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!!

Hi all, been searching through the forums and can’t find anything on sucralose. Also looked through my book and can’t find anything so I am hoping to draw on your expertise.

Can having one protein shake in the morning that has sucralose in it as a sweetener impact on the weight loss? I was having it in week one but still lost weight, now week two have hardly lost anything and I don’t know if its the shake or simply not drinking enough water and exercising.

Thanks Eureka,

Breakfast done, lunch done – one more meal to go! almost there….phew!

Lucky a meeting from 2 – 4 so that’s two hours less to worry about.

Tonight I will treat myself to a steak and salad dinner for being good – already calculated it, written it in pen so its (almost) a done deal.

Hi Eureka,
Thanks for the great tips! I just weighted and no water retention soninshoukd be good. Our flight was only 1.5 hours this time.
I only added rice at docs advice for the tummy issue and still keeping the carbs under 50 except yesterday. Rice doesn’t seem to be helping at all son probably won’t try it again today. My carbs were always 35 until I added 3 T of rice which is only another 6 carbs.
Your trip sounds awesome and Ineant to do that one day as well!!
💜

well that all sounded astonishingly enthusiastic didn’t it

today I feel really really rubbish
its my stupid head – I know

but all my passion for this has gone and although I have not gone crazy on anything – YET – it is a big likelihood

I am not diabetic – but I have issues with wheat etc so have been trying so hard and today
well today I don’t want to try
I don’t want to have any of it
I need sugar and lots and I hate being like this I really don’t want to fail yet again

Well done to be keeping going – you can tell I am not checking forums enough ! I ought to be shackled to the desk too but I took the afternoon off since older daughter has exam tomorrow – thought it best to relieve my mum who was here this morning!
I need to do some planting but the weather is not looking good and I am knackered. But I think I will get myself out anyway as it will help me not to wallow in self pity following the cake episode (talk about catastrophic eating – think I ought to run courses in what that means 😊)

Hi HappyLife
Hope your tummy settles down. Watch the rice, it’s simple carbs! If you’re sitting for long stretches remember to circle your feet/ ankles & stretch your feet out & pull back.
Also try this: stand up & hold onto the back of a chair with one hand. Step forward onto a flat foot. Your other foot with toes bent stays in contact with the floor. Rock backwards & forwards. So, right foot flat forwards – left foot on toes. Rock back & left foot flat & right foot on heel! Get it? Stretch your legs all the way up. Now take another step & swap exercise on the other leg. Eg left foot flat & right foot on toes & rock backwards – right foot flat, left foot heel! Rock for a few steps & see how you go, but hold on to the chair or worktop.
This is a Tai Chi move I was told would help my mum who had kidney problems. It certainly helped her release her water retention. I really must get back to Tai Chi!!

I’m going coast to coast in Canada. A mix of cities & Rockies. Finish in Vancouver. I’ve waited 54yrs to go there. Can’t wait

Hi Julie to go 18,
Four blogs yesterday here.
Had a nosey in the vets section.

Yoghurt and strawberries.

Lunch chicken and peppers

Left over chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed with a little cheese. And broccoli as I am missing Bill 1954.

Only lost one pound this week, I mutter bout giving it all up, us it worth it, but then I remember how miserable I was, and I say I don’t care about the number on the scales ( with crossed figures)
I am happier and fitter than I have ever been.

What you doing this afternoon as I am shackled to my desk?
Xxx
Love lucia

Thanks heaps Stacey for the information. The slow cooker method suits me as well. As I work long hours it certainly helps to be organized for the week ahead!

Hi Christine
Thanks for the message. Exams almost done. History tomorrow and then just Spanish to go (but that one doesn’t really matter as she’s bilingual so no stress!). She’s doing National 5s here in Scotland – I think maybe because they are the 1st she has done she has found it all so stressful. I hope next year we have fewer tears! Personally I will be opening a good bottle of Rioja when she is done!
Hope things are easier your end now – lovely of you to be thinking of others when you had such a blow yourself.
Julia

Sooo,
I had a large bowl of cornflakes and three slices of toast.
The for lunch I had a large bag of crisps, and a ready made bowl of pasta with sweetcorn etc….
Struggled to eat it all…
Then,,,,,,,
Then……
Then,,,,,
Thank god I woke up??😢😪😥😪😥😢😪😪😥😪😥
Phew.
Another close shave.
Love Lucia
Xxxxx

Hi Lucia
I am missing you – everything ok? It’s quiet with Judith and others absent/away.. and I have been too busy to post much recently. I solved the cat poo problem – had extra pebbles left over from path in back garden so I have added them around the bed with the new plants. They don’t use the area as their 4 star toilet now all the compost is covered up! But I so liked the idea of the toy snake I thought I might hide one among the ferns anyway!

I have just had my lunch and I have been a bad girl. Been baking for a charity concert and just ate not one or even 2 slices but 3 huge bits of apricot and almond cake… and I had the idea of heating it in microwave and adding ice cream on the side😀

It was yummy but I am now kicking myself as I have been out running more and today will have undone the good work. Back to better behaviour at dinner time. I may stick to miso soup if I can.

Daughter has started a paper round before school and I am jogging (puffing) behind her while she whizzes along on her bike😊

How is your puddle splashing going and what are you eating today?

I started on 17 May as well – first attempt, although I did start a low sugar diet in January, but only kept to it for all of six weeks!
the good thing is that I only put back on 2 of the 5 kg that I lost, so not too bad!
When I read the BSD book, I analysed my food log from that six weeks, I calculated that on average just over half the calories came from food high in carbs, so 800 looks achievable.
Doing OK so far – bit hungryish now, but I didn’t have breakfast.
The BBC did an interesting program at the start of the year (I think it was “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor’) where they did some trials of people not eating breakfast, and not eating late at night, so effectively getting a longer daily fasting period – it debunked the ‘don’t skip breakfast myth’ – and seems to be working well for me so far – just as well because breakfast (pre BSD) nearly always involved toast!

Have started the 8 week Blood Sugar Diet this week, but as I am prone to migraine quite a but of food recommended is out of bounds for me .. nuts .. loads of fruit (seems apart from the high sugar ones I love!) cheese of any kind & chocolate – which is not allowed! So I was wondering would it be advisable to take a vitamin suppliment whilst on the diet? Looking forward to losing weight – even though its nearly 10 stone and even better getting my blood sugar under control .. before my husband!! – he is on tablets to keep sugar under control and says I will never succeed.

I have been doing the BSD now for 11 days I was a sugar fiend but have found giving it up quite easy however I’m sticking to a calorie controlled diet of around 800calories and I am eating healthier than ever however I have only lost just over 1 pound and I am devastated I feel like I am trying so hard but nothing is happening.

Yippee for you!! Great job!! Thank goodness you found your tape measure!!
So happy for you!!!

Hi bumblebee
Much better thinking. Good get beezzy! 🐝🐝🐝

Week 3 day 6 (overall day 20)

Well I only slept 4.5 hours again. I need so little sleep on this diet it’s nuts. Hope I take a nap later. Got up at 3:30 am.
Hoping I don’t have the major tummy issues again today. Took 3 servings of pepto bismal and will continue for the trip unless I need something more serious to take – I hope not.
Thank God I have the best hubby ever!

Today I will stick to plain fish and a little rice with vegies. Found a couple restaurants that look to serve that here.

Weigh in day tomorrow. So far this week I lost 4 lbs but traveling always makes me retain a lot of water so we will see.

Fingers crossed its a good tummy day on our travels.

Hi joy4life, glad I’m not the only one, so let’s show them we can do this!
Day 3 and it’s not so bad. Felt very hungry not long after breakfast, but I drank lots of water and it passed. I’ve noticed that I’m starting to feel jittery and shaky like my bs is too low, but I checked it and it’s 11.9 so I’m guessing it’s just carb withdrawal. I won’t give in, you can shake rattle and roll all you want, but you hear me bs, you WILL submit to my demands and return to normal! Will eat lunch when I’m actually hungry, not just because ‘it’s time’.

Hi Eureka,
Best of luck on your Canada trip!! Where are you going? We’ve only been to Vancouver but love it!
We do always take a cooler bag with a frozen ice pack to keep the food cold. Fully frozen ice packs are allowed through security. We boil and peel 4-5 boiled a eggs and put pepper and salt on them. In another container we put salmon we made with a little rice. That way if the flight is delayed we have food and we just ate it when we got off the plane since the flight was fine. They offered food on the plane but we just said no thanks even though it was healthy. Because we didn’t want to overeat and knew we were going out to dinner.
You will do fine I just know it!
💜

Just bought a packet of pumpkin seeds from Lidl. (they are green in colour, but the packet does not state if they are roasted, dried etc.)
The nutritional information on the packet states that 100g contains 569kcal, and 1.9g carbs.
However, if you look at Calorie King for example, it says 100g contains 540kcal and 17.8g carbs.
My Fitness Pal is different again. and just googling “calories in pumpkin seeds” brings up yet more conflicting values.
Which am I to go by??

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Thanks soooo much for the loving, supporting and comforting words! I’ve been good so far and don’t want to eat yukkies.

I woke up and planned meals for the day so I feel in control – I even wrote them in PEN today so I can’t erase or make changes, my silly phone doesn’t have enough memory for my fitness pal so my goal this payday I am going to buy myself a new phone. Means I don’t save a single penny but my health and sanity is more important and if I’m healthy and clear headed I can work harder and who knows hit target and get a bonus 🙂

I used to do Banting/LCHF for a while before – from looking at my food diary since Monday I can see I had little to no fat in my food so that was more likely than not the trigger for hunger mad bee!

9 more days….then I can do it all correctly and program my fitness pal to count protein grams, carb grams and fat grams and calories and water and and and and….yay!

Hugs! you’ve been awesome thank you – I felt like I was having a serious meltdown!

Hi Bumblebee
Dry your eyes & powder your nose! Your human, that’s all. We’ve had ‘bad’ food habits for decades. It just takes time to turn things around. The point is you want to. We can’t make anyone want this new way of eating/life. You/they/we all have to want to do this for ourselves. So stop berating yourself, come on jump back on the wagon, you know the route. 😀

Have just really enjoyed a carton of Icelandic Skyr, which I suppose is most like cream cheese. It came in a carton and I ate it with a spoon!

the 170gm carton was 104 calories, 6 carbs, 19 protein!!!, 53 sodium. No fat. I really enjoyed it as it was, but it would be great on lettuce, or rolled up in smoked salmon or ham. Really creamy.

Well worth seeking out.

Hi Bill
Snap! Good with ginger too. Just microwaved mine.
It’s nice getting new holiday clothes isn’t it. ☀️ ✈️ Very well done. Have great time in June

Hi bumblebee, you were really good eating one of your meals, still in control.. See my post re last weekend, I was very bad!! Now I’m OK again.I didn’t weigh for 3 days, I was just really good for 3 days, then weighed, and I was 3 pounds down. Just accept it as a blip, and carry on with your 8 weeks.

Please don’t be upset, put that out of your mind, start again NOW as normal, (I just tried to keep carbs lower than usual, about 30g).

Have you tried Marigold bouillon? It is a low cal/carb thin soup, you mix a teasp with hot water and could have a cup when hungry, might help?

I too play around with My Fitness Pal, seeing what I can eat for lowest carbs. A big stir fry with good veg is filling.

We’re all human and there will be blips at times, but we can all overcome them and carry on xx

Hi, I’ve also upped the water and am on sparkling with sliced lemon/limes.
I’ve recently, first time in my life, been suffering with constipation so thought the extra fluids might help. (I’m not complaining tho ‘cos for me for the last 5 years I’ve been “going” up to 6 times a day all due to Metformin, so once a day now for me is a dream!). Week 11 for me and still at it!

Stacey how exciting that your husband gets to see a big change all at once! Almost worth him being away for a while.

Hi Bumblebee
Today is over, just pick up where you left off as of now, not tomorrow. No going back to day 1, no eating less calories to make up for it, just get back on the wagon and move forward.
For me, this is my new life as this is the chance for a healthy me forever, not just 8 weeks.
You can do it, I know you can😀
Linda

Hi bumblebee
I did exactly the same yesterday, I was out all day and didn’t plan my eating properly, so by the time 7pm came around I was ravenous and ate a kfc! It was the ‘healthiest’ option available to me at the time but it took my calorie count way over. But you know what? I’m not going to beat myself up about it, it’s one day. So today I will be back on track, and I’ll learn that next time I need to plan it better. And no I don’t think it means you have to start all over again, just chalk it up to experience and move forward.

I’m jealous Bill – when I finally move and have a garden, growing rhubarb is first on my list!

I love ginger with rhubarb too, but didn’t think I had any – this morning I spotted some of those tiny packets of ginger slices left over from ITSU sushi in the fridge – I’ll have to look and see if they add anything to it, but the whole packet is only 6g including the plastic, so it can’t be too horrendous. I’ll make the next batch soon!

Without sugar/stevia added, I love rhubarb as a vegetable too – it’s great with smoked mackerel.

I bought a cabbage the other day, planning to make coleslaw with home made mayonnaise, but it’s huge, so I might look at trying sauerkraut as well.
Hoping that my spiraliser arrives today!
Just realised that we very quickly drifted away from the thread of supermarket foods!

Today is another day 🙂

Congratulations on not stuffing yourself with cream cakes or crisps or chips, you had a wonderful success with a home-cooked meal and some Babybels – great choices!

As far as I am concerned, your 8 week journey continues, and you should just carry on planning for 800 calories, and probably over the time this very minor blip will average out! After all, you were only 427 calories over, which would be about 7 days of 740 calories! No worries!

However, if you really got the munchies, perhaps you should look at your food via something like My Fitness Pal, and see if you are giving yourself enough fat to make up for the lesser calories? Don’t forget you need to keep it balanced. I found it really helpful to enter my food in, and make decisions about how many grams of carbs and so on.

Good luck and you are a success, not a failure!

Wow, Whalleyrange you’re doing so well!

I find Magnesium in a powder really good for constipation, might be worth a try?

Am drinking loads of sparkling water (I hope no one tells me there’s something bad about it!!:-))) with lime or lemon – really nice and easy to drink a lot.

I’m on day 4 YAYY 🙂

Love rhubarb! So nice with some ginger in it too.

So far (only day 4 so hopefully will have loads more suggestions along the way!) I found radishes really good – just on their own, they are so nice. Maybe it’s because they’re a nice bright red colour and circular and remind me of sweets 😉 I bring some to work.

Also eating lots of sauerkraut – basically pickled cabbage but it’s delicious with fish and really filling and low in calories and high in fiber. We make our own but you can get in the supermarket too as long as not loads of extra stuff put in. (Myfitnesspal says it has high level of salt which might be bad for some people, though the homemade stuff doesn’t – it’s v easy to make, tutorials on youtube) Who knew cabbage was so delicious 😉

So I went over my 800 cals yesterday – I was so hungry and I realised its the afternoon coffee I had made me insane with hunger to the point I could have eaten the paper cup!!!!.

Luckily I told myself – bee if you’re hungry eat your food don’t eat rubbish! So I ate one of my home cooked meals then had 3 baby babybels and a cup of tea. total for the day added up to 1227 calories.

I weighed myself this morning – I didn’t put on weight thank goodness but wanted to know does this mean I’ve got to start counting Day 1 from Today to get to 8 weeks? or….Do I eat lesser calories the next few days to make up for the extras from yesterday? I’m so sad and upset I cried myself to sleep from guilt – luckily its spring/summer so I can come in to work and pretend its ‘allergies’ that gave me puffy eyes!

Just harvested some lovely rhubarb from the garden.
Guess what’s for pudding tonight 🙂