Hi Butterflymoves
Thanks so much for the tips, I am quite excited about getting started not sure why as I am already dreading the cravings lol.
Sounds like you have already made a good start. How much have you lost in the first week?
I will definitely be planning my meals as you have advised. I will keep you updated, I’m now off to download my fitness pal.

Well,ultimately they do us a favour i guess…these people help us grow! do they do much growing themselves.?
Not as far as i can see so in a way i feel sorry for them.
AVILA…sending hugs to you and to BUTTERFLY..boy those days with a narcissist are a miserable roller coaster..BUT hard times make us stronger!..just like how the caterpillar has to go thru a hard time to then emerge so beautifully!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
PS! Glad you like the quotes BUTTERFLY! X

They are AWESOME quotes, Yowzer49! I think my email signature needs updating!🐛

Thanks Avila! Seems that there are far more Narc Sharks out there than I ever imagined! Sorry that you had to suffered that kind of emotional manipulation when you were already vulnerable. I think Narcs have a sixth sense for people who are struggling and therefore easier to lure with flattery. I had a pretty bad childhood which sapped my potential for self esteem. So I was easy to hook.

That was then and this is now. I can tell that this is the right time. So pumped for change.

PS ..this is the quote i loved…
~ Your time as a caterpillar has expired..your wings are ready! ~
Another good one :-
~ If nothing changed,there’d be no butterflies ~ x

Oh I’m so sorry to hear that you were unfortunate enough to tangle with a Narc- Yowzer49. They are the worst! Glad you got out so soon, some people get trapped for so long. So hard to make sense of it while you are on the inside.

Thanks for complimenting my writing, you are sweet. 😊 Writing helps me make sense of things. So glad for this safe space!

hugs,

I am 8 years on from a situation with a superior/mentor that had similar tactics of the hot and cold – talking up my potential and treating me as a useless failure, where I simultaneously craved their affirmation yet destroyed by their undermining, and the fact they had power over my progression in my role. I had a breakdown – I was affected with depression before so it may still have happened but it was certainly triggered by this relationship and the toxic nature of it affected my ability to recover which only happened once I was in a different setting.

Recognising what has happened – and the love/hate tensions that get developed which makes it hard to emotionally untangle – is a huge step. Moving on from that is a huge achievement, and you will achieve the weight loss too. You are an achiever not just a survivor.

Hi @ Yorklass59. I haven’t read that in the book either. No need to make it complicated. I actually don’t even count calories either and I’m losing weight.

Hi butterfly! As i was reading yr story the words narcissist and gaslighting were going thru my head! And then you wrote those words! Was with a man like this when i was in my twenties..and like you,had a huge sense of relief when i finally got free of him! Like a weight taken off my shoulders…He was a musician as well 🙂
you write really well..and i love yr butterfly analogy..i saw a lovely quote about butterflies the other day..will try to refind..
Good luck on BSD! Plenty of good folk on here always ready to offer support/ the benefit of their experience,and to share the good days and the bad,so just shout if you have any questions x

I haven’t finished my first week, Brownsugar2016, but I already know that if I don’t plan every single calorie right at the start of the day I will get myself in trouble and either over eat or go to bed hungry.

Things that are working for me so far:
-planning ahead
-removing temptation from the house(wine and chocolate!)
– bulk cooking and freezing meals that I know the calories and carb count for
-coming to this forum daily for support
-tracking everything on MyFitnessPal
-Using cider vinegar and lemon juice as a dressing so I can fill up on salad easily
-eating a couple of walnuts 15min before a meal to stave off hunger signals and slow me down to enjoy the meal

I’m sure there’s so much more to learn- all the best for your journey!

Day 2 nearly over and pleased to say just a slight headache today so feeling ok also feeling less bloated so all good! I might have a sneaky peak at the scales tomorrow! Finished on 791 cals and 39.7 carbs and doing well with my steps at over 12,000! Roll on day 3 and hope everyone has a good day hopefully anyone suffering with carb flu should start to feel better!x

SierraValley- my house is only clean because I’m procrastinating from doing my tax report!!

You ARE doing so well Fairyface, we are playing a long game and the biggest battle is to stay positive (which is the best fuel injection for willpower) and you have that COVERED.

Onwards and downwards indeed!

Some people on here recommend this to calculate the ratios. It gives you the reorient level so you can adjust the fat:carb values
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

I hope it’s ok to post a personal journal here. Let me know if not, and I’ll cease and desist! I find that I’m constantly here at the forums looking for some kind of intangible support. But there isn’t always something I can genuinely comment on. So I figured if I started a journal of my experiences I could get some help or encouragement along the way, or help someone else by expressing something relatable?….🤔🙄

So…how did I get here?

… I was married in 2010. I was a healthy BMI, just settling into my first home with the best man ever. Things were really good. Then I started to work regularly with a local musician, an incredibly charismatic guy who could play the guitar like no one I’d ever heard before.

I felt so lucky, he was so charming and flattering and I felt special around him. Before long we started writing music together, which was, in my experience, one of the most intimate things you can do with someone while keeping your clothes on. But then he suddenly started getting out-of-proportion furious with me for no good reason. The silent treatment, rages and I’d have to pull out all the stops to smooth it over.

Over the next year and a half I sank into a constant state of anxiety and started to comfort eat like crazy and the weight crept on. I just wanted him to treat me well again and looking back he had complete control of me. I couldn’t turn to my husband because he was a man my husband instinctively disliked and didn’t want to talk about. In retrospect I don’t think he was comfortable with how obsessed I was with the relationship.

Finally after 18 months of hell I was finally able to admit to myself that the relationship was completely toxic. I was grieving and gathering strength to leave when he did it the dirty work for me in a short, brutal email. He told me (in much more visceral language) that while he respected my musicianship he thought I was a horrible human being and he was hoping to never see me again. I was devastated but simultaneously SO RELIEVED.

The next four years were spent trying to rebuild my sanity and understand what had happened. I had completely lost confidence. Scared to write, create and be myself. I really started drinking a lot and eating like crazy, putting on 45lbs/ 20kg from my wedding weight in 2010. He took on pseudonyms and sent me abusive, threatening messages online for the next couple of years but he always gave himself away.

The fatter I got, the more depressed I felt and the more his dismissal of me seemed almost fair… until I read a Facebook post last year about ‘gaslighting’ and other tools used by people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder to control their supply. I suddenly recognised our relationship in this article, all the alternating flattery then unexpected abuse, the silent treatment, hoovering… all the signs! I felt sane for the first time in my life.

So I’ve had a year now to work through this. To let go and know that I’m not all the awful labels he gave me. The guitarist I work with now is also amazing. Not so technical, but he plays from his heart. He is also a great human who genuinely likes playing with me.

It’s time to come out of my fat cocoon of healing and pump some blood into these wings.

I know you all have some great tips out there. Come on I want all the helpful advice I can get to get started and keep me on track. I will checking in daily for replies .thanks

Judiejudes is my MFP username. Feel free to add me.

Having a good day 2…… Life is throwing me a few curve balls though!
Pensioners pop in have a lunch where I am based at the moment and I was offered sausage mash and Yorkshire pudding followed by cherry sponge and custard……. I said no thank you – I have a lovely home made soup in the fridge. Aggghhhhh….cherry anything is my fav. Feeling quite proud!
Just been to aquafit – feel peckish but resisting.
The coffee with cream is sounding good…..would baileys work? Lol

MFP friend request sent.

I’m almost a week in and it’s been a roller coaster….!

I had never heard of the blood sugar diet a week ago. I was trying to lose weight on Tim Ferris’ Slow Carb diet for over a year but the cheat days would always undo me. Once I loaded up on starchy carbs I would get all my carb cravings back, no matter how well I did during the week, and cheat days almost always became cheat weekends. In reality I was slowly gaining weight.

Then I was cruising the forums on MFP looking for other slow carb-ers and found all these mentions of BSD which I googled and found all of you here. I bought the book on kindle and read it ravenously for 2 days. I wasn’t even through it before I started the diet.

I was excited! Finally the right tool? I really hope so..

BILLINGEBABE thanks for heads up on Cold Feet..glad two more to go..yeh me too re David! X aw how lovely to have twin GC! Enjoy the trip x
SHALIMAR!optician told me eating lots veg,specially green,slows down cataracts growth. But get it done if you can…you will love the difference! I feel so lucky i had both my cataracts done on NHS a few yrs ago..my friend has just had one done,but they wont do the other coz of NHS cuts – which is all wrong! – but i still appreciate our NHS services – miracles are performed every day.
I dont know if i had new procedure or old one but it was very quickly carried out..first time, the doc was the image of John Denver which was a bit surreal! 😄 I was half expecting him to break out into a chorus of Annies Song! X

Hi all
I will be starting on Friday when my book arrives. Im looking forward to getting back to healthy eating plus of course the weight loss. I hope to lose 18lb by Christmas or no pudding for me Christmas Day!!!!
I need to get into the LBD, so need loads of help and diet tips.
Looking forward to all the posts

Is this Facebook group a legitimate one?? There gave been lots of problems with BSD members of this group being ‘locked’ out if so far Facebook grouos

I was doing so well Getting my life back. I am determined this diet is going to work for me. I have felt so positive, I FEEL so positive just cannot believe what I have done. Tomorrow is another day:-)

Hi Fairyface don’t beat yourself up tomorrow is another day we can do this just take one day at a time. I am determined to make this life style change work I am going to lose my weight don’t mind how long it takes as long as it does.
Shalimar enjoy your visit to VON big hugs 😊
I too am struggling with the carb amounts looking at the receipe book going through the menus but as long as I am keeping to the 800cals happy for the moment. Never really liked cooking much preferred snacking hence my weight but I am starting to enjoy it have been doing some batch cooking which helps plus I love my slow cooker chuck everything in and dish up when I finish work.
Onwards and downwards as we are saying

What a wonderful report Sneakysnooper! It’s great to hear that we do have some control over our own health. Good for you in taking a journey to better your life that I know hasn’t been easy! You inspire me.

Hello Shimmerling! Just sent s request to join under the name of Liz!
Cheers!

Hello!
I sent you an invite, Tony. My username on MFP is LizFrencham and I am also looking for MFP buddies who are doing BSD. The more the merrier!

Yikes–put in 23 hours of OT so far this week, but still managed to lose a little. Calorie intake yesterday was a little over 800, but not bad compared to what I used to eat 🙂 And I broke down and had 2 Dark Chocolate Dove Squares. I didn’t feel guilty and luckily I stopped there.

Good Luck to all of us today!

Yes, ButterflyMoves–I feel like I really want to clean my house–and believe me it needs it!

Hi all, I’m getting along quite well just choosing the meals from the book, but I too seem to have missed the bit about how many carbs are allowed? I just thought it was 800 cals and that was it?! I’m losing weight anyway but not sure how much. I made the Cauliflower Cheese but didn’t really enjoy it; but I did like the Cauliflower rice idea. I’m meeting a friend who wants to lose the same weight as me only she is on weight watchers, in two weeks, so if I can stick to it until then, that’s my first goal. Christmas is the second goal. I need to set small ones so that I remain confident that I can reach them. The end goal is something in my head and not spoken about as I think it scares me as I have not been that weight for so many years. Does anyone else think like that?

Hello All

Been great reading your posts. I started on Sunday so on Day 3. Lost 4lbs so far, can’t quite believe that it is working already. Mind you I have a long way to go…..

I have requested to join the FB group. I need all the help I can get!!

I have been drinking water and increased my step count by the the increased number of trips up and down stairs at work to the toilet!
I have been using the recipes in the BSD recipe book. Have been impressed with the flavours etc so far.

hello, just starting 🙂 seen people recommending My Fat Secret or My Fitness Pal, just wondering if when people adjust the daily calories down to 800, do they also adjust the percentages of nutrients ie carbs, proteins and fat, what percentages should I be aiming for? thanks for any advice, Helen xx

Thanks for the explanation, CarbAddict! Now it makes more sense why monitoring carbs makes a difference.

Fairyface- Sounds like a nut snack would be a relatively healthy indulgence so don’t let it get you down. Watching the weight loss pause must be frustrating, however.

I guess that’s where this group is so helpful. It seems so much easier to move to on, after confessing to a slip up in this safe encouraging space. Not to mention the helpful feedback and tips. Thanks everyone!

Has anyone else noticed that as resolve increases to stick the BSD, you also feel more grit to apply to other parts of your life that need work? I’ve just found a new clarity in facing up to other things I need to change.

Maybe it’s just that I’ve spent less time this week either slightly drunk on wine or in a hungover haze the next morning!!

Hi Verano.
Would you be able to put the red curry recipe into the recipe section please? I don’t have the skills to copy and paste and would love to try it – it sounds delicious!
Many thanks
B

Oh dear. I have not lost anything this week:-(
Been out all day and took tuna with some salad and water. Unfortunately we were at the Caravan and Camping show walking all day and I panicked because I had not taken a few almonds for emergency use so I bought a nut snack and ate the lot! To top it off I had cooked a 400+ meal again tonight. Not having a good day. So put out with myself.

Thank you 1960 and FROG..these tablets seem to be helping by taking away dizziness and nausea at least for a while!
I too was hoping to see JAN here ..hope all went ok on Monday X call in when you can x
1960 ..at least you start the day withbest intentions.. sometimes its just not the right time..maybe theres too much else going on..you could always just do the Med diet for now x

Everyone’s posts are so encouraging! It’s great to hear about the blood pressure and blood sugar improvements. It’s nice to know others deal with some of the same things I do. I had to throw away my peanut butter. It was staring me down and won a couple of times. Oh, well. Still have lost 11.5 in two weeks. I’m not weighting mid-week anymore so I hope I’m pleasantly surprised on Sunday! I can’t believe it’s week 3 already either! I’ve been trying new low carb recipes and have found some favorites! Skinnytaste.com has some really good ones. I hope everyone has an awesome week!

Hi Seashell, I had a gain this morning also and was so gutted. Terrible headache again today, think I’m not drinking enough water and did give into a few glasses of wine on Sunday so I think it may be payback. I need to plan a little better I think, made chicken curry again and as my family loves it so much I made a huge pan of it for everyone and think I may be a little over generous with portion sizes. It’s finished off tonight so will plan better tomorrow. Good luck to everyone who is still going on this forum xxx

Hi Yowzer
must be a relief to have a solution – hope that you feel fine when the meds kick in

Hi Jan – are you there?
Hoe that your sons appointment went well on Monday.

Hi
I was surprised at the tuna thing when someone first told me – but I’d never really thought of it as an “oily” fish

All these cookery courses are working – where I’d normally have just microwaved some vegetables to eat with some cooked chicken at lunch time – stir fry, with onion, ginger and garlic, 3 different vegetables, the chicken, and finished it with sesame oil, sesame seeds and soy sauce. tasted really nice.
And I’ve used a whole bulb of garlic – I used to cook so infrequently I usually ended up chucking out most of it. I think I might even have bought two bulbs in a little net bag last time as well. I bought more courgettes last night – they’re enormous, nearly half a kilo each, more like marrows. Just as well I have my new spiraliser!

I probably have been drinking less water since it started getting colder Verano – thanks for the reminder.
The salmon recipe looks nice, will give that a try at some point. there is still come chicken left as you say it works well with that too.
Kayaking was brilliant – was actually quite warm and sunny.

i agree – take paracetamol; it’s a bit early for bed though, danger you’ll wake up in the early hours on the morning & then feel rough tomorrow; if you feel up to it, why not go for a walk to take your mind off it & get some fresh air?

Lots of people report headaches for the first day or two but then the headaches pass. I’ve not got much of a suggestion except take an analgesic that works for you and hop into bed with a hot water bottle and try and get a good night’s sleep.

I started the Fast 800 yesterday (I’m a T2 diabetic). Was ok yesterday but today am really suffering really bad headaches, no matter how much I drink. Also, I’m a bit of a grazer and I’m finding that today I really just want to eat (Nothing new!) but I’m desperate not to give in and eat ‘rubbish’ as I’ve got around 3.5 stones left to lose (have lost 1.5 since July)
Any suggestions, other than a gag to cover the mouth?!!!

So – on starting week 5 – I weighed in officially and my official numbers are 10lbs gone in 4 weeks. I lost the pound that I put on last week and a couple more besides so delighted with that. With only around 23lbs to lose I thought it would be a bit harder. But I’m not counting my chickens

I’m in the States this week and my colleagues can also see the difference (have lost about 17lbs since I last saw them) and out came the comments like ‘you don’t need to lose anymore’ etc etc but i just smile serenely and ignore them.

Yesterday was hard as I was travelling all day. I basically drank my bodyweight in water – about 4 litres, and tried to avoid the carb loaded plane food – luckily I was travelling business so there was a decent choice – however I did succumb to a very small chocolate cake with clotted cream – about 3 mouthfuls.

By the time dinner came around I had been traveling for 22 hours – I didn’t know whether to eat it or fall asleep in it – so I ate half (chicken caesar salad) and have the other half for lunch!

How are the rest of you doing – in week 5?

That’s a brilliant explanation of ketosis Carb_Addict thank you!
Our calorie count is ok but still coming to terms with adding up the carbs we are having but think we must be below 50! I was always told that being in a state of ketosis makes breath smell like the old pear drop sweets & fifty years ago when training as a student nurse this was viewed as alarming for a patient & if noticed was to be reported asap. I suppose the old viewpoint was that the liver or kidneys could potentially be under attack! How things & knowledge changes.😀

The porridge dry ingredients were 15.5 g carb out of 44 g total. I used 20g buckwheat flakes (I started using them for their Sirtuin activators, but I think they are similar carb to oats) 5g of cocoa nibs, 8g of chia seed (I used white as that was what I had) and 8g of the Linwoods (flaxseed, almonds, walnuts and Q10). It made a huge bowl full that has kept me full all day, when the cream and ‘jam’ were stirred in. Next time I may even cut down on the size, and I would also like to try a savoury version, with butter salt and pepper. If you don’t use the skimmed milk or use less of it that is quite reasonable for such a satisfying meal.

Getting my life back 🙂 HUGS

My feet are really bugging me … very swollen … but then i’ve been sick for a little while and not getting ANY activity in.

I have an appointment in December with the VON Victoria Order of Nurses …. for diabetic footcare …. it does cost … but it’s like a pedicure without the nail polish. So thats a treat.

Ah ….. my exercise equipment … dusty and rusty … and spackled from the guys who fixed my water damaged walls and ceiling a while back!!

p.s. Lentils are good healthy complex carbs …. just measure and count the calories and carbs.

“low carb” … the term is relative …. just count them

The book doesn’t really go into setting carbs per day …. the 50 carbs or less is what people here have found works

You probably need to do some prep work ….. count the calories and carbs in the foods and food combinations you regularly eat …. then you won’t be rushing out without knowledge. Knowledge is power.

All vegetables have carbs.

You may need to get a small scale and some measuring cups of various sizes. This does take time and preparation.

You can have the apple …. you just have to count the calories and carbs …..

Actually if you start out at 50 carbs or so for a while ….. then you have something to adjust if things are not working or if you hit a weight loss plateau (and you will).

Already started so obviously read the book but I am somewhat confused, trying to eat a low carb diet, between 20-50g per day but looking at the recipes lentils seem to be low carb but when you scan them they are high in carbs don’t know which one to believe?
Also was in a rush this morning so had an apple and pear for breakfast massive amounts of carbs.
Am I missing the point or just being stupid(probably) !!!
If somebody could shed some light on this for me that would be good.
Many thanks in advance