Latest forum posts

  • Hi Flash21

    I don’t want to get you to be too confident. But I can tell you, for certain, that if you stick to the BSD and enjoy changing your lifestyle to accommodate the 800 calories and no refined carbs, ONE dress size down by January is ABSOLUTELY AND DEFINITELY ACHIEVABLE.

    In fact, I look forward to catching up with you in a few weeks to hear how you’ve already done it and are moving towards the next milestones. πŸ™‚

    Onwards and downwards, all πŸ™‚

  • posted by  Igorasusual on Has any one used myfitnesspal ??
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    By the way, if you type My Fitness Pal in the SEARCH box, top right, you get lots of threads talking about it.

    Very useful, the SEARCH facility, as there is absolutely reams of great historical info here on the forum now. πŸ™‚

  • I hope your husband is doing OK, Chookymama. I know all about well-meaning friends… we have one who spends long periods of time with us (he has a place very near us but almost no facilities – at least at the moment – so when he’s in the area, essentially he’s with us). During his most recent visit, I put on 6 kg, eating more but above all drinking more because he buys lots of wine and beer in ‘recompense’ for our generosity. When he arrived, I weighed 83.5 kg and that’s why it’s my mini goal. I’ll be going ‘properly’ downwards from there on. I have set myself a target of 25 kilos overall but probably ought to lose a few more after that. Good luck with your target.

  • posted by  Igorasusual on Has any one used myfitnesspal ??
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi there Womble

    Yes, many many people here on the forums use MyFitnessPal (me included) but there are many others, and I have heard FatSecret recommended by others as easier to use.

    MyFitnessPal takes a little getting used to, but I find it quite reasonable to use as a diary, to record meals, to search for things by barcode etc. However, you do need to be a bit careful with its suggestions as sometimes all you get are ingredients by cups – not so good if you are UK based – and some of the entries aren’t accurate. A little bit of good sense is required.

    However, I’ve found it really useful for planning ahead – as someone said here, if you don’t do that, you can find you’ve got 50 calories left for dinner, which is quite sad πŸ™

    Hope that helps!

    By the way, you don’t need the paid-for version.

  • I used to be 70kg Snoop – back in the day – well actually not that long ago (my OH was diagnosed with a life limiting illness three years ago. Very well meaning friends sent me chocolate by the TRUCK LOAD. Rude not to eat it. I put on 2.5 stones in 2 months. Three years on and it had not budged despite particpating in many foolhardy sporting events but finding them incredibly hard work with my new body size!)

    SO – 70kg is my target. It is also at the higher end of the range for my height so I know that I am not being unrealistic. Quite a few websites that have BMI/weight calculators.

  • posted by  Flash21 on Carbs I can't go without
    on in Starting the BSD
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    Ahhh, those white noise apps are great! They usually have a good variety of sounds – I found that the noise of a train on the tracks would send me off to sleep very quickly! Haven’t tried a podcast or an audiobook but others have reported them to work well so I might try them out too. I don’t suffer from “true” insomnia, just worry when I can’t sleep properly.

  • posted by  Flash21 on Week of 9/26 starters let's keep each other on track!
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hello all,

    I’d like to join in too please! I’ve started my own diary thread as well in an effort to remain accountable throughout this process but it’s also fun to hear about how everyone else is approaching this πŸ™‚ I got semi-started last week but just had a weekend away which derailed my (minimal) progress so am back on the wagon today and full steam ahead! Thanks to Igor and Californiagirl for the reminders to measure. I will get on that tonight, not that I really want to find out just how enormous I am! But my current mini-goal is to drop a dress size by 1st Jan, so I guess doing the measurements will spur me on. I’m also going to make more of an effort to try new recipes so I don’t just flop about complaining I have nothing to eat and then bingeing on crisps and the like. So, there is my plan of sorts! Good luck with everything everyone πŸ™‚

  • Hello all!

    Nomorepanic – good to hear you’ve had a successful day. I hope there were more to follow. I too often feel bloated but find peppermint tea helps when I get like this. And lots of water as Boli suggests.

    Antigone – I’m also a forum addict! Glad to hear not just me πŸ™‚

    Comforteater – congrats on your 3 stone loss! You must feel wonderful. A small gain is not terrible. You know you can do this. I am definitely a self saboteur – lose a couple of pounds and think, oooh I’m doing well so will treat myself with xyz and then am back to square one. It’s a really annoying pattern but am determined to break it! I have some severe back problems which are currently hindering most attempts at exercise, so I know how you feel on that front. In fact, we are pretty similar! My target weight is also around 11 stone. We can help each other along!

    Boli – 1.2kgs down is fantastic, congratulations! Hopefully this will inspire you to keep at it. I’ve read that cravings seem to start dropping off once you’re into the 2nd/3rd weeks so you’re well on your way. I also need to sort out portion sizes and get my head around the fact that a “normal” sized helping is not small and I will not starve!

  • posted by  Flash21 on What's your next mini goal?
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hello everyone,

    I too have gained over the weekend, which is annoying but not surprising. I’ve reset some mini goals and by the end of December I want to be at least one dress size smaller and to have weaned myself off diet fizzy drinks. Or indeed any fizzy drink. It’s definitely comforting and motivating to read everyone else’s goals as it makes feel like I can achieve mine if I really put my mind to it. Good luck to you all! πŸ™‚

  • So, I have been away for the weekend and in four days I have gained 3lbs. BAHHHHH. I thought all the walking around I did would have mitigated my less than wonderful diet but alas not. However, I did also want to try the local fare so I guess that’s the price you pay. Back on the wagon properly today, with some new goals ahead of me for Oct/Nov/Dec:

    Drop at least one dress size by 1st Jan
    Attempt walking home from work at least one day per week (am experiencing terrible back pain again and off to see consultant next week so only putting a small target in as really struggling)
    Try some new recipes
    Wean myself off diet fizzy drinks

    I would like to add to these but need to think of some more first!

    One question: does anyone know where you can buy full fat Fage/Total yoghurt in small pots rather than the big one?

    Hope you are all doing well! Please feel free to drop in and say hi πŸ™‚

  • posted by  theangelwithin on New start for a new life!
    on in Fast 800
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    Just to say that we substituted tofu for chicken in the Thai curry. Also put in less curry paste than it said, as it was really hot. The dish was delicious, not quite what we’d expected in that it wasn’t red. The coconut milk dilutes the red colour of the paste. It has lovely creamy sauce, that doesn’t feel like being on a “diet” at all.

    We also felt that it needed more veg, though that would up the carbs and cals a weeny bit. Next time I’ll put in more green beans.

  • Hello Avila,

    Apologies for my late reply – I have been away! Cinnamon yoghurt is definitely worth a try! Sounds like you stayed strong around all those sandwiches etc. I find train station offerings particularly difficult and M&S To Go is always hard to resist. I like their prawns with dipping sauce or like you I will get some cold meats. The open sandwich idea is not something I’d thought of so one to bear in mind if there are no other options. Keep on keeping on!

  • Welcome all new starters! Thought I might share a thought from seven months out (I started March, got to goal in July now on maintenance) — if you find your scale to be abusive like mine is (it just accuses me when i step on it) — you can go the whole way with a friendly and supportive tape measure! I have lost four clothing sizes and I still won’t get near that stupid scale — I refuse to get on it at the doctors office too. They are always so surprised but I point out that my belly is flat and I’m in size 8 jeans so they relent (although they give me dirty looks). So if you find the scale to be depressing and mentally limiting, just spend three dollars on a plastic tape measure — also your tape measure can travel! Try traveling with a scale….😁😜

  • posted by  Poppetini on New start for a new life!
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hello all,

    Day 3 for me. The first two days have gone well enough, and today at 3pm I am hungry … but a very containable sort of a hungry. I had yoghurt and raspberries for brekkies, followed by a 2 egg omelette with peppers and cucumber for lunch … and four spoons of high fat luxury custard (oops). So, either those pesky custard carbs have made me peckish, or perhaps i’m not adding enough veggies right now.

    Loving the sound of the thai curry. Tonight am planning to do homemade chicken tikka, with a cucumber raita … if I make it to the shops I may also try the cauliflower rice. My lovely family with have homemade flatbreads, which will be a definite challenge for me.

    I’ve managed an hour and a half dog walk, and am planning on a few mins on my children’s trampoline (someone mentioned using an indoor trampette to get their day’s steps up, so decided to have a go on the trampoline … it’s harder work that in looks even doing mini bounces).

    The recipe book arrived today, and am off googling some more ‘sensible’ 800 cal day planners to stop me winging it, and hopefully ensure the nutrition is there.

    How is everyone else today?

  • posted by  Frog on Recipes in original BSD book seem inaccurate
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi Snoop
    I prefer FatSecret to MFP (hate the name though!) and switched after using MFP for about 10-12 weeks – they do do pretty much the same thing though. I don’t follow the recipes either, just make my own up and aim for low carb; I can’t bear to plan out what I will be eating a week in advance, let alone follow a plan that someone else has put together – plus if you’re mainly cooking for one, you usually end up with several portions of something, whether you’ve cooked it or just purchased a packet of something.

    Personally, I much prefer that ads are practically non-existent on FS, and most importantly that they have a UK site.
    This means you don’t get tons of entries where the only measure available is a cup – probably OK if you’re based in the US and are used to that, but it always seems horribly imprecise to me. I understand that US nutrition states the Carbs including grams of fibre, whereas UK is the net figure – quite important if you’re carb counting.
    On entering foods to the database, there are sense checks that I didn’t notice on MFP – eg you can’t enter foods without a carb value, even if that means typing zero, and the grams of sugar cannot exceed grams of carb. There’s also a delay from entering stuff and it being available on the shared database; presumably some further checking in the background that adds to the accuracy. I’ve certainly found a lot fewer duff entries on FS compared to MFP.

  • posted by  Andrew63 on New start for a new life!
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi like many here I’m new.Just a quick insight into my background.Im 52 5ft8 & weigh 100kgs approx 15″10
    I suffer with high blood pressure as well as reactive and osteoarthritis.I have tried loosing weight many times but just seem to sleep back into the same routine ..Skip breakfast, and eat mainly junk food on the go,I find evenings the most difficult as I seem to eat out of sheer boredom.Anyway I’m determined to see this thru and get down to my target weight by Christmas ( using it as a Christmas present to myself) I will be starting on Sunday as I’m currently laid up with a double ear infection and am on antibiotics till then.Look forward to sharing my weight loss journey with other members of the forum…..So good luck and let’s be positive,Never give up trying!
    Regards Andy.

  • posted by  didimarks on New start for a new life!
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Suoon2bthinner!

    Thai red curry:
    Calories 300
    carbs 14g

    serves 2

    I large chicken breast sliced
    1/2 onion, chopped
    1tbsp olive oil
    I large garlic clove, diced
    2cm root ginger, diced
    3-4 heaped tsp Thai red curry paste
    1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
    1/2 400ml tin coconut milk
    1/2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
    1/2 tsp lime zest or kaffir lime leaves (optional)
    1/2 cauliflower, grated
    Generous handful fine beans.

    Heat oil in a wok or wide-based saucepan and fry chicken and onion. When begins to brown, add garlic, ginger and curry paste. Fry gently for a few minutes then add the red pepper, coconut milk, fish sauce and lime zest. Cook for 15 minutes.
    Meanwhile prepare the cauliflower rice.
    A few minutes before the end of cooking time, throw the green veg in the pan.

    Enjoy! it’s delicious

  • The recipes in the book are often inaccurate. They can’t be accurate when they use handsfuls, or one [beet, chicken breast, red pepper, etc.], becase things like that are not all the same size – so the calorie amounts will be different if you use a large one v. a small one.

    As for MFP – the data is entered by members, and not checked. You have to verify the calorie/carb/etc. values if you want to make sure you are counting accuragely.

    As for the counts on packaging – make sure you’re checking the weight. The stated weight of the package is often lower than the actual weight – so if you divy up portions based on how many the package says it will make you are often undercounting the calories you actually consume..

  • posted by  Frog on Inulin
    on in Fast 800
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    Picking up on an old thread – I read this a while ago and decided to give inulin a try
    I’ve been taking a teaspoon a day (about 5g) for the last week or so, and it is definitely working with digestive health.
    I take it in a glass of cold low calorie grapefruit squash; I’ve not noticed any problems with it not dissolving if I stir it well.

  • I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism simultaneously with diabetes almost a year ago. I’m down 72.9 lbs. (Low carb, moderate protein for most of that time. BSD for 6 weeks (until my oncologists ordered me back to maintenance calories for 3 months during cancer treatment), and back on it again for the last 4 weeks.

    I don’t notice a bit of difference losing weight this time than when I’ve lost weight on any other calorie limited diet.

    As to testing for underactive thyroid, the most common test in the US is for TSH levels, which is an indirect test – at best. In order to properly adjust medications, you need to have your doctor test T4, T3, and rT3 levels. Synthetic T4 is the most common medication (levothyroxine). In a normal metabolism, T4 gets converted to T3 (a happy hormone, in my doctor’s lingo) – but if you have hypothyroidism, your metabolism isn’t normal – and often it mis-converts to rT3 (a sad hormone). So merely shoving T4 at the problem often fixes the TSH level (so you look properly adjusted) – but can’t tell anything about the important levels: T4 and T3.

    I take 75 mcg of levothyroxine and 5 mcg of liothyronine (synthetic T3, to compensate for the fact that my body converts too much of the T4 into rT3)

  • posted by  Frog on 7 Day Reboot ….. Tuesday 27th September !!
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Yeah , day one of the reboot (I’m forgetting the one at the beginning of the month that only lasted a week! – Didn’t happen!)
    Kayaking this morning, and I’ve not eaten lunch yet, but having some of the casserole I made at the weekend, so that will take me to 21 carbs and just under 400 calories.
    Planning to go to the gym this afternoon as well.

    Good luck everyone – did you enjoy the rest of your holiday Verano?

  • Chookymama, how did you calculate your target weight? If your muscle mass is 57 kg, 70 kg doesn’t sound like it leaves much for bones and internal organs… I must admit, I can’t even begin to understand how scales can work all those things out.

  • posted by  Frog on Hello :-)
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi Yowzer
    congratulations on the top!
    I only need an M/L buoyancy jacket for kayaking now, instead of XXL – and at the Marathon on Saturday I took a standard size T shirt instead having to ask for an XL one.

  • Hi folks i am on50 mg levothyroxine per day and have been for several years..i never have any problem losing weight on BSD or when i Do 5:2 fasting. But then i ve a lot to lose! I have an unfortunate habit of regaining weight when i stop following a plan..in my case,thats down to greed tho rather than my underactive thyroid.! The medication should make our thyroid function just the same as a normal person. ( tho from what ive read the NHS blood test for measuring our thyroxine levels is not very accurate,so we’re possibly not prescribed the correct amount we need!)
    I start week 12 BSD tomorrow and on the last weigh in a week ago,had lost 39 lb. so far..feel sure have lost at least another lb this week.
    Good luck APPLEBOTTOM,HAZE and MARYMOO,welcome to the forums! XXX

  • posted by  Frog on Fat intake
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    DeeToby
    I find restricting to 50g carbs relatively easy, and 30g a stretch – so I probably average 40g daily – but if 80-100g is working for you, that’s great, it’s probably easiest not to worry too much about what others are aiming for.

    If you use the search box (top right hand corner of the screen) and look for “max carbs” you’ll find earlier discussions around this topic – there is an old thread “MAXIMUM DAILY CARBS/SUGAR” that may be of interest.

  • posted by  1960smp on Hello :-)
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Yowzer thanks for the sympathies lol
    Oopsie bread is divine ( also known as cloud bread )
    I use the recipe found on lighter life and wirks out around 85 cals per round

    It’s 3 large eggs separated
    Whisk the whites with dash salt until stiff
    In other bowl mix 3 ounces cream cheese or cottage cheese into the yolks
    I also add a small amount of physilloum husk and chia seeds
    Mix the yolk mix into the stiff whites
    Oven is 150 degrees fan
    Scoop 6 spoonfuls of mix into baking sheets that have been covered with grease proof or parchment paper
    Bake 20 mins

  • posted by  Igorasusual on Fat intake
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Dee

    Yes, as you and I have both mentioned, many people follow the BSD as set out in the book and experience great success.

    Some people choose to monitor carbs as well, and find that this helps with speedier weight loss. It may be due to their individual physical makeup as I have also mentioned.

    The 50g is something which people have suggested, and there is as you will know quite a lot of medical research generally regarding low carb (i.e. no refined carb, and lower levels of complex carbs). If you read Volek and Phinney, various grams of carbs are mentioned.

    With regard to ‘how you restrict carbs to under 50g per day’ (or 20g per day, as I achieved relatively easily) SHOULD YOU WANT TO DO IT (I appreciate it is just an option, and absolutely not compulsory), then I find it quite easy.

    It might be that the portions I have of all the various vegetables are smaller, and I find them quite satisfying at that level. My calorie requirement for maintenance is just 1500 calories per day and I find that although this is rather less than i would eat prior to the BSD, it is perfectly filling, and I am very energetic in my daily life. I have become far more adventurous in cooking (lots of lovely spices!), and non BSD family members generally find our BSD type meals extremely satisfying and don’t want additional portions, or indeed extra refined carbs though these are offered!

    But if the BSD is working for you, then please don’t worry about any of the any other carb conversations. Dr MM has made the BSD simple for very valid reasons, in my view.

  • posted by  Yowzer49 on Fat intake
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi IGOR me neither re DM…. grrrr…!
    I think maybe i am one of the lucky ones ! πŸ‘πŸ» I only had one day of feeling really bad on BSD and that was on the first day..after that,the cravings had mainly gone..some days later,a quite mild and swift passing carb flu. X
    This is a fascinating eating plan,so many factors to muse on, tho like you said MM has kept it simple for us and we can explore as much further as we want..and we’re lucky here that we all share any info we find,and also that we have folk like yourself who have a lot of knowledge.
    If we open yr minds to it,and get past the ” oh i couldnt live without toast” frame of mind ( which i had pre BSD)this is a fab way of eating on so many levels! I ‘ ll still give the cracker test a go if i can get my mitts on one single cracker..no in fact I might buy a pack and feed the birds with the rest! X

  • posted by  DeeToby on Fat intake
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    I’m not living on water-based veg. Quite the opposite. I have a full range of veg and legumes. That’s why my carbs are more like 80g-100g. i was just querying how people achieve 50g carb when eating the full range of veg and legumes as I’m stumped how they do that. As for all your other observations – yes I know what needs to be eaten on this programme and am having great success with it averaging 2 pounds a week (and I started at 13 stone and am 5ft 5inch). I had not considered trying to keep my carbs to 50g until I came on this forum and started reading people’s stories. That’s why I’m now querying where this 50g carb figure came from as didn’t see it in the book or any of Michael’s articles. Who came up with it?

  • Hi Applebottom,

    I was so pleased to see your post because I am the heaviest I have ever been and seriously struggling due to Hypothyroidism, I have been on medication for over a year now and very low because of my weight. I am hoping this 8 week diet may kick start my metabolism – maybe we should keep an eye on each other’s progress?

  • posted by  DeeToby on Fat intake
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    That’s more or less what I have but as I said, I easily (with small portions) go up to 100g carbs. That’s why I assumed everyone on here who seems to mention this magical 50g carb number must be eating a lot of veg like cucumber, tomato, celery, lettuce etc which are mainly water constituent and very few carb count. Otherwise, I don’t see how they do it.

  • posted by  Yowzer49 on Hello :-)
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    HI 1960… Sorryyou feeling a bit under the weather..hope you ‘ ll soon feelbetter..it IS very easy to want comfort food in this situation. I used to be awful for stuffing myself wiht biccies,sweets,toast but of course filling up with junk does nothing but give a temp lift..now i have some full fat greek yog with a few berries and a few crushed nuts sprinkled on..its just like a cornetto but has some goodness in it
    Yr home made soup sounds good! But what on earth is oopsie bread…i want some! XπŸ˜›πŸ˜›πŸ˜›πŸ˜›

  • Another new starter here. Supporting my husband on the diet who is a type 2 diabetic , I am grossly overweight (bmi40 )with slightly raised cholesterol (5.7), blood pressure is in the danger zone of becoming high and my sugar levels are normal which I want to keep that way😊 drinking lots of water and scouring the recipes …good luck everybody x

  • Good attitude Snoop. Glad to see the scales are moving in the right direction for you.

    Chookymama, all that sounds like me! I love getting creative with food. It works well for dieting, but I also am quite busy, and trying to resist a lot of things, so the less I think about food the better. Makes for some boring or weird meals sometimes. This week I’m returning to my sit down rule for eating. No standing up eating while I’m doing other things. Trying to get excited about herbal teas. If we do this long enough it will become a habit and a preference….

    I don’t know about the percentages… interesting though! Depends on your height too. Do you have a healthy weight to return to that you were at before or is this unchartered territory? I’ve stayed in the 160s (lbs) for almost 10 years, never lighter so I don’t know what my goal should exactly be. You seem to be really active too, so all that muscle will skew things a bit.

    Hands to the plow again today everyone : ) best to you all. Pumpkin season is here…and that’s a friendly ingredient to work with…

    166 this morning πŸ˜‚
    -2 lbs since yesterday

  • posted by  shalimar on Week of 9/26 starters let's keep each other on track!
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hope i can join you …. I supposedly started last week but that was one TOTAL bust.

    I’m 67, female, diabetic for 20 years or so, 5 ft. 6 in. and probably weigh 235 again (i think i gained last week but have been sick so i haven’t been to the gym to weigh in).

    I’m up very early, been looking up calories and carbs for stuff i usually eat.

    Made a nice breakfast of 3 eggs over a tiny amount of chopped honey ham and onion. And a coffee with cream. approx. 345 calories and 11 carbs.
    I may have corn fried catfish for lunch and a cauliflower and spinach soup for supper. Maybe some sugar snap peas.

    Until i replace my broken oven and get a fridge with a freezer compartment i’m going with simple things i can cook on 1 electric element or the electric frying pan.

    I’ll be walking to the laundromat several times today πŸ™‚ … washer is broken too! Blew all my money on house repairs! But i am looking forward to cooking and roasting … soon

  • posted by  Japanike on About to embark on the 800 journey
    on in Fast 800
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    Thank you for the support Igorasusual…. Day one is over and went really well. No Carb Bircher for breakfast and could have eaten that all day long it was so yummy… I work from 6.30 to 13.30 daily and had this around 10.30 (only because I was busy..)
    Lunch was Chicken 3 ways (lime and ginger from the book) with cauli cous cous, courgetti and mushrooms cooked in lime juice and 5 spice. while this was cooking I did a jog warm up, 1 min run and 1 1/2 min walk x 5 then 2 min jog and it took about 15mins. When I got home lunch was ready πŸ™‚ boom…..
    On Mon and Tue I work from 5pm to 8pm, then it was home for Lentil Soup (recipe from this site, only slightly adapted as I couldnt find garlic) so tasty I was impressed with myself, I had this with the Gram Flour Drop Scone also from this site. Thank you so very much to Izzy for the lentil soup recipe and also to pmshrink for the drop scone recipe.
    Together with 3 litles of water and two cups of coffee, this concluded my day.
    Made the Blueberry and Green tea shake for breakfast today and all is good.
    Onwards and upwards πŸ™‚

  • posted by  1960smp on Hello :-)
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Afternoon!

    Am sat here feeling sorry for myself – had the flu jab last week and think am reacting to it. Struggling to NOT dive in the biscuits and food I have to avoid but finding it hard. Had lunch – home made mushroom soup and a lovely pair of oopsie breads….so hoping it passes.

    Yowzet that must feel so so good when others notice and we don’t lol

  • posted by  Igorasusual on Fat intake
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Yes, I read this too – I must explain that I post work- related news items to a business forum, and unfortunately have to trawl the Daily Mail as well as other newspapers for these, otherwise I’d not be reading it – and I thought that this was purely a method to have people decide that they didn’t need to reduce carbs.

    Deciding whether crackers tasted sweet or not didn’t seem to me to be a particularly scientific test.

    As you say, without testing it myself I can’t say!

    But a lot of the science-based books about low-carbohydrate eating (I’m thinking about The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Eating by Volek and Phinney, which is a well-respected source) mention the variable responses of different subjects to nutrition. Some are able to eat comparatively large quantities of complex carbs, when others find lower quantities better for them.

    We see it here with some people having quick and relatively easy success with both weight loss and blood sugar reductions, and other people who find it frustratingly much more difficult and slow, despite sticking rigorously to the ‘rules’. I believe it must be because of the huge number of variables within us all, from insulin resistance to carbohydrate tolerance to gut bacteria, just to mention a few.

    Some people have quite tricky ‘carb flu’ and others, who seem to have previously eaten much the same refined carbs, escape it or have much milder symptoms. And that doesn’t even mention the effects one can have from lack of sodium after the amount of liquid we’re drinking.

    I think Dr MM has the right idea in making the BSD relatively simplistic and therefore easy to understand and follow. It’s possible to explore further if you want to, but absolutely not necessary. Hopefully this will make the eating plan workable for a huge number of people, because it certainly needs to. πŸ™‚

  • I seem to have hit a plateau – despite my strict 800 or less since my epic fall off the wagon last week. And the Good Food Magazine plopped through the letterbox this morning. Thats not what I needed to see right now. And I suppose that it reinforced my lifestyle – I used to love cooking but in the last three weks it has become so ‘mundane’ that I am eating out of rote and not out of pleasure. I still have around 10kgs to go so am trying to remain strong. I know that I have lost a good deal of weight (around 6-7kg) so am not that disheartened as yet….

    The OH bought me some swanky digital scales. They tell me muscle mass, water etc. So if my muscle mass is 57kg and my bone mass is 2.5kg and my target weight is 70kg……will that actually work?!!??

    We shall have to wait and see!

  • posted by  Yowzer49 on Hello :-)
    on in Welcome to the BSD
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    This might be useful…someone sent me this last week..
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3774068/Cracker-test-reveals-need-cut-carbs.html#ixzz4JNeNnhtW

    I havent tried the test yet as i dont want to buy crackers, i keep meaning to ask a friend to give me a cracker! X

    Howz everyone today? We’ve been a quiet old gang lately. Hope everybodys doing ok xx
    I’m due a weighin as am finishing week 11 today…i love seeing the days and weeks mount up!
    Saw DD sunday and she burst out laughing at the top i was wearing..she said Mum its MASSIVE on you!
    Didnt realise it was now quite that big on me…Another item for the cat rescue charity shop!x

  • posted by  Liro on 1st week amazement
    on in Welcome to the BSD
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    Wow I can believe you have lost 10kg in two weeks! Well done! Great motivation!
    I really must start on the exercise me thinks.