Definitely decrease the blueberries! I use 20 grams of pomegranate seeds, or 30 grams of blueberries or raspberries. They better than most fruits, but anything sweet is still relatively high carb.

On this diet, my protein macro is around 35%. I don’t worry specifically about the others. I keep my carbs below 20 in a given meal – unless I’m going over because of one of the recipes in the book.

Well done Marcus
Isn’t it strange how weight comes off like that?
It makes you wonder where it goes overnight, I’ve checked and it isn’t lying in my bed 😀

Good idea, as we get more and more added. Love the cottage pie with cauli mash (veggie version)

Quick weigh in:

2 weeks – 9 kilos down from a starting weight of 101.

Very happy. Nothing came off at all for most of the last week, then suddenly 2.5 kilos waved goodbye.

Three more drops like that and I’ll be done 🙂

Hi TeenaB,

Thank you – will definitely post some meal plans later on when more time, bought new scales this morning as also not sure if my digital scales are being a bit off but new scales showing the same oops! Hopefully things will start to show – wont give up! 🙂

Hi Bill1954,

Sure will do…hopefully we can figure it out!

Just in the middle of working so will post when free a bit later – thank you 🙂

Very interesting! if you are talking about a ‘flu’, does this also include a blocked nose?….trying to figure out if it’s to do with this diet or hayfever…

I did have the worst headache just above my eye this morning and had some paracetamol.

Thanks for the reply.

Totally agree, you can get a lot of the right kind of food for 800 cals.
I’ve been on the plan for 11 weeks now, lost 30lb, blood sugars almost normal now, and I have never once felt hungry.
This is someone who would have a large dinner, packets of crisps, choccy and biscuits every night so it does work
Best of luck for your journey, you’re not alone, we are all here to offer support.

I am useless at all things techie/techy/computery……but I do love the recipes but find it takes an age to trawl through them all and find something. Does anyone have any bright ideas as to how we could get them collated into categories like: soups, starters, breakfasts etc? Or am I missing something on the link?

I absolutely love the Minestrone which somebody posted btw!

Lots of people have jotsaroop, we call it the carb flu, the symptoms usually pass in a couple of days, until then make sure you get the 2 – 3 litres of fluid per day to keep you hydrated and take painkillers for any headaches.

Hi, 800 cals sounds ridiculously little doesn’t it – I’ve been doing it for 12 weeks now (except blew it over Easter!) and have got totally used to it and don’t need anything more now. On my ‘journey’ I’ve been away every other week eating out and staying at hotels and have lost weight subsequently as I’ve found mentally, as I don’t know the calorie counts I’ll eat far less than ever before – just in case! I usually just have a starter – protein and salad perhaps – with wine please note!!! And it hasn’t affected my weight loss as far as I can tell – have now lost 2 1/2 stone btw (this week – and it’s only Thursday – I’ve already lost 3.8 lbs – promise you – which is far more than usual – last week it was only 1.8 lbs – hey, I’m happy!). I have to say Iove the food and am so surprised at the variety. There have been many times when I’ve been staying in a hotel when I’ve cursed myself the following morning for having had 3 large merlots – still lost weight! And I’ve had full English breakfast at a Weatherspoons when away – only once a week but without hash browns and toast but had baked beans and extra mushrooms with bacon, SAUSAGE (!) and fried egg – still lost or didn’t gain and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Used to (years ago) have 6 sugars in my tea (OMG – wonder why I got type 2?) then went onto 3 canderel – now sweetener free! Still don’t love the cup of tea but have 2 every day with milk – doesn’t stop me losing!

I started following all the recipes in the menus for the first 4 weeks, then started to relax them and use my own ‘normal’ favourites but following the rules so am now happily adapting.

I am 58, have dieted since I was 30 and have no intention of stopping now. I am no longer on a diet but have found a way of living and eating which I enjoy, is right for my body, which I can sustain quite comfortably and has halved my blood sugars – my doc says they’ll have to think about taking me off meds!

Howzatt – so if I can do it – anybody can as I was always the one who fell off the wagon and never got back on again and ended up at my heaviest at 15 st 2. Starting weight was 14 st 12.6 lbs now 12 st 5lbs – can’t wait to get into the 11st bit………..!!

Don’t be scared of the 800 cals – just try it and you’ll be surprised – btw recommend the aubergine and lamb meal – I have it every Monday night as I just love it and it’s my treat after my (hopefully) good weigh in in the mornig!

Very best of luck!

Alan – my only suggestion would be that as you’ve come off your meds without chatting to your doc, personally I would check them very regularly – just to keep an eye on things, at least for a few weeks…….I check mine on a Mondy now – as I said am still on meds – btw – I’ve been doing this 12 weeks now and the amount I lose each week does vary and I have had a couple of plateaus which are really demoralising – interestingly – for me anyway (!) so far this week I’ve lost 3.8 lbs and it’s only Thursday! (weigh in Monday of course!) so should at least lose the extra .2lb which, this far into a ‘diet’ is – I think – bizarrely wonderful and so ultra motivating!

Would like to mention that one of my staple lunches is the Minestrone Soup which somebody (sorry, can’t remember who) posted in the receipes – have added some chilli flakes to it and it is delicious and so good and healthy!

Hi Lucia
Jealous! I still have a mitchellin man belly! Will never get rid of the folds, hope though I lose the fat and the finished result is better looking when clothed!
I am still struggling to get my weight off, nothing has moved for ages, I only put 1lb 6 oz on during my hols, it’s not coming off though, I’ve been busy washing shopping and looking after grandchildren so no room for excercise, except late at night when I am too shattered to do anything than go to bed!
Looking forward to the next post, if I half my age I would be 34, now I like that idea!
I love your blogs, you are so good at keeping us on our guard you never know what you are going to do or say next, love the idea of dancing, I could do that in the garden in the moonlight, then no one can see what I fool I am making of myself, I love dancing, just haven’t done any in years because of my health and weight gain!
Love you Lucia don’t ever change!
Christine

Hi,
I had a look at the replies to my first blogs and clicked on their name, this shows me their profile and what blogs they have created.
What happened at the end of March? Some haven’t posted anything in April.
If you are already registered, please reply or blog, it is so nice to hear so many versions of the same thing.
It’s like going to a. Party and meeting different people in each corner.
Come on , come into the middle of the party and boogie with me. Let’s all shake our stuff.
Well, it does burn more calories.

Love luciaXxx

Hi Boggis Welcome to a very friendly forum – I’m quite new too, so no expert, but sure you’ll get lots of support..

I have had a couple of days where I’ve “fallen off the wagon” and eaten too many carbs when out with people, BUT tried to keep them in moderation, and was really strict the rest of the day, and the next day. I started drinking soda and lime with ice, which is nice. I am learning to say no, cos I don’t want to mess this regime up for myself. I also made sure I logged what I ate on My Fitness Pal, however bad.

Dink loads of water – it really takes the edge off your hunger. I was hungry at first, I just said to myself that it means this is working.l

I’m veggie and used to eat lots of junk food. Now if I keep low carb, I seem to have lost the urge (so far) to eat bad foods.

The important thing is you start doing it and really look at the thread for what people eat each day, can give you good ideas. Good luck!

Where are you the polly,
What have you been up to?

Love luciaXxx

Hi,

I’m 29years old and recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My Blood Suagr levels were initially 52 but after a go at the 5:2 they dropped to 48.

I still have an amount of fat around my midrift. I’m about 80kg with roughly 30% body fat (according to my Fitbit scale). In the last 4 days its dropped from about 82.5kg to 79.9kg so something is working.

I’m on Day 4 and today seems to be the toughest. I’m feeling very tired, and dizzy. I’ve been calculting my means and they generally seem low carb.

Anyone else have or had this kind of issue? does it pass? should I do something different?

Thanks,
Jot

Christie and captain,
Told you, you were only young.

I have halved my age.
Now if I could only halve my weight………
Who said to stand next to a back on slicer then?
Cruel lot.
🙂Love Lucia
Xxx

Yes, I now have got over the shock of my pink blossom failing for another year to beat next doors tree.

Yup, I am sad, it’s the only exciting thing happening at the moment.

Oh , a bit of good news, you know my spare tyre? Well it started the size of a formula one tyre.
Then it went to a car tyre size.
I had a good look at it this morning, it is the size or a push bike tyre, the thick off road one, not the road one.
But hey, I am getting there.

Now tell me , you couldn’t visualise the sizes I meant.
If I said it was so many centimetres or this measurement or that, it wouldn’t have been as visual for you.

Here’s to burning the rubber!
( get it? A play on words, for my spare tyre and for working hard exercising to get rid of it,,,,,, don’t make me work this hard for a sample team)

Love Lucia
Xxx

Great idea Fluff – I must try the tamari sauce, I couldn’t find it in Tescos last night.

B 3 table spns Lidl full fat yoghurt + 1 teasp chopped nuts/seeds + 1 teasp round linseed + 1 teasp flax
+ 8 frozen blackberries, warmed

L salad lettuce/cucumber/celery/pepper 2 tomatoes hard boiled egg, 1 oz grated cheese + dollop full fat plain cottage cheese

D cottage pie and cauli mash from Recipes – I substituted quorn for meat – it was so lovely

Hi, firstly I must say Im totally inspired by everyone’s success and I have never ever entered a forum and just by reading everyone’s support and success I feel that being part of this forum will help me along the way. Im about to start the 800 calorie daily to start with and depending on how I find it will either stick (hopefully) or go to the next level of 5:2. I have approx. 5 dates, all in diff weeks where I know that I wont be able to stick to just 800 calories and there will be alcohol involved, is it okay to continue with 800 cals daily and on these particular days fall off the wagon so to speak but with caution, eg: not eat a pizza / choc cake etc, do as best I can. I am very familiar with Paleo diet and eat pretty much gluton free so I don’t feel I will miss the carbs, for me its the hunger and the portions (cant get much food for 800 cals!). Any advice welcome, Im starting this Saturday, wish me luck!

Hello. I started mine on Monday 18th and only lost a pound by Tuesday but………………when I weighed myself Wednesday morning I had lost a further 4.1/2 lbs. Weighed myself today Thursday, and haven’t budged but hopefully will show tomorrow. So don’t give up!!!!!!

Hi – this is my first post. Been following the BSD since 31 March and have lost 8.5lb. I have a further 4 st or so to lose. I am doing more of a 4:3 pattern – I kind of lose it by Friday but still carry on with the Med style eating for the weekend. Week days at work I have been fasting until about 2pm and having a cup of bone broth and then a small avocado about 3pm and having a nice dinner about 6 when I get home with some plain greek yogurt for pudding and maybe a nibble of cheese.

So far my exercise has been walking 10k steps a day, a beginners course in Nordic Walking, and some walk/jog half hour sessions and doing short sessions of kettle bells. Today I thought I would try some hill sprints as per the Fast Exercise book. I am looking to improve my cardio fitness.

I live on the brow of a short and fairly steep hill that I can run up in just shy of 30 seconds. I started by walking round the block for a few minutes, running up the hill, walking to the end of the road and back to the bottom of the hill and so on with a few more minutes cool down. Luckily the builders working across the road do not seem to be around today lol.

Below is a link to the file I got from my Microsoft Band. Can I assume I am doing this correctly? According to the calculator on the Fast Exercise web site my 90% heart rate is 157 and my max is 174, so I am going just over 90%. There is a big spike of 198 on the second sprint but I think that could just as easily be down to the band. I have noticed these on other workouts when there seems no reason behind it. My finishing heart rate was 110 so I guess I recovered OK. I would be grateful for any comments or encouragement 🙂

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gv6r70kezn4lfrr/Workout.jpg?dl=0

Great idea Fluff! Must try the tamari sauce.

B 3 dsrt spoonds Lidl full fat Yoghurt + teaspoon chopped nuts/seeds + teaspoon flax seeds + teaspoon linseed ground
+ 8 frozen blackberries warmed in microwave 30 secs
L salad, lettuce/celery/cucumber/2 tomatoes + 1 hardboiled agg + 1 oz grated cheddar cheese + 1 dollop full fat plain cottage cheese
D Cottage pie + cauli mash from recipe section (substituted Quorn for the meat – this was gorgeous))

Thanks Bill1954, will reverse my quantities!

Hi rachel62
Hang on in there, if you do it will be worth it trust me, I had big problems because of the sugar thing, it did go on for a bit, however it passed in time, it is hard but you have sooo much support on hear! I also have a couple of friends who are both diabetics, the husband has great trouble, he is so skinny and has problems putting weight on, however they are also so supportive, I can ring them for a moan, which I did the first few weeks, try drinking more fluids, NOT alcohol though! Get ahead with food buying and preparation, then you are less likely to eat forbidden food. Good luck and keep posting.Christine

My first weigh day was at 9am on a Saturday so I’ve kept things the same up to now.
I did jump on the scales at the chemist one afternoon as I was picking up a prescription and I had gained 4 pounds!
Goes to show how you can fluctuate over the course of a day.

Thought I would post what I eat/cook as it would help me enormously to see what other veggies are eating! Fluff XXX

B – Blueberries (stewed in a drop of water/no sugar then cooled) and half a 170g pot of Total Fage Natural yoghurt
L – Celery sticks and a dollop of hummus
D – Homemade Squash/Spinach/Cherry tomato pasta sauce (no pasta for me!) and big salad of iceberg lettuce, green pepper with
mashed avocado and lemon juice as a dressing.

B – Blueberries and natural yoghurt
L – Homemade Chickpea and squash curry with dollop of yoghurt
D – Steamed spinach and broccoli (lots!) and baked asparagus (baked with olive oil) with tamari sauce

Hi Fluff
I would increase the yoghurt and reduce the blueberries.
The yoghurt will give you the fat you need but the berries, like all fruits, contain sugar, in particular fructose which is the only sugar that goes straight to the pancreas to be processed.
They should be used as a flavouring more than a main ingredient.

Hi SunnyB,

Thank you so much for posting! We are both pretty good at staying hydrated and I agree I think it is early days and he just needs to get through the tough part. I will double check no hidden carbs anywhere.
Fingers crossed he will come through the other side shortly and we both start seeing/feeling the benefits!
Thanks again 🙂

Hi Kwench
I agree with SunnyB about the carbs.
Could you post a couple of days meal plans so we can take a look and maybe offer some advice?

Hi AKB382 and Janet
That good sound advice, give the shakes a miss and try the food route, I hope it works for you, anything is worth a try right?
Christine

Hi,
I am on day 4 now of my Veggie Fast800 plan (as I am thinking of it). Could anyone help me working out the amount of carbs I should be eating? I have set the goals on Myfitnesspal as:

800 Calories
Carbs 25%
Fat 50%
Protein 25%

The above based on the reading some posts in the forum.
I have had 1 cup of blueberries for breakfast which is according to Myfitnesspal 21 (grams?) of carb which then leaves me with only 29 (grams?!!) of carb left for the day. Is this correct? I thought that blueberries were a low-carb food?! I have been eating a bowl of blueberries with a dollop of greek yoghurt for breakfast – should I really be eating more yoghurt with just a few blueberries?! Any help appreciated – as would any ideas for other veggie breakfasts which don’t involve eggs! Many thanks, XXX Fluff XXX

Hi Judith and Lynne and Janet et al
I will certainly keep on prodding my friend (kindly)! about the diet,
I have forgotten how many times I have been on a diet, I think I’ve tried them all! However this isn’t a diet is it? So here’s to my new life and way of eating, I just hope that my efforts bring about a change to the many friends I have that are overweight, when they see the change in me, ( I still have at least 21 lbs to lose!) good luck to us all, onwards and downwards.
Christine

Hi Cherrianne
That’s definitely something to consider, the shakes have been excellent for losing the weight. Perhaps making a change at this time might be the right thing to do.

Hi Kwench
Couple of things that might help. Check you are both drinking enough, as good hydration is definitely a key. Also, make sure that there is good portion of fat in your diets, as this helps you feel fuller for longer and also helps kick you body in to fat burning mode. I know it is counter-intuitive, given all the low-fat nonsense we have been fed over the years, but it really does help.
Only other thing that might help, is checking there isn’t anything you are eating, which is surprisingly high in carbs, as this might be hindering progress.
It is still early days though and lots of people report slow starts, or initial good result immediately followed by no progress for days/weeks. Most if not all of these, find they will suddenly lose several pounds almost overnight!
Don’t give up, as this new way of eating really does work and you will both eventually find you feel fitter and more vital than you have in a long time.
Good luck and hope that you will be posting good results for you both soon.

Tanita scale co. recommends weighing 2 hours before evening meal, so 5pm for me to get some sort of consistency.
Orchid you are right – dehydration [and everything else] affects fat measure – mine is + 2% first thing in the morning.
I bought my own machine to get to know my weight/fat etc., even if they are estimates, a bit better. And its keeping me entertained and motivated. It was cheaper than an MRI scan…

Happywife I’ll be interested in how you get on with inulin. I think you’ll be lucky to notice a short-term meaningful change in visceral fat as measured on such machines, but should see a drop longer-term. The main thing is to lose weight and you should notice a difference in waist measurement. On diabetes UK it says:

“A relatively good indicator of visceral fat is to take a waistline measurement. Harvard University note around 10% of our total fat is likely to be stored as visceral fat, therefore if you are carrying higher amounts of body fat than is recommended, it is therefore more likely that you are also storing more visceral fat than is healthy.”

The NHS website doesn’t seem to think losing weight will cause gallstones. In fact, being overweight is considered to be a cause. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Gallstones/pages/causes.aspx

Usually they take a long time to develop – I mean years.

Day 13 not hungry or dizzy went for a two mile walk before lunch last night thought I may go faint etc
Felt fine home to mackerel salad
Still off my meds without permission to see how or if they drop over 8 weeks !
First day today felt like a big meal so had subway salad bowl chicken 😎
Decided not to prick my fingers till next week then daily again ,never used to do this at all, should I do it every day ?
Alan cheers folks

Hi AKB382,
I’m not familiar with slim fast shakes so I just checked the carb content. Found a vanilla powder one that you mix with water on the Boots website. It has 35g carbs per serve. So with two shakes a day you are already on 70g carbs without counting whatever you are eating at night, or any milk added to tea/ coffee.
I had to go down to 50g carbs per day to get my blood sugars under control whilst my liver was getting rid of the stored fat. I was a TOFI as mentioned in the book.
Something for you to consider? You might be better off ditching the shakes and eating low carb instead.

Hi All!
I started the diet on Saturday 16th and my partner on Monday the 18th, sticking to 800 cals or thereabouts and weighed ourselves today and not a sniff of a lb lost! For me its not the end of the world and I am determined to continue however my poor partner is struggling and really feeling it on this diet. I keep trying to reassure him that it is early days and that his body will adjust but he is not convinced in any way – any suggestions on how we can ease his pain and keep him going please…don’t want him to give up!
Thank you very much!!

We have been on it for close to 7 weeks, however due to major lifestyle reasons we are doing it 5:2, with the 2 days adhering to the main principles, but cutting ourselves some slack; it’s for work related reasons – business entertaining mainly.

I know it will take longer for us to get where we need to be – we both are aiming for a further loss of 1.5st each, but this works for us.

I have found no issues with eating out, salmon tends to be the main course, cheese for afters, no bread, no biscuits, but wine does feature. That said we only drink 2 days a week now, have cut alcohol consumption down massively, which has to be good for us in many ways.

The diet is now a lifestyle choice for us, we will go Med completely when we get to our tgt weight.

Good luck!

Hi Beverley,
Reading your post has made me realise that I haven’t felt a single twinge from my ( quite large) gallstone since starting the BSD!
It used to make it’s presence known 2-3 times a week before this. Another benefit I’ve gained from eating this way 🙂

Hi Cherrianne,
Pre-meal is usually under 7, (although yesterday it was 9) post meal yesterday after an hour and half was 8.3. This morning 12.6.
I’ve read about the fatty snack I will definitely give it a go.
I have remained on the slim fast shakes made with water.

Hi AKB382,
It is really disappointing and alarming when the spikes happen. There is a post on here somewhere, from Clare, Michael’s wife who is a GP. She said that it’s ok to continue for a couple of weeks with higher blood sugar levels and see if they come down.
I’m wondering what your pre & post meal levels are doing, also your bedtime reading? If it’s only your fasting reading that’s high then things are not so grim as you fear. It will be down to a combination of the dawn phenomenon and your liver getting rid of the sugar stored as fat.
The other thing to check is the carb content of your shakes + any milk you make them with. You could be low cal but high carb and this will spike your blood sugars.
One of the things that helped me, Bill and some of the others was to have a fatty snack at bedtime. Something like a few tablespoons of full fat yoghurt or 20g cheese helps to counteract the dawn phenomenon.
Stay in touch and let us know how you get on.

Hi FiFiP how long have you been on it?
Rachel

Hi Rachel, we both are, have lost a stone + 1/2 each! : )

I know some people are saying to wait and see, but it’s my understanding that high blood sugar is doing you damage every time. Maybe check with your doctor and go back on a low dose for a while? The drugs may only treat the symptoms, but that is still important with something as dangerous as diabetes.

Hi Bill1954,
Yes, I did have spikes from week 7. I just don’t get it !.
did you change your diet much after week 8?

Hi FiFiP
Thank you for your message and advice. Are you on the diet too or just your Hubby? Hope its going well for you?
Rachel