Thanks for this advice – I’ve been pondering making the brownies. I might give them a go this weekend.

Hi Janet1973

I have been sticking to 800cal give or take for the past two weeks, and your right adding in alcohol into the mix is going to mean less food which I’m not sure i can cope with any less. So anything i drank would be in excess of the plan. Maybe 1 or 2 on a weekend would keep me satisfied. I like your idea, alternating drinks. Getting carried away with the merry mood is always going to be an issue but i need to think of the big picture. Thanks for your advice.

Hi Kate

If you are sticking to 800 calories a day, then any calories you spend on alcohol either have to come out of your 800 or be added on top. The damage done is really going to depend on how many you have. You mentioned realistic and I think that’s at the heart of things really but so is choice. Do you want to focus on your weight loss until you have reached your goal – in which case, you may have to stick to a very small amount of alcohol or maybe better to have none at all. Or are you prepared to have a little hiatus of ‘real life’, own the consequences and just get back into ‘diet’ mode the following day. There is no right or wrong answer, it just has to work for you. You could drink diet coke or soda water or you could alternate your alcohol with soft drinks. But you know you – does one lead to another, does a few lead to a kebab?

Thanks for your concern Christine. It was my birthday on Monday and it is my brother’s on the same day as yours so happy birthday in advance to you. I am self employed at the moment, as a dog groomer which I love, but I have quite a lot of spare time which I would like to use both to earn extra cash and try to gain new skills. So I have been looking for work in elderly care as its something that really interests me. Trouble is, employers see that I am over qualified and self employed and think I’m not what they are looking for. Yes, its frustrating.

I think the coffee is the biggest culprit in my lack of sleep. I read that its hard to process caffeine if you have an underactive thyroid and this does seem to be true for me. I only have one per day but its strong stuff. I love it but it doesn’t love me.

You must be really excited about your holiday – how long are you away? Is it just you and hubby? Will you be able to keep in touch with us or will you have to have a break from t’internet? I think now it would be like chopping my hands off!

Hi all. Im wondering what the effects of having a drink or two has on the plan. I know the book mentions possibly a glass of wine after week 4 but does anyone else allow for a couple of drinks within the plan? Clear spirits only. Friends keeping asking me for a drink but I dont want to ruin my hard work but also dont want to miss out on being social. I could of course still go to the pub and drink water, but i know that thats not realistic.

Hi thanks for your responses – in the morning I make up the blueberry and green tea shake from the book which I find keeps me going ok until lunchtime (only time I have shakes) as I don’t have time to cook breakfast before work I also have a very fatty liver and heard like Mariagm26 that it helps break down internal fat however that you need to take it daily for a prolonged time – if anyone knows any more about using this it would be great to hear your comments

I would say that increasing your fat intake could definitely be worth a go – it seems to work for me anyway. I’m on day 12 and have stuck to 800 calories a day so far, with low carbs and a decent amount of fat and protein and I haven’t noticed any difference in my exercise classes (2 of which weight training) so far. You’re still at the very early stages of your body adapting to the new eating regime, so as Mick says it should get easier from here 🙂 hope you find something that works for you.

Magiek,
My humble apologies – I had your name incorrectly spelt in my previous post.

Jim

Hi janet1973
I’m sorry you had a terribly interview, are you out of a job or just looking to change your job? We have a daughter living with us at the moment trying to find work, it is soul destroying sometimes seeing her.
Happy belated birthday, when was it? mines on the 12th I will be in Tenerife.
You probably haven’t been sleeping because of the upcoming job interview? I don’t know what to suggest as I have few problems sleeping, perhaps a warm bath and no coffee after your evening meal.
Anyway whatever you do, do take care of yourself, job hunting is very stressful
Christine

Don’t panic – I’ve not eaten any!

But I’ve found another way they can hurt me😱

This morning I bought 2 trays of 12 cupcakes for a party at church on Sunday. I had two bags of shopping plus the bag with the cakes in, which had to be carried flat. Well, I couldn’t let them get squished, could I?

Trouble is, a combination of heavy bags and carrying the cakes awkwardly has triggered an old back injury so I am eating pain pills😳

The revenge of the killer cupcakes😱

John, both great ideas.

After a suggestion I started this thread as I am one of the early followers of BSD.

Tomorrow I’ll have completed 16 weeks and will create a new post accordingly.

Posting helps me keep my focus and, hopefully helps others, but I still have a long way to go before reaching my target. Others will reach their target before me, in fact I think some already have, so a thread of target reaches will be great.

Thank you, I will try and keep going, may try adding a little more fat too to see if that helps, my intake so far has been very low. Thanks again

magek,
I only got started on the program after I heard an interview on Radio New Zealand between the presenter, Simon Morton, and Dr Mosely. That was broadcast on Saturday March 12 this year.

Last week, I printed off the information sheet on BSD from the website and handed it to our GP at a consultation.
Not only was our GP in favour of my taking part, but he had also heard the RNZ interview. In fact, he is keen to look upon me as an example to his other patients. Therefore, he has given me a form to have a set of blood tests done in about three months time to check on the progress.
When I got home, I emailed our GP a very good studio interview from SBS television in Australia with Dr Mosely and a group of diabetic patients. The interview is quite long – some 50 minutes, but it is powerful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDEw561NFto

All the best

Jim

Hi Lucia
Mmmmm those little mushroom and bacon ‘buns’ sound yummy I’m going to have to make some, I might even make some for my lunch on the plane to Tenerife on Sunday, I was wondering how I was going to eat on the way to my hols, so thank you very much, one problem solved
Christine
,

John’s idea No. 2

“Over the 8 weeks……” is a great and useful tool for progressing from the first 8 weeks and on to our final goals.

I know from bitter experience that my real danger time will come when I finally get down to 11 stone. I will feel really smug and self-satisfied and if past experience will allow myself just too many food-related treats as a reward. I have hopes that the BSD has been so brilliant that I will be able to adopt it as a way of life but I have over 30 years of failure behind me to give me nagging fears.

I wondered if it would be good to have a thread called something like “Final Goal Reached – What Now?”

I’m always more likely to be good when I have to report progress to someone else. I reckon that half the merit in “Weightwatchers” is that every week the whole group will see how you’ve done – the scales, by and large, don’t lie.

On this proposed thread, once we have achieved our (realistic) ultimate goals, we could perhaps all report in on or around the 1st of each month letting the group know how we’ve done.

If you think this is worth doing, I’ll set it up and just keep it ticking over until someone out there actually does reach their final target. Perhaps one of us is already there?

Again, tell me to butt out if this idea sucks – I REALLY don’t mind.

John

I have to say that I’m in agreement John. I really would love to just log on for the info rather than the chit chat. I’m sure that every question I’ve asked so far had already been covered but I couldn’t find the answers! Luckily Bill, Hashimoto and CaptainLynne have always found my questions amongst everything else and answered me! I’m really interested in other people’s progress, how they’ve overcome difficulties and help and guidance that they offer.
Janice

Hi All,

I’ve been having a few thoughts about Topics/Threads.
I have had a couple of ideas which I’ll throw out for opinions. I’m perfectly happy to be told to “leave well alone”.
I’ll tackle the first idea here, and do another post for the second one so as not to confuse.
I won’t go ahead with either unless the general concensus is enthusiastic.

First thought:
I have limited time for trawling the forums and am losing out on some of the interesting ones. I guess I’m not alone in this.
Most of the threads tackle important issues. This one, for example, is for folk who have done their 8-week porage but in the majority of cases have some way to go. It focuses on what we are going to do to carry on and achieve our ultimate goals. Do we stay on the BSD regime, or up calories a bit or go onto 5:2 etc etc.

Now, we’re all human, and all sorts of other topics crop up which it’s fun to talk about – I’m probably more guilty than anyone of digressing. In a way, this slightly devalues the thread as a tool to achieve our next goals.

Nearly all the other threads which last any time seem to do the same and very often the same pleasant casual chit-chat crops up on a multitude of threads. (I’ve never been into “social media” but I guess it’s pretty much like our talks – great fun and addictive)

My thought was to start a thread called, “Just for a Chat” and see if we can funnel the less “technical” conversations onto that.

Please tell me to back off if you think that things are best left alone – I know I tend towards “organising” and it’s not always a good idea.

John

Hi stringbreaker
No John I don’t cycle, I have a very naughty sciatic nerve in my left side, it has caused me lots of problems in the past, I now take an anti depressant that actually kills the pain, however the damage has been done, I can’t even walk too far, before my back and leg start playing up, I think that’s why I admire the cyclists so much, when I went to a gym I just could not use the cycle machines!
My husband loves to have a ride out some afternoons, when we aren’t looking after family! Also my brother in France goes out most days he rides up and down the canal du midi, or into the country often taking videos, then posting them on utube,
Do try and go to France to see the TDF it is so interesting, we go when it’s near my brother and it makes it special for him because we love it and his wife doesn’t, so he gets to enjoy it more, this year we will go to Montpelier to see the finish and probably somewhere on the route, my brother loves to go out and reconnoiter the route and pick a good spot. We have also been to Paris to see the final three times, now that is special!
It’s interesting that you go riding in the mendip hills and the Somerset levels, I bet the scenery is spectacular when it’s good weather. We live for n the midlands and have n ver been to either!

Hi Christine
It is an insight into our bodies we rarely have isn’t it? Your muddy ramble sounds lovely. I am well acquainted with the pale pretty pink colour. I nearly fell off the loo the day I got a dark rouge colour but I’ve only had that once.

I’ve had a disappointing week. Started off great with my birthday and appointment with the swoonsome batman and superman both together. But I went for yet another dreadful job interview where the questions were downright illegal. I must get over myself though – I hate it when I don’t get my own way! My weight loss has been extremely slow this last fortnight and my sleeping patterns are drifting back into bad habits so I think it calls for drastic measures and I’m going to have to stop having my morning costa. It costa’s me 15 grams of carbs a day so it would be worth the trauma of giving it up for a while – but it is my toughest challenge yet.

Hi janet1973
Just catching up after all the visitors have gone,
We went for a muddy ramble through the woods this morning before lunch, got back and prepared lunch, then later did my ketostix test and it was a pretty pale pink! anyway as long as I keep under 50g carbs and eat plenty of protein and some fat, (olive oil and butter) and keep losing weight, I am only losing Oz however I am losing so not disheartened! Just have to keep on keeping on and trying to be positive. Thanks anyway Janet
Christine

207 signatures, we’d love to see more!! 🙂

Hi,

I would like to know if some of you, following the 800 calories a day diet, are experimenting fluctuations of their blood sugar level within the first two weeks of this program. I would like to know if it will stabilize later. Thank you

Hi DJD , that’s a funny image!!
I’m thinking the same as Bill – and the price will be printed differently as you won’t be paying in pounds sterling! Some of your foods are different or go under different names. You have some foods we can’t get back in Blighty! 🙂

Eureka, I don’t wear specs since my cataract ops but I do wash reading specs regularly. Another tip is a little bit of Vaseline just on the inside of the nostrils! February? Tree pollens. They’re particularly fine and can travel for miles.

My toes can curl into the most amazing contortions, including doing a Vulcan salute lol!!! I used to get cramps in every single part of my body when I first started on serevent. At least it is only my feet occasionally now. My GP gave me quinine sulphate and said to take it for 4 or 5 nights and then switch to tonic water with quinine. I’ve got to say the cramps have vastly improved while on the BSD.

Acid reflux!! Mine has completely disappeared too! I hadn’t realised until a friend complained about hers!! I haven’t had it at all after the first week of the BSD.

This diet is addressing more than just diabetes!!
I don’t think I had diabetes before this diet – I started it because nothing stopped my weight gain. I have hashimotos hypothyroidism. That’s what drove me to try this diet. The NHS self test for diabetes was not reassuring! I want to make sure I don’t get diabetes!! So will follow this diet for life!

As of tonight I am back on my night time milk!!

Thanks for your tips, Eureka. My reading specs will be getting very thorough washings from now on. 🙂

Hi Love4alan, welcome to the forums. If you are a British citizen please could you sign our petition?

As the others have said on 5:2 your 5 days should be an appropriate number of calories for age/gender/ but still be based on the med style diet.

Good luck 🙂

Hi hashimoto
Just a thought, if you wear specs, wash them frequently. The pollen sticks to the inside of the lens & irritates your eyes. A trick I use when the allergies are up. 10 pm in February is my witching hour. Go figure?

I’ve had a tonic water ( for the quinine) every day to help stop cramps. My toes turn up like Turkish slippers! I’m having hardly any now. I also ate Rennies by the handful – they still didn’t work. Now the Gastric Reflux has gone. Obviously taken the cause away.

Sorry you get it so rough. I’m sure that real stress you can’t avoid or relieve is a very big contributor to diabetes & elevated blood sugars. Have you noticed the textbook signs & symptoms of type 2 relayed on this forum. Makes it even more important to control blood sugar

I shake cinnamon on my yoghurt fruit & nuts. Go with the hot milk. You can’t beat a good nights sleep
Eureka

hi David Knight, welcome to the forums. As Bill and Eureka have said this can happen in the first 2 or 3 weeks. Stick with it and things will get better.
Re the fat, you are better off using some of your calories on fat as it will help you feel fuller. Add some olive oil or cheese to your salads. Have a full fat yoghurt for breakfast. these little changes do make a difference!!
Good luck 🙂

That’s good to know Mick. Well done for your perseverance 🙂

Jackie Wilsonsaid – you are doing brilliantly too – the pair of you are showing the way re exercise!! 🙂

After five and a half weeks in I’ve found I seem to have adjusted and 3 times a week weight training is as normal now. Keep going and see how you do!

Sounds brilliant. Well done.

Wishing you the best of luck .
You have started ,well done .
I started Wednesday

Ali2on, well done on weightloss. I feel so much better without carby food. This is how I will live from now on 🙂

Bill sunday is going to be good, you can feel the sun on your back when you’re painting 🙂

TWills have a lovely birthday tomorrow 🙂

Hi April, glad to hear your scales told you a lovely story this morning! 🙂

ETO
Interesting. It would be easier to skip the exercise and stick to 800 of course.
My anecdotal non-expert experience so far:
I am also 8 days into BSD but being a tiny bit flexible with calories on exercise days, whilst weaning myself off carbs. In theory you are meant to ignore calories used but not sure how realistic that is.
My Saturday and Monday exercise sessions went as normal, though I was in warm up mode for BSD so slightly over on cals those days, and buzzing from the initial effects of feeling healthier and virtuous.
Yesterday I started with a 100 calorie blueberry tea shake prior to a spin class and then gym – used est 650 cals. I was worried about small breakfast but was ok and enjoyed both, though did 40 mins vs 50 in gym since I felt like I’d done ‘enough’ and was a bit pushed for time.
I felt a minor ache in my leg muscles later on in the afternoon – as if cramp imminent.
I drank plenty, and overall consciously had nearer 1100 cals vs 800 planned. I ate a veg lunch out which was +100 and also “needed” a healthy snack on top of menu dinner later on. Book says better to have something rather than lapse into sweet stuff which is the main point for me.

My weekend will be prepping food for going back to work on Monday after two weeks off. Started today with cauliflower bread and cottage pie with cauli mash (price of caulis is horrendous at the mo!). Spag sauce and chilli to do and portion up tomorrow. Then hairdo, mani/pedi and massage to prep the mind and bod for the coming 12 week stretch until the summer hols.

7.5 kg down so far. 2 and a half weeks to go and I’ll be moving to the other side 🙂

Thanks shortapple 🙂

1. Read the book twice – there is alot of info there and it is quite a mind shift to leave behind “low fat”. Highlight what u want to remember.
2. Get an app such as ‘My Net Diary’ to help you count your daily calories, fibre etc. Small differences in some foods can make a big difference.
3. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and do track your fibre. Too little in your overall calorie count can end up making it harder to lose the weight.
4. If you dont own digital bathroom scales and digital kitchen scales do invest in both.
5. Regularly include kumara and prunes and legumes if you like them. All are high fibre and low gi.
6. Get to know the food grains – oats, quinoa etc.
7. Plan ahead for special occasions.
8. Remember there are many others doing a similar journey and we want to cheer you on.

I have swapped years of eating porridge for breakfast for full fat yoghurt with fruit, nuts and seeds, almost identical to that mentioned about. Porridge always used to fill me up until lunchtime (5 hours later) and to begin with I was ravenous by 10am but actually I ended up waiting until 1pm for lunch and although I admit I was hungry it was nowhere near as bad as it has been so I think my body is getting used to it and I really don’t miss the porridge (in fact I look forward to the yoghurt more!)

ali2on, I’m almost identical, 4 weeks in and a stone gone (15lbs actually) and I have another 1.5 stone to go to be at a weight I have been happy with in the past. I’m eating little in the way of carby food, just the odd bean thing and starchy veg, and finding it okay. I’m not really sticking to the 800 calories, in fact I’m not counting calories at all (it just brought back too many horrid memories of WW and the like), I’m sticking to the lowest carb I can. I might have another week of 800 when I get back from holiday next month but I intend to stick to low carb when I am away (self catering so it shouldn’t be difficult).

Tomorrow is my birthday and I am out for a family meal. I have (more or less) decided that I will go for the most sensible main I can find on the menu but I am going to allow myself pudding. Partly I feel that this is how my life should be, that things like pudding should be once a year treats, and partly I’m interested to know how I feel with a dose of sugar having had practically none for a month. I will report back!

Have a lovely weekend one and all.

Thanks for your reply Eureka – I am reassured

Bill – my fat intake is down purely to reduce calorie intake. I am eating a lot of salads and stir fries with a bit of chicken, tuna, ham etc.

Signed and tweeted.

Nah kippers are smoked herring and I think they are classed as an oily fish, but delicious anyway.

No, they are not an oily dish I don’t think. They are smoked haddock aren’t they? But that’s ok, any fish is good and the butter is fine too.

Lol. Bill. Don’t be silly. …We just have to stand on our heads to read it. 😜

I’m tempted to say it’s printed upside down but I won’t 😀
Perhaps any food mentioned in there is more orientated to the area ?

Hi, just looking through the site and saw the book cover. …glanced over to my copy and the cover has a little green circle on it which says “Australian and New Zealand edition”. Just got me wondering about what the difference is. Any ideas?

Caz, as far as I know KETOACIDOSIS only is dangerous for type 1’s
I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong.

Hi, I am just 8 days in to the BSD, I enjoy doing a weight training class at my gym twice a week but have found my strength is much reduced and my muscles really ache during the exercise, has anyone else experienced this or any tips to get round the problem would be great, thank you.