Hi Rachel, my hubby is on the diet too, but also travels a lot. I have used recipes from the book, ones posted here + swapped ingredients to use them up as long as the calories etc were similar.

I have also got my freezer in overdrive!

I also adapt regular favourites to come in on plan!

Hi hashimoto, it sounds as though you have had amazing success with this, Im so pleased for you :))) Did you follow the recipes / menu plans to the letter? I am finding that its quite wasteful as my husband works away during the week and it doesnt seem to take into account that there will be lots of ingredients which need using up!
I just wondered if you had sourced alternatives. Im afraid my current brain fog is making me feel completely useless or I would be avidly searching.

Rachel62 x

Hi sianeyb, you could indeed have a gluten intolerance as that can cause joint pain and all sorts of symptoms. Mild gluten intolerance has also recently been implicated in fibromyalgia.

As captainlynne says lots of us are finding undreamed off benefits from this diet, in fact lynne and I no longer suffer from acid reflux – and we are not alone in that respect.

So hopefully you will just go on improving!! 🙂

Hi Bill1954.
My consultant told me to watch Roy Taylor lectures and read his literature etc., other than that she said off you go.

I did stagger it, pioglitazone was the first to go, then Victoza about 3-4 weeks later, and finally metformin, last metformin was about 3 weeks ago.

Having worked so hard, I feel great having lost so much weight, but the BG levels have left me gutted. Dread the idea of going back on meds.

Hi Christi1948

Thank you so much for your message, I think I must be the same as you re sugar, although it was more alcohol with me rather than cake, biscs etc. Im on day 3 now and feel truly dreadful, dizzy, lightheaded and absolutely ZERO energy :(((( AND, to top it all, I lost 1lb 10oz on day 1, but nothing yesterday!!! Did you lose much in the first few days? I thought, having read so many success stories and knowing how diets usually work, that there would be a spectacular weight loss to compensate for feeling like this. Please tell me it gets better as Im losing the will to live here………:((((

Rachel62 x

Hi Rachel, I started slowly increasing my calories after week 8, I can now eat more than I could pre diet without putting on any weight. I am stable at 8st 12lbs and am happy with that – I noticed how skinny the tops of my legs were and have decided to stick at 8st 12lbs.

I still eat according to the principles of the BSD – i.e. no starchy or sugary foods. I still only eat berries or occasional apples/pears for fruit. I can’t imagine eating my daily banana again! Far too sickly sweet now! I am enjoying eating more nuts than I could on 800 calories and occasionally eat a whole avocado rather than half. I totally enjoy the food on this ‘diet’ and feel no need to change as I have felt so much better on it.

The fact that I can eat without putting weight on must mean this diet resets your body somehow. I am eating the number of calories for a 63 year old woman but before 1000 calories a day made me pile weight on!!

Good luck with your 8 weeks and beyond Rachel 🙂

Yes, it seems chronic pain can be affected. Both my wife and I have improved with fewer pains and less of them since we lost our weights 16 kg me and 8 kg her. We are both in Normal BMI ranges now and have other issues but are still much better in many ways.

Kia Ora Kia Ora and others!
I’m also kiwi, from Wellington. I’m in week 6 of the fast 800, lost 7.7kg so far.
I find this diet much easier than others, the strictness helps I think, and because I lost my hunger and felt FANTASTIC in the first couple of days, and also started losing weight quickly, it was very encouraging.

Tips for days when I feel peckish, or when I plateau for a few days (which happens a lot!) – LOTS of water and a bit more salt. I can’t seem to add nuts for snacks as they are too calorie dense and I like to eat plenty of food throughout the day.

I need to add that I gave myself a break for about a week, and ate in the Mediterranean Low carb diet, as I was away from home and on holiday. So a lot higher calorie count, but still low GI. I didn’t gain any weight! but I stopped losing weight too, so back on the wagon for another 2 weeks.

Hardest part – not drinking any alcohol, after it made me feel really sick at the end of the first week.

That’s great, Bill, I had noticed your rapid response to AKB382 🙂

Thats amazing hashimoto, congratulations!!! Will you continue with 800 cals a day now?

Rachel

Hi I agree with Bill, after all dieticians are still doling out the low fat high carb nonsense! 🙂
Also it is amazing what is happening to people on this diet – I know it is anecdotal rather than trial based – but there are a number of us who no longer suffer from acid reflux – yet the criminals are supposed to be fat, spicy foods and alcohol. Well, we are eating fat, I have not stopped eating spicy food and have had an occasional small glass of wine with no ill effects! 🙂

I’ve replied to this post in the blood sugar spikes thread

PS I should add that my friend who is on medication for high blood pressure has been advised to add salt to her food when her BP crashes – despite being on renal dialysis. So it can’t hurt the rest of us to follow that advice! 🙂

Hi Beverley, my gallstones (many) were diagnosed in 2006 and are not bothering me just now and as I am getting healthier and fitter I do not expect that they will, I am in week 11 but have increased my intake a bit now…

I wonder if he or she is the same kind of dietary expert who have been telling people to eat low fat high carb.
I also wonder if he has as much experience in his field as Professor Taylor and Dr Moseley.
The fact is, if a radio producer wants to push a certain viewpoint to listeners, they will always find an “expert” who agrees with that viewpoint. It also happens a lot in court cases.
You just can’t believe everything you hear or see in the media.

Hi Bella, welcome to the forums.
Are you following the BSD or 5:2???

Wheat bread/toast is off the menu on BSD as it is low carb and bread is high carb.
Could you have, say, 2 eggs and some tomatoes for breakfast? Or a full fat yoghurt with some seeds or berries?

If you have any questions just ask away as the forums are full of helpful, friendly people who will answer your queries.

Good luck 🙂

AKB382 did you come off the meds under medical supervision ?
Did you stop them all at the same time or stagger it ?
I first stopped my Exanatide injections and monitored the sugar readings for a week, then I halved the metformin, again watched the results for a couple of weeks, that was when I got the spikey readings that others have experienced, it took a couple of weeks to calm down.
Finally, after consulting the GP, I stopped the last Metformin and really haven’t had any BS problems since.

Hi SteveT, like you I have a blood pressure monitor, I have low blood pressure so am always under your ‘normal range’ but when I was light headed at the beginning of the BSD and checked with my monitor my BP was at the lowest possible end of acceptable. So I think this is a natural occurrence while our bodies adjust to low calories and low carbs. I keep saying I’m in week 13 but having just checked the calendar it is week 15 and my BP is still lower than at the beginning, but the same as it was 10 years ago so I am very happy with that. My 90 year old dad is still about 120/70 (without meds) so hopefully you can lower your lisinoprol dose and hopefully by the end of 8 weeks come off it!!! 🙂

Hi AKB382, I’m not diabetic so can’t help much on that front and I don’t know if you came off all your medications at once or not, or if it was under medical supervision.
I don’t know if you have looked at Bill1954 or cherrianne’s posts but they both had problems with rising bs levels which lasted for approximately 3 weeks – but their rises began in the middle of the 8 weeks.
Have you thought about having real food rather than shakes?

A ‘conversation’ with them may be of more help to you. 🙂 Don’t give up hope, whatever you do!!

I’m really sorry to hear that, its so demoralising isnt it?. I understand that the Professor’s patients were using shakes but from reading the forum over the last 11 weeks or so, our members seem to do better with real food rather than shakes. Would it be worth while trying the full bsd with real food for a,couple of weeks? It has worked for so many people here, I would suggest giving it a try.

Well I’m sorry to report it looks like it hasn’t worked for me.
Having started the regime of 25th Jan, my weight is now 86KG, BMI of around 24. After 3-4 good weeks fasting results of lower than 5.3, BG reading have been raising since I came off the medication.
Fasting results 12.6 last couple of mornings. Continue to have shakes for breakfast and lunch and lots of greens with dinner.

I came off the medication metformin, pioglitazone and Victoza as I say remained relatively stable for a few weeks, I am now reconsidering introducing the medication which is off course massively disappointing. It kind of puts me back where I was. I’m so gutted !

Well I’m sorry to report it looks like it hasn’t worked for me.
Having started the regime of 25th Jan, my weight is now 86KG, BMI of around 24. After 3-4 good weeks fasting results of lower than 5.3, BG reading have been raising since I came off the medication.
Fasting results 12.6 last couple of mornings. Continue to have shakes for breakfast and lunch and lots of greens with dinner.

I came off the medication metformin, pioglitazone and Victoza as I say remained relatively stable for a few weeks, I am now reconsidering introducing the medication which is off course massively disappointing. It kind of puts me back where I was. I’m so gutted !

Sadly bizibee the low fat diet is still being advocated by so many in authority ( and diet industries ) that it may take a long time before folks are hit with the facts 🙁

I guess like a lot of people who have a BP problem, I’m “lucky” enough to have a BP monitor and have been taking regular readings – so there’s no need for me to see a practice nurse as I can see exactly what is happening. The lightheaded episodes prompted me to wonder what was going on during them so I tested blood sugar (which came up 5 or 6) and then blood pressure. Those readings came up 120/76, 128/69 and 127/79. The diastolic (second) element of these readings is I think the problem – they are below the Normal range.

I am approaching the end of Week 3 and have lost 18lbs. I feel that this weight reduction has definitely reduced my BP as my readings have reduced steadily since I started. I will be asking my GP later whether my lisinopril dose might be dropped from 20mg/day to 10mg/day. I hope he’ll be helpful.

By the way Rod, I love it that somebody who is trying to take charge of their own health is marked “non-compliant’ in their health records! That seems to me such a grotesque thing to do.

There’s no current research that favours a low fat diet over long term. Low fat has the biggest failure rate. Eg the Predimed research. Dr Jason Fung says that you can lose weight for a while on any system but keeping it off requires lowered carbs, higher fat and in his view some fasting. He describes several fasting patterns, including a 24 hr one (as an alternative to the 36 hour one in The Fast Diet). Basically this is just going from one meal one day to the same one the next with only liquids such as tea, water or broth. This gives the insulin production a rest.

Janet is so right – none so blind -horse/water – my best friend’s partner has T2 retinopathy, kidney problems, nerve pain in feet and ‘wants’ to be well. Cooked some bsd meals for him, bought the book for him but he is still tucking into greasy greggs pastries, chocolate and cake. Its too much effort to change his habits. In a way that’s worse reasoning than ‘don’t believe in it’ 🙁

Respect to you JillyB
I lived for almost 2 years in constant fear of losing the sight in one or both eyes and had spells when I did lose it in one or the other but never both together.
My team at the eye hospital were superb so I’m happy to hear you have a good doctor.
Best of luck.

He he Robmac the pain without the pleasure!

I hope everything turns out ok for your hubby georgiarose, hopefully he won’t want to have 5 coffees plus cake and sweet stuff in one go instead of lunch again!

Congratulations FoFi for saying goodbye to the obese level and entering the much nicer overweight level! 🙂

Jillyb you and Bill are so brave! I’m sorry to hear about the loss of sight in one eye and am keeping everything crossed for you re your good eye. 🙂

Starting today, intake wheat toast, 1 egg, tomatoes. Apple. Water

That’s why I suggest putting the yoghurt in last, so that when you invert the cup the yoghurt is on the bottom. It is liquid enough to spin around.

captainlynne

I, too, have to have injections in my eye – have for a couple of years. Initially I was of the same feeling as you. But I can assure you, if it ever happens to you, the thought of it is far worse than having it – I was quite surprised until I had the first one. All I feel is a rather dull pressure for a couple of seconds. When I was first told, I had to wait for a week during which I stressed out waiting for a whole week. I have lost the sight in one eye due to an incompetent eye doctor and when the other eye started I was with another doctor who is fantastic and we are trying to keep it with the help of injections – so necessary. The only draw back is on the day I have it I can’t see properly, can’t read, compute or watch telly, or anything but sit and listen to the radio. But, heh! It is worth it to save the good eye !
jillyB

I’m finally overweight (BMI 29.8). What a relief, it did take a little longer than I hoped, 14.2kg down since 1st Feb, but with a 10 day sabbatical over Easter and another few days off up until last weekend. Back on full time now for a few more weeks.

FoFi

Thanks for that, I love both of these 2 foods. But that doesn’t sound much even in the smaller cup….won’t it stick around the bottom of the cup ?

Regards jillyB

My target loss is 16kg. Well, here goes

Thanks Cherrieanne, Will organize a trip to a GP. Unfortunately not near our family doctor at home. Now he tells me he had 5 coffees and the bakery sweets at lunch time, instead of lunch. Will let you know how we go.

Hi Georgiarose,
Hubby needs to see his GP ASAP, something is going on with him to get a BS reading of 8.3 isn’t normal in a non diabetic so his body is under stress of some kind.
There’s not enough info there for any of us to help you, but he needs some medical attention if blacking out. May just be a medication review due to his weight loss but better to get a check up now than an ambulance trip later.
Best of luck with this

I know Leanne,

I dreamt of Steak Pie and Mash last night, and woke up feeling really bloated!

Thanks Red Devil,

Yes I am doing weights, plus 100 situps per day. I need to ‘up’ my walking though.

I will go back to the book re exercises and build on this.

Thanks again.

Rob

Help please. Hubby (non-diabetic) doing diet with me, week 8, 10 Kg loss each, just briefly blacked out. We have no sphygmomanometer, but blood sugar at 8.3, fairly normal he did have 4 coffees this morning and some cake (first time during diet).
Has this happened to anyone else?
He is lying done. Seems a bit better. Drinking water

I heard an academic on the radio yesterday, a dietary expert, say that staying on low calorie diets and losing weight rapidly has a high chance of developing gallbladder stones and gout. Anyone heard anything about this? And if so, anything we can do to protect ourselves while on the diet?

Thanks Hawkes didn’t think of the hydration side of things I have increase my water intake significantly,
Muscle mass doesn’t make a difference to weight 100gm fat is the same weight as 100gms muscle, but muscle mass does have a effect on size had to use the ties on my pj pants so will do a waist measurement this week will do that at the weekend

Hi Christi

Yes. The words horse, water and drink come to mind. Or a picture of head hitting wall😱 She cited ‘current research’ but discounted ours. Her choice.

Hope your friend listens at some point. I think most of us have been to SW and/or WW at least once, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve joined them!

Time for exercise everyone. All together now. Dancing shoes on?

“Let’s do the time warp again”

Hi all.

I’m 65 so reversing it doesn’t help, but adding the two together – 11!!!!! I always said I stuck at 19 (no particular reason), so anywhere between 11and 19 suits me fine😃

Bill, you are the Oracle!

Thank you everyone.

It’s so wonderful that you’re all helpful on these forums x

I (well my OH really) found some of that NZ frozen berry fruit so I have a well stocked freezer now. Thanks for all the tips everyone!

Any chance you are either increasing muscle or more hydrated?

Have you been doing waist measurements? Others say those are sometimes a mental boost when the weight doesn’t go down, but things are still changing in your body. I don’t measure mine, but I have a belt that keeps needing new holes every so often – at the smaller end ha ha. Used to be the other way.

You never know,Christine, you might have the chance again! 🙂