Thanks JGwen.
Looks like it’s a personal thing, so I’ll try without for now.

I’ve so far managed to resist the remaining Christmas cake, and I’ve lost 3lbs already so I’m happy with that.

Yep, me!
Plus the difficulty of feeding me, DH, DD1 (vegetarian) and DD2 (fuss-itarian) without DH having to cook 4 different meals!

I just started this week and have not followed any of the recipes yet, except cauliflower rice and using courgette strips for pasta replacement, which I picked up on this forum.

Hi all, this is my first post here and I’m wondering if anyone could offer me any advice as to why I’m barely losing any weight! I feel like I’m at my wits end and ready to give up. I just dont understand what’s gone wrong. I’m starting to wonder whether the Fast 800 just doesn’t work for everyone.

Here are my circumstances;

1) I’ve been on the Fast 800 diet for 3 weeks now and lost only 1.5kg!!

2) I fast for 16 hours a day. My regime is to not eat anything after 6.30pm. The next morning I have black coffee around 9am. At about 11am I usually start eating with either a single carrot or a boiled egg. Then eat a small calorie lunch at about 1.30pm.

3) I fastidiously use an phone app called FatSecret and according to the app I am mostly at about 800-825 calories per day. My absolute maximum carbs are 35 grams per day. Fat is usually at 45 grams and protein at about 52 grams. Any less protein and I’m usually starving (more of that below).

4) I have used urine keto strips daily and get a rich pink colour confirming that I’m definitely in ketosis (ie around 1.5-3)

5) I only do a bit of walking exercise but try to do it everyday.

6) I’ve been to a doctor and had a blood test which doesn’t reveal anything remarkable.

My only vice I can think of is that I have drunk a bit of Coke Zero and have read that fake sweeteners can create some impediments. Regardless, given the strict 800 calorie and 16 hour fasting regime I’m on, surely the results would be better than 1.5kg.

I’m so hungry most evenings I find I’m going out of my mind and despite my earnest commitment to this diet, I am truly going nowhere. I’m beginning to think there is no hope for me. I dont find this an easy diet at all despite people saying their hunger goes. I feel week, exhausted and have a bit of brain fog. After three weeks I’m so tired of it and not sure I can do another seven days more.

What on earth is creating so much of failure? Please help, I’m just so overwhelmed with disappointment and frustration.

Thanks for any help

Hi everyone
I have snuck on the bus a day or 2 late but lovely to see so many joy riders!! I have been catching up with all the posts and I am never good at posting my own bits here. I am painfully slow and keep checking!!
I think I need to order the new book as everyone seems to be enjoying the new recipes. I am going to try to get my head around the macros as having started with the Newcastle diet in June 2016 followed by BSD I have never concentrated on the finer details focus was on low carb and calories, often too much protein not much else, often I don’t think I ate enough.
I missed my target by 8lbs in early 2020 and then sabotaged myself for all of 2021. I now realise I do not see myself as I am. When I lost all my weight I couldn’t see it I looked no different in my head and now I have been putting on weight I don’t see that as I am always ‘fat’!!
I have my son and daughters graduations (delayed from 2020) in May and I am determined to get into the dresses I bought. I also have a wedding in June and another dress I bought for it in 2020 so not focusing on the scales too much but body shape is going to be crucial.
I am aiming high as I am a very slow looser (did 6 months in 2019 and lost nothing then 3.5 weeks and a stone dropped off!! ) but hopefully tightening the Macros will help. Aiming for 2lbs a week. Weigh-in later today after my open water swim!!
Well done everyone, I love hearing about all the ups and downs, good to know others have the same struggles. It some how makes them easier to overcome.

Im reading the BSD. I will begin soon. Question…was there anyone else starting and looking at the recipes that thought…yuck! 🥺

CapiforianGirl, thank you so nuch for such an inspirational post. We ALL need reminders like this, that one over indulgence doesn’t mean all is lost so we might as well give up; that it’s okay to be human and stumble. What’s important is that we forgive ourselves and just get back on track ASAP.
Thanks again CG.

Watching the ATP cup tennis and walking round house, running up the stairs (several times), star jumps, running on spot, sit up, press ups in between games. I love that Amazon Prime shows so much tennis. I’ve now found a way to watch it without feeling guilty that I’m sitting down for too long!
Made the tandoori halloumi recipe tonight from MMs new book. Really enjoyed it, very tasty.
You are all amazing with the information and advice you give.
I’ve lost 6.6 lbs since Sunday, I think I must have been holding onto so much water. My fat % has reduced a little according to my scales. I know it will slow done or stall so not getting too excited about rate of loss. I’ve always lost 5lbs in the first week before and then it goes up and down or nowhere.
I’m happy!

Happy New Year all BSD’rs!
Thank you Verano for posting that link — it’s exactly what Dr Bikman/ Dr Fung/Gary Taubes have stated — when you are gaining weight or are fat (no perjorative there — I was there too) you have high insulin levels and high insulin levels “lock” calories/fuel in your own fat cells thus leaving your body “starving” for fuel. I’m going to repeat that — high insulin levels “lock” calories/fuels in your fat cells. Your body is left “starving” for fuel. Your body cannot access the (more than adequate) calories in your fat cells. Insulin has them safely stored away. Your body IS literally starving.
Insulin is “anabolic” — in other words, it works to build UP body tissue. As long as you have high insulin, it will be hard to lose weight AND you will feel hunger.
Hello all the new posters!
I’ve been happily following Dr Moseley’s advice for just about seven years now and have been able to manage my weight for all that time. What Verano has posted is really critical. The most important goal you have is to LOWER your insulin levels.
Please take the time to listen to some of Dr Bikman podcasts and get the books by Gary Taubes “Good Calories Bad Calories” (my original eye-opener) and “Why we Get Fat” — they are so helpful to understand what has gone wrong.
This is so do-able!
I had such doubts (but also no other options as I was steadily gaining weight) when I found the original Moseley book at Heathrow passing through on a holiday. I was embarrassed to buy the book but it was the best thing I ever did.
It opened up the world of new research about insulin, calories and carbohydrates — all so important for my ultimate success.
To all newbies — don’t give up.
It took me weeks and weeks and months to internalize a new way of thinking. But ultimately this works. Your body is going to become a friend again – not an enemy who keeps getting fatter — this WILL WORK.
You will eat off plan. You will eat too much. You will have too many Prosecco’s.
Don’t quit. Start again the next day. Draw a line under it and just start again.
Start right NOW — with your next meal. It will take a bit of time but if you stick with it, it will change your life.

I’m back, just wanted to shout about my dinner cos it was amazing!!

I had 2 cauldron sausages, runner beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower mash made with some garlic and herb cheese and a tiny bit of gravy, all in all 21g carbs and 390 cals – but I’m still under 800 for the day and under 30g carbs so not bad going at all considering I’m poorly!

L x

JGwen, the pain and swelling you describe sounds awful :Have you sought any medical attention?
I’ve been taking magnesium also, as I read that it helps with joint and muscle pain. Last year I decided I wanted to try and reduce some of the medication I’m
on, and replace with supplements where possible. So far I’ve been able to halve one medication and have reduced another from 75mg to 25mg. I take fish oil, turmeric and magnesium.

Weight update – I have lost 1.3kg this week 🙂 that’s 2.86lb. I’m down to 89.8kg, so I have reversed my Xmas/NY gain and am just under where I was on Christmas Eve. I was SO hungry yesterday evening – had a couple of cups of tea with a dash of milk and didn’t give in to temptation and eat – although if hunger had kept me awake I would have had some yoghurt or something. I kept busy so didn’t miss my usual Friday evening glass or 2 of wine. My husband has decided to have a few weeks without beer, not quite Dry January but it helps me as I’m not then tempted to join him when he has a drink.

It’s 5.45am here. I want to go out early for when the supermarket opens to try and buy the groceries that were missing from my online order (chicken, steak, veggie sausages, salmon – all of the proteins I needed to make meals!), if there’s still supply issues then I’ll plan some vegetarian meals instead as I have tofu, cans of different beans and legumes etc. I’ve been trying to avoid public places (hence the online order), but figure it should be safer first thing when there are less people around. I also shop for my elderly MIL and some of her food was unavailable too, so I promised her I’d try and get it today.

I haven’t read all of MM’s new book yet but will be interested to see the suggestions for vegetarian diets, to be able to get adequate protein but still keeping carbs low. I’m not vegetarian, more flexitarian I guess, my youngest daughter is though, and my husband has gone off of a lot of meat dishes and prefers plant based foods.

Have a good weekend all 🙂

Thanks Verano x

Aw thanks Tulip, good suggestions! I’m doing ok so far although I suspect the self isolation might do me in before the COVID does!

Sunshine girl you can do it!!

Lauren …. wrap yourself up in TLC. Hope you’re well soon.

Oh no, Lauren!! No wonder you are feeling awful…
If it was me personally (although quite happy to be told no to this by anyone else!!), I would probably not worry so much about the calories, although keep to med style low carb because, exactly as you say, your body is asking for nutrition as you are fighting a virus….also making sure you have good vitamins going in including high dose vit D, C and B complex and other immune support minerals like potassium (my whole family went mad for bananas in the covid recovery period)….also covid thirst can be insane- I countered mine that lasted after the virus with coconut water and still have 100ml of it every morning- I guess it’s a natural electrolyte drink, supposed to help with cellular dehydration.

Any how, that’s just my twopence worth- also gets lots of rest and lots of fluids!

Feel better soon xxx

Hi.
Caron thanks for the link but unfortunately it didn’t work because I don’t subscribe! Anyway, I did find the recipe but it sounds really rich with yogurt and cream! Also I’m not a fan of sweet and meat so I’d have to leave out the sultanas! Think I’ll try the other recipe first. I just adore cardamom! Hope you get here next month but as you say at least it’s something to look forward to.
Sunny, skin care products how wonderful. I have a new moisturiser but won’t open it until I’ve finished my current one. Can’t wait for the new one! Also you’ve made me remember that I’ve not used my meditation app for weeks. I must get back to it tomorrow. I need to relax especially as I have some medical tests next week.
So, today it’s really difficult for me to find a positive but I will ….
🙏🏻⚖️The scales are showing a nice loss so far this week … amazing what happens when you start weighing and logging! Today I’ve managed to keep my protein and fibre in check but my carbs are way over! I give up.
Hope the weekend proves positive for everyone.

Hi everyone, Lauren so sorry you have a positive PCR and hoping you are not too unwell with it. We dodged a bullet in visiting the UK and managed to get back with negative tests on both sides of the Channel. Yesterday daughter was pinged with a warning she has been in close contact with a positive test on 30th. Turns out she went to the gym the day after we left. Good job she wouldnt let me go for a swim and tried to keep us safe. Anyway she is double jabbed and doesnt have any symptoms so it doesnt really affect her. She works from home anyway. However, it took 7 days to notify her, she could be infected and walking around infecting others. Bit of a lame system if you ask me.

Still doing well on the diet and losing weight but blood glucose is stubbonly remaining high(ish) even though I have increased my insulin injection. It will take my body a few more days to get back onto an even keel.

With a high blood sugar reading this morning and not going anywhere I extended my TRE from 8pm to 1pm – 17 hours fasting. I will probably be starving later as it seems to have a knock on effect if I miss a complete meal but I will get through it. Have a good weekend and stay safe.

Hi Yowzer49

Thank you for the reminder about L-cysteine. I remember there is some research that its important in encouraging the body to convert muscle cells to using fat for fuel as it has a role in the development of increased numbers of mitochondria in the cell. If my memory serves me right a muscle cell which is fat adapted as 5 mitochondria against 2 in a muscle cell used to being fueled by carbs. – The brain fog is finally starting to lift thankfully. ——– Interestingly Dr Bikman has recently been repeatedly stating on his podcasts that its not possible to get all nutritional needs from plant protein sources, meat is a much better source of nutritional needs. – I have asked via their website if they could cover this topic in more detail in one of their podcasts but my suspicion is that this is one of the key amino acids you get from meat but not plant protein.

Your post inspired me to order both some extra supplements of that but also Caprylic Acid, which is anti viral as well as helping to deal with any yeast infections in the gut or on the surface of the skin. I have been back to childish ways, so if I was feeling cold and sore from the coughing a tin of rice pudding would make a meal without even a reference to the carb levels. So it will be wise to presume that I need to give my gut a helping hand and its an easier way of reducing the number of sugar fueled bacteria in my gut.

I have been taking heavy doses of magnesium which includes zinc. – I have been having some very strange cramp like experiences. But rather than being like pins and needles its just complete pain and an inability to move the body part involved. Sometimes its hands but normally its been legs and ankles which have become heavily swollen. I have to put my foot to the ground and then use weight bearing to change the angle of my ankle for example during an attack as I loose the ability to move my foot any other way. My legs have swollen so much that I am struggling again with socks cutting into my legs and even getting trainers to fit. No chance of getting wellies back on at present 🙁

Hi all,
We are having a strange day of sunshine and hail here – beautiful cloudscapes. Verano, re cardamom chicken, my go-to recipe is Madhur Jaffrey’s Mughlai chicken. It is absolutely gorgeous. When I am being strict, I cut back on the onions and almonds, but that doesn’t seem to undermine the lovely combination of spices. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/recipes/0/mughlai-chicken-almonds-sultanas-recipe/ Yowzer I have always meant to get to the Lever gallery and failed miserably. No excuse really since I still have relatives on the Wirral. It will certainly feature when I next get up there. Sunny, favourite gallery? I would go for the Mauritshuis (but I’m biassed!), Frick, and Dulwich. I love the smaller scale collections.

Positives for today:
1) Bought some new clothes as an antidote to lockdown. And remembered to google for a discount code before paying – 20% off woohoo.
2) Backpain is finally receding. Managed to vacuum up all the bits of the Christmas tree.
3) Booked Eurostar to the UK to see my parents next month. It may prove impossible, but it’s nice to have dates in the diary.

Have a lovely day one and all.

Hi YBR,
Think of your body as having 2 types of fuel. Type one is you are burning carbs, type two is you are burning fat for fuel. Your body can only do one or the other, it can not do both at the same time.

Because sugar is so damaging to your body, if your body is responding to having eaten a high carb meal by raising insulin then it will be burning the sugar, only once the carbs are burned up does your body revert to burning fat.

Your body is clever, it does not want you to starve. So if calories are limited but insulin remains high preventing you from using your fat stores for fuel for a number of weeks / months then your body will respond by making your metabolism more efficient. So you need less calories for every day living. That makes it not only harder to discard extra weight, but easier to put on extra weight in the future. – (Look for articles online on the long term outcome of the USA program The Greatest Loser.)

So how can you be sure you are burning fat ( in ketosis.)…

Option one, fasting. The obvious option is if you don’t eat anything for a while your body will use up the sugar stores and move into ketosis. How long does it take to get into ketosis, it does depend on your sugar stores, but if you look at Dr Fungs work then 36 to 42 hours are the normal recommendations for getting into ketosis and having a period where your body is burning fat / healing.

Option two, keto eating plans. – Research has shown if you eat less than 20g of carbs a day every day you will be in ketosis. So some people install an app like fat secret on their mobile and count daily carbs.

Option three, work out what your personal boundary is for carbs and being in ketosis. – While those of us who have been on a high carb diet for years and are not athletes have to stick to under 20g of carbs a day, Elite athletes are more “metabolically flexible” and can switch back and forth between carbs and fat for fuel during a day even on 100g of carbs a day. – If you measure if you are ketosis you can work out your personal carb boundary which may be more flexible than 20g of carbs.

Option four, eat low carb and count calories for only a short period of time. Maybe as this is DR M’s forum I should have put this as option 1. Its why he recommends only following his protocol for 8 weeks at a time.

Having read back through the posts on this thread, it sounds to me like you may want to read up on Insulin and Insulin Resistance, which is the stepping stone where eventually the damage progresses to being diagnosed to T2. I would strongly recommend Dr Bikmans work as well. –

———-

How to tell if you are in ketosis, well the first is what not to do. Don’t waste any money on pee sticks. – These are sticks that test for ketones in your urine. When you start going into ketosis your body will generate surplus ketones and get rid of them in your urine. – But this is only at the start, after a while it gets efficient and only generates as many ketones as you need for fuel.

There are plenty of mentions on USA and Canada forums of using blood test monitors. These involve purchasing both the monitor and test strips. – The monitor that seems to be the most popular is not sold in Europe or the UK. so most people this side of the pond don’t test to do daily tests.

The third option is testing your breath for the byproduct of burning ketones. There are specialist monitors sold, and cheap breathalysers available from Amazon sold for this. Turns out they use the same mechanism so you may as well buy the cheap option. – There is a knack to using them, involving holding your breath and then its the last of the lung output you need to blow into the monitor. There is a thread we used to use to save links to useful articles and research papers. Called Take a Look at This, If you search it for links I posted a couple of years ago that mention AT6000 (the make of cheap breathalyser used to test for ketones) you will find more info.

———————–

Should you test ? When I started on this journey a few years ago, it was all about weight loss for me, and I had more surplus weight to discard than it would have taken me 8 weeks to achieve. So I had to work out what to do to continue beyond 8 weeks. I have found using the cheap breathalyser useful as it has highlighted to me how long it takes me to get into ketosis, and how few carbs it takes for me to fall out of ketosis even 2 years down the line. ———– It has also helped me confirm what feelings in terms of energy and mental awareness mean I am in ketosis, which then means I can tell without having to test. —————-

However, I do think there is an element that measuring ketones has been for me about trying to fight the tide. I realise I have been trying to juggle emotional pulls to eat with trying to heal, stopping for meals during the day, and looking with envy at the “nice” food everyone else is buying is the supermarket is all about a twisted view on what is being kind to yourself.

Hope that helps.

DCT thanks for asking ketone test info,I need to know too.
Have never used them. Thanks JGWEN for all the details! 💕
Very well done CCATHY on your great start! 👏👏 xx

Congratulations Cathy on the weight loss. “Keep my eye on the prize” is a good way of looking at it. It’s always difficult to remember that short-term gratification is a damaging diversion! I am going to dig out a pair of the trousers I really want to wear (and look good in), and shall try them on each week. Fingers crossed.
Yowzer, thanks for the encouragement. My resistance to ginger cake weakened yesterday, so I have put the rest in the freezer. Lesson learned. I am not sure if that was the sugar-dependent gut bacteria messing with my head. Or feeling a bit down about the continuing lockdown here. But I am back on track today. Yoghurt and berries; smoked trout and red cabbage coleslaw; and some roast chicken and veg tonight. I came across a recipe for Menemen (Turkish eggs) yesterday and will give that a go at the weekend. Sounds tasty. Perhaps Sunny knows more!

Best wishes for a good day for everyone.

Morning everyone

Well done to everyone for their first week of commitment, non scale victories and weight loss. I have lost 2lb since Monday when I started, We will be welcoming even more passengers on our bus next week I am sure. I know in previous years I have waited until mid-January or even later to get going but I wanted to nip things in the bud early this year. I really do want to make this next 100 days count once and for all!

I am happy with my weight loss of 2lb this week. I weighed in at 150.4 lb. If I can lose 12 lb – 14 lb in the next 100 days then I will be pleased with myself and will be where I want to be for maintenance. I was happy with my weight at 138 lb,

I have felt very hungry this week but I have eaten well with lots of vegetables and low carb meals. Its been difficult detoxing after Christmas with higher than usual blood sugar levels! There are some chocolate leftovers looking at me from Christmas (Two chocolate oranges- my favourite) but I am not going to undo my hard work! I usually have a Friday evening “treat” but I have decided there will be no “Friday treats until I have lost 5lb. I find that a Friday evening treat (usually nuts and a G&T) keeps me on the straight and narrow.

My plan for the week ahead is to keep my eye on the prize. I hope this week will be easier as I head into ketosis. I’ve got some nice meals planned and hopefully next Friday I will weigh under 150 lb. The few days are always the most difficult but being part of this thread has been really encouraging.

Hi Dreamscometrue.

The pee sticks for ketones are measuring surplus ketones produced by your body and thrown away. – They do not measure your body using ketones. At the start your body will be inefficient and will generate more ketones than you need getting rid of the excess. But as your body gets more used to being in ketosis it will only produce as much is needed to be burned for fuel. So purchasing the pee sticks is always a waste of money.

There are two places in the cycle of burning fat for fuel that you can measure ketosis, in the blood, or exhaling the byproduct of burning ketones for fuel.

Most American and Canada sites talk about using blood tests, but this involves purchasing both a monitor and test strips. There is a make which apparently does not charge high prices for the test strips, but they do not sell their product in the UK or Europe.

Both specialist breath testers and also cheap breathalysers are used to test for the byproduct of burning ketones. Using either involves a knack of holding your breath for a count and then emptying your lungs blowing the last of your breath into the monitor. The advantage with using breath testers is that once you have the knack you can test as often as you like over the course of the day all it costs you is eventually you have to replace the batteries. Apparently both the expensive testers and cheap breathalysers use the same mechanism for testing so you may as well save your money and use the cheap breathalyser from Amazon. Don’t worry about ketosis and false positives if the police test you for alcohol. Formal testing kit for alcohol uses a different method and will not pick up if someone is in ketosis.

There was a guy who did some articles on using the cheap breathalyser. I put some links on the “Take a look at this” thread that we used to use on this forum to share interesting articles and links to research. If you search that thread looking for AT6000 (the make of the cheap breathalyser) you should find them.

Morning all!

I’ve woken up to two unpleasant things – one I’m RAVENOUS and could eat a baby dino, and two…..a text from the government, positive PCR 🙄😰😫 – so maybe not all my carb flu was carb flu! I have heard of “flurona” which is flu and COVID at the same time, I think I’ve got covarb – COVID and carb flu at the same time.

Sticking on plan is going to be a slog this weekend but I’m going to do it, I might have to nix the TRE for a couple of days though as my body is screaming out for nutrition – what do they say about feeding a fever?!

Send me good wishes!

L x

(Author’s note: just realised I had copied part of Cathy’s previous post into mine when drafting it – as it resonated so much! – so ignore the last paragraph at the end!)

Happy Friday everyone! Welcome Tracy 😀As Cathy said, the three of us are at a similar stage and can hopefully follow the same downward trajectory over the next 100 days.

I had a good day yesterday and the scales showed 2lb off for me this morning, which I’m pleased about as I only started on Tuesday. Though my steps weren’t up to scratch yesterday so I need to work out a way of fitting them in despite anything else happening that day. Like you Dawn, I’m not going to measure just yet, I think I’ll leave that till the end of next week when hopefully there might be some shift🤞

Am loving all the recipes on here too. Yesterday I had cheese omelette for brunch then salmon and green veg for dinner, followed by Greek yoghurt with a dash of maple syrup just for fun.

Lots of good tips about fitness apps too. Can I ask a question about keto sticks? I have never used them but would like some way of checking whether I’m in ketosis. I notice from MM’s new book that he still recommends them but I remember several posts on previous threads saying they don’t work too well. Someone also recommended a breathalyser, which I think Jax16 referred to in an earlier post. So any thoughts welcome as to whether any of these are worth bothering with? So far I’ve just bumbled along and hoped for the best 🙀

Hope that everyone has had a good week so far and is pleased with their progress. Have a great weekend X

welcome to the 100 day bus journey and I have no doubt that you will enjoy riding with us all towards your goal. You are a similar weight to Dreamscometrue and me and we have a similar goal so it will be great to share our progress along the way. I really want to get the bulk of my excess baggage off by Easter- this seems to have been a perpetual journey for me and I am getting fed up of myself!

Hi,
today I’ve questions about Ketosis, which I see on here quite a bit.
I’ve googled so I think I understand what it is, but how important is knowing whether I’ve achieved it?
How is it measured If I need to know?

Arctic fox – I can totally relate to your comments about how food tastes 🙂 I remember before I started BSD I was so totally bored with food – I really wasn’t enjoying cooking or eating at all.
Then it was like my taste buds were awakened and I really began to enjoy food (healthy food I mean!), and I began to love cooking again 🙂

I had a good ‘proper’ first day today, I actually stuck to plan and kept my carbs right on 50g. I made the Bircher recipe for breakfast and the Salmon & cream cheese power wrap for lunch (both from the new book) – the wrap was nice, I made the egg wrap in the morning and then assembled the rest at lunch time. I liked the consistency, adding the tsp of flour meant the wrap kept its shape really well and folded nicely. I especially enjoyed the addition of capers, something I don’t usually eat. For dinner I was going to make something from scratch but was tired – still not Feeling 💯 since my booster on Wednesday, so I reheated a small serving of lentil curry I had in the freezer and ate that served on a bed of baby spinach leaves.

Cathy – I sometimes feel hungry after lunch too but i find a hot cup of tea or coffee straight after my meal helps make me feel more full. If I’m still hungry after that then I have a tablespoon of yoghurt or a couple of nuts.

Dawn – well done! Sounds like you are off to a good start and I love your idea of using white labels in the journals – I’ve never thought of doing this! I have a couple packed away somewhere, I wrote in pencil but it’s still a pain rubbing old entries out and then reusing, labels are a much better idea. I’m just using a cheap student diary I bought from the supermarket at the moment. It’s got some useful features though – I use the monthly planners for meal plans and then the daily pages for what I actually eat, any exercise I’ve done, whether it was an A/F (alcohol free!) day or not, and my weight if I’ve weighed that day.
In the back of the diary I’ve written out the date for each Friday from now until the end of the year so that I can have a progressive weight loss record. This is as well as using My Fitness Pal and Happy Scales! They all help me to keep on track and stay motivated (well most of the time anyway!).

A tip for anyone else that uses MFP – as I’m making the new recipes from the book I add it into MFP – I don’t add all of the ingredients, I just add it under “My foods”, call it Fast 800 salmon wrap (or whatever) and then put in the calories, protein and carbs. That way it gets saved and I can easily find it again. I know that in the past there have been discrepancies between the book calories and the actual ones, but I just don’t have the time always to enter every ingredient in, and I think why bother when it’s all worked out already?
It is Friday today and my weigh day, but I decided not to weigh this morning and will weigh tomorrow instead, when I’ve had at least one good day behind me!
I’ll try using the keto sticks in a day or 2, I still have loads left from when I was trying keto/low carb a few months ago.

JGwen – nice to see you back on here again and sorry you were so ill,
take care and I hope you continue to feel better. A good diet will help I’m sure. I also can personally relate to insulin resistance and inflammation. About 9/10 years ago I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic and my Rheumatoid arthritis was not being controlled by medication so I had elevated inflammation readings all the time – and then put on about 10kg over the next 5 years or so. My inflammation levels have significantly improved since 2017 when I started BSD and I haven’t been in the pre-diabetic range for a long time now.
Happy Friday all – I look forward to reading about more of everyone’s successes soon 🙂

Hi everyone,
Small NSV for me today. I was really struggling the last couple of months with enjoying my food. It seemed like everything just tasted of cardboard and I wasn’t motivated to eat, but felt I should, so that is why I was falling back into eating quick and easy convenience foods.
I noticed today that I am actually enjoying what I’m eating now. So I’ll take that small win for now.
Pomegranate and chia with greek yogurt again today for breakfast. Salad of chickpeas, romaine lettuce with a bit of boursin for lunch. Low carb spaghetti with garlic in olive oil and parmesan cheese for dinner. Dinner was after another round of snow shovelling as we had another 7cm of snow. Hoping it doesn’t snow too much overnight as I have to go into town tomorrow morning to get my booster!

Hi everyone,it’s great reading how determined everyone on the bus is,resisting temptation.I’ve had a few wobbles(I know MM says to clear the house of anything tempting for best results and,once DH and DD’s Christmas goodies are finished I will be buying very little of those things or at least buy stuff I don’t like)but decided to weigh myself this morning and am relieved to see I’ve lost 3lb (DCT I’m going to leave measuring my waist until the Monday at the start of week 3 in the hope it will show some change)so that has given me the best incentive to go forward wobble free(apart from my stomach’s movement! ) as I’m now only 2lb away from the 11’s again so when I weigh myself on Monday I would love to have lost another 2 or 3 pounds.As in the past,reading all of your posts is really helping me and there is probably no way I would have lost any weight so close to Christmas if it wasn’t for this forum.Yowzer I haven’t made a sparkly chart yet but I’m using a nice weight loss/goals journal a got either last year or year before (the past 2 years have merged into one for me now! )and barely used so I’ve put white labels over the few entries I made so that I can use it again from the start.My Mum and Dad aren’t too bad thanks,my Mum has to have a procedure at the end of this month (if it’s not cancelled) to remove the polyp which she’s understandably worried about but we are trying to reassure her.I last saw my Dad two weeks ago and he was very confused and when my sister took my Mum to see him last week he was mainly asleep bless him.My sister and I are due to go next Wednesday so fingers crossed that goes ahead.I hope you are having a lovely time away.Hope everyone has a good day.Dawn X

I have just read this short article and though it might be of interest.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25333682-800-have-we-got-the-science-of-obesity-back-to-front/

Day 4 today and so far so good, scant drop on the scales, mostly water I am sure but I’m in ketosis now so hopefully progress is in sight!
Greek salad for lunch today and salmon with coleslaw for tea tonight. It’s not so humid here today which is lovely and I’m enjoying the last day of my holidays. Back to the grind on Monday, though I am still working from home, holding on with my fingernails because my boss would really prefer me back in the hospital (I do the reporting for the maternity service)- that is full of Covid patients! No thank you.
Yowser, I think the fires are in Western Australia and the floods are in Queensland so a long way from SueBlue and me but yes, dreadful. It feels like the past few years, starting well before Covid, have just been fire, flood, plague and pestilence in Australia. Hopefully we’ll get a break soon 🙂 .

Day 3 proper…..a bit over on cals but still under 1000, and no carbs not from vegetables….my elves provided nice biscuits for the family as their parting gift when returning to the North Pole….but I didn’t cave….I looked at them, ate a brazil nut instead, and went for a 45 minute run in the rain, so I’m really pleased to have found some proper resolve 😁

I need to look back up the thread to find this cardamom chicken that everyone’s talking about!!

xxx

Calafornia!

Hi All, it’s day 5 for me and all going well. Not feeling to hungry at all.

The weather patterns are really up the creek, globally. We so need to get on top of the global warming issues. My heart goes out to anyone subject to flooding, gales and the terrible fires that Australia, cakafornia etc have had.

Thanks for the suggestion of fat secret JGwen, I will give it a go.. Mariet, you have inspired me to do planks and push ups each day. I used to do them. The plank is great for abs….if only I could find them!!

Sorry, missed your post Yowser. I love an art gallery, my fav is the Musee de l’Orangerie and the huge and stunning Monets. Liking the sound of parsnip soup, might give that a go tomorrow as I have a few to use up … it’s either soup or souffles.

I know V, I can’t believe there are still summer blooms in the garden. I know there was a really cold snap just before we come back from Turkey, so I was expecting all the tender stuff to be done for. Re: cardamom chicken, it’s not something I’ve made before so can’t offer an alternative recipe at the moment. For nuts I use a spice mix of equal parts ground mace, tellicherry black pepper and cardamom, which I’m thinking might work very nicely with chicken, maybe to make a marinade with yogurt. Will give it a try and let you know how it goes.

Positives from here ….
🙏 finally got around to doing a meditation this afternoon, after quite a long lapse … really enjoyed it.
🧪 son and DIL tested covid negative today, so are out of isolation. Thankfully they had very little in the way of symptoms and weren’t very ill with it.
🎁 received a gift of extravagant skincare products from a lovely friend, excited about trying them out and some are ideal travel size, which will be great fir our drive out to Turkey in a few months time.
🍪 made a batch of almond and seed crackers, using mace as the main spice …. lovely winter spice and goes well with cheese etc.

It’s been a good day in general, really hope yours has been too. If you have a moment, please share the high points with us.

Hello everyone
A cold and wet/sleety day here in the North West of England. It’s lovely to be part of this inclusive group.
Tracy- welcome to the 100 day bus journey and I have no doubt that you will enjoy riding with us all towards your goal. You are a similar weight to Dreamscometrue and me and we have a similar goal so it will be great to share our progress along the way. I really want to get the bulk of my excess baggage off by Easter- this seems to have been a perpetual journey for me and I am getting fed up of myself!

I had coffee for breakfast and had scrambled eggs with cheese for lunch and my evening meal is ratatouille with cannelloni beans and Halloumi. My husband is vegan and so I’ve added cannellini beans in the ratatouille and his portion will have vegan cheese and mine will have Halloumi. I am trying to make us both something healthy every evening that incorporates low carb/protein/vegan and vegetarian! Not easy!

Not in ketosis yet so hopefully tomorrow I’ll be burning fat. All those crisps and chocolates I ate at Christmas are still swishing around my body! I’m not working this hard to get rid of the sugar to cheat so it’s onwards and downwards for me. Weigh day tomorrow- I’ll post my post Christmas weight and hope to be a little under 150 lb!

Yowzer we must have been ‘posting’ at the same time! Sounds like you’re having a cozy, lazy, relaxed time. Enjoy!

S-g I saw one of your comments, I’m Verano C by the way. I was going to post after you but decided to wait. I have a feeling that the course will concentrate on ‘weight’ rather than carbs. I just hope it stresses that there isn’t a ‘cure’ for T2 but that it can be reversed/managed very well by a low carb way of life without medication for many. We’ll see!

Hi Positive Peeps!
Brrr so cold and wet on the Wirral today!
* ~ I’ve been to the Lady Lever art gallery,and it was cosy and warm ( specially in the cafe!) and some of my favourite paintings on show..I love the Pre Raphaelite artists!💕
*~ Had comforting parsnip soup for lunch,very welcome after a long walk
*~ Now sitting staring into the fire,seeing pictures in the flames! 🙂🙃 nothing to do but relax,might have a nap.🙂
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“A day without a nap is like a cupcake without frosting.”- Terri Guillemets.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hi.
Sunny I’m amazed that you have summer flowers in your garden. We had sleet here today so it could be getting cold for you too …. those blooms may not last long so enjoy!
Should gave had my hair done today but my hairdresser isn’t well so looking a bit bedraggled!
Anyway, despite that disappointment I do have a couple of positives …
👫👫Friends popped in for 15 minutes to say “hello”. It’s good to have company even for a short time.
🥦🍅🌶 Doing well with my macros today on track for 18g of fibre and 62g protein. What do people eat to keep protein down? I’m just having 125g chicken breast tonight and only had yogurt and berries for lunch which seems very little to me!
🌶🥦🧄Stir fry tonight with roast chicken from last night so not too much cooking… always good!
Sunny I fancy the cardamom chicken recipe, I love cardamom, but just wondering if you have a similar/better recipe?
Yowzer hope you’re still having fun and pleased to hear DD has found something to help her virus after affects.
Well I’m off to prepare vegetables, have a good evening.

Hey V, I know exactly what you mean. I have made a couple of comments but will hold my views until I see what the research is showing and whether it goes along with our diet. You never know, there might be something we can learn and if not, we can teach them.

Just playing catch up ..
JENNIE!yes! We v much still have a bus,it’s bursting at the seams with passengers!🥳 your seat is safe ( I’m rejoining monday too,as is LINDA ANDHUBBY) …..enjoy the rest of DS’s visit x
JGWEN,sorry you’ve been so ill,sounds like you’ve had a miserable time.
My DD s been left with some longish term lung damage after covid….she feels taking L-cysteine supplements may have helped..they were recommended by a friend who swears by them.
Be gentle with yourself! It’s good to have you back!👍
Hiiii DAWN! You sound so organised! Hope the sparkly charts up on the fridge! Hope your folks are well?x
Well done CARONL on resisting the goodies ( baddies😁)x
CCATHY I’m so sorry you were cold in work,they shd look after you guys all doing such great work.
VERANO,we can do it! We’ve done it before and we can do it again! We’ll kick that Carb Monster to the kerb! 😁
I feel like a complete impostor here at the moment,will be very glad to join y’all properly on Monday! Will read the new MM book over the weekend! XX

Hello BSD Friends–I am new to the site and am on day 2 of my reset. I gained 10lbs back over the holiday–ugh. I am very serious about getting healthy and have set a lofty goal of at least 15lbs by February 19, when I go on holiday!! I plan to stick to the 800 with a few days of planned celebrations where I will try to get in a little more exercise to account for the wine-LOL. Thanks for all the good recipe ideas here! I am planning to post daily to keep myself on track–just ignore if I bore!! LOL
Good luck everyone!!

Thanks for the link s-g. I’ve signed up! I have just been reading some of the ‘introductions’ and I feel like screaming “ there’s only one way to reverse T2, low carb as a WOL”!
Will be interesting anyway.

Welcome TRACY! Good to have you on the bus! X🌷🌷🌷
MARIET I’m impressed by yr planks etc! 👍👍ive just had a longish walk, took a leaf out of DCTs book! (My hips and lower back are now complaining ) but that’s about as far as I ever get exercise wise.

S-G the electric blanket wouldn’t work for me, I had conveyor belt hot flushes last night which was one of things stopping me sleeping I usually get woken up just as one is about to start, like a premonition 🙂

Hi again, just read on another thread that there is a new course on FutureLearn called Reversing Diabetes- Fact or Fiction. I know a few people who follow these amazing free courses (dont tick the paid ones) and will enjoy looking at what science is saying about us now or even if there is something new. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/reversing-diabetes-fact-or-fiction

Not advertising, this is completely free and totally genuine – University of Leicester is running this particular course.

Just registered for the FutureLearn course YBR mentioned and it is new. I am going to post details on another thread if that is okay.