Latest forum posts

  • posted by  Bill1954 on need some help
    on in 5:2 BSD
    permalink

    Nah kippers are smoked herring and I think they are classed as an oily fish, but delicious anyway.

  • posted by  Janet1973 on need some help
    on in 5:2 BSD
    permalink

    No, they are not an oily dish I don’t think. They are smoked haddock aren’t they? But that’s ok, any fish is good and the butter is fine too.

  • posted by  Bill1954 on book difference
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    I’m tempted to say it’s printed upside down but I won’t ๐Ÿ˜€
    Perhaps any food mentioned in there is more orientated to the area ?

  • posted by  DJDAussie on book difference
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi, just looking through the site and saw the book cover. …glanced over to my copy and the cover has a little green circle on it which says “Australian and New Zealand edition”. Just got me wondering about what the difference is. Any ideas?

  • posted by  Bill1954 on High Keytones
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Caz, as far as I know KETOACIDOSIS only is dangerous for type 1’s
    I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong.

  • posted by  for ever the optimist on Muscle weakness
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi, I am just 8 days in to the BSD, I enjoy doing a weight training class at my gym twice a week but have found my strength is much reduced and my muscles really ache during the exercise, has anyone else experienced this or any tips to get round the problem would be great, thank you.

  • posted by  Bill1954 on My eight weeks….
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Oh yes I’ll be bubbling
    Sitting in the jacuzzi bath ๐Ÿ˜€
    Lunch was chicken stew and very nice it was
    I don’t normally want rain at weekends but we have a new garden fence that needs painting, the whole 75 feet of it, so while you are blowing bubbles, I’ll be slapping it on
    Have a great weekend L

  • posted by  CazP1965 on High Keytones
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi. Spoke to my clinic this morning and they have reassured that this is not dangerous for my BMI (obese).
    All good. Just in case anybody else has the same issue and is a bit worried.

  • posted by  hashimoto on Starting the journey 21/02/2016
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Sue my heart goes out to you. The combination of rice and stresss will have affected your blood sugars.

    Today is a new day. You will probably find your clothes are looking better on you because of the diet ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  ali2on on 'Weigh in' thread
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    ๐Ÿ˜€ 4 weeks in and one stone down, 1.5 stone to go til I’m around “ideal” weight for my height, so I think this is do-able, and I’ve a couple of plans for upping my exercise to help as well.

    Really feeling much better without carby food, so think this is a lifestyle change, although I do have a rugby sevens tournament that I’m going to tomorrow that will potentially involve quite a bit of junk food… will be doing some food prep tonight to try and avoid that!

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

    So are we bubbling?
    I am doing mine tonight, in the dusk, so the sunset catches the bubbles and makes them magical.
    You can hide yourselves away, just open the kitchen door, or garage or shed doors, and blow.

    Have fun!

    Are you with us Bill 1954?
    You making a loop, but be careful of the sharp ends.

    Just enjoyed chicken and salad.

    What are you having for lunch?

    Love Lucia
    Xxxx

  • posted by  April on Headaches
    on in Welcome to the BSD
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    Thanks guys for the advice, drinking heaps of water and headache eventually eased after getting worse mind you. Jumped on the scales this morning and was pleasantly shocked with the result so the headaches are worth it.

  • posted by  Bill1954 on Losing weight but no energy
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi David
    are you getting enough fat in your diet? If you are restricting the carbs it needs another source of fuel to burn and if it doesn’t have it, your energy levels may decrease.

  • posted by  Eureka on Losing weight but no energy
    on in Fast 800
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    Hi David knight
    Welcome. Very well done on all fronts

    I’m type 2 & 9 weeks on BSD as I need to lose more. My first 3 weeks I felt very tired & no energy but knew this would pass. And it did, we also felt the cold a lot. My husband ( prediabetic bloods) joined me He was tired too & had a few days of ‘Keto flu’. That’s feeling achy like real flu but caused by the diet. Didn’t last long.

    Fuzzy headaches & feeling energised, even euphoric are some of the feelings you can get while your body adjusts. All this passes & may only last a couple of days. We’re individuals so will react a little different. More energy will come

    Drink 2 -3 litres of water a day & up your salt & fat intake a little to help things along Reread the BSD book again & other posts on the forum. Check your calories you may need to go slightly over 800.

    Both my husband & I are feeling happy & well. We’ve lost weight , blood sugars are down & this diet / life style is ours for keeps. He will Probably stick to 5:2 diet later, but I might have to go ketogenic (eating fat for fuel) as I have to go very low carbs to get good bloods. All this is fine & not frightening.

    I can control my blood sugar now & maybe reverse it in time
    Please sign our petition.
    Good luck
    Eureka

  • posted by  Sue1234 on Starting the journey 21/02/2016
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Day 48 weight 10st 4lbs
    Blood sugar 13.2 ๐Ÿ™ possibly the brown rice?!

    Could have kicked myself over the rice. Had a meeting at the hospital yesterday and Mum is due home on Wednesday if her pain can be sorted, they are trying her on slow release morphine, yesterday it made her a bit dizzy.

    My head is a mess at the moment, looked in the diary and it’s the big Cancer charity do tomorrow night and I haven’t even thought about what I’m going to wear – clothes hopefully – I don’t want to frighten anyone. ๐Ÿ˜

  • posted by  hashimoto on Rising Fasting Blood Glucose Levels
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Cherrianne, I think you’re right, I have real problems with pollens and there are a lot about!! Also a bit of stress going on. My dad has terrible arthritis and I think his (terrible) practice should have sent him for knee and hip replacements 30 years ago. He’s 90 now. For several days he has been struggling to get to a standing position and walk across the room. He’s the old style kind of stalwart who does not give in. Good on him. Yesterday he was managing better and made the long trip to his favourite butchers this morning. His mind and reactions are incredibly sharp, in that sense he hasn’t aged at all. My eyes are already slightly better after starting the drops yesterday. And yes, I think it is a hot topic at my surgery with a GP and asthma nurse on board. I did the 5:2 for a while when it first came out and a GP (a different one), the physio and nurses were right behind it. I only struggled with 5:2 because going on anitibiotics for lung infections would disrupt the program for two weeks at a time and you know what oral steroids do to you!!

    I’ve just dug out my flow chart ( Australian one) from 2015, even with 4 puffs of inhaled steroids twice a day my peak flow was no where near as good as it is now, dipping as low as 200 at times with a good average of 350. Now, on BSD and on azithromycin 3 times a week I’ve reduced my inhaled steroids to 2 – 3 puffs twice a day with an average morning peak flow of 420 -430!! and 400 – 410 on a night. Not the normal pattern, I know!

    I have an appt for blood tests next week so I am leaving copies of both flow charts to go with my records.

    The other strange – but good thing- is I am not getting as near as many serious foot cramps. I could spend the whole night, several nights on the trot, walking the floor trying to get rid of the cramps and as soon as I laid flat in bed it would be off again.
    I am getting very few now and they will last a few minutes and then GONE! I haven’t had to take the quinine for weeks!

    I wonder if anyone else is noticing previous medical problems reducing – other than blood sugars, of course!!!

    I always, pre BSD, used to have hot milk before bed I think I will start to again. I love it!! sometimes plain, sometimes with either cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom in it. It is sleep inducing!
    ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  Cherrianne on Rising Fasting Blood Glucose Levels
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Thanks Judith, life is pretty good when I’m eating this way, never thought I would be able to maintain the non diabetic range but thought it was worth trying. It seemed too good to be true at the start but I hoped to be low enough to avoid the dreaded metformin.
    Hope the blepharitis clears up soon. Something’s triggered your immune system by the sound of it. Your GP is definitely a keeper. Obviously the BSD will be a hot topic at their practice meetings.
    Hellybelly, I almost always have hot milk before bed. At first it was to fend off the dawn phenomenon and it worked, but now it’s just because I like it. Helps me to sleep too. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  Cherrianne on Measure blood
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Alan, if you are in the UK and have to buy test strips, find out which are cheapest and get that meter.
    I can’t help with meters as I am in Aus and we usually can get free meters and pay only about the equivalent of 65p for two containers of test strips. We have a scheme where diabetes supplies are subsidised.
    Fasting blood sugar levels are useful, as are a random one a couple of times a week. Usually two hours after a meal or a bedtime one.
    I do a fasting one every morning and one bedtime reading each week, plus another after a meal. So one week might be breakfast, another week dinner etc. I usually pick a meal where I’m not sure how my body will react. So if the meal seems carb heavy or it’s something I haven’t tried before, I will test.
    Over time you get a good picture of how sensitive you are to certain foods, and what you can eat that doesn’t spike your blood sugars.
    A bit of a long winded reply but hope it helps.

  • posted by  Eureka on Sign our petition
    on in 5:2 BSD
    permalink

    Hi hashimoto

    Many thanks. Glad I slept on it & deleted the expletives!

    All newbies please read & sign our petition. Pass it on
    Up the Revolution!
    Eureka

  • posted by  Alanhypno on need some help
    on in 5:2 BSD
    permalink

    Are kippers ok the frozen ones usually with knob of butter in plastic bag
    There’re oily,I think
    Cheers folks Alan

  • posted by  Cherrianne on Help! What am I doing Wrong???
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Karra,
    I can see why you’d have a hypo feeling if your body was used to such high readings. Very unpleasant for you and you will need to be careful to lower your blood sugars a bit more slowly until you get accustomed to it. Could you try halving your metformin dose so you are allowing your liver to release stored sugar, but without risking a hypo?
    I agree with Penny that you need more fat in your diet and you have cut your carbs quite drastically, especially as you’ve increased your activity level so much.
    Fat will encourage your body to burn fat, it also converts more slowly to energy so will help to smooth out the peaks and troughs of your sugar levels.
    Try eating some complex carbs too for the same reasons, add some beans or lentils to soups and stews perhaps, or a little cooked quinoa or chick peas to a salad.
    Just a little bit of tweaking here and there might make the difference for you. I hope so ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  Hellybelly on Rising Fasting Blood Glucose Levels
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hashimoto, thankyou, i am very happy to have joined. Kingdoone, please forgive my previous post, not all diabetic nurses are so blinkered. She was following the rules at the time, but i can honestly say her words were my motivation to prove them all wrong and 8 years later my new diabetic nurses are wonderful, helpful and interested in what I have been doing over the years to keep off meds. I am only 9 stone so might be fat on the inside, I am also active but want to get down to 8.5 stone in the hope my pancreas clears? But I have found it difficult to get under the 9 stone. I definately know how to maintain my weight…but I want to lose it. I eat very well but possibly too much good fat! My fasting bloods today were 6.3, hmmm I think my previous low reading was when I had hot milk before bed, so I will try this tonight and post my reading tomorrow. Good luck to all, we will ‘cure’ ourselves and how fabulous would that be!!

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

    Hi Switzerland

    You had me fooled!
    Great stats. Got any good recipes for Joey burgers? As if!

    Did tai chi once upon a time so mindful in that. Should do it again. I’ve found the whole thinking, planning , shopping , cooking , posting (I never did that before) BSD experience to be of itself mindful

    Didn’t know I was ‘Sad’ before ( not depressed) can’t think of another description for it. But I’m happy now. Haven’t been for a long time. Been grieving my parents deaths. Know my mum would be so pleased I’m where I’m at now

    They both were type 2 & I wish I could have shared this with them

    Wow! Heavy ( auto came up Heaven) so yeh, Heaven for a Friday
    See what mindfulness does
    Ciao
    Eureka

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

    Hi Natalie
    I find headspace a bit annoying! I sometimes use The Calm app – but not very often! In fact I tend to forget about that aspect of MM s advice although the Calm app I do find very calming.
    Penny

  • posted by  Alanhypno on Measure blood
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Is it important to measure blood with one those meters there’s some free ones on line are they all the same,ppl type 1 and type 2 ?

    Not sure what I’m looking for,I thought doing some two hours after lunch to compare with my tests when I start this plan next week.

    I hear morning readings can be erratic .?!

    Any suggestion how to measure blood to compare to results when been on plan for a while sew very welcome

    Thank you Alan (rambling)

  • posted by  hashimoto on Please sign our petition
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    I had trawled the diabetes uk site to see what dietary advice they were giving. Not impressed. It was reactionary rather than proactive – seemed as if they were covering their a…. After criticism from the daily mail!!!! They reckon a low carb/low calorie diet could work BUT would have to be done with a health professionals guidance to be safe.
    In short they speak with forked tongue

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

    Lucia those bacon egg cups sound yummy! I’m going to try them! I’ll have to pop out and buy some more bacon, just finished mine yesterday.

    Bubbles, nos there’s a fun idea!

    I didn’t wear a new frock on Wednesday – the weather was vladivostoc and pouring down but I did my hair slapped on the lippy and wore some new old clothes! Friend duly surprised! ๐Ÿ™‚

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

    Fantastic Beverley, you will do it! Just look at captainlynne! I. Bet she thought she couldn’t lose the amount she has lost in just 14 weeks! You still have weeks to go to reach your goal and this diet just gets easier the longer you do it ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  hashimoto on Rising Fasting Blood Glucose Levels
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Cherrieanne that’s good going – blood sugars stable and 50-60g carbs!
    I rang my surgery to leave a message that I have a flare up of blepharitis, the gp rang me within ten minutes and after dealing with eye prob asked me about the diet, was I still losing any weight? Thought the ketostix were a good idea and was very interested about the fact I had increased my calories but was still fat burning. Very pleased with my fbs etc

    It’s great that some GPs are so open minded. I must say though that the surgery I go to have always provided a first class service. It has made me reluctant to move from their catchment area. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  hashimoto on Over the 8-week line and after
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Newlife that’s amazing!! You really are in full control!
    I’m glad you are making sure you do not miss ‘the window of opportunity’ with your clothes. I’m still miffed about missing mine:(

    Newlife it is newlife:)

  • posted by  hashimoto on Gearing up for April/May
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi desperate, yes you can use your own recipes. Just make sure you count the calories and carbs and include some fat in each meal. Try to keep your carbs under 50g a day. Some of the recipes in the book are slightly fussy.

    The only extra ingredient I have bought is coconut flour. I already used coconut oil, gram flour and I have always loved nuts and seeds.

    If you like curry the gram flour flatbreads are a good substitute for rice and indian breads.

    Like lucia I often have bacon, egg and tomato, it’s quick and easy and fits in with the dirt.
    That should say diet not dirt but I cant get the cursor to move back ๐Ÿ™

    Well done on your weight loss ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  Cherrianne on Rising Fasting Blood Glucose Levels
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi Sharon,
    I’m still very happy with my results. Got my blood sugar levels down to under 5 fasting. It’s very consistent. Post prandials between 5 & 6. It’s all very stable and exactly what I wanted to achieve, but barely believed was possible.
    I’m mostly sticking to 50g carbs or slightly over, and now starting to experiment with one or two days a week of 60g. So far so good, no ill effects on sugar levels. Don’t know how many carbs I’ll be able to have and stay in the non diabetic range as I am fairly carb sensitive. I have plenty to eat staying in the 50-60 range because I don’t count calories. So no problem for me if I can’t go any higher, would rather be healthy ๐Ÿ™‚
    Let me know how you go on the metformin, it might be worth taking the plunge and dropping it. You could always restart the evening one if you go too high, or are you on one dose a day?
    Anyway, whatever you decide, all the best for success.

  • Hi again barby,

    I’m really pleased with my loss so far, thanks. I nearly didn’t weigh myself – totally understand where you’re coming from. How about having my 7? ๐Ÿ˜‰

    MFP is useful but they tell you off for the low calorie count and won’t let you post your food diary until you up the calorie count. I also made the mistake of introducing myself as a newbie and got all sorts of finger wagging – some quite unpleasant – so I just use it for the food diary and weight loss tracker. I like to have friendly support as it is very motivational and makes me accountable! There is an 8 week BSD forum on there but it’s not very active.

    Yes, here’s to great results in 8 weeks’ time!

  • posted by  captainlynne on Please sign our petition
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Bill and Kags, not got that particular email, but did hear about this (or something similar) at the end of last year, just before I found the BSD. Have to say it wasn’t as low carb as most often us are doing. Wasn’t particularly impressed and never finished the online course.

  • posted by  David Knight on Losing weight but no energy
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Hi all

    I have now being doing the 800 diet for 11 days and lost a stone which is great. My Glucose levels have come down to normal levels as well to 5.0 from 8.2. I have upped my exercise and am now regularly hitting 10k paces a day.

    The problem is that my energy levels are very low. One of the hoped for benefits was the burst of energy which lots of people seem to get but I am still waiting.

    Anyone else with the same problem?

  • posted by  barby on some questions please from a veggie newbie
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Thanks Magpie, you have done really well losing 7 pounds in 5 days, you must be so pleased! It’s really encouraging to find other veggies are having good losses too. This weekend I’ll go through the book and buy necessary ingredients, and have a go at some cooking/freezing.

    I stupidly didn’t weigh myself at the beginning, I was so down about myself I couldn’t face it. I did this morning though, now on my 5th day. So I will never know what I started at, but never mind, I am on the way down.

    I feel much more hopeful now, thanks to all the support here. I have used MFP before, so will start that again thanks. Lets hope we’re both posting great results in 8 weeks.

  • posted by  QuiOui on How Will My GP React?
    on in 5:2 BSD
    permalink

    Hi Penny

    I have lost my 25kg of weight mainly by alternate day fasting 400 cals one day, and 1200 cals the next. In theory on the up day you can eat anything, but in practice you don’t. Sometimes I just eat nothing for 48 hours, but it’s hard to maintain a social life with that.
    Everyday I also maintain the 19:5 or 18:6- eating in a window of 5 or 6 hours and even no milk in my tea outside those times
    Fasting makes me feel great – full of energy and happy.

    I am using the BSD to try to lose the last 7 or 8 kilos of weight to arrive at BMI 26, after a month or so of excess.
    I will combine it with 4:3 as from next week(3 meals in 2 days), weekend off (but stick to 1000 cals).
    I have June 30 as my normal weight deadline, which will take some discipline.
    I do miss a glass of wine every now and then, but even this is dispensible.

    There are sayings on the fastdiet forum I also belong to:

    NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SLIM and

    FAST FOR GOOD HEALTH, REDUCE CALORIES TO LOSE WEIGHT, EXERCISE TO TONE THE BODY!

    I am not diabetic, so my goals are to do with losng weight rather than lowering blood sugar. But these go hand in hand.

    Happy a happy BSD day

    PS I love the recipe in BSD – a salad with pomegranate seeds.

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

    Hi everyone,

    Week 2 Day 1: 3 kgs down and 2cm off my waist. I’m quietly confident.

    Hi pmshrink, I use Smiling Mind app (Australia). If you scroll down the forum heading page there’s a minfulness heading. I would love to hear what others are doing around the topic of mindfulness. There must be others out there that are curious.

    Happy BSDing.

  • posted by  Fatty on Rising Fasting Blood Glucose Levels
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Thanks Cherrianne,

    Post prandials are under 6… never ever eat breakfast…. never have except when trying to do what Diabetic educators told me in the early days… wow what a stuff up…. anyway.. now we now better….

    Endo said she thought I would be on Metformin forever due to the fact that I am 16 years diagnosed….but I don’t wanna!!!!

    Yesterday I did not eat till 12.30 and preprandial was still 8.3…. but post down to 6 exactly… go figure… oh well….

    Seriously tempted to get the pain over with and go cold turkey… might halve it and see if it actually makes a diff…

    How are you going??… still strong with the low carbs?? even though you have finished the initial 8 weeks??

    Have been following what people write on here… very helpful to hear tell of where others have gone before. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  • posted by  Cherrianne on Gearing up for April/May
    on in Welcome to the BSD
    permalink

    Hi Desperate,
    Your liver will be loving the rest from the nightly wine!
    You can tweak the recipes or make your own as long as you calorie count and stay low carb/ no sugar. Most of us do this. An app will help with tracking your intake and finding calorie counts.
    Great you’ve noticed those differences already, and 2.5kg down is a great achievement ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  Lea71 on 'Weigh in' thread
    on in Fast 800
    permalink

    Well done Beverley – 5 kg in 10 days is amazing. Hearing Michael’s radio program inspired me too. I am Day 4 and don’t think there is much difference on my scales yet, but it’s early days!