That’s amazing P! You’ve done fantastically well.. 3 stone!! 🎉🎉
I’ve extolled the virtues of the BSD to one of my friends today.. She has taken my copy of the book home to read 👍🏼

Will catch up with you on the installment.. Post 8 weeks!

Anyone else had trouble posting here today? I did this afternoon. Wrote three posts, posted them, not here. My ‘testing’ one worked, so I reposted the post again… didn’t come up.

It’s boiling here Eps, and I have been in soooooooooooooooo much pain today, worst pain I have been in in a long time. I’ll have to go back to GP for what use she is. I’ve hammered the pain relief, but no excuses – step count is 9086 for the day. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill this morning, pottered as best I could around the house, and just done another 40 minutes on the treadmill again. You know my ‘freezing’ outhouses? Yeah, well, the perspex roof and single brick walls ALSO turn the bugger into a sauna in the summer! My hair is saturated! Just rehydrating now and will have to go for another hosing down, a cold one I think! Seekh kebabs but in burger shapes tonight, I couldn’t be bothered sausageing them onto skewers lol.

Made some lovely muffins (which I tried to tell you all about in my three posts that wouldn’t post posts!). If this doesn’t post I’ll scream…

Well I’ve survived an afternoon of manic kids, water balloons, BBQ and a little wine. Hope I don’t get a BSD hangover tomorrow 🙄 Even preached the BSD to my friend, who took my copy of the book home to read! Could do with a little lie down now!

So i am here and just getting prepped to start in the morning. I have been low carbing all this week so that my appetite is under control. I have downloaded a book to listen to on my walks and i am just getting together a few recipes for later this week. Tomorrow i will make some soup for lunch. I have taken my measurements and my weight urrgghh! Starting at 14st 10lbs. School summer hols start on Tuesday this week and my plan is to carry on until the 18th September. Wish me luck!

Yuuuum Pancakes look great. Hopefully try those soon. Also like the sound of that carrot cake Izzy mentioned, but first will get week started 💃🏻

Yaaay to shirts Janey! Swiitt woooo👏🏻👏🏻😝

This week is going to be a great one Lucky – below 100 here you come sliding down. Roasting day, walked for miles beside the sea, no nice!! The challenge will be keeping up exercise during the week but we ll do it👏👏👏

I can do this but am scuppered by a job which means living in hotels for weeks on end and a home life which means catching up socially as I’ve been away from friends and family for ages. I have an 8 week break before I start again so I am determined to do something about my weight through this diet as all my siblings are diabetic and so far I’ve escaped it and mean to stay that way. If any of you had any tips about eating away from home when you have little control over ingredients I’d be very grateful. I’ve stopped drinking alcohol, don’t like fruit juices or cokes so that bit’s easy. It’s the breakfasts and 3 course dinners when you’re hosting a group of people I find really hard. Thanks.

Well done almost 3 stone is fantastic!

Hello i have had a few attempts at starting however i have failed to keep going. Today I started and this time I want to be successful, i had 40g of porridge and a splash of milk 155 cals but dont know how much was in the milk. for dinner i have prepared bolongise and courgetti 280 cals (i made it yesterday and put in freezer). this leaves me about 365 cals for later tonight i think. i tried to do fast exercise, i ran for two 60 second bursts and walked but it was not very far. tomorrow i will change this to a 20 min walk and flat out fast walk for 3 min bursts and 3 min slower intervals, but i am happy as at least i got up off the sofa and went out side this has given me a bit more motivation.

You say you have been cutting out carbs. You need to replace what you traditionally think of as carbs like rice, pasta, potato, cereal, with complex carbs that are slow burning. Something like lentils, chickpeas, celeriac, aubergine and nuts and most vegetables, but beware of root vegetables and watch out for fruit, although it can be a slow burn carb there is a lot of sugar. Don’t forget you can have cheese and eggs. My ‘go to’ when I need a snack is tuna mixed with cream cheese, made into a dip with some carrot sticks.

You have given yourself plenty of time so you can do some research and print off a list of all the delicious things you can have.

Hello and thanks for the replies😊
As Sunshine has correctly guessed, in the next 2 weeks, we have 2 birthdays, a few days away and a wedding Anniversay …I am not that strong willed to 800 through that and tbh, as my birthday is a big one, I would like cake!
I have been cutting carbs for a few weeks, can generally do without sugar but I am jolly hungry not having something to fill up on.
Anyway, I will take the time to prepare and I will be brave and buy some almond milk…is there a good one?
Glad you said that you sautée courgetti, couldn’t face it steamed in all honesty 😂

Testing…

So, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks – hubby in the hospital twice for two different things, then running around to appointments and tests with him…lots of eating out.. Tried to make ‘good’ choices but not always possible. Probably averaged around 1000 calories per day and very little real exercise.

But I’m down two more pounds and a couple of inches so I’m happy. 🙂

I had a chocolate chip cookie a couple of days ago and honestly, I didn’t like it. It was soft and chewy…..and blah! it was so heavy in my stomach! I regretted having to count the calories for it, but it’s a lesson — I don’t need that stuff! I don’t even truly miss that stuff, I just think I do.

Hubby is off work for the moment – partly due to illness, but he’s taking it as vacation. So I may cheat a little – it wouldn’t be summer vacation without a trip to our favourite fish and chips spot. As long as I’m losing *something* I’m not going to beat myself up if I don’t end up losing 40 pounds in 8 weeks. It’s more about changing my habits — not reaching for snacks when I’m bored. I’ve gotten so many little projects done around the house lately because I try to keep busy rather than just munching on something.

So, 18 crazy days and 4.5 pounds, so far!

Lucia I think that you have a good idea in making changes. I note that you are also doing more exercises, swimming etc. Go girl go. Are you exercising on your own or with a friend? I enjoy going to classes as I am more likely to work at the class; I was useless regarding motivation when it was just me, a dvd workout and the tv

Lucia I think that you have a good idea in making changes. I note that you are also doing more exercises, swimming etc. Go girl go. Are you exercising on your own or with a friend? I enjoy going to classes as I am more likely to work at the class; I was useless regarding motivation when ir was just me, a dvd workout and the tv

Well, I did it!
Completed the first 8 weeks. Hooray! I am a pesky quarter of a pound off the round three stones. The last week was harder than expected loss wise – but a loss is a loss.
I have lost a total of 6 inches off my waist and can actually see a waist emerging! lol
On the whole I am well pleased. It wasn’t always easy and sometimes was hungry (and a few days a little despondent when the odd plateau came along). Life is so much better now.
Not having to be squashed up against folk on train seats, looking at normal sized clothes, thighs not rubbing together and at least half a dozen other plusses including much improved health and fitness.
Well done on the shorts Janey CD!!!
Ready to start my next chapter tomorrow on a new thread in the “over the 8 week line” …. yee hoo!

This is the recipe I pimped a bit http://naturalkitchenadventures.com/paleo/coconut-flour-pancakes/

Made a half quantity (in case they were awful). Used normal milk instead of coconut milk and a pinch of baking soda to make them fluffier. The goopy mess starts out very thick but thins down. Keep it quite thick though as these are more like American pancakes. I could only manage 2 so still have mix left, probably for another 2 👍🏼

Where IS Tokyo???

Thankyou Switzerland, I think we all doubt ourselves as parents and I certainly make loads of mistakes but I do try to be a good Mum. I try to encourage her academically of course, but I will always encourage anything ‘outside’, reading and creativity as well as anything healthy.

Today I had some nuts for breakfast, I’ll be having lentil soup for lunch and hunters chicken with PASTAAAA for dinner. I really look forward to my food on BSD.

Yesterday I took the kids out for a walk and play, along with my daughters friend and we had a fun time. Today we are staying in and catching up on the laundry – exciting life lol. The beds need changing. In between amusing my son and waiting for the washing to be done I’m amusing myself watching sewing tutorials on youtube, my list of things I want to make is growing by the day!

I’m off to have my soup 🙂

Yayyyyyy Janey! Well done on the shorts! Last time I wore shorts? 1991. No joke. Yes I know the ‘nobody knows me there’ routine but so far that has only extended to Crinkle pants and Ali baba pants. In the daytime. Outdoors. Imagine! Shorts! Or even – bathing costume! Anyway, you rule!

Any idea on the volume of flour? I’m a good cook but I HAVE TO follow some sort of a recipe.

That sounds horrendous. Enjoy! Rather you than me! Hope the weather is as glorious there as it is here! Yes, I said glorious. Woke up frozen, now we are seemingly in the middle of a heatwave. Can’t win.

Worrying a bit about Tokyo now, hope she’s ok 🙁

Hi Izzy,
It’s brilliant that your daughter wants to copy what you’re doing. It’s a huge compliment and you are a worthy role model as a mother and a creative person. Bless her.

Hey Jemma. Welcome to the best diet in the world!! I use 2 different shakes Optifast (choc or vanilla )which you add water too and work out about 200 cals 15g carbs and 17g protein. The one I prefer is Optislim Platinum in chocolate, you are supposed to use skim milk but I mix with unsweetened almond milk, that works out as 124 cals, 8g carbs and 11g protein. I find the Optislim is better if you are keeping carbs low and it gives me a few extra cals to play with for the day. The opitfast taste a bit better and are easier for travel etc as the just need water. Good luck! I have lost 13kgs since april so it does work.

Happy Sunday! 2 momentous pieces of news this morning. 1. I am WEARING SHORTS. And amazingly I look and feel good in them! They’re markedly bigger on me than last year when I wore them on holiday ‘because no one would know me there!’
2. I have found a use for coconut flour! By pimping recipes and trial and error I have made pancakes! They were initially VERY dry (imagine your mouth full of dessicated coconut) but I added more milk, and topped with blueberries, stevia and lemon juice. Yum!

My boy has his summer party today. Numerous small boys shouting and messing about with water. Wish me luck!

Ziggy, pleased to hear that you are carrying on.
One of the insights of meditation, which you have seen, is that it’s natural for the mind to have lots of random thoughts;
the difference is that you are now aware of them and can keep returning to the breath. With acceptance and practiced awareness you will probably just be able to let them pass on their way, rather than having the feeling of having to deal with or act on them.

As described on other posts here, I have meditated on and off for a lifetime using breathing meditation, sometimes alone with my breath, sometimes using guided meditations etc. I recently followed an 8-week “palousemindfulness.com” free course as I now have the desire to meditate regularly again. I found it helped massively when doing the BSD and I also used it as a trigger to find appealing meditations on youtube. It’s a very personal journey so you have to find what works for you and the timing has to be right.

Thanks for the link JackieWilsonSays (as opposed to JockieWisonSays), I can download all the mps3 and put them on my phone, and may even download the videos too, and the course notes if I get finished with Headspace.

Hi John, Don’t knock yourself, you have done amazingly. You are amazing. That is your mantra from now on.

In my view you should go back to week one and look at what you did then. What made you so successful. Start planning a weekly menu and calculate the carbs and calories (or not) just making sure you are making healthy choices. Fill your fridge with veg and healthy snacks so you have something to go to immediately when you get cravings. Chuck out those things you are turning to when you get tempted, now you only have good snacks in the fridge. Cut out all the naughty stuff and remember it is just for 21 days, not forever. Watch your portion sizes and watch out for snacks creeping in. And that booze, oh I feel your pain, but again it is not forever. Promise yourself the best bottle or glass of whatever does it for you as a treat when you have succeeded. I started the diet on 28th June and not had a drink since that weekend, so 26th.

You won’t be bothering anyone by posting daily, people can choose not to have it come into their inbox or can dip in an out. I do a almost daily blog on another site and nobody has to read it if they don’t want to. Looking forward to watching your progress.

Hi Jackie,

Days one and two I nearly dozed off. Not the most productive starts lol!

Since then it has been getting better, though my mind is as obedient as a 6 week old puppy at the moment. I’m not sure what the results will be as it isn’t overtly stated. But I have felt a bit calmer which is good as the diet is causing a bit o grumpiness. TBH, all that Headspace is is a collection of mp3s. It is handy to have it always there, and there are a huge amounts of meditations when you complete the intro part. Don’t know if I will pay for the app as there are a lot of free downloadable mindfulness meditations online.

Are you a longtime meditator? It reminds me a lot of zen meditation as think it may be the same thing given a new modern package.

Thanks Stewart, I have noticed that I have been unconciously upping my protein intake during the past fortnight.

Hi John
As a life member of The Food Blackout Club (great name for it BTW), and having just seriously overeaten, a binge if I’m honest, on some not even very nice cheese I really enpathise with your predicament. My other life membership is in The Weight On Again Weight Off Again Club. Hopefully, we can soon join The Successful Lifestyle Change Club. Wishing you the best.

Also to Bill and the other forum posters who are managing to “do” BSD with such strength, my admiration.

If, oops a bit of negativity there – I mean WHEN I lose enough after 8 weeks, I will do the 6:1 as a maintenance plan as the 5:2 would make me continue losing which I won’t really need.

Congratulations on the brilliant loss in a week Middleage1.

Am with you on the Niagara Galls peeing, but then I am drinking a loooot of water/

My week 2 weigh in tomorrow.

Lucia,

I’ve certainly found that changing the routine helps. I usually have porage for breakfast, and it got me throught the 8 weeks with good results, but I have found that a week on egg and avocado instead can get things moving again when things get a bit slow.

John

So, what are we going to do?
Been on the diet some time.
Is my body used it it and it’s saying, oh no, no more….

So let’s give that body a surprise.
I am going to shake it up, I will do different exercises eg swimming,

I will not eat yogurt for breakfast,maybe have eggs
I wil stay off salad, and go for veggies.
I will make sure I get my fats

I will make Sure that at least once a day I will sweat with exercise.
I am off to the gym and swim now.

Have I just got complacent? I am too comfy. Where is my fighting attitude.
Where is my…. It’s gotta work for me…. Where is that desperate need or wanting…

Yup, taking it up a gear.

What you all going to do? What is you answer…….

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hey John, I feel your pain. I doubt that anyone would want to complain about you doing what you think will help you get back in control. Feel free from me! Also consider posting a few goals, the say if you write it down you will do it! You’re obviously ready to get back on it by coming back here!

I’ll be keeping a watch on the pounds coming off ☺

Had those weeks too. A few things have helped me. Drink lots and lots of water everyday. Eat enough vegetables for roughage to stop constipation. Up your exercise levels even a little bit. I don’t count my calories just because I did so much of it in years gone by I have quite a good understanding of what is what. But I do know I get it wrong some days and can just feel in my body that I’ve overdone it. I then pull back the next day or two to much lower consumption.

It’s interesting to read how everyone does it. My biggest change with this plan is a shift in mindset. I used to think I could go on a diet, shift the excess, and go back to “normal eating”. I have the normal of a labrador left alone in a pie shop so that never worked. Never will. I’ve lost 18 lb in six weeks on this diet. At the end, I will take one week off,staying off alcohol and sugary foods but eating freely then as I am away on holiday. Then I will do another 8 weeks and that should be my weight at a good level for me. Then I plan to do 5:2 and use the system which works well for others. If weight hits 5lb above your ideal then back on the 800 til you’re at the ideal. I feel so much better eating like this. All the best to you.

Hi,

I need help.

Not only have I “plateau’d”, I’ve started to creep up. I was (at 160lbs) only 6lbs from my target of 154lbs. However, I have reached my danger point. Even if I lost no more, I could be pleased with my achievement. I have lost 3 stones, everyone keeps says how good I look and I feel great.

Unfortunately I do feel pleased with myself, but I know of old that this is the time it all starts to go wrong. I tell myself that as I’ve achieved so much, all I need is a period of “consolidation” and then I can pick up the reins again in order to lose that last bit. Trouble is, that never happens.

This time, I have at least acquired some better eating habits, but I still get the famous “Food Blackouts” and binge on something or other.

Alcohol is always a problem for me – not as in an “alcohol problem”, but it seems to go straight onto my my weight and lessens my resolve for the rest of the day, making a “Blackout” more likely.

So, may I please ask your help? As long as it’s my “secret” problem (which no-one around me would notice until I’d put on another stone) then I will never get back on the straight and narrow. I weigh myself every day and I wonder if you would mind if I just posted each day’s weight onto this thread “This has to work for me”. I know there are enough posts to open already and this will be a purely selfish one which will clutter up your “In Boxes”.

I guess that most of the “Old Faithfuls” are still on this thread and I would be so grateful if you could help me. If I have to “confess” each day then I know it will help me. Once I’ve reached my target then I’ll be able to go onto the new “Target” thread and that will be a spur as we’ll have to “weigh in” on the first of each month. I wish I had Lynne’s steely resolve.

If you don’t mind me doing this, I promise I’ll do it for just 21 days and by then I’ll be in a different place – either good or bad.

This morning I was 166lbs so that is the starting point. I have no target for this 28 days apart from getting back on track.

John

Morning Lucia, Aycaramba,

Big wave to all my plateau buddies this morning, 🙋nice to know I’m not alone out here. Trusting that it won’t be forever and weight loss will resume after this intermission.

Thanks Christine!

HypoGal I read your posts. You seem to have a better insight into this topic than most! Nevertheless, I could not let Ziggy’s reply go by without expressing my thanks. Absolutely excellent! I have since perused the Newcastle University web sight and listened to Professor Roy Taylor’s lecture entitled Reversing the irreversible: Type 2 diabetes and you. My question is now answered and I have no reservations whatsoever regarding the use of the word reversible nor the thrust of the BSD book.

Bill1954 – the enthusiastic poster. It might be a productive investment of your time to visit the University web site and to listen to Professor Taylor’s lecture in order to achieve a slightly more informed insight into this topic.

This is the last post until the end of my diet in a couple of months.

Hi China2013

Great result!!! Have you ever tried Turmeric? It’s a great anti-inflammatory. Look it up on the internet. You need a high level of curcumin, maybe 475mg in a 500mg tablet and it also needs bioprene (pepper) to help absorb the curcumin. I’ve been using them now for about 14 months and so has my OH. He has peripheral neuropathy in his legs and has found a huge improvement.
How are you managing without wine? That’s the most difficult part for me!!!!

Well doe China2013. Great results.

Switz – appreciate that – like e-mails, the fridge doesn’t really need checking every few minutes, there’s nothing in there that’s really urgent. And of course ‘there’s always something there to remind me’ : meditation and exercise don’t let you stray too far…

We had a dive instructor/leader who helped my daughter through the basic scuba qualification and whose ability to connect was noticeable. I was reminded again of the scuba – mindfulness link some 25 years on since my last dive.
It’s a bit special interest, but since we came home I accidentally discovered this programme on youtube which explains why he was so good [and mindful].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXBbmNbk4ow

Hi Lucia and Imogen
I’m in the plateau too…..quite a crowd of us…..
Yes and I’m happy too……think my body is sorting out visceral fat. It has such a lot of work to do on ,around and inside my tummy.
Plenty of maintenance work for it to get on with for now.

Ziggy,

So how did you do in your first week?
If it works for you then you should be able to make it a habit and then it’ll become part of what you do/ who you are…

Given that most younger people are driven by their mobiles I can see why it could be very useful – always there – a bit like the breath! This morning for a change I meditated to the sounds of the sea recorded on hols.

Finished week one 3 days ago and lost an impressive 5.4kg. I know Michael say it is mostly water but I’m inclined to think it might also be those bottles of wine I consume daily! Anyway, been feeling great and very determined. Absolutely love the Mushroom Risotto, even if I could have eaten double the recipe. I’ve only felt hungry a couple of times but it passes. I had have my first sugar craving this afternoon (day 10), so much so I was grinding my teeth. I remembered I had some mints in the car left there from a few months ago and to my delight, they are ‘naturally sugar free’. At 3 calories a pop they did the trick.
Josie – I was unaware this diet could help with inflammation. I have arthritis in both knees and my spine. I take anti-inflammatory tablets every night and would love to get off them. The only exercise I can really do is weight training which I do twice a week. I really hope the weight loss combined with the Mediterranean style diet helps with my inflammation.
Keep up the good work everyone.

Hi Josie

I have never had any diabetes medication. It was the threat of it (again) that led to me starting the BSD.

do you still take any medication

They sound quite non-offensive from the ingredients list Josie 🙂 Tokyo is the brownie expert though, I’m sure she could tell within 2.4 seconds whether it would work. But I can’t see anything in there making it taste awful. And as you say, we’ve all got that stuff in.

Well, my little ‘stones to kilos’ experiment has already come up trumps. 0.3kg down today 🙂 The figure is 100.4 kg, so I also have another ‘mini goal’ coming up – get under 100 kilos!

I’m going to have a decent loss this week, I can feel it. I have a renewed determination this week, and it’s come without the expense of me falling off the BSD wagon, which is all the better. Renewed determination from staying the same is psychologically a lot better than having to lose the same pound or two I’ve already lost once and put back on. Healthy foods and increased exercise will kickstart this again for me. I’m just having a coffee, waiting for the painkillers to kick in and trying to warm up a bit before I go on the treadmill, then I will go for a bath before I start my cleaning. Heating is on for the third morning in a row, which is shocking. Treadmill is in outhouses which, although now ‘attached’ to the house by means of two lockable doors and a roof, are still single brick, non insulated, non heated outhouses. Only now with two lockable doors and a roof. Bonus is in the winter, I have the worlds largest fridge…

Hope the scales/waistbands/weather is being kind to you wherever you are 🙂

Hi brrrrr

Don’t get hung up on calorie counting. Yes count but it’s not a precise science. Just remember not to eat too few calories and if you go over slightly this doesn’t matter. You will know the difference between going over slightly and say eating 1300 or 1400 calories. You will know that there is a vast difference between the two. Concentrate more on not eating too many easily digestible carbs and eating good proteins and fibres instead.

Well it’s the end of week 1. I have lost 10 pounds and my BMI has dropped from 29.9 to 28.6. I have stuck to the diet well and have aimed as close to the 800 calories as possible even if it may have gone slightly over on a couple of days. I have tried to avoid eating too few calories as this, I believe, would be detrimental to the program.

I have peed for Britain this week but have also greatly increased my fluid intake. I expect this to normalise next week.

I predict that my weight loss wont be as spectacular next week as my body adjust and the weight loss starts to stabilise.

I am still looking forward to the next 7 weeks as a challenge and my enthusiasm has not waned in any way yet.

I felt very tired between Thursday and Friday of last week but my energy levels have now returned to normal (If not increased slightly).

I have concentrated on eating plenty of protein and keeping my fibre intake up. My list of basics foods for last week has been Eggs, Chicken, Beans, Lentils, Stir Fry, Natural Full Fat Yogurt, Berries and a range of condiments, herbs and low calorie sauce preparations.

Current Day 17/07/16

Week 1
Day 7

BMI: 28.6
Weight: 17 Stone 10 Pound (112Kg)

Hi Stacey, I’ve just started on the blood sugar diet and I’m wondering how you got on with finding a meal replacement shake? Appreciate your advice. Kind regards, Jemma