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.

Hi everyone
This is day 2 of my week 10. I have lost 1 1/2 stone (21 lb) – a bit slow compared to some others but must carry on as have about another 40 lbs to lose. However I am not exercising much so that may well have something to do with it – must try harder!

I find the forums very helpful/inspiring and get a lot out of them even though I am not much of a contributor. I am a bit OCD about weighing and measuring – more than I need to probably – but it’s how I am. I too am a past member of WW, Slimming World etc and the one thing I struggled with initially was looking for “treats” I could have. Learned the hard way that doesn’t work! So now in principal I don’t have any unless they are included in the allowed food on the programme. My treats are strawberries for dessert and the odd couple of nuts to keep me going. In general I don’t find this diet difficult and am certainly not hungry.

Good luck everyone.

New here so forgive me if this is already out there.

I am a keen cyclist however am 2 stones overweight. I regularly burn more than 1000 calories on a bike ride and am concerned that if I am only eating 800 calories per day then this is going to impact upon my health and I will keel over!

I have used My Fitness Pal app for the last three years. Since using it I have put on 10kg which I now intend to lose with this new lifestyle choice. Whenever I exercise the calories are added into MyFitnessPal. Should I take any notice of this or if my 200 calories burned on a walk should be discounted and I purely eat 800 calories??

I have done 800 calories for the past two days and I have lost 2kgs already which is cracking news. However I don’t want to get on my bike and run out of steam! Please anybody out there let me know if this is an issue for you?

Many thanks

Also started Monday. My main concern is exercise – I do quite a bit and regularly burn over 1000 calories on a bike ride. Worried that I will fall over! If anybody else has this worry let me know. My cycling has not made a jot of difference to my weight – I did a London to Paris ride last year and no weight lost. Since then I have only continued gaining weight and this cannot go on. SO. Here’s to 800 calories…

Hiiiiii all, just a quickie off the tablet, PC not gone on and won’t be going on until I’ve accomplished something 😉

Morning Antigone, feeling better today thanks. I sat down after tea with a good (ish) book and relaxed as I was in so much pain and so muzzy headed from the codeine I could barely think straight 😆 . Woke up pain free (ish…) so will capitalise on that. How’s the butt? 😉

Ah Imogen I’m sorry to hear that, I can empathise there. There’s nothing I can say there, is there? I hope things become better for your son, and of course you. I am more worried about my son now as he’s nearly 21 as I was 10 years ago. At least I could step in and fight his battles for him back then. He hasn’t even told his uni lecturers he has asd. I told the administrator when she phoned up and she said it was a shame because he’d have had much more help and much more time etc with exams. But what can you do when they’re ‘adults’? He wanted a clean slate but as I said, his roommates and classmates needn’t have had to know. I doubt the lecturers would have announced it to the class.

Hey butterlover 😊 Will come to most of us at some point in the future if not already, try not to worry. It’s stressful having work like that done. I had bathroom kitchen and whole house rewired six years ago, with four children. Still brings me out in a cold sweat thinking about it. I am so glad I don’t like cheese.

Cassandra well done! Indeed changing your mind is changing your life! Thanks for sharing, it gives me strenght to fight when cortisol rises.

Hi to all, good to be back. I have gained 2lbs since my last weigh in but putting that behind me. I am happy to say that my blood glucose levels are still under 6 each morning so the low carbing continues to work even though I have been a little bit over on calories. The family were all packed off home on Sunday, sob sob, but I will be seeing them again mid October so not so sad. The shopping is in with lots of lovely veg in the fridge and I am fresh and ready to start again.

Start weight 76.2 kg, or 11 st 13.5 lbs, so kept under the dreaded 12 and tomorrow want to have got rid of the 76 and be seeing 75.something. New target is to lose 3kg in the 6 weeks before heading off again, I know it is not a lot but I am a slow loser and I am on insulin which stops weight loss to some extent. My main target is to get my HBA1c down to 6.0 at my next official laboratory test. I reduced from 8.2 to 6.6 at my last test.

One thing about starting the 8 weeks over again is that I am re-looking at weighing and measuring food again. It is surprising how the odd extra gram or two can creep in. As an example, this morning I had the blueberry shake and it says 50g of blueberries. I measured by eye and found I have put in 80g so I quickly put 30 back in the bag. Only blueberries so would not be a disaster but a lesson learned.

So good to be back.

Day 1
Breakfast: Fried eggs and tomatoes
Lunch: mushroom soup
Snack: cheese, blueberries
Dinner: steak, asparagus & mushrooms
Cals: 850:

OK two weeks down now and some new veggies under my belt…
Green runner beans sliced, brussels fried in olive oil and garlic and I got them both down without too much trouble. Hubby did it with me too although he likes the beans… So progress there!
Weighed in this morning and was down 2.8kgs from starting weight and I couldn’t be more wrap with the result and I was a little surprised too but it was wonderful. Very encouraging.
Fasting blood sugar was 4.7mmol which is also impressive and that is not the first time it has been that low this week so I am a happy chappie. I will soon be able to come off one of my diabetes tablets and work on getting off the others.
My avocado is ripe now so trying that next, probably tomorrow and then cucumber.
Well that is my update for this fortnight.
Hope you are all doing great too!

Does anyone know if there is a way to save some fav recipes from this site? I tried to screen print them but some don’t fit etc.
Thanks

Hi All.I have not had anytime to post this last few days, Preparations for a new bathroom are all consuming.I made the classic mistake yesterday by going to the supermarket feeling hungry and in a rush, Bought some of my all time favorite Italian pastry things, a bit like a palmier.They were to be kept on hand for visitors but I visited the pantry and now they are all gone.That’s life. I managed to do some walking ,which is good as I haven’t been very motivated to walk. We are having our coldest winter in 30 years and sometimes the wind is freezing so I settle for a walk around the local shopping mall.Also, realized that I do better when I’ve had a good sleep.weight is creeping down very very slowly .I looked back through my records and realized that most of the time I’m eating 900 calories on most days .So I will have to try harder not to snack,cashews, cheese seem to be the problem , so I go tsome hummus and vegie sticks for tonight. I hope everyone is well . cheers

Wilma I agree with a couple of others, Vegemite goes very well with celery.

Hello Frog

Only just read your above post! Don’t visit the forums an awful lot now I am nearly at target but we’re still sticking at it, mum and I!

Well done everyone….

Cheers Sneak. Hope you go well too, sounds like you are so far.

I had my first serious sugar craving yesterday (day 8 of the diet for me) after a very stressful incident, unfortunately it happened in the middle of tesco! Managed to stick to 1 square of lindt 70% dark choc, and by eating it “mindfully” (with difficulty) I found I was actually completely sated! under normal circumstances I would have eaten a take away and 2-3 deserts. The scales have stalled a little for me over the last few days but I am conscious it could be just stress, can’t believe I seem to be on the way to stopping stress eating, which is an even bigger win for me than weight loss. Best of luck everyone today

Hi am starting today so hope you don’t mind me joining you all – have read through posts and feel inspired. 3 stone to lose and plan to up my exercise as well as doing 800 calories a day 🙂

Hey there,
I am just finishing week 2 and I am going better than I though I would. I am not craving fat though but I really really miss my cereal for breakfast. I am a cereal junkie and now I know how harmful that has been for me.
I did give in today and had it for the first time in 2 weeks and I will leave it another two weeks to have it again and I will account for the carbs and the calories so hoping that is all good.
You will be fine, just keep busy checking out the recipes on here..
The rhubarb dessert is awesome, loved that one..
Good luck and I know you can do it.

Hi all you lovely week 9 ers.
Well I am at week 9 plus 6 days so I am on day 62, my usual weigh day is Wednesday, but weighed in this morning to join in with all you lovely peeps, and stayed the same as last Wednesday. But total loss so far 33lbs, when I started I had 104 to loose, but I am aware I have gone down in c.m. and this week some of my trousers are now unwearable as falling of all of a sudden, but I have passed down two dress sizes now, and crossed 3 stone barriers. My goal was to get into the fab dress I have for the wedding on Saturday, and that is looking lovely now, dilemma of what fascinators nail varnish eve bag etc etc, ooh how lovely to be able to have a fab choice.

I’m not concerned about maintaining, as I am on holiday and although not eating things I shouldn’t, I am eating a bit more meat etc, too much time to eat hehe.

Goal for end of week 16 I want to loose another 16 -20lbs and hopefully take me down to a size 16, I am of up to Norfolk tomorrow, and yes pedantic Jan will be taking her food weighing scales and my body weighing scales. They are my security blanket I would over estimate without them, and as we are staying in a lodge I will still be able to have my choices. Won’t have wifi very much though so getting onto MFP could be a problem, so we shall see.

I am determined by tomorrow my official weigh day to have a little loss, so I am getting busy today.

Bon chance to you all. 😎😎😎

Hi Lucky, are you busy cleaning the upstairs today??
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!!

OK, self pity fest over…gonna put an exercise session on you tube and work it out🙌

Hope you OK?? You’re awfully …well…quiet…..🌻

Hi Neohdiver, I am so pleased to hear from you, I have been wondering over the last few weeks how you were getting on. Your news is wonderful and a great example of turning a negative experience into a positive one – love the picture, I will remember that approach for the future.
Looking forward to your new posts and insightful analysis of your progress.
Welcome back!!

How did it go Karen ?

Hi Antigone

The answer is surprisingly well thanks.

No headache, not hungry, drank loads.

My son is dragging me to the gym tonight which will be a laugh !!

What gear should I wear as a 50+ year old ‘pounding’ the tread mill is my first thought !!

(Probably something sensible )

Keep on going

Well done 54!

I think reading all these posts is a great encouragement for me]

Thanks to everyone

Thanks for the support Indy and Verano

I think reading all these posts is a great encouragement for me]

Thanks to everyone

ok Day 1 over

AFTER DAY 1

WEIGHT NOW: 21 Stone 9 pounds

START WEIGHT: 21 stone 12 pounds

LOSS AFTER DAY 1: 3 Pounds !!

GOSH 3 pounds already

Yes been back on scales and still same !!!

so mini win !! Yes I know its mainly water, yes long way to go. but still very encouraging

(a three week loss on weightwatchers !!)

Enjoyed the food, did a long walk, mowed the lawn (much to everyones surprise)

Fingers crossed for day 2 !

Good luck all

ok Day 1 over

AFTER DAY 1

WEIGHT NOW: 21 Stone 9 pounds

START WEIGHT: 21 stone 12 pounds

LOSS AFTER DAY 1: 3 Pounds !!

GOSH 3 pounds already

Yes been back on scales and still same !!!

so mini win !! Yes I know its mainly water, yes long way to go. but still very encouraging

(a three week loss on weightwatchers !!)

Enjoyed the food, did a long walk, mowed the lawn (much to everyones surprise)

Fingers crossed for day 2 !

Good luck all
Good luck every one

Yup go the cheese! I just had a baked chicken breast in a herb and tomato sauce I made with melted cheese and silverbeet on top. YUM

Thanks for that, hoping my stall will not last too long. Yeah I like greek yogurt but i must be the only person that feels starving 30mins after I eat it! Good luck with your week!

Are you OK Lucky?

Not craving cake I should have said

Gosh, that’s interesting neohdiver.

All of this is very complex and us additionally complicated by the different hormonal responses of different individuals

Whilst I would not rule out the occasional slice of bread or potato in maintenance (I can take or leave the rice, personally,band I am fortunate in not craning cake), I wonder whether it is better to recommend totally non refined carb on the BSD itself, rather than try and explain the heating/cooling process you have evidently been researching and carrying out?

It does depend, I understand, on how much you want potatoes etc. As I said, everyone is different!

I stalled in week 3 but then lost in week 4. I started week 5 yesterday – feeling very tired today… Loving full fat yogurt 🙂

Yes! And eat and enjoy that cheese – so long as you gave the calories for it!

I found one of the very best aspects if the BSD – butter on veg, olive oil on salad and cooking, and CHEESE 🙂 🙂

It is very satisfying.

Hi and welcome.

I think it’s a good idea to weigh and record all you eat – it keeps you on track and also helps you plan. There are various apps – I found MyFitnessPal good. If you have a look you will see interesting things about the nutritional content of food – for example how much sugar/carbs there is in fruit – which helps you make sense of the BSD advice to eat this as a small element of meals rather than a lot as a main snack.

Re the chicken breast, yes you should weigh, but the skin on or off depends in the recipe as fat and full fat is allowed and recommended on this diet – it’s not bad for you and fills you up.

Keep an eye on how many carbs you are eating – many people find if they can stay under 50g per day this helps with weight loss – and drink lots and lots.

And you may find the first few days tricky, feeling hungry – this is your body adjusting to having to get energy from elsewhere rather than rhe “quick hit ” refined carbs. Stick with it – it gets easier quite quickly for most people.

Good luck!

Haha just noticed my spelling slip. Must get my weighs and ways sorted x

Hi Frog

You could be right about the sun cream. I tend to use only a small amount on my face, Piz Buin, which isn’t greasy, but I try my best no to have my face in the sun. Nearly always wear a sun visor. It’s probably a bit late in the day for me to start worrying about sun damage but I’m trying!!!

Hi Gillykins
I’ve tried every diet you can imagine. Like yourself I was seeing myself getting larger and felt powerless. I happened upon the 8-week blood sugar diet and read it cover to cover. My blood sugar has been a problem in the past and I have glucose intolerance. I made my mind up to give it a go. On my 4 th week now and lost just under 1 stone. I haven’t felt hungry, occasionally needing 2-3 nuts between meals. My advice read around the diet, get prepared and go for it! Best of luck. By the weigh a set of digital food scales is very helpful and do take weigh the chicken and skin it. 👍🏻

Morning all.

First day of the next 8 weeks and the sun is shining so that’s a good start!

Well in the first 8 weeks I lost 14.8lbs and 3″ from my waist so I’m really happy with that. I have only tried on one top that was slightly skimpy and that fits well now and my even be a little big!! I have a few more that I’ll try later …. fingers crossed they fit too.

My goal for the next 8 weeks is to lose 14lbs.

I am going on holiday next Sunday for 3 weeks so my goal for the first 4 weeks is just 4lbs. Not sure if I can do that but will hopefully not put any weight back on! I will still keep weighing and reporting back here!

Hope everyone has a good second round and first 8 for those just starting out.

So half way through week 3, no weight loss since week one…not too worried as I gather it can stall a little around now?

I find I am craving fat, like butter and adding a little extra cheese to meals etc. I don’t miss bread, sugar pasta or anything like that but do want extra fat!

Anyone else experience this?

Day 2.
How did you do yesterday 54?
I was tired yesterday but didn’t cheat – not sure I have the energy to increase activity levels but we’ll see……early days 🙂

Hi everyone, I’m very impressed with the stories I have been reading, they are very inspirational.

I have a few questions before I gear myself up and start:-

1. Does one have to weigh chicken breasts, and I imagine they are skinless?

2. How much does one feel saitiate?

3. When I’ve been on diets in the past (and oh boy, there have been many!), all I think off day and night is food!

I need this to work. Looked at some holiday photos at the weekend, and bull sea lion came to mind!

Hi everyone, sounds like you are all starting out really well! I am hoping to start in 2 weeks time, after speaking to the Dr and actually getting the book delivered 🙂
Every ones enthusiasm is awesome! 🙂

Hi JulieAA.
Yes welcome and hope you have great success with everything. This is a very supportive forum. I am only on day 11. Definitely gets easier after the first week. You don’t have to make fancy meals with exotic ingredients that you may not have in the pantry normally. Just meals that you actually want to eat is the key and easy otherwise hunger can get the better off you if you are not prepared. I find leaving breakfast till 9am works for me and leaving lunch as late as possible. The afternoons into the evening are the hardest. I get hungry and sometimes the energy slump so most of my food intake is later in the day. All the best. Caro

I am also 54 and determined to be “fat NO MORE!” I kind’ve started Sunday, but officially on Monday. I am pleasantly surprised that I am satisfied on this diet, not having constant cravings. It is still a day to day struggle not to indulge – but know all the little treats is what has put me where I’m at – Sugar can go to the Devil as far as I’m concerned ! I’m kinda sticking to the recipes in the book this first week or two, but glad there is a recipe section on here – just not sure which recipes are allowed on the 800 plan. I did make the cauliflower rice with the vegetable curry – it was just fabulous!! I want to try the Pho soup, but haven’t found the packets to make it in stores. Luckily there is a new Pho restaurant that opened not far away, may try it out this week. I find that a hot cup of water with 1/2 lemon every morning really helps me.

My starting wgt: 270 (5’8″)

The BSD rules don’t entirely exclude refined carbs.

“I’m not saying all carbs are bad. Along with fats and proteins, carbs play an important role in our diet. The problem occurs when you eat too much of the wrong sort. . . . That doesn’t mean that rice and potatoes are evil, but don’t pile your plate with them. Think of them more as a side dish than a staple, and try to find alternatives.” )[lines 898-919 in the Kindle version.]

The two primary descriptios of the carb categories are “easily digestible carbs” and “Complex, unrefined carbs.” My understanding of resistant starch is that the process of cooling (preferably multiple times) converts the starch from easigly digestible into significantly less easily digestible – which would move it toward (if not in) the second category of carbs.

All that is to say that, as I read the book, including potatoes or pasta as a side dish (evenwithout making it resistant) is consistent with the BSD.

I certainly wouldn’t make a staple out of it, or have it at every meal, but on occasion I have been able to consume as much as 30 grams of carbohydrates from a potato salad, made by repeatedly heating and cooling with approximately the impact that 20 net grams of carbohydrates would otherwise have had – a pretty significant change in ease of digestion.

From a blood glucose management perspective, test your BG before you eat, at 1 hour, at 2 hours and, if 2 is higher than 1, at 3 hours. My personal threshhold is to keep my BG within the normal range at all times. Aside from experimenting, if something pushes my BG (even for a transient spike) above 7.77, I don’t eat it. The 30 grams carbohydrates in my resistant starch potato salad (a generous side dish serving) topped my BG out at 6.89)

Great job everyone! Your progress and especially number of steps have encouraged me to get a walk in this evening. I did 895 cals, 15 g carbs, 8,500 steps for day 1 today. Looking forward to staying under 800 cals tomorrow and moving forward with more steps this week.

Hi JulieAA,

Welcome! So glad you have joined us. Good to hear that your prognosis is good. Must have been a very difficult time for you.

I eat three meals per day but in saying that I eat breakfast quite late as I fast 16 hours most days. Technically, it is probably not breakfast.

I weigh every day but a lot of people don’t. It is not necessary to but I like to.

Look forward to seeing your results.

HI everyone – I’ve just ordered the book and keen to get started.
Needing to lose 15kg+ after gaining a lot of weight the past 15m after cancer treatment (prognosis is good for me!).
Curious to know re meals – does everyone eat 3 meals per day, or do some find it easier to have 2 meals??
And is it a good idea to weigh daily ???
I’m a South Australian girl…. wanting to be slimmer for our summer 🙂
Thanks everyone!

Welcome Ffaster!
I hope we can help support you in your endeavours.
The forums is great and very inspiring. Have a look around.