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.

For me, it’s boredom that encourages me to eat the wrong stuff, or, more usually, far too much of the right stuff!
I try to reason with myself that it will take a couple of minutes to eat it, which I will enjoy, and then I will have the rest of the day to feel miserable and disappointed with myself. Is it worth it?
And I try to remind myself that there is much more to life than food! It’s only a small part of the day. So I sew/sing/walk the dog/ read/look at the fora/ garden/have a bath. Whatever.
Chin up and crack on.
It works for me. Well, most of the time!
Best of luck. 😀

PEAK: Got 14,748 steps in today! I didn’t get a formal workout in but stayed busy enough to get lots of steps in. I had the day off for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Back to work tomorrow. I really have to make a huge effort to get up every hour when I work and get some steps in.

PIT: My husband left on a business trip this morning! I miss him already.

Hi Way of Life, yes, Captainlynne has good advice and it is really the only thing you can do — just hop back on the plan starting right now — do not try to “make up” for it, or eat less or do anything like that — there is no punishment here — just start again calmly and now, with more awareness.
The one thing you should do is identify what derailed you — put some thought into what set you off and why you turned to food — make a plan about how you will handle that kind of problem in the future and write it down. I had to retrain my brain to think differently — I blew it over and over and I finally developed some coping strategies.
You don’t need to be perfect — “good enough” will get you there. Just don’t don’t don’t quit!!! It can be discouraging to mess up but it can be a good learning moment and it will only ruin it all if you stop trying. Keep us posted — best wishes as you move forward!

Thanks Kathy. Today (Day 3) is going a lot better so far (although it is only lunchtime!). Yesterday I had 2 glasses of red wine in the evening so my total calories were around 950, but I’m aiming for 800 today. To combat the morning hunger I had a bigger breakfast today – 2 grilled flat mushrooms, a couple of tablespoons of baked beans and a poached egg. This has kept me going until lunch – a big salad with tuna. I’m going to make bolognaise for dinner, but have it with zucchini noodles instead of pasta. I also brought some snacks to work, although haven’t had to use them yet. Some almonds, a container with a couple of spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt, a few strawberries and a container of home made veggie soup (I won’t have all of them today, will keep here for other days). I’ve factored these into my 800 cals using My Fitness Pal.
I found planning my day in advance using the MFP app is helpful. I put in my planned foods and then tweak it until the calories/carbs etc are what I want them to be. I’ve been drinking lots of water and herbal tea, and allow myself one cup of coffee with full cream milk mid morning.
Just so glad that I haven’t had the awful hunger pains I had yesterday!

Way of life – whatever happened put it behind you, learn from it, and get back straight back on the plan.

The carbs are so addictive that reducing them can be difficult but the results are so worth it. If it was carbs, it may be an idea to get them out of the house – if they’re not there, you can’t eat them as easily.

It’s happened to most people on here, so keep on keeping on.

Hope tomorrow is a better BSD day for you.

Daisiesmum: Congratulation on reaching your goal weight.

I joined this thread 3 weeks ago but really restarted on the 9th of Jan. so today was my one week weigh in and I was down 7.6 pounds. This thread has really been motivating and made it easier for me to stick to after seeing how everyone is doing. Breaking it down to 4 weeks seems to make the weeks go faster.

Apologies for gate crashing the thread again.
Looking for more advice from you experienced types!
My halo slipped today …big time.
Very annoyed. Not feeling good about it at all.
Does anyone have any words of wisdom ?
Thanks.

Hi.
My halo well and truly slipped today.

Had been doing so well for 9 days.

Any tips on getting back in the straight and narrow would be appreciated. Very annoyed.

Thanks

Hi Avila
You sound just like me! I was all set for a great start in January, managed about 3 days then found some forgotten Christmas chocolates. I chocolate led to 4 days of eating crap. Got back on track for a few days and then a bad day at work and I’m giving in to the carb/sugar cravings again 🙁
I lost over 2 stones on the 5:2 and kept most of it off but I’ve still got a lot more to lose. I know this way of eating makes so much sense and I get so annoyed with myself for not sticking with it. I’ve got no problem with the 800 cals, its getting away from sugar that’s hard.
Your 10kg loss and getting off meds is a huge achievement!!! I’m sure you’ll find your motivation. Every day is a fresh start and the first day of the rest of your life 🙂

You are welcome. I’ve lost 7.5 stone (105 pounds) since I started the BSD.

Best wishes for your BSD journey. Any questions, just ask – someone will be able to help m

Thanks Lynne, that does help – yes, I do need to lose a lot of weight actually!
Your results are encouraging – hopefully mine will be similar.

Gday Snoop, thats pretty good going.
My week 20 is done and dusted

Weigh in result 125.3kg
Waist 126cm
0.4 kg loss for the week

34.6 kg loss to date

I have just started taking organic apple cider vinegar with mother, twice a day. Pretty fowl tasting, l have included Honey, lemon & Cinnamon in cup of water to make it a little more palatable. Its supposed to speed up your metabolism, though im not sure if its just a myth. The research out there also suggest to include some Cayenne pepper also, though just cant seem to get my head around that one. Will test out the theory in the coming weeks. Have a good one all.

Week 2 weigh in in the morning. Thinking there may or may not be a dreaded plateau. However I put a pair of trousers on today that two weeks ago I couldn’t get on let alone zip up. They fitted!! And didn’t cut me in half. So no matter what the morning brings I know I’m moving forward. My loss was spectacular last week so I know I can’t do it again. However another week of delicious food, not hungry and feeling positive. Good luck to those weighing tomorrow x

Hi there!
Thanks so much for your messages.
I survived day one ha ha.
I had generous servings of vegies for breakfast and lunch, then a small serving of roast pork with bbq’d greens for dinner. I believe I ‘blew out’ to approximately 825 calories but feeling okay about it for a first day. I managed to do 40 mins on the treadmill and did the same this morning. Just got to keep it up.
Got my lunch for work sorted today – a bit more exciting than the vegies yesterday. Salad of cucumber, tomato, basil (yum!) carrot, celery with tuna and a balsamic dressing.
Dinner plan is takeaway so I’ll be getting a salad with a protein of some description.
Feeling good so far. Drinking loads of water 🙂

Elainew422

I started last week like you and am on day 2 of week two- I lost 4.5 lb in my first week. Whenever I have been to Weightwatchers or slimming world in the past I have managed to lose 3lb in the first week and then usually one pound or so in the subsequent weeks. With this diet I have not been at all hungry and am so inspired by the amount of weight that does seem to come off. This site is so positive and inspirational. I am feeling very optimistic about what the next few weeks might do for me! I went wrong and ate too many pears and nuts last week so like you am making a few changes to what I eat this week. I hope that the scales will be kind to us next weigh in! Good luck for the week ahead!

Congratulations.

My fasting blood on starting the BSD in December 2015 was 10.9. After 8 weeks it was 5.3. Now it is normally under 5 (random tests only now). HbA1c December 2015 was 9.6, January ’16 it was 8.7, April ’16 it was 5.5, July ’16 it was 5.2 and a week ago it was 5.1.

We are proving to the medical professionals that it does work. And saving them money.

Please don’t worry. I was diagnosed in 2009. When I started the BSD in December 2015 my fasting blood sugar was 10.9. It reduced rapidly after strictly reducing carbs and starting to lose weight. After the first 8 weeks my fasting blood was 5.3. All my blood tests since have been in the normal range.

You don’t say if you need to lose any weight. i would suggest keeping carbs low and losing any excess weight to get your blood sugars down in the normal range without medication. I was not on diabetes medication at any point – control has just been by reducing the carbs. Now I’m slowly increasing calories but still keeping carbs very low (and now honestly don’t miss them)

Hope this helps.

Great explanation to kiddo Mixnmatch. I too have plateaued 2nd week in. It is really disheartening given I am working my but off at the gym and waking in the wee hours starving😕

Your post has made my morning a lot brighter, thank you.

PS…If you haven’t seen it yet, Michael Mosley has one of his talks about the 8 week BSD on You Tube. I saw that before getting the book and found it inspirational. Definitely worth checking out if you haven’t seen it yet. His passion for the subject is infectious.

Hello everyone, great to see so many new posts on here. Thanks for taking time to share your comments. I have finished my first week and have to say that overall it was easier than I expected, particularly following on from the Christmas and New Year excess. CNicolls and SueBlue, hunger can be an issue at first, but drink LOTS of water and I also have fruit teas for variety, and that helps take away some of the hunger…I also found my mood wasn’t great for the first few days, but that is back to normal now. Chrissie63, You are also probably experiencing the carb flu you will hear about across the forums…it seems to be very common but doesn’t seem to last more than a few days. Im fortunate not to have diabetes so can’t advise you about that, but there are some great threads on here with lots of advice which should help you. Snekker, I also try to have one meal a day, and if I am really hungry then I add a protein drink packed with spinach about 2pm…sounds foul but tastes fine! Theodora, I share your love of wine and bread, and have to say these were probably the two things I most dreaded giving up (I love cheese too, but I can eat that👏🏻). However, it really hasn’t been that bad. I got through my first full weekend and it went fine. Unfortunately I’m not active at the moment as I have ‘positional vertigo’, which is dizziness when I move so exercise is out. Having said that I still managed to lose a kilo from Friday to this morning, and I can’t imagine another healthy way of eating where you could realistically lose 6.8lbs in a week! Please keep posting to let us know how you are getting on. I do find it so motivational to hear how everyone is doing and I am sure others do too 😊

I drink 2 litres a day and find that suits me fine
I’m 5 11′ and 87kg
I include decaf coffee and peppermint tea I have
The toilet thing does calm down after 2 weeks I reckon
I haven’t used a recipe yet from the Book but will do soon as salad and roast veg getting a tad monotonous but still loving homemade soup and porridge oats with blueberries and a drop of cacao powder – delicious for those missing their chocolate and only about 200 calories if using almond unsweetened milk

Dash it – I’d assumed that she’d played in the backs!

Hi everyone, ! I posted this morning but it disappeared so apologies if it surfaces somewhere.
Week 2 Day 1 also for me. Lost 3lbs this week. That’s ok for me as I am not counting every single calorie. From past experience I know I would have lasted all of 3 days. I don’t want to be on ‘Starting again in January 2018’ thread.
Tried cauliflower rice today instead of the usual green beans to replace pasta. Had tbsp peanut butter for dessert. Yogurt and berries and six almonds for breakfast, eggs for lunch. Breakfast and lunch always the same. And fizzy water and my crochet to keep me out of the kitchen till bedtime.
Most things I miss are bread and apples. But I can’t stop at 1 and they swallow up the carb allowance so I’ve stopped buying them at the moment. I love shortbread too but that’s off the shopping list as well.
Well done to everyone. Good luck to the newbies and let’s lose tons this week.
M

Hi SunnyB, had a great birthday weekend. How was your lovely dinner?
My weight is a little up this week though, no huge surprise there so really knuckling down this week!
Have a successful week everyone and keep those numbers coming down!!

Even tho’ JulesMaigret is a member of the forum I am going to adopt Holmes’ advice of eliminating the impossible, & whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?

Since my earlier post I have found-out that the David Lloyd chain are rolling-out Boditrax scanners in their gyms. As DL has always been strong on racket sports, I have deduced you are a member of your local……..! Elementary, my dear Mixnmatch

Meanwhile, 1 of my mates wants to have a game of badminton; he hasn’t played in almost 20 years, I haven’t played in much longer. Like your games(??) it will be played in a friendly & social manner & the loser will be never hear the end of it!

David

Hi, sorry to say the weeing does not het better… I’ve been weeing for years since I’ve always been a heavy waterdrinker.

Thanks SunnyB,
I lobbed some onion granules into the crackers for a nice savoury taste (better than devouring a bag of crisps), and some weird seeds called Kolonji Black Onion seeds for a bit of visual interest. I do like a savoury cracker. Only did a half quantity – it’s probably best if I don’t make a full amount, I would probably scoff them! 🙂
I will get my mojo back in time.
TTFN,
Rose

I find that I do better if I eat more (healthy) fats, i.e. less cravings, less hunger pangs, more energy. This amounts to just slightly more fats than protein on any day. I also try to get at least 13 g of fiber as that feels more satisfying and keeps me regular. One great thing about this so far is that my body is much more aware of what it needs. Whatever you start with, once you’ve adapted past the sugar/ carb cravings, you’ll have a better sense of what you need. My advice is to prioritize the fat and get enough salt! Especially days 4-6. Good luck!

Hi I also would like to join. Started today. Bought the book last fall and have been preparing mentally 🙂 A bit stresses I will be hungry and have physical symtomps that distracts me.

My no.1 breakfast is old fashion oats with unsweetned almond milk and blueberries. I need some carbs early in the morning, that’s what keeps me full.

Thanks Kate x

There’s a website called Nutrition Data Self that I use. They have detailed analysis of food, you can input your own custom food, and also track your daily calories or carbs. It’s American so fava rather than broad beans, etc. I find it easier to use than the others, but that’s probably because I have been using it for ages. I’m sure you will find keeping proper track will be worth it. Good luck

Juliet
So sorry you lost your dad like that. It’s such a shock when they go suddenly. Well done for starting again now. You will get a lot of support on here.
kate

Hi all,

Started the diet today and have just eaten my evening meal and I am still absolutely ravenous! It’s as if I hadn’t eaten at all. I have a long way to go (about 50lbs) so hoping that the book is right and the feelings of hunger ease up a bit. I am however, looking forward to weighing-in to see the fruits of my labour. Should I be weighing myself everyday?

Like you Theodora, my weakness is bread and wine and my husband is slim too so would waste away if he joined me on this diet, so it is difficult watching him and the kids eating what I would have been eating if I wasn’t on the diet. I just hope he doesn’t test my willpower in the next few days by cracking a bottle open!

Having said all that, today I have felt quite in control. I have an entire week of food planned down to the last calorie and have been actively avoiding the kitchen to reduce the likelihood of a snack-slipage.

Thanks for all the positivity on this thread, it certainly helps to know other people are in the same position as me.

Well done! Hearing success stories like yours is very encouraging.
May I ask what your fasting blood glucose level was before you started?

Hello fellow BSDers!
A little about me ….. I was asked by my GP to go for a fasting blood test a couple of weeks ago, primarily to check my kidney function because the antidepressants I have been taking for the past few years can apparently have an effect on your kidneys, and they wanted to check all was ok on that score before giving me my usual repeat prescription.
A few days later they called and said my blood sugar levels were “a little high” and I was therefore to go in for a repeat fasting blood test, and take a urine sample. I duly did so.
Whilst there the nurse showed me the computer screen which showed my results. It was 10.4. on the previous week’s test. I noticed that back in 2012, the last time it was checked, it was 7.2. The time before that it was 5. All were fasting tests done in the early morning.
I am currently waiting for the results of the repeat blood test that happened on Friday, although I have already been informed that the urine test showed no glucose present. Weird, huh?
If the blood test is again higher than it should be they are going to give me the oral test involving the glucose drink.
Over the past few days I have been doing a bit of reading online (as well as buying the BSD book!) and it seems to me that the GP ought to have carried out further tests in 2012, when the reading was 7.2? What do you guys think?
I have been feeling pretty knackered and awful since then but put it down to depression hence going on medication for that. What if I have been diabetic all along? Is it too late to reverse it?
Any thoughts gratefully received…

Hi
Just re-read my post. ( a bit late!) My darling dad died at the end of April last year, just 2 weeks after I started the BSD – not January : )

Are internet forums covered by Breach of Promise laws?

Just wondering……

Hi Everyone : )

Please can I claim late entry into Team January? I started last Monday and have lost 5lb so am really pleased.

I did start last April and lost 8lb in the first couple of weeks, but my dad died very suddenly at the end of January and I’ve only now been able to think about doing this again. Needless to say I have more to lose than I did then, but hope doing this will help me feel a bit more in control of my life! My dad had diabetes and heart disease, as I mentioned when I first signed up last year. Little did I know then how few the precious days left with him would be.

So… this is all good! Good luck everyone – I look forward to the journey with you. : )

Hi all, just an update. I’m on week 2 day 7, lost 11.6lbs so far. Still on plan, had a few higher calorie days but no off plan foods (okay, I had 2 chips). Went back to the gym today, muscles struggled a bit but I felt good for it. Generally feeling pretty good and hopeful for the next 6 weeks.

Just had to post to get rid of my earlier, I think David has refused my proposal but I was only after his cheese. Even that sounds wrong.

Congratulations, it is so great to hear that you are no longer regarded as diabetic. 😀😀😀😀😀 this WOE really does seem miraculous sometimes doesn’t it, but then as you said, it couldn’t happen without your hard work and determination, so well done!

By following the Fast 800 diet and increasing activity since being diagnosed in October 2016 I’ve lost over 2 stone and managed to reverse diabetes!! I had a fasting blood test last Monday and got the result today. My HbA.C was 39 down from 51 and glucose was 6.6. As you can imagine I’m over the moon! All my hard work and determination has paid off.
To anyone out there just starting the BSD or considering starting it, do it, it REALLY does work, I’m living proof.

Nope, from where I was standing, you looked as if you were passing a baton 🤓

Go girl go!

To everyone that has even done the tiniest bit of exercising or movement, I am proud of you.
Now are you ready for a challenge?
Let’s DOUBLE it!!!

Come on, the worst that can happen is, I have to call my hubby again to the bed and get him to unhook my earrings from the knee of my stretchy trousers as I have been doing yoga. Again.?!!!
He always says… Now what.
Then quietly untangles me, then walks away, shaking his head.

Love Lucia
Xxx

Hi Frog/happyvegan,

I’ve only ever used MFP for tracking as have found their database quite extensive in terms of things we buy in our everyday UK shop, and apart from other MFP members perhaps incorrectly logging the wrong nutritional values for some items most things are pretty spot on. I’m guessing where this might differ is generic non-branded items such as broccoli, where if you select the generic product that shows in your list, 100g are stated 6.6g of Carbs whereas if you select the Sainsbury’s Basics this is listed as 1.8g Carbs (net) as I believe the generic items have been input using the USDA nutritional values, i.e. Total Carbs as Frog suggests. So whenever I input fresh fruit/veg and any other non-processed items I tend to go with the UK supermarket equivalent to ensure I get the correct UK values….bit of a faff as it would be nice if MFP had a UK option to convert US values. But I suppose the good thing is that if you have been inadvertently using the US values, then you will have overstated whatever carb amounts you have logged than the other way around….I realise I may well have done this myself with some of my fruit/veg logging now!

I’ve never heard of FatSecret, might take a look at it to see how it compares.

Net carbs, are what most people use, I am not sure if the book was explicit. I always used net carbs, as that was the only way to make sure I got enough fibre.