Next mini goal reached!!!!

Now in single pounds so next goal 2.5lbs to get me closer to the next stone down !
Again no time limit for this but hopefully by mid October.

Hope everyone is doing well towards your goals.

Have just completed my first week and must admit that I’m a bit disappointed that I only lost 3lb as I stuck to the 800 calories a day religiously (had barely any carbs at all). I’m not going to give up though as weight always comes off very slowly but I did think that a bit more would have come off as 800 is very low…

Hi sunshine-girl

Sounds as though you’re in great shape , well done!!

It’s really frightening that we put our trust in the ‘experts’ and they bugger us up with their out of date treatments. I think you’re so right in that we have to take responsibility for our own health. That’s not say that we know ‘best’ and can do without the professionals, but we do have brains and can make our own choices from what’s on offer.

Well done on your weight loss as well!

I think it is all so interesting when you delve into things you thought were ok. Sadly blueberries and raspberries are far too expensive here so I tend to go for apples, pears, cherries and strawberries (when in season) but now aware of having to watch the intake.

Hi Corkie,

I’ve commented on this in the past but after starting on BSD I’ve noticed I have a taste for spicier and more “tasteful” food. I’m guessing this is just the palate moving from a carb-rich diet. My conservatory is full of herbs and I have slightly more spices in the cupboard than my local Morrisons.

just back from Diabetic Cookery Club; 1:1 dietary advice for me today – very very good, but quite high in fat! – explained the principles of BSD again 🙂

Hi all,
Tried the cauliflower cheese – added Jalapeno peppers to it as MM suggests – and glad was I that I did. I found it to be a bit bland – somewhat as sunshine girl found the fish dish. I won’t be trying that (the fish pie) in the near future SG as I am not a big fan of fish pie, but will up the dijon mustard after your report. Also did the courgetti with bacon and beans (quick and filling) and the turkey burgers (also needs a kick for me so I upped the chilli flakes). Keep cooking!!
Corkie

Excellent results Angiebabe. Like you I have a lot to lose (about 100lb in my case) I’ve got to 38lb off in nine weeks and most people I work with haven’t noticed in the slightest. The only comment I had was when I ate the tuna lettuce wraps and the chicken pakoras at a work lunch rather than the baguettes and doughnuts!

Unlike you I have never been on a diet (and it shows!) so the willpower is a whole new experience for me. Saying that, I think that I’m getting to the stage where BSD type eating is becoming second nature for me and I even feel comfortable, if I do go off the rails a little as I know I can play catch-up.

Hi, I am just starting out on BSD. Have tried other low carb diets but never seem be able to keep going on just protein & fat as found had unpleasant side effects. This looked more sustainable and am now 3 days in and loving it. At 5′ 9″ and 250 pounds I have a way to go but my Mother is Type 2 and having noticed symptoms after eating high sugar food, such as really lethargic and fluctuating body temp, etc, though have never had my own blood sugar noted as high medically, I can only benefit from this. Tried some extra exercise over the weekend but felt a bit light headed, not sure if that is just getting used to low calorie intake or maybe should take it easy at first – anyone have similar experience? Am using the recipes in the book and can highly recommend Roast Pork with Apples & Shallots and Beetroot Falafels 🙂

I probably fit into your description as well as I was originally 23.5st and hadn’t done any serious exercise for the last fifteen years or so. I started off with just walking at a steady pace for about 20-30 minutes then over the weeks (I’ve been at this for the last 8 weeks or so) I started upping the tempo in sections of the walk, until I was warm/slightly sweating, breathing a bit hard and with an increased heart rate. I then moved onto 2 sessions a day (morning and PM), with longer sessions at weekends. I use a pedometer to track steps and aim for 10,000+ per day as my job is quite sedentary.

A few weeks ago I also started doing some stretches from a beginners Yoga session on Youtube (the one from a lady with a name not dissimilar to the bloke whole built the wall in the North of England!) and have found them gentle, easy and refreshingly good to do. Unfortunately all the yoga classes around where I live have waiting lists, so I have arranged with one of the instructors to take one-to-one lessons, initially for the next ten weeks. This is not a cheap option and may not be for everybody but I see it as an interesting experiment/investment.

I think that there are lots of former WW and SW members on here. It does take some re-thinking after we’ve been brainwashed for so many years with the low-fat, high-carb and/or “eat all you want off the ‘free’foods” mantra. But the full-fat dairy products are so much nicer😃

Please keep us informed of your progress.

Hi HealthyH and welcome.

I can’t really comment on the training question, but I’m sure someone will be along soon who can.

For recipes, many have used the recipes in the original book and now we have the new recipe book which has lots of great recipes in it.

Best wishes for your journey, and with inspiring your wife to join in.

Thanks guys for your good wishes. I’m not sure anyone has noticed too much yet. My husband learnt years ago not to comment on my weight sweet man that he is but if I ask and ‘give permission ‘ he says it’s amazing. But in all honesty I have so much to lose I don’t think the first 3 stone noticed much. Am seeing my son at the weekend and he is an eagle eyed supporter so we shall see what he says bless his heart. I did discard a pair of trousers today as they were falling down which is a victory I’ve heard others talk about and envied so that was a wonderful feeling.

I would love to be overweight by Xmas but that would be nearly 3lbs a week ongoing but as I think the loss may slow over time I don’t know if it’s possible. However I am getting better at this BSD malarkey over time and have no intention of giving up. I do keep a record of the diets I’ve been on and in 2015 I gave up at 18 weeks so this is another victory I don’t think I’ve ever been this determined!

Shalimar
I have exercise all my life many sports, but in recent years my body has decided to slow me down, a few years back I was so over protective of my cream cracked knees, they ended up almost so stiff I struggled to walk, physiotherapy sorted that out, now I just keep moving, Aqua Fit is great all over exercise, I first used it many years ago after a Rugby injury as it is non weight baring, I also have a dog to walk. the HI training may come at some time in the future but not yet. remember you encourage babies to walk before they run, so it is only logical you work up to a Marathon, set yourself personal gaols, Aqua fit twice a week a short walk on 2 other days. from personal experience after my legs almost seized up, any exercise is good, the old boys at the gym, in their 80’s keep saying to me use it or lose it, I take it they are talking about exercise and not going senile and forgetting they already said that?

Thanks Dona Rosa,

Just checked on link you gave me. Did you know frozen blueberries have slightly less carbs than fresh blueberries? Interesting….

Sorry to be slightly against the trend on this one but the phrase “several medical conditions” rang a few alarm bells. I would suggest that you consult a medical professional as moving onto what is a quite challenging dietary regime may not be advisable. Pay your GP (or equivalent) a visit and give them a summary of the diet.

Hi Eveyone,

been stalking the forums for a couple of weeks now and finished reading the book last week and figured it is time to give this plan a go.
It seems like a great community here, who are very supportive of one another. I love reading the success stories, it instills a positive mindest in me and makes me think I can do this.

I have tried numerous plans in the past, with mixed results, the only time I have really been sucessful was when I was training around an hour a day, 6 days a week. But being a father of 3 and busy with other stuff, this was just not sustainable. I hope this lifestyle choice is. For me my motivation is my wife and kids. My wife is Prediabetic and does not seem to be in the mindset to do anything about it at the moment (no judgemental comments please) Whilst I am in the normal range, high end at 5.1, I am carrying alot of excess weight at 5 ft 8 and 241 lbs so I plan to get down to 210 as a target to start with and then inspire my wife to follow my lead.

Anyway, I have planned out my meals and am ready to do this! But would appreciate any help the veterans could offer to the following quesitions please

1, I plan to train quite hard 4 times a week and was planning to increase my calories by about 200 a day on those days, has anyone else tried this and if so what results did you get?

2, Apart from the recipes found here can anyone else suggest a good source of relevant recipes for the plan please?

thanks to any and all who take to the time to help and I hope my next 8 weeks can prove fruitful and lead to me being a healthy member of this community.

Cheers
H

Hi Emily!

I will join you too! I just started today…day one half down and not doing toooo badly so far…

I’m a single mother of one in my late 30s. 5 ft 3…about 12 St. I’ve been really hooked on carbs too, despite trying a few times to change my eating habits. I’m hoping that a more structured plan (and online support community!) might be what I need to take more control of my diet..

Wish me luck!

Annette 🙂

I don’t know if this has been posted before but I found this on line which might help. http://www.carbohydrate-counter.org/

The BSD is good for a variety of things as well as improvements in blood sugar, and I recommend you type in your various medical conditions in the SEARCH box top right to see if others have commented in other threads (lots of experience here on this forum).

I also thoroughly recommend you look at the various headings at the top and it may well benefit you to read through the book The 8 Week Blood Sugar diet as it explains very simply the science behind the programme. Time very well spent.

I merely wanted to lose weight and OH had Type 2. Both of us have seen great health improvements from the BSD.

Giving up refined carbs for the 8 week period (rice, bread, potatoes, sugar, pasta) trains you to a different way of eating which is very healthy and full of good stuff (lots of vegetables, for instance), tasty and also helps you lose weight and stop craving the instant hit of refined carbs.

Hope that helps 🙂

I’m not a doctor ….. so, to start with, Check out the section tabs at the top of the website …. i.e. Blood Sugar Diet (like Who should do it) … Get Started (description of the basics) ; FAQ (frequently asked questions). If you don’t have the 8 week Blood Sugar Diet book by Michael Mosley … perhaps you can buy it or borrow a copy from the library?

I believe this diet can be helpful and healthful in many ways …. but i can really only speak for myself.

Short answer is YES, it is good for anyone whether or not diabetic, it will reduce your weight quite dramatically therefore giving you lots of motivation. It will reduced blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides. That is what it has done for me. What health problems do you have. Whatever they are you will benefit from this diet. Good luck and keep posting, any questions, there is always someone here who has been there done that.

Thanks RozyDozy ….. for now i just want to keep moving as in aquabics … i can make that low impact. I also will try and walk a little more. I actually like some of the fitness machines at my gym/pool …. i love exercising my shoulders … and the rowing machine. I’m going to try and get more fit …. but at a pace my body can handle.

I have tested my blood glucose this morning prior to starting the 800 diet and the result was 4.1 this is in the normal range. However I am overweight and have several medical conditions. Is this diet right for me? Can anyone give advice on this that would be great!

Sazzle, know it as Byetta. My doctor wouldn’t give me that, it is supposed to help with weight loss whereas insulin causes weight gain. Apparently I was / am not big enough so I have had to continue gaining weight on insulin. Not gaining now though.

Yes we are lucky
I didn’t think abt saving calories but as it happens the mackerel was meaty and the dip creamy so yes will do again

1960smp that is one of my fav lunches but I have it with tuna because I don’t like mackerel or sardines and save quite a few calories. Another fav is the roasted breast of chicken with roasted red pepper and asparagus. Never much like asparagus but when it is roasted it takes on a nutty flavour. Yum yum, we are so lucky.

Good morning Poppetini, tigs, and everyone

Sounds like a plan Poppetini!!!

Sun just beginning to come up here. But it is supposed to be nice and sunny.

1) 1st good thing …. Bacon and eggs for breakfast!!!

2) 2nd … i think i’m a bit better but i might just stay put and read my new Louise Penny book … or at least start it.

3). I saved 1 strip of bacon …. i might try frying some chopped kale in the left over grease and a bit of garlic butter later. My nephew’s wife has a nice brusel sprouts and bacon dish she brings to family dinners … and Canadian Thanksgiving is coming up

And all the best with yours Miss Rose- we can do this !!

Thank you Flash – fingers crossed for your weigh in tomorrow 🙂

In terms of supermarkets – I find late night shopping helps – if possible and practical for you.

They have stopped baking by 10pm at night (probably earlier – but I tend to go after that), and you get the extra exercise of climbing around the trolleys they use to restock the shelves!

Hi Shalimar,
Don’t worry about the High Intensity fitness too much – I’ll let you into a little secret, I have totally bypassed that & still lost weight. I have a pretty intensive part-time job & an allotment. On the days I’m not doing either of those I make myself do a walk of some description to keep the step count up.
And this week (coz I’ve finally booked myself a week off work) I intend going swimming for the first time in 6 years (there, it’s in writing – I’ve got to do it now).
What I’m really saying is don’t try and force yourself to do too much if you have physical issues as you won’t want to aggravate any of them. Best to find different ways of increasing your activity and build up from there. Any activity is better than no activity. As the weight comes off you can be a bit more adventurous and push yourself a little further with the exercise.
Anyway, good luck!

OOps yowzer, me reading too fast…ok so not lost as much as thought, but doesn’t that happen and then next weigh in it comes off with more and you are in shock? lol

Lunch just now was lush – carrot batons, cucumber strips, red pepper strips with a fillet of smoked mackerel whipped up with 3 tbsp. of cream cheese…flippin eck! loved it and all for 325 cals as brekky was low anyhow….

Sorry to hear you’re not feeling tip top Shalimar. And thank you Tigs for the once-a-week red wine suggestion.

1. Funnily enough I’ve decided I’m going to have a once a fortnight ‘day off’, where I can truly relish something I love to nibble or drink.

2. I have managed my fourth run. Still as slow as a walk, but I managed 35 mins of that very slow jog today. Woo hoo.

3. Sun is shining and the sky is blue … happy 🙂

Happy Monday all.

Hi Nettle *waves*

I’be had those “goes-overs” in the past too!

Funny you should say about pegging clothes at the back – guess what someone had done before some of the photos!

Don’t really know why the pastel blue blouse was introduced a few years ago. I’ve always liked it and could now get one in my size – they’re a more fitted style than our normal white blouses. But now I can get one in a smaller size, they’ve started to make them up to a size 26😱 Oh well!!! I think they’re less formal than the white blouses, less ‘severe’. Which I wear depends on what I’m doing that day.

Good day everyone,

Igorasusual – you are so right about the fruit. I had yogurt this morning with a banana instead of berries and it took up big carb % of my daily ratio. If only I’d checked on MFP beforehand!

Was finishing off fruit bought pre-BSD so no more bananas on my shopping list – there’s also a mango left but will give that to my nephew who loves them.

Will check in with you all later tonight after I’ve tried making the broccoli and cheddar soup for lunch (also using up pre-BSD ingredients).

I have read the book -love all his books/tv shows.
I was mostly meaning-having followed a million diets over the years I am used to a ‘food to eat’ list. I would find that easier while shopping for me. I do have myfitnesspal-but want to start afresh with a new ap. so ive got fatsecret now. its frustrating I can’t reduce the daily calories though. and cant believe the 2 apples I have had are 38g carbs already!!

onwards and downwards ;-}

I have read the book-thanks

Hi LondonGirl, I have also started today. I am still reading the book but did a similar diet at the beginning of the year and lost heaps. I haven’t put weight back on but I still need to lose lots and so I think the 8 week challenge is a goer for me. All the best with your weight loss.

Yesterday’s intake:
816 calories
55 carbs
Loss is slow, but clothes are fitting great.
Happy that though the weekend brought temptations, they weren’t too bad. As long as I keep counting carbs, I seem to be able to have the odd bite of a sweet. The tricky part is not waking up cravings, and sticking to a bite. I know I’m flirting with the edge of the cliff, but I feel in control if I’m counting the carbs/calories. Really enjoyed savory tastes a lot this far into the plan. I don’t miss the sweets unless I’m tired, hormonal, or dehydrated (ha! And those things pop up constantly, but I feel I’m learning to manage it). Definitely keeping things out of the house is a salvation.
Anyway, Snoop, I find it’s hardest out of my element and with lots of distractions. It helped me to read the forums while I was away, (all my weight stacked on the last 2 days of my trip and over the weekend when we were coming home and hustling to unpack and get ready for a busy school week. I know just what you mean about rushing around and having no idea what you ate). Stick to it as you’re able, and just know that you can tackle it head on when you’re home. That said, it calmed my nerves to set some goals while away and feel that I wasn’t slipping into a free-for-all foodwise. Anyway, enjoy the time!

Well done mental4ever on the weight loss over the weekend!

Hi , joining in ,I started 29th so day 5 today , I have at least 18lbs to lose and need to stop eating rubbish ! I am looking forward to trying new recipes and have time to do it at the moment .I am trying focus on not what I can’t have but all the new things to try .My brother and sister in law follow some of the paleo diet and my SIL has made some lovely food recently which fits with the low carb idea so I am enjoying them .
So far it has been remarkably ok , not to hungry and enjoying tha food .I feel tired but I have an awful cold I am determined that will not derail me just looking forward to more energy and my clothes fitting better !
Food I miss the most ,toast and marmalade ! Had some rye bread yesterday and going to make tahini crackers now (paleo recipe uses coconut flour) .
Good luck everyone ,I am treating this like a slimming club ,without the cost and embarrassment!

8 weeks to go- that is 56 days and 1344 hours- both motivation and willpower currently strong- but I fully anticipate times that one or both will flag. But even now when I am so keen I am telling myself that I will be healthier, look better and even though I will still be seriously overweight at the end of the 8 weeks- it will be great to have had this start- as I expect to feel better and not have such a sweet tooth. So I have decided to tell myself several times a day- how good this is going to be for me in so many ways-each time trying to think of a new reason that what I am doing is wonderful. I think telling myself that even when I am having no problems with doing the plan- will be helpful. I am very interested to ask others what they do for inspiration.

Hello Respace,

Well done for braving day one on a hangover! If you can survive that, you can definitely get going with this plan 🙂 I don’t miss alcohol (although it has only been one week for me thus far…) but am trying to wean myself off fizzy drinks. I’ve started to replace them with sparkling water flavoured with no-sugar squash, which also happens to curb desire for alcohol in the main. It’s by no means a substitute but it is helping as I get to grips with this new way of eating. That said, I am not totally ditching the drink! I’d rather allow for it at some point during the week and make sure that I can enjoy some if I want to than exclude it completely and then go off the rails! If it makes me lose slower, then it makes me lose slower. As I’ve said in some other posts, I’m not in a race!

Good luck 🙂

I was injecting Exenatide. At one stage I was injecting, taking metformin and gliclazide. Now I don’t take anything but as I say I haven’t had my bloods done for a while. I will let you know.

Hi there, Flash!

In terms of measurements, you can do waist, hips, thighs, chest – I think waist is most important as it’s the one which seems to move most!

Or you can have test garments – shirt, pair of jeans, belt – which will show you the same thing without the need for writing down.

I found the garments best, as I would lose the tape measure, then measure and lose the bit of paper I wrote the results down on. And after all it’s the effect on clothes you’re most interested in…..:)

Jodes82 I just watched the video you posted.

Still that resistance to saying the low-fat with extra sugar and additives is NOT a good thing.

I’m actually glad that Dr. Taylor insisted that when you are trying to loose weight that really increasing your exercise is not necessarily helpful …. it is especially not good advice to someone like me who is very out of shape … it will probably take me a year to be reasonably fit.

I mean my body is so fat that some exercises like yoga are impossible for me to do.

And the resistance to the idea that you can REVERSE diabetes …. is not a new one …. it is possible.

It’s a total lack of education and the notion that diabetes isn’t that dangerous … you take some pills and all is well. I certainly subscribed to the notion that if i took my metformin that i could eat pretty much what i wanted … of course i wanted that false notion to be true. I was taking 5 metformin a day and still got very very sick indeed. Never mind what 5 metformin a day for decades was doing to my body.

I do think that suddenly going from 2000 calories plus to 800 cals a day …. may be too much to ask …. Perhaps adopt the mediteranean, low carb diet …. for 1200 calories for a week or 2 … and seeing where one can cut that to 800 would be easier for many people. The TV program made it seen such an all or nothing type of deal …. when there are a number of variations and options.

Well done everyone! Really great to be reading about successes and achievements today as it’s spurring me on to keep going for week 2.

Cowslip – totally agree about online shopping! Although I have found that the pickers give you stuff that runs out quite quickly, whereas if I’d chosen myself I could root around for the longest best before date! However, anything that keeps me away from bread is good in my book!

Sharonjean – thanks for the advice about the hot chocolate!

I haven’t measured myself yet. What do you typically measure? Just waistline or all over?

Hey Caz,

10lbs is AMAZING! Well done to you! I hope you did a happy dance once you got off the scales 🙂 I will report official results tomorrow morning. 800 cals is definitely manageable – sometimes you’ll go over and sometimes you’ll be under but it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re aiming for that 800 goal each day, we’ll average out over the course of each week. And yes, a hangover without carbs is a horrible, horrible thing!

Let’s smash week 2!

Hi all, another weight loss, total this week 1.1 kg, 2.5 lbs (less a smidge). Blood glucose this morning 3.5 (64), funny thing is that would normally have me all shaky and then I would get scared. But, that is normal for a non diabetic so surely we have to get those sorts of readings or how do we know we are improving???? Answers on a postcard please.

I haven’t worked out my carbs and calories for today as I have just got back from my 2 yearly appointment with the cardiologist. I showed him my blood results from August. First of all he asked why I had gone from 5.6 (2 years ago) to 8.2 early during last year and early this year so I told him about my meeting with the dietician and the rotten diet she put me on. The he noticed in August it was 6.7 and said ‘bon resulte’ so I told him I had taken matters into my own hands and cut out simple carbs. Really difficult in French but he got it and gave me a big thumbs up. My heart is in great shape, no furring of the arteries, no irregularities my print out looks great and steady so cant wait to take it to doctor at next routine diabetes check. Blood pressure still at 140/80 but I had a hell of a morning. Just about the leave the house when 7 massive agricultural vehicles piled up outside my house and all along the lane. They chose today to come and cut the maize. We convinced them to shift, showed them my appointment card and we managed to get to the cardio on time. Any wonder my bp was up. Anyway, next month I have to go and do the bicycle test.

Still, alls well that ends well as they say.

Hello all,

Good luck to everyone starting today or who has started recently! I am just at the end of my first week today and will be weighing in officially tomorrow morning but thus far I’ve lost 9lbs, which for me is nothing short of a miracle! I have a long, long way to go but think this is the right way forward. I thought I would struggle with lack of bread and other carbs but so far, so good. The advice about drinking as much water as possible and allowing yourself the full fat versions of things is spot on. Both help to keep you full. I don’t track in apps like MFP or FatSecret as I find they can make me a bit obsessive but I do keep a general food diary the old fashioned way! My mainstays for the past week have been:

Fage/Total full fat Greek yoghurt – typically with blueberries, sometimes with a sprinkle of cinnamon
Cherry tomatoes
Bacon & leek frittata from Asda
Cauliflower cheese or cauli rice (this is amazing!) – in fact, anything to do with cauliflower 🙂
Deli meats

The best thing about this “diet” is that I don’t feel deprived. Yes, I miss buttery toast or a bowl of pasta but do I miss the almost immediate weight gain or the bloated, heavy feeling? NO! That’s what is keeping me going. The other thing that has changed for me is the fact I now plan and prepare my meals in advance, something I never bothered with in the past. It definitely makes a difference knowing that when I go to the fridge or cupboard I have suitable foods in stock and it reallllllly helps knowing that I can rustle up lunch and a snack for work each day.

Let us know how you get on!