Hi all started this 0n saturday after buying the book in Sainsburys. I am very overweight and have been for many years and was diagnosed diabetic type 2 a few years ago ( after an earlyish menopause) i have recently seen an endochrinologist who suggested i try insulin!!
I have Actually found it quite easy so far but last night i had a terrible night and had to get up 4 or 5 times to do a wee. I also had achy legs. I ate well yesterday and had no carbohydrate except a little breadcrumb on a tiny bit of fish . So far i have lost about 4lb but my blood is really high today nearly 18! ( it averages about 14 anyhow hence the suggested insulin. My husband says that my diabetes is fighting back lol. Has anyone else had this ( i feel ok)

This makes interesting reading (hope the link works!)

http://gu.com/p/4keny?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

A day late, but here is my weigh in from yesterday:

6th June 2016 – 89.8kg – 198lbs – 14st 2lbs – BMI 27.7 – 9th week of BSD800 done
Weekly loss 2.6kg – 5.7lbs

Loss so far:
Since June 2014 – 50.8kg – 106lbs – 8st
Since 1st March 2016 – 34kg – 75lbs – 5st 5lbs
Since 4th April 2016 (beginning of BSD800) – 20.7kg – 46lbs – 3st 4lbs

Off on holiday now so will be taking a break from BSD800 for a while. Looking forward to getting back to it in July.

Current target – 85kg – 187lbs – 13st 5lbs – BMI 26.2 – recent targets were a bit closer together, so this is one a bit further away. I’m assuming that this will take much longer to get to as the weight loss is slowing down.

It’s the daughter 🙂 thanks for the encouragement Frog. Something about smaller clothes! I have a “best” dress i have not been able to wear properly for 2 years and really want to wear it this summer.

Hi Patsy
From your other post, if the weight hasn’t moved, other measurements have!
I looked up a fantastic recipe for gram flour pizza bases at the weekend – I bought the flour and made them a couple of times when I was doing a low sugar diet in January and they were good. I just wanted to check they were feasible on this diet if I fancy one, rather than hold them in a mental reserve then discover they don’t work for BSD!
It’s a bit carby, but if you have a real pizza craving, less carby than ordinary pizza! I’ll post it in recipes

Down a further 0.3kg today – a full 5kg total loss in twenty days, despite the cake.
I ran out of time in the afternoon, but fitted in a six mile walk. Kayaking and a gym induction today.

Hi Baristagirls (which one?!)
Don’t worry too much about the occasional blip – I’m sure the general direction of travel is down!
– And doesn’t fitting into smaller clothes feel great! – I dug out some jeans yesterday that I don’t think have fitted for 5-6 years.

Welcome Mrey
Include lots of full fat dairy – I’ve been amazed at how good proper cottage cheese is, and so versatile!
Make the most of seasonal veg – there’s lots of rhubarb about at the moment, and I had some great asparagus the other day.
If you haven’t tried spiralised veg yet, many of the supermarkets sell courgetti now – give it a try, and get a spiraliser if you like it.
Have fun, and hope BSD goes well for you both

Keep going Glevesque. I felt a bit sad today, I put on weight for the first time since starting. At the same time I tried on a skirt that wouldn’t do up a few weeks ago. Now I’m wearing it! I will balance the two out 🙂 and plug away.

Hi Lostgirl – sorry to hear that your hip is still painful – hopefully the recent re-gain of weight will disappear fast if its not been around for long – my weight fluctuates up and down a bit from day to day, disappointing on an “up” day, but the general direction is down, hopefully yours too!
If it’s too hot and you’re too uncomfortable to exercise – nothing to do but drink lots and lots of iced water.

Starting today with shopping list plan. Looking forward to doing this with a diet buddy for the first time ever – my husband! He’s not happy about the loss of red wine and beer but he’ll get used to it… watch this space.

P.S. I discovered there are 2 different recipes for carrot cake muffins on Elana’s Pantry. The one you posted a link to before are called ‘Carrot Muffins’ (which you said you didn’t like) but she also has another recipe called ‘Carrot Cake Cupcakes’ which I tried on the weekend, and I will definitely be making them on a regular basis (preferred them to the carrot cake recipe too, and they froze well too). Maybe give it a try next time you fancy something carrot-cakey: https://elanaspantry.com/carrot-cake-cupcakes/

Words of encouragement gratefully accepted. And yes, I actually began this in an attempt to lower blood sugar, not to lose weight, so why have I become so focussed when it wasn’t why I started in the first place? Hmm…Tomorrow I will be scrupulous! I wasn’t terribly bad today, but little exercise. I overdid the exercise on Saturday and have been “healing” ever since.

Thank you everyone!!!

I’m
Still here.. Had a major hiccup.. I had lost another 5 pounds then we had a run of guests in the house who will eat bread and not adhere to diet. I was weak… Back up to the stone loss and I see my consultant next week ( hopefully)

In too much pain to exercise and it’s too hot!!! I’m trying to be really good…. Boring but good!

I keep faling off – and getting back on!

Although it might slow the process down a little, the odd slip or planned day off isn’t a disaster as long as we eat the right things most of the time.

Hello Izzy,
Hang in there! You have been doing so well, and encouraging a whole lot of other people along the way, but if you’re feeling tired and struggling to maintain your focus you probably need a bit of down-time.
Be gentle with yourself, and do whatever is necessary to ride out the hard times.
The good thing about the BSD wagon is that if you do fall off ocasionally it’s not going to be that hard to get back on.
Take care of yourself.
Sending you best wishes all the way from Australia 🙂

Thanks Frog! I appreciate the support ☺️

Most of my clothes are now far too bagg, so I thought I’d buy new trousers. Tried on a size below those I bought last and they were too baggy as well. The next size down were a little tight. I’m going to wait a couple of weeks and buy those – it’ll be a bit of extra motivation.

Once I can fit into that size, all the bigger ones are going to the charity shop. I won’t be needing them again.

No change for me this week. Probably the pizza had something to do with it … Had a couple days where I ate the wrong things. Managed to get back on track though and hope to do better this week.

YYYEeeeeeeeeaaaaaa!!!!!
Well seeing you are forcing an answer out of me.
Last Sunday, it was the number of weeks completed on the bsd diet.

That’s three months

Doesn’t time fly whilst you are having fun!!

And I mean fun with a big F

Love luica
Xxx

Hi To everyone, thanks to OzVeggy, the scales are really helpful. I have discovered that my meat portions are too big.
To those of you thinking of giving up, please review your main goal.For me it is to avoid diabetes.Ive always focused on weight loss and been unsuccessful. With this new approach I’m getting some success. Also don’t compare yourself to others,some may have been eating massive amounts of carbs, so when they stop the loss will be impressive, some may have a lot of fluid to loose which gives a large wt loss.I’m thinking of this as a semi permanent life style change. To keep focused I use hypnotism CD’s called The Borden Method. Available on line http://www.bordenmethod .com .I used these CD s last year but did not stick at it and did not loose much weight.Now I am committed. no matter what I will not give up.Next week . I will be on holiday in Singapore ,when I get back I will start again. While I’m away I will limit my carbs whenever I can but still enjoy myself.sometimes I choose to have a small piece of potato or bread and Ive found that I don’t really enjoy them so much.Its more the idea of the forbidden foods,so now I really consciously choose what I eat and I have a sort of empowerment from making the decision.I’m not feeling any guilt ,so its all much more positive.Of course I do have days when I have not progressed and I a bit down but Ive discovered how to use the stubborn side of my personality.don’t give up I hope this helps. cheers to all

Thank you. It’s very early days for me…but if I could lose 11lbs in 4 weeks I will be very happy!! I just thought that I would lose more in my first week, but I guess that’s a bit unrealistic. Glevesque, and everyone struggling, it makes me feel a whole load better that I’m not the only one…all bodies are different, I guess, and despite doing everything right we just burn at slower rates. It was difficult for me to judge how much I’d lost as I weighed myself at the local chemist and I suspect it might have drawn a few stares if I’d stripped off to see how much I actually weighed! So I guesstimated how much my clothes and shoes weighed. But I was .6kg down in my clothes. So at least I have lost SOMETHING! I’m enjoying my food though…so far not missing the ‘bad’ carbo’s …..

Thank you for the encouragement! Today I got back to it and felt good. I feel motocated! You guys are awesome, best of luck on your journey!

I am so tired 🙁 it was a real struggle to get up this morning. I hope I’m not relapsing to my state earlier in the year.

I think this could be one of my issues, I get tired, I lose focus and sit around a lot and then eat badly. This morning making my sons lunch he has a lovely bread bun it was so light and fluffy…I wanted it! I didn’t though. How is it that carby things can reach us and make us want them even just through my finger tips? or maybe it is all psychological and driven by memories of such food. Anyway I’m not giving up just because I’m tired. In actual fact probably eating too many carbs would just make it worse again. no no no no.

So this morning is official weigh and measure day. My scales are not my friend! I’ve lost the mystery 1lb gain but I’m sat the same as I was last week. Looking back I can see over the past 4 weeks I’ve lost 5.5lb’s which isn’t amazing but it’s still 5.5lb’s so I will accept it and get on with my life. The bigger 7 week picture is 16lb’s. I guess we will bring on week 8 and see how that goes. If I can lose 2lb then I will hit my 10%, but I really have no control over the numbers I can only stick to the plan.

Unfortunately I can’t measure my body because my husband (who I’m still not really speaking to) borrowed the measuring tape and I can’t find it grrrr!

So. I might just leave it now until next week. It will be my graduation to ‘beyond 8 weeks’ lol

food. Breakfast fage yoghurt and strawberries, lunch spicy mince and cabbage soup, dinner- no idea. I didn’t make my plan at the weekend- bad izzy. It will be BSD-ified whatever it is.

have a nice day everyone

Hi ay caramba,

I’m still walking for my exercise – I mix it up a little bit and it works for me.

Welcome to the forums denton.
Hi Wpepsi63, when eating out meat/fish/chicken and salad. You’ll be surprised how helpful restaurants can be. Sparkling water to drink. If an entree is necessary see if there’s a soup available. Good luck.

Hi Lucia,
Hmmm, a perfect dozen of what?……scrumpy cider?……..something from the fruit and veg shop?……..a perfect dozen of pounds lost?
You’re going to have to help us here Lucia.

Just sitting on the train with my cup of coffee WITH NO SUGAR!!

It’s now 30days since I gave up my 2 spoons in coffee and tea. I can’t say that I’m not noticing, hasn’t quite got to that stage yet, but I am drinking the coffee with enjoyment which is enormously greater because I have kicked the addiction. I’ve been told it takes 6 weeks for the taste buds to finally get used to it and I know I can do that.

840 useless and damaging calories per week (8 cups per day of coffee/tea) gone forever. That’d do a lovely meal which wouldn’t damage my body.

But better than anything is knowing I CAN DO IT!

I’m just in my 5th week (starting today) and have lost 11lbs, with another 9 to go, and I understand your frustration that things don’t happen quicker.

This really isn’t a diet as such as another way of eating/looking at food and appreciating that the refined carbs we eat and the low fat stuff we’ve been recommended is actually making us fat

Everyone’s body responds differently
I had a plateau and didn’t lose weight for a while but could see my waist reducing and that I looked thinner. How could that be? I have been keeping (good) carbs down and testing myself with Ketostix which show that I am burning fat and so it must have been going from my internal organs which is great.

I have also been told that visceral fat goes first and only then the subcutaneous fat (the bit you can see) and the last bit is the belly fat – it would be!

I suggest you try logging on to MyFitnessPal and check what you are eating. Cutting back carbs to 50g per day and making sure you are having enough fat (cheese, full fat dairy etc) which will fill you up.

This worked for me. Why not commit to the full 8 weeks and see what transpires – if you give up now you will never know.

Don’t give up! Loads of people here have had plateaux and worked through them. And it really is a different and healthier way of life, not just a diet

Good luck!

Losing my enthusiasm. Haven’t lost anything in a few days. Granted, I did eat one slice of “Very Thin Vogel’s Bread” but still kept within my calorie count. Maybe it is the same as every diet…Starts strong and then peters out. I kept it up a few days because someone wrote that maybe changes were taking place inside my body, but I would like to see some changes on the outside, too! I’ll try to keep it up for a few more days, but honestly, I’ve gone three weeks with no potatoes, pasta, or rice. I made a lovely stew – with no potatoes! Sigh…

Thank you GillyD

Jnette we all on this weight loss journal together. Keep us posted!

That’s a really good idea, Scandigirl! I will try that when my current supplies of desserts are gone. Thanks for your help.

Jnette I bet you could find a lob carb dessert you like. I will cook apples and add a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. I put them them in small ramekins where I am only eating one half of an apple. I put on a dollop of reddi whip and a tsp of granola and it helps my sweet tooth. You just need to find a good low carb dessert you could have. Then you would be deprived. If that is what you like you need to find something to make you happy!

A year ago I had lost two stone with the 5:2 way of eating and was very happy with myself. Six months ago I went off track to some extent and have now put back on about one of those wretched stone. I may have made it hard on myself and made it harder to stay on it by doing it 5 days on and 2 days off. I have not reverted to all my old bad habits and still don’t eat bread, rice or pasta, but have developed a sugar craving. I just NEED something sweet and or creamy at the end of every meal. I reduced the amount of biscuits I ate by snacking on fruit and nuts, but maybe have substituted the carb craving with the want of sugar. Even more addictive. I just can’t resist Divine cream caramels and Weiss Cafe Latte ice creams!
My question for Dr Mosley is why do I self sabotage when I know what I shouldn’t eat, but go ahead anyway?!
I know I can do it and that the diet does work, but why can’t I get back on it and stick to it?

I am starting my fourth week also and down 15 lbs. I like not having acid reflux, having normal blood sugars and not going to bed uncomfortable because I over ate. I am trying to look at food differently and think of it now as way of fueling my body. I went to a party yesterday but ate before I went. All I could eat was a few cashew nuts but coming home I knew I was in control. I don’t think we can ever go back to our eating habits but we should feel so good about how healthy we are becoming. It helps me that I have a friend that is doing it and there are so many great people on the boards who will give you wonderful advice. I think over all I just feel better about myself. It gets easier. Just be prepared and always have food available so you don’t slip up. If you slip up just start again. In the long run you are doing this for yourself! Hang in there.

When I went to Weight Watchers and told them that the only thing I could not give up was wine, they said I was in the wrong place! But they were helpful in that they suggested reducing the intake and calories by breaking it down with sparkling mineral water. Years after, I now am addicted to mineral water!

I guess it depends how often you go out to nice restaurants.

If it’s only once every few weeks… then I would say, try your best to pick the thing that you think is the healthiest… but don’t worry too much. It’s a rare night out… enjoy it!

My first post by the way. I’m one week in to the diet.

HI I’m a newby TD2 13/5/2016. I’m doing the BSD (just into week 4 now) and have lost 3.6kg so far but feeling low and struggling with emotions and withdrawal from my usual sweet things and watching friends and family carrying on as normal. ” saying its something that affects you not us” .. Finding it hard to weigh and plan meals separately for me and cook for the others. family all say I’m trying to hard and that its making me miserable…and therefore making them miserable/feel guilty too. Does anyone else feel this way? How long will this withdrawal period last? Will I feel better in 4 more weeks or is this it forever? Not coping well.

Hi Alanhypno
I think everyone is different in weight loss patterns, so hard to say.
My last pre BSD meal was champagne afternoon tea at a hotel – no beer, but lots of cake & scones.
Well at least there was smoked salmon in one of the sandwiches, and cucumber in another!
I lost just over 2kg in the first couple of days, presumably partly due to the gargantuan tea, then stayed at around the same weight for about ten days – so for me, the final overindulgences shifted quite swiftly.

i need to know how to watt out for fine dining too.. my husband and i like to go to nice restaurants..or did…now I’m too scared to..or don’t look forward to eating out any more and its hard to just give-up on socialising. Any tips?

Hi Madmare… I think I touched on my own post that boy did I like a glass or ten of wine to ” de-stress” I was stressed at work and used wine as a reward for having got through the bad day. I was piling on weight, suffering terrible night sweats, moody, tired and I think bordering on pre- diabetic. I started by challenging myself to dry January which was a killer to start with. Got used to it so decided to adopt a 5:2 approach. So I got used to that and then I started the BSD and decided to keep the same routine of Fri/ Sat. The next phase for me was to get the personal trainer twice a week for the next 4 weeks ( not cheap but I saved up and he is worth every penny!) and I am now getting a bigger buzz off that than the wine. Don’t get me wrong I like wine ( a lot) but I am more in control and I feel so much better I can’t tell you! I don’t know if this is any use. I am an all or nothing type person too but I can tell you I don’t have night sweats anymore, I’m less moody ( says my husband 😂) and I feel so much healthier now. I want rid of that wine belly too!!! Good Luck !!!

Thanks Frog and Madmare! I have a bit of an overhang too… Not sure I’ll get rid of it entirely as I had a Caesarian but delighted to be continuing onwards and downwards! It’s so nice to fit into clothes that haven’t fitted for a while. Keep up the good work!!!
Madmare the wine reward for me had just become too much too often and that is one of the best things about doing this as I have taken back control over my consumption. In fact by not having it Sun-Thu I really look forward to those couple of glasses and they def taste better 🤗

No need to worry much. You will find that when you replace your carbs sugar, bread, pasta, rice, biscuits and cakes with eating more fats and proteins that you will no longer feel hungry and after that it is a mental thing. In week 18 now, I am fine, no cake for over 3 months or biscuits or rice and I don’t like pasta. It is unbelievable at first but I d not need much will power most days and everything is allowed with the 800 cals and 30 gms of carbs but some carbs are nutritionally worthless so choose carefully. Wife sorted too.

Basic rate of metabolism is defined by genetics and gender, it does/can vary with exercise and there is a perhaps mistaken belief or not that yo-yo diety can foster changes and help one store rather than burn energy. The BSD is not like the traditional calorie controlled slimming diets. It is about changing the way we eat and the foods too by replacing carbs with more nutritionally effective foods of protein and fats and oils. Calories of course may be used to produce energy, to store fat or just to run the body’d basic metabolic rare. This is why counting calories alone does not always help. It is the carbs that affect the insulin system and obesity is derived from the body becoming insulin resistant and developing metabolic syndrome or syndrome X leading to obesity and T2 diabetes. So stick to Dr M’s guidelines and shrink like the rest of us without worrying too much.

Thanks everyone for the feedback….
first week done and dusted…. managed 2.8kg loss…. a win is a win….Im actually very impressed with how im feeling…slight headaches first days… Lets do this !

Hi Clarrisa! Welcome to the BSD! You are going to laugh at yourself in six weeks when four nuts will seem like a truly decent snack! Don’t give up — in the beginning it just seems like there’s not enough food, but by week 8 you will think it’s just about right! Keep a journal — I love going back and reading what I thought In the first few weeks of the diet — I have come as far mentally (with food and food issues) as I have physically.

Many of us fast from around early evening to breakfast managing 14 hours. hard cases report 16 and eat only in the 8 hour period. It seems that over 12 hours is more or less essential and longer is good. Dr M explained that when we fast our bodies switch into a kind of repair mode rather than storing fat, especially when food is scarce. So 800 cals and a long fast does the job. We need to up our fats and protein when we reduce carbs to a low level and wait for our bodies to switch to fat burning. My blood pressure reduced significantly since I started. I am in week 18 now but no longer counting anything and since I added a magnesium supplement ( I am over 60) I have been transformed in terms of energy that was a bit lacking recently to a point where some days I would be exhausted.

I like wine too much also. It was one of the biggest issues for me as I started the BSD. So my coping strategy was to buy cases of sparkling water (I like Pellegrino or Gerolstein) and keep at least 3 or 4 bottles really cold in the fridge. When I think I want wine, I first pour a huge bubbling ice cold glass of sparkling water and drink it. Usually that makes me happy enough but if I decide after that to have wine, I make myself wait until dinner is on the table, then I pour a very small amount and eat dinner. I usually can resist more wine after that. My theory is that wine works so well and is so attractive because when I have low blood sugar (ie I’m really hungry) wine is a very fast sugar-delivery system.

Hi, Madmare – you could be writing about me.
Wine is also my downfall and I hold it fully responsible for my 43 inch wine belly. Not pretty.
I have also been attempting this 8 week diet for the last 3 months but find I’m having to start again every Monday as I just can’t get out of my bad habits.
I don’t have a sweet tooth either – just carry all my fat around my middle which is why I need to do this.

A lot of people swear by Becks Blue as a substitute, it’s low calorie but has 9g carbs.

I am going to join you in starting properly again tomorrow and try and give myself a break from the wine to try and establish new healthier habits. It doesn’t help that I work at my own restaurant and bar in the evenings – I just need to leave the building without the obligatory ‘wind-down’!

I’m growing my own mint at the moment so I’m going to try virgin mojitos and see if that does the trick!

Good luck to us both!