Hi Lynnie62

Well done on progress so far. Blips in weeks two and three seem to be normal – certainly that is what is being reported on other threads and has also been my personal experience. It might be worth just checking that you are keeping the carbs low, in case there is anything you are consuming that it unexpectedly higher than you might realise. It’s possible to make a porridge from any grain, so if you really miss it, why not try making one from quinoa and topping with a few fresh raspberries? The texture would be quite different, but it might work to damp down the cravings. I’m just starting week 4 and really am not missing the sweet stuff at all, so your cravings will almost certainly lessen with time, so don’t despair. You’ll get there, as long as you stick with it … good luck.

Just checked my blood levels his morning and it was a whopping 11.5! Very disappointed and finding it hard to stay positive bearing in mind I’m now into week 7 but … I’ve not been taking the readings over the last week in order to not get too stressed out about it but I think the anticipation after such a long time is having the reverse effect and making me more stressed out. Any encouragement gratefully received!

Hi Lynnie62. Read the forums on rising blood sugar levels – stored sugar seems to rise at different points in the diet for different folk. I would keep at it and up the exercise to kickstart the weight loss. Or try mindfulness techniques – you might have seen on these forums folk reporting just how much stress levels can cause big rises and halt weight loss.

But good on you – you have still lost 10lbs and that is not to be sniffed at!

Hi All,

I started the diet a week a go and have found it really easy to stick to. I lost 6lb in the first week, which is amazing and this has encouraged me to keep it up.

However, over the last couple of days I haven’t lost anymore – in fact, I have gained a little. I’m not sure why as I’m still doing the diet and apart from a piece of cake at the weekend have been staying away from the naughties!

Has anyone else experienced this? I don’t want it to carry on as I know how easily I lose motivation 🙁

Thanks!

Hi Mick,
I agree with so much of what you are saying. There is a misconception that type 2’s somehow are responsible for developing the disease. Yet most of us are far from fat and lazy, but poor dietary advice coupled with insulin certainly does nothing to help weight loss.
You are absolutely right that the focus is on treating the symptoms ( reducing high blood sugars) rather than dealing with the cause. We are doing this ourselves though, quite successfully on this way of eating. The more vocal we get to our GP’s and diabetes nurses etc. the quicker the info will get out there.

Hey Gabby67

Welcome to the forums – you’ll find lots of help and support here, so make the most of them. Yes do make use of the recipes on the website. As long as you are sticking to the 800cals a day, you can use any recipe you like – needs to be low carb as well of course.

If you are feeling lethargic, be kind to yourself and don’t push the exercise for a couple of days while your body is adjusting to the new way of eating. Lots of people report lingtheadedness, headaches and lethargy during the first few days, so this is all normal. It won’t take long for you to adjust to the new regime and you will soon find you have the energy for exercising again.

Keep posting and checking the forums for info, someone will be able to offer help. Good luck, you’ll soon be seeing results.

Hi all, I’ve just started week 3, week 1 I lost 8lbs, and my blood sugar went from 5.8 to 5.7, week 2 however was only a 2lb loss but my bsl had gone up to 6.6😳 which was a shock. For the 2 weeks I’ve felt really hungry all the time but realised (with help from this site) I wasn’t drinking nearly enough. After the initial emotional feelings (upset etc) of my week 2 results and the fact my husband has had 8lbs then 5lbs weight loss (and I’ve got so much more to lose than him, he is doing it to support me) I have realised that this really is a life change for continued good health, I just need help with management of the odd cravings like porridge with fruit, fizzy orange squash being my main 2😊

Hi Sue1234

Sounds like you are forging ahead and making progress. Why not try a generous sprinkle of cinnamon on your porridge, rather than sweeter? It’s gives flavour and an illusion of sweetness without any calories. I’m finding myself looking to my herb and spice draw more and more on the diet, to give various dishes a lift or tweak to alter them slightly.

Hi I am on my second day and feeling very light headed and really tired and lacking energy to go for my walks.
do you have to keep to the diet in the book ? Can I use receipts own this web site ?

Great start Toofastblack! Amazing how quickly you get used to resisting carbs. Pretty soon the craving for them disappears altogether.
Messyhen don’t be nervous, be excited to meet the new you and your new energy filled life 🙂
We are all in this together so there’s lots of support and encouragement here.
Aussielou, lots of us on here now so if you need any advice about low carb foods in Australia or whatever just ask. All the best.

Hi CaptainLynne
The easy diet diary is Australian. Not sure if you can get it in the UK

Everything crossed for you Sunnyb. Carb counting worked for me.
Penny

Hi Chrissie
Re coffee etc-
I put my milk for the day in a separate container so I can monitor the amount (200 ml of soya milk ) and I also draw 5 glasses of water and 5 cups of tea in my notebook which I cross off through the day. This adds up to 2.8 litres.
Best of luck. A few tweaks and you ll be ok!
Penny
PS have a look at Jenny Ruhls book ‘low carb problems solved’ (£3 on kindle) which deals with just about everything.

Yes I’m the same with a lot of veg too! However this diet has worked wonders for my digestion! Let’s just say that with eating rubbish plus taking Metformin I was visiting the loo about 6 times per day with diarrhoea – this was normal for me over the course of the last 5 years. Now I’m “going” once a day. Metformin is well known for this side effect and with the previous rubbish diet I had no chance really!!

Hi Chrissie
I had an extremely slow loss until I started monitoring my carbs on MyFitnessPal. You have to pay to do this £7.99 a month but worth it. You also have to put all the foods you eat in ‘my foods’ with all the cals, carbs, fats and protein, which you can get off Calorieking.com, which I ve found reliable. ( if you use the lists already on MFP there’s no guarantee they’re accurate as they’re put on by the public) this is a fair amount of work at first but once you ve done it you ve got it, and it will give you a pie chart of your Macros every day.
Hope this helps
Penny

I’m also feeling light headed today after being fine since day 1 (day 9 today). Blood sugars are normal (I.e Have dropped from the 11s to the 5/6s). I’m also on a small dose tab for BP. Hopefully this will pass.

Bill – just wanted to add my voice to the rest of those on the forum, wishing your daughter, you and all your family, strength as you face this daunting period. Sincerely hope that the MRI results bring some more positive news for a brighter outcome. Will be sending healing to you all. SunnyB

Hi
I have also noticed that my BP has reduced, so will my medication, i also do not have the energy as before the diet, i am at week 2, and have lost 9lbs, my energy levels have dropped considerably, I usually swim 40 lengths twice a week, this week I could only manage 15 lengths.
But i will persist, good luck with your diet
Ally

Hello everyone.
I bought a cheap pedometer that clips on, years ago, but I keep forgetting to use it.

In a better mood today. Day 24 weight 10st 7lbs (-9lbs) over 4 bags of sugar
Blood sugar: 11.4

Decided to eat food today, rather than shakes. Had porridge oats for breakfast made with water and salt – a bit tasteless I might put a little bit of artificial sweetener on it next time. Having hummus with veg for lunch and peppers stuffed with vegetable curry for tea.

Yesterday I drank more sugar free pop instead of tea and coffee. I buy the two litre value bottles for 17p and refill 1/2 litre bottles in the fridge so I’ve always got some handy. I spent the afternoon baking coconut flour cheese scones and the bolognase sauce from the 8 week book – because I knew it was meant for 4 servings it helped with portion size, I put 3 portions in the freezer and had thr remaining one with courgetti.
Going to be doing more steps chopping veg today so hoping for a good result tomorrow.

Hope everyone is losing weight and staying strong, I feel much better now the sun is shining and the days are getting longer and warmer. 🌞

I’ve lost between 15%-20% (34 pounds, so 8.8 pounds to 20%) since starting on 19th December. Still another 55 pounds to go, to get me where medics say I should be), so I’m sticking with 800 calories for now.

Hi Bill1954

I’ve been absent from the forums as I’ve been studying what diet to go forward with when I complete 8 weeks

Please look at this web site. : ketogenic-diet-resource.com. click on keto medicine

This may be helpful for your daughter, if necessary . Ask the medics to explain how & why it may help & to consider it if it’s required

With every good wish to all your family
Eureka

Hi Susansilver

I’m at the beginning of week 3 and after a dodgy start I felt great but last couple of days have been feeling off again, lightheaded and foggy and tired. I am sticking to the regime so I think it must be another blip to endure and get over. These are huge and serious changes we are asking our bodies to make so I think it’s unrealistic to expect no side effects. Stick with it, I am sure in a week or 2 we’ll be glowing with health and bon homie. As Celsa says, it could be that we need a few more carbs than we’re currently getting. I think it’s also a case of experimenting a little to see what works for us as individuals. Good luck – to us all xx

Hi Nev

I get something similar if I eat too much veg. I googled it and found it’s quite common.

Just a thought.

Perfect, thanks for your replies. I am aiming for 20% and it would be amazing if I could get close to this in 8 weeks. Hope your journeys are going well.

Hi everyone. Great results from you 😃

I agree that this is for life.

Georgiarose, is Easy Diet Diary for UK or USA? Lots of the apps I’ve seen have more US foods than UK.

🙂

Orchid, your post appeared seconds after I posted 😃

Hi Nat

On p125 it says ‘to properly reverse type 2 diabetes you will probably need to lose 10-15% of your starting body weight. ……. If your original BMI is over 40, then you may need to lose more’.

Is this what you were looking for?

Hello all

How inspiring you are and doing so well I am very impressed and am determined to join you. Just started my 5th week and have lost already 23lbs so I am thrilled to bits and have no intention of giving up. However I am experiencing a problem which perhaps one of you could help me with. I am experiencing gripey tummy pains quite uncomfortable and a feeling I need to go to the loo all the time and if you understand me, with a wish to bear down. Is this usual when losing so much weight and if so do you know of anything I can do to help me to be less uncomfortable. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give Nev

Hi Nat, the total loss that Michael mentioned was between 10 and 20%, I think it is on the web-site. It very much depends on how overweight you are and also what your goals are. If you are looking to reduce blood sugar then he states that you will need to loose between 10 and 15% to turn that around (chapter 6 of the book under subheading ‘write down your goals’ – sorry can’t give you a page number as I have the Kindle version).
good luck

Well done everyone, there’s some impressive improvements from everyone.

Here’s mine and my oh after the first week, me 8lbs down and an inch off my waist and tum although I actually feel like that should be more as I feel thinner and my clothes are fitting me better plus my ribs are making an appearance again. My oh has lost 5lb officially (although I suspect more as he didn’t actually weigh in until the second day) and an inch and a half from his tum. The best bit is that he used to have very puffy ankles and a mark where the top of his socks dug in but that’s all gone in just a week.

Overall both feeling very much healthier and, although intending to do the 5:2 med plan have ended up on the 800 a day plan which seems to suit us well.

That really is a great article linked by Squidgy, thanks! After a great initial BG reading my numbers, like others on this thread, started rising. How could that be happening?!! After reading the article everything makes perfect sense now and if it’s correct (and I can’t think of any other explanation) the higher numbers are reassuring in a way.
The thing that really kind of winds me up, and has done since I was diagnosed several years ago and started investigating type 2, is that the medical profession seem quite content treating the symptoms of type 2 rather than spending serious time and money finding the cause of this Behemoth. Surely it can’t be the case that the Beta cells in vast swathes of the population are suddenly dying? And if they are, why? Or is it still generally the case that “fat lazy people get Diabetes who couldn’t be bothered doing anything about it anyway…”?
I’ve just passed my 2 weeks and look forward with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. If nothing else, I’m on my way to getting the body I’ve always wanted! I’m getting to be quite fond of mirrors lately…

Good luck and good health folks, Mick.

#sunnyB – fingers crossed for us both this week!

#cherrianne – thinking my milk intake is the likely culprit – so will try measuring each day’s allowance and sticking to it – thanks – will let you know how I get on – might also explain why my blood sugar readings aren’t changing/settling too🙂

Hi Bill and Robert, Hubby and I are getting great results too!
This is week 3 and we have both lost 6 kgs and my blood sugar has come down into the normal range, under 7 for the past week, and as low as 6.1 and 5.1 post-prandial! Hubby doesn’t need to lose as much weight so we are upping his calories a bit, but he is keeping me on the straight and narrow. I have a good calorie counting app (as mentioned in another forum ) Easy Diet Diary, where I am recording every mouthful a bit obsessively(!), but hubby also estimates portion sizes, reads labels, and does the same calculations to double check. Just found out you can scan labels with this app and get the needed info too.

I also use the Apple Health app to keep track of the daily blood glucose results and weight, which gives nice graphs which are encouraging.

So happy to feel part of a group of determined people. I really believe this will be a life changer. Cheers.

Four days complete and already 3% weight loss. I am sure that somewhere in the book it states ideal weight loss after 8 weeks as a percentage but I can’t find it anywhere today. Really pleased with results to date, and energy levels and sleep going well. As for my skin, it’s glowing, an unexpected side effect.

Hope you are all doing as well and feeling as great.

Does anyone know the percent details i am looking for?

My plan is to read the book cover to cover each week as it will remind me of all the reasons I am doing this.

Thanks

Justabloke
Congratulations to you.
It is wonderful to read these numbers and be motivated by your success story.
So, thank you and well done you.

Hi TimeForChange (great nic) I’m glad to hear someone else is doing it! I thought it would be a way to control my insulin, which i couldn’t find any doctor interested in…they were all obsessed with blood glucose levels and I am obsessed with insulin since I figure it is the real problem for me…way too much of it. I was constantly told I would eventually have to go onto insulin injections which I argued black and blue was a furfy, never won…just have had gazillion GPs who think I am a problem. The most recent one wrote on a blood test referrral that I “eschew” statins, just so I know she disapproves.

I am very hopeful this 8 week blood sugar diet approach will work and will be easier than some of my previous attempts to reign in the diabetes. If I was told I needed to go on a three week hike with only water I would try it I am so willing to reverse my diabetes. What I really want to reverse is my insulin resistance and that is where my focus is most dierected for the long term.

Cherrianne, I used to be a TOFI in the 90s when I just had insulin resistance and hypoglycaemia…sought advice cause I thought I could see the trajectory I was on and the advice was eat low glycaemic index…so I did, gained a lot of weight and then had to deal with patronizing lectures from GPs telling me to lose weight and exercise more, whilyt they refused to look at insulin (they regarded it as my own misguided preoccupation).

Happy some sense is now emerging from Drs like Michael Mosely from the minefield of diabetes Type II misinformation that has been blowing us up (figuratively speaking) for years. Now, if I can find a GP who will read his book or that of Jason Fung I will be very very happy and healthy again.

I am not able to multi task on this diet and minding a 3 year old and looking after my 91 year old dad requires that . I left the engine on when I parked the car this morning . I am amazingly irritable ,close to tears that will not fall and frankly if I die of diabetes anytime soon that will be fine by me . Having started out so full of hope I am reluctant to give up before the 2 week mark – day 9 today . – but I doubt my family will be able to put up with me if this goes on much longer . Have been following the menu plan but will probably just use the quick and easy as the cost of the menu plan cost what we usually spend on two of us plus visiting family .
Did I mention no energy . ,

Feel slightly better for the vent

Hi – I am on Exforge and before starting the BSD I was typically 140/90 +/- 5 pts either way. Just over 2 weeks into this and this morning my BP was 127/73. I have a follow up with my doc next week and will see about coming off the drugs or at least reducing the dosage.

Hi Tofastblack
Im in with you. Makes a lot of sense and I just watched Insight in SBS tv in Australia with Dr Mosley being interviewed and decided to follow the guidlines.

End of Week 9 and now on modified 5:2.
Weight loss – 11.5 kg from 108.9 kg to 97.4
Waist circumference loss – 11.5 cm
Muscle mass has increased by 3% – percent fat mass decreased about the same according to my el cheapo scales – still 33.2 % fat mass
Blood sugar is high in mornings again ~7.3 – 8 mmol but normal 2 hrs post meals – 5.6 ~ 5.8 mmol
Haven’t checked BP since it went back to normal in about week 4 – Doing around 10000 steps 5 days per week
🙂

Please let me know the numbers before and after, to the best of your memory. And were you on blood pressure medication and were you able to stop using it?

Good luck Messyhen

I cook a lot of the daily meals for my wife and two small children – including all the breakfasts – so I’m surrounded by carbs! Just last night my wife baked delicious chocolate-dipped coconut and apricot jam cookies for the kids. Can’t have a single one!

But I’m motivated. And as I type I’m on the morning of day 4 (Monday). scales say 3.6 Kgs (just short of 8 pounds??) down from Friday AM. That’ll be mostly water I know, but it’s still weight I’m not carrying – and an indicator that the lack of carbs intake is driving a change in my body.

I have excellent blood sugar, cholesterol, etc. But I’m very overweight. So this is preemptive in terms of prediabetes or type 2 diabetes into the future.

HAHA funny video

thanks Mary…its such a huge time saver 🙂

thats great keep it going and you will get there

Day one tomorrow. I’ve removed any possible cheat food from the house and shopped and cooked all day. Prepared and raring to go. Too nervous to wonder and dream I may actually lose weight on this but I’m inspired by this forum and everyone’s had such great results that’s it’s got to work for me! Must have faith in this. Good luck all x

I started the BSD two weeks ago, not through diabetes, simply far too short for my weight! Bill I’ve been following your thread since I started and you have been an inspiration, for which you have my grateful thanks. I am incredibly sorry to learn of the bad results of your daughter’s scan, and I join everyone else who you have inspired, by sending my best wishes to you and your family. I do so hope the MRI gives more positive news. Stay strong – all our prayers are with you.

Loving this too! You asked yesterday if there was a good website for calorie calculations- I’m using Cronometer, apps on iphone and ipad, but a lot more functionality on the actual website on the PC. Tracks EVERYTHING and you can put in all the recipes. Others use My Fitness Pal, (MFP); I didn’t get on very well with that one. Oh and I just got a Fitbit- fabulous bit of kit!
In week 7 and 20lb down!
MaryR

Sorry to hear your news Bill. Thinking of you all.

Hi Chrissie,
The extra water can only help. Also add 100 mls of milk to your daily plan and keep it in a separate container in the fridge. Use this for your tea and coffee and you won’t go over your allowance. Milk is quite high in carbs and it’s so easy for your count to sneak up lol.
Hope to hear some great results soon 🙂