I don’t think I could cope with the sight of all you bikini clad babes lying all over the place. 😀

I paid to be a member of the diet doctor website, its £6.50 a month and you can cancel any time. Because I’m a paid up member now I’m getting extra info and the cruise is one of the extras. I don’t think its included in my membership fee though 😉

Its the Caribbean islands, a week I think. Don’t tempt me! Wouldn’t it be great?

Hi David6855

You’ve made a great start. Keep letting us know your progress.

Hello David
I’ve managed to drop all the meds now but I prefer to consider myself as a diet controlled diabetic rather than a none diabetic.
That could lead to slip ups in the future and I don’t ever want to have to take diabetic drugs again. Best of luck to you, I know you can do it because I did and there is nothing special about me.
As an experiment, why don’t you lose the shake for a week and replace with eggs or fruit and yoghurt, just to see how those post breakfast readings perform on real food.

Yes, stringbreaker. My son’s partner was commenting on how much weight she’s putting on with decreased mobility. But even that won’t get her to change their diet. Nor telling her how many are seeing improvement in IBS (she has that too). On the plus side, my son didn’t have a go at me like he has before 😃

Last night I cooked them (at their request) sausage, egg, chips and beans, with ketchup. At least the sausages were low-carb! I ate 2 of the sausages with an egg, and beetroot. Then they share a trifle between the four of them. Not a morsel touched my lips. 😃

I cooked my breakfast before they were up and about – bacon, egg and black pudding.
They finally tad brunch just before they left – bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, baked beans and tinned tomatoes. With ketchup. Followed by a cupcake each. Then the twins actually asked if they could gave sweets 😱

I just said I’d already eaten, and sat with a coffee while they ate 😃

Orchid, one of my colleagues is Portugese. When him and his wife saw me on Sunday I was asked if my weight loss was deliberate, then how I’d done it. Told them about the BSD, but they like their carbs too much – at the moment 😳

The twins have been having semi-skimmed milk – it’s what they’re used to. But their natural yogurt has been full dat😃 They’ve eaten more this bid it than before, and as much as possible has been low-carb. They excitedly told their step-mum that they’d had yogurt with blueberries. But then made the mistake of saying how many blueberries. C had 28, G had 70. They’d counted them! C only wanted the 28 so I had no problem. But their step-mum accused poor G of gluttony!😱 Personally I’d sooner see her eat those blueberries than fill up on sweets, biscuits or cake!

Glad to hear of your new exercise clothes. If I don’t get some new trousers or a skirt there might be a very embarrassing incident – probably in the centre of Durham😱

Hi neodiver,
Hopefully you will now get the treatment you deserve, I do hope it is a false alarm, but it looks like you know where to go for the best treatment which must be a relief.
Best wishes

I’m sure we can manage that Bill 😃

Hi captainlynne,
Glad they commented at last, even if it needed a bit of a push! I remember reading years ago a book about ‘are you addicted to carbs’ and looked at the food plan and thought the same as they did – how do I keep full without pasta and rice! Remarkably easily once you know how!
Did you try the ‘full fat’ is better than ‘skimmed’? That might have a few attractions and be a step in the right direction – baby steps,, but a step.
I had the first person comment on my weight loss last week. Immediate family have not seen me yet, but friends I see regularly have said nothing. You would think two full dress sizes was noticeable!
I went to Pilates and dressed in the new clothes I had just bought – there was about to be an embarrassing incident had I not replaced the old ones! I got things so far away from the ‘normal’ that it was almost – ‘notice me …please!).
I used to go in black trainer bottoms (size 22) – wide leg, and a charity tee-shirt – largest size they give out (XL, gents) in either navy or purple. Last week I turn up in pale-grey bottoms (size 18) – tight round the ankle and legs – not quite skin tight, more very slim harem pants, plus a different charity tee-shirt in pale blue – medium sized.
At then end the teacher looked me and said – very warily – you have lost weight haven’t you – she relaxed once she saw the beaming smile I have her as I said yes – 60% gone, 40% to go! She was clearly worried there might be a problem!
Anyhow the new profile worked well, except she can now see exactly what I am doing and when I am going wrong – no ‘big clothes’ to hide behind. Sooooo nice 🙂

Erm my T-shirt is getting too big Lynne
Can I have a new one please 😀

Lynne,

If they REALLY wanted the benefits they’d do it.
We all have our own inner drive when it comes to it.
Remember Bill’s cri-de-coeur:-

“This HAS to work for me.”

John

Hi neohdiver
So sorry to hear of the ‘cock up’ & reason behind it. Do hope it’s much better news soon. You could do with a bit of mindfulness me thinks. Every good wish to you
Eureka

Welcome to those starting this journey. There are usually some ‘old-timers’ around to answer questions and give support.

We’ve been there, done it, and should have the t-shirt 😃

Please use our experience to help you on this life-changing journey.

Family gone home now. I pointed out my weight-loss and was asked how I’d done it. I told them, and offered the book – to hear that they wouldn’t take it because she wouldn’t stick to it! That’s four people in 4 days saying them can’t give up carbs😱
Still, hope I’ve got the twins on plain yogurt instead if flavoured ones😃

Good afternoon.
It was a lovely day for a walk and I got there in time, having had breakfast (full fat greek yogurt, blueberries, seeds and almonds). I added in some full fat milk to my coffee as some extra cals. I also took 85% dark chocolate, very large handful of almonds, small pot full to cherry tomatoes, and a small packet of haribro jelly sweets that arrived with a pair of new running shoes I ordered. Haribro and chocolate in case of dizziness, tomatoes for grazing if needed.
There was a good size group turn up and we kept a constant moderate pace all the way – 5.87km through farmland, forests (Capability Brown Landscape for anyone interested in gardening). No issues, no repeat of dizziness, nothing eaten, only water drunk!
The ‘goodies’ are back in the pack for taking out tomorrow for my jog/walk – no temptation to eat them unless I really needed them.
Ketostix first thing this morning – 0.15, pale pink; when I got home – 0.4, dark pink! The walking improved my fat-burning noticeably.
I am definitely on a high now – probably not endorphins, but still a great ‘feel-good’ to be out and mobile.

Hi David6855
What a great story so far. Of course we want to hear more. It’s encouraging to us all. Well done & keep on keeping on
Eureka

Judith, I’m getting bloods done next week. Usual nurse is on the sick, so I hope this one is better!

Janet, where does the cruise go? How about a group booking? 😃

That makes sense to me. I’m allowing myself the odd drink with sweeteners, which I’d never normally touch, just during these 2 months- whatever gets you through. My mantra is ‘it’s only 2 months’. I was fine for about 10 days, but have been really hungry for the last 4. Only eggs seem to fill me up properly (I’m a veggie).

Hi All

Lost 3 lb last week, which more than makes up for earlier disappointment. Went to the doctor today for routine appointment re blood pressure medication. My reading was higher than I usually make it – white coat syndrome, perhaps – so no lowering of medication, for a while yet. I was also weighed and learned that I am actually 5 lb less than I thought I was, which puts me on a BMI of 30 and no longer obese! Back to my own scales now, so I suppose I had better lose another 5 lb quickly!

Did you know there is even a low carb cruise! It sails in may and its on the ship I would love to be on, the royal Caribbean allure of the seas. Low carb cruising – my idea of heaven!

Hi, I was going to just follow the recipes out of the BSD book for 2 months, but too many of them have meat in so I’ve started claorie counting (never thought I”d see the day). Most packaged food in UK seems to have calorie counts on the front, but for other stuff I use http://www.fatsecret.co.uk/calories-nutrition and http://www.calorieking.com/foods . After these 2 months I hope never to have to do it again.

It does take a little while to get used to the changes, but it gets easier – honestly.

Could you go without tea for a while? I used to take two sugars and gave up by stopping tea and all other hot sweetened drinks for a week. I was so pleased to have tea again that I didn’t care that it wasn’t sweetened.

If that sounds too awful along with doing the rest of the diet, you could try having half your normal amount of sweetener for a few days and then cutting that amount in half for a few more days and gradually wean yourself off them. If you use tablet sweeteners you’d have to crush them.

Thanks, FiFiP.

Hi, does anyone know of a spreadsheet online that contains the glycemic index, carb content and calorie for each food? My fitness pal and the University of Sydney have a search mechanism but for quickness I’d like a spreadsheet to follow. There doesn’t appear to be any good apps out there either as far as I can see. What source of information do you all use? I’m just getting ready to start the diet and one minute I’m excited, the next I’m dreading it. Many thanks!

Well 5 days in and no weight loss but not particularly worried about that as my BS readings are going down – started around 16 – 18 now averaging 10 – 14 depending on time of day taken ☺ hoping this is a good sign!

Hi. I’ve seen about someone in a similar situation who used a soup maker in his hotel room. It’s quicker and less conspicuous than a slow cooker.

M&S do a multi grain porridge contains a high fibre mix of oats, barley, Rye, spelt and flax seed – no added sugar – all good stuff for diabetes sufferers!

Hi Bill. Got an email this morning from one of our diabetes organisations (sorry, deleted email & can’t find it) talking about a young man in Scotland reversing his diabetes on a Paleo diet. There’s a new thread on diabetes.co.uk forum about the BSD.

I’m craving everything but what I miss the most is sweetner in my tea or a slice of toast, I’ve not craved chocolates or cakes so far which I’m shocked at thought I’d be worse, I’m crabbit which I expected but also tired and feeling low, how can I stop or what can help to minimise the cravings? I don’t want to fall off the wagon I really want to lose the weight this time

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the kind words which you all have given. Just to give you a quick update, we have been doing this now for just over a week, started last Monday. Despite a blip over the weekend, which saw me put on weight…. I have no idea how, it seems to be going the right way. I am 2lbs off from a stone weight loss, and beginning to feel really good.

I am finding it hard on some days, very hungry but then it seems to be manageable on others. I dont think Ive done 800 calories been more like 650 – 750 but dont feel like eating, so not done it.

My wife and I went out for a meal with friends on the weekend, and thinking smartly ordered a meal which would have taken me over, but was not full of carbs.. I could not finish it, which is a massive achievement for me, and I didnt want desert after :-). Despite going out still lost 2lbs the following day.

The target of 3 stone weight loss by the end of the 8 weeks is well on course, and long may it continue.

My wife is also doing well, doing this with her has been a godsend, I dont know if either of us would have managed without each other.

Thanks again

No, a fortnight ago I made a bit of a scene at the reception desk, pointing out that when I made the appointment for blood tests I was very specific about seeing a nurse and NOT a phlebo. I watched them enter my appt. It was with my nurse. When I was called in it was the same phlebo who left me with a badly swollen and bruised hand. She tried to take my blood using a butterfly – I don’t know what the hell she did but it felt like the insides of my arm were being pulled out!! Now it is on my notes in big ( as Judge rinder would say) that I refuse to have blood taken by a phlebo.

The nurse made an excellent, pain free job of it and got enough blood for the tests. The phlebo had only got a trickle after all that pain!!

I lost 7 pounds and 1 .5 inches off my waist bmi down .my first week

Happy.

Yes, I think I will start the diet as soon as possible, fingers crossed.

Christine I made a three course meal for a friend last night based on 3 meals on the BSD. For me that is the most food I have had in one go since before Christmas. I was so stuffed I rolled around all night with stomach pain!! Our stomachs will have shrunk! So I think yours could have been a combo of the food and alcohol. I’m never, never eating that much again!

Hi Natalie
If you were using red lentils they do cook quite quickly, only need about 15-20 mins of boiling. These are great for adding to the kind of soups you need to thicken, or blend to get a smooth soup.
The brown ones take a little longer and the green or French lentils longer still. The green ones hold their shape better and are nice cooked with a bay leaf, chopped onion and some sage or tarragon. I cook until the liquid is nearly all gone, then serve with a lump of soft cheese, chèvre or Brie on top. A meal by itself.

Thanks Bill,

Sounds like they didn’t butcher you this time Judith?

Bill, somehow I am not surprised by their response. They are stuck in past decades. They probably still don’t believe it works judging by the Diabetes Australia bloke on the video. Good thinking on your part to send the link to them though!! Hammering at them might get them to listen eventually! 🙂

Twills, first the very fat jeans, then the fat jeans soon it will be normal jeans!! Keep on keeping on!! 🙂

Janet, my asthma nurse says there are some patients you simply can’t help because they won’t help themselves. It comes to something when you really have to say that about your nurse!!!

I had my bloods (again cos phlebo messed it up) done yesterday – for my thyroid function and cholesterol. Looking forwards to the results!! 🙂

I had my blood taken this morning just to see what 9 weeks of hard dieting has done for my underactive thyroid. The nurse was putting a big bag of jellied sweets in her drawer when I arrived. When I told her about the diet the first thing she said was what happens when you go back to eating normally and having 2000 calories a day. I told her I can never go back, this is a new normal and I was never able to eat 2000 calories a day anyway. Then she said its not a balanced diet. I told her a diet of man-made carbs isn’t a healthy diet. She said we need carbs. I said I get carbs from vegetables and pulses. She said she couldn’t imagine eating chile con carne without rice. I gave up.

Hi All,
There are a few new Aussie BSDers so we need to keep this thread near the top so it doesn’t get missed.
Pecans are a good low carb nut I have discovered. 1.0g carbs and 142 cals per 20g of nuts. I buy the pecan pieces from the baking/ dried fruit section of the supermarket. They are cheaper and the smaller pieces make you feel like you’re eating more. 🙂

Another 1lb off this week, which considering it was my birthday at the weekend is pretty impressive! I’m really not finding it that difficult to stick to very low carb eating and I’m sure I’m eating less calories than previously but definitely not less than 800. We’re away on holiday in 10 days and I intend to keep low carb while I’m away (self catering which makes it easier) and I might have another 800 calorie week when we get back.

I haven’t measured myself but am wearing a size smaller jeans that I dug out from th back of the wardrobe (to be fair they are what I call my fat jeans, as opposed to my very fat jeans I have been wearing!)

Hi David,
You will be a diabetic in remission very soon. Many of us have now proven that it is possible to eat your way to better blood sugar control without recourse to medication.
You have made a great start to the BSD and your weight loss and blood sugars are very good. Be aware that you may experience a temporary spike in your blood sugar levels once your liver really starts to shed that stored fat. There is a thread called rising fasting blood sugar levels on which a few of us posted about our experience with this. Hopefully the stories on there will help anyone else experiencing this to understand that you do pop out the other side with even better blood sugar results.
Stay in touch. Everyone loves to hear about each other’s progress. This is a very friendly and supportive forum. 🙂

Sounds like a feast! I will get there – just need to plan to cook new things and not fall back on some of the easy family favorites like pasta and risotto! Thanks for the support.

I walk with hubby 5 times a week, 2.5 to 3 miles at a fair rate. It takes us about 35 mins. Through the forest, some hills, etc. I surprised myself recently as a quick trip around Sainsbury’s clocked 1.8 miles on my pedometer!

Just looked and I got a private tweet from Diabetes UK after asking them to sign the petition.
It reads
“Unfortunately do not sign up to petitions, but we wish you all the best with your campaign”
Wouldn’t you think that something like “sorry we do not sign petitions but we will publish the link on our forums to let the members know about it” would have been a much better answer.
Are these peoiple getting salaries and protecting their jobs ? I would have thought that what is now a proven method of dealing with the disease would have excited a lot more interest than that.

Beetroot is fine, Dr M uses it in some recipes. I am not a fan of squash, so would always seek a substitute.

Rule of thumb is that if it’s a veg that grows above the ground it’s fine.

Below ground, with exception of onions, treat with more caution.

Some sites say sweet potatoes are better than ‘normal’ spuds, on the diet, as opposed to maintenance they should both be treated with more caution.

That must feel really good… Well done.

Hi all
I made an interesting observation today after my birthday meal yesterday.
Yesterday evening before we went out I had a glass of prosseco, we were given two! Bottles from the management because it was my birthday,
We then went out for our meal, we decided to splash out a bit, so I had warm avocado with scallops, prawns in a Thermidor sauce with cheese and baked in the oven, then salmon in champagne sauce with carrots and green beans. I was stuffed, I could not have had a pud even if I had wanted one, I also had one glass of white wine.
When we got back I had a coffee with some 80% dark choc, as a treat,
I was very sleepy so went to bed, I slept till 4am went to the loo slept till morning, however I was stuck to the bed feeling sluggish and not wanting to get up!
I finally roused myself got up and ready for another day, I didn’t feel great though, so was it the two hours plus walk I did or the two glasses of alcohol? I don’t normally drink just the occasional glass with a meal, or was it the two course meal, I have no illusions that it was low carb, or ‘good’ for me, I did however think that being lots of protein it might! Be ok. Oh yes forgot to,say, I had to take a tablet for my hiatus hernia as I had terrible acid reflux, I haven’t had that since before the diet!
So for the rest of the week I will be back to my sensible eating regime!
I have found it enlightening that going off piste for one meal can cause such intense reactions to my body.
I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, was it worth it though? I just thought it was interesting enough ( for me) to put it out there for others to read and digest.
Christine