Thank you Avila and topcac- I battled through the morning – had a cup of salty broth and felt much better. Managed to hold out until now to have lunch , so maybe not doing too badly!! I just love the idea of my body finally using its own fat stores!

Actually, emotional eating is a huge problem for me too, but so far so good. I think I will do well including Greek yogurt, nuts and cheese in daily (obviously in measured portions) as I love them!

I’ve had to commit to going out for dinner on November 14th – initially that threw into a panic ( bizarrely, that’s often the trigger for me to say ‘to hell with it’ and give up – no idea how I think that’s going work)! However, when I did the maths I realised that if I stick this out I will be into my 8th week and hopefully feeling/looking back to my old, healthier, slimmer self!

Hard boiled eggs for emergencies sounds very sensible!

Really appreciate the support guys – thank you.

Hi Didimarks

Well done on getting through yesterday!! I hope that today is ok at the moment and that your hunger pangs from this morning have dissipated. Coming down to 800 cals per day is REALLY TOUGH!!! Our bodies are screaming FEED ME! However, if you make sure your meals have a good portion of fat in them (so avocados, some nuts, full fat cheese or yoghurt) then that should help. Failing that, if you are finding yourself just too hungry you could always up your calorie intake to around 900 or 1000 for a couple days until you get used to it. Have some boiled eggs on standby which are fairly low calorie and negligible carbs and they come in their own carry case!!

Good luck and let us know how you are doing xxx

Hey Lucia,

Glad to see someone else who puts pineapple in their salads! I also like some unsalted peanuts or cashews (but only a few) as for me they help to replace the crunchiness part that I lost when I realised croutons would have to go 🙂 I also add spinach leaves, avocado, pea shoots, jalapenos, grapes (only occasionally) and sometimes a seed mix or bacon bits. Once I’ve got the basics sorted, I prefer salad cream to mayo and then like to have either chicken, halloumi, feta, deli meats or a crustless quiche alongside it. Goodness, I am HUNGRY now!

Well done Jules on your loss and move into the new stone bracket! You can definitely hit your 16st goal by April if you keep on going. Korean tacos sound delicious!

Hiya

I just eat recipes from the original book at the moment as I don’t have time to do much else. I am assuming that if I follow one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner then that will give me what I need – although I try to mix them so that I”m not over 800 cals on most days (although sometimes I go a bit over) and I assume that this gives me the right amount of carbs, fat and protein etc that I need (MM says that we should aim for under 50g of carbs a day). In my mind if it was only calories to think about we could all just eat two packets of Haribo Starmix every day!!! LOL!!!

Pleasure 🙂 What’s on the menu for the rest of the day. I’ve got a bacon and leek frittata with coleslaw for lunch. I hope you enjoy this BSD adventure!

Hi everyone, I was going to call this thread Fifty, Fat, Fed up and Fatigued. Then I thought – that’s so negative. And, hopefully, it won’t be true any more. So I so glad that this positive vibe of a new start and new lives for us all has resonated with others.

Well done everyone. I’m on day three now and the big surprise is that I’m not hungry. I’m a bit over the 800 cals, I expect, as I’m taking milk in my coffee and was so desperate for something sweet last night that I had some (unsweetened) stewed peaches and some Greek yoghurt. Rachel’s organic Greek yogurt is lovely and sweet (not sweetened) and not at all tangy. Like cream.

Thanks for the fruit and carbs guide, Frog. The culprits aren’t always what you think.

On the salt issue, I think it’s not just that we’re not taking so much in, but that we’re flushing it out with all the water loss. I’m drinking miso soup, which is delicious and has protein too.

Had a two egg, protein powder and cheese omelette for breakfast with a non allowed banana. I’ve got to break that habit. I’m still full up. Kind partner has made me peanut and cream cheese dip with crudités for lunch. Its in the first book. It’s still in my bag – I’m going to keep it until I’m actually hungry.

It’s really interesting to see what others are eating.

First weigh in tomorrow, when I go to the pool. Fingers crossed!

Thinking of you all. X

Oh brothers and sisters I have sinned. Went away for a Baptism on Sunday and arrived back home late yesterday. Watched what I was eating (and drinking) and managed to keep calories to an average of 1200per day and expected to be the same weight this morning as my weight was on Sunday morning. Alas, this was not to be and I managed to put on one pound (gutted).
Glad that I will be able to get back on the 800 diet but a bit worried that even when I have got the weight off if I go for the recommended daily calorie allowance of 1200 I will start pilling the weight back on.

Age 52, diagnosed T2 ten weeks ago with slightly high blood pressure and cholesterol. Started at 23st 7lb and went on BSD eight weeks ago, now down to 20st 13lb (new stone Yeah!).

Went to see GP this morning, Blood pressure and cholesterol well into normal and he agreed that no meds for now with the proviso that I hit 18st something by end of Jan and 16st something by end of April. Scarily this means my total loss will need to be at leat 92lb and probably realistically around 100lb to give a bit of wriggle room
, so a bit scary, but the alternative is worse!

Although this would notionally leave me with a BMI of around 27/28 but I have a large frame and still carry a fair bit of muscle mass.

Really sensible discussion. We talked about fat content in the diet and my estimate is that 60% comes from “full” fat. He did suggest that possibly reducing it to 50% and upping the protein content to compensate might be an idea. Sounds OK – a bit less cheese and a bit more fish won’t be a problem for me!

So 2nd eight weeks starts tomorrow! – Off for a quick walk then to make Korean taco with Chinese leaves replacing the Taco shells – definitely developing a taste for spicier foods.

Hi Flash
Ok, that’s great, many thanks. Just planned food for rest of the day….some of the recipes sound really nice.
Looking forward to this new adventure, and feeling very positive, the forum is a great help.
Thank you.😀

Didimarks – the first week is the toughest, going cold turkey on the sugar and refined carbs, your body is adjusting. It won’t be like that all the way, some call it carb flu – the de-toxing effects in the first few days.

You didn’t cave yesterday – yeah!!! So if you can do it one day, you can do it again.

I like to think of hunger pangs as a sign my body is calling for input from my stored fat, and there is plenty of that, so try imagining ‘feeding’ yourself from the extra padding, and eating instead will stop that happening.

Personally hunger pangs are not my main trigger for falling off the wagon – it is emotional stress eating I need to face up to. Everyone is different.

Hi all,
Ended up away from home for a few days so wasn’t cooking much. What I did do though was the “low sugar sweet chilli sauce” so called. It was tasty and maybe it was me – perhaps I needed to dice the pepper more, but it wasn’t sauce-like and I couldn’t imagine it stretching to 6 portions. It was like a spicy chutney and hadn’t enough liquid in it to be a sauce. But as I said – it might be the cook! Served the sweet chilli chutney! with Michael’s thai fish cakes which went down a wow with my teenagers! They loved them and it is a very economical dish. Also had the garlic and thyme roast chicken yesterday – succulent! But my best dish to date was the feta and avocado wrap for lunch yesterday – I would never have thought of mashing those together, but it was decadent! I did feel slightly guilty eating an entire avocado myself – guilt is a hangover from the low fat era. It was very satisfying though.

Good tips on the quiche and celeriac and apple soup, Helsbels and Bissell – will keep these in mind when I get around to making these. Cauliflower cheese tonight!!!

Ohhh a new figure! I want me one of them! But yes, stomach pains are definitely a good deterrent from eating too many crisps 😉

I agree with Flash – think of it as eating Real Food rather than processed , taking out fat is a process and needs other stuff adding to make it palatable.

It does take time to get your head around undoing the low fat is good lies, but suck it and see – try for a couple of weeks and see how it makes you feel.

Although we eat full fat the amount of it is affected by the calorie count – if that helps you feel better about it.

Veg aversion – well I have always preferred by veg in disguise, in a stew or casseroles etc So if there is a flavour you can have over your veg whilst getting to learn to love them for themselves. (Veg as a child was boiled potatoes, carrots and green beans – still not a fan of those, but spinach, peppers, butternut etc are fab). For me the disguise of choice was always tinned tomato – way back as a student I would have starved if denied tinned tomatoes!

Let us know how you get on

It’s lovely! And you can do this! We’re all in it together 🙂

Hi Preston88
I’m new to the BSD too, so just finding my feet, and I don’t even know if this suggestion is a good one or not ?!
But anyway, my thing to cure my chocolate crave is a cadburys highlights bournville sachet. It’s only 39 calories,
it’s much more chocolatey than a milk chocolate version and I only fill my mug half full of water, so it’s much richer.
Hope this helps, good luck. 😀

That’s excellent phlebas, 4 inches lost is amazing, I have lost 2 off my waist so far. Disappointing weigh in this morning, 1 lb up since the weekend. 🙁 Daughter has been cooking so calories have not been counted and carbs have probably crept up. She is off visiting her dad over the next few days so intend to be stricter while she is away.

Hello Determined,

Good to hear you’re already logging and counting etc – it’s a useful habit to get into. Clearing out your cupboards is also helpful as you can remove all temptation!

I just did a quick check of oatcakes (Nairns brand) online. They have 58.6g of carbs per 100g so possibly not the best thing to go for if you are trying to keep your carb count at or below the recommended 50g per day. But it doesn’t matter for now as you’re just settling into the diet and figuring out what works and what doesn’t. Ideally you should eat full fat too as fat helps to keep you feeling full, tastes better and unlike the low fat versions of things, tends not to have added sugars (and other chemicals) to make it taste nice! It’s quite counter to typical dietary advice so some people find breaking away from low fat quite a scary prospect, but take the plunge! Have a look through the recipes on here whilst you wait for your book as they’ll give you an idea of what other people are eating.

Hey preston88 and welcome!

You are in the right place for advice and tips and recipe ideas so keep browsing the forums as you will pick up so much useful information. Don’t be frightened of switching over to full fat. Try to think of it that low fat basically means something that has all the stuff which makes it tasty and filling taken out and replaced with sugars, additives, chemicals and other nasties which are not doing you or your body any favours. Full fat foods keep you fuller for longer, generally taste much more delicious and you don’t need as much of them. You can start swapping things slowly – for example, full fat Fage/Total yoghurt with berries instead of Muller Lights. Then try adding a little cream into your cooking (cauliflower rice with bacon, green beans, a splash of cream and grated fresh parmesan is heavenly!) or putting proper butter on your veg. You will soon start to notice you’re eating better quality food which fills you up AND lets you lose weight, it’s a win-win!

Don’t worry about not liking fruit and veg. Your tastes will change and you will hopefully find that you start enjoying them more. Try to stay away from tropical fruit such as pineapple, mango etc as they are high in sugars. Similarly vegetables that grow underground should be limited (potatoes, parsnips, carrots etc). Berries and citrus fruit are good in moderation. Leafy green veg is great and will also help with fibre content. I’m a huge fan of cauliflower as you can flavour it really easily and it’s quick to cook.

Willpower I find goes hand in hand with preparation, planning and motivation. You know you want/need to lose weight so set some mini goals so that the big figure of 5 stone isn’t too overwhelming. For example, I am hoping to drop a dress size by the end of December. I’ve chosen that so that I don’t get too obsessed with numbers on the scale. Take things day by day or even meal by meal. Congratulate yourself on the good choices you make but don’t beat yourself up if you slip up or things don’t go according to plan. You’re only human after all! But if you follow the plan, browse the forums, are willing to try new and different foods/recipes, you will be onto a winner. That first step on the scales when you’ve been on the BSD for even only a few days will definitely make you want to keep going!

Use this thread to update us with how you get on and to ask for advice. Look forward to hearing from you soon! 🙂

So do you count calories, carbs, fat etc for all your meals? I am just trying to follow the 8 week plan in the book at the moment. No idea really what I should be aiming for each day as far as intake of carbs etc, just to stick to 800 cals a day at the moment.

Hi Shalimar & Flash21
Thanks both for your advice, I’ll take it all on board. I am logging everything, writing down and counting and it’s going well. (So far!!) yes, as you said it’s just a question of taking one day at a time and being prepared, food wise.
Going to have a good clear out of food cupboards this afternoon, getting rid of any lurking goodies, and sorting of herbs and spices.
I tried to make a healthy buckwheat pancake this morning ( my own made up recipe!!! ) but it went in the bin, and I ended up with oatcakes and cottage cheese. Are oatcakes ok or not? I am waiting for my BSD book to arrive, so not sure. Also the cottage cheese is low fat, am I supposed to be eating full fat ?
All advice, gratefully received.

7lbs in 10 days! WOW! You are doing brilliantly! Glad you solved your computer problems so you could come back and tell us this news 🙂 You’re racking up the steps too, which is fantastic. To be honest, as long as you are counting your carbs and still avoiding all the refined sugars and so on, I don’t think a few extra calories really matters. Ok, it may slow your weight loss but so far it seems as though you’re not having too many problems on that front anyway. If I were feeling weak I’d prefer to up my calories a bit and see what happened.

I’ve had a bit of a blip and so have decided to restart properly from yesterday. I am going to try some more recipes from the book and from the ones suggested here. Am trying to be better and planning and preparing too.

Keep on keeping on!!

Just bought the books so just reading through them now. My main issue is having done every diet under the sun I’m used to “fat free” foods – eg mullerlights & skimmed milk etc so worrying a little about going full fat. Also I like my food (hence the weight). I’ve been cutting out chocolate etc recently which is killing me but paying for PT lessons so seems silly to carry on eating my way through the “nice ” stuff when I’m dying in the gym! Have tried the 5:2 diet before & that was ok – just sticking to it is the issue

Any tips for help would be great – not fantastic with fruit & veg but getting better & also don’ like anything too spicy

Willpower tips gratefully received

Ideally need to lose over 5 stone

eggs … any way … i usually throw some chopped onions and chopped ham in a pan … add the eggs on top in any way … and fry

can of solid white tuna or salmon … and Miracle Whip … chop celery if have some
cottage cheese with a ton of chives
sardines in oil from the can
pickled herring tidbits

Big pot of soup …. Add chicken (just added legs with skin on to the pot just now), or other meat, dry lentils and/or can of beans of any type, any vegetables (green beans, celery and cauliflower this morning) … use water and some whole allspice, bay leaf, i added poultry spice and turmeric this morning …. OR just use bought stock/broth. Can add cabbage etc. too.

Chilli : fry up some hamburger meat and onion, add can of whole tomatoes, add any vegetables and/or any kind of beans, peppers if you have it …. cumin, chilli spice, salt and pepper. It’s my cleanthefridge chilli.

I love sugar snap peas, sliced cucumber, tiny tomatoes, fresh sliced peppers, avocado, chopped vegetables …. in any combination … raw and naked … or with dip

I don’t cook …. i love to eat out … like ribs, cornfried catfish …. i just have them with vegetables instead of potatoes

If you have an oven … i hear that chopping up vegetables and put them on a baking dish with salt and pepper and any herbs you like … just roast them in the oven

Hi topcac

Have taken your advice and eat a few more calories a day, I have been using cooked chicken and occasionally cheese. I did a long walk yesterday and keep drinking on my way round so not quite so weak. Day 10 – 7lbs off. I am feeling better though as I am getting nearer to the two week mark, which I am sure will be a turning point in the way I feel.

How are you doing?
Hillybob

Well done Norfolkgal!

Day 28 here – 4 weeks in. Life is pretty mental ATM, I’m not having much time to think about eating (which is good). I still haven’t weighed myself – I must get over my fear of the scales – but am back in my size 14 clothes & have lost 4 inches from my waist in the last 4 weeks.

Hi Flash21 – so nice of you to ask. Have had some problems with my computer and have now sorted it out thank goodness. Things are going really well – I am on Day 10 and have lost 7lbs so far so I am feeling very positive. I still get a bit weak and tired on my walks (I did 15,200 steps yesterday). I don’t think I can manage on 800 calories a day but the additional calories I am eating are all good. I have resisted wine which is such an achievement and the more I think about the calories I was consuming the stronger it makes me to keep off it! I love Michael’s book. without exception (other than the Miso soup) I have loved every recipe that I have cooked. Feeling so good and am determined to keep going.

Now how are things with you??

Hillybob

Doordie I don’t have PCOS but I’m having uterine fibroids removed in a couple of weeks so I’ll let you know if that makes any difference.

Hmmm, sadly I still do love the taste rather than being put off them. But with this new figure and new way of eating, I can consume nowhere near as much as I could without getting stomach pain, haha! Quite a good deterrent 🙂

Am not brill or PC savvy and guess this should be really easy to do, but how do you add a picture on here?

I have a photobucket account

Thanks

Fellow PCOS sufferer here too! My weight loss can be extremely slow and stubborn at times but then there are occasional points where I will drop – sometimes by only a 1lb, but a loss is a loss! I have learned that I need to be extremely patient when I’m trying to lose weight and I am not naturally patient AT ALL! I can totally understand you being at the end of your tether, it is so very frustrating. Are you drinking lots of water? I used to worry about retaining water weight but then read that the more water you drink, the more it flushes out water weight, which doesn’t make sense really but does work. I’m not a big water drinker typically but am trying to increase my intake whilst on this plan. For PCOS sufferers the low carb suggestion of around 50g/day may need to be reduced even further. What is your typical carb intake? Are you tracking all your carbs and calories?

Oooh good to know! Thanks 1960smp 🙂 I’ve stuck to Fage but willing to try other brands! Will head to Sainsburys when my big pot runs out.

Keep on singing Jan!!!!

Avila …. Interesting notion that it’s best to take a month off between rounds. I have just been on holiday for most of September and have followed the principles but certainly not stuck to 800 or anywhere near it!!!! I put on 2.6lbs, just over a kilo, and am doing a 7 day reboot at the moment keeping within 30g of carbs. Today is only day 2 but it may be interesting to see if my ‘break’ from BSD kick starts my body into losing more!!!

Will keep you updated.

Thanks Janey, yes, I agree with you, once on a roll it gets easier…so here I am, rollin….

Flash, have just bought some Yeo Greek Yoghurts in packs of 4 small pots which was all I could find ( Sainsburys ) and they are creamy and lush….

Breakfasts:
Fage with blueberries (sometimes with a sprinkle of cinnamon too)
Boiled eggs
Bacon and eggs
Omelette

Lunches/dinners:
Cauli rice with bacon, any combination of green veg and a splash of cream and fresh parmesan stirred through
Cauliflower cheese
Rotisserie chicken with salad
Green veg medley with bolognaise sauce (meat version or veggie)
Scrambled egg with bacon, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms (I sometimes like breakfast for dinner!)
Crustless quiche (Asda and other supermarkets do them in their chilled aisle) with salad or veg
Prawns with coconut cream, ginger, garlic and chilli
Courgetti (courgette noodles – make your own with a spiraliser or get them ready made from Asda or Sainsbury’s) with garlic and herb Philadelphia (full fat!) stirred through – can also add chicken or prawns
Deli meats with salad

Have a look at the recipe section on here too as there are some quick and simple meals which you might like.

Thanks Flash, yes that does sound agreeable with me…yum
I aim to get through today, positively, then tomorrow and so on…tiny steps and one day at a time…

Hi shalimar,

There’s been a parallel thread running since 16th June ‘positive thoughts thread anyone’ that you may like to read.
Best wishes.

Does this help reduce thyroid craving for carbs and sugars

Flash21 – Thank you. I leave in the very early hours of Saturday morning (3am to be exact) for my remote Scottish island holiday so won’t check in now until my return

Hit another mini goal, but one I already reached then slid back on. Gone under the 75 kilo mark and now at 74,9. Wedding ring still on and looking forward to throwing the knickers away – I keep hanging on to them, must love them.

Hello 1960smp,

Good luck with your restart! You can definitely do this. If you’ve done one day now, you can do today and then tomorrow and the next day and so on. I find things like going away or having guests or going out for dinner etc are all the things that derail me too but then I realised that these things will always be going on so I just have to find a better way of managing them.

I’ve also got an infuser bottle – strawberry, cucumber and mint is a lovely combination!

Hi Verano, sunnygirl has lost half a kilo since yesterday. Yeahhhh, must have been carrying fluid. Arrrrggggggh just remembered we are out for lunch with friends today, French restaurant. I swear to be simple carb free and alcohol free. Will count up my carbs when I know what I have eaten and that will determine what I will have tonight. Plan for a fritatte. Will report back.

Weight 74.9
Fasting bloods 4.9 (89)

By the way, as you can see, that takes me under the 75 kilo mark again. 74.9.

Go for it Karen! You sound like you’re determined and know where your weak spots are. I find recognising them is half the battle! I’m also a restarter and started again yesterday after my previous attempt got derailed by visitors and then a weekend away. Consistency and discipline are definitely important. And good to hear there’s someone else trying to resist chocolate after dinner!

Thanks Trelawny!

I think today is going to be tough (day 2). I pretty much sailed through yesterday. Not too much hunger until 5pm when I got very hangry and irritable! Kept to the plan though and apart from a 10g piece of 85% chocolate, didn’t have anything I hadn’t planned to eat. Felt very achievable.

Today is different. I’ve woken up starving! Same breakfast, which I really enjoyed, but have had hunger pangs since. Feeling tired and coldy (blasted kids) so that’s not helpful. It’s going to seem like a long day.

Having said that, yesterday I nearly caved at 5pm (the old demon on my shoulder) and thought of all the amazing support there is here and didn’t! I always thought I could/should go it alone, but it’s so much nicer to know there are other people out there doing amazingly!

Have a good day all

NewForestDieter – well done! I find shopping quite hard sometimes, especially when I see/smell all the fresh bread. It must feel great knowing you stuck to your list and now have a fridge and cupboard full of lovely food!

Joanne6446 – congratulations! 2lb in two days is fab 🙂 I like the sound of those muffins too!

Just a little update..
There was a lot of excitement in my bathroom this morning because I got on the scales and I’ve lost 2lb in 2 days. Not believing the reading, I must have got on and off them 20 times and still to be doubly sure I got my set of weightwatchers scales out and yes, 2lb. 2lb normally takes about a month on slimming world to loose. I have about a stone and a half to loose.. I was very hungry on day 1 but yesterday didn’t find it a problem. I have just made breakfast muffins with spinach, tomato, cottage cheese and egg whites with a tiny sprinkle of cheese on the top. Haven’t worked the calories out yet but they were delicious xx

Started on Monday but just plucked up the courage to register. I am 53 and have been a yo-yo dieter for most of my life and have recently gained 20lbs after a very stressful time when my mental and physical health has been bad. I am 5ft 4ins and starting weight 12st 4lbs, not as heavy a starting weight as some of young but there is a strong family history of type II diabetes and I am trying to avoid this. The past 2 days have been easier than I thought although I am addicted to carbs. (I come from an Italian family !!!). I hope that his will be the kick start I need in improving my health and wellbeing. I live with 3 men (husband and 2 sons) who are all skinny and do not get why I am have put on weight so this forum is ideal for me to get the support I need, and I plan to log in daily.

Just popped to Tesco and as soon as I stepped through the doors I feel hungry even though I wasn’t before. I kept my willpower and stuck fastidiously to my shopping list and it felt so good!

Luckily I live in the New Forest and we’ve had great weather all Spring/Summer so I go for long walks with the dogs to keep me occupied, fit and out of the house.

After just 2 days I no longer feel bloated. I suffer from IBS but have had no symptoms since starting this diet.

I need to lose 4 st and have never felt so determined so it’s nice to know that I can share my journey with others in the same situation.

Well I’ve had more restarts than a very dodgy second hand motor, but I want to start again and document it properly this time. Before this I’ve had a few start-stop-start-stops and I haven’t put my heart into it for the full eight weeks.

So, new diary, fresh start 🙂 I’d like to lose (ideally) 1 and a half stone in the eight weeks, (I’m counting up to the end of November, so slightly over eight weeks) but we’ll see where this journey takes me.

Consistency and discipline will be the key to this, I think. In the past I’ve tended to weaken after a week or two and then go off message. So keeping consistent is what I need to do… Evenings are my weakness, and bread, and chocolate. Must Resist!

Onwards and downwards 🙂

Welcome on board smp1960, today’s the DAY! If all us serial or Yo-Yo dieters can do this, then so can you! I’ve been embracing the BSD way of life since early May and now it’s second nature. Can honestly say I’ve never felt so good, and certainly not looked like this for 20 odd years!