This is a popular thread…it’s so nice to meet such like minded people. Congratulations to all losers out there and to all those who’ve made the decision to adopt a great eating plan.

This is my second 8 week stint having lost 11kg last autumn and I’m happy to be back in control…usually…but today has been really painful, I’ve been absolutely consumed by the desire to eat any and everything. I’m feeling a little better just now having lunched but may have to go out so I don’t consume the contents of the fridge.

For dinner last night I had white fish with some lentil dahl. If i eat carbs it’s normally at lunchtime so I wonder if the timing derailed me. Anyway I won’t be having my lentils in the evening again…i have them once a week because of the benefits they bring.

Have a great Sunday afternoon.

He is such a snob, bob bon dish indeed

sunshine-girl……I have just spit my cuppa out laughing about your husbands comments.

I have had my first proper…..you have lost weight Fairyface……:-) from someone I have not seen for two years.

Frog / Krysia I dont even like chocolate much except my 85% very dark which I have one square per day after dinner but it is my hand that just dips when it shouldn’t. We went to Portugal with the family last year and my daughter emptied a big bag of Haribo sweets into a bowl and left them on the sideboard and I reckon I ate at least 3 or 4 a day and that can add up.

I had a bad night last night and drank about 3 glasses of wine and it showed on the scales this morning knocking off the half pound I had lost the day before. I had an upsetting conversation with my best friend and we had a disagreement, that was around 11pm on Skype so I should have just gone to bed but I cried a lot and turned to the wine. Silly girl that I am.

Anyway, I might not have a best friend anymore but I still have to think about my health instead of wallowing. BG 88 (4.8) and weight still down 1.75 lbs.

Lovely reading all your updating posts.
I have just been calorie counting this week having to use up leftovers & tried to really limit my carbs but my husband has been eating leftover Christmas pudding with brandy butter, Christmas cake & nuts!
Weigh in on day 7. I have lost 3 & 3/4 lbs & disappointed but couldn’t manage a daily 800 calories more like 950!!
My husband has gained 3lbs giving himself more leeway trying to maintain his weight with bloods up to 11!
I suspect that has been caused by the pudding & cake & that some of the weight gain is water but I’ve recommended he gain extra calories this week by going back to low carb & eating breakfast instead.
I must admit on the vegetables & fruit front we are going back to BSD ones but I do like sweetcorn & mango & my husband will go back to eating oranges. So I suppose I’m going to be low carb & calorie counting to 800 days because I am not very good at identifying & counting carb “points”. I know it’s a bit of a compromise but it’s what I can manage & I am not pre-diabetic & just want to lose my extra weight.
Good luck everyone for the second week😀👍👍🍀🍀🍀 onwards & downwards!

Going! Not bing! Terrible typing skills.

Tyrefighting, how are you going? I realised my answer to you a while ago didn’t post but was so interested to hear about your time in Australia. Hope all is bing well at your end and you are still fighting the good fight!

Congratulations on your mini goals everyone, or just for keeping on going, which is massive!
Maharani kitten and Linda, I’m another Capricorn, I’m on the 13th! Happy birthday to you both this week and may all your BSD wishes come true!!

Hi Determinedthistime, so glad you tried the rosehip oil is working, it’s great stuff, starting my third bottle!
I’m having a similar pattern as you, a great day or two and the scales going in the right direction then the next day I seem to lose my head completely and eat every carb in sight!! Fortunately my husband is back to work tomorrow so that might help me ditch the holiday mentality and make me focus! Will start with a batch of broccoli and cheddar soup and some zucchini fritters do I have no excuse to raid the white bread!!
Wishing you a very successful week and I look forward to hearing how you are going.
You are so right, this does work, it can be done!!
Good luck to everyone on this thread as we head into a new week, the positivity and shared stories and support are the only thing keeping me going some days!!

I casually started on Wednesday. I avoided sugar and starchy carbs whilst I read the book. My shop arrived Friday, and I attempted a soup from the book which was really good. i have done atkins twice before, so am not unfamiliar with low carb eating. I’m hoping this will be easier as I can eat more veg and fruit and suspect having less animal protein/more pulses will keep my cholesterol from peaking. I have retained the use of almond milk over cows milk as I now prefer the taste. It’s also low in carbs. I’ve also been using slim noodles (0 carbs and 20 calories) and almond muffins. I’m hoping that I will be able to make more meals from the recipe book next week and feel I have enough energy to add some excercise.

Well done Getyourcarbon to both you and your wife.
I start day 2. I survived the first day!
Most people seem to find day 3 the worst, so I am prepared now if mine ends up on day 4 or 5, thanks for that warning.
Best of luck for the next week
Kate

Suzcaps – I make Kefir every day and as JulesMaigret says it is good with seeds. It is really similar to yoghurt which is included in the BSD.

I particularly like it with ground flaxseeds and I also add Inulin as both give me extra fibre which I need because I still restrict carbs to under 50g. The flaxseeds are a particular favourite of mine and they thicken the Kefir so I can add other things. I often add fage yoghurt or mascarpone cheese as a topping and sprinkle on top of that some flaked almonds. Of course a few blueberries go well on top also. All very healthy and filling.

Verano – great decision regarding the clothes. The charity shop will be really pleased to get the clothes – especially the unworn ones.

I have just discovered frozen ginger at Tesco and it is brilliant – so easy to use. Plus frozen garlic, coriander, mixed herbs and also lemon zest (disclaimer – no I don’t work for Tesco😀)

Sunshine-girl – obviously your husband thinks you are Wonder Woman and would not be in the least tempted by a selection of non BSD chocolate displayed in a bonbon dish.

Clients in my last class on Saturday have known me for many years and have seen all my previous weight losses (and gains). The new non baggy clothes triggered quite a discussion and they commented that I have never lost the weight around my middle before even when I had lost weight in other areas. They said that they have absolutely never ever seen me with a small waist before.

Thinking about it – they are so right. Even though I have lost weight before it has never gone from my middle. I was still restricted to buying clothes that his the rolls of fat around my middle. So pleased that I have found the BSD as it is the only way of eating that works for me and has got rid of the visceral fat. They also said that they have never seen me look so well in all the years they have known me. Another plus for the BSD.

Morning
I started on Jan 1st with my wife
I’ve eaten more soup than her and she eats meat and I don’t

Started at 93.1kg and I have lost 4.1kg : 9lb

My wife had lost 2.5kg and she’s delighted

I had a blow out last night but managed to keep
it to 2000 calories

Felt great at weigh in this morning and stuck to 800 cals today and as i am back to work tomorrow after a Xmas 3 week break I know I am better placed to stick with the plan

I’m 5 ft 11 so to lose 4.1kg in a week is pretty something. A lot of water I’m sure which I can’t lose next week but even if I only lose 1.5kg next week I’m well on track for losing the 16kg in 8 weeks

More salad, more soup, more veg, more Fish, 2 egg omelette with the works and my fav Oats Cocao powder blueberries and plain yoghurt

The worst days were 4 and 5
On day 8 I feel fine as does my wife

Here’s to next Sunday’s weigh in

Well I love cheese and hate sweet potato so that is an easy one!

Reminds me of when I went to a diabetes course a few years ago. The instructor gave me a full-fat product and a low-fat version and asked which one I’d choose. I said the full-fat one because it had less fake stuff in it, I’d just eat less of it. She didn’t like that answer at all!

We have Easter Eggs on the shelves here in Australia too. Ridiculous.

3 days later than hoped but have reached my first mini goal of the year and have dropped into the next stone!!!!

So next goal a smallish one again to lose 4lbs in the next two weeks. Maybe a bit ambitious but will give it my best shot!

Hope you are all well and keeping on keeping on.

I’m not exactly new to BSD but I’ve been off the rails since before Christmas (actually since my son’s birthday cake, I incorrectly thought I could have one slice and get straight back on the diet) so I’m restarting on Monday (again)! For an extra bit of motivation, my twelve-year-old daughter is going gluten-free for three weeks to see if it’s causing her skin problems. We can avoid bread, pasta, biscuits and cake together! But she will still be eating other carbs.

Just a thought AlanNI – the fibre content of the healthy veggies is such an important part of our diet. I have an expensive juicer that completely extracts the fibre from the juice – you would be amazed how much fibre fruit and veg contains. I had to ditch the juicing when I started on insulin because it was scary how much the juice spiked my blood sugar.

I am glad you posted your question because it reminded me that it is tucked away in a cupboard somewhere. I will dig it out and sell it even though, and I know this is probably silly, it makes me feel a bit guilty selling something that could be detrimental to someone’s health.

Hi gang,

You are stranded on an island and you are hungry and find two things to eat BUT you can only pick one.
A sweet potato and a piece of cheese.

One is a vegetable, we are told all veg is healthy sine we were kids
One is dairy, full fat. We are told fat is bad since we were kids.

What would you go for and why.

Oh and you can only have one as this is a weird island and you will find various food dotted around it.
You are not injured.
There are no canibals so it’s not your last meal.
Yes you want to be healthy and fit into your grass skirt and two half cocunut outfit.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

……oh yes, and who would have guessed. Two of my new fave foods are cauliflower rice and courgetti! 🙂

Hi everyone,
Made a start on bed before. Rubbish willpower. Am trying again. Started 7th Jan. Health is motivating factor but I still find it difficult to hold to resolution. Am keeping a diary this time.

Ahh right! I knew I was removing the fibre, and so would have made a very sweet fruit juice that would send blood sugar’s soaring…. But I thought that I’d be in the clear if I stuck to a veg juice for breakfast, to give me (what I thought) was a low cal boost of nutrients!

Morning losers 😉
It is amazing the boost you get when you are part of a group of like minded individuals. This thread does appear to be very popular and even though I have not read every post there is generally a healthy thread of very encouraging ones.
I have found the last week relatively easy to get through with minimal cravings and not many sugar withdrawal symptoms. Admittedly I am relying on coffee to keep me distracted. I know not everyone has it easy in the beginning so I do feel fortunate.
Had my first post start weight in this morning and lost a tad over 3kg in the last six days (started Monday) so quite happy with that. Most of it was water I am sure so managing my expectations for the weeks to come. My wish is to have a loss of 1.5 kg a week which I believe is feasible.
Good wishes to all you fellow losers (really winners) and a big virtual thumbs up. Let’s make this happen.
Noel

A further note to ‘advertising’ and the role it plays. My daughter works in Public Heath, mainly within childrens’ health. Quite a number of years ago she had a mother who thought that by feeding her child ‘a well known brand of chocolate’ every day the child was getting 1 and a half glasses of milk!! I’m sure you all remember that advert.

The food industry does have a lot to answer for, especially with its advertising, but at the end of the day we all need to eat. It is, however, OUR choice as to what we eat, as several people have already pointed out.

Strangely enough I’ve not really thought of this plan as ‘restrictive’. I think that any diet only feels ‘restrictive’ if you are following a plan that ‘deprives’ you. I have never felt deprived eating this way and in fact I think that as time goes on you just don’t miss the simple carbs anymore. I’m not saying that I’m a saint and don’t eat any carby foods anymore but in general they just don’t hold any attraction for me.

We were out in an Indian restaurant a few nights ago. For the first time someone did actually comment on what I was eating. Why aren’t you eating poppadums? You must be starving you’ve had no starter! In fact I had a main meal of chicken tikka and salad and couldn’t finish it! I enjoyed what I had and the company we were with. Where’s the restriction or deprivation in that?

As has been said, it all comes down to personal choice and not the availability or otherwise of certain foods.

Hi all,
I started on the 6th Jan and have just spent a couple of hours reading this entire thread. I can’t recall who wrote it, but I also put on weight before starting a new diet, and I’ve done it again, putting on 3.5kg (7lb) since Christmas Day! I have 64kg (142lb) to lose. I love food and wine and eat way too much. I’m looking at this as a lifestyle change because if I view it as a diet, then I’ll do what I’ve always done and put it all back on again when I fall back into my old habits when I stop the diet.
Saw this quote on the internet…”I’m not losing weight. I’M GETTING RID OF IT. I have no intention of finding it again.”
I use the ‘EasyDietDiary’ app and find it quite intuitive. Day 3 for me today and I have a migraine which I am guessing is down to carb and/or sugar withdrawal. I have set myself a goal of drinking 1litre of water before lunch and another litre before dinner which has worked so far, but then it has been over 30 the last 2 days in Melbourne!
Good luck everyone and thanks for the inspiring and helpful posts.

DAY 6 … WEEK 2

Good morning/evening

I have made a decision to send my now ‘oversized’ clothes to a charity shop. There’s no point in making them smaller as they will never fit properly and I won’t be needing them again as they are ! So even though some are unworn they have to go.

I think I’ve discovered why green tea aids weight loss …. it’s so foul it stops you eating!! Think may try a ginger infusion instead.

Just two days of this week left and then we’re half way through this 4 week fix. If you’re still struggling to get back on track maybe reading a few chapters of the book again might help motivation or for those with pre/diabetes try and watch the Panorama program on Diabetes screened on 3rd October 2016, which I’m sure is available for 12 months from that date.

For those maintaining or losing … great!

Have a good day.

Hi Verano. The guidelines for the challenge say it’s an average of 2.75 miles a day. Realistically I know there are some days when that just won’t happen so I just do what I can, when I can. In a way, its like starting the BSD. Changes to routine/habits, small goals rather than focussing on the final goal, etc. I walked to the next village to a meeting the other day, rather than wait for the bus. Enjoyed the walk and wondered why I not done it before. Admittedly there normally nothing in that village that I would go to, but the bus passes through it in the way to my preferred shopping destination of Durham. So, although I rarely have the time to walk the 7 miles to Durham, I can walk to the next village and catch the bus there. Been checking out local maps for more ideas. Looks like I may sometimes be walking to the supermarkets (4 miles) but bus back with shopping.

Well done Lynne! Looks like you may manage a few 1000 miles this year. I’m sure I read that it was an average of 2.?? miles a week so you’re now into February!!!

Well I am a long term dieter have been on every diet under the sun since I was 16 and am now 62 and I can assure everyone this one works. I feel full and can have a small glass of red wine every night if I want. The recipes are excellent, except for the muffins which are foul and a disaster, so dont bother. My husband and I started the diet on 27 December, I lost 2 kilos and he lost 3 in our first week. In our second week my daughter, who is 20, and not on a diet joined us, I add potato, pasta, rice or bread to her meals and she thoroughly enjoys them. The food is a little expensive for us that live in Western Australia as most things have to be shipped in and locally grown produce is expensive, but what price do you put on your health. I would recommend planning the weekly menu a week in advance and having some hard boiled eggs handy incase you get hungry, as I did after the green tea and blueberry shake. Also dont forget to get in your 10,000 steps a day, I have a border collie so I walk, walk everywhere. Good luck to everyone and will keep you posted to how much, if any weight I loose next week.

Hi Angela06! I hope your cold goes away quickly!!! It’s no fun to be sick. :–(
I caught the virus that is going around here the exact day the semester ended at the college I am a counselor at. I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me. It seems I make it through the semester only to finally get a break and get sick. Ugh!

I try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. If I’m busy around the house I for sure get the steps in but at work I have to work at it to make it to 10,000 steps. I usually go for a walk every hour, in between student appointments with me! Then when I get home, I work out for at least a half hour, depending on how many steps I got in at work. I’m not really sure why 10,000 steps is the magic number but I found this article about it on Google: http://www.livescience.com/43956-walking-10000-steps-healthy.html

My first 8 weeks on the BSD I didn’t do much exercise because I felt weak and very low on energy which is not like me at all! This time around I seem to have lots of energy and working out isn’t hard at all. I think it may be because I’m used to the diet now and I’m eating about 1000 calories a day instead of 800.

PEAK: I got the Christmas tree taken down and the ornaments boxed up. The outside decorations have all been taken down and put away. The household decorations are all in the dining room but I am making progress. I might even get everything finished tomorrow and put away. It will be nice to get that taken care of so when I go back to work on Monday, I won’t have it hanging over my head as something I need to still do. I was really busy today and got in 15,000 steps. My IWatch keeps track for me. I put my watch on this morning at 4:45 am when I got up and now it is 9:15 p and I’m just about ready for bed. On Monday, I will get up at 3:30 am to get ready for work so I’m trying to get myself used to getting up early again by not sleeping in on the weekend.
I made 38 containers of chicken vegetable and beef vegetable soup. I froze all of it in 8 ounce containers and will take 1 to 2 containers with me to work each day. The soup really made a difference to me during my first 8 weeks of the BSD because I felt like I needed something hot to eat. It really fills me up! I hope it had the same effect this time around as I feel like I’ve gotten a bit lax on what I’ve been eating while I’ve been home.

PIT: I didn’t stop all day long to just relax! I need to learn to do that more. I wanted to paint an hour or so but felt like I had to much to take care of. Maybe I’ll get the chance tomorrow! It’s going to be raining all day so a good chance to stay home and do something for myself.

Oh Californiagirl that post is worth putting up on the fridge 🙂 Calming the mind has to be key. Thank you for that. So often the self talk is super damaging and leads to all sorts of bother. Will make a point tonight of remembering 3 things that went well today and reflecting on that.

Hi Clarissa,Ive been going through a tough time too .Yesterday I read MM ‘s book again and I had a good look at how bad my eating has been, mostly snacking a lot on BSD foods and wrong food portions.It turns out the missing thing for me was exercise. It took me an hour and a half to force myself out the door for a walk,I have never played sport and I’m really lazy, Usually my active job gives me enough steps but , I’m on leave at the moment.So I did 4000 steps, ate more carefully, still went over on calories but not carbs .It worked this am my weight is down by .5kg. So after a happy dance. my hubby offered to walk with me today,first time in 40 years,he walks a bit slow but we talked about setting goals and getting healthy so its a big win. My fasting sugar was still up so I’m working on smaller portions.The food scale had migrated to the cupboard so I reinstated it in its proper place on the bench. Also I brush my teeth and drink extra water before I give in to starvation urges and it seems to help. keep trying one day at a time.don’t get too upset with yourself. I think that if we are trying to change the habits of a lifetime , its going to take a while to consolidate new habits.

Sounds great thanks.

Oh my goodness Clarissa and Tigs, if I had a dollar for every messed up day… I have succeeded and struggled (on maintenance now) — here’s my “reboot” idea for those super cruddy moments: First, calm your mind, the panic of losing control makes us lose more control, which results in eating, which results in panic, which…. So step back mentally for a minute — take a slow breath — if you gained weight, so be it. It is ok. You’re not going to gain any more. You know how to get the weight down, all those skills you have learned or read about are going to serve you well again.
Clear your fridge, freezer (yes I eat frozen cake), cupboards of anything tempting. Lay in some red peppers, anise, cucumber, olives, nuts, sparkling water for “go -to” snacks. Do not accept social invitations for now (you can see your friends next week) and CALMLY start each day by fasting as many hours as you can, followed by a healthy meal or two. Drink black tea and coffee and water.
I find just one day of calming it all down gets me back in control — but don’t panic if you are above calorie counts — ANY lower calorie count is good because you are retraining your brain. So don’t criticize your efforts.
At the end of each day, write down three things that went well that day (don’t have to be diet related). Keep them in mind as you prepare for bed and go to sleep. You’re doing fine. We are intellectual minds inside of physical bodies that need food to survive. If we get that a bit messed up now and again, it is not surprising. Just don’t quit. Bad days come and go. We are still here.

Hi Cbizzle — no! I seriously believe this is a myth (false facts) and you will experience what I have experienced if you stay on the diet and “reset” your metabolism (which I think really happens) — I started March 2016, reached goal in June and have been maintaining since then. At first my weight loss was slow — I think it finally started to “click” around the 12 week mark — then I steadily lost weight until I hit goal (I lost about thirty pounds). From then on I have kept to a “restricted” carbohydrate diet, about 40 grams carbs per day (on a good day — maybe 60% of the time) but I am rather casual on the calorie count as long as I stayed with the General BSD principles — I can eat enough to feel satisfied and often, too full. I have not gained the weight back.
What I have noticed: my metabolism is on “high” and I am usually warm, full of energy and I have lots of workout energy. I probably go to the gym 2-3 times per week for spin or step and the other days I try to hike or ski or work in the garden.
I still fast for 20 hours or so about once or twice a week. I can’t really get past about 24 hours without serious hunger.
I have become skeptical of the ” slowing metabolism” criticism of these kind of diets — if anything, my metabolism has gone back to my younger years (I’m 60) and I am enjoying the ride.

Hi Clarissa so many of us are in the same boat or most recently have been! It IS a big struggle once we let things go a bit. Not sure if the head or the body is willing and the other is weak…

My approach has been to get rid of absolutely everything with added sugar, all ‘treats’ etc and to plan and log every meal for the day ahead. Once I have logged what to eat, that is it. No wavering. Not that I have been successful every day but that is the intent. Plan and move with intention. And routine, as far as possible. Getting back to some sort of ‘normal’ routine is hugely helpful.

We have been here before and we know what it takes. The first few days are the bit to crack and once we hit about day 6 it should be much easier. Each day, each meal, each thought and what we do with it. Move with BSD intent step by step. Go well and so may we all 🙂

Really struggling after Christmas to get back and stay on the wagon, I have not stopped eating rubbish, I’ve lost 4.5 stone since using this diet and found it relatively easy. And I have never felt better, But since Christmas Eve I’ve put on 9 pounds from eating sweets/chocolates. I’ve eaten less this week but I’m finding it a real struggle to stick to my meal plan and I feel sluggish and tired! Any ideas?

thank you everyone for getting back to me on dropping clothing sizes. I can’t wait until I start dropping sizes too.

Hi all, bookmarking to come back later and see how you are all getting on. Planning on starting on Monday if I can speed read the book and buy enough ingredients for the first week tomorrow! Me and kids all back to school Monday, I have gained 2 extra stone that I Want to shed fast for spring, so after previous success with both Atkinson (pre kids) and 5.2 post kids, I am hopeful this is doable. Have done back to back fasts of 500 cals so how hard can 800 be??!! Eeekkk! Who am I kidding!? 😉

Looking forward to 2 months off the booze though, my body needs a healthy boost! Any old 5.2 peeps around, thought I spotted laska on another thread? X

Hello, I started on Jan 2nd and am feeling good on the diet. I find it easy to stick to. I bought lots of veg and salads and fresh meat, salmon and eggs and check the cal and carb content. I lost 9 lbs in the first 5 days but much to my dismay my waist measurement has increased by a bit each day – now 3 inches more since I started. I started the diet specifically to reduce my waistline. I used to have 10 inches between bust and waist whatever my weight. The difference as of today is only 2 inches!! Anyone else had this?

(I couldn’t work out how to start a new topic on this, sorry).

Hello, I started on Jan 2nd and am feeling good on the diet. I find it easy to stick to. I bought lots of veg and salads and fresh meat, salmon and eggs and check the cal and carb content. I lost 9 lbs in the first 5 days but much to my dismay my waist measurement has increased by a bit each day – now 3 inches more since I started. I started the diet specifically to reduce my waistline. I used to have 10 inches between bust and waist whatever my weight. The difference as of today is only 2 inches!! Anyone else had this?

(I couldn’t work out how to start a new topic on this, sorry).

Did my post-Christmas & New Year weigh in on Friday, almost two weeks since Christmas Eve…..And I was BANG ON my goal weight of 68kg!! My plan of BSD between the Christmas and New Year celebrations worked an absolute treat, together with my buffer of just over a kilo prior to the event means I am heading into the 2017 at goal…..I am so thrilled, love it.

So carrying on again to get a ‘buffer’ before our holiday next week; two BSD meals a day totalling 800cals, with 16:8 intermittent fasting. Good plan I reckon.

Rachel 🙂

Well said. My light bulb moment was the realisation that all of the diets I had previously tried had gone off the rails when they got to the part that said, ‘now start eating like you used to’ at least with the BSD we know exactly why that won’t work.

I occasionally have kefir for breakfast and mix it with flax and chia.

If you use the search function you will find it gets a regular mention on these forums.

Not sure that I completely follow Raintoday’s post, but as part of any “engagement tool” , we have to communicate in a frank and honest way with people. If the comment on ‘restrictive’ is a reference to my post I actually said “somewhat restrictive” and if you are trying to stick to 800 cals and a low carb content for several weeks then I believe that justifies the description.

If I understand what you’re saying I think we agree that we all should decide what we should eat to keep us happy and healthy. Some people can eat Snickers bars (other confectionery is available!), pizzas etc., and good luck to them. Others won’t be able to and for some of them BSD and subsequent maintenance will be a chore and a strain. To try to present it as easy will be demoralising and disingenuous.

I have just been diagnosed with pre-diabetes – I am 46 and I am desperate to get my levels down to normal asap and found the BSD and will be starting today.

I have been drinking kefir daily for over a year and don’t really want to give it up but I don’t see it mentioned in the book and doing a search on the forums didn’t give any useful results.

Does anyone have an opinion on this?

Grateful
Suzy

presenting BDS as a ‘very restrictive diet’ is perhaps not the best engagement tool – however, my engagement tool was “fear” – my former doc soft-pedaled the pre-diabetes for over 4 yrs – “oh, you’re doing fine, all looks good, just eat more veg and eat fewer desserts – maybe you would feel better if you lost some weight” then ! bang! woke up in July w/ a 388 BS and 9.2% A1c. Read a book that was about low-carb and I didn’t care about calories – just feel full and bring down those values. Once I realized I didn’t have to feel hungry to lose weight and feel better, I could focus on balance and then found BSD – much more balanced approach w/ sane amt of good carbs. Some of this is how we use language – this WOE has opened up what I CAN eat to FEEL good and healthy – sure, I want to fit in a GF pizza (already familiar w/ diet limitation, thanks) but I can think it through – yeah, I will see numbers I don’t want to see and feel sluggish and crappy and dull in the brain ….is it worth it ? not so far – GF pizzas been in the freezer for 6 months now. We were sold from tot-hood that cakes and breads and biscuits and Snickers bars were our staples, our rewards, our celebrations – because of a whole lot of complex overlapping reasons – some economic, some political (see sugar subsidies), some cultural (see politics and economics) and some because …. it tasted good and was accessible and we lived in a society that burned more calories to survive. it will take a bit of a shift to start looking at foods in a different way so as not to constantly tell ourselves we are ‘giving something up’ – don’t want to look at my life as perpetual Lent. This is what I like; this is what works for me; I’m good ! I know how far I can stretch the calorie rubber band on some occasions so as not to be a prisoner of my diet. Or give the message to others that being on this diet is a chore or a strain.

My metabolism is apparently now that of someone 15 years younger, I haven’t experienced any problems tolerating carbs, although if I overdo it on carbs for too long like over Christmas I get wind and can feel the carb fog coming back slightly. I have an incredible amount of energy compared to what I had while eating complex food only and have never experienced any weakness or problems exercising. If you have a higher carb day it will simply rebuild glycogen stores, so you may not be able to tell if you are successfully adapting to fat burning. Fat burning is natural for the metabolism, but easy access to carbs tends to mean the adaptation is lost over time.

Thanks for that excellent and detailed explanation, I experienced this when I started eating more ‘normally’ after my 8 weeks finished on 27th November, I wasn’t at my target quite yet but made the decision to wait until after Christmas to continue to allow myself some indulgences. I put on 6 pounds almost immediately even though I was still sticking to BSD food, just not watching the carbs so closely. Another 4 pounds followed over Christmas, probably some of which was actually fat, but today after restarting on 3rd January I am only just heavier than I was just before Christmas, so a large amount of that water has gone again. I will be planning in an overshoot this time as I want end up between 10 stone 7 pounds and 10 stone 11 pounds for the longish term. I may take a little time to sort out how to stabilise my final weight but I am sure it will be worth it. Today was 11 stone 5 so less than a stone to go now.