Thanks Allychatt. Clearly stated. I’ll stick to counting calories 👍

Hi merrymary, I. Started out at 11stone 10lbs and am now 9 stone 1lb and now have a bmi if 21.7 so I’m pretty happy with that. I increased my calories a few weeks ago and according to the ketostix I am still fat burning – I’m losing ounces rather than pounds but I’m hapy with that. I’m wearing clothes which haven’t seen the light of day for over 10 years!! Today I treatedmyself to 2 new frocks. I have only worn jeans fir years asthey helped to disguise mybelly fat!

This diet is wonderful!

I agree with you about lucia’s posts, she should be a newspaper columnist!! 🙂 x

I love avocado mmmmmmmmm

Hi Lucia,
I seriously believe you are an author in disguise! I love your posts so much. I would buy your book if you wrote one??!! I am in Australia and am just starting day 3 of the BSD. I have read some but not all of your posts. Together with Bill, Hashimoto and Cherianne I feel like I belong here. (I haven’t read everyone’s posts) 😊
Are you all happy with the weight loss you achieved in the 8 weeks? I can’t find anywhere if you have said how much you lost? You are all so inspiring! I am starting to feel better already.
I hope I get to chat with you along my 8 week journey.
I’m going to the kitchen to make my breakfast – an egg with avocado! Yum!!
Chat soon
Love MerryMary xo

My skin is becoming very dry and itchy. I’m having to slap on the body lotion several times a day when possible. I hardly ever used it before. Anyone else experienced this? It’s beginning to get unpleasant. I am drinking loads of water and eating well and weight loss progressing but wondering if this is yet another side effect of the low carbon diet

I agree cherrieanne, my dad says it wasn’t to do with the war as his father trained the family that way, but dad was born 1925 so his dad had gone through the first world war and dad was born only 7 years after it ended. Perhaps people prior to WW1 were so much more savvy than todays generations? It ties in with food history in Tudor, Victorian and edwardian times. We are the lucky ones whose grandparents and parents knew the old ways.

I love cauli leaves too. Brocolli stems have more nutrients than florets etc. Now some fat cat is.making mega bucks from stripping leaves off veg and selling it as super food!. They’ll do the same with turnip tops when they realize they are edible. 🙁

CaptainLynne

Now I’ve seen your latest post I understand why your son and d.i.l. didn’t mention how good you are looking. I suspect they don’t want to admit that they have a problem, so if they don’t acknowledge that your problem is disappearing (along with the excess lbs), they don’t have to admit to theirs!

You just keep on keeping on. Do yourself up to the nines this Wednesday and trust that your friends will be able to share in your success – all of us on these forums certainly are!

Hope you have a lovely time with the girls. As long as they like what they are eating, it won’t matter to them how healthy it is….

Janice xxx

So glad I’m not the only one who enjoys the leaves! I’m especially fond of cauli leaves they are tender and sweet. I use the stems of broccoli in stir fries, coleslaw and soups. My Mum taught us to save the water veg was cooked in to use for gravy and soup. I think those people who grew up in the war time rationing appreciate the need to use all the food and vitamins.

Hi hashimoto,
When I logged on earlier there were thousands of posts with phone numbers very weird, then when I had finished my post I went back on the forums they were all gone, obviously a bit of a blip!
Be seeing you on the eight weeks and after forum on Monday! See you yippee
Christine

Hi all, well I have begun the 8 week challenge of the BSD!! 2 days down and feeling great! Peeing like never before so clearly losing some fluid. I’m not going to weight myself till tomorrow. I figure twice a week is enough without getting too paranoid. I will switch to once a week as time goes on. I cleared out the cupboards of anything tempting but my head is in the right place now so I’m very motivated. Something I have done to help with shift work and to get through the first week is order fresh “Clean and Lean” Youfoodz meals dor dinners. It is a company here in Australia that delivers to your door in an ice packed esky cooler. They aren’t frozen so low in sodium and meals are great like poached chicken and asparagus and quinoa salad. Small portion sizes too. Average calories per serve is 350 so a good dinner amount. I made a slow cooker full of my very low calorie chicken soup too so that is helping for work lunches.
If anyone has good ideas for easy quick recipes I am open to suggestions??
It’s so good knowing there is support here. Hope everyone is well? MM xo

I just made and ate 3 of one of my favorite dishes – homemade cabbage rolls. I bought the mince from Farm Foods, it’s low fat and low carb, but tastes pretty good. Rice is the barenaked rice which is also low fat and low carbs, cabbage low in everything, tomato soup (high in carbs) and tomato juice and one onion. I made a total of 18 rolls, and divided them up into little foil containers for future meals. After having calculated the calories, it works out to around 220 calories per meal give or take a few calories. They were absolutely delicious, had them with green beans for another 34 cals. Even with having Yoghurt twice today before and after my main meal (and feeling very very full) I am still below 500 calories for the day. Happened to me yesterday too, it worked out to just under 500 cal.

Now off to do some situps, then the Wii Fit, and finally the Rowing machine. I even managed a longer walk today with our dog. Poor thing doesn’t remember the word “Walk” anymore as it’s been far too long since I took him out.

Hope you’re all having a good weekend.

hugs
Karra

That’s interesting but includes stevia – a sweetener!

Hi Chicatwist,
The BSD counts calories for quick weight loss, possibly because it is what people are used to, and it is what the original research used.
Those of us who are diabetic are keeping our carbs low because this stabilises blood sugars quite reliably. Anything under 50g carb per day will lower blood sugar and achieve weight loss.
You will lose weight either way you choose to go. If you are diabetic, I would recommend counting carbs. It is a good way of educating yourself about which foods and what size portions are best for blood sugar control once you have lost weight.
Keep posting, and reading, you will pick up plenty of advice and your successes will inspire others. 🙂

Sadly, orchid, barley, wheat and rye are the three main sources of gluten 🙁
Sounds like our mothers made similar soups! 🙂

Did you also get apple dumplings with golden syrup on top when there were plenty of windfalls? 🙂

Thanks hashimoto!

I wish I could post a picture, the snow is sticking now. It looks like a wonderland! So pretty!

Roads should stay fine though. Fingers crossed!

I’m definitely rooting for the angel, there will be fries (on other people’s plates) tonight, lol.

Deb

Hi all, I’ve been slowly learning how this new way of eating works and have been reading forum posts with interest. There are a lot of interesting and intelligent points being made.

When it comes to toothpaste I’m very tempted to start making my own, am generally trying to get rid of chemically based stuff in my life. I came across this post on the subject and hope it’s of interest

http://familysponge.com/health/coconut-oil/homemade-toothpaste-coconut-oil/

Well, thanks Cherrianne., very handy app. I was wondering though do we count calories or carbs for the best results. Some foods are high in calories low in carbs eg rockmelon. Any suggestions? I’m relatively new to this plan 😀

Hi deb, your weather sounds as good as mine! Stay strong tonight, your dream was obviously that little angel on your shoulder!

Enjoy your evening witb your friends 🙂

I hadn’t seen the news, but funnily enough I was in the orange supermarket a few hours ago and saw a bag of brocolli leaves. That was a new one on me and I did a double take to check I really had read the label right! I always cook the whole head, leaves, stalks and all but was surprised that folk would pay for leaves only. And yes I was always taught to add veg water to soup or gravy too. These days I tend to steam them in the microwave though so not much water to add.

Hi julia18 Togo

I will stay on the full diet next week, then next Sunday we go off to Tenerife for a week, where I will eat mainly Mediterranean food with the occasional coffee latte or a piece of choc or ice cream, then when I get back it will be back to the diet until I feel happy with the weight, then do the 5-2 or again occasional 800 week whatever I feel comfy with.
I’m hoping my sugar addiction will have been kicked into touch, however I know I won’t be able to resist certain foods, my daughter who has come for the weekend, with her husband and three of her four boys, was impressed that I had resisted the chocolate cake with cream and mint icing! And ! She noticed straight away that I had lost weight, so I feel that was a real positive for me.

Well done christi, keep posting when over the 8 week line! 🙂

What’s all this about phone numbers! X

Hi Hashimoto, I need to do a bit more background reading as I was sure I had read that Barley was gluten-free! So sorry you can’t eat it any more 🙁 My mother made a very similar soup to that one! My other favourite she used to make was kidney soup – yes really. It was a ham stock, lots of root vegetables, cabbage and kidneys chopped into it with dough-balls (with thyme in them) on top! A meal in one. Not something she made often as it was a lot of prep and cooking, but absolutely lovely.
I can just see kids faces today if they got that put in front of them!

Julia that made me giggle !
My father always says the same re frozen veg. 🙂

Did you see the news about kale being superceded by another range of veg? It included things like the leaves off brocolli et al ? Really?? It’s new? My dad is 90 and he has always said you should cook the cauli leaves with the cauli etc. That cabbage water was too rich in vitamins to throw away – you drank it or added it to the gravy rather than plain water. His is the generation that ate butter,cooked their roasties in goose fat etc. Looks like they knew more than us! 🙂

Happy Saturday!

Just finished making a batch of my Easy Chili (recepie added to the site) so that I have lunch for tomorrow and for the rest of the week.

It’s been sunny, then blizzard, then sunny, then blizzard… All day. Currently snowing, but nothing is sticking to the ground thank gods.

I had a dream last night that I was out with friends at a local fast food place and was being soooo good, until I ordered large fries. The order that came was the size of a cafeteria tray, piled high. I ate two of them and then threw the rest away. I’ve felt guilty about the two I ate in my dream all day. Isn’t our brain fun? I should be impressed that dream me threw the fries out!

Tonight will be a test. I am actually going out with my girlfriends for dinner. I have already planned my meal, and the few who know what I’m doing have promised to keep me on track if I look like I’m about to stray.

Hope everyone has a great evening! It’s weigh in day tomorrow!

Cheers,

Deb

Christi well done on making it this far and don’t leave us!

Judith – if you carry on with this progress you’ll have men queueing up to offer assistance with unzipping your dress 😃.

Lucia – frozen veg is often better than salad. I read once that for every day fresh veg sits on a shelf it loses 10% of its vitamins, whereas frozen veg is frozen soon after harvest so providing you don’t drown them totally when cooking you are getting the vitamins and not the drain. Anyway there is nothing better than green beans briefly sautéed with a knob of butter and a clove of crushed garlic. Although your colleagues might not agree 😃

Thanks julia. I’m hoping for better weather to enable me to get into the garden too 🙂

I am on the eve of my last day on the eight week diet, I have just fed 12 for dinner, with chocolate cake, scones and Easter eggs, I did succumb to a bit of scone! Daughter and husband decided to share one between them so I had a third of hubbys, plus a square of green and blacks choc, ( still under 50 g carbs though)’it will have played havoc with my last weigh in, On Monday but hey you have to join in the celebrations some times don’t you? This was a late Easter gathering and an early birthday party (for me) so I allowed myself forbidden fruits!
Tomorrow is my last day on the diet! I am going to try and be good, chicken for lunch (for 12 again) and no dessert for me, honest, I had my naughty fling this evening,
On a totally random point, what is happening to our forum posts? I just logged on and there are, it seems, thousands of unrelated posts on numerous errors topics with phone numbers etc, what’s going on?

Seems like lots of us are enjoying new clothes. And I love the idea of the hair getting done and lippy going on as well as the new clothes for a midweek lunch, Judith! Knock ’em dead, I say!

I feel like I am getting to know you all so well. What heartache so many have gone through and yet what generosity of spirit on this brilliant forum. It must be one of few where there is no backstabbing. Just overwhelming support.

So many good things I am learning here from you all and not only about the diet. Have a good Sunday everyone – am hoping for less rain up here tomorrow so I can finish sanding the shed and tidying my garden 😊

Hi Fifip. Prunes are definitely not a banned substance. Michael directs us to low GI and hi-fibre foods. Prunes are highly recommended on low GI as are kumara (orange sweet potato). I know as both are ‘sweet’ it seems counter intuitive but so long as you watch your quantities and fit them into the overall 800 calories it will be fine and the increase of fibre will help with constipation and your weight loss. Im finding including legumes such as chick peas, black eyed beans etc is also helpful with constipation. I cook them myself from dried varieties so that i get them as tender as I like them and know there are no additives. Keep your fluids up too. Good luck.

Thanks orchid, its lovely not to look 6 months pregnant in a dress at 63! 🙂

I tried these and they were a total disaster – the birds got them. And I was upset too by the waste of money and ingredients. I’ve decided not to try any of the “sweet” recipes in the book. That recipe can’t have been tested, can it?

Captainlynne, I so felt for you when I read you post. Sometimes people are scared to say something in case they are wrong or are worried you are ill! They may also have seen some thing different and were not sure what it was. A friend was telling me last week that she had straightened her hair the day before, and people who knew her were asking if she had started wearing glasses (she has always worn glasses) or if she had got new glasses! They knew there was something different, but could not pin it down!
I am going home in 3 weeks, not sure if anyone will notice or not. I do expect a ‘you are looking well’, but not much more. We are still grieving my sister-in-laws death (she would have noticed!) plus nephew has important exams so there is so much going on. However, like you – this is for me and not for anyone else. I am having a great time on this journey and trying on different clothes from the back of the wardrobe each night. I know there is a big difference!
Keep up the great work.

Hi lynne, what a problem you have there.

It might not sit well with you but I wouldn’t say anything to the twins, just adjust their diet to a healthy one. I doubt the family would think twice about a cooked breakfast or fruit and yoghurt as anything other than breakfast.

A bit trickier when son and d in l come, if they comment on no starchy food on your plate explain you are having to cut starchy carbs for medical reasons – which is true – and hope they don’t make a fuss. If they do, could you say you are doing it under medical supervision – you are going to your diabetes clinic regularly so if it was causing you health problems it would come to light. Not too much of a stretch of the truth.

I feel for you because you are in a tricky non supportive situation with your family.
You are right to worry about your d in l. Cruising to disaster with her eyes wide shut.

Are your son’s professionals medical people?

X

Well done Hashimoto – lovely feeling to get into something you did not expect to – congrats.

You’re not rambling, lynne, you are making very important points – and you are pointing us all the way to go in terms of activism! 🙂

Well, lucia I went shopping for a white cardi and came home with two cardies and two frocks. I got carried away when I realised they looked ok on me. I’m going to wear one out to lunch on Wednesday! I even walked out of the cubicle to ask an assistant to zip the back of one frock up. Haven’t done anything like that for YEARS! I. Lovethis diet! 🙂

Judith, I was reading a book on the train earlier. Basically it was about how we treat failure. It highlighted the aeronautical industry – who have procedures in place to learn from errors and improve safety. It also highlights the medical profession – which has a completely different system. It made me think of the situation we are in – not only with the medical professionals but also with the processed food producers (and those who add sugar to raw meat and poultry) and now companies like the toothpaste makers. To have to admit they got it wrong will not come easily.

We are in interesting times, there is so much in the media about low-carb so ‘they’ will have to listen eventually and start to make changes. All the evidence and results we are collecting on here is part of the battle.

Sorry, might be rambling – it’s been a long tiring day!

Hi captain Lynn,
At least I was not bright red, out of puff and perspiring.
I looked cool and casual in my size 12 USA.
🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴 🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴

Saw my friend to Laugh and cry with.
Then to the shops, stocked up in Iceland especially the fish pieces.
I could not get emotionally involved with salad, I think I have had enough of it, so I went for Ireland’s frozen veg.
See, I am trying to mix it up.
I have only had two meals today and I am feeling full.
Chicken for the main meal, with yogurt and mint. Yup weird, but great.

How you all doing.
And what are you all up to?

Love Lucia xxxxx

Thanks Cherrianne. I’ve told the girls there are some things I can’t eat anymore. Gave them the choice of a cooked breakfast or the yogurt and berries.

Judith, When they’ve been here before breakfast has been cereal or toast so either cooked or yogurt and berries is a step forward. Got two more microwave pizzas and more microwave chips in the freezer (only carbs I didn’t throw out when I started the BSD).

It’s going to be interesting to see how the girls react to eating lower carb.

Last time I tried a low–carb diet their parents disapproved. They (and my son’s professionals) know best😳 Much as I appreciate their gift of jams and chutneys, they know I’m diabetic – so it was an odd choice😳 But they both eat carbs at every meal. I might be ‘chicken’ but I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut to keep the peace😱

I admit to being worried when I saw my son’s partner today. She’s not diabetic as far as I know but has a significant number of health issues. Today she was even larger than before (possibly partly caused by meds and partly by lack of mobility) and was breathless. The weight is all round her middle! Although she shouldn’t touch alcohol because of some of her meds, she still drinks it.

I’m a believer in leading by example so hope their seeing the results will help. It’ll be interesting when they come here 😳 In the past I’ve eaten what they eat, but can’t do that now. That will be when they notice something different!

Well done sthomas, what a brilliant first week! Welcome to the forums, keep sharing your journey 🙂

Hi Janice,
I too want to keep on keeping on. When I started the BSD, I opted not to get hung-up on calorie counting, preferring a more relaxed approach so I accepted that any weight loss would probably be slower. We all hit a low from time to time so I’ve learned that it’s not the end of the world if I give in to the occasional temptation – and I mean occasional, it’s when it becomes regular that the trouble begins! But I’ve been feeling more positive today so onwards & upwards (or should that be downwards)….
Regards, Rose

Thanks Janice, I’m going to listen to you and cherrieanne 🙂

Hi all have just ordered my vlcd packets of food to start the bfd. I did Liter life and did lose 3 stone but lost a little hair and am scared of this happening again. I want a kick start for week 1 but then want to try real food. Anyone done the same thing? Love Michael Moseley and love the science behind this so am going to try again and lose the weight.

Love your introduction, shortapple!
I too had a hysterectomy a few years ago and I reckon that was a major factor in my rapid weight gain which ultimately led to me trying the BSD this year. (I’d always been pretty active but post-op I went down to zilch exercise and had to build up again, but the weight went on faster than I could keep it off. Diets that had worked previously just didn’t cut it anymore.)
Sounds like you have the right attitude, good luck with the diet,
Rose

Go for it Judith – Cherrianne is right. Show them what a glamour-puss you are. They will be so astounded that they won’t try pushing you to have an unsuitable pudding!!
Janice

Hi Grandma48 I have had 6 weight plateaus in the 8 weeks and at least one rise. Some were due to constipation I think when my intake was very low for a few days and I probably did not drink enough. Plotting weight regularly after the first 4 weeks shows and interesting curve. My BP has really dropped now and I feel tons healthier too. Jenny says Hi and has lost over 8 kg too. It is good to be on a good news site as we do not do social media elsewhere. Keep smiling…

RozyDozy
I too am a slow loser, but I am losing and my usual trousers are now too loose, and the others, a size smaller, are just a little on the tight side, so I just want to keep on keeping on. It’s not possible not to lose weight on such a small calorie intake, but as Janet 1973 says, to get an average, some will lose loads and others just a little. As long as we keep losing, it’s the right result.
Janice

Well done SkyWalker. I think the spreadsheet idea is really good because the proof is in front of you if you have a down day! I had a couple of those this week when I gained 2lbs between Tuesday and Thursday, but by today it’s off again and when I look back to where I started from I am encouraged once again. Well done to your wife as well.

Thanks Cherrianne, I think I will!! I may pop back into the hairdressers to get my hair blow dried too – it never looks as good when I do it myself. I will even put some make up on – now that will be a red letter day!! 🙂

Janet has made a very valid point – we like the idea of the massive weight loss which MAY be experienced and then get disappointed when we don’t get the same results. My weight loss has been a bit up & down over the past few weeks but the trend has been more down than up, I’ve lost a stone and it’s taken nearly 3 months – just recently people I know have been saying that they can see a difference in me. But this past week has been a difficult one – very up & down (spirit as well as weight) but today I was feeling more on top of things so hopefully I will see a resumption of weight loss. I’m hoping the 13000 steps I clocked up today tearing around like a blue-arsed fly at work will make a difference! (The air will be blue Sunday morning if not!!!)
Be patient, take care,
Rose