Hi Lucia/all (new and less new BSDers)

I am back. It’s been a stressful few weeks and I haven’t lost more weight, but you know I haven’t gained it back either! And although I have been eating more calories (while still following the low carb approach) I have been much more active than usual, as I have had time off work which I have used to shift a 1 tonne bulk bag of pebbles from front to back garden (without the aid of a wheelbarrow, just lifting a tubtrug!). Not to mention being back on the running properly again. I am now hoping to do another several weeks blast of the BSD800 and see if I can shift the remaining weight by the end of June.

More power to you all, and thanks for the support – while I haven’t been posting recently, I have been reading your posts (in the few minutes between hitting bed and falling asleep) and I still find the forums hugely supportive. I would have lost sight of that wagon without you all.

Keep going!

Hi Lellie and welcome.
this is indeed the most inspirational thread on the forums, reading through other threads you will see folk having pitfalls, slip ups, and plateaus but by the time they make it here it’s all success stories.
There is absolutely nothing special about any of us, we’re just ordinary folk trying to find the answers to extraordinary problems with great success.
You can do as well or better than we have, give a shout if you need any help or support and the wonderful folks of the BSD will come running 🙂

Hi All, I am into week 10 — don’t know weight lost because scales and I have parted ways forever because they were abusive 😜 but I am 8 inches smaller at the waist!! My pants fall off and my jackets are huge — so funny, I didn’t realize how fat my shoulders were! Also:
My hair is growing like crazy, lots of new hairs too
I have NOT lost muscle — perfect for athletic me
Sleep is uninterrupted for 9 hours
Blood pressure way down
I am not wasting half my day worrying about how fat I am! It seems to have freed up a lot of psychic energy and brain power.
Also, has totally banished any menopause symptoms — no hot flashes, no “weird” feelings
Thank you BSD and all the nice folk on these threads!💝

Congratulations on taking the first massive step to a new healthy lifestyle.
All the information, support, and recipes you need is in the forums and if you can’t find what you need, a quick shout on here will have the BSD’ers rushing to answer.
Check the nutrition label on tha shake though, lots of them have sugar and highish carb contents
TBH after the first couple of weeks you don’t even feel like you are dieting, which is why lots of us now call it a lifestyle instead
Best of luck for your journey.

Hi Mrs G. Glad the weight loss continues, that’s the best motivation isn’t it! I live in Monmouth, South Wales and I started learning Welsh when I retired. I speak it with an Essex accent!

Hi all,
Thought I’d try sharing my progress as I go along and hopefully complete 8 weeks of the BSD.

I’m a 40yo male, 5’10”, and weighed 202.5 lbs when I started. When I was 19 I weighed about 155 lbs, and by the time I was 22 weighed over 200. By the time I was 30yo, this crept up to 230. I worked my ass off in a spinning class over several months and got below the obesity line for my BMI, and just settled into 205lbs as my static weight. Gained and lost a few here and there through no real effort. Started being a bit more conscious about food/exercise and had got down to 195 lbs about 4 years ago, but it crept back up to 202.5 when I did my first BSD weigh-in.

My wife inspired me to read this book and try the BSD and has been super helpful answering questions about what to eat, and also not to get to serious and bent out of shape if I go over my targets.

I’m on day 6, and it feels like a huge achievement.

day 1: 202.5 lbs
day 2: 203
day 3: 202.4
day 4: 200.6
day 5: 198.2
day 6: 196.6

Down almost 6 pounds after 5 days effort. Pretty inspiring to keep going. Reminding myself not to get discourage when things flat-line here and there.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned is I really had no idea when was in food. My fitnesspal app has made it really easy to add up calories, etc. Just paying attention to this by adding every meal, snack, and cup of tea has helped me.

Last comment for now is that I’m glad the book talked about the first 48 hours being the worst in terms of feeling hungry. I don’t think I ever really allowed myself to feel hungry before, and if I did I would just binge until I felt satiated.

I definitely still fee hungry at times throughout the day. I try to have a cup of tea, drink water, move around a bit, or just remind myself that this is the weight-loss part of the diet, and it’s only 56 days.

Best,
-B

Hi JSR
the first thing that jumped out at me was there doesn’t seem to be a lot of fat in there.
You must eat healthy fats from full fat dairy, olive or coconut oils etc to replace the calories lost from reducing the carbs or you won’t get into fat burning mode and you will feel hungry.
Nothing in your post about fluid intake either, are you drinking 2 to 3 litres per day? It’s very important that you do. by week 2 you really shouldn’t be feeling hungry all the time if you are doing the above.
Best of luck for the next few weeks, I’m sure things will improve.

Thank you for the advice Jussi55. And I have been doing just that, bringing my food to work, logging my food in MyFitnessPal and keeping my carbs down. I weighed myself this morning and the scale hasn’t moved since Monday. I just want to cry. I’m working so hard with almost my second week done and I’m still only down 3 lbs. from where I started. I’m going to keep going because I don’t have any other option, I just don’t know why I’m not losing.

My breakfast all week so far has consisted of 2 scrambled eggs or an apple with 1 tblsp of peanut butter
For lunch I’ve eaten the chicken lettuce cups (recipe from book) or a salad with veggies and a tblsp of dressing
Dinner I had chicken stir-fry (chicken & veggies) and last night I had 1 1/2 cups of turkey chili which is 185 calories per cup

I’ve been starving late afternoons and at night after dinner but I haven’t snacked on anything. I feel I’m killing myself and still not seeing any results. Feeling extremely discouraged right now.

Well done for starting . I sympathise and can relate to your story so much. I have completed 7 weeks now and have lost 2 1/2 stone. No reason to think you cannot achieve the same if not more than this. I am not as active as I should be but aiming to improve in the next few weeks. This does work, get over the first week and its easy, keep lots of salad, berries , full fat yogurt and make everything yourself to be successful. Best of luck and think of the speedos!

Hi Chris
that’s achievable
I started at 16:9 and lost just under 2 stones in the first 8 weeks without any extra exercise.
Follow the book closely making sure you eat enough fat from full fat dairy and olive oil etc and make sure to drink the 2 to 3 litres of non sugary fluids per day. <-This is important, I can’t stress it enough. Try to keep the complex carbs down, many of us are doing 50g per day, and you should be very close to target by the time your holidays come around.

Best of luck

There’s also a really delicious recipe which somebody posted for minestrone soup which I an highly recommend – quick and easy to make a totally delicious – I sometimes add chilli flakes to spice it up

Starting again!! Current weight 10st3 (5ft2 female) just aiming for 9st! The last time I didn this I lost about 1lb every 2 days so hoping for similar or better (was more carb based last time!) hoping after this I can get running again!

One thing I’ve found with getting ‘bunged up’ is physillium husk capsules – can buy from Holland and barret and super useful if it becomes a problem.

Teapot
Stay with it not only do you lose weight but feel fantastic mentally and physically too
Alan week 5

Ugh and victory!
Yesterday my hubby bought the groceries and knows what I am eating but came home with two chocolate bars as they were on sale. He’s the most loving guy but it made me crazy.
I waited a while to say something and then asked him to commit to the food program for me and not bring foods not on it in the house. I asked for a decision an hour later so I would know how to approach it in the future if those foods were in the house.
A little while later he told me he’s on board and to throw out the chocolate bars (we will give them to a neighbor).
I know I will be able to have a little someday but right now it’s all too new and I want my life to be better so am really surrounding myself with the program to ensure it makes it easiest to follow and stay on.
So 10 stars to my hubby who was willing to listen and understand.
😍😍😍

Wow amazing Whalleyrange!! Cheers to you and thanks for being an inspiration!!!
You give me hope!’
💜

Wow Izzy you are amazing!’ Two stops and you stayed on target! Good for you!!
Doing the happy dance for you!!

So I fell off the diet wagon but as of today I’m back on it and determined!!

Today
B: 2 scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, mushrooms
L: Parma ham salad with 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
D: fish cakes (not too high carb) and green veggies.
Possibly some melon for dessert!

Hi everybody, i have only just started out and am only on day 3. This was the first thread i came across when i came on line 2 days ago. I spent 7 hours reading through all your exchanges. you are all amazing inspirational people, you have no idea how much strength you have already given me. I know i shouldn’t be in here yet, but couldn’t wait 8 weeks to tell you all that i was referred to this new way of life by my Doctor, who brought all the information up for me on screen in his surgery. I am not diabetic but recent tests show i have a BMI of 33.8, total cholesterol of 7.5 HDL 1.5, TC/HDL ratio 5 HbA1C of 39. These tests were done on 2.2.2016 at the time i weighed 84kg, when weighed at the Drs on 05.05 2016, having gone in to self destruct mode my weight had increased to 88kg, what a numpty! As it is a week since my weigh in at the Drs i jumped on the scales this morning not expecting anything much to have changed, chuffed to bits with a reading of 85.4kg.
Thank you one and all Lellie x

That’s it. I’ve had enough and I’m sick and tired of being overweight. Years of neglect and destruction has to stop. I’m 43 and a T2 diabetic.

When I was first diagnosed 11 years ago I was a massive 19 stone (266lbs) had high BP 190/113, high cholesterol and was a ticking time bomb, a stroke or heart attack waiting to happen. I was only 32 years of age. What had I done to myself?
With a combination of fear, and determination I managed to sort myself out and over a couple of years lost 6 and a half stone (91lbs). I was still overweight but I felt so much better. Ever since I’ve been gradually putting the weight back on and I’m now at that tipping point where if I don’t sort myself out I’ll be back to square one.

My weight as I stepped of the scales this morning was 15 stone (210lbs). I’m now determined to do this. I already exercise (Gym 3 days a week and lunch time walks) so the moving more bit is sorted, I just need to control what I eat. I have lost 18lbs so far this year so progress is being made albeit very slowly. Why is it that I can put 4 or 5 lbs on in a day, but it takes weeks to lose the same amount?

When my wife showed me an article about the BSD I decided that I should give it a go.
I’ve ordered the book which should be here by the weekend. So the idea is to use next week as a preparation week while I read the book and sort the kitchen cupboards out, meaning I should officially start on 23rd May.

This gives me 9 weeks before we fly to Portugal for our summer Holiday. I wonder how much I can lose before we get on that plane? I’d like at least 1 and a half stone but we’ll see

Wonderful achievement, Hashimoto. You, Bill1954, Captain Lynne and the other regulars are a real inspiration. I pop into the forums whenever I feel I’m under-achieving in weight loss terms and I’m always inspired to persevere.

The best part is we are not alone as we all have each other in here.
My husband isn’t on it as he doesn’t need it and yesterday he went grocery shopping and brought home two chocolate bars.
I convinced him I don’t want that food in here anymore and he said throw them out. Instead we will give them to someone.
He’s seen my transformation in just 2.5 weeks and was on board but somehow lapses in his judgement when shopping.

I think the hardest himp is speaking up for ourselves with anyone around us but it’s important or we will eat like them again and gain our weight back. .

I thought it would be great if we post what’s better for us on the program. It would give me continual motivation to see what’s better for everyone and might help the newbies.

Here’s mine after 2.5 weeks on it.

Amazing transformations from 2.5 weeks on this diet so far are:
Losing inches
Losing weight
I had to buy clothes two sizes smaller
I am wearing pants that I could not fit
before at all
My stomach issues seem to be healing
I don’t have joint pain
I have a lot more energy
I need less sleep
I can stand in the kitchen and shower without hip and back pain
BS went from 116
Need less sleep
Able to start exercising (this is huge)

Keje, that is some turnaround!!! Well done!!! 🙂

Oh HappyLife, thank you so much!!!

I honestly didn’t expect it to work for me because no other diet did!! My ‘I hope to lose 2 stones on this diet’ was, I thought at the time, just wishful thinking. It never occurred to me that I could actually lose 3 stones!! Not in my wildest dreams!! Now I’m wearing clothes I haven’t worn for 20 years – yes, I know, Bill, I’m a tightwad!!!!

🙂

Hi Clairebear,
Your situation sounds similar to mine. It took me three attempts to succeed on the bsd, with several chocolate binges in between. I’ve now just realised I think I’ve hit the 8 week line. Yay! The first 3 weeks I was counting every day using a lot of willpower, around the 3 week line it just got easier and I stopped noticing. The 8 weeks kind of feels irrelevant now as I want to eat this way for the rest of my life. I ‘ve lost over a stone and many more cms, comfortably now a size 10-12. I also have a skinny athletic husband and 2 young children who have inherited his metabolism, I’ve been trying for 10 years to loose 1-2 stone, never succeeding as unable to resist kids/husbands food. Pre bsd the following were embarrasingly very common occurances in our house
– me buying a multibag of crisps for kids lunchboxes and eating them all in one evening then hiding the wrappers at the bottom of the bin. Have even been known to take wrappers to work to hide evidence of binges!!
– explaining to my children why we don’t eat sugary things at breakfast, then hiding behind utility room door and demolishing several bars of chocolate!
– buying pack of doughnuts for all to share and eating them all myself
– eating my husbands high energy cycling snacks so he has no snacks to take on 6 hour bike ride ( he never touches them apert from to refuel on rides)
And many more similar examples!!
Now I’m eating within bsd guidelines, not counting cals though, and no longer tempted by sugar or crisps. What’s amazing to me is that l’m not using willpower to resist them, I simply just don’t want them. I do need to be organised though and make sure l have healthy snacks aviailable, olives and cheese are favourites. As many others have said getting enough fat is key to helping you feel full. Sorry for long post, but basically I thought I was a lost cause prior to this and what started off as a way to try and loose weight has turned into a whole new way of life and healthier future. Also husband isvery much enjoying bsd food and a happier me! Good luck, you CAN do it!!

There is a Cuban black bean and chorizo soup I used to make – very tasty and a bit different, you could google the recipe. There are also lots of bean soups out there!!

Wow Judith,
Many congratulations to you and thank you for all your assistance and postings! You are a shining star and are living proof it works!
I am 61 and hopeful because of you and your inspiring outcome and all your posts.
Thank you – thank you – thank you!!!
💜💙💚

Hy Syb, you can make soup out of just about anything!!!
I use gluts of lettuce for soup – I know it sounds rank but actually it is tasty!!
Use any above ground veg, courgette and garlic with cream cheese or stilton
lettuce and cream cheese ( or spinach)
broccoli with cream cheese
cauliflower with blue cheese
Asparagus and cream
You can use any veg and add a can of cannellini or butter beans
If you don’t use beans just add cheese.
The combinations are limited only by imagination
I know you said you don’t like tomato soups but fry an onion, add a can of tomatoes and a can of butter beans. Blitz with a blender stick and you have a quick to make delicious soup. You can add herbs or spices according to taste.
🙂 Oh and instead of croutons what about a sprinkling of crispy bacon?

I often used to take chickpea chilli to school and ate it cold. Scrummy!

I thought I read in the book somewhere it would say what percentages of protein, fat, and carbs we should eat but I don’t remember seeing it.

My log in nutrition app shows percentages I am eating but I am concerned it’s too much or too little of one or the other.

Thanks!!

Hi there,
I am in my 3rd week and have amazing energy BUT in week 2 I had a couple days I felt very weak and like I might faint. I upped my water intake a lot because I read in the book that you lose a lot of water with the fat leaving so you must drink a lot (I forget how much).

Also take t easy on yourself through week two as the energy does seem to come back for all. I feel more energetic than I have in years but week 2 I thought, ” how are people exercising? ”

A doctor I know told me it takes a little while for our bodies to figure out where to find fuel when we switch from carbs to protein. It keeps looking for carbs for days and then once it figures it out we feel great again. It’s that few days it doesn’t know where to look that we feel weak. As if we hadn’t eaten almost.

Best of luck everyone!!!

Hi folks, remember Dr Mosley says the first two weeks are the hardest!! After a short while all those early niggles disappear and you will be full of energy and not be feeling hungry 🙂

Thanks Bill, Switzerland, Imogen, Barby and Ay Caramba 🙂

Feeling a lot better today, thank goodness. And got on the scales this morning and have lost another 2lb. That’s 10lb in a week and a half. I’m fairly happy with that considering how slow weight loss is with some other diets. Plus, I don’t feel deprived on this diet as I have done with others, which has led me to give up.
Bissell …I see you’re learning Welsh. Where are you from? I live in South Wales, but do not speak the Welsh language. Good on you for learning! Languages are not my strong point!
Hope everyone is feeling well today, and keeping up the good work 🙂

Hi Christies 1948,

Sending you my love and big hugs to get you through this sad time

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌸🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
Love Lucia
Xxxx

Oh yes, you can pick your nose but not your family…
😍😗😘☹️🙁
Sorry,

Love Lucia
Xxxxx

Hi roses posy,
Yes there are lots of us on this path and some of us are already around the bend!!

As it is only 8 weeks maybe calculate your finishing date and do a count down, ticking off the days on a calendar.

As it is a count DOWN and not for ever, maybe you can do it this time.

I know what it is like with distractions…… Oh she’s got a nice pair of shoes…….
Sorry, yes, it is so easy to wander off.
Always know , we are family.

What was that weird saying……

Love Lucia
Xxxx

I like bacon and broccoli in some chicken stock. I use a little bit of potato to give it a creamier texture when it’s blended up, but if you wanted really low carbs you could leave that out.

Thanks everyone. I had a look at the split peas and the carbs are really high. I’m getting really sick of cauliflower and it’s only week 2 🙁 I also thought pumpkin and squash were very high in carbs?

Ham and carrot is looking like an option

S

Hi Judith,
Thank you, the funeral is today so a bit unsettled still.
Christine

Hi fatty, thank you.
Christine

Feel so relieved after reading this as I lost 9lbs in 8 days and nothing in the past 6 days despite sticking to the 800 cals. You feel like ti’s only you and your stupid body or stupid thyroid!!! It looks like I am not alone and thanks to your comments I feel better and hope to have a better week. Good luck to you all too. Onwards and downwards! 😉

Hi Rozy,

hahahaha BSD book right by the bakery section that IS funny!

I’ve got major projects at work in a job I dislike so brain fog is something I need to fix, still having issues drinking enough water. I weighed myself this morning and no further weight loss – motivated me to come into work, fill a glass and drink – only finished it now though oops!

Awesome news on the screening! its lovely being given the green light on health checks.

Yep exercises in the book, need to find my book, I left it in the kitchen and think one of my housemates must have picked it up but yeah, adding steps each day to walk more and strength resistance exercises etc. I think I will start more strictly next week. Right now just need to stay focussed and get through the weekend without falling off the wagon.

So I’ve done my first day on the BSD diet and now into day 2. Yesterday I made a batch of the Superfood Soup and found it filling and tasty. I also have been having 1 hard boiled egg for breakfast and a diet shake for lunch. I did have some snacks of nuts and seeds to stave off the difficult hunger pains, but I think I am well below 800 calories a day.

And I made myself walk up the 9 flights of stairs to my flat, once. I aim to increse these stairway ascents as time goes on. I also did some situps today.

I really, really, really hate dieting, but after reading the BSD book, I feel ready and motivated.

I’m also hoping that this forum will offer some support!

Hi All,

Phew! Thought it was because I had a major slip up end of week one then started again. I lost 3.2kg in week one even with the slip up and so far week two I’m on Day 4 and only lost 700grams. I am feeling a bit low but then keep blaming my Nando’s dinner even though I didn’t eat the skin on my chicken butterfly and only had a leafy salad to go with it – could it be the glass of diet coke I wonder….hmmm only just remembered the diet coke. I looked up online for calorie count of the chicken butterfly and though there were a few different posts, the highest one was for 350 calories so I counted that and 25 calories for my leafy salad. I had a deficit of 40 odd calories for the day but guessed since I messed up end of week one it might even out – lo and behold I weigh myself this morning and no movement!

I can start seeing this as a way of life too as Linda mentioned so I’m not too fussed as long as I’m not putting anything on I’m happy.

MooLoc do you keep a food diary (don’t want to be assumptive but seems like you do) I just spoke to a friend who is also on the 800 cal fast and she doesn’t do exactly 800 calories every day she goes up and down but makes sure that the weekly intake averages out to 800/day. She says this works for her because her body doesn’t get too used to it. I plan on trying that for my next week on BSD.

Superb performance Judith
You’re already a leading light on here and this will only make you shine brighter
You’ll never know how many people have been inspired by your posts but I bet the number is way higher than you could imagine.
Proud of you, now go and enjoy your well deserved holiday 🙂

It’s coming to the end of day four and I’m down 2.5kg (5.5lbs). I am happy, but if I’m honest, still waiting for the wheels to fall off! Surely it can’t acually be working! 🙂

So I’m looking at a can of beetroot and wondering if it would be okay to have some with my salad tonight. I’m thinking “6g of sugar, that’s probably a bit much…” when it dawns on me that this time last week I was having ten times that much. FOR BREAKFAST! And then again a couple more times during the day. Bloody hell! How things change.

Congratulations Hashimoto – you nailed it – and you’ve helped so many others on the way.

Welcome back Rosyposy!

The BSD food is great…the BSD people are even better! We are all here to find/offer support…as we are all on this road together!

Imogen.🌻

Hashimoto,

Many many congratulations. How fantastic! …. and thank you so much for all the help and encouragement you have given to us all throughout your 16+ weeks. Enjoy your new found slim self.

Imogen.x

Hi Clairebear,
Oh dear I feel a bit guilty saying I stand at my computer when I’m retired and only use it at home.
BUT it is a challenge for me and it soon forces me to move on and get on with something else , probably more important.
So it is a good thing.

In the BSD diet book on p 160 they did an experiment where the asked volunteers to try to stand in an office for 3 hours per day. They found that they had better control of their BS levels and burnt an extra 50 calories an hour, equivalent to 30,000 extra calories a year.

Not saying this is good for everyone but some people may want to consider standing up when they can as it seems to be beneficial.
After all many people stand up all day with their jobs anyway.

Good luck with any plan you decide.