BTW I forgot to add thin strips of ginger to my salmon recipe yesterday.

I have only eaten pesto once and wasn’t that happy with it but Esnecca and a SunnyB you have given us so many ideas I will definitely try it out again. I have to find one I like!

AnnieW I was really interested to hear that the Lidl Greek yogurt isn’t ‘live’ . I buy that when I’m away because I can’t get Fage but I’ll have to think again. I’ve just looked at Tesco online for kefir but it doesn’t seem to be available. Are you in England?

Change of plan last night and so I had sea bass on a bed of stir fried vegetables. It was really delicious. I think it had sugar or honey in it but I will make it at home but leave out the ‘sweet’ element, or use a little stevia. Don’t know why but it would never have occurred to me to put a fillet of fish on stir fry.

Hi!

I am almost one week in to the BSD (2 days to go), I must admit I have not been super strict about counting cals but have been eating from the recipe book and I chucked two fast days in as well, so far have lost 2 kilos: happy with that!

I am 38 years old, living in Melbourne, Australia and have recently completed my masters in Education (Primary). I also run a school holiday/after care music program for kids/teens and look after my own two kids (11 & 9), husband (Irishman) and two dogs (kelpie and a german shepherd). I also play guitar and sing in a few garage/punk all female bands which is a riot.

I realised I needed to take action when my clothes started feeling tight (some no longer fitting :0) and stepping on the scales I had gone up to 83 kgs which was my weight when I was 9 months preg with my second child (yes I was horrified as I thought I was still mid 70s – a bit heavy but nothing to stress over…WRONG!). I was overweight (84kgs was my highest) in my early 20s but after a Chinese Dr advised me to stop eating carbs to lose weight I went down quickly and easily to 66 kgs which I felt was perfect for me. I am keen to get down to the high 60s again which would put me in the healthy zone, so I have around 13kgs to go. Whew!

Anyway, I have been reading the forums and they seem really supportive and motivating, so I would love to connect with anyone for tips and to share stories, as I am looking for work atm I have a bit of time and think it’d be great to share the journey.
Cheers~Sal

Ohhh, panna cotta, yes, well, Theodora, we do put temptation into our own path, don’t we? I make a beautiful pcotta myself, only ever when guests are expected, and I now include a smaller cup for me so half the damage but not the feeling of being deprived. Yes, I know, but it’s MY logic…..?☺

Hang in there, topcac, hang in.

In fact, the same to us all. Let’s hang in there 💜

Also a welcome from me Elly…my story is a little similar…slim and fit until early 40s (even after 5 kids!) …I don’t drink that much, but when I do, my resolve not to overeat disappears…..yesterday I had a meeting with a 70 something yo priest (I’m working on a community project with him…not going back to my childhood Catholicism!)…..and he commented on my weight loss and how well I was looking!!….complements gratefully received from all!!

Liz…I love that you always mention Tasmania as distinct from the rest of Australia…it is quite a big little Island and we all do feel different way down here…maybe we should just defect!!

Speaking of origins…have come across this great Canadian (from Alberta,) singer/songwriter in my programming work
Now while I’m aware that most of us are blessed with wonderful and supportive OHs…but for those days we feel like snarling at them, or for those of you who struggle with support….here’s a gem for you all!
xxxx
Erin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1evEG_L9-zo

I just started the diet this week and lost one kilo! This is unbelievable for me. I have a thyroid issue and have not lost such a large amount of weight in many years. I am 45. I’m so excited to get stuck into the other 7 weeks of the 8 week diet and change my eating habits and life forever. This has to be the easiest diet I have ever been on.

Thank you SunnyB for such a generous welcome and for your words of advice and encouragement.

As I won’t be going to Lakeland soon, I think your idea of muslin and a loose lid is a brilliant one and will give it a go tomorrow…… I’d only heard of kimchi on the Archers, absolutely delighted you can make it yourself and can’t wait to give it a try.

Thanks for the reminder about counting carbs and cals, do you ever get used to it? Just this minute ordered a carb counter (book) so I don’t keep having to look things up on Google all the time. Surrounded by cookery books, perhaps the 3kg I’ve already lost are from lugging them around rather than the BSD!!!

In the meantime…..

Let’s raise a glass (of water with a slice of lemon in it) to us all

Mel

Issy, keep calm and carry on! I have the recipe book and by week 7 I have lost half a stone, dropped a dress size, have more energy than ever (and I am in my forties) and feel amazing! I haven’t followed 800/7 religiously but have cut out the majority of carbs. I have gone out and enjoyed myself and modified the food at restaurants e.g. ordering a veg dish instead of a carb side etc. I have adopted the Mediterranean diet principles but making it work for me. Keep drinking water and fluids and take vitamin supplements – I have an adult version of Bertie Bassetts! I reversed type 2 diabetes three months following diagnosis, but a year on need to lose weight more significantly and maintain a good weight for life!! Good luck!!

Hi folks – I got the recipe book and started on the BSD about three weeks before my copy of the BSD book arrived (I had to order it in), and I found the recipe book plus the website contained sufficient information to start on the BSD. When the BSD book arrived, I was relieved to know I’d been following it to the letter 🙂 I think the recipe book is fantastic – I have always loved cooking, and the recipe book showed me that I could still have fun cooking delicious food, and taught me a whole bunch of new ideas and ways of preparing food. Fantastic!

I’m four weeks in now and loving the diet. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this good in life.

BUT…. the calorie counts are often underestimated (as pointed out by others above), or sometimes inconsistent. For example, compare the ‘Apple and Cinnamon Porridge’ with ‘Spicy Fruit Porridge’ (they are on pp 34 and 36 of the Australian and New Zealand Edition). They have _exactly_ the same ingredients and quantities, except that the latter also has ‘a knob of butter’. Yet the calorie count is given as 260 for the former, and 210 for the latter – so, the knob of butter somehow ‘removes’ 50 calories from what is otherwise an identical list of ingredients 🙂 ??

Also, some recipes list ingredients and then don’t tell you what to do with them… like they are accidentally left out of the instructions. Luckily I could use my imagination and figure it out.

But I hope there will be a corrected edition before too long.

And having said all, that, when I make something out of the book (which is about half of the time) I just use the calorie count as in the book, and my progress on the BSD with regard to weight and waist circumference has been fantastic.

Hmm, I was _sure_ this information was in the book somewhere, because I knew it was per serving, and thought I got that in the book, but now that I’m looking for it I can’t find it… so maybe it’s there but very well hidden?

Please, please don’t give up. You are doing a fabulous thing for your body…… says she who is only on day 6!

I am so lucky that I don’t have diabetes, but I would KILL to have your BMI. My ancient mother has type 2, being even more obese than me, so I could see the writing on the wall, which is after a lifetime of dieting hope I’ve found one which works.

However, I too have had high blood pressure, since my late teens. Diagnosed with lupus nephritis after the birth of my second child, which is making me wonder if the medics are keeping a check on your kidneys? (They produce the hormone whIch controls blood pressure, if you didn’t know).

In the meantime, a teaspoon of organic cider vinegar in water 3 times a day is meant to be very good for high blood prssure, and I promise, you really DO get used to the taste.

And just think, you have given up all those carbs which have given you the immediate ‘hit’ to keep going; you work AND have 2 children, one of whom is probably still a baby (but I’m not assuming that is the case) to look after, not to mention managing the home, partner etc, not getting much sleep on a good day and you wonder why you are feeling lethargic?!!!!!!!!

You should be giving yourself a huge pat on the back for being strong enough to start this diet in the first place, Well done you and if all the blurb is true, just think how much better you are going to feel in the next weeks.

Keep up the good work,

And I’m sending you a big hug

Stick with it, Issy, it will pass. Carb flu is dreadful, and can be very debilitating – I know, I had it quite badly, plus I started in the depths of winter and I cannot TELL you how cold I felt, so at least you don’t have that to contend with. By this time next week, you’ll be bounding around full of energy and burning all your fat stores, so worry not 😜 Good luck.

Liz, if a steak and ale pie is your only vice, then you deserve it. This is a way of life and so we have to live too!

Good that mum was well enough for lunch. It must’ve been a relief for you and rightly celebrated… 😘

Hey Lardass Liz,

Steak and Ale Pie is amazing. It is well worth falling off the diet for, and if you enjoyed it, so much the better.
Take care.

Nonna Mary
xxxx

Hi Issy,

Please don’t lose faith just yet. I really had to tough things out at first (for me week 2 was the worst, but I think most people find week 1 the hardest). I didn’t feel hungry, but very tired and lethargic. Getting anything done was hard. However, things rapidly improved for me after that. I’m now in week 6 and I’ve had the energy to redecorate the kitchen and bathroom over the last week. Of course, some people do not get on with the diet and if, after a longer period of time, you are still feeling unwell, it would be wise to move to a more moderate weight loss plan, but for lots of people, once they’ve gotten over the hump, 800 calories a day becomes more than manageable.

All the best with your weight loss.

Hi Jan – good luck for tomorrow’s weigh in. Hope all is well with you and that the family things are on the mend.

Fatigue, aches and pains, lack of stamina are common symptoms of withdrawal from carbohydrates. It’s called the carb flu and a lot of people experience it the first week or so on the BSD. I personally did not because I had already cut all refined carbs out of my diet months before I began the BSD. The good news is it passes. Once you’ve got the sweet poison out of your system and your body switches to burning your fat stores, you’ll have all kinds of energy.

Hi Ely! Welcome! We’re mostly all complete nutters but we support a no holds barred here. You can bare your soul, you can have a laugh–we’re here to listen, support and comfort when you need. Where in the world are you? I’m in Canada, and we’ve UK, Australia even bloody Tasmania represented here!!!!
St. Mary–holy shit girl! Lemonade!! Well done you!!
Lee,, well, it’s a step forward anyway. I know it’s frustrating but you’ll get sorted out.
I realize I have a reputation for being motivational and having solid commitment to the diet protocol but today Kev and I were able to get Mum out to a local restaurant for lunch and I fell face first off the diet. The waitress came and I had every intention of ordering the large Chef’s salad with vinaigrette on the side but somehow my mouth said I’ll have the steak and ale pie and chips. fuck. But hey, Mum and Kev had a glass of red wine each and I just sat with my sparkling water giving them stink eye. But by Christ that pie was good. 🙂
Dinner tonight will be a few shrimp on a bed of greens. I’m afraid to weigh in tomorrow but hey, nobody’s perfect.
Much love, Lardass Liz

Well done on the job Lee, you are obviously a force to be reckoned with. Glad the electrolytes are stable and your back is manageable….these are all positives!
Keep on taking care.

Nonna Mary
xxxx

SunnyB, I love pesto of all varieties. I’d advise to break out either further from the box and make it from whatever random assortment of green things you happen to have in the fridge instead of relying on herbs as the base. Examples I’ve made include arugula pesto, baby spinach (both steamed and raw) pesto and most recently, you guessed it, rapini pesto. In the past I made it with collard greens and it was shockingly good, shocking because generally speaking I am no fan of collards. Once you blend them with garlic, ground pecans and parmesan, even collards became delectable.

Nowadays I don’t even add olive oil anymore. A little of my homemade tofu mayonnaise (8 calories and a quarter of a carb per tablespoon) and a splash of chicken broth emulsifies the pesto just fine without jacking up the calorie count. It also keeps much better because you don’t have to worry about the oil separating.

Spread some on a chicken breast and top with a couple of chopped grape tomatoes, use it as a sauce for a cauliflower crust pizza, spread it on a flank steak and let it marinate overnight then scrape it off before grilling the steak (it’ll burn otherwise), slather it on flaxseed crackers for a snack, or, because you can’t go wrong with the classics, pesto up some kelp or konjac noodles and get to slurping.

Welcome Elly.
We are all quite, quite mad but we are getting it done, step by step!

Midweek weigh in shows a 2lb gain for me 😱
I know these last 7lbs will be hard and I have been a bit too “relaxed” with my food and not strictly keeping to plan, so time to re-engage. I know what needs to be done!

Great week at work though. I have felt better. My electrolytes have been stable and my back pain has been manageable. So I feel I have regained ground! My lead consultant has a wee bit of a crush on me ( so my team tell me 🤣) so I used that to my advantage to get more staff. When I started the unit 10 years ago there was just me and one other and now we are 20!! I’m very proud of that. No harm in utilising being flavour of the month 😈

Your naughtily

Lee xx

Thanks for the pep talk, SunnyB.

O/h had both – one of the left over panna cottas and one of the poached pears, with lashings of cream too – after his supper. But there are still a few left, so still having to resist the temptation – I love panna cottas! Have high hopes that he will raid the fridge after I have gone to bed (he usually does) and snaffle the remaining ones so that they don’t tempt me tomorrow.

I can have another low cal/ low carb day tomorrow before the full on socialising of the weekend (guests staying) so hopefully will see a drop by Saturday morning. Thanks again – off to have another pint of water😜

I get my kefir from Tesco £1.40/litre. I have a glass of 200ml with a tsp of turmeric every morning. Really enjoy the flavour. I usually buy Fage Total yoghurt and have 100gm each lunchtime with 80gm of raspberries (frozen as works out cheaper and by lunchtime they have defrosted nicely – no “mushiness”. Occasionally I buy Lidl Greek style yoghurt instead of Fage and was going to make it my main buy as it’s good value and tastes ok. However, I’ve just realised its not a live yoghurt so have changed my mind on that and will move it back to standby.

Looking forward to hearing the sauerkraut and kimchi reports as I would love to try a good and recommended product.

Onetowatch – that’s great news indeed about getting the referral! I am sure that you will manage to reach that goal. Wishing you all the very best on the journey.

Just to come back to this, a healthy diet can help (HELP) prevent diabetes, a healthy diet includes a full range of foods including fruits. Fruits contain sugar, sugar doesn’t cause diabetes, a hundred and one things cause it. If you are not diabetic eat fruit if you are diabetic watch the sweet stuff that puts your BG up and anything else that has that effect , learn what is not good for you, you know your own body.

Great work everyone and yay us! Subshine- how great That the frocks fit and are going back for style rather than size reasons!

My waist has stayed exactly the same but boobs are shrinking!

I had some happy news – before bsd I just couldn’t shift weight and this was creating a block for u getting referred for ivf. We saw doc today and she was so pleased with my loss that she says if I can get down to 72kg by 1 st sept she will refer us! That is Two weeks before I turn 39 which is the cut off where I live! So already miracles are happening through the diet! Went to bed way too late last night and had some grilled vietnamese fish balls for dinner as couldn’t be bothered to cook!

Oh FFBB, so sorry you are still hungry….I am sure you are drinking plenty of water etc…how about eating raw carrot? It worked for me years ago….by the time you have eaten it you have forgotten to be hungry! Good luck tomorrow!

Nonna Mary
xxxx

Day 26 in the BSD house.

Another day done and dusted. Still not had a reduction in appetite, but it is back to coming and going in waves.

Weigh-in day tomorrow……eek!

FFBB X

For the very first time in 12 months I have totally disregarded BSD. Today I have eaten a Double Tree cookie. Chocolate chip to be exact. The good news is that it had dark chocolate chips and walnuts. The bad news is that it also has 30g of carbs!!!! You know I am having two days off and it was absolutely gorgeous and I have no regrets.

Thanks Marsie, on all counts. I think writing down a plan Is a really good idea. I think you may be right about Kimchi. On another thread somebody mentioned Lakeland (uk) now have fermenting jars with a one way valve to let out the gas. There are also some recipes for sauerkraut and kimchi and I’m really tempted to try making my own then I can have it as spicy as I want. May try a commercial kimchi first though.

Look forward to knowing how your sauerkraut and kimchi are SunnyB. You have also made me think twice about kefir. Maybe will leave that for another day.

Jande9 I do a similar recipe. I put salmon fillets in a shallowish baking dish and then add soy, coriander, sliced peppers, spring onions and a touch of sesame oil. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 15 mins at fan 180. Nice warm or cold.

At far as calories and carbs go, there is little to give between whole cow’s milk (61cals/4.8g carbs per 100ml) and goat’s milk (69cals & 4.5g carbs per 100ml), but some people find goat’s milk more easily digested – some prefer the taste too. If you like goat’s milk, there is no reason to give it up but keep and eye on the carb intake.

Personally, I use unsweetened almond milk a lot, as the brand I use is both low in calories (13 cals per 100ml) and has 0g carbs. I love goats cheese as well and I’m planning to start making kefir again and thinking I might try using goat’s milk for that.

My advice – keep enjoying your goat’s milk, as long as it fits in with your daily calorie and carb allowance.

Hey Theodora – like you, I’m not convinced that you can have gained a full 5lb in ‘real’ weight in that time frame and I’m sure there must be an element of water retention going on. Given all that walking and the figures you are posting, I’m sure you will soon be seeing the scales fall again.

Well done on resisting the tempting stuff in the fridge, don’t give in! Keep to BSD stuff and keep drinking the water and I’m sure you will see a positive result soon.

Having not been in true maintenance at any point yet, I have no idea how tough it is, but I’m pretty certain it’s not plain sailing and you have been doing pretty well, so don’t be disheartened – you are still not over target weight, so don’t fret too much.

Easy salmon recipe.
Put fillet of salmon on tin foil tray skin side down
drizzle with soy sauce
drizzle with olive oil
A grind of white pepper if you have it
Broil for 10 minutes

That’s it, and its delicious.

If you want to BBQ it, put it on the grate skin side down for 5-7 minutes for the main cooking (the skin will burn), and then flip it over for a few minutes to brown the top. I usually cut it into manageable pieces before I BBQ.

Hello Melodeon Millie – welcome on board.

It might have been the ‘7 days to renew enthusiasm …’ thread on which you saw chatter about fermented foods – sauerkraut and kimchi in particular – although of course, there might be another thread also debating this topic. You can use the search box in the top right of the page, to search for particular topics to narrow down you search for a specific thread.

Very interesting that Lakeland have a fermenting jar – will take a look at that and I’m sure others will be interest to know about these too. When I made kimchi, I covered the jar with a muslin secured with an elastic band and just sat the lid on top, which allowed the gases to escape, but I guess a proper seal might be better.

Anyway to answer your question, yes we can have fermented foods and in fact, these make very healthy inclusions to our diet, as they help boost good gut flora. One must however, remember to count the calories and carbohydrates in these just as we would other foods, to make sure they fit into your daily allowance.

Hope you will soon be posting positive results and will be joining other threads to become a part of the BSD community proper. Best of luck on your BSD quest.

Hmmmm – so much for my wriggle room 🤔 Scales showed another 2lbs increase this morning, so bang on target weight with all wriggle room gone and a weekend full of socialising to come!! ☹ And that is despite having walked over 40 miles in the last 4 days! But thank you SunnyB and Marsie for your encouraging words anyway – and where on earth is MK when you need her, eh Marsie?

Today I have eaten nothing but 125g fage yoghurt with 50g blueberries, drunk copious amounts of water (and black coffee) and plan a simple omelette and salad for supper (total for the day 571cals, 19g carbs), and will hope that the scales are a little kinder tomorrow. I will totally ignore the left over panna cottas and spiced pears poached in red wine that are lurking temptingly in my fridge from last evening’s BBQ – and I won’t even mention the home made ice cream in the freezer.😒 Struggling to believe I can put on 5lbs in just 3 days!! Particularly when the middle day I only ate a bit over 500 cals with only 18g carbs!! Maintenance isn’t quite as straightforward as it at first appeared!🤔

I hope everyone else is doing better than me 😝

Sorry to hear things are still a struggle, topcac. I find when I stray, it usually takes me a few days to get properly back on track. Just do your best not to eat non-BSD stuff and try to stick to the principles as best you can. Hopefully you will manage to reset soon and be able to get back to the programme properly. My advice is to try not to stress about it, as that may well set you off on completely the wrong track again. Be kind to yourself and try to eat mindfully. We’re all rooting for you!

I am not diabetic, but became pre-diabetic from taking steroids. However I most certainly am addicted to fruit. I only have 16 pounds to lose and am only on week 3. Having lost 9lb already I decided to have some fruit. One banana later (I know that was definitely the wrong choice with its 31 grams of carbs), I have been craving all the biscuits, cake and chocolates in the office. I’m jittery and desperate to eat rubbish. I do wonder whether I would be better never to eat fruit again, or just make really sensible choices with berries. Writing this in the hope the craving will soon go.

Humph – not back on track at all!!!! Another crappy day but on the plus side, nowhere near as crappy as Tuesday. But STILL!!!

Roll on another new day tomorrow and pray that I can just stick to chilli when I get home tonight!

I know it’s up to me what I put in my mouth – I’m not blaming anyone else – it’s all down to me – no excuses!

Well didn’t manage to post yesterday but pleased to note another half kilo off. Wasn’t totally on plan yesterday, but have learned just to keep going and not let one minor slip dictate failure for the next goodness knows how long, as I used to do. Pleased to hear blood sugar levels still more than acceptable on reduced insulin for S-G. And glad the dress is a boost to morale.
Hope everyone is having a good day – Elly, keep pushing on, as this is about future health, so don’t be tempted only to look for downward numbers on scales, welcome as these are.

Another pound off. Will start weighing myself every 2-3 days after the first week I think!

Just had an emergency – my supper from the freezer was microwaving so I could eat before we went out but the microwave stopped working! Had to whip something up double quick but it is delicious and was fewer calories. Result.

Welcome Melodeon Millie! Always good to see new names!
Mrs Honey, I’m with Mel Millie — maybe best to get a doctor’s eval because your symptoms are worrying you and haven’t abated.
I doubt the BSD is causing it but you never know so worth finding out! Mostly this diet gets rid of problems, and is extremely anti-inflammatory which helps with lots of issues, but everyone is different physically.
In either case I hope it resolves soon and you are feeling much better. Keep us posted so we don’t worry!
Esnecca, down south in Georgia, lovely place — only been there once but it was so peaceful — one of my plans for post retirement is a big trip through the south (in the spring, before the heat!😜) and it’s good to hear you know Waldorf! So many people haven’t even heard of it but that seems to be changing,

Hi Verano, perhaps someone who has read the CGD book thoroughly can give a different view. I guess it is designed to be a healthier way of life which is why I have introduced the fermented foods (maybe Kimchi would suit you better, the ones I’ve tried, and loved, are somewhat more firey than the kraut).
BTW, re saurkraut, the one I use is flavoured with ginger, turmeric & juniper berries. Perhaps adding any one or all of those flavours may lift it enough for your taste.
I do empathise about being in a rut and feeling dissatisfied. I’ve managed to jog things around only in the past 2 or 3 days. Enjoy your couple of days away, come back refreshed, then maybe draw up a plan of action specific to the time of your hip op. Not just a mental plan, an actual written down, staring you in the face, plan. Start ticking things off.

Saw in my local very good deli+greengrocer a small milk bottle of organic coconut kefir mylk (true). Beautifully packaged by my favoured Green St Kitchen but at $9+ it did not go onto my shopping basket. Will give some thought to buying some grains, doing it at home.

Tonight’s meal was delicious. A good quality Angus beef sausage with a drizzle of gravy, steamed mixed vegetables, a small scoop of soft polenta (in place of the mash OH dearly wanted). It came out a little heavy on the carbs but have kept today to 813/63. Usually only eat the occasional sausage cooked on the BBQ, but too cold, wet, windy, to send OH out there tonight, so under the grill with a bit of rosemary and basil scattered around, was pleasantly surprising. And that and the polenta were my stimulating change because they’re not in my usual menu.

Hi Marsie – I have used the Labneh as a snack with a couple of homemade almond crackers and also baked it wrapped in a fig leaf.

Didn’t get on very well with Kefir. Made some myself, but it was too acidic for my taste – but then that was before I did the BSD, so may be it’s time to try again. Do like the sound of that ‘hummus’, Verano.

My sauerkraut and kimchi arrived today, but haven’t dipped into it yet. Will report back once sampled.

Struggling for something of interest to add to this thread this today. How about thinking outside the box on pesto? Traditionally made using basil, parmesan and pine nuts, this can be made using almost any soft herb, plus a cheese, plus nuts, plus an oil, plus garlic and salt. It’s the sort of thing you can play with, using different herb/nut/cheese/oil combinations. Really simple to make and can be used to zing up almost any meat or fish. Why not try a parsley and walnut pesto with grilled prawns or fish, or a mint and pine nut pesto with lamb, or a tarragon and pecan pesto with chicken. You only need a little to add a kick of flavour, so shouldn’t impact on the cals and carbs too heavily.

Hello everybody,
I’ve been posting elsewhere and wondering were everyone is – here you are 🙂
I started 6th July at 10st 4.5lb and am now 9st 12lb but that was all lost in the first week so just maintained since.
I’m still getting headaches though and a bit fuzzy. Waiting for that clarity and energy that’s about to show its face any second .
I’m aiming for 7.5st as I’m somewhere between 4ft 11 & 5ft. It’s been at least 15 years since I was that so can’t imagine!
I have started reading this thread from the start but am only 2 pages in at the moment. I will catch up in between housework 🙂

Verano
Kefir is sour like yoghurt – but maybe a bit milder than Fage yoghurt. My daughter – who hates plain yoghurt – thinks it is disgusting, but I love the fermented taste. I used to wizz it up into a smoothie with blueberries but now I prefer it neat as the blueberries make it too sweet for me now – and so does my husband.

your Breton Chicken breast sounds as though it will be lovely tonight.

Hi everyone, NancyB no need to be disappointed, 2.5 lbs is good and I think you have been dieting for a while, it is bound to slow down but, and I am sure you will know from experience, a few weeks in and half to one pound is all you usually get.

Welcome Elly now is the time to put you first. Onetowatch, well you certainly are, that is an excellent weight loss. Cleverblonde, it seems the cravings are going so you should be finding this easier.

I too am pleased today, my weight has stayed the same but my BG is down just a smidge from yesterday and still on 20 units. I received 2 dresses in the post today. I was so worried that they wouldn’t fit as they are size 14 and expensive makes (of course I paid sale price) and usually of a snug fit. Well they both fit but one will be going back as the style is empire line with a bow on the back which makes me look all bust. It was difficult to see on the pictures as the dress is black and red so no problem, I will get a refund. Still waiting for my swimming costume to arrive. Ordered dresses from Uk and took about 7 days to come, ordered cossie here in France and been waiting nearly 3 weeks and it is being delivered by courier so not the posts fault.

Managed to get 40 mins in the pool yesterday but today deffo looks like a no go, dark clouds and windy. Hey ho, tomorrow is another day. Have a good one all.

Hi Elly!! Welcome! Good luck this time around. All the red wine I’ve drunk over the years has caused my obesity no doubt. If I’d never drunk red wine I’d be stick thin now. I’ve managed to abstein for the last week or so. Moderation in all things!
Cleverblonde – it’s great when the energy comes back – your lasagne sounds delish. My favourite recipes in the BSD recipe book are the stirfry beef with asparagus and mangetout and my new favourite is the chicken biriani made with cauliflower rice.
Nancy x

Hi Narnea! Well done for maintaining while you were away. Two inches of your waist is amazing!
I’ve been off the booze for nearly a week now and intend to stay that way for the foreseeable future.
I was weighed at WeightWatchers on Tuesday and lost 2.5lb for the week, so I now weigh exactly 16st.
My trousers feel looser today which is good.
Going to have the stirfry cabbage and peppered mackerel tonight which is delicious even if it doesn’t sound like it is.
I’m also on another thread – ‘Seriously doing the Fast 800 again, anybody like to join me’ – which is much livelier.
Keep going everybody!
Nancy x

Well done Nancy, as loss is a loss! the size 14 jeans are calling you.

Hi Elly, welcome. Sounds like you are motivated to push through this time and we can all help each other.

Mixnmatch happy holidays. Dont stress too much, maybe worry less about cals and more about carbs whilst you are away. I found, that once you get back on the carb ride, its hard to get back off, plus after my past few days the thought of carb flu again doesnt appeal 🙂

Onetowatch great results, I’m having scrambled eggs and buttered mushrooms later mmmm.

I am feeling particularly happy today, as on day 4 and the headache and tummy cramps have gone. Full of energy and feeling less bloated, so feel like the hard part is over. Just had a portion of leftover lasagne for lunch (courgette instead of pasta of course), really savoured each bite, delicious.

Have a wonderful BDS day everyone.

Well done Pukkapies5 keep at it as it DOES work. I have made a note to buy some cottage cheese.
I use Myfitness pal as well as it certainly helps to stay on track of the calories

Would love to hear some words of encouragement from others out there. I am 33, was diagnosed at 30 with type 2 after a routine blood test, 9 months after having my first daughter. I didn’t have GD in the first pregnancy, but I have had hypertension since I was in my early twenties, and I sometimes suspect that the blood pressure medication which was changed in my first pregancy triggered the diabetes.

Because my fasting levels were just over the line for a diagnosis, but my HBA1C is only slightly raised, I have not been on any diabetes medications, and was I guess a TOFI at 62 kilos and a BMI of 22 when first diagnosed. With my second pregnancy I was immediately on insulin, after early testing, and stacked on the weight, particularly around the middle. I hated insulin, had a lot of hypos, and hated testing my BGLs. Post-pregnancy my blood sugar levels were great, but they have crept up and I am currently still 75 kilos, BMI close to 27. I have finally stopped breastfeeding my son and immediately started the 800 calorie diet, after years of waiting for the right moment, because I am hopeful of beating this thing! But only four days in, I am feeling very low, almost depressed. I work from home as an editor, and I can barely concentrate, and have such low energy levels. This is really the only good time to be doing it, as I’ll be going back to full-time study and work next year.

But… I am doubting that I should keep going?

13 days down- and ten pounds /4kg off! Happy days. Going. For celebratory scrambled eggs and smoked salmon