Latest forum posts

  • I don’t believe it’s productive to weigh yourself every day, weight varies every day. I have a book called ‘Throw Away The Scales” by a professional and he suggests best way to monitor weight loss is by your clothes. I haven’t weighed myself since starting six weeks ago and all my clothes are much looser now. There is so much advice on this blog I suggest you go with what’s best for you, your body and your lifestyle.

  • posted by  Izzy on Izzy's 8 week diary :)
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    dinner was hunters chicken, one of my favourite dinners, and courgetti.

    I’ve mostly chilled this evening whilst my husband watched the football and my favourite youtube paint tutorial artist has put up a new one that I’d love to try.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC7Xqcg6jeg

    I love her video’s and using them has helped me paint better than I imagined I ever could. She is such a positive woman and full of fun and spirit.

    it’s good in a way as since I kind of fell into my slump at the beginning of the year I haven’t painted, or written anything for months so it’s good that desire is returning. However so is my anxiety I felt it on the up again earlier 🙁 Painting is something that works well because I really need to concentrate to paint, but it’s hard to find enough time to do what I want. Really need a couple of hours at least spare to make it worth getting all the stuff out, and it needs to be after the boy is in bed.

    Having said that, my husband is home tomorrow so I could lock myself in our bedroom. Maybe.

    Well I’m tucked up watching more x-files so I will check out for now and check back in tomorrow.

  • posted by  Frog on Preparing to Start – still a bit of confusion
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    that’s interesting Poppyflower – explains why some things in the MFP database seem too high on the carb count!

    I had that problem with spinach this evening, and had to make several selections to get an entry that seemed to have the correct carb count that agreed with the nutrition info on the packet.
    I usually type in grams after everything, because I really don’t get measuring things in cups – it seems so imprecise, grams tends to return results that are UK entries, so likely to have the correct carb content.
    I guess the other way of getting UK entries is selecting – or stating as a criteria, a UK supermarket,

  • posted by  Izzy on Saturday Night
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    I don’t care about the alcohol I go months without a drink regularly anyways but I did miss the crappy food sometimes.

    it does fade and you will find it matters less 🙂

  • posted by  Sandie on 1st June 2016 Sandie
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Strange evening out. Pub meal with 13 others to celebrate sister-in-law’s 70th birthday. I chose salmon salad but DRANK 5 glasses of wine and a g&t. Back home now 2 coffees and two glasses of water plus a dog walk so hopefully back on the straight and narrow. Happy Birthday s-in-l. Tomorrow is a ‘Street party’

  • posted by  Imogen on Over the week 23 line
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Congratulations captainlynne,

    Staying true to the BSD throughout your holiday…great will power…and losing weight as well – phenomenal!

    Welcome back

    Imogen🌻

  • posted by  Sparky77 on Saturday Night
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Same here – on week 2 now and was convinced that I’d cave in and have a glass of wine on second weekend. To be honest, I’d quite like one but not feeling like its a necessity so drinking my water and thinking about an early night instead (and feeling very content with that!).

  • posted by  Flower55 on Saturday Night
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    This is the first saturday night in god knows how many years i’ve not had wine/rum & coke plus high carb junk food + nibbles! Thought i’d really struggle but not been too bad…..that’s not to say I’m not missing it 😀😀

  • posted by  Frog on what exercises are people doing?
    on in Fast Exercise
    permalink

    If anyone is planning to increase the amounts that they are walking to up their exercise quota – get comfortable walking shoes!

    I’ve been wearing flat plimsoll things, and making an effort to wear those rather than ordinary shoes. After a week of 10-12 thousand steps a day, my knees really feel it, and my feet hurt.
    My proper trainers look really clumpy, but do support my feet and are well cushioned – I hate that the laces are hard to tie just right, but I’m going back to those for a while – until my new Skechers ‘Go Walk’ shoes arrive.
    I noticed a couple of people in an exercise class that I go to have them – I tried a few pairs on in a store, but I didn’t like the styles that they had in my size.They have lots of slip on styles that are incredibly light, don’t look too clumpy – and are designed to walk in.
    Can’t wait – hope they arrive before I go away!

  • posted by  Sparky77 on Can I do this for 8 weeks?
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Thank you Izzy and happyitsworking for your support and congratulations to you both on your achievements. I’ve done low carb and tried the 5:2 before without any significant success. People I’ve told about this think I’m mad and think it’s misguided not to do the slow, pound a week weight loss. I disagree, this is working for me and clearly lots of people using this forum.

    Just back from a children’s party and for the first time managed to resist the crisps, sandwiches and party rings! An achievement for me!!

    Probably the hungriest I’ve been for a while so off to the kitchen to make dinner now and hoping for a motivating weigh in tomorrow.

    Sx

  • posted by  melb100 on What have you eaten today?
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    This morning I bought a nutri bullet so I can have juice (can’t bring myself to call it ‘nutriblast’ or ‘extracted nutrition’ !!) for breakfasts.

    So today I had a late breakfast juice of spinach, peach, blueberry, half banana, almond milk and flaxseeds. In future the plan is to have avocado instead of banana ( more fat less carbs ) but no avocados in the house today and was just so excited to try it!!

    Lunch – small salad from deli: avocado, tomato, mixed beans, lettuce

    Tea – spicey chickpeas and cumin spuds from Simon dimmer vegetarian book, all the spuds went on boyfriends plate bien sur! So chickpeas, onion, garlic, chopped pepper, celery, bit of carrot, chilli, tomatoes, full fat yoghurt. Yum.

    Strawberry herbal tea for “pudding” hmmmm…

    Edit -carbs are well over 80 (curse that banana), cals just over 800

  • posted by  FiFiP on Inulin
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Sticky, sweet + guaranteed 100pc inulin, no added anything. Have persevered. Dire effect on bowels, awful, but reckon blood sugar more important than my bum…..

    Fully concur re scales, MRI’s cheaper abroad, am investigating. Might try on nxt hols, better for me than idea of dodgy scales.

  • posted by  Imogen on Gastric bypass
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi Ann1960,

    Just wanted to say hello, and welcome to the BSD.

    I have not had a bypass, though was considering bariatric surgery until I found the BSD800. Finally found the answer to my ever increasing appetite, month on month weight gain and constant carb cravings…so happy to now be eating my way back to health…life changing.

    Wishing you every success,

    Imogen🌻

  • posted by  Tracy2267 on Off the Metformin!
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Well done Maefly. Just shows it can be done. Your news has cheered me up as I’m struggling with this plan as I was getting bored with the food and so, the carbs came calling! However, have got my mojo back and am ready to try again!

  • posted by  Tracy2267 on what exercises are people doing?
    on in Fast Exercise
    permalink

    Hi there,

    I’ve been swimming 2-3 times a week now. Monday, Wed. and Friday. Tuesday and Thursdays do all the housework and general life stuff – sometimes that’s a workout in itself.

    Well done everyone on their efforts – we all know how hard it can be.

  • posted by  bghouse on Tracking Apps & Net Carbs (for US members)
    on in BSD Way of Life
    permalink

    Hi All,

    After confirming my suspicion that most folks here talk about Net Carbs, and struggling to find a way to track this easily for myself – I wanted to share what I found for us US members.

    I checked a ton of the apps available, and found that none of them support Net Carbs well. What a pain…

    Then, thanks to Reddit I found out about a way to make MyFitnessPal show you Net Carbs 😉 Here’s the secret…

    1.) Make sure your “Nutrients tracked” in your settings are showing Carbs, Protein, Fat and Fiber. Those all must be there. The 5th can be whatever you want – I use Sugar

    2.) Go here and install this ketoscript in your browser https://github.com/Surye/mfp-keto-userscript
    This is only going to work in your browser, not in the app. You’ll have to first install either GreaseMonkey or TamperMonkey for your browser. Don’t worry, I use both of those all the time and have for a while (I’m a website developer and software programmer).

    3.) After following their instructions to install the script – go back to your MyFitnessPal and WOOT – Net Carbs!

    Here is a screenshot of what MyFitnessPal shows before you install the script:
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/9qbz3c4h78u1ugl/before.png?dl=0

    And here is a screenshot of what it looks like after:
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/i02q176s55bj9sy/after.png?dl=0

    Very happy I found this and wanted to share 🙂

    Oh, and P.S. – I haven’t set a limit on Sugar yet – I swear I dont allow myself 45g a day – lol

  • posted by  Sarah-Jane on Inulin
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    You said you found inulin sweet and sticky, but are you using pure inulin? At first I bought Stevia which contains inulin and it was impossibly sweet. Then I did a bit of research and found that pure inulin is only slightly sweet so I bought three tubes of it and it hardly sweetens or flavours food at all. Mine is marketed as Swainson’s ultra inulin powder and I got it off Amazon. I have interstitial fat and I have high hopes of the inilin tackling it. The problem is monitoring the internal fat. I am doubtful any set of scales can distinguish between ordinary and interstitial fat. I really think an MRI is the only way. If I’m wrong, please let me know as MRIs are expensive!

  • Thank you Poppyflower – that’s what I needed and I think it explains I lot. Without removing the fiber amount, I’ve been eating less than I thought I was, and that would explain the constant cold feeling.

    It also means that since I want to focus on carb count, I’m going to need to either find a different tracking app that lets me do Net carbs or add all the foods myself again in myfitnesspal instead of using the ones already in there.

  • posted by  thepolly on 'Weigh in' thread
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    thanks, captainlynne. I’ve been mostly eating a meal a day lately so have a very long fasting period. Mostly my blood sugar at 6.30pm has been between 4.5 and 6 so it is coming down. FBG is mostly in the 6’s. I say fasting but I do like a nibble of cheese at night sometimes, probably after reading the comments on this forum on morning glory or whatever the thing is that makes you burn lots of stored sugar in order to get you moving first thing :D…. eating a high fat thingy before bed doesn’t seem to affect this for me.

    Glad your results were still lovely after your holiday.

  • posted by  Izzy on Can I do this for 8 weeks?
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    you’re almost half way to your goal already!

    Can you do this for 8 weeks? if you want to, if you decide to, if you commit to, you CAN.

    Or if you are lucky you may get to your goal before then, but try to maintain the good habits long term- the true secret to long term success 🙂

    Good luck

  • posted by  Izzy on Gastric bypass
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi I’ve not had a bypass but I thought I would bump your thread to make sure others see it. I don’t really remember anyone talking about one but that doesn’t mean there are not others here.

    Not meaning to poke holes in your food but are you eating less than 800 calories? unless you are having big portions you might not be eating enough, also are you having some good fats? Have you swapped out the potatoes in your shepherds pie? Dressings of the right type would be fine if you like them, using healthy oils etc, a few nuts etc.

    If you are regularly under on calories maybe add a small lunch.

    I don’t like a lot of salad either but I love a tray of baked veg like carrot, courgette, tomatoes and onions, all tossed in a bit of olive oil and garlic and sometimes some spices. Be adventurous and check out the recipe threads.

    Lastly are you getting enough fluid? ditching the fizzy drinks is spot on the right thing, but try to drink plenty water/herbal teas etc.

    Even if no one else has had the same surgery as you, you will find great support here Best of luck to you with your journey 🙂

  • posted by  happyitsworking on Can I do this for 8 weeks?
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Sparky: Congrats on losing 3kgs your first week. I’m sure you will have no problem reaching your goal.

    Tomorrow will be my first week weigh-in and the start of my 2nd week. Today after 6 days I’m down 7.4 lbs. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings. I’m also committed to do this for 8 weeks to see how far I can come.

  • posted by  Izzy on Izzy's 8 week diary :)
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    well done for controlling the toast! Hope you have a lovely day 🙂

    Well I got the rest of the gravel cleared, the rubber mats pinned down, the tent put up and the sand in 🙂

    I have a Happy son and he has a tired Mummy!

    I made these for lunch…https://elanaspantry.com/pizza-muffins/ and they were good, quite hight in calories at 144 each though. My son has demolished two and the fussy daughter doesn’t like them grrr. I’m going to see how well they freeze as I’m always on the look out for other things that can go in his lunch box and these would work well.

    Well I’m gonna finish my cup of tea and then I need to start on the mess that is my kitchen and decide what is going to be for dinner. Tonight I think I will try to plan my weeks food.

  • posted by  captainlynne on Over the week 23 line
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Frog and Trees

    I don’t think I’ve ever lost weight during a holiday before! In fact I didn’t believe it possible. But, apparently, it is possible.

    Living alone I was worried about staying with friends and eating out. There were challenges, but it seems to have worked out ok.

    See you in the 23 week club soon Patrice😃

  • posted by  Sparky77 on Can I do this for 8 weeks?
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Hi, I read the BSD book after it appeared on my amazon feed. I read the reviews and couldn’t quite believe the results. I was on an all inclusive holiday at the time, drinking loads of wine and indulging in more food than necessary, plus eating the kids’ unwanted chips, pizza etc. For a few months I’ve felt that my carb cravings were getting out of control and thought it was fine to eat handfuls of sugary cereal at 10/11pm (whilst having a glass of wine).
    I’m 39 years old, was 67kgs and a bmi nudging over 25. So, although considered to be in the ‘healthy’ range -a) I didn’t feel healthy and b) the weight was just creeping and creeping.
    So I thought I’d give it a go for one week only and lost 3kgs on week1! A few headaches but they passed after 3 or 4 days.
    Now I’m totally committed to week2 – hope to carry on until I reach my goal of sub 60kgs.
    Sparky x

  • posted by  captainlynne on 'Weigh in' thread
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Alan and thepolly

    Before I started the BSD I could never get my fasting blood sugar below 7, although readings were good later in the day. I have never taken diabetes medication, but was being threatened with Metformin shortly before I started the BSD. The day I started BSD fasting blood sugar was 10.9. After 8 weeks it was 5.3. Since then it is consistently between 4 and 5.

    For completeness, my HbA1c results were: July 2015 – 8.7, December 2015 (just before starting 800 BSD) – 9.6, January 2016 (one month into BSD) – 8.7, April 2016 – 5.5. My diabetes nurse had to look at the conversion chart because she’d never seen such a low HbA1c!

    I have another HbA1c scheduled in July. When that result comes in I’ll see the GP and ask for a change of diagnosis from diabetic.

    Some people do find it difficult to lower their fasting result (as I did) but I have found that – for me – going low carb has greatly improved that level as well as making the levels through the day more consistent. And lowering the fasting level can only improve the HbA1c result.

  • posted by  keeptrying on Yet another anti-low fat diets comment.
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    ok I have just worked out they are about 18.8g of carb per muffin (I did half the mix and it made 9)
    of that 7.4 were the sugar
    obviously they are not the crazy size of some café muffins – more the size of what I would call a bun or fairy cake (olden days!!)
    I am loathe to eat one just because I don’t want to eat too many – so I will get my son to try them later and let you know his verdict
    he OFTEN eats muffins (I am working on him and showed him the bsd book the other day and he was very interested and keen to know more)

  • posted by  Alanhypno on Is my BS Too high ? Help n advice sought
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    BS STILL HIGH
    So into week nine couple stone lighter BUT my bs fasting was 7-2 and two hours after my big breakfast 7-7 ,and now taking all metformin four a day.
    Back to drawing board ?
    Alanhypno little dispondant ,any advice

  • posted by  StephLamb on Started this week
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    If we have burgers/bacon butties the horses eat the bread. Having said that Freya will mug people for anything. Ice cream is a favourite and if they put s glass of beer under her nose. After all she does have a weight issue to keep up! She weighs just under a tonne! I have got quite a good thermal lunch bag so will have to remember to take it. We have a quiet month show wise as we are usually gisling but come July it is every werkend and some midweek shows through to October. Then we start ploughing matches! So 5:2 would be very handy.

  • posted by  thepolly on 'Weigh in' thread
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Alanhypno, I’m also on diabetes.co.uk and I think I read on there that fbg is not the lowest of the day despite what people on there have been told. I think overall is probably more important as in the hba1c tests. Mine are not consistent really they seem to go up and down a few days of each. So I’ve not noticed a pattern in them really – related to food.

    Might because I like to eat a lot of different foods in each meal 😀

  • posted by  Lucia on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Puddle by has such a friendly name.
    I will go for that one.
    In bakewell, Derbyshire for a day trip.

    Stop groaning with the amount of carbs in the village name.

    Used to live near here.

    All the quaint village shops are gone.
    They are all now tea shops and charity shops…. Sad isn’t it?

    Having a mill and a mouch.

    Speak later
    Xxxx

  • posted by  Igorasusual on Yet another anti-low fat diets comment.
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Oh yes, keep trying, the M&S offer is much better than the previous offer. Nice and clean environment and I think good food generally – though some might think expensive.

    I swerved the WHS as they are well within the “no choice at all for a healthy snack” cohort.

    We bought some good protein pots from the M&S shop, one of which I will have for my dinner.

    So sorry to hear of the loss of your dad. It is always a very hard time, and I wish you and your family well. It has comforted me to know that whilst you love and talk about your lost relatives and friends, you keep them alive in this world. I do with my dad, who died in 2002, and my mum who died in 1998.

    Keep us posted with the chickpea muffins!

  • posted by  Sarahdawn on new member, about to start BSD Fast 800
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Ditto to Barby – the forums are helpful, and non judgemental which is defintiely what I need around weight/ health struggles.

    Tibetan & Beverly, I am with you on an official ‘ Day 1’ too.
    I had a few trials of starting and it lasted 2-3 days then I would get sidetracked because I wasn’t in the real woutine of it and theat is really essential. So I am going to write a list here of what I will do (some of which Michael advocates) as my commitment to helping myself:

    Throw / give away the remaining sugary food I have at home tonight: Jam i can give to my friend, bread can feed the birds.
    Take all my raw chocolate treats to my office and lock the drawer, give my friend the key.
    Get my fitbit working and start tracking steps. Do at least one 30 minute walk down to beach and walk on sand every evening (classic overeating time)
    Write my food plan/ adjust it on MFP every day to keep track of cals/ carbs & read these forums /post on the ‘new starter’ thread every day.
    Do alternate nose breathing when I get the urge to binge.

    Keep checking in- its good to know we are doing it at the same time!!

    SarahDawn xx

  • posted by  Venusflytrap on Low carb bread?
    on in BSD Med Style Low Carb
    permalink

    To be honest, I think I will stick to the poppadum with the occasional melba toast or slice of bread. Stayed at son’s flat recently to find that he had bought a large white sliced which we hadn’t tried in years. He had butter too. We found we didn’t actually like it any more, even wrapped around as a bacon sandwich. Would have thought that was one of the UK’s icon dishes! So if I am going to have bread in future it will have to be a seeded or a good wholemeal. Found out I didn’t like semi-skimmed milk at all any more, when I bought huge amounts by accident instead of skimmed. Can’t rely on anything these days, not even my own tastebuds!

  • posted by  keeptrying on Yet another anti-low fat diets comment.
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    interesting you were there igorasusual, as that is the same hospital I was visiting during early march where my dad was
    and at the time I was doing the 5:2 diet and basically managed on fruit that I brought in during the day
    although I have to say – if you had been there in the past – the new m&s café was a vast improvement to us!!
    and they did have gf options
    obviously I wasn’t searching out low carb at that time, although I had to avoid most things because of the calories
    their gf blt sandwich was over 600cals!!!!!!!!

    I did notice they did a minced beef dinner with courgette spaghetti, though I never tried it
    not really what you would want early morning though!!

    actually what really struck me as desperately sad was the WHS next to it that was filled with chocolates and crisps and which I am proud to say I never resorted to (even though it was a very tough time as dad actually passed away)

    we were all ill with bad colds and we couldn’t find hardly anything like cough sweets or pain killers or tissues –
    but If I had wanted to kill myself with chocolate – oh that was fine

    anyway – I guess I digress from your original point
    I am happy to join the ‘LOW CARB SNACKS’ revolution for public spaces ESPECIALLY important in hospitals, maybe

    I have just baked some chickpea flour blueberry muffins
    OK I know that isn’t exactly low carb – BUT – way way lower than normal muffins
    if I work it out I will let you know – indeed I haven’t tried them yet so they may taste horrid of course lol!!

  • posted by  Doddi on New start to life.
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Hi Igorasusual,

    Very kind of you to answer me, I have done some measurements, and have no goal in kg”s, but in waist measurement.
    Lovely that could fit into a smaller pair of jeans.

  • posted by  Doddi on what exercises are people doing?
    on in Fast Exercise
    permalink

    Today is my 4th day on BSD and I was wondering about the 10000 steps, as I have been doing this for years walking my dog twice a day.
    So do I have to try for 15000 steps? Wonder were to find the time. as I also do Pilate.

    Doddi

  • posted by  Trees on Over the week 23 line
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Well done Lynn

    Coming home from a wonderful holiday with a weight loss is something we all thought in our past would have been impossible — well done you

    See you in two weeks in the 23 week club

    Patrice.

  • posted by  Igorasusual on Week 1
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Just want to reiterate to people, don’t get focused on the weight loss – as Cherry8 said, there may be oddities during the week which can throw you.

    Keep an eye on the MEASUREMENTS and also judge by clothes. You may be losing inches, but not necessarily pounds.

    I don’t want you to get discouraged at all if the weight doesn’t immediately drop off – it may do, but sometimes it doesn’t – go with your body and how you feel and how you look.

    From a much slimmer Igorasusual, who has fit in to many more clothes and is looking MUCH SLIMMER, but is sticking at the same weight for some reason!

  • posted by  Igorasusual on Yet another anti-low fat diets comment.
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    It surprised me, too, Frog, in the M&S cafe. We were there at 8.15am so lots of people queuing for coffee.

    I had a good look for a protein pot of some kind to have with my coffee (poor OH was fasting, so he had agreed to sit and watch!), but the cafe had a display table of croissants and pastries, and the chiller cabinet had sandwiches and wraps – but no breakfast protein + low carb available at all.

    And then they made it worse with the free biscuit!

  • posted by  Frog on Yet another anti-low fat diets comment.
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Mad isn’t it – surprised at the M&S one, they do have healthy stuff among their ranges. UCH in London has a costa coffee – with free cookie with every hot drink last time I was there.

    I am impressed with the number of chains starting to include low carb options. Pret, Itsu, Eat, Leon & Prezzo come to mind, and some of them have excellent websites with full nutritional info.

  • posted by  JCH187 on Week 1
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    I’m at the end of week 3 and have lost 13lbs in total but nothing further off my waist. This week has been stressful at work but I’ve coped despite wanting cake! For the first time someone commented that I’d lost weight which was a huge boost! My BF has also now started the BSD although not the Fast 800 so we’ve been supporting each other, it’s good to have her onboard! Are you weighing everyday?