Great thanks. I’ll see what I can do. It’s no biggie, just a minor niggle!

Hi, I started today by fasting for 12 hours. I had to do this to allow my stomach to shrink after over indulging all weekend!
I will follow 800 cal using the recipe book from tomorrow.
Luckily I’m on holiday from Saturday on a remote Scottish island which will help me as there are no shops. I will be food prepping prior to departure. Wish me luck please – no wifi on the island so won’t be able to keep in touch.

yes, didn’t she look great, red definitely suits her.
Thought we would see others from the forums in the article, probably came a bit too early for many of us who haven’t reached our goals yet! Maybe next time….
Verano, -looking forward to weigh in/reboot tomorrow. We all know its easy to loose momentum when weight loss slows or life just gets in the way but hopefully many of the others will return at some point.

Hello everyone! I’m glad I’m not the only one hungry. I’m rationing my apple from lunch like I may never have access to food again!

Hi Verano
the cauliflower rice is dead simple – I just blitz in a food processor & microwave for a minute – if its with something liquid like a curry or casserole, I use it uncooked – the ‘sauce’ of whatever its with heats it through

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/whats-best-way-cook-cauliflower-rice offers different options – I might try the roasted version with spices one day, but as you say, it’s more about having something bland on the plate to balance out the rich or spicy food.

Sometimes I use courgetti with something that I’d generally have with rice & wouldn’t dream of having with pasta

I made a nice beef casserole with peppers yesterday, but feel a bit too full after the big lunch.
Danger time though – if I don’t eat, I’ll get the munches come time around midnight!

Korean beef sounds nice – there’s a Korean kimchee restaurant and takeaway near an office where I used to be based – all very healthily cooked, and always so beautifully presented.

Sometimes I think you can only suggest ideas, give them the science then they have to make their own choices.

I just think we are so fortunate to have found this way of eating. We know this is the way to go and as they say ….. you can lead a horse to water……!!!!!

I had a Koean beef meal tonight without rice! I added more peppers and mushrooms but it really did need something ‘bland’ like rice! I didn’t give in but next time I make it I will definitely have it with cauliflower rice!

Hi AMB63

A bit of a conundrum – and medical opinion seems a bit divided

My most recent HbA1c result was 38 mmol/mol, the normal non-diabetic range is 20 – 42 mmol/mol
42-47 mmol/mol is pre-diabetic, and above 48 is diabetic (all references to T2 diabetes)

When I spoke with my GP about something else last week, I mentioned my blood results and she had no hesitation in saying that it was great that I had reversed my diabetes, and we had a conversation about whether I wanted to stay on the diabetic register as “prediabetic”, even though my blood sugars are below the prediabetic range. I elected to do this, so that I can continue having regular HbA1C tests for a bit, so that I can be reassured that my results stay below the diabetic or prediabetic range.

Other people on this forum have reported issues with their GPs and Health Professionals refusing to recognise that diabetes has been reversed, even when blood results have improved and they had been asking specifically about being removed from the diabetic register.
If you use the search box (top right of the page)and search for diabetes reversal – or possibly even just reversal, you will be able to read earlier discussions on this topic.

I’d initially discussed my results with the diabetic nurse, who seemed to have more of a problem that I’d stopped taking metformin (3 months before the test was done) rather than pleased that I’m no longer in the diabetic range 🙂

Very bizarre week!

I’m not being as rigid with the calories as I did the first time around – which seems to be reflected in the higher AM fasting numbers – but not the later in the day numbers. Sunday is high after around 1600 calories on Saturday, the bulk of which were consumed too close to bedtime to drop to a decent fasting BG. But the later readings in the day Sunday were nearly all lower than normal – including the low for the week.

Something is going on – my daytime readings for most of the week have been largely 6.11 or below (including the post-meal spikes), and often in the 4.06-4.7 range. In contrast, my morning readings are not as low as is typical on 800 calories a day (aside from Saturday’s blip). My average BG, even with last Monday’s and Sunday’s high fasting numbers is still a smidge below the previous two weeks’.

This week is the last week on the blood sugar diet, for now. I’m off to Cozumel for a well-deserved break the following week. I haven’t decided what I will do about carbs yet – but I will not be sticking to 800 calories a day 🙂 So I’m stopping a week from today to give myself a bit of a gradual re-entry to eating a maintenance range of calories.

Today is my 60th birthday – I’m very glad to leave the curse that 59 has been (diabetes, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and breast cancer) in the dust.

The full stats, so far:

Week 1
Fasting blood glucose: M: Unknown, T: 5.56 mmol/l W: 5.5 Th: 5 mmol/l F: 3.89 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.39 mmol/l
Starting weight (this week): 135.5 lbs – Ending weight: 129.2 lbs. Loss 6.3 lbs
BG High for the week: 7.39 mmol/l, Low for the Week: 3.89 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.49 mmol/l Average fasting BG for the week: 4.73

Week 2
Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.94 mmol/l, T: 5.00 mmol/l W: 5.28 Th: 5.06 mmol/l F: 5.22 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 5.33 mmol/l
Starting weight (this week): 129.2 lbs – Ending weight: 127.2 lbs. Loss 2 lbs
BG High for the week: 6.94 mmol/l, Low for the Week: 4.33 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.54 mmol/l Average fasting BG for the week: 5.02

Week 3
Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.33 mmol/l, T: 5.11 mmol/l W: 4.78 Th: 4.44 mmol/l F: 4.5 mmol/l S: 4.56 mmol/l Sun: 5.00 mmol/l
Starting weight (this week): 127.2 lbs – Ending weight: 124.8 lbs (my lowest post-college weight). Loss 2.4 lbs
BG High for the week: 8.5 mmol/l (Yikes!! – that’s 22 net carbs of melon – normally I can eat 23-25 and stay below 7.8, but it dropped to 5.3 by an hour later), Low for the Week: 4.11 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.51 mmol/l Average fasting BG for the week: 4.82

Week 4
Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.72 mmol/l, T: 4.83 mmol/l W: 5.11 Th: 4.33 mmol/l F: 4.89 mmol/l S: 5.52 mmol/l Sun: 6.61 mmol/l (Yowsa!!! That’s the highest in close to forever for an AM fasting)
Starting weight (this week): 124.8 lbs – Ending weight: 124.4 lbs (my new lowest post-college weight). Loss .2 lbs
BG High for the week: 6.89, Low for the Week: 4.06 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.50 mmol/l Average fasting BG for the week: 5.24

Total weight loss for 4 weeks: 10.9 lbs.

Positive day and thoughts. Thanks for all your updates!

Hi everyone
I started today. Had an ok day but I’m still hungry. Going to have an early night so it will keep me out of the kitchen😊😊. Good luck everyone x

Thanks Igorasusual

Good point about the salt. I never add salt to my food but hadn’t thought how much I must have been getting from all the rubbish I ate. Trying to drink a lot but seem to spend half my life on the loo!

Hi Christine *waves*

Well done on the 3 pound loss 😃💐

I wasn’t too well last week – someone kindly gave me a virus! – so not tried any of the recipes in the new book yet! There are lots I want to try though 😃

October is going to be a funny kind of month for me. I’m away for 3 days in a few weeks, staying in a b&b. Only in Newcastle, so not a long way from home, but the conference starts at 9am and it would be very difficult to get to the venue for that time😱

Then, at the end of October, I’m going back to Italy (via Heathrow) to my friends for 10 days.

Have a good day tomorrow, and another good BSD week 😃

Well done everyone who has just completed day 1. I will be a day behind you (starting tomorrow) and looking forward to hearing how you’re all getting on! Desperate to succeed on this – I’m so mentally exhausted by trying and failing what seems to be every ‘diet’ under the sun. keavney21 – I so know what you mean about bottling the motivation!! I would be in line to buy a bottle! One day at a time!!

I started today too. 12st 5lb and5ft 2inches. I want to lose 3 stone by next summer and I think this is the kick start I need. I am in the right frame of mind but great to have support from others like you.

Hi Lynne and anyone else reading this,
I have decided to do my weeks report tonight as I have a very busy day ahead of me tomorrow!
I re-started my diet last Monday, I was 12.5.2 when I weighed in on the morning, I kept to the diet, although I did go over 800 calories few times, I did keep my carbs 50 or under though,
So this morning I was 12.2.2 that is three pounds loss for the week.
This week I am eating quite a few meals from the new cook book, I do get bored with the same food very quickly so I’m hoping the new meals will help me carry on loosing weight!
Good luck to everyone I hope you are all as motivated as I am at this moment, if not, just look to captainlynne!
Christine.

I certainly hope she will be impressed. Hopefully the improvements in my blood pressure and blood sugar might impress her enough that she might look into the BSD a bit more and star recommending it to others in my position.

Hi. I started today and am really exited to begin this journey! It is way overdo!! Good luck to all who start this week.

You should get used to it quite quickly.

Remember you are reshaping your body’s hormones. They are used to triggering you to eat refined carbs frequently to get the blood sugar back up from the “spike” and it will rage even a bit to change to get energy from fat cells.

That thing on your shoulder saying HUNGRY HUNGRY HUNGRY is the carb monster. Kick him into touch. Have a drink – fizzy water with lemon? Herb tea?

Once you get into the swing you will find the hunger goes away. Promise!!!

Keep on keeping on. Kick that monster out and get your control of your body back 🙂 🙂 🙂

Hi nettle,
I did the recipe chai Bircher that is in the new bsd recipe book, I (think!) I enjoyed it! Although I suffered for 24 hours after eating it, it had an unfortunate effect on my stomach, i do have deverticular disease so I have to be careful what I eat, I’m not sure whether I want to risk having it again, my husband enjoyed it though! I do find a sprinkle of linseed every so often doesn’t do me any harm so I am a bit puzzled why chia seeds caused such an awful reaction!
I always do any recipe just as it is laid out then if I like it I will have it again, sometimes adapting it a bit to my taste,
You are Correct in saying figs plus chia seeds were probably just too much, although I can normally tolerate figs, I used to love did rolls too!
Christine.

Hello! If there’s another thread for people starting this week y’all feel free to point me there. I thought this would be a good way for several of us to touch base daily. I look forward to meeting all the 9/26 starters … and anyone else who wants to hang out with the newbies. 🙂

Hi there! Starting today as well with 45lbs to lose. I’ve done keto on and off for years but never this low cal. I am excited and after eating my lunch I am also STARVING. My cardiologist told me to increase my salt intake and to help combat the carb flu. I’m wondering how long it will take for me to adjust to such small meals? Surely, all 8 weeks won’t be this way.

Hi – I’m on 100mg Thyroxin daily and this my third week on 8 week diet. I’ve lost 1 stone and 3 inch from
Waist- feel like I have loads of energy now – far more than when eating lots of carbs. My appetite as also decreased. So it would seem low thyroid not a issue 😀 Good luck

Thanks for that I think I will give the oranges a miss 😀 And stick to the berries with my Greek yogurt and a few nuts for my breakfast tried out the cauliflower rice tonight and added grated broccoli with peppers and onions was lovely thanks again for your help 😀

As a newbie I have a question……

At what point is Type 2 Diabetes considered reversed? Is this purely based on the HbA1c value, if so at what is that value or are there other factors that are considered

That test last week wiped me out for most of the week 🙁 hope it was worth it. You are right weescotty we are very fortunate in this part of the world, glad you like my foodie ideas 🙂

Hi Lyn, and thank you.

It has been hard and today is the first day back on counting and yay my son might have scarlet fever so I’m now in a muddle but such is life. Going to see the out of hours doctor in about 5 mins, thankfully he is fine and happy mostly just has the rash so have to get him checked out.

I’ve so far managed to stick to BSD today but my stress levels are rising! I’m going to buy something for my husband to chuck in the oven and just eat soup for me as I doubt I will feel like cooking when I get back from the doc.

Great stuff Janrg1! 🙂

Onwards and downwards, and hopefully your GP will be really impressed when you see her next! 🙂

Something I forgot to mention. When I went to see the GP she told me that losing the weight would not have an effect on my blood pressure. She seems to have been a bit wrong there though. Before I started it was usually around 127/74 with slight variations. The last time I checked it was Friday and it was 110/65. In the book MM also suggested we keep a note of our resting heart rate as that would improve. Mine was usually around 78 – 80. Now it is from 69 to 71.
So this has been nothing but good.

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.