In the words of Victor Meldrew ‘I don’t believe it’, but actually I do, I have lost 1lb since yesterday and my BG is back under 100 – 98 to be precise. Loving the feeling, I can feel the difference around my midriff and see my skin is brighter and eyes clearer with no bags.

On to the tea question. The tea leaves you are using are too small and you can buy large leafed tea. On the other hand you could do what my husband does, he buys loose tea from The Rare Tea Company and he buys paper bags which look like and elongated envelope, you put the tea in the folded part at the end, put it in the cup and the longer part sticks out to allow you to take it out without having to fish around for it. Perfect but means you cant use your little gift.

Got to agree with Jenni – caffeine is a diuretic but you take it as a dilute solution with water – the net effect has been demonstrated to be negligible.

I tend to drink black coffee now, more because my taste has changed and I prefer the stronger, purer taste – I’ve also started to prefer loose tea as a substitute for booze (he says drinking his matcha at a client in sunny Dublin)

HI Wendy

I’ve put it in savoury porridge – oats, water and parmesan. Let it dry out a bit and use it like a polenta – very nice as a side with steak or oily fish.

Daisiesmum —- I do have a rebounder, but currently can’t use it. A couple of my lasting side effects from chemo were a slight neuropathy in my feet, as well as the onset of Raynaud’s Syndrome in my feet (have had it for over a decade in my hands, but never in my feet until chemo). I have the strong tingling in my feet, but I can’t “feel” them, and have to watch them to make sure they are firmly planted on the ground and are pointed in the right direction. It is getting better, but will be glad when it is gone ’cause I’m getting tired of crashing into things with my head while I am watching my feet !!! Instead, I use a “stepper” which offers a solid surface for my feet, and resistance for each step —- but is not nearly as much fun as the rebounder !!!!

Did get my U.S. version of the BSD cookbook today, and am glad that, as hoped, it uses our form of measurement, and oven temperature. Have learned how to convert, but that requires thinking —- which generally flies out the window if I’m hungry !!! Wish I had more access to some of the ingredients used, but I live in a SMALL town on the Southern Oregon Coast, with extremely basic groceries. Will be going to a big city in March, and will look around there.

My take on tea (and it’s my major source of fluid on BSD) —- use a teabag in the mug for everyday, and a teapot with loose tea and a strainer for special occasions. Don’t use milk anymore, but do put in a bit of Stevia.

Hi all. I weighed myself on Monday and then again today and I’ve lost 4.5pounds. How good do I feel today 🤗 I am finding it difficult to eat 800 calories but it’s working

I am currently following the week 1 plan in the book – day 4 – going surprisingly easily – everything tasty so far- save for the blueberry and green tea shake – but when I look up the calories involved in each ingredient they tend to come out quite a bit higher than the calculation in the book – is this just my poor maths or has anyone else found this this?

Apparently if you make your tea in a cup or mug then you are permitted to put the milk in afterwards – otherwise it goes in first LOL

Tea! The best drink of the day! Sorry I just had to jump in there….milk first definitely!

Talking about clothes I guess it just makes sense that if you walk around in baggy stuff people can’t tell if you’ve lost weight …. note to self ‘must buy a smaller size’!!

Anyway, Krysia it must feel really great to have emerged as ‘butterfly’ from a chrysalis especially in the middle of winter!

Natalie, sounds like you have all good reasons for losing weight but the only thing I can say is that this isn’t a race. I have now come to terms with my ‘new life’ and just plod along at my own pace. Try to not be too hard on yourself and you will get there in the end.

Now for the tea!!!!! I think Daisiesmum has given you the best answer. Personally I use tea bags for ease! The REAL question is when do you put the milk in the cup!!! Do you add milk to tea or visa versa????

Hi happy vegan

So pleased you are here.

My story sounds similar although I do have a few health issues to address.

Wasn’t sure how the BSD will work for a vegan but orchid has recently posted some excellent advice on this thread if you have a read.

I return from a trip today and will shop tomorrow. All systems go on Saturday. Trying not to see this as a diet though more of a way of life from now on.

Have you started the BSD yet?

Best wishes.

Thank you for this. Very interesting. I am wanting to do the liquid version. Was thinking of slim fast but I wanted more options. There doesn’t seem to be anywhere i can find much info and recipes on low carb juices/shakes. I will re read the mm book to see if he has mentioned any. 🙃

Hi everyone,
I did 3 weeks of the BSD800 last year and lost nearly 2 stone and my blood went back to normal 🙂 I couldn’t have done it without this forum. Have never been on a diet before but it had to be done as I’m now officially diabetic but have no plans to use meds. I then just kept my carbs as low as possible, but the odd treat started increasing… I’m definitely addicted to sugar and possibly even carbs.
I’m a veggie and was basically eating far too many carbs for years, plus alcohol. This diet can be done by vegans, but I found eggs to be really helpful for filling me up during the dieting phase. There’s only so much tofu and lentils I can eat.
The last few months I knew I was slipping and this has now been confirmed ny BS readings (plus I’ve put back on half a stone). So I’m going to do it again. It’s been great to see lots of messages popping up recently.
I’m also going to see a hypnotherapist to tell my subconscious that sugar is toxic- I know that rationally but still see sweet things as treats.
Good luck everyone, we can do it! Recipe ideas are always welcome.

Hello Happyvegan, you could also incorporate fats through cooking with more oil?

Hello happyvegan and welcome,

I was just wondering if you’re diabetic or prediabetic? If you’re not you could probably incorporate more of the lentil/quinoa type of carbs into your diet. I’m not very sure of the science here but I’m sure someone will advise you.

Welcome Kate! Good luck with your shop and your journey😊

Hi happyvegan
Welcome on board and good luck with meeting your objectives. The forum is what kept me going – it is a wonderful resource. Looking forward to your contributions.

You’ve reminded me to go and check around the side of the house to see if the snowdrops are out – never go there in winter as I don’t need to open the side gate unless wheeling the garden bin out to the front. They are usually out faster than the ones in the countryside as they are in a sheltered patch, and last year I missed them completely because they’d finished before I’d thought to go and look…

Ooo Natalie, nothing like a tea conundrum to get The English talking (except the weather, of course). In my experience if you make tea in pot using loose leaf the tea leaves settle to the bottom of the teapot and don’t cause a problem, the over-the-cup strainer is used only to catch any strays. However, if using the dunking type of strainer and making it in a cup or mug dust can be a problem, one way to minimise this is to use highest quality (read: expensive) tea leaves which tend to be bigger.

I’m sure you will have started a very lively thread here 😀

On the other subject, temperatures seem to have plummeted here, sub-zero! Oh well, mustn’t grumble – giggle!

Just signed up so Hi to all on this thread.

As a vegan it’s been hard to find good advice about a low carb plan before but I know from past experience that high carbs just don’t work for me although I have read many many reports of people losing stunning amounts of weight eating wholegrain carbs on a low fat vegan diet – not me – no weight loss after over 5 years of very healthy vegan eating. I have no health issues other than significant excess weight and since becoming a vegan cholesterol levels for both me and my husband are healthy without any medication. Although I am not a diabetic, I recognise that sugars in food have been an issue for me and I believe that adopting this plan may be the key to successfully losing weight at long last. It will be a challenge to incorporate higher levels of fats into my eating but, from what I have read so far, it seems that this can be done by eating nuts and seeds so I will follow that advice.

I cook almost everything from scratch and already use beans and lentils daily with plenty of fresh veggies so that aspect is fine but I will need to limit my fruit and most of all reduce the carbs. Not the best time of year to start doing this perhaps – much easier in warmer months – but I have to grasp the chance while my motivation is high as I am sick of carrying a lot of extra weigh around. About 6 years ago, in pre-vegan days, I managed to lose over 50 lbs on a calorie restricted low carb diet. Almost all of that has stayed off as I also changed my eating habits and my thinking too. Since then nothing has worked but I need to lose about the same again. Friends tell me that as I am healthy I shouldn’t worry about the weight and some have even suggested that maybe I have reached the weight my body is comfortable with but, although I love their support, I just cannot accept that and am determined to lose more weight.

Sorry it’s so long but it’s so good to finally find people that share the same path.

Coming across this forum just at the right time is exactly what I needed. The tips, advice and support on this thread are very encouraging so thank you to everyone who has taken the time to contribute. I hope to be able to do the same myself.

Hello Everyone
You all seem to be doing wonderfully well and are an inspiration to me. I intended to start my journey on Monday, but am bringing it forward to Saturday as I just want to get on with it – urged on by all of you. This time I’m going to do it and all of you are helping me. I hope I can be of help also along the way somehow. The big shop tomorrow afternoon (visitors in the morning). Now going to plan the weeks menu and shopping list. This forum is great. Thank you all for your input and well done to those of you who ae already on their way. Keep it up!
Kate

Thanks Angela that sounds like something I could get involved with, I will look it up. Getyourcarbon…. oats are yummy with the thick greek yoghurt too, and so filling! 🙂

Going well
Day 5 finished
I know I’ve lost weight around the middle
Day 3 I spent having a number one almost every 45-60 minutes but been a lot less since
My favourite is oats with natural yoghurt (the lowest sugar yoghurt there is on the shelves) with blueberries
Trying to be diplomatic here but my labido has disappeared for the moment lol
I feel a bit slower and occasionally really in need of carbs
However my wife and I are sticking to the 8 week plan and we’ve both lost weight around the middle
Will have main weigh in on Day 7

Hi granny and solange, the 1000 mile walk challenge is organised by Country Walks magazine, I think. I saw it mentioned on these fora by captain lynne and avila so i googled 1000 mile walk UK 2017 and it took me to the site livefortheoutdoors. Once you register, it’s free! you can sign up to the facebook page and meet such nice people a bit like here really, nice, like minded people with similar goals. Of course you aren’t obliged to walk a 1000 miles but it’s a good objective. I wear my tracker all day so it encourages me to clean my house!

Buffylover: what are boodles?

Hello Flash21……. ditto there. Get the lunch packed as soon as possible 🙂
Some other ideas are:
tuna mayo or tuna with cream!
tinned salmon with mayo
beetroot salad
50g hummus

note the lack of vegetables sticks but feel free to add them! I have to choose stuff that agrees with my digestive system……………

On a less organised day why not buy a subway salad.

I use tumeric in peanut satay sauce – paired with plenty of fat there!

Good luck Rosebery! Focus on the non-food-related pleasures.

Verano I am pre-diabetic (100% controllable by diet – normal numbers if I eat well, high numbers if I eat too many carbs) and have 25kg to lose…. no wait only 20kg to lose now! I don’t know if that is a lot or not; more than some, less than others. I can buy clothes in “normal” stores but they don’t necessarily look good on me. Self-esteem is a big reason for me to lose weight, but I think the biggest is my sleep apnoea which I hate. It is very dangerous, and it sucks to never feel properly rested.

Lunches are tricky at the moment as I have my two children home all day for another four weeks! Summer holidays. And they don’t eat the same things I’d been having. So far we’ve generally been eating different things! Dinner is ok, that is sorted, but I don’t really want to go to that much trouble for lunch.

I exercised today, dancing along to Xbox Kinect. Only managed 15 minutes, I remember when an hour was easy. Those were the days. My daughter danced with me and didn’t break a sweat, I had to go and have a cool shower!

Here is a question for all you English types, I wanted to try loose leaf tea instead of tea bags so my daughter gave me a cute little strainer for Christmas, a tiny rubber ducky with the tea strainer thing like a thimble hanging underneath. There was an awful lot of small tea particles in my cup, which I didn’t like at all, is that normal when you don’t use a tea bag or is it because my strainer is more cute than functional and I should try a real one?

Today’s menu – lunch tomato, cucumber, celery, onion, avocado, 5 olives and half a tin of sardines in lemon with lemon and oil dressing. Dinner salmon parcel and salad, to follow greek yogurt and 6 raspberries. Milk in coffee.
So easy when at work. I will get this eating structure under my belt so I follow it when spending time at home and in readiness for my retirement in a couple of years time!!

Hey Baristagirls! How the devil are you? 🙂

Yes, I am often too tired to bother but am trying to combat this by preparing the next day’s food as soon as I’ve unpacked and washed up my lunch box when I get in. Then it’s one job done and I don’t have to scrabble around for something when I realise I’ve fallen asleep on the sofa and really just want to go to bed! I like the salami and blue cheese combo.

Sumo – your salads sound delicious. I usually have good intentions with green leaves and other items but a lot of times by the time I get round to eating it they seem to have gone all limp and look particularly unappetising! Definitely agree that putting a bowl of salad on a plate looks like a lot of food!

Good morning, last check in while waiting to board a flight to our holiday and extensive buffets! Weight this morning exactly 11 stone, 13lb to go to get into the normal range for my height. Had to find a belt for my trousers this morning! Wish me luck for the next 11 days of trying to keep it together .

Oh did anyone hear MM on radio 2 about the benefits of daily use of turmeric as an excellent anti-inflammatory & cancer preventive? Best used with some fat to activate it & black pepper to enhance it so had it with scrambled egg yesterday & butter. I wonder how it goes with porridge? Orange porridge anyone😂😂

Morning all,

Day 3 for me and the aches and pains are starting…!! Have a sore neck this morning and my tummy is quite bloated (sorry) but I can feel my body making changes inside which I know is good….

I have overnight oats for breakfast today for a change and left over ragu with boodles for lunch. Dinner tonight is a really low calorie chicken and veg curry.

Day 3… Bring it on!!!

Hope you are all ok today :o)

Great progress Trelawny! Glad to hear aches and pains are receding. I need to get into that groove as I am aching alllll over 🙁 I mean, I have a terrible back problem which is causing a lot of it but at the moment even my fingers and toes seem to hurt! Good luck with your walking challenge.

Hi Granny, me too, would like to have a focus like that. Look forward to hearing from Angela!

Day 5 & feeling very tired & slow with a “windy” uncooperative gut! This is no doubt due to much reduced food & veg intake because of using up Christmas left overs that are not really recommended BSD food or enough fluids despite peeing for Britain. I have to take the car for a service & just want to stay in bed & go back to sleep!!
Oh well I should make porridge for breakfast & add hemp seeds for roughage. Today we will do a proper food shop & buy lots of veggies & have stuffed big mushrooms for supper.
Well done Sarah with your weight loss & I also love pesto! Also welcome back to some “old” starters restarting & good luck.
It will feel so good when this first week has been got through & accomplished because it’s a bit of a trial this morning😿😿
Margaret xx

Day four, and noticed some minor changes in my body shape again. T-shirts being a little loser round the belly and something that isn’t mentioned in the books. My teeth feel clean all day!!
Although falling to sleep still takes me a while, I am sleeping a lot deeper and not waking up during the night which is something that doesn’t happen very often for me.

Today I decided to have chopped apple with my Greek Yogurt, while tucking into my breakfast.
I added the foods in myfitnesspal app. The Apple has 19g of carbs in it. Oh well lesson learnt but as my carb count for the last few days has been sitting between 20-30 carbs overall. Im not to worried.

Avila – I bought the clothes in the first place to hide the rolls of fat and they must have hidden the weight loss also. Other people on this forum have commented before that they have lost a stone but no one has noticed – I wonder if the baggy hide all clothes are the culprit.

I often get a cauliflower cheese to put in the oven and sometimes Asda/Sainsbury’s do a fajita ready meal with chicken and peppers and a seasoning and I have that but without the wraps. Although not ready meals as such, another easy thing to do (in probably the same time it would take to heat one up) is to get some prawns or chicken breast chunks (from the deli aisle) and warm them through in a frying pan with some oil and either simple herbs and spices, flavoured full fat soft cheese, or peanut butter (with a splash of milk or cream and some chilli to make a bit of sauce) and then serve with salad or cauli rice or courgetti etc. Very quick and easy!

You’ve motivated me Angela! Where can i find out info about the 1000 mile walk? I too am lazy but want to see a difference quickly, as you can see impatient too, lol

Oh Pat you are having the same day I did the day before yesterday. But it doesn;t have to be about tomorrow – you can pull it in right now. Remember the ‘just because you drop your phone doesn’t mean you have to go on and completely smash it up’ philosophy?

Meanwhile I just discovered the best BSD comfort food meal so far! ‘Pasta’ and pesto! One bag of ‘Slim Pasta – Penne’ and a third of a jar of Filippo Berio classic pesto: 2 minutes on the hob and hey presto, a delicious pig out at only 177 kcals and 2gs of carbs. (Okay so 15g of fat but we can ignore that for now.)

Now, if I was being REALLY piggy I’d even have two bags of the pasta with the same amount of pesto (which was enough). At 24 calories only per bag of pasta and zero carbs, it would be a portion for 2 and still only 200 calories and 2gs of carbs. Perfect for a saintly pig-out and feels very naughty indeed. Perfect for the crappy stressful week I am having here!

Morning all

Trelawny, that’s a stonking weight loss for 2 days – well done you! Tigs, although having a three day headache is never nice (!) take comfort from the fact that you’ve only got it because it’s all the yucky carbs leaving your system. That thought (and usually two nurofen) helps me a little 🙂

Hey jo – I imagine you felt a bit yucky but the great thing is that you’ve drawn a line under it and today is a new day – Yay!!

2lbs off for me this morning (inching nearer to target) – managed to avoid the headache yesterday but it’s back again – day 3 of my 2017 restart

I am always too tired to bother with a fancy packed lunch when I get home from work and keep it as easy as possible. Today is salami slices, yoghurt and blue cheese. Other days can include cream cheese peanut butter dip, soup, babybels, nuts etc

I have had that – people commenting about my continued loss even when I was actually creeping up, but had changed to slimmer style of clothes rather than the baggy hide all look. It shows how much what we wear affects the perceived weight…

Hello all – I love coffee (hence the username for my mum and I 🙂 ) – I guess everyone has to find what works for them. When I do 800cal, I have one latte a day (full cream, contrary to old mindsets) and it’s so tasty and filling. It is basically a good enough breakfast and well worth the 106cal! whilst I follow the plan but don’t count calories, I have 2 (she typed, whilst sipping her second latte 🙂 ) and it’s never had any detrimental effects to staying on plan. Quite the opposite.

Morning all
Day 3 for me. Yesterday I admit to a craving for hot buttered toast but resisted! I am holding out hope for this working to get me over my plateau. Over a year on 5:2 with the odd lapse has seen off 14 lbs. Here’s to another 14 fingers crossed. have all the food ready. The only problem I have is making dinners that I can bulk up with carbs for my underweight husband!! I am planning on adding pasta, rice, pots etc to his.
Thank heavens I am already into 5:2. It really does help. Good luck to all, we are on a journey together. x

Crashed and burnt – the cake won today, feel bad… never mind tomorrow’s another day.

I would like to try the liquid blood sugar diet, even for the the 1st two weeks. Has anyone else started this way. What shakes are you using? Slim fast ? I know the initial trial with Prof taylor was done this way. Thank you 😊

I love my coffee too much to give it up, it is like air to me. I have about 3/4 white coffees a day and the odd cuppaccino when I visit waitrose or fill up with petrol. If it means my weight loss is a tad slower then so be it, but who knows how I will feel about it when I am 30kg lighter. 🙂

Noel

Hi all, I also started on the 2nd of Jan. This is my 2nd go at it and hopefully this time I can get over the initial hump. I enjoy the food, I enjoy the feeling that not eating rubbish gives me, such as not bloating and sugar spikes/drops etc. Instead I have a clearer mind, sleep better and feel more comfortable in my tight trousers.

I tried this for about 6 weeks last year Aug/Sep -lost 6/7kg – but got a bit fed up with all the faffing with cooking and cleaning up and having excess ingredients building up. That might more because of the type of person I am than anything else. This time I intend to stick with it as long as possible, hopefully until the end of Feb at the very least and then long after that. Have already lost 2kg and it is not even 1 week yet. I realise most of it is water but it is a good morale boost.

Anyway, I believe it will help to have somebody else to make the journey with. Look forward to having much success with all of you.

Noel

Welcome Rose88 Voyager, Kandefloss, Julygirl and good morning to all the BSD january family, the level of commitment here is really inspiring for me..this is my go-to place when my motivation slips and the fridge beckons!

I joined up for the 1000 mile walk and have been chugging my way round the park. The first 8 weeks I dixn’t add in exercise…becauae basically I’m lazy, but this time round with just some walking, I’m really noticing a difference. And I’ve printed out some of their posters and put them round the kitchen to remind me if I forget!

Have a great day everyone. Angela x

Thank you for the replies and advice
I’m very keen to see what the results are of this diet both short and long term as an very keen to do what I can to halt or reverse this