Hi Coady

The BSD suggests that you don’t have too much fruit during the 8 weeks as it is high in fructose (sugar). The best fruits are berries which are lowest in fructose.

So in theory you can have oranges but I would recommend that you get an app like My Fitness Pal to check how many calories and carbs there are – when you discover that an orange has 60-70 calories and 15 grams of carbs, 12 of which are sugar, you might want to ‘spend’ these calories on something else.

Fruit is best in small portions as an accompaniment – say a slice of apple in a salad or a small amount of berries in yoghurt for breakfast.

You CAN eat your orange, but count it in your 800 – once you’re well into the BSD you may well want to swerve it! 🙂

Hi can any one help me I only started today and was wondering is it ok to eat oranges it says dark berries and hard fruits but not about oranges and tangerines ???

started today, 65yrs old. looking to lose 21lbs. Shall follow this thread with interest.

Day1 & a bit nearly done !!
Swapped breakfast porridge for natural yoghurt & apricots. Unfortunately I cant eat berries so a bit restricted.
Lunch was carrot sticks & soft cheese dip & tonight we are having chicken tikka kebebs & salad. The men in the house are having naan bread too.
I ahve made some mini roast veg frittatas for my work lunches.
I just hope I can stay motivated & organised-definitely the secret.
I have a fit bit so am tracking my fluid intake. I do have to force myself to drink water but certainly feel better when I manage at least 2 litres.
Today I tried a slice of lemon & a slice of lime in hot water . It was delicious & quite sweet tasting.
I have an arthritic knee which is driving me mad, so am looking forward to moving without pain.
I joined a forum when I had a hysterectomy & it kept me sane !! I am hoping this forum does the same.
Good luck to all new starters today

Thanks Snoop! 🙂

I usually say when I recommend the keto site to use if ‘if you want to’.

I found it helpful, so I do share it, but I’m not advertising it nor do I have a financial interest in it (I think it’s run by someone who isn’t paid), and if you prefer to run your BSD purely by Dr MM, then power to your elbow!

So you will have a dual celebration when you pay off your mortgage! Great stuff!! 🙂

Igorasusual, I had a look at that site. I was a bit worried at first, as the word ‘keto’ always makes me nervous. Anyway, I have to say I found it extremely useful. I aim for net carbs of around 50 g (I’m not diabetic or prediabetic but need lots of fibre from veg sources in my diet). I found the graph very interesting and the predicted weight loss mimics what I am losing. It gave me a good target date for when I will hit a healthy weight – ten days after our mortgage is paid off!
So thanks for mentioning it. I will keep going back as I lose more weight.

Just wanted to say thank you for your inspirational posts AMGSyd. So many helpful tips and it always helps with my motivation when I read about someone else’s success. If I had been told a year ago that I could do an 800 calorie diet there’s no way I would’ve believed it but I’m doing it, and not suffering like I thought I would be!

Catherine – the site I recommend (which helped me) evidently is in line with what you say. The fat is 61%, as you see. The higher figure is the GRAMS of fat.

And I did also say that you can adjust the carbs if you like. When I was on the BSD, I kept my carbs to 20g per day. Having successfully completed the programme (and maintaining low carb Mediterranean lifestyle), I have increased both calories and carbs, with carbs at 40g

The percentage split you mention is close to what I suggested before in my first reply to EG who was also speaking about 60%

I’ve saved this thread to my favourites. When I go into my favourites, this is more or less what I see (in two separate columns, but the copy and paste doesn’t copy it over in columns):

Starting Monday 29th August. Anyone want to join me
Started by: 54andfatnomore in: Welcome to the BSD
Go to page: 1 2 3 … 6 7 8
× Remove from favourites
358 posts Thanks for picking up my question Snoop. It’s OK when I go in via the…
18m ago by eternallyoptimistic

It’s not obvious here, but the “18m ago” bit in the last line is a link that takes you to the last post added to the thread, in this case, your post.
The same is also true of the minutes link in the “Recent forum posts” section down the right-hand side of the screen.

(Took me a while to work it out too.)

Aw come on Lucia……scare them properly!!!!

I’m wearing leopard print leggings….. at this very moment….honestly 🙂

I’m on a LCHF (low carb high fat) Facebook group and they recommend something like 75% fat, 20% protein, 5% carbs and you wouldn’t believe the amazing results some people are getting with that. I do believe that high fat is good but I don’t think it’s necessary to have as much as 75%. Personally mine works out at about 50-60% fat, 20-30% protein and about 10% carbs depending on what I’m eating for the day. That works for me so I’d say 60% fat should be fine. I think the main thing is that we stick to low carb and 800 calories. Other than that eat whatever keeps you full.

Hi anjiejag. My feet hurt as well due to arthritis. I didn’t know anything about this diet but was getting increasingly worried about the symptoms that I was experiencing (I trained as a nurse under Florence so had an idea what might be going on) I found the MM book on Amazon whilst I was in Sweden on holiday, downloaded it, read it, ate another cardamon bun and vowed to sort myself out when I got home.
I too am reasonably active – have an allotment which I cleared and mulched last week and; a border terrorist who needs walking; as well as 6 year old twin GC. I used to go to a gym 3 times a week but it was too time consuming. Just because we are retired doesn’t mean we have time to waste on treadmills.
Good luck Marsie with 2nd time around!

HI LOOPY hope youre well X..yes indeed,our very own Cap’n! Isnt she fab! What a great advert she is for BSD!
I am anti DM also,but gritted my teeth and read it online. 😝😝😝

Should have added, you can change the carbs to, say, 30g and leave protein and calories the same, and then of course the fat part will go up to maintain the same calories.

Just for your info as you will probably remember I am now on maintenance, and my stats after entering in 40g of carbs per day and 1200 calories target show
1200 kcal Daily Calorie Intake
40 g Carbs (13%, 160 kcal)
79 g Protein (26%, 316 kcal)
80 g Fat (61%, 724 kcal)

Hi sunshine-girl

Right, I’m just going to go through it myself.

So you’ve entered in all your details, height, weight, activity level etc., and had the best guess you can about your percentage of body fat (very hard to guess, unless you’ve got some of the scales that measure it).

The next title says How Many Carbs Can I Eat? Then you enter what you are going to do – you can change the figure up and down.
Try 50g

The title afterwards says How Much Protein Should I Eat
Here it will SUGGEST the best amount, giving you a range between two figures for very inactive and very active (obviously if you are very active you may need more protein)
It says, if in doubt, use the middle of the range which it tells you, for you personally. The middle figure is the one I always use, and you type it in under CHOSEN AMOUNT. Mine, for example, is 79g

The next title is How Much Fat Should I Eat
Now here, the best thing to do is to type in your calorie target – if 800, put that, if you are doing higher, put in whatever you are targeting.
That’s the second line, middle figure under CHOSEN AMOUNT. It MAY say that 800 is too much of a deficit (like MFP), but ignore that.

Then the next section gives you YOUR PERSONAL RESULTS which you can enter into whatever app you are using in both percentage Carbs/Protein/Fat and grams.

And below that, it gives you a graph of how you are likely to lose weight on this programme of nutrients.

So basically, YOU enter your target carbs, the PROGRAMME TELLS you how much protein you need to maintain health, and then IT CALCULATES the balance, which is fat.

I hope that’s clearer?

Will you let me know how you get on?

Thanks for picking up my question Snoop. It’s OK when I go in via the email link – it takes you straight to that particular post. It’s when I login to the website (when I want to post), it always takes you back to the first post of page 1. I just thought there might be a shortcut somewhere that I’m not seeing it, that would take you straight to the most recent post/s. I’m probably just being picky;)

Did anyone else see Michael Moseley in the daily mail yesterday. It’s all about BSD and recipes everyday this week. I am a stalwart opponent of the Daily Mail but I swallowed my principals and bought it. Yesterday it was stories of people who had lost stunning amounts of weight and reversed diabetes symptoms. One was Lynne. Would that be Captain Lynne. ?

Welcome

I say that prep was crucial for getting through the start – meal plans (mine not the set ones in the book but using their recipes etc) and shopping whilst de-carbing the kitchen cupboards.

The body adjusted pretty well – though some have what people call ‘carb flu’ during the adjustment. Changing emotional habits I am finding much harder (as an emotional eater, living with depression). But the body coped fine… the full fat and protein helps to feel full, and lots of good healthy nutrient rich foods meeting the bodies need. Just without the sugars and refined carbs so forced to take that from the stored reserves instead, ie burning fat!

Have you read the book? Lots in there, and browse the forums for lots of encouraging stories and questions answered

Hi Verano & Sunshine-girl

Scary isn’t it! she was also telling them all that the normal range for the HbA1C test was 6-7
According to the NHS website “An HbA1c level 6.5% (48mmol/mol) or above indicates type 2 diabetes.”
– and the normal range is 20 – 42 mmol/mol, from my online patient record.
I usually try not to interrupt too much, but I did interject on that one and say I thought she was wrong.
To be fair, she was trying to encourage them to eat wholemeal or seeded bread, wholemeal pasta and brown rice.
(with jam – but we won’t go there!)

One woman asked me about my diet again today (the same one that couldn’t possibly give up pasta when she asked me about it the first week).
It’s impossible to have a salad without potatoes in it apparently – but she only has the small potatoes in salad, so they don’t really count.
Oh if only I had a brain that wasn’t carb deprived so that I could understand that one!

So excited to get started today! I am a mom of 2 in NC and looking to shed 40lbs! I’m not new to the LC way, but I’ve never done the low 800 a day. Do you adjust to the low amount any weird side effects?? Anyways, any tips are welcome and so are buddies!

Igorasusual, I have logged onto the site and do not understand it. It has told me to eat 25 grams carbs but then for the protein it asks me to enter how many g/lbs depending in amount of exercise, then the same for fat, what am I supposed to be putting in here. Am I supposed to decide for myself how many grams I eat. I thought it would tell me. I’m confused.

Well I have now lost 1st 8 1/4lb, yay!
I have also found that the app on my phone is for much more than just counting my steps. I now use it to keep track of what I eat. It counts carbs, calories and protein too. Then at the end of the week it tells me my average daily calories eaten and used. It works out the daily calories used on my steps and resting time. Then it shows plus or minus result. It’s really good. It’s the Simply Health app. It comes already installed on the Galaxy phone but my husband has downloaded it onto his Nexus so I take it that it can be used on any Android phone. I’d recommend it to everyone.
Anyway back to the weight loss. I’m really pleased. I’m feeling really well and still sticking to the diet. I got a copy of the recipe book to go with the diet but haven’t yet had a chance to read it.
Hope everyone else is doing well too.

How many of these so called professional don’t seem to realise there are plenty of good carbs in other things besides the white devil carbs. We don’t need rice and pasta when we have cauli and courgetti.

Hello to Billingebabe and the other Posters on this thread

On 23rd Sept I posted on the “What is your next mini goal” thread about climbing back onto my shattered little red wagon. This is my 2nd x 8 weeks. Lost slowly but managed 3.9kg first time around. On 23rd Sept I registered 3.1kg lost which was amazing considering 5 weeks away from the BSD and finding all the old habits waiting for me.

I am a 71 year old (72 in November) Australian woman, 156cm tall. Not so much to lose but finding the motivation around that sometimes difficult to hold on to.

Looking forward now with my mini goals in place and would be happy to keep posting on this thread. Onwards and downwards, folks.

Nope I live in the UK – spent three weeks in Ontario and Quebec on holiday. Definitely agree about Tim Horton’s coffee – developed a bit of an addiction, even bought a pack of the stuff to bring home. Didn’t manage to get to Scaramouche, but we thought Canoe was really good, with some really great taste combinations. I think the kids preferred King Eddy’s in Ottawa.

Only time I move into tofu is with a bit dropped into a cup of miso.

Maybe you could use this thread as a way to support each other. Adding this thread to your favourites or clicking on the “Notify me of follow-up replies via email” makes it really easy to keep in touch.

There’s a bunch of us all started around the same time and we all post on the “Starting Monday 29th August. Anyone want to join me” thread. Works a treat as most of us are at about the same number of weeks, though some are losing weight faster than others. But to have a group of folk like that is fantastic, as we provide each other with inspiration during the good times and support during the more difficult moments. You’ll see lots of threads like ours. This could be yours!

Hello Jules:

Thanks for the 2 cents…..could be worth 2 million bux! 🙂 You did quite well 18 pounds a months averaging. Starting with cutting ice cream and wheat/barley infested beer was tough. yet, it just got replaced with eating more salty foods and dairy.

Canadian, eh??? Tim Horton is one coffee spot lacking in Northeast. Likes them a lot better than chicory bitter Starbucks. One of Toronto’s best restaurant’s I have been to many times was:

http://www.scaramoucherestaurant.com/

And of course Number 99 is a good joint you had a tasty time at! Sounds like you live in Thornhill area.

I still have not transformed into tofu eating yet. Well, 10 Am and back to ordering more stuff to sell.

Hi there

A bit late posting as I have had a busy weekend. My daughter is visiting from Australia, not seen her for 2 years. She is very keen to join me on BSD, so my second convert already!

On Friday weigh-in was another 1lb down, so a total of 8lbs in just over 2 weeks. I have not really counted calories this weekend but have tried to keep the carbs down, will weigh again tomorrow.

Hi! Glad to find someone who is a similar age to me and started the diet last week. I am 75kg at the moment and although I am active, I started to feel lethargic around Easter time this year. Eventually went to the doctor last week for blood sugar results and was told the news. She offered me tablets,but I refused and asked for 8 weeks to sort out my high blood sugars myself. A total coincidence that Michael Mosley’s article appeared in the newspaper this week!! My doctor started to tell me about foot clinics etc, because I complained that after a 5 mile walk my feet hurt! That is because I also have arthritis in my feet. I am not going down without a fight!! Need ‘buddies ‘ to keep me motivated!

Oh dear!!!!

Our brains our shrinking …. so how come we all feel so much more alert! No afternoon involuntary naps for me anymore!! Must be the shrinking brain needing less sleep!!!!

So glad you’ve tried the cauliflower base. Sounded like such hard work to me I’ve never bothered …. now I won’t !!!!

Hi, I am looking for a buddy too. I am 40 and a single mum to 2 children, one of whom is suspected autistic.
I am a chocoholic and would like to lose 5 stone plus. I live in the UK and am a carer to my parents. I have a gym membership I need to use and love swimming. I also have 2 dogs who love a good walk.
I don’t have any medical conditions but suspect I soon will have if I don’t start looking after my body.
Is anyone interested in buddying up with me?

Hello all and Tattiescone, have to say your message made me laugh. I love honesty and if more woman were honest they would all be here doing this for varying reasons.

Day one for me. Like many people here, I’ve realised that I am fat and overweight because I love lots of food, cooking it and preparing it in vast quantities and its costing me dearly eventually. I ache like a full carehome and I enthuse that I will do something about it and have done for so long that I’m getting on my own nerves so before I eat myself to oblivion and fatten up the kids I am committed to now doing this diet and ridding myself of the aches and pains and hope to walk away from any impending prediabetes which may well catch me eventually.

Day one is great so far. Motivation is great, if only I can bottle it for the bad days and I could be a millionaire and a slimmer and fitter one at that.

I havent committed to exercise at the moment, I think reducing my calories will be enough shock for week one so may well aim to blow the dust of Rose Connelly and Yoga next week….someone once said you dont have to see the whole staircase just take the first step, this is me Victoria nice to meet with you all.

good recipe today – cauliflower pizza with vegetables, which I made without any changes – a first!
most of the others didn’t deliberately change the recipe, but missed the bit about squeezing the water out of the cauliflower, so lots of rather gloopy pools of cauliflower and soggy bottoms.
It was I enjoyed the one I made – but for all the faff of making the base, I think I’d be as happy to eat the veg mix with some cauliflower that’s just been blitzed and microwaved.

But – the DDCC element – apparently no one can subsist on less than 130g of carbs a day “because your brain needs it”
Lots of sharing of ‘healthy plate’ photos with bread, potatoes, white pasta, rice – and a tiny sliver for all that yummy low fat dairy 🙂

I’m a long way off having to worry about anyone noticing my success, Angiebabe, and I’m no shrink either. But I hate being the centre of attention, especially if it’s anything to do with my appearance. Even if my OH says something about a colour suiting me, I don’t like it. It just reminds me of all the things that are wrong!

Maybe just a boost to your self-confidence would help. Have you looked to see if there are any assertiveness courses offered in the area where you live? Your local library or health practice might be able to point you in the right direction.

Hi Jenni from the Block

7.6kgs is amazing – well done! I take 200m per day of thyroxin which I know is a really high dose. I have struggled with my weight for about 5 years and I have now reached the heaviest I have ever been in my life 🙁 so hoping the BSD helps to shift some kgs.

Good luck with the rest of your goal.

Hello NowYouSeeMee44, I would love to be your buddy as well. I’m brand spanking new to this program. I’ve lost 73 pounds and I recently gained 20 of those pounds back. I’m 36 years old and I have a 9 year old son. I’m very active, but I can’t out exercise a bad diet. I can also buddy up with you as well Athorn223. If you ladies would like to exchange numbers let me know. Oh, I’m in Washington DC. Looking forward to sharing with you ladies!

Hi everyone, started BSD 800 Cals today, going good so far but then I’m at work!! I need to do this as my last Hba1C was 99 which is way too high and could really do with some support. Billingebabe … I find if I put SP water into a wine glass I dont feel so deprived, although I do struggle to drink 2-3 litres of water a day. Am 56 yrs old, work 2/3 days a week, get reasonable amount of exercise with horse and dog. But I am a total CHOCAHOLIC even though the brain says no the feet are still making their way to the cupboard!!

Thank you very much for the information. I’ll swap the porridge for the eggs and see how it goes.

Hello everyone! This is my very first day starting the Fast 800. I’ve recently loss a great amount of weight, but I’ve been stuck for months, even gaining 20 pounds back. I would like a buddy to share ideas, advice, and to just chat with.

Hi Lucyjane, Liro and everyone.
I’m on lunchtime of Day One and I admit I’m pretty hungry.
I can’t clear my cupboards out of carbs as I’ve two teenagers and a 10 year old to keep fed – they are bottomless pits some days. I also earn money baking cakes, which isn’t ideal when dieting!
I’ve replaces our usual crisps with a brand the kids like and I hate to make it easier not to be tempted and I’ve bought in apples and almonds for emergency snack foods.
I’ve planned my meals for the week, shopped according to the recipes in the book and have prepared a soup and several meals in advance this morning so I have things to eat when I’m tired and hungry.
Glad to have others doing the same lifestyle change to talk to on this forum!

I’m sorry to say that you should cut out the porridge, it is quite high in carbs. You might want to look for something else to eat for breakfast like 2 eggs scrambled, grilled mushrooms with a poached egg on top or half a sliced avocade with an egg on top (one of my favourites), plain full fat Greek yoghurt with the berries. If you really have to have porridge the recipes in the book only allow 25 grams and even that amount can give you 20 grams of carbs which is nearly half of your daily allowance if you are sticking to 50g,

Sorry if it sounds harsh but the point of this diet is it is low carb and although oats are a slow burning carb they are still quite high.

Hi everyone, my first day almost done and feeling good. Gave me such a buzz when i looked at my emails mid afternoon and could see loads of new posts it really is inspirational to feel like i am part of this friendly little group so thanks everyone. Everything went as planned except the 2-3 litres of water i only managed a bit over 1. Will do better tomorrow. I did do the extra 500 steps, my starting average is 1000 a day and i wasnt sure how doable adding 500 is going to be every day. Skinnyjeans thanks for you reply i too am an emotional eater and though i dont have craving for chocolate i am going to miss a glass of wine, we can help eachother so keep messaging and will be thinking of you as you start your fast800 tomorrow.

Hi Igorasusual,

That is really helpful and reassuring, thank you! what you said makes so much sense.

One day at a time seems like a very sensible target – bring on those nice bubble baths!!

Thank you!

Hi Didimarks

Can you do the BSD day by day and promise yourself a little (non food!!) treat if you succeed – I don’t know, a beauty luxury, a lovely relaxing bath, something special that just you like?

Because the thing that’s stopping you is your addiction to carbs, not anything else. You’re not greedy, you have – by the way that you’ve been eating – programmed your body to need and want carbs for energy. You need to re-programme it, and that does take a bit of time and sometimes a bit of feeling bad (or having a little carb monster on your shoulder) before you kick it. 800 calories ISN’T three tiny meals if you get your body off the carb addiction.

You could start recording what you eat on an app like MyFitnessPal and really be careful on exactly how many carbs you put in your mouth. Set it for 50g or less per day, and you will lose weight even if you go over the calories a bit.

So less of the ‘greedy’ and ‘no control’ – more of appreciating it’s the carb addiction/monster who is talking to you. You can kick it, and I promise you that 800 calories will seem fine.

Hope that helps 🙂

Gilly I was on 38 units per day and 3 Glicazides. I am now on 26 units and 2 Glicazides. I did sometimes have very low readings and I do quite a bit of exercise so, after reading up, I cut out one of the Glicazides because the are the ones that can cause hypos, not the insulin. I did take my insulin down slowly, say drop 2 units, then leave to see how it goes. The less insulin you take the better for your weight and, also, insulin makes you hold onto fat so don’t be upset if you don’t see the massive losses some people have. I am at 11 lbs down after 11 weeks and in need of a boost to get losing more.

Hi Liro, Good for you. I had the weekend off for a big celebration. Managed to contain the alcohol drinking and made sure I had lots of water to go with my champagne! Did certainly do over 800 calories on both days of the weekend and of course today weight was back up to 101.00. Still was good today, 10,000 steps and a yoga class and just over 800 calories. Feel a bit hungry though.

I really am feeling quite determined to keep going as I really want to get me weight down back below 90kilos. Lets have a great week. Gluck.

Applebottom I have an underactive thyroid (take medication) have been on BSD for 4 weeks. Have lost 7.6kgs, so it doesn’t seem to be a problem. I needed to lose 20kgs in total to get to good BMI so weight loss not quick (despite being very strict) but it’s still happening.

I’m in awe of everyone who is managing to stay on the fast 800. I know it will work really well for me, but I manage to talk myself out of it on a daily basis. Usually, with the argument that I can lose weight on low carb without having to be as harsh as 800 cal. The problem is that I’ve proved over the last few years that I can’t lose weight on low carb alone and I’m now a stone heavier! The final straw came when a pair of trousers I ordered online arrived today (in my ‘normal’ size) and I couldn’t even squeeze them on! Just shows how much jeans etc stretch over the years! I am very impatient, so I think that if I can stick with it this will be the solution for me. I’m not diabetic or particularly overweight (typical TOFI) but my weight is increasing steadily as I get older (now 43) and I will start to have health issues. I have no energy or motivation and feel tired all the time, so something has to change.

I am going to use all these inspirational posts to keep me on track when I feel like my motivation has deserted me or the little voice on my shoulder says that I can do it the easy way if I like! It seems crazy to think that in just 8 weeks if I stick to it I could be a new me, yet the self-doubt keeps niggling and negativity could potentially sabotage my resolution. I think 3 tiny meals is going to be really hard for me (I’m greedy)! so I’m going try really hard to only eat lunch and dinner.

I’m so glad I stumbled across this forum. Here’s to starting tomorrow! Yikes!

Down to 113.8 do that’s a kg in a day and back to where I was after the first week, before the crap festival of the last two weeks.
So let’s call it day two week two!

Hi Emma

Sorry you’re feeling so grotty. My nails held up during the BSD but though my skin felt all right, I did notice it wasn’t great the whole time. Couple of evenings in bed at 8pm as felt a bit duff generally.

But I think the thing to do is to work through it and – just like carb flu – certain symptoms don’t go on for long, and so you don’t want to think this is a permanent feeling of bleeurgh.

I would up the ante with regard to fluids – drink even more. Do your 2litres per day and then have herbal tea or something else in addition. This should help the headaches Check you are having enough salt in your diet (we wash it out with the fluid leaving us short) so Miso soup, or perhaps a stock cube in some boiling water as a drink, as well as plenty on your food. This may help.

And keep on keeping on. It IS a healthy diet, we CAN do it for 8 weeks, you will get through this! 🙂

Virtual hugs [[]]