Thanks for the advice. I hardly cooked so the expense is the things I didn’t have in the cupboard, defiantly going to check put Aldi though! I’d like to stick to the book as much as possible to give everything a try as my palette is rather inexperienced. I’m a bit of a simple cook being just meat, veg and a potato or chips or just a tin of soup. I’m a big cereal eater though and love a snack in the evening. So strange having just meat and veg and actually having to cook a breakfast…. Hubby isn’t liking it at all lols!

Hello, Well, where to begin and how? I do not go to any gym but I cycle and have a Treadmill at home, I use a heart rate monitor, XL spreadsheet for calculating meal total s of calories and sugar, and weigh quite regularly now. Initially my waist size dropped noticeably almost immediately. I do weigh food items and some days I have spare calories more than others. I averaged 845 per day and less than 30 gms sugar/day – read the labels you will be surprised. We all know to eat fewer things full of sugar and other carbs but we previously did not do it.

I finished 8 weeks yesterday 2 stones lighter. I only eat foods that I have always eaten but in bigger quantities of veg etc I have lost the bread, sweets and milk, no longer crave sweet stuff and do not get hungry very often.

Good luck, hoping this adds o the sum of knowledge you will be sharing on here

Lost 5lbs in my first day!! So pleased

Hi All,
The post is called ‘low carb foods in Australia’ and is in this forum. If no one posts on a thread it moves down the list each time, so you may have to scroll down a bit to find it. I’ll post something in a minute and see if I can move it up a bit.
Welcome to all you new Aussie BSDers. We are very fortunate here that we have access to products through the NDSS, that folks in the UK have to pay much more for. From reading the posts I have discovered that unless their GP’s practice will supply them they have to pay for glucose test strips! Most of us wouldn’t have even had to pay for our meters.
We also have fabulous low carb bread, read the other thread to find out. Plus today I found another staple food with 25% less carbs… A little cliff hanger to get you looking for that post lol 🙂

Hi all,

I love to drink fizzy water but most days I need a hit of sweetness and so I opt for no sugar drinks such as Coke Zero. Are sugar free drinks a suitable drink (apart from any other non sugar related potential risks) for people looking to maintain weight lost during the diet phase?

152 signatures!!!

Hi Taniavic, I know what you mean. I was out for lunch with a friend last week and I ordered the full English breakfast without the toast. My friend whispered you forgot to ask for the fat reduced version!! She follows SW. She was really surprised when I said this diet is the opposite of slimming world and you are supposed to eat fat. She ordered the book!!! I had lost over 2 and a half stones since she had last seen me.
It took me 2 weeks to get around to ditching skimmed milk and low fat yoghurts. Boy have we been brain washed!! 🙂

Hi Janice, I know purists would say don’t drink anything with a splash of milk or cream in that 16 hours but I would be demented without my morning coffee – so I still have it! I don’t think I am alone in that either!! 🙂

Saw Bill and Janet’s responses after posting So am editing. I knew I wasn’t alone!!!

Chris, don’t worry, it’s going to be variable. I’ve lost 8lb, 2lb, 2lb in my first 3 weeks. We’re all different 🙂

Sunnyb those are good results, don’t knock ’em!! You might even reach your goal of a stone by Friday!! 🙂

Hi Alexginda, you can choose to eat well but sensibly on your anniversary. How about a lovely steak with butter/mustard sauce or peppercorn sauce and a side of veg? Plus a glass of wine/champers? It’s a special occasion! 🙂

Newlife, those goals and rewards are a good idea!! 🙂

Yesterday:
B: not hungry, skipped
L: 2 chicken thighs and masses of veg – carrot, broccoli, peas, sweetcorn – with butter 🙂
D: not hungry, 2 dessert spoons of cottage cheese

Today:
B: FF yoghurt, mixed berries, mixed seeds
L: smoked salmon salad
D: 2 chicken thighs, cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper, red onion, maybe mayo

Gotta use up those chicken thighs, getting bored…

Hi Grandma48
I’m a vet this coming Friday so I hope you don’t mind me jumping in a little early. I agree with bill, your calories in your coffee won’t add up to much so you will still have gone a long time with only a tiny number of calories which is what we aim for with the fast. My fast is from 7 at night until maybe as late as 2 in the afternoon. I’m not recommending that to anyone, you understand, its only that I can manage it because I have a costa latte with full fat milk and it fills me up for a good while.

9.8 starting to mid 6 now
We all get the dawn phemomonen to a greater or lesser extent, I messaged the team about it and was told not to worry as it’s a natural thing.

Hello – starting my 56 days today! I’m a pretty well controlled Type 2 and am hoping to be able to come off Metformin. Does anyone here suffer from Dawn Phenomenon and if so, have you noticed any improvement in this?

Hi Grandma48
thanks for all the nice comments in the past BTW
To me fasting is no food. I wouldn’t dream of dropping my morning coffee, in fact I’d fight to keep it, and it doesn’t seem to be causing me any harm.
Start cutting out everything you enjoy and you’ll give up is my motto. A little of what you fancy can be good.

Thanks for your kind words everyone, I’m so glad they mean something. I also just wanted to tell you about a recent (before I was aware of the bsd) time I was out with 3 friends (of the 4 of us, 3 are overweight). The order for everyone’s coffees was 3 skinny cappuccinos and 1 regular (full fat) cappuccino. It seems a little ironic at the time and almost laughable that it was the slim friend who ordered the full fat….now it could make me cry, echoing my thoughts in my first post about the anxiety of eating foods in their natural state, and fallacy of the current weight loss industry.

Hi Chris, you won’t see a consistent daily loss but it will sort itself out over the course of the week and you can expect to weigh less each week.
There is a plateau that many people hit around the week 2/3 mark as the body adjusts to a much different way of eating.
Many people only eat two meals a day so skipping lunch shouldn’t be an issue. The only thing I would consider tweaking is you mention semi skim milk and cutting the fat off the pork. On the BSD you are encouraged to use full fat products and you can eat fatty meat and oily fish. Fat will help stop you feeling hungry and will help with changing your metabolism from carb burning for energy to fat burning.
Keep an eye on your portion sizes, especially porridge, and make sure you keep your fluid intake up to 2-3l per day.
You are off to a great start so don’t lose hope, you will start losing again soon 🙂

I understand your disappointment but there are many people who are seeing remarkable sugar readings, myself included, in fact I have just been downgraded to pre diabetic.
True, the diet is in it’s infancy and although some have had blips, this is the first negative result I’ve seen. Are your readings the fasting ones ? It just occurred to me that, as you are a runner, your liver may be releasing extra stored sugar to compensate for the extra calories you are burning during exercise.

Hopefully not making the situation even more confused but I have just completed the first week sticking to 50 g carbs and 800 cals per day but it didn’t last long. I have become so used to the 5:2 format (sometimes it is 6:1) that I started playing around with the figures and aimed for a weekly total than the daily one. I did two fast days last week keeping under 500 cals/day.

Keeping a record on Calorie Count (similar to MFP) and at the end of the week I was under 350g carbs and 5600 cals and I have lost 4.8 lbs. Some of that was water as I had just started BSD and a lot of it was chocolate Easter egg and hot cross buns.

Hi Chris53
Welcome to the BSD and the forum. No need to panic, this is completely normal and is just as a result of your body adjusting to the new eating regime. Weight lose will vary day to day and as you progress into the coming weeks, there may be days in a row when nothing seems to be happening – this too is completely normal.

Just be sure that you are drinking enough, have a good amount of fat in your diet (could have has some of the fat on the pork chop) as this helps you feel full for longer and also helps kick the body into fat burning mode. Also check that your carb intake is not too high – no more the 50g a day is best.

But you have made good progress so far and you shouldn’t allow this small anomaly to throw you off course. Stick with it, we all lose weight at different rates and your body is doing what is right for it. Keep us posted on progress and shout out if you need support – someone will be sure to respond.

Please could one of you veterans help with regard to the fasting overnight? I am more than happy to eat my dinner about 6.00pm and then skip breakfast and not eat again until about midday the next day. However, I am still drinking my cups of tea, and, worse still, my coffee with cream – to which I am addicted! Well not really addicted, because I only ever have one or two a day, but of course the cream fills me up because of the lovely fat in it! Does that still constitute fasting, or should I only drink water between dinner and the next meal?
Thank you everyone for all the help you provide.
Janice

I have lost 4.8 lbs after the first week which is very encouraging and I can see a difference in my waistline and energy levels are up so looking forward to this week but anticipating a hiccup because it’s our Wedding Anniversary on Friday and we don’t eat out very often.

karra you seem to be doing it right, I wouldn’t mind betting that you will turn out to be one of those who see nothing for a few days and then will see a large weight loss almost overnight.
Just keep on doing what you’re doing. It’s almost impossible to not lose weight on 800 cals and under 50g carbs per day.

Hi SunnyB
One thing that finally clicked in my brain last week is about drinking water. It has really contributed to my weight loss this past week. 3lbs in 3 days! So get that tap turned on and drink away the last 1.4lb. Good luck
Janice

Weight loss will vary over the course of a day never mind day to day.
Personally I don’t agree with weighing daily, I find once a week mucj better for me.
Your body will be reacting to the lack of carbs so you will stutter and maybe hit the odd plateau, but stick to it. All these things seem to resolve themselves, one look at the forums will show you that lots of folks have a stutter or two and then go on to great success.

Hi JWS (brilliant nick by the way)
Just to mix it up a little, I’ve never counted calories, just watched the carbs and portion sizes (I find now I struggle to finish a meal at times)
I weigh once a week at the chemists on their scales, (some people can be put off by natural weight fluctuations through the day so I don’t have scales in the house).
Every weekend I make a big pan of soup or stew to see me through the weeks lunches using chicken lamb or ham as the protein element with lots of lovely veggies and pulses.
2 stone down, blood sugars stabilising. Week 9
I guess the way to do it is the way that suits you best, but you will get results as long as you keep those carbs down and be around the 800 cals / day
Good luck on your journey, I’ll atch with interest.

Great to see some good results being posted by everyone. I’m at the end of week 6 and this is my last complete week weigh-in before we go away on Friday. I have been hoping to crack the stone lost mark before our holiday, but still a bit to go at this morning’s weigh-in – lose this week 2.8lb with 1.4lb left to go to a full stone lost.

On other measurements, I have lost a total of 2inches on my waist – not as much as some, but I am aware I have lost chub from other areas too. My BMI is down from a starting point of 28.1 to 25.6 – still not out of the over weight zone, but close.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with things so far and I will be doing my best to weigh in at a whole stone less by Friday. Have planned how I am going to keep things under control while I’m away, so hope that if I put any on, it will be very little and not all piled back on before I get back in two months.

Hi SunnyB

Just to say I have lost 4.8lbs in my first week – I weigh daily and the weight went quickly and then stabilised over the weekend. Weekly carbs total averaged out at less than 50g per day and calories at under 800.

I think as I am so used to the 5:2 format I shall join that group and continue for the next seven weeks using my total carb and calorie formula rather than try to stick to less than 50g carbs and 800 calories per day.

Fortunately I do not have diabetes 2, but in the past have been in the prediabetes stage and also have an underactive thyroid so following BSD as more of a preventative measure. As a short person (5’2”) I lost just over 14 lbs last year following 5:2 and try to keep within 120 – 125 lbs. If unchecked I can easily consume a lot of sweet things, so hope BSD will direct my brain towards lower carb options as after Easter I need to get back into the maintenance range.

Hi karra, I’m sure other more knowledgeable people will be here soon but two thoughts come to mind:

1. Try increasing water – 2-3L
2. You’re building muscle through exercise and muscle weighs more than fat – I bet if you check your body fat % it will be lower than when you started.

I feel this whole diet movement is still in its infancy and a lot more work needs to be done to ascertain its success rates before we all start proclaiming its merits as a beakthrough or whatever other hyperbole others seem to think it is. The onset of type 2 is clearly more complex and whilst diets have some success i wonder just what the figures are. You askd when i was diagnosed. The answer is that i have been gradually creeping towards a diagnosis of type 2 since 2012…i was just into the definate diabetis range in Dec last year, so very recently. I have been prescribed no drugs as yet and that was why i embarked on this diet…only to go a complete circle for 7 weeks! will i carry on?Perhaps. will i reccommend this? no…with some caveats. Yes you will lose weight but dont think it will free you from the onset of diabetes…this has a long way to go in research and science before it can claim that.

Thanks hash 🙂

I’m shamelessly copying Deb and I’ve started to post goals and rewards on my profile. Such a good idea.

Hi all.After losing a pound each day for the first few days, there was no weight loss in the last 24 hours. I had porridge and semi skimmed milk for breakfast, skipped lunch, and for dinner a pork chop, all fat removed, with sprouts spinach and carrots. Will weight loss vary each day and am l doing more harm than good in skipping lunch. Thank you.

Today I start Day 11, my weight has increased by ½lb since starting, my starting blood glucose level was 9.7, this morning it’s 9.1.
I started off as a couch potato, I’m now doing cardio exercising using the Wii, and walking each day. I use an AB toner and doing 225 situps per day, and using a rowing machine and doing 300 reps. Been doing some form of exercise and increasing it each day since Day 1.

My carb intake is between 20 and 40g per day, my fat intake is around the same. My calorie intake is between 500 and 800 per day. I’ve measured myself and haven’t lost any inches, in fact in some areas I’ve increased by ¼ in to ½ inches. I’m drinking between 1½ to 2 litres of water……..can someone please tell me where I’m going wrong.

I eat Yoghurt 100g twice a day usually with strawberries and blueberries. I eat one main meal consisting of either meat, salad or the last two days my cabbage rolls. and for veggies, either green beans or cabbage or broccoli.

I know everyone’s body is different but I am starting to get disheartened that it doesn’t seem to work for me….why?

Congratulations to the new veterans 🙂

Spirit said above: I now have built a ‘fort’ around me and yes, maybe some of that was the weight.

This hit a nerve for me. I separated from my wife last July after a 15yr relationship (married much less than that due to gay rights legislation; lack of). I’m waiting for her to sign the divorce papers. It wasn’t an abusive relationship unlike some of you above – how brave you guys have been to free yourselves! But I can see now that since July I’ve been building a fort made of carbs and now I’m starting to let it go.

149 signatures, it’s warming up folks!! 🙂

Bill ‘pity your doctor is a plonker’ – I just couldn’t help myself! Glad I don’t have a GP like that!! 🙂

Brilliant, Newlife – not far off a stone!!! 🙂

Hi Janet1973
Think I will be dipping in to the forum occasionally. We are travelling for five days, so I’m not sure I’ll be making any contact in that time, but I will definitely be in touch once we are there.

Carolg welcome to the veterans club!!

Fantastic FBS results! I agree with Bill, go into your appointment with all your literature and results and blast them with it!!! 🙂

Hi neohdiver
I did the same sort of thing when I started in my “This has to work for me” thread.
It did attract a lot of posts but the record of my weekly progress is there for me when I need it.
Best of luck with the blood sugar readings.

Judith *Pity your doctor is a plonker* 😀 😀 😀 😀
I almost fell out of my chair laughing 😀
Georgiarose, great results, I’m not as polite as Judith so I’ll restrain myself re the GP
Trishadawn nice to see you have the determination to get back on the wagon and continue the journey, good for you !

Some brilliant results above guys 🙂

End of week 3: Another 2lb gone – 12lb total. Go me!

Wow the veteran numbers are building.
Some great results there folks.
These posts demonstrate just what the diet is capable of and will spur on lot’s of new starters who are perhaps a little unsure.
CarolG go into that appointment with all guns blazing, you are in the position of power now as you have achieved what they failed to.
Jimbob and Skywalker, it looks like you guys are going to be hanging around a bit longer, glad to have the company 🙂

That’s very disappointing to hear especially when others are having so much success.
Perhaps you will take longer to stabilise (how long have you been diagnosed)
Maybe switch to the 5:2 for a couple of weeks to see how it goes ?

Leeanne, Spirit has it right, a fatty snack pre bedtime will help take away those overnight hunger pangs which are, probably more carbohydrate cravings and will go soon.
You are just entering the week 2 period where your body is realising that the simple carbs are not there any more and it’s going to have to work harder for a living.
Get past this week and you should be feeling much better.
5kgs lost in a week is awesome and should spur you on. 🙂

Hi Notsweet, you have done well! 🙂 I still have around another 2 – 3 stones to lose, but am confident it will happen. I have not told my doctor or diabetes nurse of what I am doing, as they have not asked to see me since they sent me on a Pre-diabetes nutrition course (I was not popular there, and they were put out when I questioned the need to provide a bowl of sugar, a carton of fruit juice, and rich tea biscuits at the break!!) 12 months ago. But it is the variation in my levels that I find confusing – from 4.9 up to 10.8 seems a huge difference, but maybe that is nothing for me to worry about. At least I know that my levels are in the normal range when I eat my “normal” food – something to be grateful for!

Well here i am going into the final week of this diet and i have to say that from my point of view it has achieved very little. As before the blood sugar spikes continue and have NOT settled down, in fact today was the biggest jump to the highest reading yet!!!(9.2) after 7 weeks!! Clearly this has not worked for me. i have lost 11% of my body weight which has enabled me to run faster times and i am pleased about that. Also i have had a marginal drop in average blood pressure readings. HOWEVER the most important part of this diet was to bring my blood sugar readings back to normal and to arrest the onset of type 2 diabetes and it clearly hasnt worked. I am very down and dissappointed today and felt that for such a lot of effort i have gained very little. I wonder how many others have found this to be the case too. I hope it works for some as it seems to and you are able to return to relatively normal life…for me its seems the drugs are now a looming and inevitable path…but at least i tried.

Hi Margot
a lot depends on the time of day you are testing.
Fasting readings will normally be a bit higher due to the dawn effect but realistcally you should be looking for sub 7 fasting and 4 – 5 pre meal.
That would put you into normal ranges.
Below 4 is getting close to hypo territory so just keep an eye on that.

Wow, that’s an impressive start.

How about warm milk before going to bed? Even if it was extra calories, with the amount you’re losing, I don’t think that would hurt and you do need to sleep and not feel starving as if you’re going to stick to this.

Hey Eureka welcome back 🙂 You were one of the first to welcome me when I joined, I thought you would be way past the 8 week mark.
CallMeDeb, another transatlantic Whoot Whoot from me (new food containers next week ? or are you going to reward yourself anyway, why not ?)