Yes, reactivate your Twitter!! I don’t know if we’re allowed to post personal data on here, but if you go to the search box and put #BSD in, scroll down a little past the other #BSD’s which are nothing to do with our BSD and you’ll find me and my (flat) scones lol. I always like to have a back up way of keeping in touch with online friends, technology isn’t infallible is it?

I find myself leaving food too, which I didn’t think I’d see when playing with so few calories. I genuinely thought I would be famished for every mouthful. I’m not. My tolerance for sweet things is waaaaaaaaaay down. I’m actually enjoying fruit for probably the first time in my life, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, and I find they do the job, where it would have been chocolate before.

morning lucky
i think the cookies were just a mixture of both to sweet and too much chocolate maybe my taste buds have changed even find myself leaving food now which prior to this was unheard of!!!
not sure what was happening last night but i did panic what if i couldnt get back on !! how would i ever speak to you all again !! so i am going to reactivate my twitter account and have that as a back up just in case i vanish again !!
i kept thinking you would be wondering wheres brendas gone !!!

Hi hypo gal. I too have reactive hypoglycaemia, so went on this plan to see if I could stabilise my blood sugars and avoid plummeting down, which gave me the symptoms of dizziness, confusion ( I got lost outside my own house once!) brain fog, sticky eyes etc etc. And I have found it nothing short of miraculous really. My BMi has gone from 30 to 25, I’ve lost 2 stone and I feel better than I have done for a long time. My IBS has gone too.
If I had a sugary drink, my BM would drop too low too, after a couple of hours. I have stabilised my BS by not having any sugar/rice/bread/pasta etc, sticking to 800cals and eating 3 times a day only. My guess is that if I don’t raise my BS, I wont over produce insulin and therefore my BS won’t go down too far. I’ve been monitoring my levels and they stay around 4.5 to 5.7. Before they have dropped to 2.8.
Reading this back it sounds rather boastful! I don’t mean that I’ve cracked everything, not by any means. I still panic if I gain 1lb, now that I am maintaining on 5:2, but overall it has been hugely beneficial. I think the key for me has been total avoidance of sugars and carbs, apart from veggies, of course. So maybe stick with it? And don’t beat yourself up about it if it turns out not to be for you.

Good luck!

Hi all,

I am also a July starter having started today. I have a long journey ahead needing to lose around 60kg, which is about 91/2 stone. I use an Australian app to track my food called the Australian Calorie Counter. It gives me a running tally of the calories, protein, fat, sat-fat, carbs, sugars, fibre, sodium & calcium I am consuming each day. I’ve had it for ages and I think it was free. It’s a great tool and easy to use.
I have read the book and watched a few videos of Michael Mosely and although I am not diabetic, my bloods are heading in the wrong direction so I thought I’d give this a try. My hubby is very supportive and always has been of every diet I have tried.
Good luck to all you other July starters.

Lol Josie, who knows indeed. You never know, maybe you can make cookies or pastry out of them, you never know unless you Google it 😉 Loving all the Welsh connections. I’ve been boring with my spiraliser, I’ve only done apple and courgette. I bought the butternut squash ready done. As Janey said, nails and life too short lol. I may try the carroti though (my personal pasta of bitterness).

Oh no Tokyo! I didn’t get a chance to try last night so I don’t know if it was a site thing? Oh the cookies 🙁 Isn’t that absolutely nuts? I have a confession to make too… although my scones were lovely, the lemon zest and blueberry, and even though they weren’t very big… argh one was more than enough for me. I would have easily been able to put away two normal ones with jam and clotted cream and then maybe another later, and definitely another tomorrow 😉 But they’re in the freezer and I’m glad because they’re going to have to be for a day when I’ve got a really, really, really sweet tooth. Do you think it’s anything to do with the coconut sugar too, Tokyo (assuming that’s what you used)? It’s very sweet, isn’t it? At least we know for next time, we can adapt things to our tastes, can’t we? I’m always wary with salt in sweet recipes (unless salted caramel type), and likewise I always used to be wary of sugar in savoury recipes, and rarely, if ever, put it in.

Well, here I am. Day 28, the last day of my fourth week on the plan. Feeling very accomplished. Ready to weigh tomorrow as I start Week 5. Didn’t for one minute think that when I spoke to my friend four weeks ago and she let me into her secret, that I’d be the best part of two stone lighter a month later. A month without bread, pasta, rice, pizza, alcohol (!), potatoes, flour, sugar, pastry; I’d have put money on it dragging. But it’s flown by 😀 Even the carb flu feels like a ‘giving birth’ moment now (I’ve forgotten how awful it was and anyway, it was worth it haha). I’m enjoying the food and I’m enjoying the weightloss.

Oh Lucia
I’m not a fan of Karimore sandals! They’d make my feet look like a yeti’s! But….if they encourage you to move then go with it!
I know what you mean about the weather yesterday though. I walked into town to meet a friend for a cuppa. That’s 2 miles downhill and yes you guessed it, 2 miles uphill to go home. First it was sunny. Then cloudy. Then blowing a hooly! After all that in the morning I trimmed the garden hedge! And then the hot sun appeared so I topped up my tan.
Hubby away overnight so I had a yummy prawn curry with cauliflower rice. Just weighed myself. Down another 2lbs. Yeah! So exhilarating!
It’s almost the weekend! Happy Friday!
Love Hels x

what a nightmare i am having i couldnt post at all last night on here it just keep blocking me !!!
i tell you i was really panicking!!! on the cookie front we binned them too much chocolate for both me and hubby!!! something i thought i would never say !!!

Hello everyone

I am having a lot of problems with the BSD and I think it is because I have Reactive Hypoglycaemia. I started the BSD about 3 weeks ago, and it has been a huge struggle. I lost 3 kg but have since put back 1 kg, mainly because trying to stick to 800 low carb creates a huge array of symptoms for me. For example: dizziness, inability to concentrate, headaches, and feelings of absolute starvation, to name just a few. The worse times for me are the times when insulin is typically low in our bodies, which is about 2am in the morning, 3pm in the afternoon and 8pm at night. I assume this is due to the gradual build-up of insulin resistance in my body.

I do not have diabetes. My fasting blood sugar tests are ok. Last test was 5.1, but 2 hours after having a sugary drink it dropped to 4.1. I scored high on the Metabolic Syndrome and Addicted to Carbs quizzes. And over the past 7 years, I have put on 20 kgs, and my waistline has blown out to (shock, horror!!) 36 inches.

The BSD works for awhile for me. But the more weight I lose, the stronger the symptoms. Sometimes I feel like my body is going to blow up – from the inside out. There is an incredible rushing feeling inside, my ears start ringing intensely and my blood pressure goes sky high. The only thing that satisfies my ferocious appetite is a high carb meal, but of course, that doesn’t last very long.

I am normally a very positive, proactive person, but this health issue is really getting me down.

Please, please help. Is this the right diet for me?

Hi Napangardi.
You are not the only one to start again. Today is my third attempt. My first try was actually very positive but only for 5 days. Could see the effects quickly but i managed to sabotage my good work and run back to carbs in every form when life’s everyday stresses paid a visit. That was 5 weeks ago. 2nd attempt was not worth mentioning. Today i am off to a good start but it is the afternoons and evenings that i struggle with. Have to quit with the excuses and have more resolve. I did struggle badly with fatigue during my first attempt but I guess that was a reflection of my sugar withdrawal. I had to nap when I put my one yr old down for his nap! Anyway i wish you well. I am in Australia. Where are you? Caro

Hi Jill,

The recipe doesn’t say anything about straining off the juice. I think if you soak the raisins overnight they may absorb most of the juice anyhow…so my guess would be to include it!

Imogen

Can someone please tell me if you strain the apple juice off the raisins in the Bircher or just include it? Thanks so much
Jill

Thanks eggbot, yes I know it is by any other diets standards. Gone to bed now to stop me wanting food lol. I’ve held out all night tho 😊

Way to go Jan😇😇😇😇😇
Keep going, as you’re discovering, it does work!
I don’t post much, but read a lot for inspiration and you’ve just given me inspiration for dinner tonight (I’m in Sydney, assuming you are in the UK?), so cocunut chicken it is!
I’m 12 weeks, 3 days in and as of this morning am 18kg (almost 40lbs) down with about 7kg to go.
I’ve got used to walking for at least 1 hour every day and it’s been raining for the last 2 days, so I’m getting withdrawal symptoms😁
I’ll make up for it on the weekend as I found a bush track near where we live and I’ll get a couple of 2 hours walking in.
Stay on track and keep onwards & downwards!
Cheers
Linda

Hi Anna,
Sorry you are feeling down. 4.5lb in 5/6 days sounds amazing on any normal diet. more than 0.5lb per day. See what tomorrow brings and it is still a fantastic result. Keep at it. x

In my den where I have made my workbench it it against a brick wall, I pondered a few ideas about things to do here and settled on ordering one of these… https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DNZXQ22/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had an old sheet and some fabric that I have pinned to the wooden struts to ‘wall’ the space in along one side and my daughter gave me her rug that she didn’t want anymore. My den is quite homely now 🙂

Hi Frau pohl.

Yes it does get easier.
Yes, you have normal feelings.
But just for a moment, may I take my hat off to you as you have done something HUGE.
You have taken the first step, your ARE on the diet. 🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩

Just listen to your body, I slept a little more at the beginning.
I drank roughly the size of a lake every day. I now know how a hot water bottle must feeel😀

I had headaches. Times I was SO hungry.
But
All this is normal. I feed my body junk for many years, my body was used to it, then I put new stuff in, in smaller amounts…. My body said….what?!?!
It took about a week, for my body to settle down to the new routine.
I focused first on the calorie count.
Then after two weeks I had the carbs under the count too.
With hindsight , I would do it the other way around.
I would reduce the carbs , then settle in on the calories.
I also got up off the sofa, ( was almost attached to it) and I waddled to the end of the road and back. Bright red, sweaty, couldn’t breathe, needed a lie down. But. Slowly I built up. I went four houses further each time.
On the weekend, I would walk from one bus shelter to another as each one had a seat in it. I pretended to wait for a bus, caught my breathe and waddled on. I did the same coming back.
Now I walk 10,000 in my lunch time.
It’s easier to plan your meals, so you know what you are going to eat next rather than graze in the fridge.
As you lose weight, give yourself treats, not food or sweets, but a new scarf or, hat, or a pedicure, or new nail polish, or new aftershave, or a new tee shirt. But not food.

So these are my tips. Oh and one final one read captainlynn or bill1954 or me, Lucia , rad our blogs to see that we failed, we got success, we got enlightened, we got a few shocks, but we are all, reducing meds, healthy and happier.

Keep blogging , keep smiling, keep happy
Love
Lucia
Xxxx

Hi Kate

Yup – congratulations, you are experiencing what is often known as ‘carb flu’. You are kicking the habit, so congratulations, and stick with it – it eases off quite quickly and you should then feel much less ‘foggy’ and many people have lots of energy.

I found that I suddenly woke up in the morning and actually wanted to get up – have been up early every day of the BSD as has OH (which is a complete miracle tbh).

So stick with it – will be really worth it in the end.

🙂

Hi
Never heard of them but we tried vegetable doodles made from butternut quosh just open bag and heat in micro, sainsbury £1.20 per bag Hubby had them with chilli and I had mine with tuna and salad…tasty too. they also make ones from courgette ! havent tried them yet!

Hi all,

I’m on day two but struggling! I’ve had a headache since starting the diet.(I’m drinking loads of water though) Today I’ve had intense cravings for sweet stuff! I’m pleased to say that I have managed to resist but it’s been really hard. I have thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful of the food which is lovely but I’m not feeling great – headache and tired.

Does it get easier?! Is it maybe just carb withdrawal as I did eat a lot of bread/cereal before starting the BSD?

Thanks, Kate

Week 2 day 2

Great day today, not had any urges to much. Can’t even say I am overly hungry at meal times.
Breakfast Bircher from the book. Cal 180
Lunch tuna salad. Cal 220. Carb 7.6
Fabulous dinner chicken coconut milk stir fry from the book as coconut milk comes in 400 ml and the recipe asked for 300 mis for a four person portion . I just used all the milk and calculated four portions. Very very yum, so I have three portions to freeze. Cal 322 a portion Carb 10.8
Allowing for 3 tbl skim in my tea it all came to a very precise 755 cal and 13 carbs

Precision makes me feel more confident, that the fat pixies won’t all jump out and say got yah thought you had it cracked.hehe still can’t quite get over what an amazing revelation this way of eating is, it feels to easy, and it’s so good, good food, good weight losses, feels to good to be true, but this forum shows that this works. If you are on the fence as I was for five weeks before I started, then don’t procrastinate just do it.

Dead right Janey, I’ll make them at the weekend and keep in the freezer👏🏻👏🏻 thanks for the recipe 😘

on a similar vein then, daughter went to Lampeter University, and the Far Away Tree were favourites. I am not going to make the cookies, am still working out the spiralizer

Hi Kit.

Try not to relate to much to it, sometimes just putting a concern on the back burner so to speak can minimise its power to overwhelm our peace of mind. Perhaps then when you are less tense it may ease. It’s a shame your surgery are unable to just quickly assess you to put your mind at ease. If it is the carbs, then you will soon adjust I am sure. Just make sure you drink plenty. Take care.
Regards
Jan

B: Greek yogurt and raspberries

L: Salmon, cauliflower rice, teaspoon of pesto sauce.

D: Salad of spinach, 1/2 small cooked beetroot, mackerel strip, 10g feta, and vinegar.

Fishy day!😊

Hi there
Ditto I am day 2 week 2 and also lost 8 pounds, and yes I have been delighted at how relatively easy it’s been, I fat it feels too easy and I keep thinking my lost pounds will jump out and say joking. Hehe this way of eating is fabulous isn’t it. Well done for your loss, and keep up the excellent work.
Regards jan

preserved lemons sounded very mediterranean who knows when they will come in handy

They’re low carb treats for when you need a little something nice 😋

I could see them! They looked fab 👏👏👏 not sure I’ll risk making them for a while 😂😂💪🏽

Yum chicken and lentil bake sounds great, as does sea bass and cauliflower rice yum!

I had an egg, some tomatoes and slice of mozzarella for breakfast

Mackerel, kale, green salad mix and sauerkraut for lunch, and a few olives

Anchovies, courgette and carrot spiralised and cooked in butter, and slice of haloumi and one delicious date! 😹👏 (the edible kind😜)

I am soooo hungry today!! Only used 600 calories yesterday and didn’t want to eat anymore but today I am ravenous and craving something naughty, probably cause I didn’t use them all yesterday. I WILL resist! I’m on day 6 and have lost 4.5lb, I thought I’d lost more but hadn’t calculated it right, a bit sad about that especially with some getting half a stone in this time, but I am now the right side of 12 stone so have to be happy with that. Hoping tomorrow (1 week) will see a good drop, especially when I’m feeling so peckish today. I also have to be pleased that I have been good all week, it has been easier than I expected it to be and I am enjoying salad and veg, which I have always hated!! My shopping basket looks very different to 2 weeks ago. I’m using the myfiitnesspal app to record all food and if I fancy something but am not sure about it, I stick it in to see what it does to my calories and carbs and then usually decide not to have it. Have never been this conscious of what I am putting in my body before. It’s also scary to think I would easily trough 2500cals on a regular day just snacking on rubbish.

Well done on weight losses above. 🙂

Hi keep trying,

Congratulations on the ongoing weight loss!!! So happy for you.

You are doing brilliantly😊

You have found the inner strength to keep moving forward even through difficult moments and you can find the strength to get past this! You are choosing to take control, to eat healthy life giving foods…because you are worth the life you want for yourself.

You’ve come so far already…

Imogen.xx

I’m just looking through various websites to see what is around, and I’ve come across something called ‘Zero noodles’ which are made from plant fibre and carb free. Does anyone have any experience of these, as they aren’t cheap !!. It would be nice to have them in the cupboard if they work, to have with a stir fry etc.

Day 4, and tonight I made a Mexican chicken salad that I haven’t made in aeons because of the oil in the dressing, avocado and slivered almonds! Lunch is usually some kind of salad with a dressing, what joy researching salad dressings. I am amazed at the way the dressings keep me full. Today I’m recording 795 cals on MFP, and don’t feel deprived.

Hi Em, as SunnyB says, it’s up to the individual and whatever works for you. There is a great book that you may be interested in, on Amazon. Low carb/healthy fats but a higher daily calorie limit.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1472136977/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sugar Free: 8 Weeks to Freedom from Sugar and Carb Addiction Paperback – 16 Jun 2016
by Karen Thomson

Amazingly I’m still finding this relatively easy to follow despite being on holiday for work. I’m loosing weight (8lb total so far 🙂 ), my blood sugars test in the normal range in the mornings (only time I check) and my blood pressure is steadily decreasing.

Some great successes food wise have been:

Peanut butter on apple. I love peanut butter and would previously have had it on a bagel but I think I taste it more on the apple so this should be easy to keep going.
Turkey burger made with thigh meat mince rather than breast. This was really tasty and even my fuss 13 year old enjoyed it enough to have again.
Breakfast Bitcher. I only had flaxseed and chia mix so added it. Kepy me feeling satisfied from 7 till 1. This is now my regular breakfast and half an hour is long enough to soak the raisins when I forget to put them on the night before.

Not so greats:
Coconut waffles. Just a bit too eggy following the book recipe. Will experiment with that though as it’s nice to feel like you’re having a treat.
Subway salad. Now the salad was lovely and I discovered that green peppers are not that bad really but it just wasn’r filling enough as I was starving withing two hours. Thinking next time I may bring some chickpeas to add.

And my daily treat at the minute is a baby bell.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

thank you so much Rozy and Julia for your kind support also,
it hardly seems possible that others would actually think of me and wonder how I am doing
even though I do that for others

needless to say I am struggling to fight the need to binge tonight
some things have occurred in rl to make me NEED food and it is so so hard not to

so far all I have had after my chicken salad and fruit/yog – is a glass of milk and 4 peanuts
now on the tea
and think I will possibly drown in my attempts to drink away my need to eat!!
scared, as I so badly don’t want to put weight back on again but I am pretty sure it will happen in the next few days (if not tonight)

That is fantastic news ! Well done. I’ve just had a chat with my sister in law who is a doctor, and yes, neoropathy is entirely reversible through lifestyle changes. Keep it up !!

I was diagnosed as being borderline pre-diabetic around 18 months ago with blood tests showing HbCA1C at 43 and Glucose level 6.00. I have been overweight most of my life and must have tried every diet going (even the really stupid ones!) When I started the BSD on 2nd May I weighed in at 121.2 kg. Today I weigh 110.00 kg. I have had a few weeks where the weight loss has been amazing, some weeks the loss has been minimal and some weeks where I have stayed the same. However I have only had one week where I have put on 0.4 kg (about a lb) I have tried to stick to 50g carbs a day and 850 calories a day. I haven’t always managed that. Some days I have been hungrier than other days and have eaten more. I have also ‘fallen off the waggon’ on some days. However I climb back on and start the journey again the following day. Somethin I have never managed before on other diets. I think this must be because my head is in the right place at the moment and I like most of the food that I can eat on this diet. My husband has joined me on the diet, although his goal was to help me and to lose 6.35 Kg (around a stone) I realise how lucky I am for his support as those who have a family or a partner (not on a diet) have a very hard task. I didn’t have a set goal other than to chip away at the 45 kg (7 stone) I felt I was overweight by and hopefully improve my blood test results. I still have a long journey ahead of me but I feel confident I can do this. I can now cope with the disappointing weeks. Physically and mentally I feel so much better.

If you are struggling, having a bad day or week, are feeling disappointed at your results, please stick with it. Don’t be hard on yourself. I have a small bar of chocolate every Saturday night. Some weeks that has been my light at the end of a tunnel. Find your light ! Good luck everybody.

My blood results today were HbA1C = 40 Glucose = 4.8

Checking in on weight. Down 2.2 pounds for week 2. FBS in low 100s. So excited about that!! Totally compliant and staying under 800 calories and under 5 carb grams a day. I am quite a slow loser but heading the right direction. On to week 3! Laura.

Your quite right Bill, the scales can become a bit of an obsession !.I like your approach, once a week, same place, same time…that’ll do me.

Wow. Fantastic results loopylou and happyitsworking!!

I’ve got a few days until the end of week 1 but so far so good.

Hi susieb. Good luck with your official start, I hope your first week goes really well for you too.

Hi happyLife,
Thank you for your concern, as to the anti inflamatories, I was taking them for a long time, three times a day! And as I already had a stomach condition, (diverticular) it made it much worse, in the end I went private to get help and it worked, I haven’t been troubled since then!
How is your journey going on this diet?
Christine

Hi LindaA,
We had a great evening, the meal was excellent, I had portobello mushroom with mozzarella cheese and salad, then sirloin steak and salad, no pudd! Even though I love tiramisu, we all came back to ours for coffee, a snifter of whisky for the guys not driving, and a good old natter, so all good. No weight increase on the morning either, so result!
I do have a bit of tummy trouble on and off, it gets longer between bouts, so I am getting better, and not feeling bad any other way, just have to cope with the damaged nerve pain and the odd tummy upset, otherwise all good.
Thank you for asking.
Christine

Hey KeepTrying – congratulations! 2 & 1/2 stone is brilliant – so what if it’s taken 6 months. It’s taken a shade under 6 months for me to lose 2 stone. As soon as I hit a new low (in the good sense) there tends to be a bit of an upward bounce – but that’s just the way my body seems to work so it seems like I’m losing the weight twice but the overall trend is downwards so I’ve learned to accept it. Treat the fat gremlins with the contempt they deserve. Don’t worry about what results other people are achieving – we are all different so we are not comparing like for like (unless there are identical twins out there 🙂 ). You are proving that you can do it – just have a bit more faith in yourself.
Well done & keep on!

None of you have noticed my new Karimore sandals for walking in.

Do they make me look big? 🤓
Love Lucia
Xxxx

Dentist next week, oh boy.
Not in the mood for that one.

They always ask you a question when they have both hands, a foot and some equipment in your mouth.

I think they do it to get the weirdest expression or reply
Love lucia
Xxxx

Been searching you tube for a beginners yoga class.
Any suggestions please.
I need a video to show me how it’s done.
When I read it and then do it, it all turns out very very strange

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi gang,
Weather here is weird, rain , sun, rain.

Coats on and off so many times, I don’t know what I look like.

Love Lucia
Xxx

Hi Napangardi
Welcome to the forum and your new eating regime. I have taken conscious breaks from the BSD, but not flunked as such, I’m sure there must be folks on here that have though and hopefully one of them will respond to you soon.
I hope that you manage to stick with it this time round. Remember to keep an eye on the carbs – best to keep around 50g a day – to drink plenty and eat full fat products.
Hope it goes well, keep us posted and shout if you need support.

Hi Timmy, it’s one of the many things I want to try but I haven’t yet. I’m certain I will do it at some point though.

Forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer (I do that sooo often!) so I had to pop to the shops and we’re having pork mince stuffed courgettes instead. In other news while at the shop I met one of my daughters friends Mums who asked me what my secret was 🙂 Thing is it’s only a few weeks since I saw her and I can’t have lost more than 4 lb’s but she insists I look like I’ve lost a lot since then! It’s always nice to have it noticed.

Yay for my weeks work being all over, son will be in bed by 8, husband is so tired with his early shifts he will likely sleep early too and daughter is on a sleep over so I will be in my den 🙂