Latest forum posts

  • posted by  joy4life on Today is the first day of my healthy life
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Hi – we are in the same boat. Today was day 2 of my second attempt. I have re-read the BSD book, in which I have underlined the important parts to help me keep on track. I bought a Garmin watch which tracks my steps and I am over the 10,000 daily requirement. I don’t enjoy doing complicated recipes, so I just cook / make meals from scratch, simple being the key. I did the quiz on sugar dependency and my score was very high, plus I am not getting any younger! The e-newsletter is a good read and has a great couple of links. I am keeping a food / exercise diary and being brutally honest; yesterday 811 calories and today 805 calories. So my first and most challenging two days are done; should be able to get into day 3 with a small amount of confidence that this will not be as hard as I imagine 🙂 🙂 🙂 Good luck and keep posted us all on your progress.

  • posted by  keeptrying on How important is the water??
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    hi
    just to add I agree with the person who said the more you drink the more thirsty you get – at least that is what I find with water
    and I ALSO see it as washing the fat out

    I wonder if this increase in healthy fibre is doing something too as I seem incredibly thirsty at the moment
    I have already had 3 litres of water today
    interestingly I don’t think I have gone to the loo much more than I normally do (which is a lot by most peoples standards anyway)

  • posted by  Imogen on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Good grief – I have started to repeat myself!! Thought first reply had not registered,so wrote another – duh!

    Imogen🌻

  • posted by  Imogen on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Good grief – I have start red to repeat myself!! Thought first reply had not registered,so wrote another – duh!

    Imogen🌻

  • posted by  RachelBSD on My 8 week journey
    on in Fast 800
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    So enough is enough, after being told by the doctor that my blood sugar levels are dangerously high I think it’s time I do something about it…so here I am starting 8 weeks of BSD…

    Starting Weight 184lbs
    Goal Weight 161lbs

    Day 1 food diary:

    Breakfast: yoghurt with toasted almond flakes
    Lunch: chicken and lentil soup
    Dinner: BSD fish pie recipe

    Not been too hungry for day 1 surprisingly…off to start day 1 at the gym…here goes…

  • posted by  Imogen on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi Lucia,

    How’s things? Enjoying your evening?

    Maybe you could sing to your plants – apparently plants respond well to music..🌻🌻🌻

    X

  • posted by  Izzy on Izzy's 8 week diary :)
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    yes I find I need good arch support for a proper walk! I try to get my 10000 every day but I am under sometimes, but the longer walks keep my average high enough!

    just finishing my soup before going to pick my friend up.

    todays news… I need to find my belt for my work trousers.

    I had a few cashews and they tasted really sweet, is this my tastes changing? I wonder?!

  • posted by  Lucia on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
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    I may just put my head out the Kitchen door later and talk to my new plants.

    Grow or else!!

    The blossom on the cherry blossom tree, has given way to a pile of new leaves, oh well, it was nice while it lasted.
    …. But next doors was bigger and better.
    Maybe next year…
    Send in the clowns, there ought to be clowns, just when I stopped opening doors…. 🎼🎧🎧🎧🎼🎧🎼🎧🎼🎼🎼🎧🎼🎼
    La la la 🎼🎼🎧🎼🎧🎼🎧🎼🎧🎼🎼🎼
    Love Lucia
    Xxxxx

  • posted by  Lucia on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Feels like rain too, rats,!!!
    Have to pull my wellies on later💦💦💧☔️☂☔️💧💧☔️☔️💧☂☔️💦💦💦💦💧☔️☂☂💧💧
    Those colours are nice together,
    Xxxxx
    Love lucia

  • posted by  Lucia on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    I am in a floppy mood today.
    How is everyone else.
    I need a zap of energy, anyone got any spare energy?
    Please wrap in a damp brown paper bag and mail it to me.

    May just chill -ax tonight.
    Do a bit of crafting.

    Read a few blogs.

    May stalk Bill 1954 now he has deserted me for a younger make. Oh well……..💔💔💔💔💔
    Love Lucia
    Xxxx

  • posted by  Lucia on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Cucumbers?
    Yummy, where do you live, I am on my way, if you leave them in the garden
    🍆🍅🍑🍐🍓🍯🌽🍯🍈🍍🍖🍑🍇🍠🍞🍓🍑🍯🍈🍓🍉🍓🍉🍈
    Love Lucia
    Xxxx

  • posted by  Stephie63 on How important is the water??
    on in Fast 800
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    Are fruit teas ok? Like Not_Thirsty I don’t drink tea, very rarely drink coffee, and over the years I’ve trained myself to not drink much at all as in my job I can’t just nip to the loo when I feel like it. If I drink 500ml a day I’m doing well. But I do like fruit flavoured teas, just wondering if they’re a problem as they do taste quite sweet.

  • posted by  Eureka on How important is the water??
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi all
    Yep it’s hard to increase your fluid to the necessary 2 – 3 litres. Like Not_thirsty, I don’t drink tea or coffee – don’t like it. My hot drink ( not often) was cocoa!!! Go figure! I’ve also stopped drinking milk some time ago as I felt it was disagreeing with me. So my choices are already limited.
    I choose water & get fed up with it too sometimes. I know when I’ve not drunk enough. My urine is dark ( it should by pale straw in colour if you are really hydrated). I get a ‘fuzzy’ head. I even think my eyes are a bit prone to blurring vision too. I’m Type 2 Diabetic so should keep properly hydrated anyway.
    I have a tonic water & ice everyday & sometimes a soda & ice. I have the odd glass of wine with food but always with more water!
    Keep drinking folks. Don’t forget the water bills you are paying!

  • posted by  dizzy030 on Can I use barley to replace lentils?
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi! I have just started the Fast 800 diet and have been using recipes from the book to find my feet. There is a recipe for spicy chicken and lentils, which uses 200g green lentils. Does anyone know if it would be OK to swap them with barley instead? I know barley has a low GI, but am not sure if it’s suitable for the diet. Any help would be appreciated!

  • posted by  Tofa on Fasting blood glucose level
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi all, after a light yogurt snack before bed wake up at 6.45a.m. and blood sugar level is 5.2. After half an hour in bed with very weak black tea (morning cuppa) check blood glucose level again and its 4.6, which I much prefer of course!! Looking back over my readings 7.30 am always produces a more optimistic level than 6.45 am.???? Very odd, any explanation? ?Also the mornings I go to the gym after breakfast it would seem my readings of “2 hours after eating breakfast ” are higher than when I don’t exercise on at least a few occasions. Any thoughts please. ? Thanks Tofa

  • posted by  Tofa on Slimline tonic water
    on in BSD Med Style Low Carb
    permalink

    Hi Skywalker, thanks for reply…I am now finishing 8 weeks and planning fast 1 day a week but maintain BSD for life, counting carbs but not calories as I have v low BMI….will only be having a drink of alcohol once every 3 weeks ish. I guess a few awful additives on occasion won’t kill me, however haven’t done it yet as craving has passed!!!!. Tofa

  • posted by  HappyLife on Happy Life – 8 wk diary
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    More great news!!
    Tummy is normal today!!
    Hmm. I added 3T rice last night so seems that worked and carbs were still well under 50.
    Hallelujah! One day before my trip my tummy is better.
    And I am down 15 lbs.
    And I just tried on all my shirts to take and they are all swimming on me but I am taking them as they will never be able to be worn when I get back since I will most likely lose more.
    💜

  • posted by  FoFi on Weighing yourself
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Pick a point on the bathroom floor and weigh yourself in that same point every time. Make sure that all four feet of the scales are in contact with the floor. The weight loss you measure will give you a good idea of your loss, even if the absolute number isn’t accurate.

  • posted by  Befoon88 on Day one, hunger/craving.
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Hi Frog,
    Love the name, I love frogs. Have a frog pond in my garden and a little statue that makes me smile.
    Steak! How many calories is that?
    I’ve been at work all day should be finished but in a BIG que at a&e. Big sad face 🙁 poor cats (and me) will be starving.
    I’m off for 2 days when I get home , very worried about managing not to eat, as you say I’ll have to keep busy.

  • posted by  Frog on Day one, hunger/craving.
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Purry cat must have been so rewarding Befoon – mine was very purry when I had steak just now!
    First day today – made a huge ratatouille and set up a spreadsheet, waiting for a spiralizer to arrive!
    Quite busy with lots of stuff to do today – bonus of being active and not tempted by sitting around thinking about food.

  • posted by  MrD on My Journey (starting 5/12)
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Just wanted to chime in with some positive reinforcement. I too tried the 500 calorie diet twice. It was a difficult diet to complete as well as maintain. So now I’m right here with you just starting this new eating regime.
    I have completed just 4 days and so far I’m not starving, but I do find myself hungry. I have a terrible habit of all or nothing. It is difficult to admit, but I have absolutely no self control and I had to rid my cabinets of anything that would remotely tempt me.

    I like you’re attitude of “today is a new day”. When I start to think about all of the negative things – “I ate too many carbs, not enough fat/protein, I didn’t walk enough steps, etc”. I stop and I flip statements around, I made it through the day without drinking a soda (which is rare), I took some steps today and I’ll try to add some tomorrow, I absolutely did my best today and I’ll keep working tomorrow.

    I’m preaching to the choir, but don’t beat yourself up too much. You have made the first step which is awesome. You are trying your best and you are committed to your future. Just keep focusing on your positive steps, always acknowledge where you feel you need to improve, but try not to dwell or punish yourself for it.

  • posted by  Christi1948 on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi julia18togo,
    We visited our daughter yesterday, she has two sons doing exams at the moment, (in Scotland) they finish their exams this week, I was wondering how you were doing with your families exams, is it still stressful, I’m not sure at what stage you are at, as we only have the Scottish lot doing exams, English lot aren’t old enough yet!
    I hope you are managing the kids and the exam stress, I’m afraid I have fallen massively off the wagon again today, will get back on the bsd asap!
    I’m sure you will be doing ok, I was just sat here thinking about you and the exams. It does us good sometimes to think of others trial and tribulations.
    Christine

  • posted by  thepolly on How important is the water??
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    I’ve sort of plateaued for what seems a while now and I really think it’s because I’m not drinking enough. Need to start writing down how many pints I’m drinking. I find it easier to measure that way – good luck all in keeping yourselves topped up

  • posted by  thepolly on Izzy's 8 week diary :)
    on in Starting the BSD
    permalink

    Well done HappyLife on being organised while away – i’m sure it helps a lot. I tend to throw stuff on the scales as I go along and then see how many myfitnesspal tells me i have left in the day. Not having a good day foodwise as I bought a dip thing that was very high calorie and have eaten it all. The sugar content wasn’t very bad in it though.

    Izzy you are putting my feeble walking attempts to shame although I did have a nice 4.8 mile walk yesterday which mapmywalk informed me was over 13k steps. I need to get new trainers as my current ones are vivo barefoot and since i’ve not been walking so much in general lately, the utter flatness of the soles and lack of padding in them is causing me to get blisters – very annoying.

  • posted by  HappyLife on 'Weigh in' thread
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    It’s not weigh in day yet but I am in shock. It’s week 3 day 4 and in 17 days I have lost 15 lbs with 3 in the last 3 days.
    It’s a lifestyle already like so many have said.
    I do notice that I eat less carbs than most as I eat about 30-35 a day when I check my daily logs. It seems it works for me.
    Week 2 the scale went up and down all week but I lost 3 lbs in the end.
    Fingers crossed this all keeps me sane so I remember it works when the plateaus hit. 💜

  • posted by  HappyLife on Happy Life – 8 wk diary
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Week 3 day 4
    I am in shock!! In 17 days I have now lost 15 lbs. I weigh less than I have in a couple years! And it’s been so easy!

    What’s good:
    My legs swished when I walked this morning! Ha. It’s the little things!

    What’s working:
    It seems I eat a lot less carbs than most people as my daily come to around 30-35. Guess that works for me.

  • posted by  bumblebee on New to the 800 Kal Diet
    on in Fast Exercise
    permalink

    Hi SkyWalker,

    Just reading on what you said – fat burning mode = fasting over 12 hours per night. A bit silly but just asking to make sure – If I have dinner at 7:30pm and then breakfast the next morning at 9am would that be ok?

  • posted by  niblet on Pear drops!
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    A nurse friend has spoken to me worried that my breath has smelled of peardrops for over a week (more or less the length of time I’ve been on BSD 800. Should I be worried? I guess it’s ketosis but is it normal in this diet? Or, should I up my carbs?

  • posted by  guthlac on Great success but turning sour
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    I don’t know of any medics who have any knowledge in this. My diabetes nurse couldn’t believe my results and is ‘preaching the gospel’ to all and my gp said he’ll have to look into it for himself as he is also type2. To be fair, I still have ten or eleven kilos to lose to get into normal BMI range and that might be the issue. I only ever seem to put weight on around my middle and that’s where its all sitting at the moment. I know that if my B’S goes up I’ll be under pressure to start using GLP-1 injectable drugs, which I’m very unhappy about because they stimulate insulin secretion, whereas I really want to increase my insulin sensitivity. With this in mind I’ve also started intermittent fasting as a move on from the 5:2, as per Jason Fung’s book. I think the hardest thing for me is that when I heard of the blood sugar diet and its successes it gave me a sense of hope and motivation to do something but now I have this feeling of that hope trickling away into futility. I am trying to stay positive – the other benefits to my health, as a result of the diet and lifestyle changes, remain. Hopefully, this will turn out to be a glitch.

  • posted by  SkyWalker on Great success but turning sour
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi guthlak, sounds like you need to consult a proper medic over this and you are not alone. You may find the others through using the search bar but hopefully they will see your post and dive in. It must be hard to see the levels rising again but there will be an explanation. I hope when you find it that it is still something that will be a glitch and that you will reduce the levels again. Beware of advice from us amateurs but hopefully some shared knowledge with outcomes will come your way soon, I hope so, Well done on the weight by the way. Try and stay positive while the answer is found.

  • posted by  bumblebee on How important is the water??
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    WOW – that’s all I can think right now!
    I’m on week two (day 2) now – wondering why I lost so well in start of week 1 and nothing for the last 4 days – though I give myself little stars and points for water I realised I cut out all my herbal teas so I’ve not having as much fluids as I was having the first few days….hmmmm definitely motivated to have some now- hello peppermint tea here I come!

  • posted by  Not_thirsty on How important is the water??
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Thanks Natalie – that is inspiration. So I may only have to force myself for a short while and then the body will figure it out and get thirsty! I so hope that is true, I will start tomorrow!

  • posted by  SkyWalker on New to the 800 Kal Diet
    on in Fast Exercise
    permalink

    Hi ramo7isme, I lost 40 lbs in 12 weeks by using normal food by only counting calories and sugar. I averaged 846 cal/day and 28.4 gm/day of sugars. I am now week 13 normal BMI 25.4 and not counting anything anymore. I gained last week away in a hotel but back down this week. I am not doing a formal 5:2 but watch my minimal carbs carefully. If you are working out quite hard you will burn more but once you stabilize in fat burning mode by fasting over 12 hours per night you will stop feeling hungry. It takes a while to get used to eating leaves!!! You are in good company, keep going and posting. Use the Search tool and you will find many similar posts.

  • posted by  bumblebee on New to the 800 Kal Diet
    on in Fast Exercise
    permalink

    Hi Ramo7isme,

    Exercise helps to get you losing faster – first thing to check is how is your water intake? Are you drinking enough? We often think we’re hungry when we’re just thirsty so drinking water may help soothe that – I also got a handy tip from one of the other contributors that has helped me in my first few days – try a boullion cube with some hot water as a ‘soup’ in between meals if you feel hungry – definitely takes the edge off.

    First couple of days it takes your body a few days to adjust so don’t worry about it too much.

  • posted by  Leeanne on How important is the water??
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hooray! Reading through this topic has given me some answers. I’m on week 11 and after about week 3 I reduced the water to virtually nil. However, I do drink lots of tea – probably about 7 cups per day. I didn’t realise that the water helped in the elimination of liver/pancreas fatty deposits. I’ve no excuse really as in my freezer there are sliced up limes and lemons to add to the many bottles of sparkling water in the fridge all sitting there unopened!! Week 11 now and still going!

  • posted by  ramo7isme on New to the 800 Kal Diet
    on in Fast Exercise
    permalink

    Hello everyone,
    Im just day 5 into the 800 kal diet. I have been trying to loose weight and have tried various diets before and failed! I am not diabetic but want to loose 10Kg. the first day or two of the diet was fine, I didnt really notice the restriction in calories as I was busy with work. But now coming into day 5 I have strated to feel hungry between meals. I also joined the gym recently and started exercising (badminton 1-2 hrs once a week and strength training). Could it be that because of the exercise im burning more than 800kcal and in calorie deficit? Im not following any of the receips in the book as yet but still im following the mediteranian diet, high in vegetables, pulses, legumes, fish, chicken etc….

    Should I compensate for the exercise or stick with the 800 restriction? appreciate your thoughts espeacilly from the experienced dieters…thanks!

  • posted by  Bruno on 'Weigh in' thread
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Epspecially,
    Don’t be disheartened with your current weight , it’s best to know where you are. It’ll start to go down from now on and get a lot easier to adapt to this new way of eating.
    When I started I was the heaviest I’d ever been. I found the first week was the hardest because of the change in diet plus my other half continuing to eat as she wanted. To be fair she has helped me a bit, on week 2 she chopped a stick of celery for me 😀.
    When I weighed at the end of the first week and had lost 12lb, I was amazed as I didn’t feel any lighter.
    It took me a few weeks before my clothes began to feel loose, but I think I’d outgrown most of them anyway.
    No longer a diet it’s now a way of life, I’ve still got a couple of stones to shift but feeling so much better.
    Keep at it.
    Bruno.

  • Hi
    I recently completed the 8 weeks on the diet … and was pleased to see that i had lost just over 4 kgs … and with having PCOS and peri-menopause … this was a great achievement for me. HOWEVER … my fasting blood sugar levels were exactly the same on the last day as it was on the first… I was so focused during the first 6 weeks .. and then in the 7th and 8th a was a little bit more relaxed .. but nothing too drastic.

    This was, and is, incredibility disappointing… and i was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience ???
    I have noticed not a lot of people actually put their sugar levels in their comments … however i think it would help everyone if we did.
    Last year i had my levels down into the 5 range – with 1 metformin per night … which was great … but then this year .. it jumped up to in the 7’s (after a very stressful xmas period) … and now its in the 6’s but with 2 metformins …

    I began the diet at 6.7 and finished the diet at 6.7 while taking 2 metformins at night. I realise my levels are not dangerously high .. but i still want to get them back to normal ( in the 5 range) without medication. i am 49 … and have had T2D for 3 years …

    I have had a three weeks off the diet … (lots of personal stress) .. and i really want to try again … but … as the main objective was to lower my sugar levels … and there was no reduction at all … I am finding it hard to be motivated … is it just me .. or have other people experienced this .. and if so .. what did they do ??? keep going ??? change anything ????
    I would love to hear other people’s input .. ideas .. experiences …

    🙂 Kimberley