I’m on day 3 , and it’s been hard, I’m trying to plan ahead especially as I have 3 night shifts coming up.
I have already noticed my chin isn’t quite as “double ” , as before, my belly fat feels less , but I haven’t measured it, , and my sides seem a bit slimmer, I have a horrible fat tummy, , an apron in fact, which I am hoping to loose. , good luck everyone 😊

Great day today with no headaches thankfully and lots of energy… maybe I’m over the carbs??

Today I ate:

Breakfast: Middle Eastern (cottage cheese with cucumber, tomatoes, smoked paprika – odd for breakfast but lovely and fresh tasting)
Lunch: Warm halloumi salad – a complete winner.
Dinner: Spicy chicken with lentils – again absolutely gorgeous and quick as I used tinned lentils.

I am so enjoying getting out of the food rut I was in and cooking with enthusiasm again!

Loving all of your posts. You are all an inspiration to me!

Hi everyone,
WEll I have been on this diet for almost a week and I am surprised at the strange effect this has had on my body. I started out with severe headaches followed by constant *peeing*! Weird aches and pains throughout my body and leg cramps. Oh and tiredness. The tiredness has now ended and I am feeling a little more energetic. One good side effect has been the lack of hunger. I was worried about feeling hungry at 10:30 at work and was worried about what to eat but I haven’t been hungry. Considering I eat my yogurt and and berries at 6 am I think it’s all good. Will this lack of hunger continue or with my body normalize as time goes on?

ZIggy🙂

Shalimar how can you not have stove

Hi all,

Just two more days left of this first week.

Another two-meal day for me:

-11am chargrilled king prawns with green veg “couscous”, feta, tomatoes and pine nuts

-6pm. Veggie sausages with beans and cheese

I had way too much caffeine today as v little sleep last night due to small child in and out of my bed last night!

Early night for me

Xx

You survived APATCH 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Another day under yr belt..! Well done on holding out for a late dindins..glad you enjoyed it and have a full tum..you now have to say the famous words ( ive just had to say them too,after 796 cals, 34 carbs)… I hate saying them but it must be done!
….The KItchen Is Now Closed!….xx

Psychological blocks….

I know this works, I have taken off 10% of my body weight and stopped BP meds – yeh!!

Then I relaxed but roughly stable, and refocussed to start being serious with it again – and finding it much harder than before. Okay so I didn’t have the enthusiastic running start of August, and nights drawing in can bring me down. Set myself strict rules for October – no booze, and have ended up drinking on 4 of the last 5 days. I craved it as soon as I said I can’t. And yes it is a depressant so I ended up feeling horrible about my failure and yesterday fell into a reduced to clear cheesecake before an evening meeting that had indian restaurant snacks….. Strangely this has had impact on my weight, and so will be a wasted week – where it goes up and down and the best target is to stay as you were before the wagon crash.

Thing is that all that adds up to feeling angry with myself and sorry for myself at the same time, provoking my desire to drink or to binge – spiral stuff. I am home alone – so no-one to lift my mood or to keep me on safe and narrow.

Thanks for all the encouragement everyone, it has really helped me today. I somehow managed to last until dinner (~8.20pm – late!), with herbal teas and distractions…for dinner I had a baked chicken breast with chopped red pepper, olives and chilli (p. 237) and since I had some calories left over, a pile of broccoli (which was heavenly). Feeling full now and so glad I persevered today. Thank you 🙂

OMG SHALIMAR!
PF biccies AND crisps..I wd think i had died and gone to heaven!😊😊😊
Well done on the runs POPPETINI and AVILA! 👍🏻

Thanks JAN! How ya doing! Hope things have calmed down at home now
Yep halfway thru…then what? Same thing probs but a few extra cals …maybe.
Think youre about a week ahead of me..is it week 14 now?
Feels like forever doesn’t it but in a good way!😄😄😄 xx
Ps that was a good cuppa you made us last night!

Yowser luvvy

Little miss half way through, in the voice of Yoda ” pleased I am for you” 😇😇😇👏👏👏😇😇😇

Please can I join too? I started the same week but have taken a little bit of time to get my head around posting on forums.
I am 5’6″ BMI 33 and have 40lbs to loose…. Have felt so over whelmed by the prospect of so much to loose that I’ve tried and failed at most diets. I read this book last week and felt so inspired by the success stories. Also I felt it just made sense! I was diabetic in my last pregnancy but have been told I’m insulin resistant so really hoping this diet is as good as it sounds.
Due to panicking about dropping to 800cal daily I did the first week on slim fast advanced nutritional shakes (180 cal) for breakfast and lunch then a low carb med style meal for supper. I was amazed to weigh in 10lbs lighter in just one week…… This has really spurred me on to week 2.
I feel this week like I have read the recipes enough times to stop the shakes and switch to proper food. That said, since I’ve done this I am starving!
I’ve had a few headaches since starting but they seem to be easing as each day passes. I’m drinking 2.5litres of water plus tea with milk from calorie allowance.
Is anyone else still feeling hungry at this stage? I’m almost tempted to go back to one shake a day but they are quite bland and expensive and I like the idea of eating proper low-carb food (as my kids say).
Anyway looking forward to reading your posts which are truly inspirational!! Good luck for the rest of this week….. I’m hoping for a good loss again but just keep thinking after 10lbs last week I surely can’t loose anything this week……
Final question: I’m worried about Gallstones as I have had one before that got stuck when I was pregnant (the same one that I was diabetic) and they said it probably happened from rapid weight loss when I had become severely ill. This is mentioned in the book and advises keeping fat in your diet…. How do you all make sure you’re getting enough fat whilst balancing the calories so as not to be starving hungry? Thanks

Hi sunshine-girl,
Is it not safer to try a reduced dose of the meds and have your blood sugar going a little higher temporarily, than risk a hypo? You can always increase the dose again if necessary.
Lower Blood glucose, as Krysia says, is a sign you are becoming less insulin resistant.
Also whilst having less insulin will increase bg, it will also reduce fat storage (allow more lipolysis) which may improve visceral weight loss and actually speed up/improve the chance of t2 reversal?

I am not doing it 3 times a week – though getting the 10k steps a day with dog walks as a main chunk. We don’t get to add in the burnt calories as extra food, see it as extra fat loss. However everyone is different, I don’t count calories or try to be strict, I try to keep life simple. So if it feels you need a bit more on run days….that’s ok.

Apologies for mentioning the fried potatoes. <Smacks myself on the hand> – what was I thinking?!!!!

I am feeling pretty rough today and I am not sure why. I feel as if I am not eating enough but that may just be carb/sugar withdrawal. I am hungry, have stomach ache and feel sick. I have tried to manage this with small meals:

Breakfast: porridge with raspberries (200)
Snack: one boiled egg (not sure)
Lunch: humnmus and carrot sticks (not sure)
Dinner: gammon steak with red cabbage (420)
Milk (100)

I am probably blowing my calories today but I think I need to do this until I feel a bit better. I’m still staying away from hard carbs, tho’.
I have to meet a friend for lunch tomorrow and another for dinner. I am determined not to blow it! I am committed to reporting back to keep me good!

Hi Trelawyny,

Thanks for lovely message – actually still really struggling but I’m still here!

Not sure what the issue is but waiting longer to eat is definitely helpful!

x

Hi yorkglass, that sounds amazing, especially with today’s gorgeous autumn weather!
I looked up coffee with semi skimmed milk on my Fitbit, it says 6cals.
I have to admit I’ve not been counting my teas with milk…

Apatch I feel hungry too! Mainly around 2-3pm when I would normally have a snack, something carby/sweet to get me through, but I’m missing it. Today I’ve just drunk instead. If really hungry I have had an apple sliced, or celery stick. Think go by how you feel, if really hungry maybe something small to ease it. Miso soup? Something low cal and filling, or up your protein in day? Then distraction, keep busy. You can definitely do this!! I think these first few days will be the hardest. 😊

Keid, my daughter will be 2 next month and I too am needing to shift the stubborn baby fat, or well toddler fat now hehe. I am bigger now than after she was born, as my blood sugars crept up and I layed down abdominal fat, kept thinking why am I getting bigger? Apart from carbs and sweets hehe, turned out prediabetic. I’m really hoping to turn this around as the diabetes nurse said to me…don’t be upset when you get another high reading and we diagnose diabetes… it was amazing they didn’t mention this diet at all?

All going well here, how’s everyone
Tattiescone
Wendyq
Diddimarks
Natalie
Jooles
be nice to hear from you all. xx

Adelski- Thai red curry was amazing! … really filling x

HI YORKLASS and welcome! V v impressed about yr early morning exercise class! 👍🏻
According to mynetdiary,which i log my cals/ carbs on every day..2 teaspoons of ss milk is 5 cals,1 carb
Not sure if two teaspoons is enough for you but you can hopefully work it out from that.
Good luck! Keep calling by coz lots of support and friendship on here! X
Ps i empathise with yr need for a G n T!

Hi bigoldmoosehead, minx and Keid and adelski and everyone!
This evening I’m feeling fairly full and headache finally shifted I drank well over the two litres of water, used bottle to see, as wasn’t keep track of glasses, and then tea etc on top. Think I wasn’t drinking enough.
I love halloumi too hehe! Hadn’t eaten it for ages until started this med diet.
Hope you’re all well? Here’s hoping to a better sleep tonight.

Ah Poppetini ….. i think you are supposed to exercise on the 800 kcal limit …. but i would bring some emergency nuts/seeds along just in case you feel dizzy or nauseous … i bring a small can of vegetable juice for emergency use.

And it may be advisable to work up to the 5 k gradually.

HI, started this on Monday and despite my tummy rumbling like crazy and the urge for a G&T right now, I am holding fast! I’m in North Yorkshire which is so beautiful. I’m getting to see some lovely sunrises as I have started going to a 6.30am outdoor fitness session. I am so unfit compared to my fellows! And exercise is not my thing at all; but I have got these 8 weeks in my sights and am determined to find out if it will work for me.
What I can’t find is how many calories are in semi-skimmed milk in a cup of coffee? Anybody know? I’ve allowed myself one per day which is difficult to manage whilst at work!
I haven’t been able to weigh myself at the start but I plan to see what happens to my clothing and have made a deal with myself not to buy anything until I get to the end. 🙂

Apatch – remember your 3.5lb loss on the scales 😅, drink plenty of water or sip mint tea I really think it helps 👍

We can disagree on terminology! The important thing is that following the general guidelines will result in losing weight and regaining your life. I never took anything literally, and I probably ate more than 800 calories many days, but day after day, keeping on keeping on, it has made a world of difference for me. I still recommend putting your “evaluative/critical brain” on hold for just a few weeks while you try this out. We are all so trained to evaluate and pass judgment too quickly — I am just as guilty as my lawyer training has made me very critical. But if you just suspend the critical part of your brain for a few weeks, follow the guidelines and keep at it, it will work. In the end, it does not matter what we call it exactly, but it does matter that we have regained our healthy selves. Best wishes to all on this journey.

Hi Avila – very impressed at your Parkrun.

I’ve recently started jogging again, and can manage a slightly slower 5k than you. I’m hoping to do it 3 times a week. According to my running app, I’m burning around 350 kcals … I’m wondering whether I should go over the 800 kcal limit on the days that I’m running though … any thoughts?

Hi everyone great posts today – I was so excited to get home from work tonight and read all the positive comments and words of encouragement – well done everyone!!!…
I have really upped my veg and only had a very small amount of fruit since Monday.
I am actually feeling a little less bloated with the clean eating – going to try the Thai Red Curry tomorrow from new recipe book 😋 Keep going everyone and welcome to all new friends 🤗🤗🤗xxx

Yowzer just read YOUR profile!!

Sounds like a plan!! Love cats, love wine …. and love a bottomless tin of Peek Freens chocolate digestives with a big bag of crisps!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Making the chicken and mushroom ‘pie’ tonight, it smells and looks delish, cant wait to eat it in 20 mins

I am also trying out recipes from the new cookbook. The pork with mustard sauce was very tasty and quick to make.

Tonight I have done the Spanish Chicken with chorizo & beans (page 141). This is very flavoursome, I enjoyed it very much & there’s plenty left over for tomorrow. However, I would point out one omission in the instructions: nowhere does it say to add the 400g of beans (listed at the bottom of the ingredients list)! It gives suggestions of what to serve with the dish but no mention of the beans – I chose to lob my cannellini beans into the casserole along with everything else, it seemed the most obvious solution. But I very nearly forgot to put them in…

SHALIMAR just read yr profile! I like yr last sentence very much!
Oh iwd love to visit Canada..its a country that has always called to me.my good friend nursebean who’s a member here is in Canada right now..she said its fabulous..the fall colours are amazing she said!

Oh yeh..i think we are all the same..we all have a funny something we dont want to pay out for..often its something mad! Glad youre extending yr food choices..good way of avoiding getting bored.. I need to do more of that,coz i mainly stick to same old things that i know are safe. Some people on here say their taste buds are changing so its worth giving new things a try that we might previously have found unappealing

Ohhh dry white wine tho…i could kill for a glass of that! Might have to wait tho coz peeps have said that they felt particularly unwell after having some alcohol mid- plan. Xx

Well …. i wanted a pear as well …. but they’re expensive and then sometimes you get a pithy one …. i just thought … nah!!! I spend money a lot without really thinking about it … and then i get cheap, cheap, cheap about something that isn’t even that expensive!! Don’t know what’s up with that!! Maybe i didn’t want to spend the carbs either?

I have a box of white wine in the fridge …. it’s a dry one …. but with boxes you have to finish it in 6 weeks …. i don’t want to spend the carbs!!

I did expand my variety of foods though …. bought various nuts, treated myself to some cashews, bought some Korean roasted seaweed snacks … they melt in your mouth and taste like sardines in oil …. but they are different and weird … but low cal and carb …. and well … they are just weird!!! Also bought a little low carb goat cheese and full fat cheddar …. can’t let BSD get too boring. Once i get off my duff and buy a stove …. i might actually try cooking and roasting!! … maybe …..

Christel/shalimar

Thanks SHALIMAR!:) no I havent had any alcohol either ..sob! Wd really like a glass of red wine.😋

Its a strange thing isnt it..my kneejerk reaction is, i want it!
( For example,saw a man walking into the bakery yesterday and some inner part of me separated off and followed him and the lovely smell in there..)…..😄😄😄😄😄
Then i think,actually no i don’t want it!
I almost feel brainwashed..its as if those previously enjoyed foods n drinks really are out of bounds to me!
Mind you some things baffle me! I was hoping to eat a pear today – a rare treat coz theyre carby..and this one was quite big i guess..7 oz..which came to – 30 carbs!!! Man alive!
So i wont be eating it..in the ” old days” i’d have eaten a pear without giving it a second thought except,this is good for me! ….ditto apples and bananas, oranges and grapes 😳😳😳😳 X

I too watched the BBC Panorama program about T2 Diabetes. I specifically wanted to see if the concept of reversing T2 Diabetes via diet was recognised.

I didn’t see a hint that anyone in the program was aware of the possibility! Was this an editing decision by the program-makers, or ignorance by the medical practitioners, or what?

The talk was about calorie-reduction. I didn’t spot a hint that reducing refined carbohydrates was essential. Just about every person who was in serious trouble talked about their diet, and they didn’t suggest that they realised that part of the problem lay with refined carbs. The medical practitioners talking to them appeared to know they were eating them, but instead of guiding them away from them, they just talked about the importance of calorie-reduction. One of the men talked about his breakfast, full of refined carbs, but his self-criticism was about his chocolate “habit”. He thought that is where the trouble lay.

I think at one point there was a shot of a woman representing Diabetes UK, with a poster of the PHE Eatwell Guide behind her. That sort of guide, with its emphasis in getting a significant proportion of energy from carbs, has become institutionalised. I wonder whether it has been recommended to these patients along with calorie-reduction?

By the end of the program, I felt that there is a long way to go before the Obesity and Diabetes pandemics can be halted!

I’ll help you polish your halo Yowzer 49 …. Hurrah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

🙂 🙂 🙂

I kind of want some stuff too …. but i don’t crave it like i used to!! I don’t have any halo to shine vis a vis the 800 calorie a day plan …. but i pretty much have stopped eating junk!!

Haven’t even had alcohol lately 🙂

Thanks to everyone for sharing! Changing habits is not easy – but you are inspiring!

Had a sore throat when I woke up on October 1 – but I was determined to not let anything stop this 8 weeks! Day 4 was super hard because I woke up several times for coughing attacks and did not sleep much the night before. By the afternoon – I felt HORRIBLE. I decided to eat 1 cup pistachios (w/shells) as a boost so I could get off the sofa and make dinner – but – hamburger meat was spoiled! Went to the local hamburger joint and got a burger ‘protein style’. (meat, tomato, grilled onion wrapped in lettuce)

I feel much better this morning! It seems that special occasions wrapped around food occur ALL of the time!

A couple of things I’ve noticed: I do get super hungry before each meal, but I do not feel like a ravenous addict! Very excited about that. Every meal so far – I feel really great right after I eat it. That is wonderful too – no bloating!

Day 4 meals:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1/2 grilled onion
Lunch: meatloaf, romaine salad with olive oil
Dinner: 2 oz meat, slice tomato, lettuce, 1 cup pistachios (with shells)

P.S.

There is a search box at the top right of this site ….. enter just the word “gastric” and see if any of the posts might help you …. there are various procedures with the word “gastric” which might be similar enough to be of use.

Good luck

Christel

Hi Deb , thanks for reply , are you Type 2

I had a nice realisation today! Tho at times i will hanker after a cake or even just a humble slice of bread when i spy them..i actually dont want it in reality..i seem to be really craving all the good nourishing things..i am becoming sickeningly smug and angelic heehee! 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 x think its just coz leaving out the junk means we start to properly get in touch with what our bodies really need? x

Deb the dawn effect is most interesting thank you for that info. My husband had a raised BS this morning of 7 & that explains it. Well done sticking with it & your extra exercise😀
Third day has been bearable but still feeling cold & a bit achy.
I will be preparing our supper soon of baked salmon fillet with a teaspoon of pesto on it & cauliflower rice cooked with some spiralized courgette.
Breakfast was natural Greek yoghurt with a few blueberries & pine nuts & a left over banana ( still using up some fruit we had)
Lunch was a mushroom omelette & a small apple & throughout the day two coffees & lots of water. Total 801 calories.
Well done everyone getting through another day👍👍👍👍

Your can do whatever you want.

Count the calories and whatever else you want to count like carbs …. MyFatSecret is a site people use…. or you can just google the food and ask for calorie/carb count.

There is a search box on the top right of this site …. as well as a recipe search…. you can enter Quorn as a search

Don’t know if you can make “rice” from broccoli like you can cauliflower … you can try.

If you can’t eat cauliflower because you just don’t like it …. try some of the recipes … they are really popular.

Thanks Yowzer49 🙂 I found yesterday much easier, but today is hard going. I think I may have had too light a dinner last night and now my body is screaming at me!

Not medical advice, but I can share what my Diabetes Team is doing with my meds…

Current
Metformin 1,000mg 2x day
Forxiga 10mg 1x day
Insulin (long acting) Bedtime (currently 60 (3.6mg))
Victoza 1.2mg every morning

Plan
Reduce as BS Stabilizes in this order:
1. Victoza (1.2 -> 0.6 -> 0.0)
2. Forxiga (10 -> 5 -> 0)
3. Insulin (as needed until eliminated)
4. Metformin (1,500mg -> 1,000mg -> 500mg -> 0)

Plan may change as we go, but that is what I’ve discussed with my GP and Clinical Pharmacist (they work together). YMMV.

The plan also includes blood tests and an in person exam every three months, and the CP is available via email for questions/concerns. I wouldn’t adjust your meds yourself, blood sugar is a dangerous thing that shouldn’t be messed with without supervision.

Best of luck!

Cheers,

Deb

Day 84 yesterday and have lost 40 lbs in total..about three and a third pounds a week lost on average,,
so here i am day one,week 13.. Halfwaythru my 24 wk plan..
12 weeks ago was at a loss coz cd hardly squeeeeeeze my fat self into my biggest clothes….and really looked a mess..so much has improved since then! From blood tests to wearable garments!
Anyone struggling,just remember ..the rewards are fab and worth all the efforts we are making! Onwards and downwards folks! X

Just popping myhead in,havent time to read everything..hope yr week is going well everyone!
APATCH i find some days are like this and others are a breeze…a spoonful ofsomething full fat might help…yogurt or peanut butter,or a bouillon drink. Taking cals n carbs into account of course!
I think this time of day is the hardest and trickiest!Not yet dinnertime but lunch a distant memory..
I divert my mind by getting involved in a physical task like a few chores..uses calories,takes my attention elsewhereand brings me closer to my next mealtime! X

Please can someone tell me if it’s OK to use broccoli to make ‘rice’ instead of cauliflower as I can’t eat cauliflower.

Also can I substitute any meat or fish dishes with Quorn as I am vegetarian

Hi Verano – I think you are far more knowledgeable than all the diabetes educators who think we should all be basing our diets on starchy carbs. I think they are the ones who should be going back to bed and getting out the other side via Newcastle University!

Really struggling here today. I’m just so hungry….is anyone else finding hunger to be a problem?

I can do this, I can do this….

Verano, I took it as a joke, no worries, I do get accused of taking things too seriously. I don’t mean life, I am sunny most of the time but I do get obsessed with things I do and like to give it my all so I can seen as though I never make mistakes, trouble is, when I do they are usually big ones.

Don’t go back to bed, put some music on and dance around the kitchen, drives my husband mad, especially when I sing along.