Sounds like they need a weekend of practice Lucky 😂😂😂👏🏻

New terms? Yes 👏🏻

check nigella’s olive oil cake could be done i think could use coconut sugar maybe

Well, in theory anyway lol. Life usually has other plans though… I told my two eldest sons they were washing up tonight… Despite putting hot soapy water in a bowl ready for him, and everyone taking and putting their plates in the bowl, he still managed to wash up under the cold water tap (I made him do it again – degree level? My backside). And I think he may have used handwash to wash them too… And he asked where I kept the ‘flannels’ to dry the dishes. The younger son took about 15 minutes to dry 4 plates (we hadn’t eaten) and 4 sets of cutlery. Holding the plates like they were dirty and flicking the tea towel at them. So… not holding my breath for a weekend of R&R. No ma’am.

In other news, I have updated the FAQ’s to include new items. Interested?

I had a good day 5.

Breakfast was yogurt and blueberries again
Lunch was the same as yesterday: some chicken breast, a red pepper, 2 falafel balls and a tiny bit of hummus
Dinner was a recipe from the BSD book – the spicy bean burger. It was such a mess and didn’t hold together but it was tasty and I had it with a tomato and a bit of lettuce.

I was given a marshmallow chocolate bar from a friend and I ended up having half of it – only 80 calories but LOADS of carbs!

It means my total carbs for the day is a crazy 108.2g, but it was nice to have a treat and I went for a 5 mile walk, so I don’t feel so bad.
My kcal total was 871 and I was well over 10000 steps but I don’t have the correct total as I left my phone behind.

I hope everyone else had a great day!

Ah poor Lucky, well then it’s a mind yourself weekend and they’re important too 👏🏻👏🏻🛁🛋💐🙌🏽💤

Sometimes it’s the best motivation you need! I will try my best, virtually anyway. The reality is I will be mopey, in a haze of codeine and ibuprofen and hot water bottles, feeling very, very sorry for myself. But I will be there in spirit 😉

I know Izzy, you’re right. Hard breaking quarter of a century habits lol 😉 It’ll be fine. As long as there’s inch loss then the week won’t be a complete write off. And I know it will be a ‘lady pound’ anyway – fantastic.

most of us have weeks without losses, don’t overthink it just keep doing your thing!

Good one👏👏👏

Yes I think week 5 I only lost very little and I went into the following week with serious enthusiasm 😂😂😂 I’m going to do lots of exercise this weekend – you come too virtually 😹👍👍👍👍🙏🏻😂

I had it the other night, I really enjoyed it too! The works on the plate, even gherkins! The other option is Seekh kebabs, that I made the other week, they were lush too if mega-spicy, little bit of greek mixed with mint to dunk them in, salad and a chickpea wrap. Or pork meatballs in a paprika-ey tomato sauce. All tried and tested meals, no baking, no failures, no disappointment, no diversion from the plan.

I know I am facing my first week without a weight loss. I’ve only lost 1lb this week since last Saturday’s ‘official’ weigh in and that was back on today. I need to up the exercise, I know I keep saying it but doing it is another matter. Maybe I need a no weight loss week to give me that kick in the bum, because there’s no way it will be happening two weeks on the trot, I tell you! If those scales are the same or up tomorrow morning, I’ll be dragging that treadmill into position and going for an hour’s walk!

Hi Barrynk can I ask which shakes you used I have been thinking of going down the vlc route as my weight loss has stopped

Hee hee burger salad sounds delicious anyway. Could make some yum healthy coleslaw to go with it instead😀 I might have burgers too 😂😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Oh my, they keep that long? That’s brilliant!

Jeez, it’s been a day of it for us all, hasn’t it? Must be something in the stars or something! I’ve just looked at my meal plan and it’s burger tomorrow… I was going to attempt those smug sisters baps, but after today? You know what? I’m going to have burger salad. Lol >.<

So update on those chick pea biscuits, had forgotten them and re discovered in the cupboard this evening and they are pretty tasty! Think definitely improved since being left for a week 😹

Have also had an extra egg over budget as was simply hungry. Hopefully just herbal tea for the eve now😤

Hi Sunshine! Mine was lovely, and so pizza-ey but was it worth the calories? If I had mega pizza cravings and was about to snap and stick a pizza in the oven, then yes it was for the simple reason of knowing what’s in it is ‘good’. But as for making it again for an everyday tea? Nah. Sorry your cauli one didn’t work out, one thing this is is trial and error!

I think a chickpea dough would be costly in calories too… I did look into that as well but decided on the stuffed ‘bread’ one because I wanted soft pizza and after making chickpea pastry last week I had an inkling that chickpea dough would go crispy. I think these things are ok to take the edge off an extreme craving, but they’re never going to compare.

Bhajis, nom… so simple and tasty. Drizzle of raita on… Only thing is, I used to deep fry mine. I suppose there’s a baked version out there though 🙂 If I can make pizza out of egg and cream and coconut flour, and Tokyo can make cookies out of chickpea flour, then I’m sure we can bake a bhaji 😉

Hello.
I’m past menopause too, one of the reasons I piled on the weight in addition to responding badly to some life challenges/stress inducers.

I’ve been doing low carb Med diet rather than full BSD as I just can’t survive on 800 cals per day. I’ve had days when I’ve fasted by accident because I’ve missed a meal, but mostly, I’m on 1300-1500 cals per day. I exercise every day: 30-40 minutes of either cardio or resistance/HIIT five days a week and then 2 days when I make sure I walk more than 10,000 steps.

I started on June 2, so I’ve now done 6 weeks and a day, and I’ve lost 9 kilos, or 19 pounds. But it hasn’t been even or steady. Dropped a big chunk in the first ten days (four kilos) which tells you how much I was over-eating before! But since then, a steady kilo per week, no hunger pangs at all, and only occasional longing for bread. Last weekend, we had visitors and I did eat some bread and chips, but in very small quantities. I thoroughly enjoyed them, but was quite glad to get back to a stricter approach for the rest of the week.

Although the BSD book is quite calm about very fast weight loss, I am not so sure that it is a good thing – it’s encouraging, but as others have said, given that this is a lifestyle change, my feeling would be to focus on feeling clothes fitting better, much better sleep and concentration levels, healthier readings for blood sugar and the fact that there will be plateaus but that overall, you are getting fitter, healthier and slimmer in a natural kind of way.

I don’t know if this will help – it works for me, and that is to have short, long and medium term goals. My short term goal is to check that I eat under 1500 cals per day and always exercise as strenuously as I can. My medium term goal is to lose 4-5 kilos each month, and ideally, move down a stone, so for example, I’m currently just under 16 stone, but am aiming to be under 15 stone by the end of August. Because I’m a teacher, I work in half-terms, and my aim is to be under 13 stone by the end of October, and I’m hoping to be around 11 ½ stone by the end of the year. At that stage, my hope is that my new eating habits will be fully embedded, my weight will stabilise and I’ll maintain that weight indefinitely.

My questions would be –
Are you exercising in the right way? You really need to work up a sweat to get metabolic movement, apparently, so that’s why HIIT works. I think Dr M does cycling on a stationary bike – but weights/resistance training are also important, especially for older women as this really improves your bone density.
Are you drinking enough water? You should be aiming for 2 litres a day, ideally. It really helps with a) flushing out the system b) filling you up so you don’t eat excessively at meals.
Could it be a good moment to skip the weigh-ins and focus on feeling healthy? Sometimes, I take a break from weighing and then when you hop back on, there are really positive numbers to encourage you.

Don’t give up – you are doing really well and approach this as a marathon, not a sprint, and you will get there.

Lucky, I tried the cauliflower pizza and the base came out lovely and crispy but when you put the sauce and topping on and put it back in the oven it goes really soggy, so mega fail for that. I am going to try chickpea dough next time. When you think about it, onion bahagees (not sure of the spelling) are chickpea flour and veg so should be able to have that.

Pizza bread lovely but not substantial Eps. I think you’re right, you know. Some things just aren’t worth the effort, and when they are, they’re not worth the calories. But – I think my pizza craving has been satisfied. I’m just thinking it might have been just as well putting it all on an 80 calorie chickpea wrap and baking it lol. If I go over today, I go over, but I will be going over eating legal stuff. When I think of the rubbish I used to be able to put away, I think I can allow myself a few extra calories.

I will try the cauliflower pizza Izzy. I think Aldi have them in their super 6 this week so it will be a reasonably cheap ‘do’. Seeing as I’ve got the pizza-ey bits in, might as well bite the bullet. I have a rugby match on tonight and a kindle full of books so I’m sure I can manage to keep myself occupied. When I’m not ogling, I’ll be reading.

On my way again, lost another 1 lb today, that’s 5 lb in 2.5 weeks. Swimming later so back into exercise after a 4 days break (due to personal circumstances).

http://izzyhew.blogspot.co.uk/ also has all the places I go like stone circles etc. I just spent a while catching up as I hadn’t posted anything in a while 🙂 it’s good to be feeling like I want to do these things again.

I did get along to the post office and it was my sewing machine pedal, so I just hope it actually still works after all this time because it hasn’t been switched on in many years! I will find out tonight. Selfishly can’t wait for my sons bedtime haha. I can’t complain though he is being good today.

I’m not making steak pie now as my daughter won’t be here and it’s one of her favourites so I will keep it for a day when she is home. Not sure what else I want to make…

yes you can’t directly substitute coconut flour for almond flour, coconut flour absorbs more liquid.

It is worth a bit of trial and error, I made carrot muffins that were dire but then went on to make the carrot cake!

Cheers Izzy, the whole US cup measurement thing is ludicrous. what’s wrong with oz or grams? I think mine may have failed as I substituted half the almond flour for coconut flout. Almond flour is naturally moister.. As you rightly say, better to have an extra piece of sthg low carb than a biscuit! We shall prevail!!

Hee hee yes please Janey 👏🏾👏🏾

Hang in there guys, try to make it through the day and tomorrow you may find you wake up back in 100%. Be kind to yourselves, drink lots, and try to distract yourself. If you really must eat then try to allow extra calories without allowing crap and carbs. Have nuts, yoghurt, sugar free gum, you know the deal.

The cauli pizza really is a reasonable compromise

Elana’s recipes are normally quite good, I make a lot of her crackers and pancakes. I also made a carrot cake as well but as it was calorific I froze it in portions and that has worked well. Make sure you are using the right cup size as she will be using American ones which if I remember rightly are imperial, ours are metric usually I think but don’t quote me… I find I make alterations quite regularly. Don’t be put off and keep trying 🙂 I have to say… the carrot cake I made? tasted exactly like carrot cake. It was yummy. Still is – some of it still in freezer lol.

When I’m making crackers she suggests 1 large egg and 2 cups almond flour. I use 2 medium eggs and 2-2.5 cups flour to get the mix right.

Eps! I have the crumble topping here for you! Will post it down lol

Green and black mint chocolate my current favourite… Yuuuuum😝😝💋

Ah sorry to hear about epic fail Friday!
But greAt that you tried new things👏🏻👍👍
Hope pizza bread nice Lucky – enjoy it!

I think I’ll try Bill’s crumble later – I think it sounds good. As to BSD suitsble sweet stuff, I’m not sure if all the baked things are worth their calories as they don’t usually taste as good as the originals and are expensive. If I really want something sweet I’ve been having one piece of really nice chocolate and it never fails and is always delicious 😹👏🏻👏🏻 (and quickly put away bar I’ve found!!!) 😂

there’s an extra strong cup of pfffffft here. Grrrr.

Having ‘consumed’ on of those culinary travesties with said cup of pfffft I do at least feel les hungry. Or maybe its depression. Where’s the wilted kale for me to glare at?

And a pot of hurrah? I think we’re all drinking from the cafetiere of pfffffffffffffft today, ladies!

of to do greek chicken now !! surely i cant cock this up too its chicken and lemons and onions !!!!!
what was that my head said fish and chips mushy peas white bread and butter !!

I don’t think I am either Tokyo, isn’t it funny. Other days I breeze through just fine. This pizza thing is lovely, so it’s not a disaster, not completely, just the amount of calories are. But, looking at it another way, it’s a lot better for me than eating regular pizza. Free range eggs, double cream, butter (proper butter!), herbs, flaxseed, tiny bit of coconut flour, tomatoes, and salami. Sod it. I won’t go over by that much anyway, fgs. Not eaten anything all day, so I’m sure I can have that and a nice bowl of greek yogurt with fruit and maybe a mousse bar later.

As tweeted, Elana’s recipe is FAIL. On the plus side, whoever needed the crumble topping.. I have a ton of it here as the muffins are crumbling before my very eyes. undeterred I fed one to my son and his ‘far too polite to refuse’ friend, who then desperately needed a drink! I am trying to make the best of a bad lot by thinking they would be nice with some ice cream (not that we can have it) or on stewed fruit (too much hassle!).

Tokyo – you can’t go to bed at 4pm.. but I know how you feel! The Slippers of despair are firmly on!

i dont want to be a mardy bum
( miserable bugger!!) but i am so not feeling the BSD today !!!
i agree you could have found i regular pizza and its a lot of calories when we have teeny tiny cal allowance
is it too early to go to bed and call it a day !!

Oh God Janey, just seen your disaster too, I’ve been hopping back and forth between two devices, not too successfully. Elana, didn’t you say she was a friend of Paltrow? Say no more.

Ok, I’ve tweeted the pic. Upon cutting it, it IS more bready than eggy. So, we cut one slice into half to try (100 cals each!) and – it’s actually very nice indeed. Just very very high in calories. Nearly our whole calories for the day in three small flat slices of ‘pizza’. So, pretty much like eating regular bloody pizza then. Grrrrrrrrrrrr. Don’t know what to do now. What a bloody day.

Yes, I know what you mean Tokyo. Jeez we’re all on a rampage today!

Just spent last half hour making these, plus time watching them in oven, and really disappointed. Got a real stick at the back of my throat from eating just a morsel to try. Added a fair amount of water but they just looked like mashed potato and looked like mashed potato with crispy bits on top when cooked. Very claggy, very coconutty and a very weird texture, not nice I’m afraid!

Well my pizza bread is out and it looks and smells delicious… But the whole loaf thing worked out half a cal under 1200 cals. It’s sliced into six… 😞 Will attempt to tweet a pic off this pad thing now

my mix was the same it just wasnt right !!!!! i looked wrong not like the usual batter more a clump!!!

i may have to have a Willie to cheer myself up 🙁

I get where you’re coming from though..

i know i may be on my own on this one and as much as i find this diet do-able i am not sure all the coconut flour almond flour coconut sugar all the million and one things in our ever expanding cupboards will ever taste like we or maybe i expect it too!!
i know this is probably treason and i maybe held accountable for treason against BSD but no brownie will taste like my brownies , no amount of farty bread will taste like a crusty white loaf with butter on !!!
i know its about what we want what are goals are but geez i could murder a bar of chocolate right now !!!!!!

I fear we may need to declare today ‘ Epic Fail Friday’. I have just attempted Elana’s bloody coffee cake and the whole mix looked wrong. What she described as being a batter looked more like very lumpy scrambled egg, even though I tried to add a little oil to soften it up. Put the mix in muffin cases rather than a whole cake and now they look like cooking mini crumbles.. with almonds on top 🙁

20 mins till they come out of the oven.. and I’m starving!

I know this might sound odd to people, that I’ll eat pizza but not entertain it on a potato or a sandwich or an omelette but… I just don’t like the thought of it. Bugger.

Oh no Tokyo 🙁

My pizza ‘loaf’ is in the oven. You had to bake a layer first… and it looked like omelette. Then layer it up with tomato, cheese, salami/pepperoni etc and then put the rest on it. So basically, I have probably, very probably, just p*****d around for the last hour making a pepperoni and cheese omelette in the oven. I DON’T LIKE CHEESE! I would never, ever eat a cheese omelette!

the one out of the book just wanted something a bit chocolatey it was between them and some chickpea sweet muffins from phil vickery i found should have gone with the muffins !!!! taste no sweetness not nice !!!

Ohhh… what’s up with them then? which recipe did you use??

OMG!!!! i feel violated !! i only have one word duped oh yes they look like brownies and they smell like brownies but my god they sure dont taste like brownies !!
i tried it and spat it out brendas kitchen gives it a bit fat zero !!!!
i would rather have the teeniest tiniest piece of my normal brownie
another fail !! off to make tzatziki now for my greek chicken !!

We await your results Tokyo! let’s see if people ‘diss them as much as they did to mine!

Seconded
you know how low carbing works, should be a breeze for you.

well i have just made the brownies in the book
now keep in mind i made brownies on a firtnightly basis and people even asked me to make them and i will just say these are not or ever likely to be a brownie !!!! and i tweaked the recipe too !! i await the exit from the oven !!!!

Exactly what I do. Fasting readings are notoriously erratic because of the stored sugar released during the sleeping hours.
I also found that having a fatty snack before bed reduced the fasting readings as, apparently, it stops the liver from releasing so much sugar if your digestive system is otherwise engaged.
My pre and post meal readings are much closer to the HbA1c test results.
Like I say others had the same experience, I think Cherrianne was one of them.

I am still of the opinion that the 800 cal diet is supposed to reverse diabetes – check out the Newcastle Diet webpage. People returned to eating the food they ate before but with a bit of moderation as to portion sizes etc. and remained non- diabetic a year after the diet. this diet is supposed to replicate the Newcastle diet, with the exception that instead of using colorie controlled shakes and 200 cal from leafy veg, it is based on ‘real’ food.

I am still doing the diet for the purpose of reversing my diabetes. I didn’t have to lose much weight, maybe 17 lbs which would leave my BMI in the low edge of ‘normal’, My BMI is normal, my lifestyle and diet has kept my HbA1c in the ‘normal range since diagnosis, but I would like to give my pancreas a chance to do its work properly again, and I see this diet as a means to achieve this.