Hello
I’ve found the following grab and go lunches and food handy. And some don’t need the fridge so you can keep them in your bag.
Tinned No drain tuna
Sachet of no drain olives
Miso soup
Bovril
Pack of cherry tomatoes
Pack of sugar snap peas
Red or yellow pepper- eat like an apple
Half cucumber
Pack of quorn ham or sliced meat if not vegetarian
Baby bel or cubes of cheese ( I cut 5-6 blocks of 25g and wrap individually in cling film)
Small tub of Greek yogurt
Bag of salad
Couple slices smoked salmon
Boiled egg ( can get a pack with 2 eggs and Handful of spinach in M&S and Tesco or make own)
2 egg omelette made in microwave takes about 30 seconds. Whisk eggs, knob of butter, 1-2 tsp milk. Eat hot or cold later on
Celery sticks or if real rush grab whole head and chop at work
Quorn sausage or burger cooked night before
Hope it helps – good luck

So many inspirational stories too! My weight loss is pretty small by comparison but really pleased with results. Do you have Diabetes? Or are you just doing this for weight loss and general health ?

Lovely to speak to a fellow crocheter Marion53 and Solange – stick with it you will be hooked once you get started and Granny squares are so easy to do! Loads of good tutorials on YouTube. Looked up the Rose of Avalon blanket and it’s gorgeous, love the colours. I’m part of a craft group who meet each week for a couple of hours, we have a good old natter, some people knit/sew/crochet/card making etc and some just come for the company 😊. I’ve got 2 projects on the go at the moment, a crochet baby blanket and a baby Aran jacket……..Hoping to keep my fingers and mind busy to help crush any cravings I might have.
HELP……Today I made paprika chicken kebabs from the BSD recipe book (yummy), it says the calories are 190, and protein is 12g, but logging my meal on the FatSecret app it says 1 chicken breast (no skin) is 37g protein. I’ve googled it and 37g seems about right, is the recipe book wrongn? Can I trust the nutrition info for the other recipes?? Hoping someone can help.
Some fantastic weight losses recorded here, congratulations everyone and good luck everyone on their journey 😊

Thanks Cleverblonde…it is helpful that there is so much help and advice here…it does also help to know I’m not the only person to have felt like this 😊

Flicking through Dr Xand’s book in Tesco’s, before I finally went and bought the BSD book instead, they actually seem very similar, he works on a similar sort of three levels, where you start on one meal a day of 800 calories, or one of 600 plus a 200 snack, then add another meal if you want to slow it down, have a non fast day, and finally to maintenance of three meals a day. Same foods and cautions as well, it almost seems like diets are getting closer to each other, at least the ones that work are.

Hi Chrysalis,

Best of luck for the journey ahead. Stick with it as you don’t feel great the first week but the scales are often a nice surprise. There are also weeks where you lose nothing and think what more can I do? But it all evens out.

I started the plan in October and have found these forums really useful especially on the rough days where even a read can be enough to keep you on track !

Hello everyone. Day 2 for me too! I found day 1 really hard – was really hungry all day and quite grumpy. Giving up all the Xmas booze too is quite a shock to my system…. However today I woke up feeling really different. Clearer headed (thank you herbal tea) and more positive about this. On day 1 I found each meal rather teeny and unsatisfactory so today I decided to skip breakfast and have too bigger meals. That worked better for me – I don’t find it that hard skippng breakfast. However I still could have eaten double the portions I had! More or less 800 cals I think in total. No weight loss on scales this morning but not panicking yet! I made the skinny aubergine lasagne from the book and it was yummy. After supper is hard – I want a second helping – or a glass of wine! I think early bed is probably the only solution until I get used to this. A long way to go 55 lbs. I think I need to break this down into smaller chunks somehow. But concerned about how to feel satisfied with any loss when you know you really have so far to go?

Day 2 and I’m feeling a bit wabbit today…guessing it is my body getting rid of the carbs but all I want to do is 😴 ! Cottage cheese and hard boiled egg salad for tea, lots of fruit teas and water through the day so things are going well. I have a huge selection of cookery books and I am starting to rediscover my passion for real food and creative cooking. Made a veggie frittata yesterday which even hubby and kids enjoyed. I am going to try to plan meals for a few days at a time to make life easier…absolutely love Greek yoghurt and blueberries as my go to snack.

It’s so good to see the stalwarts here reporting every week. It’s even better to see the weight losses!

I don’t know where I’d be without this thread …. probably back to where I was when I started!

Jules I know you have posted in the past about having an oat based breakfast occasionally when you hit a plateau. I really think that’s great thinking. I do think the body needs a ‘shake up’ or shock now and again to get it going. Apart from anything I do miss my porridge in the mornings!

I’m so impressed with all the losses. Getting back on track immediately after a festive ‘blowout’ is definitely the right thing to do. Think we’re proving that here.

For those in the UK, tonight C4 8pm ‘How to Diet well’ Dr Xand van Tulleken, who has a series this week in the Daily Mail, of a compilation of the best bits of lots of diets cobbled together. I’m still happy with BSD!!! May be worth a watch.

As sunshine-girl would say ‘ let’s keep on keeping on’ !!

Marilyn I can’t believe how similar our stories are! You are right though I do need a couple of weeks of being strict. Have started drinking more fruit tea as can’t seem to find the enthusiasm to drink as much water in the colder weather. I will also go back to proper calorie logging. We are so close, just need to keep on track.

H everyonei, yet another newbie here – the remaining chocolates went in the bin today and I went to the gym too. I want to shift one and a half stone, I’ve got so many clothes which don’t fit any more and it’s just silly. I’ve got lots of good habits, I don’t really like cakes, bis cuits or puddings but wine has definitely been my undoing and has to go this time.

Good morning all – I weighed in yesterday and still at 162# – so maintaining but not losing. So, spent some extra time at the gym and will return today. Took another look at diet and tightened up – portion size is my downfall – I have a great ability to rationalize “well, it’s good fats / proteins / clean food so I can eat more” ….. however, I still have 12# to lose – been reading other experiences w/ getting close to goal – I can already hear my head “hey, you feel so much better- people say that I look better – maybe you’ve done enough”. Reminding myself that I really do want to give a fair, thorough shot at reversal of this diabetes and that will take more work.
I get lab done this week so will get a reading on the A1c – still aiming for being right smack in the middle of the 5% range.
Clothes ! huge reinforcer for staying on this program ! I vote to give the clothes to charity shops as altering is pretty pricey – more than replacement, at least around here. I have gone from bursting out of sz 16 relaxed fit to somewhat loose sz 14 regular fit and tops are fitting as I like them to – comfortable and buttoning around front with room to move.
Relationship w/ eating has shifted – used to think I ‘listened’ to my body and what I (thought) I needed – if I am wanting to eat these days – I usually check in and ask ‘am I hungry or do I just want to eat because I’m anxious, restless, driving (long commute)’ Doesn’t always work – I like to nosh – but keep it to nuts – those calories add up fast !
More water, more exercise, more accurate portions – onward and downward ! Reading all your posts has been so much support !

I used to make scallion cheddar biscuits (what Americas mean by biscuit) in my pre-low carb days that I loved to an indecent degree. These muffins are an homage to them, and although they’re different in flavor and texture, they are just as delicious and comfort foody. Also they’re very versatile. I’ve used all kinds of different cheeses, herbs and spices. Thyme, rosemary and goat cheese is an another favorite combination.

HI everyone! Day 4 for me! I lost 4lb in the first week of the year by cutting calories and then started this diet and have lost another 4lb since starting on Saturday – feeling great! I feel hungry before meals but a completely different hunger which is only in my stomach – I think what I previously interpreted as hunger was low blood sugar and/or carb craving. No problems with headaches (I am drinking LOT of water) but I did have trouble sleeping the second night, not sure if that was related.

Today I had an avocado for breakfast, spanish chickpea & spinach stew for lunch and am about to make a tofu stir fry with cauliflower rice for dinner. (I have also never heard of tofu causing weight gain.) Hope everyone is having a good week!

Wonderful reading such enriching positivity here – feels so much better than a bag of chips. Did I really just say that?
Well, after a mega-dodgy start where I blundered and blustered through wk 1 and half of wk 2, never quite getting back on track, I then gave myself a good talking to and have managed to lose 3.5lbs this week.
That’s down to you guys so thank you for inspiring me to get back on track. Still a bit more to go to regain my pre-festive season weight (oh yes-I did gorge myself silly) but I know I’ll get there in the next week or two.
Happy happy x

the muffins sound delicious, I used to love cheese scones pre diabetes days. I might try them when I have visitors and they are eating crap.

Thank you for this post. Found it really interesting and helpful. I did plan to stick to the meal planner in the book for the whole 8 weekes, but after a week am being a bit more flexible. All I would say in support is that, even if the calories don’t always add up, I bet we’re eating less of them than we were before! 😃👍

How about some savory muffins? They make great finger food and taste equally great hot, warm or cold.

Scallion Cheddar Cauliflower Muffins

2 cups raw cauliflower, finely chopped or pulsed in the food processor to a rice consistency
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp melted butter
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium green onion (about 16 grams), finely chopped
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp baking powder
¼ cup blanched almond flour (you can use coconut flour but it adds a couple of grams of carbs)

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F (190 C).

Mix the cauliflower, eggs, add butter in a large bowl. Add the cheeses and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add the green onion, garlic, salt, pepper, baking powder and almond flour and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Lightly grease a muffin tin with olive oil spray or a small amount of butter. You really need very, very little coating for this. The first batch I made I sprayed every cup and the sides and bottoms were sooo greasy. Now I spray the first cup and wipe it around with a paper towel. Then I use the paper towel to grease the other cups. That’s how little you need. If you use butter, melt a teaspoon of it and brush it or wipe it into the cups.

Divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups. It should be a couple of tbsp per cup. This will make quite a short little muffinlet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Turn off the oven and leave the muffins inside for one hour to set properly. Take them out of the tin and serve warm or refrigerate for later cold eating.

Each muffin is 132 calories , 1 net gram carb (sugar) and 1 gram fiber.

SG – you’re absolutely right. Even if they acknowledged that there were different theories or approaches it would be a start.

As a larger individual – (what we refer to as a Big Fat B*gger), if the 260 was an average I reckon I should be considering 300+ grams of carb – I can’t even contemplate the idea of eating that level of carb now.

I read the PHCUK document on eating fat and cutting carbs for diabetics and it all made a lot of sense. The only bit I would take exception to, is the section on exercise, which sounds a bit disingenuous, as there is a growing body of evidence that exercise and new muscle increases insulin sensitivity. Also, and it’s a personal thing, but the sensationalist style of the non-specific allegations of collusion between the food industry and academia does the valid messages in the document a real disservice.

Thanks TC I have lost 7lbs in first week (notwithstanding one night’s slip into a few glasses of wine) so seems to be working – will stick with it plus the supplementary recipe book I have got for probably 4 weeks after which I may do my own stuff. I don’t ever see myself fiddling about with apps and scales. As I see it will by then be pretty apparent how many calories are in what. 800 is an arbitrary figure anyway so no need to be hyper precise

Ditto Lindarina, I realised the exact same thing today too.

I’m becoming more conscious about what I eat as much as how I eat it, ie reducing distractions (work, emails etc) and focusing on all that good stuff.

Hello fellow BSDers. I have lost 4 lbs this week which takes me back to Boxing Day low (3.5 lbs off then due to gastric bug!). I am very pleased with the loss but have to confess that I haven’t met any of my goals. We booked a last minute holiday for next Monday, and will try to lose a bit more before that. I, for once, didn’t fear getting the holiday clothes out as I knew everything would fit or be too big. I don’t want to buy anything new just yet as I hope to be a couple of stones lower by our next holiday.
Forever hopeful!
X B

Just made an interesting observation today. I’ve been a fast eater for a long time, probably since my kids were small. Lol that’s probably no coincidence. Usually I’ve been the first in the family to wolf down my meal.

But today I noticed that everyone was done long before me. And when I think about it, I’ve eaten a lot slower these last few days. It wasn’t something I tried hard to do, it just happened. And it’s a good thing. It gives me time to enjoy the meal and send the proper signals to my brain.

I don’t know if you or hubby are diabetic or just want to lose weight. In either case you can tell concerned friends the myths as you have already read them. Tell them that in many circles this way of eating is accepted as being the way forward to preventing obesity, heart disease and diabetes and recommended by a prominent Endocrinologist Prof. Roy Taylor of Newcastle University. Ask them to read the new thinking of Public Health Collaboration UK and their paper on a revision of healthy eating which recommends the restriction of carbohydrates, lower calories and high good fats consumption. Tell them you are trying this for a period of time (8 weeks is a good timescale to mention) and you will judge on results at the end of that period. In the meantime ask if can they support you in this and you promise to take good care of yourselves – whatever that is ie not allow to go dizzy or watch your BG very carefully if you are T2. Throw all the evidence at them. My family and friends got so fed up of me giving them all the facts that they stopped asking. My doctor said I couldn’t live on 800 calories until I showed him a sample diet plan, he says I eat better than he does and now is fully on board with it as he has seen my fantastic HbA1c results as well as a massive reduction in cholesterol and triglycerides.

Good thing you have your hubby to support each other. My hubby is not on this diet (no need to) but benefits so much from having a lot of what I have that he has lost weight and lowered his blood pressure and he tells people how great this has been for me but has now banned me from talking about it on nights out.

Hi Leshaz, welcome! This is a great forum for finding your feet with the BSD and full of encouragement and advice from others on the same path.

I’m 10 days in and had my first wobble today. Managed to pull myself up short and took a moment to think about the longer-term benefits. My mistake was stepping on the scales and seeing I’d only lost 1/4lb since Saturday, which is my weigh day, and feeling discouraged.

I signed up for alerts when people make new posts on this thread. Seeing positive posts really helped handle my wobble this afternoon – thank you all :o)

Jacks

I am just starting out, in my second week, and absolutely loving the fast 800. I’m eating better nutritionally than I ever have. Thankfully, my husband is on board and starting the 800 too. We’ve enjoyed entertaining and joining friends and family for food and drinks, lots of both. This is a big change for us and I’ve had friends express concerns about it, about the myths of dieting that are covered in the book. Any tips for how to handle this? Do people become less concerned over time as they see results?

JM, It does not say it is different but it does say it is the referenced average so I suppose that can be variable depending on male, female, height, body mass etc etc. Log onto FutureLearn.com and do the course, it is amazing that they still spout the same traditional nonsense as every even though it is widely disputed by many sources. Read the recommendations of Public Health Collaboration UK (www.phcuk.gov.uk), even NICE admit they have got it wrong but claim it would be too expensive to retrain all medical people into the new thinking. I say just buy them MM’s book.

Sounds like you’ve got the right mindset. I’ve never smoked and I’ve never been on a diet so I’ve nothing to compare BSD with, but if I’d known it would be as easy as this I’d have done it years ago.

One thing I noted is that my tastes changed and I “craved” spicier and more flavoured foods as my interest in bland, white carbs waned. We are lucky to have a really good herbs and spice shop in town and I’m sure that I’m paying his mortgage.

Hi Toby

I used only the recipes in the book for the whole time I was losing (now on maintenance after shedding 15% of my weight in 16 weeks). After the first few days I ditched the app because it was just off putting (sames issue as you) and just chose a breakfast, lunch and dinner from the book. It worked fine – I lost quickly and consistently (apart from the week I had a huge slab of chocolate fudge cake – not the book’s fault!) If you find it easier, use the book for a week and see what the results are – if you lose then my advice would be to continue, if you don’t then maybe look at alternatives.

Hope that helps

TC

Hello, just starting out on my BSD journey. Came across Michael’s book and discovered these fora. I’m so impressed with the support and helpful advise on here – it’s so motivational. I have a lot of weight to lose, have yoyo dieted for years with every diet out there, but I really like the look of this and am determined that 2017 is going to be my year! Would love some company on my journey, lose weight and maybe make a few friends on the way 🙂

Jeepers – 260g of carb is an awful lot – that’s about 10oz. Is that for an average adult?

I gave up smoking 5 years ago after too many false starts to mention. But, the time I gave up for the good is the time I just knew I would. It was insanely difficult for me but I stuck to it, I didn’t give myself the option to fail. That is the mind-set I am approaching this diet – I will lose 2.5 stone, I will not try to lose it, I will lose it. So far the diet is actually far easier than giving up smoking was, but I am not complacent. My tips (a cheek after one week I know!) – make the effort to make the meals tasty and varied and drink lots of fizzy water to stop dehydration and deceive your body into thinking it is fuller than it is.

I am currently doing a course on the Science of Nutrition and just read that the recommended intake of carbohydrate is 260 grams per day. I know my nutritionist told me to eat at least 5 starchy carbs per day, equal to 300 grams because diabetics are better having very high blood sugar than low, shoot me now – I maybe I should have shot her as my HbA1c prior to her advice was 5.7 and 3 months later was 11.3. That is why I am now on this diet and in 6 months back down to 5.9.

If you want a drier crispier texture to the outside, you can always roll in a little milled flaxseed.

if you make the scotch eggs use the pork or pork mix from a sausage. If you use pure pork you will find it very dense, probably due to the oven baking instead of the quick deep fat frying (wash my mouth out). If you want them super cute, use quails eggs.

Hi everyone! I am a total newbie to the BSD and this is the first forum I have ever posted on!!! I have just finished reading the book and have been making some slight changes already. I aim to start next week and would really love to be part of a support network. I really hope I can do this! I have a lot of weight to lose but am hoping the next 8 weeks will be an awesome kickstart. Good luck to everyone – yes let’s make 2017 our year!!!

toby, I don’t think there is a level for carbs but if you put all your food into an app to reach the 800 cals with non starchy carbs you will find that it comes out at between 40 and 70 carbs. Some people have looked at what they eat and the balance of proteins calories etc and have set a median target of 50 grams of carbs. Some go lower, which I find too difficult to plan for and have to cut out too many things, as if the diet isn’t strict enough. When I started I only worked on the menu plans, tweaking for things I didn’t like or things I cannot buy, and kept to the 800 calories. Doing that you will find the carbs take care of themselves. I think when weight loss slows down people try to do some adjusting to speed it up and it seems cutting carbs below 50, say to 30 is helpful. As I said, under 50g is too low for me but you will find your own balance.

I think if you were to ask a non BSD nutritionist how many carbs to eat each day you would be told between 150 and 300 g depending on lots of things. As diabetics we have found that the high carb theory is completely wrong and possibly the cause of most of our problems and we have discovered this new way of eating.

Thanks JM – I am sure you are right. Last time I did a fairly intense diet (not this one) it was the other way around initially so go figure.

I am discovering it is fizzy water that is going to get me through this – drinking litres of the stuff.

where does this carb limit come from? I don’t remember it being in the book – I don’t remember there being a figure in it all. I could have forgotten though!

Thanks for the welcome SunnyB

I planned to go to my own menu after the first couple of weeks but find the book (calorie issue aside) very useful in getting me in the right mind-set for the sort of food and ingredients I need to use which are very different from what I usually cook (much heavier meals – which is why I am in the position I am in!). I have to say I have also found many of the recipes extremely tasty and things I would not necessarily think of myself.

My tip is that seafood is great on this diet (obviously only if you like it), lobster, langoustine, clams, mussels etc – high protein zero carb low calories and provides a touch of indulgence and satisfaction otherwise hard to find o 800 cals a day!

Probably because one of the precepts of this diets is that fat isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it provides both taste and energy which both contribute to the “feeling full” sensation.

Well done mumofcrazynamedkids!

I don’t have recommendations for good ready meals unfortunately. I’m of the thinking they’re often loaded with hidden sugar, salt and carb that we don’t need. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has recommendations for ready meals though.

I am taking my inspiration from the BSD recipe book and finding lots of delicious meals and soups in there, many of which can be bulked up and frozen. I made celeriac and apple soup and seedy flapjacks over the weekend, both of which are delicious. The rest are in the freezer.

There was a post from another BSD’er in this thread the other day with ideas for work-based meals, or if you get caught short.

Hi Hazel

I think we must be twins! I started at 11st 2lb about 4 months ago, today I am 9st 9lb, with my target being around 9st 7lb. I seem to have maintained all Xmas at 9st 11lb, which I was pretty pleased with considering I wasn’t being ultra strict with what I ate. I did try to avoid the carbs, but had the occasional potato, choc, piece of stollen etc. This week I suddenly dropped the 2 lbs, I have been being a bit stricter, (Xmas goodies mostly eaten!), keeping around 1100 calories per day, carbs have been around 60-70g most days. I am trying to drink more water as I think that does make a difference, and I find it difficult to remember to do it.

You will get there. Are you still recording what you eat and drink? I would recommend being stricter for a week or two if you have started to slip a bit and drink more water.

Happy new year
Marilyn

Hi SunnyBen

That was my thoughts at first until I went shopping, lol took me a while to find where the ingredients had been placed in the shop.

Do you have any idea why lamb was mentioned in the book more so than lean beef or turkey ?

Good luck Lulu!

Hi Toby

Don’t worry. As I progressed on this I had periods where my waist measurement dropped and my weight remained the same and vice versa. I drew the conclusion that my body was just adjusting to the new input and also that I really didn’t have a clue what was going on.

I have read that as you will lose a lot of water and then visceral fat around the organs first then they have a lower impact on your waist size especially if you have a fair amount of subcutaneous fat around the waist. Who knows if that is true.

All I know is that as long as the weight is dropping the waist size must reduce at some point.

Hi Gray246 and toby101 – firstly, good to have you onboard!

I have never used the recipes/meal plans in the book, but have always created my own from scratch – not as time consuming as you might think. Most days I use full fat yogurt as a base for breakfast and then add seed, nuts, berries etc and then enter the weights to calculate overall cals and carbs – values come out around 140cals and approx. 5g carbs. Of course, if varies depending on what toppings I use.

Other meals tend to be protein and green veggies or salad. This lunchtime was a whole gem lettuce, some prawns and avocado. Tonight will be a lamb steak, a little gravy and lots of green veggies.

I have found it really easy to put together simple meals and use herbs and spices to help ring the changes.

Good luck to you both, hope you will be posting some great results soon.

Well only day 2 for me, but I was so chuffed that I had lost 3 pounds when I weighed in this morning, totally given me a boost.

So although the scales tipping over into 13 stone territory last week was the kick up the bum I needed to get me onto this WOE I am glad that the extra Xmas pounds are going and I am on track to lose the 2 stone I need to lose in the next few months.

Exercise needs to be my next goal, I only managed 7000 steps yesterday and nothing else, but am hoping that by the weekend I will be ready for something more structured on that dept.

Does anyone have any recommendations for any good ready meals? I need stuff for work as I won’t always be organised enough to make salads! I used to eat lots of fresh soups but don’t know if any fit into the plan?

I have tins of sardines in tomato sauce so far, this is not really enough!

Cheers and congratulations on all your losses

Hi bal17

I tend to just amend my normal meals to meet my calorie target (aiming for 800, achieving around 900) and less than 50g of carb. Mixing and matching is important as I believe you need to like what you’re eating for this to be sustainable. Personally I ditched completely the bread, rice, pasta etc. as fitting them into the carb limit just isn’t worth the hassle.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Great to see so many people joining up for the final push – welcome on board everyone! Having a support group for these final pounds will be invaluable to me and to others I hope.

Know what you mean about the last bit having somehow morphed into something huge in my head. We all know the BSD works, but I can’t help thinking I’m asking too much to drop another 9lb. Having others in the same phase along for the last push, will definitely help me stick with it and I’m sure we will all get where we want to be, with determination and encouragement.

Like Cassandra, the sweet stuff didn’t tempt me over the festive season, but I too have been eating quite a bit of cheese! Getting that under control again now.

Well done on shifting the Christmas weight Topcac and I’m sure you will be at ideal weight for your big day in June. Good luck for your HBA1C test CleverBlond73.

I’m feeling pretty positive right now, but know there will be tough days when the scales aren’t kind. Right now though, the day is going well and I still have 420 cals left along with 30g plus carbs, although it’s my plan not to use all of those carbs. My weekly weigh in is Monday, but as of today I’m 9st 4.2lb, with 8.2lb to drop.

Good luck everyone. Keep posting !!