Thanks Izzy and Timmy for your reassurance. Just what I needed. (Have just refilled my 750ml water bottle!)

Hopefully the measurements will give you a boost, but even if it’s not as much as you hoped, the path to a healthy body isn’t always linear, but the it’s the long term trend that counts.

eating this way suits almost everyone 🙂

I’m like your wife not diabetic but at risk as family history of it.

Good luck to you both.

I find the losses are quite up and down. week 2 or 3 I lost only 0.5lb, but then the next week 2.5. Another week recently I lost 0.5 again, just keep doing it because it does work in it’s own time. Timmy gave great advice 🙂

Thanks, Timmy. Been drinking at least 2 litres everyday except yesterday so will remember to do this. I have taken measurements and am due to do so again tomorrow (having been a week since I took them). Here’s hoping an improvement there.

I will definitely keep plugging away with this way of eating as, although I would have liked to see some weight loss this week, I do feel good about myself – I mean, I’ve eaten well and exercised.

Hi Summer, don’t be despondent, and keep it up!

Couple of questions…. 1) have you been drinking lots? Can’t emphasise enough how drinking lots of water helps! 2) have you measured yourself as well as weighed? If you’re doing lots of exercise then you might be building more lean muscle mass (which is heavier than fat) so your loss could be in inches rather than pounds.

Was looking forward to getting on the scales this week after an excellent first week. I can’t be hitting a plateau already, surely? Does anyone have any explanations?

I still have over 2 stone to lose.
I ate better this week than last.
I did more exercise this week than last.
I’m either using recipes from the book or v close with no ‘cheating’ foods.
(I’m in the middle of my cycle so wouldn’t expect weight gain/water retention at this stage).

Also, I’m not diabetic but had gestational diabetes with both pregnancies.

Please – help me out of the dolldrums! 🙂

I’m not diabetic and I’m doing the 5:2. I’m really enjoying it and have had huge results so far. I started out 2 stone overweight and I’ve shifted half of that in 2 weeks.

Hi Trebor Yes your wife will be fine with this type of eating – the BSD is not just for diabetics, it’s for anyone who’s over weight and wants to lose (and also to avoid becoming diabetic in the future). Many on here have been warned that they are pre diabetic and are trying to reverse the process.

So some people here just count calories – 800 a day. Others, especially the diabetics, are counting carbs, and the amount varies.

Good luck to you both … the forums are very friendly and supportive, and if you have questions just ask. At the top right is the search option, which is handy. Also look at the Recipes at the top, there are some good tasty ideas. Best of luck, Barby.

Thank you. Day one today. 🙂

Hi Alan glad you’re still going like me, it’s been about 10 weeks now and I feel I can stick with this long term, but acknowledge there will be times I eat more/off BSD a bit.

Interesting to know you used to practice hypnosis. I had some sessions many years ago, and although it helped in the very short term, once I stopped going, it didn’t last long. It was good in that she realised I had low self confidence/moral, and was trying to get me to feel better about myself.

I have got used to hunger pangs (previously unknown to me) I mentally welcome them, and say to myself it means this is working, and just somehow put up with them!! Which is just what you were suggesting.

Good luck with loosing another chunk of fat before your hols.When I went away recently I did go off BSD, but not half as much as my previous way of life. I am really trying now to say no to “bad” foods offered unless I decide i REALLY want it. Eating mindfully I suppose.

I am starting the Mplan on Monday ( 20th June), I am type 2 diabetic, my wife has agreed to support me by going on it too. However she is not diabetic but is overweight and has diabetes in her family. Would this diet be suitable for her?

Re hunger pangs
Several years ago I had a hypnotherapy practice and I remember some of words I used in therapy were
Remember hunger is your friend
You will soon realise these feelings of hunger mean your are successful
Those feelings in your tummy between meals mean you are reaching your goals

This wasn’t meant as starving is good but the wording still sticks in my mind today,hunger pangs are rarely felt when you are overweight are they !
Alanhypno

ooo brill – chicken tenders look good! WIll try out coconut flour – have some somewhere in the cupboard…

Enjoy day out with your friend! :-)) Loads of good stuff to choose I find, once you focus on what you want to have. I found it’s good to ask for just what you want sometimes – like I was in a café and they had tasty eggs but I didnt want the sauce they had but didn’t bother asking for them to leave it off which meant I pushed it around my plate avoiding it for the whole lunch:-))) – what I should have done is asked for exactly what I wanted seing as I was paying for it! It’s easy enough for places to leave things out.

Going camping this weekend so will be interesting to see what I will find to eat. Will bring trusty tuna and sauerkraut and drink lots of tea! 🙂

Hi Nettle, thanks for the encouragement and feeling better each day. Glad to hear how well you are doing, hope I can do as well. I think it really is a complete life style eating change. Looking forward to just being healthy and fit. Life is too good not to make the most of it, which you are doing by improving your health. Dianne

Dear Mars. Hope you had a better day today. Confucius says it doesn’t matter how slow you go, so long as you don’t stop! You haven’t put on any weight, so that’s a good thing right? For me the key is to have a plan and be organised. I don’t eat breakfast so I’m able to look forward to my Greek yogurt and berries after dinner. It’s like my determination has re-programmed my brain. I have a huge bottle of Mt Franklin mineral water that I keep on the kitchen bench whilst cooking and that stops me nibbling. It’s also a great substitute for the inevitable glass of white wine whilst cooking that I have become so used to. Yes, I thought about having one for all of 2 seconds tonight, but I have found that if I just hold out for a few minutes the craving passes. The greater struggle for me was to not have lemon butter sauce with fish tonight and to by pass the potato. I am trying to chunk it down by concentrating on the next meal and keeping myself busy. It’s only been five days but I feel fantastic. We’re in this together, so let’s keep going.

Izzy, looking for meal ideas I borrowed this from my library. I wouldn’t buy it – not enough that I think I would cook – but have noted some elements I would try out. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Low-Carb-Revolution-Comfort-Eating/dp/0857831828/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466162493&sr=8-1&keywords=low+carb+revolution

Hi Caramba. Wow sizes 10 and 12. I will need to go out and do some bra shopping soon. I am putting if off at the moment as I have found 2 in the ‘they are too small drawer’. regards Sandie.

Hi
Can anyone recomend a meal replacement drink I can get on Amazon UK (preferably not flavoured or maybe vanilla)? I want to get started and this would be a good start to the day for me and not to worry about recipes when I am still too stiff to walk about much. Is there one that has all the vitamins and minerals for a nealry complete diet if needed?

Yes that’s probably right Orchid, I have looked so awful for ages, people don’t comment at all. Never mind, one day it will happen.

I love omelettes, not sure how a frittata differs? Is it part cooked in frying pan, then put under grill? I used to love frying sliced tinned potatoes ten adding to a spanish omelette, now I have onion, tomatoes, possibly courgettes, peppers, spinach and/or cheese with chives and seasoning.

I have been sitting here for last half hour and my tummy is making so many extremely rumbling loud noises, I’ve eaten nothing yet today, I htink I am really hungry now. That was unheard of pre BSD!! Think I’ll go and make an omelette 🙂

I’ve put up my second blog if anyone’s interested – talking about linking our eating of food to the instinctive response and how we can pause and consider our actions before impulsively acting on them. It’s also a little bit of a download of how I’m finding the 8WBSD so far https://findingmywaytohealthblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/17/so-far-so-good/

Thanks for the links Especially 🙂 and I like hearing what others are eating lol.

http://lowcarbyum.com/gluten-free-coconut-flour-chicken-tenders-baked-paleo-recipe/

This is where I got the coconut flour coating recipe from. Beware as the first time I made them I coated them too thickly in the flour and it wasn’t so nice, you don’t need much. I add some all purpose spicy seasoning to it. You could probably do the same with any of the low carb flours but coconut flour is the easier one to get and it’s cheaper so it makes sense to me to keep the almond flour for making other things. I’m not as fond of the chickpea flour but I do have a bag of it so I should probably try it for this as well.

I’ve just made a meal plan for the next 10 days (on a new post it note app lol) breakfasts, lunches and dinners all accounted for. It makes it easier for me to stick to the plan but I am flexible, especially if I’ve forgotten to take something out of the freezer!

Also next week I’m having a day out with my friend on Friday which will include eating out, I will try to choose wisely but that will be a higher calorie day for sure!

Great idea….love positive thoughts.
1. Son coming round for lunch today. Will be great to see him.
2. Finished knitted bunny for my friends son’s newborn baby. It is really cute. (The baby and the bunny)!!!
3. Plan to wear my new leather jacket this afternoon. Feel like a ‘Rock Chick’ in it. Never would have bought anything like this before BSD.

Hi Barby – well done, especially having had a holiday in that period!
Don’t worry about people not saying anything – the best I got was ‘you are looking well’. Bit by bit people are commenting. My hairdresser did this week and said she had noticed but had not wanted to say anything as it implied I had needed to lose weight and I had been fine as I was! I had a BMI of 33 so I was not fine, but people worry you could be ill and that is why you are losing weight or that there is an implied criticism of how you were.
Keep going – I agree with your comments on being veggie – not having rice and pasta available make it hard :-(. Have you tried a frittata yet – it is my newest discovery and tastes great; also nice next day cold for lunch.

Great thread idea – a very good friend of mine has some sudden bad health problems, and it’s certainly brought me up short and made me count my blessings.
1. No 2 son has just said unexpectedly he’ll be coming to stay tonight for the weekend, don’t often see him, so will be lovely
2. I keep feeling my tummy which is quite a bit smaller, and my jeans are so baggy, in early April they were too tight to wear
3. We are getting some foster kittens tomorrow (our first) I’ll be in there all day playing with them!

Hi Sandie
Clothes shopping has become an exercise all of its own. I am currently in search of my correct bra size!
My clothes don’t fit anymore and because I now need new things this involves trouping backwards and forwards to the changing rooms with a variety of sizes.
It was simple when, if the UK 18 was too tight I bought a size 20.
A few weeks ago I tried on a Size 14 top in Next which was too baggy. No Size 12 so tried on the Size 10 …..it fitted!!! Must have been a poor sizing on this top as I bought another in Size 14…….but wow!!!!
Charity shops are getting regular donations too.
Shame about the summer ball. All that calorie-burning dancing you are missing!!!!!
Loud music and housework sometimes works for me…..in extremis 😉

heee heee – Timmy – funny re meeting :-))))

Also JK88 I probably shouldn’t laugh but visions of your face after tasting sardine dip heee heee :-))))) (Those crunchy bones uuuuughhh) (sorry to anyone who likes sardine dip!)

1. It’s Friday – weekend soon !! :-)))
2. My cat sat on my lap today while I was eating my breakfast and just sat there happilly – didn’t do that weird kneading thing on my knees with his claws that I hate :-)))) (The fact that he voluntarily jumped up to sit on my lap is a rare thing – he’s friendly but on his own terms)
3. Getting so into making my lunches to work – I’m saving a fortune I’d say! Made my partner a healthy lunch last night with BSD principles to bring to his work and it felt nice to make for him too 🙂

Hi Dianne

You have many great feelings to come as you progress. After the first week you will progress rapidly, even if you have a few less than optimum days, you have the tools to deal to those now.

Today I had moments of smiles, a smile when I felt lighter, put on a smaller size garment, took a waist measurement which had gullumped down again in the past few days, a smile of disbelief that I have been on the 8 week diet way past 8 weeks and still cruising. A big smile when an old friend said they’d have to start calling me skinny soon, a smile, when I left food on my dinner plate.
☺☺☺☺☺☺☺
This is what I want for you too.
N

+ recipe! (lots of good ideas on her site)

https://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/06/gluten-free-bread/

Izzy you sounds so organised – thanks for that Katsu curry recipe, will definitely give it a try! :-))) You’ll get to 11 stone very soon I’d say and in the meantime inspire lots of other people to keep at it.

I’ve made a few new things this week – not all successes, but keeps me for getting bored. Usually fish and veg for lunch and eggs of some sort for breakfast (or strawberry smoothie with almond butter or full fat greek yoghurt and water). Tried these fish fingers and they tasted really nice but not sure I want to be eating too many ground almonds – good for good fats but calories go up so quickly. Had them with rocket and tomato two nights this week. Think I’ll borrow your idea and use coconut flour next time, might mean I get to eat more than one and a half of them 🙂 Chilli and garlic and lemon lovely with the fish though.

http://www.hemsleyandhemsley.com/recipe/super-simple-fish-fingers/

Also made quinoa and chia seed bread from here which was… interesting… Not sure I cooked it long enough but was running out to a class and had to turn the oven off ;-)) Had it with an egg one day this week and it was seriously filling – 159calories and 18 carbs which is probably bit too much for a piece of weird bread, even one full of good stuff :-)) Still 39carbs that day so all ok.

Also had version of the Ploughmans thing one day this week for dinner – but lots of random things from the fridge – small bit of cheese, small slice of really ripe melon, piece of ham, few celery sticks, few cherry tomatoes – delicious!

Sorry should probably put this on the what I ate thread but I’ve started replying to you now :-)))) Have a good Friday!

I don’t think it will hurt, but whether you need to or not depends on the variety of food that you are eating.

Hi everyone. Just starting doing the BSD (week 1 almost over) and wondered if anyone took a multi-vitamin? I eat healthily most of the time & being restricted to 800 calories really focuses you on the quality/type of food you’re eating, but should I be ‘topping up’ certain vitamins & minerals?

Hi Izzy, thank you so much 🙂 that looks really delicious, better than my usual recipe! It’s 17 years of hubby and I becoming a couple next Saturday and we usually have a takeaway, so that will go great with a homemade chinese-y tasting chicken curry. Fab!

loving everyones positives 🙂 lets keep it going. Even on bad days if we can’t manage 3 1 or 2 would do.

You can cook your cauli rice like fried rice

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/38850/cauliflower-fried–rice-.aspx?o_is=SR

that recipe works well, just leave out the pork if you want it as a side dish. I’ve munched it up and although it isn’t exactly the same it is very tasty!

They are, aren’t they, especially rice and pasta. I want to see how my egg fried rice recipe fares with cauli rice. I’m not going to be out of my kitchen for the foreseeable, if I’m not cooking, I’m washing up, or on Google counting calories. Sheesh.

Hahaha ‘BSD babe bares almost all…’ although the stomach overhang may give the illusion of ‘all’… >.<

Ye Gods…

1. I yesterday had the sardine dip, not a fan of fish, but i thought ‘in for a penny in for a pound’ it was vile, so just ate the veg, and nothing else, this is a positive you see, as it would have been easy to go to the shop, but i resisted, realised that i would be hungry for the afternoon, but gritted through it, until dinner!!
2. Watched the football and didnt grab a beer and crisps
3. Made the almond butter for todays breakfast and halloumi salad for lunch whilst chatting to my little boy sitting in his high chair watching me – admittedly he doesnt chat, so much as shout at me, but it is funny!

JK

Hi from my previous post you will see I was despondent after only losing half a pound in weight on week 1. Orchid and ozveggie gave some good advice which has made me re think my journey in this diet x I was sticking to the 800 calories with no problems but was way out on carb intake after checking some of my meals . My homemade tomato soup was 17 carb values alone and I would have that twice a day ! Lots of my healthy veggie meals were super high in carbs even my strawberry smoothie I had for breakfast which was I think 37 carb value ! I make most of my meals from scratch but the pulses etc are I am now finding very high in carbs . My healthy quinoa stuffed peppers were about 27 carb value for one ofthem . I would like to ask other vegetarians and members of the forum advice .
1. Confused by carb count on some boxes it gives carbs and carbs of which sugars . Which carb value do I count as most of them have a big difference ?
2. Any advice on supermarket veggie meals ie veggie sausages etc in case I don’t feel like cooking that day ?

Thank you OzVeggie and Orchid for some great advice x I had been checking out the forum before starting and could see that people helped others esp newbies like me x
Thank you

Mr Frog
Thanks for those tips and yes I shall give myself a small target for my hols in two weeks.
When I reach it I WILL be two and half stone lighter than been in twenty plus years !
So hopefully it’ll be a lighter holiday
Cheers folks alanhypno

My paleo porridge…

it was a bit runny so less water next time. I like sweeter porridge so added a teaspoon of sweetner and instead of adding the raisins on top I added them to the blender. It was ok but not worth the calories (I ate about 300 calories worth) A good breakfast for someone in maintainance I think I could tweak it to my better liking but not sure it’s worth it as down the line I could probably have some proper porridge. Yes… I think that’s what I will do.

Sneaky reply whilst hiding behind my laptop at work…. I also commented how food seemed to suddenly start tasting better. I reckon it’s because it’s no longer sandwiched between slabs of bread (drooling at that thought) or mounds of rice and pasta, which, let’s face it, are essentially tasteless ‘fillers’ on the plate. Now we just focus on the good stuff!
Hope your iCloud is secure.. Imagine the tabloid headlines if not.. ‘BSD babe bares all’ 😳

How great it is to come onto the forums and see so many people offering support and advice from their own experience. Love you all.

Alanhypno, how annoying for you, and difficult to maintain focus. Is this going to be the sort of holiday where you will be walking more than usual. If so, you might find that to be a trigger for better results. I’m too new in this programme to offer any advice other than stick with it. Good luck.

Sooshie22, from another Aussie on day 4 and noticing hunger for the first time. No good trying to ignore the tummy rumbles, I’m trying to imagine them as ….oh I don’t know. ..music to dance to??? Best wishes with it as we plug on.

Cheers all,
Marilyn

I continued on the 800 for 12 weeks (as the HB test averages your 3months Blood G levels and then I went for my test – now no longer a Diabetic) 5 months on I am now starting an experiment of 500 for 1 or 2 days (that’s hard) and about 800 for 3 days and weekends not thinking about it at all (that’s also hard, as its now a habit). I am happy at my current weight, but if I lose a bit more great and if not, no big deal – I am smack in the middle of the NHS guidance for my height and Healthy weight.

Everyone I think just needs to work out what will keep them on the straight and narrow for the future – I am still in that phase and paranoid I don’t want to go back or be labelled Diabetic again. I think as my taste buds have changed so much, its not about the right food, but portion size and self control.

Week 3 + 1 day <G> I’ve lost a total of 10 lbs. Also, my waist has gone down by an inch and I have lost an inch off each of my thighs! I have always had fat legs, even when I was young and skinny, my legs were fat!

I find that drinking lots of water helps. At work I try and drink 3 glasses of water in the morning, and 3 in the afternoon. At home I now drink my water from a pint glass. It helps me keep track of how much I’ve had, and I find I empty a pint glass at the same rate I used to empty a normal sized glass.

Izzy, that is the soundest advice for anyone who is slimming. Especially if you are upping your exercise. Don’t forget people, muscle is twice as heavy as fat so 1kg of fat double the size of 1kg of muscle, so whilst you might be increasing your lean muscle mass (good!), you will be be getting rid of the horrible stuff!

Definitely Izzy – I’ve been using a measure from time to time but clothes are a great motivator. I even bought a cheap bikini in asda (haven’t worn one since my 20s probably) as motivation for my august summer hols. We’ll see whether it makes it into the suitcase!

Caramba hi there, I hate shopping. I am so thankful for eBay. I buy clothes from ranges that I know are my fit/shape and therefore reliable on the sizing. When I am ready for a change I take clothes to the local hospice shop. This week I have bought a Monsoon summer evening dress, a James Lakeland skirt and a pair of skecker shoes. The disappointment this week is that the summer ball has been cancelled. Doh.

1. Didn’t get in until 10pm ’cause a bloke at the rugby club coaches meeting didn’t know when to shut the f…. sorry, wrong thread…..

1. Woke up before the alarm feeling fresh and up for the day
2. Trousers are feeling a lot looser
3. Just realised that I haven’t eaten meat for over 48 hours! (that is amazing for me)

Alanypho,

After my 8 weeks of sticking to the diet 800 without fail, I moved to a 8 week between 800-1200 and did the same as you up a 1lb down 1lb etc. However slowly it stuck down and then I went a bit further down and then up/down again and then the same all over again. Basically if you go off track it will still work, just more slowly and less consistent. 5 months on I am now starting an experiment of 500 for 1 or 2 days (that’s hard) and about 800 for 3 days and weekends not thinking about it at all (that’s also hard).

Everyone I think just needs to work out what will keep them on the straight and narrow for the future – I am still in that phase and paranoid I don’t want to go back or be labelled Diabetic again