Easter eggs? In January? The world has gone mad…

A simply amazing story, thank you once again. I will certainly check back in and let you know how I’m doing. There is just so much we don’t know about the delicate, elaborate, connected way in which our bodies work. It’s so exciting to embark on this journey, and to expect to smell properly again!
Have a wonderful day.

Thanks for the link AnnieW. It was an interesting read but another article, ‘How the low-fat high-carb dogma fell apart’ was a real eye-opener. In fact it beggars belief.

Please read both articles if you can @ HealthInsightUK.org

Fabulist, I had a bit of a diet break over the festive period, including eating bread (I’m not a diabetic). I’ve lost much of my sense of smell again but am hoping that it will return when I get back on the BSD seriously.

It is very odd having a sense of smell after not having one for almost my entire life. There was a period when I was happy just to smell the food other people were eating. Tangerines, I found, smell much better when they are being peeled than they taste when being eaten. And chocolate was odd – I could smell a piece being broken off a bar from several metres away. If you’re anything like me, your sense of smell will be more acute than that of people who have never lost it.

It doesn’t come back immediately. But wait a few weeks and you will be amazed.

Hi I am starting on Monday. Have tried out a few of the great receipes here this week and have been reading a lot on the forums which seem like great support.
I have a question about the app Myfitness Pal. I have tried to change the calories per day to 800 but it just wont save. Has anyone here managed this?

Five days and five pounds down. This is such a great start. Lovely fish in foil last night.

You’ve done brilliantly, Shadynook, and your story is very like mine – a shock diagnosis having spent 6 months having every test known to humankind because of an unrelated health issue, nobody mentioning elevated blood sugar, ever, and immediate hardcore medication.

This has turned things around totally for me since October 10th, weight down 37lbs, blood sugar stable on one third of my meds and hoping to reverse t2d with diet alone in time. Really hope your next tests offer great news and reward – enjoy your well-deserved holiday in your slinky Swimmies! MKx

Hello! I joined a few minutes ago and am really struck by what you say about your sense of smell. I lost mine about two years ago after recurring sinusitis and never thought there could be a link between my weight, my sugar and my sinuses. This is so hopeful — thank you for posting.

Welcome! I just joined a few minutes ago and I have about 80lbs to lose. The very best of luck on your journey!

Morning! Monday is drawing near, fasting blood test with follow up appointment on 16th January. I was 14st7lb when T2D was diagnosed in October 2016 and I’m now down to 12st8lb. I came home from the Doctors shocked and upset as I’d had fastening blood tests 12 months before and the only thing the doctor said was that I’d got a fatty liver, did I drink much alcohol, which I don’t. Never once did he Intimate that I might be pre-diabetic. I went on the Internet and did some research and found Pro Taylor’s diet and the BSD by Michael Moseley. I started that day full of determination that no way was I starting medication I.e. Metformin, which I might add the doctor wanted me to prescribe that day. She said I would feel so much better once I took them. I told her I felt fine and had no symptoms of being diabetic. I phoned her later that day and TOLD her not ASKED her that I was starting this radical diet. The only medicine I was taking was Amlopodine which had been prescribed 2 months ago for slightly raised high blood pressure. She told me to check my blood pressure as this could drop due to weight loss. I had diet drinks morning and lunch and vegetables or salad in the evening, I drank 2/3 litres of water a day and started BRISK walking. Some days it was hard, I felt a bit weak but I persevered! I lost 10lb in the first 10 days then decided to add chicken and fish to my evening meal. I soon got used to the diet and decided to cut out the diet drinks and only eat in the evening salad/vegetables and chicken/fish. I continued to loose weight at a steadier pace. Occasionally when eating out I’d have a glass of red wine maybe a steak but never potatoes rice pasta or bread. I haven’t had a slice of bread for 3 months! And I was definitely a bread junkie!! I am going away for 2 weeks to Lanzarote on 26th January on an all inclusive holiday, which was booked well before my T2D. Whatever the outcome following my fasting blood test next week I will continue with the BSD, this is now for life as I feel so much happier and healthier being slim. I’ve gone from a size 18/20 to 14/16 and now look good in my swimsuit. My best wishes to you all X

Another pound down now so pleased I am back down to my pre Christmas weight although 1/2 lb to go to get back to my former BSD weight. Two more days to go to complete my first week.
Come on everyone you can all do it!!
Margaret xx

Just a quick question – are raisins ok to have during the 8 weeks. Thank you

Pete I think it’s called reactive hypoglycaemia, I’ve had that reaction too. It’s like a roller coaster, because you went so high, dropping down to normal was such a big change your body reacted as if it went below normal. It was the difference in levels rather than the final number that made you shaky etc. Imagine being in a lift and dropping suddenly from the twelfth floor to the fifth floor – your heart would be in your throat even though you hadn’t actually gone “low”. At least that is how I understand it. But I don’t actually know if it is dangerous like a true low blood sugar event.

I am reading the book with interest and am starting next week.
There are just a few things I want to make sure my thinking is right.
I understand I can have any meat or fish. Is that right?
Also any vegetables and baked beans?
I only drink skimmed milk and do not like the full fat milk. Is it ok to stay with my skimmed milk?
I would also like to check if I go for costa coffee (which I love) is this ok as long as it is within my calorie intake.
Is cottage cheese ok?
I am also checking about porridge oats. Can I buy the Scotts Porridge Oats or are they not allowed?
Would be grateful for any feedback.
With thanks.

Shanik I think you’ve got everything right there with your food list. With alcohol, red wine at least (maybe other types too) is allowed on the Med diet but it’s difficult to fit a 150 calorie glass of wine into an 800 calorie day if you’re doing the fast 800 BSD while still getting enough nutrients and fat etc. if you move on to the higher calorie Med lifestyle then you can have it.

Thanks for that CJF62. I find rice milk a little sweet for savoury dishes and I already use almond milk but it is very thin to replace cream.
Thanks for your help though, much appreciated.

We’ve packed up our Christmas decorations, but today my supermarket had Easter eggs for sale. Seriously?

Just back from doctors- HBCA1 (??) in normal range. Fasting bloods 6.6 so higher than normal. “Insulin resistance ” as opposed to Prediabetic. Cholesterol higher than normal.
Feel like I’ve dodged a bullet- wake up call for certain. She was happy for me to try the VLCD and we agreed we would redo fasting bloods at the end of 8 weeks and the cholesterol in the spring-it needs 3 months for changes to take effect.
So I’m on to day 4. Not weighing or measuring until day 7. Feeling motivated but amazed at how many carbs are in things!!! To me CARBS were pasta, rice,potato. How dare they be in peppers!!! Or onion!!! Quite a challenge staying under 50g and notice a lot of the recipes in the book take you over that with 1 portion. But hooray for cheese!!! Despite all this, it’s not a choice! I’m doing this. All the way. Have a brilliant day everyone x

Thanks for all the tea advice! I love Twinings English Breakfast tea bags (In the movie “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” an English lady says they call it “builder’s tea” in England which I found fascinating) so that is the loose leaf I bought. But I only find it drinkable if I then strain it again into another cup with a little strainer that sits on top. I don’t think I need a pot for one cup at a time, although that might be nice for visitors. I tried my rubber ducky strainer with fruit tea as well, another fail. So many little gritty bits that weren’t there when I used a jug. Shame. Back to teabags.

Oh, and it’s always milk LAST!

MK hope you feel better soon. Illness definitely sends blood sugar haywire, not much you can do about that. Not surprising, really, that everything is connected. I know if I’m sick or have PMS other issues like my damaged shoulders always flare up.

Apropos of nothing, did you know that a few hundred years ago in France they would feed diabetics lots of extra sugar? It seemed obvious, the patients were losing a lot of sugar in their urine so they needed to eat more and more to keep sugar levels topped up! They died pretty quickly, unfortunately. Hmmm. Actually not that different to current “regular serves of carbs to keep blood sugar stable” when you think about it… but it shows treatments are constantly evolving as we learn more about how the body works.

PIZZA BASE
Cauliflower rice steamed and squeezed to remove as much water as possible
35g ish of Philadelphia type cheese
1 Egg
Herbs of choice

Mix to a dough. Shape into a crust- don’t go too thin or big.
Bake in medium oven. Turn over half way when top is golden and firm.
Top with tomato sauce and usual toppings. Cottage cheese works well instead of mozerella .

Check out the link below – it’s a longish read but interesting. Insurance companies may make a difference too. HealthInsightUK.org has a few articals on LCHF diets.

http://healthinsightuk.org/2017/01/04/coming-clash-of-titans-over-the-healthiest-diet-global-sugar-vs-global-life-insurance/

Hi Lindarina! I’ve used cloud bread as a pizza base before. It’s not the same but I found it a perfectly good substitute. Just have to keep an eye on cheese quantity!

Ha! Yes! So used to buying extra extra large tights and they were still too small and would
Snap back and roll down. Now into medium! Yay!

Thanks for your day six post, Lucia. That was just what I needed to read! Back row is better than nowhere.

Thanks Lynne. Just 1/2lb to get me down into the next stone now And my first mini-goal of the year!

Also. And don’t shoot me down in flames here. The red SW plan is basically a low carb plan (though not low cal unless you tailor it that way). When I first started to address my weight I lost 2st in 9 weeks on SW and got good advice about exercise and portion size that really helped me see that what I thought was ‘normal’, wasn’t. First step on healthy road from 19st to average 13 for me. Nobody told me I ‘had’ only to lose 2lbs a week, and when I lost more simply by sticking strictly to the plan, nobody was more thrilled than the SW consultant.

Paying to go each week made me less likely to stray. I have no time for Ww with their frankenfoods and ads which seem to suggest that ‘normal’ is everyone’s ‘right’ to eat cheesecake and chips and stay thin, but at SW, the ‘syns’ work well for those who want a couple of squares of chocolate or a little chunk of cheese, – some people enjoy and blossom in the club- like mentality and support (though tbh it was what drove me away!) – and they’re better spending a fiver a week face to face with their weight issues than spending it all on Maltesers and vowing to start another day, surely?

The post above by Shadynook hits the nail on the head. Follow an eating plan to the letter, no excuses, no cheating, take 30 minutes brisk exercise a day and you’ll do more for your health than any medication can do. Yes, this plan is a harder road than most, it won’t suit everyone. But if we want to tackle the obesity problem we face, we need to accept that there are many ways to effect that fix. Yep, some people put all the weight back on, but that’s true of any plan – even this one – even among people who have everything to gain by maintaining and literally everything to lose if they fall by the wayside. You can’t odds the vagaries of human behaviour!

Acceptance of higher fat, lower carb diets is gradually growing, it’ll come.
BIg Sugar is the real enemy here. They know their product is unnecessary, addictive and lethal, but still they are allowed to push it despite the dangers being know FOR YEARS. Grr. MK x

Welcome mhart_Sf

Best wishes for your BSD journey.

Bought a belt on Wednesday. Size – small. Now have to return it and see if they have ‘extra small’. 😱😀

I’m still getting used to buying ‘small’ tights etc. But ‘extra small’!

“Enjoying it so far but find the evenings difficult especially watching my partner and stepdaughter still enjoying the Christmas left over goodies. Could do with some healthy snack ideas”

I think the key may be to get out of the habit of snacking – just train yourself to expect food three times a day. If you keep snacking, even healthily you never get out of the habit and once you finish the diet you will be back to snacking unhealthily (that is just my experience mind!)

Well here I am starting day 4 and already 2lbs down. Getting into the swing of it now and very grateful I have been doing 5:2. This is obviously a little step further but enjoyable!
I just had to read back as so many posts from yesterday morning. Wow quite a lot of people and so interesting tips!

Happy anniversary Verano 😀💐

Tigs, yes seriously missing eating marzipan. But don’t dare…not now, not ever.

Jmarie, congratulations on your weight loss..woohoo. so rewarding. I hope you’re planning your new wardrobe 😉
In the light of the doctor’s visit, the decorations fade into insignificance. You’ll put them away one day…

My peak yesterday…probably the walk I did with my husband. It’s beautiful weather for walking at the moment.

The pits, I failed to do more than 10,000 steps even though I worked for an hour raking up leaves. Boohoo. And the battery failed in my tracker after 3 days use. Grrrh. Still I probably look at it too much. Obsessed? Just a little..

Have a good day.

Hi everyone, I started on 3rd Jan, my first day back at work thought that would be easier as I can only eat what I have taken to work. Enjoying it so far but find the evenings difficult especially watching my partner and stepdaughter still enjoying the Christmas left over goodies. Could do with some healthy snack ideas.
Had a sneaky look at the scales this morning and I am down 4 lb so I know it’s worth it, determined to keep going.
Good luck everyone I’m sure with the support of these forums we can all reach our goals.

Hi and welcome Kimkai. If you are really sticking to the principles of the diet then you should lose quite quickly. However, not everyone’s body reacts in the same way and loses straight away. Unfortunately for you, It looks like yours maybe one of them 🙁. Hang in there, it does work. Lots of people report the “whoosh effect” i.e. sudden and possibly large amounts lost in one go (you can search for it in the top right hand search box). Keep going, keep to the principles and your body will give in 😀. Good luck and keep posting. If there are tweaks you need to make, there’s always someone on here with answers.

4 days in 3 kilos down

I know this rate will slow but so motivating!

What is even better is that apart from some hunger pangs in the middle of the night I am actually finding it very doable – following recipes and trying loads of meals and food I have never tried before (eg beetroot felafal) definitely helps.

Very interesting topic.

Whilst I agree that BSD seems to be a far healthier way of eating, as Frog says, she prefers NICE and the NHS to base their decisions on thorough medical research.

We are free to use any information available to us and make our own choices but it could be seen as irresponsible for this to be made ‘policy’ when the studies in the U.K. so far have been very small and even the current study with 270 people is hardly large.

I maybe have a cautionary tale. Just one example of a procedure that wasn’t backed by NICE going awry. Back in the late 90’s a ‘new’ method of hip replacement, resurfacing, was developed in the U.K. and became available here. At that time I was 52 and told that I needed a new hip. I went to see an orthopaedic surgeon and as I was leaving his surgery he asked if I’d heard of ‘hip resurfacing’ and suggested I look it up on the internet, which I duly did.

This looked ‘wonderful’ for somebody still comparatively young because it was less ‘destructive’ and involved ‘resurfacing’ the femoral head rather than cutting it off. So of I went to look for ‘forums’ to find out more about this ‘new’ surgery. Yes, of course I found them because several thousand people had already had the ‘new procedure’ and it was being heralded as the best thing since sliced bread.

I should mention that at this point the procedure was not available in the USA, as it wasn’t approved by the FDA?, or in Canada and so people were coming over here for the surgery.

So off I went to see one of the top surgeons who had developed this method and duly booked myself in. It was wonderful! I had my life back! Off I went on my merry way still expounding the great merits of this surgery.

In time the procedure was cleared by NICE and the FDA and many thousands of people had the procedure in the USA as well as here. However, problems started to arise in time. Metal ions were being released into the blood stream because the resurfacing involved metal on metal parts. The rate of failure of the prostheses began to grow and seemed to be higher than with traditional hip replacement. I should however, also say, that there are many people still happy with their choice of resurfacing. But then other problems arose.

I was diagnosed with sepsis in 2007. I had had my resurfacing for over six years at the time. The infection went to my hip, as infection will usually attack a prosthetic in the body. Problem then arose that this great ‘new’ surgery was far more difficult to remove and replace than the traditional hip replacement.

Rather than bore you with the details of the outcome it does make me wonder if we aren’t too quick to criticise NICE because it seems to work at a snails pace. I appreciate that following BSD is unlikely to cause any major problems in the future but we really don’t know how it will affect all individuals. It may be fine if you’re relatively healthy to start but have diabetes. It may not be if you have other medical problems as well. Another problem could arise if people start self medicating by taking themselves off medication.

We just don’t know the long term outcome of BSD. We have made our decisions but I don’t think it’s up to us, as laymen, to ‘push’ for government approval.

Ps well done on your fantastic progress KrysiaD

Just thought of another one! Pants no longer fold down and rub uncomfortably under my belly bulge! 🙂 (plus fbg reading of 4.8 this morning) going in next week to have full blood readings. Diabetic nurse has given me a chance to see what effect the diet has before discussing meds. My last hbac (sp) was 53 – not good! – so fingers crossed it will be lower. Positive thinking to all!

Good morning BSDers and welcome to all newcomers,

Dusdavi, I was ravenously hungry the first week probably because of giving up carbs. Trust me, it gets better quite quickly and the fast weight loss is immediately rewarding…it’s one reason why I choose to weigh everyday.

I use the recipes from the book mostly at weekends. I still have a huge appetite which I assuage with lots of green veggies which I eat with plain grilled meat or fish. Our bbq is under cover so we bbq a lot. Having said that pork with mustard sauce is one of our favourite dishes. I also love stir fries but use a small amount of sesame oil and no sauces.

My husband has found his evening red wine difficult to give up just now so he hasn’t but is still losing weight (neither of us are disbetic, just fat and unhealthy). He eats eggs for breakfast..omelette with mushrooms or ham or cheese, or scrambled with a little bacon. He eats lunch and dinner with me but he doesn’t snack at all whereas I do.

If you like fish, it’s a winner, so filling.

These are just things I’ve found out on the way but in many ways the process reminds me of giving up smoking and I’ve adopted the same coping mechanisms.

Lindarina, I feel your pain…pizza was my favourite food, used to love family pizza nights. You could make something different for you but personally I would change the menu…mexican night with chili con carne or indian night..lightly spiced kebabs etc or home made burger nights! Good luck.

Granny, good luck with the weigh in!

The Long Read from The Guardian is an extract from the Gary Taubes book on sugar.

Have a good day everyone.

I think that the NHS and Big Pharma are getting a hard ride in these fora.

The Newcastle study is the first realistic scale clinical study into this and it is still on-going. Policy should be driven by clinical evidence, not anecdote.

The BSD is hard and it will not suit everyone. It does require willpower and on-going application. We see people come and go from the site and can only assume some of them must have given up. What would the NHS-bashers suggest happen to these people?

The Pharmaceutical industry is a serious of profit driven organisations, but research is wildly expensive and the results far from guaranteed. If they didn’t fund the research who will? We know people don’t vote for increased taxes so it’s not the public sector.

Rant over. Have a good day.

To be honest most of the alternatives to pizza have neither the taste nor texture – I would suggest that you just have something different and leave the pizzas to the others.

Thanks to all for advice on higher bs readings when ill. Just hoping it doesn’t affect my 3 monthly blood averages too much, had been hoping for a stonking result and a meds review. Interesting, though. Hadn’t realised how high readings must have been affecting me previously but I really feel the difference now I know what ‘normal’ is.

Snotty nose and runny eyes have gone but Cough proving hard to shift – ribs sore! – and foolishly went out in cold damp air late yesterday afternoon so will need to take it easy today and minimise stress on body. Going to try some meditation and extra rest, see if that helps!

Well done to everyone reporting such great progress, great to see so many firmly back on track. MKx

I use my fitness pal to count calories, and it also counts carbs, fat, salt and protein. I did new atkins last year. This restricts carb grams and I tried to stick to 20g per day. Carbs were counted but not calories. I did lose weight, but not nearly as much as my diet buddy. Unfortunately I had to stop as my cholesterol hit 7.7. New atkins is low carb, high fat and in my opinion didn’t have enough veg for it to be healthy..

I’ve skim read the book but couldn’t find a list of what you can and can’t eat other than the table of foods with gi values. The premise appears to be that you follow calorie counted recipies which generally omit starchy carbs and sugars. I suspect that where there are high gi foods in recipies, these are combined with other foods e.g. Fat and protein which bring the gi and calorie value of the meal within an acceptable limit.

So I’ve taken from this the can eat food list is brightly coloured low gi fruit and veg, lean protein, full fat dairy, nuts, pulses and healthy oil.
The can’t eat list is pasta, white rice, pastry, bread, sweets, cake, beer.
It also says avoid alcohol but a case studiy showed weight loss with whisky. New atkins allowed spirits after the first 2 weeks. Wine, beer and liqueurs have carbs. Some say the Mediterranean diet includes moderate amounts of red wine. I’ll try to hold off on this for as long as possible.

DAY 4 … WEEK 2

Good morning/evening

Another weekend approaching and they are often more difficult for me. I suppose change of routine throws a few of us out and makes mindless eating a little easier. I think I need to re-read the book again for motivation, and the recipe book for inspiration. It’s funny how sometimes you can makes lots of new and interesting meals and at other times you just seem to be repeating the same old same old.

I haven’t tried the kalettes that I bought yet so I may use them for lunch. We are eating Indian tonight but I have that under control now, no starter, chicken tikka with salad and mint and yogurt sauce. Does the trick for me without too many carbs.

Think I’m rambling now! Have a good day.

Hi team,
Day six,

I was asked about my attitude to bsd. and my health.etc

I got to explain that, you know when there is an exercise video. And there are a row of fit skinny models. Then ther is the big girl at the back doing the modified version. Well, I am she.
I feel everyone is zooming away with bsd. And I am at the back doing a modified version. A toned down version.

I wish I was in the front line, I would LOVE that.
But
I am still thankful, I am on the video at all. That I can still do the modified version.
Something is better than nothing.

So gang, join me on the back row, let’s do what we can, and
SMILE For the camera.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

I recently came across this product at our local supermarket. Starting the BSD on Jan 9th and wondered if this would be acceptable on the eating plan?

Today is going to be a though one. Every friday is family pizza and boardgame night. I ned to find a pizza that fit into the diet. Maybe pottobello or aubergine as the base?

Maharani kitten -re: higher bg when ill -my 2 cents is stress – not the anxiety emotion stuff but the illness itself being stressful – I read something about an ICU doc watching all the patients blood sugars (diabetic or not) and treating them w/insulin if elevated – incidence of infection and overall mortality dropped lower than on other units – sounds like he was treating elevated sugars as a symptom ….. interesting stuff – medicine is just beginning to scratch the surface of this. Feel better !!

700g down overnight. Very happy. Farewell mince pie-induced stomach lard.

Another 1.5kg to go until I get down to the lowest BSD weight I have been so far….and only another 25-30kgs after that to goal weight 🙂 Eeeek. (Still going to take it three at a time and plod along slowly. A marathon not a sprint. A marathon not a sprint….)

Margaret – sounds nasty! Hoping you feel better soon. Maybe stay away from any remaining sprouts 🙂

Pat – have a better day. You can do it. Success breeds success – draw on your willpower and it will start to get easier.

Sarah x

I picked up a Xiaomi Mi-Band 2 from Amazon for less than 40 euros. It tells the time, counts steps (and calories burned), measures heart rate, tracks sleep, and gives notifications of SMS, Facebook and Whatsapp. It’s a real bargain for what it does. I’m extremely pleased with it so far, and will be sticking with it until I splash out on an Apple watch for a special occasion!