Hi Cherry

I’m having a really up and down couple of weeks!! Work has been mega stressful and I haven’t been sleeping well which is making me crave a quick sugar fix, I’ve had a couple of pieces of cake and have been bad a drinking the water. I haven’t put on anything but haven’t lost either, it seems to be birthday after birthday in the office and I’m surrounded constantly by cake 🙁

I am 21lbs down but I’m generally feeling hungry – I know that’s the lack of water and I’m trying to have a better day today.

Shopgirl wishing you great success on your journey! Regarding the lymphodema, I have regular reflexology treatments for it and it is by far the best treatment for it that I have found but you need a really good practitioner. There is a lot of info on line on the benefit of reflexology for post operative cancer patients. I live in Hampshire UK and have a wonderful reflexologist.

This is a brilliant forum with so much encouragement and support. Lots of tips and good info as well. It certainly helps if you are not alone on this journey.

Warmest regards and welcome,
xx

What Syb said!

Also, well done Manxsprout. I’m doing the same as you, with the odd fast day thrown in. I’m working a treat for me!

It must be the night for it sydneygirl! I’ve spent the last two hours convincing myself not to have anything to eat, it’s my worse night so far in relation to desiring food. Like you I am going to stay strong and go to bed early.
Sounds like you have coffee sorted!
We can do this 🙂

Timmy the dip sounds yummmmmmmm, love full fat yoghurt and rave over pesto, must try it!

Hi everyone,
This is my first post and I am starting the program tomorrow morning. I must say reading about everyone’s amazing results is very encouraging and I am looking forward hopefully improving my post cancer surgery lymphedema as well as dropping some 20 kilos. I’ve got the book on my bedside table and healthy food in my fridge so I should be good to go!

Cheers for that Janey. Yup, the dip defo went well with my burger.

1. Feeling achey after beasting myself in the gym yesterday (I love the achey feeling after heavy weights)
2. I’m back on track as of the weekend and have lost another 0.8kg
3. The sun is shining!

I misjudged the amount of water in the gram flour flatbread this morning- I’d got it down to a fine art, but a few days of not making any and it was a bit disastrous. I thought the water would just ‘steam off’ as it cooked, but when I went to flip it over and it was still a soggy mess – I cooked the rest in a smaller pan and it was sort of OK.
Also, I put cherry tomatoes in the egg poaching water at the end of cooking – it warmed them through nicely, with none of the mess from cooking them (and no added fat or oil).
– so one success, one fail! the stuck on gram batter came off the pan quite quickly after soaking.

Ooh Timmy, never thought of a burger in a wrap! I’ve been having BBQs with no bread involvement at all, which isn’t too bad, but a wrap around a sausage would be perfect.. or does that sound wrong???

So, paleo cookies. You need to visit Elana’s pantry! Here is the link: https://elanaspantry.com/crispy-chocolate-chip-cookies/
I used coconut oil instead of palm shortening, and I reckon you could do away with most of the coconut sugar as they are very sweet. Add some Willies cocoa drops, bung ’em in the oven.. LET THEM COOL.. and bingo! Almost legal cookies. Just make sure you only eat one!!

Dip sounds interesting.. that’d deffo go with burgers too!

1. Give thanks for living in a democratic country – counting continues following federal election 02/07.
2. Realised 100kms from home, on a 200km journey that I’d left my handbag at home – so grateful that the journey was safe and I wasn’t stopped and asked for ID/licence.
3. Grateful that chicken and salad is a great BSD lunch and is easily obtainable even when away from home.

thanks Switzrland

Is your machine a Singer Izzy?
I acquired my Mum’s sewing machine when she died – she’d replaced it at some point because it wasn’t working, and I paid to have it serviced to no avail, and eventually threw it. I came across the foot the other day, and put it to one side for electrical recycling, but still have it if you want to give it a try.

Oh and if anyone is missing dips/ketchup etc I’ve invented a LUSH dip/sauce. It’s really difficult to make though.

Get a big blob of yoghurt (full fat of course). Add in a blob of pesto (your choice of which, make sure it doesn’t have added sugar though, some of them do!). Stir. Done!

I am a July starter too! Hubby and I embarking on this challenge together, which does make a huge difference. Started yesterday following the plan suggested in the book – I do find it easier to plan and shop when it’s in black and white. We do have a bit of a challenge on Saturday as have an invite to a birthday tea – as we are such foodies people will notice that we aren’t eating anything – any tips on how to explain as don’t really want everyone at this stage to know that we are on a diet. I have been on so many it’s slightly embarrassing 🙁 to tell people that I am on yet another diet. Really feel this will work to kick start weight loss and at the moment need to see fast results. We have a holiday in 7 weeks time so will probably only be able to do seven weeks but aim to get straight back on the Med Plan as soon a we get back.

Paleo cookies? Linky please! I neeeeeeeed some cookies.

Bought some actual real life gram flour last week instead of trying to make my own. Made some wraps with them and they are great! Not sure if I had the consistency right though. The wraps seemed to disintegrate when I had fajitas, but who cares, I HAD FAJITAS!! Yum.

I also had a bbq at the weekend, and wrapped one of the burgers in one of the wraps. It was great!

As a 63 year old (4 foot 11 inch shorty) type 2 who was managing really well with a few low readings, I was put on a carb with every meal diet by a nutritionist and quickly gained 3 kg and blood glucose was higher than I have ever seen (180 / 190 and sometime 230). For the past 2 years I have been desperately trying to lose the weight and get my b/g back under control. My HBA1C had gone from 5.6 to 11. I have managed to get it down to 8 on my last 2 tests but still struggling. Over this 2 years I have lost sensation in my 2 big toes and have been practically starving myself to improve. Then I came across the book The 800 Calorie Blood Sugar Diet. I read the book from cover to cover in just 2 days, worked out a menu plan for week 1 and did a shop for all the veggies I didn’t have already.

Week one result – I have lost 3.5 lbs and my morning blood glucose has been coming down from 180, to 153, to 125 to 90 and today to 70. That is a 60% reduction (hubby did the maths). It is quite unbelievable. I recognise that 70 is too low but it is a sign that it is time to start reducing my nightly insulin injections from 37 units to 35. Hopefully that is just the start as I intend to continue with the diet for the full 8 weeks. I have been following the meal plans to the letter as I don’t feel confident enough to start playing around and by doing this I have discovered that I love aubergine (not had it in 40 years).

Lets see what the next week brings.

Quite right Igorasusual! Health “experts” are nothing of the sort in a lot of instances!

Not sure if I’m correct or not, but I feel that there will always be a bounce back up when coming off the 800. I’m only doing the 5:2, but I’m thinking I want to lose slightly more that I need to in the first instance in the knowledge that I’m likely to put on a couple of lbs when I go onto the Med Style

Hi Izzy,
When it comes to weight and waist measurements as long as the numbers are going down you’re successful.
I totally understand what your’re saying about sleep. My entire life I’ve needed a minimum of eight hours sleep. Apparently when I was a toddler I used to just walk myself off to my bedroom and put myself to bed! ….still doing it now! I think I’m the only Mum on earth that at times went to bed before my kids (it’s OK, their Dad would settle them).
Your loft sounds like it’s coming together nicely. Did you get the flooring down?
Happy day everyone.

Hi Frog,
Congratulations for succeeding with weight loss while away.

Muahahahaha… according to the Krooked Spoon website, gram flour ‘can be mixed with yoghurt to make a face exfoliant’…. the (dirty) mind boggles… upload your pics here ladies!!!!

Congrats on the loss Julie13! Well done you, you are certainly on your way and you will help inspire me too 🙂

Thanks Igorasusual, your helping to keep me motivated and accountable!

I can relate to the emotional connection to food, it’s definitely the hard one to crack. I am feeling a real need to eat this evening, just feeling a little tired and out of sorts for some reason. I made chicken and vegetable soup and wanted to devour the whole pot! It’s in the Tupperware for tomorrow lunch and I’m on the couch so disaster avoided. Might be time for an early night.

After my detox I’m back on the coffee like a demon. They have almond milk in the cafe which is only 60 calories per serving (I scanned the carton using myfitnesspal!) so I don’t think it’s so bad…

Ohhhhhhh I’ve created a gram flour monster with the pastry discovery haven’t I??!! It was not bad at all. I am not a great lover of pastry (it gets in the way of cake!!) but there’s definitely a BSD option there, isn’t there? I will have a look at that link in a minute Lucky. If it says ‘cake’ I’m interested! BUT… no, we must put that word to the bottom of our vocab list….. 🙁

I had king prawns with veg and courgetti stirfry last night while my OH hoovered up the leftover noodles from our ill-fated Chinatown meal. Although his noodles looked more substantial than mine (stop it!) I didn’t feel that my day off previously had left me hankering after them. I do agree that we shouldn’t get into the ‘just this once’ mentality though because it would be so easy to backslide into carb chaos again..

My son has requested that I make ANOTHER batch of the paleo cookies for him and his mates.. praise indeed! Almond flour is going down far too quickly though, whereas the coconut flour is still sitting there waiting for its moment. I need to experiment to see if it can replace almond flour or can be mixed with it, thereby making my money go further! H&B must be loving this!

Hi everyone,
This is my first post and I am starting the program tomorrow morning. I must say reading about everyone’s amazing results is very encouraging and I am looking forward hopefully improving my post cancer surgery lymphedema as well as dropping some 20 kilos. I’ve got the book on my bedside table and healthy food in my fridge so I should be good to go!

Hi Lucia, All is well here. A beautiful 15C today and sunny this afternoon after a rainy start.
B – chia pudding and strawberries
L – chicken and green salad
D – salmon and salad

A special welcome to Hels.

Well done Julie for your 4lb loss, that’s great! On your way!

Keep a cool head at the family events – fizzy water or just water before you go to fill you up? Looking for the good stuff amongst the treats? Only having a little portion, instead of a whole whatever it is? You can do it!

And even if there is something so tempting you absolutely have to succumb, then you are right, you can get back on the wagon as soon as you’re able. May be interesting to note any effects you have from the extra sugar/carbs you’ll be taking on….I know people here have tried stuff, and then thought “well, that wasn’t worth it” at the after effects.
Which helps!

Good luck! Keep on at it 🙂

What great results from everyone! I don’t think the actual size of the weight loss is what matters – it does vary so much from person to person and indeed day to day – I found that my shape altered considerably whilst weight stayed the same, and therefore it’s good not to get attached to the actual poundage. Feeling great is the best measure. And getting the hang of how what you do may affect your body, which is definitely trial and error.

Timmy – yes, I absolutely know that carbs aren’t the thing which give you energy. I think I’ve read much of the same stuff as you have, and the hormones within the body are very capable of using stored fat within our cells to run our bodies very efficiently, so long as we don’t give them lots of refined carbs to use first. It’s just that health professionals seem not to have been brought up to date, and if we can’t depend on their expert knowledge, it casts most people (who don’t research the subject) into the outer darkness of what they should do.

And it takes courage to go against medical advice, as many people have found over the years.

I’m wondering if we are on the verge of a complete breakthrough in thinking, which will turn the ‘low fat’ conversation on its head. And then all the things we’ve been told over the years will suddenly be ‘wrong’…..

You’re doing absolutely great Bissell and one week is totally not undoing all your hard work. You can’t undo your hard work as it already done and you deserve to praise yourself for your perseverance. Now it’s the next step in the process, working out how to maintain and what works and what doesn’t. I’d say there’ll be a few ups and downs along the way, but that’s normal enough as it’s a bit more random than following the plan of 800 calories that’s already tried and tested for us. But doesn’t mean we wont work it out for ourselves and then continue to do great.

Can imagine I would start freaking a bit if feeling I was going to pile the weight straight back on so I totally get your feelings. But I think I’ll do 5 days of 800 calories and 2 days of sticking to the principles and adding more healthy calories and see what happens. Still another week to go but then will start then. Will keep you posted! Definitely no bashing yourself for slidding or giving up or failing – you are way ahead of most people – have made it on the long journey of 8 weeks and the rest is just finding out what works. A process!

Hi Keeptrying, are you doing the 800, the 5:2 or just the BSD med style low carb?

To answer your question about how to speed up your metabolism, the only way to do this is to increase your lean muscle mass. And the only way to increase lean muscle mass is to exercise. Specifically anaerobic exercise. Walking is a great fat burner for the calorie deficit whilst you are walking, but strength exercises (weights, pilates, etc) will build your lean muscle mass which in turn will burn fat more quickly.

Contrary to popular belief, cardiovascular exercise isn’t very good at burning fat. It can often also use muscle mass as an energy source. That said, cardio is an important part of exercise as the name suggests, it keeps your cardiovascular system and heart healthy.

My approach is to do a combination of cardio, HIIT and weight training, so I’m getting the best of both worlds. HTT

Hi Igorasusual, well that nurse is completely wrong I’m afraid!! The only things that are essential are essential fatty acids (good fats), essential amino acids (usable protein) and essential vitamins and minerals. The rest of it the body can produce on it’s own if needs be!

Whilst it’s true that the brain only uses carbs/glucose for it’s energy, this can be produced within the body from fat and protein if it’s deprived of carbs. Saying that, the brain would probably be more efficient with a diet with some complex carbs (like what we are all doing) rather than absolutely no carbs at all. However it is possible to live without them, or with hardly any. The Chukchi for instance live most of the year off nothing but reindeer meat, with the occasional snack of partially digested vegetation from the reindeer’s gut. I don’t like the sound of that diet!

OK, so my climb back onto the wagon was slightly slower than expected, but even though I was having the odd (not so odd!) drink my eating was impeccable. And because of that my weight was completely static for the whole time I was off the wagon! Result.

Anyhow, I’ve been like a saint since Saturday and I’ve shifted another 0.7kg so my weight is now tantalizingly close to under 90kg! I’m currently 91.7kg. This is monumental for me. I haven’t been sub 90kg since I was in my 20s and I can’t wait to get there! My aim is to get well below the 90kg mark before I go on holiday in August, and to either maintain or lose weight when I’m away.

I’m one of those annoying people who normally loses weight on holiday, as I’m either skiing all day or in the pool/sea swimming or playing with my kids (depending on which holiday it is!). This is despite the copious amounts of brie, pate, beer, wine and cognac that I consume!

Hi Izzy

I’ve been away for a few days – so you’ve started on the loft already? wow, hope that’s going well

I went to a carvery one day while I was away – I did have a couple of small roast potatoes, but quite easy to leave one of those – preBSD I’d probably have had four or five large ones. I did enjoy the smallest Yorkshire pudding that I spotted on the serving tray though!
– and I did emulate Lynn’e achievement of losing weight while away this time

I still haven’t perfected cauliflower rice – but I’m finding I quite enjoy chopped or shredded white cabbage as a quick and easy (and crunchy) ‘rice substitute’

have a good day

Thanks Frog, I mostly follow this kind of diet in my every day – just hoping that a bit more structure and reducing calorie intake to 800 will help me to shed a couple stubborn kilo’s that have crept up on me over the last couple of years. Enjoying too many beers and larger portions (even if they are mostly healthy). I am less than 3 months out from my wedding and wanting to be the healthiest version of myself on my big day.

Thanks for your reply – I will keep a food diet and plan on contributing to recipes on here too.

All the best for your healthy BSD adventure

Hi Cherry8
that;s really well done – I agree getting weight to shift gets harder, not sure if its menopause or age related, but it isn’t a race, and over a stone in seven weeks is brilliant.
I’m just starting week 8, and have a similar pattern of weight loss and amount to lose as you – but hey, the fat’s been there a long time, so long as it is coming down steadily, and I am learning better eating habits (and having occasional nonBSD goodies, but appreciating that they are occasional small portion treats rather than everyday), who cares whether the total loss takes four months or five!

hope that week 7 goes well for you

i had steak on sat but according to my fitness and the packet it wasn’t that bad is yours like a steak off the flintstones !!! good luck today i have an emergency apple and 4 almonds woo hoo !!!!

Hi Anneswish – it’s that crucial learning to determine between hunger and “I want”!
I’m still not sure that I know what being hungry actually feels like
well done on your first couple of days

2nd day pretty damn good if I say so myself! Must admit though I’m used to having a very full tummy after tea so it will take a bit of getting used to. I’m not hungry after tea – just feel could eat more. I haven’t missed my glass of wine but I guess by the weekend I might

Hi Mishkalala
You poor thing, I love eggs, and have been eating even more of them recently!

I haven’t used the book’s recipes at all really, just worked with ingredients that are within BSD criteria – predominantly low carb veg with meat/fish/cheese/(& eggs for me) – so you could follow that approach, I’ve found it fairly simple.
Despite a couple of holidays, birthday, odd glass of wine and the very occasional non BSD brownie, I’ve lost 9k in seven weeks, have hugely improved blood results and dropped two dress sizes.

Good luck, hope that the diet works well for you

Yeah – four days away, lots of nice things to eat, but mostly BSD – and I’ve lost half a kilo.
Nine kilos altogether in 7 weeks.

Supermarket shopping on the way home, I bought some work trousers in Sainsbury’s sale (reduced to £3!!) – size sixteen, and too tight, but I got them knowing they’re a size down, but they do actually do up – and a bra that is two sizes down from where I started, and again, too tight, but does do up!!
And the black jeans that I ‘found’ in the wardrobe, four weeks ago are almost at the end of their window!

Hi all,

I am about to start on the BSD Fast 800 however I don’t eat eggs…..I wish I did – such an amazing protein filled l=convenient food, however I don’t. Any suggestions on substitutes for the meals with eggs?

Any suggestions warmly welcomed.

Hey Lesley thanks for the follow up – really good to hear you had a good day one! Apologies for the slight winge – no more of that – just a hiccup – onwards and upwards!
I made the lamb/aubergine thingy too and did enough for two people so will have a brunch today and the rest of it for dinner tonight. Well done !
Jillf

Hahahaha she probably has already, knowing her. Wraps are made, two failed, need to buy that other brand again I think. Try using this one for pie crust! Just had a shock, calorie counted my steak for tonight, I didn’t realise it was so high! 🙁 Nearly my day’s calories gone in one go. I’ll cut it in half and bulk up on veggies instead. Typical.

Hi Keeptrying,
I’m not loosing as fast as other people seem to be,I’m starting week 7 today and this week I gained a 1lb after not being absolutely strict. I find I loose around 3lb one week and none or very little the next. The weight is coming off, 1st 2lb so far but my waist measurement has not come down by inches like others. The menopause does seem to change how your body behaves I agree. I’m not too disheartened as I figure any loss is good. I’m determined to keep going, I needed to loose 70lb in total, so now I ONLY need to loose 54lb, which sounds a lot better. I’ve kept my menu plans and have decided to repeat the week on which I lost 4lb to see if that works again. I’m determined to keep going and shed the weight I already feel better on this way of eating. Let me know how you are doing? Cherry8

Hi Lucia. I’m new to this way of eating and so far I’m loving it. Your wonderful blog has really motivated me to keep going. I lost 3lbs in my first week but have got a few heavy social days ahead of me. Any tips on how to stay strong? How much have you lost now? You’re doing so well. 😀

Hi JCH187,
Just wondered how you were getting on. We’ve both got the same amount of weight to loose, can we compare notes?
I’m on week 7 today, I put on a 1lb🙄It’s been a bit of a nightmare week sorting out problems for the block of flats where we live and unfortunately doing a lot of hard physical work, I have been ravenous and I know I’ve been bad and had a few glasses of wine and a piece of chocolate cake we were given as thank you so. I’m back on the wagon today. Hoping this week will be better.

Morning team
How are we all this morning?

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Morning Jill
Sorry to hear you were hungry yesterday. I admit I did have my lunch a bit earlier and cooked dinner as soon as I got home from work (LOVED the aubergine and lamb thingy!) so needed a bit of will power later in the evening, but drank lots of camomile tea, put on a good movie and stuck out till 10:15. Funny thing is, I was already feeling better, more lively…even did the dishes after dinner! Not sure if that’s just a mental thing because I’m glad to be finally taking some action, or its really down to what I ate and drank (or more precisely what I DIDNT eat and drink!) but whichever it is I’ll take it! 🙂

I’ve just finished breakfast (Bircher as I’ve swapped day two and three as the curry will suit my son better…he usually drops by on Wednesdays) which was yummy and am looking forward to the day ahead.

Gave a great day

Namaste

LesleyB x

are there any other slow weight losers out there?

I am losing weight on this diet but WAY slower than other people it seems

I know I am not as active as many, although I do get out for walks some days and average a loss of half to one pound a week

this past 10 days I have been away, I have walked every single day and between 3 and 4 miles on 6 of those days
I have been gardening, and cleaning
I have been in a house so up and down stairs, much more moving around
I have had NO sweet foods at all apart from my breakfast berries
and have stuck to low (30 – 50g) carbs every single day
and I still only managed to lose 3 1/2 pound
I am pleased with it but I just get so down and deflated when I read all the wow wow stories on here

the menopause, I know, has made an impact on things and slowed things down for me

but please
if there are any other people who are losing so little, let me know

oh – and I have a lot of weight to shift – several stone still – so its nothing to do with that

how on earth do I get my metabolism to speed up – its like a sloth!!

thank you x

i have just put chickpea flour in google and yes you can make allsorts a revelation !!!!!
anything that uses flour quiches batter white sauce pastry my god its a super ingredient quick get marketing it before paltrow does !!!!!!!!

you do have it under control though, that’s the thing. It’s 2 lb’s and before you know it those will be gone again. This could just be a natural fluctuation as your body re-adjusts.

Out of control would be to gain 2lbs, do nothing. Gain another 2lbs, do nothing, give up, eat pasta, gain 3lbs, do nothing, give up again, (eat 16 hot-dogs, 27 servings of fries, 14 baked potatoes – and… just a small slice of cake please I’m on a diet… oh and a diet coke) THAT would be out of control!

You have cracked it, and you can do this, it will just take a while for you to build your confidence and find the balance of how much to eat to maintain.

Tokyo, you’d never believe what you can do with chickpea flour, not sure about white sauce but you can make this…

https://thekrookedspoon.com/2013/03/03/besan-flour-and-why-i-love-it-plus-a-chocolate-mud-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2131

… with a sugar substitute, of course.

I am really excited about the pastry, even if it’s just a crust on top, I’m missing something solid (Janey! No…!) in my diet, does that make sense? The feeling of eating something substantial.

Gout? Ouch! I bet that is painful, bless him. I’m still sat here procrastinating, we leave in an hour and a half, no chickpea wraps made, I’m not showered or nothing. I want to stay home and make pastry 🙁