Come on team, this user needs banned by username and IP address, they are going to destroy the forums if allowed to continue. I’m not taking time to report every post in the thread but there are a lot of them. Also suggest you create a nofollow robots.txt file

Hi Salty,
You can start the fast 800 while still taking metformin because it doesn’t cause hypos. The book recommends that ideally you should talk to your GP before starting. You might need to download and print the info on Prof Taylor’s research to give to your GP. The link is in the book, or just write down the link for your GP to look up.
It’s best to take your fasting blood sugars and an occasional random one a few times a week. This will give you an overall idea of what is happening with your blood sugars throughout the day. Then you will learn what types of food affect your sugar levels and what size portions you can have.
Use the next 8 weeks to learn more about your body and how to manage your blood sugars.
We can help with food, recipes and tips and share our experiences with you. Everyone on the forums helps out and offers support and encouragement.
Lots of us use an app to track our daily intake as onahealthyhigh said. You could get a book or search online for calorie counts of foods you are eating. It does mean weighing and measuring food but it is surprising how quickly you get into the swing of it.
Wishing you success, keep posting your progress 🙂

Big article on the news last night about the worldwide T2D epidemic.
Now is time to get the word out while the subject is getting so much media attention.
Come on folks, get those emails going, it only takes a couple of minutes.

There’s some good videos on You Tube by Ken Sikavis and Rogan Chattergee. I think I did a search for low carb. The former is medically orientated about fats and cholesterol and why your bad fats drop with a low carb and high fat diet. The science is coming together but there is obviously dissention amongst the medical ranks. Rogan is a British GP who did a series recently working with patients in their homes . 2 of the diabetics benefited from a low carb diet although he recommends you eat 5 portions of veg as well as cutting out all processed carbs and eating healthy fats such as advocado, olives, fish and meat . He was contacted by British dietitions afterwards who disagreed with him and they usually have a significant role regarding the content of advice leaflets given out at hospital. It’s still seen as a controversial approach by many but see yourself as a trail blazer. The results however speak for themselves and my blood sugar has gone from 10.3 down to 5.3. I’ve lost a lot of fat as well!

It does look like someone has managed to hack a couple of accounts. This is worrying as the posts up to now are mainly harmless but could escalate.
I’ll advise the team.

Good morning lucia

Glad you are raring to go!

Is rain better than hail?

good news that your pop socks aren’t cutting your circulation, soon they won’t stay up at all!

Have a good day!!!

Just read the thread about reactions from GPs. Similar to my experience Steve, he was also disinterested, wanted me to be on Metformin and statins and eventually said come back in 3 months . This was mid February. My BM has gone down from 10.3 to 5.3, I’m off meds for my bold pressure which is stable at 130-120/ 70 and I’ve dropped a dress size. I feel really well and in control of my eating for the first time in years. I’m learning all the time and some weeks haven’t lost anything but I’m making progress and have moved of the 800 calorie count. I’m understanding more about how my body reacts to carbs and have started doing a post meal reading sometimes to see how I am doing. Don’t be deterred there is everything to play for !,

Hi Allychat. Sorry to read that you are in pain but somewhat of a relief re the exercise as I am about to undergo a hip replacement and have not been able to exercise very much at all. This has been a concern. Yes, I too recall the Insight program where the comment was to “get the food right”. That’s what I’m concentrating on and the rest will fall into place. Good luck with your journey and I’ll keep updated on here 🙂

L

Good morning team ,
How are you all doing?
Feeling much better, raring to go.
Teeming with rain again today after yesterday’s hail stones.

Now where are we on the bs thingy?

I am in the mast half of it.
Yesterday my pop socks or knee high tights or pantyhose did not cut the circulation off at the back of my knee.
😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀
Love Lucia
Xxxx

Thanks for all those great answers
Does anyone know if subway salad bowls are ok ? There’s every salad in there olives lettuce tomatoes onions etc maybe with chicken added maybe olive oil in top
Low calorie and filling
????thanks

When something seems too good to be true i tend to think it is – what are the thoughts in using these on the times when you really want to have some pasta?

Hi I got some tips that bulk cooking, freezing in advance or using a slow cooker frees up time in the kitchen. Then your not always in the kitchen. I use my slow cooker for soups and you can use it for your husbands meals and he can help himself when he is hungry. You don’t have to even serve up his meals he can do this all himself. Maybe he might like one night a week where he can cook for you. My husband enjoys cooking BBQs – even one night a week might make you feel better.

pmshrink

You suggested I up my fat…..can you suggest any good fats that are not energy dense ? I love avocados and nuts but this makes a huge hole in my calorie count. Love to hear from you.

Regards jillyB

Some great tips you have!! I too have been a toast addict. Mine is more peanut butter and toast. I am on my first week. Love your idea of doing the bulk cooking to keep me out of the kitchen. Great tip. More time to go for a walk or play with the dog. I’m going to try this. Also your tips for snacks were great too.

Great advice. You cant change your whole life all at once. Small steps. Get the food right, concentrate on shopping, organising and breaking old habits. As you improve in diet you will feel better and then can start bringing in exercise, small changes. Its a change of life…(well that’s how my mindset is working at the moment)..

Thank you for the encouragement. Just had to google 2 stone conversion to kgs…lol Well done that is really encouraging. I have started and looking forward to see what happens. Sometimes I feel like you have to get to rock bottom to make you realise its time to make a change. Being prepared is the key for me. I don’t live near shops (which can be an advantage,sometimes) but have to be organised with shopping making sure I have all the right foods in the house, otherwise I just eat Bread. I think I am in the circle of bread, bread and more bread. Looking for the quick energy hit…I tired of feeling tired. So here goes I am hoping this works.

That is scary stuff. Need more carbs???? Crikey.

So, Christi1948 didn’t write the cancer one, Catgirl did you write the Alzheimer’s one (calling Christi Christian and the wrong year) or not? As it happens my mother did die of breast cancer last year but I’m a bit weirded out by people posting using other people’s logins about such an emotional subject. And “add it to your status” doesn’t seem to apply in a forum.

Thank you for the information and the links, JackieWilsonSaid.

For constipation try kiwifruit which helps not just because of fibre, but also some enzymes and probiotics as well.
Some people find it very ummm… stimulating.

I think it’s medium chain.
I wonder if cleaning your teeth immediately after eating would help, if it is the feel in your mouth that turns you off?
I usually use coconut oil for low heat cooking and I inevitably have turmeric and other spices cooked in with it.
And I make sure to only use extra virgin unrefined cocionut oil in glass containers. I know not everyone likes it, i’m lucky that i do.It’s great on your skin too! 🙂 Directly o your skin as a moisturizer that is.

I always have a strong coffee after a meal so perhaps that changes the mouth feel? Don’t know.

Hashimoto I just saw you wrote a quarter of a cucumber has 2.7 grams of carbs but my calculator (Calorie King app) says 1.8 grams of carb for the whole thing which is a big difference! I think mine is more likely. Was 2.7 calories maybe? That would be about right.

Penny,
Thank you for your suggestions. I think my carbs are about right but will try to up my fat.
Jilly

That sounds really discouraging and I hope everyone is right and your weight starts to drop again. It’s hard to keep going on such a strict diet with no results. I’m on my second round of the BSD with only moderate weight loss but I can easily explain that with all my slip ups and treats! I can keep telling myself that as long as I stick to it properly, I will get the results.

One thing I noticed is that you really don’t have that much weight to lose. If you worked out your rate of loss as a percentage of total weight (like they do on Biggest Loser) you might be doing as well as some of the much heavier people who lose a lot faster.

Hi SunnyB

You’ve got lots of good advice to choose from. Pick what is best for you. I’m sure you will be a lot more comfortable soon
You are following the BSD & you are right about constipation making a difference to your weight. Don’t worry about the scales. Bet you didn’t know that there could be up to 4lb difference in weight + or – in a day. (Jenny Ruhl Blood Sugar 101, second edition. & Diet 101, The truth about Low Carb Diets). Two essential reference books for diabetics I think. Also on line info http://www.phlaunt.com

Prof Roy Taylor Newcastle Uni,was the original 8 weeks diabetic reversal diet trial dr. 8 weeks was chosen, I believe because it was a trial to see if fast , diet restriction & weight loss could emulate Bariatric surgery findings. Those patients undergoing that surgery, forcing them to eat a very restricted diet REVERSED their diabetes. It was found out by accident! It was thought that it would be hard for people to stay on a very restricted diet for a long enough time to bring their weight loss down by about 20% of their original body weight.

My point being that very committed people were chosen to undertake this trial. 3 Optifast shakes of 200 calories a day & 200 – 250. Calories of veg/ salad = 800 calories. They were monitored all the time & it had to happen fast

See : Fast 800 forum , Topic : Answers & info how & why 22.1.16

We are doing this on our own. We are doing it with real food. We count or don’t count the calories (me). If lucky, with some medic support! You / we are doing fine. Don’t obsess with 8 weeks. Some will get there fast others slow. But we will all try & get that life saving goal. This is where it happens. This is real life

The Lord helps those who help themselves

Constipated we arn’t
Eureka

Hi Cherriane,
I have only had juice once in the four weeks and count carbs as well. The last time I went on a strict eating plan I counted carbs, protein and fats so I am good at keeping track of numbers. I actually weigh portions and write everything down to keep on track. Thanks for the advice though.

Hi Jilly
If you’re hungry and lightheaded that means you’re not in fat burning mode yet. Maybe check your carbs and fat. You may need less carbs and more fat. That should put you into fat burning.
Good luck
Penny

Cheers Mark, so far so good, the results are amazon so far (your joke is better!).
Shane

Hi Inka
I’ve read a lot of good things about coconut oil so I bought some – but don’t like it. ! I feel as though my mouth is coated after I’ve eaten it. If anyone has an answer to this problem i d love to hear it.
( it’s good apparently because of the long chain structure ??)
Penny

Hi Salty,
Welcome. I’m certainly not an expert, nor am I diabetic, but I’m sure you should remain on your medication until your blood sugars lower. I’ve noticed others on these forums reducing/increasing medication according to their blood sugar readings whilst following this diet.
Regarding calorie counting. If you follow the recipes on this site or in the book by weighing and measuring ingredients, calorie counting will take care of itself. I have downloaded an app to help. I weigh or measure all ingredients and enter the details into the app which then displays the calorie count and carbohydrate content. I use EasyDietDiary, a very simple app. I’m in Australia but read others have downloaded it in the UK. I’ve tried other apps like MyFitnessPal but prefer the simpler EasyDietDiary.
Hope this helps.

Dear Christian 1954,

I share this with tears in my eyes, my dad who has just turned 80 has early onset prostate cancer, fortunately at the watch and wait stage but he also has Alzheimer’s, I have 3 neighbours who are fighting breast cancer and are hopefully winning, life is such a struggle but I hope you. Only gave happy memories, Sharon.
💕

Hi Cherianne
Great BS result
Penny

Hi eureka
Good joke!- it refers to work not weight tho. I’d never even noticed that possibility.
I am still the slowest loser ever even tho I watch my carbs like a hawk😞
And I had a teeny weeny piece of cake ( first time off piste) -at a 21 st birthday party. It has taken 5 days to get back into fat burning. ( even with cycling uphill) And no weight loss in that time. Moan moan.
Still- mustn’t grumble !😆 I m half way.
Penny

Hi Lachlan
That’s really disappointing for you but it took two weeks for my blood sugars to come down. Hang in there for another week or so, even if you still need metformin. If there is still no improvement you should go back to your GP as it might be worth having further tests to make sure that you really are a type 2 diabetic.
There is a website in the book where you can print off information for your doctor from Prof Taylor’s research. Go to your GP armed with this, and all your stats etc. You will have given it your best shot so well done for that, you deserve more help than I can offer.
Either way, stay in touch and let us know how you get on.

Hi Alan
Fructose is definitely not a good idea. It will spike your BS.
Penny

Hi Sunnyb
I recommend milled flax seed and also dal, I posted the recipe on the ‘constipation’ thread.
I read on dietdoctor.com that on low carb we excrete salt and lack of salt adds to constipation so we should eat more salt.
Hope you feel better soon.
Penny

Hi CallMeDeb

Watch those feet. Diabetics feel the cold more ( yet another side effect). On this diet the first two or three weeks seem to exacerbate that whether you are diabetic or not. It’s your body adjusting Be extra careful in your low temperatures.

When I count my blessings, top of the list is the BSD. It’s going to let me enjoy the others. And one of them is top of my bucket list – Canada ! I’ve waited 54 yrs to come see you. My teacher did a work exchange at a school on Vancouver Island ( can’t remember the name). She waxed so lyrical about it, I longed to go. My big 65 bday July so this is from me to me with love. Oh & I’m bringing the husband too (70yr in Jan) it’s now or never

Thanks for offer re things to see. I think there is an Inuit museum near the hotel by the harbour we’d like to see. Haven’t got the full itinerary yet so will see if we can later. The tour is coast to coast. Small world always

Keep drinking it helps the head. A bit more salt with the diet too as you are peeing more just now
Eureka

Hi Alanhypno, walking is generally agreed to be a good intro to increased exercise. Regular brisk as you can walking exercises your lungs and the heart is a muscle so can be persuaded to become more efficient. I bought a cheap treadmill on eBay for £139.99 and it is brilliant. Program 1 takes you for a stroll at speed increasing in 1 kph increments for one minute each to 5 kph and then down again before repeating same. As you select a shorter time for the same program you get the 2 periods of 5 kph closer together. When I started my hear rate was high and it was a bit tricky. Now I can run up to 10 kph but not for long due to high rates but I am making great progress. So walk as far and fast as you can resting between higher intensity bursts and soon the highs will get higher, the recovery shorter and the endurance will increase too. Cardio vascular exercise is anything that increases heart rate and breathing – safely. All the best….

I notice the petition is growing. Almost at 200 now. My family have signed. But my FB is no good for spreading the word as I only use it for keeping in touch with friends and family who live abroad😕
Family gathering next week so will see if anyone comments – if they do they will get chapter and verse on the virtues of the BSD!

Hello love4alan, when the 5:2 was introduced the 5 days were normal eating days and the 2 days were only 600 cal days. Over time the 5:2 developed into the now 8weekBSD and that became Fast 800 for those of us who were not diabetic or nearly so. As Janet1973 says its about the Med style eating and lifestyle changes where it succeeds. 5:2 is just a slower way to get the same results in the longer term. The principles should lead you to question what you are eating and why. Good advice is to read the labels and ditch the high sugar foods. It is a low carb regime that is easy once on it but maybe harder to get started. We love it and it is not hard now, in ninth week here.

Night night Lucia xxx

Wow catgirl I had no idea so many would be fans of CW. She is a breath of fresh air.

Yes, i watched the show sean murray won. He was brilliant and we were rooting for him!

This particular document is current, newly printed and on display for outpatients at cardiology reception – that’s part of the point it was published only months ago.

I just hate predictive text or whatever they call it on iPads, I meant to say I have a belly like Winnie the poo!

On the back of all the gardening stories I too love Christine who I think is sometimes on the one show, not sure if anyone watched the amateur gardener show to win a show plot at the Chelsea flower show but the winner Sean Murray is someone I worked with for years, he is fab and his wife is a florist, she did my wedding flowers 15 years ago today and also my sons wedding 2 years ago. She is called Eileen from emerald forest designs in Northumberland, if you want quirky, they are it!

So far so good.
The only thing I have deviated with, is, a small, fizzy pop.
I don’t drink tea or coffee, only hot water and once a week a small Pepsi. I haven’t had one since starting the thingy.
I couldn’t quench my thirst, mouth a bit dry, …. Cold on the way?

May have an early night.

Sleep tight and don’t let those bed bugs bite.

Love Luciaxxxx

Christine, that is really strange! It sounds like the sort of post you sometimes see on FB. If that happened to your mum I’m sorry.

Hi hashimoto

Have read the offending article & torn up two drafts. Will sleep on it & do my bit tomorrow. Too angry to be coherent tonight. Same b……t over & over. See what I mean. Still no reply from my MP. Deafening in her silence
Calma calma & pitch it right
Eureka

Hi all I didn’t post the one about a mother with cancer, or asking other people to post, don’t know what happened there?

Well done New Life and Inka.

I don’t use coconut oil exactly, but do buy blocks of creamed coconut which has coconut oil at one end and I’ve been using more of that now I realise it’s OK to eat stuff with fat in. I lurve coconut!

Hi john
You are a cyclist, do you watch the Tour de France? I love it, we went to Paris years ago, and we just happened upon it, you can’t really miss it can you in the centre of Paris? Anyway being the numptis that we were back then we asked someone what was going on and we were hooked!
We watch it every year, and now my brother lives in France we go over if it’s anywhere near him and have a few days going to watch it wherever we can, we also went up to Sheffield to see it there, our son lives there, my husband watches all the cycling now. He also goes out when he can on his bike, how often do you get out and how far do you cycle?