Thanks Jackie and thanks also for the carb flu info. The link is indeed broken, however, I googled it and got some good info. As you and Bill advised, much more fat!! They even recommended chicken with skin! mmmm not sure how that will fit into 800 cals though……

Rachel

Hi Christine and thank you for your post. I find it really encouraging to know that you have also struggled with this, but have managed to keep going and succeed.
I have taken on board the fat issue and had some very buttery scrambled eggs for lunch together with my 50g of smoked salmon, plus halfway through my second large glass of water. I guess you just have to keep going……..
Thanks for yoghurt tip, Im using yeo valley at present, not sure how that compares carb wise but its the nicest ive found taste wise.

Keep posting your journey!!

Rachel

That yoghurt is by TOTAL who also make the 0% = don’t get that one! Container as Christine says is a large round one not the tall skinny one. Red white and pale blue. J

Hope it’s going well for you Lisas nanny – I’m right behind you , started on Tuesday.

I haven’t managed 10,000 steps yet – more like between 4000 – 5000 but they’re increasing bit by bit . I’m obsessed with looking at my FitBit readouts – it’s getting beyond a joke … as if by looking at it my steps will magically increase ! And the sleep patterns are fascinating too – I had to laugh this morning when my FitBit told me that I’d walked 0.04 miles since midnight! That’s me going to the loo at least twice a night – it must be all that water , so every cloud has a silver lining.

God Luck.

Yes I suppose we just need to keep soldiering on. Yesterday we had breakfast 50g full fat Greek yogurt with one weetabix crumbled over (119 cal) Lunch: 2 cherry tomatoes, 1/4 a cucumber, 12g spinach leaves, 50g red pepper, 50g iceberg lettuce, 50g raw red cabbage, 125g seafood sticks and 17g hot Mayo dip (243 cals) then tea I marinated 200g chicken breast in 50g Greek yogurt and tandoori spices, baked in foil with lemon juice served with roasted veg (no oil) 2 cherry tomatoes, 150g courgette, 100g mushroom and 100g of the Holland and Barrett low cal rice (409 cal) I was so starving by bedtime I had a slice of watermelon and some grilled chicken slices. The day before we had similar breakfast of Greek yog, Oaty flakes and half a grapefruit, lunch lentil and spice soup and one slice toast and tea baked fish with salt pepper and lime, small amount mustard mash and red cabbage, green beans and broccoli. Does this sound about right? I’ve just adapted what we and the children usually eat and had much smaller portions

Hi neohdiver
Just to let you know you are being thought about & wished all that is best, not just when you post
Eureka 🙏🏻 💐

Great job Bongo!

I’ve just started day 4 and I’m down 3.1 lbs. so far and I’ve been feeling great. I have about 40 lbs. to loose total, but I’m trying not to let that discourage me. I’ve been following recipes from the book and they have been really good. I made the steak last night with mixed greens, and it was delicious!

I have a party to attend tomorrow night with lots of food and drinks that will be surrounding me. It makes me nervous but I will just have to be mindful what I eat and drink. I haven’t wanted sugar or carbs as much as I thought I would crave them.

So far we are doing good and the key is to stick to this, its working great so far!!

Hi rachel62,
Forgot to say, I was recommended on here to get fage full fat Greek yogurt, it’s got less carbs in and is better on this diet, it’s in a big round tub with the other yogurts, but not a tall tub,it’s more squat! If that makes sense?
Hope that helps,
Christine

Hi keepsmiling
If this weather keeps up I’ll be bbq at the weekend – minus the gin! Boo hoo! 😉 Low carbing all the way. 🍗 🍤 🌽 🍆 🍓
Turkish toes in sandals just about cope with, but boots is another matter? No cramps so far. You drink lots. I get lost in the garden too. One of my Ceanothus is about to burst in blue delight! The other usually June but looks earlier this year. 🎼 Here comes the Sun ☀️

Hi rachel62,
I’ve been busy recently so have only been dipping in when I can, just read your thread, like bill and Jackie said you have to pat yourself on the back for sticking with while feeling hungry and struggling, while still losing weight! It took me ages and I only got to where I am with the help of these brilliant folk on this forum, it’s important that you have enough fat! A concept that floored me at first, I could not get my head round it, once I had, the plateau I was on disappeared and the weight started coming off, it comes off eventually sometimes in fits and starts, then you have to look at the foods you are consuming how many carbs are in them, I loved the cottage cheese walnut and pear, however I found out that the pear had loads of carbs in! so I only have that occasionally, try and keep your carbs at about 50g/2oz, up your fat and try and keep to 800g. And most important keep posting, it helps especially when there’s a problem, you always get someone posting a helpful reply. Onwards and downwards, don’t loose heart.
Christine

Hi gang

So my blood tests showed no change in my thyroid reading but it did show that my cholesterol had gone up to 5.2. it was in high 4s before when I only used to eat low fat everything and no meat. Now I eat butter and ff yoghurt but not every day. I don’t eat any red meat and I don’t like chicken skin. So any ideas why it has gone up? I thought it wasn’t supposed to happen?

Great loss – well done!! I’m on day 5 so just a little ahead of you. All the best!

Hmm
can you post a couple of typical days meals?
You shouldn’t really struggle on 800 cals as long as you are eating enough fats and drinking enough water.
Week 1 can be difficuilt as your body gets used to the new fuel, you will be feeling much better by this time next week

Cat duly patted! Thanks for the book recommendation. I’m looking for my next Audible book – 2 hours spent commuting each day – so I’ll definitely see whether David Michie is one of the available authors on the site.

Thankyou 🙂

I posted the scotch egg recipe on the recipe board, but I used pork loin steaks which I put in the blender with bacon and seasoning. So it kind of is sausage meat but without all the crap they add to sausages!

Good luck with your journey 😊

Hi weescotty
It’s important to research & aquire knowledge if you are a diabetic. Knowledge is power! Armed with that you can make informed decisions about your course of treatment, & not just rely on your GP’s opinion ( or lack of it)
On diagnosis, 3 years ago, I was told to “eat potatoes, & DON’T test your blood sugar”???
I found the Juggle course ( 4 days over 4 weeks nutritional advice etc, myself).
I did not agree with the amount of carbs , Re: Eatwell Plate that I was informed was crucial to my diabetic health! I also had to chase up an appointment for my diabetic eye test, despite informing my then GP of problems with my vision! That took 4 months!?
It’s been necessary for me to find out information & then act on it ( or try to) to help myself as a Type 2 Diabetic. My original GP refused to monitor me even if I contacted prof Taylor to start his diet! ( That was prior to this BSD book being published. A life saver it is turning out to be for so many 😀 ) Hence my plea to look at the info, check it out & then make suitable decisions for yourself. We have to take responsibility for ourselves too.

Take ‘official diabetic information’ with a salt pan until YOU have checked it out & are satisfied.

Change is afoot & we will make that happen for Type 2 Diabetics. Decision makers have long known the truth about low carb diets & the damage caused by sugar & simple carbs. Big Bucks talk longest & loudest!! ??

Many informed dr’s, nutritionist & scientist have had their reports ridiculed & careers quashed for Nay Saying the published professed TRUTH fed to us as Diabetics & quite literally KILLING US. Both my parents were Type 2 Diabetics & died as a consequence. I’m riding this horse to the end for them. No one is getting in my way. I’ll tell you when I’m crossing the finish line with all my guns blazing

Neohdiver, you continue to impress me!! I don’t know how you are finding the energy to measure and record with everything else that’s going on.

Your colleagues will wish to do all they can to support you through this ordeal and hopefully manage your work load efficiently.

So sorry you are continuing to have a nightmare with regards to the admin grrrr it makes me want to come over and shake them.

My thoughts and prayers are with you x

Chrisnor – it is like janet says – your body is having to cope with enormous changes, but when the tiredness goes you will be buzzing with energy! 🙂

A tad slow posting Week 5’s data. Not that I’ve been busy, or anything.

The diet itself itself continues to be a non-event. My BG continues to be lower – although higher on days when I am infuriated by the incompetence of the administration associated with the doctor treating me. This week’s surprise spike event was being told when I walked into an appointment, that it took moving mountains to set up, that there would be an additional (potentially entirely out of pocket) charge of $95 to $200 that no one warned me about – each and every time I visited this particular doctor. Had I been forewarned, I would have chosen another doctor – or at least checked insurance to make sure I knew what a financial hit I was being set up for. The single spike from that (on Monday) has not yet worked itself out of my weekly average – which is still (4 days later) running .17 higher than the highest 7-day average from the 5 previous weeks.

I’m afraid that what that (the spike) tells me is that I am not yet in remission – which is unfortunate, because I’ve also been told I need to stop eating at a calorie deficit to prepare for surgery. So this week will be my last – at least for now. I have an A1C drawn on Tuesday morning, so that makes a logical stopping point. I’ll gradually increase my calories & briefly, rather dramatically, increase my carbs (to 100-150/day) so that I can do a relatively accurate DIY home OGTT later in the week to see if I’ve altered my glucose metabolism at all.

Today my coworkers learn I have cancer – and will be recruited to help fill any gaps my absence will create, I interview 3 candidates for my permanent assistant, conduct exit interviews with 4 students, and continue to move my office out of the way of the construction crane and, with luck, make a dent in the pile of papers I have to grade. Nope. Nothing to do today.

Here’s the complete data set for the next to last week on this diet. For now.

Week 1 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 5.28 mmol/l W: 5.06 Th: 5.39 (highest in months) F: 4.44 S: 4.39 Sun: 4.44
Week 1 – Starting weight: 150.2 lbs – Ending weight: 147 lbs
Week 1 – High for the week: 7.72, Low for the Week: 4.06, Average for the week: 5.5

Week 2 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.83 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 5.11 mmol/l Th: 4.79 mmol/l F: 4.83 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.6 mmol/l
Week 2 – Starting weight: 147 lbs – Ending weight: 144.8 lbs
Week 2 – High for the week: 6.83 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.5 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.27 mmol/l.

Week 3 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.61 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 4.67 mmol/l Th: 4.9 mmol/l F: 4.5 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.66 mmol/l
Week 3 – Starting weight: 144.8 lbs – Ending weight: 142
Week 3 – High for the week: 7.22 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.9 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.5 mmol/l.
Note: High stress precipitated by early stages of cancer diagnosis.

Week 4 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 4.83 mmol/l W: 4.61 mmol/l Th: 4.67 mmol/l F: 4.67 mmol/l S: 4.67 mmol/l Sun: 4.33 mmol/l
Week 4 – Starting weight: 142 lbs – Ending weight: 140.8 (2 lbs from a normal BMI!!!)
Week 4 – High for the week: 8.39 mmol/l (in the wake of incompetent administrative stress) Low for the Week: 4.33 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.27 mmol/l.

Note: Formal breast cancer diagnosis came on Monday, before my fasting BG reading. Might be why it was a bit higher!

Week 5 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.89 mmol/l, T: 5.06 mmol/l W: 4.83 mmol/l Th: 3.83 mmol/l F: 4.83 mmol/l S: 5.39 mmol/l Sun: 4.61 mmol/l
Week 5 – Starting weight: 140.8 lbs – Ending weight:140.0
Week 5 – High for the week: 7.05 mmol/l (High stress day) Low for the Week: 3.83 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.44 mmol/l.

Weight loss on Low Carb/Moderate Protein (179 days): 47.1 lbs Average BG 6.0

Weight loss on 800 Calorie Mediterranean Style food with 16:8 intermittent fasting (35 days): 10.2 lbs Average BG 5.39 mmol/l (lower, even after the breast cancer diagnosis – which came in bits and pieces starting the middle of week 3, to the first day of week 4, with added stress associated with too little time to wrap up affairs before surgery mid to late May)

Hi Lisa’s nanny!! welcome to the forums! It does get easier as time goes by. Michael Mosley says the first two weeks are the hardest so you will have lots of energy soon.

Don’t worry too much about steps, Dr Mosley says build them up over the days and weeks. Some days I mange 16000 steps (round town) sometimes just 3000. It all evens out in the end! But quite often the lower steps days are more physical – like Bill building garden structures, painting fences etc Me digging over the veg patches and weeding. Or standing all day cooking!!

Some people are losing a lot of weight without really doing any form of exercise!!

When your ‘fat’ clothes start dropping off you (oh yes!!!) you will really enjoy getting new clothes which fit more snugly and show off your new figure!!

So good luck and build those steps a step at a time – pun intended!!

BTW I love Holland! Lovely country and lovely people 🙂

Your tiredness will be linked to the very restricted calories and also the change from burning carbs to burning fat. Keep drinking plenty of water, you may also find taking some extra salt helps, get plenty of fat into your diet. Your body has a lot to deal with in the early stages but it will adjust and you should start to feel better.

Hi Bill, thanks for replying. I had an HbA1c taken last week, I’m waiting for the results of that. They tend to be OK, it’s the GTT that I have trouble with. My sugars swing high and low a lot. I have been under consultant care and they have run every test there is. He says I am prediabetic. Hence why I thought this approach might help me to sort my insulin response out. I have to admit though I’m struggling with so few calories a day

I’m a big fan of the website myself and have been watching Jason Fung’s videos about fasting. I fast for 16 hours a day and find it very easy to do. I think we are living in interesting times as far as weight loss goes. The old beliefs are being overthrown at an alarming rate. The old adages eat less, move more and calories in, calories out just don’t stack up and most of us here are probably proof of that. Interestingly, what Jason said even challenges the theory behind our own bsd diet so I am still a little confused. But I’m personally happy to accept that my fasting has played a large role in my weight loss of 20 pounds since February and as long as I know I m burning fat with my trusty keystix, I’ll keep going. Best wishes to you happy life.

Hi Tulip
have you had a HbA1c test?
If not I would make an appointment withthe GP and get one done.
Those are very low readings and you need to find out what’s going on.

Hi Eureka,

Thank you for your post and your support. I am going to keep going and not give up! I hope that I will also feel good soon. I have been putting rubbish in my body for years so I should not be surprised it is taking time for my body to de-tox itself.

Hi, I’m new to this site and wondered if anyone can help me. My husband and I started the 800 cals fast on Monday, so we are on day four. We’ve stuck to it and been exercising too. The trouble I am having is hypos. I felt my sugars dropping fast yesterday mid morning, then today I woke up shaky with low reading (3.9) had breakfast, but by 11am I was shaky again and down to 3.4. I have a monitor because I get gestational diabetes in pregnancy and use insulin then, and my levels didn’t return to normal after my last pregnancy. I’m hoping that this blood sugar diet might kick start things back in the right direction! I couldn’t find anything about hypos in the book. Is anyone else having them?

Hi Everyone

Wasn’t sure where to start so posted on the SBSD forum on Tuesday.

Little bit of background info. Middle aged couple, living in Holland and following BSD since Sunday; amazing hubby who’s diabetic – on diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol meds, 15 kilos overweight, picky, and struggling a little without his morning and afternoon snacks while at work – up at 4.30am home at 7pm.

Me – 25 kilos overweight, not diabetic or on meds but according to tests will be if I carry on with current unhealthy way of eating; not so picky but unemployed and at home all day, lazy person (only exercise wise lol) with no small kids to run round after. Awaiting Fitbit arriving Saturday. Lord knows how I’m gonna manage 5,000 steps never mind 10,000.

Goal: get fit and healthy, and would love to surprise our daughter with decent weight loss and looking good when visiting in August – not to mention fitting in some decent gear for a change instead of wearing a huge coat in summer lol.

That about sums it up. Oh, so far I’m down 5lbs and hubby 3lbs.

Would like to say big thanks for all the advice given so far, massive congrats to everyone who has lost weight and good luck to all who like us, are just starting out.

Thank you Jackie, will do.

Rachel

Rachel, try not to let it get you down – you have lost half a stone in 2 weeks – that’s great in anyone’s book! More than happy to help. Check out that website for tips.

Jackie

Hi JackieMac

No no, in UK, but of an age where we were taught lbs and ounces and Ive never converted!

We moved to our current location last year but due to a mental health issue I dont really go out at the moment on my own and dont know many people. I do have a pedometer though and count my steps daily.

Thank you too for your advice and support, its much appreciated

Rachel62

http://low-carb-support.com/ketosis-low-carb-flu/

Some tips here
http://low-carb-support.com/ketosis-low-carb-flu/

Not sure link working

Low-carb-support . Com / ketosis-low-carb-flu

There’s something called carb flu, so Bill’s advice about having more fat is spot on. Check it out on Google.

Thanks, Eureka – I love ‘Turkish slipper toes!’ Had my first instance of the toe thing since starting the diet last night, but realise that I’d been out gardening all day, then out again in the evening, so might not have been hydrated enough. I’ll try the tonic idea – but will have to resist putting a large gin in it!

Hi Bill1954
Thank you for that, Ill give it a go. I do have full fat yoghurt (yeo valley greek style) and whole milk and I eat a lot of salmon.

Thank you for advice and support

Rachel62

Hi Collie
I’m long term T2D but after HbA1c tests taken just 4 weeks into the plan, I was re diagnosed as pre diabetic and I’m expecting to have a diabetes reversed diagnosis at my next tests in September.
That’s how fast it can all improve so don’t be discouraged.

Rachel

1kg = 2.2lbs. Guess you’re in the US or Oz?

Ok so motivation – consider how short a timescale 8 weeks is out of your life. Not much. You know you can keep it up, bottom line is how much you want to I guess and it’s much easier said than done.

Are you able to exercise? If so do you have a friend who could go with you even for a short walk? Or get a fitness app you can use to measure your steps and try to better it each day. Even if you are just walking round your house! Get some motivating music on and dance around. Anything. They say exercise makes you feel better so just pushing yourself to do a little might pay dividends. The strength exercises in the book look good (note I haven’t done them yet 😈 but I do plan to).

So what foods do you like? Let us see that. …

Hi Rico61
An amazing result for all you hard work, well done. Yes, life is good & may you enjoy a healthier, happy one. Good luck with the last 2 stones.

Hi Rachel
Ok there is a little fat in the avacado but not a lot more.
Try increasing your fat intake and forget the calories for now.
The important thing is to replace the calories from the carbs or you’re always going to feel hungry and tired.
I know it sounds strange after all you have been told over the years but it really is impotant in this diet.
Unfortunately the fluid intake is also important. Some folk are flavouring the water with fruit tea bags to make it more palatable.

Hi brown_8348 & family
Excellent effort for you all. Very impressive & good luck with the rest of your weight loss. Very pleased you gave up smoking too!

Hi JackieMac
Thank you for sharing that with me and Im glad this is working so well for you and youve lost weight – afraid I dont work in kg so not sure what you have lost but it sounds good!!

Totally agree about the motivation thing and I think thats the second big issue for me, the fact that the inches are not going and so nothing feels any looser yet – I just find that incredible and so disheartening after 16 days of near starvation – or thats what it feels like. So that coupled with the complete lack of energy is compounding how low I feel.

Rachel62

Thank you Bill1954 I will try am having GP bloods soon (when I remember to get them done) I have non alcoholic fatty liver as well so hoping for improvement there as well.Collie

Top idea for a thread.
(Background: had blood test in Jan 2016 because I was fairly sure I had gout. Blood test confirmed it, but also revealed I was pre-diabetic. Read MM’s book and started the BSD within 3 days)
NSVs to date:
1. No attacks of gout since starting diet – previously suffered bouts every 4-6 weeks. Get slight initial symptoms increasingly widely spaced, but they fizzle away overnight. No attacks since Jan.
2. Skin has cleared up beautifully. Even my wife has noticed.
3. Tons more energy.
4. Sleep like a baby and awake refreshed.
5. Proud owner of a waist, flat stomach and even some muscle tone due to the resistance exercises.
6. Have dropped two trouser sizes and have had to buy replacements for pretty much everything (not complaining). Even the trousers I got married in 18 years ago are too big.
7. Found my tastebuds.
8. Took up yoga.
9. Discovered dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa solids) after a lifetime’s aversion. Food of the gods.
10. My 13-year-old son tells me I now ‘look cool’ (I’m 60 this year, so value a compliment such as that more than being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
11. Four work colleagues, two friends and an acquaintance have started the BSD as a direct result of seeing the results it’s had on me.
I could go on, but…

Hi Bill1954

Thank you for your reply. Difficult one as have tried a lot of the recipes in the book over the last 17 days. so theyve been quite varied.
I suppose what I have most of is as follows
Breakfast low carb bircher
lunch avacado and salmon on tomato
supper fish and veg or scrambled egg and smoked salmon – depending on energy / enthusiasm level.
I also have between 100 and 200 ml of milk as I cant stomach black or fruit teas and Im really struggling with the water issue as Ive never been a particularly thirsty bod.
Most days average out at just above or below 800 cals

Rachel62

Good idea Bill! Wish I’d thought of that….

Hi Rachel. Not sure where you are starting from but here’s a bit of my story

Started at 115.8kg 11th January , after 1st week following the menu plan in book 112.8kg, after 2nd week following plan 111kg, after 4 weeks following menu plan down to 108.9kg. Week 5 108.4kg, week 6 108.8kg, after 9 weeks 105.7kg (14th March). Weight today 10kg.
I think your 9lbs is pretty normal from what I have seen on here.

I had a few weeks of plateau but found when I increased the exercise and drank more water it started coming off again. I have not been sticking to it for a few months now due to various reasons. I will be getting back on it soon and my exercise will be increasing.

I have found it the best way of losing weight fairly easily and keeping it off. Weight has came off areas like the bat wings, that it didn’t come off from before. Also my stomach cannot tolerate as much food as it used to so portion sizes reduced.

I suggest you make a list of the foods you like to eat that are included in the menus and search for some recipes that suit better. I found the 5:2 recipe book quite useful.

If you really don’t like any of the food then you might struggle but I suggest you try things you think you may not like and you could be surprised. There are quite a few good recipes on this forum.

I love the no carb bircher. Apple with nut butter and seeds. Sardine dip. Courgetti Prawns, Spanish chorizo soup, fish in foil, turkey and lamb meatballs. There were some meals I didn’t like so I replaced with ones I did with same calorie count.

It does take a bit of getting used to but if you persevere, exercise and drink water, the weight will shift AND you will feel so much better. Onice the sugar is out of your system your taste buds will act differently too. I had to force a glass of wine down – it tasted very chemically and different. ☺ didn’t stop me mind ☺

It’s not easy resisting the sugar, but when you can go to the shops and try on something in a smaller size you will feel better and motivated to get more off.

If all else fails read bill1954s posts – his story is so motivating.

I am glad I don’t have diabetes to contend with, it’s affects sound awful and following this new healthy eating reduces the chance of getting it I hope!

Stick with it and you’ll get the results. Keep logging in here, you will get great advice and lots of genuine support.

Good luck, keep us posted.😆 Jackie

Hi
the recipes for both flatbreads are in the recipe section ofthis site

Lucia
I have been a serial stalker on here for a while! Your posts have inspired, amused ( Ilove your humour) and encouraged me to the point where I have jumped in and am about to finish my first week. Your honesty is inspirational as we live in this ‘perfect society’ it is great to hear the ups and downs and the support from others , makes me glad to be a human otherwise I will morph into my collie dog.Thank you keep posting and really well done. Collie

Hi Collie
your fasting readings can be notoriously erratic due to the dawn effect and 6.9 isn’t bad.
Try testing just before dinner and see what that says.
I started seeing a drop in the first week, dropped a med after week 4, and now I’m med free.

Eeureka . Re Eatwell plate. Didn’t Michael Mosley mention that in a talk he gave, noting it doesn’t reflect this later thinking? probably saw it on the video he has added on his blog on this website. I still see ‘trusted’ government advice on the drinking of 8 glasses of water per day which has been discredited for some while now. Pinch of salt and watchfulness methinks.

Ivanka
I have enjoyed your post and am keen to follow your results, i am a believer in research based work but all research can be flawed (that is what I tell myself when i am hungry ha ha ) but so many can not be wrong, can they? I am feeling better in my headspace but find menu planning challenging as I eat a lot in volume so a real learning curve.
I am seeing my gp soon and want some facts to take with me so here goes. Thank you Collie