Hi, can anyone help me please.
When a recipe says “1 Chicken Beast” how much should this weigh raw?
Thanks

Great to hear Viv, keep it up as it sounds that you’re going through the withdrawal that I will be, but it will be oh so worth it on the other side !. If this helps, I have a friend who is/was Diabetic (Type 2), and has lost a large amount of weight on this diet. He swears by it, and although he still has to monitor his B/S, his quality of life has improved exponentially. He honestly believes (as does his doctor) that if he continues with this lifestyle change, his diabetes will be reversed !. I’m pre-diabetic myself, just inside the danger level, and this has really shaken me up into action. Deep down I know I can do this, but I will have to treat this as a prescriptive diet, that is sticking strictly to the 800 cals, and eating very similar foods every day. It’s just the way I work, if I don’t have to think about food too much, such as its breakfast eat this, lunch eat that etc, then I will succeed. My daily plan will be eating the foods that I actually really enjoy, and nourish me.
Breakfast will be a green juice with avocado, Kale, spinach and fruit, as this contains protein and hand on heart, I actually really enjoy it, as I’m not a big eater early morning.
Lunch is going to be a salad every day, because you get more bang for your buck, lots of food for very few cals. It will include an egg for protein, and either chicken, Tuna or sardines for the essential Omega oils.
Dinner will be either steamed fish or a piece of chicken with a mountain of steamed veg, I have to be careful that I fit in with the family to a degree (I have two teenage daughters), and I don’t want them to develop any weird eating habits, so as long as they see me with what they believe to be a decent dinner then all will be fine.
Anyway, enough about me…

Cheers Bill, how are you getting on ?.,

I started Monday and am thrilled with my BS readings already. Headache is a problem but once drink plenty of water it goes away. I did 12,000 steps today. Planning is a key factor, I bought the ingredients for all my meals at the beginning of the week and will do so next week. I would so love to come off Insulin !

Does anyone have any idea about whether I can legitimately substitute blackberries (from local hedgerow, frozen) for blueberries in the blueberry and green tea shake (or other recipes)?

Thanks Nidge I will give it a go from monday.

hi Kev
80 a day !!! enjoy your grape 🙂
Seriously, welcome to the forums.
There are loads of people on here having day to day success with this diet.
I look forward to you becoming one of them

Bill

Hi all, I’m on week 2 day 2, down 6.8lb! Going well although very few true 800 cal days but I’m managing with what I’m doing – aiming to keep to under 1000 for most of the week. Enjoying it greatly

Hi Hashimoto. When I saw my GP on Monday I asked him whether my levothyroxine might need some adjustment as my weight dropped. He said it shouldn’t make any difference to the amount I need every day which really surprised me.

I don’t really know about this pre diabetes thing, I certainly hadn’t heard of it before joining the forum.
I was always told both at the GP and the hospital that I had to keep my sugar levels between 4 and 7
You haven’t been diagnosed as diabetic and TBH the comment about diabetic coma is totally irresponsible.
If your levels stay between 4 and 7 constantly you are in no danger whatsoever of having a hypo never mind a coma.

Hi SunnyB

Pleased it’s going well for you. I’ve had the odd hunger bang before bed but apart from that I’ve felt full during the day. I’ve been forcing myself to drink as I know I don’t drink enough. I’ve been planning my meals for the following day the evening before, I work 9.30-12.30 and if I haven’t prepared or planned in my head what I’ll have for lunch I tend to eat anything within reach without thinking!

I had No-carb bircher for breakfast today and it was so nice!

I started the 5.2 med diet last week and have managed quite well, i think, and lost 3ib. I do find it hard keeping carbs down but have cut out bread pasta rice and potatoes but cant get my head around full faf as for last 40 years i have had fat free but am giving it a try.

I was previously diagnosed as pre diabetes with blood sugar level of 6.1. Due to good diet etc i got it down to 5.5 but unfortunatley have gone off the rails for 6 months. I am devastated to find out today when i went to a local pharmacy and had blood glucose test that it is 6.7. I went because I noticed i was having an itchy skin after biscuits and even though I have cut carbs back am feeling same itchiness today. I also dobt sleep very well when my calories are restricted too much. Part of pharmacys policy is to suggest going to GP within 14 days which i dont want to do as i am going to hong kong in 5 weeks and dont want to have to sort out extra travel insurance. She did say that i could have diabetic coma which has scared me but is it really likely? Is this irresponsible? I would be very grateful for any comments/suggestions.

Should I be using low fat or full fat e.g yoghurt and cottage chees

I meant 800 calories, not 80 ! That would be a little extreme..

Hi everyone, I am officially starting tomorrow on the 80 cal plan. i will initially follow it for 8 weeks, but may increase it to 12 weeks as I have about 3 stones in weight to lose. As always, I’ve researched this topic to death !, but Michael has made it easier for us all, as he has applied his usual high level of commitment and enthusiasm to the subject. I am so looking forward to getting over the first week, which I know may bring a few physiological changes, headaches, hunger etc, but I know these will pass. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have finally found a plan that works and is based on sound scientific principles.
I will measure myself tomorrow morning and then get going on a life changing revolution !!.

I’m looking forward to chatting with you all about the various successes (and problems) that you have had, have a great day, speak soon.

Kev

Stick with it Viv!
When you start to see those pounds melting away the headache just won’t matter, be gone by then anyway.

Hello!
I just started the 8 weeks diet and finding difficult to substitute the dairy.
I am not allergic but I am particularly sensitive to milk and most of dairy products; mature cheese like cheddar is fine.
Does anyone know if I can use soy yogurt and and so on?
Many thanks

Hi Cherianne,

Thank you for sharing your interesting and positive story. I love hearing personal accounts about what brought people to do this diet, it makes it all the more motivating.

I am hearing more and more stories from people like yourself who you would not think had t2d as they are not particularly overweight and have a healthy lifestyle and diet. I think there is a bit of a misleading stereotype that the only people who could develop t2d are, for example, apple-shaped and overweight. It has been a real eye-opener to find out that this is not always the case.

I knew t2d is often hereditary, but I didn’t realise it is something that a relatively healthy person can be susceptible to. I remember reading an article written by a journalist who was naturally slim, very fit and very healthy, and for the purpose of a health article he was doing research for, he had to have a blood test. When the results came back that he had t2d, it was a huge and unexpected shock for him. He went on a special diet to reverse his condition, which was completely successful and wrote a big article about it. Thinking back, I remember the diet came from Newcastle University – which is where the blood sugar diet was developed, so he might have been one of the first ‘guinea pigs’ to trial it. Anyway, it just goes to show that looks can be deceiving, you never know!

You and your family sound like the perfect example of how deceptive t2d can be, and how it isn’t always the result of a bad diet.

Good luck at your next GP appointment. He/she must be very proud of you for taking such a proactive approach to conquering it! It will be interesting for you to see the results of your check-up. Do you think that this diet will mean you won’t need to be on medication, or is it more complex than that?

I know exactly what you mean about this diet being about making lifelong changes. I think I said in my last message that my friend asked me if she thought I would be able to carry on after the 8-weeks, and I truly believe I can, and will. I never ever want to go back to looking and feeling so bad again. I’m not going to swear-off sugar, but think I will only have it occasionally. I definitely prefer all the meals I have cooked on the plan to what I used to eat.

Can you remind me how long you have been on the BSD?

Thank you for the encouragement! I fell in love with Melbourne and could easily see myself living there, it’s such an awesome place. I also went to Sydney which I really enjoyed, but not as much as Melbourne. I need to meet an nice Aussie man I think lol. Thank you for the tips about where to go, I have written them down.

I fully understand about the weather playing havoc with nature. Although we don’t have anything near to your climate in the UK, we have had exceptionally mild weather this winter which has confused the hell out of the flowers and trees. So many flowers started blooming months before their time.

I don’t grow any fruit or veg so I really am full of envy about your hoard! Homegrown apricots and the such sound absolutely delicious. You must be a very versatile zucchini chef!

Right, I’m off to make the chicken, butter bean and walnut salad for lunch. It’s one of my favourites. It’s great that there are such varied and delicious vegetarian options in this diet, makes it so easy for all.

Well, it’s going well so far, only third day in though. Seen some positive results with blood sugar readings and not feeling hungry at all. I planned and bought all the ingredients for my meals at the beginning of the week and will do so next week. Only problem, headache but I’m trying to drink more water. It would be wonderful if I could come off insulin, but time will tell.

Thanks Lolo. No I’ve never been in the pre-diabetic range but my Dad is Type 1 and my body shape puts me in the at risk category. x

Well done jahooly.
Keep going you’re doing great.
Nidge

Fredforest, it’s probably because you’re eating more vegetables. Green veg contain a lot of Vitamin K which impacts on Warfarin’s effectiveness (if you have an accident or need surgery you are given Vitamin K to counteract the warfarin). My INR drops when I am eating well and goes up when I eat rubbish.

Hi Terry trumpet.
I am in my third week and was 20 stone 9lbs and I am currently just under 19 stone probably a bit less.
I am a long distance Truck driver and as you can imagine it is not a job renowned for fitness.
I carry some free weights with me and do arm exercises/push ups along with sit ups.
As you can see 23 lbs in less than 3 weeks is great in my book so I do not see a problem with BSD for you.
Give it a go and at 800 calories a day your weight will drop at some point .
Good luck
Nidge

Hi Ami, I’m not a diabetic – but I think they’re all in the normal range? Were you diagnosed pre-diabetic at all?
And WOWZERS! 1 stone is awesome! Well done! xx

Hi OscarBelle,
I have the same thing. At the beginning of the week I was absolutely shattered! I seem to be coming through it now though, I added a small big of fruit into my diet yesterday and I think that helped a lot xx

Hey Scotgran! What an amazing achievement! That must feel fantastic 🙂 It’ll be lovely to get outside now that the weather is brightening up a bit, I’ve been doing to strengthening exercises – but would so prefer to be outside! xx

I am starting the 800course but have problems exersising with my arthritic knees , will I still get a good result.

Hi TP

Thanks very much for that, after ,my meeting I did actually stumble across the MODY and thought that maybe what I have – I think a specialist conversation and tests are required! I have a feeling i could be insulin resistant and though I think I’m fat (fat mentality) and i do carry it in the middle, i’m only less than a stone away from my ideal weight. I lost 3lbs in the first week on the 800 but this week so far i’ve put one pound back on which is a bit annoying however my BS’s are getting better so that’s the main thing!

I’ve not heard of the C-Peptide test so thank you for that – i will look into getting one!

Many thanks again!

Hi Peter

This is (once again) the NHS talking cobblers!

When you consume insufficient carbs to power your body, it swaps to using fat. This is called Ketosis and you get ketones in your urine as a by product. Ill informed professionals get this muddled with Ketoacidosis, which is very dangerous. Ketosis isn’t! You can check for ketones by using Ketostix to test your urine – ketones mean the diet is working!

Hope this helps

TP

Hi Charlie,

(This is my first post here, so be gentle with me!)

One of the problems is that when you are diagnosed as “diabetic”, they base the decision purely on your HbA1C level. This a bit like throwing a car away when it won’t go, when actually it’s run out of petrol.

There are several types of diabetes, and whilst type 2 is the most common, there are also LADA, MODY and 1.5. If you are not overweight, the chances are it’s more likely to be one of these variants, than type 2 tbh. The only way to know for certain is to see a specialist and ask for a C-Peptide test which shows if you are actually producing enough insulin.

I have been low carbing since I was diagnosed T2 4 years ago btw!

Hope this helps

TP

Thanks Bre123 and Penny,
To be honest I think the exhuastion may be due to my hectic life (work full time, 2 kids, husband works away etc.) and lack of hours in the day to sleep! I have gained weight steadily since becoming a mother I think due to the fact that I eat, not because I am hungry but to give me a boost through the tiredness to enable me to get things done! I think I need to focus on getting enough sleep – I drink pints of water throughout the day and as active as I can be (always go for a walk at lunch time etc.).

I felt particularity tired after eating the bircher museli (recipie in the book) yesterday morning. I wonder if it was due to the raisins and apple juice? Have had the same this morning but swapped the raisins/apple juice for more yogurt and feel _much_ better.

OscarBelle

That’s marvellous scotgran, keep it up ! and make sure the hubby does too.
As he sees his weight and blood sugar come down, he will become as excited as you are.

I’m halfway through week two. Before I started, I’d had flu and no appetite for a week or so. I actually didn’t weigh myself before starting but exactly a month ago I was 12stone7lbs. I’m delighted to report that this morning I weigh11stone 11lbs! I don’t know how much is due to flu but I do know that if I hadn’t gone on this diet, I’d have put it all on and more as I usually stock up on carbs when I’m ill. This diet is such a revelation to me. My diabetic hubby is joining in now too although he does sneak some carbs. Now I’m feeling fitter and the weather is better I’m looking forward to getting more exercise.

Hi Penny.
I am eating alot of fat in steaks /pork and the odd bit of feta cheese plus salmon /Mackerel etc.
I will try eating more fat but the hunger pangs are getting less and if I drink loads of water when they strike it does abate the cravings.
I did the Atkins diet years ago and the BSD is very similar but with less calories as well as a good long term plan for keeping the weight off.
How’s it going on your part and have you achieved any of your goals yet?.
Feeling good today and very optimistic.

Guys thanks so much for all the kind comments.
Hashimoto that’s brilliant news, there’s a sylph like figure in there and now it’s trying to burst out.
My big joke was that I had a six pack, I just chose to hide it under a couple inches of fat to stop people being jealous. Well, now I’m not going to worry about their feelings 😉
Cherrianne, looking forward to seeing you get similar results.

Hope all those who started the BSD on Monday, are happy with how things are progressing. I feel I have had a good start and find as day 3 starts, that I’m down by 1.5lb. Have found like AllieBee I have had the odd hunger pang, but nothing major and actually starting to see some positive results, makes that all worth while. And in truth, it’s not been a struggle, although I do find I want my evening meal earlier than I would normally eat – no big deal.

Hope to hear how everyone else is doing.

Hi. Mine got better naturally. Though I had one on Monday and I put that down to a very light breakfast (50 cals). Stick with it x

Hi Natasha,
My motivation was to get my diabetes under control. I was under threat of needing to start on insulin. I have a very strong family history of diabetes going back at least four generations. In my generation there is myself and two cousins with quite severe type 2, only one of whom is overweight.
I always thought it wouldn’t happen to me as I ate a very healthy vegetarian diet, was at the lower end of my healthy weight range and not the typical apple shape I thought diabetics were.
I really needed something drastic to change. Like you I read the research and it made so much sense. So far I have fasting blood sugars mostly in the non diabetic range so I’m sure my GP will reconsider starting medication at my next review.
I realise now my diet was quite carb heavy so the changes I’ve made have to be life long.
Sounds like you made the right choice to start the diet before you became diabetic. You have lost nearly a third of the weight you wanted to lose already, so well done. At least you’ll be nice and slim when you get to Melbourne next. They have a great cafe lifestyle over there with some really healthy food choices. Plus a fantastic market for fresh produce so you’ll have plenty of options.
I know the hot weather sounds idyllic but it does play havoc with my garden at times. I had no apricots this year because we had days of hot north winds just after the fruit set and they just dropped off the tree. Things can just shrivel up and die despite watering well. I am grateful to be able to grow my own food though and so far my husband and kids haven’t complained about how many of my recipes just happen to contain zucchini!!

Day three and all seems to be going well. Managing to keep the calories under control and can honestly say I haven’t felt ravenous – little hungry every now and then, but nothing major. Have settled into small meals breakfast and lunch, so that I can still eat the main meal in the evening with my husband. The diet is making me take a real look at what I’m consuming and what new dishes I can cook. Only thing I really need to sort is the exercise aspect, but I find motivation here a tough one. I have tried to be more active, without doing specific exercises, but I know that really needs to change.

Still, for now I’m happy with how things are progressing, checked the scales and I’m down by 1.5lb at present, which is very encouraging! Hope everyone else is doing well and starting to see results too.

Hi Clare, do you think Michael could do some similar research into hypothyroidism? This is the first diet which has worked for me in terms of shifting fat and I would love to know if going permanently low carb will benefit all those of us with hypothyroidism. Thankyou for your posts

Hi. I have lost 1 stone in one month. Ecstatic with that but my BM levels have been 4.9 5.7 5.3 over the last 3 weeks after fasting overnight. I have not strayed from the diet. Should I be concerned? x

Great news on Monday, as my jeans were starting to slip down I decided to find my old walking trousers that I haven’t been able to wear for a couple of years. Went on easily. I was so happy. Then the unexpected happened – they started slipping down too! I can’t believe the impact this diet is having on my belly fat. Big thanks to Bill and everyone on these forums for the help and encouragement – and to Michael M, of course!

Thank you Rainybow

Wow Bill, huge achievements since you started this thread just three weeks ago. Blood sugars in a range you could only have dreamed about back then. Weight and inches lost. One medication gone. Congratulations. You have become so knowledgeable about the diet and lifestyle to keep you healthy. Looks like you’re in charge of the diabetes now, not the other way round.

Hi Bill, I too wish this info had been out there years ago as this is the first diet that is having an impact on my weight ( I have hypothyroidism) and have been worried about developing diabetes. I love your posts, they are so inspiring. Good luck with your retinopathy. I have a diabetic friend who has recently developed retinopathy but won’t change to this diet as he has always been told to eat lots of carbs. grrrrrr

Hi Bill, thankyou for the info on the chickpea flour (gram flour) I have the confidence to make some onion bhajis again after reading your post. I’m impressed with your blood sugar results! Your GP must be delighted with you

Lots and lots and lots of water , it helps with the headache and also keeps hunger at bay . Stick with it once you get through the tough first few days / week it gets easier . You can do it ! Good luck

No worries Nic, the nurses will have seen it all before!

Well, after a chat with a nurse last week I decided as an experiment to drop my Exanatide (Byetta) injections this week.
Pleased to report that the blood sugar readings are still (Fasting) between 5.6 and 6.2 and in the 4’s before dinner.
Feeling a little more hungry at night but nothing I can’t cope with.
So it looks like that’s 1 of my meds gone, just need to work on the Metformin.
Wow wouldn’t it be good to have a life that didn’t include those horrible Metformin “moments”

Morning Penny. I’m not eating much fruit, just a handful of blueberries on my morning omelette, with some Greek yogurt. I do have a very good breakfast! My other carbs come from veg, chickpeas, and occasionally a small portion of lentils. For lunch, I’m generally having a small salad with chicken, prawns,feta or falafels. Evening is a small portion of whatever the family is having, minus the carbs. I made a similar stew to yours at the weekend, tonight is salmon and stir fried veg. My evening treat is a small cup of cocoa made with half almond milk, half full fat milk – I don’t think too many calories. So apart from the treat, think its ok. I suspect I’m not exercising enough, although my job in a busy shop means I am on my feet all day. Not in today, so just off for a walk! Thanks for the encouragement, and hope it is going well for you.