Hi LOOPYLOU welcome back…hope you had a lovely time in Norway! Did you manage to keep the weight you previously lost off? I doubt you put it all back on,so this time round youre already at an advantage as you restart! Good luck..onwards and downwards! X

Igor, I have just had the no carb ploughmans for my lunch (290 calories). It has taken me more than half an hour to get through it, who knew an apple, sliced thinly could be so much. Ended up hubby saying “you could always give me some of the apple” so I did.

I’m not ready to give up the 800 yet as my HBA1c has a way to go, but see me finally sticking with the Med diet.

Have you discovered courgetti yet?

I keep banging on about courgetti in a home made tomato sauce. Add, capers, olives, anchovies and Parmesan for a really tasty meal and very low carb/cal. Add any protein you like or just more Parmesan. Life savour when your hungry because it’s looks like so much food and it’s only maybe 1 large cougette!

Amiyo

Have a look at the following site.
Enter your details, give info re activity levels, estimate your body fat.

http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com

Then see what happens if you lower your carb grams per day. Whilst you are eating Mediterranean/BSD you may still be having quite a high carb load.

I didn’t have a lot to lose and set carbs at 20g per day (tricky but do-able).
See my thread “not too much to lose but…” by searching top right, or check through my Username.

This may be the key for you. I was very successful, by the way.

Hope that helps 🙂

thank you, sunshine-girl.

I’m on maintenance now, and still just bumbling round trying to get a handle on it – checking on MFP what the carb content of things are, and checking up on calories (because though you get used to various combos, it’s interesting to see nutrients).

I need to eat about 1500 calories per day for maintenance, which is in fact quite a lot if you don’t eat refined carbs.
But I feel so great on restricted carbs, I’m keeping those relatively low…..therefore a bit of fat from the cream of my lovely treaty desserts was quite ok. And still eating when hungry, which means that this morning though I’ve had three cups of coffee (standard for me) I’ve not had breakfast yet, so it’ll be lunch when I get to it.

I think my major lessons from the BSD are

– watch those refined carbs, they may be doing unexpected things to you and not just weight gain
– eat mindfully, and really enjoy food as it’s lovely (sometimes surprisingly so)
– try lots of different food and experiment in cooking as your tastebuds recover from the carb fog
– and enjoy the results of the weight loss!

To everyone just starting, please don’t worry too much – it’s only 8 weeks, and will shrink up to nothing behind you.
Let your body do the changing at its own pace. You can’t hurry it up, you will be different from other people.
Watch the measurements as well as everything else.

To all the old-timers, keep on losing!!! 🙂

🙂 🙂 🙂

Sunshine-girl …. Great! You’ve cracked another milestone.

Chookymama – thank you 🙂 Yes I think portion control has been the things that’s got out of hand for me – I just LOVE tasty food and certainly eat way too much of it. I just saw Verano’s reply to your post – I think they may be right. Tiny portions are so depressing. Although I have to say the mushrooms and goats cheese served on a smaller plate did actually look quite a lot – thankfully! Good luck too 😊

Hello everyone,

Brand new here and been 3 1/2 weeks on the 8 week diet at 600 kcal/day. feeling very low/depressed/frustrated as I have lost a total of… 1kg!
I am lucky to have no blood sugar problems, but really need to lose some weight. My diet has always been very mediterranean so this is only a change in the sense that I have eliminated carbs and sugar (always loved both and had them often). Being a quite petite woman I have always eaten in small quantities. My husband and children have always said I eat like a bird: now with the seeds I’ve added to my diet I really AM eating like a bird :-))
I exercise regularly (go to the gym everyday, go sailing, keep active doing the day and love walking) although I used to not move much due to a pretty sedentary job.
The first couple of weeks were a bit tough re resisting temptations but now I’m in the groove and actually choose or even “crave” the right kinds of healthy nutritious light foods I’m supposed to have. I’ve even found some foods too sweet! Unheard of.

It doesn’t make any sense and my husband and children closely monitor what I eat and my activity levels so I can’t cheat. They can’t understand this either.

Has anyone here had a similar experience? Any idea what is wrong with me? Why can’t I lose any weight?
Thanks for any comment or help

Hi everyone. Are you still out there? I am back from Norway and had a break from BSD for the time I as there and for the few days I have been home.
I am trying to start my second 8 weeks with renewed commitment and fortitude. I have been reading the posts on here about people with amazing losses and really want that to be me.
I am at home now for this 8 weeks apart from one long weekend trip at the end of September so am really going to give it a bash.
All support and kind words gratefully received.

Off to retread the book!

Please don’t despair – every one is an individual, and (though it’s hard) you shouldn’t compare yourself with anyone else. You don’t say how your measurements have been doing – hope you measured/kept track via garments, because sometimes weight plateaus whilst measurements continue to go down.

Some thoughts
– are you counting your carbs as well as calories? Keeping carbs under 50g per day (lower can also be achieved) sometimes kick-starts weight lost.
– you could try having a few days of higher calories (say up to 1200), sometimes some people find that a bit of a change stimulates the response
– increase the water intake even further, to give your body a chance to wash away the fat.

Many people here have had long plateaux but gone on to lose more weight.

Hope that helps

Hi Chookymama

Maybe you could try eggs or yogurt and berries for breakfast it will probably look far more in a bowl!

Alli W – once the weight starts to drop I am sure it will be worth it. However I had one eye shut when I got on the scales this morning – I hate the thought of getting on there and there being no difference or even worse that it has gone up – then I would be really vexed! I am losing weight although I am cautious as my weight can fluctuate wildly from day to day.

I was Day 2 yesterday and was hungry last night. The diet itself is not a massive change for me but the quantities are a joke! I looked at my teeny tiny amount of porridge this morning and wanted to weep! However – it will be worth it and am quite determined. Good luck!

It wasn’t hot today. But I see what you mean. I don’t intend to give in as I am thrilled to be under 16 stone for the first time in 30 years. I am already planning the celebrations for when I get under 15 stone

Hi

Need some help please. Although I’ve said in the past I wasn’t going down the route of self testing I now find myself with a blood glucose monitor! I don’t want to start obsessing and measuring several times a day. In your experience, if I just test once a day would morning fasting be the best time to test?

Also, I think it’s sunshine-girl who suggested a snack before bed helped to stop the liver producing ???? during the night. Can’t find the post. Can you help please?

Just starting the 8 week plan TODAY. So terrified that I won’t succeed. Can I join please – just been reading all your posts and feeling more positive now. Mushrooms with goats cheese for breakfast – pretty nice. Worried about working through the hunger and the never ending lure of wine and G&T. 😰

Well done Plumpticious. You may have to change your name as well as your accessories as I am guessing there’s not much plump left to you now. What an amazing story.
I have been on a bit of an on off roller coaster but just about to start my second 8 weeks with a bit more commitment

Janrg1, the being energised comes when your body is used to the lack of calories combined with the good effects of highly nutritious food. On day 2 of the diet you would be feeling shattered, your body is missing the bad carbs because you were addicted to sweet. It is like giving up coffee or alcohol, your body has a little tantrum and stamps its feet. I would suggest you continue to exercise but be kinder to yourself and take it easy. Around week 2 you will be skipping and jumping. Let us know how you are doing.

You also say it was hot, anyone would find exercise a challenge in heat they are not used to. Fear not it would come. You don’t say if you are diabetic and if you are you will know you have to take care not to hypo and count a few snacks into your daily 800 calories, carry a few nuts or raisins if you are out walking, drink lots and lots of water and keep well.

Hello All

I require some help! I’ve completed the 8 week diet, had 3 stones to loss. I lost about 1.5 stone in the first 5 weeks and since then nothing, completely static. The diet has not changed or the level of exercise, I’m continuing with the diet. Feeling really demotivated, as I was hoping to have lost at least another 10lb by the end of 8 weeks, I am now on week 10. The body measurements have not changed.

Any suggestions how I can kick start the weight loss? Any advice will be welcomed. Thanks

Igor…. I know what it is like to have people staying, just got rid of visitors had for last 3 weeks. Sometime we have to be naughty to be sociable. I bet there was a time when you would have eaten the full pot but you only ate half. Here’s the telling off, don’t do it again, at least for a few months.

Hi Jooles, I was interested in your fasting bg so looked back at my daily record (yes I write everything down, exercise, weight, bg, insulin units and results every day) Started diet with bg of 10.5. Day 2 it was 8.7 and fell for 2 more days then went up to 9.8, 8.4, 7.9 and then by day 8 it was 6.9, and that is the highest it has been ever since. Normal readings now between 4.7 and 5.8. So don’t worry, it can take a couple of weeks for it to come right down and then stabilise.

Keep on keeping on we are all winners because we are all losers.

Day two
Breakfast: 2 poached eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes
Lunch: tuna bean salad
Dinner: mushroom soup
Snacks: blueberries, coffee, corn
Cals: 890

Struggled loads in the evening- cactus hour with the kids. Desperately wanted a carb fix or a glass of wine to cope with the whining and fighting. Managed to struggle through with… Water. Fingers crossed everyone goes to bed early tonight. I’m not sure how long the water will cut it.

Morning all! 🙂

Last night I had half of a little pot of Gu chocolate mini ganache, together with a mixture of strawberries, apricots and peaches, and thick double cream. In fact, I ate the chocolate ganache so slowly, I was able to top it up with cream a couple of times……

And this was the second evening I’d had this combo, as my daughter and her boyfriend are staying with us and we were in ‘guest’ mode. However, all logged and planned for, and although the carb content was a little more than I normally allow, it was so delicious and I enjoyed it so much that I am celebrating eating it, not saying it was bad.

Once in a while, and totally enjoyed – definitely fine.
All the time, and hoovered up – not what I’m aiming for.

Have a great day everyone 🙂 🙂

Goal was to go from 76.2 to 75.something in just one day. Did it. Today I am 75.9.

My next mini goal is to put my wedding ring back on. It has always fit as it had worn a ridge in my finger but was not able to get it off. Then I got a mosquito bite and was scratching, it swelled up and I soaped and oiled and managed to get it off. Now 4kg lighter but I cannot get it back on comfortably without forcing it. SO….. I want to get it back on with ease. I reckon on reaching the 3kg loss goal should do it.

Everyone talks about being energized on the BSD. I’m not. We take our dog to the lakes every Wednesday and walk for between 12-13000 steps. Last week, 2 days into the diet we did about 9000 but it was too hot for Rosie. This week 10 1/2 pounds down I had had enough at 9150. When am I going to feel the energy kick in? I was looking forward to that part.

Day 1 – was 76.2 now 75.9 so I cracked my bête noir (French for black beast or my demon number). Blood glucose 5.7. I almost didn’t go swimming yesterday afternoon as I had left it a bit late (it is getting cooler here, only 31 degrees – sorry couldn’t resist but it was 37 last week) and was starting to feel a bit shaky. Then I remembered that on my lunch of jewelled pepper I didn’t have any jewels (pomegranates are out of season now) and I forgot the pistachio so I allowed myself some nuts and half an apple snack. So I had 25 mins in the pool, and I am sure that helped.

Day two dawns and I waddle off expectantly to weigh myself on new all singing all dancing digital scales. Fancy black glass and gleaming. On the bathroom floor I Had put two pounds on.by the time I got to the far side of the living room ‘ trying them out on carpet, lamminate and tiles, I had lost half a stone. Ridiculous. Left them in one place and tried again and still varied by more than a pound. Is it just me. im taking them back for the old style.

I wasn’t soo bad (*compared to Lucky after seeing what she ate???? 😉 )

See, Jeans of the Future! Doesn’t always show on the scales, but shows in the inches! Well done! 🙂

Thank you Igorasusual 🙂 You are a star *

I wasn’t soo bad and I logged it all!
Scales have got stuck in this hot weather!
On a positive note – I now fit comfortably into a pair of jeans from the ‘nearly’ drawer. 🙂

Morning Antigone. Listen to Igor. I can add nothing more to that, not that would help or make matters any better anyway! 🙂 I had cake AND pizza last night so… *whistles innocently*

Morning Igor 🙂

Tonight’s tea will be… lamb and chickpea burger with salad and a little beany quinoa stuff I got from Iceland which is lovely. Penance for last night’s tea 😉

Just over 8 weeks now and still in the healthy weight range but now looking for wiggle room.
I want to be able to have that feast day where you just join in the celebration without being overweight the very next day. I hope, with what I have learnt I can now be more careful with what I eat, even then.
I have decided, even though the book suggests I may want to go to the 5/2 diet, to stick with the BSD for the final bit.
I have made, a small, concession. If we are not out for a meal at night I am having something to eat midday, which is nice. It is nice to be able to join in with the other food monsters. They are not really food monsters but just sometimes!

Over a decade ago I spent the best part of 2 years, low calorie, low fat with exercise diet, guided by the British Heart Foundation, and I did shift loads of weight more, 8kg more, than I have in this 8 weeks but I did have more to go. I still never got down quite this far.
I was lucky as I had read the “Pure White and Deadly” book so I avoided the sugar rich replacement meals and made most meals for myself. It was so hard and took so long but at the end, worth it. Took over a decade to get back to the cloths and belts being tight and within 10KG of my top weight which was when I decided to do this “diet”. The Diabetes thirst was most likely the biggest prod.

I am planning to go to 5/2 or something like, 6/1 or 4/3 depending upon how well I manage but until I get to the mid point in the health range, the BSD will do. I want to keep that fasting day.

Has it been hard? Sort of.
The nice bit is that it is so quick and, if you are lucky, the obvious signs that something good is happening is a real plus.
The fasting aspect is not hard at all, well after the first couple of days which the book said but was hard to believe.
The weighing every day, love it when I loose, hate it when I don’t. I decided only to write down my weight when I either lost or stayed the same. Never could get my head around how one day you loose half a kilo and the next nothing. I am getting to understand that it is how it is, still weird though.
The other thing about the speed is it gives less time for the doom mongers to hit you with the accepted “loose to quick…” messages and the “you’re too thin”; if only they had said to me, “You’re to fat” but they never did. Maybe I should..? no, maybe not eh!.

I have about 8kg to go now so hopefully not to long before I start my life diet, is that sad? No, it is good to have reduced my chances getting of several bad illnesses, it is good to look in the mirror and see a younger me looking back all be it with more wrinkles and grey hair. It is good to have reduced my hypertension medication by half, because that never happens but it has.
Diez66

Antigone – welcome to the club of all of us who have fallen off the wagon. Been bad? Don’t think so. Been human? Quite possibly.
Learned that stuff can get in the way of best intentions? Oh yes. Useful lesson? Absolutely no doubt.

Climb back on the wagon, look the back board is down, you can get back on now…..

🙂 🙂 🙂

Just letting you know that I’ve started a group on Fat Secret for Blood Sugar Diet BSD today. Anyone is welcome!

Morning All.
I’ve been bad.

ok Day 2 over

AFTER DAY 2

WEIGHT NOW: 21 Stone 7 pounds

START WEIGHT: 21 stone 12 pounds

LOSS AFTER DAY 2: 5 Pounds !!

GOSH 5 pounds already

Yes been back on scales and still same !!!

Couldn’t face day 3 morning breakfast so good old trusty hard boiled eggs for me !!

Didn’t make it to the gym… so long walk for me and more lawn mowing !!!

ok Day 2 over

AFTER DAY 2

WEIGHT NOW: 21 Stone 7 pounds

START WEIGHT: 21 stone 12 pounds

LOSS AFTER DAY 2: 5 Pounds !!

GOSH 5 pounds already

Yes been back on scales and still same !!!

Couldn’t face day 3 morning breakfast so good old trusty hard boiled eggs for me !!

Done some more lawn so didn’t make it to the gym (booo!)

Had long bath with candles for ‘mindfulness’ thing .

Good luck today everyone

Well done Izzy! It looks great, I looked yesterday but didn’t get the time to comment on it 🙂 Well done and keep going 🙂

Greek yogurt and strawberries here too! But I’m having a few nuts with mine 🙂

Imogen, you are not being selfish, I feel exactly the same way, and my feeling this way has hit a decade before you! And you have not failed, you’ve done the best you can with the circumstances you find yourself in. That’s all you can do, that’s all any of us can do. I ripped up the rule book with the first diagnosis and have just winged it since. All I ask is that they do the level best they can do. If they’re not, then I do put my foot down. Baby steps, start small. Start silly. Start ‘wouldn’t mean anything to anyone else but I’ve always wanted to/fancied’. Things have a funny way of snowballing once you start. If you ever want to email me you can find my address via my blog profile. Hugs.

I’m sorry for those of you who are struggling with depression or have someone close who is, it’s not something I feel qualified to speak on, so I can’t add to your discussion there. Sometimes it’s best to say nothing if you can’t. Especially with my tendency to come out with something stupid on (most) occasion.

Oh your walk sounded lovely Frog! Isn’t it nice when you find a little hidden treasure that you weren’t expecting – and almost on your back door too. This is why I have no desire (yet) to travel abroad, there’s so much of my own country I haven’t yet seen, let along England, and I’ve never been to Scotland or Ireland yet!
Ice cream – I cannot for the life of me find the Vanilla Oppo, Frog. My Co-op stocks the Mint and Salted Caramel. All the H&B I have been in have stocked the Caramel. Now, I am not a mint ice cream lover. I ate too much of it in my younger days. Husband and children love it. So, he bought a tub of it, and was still eating my SC! So I thought ‘Right Mister!’ and took a scoop of his. And it’s actually rather nice as mint ice cream goes. The chocolate streaks through it as opposed to choc chips, I am not a lover of frozen choc chips. Chocolate should melt in the mouth, not break teeth. So it depends on whether you hate mint ice cream, or would just rather eat other flavours. Unfortunately it’s an expensive do to buy as it is if you enjoy it, so if you’re not going to like it, is it worth the risk? Probably not.
The Frill sounds promising though?

Avila – no, absolutely not. I looked at the pictures and one of them, the one in like a baguette with leaves and tomatoes? It looked like… polystyrene? Like a pale yellow pool noodle? I wouldn’t eat that, no way, no how. At least the egg gadget keeps your eggs… well… egg like! They probably taste nice, but a lot of it for me where food is concerned is how it looks. So no. I’d pass on that gadget!

Like Autumn here today, it was still dark when I woke up before 6. Only just lightening up now. Raining. I put the ‘flames’ on on my fire and read some of my book with a coffee 🙂 Felt cosy. Glad I’ve been so accomplished this week because I have a feeling my in laws will revise their plans due to the weather and descend on me today. Mark my words.

Had some success in the kitchen yesterday – finally made my spelt pizza base, which was unbelieveable light and airy for a doughy base. There was a slight disaster with the recipe and the dreaded ‘cups’ which now means that I have a freezer full of pizza base… and I and my kitchen were covered in dough… but it will all go, as the children love homemade pizza. At one point I could have cried, my husband walked in the kitchen, burst out laughing and then stopped and backed out as I glared at him. Ate three smallish slices, so finally my pizza craving has been sated. And I also made the Nigella Olive Oil cake as we’re due visitors. It’s lovely. Definitely one for when you’ve got friends over for a meal, and you want a ‘legal’ pudding. I subbed coconut sugar for caster. I would make muffins with it next time, for sure. Very rich and decadent.

Have a great day all, whatever you’re doing. My day is starting with a dental appointment for my son. It can only get better from that, right? 😉

All measures are fuzzy around the edges, from the back of the packet, to MFP, to the book. All use ‘guideline’ figures – and so have margins of error. I don’t get hung up on precisely 800 a day, and take it that any recipes that are listed as low calorie will be in that low range and the difference from my normal/previous intake will be significant. Personally I don’t weigh and calculate – no time for that, and as a lifestyle change I don’t personally find ‘diet behaviour’ like weighing every ingredient helpful to me. Plenty of others do weigh and count assiduously and it helps them – so each find our own way. Just don’t let it get you anxious and at risk of not carrying on.

Thank you 🙂 I’ve sold one key ring – wondering if it was someone here maybe, anyway whoever it is I hope they like it, I shall get it posted off today.

I’ll get some more things made and added soon 🙂 I want to show some diversity on the page. I think I will do a set of painted coasters next, in between all the other things I want to get done haha!

I’ve had some greek yog and strawberries for breakfast.

I have found this on every recipe so far. I am only on day three so am new but log everything in MFP to help me keep track. For example listed as book vs mfp:
Poached egg with half an avacado 200 calls vs 205
Minted pea Houmus 170 vs 161
Lamb & pine nut meatballs 480 vs 541
The breakfast of almond butter with Apple etc I had to have just 10g of almond butter, a very small apple , 2g of seeds and no goji berries to come close to 110 at 113.
I won’t have the time to faff around when I’m back in work (tomorrow onwards) so am a little concerned.

Sorry I didn’t post yesterday – migrainey – but I did weigh:
30/08 – 117kg

Goal for the next 8 weeks is 7kg. I’d like to get below 100kg by the end of the year as that would be the lowest weight for me since my accident in 2009, and take me into the “obese” category of BMI.

I started BSD on 15/08 and have lost an amazing 7.5kg so far, but I do have a long way to go. But I can see that this works and is sustainable.

Good luck everybody!

Hi Jooles – there’s a keto something site that someone here has posted links to that let you work out personal targets of nutrients for weight loss (possibly igorasusual?)
I did mine, and with calories of 800 and carbs of 50, fat came out at 45 and protein 50 – although to be honest I have it in my head as 50/50/50 for simplicity – but essentially, I focus on calories and carbs and let the rest fall out of that.

And of course although 50% fat is relatively high compared to standard RDIs, if you cut out the carbs, % of everything else increases – and the absolute fat intake is still not that high, because calories are so low.

I’ve had a bit of a plateau the last few days, but a kilo lower than the 88.4-88.6 that I’ve been hovering at for a while – 87.5 today.
I must do lunch out with a glass of wine and low carb ice cream taster sessions in the evening more often!

Hi Lucia
Glad you are feeling a bit pink and turquoise now.
If you are becoming more scarlet, purple and gold you will match the bag I have just finished making from recycled Indian sari material.

Hi Jooles, same goals maybe we can do it together? Weight this morning 13st 3lbs. Measured waist, have lost cloth tape measure in our move, so used wool, cut it off and measured it against a steel rule!! 39 1/2ins (ouch!!). But it will be good to keep that wool to see how my waist diminishes. Todays menu – chicken and walnut mixture with spinach for lunch and gingered pork for tea, then yogurt, berries and almonds for evening (all recipes from MM’s book). I am still trying to do the 16:8 timing as well as low carb. Did a couple of stretching exercises last night, took at least 4 minutes, lol!! But start small. Weather permitting will have a walk tonight. Hoping my energy levels will zoom with this plan. I have phlebitis in my right leg which has been very uncomfortable lately so also hoping it helps with that. Looking forward to a much healthier life from now on.

Well done Christi1948
Such great news to find out that your test results are so good. Proves that the diet is working really well.
I am also on Week 30. So well done fellow dieter.
Good luck to everyone else on the forum. Hope we can all continue to prove the benefits of this diet.

Morning, I forgot to post last night as well but doing well apart from slight headache still, probably sugar withdrawal. Totals for day 2 cals 784, carbs 31.6, steps 12,000+. Not as hungry yesterday and I’m a daily weigher loss yesterday 3.5lb, today 5 3/4! Really pleased definitely holding a lot of water! Day 3 everyone we can do this!x

Orange71
Great advice going on here. From my experience I have tried to stick to the 800 calories limit….especially when I started the diet 6 months ago. Have eased the calorie count a bit over the last month but didn’t go over 1200….my weight has stabilized at that.

I regularly exercise more than 6 hours per week. For example… Spin(Indoor cycling)/ Body combat/Body pump/Zumba/tennis and others.
I have played tennis 3 times in a day…morning, afternoon and evening ……without feeling ill effects.
Think if I can manage spin or squash on low calories… as they are pretty intense activities…..my body is coping fine.
Hard to judge how this has aided weight loss but it has definitely toned my body and I have increased my fitness and endurance levels.
Haven’t topped up calories at all before, during or after my exercises.

In case you think I am some sort of gym bunny I was 13 stone with a BMI of 33.

well done Verano – & Sunday’s 4 days away, I’m sure you’ll be fine with that

Went to bed without posting my day last night as I was pooped (busy day is all). So far, I haven’t felt hungry at all and have been experimenting with different menus which, so far, have all been good. So, Day 2 looked like this for me: total calories: 907, total carbs: 32. I have lost 1.8lbs so far and have also managed to stay off the tea. Early days I know but so far, so good 😀

Made my second mini goal!!!

My second goal was to lose 1.5lbs to get me down into the next stone …… have done that plus! with 4 days to spare!

My new mini goals are … to lose 3.7lbs takes me into single figure pounds
then another 8.3lbs to make 10% weight loss!!!!
a further 1.7lbs to get me into the next stone
Would love to lose another pound or so before I go away on Sunday then it will give me more incentive not to go up in stones when I’m away.

Good luck with all your goals!