Lovely to read of all your varying successes – well done everyone.

Sunshinegirl, I can certainly understand what you mean about feeling amazing and all scrubbed up like new after your swim. Lucky you, with the sun shining, cold, wet and miserable here today – though milder than it has been of late. Not warm enough to tempt me to go for a swim though, but I have taken the dogs out for a 3 mile walk, and come home wet, cold and bedraggled, so I’m feeling quite envious of you. 🙂

Back to the challenge. I have just returned home (last evening) from a 10 day holiday so, what with having had a plateau of several days and a 10 day holiday in the past few weeks, I was really doubting that I would come anywhere close to achieving my personal 4 week challenge. Absolutely dreading getting on the scales this morning – first time since we left home 10 days ago – but, and I couldn’t believe it myself, so turned my scales off and on a couple of times and weighed myself again, I have lost 3.25lbs (1.47kg) while I was away 🙂 Must have been all that extra walking (up to 15 miles a day) along the hilly coastal paths of the West Country, because we spent a lot of time eating (though tried to keep it BSD friendly

So, that means that, with 6 days of the challenge still to go, when the 3.25lbs is added to the reduction in weight before we went on holiday, today I have achieved my personal 4 week challenge of losing 3.6kg – chosen because the challenge was set at the beginning of my 2nd BSD week, and I wanted to double it in the following 4 weeks. So doing the happy dance here.:-)

Now I have just 2lbs to go before hitting 11 stone, so I am wondering if it may be possible before the end of the challenge…………………………….???? May be a bit ambitious in 6 days, but we will see.

Hi Miniaturemojo, I’m in my 5th week of following BSD and have lost 3.5kg. I take prednisone daily, but a lower dose than you are on (5-20mg, depending on how bad my joints/inflammation is).
One thing I have noticed is that my pain levels have decreased over the last few weeks and I’m managing on 5mg prednisone. I had put on 3 stone in the last 5 years, and some of that I blame prednisone as I have been on quite high doses some of that time.
My weight loss is slower than others on here, not sure if that is in part due to prednisone, but a loss is a loss – I just figure it may take longer to get to my end goal that’s all. Good luck 🙂

Thank you Theodora, I will do a happy dance for you too – does it count towards my Fitbit 10K steps? 🙂

Where have you been walking? Sounds very energetic, 15 miles is certainly going to work off some extra calories. I am thinking about planning a UK holiday for the late spring/summer to include some nice walking, preferably by the coast, not too far away. New doggie is not very keen on car journeys but he seems to be settling in, so hopefully will be ok by then.

There’s another thread going at the moment about alcohol, lots of wisdom, tips, and stories, it’s well worth a read, and really shows up how different we all are around alcohol!
Mary

Hi Minaturemojo, I have no experience with steroids but I have been injecting insulin for the past 10 years. My doctor calls it the fat magnet and, although he was always saying I should lose weight, was of the view that it would be very difficult but possible, so not much hope really. However, although I don’t lose weight at the rate of others I was only 3 stone overweight (only!!!) I have lost 1st 8 lbs of which I lost 1 stone in the first 8 week run and half a stone in the next. After that, probably because I am happier with my weight (need to lose another 1.5 stones) and my BG is well under control, I have taken the indirect route of losing then putting some back on over Christmas, losing that, then regaining because I had a weeks bread around my birthday and now losing again. I will keep going. What you might have to accept is that you are not going to see the big losses but there is hope that you will be able to lose weight over time. Don’t get impatient and give your body a chance to adjust as you lose it little by little. I can be done.

Ouch, TC!! That was certainly not by halves, but so pleased you are back to the regime today. And we all know, the damage is likely to be much less than you fear anyway, so I’m sure if you stick with it through to Monday, you’ll be seeing something to be proud of. I’m wavering between 8st 13lb and 8st 13.4lb, so things aren’t happening for me right now, but I haven’t been counting cals or carbs over the last couple of days, as I have had grandchildren staying and it was just easier to stick to the principle but not weigh and measure. So like you, I will be getting back to things properly tomorrow and hoping for something positive on Monday morning.

Don’t worry about yesterday, it happened and now you can move on and see a win on Monday.

Anybody got any tips regarding alcohol, I know if anything this will be my downfall?

Yes Angela it was a nightmare from day one. Never travel on a Costa Cruise, should have known when they hit the rock near Italy because the captain wanted to wave to his mates. We are giving it another chance and cruising the fjords of Norway in May but going 1st class all the way on P&O Britannia. Booked everything well in advance and even a table in the Indian restaurant of Atul Kutchner. Fingers crossed it will be the trip of a lifetime and I will be drinking.

Hi all, just got back from a swim at the local pool. It is amazing how good it makes me feel, not just the exercise but the clean skin and newly washed hair (not that I dont shower at home). The sun is shining and we are at about 17 degrees, hubby has hung the washing out and I am nearly ready for my lunch.

Lost 2.5lbs since Thursday (when I got back on it after my birthday binge) and bloods are steady around 4.5 and 5.0 so keeping everything as is medication wise. I write all my numbers in a book every morning and I have to take it with me when I see the doctor. So I looked back at my weight on the date of my last visit and I am half a kilo lighter, so not bad considering I have had Christmas and my birthday to content with and with 4 weeks to go so I have a new determination. Chinese pork balls on the menu tonight, not tried before but we do something new every week.

Have a good one and keep on keeping on…

Oh, well done, Norfolkgirl – doing the happy dance for you, what a great achievement. 🙂 Do hope your eye infection clears up quickly though.

I returned last evening from a 10 day walking holiday – for which you can substitute pub crawl as, whilst we walked the coastal path every day except one, when the weather was just too inclement (heavy rain and gale force winds) every walk seemed to be planned to arrive at a pub in time for lunch, and another pub for a quick jar at the end of the day’s walk! And the one day we didn’t walk, we (4 of us, and 4 dogs) holed up in front of a roaring fire in a gorgeous old pub all day. Testing times!!! And then there was dinner to contend with every night. So………………………

PEAK – got on the scales this morning, first time since we left home 10 days ago, absolutely dreading the reading. But, a loss of 3.25lbs (1.47kg). WOOHOO – RESULT!!! 🙂 Must have been all that extra walking – up to 15 miles a day. If I wasn’t already doing the happy dance for Norfolkgirl, I’d certainly be doing it for me! 🙂

PIT – none so far, (though only 11am, so there’s still time) but I think the fact that I went on holiday hoping just to not put any weight on, but actually came home over 3lbs lighter will carry me through almost anything today 🙂

Have a good day everyone.

Hi

Monday fine, yesterday not Valentine’s and all that. No excuse I know. 🙁 Back on it today.

Laughed out loud at Thisisit!

Well I have done 6 weeks and I am going to officially call it a day. I was pre-diabetic and am now not, I had high blood pressure and now do not. As a 6 foot man I was pretty fat (16 stone 3) now only overweight (14 stone 6) and 4 inches off the belly. My target is 13 stone but I now no longer feel the necessity for such a strict regime and to be honest am starting to feel a bit run down with frequent hunger. While I have only lasted 6 weeks rather than 8 and cheated to a degree (1000 cals on average plus booze at weekends) I consider the diet to have been an outstanding success. I will now switch to a moderately low calorie (1500ish) and low carb (as in avoiding obvious refined carbs like bread rice pots and pasta) until I reach the desired weight and continue to follow the principles to stay there.

Thanks to all on this thread for sharing the journey and best of luck to you all.

I too love cream and treat myself to two teaspoons in coffee every morning. I count this as 50 calories ( I hope that is right) and the fat keeps me going until lunch. Delicious!
X B

Hello to all 4 week challenger’s.
I am late posting again as we have been away for the weekend. I am half a pound down on last week so am pleased as, although I chose BSD food, alcohol as usual featured heavily over the weekend. One more event next Saturday and then our soscial life calms down so any new challenge will be welcome to help me crack this weight up and downing and get on with the job of losing more lbs before a wedding in May.
X B

PEAK: Target weight of 9st 7lb reached this morning!!! Not been this light since before I had kids and I used to go to the gym 3 times a week – feeling very pleased!

PIT: I seem to have brought an eye infection back from holiday so not very happy about that – doc has given me some drops which seem to be working slowly.

PS when refusing a drink I just say “oh I’m on a diet” and maybe because it’s obvious that I need to be on a diet I’m left alone!

Sunshine girl: your cruise sounds like the stuff nightmares are made of!

I drink very little and it doesn’t seem to cause a problem but my daughter who’s 29 has never drunk alcohol and finds the pressure to do so so intense that she refuses invitations to girls’ nights out etc. And she’s often nervous that someone will pop a vodka or something in her fruit juice….Shocking, isn’t it?

In reference to another comment, I really hate having my glass topped up before it’s empty….

And back to my original post about alcohol and food addiction generally; I’m fast coming to realise that I’ll never be able to eat carbs, that I’ll have to be on my guard always because “one is never enough”. Funny how these things percolate round your brain then suddenly you know….

Oh God – yesterday turned into an absolute disaster – Two chocolates turned into an eventual tally of 3587 calories and 232g carbs. Well, I don’t do things by halves, that’s for sure.

Back on it this morning – kicking myself royally up the backside – didn’t weigh in (no kidding!!) and won’t now until Monday – let’s see if I can save this week!!

ARGH!!!!

Hi all,
I have just finished reading The Case Against Sugar by Gary Taubes – it is a shocking eye-opener. Taubes goes through the history of sugar and its likely impact on human health, including the current obesity/diabetes ‘epidemic’ we are facing. So much of the research into low-fat diets and the exoneration of sugar was directly funded by the sugar industry, including the famous Ancel Keys low-fat ‘research’. There is also a well-hidden link between sugar and the tobacco industry.
It’s not the easiest read because Taubes is so detailed in presenting his case but when you have read it, you wonder why you would ever want sugar again.
SSB

It was interesting reading your posts sunshine-girl and captainlynne. It started me thinking about the people we know and their drinking habits. It took me a while to realise that whilst we do have many friends who have the odd glass of wine when they’re out but wouldn’t necessarily drink at home we only have four who ‘don’t drink’. One is a recovering alcoholic, the second I’m not sure about, she could be, and the last two just don’t drink out of choice.

So, in effect, most people we know do drink, a few quite excessively, so they are the rule rather than the exception. That being said it’s hardly any wonder that ‘non-drinkers’ are viewed with ‘suspicion’. You have to consider that some people may be really envious of your ability to ‘not drink’ and secretly wish they could be like you!

Cream and nuts ….. that’s an interesting one Lynne!!!!

Humankind: yes me…I’m almost exactly 1 kg heavier before I go to bed and can almost predict my morning weight from that. It’s not 100% accurate but almost…as you say, weird.

I think I will need a break from the constant weighing and planning by then. I won’t be making any drastic changes to what I eat and drink even after that, why would I when everything tastes so good, and I feel fantastic, but there will be occasions when I indulge. Thankfully I am comfortable with moderation after testing myself over the last few months. I am moving towards a kind of 5:2 but more like 5:1:1 with one ‘free’ day a week. I don’t have to indulge on my free day if I don’t want to, and I figure it should be balanced by the 800 fast day every week. Occasional glasses of wine will be allowed on the 5 days as well, but not going over my TDEE. I found a diet called Slow Carb diet which used a BSD friendly low GI diet and a free day for those people like me who aren’t happy if they try to exclude things permanently, but I will never put this all back on again. I can’t even imagine going back to eating all the rubbish even on a free day, it will be more for social occasions and the occasional (not too sweet) dessert..

I weigh 1kg lighter first thing in the morning than I do last thing at night.
This amount is weird to me.
Does this happen to anyone else?

Great news Verano. 💐

Off to do happy dance for Verano 😀

If I had ever thought about skin removal surgery the sight of all those scars would have put me off.

I still weigh myself daily when at home. I’ll see how I feel about it in a few weeks when I get home from Italy after a week there. *thinks* – I always used to weigh daily when at slimming clubs – don’t seem to like weekly weighs!

So – might stay with daily, might not. Not a problem either way.

Good morning, my challenge was to get back to sticking to the diet more carefully and I haven’t really done that yet – I have been following the principles but more at a maintenance level than 800 calories. My exercise has also gone to pot this week for one reason and another. Anyway, the other bit of my challenge was to get into the 10 stones and I edged it last week and am 10 stone 12 1/2 lb now so definitely into the 10 stone bracket. The top of the normal range for me is 10 stone 2lb so only 10 1/2 lb to normality!

Reading the posts I can see how useful a dog would be in getting one out of the house and walking regularly but I don’t think we will be succumbing because we are often away from home. Maybe we need a virtual dog?

Blood sugars have risen a bit this week but I think it is stress about our daughter who is desperately trying to find a new job having given in her notice and who is currently contemplating a claim for constructive dismissal. My morning blood sugars are stubbornly about 6 despite late night snacks and apple cider vinegar but they have been lower and I think it is being on edge. Come to think of it I haven’t been doing my mindfulness stuff so probs need to do that!

Butterlover, we are in a similar position, small losses and slightly elevated sugars – and the determination to do better! good luck!

Thank you Marsie for organising this thread.

Lentils are fine, but be really careful with your portion sizes as they are quite carby. If you are at the 50g mark on carbs it is possible, but any lower would be difficult.

Hi

Well I’ve lost my 1.2lbs, which I know is no great shakes, but it does get me down into the next stone so really pleased about that! I’m also now half way to my ultimate goal!

My next goal will again be quite modest just 3lbs by the end of February.

Hope you are all reaching your goals.

MK I had salmon yesterday, very similar recipe to yours but I oven baked it in a little parcel of baking paper. I placed the salmon on a bed of spiralized zucchini (courgette) & carrot, and some finely sliced spring onion, then sprinkled sesame seeds on top. Only took 15 minutes in a 200 deg oven.
The only thing I’d do differently next time is marinate the salmon first – the recipe I had said to pour the sauce over the fish, which I would do again but after marinating. Sauce was ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar & toasted sesame oil.
I’m not a big fish lover, and am
Allergic to shellfish, but I did enjoy this meal 🙂

Good morning/evening

Sunshine-girl I know you’re right it just seems so unfair that you eat all these ‘healthy’ vegetables but in the process stuff yourself with carbs. Yesterday we had griddled steak and vegetables so no harm there. How did the ‘champagne’ go down??

MK I love fish but am not a lover of salmon unless it’s been ‘played with’. That recipe sounds lovely. Another easy one I do is to put the salmon in a small dish and add soy sauce, sliced spring onions, sliced ginger and chilli, cover with tinfoil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Tasty and easy!

Today I’m having a ‘cook in’. I made some space in my freezer yesterday so I’m going to make broccoli and stilton soup and Bolognese. I looked on the internet and it’s Jamie who uses crème fraiche let down with a little water instead of white sauce. So tonight I’m going to make lasagne with courgette ‘sheets’ and crème fraiche with mozzarella and parmesan. We will see!!!

Have a good day.

Hi Marsie

I see that this challenge is in its last week now and I was just wondering if you’re starting a new one or if you’d like me to do it?

Hi all. I’ve just joined and would be really interested if anyone who has gained weight by taking steroids has been able to lose the weight on the blood sugar diet. I have addisons disease an have to take 50mg of hydrocortisone daily for the rest of my life. The 3 stone weight gain is provided very hard to shift.

Good morning,

Jmarie..welcome back from your trip. I hope you had a great time visiting your family and friends. Now you’re back into routine it shouldn’t be too hard to lose those pesky pounds. The idea of a gal entine is sweet. I certainly do appreciate my friends and the support from these forums. Is it still raining there?

K8 great news on the blood pressure!

And to all cream, cheese and nut lovers….my fridge is now empty of all but vegetables and condiments. If it snows and I can’t get the car out, we’ll starve!

Peaks (and pits) the cheese has been eaten and I turned the cream into ice cream. The only thing left to graze on till next shopping day is a bag of radishes! Desperate times need desperate measures. In spite of cream based sins I managed to lose 700g. I’m on holiday from work and was hoping to walk more but somehow can’t find the energy to do more than the minimum. It’s been a bit of a struggle to walk and also to understand what happened to my energy.

Have a good day.

Well done Nancy, Chrissie and everyone else who had lost this week. Thisisit thanks so much for making me laugh – I can SO identify with your behaviour on the scales as I do a similar thing 🙂
Seasidenana I’m thinking along the same lines as you. I still have over 50lb to lose and obviously this isn’t going to happen in the next 3 weeks… I’m thinking that I could stick to 5 days at 800 and 2 at 1000-1200 quite easily long term.
And Chrissie how lucky to be going to the UK in April, I can’t wait to go back there (was born there and moved to Australia 36 years ago). Maybe next year..
And to everyone who like me had small losses last week, every bit counts. A few days ago I made corned silverside for dinner and before I cooked it I trimmed off all visible fat. Out of interest I weighed it, it was 125g. I then realised that it was a sizeable lump of fat – so the weeks I only lose a few hundred grams is still a few hundred grams of fat gone 🙂
I love reading these forum posts – always someone I can identify with, and others experiencing similar things, don’t feel quite so alone 🙂

Day 3 seems to be better. It’s past 2pm here and my headache has settled a bit.

Wanted to ask if we are ok to have limited amounts of lentils on this diet, like cooked dal-? I am an Indian vegetarian and I am really struggling with options other than salads. Any advice would be helpful.

I hope everyone is feeling okay today. I haven’t had breakky..it’s 12:30pm..not hungry but feeling a bit crappy and wondering if some food might pep me up at bit!

Thisisit yourpost made me laugh thank you ! I think the fat fairy has lived in my house for years ! I have lost a lot of weight in the past and gained it back. Now I’m 61 I feel this is my last chance to get slim while I’m still young enough to enjoy life. Right now I don’t do what I would like to do because of my size. I had a difficult divorce a few years ago and need to move on from it, I’m hoping the weight loss will give me the confidence to finally do that.

I am half way through week 4 and I have lost 9lbs. That is quite good for me, I don’t lose weight easily. I’m sticking to 800 cals a day, although sometimes a bit over and sometimes a bit under, it works out under on average. I have not had any alcohol, because it would derail me. To be honest lack of wine on a night out is the hardest part.

My weight has stuck and even gone up in the last few days, despite sticking to the diet and going swimming. I know it’s not possible to have gained weight, so it must be fluctuations. I’m hoping for a big whoosh down very soon. I have 60lbs to lose, so the 8 weeks will only give me a little start, the eating plan has to be long term. I’m planning to do 800 on two days a week after the 8 weeks, with 1200 on the other days. I’m feeling a bit fed up as my clothes are all still the same size, just a bit looser that’s all. Measurements on the hips are the same. I have lost a bit from bust and waist, but not much, maybe half an inch. Very very slow !

I am still weighing daily at the moment but after June plan to switch to monthly. I am at target, but aware my body may not wish to stay there, gain a bit or lose a bit more, either way is possible and I hope that another few months will have me at some sort of equilibrium like that enjoyed by Krysia and Captainlynne.

Thanks for the advice blood sugar diet veterans and best of luck blood sugar diet newbies! We might make a few mistakes along the way but we’ll get there in the end and hopefully into smaller jeans! I’m so sick of wearing clothes which are uncomfortable and tight in all of the wrong places (everywhere!) and I refuse to buy the next size up. We can do this!

Hi all,
I’m half way thru week 5. I have been pretty strict – one beer when it was 43 Celsius last week which took me close to 1000 cals for the day but many days under 800 anyway. I’ve lost 8kgs but have about 30 more to lose so, while it’s good, it’s not fabulous. I agree with Thisisit that no alcohol is easier (for me) than one glass that becomes two etc!! And its only 8 weeks and I’m almost to 6 weeks anyway. We are going to the UK at the end of April for 6 weeks (a research and speaking trip for me) so that is a big motivation. Although I will probably need a wheelchair to get around most places, I will be much more comfortable – especially on the plane – and healthier. So my plan is to stay on the BSD until we leave. Even now my taste buds have changed so much it’s hard to imagine I will go back to lots of carbs (but intending to have a Devonshire tea!).
Love the idea of “naturally low in calories” Nancy. The things I think of as meeting that description are lettuce and celery!!
Thanks to you all for being here – makes it so much easier.
Chrissie

I saw that one to, it did shock me especially the man that said he would rather be fat then have the baggy skin! I am looking at the BSD as healthy eating and changing your life style. I read somewhere that it’s a good idea to weigh yourself every week once you reach you target and that is something I will aim to do. I have a long way to go before I get to target, ( I have 8 stone to go) but my 10lb first week will keep me motivated.

Hi, My Name is Lorraine and I am a sugar addict, and am bordering on being type 2 again!! I have been reading your blogs and everyone sounds really positive. So here goes, I hope you don’t mind me joining your group.

Yowzer – as long as the documentary isn’t like the one I just watched. All about the ‘super slimmers’ and following up on their progress. They’d all lost huge amounts of weight, some at slimming clubs, others on meal replacement programmes. Some had done punishing exercise regimes.

All except one had regained most, if not all, of the weight within 3-5 years.

The exception still exercises for a long time each day. He eats Haribo sweets – lots of them – then exercises to offset them. But he’s kept the weight off.

Interestingly, the people interviewed all seemed to talk about dieting then eating normally. A lesson for us all?

Thats so heartening that you can slowly increase but still decrease in weight a little MIXY!
Yeh i miss the folks from here..LUCKY!FROG!JAN and others.wd be good to know how theyre doing xx

CAP’ N ….opaque tights are a great idea,and cream,yeh me too..bought some whipping cream today but the cal count is whopping so i must go easy!
and MIX i wd love a skater dress! What a bargain you got! AND youre still losing! There are some incredible folk on this site..i think htey shd make a documentary about you n CL xx

Individual portions helped a lot when I was doing 800 calories, but I have a lot of variety of cheeses in the fridge all the time traditionally, most of which don’t come packaged like that (Waitrose deli cheeses are what I mainly have a weakness for). I have got better at judging weights, and now I am on more calories it doesn’t matter so much if I am a few grams over, but I could happily tear into a whole cheeseboard every day. I will look out for a suitable shrug, black might do it.

Hi folks!
I just joined, I won’t be starting the 800 diet until tomorrow. Tonight is a “last meal” with a family of friends and my son. I’ve been diagnosed as “pre diabetic and want to reverse that. I also just recovered from a stay in the hospital for a GI bleed from diverticulitis. I’ve always been enviably healthy so these are two blows that come as a shock. My weight has been a problem since I was young, not severe but always an issue. The diet restrictions for Diverticulitis / diverticulosis are so vague and every fact I read can be disproven with the next. Not real sure what to do about that but I’m taking supplements known to help and have been told to avoid spicy foods (DOH! At least tonight will be a home cooked meal of Indian fare that I can dream about for the next two months)
So I have my glucose meter, I’ve known about ketogenic diets since forever and I’m hoping I can muster the will power to live with just 800 calories a day! Tomorrow begins!

Someone suggested a shrug over the sleeveless dress I missed out on. Probably easier than a shawl.

The skater dress sounds great. I’ve wondered about them myself. Great buy at 99p.

Would individual portions of cheese help?

Hey Not Giving Up, et al. I started the 13th as well. I’m on day two here still (I’m in the states). Making it through okay so far. This morning was tough, but I’m much better after lunch. I’d say make sure you’re getting good fats (I had an avocado half for lunch with some bone broth) to facilitate your body’s transition into fat burning mode. I’d second the salt intake as well. That may help with the headache as well.

I found out today that buckwheat is technically a fruit not a grain 😮