Hi, Doctor told me I was approaching pre-type 2, I was surprised as I was doing Michael Mosleys 5/2 diet, so I got his new book and i am just finishing week 1, I have enjoyed the food so far, lovely flavours and textures, I started off at 14s 8lb, and now weigh 14.00.
I have 2 days a week when I have a few beers, and on those days I have ate normally, it dose not seemed to have affected my weight loss, however I must admit that I preferred the diet meals. Energy levels seem good, I do not miss my licorice allsorts or chocolates still have my goody jar untouched.
I am just very impressed how everything is going, having a bit of difficulty sourcing some of the ingredients.
Can anyone tell me how you can check your blood sugar levels at home.
Many thanks & happy dieting
Ally

Hi MaryR
I often make this loaf, It’s very nutritious and has NO flour. It is an acquired taste. It os also quite high in calories, however, it does satisfy my husbands bread craving. It is also quite moist. Made simply from quinoa which is gluten free and has a low GI of 53. Quinoa is also a complete protein which means that it contains all the essential amino acids that the body needs for repair and a healthy immune system.The chia seed pumps up the omega 3 in the bread plus it helps hold it together when it’s baked. The lemon activates the baking soda (bicarb) + helps to alkaline the loaf. –
Makes 1 loaf – The size I used was: 10 1/2 cm wide and 26 cm long

300 g (10 1/2 oz / 1 3/4 cups) whole uncooked quinoa seed
60 g (2 fl oz / 1/4 cup) whole chia seed
250 ml / 1 cup water (use half to soak chia seeds and the other half to combine in the food processor)
60 ml ( 2 fl oz / ¼ cup ) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
juice from ½ lemon

Preheat oven to 160 C / 320 F. fan forced oven.
Soak quinoa in plenty of cold water overnight in the fridge.
Soak chia seed in 1/2 cup water until gel like – this can be done overnight as well, but just give it a few stirs at the beginning.
Drain the quinoa and rinse really well through a sieve. Make sure the water is fully drained from your sieve.
Place the quinoa into a food processor.
Add chia gel, 1/2 cup of water, olive oil, bicarb soda, sea salt and lemon juice.
Mix in a food processor for 3 minutes. The bread mix should resemble a batter consistency with some whole quinoa still left in the mix.
Spoon into a loaf tin lined with baking paper on all sides and the base.
Bake for 1 ½ hours until firm to touch and bounces back when pressed with your fingers. Mine took 1 1/2 hours – oven temps can vary slightly – but the bread needs the time to cook and for the quinoa to become tender.
Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes in the tin…then remove from the tin and cool completely on a rack or board. The bread should be slightly moist in the middle and crisp on the outside. Cool completely before eating.
Serve delicate slices only when cold with a serrated knife.
Store wrapped in the fridge for up to 1 week.(yes this can be frozen for up to 3 months)
Delicious lightly toasted on a pan.
Serves 12 – and best served lightly toasted in a pan until golden on both sides.

Notes + Inspiration
Serve topped with macadamia nut butter.
Pump up the protein and add 2 tablespoons of Pure Pea Protein before baking
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds before baking.
The whole seed must be used – please don’t use rolled quinoa or the flour.
Hulled millet can be used in place of quinoa in this r

– See more at: https://www.thehealthychef.com

Great first week results Sabrina77, that blood sugar reading is spot on and 7 lbs is a lot of weight
That is the one thing that really surprised me, I knew I would lose weight (you have to on 800 calories) but the feeling of wellness and the better sleeping came out of the blue.
It’s a major bonus to this new lifestyle I think.

Hi M
Sorry to hear your second week was a negative on weight lose. It seems week 2 can be a bit of a stumbling block – I certainly struggled to stay focused on the goal, when I was repeatedly seeing a lack of progress. I am sort of expecting that to be the case in week three too, so I am not stressing about seeing the scales defying my effort this time. After all, eating just 800 cals a day, has to result in weight lose eventually.

Try to stay positive and stick with it, I’m sure you will see positive results soon. Good luck for week three – especially to those that struggled in week two as well.

Hi , I am one week in today. I have lost 7 pounds ( 68.5kg to 65kg) & blood sugar readings have been between 4 – 5 mmol in the last 4 days. Usually in the evening after dinner I would just blob on the couch & munch on the junk & have no energy to do much. That has totally changed I am now full of energy & finding stuff to do.
I’ m amazed after a week of how well I feel & am so motivated.

Hi, I’m using MyFitnessPal to keep track and am wondering what balance of Carbs Fat and Protein I should be aiming for? Thanks

Hi all
I am just starting my third week after a hard week too! I had been on a diet since January 1st and lost 14 lbs. then 15 days ago I started the 800 a-day.Following it to the letter: I lost 7lb in the first week! Wow!……. and then nothing the second week. 0. Not even 1/2lb.
it has been very good to read the mails above. encouraging to keep going and hold the faith!
good luck everyone for a better week three and four and five…….. M.

Hi MaryR,
The recipe is from the web site of the bread makers. Don’t think we should be earring any simple carbs while on the diet. Wouldn’t be worth spooling it for a slice of bread.

I will try one day baking it but I have purchased pure wheat gluten to mix with alternative flours.

The best thing to do while on this diet is to forget about what we are used to and enjoy the new, forgetting about replacing what we have grown up with. Learn and enjoy the new.

Here one can buy Bread Improver from just about any store. Used it many years ago but didn’t notice any difference in the bread. Can’t recall exactly what it is supposed to do. You can google it.

Hi Fifo,
Could you post your recipe for home made baked beans? If it ticks our BSD boxes of course!

Yes, I’ve noticed huge benefits, the main one being lots more energy- that was after about a week, and has continued since. My skin is much better, (though generally drier) either from giving up sugar or gluten or both, and the blood pressure is coming down gradually. I’m not diabetic or prediabetic, so I haven’t been looking at BS readings. Some other things I’ve noticed are more cramp at night, itchy legs, ( round about week 3, though that’s improving now) and definitely clogged up intestines- though the skinny chilli with all those beans seem to have got things going there! Many people seem to have difficulties in the first week, specially if they’ve been on really high carbs beforehand, with the carb withdrawal stage- feeling unwell. If ts happens to you, don’t despair, there’s lots of great advice on this site on how to deal with it, and it does pass after a few days or so. I was lucky and didn’t have it at all.
MaryR

Hi silver
without doubt I have a lot more energy and I’m sleeping much better.
I’m also reliably informed that I’m a lot calmer than usual (I always considered myself to be reasonably calm anyway but apparantly not.)
If I feel myself getting wound up, I grab my guitar and strum a few tunes while I hum along. (My singing voice scares cats away)
After an hour of that I’m relaxed and the wife has a headache 😀

Thanks for all the feedback folks. I will definitely try those beans you speak of MaryR. So on the weight Shucks. I was concerned with the amount of sugar I was eating and got somenot drastic but worrying news at the docs and so decided that I needed to take it in hand. I started at 66.6k and I am now 63.9k – I would like to lose 11k in total if I can. I was thinking I will start next week ext and then just decided to start that day that I finished the book with what I had in the house. Yes I too look forward to preparing the meals Bill, I am getting so much more enjoyment out of food. Before I would eat – fait healthily to be honest but then spoil it all with too many sweeties afterwards. I know its only a week but it feels alot better! Yes the feel good and the feeling of being in control of your eating is brilliant. Well done all of you – you have great weight losses. Do you notice any other changes in your life since you are already 6 and 5 weeks in MaryR and Bill? Thanks and have a good dat. Just had the scrambled eggs with chives and smoked salmon – a favourite I am finding!

Hi All,
I don’t do much baking or bread making, but it’s very common for “alternative” recipes to include ordinary wheat flour as well as the “healthy” flour! Unfortunately nothing seems to give you the same result as wheat flour, but some of the alternatives are perfectly acceptable , and good in their own way.
I have tried recipes that use Xanthan Gum (gluten free) which does the job the gluten normally does. Mine is Doves Farm brand, in the UK.
What is “bread improver” in your recipe, Cas?
MaryR

No breakfast
Lunch will be a home made curry with a gram flour flatbread
The plan for dinner is foil baked fish with asparagus
Of course my Greek yoghurt with berries for a late night snack I had pear instead of berries last night – very nice.
I’ve already done a litre of water and 4 coffees today so the fluid intake is up where it needs to be.

Plan for today
Breakfast
Psyllium husk in water.
100 g Soya yogurt with blueberries and flax seed
Lunch
Salad with hard boiled egg and 30 g smoked salmon
Dinner
Slow cooker chicken with Mediterranean veg.
Snack if necessary
Home made veg soup.

Amazing to be ‘ dieting’ on such lovely food, with no cravings or hunger pangs.
Penny

Hi TrishaDawn
I’m also 5’1 on a good day! And 66. I’ve found the diet easy but weight loss much slower than most people. Frustrating but better than any alternative. And much easier than WW etc.
Good luck with it.
Penny

Hi Silver, Well done for getting going, I’m in week six and really enjoying it, 19lbs down so far 🙂 . The mushrooms with baked beans is one of my favourites, specially for brunch, and I use the Whole Earth orgainc baked beans which are sweetened with apple juice, which I feel is slightly is slightly better than sugar. I’m not sure what the reduced sugar Heinz ones have in, so check the ingredients, it may be artificial sweeteners which I am not into. The Whole Earth ones are more expensive though, but my philosophy is that since I am eating far less food than usual, it’s worth spending more on the quality!
MaryR

Hi lucpet, if you have an iPad you could download the app. I have been using it since I was diagnosed 2 years ago. It’s brilliant in that you can type in recipes and serves and just add that to your daily diary. It will track your intakes and weight loss too. I also use it to help me decide whether to buy/ eat certain foods because you can check carbs/ cals etc to see if it’s worth it.

Good start Leeanne
you will find that it gets easier as you get into it.
Remember to drink lots of fluid and keep the fat intake up to help with any short term side effects you may have.
Want to see those blood sugar readings below 7 soon, you CAN do it.

Hi CAS, the bread I was talking about is produced commercially. Hashimoto it does contain wheat protein and bran, also wheat whole grain meal amongst all the other grains and seeds 🙁 will that affect you?

Congratulations Hashimoto. Hope you achieved your goal within the 8 weeks. Reading his book and watching the interview the next step is to follow the Mediterranean diet. Don’t know why they call it a Mediterranean diet because pasta and cakes are abound. lol Also you can then go on the 5:2 diet where you eat what you want for five days on two days you fast.

Hoshimoto, if you are still on the 8 weeks diet be careful if you purchased the bread. I thought you purchased the flour to bake the bread. I looked at the recipe for Lupin Flour White bread and it includes white flour and sugar. Here is the recipe they have on site for the bread:
A delicious crusty loaf of white sandwich bread that all the family will love – with the added goodness & health benefits of Irwin Valley 100% Australian-grown sweet lupin flour. This recipe can be prepared the night before or made immediately.

Ingredients
1 ¼ tsp dried yeast
1 tsp (5g) salt
1 ½ tsp (5g) bread improver
1 tbs (20g) sugar
2 ¾ cups (420g) plain flour (or baker’s flour)
¾ cup (105g) Irwin Valley Lupin flour
1 ½ cups (375ml / 375g) water

You’ve certainly regained some energy then Hashimoto!! Your garden will reward you this summer.
Our summer is having it’s last fling. Officially autumn and this morning woke up to a thick mist which soon burned off as the day progressed. Mum and I headed off to Adelaide in 39C heat, shows how much we wanted all our Italian goodies and various herbs, spices, beans etc. 🙂 that’s where we found the lupin flour. It’s supposed to be from the Mediterranean so I’m guessing you should be able to buy it in the UK. I’ve only ever known lupins as a garden flower and the seeds as a really high protein cattle fodder.
Wish I could share some of the hills and warm weather with you! In return I’d love a snowy walk in the fields around my home village in Northamptonshire.
I’m sure you’ll continue losing weight on 900cals with a weekly treat day.
Hopefully you’ll stay in touch, even though you’ve done your 8 weeks, cos I’ll definitely miss your contributions if you don’t.

Thanks Bill, I’m surprised how full I feel after today’s breakfast (yoghurt/blueberries again). I was very hungry last night around tea time but surprisingly by bed time that feeling had gone. Hopefully day 2 will be better as my appetite lessens. (FBS today down to 9.5….whoop!)

Thanks cherrieanne, I. Just looked at the website you posted – i am going to try some of that bread when I visit my relatives and have a good browse round the shop that sells the products! This is brilliant news for me. Thanks 🙂

Thanks Bill!
Hi CAS, yes I’m in SA. I haven’t tried the beans themselves, but the bread is delicious. It’s called Herman Brot low carb bread. As I said, only 2.3g carbs per slice. It’s available in independent grocers, and they have a website too which will list suppliers in your state.

Hi cherrieanne, yes today is the last day of 8 weeks, I can’t believe it has gone so fast! I’m going to stick with it but let my calories creep up to 900 without stressing and have a treat day once a week of up to 1400 calories butI will stick to the principles of the diet. If I only stay at the same weight I will do a few more weeks of 800 until I get to my target weight.
Since this way of eating has improved my health and energy levels so much it has to be the way I eat for life – and there are so many lovely recipes to try!
Cherrieanne I actually dreamed last night about Australian hills, chickens and veg growing in the lovely warm, clean air! 🙂 I have spent the last few days disinfecting the green house, chitting potatoes, sowing veg seeds and planting up rhubarb and raspberry canes in cold and sometimes wet weather so no wonder images of your 95 acres of sun get into my head! 🙂

Hi,

Cherrianne , I didn’t realise you also live in Aus. I have been to that site before and have seen the flour around. I bought the beans from either Woolies or the green grocer to cook and they were horribly bitter. Someone said they have to be boiled and then kept in the pot for five days changing the water at least twice a day. Threw everything out. Was afraid the flour might be equally bitter. Let me know if you have tried.

As for the link you posted it’s the only way it shows to copy. Managed to get this http://irwinvalley.com.au/ Either link will open the site once copied and pasted into the browser.

Thanks Bill, I’ll give it a go
http://www.irwinvalley.com.au/?page_id=50

Cherianne, nothing clever about it.
Just post the whole link including the http://www. and the links automatically provided the wee images.

Hi Hashimoto, is today your last day of the 8 weeks? What’s your next step going to be?

Hi silver, by you have started well haven’t you ?
I’ve used baked beans a few times, especially with a flat mushroom and poached egg, without any bad effects. I do use the Heinz reduced sugar beans though.
That feel good factor is great isn’t it ? even after 5 weeks of this new lifestyle I’m still enjoying experimenting with food and eagerly anticipating my daily sugar readings and weekly weigh in
Best of luck on this incredible journey.
Shucks I started at 16 st 9 lb and now after 5 weeks 15 st 4 lb
there are a vast array of starting weights amongst the posters on here.
TBH losing 14 lb shouldn’t be a problem if you stick to the eating plan.

Hi all, discovered a different flour today in a European foods warehouse. It’s lupin flour, which is an ingredient in a bread we can buy here in Aus which has only 2.3g carb per slice. So it can be used for bread making and presumably other baked goods too.
Lupin flour has, per 100g:
Protein 39g
Carbohydrate 11.46
Dietary Fibre 31g
For the Aussies, it’s from a producer called Irwin Valley. They have a website so you can look it up.
Unfortunately, I can’t attach the site pics like Bill does, I am a bit technologically challenged!!
The web address is irwinvalley.com.au

Sounds like most people are doing so well. Plan to start next week but would love to know what everyone weighs when they say how much they have lost. I only want to loose 14lbs.

Hi cas, the initial part of the diet is 800 calories so in the first 8 weeks we do need to count them. However the emphasis is on cutting out simple carbs. To be honest I didn’t even notice the calorie column as i was more interested in cutting out simple carbs. I feel SO much better after 8 weeks of this diet I want to stick to the flours in the ‘excellent’ section of the chart for some time to come.
In the past I have used buckwheat flour for blinis, pancakes, crumbles and pastry (I’m gluten intolerant) and will do so again but I will get to my target weight first and experiment with staying on it for a few months first.

There has been so much to learn in the past 8 weeks and I am still learning and will be for months to come – but learning is fun, especially when it is accompanied by improved health. May the force be with us 😉

..and I am amazed at the results – Day 1 and 2 – the thought of sugar was hanging over me like a big gorilla, but his grip has lessened – I am amazed and I am down 2 kilos already – is this too fast? I am not complaining and what feel good is the element of control – anyone else having these feelings? Also I had a question – I planned to have the beans on mushrooms this morning for breakfast but there is sugar in shop bought beans and so I have decided not, as would this not kick start the addiction again? Any thoughts or indeed any other beans recipes ? Good luck and thank you

I’m very basic about this.
I don’t have anywhere near the appetite I used to have and I don’t eat large meals now, so I consider a serving to be the amount I can comfortably eat.
I have to stress that I don’t eat breakfast so I have those extra calories to play with over the other 2 meals but I’m fairly sure that some days I don’t get near 800 cals.

Best to have a word with your doctor although, personally, I’d be wanting to see low readings for a few weeks befor reducing meds.
I did cut out the Exanatide injections after a chat with my diabetes nurse and so far, no ill effects.

My understanding of the diet, in fact the base rule is to cut out simple carbs for the blood sugars.
This is helped with the fast weight loss caused by the 800 calorie regime but as far as I’m concerned, getting rid of the simple carbs from my diet is paramount.

My idea of a “serving” is 2 tablespoons.
My tea tonight is slow cooked stewing beef and veg of which the recommended portion for 360cals is a “serving”. Am I being greedy in my estimation? I can’t seem to find the equivalent quantity for a “serving” anywhere.

Yesterday’s:

B- porridge with blueberries
L – smoked salmon salad
D – Chicken with grilled vegetables

Today’s:

B – porridge with a half a pear
L – chicken and steamed vegetables
S – tiny ginger biscuit (gluten/sugar free) with tea. About 50 calories.
D – still deciding!

It’s such an enormous help, reading about all your successes. Thanks for all the postings.
I’ve just finished my first week, and I’m extremely happy with a 2.1 kilo drop. Nowhere near as much as a lot of you, but I’m older than most of you and only 5’1″ tall, so everything works a bit slower these days. I’ve never lost so much weight in one week, so this has given me a huge boost. I still have around 15 kilos to go, but I’ve made a start.

Great losses recorded here, well done all. I went off plan quite a bit over the weekend but I’m recommitting now and will weigh in to assess the damage in a couple of hours. Managed to get back into the swing easily so hoping to finish out my week 4 strong (only doing 4 weeks to start, then 5 day holiday)
A bit worried I messed up with my weekend splurge, broke all the rules sadly

lucpet, oops, my bad (as my children say) – it’s iPhone only -sorry about that.

Good on you buffy045, recognizing our weaker times is half the battle, then avoiding the situation altogether. Baking is my danger time, so not that I do that much, but at least I know it now.
Thanks pmshrink, coz there isn’t much mention of snacks. all good.

Hi all, thank you very much for your experiences. I like the idea of putting fat into foods as already (half-way through day 4) I’m planning food carefully to get the most for every mouthful. But I notice that I want to take fats out of a meal and replace with more veg. For instance, I planned for dinner tonight to have 2 teasp sesame oil (90 cals) with steamed vegies. If I take out 1 tsp of oil , I can have: 100 gr cauliflower (25) + 100 gr squash (16). So- are there guidelines about how much fat we should be including in our 800?

I couldn’t find the android version of the calorie app any other aussie suggestions

I am not vegan as I eat eggs but I do not eat meat or dairy products. My question is to do with protein substitutes such as Tempeh, Tofu, chick peas, quinoa etc and I use unsweetened coconut yoghurt and oat milk. Is anyone in a similar situation and do the alternatives I’ve noted work OK?

Just played it. Tried again now from the posted link and it played straightaway on my PC.

It’s already gone, but the article is worth a read.

Brunch Poached egg and slice of lean bacon. 150 calls
Mid afternoon small lamb meatballs on spinach. 220 calls
Supper 2 Beetroot falafel creme fraiche. 200 calories
Kale, raspberry and beetroot smoothie. 30 calories

Just 600 calories which is low but I am not hungry at all so not going to worry.