Hi Kimgall
Welcome to our thread! Yes, we seem to have drifted off the point a little bit but its the most fun I’ve had in ages!

From what I have read your carb count is spot on, you can go right down to 20carbs if you really want to but around 60 is good for rapid weight loss. If you are diabetic or pre-diabetic you’d be better looking for a post someone did a couple of weeks ago that gives a really good breakdown.

Butternut squash is included in other recipes on the 800 and is not as carby as say sweet potatoes or potatoes. Personally I think its disgusting but if you like it, go ahead, knock yourself out!

Hi I got the book last night & tested several of the recipes in my calorie counter – almost all of them came back with much higher calorie counts than the book says.

Day 1 and the most surprising thing has been my lack of hunger and feeling of satisfaction. I usually end meals, however large, craving something else before I even put my fork down. Today I have genuinely felt full at the end of each meal despite looking at the plate at the beginning and thinking “how tiny is that!”.

I have eaten a much higher ratio of fat than I am used to, despite the reduction in calories – my body seems to like it.

My blood sugars are within the normal range throughout the day but move close to the pre-diabetic range by the end of the day. I was drawn to this diet after feeling periods of utter exhaustion after eating, fearing it was an insulin problem. Having checked the levels as suggested in the book I am surprised they have been so good.

None the less I am going to give this diet the full 8 weeks. If for no other reason than everything else I have tried has failed to stick and if I am not type 2 yet, my weight will put me there eventually.

Hi everyone so glad to confirm I’m not going mad! I bought the book last night & entered several recipes into my calorie counter – so many of them were wildly different than stated – some of them double calories!! I think I will use the recipe ideas but plug the calories in to check – otherwise we’ll be eating way more than the 800 cals required for these results. So incredibly frustrating!!

Hi NickF I have a similar concern about the recipes! I got the book last night & spent half an hour plugging recipes into a calorie counting app & found almost every single one of them was about double what it was supposed to be!!

Has anyone else had this problem?

Hello – I’m on my second day of doing this properly.

Putting everything though my fitness pal. Was going to have braised broccolli and baked butternut squash with a tahini dressing for supper – but MFP says my cup of baked squash is 22 carbs, bringing my day’s total to 59. Is that too high?

The rest are from veg and hummus.

Any advice before I eat it?

TIA

Brussel sprout birthday cake?? Is this the alternative to Fizzy Pop???

Love this thread … Janet1973 and auntylil … you two put a smile on my face!! x

Eek I’m starting tomorrow and very nervous! I am 30 years old, 5ft 1 and 9st 5, which is the top of a healthy BMI. I’d like to lose around a stone, but most importantly my massive belly that I still have, despite losing over 3 stone on Weight Watchers. My blood sugar is normal, but I am completely addicted to chocolate, to the extent that it’s really affecting my life and my moods.

I tried the Exante Diet last month, and just found the 600 kcal too restrictive, and spent 9 days feeling spaced out, hungry, angry, dizzy, faint and also had quite bad abdominal pain, and stopped as I was worried about my health. I am going to try the 800 kcal version on this plan for the first few days and see how I get on, but if it’s like previously, I’ll move up to 5:2.

I’m really looking forward to hopefully getting rid of my belly fat for good, and also getting fitter too, as I’ve already started the 30 Day Shred exercise DVD.

I’ve got all my fingers and toes crossed! 🙂

You can mix and match as much as you like, the only ‘rules’ are 1) 800 cals a day although lots of people here don’t count cals 2) low carb intake so no bread, potatoes, flour, pasta, rice 3) enjoy making lovely meals 4) tell us how you are getting on!

Hi Silver. As long as you stick to the guidelines in the book and to the 800 calories you should be fine. Lots of people seem to be doing that rather than following the weekly menus. Hope it goes well.

(Y) (N)

Thanks for your kind words Bill

Hashimoto, thanks for sharing your story. You’re doing really well. Looking forward to welcoming you at the end of your 8 weeks.

Well that didn’t work, just goes to show you can’t trust webland!

Ok, so I had to look this one up myself but apparently thumbs up is y between (). Here goes… (y)

14 hens, 3 cockerels, 10 ducks, 4 drakes and a pair of geese!
A small orchard of apples pears and plums, an established veg garden and a Polytunnel on order!
I have a beehive and our first nucleus is on order.
It is all a steep learning curve as I was a complete townie before moving here.

Thanks Janet. Now I need to find out how to make the thumbs up sign! Oh and I have learned they are called emojies not smilies. A lot of learning in one day ! 🙂

Aly, that’s fantastic!. So glad you are feeling better.
My son has just been told he is getting an allotment (he only applied 6 months ago!) I have always grown fruit and veg wherever I live, so he has grown up with it. Strangely I used to teach in the primary school not far from his allotment and a young child in my class ( about 26 years ago) always kept me entertained with tales of his grandfather’s allotment. I reminded my son of this before he set off and to his utter amazement he is being given that very grandfather’s allotment!!! He feels an attachment to it before he even starts working on it. Isn’t it a really small world?
I had dreamed of an allotment myself but my back is no longer up to it and I do have a number of fruit bushes/trees etc in the garden. I love being outside working in the garden. Making rose icecream from the most scented roses etc. Oh oh SUGAR! I’ll have to find out if icecream works without sugar.
How big is your fledgling small holding? Are you going to keep some live stock? I love making ratatouille from home grown veg. 🙂

Great read – read in 2 days..
So a little question – have just complied a shopping list for the first week – some things I am not keen on – can I mix and match or do I have to stick to those exact weekly menus – thanks

Great to see all the support for Aly and the wonderful advice you guys are providing.
Aly the first few days are the hardest and then things will get easier. As mentioned by other people you need to eat more fat and drink lots of water.
I am now in the middle of my 4th week and have lost 27lbs so far and like other guys on BSD I just guess what I think is 800 calories and eat plenty of fat.
I am finding each week easier than the last but do crave a curry with a few cold beers.
Hope you stick at it and reap the rewards.
Nidge

I really do laugh out loud! I’m afraid no matter what, auntylil, you have to stay with us as you keep us so roundly entertained. Not laughing at you, you understand, just with you!

I did the same as Mary with the 5:2 and ate everything in sight on the five days. But I think whenever I’m done with the bsd if I go for the 5:2 I know I’d have to stick to no carbs even on the five days and that will make the difference. I’m also thinking of just maybe a fairly relaxed approach with few carbs interspersed with a week of 800 every five or six weeks. Might work?

I bought coconut oil as well today for the coconut flatbreads. I also bought coconut flour and gram flour. I made one of Bill1954’s pancakes for 88 calories just to see what they are like and they are definitely a good idea. Veggie bangers and cauli mash for tea tonight. Fabulous!

I need to get my lettuces planted this week too…

Did someone mention allotment?
I have a fledgling small holding….you spoke my language!
By the way, feeling lots better and am doing myself a sort of ratatouille with some red kidney beans added.
Have noted the recipe for coconut flour bread which I plan to make tomorrow. That will sort out my lunch dilemma. I finally feel like I am winning. 👍

Hi Kimgall, thank you so much for your kind and supportive words. I think all of us on this site have had to go through a lot before we found this amazing ‘diet’. Looking forward to more posts from you about your journey on this path x 😉

Well done on the new skills, soon you’ll be emojing with the best of ’em. These forums always cheer me up, whether it be good tips, motivation or other people having similar stories to mine, I love being a part of such a great group!

Hi Janet 1973 , I’m still laughing myself so don’t worry. Glad to put a smile on your face! I actually typed a long message to ROFLMAO and submitted it. Then realised my error. So glad I had read the post about how to edit within 5 minutes or I wouldn’t have dared show my face on here again!! I’m so glad you explained the acronym to me as well or I would have been mystified for life.
Thanks for the explanation on how to send a smiley. I am learning so much on this site! 🙂

Bill, give my regards to your Mrs!!! I think I should stop trying to give my son ideas on how to start his allotment while posting on here! It’s amazing I didn’t post to ‘carrot’ or ‘rhubarb’ or straw bale gardening!!!
😉

OK, fed up now!! Knackered!! Tears streaming down my face … don’t panic … not cos of some emotional mental state … just because I’m yawning so much!!! Still full from the remains of last night meal, that I had for lunch … turkey mince, chopped tomatoes and broccoli … so not hungry … just cream crackered!! And I haven’t had as much sleep as I had last night, for a very long time!! 10 hours!!! I’m usually a 6-7 hour girl!!
Blood sugars before lunch at 1 = 5 … very shaky!! Blood sugars now = 6.1 … can’t believe how low these are … for me, anyhow!!
Right, I have to shake off this lethargy … off to walk three hungry nosed four legged animals. I get so much joy out of watching them sprint while I just about get one foot in front of the other!!
I WILL achieve my goals … it’s just a bit of a strange journey getting there!!
This is the time when I would normally be at the biscuits!!
x

If you do a colon : and a bracket ) it should turn it into a smiley when you press submit and a semi colon ; will give you a smiley with a wink 🙂 😉

I tried Janet1973 but he must have caught sight of my Bridget Jones’ on the airer and scarpered… no, not really, I haven’t put the plan into action yet. I emailed a friend a little while ago telling her why I haven’t been around – you’ll like this, I told her that I look like I have the plague because a detox/low carbs/no sugar diet brought out thrush and cold sores, so I’m only going out under cover of darkness to walk my dogs with a hoody on Elephant Man style because of the poorly shoulder hanging limp and dragging the leg I had surgery on. Not such a great exaggeration. Reading recent posts here reminds me I went to the dentist for a filling last Wednesday and I think that just about finished me off! There’s truly nothing left to get fixed is there?

On the positive side I managed to vac the house today which for me is a giant step forward and so far, it’s about 4.30pm, not one carb has passed my lips but I did have a big brunch. You know I went to the 5:2 diet in the light of things and being more gentle on myself but I manage some of the 800 regime too. I was worried I might creep towards it becoming a 5 week/2 week thing but no, mind and body do like the stricter way of going about it.

It is heartening to read about your progress and the others here, I value the sense of being in it together a great deal. I’m stuck at 13st 4lbs for the time being. Yesterday I used coconut oil for the first time and I’m planning on making one of those fridge cakes using cacao for a daughter’s birthday cake this week. Heard on the radio recently – ‘Have you heard about the birthday cake made from Brussel Sprouts? Blows its own candles out…’

He He
Judith have you been hitting the carbs ??
Hun there isn’t a user called ROFLMAO, that’s the first line of my post and it is my Mrs I’m talking about.
Keep taking the tablets hun, we understand 😉

Ha ha! thats so funny! ROFLMAO is text speak for Rolling On Floor Laughing My A** Off! Sorry Hashimoto, I am not being unkind but roflmao is Bill1954! That really made be laugh though, sorry, sorry xxx

On a more sombre note, however, Bill, it sounds like you are managing to infiltrate your wife’s diet anyway without her realising.

Thanks Kimgall.

Day 10 weight 10st 9lbs ( 1/2 a stone lost ) 😀😀😀
Blood sugar 13.4 – it’s on the high side but it shows that the stored sugar is coming out of “hiding”.

Oldie fully moved into new Care Home. I just need to notify everyone of the move so will be sending Easter cards next week with the change of address in.

As is always the case, now that my Oldie is sorted, my Mother ” isn’t well” and wants me to look after her !!
She is waiting for both knees to be replaced and the waiting list keeps getting longer. Hey ho, here I go again. If stress could speed weight loss I would be 6 stone! 😄

Hi Jenny.
Just beginning my 4th week and starting to really feel the benefits of the BSD program.
As bill said we all stated at some point and don’t look too far ahead and concentrate on each new day.
I was 21st 9lbs less than 24 days ago and I weighed myself on Sunday and was 18st 10 lbs which blew me away.
The weekends are hardest for me as everyone around me is over indulging and temptation is at its peak.
The first few days are a struggle but your body will get used to it but I do recommend eating quite a lot of fat in this diet and drink lots of water which keeps hunger at bay.
Good luck and remember there are lots of people in forum’s to help out.
Nidge

Hi Bill, I’m obviously a bit of a dinosaur – what does ‘ROFLMAO’ stand for? Stupidly I began a reply to ROFLMAO thinking it was a new member posting – until I looked a bit closer!!!
I too would be rich if I had a quid for every time I had eaten choccie bought as gifts – I even did it as a child whenever I bought mother’s day chocolate.
I really hope your wife joins us all on this path, it would be wonderful if she could reverse her diabetes and we would all welcome her on here.
Oh and how do you post smilies on here????

I wondered how I’d cope for those first few days – I was even carrying around a portion of All Bran in case I needed a few extra calories! I’m now in week 3 and thinking nothing of it. I’m occasionally very hungry, but it’s nothing my next meal doesn’t cure. On top of that, the results you will see will keep you motivated! Plan well and – I advise – count calories carefully until you are absolutely sure of portion sizes and so on. Good luck!

My acid reflux disappeared the very day I started the diet. Mine is caused by eating crap – pure and simple.

Yes, just normal fluctuation – nothing to worry about

Hi aquamarine, welcome to the forums. For the first month I just followed the recipes or ate things like poached eggs and portabella mushrooms that I already knew the calories for. I lost a lot of weight just following the recipes. You get a feel for what foods you need to eat quite quickly.
I’m drooling at the thought of all those sun warmed beef tomatoes and other luscious food in warmer climes. Good luck and don’t worry if you find things tough for a few days – it soon becomes an easy way of life. The lack of hunger pangs and carb cravings still amaze me!

Thanks Eureka,

“Natural sugar” -yeah! On with the search 🙂

Hi
I have been exercising for the last 2yrs and did tone up but never really lost weight – my trainer always told me Not to look at the scales as I was building muscle and that it weighs more ( I knew that but as a big girl so many people talk to me as if I am simple rather than just fat ) anyway , I trust MM and when I read the book I decided that both me and my hubby (tpye 2 diabetes ) should review our eating – as well as keeping up the exercise X twice a week ….. Our starting weight was 13.11 stone me AND 15.11 bunny oh I mean hubby – today I’m 13.01 and hubby is 15.4 – any other couples doing this program ?

Hi MaryR
Re: Fever-Tree Tonic
Received this email reply today:
Thank you very much for your email & interest in Fever-Tree. I am afraid I cannot be specific about the fruit used to sweeten our lower calorie mixers. We use a number of different fruits in varying quantities. However, they are all natural & we DO NOT use HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP or anything artificial

I am also a big fan of Michael Mosley & hope the diet is working well for you! I am sorry that I cannot be more specific.
Please don’t hesitate to ask if there is anything else you would like to know
Kind regards. Andrew Harris, International Marketing Coordinator Tel: 0207 349 4923

Eureka

Hi Daz
I feel for you mate, I’ve been through all the eye stuff that I can handle. If it helps, if you are showing signs of retinopathy, the first thing will be laser treatment to try to seal the broken vessels. If that fails there are a couple of options including drug injections or, finally, a retinopathy op.
I’ve been through it all including 4 operations.
But that is a worst case scenario and if you haven’t noticed any black streaks in your eyes yet, best not to worry.
Do go have the tests and don’t skip the appointment, the alternative is really not worth it. I had a period where I was convinced I was going blind and thats a stress I wouldn’t like to see anyone else have…..

BUT that isn’t going to happen to you because you have found the BSD and your future is now in your own hands.
Have a browse through all the success stories on the forums, it won’t be long before you are one of them 🙂

Oh BTW I have a 12″ skywatcher flextube with an Argo navis attached that I haven’t been able to use for 3 years because of the eye problems. I’m hoping to get it out again this Autumn

Hi all
New here, but not to diabetes 🙁
I’m 46, just tipping 16st and I haven’t tested in some time – mainly because I know I’m not going to like the result!!
I have my eye exam at the end of March and feeling quite nervous about them – I have a suspicion they will recommend injections or other treatments….
I came across the book while researching giving up sugar and I thought I could do that for 8 weeks! In fact, I think I absolutely have to! I’m fed up of being overweight, tired, irritable (my wife’s observation!), unable to concentrate and no enthusiasm for pretty much anything!

We’re away for a few days with a group of friends so I am planning to start the diet proper on 14th March. I already “try” and not eat too many carbs, but I will be planning the first weeks meals ahead of time, so I know what I’ll be eating beforehand. I already pay to not use the gym, so that will also change too…

I’ll probably set up a blog to record progress / thoughts as I go – I’ll share here when I do!

Thanks
Daz

I think that lump of fat would have had to be large to put a pound on.
It’s probably just a normal weight fluctuation due to fluid retention or something. It’s perfectly natural to have a weight variation of up to 4 lbs even over the course of a day so don’t worry and just keep going.

Hi acquamarine … welcome to this supportive, life changing, forum. I can’t give you any advice or help yet, cos only started yesterday, but the guys on here are motivating me … and trust me, I need motivating!! I have always needed to diet, and have always detested counting calories. However, I am at the moment cos I don’t trust myself … but I use My Fitness Pal, which you can get on the PC/Ipad or smart phone. It is helping me to see what I am eating … and what I can eat … and thankfully, not what I can’t!! For someone that could never fill in a Food Diary for a slimming club (without lying!!), it’s actually helping me!!
Good luck … you can do this … just listen to all these motivational people on this forum … they / we will get you through it if they / we can!!
Kim x
PS I love Turkey, too … and I’m not just talking about the meat or Turkish delight … however …

Just wondering whether it was normal to gain slightly while on the BSD.

I am 3 weeks into the BSD and have been following the diet exactly with no diversion, but when I weighed myself yesterday I had gained 1lb.

The only thing I did differently on Sunday night was keep and eat all the fat on my sirloin steak. The week before I removed all the fat. Could this have had anything to do with my 1lb weight gain?

My acid reflux has completely gone as a result of being on this programme. Did you have it before you started and could you pin it down to any particular foods? Do you notice now if it happens after any particular foods? It doesn’t have to be what you would call ‘usual suspects’, you can have a sensitivity to any food at all. Also, bear in mind that the problem could actually be too little stomach acid and not too much. When I had the worst bout ever, the thing that cured it for me was a drop of lemon juice in a tall glass of water. You’d think it would make it worse but it cured me, that’s when I started investigating too little stomach acid not too much. If your doctor has offered you anti-acid tablets, consider carefully if you want to take them. Along with statins and diabetic meds, they are massively over prescribed without recourse to the real causes of the problem or more natural holistic solutions.

Hi Aquamarine

Think of it less as a diet and more as a new way of life. I do count calories, although I aim for 800-900 rather than sticking rigidly to 800 and am happily losing around half a pound a day on that. But don’t read too much into other peoples’ weight loss as its a very personal thing. If you do decide to count calories, I would recommend that with any recipes you choose to use, you check the calorie count with an on-line calculator or with the packaging of any products you use. The recipes in the book are great but the calorie counts aren’t always accurate (often they seem to overestimate how many calories!).

Wishing you every success!

I make my own by mixing a half cup of chickpea (Gram) flour with a pinch of salt and enough cold water to make a thinnish batter
Cook in a pan just like a pancake until brown on both sides.
Tasty, full of fibre, and good complex carbs and none of the bad stuff.

Hi acquamarine
lucky you!! Turkey is my favourite holiday destination and the food available out there is a massive kickstart for you.
I don’t count calories, I have stuck to some of the recipes as they are delicious but mainly I use them as a guide to what I can eat. So far I’ve lost 17 and a half pounds in 4 weeks.
Don’t worry about never dieting before, within a fortnight it won’t feel like a diet apart from you losing weight

ROFLMAO
Judith, I wish I had a quid for every Easter egg and selection box we have had to re buy over the years, I’d be very well off.
Plus side of this, my partner who is also diabetic and on metformin, gliclazide, and insulin, also loves chocolate.
She won’t do the diet at the moment as she says she doesn’t like veggies so it wouldn’t work for her.
She has had 1 bar of chocolate since I started and now she is doing stir fries for 2 😉 and eating my greek yoghurt with berries
She has been very supportive since the “you’ll never stick to it” comments just before I started.
She is now telling me how proud she is of me 😀 and my main goal now is to get her into this lifestyle ASAP
She’s under the false impression that, because of all the meds keeping her sugar readings down below 5, she will be ok.