Sunday 12th February & weigh in day for me & end of my 6th week. I have gained 4 ounces so more or less staying same but of course I’m not happy & it feels like I have wasted a week. On the plus side the clothes I usually wear are loose & I can see that my arms & thighs are slimmer. It’s such a frustrating business trying to lose my wretched extra weight. My husband although staying around the same weight minus or plus a pound each week is having difficulty stabilising his blood sugar that today was 9.5!!! He does mainly eat BSD with me but has re-introduced crackers with cheese, oranges, bananas & snacks on nuts & raisins. I can only think it is that extra fructose that is having a bad effect which seems odd since it’s still largely a Mediterranean style diet with no bread, pasta or cakes!
Today he will start doing some exercise with weights with me because I am wondering if he has insulin resistance in his larger muscle groups & after this week we will no longer buy oranges & bananas to see if not eating those will have an effect. It seems now that he will always have to take some Metformin & will not now as hoped be able to ever stop his medication. He will have a check up to review his bloods with his GP in two months so I may be being overly pessimistic! How to maintain good blood sugar levels after reaching a goal weight does not seem to be an easy thing to do judging by my husbands experience.
I hope you are all doing well! We have discovered where to buy live organic Kefir & are now having that each day to repopulate our guts with good bacteria! As before we continue to be an ongoing health experiment😂
Margaret xx

Thank u. X yes I’m trying to look at a really long term life plan as I don’t want to be up and down so dramatically (calories and emotionally! )

I do love the med style way of life and enjoy all the foods but feel I can’t abandon carbs or treats realistically forever. Planned treats as you say have definitely worked for me but then I panic afterwards and then don’t eat enough to punish myself. I trest my poor body terribly at times. At 4 months away from my 40th birthday I need to learn to be kinder to myself.. x

Lucia I am chucking the snowballs as hard as I can but think that they might not have made it far enough. Relieves my feelings to be chucking them though😆 I will see you at the gym later and get a sneaky snowball down your collar. And I might splash LindaA in the pool afterwards too…

Interesting to see someone else who feels like they are ‘in control’ when the kitchen is gutted. If my house is a tip it’s a sure sign that I am not coping. Although I can now pay my daughter to do it for me so I can kid any visitors (she’s financially challenged as we’re making her save up for the school trip she wants to go on).

I do wish everyone on here a restful Sunday and a good week ahead.

Sounds like you did something similar to me, Verano. I’m not worrying about net carbs, so I used some onion in my dish.

Sweat a thinly sliced onion (quarter moons) and garlic in butter. Add sliced mushrooms when onions are soft. When mushrooms are nearly done, add courgetti. When they are done, add black pepper, blue cheese and creme fraiche.

Scrumptious.

Are we adding these dishes to the recipe section, by the way? There have been some great ideas here.

I haven’t seen that book, but bought one yesterday called the Headspace Diet, by Andy Puddicombe, it isn’t actually a diet book at all, but encourages you to explore what type of eater you are, and apply mindfulness to getting a healthier relationship with your food. My advice would be to switch to 5:2 for a while, five relaxed but healthier days plus two at 800. If you feel like it then move to 4:3 or even back to 2:5 which is where you started with the relaxed weekends, but keep planning, and keep the rubbish carbs to an absolute minimum, they are insidious at giving you cravings for more once you start on them.

Another new low this morning, 😀 despite eating more and more as I try the reverse diet to speed up my metabolism. 10 stone 10.4. That is definitely more than 8 stone off now, and lighter than I was when I married in 1992. I have bought some weights to do some strength training, and will try them in the rucksack first, then make it up to 50 kg with tins of food I think.

OH said I was looking skinny this morning! Not in a complaining or even approving way, just a comment. I think i am actually slimmer than I was when we married as I am fitter than I was then.

Had toast and marmalade this morning for the first time in years (wholemeal bread, and not too much marmalade). I am not going too far from the principles! 😊

You are right! It was mindless eating out of upset in the end.

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about a strategy for the future and I think I need to start relaxing my week a bit and not having just the 800. I’ve seen a book written by jessica sepel about healthy lifestyles. Has anyone else seen this? I am such an emotional eater and need to calm down lol xx xx

Hi Linda a
Opened the curtains and it’s a cold winters day.
An ice cold winds, that says not to wear a skirt today.

Feeling much better today.

I wished I could have snapped out of it last week but as you know, I am only human.

Just enjoying a lazy half hour before a bit more house work, then off to the gym.

Have a great day everyone no matter what the weather and life is throwing at you.

Keep smiling.

Love Lucia
Xxx

Denis – I am absolutely not an expert on this but my thoughts are from reading around this subject are that no one actually really knows and it depends on a number of factors.

One thing is for sure – if you go back to the diet that caused the diabetes and put back the visceral fat the diabetes will definitely come back.

If you haven’t had T2D very long the outlook is better because you haven’t killed off or exhausted so many of your beta cells.

If you are someone like me – who probably had pre-diabetes and diabetes for 20 years before being diagnosed – you have probably killed off more of your beta cells with the high blood sugars and will have to stay low carb for longer or maybe forever. It seems that no-one really knows.

So – because there don’t seem to be long term scientific studies of people reversing their diabetes – or I just couldn’t find them we have to look closely at how our own bodies react to adding more carbs (if anyone knows of any long term studies please do post the links as I would really like to read them).

My own beta cells started making insulin again in September. My blood sugars have stayed excellent since then – but only because I have kept carbs below 50g. If I increase carbs blood sugar levels do rise a bit and my pancreas is quite slow at bringing it down.

As higher blood sugars do kill of beta cells it makes sense to me that I need to keep the carbs lowish. I also don’t want to exhaust the remaining ones that are still working.

When I was diagnosed in 2012 my blood sugars were so high that the doctors in the Acute Medical ward that I was admitted to said that I was hours away from a fatal coma. So that is relatively unusual for someone with T2D and it is highly likely that I may be one of the people who might have gone past the point of no return with their beta cells.

If I have – I am really happy to carry on with a low carb diet that keeps me off insulin and has reversed the diabetic retinopathy (although I believe that this is only in remission in the same way as the diabetes is).

Maybe in the future my pancreas will fully regenerate and be firing on all cylinders. That won’t actually make any difference to me as I will still stay low carb to keep it working for the rest of my life.

I am just so happy that I have found a way to stop this horrible disease progressing and shortening my life or severely limiting it by all the dreadful side effects.

OK so last night’s courgetti was a success I think.

For 2 servings
I fried half a red pepper, cut into thin batons, with a finely sliced shallot in 1 tbsp of oil.
Added some courgetti and mixed until slightly softened.
Added a few finely sliced button mushrooms.
Then added … 1tsp French mustard. 1tsp tomato ketchup, a few drops of Tabasco, salt and lots of ground black pepper.
Then added 2tbsp crème fraiche.

I made the courgetti a little broader, more like narrow tagliatelle , and overall it was lovely. I think that maybe just 1tbsp of crème fraiche and a little water may have been better. The sauce was a little thick. Or maybe using some cream or even yogurt would also be nice.

I don’t like garlic with cream but I’m sure it would be a nice addition and also any herbs that take your fancy. It certainly made an ‘indulgent’ side dish and with more vegetables could be a good main. It really wasn’t that carby adding just 2.7g per serving and 60 calories. It needs to be served with a green vegetable as well to cut through the richness of the sauce. I’ll certainly make it again.

We told you it wasn’t fat 😀 Honestly, it probably won’t be the last time it happens, life sometimes overcomes our best intentions, and you’ll occasionally want to have something special, but I find ‘planning’ a break like I did over Christmas and intend to over my forthcoming holiday means you are less likely to go completely off the deep end and dive into bad simple carbs. In future just say to yourself, I’m going out for a lovely meal and some wine to celebrate and that will be enough. You probably found you didn’t even enjoy the bad stuff while you were eating it anyway.

Congratulations and hello from a cold and frosty West of Ireland. I think setting mini goals along the way is a great thing to do. I’m doing the same. Losing one stone was the first goal for me which I achieved a few weeks ago. Now I want to get into the next stone bracket and be 10st anything by my birthday which is in March. Still in the 11’s at the moment but working towards it. This is a way of life for me so slow and steady I hope will work better. That gives me time to get used to and prepare for what I hope will be eventual maintainace (still a fair way from that). Happy day.

Quick update, am 10st 4 3/4 today so am a lot calmer. To say i was 10st 11 1/2 on Thursday that’s really crazy. Xx

Hi Verano

You may have seen my comments on your thread “My journey so far”.

Chocolate – preferably milk chocolate. Could eat whole bars of Galaxy, and remember once eating three Mars bars (original size) in a sitting, washed down with Diet Coke. I’ve seen lots of people on here comment about eating one or two squares of 90% chocolate. Alas, I can’t even do that! Years ago a slimming club said that 90% chocolate was ok, so I tried it. Again, I could set the whole bar!

Biscuits- yes, I could eat the packet. Depending on which biscuits they were, of course. Ginger nuts (dunked in my coffee), chocolate digestives, Gold, chocolate tea cakes, – do I see a recurring theme here? If one of my bosses visited, his favourite biscuits were Chocolate Leibniz. Guess what – I could eat the packet. One slimming club recommended ‘pink and whites’ so they went on my list of ‘go to’ foods.

Cakes – yes, please. Cream cakes – a pack of four please.

Crisps – if I tried to be economical and buy a multipack, I could easily eat them all (especially cheese & onion) so I just had to buy one pack at a time, but then would be looking for something else. And Pringles! I could easiest the whole tube – my favourite was the BBQ flavour.

Doughnuts were not particularly my ‘thing’ – but I could eat a pack of four jam doughnuts in a sitting.

That was before BSD. So, what now?

I have crisps in the cupboard left by my granddaughters last year (note to self – check use by date), and packets of biscuits (including the Chocolate Leibniz and Gold) bought for work but no storage there so living in my kitchen. And the girls left chocolate here. It went out of date.

What I do have to be careful with now are some foods that others have no problem with – cream, and nuts. I especially like cashews – preferably salted or Marmite flavoured.

Glad to hear the hospital food was good, even though too ‘carby’. Years ago I was in for surgery and on a fat free diet. The meal brought was the greasiest pork chop I had ever seen!

I’ve been happy to find that this does become second nature. Perhaps part of the fun, if I can call it that, is the challenge of finding new ways of doing things – new foods, and ways of avoiding the carbs.

Hi fairyface😀
I think I am doing ok. I don’t weigh myself because I hate the highs and lows and dissapointments of the scales. However the clothes I slimmed into still fit so I know I haven’t gained since the initial weight loss after 8 weeks. I am now thinking ahead and trying to decide on what exercise to do when the weather improves. I would love to lose a bit more. I am still eating BSD with the exception of occasional meals out and a couple of glasses of wine a week. I was worried that the wine might stimulate my appetite but so long as I drink it with meals and not before or after I seem to be ok. Still no biscuits crisps bread rice pasta at home. I do eat porridge for breakfast on work days, protein breakfast on days off. I make my own yogurt too which is lovely!
Do you drink your Gin with fat tonic or slimline tonic. I have read somewhere that sweetners can cause water retention issues. ….just a thought.
Anyways this is where I am with BSD at the moment…one day at a time😀
MIss ZIggy

Week 3 weigh in today and my first mini target achieved. BMI in the overweight rather than obese zone. Obese is such a horrible word and comes with so much stigma. Next mini target is into the next stone bracket which hopefully will be next week’s weigh in. After that I am going to put my head down and keep at it until my birthday in May. Got a challenging week with a couple of meals out but with the advice gained on the forums I am feeling able to navigate this. Keep on keeping on…. and today in the UK keep warm also.

Morag x

This is a really simple and helpful explanation sunshine girl. One further question though: Due to the liver increasing gylcogen output does this mean the body will therefore burn calories from fat? Which is a good thing? I’m wondereing if this is the reason some people, and I’m not one of them, consider missing breakfast a good idea for weight loss. That the liver continues in fasting mode, again, motivating fat burning? I would think missing any meals for diabetics is not a very good Ida. I’m on the bsd for weight loss though hence me making the fasting point. Thanks.

Mini target achieved

Hi Krysia

I’m like you when it comes to chocolate one or two squares of 90% and that’s fine but please don’t show me a bar of Dairy Milk there would be no way I could leave even a crumb of that. Ice cream is ok for me one tablespoon is enough but red wine is my downfall!!! Answer really is just not to start with any food/drink that is too moreish to fit in with your individual eating plan.

Sunshine-girl as you say it really is just common sense that you can’t ‘go back’ to doing what you always did, as JM says… well Einstein … it’s insane to ‘Do the same thing over and over again and expect different results’. I can’t understand why anyone would think they could ‘go back’ and why would you want to?

I’ve not been counting or logging my food for several weeks now so I thought that I would start again. I didn’t try to limit myself yesterday I just had what I fancied. The outcome was 89g of carbs and 1186 calories. So OK not really the end of the world and a heck of a lot less than a ‘normal’ day would have been pre-BSD. The interesting thing was that when I removed the snacks I had yesterday, a few biscuits and a packet of crisps…. shock horror…. I would have had 41g carbs and just 784 calories. It just shows how easy it is to stay on track if you really want to. The addition of ‘snacks’ to my day really didn’t make it any better.

So I know what to do when I start again ‘properly’ next Tuesday!!

I’m not an expert I just do what I feel but unless you are actually racing (as opposed to “just” running, as I do) the 10k I personally wouldn’t do any carb loading, just make sure you’re fluid intake is sufficient. There should already be enough glycogen in your muscles for a 10k (usual reckoning is 90 mins worth). And don’t forget this way of eating should be training your body to use your fat which, without meaning to be rude, you should have enough of. There is a lot about fat adapted running around – Google/Runner’s World it. Whatever you decide remember the golden rule of not changing anything untried too close to a race – and definitely not on the day. I will be doing my usual Sunday run of at least 10k in 20 minutes on 2 cups of tea – I had a 2 egg omelette with cheese around 1830 last night, not special tea, just what I fancied, so will be running slowly (not racing) fasted. It suits me. As week as this brilliant site, there is also the NHS couch to 5k website which now also has 10k and marathon forums where you can also get good friendly information and advice. Good luck with your training and I hope the 10k goes well for you. Don’t forget, the atmosphere on the day will also give you an added boost.

Hi Lynne

The strange thing is that what you describe is pretty ‘normal’ eating for most people! You haven’t suggested that you were eating 6 doughnuts or a packet of biscuits at one sitting which we would all think of as excessive.

I have noticed that when I stay in a hotel with a buffet I automatically go for the BSD friendly foods and the simple carbs are something I simply don’t eat. My OH still offers me things at times and I just say ‘… but I don’t eat bread/rice’ or whatever is offered, as he seems to forget at times.

I agree that sometimes the choices are easier than others but I find when I’m out there is usually a way around things. Strangely enough when I was in hospital a few weeks ago the choices were really limited. The food was actually very good and the choices vast catering for vegetarian, gluten free and many ethnic options. I still found it difficult eating low carb. Porridge was the ‘best’ breakfast choice with an apple! Lunch was soup with a sandwich for me. I removed the crusts and ‘opened’ the sandwich up so limiting the damage. In the evening it was usually a salad with cheese or similar. So I managed reasonably well for 6 days!

I think after a time you just get to stop thinking/caring what other people have to say about what you eat that’s if they even notice! I do agree its not as easy when you’ve been ‘invited out’ but I think there are so many ‘faddy’ eaters these days that we probably just fade into the background.

Portion size is the thing that’s really surprised me. I guess when you get used to eating just 800 calories a day your portions are automatically limited and you only notice it really when you have a meal out when you aren’t in control of portion size.

The important thing is that this way of eating does become second nature after a while but then like most things I think you have to ‘want’ this as a way of life and not think of it as a short term ‘fix’.

Hello ! My question is about the beta cells in the pancreas. Having ”cleaned out ” the fat from liver and pancreas, lost weight ,stabilised blood sugar with diet, exercise etc and feeling ok physically and mentally – what is the situation regarding the insulin resistance problem ?
Do the beta cells regenerate or are they gone for ever ?
[ I have read that at time of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, approximately 50% of the beta cells are ‘ inactive ‘ ie sleeping or dead .]
Is it a case of having to be careful about over eating and drinking for the foreseeable future or is it a case of soon having full beta cell recovery, no insulin resistance etc .
I have read that the development of the fat and the diabetes took years [ the long drawn out silent cry of the liver] so presumably FULL recovery might take years – on the other hand the remarkably fast response to the diet , where blood sugars seem to be normal in a week or two , might suggest a few months of careful eating might lead to full normal liver and pancreas quite soon.
Would welcome info on this , including any websites to explore.
Of course I have also read that the phenomenon of insulin resistance is itself a mystery.

I am no expert but I would definitely do some carb loading the night before, and then carb up on the day. It doesn’t sound like those carbs will get anywhere close to being stored as fat considering how much you are working out, and feeling faint isn’t good. I felt faint occasionally in the beginning until I upped my fluid intake which seemed to help.

Jan

Checking in as a while since I posted. Still BSD800’ing most days with about 6kg still to lose. The days I am not are planned departures to some extent (I tend to over do it though) as I accommodate summer social events. What is most encouraging is a couple of days strictly BSD800 sees any gains on the scales drop like a stone so figure the extra carb days mostly attract the water. I am still mindful of Med principles on the days I go over as trusting that will become second nature for maintenance given the frequent ‘trial’ days doing it. Keeping strong and wishing you the same xx

Well done bloke41
Keep at it!
Cheers
Linda

Lucia
Stop teasing!
It’s 39 deg Celsius outside where I am today and it’s only just gone midday!
Tell you what, you have your snow ball fight and I’ll get off my arse and go for a swim! Deal?
Cheers
Linda

Gday all, my weigh in result today 119.6kg, very happy in reaching my mini goal, haven’t been under 120kg mark since 2010, hoping to hit my next mini goal of 110kg by my dads 70th surprise birthday party March 23 and my final goal is 99kg. I don’t have a time frame for that goal, just happy to get there. Have a great week all.

Gday all,

Week 24 done and dusted. Bloody hell where has the time gone. Had bit more to eat than l wanted last night at the surprise mexican dinner with oh, even had bit of carb, small piece of corn bread with my chilli con carn. Another swelter today, forcast 43 cel again, already went for my morning walk, clocking up 6.3 miles in very hot sweltering conditions for 9.30 in the morning.

Weigh in result 119.6kg
Waist 124cm

1.7kg loss for the week, pretty happy getting under the 120 kg mark, haven’t been under that mark since 2010.

40.3kg loss to date

Have a awesome one all, and good luck in all of your weight loss journey’s.

JulesMaigret – I agree totally. I think of the diabetes being in remission not reversed. If I went back to my old way of eating it would just come straight back.

I do feel regret that I caused the diabetes in the first place but am so pleased that there is now a way to ‘fend it off’ by just avoiding the sugary and starchy carbs.

Sunshine-girl – I think that you were talking about me in your post. I have very vivid memories of one spoonful of ice cream leading to a tub of ice cream and a handful of crisps leading to a large packet of crisps. I hadn’t thought of it being a bit like an alcoholic – but I did absolutely hate that feeling of being totally out of control and not really understanding why it was happening. I suppose it is why not eating even a mouthful of the bad stuff really works for me.

Husband was watching rugby this evening and wanted a bowl of ice cream. Normally he would get it himself but because he was so engrossed in the game I got it for him. A thought crossed my mind that one spoon wouldn’t do any harm. I immediately dismissed that thought as I have ample evidence to the contrary.

Lynne – I am sorry to hear that Bill’s friend died.

So, to be honest,
I have been stressed out regarding work.

My problem is that I care a lot.
I do an hours work for an hours pay.
I do not attend for an hours pay.

People taking advantage of me etc etc.
So last week I cut myself some slack,

I knew if I put presssure on myself regarding the bs diet, I would not only fall off the wagon I would smack my arse on the tarmac.

I have taken it easy. I did what I could when I could.

I am , today , in a better frame of mind. I blitzed the kitchen. There isn’t a single crumb in there. Not a tiny speck of dust. This makes me feel as if I am sorting my life out, but really I am only sorting the kitchen out.

So tomorrow, I am make in plan full time.
With gusto.

So for all those who read my moaning blogs, thank you for just being with me.

Now, who’s ready for a snow ball fight?

Love Lucia
Xxxx

I could not control my blood glucose with meds after being diagnosed in mid 2016. Luckily, before being put on insulin,I was given The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet by Michael Mosley. I’ve taken my levels from consistently in the teens and twenties to the acceptable range for people with type two diabetes and I’ve lost 12 kg.

And I’m only half way through and I have only applied a 1200 calorie a day diet as I couldn’t manage the recommended 800 a day!. I am also exercising much more than suggested – for mental health reason – so maybe that explains why I need a bit more fuel. But if you told me I could do even 1200 a few weeks ago I I would never have believed you! Perhaps it will take me longer to really eliminate my diabetes but I’m in this for the long game!

I know Khis won’t work for everyone but I’m just a normal guy so maybe it is a lesson to share this story with anyone who needs to know. Even those who don’t follow the program religiously will find the book is a great resource to understand better what is happening to our bodies and how you can take control of your own health and well being.

Meanwhile I’m off for a bike ride!

Awesome!

Edit (in 4 minutes)

Here’s my Week 4 round up – unfortunately it was not such a good week for me after all, despite my good intentions 🙁
I started out well, and this week I was weighing myself daily to see where it fluctuates. By Wednesday I had lost 700g, then I had a few blow out days, probably only went to 1000/1200 calories, but put the ‘lost’ 700g back on again In those few days. Today is the start of Week 5 for me, and this mornings weigh in shows I’ve lost 300g (1/2lb?) over the past week, so still a loss I guess, but nowhere near what I had wanted to achieve. Overall, halfway through the 8 weeks and I’m down 3.5kg (7.7lbs)….not as much as I’d hoped for but I only have myself to blame!
On a positive note though, I measured myself and have lost 5cm off my bust, 3cm off my waist and 2cm off my hips. My clothes are fitting better, and I definitely feel better and have more energy. And I am finding it easier to resist “bad foods” despite my 2 blow out days which were down to wine, not food!
I went to a colleagues morning tea and said no to the delicious looking cakes on offer and on Friday sat in the lunchroom eating my salad, while the guys I work with were eating KFC!
Here’s to Week 5 – “Onwards and downwards”!!

I think I am really lucky that I can have one piece of dark chocolate and not want anymore. Milk chocolate is completely different though. One piece leads to the whole bar and then to a trip to the shops to buy a couple more. At least that’s what happened pre BSD. I haven’t dared have a piece of milk chocolate since starting the BSD.

SSG – That sums up exactly how I feel. I don’t feel comfortable with the idea of having “reversed” my diabetes – I have merely found a way of fending it off. I know if I revert to my old ways then it will be back with a vengeance. You’re right it’s not a blame thing but there is a responsibility.

Didn’t Einstein say that the definition of Insanity was “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

Thanks Maharani kitten
I’ll mention Amitripteline to the doc next time I’m there. I don’t think my symptoms are as severe as yours were, it’s just that the lack of sleep combined with the excessive hot weather was starting to wear me down.
Thanks everyone for your tips!
Cheers Linda

Only 100g lost this week!

I struggle to drink water and retain fluid when I drink gin! Can anyone explain why this happens to me?
Not going to get down hearted though.

Onwards and downwards.
Hows everyone else doing?

Thanks sunshine-girl and Verano
I read up on black cohosh last night before I went to bed and decided not to take the risk. I took one of the ‘over the counter’ sleeping tablets and managed to sleep through, only having to wake once to go to the loo then went straight back to sleep. I’ve never been one to take many drugs unless I absolutely have to, so I’m not concerned that I will become ‘hooked’. We have an air conditioner in our room and although we don’t use it often, it’s been on all night these last couple of weeks at a manageable 24 deg with sheet and undies only. The biggest problem was that the mattress was so hot, it took ages to cool down!

I don’t think of ‘sweets’ or ‘desserts’ as treats anymore. I’m half way through reading Gary Taubes’ book, Good Calories, Bad Calories and all I can think of when I look at sweet/starchy food is the damage it is doing to my body and the high risk of dementia in the future.
Treats for me are Greek full fat yogurt, macadamia nuts, strawberries, and some of the double and triple Camembert and Brie cheeses eaten on their own.

I rarely consume alcohol anymore, not because I have some super willpower, but because I just don’t feel like it. My drink of choice now is sparkling soda or mineral water with a splash of lemon or lime juice.

Another hot one here today, but only in the 30’s, not the 40’s so after our yoga class this morning, it will be another relaxing day by the pool.
Enjoy your evening for those in the northern hemisphere.
Cheers
Linda

Hi sunshine-girl

I’m like your brother – no way could I stick at one square of chocolate. Years ago I tried the really dark chocolate that’s quite bitter having been told a square was ok on whichever diet so was following. Trouble was that once I started I couldn’t stop eating it until the bar was finished. Or there was the time I ate three Mars Bars (they were bigger then) washed down with Diet Coke. No wonder I’m keeping off the carbs LOL

Hey all. I have been in a bad mood and miserable today. I’m not sure why – I haven’t been hungry (probably because I’ve upped the fat content of my diet) so goodness knows where this dark cloud has come from.

It hasn’t helped that events today conspired against my planned 5 mile walk through the parks and I ended up slogging through the cold walking alongside busy roads in an attempt to reach my 11K step target.

Cooked the skinny aubergine lasagna this evening. Slight variance with quorn added and green pepper instead of red pepper. End result – scrumptious! Served with broccoli and leafy salad.

Today’s summary:
Calories: 787
Carbs: 24g
Water: 2.5L
Steps: 11,201

Haven’t done my bloods much over the last few days because I wanted to give my fingers a rest. I’ll try to pick that up again next week.

One more day and then I’ll be 25% through. Whilst I intend to continue with this past the 8 weeks until I reach my target weight, I’m looking forward to having the odd night off and more importantly, the odd night out.

Possibly my second favourite at the moment is Cornish Yarg, which sounds a bit like the Scottish one you mention but wrapped in wild garlic leaves instead.

Sorry to hear about Bills troubles, hope he is still taking good care of himself. When I commented on people disappearing from the site I was talking about those that get to around week 3 having lost loads of weight then plateau then disappear. Maybe they reached a short term goal or decided they could do it alone without group support. But it is disheartening for those who dont lose loads and think they have a problem and blame themselves, give up and disappear. The secret of this site is to stick with it.

As for the view that you can cure your diabetes and then go back to eating as you did before. That is like saying you were fat, you lost weight now go eat loads of cake and chips and stay slim. What got you fat or diabetic in the first place (and that is not a blame thing, we didn’t know about carbs) will do it again. I am sure if we get our cure one slice of bread or roast potato on our monthly meal out will not reverse what we have done but going back to 3 time daily carbs will. But for some it is a bit like being an alcoholic, one drink can get you started again or in our case one slice of bread leads to a loaf. I dont go overboard on chocolate and can eat 1, 10g square every other day but my brother can get through 5 bars of F&N in one sitting. We are here to learn as well as lose weight or improve our health and by staying on the site I can learn something new most days. Let just keep on……

Mature goat Gouda sounds amazing! There’s a local cheese here in Scotland that ‘s like a soft Wensleydale wrapped in nettle leaves. And when in Greece a special kind of mature feta that is so salty and delicious, absolutely lovely crumbled on their spring greens – Horta – served with olive oil and lemon juice dressing. Very BSD!!

Loving the diet but not the muffins-I made 20 out of the mixture and put the lot in the bin. That’s a first for me to throw food away!!

Captainlynne, very sorry to hear your news about Bill. I wasn’t here when he was, but his thread, which I read from start to finish some months back, has been referred to so many times that he obviously contributed a lot. Sad that he should have felt forced out.

I’m the one with with the addled brain obviously….. I wouldn’t recommend Spanx for the face….and I’m sure your face is lovely anyway…. life without wrinkles is life never lived and never laughed 😉

There are very few cheeses I don’t like (mostly those stuffed with dried fruit wensleydale hybrids), my favourite since I discovered it is the mature goat gouda from Waitrose, but I commonly have half a dozen or so different ones in the fridge.

Krystal – sorry to say the sick friend died quite soon after moving in with Bill.

I think there have been lots of changes in folk posting. Some have stopped, for whatever reason, and others have started. Some ‘old timers’ felt there was nothing they could now contribute and that it was time to pass the baton to the newbies. I suspect it can be difficult for some, with a combination of diabetics, those with different health issues, and those doing it ‘just’ to lose weight – all with their own perspectives on the BSD.

If I read something I don’t like, don’t agree with, or frustrates me, I usually ignore it and scroll past. But I left the BSD Facebook group because of comments on there – and I know that Bill – and from memory, others also left that group for the same reason.

I haven’t tried Headspace, but have just picked up a fascinating book called the Headspace Diet, which isn’t a diet book per se but is all about mindful eating techniques, and deconstructing all the emotions and feelings behind why people eat too much. I did think the mindfulness element was the thing I was weakest at when it came to starting my maintenance, so will be interested to give these techniques a try.

Busybee – how thoughtful of you to think of giving your chocolates to your elderly spinster aunt.

Mixnmatch – I agree about the cheese. Stilton or mascarpone are a real treat.