Thanks Judith, life is pretty good when I’m eating this way, never thought I would be able to maintain the non diabetic range but thought it was worth trying. It seemed too good to be true at the start but I hoped to be low enough to avoid the dreaded metformin.
Hope the blepharitis clears up soon. Something’s triggered your immune system by the sound of it. Your GP is definitely a keeper. Obviously the BSD will be a hot topic at their practice meetings.
Hellybelly, I almost always have hot milk before bed. At first it was to fend off the dawn phenomenon and it worked, but now it’s just because I like it. Helps me to sleep too. 🙂

Yes, all newbies who are British Citizens please sign out petition!!! 🙂

Hi Alan, if you are in the UK and have to buy test strips, find out which are cheapest and get that meter.
I can’t help with meters as I am in Aus and we usually can get free meters and pay only about the equivalent of 65p for two containers of test strips. We have a scheme where diabetes supplies are subsidised.
Fasting blood sugar levels are useful, as are a random one a couple of times a week. Usually two hours after a meal or a bedtime one.
I do a fasting one every morning and one bedtime reading each week, plus another after a meal. So one week might be breakfast, another week dinner etc. I usually pick a meal where I’m not sure how my body will react. So if the meal seems carb heavy or it’s something I haven’t tried before, I will test.
Over time you get a good picture of how sensitive you are to certain foods, and what you can eat that doesn’t spike your blood sugars.
A bit of a long winded reply but hope it helps.

Hi hashimoto

Many thanks. Glad I slept on it & deleted the expletives!

All newbies please read & sign our petition. Pass it on
Up the Revolution!
Eureka

Are kippers ok the frozen ones usually with knob of butter in plastic bag
There’re oily,I think
Cheers folks Alan

Hi Karra,
I can see why you’d have a hypo feeling if your body was used to such high readings. Very unpleasant for you and you will need to be careful to lower your blood sugars a bit more slowly until you get accustomed to it. Could you try halving your metformin dose so you are allowing your liver to release stored sugar, but without risking a hypo?
I agree with Penny that you need more fat in your diet and you have cut your carbs quite drastically, especially as you’ve increased your activity level so much.
Fat will encourage your body to burn fat, it also converts more slowly to energy so will help to smooth out the peaks and troughs of your sugar levels.
Try eating some complex carbs too for the same reasons, add some beans or lentils to soups and stews perhaps, or a little cooked quinoa or chick peas to a salad.
Just a little bit of tweaking here and there might make the difference for you. I hope so 🙂

Hashimoto, thankyou, i am very happy to have joined. Kingdoone, please forgive my previous post, not all diabetic nurses are so blinkered. She was following the rules at the time, but i can honestly say her words were my motivation to prove them all wrong and 8 years later my new diabetic nurses are wonderful, helpful and interested in what I have been doing over the years to keep off meds. I am only 9 stone so might be fat on the inside, I am also active but want to get down to 8.5 stone in the hope my pancreas clears? But I have found it difficult to get under the 9 stone. I definately know how to maintain my weight…but I want to lose it. I eat very well but possibly too much good fat! My fasting bloods today were 6.3, hmmm I think my previous low reading was when I had hot milk before bed, so I will try this tonight and post my reading tomorrow. Good luck to all, we will ‘cure’ ourselves and how fabulous would that be!!

Hi Switzerland

You had me fooled!
Great stats. Got any good recipes for Joey burgers? As if!

Did tai chi once upon a time so mindful in that. Should do it again. I’ve found the whole thinking, planning , shopping , cooking , posting (I never did that before) BSD experience to be of itself mindful

Didn’t know I was ‘Sad’ before ( not depressed) can’t think of another description for it. But I’m happy now. Haven’t been for a long time. Been grieving my parents deaths. Know my mum would be so pleased I’m where I’m at now

They both were type 2 & I wish I could have shared this with them

Wow! Heavy ( auto came up Heaven) so yeh, Heaven for a Friday
See what mindfulness does
Ciao
Eureka

Hi Natalie
I find headspace a bit annoying! I sometimes use The Calm app – but not very often! In fact I tend to forget about that aspect of MM s advice although the Calm app I do find very calming.
Penny

Hi Karra
That fat level seems very low to me. I have double that. 35-60 g per day.
Penny

Hi julia I think a lot of mothers are suffering from children’s exam stresses. I remember it well! Commiserations x

Hi lucia
6 degrees here
My nose is also cold
Love judith

Xxxx

Is it important to measure blood with one those meters there’s some free ones on line are they all the same,ppl type 1 and type 2 ?

Not sure what I’m looking for,I thought doing some two hours after lunch to compare with my tests when I start this plan next week.

I hear morning readings can be erratic .?!

Any suggestion how to measure blood to compare to results when been on plan for a while sew very welcome

Thank you Alan (rambling)

I had trawled the diabetes uk site to see what dietary advice they were giving. Not impressed. It was reactionary rather than proactive – seemed as if they were covering their a…. After criticism from the daily mail!!!! They reckon a low carb/low calorie diet could work BUT would have to be done with a health professionals guidance to be safe.
In short they speak with forked tongue

Hurray we finally have a signature in northern ireland! 202 signatures so far! Ive been promised a few sign ups just waiting for them

Lucia those bacon egg cups sound yummy! I’m going to try them! I’ll have to pop out and buy some more bacon, just finished mine yesterday.

Bubbles, nos there’s a fun idea!

I didn’t wear a new frock on Wednesday – the weather was vladivostoc and pouring down but I did my hair slapped on the lippy and wore some new old clothes! Friend duly surprised! 🙂

Hi Bill1954
Wow! Someone is taking notice of Low Carbs & YOU😀
Nope didn’t know either. They must be rattled! Keep on keeping on
Eureka

Fantastic Beverley, you will do it! Just look at captainlynne! I. Bet she thought she couldn’t lose the amount she has lost in just 14 weeks! You still have weeks to go to reach your goal and this diet just gets easier the longer you do it 🙂

Cherrieanne that’s good going – blood sugars stable and 50-60g carbs!
I rang my surgery to leave a message that I have a flare up of blepharitis, the gp rang me within ten minutes and after dealing with eye prob asked me about the diet, was I still losing any weight? Thought the ketostix were a good idea and was very interested about the fact I had increased my calories but was still fat burning. Very pleased with my fbs etc

It’s great that some GPs are so open minded. I must say though that the surgery I go to have always provided a first class service. It has made me reluctant to move from their catchment area. 🙂

Thanks for all your advice everybody.

Newlife that’s amazing!! You really are in full control!
I’m glad you are making sure you do not miss ‘the window of opportunity’ with your clothes. I’m still miffed about missing mine:(

Newlife it is newlife:)

Hi desperate, yes you can use your own recipes. Just make sure you count the calories and carbs and include some fat in each meal. Try to keep your carbs under 50g a day. Some of the recipes in the book are slightly fussy.

The only extra ingredient I have bought is coconut flour. I already used coconut oil, gram flour and I have always loved nuts and seeds.

If you like curry the gram flour flatbreads are a good substitute for rice and indian breads.

Like lucia I often have bacon, egg and tomato, it’s quick and easy and fits in with the dirt.
That should say diet not dirt but I cant get the cursor to move back 🙁

Well done on your weight loss 🙂

Hi Sharon,
I’m still very happy with my results. Got my blood sugar levels down to under 5 fasting. It’s very consistent. Post prandials between 5 & 6. It’s all very stable and exactly what I wanted to achieve, but barely believed was possible.
I’m mostly sticking to 50g carbs or slightly over, and now starting to experiment with one or two days a week of 60g. So far so good, no ill effects on sugar levels. Don’t know how many carbs I’ll be able to have and stay in the non diabetic range as I am fairly carb sensitive. I have plenty to eat staying in the 50-60 range because I don’t count calories. So no problem for me if I can’t go any higher, would rather be healthy 🙂
Let me know how you go on the metformin, it might be worth taking the plunge and dropping it. You could always restart the evening one if you go too high, or are you on one dose a day?
Anyway, whatever you decide, all the best for success.

Hi again barby,

I’m really pleased with my loss so far, thanks. I nearly didn’t weigh myself – totally understand where you’re coming from. How about having my 7? 😉

MFP is useful but they tell you off for the low calorie count and won’t let you post your food diary until you up the calorie count. I also made the mistake of introducing myself as a newbie and got all sorts of finger wagging – some quite unpleasant – so I just use it for the food diary and weight loss tracker. I like to have friendly support as it is very motivational and makes me accountable! There is an 8 week BSD forum on there but it’s not very active.

Yes, here’s to great results in 8 weeks’ time!

Bill and Kags, not got that particular email, but did hear about this (or something similar) at the end of last year, just before I found the BSD. Have to say it wasn’t as low carb as most often us are doing. Wasn’t particularly impressed and never finished the online course.

Hi all

I have now being doing the 800 diet for 11 days and lost a stone which is great. My Glucose levels have come down to normal levels as well to 5.0 from 8.2. I have upped my exercise and am now regularly hitting 10k paces a day.

The problem is that my energy levels are very low. One of the hoped for benefits was the burst of energy which lots of people seem to get but I am still waiting.

Anyone else with the same problem?

Thanks Magpie, you have done really well losing 7 pounds in 5 days, you must be so pleased! It’s really encouraging to find other veggies are having good losses too. This weekend I’ll go through the book and buy necessary ingredients, and have a go at some cooking/freezing.

I stupidly didn’t weigh myself at the beginning, I was so down about myself I couldn’t face it. I did this morning though, now on my 5th day. So I will never know what I started at, but never mind, I am on the way down.

I feel much more hopeful now, thanks to all the support here. I have used MFP before, so will start that again thanks. Lets hope we’re both posting great results in 8 weeks.

Hi Penny

I have lost my 25kg of weight mainly by alternate day fasting 400 cals one day, and 1200 cals the next. In theory on the up day you can eat anything, but in practice you don’t. Sometimes I just eat nothing for 48 hours, but it’s hard to maintain a social life with that.
Everyday I also maintain the 19:5 or 18:6- eating in a window of 5 or 6 hours and even no milk in my tea outside those times
Fasting makes me feel great – full of energy and happy.

I am using the BSD to try to lose the last 7 or 8 kilos of weight to arrive at BMI 26, after a month or so of excess.
I will combine it with 4:3 as from next week(3 meals in 2 days), weekend off (but stick to 1000 cals).
I have June 30 as my normal weight deadline, which will take some discipline.
I do miss a glass of wine every now and then, but even this is dispensible.

There are sayings on the fastdiet forum I also belong to:

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SLIM and

FAST FOR GOOD HEALTH, REDUCE CALORIES TO LOSE WEIGHT, EXERCISE TO TONE THE BODY!

I am not diabetic, so my goals are to do with losng weight rather than lowering blood sugar. But these go hand in hand.

Happy a happy BSD day

PS I love the recipe in BSD – a salad with pomegranate seeds.

Hi everyone,

Week 2 Day 1: 3 kgs down and 2cm off my waist. I’m quietly confident.

Hi pmshrink, I use Smiling Mind app (Australia). If you scroll down the forum heading page there’s a minfulness heading. I would love to hear what others are doing around the topic of mindfulness. There must be others out there that are curious.

Happy BSDing.

I got the same e-mail this morning Bill. I had never heard of it either.

Thanks Cherrianne,

Post prandials are under 6… never ever eat breakfast…. never have except when trying to do what Diabetic educators told me in the early days… wow what a stuff up…. anyway.. now we now better….

Endo said she thought I would be on Metformin forever due to the fact that I am 16 years diagnosed….but I don’t wanna!!!!

Yesterday I did not eat till 12.30 and preprandial was still 8.3…. but post down to 6 exactly… go figure… oh well….

Seriously tempted to get the pain over with and go cold turkey… might halve it and see if it actually makes a diff…

How are you going??… still strong with the low carbs?? even though you have finished the initial 8 weeks??

Have been following what people write on here… very helpful to hear tell of where others have gone before. 😉

Hi Desperate,
Your liver will be loving the rest from the nightly wine!
You can tweak the recipes or make your own as long as you calorie count and stay low carb/ no sugar. Most of us do this. An app will help with tracking your intake and finding calorie counts.
Great you’ve noticed those differences already, and 2.5kg down is a great achievement 🙂

Well done Beverley – 5 kg in 10 days is amazing. Hearing Michael’s radio program inspired me too. I am Day 4 and don’t think there is much difference on my scales yet, but it’s early days!

Hi Sharon,
Week four is when both Bill and I started noticing the high morning readings so you’re about bang on target!
I’m not on meds and it took about about three weeks for mine to come back down. It was a bit of a nail biting time.
From memory I think Bill was only on metformin by that time and his took a couple more weeks to settle.
If it’s only your fasting readings that are high, and the post prandials are good then maybe have a go at reducing the metformin. You could also delay your breakfast for a while until your BS comes down again.
When did your endo say to start reducing? I remember she gave you advice but don’t recall what you said.
Hope things settle down quickly for you.

I am enjoying reading all the posts and gleaning additional info…. I find you are an inspiring group.

Have just finished Day 5 and am feeling really positive 2.5 kilos down…..no alcohol is the hardest bit of me, I do so love a glass of red wine or two..Not a drop has passed my lips and my resolve gets stronger every day. Hard to watch my skinny husband imbibing every night but such is life in the genetics draw. My yoga class to-day was really rewarding, less tummy made touching my toes and other asanas so much easier. Its amazing how a few extra kilos can make such a difference. Don’t sleep so well without the wine and am peeing like a trouper all night, which is not very restful but great for losing kilos. Hmm hoping this will all pass in the next week or so.

One question and it may be that I have missed it in my too hasty reading of MM’s book but is it important to stick to the four week menu or can you make up your recipes and move things around a bit? I ate the stir fried pork recipe the other night and thought the recipe could so with some fiddling to make it more tasty.

Onward and upwards….

NewLife you really are getting a new life and a new you when even your subconscious is following the BSD. I think that’s pretty awesome 🙂

Got an email from diabetes dot co dot uk today, it contains this
“One particular treatment that has shown to be clinically and anecdotally beneficial for people with diabetes is eating a low-carb diet. Not only can the diet improve HbA1c, but it can also prevent people at risk of diabetes from developing type 2 diabetes.

To this end, we released the Low-Carb Program in 2015. The free 10-week education program can help with weight loss, improve glycemic control and reduce dependency on medication.”
If that’s the case why wasn’t it publicised widely ? I knew nothing about this until Michaels book came out.

Email from diabetes.co.uk this morning contains this
“One particular treatment that has shown to be clinically and anecdotally beneficial for people with diabetes is eating a low-carb diet. Not only can the diet improve HbA1c, but it can also prevent people at risk of diabetes from developing type 2 diabetes.

To this end, we released the Low-Carb Program in 2015. The free 10-week education program can help with weight loss, improve glycemic control and reduce dependency on medication.”
Wouldn’t you have though that this would have been widely publicised?
I didnt know about it before Michaels book

Hi barby, I’m also a veggie, almost vegan. I’m just 5 days in so far and have lost 7lb. Having lost a lot of weight on another low carb diet in the past (when I was still eating fish and diary) I learned a few ways to survive as a non meat eater on very low carb. Eventually I gave that diet up because of awful constipation but this one allows double the grams of carbs which I get mostly from green veg, beans, lentils etc. I find the nutrition analysis on myfitnesspal is a good way of checking carbs. Just entering the brand and title will show you whether or not your favourite foods will work in this diet. I use quorn mince and chicken pieces in the meat recipes included in the book – which I have found very useful. I make up a bowl of salad topped with nuts, seeds, beans and homemade dressing (olive oil, cider vinegar, mustard) every lunch and I do include a small raw carrot as I love the crunch and sweetness. I reckon that cooking from scratch is the best way of getting more food for the 800 cals/50g carbs but not beating myself up if I go a bit over as I know that what I’m eating is still healthy and the weight is coming off. I hope that helps.

Email from the diabetes.co.uk this morning contained this
“One particular treatment that has shown to be clinically and anecdotally beneficial for people with diabetes is eating a low-carb diet. Not only can the diet improve HbA1c, but it can also prevent people at risk of diabetes from developing type 2 diabetes. To this end, we released the Low-Carb Program in 2015. The free 10-week education program can help with weight loss, improve glycemic control and reduce dependency on medication.”

So, why wasn’t this publicised widely ?

Hi Marcus, I know exactly what you mean.
I am on day 5 now but have been amazed at the difference this diet has made from day 1.
Even though I have been having a few headaches I still am feeling fantastic.
I can’t see myself wanting to go backto my old way of eating.
Cheers
Red.

YAY! After the muffin failure I was very nervous to bake the brownies, but they worked! I read the blogs here, as the book instructions for these are too basic (chuck it all in and bake). I grinded the cacao nibs to powder, I chopped the dates in my small food processor to make a clumpy paste. Blended all the ingredients in the food processor and it smelt/tasted ‘normal’, I was hopeful 🙂

Recipe says 3 large eggs – I added 4 medium
I also added about a tablespoon of my left over filter coffee

My only question is – how can I make them more like dense brownies? They are like cake squares really. Would I just make them ‘wetter’ by adding more coconut oil?

Has anyone ‘pimped’ these brownies with extra superfoods? ‘Greens’ powder? Matcha tea? Ground flaxseeds? Chia Seeds?

Generally happy to eat these – just want to make them more delicious so that my husband and neighbours will too!

LJO x

Way to go Beverley! You can do it 🙂

Hi ascowie, I’m new too and just learning. I’m sure you’ll get loads of good advice soon, but just wanted to say I take a hardboiled egg or two, in the shell, to work. I just eat them when I’m starving (get a few complaints about the smell!) but they really do satisfy you, being protein. All the best. Barb

Hi Andy,

The only tip I can add to Eureka’s comments is if you’re making frittata it can be convenient to bake it in a muffin tray (eg individual ones). I take this to work often and find they stay together better than cutting a single frittata into slices. You can work out how many muffins=1 portion size. Salads will be OK but you need to ensure you have adequate protein and good fats with it

I take a container with mixed salad in it, have a small container for salad dressing (olive oil and lemon juice) and have the muffin frittata separate so it can be microwaved and then added to the salad container once warm.

It would be mindful to factor in a snack of nuts or a boiled egg (or whatever works for you) for around 04:00hrs when EVERYONE that does night duty gets that horrible sinking feeling.

At the risk of sounding like a nag try and get adequate sleep. (Very hard when the sun’s shining).

Keep us all posted on your progress.

Bubble day today, let’s be young for an hour today or Saturday,

I think I could live on eggs bacon mushrooms and toms, ham
Scrambled eggs,
Mixed grill
Omeletes

Have you got a baking tray that you make little cakes in, the one with three rows of five ‘cups’?

Put a large mushroom in the bottom.
Then curl a slice or two of bacon around the sides like a wall.
Then break an egg carefully in the middle,

Bake in to oven until cooked.
Lift out carefully, it’s nice, crispy and fun to eat

Love Lucia.
Xxxx

Thanks Darleen and Eureka, I’m so excited! If my subconscious thought processes are changing then I really AM making progress.

Plus, prompted by discussion here about the ‘window of opportunity’ for clothes I just had a bit of a sort out and I can fit into lots of things for the first time in ages. Fat clothes being culled 🙂

Hi Beverly

I felt as tired & drained as I was when I was first diagnosed type 2 diabetic. It lasted the first three weeks of the diet but I knew I would get through it & be ok.
I’m 9 weeks in & much better in health & temperament. I didn’t realise that I was a bit sad really. Hard to describe , but I’ve noticed that I’m happier & laugh like I used to now.
Maybe it’s a bit of mindfulness creeping in
Eureka

Thanks all of you for explaining so well, sorry this is a totally new way for me. I’ve just downloaded the book, even if recipes not for me.

The Tesco label does say total 30 of which 10 are sugar, but I take your point, why any sugar!

I love Marigold Bouillon as a stock base for soup or a hot drink, best check it’s OK carb wise. If you are hungry a cup of this clear soup is very tasty and satisfying (get the low salt version)

I didn’t know the importance of having stable carb intake, thanks Orchid you’ve given me a lot of food for thought. It is so alien to me that you’d eat more in evening just to keep your carbs on same level. It is very tempting to try 50g as I would love a fast weight loss, at least at first. I’ll have to work out some figures, and decide if 50g is sustainable for me (probably not). Got a salad for lunch today with chick peas and cottage cheese. Have to get ready for work now, but thanks again for all your help.

Hi NewLife
Yep we have the power to just walk away! Dreams often manifest things that are troubling us. You’ve sorted that one. Excellent
Eureka