Apparently if you take a vitamin b-something supplement before going on holiday to a mosquito area they don’t like that and leave you in peace. Was told so by a pharmacist when I went to get antihistamines for my bites.

Judith – if having issues with travel insurance it may well be worth getting one of the bank accounts which comes with free travel insurance just for that purpose? Often works out cheaper than buying it separately and you don’t always need to move all your DDs to it.

Scientists think that it’s to do with the unique bacteria we each have living on our skin (largely dictated by genetics) which produce different chemicals, and some of these smell delicious to the pesky mosquitos – so if you get eaten alive take it as a compliment that you smell great 🙂

I cook for a family and have not followed the recipes in the book. I’ve been really obsessive with calorie counting though and have stuck rigidly to avoiding all the rubbish. As a result I’m now starting week 7 and my blood sugar readings have halved plus I’ve lost almost 20lbs.
The testing thing for me at present is avoiding temptations as am on holiday in Cornwall and am surrounded by fish&chips, pasties and cream teas.Doing well so far as taking packed lunch out and have resisted everything! !

233 signatures so far! If you are a British citizen would you sign our petition? 🙂

Hi Sunnyb glad you have arrived in Turkey OK. I’m sad to say I over indulged in nuts tonight —oddly it was cashews and pistachios too 🙂

Both excellent ideas. I know I am the mistress of putting it off. Stupid because I really really need to do it.
Thank you.

In reading elsewhere on low carb dieting, in addition to the advice to eat moderate protein and enough fats, it is advised by some that we should ensure we are getting enough sodium.

So, how much is enough?

I don’t add salt when cooking, as I don’t particularly like it. Should I be adding some, or is the amount I get in bought prepared foods like cheese , tinned tuna, etc going to be enough?

Hi Hashimoto,

The muzzies can smell FEAR?!!?,

Love luciaXxxx

I think you’ve answered your own question there 🙂 make tomorrow day 1 of your BSD journey, you won’t regret it!

I started 3 weeks ago tomorrow, and at that point thought there was no way I’d survive without my beloved homemade bread… but you know what we’re more adaptable than we give ourselves credit for. Yes it takes a bit of willpower at times, but actually once you get going the results on this eating plan are so motivating that you get to a point where feeling better about yourself is so much more important to you than all of your old favourite doughy treats. You might even find that going cold turkey on the bad carbs is easier than trying to have reduced amounts of them – I found that I soon stopped considering them an option, whereas if I had told myself I could have a slice of bread per day that would definitely have ended up gradually increasing until I was back to old habits.

I’m pretty much veggie and have found my favourite breakfast is full fat greek yoghurt with strawberries and blueberries, I love the taste of it and it keeps me full for hours. Play around with different things and you’ll soon find something that works for you. If you like quorn sausages then they’re good with sauteed mushrooms and grilled tomatoes.

The movie called fields of gold.

If you build it, they will come.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

It’s strange isn’t it? I can be outside with a group of people, as covered up as I can get and I still get eaten alive and have big red lumps which takes weeks to settle – while the people I’m with haven’t got a single bite. I wonder if it is some sort of hormone or chemical we excrete through our skin which attracts them?

It would make a fantastic PhD project for somebody 🙂

Guess I ought to invest in a mozzie net to veil myself in!

Hi speedy, simple answer – skip breakfast. My own choice is not to eat anything before 12pm.

The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll start losing weight.

Boring type O for me too. Hubby never suffers at all though. He’s type O too.

Hi Hashimoto.
Aim for the stars, so if you only get to the moon you still have a good place to tap dance on.
Or did I dream that quote!

So the annual meeting of bs800 members and newbies, should be held in cheap season, not school season. How about half a year before and after Christmas Day?
25 June or nearest weekend?

The following year, if it grows, we can have a circus, tap dancing classes, grow your own veggies, paint your own teeshirt with I hate carbs forever on it. Also a competition on how many carbs in a ?????? Then themes like hug a marrow day. A kissing booth with veggies in. A company that sell scales that don’t lie.
Or am I now going over the top?

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Don’t you hate the noise they make, a rally nasally tone.
So loud, you can’t sleep.
They are so sneaky that even one mm of skin out of bed, they can find it and bite you.
The itchy lumps that you get, and then the blisters oh, horrible little buggers, not to mention mosquitos,

Right, I am getting to hate carbs now.

Love Lucia
Xxxx

I know I am probably procrastinating! But my theory is I am trying to nudge myself towards starting by reducing bread etc. But breakfast is my weak point. Egg based breakfasts get a bit cloying after a while, I’m veggie so bacon is not an option. What are the most satisfying breakfasts? I’ve even bought some Atkins bread but that’s still 5 carbs a slice.
Or should I just stop putting starting off? We long term dieters are great at that! Thanks.

Has anyone tried baking tofu and tempeh? They dry out and crisp up in about half an hour. You can use a tiny bit of fat, then add soy sauce for last few minutes to caramelise. Easy and delicious.

http://www.paleocupboard.com/yorkshire-pudding.html

I got it from here . I didn’t use the almond milk used half normal and half water.

The cup conversions are a pain but worth it.

Lovely light crispy non heavy Yorkshire!! I will never go back to the old kind!

Old wives tale, then! Dad and I get plagued and we’re both type A so i wondered. 🙂

They certainly like mine – type O!

Hi

I think if you read a few threads you’ll notice that a few of us fell off the wagon quite a bit over the Easter weekend…me included.

After a heavy carb rich meal with the girls we ended up dancing and drinking the afternoon/evening away. The next day I even ate an Easter egg!

Believe me I suffered for it the next 2 days but guess what….I got back on plan and I’m still losing weight, just about to start week 7.

Just take control again from tomorrow and enjoy this new way of living x

Hi Ida,
I fell off the wagon today too. Have done 3 weeks of BSD, lost 6 kilos and several cm, but am dreading what the cake binge will do. Yet rationally I know that it’s ok, I might put on a kilo or two, just carry on again tomorrow.
What I do know from giving up sugar a while ago is that it’s very addictive and I’ll have to get over the cravings again, but I know I’ve done it before so can again.
I’ve been very hungry some days and fine on other days. As a veggie, I’ve found the most filling, comforting things to be eggs and lentils.
Be kind to yourself. We can do it!

Mmmm. Mozzies have always liked my blood too. I read somewhere, years ago, they like type A blood. Wonder if it’s true?

I’m new here just thought I’d say hello.

Quick story I’m female, 40, mother of two. I am pre-diabetic, insulin resistant with polycystic ovaries.

I’ve tried pretty much every diet with varied success always regaining, although I’m currently about 20 lbs lighter than my heaviest weight so I’m pleased I’ve maintained a little lower for several years now just unable to get lower. My vmi is about 35 I think.

I’m in the process of finishing the book off, prior to getting organised and I want to monitor my blood sugars just out of curiosity so I’ve got a kit ordered. Once I finish the book, get the kit and the I will do a little planning and get started soon hopefully within this coming week.

I’ve also purchased a fitbit and will be using it to aim for 10000 steps/ day.

Is there a forum here for diaries or can I start one anywhere?

looking forwards to getting to know your stories 🙂

Hi Blushingida,
I’d just like to point out the positives:
You did a week of the diet, despite finding it very hard. Don’t negate that achievement because you had a weekend off. Sometimes weekends are harder, especially if that is when you normally relax, let your hair down, and your inhibitions, socialise and hang around others who aren’t following the diet.
Did the weekend off mean the diet week was wasted? Not completely.
You showed you could do it. You went part way up the mountain. So you stopped and had a slide down the snow. It was fun, but turned out to have a few rocks under it and be quite bruising!
Look back at each decision you made that led to eating and drinking beyond the bounds of the diet, and say, “I know where I made the wrong decision, what I was thinking, and can be prepared for that, so learn from this next time.”

I like the idea of Marjorie’s to reread the book, recharging the enthusiasm.

Well done Marjorie keep at it. Just love all the inspirational stories I read on these forums.

Polly.

No need to be sorry. We all have those times. I’m doing low carb as best I can but I turned 40 during the week and had a big family dinner today and I enjoyed my dinner and dessert and I’m not going to beat myself up because it only makes me eat more when I do that. Keep smiling 🙂

I wonder if the mozzies will still like my blood now its not so sweet?

Hi Rhiannon
Welcome on board! The forums are so well populated now that you will find tons of info and tips already written down. I can recommend the ‘what have you eaten today ?’ Thread for food ideas, have a look at the ‘This has to work for me’ thread for inspiration and, if you ever start to doubt, look up the plateau threads. The ‘my eight weeks’ thread will keep you amused too! If there are any questions you aren’t finding answers to, just shout up, people will be haply to help.
Ps, you can search for threads by putting a few words in the search box at the top of the page.

Lesson learned, alcohol is a no-no for you right now. What’s stopping you starting again? Treat it like a misfire. This time round you know a little bit more about yourself. And the good news is…you still lost weight!
Everyone has setbacks, its what you do next that matters…

I’ve been struggling for the past few weeks that’s the mindset I get into, the oh well I’ve blown it now so I might as well eat this, that and the other mindset. Tonight I have read the book again and have decided to start again. I lost a stone in four weeks when I first started so going to see what I can do again – got another 2 and a half stone to go!
Don’t beat yourself up. You’re human and losing weight is never easy. Just start again and be kind to yourself 😀 Good luck 😁

Marcus, I think you may be right. I’m extremely gluten intolerant and now no reflux since not eating any starchy carbs 🙂
I hope all of us who no longer have acid reflux post here to give us an idea if this is common on low carb diets 🙂

Hi. I’m another former reflux sufferer since cutting out carbs 😃

Thanks in advance and sorry to be a Debbie downer

Hi Lucia. Love the idea of carb-squitos!

Mosquitos always know I’m on the way and tell their friends, then they sit around waiting for me to arrive so they can bite me. Just like carbs, waiting to make me poorly, raise my blood sugar and gain weight😱

Hi there,

Don’t beat yourself up too much. It happens to all of us. Just think tomorrow is another day and of course you can start again. I myself haven’t started yet but I am waiting to see my consultant tomorrow hoping he will give me the go ahead to start. I have been reading all the posts and just go through them and they will inspire you to start again.

Best of luck,
Polly

Hi Boombatty,
Thank you for your support
It’s a scary but exciting prospect to be able to shed these god awful pounds and feel like me again. It’s the sweet tooth that I shall have to ignore but i know I’ll feel better.
I’m sure you will be “back on the wagon” in no time and best of luck xx

Hi Rhiannon,
I started last Monday and had a really good week. I lost 7lbs but I fell of the wagon yesterday ( mum in laws birthday party), I have felt rubbish all day, I’m thinking it’s did to all the carbs I ate last night, so I’m back on it tomorrow and determined to have a fabulous week, I’m sure you will too.
To be honest I was wary that 800 cals wouldn’t be enough but I can honestly say I was never hungry, I too am a chocoholic but I had a square of greens and black high cocoa content which curbed my cravings.
Enjoy your first week I am sure you will love it x

Hello.

I started fast 800 last Saturday and had been so proud of myself all week. I find it much harder than j thought. Felt hungry a lot and 800 cals a lot less than I expected. On Friday j got drunk on two glasses of red wine and ate a whole cheese board at a friends then a whole pack dark chocolate. The next day I felt horrendous. Not sure if was dehydration or the carbs or the alcohol. I don’t normally get drunk off two glasses of red wine. Then I got in a horrible mid set of well I have fallen off now and as a friend was visiting as a rare treat I thought I would have the day off. Beer. Cakes. Fish and chips. Awful. Today it’s been hard not to be ravenous and I even had two portions of children’s birthday cake. I can’t believe it. I feel like such a looser failure. Can I start again? Has anyone else fallen off this badly? Do you start 8 week again. I think no booze has to be a a big rule for me. I still feel awful … Any tips to help me get back appreciated. I was 12.3 went down to 11.9 in under a week. Now of course gone straight back up to 11.13 1/2. Huff huff huff

Hi, would you please share your Yorkshire pudding recipe.

Hi, I am starting this NEW WAY OF LIVING as of tomorrow and would appreciate any support, information or ideas you might have. I feel in the right place emotionally to embark but am nervous about “failing” again. I am a chocoholic (its my drug of choice) and having had a very difficult number of years use it as a comfort and crutch I guess.
I am 4 stone overweight and don’t see myself in the mirror any more. Im sure I am not the ony one who has felt this way and would love to hear your words of wisdom and experiences.

Hope you manage to get some relaxation time on your trip Janet1973. Have to say the ketostix are a bit of a comfort-blanket at the mo, as without scales, I only have them to give me any idea if I’m on track or not. Haven’t had the diet really tested yet – that will happen soon, when we visit with some Turkish friends, where they’ll expect me to eat bread, pastries etc. It’s going to be difficult to refuse without offending, so wish me luck!

Just tried hashimoto’s courgette in cream cheese as can’t be bothered to cook after walking 13 mile this afternoon…it was very tasty and so quick to make, will definitely be making it again!

Hi,
If it was jus, then hubby would insist on bread to mop it up😕

Love Lucia
Xxxx

Sounds lovely sunnyb, well done on those keto readings. You’ve obviously got this cracked and I bet your summer shorts are looking good too!

Off on a working holiday myself tomorrow for four days. Probably not going to be much sun though, just up to saltburn on the north east coast until Thursday. I’m not taking my scales, only my ketostix a la sunnyb! But I have bought the same foods I eat at home so it should be no different apart from a few lovely seaside walks!

Have a great week!

Barby,just only just started its a learning curve.
Unfortunately I can’t cook these recipes so having the foods in basic form ,but it makes it easy to calculate it !
Salmon is salmon eggs are eggs !
But I will ha a a go soon at some the easier dishes.
Alan ,on the first step of this journey

Thank you Lauren. This has given me some hope. I had been worried about what I’d eat but knowing you’ve managed to do it mainly meat free is encouraging!

Hi Whoopsie Daisy
I have not stuck to the diet menu, but have stuck to the spirit of the diet, eating 800 cals a day, keeping an eye on carbs and making sure to keep fluid intake up. Think many on the forum are working this way and seeing good results, whilst training their bodies to accept a new eating regime to stand them in good stead going forward. So yes, cook the meals you normally would for the family, but keep your portions in control, so that you meet the 800cals (or there abouts), using leafy veg and salad to replace carbs. Make sure to keep you fat intake up, as this really helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer and helps your body to kick into fat burning mode.
You can do this and be successful. Use the forum for advise and support and to post your results.
Good luck!

Hi Orchid and Janet1973
Thanks for responding on this thread. I thought it would be easier for me than trying to track all that’s posted on the ‘Weigh-In’ thread. Still managing to keep the keto reading in the + zone, but as I said before it’s in the lower band. Think it’s going okay though. Had a little blip the other day, which I put down to over indulging on cashews and pistachios. Lesson learnt and will be keeping those in check.
Meanwhile, just relaxing in the sun and reading!

Eggs, any sort of cheese you like, all the different Quorn products, beans, lentils, tofu… There are other threads on here with veggie suggestions if you search for them, and also some recipes in the recipe section. I’ve only eaten meat twice since starting 3 weeks ago and honestly it hasn’t been difficult at all – you soon adapt to no carbs 🙂 one recent thread to look at is called ‘NEEDED – 800 DIET IDEAS TO HELP VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS’