Thank you Polly and Napangardi

Hello All,

I’m on my 3rd day of the 8-week diet and I’m feeling pretty good. I weighed myself this morning and I’m already down 1.8 pounds. I have about 40 lbs to lose, and thinking about that is very discouraging. I don’t have diabetes or any other health problems, just really need to get this weight off. I’ve struggled with weight my whole adult life, and have become addicted to carbs an sugar. This diet is my last hope as I’ve tried every diet imaginable. I need all of the motivation I can get! Please share your success stories with me so I can get inspired and stay on track.

Thanks everyone!

Totally agree. You have to be able to manage the odd celebration/treat as part of a balanced diet, without then going crazy and falling off the wagon. Slim people are careful 90-95% of the time I would say (judging by my slim sisters) and allow themselves a lovely treat on special occasions but just go back to their usual healthy habits immediately afterwards. I know one of my sisters would never dream of eating pizza/fries/cream etc. more or less ever, but if we were out for a meal or if I made her a meal, she would eat it all, including dessert (she still wouldn’t take cream though!). But she’d never eat dessert at home, or choose an unhealthy meal if eating out. She’s just careful most of the time and tends to eat a lot of fruit and veg. Other sister eats plenty fats (avocado, cooks with coconut oil etc.) but makes loads of veg curries etc and always has brown rice and when she bakes makes things with bran and fruit and avoids full on sugar carb loading. I don’t think she even thinks about it that much. She just doesn’t binge. I need to be more like them!

Just wanted to let Lucia know that she is inspiring. Read forum today and I am feeling excited about trying this low carb diet. Thank you all.

Agreed. To succeed I hope to be far nore careful with my eating in the future. I certainly don’t want to go back to eating the bad stuff, although I accept that after the first eight weeks I might let myself have a few carbs. However I’ve got several spare tyres to shift.
Recently I’ve sat and felt guilty every time there has been anything on the news about being overweight / eating sugar / drinking too much wine and finally the penny dropped that I just have to change what I was eating and take more exercise.
Life would be dull if we couldn’t all look forward to and enjoy the odd celebration. I for one will be trying hard not to go over the top but enjoy these things.

Thanks Bill1954. There was a dash of olive oil to cook the omelette and then avocado in the salad, which I thought would fill me up. But it was a pre-prepared salad and they were very stingy with the avocado! I should have made my own or had half an avocado with egg or something instead. Will try eat more fat tomorrow and see if that helps.

Thanks Ziggysmum. I kind of want to not rely on willpower. I just want to find a way to eat that is sustainable long term and not be worrying/thinking about food too much. I find 5:2 is doable and sustainable, but what I need for it to really be so is to kick this crazy fat/carb/sugar binging habit I have so that I do two fast days but then the rest of the week I eat normally and healthily (i.e. don’t use the fast days as an excuse to then binge on the other days) and only have the occasional treat. And let it be a treat. Not a binge! Even though the 5:2 was working in terms of weight loss (fairly slowly but consistently 1-2lbs a week), in order to try and shift my bad habits/negative mentality around food, I decided to do this diet for eight weeks (albeit with a planned ‘blip’ in a few weeks for a major celebration I will be attending, not planning to go too mad but want to have a nice meal and some drinks and not worry about it) and hopefully it will help shift my mentality so when I then go back on the 5:2 I will eat more healthily on the non fast days. That’s the plan anyway. I had such a hard time today, was hungry from 9-3 but once I’d had a few strawberries I am now okay again. It will bring me over 800 cals but better than cracking and eating something like toast I think!

Hi
What an inspiring thread am really enjoying reading your posts. Not yet started the plan. But need to as have about 26kg to shed.
May I ask a few questions?
Do you need to count carbs?
I’m on holiday in 3 1/2 weeks for 7 days. Is it ok to make a start then resume on my return? Or better to have a full stretch at it?
Many thanks from a very nervous and apprehensive newbie

PS hope you are feeling better Brazilnut

Oh I agree about the sugar / carbs / fat combo. I think if I hadn’t chanced upon the BSD book I could well have ended up like Monty Python’s Mr Creosote. I knew I needed to do something but couldn’t decide what and used that as an excuse not to.
I also feel daunted, any ingrained habit is difficult to crack and my eating habits have been exactly that – a bad habit.
I smoked for years and was bet I couldn’t give up, but I did because I wanted to and twelve years later have not had a puff since. I now look back and think ‘you fool, WHY did you smoke?’ and the answer is because I liked it and I’d got into the habit, exactly the same with food for me.
I’m feeling determined to get slimmer and fitter and I guess exactly the same self-discipline and commitment as my stopping smoking is all that is needed for any of us to achieve our goals.
Hoorah keep it up everyone.

on MFP that should have said !

Or can anyone tell me what i should be putting in as amounts for carbs , fat and protein please ?

Hi Lynne,
I’m just trying to catch up on my emails, I have done a bit of sewing this session for the sale, I usually do some crochet too, however my fingers have had an arthritis flare up and crochet is a bit painful at present,. What sort of things do you make, it might give me ideas!
Christine

Need to keep track of calories consumed ! And how much is in what , especially carbs .

Hi eureka,
I have got an afternoon fairly free so I’m catching up while I can, my daughter who lives with us isn’t a very good baker, she is a good gardener though, the other daughter hasn’t time or energy to bake at the moment, I should do some, however as I’m so busy organising my stall, ( I run a craft club each week at church) I’m on the committee for the fund raising, so I’m busy on two levels, the good news is it will be over by teatime on Saturday, until the next sale which is in the autumn, thank goodness.
You never know I might find time in the next couple of days to do a cake, even if I can’t eat them!
Christine

Brilliant thanks for advice, I’m going to order a spiralizer: woohoo! The kids might well love it too.
And chickpea pasta sounds yummy, I’m defo going to look into that.
By the way can I just check if any of you are eating full fat humous on the BSD? I love a good caramelised onion version, I can probably survive on lettuce, tomatoes and a few daily dollops of that, if its allowed, I’m still haven”t got my head fully around what is and what isn’t. The sugar looks very low on the tub I’ve got in the fridge.
Hawke that is brilliant you haven’t wanted a day off, I am kinda thinking I can do the same as I have no diabetes issues, my goal also is the weight loss.
Feeling positive, and willing the sugar and flab to disappear.

It does get easier – much easier but looking at your food intake for today their doesn’t seem to be an awful lot of fat in there.
You must eat healthy fats to replace the carbs and get into fat burning mode without the hunger.
The 2 – 3 litres of fluid per day is also very important.

You’re seeing amazing results already. I am still at 3 lbs down. I’ve lost 30 lbs through diet and walking uphill and weight lifting and I’ve plateaued. This diet has already gotten me over the hump. I walked uphill about 20 minutes yesterday so I look forward to tomorrow’s weigh in. Best of luck to you as well! We should keep in touch. I’m trying to lose at least 20 more pounds by my midsummer vacation.

I decided to weigh daily. Started yesterday and it seems I am a lb down today. 12st4 to 12st 3. I am really struggling today. I had the pea and spinach omelette for breakfast, then a quinoa/avocado salad for lunch (230 calories) and chicken for dinner later, but I just had 8 strawberries as I was so hungry I couldn’t even concentrate on work. Please reassure me that it gets easier!

Napangardi, I’ve been drinking rosehip tea and hot water with lemon. Nicer than plain cold water.

Hi Lucia,
Sorry I haven’t done any kind of excercise for over a week, unless you count dashing about getting ready for our church spring market, on a positive note, I have found a Pilates class, the bad news it’s on a morning I can’t do, yet!
Christine.

Thanks Nysilver. I do usually microwave the Cauli rice as I found baking it in a conventional oven labour-intensive and messy. I will try your suggestions.

Hi Lynne,
I’ve also found I need smaller shoes, we were going out for a meal and had to dig out an old pair of ‘wedding’ shoes, needless to say they went straight in the charity bag when I got home, the leather had flaked off, I’m now in need of at least one good pair of going out shoes, I normally wear flats too!
Christine

I weigh daily 🙂

Shaz don’t look for a stress free 8 weeks or you will not do it

Read the book, sort out some recipes, shop for what you need and just start .
It can only do you good 🙂
.

I notice that you mention eating the broccoli rice raw – are you doing the same with the cauliflower rice? I like to season it with garlic salt and pepper, throw it in the microwave for about 3 minutes and then add it to stir frys. I also add some coconut aminos in place of soy sauce and find it quite addictive. I also add it to “crack slaw” a dish I discovered when I started following a low carb high fat way of eating. If you don’t have a microwave, you can always season it and then steam it. Hope that this helps.

Hi,
I have just started the second week of the BSD and I still feel really tired all of the time. Has anyone else had this experience?

I think my main problem is internalizing stress, so I become very calm on the outside but obviously a roiling mess of stressed out hormones on the inside! I think this is a direct reaction to growing up in a house with very volatile temperaments…hey ho, cat is back and and helping to reduce my blood pressure by sitting on my lap and allowing me to stroke her!

I have just ordered the books and need to find a stress-free 8 weeks that I can plan for. I am not obviously overweight but 16 kg over on the scales (must be inner fats). I am a diagnosed Type II (was gestational with kids, and father is also Type II). Struggle with blood sugars – fasting sugars are always above 10 so have no idea what is going on. But I know carbs have never been good for me, and the only time I ever lost weight was on low carb diets. I also used to be quite fit but stopped exercising so much when I became a full-time student. Looking forward to getting fit again, and I have a Fitbit which I must use! This diary is inspirational, and I will take notes as I find most of the hard work initially is in organising the pantry so it is easier to stick to things. Thanks for all these notes. 🙂

I would probably have too many during the day but I will try and have warm water.

Hi Rachel, I have started using the fitness pal and it has helped me with the carbs. I am still going slowly but this is just me. I do however struggle with water… It is cold and I just don’t want to drink. Tomorrow am plan to drink 500 mls whils I drive to work and then another on way home.. I will keep thinking of ways to up it.

Hi Neohdiver – thanks for the advice, and also everyone else, it is appreciated.

I have now written up my preferred menus, just got to calorie count them now, but I won’t do the carbs also then, as I could end up making it a full time job, which I haven’t got time for.

Wow, three stone! Congratulations!! May I ask what you eat on an average day?

I have stuck to the BSD for three weeks now. I am unable to walk / stand so must lose weight purely by restricting my food intake. I have no high carbohydrates in my house at all. I have bought a George Foreman Grill and use it for most of my cooking, especially of asparagus and mushrooms.
I believe I am not eating enough fats as my skin has erupted in dry patches especially on my back but my major concern is ‘cauliflower rice’ – I am beginning to loathe it!
I have just seen a recipe on line that mentioned ‘broccoli rice’ which is no doubt just the florets blitzed in the food processor and then eaten raw.
I wonder do any of you have any further suggestions for similar ‘rices’ and herbs / spices to liven them up.
I do love the aubergine & minced lamb dish, the vegetable curry and portobello mushrooms which have recently entered my diet.

Tippytwo,

Many people choose to count carbs, but it isn’t part of the BSD. If you want to count carbs, you can use an online nutrition database to help you count. I use myfitnesspal, but there are a number of different options.

Hi
Just found this on ebay
I can’t quite make out the carbs from the packaging but any carbs in there will be the complex type
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Really-Healthy-Pasta-Organic-Chickpea-Fusilli-250g-Pack-of-3-/262361990899?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

Does anyone else weight daily? I am to impatient to weight weekly!

Day 1 – 77.6kgs
Day 2 – 76.8kgs

I completed 2 weeks on the BSD and lost 5.2kgs. but…. I had a relative coming from overseas to visit, I live in a region of wine, chocolate, cheese and all things wonderful so I decided to give myself 2 weeks off with them and start again once the visit was over. So on first weigh in day I was really surprised to find I had only put on 2.7kgs. Thanks to knowing how easy the BSD was to keep to and how quickly I saw results the 2.7kgs didn’t phase me at all. I feel so ready to start again. I am at the end of day 2 and that sugar monster is knocking at my door but I know if I get through the first few days I will feel great. Also on the plus side I weighed in again this morning and lost 1kg. If this was any other diet I would be so disheartened and down but I’m not at all. Bring on the next 7 weeks and 5 days 🙂

So don’t beat yourself up over one weekend!

Hi Cherrianne

Many thanks for the reply. It is interesting to hear others’ views. I am gradually introducing the diet into my day…… before I was diagnosed I was an avid 5:2 follower. I have not taken any insulin during the day for a number of weeks now and take the metformin when I eat my main meal. The only insulin I take regularly is the long acting at bedtime.
I figure if I don’t eat and don’t give myself any insulin and my levels are under 10 then I should be doing ok!
Watch this space, maybe the wrong diagnosis for me is what I need to get myself back on track!
TBH I am finding it difficult to sustain as I don’t seem to be losing any weight/inches at the moment – I just need to remember my fasting BS at 35 when I was diagnosed!
Will keep posting as it helps me continue to get healthier!

Hi Natalie, Ziggsmum and Bongo! Nice to meet some people also starting, or getting back on the wagon. Natalie, I have come to the conclusion after many years of falling OFF the wagon, that it is the getting back up and starting again immediately that counts. Everyone has blips. It’s when you just keep going after the blip that you are successful. Unfortunately, even though I know this, I have spent the past 5 years NOT keeping going after the blip!

Ziggysmum, I am a nightmare for the carbs/sugar. I just got into terrible habits. I have realized that it has to stop forever. Not all carbs but the binging on sugar and fat and carbs. If I continued as I was I would just get bigger and bigger and start facing health problems, and it’s not like it’s even more enjoyable when you eat more. I think it must be a bit like a drug. The more you have, the more you need to get the same feeling from it. So I just suddenly though enough now. Time to change. But it is daunting!

I couldn’t even face a run yesterday at first, Bongo … I would normally go before eating and eat after but I just couldn’t. So I ate a salad and then I went for a run and it was fine. I am guessing it will be harder though until I settle into this diet. Going to stick to 5k for a week or two before upping my mileage a bit, just want to be running 10ks regularly again (I was last year but an injury slowed me down since February). Running really really helps with my head, I feel less anxious/stressed/low when I run regularly.

Zoodles are really, really good! Buy yourself a spiraliser. I was dubious but I love them! I’ll definitely be giving myself days off my diet now and again – no blood sugar issues just doing it for weight and I want it to be sustainable. That said, at day 9 I haven’t yet wanted a day off.

I just saw an ad for a special on Sunday night (Sydney Australia) with Michael Mosley as one of three experts talking about the diabetes epidemic and whether it can be reversed! I almost feel like a celebrity myself – he’s my diet guru!

If you go to the bottom of the diary page on MyFitnessPal and push “Nutrition” you can look at how many carbs/prot/fat you have had for the day or a weekly average. I try to stay under 50g of carbs and then let the fat/prot do what it likes as long as my daily cals total is under 800. Not sure if that answers your question though.

HI Izzy. Love the diary. I am a huge tea drinker too so the first thing I do in the morning is measure out 100mls of full fat milk (67cals) and use that for my teas all day. I find I use the tea between meals to ease my hunger so i am happy to give up those cals and I actually record them under “snacks” in my calorie counter. I usually can get 4 – 5 cups of tea from that 100mls and if i don’t use it all then thats a few cals Iess that day 🙂

Hi

I started yesterday as well and also want to lose about 2 stone (or a little more if possible). I drank loads so didn’t really get a headache but I found that when I went for a run before tea last night I really struggled. No energy, or willpower to keep running and I felt very sort of “buzzy” all day (almost as if I’d drank too much coffee – but all I drank was green tea, water and one cup of proper tea in the afternoon).

So far today it’s not been too bad, I am hungry and totally coveting my colleagues baguette and cheese sarnie but I’m slowly eating an egg salad and have fruit and yogurt to look forward to as well. I’m skipping breakfast so I can have fruit after my lunch.

Best of luck I’ll be pleased to hear how you’re getting on.

Hi Everyone
Have managed the 10,000 steps each day in May so far…..even if it has meant going out in the rain and walking round a bit.
Been playing a bit of tennis but have been trying to walk around the house a bit more in order to reach the 10,000 steps on the Fitbit.
Have now put my computer up higher so I have to stand up to use it, as suggested in the ‘ Quitting the sitting ‘ site.
Amazing how much that stops me wasting time on the computer!!!
My personal challenge for challenge for May…..plus the Marathon of course….ha ha.

Have done about 14 miles towards the May Marathon for BHF.
No jogging yet……oh hang on…. I do break into a bit of a trot occasionally on the tennis court.
Brilliant everyone who is getting more active.

Anyone else doing a May challenge?????

Hi IonaJ, definitely the right decision. I would say just go with the fast 800, low carb it is easier than 5:2 as you have 800 calories a day instead of 500. You will be stunned at how quickly you will lose weight.

I would also say brave those scales and take a photo of yourself in your undies ( I know) but after 2 or 3 weeks you won’t believe the difference! Also write down your measurements as they often tell a bigger story than the scales in terms of loss!!

And GO GIRL, GO!!!! 🙂

Just pick your own meals and use an app to track things. I use easy diet diary and that tells me how many calories I’ve eaten per day as well as carbs etc.

You will need to have a basic idea of nutrition but you will pick that up quite quickly as you go along. No point making yourself cry over this way of eating – it wont be sustainable long term! I eat the lovely things I like (avo, feta, sardines, cheese, veggies) and ignore the ones I don’t (celery!).

Wow, Imogen!!! well done!!! I think courgetti is a must on this diet – you can have a plateful for so few calories!!! 🙂

Hello Brazilnut, I also started the BSD diet yesterday. I too have been eating way too may carbs and can’t resist anything with sugar, until now.
I’m excited to be on the journey.
May the 4th be with you (so sorry but it does seem apt).