Hi Peewee – is no dairy a preference/vegan/intolerance or diet decision?
My line of thought is whether or not you’re eating enough fat.

If it’s an intolerance, or has been in the past, now that you’re ‘eating cleaner’ in terms of no refined carbs or sugar (so low/no gluten as well), it may be worth reintroducing dairy and see if it is still a problem for you.
You can only do so much with cutting out different food groups – you can’t cut all of them out! 🙂

Good morning everyone,it’s soon the weekend!Hope nothing happens to sabotage your 800 calories.That’s a good topic actually and something I struggle with as we often have friends around for a meal or supper or playing board games ,there’s always snacks afterwards.We hardly ever eat out so that’s not a problem.Even if the snacks are healthy by that time I’ve eaten all my calories and I can easily blow it.This time I’m trying really hard,I feel motivated looking at the message boards.Everyone on them are people like me,same but different,we all have our own struggles and reasons we find sticking to the diet difficult.I’m envious of the people who have stuck to 800 calories every day for the 8 weeks.Now if they can do it I can!It’s all about being organised I think,having things in that are suitable and not too calorific,requires planning.I feel I’m getting better,more motivated and looking forward to the scales going down.We can all do it!

Hi everyone. Week 1 over and both OH and I have lost 4lb. Very happy with this loss but want to see what happens when we follow 8 week BSD plan, although it will initially only be for 2weeks.

Thanks Bissell for the information on the spiraliser as I have also wondered how it worked and what vegetables could be used.

brilliant, well don Maiasmum

Yesterday – day 2 of back to basics BSD
day 1 – lost 0.4 kilos
day 2 – Lost 0.7 kilos – 1.5lb!!!
– and that is on individual days, so 1.1 kilos altogether 3.3lb

I have an appointment with Diabetic nurse today – it got delayed because the receptionist made the appointment with the wrong person, but this is the one where she sent me for early HbA1C test because I’d stopped taking metformin.
I think she assumed that results would shoot up again, but they went down to satisfyingly normal!

Hi all,

I got weighed this morning and I’ve now lost 15lbs in 10 days! Plus I’ve lost a whole inch off my waist. I’m so pleased.

I just hope this doesn’t stop like all my other diets have. 😟 I don’t mean to be pessimistic but I’ve been trying to lose this weight for 21 years, ever since it started going on! Positive thinking needed me thinks. I WILL lose the weight. Lol.

I have to says that this new way of eating has already sorted out my appetite: instead of feeling hungry ALL the time I now feel hungry hardly at all.

Hugs A xxx

Hi Peewee …. keep on keeping on. Maybe there is some good going on on the inside even if there are no results on the outside yet.

Hi Caro-how are you getting on? I hope it’s getting easier and you’re noticing the results now. I’ve had a couple of bad days but woken up today with the determination just to do this properly. I’ve realised I’ve been coasting for the past week not really counting calories and carbs so it’s been pretty pointless! I’m back on My Fitness Pal and have made myself a list of all the recommended food with their calories and carbs to put up on my kitchen cupboard as an guide. Just got to do this now properly, once and for all! 😀

Hi loopylou

Yeahhhhh squeeze in ducky, lots of room on the back seat, and we can all squidgy up together and support each other. 🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌💃💃💃🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌

Yowser
Not sure whether I said well done for your eight week loss but anyway have another cheery 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 and Imogen week 20 and going strong, Bril 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 we are all on the bus together. 💃🚌💃🚌💃🚌💃🚌💃🚌 there’s quite a gang of us post eight weekers there now, and we are all going to will each other on for another smash of a BSD week, even if any of us are struggling, just get straight on here for support, we can smash through this phase we are all just in a little lull at the mo, it seems, but we can change that.

Remember how it felt when we first started, excited, motivated, feel that again. Also what helps me is visualising myself moving around food, the world, in my slim persona, and feeling that amazing feeling of lightness, and delight in the quelling of the uncontrollable monster appetite . I have 70 more pounds to go I need to do this, and I would love to do this with all of you. 💃🌺💃🌺💃🌺💃🌺💃

Love jan

Hi everyone
Jan is ther room for one more on the back seat of the bus. I am sure now we are all shadows of our former selves , I can squeeze in there

Sunshine girl, sorry to hear you are feeling down. You have done so well. Just remember to be kind to yourself even if it’s just making some quiet time for you. We are here if you need us. If not, we will be here when you are ready for us.

KrysiaD , for me weighing food is essential. It is really hard to estimate food weights. Now you are on track, I hope you go from strength to strength.

Did hospital visiting last two days. Although it is tiring, Yowser, it’s great for the steps. I did 12,000 yesterday!

Verano, keep posting. I love that ping on my phone which lets me know there is a new post. Helps to keep me on track knowing you are all there with me.

So, are we feeling slimmer, younger , fitter?
I am.
Got a crazy weekend out and about, so having to watch my eating.
Those carbs are sneaky….

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi Verano.

Hols huh death like Xmas, I was exactly the same as you, went bonkers, and didn’t even enjoy it. Never mind, at least we know we can shift it fast, three days of full focus and commitment, and you can turn around the monster appetite, and the cravings. Join us on the back seat of the BSD bus, I’m there with Lucy and Frog. We are of to the sunshine, and going to dance in the sunshine. 🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌

Thinking of you.

Love jan

KrysiaD

Hi
You’ve discovered the joys of precision, a lot of people poo poo it as being pedantic, and too strict, but there is a good scientific reason, which you have discovered. Delighted for you. 👏👏👏👏👏

Hi there Lucie and Frog.😊😊😊

Delighted I am not alone on the seat in the BSD bus,🚌🚌🚌 we are of to sunnier climates, where we will be able to all dance in the sunshine. I am now fully focused, big wake up call today a lot of my pre BSD day symptoms are back again, aching joints, exhaustion, not sleeping well, etc I now know for sure its the refined carbs. 🤒🤒🤒

So aiming for 5000 steps today and gradually build it up again. Well done frog, you are committed to stepping 👏👏👏
So this is now week 11 and my short term aim is to get back to pre hol weight by Wednesday. Lush fage and strawberries for brekkie, 🍓🍓🍓 fish for lunch, chicken stir fry to supper. No snacks Jan you’ve been warned, unless you want to feel shi……. For the rest of your days.

Yes masser I am on it. Hope you also have excellent days, will be willing you both on.

Love jan🌺🌺🌺

I am maybe one of the slowest losers on this forum – started 30th April and had lost 1stone 1lb by mid August – in that time I didn’t cheat once with bad carbs. Gained a 1lb on holiday. Started back on the fast 800 on 3rd Sept – stopped estimating and started weighing everything and logging it into fatsecret. Have just got on the scales and I am in total shock – 3rd Sept 11stone 3.25lbs – this morning 10 stone 10.50lbs. How did that happen after 4 months on the BSD! I have never lost weight so fast before in such a short time.

Good morning all! Still not 100% but feeling ten times better than yesterday and a hundred times better than Wednesday! I think I may get a little housework done today, shock horror!

The weather is what some might call horrendous, it’s pouring with rain – absolutely thrashing it down, gloomy, dull, but – I love it. There’s a candle lit, the flames are on on the fire, a lamp, and everywhere looks really cosy. Food wise this can only mean one thing, you can keep your salads, I’m about to dust off the slow cooker and a beef and red wine casserole is going IN. I’m going to attempt dumplings made with spelt flour, just the one each for me and hubby, because I can’t think of eating it without potato or crusty bread or dumplings. Something 5 out of 6 of us will eat too, so only two meals I have to make today. And in other news…

I HIT MY THREE STONE WEIGHT LOSS TODAY!

Yay me!

In other news, more of a word to the wise, when one has had… erm… the trots for the last two days, Vindaloo is never a good option for tea. Never. Under ANY circumstances. Where’s the Sudocrem… 🙁

Hi Snoop. I got a hand held green oxo brand spiraliser, to give it a go without spending too much money. It was about £14 I seem to recall. You use it like a pencil sharper and it’s only viable with long thin things, like courgettes, cucumbers and carrots. I was very sceptical but am now quite a convert! I mix in raw spiralised courgettes into hot sauces/bolognaise and it works very well.

Morning Sunshine Girl. Ditto to all the above; I hope things are looking brighter today.

86.5 kg
– 0.2 kg
– 1.9 kg

Yesterday’s food and exercise
827 cals
76 carbs
20 minutes or so of gardening

Virtually no exercise and again more carbs than desirable. I’ve decided that I can tinker with the carbs, but for now they will have to stay high due to the veg we have in the garden and because I need to eat lots of them due to stomach condition and medication I’m taking. So, I’m not going to worry too much about the carbs for now. Weight loss occurring and am enjoying the diet and the company. So thanks guys.

Had a fantastic supper: thin courgette batons (very roughly cut – no spiraliser) with spinach and garlic, cooked in butter with blue cheese stirred in at the end. Really delicious. 310 calories and 14 carbs. Will definitely have that again.

Out of interest, does anyone on here have a spiraliser? Is it really worth it, or is it just another gadget that won’t get used because it doesn’t do anything a knife can’t and it’s a fiddle to wash up?

I had a bad day too yesterday! Had to go to London for a meeting which meant was on the go early and then shattered when I got back. I went over 800 and didn’t get enough fluids. I’m still trying to keep in my head that if I have a bad day get up the next morning and start again because my usual Outlook is ” oh I’ve messed up forget it now”. So I’m back on track this morning! We can only do what we can do, let’s have a better day today! We can do this!

I remember adverts for playtex corsets, when I was a little girl. They used to flatten your midriff bulge. Well, though I’ve only lost a stone my shape has definitely changed. A large part of my midriff bulge has disappeared and I don’t intend to go looking for it.
The downside is last year pre Christmas I knitted myself an aran jacket. It fitted me perfectly, even sleeve length. That’s always a problem as if you’re short and fat sleeves are always too long. Well now the jacket comes further down my legs and is much looser. But, horror of horrors, the sleeves now come halfway down my hands. The downside being that I will have to knit myself another aran soon. The upside being it will be in a smaller size. Every cloud has a silver lining

Thank you Shalimar. I’m not even having 800 cal always under no coffee no sugar 3 litres of water no alcohol that’s killing me walking 10,000 steps a day no dairy I just have to Jee going and give it time I guess thanks for responding very appreciative xx Deb

Thank you Sally I’m not even having 800 cal always under no coffee no sugar 3 litres of water no alcohol that’s killing me walking 10,000 steps a day no dairy I just have to Jee going and give it time I guess thanks for responding very appreciative xx Deb

Last week every day the scale told me something different. It went up and down and all around, but never lower than my first reading of the week. After 7 days, the finally tally was that I had gained .1 pounds. The next morning, the start of week five, I had suddenly lost two pounds. Since then I’ve lost every day.

Scales are horrible bitch goddesses. I know it’s hard, but try to shut down any tendency to obsess over what they tell you, because you’ll get whiplash from the emotional rollercoaster ride. The last thing you need is to be dragged down, especially this early in the process.

If you genuinely think you might be off track, check your calorie counts and make sure they’re in the proper range. Check your carb counts too, and maybe shave some grams off your daily goals. Dropping the carb levels lower might help jumpstart your weight loss.

Sally forth and good luck to you!

Just saying Hi! If it’s not working for you i would reread the section in the book dealing with that. I haven’t really started the 800 calorie thing yet … i’m kinda of fasting except for coffee/tea with cream and starting to walk. The other hint i have is … when i was on weight watchers i used up 1/3 of my daily points just on coffee cream. I also realized 1 cup, 1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon … these quantities are wayyy smaller than i thought. I’m retired now … but when i was still working i couldn’t do a real fast …. i always had vegetable juice. I’m wierd … i actually enJOY fasting once i pass the 48 hour mark. I usually feel very clear-headed. My difficulty will be getting into the exercise routine. I’m also a bit afraid of having more energy as i haven’t got a post retirement plan in place and i wonder if i will find good things to do with my extra energy. But i am working on it!! Call me Ms Couch Potato!! … but not for long!

The BSD does not make a specific recommendation for carbs (although you’re likely to get specific recommendations in this thread). The closest they come is a recommendation to “minimize the starchy white stuff”, and “Think of them more as a side dish than a staple, and try to find alternatives.” The diet recommends, quinoa, bulgur, whole rye, whole barley, wild rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, lentils beans, and peas (and other legumes). All of these are relatively high in carbs, but also in fiber.

Because my goal is to put diabetes into remission, I started using the meal tolerances I was already aware of that manage my diabetes well. For me, that was 20 net carbs in a 2 hour period. That is NOT part of the BSD, but an added limitation I imposed, so I would be comfortable that following it would not undo the hard work I’d previously done on tight control.

Most of the meals (but not all) fall within that range. After I’d been on the BSD for a while, in an effort to move it closer to the Mediterranean ideal Mosely preaches, I tried some of the higher carb meals (made from the list of foods above – e.g. the Chickpea and Hazelnut Salad – 26 net carbs when prepared according to the recipe). I found I was able to tolerate carbs in larger quantities than I had previously been able to tolerate them.

Currently (on the BSD or not), I tend to consume between 60 and 100 net carbs (total less the fiber). Usually on the lower end.

(For reference, I’ve lost 69.5 lbs (most of it low carb-moderate protein + a calorie cap). My diabetes is under tight control, and 6 weeks of the BSD moved me from diabetic to prediabetic based on an oral glucose tolerance test, and increased my carb tolerance by about 25%).

Not sure if I’m on right track been in BSD for 5 days now no weight loss feeling a bit down I’m I doing anything wrong

Hi.
I got the book and started the diet 3 days ago. I have been using the My Fitness Pal app for years and want to reset my daily calories which means I need to reset the protein, fat and carbohydrate counter. I can see in the book it is recommended for women to have 45g of protein daily but I can’t find the daily carb allowance.
I would appreciate any advice.

Hi everyone I would also like to join this post as it does seem we are all struggling with this.
Like Napangardi I am 175 but weighing in at 102.3, (down from 103.7 4 days ago). Did the diet in April and lost 5 kilos and then put it back on + 1 so here I am again but hoping not to be too side tracked by life. Aiming to get down to under 90kilos by Christmas but sadly I excell on giving up so am going to try and be active on the boards.

I’m in NSW Australia and its spring here. Have a lovely day everyone and good calorie counting!

Thank you Tizzie and Yowzer49,

I’m going to take your advice and make sure I get all my vitamins and minerals etc. I’m using an app called “My Fitness Pal” to track my carbs, proteins and minerals etc. It’s great, if a bit tedious when you’re inputting the data. I also take a good multi vitamin. Hopefully this will keep my body topped up with all I need.

It’s my weigh in day tomorrow (I get weighed Mondays and Fridays) and I will post the results on here.

Thanks again.
Hugs A xxx

Hi All,
I have some questions:

Approximately How many grams of each, protein and fat should be eaten daily?

Why do some recipes, like the yogurt with apple, mango and hazelnuts, (page 171 in the BSD book) already have over 50 g carbs? That’s only one meal.

Was looking at the full, 2% and 0% fat Fage today and they all have the same amount of carbs per serving. So I guess that means we can have the 0 and get the fat elsewhere?

I appreciate the support.

Hi Greenjanet and Frog,
I am feeling like a bit like a ‘kindred spirit’ at the moment. This is my second time around at my doctors encouragement (so not really my idea.) I was happy with my nearly 18 kilo loss over the first 8 weeks, but he says I should continue on until I am at the correct bmi, so another 15 kilos to go. I too have been wavery for the last two weeks, limiting my calories all day, and then busting out every night after dinner about 9.00pm. I haven’t put any weight on, but I can’t keep pretending it is a plateau anymore either.
Really I just need to commit to myself, and not keep telling myself I’m doing this for my doctor.
I think I’m in too if you don’t mind.
Lucy

some people posting here make their own shakes, others don’t have them at all.

There are food recipes in the book – I think an entire plan, and some people use that.
I have just followed a normalish diet but with no refined carbs (with the odd blip).

Personally, I never feel I’ve had a meal if it’s ‘just’ a drink – I’m a bit the same with soup as well (unless it has lots of chunky bread alongside 🙂 ).
I also think that working out your own food and recipes helps you to learn more about food & its nutritional value – making things easier to choose when you’re in a restaurant or anywhere where you have less control than you would normally on food choices, and better preparation for when you’ve finished the initial weight loss period and are moving on to a maintenance plan.

Use one of the online calorie count planners – FatSecret, My Fitness Pal, Calorie count… there’s lots out there to log your food and keep track of calories, carbs & everything else

Hi everyone, I’m just about to start this too. I’ve been type 2 for 5 years and have done loads of running every week but still want to lose some weight and whisper it quietly….reverse the diabetes.

As I’m not sure how I will get on making the meals I want to start with the meal replacement shakes but I looked online and there’s lots to choose from. Each one seems to say you must eat meals too which is going against the book so now I’m confused. Which one do I choose (I don’t want to make the drink at this stage). I also don’t want to end up buying a low fat one rather than a low carb one to follow the good Drs advice. Help anyone???

Morning sunshine girl – I hope that you’ve woken up to a sunnier day 🙂

have one or two glasses, and sparkling water the rest of the time
Many of the people posting here give up things they love, or have them in moderation, because they choose to be healthier.

congratulations gotthere – fantastic results

How do you do it? I have a whole series of parties in a couple of weeks, including a wedding how on earth am I going to get through, maintain, the diet, and not be miserable? I love champagne!

Day 5 today and not so great. I had horrible restless legs last night and couldn’t get to sleep and then when I finally did the kids work early. 102.2 this morning. A loss I know but I habpve a long way to go and already tired of restrictions. How on earth do people manage a social life on this diet?

I just returned from the doctor with my pre and post results and just had to tell someone how good they were. I did the diet for 12 weeks and lost 18kg. Hba1c on 29/3/2016 was 10.2 and on 29/7/2016 it was 6. My fasting blood sugar on 29/3/2016 was 14.8mmol and on 29/7/2016 it is 6.4mmol

Thank you for sharing this dr Michael as it has made an impact on my life now and an easy to change. I am doing the program in Australia for 12 weeks to loose the last 12 kg and to drop my fasting range down to below 6mmol but so many other benefits, BP down, Pulse down and weight down.

Thank you thank you thank you from an Aussie mum

sunshine-girl, so sorry to hear you’re feeling down. I’ve drawn real inspiration from posts on here that you have written, so feel I should give a cyber-hug back. Hope you feel better soon.

Hi everyone, I am a repeater committer to BSD but the other morning I said to myself , I am so tired of the back and forth dieting just do it for eight weeks and see where you end up!!! I have completed day one and feel so tired but still good. I am heavier than you all but a bit taller, I could identify withe sentiments expressed in the posts so thought I would piggy back on this thread! I have been unwell, cold flu so my exercise which was going well crashed ….hope to get to the gym this afternoon after work my issue is that I do struggle with the 800 calls. , I just need to be more disciplined re recording… I’m in south Aus. , have a great day or evening!! Napangardi

It will be brilliant – I’m sure we’ll chat on line before then, but have a fantastic weekend.
Let the dress be a teensy bit too loose by then!

I’ve only used the PC version, not the app (and personally switched to FatSecret after a few weeks because I find the database more accurate, it has a UK site, and I like the way it brings menus up better, but they both do much the same thing)

you select “food” from the bar at the top
for whichever meal you are entering, select add food, and type in what it is
you adjust the quantity to whatever you’ve had or are about to eat.
When you select the food, it adds up the calories, fats, carbs and other nutrients
Once you have some entries, it remembers items that you’ve had recently for speedier selection

We last saw them at the end of April, she came to give me my birthday present and we were meant to be climbing Snowdon that week but the weather put a stop to that. She does know we’ve been doing this diet though. But still think she’ll be pleasantly surprised. I have to read a poem in church, I wasn’t close enough distance wise practically to be a member of the wedding party, so she wanted to give me a ‘role’ in the day that didn’t involve numerous dress fittings. I would have been a nightmare thinking about it, wouldn’t I? 😉

Have the happy couple seen you both recently, or will they think that you’re gate crashers? 🙂

Thank you everyone for the hints. Igorasusual, I do have the MyFitnessPal App, not the Premium, but I can’t see how I can work out the calories and carbs at all, rather, it wants me to put them in, I downloaded it thinking there was a calorie chart on it, but plainly not! In fact I find it quite a difficult ( for that read useless) app and wonder if I’m using it correctly? For the first time in my long life of various diets, I’m counting carbs and becoming quite anxious about correctly working them out. I’m sure it will become easier, but I only realised today I had to factor that in! I’m on a steep learning curve, I’m definitely programmed to go low fat and the advice to go full fat is taking me a while to accept. I’m not giving in though, no way!

Thanks Wendy, I am on a sad day but your post has given me new hope, I just need a couple of days to re-adjust. Great results for you both.

Hey Frog, thank you 🙂

The wedding is next Saturday, we go next Friday, day of recovery on Sunday and then back home on Monday. Not looking forward to the drive – and I’m saying that as the passenger! Looking forward to the wedding itself though, it’s going to be quite different to the norm, but very ‘them’ from the venue to the foods we’ll be eating. I won’t say anything about it now as it’s not my big day to tell about before the event, but I will tell you all about it next week 🙂 Mr Lucky has his new suit too, complete with waistcoat, he’s gone down two trouser sizes and two jacket sizes and a much smaller shirt neck size too. Just the boys to sort out next week.