You have to wonder when they are everything-free, exactly what is in them and is it going to be good for you? I would recommend giving it a few more days, you will probably find your cravings will go away soon. You can also try things like spiralised courgette and carrots and cauliflower rice and mash. These are clearly more natural and more nutritious.

I think either Hashimoto or captainlynne use an alternative for pasta, they might be able to shed more light in that one.

Hi all.
Having started the Fast 800 plan, I’m only onto day 4 but still craving white carbs. Having researched this i found a brand in Holland & Barrett called ‘Eat Water’, and there are a variety of products (penne, fettuccine, rice, noodles). They claim that they are only 9cal a pack, are gluten free, fat free, sugar free, carb free and wheat free. Im amazed, has any one tried any of these products? And are they ok to have on this plan? Thanks Kate 🙂

9.5 g of carbs per 100 g for raw carrot so better than chocolate or crisps but not quite as good as veg like cauliflower or broccoli which about 7g. In the grand scheme of things, not a lot carbs unless you are aiming for under 20 g a day

After a bad time over easter got back on track
Learnt that trying to cope with emotional trauma via wine does not help
Anyway back to the weight at 24th March – lost a week but hey ho!

Thanks janet1973. Have ordered and will pass on ☺

Hi folks, thought raw carrots = good, cooked carrots converts the starch to sugar = bad?

I love a raw carrot , please tell me they are OK to gnaw on when I get a nibble-need !

Awh thanks for checking in guys!

Day four went well, day five is not bad either! I’m doing exams at the moment (which usually would involve some rewarding / indulging treats) but really trying hard to stick with it. “i need the sugar hit” to get me through the evening in the library just isnt cutting it anymore! I do find I really have to take it one day at a time, and be like ‘today i will only eat 800kcals’ cos if i think of the long term i get overwhelmed!

Thank you all. I am not looking to lose weight but to stay healthy and keep skinny on the inside 🙂

Fch53, very best of luck with your weight loss, it’s a fascinating journey we are all on and we are all learning new cooking techniques as well as food ideas. I got a spiralizer do-dad as well, & yes SaraB, it really is a revelation isn’t it!? Once I got the hang of it & recovered from piercing my finger (oops) it has made life a lot easier to see something that looks familiar on the plate taht’s tasty and won’t cause weight-gain!

You can still cook same food for family ie chili, spag Bol, stuffed peppers, but make the healthy BSD versions, & make sure your families have larger portions if necessary, including relevant carbs, it doesn’t feel so bad if you are eating nearly the same as them. I have my hubby on the BSD too, so it’s slightly easier

I also agree on the windy-bum front, incredible isn’t it…… carb-bum

; )

Hi Bill

I am new to the forum but I want to see, not just congratulations on what you have achieved, but to thank you for all your inspiring posts which have been quietly spurring me on for the last few weeks. I have lost nearly a stone and my target is to get my BMI under 30 and to come off my blood pressure medication. You make it all seem so achievable. Thank you.

Pam 1954

Great results steve and ei!

Hi Bill and Susan, I remember watching a ‘Trust me I’m a doctor’ program where sweeteners were tested, saccharin v stevia. The results were not at all what was expected. The saccharin style sweeteners did all kinds of awful things to blood test results. The stevia didn’t.
I’m not recommending Stevia, though, I got rid of my own tub. I don’t want any more sugar then necessary – i.e. from natural foods. 🙂

Hi Whalkeyrange
That’s a great weight loss!
Re peeing- it’s normal to pee more at the beginning as you use up your glycogen stores which also hold water. For this reason it’s also important to eat s bit more salt as you’re peeing salt out too.
I don’t know about the cold extremities- you could have a look at jane Ruhls book ‘low carb problems solved'(£3 on kindle) – I don’t know if she covers that or not but she covers a lot of things.
Have you looked at the recipes people have posted on here( at the bottom of the page)?
Best of luck
Penny

I found Day 1 to be fairly easy. I’d recently been experimenting with water-only fasting, going from 24 to 48 hours. Compared to that, this seems easy and I find that I can be satisfied by 800 calories if I choose them carefully. I’m also reminding myself that 8 weeks is only 56 days. I can do most anything for 56 days, especially if I take it a day at a time!

Hi Daz
good to see you back on the wagon after Easter, and even better to see those sugar readings decreasing.
I had an eye exam 2 weeks ago and the consultant said that the vessels in my retinas were looking really healthy with no inflammation since I started the diet. I did have cataract replacements carried out during my vitrectomy ops, it’s weird not wearing spectacles any more apart from for reading.
Looking forward to seeing you cross the 8 week line and hear your end results.

Hi Steve & Ei
Great results. Keep preaching the “gospel according to Messrs. Mosley & Taylor”

Penny,

I use net carbs because that is what my body reacts to – the number is more helpful in terms of gauging how I am likely to react to a particular food. Not knowing where you are, if you are using labels you need to make sure you understand what the product label includes. In the US, the carb count is the total carbs so you have to subtract fiber. In the UK (most of Europe?) I beleive the label is already net carbs.

Some people subtract sugar alcohols (or some portion of sugar alcohols). I don’t consume enough of them to know whether my body reacts to sugar alcohols or not – but that is the basis on which I’d decide whether to subtract them or not.

It’s a question that generates a fair amount of heat in some low carb/keto groups. 🙂

Thanks for the ideas Penny. Like the sound of the biscuits, was planning to get some almond flour, so think I will try those out.

Saw my (new) diabetic nurse, eventually, today. She’s thrilled with today’s weight/waist. 9st 13lbs/30″ (male 63, 5′-8″). Down from 11st /34″ at week 1, but probably about 12st when diagnosed 3 years ago .
HbA1c was done about 4 weeks ago, with a 4 week wait for the nurse, so the results are based on about week 4 of the diet, and the 3 months before. Tried to explain what diet I was on. When she kept on about “if people would stick to the diet”, I’m not sure if we were talking about her NHS one, or my BSD one. I should have taken the book to wave.
HbA1c was 6. Down from 7+ (and a threat of meds) in October. It would be interesting to see what it would be like after 3 months of BSD, but probably got to wait a year find that out. It would be nice to have more testing done but as T2s are swamping the NHS anyway it won’t happen. Told me I didn’t need to test my BG as the HbA1c was all I need. Said I still will – keeps me on the straight and narrow. My money!
The only blot was my cholesterol is “up a bit”, but as I was only on week 4, when tested, who knows what’s actually happening now. As I am a bit of a cholesterol disbeliever, anyway, I won’t worry too much.
Mixed feelings from my, post diet, brush with the medics, but I feel good so……..
Thanks Michael Mosley. I see we share a birthday, 22 march.

I posted on FB that my week 2 was a fail, weight-wise at least. Had several family outings plus Easter – all resulted in loss from week 1 being eroded!

However, blood sugars have come down (and apart from the Easter weekend blip) and stayed down!! Average morning reading is just over 8, and the later afternoon one is just over 5. This is in comparison to 15+ and 8+ !!

So, I started week 3 with renewed determination to get back on track, and that is indeed what is happening – the weight has started to come off again already. Now just need to get up and get walking regularly to help it along 🙂

I also had my 6 month eye screen yesterday (30th) and was pleased to hear that there is no worsening of deterioration of the blood vessels and they were pleased things are stable. I have the start of cataracts (which I knew from last time), and these are still at the early/mild stages – so again I’m pleased (and relieved) at this!!

Thanks to everyone here and FB for ongoing support!
Cheers
Daz

All too complicated! I don’t want to be diabetic, but its a bit late in life to become a scientist. I need it simple. I used to create flowcharts for newbies at work. If this happens do this – if that happens do that – etc etc. Give me one of those.

Hi Susuan
I did read somewhere that artificial sweeteners can cause high sugar readings because they actually change the way that the good bacteria in your gut work.
I stopped them after reading that.

Hi Deb
into ketosis on day 3 ? no wonder you’re proud of yourself 😀
I test my sugar levels as soon as I wake and then again just before dinner (1800 – 1900 depending)
If I’m on track of something, ie a spurious reading somewhere, I may test as often as 4 times a day to try and pinpoint where the trouble is.
Headaches will go soon then you’ll be feeling great.

Good ideas there, Penny 🙂

Very true Bill, I bet a lot of them have rellies in ‘the old country’ 🙂

Thanks Pam. I have posted the petition to my facebook page as well, quite a few have.

Hopefully hubby’s diabetes will be reversed!! Just look at Bill 1954’s results!! 🙂

Hi Sunnyb
I ve been thinking about this as I had such a bad experience with airline food- then got a stomach upset from it!
Will you have a cool box in the car- I think you can even get plug in ones. If you do, then cooked low cal sausages, hard boiled eggs and frittata are possible. As well as tomatoes, celery etc.
For more ‘nibbly’ things- ‘Biscuits’ made with almond flour, gram flour, egg, butter, sesame seeds.
– Apple and courgette muffins that are in the recipes section.
If I think of any more I ll let you know!
Penny

Ooh err! Maybe that’s my downfall. I take sweeteners in tea/coffee – didn’t realise they were not ok as mine are zero cals. I always count a tea or coffee as 7cals to account for milk. I’ll try to stomach no sweetener!!!

Hi all those dedicated people who had the gumption to start the petition. I have just signed it, so thought I should go the whole hog and post this on the forum. After reading Dr Mosley’s book, I checked my blood sugar and found I was officially diabetic. I am already on treatment for high blood pressure, so it seemed it was now or never. My weight loss was ok for the first 2 weeks but has since stalled (2 bad weekends, I’m afraid), so I need to get back on track. Hopefully, posting this will spur me on. I hope more people sign the petition (I think I was number 111).

I have 2.5 to 3 stone to lose. My husband doesn’t need to lose weight but his diabetes needs better control and all the GP does, of course, is increase his medication.

Will let you know how we improve – I am determined we will improve.

So yesterday, day 3…

I was fine for the first half of the day, but then the headache hit around 1pm and nothing except falling asleep could stop it. I looked at my food log for the day and found the problem (aside from it being Day 3). I had only eaten 15g of carbs! I will do better today! Head is fine this morning, so fingers crossed!

Had a major victory yesterday. I had to go to the bank, so I walked on the underground path (I work in Toronto, the PATH connects most of the buildings in the downtown core, in a kind of underground mall. So we don’t have to walk outside in the winter). Anyway. All throughout are food courts, chocolate stores, bakeries (there may be other stores but, yesterday, I didn’t notice). The voices in my head started trying to justify having, a chocolate truffle, McDonald’s, a cream Napoleon… I told them to shut it, and kept walking until I was safely above ground again. I am really proud of myself.

Tested my Ketones this morning and I was in the medium range, so I am excited about that.

QUESTION: when does everyone test their blood sugar? I do fasting and right before bed, but was wondering if I should test mid-day as well…

My readings have been close to normal since starting btw 😄👍🏻

GOALS TODAY:
1. Eat more good carbs!
2. Go for a walk at lunch.
3. Plan meals for next week and do shopping list.

Cheers,

Deb

Penny mail me at angrydriver54@hotmail.com

Result Judith
Well done your perseverance has paid off, now let’s really get the word out.
I’ve been nagging my FB and twitter accounts with it, if everyone does the same it should be a big help.
It would be great if our Australian and American friends could do it too, you never know how many UK based followers or friends they may have.

OH was weighed at the doctor’s. I have no idea how much I weigh, probably more than I think……. but I am also going by my clothes fitting better. Doctor gave OH 3 months to lose weight and have blood pressure taken again, and maybe being put on meds – which we are trying to avoid.

I haven’t counted anything in food before going on this 800 calorie diet so it was a bit stressful at first while I got used to it. I think we may have gone over the 800 at times when I didn’t weigh out foods like butternut squash or raspberries, I feel I got a bit “slapdash” as time went on over the weeks. But no bread, rice, pasta etc has been consumed (apart from one highly stressful day when there really was no choice).

I have the rest of the week’s meals planned so will look at going to just carb counting next week. Thank you for your replies, I look forward to not feeling guilty about eating a small chunk of cheese between meals!

Hi Penny, Bill posted his ‘spare’ email address. Could you email Bill and then get my email address of Bill? I only have the one email address. 🙂

Hi Bill
Did I see a while ago you sent a private message to another member? How did you do it?
I have some ‘private ‘ allotment info for Hashimoto !
Penny

Hi folks, some really good news, this is the reply from the tech team about our petition!!

Hi Judith, apologies for the tardy reply, still playing catch up after the Easter break.

This is a great idea and I would like to publicise this as much as possible. I do just need to take opinion from the rest of the team first.

I’ll come back to you as soon as possible.
Thanks

Paul

If you are a UK resident and haven’t heard of this petition yet, please sign. You will find the link at the top of page 1 and in a few other spots!! 🙂

Hi Allychat
Congrats on doing so well. I too am about half way. It’s a great feeling- we ve all achieved something we thought just about impossible, and it’s not even a struggle!
I agree with you about the sweet things- I had a taste – about 5 MM square!- of OH s chocolate bunny- , overwhelmingly sweet and not nice.
Keep up the good work!
Penny

Hi Bill, the person who is now chief phlebo at the surgery has ‘trained’ all the others. She was the one who left me in such a mess that when I got to school the ICT manager thought I had been mugged and photographed the mess which was my arms!! It was summer and very hot in the classroom so I was wearing a short sleeved dress – very traumatic for the kids. All the phlebos in there are absolutely useless. My sons arm is still swollen after his blood test almost 2 weeks ago.
It’s amazing isn’t it that some people can take your blood and you don’t feel anything at all and the one today had me shouting out. I’ve never done that before.
Oh well, my other tests will be done in a fortnight. If they put me with the phlebo again I will raise Cain in the waiting room. 🙂

I know Davina has been doing low carb herself for the last year or so. She looks great so I’m sure she’d have something to add. See if you can get it cheap on Amazon and let us know any good bits!

My local (Fortino’s) didn’t have any real full fat, so I had to make due with a 4% Cottage Cheese and a Balkin Style Yogurt that only had 4g of carbs per serving.

I think I am going to have to visit the other grocery stores in my city, or I will have to breakdown and visit Whole Foods in the town over from me.

Hi Ed
It seems it’s normal to have a plateau now and then. Have a look at Jenny Ruhls book ‘low carb problems solved’ (£3 on kindle) which might help.
Penny

Was in Asda about an hour ago and two young men walked past me. They were on their lunch break. One said to the other, ‘Are we having something healthy or something nice?’ ….?

Bill I used to love cheese but didn’t dare eat it except as a little sliver for an occasional treat. All those warnings about my high cholesterol!! I’ve eaten more cheese on this diet than I have in the last 5 years!!! 🙂

Glad cherrianne likes the orange!!

Hi Lesley
Isn’t that a great moment!
Penny

BTW Cherrianne, I am just supping my first liquorice tea. It tastes just like the liquorice root sticks I bought as a nipper. And rather too sweet!!! 🙂

Hi Judith
sorry to hear about that. We used to have a nurse at the practice who seemed to just stick the needle in somewhere near the vein, and then move it about as she tried to find it, sometimes she would pull it out and repeat the process.
I refused to see her in the end and I did hear that many others had too.
Other nurses and docs never seemed to have a problem.
At least you should have your blood sugar results soon, it’s a PITA about the cholesterol and thyroid tests though.

Cherrianne I am so glad you posted that, I’ve been seen as a bit of a freak because I can smell so many things even from a distance!! Oddly I can smell bacteria too. There have been two occasions when I have told a GP I knew I had a pseudomonas lung infection because I could smell it when I coughed. I had some very old fashioned looks. But I was correct both times!!

I have always been able to tell the difference between sugared and unsugared drinks but the sensation of the overpoweringly awful smell of it in shops is something I had obviously blocked out – until now.

I can’t stand the smell of meat cooking either. As a child, when my mother went into a butchers I could never go in because it smelt of blood and death. I was told to wait outside and not move ( I was young) but I would still gag and often throw up.

The strokes – well there must be chemical changes going on in the body during such a dramatic incident.

I can smell my medications on myself and I hate it. I can also smell other people on a lot of medication.

I thought I was alone in my ‘oddity’. I am so pleased I am not.

Inka, I can smell a small bonfire from miles away. I thought it was my body warning me in advance because fire smoke is likely to trigger an asthma attack and certainly has a bad effect on my bronchiectasis.

I wonder whether others on this diet will develop a heightened sense of smell? I have always had it – but with peoples tastes changing so much you have got to wonder about other things 🙂

Hi Neohdiver
I notice you’re using net carbs. I haven’t noticed anyone else doing that. Maybe I missed it! It seems like a good idea as the fibre isn’t absorbed. In fact yesterday I was considering doing it when I noticed That cauliflower carbs are almost halved if you do it net! So I might follow your example.
Penny

Hi I haven’t used the bare naked ‘rice’ it. I thought about it but I no longer miss the rice!!! I do like the gram flour flatbreads with a curry though! 🙂

Hi Mollytopmarx,
that must be so frustrating for you. I thank heaven that my GP’s are very supportive and, as it turned out yesterday, willing to listen to their patients, which of course should always be the case.