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.

Hi…I have just joined here….I have bought the book and am in the process of reading through it.I don’t have diabetes yet but I am heading that way if I don’t do something about it….I usually have a borderline fasting blood sugar.I had back surgery almost a year ago and was told that I have to lose weight to help my recovery and to help prevent more problems with it….which I can’t seem to manage to do…so this has to help me!!!

I live in Istanbul so am hoping that the Mediterranean based diet will be easyish for me. Can I ask those of you that are losing weight…do you religiously count the calories(never done that before) and do you follow the menus in the book or using it as a guideline.Thanks

My biggest problem is that I have never seriously dieted before and am having a problem accepting that I have to
Well good luck to you all…you are an inspiration to me. 🙂

Aly I too have chocolate in the house AND I haven’t even been tempted to eat it!! Unheard of! I used to buy easter eggs as presents then rebuy them as I wouldn’t be able to resist eating one, or two or more. Can’t believe it! There is still xmas chocolate hanging around!

Hashimoto … WOW!! Congratulations! You have done so well considering what you have had to go through! You are yet another person that proves how brilliant this way of eating is just that … LIFE CHANGING!! Your story is motivational!! x

Aly the difficult first days will soon be over and you will be so, so happy that you began this journey. Best of luck and I love the sound of an afternoon crocheting by the fire. Bliss!

It is reassuring to know I am not the only one! This morning as I have been unable to eat much I thought of having my favourite toast and marmalade but couldn’t face it! Couldn’t even finish my bowl of porridge. I feel angry at the way we have been duped into low fat over the years.

This is my story. I kept having tests for hypothyroidism. I knew I had all the symptoms and life was pretty difficult. The test said I was at the low end of normal – for years. I started falling to ‘sleep’ in my dinner. I was so cold one August I had the central heating on, thermal clothes and duvets but couldn’t get warm. My hair was dropping out, my skin was painfully dry. Then one day my mother asked me what the big lump on my neck was. A huge goitre. I had been far too tired struggling to work while feeling utterly exhausted to notice. Went to the doctors and they thought I had hyperthyroidism because of the goitre. I knew I didn’t. A more complex (expensive) test was done and I was told I had Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism. Of course I had put a lot of weight on due to the hypothyroidism and have struggled ever since.
I then developed chronic asthma and was diagnosed last year (after repeated lung infections) with bronchiectasis. I have much larger than normal doses of inhaled steroids and often have to take prednisolone as well. This of course also causes problems with weight.
Like many others of you on here I tried every diet going with barely any success or none at all. Then December/early January this year I began to get frightened. I was putting on as much as a pound a day sometimes and no matter what I did my weight kept on climbing up. I was eating far fewer calories than recommended – between 500 and 1200 a day.
In December I was put on antibiotics 3 days a week to prevent me getting so many chest infections. After a month of treatment I was still clear of infection and this coincided with reading about this diet in a newspaper. I ordered the book straight away and started the diet while I was waiting for it to arrive. I was hopeful that it would work but not overly optimistic. I approached it with trust in Michael Mosely but with the experience nothing else had worked. I did try the 5:2 which would have been successful if I hadn’t constantly been on strong antibiotics which required me to eat before taking and steroids which increased my hunger. Now I only take one antibiotic 3 times a week which makes life simple.
I started this diet on the 20th of January and I am in seventh heaven!! The fat is disappearing. I had skinny arms and legs and a barrel for a middle and I am now beginning to get a waist back and my stomach is beginning to flatten. People keep commenting on how healthy and energetic I look. I don’t get cravings for carbs any more and haven’t missed my favourite jacket potatoes at all.
I had a shock yesterday when I found out that my fasting blood sugar levels between 2011 and 2013 had varied between 4.5 and 8( not had any done since) they were written in my notes as ‘normal – hypothyroidism’. Now I wonder what they were before this diet – probably not good at all. So glad I started this diet. I feel like I have been give my life back after a decade or more of feeling like I have been clawing my way through life.
If anybody is thinking about starting this way of eating – don’t think, just start, you won’t regret it.
P.S I have currently lost 1stone 13lbs and my BMI is down to 23.5. Still some fat to shift from my middle but it is going fast. Can’t wait to join Lynne in a little over a week

Starting the plan tomorrow, so I am getting my shopping today. Are you allowed wraps.

Worth a try but watch out for a hypo creeping up on you.

Aly that is the strangest thing of all for me.
I love chocolate, I can do a family sized bar in a sitting!!! and yet, since I started this new lifestyle, I don’t even think about the stuff, even when my other half is munching on it. And don’t even get me started on ice cream 🙁
There has to be something in the diet that is stopping the sweetie need – it’s uncanny

He He
Kimgall, you have the exact right attitude for this and I’m already loving your posts.
You have a lovely relaxed writing style and know exactly how to get your points across. I sense a new star shining in the dark skies of the BSD forums 🙂

I might have but had a big clear out last year during my giving up stage. I was a size 10 when working 6 years ago. One of my reasons for not bothering was I cannot afford to replace my wardrobe! All the cotton dresses I made last year can be taken in easily and I still have dress and skirt lengths waiting to be made up. It will be a reward to cut the patterns down!
I feel a little better just now so hopefully by the end of the week I will really feel the benefits. It scares me realising what a sugar addict I was. There is still plenty of chocolate in the house for hubby but by some miracle I do not want it. It is beyond my understanding! This reaction has been the best thing for me as it has frightened me so much. I have been poisoning myself.

You’d better, Bill! I can’t wait to be one of those you are patting on the back!!! 🙂

Sue, well done on achieving a 5lb loss in 9 days when you are dealing with so much stress in your life!! I really hope that with your “oldie” safely in his new Care Home, you can start to Care for yourself!!
Good luck, I am sure you can do it!! There is enough support on this forum for you to let rip when you need to, and pat yourself on your back when you can. x

Yeah Lynne you’re sort of our pathfinder and as such you have done a magnificent job.
Your weight loss and sugar control achievements have inspired so many others on the forum including myself.
Kimgall, just another few weeks and we’ll be saying the same things about you!

Hello,
Have you considered a spreadsheet, Excel’s fine or something similar. I keep track of my weight that way and create a chart – feed in the new weight and it updates. I’ve got a rather up & down line chart but it clearly shows a downward trend – it’s nice to see pictorial evidence even if it’s not much.
Regards, Rose

Thanks, Cherrianne, it has been good to glimpse at the comments you have made to others. There are quite a few of you now that have so much knowledge through “being there”!!! And your positivity shines through, particularly as you must find it more difficult to keep the protein and fat up being vegetarian? Me? I’ll eat anything … and up until now, they have always been of the “sweet” variety! I have tried over the last six months not to eat pasta, bread, potatoes … unfortunately I forgot to not eat the low fat sugar filled yogurts (for my “being good” times), or the cream filled doughnuts (well, they were high fat, right?) … and as for the fruit pastilles (well, they had natural fruit juice, so must be better than wine gums, huh?). It was always going to be … “Tomorrow”!! And, trust me … Tomorrow never comes!! 🙂
Looking forward to your next post … which always seems to be of the supportive variety based on your own personal experience … what about your personal achievements? 🙂

Hi Jenny,

I started my fifth week yesterday (Monday). So far I have lost 10kgs (1.5st). I rarely feel hungry. I have once or twice exceeded the 800 cal per day limit. And I feel so much better. Stick with it.

Hi Kimgall,
Welcome. You’ve got the right attitude to do this. It may be tough at first but you might be one of the lucky ones who only has a mild withdrawal period. I think most people get through it in less than two weeks. You will start seeing results in less time than that though.
If you’ve been reading the posts you’ll know the mantra by now lol: keep your fat and protein intake up, drink lots, take something for headaches, and don’t forget the forum members are here for support, advice and encouragement!
All the best for your success.

Lynne … I can relate to so much of your story … I am so pleased you found Dr Mosley!!
I have just posted again to my initial topic I started yesterday, and now wish I had put it on this thread! May copy and paste it, if I can!
I was first diagnosed with diabetes in 2004, and now on 2x1g Metformin, Insulin twice a day and Dapagliflozin just for diabetes!! Never have been one for taking care of myself … always others. So, diabetes diagnosed, carb diet recommended, doctors visited, and struggled ever since! My responsibility, I know. Been to slimming clubs, tried to stick to diets, always embarrassed cos never lost anything, so gave up!
I probably have nearly every diet book imaginable … the majority of which I never got past page 20!!
However, this time I read the book … worked out what I can eat … and going to make this work … I hope!!! Why can’t I be more believing in myself???
Enough of me … I am so pleased you are doing so well … and sharing your journey. I see when you started there wasn’t as many on this forum as now, so you have achieved this without the help we are all gaining from. I am looking forward to hearing how you cope in Prague … and definitely want to know what family have to say!!
🙂

Well done Aly, it is all worth it, you’ll soon see even better results. Just wait till your size 12 jeans are sliding off too! Hope you’ve got a pair of size 10’s lurking in the back of the wardrobe.
Three cheers for your perseverance.

Well, just so I know how quick things can happen, I want to keep a record of my highs and lows … and if it’s alright with everyone else on here, I may as well write my diary on this forum.
Last night I went to bed at 8.30 (unheard of for me), and fell asleep at 9.15 (according to hubby, who could hear the snoring from downstairs!!). Had a headache and wanted to get away from temptation. Always been my downfall. Especially waiting for hubby to go to bed so I could raid the biscuit tin/eat the sweets I had bought during the day in secret/eat some ice cream!!! Not that the other half is anything but encouraging … and certainly not judgemental … but always had to eat “treats” in secret!!!
It wasn’t easy yesterday … but I stuck to it. No eating between meals … Calories 867 … Carbs 37 … Fat 54 … Protein 62. Once I have got through the worst, I probably won’t count the cals etc., just make sure make sure the carbs are good … although I don’t know! I will take it day by day! It’s taken me 57 years to get to where I am now … and I have to turn things around!
I slept until I was woken by hubby at 7 am with a cup of hot water instead of tea. I have no problem with that!! I don’t mind hot water.
Still a bit headachy, definitely had the sniffles this morning … and boy, did I ache as I shuffled to the bathroom!!
Yesterday morning fasting glucose 10.8 … 5.2 before lunch yesterday … 7.6 before tea
This morning fasting glucose 6.7 … 11 am 5.7
Have to admit at 11 am I was feeling yuck so had a coffee with double cream and two mini babybels. I probably could have got away with one, but I took two out of the fridge back to my desk … so I ate them!! Lesson to learn … just drink the coffee. THEN if I am still needing something take ONE out of the fridge!!!
OK, well I am feeling good right now, so will get back on with work … and write more later!! I think its over the next few days that I am going to struggle!! Although with every addiction, I guess I am going to have to take one day at a time!!

There are so many successful stories on this forum … as well as some of us that are finding it difficult … but that’s called life … we all have ups and downs … if we don’t have the downs, we’d never know when we are having the ups, right?? 🙂

Kim

Hi everyone, has anyone else suffered with acid reflux since starting the diet? I’ve had a feeling of something stuck in my throat on and off since starting, my Dr had suggested it could be reflux.

I never want to go through this again so am sticking with it! I found some almonds, pistachio and unsalted peanuts in the supermarket. I had a handful of almonds with a mug of fruit tea and enjoyed it! I also bought avocados which I love. As has been advised I am trying to up the fat content. Planning to sit in front of the wood burner and do some crochet for the rest of today. At some point I hope to feel better.
On a positive note bra is now on tightest hooks and size 14 jeans slide down. I no longer need to undo them to get them on or off! I can get the size 12 jeans on but have a bit more to lose to comfortably do them up! All good stuff!

It’s great to see so many stories about our journeys to where we were on starting this, as well as our journey together on this.

This is my story.

Put on my first diet at age 10 or 11 (in very early 1960s) – the usual sheet from GP. Before that sweets were my reward, even for being good at the dentist! But was never slim while at school.

Started work, got married, had children. Was put on fat-free diet because of gallbladder problems. Of course when it was removed I was told I could eat anything, so I did. During my pregnancies I had gestational diabetes, but nobody said that was a good indication I would become diabetic in the future.

Through the years I tried Weightwatchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley, a liquid meal replacement (you mixed the powder with diet lemonade and after one such ‘meal’ I couldn’t face food for a few days!). And many other diets. New Year would find me prowling the local book shop to see what new diet was being released. I was sure I would find ‘the one’, the one that would work – this time. I spent a fortune on slimming clubs and their products, magazines and diet books. Sometimes they worked, but not for long. I’ve lost that weight so many times!

Around 2007 was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, controlled it with diet and after a year was told they’d done the test incorrectly and I wasn’t!!! Then in 2009 moved to a new area and diagnosed type 2 again. Around this time I tried Weightwatchers and Slimming World again but although I followed the plans strictly I lost nothing, except money. I found a book on low-carbing and lost weight successfully, but life got in the way. I read Atkins, Dr Bernstein, and various other books but they were much stricter.

At quite a low point I found Dr Mosley’s book at the end of last year, discussed it with my diabetes nurse and started the plan on 19th December.

Before this way of eating, I was always looking for the next meal – panicking if food wasn’t nearby. Now I can miss lunch without any anxiety, I’m not panicky when travelling, my mood is much better, thinking clearly now the ‘carb fog’ has lifted. More energy, joints don’t ache. And an irritating cough I’d had for ages has completely gone!

At last I’ve found something that works and is sustainable long-term 😃

Hi Janet – I too am new … started yesterday and currently feel yuck!! However, I have no doubt it will get better!!
Welcome … and I wish you all the best … this is a great forum (not known for forum writing myself!) … everyone willing all to succeed … and get better in the bargain!! I’m using this at every opportunity … pc (when I’m supposed to be working … tablet (when I’m watching the box/in bed) … phone (when out and about)!! Better than weekly meetings at Slimming World/Weight Watchers!! (Other slimming groups are known!! 🙂 )
Go, girl … let’s show them how its done!! Excuse me while I mop my fevered brow!!
Kim

Hi Janet, good luck and persevere if the first few days are difficult. I took paracetamol the first three days to cope with headaches ( I was drinking LOTS of fluid) you will start to feel wonderful really quickly – more energy as well as seeing the weight drop off. I took my books and a print out of my stats since being on this diet to my asthma review yesterday. The nurse was impressed and said she is taking it on board as she has diabetic relatives. I think any health professional seeing the facts will get on board. So yes, do as Bill suggests and take the book and all your stats to the doctors in three months.
Hopefully if enough of us do that it will help diabetics and hypothyroid patients who have not heard of this wonderful, scientific eating plan.

Wishing you the best, Judith

Bill

Yet again my morning level was up. This time to 7.9 but like you I’m not going to get hung up about it. That article that sguidgy posted really explained things so I’m now also thinking the high morning levels might actually be a good thing – part of the flushing out process. I’m going to concentrate on my evening readings for the moment. I might try and go for 8 hours without eating before to get a true fasting blood sugar level.

Hello Jenny,

Just go a day at a time and don’t think about the 7+ weeks ahead of you. I also have the same issue with MFP, I just ignore the silly message. It takes a while of fiddling around with your diet to get the nutrient levels right for you.

Hi Janet, welcome to the forums 🙂
You also have a lot to unlearn 😉 but you will find it easy, especially as you are so used to keeping the weight down.
Loving the attitude though, you get back to the docs in 3 months taking your book with you, and when the doc shows you your results, show him how you did it.
Hopefully that will educate him into recommending this lifestyle to others.

Wow Mary, what a story! I’m glad I asked! Thanks for the advice on my teeth, I had no idea my dentist would have a ‘secret stash’ of products but I will interrogate her about them at my next check-up!

You’ve done amazingly well in under five weeks. Again as Jennie says, I can identify so much with your experience. I tried the Dukan diet too, the only problem being I don’t like meat – that’s how desperate I was to find something that works! But I am thrilled at having found my way here. I’m three and a half weeks in and I actually feel like 800 calories is normal now, not a ‘diet’ in that sense. Considering its the most restrictive diet I have ever done, I’m finding the eating part of it easier than anything I have done before.

So around the time of the wedding you are going to, I am going to the dreaded company reunion, meeting up with people I haven’t seen in years and whose names I have no chance of remembering! So I would like to have lost another 6lb by then, I don’t know why it should matter but it does!

I’ve been following Dr Mosley since I first saw his documentary on fasting and there is a growing campaign in the forums to get him a knighthood.

Jennie – I hope the weigh-in is everything you are hoping for and more, let us know how you get on.

Auntylil – I hope you are feeling better and have sweet-talked that nice man into painting your ceiling.

You have to don’t you Judith ?
Fair enough, most of the information was already available if you knew where to look, but Michael has gathered it all together and put it into a format that anyone can easily understand. Not just that but backed up by serious medical research from Prof Taylor and others.
That is great in itself but he writes in such a compelling way that I felt that I would be stupid not to try it out.
It all just makes such good sense.

Hi
I’m Janet. I’m 52 and just been diagnosed type 2 (which apparently, will be confirmed after another blood test in 3 months) That is what I have been told. But I am determined it won’t be confirmed. Long story short, it was a slap in the face, particularly as for most of my adult life I have worked for and lived and breathed Weight Watchers, which was wonderful in so many ways. I was mostly a healthy weight and a healthy eater. Boy, have I got some changing to do now!
I have lots to learn and I know nothing!
I thought I would write a blog right from the beginning, about my experiences good and bad.

My blog, if you want to see it is at wwwtype2do1.wordpress.com

Thank goodness I found out about Dr Michael Mosley!

We were all newbies at some point jenny
The first few days can be a bit trying as your body adjusts to a new lifestyle, but after that things settle down. Keep your liquid intake up to 2 – 3 litres a day, that will help with headache and constipation issues.
After a few days, you’ll be amazed at how easy this is and you will rarely, if ever, feel hungry.
Looking forward to your first weigh day post, Bet you are happier then than you are this morning 😉

No wall or plateau here yet but from what I have read, those who have experienced it seem to get the weight loss going again within a couple of weeks.
I do expect my weight loss to slow down the longer I go on.

The night snack option sounds good Bill1954, I’m hoping folks stick it out. Not heard much from some that started the same week as me. Hoping it stays this doable and I don’t suddenly hit a wall. Any heads up from you guys?

Hi, I have just completed my first day. I feel like 8 weeks is very far away, but I’m really hoping I can do this. I have been logging everything into MyFitnessPal and the problem I’ve found is that fat has a lot more calories than anything else, so I had to cut down in a lot of other areas like protein. Also MyFitnessPal scolded me for not eating enough calories lol. I was really hungry mid morning but tried not to snack which was probably a bad idea because by lunchtime I was starving and ate too quickly. Anyway, I will check in weekly, and i would love to hear how other newbies are going. 🙂

Hi shrinkydinkyman, my dad has a similar trick – it involves downing a boiling hot cup of tea as fast as you can, ignoring the burning feeling. I guess the same would be true of a very hot mug of water! I suffer from bouts of diverticulitis and I read somewhere during a bout not to eat anything too hot as it triggers the bowels to move! Might be worth trying. Sorry if this is a bit gross at this time of the morning!

Not grossed out at all shrinky.
Thats a very handy tip for coping with one of the pitfalls of this new lifestyle. Thanks

Hi Bill, in the past I have used weight watchers or slimming world and while seeing weight drop off colleagues I have lost hardly anything at all. This has been the biggest weight loss of my life and achieved in such a short time! I love, love, love this eating plan and commend Michael and his team for the work which has gone into it

Cherrianne thanks for that
Aly everyone has ups and downs. I had a couple of dayswhen I didn’t even want to get out of bed and this morning, for some unknown reason my fasting sugar reading was 8
All in all though the downward trend is still there so I just get over the little hiccups and carry on knowing that things will straighten themselves out.
Make sure you’re not just getting the 800 calories a day but getting a fair amount of them from fatty foods, that should help.

It finally happened! I remembered and old trick I was taught years ago. Wake up half an hour earlier than normal. Drink one pint of water, lay flat on your back on bed and within half hour or less you will need to GO!
Apologies to anyone grossed out or offended by my post. But I thought other’s suffering make need help but didn’t like to ask.
Weight loss now back on track. Second day of week four. Over twenty pounds lost.
Best wishes everyone.
Shrinky.

Hi Kinahan
The thread to look for is called dieting catastrophes I think. You might find it comforting and funny. Bill is right, please don’t berate yourself. Guilt will only make it worse. Scientists are starting to understand now that its not our lack of will power that’s the problem, its the powerful hold sugar has on our bodies. We all fall off the wagon, you can always get right back on it with the next meal.

Hi Adam, I have followed the recipes in the book and have lost almost 2 stones in 6 and a half weeks bringing my BMI down to 23.5 so I wouldn’t worry to much about the calories. If that doesn’t reassure you, you could try this suggestion – I stick new recipes into an A4 book and google the calories of each ingredient and write the number of calories next to each ingredient, the total in the recipe and the total in each portion. I know this might sound time consuming but once it is up and running it takes minutes to add new recipe and calculate and it saves so much time when you next want to use the same recipe. Hope that helps

Yes, measuring spoons are amongst my ‘must-have’ diet equipment as a teaspoon and tablespoon measure are so completely different from the cutlery versions.

The measuring spoons I have go right down to 1/4 tbsp, so I can be very precise.

Bill – thanks for the idea about using a halal butcher!

Hi Fatcat – 1 tablespoon of butter is half an ounce exactly. Sorry but I’m rather old fashioned and only have a set of imperial weights. I think that is equivalent to 14 grams. Hope that helps, Judith

Hi Aly,
Please don’t give up, you are sure to be through this rough patch soon. I’m concerned you are not eating enough! Try to get more calories from fat and protein and see if that helps. I think you said in a previous post that you are drinking plenty, so that’s not the issue. You will need 2-3 litres of fluid a day. Hopefully it is just your body readjusting and going into the fat burning phase.
Tell yourself you can stick with it for the two weeks, then do the review. At that stage you will know if you need to change or modify the diet.
Please keep posting and let us know how you’re doing. There are so many sympathetic and helpful people on the forum who can give you support.

Hi FatCat I have treated myself to a cheap set of measuring spoons – I had never heard of a tablespoon of butter! I have got to say the level tablespoon of butter from the measure was very much smaller than my idea of a tablespoon using a spoon from my cutlery drawer! I will use it to measure some butter then weigh it and post the result!