Welcome Rhodie – I just started yesterday too.

Congratulations on your new job, what a motivator to stick to the BSD that will be. Please keep us all posted on how you get on.

Hello everyone – nice to “meet you all” and nice to see that there are others starting out this week too. Great motivating comments in this forum so I do hope you don’t mind me joining in. I’m 5ft 3″ and need to lose over 50lbs (eek) – one of the many motivating factors… I’m starting a new job in 8 weeks (perfect timing 🙂 ). One of the tasks in my new job is (from time to time) getting into a swimming pool to support young adults with disabilities – which means getting into a swimming costume (gulp!). Soooo, started the BSD yesterday (with hubby) to try and shift some of the excess weight. Not sure that I will do the 50lbs in the 8 weeks but am hoping to make a big dent in the number. I am definitely heading towards diabetes being short (excuse the pun) of the tall genes and am currently feeling very lethargic, not sleeping very well etc etc. I want to have LOTS of energy for my new job! I’ve been on every diet out there but having read the BSD book am feeling this is the right way of eating for me. Snekker, I’m going to take a leaf out of your book and take my measurements tonight and I look forward to hearing about everyone’s progress over the coming weeks.

Hey China2013,
I lost 10 kg last year during term 3.
I found that I survived better by holding out for breakfast till recess, lunch straight after school and dinner around 8.
In Mosley’s 5:2 book he talks a bit about the benefits of fasting.
I must say, I am missing the wine but it is so much easier on the holidays.
Drinking so much water and teaching can be a bit tricky😀
Which country are you located?

Hello all – or at least anyone who’s still here on this thread!

Reporting back in after a couple of off weeks where I’ve not been focusing on BSD stuff at all. As such I’ve also seen yet another weight gain so now realise I have to not only get back on the wagon but stay there. Said it all before, of course, but maybe this time it will stick? I’m re-reading the book and am now on the “sorting out your head” chapter, which seems apt and timely for where I am right now! I also need to do a big shop and stock up on some BSD-friendly supplies so it feels like this is a good time to do some meal planning and thinking ahead.

How’s everyone else getting on? Inspire me please with your thoughts, progress, ideas – anything!

Thanks Daisiesmum – no idea what it is but it’s not going to derail me – when I think of how far I’ve come and how great I feel in my clothes and in my general fitness, I’m very proud of my achievements and very thankful for all the support I’ve received from this forum – I am using the philosophy that out bodies fluctuate naturally for no reason so a couple of pounds either way is natural and I@m just going to have to get out of the mindset that a gain is bad – as long as I can lose it again I’m happy 🙂

Hi Marinecole

Sorry to hear about your injury, and hope it improves soon. I know what back problems are like, so you have my utmost sympathy. You could try eating more olives, nuts, avocados, flaxseeds etc, as the oils from these have an anti-inflammatory effect. You may also need a bit of extra protein to help muscle / ligament healing. Fish oils also have anti-inflammatory properties, so increasing your intake of oily fish would cover both protein and anti-inflammatories.

Also, turmeric has wonderful healing properties and many of my friends swear by Turmeric (or Golden) Paste – google it for recipes.There is nothing in it that wouldn’t totally fit in with the BSD – my friends’ recipe consists of turmeric, coconut oil, black pepper and water. You can add it to anything you like – drinks, eggs etc.

Hope this helps and you are well on the way to recovery soon.

Hi Cazza,
I had a similar issue and as I’m not diabetic it was suggested that I increase my carbs a little ( I had cut them down to 20g) and taking them to 50g worked beautifully. Don’t go over though or you’ll end up with carb cravings….just as bad as hunger!

Aw, topcac, you don’t think it could just be the weight of the food in your system do you? Our bodies are funny things. I only ate 500 cals yesterday (back on a version of 5:2 now) and weighed the same this morning as I did yesterday. Over the weekend however, I had a bit of a struggle keeping within my BSD calorie count and yet still lost weight. Don’t despair, weight isn’t necessarily fat. I hope you have better news soon.

Chrysalis, I watched that Michael Mosley talk on youtube last evening after reading your suggestion, thank you. He is positively evangelical about this diet, mainly to try and stop the diabetes epidemic!

So far so good for me, though only on my second day. First day went well and I weighed myself this morning to find I had lost 3lbs 🙂 I know this is only water, but very encouraging, and I am actually enjoying the food – my ratatouille last night was delicious. Just had full fat Greek yoghurt and blueberries for a rather late breakfast (always walk the dogs first) and it felt quite decadent, like eating a bowl full of double cream!! I may skip lunch and have an early supper instead – tossing up between mushroom omelet or avocado and prawns! Then maybe a few nuts if I feel ravenous during the evening. Decisions, decisions 🙂

Didn’t find having no wine too challenging as O/H always practises Dry January, so he wasn’t drinking alcohol either. It may be a bit more of a challenge come February when he starts again, but by then I am hoping I will be well into the rhythm of the BSD and not craving it. Though the friends who inspired me to try this didn’t give up alcohol during their 8 weeks, just cut down to one glass of whisky (him) and one glass of white wine (her) per day, so if I do get tempted occasionally, I won’t beat myself up.

I have now set up my new scales and apparently have a BMI of 29.3, body fat of 33%, and water content of 49% so I will monitor that weekly and see how it goes (hoping the first two figures go down and the third goes up!). I have also set up my pedometer, and I would recommend using one – you kind of try to outdo yourself when you can actually see how many steps you are taking, and I keep looking at it to check how I am doing, though I’m sure the novelty will wear off. So far today – and it’s only 11am – I have achieved 5,919. To be fair, most of that was walking the dogs, so the rest of the day will probably only be a few additional hundred.

I’m feeling fine, though legs were a little wobbly going up the last hill towards home on my walk due to lack of calories, but fully recovered now, and guess my body will soon adapt. Not feeling carb flu though, or irritable, but those joys may be waiting just around the corner……….

Hope you all have a great day, and looking forward to hearing how everyone else is doing.

Hi Cazza – sorry to hear that things aren’t going well for you. There’s a few things you could try:

Eat more of your calories as fat – fat has a wonderful effect on appetite and things like cheese, nuts and cream will hopefully keep you feeling fuller for longer
Arrange to do something straight after a meal – walk or make a phonecall to a friend – usually it’s habit that makes us want to carry on eating.
Increase your intake of water – especially hot drinks like herbal or fruit tea – these have an appetite supressing effect too
Have a really good look at the carb content of what you’re eating – sometimes those hidden or uncounted carbs raise our blood sugars and kick start our appetite again.
If it’s still relevant, check where you are on your menstrual sycle too – sometimes that can have an effect, especially as you found week 1 OK.
and don’t worry – it may be that you will need a bit more time to get used to it – I’m on week 19 and I could still happily chomp through a chair leg some days!!!

Hope that helps x

Hi
On week 3 (of 4) of my yearly BSD maintenance, going well. However, I have manage to cause some muscle or ligament damage to my lower back whilst training and this injury is persisting. I am wondering if the the low calories and hence low nutrients is affecting my recovery. Anybody have a position or advise on this?

thanks

AC

AAARRRGGHH – week one of trying to get the last 4lbs off and I’ve managed to put on 1.25lbs!! I turned the air blue in my bathroom yesterday. I weighed on Saturday and had lost 3/4lb so dipped under 9st and hit an all time low. Was chuffed to bits…But I went out to dinner on Saturday and thought I’d been so sensible, steak, seasonal veg, creamy mushrooms, no dessert and just a small glass of Chilean Merlot (which was fab btw) and a naughty cappucino – logged it all – 1400 cals for the day and 40g carbs – weighed in yesterday (my normal day) and had put 2lbs on!! WHAT THE…….???

Can’t explain it – not going to try – maybe it’s the gym, building muscle, maybe wine doesn’t like me, maybe I didn’t drink enough water on the weekend – it’s certainly a very fine balancing act. Anyway – back on the 800 since Sunday, gym again this morning, run row, swim, sauna 🙂 – legs feel like lead lol but I WILL give this last few pounds a chance before I admit defeat and stick at 9st as my target….

Lovely to hear all your encouraging news – keep it coming, onwards an downwards
TC xxx

Morning to all you fabulous losers, maintainers and loggers and joggers and those just starting out but sticking like glue to it!

Been frantic the last few days so apologies for not posting. Was delighted at a sneaky weigh in on Saturday (had to, as I was going out to eat and it tends to keep me on the straight and narrow) when I dipped 3/4 lb under 9 stone – fabulous. Was out for dinner on Saturday and logged everything for the day, totalling 1400 cals and 40 carbs – not bad. Back on it Sunday but grumpy to say the least that I put on 2lbs in those two days when I weighed yesterday (and today – in hope but not to be)….what the….???

I’ve driven myself mad trying to figure out why – if I can’t even eat 1400 cals on a special night out without piling on the pounds I really despair of ever going out to eat again! Wine maybe? I put my current weight and other stats into FatSecret and to maintain it’s telling me to eat 1700 calories a day!!! Fat chance (pardon the pun). I’ll be the side of a small barn if I do that. So…back on 800 for the next few days – and start again on this maintaining lark…upped my water, went to the gym Sunday and today – is it REALLY true that muscle weighs more than fat?…..keep on keeping on 🙂

Sound like a lovely pair!!! But yes the vast majority of nurses really are wonderful.

I started 800cal three weeks ago. First week was wonderful and only had a headache day 1. I was not hungry at all and felt great. Good weight loss. Week two tougher as appetite was more obvious but managed to get through. Week 3 got harder and harder… I’m so discouraged that I’m not feeling satisfied like I did, straight after eating I get this almost constant hunger ache… anxiety is kicking in. I’m on heaps of medications so not sure if something needs to stop. Dr away until next week… Not sure what to do…. don’t want this to fail too. Help

Ha ha, VERANO, I hope your new nurse is an enthusiast with a positive outook. A few years ago when I was going through cancer treatment I had a very dour nurse, I found out later that other staff used to refer to her as “the grim reaper”… and then there was Scarey Mary… 🙂

But hey, these miseries only stand out because of the outstanding work and attitudes of all the wonderful nurses we usually encounter. Well done nurses, we salute you!

Thank you, Weeble 😉

Getyour carbon…well said. A good reminder of why we are all here.

Good for you Angela06, some of the small things become the big things don’t they? Well done 🙂
A silly thing that I’ve noticed is that I have more freezer space now that I’m not storing cartons of ice cream and loaves of bread! 🙂 More room for frozen vegetables…. 🙂

Hi all just wondering if anyone is on instagram documenting their journeys ?
Thought it might be encouraging to read/see pics from everyone elses experiences
Pls post below if you have an instagram account i could follow 🙂
Mine is dottiemay88

It’s one heck of a slog and the motivation can wear off in week 2
I’m 17 days in and feel good having ditched my beloved Carbs
I was married to them and wasn’t prepared for a trial seperation !
I remind myself that 800 is 800 and Mr Mosley would shake his head if I started saying 1000 cals here and 950 there is doing what the book says
I find reminding myself that I have dates where I have social events where I want to attend being 7kg lighter , really motivates me when I get the incredible hunger

Stick with it guys and let’s be posting on here in 5 weeks saying how well we’ve done rather than seeing how well others have done

My very first NSV was being able to cut the nails on my small toes myself instead of asking husband! It was a really big deal.

Being able to fit comfortably into hairdresser’s chairs and the gown was the second.

And being able to walk faster and bend over easier. Small but important victories!

Thanks so much SunnyB, glad to know that im not alone!!! 🙂

bloke41, I use apple cider as a salad dressing. The idea of drinking it has never really appealed, even with all the additions you mention. How’s your gout doing? That’s a horrible thing to suffer from. Has the vinegar had an impact on that?

I feel like I’m still in recovery after the festive season, which goes on till 6 January here. And we didn’t even do or eat as much as we normally would. Partly I think it’s to do with the weather (we’ve had weeks of freezing fog) and the short days. It’s been sunny these last few days, though cold, and I’m starting to look forward to spring already. I reckon my metabolism and mood start to pick up around the end of February. So I might pass on the vinegar and just hold on a bit longer!

Have a great week everyone.

I started with Greek yoghurt and berries but now I have a mug of tea when I get up and a coffee with a glug of cream mid morning and though I’m ready for lunch at 12.30 I’m actually not as hungry as when I was eating. Strange. This gives me more calories for later as round 4pm I really could eat a horse.

Hi everyone, its been lovely reading your posts, I have concentrated hard on the plan over the last week, and last Saturday was the same weight as before Christmas less the dinkiest amount, too small to get excited about but it was down a little, I have been on a plateau and have tried over the last few days to focus on the meals instead of eating what I thought was right, I have made some of the recipes on this site and made the salmon and cheese muffins (which were a breakfast suggestion but I don’t eat breakfast, ) so, I had one for lunch with spinach or salad or veg from the bbq in the night before, delicious and filling. The evening meals have all been bbq related, meat and veg really as its been too hot to cook in the flat, 38 in the shade today and no air conditioning, we went around to our daughters and sat in the paddling pool with grandson and granddaughter, lovely. Well done fairyface, I will be really delighted if anyone notices my weight loss, but its only 11 lbs and I don’t really look different except I have a thinner waist, lovely when I am wearing shorts, they now fit. I had to buy a smaller size dress yesterday and that was a rare thing to happen to me. How are you doing Margaret, are you still on the plateau it will pass as we all know, but to be honest Christmas was gorgeous but it certainly caused a lot of us a problem in either weight gain or a plateau or me just not settled and hungry, but that has passed and hopefully the weight will go down for this weigh in. We go on holiday with the family for a week for Australia Day and my birthday (one and the same day), but I will have control of what I will be eating as we have an airbnb. I really liked your advice mixnmatch, so sensible and it really helps. Sarah I hope you have had fun with friends, its so hot here, I could do with a little bit of chilly weather! Love to all. X

Welcome aboard Mayroko – carb withdrawal affects us all in different ways, but I don’t think being moody and grumpy is exceptional. Our bodies will demand the carbs in the early days, causing all sorts of transient problems – headaches, moodiness, flu like symptoms, dizziness, terrible hunger pangs etc. The first weeks can be made all the tougher, by having to ride out these symptoms, but be assured that they will pass and once they have, you will start to notice the benefits other than weight loss from the BSD.

Stick with it, it will all pass in a few days. Let us know how you get on and shout if you need advise or support, there are lots of lovely folks on the forum who can offer wise words and encouragement. Good Luck!

Sorry to hear you didn’t see a loss last week Inka, but fingers crossed for this week. I admit, I was surprised to find I had a loss, considering the birthday celebrations. The dinner was lovely thanks – salt and pepper squid in a tempura batter, followed by slow roast belly pork with cabbage braised with bacon and chestnuts. Couldn’t manage dessert, but did have a slice of chocolate torte the following day!

Well done on achieving the new low Mixnmatch and good luck with another loss this week, to get you closer to that final goal.

The cracker flavouring sounds good Rosy. I still have quite a few left from my last batch, but I’m thinking of mixed herbs for the next one – my most recent batch had caraway seeds and some white poppy seeds.

Please keep posting your progress, ideas and encouragement everyone. Good luck for a really successful week.

Mixnmatch
Congrats on getting back to your lowest weight since your honeymoon.

Weigh in this morning 9stone 6.75lbs. Up a quarter pound from last week – which is absolultely fine. Have been working quite hard at building more lean muscle mass so I think that even though I am maintaining my weight I am still gradually losing fat as the muscle slowly builds.

Goal for the last week of this challenge is to lose that quarter pound.

Verano – I do hope your new nurse will be really pleased with your progress and is much more encouraging of your efforts.

I love vegetarian sausages. I’m in Australia and get the Sanitarium brand. One of those with some grilled mushroomsand a couple of tablespoons of baked beans is really filling.
I grill the mushrooms in my sandwich press (in baking paper), the beans take 45 seconds in the microwave, and the sausage about a minute in the microwave, so its quick and easy.
This morning I had a poached egg instead of the sausage.
Other options could be smoothies? I had one last week with avocado, baby spinach and frozen berries, it was quite filling.

Well done on the weight loss so far China2013 🙂 I am only 3 days in and not going to weigh myself until the end of week 1, but so far so good (we’ll sort of, had a couple of glasses of wine last night 😬). I was REALLY hungry yesterday morning between breakfast and lunch, and again in the late afternoon. So today I took a couple of snacks to work (using calories from lunch & dinner). One was 9 almonds, the other a couple of tablespoons of Greek yoghurt with 2 chopped up strawberries. I was really busy at work today and didn’t need a snack in the morning, but was grateful to have them in the afternoon/evening. The other thing I did was made a big pot of veggie soup (low carb before, stock cube and water) and divided it up into containers. Each container is 45 calories, and I’m keeping some at work and some at home! I would rather use 45 cals for soup than be tempted by the vending machines! I didn’t need to eat it today, who would in 42 degree heat though!
This evening when I got home from work I poured some sparkling water into a wine glass with ice cubes, a squeeze of lime and a slice of lime. Then I sat down and sipped it slowly –
it seemed to have the same relaxing affect as my usual glass of wine 🙂 not sure if this would work after a really stressful day, but worth a try.

Well done to everyone still posting on this thread. There are some really inspiring results. I haven’t seen granny for a while. How are you, Granny?

My weekly weigh-in 1.7kg down.

I’m a touch disappointed but down is definitely good!

Maybe because it’s January and cold but I’m finding the second round harder than the first. I do need to go back to weighing foods and to put a stop to grazing. I’ve gone back to thinking if I eat something standing up it doesn’t count!

Wishing you all a great low carb week. Angela

Hi all i started the bsd on monday, total newbie im 28 and have put on a lot of weight with my 3 babies. Starting weight is 92.8 kg. Goal weight is 60-65kg.
Just wondering if anyone has been super grumpy / moody on the first couple of days of this diet??!
Thanks 🙂

Well done with the exercise, Janet, and with the Christmas decoration project. I really do enjoy the whole Christmas thing but I do actually like the house when the decorations are down again. It always seems a good start to the new year!

My peak, in fact there are two because I did my weekly weigh in this morning and am down 1.7kg, not a huge amount but the trend is still down and the second peak is that I remembered to put my tracker on so have done and recorded the steps.

The pit…thought I was getting a cold yesterday but feel ok today. I hope your husband is on a short trip away. My husband used to travel to Seattle frequently and because it was so far, he’d be gone a few weeks at a time. I always hated it so I sympathise with you.

How are you finding the second round? For me it lacks the dynamism of the first…it’s more of a slog this time.. I really need to weigh my foods..I’m starting to graze and weighing keeps me honest. I’m also trying to forget that ideally I probably need to lose another 25kgs. Horrors!

Have a good day. Angela

LAST WEEK !!

Hi everyone

Well done Daisiesmum ….. another on bites the dust!!! Hope you get on well with your appointment.

I just heard that our ‘misery’ of a nurse has retired WHOOPPEEEE! Hopefully now there will be some encouragement from the new nurse rather than a dour nod to any progress. In fact, it’s quite lifted my mood which has been a bit low these last few days.

Last week already! It’s good to hear of all those reaching target or being almost there. Well done! Those of us who are struggling a little but still hanging on still need a pat on the back. We haven’t given in!

Just 7 days to go now so we have to …. keep on keeping on ……

Have a good day.

Btw…Like Snekker I think it is a good idea to do measurements at the start as from what I have been reading you can lose inches when you don’t necessarily seem to be losing the pounds 😊

Weighed in- only 3/4lb off and half an inch off my waist so I’m at a plateau. I think I’m ok with that- would have been nice to get the stone but I’m remembering those trousers fitting!! This is my new way of life so no going back. Have a lovely day BSD fellows x

I had to go on a diet to fit into mine, and put on a stone on my honeymoon. (In california, huge portions! Loads of carbs.) Looking forward to a lovely indulgent time trying it on again though (I could fit into it now, I am fitter than I was then, but the anticipation is my motivation to make this work long term).

Four weeks in and 1 stone lost. If I can maintain even 1 to 2 lbs per week loss I’d be delighted.
Started using smaller plates and dishes last week. I find it helps with portion control, especially with breakfast. My favourite is Alpro natural yogurt with mixed berries. I was definitely eating too much but the smaller bowl has checked that. Wish I could weigh all my food but my work is at 500 mph and there just doesn’t seem to be the time. Is that just a big excuse though?

Hi last pushers, my weigh in was this morning and I have hit a new low, 10 stone 13.2, which is only 1 kg off my final target, although I want to get a few pounds lower than that to give me some wriggle room. I am currently aiming for 10 stone 8 so only 5.2 pounds to go to that. I will increase my calories again slightly this week from 1400 average this week, although keeping the carbs very low for now. I have until April to get this target met and maintenance on an even keel, so plenty of time. 😀

Wow mixnmatch, you go girl! I was about 3st overweight when I married, so my wedding dress was the proverbial giant meringue! Well done you, such exciting news.

Mixnmatch and Daisiesmum, congratulations on your brilliant results, you must be so happy! X

You’re human, it happens. Simply put the day behind you and carry on, nothing is broken or spoilt. Treat the week as a 6:1 with 6 good days and one relaxed day, and just concentrate on keeping on keeping on. The wagon doesn’t move very fast so it is easy to hop back on.

Week 3 day 1, hello! 12lbs lost in two weeks, leaves me a further 9lbs over the next 6 weeks to meet my 10% target of 21lbs, which is feeling definitely possible.
Gym again today.
Lunch will be chili soup and dinner something with chicken. Cream in coffee for breakfast as usual.
Have a good day everyone!

Wahey, made it back under 11 stone for only the second day since my honeymoon today at 10 stone 13.2, and just 2.2 pounds off my long term target of 10 stone 11, which is also the nice round (or hourglass) figure of eight stone lost in total. Currently solidly in BMI healthy weight if only just as well. Still going slowly on a kind of 6:1 at the moment, with the six days at 1600 calories ish and one fast day at 800. Keto calculator still tells me my average of 1450 is a large deficit still so I am very gradually ramping it up to work out what my TDEE is, while still avoiding the white stuff. I want to overshoot my target for a little bit of wriggle room, the last thing I want to do is get to April and have to do another major fast to get into my wedding dress. 😀😀😀😀😀

Tuesday morning weigh in and I am pleased to report I am back down to my lowest weight since my honeymoon again, this time at 10 stone 13.2. That leaves me just 1 kg or 2.2 pounds from my ‘official’ target of what I weighed when I got married, which was 10 stone 11. I do want to overshoot that weight a little so my rebound leaves me still under 11 stone until the end of April when I have a date with my wedding dress trying on session for my 25th wedding anniversary. Delighted to have this as a new low for now though, onwards and downwards! 😀

So, we have got past blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year, when Christmas and holidays are over.
The decorations are down making the home look dull.
Credit card bills arrive and you find out just how much Christmas cost.

So let’s rub a little bit of positivity on it.

The more we walk, the less bus fares and petrol/diesel we use. The money you save, out it away for Christmas.
The more we go out and get fresh air, the less we are in the house, and we are getting vitamin D for free (daylight or sunshine).

So, there we have it, the BS Diet solves all sorts of problems 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💰💰💰💷💷💷💷💰💵💶💰💴💶💷💶💴

Now, how about another challenge?
You have a bin or waste paper basket?
Scrunch up a quarter page of the news paper, aim and try and get it in the basket. If it’s easy move it away. Don’t go hard and make sure your favourite ornament isn’t near.

Why I hear you ask.
Hand and eye coordination. And you have to bend and stretch to pick it up.
And it’s fun.

Don’t forget to recycle the paper though.

Love Lucia
Xxxxx

Brilliant results Daisiesmum, good luck this afternoon at the docs.

Good morning fellow BSDers. Once again thank you all for your congratulations. The forums certainly helped to keep me motivated, provide hints and tips. It’s great to have virtual friends.

I was doing the happy dance on the inside yesterday and still am. HOowever my celebration was brought sharply into perspective when I heard that the father of a dear friend and neighbour passed away yesterday morning. He was a lovely man and my friend was his carer, he will be greatly missed.

Today is official weigh in, and I am still the same as yesterday : 123.6lbs or 8st 11.6lb. I plan to keep my weight just under 9st now. My maintenance plan is to increase protein (according to the fitness app I use to log my food, I need more), increase fat a little, more vegetables and slightly increase my good carbs – a few more chickpeas and lentils. I can’t imagine ever going back to carb based meals -yuk!

My Doctor’s appointment is late afternoon today. I hope that I will at least be able to reduce meds!

Here’s wishing everyone a HAPPY BSD Tuesday!

Good morning, just getting up on the first day after my holiday and three square meals a day. I have put on 3lb in the 12 days which I am happy about- I didn’t count calories and had the odd glass of wine and my daytime blood sugars were good though the fasting morning reading was stubbornly 6.5. This morning it is 5.6 which cheers me up a lot as I thought it was really never going to move! Phew.