Oh good luck with that last 1lb Mix! I hope that it falls off v soon! 12 is my next stone too (I’ve got 3 lb to go).

I’m really encouraged by the weekend. We had hoardes of children over and I was a) stuck in the house more than is ideal and b) I was cooking lots. I wasn’t perfect, but I only had small amounts “off plan” and they were all things like a few nuts, or a piece of ham sort of snacks. AND the scales were really kind today and still gave me a lb loss. I will need to remember good days like this when I reach one of those soul destroying plateaus that are sent to plague us!

how much did your exercise change?

After you epic achievement I can think of a few
Life after 800
Maintenance for life
Starting my new life (with one eye on carbs)

Sorry Sunshine Girl – I misunderstood the first bit – glad that your sticking with it!
It is very easy to try to be “too perfect”, or get frustrated because you aren’t losing as fast as someone else.

I must try the HIIT – there is a gym in the basement of the building, so I could go down there – like you, I enjoy (in my case walking rather than swimming), but it would be good to do that too, especially for days when there is more time pressure.
36 degrees – I’d be dripping! – and probably be in a pool rather than walking 🙂

I’ve probably been overthinking it – where can I find a trainer/buy a book – to do it perfectly of course
(I must get my BSD book back – after I’d read it I passed it on to someone else that was interested)

Hi Sumo.

Just adding to earlier replies – I’ve just got to my target weight after losing 6.5 stones in 38 weeks – all of them being on the 800 calories a day, low carb. Looking forward to seeing your results 😃

Christine 😃

Still trying to think of a name for my new thread – had an idea earlier, just need to remember what it was😱 Watch this space!

Eggs are a good source of protein and should not be limited. They have no effect of dietary cholesterol which is where the heart attack rule came from, just not true. We need to go back to the 1950’s diet, high fat, low carb and go to work on an egg. Although not to be mistaken with Atkins eating fatty food stuff, just good fats and oils.

Oh Frog, what are we going to do with these people. Have you been sent here by your diabetic nurse.

I have just read an article in Woman & Home entitled The New Food Rules, find your weight loss secret. I nearly choked on the advice. Example: Food lists, starchy carbs – you need to eat one portion from this at every meal and aim for 4 servings per day e.g. 1 slice granary bread, tennis ball sized jacket potato, handful of cooked rice or pasta etc etc. Then they talk about the perfect day, I wont list every food BUT breakfast, 1 slice of granary bread (1 carb), lunch 4 ryvitas or handful of rice (2 carbs) dinner, handful of pasta, (1 carb). Total 4 carbs per day (but not grams just carbs). Low fat yoghurt and low fat spread and a spray of oil for cooking.

If these are the NEW food rules, how long will we have to wait for our diet.

Hi
I suggest you check it out in dr m book he is the expert in this. I’m sure it’s in there somewhere. Info given by nutritionists are now out of date the BSD plan is current education , and doesn’t agree with current guidelines, hence why it is cutting edge.
Regards Jan

Hi Frog, I’m still doing the 800 BSD not a maintenance plan, I still want to get blood glucose down to 6.0 on HBA1c and still want to keep losing weight. I am not so much in a hurry with the weight but it is bound to come off anyway if I am having 800 cal with 50 carbs. My plan is not to make it a competition with myself, if I lose I lose. I did an average on my morning b/g for the last 10 days and, even including the 131 days I am running at an average of 5.9 so that is looking promising.

The HIIT is really funny, I run on the spot as fast and I can with arms going like the clappers for 30 seconds. 30 seconds is a long time when you are not that fit, although I swim every day, it is a different exercise. I then walk on the spot for 60 seconds and repeat 3 times. I don’t even know what it is supposed to do except replace the daily slog, but I love my daily swim so will only give that up when the weather gets cooler and we have to close the pool. It is 36 degrees here today, too hot to get in just yet. Will swim later when the sun is off the water.

OK, week 1
First rule of diabetic cookery class is that you don’t talk about diabetic cookery class!!
I am assuming this applies to personal details of participants – I’m sure you’ll love to be enlightened by hearing the recipes, and a great service to share them with fellow diabetics.

So, today’s recipe was Bean and Mushroom Enchiladas with salad
I made mine without the sodding 12 inch enchilada, left out the low fat yogurt (low fat is better for you according to the nutritionist) and used about half the suggested quantity of cheese, and only ate about 75% of the mushroom mix.
My version was 742 calories and 87 grams of carb.
If I’d eaten a ‘full portion’ with the bread and suggested quantity of cheese – 150g carb and 1292 calories!!!!
Next week – taa daah – she’s going to teach us about portion sizes

I will go – if only to give her my food diary which I’ve annotated the nutrition of her full suggested meal.

Crikey, I bloody hope not Anti, four children is more than enough of a contribution for me to make to mankind. No, it’s definitely not that. Thank you, feel a bit better by this afternoon anyway. Husband said I was really pale.

Yes, get well soon Gavin, I think it’s that time of year isn’t it, school goes back, the entire UK gets ill. Whether you have children or not, it’s standard.

Ah, thank you 🙂 Mine was taken in a little village called Llanarmon D.C on a mucky overnighter (again, didn’t quite manage a dirty weekend!). We woke up the next morning and it had snowed, which made it all the more beautiful. Just over an hour’s drive from us and another world away.

Haha, I now have size 20 skinny jeans that are like MC Hammer pants. Just the sizes and the words skinny jeans don’t sit right, do they? Well done on the jeans 😀

Hi all – it’s my first day today. I’m still feeling positive (and not yet had any hunger pangs) and it’s mid afternoon. I’m doing this because I’m totally addicted to refined sugars – I’ve always had a sweet tooth but can also work my way through a whole loaf of bread a day, crisps, chocolate – you name it. I have a sedentary job and I got a FitBit for my birthday so I’m upping my exercise and this is to complement it – plus I don’t want to be diabetic, at any point…ever!

Lucky – I think it’s time to seek some medical advice about your condition……….you’re not pregnant are you? Just get better soon 🙂
Hope you feel better soon Gavin – excellent blog.
Excellent Twitter banners you two – is that where you live Lucky? Very pretty 🙂
Frog – I will be in England at the end of the month and intend to visit Waitrose. I’ll be looking for that crustless quiche and all the flours and goodgoodies I can’t get here 🙂 Now – I just have to be really good until then 🙂
Mixnmatch – I will try that with the nibs 🙂
Imogen – I NEED to have amajor spring clean but I’m waiting so that I can sort out clothes that will (hopefully) fit. I have been out in the first pair of JOTF out of the NEARLY drawer – size 16 skinnies (I know – oxymoron) are no longer skinny fit 🙂
Laters losers – back to the farm 🙂

that’s great Sunshine Girl – glad that you’re feeling better, and hope you find a post 8 week maintenance plan that works for you!
I must look into HIIT exercise – there was a thing on it in MM’s Trust me I’m a doctor last week.

Hi Imogen,
Every rainbow has a silver lining, I don’t feel like eating! I’m sure I’ll be ok soon. Thank you.
Christine.

Hi greenjanet, can I ask you about the eggs. I was under the impression that even though the advice for the general population has changed, diabetics are still advised to eat no more than three eggs a week, as research has shown that eating more than three is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks among diabetics. Is that no longer correct? I’d be glad if it wasn’t, as my OH is diabetic and has had three heart attacks. If he were able to eat more eggs, it would be brilliant news.

Him I;m back after a weekend of rest and mindfulness with a new mindset for the BSD. Long haul for me so taking it slowly and going to enjoy the plan and not let it control my life. Glass of wine now and then.

GREENJANET is the Poldark and new series, I missed last week but recorded last nights.

I was speaking to a couple of medical people and getting their take on this diet. They are all in favour although there is a screw up of the nose when you mention 800 calories. The point for them is that as it is not recognised by NICE it is not in their power to advocate it. The best they can do is leave it up to us and say if that is what you are doing it is up to you. They have the mindset that if it all goes wrong they were not to blame. Once NICE pulls its finger out and follows the recommendations by Public Health Collaboration UK no medical person will condone it. There are exceptions as I met a nurse from Birmingham (my daughter sat next to her on the flight here) and she wanted to talk to me about it. The hospital she works at are running trials, some patients on low carb high fat, some on high carb low fat, to see what the difference is. The more this happens and the results are good, they are on their way to including it in their advice.

In the meantime, we are the ones benefiting because we know better. One final thing, my doctor said he couldn’t ask his patients to go on the full plan as they would think he had gone mad. A French person without their baguette, non merci. I hope he has done his homework by the next time I see him.

Thank Jan for your advise and words of encouragement will keep you posted❤️

Yes fat secret

Get The Great British Baking Show here in Canada via USA PBS stations. I usually rewatch them … i find them comforting even though my stove has gone caput. But i just stopped rewatching them just in case of temptation.

Congrats on beating that sugar demon down.

I am having fun trying different types of tea … because i can drink them plain or with a little xylitol. I have to break my coffee habit because i like coffee with tons of cream (not afraid of the fat or caffeine just the calories) … going to try and cut back to 1 large cuppa in the morning!

I have had the headaches too!

I also love the sea salt crystals … from a grinding mill. You can get dollar store mills very cheaply with sea salt in them here in Canada … although trying fancy sea salts is also good.

Hi All,
I started my journey on the BSD diet on the 22nd August after advice from my doctor who was concerned about high blood pressure readings (albeit not high enough for medication).

I have to say week 1 was the hardest, I discovered I had a serious sugar addiction. I was having serious sugar withdrawal, it was all I could think about, I almost left the house to buy sweet treats! I was so surprised at how much I was craving sugar and all things carb! A few days later I suffered from some horrible mood swings. I’m normally quite level in my moods and generally upbeat and happy but the sugar cold-turkey turned me into a grumpy monster, looking back I feel very sorry for my boyfriend who continued to be supportive despite being Italian and missing his pizza and pasta. The great british bake off didn’t help, which instead of being an enjoyable treat turned into some form of sugar torture. I survived but only after having one square of dark chocolate (on day 3 of the diet). I got to the end of week 1 and discovered that the sweet cravings became less severe and I had lost 3.5kg, which was all the encouragement I needed to continue!

Week 2 and sugar cravings were under control, great british bake off still felt like torture but I managed to great through it without turning to sugar, which felt like an achievement. This week was tough in the sense I was quite constipated and seemingly lost no extra weight. This was most likely a result of not drinking enough water…

Week 3 and I’ve become a lover of lentils, as a vegetarian I felt this was a good choice as they are high in protein (and the all important fibre) and hey presto, bowel movements back in action and an extra 0.7kg lost! Woohoo! I almost made it through the entirety of great british bake off without even wanted a baked treat! Progress!

I’m now embarking my week 4, I know that I need to increase my protein intake and lower the carbs, so if anyone has some tasty vegetarian recipes (I eat dairy and eggs) then I’d love to hear from you! Also, any struggles and how you’ve got through them will help me feel less like a crazed sugar addict!

Lis

Hi all, thanks for your good wishes, Verano, you put me to shame although I know you don’t mean to. Having something wrong with you sucks, I hate being a diabetic, I hate injecting every night but most of all I hate all the things that could happen to me in the future if I don’t take care now. My doctor always praises me for being the perfect patient (see, perfect) and I try my best in everything I do, nothing in half measures. I have realised that this is not a diet for me, it is my life and if I am going to enjoy it I will have to ease off now and then and let myself relax.

Although I was feeling better after my shopping trip I decided to chill through the weekend and not feel I had to eat or do anything. Funny, once the pressure was off I still kept to the diet and I swam Friday, Saturday and Sunday for longer than normal (40 mins each time) and did 2 sessions of HIIT although my HIIT is only 30 seconds long with 60 seconds rest each time.

I did drink the bottle of wine over Saturday and Sunday and didn’t feel guilty in the slightest. Got up this morning thinking must get weighed and face the damage. Well, hello, I have lost weight – only .2 of a kilo but still.

Plan B post first 8 weeks is to take it slow, keep my blood glucose down and slowly lose some weight. I set myself a goal of 3kg in the 2nd 8 weeks but I don’t need to. Yes I am overweight but not massively so.

I notice that people are using my catch phrase so I will live up to what I say and KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

Hi Christine,

Sorry that you are feeling a little under the weather…hope you feel better soon.🌻

Hi Lynne,
Well done, looking forward to reading your maintenance post! I think I will try to lose more than I want to so that I have some wiggle room,
I am hoping to start today on my next bout of 800/50, I’ve only had three cups of tea today, I’m not feeling great, whenever I’m under the weather it always affects my stomach, I have had a headache since Saturday, and I have flue symptoms, so no or less food won’t harm me in the least!
It sound intriguing, a few surprises, I hope you have recovered from your trip, sounds lik it was a bit of nightmare getting back home?
Looking forward to,hearing from you soon.
Christine.

Good luck and good health!!!

You’ve got plenty of company here!

I’m looking forward to fitting into some clothes i bought in hope!! 🙂

Blueberry and almond SOUNDS good ….. guess not … LOL.

Hi yowzer49, I ‘ituned’ the song and the snippet that played had that line about her sturdy legs and I laughed. Funny how things work out. Way cool. Hehe

Ooh Linda
Thankyou that is a very uplifting thought, just time passing thankyou, I’m on it now so all good, it’s such a relief to be back in the zone again
Love Jan 😊😊😊

The headache shouldn’t last too long Sumo. Lots of people complain of this symptom early in the process, but it will pass as your body becomes used to the new regime. Hope you will soon be feeling fitter and that you will be posting more great results soon.

Hi All,

I started my journey on the BSD diet on the 22nd August after advice from my doctor who was concerned about high blood pressure readings (albeit not high enough for medication).

I have to say week 1 was the hardest, I discovered I had a serious sugar addiction. I was having serious sugar withdrawal, it was all I could think about, I almost left the house to buy sweet treats! I was so surprised at how much I was craving sugar and all things carb! A few days later I suffered from some horrible mood swings. I’m normally quite level in my moods and generally upbeat and happy but the sugar cold-turkey turned me into a grumpy monster, looking back I feel very sorry for my boyfriend who continued to be supportive despite being Italian and missing his pizza and pasta. The great british bake off didn’t help, which instead of being an enjoyable treat turned into some form of sugar torture. I survived but only after having one square of dark chocolate (on day 3 of the diet). I got to the end of week 1 and discovered that the sweet cravings became less severe and I had lost 3.5kg, which was all the encouragement I needed to continue!

Week 2 and sugar cravings were under control, great british bake off still felt like torture but I managed to great through it without turning to sugar, which felt like an achievement. This week was tough in the sense I was quite constipated and seemingly lost no extra weight. This was most likely a result of not drinking enough water…

Week 3 and I’ve become a lover of lentils, as a vegetarian I felt this was a good choice as they are high in protein (and the all important fibre) and hey presto, bowel movements back in action and an extra 0.7kg lost! Woohoo! I almost made it through the entirety of great british bake off without even wanted a baked treat! Progress!

I’m now embarking my week 4, I know that I need to increase my protein intake and lower the carbs, so if anyone has some tasty vegetarian recipes (I eat dairy and eggs) then I’d love to hear from you! Also, any struggles and how you’ve got through them will help me feel less like a crazed sugar addict!

Lis

Sorry sumo, no I didn’t mean the plan is caffeine free, what I meant is some people will have possibly reduced their tea and coffee consumption because of the calorie count in the milk, I for ex reduced my cups of tea from 8 down to 3 so as not to waste calories, but a caffeine withdrawal headache is always in the front of your forehead and feels like a tight band, but either way just keep your fluids up add a little extra salt, for a few days, and if this doesn’t doo the trick take a couple of paracetamol if you are permitted to take them.
Sorry to have confused, hope hat clarifies.
Regards jan

lis1234 – as long as you include the calories in the 800, fats are recommended. You will find eating full fat, that you need much less food to feel satisfied and will stay feeling sated for longer. For me, it has benefited the condition of my skin as well, when compared to how it was on low fat intake. Don’t be scared to sacrifice some of your pulses to include some cheese or an egg in some way, I’m sure you will find it helps.

Thanks greenjanet!

I am aware you can overdo vitamin/mineral/herbals! …. I am a somewhat great age, 67 … and love to find out things like Mikhail Baryshnikov is older than moi!! 🙂 and i have been VERY sedentary!

Every so often i take a week or so …. and don’t take any supplements – vitamins, herbals, over the counter meds, even prescription pain meds. Just clean the system out!!

Carelessness has some rewards … cause i almost never remember to take anything daily … i even miss the metformin sometimes!

LindA

Thanks I take enough drugs, so I will take the head ache as part of the process.

As greenjanet said on her post, fat is not the enemy on the BSD Shalimar, so an egg with some butter is a good way of ensuring enough fat included in the diet. As long as the calories are counted, full fat is to be recommended, it helps kick start the fat burning process, makes you feel full quicker and stay feeling that way for longer and – for me at least – has improved the condition of my skin enormously, compared to how it was on a low fat diet. Also, a little salt is no bad thing, remember if you are drinking a lot and flushing it from the system it needs to be replaced.

LindA

Salt and fluids some told me about the other day, I did not realise it was caffeine free as well?

Hi lis1234
Don’t be afraid of fat, it’s more important to keep your carbs down and fat is no longer the enemy!

Sumo
Headaches are normal in the first couple of weeks, just take some Panadol and be kind to yourself. They won’t last long.
Linda

I am clinically obese, with about 60kg to lose (although I’d be ecstatic with 40) – add to that a relatively stressful job, and my blood pressure has been really spiking over recent months. My GP discussed blood pressure meds, but after I did some research he’s agreed to support me with this diet for 8 weeks. I go back in 2 weeks time, so hopefully there will already be some improvement shown if I can keep on track!

So far so good today – following the meal plan in the book, and loved the lunch (capsicum with jewelled feta) and dinner (eggplant with lamb and pomegranate) … hated the blueberry and almond smoothie for breakfast with a passion. It just means I know when that crops up again I either need to replace the green tea with something else and perhaps use a different (say vanilla) yogurt … or just replace the whole meal with something I would prefer to eat!

Looking forward to this new challenge that will hopefully make the mental and physical breakthroughs I’m hoping for 🙂

Hi Sumo
The headaches are due to carb withdrawal, and possible caffeine reduction, to counteract this drink at least 3 litres and try to add in a bit extra salt. As your body will be depleted of salt at the mo. Hope that helps.
Regards jan

Hi Shalimar.

Please be aware that you can overdose on vitamins and supplements, or at the very least, all of it will be just shot out the other end of your body, so unless you are pregnant, or of a great age and not eating healthily, they are totally unecessary, so save your money. This plan if followed correctly has all the nutrients an adult requires.
The information about eggs, and butter by nutritionists is also out of date, eggs all types are healthy and a valuable source of nutrition, and can be eaten freely also butter, I suggest you read dr ms book for the latest research evidence from Newcastle, which supersedes previous mis information. I hope this may help.
Regards jan

Thanks Jan, will do😀
If I can do it, you can too!
The only thing between you and the end result is time and that will progress either way. May as well make it a positive result!⌚️
Cheers
Linda

Thanks Sunny B! Yes, I eat dairy eggs/cheese etc… but I find they’re also quite high in fat so I’ve been trying to eat more pulses but I guess that’s why I’m struggling with the carbohydrates! Congrats on your continued weight loss by the way!

Get that crab and avocado Angiebabe – so sorry you’re not feeling well.

Great loss Hiho!!

I’m loving the chat too!!

Thanks for the best wishes Snoop.

Angiebabe – it sounds like you know where the problems lay and it is often the carb thing that makes us plateau. Yes do be kind to yourself and take sometime to refocus. Isn’t it great that we start to think of food treats in terms of yummy low carb options? Crab and avocado sounds delicious. Was at a tea party for my grand daughter’s sixth birthday yesterday and although there was a chocolate fountain, I went for cocktail sausages and cheese dip! Seems to me you are dealing with the bad days very well indeed. Keep us posted on your progress and I hope you will soon be feeling fitter and in control again.

Thanks Shalimar, will put those suggestions on a list. Good to explore new writers. I’m not going to get much housework done if I read all those , and am supposed to be researching a move to be nearer the coast on the West but keep getting distracted. Better get my Monday ‘work’ done ( I usually open a week’s mail and take action – or not. Then a bit of household accounts. Delete old emails, you know the sort of thing. Haven’t even started and it is almost noon. Bye for now.

Also love the VERA tv series and have read a couple of the Anne Cleeves books they are based on … so far. Interesting. Also love the TV and books of Henning Mankel.

Also love
Yrsa Sigurdardottir especially My Soul to Take: A Novel of Iceland (Thora Gudmundsdottir series).

and for a French Canadian flavor …. love pretty much all of Louise Penny books … murder mysteries … but GREAT wonderful characters. A Beautiful Mystery is one of my favorites. Best read in series order because the character development is so interesting.

Just completed week one 10.5 lbs lighter cannot quite believe it I am seriously overweight so hence the big number but still I’m super happy to start week 2. Loving this chat page

Week 15 but no loss this week for the first time. Obviously disappointed but I think I can pinpoint the reasons – firstly my carbs have been drifting up to 60s rather than under 50, secondly dinner at friends threw me as they are veggie and it was carb heavy- remember pastry! -thirdly my knees are playing up very painful osteoarthritis so less walking saving energy for essentials like running the house and fourthly feeling generally off colour.

So taking a few days to be kind to me and try and regroup. It’s a shame as I’ve been feeling so well up to now and have at the back of my mind is the autoimmune stuff rearing its head again- you know that feeling waiting for the other shoe to drop? Will go shopping and buy a few food treats low carb of course I’m thinking crab with avocado so I don’t drift back to sugar etc.

It’s about learning to deal with the bad days as well as the good I guess

Great thread!
Thanks for the ideas. Put the books in my Amazon.ca wishlist and think i will get Peace and Parsnips to start.
I try and put lentils in everything i can. Does it matter if you use the really tiny ones or the ‘French puy lentils??
p.s. I love the Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla!!! The refridgerated one is even a tad better. ‘Tried other almond milks but hated them. 40 calories, 2 g. carb. for 240 ml. on my label. The sweetened ones taste awful to me. Can even make them coffee flavored with just a quarter teaspoon of instant coffee. Maybe can only get in Canada.

Good luck, SunnyB, and have a really good time.