Re: the peeing, it’s my understanding that it is both factors. If you are drinking 2 or 3 litres of water, most of it has to come out at some point! But also carbohydrates make you retain water. I can count on losing a kg overnight any time I go from eating carbs to not. So at the start of the diet, at least, you’ll pee extra as you get rid of that retained water.

Hey,

I started on Monday as well, like you, I have a long gap between getting to work and lunch time, so i have had to force myself out of bed 15 mins earlier to sort breakfast.
If you follow the recipes form the book, you will find that a lot of it can be done the night before, so i just finish it off, eat it and im ready to go.

I have also dived in head first as i think thats the only way i am going to do it.

good luck

Hi all

I am a newcomer this diet, which I have decided to undertake to lead a healthier lifestyle, and to help my husband who is boarderline diabetic.

Can you all give me some ideas what we can have for a quick breakfast, as my staples used to be toast or cereal …

Thanks 🙂

So,
I’m onto day 3, not feeling too bad, have had the feeling that a headache is coming, but it hasn’t yet really hit. i feel a bit stiff and achey though.
Been enjoying the food so far, and haven’t felt enormously hungry as yet, still fancy some crisps and a beer, but i’m managing to resist so far.

I’m not measuring myself until Sunday, and i’m hoping i will have lost a bit.

Out of interest, when people say they pee all the time. how much/often?
I am going, but is that down to drinking 3 litres of water, or the diet itself?

thanks

JK

Thanks guys! Much appreciated

Hi Gilliancrantock
Many ,many congratulations on your weight loss and blood glucose levels.
Fantastic results all round for you.
Hope you can drop the Metformin too but the feeling better and being much healthier is the main goal isn’t it???
It is for me anyway.
I’m having a blood test on Friday so my results will hopefully be as positive as yours.
I have lost 40 lbs or 18 kilos since the start of February and have much more energy and zip!!
Only 6 more lbs and I will just be a healthy weight.

Wehay! This works.

Having managed to put on about 2 stone these last couple of years I’ve been terrified at age 50 with a diabetic dad and older brother that I’m next.

Big bruv has reversed his diabetes with diet and exercise. I am prediabetic and been feeling more n more lethargic these last few months.

So I started. Last week. And went down 8lb in a week. Hungry less than I thought. Meals are scaling well so I can cook once for the family of teen kids and myself and just have a small portion.

8 lb! An old mate who is similar is doing it too at a distance.

On we go eh?

Hi SKINNY

Well done. Isn’t it great to feel this good?
I walk like I’m a thin person already even with 5kg to go. I’m 11kg down now and a world of difference.
Here’s to a great next week for you. 😄
N

Thanks Rozy and Bubbles, I do think I’m improving overall Rozy as far as getting back to it goes. In times past my denial periods would last years rather than months. and I don’t mind a slower weight loss provided I am doing well health wise. I’m also getting a fitbit and will do some moderate exercise to get me started back to a better level of fitness. If I manage to keep myself on track until the school holidays I stand a good chance of feeling well over the summer, and hopefully will be able to sustain the new lifestyle.

I think the fast 800 was a bit too severe for me too Bubbles, I would love to be able to do it but I found I couldn’t really manage even one day in week 3.

Hi Forkers
I think raw is fine, just count the cals. Have you ever seen a fat rabbit?
Do not panic on this plan, room for trial and error, being too strict on yourself sets you up to fail. Mindfulness, as recommended by MM, assists in de-stressing and removing the panic response. Munch away.
N

Hi Forkers, yes they are fine, they are the only root veg allowed. Do weight them as they are at the higher end of the veg scale for carbs!

Woo hoo I can’t believe it – neither can my diabetic nurse – I’ve lost 10 kilos in 6 months (20lbs) the last stone in the past 8 weeks thanks to this diet! My blood glucose levels are down from 10.8 to 6.4 and I feel skinny!
I’ve had so much support from these forums, particularly on week 5 when I just felt HUNGRY – I’m in a great routine of eating, meal planning and socialising and feel confident I can continue and eventually drop my Metformin

Only 3 more lbs to go until I’m 9st something (hopefully next week!) and already I’m a healthy weight!!!
Thank you Mike Mosley and all the people who respond on these forums! It’s been a great journey!!

Just did a Pilates Class and will be at Body Pump this evening as my art class isn’t on. Now going for a dog walk. I am enjoying having the energy.

Hi Switzerland,
My granddaughters are 5, 8, and 10, they are usually very good at trying new foods, they love chicken goujons, so I was surprised they didn’t want them, also they are usually famished after their swimming lessons and eat everything that is put in front of them, I did wonder if it was the colour, walnuts and Brazil’s and almonds, the mix was very dark.
Hi Lucia,
I couldn’t do 68 seconds excercise at the moment never mind minutes, My knees are feeling better, however I am still aching all over and feel drained of energy, I am trying to do all the right things to get rid of this ‘virus’ not sure what to do to get well again, it’s a real downer not feeling great,
I agree with all your points when you get to your goal of world domination!
Christine

Hi all! Sorry if Iv missed s previous post but ARE RAW CARROTS OK? Iv just had 2 medium ones with the hummus recipes and am now panicking.
Thanks in advance!

Hi Caro,
Welcome! Yes, using the forum helps. You can ask questions if things are stalling and get lots of ideas to try and support. Others may be going through similar situations and if you share again – you will get support. I would not have kept going without this. Like you, I comfort eat and after a very stressful year where I was eating irregularly and badly and I needed to sort it out.
The main thing is to remember you are retraining your body and taste-buds to prefer new non-carb foods. It is not just an 8 week time period – it is for life. So, if you have a dinner party – just restart on the Monday and don’t beat yourself up over what happened at the weekend. Most of us have periods that are hard to control, just forget it and get going again – lots of us have done that :-).
I found that Mindfullness helped me dealing with stress – there is a forum on the subject with advise on apps to support you through it. It gives you time to yourself – even if it is only 10 mins a day and if you are getting stressed, ‘tools’ to help you deal with it that can pull you back from the food.
On the subject of scales – no you don’t need them, but you do need a starting weight and I would suggest a weekly weight check. It is very motivating to see the losses and also, if you have a bad weekend, you see it has not had quite as bad an effect as your imagination has predicted! You can weight in at a local store, in the UK most Boots the Chemist have good scales – try to weight at the same time of day with the same clothes! What is important is a tape-measure. Take all your measurements at the beginning, so you can see the changes.
Good luck with the restart and I hope we see lots more posts with your progress.

Morning Lucky, was browsing the latest posts and came upon your hilarious thread! Chickpea wraps are the business! I was also a major bread eater (naans, wraps, just plain bread!) so these are a life saver. I cook a batch so when the family is tucking into fajitas I can still join in. And of course with curry, which is my fave..
It’s so nice to eat lots of dairy without guilt too.. Greek yoghurt has gone from being a breakfast ordeal to something I genuinely look forward to in the morning! Although I do look at the toaster wistfully at times…
I’m in week 6 now and think this is a longterm way of life for me. I don’t weigh myself but I have gone down one trouser size and several belt notches since I started in May, and feel much better physically. So onwards.. and downwards!
Oh and MixnMatch… well done on the dress that’s been waiting for you since January.. I’m sure you will look and feel fantastic in it!

Hi again, I have made it thru the first day. I would not have achieved that had it not been for the help of this site and the people who post. Thank you all for your help. Dianne

GO PLUMPTIOUS!! 2 stone is amazing; you must feel so chuffed! Good idea on the charity shop sweep. I’ve been known to do that myself in the past as there are some good quality ones near to work.. so could be time to pop in again and look for trousers. Like you, I generally feel much better physically and mentally more alert.. although I did ‘tweet’ the BSD in a ‘desperate’ state last evening as I was trying to resist PMT induced chocolate cravings!!! A few cubes of cheese took the edge off thankfully 🙂
We went for a post dinner stroll last night while the kids rode their bikes. It’s gentle, but still counts as exercise so I will try and do this more often. Walking up to town in my lunch hour is also a more regular occurrence (although we got rained on and had to call our colleague for a lift back one day last week when the heavens opened, mid walk!)
Away breaks are a little challenging, as I found out recently, but if necessary settle for damage limitation rather than stressing. 2 or 3 days of compromise won’t undo all your effort so enjoy your time!

I have Fitbit friends.
I don’t want friends.
I became friends with three people last week……obviously I knew them before that!
How do you politely refuse a Fitbit friend request?
The worse thing I have discovered over the last couple of days is that I am top of the step count. How does that work???

Even more worrying is the fact that two of them are 21 (with occasional tennis and hockey-playing tendencies), whilst the other
one does a running Bootcamp.
These are not the sort of fitness buddies an overweight 63 year old with high blood pressure needs!
Ho hum…..life!!!!

Hi Baristagils,
Hmmm. There is a book by Jenny Ruhl called ‘Low Carb Problems Solved’ which you can get via Kindle (£3.06) – which goes through the things that can cause Low Carb diets to stall, it may be worth have a read at that to see if there s anything else that might be stalling you – however you are losing weight so the diet is working, but you may not be burning fat which normally shows in a reduction on the waistline. You can check his using Ketostix – put ‘Ketostix’ into the search engine for the forum for where to get them etc.
Hope that helps.

54…or 55…or thereabouts for me. (I once deducted year or two and then believed it true) 😱😕😁😂 better get going then!

Think I would like it in Lucialand.

Imogen.x

Hi Switzerland/ Frog/mantishugo/Sandie/Doddie/Tracy2267/Orchid…… and everyone else moving more!!!
Eureka are you still away?

Glad everyone seems to be moving and shaking 😉

Back after a couple of weeks away and off to Body Pump class soon.
Have so much more energy these days and I almost find myself skipping up stairs.
(Haven’t tried the hopscotch yet Lucia……but there is still time!!!!!)

Hi Switzerland and Izzy and y’all,

Switzerland, that sounds pretty much identical to my plan once I’m off the 8 week intro phase. It’s also nice to hear from someone else doing intermittent fasting and finding it work for them too. Thanks for the feedback and for giving me an idea that I’m on the right track 🙂

Izzy, although I might not hit the 16kg target I was aiming for, I’m already 12.4kg down and I still have another 2 weeks (and 1 day to go). So don’t cry too hard for me 😉 Mind you, the next couple of days will be a challenge as I need to travel for work, so my choices might be somewhat limited in a hotel etc.

Anyways, I hope y’all have a great day.

Sciencemonkey (ook ook)

(Pour the lime juice through a tea-strainer or little bits of lime will stick like glue to the glass!)

Alternative drink;
Lime soda :
soda water (I have about 3/4 pint)
juice of one (+?) freshly squeezed lime,
1 shake of Angostura Bitters,
optional pinch of salt,
Ice as required ditto slice of cucumber.
Very refreshing.
Could make similar with tonic.

Lucia, you’re an inspiration keep it up! To those who feel they can’t jump straight in yet still be a wonderful success.

Thanks Orchid. The difficulty is, I have carefully logged all carbs and have never gone more than 30-40g day max, often more like 20. So that’s a bit annoying! I don’t want to increase them at all as I am trying to curb candida as well. I wondered about doing some specific exercises to try and take an inch or two off the waist but it’s almost impossible at the moment as my stomach is ravaged with die-off! Just can’t understand why it hasn’t got just a centimetre smaller……

Hi thanks for all the advice x OzVeggy the miso soup is something I will use as I really like it x I weighed yesterday as week since I started and I have only lost half a pound ! I weighed the day before (day 6) and had stayed the same so I was really down as I had stuck to the diet and exercised . So I ate four ginger biscuits and a white bread sandwich ,nothing ott though ! Was going to give up but decided to stick with BS diet x reading on forums of majority of people losing so much weight first week so disappointed x feel bloated so might be holding onto water and read of woosh effect on here and then researched it so I hope I have a whoosh moment this week lol

Hi Switzerland

Do you remember the tinga and tucker club?
With aunty Jean.
I watched it over here in the 60’s.
Love Lucia
Xxxx

So that’s why we haven’t seen snail wear copper jewellery.
The great mystery resolved.
This website is so educational
Love Lucia
Xxx

Morning,
The sun is shining and all is ok in my world.
Just had a nice walk now on bus to work, starting late today, but will still be there at 9pm

Love Lucia
Xxxx

I know it’s only tiny, but no plateau – a further 0.1kg gone – so officially “over a stone” lost – none of the 13.84lb, the additional 0.1kg makes it 14.04lb – whew-hew!
Ate very early last night – 6pm, a glass of wine at 7pm, then only a dash of milk in tea later on.
Weather was mostly foul, only walked about 8,000 steps

Hi Clover from another noob, I’ve only been on the plan for four days and I have lost 10lbs as of this morning, and also inches from every body part I measured on Saturday (except my left calf – don’t ask, that’s a story for another day). I am not touching any bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc. Eating plenty of protein and vegetables, salad, lentils, chickpeas, Chickpea wraps are the future (it’s official, my new ‘bread’) and Fage – what have I been missing out on? Eggs, cooked in all ways, poached, scrambled, omelette, mini egg muffins. Bacon. Salmon. I’ve eaten all sorts. I can honestly say I haven’t felt hungry, which you won’t do if you make the right food choices. Good luck to you 🙂

Thanks Cali-girl and Imogen!

I vote we continue the ‘bubbly’ party all week 🙂

(Imogen you are very welcome on my wagon lol)

YAY for BSD.

Yes thank you switzerland that was interesting reading 🙂

Morning all.

Just a quickie as I’ve been posting on other threads and running out of time.

I’ve got my hospital appointment first thing to see if they can do anything about my dizziness that’s been ongoing for 5 months, or 6 I forget.

I’ve had a shake, made in my NEW BLENDER that arrived yesterday lol. I used rasperries and almond milk and as this blender can take it… ice. It was very cold and lovely.

Lunch will be soup, dinner would suit you happy! we’re having fish and veggies. I’m thinking of crushing some crackers to ‘bread’ the fish with. The kids would like that. Home made fish fingers….

Got to run, have a great day 🙂

And yes on the full fat dairy! The Fage, oh my, it’s lovely. Reminded me of the yogurt in those Muller corners I ate as a teen (I know, I know…). I can’t deviate from my skimmed milk because I genuinely don’t like the fat in milk in my coffee, if it’s full fat or semi skimmed on offer in anyone’s house, I ask for water, I dislike it that much. I’ve bought cream, Fage and full fat Creme Fraiche. A little of the good stuff goes much further than a lot of the fake stuff. Amen to that.

Yay to my fellow graduate 🙂

let’s make a pact… BSD for life?

Hope you’re not hung over from the ‘fizzy water’ party last night 🙂

Hi Auntie you’re off to a flying start! and if this works for you and you want to continue then carry on, however if that is a typical days food for you then it isn’t entirely in keeping with the BSD guidance. Banana’s aren’t recommended as they are surprisingly high in sugar and carbs (27g carbs per banana) most of us here try to keep to less than 50g, so even your two banana’s would take you over that. Although carb levels are a personal thing to choose. I’d also suggest a bit more healthy fat in there. Fruit is meant to be a smaller addition to BSD rather than the main part of meals.

I don’t mean to pick, and as you really don’t have much to lose your own brand of this may work just as well. Let us know how your debate in the class goes, we’re all interested in those things here 🙂

if you ditch all the bread, pasta, rice etc as suggested in the book and stick to the 800 calories you should see results within days. Most people have a good loss the first week followed by smaller regular losses in the following weeks. It is very common on week 2 or 3 to lose nothing or very little, followed by a bigger loss a week or two later. Everyone is different. Try to have an open mind and jump in, follow the rules and ride out the weeks where losses seem slower. The losses do come.

I agree with Nettle. I’ve not been lethargic (other than occasional life gets to you tired) and I’ve been surprised regularly at how much food 800 calories can be when you choose wisely. I’m not hungry and like Nettle (most of the time) I don’t miss the carbs.

Some members like two bigger meals, I prefer 3 smaller ones and sometimes a snack you will have to find what works best for you.

Yesterday I had some home made granola and strawberries for breakfast, some home made almond flour crackers with cheese and salad for lunch, stir fry pork for dinner and some nutty stuff.

Today I’ve had a shake for breakfast made with raspberries, almond milk, vanilla extract and ice. Lunch will be soup (cauliflower and bean) and dinner is going to be smoked haddock with veg.

I like to cook and bake so I’ve found almond flour is a great ingredient to make crackers and pancakes. Low carb and higher protein. Almond milk is great for shakes as it is very low calorie and tastes great. Make sure your yoghurt is full fat, read some diaries, check out the recipe threads you will see 🙂

This is much easier than I expected it to be and I’ve just finished week 8.

Good Morning Mixnmatch, nice to meet you too 🙂 I’m in a super good mood this morning, woke up before six (which gives me an hour or so of peace before school chaos begins) and I’m down another pound to 16 stone 13 lb this morning. Four days, ten pounds. Even if it slows down from here on in, that’s one heck of a good start.

For the roasted chickpeas I used canned, rinsed them well. The only downside is that it will make your kitchen (house) stink of vinegar. I had windows opened and my extractor on. They were yummy though. I didn’t want to overdo it by making too many only not to like them. The next time I will probably use dried (cheaper) and make three ‘cans worth’ at one time.

The chickpea wraps – I had some Besan left from when I’d made bhajis for a curry night last year, only a small pack, 500g I think. It would probably have gone out of date before I ever made bhajis again. While in Morrisons I saw they had massive packs of flour yesterday, either 1.5kg or 2kg even for £1.49 reduced. So I chanced it and picked one up in case these were good. Glad I did now and if they still have some next time I’m in, I’ll pick up more. So simple to make. I will make more today to freeze because the batch I made yesterday has been earmarked for the rest of the week with certain recipes 🙂 I seasoned mine with a little sea salt and a hefty shake of cayenne. I’m adhering to the principle rigidly in that – no bread, not even wholegrain, wholemeal. The carb side of it, specifically the counting part, I don’t get at the moment. I know certain things we ‘can’ eat are higher but I can’t get my head around MFP as a counter, although it’s great for looking up counts of things. I’m trying not to over complicate things atm because it’s working. If it stops working then I will have to look deeper into what I’m doing. Hubby and I ate a lot of wraps; salad, chicken, we’d even have them with chilli or spag bol, or curry, so I knew that was the ‘bread’ I’d have to crack or replace as it’s so versatile.

I was on something similar (but also not similar too) earlier this year. Fasting every other day at 500 and on alternate days you could eat and drink what you want. Did it work? Yes. However I spent 50% of my life on the edge and starving and 50% of my life sat down pigging out (and I mean pigging out!). I went down to 16 stone 9, and since I stopped at the end of April (in time for my 40th, meals, weekend away, cake etc), I put a stone back on. That’s what, six or seven weeks? And with the BSD, I’ve lost ten of those fourteen pounds again in four days, I’m eating well, I’m not eating rubbish, I’m not hungry or hangry. It’s remarkable.

Congratulations on your upcoming big birthday, I hope you have as wonderful a time as I had on my 40th. I can’t remember the last time I wore something fitted, probably at my first wedding evening reception *coughnineteencough* years ago. That went well…

Hubby is overweight, probably not ‘as’ overweight as I am as he’s taller. He wants to lose weight too, and in all fairness to him, he’ll give anything a crack. He tried January’s shambles of 30 days of vegetarianism (I put on 10 lbs…) then he did the every other day one and lost over a stone with me. He’s been to Weight Watchers several times, where once we both lost 50lbs (but put it all back on and some!). He has a choice. He doesn’t have to do it with me. At the end of the day, short of chewing and swallowing the food for him, I’m doing everything else. Deciding what to cook. Calorie counting it all. Cooking it. And 75% of the time washing up. I couldn’t make it any simpler. For him! If he didn’t want to do it, he would either get a modified version of what I was eating (with carbs) or he could have a frozen pizza haha.

Good luck to you too, we’ll all get there if we support each other. That’s the only thing I miss about slimming clubs, it’s the camaraderie of people in the same boat as you, doing the same plan as you. Hope you have a fab day 🙂

Does anyone know how feasible or helpful an apple watch would be to track steps and other health things heart rate etc

Not a lover of exercise but have started walking this is the first week of the BSD so just finding my way

Hi Happy, sorry I didn’t have time to reply yesterday.

That’s awful that the rice made you feel that way, it just goes to show that perhaps our bodies simply are not designed for many carbs. You’re doing such a great job on this diet though 🙂

It’s great you are finding yourself visualising in dreams, maybe it’s a case of it being quite habitual because you do it often? I wish it would happen here my dreams lately are generally not the best lol!

I hope you managed to catch up on your work and continue to feel better today, those 3.5lb’s will be gone in no time at all!

Hi there, I have had a similar procedure, the gastric sleeve. That was about 8 years ago and was a great success. However over the recent years with old age creeping in and a very very sedentry job, I am slowly creeping up the scales again DESPITE eating the amount that 3 year old eats. Just today i have been told that I am just into the pre diabetic stage and so I am keen to nip it in the bud and loose abit of the weight that i have gained back.

Thanks Nettle, needed that as I have been a sugar and carbs freak all my life and never put on weight. Assumed that would always be the case but not so. I really do appreciated your help as first day and really having massive cravings. Gave up smoking over a year ago and that was easy compared to this. I will look forward to fitting back into my size 10 clothes that I just couldn’t throw out. I am in size 14 and have been growing by the day almost. Glad to get all the help I can. Thank you Dianne

Hi 9 plus

Firstly take the fear away. It works and it works well. Rather than feeling lethargic most of us feel energized and bright and wow pretty quickly. I have read the book a few times, now about 14 weeks in and it has been so easy I am staying on awhile longer. Mainstream medics will frown at lowcallowcarb but soon I think they will have to sit up and take notice.

Today breakfast for me was 2tbsp of my homemade muesili with 2 tbsp of great natural yoghurt. Sounds small but it fills me up. Lunch today was half a pear, blue cheese, 4 walnuts, celery, some rocket leaves, 1tsp avocado oil a dash of apple cider vinegar and a dash of pomegranate molasses…all in the cupboard so I made it up as I went. I sat in the winter sunshine and enjoyed every bit of it. Dinner is chuck steak stew with 3 vege just no mash as OH will be having. KALE is my pick of the week, read about it, it is a cracker of a food.

If you had told me 3 months ago I would not crave or even desire bread or potato I would have never have believed it. I am seldom hungry, I think on reflection I had been hungry for 50 odd years, and I now get a bit irritable if I cannot get out and have a good walk at pace. Quite a change in the brain for sure.

I have kept a spread sheet record and my average daily cals are 780. Who would have thought that possible to feel this good at that level?

I purchased two fast diet cook books at a very reasonable price and have book marks all through them, the Bramble and Beetroot soup is on it’s third batch.

Other than knocking out the white carbs, I don’t think I have altered my food type much at all, I definitely don’t snack like I used to, I do not feel the need. Do keep up a good fluid I take it makes all the difference.

Hope this helps. Just relax. I hope you can report back to your Dr soon by bouncing into the room like Tigger.
N.

Been to doctor today and she has confirmed that I am at the low end of the pre dibetes scale.
I have read the BSD book and Im getting my head around an eating plan.
The doctor felt that at 800 calories a day that I could get lethargic.
SO…………….can any of you share how you have made the 800 a day work for you.
Whats for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I am studying the ideas in the book but would like any tips from those that have actually done this.
It scares me to think of only 800 a day

Hi Dianne

Well done for getting started. You are seeking hints…what I can tell you is that within a week you will feel like a new woman. Most of the blogs note the same thing, it’s a quick response. Many of us had a bad day or two first week, and I suppose the bigger your carb – sugar habit the rougher the detox is…but good stuff happens and soon so hang in there. I am on week 14 I think, I lose count because it is so easy to just keep going. This morning I had a 5k walk in the sun. My body would not have been up to that 3 short months ago. I have had two trips to the shops in that time to buy smaller clothes, just writing that puts a grin on my face. This week I planned ahead a bit and bought the next size down. I’ll be watching out to see how you feel in a week so let us know. This is a life altering chance, you will be out there and active and your cervical spine will thank you for it.
N

Hi CloverNev

I worked night shift for 15 years, loved it but know all about the problems of snacking to keep going as the body wants to shut down at 4am in the morning. I’d suggest soup as a good heat me up, fill me up. Even in summer time a lighter broth type would do the trick. Also consider a measured chunk of cheddar in your food box. It will sustain you and give you the fat boost you need. Assuming you had a good healthy meal before going to work, why not pot up a smaller version of that for the mid shift break. Remember to plan for and resist the CARB urges. I reckon my weight gain for years can be tracked back to toast fuelled night shifts.
Good luck and good sleeping.
N