Hi Grandma48

As Bill says, don’t stress about being a bit over. It actually says in the book that over the eight weeks it will balance out, with some days calories being higher and some lower. Try not to talk yourself into needing a snack, by worrying there are no calories left. You will probably find as you have included plenty of fat, you will not actually need anything extra.

I have been counting calories in everything and recently have included carbs in this record as well. For me, the calorie counting is as much about training myself to recognise proper portion sizes as anything, so I think keeping track is no bad thing, at least initially until you know what 100g of yogurt, 30g cheese and 120g of meat looks like.

Don’t panic about today. If you do need a snack have it, then move on and start anew tomorrow.

Good luck- I’m sure you’ll be fine.

Hi all
I have had a very good day today, l have been to the gym to help with the chocolate I ate yesterday! Like you SunnyB I didn’t really enjoy it either!! I certainly didn’t enjoy the extra long workout today, that will teach me not to give into temptation. Good luck to everyone.

We go beginning of April returning toward the end of June. Have an apartment out there, so it’s a home-from-home – hence needing some new low-carb/low-cal recipes. We’re round at Didim on the Aegean coast.

Carommartin
Are you weighing things? Also drinking the water I have bought a litre bottle of water and now fill it up from the tap,just to help me measure out the three litres. So I am also having oats for breakfast and apple, which i am weighing out. At the moment can’t get on with berries and full fat yoghurt for breakfast and I have a physical job. I am not eating any other fruit at the moment if i really need to I have another apple but thats it. Lunch is soup but for instance today it was tomato,chilli and green lentil which was 182 calories then tonight tandoori chicken with stir fried okra. I am not fanatical about calorie counting as I said use myfitnesspal, as Michael mentions in his book sometimes you go over not by much sometimes I’m under. I have struggled for years with weight probs and am also a diabetic as well as under active thyroid I have alot of weight to lose and I mean alot. I think really with this way of eating its what works for you, I know that some are more strict than others regarding carbs I am following what Michael says in the book not eating bread pasta etc but am eating pulses so there are carbs there. I have lost 5kg in a week and will weigh again next Monday. I also eat alot of thai broth type suppers lots of lovely greens and small amount of chicken. I hope some of my ramblings have helped, maybe if you feel the 800 is too severe you could do the the 5:2 approach he talks about in his book, so doing 800 for two days and just low carb med eating for the others. Keep in touch and let me know how you get on. Good Luck.

Hi Rose
thanks also for your reply, I don’t often feel hungry between meals which I thought was odd at first. Chocolate was never an issue with me but it does look nice when my wife has a few squares!!
Good luck and keep the faith, this low carb diet seems to be the best way to go.

Hi Bill
Thanks for your comments its encouraging to know that others are following this and improving their lives,
I’ll update this thread as time goes by.

Ooh Turkey, when are you going ?
We’re off to Lara beach in June 😀

Wow! Ditching sweets and chocolate for nuts is a massive step in the right direction! My learning curve now includes ‘OH’ !
Well I have managed to come downstairs and even opened the greenhouse door today so a definite improvement! 🙂

Thanks for the recipe Bill, will definitely be trying this at some point. I am gathering recipes to take with me on our trip out to Turkey, this one seems a good one to take, as it’s not complicated and it can be adjusted according to what fruit is available. There should be strawberries a plenty while we are there.

Hi Grandma48
it all looks ok to me but I’m a bit of a heretic in that I haven’t counted a single calorie yet.
I concentrate on keeping the carbs down and eating reasonable portions and I have lost 20 pounds so far.
Don’t worry too much if you slip over 800, it isn’t set in stone it’s more the figure that weight loss patients are given post op as the original research was to see if people on a low calorie diet could reverse their diabetes in the same way as weight loss surgery patients were doing.

Oh I thought I had put OH as in other half 😉
Yes Judith, it isn’t easy but I’m getting more and more in there.
Better than that she has ditched the sweets and chocolate and is concentrating on pistacchios so that’s a result. 😉
Are you still improving ? Hope so.

Hello guys

Sorry to intrude on your topic, but it applies to me as well. Week 1 4lbs loss, week 2, 1/2lb loss and am just mid week 3 so looking to see what has happened, although I don’t think it’s great! I have started very carefully logging calories and carbs – not convinced that our F.F is very accurate, so checking other sources. Today, I have logged everything I have had so far – gazpacho (home made) for breakfast, egg salad for lunch and I’ve put in my proposed dinner, salmon steak with asparagus, kale and broccoli. All in all the total is 864 calories and 35.8 carbs. I’m happy with the carb reading, but the calories are so high already and if I get peckish there’s no calories left! I’m trying to include the olive oil (in the gazpacho), full fat mayo with the salad and small butter pat to go on the veggies tonight. I’m logging all these because I believe I have to, but they slaughter the calorie allowance. No space for Greek yoghurt – boo hoo. Can you please tell me if I’m doing this right?

Thank you for all the inspiration you provide – you’re amazing, all of you.

Jan

Susansilver
I’m horribly irritable and tired too – that’s why I came here to see if it was just me – and that ‘dying soon would be fine’ feeling is very familiar! I am so thankful that I don’t have to try and be civil and cariing to anyone, I wouldn’t manage it, so hat off to you for not murdering either of your dependants yet! Feeling like this, I’m sure I would have done. Respect.
I’ve come back from a very moderate bike ride and had to put my head between my knees when I got off because I was so lightheaded.
I’m following a friend who started three weeks ago (you and I are both nine days in) and he was grumpy and so tired in the second week then it passed. I assume it’s the body adjusting and we will come through it so long as we don’t think some carbs will solve the problem as they will only set the clock back to zero. Everyone’s body adjusts differently though so I’m prepared for it taking longer. My mantra is “this too will pass” …
Somewhere I’ve read that the not succumbing to carbs is crucial, so your chips meal may well have thrown everything out of whack and caused fluid retention?
Michael’s book mentions irritability at the two week review so it’s obviously expected in the early stages. He doesn’t quantify it but I’m content that there’s nothing abnormal, we’re just sadly more severely afflicted in this aspect where others may be worse in say sleep pattern; so long as we don’t carry on feeling so grim for more than another week or so! This too will pass …

Not sure what OT stands for but guessing it’s your wife? Are you managing to sneak more of this way of eating into her diet?

Bill, i know, I’m a right cheapo! At least I didn’t unravel them and wind them round someones hands to reknit into new clothes (only people of a certain age will know what I’m talking about).
But, nah,not the body of my dreams yet but I’m not so afraid of mirrors these days!

Lucia and Catgirl did you/have you taken photos of yourselves in your undies (as suggested by michael) so you compare the now and after? I could only look at mine after a lot of weight came off. Amusingly I closed my eyes when I took the photo – that’s how much I couldn’t bear the mirrors lol 🙂

🙂
OK I made the coconut flour flatbread recipe but used just 1 tbsp of coconut flour and added a pinch of flaked almonds and a drop or two of vanilla essence to the mix. I thought the mixture was still a bit too thick so I added a drop of milk just to thin it down.
Poured out 2 splodges of mix on a well greased baking tray (use greaseproof paper if you have it as they can really stick), and baked in the oven at 350 / 180 for twenty minutes or until golden brown. I did spread the mixture fairly thin on the tray with the back of a wetted spoon.
Once out of the oven and cooled I mixed a little creamy goats cheese with ricotta to give a nice smooth spreadable consistency then topped off with sliced strawberries.
The mix makes 2 and I really enjoyed mine, the OH scoffed the other one which is a recommendation in itself.
You can of course substitute any fruit or berries that take your fancy.

Wow Judith, how did you keep that from the moths ?
So, did it fit, do you have the body of your dreams yet ?
Nah me neither………but we’re getting there.

Well done lolo! Which reminds me of my own bit of news, i tried on a jumper i last wore in 2006 – OMG – just realised that’s 10 years ago! 🙂

“So how much fat is in a blob of yoghurt”

A bitsince

Go for it Denise, you’ve had a great start
No need to drop the coffee as long as you count the milk in with your cals, don’t worry about going over the odd time, the lack of carbs will still let you lose weight.
Sarah, you’re well on your way, don’t worry, the hunger (or rather carb cravings) will stop.

Hi bill, I. Just do mine on greaseproof paper on a baking sheet, they just flip off easily, hot or cold.

Lucia and catgirl STOP being embarrassed! You should be so proud about what you are now doing! If you have more weight to lose than some just think how much more of a weight loss you will be posting. Think about how many people could see your results and go on to change their own lives!
Lucia while you admire the birdsong, admire yourself as well, you deserve to xxx 🙂

Try not to think of them as hunger pangs but carb cravings.
That puts everthing in a different light, the cravings are your bodies way of trying to get you to give it the dangerous foods that it is used to but which are damaging your health, and this is all down to carbs being much easier to burn than fat which is what you’re forcing it to do.

Hi Bill – please tell more about the coconut flour strawberry cheesecake thingy.

Try the cauliflower mash steve and ei, it’s delicious! 🙂

Hi Denise and Silver

Lots of people have a bit of a battle in weeks 2/3. If you check other threads on the forum, you will see that you are not alone in this and that as long as you stick with it and keep your head in the right space, you will get though it and start to see positive results again soon. I certainly struggled in week 2, with the weight loss plateauing and not really budging through week 3 either.

I actually succumbed to some this sweet stuff at the w/e, but found I didn’t really enjoy it and felt stupid and guilty afterwards. Took me awhile to realise I needed to chalk it up and move on. If you are managing to resist the cravings, you are doing really well and should be proud of yourself. Think the diet in the early days, affects people in various ways – where some feel energised, others have problems with lethargy. For me it has been needing to get to bed earlier, as although I feel vital and energised during the day, I flag quite early in the evening. I’m into week 4 now, so I guess this might change as I progress.

Good luck to you both as you continue with your journey on the BSD. Make sure to keep posting and check out the other threads on the forum, as you’ll find lots of tips, info and support on them.

thanks that is a good tip – i have to retrain my brain that fat is good and keeps you full. Finding it hard to believe the hunger pangs will go but if they do i will be delighted!

No breakfast
Lunch was home made soup
Dinner will be fish pie with cauli mash
If I have enough cals left I’ll make another coconut flour strawberry cheesecake thingy, If not It’ll be the good old yoghurt and berries again.

God bless you all and well done Bill!

So good to know I’m not alone so thank you all for posting up your experiences with these blood sugar spikes.

Actually I did my level again last night and it had gone down to 9.0. Still high but at least it was heading south. I heard that diabetics that have more radical extremes in blood sugar levels are more likely to suffer long term problems so if your sugar levels are high but ‘stable’ that is very much a positive. With that in mind I’m going to take my blood pre-dinner tonight and hope that it has gone down but not too drastically. Fortunately my readings have been pretty consistent in that regard albeit just too high.

Amazing what a bit of feedback and shared experience can do for morale. Thank you all. We can do this!!

B – plain yog/strawberries
L – half tin salmon/salad
D – 2 fried eggs, half tom, 1 sm sausage
Tea to drink/water

Hi Tinforest
try a high fat snack about an hour before bed. I use Greek yoghurt and berries, others use cheese, you get the idea.
That should keep your digestive system working hard enough so it doesn’t have time to bother you with hunger.
Once the plan really kicks in, you won’t get those hunger pangs.

4 days in and this is my second night of being awake until 1.30am. Hungry! Is this going to pass? Am doing OK during day but at night no good. Thanks!

Hello BSM – we are all in the same boat. But as you said it feels different this time! The book just clicked with me and It definitely feels different for me also. I want a major improvement long term and get off medication and enjoy life even more. Stay focused and don’t look back as they say. Looks like we are taking the same steps at the same time so lets go for it. Like you I’m planning now and aim to start next week but not set the launch date yet 🙂

I have impaired mobility and cannot walk very far. I’ve been going to the gym and use all the muscle strengthening equipment. I go 2 – 3 times a week and already my legs feel better (no pain at night) and my blood pressure is falling too. I cannot use the x trainers, treadmills or exercise bikes. It is a council gym and as I’m 60 it only cost £16.50 a month. I wonder if strength training might also help you?

Having a good day, as the scales were kind this morning. Have been keeping track of cals and carbs this week and I think that is helping, but waiting until weigh-in at the end of the week, before relying on this as a real loss.

Today I have had yogurt with preserved black cherries and linseed topping for breakfast. The Ooop! Bread from the Diet Doctor with 3 x slices of pastrami for lunch and this evening butter roast chicken and veggies. Just realised that’s chicken for three evening meals running, so might swap it for a piece of salmon instead, will decide later.

Have to say the Ooops! Bread was really good – nice texture and worked well for a sandwich. Because this was the first time I have made it, I just used one egg (recipe is for three eggs) and cut other ingredient in thirds and as I didn’t have any cream cheese, I used 10% full fat yogurt instead. It work well and didn’t take long to prepare and cook for lunch and made a really nice change actually. Will definitely be making these again and it’s nice to have a recipe that can be easily replicated when I’m away in Turkey, as I’ll be able to take these out and about with me. Recommend others have a look at the recipe.

Thanks everyone and especially bizibee for the link to the ketogenic site, really helpful.

Well, I’m in Sydney and we’ve been having an extended heatwave…most people (not on the BGD) are feeling as you describe and for many here that is down to dehydration…I’m drinking rehydration salts and unfortunately there is glucose in them…cooling down now and by next week should be less hot and therefore fewer people deydrated.

Perhaps ensure that you are getting enough fluids? sometimes with a change of diet people drink less.

Back of a wet spoon works for me Janet
“a bit on the thick side” ? Sounds just like me

Hi Susansilver, those sound like very extreme symptoms and certainly like nothing else I have heard.
Yes some folk have reported the light headed feeling within the first week and it’s always been put down to carb withdrawal.
As to multitasking, I run a business which requires almost permanent multi tasking and I haven’t found any real problems.
Maybe it would be a good idea to have a word with your doctor about it ? Also go back and check what you have been eating just in case you haven’t been getting the required nutrients. BTW how much weight did you lose ? for it to all go back on with just one meal is also very strange.
My heart goes out to you after trying so hard, best of luck.

Yes it works fine, however, mine have always been a bit on the thick side I think. I haven’t got hang of spreading them thin yet.

Does that work ok Janet ?
I use a non stick tray liberally greased with coconut oil and they still stick.

Bailed after becoming cognitively impaired . First very forgetful then started having suicidal thoughts and crying over minor problems . Will use some of the recipes . Have lost sugar cravings which is something . Weight straight back on after one “normal’ meal so I presume I was losing water . Normal meal was calamari chips and salad . That’s it ! Not a binge exactly .
One suggestion was that I go back on antidepressants. So I can diet ? I don’t think so .

Hi,
Sorry for late reply! When I did them the first time, I left the cacao nibs as they came, and chopped the dates. This was OK, but more like a cake with bits in. It was also rather thin, more biscuit than brownie. So this is what I did on my fourth go:
I’ve got a very powerful food processor, so blitzed the dates and cacao nibs which made a thick gooey paste, before adding everything else to it and mixing again in the food processor. Next time I’m going to use cacao powder, Lakeland have it, other places too I’m sure. I also doubled the quantities, but used the same size tin, so the result was much thicker, more like a brownie, though drier. Carefully cut into 100cal bite size bits, for the freezer! I’ve used both ordinary dates and medijool, but need to research which is best on this diet re sugar content.
I suspect this would be quite hard work without the food processor (Thermomix- see another recent thread here)
And it’s not what I would call an economical recipe!

More boringly, I just bake my flatbreads on greaseproof paper.

Really feeling for you Scotgran, what a pain!

Hi captainlynne,
I haven’t found a British one, but have found Cronometer works quite well, as long as you remember things like that courgettes being zucchini, and beetroot being beets! Having said that, I am not looking for any branded foods, if you were I guess it would be less useful. And you can add your own recipes and foods to the list. It gives lots of weight and measurement options, which are helpful, so less conversion needed.
MaryR

I had noticed my Fasting BS levels were starting to increase, then I read the Dawn Phenomenon, had some nuts before I went to bed, which seems to have done the trick.

I use myfitnesspal. Very easy to use, about 5 mins to set up. It will keep telling you that your not eating enough, but just ignore it.

LMAO
I’ll have you know that my baking is not yet into hammer and chisel territory !
I just took the tray out of the oven and immediately took a flat spatula (or fish slice if you prefer) to them, just loosened them around the edges and then freed them with a single swipe.
How DO you manage to always make me feel a bit guilty when I give you advice ?
I have a feeling that you would be a very expensive wife 😀

Lucia, I read the what I’ve eaten blog every day and post there too. I’ve had a few good ideas from it.

Thanks Judith
I don’t tend to go on about it but there was a period just over a year ago as I was just recovering from a right eye bleed when I woke up one morning to find my left eye had overnight, had it’s worst bleed ever, which didn’t ever clear and led directly to my fourth vitrectomy op.
At the time my right eye was very unstable and I had to live with the knowledge that, if it bled, I would be, at least temporarily, blind.
I can’t even put into words the unspeakable horrors that assailed me during those dark days.
This is why I’m so grateful to the team at the hospital and why I will do my damnest to help anyone with my advice and experience of it.
If I can help stop just one person from developing this terrible condition, then I will have done something worthwhile in my life.

This morning as I reached for the punnet of blueberries, I dropped it! Oh my goodness, how those berries can run, hop and jump. They were everywhere. Under the fridge, under the butchers block, in the salad drawer, in the little bit where the fridge defrosts, I had a workout just bending down to pick them up!