I was wondering the same…Im in Australia….or is there a measure of sugar content that you should look for??

This is a common thing known as the dawn effect.
It happens to everyone, not just diabetics, simply put, your liver releases stored sugar into the bloodstream round about 4 am to get you ready to face the new day.
As diabetics, we don’t produce enough insulin to handle the sugar so we get the dawn effect.
I found that having a fatty snack about an hour before bed helps a lot, I use full fat greek yoghurt and berries.
Try it, can’t hurt.

I’m a newbie to this diet, am starting it on Mon. From what I’ve read, I’m aiming for full fat plain yoghurt or full fat Greek. Berries etc would be nice with those. (Feel free to correct me if this is wrong information!!).

Day Three down. Mostly ok. found I couldn’t face the Spanish Soup for the second day, so just ate small portions of it. Meatball for tea, although mine didn’t stick to gether so it was more like mince. Nice. Missing not having a snack of something though.

Just do it Cintac, to coin a phrase.
You will be honestly amazed at the results, and if you falter, you have a whole new family on here to get you back on the straight and narrow 🙂
Over the last 5 weeks I’ve seen plenty of newbies join up. Some have that “get stuck into it” attitude, some are very nervous and worried that it may not work for them, then, a week later, they all start posting week1 results !!!
You’ll be one of them next week.

No Bramley trees here, loads of apple trees as the farmers make calvados and cider. Will just have to manage with what I have. I have access to the remains of the original orchard.

Hi Aly, Penny could be right there, I have lots of fruit trees but did get a pear tree from a reputable nursery a few years ago that totally failed to thrive, I nursed and coddled it but it was never right and I dug it up 6 years later. The nursery wouldn’t refund my money as they said they only supply healthy plants even though you could see it didn’t look right as soon as it arrived and I pointed out that I had bought and planted every other fruit tree in the garden and they were all healthy. Bad un’s do occur sometimes especially through mail order. Is there a grower in France? Perhaps Holland might be a good bet if you don’t want to try an English nursery again. 🙂

Hi, is it ok to have porridge for breakfast.
Thanks

Hi Penny, I actually meant strain not filter – a senior moment I’m afraid!!! 😉 I sometimes make it with soya too 🙂

Thanks for the welcome. A bit of smoked trout goes a long way, slice of chicken, slice of lamb, tablespoon of olive oil. Sugar free yogurt coming home atm with foraging hubby:-) along with raspberries – a little reward.

Kimgall your sense of humour does come through! The ability to have a laugh at my own expense( and sometimes others if I’m esp. naughty) is what keeps me going. Most of us on here seem to be like minded, and reading some of the posts has me laughing or sympathising because I can relate to so much of it. We all seem so determined to make the changes necessary to gain good health.
Georgiarose welcome, there are lots of Aussies on here now. If you need help with which foods to buy or where to get them we should be able to help. I agree with Kimgall that you don’t seem to be getting enough fat. Remember to use full fat products: milk, yoghurt, cheese etc. you just count them in your calories. Add some oil to your salad, it will help to stop you feeling hungry.

I was at the supermarket in my lunch break and thought I would get some yogurt and berries for breakfast over the weekend….
only there were so many! and I just didnt have the time to spend (or my glasses) to read all the labels.

Can anyone give me an exact brand and type of yogurt to purchase? I found some yogurt but it said “greek style” so I didnt know if I was being tricked or not .

thanking you all in advance.

Captainlynne, same question but I’m after some specific advice. I posted it in the BSD Way of Life forum as I figured this forum was for the people who are doing 5 and 2 to lose their initial weight and the other for moving on post initial weight loss from either diet. I’ve got concerns about how to make up the extra calories including the complete lack of desire for additional food) and how to maintain the required nutrition from the 5 and 2 long term but with less calories during the 5 days of “normal” eating. Still need to drop about 20 kg to get to healthy weight.

Congrats on your results so far. We finish week 8 on Sunday and also planning to continue for another 2 weeks.

Sorry for War and Peace…..

My wife and I are 3 days from the end of the 8 weeks and I’d like some suggestions around my particular concerns. The outcome in terms of weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure have been astonishing.

At the moment, my BMI is 31.2 so I intend to keep going on the Fast 800 for a couple of more weeks until I hit under 30 for no real reason other than I don’t want to stop until then. That’s another probably 2 kg left to go by then end of the 8 weeks so I’m not expecting to do it for more than 2 or 3 weeks longer. I believe that this will be safe “enough”.

Firstly let me say that I haven’t felt this good about myself in years, I’m not hungry between meals and I actually feel like exercising and “doing” things for the first time in a decade. This has been the most life-changing side of going on this diet (the weight loss, normalised blood sugar readings and blood pressure notwithstanding) and I am really keen to maintain the biochemistry needed to maintain this desire (because it actually is biochemical in origin).

Secondly, we are really enjoying the food and I could quite happily continue on the 800 cals/day.

I have 4 concerns moving forward.

So the first three:
1. I don’t want to go back to eating what got me in trouble in the first place.
2. I don’t want to lose my energy and desire to exercise
3. I’ve still got a lot of weight to lose to get back to a healthy weight so I don’t necessarily want to eat my normal alloted 2000+ cals for the 5 days of normal eating.

Looking at a Mediterranean 5&2, how do you increase the calories from 800 to say 1800 per day while sticking to the same sort of foods that don’t induce the carb-driven hunger and therefore turn off the desire for exercise given that I actually enjoy my Breakfast and Lunch selections at the moment so that would mean having a 1400 cal dinner every night!!!! I know I can eat a bit more for breakfast and eat more fruit through the day, but I don’t want to go back to cereal as I really enjoy homemade yoghurt, frozen berries and nuts because of the way it fills me up.

Apart from some whole grain toast and fruit, there is nothing that we are actually missing (like missing a loved one).

3. The lack of calcium in the Fast 800 diet we are currently on is concerning IF you were to continue it long term. With plenty of leafy greens, broccoli, limited nuts, salmon, feta, yoghurt, and three cups of instant coffee per day with total of 90 ml’s of milk, the calcium in my daily intake averages around 430 mg (via EasyDietDiary app) versus a suggested intake of 1000 mg for me and 1300 mg for my wife. So not sure what effect having two days per seven of half recommended (and for a woman aged 53+ less than half) calcium will be long term.

Carb intake ( via EasyDietDiary app) on the current food we are eating on the Fast 800 is around 45 grams per day which is just under the amount (50g) thought to stave off thyroid disfuction, so an increase in carbs moving forward is a must.

To summarise, need to increase calcium, need to increase calorie intake but don’t want the hunger pangs and don’t want to lose the desire for exercise through eating sugary treats/pasta/starchy vegetables. Carb intake will have to go up if only to avoid thyroid issues.

Has anyone else thought about these issues and have suggestions?

Best of luck to you all who are on the journey. 🙂

Hi Shrinkydinkyman,

I guess you should have to try this Digestic by Mimonis which is an herbal supplement that is very effective in relieving constipation problems. It works well to me when I was constipated too a few weeks ago. It brings my bowel movement back to normal so I am much confident with it.

Thanks Bill. I figured it out last night as i looked through the recipes. Not very good at starting but have to give it a go;-)

Another couple of days have gone by and I’ve started to feel better! Still not succumbed to anything that’s gonna make me have to go through the last couple of days again … And to be honest actually desiring anything like biscuits … Sweets … Hasn’t been a problem for the last couple of days … BUT I know that my Greek yogurt and berries I had this evening whilst watching tv was way too big!! 🙁 no ones fault but mine! It was from a 500g tub and I dished it out like I used to … And the berries from the freezer were shovelled on top! I didn’t need it all … And realistically if I had eaten it at the table, I may not have eaten it all … But I did … And I actually feel bloated. Mindful eating? Yeah, right! I was not a particularly happy bunny this evening, so I did what I’ve done all my life, and filled my face!
Cherrianne and Stingle, I have always laughed at myself … I can usually see the funny side of most things … And I hope people laugh with me … Life’s too short not to enjoy it when you can. And, if I can’t be honest on here … And honest with myself … About the things I have done, and who I am, how can I learn to change?
if anyone can relate to me and what I’ve done or said, like I’ve related to others on this forum, then great … I want to share this journey with other like minded individuals … It seems to make it easier.
Welcome, georgiarose, it’s great that you and hubby have joined us. Your diet sounds really healthy, but don’t forget to add some fat to help you feel full, as well as counting those calories!! Have you read the book? The people on this forum are really encouraging and friendly … And all want you to achieve better health. I’m like you, and Stingle, … A newbie, so still have lots to learn … However Cherrianne (another Aussie), has a little more experience … In this way of healthy eating, I may add!! 😀
I haven’t weighed myself yet, but I have seen a reduction in blood sugars, and I certainly do not have the desire for those high carb foods that used to always be filling my mouth!!
Have a good day / night … And will catch you all soon X

Hi Juevdo
I look everything up on Calorieking.com
Penny

I love bacon and chorizo too. A good tip is to use smokey paprika which will give you that smokey lively taste… It’s great with tomatoes and peppers and beans.

So, Day 3 for hubby and me, retired seniors with the incentive of our first grandchild. Michael Mosley has inspired me, esp after the Inisght program here in Aus on SBS earlier this week. During 8 years diagnosed with type 2, I was relying on meds and moderate exercise, healthy foods, but I now see, TOO MANY CALORIES, esp for our age. The young man on insight who is losing his sight and has lost 3 toes gave me the final push. With hubby doing the actual calorie counting (I hate dealing with numbers), we will take it day by day. It’s not so hard if you only eat when hungry and then grab the minimum cals: cherry tomatoes from the garden, garlic chive flowers for a taste hit!, cukes, an egg for lunch, some green beans and 4 bean salad for tea with a slice of chicken or lamb from earlier roasts. Still, I will need all the encouragement you lot give. So here’s to a healthy and long life! (Toasting with mineral water with a lemon twist:-)

Hi Hashimoto
Re Greek yogurt
I think it’s strained or like you do with crab apple jelly. I make soya yogurt and just put it in a normal sieve if I want some of the water to come out. That’s not much trouble. It makes it thicker.
Penny

Hi Aly
It must be the case too that WW relied on most people having to come back repeatedly to keep their profits up. I’m not saying they knew it was all hokum…
Penny

Aly- ☺️

Hi Peanut
Remember we ve been sold- in all senses of the word- a physically addictive substance.
The nature of addiction is its hard to let go of in many cases. Lots of people go through that. As everyone is saying, just pick yourself up, dust yourself down etc. We re all here for you.
Penny

Hi Aly
Maybe your Bramley was just a bad un and another would thrive?? So many apple trees in Normandy!
Just a thought.
Penny

Thanks for that yes that is what i meant, thought it might be handy to have a few on stand-by if i decide to do it properly.

Hi Buffy
Do you mean the meal replacements? If so, they are liquid shakes and low carb bars. There is no one type in particular recommended but there are several types available. I’m sure someone else who has used them would be able to advise on that.

You will find some good veggie recipes on the website – like the aubergine bake and there are a few other threads on veggie stuff you can read here. All the best to you.

Hi all, I hope to start on Monday and as a vegetarian I found the recipes in the book hard to figure out without meat or fish, have always ate badly, bread pasta etc, so I was thinking of the ready meal option but dont know what they are, is it a diet product or what, i feel i need to retrain my taste for food, any suggestions gladly accepted.

Damn! After getting great pre-dinner (my lowest readings) levels of 5.5 / 5.6 my levels have risen again. Today it was up to 8.3. What is going on? Has anyone else experienced these spikes? Oddly enough the last two times I measured my blood was after I wasn’t able to eat until more than 6 and a half hours after my previous meal. I’m getting a theory that if I leave it too long between meals my liver decides to over-compensate and release more sugar. Hence my problem with the dawn phenomenon.
Any thoughts or suggestions?

Good luck to the two of you georgiarose. It would make meal preparation simpler if my hubby and I were eating together on this one!

Hi Stingle, it’s good to have a laugh at our foibles isn’t it? We are all learning as we go and having to learn healthier eating habits. Everyone on the forum seems to have so much in common with regard to food weaknesses. It’s what got many of us to the point where we need help. Always someone on here to cheer you up or give advice. 🙂

Started the 800 cals diet three days ago. Have been taking Novorapid am and pm before dinner. Lantus long-acting after dinner. Blood sugar has been low 5.0 – 6.00 so have omitted the Lantus. Blood sugar in morning rising to 12 and 14.00. What is the best way to deal with this please? I am determined to stick to the 8 week program and get off the meds (also have 1000mg Diabex after dinner).

Well, thanks for that Aunylil, that’s cheered me up enormously (not!). I think I got the gist of it though as you said, it takes a few read throughs. I’ve often asked myself the question why it takes me a fortnight to lose a pound and a day to gain two. And that is why, its that chuffing reverse T3! I have asked is it just me…? And yes, it is. Or rather me and my Hashimoto compadres. I have never liked hearing people use it as a reason/excuse for their weight but maybe we really are at a disadvantage. Brill.

Hi Yael, the sugars naturally present in milk would account for Michael’s statement. Most calorie counters state there is between 4.7 & 5.26g sugar in 100ml of milk. A teaspoon of sugar is 4g so you can see how it would soon add up in a latte. I count my milk in my daily allowance of carbs ( use an app called Australian easy diet diary, brilliant tool) and allow myself a latte or chai now and again. I’m also of Italian descent. There is a cafe near me that does proper chai in a French press, not the powdered junk that most places use. You must live in one of the cooler regions if your figs are only just ripening. My mum lives on the coast and hers have been ripe for a while. Both of us have managed to resist them so far. I must look them up to see if I can squeeze one in to my allowance now and then. I just love them and used to eat 4or 5 at a time. Fruit is my big weakness and even harder to give up than biscuits lol.
Hashimoto way to go! A cured chocoholic 🙂

Thanks Bill1954, day 2 was much better. Much less hunger feeling, and able to concentrate ok which was good. I even thin i’m less snappy with everyone so that is great.
I’m finding the meals quite tasty, so that’s a plus. How far into it the program are you?

Am a bit confused about the recipes in the book. Are the calories listed next to each recipe for one serving or for the whole recipe? So for example the Beetroot falafels says 290 calories but the recipe is for 2 serves. So is it 290 calories per serve or per recipe? Hope this makes sense.

Cheers
Ian

Hi Fresiaflower, they are my favourite flowers! I think week 3 is always going to be a tricky one because the novelty has largely worn off but you know you still have a way to go. That’s how it is for me anyway. The weight loss is likely to slow a little at this stage as your metabolism readjusts to your new size. You know, it actually slows down as you lose weight, making it harder to lose more weight. The irony! If you are not doing much exercise yet, then moving more will boost your metabolism. If you do exercise, maybe try for more resistance training.

Don’t fret about the extra 50 calories though. I say it a lot in these forums but guilt (along with sugar) is our enemy and both will massively derail your efforts. Bear in mind a normal calorie intake to maintain weight would be around 1600-2000 calories so anything under 1000 cals a day is considered very low so your extra 50 really won’t stop your weight loss.

You will see the scales move again if you keep going. But my favourite test is trying on a pair of trousers that wouldn’t fit me before but are looking and feeling better every week regardless of what the scales say. All the best to you.

Thanks auntylil, I’ll go look for it. I wonder of the bowling club know what they are letting themselves in for! But I do think its a great idea to get involved. My uncle, who is in his forties btw, won his first trophy at cgb-ing last summer, he loves it. But don’t do it after the gin…

Hi.

You’ll see on here that we all find we had times when the weight didn’t move, but then it starts shifting again. Just trust the plan and stick with it. You’ve done well to lose that 12 pounds 😃

I’m just coming to the end of 10 weeks on the plan and want to stick with it for as long as possible as I have about another 4 stone to lose (34 pounds gone so far). The team say that as long as we feel ok, have no problems, then it’s ok to stay on this for a few extra weeks, then go to 5:2 but quite a few on here seem to be talking about staying on this, especially those like me with a fair bit more to lose.

As well as weight loss, the other health benefits have been significant 😃

Looking forward to seeing your progress.

P.S. I pointed you in the wrong direction re: thyroid info – it was posted by ‘gatesofheaven’ on the low thyroid-BSD thread.

Hello,

I have been on the Fast 800 for nearly three weeks now (started on 14th Feb) and this week has been so tough! I am not loosing any weight, seem to fluctuate between kilos this week. I know I shouldn’t find this disheartening but it’s hard not to. I am pleased with weight loss so far (12pounds) but really would like to loose at least a stone more.

I seem to be desperate for food and all the bad food too! I’ve managed to stay within my 800 calorie limit (apart from today 850, which I now feel guilty for!) but just feeling a bit disheartened that nothing has moved this week. I know it could be the Woosh effect, but wondered if anyone else has or had any difficult moments and if it gets lots better in week 4,5,6,7 or 8!

I am very keen to see what happens at the end of the 8 weeks but really looking for advice on how you have coped/are coping?

Sorry to hear you are having such a traumatic time, i know what it is like caring for an ill mother. You are doing really well to keep up with the diet with all this going on – but it is a positive among the other negatives in your life., and like kimgall said it is an aspect of your life you still have control over, thinking of you

it depends on the amount that you consume as most of the recipes are for 2 people , so cut it in half , they seem like they could be a bit more but so far im on it four weeks and have lost 15 lbs and blood sugar is right down to 5.5 in morning and 5.7 in evening , it was out of control anything between 9 to 16 , and i tried so hard to get it under control

Hi Cloud,
All the carbs we cut out on this diet means that straight away you are on a low sugar programme, obviously there is no room here for cakes, biscuits or chocolate either (maybe a tiny bit of very dark chocolate).

I never experienced large weight losses quickly with weight watchers – sure – over a very long period of time – if I could stay motivated that long. I’d suggest it could become quite confusing to try combining the current points system with the bsd as they are not both based on the same assumptions. Ww is still very much low fat and not yet low enough sugar and definitely doesn’t approve of 800 calories.

Leeanne, I don’t use the recipes much either for the same reason as you. I just prefer to have something like an omelette, Quorn sausages or a piece of fish with two or three vegetables. As you say, as long as you stick roughly to your 800 and keep it low carb, you’ll be fine.

I made these a few days ago. I used 42g of butter. I accidentally used the juice of a grapefruit rather than an orange.

They didn’t rise as much I would have liked and are very crumbly. I like them. I had one (from the freezer) and it was better than the one I had when still warm. I will make them again.

Leanne, I’ve been sticking pretty much to 800 cals, and so far I’ve lost 5 lbs in just 4 days. i have been using the recipes in the book, but i’m spending ages each day working out the calories and sugar content – I just don’t believe any of the figures in the book, so far, every recipe I’ve looked at has been wrong. Like you, I will also improvise and will also adapt recipes from other books and the Internet. Doing these sums is helped a lot by staying on with Weightwatchers – their iPhone app is great for getting all the nutritional data for the food types and to help track it. I wouldn’t in any case stop going to Weightwatchers, though, because it gives me lots of support – the meetings and the other members. Also, I go there with my husband. He’s not diabetic, and I don’t think he will be able to do 800 cals a day for 8 weeks – so we are both carrying on with WW, and I’m cutting sugar intake right down, guided by the blood sugar book. The weight loss is nice, but isn’t really why I’m doing the blood sugar diet. I want to reverse my type 2 diabetes. As I understand the research that the book and the TV programme talk about, that means 800 calories a day for 8 weeks. I’ve read lots of reports on this web site from people with big weight losses. But in any case, you get that at weightwatchers, to be honest. What will be great will be when lots of people start reporting reversal of T2 on this web site.

By the way, does anyone know if the calorie restriction to 800 automatically means eating very little sugar,? It doesn’t seem to be mentioned when the scientists summarise their research for us (I mean the research like the Newcastle experiment etc.) I must say I have noticed one big big advantage to giving up the sugar – after a while it definitely stops the cravings. So it makes the diet much easier to keep on with. Is that why there is a big focus on avoiding eating sugar in this diet, not just on 800 cals?

Thinking of you… If the diet is the only thing in your life that you can control at the moment then hang on to that! I’m so sorry for what you’re currently going through. X

I ended up getting the taxi down to my Mum’s. Then went with her “blue lighted” to hospital. She’s had a stroke. This diet stood me in good stead, I was there from around 30 minutes after my last post til 5pm and managed on two small cups of tea.

They think she’s been having a few little strokes over a period of time. She might be having an MRI tomorrow to get more info. Had an omelette for tea. Hoping to have an early night to prepare me for tomorrow’s adventures. 😷😛

Well done Merseychic

I’m waiting for a loss! Lost 3lbs in the first week, lost 1 in the second and staying the same so far in week 3. However, my blood sugars are going down and are more steady (from 6 after exercise to 10 fasting in the am) which I keep having to remind myself is the whole purpose!

I’m about half a stone off target (though would love to loose a stone) and i exercise about 3/4 times a week as well as dog walking – my step count is 14.000 to 18,000 a day (kids and dogs!) so I know i’m active – maybe i’m just waiting for the Woosh effect! 😀

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming… 😀

Thanks for the encouragement. I am just impatient but deep down know I need to stick with it and take it steady. I have to recognise that As long as I am losing the pounds and getting healthy that is a result.
I have never ever gone on a forum for anything before but I guess I did so this morning because I really want to achieve my goal this time and am taking it more seriously (in itself a good realisation) and perhaps when I have tried diets in the past I didn’t take advantage of the support out there. It does make a difference. thanks for the support. i will be back on the forum as my journey progresses.