Hi Hashimoto, I agree.
I was brought up in Scotland and barley was commonly used especially in soups. I used to take packets of barley plus yellow and green split peas back to the Netherlands when I lived there after visiting my parents at Christmas! Pease pudding was another favourite.
Have you tried making barley bread? I was planning to when BSD diverted me – it apparently makes up like a soda bread or bannock. I found a link below. There are some other sites saying you can make it with a sourdough culture – not sure about that as it does not have gluten in it!

http://www.versagrain.com/barley-bread.html

There are loads of websites and apps out there, just google calories in… and you’ll be able to choose which one you like using. Calorie king is quite good and the nhs one too

Hi Cate,
I used a Delia recipe which bakes in the oven and used barley instead of rice. http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/italian/oven-baked-wild-mushroom-risotto.html
You will need to keep an eye on it first time to make sure that the barley does not need more water or a slightly different cooking time. it should have a bite to it when it is ready. Lovely meal!

I miss kasha and chicken soup with barley far more than bread 🙁

Debi, I’m the same re chilled salad. It kills the flavour. I leave my yoghurt and berries out of the fridge for 10 mins to take the worst of the chill off.

Your food menu for today sounds yummy 🙂

Hi Deb, we’ve all been there! It happens to everyone at some stage, with or without this programme. As the other guys have said, take what you can from it as a,learning experience but then forget about it and get back on track. Its already in the past, its what you do next that matters. You can,and will get things together today, you know on-plan is where you need to be. You can do it!

Hashimito and Penny – you darlings for replying. You are telling me what I know but it is weird how you need someone else to help it sink in:

I’m currently boiling some eggs so I have an emergency snack supply.

I always have heaps of salad n veg in to snack on but dislike it cold from the fridge. Therefore, I’m making a snack tub to keep on the worktop for weak moments – hoping it will become habit-forming. After all, did anyone become obese my gorging on celery, cucumber & courgettes?! 😂
Lastly, I am about to try the coconut oil & cream in coffee combo for breakfast as I have homemade chicken Passanda with cauli rice for dinner tonight at 526 Cals:) anchovy salad as late lunch & I should manage?
Thank you xx

Sounds great – I will try in in May :-)!

Hi Cherrianne,
I had looked it up on the Sainsbury’s site for their pearl barley as I did not have the info to hand at home. I have just checked and I did transcribe them correctly. I was surprised by it as well and had it not been late, I may have checked further. Tesco give a different set of numbers for theirs and Waitrose different again. Needless to say, Sainsbury’s are lowest!
I found a jar with Barley Grain in the house which is what I would normally use and the label in it is different again! Grrrrr.
Okay – lesson learned – don’t trust the websites.
I thought I had just spotted the reason for the difference, some were ‘cooked’, but on further checking – they all appear to be calories for the cooked weight not the dried weight.
For completeness – Tesco Pearl Barley – 100g cooked pearly barley 118 cals; Carbs 24.4g; Fat 0.4g; Protein 2.3g and fibre 3.8g. Waitrose cooked pearly barley 143 cals; Carbs 27.1; fat 0.9g; fibre 4.0g protein 4.6g.
I should be able to get into most of these stores this week and will check the labels on the product themselves and see if I can work out what is really going on!
It is still a good food for 5:2, but probably not for 800 cals unless as Hashimoto has, you have small portions with some thing else!
Thanks for spotting the error.

Hi – I am not sure that the calorie count for the recipe “Spanish Chickpea and spinach soup” p 207 of the 8 week BSD book is correct. It claims to be 2 portions at 210 calories per portion. When I add up the individual components it comes to way more than that. How do I check this?

Hi orchid, my russian kasha recipe comes out like a risotto 🙂

Cherrieanne I have just seen your response to barley.

The recipe i just posted could be split into at least 10 small portions ( some for the freezer) and eaten with something else. Meat eaters could have it with sausage and veg. I dont know what would work as a veggie meal.

Alarming amount of carbs, perhaps left til maintenance stage – and as a special treat. 🙂

Hi Deb
If you’re hungry maybe you need to add a bit more fat? Keeps the hunger at bay!
Penny

Hi deb, you might need to keep some emergency snack foods prepared – celery sticks, hard boiled eggs. When you buy nuts portion them out into little containers – it’s far too easy to keep on going with a bag of nuts and I should know as I have done it so often.

Aldi do little packets of nuts and seeds, 153 calories, 2.7 carbs. It keeps my nut snacking under control. Sometimes I eat a packet for lunch and nibble on crudites

🙂

Wow! Why didn’t I think of that? (Must be the age, y’know).
Thanks SunnyB, I’ll look into those.

Hi jilly, sorry to hear you have arthritis as well. I’m guessing you either live in a bungalow or have a downstairs loo as I do more than 400 just up and down to the bathroom 🙁

I hope your blood sugars fall and that you feel better in yourself 🙂

Hi cate, beford I became gluten intolerant I used to make Kasha – a russian recipe

8oz pearl barley
4oz mushrooms
1-2oz butter
2tbspns grated cheesd
1 egg
S and P

Beat ip the egg and stir well into the barley coat and leave to dry.
Slice mushrooms and simmer in 1pt salted water for 15 mins.
Remove mushrooms from pan and add the butter
Then add barley let simmer with lid on for 10 mins, stir occasionally
Pour barley mix into ovenproof casserole dish, with lid
Mix in the mushrooms and s and p.
Bake in moderate oven, gas mark 4, for 1 hour

When ready to serve you can stir in the cheese, and more butter if you would like to

You will have to work out the calories and carbs and decide how many portions you have.

I used to eat it with grilled sausage and tomato.

Lovely nutty flavour and totally delicious!

🙂

Ok this is now 2 days and no weight loss. Feeling better in myself but weight not coming off.

Hoping I see something soon but even though I’m 800 calories nothing is moving 😢

Oooh like the sound of those prawns jps 🙂

hello hashimoto,

I already have a pedometer and have been wearing it for some time, and I can assure you I quite often have less than 500 steps. The most I have done [once] was 4000, mostly around 1000 and 2000. Apart from my hip replacement I also have arthritis throughout my body. I have use of a treadmill and have used it a bit for short periods, but find at the moment with the diet I am still a little light headed.

Thank you

I think he may be too busy but I’m sure he must dip in from time to time and his tech team will keep him informed 🙂

Glad your basket is tied on tight lucia 🙂

Oh, help!

I already struggle with 800 Cals but stay low carb and exercise heavily. However, towards the end of week 3 and last night (wk5) I have gorged on a 200g bag of plain cashews!!
What is wrong with me? (Apart from the obvious weakness).
Why am I hungry and failing?
Not diabetic but body and mind feels better on low carb eating plan. I’m probably currently a stone over-weight even with the 7lb loss in just under 5wks. (That could change after ‘nutgate’😫

Hi purplemartian try the avocado/bacon recipe. You put a bit of the mix into each leaf of a little gem lettuce. 290 cals and to die for 🙂

Fran -amazing weight loss 🙂

Hi jillyb, this will work for you 10,000 steps or just a few steps! Get a pedometer I think you will find you are doing more than 500 steps – it might only be over 1000 but not likely to be under 500. You will be moving more than you think just making 3 meals a day.

I felt I was doing nothing but cooking and washing up during the first 2 weeks. As you go on you will start making larger pans of food so you can freeze some.

If you like hummus you could make crudites and store each kind of veg in plastic freezer bags or containers. You could do a similar thing with salad veg.

Look at some of the resistance exercises – there may be some you can do. You can definitely do the biceps work sitting down

Keep going Jilly 🙂

Hi again everyone. I’ve been on the BSD for 16 days now and have come to the conclusion I’m somehow getting it wrong. After 9 days I’d lost 4lbs, since then I’ve gained 2lbs and only today got back to that lowest weight. I use myfitnesspal, don’t exceed 800 cals, keep carbs under 40g (often only 20 – 30g) and an minimum of 50% of my intake, protein around 30% and carbs always lowest percentage. Haven’t touched sugar or simple carbs, just a bit of swede mash and parsnip one day. Typical meals are feta, lettuce, peppers & olives / fritata with rocket / salmon with spinach / ff Greek yogurt with strawberries & Brazil’s. I drink 3 litres a day, just a decaf with splash of milk (cals counted) occassionally, mainly water and herbal tea. I know this might be just a plateau but don’t want to risk it being that I’m actually doing it wrong by making my own menu.
So from today I’m going to follow MM’s recipes to the letter and see how I get on. This way I’m sure I’m not making any errors. I will post here regularly to kerp myself focused, weigh daily and measure weekly.
Sorry for the long post and I know it sounds like I’m winging – wingeing? – but I’m really not. Apart from the erratic weight loss/gain I love the diet. I feel great and much slimer than the 4lbs loss accouns for, have lost an inch each from bust, waist and neck. My asthma is non existent – (have reduced related meds) , osteoarthritic knee is least swollen ever and have more energy and last but not least I found this forum full of lovely people which I adore reading! I lost a stone on MM’s 5:2 plan earlier this year and hope to lose 2 stone on this one. I know I can do it! Here goes, restarting, book in hand, week menu planned, weight 10st 12.4 and going DOWN!

Captainlynne that is fanbloomingtastic! 43lvs is awesome you must be feeling like a new woman.

Jackie

Do you think Michael ever reads these posts?
Love Lucia
Xxxx

Hi Hashimoto,
Of course I have a basket on the front.
AND I ring my bell with attitude!!!

Around here the basket is wire tied on.

I will try not to let the string of sausages trail behind me for the dogs.

Just off now.
Love Lucia
Xxxx

B Greek yoghurt and fresh raspberries
L Greek salad with olive oil and feta cheese (no rye bread today!)
D Gram flour dusted prawns stir fried in coconut oil and spices, with a green salad

Lucia, if you cock your leg i hope you don’t pull a face like VB. What’s wrong with that women? I bet she curdles the milk for miles around.

Lucia have you got an old fashioned wicker butchers bike basket to wheel your meaty goodies home in?
I’m picturing you like a female pied piper with all the neighborhood dogs running behind your cycle in single file!

Yes, totally approve of using less face muscles – I already am – your posts make me smile.

I hope you have ordered those Australian blister socks!

Failing that, what about some trainers? You could carry your smart shoes in a back pack and change into them at work. I used to walk the 4 miles to work when there was a lot of snow and ice. Walked in my walking boots (2 pairs of socks) and put my shoes in backpack.

It’s not very nice getting blisters 🙁

There are proper walking sandals you can get in the summer. Not the prettiest footwear you will see but they would save your poor feet – and walking is becoming part of your life now. So ask for money not pressies when your birthday comes round! :). 🙂

Hi newlife, you are at the stage where your body is a bit shocked. What? No more carbs?

You will keep on losing. Just keep an eye on those nasty carbs, drink your 2 -3 ltrs water and eat fat and fat will keep disappearing 🙂 but 2lbs in a week is not to be sniffed at

12lbs = 24 half pound packs of lard. That’s a lot of fat your body doesn’t need to lug around! 🙂

Cherrieanne welcome to the, should I say 9 weeks line, and after!

You have been so supportive to so many people on these forums and your medical knowledge has been invaluable.

I’m so pleased that you are in the non diabetic range – you richly deserve that result 🙂

I feel like we are friends although we have never met. Isn’t it good that we know we can ditch the carbs and live healthily for the rest of our lives? 🙂

Just seen message about collecting the girls. Your family will be astonished when they see you 🙂

Wow, Lynne, that is absolutely amazing! Well done!

Are your granddaughters with you yet? 🙂

Hi. I think dashes of lite milk in tea and coffee may be mounting up. Also I haven’t been counting carbs just adding up calories from recipies in the book . I need to work out how to find grams of carbs in meals. It doesn’t tell you that in the book😁

Yesterday:

B: FF yoghurt and mixed seeds
L: 3 D+A sausages, half can reduced sugar baked beans

Didn’t feel at all hungry at dinner time (wow! definitely a first) and just had a G+T (light on the G, heavy on the slimline T)

Today:

B: yoghurt, seeds and berries
L: will be 2 baked chicken breasts with cauli and broccoli ‘cheese’ (grated cheddar sprinkled over, bit of butter)
D: will be 2 dessert spoons cottage cheese with tomato, cucumber and red pepper salad.

Lost another 4 pounds since last Saturday – total of 43 pounds. Now down to 12st 13lb from 16 stone.

Welcome to al the latest veterans.

Just a quick check-in before I go to collect the twins.

Weighed in today at 12st 13lb so 4 pounds down from last week😃 Started at 16 stone, so now lost 43 pounds 😃😱

My FBS seems to have settled under 5.

Catch up later – off to catch a train – packed breakfast in bag😊

Chiming in with my experience so far:

Week 1: 8lb lost
Week 2: 2lb lost
Week 3, day 6: I’m on track for around 2lb loss again. I’m not doing anything differently compared to week 1 and I’ll confess to being a little disappointed but then I think how pleased I’d be if I lost 12lb in 3 weeks on any other diet. Plus, I don’t feel hungry and I’ve never been able to say that on any other diet. AND my chocolate cravings have almost gone and are now easy to resist.

I’m in this for the long haul and I’m not going to let my impatience derail me.

Does anyone know the USA comic strip called the pickles?

It’s about an elderly couple. He is always in the dog house.

I look at it each morning and it makes me smile.

The website is go comics or the artist has his own face book.

Let’s all do less excercise, it takes less muscles to smile than to frown, you game for a little laziness in the face muscles department?
Love Lucia
Xxxxx

Will cycle to my butchers soon.
He does two huge chicken breasts, four pork chops, 3/4 lb lean beef mince and 6 pork sausages for £10. It’s not pre sealed in plastic and polystyrene.
Love Lucia
Xxxxx

Are you all up and ready to go?
I have read the newspaper.
There is a photo in the daily mail of Victoria beckham cocking her leg up. Today, my mission is to see how far off the ground I can lift my right foot and Bob the blister. 👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯👯
Love Lucia
Xxxxx

Hi jillyB,

I forgot about small freezers. I do understand about the preparing meals all day though. Maybe as the days progress the food preparation will become easier.

It’s fantastic that you’re motivated and have such a good attitude. As I wrote before any increase in exercise (even small) will help. Looking forward to reading about your progress jillyB.

Hi Natalie, DJD & Switz,
I reckon we are going to have a ball on this journey.
Just back from my first shopping trip, amazing how the aisles were full of non food food items.
Yes, all those things that I would normally have bought.

As hubby isn’t joining me on this diet I do have to keep some carby items around for him.
However he will be getting the diet dinners made for him, it is just the rest of the days food and snacky items that I will need to avoid.
Long term plan is to get us both eating a Mediterranean type meal plan. He is really interested in seeing how I go on this.

Looking forward to getting started on Monday.

They weren’t super sized they were smaller than the shop bought ones but only got 4 out of them. I can say they were yummy..

Even if I was making blinis I don’t think I could have got 4×4 out of the mixture

They are sooo good!’ Really hope it’s 115 calories for all 4 as will
Be a great addition to some dishes

To Switzerland and Wedgie01

Thank you both for your suggestions….much appreciated. Unfortunately my freezer is not very big and already packed .
I have done my stint with the physio and not much can be done. However, I am feeling cautiously motived and am certainly going to give it my best as I am thinking that any weight lost may well improve my walking ability.

Thank you both.

Hi jillyB. Just wondering if there are any of the meals that you’re cooking that you could double and then freeze portions for days that cooking from scratch is difficult time wise? Sorry to hear that you can’t exercise. I’m trying to recall what Dr Mosley wrote in the book. Obviously you have to be safe, but any exercise (no matter how small) in addition to what you normally do must help.There are physiotherapists that can give sound advice in this regard if there is one in your area.

Hi 14kgTooHeavy. I’ve just read the nutrition label on the jar of Vegemite………check for yourself……..you may be able to ‘have your Vegemite and eat it too’, but you’ll have to ditch the bread. How does carrot and celery sticks with Vegemite before bed sound?

Hey Jillyb,
My wife, also 50 something, had a recent hip reconstruction. She went on the diet with me and has lost weight regularly. I believe it is a lifestyle change. Once you convert to the type of meals supported by the program, if you stick to it you will shed the weight.
Good luck to you.

I second toofastblack. I didn’t lose as much as I’d expected in my first week, so began weighing and measuring, and keeping a running total for each day. I realised I wasn’t counting in milk for coffee and tea, reasoning that it was ‘only a splash’.
When I checked, those splashes were a quarter of a cup, a good 30 or so calories and 3 grams of carbohydrate for each cup. If you’re a slow loser like me, everything has to be measured and noted down.
I’m finding my carb count is usually around 25 grams, and sometimes I go a bit over the 800, but never above 900. I’m lucky if I lose more than half a kilo a week even then, but it’s more than I’ve lost on the standard diets. Don’t give up, just check that you’re not inadvertently taking in more calories or carbs than you think.

Speaking of the 3F club, I too am a member! I’m day 2 week 1. Something I’m holding on to is the reason I’ve started this journey – to achieve good health. The BSD lifestyle is the whole package – diet, exercise and mindfulness. I really need to step up with the exercise and mindfulness. There are some great apps out there for meditation/mindfulness. Red devil, I’m so pleased that you’re leaving your abusive carb relationship behind!