Christine, also keep your fats up as well as what Judith said. For exercise, just walking is enough to revv up the colour.

Hi Lucia, I remember Illya Kuryakin – he was my favourite and the Man from Uncle a must watch! Don’t remember him in other series, except in Colditz.

I got a pale salmon pink the morning after a glass of wine 🙁
Check your carb intake.
Other than exercise and carbs I can’t think of anything, sorry

Hi Marcus, welcome!

I like beans and pulses because protein, fibre, feel full, what’s not to like? 🙂

Added to vegetable soups/stews/curries they make a complete meal and I’m a huge fan of one-pot cooking. I’ve got some free time this weekend and I’m going to make up batches and freeze them.

I’m addicted to keto testing, its my new craze. I test any time of day, sometimes three or four times. Its great to see what even a small amount exercise does to the colour! There’s about a four hour delay from activity to change in fat burning.

Djd im salivating 🙂

Thank you everyone. Just seem to be struggling. Just focusing on the weight loss and my prize goal….run raggeded at the moment with the terrible 2’s in the littlest human….
I don’t drink caffeine/tea and sugar/carbs were my only stimulates and pick me up, was quite chronic…

Hi Judith
I have been testing with the ketostix and they are neutral or the next one up? Don’t know why or what to do, any suggestions? I am well jealous of orchid!
Christine

Thanks buddy

He he
I’ve picked up on a few words that seem to come from that area
We have friends in Wymeswold and they use expressions like mardy and such.
Up here we used to bool doon the street and coin aroond the corner 😀

Not a good day today. .although I did my best, but all 3 meals were bought. ..some days it just works out that way. ..
B – (cafe) scrambled egg, chipolattas, mushrooms, black coffee
L – (picnic) rotisserie chicken, coleslaw
D- (restaurant) chicken, mashed pumpkin, broccolini, cauliflower, walnut gravy (is the only way I can describe it – it was yummy)
I’ll be very strict with myself tomorrow.

Hi Christi1948

Yep. Rubber band Fired so as to inflict pain. Any spammers out there?
Must be Leicester slang ( my mum loved a Gadder – catapult ). Keep it handy
Eureka

Dextrose is the name of a simple sugar chemically identical to glucose (blood sugar) that is made from corn. While dextrose is used in baking products as a sweetener, it also has medical purposes. Dextrose is dissolved in solutions that are given intravenously, which can be combined with other drugs, or used to increase a person’s blood sugar. Dextrose is also available as an oral gel or tablet. Because dextrose is a “simple” sugar, the body can quickly use it for energy
People with diabetes or hypoglycemia (chronically low blood sugar) may carry dextrose gel or tablets in case their blood sugar gets too low. The gel or tablets dissolve in a person’s mouth and quickly boost blood sugar levels. If a person’s blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dL and they are having low blood sugar symptoms, they may need to take the dextrose tablets. Examples of low blood sugar symptoms include weakness, confusion, sweating, and too-fast heart rate.

It isn’t the kind of stuff you want to be eating if you are T2D In fact I would avoid it if you aren’t, at the end of the day it’s still sugar 🙁

Hi,

I read that people trying to kick sugar substitute with dextrose. This may be fine for families kicking the sugar habit, but is it safe for diabetics? Same question about Xylitol too, although I am a little less suspicious of that.

Thanks.

Thanks Hashimoto. I will do.

Marcus, I eat them in moderation as they do take longer to digest and, along with the fat intake, they do help to keep you feeling full for longer. The fibre also helps with the toilet thing but you really do need to keep your water intake up to at least 2 preferably 3 litres per day.
It doesn’t have to be plain water, tea and coffee without sugar is ok as long as you count the milk in with your calories.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes and encouraging words. Will check in when I can. Good luck to everyone for continued good progress. xx

Hi orchid that’s good fat burning! I test first thing in the morning. You could try a few times of day to see what happens 🙂

Hi Hashimoto,
got the Ketostix at last and just tested 2.5 hours after meal (27g carbs, home made veg soup). Came out 0.4 ++ mid pink (two colours above it). I assume that does mean I am doing some fat burning? I think you said you do one last thing at night as that is the best reading – am I remembering it correctly?

Thanks Bill that’s really useful to know. I do have one question:

Is it important to include complex carbs?

So far I’ve stuck to fish, veg, eggs and ‘good’ fats. Is there any particular reason I should be including complex carbs like chickpeas or pulses?

Ilya was always the dishy one for me, I remember getting a lady Penelope annual for Christmas and it had full page photos of Ilya and Napolean solo in it! How sad that I remember after all these years – just feels like yesterday.

Bon voyage Sunnyb! You will feel the benefit of what you have lost so far. Have a lovely time and check in with us whenever you can!xx

When making your own meals up how hard is it getting fat ,carbs,protein,etc correct ?

Hi all,

I know stevia is used as a sweetner, but has anyone actually eaten stevia leaves? Right now, here in Romania where fruit and veg is abundant, seasonal and extremely cheap (lucky me!), there is a glut of stevia, as well as bear’s garlic, nettles and red orach. It all looks delicious. The red orach is going into a sour soup with veal tonight, and the bear’s garlic into omelettes, but as for the stevia, I’m stumped. Has anyone any ideas for it?

Kags

Good to hear MarcusB but be prepared for some carb withdrawal symptoms (not everyone gets them)
They do clear after a few days then you should feel just like you do now.
Best of luck on the plan, there is loads of support and advice available on the site but if there is anything you need to know, just ask.
Keep posting your results, you have made a good start, lets see where you are a week from now.
Welcome to the forums

My best tip is clear your schedule. Make sure for the first couple of weeks at least, that you have no social engagements and are free to settle into the new diet.
Why don’t you make Hubbie keep his snacky items somewhere out of your sight.
I’m also doing my own food plan and finding it hard to stick dead on 800 cals a day without feeling hungry. I’m told the trick is to have enough fat in the meals but hard to add fat without adding calories.
Anyway I’m not being too anal about it and losing weight but probably a but slower than most.
Buy yourself some Keytostix as well from the pharmacy. They help tell you whether you’re in Ketosis state (fat burning not carb burning).
Good luck .. I am a sugar junkie and type 2 … finding the sugar cravings hardest to cope with 🙂

Sunnyb have a wonderful trip and do as Bill said! x

Hello all.

I started the 800 yesterday, weighing in at 16 stone on the nose. This morning I weighed myself and I’m now 15 stone and 5 pounds.

I realise this is mostly water and weight won’t continue to come off at this rate, but I feel much better in myself – I instantly have more energy and feel much more alert and focussed.

This wasn’t entirely unexpected, I knew my weight was slowing me down quite badly but what’s remarkable is the speed with which my energy has returned. I was expecting my body to take a while to adjust, but instead it appears to be doing cartwheels at the fact I’ve stopped pumping it full of processed carbs.

Thanks to everyone that’s taken the time to post on this forum with their stories, advice and tips… in a world of processed frankenfoods this is place is a shining beacon of hope.

Hi Bill, sadly yes. Wheat, barley and rye all contain gluten. So even malt vinegar has a bad effect on me – the ‘malt’ part of it’s name comes from malted barley.

Yes, I’m using green lentils in my soups now but red lentils in dahl. Unless of course I make lentil and bacon soup then it is red lentils all the way!!
🙂

B – plain yoghurt / strawberries
L – 50g cheddar, 2 sl ham,apple, tsp pickle
D – slow cooked shoulder lamb – 3 lean slices, 3 tbsp cabbage, 3 tbsp runner beans, tsp mint sauce, 5tbsp gravy

Cups of tea

I also thought I’d never get used to plain natural yoghurt but now I have it every day. I use either fresh strawberries on top or cherries. The bags of frozen cherries -Tesco own brand- are really nice and only £2 a bag. 10 cherries is 20 cals. I find a bag lasts me ages as I get out 10 at a time to defrost. I sometimes have a few flaked almonds too if I can fit the cals in.

Hi Christine, that’s really weird. 🙁

Hi eureka,
Flirt? That auto correct thing is at it again! Hehehe
Christine

Hi Judith,
Apparently I wasn’t hacked, they think it was an auto correct thing! And the other post they think someone else was using a computer where I live? Or something like that, anyway I know I didn’t write anything so not sure what’s happened, I did see all those phone numbers though so I’m not crazy, was beginning to,think I was seeing things all’s well that ends well, I think!
Christine

I have a confession to make…

I bought the FitBit early (https://www.fitbit.com/ca/alta). I am starting to track and ramp up my exercise next week and although i could use a step-tracker on my phone, I would have to carry it with me all the time with is a huge PITA (pain in the…). So I ordered one. Hopefully it will arrive today or tomorrow and we will be ready for action. I think I’m going to change my big reward to something fun…

Speaking of which.

Even before I heard of this lifestyle I had been waking up 45 mins earlier in preparation for walking, instead of driving, to the train station in the warmer weather. The train station is almost exactly 2kms away from my house, so I’m hoping for better weather next week to check out the timing. I am not, in any way, shape, or form, a morning person – so this has been, and still is, a challenge for me. Fingers crossed and I’ll keep you posted!

Diet wise…

I’m still feeling hunger, but it’s the pleasant awareness, not the gnawing ravenous hunger that I would get when I was eating the crap I used to eat.

Keto is still small this morning, so I’m going to cut the carbs a bit more today and add in more fat and see if that kicks it back up to medium (or more) tomorrow.

Make today a great day!

Deb

PS – an updated list of Goals/Rewards/Tracking can always be found in my profile.

Hi Natalie, glad we sorted the cucumber puzzle! sometimes there are so many options on calorieking it can be hard to see the wood for the trees lol.

Hi Jillyb, I would go with the suggestion to eat a lot of what your husband eats but cut out the carbs, it will make your life much easier. Cooking three meals a day is rather onerous!
A lot of the food I eat is my ‘old’ meals minus the carbs – roast dinners without spuds or Yorkshires, curry with no rice ragout without pasta etc. I’ve had friends round for meals and done that —- and still lost weight! 🙂

Cherrianne – I can totally picture it, it’s me when we get below -10C, lol. It’s grey, rainy and plus 2 this morning, so I wore my spring jacket today. Mind you, I am wearing a thick sweater underneath it. I do remember our Grade 8 (13 years old) trip to Manitouwadge in Northern Ontario, in the winter. It took us 24 hours to get there by train and when we stepped off it was -45C. You could only see our eyes for all the winter wear, but our host class were walking around with open jackets. I guess you get used to it, lol.

Eureka – thanks for the tip, I wasn’t aware of the cold effect! It would explain why I was absolutely FREEZING in my office yesterday (I put on two cardigans and a blanket). It wasn’t the temp in the office as that is pretty consistent. Hopefully my body regulates soon! I am so excited for your “A Mari usque ad Mare” visit to my favourite country! I’m also a little jealous, lol. You are going to see places that I haven’t gotten around to seeing yet (isn’t that always the way?), but I have been many places in Canada and will be glad to give you some suggestions.

StringBreaker – Thanks! I find rewards keep me motivated. Just a gentle suggestion – keeping your reward non-food is a great way to break the habit of thinking as food as reward rather than fuel. I’m not saying don’t ever eat it again (it’s one of my faves too), but try to find a way to separate food and reward.

Bill, just wanted to say I love the way you reframe things to look at the positives – you’d make a great expert patient 🙂

Hi

I have read Ian’s book and in the book he says you can use Meal replacement shakes or meals, can any one shine a light on what he used, as this may be a easy route for me when I am working

Any other advice please would b greatly received, I have been diagnosed with type 2 but am not on any medication and would love to try and reverse this diagnoses

Glad it’s not just me!

SunnyB have a great trip 🙂

No apology needed Jilly, we’re all in this together👍.
You know, it’s your choice- you can tailor it to your lifestyle and needs. MM says in the book that the Fast 800 is challenging- that’s why it’s designed to be done only for & weeks.
Gosh, I can so relate to feeling hungry and cranky 😁😁!! Give yourself a break, you have already made the first step and that’s the main thing.
Why not try Bill’s method, or do the 5:2 BSD?
Lots of love x

Hi jillyB,

I’m like Bill – I don’t count calories (although I try to be mindful of portion sizes). I’ve cut out all refined carbs and I’ve switched to full-fat dairy because it has less sugar and keeps you full. I’ve lost 12lb so far – it works 🙂

Could you eat the same meals as your husband but just modify your plate a bit eg skip the potatoes, have more green veg etc?

Hi,

Can’t speak from experience but I’ve heard a glass of warm water first thing in the morning works wonders.

I may have found the reason for the cucumber discrepancy! I am eating little Lebanese cucumbers that weigh around 100 grams, not 300.

Hi Bill,

Thanks, I’ll give that a go – fingers crossed.

Hi, bill1954

Thank you for your advice….I am very tempted to try your method as this will stop all the angst I am going through preparing, planning and cooking meals. My husband is retired so this means I have to cook 3 meals each day. As he is not interested in my meals, he is very supportive, but it is hard as I am no spring chicken anymore

Regards jillyB

I’m glad you’re coming out of the worst of it, Caroline999! Things will improve in every direction now!!

Hi Judith
do you have a barley intolerance ? I seem to remember you mentioning something like that, I love the stuff and I’m getting a real taste for green lentils too.
Strangely enough I’ve just had lentil and bacon soup for lunch – delicious!
I’ll go check my emails 🙂

Have you seen the pickles cartoon today about being an early riser?

Made me smile.

Love Lucia
Xxx

Newlife that happens to me all the time!! There are so many emails in my box from this site I try to read them quickly and get myself in a muddle!!! 🙂