Hi Everyone

Thought I’d just chip in to say I just hit the 2 stone loss mark and I’m at the end of week 6! I still have another 3 stone to go but feel it’s not only achievable but maintainable. I’m so pleased I finally found a diet which works. I have gone a little “off plan”, so to speak, and have adopted a more LCHF way of eating. i.e. not counting the calories but ensuring my carb level is below the 20g mark with plenty of healthy fats and proteins.

I have to say that since starting this transformative journey I have been doing lots of research and getting increasingly frustrated with the disinformation coming from UK Government (all governments?) regarding a so called “healthy diet”. All my life I’ve taught myself and, more recently, my children completely the wrong information when it comes to nutrition. That makes me angry because trying to re-educate an 18 year old and an 11 year old who are addicted to carbs and sugar is nigh on impossible (neither are overweight but we can’t see what’s going on inside!)

We are, during family meals, reducing their carbs slightly and to a greater extent sugars. Hopefully we’ll get there in the end so they can educate their children with an actual healthy diet from the outset.

Sorry about the rant.

Hawks all those additions sound great. Except the fish. Not really a fan. I suppose a little bit of fish sauce could add flavour without fishiness. Not sure how to eat Vegemite without toast! I have a vague memory I used to spread it on celery sticks?

I read something about factory manufactured meat recently. Using a discarded calf embryo as a starter (so still came from an animal!) they successfully produced pure muscle. It was white and flavourless. Now they are trying to manufacture the fat and blood needed to make it palatable. Of course the process costs a lot more (in money and to the environment) to manufacture pretend meat than to raise and slaughter a cow, but maybe in the future it won’t.

Hi Carola, welcome to the forums! Wow, 3 kg in6 days?!! You are doing brilliantly!

There doesn’t seem to be the real slowing down of weight loss on this diet, unlike others, so go, gsl go!!! 🙂

Hi Paula, welcome to the forums and the BSD way of life – because it does become a way of life!
My biggest problem when I began this diet was skinny arms and legs but a big belly. Fortunately the belly was the first thing to shrink! I. Realised that when my jeans needed tugging up all the time!
Like you i have not been able to wear a dress for years, I. Wore one for my son’s graduation last year ( before I put on another stone) and I looked and felt like a stuffed sausage. I recently bought two new frocks to take on holiday because I look fine in them now! In fact I feel good in them! Never thought I would say that!

You have already made a fantastic preparation for this diet and 2 “. Off your waist!!! Go, girl go!!!!

Looking forward to hearing how this goes for you 🙂

Hi julia, yeh, the old saying ‘go to work on an egg’ was the correct one!
We actually need the choline in eggs!

I find eggs are useful on this diet, virtually carb free, few calories, filling and versatile!
Don’t know what I would do without them! 🙂

Hi everyone, I have found your posts here really encouraging. I have read Michael Mosley’s book and have found it a fascinating read – he has de-bunked a lot of dieting myths hasn’t he? I would love to lose some weight -I’m currently 12 lbs into the oversight sector. However my biggest problem is that my waist and belly fat are huge. Over the past few weeks I have cut a lot of bad carbs from diet and have tried a lot of new things. For example cauliflower rice and bulgar wheat. I just love cauliflower rice and prefer it to the normal rice I would eat. I have also upped my exercise a little and have started working on my abdominal muscles. I have lost 2 inches off my waist during this time. But I still have a whopping 8 inches to lose to get myself into the healthy bracket. On a personal level I have two big family events this year, my son’s graduation and my daughters wedding. I haven’t been able to wear a dress for over twenty years! Apart from the health benefits of course, I am really looking forward to having more energy and spurring myself to get fitter will be a good thing.

Have a good day all 🙂

Paula

Hi john, it will be sad not to have you posting til mid june, but I wish you all the very best while you are going it alone

And I forgot to say that eggs are not bad on this diet. I think someone said that they are the perfect nutritional balance of protein and fat etc. I eat lots as I find they really help me to feel full. The cholesterol thing has I think been disproved?

Izzy- seems like we have a lot in common. I’m 42 and have 2 kids and a lean and sporty husband (not that I am jealous of his physique, she says through gritted teeth😃).
I also have strong family history of type 2 diabetes but don’t yet have it myself. I got up to 14 stone 10 and a half at my heaviest but having stuck to the 800 BSD pretty well I am now down to 80.8 kg which the online calculator says is 12 stone 10.
Your food sounds lovely. I posted here really just to say that this is totally doable even with cooking for the family. I have now got them into some pretty good habits even carb free meals now and then without them noticing😊
I am staying around these forums as I still want to lose more. I would like to get down to 70 kilos but 73 would take me down to weight I was when I got married 19 years ago. I’m 5′ 8” but have large frame (always had to buy man’s wrist watch straps as I have large bone structure even there where there is no fat!).
Keep up the good work – I am proof that this is very doable as I have tried multiple times in the past on other methods and failed miserably.
Julia

Perhaps look for foods with more B vitamins and iron in them? Rhubarb is a good source of vit C and iron. Almonds are good for iron

Pulses, beans, marmite and chillies for B vits.- so a nice dahl provides iron and B vits – serve with some fresh salad and perhaps a chickpea flat bread and you have a very good meal full of everything you need.

Your breakfasts could be full fat yoghurt with rhubarb for extra calcium, iron and vitamins to help you through that difficult few days 🙂

Hi All,

Spent one night in a hotel and fell badly off the wagon – I was horrified how easily the “old ways” could return – someone coined the phrase “Food Blackout” for it and that is so true – I found it frighteningly easy to allow myself indulgences. (Spelling?)
I have to shock myself into the “New ways” so am going “off-line” for a while.
I have reached the stage of significant weight loss with not far to go but difficult times ahead.
I have been here SO MANY times before and this is where it has all fallen apart EVERY TIME before.
I know the support from you all is marvellous, but I have to see if I can really adopt this new lifestyle on my own.
It may sound counter-intuitive, but going cutting the life-line will, I think help me.
Anyway, right or wrong, I’m unsbscribing until the middle of June.

Christine, I’ll have your shining light for “difficult times” to spur me on.
Lucia, I’ll keep a log of my walking and report honestly how I get on.

Onwards & Downwards

Over and out

John

Hi All,

Spent one night in a hotel and fell badly off the wagon – I was horrified how easily the “old ways” could return – someone coined the phrase “Food Blackout” for it and that is so true – I found it frighteningly easy to allow myself indulgences. (Spelling?)
I have to shock myself into the “New ways” so am going “off-line” for a while.
I have reached the stage of significant weight loss with not far to go but difficult times ahead.
I have been here SO MANY times before and this is where it has all fallen apart EVERY TIME before.
I know the support from you all is marvellous, but I have to see if I can really adopt this new lifestyle on my own.
It may sound counter-intuitive, but going cutting the life-line will, I think help me.
Anyway, right or wrong, I’m unsbscribing until the middle of June.

Christine, I’ll have your shining light for “difficult times” to spur me on.
Lucia, I’ll keep a log of my walking and report honestly how I get on.

Onwards & Downwards

Over and out

John

Hello all,I have found all the blogs and website really helpful. Thank you. I was recently diagnosed pre-diabetic. Fasting blood glucose (after 15 hrs) 6.6 according to GP, together with prehypertension and 6.4 cholesterol….so heading towards 3 of the deadly 4!. Have decided to stay off dairy for 3 months in relation to cholesterol but otherwise following BSD and now BMI 21-22. Would rather not have to lose more weight. Also trying to do 150 mins aerobic pw, good impact on blood pressure….so following all the rules as best I can. Think it would be helpful if I had blood glucose monitor as I have no idea about current levels, which foods might cause my personal levels to spike, or when to use it? So advice please…Also most crucially which should I buy,? I think I only need something quite simple with strips???? (Prompted to get monitor by friend with similar diagnosis who thought she had changed everything as required and sadly discovered on return to GP one year later blood glucose still the same….I would be devastated after what feels like massive effort!!) Cheers Tofa

Welcome back to dear old Blighty monkeyescapade!

No you don’t sound cocky about trying on old clothes and looking good. I felt exactly the same when I did the same thing. – and not the sort of thing I have said about myself before either. But what a glorious feeling it is when the outgrown clothes fit again!

You have done well to lose all thst weight while traveling! Those conran jeans will fit well before too much longer 🙂

Lucia are you puddle stomping today? It’s raining here!
Xxx

Hi Polly, remember meat is not the only protein you also get it in:

Eggs
Cheese
Cream
Yoghurt
Beans
Lentils
Peas
Avocado
Olive oil
Butter
Fish
Tofu
Quorn
Nuts
Seeds
Butter

I’ve probably missed out a few other protein sources!
I’m finding I am eating more chicken,fish and bacon because there are carbs in beans and lentils!
Just remembered mushrooms have a little protein in them too!

I tend to have cod for it’s no carbs and low calories. Steak has more cals than chicken.

The chickpea flour flatbreads are a protein source because they are effectively made from chickpeas . I had one yesterday for lunch with a bit of cream cheese, chilli and lettuce and had it as a wrap.

Flatbreads with lentil dahl is scrummy. I’ll get a recipe up soon with the carb and calorie counts for that combo.

Barby posted about a free kindle recipe book this morning – it’s a vegan indian book but has some tasty curry recipes you might like to try and some explanation of which veg foods contain iron and B vitamins.

Rhubarb contains iron and vitamin C (iron needs vit c to be absorbed) so the rhubarb and yoghurt recipe in the blood sugar book is a good one – protein, vitamins and important minerals like calcium an iron.

Now to your weight! 9lbs in 14 days is fantastic.

Sorry to hear about your blood test results but you are on the right diet to put that right!

Looking forward to hearing about more improvements! 🙂

Hello there, landed back to earth with a bump but definitely not as heavy as a bump as it would have been six weeks ago, it’s good to be back in Blighty after three months travelling. Welcome to all new members and wow, so encouraging to read of everyone’s achievements, congrats to all. So, back on my own scales, and have been hopping on and off in the last week since getting back, allowing few days for the long haul flights water retention to dissipate, very pleased to report that my weight is now down to 60.6kg……I’ve taken great delight in trying on clothes that I haven’t worn for quite some time and looking good – very rare that I say that about myself and hope it doesn’t come across as cocky, not my intention at all but at the grand old age of 50+ I didn’t think I would comfortably fit into my size 12s again, I am so pleased. Still can’t comfortably fit into a pair of Size 12 shape and lift Conran jeans, which I have never worn so God knows what I was thinking when I bought them but at least I can do the zip up now, I just don’t like the little roll of flab showing over the top so they will have to be jeans in waiting until I tone up.
I notice a few forum members expressing frustration about reaching that plateau – dont give up my friends – I too experienced that as did my partner but once you get over that week to two week hump, our experience is that the weight continues to go down.
I am loving being able to have a more varied diet now and being able to accurately weigh/count the calories – finding myfitnesspal excellent for recording. I also recommend fitbit, I bought the basic one of these on return to UK and it is excellentfor encouraging me to do my 10,000 steps each day, love it when it vibrates to tell me I’ve done the 10,000.

Thanks for this post, I’ve wondered how time of the month could affect cravings, willpower, etc; I’ve yet to experience it yet but am grateful that I know to be a little extra prepared – take healthy snacks to work and such as I know I’ll be a sucker for those staff room treats at that time. My plan is to battle through, allow a few extra appropriate snacks (didn’t realise that our bodies need 100-300 additional calories at that time) and not beat myself up I fall off the wagon but pick myself up and get back on. The best laid plans……

Hi Hashi and Hawks,

I’m going to try eating more veggie stuff but I’m worried about protein intake versus calorie count if I drop meat a lot. Yesterday I had a steak for my evening meal with the obligatory salad but with mushrooms, onion, garlic and chilli cooked with it and then a tbsp of creme fraiche to make a saucy thing out of it. According to myfitnesspal I was under for my protein count but then I did exercise yesterday and don’t know what that does to allowable ratios of stuff…

I can be a bit obsessive so I’m liking that I can look at the numbers on there.

I think in terms of sustainability and green things we need to go backwards to go forwards. We are consuming too much generally as a species. The only bad thing about eating less meat for future generations is I wonder what the food industry will come up with to replace it? Probably nothing good.

Enough of this. Weighing today I am still 13 st according to my scales which is about 9lb lost in 14 days. Pretty good 😀

I’ve yet to be told what being a type 2 diabetic is all about so I’m sure I’ll get info on that Monday as the dr phoned me while I was out yesterday and I didn’t get home until they’d closed for the day. Although the message said nothing to worry about. For those who know about such things my hba1c came back at 88 which the nurse said was double what it should be.

Hi Lucia, sorry to hijack your thread x

Polly x

Fantastic Lynne! 🙂

A St George’s Day celebration for you Lynne!

I’ll have to get my posh frock out really soon Lynne! Fantastic result! 🙂

Barby, you’re right! I am going to say that is good. – because it IS good! 2lbs in 5 days is a lot! That would work out at 8lbs in 20 days – that is more than half a stone in less than 3 weeks!
Keep going gal because you will have your choice of clothes faster than you think!! 🙂

Fantastic captainlynne!

Another 2 pounds gone. Only another 2 before its party time😃

Time to get the posh frocks out in readiness ladies. Gents, you need to dress smartly too! No mankinis Bill😃

Lynne you are amazing! 48 lbs is phenomenal! 🙂

Completed 18 weeks today and another 2 pounds lost. A total of 3stone 6 pounds (48 pounds) lost😃

BMI dropping and getting closer to overweight instead of obese 😃

Thanks Barby I now have it on my kindle! 🙂

Another 2 pounds bites the dust😃 That’s 48 pounds in total!

Getting closer to no longer being obese, just overweight. YIPPEE !

I succumbed to weighing this morning, and have lost 2 pounds in last 5 days. I didn’t weigh at beginning, but since I DID first weigh, have lost 5 and a half pounds.

I know you’ll say it’s still good, but it seems painfully slow. Not the Fast Diet for me!

I have always lost weight slowly and being an older woman doesn’t help, though I see others similar in age still having great loses. I will stick at it, for now anyway, sigh.

Hi Hawks, love your ideas for additions to veg!

Hi Natalie, I think M M was just the latest person to talk about the unsustainable amount of meat we eat in the Western World. I first read about it over 40 years ago when burning the Amazonian rainforest for cattle production became an issue – I think it was an article in the Sunday Times which gave the figure of the land to feed one meat eater could sustain ten vegetarians.
It is also the reason why agricultural geneticists have been working to increase plant yields – hence the way wheat has changed since the 1950s. It’s also the reason why in more recent years scientists have been trying to grow meat in laboratories. Yuk!
As world populations continue to explode, when agricultural land is turned into more housing estates, we are going to find it increasingly difficult to afford to eat meat. I can’t help thinking all the research into how much meat/protein we should eat is a spin off from this problem.
I too have family on both sides involved in farming. My dad and his brother used to go fishing so as a child I was also used to seeing freshly caught fish and live crabs. Growing up in the countryside I have always known where food came from.
There are some meats I really like – bacon springs to mind! I do like my English breakfast! Going veggie, though, really makes you think outside the box for delicious meals!
I might not live long enough to see the time when meat becomes a luxury for just the rich (I’m 63) but for people in their 30s, perhaps even in their 40s, it may become a reality. Unless of course there is a massive improvement in laboratory manufactured meat on an industrial scale in the near future.

Gee, this is a bit heavy for a Saturday morning! I guess I am just trying to say I am not against meat eating and would never try to persuade people to become vegetarian but I do think that for the younger generations they might not have the choices we have grown up with.

Hawks I have also read that fermented foods are good for us 🙂

.

I originally put this under a veggie thread, then thought that any of you might be interested. It’s not a weight loss book or low carb but as free, thought we may get some ideas from it. Free today.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegan-Essential-Cookbook-vegetarian-intolerance-ebook/dp/B017SWL46Q?ie=UTF8&ref_=zg_bs_341689031_f_93

I had no idea 3000cals were in one pound of fat Keje. Amazed!
Cheers Feebeez for your wise words.
Onwards and upwards for us all.

Hi Natalie,
I also love my meat. Yum.
I have also found that veggies can be very tasty if done the right way.
Just the other day I had pak choi, stir fired with a little ginger root, garlic, chilli and a small amount of Asian fish sauce. It was great. A really good mix of flavours.
Fish sauce is a very useful additive to veggies because, like many fermented foods, it has the fifth flavour: umami, which is a rich savoury flavour. (The other four are sweet sour salt and bitter). This could be what you are enjoying in your meat, as meat is a good source of this, but so are cheeses, especially parmesan, mushrooms, especially shiitake, some fish, especially dried, soy sauce, yeast extracts like vegemite etc, and some veggies, like tomatoes and celery. Try boosting the umami of your veg dishes with the addition of some of these and see if you find them more interesting.

I made a lasagne using thin long strips of zucchini as the pasta, and a bechamel sauce of cream cheese, reduced cream and egg yolks, with no other thickener. I think it was even tastier than with pasta, as it was less heavy or sticky, even though still very rich. It freezes up nicely so you can have some meals ready to reheat: just add the salad.

Thanks for your reply, I thought I was must have been entering it wrong, I will be entering all the recipes in My Fitness Pal from now on. I am only on my first week and have lost 3 kilos in 6 days and am very happy, lets hope it lasts, but as you say as long as it’s going down.

Thanks Barby. I’ve just downloaded the Indian vegan cookbook and will have a good look at the recipes. I love Indian food and was vegan for ages. I’ve just had trouble trying to do low carb with vegan meals. Too many beans and lentils and I get hungry too soon. Also miss the rice to soak up the delicious spicy gravies. Thanks for letting us know. It’s free, you can’t lose.

I don’t feel that it matters how much fat is in your diet, as long as what you’re eating is satisfying you. Sometimes the low fat products have about the same calorie count as the full fat, because of the added sugars as Janet said. But sometimes the full fat product has so many extra calories that it’s hard to fit into your daily 800.

For that reason I’ve been using skim milk in my two cups of coffee a day. I’d much prefer full fat, but then I’d have to cut back on something else. I really enjoy full fat Greek yoghurt, but again, I have to read the labels very carefully to try to keep the calorie count down as much as possible.

If your carb count is acceptable, and you’re keeping within your calorie limit, I’d go with whatever you enjoy. If you don’t like the food, you won’t stick to it long term.

I agree, I also checked out the calories and found they were much higher. I don’t trust the calorie count of any of the book’s recipes. Some are accurate, but many are over and a few seem to be a bit under. I now only use a few of the book’s recipes, and have gone back to eating my own meals, but always calorie and carb checked. The diet itself works just fine, even though I don’t lose weight as quickly as some. As long as it’s going down, I’m happy.

This breakfast states 110 calories but when I entered it on my fitness pal the almonds alone are 150 calories per serve.Does anyone know if this is correct,l don’t want to eat more calories than stated.

You can also eat the skin on your chicken! Its a good source of fat.

Low fat products contain more sugar so you should really try to make the full transition to full fat to feel the best benefits for your blood sugar

Was it one of Michael Mosley’s docos where he talked to scientists about how much meat we can sustainably eat? The answer turned out to be around 100 grams per day per person. (This is purely about sustainability, not if you don’t like the taste or don’t approve of eating animals.) A lot of the Western World, including me, eat a lot more that that, even while on a low calorie diet. I eat more than the recommended 45 g of protein a day because I love the taste of meat so much. One side of my family were farmers and I’ve always known where meat comes from (and so do my kids) and I do care about the welfare of animals while they are alive but am happy to kill and eat them. For my health, and for the environment, I really should cut down to the 100 grams of meat a day. But on a low carb diet that only leaves veges…. euw…. I’ve increased my vegetable intake a lot on this diet but can’t say I enjoy most of them that much. I could not stick to this diet if I didn’t get to eat yummy meat.

Good: I seem to be able to spend more on the computer before my RSI shoulder pain starts, so that indicates a reduction in inflammation.
Good: No blood sugar drops if meals are delayed, I used to get panicky and cranky and feel awful now I’m just a bit hungry – huge difference.
Good: Cravings and the need to emotional eat much reduced.
Same: I don’t have any more energy and my perimenopause symptoms are still there unless I take tablets but I’m hoping.
Worse: Hashimoto mentioned no diverticulitis flare-ups, my pelvic pain has come back and my doctor thinks that is diverticulitis but I haven’t had the colonoscopy yet. (I have had a pelvic ultrasound, nothing found.) It is disrupting my sleep.

I can’t remember who wrote about a pasta substitution named Splendier pasta but whoever, an Aussie, thank you.
I purchased some yesterday and will try it soon. It was a great help that you even told me the place and even the position on the shelf….I found it immediately ! Usually I dither around and finally have to seek help…that’s if you can grab anyone ! I am a great fan of Italian food and love my pasta, even used to make my own, so I am not too sure what this will taste like. I think I will try it myself first and give my OH proper fettuccine just in case.
It is always good when someone can recommend something, but this is what it is all about – everyone sharing and helping each other.
jillyB

You are losing weight and your BS is down, so I’d keep doing what you are doing!

You’ve done incredibly well! If you mark your good days and your bad days on a calendar, your bad day is just a tiny bump on your road to success. The important thing to do now is to ensure that your small bump doesn’t turn into an excuse for more eating. Well done for having your food already prepared for tomorrow. You are doing great and you should be proud!

Sorry this is so long….
I’m loving my journey on the BSD despite having a bit of a plateau at the moment but I find it really difficult to adjust to having fats in a diet. The veg and proteins are ok.
I’ve used skimmed milk and no fat yoghurt for years because I prefer the taste. I’ve now added Greek yogurt into my diet but found I don’t like the richness so am mixing it with the no fat version. I love cheese so enjoy that – I find a piece at bedtime helps keep my BS lower in the morning. I cook with good quality olive oil and add argan or flavoured olive oil to salads.
I’ve been on the diet for 4 weeks and have lost 16lbs, and my fasting BS is down to 4.4 – 4.8 from 6.5 – 6.8 but I still want to lose another 30 lbs.
How much fat is good in my diet?
Today I had an apple and some coconut water for brekkie, a salad of cos lettuce, cucumber, tomato and chicken breast with lemon juice as a dressing for lunch and for dinner a slice of homemade meatloaf and ratatouille. The meatloaf was a varied version of the meatballs in the BSD book. Also 2 decaf coffees made with skimmed milk and one with semi-skimmed, 2 litres of water and a liquorice tea.
I’d love to hear what others think.
Brightspark.

Hi Leeanne , ithink you should be really proud of yourself on holiday, actually sounds like a massive achievement to me and absolutely no reasin to ffel guilty! cashews have loads of ggodness i n them. There are over 3000 cals in a pound of fat so you won’t have done any damage. I realised last week I had eaten over 1000 cals in peanuts in a weekend, ( just a normal weeekend! No excuse, but still lost weight after) but i’m sure prior to the bsd it would have been a lot more cals in high sugar and that would have lead to even more over the next few days. I’m finding it a lot easier to get back on the wagon with the bsd, but don’t want to forget we should enjoy ourselves on holiday!

Hi Switzerland, glad it’s not only me that feels this way, it is empowering and great to feel that finally I am in control.

Hi everyone,

A daily walk…..time for me…..exercise contributing to my sense of wellbeing….. assisting with weight loss…..life is good.