Sounds like an excellent plan! Hooray for gardens!

Wow lynne, fantastic results! More than 2 and a half stones AND such low blood sugars! You’re an inspiration! 🙂

To see the mouse or leader’s face? 😂

Thanks bizzylizzy! I’m just about to walk to the corner shop for some cucumbers and carrots, then after lunch I’ll go and do a bit in the garden. Spring is a good time to be starting this, I think!

Hi jpscloud.

Before I found the BSD I could happily eat anything that wasn’t nailed down – but sometimes I could eat the nails as well – usually between slices of white bread.

I’d gone the traditional route of different slimming clubs, low-fat diet, whichever diet came out at new year. It might have worked short-term, but that was all.

Then diagnosed type 2 diabetic I followed the ‘official’ advice. Did it work? Of course not. Not for me.

Then I found this book at the end of last year and jumped into the BSD with both feet on 19th December. Yes, just before Christmas. I knew myself well enough to know it would be dangerous for me to wait until new year – I might change my mind!

There are many of us on here, including me, who will say “if I can do this, you can”.

We look forward to hearing your progress. And someone is usually around if you gave a question or a problem.

Wow Lynne, you just keep getting better.
Great encouragement for those of us who have a lot of weight to lose and intend to stay on the fast 800
I’m a stone and a half to go to my first target weight and if I can perform like you, I’m going to smash it before June.

Great news – as you said, onwards and upwards!

Hi Hashimoto, thank you! I like black tea, oddly enough, so I’ll be relying on that to get me through! I might try some of the green teas again too. I’ve done a bit of preparation already, I threw away the leftover crisps from the big bag I ate on the way home from shopping yesterday – why do I feel the need to have a “last supper” like that?! Anyway, they are in the bin. I am going to go through the cupboards today and do a bit of sorting out too. People at work will benefit from my clear-out!

Thanks Sharon, I really appreciate the support. That reminds me, I must get some fizzy water in. I do like fizzy, but don’t want to be drinking litres of artificially sweetened drinks.

Wish I had been there lynne! 🙂

Hi, I have just joined the forum too, but been lurking for a while. Well done on deciding to go on this diet! I am in the 5th week and found the trick is to plan, plan and plan some more! I’m sure you will get a lot of support on here, post as often as you need to. Good luck!

Hi all, have been reading the thread as am about to stock up on foods for the plan so I can start tomorrow. It’s encouraging to hear all the success stories and like you I’m not diabetic but carry weight around my middle so want to nip it in the bud! Silly question – are grains included in foods to avoid?

Wish me luck 😆

Happy birthday weekend Bill.

Brilliant results 😃

Hi all, I’ve just joined the forum. I’ve decided to give the BSD a go, with nothing to lose but weight and medications.

I’m type 2 diagnosed in November last year. I’m a menopausal fifty odd year old woman, 20 and a half stone, and FBG today was 6.3 which is a bit lower than usual – it’s normally around 7-8.

I’m a bit uncertain about my ability to stick to it, but we’ll see. I desperately need to change. Hope it is ok to post daily (or as often as possible) on here to keep myself on track?

Breakfast: cheese, onion and mushroom omelette – about 300 calories

Lunch: Chicken breast with lettuce, grated carrot, cucumber, tomato, onion and a tbsp. light mayonnaise – about 300 calories

Dinner: fish portion with sweetheart cabbage tossed in a teasp. truffle infused olive oil, with a few chopped pistachios – about 200 calories

In preparation for starting the BSD today, I bought some truffle-infused olive oil, nearly a fiver for a small bottle, but it’s powerful stuff and will last well. I find the flavour incredibly satisfying – breakfast was over three hours ago and I’m still feeling satisfied. So far so good!

I’m going to go through the cupboards today and get rid of most things that will be no good for me – I’ll take them to work and give them to my colleagues.

I will keep a few things like dark chocolate, for example… I am going to try to include them in amounts that fit in the BSD so I won’t feel deprived. I have some things in the freezer which are not strictly BSD friendly but I have to use them up. The fish portions are the bird’s eye type, around 100 calories each, and fairly low carb.

I’ve been in a terribly down state for a long time now and I hope the BSD will help me get out of the downward spiral.

Hi jpscloud and welcome to the BSD family.

Your story could be mine (apart from the farm) I started nearly 4 weeks ago and if I can do it so can you!!! I started at 21 stone and in the first 3 weeks had lost 16 lb, havent lost any this week but that’s OK as lots of people on here have said their weight loss stalled at times. I too have stumbled but you get so much support and encouragement on here, you just have to pick yourself up draw a line under it and move on! Like bill said you are not doing this on your own. Trust me when you see the scales going down that spurs you on, I have been on every diet out there and this does work it is amazing. Make sure you keep your water intake to 2-3 Lt a day.
All the best and I look forward to seeing you progress next week stick with it. Good luck.

Once upon a time I asked my slimming club leader how many calories/points in a toasted mouse😳 – one had made its way into my toaster but, no, I tipped the toaster gently on its side and said mouse made its escape. The toaster was despatched to the bin. But you should have seen the leader’s face 😃

At the end of my 13th week, weight loss this week 5 pounds, (so that takes good care of the slight gain on holiday), total loss 36 pounds. Fasting BG this morning was 4.2! Never seen that number before! Down from 10.9. BMI now 34.3 (from 40.9)

Thanks for the warm welcome hashimoto. I can believe that the cheese and nuts satisfy a sweet craving too. I find both very satisfying (i love both too). I think Michael might have mentioned the relationship between sugar & salt cravings in the book as emanating from the same issues too.

Thanks Aly, I will have a look at that! 🙂

Hi Tinforest – it will happen, I didn’t feel too good in the first week either, the second week the hunger pangs lessened – probably because I ‘dared’ to eat some full fat yoghurt for the first time. Week 3 and onwards has been a breeze. Stick with it because you will get the rewards 🙂

Every day grain free baking by Kelly Smith.

funky – a sudden 6lbs drop! I think you should take the prize for the biggest overnight drop!! So encouraging after nothing seemed to be happening!!! 🙂

Hi jpscloud, a big welcome to the forums, you will soon be sooo happy you started this journey, you will see the weight drop off and improvements in your blood sugars. Don’t worry if you have a few teething problems for the first few days – not everybody does – I just took paracetamol to deal with headaches and drank gallons of herbal tea and fizzy water. I felt a bit wobbly and lightheaded for a few days but it soon passed and the scales were telling me a story I really wanted to hear!
*You must remember full fat is GOOD!
*Drink 2 to 3 litres of water every day ( either herbal teas, hot or chilled, still or fizzy water – try adding a slice of lemon or lime)
If you want help or advice just ‘shout’ we are all the same path and more than willing to help and as Bill said check the recipe section and the thread ‘ what I have eaten today’ – lots of ideas there!
I found preplanning the meals I would have(and even preparing them) really helped in the first few days.
Have snacks in, like cherrieanne suggested – 5 or6 cherry tomatoes, a boiled egg, a few seeds, a couple of nuts, – but remember to count them as part of your calories. Sometimes it just helps to know there is something quick to hand if the hunger pangs get you so you avoid falling into old habits.
Another tip – if it is possible – get rid of the ‘wrong’ foods, crisps, biscuits etc
Looking forward to your success story 🙂

B – cafe latte made with teaspoon coffee & 100ml full cream milk – nothing else as didnt feel hungry.

L – Salad – 35g Quinoa, 65g kumara, 50g pork fillet, 60g Avocado, 5ml lemon juice, 40g cucumber, 1/2 cup lettuce, 30g celery, 50g roasted red pepper.

D – 100g Grilled Fresh salmon fillet (skin on), 25g grilled fresh asparagus, 60g grilled leek, 65g kumara, 50g roasted ted pepper, 5ml olive oil, 20 ml lemon juice

Snack – 45g dried seedless prunes

Calories total: 768

Auntylil, this has really hit home after the week we have had.
You will be in my prayers and I wish you a speedy recovery, in fact, I’m going to hang around here until you return.
Love and best wishes
Bill

Thank you Bill! I was reading Lucia’s thread yesterday, and find her very inspiring.

I do have a habit of falling by the wayside, but I think that’s a familiar story to many who are posting here. I hope this is the day I change forever, even if I do wobble a bit now and then.

Hey Munchkinsnan
I reckon by the end of 8 weeks those trousers will need a belt.
Best of luck, let us know how you get on.

ChannelK isn’t it weird that weight can suddenly drop off – but it does on this diet. You must be feeling really happy with that 3lb loss 🙂

Hi jpscloud
You have just taken the first massive step to a whole new lifestyle.
Read through the forums, in particular, Lucias my 8 weeks thread, that gal is so going to make it.
There are so many inspirational stories on here from people just starting the journey through to those who have crossed the finishing line.
Look at the recipes section, there is some unbelievably yummy food in there.
Above all, remember you aren’t doing this alone. You now have a worldwide family of people who have exactly the same goals as you, and they are all here to help
Welcome to the forums and best of luck on the journey 🙂

Welcome to the forums Allychat! Prunes are also rich in iron. Well done on your weight loss so far. I know this sounds weird (even to myself) but I now find a piece of cheese or a few nuts deals with a sweet craving????? I can’t believe I am saying this but it’s true! 🙂

Hi all
I have been fasting 16:8 this week. Relatively easy for me as I have never been a big breakfast person. Pleased to say I have lost 3 lbs this week and have lost total 12 lbs in 6 weeks despite the slip up over the course of this week of 2x slices of bread, shortbread biscuit, small jam tart and half a twix…. May have been spurred on by not eating breakfast and not eating much fruit (only had raspberries, half an apple).
Plan to stick to 16:8 and reduce the slips… Eat fruit rather than refined rubbish and increase natural fats.
My family have started to cut down on sugar. My teen son who devoured biscuits and cakes is snacking on fruit, salami, smoked salmon and cheese for his evening snack. I want his waist …. 28 inches !!!
Xx

Food tips for constipation. I eat 45g dried seedless prunes (for a snack) and include kumara (65g at lunch & 65g at dinner) every day as well as drinking plenty of water. Both these foods are chock full of fibre and low GI so great for blood sugar. Easy to work them into the overall 800 cal count. A little tip if you are not that fond of prunes – keep them in the freezer. They dont freeze solid and the texture is nice. 23g of fibre every day will help with constipation and fast track weight loss. I use the ‘My Net Diary’ to track my fibre consumption as well as calories.

Ooh Aly those prunes in calvados sound scrummy. I’ve always been very partial to prunes. If I find any recipes on the net which I like I print them off and stick them in an A4 hard backed book – cos I prefer recipes in a book too.
In fact I am just about to decide on a couple to print off right now. What book have you bought? As this way of eating is for life I might as well splash out on one! Also meets my gluten free needs! 🙂

I am a long time lurker who has plucked up the courage to post (after working out how to…..). I am in the 5th week, I am on this diet as a supporter to my OH who is diabetic and has developed high blood pressure this year.The GP has advised he loses a stone and a half weight and then has another test, if it’s still high then it will be medication. I need to lose some weight too so it’s win win all round. His diabetes has been under control with a low carb diet (no meds) but too many “treats” have crept in over the last year, specially as there has been a lot of stress washing around us from close family circumstances.

Because we have been mainly low carb for a while, this diet hasn’t been too much of a shock. But the restriction to 800 calories has been tricky, as we have never counted calories before or been on a “proper” diet. I have no idea how much weight I may have lost as we have unreliable scales, and I haven’t measured anything. I can see that OH has lost weight though, and more importantly, so can he.

The stress around us is still ongoing so it has been tricky not to make some (low carb Bergen) toast as comfort food when it’s at it’s worse – but we have managed!

Our “cheats” with this diet has been 20g of All Bran a day for OH, and 1 weetabix, and the equivalent weight (18g) of oats as porridge a day for me. This is to ‘keep things moving’ (iyswim), as without they virtually stopped which wasn’t helping anything! I am planning on losing the weetabix next week and just have porridge mixed with flaxseed. (I was originally eating 2 weetabix each morning).

I found it quite tricky at the beginning as I sort of freaked out when I got to the recipe section of the book and found it to be full of food we either couldn’t afford or didn’t like. I am of the fussy type, won’t eat pulses (unfortunate side effects) and loathe spicy food. However, I persevered and have come up with a list of meals that are low carb, low calorie, (not low fat), and that we like. Sometimes it means cooking two different meals or slightly altering a meal for me. I work out a meal plan for the each week, use the freezer a lot to batch cook and freeze in portions, and try and buy whats on offer.

I’m afraid I can’t be any help in offering exciting weight losses, or inch losses as an encouragement to others. But I am very encouraged by other peoples stories, so thank you.

I am a member of a Facebook group but am finding there seem to be a lot of “serial dieters” on there (not being mean by saying that) who put forward lots of rules that don’t seem to be in the book.

By the way, I tried the coconut flatbreads that are in the recipe section, which we had along with a salad, and they were very nice!

Anyway, that’s me, and I hope I’ve posted this in the right place. Apologies if not.

Congrats Funkydoo ! Well done for hanging in and seeing the results….I find if I can go even lower with carbs 20-30g and use the calories for fat I feel full and have more vavavoom….it also encouraged the weight to drop!

Keep going, you have got this 😀

Have book marked that site for future reference and signed up for emails. I prefer a proper cook book but the more the merrier.
Am not counting calories for now just working at getting off the carbs again. One thing at a time.
Like the idea of prunes, for once something I have no trouble sourcing here! The French love their prunes. Our neighbour makes up big jars of prunes in calvados and keeps them years. We went to them for dinner and after the meal the prunes were ladled into your wine glass with a good ladle full of the juice. Amazing! Maybe this way of eating is not so hard! 🍷

Hi Aly, you have found the answer with this way of eating. Don’t beat yourself up ! Being sick can derail the anyone and antibiotics can make you feel really down. I have really been enjoying Bills coconut flatbreads and you could look at thecocnutmama site, she has some great baking ideas, low carb and very filling….I am experimenting this week so that I have recipes ready for the end of the 8 weeks, just perfecting a pizza base and will post when sorted! Hang in, you can do this 😀

I’m new to the forums as i promised myself i would only register if I could lose more than 5kg in a reasonable time. I have lost 7 kilos in 4 weeks and 3cm off my waist. I still have a way to go as i want to lose a total of 20 kgs. This is the first time i have lost such a significant amount of weight in more than 15 years. One of the best things i have done to satisfy an urge for something sweet is plan to have 45g of prunes as a snack. I dont eat these until last thing after dinner unless i really need them before dinner so that i dont reach for something catastrophic. I find they satisy the sweet need but because they are chock full of fibre & low GI they are a good choice. So far they always do the trick. I heard of a study last week too that said 45g of prunes daily is protective against osteoporosis. So im doing something good for my bone density as well as preventing constipation. Good luck everyone with your own wellness goals.

Looks like I’m back in the game. Woop! Have somehow lost 3lbs in the last few days. No idea how as haven’t been doing anything particularly different. If anything I’ve probably been eating a little more. I therefore have no idea what planet my body’s on but it’s been worth hanging in there for the time weight didn’t move and trusting that it would start again as long as I kept carbs low. Yay! :-). Thanks for the support on this thread.

Thanks so much hashimoto and Bill, you have both been so supportive and encouraging to this old girl!! Continued success on your own journies 👍

Hello! I’m beginning the 8 week programme today. I read the book recently after being diagnosed type 2 in November 2015. I’m on metformin because I can’t control my diet well enough to keep my BS down.

I also have lots of other issues at the moment – I’m menopausal with some awful symptoms and just recently diagnosed with depression. I have been a binge eater and compulsive overeater for as long as I can remember. I apologise in advance for the epic post, but I would like to get the best advice and support from people here – and I naturally do go on a bit. Sorry 🙂

We lived on a small farm when I was growing up, and a favourite family story is when I was a very small child – we’re talking maybe 3, I would go along the line of just-ready tiny garden peas my granddad had grown, shelling them as I went, and eat the lot! Or pull up a row of baby carrots, one by one, and clean them in the water butt… and again, eat every last one. Raspberries, strawberries, apples, pears, swedes, tomatoes even gooseberries all fell victim to my odd binges. I was like a swarm of locusts once I’d got a taste for something. I wasn’t overweight as a child as I was very active – I never stopped running about outside from dawn to dusk.

As I got older, and more self-conscious, I discovered chocolate, sweets and junk food, and started secretive eating. I was still very active, though, until my late thirties, when there was a kind of tipping point. I reached fifteen stones, and my overeating was simply out of control and has stayed that way. I think I gave up at fifteen stones. I couldn’t see how I could get slim again from there and I stopped being active. I really wish the fifteen stone me could have talked to the 22 stone me that I became last year. I did manage to lose a couple of stones every now and again – and I’ve lost weight with slimming world over the past year but unfortunately I’ve started gaining again – I’m currently 20 and a half stones.

I need to change, if I’m not going to give in to a lifetime of increasing medication and slow descent into diabetic complications. I am going to give the BSD my best shot. The book made a lot of sense to me and the success stories on here and elsewhere are really convincing. I’d love to rediscover health, and maybe one day ride a horse again.

It feels a bit strange to depart from the “if you don’t eat enough you’ll slow your metabolism down” mantra… it’s still chanted everywhere you go. I am convinced it’s wrong, now. The problem is, I don’t trust myself – I really don’t believe I can do it. But I’m ready to give it my best shot. Here I go – today’s the day!

Aly I have just found a perfect site for you

satisfyingeats.com

Some lovely looking cake grain free etc, gives the calories, carbs, fats etc with the recipes. I’m going to bake some myself when I have guests. In fact I will make one for easter

Waiting for a new baking book to arrive will really cheer you up – but take it easy until you are recovered 🙂

Another voice for hanging in…..I had a stall at the end of week one until yesterday, end of week two and suddenly a drop of 4 lbs !!! This does work, you just need to keep the fats up and carbs low….you can do this 😀

Found a good book so ordered it from book depository. Yippee, guilt free baking!

Great to hear Funkydoo
I think I’m going to get a rubber stamp made.
You know the one, it says I TOLD YOU SO
Seriously, this way of eating is forcing our bodies to rethink the habits of a lifetime.
We are all individuals and we will all react at different speeds but you have just proved that, if you keep faith, it does work
Have a great weekend

Morning Bill and woo hoo what a birthday weekend you are having! Daughter not in danger, joggers loose, sugars looking better and 3lbs off! A well deserved good weekend 🙂

Thanks Bill, will have a look. Just made up some egg mayonnaise to stuff in an avocado for lunch. No baguette today! Need to make my own mayonnaise for next time.

Just to add my voice of support and encouragement too. Week 2 was tough – little weight loss and felt very tired and down. My energy and mood getting better all the time.
Even though I have a lot of weight to lose (5st), I have stalled and lost nothing in the last two weeks (weeks 3 and 4) – so do completely empathise with you!
I do have huge motivation to get healthy and fit, and it is the support from the great people in this forum that has kept me going…….
(Just a thought – you might also want to read Michael Mosely’s “Fast Exercise” book which explains HIT in detail – 15 minutes might be more effective than 40 minutes of slog!)
As others have said, 1.5kg (1/4 of your expected weight loss) is a great start. Do let us know how you are getting on and I too encourage you to stay with it!

Happy birthday evie
Have a great weekend then look at Monday as the start of a whole new life.

Hi lucia, no carbs in a worm, it’s all protein
Have you ever seen a starling taking insulin 😉
Have a great weekend.

Lachlanh I stopped my exanatide injections in week 2 and I was planning to drop the metformin as soon as the sugar levels stabilised below 7
Then those all over the place sugar readings started so that was put on hold.
I think they are starting to steady again so if they stay down this week I’ll stop taking them