yay to all of the above!! you’re doing so well!

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

I have a silver cover on my mobile but a gold case on my iPad.
What does it all mean?

42
Ha!

Love Lucia
Xxxx

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

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

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

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.

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!

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!

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

Hi Stephie63
Welcome back ( we’ll consider it a hol). The world’s your Lobster ( it’s bigger)! Get stuck in ☀️

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

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.
💜

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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. 💜

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.

Congrats on still going down!!! Yeah!! Yippee!! You are doing a lot also so must be gaining muscle!! That’s good as well!!

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?

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?

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.

Hi LindaA, yes we all do! and it is probably because Dr Mosley has been shouting in Oz and even at the Opera House that it is being talked about as people slowly realize the power of this method for the vast majority of us.

Go for it! you know it makes sense and it will be worth it in all sorts of ways. Good luck

Hi Kimberley, Perhaps you could share with guthlac above who has a problem with rising sugar levels after doing well on the 800/day there are others too who hopefully will see your post and dive in too. Sounds like a medic is required to intervene/explain.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

you’re awesome Rozy! you’re welcome! 🙂

well done Stephie63 – the deciding part is more than half the battle won already! Wooo hoooo!

Thank you all for your comments and support, I really am ready to do this and I’m determined I will succeed this time.

The amount of fluid is definitely an essential part of the diet. I put 3 x 500ml bottles of water on my desk in the morning and make sure I drink them all by the time I leave work. This is in addition to any water, tea, herbal tea or coffee I drink at home or work. I’ve noticed that at weekends I’m a bit headachey and I’m sure it’s because I don’t drink as much as I’m out and about and busy. Also noticed that if I don’t drink enough I get a bit constipated – despite a diet of pulses and veggies!!!
We bought a Soda Stream so now we can have ‘sexy’ (or sparkling) water to keep our interest going! I really like the liquorice herbal tea – it’s slightly sweet so stops the sugar cravings in the evening before bed. And if I’m hungry between lunch and dinner I have a milky coffee made with skimmed milk and decaf coffee – more fluid and also helps fill me up.
Your body is adjusting still and it takes time to re-programme it. At first you’ll be rushing to the loo every half hour but gradually your body learns to cope and be your friend.

Hi Not Thirsty, I generally drink very little (when not deliberately trying to drink more), maybe three cups a day including tea, without feeling thirsty at all. But I find the more I drink the thirstier I get! I can have twelve glasses of water and go to bed thirsty. Maybe my body (and yours) thinks I’m living in a desert and it has to make do with what is available. As soon as it realises there is plenty of water, I crave crave crave to get it while I can. It really helps with the weight loss.

It’s still hard though, it can be very inconvenient to rush to the bathroom every 20 minutes until I get used to it. I was literally in tears when I was out shopping one day and couldn’t find a toilet.

I like cold water with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Or tea.

Hello BarrelonLegs (not for much longer, I bet), Tibetan & Stephie63 – welcome to the club!
Lots of sound advice above, can’t really add to it. We feel your pain re falling off the wagon – it’s a case of been there, seen it, eaten it, felt bad about it, BUT you just dust yourself down and start again. Yes, there will be hurdles but we overcome them – there’s so much helpful advice on this website. You’ve made a conscious decision to try the BSD so give it a chance – remember, you are in control.

Hi bumblebee – SOOO glad you are feeling great. I am genuinely touched that you found my messages helpful – not sure I’ve ever been an inspiration to anyone before! Thank you.

Good luck everyone!

Hi Gina
My legs were aching really badly from about days 2-6, I didn’t take anything, then by day 7, no more pain. I’m starting week 5 tomorrow and not a problem since that first week. A lot of people have posted that they had issues in the first week and only suffered reoccurrences if they had a heaps of bad carbs. This is the best thing I’ve ever done and I intend to follow it for a healthy life forever.

Thanks for the positives, I have had a problem with bad leg cramps, but some extra magnesium and plenty of water seems to have sorted it. Do it in spite of everyone else, you’re worth it!

Thanks Beth, I’m about to head off soon, so will do.
It’s funny, I’ve achieved so much lately on my days off, it’s not funny, more energy I guess.
We’ve got 1 cat and 2 dogs (both Labradoodles). The cat is around 12 and the dogs are 11 & 10. They can be soooo funny and all have their own distinct personalities!
Good luck studying and have a great day off and be strong and plan ahead!
Cheers
Linda

Hi Linda,
Great weight loss well done.
I’m studying for work to go from EMT1 to EMT3. The course starts on the 6th of June. Its very intensive so am trying to get a head start.
Its 15.5°c here, sunny and cloudy again.
Diet ok so far. Off work tomorrow, I’ll have to keep busy so as not to stray.
My stray cat I’ve had for 10 months purred this morning, only the third time he has. I had given him my bacon rind 😀 . So cute.
I expect its bedtime there so have a good sleep.
Beth.

thanks Fatty 🙂 Currently dreaming about German rye bread yuuuum.

But yes, Taste the Freedom – I like that and will repeat all day!! :-))))

Official Day 1 (5/16)
Starting Weight 184 pounds (sorry British friends)

Thank you Orchid….I know I need to stop focusing on macro percentages and just go with this eating plan. I do know that I have to be really low carb for my body to even think about releasing weight. Which is hard because I really like fruits and veggies…and yes the sugar laden stuff too.

I tried to start last week but was not completely prepared…so yesterday marked my official starting day. Eating was fairly easy…although I did find myself with the munchies right before bed. I gave into to a couple of frosted mini wheats and then headed to bed to avoid anymore.

Calories 784
Carbs 22 (Net 15)

It was a low day with steps for me…I just did not have the desire to do my normal 22-25K steps and ended up with 13K for the day.

Good on you Gina – I’m encouraged by your good start. Only a few days behind you – on day two!

Weddings definitely a good one – not a family member but I am going to a friend’s wedding in September and want to be healthy and fabulous for it too!