Very good advice above, but I think everyone is different, even after 6 weeks I do look longingly at others when they have ‘nicer food’ than me. (Everyone seems to have nicer food than me.) I’m not hungry.

My worst day was 14 days in and instead of 800 kcal I ate 1900. Which is terrible, and yet it is probably still a deficit. So I don’t worry about it. If my 8 weeks becomes 60 days instead of 56 that isn’t so bad. But I do log everything and as I log something I sometimes put it pack.

You should work out what your weakness is and look for a strategy to get round it. I have no problem with sealed packets, but once it is open I find it very hard to resist. This is true not only of biscuits and crisps but also houmous and cheese. So whenever possible I buy individual packets and pots of stuff. The supermarkets sell 4x40g packs of houmous, which is what I buy, along with individual pots of yoghurt. I put as much of the rest out of reach in the freezer, and then get it out the night before I want it. If the cheese is just for me I cut it into 20g pieces and freeze them.

I also think that aspartame makes me want to eat so watch out for low calories drinks, or something similar that makes you want to eat (even if you don’t feel hungry).

Edit: Crossed with SunnyB

Hi does Greene tea count towards my water intake??

I am sure I have seen some posts where people have mentioned feeling angry and worked up, but I think they were earlier on in the eight weeks? I am mid week 5 and feeling unusually angry. I’m usually quite laid back, but the last couple of days everything has annoyed me out of all proportion. I have to stay calm, or at least appear calm, in my job, which is OK, but much more difficult than usual, and by the time I get home it is as if there is no calm left!

Tonight has seen a mini meltdown, because I have no jeans that fit me to wear for a non uniform day tomorrow. (I work in a school and tomorrow is a mufti day for Sports Relief. Staff don’t ‘t actually wear a uniform, but we join in by ‘going casual’). This is only because my two pairs I usually wear look ridiculous because they are too baggy, which is actually good news, but I found myself sulking! I never sulk! Then, the spicy wraps for tomorrow’s lunch stuck badly to the pan and I had a complete strop about that! The OH is completely bemused, as am I. Has anyone else experienced this kind of personality change around 5 weeks in?

I have ordered a low carb/sugar protein shake that I will use in combinations with meals . will start the diet as soon as they arrive.

Hi Onamission

You’ve made a great start. Don’t think about the ‘it could have been seven’ bit, focus on the positive. You HAVE lost 5lb and that is a good number to build on. Forget that you had a little blip at the w/e – so did I actually – but don’t self-sabotage by wasting time beating yourself up. Put your energy into planning what you’ll be eating in the next day or two. Do you need to get anything in any particular foods to help keep your menu interesting and satisfying?

Remember the battle is as much mental as physical, so be kind to yourself, give praise for getting to where you are and look to where you want to be and how you are going to get there – the rest doesn’t matter.

Make sure to keep posting and make good use of the threads on the forum, there’s heaps of advise, tips and support here, so be sure to make the most of it.

Gook luck and I’m sure we’ll be seeing you post some good results again soon.

Ok, you must do what’s best for you, I just think it’s a shame that maybe you won’t be on there to share your experience and advice. There aren’t many men (as far as I can see anyway) and it might be encouraging for the few that are there. As well as the women, honestly the majority of them are nice! I shall continue to hover between both the forums and the fb site, and now I have worked out how to post on here, I may be actually joining in instead of just lurking!

Hi Liz life’s too short hun
Each to their own, FB doesn’t suit me the same as the forum doesn’t suit some folk.
We’re all after the same goals at the end of the day so as long as we all get there, no real harm done.

I’ve been out a few times now. My absolute limit whilst sticking to the BSD is 2 hours of exercise which is the point when I start to feel very light headed.

When I know that I’m walking a full day I simply forget the BSD for the night before and eat a bowl of pasta or noodles or similar. Then on the walk day I take a normal sandwich load plus some snack bars and gels. Last Sunday was an 8 hour walk and 1200m of climbing … some in snow which is very energy sapping. I needed 4 sandwhiches (4 slices of bread) plus some snack bars. I was still running out of energy on the climbs and used 4 energy gels.

I’m still losing weight … and now that my appetite is trained I’m finding that I can get back to the 800 calories on the days that I’m not exercising. So I think that everything is working out fine.

That sounds really tasty Scotgran. Will made a note and try that myself. It’s amazing the variety that can be squeezed into this diet! And great that everyone is so keen to swap ideas, so we can all benefit.

Hi
This is carb withdrawal cravings, your body has been using them as fuel for so long, it’s got lazy and doesn’t want the extra work involved in burning fats so it’s screaming out for them.
The good news is it won’t last very long and I can say hand on heart I can sit in a room full of people eating chocolate and it wouldn’t bother me. In fact I don’t even think about it as food now, others will tell you the same.
You’re not far from that point yourself now, keep going, you’ll be glad you did.

Hi Onamission. Try this. Get a pile of cans/packets out of the cupboard. Total weight of cans to equal weight you want to lose. Stick them somewhere you can’t fail to notice them. Now put to one side tins to equal weight already lost. Congratulate yourself. Now decide a reasonable aim for the next 7 days… somehow seeing something tangible helps me to get back on track. You CAN Do this and we are here to support you.
Go for it and stay on here so we can all keep in touch xxx

Fantastic loss Rico. Well done.

Today’s food for us:

Breakfast: A mix of Greek and home made yogurt with cooked raspberries

Lunch: Salad of romaine lettuce, cherry toms, rocket, jalapeños, basil, olives, cooked orange pepper, celery, smoked ham, cottage cheese, two slices choirzo, mustard-y dressing, a plum

Dinner: Butternut squashetti with bolognaise sauce, cheddar, half an apple

Snack: One ounce brie

Water, black coffee

Cals 860. Carbs 64g. Hmmm maybe a bit high as I am aiming for 40 -50g carbs ‘ ish That plum and half an apple come to 18.5g by themselves.

Hi, I am a long time lurker on these forums but haven’t posted anything, so forgive me if I do anything wrong or daft. I also belong to the closed Facebook group, and have directed people to it from the BSD Facebook page, so they could get some support, as some have been struggling. I am so sorry to see that Bill has been having problems today, I was delighted to see you there, Bill, as you have so much to offer in terms of support and encouragement. And I’m sorry that Lynne has left the group. I think most of the people in that group are very friendly and helpful. Sometimes words in type come across differently than was meant – this can happen with texts too in my experience. Anyway, I’m not sure what else to say, just that I’m sorry that it happened.

Thanks TP!

I really don’t want this to turn into another diet that slides off a cliff again! I had a great first week, lost five pounds, would have easily been seven if I hadn’t picked a bit at the weekend but since then I’ve been rubbish at sticking to it. Any advice? I know it’s really only me that can sort it out and stick to it. I’m not even hungry anymore but feel my old ways coming back. I just need to get back to it but if anyone slipped a bit and got back on it, I’d love to hear from you. Thanks

Thanks Bill, I’ll let you know how I get off

Hi Charlie,

As I understand it, the C-Pep test shows if you’re actually still producing insulin, so yes I would have thought your doctor would find it useful 🙂

hope this helps

TP

SunnyB spot on re sesame seeds. Mine are garlic infused ( got them in Hong Kong). The best deal at the fish counter today was salmon. I mixed two teaspoons of coconut flour with one of sesame seeds and mixed it with the zest of half a lime. I fried it skin side in a little butter then flipped for a second or two to coat, flipped back to spread the mix on, flipped back to coated side for a few minutes. A lot of flipping. Squeezed half a lime over before serving. The result was flipping delicious. I’ve almost got indigestion rushing on here to rave. I had it with cauliflower rice sprinkled with chilli flakes and half a courgette cut into ribbons and steamed. A sure fire keeper! Can’t wait to try the prawns.

Judith, felt guilty because they sometimes had to come to work with me. Then I was told they love it because they get to go to different places and meet all kinds of different people. (The sweets and money they get given help of course LOL)

I’ve slept on it long enough and left that group.

I don’t like bullies either, and I was there before most of them. But the group has changed, not for the better. I don’t need the aggro, but to use my energy for more important things. So I have left

Lynne they must adore you for it! You would be surprised if you knew how many children never get that experience. Same goes for board games and jacks. I found during wet play/dinner times both boys and girls preferred actual activities to the boring old ipads! X

Dignified and wise Lynn
Just a bunch of playground bullies really, they’ve been there a while so they think they have the right to push the new kids about.
My head says just click the leave group button
My heart says I detest bullies so stay and give them he’ll
I think I’ll sleep on it.

Judith, museum pieces like me are good at that LOL 😃 When the twins (8 years old now) visit they sew and other things like that instead of spending hours playing games on their phones. Cruel grandma 😱

Catgirl, I. Know this isn’t what you asked for but I would suggest sitting on the floor with legs straight out in front of you and tense the muscles at the top of your thighs by lifting your heels an inch of the floor. I can’t think of the other exercises that will help you recover from the surgery but I’m sure others will be able to help x

Lynne how lovely that an old skill won’t be lost 🙂

Bill and Judith. Proggy mats are alive and well 😃. I went with a local craft club to Beamish for a day learning how to make one. An there’s a local group meeting weekly who make them 😃.

Hi ditzidora

It’s an old Slimming World trick – buy battered fish and leave the batter.

Hope your curry was good.

I was attacked on Facebook a few days ago. Someone asked what happens after the 8 weeks so I posted what the BSD team replied to me on that and, that like any others I am staying on this for a while. Response came back that this is unsustainable, would lead to anorexia and death. I pointed out that those who gave bariatric surgery cannot eat much afterwards and so have low calorie intake. Another attack – writer knew someone who had said surgery, lost weight, stabilised, then started to set all the wrong stuff and gained weight. At that point I decided to maintain a dignified silence. Some battles you just can’t win.

Yes Bill – you read it right. Me – dignified! LOL. Abut I do agree with you about the Facebook group. I see the same comments on there that I used to hear at slimming clubs. I think it started out ok but as it’s got bigger it has changed and I’ve been thinking of leaving the group for a few days.

Folk are much nicer, kinder and supportive on here.

Hi Lucia, so proud of your achievement and it is such a psychological milestone to get into the lower stone bracket, hopefully will be joining you soon. Went out for lunch today and ordered prawn and salmon salad, told them to leave off the potato salad, homemade coleslaw and Marie Rose sauce! How much of a goody 2 shoes are hubby and I!

Woke up this morning feeling so full of energy which is something I haven’t felt in toooo long, potted some herbs (cooking kind) and I am even starting to get bored playing scrabble or watching to and have an itch to get out there and do something slightly energetic, haven’t quite started the fitness kick but a bit like Christmas its on its way! Hopefully not that long though! Having a knee replacement at the end of August so any low impact exercise tips would be appreciated.

Once again your success and enthusiasm is an inspiration

Indeed. Stick to us and ignore the FB group Bill, we all love and appreciate you on here😉

I think I already have a rep with the docs, Bill. It was the consultant i didn’t take any notice of after he told me I was disabled for life (I wasn’t standing for that – hence the horse riding with a full cast on my leg) and that I needed to lose a lot of weight. I was 8 and a half stones (5’4) and he had an enormous beer belly. He said it absolutely seriously ! One of the young doctors with him popped back in my room and said he couldn’t believe what he had just said to me.

My doctors are very good and I do listen to them – they discuss and listen to you. I think your doctor (hopefully ) wants to find out more from you. Your results speak for themselves. You might soon be the cause of advice to diabetics changing in your practice. I hope so.

There must be an element of the attitudes we have in everyone on these forums or they wouldn’t be trying this.

Really looking forward to what happens on the 30th 🙂

Hi, think I’ll have a go at fish with no batter, will be easier than having different food than the rest of the family. Also, kippers are a personal favourite, so will definitely pop to Craster.

Just got home to the smell of chick pea and lentil curry that’s been in the slow cooker all day as I knew I’d be pushed for time today….. Will let you know what it’s like!

Hi Bill & fellow BSDers, I have a hereditary eye condition which pre-disposes me to raised eye pressure and had hoped that the original diet I was on (SIRT) followed by this one (mind you only a week on this) would have lowered by eye pressures as it has done with my blood pressure, (normal now without drugs for the 1st time in years,) but it hasn’t – it will be interesting to see the long-term effect of a major change in diet when I have my next check-up in 6 months time.

A while back I decided that I wasn’t going to totally give up F&Chips, but the shop that does the best fish here in Kent does very poor chips, so I usually only have a couple & no chips means no ketchup, which as we are hearing non-stop on the radio today is about as bad, if not worse than fizzy drinks for sugar content! Mind you no-one is going to eat a gallon of ketchup in 1 sitting so the ‘ketchup question’ is a touch spurious.

To eat healthier I have been baking fresh fish with herbs & lemon & having sweet potato chips ( 1 spud between myself & my husband) for a while anyway & will get out the carb counter to make sure I can still do this on the diet/new way of life.

Bill, I just wanted to add my hugs to the many you have been receiving on this forum, you are going through a very tough time & I can only imagine what you must be feeling about tomorrow’s hospital appt.

Had 3 small falafels for breakfast to use them up, and having home made prawn stir-fry with a mass of veggies (kale, book choi, celery, red pepper, broccoli, onion & a hit of chilli) for dinner tonight, no lunch.

Scotgran
sincere apologies for derailing your thread
Personally I would ditch the app but I can see how it helps some people, it’s just a matter of personal taste, I feel confident enough now to guesstimate the carbs and cals in my food and I seem to be doing OK
Go back to what you were doing, it worked then, it still will.

LMAO
Judith, you and me are going to get a reputation at the docs.
I know that lots of folk just accept a doctors opinion as fact, if more disputed it we possibly wouldn’t be stuck in the rut that we are in.
In fact I suspect that a doctors words get much more undivided attention than a teachers ever does.

Cherrieanne, I think you are right, I should enter in in the morning and stick to it. As it is, I enter in the evening when I’ve eaten my three meals , then think, oh goodie, i can stuff myself. Wrong approach methinks!

Different strokes for different folks Julia
If they are happy putting up with that sort of stuff over there, then good for them.
It’s not for me though

You don’t want to hear my real feelings about Facebook anyway, the kids all put their whole lives up there.
Remember that George Orwell book 1984. Big brother is watching you ?
Big brother is no longer needed they gave us Facebook and we voluntarily give out all the info they need
So basically I joined the group to see what was going on and to act, more or less the same way as I do on here, it’s a nonsensity and seeing as Penny got similar treatment, probably not for me.

Hi Ditzidora,
We always have fish and chips on a Friday no matter what diet we’re on. However, we remove most of the batter (surprisingly, after a month or two of doing this we didn’t want it any more – tasted far too fatty) and share a regular portion of chips between us.
The other suprise is that I’m nearly always a pound down on Saturday Morning. Could be ‘cos knowing the f&c is on the menu, I’m a bit more frugal earlier in the day.
Life would be much the poorer without the odd treat and I’ve still lost 17lbs so far so it can’t be doing too much harm.

Good on yer mate, as our aussie friends might say. So that is you and penny who have had a bad response while trying to help someone. But you KNOW you are right Bill. If you do get barred it is their loss the fools

Ha ha Bill that reminded me of something that happened to me years ago, I had spent absolutely ages convincing the dr that I was not in agony with my damaged leg. He had said he had my MR scan in front of him and I must be in a lot of pain. His next move was to say he had been monitoring patients who had had heroic surgery, none of them with an injury as severe and all complaining of pain – so how have you done it?

Answer: I have ignored everything the consultant told me, so I horse ride, ballroom dance and go on two hill walks a week and eat lots of chillies to reduce inflammation.

Then he wanted a 2 week diary of everything I ate and did so he could make recommendations to other patients.

Now you’re in the same position with a different problem

Bill – Captain Lynne told me the same thing. I have avoided the FB group for the same reason !

Hi OP

Well done for progress so far and welcome to the forums. I know you have been reading and there is plenty of info and support on the various threads, so be sure to use them – especially when things get a bit tough.

Think week 2 can be a difficult one for many, but you will soon be out the other side and moving on. Don’t panic if you plateau, it happens and is sent to try us. Things will come right.

Look forward to hearing your progress reports – good luck.

Penny ???
I thought you were on a plane to India ?
I just got the same sort of treatment on the Facebook page as you did, very touchy over there aren’t they ?

Thanks Judith
would you believe I’ve just been savaged in the closed facebook group for trying to help someone who had a relapse and in her words, can’t stop putting bad things in her mouth.
The worst is it wasn’t even her who had a go at me but someone who considers herself as a strong woman who will not be told what to think or do by ANYONE
*But she’s following a diet from a book.*
I’m afraid I live with a very strong woman and I’m well used to dealing with this.
Time to reload both barrels as I emptied them at her and will probably get banned for it.

Hi yogi, i used 8 oz flour, 2 eggs. Divided the results into 6 small portions – approx 100 calories a portion. And have frozen 4 portions. I don’t see why it won’t work. I. Intend dropping them frozen into boiling water with a splash of olive oil when I. Next have them 🙂

It’s very strange Janet, I mean how can you do the same thing for a week, lose no weight, and then lose 3 pounds overnight
I’m not even going to try to understand it.

Done, bill

Thanks Christi
I think it maybe blood pressure as captainlynne mentioned. Have an appointment at doctor’s tomorrow so will get her to check while I’m there. Yes these forums are great feel so inspired. Thanks for the support🙃

Sometimes I find myself asking the bigger questions in life. For instance, when exactly does weight loss occur? Not how but when? Is it when I am asleep? Do fairies get drafted in when a special bell rings because I have been truly good and can have a pound removed? Or is it happening all the time? If so, I’d never know as I am always heavier in the evening than the morning? The reason for such a strange line of questioning is that I’m wondering whether there is also a time lag between my actions and the results. I was quite naughty on Monday evening, for only the third time in five weeks which is very good for me. Of course, I didn’t dare face the scales on Wednesday morning but yesterday morning I still lost half a pound. However, my ketosis has been negligible to non existent since Tuesday even though I was straight back on the plan. I’m not disheartened in any way, just curious.

Similarly Bill, I have no idea how to explain your readings. My dad had T1 most of his adult life but T2 has thankfully not touched my family yet. However your ketosis is good and encouraging so keep doing what you are doing👼