Hi everyone.
This is my first post as I need some help and advice. Week 1 went well. I lost 7lbs. Week two I’ve stayed same, and not even lost an ounce. I’ve done everything the same. No idea what’s going on and why. Any suggestions.

Pre BSD, back in January, my HbA1c was 112 – and the real wake up call was being told it was too high to join a medical trial for diabetes.
I did a sugar free diet for a few weeks, abandoned it, then started taking metformin
I started BSD mid May, I had another HbA1c test in June, after 3 weeks of BSD – down to 62
I stopped taking Metformin, convinced by the logic of BSD
Further HbA1c test in August – 8 weeks after stopping metformin and 13 weeks of BSD – 38, well within the normal range pf 20-42, DIABETES REVERSED!!!!

All of the other tests – liver and kidney etc, are all perfectly normal now.
I did get a bit worried about the results on protein in my urine, as I couldn’t calculate the ratio from the data given – when I asked the Nurse, the response was that the result was zero, so the ratio couldn’t be calculated (her actual words were “it’s too normal to give a result”)

That aside, I would recommend to everyone here that is based in the UK – request online access to your patient record.
The right to this was introduced earlier this year. It’s brilliant, and completely free.
You get access to your results before you discuss them with your nurse or GP, so you can see them, make a note of anything that you are concerned about and ask at the consultation. This is a million times better than being quoted a meaningless stream of numbers over the phone or in a 1 to 1 meeting – and of course you can look back and see the history at your leisure.
I got access to mine at some point in the summer, and have a history of results going back 5 years or so.

Hey Carb_addict that’s the way to go……moving the conversation on….. your mum will soon get bored asking your visible results will speak for themselves but be prepared also for bit of jealousy as it will come. Go girl you’re doing great!!

Well it’s the 1st November on Tuesday so here’s to another month of healthy eating and that bit closer to my new jumpsuit the gorgeous Dave (hubby) bought me for the Christmas party in size 12! Dropped one size to 14 so hopefully another by end of November!

Have a great week everyone!!
X

Hi 1942 – welcome. congratulations – 50kg is amazing, well done
you’ve been very quiet! do join in the conversation more, lots more fun

Hi TeddyBear,

I hear you. I did really well in the first two weeks of Fast800 and then fell off the horse royally in week 3 when I went on a business trip. Back on it now for week 4 but am starting over in some ways as I pretty much regained all the losses from the first two weeks in the third one!

I don[t know if you made it into week 2 of the Fast800 but what I would say from my experience is that:

* I only started to feel less hungry (and actually ok on 800 kcals) in week two – your body DOES get used to it, have faith in this

* In my case, I had been used to eating whatever I wanted, when I wanted it, so I never allowed myself to get hungry. So feeling hungry was a real challenge for me. I think you have to adapt mentally to never feeling completely stuffed (which was a frequent sensation for me) on the Fast800 and realise that this is a good thing – that to feel a little hungry is a good thing. I am trying to follow the Japanese philosophy of stopping when you are 80% full and never going beyond that. It’s not a ‘normal’ or comfortable feeling if you are used to so much more. But you body and brain do adjust in time. (I never thought I would be able to cut to most carbs but I am starting to cope a lot better and realise how crap I feel when I do eat them, even I still miss them)

* Not all calories fill me up the same. I have found that – unfortunately for my budget – smoked salmon has been the greatest source of filling-up food. Some stuff I can eat great amounts of but it never fills me up. I think it is part psychological and party fat-content related – the higher the fat content the greater the sense of fullness. So I always keep an emergency packet of smoked salmon in the fridge as a coping strategy!

* There are a number of supportive groups on here and I have found it a great sense of support for when I am struggling. I belong to the 1st October starters group on the ‘welcome to the BSD forum’ and they are a great group of people who span the global timezone. (We didn’t all start on the 1st October so don’t get hung up on that.) You might find that active participation on the forums really helps you acclimatise and cope with the challenging moments. In our group as we have all commented on how useful we have found it to have a quick public rant and have others empathise! You get some great advice back too. A lot of this journey is emotional not physical, and the importance of the mental aspect cannot be underestimated, specially if you have a lot to lose (you and me both!)

Good luck – you CAN do it. Just take it one day – and one hour if necessary – at a time.

Hi Llandudno. Great result with your doctor – really good when you feel you can work with your medical professionals. I’ve been with my endocrinologist for over 10 years now, she’s a lovely woman but very strong on the medication front. To be fair I haven’t taken very good care of myself either. My HBA1C at beg of Oct was 8.4 (start of my BSD adventure) – a jump from the low 7s where I languished a long time. I told her I’d started the BSD and she was very supportive…and then asked me if I wanted to try another new drug that was getting positive results! OMG. I politely declined, asked if I could get another blood test in mid Dec and silently vowed to show her I could do this. Well, I’m now at the end of week 3 and the most amazing thing from this way of eating is that I’ve reduced my daily insulin requirement by over 80% – and it started happening almost straight away! My morning tests are in the mid 5s and I’m not getting the extreme spikes during the day, so fingers crossed next HBA1C will be a vast improvement! The key for me has been aiming to keep the carb count well below 50g.

Pottidotti
Thank you for the link. It explained how we lose salt on a low carb diet – which has puzzled me since I started in May I had been a bit worried about how much salt I have to add to my food to avoid night time cramps. Am not worried anymore as it makes perfect sense.

Hi everyone, its me Granny 😎 home from my hols and thoroughly enjoyed reading through all the posts, strange i know but i kinda missed my virtual friends! Well it sounds like you are all doing great and there has been some FAB weight losses, its encouraged me and I am raring to go and feel inspired by you all. I know I am behind the group but still feel ‘part’ of it so if you dont mind i’ll stick with the 10/10’s 😊.
Good news is i’ve only put on 1lb, tried to do more daily walking to compensate for extra food intake, not to mention the sangria! Anyway somethink has worked😀. My plan today is greek yog and raspberries, mushroom omelette, pan fried salmon with lots of salad and hopefully no snacks. As the clocks have gone back 1hr here in the UK, i am writing this post at 5.45am! Good luck today everyone :-))

Exciting Sam1111!!

Brilliant 1942desperate, greenjanet, KrysiaD and Frog. Love your commitment to making this work for the long term for more losses and maintenance. You have done amazingly!

Hoping to keep track of measurements etc on here:

STARTING STATS: DAY 1/56
Weight: 13.5
Waist: 33 inches
Stomach: 39 inches
Hips: 44 inches

Thanks Frog – the Diet Doctor site looks full of useful visual information for when my brain hurts from all the things I am reading and particularly for a frind of mine who likes to see rather than read. As a newbie, I found this interesting – https://authoritynutrition.com/5-most-common – though those of you who are further on your journey may be familiar with these facts and I apologise if I appear to be ‘teaching my granny to suck eggs’. Thanks to all for the information and support.

Hi everyone,

I’m a bit of a regular here – well regular reader but haven’t been able to commit to the diet previously but I am always reading the forums. 😀
I am a complete carb addict so know I will find this tricky to start with but the motivation to actually do something about my weight is for once stronger than my cravings!
I’ve got 3 children – 9, 5 and 11 months so am always thinking about or preparing food so I am going to have to be super organised…one of my downfalls. I’ve been doing low (ish) carb for a while but want to try the BSD diet for various reasons not just weight loss. Since the birth of my little boy, my hormones have been out of whack and I’m being investigated for various autoimmune issues thyroid etc…. so thinking this diet is worth a try for health and weight reasons. I also have type II in my family so am aware of whats to come if I don’t start making changes.

Its 8 weeks to xmas – eeeek and I know there will be temptations but I’ll do my best to stick closely to the plan.

I’m currently 13 stone 5 lbs and hoping to lose roughly a stone by xmas 🙂 Would love any other new starters to join in and share tips and ideas – weigh ins etc

Have just completed my second 8 weeks and have lost 15kgs. I will be continuing as I still have quite a bit to lose. I am not diabetic but need a double knee replacement and would like to lose another 20kgs to make the rehab a little easier.
In all I have lost 50kgs in three years but find that this WOL is definitely the easiest to maintain.
I having been reading the forums and have really enjoyed reading everyone’s stories.

Morning everyone.

Just want to say how grateful I am for the support on here and to say thank you for all your comments, especially since my last post about my mum. I do realise I am using this forum at times as therapy but it’s all part of my journey so I hope no one minds. I hope it may even help any other emotional eaters on here too. A big thank you, really.

My parents were tucking into the bread basket out at dinner last night when my mum turned to me and said, apropos of nothing, ‘So if you eat so healthily now why aren’t you slim yet?’ I just moved the conversation on. She’s clearly registering that I’m eating differently. But that doesn’t matter to me anymore: what matters is my response to her criticism and I think I’m doing much better than I have previously. One day at a time and all that.

Going strong so far since I returned from Saudi and am confident that last week’s gain (whatever it was) will be gone soon. I feel less bloated already and I’m not hungry either. Reading about everyone’s amazing losses makes me visualise a few weeks ahead when I hope to be able to share the same kind of results with you. I will next be weighing myself one week today.

Have a great day everyone.

I know just how you feel. I have finished my first week. Not sure how much I have lost because my scales are in the fritz. Have you tried komjac noodles, because they really fill you up if you are hungry, and even if you use two packets they have no calories, and you can add the lowest possible calorie sauce. I also tried making soup and added a pack of cauliflower rice which I got reduced in Tesco and it really thickened it up, far more than adding florets and then blending. Good luck!

Actually this is one place where BSD could reduce my grocery costs … because you can usually find a bag of small apples cheap. I usually like those beautiful large gala apples …. but i can often fit in the calories and even the carbs of a small apple. Yippee!! 🙂
Going to make a nice coleslaw with some shredded cabbage, 1 sliced up small apple and a few tablespoons of Miracle Whip mayonnaise (also on sale today) 🙂 …. just the kind of recipe i love …. easy peasy!! 🙂

Hi all,

This is my first post and I’ve been inspired by all the great progress people have been making and the wonderful support every is giving each other.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 at the end of August 2016 and decided I needed to start the BSD process. I started off OK and lost some weight……well more weight than I’d ever lost (4kg in first week). However, I always had a problem sticking to the 800 calories and I’m finding it hard to stick to it in general. I’ve been off sick with man-flu and then half-term meant I went back to my old ways of eating badly.

So now I’m determined to try and actually stick to 800 cals. I don’t understand how people don’t feel hungry on the diet 🙁 When my resolve weakens, I think I should go down to the 5:2 instead, but I read about everyone’s results and think I should stick to 800 cals for as long as I can. I’ve lost 10kg so far in two months, most of which was lost in the first month but I need to lose another 62kg in order for me to be at a ‘healthy’ BMI. So I have a long way to go!

So now I need to try harder and keep going.

Thanks for listening 🙂

It has been ups and downs for me too …. especially since i’ve been sick for about 3 weeks and just having to hang around the house feeling sick and bored.
There is more than enough food in the 800 calories … and i do roughly count carbs.
But i have had to try new and different foods. Many of the foods i’ve eaten before but i am just not used to the assortment. Bought bok choy for the first time … because i can’t do cauliflower every day no matter how much i love it.
It’s also “different” to break the low fat and no fat is “correct” when it actually is not.
Was also caught up in the now refuted notion that eggs are bad for you.
And it’s not like i ate more than a bit of bread and porridge oats … but still not having bread at all and only a little oats was different.

Different is psychologically hard to get used to…. plus you have to get your body used to “different”.

If i am hungry i almost always have cucumber, grape tomatoes, etc. on hand …. and even if i have reached the 800 calories … a few slices of cucumber etc. is not going to ruin the grand plan.

I wish you luck! 🙂

Bloke41 you’ve been doing really well. You are a similar weight to me, so it shows that even big guys can do this. Hopefully I can get similar results to you once I get past my month 2 write-off!

Thank you so much. I so appreciate your help.

Hi all,

This is my first post and I’ve been inspired by all the great progress people have been making and the wonderful support every is giving each other.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 at the end of August 2016 and decided I needed to start the BSD process. I started off OK and lost some weight……well more weight than I’d ever lost (4kg in first week). However, I always had a problem sticking to the 800 calories and I’m finding it hard to stick to it in general. I’ve been off sick with man-flu and then half-term meant I went back to my old ways of eating badly.

So now I’m determined to try and actually stick to 800 cals. I don’t understand how people don’t feel hungry on the diet 🙁 When my resolve weakens, I think I should go down to the 5:2 instead, but I read about everyone’s results and think I should stick to 800 cals for as long as I can. I’ve lost 10kg so far in two months, most of which was lost in the first month but I need to lose another 62kg in order for me to be at a ‘healthy’ BMI. So I have a long way to go!

So now I need to try harder and keep going. Thanks for listening 🙂

Hey guys, just checking in. Those are awful stories of critical parents, makes me ever more glad of my mum’s gentle support of everything I try to achieve. Finally moved off this god awful plateau that has lasted so long. Have lost 6.6kg (14lbs), half way through week 4 and am celebrating wildly. Thanks for your support.

slightly different viewpoint – I found tracking quite useful in understanding and learning about what contains carbs. I started off using MyFitnessPal, then switched to FatSecret. I stopped logging everything a couple of weeks ago, because I was a bit bored with it after 4 months, but may start again at some point.

I’m sure many of us have tracked calories on too many diet to count, but I found adding additional dimensions like carbs, and at one point I was concerned about my fibre intake – made it harder.
The info I learned from logging about what was in different foods made it easier on what to pick up (or avoid) both in supermarkets and making choices in restaurants. I hate planning my food ahead, so being able to make making good choices is important.

Your veg intake seems reasonably varied – you’ve had one portion at breakfast, and two at lunch and supper.

For a more general overview than logging, that is a great visual prompt, there is a site called dietdoctor that has great graphics of the carbs in veg, fruit, berries, seeds.
I made 2 A4 size colour prints that I have on the kitchen wall http://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/vegetables

Good to be home finally, been a tough 4 weeks or so. Haven’t weighed by self for the last 4 weeks.
It’s week 9 of my journey, and was not sure what results would bring considering a lot of time spent in hospital visiting and not weighing in food intake and having meals out a lot.

weigh in result: 141kg
waist 142 cm
weight loss for last 4 weeks 6.7kg

starting weight 159.9
waist 158cm

total weight loss after week 9 : 18.9kg

Will be going for a well earned, week end break with my OH in the next two weeks, will splurge a little but will be back on the bandwagon.
99kg in sight but still seems so far.

Have a good one all, keep on keeping.

Hi Forbury, that is so encouraging and good to hear your doing well. I’m on day three and it’s been a good three days, although I admit I feel quite tired on 800 cals and not sleeping well because im drinking lots of water and tea so end up getting up four to five times to use the loo!
Good to know you felt so different after just four weeks…eights weeks doesn’t sound long, but to feel and notice a difference after four weeks is very encouraging :).
I’ve resisted the wine (and it’s Saturday night), one of my weaknesses!
Keep us posted x

Hi TrixieS,

Feta Cheese: Minerva Light Feta (but I think they have just stopped making this version)
Museli: Dorset Simply Fruity Museli (quite expensive so I sometimes swap for this brand which has about 30kJ more per 100gm: Lowan Light Natural Museli)
Bread: Burgens SoyLin (has the lowest calories per slice of all version).

I recommend you read the nutrition label on everything. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to swap to another version of the same product and instantly reduce the average calories you consume. For example, Praise Italian Balsamic Dressing Fat Free has 205kJ per 100ml while real balsamic has 328kJ. In other words, Praise tastes very similar on salads but you save 1/3 of KJ.

Hi JOSIE lovely to see you Xx!
AVILA the three bowls of cereal lady is a woman after my own heart..I used to love ceral,esp.Cheerios!
FROG! Great bargains!i’ll have a look sainsburys..i have some nectar points to use. Currently buying a few nice tops on Ebay for a few quid. Due a trawl of the charity shops too! Isnt it fun! So Much happier losing weight and having more clothes choices than having junky food choices and gaining weight to the point i was struggling to find anything to wear!
Goodnight all…enjoy yr extra hour UK peeps! ‘ golden slumbers fill your eyes,smiles awake you when you rise’ xx

Thanks Mixnmatch useful advice. I havn’t actually eaten the pear, in fact, as I wasn’t too hungry but I’m sure this won’t always be the case as I progress on the beginning this new way of life. Do you recommend vegetable choice over fruit choice for the carb value. Any low carb eating advice would be appreciated as am very new to this 🙂

Oh and muesli brand too please 😃

Good morning Day 21. Nearly through week three!

Plan for the day:
B: omelette
L: tuna and salad
S: half an apple
D: no idea – family dinner at sister-in-law’s house. I’m sure there will be something I can eat, and I’ve told everyone I’m not eating any junk until Christmas so maybe I won’t have dessert forced on me (one time I had to say “no thanks” so many times it got quite funny)

AMGSyd, congratulations on your amazing effort and thank you. How amazingly helpful to sign on here for my first time and find all your wonderful tips and tricks. They have made thinking about starting this journey far less daunting. I am in Australia too and wondered if you would mind telling me what type of Burgen bread you used and what brand of feta cheese and muesli please?
Thanks so much.

My goal is 58 kg because that is the top of “normal” BMI and I can’t imagine being any smaller than that – also it will mean a 25 kg total loss which is a nice round number easy to divide up into mini goals. But when I get closer to 58 I may well change it. And because weight fluctuates so much, especially over a monthly cycle, I’ll probably have a range I aim to stay in rather than a number, maybe 55-58 kg. My goodness that is so far away! I’m not really thinking that far ahead yet. 5 kg at a time is less scary.

Thanks for your reply. Monday then? We can support each other. By Monday night I will be metamorphed into the devil ( great night for it !) as I will be hungry and cross ………. But determined. We can do it! X

This group keeps me sane. I celebrate those that have success and commiserate with those that struggle.
Now to confess my sins. Have stuck to the diet fairly rigidly but astounded as to how much my weight can fluctuate. So in true impatient style, threw all my toys out of the pram as no significant weight loss, despite reading others had the same issue. Had a Chinese meal and ate all my favourite goodies, followed by bread the following day.
Positives– can’t eat as much, carbs give me tummy ache. Actually enjoy this diet as opposed to slimming world.
Looked at inches lost and have lost 3 from my waist, which has to be a bonus, so perhaps the weight will follow later.
Mothers, I think is a generational thing. My mum, bless her, was famed for her barbed comments. I think she meant to inspire you but it always came out as a negative comment which crushed you. Had a huge falling out with her over this and she genuinely hadn’t realised how hurtful her words could be.
Back on track and determined to be at least a stone lighter by Christmas.

I’m sorry your mothers wont listen when you tell then how they are hurting your feelings, because I’m sure they love you. My mother used to do it too, especially about my weight (the one that stands out in my memory, not weight related, was she’d brought Poppa, her father, to visit me in the first house I’d bought and she sort of apologised for me saying the house had looked much better with the previous people’s furniture in it) but when I got the courage to speak to her about her frequent negative comments she made a real effort not to do it again. After that we were often (not always) able to get through a whole visit without her hurting my feelings!

Years before that, after her divorce, she used to say bad things about dad all the time. One day my brother and I asked her not to because he was still our dad. And she stopped. So I guess I’m pretty proud of her to make the effort to change.

Thanks for that hug Shalimar, posted yesterday. I’ve just seen it, and it’s stopped me in my tracks, heading for a mooch in the kitchen !! Saved by the hug …..have one yourself 😀

If your global family havent seen you for some time it will be AMAAAAAAAZING.

Fairy, have you put the creme fraiche in, it might curdle when you reheat. If it does it will still taste good.

Hi Frog, when I first made cauli mash I did it very cheffy and pureed it. It tasted like cauli baby food, now I steam it and put it in a bowl (cant mash in my steamer) with a little butter, salt and pepper and just give it a bashing so it still has texture, rather like a lumpy mash. Much better. I also sometimes add some celeriac and a pinch of nutmeg. We are getting good at this.

I agree with the advice to not worry about tracking it at first, but just for your information, my percentages over the last seven days are currently 34% Protein, 42% Fat and 24% Carbohydrate. You may want to later on replace some of the carbohydrate with protein on some of your days, to make sure the body has plenty of fuel to build and repair muscles, particularly if you are getting more active, as well as counting the calories. I would tend myself to not have both the apple and pear on the same day, replacing one of the fruit with non-starchy vegetables at one or more of the meals.

sunshine girl I cooked the chicken and mushroom pie last week. Two portions in the freezer for one day next week. Hope they are okay being frozen.

I’ve said before that my diabetic nurse is brilliant. She is wholly focussed on outcomes. We have set specific measurable goals (Weight, blood sugar, blood pressure etc.) and timelines and as long as I meet them we have agreed not to go down the medication route. She knows about BSD but has never had a patient try it, so I am a bit of a guinea pig for her, which is fine by me.

My GP on the other hand……

hello green janet, i am still about and hoping to reach the 3 stone goal before christmas

Hi all! I’ve started today, and this thread sure is inspirational. (Haven’t read it all yet). Congrats on your results! I hope I will do as well. (Evening day one and feeling a bit hungry… Drinking tea instead.)

I am away from home this weekend so no weigh-in, until I get back home. Have kept up the pattern today of one main meal only, which was roast chicken and had one small piece of roast potato with the other vegetables. Followed that up with a lovely bowl of berries, melon, pear and Greek style yoghurt. Went to a coffee morning at a local church hall and resisted all the beautiful looking cakes, just had a coffee. Walked over 17500 steps today, even jogged non-stop a section of road that my sister tells me is about three-quarter of a mile long.

Thank you – am keen to get started without tying myself in knots too soon.

Oh, that’s a good idea, I’ll try that with the other half packet, thanks JulesMaigret
I guess Microwaving more steams it, and wont reduce any water content

Hi Frog

With cauliflower mash I put it in the oven for five minutes just to dry out and firm up a bit, as it can be a bit watery if you’re not careful.

I’ve just eaten the waitrose cauliflower mash – it was OK – a bit watery compared to mashed potato
Not sure whether that is cauliflower mash in general, waitrose’s cauliflower mash, or the fact that I should have used it by Thursday – I’d forgotten how long it had been in the fridge.
It was 4.3g of carb per 100g, and I had about half the pack, so 6.5g
I’d try it again – I will make my own too, to see if that has the same wateryness to it.

I had it with a lamb burger (striped form my new griddle pan) and a griddled tomato – tasty meal overall.
I am a bit concerned that cooking in my griddle pan is likely to trigger the smoke alarm because its so hot – but not so far!