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!! 🙂

Duh! would be good if I could count . I meant ‘4 days doing the BSD M diet .. (not 5 .. )

that is 2 days eating what I want (with wine most likely but really watching the bad carbs) ,and 4 days doing the BSD M diet at around 8/900 , then 1 day fasting (a light dinner of protein. veggies only ) ? I can do this FRi eve and sat ,being the 2 ‘higher days’ Sunday fasting, ..( no breakfast or lunch ) Mon-Thursday 800/900 cals.
How does that sound ?

Hi fifip,
They are new to me so I’ll have a look, thanks. You’re right about the stevia, its a plant rather than a chemical so it doesn’t spike the blood sugar or have the same acidity as others such as aspartame. I think xylitol is also a natural sweetener. Rose is our resident expert on such things, she’s a dentist.

Cherrianne, you are echoing the thought I didn’t like to mention. My mum started getting ‘difficult’ at the early stage of dementia. That’s what made me think of it. The best thing is to have the doctor involved as soon as possible because if it is dementia, not just depression, then she can go on meds to delay it getting worse. If it’s depression the same applies. I know with mum she realised what was happening and made a very concerted effort to disguise it. Her own doctor was absolutely useless so I ended up getting advice from my own GP as to how to move forwards when things got really bad.
Mag, the sooner you talk to mum’s GP the better. If it is the very early stages of dementia you need to know from the GP what kind of support you can get for later on. If it’s depression then it will be easily solved.

Most of all you really need to look after yourself. I carried on in a job that demanded many hours of work and helped with mum. It took a huge toll on me as my own health wasn’t too good to start with. I had no one to tell me to take time for myself.
If it is the worst – early stages of dementia – it is best to talk to your line manager and let them know what you are facing. Tell them you don’t need time off for appointments at the moment but things might change in the coming years.
The more moral support you can get for yourself the better.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you x

HI all..so aftre my 8 weeks I am
19lbs down , 5 inches off waist .. back to ‘normal BMI ..i’d really like to lose another 10 lbs to get back to 10 stone

I need to start negotiating how to make this work going forward as I did the Fast Diet successfuly three years ago , then put it all back on! ,

So i far Im thinking doing a sort of’ 2:4.1′. that is 2 days eating what I want (with wine most likely but really watching the bad carbs carbs) ,and 4 days doing the BSD M diet at around 8/900 , then 1 day fasting (a light dinner of protein. veggies only ) ? I can do this but FRi eve . sat , o the 2 ‘higher days’ Sunday fasting, ..( no breakfast or lunch ) mon-thursday 800/900 cals.
How does that sound ?

HI all.. joining you here on the post 8 week thread!
19lbs down , 5 inches off waist .. back to ‘normal BMI ..i’d really like to lose another 10 lbs to get back to 10 stone

I need to start negotiating how to make this work going forward as I did the Fast Diet successfuly three years ago , then put it all back on! ,
So i far Im thinking doing a sort of 2:4.1. that is 2 days eating what I want (but watching the carbs ,and 5 days doing the BSD M diet at around 8/900 , then 1 day fasting (a light dinner of protein. veggies only ) ? ,, how does that sound ?

Hi Magpie, could your Mum be suffering from depression? That might be a reason for her lack of motivation, or the onset of dementia. Either way a chat to the GP is a great idea. Often older people are so frightened of appearing to not be coping that they cover up really well to GP’s, District Nurses etc. Her GP may be unaware of any concerns about her motivation or health. Your Dad sounds pretty amazing and determined bless him!
Yes Judith, Mum started the BSD just after me. Took a while for her to get her head around being able to go full fat, and watching her carbs but she’s done really well. So well that my brother started the fast800 last week, and my Dad has been enquiring about going low carb because he wants to have the same amount of energy she has. Now that was something jaw dropping because he’s a typical Englishman of his generation. Loves his bread, potatoes, dumplings, pastry and talks longingly of his Mum’s suet puddings, treacle pud, spotted dick etc. all of which Mum refuses to make for him as he doesn’t need the calories.
My sister gave Mum a fit bit thingy for her 75th birthday which she loves. For the first month we were getting daily updates on how many steps and how much sleep she was getting. It ‘talks’ to her phone so we were even getting screen shots of her tally. She is rightly proud of her achievements and we are proud and pleased that we’re likely to have her around for a lot longer. 🙂

Hi
I’m type 2 diet only. Had BP before & take meds.
Need to lose weight as practice nurse keeps telling me to try metaformin & add in another BP tablet.
Mentioned this diet to her – answer she had never heard of it , eat healthy, exercise & you won’t have a problem with your weight.
I only have 2 weeks before I go on holiday, thinking I should wait until I get back or would you start it now ? I try on holiday but not so strict we r self catering.
Any advice & guidance welcome please

Today’s menu

L – cauliflower & broccoli cheese
D – lamb gyros with stir fried broccoli, green beans & asparagus
S – Greek yogurt & frozen berries

Hi vcolq best of luck from me too.
Just take it one day at a time and keep telling yourself that’s another day towards not wanting the red wine and choccy. Do that and sometime in week 2 or earlier it will become a reality. Lot’s of us were amazed that not only do we not want those things now, we actually don’t think of them.

Yes I was wondering that too Judith, it sounds like an interesting book. Never miss an excuse to read a new book 🙂

Yesterday’s menu:

B – yogurt with ground linseed topping
L – Lettuce, shaved parmesan and Caesar dressing
D – 2 x mini chicken fillets, 3 x chicken wing pieces and lettuce with Caesar dressing

Today’s menu:

B – yogurt with raspberries, blueberries and a sprinkle of mace
L – one egg omelette with hummus and smoked salmon
D – pulled ham with lettuce, shaved parmesan with olive oil and sherry vinegar dressing

Thanks, hashimoto, I hadn’t thought of talking to her GP. That could be the way forward as any suggestions from the doctor might be taken more seriously than anything I suggest. Yes, my dad is doing OK – I found him mowing the lawn the other day!

Anyway, I need to look after myself too so onward and upward! 🙂

Also I found that I felt really sick the next day after drinking one vodka with diet soda. So I’m off alcohol for the 8 weeks, did anyone else find they got sensitive to alcohol? I’m guessing it is something to do with changing liver function?

Hi alexginda
Go ahead and ‘save’ some calories for your special events and then enjoy them. I have had a wedding and hubby’s birthday since starting the BSD and used the same method to cater for them. I think on both weeks concerned, I averaged slightly over the 800 per day at the end of the week, but that’s two weeks out of eight (for me minimum) and I am still losing weight, so am not stressing about failing to being dead on the calorie target.

My advise is to keep a check on your carb intake, as this might well impact on weight lose if too high (try to keep it about 50g per day). And be sure to keep fluid intake up as well, as this assists the weight lose too.

Look forward to reading your first week results soon.

Hashimoto 123 now I have just signed

Hi guys
I am just starting Week 6.
Starting weight 101kg, now at 94kg (15.9 stone to 14.8? so I’ve lost approx 15 lbs/7kg)
I’ve been amazed how well I feel, and losing the constant hunger has been great. I did have a bit of trouble over Easter – so many food traditions – and I allowed myself a 2 easter eggs, 2 hot cross buns and a few tiny bites of dark chocolate over the weekend. My triggers are social eating more than anything, I can feel a bit deprived or left out when I can’t eat what others are having, but I recognise that my body is different. I tell myself my body is built for survival in hard times – just that we have too much food around now!

My weight loss has been moderate, not fast, and with a few plateaus, so all the posts about others having slow periods or bouncing up a little are very encouraging.
Best answer to feeling hungry has been to increase my salt intake. I was craving nuts all of a sudden and thought I needed the fat, but it was actually the salt. And drinking heaps of water seems to drop my weight – but with a 24-48 hour delay!
Looking forward to the 8-week line, I’m not sure what I’ll do then. Maybe keep going on 800-Fast for a bit longer?

Hi everyone!
I also have polycystic ovaries and insulin resistance. I’m day 8 of the diet and today had some bleeding after years of no ovulation/menstruation. Hoping to be able to come of the metformin and get pregnant this year like Cassie in the book! Fingers crossed, but taking today as a good sign!!
Nice to have found some women here going through similar things. I feel like PCOS is so common now? My sister just found out she has it too.

122 signatures now, come on peeps, as Janet says let’s keep this thing rolling along!

Good luck on starting the Fast 800 vcolq. Don’t waste time beating yourself up for the blip – you have proved you can make positive change and you will do it again. Make good use of the forum for support and let us all know how you do once you have started the new regime – I’m sure you’ll be posting great results very soon.

Hi Janet, have you thought about one of those fruit-water bottles? I have just ordered one – if you look at the Resources part of this site, they are there. This might work for you?

Mag, I’m so sorry to hear that. Perhaps you should phone her GP to discuss it with him/her as what you are describing is concerning. 🙁 Good on your dad for trying to stay active. 🙂

I think Stevia is ok diet-wise, I haven’t got the book with me but am convinced there was something about it in there, it is derived from a plant, not a chemical-cocktail. I am not a fizzy-drink person, am lucky that I don’t have this to deal with.

But coffee is good for asthma so I still have 2 cups of coffee in the morning – then water and herbal teas for the rest of the day!! If any one tried to take away my coffee……..

If you keep away from sweeteners long enough your tastes will adjust, hopefully 🙂

Hi Ambi
Well done on sticking with it, even when you were suffering so badly. I personally think the first week is the worst. After that, I found I settled into the rhythm of the new eating regime quite quickly. Like you, I find it tough drinking just water, so I divide mine between plain water and herbal teas. I keep a 200ml glass by the side of my kitchen sink and every time I go into the kitchen, I drink a glass of water, which I record on my check list. You’d be surprised how small a 200ml glass is, making it bearable to quaff quite quickly.

I find mint tea and lemon and ginger teas settling for the stomach and fruit teas can be drunk cold as well as hot, so they make a good option to help keep fluid intake up.

I’m sure we will be reading your positive results soon. Keep with it and I’m sure you will be feeling much better soon.

Hello SOS, have you changed soap, shower gel, laundry products recently – daft question but worth asking!?

My mum was from Sandy Gate, Marley Hill. We lived down South but she wanted us to have the same childhood as she had experienced, we ran wild, such a shame so many children don’t get to experience this type of childhood any more. Everyone is so risk-averse, fear obsessed.

Hi SOS,
I haven’t heard of anyone else suffering fom dry skin. One person found themselves with a bad problem with spots on their face but I think yours is a first.
Some people report peeing a lot more than normal in the first couple of weeks. If this is happening to you, it might be that you are getting dehydrated.
The other thing to check is to make sure you are getting a good amount of fats/ oils in your diet. This may help dry skin.

Lets keep this thing rolling along!

Hi Judith, I saw that episode of trust me I’m a doctor. All of them were fascinating, I’m eagerly awaiting the next series or a programme about us!!

Thanks for the advice on liquorice tea, unfortunately I cant stand the stuff and would die of thirst if it was the only thing available! I don’t like stevia for the same reason, it tastes of liquorice to me. No, I think I’ve just got to bite the bullet on this one and stick with the fizzy water. Maybe improved weight loss will be enough of an incentive. cordial isn’t great for me either as it sets off my sensitive teeth. Tooth kind my eye!

But if anyone tries to take away my coffee….oh wait, that’s bad for underactive thyroid sufferers too isn’t it?? Sometimes life sucks!

Thank you, hashimoto and Cherrianne, your quick responses are really appreciated. I forgot to say that my dad had a stroke 8 years ago and it is since then my mum has become harder to motivate to look after herself. Dad is quite active for a person who is paralysed down one side but my mum is causing me so much concern. She barely moves and I’ve tried so many different ways to help her but she has just given up. At 78 – and as my dad’s carer – it’s very worrying. She refuses all suggestions of support and is increasingly difficult. It is adding considerably to my own stress levels and so, as you have suggested, the best way is to lead by example.

You are both so encouraging. Thanks! 🙂

Hi FiFip sounds like we had almost identical childhoods!! My mum couldn’t use a whistle though as dad worked a lot of night shifts. We were just told to be back at dinner time – and hoped our stomachs would tell us when that was! Unless we took jam sandwiches and water and stayed out over the hills all day! 🙂

Hi Lynne, I meant to ask – what was the book called? I might order it for myself. Hope you are having lots and lots of fun with the girls!!! 🙂

Yep, raced around the woods, had a den, climbed trees, explored the stream, mum had a police whistle, used to use it when she needed to get us back inside for mealtimes!

Thanks for that Switzerland. I stopped off on the way home from the beach today and bought the last one on the stall. I was hoping someone would tell me what to do. Shows you can rely on the forums 🙂 always someone willing to help.
I’ll have a go at baking it tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.

Yeh FiFip, I was so skinny my nickname was ‘rake’ as in skinny as a rake. Bet you ran about all day like me when you were a kid? Jumping becks, swinging on tarzies, climbing trees ( I even had a ‘reading’ tree in the woods), running up hills, building dens etc etc

Hi Janet, there was an episode on ‘Trust me I’m a Doctor’ where an experiment with sweeteners and stevia showed saccharin types of sweeteners caused all sorts of unexpected problems in the body – even raising cholesterol. Partly why I am so concerned now I have discovered saccharin in several toothpastes!!!

Try the liquorice herbal tea – really sweet – but no sugars or sweeteners! I can’t believe how sweet it is. It tastes just like the ha’penny liquorice root ‘sticks’ I bought as a nipper – you know the ones you could chew all day and the still tasted sweet?

Like Cherrianne, I am having to put one teabag in a large teapot as it is far too sweet for me one bag to a mug. You could have it hot or cold. You could make it strong, chill it and add sparkling water for a fizzy drink, and no damage done!
🙂

Oh yes, my mum used to make lovely dumplings like this, golden syrup on one end, jam on the other & I was such a skinny kid!!

Wow, cherrianne, I didn’t realise your mum was doing it too! Amazing results for her too! Fantastic! 🙂

I love Pepsi max – as much as I love coffee. I managed to stay off the PM for about five weeks but it has slowly crept back in. I think I have been in denial about how it affects me but last week I only lost half a pound and had quite a lot of PM. I would have expected better weight loss as I know I was burning fat well once I got past the ‘Easter Sunday effect’. PM was on today’s shopping list but I’m going to swerve it and see if it helps at all. Again wishful thinking, but I just can’t get my head around why something with zero calories would be so bad for me?

Hi Ambi, welcome to the forums. You really have had a rough start but you should be proud of yourself for sticking with it. 🙂
As Hashimoto has said the liquorice tea does help. So do some of the fruit teas like spiced apple, or apple and ginger. They are very soothing to a hungry tummy when drunk warm, and nice cold too. A slice of lemon in hot water helps with sugar cravings. It’s best to avoid sweeteners altogether if you can, because they do trigger the same reaction as sugar and you won’t lose the addiction. Maybe try fizzy water with a slice of lemon, orange or lime? I cut my citrus up into thin slices and keep them in a zip lock bag in the fridge ready to add to hot or cold water. If you want tea or coffee with milk make sure you add it to your count.
This way of life is worth the initial battle. Your body will soon be repaying you with more energy and renewed health. Keep posting, we’ll celebrate your success with you and support you through the tough times.

Our protein levels are coming in higher than 60. We eat quite small portions of protein, usually up to 100g of meat and fish, with 2 eggs, 10/20/30g of cheese (depending on how hard it is) and between 50-75g of yogurt. So we are often halving supermarket portions of gammon, steak etc. When I looked at the amount of actual grams of protein in my protein portions, it came in higher than 60, nearer to 70g and I didn’t actually add in the protein within the other things I ate, like veg or caraway seeds. So I think the amount will be coming in nearer to 80g. I don’t think you need to worry about this as even at its lowest, we will still be well above nutritionally recommended amounts. You do need enough protein to stop you feeling hungry. We are only using a couple of teaspoons of oil per day. I would like to increase this to about 4 teaspoons of olive oil, mostly taken cold, given the recent research. We are just avoiding sugar even in fruit, as the sugary ones are high in carbs too. When I am desperate for something sweet, I am now having a cup of coffee with milk and a saccharine tablet. Which seems to work. Hope this helps. But I am in my first week, so there are probably much more experienced people to advise you.

Ok, in that case I won’t feel too bad about corrupting you!

Hi Magpie, welcome. My Mum is a young 75 year old who now has heaps of energy, has only 0.3% to go on her HbA1c to be in the non diabetic range. She has lowered her cholesterol to the point of not needing statins. Her BP is great and she lost 8kg on the fast 800. She averages over 12,000 steps per day, often 15,000. Your parents could do it too, and once they see your success they’ll be motivated to have a go.