Welcome Joanev! I’m on day 7 so not much ahead of you, and I had all of the same concerns this time last week about being starving all the time and not being able to exercise properly… but I can honestly say they were unfounded. I still can’t really believe that I can feel full on 800 calories, but by including enough fat and protein I really do – and without the sugar crashes carbs give you I have been really in control of my eating. I’m also enjoying eating far more than I have in recent times as I eat far more consciously than before.

In the book it says not to increase you intake for exercise, so I committed to trying that approach this week. I have been to 5 x 1 hour gym classes (different things, but all a mix of aerobic and strength training) and personally had no problem at all. I made sure that I was properly hydrated, and had no weakness or dizziness. The gym aside my days are pretty active as I move around a lot at work, and walk 4 miles getting to/from work each day – before I started I thought I would struggle with even this basal level of activity. I still don’t quite believe how this diet gives you so much energy, but it really does!

For the first 3 days I had a bit of a headache, which drinking lots of water definitely helped with, but other than that this week I’ve felt great. I honestly haven’t craved sugary food or crisps once – and liked you I used to love nothing more than bingeing on crisps and homemade baked goods!! So I’d say don’t focus on these worries, just get started and take each day as it comes 🙂 there are people on here who’ve come out the other end of their 8 weeks with incredibly motivating results and stories, and they’re very generous with helping us newbies so I’m sure they will have solutions to any hurdles you come up against. But fingers crossed it won’t be half as bad as you think 🙂

133 signatures folks! Let’s keep it rolling! Don’t forget you can click on a tab to post to your social media accounts? 🙂

Hi Joan, I keep a paper diary for my days food, it is always handy in the kitchen! the rest, weight, bmi etc goes on a spreadsheet. You may like to do it all on paper ! 🙂

Hi thepolly, yeh, the sweeteners are one of the reasons I don’t like the commercial ones. I’ve been pointed to some safe ones in health food shops, I will go with them. Thanks 🙂

I don’t think that section exists – I think maybe the book was written with good intentions for it that didn’t quite materialise. Lots of people use other websites and apps for that but I use a paper diary and record everything – weight, measurements, bmi, fat burning score from ketostix, food eaten, recipes, cal and carb contents of food, how I’m feeling, revelations, light-bulb moments. Call me old-fashioned but I just find it interesting even looking back a few weeks to what was happening at that time. Welcome to our gang Joane!

Hi Joan, I must say I haven’t tried. I just made an excel spreadsheet and logged everything in there. I just print it off and take it ( with my peak flow chart) to medical appointments. Until you posted that I didn’t even realise you could!

Have you tried the search button at the top of the page? 🙂

B homemade chicken and veg soup (I know!)
L packet of Nuts and a piece of cheese (I’m busy digging the garden)
D is going to be salad with boiled egg, small tin of tuna and dollop of FF yoghurt turned into raita
A few berries as dessert (I’m aching and want something quick and easy! )
Tomorrow:
B FF yoghurt and berries
L chicken and veg soup (again)
D courgette and onion bhajis with raita made from FF yoghurt

Hi hashimoto, I wouldn’t use the sweetener, think it’s optional and you can just experiment with the flavours generally.

Hi Judith, yes it was saturday kitchen, new host of course. Thanks for these ideas, they sound great and are my kind of skill level!

Thank you Hasimoto for your encouragement.
In the book in the tests you should do before you start section it says that you can log your data safely and anonymously on this website, but I can’t find where to do this. Can anyone point me in the right direction or is the book wrong?

Not too late at all Hashimoto, Thanks for that xx

Hi Spirit, I would recommend the paper back copy if I’m not too late x

Hi Janet, was that on Saturday Kitchen? I was catching up with posts to this site and vaguely heard something like that.
Lemon juice and toasted almonds on top of broccoli?
Carrots and caraway seeds
Cauliflower and chopped walnuts
Lemon juice in melted butter on top of green veg

When I recall some more I’ll post them 🙂

Thanks for the heads up re the book Hashimoto. off to find it on my Kindle now…

Hi Joan, welcome to the forums. You have made the right decision to start this diet. The first few days can be a bit tricky if you are used to eating lots of carbs but stick in there it will get better and you will manage work. I have spent the day digging over my veggie patches ( heavy clay soil – and I have a bad back) and I have been fine, I have only had a total of 310 calories today so far. I might have found that tricky the first week but not now.

That glucose level will come down on this diet 🙂

OMG lynne! Glad you spotted that and posted it. It’s ok for me as my BP is always on the low side but it won’t be OK for lots of others 🙁

Hi all,
I am 44 and was diagnosed with diabetes in December, with a Hb1ac of 79. I weigh 10 stone 3 and I am fairly active with a demanding job. I have low cholesterol, low BP, and no family history of diabetes so at first the GP and practice nurse suspected it may be type 1 so they send my blood for antibody tests which came back saying it isn’t type 1.
The doctor initially started me on metformin which I couldn’t tolerate so was changed to gliclazide 40mg each morning. I already had a healthy diet but did eat too much of it and also enjoy binging on crisps and chocolate etc and I also decorate cakes as a hobby so bake loads! I immediately started to cut down on carbs. I was given a glucose monitor and my levels have come down from average of approximately 14 to more like 8-9 now, but I need them to be better still. That is why I bought this book and am going to give this 800 cal per day diet my best shot.
I have just got back from sainsburys with all the ingredients for the first week of the diet. I have got my green tea cooling in the fridge ready to make the blueberry shake in the morning and have roasted the pepper (lunch) to make it easier for me before work tomorrow.
I am worried about feeling light headed and hungry on 800 cals to be honest and hope I can stick to it, especially on the days I go to gym classes. Does anyone increase carbs for heavy exercise sessions?
I will do some baseline measurements and will post updates. I would like to lose about 1.5 stone but it is the glucose level below 6-7 that is most important to me.

A loud whoot whoot from England to Canada!!!

How virtuous to not eat that Pie!! 🙂

Hello Sunday!

It’s -12C, so I am staying indoors and cleaning the house to get my heart rate up.

Weighed in this morning…

Drum roll…

Down 4.4 lbs and 1″ gone from my midsection

Can I get a Whoot Whoot?

The only thing I’m disappointed with is not reaching my 5lb reward. I really need new lunch containers. Lol.

Dinner last night was easy. Even with half the table having my favourite coconut cream pie for dessert. I chewed ice instead 😉

Make today a great day

Cheers,

Deb

Amazing well done 🙂 love the idea of having prize levels!

My first week weigh in is tomorrow morning so might have to steal that idea and draw up a list this afternoon – sounds like it could be very motivating.

End of week one. I have lost 4.4lbs and 1″

Whoot! Whoot!

So close to the 5lb prize level, lol.

(Check out my profile for my list of rewards)

Enjoy your weekend all!

Cheers,

Deb

Switched to MM’s recipes yesterday,vtrying to get through plateau.

Yesterday

L – mushroom with chickpeas & spinach

D – pan fried salmon with ginger & lime on spinach

S – apricots, hazelnuts & Greek yogurt
(Never want breakfast so use yogurt dish when need a sweet treat. Also gives me a longer fasting period)

Today

L – beetroot falafels with rocket – these are delicious (tried to make them in my smoothy maker, didn’t work so popped to Sainsburys for a blender – double points day so got one for nectar points plus £2.50 – bargain)!

D – Greek salad

S – Greek yogurt, strawberries, Brazil’s & pecans

Great to hear, Janet! 🙂

Sounds good, Lostgirl! You are creating new recipes!!! 🙂 Way to go!!!

Great to hear, Lostgirl! Your half and half is a good idea!!! 🙂

Had an amazing lunch.. See what you have eaten post .. But had Pepsi max .. Half and half with carbonated water ! It’s a start.. It’s not perfect but at the moment it’s all I can do… I am
Also brewing some licorice tea and will turn that into a cordial.. Well just experiment
Thank you for your support.. I am perking up!

Hi Fluffyslippers
Sounds like you’re doing well.
We look forward to you coming over the 8 week line. A lot of us have carried on with fast 800, sometimes with a few more calories.
Best of luck
Penny

Omg one of the best lunches ever!!

I don’t know how this stacks up calorie wise or carb wise but …

Stock is so expensive so bought a veg boullion and mixed accordingly with water. Then added a thickly chopped onion, peas, broccoli and quorn fresh frankfurters chopped up .

Tasted amazing!! And took minutes to do. It served a large bowl ( i use le cruiser soup pots) and then Is leftovers more than one portion worth!!

Thanks for the welcome! I feel a little apprehensive about it all but I think you’re right, Bill1954 that I need to take it one day at a time. Going to spend next couple of days planning, then off I go!

Hi Patsy, NewLife, SunnyB, Spirit and Janet, thanks so much for the encouragement, you’re absolutely right, small losses are still a step in the right direction and we just have to endure the plateaus knowing what we’re eating is doing us the world of good. I will take your advice and not weigh every day, hope for a good result soon. I started on MMs recipes yesterday and OMG they are delicious! Will certainly stick with them. Really recommend the beetroot falafels.

Hi everyone!
I’m wondering what people are doing with their vegetables these days? Do you have any really good ways of preparing your vegetables as either a main or a side dish?

I picked up a recipe yesterday on tv for cauliflower. You coat the top of a full head of cauli in yoghurt with garlic and curry powder and bake in the oven at 170 for 45 mins. I’m thinking if I cut the cauliflower into quarters I might be able to cut the cooking time to 30 mins.

What else can I be doing to have a wider range of veg and keep them interesting?

Thanks in advance.

For the first time in ages, I realised I actually enjoyed going food shopping today. I don’t cook fancy meals or follow recipes as such. Before the diet, I had gotten into a rut of buying very high carb ready meals that I didn’t find inspiring or particularly enjoyable but I didn’t know what else to eat. I hated food shopping then. But now I’m finding my meals more soul-satisfying, the idea that food is doing me good again instead of harming me is a really nice feeling!

I also followed 5:2 last year and have just started BSD for the health benefits rather than weight loss, but anticipate losing about 5 -8 lbs overall.

Losing weight was a bonus and now I just want give my body the best chance as I get older. Having been recommended medication in the past for DT2 and hypothyroidism, I want to be able to prevent any further development by diet rather than medication.

My main problems is carbs and I am hoping to adapt my diet accordingly over the next few weeks – at the moment it’s so easy to go over 50g, but it’s early days. Overall I feel better on 800 cals per day rather than the two 500 cals per day method with 5:2

Wow half a stone down before you’ve even started – congratulations 🙂

You’re right that sudden unexplained weight loss can be a diagnostic factor for type II diabetes – because of the lack on insulin (or lack of a response to insulin) your body isn’t able to take the glucose from your blood to use as energy, so instead it switch to burning your fat and muscle stores instead.

I’m ordering that ‘Black Box Thinking’ right now Lynne! 🙂

Hi, Perth W.A. here, just bought the book today still trying to get my head around it, desperately researching recipes, I love to cook ☺ good luck on your journey, I’m about to start mine…..eeeeekkkk!

Hi Laska, I have also finished the 8 weeks, but with a holiday looming at the end of this month I decided to continue for 4 further weeks, as I will have little control into what I eat the 2 weeks after that. I suspect it may be easier than on a low fat diet – ignoring bread, rice, potatoes, pasta etc should work. I am vegetarian and the holiday is full board and was booked before I started this. I do not expect to be offered much choice, so it will be eat or not, so I am banking a few extra kilo’s off now so I do not shoot up to much during that period!
Looking past that, I may need a couple of weeks back on the 800, then I was looking at doing 5:2, where it is 5 days 800, 2 days not for a few weeks – using the 2 days for days when I am visiting people or at lectures, then moving to 4:3, 4 days 800, and finally reversing to the 2 days 800 and 5 days not. The 800 is always there as a backup should I need it. I have 10kg to go to get to ‘normal’ BMI and that is my target.
I was not sure why you felt you still needed the one ‘fasting day’ when the 4 days on 800ish were already fast days?

Wow Lynne you are introducing your twins to new foods!! Bet they love the spiraliser ( if that is what you used). They will be having so much fun experimenting with new foods.

You haven’t opened a can of worms, Lynne, you have shown us there are people on these forums who have a shared experience of a different kind. We understand each other.

The book I am reading is called ‘The Empathy Trap’ with a subtitle of Understanding Antisocial Personalities. It’s by Dr Jane McGregor and Tim McGregor. I wish this book had been about before I got married – I would have understood all the warning signs and run a mile. My ex’s second wife had him committed. Says it all. It also informs me that those of us caught up in this kind of relationship have done so because we are empathetic personalities. I would highly recommend reading it. I had it on my kindle but so many people want to read pertinent points that I thought it would be easier to have a hard copy which I could highlight. You really ought to get it 🙂

Wow! You are so kind. To be fair, my mum has always been difficult, even before my dad’s stroke etc. I am quite sure she is depressed but the stigma is still there for many older people. Subtle help from her GP is probably the best way forward. We live in a rural area and the carers’ wellbeing support group I tracked down is too far away for her to be bothered to try to get to. Sigh. Working very long hours and also with no-one to support me, I can only do so much. My line manager is supportive, thank goodness. Yes, looking after myself is the most important thing. Thank goodness I’ve discovered this site.

Cherrianne – well done for the support you are giving your family! I think that the only way I can get mine to listen is by doing it first and letting them see the results (hopefully!!).

Well it has finally stopped raining so I’m off for a nice walk 🙂 Enjoy your Sunday.

I’ve seen lots of posts mentioning this, but had something at the back of my head about licorice having an adverse effect on blood pressure. On Friday I checked the packaging for different brands of licorice tea and they all mentioned that sufferers from hypertension (high blood pressure) should limit how much of it they drink, with one brand advising no more than one cup of licorice tea a day for those with high blood pressure.

Sorry to have opened a can of worms ladies! Sorry for apologising. Etc. 😳

Judith, what is the book you are reading? Sounds interesting.

Lunch today was steak with courgetti and carrotetti (?), plus red cabbage with apple
Courgette was new to the girls and they originally said they didn’t like red cabbage, but changed their minds when they tasted it.

Judith and Cherrianne. I saw the book at the railway station and it looked interesting. And was half price at WH Smith

It’s called “Black Box Thinking” by Matthew Syed. One of the comments on the cover says “An extraordinary, inspirational book which reveals how great performers and teams are driven by an insatiable curiosity for marginal gains, together with the intellectual courage to challenge their most cherished assumptions.”

Hi there, hope yr travels on the BSD are going well.

As this is an international site, I just wanted to see how many Aussies are out there doing this, so we can help each other out with what products we see in stores etc. I’m type 2, no meds, and about 6 weeks through the 8 weeks diet. I have had two breaks from the diet so far, life happens. I lost 4 kgs quickly, and have kept them off but not lost any more. Still I happy with progress. I’m a wife, mum of two school aged kiddies and work part time. Good luck everyone.

Hello all!

Nice to see some fellow cysters on the board!

I self diagnosed myself in my early 20’s and luckily my doctor listened to me and did the tests to confirm.

I was insulin resistant for MANY years and tipped over into diabetes about 7 years ago (I’m 42 now). Low carb has always worked for me, but I have to admit I haven’t been the best at sticking to it at all.

I’ve been doing the BSD for 7 days now and, whilst I did struggle the first four days, I am more confident than ever that the combo low-cal/low-carb is the right one for me.

Good luck on your journeys!

Cheers,

Deb

Hi Fluffyslippers
Your weight loss has been tremendous. Well done you! I think your indulgences over Easter were just realistic, if we can manage to have a little bit of something on special occasions without looking to turn every day into a special occasion then that’s a win-win for me. It takes time to develop new habits and to ditch habits of a lifetime so I’m sure you will develop your own strategies in social situations over time.

On the alcohol, I agree with you but also probably we are drinking on more of an empty stomach now than we ever used to. I don’t drink much but I had a few last night while at a reunion do for work. I really can’t cope with the hangovers but I couldn’t before the diet either!

Hi everyone. I am sure l read somewhere that one of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes is weight loss. Is this true? Started diet proper today but last five days l have tried two 600’s and three 800’s days and lost 7lbs.

Hi fluffyslippers , I think the lower calorie intake also affects our reactions to alcohol!

A lot of us are carrying on after the 2 weeks. I’ve increased my calories but still sticking to the principles of the diet. 🙂

Fantastic, Kathy54! Ball is rolling again! 🙂

Same here, Cherrianne 🙂

Cherrianne, what wonderful news! You are inspiring your whole family!! 🙂