Gosh, well done!

My weight loss hasn’t been anything like as rapid – but I haven’t cut down my calories very much.

Is there any chance of buying more food on the way, or having someone meet you with extra supplies?

Vacuum packed beetroot will keep without being chilled.

Good luck with it, Dee.

Tomorrow Tuesday 26th April 2016 at 9.30am I will have my fasting bloods taken. I begin eating the BSD way straight after that. Hopefully my doctor will support me but I won’t know that until Thursday the 28th. The kitchen is ready, the groceries purchased and all is good to go but I’m still emotional. Joining this forum is the best thing I could have done to help myself as I’ve already had replies from very caring people who made me feel that I can do this xxxxxxxxxxx thanks so much <3 So, Blueberry ‘n Green Tea Shake for breakfast tomorrow when I recover from the Nurses needle lol looking forward to it beginning 🙂

No weight loss this week. On the plus side I haven’t actually gained any.

Must try a bit harder. I’ve been very good at avoiding the carbs, but not paying attention to portion sizes.

Well done to those who’ve lost weight.

People like you will certainly help me, your so kind. I’m not sure if I’m tearful because I feel I’m giving up so much or because I may have found the answer to fixing what ails me and returning to health at long last. It’s good to know that there are others who have been there before me and understand. Thanks so much 🙂

Thanks for your words of encouragement. I’m sure I’ll experience rough days much like others do but 8 weeks is a short space of time to give my overall health. The possibility of being Diabetes free is like being promised ultimate wealth just for looking after myself properly. Well done you too for working so hard on your health, keep it up 🙂

Well done Orchid, that’s great. I am definitely in the 1.0 territory now and not counting but still losing. I am thinking I may have to start and reintroduce some carbs. I found cutting sugar to < 30 gm/day and losing all of the flour based stuff was all I needed to do but some of the fruits are so high in calories and sugar I had to leave them out too. You deserve a break and will soon get back to where you want to be. Remember its not a race and we are doing this for ourselves, no-one else. We can take our time. Happy hols…

For what its worth I am technically in week 12 as of today but stopped counting calories several days ago. I am struggling to eat a lot more and don’t push it. I am adding some more carbs now but not in a planned way. I just do not worry about it as I am still losing at 79.1 kg now from previous 96.2 in Feb. I think that I have managed to change my eating style as well as content of meals and do not expect to go back to Fast 800 until my weight starts creeping up again. My BMI is 25.9 today so I can go a while longer before getting to 25. I was not expecting to even get near to 25 but it seems it will happen unless I introduce some of the old and bad habits. The only time I have felt hungry was after a meal that included bread and sausage that was unplanned but as a guest who had skipped lunch it was a pleasant change. It did not do the job though and the carbs producing the hunger phenomenon was obviously alive and well.

thanks Skywalker. I got to my original target of losing 7kg by end last week, it was .5kg off of the 1.1 prime and for some reason I hit a plateau despite exercise so did not get to the 1.1 Not too upset – this is a long term plan and 15.2 kg off plus 2 dress sizes down in 12 weeks is great. I am going on holiday for 2 weeks with limited control over food – I can avoid high carbs – rice, pasta etc – or make sure I only have small portions, but packed lunches are likely to be sandwiches and I will be walking a lot so will have to take a call on how best to approach it.
Two targets for this 2 weeks – only weight gain to be ‘gut-fill’ and strengthening exercises for legs and butt so I can get going on jogging again.
I will try to check in occasionally, but not sure about wifi access etc.

Three days in, have lost 7.5 pounds….. Have others found such rapid weight loss? I know the book suggests it would, but I didn’t expect quite so much.

Thanks so much for all of your advice!

Day 2 and the menu is egg and turkey rasher muffins, salmon in tomato sauce with salad and pine nuts, and Chicken, tomato and mozzarella bake. And 150ml of whole milk for tea as well as herbal tea and hot water.

971 calories 19g carbs, 50g fat, 62g protein or 10% carbs, 58% fat, 32% protein

How does that look?

I feel a bit headachy and have taken paracetamol.

Fasting blood sugar was 5.0 and I forgot to take a pill last night, so very happy with that, and 4.8 before lunch (after having tea with milk and a galvusmet)

Feel hungry now so will have lunch in a bit before my lunchtime rehearsal (I’m a musucian and teacher and work at a British School in Abu Dhabi)

Have a good day everyone!

Ali 🙂

I had one slight hypo during the 8 weeks when my pre dinner reading had slipped to 3.4 but apart from that, nothing although I have had a couple of readings just under 4

I would leave it for 3 months KatieB. It sounds liek a HbA1C test and they are best performed at minimum 3 monthly intervals.
My surgery actually does them at 6 month intervals. Of course, if you are on the right track, your levels should be lower again after 3 months that 1

Hi Leeanne
It could be that you are just one of those people who have a highish dawn effect.
I am still having regular FBS readings in the high sixes but during the rest of the day they are in normal ramge. I did actually contact the team about htis when I was getting the spikes and they told me not to worry about the fasting readings as long as others were ok. this is because the Dawn phenomonen is a completely natural process which affects everyone differently.

I went for results of my health check last week: blood sugar 6.8 and cholesterol 8.5. My GP was really supportive
Of this diet and has told me to come back in 2-3 months to be retested. It seems such a long time to wait. Should I go back sooner? A friend told me pharmacy also can test so maybe I should go there?
I’ve lost 17 pounds in three weeks , 4 stone still to go! Happy with results but anxious about whether it’s having effect on blood levels.

Welcome to the forums to all the new members.
Everyone has little concerns and questions at the beginning, but, now you have found the forums there is a wealth of information available to you, not from doctors, dieticians, or professional weight loss companies.
The information on these pages has all been provided by ordinary people who have taken the exrtaordinary step of taking their futures into their own hands.
Take a look at your own favourite meals and see how you could basically cook the same food as the family but modify your portion to take into the account the reduced carbs.
Check out the recipe section and the “What have you eaten today” thread for some fabulous recipes, and always remember, you are not alone, we are all on the same path, most of us further along, and we have experienced lot’s of pitfalls and found the answers to lots of questions along the way.
Should you have any questions that you can’t find answers to, there is always someone around to provide the answer, and if you have any bad cravings, give a shout out, support can arrive from the other side of the world faster than you can make a cuppa.
Best of luck to everyone starting this week.

Thanks Christi1948 & Hashimoto!

I checked my BMI this morning captainlynne, and I have dropped 6.5 points. I’m a bit behind you, and have a stone and 6 pounds to go before I can describe myself as overweight! Whoever thought that would be something to aspire to!

Hashimoto, are you eating more fruit now on your maintenance plan, as this is something I miss ATM?

I didn’t really enjoy the cottage pie but I think I can modify it to my taste so I will try again.

lunch yesterday was an experimental stuffed pepper which turned out yummy, I will do it again, I put it in the recipe thread 🙂

today is a work day and I have a walk with my friend planned later.

breakfast yoghurt and apple

lunch 2 boiled eggs and salad

dinner not sure yet

I’m on day 6, so almost a whole week in!

thanks for the replies so far

Week 12 weighday and just 1.5 lbs off this week.
I was TBH expecting a little more due to the increased activity in the garden and such but, if there is one thing I’ve learned over the last 3 months is the unpredictability of the human body.
At least it’s another 3 packets of lard that I won’t have to carry around this week, and, I’ve had to make yet another hole in my belt.
Great to see all the people having the same great early results as I had, keep going folks, come plateaux or high water, this way of life will definitely get you where you want to be.
Starting weight 16 stones 9 pounds
Current weight 14 stone 5.5 pounds.

Hi all new starters, if you are a British Citizen please could you sign our petition? Thanks 🙂

Well Day 3 is here :). I’m going to see if there are lemons and limes in the shop today Hashimoto. If there isn’t the next delivery is Wednesday and I’ll be there as the door opens ha, ha. It’s a great tip isn’t it Switzerland? Good luck, Napangardi only a couple of days in but I’m finding it ok and have genuinely eaten well and haven’t felt hungry at all! Let us know how you’re getting on.

Well Hawks – guess where I’m from…? COLL!!!! Isn’t that amazing! You’re the other side of the planet, there’s only around 200 people on Coll and I’ll know your relative! I have Eriskay ponies in the field next to my house and I mobbed by them pretty frequently too. Yesterday was beautiful but today is a fair bit windier and very cold. The forecast is set for better later in the week. A few people have said Coll is not unlike parts of NZ 🙂 How incredible you’ve been to Coll too – what a small world eh?

Good luck and welcome Feebeez and feistychick! 🙂

Thanks ,FoFi, some good tips. I have experimented with how long cut vege last outside of a fridge and I feel more optimistic. I have planned my meals staying pretty close to the recommended food and I will be taking a bit extra in case I really feel I need the calories. Lots of fish in oil, vege, beans some cheese and of course almonds. I am allowing 900 calories in my planned meals with additional ‘snacks’ at around 100 each so I should keep under 12 00 a day. I will look into the websites
to calculate my calorie burn.

Just weighed today at end of week 3, 8lbs off this week and 1 stone 31/2 pounds in three weeks.
So happy 😀 Just hope it’s having similar positive results on my blood glucose and cholesterol!

Hi napangardi, welcome to the forums!
Some of the aimless eating on a night will be due to the wine! It reduces inhibitions and makes you feel like snacking.
Cut the wine out – I know – for 8 weeks and see the weight melt away 🙂

Best of luck! 🙂

I will thanks. Do many of you experience hypos?

I know Penny, it’s so frustrating. He will go out to buy a takeaway because it’s “too much hassle” to make an omlette etc. 🙁

Hi jillyb, which state do you live in? That’s the second reference I have heard to a dawn service for Anzac day!

Kia Ora fellow kiwis – I’m from the Bay of Plenty. First day on BSD – so far, so good. Had a beautiful walk along Papamoa beach this afternoon. Lots of people out enjoying the amazing day and the long liners were getting lots of fish.

Hi Lainey – also welcome! I’m just starting week 13 and still sticking to the 800 calories, blood sugars have halved and doc says may take me off meds! Have lost 2 1/2 stone – which I think by my maths is about 16 kilos. I’ve pretty much followed the recipes in the book and did the same as you, cleared out everything else. Some recipes I really love and I’ve adapted some of my old ones. One tip for me was to painstakingly go through the recipes for the first week and write down a massive shopping list so I had the whole week planned really helped, did this each week. Also my husband was happy to have most of the foods and as a consequence he’s also lost about 8 kilos.

The forum is fantastic and it’s just awesome to see just how many people are achieving incredible results – off to have my fresh raspberries and full fat natural yoghurt for breakfast – yum!

Good luck…………

Hi Lainey and Welcome from another Kiwi. I have started a thread for NZers (search for Kia Ora) to chat and also share any in season cooking ideas, or local product info, so please join in!

Well done TrishaDawn. It is great having progress markers like that. I too find the social events problematic, but don’t dwell on them. Progress still happens even with blips along the way.

Hi Paula, Well done on getting started. Hello to the inner Hebrides too! I have a relative on Coll and have visited there and Tiree, but didn’t make it to any other islands .They were beautiful, and actually reminded me of parts of NZ in a way, but each had its own character too. One funny memory is of being mobbed by a lot of *very* friendly Eriskay ponies while out walking.

I have been drinking quite a bit of sparkling water and lime, or lemon. I find it useful for the not hungry but want to eat times, as the fizz is filling, slow for me to drink, and a good distraction.

Hi Feisty Chick and Napangardi, I’m also starting today. I’ve got about 15kg to lose. I’ve got kids (12 years, 11 years and 10 years) and I’m still trying to work out how I am going to manage the family meals. I’m going to start by feeding everyone something similar to what I am having, with a few extras thrown in for them.

I had an aborted start yesterday as I had to be out for most of the day and while I started off well, it just wasn’t going to work for the full day. Yesterday I had the Mushroom and Salmon Stack for brunch. OMG that was so yummy!

Today I’ve gone been doing my own thing. Breakfast was yoghurt, blueberries and little bit of rolled oats. I had the Green Tea & Blueberry shake for morning tea. After drinking the shake I realised that the calories in the book are out … instead of 100 calories it comes in closer to 240 calories! I’m going to have to make some adjustments to the rest of the day to compensate for that!

Hawks, that sounds like good advice with the zucchini.

Welcome Feistychick and Napangardi!
I hope you both enjoy the journey.
I can’t answer from experience about feeding kids, but one way to deal with preparing meals that suit others in a family could be to ensure that the meal has any carb separate, and leave that off your plate, and keep an eye on your portion sizes. I find I don’t miss the rice with curries, for example, if I make the sauce thick enough, by simply reducing it down a bit longer when I cook – no thickener.
Another option is to do a substitute for the carbs: thin slices of zucchini instead of pasta, for example. I did a lasagne that way and it was better than the pasta version. The sauce was a no flour bechamel and worked well too.

Tomorrow I am starting my BSD lifestyle. I’ll be doing the 800cal BSD and have about 30kg to get rid of (I’m in New Zealand so not sure what that equates to in pounds, but it’s a lot) so I plan to do the 800 for longer than 8 weeks. I have Type 2 diabetes and I get my bloods done tomorrow so it will be good to see the improvement once I’ve started. I sent away for the book and it arrived on Friday, since then I have been doing a pantry and fridge clear out. I’m going to follow most of the recipes in the book however I don’t do very well on beans or lentils so I’ll be giving them a miss. I’ve been reading the forums and there are some impressive results, so hopefully I will do just as well. All the best everyone. Lainey

I’m entering wk 8 and like others am finding this diet soooo very easy. I’ve lost 8+ kilos and will continue for another 8wks so that I can lose another 5 or so. I’m 57 and my weight was gradually creeping up through menopause. I didn’t want to end up a diabetic like my mum, so off it had to come. I’ve been very strict; not even tempted by chocolate over Easter. I’m amazed that I’m rarely hungry, cos before dieting I always felt hungry. Good luck to all those about to try it or already following it; you’ll feel amazing and it’s extra wonderful when other people notice the difference.

Hi feisty chick, good to read that there is another person commencing today with same goals . I am somewhat older as my children are 18 and almost 21. I am now on my own as have moved away to take on another position. I thought that solo living would be a good stimulus but an afraid I have put on a few kilos since January. Anyway, wishing you all success and here.s to a positive journey. I had the pea a, spinach omelette and it was really tasty. Off to lunch with friends tomorrow so am going to check out menu before hand and will calculate my calories etc. there is never a right time to begin so taking the first step is the best solution! Napangardi

Jani123 – The formal diet doesn’t have a carb limit. Many people here import one from somewhere else – nothing wrong with that (I loosely follow the carb cap I’ve been using for 6 months), but if you’re just looking to follow the BSD, you need to watch the kind of carbs you eat – but not particularly the quantity (especially if you’re using book recipes). If you’re eating healthy fats, and 60 or so grams of protein, and sticking to 800 calories, the carbs will work themselves out.

My journey begun today and I can honesty say I’m really looking forward to making a positive change in my life. I need to lose 40kg but losing the 20kg that has crept on in the last two years would be a great start.

Had the toasted portabello mushrooms with goats cheese and pine nuts for breakfast. Then spent the morning prepping two lunches for the work week, cooking lentils and black eyed peas for dinners this week, and had the capsicum and jewelled feta for lunch – yummo! My husband and children are away this week (school holidays in NZ) so I can be completely focused. I work full-time while my husband is at home with the kids – he also does all the cooking so I will need to build in BSD recipes into the meal plan.

What are other people doing with family and children? I don’t want to make a big deal of mummy eating differently as I have two daughters (8 and 6) and I remember my mother was always on diets (which I’m sure has an impact on my relationship with food).

Looking forward to being part of this positive forum. Now I’m off for a long walk along the beach.

Hi Lucia,
I am an Aussie and can report that the weather is beautiful, sunny and calm…..all this in spite of being in the second month of autumn ! Today is Anzac Day so is a public holiday. Thousands of people turned up for the dawn service at our Shrine of Remembrance….as it was pretty cold at that time of the morning they were well rugged up. It’s a very moving and emotional time. Later, mid morning, we have a parade of veterans down one of our largest roads with thousands of people going to watch and cheer them on. The very elderly are driven in the march, and later they mostly convene at pubs to chat with old comrades and remember all their friends who fell.

jilyB

Hi, day one and I am determined to reprogram my body… I have been reading Michael”s book for six weeks and today I thought just do it…. Have some concerns as I like my wine at night and I find that I eat aimlessly at night but will look at what I can do to avoid this. Have just started reading various posts and am motivated… Napangardi

Hi, I have been on and off this diet since the beginning of March, but had problems due to a couple of family birthdays including my own, Easter, a couple of family lunches and a high tea.

I don’t usually have such a busy social life, just bad timing. I decided to put it all behind me and start over again a week ago.

My first week back on the diet and I’m down 800 grams. Which is really good for me, I’m short, not young and don’t exercise nearly enough. From the 1st March when I first began, to today, a week into my second beginning, I’ve lost a total of 4 kilos. I’m more than happy with that. Some days it’s a real struggle not to give in, but since I gain weight so quickly off the diet and take so long to re-lose it, I’ve managed to stick it out.

While I know the BMI doesn’t always give a true picture, I’m thrilled to be now in the overweight category instead of being classed as obese.

I eat Ryvita and it doesn’t seem to affect my bloods , for instance 1 sesame Ryvita is 5.8 carbs but 1.8 is fibre no net carbs is 4, use them as a treat with some thinly sliced cheese, hummus or peanut butter

Hi everyone,….I’d never thought of freezing slices lemons/limes. Thanks for the idea hashimoto, and my weekly budget thanks you too.

Hi everyone,

Lucia, here in Australia we’re commemorating ANZAC day today. A pretty busy time. Many of us attend ANZAC marches/parades.
It’s been a long weekend, with the public holiday today, so I imagine lots of Aussies are ‘out and about’.

I am a bit of a grazer so take my breakfast and lunch to work but divide it into 4 little pots as it seems t keep me fuller longer

1small Apple sliced with 1tsp hummus

1 pot kale chips with 6 cashew nuts

1slice of ham with chopped salad veggies

4 mini fish balls (home made with ground fish, seasoning and small amount ground almonds)

I also drink lots of water with lemon

For dinner tonight fried up 2 pepper and 1tomato with olive oil till very soft and scrambled two eggs into it

I agree with the breakfast here and sometimes add a fresh fig or a kiwi for variety.
Last week I had chicken sliced and fried up with with leeks, peppers, a sliced green chilli, stirred in some spinach and some mushrooms and a spoonful of Creme fraiche on top. Served with courgetti. Yummy