Can anyone tell me what halloumi tastes like? And the first person who says ‘halloumi’ can get their coat. Is it mild, strong, ‘cheesy’ or creamy etc? And can we have better adjectives than ‘squeaky’ please. Make an effort 😉

Barby – deep fried??? *Sobs* I don’t even like it and I want to try it deep fried. And then eat the chips. And that’s why I’m fat.

Josie, thanks for that, I picked up one of those greek yogurts in Aldi when I couldn’t get Fage (before I found it in Waitrose) so it’s good to know that, I’ll check the date on it and if it’s shorter dated than the Fage, I’ll open that next and give it a try. I have no idea about the bread, I’m avoiding it all, bread, pasta, potato, rice, any grain for the next eight weeks minimum, but I’m sure someone else will know.

Lasagne sounds lovely! Was it still filling despite the lack of pasta?

If anyone should be interested and are an Aldi shopper they do amazing Full fat greek yoghurt for something like £1.29 also Haloumi much cheaper than other supermarkets.

What does anyone think about opening a pitta bread and using it as a base for pizza does anyone know if it is too high in carbohydrates.

Made vegetable lasagne tonight using spinach instead of lasagne and some creme fraiche and greek yoghurt instead of normal sauce

I absolutely adore Halloumi, I just have it fried, with a few tomatoes, on a green salad with possibly a little balsamic – wonderful.

Our local pub also serves it in a slightly less BSD way, deep fried in batter with chilli, and chips 🙂

Hi all,

I know there’s a lot of posts on here but I wanted to lay down my numbers and add comments to my own post.
If you’re reading this, thank you. If you reply to my questions – thank you in advance, I really appreciate it!!

Start date: Monday 6 June
Weight: 84.3
Waist: 106cm
BS800: Yes
Steps: 6183

Tuesday 7 June
Weight: 83.2
BS800: Yes
Steps: 776

Wednesday 8 June *Skipped breakfast & lunch, ate at night
Weight: 83
BS800: Yes
Steps: 11287

Thursday 9 June
Weight: 83
BS800: Yes*
Steps: 5527

Friday 10 June
Weight: 82.3
BS800: Yes*
Steps: 2669

Saturday 11 June
Weight: 82.4
BS800: Yes*
Steps: 8519

Sunday 12 June
Weight: 82.2
BS800: No – about 1100cals
Steps: 11613

Monday 13 June
Weight: 82.7
BS800: Yes
Steps: 2668

Tuesday 14 June
Weight: 82.3
BS800: No – about 1000 cals
Steps: 3370

Wednesday 15 June
Weight: 82.3
BS800: No – about 1000 cals
Steps: 11295

Weigh in today: Thursday 16 June
Weight: 82.3
Waist: 104cm

As you can see, I lost weight semi-quickly.
But since last Friday I have stopped at a 2kg loss.

The BS800 where I put an * means I kept to the diet but only realized on Sunday that I had been having sugar free ice blocks but they had MALTODEXTRIN (CORN) so I am wondering if that caused my body to stop losing weight?

I have done a soft restart and gone back to being super strict. I have a meal planner and I write out what I will have and cross it out throughout the day.

This is what I ideally eat:
pre-breakfast: lemon and warm water & probiotic
breakfast: Greek yoghurt & blueberries & walnuts – 200 cals
lunch: SlimFast chocolate shake – 190 cals
dinner: differs but no sugar, no carbs and no more than 400 cals. This is where I make sure I eat vegs or low sugar fruits to help with going to bathroom.
liquids: tea, min 3 litres of water

Has anyone else had a similar experience and can help shed some light?

My plan right now is to keep to 800 a day, and aim to get to 7000 steps a day. Then change it up from there.

I guess I am worried that I won’t lose more than the 2kg I have shifted already….

Hi Izzy, I see you are looking for recipe ideas, and I have just made the bacon wrapped chicken recipe from the forum, and it was very delicious (I actually made a veggie version though). I also have your chicken recipe printed off to try next! Thanks for putting it on there.

Re the almond flour crackers, do you make them? I do miss crackers sometimes, with a bit of cheddar, yum..

Hi BSDErs watching warm up act at Wembley am I the only one on fage yoghurt and berries !!! Come on Coldplay ha !!!

My day has gone well but I noticed at lunchtime as I was able to come home that I wanted to eat more than normal. I only had a few more almond flour crackers but I think work lunches are easier to control when I can’t pop home. It meant I could have a cup of tea though lol.

Dinner is cooking and once the little one is in bed we plan to mount the 2nd lot of shelves and tv bracket so fun evening but it will be out of the way at least.

And I’m pondering what new recipes I might try over the next few days 🙂 I’ve not made salt and vinegar chick peas for a while so might do a batch of those, and now I have a better blender I might retry the paleo porridge recipe that went wrong. Hashimotos chickpea chilli sounds good, as does the pumpkin and cashew nut soup in the recipe section here. There are also a few recipes I might try from Elana’s pantry including low carb bread…

Decisions decisions….

Great way to re-member (make whole/complete)
to gather together all the good…wrap a big ribbon round it and gift it to each other 💜
Thanks izzy!

Ohhhhhhhh Mixnmatch, you do know I’m jotting names down in my little notebook of all those who have recommended this cheese so I can give you all a right rollocking if I don’t like it?? Forewarned… 😉 Can I not just have a brioche roll instead??? I like those. So light. So delicate. So shiny on top. Pwetty.

So Janey, what you’re saying ultimately is that I am going to cringe as I eat it then? I am going to be eating a food I don’t like as a rule, and it’s going to make a noise that sounds like nails down a chalkboard? Or a clown’s nose being honked. Duly noted.

Ohhhhhh no. I feel your pain, sister. I have a stroppy 13 year old who is currently grounded for life. Her best friend leaves for Australia at the start of July. Leaving party tomorrow. Friend upset as only 2 people have said they’re going. I’m refusing to back down. If it had been a one off, I’d have let it go, but it’s something she’s done repeatedly literally every few months, with promises she’ll stop, and she just does it all over again. I figure that weeks away from turning 14, she has to learn that there are consequences to her actions. I usually back down and the phone comes back after a fortnight of watching her mope and promises she won’t do it again, internet access is reinstated, she can go out, but she obviously isn’t learning her lesson. So I don’t know whether to relent and let her go to this party or not. She probably won’t see her friend again in real life. Probably won’t forgive me for not letting her go. I feel guilty because I like the friend, she’s very quiet with a small social group and I hate the thought of this venue filled with her upset and two other people. I know my one won’t make much of a difference but still. Don’t know what to do. Whether to lift the grounding for a couple of hours tomorrow night? Does your son make a habit of losing things? A blazer and a watch, that sounds like an expensive do. Extra scoop of cauli for him. Chocolate is over rated. Go get yourself some Fage 😉

I laughed out loud (very loudly) three times today! …The fact that I noticed that makes me realise I probably need to laugh more 😄 (could count as 3)

The ladies at the nhs physio unit who were really supportive and kind to each other – warms my heart.😇

The Sun shining on the flowers, and birds singing in my garden while I drank my early morning coffee 🌻

Hi Sooshie
I’m not too much help as I never really got a feeling grotty/hungry phase at the start – but as Imogen says, drink lots.
I read somewhere that drinking hot drinks is more filling – no idea if there is any foundation to that!

To help you understand so many people posting about lbs and stones , a kilogram is 2.2lb, and a stone is 14lbs

so your 45kg:
45 x 2.2 = 99lbs (yeah, less than 100!)
99lbs 14 x 7 = 98lbs, so 7 stone 1lb

about the same as me when I started – 4 weeks in, only six stone to go now!
Metric weights were being introduced when I was growing up, so I tend to think in both – more milestones to celebrate!

Good luck, hope you feel better soon, stick with it

I’ve been re-reading our bible (the BSD book lol) and as happens with books you find bits you missed and forgotten about. One of the snippets I came across today was MM suggesting that at the end of every day to think of 3 good things that happened today. So things that went well, things that made you happy or proud, any positive thought. In order to focus on the positive rather than a negative. So I thought it might be nice to have a thread where we could all share our 3 good thoughts, and cheer each other up on bad days.

Here are my 3 for today.

I avoided the bacon rolls at the safety brief this morning.

It is Thursday- No more work until Monday 🙂

I met a really nice Lady today.

Squeaky cheese rules!!! The snow analogy was good, I’d liken it a bit to squeegee ing (is that a proper word?) a window pane. Either way, fry it up with spices and slap an egg and some of your mystical Fage on top! I am currently public enemy number 1 at home after grounding my boy for losing both his school blazer AND watch in the last 24 hours. It’ll be the final nail in the coffin when cauliflower hits his plate at dinner time. Ho hum.. Don’t think of chocolate Janey…. 🙄

JCH well done on losing that stone! you’ll be an 8 week graduate before you know it!

Have fun spiralizing the contents of your fridge!

thanks Timmy – I’ve got a motorola rather than an Iphone – I found an article earlier, fairly recent, with 5 recommended pedometer apps for android , so I’ll have a look later on.
I’ll ponder on the scales and have a look when I get back.

glad the shoes amused you both!

🎵🎶🎵On white horses, snowy white horses, let me ride away….away…🎵🎶🎵

that’s me away with the faeries (can’t stop singing that song now), and tripping down memory lane.

Thanks Switzerland, Lucia.

Hi Sooshie22,

Hang in there it does get better…sounds like carb withdrawal maybe?…drink loads of water…increasing the good fat in your diet may also help or a low vegetable or miso soup can help to fill you up without adding too many extra calories.

Another vote for halloumi, although as a dyed in the wool cheese fan I can’t speak for a cheese hater. I actually succumbed in M & S to one of those taster counters a few weeks ago and had a small piece of their halloumi ‘burger’ which was essentially a round piece of the cheese on a (naughty) brioche style bun with relish and it was fantastic. Needed more chilli though ☺

Hi Frog… your / uncomfortable shoe story has me giggling out loud…😁😅😂people next to me giving me ‘strange’ looks, perhaps they suspect I am deranged…??

Weakened & had a coffee with milk today (not a latté) the first one in 11 days. About 1/2hr later i had really bad stomach cramps!! 😯

Hi everyone.
Newbie from Australia here on day 4 and soooo hungry – when does it ease off? I am eating balanced carb, fats and protein according to what works for me and certainly wasn’t eating large meals before but sheesh the hunger is gnawing away at me and really trying to get my attention. Have 45kg to lose (sorry dont know what that is in lbs other than crikey thats a lot!). I have water or tea or hot water and lemon but it helps for only 10 minutes or so and chewing gum makes it worse.
Glad you are all here.

Hello, I find that I’m having problems being blocked up this week. Certainly not through lack of water as I’ve been drinking even more.
Patterns are strange aren’t they! Oh well will probably be normal soon

So I can fry it, barbecue it, get it from a kebab shop, and it squeaks? Sold! 😀 What more could one ask for from cheese? What have you started Janey, with your squeaky lunch? Can you have something quieter tomorrow, please? And less delicious sounding? STOP MAKING ME EAT CHEESE! 😉

Hello Marsie 🙂 hello again Frog 🙂 and Hello JCH 🙂 Wow that is amazing, four inches? Well done! If I lost four inches, I’m sure… *eyes size 20 jeans wistfully* I’m going to go upstairs after and see if I can pull them over my calves and see how far I have to go. I’m down 10lbs since Saturday and hubby 8lbs. I know there’s going to be a slowdown at some point. Bracing myself. Taking measurements once a week on a Saturday and marking them down, but I had to have a sneaky check the other day and at least an inch has come off every body measurement except one. I didn’t bother measuring my head, which remains massive at any size. Unfortunately. It’s the size of a small island. Meh.

PS – Frog, I daren’t go in a kebab shop. Not yet. Too soon. Too soon.

LOL! That make me giggle about the shoes.

I’m going to buy one of those Osram body composition monitor things where you have to hold a handle. I think they’re about £50. If you’re just after scales though, I’d just go on Amazon and buy the cheapest one with 5 stars.

What phone have you got out of interest? If it’s an iPhone 5s or later there is a really good app called pedometer++

As well as steps it also says how many floors you’ve climbed.

My digestive system is still adjusting (just ended week 4) – thanks for the warning about the gram flour, I’d been thinking about trying the pancakes everyone keeps mentioning, but maybe I’ll give it a miss for a while.
I cant bear psyllium husks – the texture of it makes me gag.
Using senna tablets occasionally – and trying to drink more and more and more……

Weird morning – I weighed myself and disappointed to see I’d but on a tiny bit from yesterday. Weighed myself again to check the scales a few times, no change.
Cleared the dishwasher, wiped the kitchen counter tops, nothing strenuous – about fifteen minutes after the first time, no drinks or food, hadn’t been to the loo, scales hadn’t been moved, same clothes – weighed myself again and 0.5kg lighter. (double checked several times again – triple checked/quadruple checked???)
Either I need to empty the dishwasher on a more regular basis, or buy new scales!
Can anyone recommend inexpensive scales that they think are reliable?

Anyway, 95.3kg today – UNDER 15 stone!

I’m on holiday for a week, so no scales – will try really hard to follow Lynne’s example!
Have forgotten my pedometer, I need to load one of those phone apps that counts steps.

My new skechers GoWalk shoes arrived last night – I thought I’d try them on at home for a bit, but spent the evening thinking they weren’t as comfy as I’d expected. When I took them off they still had protective card inside each shoe.
Very comfortable without the card insoles.

thank you both for your replies
Switzerland – I have also found some gut ‘settling’ some of the time with this way of eating
and I agree that sometimes its just about getting just the right amount of something
I found 1 small coconut flatbread ok – but coconut or chickpea muffins – oh goodness they act like corks!!

JCH187 – funny how fybogel seems to do the opposite to me
but I agree about the chickpeas – in fact I have never been great with bean (baked bean variety) and so why should I be surprised that the chickpea is any different – albeit in flour form
I need to proceed with caution I think!!

Great thread 🙂

I know exactly what you mean by squeaky cheese, that was my impression too!

I have a similar amount of weight to lose as you, I’m just coming up to 4 weeks and have lost 1st and 4inches off my waist!

I love haloumi – a good take away standby
Some Turkish kebab type shops will griddle haloumi & serve it with salad (in a pita bread, but just leave that, or nibble a corner if you must! I occasionally get one for lunch if I want something hot

I like to do the squeaky Haloumi on the BBQ or in a well-oiled grill pan. Enjoying this thread…

Hi Mantishugo — although I cannot answer your question directly, I have a couple thoughts on this issue based on my own journey so far (about 14 weeks on BSD). One of the things I have noticed is that I have changed as much mentally as I have physically — an outcome I never expected and I find surprising. I know that every person on these posts has struggled with weight for a long time or we wouldn’t be here! We all have had the frustrating experience in the past that good intentions and the best goal-setting aren’t enough because we either didn’t lose weight or we lost it and then regained the weight. Or we just went in circles day after day feeling terrible physically and terrible about ourselves for failing. It all feels so out-of-control and defeating. The BSD gives us a place where we can finally set that whole conflicting mess down, commit to a new and workable plan and calm our scattered minds. The warm support from all the other people posting here also reminds us we are not alone and the diet we are following is both “doable” and effective. All of that brings on some strong emotions and it is my guess you are responding to all of that. And, also, now that you aren’t wasting all your mental energy on the frustration, your brain is freed-up to think about new things — a wonderful, liberating outcome.

Good Evening all. Heading towards 10.00pm here in Perth, W.A. It has been a stunning early winter’s day here – mostly sunny, high temp of 19, probably about 9 overnight. Went for a walk along our nearby beach after the gym, instead of using the treadmill. Save that for rainy days. OH has been a bit shaky after recent TIA, not wanting to go out, but today he also went for his usual walk. Yay!!

So BSD Day 2:

66.3kg down by .6kg.
FBG 5.1 I usually monitor every few days

B. more like morning snack after gym 1/2 lge apple, sprinkled w cinnamon, heated in microwave; natural sheep milk yoghurt (new one for me, really like it); Lemon & ginger tea…..89cal 11.6g carb

L. large salad which included avocado and cottage cheese, sprinkled with dried Italian Herbs; coffee w LF milk, the only coffee of the day….162cal 12.9g carb

A/noon snack Bega cheese stringer…..59cal 0.1g carb

D. huge pile mixed veg; poached egg; cheese; 1/2 seeded bread roll (knew the cals were going to be v low, my excuse anyway) butter….356cal 24g carb

Total 667cal 48.6g carb

Not hungry, smiling….

Goodnight, sleep tight

I am so intrigued by the cheese that goes ‘squeak’ that yes, yes I have got to try it. I will let you know how that goes, will be next week at some point 🙂

I cant imagine the difference is enormous however, if i am sticking to the book recipes?

Squeaky a bit like snow is squeaky when you walk on it. Can’t do better than that. You’ve just got to try it now, haven’t you. 😉

I think I’m going to have to now. Can you define ‘squeaky’ for me, are we talking clown’s nose? Dog’s chew toy? New shoes? Am I going to be laughing too much to eat it? 😉

Dear MsBloodyMinded, I’m following you and gaining encouragement from your posts. I’ve been feeling really low- and frustrated with no weight loss in 3 weeks- but that’s all down to my own fault- I do so well in the day and then after Tea, I get SO HUNGRY I could eat a horse and get driven by carb cravings to the kids ice cream/ biscuits or peanut butter! Aaaaargh! I’m a victim of my carb cravings in the evening and am desperate to crack this thing. Just gotta be bloody minded like you.

Ooh, and I can really recommend you try halloumi! Cut it up into small chunks and fry with your breakfast eggs, it’s gorgeous. And squeaky. You have to try it to see!

🙂

Frog – I’ve always had problems finding boots to fit. Anything higher than ankle boots refuses to fasten round my calves😱 Who knows, I might be able to get some higher boots this winter😃 I’m a size 5, btw.

Janey! Good day to you! That actually sounds gorgeous, that actually makes me wish I liked cheese? I’m not 100% truthful when I say I don’t like cheese, I will eat a little sprinkle of mozzarella on a pizza, or a lasagne, if they’re homemade and I’ve well grilled it. But I wouldn’t entertain it on toast or a jacket potato (good job really, now!) I’ll eat cream cheese when I’ve made a cheesecake. I don’t like cheese as the hard block type cheese, cheddar etc. Can’t say I don’t like any of these fancy schmancy cheeses as I’ve never tried them. That’s what I say to my kids when they say ‘I don’t like it’ so I can’t be a hypocrite, can I? Is it a strong tasting cheese?

Squeaky? You didn’t fry a mouse in with it, did you??

I made cottage pie with cauli mash on Sunday for hubby and I and it was very nice, we’ve used cauli as a mash alternative occasionally for a few years, since the last WW attempt. My children are ASD and very, very rigid in their eating. Very. There would be no sneaking anything past them unfortunately. Some days I make five different teas… *sob*. I’ve only had harissa once and that must be about eight years ago now, I enjoyed it so don’t know why I haven’t bought it again. I made Shawarma, I subscribe to a magazine service that has all manner of magazines on it from all over the world, and I found it in there somewhere. Had it on the chickpea wraps of course, with a lovely salad and it was really good. Had my Fage and berries for breakfast, it’s amazing how it keeps you full. Then for lunch we had BLAT on a plate with a splodge (technical term) of Mayo, hubby had a boiled egg as he didn’t have breakfast. And for tea… Chicken and veggies in a mustardy sauce, bit of Fage stirred through, and a mound (again, technical term) of sweetheart cabbage. Om. Nom. Nom. You will always find me in the kitchen. Not just at parties, either.

Are you here illegally again? Hahaha.

Well. 4 days and the scales show that I am 2 kilos lighter. Water I know, but it is so motivating to be in a lower bracket. What have I learnt so far. That sometimes in life there are no second chances and that time is now for me. Also, that I am not an orphan and there is so much support and advice in these forums. Thank you all for your words of encouragement and sharing a little of your story.
I am not a breakfast eater, so I am trying to eat lunch at 12 noon (my lunch break is usually 1pm) and am getting dinner started as soon as I walk in the door. Super organised today and could take leftovers from the stifry fry I had last night. I had to go the shops after work and had some time to kill until I could collect my daughter. I was pleasantly surprised that the Lamb salad at Sumo Salad is 1340 kilojoules (and that’s the large one!) and the bonus was the little shots of soup, which were only 350 kilojoules. I completely avoided all carbs of course. At home now and a small bowl of luscious Greek yogurt with a few berries. Late night snacking has been my down fall, but not on this diet. How did I not know that plain yogurt could be so delicious?

Me again Lucky! It’s a shame you’ve got a downer on cheese because I’ve just had the most magnificent lunch! Haloumi fried in chilli flakes and cumin seeds, on a bed of rocket with poached egg and lemon Greek yoghurt dressing. It’s a joy to consume! TBH I don’t actually think halloumi can be classified as cheese.. It’s too squeaky and crunchy! I’m considering a BSD version of cottage pie for family tea tonight. Cauliflower ‘mash’ and healthy mince (I usually do half meat/half Quorn mince without them noticing). If I let them know what changes I’ve made beforehand there will probably be wailing and gnashing of teeth, but if I just serve it up the boys eat it without batting a low carb eyelid! Harrissa chicken was deemed to be ‘really nice’ last night by my 10 year old so I’m on a roll (not a bread one tho)….

I do indeed have a taste for them! Just not the ones from my garden at the moment 😀 bwahahaha. When I’ve made omelette recently I’ve been putting sliced jalapenos in it, the jar ones you shove on mexican food, that’s been quite nice. I don’t know what it is, but personally if I’ve eaten something with a bit of a kick I feel much fuller and satisfied for longer?

Feels funny watching the football without any munchies, just a glass of water. Let’s see who will be sulking for the remainder of the day, hubby or me 😀

Probably me…

You’re welcome, Lucky Maneki 🙂

One thing I forgot is that after starting BSD I’ve begun adding chilli peppers to many things, i.e. the stir-fry I described, also to my morning veg frittata/omelette, and if you’ve the taste for this – it’s really really good!

Yum 🙂

Fabulous, well done you 🙂

I’m in my fourth week and have lost a stone. Treated myself to a spiralizer today!!

I’m on my fourth week and went along ok for the first two weeks and then things started to grind to a halt!! I do suffer with a touch of IBS and it doesn’t take much to throw me out of my routine. I’ve had a far superior diet these last 4 week but got really constipated last week, I’ve started taking a Fibrogel every evening and that is helping. I have Flaxseed plus nuts and loads of veggies but I can’t tolerate chick peas and lentils as they’re too much for me and have me doubled over in pain. I can manage some humous but that’s about it.

A few people have reported differing calorie counts to the recipes in the book, so probably best worth checking. I just use google rather than an app.

Hi Collie 🙂 thanks for the advice. I think I need to keep it as simple as possible, don’t I? Especially the first time. I’ve just bought the Heck 97% sausages to try, seen a lot of people raving about them. Omelette is a good idea, filling. Never cooked one camping before, so may hook the gas canister up and have a trial run 🙂 It’s going to be so different from anything I’ve done before, no crisps to ‘tide me over til tea’ or chocolate or pastry or bread. It’s a simple thing, but it’s quite daunting for my first time, if you know what I mean? Once I’ve done it, I’ll be ok. And I have a few weeks to plot in the meantime! 😀

Hey Igor 🙂 That sounds like a really substantial stir fry, that’s a good idea, and really simple to do on the stove. Pulled pork though, now you’re talking my lingo. I was going to just make a load of pancakes at home and freeze them and take them – is that cheating? Because you haven’t seen the mess I make when I cook, there’ll be chickpea batter in my hair, on my shoes, on my glasses… you name it :-)) Might give those a trial run on the gas stove too… just in case.

Hi all,

I always find the hardest thing about dieting is all the extra work that goes in to preparing it.

i have the book, and my plan is to follow the meal plan in the book religiously. it keeps me focussed and means i dont need to search for inspiration , if i have none, when it comes to meal times.

My question is this, if i follow the recipes in the book, or the ones on the site, do i need to worry about getting a calorie counting app, or can i just add up the totals from the three meals a day, and make sure i stay below 800?
thanks

jk