My goals are to reverse diabetes, loose weight, get more fit …. and perhaps get some extra health benefits, i.e. improved eyesight.
I have been and am easying into things. I started just going a 12 hour fast … and stretching the time to 15 hours … that meant 2 meals a day. Even when i was on a vacation trip i always did the 12 hour … of course i had a big supper with a couple of drinks! 🙂
Now i’m fasting … but if i’m feeling off i’l have some broth … and i’ve added vegetable juice.

I plan on eating whatever i want on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I plan on having an occasional “drink”. I’m just trying to get off to a quick start while i have a head of steam up === it will wear off.

There are a few lower carb brands out there, and some people experiment with baking low carb solutions, but to be honest I don’t think it is worth using any substitute regularly, I recently bought one of the lower carb loaves to try and ended up throwing most of it away.

My ultimate goal is simply to lose sufficient weight so that I am not damaging my health anymore. I totally agree with the need for a flexible approach, which is part of the reason that instead of diving straight into the Fast 800 when I knew there would be holidays, birthdays, and social occasions when it would be impossible to be so rigid on calories, I stuck to variations on the 5:2 diet. I have had whole weeks off the diet in France and over my birthday, although I did follow most of the principles still, and only put three pounds on, long since gone now as soon as the plan restarted afterwards. If this way of eating is for the rest of my life, and I believe it is, then for me it must be flexible enough to fit my life. I will be doing at least one 8 week plan to try to lose weight faster, but if it gets derailed by life, so be it.

No bread, sorry, or you will get a taste for it. The carbs will start knocking on your brain and that slice will turn into a loaf. Seriously, wait until you have done the 8 weeks then maybe ‘treat’ yourself but you may find by then you don’t really want it.

I suppose people have to try LCHF to feel the benefits for themselves before they can understand, and while they ‘can’t possibly give up potatoes and pasta’ that’s never going to happen!

I guess lots of people equate ‘low carb’ with ‘Atkins’ which hasn’t really had the best of press, maybe for good reason. Also, people are very slow to change their ideas. Given that we’ve had ‘low fat’ drummed into us for so long ‘mainstream’ thought may never change. Suppose all we can do is keep banging the drum!

I’m not certain about ‘substituting’ high carb foods. I made courgette lasagna last night . The bolognese was fine, the courgette was ok too but the white sauce substitute of ricotta mixed with an egg left much to be desired!!!! I’m sure there may be another way possibly with butternut squash between the layers and omitting the sauce altogether. Don’t know will have to experiment ! Would like to know how the spinach and walnut balls work out.

Great that you doctor is prepared to support you on the eight week BSD Shacks and good news that day one has gone pretty well. Be cautious about using flavoured yogurt, as they come with added sugars, which will push up the carb content and it is keeping the carbs low, which is essential on the BSD. Bear in mind that all natural yogurts are not equal and some are much creamier than others, making them much more palatable, however, if you really can’t tolerate the blueberry and almond smoothie, I would suggest replacing it with something else.

Hope you continue to find the BSD easy to stick with and will soon be reporting great results. If you need advise or support, shout out and someone on here will be bound to respond.

Thanks Antigone & Yowser49. Lucky get well soon..

This comment just got left on my blog post by a guy called Graham –

“Amazing achievement. You’ve inspired me. I read the book and have gone low carb for the last 5 weeks. I’m nearly a stone down. The best bit though is that my blood pressure has dropped dramatically into the normal range. It’s been high for about two years and I tried two different blood pressure tablets which didn’t work and made me feel awful. Can’t believe this has worked so well. You may have helped prevent me from having a heart attack! So a big thank you. 😀”

I wish more people knew about this. On the 5:2 BSD and today was my 800 calorie day. A breeze in the park 🙂

So,
We have talked about how to take baby steps in exercise
Baby steps in reducing calories
Baby steps in reducing carbs.

I know it’s not easy. I don’t have anyone here, saying ” come on droopy drawers, let’s get your blubber into action!”
I wish I had.
But
Like all things , we use what we have at hand.
And I have you, my wonderful little bloggy diary.

I have had ups and downs.

In the mood and out of it again.

Questions like…. Does this dress make me look fat, when I know my fat makes me look fat.
There really is only one person who can help you.
And
That’s you.
But
You are not alone.
Just take the first baby step.

Reduce one meal.
Change one meal to non carbs.
Walk to the end of your path.
Blogg.

You will soon find a helping hand,
A kind word
A tip on how to make it easier to do,
A friend
Encouragement
Incentive
A reason.

So, want to join me?

You can’t do it?
Read my blog at the beginning where I walked between seats.
I walked up the stairs and sat on a chair at the top, then came back down to another chair.

Now read my recent blog, I went to a gym, yup, me, at a gym, I did 30 mins on the rowing, running, eclipse, bike machines
Then 30 mins into the weights room,
I can bench press 150 pounds with my legs
Then I have a swim.

Want the change? Two words… Baby steps

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Thats the sad thing isnt it..wounds heal but the emotional damage ..well its a different story isnt it
I’ m glad youre getting support from yr workplace X hopefully from family and friends also.

No ..BSD isnt for you just now is it..be kind to yrself,eat nourishing foods and give yrself some treats,you deserve them! Thanks for reporting back and keep in touch x

One or two of us have been feeling low the last few days or so and have come to the conclusion that life can’t be put on hold whilst following this plan. The ‘plan’ is part of our lives and as such has to fit into our lives not visa versa.

So ….. what’s your ultimate goal???

For me it’s to ‘reverse’ my diabetes. I’m pretty healthy apart from diabetes, no high blood pressure or cholesterol just the dreaded diabetes. Whilst this doesn’t rule my life I do take metformin and I would love to stop. In order to do this I need to lose weight and hopefully visceral fat.

As sunshine-girl has very wisely said ‘you can’t live life in blocks of eight weeks’ .

I totally agree and after nearly 10 weeks I’m really not wanting carbs anymore. Although I did find it very hard at lunch time with my bowl of tomato soup while OH had pizza!!!

So no reason why we can’t eat within the plan, lose weight and improve out health but without it being at break neck speed, which suits some, but not all of us.

We maybe need to take the pressure of a little …. that’s not to say ‘give up’ just relax a little!

Been on diet for two weeks, Don’t really miss bread but would be nice to have the odd slice. What’s best please in your experience

Hiiii TOPCAC! Welcome to the BSD gang! Youve made a great decision to take control of yr life!
I was just the same as you..could easily eat a whole load of starch and sugar every day..but then i heard about BSD and the great results a friend had had in just eight weeks.i gave it a go and to my surprise,it was much easier than i expected…it really seems the less carbs you have,the less you miss them! And the results are very encouraging! Ive lost 36 lbs in nine weeks .ok you might get a few rocky moments in the early days as your body adjusts..i suggest you call into the forum for encouragement and advice if that happens..people here are veyr helpful and kind
Best of luck and keep us posted on yr progress! X

Aww, thank you, Yowzer49. Kind of you to think of us. The bruising is healing but we both have headaches still and horrid flashbacks. Our manager and colleagues are being very supportive, but we’re both considering a change of ward when we go back to work. Still trying to get back on BSD but today wasn’t the day! xx

Well said!!

Come over to ‘living the life on the plan’

For anyone that is interested….There is now a Blood Sugar Diet Recipe Book available…Just out today… I’m getting my copy now!!!

Well I’ve made it to the end of week 3 and this week I lost 3 1/2lbs. This gives me a total of 1stone 1/4lb for the 3 weeks I’ve been on the diet plus the 3 lbs I lost in the week prior to the diet while I was reading the book. At the beginning I felt quite ill much of the time but now I am feeling quite well and even finding that I’m feeling more energetic.
Like most of the people who will be on this website I have dieted off and all of my life. This has been the easiest diet I have ever done. I thought that at 800 calories this was going to be so hard to do but it isn’t. If anyone is reading this and is thinking about giving it a go … go for it. You have nothing to lose but weight.
As a diabetic I was concerned about having hypos as it was so low in calories and especially carbs. Many times, in the past if my meal was later than normal I would start to get shaky. 3 weeks in and not 1 hypo. In fact I am looking forward to having a hypo now as it will mean I might be able to come off of gliclazide. At present I am on a cocktail of 14 tablets for diabetes and blood pressure my ambition is to be able to stop taking all of them. But if that isn’t possible then I want to take fewer. Good luck to anyone starting and for those already on this journey keep the faith

LANGERHANS just wondering how you and yr colleague are doing? X thinking of you xx!

Are you still ok SCHNITZ? X

GAVIN enjoyed yr blog and photos! Brill results!
Sorry youre in bed poorly ..get well soon xx 🌸🌸🌸🌸
LUCKY Glad you feel a bit better but if the nausea/ dizziness returns,may have what my friend has..an ear problem called Menieres Disease..she is on medication now which has sorted it totally.X
Well done on the trousies FROG !X put a jumper on today that was too snug not long ago,now too big. Those little non scale victories! Arent they brilliant!
Yesterday i could see for the first time in nine weeks that yes i have lost weight..i felt slimmer but cdnt see it til yesterday..then today the first person to notice commented i had lost weight! apart from DD but i always think she just says it to be supportive. My Beau never comments tho has seen me two and half stone heavier than this,and four stone lighter. Never says anything except You look nice. Sadly his wife died of an anorexia related illness and i think he is too scared to say anything that might tip me into going that way..tho goodness knows it wd be eons before i got anywhere near that stage. X

When I was last doing ‘big supermarket’ shopping, they didn’t have my normal no added sugar squash – I like Robinsons Grapefruit and lemon, which with the level of dilution that I like it has 1 calorie per litre, zero carbs.
I got a “no added sugar high juice’ one instead (from Aldi) – just grapefruit, no lemon.
It does have carbs – I used 30ml (1.5g of carb) for a small glass, and it tastes amazing – very juice like.
Because of the carbs, I wouldn’t drink it by the litre the way I do with squash, but it made a really nice change.

Wundaweb! Lots of pressing, no sewing. I do enjoy sewing, but get a better finish with the hemming tape stuff.
I was reading a review of M&S trousers the other day, and apparently they’ve changed their lengths – short used to be OK, maybe 1/2 cm too short – now they’ll be too long! As I’ve said before, if I was 5’10”, I would be the right height for my feet 🙂 Must be frustrating finding trousers though.

Thanks, Frog. That’s brilliant. It’s not for me but for my OH, as he’s the diabetic and heart attack sufferer in the household. He’s watching me on this diet with interest and I’m hoping he’ll decide to opt in. Looks like poached eggs might be a good way for him to go.

Result of googling “are eggs OK for diabetics to eat”:

Richard Elliott, from the charity Diabetes UK, said the study “adds to evidence that eggs can be enjoyed as part of a healthy balanced diet”. He said: “It’s best to cook them without adding salt or fat, because saturated fat has a greater impact on blood cholesterol levels than the cholesterol found in eggs.”13 May 2015
Eat EGGS to beat diabetes: Four a week can slash risk by 40 per cent …
http://www.express.co.uk/news/…/Birmingham-University-Diabetes-four-eggs-week-risk-Type...

be careful with the salt advice though – it easy to get less salt than you need on this diet if you don’t add salt to anything – combination of no/little junk food, and the large quantities of water drunk flushing salt thru the system.

Hi sunshine-girl,

Maybe my question wasn’t clear. I wasn’t talking about cholesterol but the risk of cardiovascular events among diabetics specifically. The general population seems to have no need to fear eggs whatsoever, but I was under the impression that that isn’t true for everyone, namely diabetics because they are more sensitive. I will see if I can find out more info because that really is good news. Many thanks.

Snoop

Thanks Yowzer! x

Hi Sunshine Girl
No, I wasn’t ‘sent there’ – it’s the same community centre that I do the regular monthly cookery class at, which I always really enjoy.
I’ll go again – to preach BSD – although one woman asked me about it this morning, and no,, she couldn’t possibly give up pasta or potatoes, she likes them!

I’ve decided that next week I will cook my own meal rather than working in a pair, google any ingredients that look a bit dodgy and adjust the recipe as I need too. I could have made this mornings’ one quite easily without the lentils, and that alone would have taken out 45g of carb and 265 calories – leaving my already reduced portion at 40g of carbs and 481 calories – not ideal, but an improvement!

thankfully, not a woman & home reader. mental note made not to get it!
I did read part of a magazine called Psychologies at the GPs the other day – interesting recipe for spinach & walnut balls that were v good on carbs and calories. I must track it down on the internet.

Good for you Verano, I look forward to your new thread. I am not going to cram my life into 8 week blocks, it is too much pressure. While I was ‘on my break’ I still ate to plan, yesterday had steak with pepper sauce (full fat creme fraiche of course) and served with cauli mash while hubby had boiled potatoes. Maybe we can put this thread to bed, no more feeling sorry for myself, it is what it is. Life.

Good news on the trousers FROG…apart from the sewing. There you are shortening things while I struggle (here) to get trousers long enough – I’m 5’10”. It’s a shame we can’t all swap clothes lol! I may do some clothes shopping in UK but I’m hoping some old stuff will fit soon – although I may look like the girl in Unbreakable (who’d been imprisoned in an underground bunker for a decade or so)!
Chop sticks? A big funnel would be a more effective delivery system surely?
Really hot here AGAIN!

Hi everyone – thanks for the suggestions 😃

Sumo – my exercise didn’t really change that much. I’ve always walked, some days more than others, just going about my normal routine. What did change was the ease of walking, especially hills and stairs. Before BSD I was using a walking stick to help me get about at airports when I was going on holiday, even sometimes to help me climb the stairs at home. On two holidays last year I realised just how my mobility was becoming impaired. A few weeks ago I was on a short break – the first afternoon I walked over 4 miles, the other 2 full days I walked over 6 miles each day. With no difficulty.

Frog – makes me sound like a herb LOL😃💐

How about ‘keeping on keeping on’ or ‘keep calm and carry on (low carb)’ or ‘low carb for life’ or ….. ?

whew hoo – JOTF too big!! well done antigone!

Lucky – when I was a child a Chinese friend of my mother’s stayed with us – hew chop stick method was hold the bowl close and scoop it in 🙂 I am rubbish with chopsticks – if I get anything from ITSU they have these great bowl-like spoons.
Hope you feel better soon.

Neither of the trousers that I shortened yesterday are remotely tight on my calves (neither are exactly skinny cut, but they aren’t baggy or bootcut ones either). There’s another pair of trousers that fit now, and they;re just an itsy-bitsy bit too long, probably less than a centimetre – I wore them the other day and just a little bit to long to be comfortable.

Feeling really stuffed after the dodgy diabetic cookery course meal (and the version I made had half the calories and half the carbs FGS!)

Sunshine-girl

Good to see you back! No my intention certainly wasn’t to put you, of anyone else, to shame …. life is what it is for all of us.

I’m so pleased that you have come to the realisation that this is a plan for life and that it’s not a race to see who can lose the most in the shortest possible time! It is a ‘life’ plan and as such we do actually have to ‘live’ and that means fitting the eating plan into our lives and not vice versa, although that being said, we do have to stick to the main principles most of the time !

I’m going to start a new thread in the hope that others who are feeling less than ‘perfect’ can relax a little into their new life plan!

Frog, the book is not so good for HIIT advice, same with this site. If you go onto the web site for Trust Me Im A Doctor, they give the home version there but it is too hard for me. They want 3 reps of running, 3 reps of star jumps, 3 reps of something else. I will just stick to doing my bits and hopefully seeing an improvement in stamina and maybe increase the seconds over time. Again, no hurry.

36 degrees is hot but it is a dry heat so no dripping. I want to make the most of it as it will start to cool down next week and the pool temperature soon goes down. We will be going on holiday mid October so it will be closed up before then. In the meantime I will enjoy it.

Hi Lynne

“Sage Lynne” would do it I should think!
According to Dictionary.com “someone venerated for the possession of wisdom, judgment, and experience”

D

Hi Jan
For the first 13 weeks, when I followed BSD reasonably well (only one or two bingy weekends) and on average lost about a kilo a week – then I sort of pleateud – then after three weeks of hovering around the same weight, I realised that the calories and carbs were over pretty much every day, and I’d more or less slipped into maintenance.
I’d lost maybe another kilo, but I really need to loose another 25-30 to get to a normal BMI, so had to “do a Lynne” and keep to it very seriously for a lot longer.

The results of the last few days have been incredibly encouraging, so dodgy recipes from the Diabetes Cookery Class aside (one meal 1300 calories and 150g of carb!!! I adjusted it, but still v v carby), will be sticking to BSD quite assiduously now – certainly for a further 8 weeks, or until I reach my targets.

Your’e doing really well too – 0.1 of a kilo is only a pee away!

I probably needed more sleep this morning, but went back to sleep and didn’t wake up until 9.40 – the cookery class was at 10, so 20 minutes to shower, dress and get there. I was a bit late, but made it before they got going.

Thanks garden green, had a Good look at myfitnesspal app and am on track so far! Who new that even green veg has a lot of cals. Been busy today at work and planned brekkie/lunch so ok……it’s the evenings which are tricky!

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.