Hi all. Do make sure you have enough fat or oil as that will replace the lost glucose but won’t spike your edrenaline. I was weak on and off for a long while, two or three weeks, but now much more energy. I read a couple of papers that said insufficient fat was usually an issue. I’ve been cooking chicken breast in a bit of butter and garlic, eating oily fish and putting butter on my veg. Tastes much nicer!

thanks Switzerland,
I am now precooking my more time consuming meals and have invested in a vacuum machine so i can vacuum pack them and put them in the fridge or freezer depending on the meal so now I can just pop the meal in the microwave when I get home so it just got a whole lot easier for me .

So I just got a food saver machine made by sunbeam means I can precook the more time consuming meals and vacuum pack them and either freeze the meal or put in the fridge ready for eating you can microwave or boil the bags to heat the meal up. Perfect for if like me your short on time to get everything done. Its now day 3 and feeling fine no massive hunger pains so far but looking forward to week 8 hahaha.

Oh my goodness DemiMondaine, can’t you get a different doctor? I wouldn’t put up with that. Sounds very unprofessional. And ignorant.

Hi CallMeDeb
How are you? Not heard from you for a while. Hope you & your dad ok. Are those temperatures rising now? Still counting your blessings I hope?

Alanhypno my understanding of how alcohol affects BS is that in the short term it actually makes it drop rather than rise, but then you have a rise later (like in the middle of the night, or the next morning). It is metabolised differently to food.

Beware the artificial sweeteners in food and drink. They can still spike your insulin levels and stall weight loss. Even sweeteners like stevia, previously thought to be pretty benign, has now been shown to cause insulin levels to rise. This isn’t just a problem for people with t2d or pre-diabetes, it’s a problem for anyone as it can cause plateaux. It’s boring but water is best.

Re above post 6.2 before my salmon salad
I’ve been really naughty and gone to the pub first time five weeks
Drank full bottle white wine and soda
Came home did my bs it was 6.4 🤔🤔🤔
What do you guys make from that,off pills as I said in previous post above.
This has to be a fluke or maybe it’s working ,dare I hope please ?
Cheers and goodnight Alan (used to call me Big Al !)

I easily drink about 2 litres of tea a day, so not over worried about not drinking enough.
To drink more water though, I use no sugar added squash, or those mini super concentrated fruit things. I squinted enough to read the nutrition details today, and the tiny bottle makes 24 drinks and either had 4 calories or 2 calories in the entire bottle. The superconcentrates are also really easy to carry about with you too – I haven’t had one leak.

+At home, I find I will drink more water if I keep a jug or bottle of it (or pre-mixed squash) in the fridge.

I’ve also bought a stack of diet tonic, for when I fancy a drink – G&T is about the one thing that tastes OK without the alcohol (OK – “G”!)

I’m reading all your posts with great interest. Week 1, I was amazed to have lost 8lb and then week 2 was a total let down. I lost practically nothing, if anything, maybe half a pound. What I did notice was 2 inches off my waist (I started the gym in week 2). That’s really what kept me going. I’m almost through my 3rd week, and thankfully it looks like I’m losing again as the scales are showing a loss of another 3.75lb – that’s 11.75lb in total! So, I’m just going to keep at it and accept that not every week will be the same. Having tried a few different diets in the past, this one is DEFINATELY working for me. I’ve NEVER lost so much so soon or without struggle. I’m enjoying what I eat, don’t feel hungry and have lost all desire to nibble throughout the day. And reading this thread has made me realise fluctuations in weightloss week to week is normal, so I don’t have to worry. I’m one very happy bunny!

Hi Frog

The more I say “no thank you” the easier it gets😳

I don’t even remember what the cake was! But I saw lots of barm cakes (or whatever you call them in your part of the country) with usually ham filling. Lots of corned beef pie. Lots of crisps, cakes, biscuits etc. . And at least one flask of milky coffee!

Oh, and the sweets that were passed along the row during the meeting😱

But I can honestly say I didn’t want any of those nasty carbs😃

This is my new lifestyle😃

Well done on your first day😃 Can I suggest you’re careful with fruit? Berries are ok but other fruits are not good on the BSD. Some fruits really spike blood sugars too. It took me a while to get my head round that when I was first diagnosed – because I was at a slimming club and we were told to eat lots of fruit. I can’t eat porridge 😳 – spikes my sugar, but some diabetics (including my son) can eat it! Enjoy the ratatouille 😃. I need to work through my freezer too – lots of fish, some eat and veg in it.

Need to make sure I’ve good in the fridge and/or freezer ready for when I come back off holiday. Will be tired after flying Italy to London, cross London and train home so will want something quick and easy.

well done on resisting the temptation Lynne – or have you got to the stage where the cake wasn’t tempting?

Day 2 – not hungry so far, and 1.5kg gone overnight – probably most to do with going out for a ‘final’ afternoon tea the day before I started than not eating yesterday!
Day 1 was about 600 calories and 35g of carb, and today 800 cal & 48g of carb – and a stonking 8 portions of fruit & veg.
Yesterday I made a huge pot of ratatouille – about 4 portions, so I’m beginning to get a bit bored with it. I must start working my way through the freezer so that I have space to cook in batches and freeze some. Big bowl of rhubarb compote in the oven, which will be good with yoghurt and porridge.

Hi DemiMondaine
Please look at page 1 of this thread. 13.2.16 @ 22.10pm, my reply to Magiek. Read ‘good medical practice’!

I really wouldn’t be polite to that ‘lady’. The days of Dr’s being tin gods are long gone. I worked with enough who thought they were & kept my mouth shut. I’m much older & on this BSD subject, wiser than them now. I’m SHOUTING about Type 2 Diabetic treatment & they have no option but to listen!
Go do your thing ‘skinny lady’ 👍 💐

Just checking back for fasting levels.

I’ve finished 21 weeks on the BSD and will stay on it until I reach my goal weight. Lost 57 pounds so far, approximately another 28 to go.

Fasting bloods first went below 6 after 2 weeks. Then stayed between 5 and 6 until I’d finished week 13, when it dropped to between 4 and 5, and now normally stays between 4 and 5.

HbA1c in December, just before I started on BSD was 9.6

Due to confusion by the diabetes nurse, it was repeated in January – a few weeks into the BSD and was then 8.7.

Just had it done again in April so was completely within the BSD. That result was 5.5.

So my fasting readings and HbA1c are within the normal range😃

Thank you. . Did it take a while?

I have several tape measures and can’t find any haha.

Have a great trip Happy!

Well today has gone pretty well, I’ve eaten what I should and am within comfortable limits.

I made this for dinner… http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/928/barbecued-tandoori-chicken.aspx?o_is=LV

except I cut chicken breasts into goujon sized strips and baked them in the oven as opposed to BBQ. and with it I had this….

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/38850/cauliflower-fried–rice-.aspx?o_is=SR

except I didn’t add carrot or pork. Just fried the spring onion in sesame oil, then added the cauli rice, peas, garlic, fried a while, added soy sauce, then the egg.

The chicken was a little on the spicy side for me (husband loved it) but I chopped mine up and mixed it through the cauli rice and the flavours together were nice. A Low carb success 🙂 I made normal rice for hubby and didn’t miss it at all.

Whilst at the shop earlier picking up a few things, I bought some snack type things for my sons daytime snacks at childminder. Cheese straws, flapjacks, and cheesy crackers. I have to admit I had to resist the cheesy crackers. The kids had eaten their tea and wanted some and when I gave them some each I totally could have demolished the packet! However I was about to cook dinner so I distracted myself by getting into that. Now I don’t feel like attacking the kids nibble box at all. It isn’t often I feel those cravings thankfully. I think I was just hungry after not eating since lunchtime. Super pleased I didn’t give in 🙂

well done for getting right back on it 🙂

I believe ‘getting back on the wagon’ is the true secret to success, no matter which food plan a person follows.

Thanks for the info. I spent ages on the website you recommended – it really helped!

Hi Orchid

Thanks again. I’ve lowered my carb intake to 20gm and testing with Ketostix I’m in kerosis.

Just completed a week with this low carb focus, having spotted – like you – that the calorie reduction wasn’t balanced.

Think the scales will start to reflect what I’m already seeing in person. But size in clothing more important, I agree!

Just a little message to let those who are struggling know.. I have had type 2 for 16 years… getting off medication seemed like a dream and the first time i reduced my metformin at week 6 or so – it was just too early… and I took the dose back up till I stabilised again… now this week I have halved the dose again… and bsl have been behaving nicely….. will give it a few more weeks to reduce further and hopefully cease one day… or not…. at least I am not at max oral meds with no where to go except injections….

Cheers and huge encouragement

Fatty

Hi

Sounds like the ‘Dawn Phenomenon. Used to happen to me too. But after being on the BSD even my fasting bloods have come down (from 10.9) into the normal range (usually under 5).

Keep at it, keep low carbs and low calories, and you should find your sugar levels coming down.

Hi all,

Just started week 5 and loving BSD’ing. Although I have lost 18lbs at last count, I still have a lot of weight to shed so will be sticking to this way of eating/living. I am T2 diabetic and currently take 1 x 500mg metformin – hopefully will be able to come off altogether.

Just started on the nhs chance2change weight management programme. I asked to be referred for exercise on prescription way back last summer and had completely forgotten I had been put on a waiting list for this. Anyhow, went along dutifully to first session which consisted of 1 hour of tailored exercise, which was followed by 1 hour of ‘education’ – delivered by a physiotherapist, nutritionist, and physio support workers at the hospital. All good so far and then…

We were given a food and an exercise diary along with written information on recommended diet. Sad to say it is the same old nhs advice to eat loads of carbohydrate, low fat, etc,etc…we were exhorted to keep an ‘open mind’ while being encouraged to eat what to me is poison, and no longer an option.
I have made a note on my food diary about my diet choice…and wait with bated breath for feedback from the nutritionist!!!

Hopefully I will not be banished from the building😵subversive that I am!

Wish me luck,

Imogen.

Hi DemiMondaine,
An idea – my not work for you, but if you have the data, look at your daily carb readings. You may find that your calories are constant but carbs are not. When the cms are coming off of the waist, you are on (or have been the period before that) your optimum daily carb intake. When the scales are dropping and not the waist – the carbs are too high even if the calories seem ok. That worked for me when I was not losing from my waist.

Hi
i have been on the 800 diet for 4 weeks now..I’ve lost 9 Kgs weight..my sugar reading has come down..but
I’m having a bit of a concern,normally I check my blood level before I go to sleep,the sugar reading is between 6-7 (oldscale).
When I wake up the reading goes up to 10.0,my doctor has said that this could be “false reading” because of
the liver releasing sugar..can someone advise me what I can do..thank you

Hi Igorasusual,
Happy to have helped. I agree that on 800 cals per day you will lose weight. However, it will not necessarily come off of your internal organs unless you are burning fat. Initially (first 2 weeks) I was using shakes for 2 or 3 meal replacements. I noticed I was losing weight from my hips, but not my waist and I was not losing as much as some others were. I mentioned the fact I was not losing from my waist and someone advised me to look at my carb intake.
I did 2 things – one was the spreadsheet to see just how much I was losing in % terms – that helped reset my mind as I was losing 10-11%. Second thing was to look at what the composition of the my foods (shakes) was and I found out I was eating 80g plus carbs a day! Just low enough to be losing weight, but not enough to make the changes to burning fat and moving fat from the internal organs.
I then changed to the approach I described above and cooked my own food, aiming at 60g carbs a day. I did for a few days try lower than that, but it did not work for me so I stuck to the 60g and had a steady weight loss.
I found it important to measure everything I could – small changes in the tape measure when the scales don’t move are motivating. A dress size down was real buzz – I forgot any ideas of 20% weight loss when I found I was getting into one and two dress sizes smaller in 12% 🙂 .
This is a flexible approach and about getting it to work for you. Good luck.

I was out yesterday with a group of ladies. Hot drinks and water were provided (at a price) but packed lunches were the order of the day.

My group managed to get a table together, so there we were sitting round this large round table. I’d had my normal cooked breakfast and had something quick to prepare for my evening meal because I had to go out again, and I’d taken sparkling water with me. So I wasn’t hungry and just sat with my bottled water.

The laduse got there packed lunches out. Carbs everywhere. The lady on my right asked what I was having, then asked about the ‘diet’. The lady on my left offered me a small home-made cake – with the words “you wouldn’t believe I’m diabetic”. The lady opposite was glaring – she likes folk to think she’s on a diet, but they’re all telling her she eats the wrong stuff.

I told one of my colleagues she was looking good (she’s going to Slimming World) and the reply came back “So are you. Just be careful”. I smiled sweetly and told her I have another 28 pounds or thereabouts to lose😃

But it was a good day, despite a power cut!

Very very helpful, Orchid, thank you for posting.

I have followed your example re working out 10% weight loss, 12% weight loss and 20% weight loss…..5% weight loss already after 3 weeks.

My target is 15% loss, but would be very happy with 12%

One of my biggest incentives is the day I walk into my GP’s surgery on an unrelated issue and she doesn’t recognise me because of the amount of weight I’ve lost. She has been really nasty in the past, sneering and sarcastic about my weight. She genuinely thinks it’s a simple lack of willpower that has made me overeat.

Well, I’m on week 3 and hoping to have news for her.

Blood sugar readings
I came off januvia/sitagliptin 100 mg one a day when I started this plan five weeks ago.
I reduced then stopped metformin over week ago 4xpills day

My reading today at 7 pm five hours after lunch was 6.2 which I’m very very happy with ,will check again in couple hours.

Not doing mornings yet as everyone knows they’re crazy !

What kinds readings should I be aiming for and expecting now ??

Alan fifth week stone n half off pants falling down 👍

Hi SunnyLife

Great results😃 Like you I had lots of weight to lose so have stayed with the 800 calories and very low carbs.

I’ve lost 57 pounds and am in my 22nd week on the plan – another 28 or so pounds still to go. My fasting bloods have gone from 10.9 to normal levels. And the HbA1c in April (completely within the BSD) dropped from 9.6 in December (just before
I started BSD) to 5.5 – again ‘normal’

Stick with it – it’s worth it😃

I do find when I’m losing weight that the amount I lose off my waistline in any given week bears no relation to how much weight I’ve lost. So I might lose 5lb in a week, and nothing off my waistline, then 2lb the next week, and 4 cm off my waistline. It’s odd.

Hi pinklady51,
I lost 12% of my starting weight (29lbs) over the 8 weeks on 60g carbs, 800 (+/-50 )cals.
I would forget your scales. I had scales a few years ago that did exactly as yours do – if I did not like the weight they said, I stepped off them and then back on and hey presto – a new weight – often lower! Your blood sugars are fine, so I assume you are really looking for a different dress size? That is best measured using a tape measure. The biggest high I had over the 8 weeks was when I realised I was a dress size down and could get into the ‘old wardrobe’ and needed to buy new clothes. It meant a lot more than the weight I lost.

If you have lost 12-13lbs in 4 weeks, that is good. You should be able to lose the same again in the next 6 weeks which will be July and if I have understood your target correctly, that would meet it?
MyFitnessPal does not like this food plan approach as it is too low in calorie. Ignore it, other than for info on calories in the foods.

Tips – keep a consistent approach. Don’t flip around too much, yes, some weeks are bad, but that is life. I found that once I decided on 60g carb a day and focussed on keeping to that, my weight loss was pretty consistent – plateau came at 10 weeks. I weighed everything and kept a tally of the carbs and calories in an app, but the focus was the carbs. There were days when I was already at 50g carbs by 5pm, so I made sure dinner was not taking me much over the 60g even if that meant my calorie intake was below 800. Other days, my calories were 850, but I was just getting to 60g carbs. So – for me, the carbs were the driver of each day.
I had a standard breakfast of yoghurt, fruit and seeds, 9g carbs. Lunch was soup and a salad with feta cheese (25-30g carb) or scrambled egg, mushroom and salad. Evening meal stir fries, veg stews etc. For the 8 weeks, I kept to a simple menu with not too many choices.

I have never looked at what I am eating as a replacement for meat, but as finding the right proteins for a balance, so I have never bothered with quorn etc. I use pulses, cheese, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds. Yes – it is hard with lentils etc being higher in carbs.
I know others who are meat eaters have gone for a lower daily carb count (50g and lower)- however, I found that almost impossible as a vegetarian and I was getting sever leg cramps. For me, 50g is would mean I do not get a balanced diet as I would not be having any pulses. I think what I have done (accidentally not planned) is in sticking to the 60g, but eating ‘good’ carbs (beans in soups, and veg etc) I am still getting the benefits as the carbs are the slow release type. Does that make sense????

It is worth doing a review of what you are doing every 2-3 weeks and making small adjustments. I read Jenny Ruhl’s book, Low Carb Problems Solved (Kindle £3.06) about 3 weeks in. it talks about try to keep a consistent approach – not going in and out of fat burning. It may be worth having a look at that book to see if that will help you spot anything else you can do to be more consistent.

The last 3 weeks I bought Ketostix which you may have seen being discussed elsewhere. They indicate if you are burning fat or not. I was, and that was on 60g carbs per week.

Last thought if you don’t ditch the scales – when I started I remembered reading about people losing 40-50 lbs in 8 weeks. I was going through this website and spotted that the expected weight loss was between 10 and 20% of your starting weight. To keep my expectations in check, I set up a spreadsheet which had both the total 10% and 20% (divided over the 8 weeks) calculated and then I plotted my actual weekly. I could see quickly that I was on target or not. I lost 12% of my starting weight. MM stated he lost 11%. The heavier you are to start with, the more likely you are to go to the 20% end of the scale – so I was very happy with that outcome.

Happy to try to answer any more questions if you want to chat about things further.

well done Happy! I hope you have a fab time on your trip and come home with your clothes too big!

Thank you everyone for these really great posts. It’s so good to read about your experiences and so heartening when navigating these strange (metformin-free) days.

I’ve just started week 4 and am not seeing much weight loss. However, I am noticing feeling lighter and losing inches, and since it’s impossible to eat 800 calories per day and not lose weight, I am imagining that the fat around my internal organs is being lost, and also that I am growing my muscle base.

Whilst keeping carbs to 20gm per day, and drinking the recommended amounts, it must eventually result in loss. Someone here talked about fat hanging on with its fingertips, and that’s what it’s doing.

Since it can’t fail, it must work if we keep persisting. So Keep the Faith, enjoy the food (which is, after all, really enjoyable), appreciate the control……..

Onwards and downwards!

I know that feeling Syb – after all, the whole point is to try to reduce or do without medication. So good for you! I was more cautious than you (but only a bit!) and cut my metformin in half at the end of week 4.

Leeanne: keep on truckin!! (Showing my advanced years lol).

It was an interesting little nugget & a great shame it was cropped, evidently done by some young gun at the Beeb who has no weight issues & isn’t in need of diet-remotivation!

Thank you all for your replies very up lifting and helpful, have just bought some freezer pots and will batch cook great idea. Just need to get it in freezer fast!!! I laughed at the comment of losing a baby in weight, great visual , made me chuckle . I just need to loose a nursery full of them now but as I always joke I like children just can’t eat a whole one !!!!
Cheers for making me laugh .

Hi all. So here I am half way through week four. The scales are going crazy, so close to that first stone and have lost inches overall. BUT scales driving me nuts. Do I need to drink more water? It’s hard when working as not in an office but standing on feet all day and school runs requiring the dash to the toilet. I just want to get that first stone.

Testing the scales to find best place, why do Victorian houses have such slopey floors! Each ways cause monumental weight loss or gain. I was sticking to 800/1000 cals a day but weight flip flopping so have been for last couple of days trying to aim at 800cals, 50g carbs etc. hmmmmm MyFitnessPal doesn’t like that! I keep looking at it and obsessing over the damn numbers. It’s amazing how many carbs you can consume even with no pasta, no bread etc. anyway weight not shifting, have a friend who has had barely any weight loss in 3 weeks.

I would like lose before beginning of July at least 21lbs if not towards 28lb. I am hovering around 12/13lbs…..this is a decent amount of weight especially as I have had two chest infections and two social functions.

Blood sugars super fine. What is going on? It’s hard as a veggie as every meat substitute has carbs, so is 50g about right for weight loss? So please peeps who have been through it all before please send over your thoughts/advice. From a very frustrated veggie.

Hi Collie, yes, I have had the same thoughts too — the amount of food I am eating is so tiny compared to the “wodges” (BSD term) I was eating before. It is actually sort of wild — I am having four pecan nuts for a snack and being reasonably satisfied! I am amazed by the difference, but also amazed that I wasn’t even FATTER before!! Makes me appreciate how hard my body has been working to keep me at a balanced weight and how much I was pushing it every day. Also, at age 60, I have also experienced the mental clarity of this diet — not a single foggy day or mentally “tired” day — which I also ascribe to the scant amounts of alcohol I have been able to justify (LOL!!😄)

Thank you, Californiagirl! Apart from the slightly catastrophic fail – i.e. once I’d had the wrap, going for 2 slices of bread and butter too – I have moved on from it all, and back in control.

Hi Igorausual — your experience should be chalked up as a victory — first of all, you made good choices at the restaurant and you identified what set you off — a bit too much wine — then you ate something reasonable on the way home — you might have eaten three candy bars and a carton of ice cream 😜 but at least you picked a functional protein/fat/carb sandwich. AND, to top it off, your daily calories were within an average person’s DIET day — I would say this was a great learning experience! Now you can use it to identify what works/doesn’t work. Plus you are mentally back on track today. I think 9/10ths of this whole thing is understanding our personal eating patterns and finding coping strategies. It is trial and error and there’s no trial without error!!

Thats amazing! Best of luck to you Happy Life! Stick to what you know and you should be fine. I was dreading going on vacation later this summer, not wanting to self-sabotage, now I know I can handle it. Amazing how 3 1/2 weeks can change your perspective.

Okay so yesterday was not 5/25 and I started out last week with BSD at 196.8 lbs…so that gives me a lose of 6.8 pounds in 6 days despite failing over the weekend.

Thanks!!

I had a 2 week break after 18 days on BSD 800 and I only put back on half of the kilos I had lost. What surprised me was it only took 4 days to lose it again. The worst part was the first 3 days getting the sugar out of my system again. I’m back on track and lost another 5 kilos in the last 2 weeks. It really works.

Reflections of Day 2
5/25/2016

Starting Weight 194.8 lbs
Today’s Weight 190 lbs
Loss -4.8/-4.8

Wow…I totally did not expect to see almost 5 pounds lost this morning. What a nice treat. I have been struggling with these 5 pounds (up & down) now for the last 2 months so to see them gone once again was exciting…the true test will be in the morning to see if I continue down the same losing road and actually get into new weight loss territory for my latest round of trying to get the weight off.

As far as eating I did fairly well, considering we had an awards banquet for one of the organizations my oldest son belongs too in high school. I knew the menu was going to include a standard lettuce salad (nothing but ice berg and a few carrot/cabbage shreddings) and beef brisket…I would just ignore the other sides and desserts. I planned my eating around this.

I was able to make it to the 12 hour fasting window…hoping to do more of an 16-18 hour fast but I was starving mid-morning, so I went for a snack. For a mid-morning snack I had some hummus and a few baby bell peppers. I finally took a look at the hummus nutritional label and discovered that I can actually have hummus! I always thought that it was too high in carbs coming from beans. But much to my surprise and delight I can now safely indulge in this little treat! Of course I am making sure I measure and not eat directly out of the carton.

Lunch was some shredded chicken breasts that I had marinated in buffalo wing sauce and had cooked for dinner the night before, along with some blue cheese crumbles on the top. Lots of flavor and satisfying!

And dinner was just as I had planned, I am sure my meat portion was a little bigger than 4 ounces…more like 6 so my final calorie count I set at 920 calories for the day. I did stick to plan and avoided the other sides and dessert…confession I did take a bite of a lovely lemon cake my son was eating.

I needed to get out and do a training run/walk yesterday for an upcoming race that I am in, but the rain was not letting go of the day! I opted for treadmill and just walking and my 22K steps, which is a normal step day for me. I really need to get to my run/walk training and challenge myself to get back to 25K a day! Tomorrow is another day, although my schedule might say different. I hate the end of a school year…reports, paperwork, preparing for summer school.

Overall a good day…the key was planning it all out and having it ready to go! No excuses.

Thank you MrD…I am trying to be more positive with myself but at the same time stop making excuses for slipping up.

I hate having temptation all around me at home, I just cant throw out everything because I have a family too. But I have cut way back and gotten rid of a lot of things that they don’t need either by simply not buying it anymore and providing healthier things if they so choose….

I hated the 500 calorie thing, probably not so much the calories but the VERY LIMITED food choices. I think the BSD is going to work out so much better because I have choice in what I am allowed to eat…as long as it is not sugar and white stuff as I like to call it.

Congratulations on your fantastic weight loss, by the way, really well done! Very inspirational!

How right you are, Athorn 223!