Hi ptanna (and everyone else) I decided to use two meal replacements and an evening meal from Jan 1st (1200 cals per day). Had lost a stone by last Sunday. Started 800 on Tuesday this week and have lost another 3 lbs in 3 days! I am still (for ease and control on working days) using two meal replacements (Certaslim) for breakfast (131 cals) and lunch (133 cals) and a low carb meal, with lots of veg. (I am vegetarian) about 500 calories in evening (total just under 800). On non working days I will choose whether to have brunch and dinner. This is all working for me right now – intend to do the full eight weeks and then go to 5:2 and keep eat days to 1200. I guess the most important thing is to do what works and is healthy! as newmill said it is only 56 days actually now only 52! Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Help please. 4 days in – I know the book says no diet coke etc. but can I have a Slimline tonic with a slice of lemon? (to replace my craving for a glass of wine or a g & t!)

Hi all, i have just posted a similar problem https://thebloodsugardiet.com/forums/topic/pork-with-apples-and-shallots-450-calories/.

It is frustrating to learn that the calorie count in the book can’t be trusted as it adds to the stress of engaging in this new exciting way of getting healthier. Lesson learn’t – check before you cook.

Otherwise everything going totally in the right direction and am not finding myself particularly hungry (except for day 1 which was horrible!). Half way through week 3 now and really enjoying the plan. From my experience the secret is to drink loads of water and then some. It stops the headaches and makes you feel so much better – but you do go to the loo a lot.

Good luck to everyone on this exciting life changing journey.

Hi all…I am finishing reading the book this weekend and am starting tomorrow…. I’ve decided to think of these eight weeks as an ‘intervention’ …lol…. Knowing I ‘only’ have to do it for 8 weeks will help me stick with it when it gets hard. That is my rationale anyway! Hehe. But reading all your posts, as well as inspiring me, makes me think it could be easier than I thought! 👏🏻 Food wise I know I can do this, but alcohol (or should I say the lack of it!) on Friday and Saturday evenings (I work Monday to Friday these days, but I am a nurse so I do know how hard shift eating is!) worries me….. I will abstain for 8 weeks and consider how to manage it better when I’ve finished. Any advice about that from anyone?
Your posts are fantastic! Thank you so much. I already feel (under 2 hours into registering on the site) that there’s a community of fab folks out there -globally- who can be helpful, supportive, informative and funny!
Sarah

Hi Bill, I’m so excited with the results of this ‘diet’ (lifestyle) I’m already waving as I jump up and down for joy. Although my BMI is down to 24 I’m not taking that measurement too seriously as I have skinny arms and legs but a lot of fat round my middle and there is still quite a lot to shift! If the fat keeps disappearing I might treat myself to a dress!!! As you have said if only this information had been out there 20 years ago!
I think we will be on this forum for a long time to come because as we reach our personal targets we will have to all swap tips and advice on how to keep stable on the maintainance diet. Cutting out the carbs has felt like cutting out toxins to me. It will be interesting to see who, if any of us, can eat carbs in moderation as we complete this first phase of our journey, and how many calories we can eat but stay stable. You’re right again Bill, we are pioneers!!!

1 boneless rolled pork leg joint (approx 3.5kg)

Just prepared this dish, the book says that 3.5KG serves 8 which equals 437.5 grams per person. Mountain of meat. I ploughed my way through it then looked it up on the BitFit app and was amazed and disappointed to discover that this portion size of roast pork is over 800 calories. So now I’m 400+ calories over and feeling a little sick! Thinking it’s a good job that I went to the gym this morning!!!

I’m half way through week 3 and have lost 10 lbs and really enjoying the food – but I’m a little concerned that the book wasn’t properly checked before it was published.

Thanks ever so much malkay for this advice which I will definitely follow. This is being incredibly lazy on my part but can I ask what brands of sweeteners contain xylitol?

You need to give it time. The first week is the hardest. Just going into 7th week. Blood dropped to 5.4 from 6.9. Lost 32 yes 32lbs.

Hi captainlynne. Great that you lost so much! If you don’t mind me asking, how much exercise did you do? I’ve not lost much for 3 weeks but had done the first 3. Thanks Jackie

That’s the one I’m after!
Looking forward to trying it, I will see if our Tesco stocks it, thank you!

So is it third start lucky?
I have done much soul searching and recipe research and think I am now ready. I also invested in a fitgo..the cheaper version of Fitbit.
The recipes in the books I bought are too different and I cannot get much of it in France where I live. So…I have looked at what I usually cook..all clean food and cooked from scratch..and have adapted things. I will avoid potatoes, pasta and rice and even my much loved bread. I will have jumbo oats for breakfast having found some organic Irish ones on Amazon France at a sensible price for the oats and the delivery. It will get easier when the weather is warmer and salads are welcome. It will be hard being vegetarian and I know I will feel hungry but hope it will not last too long. I will still make bread and cakes for the rest of the family but will not eat it myself. I am encouraged by all that has been said about losing the longing for carbs. I enjoy chocolate but can do without easily.
Above all I look forward to being in control again, something I have lost big time over the last few years. I will make this work for me!

Very well done resisting choc chip bics & flapjacks. Week two is a funny one isn’t it after the first week when results are always so encouraging; I think our bodies have to adjust in a lot of ways not just losing weight. It would be easy to get discouraged and you don’t sound like you are.

Thanks for asking after me; I have sustained the weight loss of week one but not lost any more. Due to low blood pressure that I couldn’t offset by drinking water my calorie intact is more like 1000 to 1200 – still no refined carbs but some things different to the set diet. I have totally bought into a Med style diet and have bought Spelt and a few other new things and I’m loving the Peace & Parsnips book by Lee Watson. So I’m not on the Fast 800 and feel like a bit of a fraud.

As I’m not pre-diabetic or diabetic perhaps that’s why it isn’t right for me – after discussing with my gp I see that my high cholesterol, lactose intolerance and vegetarianism plus suspected pernicious anemia means I have to think and tread carefully; also my dear wise one – as you pointed out recovery from a shoulder injury and also surgery recently means I can’t exercise more even though I want to. Physiotherapy is challenging as it hurts too much! What a big baby I am, but at least I’m not currently getting any bigger because of what I have learned from this BSD.

Another unwelcome consequence is that all the mushrooms I started eating and Miso and Soy sauce per the BSD lead to thrush so I’ve binned them, and I have two huge cold sores. I am not crying into my fizzy water though. I am however rather ———— (obscenity) off. I think I have referred to myself as a foul mouthed old banshee before on this forum and now I am living up to that.

I started on the diet on Monday with home cooked meals. First two days were very hard and I feel like I am getting used to it. I just received my Exante shakes today. I am planning to have shakes for breakfast and lunch and combine it with about 200 CAL cooked dinner. Has anyone tried this? What are your thoughts?

And to you , Ella 👍

Liver freezes well both raw and cooked – I freeze in portions and it’s lovely cold with salad

Hi Ju
Coyo coconut yogurt is lovely, and Tesco sells it. A bit expensive, but a real treat.

Hi Floraellen,
My Mum turned 75 this week and has been doing the BSD with me. This weekend will start our fourth week on the diet.
She only had a few kg to lose but was quite concerned about finding it harder lately to get her fasting BGL’s under control. She has had some cardiac problems and is on statins. She loves the food and the feeling of being in control now.
Her GP this week told her that she was her star patient and was very interested in the BSD. The GP couldn’t believe the results that Mum had achieved in such a short time. Her BP was down to 120/60 and fasting blood sugars consistently in the 4’s and low 5’s. She has promised to read the book and has sent Mum for another lot of fasting bloods. We are hoping that her cholesterol will be down too and that she will be allowed to cease or reduce some medications.
So the short answer is that at 68 you are definitely not too old!! Go for it.

5.5lbs is a great start Jennie, really well done. I agree about the 800 cals, I also manage around 850ish a day. I did really well on my training day, I only had my own food and I really enjoyed it. I had no hunger pangs or lethargy and wasn’t even tempted by the chocolate chip cookies and flapjacks which were all massive. My weight has been a little up and down this week but I think I understand why so I’m not concerned. I’m at 5.5lbs in 14 days which I’m chuffed about. If I was still on weight watchers, where I routinely only lost a pound or even a half pound a week, I could expect to lose that in 37 days – that’s if I could keep the will to live!

I can’t tell you how much I love love love cauliflower mash!

How are you doing Auntylil?

Hi Salky. Don’t see any reason why not as long as the calories fit into 800. Partial to liver myself 😃 Need to visit a proper butcher to buy some – can only get huge amounts in supermarket!

Oh and the thought of a Mars Bat actually makes me feel a bit sick 😳
How amazing is that.
As you (I think)said somewhere else, I wish this had been around twenty years ago!!

Thanks Bill.
You’re a star. 😊

Hi Ella

Thanks for your advice. I did notice some lovely looking coconut yoghurt online this week, not found a stockist near me just yet, but I’m certainly going to continue to investigate. Unfortunately I’m not great with gram flour either;/ but I’m sure with more research I can find a way to make it work for me.

Great to hear that you have had good results already in less than a week, very encouraging!

Best Wishes

Jules

Ok I’ve stuck a tenner in, don’t spend it all on Mars bars 😀

Hello Ju,

I just found your question. I posted something about dairy. Although I am not allergic, I am pretty sensitive to dairy and I was told by a couple of fellow dieters that soy products as an alternative are fine (I have not tried to soy cheese yet but, somehow, matured cheeses like cheddar seem fine); I was also suggested to watch the sugar/carbs content and gluten in some of the soy products.

I heard of recipes for omelettes made with Gram Flour (made from chickpeas) but I have not tried it yet.

I hope you will have a go at the diet as, personally, I am finding great and in less than a week I have lost some pounds already.

All the best!

Hello Lolo and AnnaJennings,

Many thanks for replying to my posts!

I am using the soy yogurt and it works fine, I managed to loose about 2kg in less than a week so I am pretty happy so far.

Best of luck to you too!

Is it OK to drink de caff coffee with soya or rice milk whilst on the diet?

Plus, what is the rule on alcohol?

Thank you

Well done Flora, that was the right move. I am 72 and started the BSD 2 weeks ago. Since then i have reduced my insulin intake by 4 units a day and my readings are in the pre-diabetic range for the first time in 10 years. My objective is to cease all medicatio n for diabetes over the 8 week period. Ill keep everyone posted either way. My wife, who not diabetic,, is following the same diet and has.lost 9lbs in the 2 weeks compared to my three..Im feeling so much fitter already.

Aww thanks Bill.

I hope this is the link:
https://www.justgiving.com/dechox2016janemunro/?prompt_event=236af4e&fb_event=5f54224&post_id=10154037557055087

Made a mistake earlier. It’s for The British Heart Foundation.
My family can’t believe this knowing what a chocolate addict I am 😀

Like what your saying about sticking g to the measuring tape! Otherwise I’m feeling fine in week 2, just not looking forward to the night shift, which is when I would offer over eat to “see me through” the long hours.

I used to have liver & bacon at least once a month but alas since starting the BSD i felt i should refrain until someone has evidence it was good to use on thr diet. Its a bit like smoking i suppose, if there was medical evidence that it was good for me I would start again,no problem. Here’s wishing.

I’m having the opposite problem, takes ages to go to sleep (even when using headspace) & wake up at 4am! I miss sleep……

Thanks hashimoto, I’m glad it’s not just me. Was going to give it a break for a few days. Will carry on now until Easter like I originally planned. 👍🏻😊

My headaches were worse in the first week. I am now nearing the end of week two and not having headaches . You probably need to drink more water as dehydration will cause this. Good luck.

I just had a blood test for a full range of ailments (turns out some symptons I was having are easily fixed) so other than being overweight I am fit and healthy.
(Reasonably, I have the worst cold ever at the moment)

Didn’t see a need to tell my gp as I am 24 and have no other issues, if I had any blood pressure or cholestrol issues I would have though.

Thanks so much Jane
I’m no expert, just another diabetic trying to fix myself but if my experiences can help others, so much the better.
Jane see my “this has to work for me” thread re donating for the chocolate thing

Hi Lesliy. I’m not diabetic, but had a blood test which was prediabetic. I was shocked to say the least. Did you still tell your doctor you were going on the diet. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol so feel I must inform my doctor.

Hi there, glad I have read through these posts. I started 2 weeks ago and have lost 10 1/2 lbs and 2 inches from my waist so well chuffed, but no weight loss this week but another inch off. I will definitely be following up on some of the tips. I have drunk more diary this week and not enough water, so that may be my problem. I do love the lettuce cups 😊

Absolutely agree Bill!
See my post from yesterday. 😊
I don’t have them in the house anymore.
I’m sticking with my measuring tape and how good I’m feeling.
Keep up the good work. Your posts are a great help on here.
What a difference it makes having folks to cheer you on and also being able to do the same for them.
Happy Friday!!

I think the main problems are firstly, the book is wriiten american style and their measures do seem to be a handful of this a pinch of that and a little of the other 😉 Just watch the barefoot contessa to see what I mean.
Secondly this is not some high rep program backed by a big weight loss company with a huge marketing budget. Most of the recipes seem to have been taken from elsewhere on the internet so, if you’re calory concious, do your own research.
The price point of the book seems to me to be priced to just cover costs, nobody is making a fortune from it, there are no weekly classes or fees to be paid although, once the success stories become common knowledge, I have no doubt that the big companies will jump on the bandwagon and soon, supermarket freezers will be full of low carb meals which will taste awful because of the additives and production methods.
Do the diet the way it suits you, read the book, bear in mind that Michael doesn’t say increase the calories because you do some exercise but above all, do it in the way you enjoy it.
You are all founders of a brand new healthy way of eating

I did for the first few weeks to break myself in.
I initially used Boots own brand Slender Shake in the way that the Newcastle site recommends, three times a day with skimmed milk plus home made soup (they have a lot of good recipes on their site) or a stir fry. It was an easy way to slip into things, no thinking, and less chance of slipping little extras onto every meal. I selected the chocolate flavour as I have always found that it is one of the few flavours that actually taste as it should when in ‘artificial’ foods.
The following week I dropped down to 2 meal replacements, and then 1 in week 3. Mid week three I stopped the replacements altogether as I was well organised – soup on the freezer, and had got portion sizes and not finding it hard to stick to the 800 cals/day.
I also tried Oatwell – which I also got from Boots, lower calories (120) if you use skimmed milk, but higher protein. I used it for breakfast and the other 680 cals over the day. I suspect I should have used it with full fat milk and that would have taken it up to the 200 cals for a meal replacement. It was okay.
This approach worked for me as a way of starting – I agree with Michael however, that it is best during the 8 weeks to get used to cooking the right food and find out how it will work in the long run. So try it for a couple of weeks.
I had to order both through Boots online and get delivered to a Boots store as none of my local stores had them available.
I have lost 12lbs in 24days which is above what I was expecting.

lmao I did the same daft thing the other day, had to call to the chemist fro a prescription and jumped on the scales – half a stone on in 2 days !!!
Scales are the tools of the devil and should be used sparingly

Good luck and stick to it – you will flag during your first week and possibly suffer headaches.
I am on day 19 and since about day 6 have felt great – my weight loss so far is 11lbs.

I am not diabetic or (hopefully not) pre-diabetic so haven’t done my blood sugar. As both parents were diabetic and died relatively young I have to get my weight and eating habits sorted now.

I’m a couple of days into the diet so far (7.5lbs lost in two days!), and am drinking lots of water, maybe 3-4 pints a day, but have also stopped caffeine because I only drink tea with milk, and I don’t really have the spare calories for milk currently. I’m not quite sure whether the headaches are just from the fluid loss or the caffeine withdrawal, but did anyone else have this? How long did it last?

Not diabetic… yet!
I have lost 18 lbs so far by the way!! I love the No Carb Ploughmans for my work lunch.

Just looking for recipes as we are going on holiday in two weeks (just to the seaside with the dog) so am going prepared!
Going to do a big cook off the day before we leave and keep it in a cool bag so we can just microwave our way through the week!

Squidgy, this sounds strange but it worked for me.
Try a fatty snack at about 9pm. I use greek yoghurt with a few berries. It lowered my dawn reading significantly, the idea is, if your body has something to digest during the night, it prevents your liver from releasing stored sugar into the bloodstream while you sleep.

Note to self, don’t weigh myself between weigh days. Just needed a little encouragement so got on to see how well I was doing. . .
1 1/2 pounds gain!
Bum!

Hi Mrsjaffa13, glad to see you here with us, hopefully you are seeing positive benefits by now and glad to be on the journey with you

Hi Magwa61, I am exactly the same. In fact I usually wake up on the sofa by 9pm and crawl up to bed. I know I fell asleep at 7ish one night last week – the upside is having a lot more energy during the hours I am awake!! This may change when we increase calories when we have reached the desired goals… but like Bill1954 I intend keeping this eating plan for life – just more food when I reach target weight but carbs might be a once a month treat as I do not think they do me any good. It’s good your hubby is so encouraging

LMAO@Sue1234
Yeah Sue probably was the brand, I got mine from ASDA and I was amazed at the way the flour just soaked up the liquid.
I have some chickpea flour to play with this weekend, watch this space.

Enjoying reading all the advice to this. I appear to have gained (1.5lb) in week 2. It is my time of the month and I did have a sickness bug in week 1 so my weight loss was a bit too good (7lb and I’m not that huge – just over 10 stones) so I’m trying not to get disheartened and keep going. Am quite constipated so more fibre and water required I think. I also had some dark chocolate a couple of evenings and my calories crept up to 900ish which probably isn’t a good idea. Will reign this all in and hope for a good loss over the next week. Good luck everyone.