I have just had some great news! I asked to have another blood test last week (week 7 of BSD) to check my sugar levels. I got a call from a different diabetes nurse at my surgery (than the unhelpful one i saw) and……..my levels are down from 42 to 36! Not entirely sure what it means but the nurse said it was great, really positive and i’m close to being pre-diabetic rather than diabetic now!

She also said she thinks the surgery was too quick to say i was definitely type 2 rather than pre, but hey ho, it gave me a kick up the backside and i’m 20 pounds lighter and have lost 6 inches from my waist – whoop whoop.

I’m definitely keeping going with another 8 week block and now have an appointment with a different diabetes nurse for my next review – though it would be nice to chat to the previous one who told me the BSD wouldn’t work/no evidence lol ; )

Still here plodding along- 3 weeks u til holiday and I’ve just sat and eaten 2 slices of white bread- my god was it good! Lol lost 1.5 stone in total so far 🙂

Well Nilesedge and Bigeater, I can give you a run for your money… It was rather warm here on Monday so when I got home from work I put my shorts on to trim the hedge at the front of my house. Unfortunately, it seems that my shorts and belt no longer fit so as I reached for the higher branches the shorts tumbled down around my ankles…. Unlike Bigeater’s outfit experience, nobody asked me out – they just crossed the street in disgust! Lol! I have learned my lesson and ordered some smaller sized shorts and a new belt online!

Hi Wagill,
Sounds like you are making amazing progress. I’m just coming to the end of 12 weeks on the BSD and have just had my 3 month check up with my GP. Because my BP has dropped so much, I’m now off my blood pressure meds. Likewise, the doc had wanted to prescribe Metformin for me before I started the BSD but I’ve gone from HbA1c of 75 (11.7mmol; 7.7%) to 44 (7.4mmol; 6.2%), so I’m back in the pre-diabetic range. However, just like you did, in the early weeks I watched my fasting glucose levels bounce around, which was sometimes quite demoralising, but as other posters have said, just keep an eye on the bigger picture – the levels will drop overall over time.
All the very best of luck on your continuing journey.
Rob

Joes Memory Loss

2006 was a bad year for us. We lost my Mother (careless I know but she was 87), the Dog died (she was 17), we moved house (from Essex where we moved to in 2000, back to Solihull), Joe was made redundant, and was panicking about not finding a job, our youngest Daughter was in a bad relationship, the other daughter had just met someone. I had a hysterectomy that was aborted half way through. Then had another 4 months later. You know. The usual problems.

We muddled on through 2007 and Joe found employment. In 2008 we decided that we needed a holiday. We now had two dogs so we decided a cottage holiday that accepted dogs would be great. However. I told Joe that I would expect sex at least twice whilst away and as he wouldn’t be stressed, he had no excuse. The stressful 2 years had taken its toll on our intimacy. He readily agreed.
We arrived on the Saturday and it was idyllic. Rolling hills of green, wild garlic in the hedgerows and just the most relaxing place you could be. There was Wi-Fi, and a TV, but we didn’t really need them. We walked the dogs, strolled along dog friendly beaches and visited forests. Lovely.

We had indeed bumped uglies and it was very successful. The holiday cottages provided Cordon Bleu meals, ready prepared and delivered to the cottage. So we arranged for this, plus wine for the Thursday. That morning we went for a long walk along the coast then got home, had a shower and began to get randy with each other…It must be the country air!

It was glorious. We were enjoying ourselves (well I was and I thought he was too), when Joe declared “I must be doing something wrong, I have a headache!”

Something wrong! Something wrong! Like we haven’t done this before! We changed position and achieved the mutual ending we wanted and lay, basking in post coital glow.
I turned to my lovely man and asked “How is your headache?”
Joe opened his eyes….looked startled and said “What headache? And where the hell are we?”
At first I told him not to mess about, then realised that he wasn’t messing about. He kept repeating….There is something wrong. I don’t know where I am….I have lost my memory!

Don’t worry the funny bit comes later.

I got dressed and went into the lounge to call NHS Direct, and Joe followed me. Upon seeing our dogs. One a large Red American Akita, and the other a black Labrador. He jumped and said “Bloody hell whose are those?” He didn’t know we had two daughters either.

I was told to take him to the nearest hospital which was 45 minutes’ drive away. So now, I have a husband who was panicking because he couldn’t remember anything and two dogs that were not to be left unattended in the cottage. I phoned the owner of the cottage who said he would waive the rule about the dogs and indeed feed and exercise them for me if I was a long time away. He then proceeded to arrive at the cottage.

He said…I am going to drive to the hospital and you must follow me. I do drive rather fast, but don’t worry if you hit anything it will only be me! That did scare me!

It was only 3:30 in the afternoon, but driving at speed along Cornish country lanes was not easy. Especially as Joe was on a 5 second loop. He would say….Where are we going? Bloody Hell I have lost my memory? Where are we going? Then he would go quiet for a few seconds and repeat the same sentences. No matter what answer I gave or how many times I said please be quiet, I am trying to concentrate on following a madman, driving at speeds in excess of 70 miles an hour down country lanes….he kept on.

We got to the hospital and he was quickly shown into a cubicle. For those uninitiated in NHS hospital emergency rooms. The cubicle is a bed with curtains around it.

Now the fun starts.

Skinny young Nurse: Now what is the matter…?
Me: He has lost his memory
Skinny young Nurse: I see. And what were you doing when this happened.
Me: Having sex.
Joe: No….were we? (So bloody shocked you would think I took his virginity)
Skinny young Nurse: With a sly grin…oh yes…. (She then looked at my 44 year old gorgeous former rock singer Joe, then at his 20 stone wife and smirked).
She took other details and walked away. When she met up with the other nurses a loud laugh was heard, then admiring (I hope) glances at me. I was obviously punching above my weight. Which is an effing great achievement for someone so large. I can’t usually punch above waist height!

Please bear in mind that the people in the other cubicles could hear this too. So everyone knew what was going on.

Next came a Doctor….I hear you have lost your memory….
Joe: Yes….
Doctor: What were you doing…?

Here we go!

Joe: I can’t remember (no shit Sherlock!)
Doctor: Perhaps your wife can answer then (with a decided leer)
Me: We were having Sex.
Joe: NO really? (Again with the virginal disbelief).
Doctor to me: What did you do?
Me: Exactly what do you want to know? I didn’t think he needed details, I mean I am broad minded but…come on some things are private!
Doctor: Did you ask him anything.
Me: Yes I asked him what year it is and who was Prime Minister.
Doctor: Have you medical training?
Me: No, I just thought it was the right thing to do. (Apparently it is….I was asked several times by different Doctors and Nurses if I had medical training. I can put an Elastoplast on a cut and a bandage if necessary….)
Doctor: Did he get the answers right
Me: No…he thought it was 1996 and was shocked to hear it was Gordon Brown (weren’t we all?).
Doctor looking at my ample carriage….was it vigorous sex?
Me (sheepishly): Not really (I lied, just thrusting my hips, was vigorous to me).

By now I could hear the other patients starting to titter. After a few more questions the Doctor ordered a cat scan and an MRI, full blood work up. Then left.

Meanwhile….Joe has changed his mantra to….Oh My God…this is a hospital….have I had a heart attack? Tell me Mary you know about these things. Over and over and over and over again. The really, really strange thing was….He kept quoting the Quadratic Equation (X=-B+/-square root of B squared minus 4AC over two) and my mobile phone number, but he didn’t remember we had sex!

Another nurse approached….so you’ve lost your memory….what were you doing?
Me: Having sex.
Joe; Really? We were having numpty? (Bloody HELLS BELLS! I don’t ever remember him being that much of a girl).

That nurse left and Joe decided he needed a wee. I called the nurse….she asked what we needed and Joe said nothing. I said….you need a wee. He had forgotten! She left a bottle.

Then he remembered and said, can you leave me because I can’t do it if you are here. I duly went behind the curtain. Now Joe’s aim has never been that good and he obviously had trouble aiming for the neck of the Papier Mache bottle. I could hear the splashing as he missed and pissed on the floor. I later advised him to just put his love stick in the neck of the bottle and let it flow.
Having to clean Joe’s piss off the floor wiped the smirks off the skinny Angels of Mercy’s faces though.

His mantra changed again to….OMG this is a hospital, have I had a heart attack? Did I just piss in a bottle….most of the time I answered….No… you missed.
After a while and a visit by at least another 3 different nurses and 2 more Doctors I became aware that the same questions were being asked…
Nurse/Doctor: So you’ve lost your memory?
Joe: Yes
Nurse/Doctor: What were you doing?
Joe: I don’t remember…
Me: We were having sex.
Joe: Really… we were having nookie (looking so shocked I was beginning to think I had never had sex with him and had hallucinated the previous years, didn’t really have two daughters etc.

I must really be the VIRGIN MARY!

I came to realise that word had spread through the hospital that it was funny, so everyone wanted to see the bloke who had lost his memory and was surprised he had sex. I think they were surprised that we still had sex or maybe they didn’t believe me.

The hospital trains Navy Medics, so it was full of seamen (see what I did there?) Appropriate somewhat?

Whilst Joe was repeating his mantra and I was telling him he had lost his memory, I heard the people in the cubicle next to us. The man had bone cancer and was in such pain, he had come to see if the hospital could help. Suddenly my problem didn’t seem so bad.

A little while later, I heard the man tell his wife….That poor woman, she has been answering the same questions for the last hour. It’s like he can’t hold the memory. She has the patience of a saint.

Well we ARE Mary and Joseph!

The next time Joe asked why he was in hospital I told him he was abducted by aliens and they had left the anal probe in….he laughed….funnily he believed that easier than we had sex! The next answer was he tried to kiss the Queen and the bodyguards
duffed him up. More laughs. The more he asked, the more outrageous my answers. He was awaiting plastic surgery to look like George Clooney….His dick had fallen off and we were waiting for it to be sewn back on. Soon…only the very sick were not laughing. The nurses, patients and Joe and I were giggling like little kids. By now it was around 2 in the morning, when yet another uniformed male asked the usual question of “what were you doing” and Joe reacted with shock at me taking advantage of him, such an innocent young man, he was 44! He was then taken for a cat scan. They left me by the bed with the curtains drawn back.

The man with bone cancer was making ready to leave and as he passed the cubicle struck up a conversation with me. He told me it was the most enjoyable visit to a hospital in his life. He said I mustn’t worry and he felt sure everything would be ok. I feel so humble just remembering this.

At 6 o’clock in the morning they told me I should go and get some rest. Joe would be taken to a ward and I could come back later. Thank God for Satnav. Joe had programmed the holiday cottage as home. So I did what I was told and drove back. There was a lovely mist hovering over the valleys, the sun was trying to break through. I turned down a lane and a deer was standing in the middle of the road, just looking at me. Then it seemed to do a jerky little dance and ran off.
I ate the Cordon Bleu meal for breakfast (obscure) but left the wine in the fridge and after feeding then walking the dogs. Fell into bed. Sleep took a long time to arrive.

Later, I went back to the hospital to find Joe had been taken for an MRI…I walked down the corridor to meet him and he asked….”is it true….were we really….having Rumpy Pumpy before I lost my memory”…the porter pushing him laughed out loud. Honestly! What was his problem! He wasn’t a virgin when I met him, so why did he act like such a prude now!

Back on the ward we were visited by FOUR, yes FOUR Doctors who all wanted to know what we had been doing. I swear one of them was the Coroner, one a porter, one a cook and perhaps one was a patient who borrowed scrubs to just ask THE question and get the standard response from Joe….total shock and a little bit of horror! I was the laughing stock of the hospital. Good job I am thick skinned.

Joe was kept in hospital until the Saturday, when he was allowed to leave. The diagnosis was Transient Global Amnesia. Brought on by stress (I am obviously one hot Momma in the sack). When we got home, I brought my daughters up to date on the diagnosis (I had been phoning them to let them know what was happening). I was telling them that it was brought on by stress when THEY asked the question….

WHAT HAD YOU BEEN DOING?

My dearest Madmare,

You have just written my life story…apart from your OH. I have not had a drink for 2 nights…that is the longest I have gone since before Christmas. I too don’t drink during the day, even if its in the fridge. I also, don’t drink anything but Wine. I have said to my family that I am the strangest alcoholic ever…but I am not. There are lots of people like us out there….but they don’t know what we know ….we CAN do without….and they don’t have the weapon we have…CANADALIZ…she is our role model and supporter.

We will all help you and if you fall off the wagon occasionally, we will lift you up and put you back on. Take care.
Love Mary xxx

Clarinet Cathy, what you suggest makes sense, the difficulty seems to be, that like sunshine girl I find it challenging to stop at just one glass of wine. However, will try and must stop nights of excess like the other night.

Congratulations on your weight loss cc, you would no doubt feel an improvement in health. Getting close to a normal bmi is worth celebrating! Keep it up and you will be there in no time!

Nilesedge – the problem seems to be = that man needed glasses. haha Hope your blood sugar diet is going well. You will be ready to join me in your checked flanelette shirt and saggy bum jeans in no time. Looking forward to it!

It is scary that some of the info we are given is so outdated. Recently a diabetes dietician told me that very few people can stick to low carb eating and that you don’t have to cut carbs to improve blood sugars. Luckily the last Consultant I saw knew Professor Taylor’s research and was 100% behind this way of eating. I actually felt really good when she said I would always have to eat low carb because I had come to the same conclusion and I felt much happier continuing knowing that I had her support.

S-g – your house isn’t the only one to have a Tupperware Gremlin!

I am just packing up everything for my dogs to go to stay with their dog-sitter for the next 5 days, and portioning all their meals out into containers. Like you, I have a dedicated drawer, full of containers of various sizes (doesn’t everyone?) but can I find a single lid to fit? Plenty of lids, yes! Lids that fit? NO!!!!

Grrrr – that Tupperware Gremlin is almost as persistent as the dreaded Carb Monster!!!

What a brave and cathartic post, Madmare. Well done. You can do this, you have shown how strong you are just by admitting your problem, firstly to yourself, but also to all of us. And all your new friends on here will hold your hand and support you through this, and of course, the kettle always appears to be on and a chair waiting for you at Liz’s ever-growing kitchen table.

Men just don’t understand about women’s hair, so ignore o/h. He can’t help it, he’s a man!😜 Of course, it WILL grow, but that’s not much consolation in the meantime, so you have my utmost sympathy – and a hug too, if it helps. xx

ClarinetCathy, I’m with Bigeater on this one. I can go weeks, even months without a drink and I dont even think about it but one glass is never enough. This is not a problem for me and I would rather go without completely most of the time for the sake of my health rather than try to incorporate one glass per night which I truly know will end up being 3 or 4 or even 5. If you cant understand this or think of it as a problem then think about those people on this site who binge on chocolate or see a biscuit and eat the whole packet or have a slice of bread and have to eat the loaf. I can take these things in moderation or leave them totally, some of you cant. So, I know my Achilles heel and know how to look after it.

Bigeater – great to hear you’re still on BSD. . Would it be reasonable for you to incorporate a glass of wine into your BSD rather than not drinking anything for eight weeks and then bingeing? This way of life has to be sustainable for the long term so perhaps you would be better to tweak your calories and so you don’t feel deprived. Just a thought. It feels good when other people notice the weight loss and it makes all the hard work seem worthwhile. Of course, we are not doing it for anyone else but it’s nice to receive a compliment. A number of my friends and especially my colleagues have been so impressed with my weight loss albeit slow that they are now embarking on this way of eating. I did a calculation this morning and I reckon I am 10lb from having a normal BMI! I am at my lowest weight since embarking on BSD and weigh 142.4 lb. I started at 177.8. 35.4 lb loss- amazing!

Lovely to see that you are still with the January starters and keeping to plan. Keep posting!

Hi all
Not been posting but reading all your posts – some of the recipes sound great – the cauli soup is going to be made soon!

Liz
Your offer of a hand to hold and dropping in in to your kitchen touched me deeply.
I have not yet taken up your offer but I am going to do so.
What has held me back is the realisation that if someone is kind enough to offer that level of support then its only good manners that you are honest, especially with yourself, so here goes.

I too am an alcoholic. I am alcohol dependent
Its taken me a long time to face the truth and its both scary and cathartic to do so.
I have said I like a drink, I have the odd glass (actually its almost all ways an even number – six glasses in a bottle!)
I drink about a bottle of wine a night 7 days a week.
Sometimes its more, very occasionally its less. It has been about 4 months since I had an alcohol free evening, and then I rewarded myself with a drink next night for doing so well.
I don’t drink at all during the day, I don’t even think about it. Unlike when I smoked and I would be dying to get home for a fag it does not bother me.
But once I walk over the threshold of the house I want a drink.
I have spent the last few days trying to be objective watching what I was doing.
I would walk in the house and its as if a dark force dropped from the door jambe, slithered down my neck and then takes hold. “only one” he whispers (obviously it’s a he as it is evil  ), “one glass wont hurt”
And a couple of hours later I am staring at an empty bottle
It does not help that I don’t have hangovers. I don’t feel brilliant, a bit slow perhaps but no headache or feeling sick, that takes two or three bottles!
There is a family history of alcoholism, on my mothers side, two of her siblings were alcoholics – my mum barely touches it.
This telling the truth is so exhilarating, who knows where this might take me!
I am known to have ferocious will power by my family and friends but wine has me beat. I read a post on this site which essentially said that so many people sabotage themselves by sticking to the diet but then drinking too much and that is me! I have hit a plateau for the last 3 weeks, entirelu=y due to booze.

So Liz I will take up your kind offer, I do need your hand, I do need your strength, and you will find me at your table very often.
I really want to do this, I want to lose weight I want to defeat the Dark Passenger. It is exactly as you say – why I am pouring poison in myself. That’s what the word intoxication means TOXIC!! There is also the spur of proving a certain person wrong!! We can do it
I am starting today, not had a good week, had major hair cut trauma (when I regain my sense of humour about it I will tell you). OH was a complete insensitive dick about it. I did not turn to the bottle then, I got in my car and drove around all the places I used to go to as a child, past my grandmas home, back to my home town, through some of the loveliest countryside that England has to offer, though as its June in England it was throwing it down with rain and bloody cold.
I drank the bottle when I got home had another row with OH who had no idea what he had done. Sayung it will grow and you have to put up with it did not go down well

Did not mean this to be an essay – got to go back to work
Lee – sorry to hear of your loss, cancer is a bastard
Revitalised MadMare

Can I ask a question about Tupperware or any unbranded plastic containers. I gave my plastics drawer a right good tidy, stacked according to size so they would fit inside each other, checked all the lids for fitting, no splits etc. Then the first time I went to put some left over chilli in an appropriately sized box I couldn’t find the lid. Are they like socks in the washing machine, where do they disappear to. Not a serious question but still b—–dy annoying.

Hi there, I agree with SunnyB but would like to add, could you not tell your host in advance what you are not eating, i.e. potatoes, rice and pasta and ask if there could be extra veg or salad for you. As a host it is better to be prepared, and I always ask my guests if there is anything they dont like. Having said that, we went to stay with husbands sister and her husband with strict instruction that I didn’t eat carbs and I dont like fish. It was a Friday night so she made up FISH AND CHIPS. I asked her to cook the fish without batter and I forced it down, no chips and asked for some salad so she gave me a pre-prepared coleslaw which was 10% cabbage 90% marie rose sauce. Fortunately, they took us out for a meal the following evening so I could chose for myself. You just have to remember, it is only one meal.

Thank you all for your support. Julia, only 3.3kg to go to your current goal. Well done. Where are you going on holiday?

I have also had another epiphany thinking about where this diet is taking me. No, I am not too overweight to be worried (about 1.5 stones) and I am concentrating in my blood glucose numbers and bringing them down and further reducing the insulin injections. BUT and it is a big BUT, I am not going to get my BG down much further unless I lose more weight. There is a strong connection between the two in the sense that the less I weigh the less insulin I will need, the less insulin I lose the more weight I can lose. It is a connective circle. So I can keep trying and failing to lose more weight so I will continue to need 23 units of insulin, then because of the insulin will find it even harder to lose weight. I hope you are understanding this as it is a bit confusing but all connected. Weight, insulin, BG.

Julia, I found the cauliflower base for pizza is really good, the secret is you have to pre-bake it before putting on the topping – or it goes soggy and, in fact, you have to over cook it. Okay, when you add the topping and put it back in the oven for 15 mins the ‘crust’ edges might catch and burn a bit but it adds to the flavour. If you dont have the recipe it is just whizzed up cauliflower (uncooked) add a little salt and mix with beaten egg. Press down into a flat circle onto greased paper or on a metal pizza base and cook until it is set and crispy. Voila

Have a good day everyone. Oh by the way it is very very wet here in France so no swimming but I still did arm weights and some leg exercises.

Hellllllllooooooo?

Anyone still about, I was just wondering how everyone was doing – last couple of weekends have been “challenging” for me – have been eating way too many nuts and calories have increased significantly. Really need to refocus and get back to basics.

Hope everyone else doing well x

Hi Julia18togo

Thanks for that i have a weekend off this week so i am going in the kitchen to prep for the week i have a empty freeze at my work place so can store all my lunches.
And well done to you for your weight loss i am so grateful of the help on this forum i felt as if i didn’t know what to do until i came across this site i now feel as if i am in control and know exactly what i am doing, i hope i don’t fall off the wagon lol but i know i can get support on here if i do thanks for your help and advice and encouragement keep going you are doing so well and hopefully i can report good progress from myself in a couple of weeks time.

Hi – think when eating in other people’s homes, we all just do our best to stick to the principles – little or no alcohol, non bad carbs (unless you absolutely have to have a mouthful or two of dessert). My other advise is to avoid soft drinks and juices, as they tend to be high in carbs – to be on the safe side, why not take a bottle of sparling water with you, just in case.

Finally, don’t panic about being a bit over on the calories, its’ that carbs that was more of an issue. Even if you are over on cals, it’s unlikely that it will have much impact on results when you weigh in, as long as you have controlled the carbs.

Have a lovely evening with your friend and try not to stress about things, you can always compensate a bit tomorrow, if you feel this evening was a little over the top.

Hi WAGILL, I can also confirm the eye-sight thing. When I was newly diagnosed I suddenly couldn’t see with my glasses but not to bad without. My doctor sent me to an opthamologist who said I had been wearing the wrong strength glasses. As my eyes had previously not needed a different prescription for about 10 years this was stupid, so I have been wearing the wrong lens for 10 years, not possible. She insisted and gave me a new prescription and €700 later I had new glasses with the new lens. During this time I started diabetes treatment and 2 months later my new glasses were useless and I had thrown out my old ones and waited until I came back to England on holiday to get the right ones. I live in France and glasses are very expensive. Lesson, do not buy or throw out current glasses, wait and see. When I started on this diet my vision changed yet again but I ignored it and within a few months of the diet settling BG it went back to what it was before.

As for the high carbs. Most doctors prefer to have patients (especially older patients) on a slightly higher BG because of the fear of hypos. Some old people forget to eat, forget their meds etc so are encouraged to have biscuits and bread, my mum was told to keep a Mars Bar in the fridge cut into half inch slices just in case. My doctors says the high carb solution is common for the very elderly yet at the age of 60 a diabetic nutritionist put me on 350 grams carbs daily and my BG went from 5.9 to 11.5 (HbA1c) which of course horrified my doctor and he wont be sending any more patients to her.

Even though I have had to convince my doctor that the very low carbs is good, he certainly doesn’t advocate a high carb diet but many still do. It is very old school and out-dated but the NHS in particular has not caught up with our new way of eating.

Thanks Michael, I like the idea of saving some calories for a snack. I guess I’m wondering whether diet alone is enough or whether at my age (50) I need to do the exercise as well. My job is quite sedentary, I sit at a desk for most of the day but I’m trying an alarm to make me get up and move every 30 minutes and I guess I need to increase my steps from the average 5000 per day!

Oh Bigeater, sounds like your outfit was quite fetching if younger men are asking your out! Well done!

Elly, well done! How exciting 🙂 Yes, maybe find a low carb bun replacement!

Wow I can’t believe or understand why the doctors recommend a high carb diet! I’m preaching to all and sundry about high carbs and the hidden dangers, and I’ve only been on this diet for nearly 3 weeks.

I agree totally with Mixnmatch. I too am on maintenance, and have been for 8 weeks now and I have been increasing my intake by approx. 100 cals a day each week. Which means I am now on approx. 1600 cals, but, like MnM did, I am still losing (5lbs in maintenance and happy with that as it gives me some wriggle room). I suspect that I will end up needing between 1800 – 1900 cals per day, but frankly having been on this WOE since the new year, I am struggling to eat much more than the 800 without reintroducing carbs, which I have decided not to do. Though I do use up some cals by having a glass of wine most evenings – just the one! Like you, I feel absolutely great, better than I have in years, and full of energy.

Of course, the lighter you are, the less calories you need, so have you updated your weight in MFP?

Well done on your PB, and good luck with the rest of your BSD journey.

Hi all, I’m starting second bout of 8 weeks at the end of June 2017. I found that over the final two weeks of the first bout I started to ease up. Now I know that this is not really an option for me. I either do it or I don’t.

So, day 1 post birthday (no cake, but other sins). I really thought I’d massively overdone things yesterday. I started with having more than one square of chocolate after lunch. Might not sound like much but I have been able to have just 1 square a day for the past 8 weeks. The extra chocolate was added to the cappuccino I had in the morning. That’s 100 calories all on its own. Then I was shouted another coffee in the afternoon, but felt like something else so had a hot chocolate. Another 150 calories. Wasn’t hungry before ballroom but when I got home was a bit down after such an UP UP UP day and compounded the damage with a sourdough, roast capsicum and cheese melt followed by more chocolate! Emotional eating!

Was determined to log everything though, and when I did I found that it was not such a disaster after all.
But this afternoon I’ve had a bit of a cook fest. As I’m away next week I had some stuff to use up. I’d been given a bag of lemons so made several jars of lemon butter. And, because I only use the yolks, I had a dozen egg whites left over.

I mean, what’s a girl to do? Made meringue using my Kitchen Aid. Oh I LOVE that machine. But it was a lot of meringue. Decided to make it coffee flavoured as the base for a Caribbean pavlova. Will add banana, chocolate and coconut WITH A LOAD OF CREAM, and that wasn’t even meant to be upper case, but I suspect it is appropriate.

Oh, and yes, I have been licking bowls and spoons.

I did walk to work today and I will again tomorrow. I will also share some of that coffee meringue with the girls and boys in the office.

Being away next week at a catered winter school will be OK I think. There will be lots of veg and not having to cook it will make it easier for me eat loads of it.

Thanks for letting confess.

Morning Lucia, hope the throat is not too sore today. Hi Smeee and welcome.
I find initially, after a bout of not sticking to BSD, the easiest way is to have absolutely loads of stuff to snack on – cherry tomatoes don’t half fill you up, ,but 80% dark choc or handful of nuts are good choices too. Whatever it takes… even if a little over on the calories, if the carbs are low, I find the weight still comes off. I know snacking is not encouraged on BSD, but initially it does help until the appetite shrinks, as it does.
Quite pleased with myself as the scales are going down a little each week, and I am off on holiday on Saturday, absolutely cannot wait to leave all this rain behind. Sticking with the principles of BSD while away, but won’t get hung up on the odd single scoop of ice cream after a sensible meal, followed by a walk.
Lucia I thought I should report, like Stringbreaker did on his return a while back (Bill’s thread) that I have stuck with the exercise as recommended by you months back. I think he still cylces/walks his age in minutes each day.
Have a good day all.

Hi Kate,

I’m in the middle of week 3 and I’ve just started feeling well enough to do some gentle cardio at the gym. The first day doing it I got a bit overexcited, did 45 minutes and felt great until about 14:30 when I could barely keep my eyes open. I’ve cut it back to 30 minutes and used some of my lunch calories for a small mid afternoon snack instead and that has helped a bit. Bear in mind though that I’m a 6″2′ man, so you may well be able to get away with doing more.

Hi Mixnmatch,
Thanks, it’s good to know that week 2 slowdown is so normal.
I’d been doing other diets (with very slow weight loss and none off my belly) before starting te 800, and I’ve been doing the 0-5k run app for several weeks.
I did hit a wall last Friday, and really felt that weakness associated with low blood sugar, but most days I’ve found that I have more energy. It’s got to come from somewhere, right?

Hi Caz1973
We are the same age and I am also prediabetic, type 2 runs in the family. I am also v busy with work and find some tricks invaluable: whatever you cook, treble the recipe and freeze in containers you can bung in the microwave so you always have something instant for when you come home tired. If you have silicon muffin trays at home, then you can make crustless quiche with parmesan, egg, spinach, ham, whatever flavours you like. They keep in fridge well and can also be frozen. Likewise cauliflour rice muffins, etc, there are recipes on this website, and also Lucia does a good breakfast ‘muffin’, with mushroom, bacon, egg, see her thread (type Lucia into the search box).
To encourage you, I have lost 15 kilos on BSD, blood sugars in the normal range now. It works, and without feeling mega deprived. Exercise does help in terms of keeping the metabolism moving and avoiding muscle loss as the weight comes off.
I need to lose more visceral fat so I stay on these forums for encouragement. Best wishes for great success!
Julia

Thanks for all the messages, they have been really helpful and encouraging.

I bit the bullet this morning and weighed myself!! Not as bad as I feared. Phew!

My first test out in the real world today, going to dinner at a friend’s house. I have nominated myself as designated driver, so no alcohol, but have no idea what’s on the menu. Will try and fill up on veggies. I have had a late breakfast, 230 calories, and hope I have saved enough for my dinner.

What do you folks do in this situation?

Thanks.

Hi bloke41. Sorry you’re disappointed at the slow weight loss. I see others have offered resources on fasting. It’s not my cup of tea, to be honest, but I came across these that look quite interesting too:

https://spinalresearch.com.au/fasting-can-trigger-stem-cell-immune-regeneration/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4102383/

Good luck if you try it.

Wagill – because I had probably been running at 24+ bs for many months (the HBIAC showed I was 24+ for 3 months but it is highly likely that this was much longer because I had been having the symptoms for at least a year and had just put them down to getting older) so it did take the whole 3 months.

The blurry vision did settle after that but because of the high carb diet I was advised to eat the insulin didn’t control the blood sugar spikes after meals like the BSD does and I then ended up 2 years later with diabetic macular oedema and diabetic retinopathy.

Thank goodness for the BSD which has reversed all of this and I rarely go over 6.5 when I test 90 minutes after a meal now. From reading stuff on the internet it seems that the after meal spikes are the ones that cause the retinopathy and oedema problems. My consultant has said that I will always have to avoid the bad carbs and even the berries will have to be severely restricted because my pancreas isn’t likely to fully regenerate because I may have had T2D for many many years before diagnosis. I am happy with this because I absolutely love the BSD and follow it on maintenance – averaging 2200+ calories a day. I have just found that I start losing weight at 1600 calories a day – so it has really revved up my metabolism.

Your blood pressure looks brilliant now and will only improve.

Sorry to hear of your loss Lee….but well done for managing so brilliantly.

Snoop, at least you have a target. Just keep visiting this site and it will give you strength. Well it does me.

Theodora, the fact that you are a maintainer gives me hope for the future.

Stay well everyone.

Mary xxx

Had a disastrous evening food (and drink) wise. But a good chat this morning with OH on the subject. The upshot is that I’m going to aim to come back from my mum’s the same weight as I am today or thereabouts, and then restart in earnest when I get back. He’ll be joining me, though he has quite a different idea of what it represents. He thinks we’ll be all right on lentils and beans. Meanwhile, there are plenty of courgettes to get through. Unfortunately, I also have potatoes growing in my veg patch…

So how long did it take your vision to go back to normal KrysiaD?
By the way I also have high blood pressure , ( it’s crap this getting old bit!).
However I’ve started monitoring that over the past week and it’s dropping from 148/90ish to 127/73.
Now that is a good side effect buy I will mention it to the diabetes nurse on Friday. Hopefully I can come off at least 1 of the 3 tablets I take for that.

Sorry to hear your news, LLCC. The death of a loved one is difficult to deal with, even if – even especially if – it is not unexpected. Big hugs from me.

Hello all, have been so busy I have missed a few days posting, but just thought I’d let you know that despite the busyness I have managed to get down to 82.3 kg this morning. I have packed my running stuff for my holiday, although with the heat it may well end up as long walks rather than runs. I have until Saturday to try and lose some more – won’t be weighing on holiday but I have every intention of keeping up the good work and while unable to measure, will stick with the principles, although I plan to allow myself the odd single scoop of ice cream. I find that if I include this after a fibre filled meal, it doesn’t have the slightest effect on blood sugar, must be the cream? I do avoid sorbet though.

S-G the bigger picture looking at your full year is amazing.

Prawn salad for lunch. The usual predictable breakfast. Not sure what for dinner. Can’t have the pizza the rest of the family are having, although the dough looks amazing – lovely golden khorasan wholemeal flour. Will probably have the tomato and cheese element over a packet of courgetti/cauli rice.

Have a good day all – here in Edinburgh it’s raining stair rods/cats and dogs/buckets – had to drive quite carefully to avoid drenching the pedestrians in the mega puddles that are everywhere!

I’m doing this as I am at very high risk of developing diabetes and want to avoid it at all costs. So I’m very motivated approaching the end of week 2 of the Fast 800. Really pleased with how well I’ve planned, shopped and cooked, drunk litres of water and resisted all other temptations so the food side of things is absolutely there and on plan.

Week 1 was great with an 8lb loss. Now approaching end of week 2 and looking like a 2lb loss if I’m lucky. Now I’m not complaining that much as 10lb in two weeks is great and better than I’ve ever managed before, but my question for forum members is….how essential is the exercise (upping your daily steps) element?

Hi smeee,
It isnt easy, i wish it was.
I agree your four weeks have been a good start. You have learned that you can survive without toast etc.
I didnt think i could live up breakfast cereal, i thought the world would end.
How would i last? Would the world stop spinning?
24 hours later, all that happened in the whole world, wa that i ate less carbs!

My favourite breakfast is…
I get one of those metal trays that you bake yorkshire puddings in.
I put one big mushroom, in the bottom, curved or top of mushroom facing down.
I get a strip of lean bacon and curl it around like a wall,
In the middle i crack an egg.
Bake in the oven until all cooked.
I do a few and have them in the fridge for my evening meal, or take it to work for lunch.
It is self contained as the egg acts as, well, cement! Holding it all together.

I have had an ice cream last night as my throat feels as if it is on fire.
Probably the wrong thing for the diet, but i am not beating my self up about it as i have been good the rest of the day.

The first two weeks are fantastic, when the penny drops, you realise what junk you have eaten and now know how to improve.

Keep going, keep happy, keep smiling

Love lucia
Xxxx

The only thing you can do if the cravings are as strong as you say is emulate several maintenance posters who stay off the white stuff permanently. I have been able to indulge without massive cravings at times, and at other times have experienced what you describe and going forward will be trying out the ‘carbohydrate addicts diet’ plan of keeping white stuff intake to one meal a day, lasting no longer than an hour. According to the science this should prevent the hyperinsulinemia that causes the cravings to occur.

While you have largish fat stores the 800 calories is of course nowhere near the calories that you need to do so much exercise, but the body fat fuels the exercise well as you have found. After you get to your target body fat percentage, you will have to increase your calories to your calculated TDEE, and I found it works best for me if I increase it gradually, at around 50 calories a day. This would take about 5 weeks to get you to the number you quoted and you may well lose a few more pounds while increasing your calories, I certainly did. Congratulations on your personal best, and improved energy levels.

Wagill – yes that happened to me also. My blood sugar was 24 when diagnosed and I was put on insulin straight away. I was advised by the hospital not to get new glasses for 3 months because the rapid glucose drop would affect my vision – and they were right. Well done for doing so well.
.

Morning all.

I’ve woke up this morning and weighed myself and I’ve got to my current target weight of 13st 7lb.

My bloods yesterday were back down to 7.2. So in a better mood all round today. I’m going for my diabetes eye test later today.
I have been suffering from blurry vision for nearly 2 weeks. I read somewhere that this can be temporary due to a rapid BSG drop.
Anyone enlighten me more on that front?

Interesting post as I have been on the 800 for 3 weeks now and am fairly active, cycle 18kms a day,to work and back, run approximately 12 kms a week and play tennis 2 to 3 times a week. I just wanted to lose about 10kg’s particularly around the middle and after 3 weeks I have lost about 6.5kg. I feel great and actually feel like I have more energy. I just came in from a 10km run having broken my personal best time.

I keep wondering how many calories do we really need to function well? My fitness Pal says I should consume about 2460 calories to maintain my current weight which after doing this diet for 3 weeks seems like a lot of calories. I wonder whether my energy levels seem higher due to the selection of quality calories on the diet and the removal of the majority of processed refined carbs? Anyway whatever is going on its great and much easier to keep to than I thought.

I did the 800 for 4 months and lost over 30 pounds. I am now trying to settle into a Med style diet but I keep being betrayed by massive carb cravings. I am eating lots of protein, dairy, nuts, mountains of veggies, olive oil etc., but no matter how full I am I don’t feel really satisfied. However, if I have a slice of bread or something sweet I experience an almost drug like feeling of pleasure followed by an irresistible need for more.

I was at an event that featured an enormous selection of pastries, and I made the mistake of having one. That triggered a huge desire that I did not want to fight and I ended up scarfing down at least a thousand calories worth of desserts. Before I started the diet I never really had much of a sweet tooth, normally heading over to the cheese platter after dinner, but now I have to leave the room when the desserts come out because I cannot resist them if they are in front of me.

Anybody else experiencing this?

Hi bloke41…apologies all for butting into this thread….I always do a quick catch up on all the recent posts but generally only post in one forum, or I’d never get any work done! The fasting mimicking diet that you mentioned is based on the work of professor Walter Longo and my partner is working with TGA to get it into Aus (though you can order from America through him atm)
If you want to explore it (I saw that you’re in Aus too) you can get info at prolon.com.au…contact details also on the site

I’ve done one 5 day protocol and its pretty easy (I missed my tea and coffee….but it’s only 5 days!!)

42 weeks on BSD is VERY impressive (not to mention inspiring!)…I’m on week 4 and pretty happy thus far…each day counts

One more resource!
https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fed-fasted-state/
Cheers
Linda

Hi bloke41,
I’ve been doing a fair bit of intermittent and extended day fasting for autophagy (killing cells) mainly for prevention of cancer and Alzheimer’s and to keep maintenance on track.

Check out these resources:

https://www.dietdoctor.com/longer-fasting-regimens

…also check out Jimmy Moore’s podcast ‘Fasting Talk’. Listen from the beginning if you can, you’ll learn everything you need to know about fasting.

https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/fasting-talk/id1192105323?mt=2

Finally, the ‘2Ketodudes’ podcast and website is my go to for resources.
https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/2-keto-dudes/id1086736152?mt=2

http://2ketodudes.com/

Cheers
Linda

Evening all, can I join you?
I had a good start: 4 weeks, lost some weight, then went on holiday and really lost the umph. It’s taken me 3 weeks to realise that for me I have to be very strict: no snacks at work, no sneaky crackers, slices of toast or packs of biscuits. I’m not able to eat a little bit… So yesterday I started again and have kept in control for two days: not perfect, but a couple of squares of 81% dark chocolate and a few toasted nuts is far better than half a loaf of bread, butter and jam…
I’m learning that for me eating and being hungry seem to be two unrelated ideas.
And it really helps to have someone to be accountable to: thank you!

Ohh Euthenia what a lovely problem to have , agree with California girl . I had weekend away at cold and wet seaside and decided to have an ice cream and ate half a small jersey potatoe. Next day peckish all day , ate seaweed crisps and chewed gum in between meals to get me through as I now know I am responding to insulin highs and lows . 2 days later appetite reset. Interestingly thought the potatoe had unpleasant texture never noticed before. Good fats have made this diet tasty, varied and sustainable I suggest that you use them as your balancing food – they are so high in calories that a little goes a long way.
The reason for beginning to write today is to bring back into the front of my mind that I am dieting which means counting the calories , weighing stuff, not having seconds cos it was tasty and planning a bit more ahead.
I love food and use it as a reward, a comfort , it connects me to my past and is an outlet for the little bit of me that is creative . I know that if I use all the startegies that this diet has shown me I’ll get those last pesky 6lbs down then will join the maintenance crew- again see what I did there .
NN