds preferring to follow the BSD. Now, after just over 3 months, I asked if they would do a full set of tests, including cholesterol etc, because of the significant weight loss (almost 3 stone) and the GP agreed with no problems, and my Hb1ac is now down to 32. Plus my cholesterol is down to 3.3 and triglycerides to 1.6 (both had been way more previously) proving the diet is not only holding the diabetes at bay, but reducing other health risks too. I”m due to see the GP next week in the hope of reducing/stopping the cholesterol meds I currently take. I have fully embraced this way of eating, and have no intentions of slipping back – the risks as a type 2 diabetic are too great. It will remain in remission only as long as I keep to the plan – if not, it, along with all the associated risks (loss of limbs/sight etc).

SueBlue I like the point you make about “old habits” . I was thinking along similar lines yesterday regarding snacking in general. I had a few cashews and then went back for more a couple of times. At least I did eventually stop with 3/4 of the bag remaining! And every time I eat cashews I hear my diabetes dr who Year’s ago told me I could have them but that 12 cashews were equivalent to one meal… still I did it. Now day 12 and my first ‘slip up’ followed by 2 x small pieces of brownie after dinner. The house smelt of it and it was a recipe from the book and my daughter was excited I try it … again though I went for seconds . So definitely blew the 800 by a mile! My weight was 102.8 yesterday and today 103.2! Enough said… back onto it today. Late brunch planned!