Avila – so hard to decide which picture looks the least appetising! – and they were the best ones that they thought would sell it 🙂

Lucia, that is so not what I thought you were going to say 🙂

Hi Avila,
How are you feeling now? I hope you are feeling better and looking after yourself?
I have fought depression for most of my adult life, only now do I feel I’m nearly ok! I say nearly because I know the least thing can send me near the edge,
I identify with what you are saying, everyone’s experience is different, I remember years ago when I had had a nervous breakdown, a friend called in and told me I wasn’t as bad as so and so, and I thought, how does she know? when you are ‘going’ through it, it is the worst it can ever be!
Christine.

Egg gadgets – Gavin and Lucky would you swap your egg cooking gadgets for this that popped up on my facebook ‘suggested posts’ – http://www.egg-master.com/

I like my eggs to still look like eggs, or scrambled eggs or an omlette – not a strange egg kebab which seems to be the only thing this produces – for a big gadget cost!

Hi Imogen,
Just a (late) post script to my post,
She does get out into our garden (she has taken it over literally) and she is supposed to clean her own room, ( can’t remember when it was last done or her bed changed!) we do the cooking and her washing and that’s all.
I get very irritated with her (habits) will only use certain bits of cutlery, plates and now she has decided she wants her ice cream, trifle etc in soup bowls! I really do despair! they take up so much room in the dishwasher, before she moved in we put the washer on every three days, now it’s lucky if it lasts two!
Oh well rant over, I hope you are feeling better, good luck.
Christine.

Imogen – Depression sucks – my experience is from the inside, but I know it can be a hell of a ride for family/carers as well. You need to consider your own wellbeing too – what support do you have to help you stay strong enough for your son?

A book that was powerful to me was ‘I had a black dog’ cartoons that captured feelings I had but could not explain to myself let alone others. It has been narrated on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiCrniLQGYc and the black dog is somewhere in every page… At times at my lowest I felt like leaving it open in the kitchen to which ever page felt most relevant that day… but was in shared student accommodation and the others already thought I was mad.

The same author did a follow up with his wife about Living with a black dog – for partners/family etc that is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VRRx7Mtep8 both are available in the original bookform.

The most important thing I can offer is to remember your son’s experience of depression, and your experience of supporting him is all unique. Other’s advice may have useful bits, but it could have rubbish too, take what is useful but be ready to shake off the pat answers that are not helpful, and it is you and your son that get to decide which is which.

Hi frog,
Thank you, I am so relieved, now I just have decide what to do! All I can say is yippee!
Christine.

Great results Claire, keep it up!!

Am looking to see similar results

Hello ‘2nd 8 weekers’

Keep going 54!

Jan just brilliant! You’ll feel a million dollars at the wedding and well deserved too! I’m a bit OCD when it comes to weighing too but hey better than guesstimating … that has always been on the wrong side for me. Enjoy Norfolk and just keep weighing !

I can’t believe you only put on 2lbs sunshine-girl. Just shows you can have the odd week off and just get back on the wagon again. Sure you will lose those pounds very quickly!

Carolwadd my weight loss is even slower than your so take heart!

Hi Jooles … new day, new thread new goals. We’ll all get there.

WOW Lainieuk well done glad you’re enjoying this eating plan. It just becomes a way of life. I really needed ‘something’ after lunch today. Instead of raiding the biscuit tin I had 2 squares of Lindt 70%. Did the trick it was wonderful. Think when you stop having sweet foods the odd ‘sweet’ thing tastes so much better so you need less.

Well guess we have all picked reasonable goals for the coming 8 weeks so no reason, with each other’s support, that we don’t make them.

Good luck!!!

Thank you Frog 🙂

I don’t need to make too much but it would be great if I could earn enough to cover the costs and keep making stuff.

I bought the Fast Exercise book and I have the app.

I started doing the ladder strength exercises routine as outlined in the book back in 2013 but ended up in Bristol Spinal Unit. Will spare the details but it contains quite a lot of exercises my consultants had their heads in their hands at. Apparently it resulted in them seeing a massive rise in injuries.

Since then I have not been allowed to do the type of exercises in the book. Would swimming count as a strength exercise because of the resistance? I do do the bike fast exercise as the cardio one

I’ve just read the book with real interest and plan to start the 8 week diet shortly, however my main concern is that I already do around 4-5 hours of intense exercise a week (probably burning around 3000 calories – cycling/running/kayaking) and am worried that I will pass out going to such low calories! From what I’ve read above I take it need to be sensible and top up with calories after exercise? What about during exercise? Or will my body have reserves it can use? Thanks.

I make my own from MMs book, melon, spinach, blueberry and almond milk is my favourite. Make up night. Do not buy the protein shakes they are full of offal and toenails (not joking). I’m sure someone will come on and tell you if there is a good one.

“I would be but can’t get into my son’s room (which really needs a good clean), as he won’t get out of bed – so frustrating!!! Yes, he is 19 and should be taking care of that himself but since he is in the grip of a major depression he rarely leaves his room etc…he had to abandon university plans and is now at home full time once again…on top of the ASD seems so unfair!!”

Imogen,

There is hope – but it may take a while. My daughter was diagnosed in her freshman year of college with a condition that, at the time, carried a “sentence” of 10 years to death or transplant. As you might imagine, it was accompanied by major depreession that had the same effect as yours has on your son – on top of fatigue being part and parcel of the underlying condition – so it is hard to tell what is causing what.

Now – 7 years later – my daughter holds down a full time job (that requires the night-owl to leave the house before 6 AM several days a week), carries her own health insurance, just bought her first car with the loan in her name, and signed up for classes at the local university to finish her degree. (I think she’s biting off more than she can chew as to the quantity of classes – but I’ve never been able to curb her optimism at the start of a school year. And she’s got a track record of a year of work that she’s stuck through, even though it is darn inconvenient and she hates her immediate supervisor). It’s been a long hard 7 years – pain at watching my valedictorian daughter who spent her first part of college at an elite private school sitting around on her bum, apparently unable to do anything while she (and I) adjusted to her new reality, but I see light at the end of the tunnel.

One of the most challenging pieces is sorting out “incapable of doing something” from being a lazy young adult and taking advantage of soft-hearted parents. Certainly everyone from the outside sees the latter in my daughter. They think (and have told her – and us – she just needs to “buck up.” Given my daughter’s accomplishments with the disease but pre-diagnosis, and the struggles I saw her go through then that I recognize as part of her diseases, I’m more inclined to to see the former. Don’t let others’ perception of your son or your parenting abilty drive a wedge between you and your son when he needs you most.

Brilliant, well done, looks very professional
Good Luck with it!

Personal note
Delicate subject.
Isn’t it wonderful when you don’t have to be a contortionist to cut your toenails.
😀😀😀😀
Simple things amuse simple minds

Love Lucia
Xxxxx

Hi gang,
Well my spirit or mood has lifted.
Ready for aqua aerobics tonight.
Feeling a little, pink, with turquoise edges.
Not quite at the scarlet and gold colour yet.

Keep waddling

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi everyone
Glorious day today – 2nd nordic walking lesson, then I spent a few hours on Hampstead Heath – ambling more than walking, as it was really hot even in the shady parts. I found an amazing part of the heath that I never knew existed – ‘The hill gardens and pergola’, the pergola is a really long raised walkway, so lovely and breezy – then I walked back to Hampstead Village, had lunch and came home.
It sort of felt like being on holiday!

Look what I did…

https://folksy.com/shops/margarethewston

It’s taken me ages to sort that out and I’ve put some other ones on ebay too. Excited 🙂

Hi – if you stick to BSD you’ll be whizzing down thru sizes very quickly – don’t buy anything larger
for inspiration, there’s a whole thread somewhere about “the jeans window”

That’s fantastic, well done Christine

My mini goal is to break 80kg. Currently 85.2 (I was 3 kgs more last week….)

Yup – just had to revert to coffee – half the milk and all logged but it may be an early night!

Yip, that’s what got to me too – do I go out and buy new trousers and jeans a size up, or do I try a bit harder to loose it? I’ve got one brand new pair that are wearable, but horribly tight. I keep them hanging at the front to motivate me to get (comfortably) into them before I go on holiday and not have anything hanging over the top!!!

I have been reading the book re the 800cal diet, and note the Dr M advises Meal replacements to kick start or just to take when you are busy(like me) and does not have time to make the meals from scratch…Does anyone have advice of which meal replacement shakes on the market right now are the best ones to take if any? I have been advised that Slim fast does contain carbs so I presume thats a no no…but I am not up on which ones would be better for this diet. Please can someone advise. Thanks

Love the name eternally optimistic!

I think that I am just getting to desperation stage. I know that I am fit yet the weight keeps on coming! I too have friends that have started cycling and lost stones in weight! So unfair……However, I have to stick with this as I refuse to buy any clothes that are larger. I also saw my mother at the weekend and don’t want to end up that way!

Hi Chookymama. I also cycle but not as much as you! Last year I did a big two day event and trained for it all summer. I lost maybe 3 or 4 lbs but that was it! I convinced myself that I was turning fat into muscle which apparently weighs more. Some of the ladies I cycle with lost weight without intending to. I don’t track calories on my bike, but I do track hours in the saddle and distances. Now that I’m not training for anything, I try to get out at least once a week and do around 30-35 miles, and I also play tennis 3 or 4 times a week. I’ve done this for years and still put on weight. Hence I’m trying the 800 calories/low sugars for the next 3 weeks before I go on holiday. Really hoping this works as it all makes so much sense to me.

Best of luck! Could be do-able if you’ve not be rigid the last week or so.

Just had 2 squares of Lindt 70%…. just needed ‘something’. It’s amazing how good and satisfying just 2 squares can be when your not eating sweet things.

I have a new mini goal after weighing in this morning as seeing the dreaded 76 pop up when I thought I had banished it. Serves me right for slipping up. But never mind that, was 76.2 and want to be at least 75.9 BY TOMORROW.

Hi Imogen,
She is living with us, she rarely leaves her room, has a house bunny, in her room! I find it really hard work, she never does anything to help, as she is the one who needs help and support!
Have reported back on the weigh and thread post about the doctors, it’s good news! Thanks again for being there.
Christine.
,

The busyness continues! and yes we are in Scotland no holiday here (except for me lol) So last night I finished sorting out my paypal account, and ebay and folksy. So Later today I plan to photograph and attempt to sell my stuff 🙂 exciting but I hope my things are wanted!

Today I dropped off my son, caught up with friend again and then home… cleaned my living room windows, dusted the living room and then started to clean my oven. The door separates into 3 pieces so all bits cleaned and had to scrape the inner one. It is getting old now and doesn’t clean perfectly but it certainly looks a lot better. My grill – which was working yesterday – has stopped working again grrr, so I’ll need to pull it all out again to see if I can find out why 🙁 Can’t be bothered for now though.

I’m going to disappear up into my loft soon and get some keyrings up for sale, and maybe paint something. I haven’t painted in a while. Work a bit on my sisters wallet too. Fabric to make one for my mother in law is here now too 🙂 so plenty to get on with.

My daughter also wants me to make her a pencil case too so really I could be up there for days and still have loads to do lol. Well I best get going have a great day 🙂

Hi all,
I just couldn’t wait till I posted my ‘day’ on my back to basics thread, so here goes.

I have just got back from the doctors and I am NO LONGER pre diabetic! My results are -: sugar 42 down from 47, liver function normal, cholesterol 5.7 same as last time, good cholesterol 4.4, thyroid up a bit to 6.1, I will have to have that checke in twelve months, my score is 14% should be about 10%, however the doctor isn’t going to insist I take statins as I have a good Mediterranean diet! And my HDL. 1.2.9.

He was very pleased with my results, and we were talking about the diet and how I had a plateau then after a bit of relaxed bsd ‘ing’ I started the diet proper and lost another lot of weight, and I have now been 12.2.4 for days, he suggested I relax again for a bit then get back to the 800/50 diet and he was sure I would lose the final half stone!

So I might do the 5-2 for a couple of weeks, he did suggest that everyone is different and I might benefit from relaxing the diet for a while as it has happened before, I did say that while I was on my last plateau my shape changed and I lost inches off my waist, hips etc, so he said he thought it would probably work again, he is a great doctor, although he did say different diets work for different people, which I do agree with a bit! So there we are!

One very happy bunny, and to think last night I was feeling really anxious! Thank you Imogen for the pep talk, I needn’t have worried.
Christine.

Hi Christine,

Thank you so much…we all support each other here…it is what makes the BSD ers so special🌻

Glad your daughter is getting the extra support she needs at the moment. I think that her previous job must have been incredibly stressful (even if rewarding). Has she moved closer to you now?
How great that she now has another possibility, working/training at the Botanics sounds fantastic. Hope she feels able to get to her course. Acceptance of ASD?… may take a while…

How went it at the GP?

Thanks for the welcome back! I took a break from most social media. July is always one of my busiest months – and most of August is my easiest (but became one of my busier months this year due to radiation). Unfortunately, life is goin to get even more hectic due to changes at work – so I we’ll see how active I can continue to be.

Hi Imogen,
So sorry to hear about your son, my sympathies are with you, not got a 19 year old son at home, I have a 46 year old who has managed after over 10 years to sell her flat in Sheffield, pack her job in as a mental health advisor at a job centre, trying to get them help and into work.
She is now re-training as a horticulturist at Birmingham botanic gardens, she starts her second course next Thursday. That’s if she can make it there! She is under the doctor for anxiety and depression, she is seeing a counsellor, we are hoping she will come round to the possibility of her having as asbergers or on the autism spectrum, we have all noticed her problems although she (of course)!doesn’t.
It must be harder work for someone who never leaves their room, how do you ever get in there to clean, change beds, does he come down for meals?
The thing you must do is look after yourself too, you can’t help your family if you are ill, so please do look after yourself too won’t you, you are so good at supporting people on this forum too, I’ve seen all your positive posts! So I just want to thank you from me to you for your support of me and my journey.
Christine.

I don’t actually WANT potatoes – but we belong to a CSA, so potatoes have been part of the share. I was experimenting to see if there was any way I could eat some of them slowly so I didn’t have to give them away. (We still have 2 of the 3 potato distributions.) What I really miss is bread. I’ve had a grand total of about 3 slices since October 2.

I’m all for sharing what works. For many people that includes hitting specific macro ratios, a complete ban on easily digestible carbs, intermittent fasting, etc. i just try to be very clear about what is actually required and what are additional restrictions I’ve imposed on myself (fairly strict net carb limit & intermittent fasting).

The process of heating and cooling isn’t terribly difficult. The first research I ran across just said to cook them normally, then allow them to cool before eating them. The additional research indicated that repeated cycles of heating and cooling had an even bigger impact – and allowed for consumption of the warm starch (a question in the original research). The salad I made was a rosemary-roasted potato salad – oven roasted potatoes coated with olive oil, rosemary, and thyme, tossed in balsalmic vinegar. It’s intended to be served warm, so I cooled it off completely to room temperature, refrigerated it, then reheated it the next day to serving temperature.

Hi Everyone
I thought I would update my progress; on week 6 of low carb and week 5 of BSD.
All together i have lost 22lbs and my blood sugars have dropped dramatically from around 13 when first diagnosed to averaging around 6.
I try and stick to around 30g of carbs a day and between 800-900 cals. However, I decided to increase my carb intake yesterday as I was adding some weight training into my exercise plan. Well, I wont do that again…I was hungry all day, my appetite went through the roof…my blood sugars didn’t though. How odd!!

Anyway, carrying on with my journey…..
Claire 🙂

Thanks Yowser, kind words. 😏

I was simply a little overwhelmed today…it can be hard to accept that future life may not be as hoped for my son – am trying to be supportive and encouraging for him – feel I am failing😞
Though he has faced a lot of challenges throughout his life with the ASD – the problems he is living through now seem so harsh. As you say; it is hard to watch him struggle.

In truth, I am also trying to adjust to what that means to my life (for the time being). I guess I had hoped to be able to reclaim some time for me at this stage…Is that very, very selfish?

I know it will be OK, he will find a way through, as will I.

Thanks for your support guys..🌻

Could you post the recipe for this please?
Ta
Claire

Many thanks – am aware of listening to my body and have bought some small bags of nuts to take with me just in case. Sound advice – thank you.

I’d love to join this group.

I started dieting on 7th August and incorporated 3 fast days a week where I had half my calorie allowance which was 625 calories. I found that SO much easier than 500 calories. Even thought I’ve had MM’s Fast diet book for months for some reason I wasn’t aware of his blood sugar diet book. So, I purchased it on Kindle and found this site and decided to switch to 800 calories. That was on 17th August and I am LOVING this approach. Thanks to the Fasting, my average calorie intake over the past 23 days is 829 calories so I’ve been pretty much doing this for just over 3 weeks. I’ve lost 13lbs and am delighted. My clothes are loser, yesterday I wore a new dress that I’ve had in my wardrobe for over 1 year to a barbeque and I felt on a high.

So, I’ve weighed in today and here are my stats

Weight : 16st 13.6
Waist: 43.5 inches (down from 50 inches!)
My goal for the end of 8 weeks is 15st 11 which is 2lbs a week, but I’m REALLY hoping I can get to 15st 7.

This forum has been so helpful to me and now I have a renewed excitement about the future.

Elaine xx

Thanks – very helpful. I am guessing that I will curb the exercise for a couple of weeks and just stick to my regular dog walking and swimming. I am doing this just for weight loss so am being careful not to be too extreme.

Thanks so much Indy … you should have a career as a diet coach I think. I really appreciate the support. I’m definitely feeling much better today.

Middle of July I weighed 14st .5lb and started to take control of my eating. I was following the Harcombe Diet from the middle of July which was working pretty well until I took a 2 week break in the middle for a holiday which resulted in a 5lb weight gain. So annoying! On getting back from holiday I decided to follow the BSD because my triglycerides were so high (over 900 – 500 is considered very high, so I have been referred to a lipids specialist in a couple of weeks) I wanted to see if I could get a grip on this diabetes and cholesterol issue once and for all rather than wait to see them.

Week 2 weigh in
Starting weight: 13st 8lbs (last Tuesday) but properly doing BSD from Saturday
Today’s weight: 13st 2.7lbs
Total lost so far 5.3lbs

I’m also doing daily intermittent fasting and not eating until at least 11 and will go longer if I’m not hungry.

Fasting Blood Sugar: Not seeing much improvement yet 8.4 this morning – has been pretty consistently in in the 8’s this last week with one day at 9.3

Today for brunch I had the portobello mushrooms with beans plus a little bit of cheese and it was really filling! Definitely will be having that again.

Good luck everyone!

Started yesterday and was so hungry before supper that I could not think enough to pick which recipe to try. Had a lovely meal of steamed salmon and vegetables ( peppers/tomatoes) and felt much better. I have cooked the bolognese sauce for supper this evening and cannot wait to try it. I thought that I would be discouraged and hungry today but I feel great and I am still excited to try this.

Ps sorry IMOGEN I meant to put yr name on the above post not ANTIGONE x left it too late to edit x

Hi Gillykins

I’m on day 14 and loving the approach – I wish I had come across this months ago!

I use weightlossresources to plan my food intake but I believe myfitnesspal works well and is free.

I would definitely encourage you to weigh your food. It sounds a pain but once you get into it, it will become second nature. It will also help you plan meal sizes and where and when to use your calories. It helps me SO much and I’m sure it is key to my success along with re-reading the book on my Kindle. The more you weigh food the more you’ll start to recognise portion size. This will help when you are in social settings where you definitely won’t want to be weighing food.

Chicken breast sizes are so variable so you would need to know the size and calories.

When I started I did spend a lot of time working out calories for the food I wanted to eat. I now have a list of food I love along with their calories. One thing I have discovered is that I have had no problem in sticking to 50g of carbs as I’ve now realised how bland carbs are compared to avocado, nuts and seeds on my salad (all weighed!), oily fish and meat.

I never thought I would be able to stick to 800 calories, I thought I’d feel like I’m missing out but I LOVE this approach.

Thinking of you both ANTIGONE and LUCKY..very difficult when our adult children are troubled or unwell.
I take yr point Lucky..when they are kids, we can guide them thru problems.put them to bed at seven pm and know no harm will come. They are safe in their cosy beds. So hard when they grow up coz they are still our babies and we still want to protect them,but they have to go out into the world,and all we can do is know we have taught them well enough that they can make their own way.
not so straightforward when they have physical,mental or emotional health issues. My DD has been ill from age 21.. I hate to see her have to battle on a daily basis,both practically and physically,
Hard for me too to watch her peers get their degrees,pass their driving tests,have their careers and their first babies ( second babies too some of them)
I dont begrudge them, i am pleased for them, but i want all the same things for my DD. If she feels any jealousy she doesnt show it and continues to be a good friend as much as she can.
Thinking of all the parents dealing with similar dilemmas. Its hard to watch our offspring struggle. Xx
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn276/yowzer2008/02d2edf001c94cb7488bf3cc154e52a7_zpswbhmbxvl.jpg

Thanks Lucky🌻

First of all you should not be adding calories if you want the full effect of the BSD. Secondly, let your body tell you if you are doing too much. I swim twice daily for around 40 mins each time but unfortunately I cannot do it on this diet. You do not say if you are diabetic. I am, so it is important that I do not go hypo, if you are not diabetic you might just feel a bit weak or more tired. For the first 2 weeks I could only do a little exercise so was swimming for 20 mins each time. I now have the timing down to a fine art. I don’t exercise when I have not eaten for a few hours. I have my meal, rest for half an hour then exercise, although I must say I have not managed to get back to 40 minute sessions. I also save some of my calories so I can have a snack within the 800 so, for example, today I had a meal that should have included pistachio nuts but I left them to one side to eat later.

If you are doing this just to lose weight then maybe there is a compromise you can make which allows to eat a little more in order to continue with the exercise. There is advise about exercise on the FAQ’s. I know people here like the MyFitnessPal but any machine bought for the mass market is bound to be inaccurate.

The general vibe is not to count calories burned as extra to eat – we are putting nutrient calories in and burning off stored reserves, since not offering quick carbs and sugars from diet.

However if you are exercising on your bike rides to a higher level then listen to your own body about extra food – but avoid the sugar /carb options. You will find your own balance. A lot of people here are going from less to more exercise on the 800 calories and finding it easier to do exercise.