Hello to the forum, not sure how to start a post from scratch so i will start here , today is the first day of my 8 week blood sugar diet though I have been supplementing some of my meals with shakes for the past 3 weeks during which time i have lost approximately 7 lbs , starting weight 15 St 10 lbs . today i am starting with the intention of doing 8 weeks with no alcohol though I don`t drink a lot anyway , I am going to be following the guide lines as set out by professor Taylor from Newcastle university which also means no meat or fish or dairy products for the duration of the 8 weeks . My main aim after being told by my diabetes nurse that i am now on the maximum dose of metformin and have been prescribed yet another drug is to try and lose enough fat from around my waist so as to hopefully enable my pancreas to once again produce enough insulin so that i can do away with medication , I know this may be a bit optimistic but at worse I will at least lose some weight and feel a bit better within myself.
Like many diabetics I was a little surprised when i was originally diagnosed as I considered myself to be reasonably fit and healthy at the time playing football going to the gym and doing karate twice a week I didn’t consider myself to be particularly overweight , but in hind sight I obviously must have been .
one of the things that has surprised me is how readily my doctor was to write me off and put me straight on medication , this was approx five years ago and it is only now that I have stumbled across the book for the 8 week blood sugar diet that i have realised that I may be able to do something about it .I did in fact mention the low calorie eight week program as laid out by prof Taylor to my nurse about 1 yr ago but she simply told me i wouldn’t do 800 calories a day for 8 weeks , i now hope to prove her wrong and see how my efforts pay off , so wish me luck and i will try and keep you posted of my progress over the next 8 weeks. Terry.

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Nice to hear Tezryu, just remember to count the milk in your daily calorie allowance.

Thank you!
I do have access to BMI calculations and know well what mine is…

In the book it is clearly stated that these things are supposed to be on this site and I am wondering why are they not here? or am I misreading…?

Also it mentions there is an anonymous way to track one’s progress with the blood glucose diet on this site and I can’t see where that is here either. How does one track one’s progress here?

I don’t intend to be contentious, just am tying up loose ends in my own mind from the book. I’m an ex editor…these sorts of things distract me.

I am tracking my progress at another site that allows input of weight and measurements…the 5:2 diet site, since I am unable to find a way to do it here…

I do not see either a way here to contact an admin person so that I could have raised this less publicly off the forum, hence the thread.

Thank you Spirit, it is a bit of a problem but I have read that fewer movements will happen on this diet and that’s ok as long as there is no discomfort. Mine are smaller I have noticed. Apologies for the indelicate nature of my post 😉

I am starting out today and looking forward to the coming week. I am a bit sceptical as to how much weight I might lose, after reading some of the fantastic losses that people have made. I did a very similar way of eating in 2014 and lost 2 stones, but unfortunately put it all back on in 2015. 🙁 Altogether I need to lose 5 Stones, so I have a very long journey in front of me.

I can thoroughly recommend using Potters Herbals Cleansing Herbs Tea – from the health food shop.

🙂

Hello Darwinbabe
I think penny wanted to know which country you live in in order to tailor her advice which you had solicited. I think she was probably taking a big clue from your name. I can understand your frustration at not losing weight yet but I think your response to Penny has been over the top.

Hi Bill tried my shakes with whole milk certainly tastes better, and does seem to fill me up more , thanks for your advice.

End of first week, a few ups and downs, a bit more grumpier on day 3 and 6! Weekends too are harder as family just help them selves to food and I can’t! Weight loss 2.5kgs and 1.5 inches off of my waist. So very happy with that and has kept me more focused for the next few weeks. I have found mornings to late afternoons are fine but then all goes slightly down hill, hunger maybe or just slight boredom as I can’t just go and help myself to a piece of fruit or chocolate! Have found I’m thinking am I hungry rather a lot, need to keep busier I think as I constantly feel my stomach has an empty sucking in feeling, good I suppose! Trying to plan more this week and getting into a better routine, found I had too many calories for lunch a couple of days last week and only left 200 calories for evening meal, I stuffed several flat mushrooms with a piece of cod and pesto and Parmesan, so low in calories and with a salad was very filling. New best friends are flat mushrooms. Using grated Parmesan and crumbled feta a lot as a little goes a long way. Trouble is with high fat they are high calories too, but getting there and sometimes a tsp is all you need of fat. Kept under 40gms of carbs every day, watching carbs and sugars and monitoring both. Feeling saintly and thanks to all the wonderful motivated posts on here, good luck everyone for coming week. 😀

Well done to all you guys, keep it up and keep telling people about this new way of eating, let’s get the word out.

Hey Linda, you had a good few days and then the carb monster started fighting back.
Carbs, especially sugar are addictive and chocolate contains chemicals that make you feel good.
It sounds like the weekend has fallen as you were going through carb withdrawal, others report flu like symptoms, headaches etc.
So you fell off the horse this weekend.
Put it behind you, get back on, and enjoy the ride.

Hi bill so sorry to hear your news thinking of you all and your daughter. I went through lung cancer with my dad and grandad . You have a strong close family and it will help you all get through this. Words don’t really help but sending strength, healing and huge support to you all .

Purplepenguin – you might be able to cartwheel soon too if you keep this up! Well done!

Hey Linda53 – I also had my bad moments. Lindor eggs, coffee cake, you name it, I’ve eaten it. But 8 weeks later I am over 10kg down. So stick in there and get right back on the wagon. If I can do it, anyone can. I have been overweight for years and years, and tried everything. Weight loss previously has been so slow that I have always ended up losing motivation. Even with bad days on this way of eating, I have successfully lost. Two bad days in 7 is still a high percentage of good days. And plenty enough to lose weight. And who is to say other weeks will be the same? You’ll get better at this, and you can do it. Just keep checking these forums.

I know I should walk, but I have to walk with a purpose. I feel stupid, just walking. Today I have a lot of stuff planned in and around the house to increase my steps and activity. Including washing the duvet cover etc and putting on line, putting the clean duvet on (a work out in itself). Chopping vegetables for my tea and cooking, involves walking backwards and forwards getting ingredients, bending and stretching for cupboard items and walking to check the oven. I might bake some bread today or tomorrow kneading is good exercise (not for me of course – I mean the bread not the exercise!)😃

Day 23 weight 10st 8lbs (back to my least, not going to be complacent again)
Blood sugar 10.4

I obviously need to lose a lot more weight to sort my blood sugar.

Bill – so, so sorry to hear this. Wish there was something positive we on the forums could do to help – our very best wishes, for you and your daughter and the rest of the family.

I had cauli mash for the first time yesterday (had been using swede or celeriac mash) and I was surprised at how tasty and creamy it was when mashed with a little butter and lots of black pepper.
Give it a try

Look at what you achieved in 5 days. Congratulations. Savour them. Now pick up from where you left. Everyone falls every now and then. The trick is to keep getting up and maintain your positiveness. Wish you the best. Keep in mind the end result.

In Week 2 I lost a total of 600 grams, a total of 5.7kg so far. Not as great as the first week, but hey I’m still losing weight!

Use Cauliflower instead. Google how to use Cauliflower as rice or couscous. It’s as simple as.

Good morning guys
been a bad bad weekend.
xrays showed she has a shadow on the lung, she has to have an MRI scan this week to confirm but the doctor has told her he thinks it’s lung cancer.
As you can imagine we’re in bits at the moment, just waiting for confirmation but then we are going to have some difficuilt conversations.
Not important ATM but I lost another pound this week.

Woo woo and one more I am over the moon and if I could cartwheel I would. Week one and I have lost 5 kg. Michael you are a legend for bringing this to our attention. Here comes week 2. ..🙃

Thanks gooismeidm
I actually only get wholemeal couscous, but will avoid from now on 🙁 thanks for tip on cauli……….getting books today so hopefully all will become clearer!!

Hello, Just completed 7 days in the BSD.
In the first week I’m down 7 lbs in weight. An inch has gone from my waist. My blood sugars have come down loads, e.g. last Monday my FBS was 11.0 and today it’s 6.7 (lowest one was 6.4). At other times of the day they’ve gone from 8.5 to the lowest reading of 5.2. To say I’m amazed is an under statement! ! This is all with no exercise apart from normal day to day activities. Hoping to start some serious walks today!

Dear Matrika,
There is an easy to use BMI calculator at this site http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/
I get newsletters from this site in my email. I find some quite helpful.
You might enjoy watching this YouTube clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDEw561NFto Insight Episode 4. The picture of his visceral fat is shown at 1.53.
Persist. Most people experience some success. Some people achieve lasting and amazing success – but not all.

My first week I had five good days, I stuck to 800 cal and burnt about 1000 cal and lost 2 kilos.
But last 2 days I have not logged my food, have eaten lots of chocolate and the wrong foods and no exercise.
I don’t understand why I sabatage my progress and now feel like I have to start from the begining again and am not feeling positive that I will stick it out.

Dear pmshrink,
I have a phone ap that tracks my carbs while also tracking the calories. I have not found anything in the Mosely book that sets guidelines for the carbs, as some are low GI and some are high GI. I am doing my best to use low GI foods as is set out in the weekly menus. The units used in the book are the same as on this webpage http://www.glycemicindex.com/foodSearch.php, but not the same as on my ap. I expected the carrots would have been an excellent choice as a filler. Low GI. Low calorie. High fibre.
To actually gain weight when so many others are shedding fat is most puzzling.
Please do not assume someone lives in the Emerald City with an eccentric magician. I do not appreciate being labelled according to your schema. The countries where I live or work and which country has issued my latest passport are definitely not the business of anyone using these forums about the diet.

Thank you everyone for your help and I apologise for the delay in my response. I think adding steamed veggies will definitely help me stay on track . Even though I have been following the 800 really closely I am not getting the weight loss results that many /most people have been reporting and it is discouraging. I am hoping that once I ramp up my exercise, the weight will start shifting. The weather here has been very hot over the past few weeks and not very conducive to a lot of exercise.
Thanks again.

Hi I am new here and am wondering how I am missing things on the site. I am reading the “8 week blood sugar diet” for the second time and there are mentions of things here I cannot find…BMI calculator and also an MRI of Michael when he was a TOFI…not sure where they are?

Today
B – 2 egg omelette
L – Chicken salad
D – Chicken salad and avocado
Water – 2lt

Exercise – 40 mins rowing + 8000 steps

I did have few glasses of wine in Perth and a celebratory glass of champagne yesterday at a friend’s 40th birthday but generally I have been a good boy – didn’t even drink whilst watching the rugby on Saturday. Big effort this week and then I have a few days vacation planned and another conference which will take me to the 1/2 way stage. I’m ahead of schedule as I had planned to do this during April and May. I have a goal of 15kg…sounds a lot but then I did start at 145kg and was 115kg 3 years ago. Ultimate goal? Under 100kg. Wont get there on this 8 week stint but will continue with the low-carb, healthy lifestyle after this.

Hi Hashimoto, not sure what is happening, but I cant see you guys anymore nor can I see my new posts in this threat! Or has everyone stopped posting things to this thread?

Hi DarwinBabe
Do I gather yr in Oz? If so there are some oz dwellers on the forums who should be able to advise.
Meanwhile- are you tracking your carbs? If your carbs are too high that could account for your problem even though you ve stuck to the cals. After initial problems I now stay under 50 g of carbs a day, often a lot less. Seems to work.
Penny

Slow weight loss! I have followed the diet for more than one week now. I have actually gained one kilo!!! I need to lose 10 kilos and am prepared for it to take quite a while. Still, results should be better than this.
Some of the vegetables in the recipes are unavailable here. I have to substitute for celeriac, spinach, fennel, etc. Luckily I can get cabbage. Most of the others are available. I can get frozen cauliflower, frozen green beans, and tinned beans. The foods are very expensive compared with what I have eaten in the past – $6 each for aubergines at my local supermarket and I needed to buy two for just one meal. (There are two people at each meal.)
What can I substitute for the veggies in the low calorie recipes?
Can I substitute a tin of lentils for the cauliflower rice? I have tried making coconut bread to go with the curries and stirfries. Almost OK.
Is it OK to eat raw carrots when I am hungry? Raw celery? Olives?

Just to give a little hope to fellow hypo dieters..I am on 150 levothyroxin and starting week 5 tomorrow and so far have lost 21 pounds. small fanfare as I blow my own trumpet !! Seriously though..it is working and I have never lost weight this quickly since my diagnosis. Prior to that i could lose weight at a reasoable pace with diet and exercise but after hypo diagnosis it has been sooooo hard to lose and taken soooo long. Frankly I could kiss Dr M I am o grateful ! Good luck all !

Thanks so much JoJo99-I’ll be really interested to know how you go and what recipes you find useful.
Good luck with your journey too!!

Hi Mandy
Sorry to hear you’re ill.
Get well soon. Looks like you’ve got the hang of the fats!
Penny

Hi Sunny b and sue
Michael suggested increasing walking by 500 steps a day til you reach 10,000 steps. To my corner shop and back its 1300- so 500 isn’t much! Worth a try.

Penny

Hi Silver
It does seem that normally weight loss slows in week 2 compared to week 1.
Best of luck
Penny

B Yogurt with blueberries
L Half an avo mashed with 1tbs Philadelphia cheese in lettuce cups
D roast chicken, cauliflower, broccoli
Snacks a little bit of white Stilton cheese, a handful of nuts and a glass of wine.
Checked on Easy Diet Diary, just over at 890. Will ease up in the week, no wine no nuts.

Hi flump
What a wonderful ambition!
Good luck with the diet
Penny

Hi Lilly, I’m starting today too. Also in Australia and saw the SBS programme two weeks ago. Ordered the book online straight after the programme, and have finished reading this morning. Tried two recipes over the weekend, they were fantastic, and already started feeling “cleaner” and my ankles are reappearing. Good luck with your journey.

Hi Carommartin
Take heart from Hashimoto, who is hypo and has lost 2 stone.
We ve all struggled with letting ourselves eat fat even tho we can all see where low fat has got us!
If you cut down on carbs, there is only protein and fat you can increase. increasing protein has various problems associated with it, including bad breath! And the fact you can store it as fat. But once you’re in fat burning mode ( ketosis) the fat you eat will stop you being hungry, and on 800 cals you ll be burning fat, rather than burning the carbs you eat which is what we normally do.
Eventually we seem to be able to accept that fat is good, not evil as we ve been told. And it’s sugar spikes caused by carbs that has made us all overweight.
Good luck
Penny

Hi Janet
As I have dairy intolerance, my partner also uses soya milk. It doesn’t seem to have made any difference. Still takes the same amount if thyroxin.
I think the juries out.
Penny

When my head gets a bit foggy and I find it hard to concentrate, I know it means I haven’t had enough carbs (the brain needs sugars to function and focus), so I have something slow release like an apple, or dried apricots and I find I feel better. It happened more to me in the first couple of weeks, but seems to have dissipated now.

Today:
Breakfast- 100 g Provamel almond yogurt, 20 g strawberries, 40 g raspberries, 10 g flax seed, 30 ml Almond milk
Lunch- home made veg soup with one teaspoon peanut butter added – 10 g
Boiled egg,salad leaves, 4 cherry tomatoes, 1/2 tsp French dressing
Home made yogurt 80 g with 20 g strawberries and 5 g hazelnuts
Dinner- slow cooker Mediterranean veg with 60 g chicken thigh.
100 g Provamel almond yogurt with 45 g Sharon fruit and 5 g almonds.
Snack. 1 tsp peanut butter.
Only 3,700 steps but 4 hours digging the allotment !
Well under my max target of 50 g carbs, only 30 g. 729 cals.

Great advice!! Thanks so much

Oh yeah, portion sizes are important. Mine were already reasonable, so my weight loss is genuinely down to the low carbs. One tip – use psychology to your advantage. Using smaller plates and bowls makes you think you’ve eaten more, because it makes your food look bigger. I have a dinner plate from the 70s that I love because it’s a size midway between a side plate and a modern dinner plate (dinner plates are soooooo much bigger than they used to be!). I use that silly plate all the time. I generally put my morning omelette and accompaniments on a side plate, and if I have yoghurt and blueberries in the morning I use one of my toddler son’s plastic bowls!

Hi Mateika- welcome!
You ll find so much from reading these forums.
A good place to look up calories is Calorieking.com.
A lot of us track them on MyFitnessPal app. Re the sausages. You really need to know how much carbs are in them. Maybe your butcher could tell you what’s in them?
A lot of us try to keep under 50 grams of carbs a day, some even less.
Good luck with the diet!
Penny