Hi everyone
Just thought I’d drop by and add my thoughts on my first day. I had blueberries, yogurt and a few nuts for breakfast, amazing the difference in the taste of the full fat yogurt and it kept me going all morning. Lunch was a chicken salad and then tonight we have had trout fillet and veg with potatoes for one. I do love the Jersey Royals but felt fine not having them, it is more important to start to shift the weight.
I have drunk about 2 litres of water and had less coffee than normal so hoping I don’t get headaches from lack of caffeine. I just need to start to get some exercise, been a busy day so that will have to wait!

I know every day won’t be so easy so I will keep trying and will do it, feeling positive today.

Hi everyone: Just checking in to say that after 3 days I have lost 5.8 pounds for far. Can’t wait until Friday when I will have my first week done.

LindaOz: I have a fitbit zip that I love.

Emma: It looks like you and your husband had a great first week.

Seadog: I was lucky I have not felt bad at all since starting this plan. But I did do 5:2 before, plus I have been watching my carb intake off and on for awhile now. So it was not that big of a change for me.

Eggbot: Sounds like your first day went pretty good for you. What did your husband make that you couldn’t eat? I keep my meals pretty simple. Basically meat, chicken,( some form of protein) veggie and a salad for dinner. And my husband can always have a potato or rice to go with it if he wants. And yes we can all do this with the help of each other and this forum.

It was ok… lol. As my husband would put it ‘It were crackin’t flags’ when we left home. As we drove further and further into Snowdonia the skies greyed and just as we arrived at our destination, it started raining. That fine rain that soaks you through… 😛 In laws weren’t too impressed as even the most beautiful places look grim in the rain. Walked them around, got them soaked, went in a cafe and despite SIL being on SW… she had a massive baguette (and I mean massive) with steak and fried onions on. BIL had a bacon barmcake. I had… a look of hunger and a black coffee. I forgot my apple. We walked past the lovely ice cream shop there too. By the time we arrived home at 3, I had parents evening at 3.30 and so only had a quick coffee. I don’t think I chewed my tea tonight, Tokyo, I just cut it up and swallowed it, I was famished! Then I fell asleep in my chair for an hour and a half. Going out with them again tomorrow, God help me.
How did gardening go? Did the weather hold for you? Did you destroy anything electrical? 😉

how did the day out go lucky ?

Hi all,
It was a mixed first day for me today with a few challenges along the way. It was a colleague’s birthday but I didn’t feel like I missed out when I (hopefully politely) declined the celebration cake. My husband forgot I was starting the diet today – he’s been working all weekend – and had prepared a big dinner for when I got home. Again I (slightly less politely) declined and had my planned meal of thai chicken and veg soup which was BSD-friendly and delicious. (New Covent Garden, I can recommend it, 177 cal for half carton.)

LindaOz – Glad you’re a fan of the fitbit. Fitting your walk into the commute sounds like a great habit to start. I didn’t charge my fitbit for today but I did get out for a 20 minute walk at lunchtime which I also hope will become a daily habit.

Thanks for the day 3 update Seadog. I’m so hoping we can all do this and it’s good to hear you’re more positive about the new lifestyle than sad about the loss of the old! There are some habits that I will have to say goodbye to over this 8 weeks (possibly forever) that I don’t think I’ve fully accepted yet. Hope you have a really great day 4!

Great results everyone! The health stats are seriously impressive. Why doesn’t every one know about this way of eating!!

I’m focussing on the superficial weight stuff tho hopefully healthier on the inside too. Week 7 just over and another 1.4kg gone yaaaayyyy!👍👍 another stone to go until goal weight though sneaking into the healthy weight bracket in half a stone, v exciting!!! Feeling happier in my self and less preoccupied with food – picking good options is still sometimes a battle but a more automatic battle now😝

It’s definitely gotten bit easier in the last week or so, and I credit cauliflower rice and curry for lots of it! It’s just so much nicer than normal rice.

Hi,
I’ve just done a little research into Dr Aseem Malhotra, who as stated above posted an article in the Daily Mail a few days ago. Anyway, I’ve just found a REALLY interesting article in Mens Health magazine, which puts forward, very succinctly, the benefits of a high fat/low carb approach. I am astonished quite honestly, that we have allowed ourselves to be mistakenly advised to follow a low fat/high carb diet which REALLY annoys me. Why is it that Govt advice is so slow to change ? People are ruining their health through incorrect GP advice. I think there is a gradual change happening, but the advice is still wrong. the so called ‘slimming clubs’ are still making millions out of poor people who are told to follow their misguided and ineffective plans. Sorry, rant over, but if you are like me and just started to realise that we have been sold a crock of s*** by the Govt, it makes you mad !!
Anyway….below is a link to Dr Malhotra research and findings.

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/food-nutrition/the-truth-about-fat-and-sugar-is-finally-explained

I started on the 29th!

Would like to lose about 5 stone to be at ideal weight but would be very happy with 4.

Going really well so far – down 6-7 lbs and feel good. Day three was tough. Biggest challenge now I think is staying active – really having to push to make sure I’m moving. Anyone try the strength training suggestions?

Thanks JaneyCD.
Glad you enjoyed your beer treat.
I am not sure about the coconut oil exactly lol….I just felt that not quite enough oil might be a contributing factor seeing as I had carefully weighed and measured all ingredients, drunk an oceanful of water and did a fair amount of walking. I love coconut and bounty bars so I thought ,what the heck, it has worked for others so why not give it a go. The taste and texture of the one I have is surprisingly light and melted easily (groovy/organic) so would definitely try it again.
Good luck now you are in the over 8 week club.
P

Breakfast – Greek yogurt (60g) frozen berries, warmed (80g) seeds and nuts
Lunch – 100g chicken, some olives and a bit of their oil, salad leaves, cucumber, tomato, pepper
Tea – 2 rashers bacon, slice Rye bread, salad leaves, cucumber, avocado, houmous 1 dessert spoon.
Total 815 cals.

The Daily Grail is running articles with recipes all day this week.

I just started today, though I found the low sugar diet through the ladies gym I joined. Finding it hard to get my head round full fat everything.

Oh Lordy, Janey. It’s no fun being a step parent some times. No pearls of wisdom here either after my track record with my stepson. Chin up girlie x

If you aren’t confident to or don’t want to do your own calculations and tracking, it makes sense to stick with the meal plans. However, I have found this new regime has inspired me to get creative in the kitchen and really think about what I am preparing and eating. As sydneygirl said, if you keep it simple, but add flavour with herbs and spices, it is possible to make some delicious alternatives to the dishes in the book.
Once you are happy with how things are going, maybe you will find the confidence to create some dishes yourself. Keep us posted on your progress and good luck.

Stick with it Aria, it will all settle and come right soon. It does take a little while to get used to the regime when you first start, but once you get over the carb withdrawal and cravings. Keep us posted on your progress and shout out if you need support. Oh and for those with constipation issues, I have found Potter’s Cleansing Tablets very helpful.

Wow fantastic images thank you for sharing .

Hi Everyone ,Well Done GrannyR great to hear about your success.
I had a bad day,its really cold here and I did some comfort eating.Its a shame as my BGL was low today but I didn’t lose any weight, Some of my clothes are looser and I did need to add elastic to my jeans waistband.so thanks for your advice SunnyB
Comments from Baristagirls are so timely.I will start again tomorrow to eat properly, I’m planning to stick to 800 for 4 weeks then review..It seems that just when I think I have it under control, Life happens and I need to start again.so be it. Thanks everyone for posts .Im finding it really helpfull cheers all

Hey, I’m Patrik and I’m new here. I actually found the site because I’m a webmaster/developer and wanted to have a closer look at a live forum powered by bbPress. Funny how things go sometimes. 🙂

In a ‘Low Carb.’ diet, how does one determine what is a ‘Low Carb.’? Has a reference level of carbs. relative to other nutrients been established?
If we look at the now discredited GDA or RI carb. levels, the carb. energy relative to fat energy plus protein energy is about 125%. What should be the relative carb. energy level compared to the fat and protein energy levels in, for instance, the 800kcal. diet?

Alan B

Hi,

My work means that I do manage to achieve the 10000 steps most days with a short evening walk. However over the summer I’m using fitness blender.com. I started with their free 5 day plan and am now doing a low impact program. They are good as you don’t feel pressure to do more than you can and if you follow a program, a fitness test at the start and end lets you see real differences.

Hi all

Just tipped over the midway point and lost another 1lb last week. I am disappointed as I felt I was completely on it but for one night when I had a few people over and I ate a normal portion.

It was baked Fish with Greek salad though. So pretty good. Oh, and um a slither of lemon tart. Which I was craving and tried not to serve to myself but just have some fruit and it fell in my dish. Oops. It was too sweet. Bit shocked about that as I love puddings. Or should I say loved.

These changes are surprising. Just signed up for a ballroom and Latin dance class with the fella which will help as well as be a lot of fun I hope. I dog walk and garden and swim occasionally too. Trying to build up a short exercise routine but I’m a bit rubbish about being consistent with that.

Onwards!

End of week 4 for me and I only lost 1lb last week. Bit of a disappointment after the initial big loss in the first week (8lb) followed by two 3lb loss weeks. Still it is in the right direction. I was careful other than one evening when I had a few people over to supper and I ate a normal sized portion. Still it was not a huge meal. There we are. I have to be careful not to get despondent and think well it doesn’t matter how hard I try, so I may as well have a Twirl or three…

Hi does anyone have a recipe for an easy tomato sauce I can use please

Thanks guys for the advice !, sorry don’t mean to steal Bills limelight, this thread is to applaud him !
I have to work early shifts in my job, two out of every eight days, which mean getting up at 4am, from a common sense perspective I’m asking too much of myself to go without breakfast those days, but the other days I think I will just have lunch and dinner, with a small snack around 9pm, as Bill suggests. I know the science behind fasting is sound, so am keen to bring both the 800 cal plan and fasting into play to combine the results. I think there is some truth in tricking your metabolism as MM suggests, so I’ll do that I think and let you know how I get on !.

Thanks captainlynn, I’m only on day 5 but have lost 4lbs which is a miracle for me so I’m keeping going

Thanks Izzy, thats helpful

Great to see so any brilliant results being posted here. Mine are not so spectacular, but I have dropped 1.4lb since this time last week. I have to admit, I was over cals most days and only registering a low reading on the ketosticks, so I am grateful for ending up with a loss of any sort. Today, I am more focused and back properly tracking cals and carbs.
Good luck to everyone for great results this week.

Nearly – I started on Sunday 26th June, (I have a weird work pattern), so have just come to the end of my first full week on the BSD.

I reckon I have about 12+ stone to lose but I don’t know for definite as I can’t ever recall a time when I was the ‘proper’ weight so I have no real frame of reference – I’ve been overweight, (and more), since I was about 6, no exaggeration!

I made a good start in the first five days by losing a stone, but unfortunately after that I had a pre-booked long weekend away with my boyfriend and when I got on the scales this morning despite being careful on the carb/sugar front, I found that I had put 5lbs on (grrrr!) so this has reduced my first week’s loss to 9lbs, which to be fair I can’t really complain about! 🙂

Fortunately, even though I’d found getting grips with a completely new way of thinking and eating really hard and also time consuming last week, (doing this has made me realize how little attention I was paying to what I was putting in my mouth), as I hadn’t found myself hungry, nor lightheaded during the first week, I’ve hopped right back on the wagon this morning and am quite, unusually for me, relieved to be back ‘on it’.

Having basically dieted the low fat/high carb way for 39 years of my life with occasional temporary success, (put it all back on and more), I’m extremely wary of thinking/believing that this time it will click long term for me, but the lack of hunger/no lightheadedness has been a revelation and also a joy, and I never, EVER thought I would say that about a diet so who knows! 🙂

Hey Janey – Hope you are managing to have a reasonable day today after yesterday being torpedoed like it was. I know it’s easy said, but try not to let this upset derail you. Hope you will be able to open a line of communication with your OH soon and clear the air. Be gentle with yourself and try to stay focused.

Had an overall weight loss for the week, despite an overindulgent weekend – it’s a new week and higher vigilance from today.
Spent time with grandchildren yesterday.
Clearing out some stuff for a charity sale later this month.

Oh dear, I’m still not sure of my final target until I get to where I feel comfortable.
I know it won’t be around the recommended 10 stone something, probably more like 12 but, as I said, I won’t really know until I get there.
I think that personally, I’ll stick to weekly weigh ins though, it’s become a bit of a Saturday ritual and I feel that, if I start gaining again, 4 weeks is too long to go without knowing about it.

If you don’t need a particular meal, then there is no harm done by skipping it. I am sometimes like you, in that I don’t want breakfast first thing, so will have a brunch around noon, a small snack in the afternoon and then eat a main meal with OH in the evening. Just watch the calories and carbs and drink enough.

Hi Seadog
breakfast has never really figured in my diet apart from when on holiday.
Of course skipping it does increase your fasting period, but, I do find that my blood sugar readings stay as high as my fasting levels until I’ve eaten so just something to keep an eye on.
I tend to have a light lunch, decent sized dinner (but still low cal) and a small snack at about 9pm. That’s the way I’ve done it since I was recommended to have the snack to lower the fasting BS readings.
TBH I rarely bother doing a fasting reading any more, just pre and post meals.
Give skipping breakfast a try, if you start feeling hungry pre lunch you can always start it again.

Well done Sydneygirl.

Keep chipping off the pounds and you will get there!

🙂

Hi Seadog

Basically the BSD says you should eat when you are hungry. So if you don’t need to eat at breakfast and your work schedule permits you can certainly eat two meals per day

The BSD suggests this at weekends and it does help by putting your meals in a shorter time span, with more fasting between them. You can certainly do it all week if it suits you – I often do.

Do it to suit yourself and your body is the main thing. Not for everybody perhaps.

Good luck 🙂

That’s fantastic P! TWO dress sizes and all those inches lost is such an achievement! I thought I was happy with just one dress size down!!

This is technically the start of the rest of my life today as I’m in week 9!!! Had a treat yesterday as we took the kids to London and ate in Chinatown, but I can honestly say I was glad to get back to sensible eating today.. All that rice and stodge.. Ugh! I did enjoy my first beer in 8 weeks tho 😋

I’ve heard of people eating coconut oil before. What does it do? Suppress the appetite? I’ve started cooking with it but not felt the urge to eat it by itself!!

How about this. Those who want to weigh in monthly do so, those who want to weigh in weekly do so?

Personally, I think I’d prefer to weigh in weekly for a short time after reaching target, just so I can keep a check on what is happening – until I find out how to keep my weight stable. I know it will be low carb. But unsure how many calories I will be able to eat, hence weekly weighing.

Hi all,
Just thought I’d check in and let you know how I’m doing ?. I’m on day 3 now, and still feeling a bit sluggish, but it is improving. The weird thing is my sense of hunger ?. Earlier before lunch, I felt starving, but then suddenly that feeling had vanished ?. I’m really getting the feeling that my body is in some way trying to reboot ?. The other feeling I’m trying to come to terms with is what I can only describe as a sense of loss ?. It’s the weirdest feeling, I feel like I’ve lost some part of me that I had needed and come to rely on (Carbs/sugar) and have now made a new proper friend, water and proper healthy and nutritious food !. The only way I can describe it is giving up smoking I guess (I’ve never smoked, but people tell me that you get the withdrawal symptoms ?).
I still feel a little jittery, but I know that this is just withdrawal, I can do this, I know it will pass. Sorry if I sound a bit serious, but although I’m loving this new lifestyle, I still feel like I’m breaking free from the chains !. Normal service will resume shortly !!

Hi, question for Bill ?. I seem to remember that I read somewhere on one of your posts that you don’t eat breakfast ?. I haven’t got much of an appetite in the morning, so was wondering if I should just have two meals a day, but still have 800 calories of course ?. Would this have even more effect as I would get the added bonus of in effect fasting from dinner one day till lunch the next ?. I’m thinking this is probably not a good idea, as I’m sure my waking appetite will increase as I go on through the plan ?. what are your thoughts ?

Can hardly believe we’re on the first day of week 7. One of the reasons I like this diet is that if I’ve eaten badly, I look forward to eating properly again because I don’t feel great! 🙂

Well…it is the first day of my week 8.
Had a bit of a plateau and a strange week last week and my weight wiggled up and down with no clear reason, but, as many on here have recommended I stayed on course…had an extra spoon of coconut oil and didn’t despair. That paid off and at the last moment the scales shifted.
So now at 12st, 5lb and a 1/4 (from 15 stone),five inches gone from my waist and two full dress sizes down.
I am looking forward to the rest of the week and the positive difference I can make.
I still don’t have a specific weight target as I feel I am still way too far off to think about that yet. Just want to be in the healthy BMI range.

Is it a coincidence that I started the diet Thursday morning and have been bleeding since Thursday night?
I have a mirena coil so don’t have regular periods and it’s usually just spotting. This is full blown pre mirena bleed 😟
I really don’t want to stop after 4 days as I’m doing it with my hubby.

Em x

I started Thursday and have enjoyed everything so far. I’ve got about 35lbs to get rid of and my hubby is doing it too.
Today I’m feeling tired so don’t know if it’s from lack of carbs and I could just eat a bar of chocolate 😞
Mustn’t give into the urge 😆

Em x

Hi Hush
yes that is the most remarkable thing about this way of eating, you just don’t feel hungry because, once you cut out the carbs and the body starts burning fat, it has plenty of reserves to work on so it doesn’t crave fat in the same way it craved the carbs.
I wish you more success than I wish myself, as far as I’m concerned, anyone who has the courage to do a diet that goes against everything they have learned previously, deserves all the plaudits they can get.

That’s really helpful Bill and thank you for the prompt replies.

I’ve been doing it one week so I’m still feeling a bit like Bambi learning to walk with the whole cutting carbs business, but it’s the first time in 30 years of dieting that I’ve ever tried a ‘diet’ that hasn’t left me hungry and feeling weak and watery, which has blown me away as I normally suffer really badly with headaches when I cut my calorie intake and give up.

Thank you also for the inspiration.

Thanks Eggbot, I hope you found your FitBit.
I bought one yesterday and am having a ball with it. I’m not so much shaming myself, as I thought I would be, but challenging myself. I got off the train past my stop tonight, and walked the 2 kilometers up and down the hills to get home, to see what the FitBit recorded. It recorded over 8500 steps today and over 22 staircases (the hills I suppose).
Now I think I’ll get up extra early tomorrow and walk the same way to get the train tomorrow morning. It’s past my bedtime here in Australia now – good night.

Thanks for the link Igorasusal 🙂

Hi Hush
yes like others I decided to stay with the fast 800 over the 8 week mark
I’m a bit of a heretic in that I never really counted the calories. I simply cut out the carbs and found that my appetite had decreased so much that I was eating much smaller portions so that took care of the calorie thing.
I did increase the length of the dogs walks but never counted the steps or anything like that.
I’ve lost 3.5 stones at the last weigh in although the last 2 weeks on holiday I’ve been nowhere near as strict with myself (one or two tipples 😉 )
It’s just the way I did (and am still doing) it and it worked for me.

Hi Hush

Isn’t Bill an inspiration? He will pop back himself, but just to say if you put his name in the SEARCH box top right, it will throw up all his threads. If you read the THIS HAS TO WORK FOR ME thread he started, I think you will be even more inspired.

🙂

Hello!
So happy to find this thread – I too just started (on day 6) and am at the beginning of a long journey to get to my goal. I am a 45 y.o. woman, just 1/4 inch shy of 6 ft, and really need to weigh about 5 st less than I do. Not diabetic but blood sugar checks over the last few years def put me in the pre-diabetic range. About 6 years ago, I followed a pretty a strict low carb routine and up-ed my exercise and lost almost 3 st. Kept it off for a few years but then switched jobs and pretty much everything – physical and mental health – fell apart.

I’m out of that job and several months ago went back to low carb + more exercise and dropped 1 st really quickly but stalled out. Saw the book, read it, had hubby (who is type I diabetic) read it, and we committed to start last week (following a two week holiday during which I wish I’d eaten more carbs and appreciated them – I miss them so!).

Finding the plan really great – day 3 was tough but feeling pretty good now. My husband has always been the cook in our home and he is loving the recipes. Just checked the scale and down almost 6 lbs in 6 days and really excited! I feel great, sleeping really well, and after some initial irritability, feel very calm.

Working very hard at being more active but would love any tips you have and would love to stay in touch to have some accountability. The food piece is not a big deal for me – I’m a habit eater so any change, with enough repetition will be feasible. But I must admit I am lazy and can find a million excuses not to exercise. I have been making conscious effort to take stairs everywhere, walk a few miles a day, and get up every half hour. But it is a struggle – would much rather be curled up on a comfy chair reading!

And Loopylou, I think you are very virtuous – I would have caved at the vino (not to mention the’ bread!)! I’m actually staying away from all my friends because wine is a huge part of our social life. I was out walking Sat and passed my best friend’s house and her hubby saw me and offered me a glass – at 11 am!!! Def going to need a plan to avoid the booze if this is going to work!

Keep up the great work all!