Brilliant results Glasgowgirl!
Penny

Hi Glasgow Girl
Welcome to the club.
Great results – Onwards & Downwards
John

8 weeks completed
BMI 30.5 from 35.5
Hb 1ac 42 from 65
Metformin dose halved
20cm off waist measurement
Feeling that a lot of good has been achieved
More energetic and better concentration.
Hoping I can keep up the good work.

Hi all,
I need some advice I think.
I’ve just finished 2 weeks on the fast 800. The first 10 days were a challenge, but I was so pleased with my weight and fat loss that it kept me positive.
I now seem to have reached a plateau. Not losing any more weight, feeling tired and hungry and get cold easily. This was not helped by having some cake at a birthday yesterday!
What do you do/eat when you’re really craving some comfort?

Hi eureka
Wow 13 people since Friday!
I need a weeks rest after I’ve had my family visit! You are doing a great job, if you aren’t tempted, I think it’s really hard watching family having a sweet treat,
I hope you lose lots of weight with all the entertaining and cooking!
I’m very pleased about my weight, although I did do lots of excercise, which I don’t do usually at home,
Christine

Hi Christi1948
Brill result. And it was your Birthday! Well done.

I’ve been catering for 13 since Friday. Trying to resist temptation, swimming & walking. Another notch in on my belt. Moved to new GP & seeing him next week. Should be interesting?

Cherrianne
Thanks very much for that info,how does it know average of past 3 months if I only go every 3 months ?? Interested to know this
Strangely I found an old card nurse used to fill in with all blood results and target for me
Six years ago It says target 6.5 but actual reading 6.8 this was HbA1c (,latest reading from 3 years ago 7.2 increase with weight !)

Just found this on line which explains it

Glycated hemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin that is measured primarily to identify the three month average plasma glucose concentration. The test is limited to a three month average because the lifespan of a red blood cell is three months. Wikipedia
Thank you very much for your input Alan

Day 58 weight 10st 4lbs
Blood sugar 8.5 ( really good – for me)

I found out yesterday that my BMI was 27.3 and that if I can get my weight down to 9st 7 lb I will no longer be classed as overweight. This is a real incentive for me.

Not sure if blood sugar is a blip or if it is finally coming down. Also if it is due to the Stevia?

RA, you say sugary things were your ‘my go to foods for every problem I ever had’ – but you’ve already proved to yourself that they’re the cause of some of your problems rather than an answer. It’s great thet you’re seeing improvements already and I’m sure you’ll soon feel even better.

The diet does take a little adjusting too, but you’ll findnew foods you enjoy just as much and which will make you feel good in the long term and not just when you’re eating them.

Hi Desperate Dieter thank you for your kind words it’s really amazing to have someone send such a positive reply so fast and I can’t wait to get started. I think I’m definately going to need that support though.
Feeling Boosted!

Well I got a 7.1 two hours after my chicken salad tonight and managed easily on the 800 calories not hungry at all !
Had boiled egg for breakfast ,subway full salad with chicken lunch as driving
Not sure how this equates to recommended meals tho.
Onward and upward
Alan

Hi baby steps
You have done the hardest part already… Choosing to improve your diet and follow this programme. Everyone on the forum is really supportive and prompt replies and help are always available here. If you have seen such a dramatic improvement in such a short time, you’ll be really impressed by the benefits when you start the diet proper. Good luck and keep us posted. You can do this.
Much joy

Hi I’m new and I am getting ready start the BSD. I’m type 2 diabetic and I have been for almost 12 years now and for almost 3 years I have been on basal insulin along with tablets. My weight is around 74kg and this is not the first time I’m trying the diet , I tried to do the 600-200 cal shake diet but it was too much for me. My health has been a mess and I’m a terrible Diabetic because I love chocolate, cakes, biscuits these are my go to foods for every problem I ever had! I might sound like a addict saying this (that’s cos I am) I have been 6 days clean of refined sugar I haven’t had any of my usual treats at all. On the first day I decided to stop eating sugary things I found the BSD book (by accident at waterstones) and cutting things that were coming up in the book that I was eating too much of like giant jacket potatoes, chips, bread, chips, pasta, chips … U get the idea. And since I tried cleaned up what I’m eating and added in more good food (more veg and fruit) i have already started to feel the benefit. This time two weeks back I was putting my insulin up a few units everyday and sneaking in an extra tablet and I still couldn’t get my sugars bellow 12!! I felt horrible everyday with no energy, I was struggling to work or focus and I felt myself sinking into depression again. Since I cleaned up a bit I feel way more energetic and I have even found (within one week!!) I don’t need to take the insulin anymore, it was just giving me hypos !! The tablets alone are controlling my blood sugars and I haven’t even started the diet yet! I plan to start as soon as I have spoken with my doctor and got the ok tomorrow. I have had some negative reactions from my family (like don’t get your hopes up and not everyone comes off the mess) but it’s understandable and I have asked them not to say it cos I’m ready for the worst. I am also a bit worried about some of the receipes in the book. I am only now teaching myself to eat fruit and enjoy it I don’t know if I’m disaplined enough to do 800 cal for 8 weeks, I’m hope I am. If I could loose weight and get off all my diabetes medication that would be an massive bonus for me .

I’m in week 9 and actually looking forward to continuing. I lost 2 stone 3 pounds so far but have a few more stone to go. The only change I am now considering is taking a general vitamin supplement. I’ll stop the supplement as soon as I reach normal bmi / weight and move to maintenance. My husband finishes 8 weeks on Friday- he is 3 stone down in weight, all blood markers greatly improved, but still has a few stone to lose. So, we are both going to keep going.will keep posting progress. Have a go… We have nothing to lose but weight.
Much joy

So pleased I’m not alone on the shopping front!

; )

Hi orchid
There we go then, shows how much my daughter in law knows! I thought it was nonsense!
Christine

Hi fifip
Three of us!
Christine

Hi bill1954
Well done on the weight loss, I too have sectioned my weight loss into increments, so that it’s easier for me to cope with.
I also hate shopping and try and do most of it on line. Will it change as I lose more weight? you never know!
Christine

I’ve avoided them for the same reason as Orchid.

I’m drinking lots of tea (with milk). I just couldn’t drink enough if I stuck to only water and as most other drinks are either high sugar or have sweeteners, tea seems the best alternative to me.

Hi Alan, if your nurse is sending off blood to be tested, it will come back as a %. If this is the one you mean it is called HbA1c and measures your average blood sugar for the past three months. If your meter has a memory it may give you an average reading over the past week and month. This is useful if you are doing a few random tests after meals, before bed etc. because you can keep an eye on whether your average is heading in a good direction. If it shows improvement you know your HbA1c will too.

Hi john,
Thanks will have a look for the recipe.
Christine

Thanks Orchid, it was the bare naked rice I was thinking of. That name should have stuck in my head lol 🙂
It’s sold under a different name here in Aus.
Nella this is a very friendly, supportive forum and you will get great advice and support. So hang out with the BSD crowd, they’re part of the secret to success in this way of life.

Thank you, happy to post on here as this is so important, 20 years of being fat must
end. I want to feel healthy and full of energy

Hi Simon,
The carb cravings pass fairly quickly. If you can stick with the plan and stay away from the starchy, sugary stuff you’ve mentioned, you’ll find you don’t want them after a couple of weeks.
A fatty protein snack will usually deal with the cravings in the meantime, something like a piece of cheese or a small serve of full fat yoghurt.
Eventually you won’t want snacks either.
You should aim to get your carbs from full fat dairy, veg and fruit, beans and legumes. Most people on here aim for around 50g carb per day to achieve better blood sugar control during the 8 weeks. After that it’s trial and error to get to the point where you have good control, but enough carbs to maintain your weight ( once you’ve achieved your goal). That will vary from person to person.
You sound like you are all set for success so will be interesting to follow your progress 🙂

Welcome on board.
I started with Shakes for 10 days. I was not doing it through a doctor and bought the ones I could get in Boots the Chemist in the UK. The first week although I lost weight, but not as much as others were and nothing off of my waist. I used it for 3 meal replacements a day and had a veggie meal (stir-fry or soup) in the evening. It made it easy to adjust to the 800 cals and I was sure I was not eating too much.
What I had not noticed was that the replacement meal shakes were quite high in carbs – which was why the no change in waist measurements. The following week I found one with higher protein content and lower carbs, oat based and carried on for a few days. I then dropped to one replacement meal (breakfast), soup for lunch and a cooked meal in the evening. By the third week I was cooking everything and ditched the replacement meals.
It seemed a good way to start – simple and avoids temptations of adding to the plate, but beware – most shakes are high in carbs – I was getting 90g carbs a day from them and then add on soup or stir-fry as well and I was over 100g carbs. Not surprising the weight loss was slow and most important that nothing was coming off of my waist.
Do have a good look at the nutrition breakdown of the Shakes and ensure they are not high carb as that will not help you adjust.
The 4 weeks menu section at the end is probably the best way to start and be ‘safe’ in what you are eating. If I ever have to start again, I won’t use Shakes. I will take a little more time to plan ahead, look at my normal cooking and plan and adjust that. Get a lot of good soups in the freezer – they are much more filling, and less in carbs than the Shakes.
Good luck getting started!

hi mera123,
there is no reason why you can’t have them now if you can fit them into your daily allowance of carbs and 800 calories. I assume they freeze well, so you can ration them!
I personally haven’t tried them yet, as I have not been craving anything like that. I have also had a bad habit of baking things and then eating one after the other over a day till they are gone, so I decided not to test my willpower in that way!
There are also some baking recipes in the recipe section on the website.
good luck with the baking.

Hi stre bor Dave,

Do you mean you want to give me encouragement,
Or I give you encouragement?

I am in a really good place in my head at the moment.
When I have a problem, I face it in a funny, weird way.
Just look how I dealt with carbs, hence all the conversations about mosquitos.

The only encouragement I can give you is, read my blogs, my ups and my downs.

Just keep in touch, this whole community is ready to help you, to give you their strength.
They are my family.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi Janeycoughdrop – I have continued with tea and coffee. I take coffee black – 3-4 cups a day and the occasional late (full fat milk now). Milky tea or coffee – measure an amount of milk into a milk jug and use that during the day in your tea or coffee – add that milk to your daily counts. I do like herb teas – Rooibos and also ginger and lemon so I have them in the afternoons and evening.
Good luck getting started.

So what’s everyone’s next little goal?

I have done the … Drink more water.
I am on the….. Check those carbs…
I have been doing ….. Yoga
I have increased my steps…

Thinking of a bit of muscle work.
I am going to use a can of baked beans, holding them, I am going to lift my arms, forwards, backwards, sideways.

Now where did I put those beans…..
Love Lucia
Xxxx

Sorry Christine, I love marmite and mozzies see me as their local McDonalds.

Hi all
My daughter in law says it’s the marmite she eats that protects her! I hate the stuff, who knows?
Christine

Hi FifiP
So there’s two of us!
I do it all online. Much calmer.
Penny

Hi Bill
Although female I also hate clothes shopping and do it all online. Saves the stress.
Penny

Did you find yourself craving carbs?. I now view them as the enemy. I know i need to eat some, but how much per day?

Hi all, due to start this W.O.E in earnest on 9th May but am already conscious of my carb intake and trying to reduce it before D day. As a previous 5:2 participant I know the importance of keeping fluid intake up but I need guidance on how much (builder’s) tea I can drink during the day. There are many mentions of ‘fruit’ teas (yuck) or coffee with a splash of milk but nothing on tea at all. Am I ok to drink it (in moderation) as before?

I’m on week 11 and I really can’t see a problem.
After all, the whole start of this diet was because Prof Taylor noticed that post weight loss surgery patients were reversing their diabetes and those folk are living long term on a severely reduced calorie intake.

A slip is a blip is a non event
Look at it like a rainy day on an otherwise sunny holiday – annoying but it isn’t going to spoil the whole experience.
Just dust yourself down and climb back aboard, and next time you feel like you’re heading down the wrong path, just shout out on here and the BSD’ers will be here to drag you back onto the right track.

You got it right more times than you messed up, didn’t you? Oh and hang on a minute … You were 12. 3 and have gone up to 11. 13 1/2 ??? If you look at those figures again, I think you’ll see you’ve actually lost weight overall.

Have another try and if you do slip again, then try to hang onto that wagon and haul yourself back on before too much damage is done.

Hi Janeycoughdrop.
It’s nice to know others are starting anew every day too.
Good luck to you also!
I only tried the 5:2 for a week last year and it made me feel quite ill. That said, it was probably my own fault for not reading up well enough first.
It is difficult isn’t it trying to juggle other family members meals….not so much the actual cooking and serving but the fact that the ingredients are there in the cupboard/shopping trolley making eyes at you lol! I’m hoping my other half may well join in a little as he does like some healthy ingredients but we just eat far too much and at the wrong times too at the moment( and he has said he would like to lose a little too.)
Wow that was a lot of weight loss in the time between starting the diet and the surgery.

Excellent!

Hi Judith,
I am A rh positive, I get bitten all the time and react, once got stung by a wasp, the poison travelled up my arm to the extent I had to get a dr to treat it, ( we were abroad) the same happened the next time I was stung.
I was bitten by a spider when we were in oz, the friends we were with insisted I went to the Drs, I was there six hours waiting to be seen, by the time I was seen not only was my arm twice the size, my leg had also swollen up, I had been bitten twice, I got treated and was given a second lot of stuff, ‘just in case’ needless to,say I’m careful now with everything creepy crawlie!
My daughter got bitten by a mozzie when she was in Malaya and Thailand after uni, for six weeks, she did a lot of travelling, she ended up when she got home being hospitalised for weeks, about six or seven in Leeds, she had Japanese encephalitis! We have been ultra careful about mozzies since!

Hi TeenaB
Just follow the diet as in the book and you will love the results. Check out the recipes section and the “what have you eaten today” thread for some great meal ideas.
Any problems or moments of weakness, just give a shout out on here, any time. We have a global online community and there is always someone around to laugh or cry with you or just give a big virtual hug.

Best of luck on your 8 week journey to a new healthy lifestyle.

Please meet this woman who also doesn’t like shopping……. (I HATE it!!) so I sympathise with your predicament, nice problem to have though Bill!

Me too. it was a real lightbulb moment.
Briefly I was type 2, 11 weeks ago.
Since then I have lost 30 pounds and my sugar readings are now almost normal. I was re assessed as pre diabetic after HbA1c tests taken just 4 weeks into the diet.
Others are having similar and better results, stick with the plan, it really does work.

Hello

I’m on the 8 week BSD and have done 4 weeks now but I’m wondering when can you have something from the guilt free baking section?

TBH it’s a double edged sword for me FiFiP.
I hate shopping at the best of times so a whole new wardrobe is going to have to be planned with military precision.
I need to spend as little time as possible in the city centre (I read somewhere once that men on a shopping trip suffer the same stress levels as soldiers going into battle)
I suppose I can live with it just this once 😀 😀 😀

Hiya, I have been making excuses now for soooo long about my lack of weight loss! I have decided to go for it until I have shifted all this extra weight I have. I have read a few posts on this and find them reassuring and a source of inspiration too.

Hi Plumptious, I’m also a ‘newbie’ with an impending start date! Mine will be Monday 9th May all being well (I need to survive a trip to NYC and a hen weekend before!) and my reasons are similar to yours for wanting to modify my eating behaviour. I also need to get more active as my job is desk based.

I successfully followed the 5:2 diet for nearly 18 months and felt the weight and health benefits, but lifestyle changes (new partner and growing son) mean it’s more difficult to stick to such a rigid regime. So I’ve lapsed into old, sugary/pasta/rice habits with their resulting effects. I’m early 40s and suddenly have a bad knee, possible high blood pressure and generally feel out of sorts.. so it’s time to knuckle down again! I’m already thinking about what carbs I’m consuming on a daily basis and trying to reduce them before ‘D’ day!

Interestingly I had a previous boyfriend who was morbidly obese and scheduled for bariatric surgery, and I put him on a very similar pre-operative diet for 8 weeks under hospital guidance.. and the weight dropped off him! 3+ stone between consultation and op.. so I already know this can work!

Good luck for the 23rd!

Bill, I can feel the glow of the good feeling you must be experiencing, all the way down here in Kent; brilliant progress.

I am in the market for new clothes too, nice feeling isn’t it!

: )