Thanks Lynne re the country walking magazine – found a copy the other side of town! There was a beautiful free calendar of Mallorcan countryside in the pack too – so a bonus all round (it’s my husband’s native land and we are going there in the summer – will mow be looking for interesting walks there as well as going for the 1000 mile challenge. All this thanks to reading about you signing up to the challenge! My issue is getting out when the weather is awful. Reading about you not having space for a treadmill, it occurred to me that doing the walking Lucia-style, up and down the stairs loads of times, would also count! I have so many folk on here to thank for changing my mentality – that’s my ‘battle plan’ for fitting in the walking when the weather is too horrible for my liking! Of course if you have a bungalow that’s no use!
Julia

Verano
It is amazing isn’t it – who would have thought it. I am still stunned.

Hello all January starters…there are quite a lot of us now which is good as we can support each other.

This morning I had dropped my Christmas kilo but a part of me wonders if tomorrow I’ll see some back again as a kilo overnight is a lot to lose. Still it bucked me up no end…

I walked about 3.4kms yesterday and am off to investigate fitbits this afternoon after my walk round the park.

I also registered for the 1000mile walk and love, love the facebook page almost as much as I love these fora!

To anyone just starting: take heart it really does get easier.

Hi Frog good to ‘see’ you again.

Sorry you’ve not been too well but hope you’re on the mend now. Interested in your ginger tea. Is it an infusion or ginger flavoured tea bags? The Nutrition course sounds quite good although after the ‘Diabetes’ course we’ll have to wait and see. Don’t know about you but I found the course rather disappointing. I didn’t really learn that much and I had hoped there may have been even a nod towards LCHF but maybe I missed that.

Had a look at the foreword for the Tom Kerridge book and he seems to have embraced LC so maybe this way of eating is starting to become more ‘mainstream’.

Flash21 I think the reason people don’t trust this ‘diet’ is because it just contradicts all the stuff we’ve been ‘brainwashed’ with in regard to fats. I still marvel at cooking my scrambled eggs with butter, eating cheese without guilt and putting cream in my coffee. I have to admit it took me several months to reach that point. You’ll be fine once you get yourself back on track and start to feel all that energy again.

Krysia isn’t it amazing that your children want a slice of ‘your energy’. Who would ever have thought it at our age!!

Wow CJF62
That’s a great loss
You must be very happy with your results
Mine is much less and had an had a bad day today
Made a cake for my kids and then couldnet stop cutting off little slices
No more baking for me as cant resist
Didn’t even really enjoy it
Back to work tomorrow so no time to eat!
Keep going CJF62

I’ve got the Kerridge book on pre-order from Amazon – can’t wait because I have to admit that I love the Hand and Flowers.

Mixnmatch/krysia

Music to my ears. I love 90% Lindt. Such a positive. Thanks

Hi all. Hope you’re all well. I’m a few days in and so far so good but I wondered if anyone could recommend some supermarket bought ready meals/snacks/dips pls? Particularly meals and soups I’m after. I do read the labels but am looking for some inspiration pls? Sorry if this has been posted before, I did search ready meals but couldn’t see much… Thanks heaps. smudgie21 🙂

May I join in? Just starting today and not looking forward to no wine on this but hey, it has to be worth it. Need to lose 14 lbs, maybe a little more. I’ll see!

Good morning everyone:
Today weigh in I stayed the same as last week. I was down 2 pounds but after eating more than I should yesterday (to many carbs) put the 2 pounds back on. Today is a new week so will do better.

Looks like a lot of you are off to a good start for the New Year.

Hey all,

I braved the scales yesterday and discovered that I’m only 2lbs shy of the starting weight I was when I very first started the BSD back in late September – argh! That’s what Christmas indulgence does for you…. 😉 Still, am not going to beat myself up about it too much. I knew that I had eaten lots of non-BSD foods so had expected the gain (although perhaps not quite as much, hey ho…). I’ve made new year’s resolutions that I think will tie in well with the BSD lifestyle so fingers crossed they will stick! I did well yesterday with meal prep for the next couple of days so hopefully that will keep me on the straight and narrow. I also saw the Food Unwrapped programme last night – was quite interesting. And good timing too, after receiving a text from a friend who said she doesn’t trust this diet!

Hi Toby101
I face a similar problem as I work away a lot and there are too many opportunities for hash browns!
I’m thinking that sticking to mushrooms,tomatoes and eggs at the breakfast is an option?
Alcohol is to be avoided – boohoo! Although it suggests just doing so for the 8 weeks initially. I suppose it’s time to find a good alternative? I’m just going to keep focusing on my end goal and hope I don’t get tempted.
Good luck!

Hi,
I also saw this C4 programme – much of interest to BSDers. I believe the Dr Unwin who featured is the same person who contributed the bacon/broccoli fry-up on the recipe forum/book.

Hi, the book came yesterday and have been reading through this morning. I really need to do a shop but am making a start by forgoing my beloved toast and marmite this a.m. Here goes then……..

MOGGOT – I mix my full fat mayo with equal amount of full fat greek yogurt and add a pinch or two of dill and a few drops of vinegar. It gives a lovely buttery flavour and keeps the calorie count down. It might be worth a try (I know we all have different preferences, it might not be to your taste). There’s no big portions in 800 cals (unfortunately) and it takes time to adjust to eating so little (especially if you had a big Christmas feast or two 😀 ).

Getting into the swing of BSD is an individual process, stay positive, the penny drops eventually!

Hey Sumo,

Welcome to your restart! Sorry to hear you’ve been unwell. That must have been rotten, especially over Christmas. Still, you have a 2 stone loss under your belt so you know you can do it! Weirdly, with fluid retention, the more you drink, the more it eases, even though that seems counterintuitive. I find peppermint tea really soothing for this.

Hello Frog, nice to hear from you again. Your weight stabilisation is very impressive and I hope you are feeling better now.
I heard the Tom Ketteridge bit on the radio too and my daughter has preordered the book, so I will have a gander when she gets it and post a review. Any interesting BSD recipe books are very welcomed here! I think the BSD recipe book was ok, but not overly inspiring. . Good for a few standby recipes though.
It’s great to be out in the (freezing) sunshine again today. Have a good one everyone.

Starting today, 43, 6 foot man, 16 stone, prediabetic blood sugar levels want to go down to 14 stone and normal blood sugar.

Following the week 1 diet in the book so blueberry and green tea shake for breakfast (not to my taste if I am honest), pepper with feta stuffing for lunch, and lamb and aubergine for dinner.

My biggest worry with this diet is my frequent weekends away – first one coming up this weekend – staying in a hotel – how do people cope with these?

Second biggest worry is booze, giving up my favourite foods AND my daily couple of glasses of wine at the same time seems like a big ask

Anyway good luck all

I started yesterday, had minor slip up with cal counting. I didn’t weight 2 tbsp of Heinz mayo. I weight it this morning to add to my chicken salad. A whopping 360cals. So had to put some back ( boo ). So for a rough guess I had about 950 cals yesterday rather than the 800ish I was hoping for.
I did find the craving for something sweet was tough going yesterday morning, so I had some Pepsi max and that took the edge of it (I don’t drink sugary fizzy drinks as rule and haven’t done for over 20 years).
This morning, I didn’t notice any sweet cravings but I think my Greek yogurt with blueberries may of helped there.

Hi all,

So I have started today. Weighed myself this morning – 14st 13lbs and I’m only 5ft 3in so have quite a lot to lose (BMI 37). I have just had my breakfast of 2 hard boiled eggs and half an avocado (apologies to everyone in my office for the smell when I opened my lunch box haha!), I have tuna salad for lunch and basa fillet and cauliflower rice with feta and veges for dinner tonight. I have the same brekkie and lunch already prepared for tomorrow as I made it in bulk yesterday, but will mix it up again later in the week. I love a tuna salad but don’t want to get bored!

Fizzy water with lime is to be my saviour!!

I’m looking forward to getting to know you all – we can do this and 2017 is going to be our year!!

:o))

Rebecca x x

On-A-Mission,

Well you’ve sent us all a message but if you mean to another person, then no me neither.

TumTumP

Under 50G of carbs a day – I try to stick to 25 and under for my T2D. I don’t have any pasta or bread of potatoes.

Morning everyone!
Thanks PatC yes I’m trying to curb my newly slim husband because he is a snacker particularly on nuts & grapes & loves Christmas pudding & Christmas cake. I’m not too fond of those but like Panettone & froze a whole one to not be able to eat any not knowing if it was freezable but assumed any kind of cake was. I’m hanging in there still not getting right down to 800 calories & desiring sweet things!
Sarah goodness me you are putting me to shame but like you I had an odd 1/2lb gain yesterday that I can’t blame on hormones😂but assume it’s my body getting used to more fluid intake. I am also going alcohol free for the eight week duration & do miss wine!
Come on everyone lets get through the first week & hopefully our bodies will settle back into the routine. I feel so pleased with myself last night because our Sky box stopped recording & when advised to reset it we lost all our recorded Christmas tv programmes😡😡I rather felt like throwing a tantrum & attacking the icecream in compensation but stayed calm & got out my knitting to keep me occupied😎 We now have only normal tv & freeview & I was so looking forward catching up with some favourite things. An engineer was coming on Saturday & has now been brought forward to tomorrow so there might be a chance of re-recording some things. Oh well my main exercise today is ironing bed linen & a pile of shirts😿That should keep me out of the kitchen but I will make some carrot soup for lunch because of loads of leftover 🥕

Hi, I have been on this for just under a week now. I would like to join in though. Lost 5lbs so far. This forum is quite difficult to navigate isn’t it. I cant see where to go to send a message. Or am I being silly!

TumtumP I try to keep my carbs down as it’s the carbs that put my blood sugar levels up and I want to keep them as healthily low as I can without going too low. I don’t know what the diet book says yet as mine hasn’t arrived yet.

Morning everyone
Today’s the day!!! Just weighed myself and measured my waist. Completely horrified but feeling more motivated now I’ve seen the results.
I notice lots of people talking about carb content and keeping under a certain amount of grams a day. I had interpreted the diet as veg, bit of fruit, protein and very limited/no pasta, rice,bread. Have I got it wrong? Do I need to count carbs in those things and stay under a certain amount as well as the 800 calories?
Have a great day everyone

Way of Life
I have one or two squares of 85% or 90% dark chocolate after my evening meal. It feels so wonderfully wicked but of course it is not as it is ok on the BSD and is actually very healthy.

Oh no, crisps … it’s been so long and they were such dear friends… haha

Hi Jan
sounds exciting – I take it the barns are the new home, rather than the wheelbarrow!

How is your reboot going?
Amazingly, I have lost half my “Christmas” weight gain in two days, despite having a cold and being largely inactive, and had some honey because allegedly it will help with cold symptoms.
Ginger tea in vast quantities is apparently good for both cold and digestion.
Christmas is in inverted commas because when I went to log my weight, I realised that scarily I hadn’t done it since mid November.

I’ve signed up for that futurelearn Nutrition too Verano

I heard a radio program over the break with Tom Kerridge – he has a low carb recipe book coming out called “The Dopemine Diet” I rushed to look at it, but its not available til next week, although it appears to be similar principles to BSD.
I was rather underwhelmed by the BSD recipe book; I must go back and look at it again, but when I opened it, I started at the beginning, and found the endless ‘recipes’ for variations of scrambled egg and porridge tedious.

Troods – after losing 7.5 stone on the BSD last year the only loose skin I have is my upper arms and thighs, both easily covered. I was never going to have a flat stomach after 2 Caesarean sections anyway, so no problem with that. I’d not be wearing sleeveless dresses or ultra short skirts anyway, so it’s not a problem for me.

Verano – your treadmill could have been friends with the stationary bike I had around that time!😀 This is one of those houses with small rooms and very little storage space – no room for exercise equipment! 😱😢

My official weigh-in day and a shock drop after the festivities: 79.1 kg. Still up on before Christmas but down on after 1 January. So that’s a good start.
Hope you’re all doing OK. Tabletalk, you’ve been on my mind a bit recently. Hope everything is going well.

Hi, I am doing the 800 calorie a day 8 week diet. I am uncertain how many carbs to have. I know less is best but we also need some healthy ones. Am I right in thinking maximum of 50g carbs from a good healthy source a day? Or less? I have been on this a week tomorrow and have lost 5lbs. Not as much as I thought I would from reading the book but hey…that’s still very good. Feeling very hungry despite eating plenty of my calories in protein and fat. Hope I am doing it right.

No it wouldn’t be wrong to have a square of dark chocolate a day. Most people start at the 70% end and work up to preferring the 90% though.

Weigh in for the first ‘active diet’ phase of 2017. Up to 11:10 but that is the same as my weigh in on getting home last Wednesday so goal of maintaining from 27th December met. Goals for this next phase are, progress towards my new target of 10 stone 8 pounds, which is 16 pounds away, no alcohol for 8 weeks, and at least one fast day a week, starting today. I will be both intermittent fasting and reducing calories on fast days to 800, but today I think I need to hammer home the ‘no more chocolates and bad stuff I have indulged in over the holiday period’ so will do a water fast. Fluids only, maximum of around 200 calories. I think my body needs to be shown I am serious. 😊 non scale goals, at least 5000 steps each day (I work at a computer all day so more than this is tricky, at the moment my usual work day is around 3500) and with 10000 steps at least three times each week. I think I only managed one last week.

Hi Sumo.

*the door opens but no one is thee* 😀LOL

My boss said last year I’d not need to open the door soon, I could get through he gap!

Seriously though – I seem to be maintaining at 8st 7lb. If I lost another few pounds I’d not worry. But, if I got below 8 stone I would – even though I’d still be in my healthy BMI.

Today I start the 8 weeks program again.
Not a fantastic end to 2016 I was ill end of Nov through to almost Xmas with a chest infection and just let things slip, I have gained a whopping 14lb but I resolve that this is the lightest I have been at the New Year point in many years.

My starting was 26s 1lb now 24s 1lb but now I feel so bloated; hopefully a bit of fluid retention, once eased should relieve the bloating?

Well done to all those that maintained being losers, Capt Lynne you will fade away if you don’t watch yourself.
Not a fantastic end to 2016 I was ill end of Nov through to almost Xmas with a chest infection and just let things slip, I have gained a whopping 14lb but I resolve that this is the lightest I have been at the New Year point in many years, now today I start the 8 weeks program again.

My starting was 26s 1lb now 24s 1lb but now I feel so bloated; hopefully a bit of fluid retention, once eased should relieve the bloating?

Ha ha! My weakness is crisps!😱😭

Have just entered my weight into my notebook. Was very interested to see that I didn’t record my weight gain on the 27th Dec – it was almost as though if I didn’t write it down it never really happened.

That is exactly what I have always done in the past – avoid the scales – because if I don’t weigh myself the weight gain isn’t really happening. And of course I always saved my bigger clothes so would just get them out again and store the smaller clothes under the bed – ready for the next diet.

This time is different – the daily weigh in is a must so I can take immediate action. Also with all the bigger clothes safely at the charity shop I really would have absolutely nothing to wear. And of course there is this forum which does a super job of keeping me on the straight and narrow. And last but not least – I really really want my diabetes to stay in remission.

Have now written in my weight gain last week as it will be interesting to look back on how I did over this Christmas.

Yes , i feel a little like Homer S wth his ‘chocolate’, though mine is as Sarah says, cake – got through the day – good luck everyone x

LizV – I did 8 weeks BSD in the run up to Christmas (starting end Oct) and, yes I had the grumps too, it was towards the end of week one. I honestly thought I wasn’t going to be able to continue, I was EXTREMELY miserable – a serious case of “stand back everyone”! Then literally overnight it changed, I woke up one day feeling like a completely different person, full of energy, even tempered, calm, alert, clear thinking etc etc. I can honestly say I feel 20 years younger than before I started BSD.

I have always known I was a (refined) carb addict, but this experience has shown me just exactly how much! Since going through the “carb flu'”, I haven’t been remotely tempted by sugary carby stuff, even mince pies, stollen (a very particular former favourite) and all other Christmas sweeties didn’t tempt me one iota.

I hope your symptoms vanish soon, and as suddenly as mine did. (When it was at its worse I ate slightly more calories; to be THAT miserable, AND starving too – no thanks. My body soon adjusted to less food, and the hunger pangs diminished) Persevere, I’m sure you won’t regret it.

Weighed in at 9 stone 6.5lbs this morning which is exactly what I was before Christmas. So the 1lb I gained with all the clotted cream, stilton and Tesco finest roasted nuts over Christmas has now gone.

Had some interesting conversations with daughters yesterday. Both daughters and their husbands had asked for details of the BSD med diet. I ran them off some info from the site and they are starting it today. One daughter said that both her and her husband feel so tired all the time lately and they want to get the same energy boost from the diet as I have had.

Isn’t it great that we can be ambassadors for this really healthy way of eating just by doing it ourselves.

LOL!!! Think we all feel a bit like that at the moment!

Oh dear, have I? I shouldn’t be allowed out on my own! 😀

HI Bissell you’re already counted ‘in’ but good to see you back anyway.

Oh, and Troods, re: the baggy skin.
I’m 60 and lost 40lbs in about 3 months last year. My skin is not so much baggy as …… more wrinkly! I’ve excercised everyday, sit ups and arm weight lifts (not half so impressive at it sounds! Just 2kg and 20 reps on each arm). I wrestle with the lead of my bouncy Saluki Lurcher too, which helps with the arm muscles. But the skin is still a bit wrinkly. But hey! I’d rather have that than firm fat! And with some firm underwear (!) I still look a lot better (clothed) than I did before!

Good morning. Day 8, or week 2 day 1, either way it’s weigh-in day for me. I am 1lb down on last week, which is amazing because I have been eating out-of-control portions most days! (I’m still 3.2lbs up on my Christmas eve weigh-in …yikes!).

My mini- goal is to lose 4.2lbs by my Drs apt which is 2 weeks today! I’m definitely back on track with portion sizes now and my body is thanking me. I’ve also managed to tame the beast of incessant snacking- it’s back under control- this has ALWAYS been my downfall (my ONE weakness 🙂 ).

Again, keeping myself moving, walking, rebounding, pilates. I feel pleasantly achey pretty much everywhere from the increase in exercise.

Welcome Jo Gardener, hope your book arrives soon. You’ll find great support on the forums too.

Verano, re the TV prog, I thought the same thing about the “official lady” giving low-fat, high-carb advice (yawn), but she did seem very out-of-step with the rest of the programme which is a huge leap forward. I love your “you mean the world’s not flat” analogy, so true. Ahhh, but come the low-carb, high fat revolution…

All the best for Day 8 to everyone. We can do this!

WEEK 2

Day 1 …. WEEK 2

Hi everyone

Good to see some of us are back on track and those who aren’t are at least still here talking about it. So great! The first week has been a bit like a ‘stroll in the park’ slowly getting back on track so maybe we can start ‘jogging along’ this week.

I have been ‘slowly strolling’ and have lost nearly 2lbs so very pleased with that. This week I will definitely stick more closely to the plan.

I saw the C4 program last night Daisiesmum and I must admit the bit about a good nights sleep was very interesting. I don’t know why but I find that I’m not sleeping that well on this plan. I did find it almost funny when the spokesperson was giving the ‘official party line’. Looked to me like she was having difficulty keeping a straight face when she was spouting the same old nonsense about carbs!!! At least the message about LCHF seems to be getting through even if it is being reported with the same incredulity as ‘the world’s not flat’!!!

Lynn my treadmill is really old now, maybe 15years. It dates back to the days when I was quite fit! Didn’t manage to get on it yesterday but will try again today. Tigs today is another day so just keep going!

Welcome Jo hope you enjoy this way of eating.

Have a good day!

Day three.

Right, it’s about now, I get fed up, bored, hungry, emotional.
But
Today, I am going to walk, climb the stairs and…. do one of those posh gym moves called the lunge. Incase you don’t know it, I saw monty python do it in the ministry of funny walks.
To describe it, you sort of walk but taking giant strides, but with your back leg almost touch the floor with your knee before it comes forward.
I am going to do this before I go to work and when I come home. I can’t do it in work as there are security cameras everywhere and I could be locked up for less.
Remember to wear loose clothes as your gusset could explode if you wear tights (pantyhose).
Google it. The lunge, not exploding tights, silly!

Eating, now that I have acknowledged how many carbs I have eaten, I can slowly reduce them, today I am going to count the calories of my evening meal. I am going to aim for 350. If I go over it, I am not going to stress out. I am going to blame nature for not making veg in correct calorie sizes.

Mentally, I am going to have fun. Why? Because I am having sprouts for tea , and sprouts always make me, well, you know…. back fire. 😀 I am going to giggle like a kiddie.
I shall Blame the dog, the cat, the creeking door anything bar me.

If you haven’t started, why not start today? Many people go back to work today, so start today. You can read the last two days and catch up. No worries.

Don’t forget, listen to your doctors, listen to your body (yes, after the sprouts have died down) you will know how far you can go today. Don’t forget, you can do a little bit more tomorrow.

You going to give it up or shall we…have another go?

Have a great day three.
Love Lucia
Xxxxx

Morning everyone. I’m a bit late on parade but I hope you don’t mind me joining in.
Phew, is that it now? Can life return to normal? Thank goodness for that! Total damage was a 2lbs increase, mainly due to a bit of booze (I’m such a lightweight I get tiddly on a glass of wine now!) and generally too many calories, rather than carbs, which I managed to avoid (almost) all together without feeling deprived. So hurrah for that.
Am toying with the 1000 miles challenge, I walked 13,000 steps in the glorious Welsh sunshine yesterday, so that’s a bit in the bank, but I will see how that goes. Goals for the next 28 days are
Get back to best weight loss since starting BSD, a 5lb loss required.
Keep up the 10k steps
Drink 2 litres water
Encourage (unobtrusively) my daughter who is starting the BSD today.
Thanks for the idea Verona and best wishes to everyone.