oo sorry Catonamission I didn’t notice your question a few days ago. I hope you’re still doing so well. I love your name – I left my purring puss on the window sill before I went to work – though the only time he’s on a mission is when there’s tuna involved :-)))

All going ok since I’ve finally ditched the annoying head/eye ache thing – but now I feel normal!

Am going out for dinner this evening and am determined to make only good choices! There’s loads of things I can eat, right? Like fish and veg or steak and veg etc – and hope that they don’t put too much oil and butter on everything – though I guess that’s ok as long as I avoid carbs… am going to do it anyway!

For anyone reading, I wouldn’t bother with the Spicy Bean Burgers in the book… mushy and not at all tasty, and they didn’t stick together at all! Ended up in the bin 🙁 But that’s ok, loads more recipes to try. I like that idea Izzy of using weekends to try out new recipes as more time – makes it seem like a treat! Which it is I guess. 🙂

Had scrambled eggs, celery and 25g of feta for breakfast, have saurkraut and tuna and tomatoes with me for lunch and as planned something respectable for dinner! On day 9 but it’s beginning to feel like a normal way of living. Had one square of 80% chocolate last night – was wondering afterwards if having that every now and again will stop me retraining my tastebuds? Hope not. Was seriously delicious though – having only a small bit made me appreciate every tiny scrap!

Here’s to another 2kg this week or even more. (Though any loss will be ok with me) Really like hearing the getting-into-smaller-jeans stories that people have. Jeans have always been annoying to buy and the idea of just slipping into a pair is more delicious than anything I can think of:-))). Know I will stick to this so hopefully that’ll happen to me too!

so why is my belly staying fat

Hi bumblebee,
Are you getting yourself in a pickle again? So you overdid things at the weekend, but you were good during the week – so that means for 5 days out of 7 you were following the plan so on balance you aren’t doing too badly. Don’t keep resetting yourself to Day 1 just carry on, things will settle down. Don’t fixate about hitting 800 cals exactly, in the ballpark is OK – I never calorie counted (I knew I was overeating so just cutting out the extras meant I was reducing my calorie intake anyway). I just preferred a more relaxed approach because I felt I would be more likely to stick with it for the longer term.

Every so often I have a meal with larger portions just to make me feel really full – a bit like a snake devouring an antelope and it doesn’t need to eat for a year (I wish). I’ve had my pigouts and the last one was the worst – but since then I’ve been pretty good and, to my amazement, I’ve hardly felt hungry at all. It’s taken quite a while to get to that stage. Whether it’s the warmer weather, I don’t know. Maybe it’s having a box of nutty trail mix at hand when I feel a munchy attack approaching, I don’t know. Or maybe I’ve just been drinking more and not realised it. Maybe it’s been so busy at work I’ve not had time to think about food!

If you are strict with yourself then you will feel bad when you stray from the path. Maybe relax a little, just recognise where you went wrong and think ahead for next weekend. But don’t deny yourself a good time out – I occasionally give myself a little taste of forbidden foods (they’re still in my cupboard taking up space) but they are not calling out to me demanding I eat them anymore. It’s still early days and this diet is a lifestyle commitment.

Just give yourself a break – stressing will not help.
You can do it!

Hi Lynne,
Just wanted to tell someone that after a few dodgy weeks on the diet and no weight loss for longer, this morning I had lost the weight I put on last week plus some! I was VERY good yesterday so it has given me the kick start I needed, I am taking a medi platter for my lunch today to craft club, the members are always interested in what I have, then a couple of them then discuss their diets and how much they have lost on the w/w or s/w, however I have to bite my tongue because one lady in particular has lost a bit but her stomach is still huge and it doesn’t matter what I say about healthy fat she carries on with her s/w diet!
Some people won’t ‘hear’ what I’m saying, shame really because this one lady really does need to lose the stomach fat, she is a very stubborn lady though who thinks she knows it all, she is a lovely lady in all other aspects though!
Happy holiday preparations to you!
Christine

The first thing that springs to mind is increase your fat intake a wee bit and make sure you drink lots of water.
Maybe try to save a few calories for a late night snack, a piece of cheese or some full fat yoghurt

Hi Lucia,
Was it you who posted that you were having frozen yogurt with orange and lemon? If it was you, did you make it yourself and then how please!
I love my fage yogurt with blueberries or strawberries for breakfast, but frozen yogurt for a dessert treat sounds yummy.
Christine

Can anyone tell me how many carbs we are supposed to stay below – per day? My book hasn’t arrived yet so still a bit in the dark about some aspects.
I have the My Fitness Pal App which i was using anyway and it calculates calories, carbs etc so yesterday I had 780 calories, 43g carbs, 35g fat and 73g protein – ?????

Well done Lise
I know the feeling well after slipping into a pair of size 38 jeans last week, down from size 46.
Won’t be long until you’re in a size 12 🙂

I’m a shift worker for over 20 years and have spent the last 10 years after stopping playing football battling fluctuating weight issues. The success i have had(on week 13 and lost 31lbs, now 12st 8lbs!!!) has been the need to plan ahead each week depending on if i’m on nights or days making and freezing plenty of what are now favorite meals and cutting out takeaways. So happy to have discovered this way of life after listening to MM on Jeremy Vines radio 2 show. Myself and a work friend started off at the same time and both have lost very similar ammounts. Now on a maintainance period and looking forward to introducing the occasional beer back into my lifestyle. I have really missed a cold beer now and again.

Thanks all for your kind words drinking 3lt of water plus not hard to do here in oz.
post soon
steve

Hi FeltWicked

I would agree with Bill on this. I manage very well on my shifts, but only do one night shift so am able to get away without eating at all on this and eat normally on the day before and the day after my shift (but these would be the brunch/evening meal days). On my long days in work, I would eat breakfast about 9am, and then split my lunch over my 2 breaks during the day, and have my evening meal as soon as I could when I got home (about 8pm). Its about finding how you can fit this new lifestyle into your life and think of it as a long-term way of living as opposed to “how can I fit this in for the next 8 weeks?” This is now how I live, I have found what works for me and have stuck to this pattern.

Hope this helps x

Hi I just copy and paste into a Word document than print off : )

Hi Paul,
I just highlight the details and copy/paste into a Word document.

Thank you all for your kind words!
I did start the next day and after 2 weeks I have lost 3kg. Half way through my third week now.

I keep waiting to feel better but I just feel exhausted. So far resisting the temptation to reach for that quick pick me up sugar though!

Need to find a good snack to reach for in the mid afternoon.

I feel starving right before bedtime too , but don’t want to eat. Any tips to curb the hunger?!

Hi Izzy,
You speak a lot of sense. We can’t look at things in isolation and say this is good, this is bad – it’s about how things interact, be it drug-drug interactions, foodstuffs, different needs of the individual. As you say, more research is needed to better understand what’s going on.

Thanks Kate W87, but please tell me it get’s easier??? I really struggled at aqua aerobics which I go to every week, felt as though i had no energy. I ‘ve also had a terrible nights sleep – or lack of it and woke up feeling down with every fibre of my being screaming “give me chocolate”.

I am now safely at my desk having ignored the taunts from the mars bars in my kitchen cupboard and have eaten a small apple and a slice of cheese for breakfast.
On the plus side i have lost 1.5 in just 24 hours so surely i should be elated, but unfortunately I’m not!! Need to get a grip – I can do this!!
I apologise in advance to all you fellow bloggers i feel i may need to rant on more than one occasion today – so please be gentle with me 🙁

Also anyone know how to print or save the recipes on the site?

Two weeks and two days into the diet. Lost 5kg. 15 to go. Pretty standard?

I am quietly doing a happy dance. I went to buy a pair of jeans and the sales assistant said “Gee I think size 18 is going to be too big so I’ll give you a 16”. OK i thought and slipped them on easily. By the way size 18 were starting to feel a bit snug a few weeks ago. So I squeezed into a 14 and yes there is a muffin top today but in a couple of weeks…. I am very determined 😉

I’m fine usually eating out especially at an Indian restaurant – that’s easy but we’re going to a Thai restaurant this Saturday (I need to always plan ahead at the moment!) and I want to know the best choice – am I right in thinking I could have a chicken satay for starter – I mean 1 skewer not a whole portion – and for main course would I be best off having something like a chicken and basil stir fry? Any suggestions gratefully received – clearly no rice and I’m driving so no wine!!

Lucia, I have a strong feeling that, until someone can produce medium fat, medium protein, low carb food, cheaply, that causes health problems, the manufacturers will never bend in this direction.
It’s all about profits for the big food and drug companies.
A sudden drop in sales for both groups could actually cause a worldwide financial crisis so our health comes a poor second to that.

1st weigh in 3lbs down 😀

Not as much as some people have mentioned on here but I’m happy as its still 3lbs closer to my goal than I was a week ago, definitely motivated to keep it up!

Well done on the 2.5lbs!!

Type 3
Take Bill1954’s advice . He’s been there and done it successfully, off all the meds including insulin.
If you monitor BS and read his thread ‘this has to work for me’ you’ll be well supported . Best wishes as you take control. I’d start today and just take the bull by the horns!

1st weigh in this morning…..12st 13lbs…that’s 3lbs down in the first week 😀

Maybe not as impressive as some of the results on here but I’m very happy as its 3lbs closer to my goal and has motivated me to keep going!!

So Day 8 food diary

Breakfast: Activia strawberry yoghurt
Lunch: Prawns & Veg
Dinner: Turkey mince stuffed peppers topped with some mozzarella

Of course I have my trusty strawberries with me in case of emergency lol

Week 2 lets go 😀

Morning Lucia
I have been out jogging behind my daughter on her bike (doing paper round) now taking other daughter (who is still on exam leave) off to Ikea for breakfast 😊
This is to set us up for a day in the garden working – her planting stuff with my mum and me shifting more pebbles. Aim is to finish the job today.
Have a good day – I love my office free Tuesdays but imagine you might be stuck in yours?

Great results Steve.

Hi Bill 1954,

Now come on, you have to take this really seriously, someone has spent billions of our tax money to do a ten year study , to come up with this garbage, sorry , I meant important data.

Just because all of us have ignored it and all have lost weight and controlled the diabetes, doesn’t mean we are right.

Just give them time to bring their medieval medical advice into this century. Say another ten years and they will reverse their data.
God bless them, they are in full time employment, wearing nice white lab coats.

Hey, what do I know, I only hang around for glimpses of the handsome chappie in the fruit and veg shop.

I dare them to do research on us lot. Best not, as my food bill has halved and I don’t want a diet tax on it!!

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Yes, Bill, and of course a lot of the controversy surrounds the huge generalisations – ‘all carbs are bad, all fat is good’ – when it is the refined carbs (including sugar), over-consumption and reliance on which is the thing we should all be aware of.

Anyone here doing the BSD and looking at the composition of their food via a more detailed app has, I am sure, been horrified by the amount of sugar we are inadvertently eating ( I am now on my 5th week of no sugar in tea or coffee, and going well, thanks).

Following the BSD is a helpful way of training oneself on food, and how it affects the body, and how changing relatively small things can bring enormous benefits. You can see from these forums that many people are finding their food much better and more tasty than before – when they originally thought the ‘diet’ would cut out things they loved and depended on.

I am lucky enough not to be Type 2 or pre-diabetic, but could easily have got that way, and whilst wanting to lose a bit of weight didn’t really know how to do it – even though I’m very aware of protein and carbs. This has been a revelation to me, and whilst the actual weight isn’t falling off, as measured by the scales, I can see it happening in my body, and I know that I am burning fat (because I measure that via Ketostix) and therefore the residual fat around my liver and pancreas must be melting away. The confidence and enjoyment I am getting out of this understanding and control is invaluable.

I cannot be alone in looking at people I work with, and come across in my daily life, and thinking how much happier they would be in terms of spirit and health, if they followed these disciplines.

Morning team,How are we all feeling?
The sun is shining , the birds are screaming and all is well with my world.

Guess what….. When I got home from work last night, guess what hubby had done……
The cut and strimmed the lawns. Wonderful.

He put beautiful stripes in them.I think he hates me wondering randomly around when it do it. It looks like scribble?!!

Love luciaxxxx

Haha thanks Bill!

Yes, neohdriver, very best wishes to you for your surgery. Thinking of you.

Short version – ignore your doc and get stuck in to the diet
Long version – see above
All you need to know really
Bloody blinkered “professionals” 🙁

I would suggest that you forget all about Circadian Rhythms while you are on the BSD
It’s a known fact that shift workers experience different sleep and rhythm patterns to the rest of us 9 to 5’ers, so, in reality, as you sleep through the day, your sunrise and sunsets are reversed.
Trying to combine the 2 is a big ask. Other shift workers have found a way to do the plan that suits them, the main consideration is what kind of meals they can take to work depending on cooking facilities etc.
Try to find a way that suits you and stick with it.

Well done tallyhoo. Good that they agreed to you talking about reversing your diabetes : )

Short version:

My Doctor doesn’t want me to do the eight-week, 800-calorie diet.

What do I do?

Does anyone know a sympathetic Doctor in North London?

Long Version:

I’m a 55-year-old bloke who is paying the price for too many years of hard living (lots of food, drink, stress and staying up late. Not much exercise, moderation or common sense).

Four years ago I was diagnosed Type 2 and have never quite got on top of the condition. I’ve slowly descended into pharma hell. I now take:

Metformin 500mg X 4.
Gliclazide 80mg X 2.
Januvia 100mg X 1.
Simvastatin 10mg X 1.
Cardesartan 4mg X 1.

I’m 6ft (183cm) and my weight is steady around 14 stone 2lbs (90k).

I have a busy and stressful job that involves lots of travel and I tend to yoyo between ‘good diabetic control’ and being a bit crap.

After a bad HbAc1 (sorry I can’t remember the number) my doctor gave me a stiff talking to and ordered another test in three months. Unfortunately, I had a busy run of work and didn’t get myself sorted out.

This led to another ‘bad number’ and an even stiffer talking to with the threat of ‘injections’ as the next step. Something had to be done.

I’d heard a bit about the ‘Newcastle studies’ (well done Prof Taylor) and got on the internet, which, of course, led to the book (well done MM). I’ve done my best to understand the science, read the forums and come to the conclusion that 8X8 is something I want to try.

In the last three weeks I’ve been broadly following the post-diet diet (aiming at less that 2000 cal a day) and have brought my, self-tested, fasting blood sugar back under control.

I’ve also been preparing the ground for 8×8. My wife and family are supportive as is my boss – I can take a bit of time off if I need to and be office based for a while. The problem is my Doctor.

I wrote her a very carefully worded letter and attached Prof Taylor’s note for ‘professionals’ and other supporting material. Unfortunately, she was straight on the phone: “I don’t think you should do this… It could be dangerous… you’d go hypo etc etc”

I was disappointed, not least because it became clear that she hadn’t really read my letter or any of the supporting material (no blame here, she’s busy and, like every doctor, probably a bit fed up with patients who say: ‘I found this on the internet’ – I get it).

It was a difficult conversation On the upside she agreed to take a proper look at the research and have a think about what the 8×8 would mean for both of us. On the downside, she doesn’t strike me as someone who changes their mind.

So, what do I do if she doesn’t get on board?

As I understand it, the 8×8 requires the ‘tapering off’ of medication and that’s not something I’d feel entirely comfortable doing myself. I also think that having a doctor in some way ‘monitoring’ my progress would be a good thing.

Any ideas?

I heard it and will read the report with interest. I’ve been asked to take part in research by the Diabetes Alliance for Research in England – the Dare Study – this is looking into connections with inherited and environmental causes of diabetes and involves blood tests and looking at DNA. I was asked through my doctor’s surgery. When I spoke to them I said gladly yes, I’d be happy to be involved but in exchange I wanted to talk to them about me reversing my type 2 diabetes and the researcher said ‘oh, ok’. I’m going after I have my diabetic check with nursey today, and my hbiAc blood test results on Friday with doctor – I agree, we need to spread the word – I feel passionately that we need to help promote this to help other people. Just fingers crossed I get good results though!

Why don’t we organise an event ourselves – a conference if you like – getting us all together with positive medical people – promote to journalists etc with Dr M at the helm??

Hi Skywalker
what I think everyone forgets is that the human body is omnivorous, made to consume a whole range of foods very effectively.
The initial trouble never came from eating a variety of foods, including carbs, it came when the food processors started stuffing their products full of carbs and sugars and so overloaded the bodies natural systems.
I have no doubt that, once back into non diabetic levels, it will be safe to reintroduce a reasonable amount of carbs back into the diet without the devastating side effects, and by side effects, I don’t just mean diabetes but all the conditions that people are reporting improvements in.

^^^^^^^^
What Janey said 😉

had berries, walnuts and yog for breakfast – just hoping there is enough gaviscon in me to prevent reaction!!

the difference in carbs is of course humungous – 2 oatibix and ss milk = 290 cal and 41g carbs (perhaps minus 3.1g fibre)

todays is 193 cal and 5.3g carb

this is great – so long as my body doesn’t make a fuss

incidentally – when I was doing fd my waist got smaller but so far this bsd has not made any difference at all
so I am panicking a bit that maybe I am someone who is not letting go of tummy fat 🙁 really hope this isn’t so

LMAO
Izzy I do something similar re pants.
When they are too big they fall down
When they are too tight they don’t go on
When they fit, they usually only do it for a month then see “when they are too big”
😀 😀 😀

Thats a cracking first week result Steve, especially the fast drop in blood sugars.
Total success story in the making here I feel.

Hi JackieWilsonSaid, I think many of the Public Health organisations act like members of a virtual religion; always preaching, not aware of latest thinking and desperately slow to change or modernise. Perhaps the most effective job they do, is producing zealous converts to a new way of life (if I can say that without offending too many people?) Some of yesterday’s TV reports were worse than misleading and it just shows what a powerful grip the sugar lobby has on the food, media and medical worlds. Fat was used as a distraction from sugar and serves to confuse the general perception in the minds of the public that does not study things like BSD etc. Of course there are always those who want to jump on the bandwagon and do so by hanging on to the coat tails of higher profile entities, but the real message and many facts can be lost in the process. Anyway, that was my short “15 weeks in now” rant. Sorry!

confidence is probably half of every battle 🙂

Hope your trip is still going well and you guys are enjoying yourselves !

Morning fellow life changers 🙂

It’s weigh day for me and I’m down 2.5 lbs this week, just short of a stone in total so getting there at my own pace 🙂

bring on week 6, and well done to you all

Woo Hoo Steve, what a great start, keep it up and before you know it, 8 weeks will be over and this will just become part of the daily routine.
Try and remember also to drink at least 2-3 litres of water per day.
I’d you like to BSD800 diet, you don’t have to go onto the 5:2, you can just keep going as you are till you’ve lost the weight you’re happy with,. A lot on the plan are now over 16 weeks and still going strong.
Best of luck
Linda

It’s official weigh in and measure day!

scales haven’t moved since yesterday but as that is still a 2.5 lb drop this week I can’t really complain. Forgot to to FBS before I’d eaten so I’ll skip that this week as it isn’t needed.

I’ve lost another inch off my waist, 1.5 inches off my bust making 3 in total from waist, 2.5 in total from bust and 2.5 total from my hips. I’ve also been measuring one thigh and it’s down 1.5 inches in total as well, no wonder my work trousers are looser 🙂

In other work trouser related news I have discovered that when they are too tight… the zip falls down. When they fit perfectly (which was for maybe a fortnight) the zip stays up, and when they are too loose… yup the zip falls down haha. Oh well. I have two pairs waiting but they are two sizes smaller so don’t fit quite yet but it won’t be long.

breakfast yoghurt and strawberries,
lunch cheese, crackers, tomatoes, cucumber, branston pickle.
dinner… something made with pork mince. I’m thinking maybe stuffed courgette.

gotta go, bye all.

😂😂😂

end week one lost 5kg and my blood sugars are down from 12 to 4.3 so happy and not struggling at this point started walking on the treadmill but i did a 2klm run last night no problems first run in over a year and a half feeling good again things can only improve as time goes on cant wait till week twelve and i do my 3mth hb1c sugars test.

Hi All. I’m on day 12 and I have lost 4 Kg and regained 2 after a busy weekend of festivities.Now back on track, I realize that I will need to be very strict to maintain my BSD during my holiday in Singapore.Usually we eat out as guests of friends and family,so I will be obliged to eat.Any suggestions will be welcome

Nicky72 you will discover you made the correct decision. This diet improves your health as well as causing weight loss : )