LainieUK…so if a stone equals 14 pounds, you own a three pound weekly loss! That’s incredible and so encouraging to me. “Bunkum” indeed…well said.

Hi Frog.

How are things, kind of you to ask, well no 2 son has an appt at guys tomorrow, so hopefully we will get confirmation of what’s happening, the other problem is still v concerning, but hey everything feels better with a lovely BSD day doesn’t it. So I have committed again on veranos thread. How are you doing. Are you on her thread doing the carb challenge.
🙃🙃🙃

Thanks Frog. I think it will be tough to begin with as I have to learn what’s what but reading through others posts it seems planning and prepping are the key. Off to have a herb tea 😊

You Dazzle, Sazzle50!

Mixnmatch way to go, that’s an awesome accomplishment. I can only hope to get as far myself. I weigh in tomorrow for the week mark and will attempt to work in some additional exercise this week. Concentrated more on the food aspects l last week and still seemed to work out.

Hi Loopulou – Had a few things I shouldn’t yesterday, but the amazing thing was that when I logged them, it was still all around 1000 calories, which is pretty low and half the general RDA! (and a fraction of what I’d have eaten pre BSD, even without cake treats, chocolate….)

Don’t worry about the forthcoming HbA1c Krysia, I’m sure it will be fine.
Have you been feeling well since you stopped taking insulin?

Hi Bluemoon – good luck, hope it goes well

If you think about how long it’s taken to accumulate your extra weight, 8 weeks is tiny in proportion – and once you get used to no carb eating, and feeling better because of the weight that you’ve lost, BSD really isn’t a hardship.
Lots of us have done it for longer – and it is a life changing way of eating, and an end to the never ending cycle of diet-lose weight-go back to eating crap- put weight on again-diet-lose weight-go back to eating crap- put weight on again-diet-lose weight-go back to eating crap- put weight on again-diet………

Greenjanet – good luck on your re-boot tomorrow. I am sure you will do really well now you are back ‘on the wagon’.

Sorry Sunshine-girl – I miss-read your post on another thread that your husband was 4.0 two hours after breakfast. It will be really interesting to see what he is two hours after his tea and toast.

Your readings are actually not that far off from truly normal as per Dr Christiansen and are well within the NICE guidelines.

My Hba1c is due on the 25th October and it will be 7 weeks without insulin so I am veering between absolutely terrified at getting the results and being quite optimistic that they will be better than the 50 I was in March. Still – it will keep me on the straight and narrow until then.

I posted this morning but that seems to have gone into the ether too.
Yesterday’s meal with friends was lovely but I was unable to stop at the 2 glasses of wine I had allowed myself. I Stopped counting how many glasses I had. Feeling a little hung over this morning and put on one and a quarter pounds. (Hoping it was eating late and the vino). Erring on the side of overestimation I think I had about 1500 cals but only 37g carb. On the plus side I declined the profiteroles.
Have been ultra good today carbs 26, calories 650. Hope the scales will reward me in the morning.

Iknow FROG! Plus it has to be with any gp,not necessarily the one you want to see. I have an appt early Nov with the GP who knows me best.she is really good so its always at least 3 week wait to guarantee seeing her.
In my younger days,you just came in the morning or afternoon you needed to see a doc,and sat in the waiting room for yr turn.might as well go back to that really coz with the appt system you go in on time for yr slot,but never get in on time anyways! My last appt i saw the doc an hour after the appt time …not cpomplaining tho,just grateful we stil have an NHS..not sure how much longer we will have
Good idea re seeing a pharmacist! BOots is just over the road so can ask in there if they can give me a reading if the doc cant see me x

Hiiiii JAN x how are things with you ?x
yesterday i had what i think may have been vertigo..worst day I ve had in a long time..every time i stood up everything whizzed round and went black as if i was going to faint,but i didnt..imagine the damage to the floor if i hit the deck?!
My balance was totally off kilter.And no i hadnt even had a drink!
I’ m used to always being a little bit dizzy and disorientated but this was a total nightmare.
Not sure if i have an ear infection or if my BP has gone low,or if its something BSD related

i have deffo got a pain in my pinny and my frock’s not well tho! 😄 And dont leave me in charge of driving the bus whatever you do! 😄

Right I am recommitting here so going public, hehe nothing else to eat this eve and rekicking myself tomorrow, with a 800/40 day. I’m indulging in a bit of la strictly now, so will organize a weeks menu later.

Da da ddddd da da strictly tune. Yep she’s gone a bit bonkers. 😾😻🤖

So interested to see several of you mentioning cheese. I’m a cheese addict and, despite keeping within my calorie and carb targets, I have not shifted at all on days when I eat cheese… actually that could be dairy generally. Anyone else find this?

Hi all, I started BSD today and thought I would keep a log of how it goes.
I’m 48, 5ft 5in and currently weigh 16st 2lb 😳
I only heard about this diet earlier this week when I bumped into a friend I hadn’t seen for a while and he’d lost a whopping 3st in 8 weeks! How? BSD! So here I am 😊
I thought 8 weeks sounded a long time so I’m going to look at it in days and just take it one at a time.
So my stats for day one are cals 750 carbs 12g
I’ve prepped lunch for the week, breakfast for tomorrow and dinner for 2 nights.
Looking forward to the week ahead x

Happy Monday! starting weight for the week is 128 Yeeha, 1.8 down from last week. So stoked with that. Looks like I’m one of those people who take off a kilo, then stall for a week or two then take off another kilo. Oh well at least its coming off. A couple people at work have noticed a change, so thats all good. Being home for the next two weeks will be interesting, fingers crossed.
Willmac, thanks so much for your support! Really appreciate it, and yep, know what you mean about some carbs not feeling right. Its all trial and error.
Onwards and downwards!!
KJ

Thank you for your kind words Carb Addict.
I am trying to stay motivated and I haven’t given in yet.
We will fight the fight for the next 7 weeks anyway.
The weight has to come off at some stage. I hope😃
At least I haven’t put it on.

Ah ha
This is where you all are, wondered where you had all gone . Ooh dear, I fell of the back of the bus, and my carb monster dragged me of to a party with yowsers carb monster she was sulking because Yowser wouldn’t partake, of any carby food so the 3 of us eat it all. 😱😱😱😱😱😱 ooh I really miss that virtuous feeling you have when not partaking of the rubbish refined carbs. So I’m glued to this thread now. 😬😬😬

Hi Jan
How are you?
I haven’t seen post from you in a while, but that could be me logging in at odd times.
Hope life is getting more settled – although the things you mentioned a couple of weeks ago both sounded as if they were going to be long term things to deal with.

Hi Yowser luvvy

Only just seen your post, you were about to faint weren’t you, have you found out what caused it, and how are you now.
Love jan

My GP practice is the same with the 8 o’clock thing – it seems like the most bonkers method ever. If you don’t do the 8am thing, its about a three week wait. Face to face appointment would be better, as they can check your BP there.
If not successful getting an appointment tomorrow, do you have a local pharmacy with a BP machine? A conversation with the pharmacist could be helpful as a substitute.

Wow angiebabe, that is an amazing result. Have you been on 800 calories for the 19 weeks or mixed and matched`?

Krysia, they were my results, not my husbands. We haven’t done his yet. So mine at 6.6 are not quite there yet. I will let you know hubbies, will probably have to measure pre lunch as he is sure to tuck into his toast and marmalade before I get up, so forget to do it. I will let you know our results.

Thanks FROG,thats a really good point. You have to ring at eight a.m. to try to get an appt. for Tomoz…so it depends if when i get thru, there’s still appts left!…you ahve to keep pressing redial coz its always so busy!..if not ,I might be able to at least get a phone consultation after surgery. X

Miss Ziggy I feel exactly the same! Somehow the weekend doesn’t feel right not having any wine at all. I also have an open bottle of Rioja that is left over from last weekend when we had family to lunch. I’m hoping it will “keep” for eight weeks so I can have a glass when our eight weeks is completed. My husband & I will also have our joint birthday celebrations coming up in November so not having a glass of something then would not feel at all OK!🙁

Hi Yowzer
Do ask about your blood pressure & meds if you see your GP tomorrow – your GP should make the connection and check it, but do ask about it if they don’t – there’s no point waiting for the 24 hour test if it can be checked now.
When my blood pressure went haywire a few years ago, I did get lots of dizzy spells and migraines, but i was having problems with all sorts of side effects from meds. A bit like the “old lady that swallowed a fly” nursery rhyme
Hope it goes well

I had to buy new pants yesterday, and worn them today. Nothing exciting, just a multi pack from M&S, but not the Bridget Jones “big pants” style. All the old ones kept falling down, including the “little” ones that I found a few weeks ago – it somehow feels more of an achievement than smaller proper clothes 🙂

I wouldn’t worry about the MFP cholesterol Krysia – it will be high with the egg yolks, but that won’t translate directly into your personal cholesterol results. Someone posted here recently with vastly improved cholesterol readings, and their nurse/GP had said it was because they’d cut out all of the trans fats from cakes/biscuits etc, even though their diet was relatively high fat.

Thank you Frog for the info. I was getting worried that I had somehow blocked myself from the forum. I typed the post to Sunshine-girl girl 4 times.

LUCKY youre missed here by loads of us, and more than you’d ever know! But we do understand you need TIme Out x take care and see you in Dec for Christmassy laughter and fun! 😄😄. Ps i feel like you about size 18.. I was edging towards size 24 too so 18 feels lovely and i will be perfectly happy to settle at size 16. Pps..i think you SHOULD send yr work off to a publisher! Oh and yes, you have come too far now to ever go back,but you know yr body better than anyone and youve got into new habits so you wont slide back into those bad old ways i too was guilty of! I know you have got a valid point,coz now i’m finding my bodys reacting in a strange way it never has before,and i have to get to the bottom of it and if its coz i am too low cal,too low carb,for too long,i will need to reassess too x

I feel a lot better today thanks MIX ..yesterday i think i had vertigo,it was really dreadful.i cdnt stand for more than a minute coz everything went dark and started whizzing round?..today its just dizziness and nausea 🙄🙄🙄 was able to go out to the craft fair i wanted to go to yesterday,tho must admit felt pretty ropey.
Will try to get doc appt tomoz. And Well done MIX on yr good results! 👍🏻

My 24 hr bp test is a week tomorrow FROG ..i wish it was tomorrow! Coz am wondering if my bp is now too low for the amount of meds i’ m on and thats why i am so dizzy and nauseous..i hope thats the only reason coz its easily fixed!

Happy Week everyone! XXX

Hi Sunshine-girl will try again to send this post. Your blood sugars are really good and well within NICE recommendations for non diabetics. They say no more than 7.8 ninety minutes after a meal. (8.5 for type 2 diabetics).

A Dr Christiansen has done continuous monitoring on what he says are truly normal people and he says truly normal is 4.7 after 2 hours. So your husband is truly truly normal and you are not far off.

I did a while back, then it sorted itself – I have vague recollections of Tokyo and Luky having a spate of problems with it about two months ago,
try logging out & back in 🙂

Something I did recently was click on “report post” rather than reply – I realised, and emailed tech support, it happens lots apparently.

Sunshine girl posted this recently “I think I have discovered the problem. If you make a comment and submit that is fine. To leave the thread, if you hit the back button (the arrow on the top of the page next to the https:/) you will lose your post as you have asked it to go back to where you were before. To leave the thread click on the ‘Forums’ button at the top of the page, it takes you back into the Forums obviously but you will not lose your post. Just my observation but I could be mistaken.”

I bought some Isopure Low Carb Protein Powder Dutch Chocolate shake a couple of weeks ago.
It tastes OK, and does keep me full; well did after the second attempt, when I found the scoop inside the bag and realised it was the size of about 5 teaspoons, which was what I’d used the first time and felt generally unimpressed and hungry.
But my general feeling is that a meal is something I eat, and a drink doesn’t really count (I am a bit the same with soup).

I also think that using real food, cooking and experimenting, even just getting a feel for weights and portion sizes, helps educate and better prepare you for eating out, post 800 cal.very low carb (for lots of us that is way more than 8 weeks) – and ultimately be an incredibly important part of the journey to having a better relationship with food.
There’s also all of the research that you’re better off eating the whole fruit than having juice, so would be wary of relying on home made shakes too much.
A colleague did really well earlier in the year with a non BSD meal replacement diet – she has kept the weight off, but does have to keep reverting to the shakes from time to time, because the plan didn’t seem to have a post diet plan (clever marketing, keep you hooked!), and when she is an “eating food” phase, does make some odd choices.

So, the shake is something that I may occasionally grab for breakfast if I oversleep, or carry a scoop with me if I think I may need a meal on the go and don’t have time to prepare a salad and am a bit dubious about access to BSD friendly shop or restaurant options, but I honestly think real food is the best way to go.

Having problems posting – am losing posts. Is anyone else?

I lost ten pounds! Still can’t believe it!

Hey busy bee

I too have pmr and suffered all sorts of problems with the steroids including Cushings and high eye pressure which ended up with lots of eye surgery. But after 3 years of that nonsense I started to feel better last May and over the last 19 weeks have lost 58lbs so you go girl!

Once you get your head round it you’ll find it liberating. And you can cut out so many aisles in the supermarket that are full of processed food. It’s truely enlightening when you realise that food is now coming from the fresh aisles. Although frozen food is also useful.

I don’t follow recipes and I aim for 50g of carbs a day, so not very low but it’s sustainable. I’ve lost 2 stone in 9 weeks.

Here are my staples

Salad – all – cucumber, lettuce, leaves, spring onions, tomatoes, peppers, avocado, herbs such as chives, coriander, parsley, mint

Fruit – plums, nectarines, apples, berries. I tend to buy 2 types each week.

Protein – feta cheese, salmon, tuna, sea bass, trout, prawns, chicken, gammon joint, pork and lamb

Veg – brocoli, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, and for soup – spinach, watercress and courgettes or parsnip (1), swede (small), leeks, carrots, shallots – chosen because they are my favourites rather than any particular carb or nutritional count.

Drinks – tea or coffee with skimmed milk, lemon and mint in hot water, sparkling water, tap water, low cal fizzy drinks such as diet coke or sugar free tango.

My treats – for when I get a real urge – small packet of pork scratchings – they really hit my spot and at 111 calories a packet I can fit them in a few times a week. Sometimes I’ll have half a packet if calories are tight. Eat natural bars – I am studying at the moment at college and take 1 bar and 1 apple and feel very satisfied. Every now and then I buy Bury black pudding to have with my breakfast eggs.

Quick meals – I love fish with a knob of herb butter, stuffed mushrooms and pre-cooked chicken that I have for lunch or for a snack – thighs and spicy chicken breast are my favourites.

Today I’m doing a roast which I don’t make very often. I may have 1 small roast potato if they turn out really well. And I’ll have a small amount of gravy.

Hope that might help a bit.

Elaine

Hi Sunshine-girl
Your blood sugar looks really good. Your doctor will be really pleased and your hba1c will be very good.

Diabetes.co.uk report that NICE says that before meal figures for non-diabetics are 4.0 to 5.9 and 90 minutes after meals under 7.8. So you are well within th numbers for non-diabetics. (Type 2 guidelines are 90 minutes after food 8.5.)

Jenny Ruhl cites research by Dr Christiansen’s research on truly normal people shows 4.7 blood glucose 2 hours after a meal – so you are not far off. Your husband has truly normal figures and when your visceral fat completely goes so will you.

Hi everyone. I’m starting on Tuesday this week (11th) but I’ll jump on your train if that’s OK. I’m super nervous – terrified of being starving hungry and falling off the wagon. I’m desperate for this to work but so worried that I won’t be able to do it. Lots of support and handholding required here please. xxxx

Deb

I was in exactly the same position as you with the hot flushes and alcohol. They have now completely gone and it’s such a relief. They seem to be starting earlier in the day and lasting longer and longer. That was until I hit alcohol on the head and now I don’t have them in the slightest. I’m back to putting on long sleeved tops, cardigans, fleeces and my coat. It’s fabulous to feel more like my old self.

Today is week 9 for me and I’m exactly 2 stone down – 17st 12.6 – 15st 12.6. Still a long way to go but I am loving this approach to food. I can now get into clothes that I like again and enjoy dressing up again.

It was this forum but in particular the older ladies who have inspired me. There is so much in the media about older women, post the menopause struggling to lose weight and you know what, it’s a load of bunkum!

So thank you ladies for inspiring me and continuing to inspire me. I don’t post very often but I visit every day.

Elaine x

I wouldn’t be too quick to dismiss lettuce and cucumber as they’re easy and quick to prepare. Cucumber is handy to add crunch to some meals and I use lettuce as an alternative to wraps or bread in burgers, fajitas etc. As for them being just water, remember lettuce and cucumber have around 96% water and courgettes (a favourite on this site) actually have around 95%.

Anyway water’s good for you.

Sunshine-girl – really good blood glucose figures. Your doctors will be really pleased and your Hba1c will be good.

Diabetes.co.uk say that NICE say that a non-diabetic is between 4.0 and 5.9 before meals and at least 90 minutes after meals is under 7.8 (a diabetic type 2 is under 8.5 ninety minutes after meals) so your figures are good.

Jenny Ruhl in her book says that there is research from a Dr Christiansen where he monitored truly normal people with continuous monitoring and they were 4.7 two hours after a meal. So your husbands reading of 4.0 is exceptionally normal and yours is actually fairly close to that number.

I have managed to get fairly close by doing a 15/20 minute fast walk after eating.

Please may I join you women of a certain age?
I have been dieting since I was 15 and will be 70 (50 in my head) in December. My weight story is too long and involved to put pen to paper but I am starting the BSD tomorrow! I must do it this time!!
X B

HI again , I previously posted that I would not weigh myself throughout this diet but I would take measurements. I am pleased to report that I have lost 2 inches off my waist after one week😮However I do think this might be water as I peed a lot during the first three days. I have much more energy now and seem to be rushing around cleaning the house and ironing today at great speed. I went out with my husband yesterday to an Italian restaurant for lunch. I really wanted the risotto but ordered a chicken Cesar salad instead with a glass of prosecco…my first glass of wine this week. I am really missing wine with my meals. I can cope without the carbs but no wine 😥 I do feel well and I feel lighter too. I know I haven’t lost much and I have a fair way to go but it’s happening.

I love this forum it’s just what I need to keep motivated.

ZIggy

Hi, i’m in Spain but go back and forwards to the UK a lot so I will bring some back with me and will defo try the pumpkin and sunflower seeds. (sparingly )which I can get here in Spain. Thanks to all and good luck for tomorrow. 🙂

Hmm. Lost a post if anyone finds it please let me know! BB X

Hi Sunshine-girl
Your blood glucose is really improving. There seems to be some conflicting information about blood glucose levels. Diabetes.co.uk says that NICE recommends that non-diabtetic levels are as follows:
before meals 4.0 to 5.9
and at least 90 minutes after meals under 7.8 (Type 2 should be under 8.5).

But in Jenny Ruhl’s book she quotes some research done by Dr Christiansen on truly normal people (like your husband) as being 4.7 two hours after a meal. So your 6.6 would look very good to NICE. but of course we are aiming for truly normal.

I’m starting (or should I say re, re, re, re starting) 10/10 too. I have been lurking around this forum since January and have read about the great weight losses and improvements in health that can be obtained if you stick to the plan.
I have a very big birthday looming in December and that means I have 9 weeks to get myself in order and lose some of this weight, so have made a promise to myself to give it my best shot over the next 8 weeks. No more excuses about age, steroids for PMR or waiting until after the next holiday or party – this new way of life is starting tomorrow.
Good luck to us all!

Hello Lucky its lovely to hear from you again. Hope all is well with you and yours, am still plodding along and have lost 2 1/2 stone have been a size 18/20 for the last 20 something years so have no JOTF.

can’t buy anything in case i lose more weight so will wait for now.

Again lovely to hear from you ,where is Tokyo

I am starting tomorrow as well. I am still planning the first week’s recipes for dinners. Breakfasts are always eggs for me. I never get tired of them. And lunch at work is a salad made at home the night before. I have chicken or shrimp plus the salad veg, which can also vary somewhat. The stumbling block will be to be sure I don’t have too many protein calories early in the day or else dinner will be mighty sparse!.

If I had kept to that sort of regime I wouldn’t be where I am now, but it was all the extras and naughties at home and at work. So, hopefully, I will be able to freeze them out this time.

Hi I’m also starting back tomorrow on the fast 800! Having had 2 episodes on it before the longest being over 5 weeks. I realise now for me it’s the way I feel and health benefits I should be focusing on and not the weight but I do need to lose about 4 stones so I am in it for the long haul not really thinking of it in 8 weeks but until I get to a healthy weight. I have made cauliflower soup for lunches for the beginning of the week and I will write out a menu for the week. I know I have to plan well! I hope we can keep one another motivated.

Yes,

I was thinking of making my own, but wasn’t feeling confident that I would be covering my nutrients and wasn’t sure on protein/carb amounts etc so left it.

But, this is something I would prefer to do.

S

Hi Gadgetgirl,

I’ve ordered some Puriton shakes as they have natural ingredients and no gluten or dairy, which I’m sensitive to. BUT, they were supposed to have been delivered yesterday and didn’t arrive!

S

Thanks Frog and Mix for the cholesterol thoughts. It was a MFP reading and sometimes they are way off. Hopefully BP will sort itself out with BSD.
Yay! We’ve survived another weekend (nearly!)