I have been amazed at how easy this diet is, having broken the back of the carb cravings I am finding I can eat a good and varied diet sticking to 800 calories.

I have been on the programme since the 26th April and have lost 27lbs.

Is it safe to continue on the 800 diet for longer than the 8 weeks to keep the weight loss going?

Hi Christine

Don’t know if your travels ever bring you near Durham. If they do, we could meet up. Just let me know 😃

Will be thinking of you on Saturday. Hope your visit goes as well as it can under the circumstances.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener sold in the U.S. under the brand name “Splenda.” I use liquid sucralose in my coffee – trying to wean myself off. Since artificial sweeteners can raise glucose levels in some people, you’ll need to test yourself if that’s a concern for you. Dr. Mosley recommends that we use no sweeteners if possible.

Hi Igorasusal,
My waist measurement has gone down a little and some of my clothes do feel looser. I have felt a little grotty the las few days. Not sure why.
Hopefully I will manage to lose a couple of lbs this week. I do log my food on My Fitness Pal. It is a great help. I can manage lower carbs, it’s the calories I’m having difficulty reducing to 800.
I will report in as soon as those bloomin’ scales show a favourable weight!

Hi Bumblebee, welcome to my moan post!
😉

Hi Julia,
Ah what a shame we are off first thing in the morning from kenmore, we have to get to Dumfries for lunchtime, it would have been great to meet a fellow bsd ‘er’!
It has been wet all day today so we decided to stay relatively local, Pitlochry and aberfeldy, then a meal at the local hostelry in kenmore, steak and salad. We ‘did’ Edinburgh a couple of years ago, I love Scotland as long as I come before the midges I am ok, I react to any insect bite so have to be careful later in the year!
We will be up again in August to look after the two youngest grandchildren in Dumfries, not sure if Edinburgh is too far for us with the boys?
Thank you for the invite though, I will email you. We also have to go to see our relatives on Saturday on our way home to the Midlands, (the parents of Helen who died) it’s not too far from our daughter in Dumfries, they are such a lovely family it’s going to be heartbreaking seeing them, however it’s about us supporting them so we will do what we have to do.
Christine

7.9 two hours after my carrot n swede mash with slices beef !
Maybe it was those pea nuts I had after?
Seems I get a little over confident at times
Alan

Christine if you are anywhere near Edinburgh it would be lovely to meet up. Feel free to email me if you would like to and are able to! juliabsd18@gmail.com
If not no problem. I’m in Perthshire Saturday afternoon and evening but Edinburgh otherwise if that helps!

funny – 5:2 is how I lost most of this weight, too
but it is also when the bad reflux began
and although I have done no fasting for about a month, it is still not right
I agree I prefer this way of eating, although I liked the other way too
trouble is I am currently trying to do this AND avoid grains/gluten AND avoid reflux causing foods
which clearly isn’t working

well done you on loosing weight
also weird as I also have that ‘reverse’ psyche – as in I forget how fat I am until I see myself in a photo or a shop window
and all I see is an old fat woman – horrible

haven’t reached the dizzy heights of 85% choc yet
this was 50% coop with orange
the rest I have is ‘divine’ 70%

I understand there are new labeling rules in the UK that require net carbs , rather than gross carbs, be shown. So your fiber has already been deducted from total carbs on that label. Gross carbs=23.7; net carbs=5.6.

Well, dark chocolate IS better the. The Wispa multipack. I hope it was Green & Black’s 85% because not only is it gorgeous, it’s also pretty difficult to eat any great amount because it’s so rich. But anyway, enough of those daydreams.. You’ve lost a phenomenal lot of weight this year..bravo! I think I’m also deemed to be ‘obese’ although I must have reverse body dysmorphia because I think I look ok! But size 16 jeans don’t lie I suppose..and they were getting tight again. I lost a couple of dress sizes on the 5.2 diet, which I persevered with for 18 months even tho it was hell on earth compared to the BSD. But new boyfriend on the scene meant it was too difficult to persevere and a few too many nice dinners have taken their toll. I hope your reflux had settled down a bit tonight and the salmon was ok. Tomorrow is a new day..chin up!

Thanks! Will check out their website now. How is it all going for you? X

Sounds like great progress Catonamission!
I have that cookbook Hemsley and Hemsley sisters and loads of good ideas in it👏👏 they have a blog too with more too, really good.

Though had chicken and pesto from Michael’s book this evening and it was soooo delicious!😝
reading about a few pieces of green and black chocolate ummmm,🙊

Don’t worry about it – it is one day in 366 days this year 🙂 Start tomorrow as if it did not happen.
What I did if I found I was going to go over was to adjust the meal to the lowest carbs I could – but still made sure I had a meal that would fill me, if now the next day started with me starving and out of control.
The salad sounds a good idea, I don’t eat meat so I would have had a salad with eg feta cheese which has negligible carbs. Depending on how the chicken was cooked, it should have been the same zero carbs (ie it was not marinated in a sugary marinade) – s good choices!
The main thing to take away is that you will still have these episodes and you need to start on strategies to help you through them. Have you tried Mindfullness at all? There is a forum about it. When a stress situation erupts, a 5 minute ‘intervention’ concentrating on your breath can really help bring the stress down and then you can make less emotional food decisions.
Another trick – keep some snacks – eg nuts or cherry tomatoes with you. The tomatoes worked for me as they are quite sweet without being too sugary – keep them out of the fridge as they have no taste when eaten from the fridge, if I needed to chew on something – a few nuts helped.
Don’t beat yourself up – you have been doing well and will do so in the future.

Been totally back on it since Monday. Total off now is 9 pounds. So feel pleased I’ve managed to get back on the wagon and lose the weight I put on last weekend and then some.
Feeling good again but today very tired. Can’t believe I’ve nearly done week 2….1/4 of the way! X

Thankyou 🙂

I’ve had my dinner, I was thinking of making some carrot crisps and salsa for tonight as I’m home alone once the kids are in bed, but actually after my dinner I’m feeling pretty full. I’ve been tired today so I think an early bed and a movie perhaps is in order.

In other news… my bra’s are feeling too big lol.

hi everyone –

i have been reading the forums without posting but have decided to jump in! you’re all very inspirational!

quick little back story: five years ago i gained 50lbs; four years ago i lost 50lbs and kept it off for 3 years – in this past year, all 50 have come back & a bit more. my doctor & i have struggled to identify a cause as there have been no significant changes in diet or activity level. i am not diabetic or pre-diabetic; all my numbers are good save for weight, BMI & waist circumference. i have struggled with losing it again – despite trying the same things that worked 4 years ago. i am getting married at the end of august & really want to feel (& look!) my best. i had done heaps of reading & had decided a VLCD was my best option, and then found the BSD. read the book in one sitting & now here we are…..

day one:

weight: 209.8lbs
calories: 857
carbs: 57
breakfast: black coffee
lunch: sauteed purple cabbage, onion & garlic with chicken sausage.
dinner: ground beef with broccoli & bean sprouts
snacks: popcorn

yesterday was my day one & it went pretty okay! i felt great, but i struggle on day one of anything because i frequently think ‘i could just start tomorrow’. my living situation isn’t ideal right now and i don’t have much control over what food in the house – so temptation was everywhere!! my fiance was having a couple of beers & i would have loved one. when i finished dinner i was still really low on calories & so had some plain popcorn with coconut oil. it actually REALLY helped with the beer craving – carby but not a lot & very satisfying with the coconut oil.

the biggest thing was that i did it – i didn’t throw in the towel & say – i’ll just start tomorrow.

will check in later with today (day two)!

Hope you are enjoying your trip Happy, glad your husband is being supportive too 🙂

It’s brill. 2hrs post dinner and mine’s 11.8!! I had a veggie burger and a small bag steamed veg. I blame carrots!!

So before my dinner 6.8
Stopped all pills is this high what ?
Alan week six

OK, I had a bad day today. In other words, 975 calories instead of 800. This is partly because I had a coconut bite and a croissant this morning, because I was stressed about something, then relieved. So I know what did it. However a question: is it better to eat some protein in the evening and go over 800 calories, or not to eat in the evening at all if you will go over? I chose to eat chicken and salad because I know from past experience that if I’m hungry for a couple of hours, I will break out and eat the fridge empty. So it’s the lesser of two evils.

Anyone got any thoughts?

Just checked the milk and it has 0.1g of sugar per 100ml.

Thanks JuJu68 I managed to resist and just ended up eating the strawberries instead, one battle won!

I might buy some of that when I next go shopping, the problem comes when I’m bored at work but I’m sure I’ll get there with time.

My starting weight and goals are pretty similar to yours, well done for your amazing results, really hope I can report something great in due course lol

Hi Frog
That’s just Greeky on the strawbs! 🍓🍓🍓
Like it. 👍 😀 Hope you’re drinking plenty of Frog wine (H2o)? 💦 💦

Hi julia18togo,
I find it a useful excercise in mindfulness to think of others and being positive, it has just taken me some time to get there!
I have been in Scotland this week, while I have been wandering around various towns and cities I have wondered if I have sat next to or passed a ‘friend’ from the forum! It is another example of me taking myself out of the quandary of grief that I found myself in!
Fergus our grandson, had his last exam yesterday, history too, Callum who is 18 had his last exam on Wednesday, I’m not sure what that one was I think English? We are hoping to get back to their house at lunchtime tomorrow and take them out for an end of exam lunch.
You never know Julia we might have passed you and never knew it, or even sat next to you in a cafe or restaurant?
I hope your garden in looking lovely, you sound like you have been working hard on it, while trying not to stress about exams.
Christine

hi janey and thank you for your support
yes I am in my second week – as you no doubt guessed!

hope the chicken topping doesn’t fail, I am not very good with flavourings as cant take strong tastes

I had chocolate
not loads, nothing like an 8 wispa binge
just some dark chocolate
but my stupid reflux is playing up, is not happy with the cucumber I had for lunch with tuna mayo
can you believe it – it was ok with the chocolate later
I hate this I have never had so much trouble with throat reflux, not ever
and as soon as I find ways to lose weight this happens
not to mention my stupid head which is …….. anyway

having salmon and veg for tea with some avocado which I am hopping will soothe throat a bit
the urge to binge on rubbish is still there – especially as that ‘rubbish’ seems to cause less throat problems (I seem to be contrary to the rest of the world in this)

today is just – well – another one of ‘those’ days that I get quite a lot off
even though I am pleased with the weight I have already lost and feel better for it physically
I am about 2 stone lighter than I was at my heaviest in 2014, and 1 and half of that has been lost since jan this year
I am terrified of going back up there
I am now back to what I was in 2012 – still ‘obese’ (what a really horrid label that is)

glad you are on the same journey
it is nice to have company x

Hi !
I am about to start the 800 diet has anybody got any tips/advice etc they wish they had known at the start?

Hi Amanda I am starting monday as well as I have to cater for a family event on Sunday.
Just now trying to figure out what the shopping list will be !! i have 70lbs to lose! yikes!
you seem very prepared – I really want to start Monday so a lot to do in the next three days!! I will be checking in here for sure – so good luck !! I am a little apprehensive but really looking forward to it!!

Check the almond milk ingredients list. All those I’ve seen have far more sugar than almonds in them, so you might be having more of it than you’d realised.

Hi all, I am adding 1 tablespoon of Linwoods milled seeds at breakfast.. On the back of the latest version (flaxseed,almonds, braxil nuts, walnuts and Q10) it lists in 100 gms it has 5.6g carbs, and fibre 18.1g.. So subtract fibre from carbs to get net carbs which is minus carbs…..surely this is nonsense??? How should I be calculating??? Thanks Tofa

There was no change at the end of last week. That’s because, for a variety of reasons, I didn’t avoid carbs. I’m back on track again now and hopefully will start losing again soon.

Hi Rachel,

In my experience, there’s no such thing as one biscuit, so the strawberries are still a better bet lol! I have a tub of Fage Total Greek yoghurt in the fridge and when I get cravings I have a couple of teaspoons out of that – put some strawberries in it if you need to – but 50g of the yoghurt doesn’t add up to many calories or carbs, and the fat helps as it makes me feel satisfied. Not particularly helpful for now if you don’t have any in, but it may be useful for future reference.

And the cravings do go away if you can resist them for the first couple of weeks. Can you go out for a quick walk until the craving passes? Otherwise a hot drink might help?

Good luck – I started at 185lb and want to reach 160lb, and at five weeks in I’ve lost 15lb, 10.5 of which were in the first two weeks. The weight loss is static at the moment but I’ve lost 4″ from my belly, and 2 from hips and waist and previously tight clothes are becoming too big now. Keep going, it works!

Oh I like this thread…going to be quiet and read/listen/absorb for now! thanks all

Hi Tallyhoo

Welcome to the club 😃 Those are great results. You’ll reach that target by your holiday 😃 Hope you get rid of the Metformin soon!

Hi ay caramba. Looking forward to you officially joining us on Monday😃

Hi, why you may ask am I starting on Monday and not today and why am I letting everyone know. Well I think if I am going to achieve this somewhat daunting task of only 800 calories I need to be organized. So I have been looking at recipes and doing the calorie math’s – I need to know what I will be eating each day or the “inner monkey” will start to take over and I know snacking will occur. I also want to share with others what I am trying to achieve. If I comment to friends that I need to loose weight I’m reminded that I am tall (?), that I am active, that I shouldn’t worry about it. However as each year passes I add another stone and this needs to stop. I think friends/relatives may stop really seeing you, so don’t really see the extra weight – or is it the failing eyesight!!!! I would so value your support and understanding as to why I am about to start this journey and in a way have others to be accountable to. I have 50lbs to loose and a lot to gain. I’ve worked out how to make sure I get to move each hour of my working day – which is sedentary, have downloaded a mindfulness app, and spent the past hour finding a Yoga DVD – so that I can gradually build in more exercise during my day as well a try to calm the mind a bit. If anyone else is at the start of their journey and would like to “virtually” buddy up that would be great, but also understand that for some this may need to be a solitary journey. I wont be online every day, but hope to be every couple of days. Hope to meet you all soon, Amanda

Really struggling today not to give in to the voice in my head telling me to just have a biscuit!!

I’ve tried everything to distract myself…drinking loads of water snacking on some nuts…my last attempt might be eating a whole box of strawberries but there is probably as much sugar in that as there is in the one biscuit arghhh

Funnily enough Bissell, I have been to Tesco this afternoon. I compared 2 packets of what appeared to be identical pumpkin seeds, and both Tesco brand, just slightly different packets. One stated 593kcals/4.7g carbs, and the other just as you said.
Bizarre!

I was lurking and thinking after my birthday, the weekend away, the holiday – and realised that for me, I’d be finding occasions to put it off for for a long long while, so bit the bullet and started on 17 May.
So, I may have a couple of less healthy days nutritionally within the 8 weeks, but by my birthday at the end of the month I’ll be twelve days in, and hopefully the weight loss at that point will spur me on not to go completely mad with cake, champagne, pizza…. (well that’s the theory!)

Choosing where to go for lunch on one of my birthday celebrations, I was looking at the menu of a local Korean restaurant and as long as you avoid eating too much rice or noodles, it looks pretty healthy.

Thank you so much for your encouragement I don’t intend to give up I’m a bit stubborn like that. I haven’t actually found the diet hard I have not had any snacking in between meals. I’m quite a plain eater and have found myself mostly having chicken with veg or salad, feta cheese with salad and eggs mushrooms and beans. Fruit has been apples pears or berries. I allow myself one glass of cordial on a night which is 27 calories however does contain sugar could this be the problem, other than that I’m drinking lots of plain water and 2cups of tea with almond milk. X

there must be a BSD equivalent of “icing on the cake” – “Greek Yoghurt on the strawberries”?
“Full fat Greek Yoghurt on the strawberries”?

Don’t be disheartened My week 2 was abysmal as well in fact the first 3 weeks (weight wise) was slow then all of a sudden it took off what I looked at was that my blood sugar came down from 27 (fasting) to 9 in the 8 weeks and that is what spurred me on – Before I did this diet I injected insulin twice a day and for 4 months I have had NONE and I’m nearly 2 stone lighter. Believe me it gets easier, its taken me 10 years to get here and this diet is the only thing that has EVER worked – Please keep trying it will come off. Good Luck x Sue

Well, the Tescos ones are 618kcal and 10.7g carbohydrate per 100g! So I would guess that all are around 550 – 600 kcal but as to the carbohydrate, it’s any ones guess!
On the positive side, I don’t suppose you are going to eat 100g? So, say, 10g would be about 60kcal and only 1 or 2 g carbohydrate at worse!

Hi all! I had to laugh (although I know it’s not funny because it is imbued with so much psychic worry) when I read Bumblebee’s question; can we count the day we strayed from the diet as one of the days of our eight weeks on the BSD? I literally obsessed over that question in my first eight weeks, and I kept a separate tally of the days I went markedly over the 800 calorie line. I had a variety of ideas about what to do about them — repeat those days or do a whole new 8 weeks and get it “right” this time or…just do the number of days to even out the calories etc…😜😜 I even had a small but growing list at the bottom of my calendar page where I recorded each day with ideas about how to pay back those calories. Oy vey!! Here’s what happened: at 8 weeks I had lost so much weight anyway that my pants were literally falling off and lost eight inches at the waist so it just didn’t matter anymore. And, as icing on the cake (so to speak), I wanted to keep going and I’m on week 11 and although I am not as strict, I have changed my mental state so much that it has become almost second nature to be on the BSD. I fully realized that enormous change last week when I had a ridiculously stressful day, then just as I was settling in for the evening, got an emergency phone call from a family member needing help and at long last, late in the evening heading home I thought to myself, I really deserve a sweet (probably chocolate) and I’m going to stop and get something, but when I got there I just didn’t want it so I went home and went to bed instead. Up til now, if I for one second gave myself permission to eat sweets, there was no stopping it til I was probably almost sick on sugar. But there I was, just free from the demand of my body and brain. I knew then that I have truly changed.

Hi Jul, you sound so fed up! Please don’t allow your discouragement make you give up. Can I ask what you’ve been eating? It may be you are sticking to the right no. of calories, but need to tweak your choice of foods. I have cut out potatoes of all kinds, bread, rice and pasta. I don’t eat any low fat stuff. Yoghurt, humous etc is all full fat. I’ve been eating fish in bucket loads – salmon, tuna, tinned sardines in tomatoe sauce. Plenty of veg with lean cuts of meat, eggs, porridge oats and nuts and fresh berries in puds and for snacking. I’ve not once felt hungry, and it’s working! I’m pretty fanatical about weighing myself. Before I started on the diet I weighed myself (late evening). On the morning I started my diet, I took my weight again, as it’s always different first thing! Some folk like to do a weigh in once a week, but I find my weight can fluctuate quite a bit, so I check it mornig and night EVERY day. That way, I can see the weight coming off, and it’s not hidden by those inevitable days when you have a bit of bloating or are carrying extra fluid. If you do feel like snacking between meals, make it something healthy, and drink lots of water (that’s something I find particularly difficult). On reading other posts, I have seen EVERYONE has weeks where their weight is not shifting. It happened to me week 2 of the diet, but continued in week 3 (I’m now 12lb lighter). Keep at it – it WILL happen! Good luck! X

No, no, no! Come on girl, get your head together. You’ve already shown you can do this, especially with your recipe ideas (which I will shamelessly copy where the gram crusted chicken is concerned) so take a deep breath, grab a handful of almonds (my solution to a chocolate craving) and tell yourself you’re better than a muffin! Like you, I’m not diabetic (yet) but I DO have an unhealthy interest in sugar and carbs.. And that’s not going to do me OR my waistline any favours as I get older. If I can kick the habit.. So can you. By the way I’m only on week 2 so don’t think you’re being preached at by a long term success story! 😃

Stopped that januvia pill at start of 8 weeks, reduced then stopped metformin altogether now
So not seen doc or nurse,may get a telling off but what the hell.
BS seems to be reducing I’ve got that Beurer app for bs and BP also weight so see it as a graph and list
BP doing well too
It’s spiked few times but pleased with readings of just over 6 lately,I don’t know what a scary reading looks like !

If it’s mainly below 7.2 with sixes thrown in and reducing I’ll carry on regardless.

Stuck to the food plan some wine and maybe calories over few times but zero carbs now in week 6

Would recommend this diet to anyone needing help with blood sugar control

Amazing I am now in normal range latest blood test 6.1. Best news ever I do not have to go into medication.

Hi

I’m Julia, I’m just waiting for my book to arrive and then I am starting the process of getting myself more healthy. My dad is Type 2, my aunt has also recently been diagnosed and I want to act before it gets even more out of hand. I’m an emotional comfort eater, the last year has been horrendous and the pounds have piled on, I have a lot to lose but trying not to let that phase me. I’m iron deficient (in the process of trying to get this sorted) and my constant tiredness leaves me craving carbs for the quick energy fix but then the evitable crash comes, I’ve got to break that cycle and get my eating habits back in check (I’m a grazer, which worries me on how I’m going to plan my 800 calories!). I’m not very imaginative in the kitchen so have been scouring the website for recipes that aren’t too complicated!

I’m sure I’ll be back with questions and looking for reassurance. Many of your stories have inspired me and hopefully in time I will be able to inspire others.

Julia

Today is day 3…still haven’t managed to have a day below 800 but have stuck below 1000 which is better than nothing and like someone previously mentioned the cut in carbs should have a good impact.

I have being tempted by the biscuit tin at work all week and was very close to giving in, I even had a good look at which one I would eat haha but just reminded myself that those biscuits helped get me in this mess in the first place!

I brought in some snacks today in case of emergency cravings as at least it would be better than those biscuits.

Day 3:

Breakfast: Raspberry Yoghurt from ‘the collective’ range (was running late this morning so bought this on my way to work)

Lunch: Crayfish Salad

Dinner: Courgetti Bolognese (currently obsessed)

Snacks: Carrot sticks and hummus and I have some strawberries in case I start with the sweet tooth cravings again

Really looking forward to end of week 1 weigh in, hoping my results are as impressive as the ones I’ve been reading on here 🙂

Hi Alanhypno, Just wondering if you came off your meds by yourself? (I.e. no GP intervention?) I’ve halved my Metformin but am now on week 11. I daren’t take the big step of going med free though!!