Alan you are off them now.
For the next few days forget the fasting readings and see how the pre and post meal readings are doing. It’s a far more accurate measure as there is no dawn effect involved.

Hmm first my secret identity and now this!!!
I’m seriously beginning to believe in clairvoyancy here. Hope you can’t read my innermost thoughts Judith 😀

Hi.
New on the forum but now in week 14 of the 800cal. I started on shakes and non-starchy veg as per the Newcastle protocol but now I’m ‘on solids’ again. I’ve lost 2.5 stone so far but I’ve another couple of stones to go as I’m 81Kg and need to get to around 66kg to be in the middle of my normal BMI. My fasting BS levels have fallen from early teens down to mid-six’s. Weight loss has slowed significantly to less than 100g/day so I’m considering ‘proper’ fasting for a couple of days per week. This is also to help improve my insulin resistance and improve my BS readings. My HbA1c after eight weeks was 43 (normal 25-41). No ill effects 14 weeks in, though, and feeling hugely better in myself as my blood pressure is now low and my cholesterols are brilliant. Started the gym yesterday too.
guthlac

I have managed to score a set of scales and am using the same ones.

19 days in stone lost and going back on those metformin as BS seems up n down n all over
7.7 fasting today from a lower measurement yesterday
Soooo continue this plan with couple pills thrown in daily will see how I go and come back off pills in few weeks,maybe they’ll help purge the sugar out system ?
Alan confused 🤔

This is true. Hubby (who’s not on BSD) weighs half a stone heavier in one branch of Boots than he does in another. Same sort of digital scales. He obvs goes with the lighter one!!

Duh…I am such a newbie…
Have just been reading some of the earlier topics and it seems that this is not so unusual. I will try a late evening milky snack and see if it helps…or maybe, stop testing in a.m.😊

Low carb waffles with strawberries and dollop of yoghurt – I find the coconut flour in recipe makes them rather dry – I’ll use almond flour or half of each next time
Prawn Pho from the 5:2 diet book – added extra mushrooms and snow peas and ‘Slendier’ or konjac noodles – virtually no cals in these.
Roasted eggplant (aubergine) stuffed with ‘bolognaise’ sauce left over from the other day when I had it with spiralized zucchini –
I always add some greens on the side.
I have two coffees a day before lunch with a spoonful of real cream, and at about 5.00pm I often have a cup of decaf tea with unsweetened almond milk and a slice of the skinny brownie from the main book or hommous with celery and carrot sticks – keeps the wolf from the door while preparing dinner!

Caravan Sue, are you weighing on the same set of scales, or in different towns as you previously said you might do? There are sometimes big differences between different scales that might account for your apparent weight gain.

Hi feltwicked
Welcome to you both. Lots of help here. Look at past topics in forums.
As you lose weight etc your sleep should be better. A big + for any shift worker ( I did it years ago ). Keep posting & good luck

Thanks for that. I look forward to it!

Hi Tofa,
It sounds like you’ve perhaps experienced a blood sugar spike at about the same timeframe in the diet that I did.
If you have a look at the thread ‘ rising fasting blood sugars’ you’ll see that this happened to several people around week 4/5 and lasted a couple of weeks.
Stick with the diet and you will get the results you want. The bedtime snack of cheese, yoghurt or a glass of milk really does help counteract the dawn phenomenon. 🙂

B – full fat natural yoghurt/berries/seeds
L – poached egg on avocado slices
D – cottage pie and cauliflower mash (yum)

Hi Elma
Way to go!👍
I’m in week 12 & off meds for a week & a half. My FBS shot up again at first but are now heading south daily so fingers x ?
I’m 65 in July & looking forward to it now ( well we all know the alternative don’t we).
Just had a family hol & went swimming! First time for years as I didn’t like to see me in a cosi let alone others! Looked OK & felt same. More water to come 🏊🏻 as I still need to lose more weight
Keep on keeping on

Fasting sugar readings are notoriously erratic because of the dawn effect as your liver releases stored sugar into your bloodstream. So much so that many doctors now recommend not testing in the morning but concentrating on pre and post meal readings.
When you think about it, if you are burning sugars as fuel, a longer fasting time may result in more stored glucose being released than normal as your body needs the fuel.
Try to have a fatty snack before bedtime, I use yoghurt and fruit (full fat of course) cheese, nuts, anything to keep the digestive system working through the night to stave off that dawn effect.

Hi napangardi, the book says sometimes a drink of hot water is comforting and staves hunger pangs.

Try it with a slice of lemon 🙂

Hi there, I am on week 2 of BSD and so far am doing well. Little concerned that my morning blood sugar levels are rising. At start levels were hovering between 7.5 – 8 after fasting – now up to +9. Though seem to be ok in pm dropping to 6 or thereabouts. Have been consistent with the diet. Any suggestions as to why this could be??

Napangardi, I had a moment like that a couple of days ago and a walk really helped. I have found evenings particularly difficult, I used to aimlessly nibble my way through the evening! One of those bad habits I was talking about 😉 Yep, I think maybe having something to tide you over these moments would be a good idea. For me, a walk and a soak fills a fair bit of time and it’s surprising how quickly the moment can pass. You’re doing so well – keep on keeping on. Also spending time on here is so inspiring, I think that spurs me on more than anything. Let us know how you go 🙂

Ah Lucia, do you have a cold hun?
I have a big jar of Vicks here in case you need some rubbed in somewhere.
Purely for medical reasons of course 😉

Woo Hoo Sue
congratulations on losing that first stone, you are living proof that perseverance does pay off 🙂
Now it’s all downhill, just got those sugar readings down a little.

Day 4

I had absolutely tons of energy when I got home last night and for the first time ever made all of the lunches for today, meaning I hit the alarm snooze once this morning! I did feel shattered this morning though and feel that all of the balls in the air are going to hit the deck with a big thump before too long!

My fasting BS was 5.2 this morning which is higher than I would have expected after what I ate. I couldn’t even finish the courgette with prawns. I am not really that hungry either which is good!

Today is tuna and mayo for breakfast, LCHF Moussaka and a tomato for lunch, and chicken, mozzarella and tomato bake with broccoli for dinner.

29g carbs (13%), 41g fat (43%) and 96g protein (44%)

Daren’t get on the scales yet! Not sure if I’m losing anything or not, but I definitely feel better!

Have a good day everyone 🙂

Agghhhh it is really hard today….. I do not think I am hungry per se, I just feel I need to eat…..I logged on in order to not eat anything! Perhaps I should go for a walk….. It is frustrating as the first two days were a breeze, so I was shocked by my internal battle….I had eggs, spinach and peas for breakfast, avocado salad for lunch and some yoghurt, a handful of almonds and still I wander the kitchen…..I may go and buy some miso soup to tide me over during these moments.

Zendo, what Bill says! 🙂

Ay caramba, something along the lines of ‘ the money you save on food will be spent replacing your wardrobe, and then some’ 🙂

Oh Bill carrying a boiler! No chance of holding trousers in place with the elbows!

Wow, OH is making sure you do that big clothes shop Bill! You’d better hurry or she will shop for you and really buy you that mankini! 🙂

Bill
There should be a BSD warning about the danger of following this diet.
Clothing hazard!!!!

OMG the OH went through my drawers and wardrobe yesterday and threw out everything that no longer fits me.
There were 2 bin liners full of clothes.
I need a major shopping trip next month. Pants falling down ? try having it happen while you are carrying a boiler from a wagon 🙁

Congratulations Sue, its a great milestone to reach!

That’s such good news Napangardi! Yes I too have have been weighing and after years of being told not to weigh yourself more than once a week I am finding it motivates me. I’m starting day 5 today and I’m 4 1/2 lbs lighter 🙂 I have been experimenting with food too. I’m finding bulgar wheat filling, and eggs are so versatile. Habits are hard to change – I’m finding that also, but I hope I’m forming new ones. I will be tested over the weekend at a couple of social gatherings….

I’ve woken here to a snow flurry would you believe. So back to winter woollies! Last Wednesday I spent the afternoon at a beach with friends wearing a t- shirt.

Ha, Hashimoto – Mr Pickles is a legend on the island with his antics:)

Thanks for signing Jani. I think hubby’s GP needs a wake up call, he clearly hasn’t checked to see if there is any research! Hope your hubby does start the BSD 🙂

What is happening Zendo is that you are doing everything right.
The full feeling is coming from the extra fat in your diet because it takes your body so much longer to process plus, a lot of what we have always called hunger was actuallyy carbohydrate cravings. Now you are in fat burning mode, you no longer need carbs so your body isn’t crying out for them.
On an aside, had a meal out last night at an Italian restaurant. Had to be careful with choices as most of the scrummy food is sauce laden and we don’t know what goes into them.
Settled for king prawn in garlic starter and a fillet steak with vegetables.
Delicious and FBS today was 6.3 so a result.
You can eat out if you just plan carefully.

We were obviously typing at the same time Bill! 🙂

Hi Hashimoto/ Alanhypo
Seem to have been in ‘the pants falling down club’ for a while now as well!!!
Chose the wrong pair to play tennis in last night (under jogging bottoms, I must add).
Spend part of the time trying to surreptitiously haul them back into place.
Annoyingly this pair of ‘droopy drawers’ are quite new.

Hi feltwicked, welcome to the forums 🙂
Congratulations to you and OH for starting this diet tomorrow.

You don’t need to follow the complex recipes in the book for your packed meals for work. Just follow the principles!

Ideas for packed meals:
Dips and crudite
Salad with ham/egg/tuna/salmon/chicken/beans etc
No carb ploughmans – from book
Full fat yoghurt and berries
Piece of cheese and celery and apple
Soup in a flask
Couple of boiled eggs and some nuts

Lots of things you can have that are easy to prepare – the single pots of Fage full fat yoghurt don’t need any prep!

There are a few shift workers on these forums following this diet so you are not alone! 🙂

Hi Christine, I was like a kid at xmas when i opened mine too. Then i had to keep watching the vid as I used the spiraliser, jigsaw puzzles and mechanical objects are not my forte 🙁

Cracked it Fran !!!
Your Dad has to be impressed with your results, keep plugging away at him 😉
8Kg WOW that’s 35 packets of lard that you no longer have to lug about with you.
You must be feeling fantastic and well deserved.

Nice to know I’m in your thoughts Judith 😉

Bill, that image of you rapidly morphing in a telephone box is going to stick with me all day!!! 😉

Help…complete freak out. Had seen GP who diagnosed pre-diabetes and said fasting blood glucose was 6.6 (after 15 hour fast)….so followed diet, BMI down to between 21-22 from 23-24, 150 hours aerobic exercise etc etc for approximately one month. Bought my own blood monitor yesterday and this morning took my first reading…fasting blood glucose after 12 hours is 8.3.!!!!! Feel in despair. I do know machines show differently but this is a standard Accuchek with strips. What to do?? My efforts have put now put me in worse situation (although I would think if I had had 12 hour fasting with GP might have been closer to the new figure). Last night’s supper was only fillet salmon, french green beans and half an apple with handful of seeds. Tofa

Hi Chongolo, you do need to go to the loo a lot at first but it settles down after a while.

I am one of those whose acid reflux has disappeared, yours may settle down soon. This diet causes huge changes in the body in the first couple of weeks so give it time! !

The garlic and a teaspoon of cream cheese gives you a lot of bang for your buck on this diet! Saves wasting most of a jar of passata as well!
I love chilli so always add that as well. If you like chilli it is vit C rich and anti inflammatory as well 🙂

Wow that’s strange Chongololo
A lot of folks have reported that their acid reflux has vastly improved during the 8 weeks.
In fact I’m sure Hashimoto is one of them.
I’m sure she’ll be along soon to confirm that.
Anyhow, best of luck with the plan. If you can stick with it then 20kg is very acheivable, others have lost that and more.

Sorry you’ve got a cold Lucia, try echinacea its very effective, you’ll be better in no time. I’m with you on Darcy, or Colin Firth in any role! Jules x

I haven’t change clothes in a telephone box for many a year Judith and the Kryptonite is a real PITA these days 😉
Meredex I’m so happy you have had a rethink. Of course I’m going to be watching you now so let’s get that weight moving.—– Starting this week 😀

I’m so pleased you’re sticking with it Meredex, the losses will come and you’d have missed out on them if you’d stopped now. Us tortoises need to stick together, we know we’ll get there in the end and we can support each other along the way. Jx

Bill! Have you got a secret identity?! 🙂

Sorry, Meredex, Bill is not Michael in disguise, he is pretty brilliant though! 🙂

Thank you all for your encouragement. Well I sulked for the day, then had a word with myself whilst putting my scales under the bed. I am in this primarily for weight loss. As a yo yo dieter I thought I had found my perfect diet as its wonderful not feeling hungry. I look to my not so distant past and can’t help wondering how much more I would have lost at slimming world ( I would guess 2-3lbs consistent weight loss a week) but I get bored and fall off the wagon! I am amazed that in 4 weeks I haven’t eaten any carbs other than green leaves and veg – it’s amazing Warburtons bakery hasn’t gone bust! As I said I’m going to stop being mardy, weigh once a week and carry on. If Michael happens to be reading this he may need to come up with diet number 3 for those of us slow losers! I would happily be a Guinea pig. Actuall I had hoped BILL was Michael writing under a pseudonym 😉 Xxxxxx

Great result Julkat
You’ll be down into pre diabetic levels before you know it at this rate
Well done you and best of luck for the next few weeks

Hi hashimoto,

No I hadn’t thought of that – I have always preferred tomato based sauces for pasta and stuff (fuel for the parmesan!) but that IS a good idea. I need to stop in at the shops and grab some dogfood and maybe a chicken breast for tomorrows dinner, I will add some philly to the basket.

One thing I have noted is so far this diet has had me racing tot eh loo all the time, and is playing havoc with my acid reflux. I am changing meds anyway (too insecure about PPI’s so trying the H+ ones) but yesterday and today the reflux has showed up MUCH earlier. Possibly previous continual snacking kept it at bay somewhat?

its annoying, I have antacid chewables on me. Here’s hoping it chills out, i have read other have had their reflux improve?

oh well. talk later 🙂

Hi all, my partner and I are sbout to embark on the BSD tomorrow morning. We’re definitely looking forward to it. My big issue is the fact that I’m a shift worker with 4 days of midnight (tonight) to 8:00am followed by 3 days of afternoon shifts 1600 to 2400. The weird times makes it difficult to coordinate the complex recipes in the book, but we’re working that out beforehand, ie right now. I’ll keep you posted on our progress. Goodbye type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure (me) and excess weight (Jeanette and I).

I’m going to try the BSD 5:2 I think, see if increasing my calories will help things settle down a bit. I was pretty strict on the carbs, so I’m going to add more of those too, oats and hummus probably, although there is some suggestion chick peas may effect oestrogen levels. There is so much conflicting advice.

Anyway, I really don’t want another night as messy as last night. *shivers*