Hi Clarissa,
Welcome on board. I found the first two weeks were the hardest for wanting to keep eating between meals, but after that I rarely looked for anything between meals. That coincided with me starting on full fat not low fat products as well – full fat yoghurt was a revelation. If you have not made that move – and it was the hardest thing I did psychologically over the 8 weeks, then stop the low fat dairy and take full fat instead. Calories are not much higher and it keeps you full for much longer.
I snacked on almonds and cherry tomatoes or a piece of cucumber – which is a slow eat, very few calories and refreshing to eat.
I also went back to cooking from scratch so was spending more time cooking, making soup and freezing some for another day) which kept me busy. Soups are also a great thing to keep you feeling full for a long period and very economical calorie-wise.
As collie said, keep occupied and the cravings do go.
Good luck with the journey!

HI Frog, Izzy and Mooloc
I was wondering how you are all going? Frog I hope you are into the swing of it now and losing some weight. MOoloc I’m a bit like you at the moment – my weights coming off slowly and seems to go up and down day by day. I am glad I came back to the forum because I see on May 11 I had lost 3 kg and now I’m down 5-6 kg more. Which means it is working and my clothes are looser. At the moment I seem to be hovering around 84/85 kg – I’m going up and down between these weight. 85 kg is my nemesis – I want to get past it once and for all!! Has anyone else had this difficulty with stalled or very slow weight loss? I’m going to keep on with it and hope it will starts to come off again soon. Anyway I hope you all are going well and keep positive – Maryphil

Hi Clarissa
Make sure you have plenty of fat in your diet, don’t have any low fat or ‘lite’ products, everything has to be full fat, and drink at least 2-3 litres of non calorie drinks per day. Also get in the habit of walking. I haven’t done any more exercise than that and I’ve lost over 11kg in 7 weeks. Once you’re over the first few days, you’ll find you won’t be hungry.
Good luck and post if you need to😀
Linda

Hi,
I often skip breakfast and eat between 10am and 7pm which leaves a 15 hour fasting period.
Is this likely to have any impact, positive or negative on the outcomes of the diet?
Thanks

Hi Clarissa, I don’t have any great secret for feeling full, just drinking plenty, which seems to help. I have got a few hunger pangs now, but I figure I’ve nearly made it through day 1 so I’ll hang in there. now. I hope you’re evening is going to plan and you’re feeling proud of taking the first steps. X

Thank you Collie for your kindness, I do feel a bit better, slightly hungry but I think your right it’s a bit of boredom and I’m used to much larger portions and a huge amount of carbs!
Looking forward to the change in lifestyle and myself…… And hoping I wake up a size 14!! X

Hi captainLynne,

That sounds delicious, may try that for dinner tomorrow…just finished an omelette and salad😊

Thanks for the suggestion!

Imogen🌻

Hi Lucia,

A perfect dozen…what???😉

Imogen🌻

Clarissa
Hang in there, if like me you are used to eating big amounts and carbs it will take time to adjust. Drink water, fruit tea, take a bath, read keep busy. It does pass with time and now I have moments when I really need food but mostly its just my mouth hunger. I often feel slightly hungry going to bed but am not when I wake up. We are all different but at some point everyone will have had to overcome something on this new way of life. I no longer think it is a’diet’ . I can honestly say I now feel better being off the carbs. I have mental clarity and am achieving more, less bloating, sluggishness etc. I am just starting week 6, have had set backs but not gone completely off course just ate more than 800. I took a long time to get this fat and I reckon it will take a year to shift it all (5 stones).So its not a race ,try to take one meal at a time , tick the box that meal done etc. Wishing you much success, research says it takes time to change habits.
xx from Collie

Hello 4stonetolose!

I am back on the wagon, the first day is always the hardest so now I’m through this I know I will be ok.

Had a really nice tea tonight. Garlic fried, add anchovies and courgetti. Just before serving add capers. Serve with a poached egg.

Hi Sarahdawn,

Just checked for ‘blood sugar testing kits’ on threads..just type that into the search box and you will find a couple of replies to an earlier postee….

Hope it helps

Imogen🌻

Question
A friend began this a week ago but lost very little in first week BUT the week before he started he ate and drank beer in super large amount.
Would this extra take awhile to come off through his body and be cause of bad first week.
He is following the plan religiously now .
Alanhypno

I finally found some scales and I think that I’ve lost about 3lbs..in a week. I’m a bit disappointed as I have been very good and kept my portion size down and allowed and naughty carbs to pass my lips. I’m also walking – 7000 – 10000 a day and yoga every other day. You all seem to be doing much better. What am I doing wrong??

Hi Natalie,
I would lift the carpet out and lay it over a line under the carport or eaves or trees.
Once it’s dry, you have to get air through it. Or near a heater.

It’s not easy. My car carpet was glued in, and to put an extension cable in it, with a convertor heater, blowing hot air. It took a few days .

Love lucia
Xxxx

So no one asked me about my perfect dozen.
Disappointed people, thought you would humour the crazy one.
Oh well at least I had fun with it.

Love lucia
Xxxx

Am in second week of BSD and all going well to be fair -main problem is I’m not sleeping well, waking up a lot more than usual and struggling to get back to sleep. Has anyone else had this problem and did it resolve ?? Any advice?? Thanks

Hi Clarissa,

Welcome to the BSD. Congratulations on your first day…

Can I suggest that you look to increase the proportion of fat in your diet whilst keeping the carbs low…so use whole milk, full fat yogurt etc. The fat helps you feel full for longer.

Also, have you got access to an app like myfitnesspal (i use fatsecret uk) to keep track of your foods + proportions? Can be helpful.

Sometimes it is not hunger, but the carb addiction calling!!!

Imogen🌻

Hi Mooloc,

All dried fruit contain higher sugar levels than fresh fruits, maybe best to avoid for now😕

Imogen🌻

I started today too, and I’m starving, I need your secret to feeling full??
Congrats on your first day

New to BSD and have a huge amount of weight to lose, I made hummous for lunch with crudités, I’ve had chilli this evening, I snacked on cherries x10 and 15 almonds. Now I’m watching tv feeling a bit headachy with yet another glass of water……….. I’ve never thought about food so much and it’s only day 1 😩

On MyFitnessPal it says this fabulous sounding treat is 150 cals for a 60g serving. Depending on whether you are trying to keep your carbs low this serving is also 15g of carbs,, 12 of which are sugars.

I fear to tell you that figs are probably too sweet to be a regular BSD permitted fruit – sorry – but as a one-off you’re probably OK.

Hi all,
I think we’ve all found that an open packet of anything (biscuits, ciggies) or opened bottle of plonk is the biggest temptation, sending out invitations we really don’t need. I am reminded of something that someone said to me as I embarked on the BSD:
Resist things ONCE – in the supermarket.

I tend to hit food when problems get the better of me – like you, Madmare, I have a penchant for crips! It doesn’t help that there’s a Tesco Express just round the corner from me.

Good luck, Madmare, you’ve recognised the problem. If you can wean yourself off wine you will undoubtedly lose weight because of all the sugar you won’t be consuming – that’s a pretty good incentive to cut out the vino. Find something to use as a substitute, maybe extra exercise, a glass of water….

Welcome Sarahdawn,

As RosyDozy says you are in the right place. We are all here to support and guide each other – just dip in and out as often as you feel comfortable!!
The BSDers are a really helpful, friendly and supportive gang – so no reason to feel that you are doing this alone – just post.

You can also use the search topic box to find other/previous forum threads which may give you more detailed information on specific queries…not sure if there is one on blood sugar test kits😕

Wishing you great success,

Imogen🌻

Hi everyone, I woke up this morning slightly nervous about starting the BSD today but I’ve been genuinely amazed at how full I’ve felt all day. I still have the evening to go, which can be a danger, but I’m feeling confident at the moment ! It has been lovely to read the messages of support people have posted through the forums so I felt compelled to join in. 😊

My weight loss has tailed off too – almost the same losses as you and then finally I have moved a pound after staying the same for s week or more. I just keep thinking that it will all pay off and sticking with it.
All the best with getting the protein/ fat balanced – I still find it a bit tricky especially if I’m not being organised with my shopping!

not quite the same as alcohol, or perhaps it is
but I know that giving up massive biscuit binges was easier when I realised that my ‘need’ for the first biscuit was nothing compared to the NEED for the next one!!

next time, if there is one, that you have that first drink, really try to recognise if it satisfies a need, or just increases it

Just bought a marvellous treat from Waitrose – Puglian figs with buffalo mozzarella which I brought home & devoured all 250 calories of it without pause!
Now wondering if actually I shouldn’t be having figs at all?! They were semi dried. Any advice? Thank you!

I have just started the diet today. I am am fit but have over the last year put on over a stone after a hysterectomy. This all makes sense to me as I have a terrible addiction to sugar.

Can anyone tell me whether I’m in for a rough ride coming off sugar and carbs? If so how long and coping strategies to help? I have a 15yr in the house so can’t completely get rid of everything unhealthy..

Hi Jules, I’m a Jules too! I think you need to check your protein targets as I suspect they should be nearer 70g. If youre trying to get to 194g it explains why you’re not fitting in enough fat. Well done on the 12lb loss, that’s fabulous.
The other Jules x

Hello Sarahdawn,
Welcome to the club!
The great thing about this diet is that while it’s great for T2 diabetics, non-diabetics can do it as well. I wasn’t T2 or pre-diabetic but my weight was going up and, like you, I didn’t feel good at the weight I was at. My weight really started going up after an operation and, like you, I went from being active to having to work up from 5 mins exercise a day! I was too fond of sugary things and what made the decision to go BSD for me was the “sugarberg” drawing which is somewhere on this this website – I realised that I was eating so much stuff with hidden sugars. You can go the whole hog (i.e. the 800cals per day/8weeks) or you can adapt to something that suits you better. So, yes, it’s safe and very maintainable. (I’ve lost about 1.5 stone since mid-January.)

How you spread the calories through the day is up to you. However, it’s worth maybe saving a few calories for the occasional emergency snack/late night munchy if you feel desperate. Keep hydrated – very important. Your body will go through a period of adjustment – you may feel grotty for a few days, you may feel hungry at times (I know I did). You may start off with good weight loss and then things slow – you are NOT failing, so don’t beat yourself up (your weight loss may be slower than others since you are not terribly overweight). You may even fall off the wagon and pig out on off-limit foods – we’ve all done it – you just dust yourself off and resume.

Can’t answer about blood sugar kits – I’ve never used one.

As for a place for support – well, you’ve already found it. Any questions, just post a message – someone somewhere will probably be able to answer, offer support/advice. Lots of kindred spirits here!

Good luck!
Rose

Hello everyone, I’m new to this forum but started the 800 cal plan 3 weeks ago for weight loss, I have a lot to lose! After finding the forum and all the good advice I realised that I needed to watch my percentages of Carbs/Fats/Protein so the goals I have set in MFP are C-35g/F-55g/P-194g.
I have lost 12lbs in these 3 weeks and I’m delighted with that but whilst I’m managing to keep my carbs more or less on target I’m struggling to meet the fat & protein targets and still keep close to 800 calories. I was overjoyed to find the advice to have full fat dairy and have stocked up on yogurt and Stilton today but even planning a couple of days menus using these I’m still only averaging about 30g and my protein intake is regularly less than half my target. Because I have such a lot of weight to lose I’m a bit paranoid about sticking to the 800 cals, especially as I’m finding it so easy to do!
My weight loss has tailed off each week, 7lbs then 4lbs and 1lb this week so I wonder if I should be focusing more on the nutrition goals rather than obsessing about the calories in order to keep losing effectively? Any advice would be gratefully received.
I should stress again I am delighted with my loss so far!

How did you do it?
I have tried ( may be that’s the issue I am already using the language of failure) rather than saying I am going to
I have just remembered something my boss told me when I was a teenager
I asked how he gave up smoking and he replied he just stopped having the first cigarette of the day!

So that’s what I need to do just not have the first glass

I’m an all or nothing type person with quite an addictive personality, I used wine as a coping mechanism and ended drinking a bottle of wine a night to “help” me through a rough 6 months. After continually waking up feeling rubbish I decided to have a 3 month detox, 5 yrs 6 mths later I still haven’t touched a drop, don’t miss it, don’t need it. Why don’t you try giving it up for a month, see how you feel and take it from there?

Congratulations Frog
I too have managed to get a into a lovely pair of trousers that I bought and could not wear because of the belly

Well done GillyD
Rewarding yourself with wine sounds very familiar!

I have been here before
It all started so well but then fell off the wagon in a major way – or shall we be honest and say more of a bunji jump off a cliff.
When I started over three months ago I said I wanted to lose 2 stone – I have lost 8 and feel better but I could have lost a whole load more.
I can trot out excuses, mother not well, father in law having cancer treatment, OH massively stressed at work and taking it out on me, having to evict tenants from rental property and finding they were dealing drugs and trashed the property- but you know what these are just excuses.
The main issue is me and my relationship with wine.
I like the food on the BSD diet veg and meat are heaven to me
I dont have a sweet tooth (though crisps are my weakness!).
My problem is wine – I like wind and one glass is not enough
There I have said it
OH also uses alcohol to cope with stress which only makes things worse

So now I have faced up to what the problem is – I just need to work out a strategy!

Any thoughts all welcome

Hi, I am definitely a sugar addict- I have pretty much always been, and have a very highly sensitive nervous system ( and experienced severe trauma).

I am 5 ft 6 (female, 39 yrs) and my BMI is around 23, which is healthy but I am 10st 9 with a 33inch waist. This is 2 stone heavier than 3 years ago (before the trauma) when I was very fit, active, health conscious and could do pretty much anything. I am trying to connect with others via this forum, as I confess I am quite a loner and not really an on-line person but this diet really makes sense to me. And I have been drawn to is as I have had a really dependant relationship with sugar for years. I cannot move too well these days, I cannot run or do high impact anymore and avoid walking because it is slow and not so easy these days. I mainly cycle to get around instead of walking , and for exercise. And I find sugar and carbs very addictive and use them to self-soothe, and I get very tired with highs and lows.

I have some questions if anyone out there has the time to help me…?

a) I am not diabetic, and there isn’t diabetes in my immediate family, ( my family is very small) but I am sure my existing relatives could be pre-diabetic. And I don’t tick lots of the risk factor boxes I am overweight for me – it doesn’t look good, it doesn’t feel good, and my self-awareness tells me that I could be heading for poor health, but would it still be ‘safe’ to try this 8 week diet? Any advice/feedback?
b) What would be the best bit of blood-sugar self testing kit I could buy myself, to monitor my blood sugars?
c) If I use MYP to monitor calories/ keep track of carb & protein values how should they be distributed through the day for best results. One meal, two, three? What about snacks?
c) Is there a specific place on this forum for support & sticking with it when you are struggling? As I am on my own with this- no partner or close friends to support, especially when I am alone at home, or take myself food shopping!

Thanks so much!!

Hello Juss185, I hope you have had an encouraging start to your day. I am feeling hungry so I was reading through posts, it doesn’t exactly stop the rumbles but it inspires me not to mindlessly munch!

When I started (really only 2 weeks ago?) I was a bit apprehensive as to how I would get on without my carbs and sugar. I’m mostly addicted to things like crisps and chips and love white rice, more than sweet things. The first few days I felt quite ill, but strangely didn’t crave carbs, just had the carb withdrawal symptoms and was determined that if that was how I felt, I must break the addiction.

Keep at it and it gets easier and the food we can eat is truly enjoyable. I find soup one of the most filling things, and add little squares of cheese 🙂 I’ve lost 10lb and 8oz last weigh and the quick results help to keep you on the wagon. All the best

Feeling really good about everything right now, have done a menu plan so know what we’re eating for the next few days (so long as nothing goes wrong!). Going to spend some time tomorrow in the kitchen making mini salmon & cheese quiches, courgette & carrot bhajis and chickpea flatbreads for snacks or quick meals, so there’s always something handy in the fridge and the rest can be frozen and quickly defrosted.

This lovely hot weather (we’re in the west country….west of England, that is) is good in more ways than one – I’m drinking a lot more water, and the heat makes me so hot, sweaty and uncomfortable. This is actually a good thing because it makes me realise I’d cope with the heat so much better if I lose 3 or 4 stones!

I’ve been doing this for four weeks now and still going strong. I only lost half a pound this week but my weight is still going downwards and I have lost a total of 12lbs. The saga of the treadmill continues. We bought one last week and are awaiting delivery.

I had a strange dream last week. I dreamt I was walking around in a t-shirt with a map of Australia on it and people kept stopping me and asking if I was Australian. When I woke up I realised that it must be because we have such a large Aussie contingent. Either that or carb withdrawal giving me strange dreams.

congratulations GillyD – that’s brilliant.
I’ve just got a size smaller jeans out of the wardrobe today – I have no idea the last time I fitted!
Bit of an ‘overhang’ in the waist area, my tummy is far from flat,, so paired with a lose-ish top, but it’s such a pleasure not to walk around feeling the need to pull my jeans up every five minutes.

lots of luck with it supersteph – and the new job
You’ll be able to weigh the post sacks and relate those to the weight you need to lose – or have already lost if you don’t start for a few weeks. Sounds as if you’ll get plenty of exercise in your new role though – lots better than sitting at a desk.

I’m glad it’s resolved for you – though a 10 kg weight gain would be frustrating. I put on 10 kg one year when I tried depi-provera as a contraceptive. Damn those hormones!

Lol I’m the same with tea. I guess I really wanted the sugar! I’ve tried to give up a few times and find myself just not drinking tea at all, which makes me sad because I love the calming ritual. I bounce between no sugar, one sugar, half a sugar, no tea at all… I stuck with forcing myself to drink tea without sugar for around six weeks in hopes of getting used to it – it wasn’t quite so bad but I still went back to half a teaspoon once the BSD was over.

Hi all,
I am not that new here, but this is me starting this diet properly this time!
I did start doing it before but I just did it mon-fri and found it so hard to get back to it in Monday’s. So i am doing it 24/7 starting today.
I weigh 14st 5lbs and am 5ft 6ins which gives me a bmi of 32.4 (obese) and I am seriously addicted to sugar. I answered yes to nearly all of the quiz questions, so I guess I must be! I have 3st 4lbs to lose to get to a healthy bmi, and I am determined this time. I start a new job as a Postie in the next 6/7 weeks and I’d love to not have to lug all of this weight around when I start!

I was wondering if there is a resource for Africans, there are a lot of lovely recipes on here but I would like some specifically adapted for the African palate.

Hello everyone…. I thought I would let people know how I have got on as I am now at the end of the 8 week period… So I have lost 21pounds with BSD so far I have gone from 13 stone to 11 stone 7 and I am now 2lbs lighter than the last time I lost weight. I still want to get to 11 stone before I go on holiday in 4 weeks but have reset my target as I really believe I can do it this time. 10 stone 6 is my new target as I will be continuing with this way of eating from now on. I feel better, the brain fog has gone , I am looking at clothes 2 sizes down and people are now beginning to notice! I have been pretty strict ( just a couple of glasses of wine at the weekends) and have been swimming and going to the gym. I enlisted the help of a personal trainer for 4 weeks and he is putting me through my paces ( which I am loving btw!). So to anyone currently thinking about doing it I can honestly say that I am delighted with the results and although I wasn’t carb addicted I was wine addicted. I don’t miss carbs at all! The 8 weeks rounded off nicely with my husband and I going for dinner for his birthday and I kept to the principles even if I did have a glass or two extra and still managed 3 lbs!! Good Luck and best wishes to everyone out there… This way of eating really has been a life changer for me. Xxxx

Thank you, Natalie – yes, I’m pleased with myself.

I’ve been told, variously, that it takes either 30 days, or 6 weeks, not to notice the loss….I think I’ll be 6 weeks. But the good thing is that I’ve continued to drink the coffee, without sugar, rather than give up coffee entirely as I don’t like the taste unless there’s sugar in it.

But I have to say, in retrospect, the sugar was evidently the main incentive for my drinking it…..

Best wishes with that Natalie, I sympathise.
I had similar problems about five years ago – initially my GP just prescribed drugs to decrease the blood flow – worked wonderfully in clotting the blood and giving me DVT & on to warfarin – at least you’ve got as far as the fibroids diagnosis!

I did find that a moon cup (with back up towels) worked better for me with the heavy periods – contains a lot more, and gives you the advantage of being able to give a good estimate of the amount of blood loss if medical professionals aren’t taking the problem seriously.
I ended up going to A&E with a particularly heavy period one weekend, thinking that A&E wasn’t appropriate, but being admitted to a ward immediately and kept in for three days. Thankfully all resolved for me – without a hysterectomy, although I did put on about 10kg with the hormone treatment.

Wow congrats on giving up that much sugar! That is something I have really struggled with, even though I only had one teaspoon twice a day in my tea. You’re right, that’s a lot of extra calories to spend elsewhere.