Hi Mermaid2, I have read the book today & start tomorrow, too. I am a 53 year old who has yo yo dieted all his life & has diabetes in the family so really worried as I am currently around 3 stone overweight & 48 waist 😢 I am determined to follow the diet & make this the last diet I ever do & stay for & healthy & avoid the diabetes.

Good luck with yours & perhaps we can compare & encourage each other as the days go by?

Oh yes, and lots of peppermint tea, I do think mint tea helps a dodgy stomach…

Are you eating plenty of vegetables and drinking lots of water?
I was just thinking , because when I went on the dreaded Atkins diet (which was high protein and fat but restricted onthe types of vegetables you could eat) the same happened to me.

I havent found the same so far on this regime (apart from a little wind admittedly – but that I think is reintroducing beans back into my diet). However i’ve been doing it only a week (but have lost 5 lbs.) but I have been glugging the water..

Keeping up with the water is very important though I think..

Perhaps there will be someone along in a bit who has been on this longer than I ,and who can reassure you more

I don’t drive far, Katy, as I get lost easily but I’m glad I can drive because it gives me much needed control. I’m also hoping the diet will help – I am so big right now and was always a tiny thing until life just got too difficult to handle a few years ago. I’m sorry about your loss; I hope your boy is now doing OK and without those drugs.

Hello Jessie, I’ll check out what you advise, though not likely to be anything much especially for Aspies round here – they have only just got an Autism Lead for the county! I’m realising that despite the relief of having a diagnosis at last I’m still very isolated. I know one or two Aspies via Facebook but they lives a long way off. I can empathise with the PTSD; I was diagnosed as having Complex PTSD 2 years ago and did some work with a wonderful trauma specialist. She helped me with 2 very big issues from the past and these are now safely processed. I understand mindfulness can be good, though I need a quiet safe place to practice it – which at present is definitely not in the home as disturbance from next door is constant, but working on getting a move. Last year was the ‘finding out stuff’ year this needs to be the ‘getting well’ year. I know I will never free of Aspergers but am sure that the lift to my self esteem once I’ve lost weight will help me feel better about myself. I’m glad the mindfulness is working for you. x

I don’t know the answer to this, but I wanted to say THAT’S BRILLIANT! Well done, and good luck finding a way to proceed after you finish the eight weeks.

I’ve just weighed myself after 18 days and my weight seems to be down by 12lbs. I’m really encouraged. I know a few lbs must be water, but still got to be quite a bit of fat in there! Stupidly didn’t take the advice about other measurements but am sure the big chunk of fat around my middle is a bit smaller.

I’m also really enjoying finding tasty foods I can eat and surprised by how much choice there is.

Hope everyone else is doing well and feeling good.

Page 136, only a passing comment but it’s there!

Hi
Google meditation and/or mindfulness for aspergers. You’ll find a range of websites. Try to find a class that’s specifically for those with ASD. Surely there must be something available by now through one of the societies?
Mindfulness, practised regularly, changes brain structure, and is fantastic for stress reduction. I suffer from PTSD and find it wonderful. I know yours is a developmental disorder, but there is evidence out there to demonstrate its effectiveness with Autism.

I have been using Exante shakes and also bars on and off since I started 18 days ago. Even though they have around 18g of carbohydrates per sachet, I have been testing my urine for ketones, which indicate if your body is burning fat. And so far no problem for me, it is burning fat every day. I think that is slightly lower than the carb count for Slim Fast, but Slim Fast aren’t designed to be used on a very low calories diet, as far as I know? They seem to cover the bases re protein, vitamin and mineral content, although I usually add a bit of extra salt to avoid getting muscle pains.

Well done you! I have only been on it a week so far and really enjoying trying out all the recipes on here and not feeling hungry at all.

6 weeks in to the BSD I’m thinking ahead to what I’ll do at the end of the 8 weeks. Do I stay on this or move to 5:2? In th6 weeks I’ve lost 23 pounds (10% of my starting weight) and dropped at least a dress size. More importantly my FBS is down in to the 5s, with the occasional 6. A considerable improvement.

My diabetes nurse is delighted. My BP is now low and she’s checking if I can come off those meds. She asked if I would stay on this or move to 5:2 and I wasn’t sure. I’ve had no problems on BSD so would be happy to stay on it unless evidence it would be better to move to 5:2.

Which is the best direction to take? Opinions please.

Hi bunlover

I am in my 60s too and have been using gym for 20 years but carrying an extra stone now , you probably shouldn’t be in the gym so soon after flu so not surprised that you were puffing .would have thought you should be losing the weight by just dieting and normal Day to day exercise without going to gym you don’t seem to be doing anything wrong so I think just tweaking a bit here and there would help
Just reading your post -how big a portion of porridge are you having and are you using half/half milk water ? And most importantly is it rolled / jumbo oats or the instant variety . I was surprised by cal content of the instant variety

Hi, I have Dr. Mosley’s book, and thankfully, there is not carb gram counting! It’s basically a Mediterranean-based type of eating, with food recommendations. Frankly, after a lifetime of counting either calories, carbs, fats, points and food ratios, about the only thing I can count is 800 cals twice a week (I’m doing the 5:2 version mentioned in the book)!!!

I already feel so much better with the junk cut out.

Thanks for your reply Penny. Yes, I have not been active whilst having flu. Tried once to go to the gym but coughed so much I had to leave in disgrace : ) for fear of making everyone ill.

But an inactive person my age and gender would burn 1600 without trying it seems! So I have to find out what works for me.

I have the Fitness Pal app and count everything even the little milk in tea etc. The only carbs have been in the porridge (allowed i think) and the veggies (no potatoes). No cheating except for one scone in all that time.

Will join the group you mention and battle on anyway. Hope it is all going well for you?

Hi there I have following since Monday this week but I have lost 5 lbs I have similar health issues to you and need to get my large waist down to natch my otherwise small frame I am not feeing cravings -I am eating very little carbs -only 30 g porridge oats made with water ,2 cups of tea with semi skimmed and odd small yoghurt and everything else is either veg meat fish chicken bit fruit and nuts , am drinking glass of water before every meal and in between

Ahh Asda at 5am sounds like bliss but I can’t drive. You obviously need some stress and anxiety relief and I understand how hard it is to get help. Son was briefly on risperidol after his father died but whilst it worked he piled on the weight and I’m sure you don’t want to be on medication. I don’t know what to suggest, I’m sure you have spoken to your GP so all I can do is say is keep posting. Maybe the weight loss and BS reduction will have a positive effect. X

Hi Bunlover- great name!
It must be so disheartening not to lose.
I am only making some guesses here.
Having the flu so presumably having to sit about waiting for it to go will have taken up half at least if the days so far?? That would affect your losing weight. Maybe it’s crucial to not go over 150-180 every day? That’s about 20% extra cals. I suppose they’ve worked out 800 is the right amount. I think you don’t increase your intake on those days but I’m not sure. Maybe follow the excercise regime Michael suggests instead? ie 10,000 steps, and the exercises he uses?
Are you managing to track the fluid intake, which I find difficult I must say, both tracking it and managing so much. Re carbs. What about fruit?
One helpful thing would be to join the group for The BloodSugar Diet on My Fitness Pal. You find it in ‘community’ .Very supportive and MFP is great for tracking and tells you what carbs etc you’ve had. ( maybe you’re on it already!)
Hope this helps.
Penny

Hi all, I’m new here too. Started the 800 cal diet 21st Jan and lost nothing at all yet. Scales atuck at 75kg which gives me a BMI of 30 so I am obese.

Not eaten ANY bread, potatoes, rice or pasta at all during these 10 days. Counted calories and usually am over by 150 or 180 only but a women my age would need 1600 calories a day so why would I not be using them up I wonder?

Had flu during this time but went to the gym yesterday first time since being unwell and burned off 300 calories. Regularly spend an hour there walking, cross trainer and bike or Zumba and never butn less than 300. Should I increase my intake on days when I do this?

Just confused really as to why I didn’t lose weight so far and what to do about future gym work and calories used up there.

Hi Mermaid2. Welcome, and good luck this week. Your stats are nearly the same as mine. I too am 5ft, waist size the same as yours, and this time last week I was 10st 4lbs (I work in stones and pounds). Although my waist size has not yet changed, I have lost 4 lbs, and my blood sugar seems to be stabilising. I have hypoglycaemia, and am not crashing as much as I was. I am not calorie counting, and am probably going over 800 cals most days, but am sticking to the principles of the diet, and I believe it is working. As my sugar stabilises further, I will further reduce my cals to achieve 800. This site and forums are excellent for advice and encouragement. Good luck again, and let us know how you get on.

Hope that I can keep positive and also active. Really hope to make a massive change in my life. Don’t have diabetes but not to far off it. Weigh 65kg and only 5ft tall or 10 stone 7lbs so really overweight. Waist measurement 92cm or 36 and1/2 inches.

Hello Katy, thank you for your reply. I read somewhere on the web that people with AS did not have a very good outlook if they were unable to control or avoid stressers (easier said than done!). So I assumed there was a link between stress hormones and general health. Seems I’m right from what I read in Dr Mosley’s book. I have had CBT in the past but it had no effect; I get so overwhelmed by the anxiety when a trigger kicks off, or I have too much sensory input,that nothing else figures. I hope that now I have the diagnosis it can be treated more appropriately because before that the people I saw didn’t actually know what they were dealing with (over 30 years in the mental health system, it took my own research to get a diagnosis). Getting help as an adult is difficult to impossible depending on locality and I am doing lots of research myself, contacting various people and trying to get some support. It’s pretty exhausting! I can fully empathise with your son’s distress, and I really hope he can get through his A levels OK.

I don’t think the actual diet will stress me, but I am concerned about the fact that still being in a continually stressed condition might mean the total effect of the diet will be compromised – does that make sense? – as Dr Mosley emphasises the importance of de-stressing. First thing I do when anxious is eat whatever I can lay hands on that is sweet – bad stuff. Shopping is OK, I go to ASDA at 5am on Saturday mornings to avoid people! There’s one cashier on then who knows me well, so I get through it OK. x

Cheers Andy, hope all goes well for you too 😆

I have a 16 year old ASD son who is overweight. Whilst I won’t put him on a diet I am hoping that the lack of sugar and simple carbs in the house will help him. He suffers immensely from anxiety so I do my best to keep it to a minimum plus he goes to a special school who are brilliant at managing it and suggesting techniques to reduce it. I had no idea about the cortisol I will check it out. Have you had any counselling? Son has it 3 times a week plus I also want him to have CBT as he is doing A levels and is simply unable to get round to doing independent study – he knows he has to do it, the thought of it stresses him and then he has a meltdown so I don’t push it and we are back to square one. I would say just do your best. Anything is better than nothing and is still going to help. Ask about counselling and have a look on the Autism Society website. I am sorry I can’t be of more help and I must ask why you think doing the diet will stress you? Do you think it will be the idea of menu planning, shopping or will it be a kind of performance anxiety if you think you aren’t doing as well as other people? I’m sure I don’t need to tell you we are all different but I do understand where you are coming from. Keep in touch.

I have been using the Herbalife shakes ( I am not a rep or have any financial interest in this company btw). I find them quite tasty and work well with almond milk, making a meal replacement shake for 130 calories. They have about 9g of carbs per serving, and are nutritionally balanced.
I tried some PhD shakes but found them too sickly sweet.
I make up a double portion to take to work, half is my breakfast alongside a green shake made with green veg and some fruit, then have the other half on the way to the gym ( twice a week) and as a snack the other days.
With semi skimmed milk they are 200 calories.
Cost wise £28 for 30 days supply.

Hi could someone reply to me what would happen if I stayed on 8week blood sugar diet a lot longer then 8 weeks …
Thx

Thanks for the tip on the shakes, Zobo74. I will check them out. Good luck to you and I hope you achieve your goals.

Hi, I have ordered some ‘elle belle’ low carb shakes from amazon as regular slim fast shakes are pretty high carb (25 – 40g per serving depending on flavour) and 2 shakes would mean approx 500 kcals where the low carb ones are half that for 2 shakes. They cost me £20 for 2 flavours which is meant to be for a 20 day supply (10 days per flavour, though the pouches look pretty small now they’ve arrived but only use 4 tsps for a shake so we’ll see) – will let you know how they taste as I am starting tomorrow too. Good luck! ☺

Hi, my busy lifestyle, full time job and 3 kids to feed will mean I may have to resort to shakes too so I have ordered some ‘elle belle’ low carb shakes from amazon as regular slim fast shakes are pretty high carb (25 – 40g per serving depending on flavour) and 2 shakes would mean approx 500 kcals where the low carb ones are half that for 2 shakes. I am starting tomorrow so wish me luck! My figures are prediabetic, my Mum is type 2 on insulin and I am scared the same will happen to me and as a nurse who advises diabetics, I know I should know what to eat but I have been stuck at 2 stone overweight for years, I have tried all sorts of different plans and diets but my compulsive eating when stressed is the problem so I am trying this in the hope to break the cycle of years of bad habits. Good luck to you all ☺

Hi all
I’ve just got to the end of week 2 on fast 800. The first week went very well but for the past 4 days I’ve felt awful: I’m absolutely exhausted and every muscle hurts. I’ve got stomach problems, wind, alternating diarrhoea and constipation. I’ve not lost hardly any weight either.
Any ideas??
Cheryl.

I was intending to do the Newcastle diet but the thought of all those shakes had me dithering then I saw Dr MMs book and thought no time like the present. So I started last Tuesday and I have lost 4lbs but even better BS is down from 11.7 on Tuesday to 8.7 this morning. 2 hours after dinner last night it was 7.2. After third day the hunger pangs abated and I feel fine – the occasional wistful thought of toast and peanut butter – but then I think about fitting into those jeans that have been unworn for the last 5 years and finally being able to get new glasses (I have an optician with a conscience she won’t give me new glasses till BS is settled) and I work through it. I know it will get harder but I think as long as I keep checking my BS that will motivate me to carry on.

Thanks for that Floradora

Thanks to everyone for the advice, Just weighed myself and I am 12 stone 13 pounds, but my circumference is not too good it is 8 inches more than my height, I seem to be able to lose weight pretty quick but my stomach does not change in it shape. Does anyone have any tips on how to reduce stomach size; I know about exercise and have started walking more rather than take the lift I take the stairs and all the usual stuff. Is it a case that my waist will follow my weight and reduce on its own in time?
Any thought greatly appreciated.

After three days you are still going through “carb withdrawal” it does get better! Keep drinking plenty – my tea (fruit as well as normal black with milk) consumption has gone up considerably as plain water in winter is not an exciting prospect!

I had a grotty day yesterday (day 6) but I was exercising rather intensively. Other than that all I can say – it does get better 🙂

Hi NiKe,

I’ve been on the diet for a week, and I’ve discovered that simply by cutting out starchy carbs and things with added sugar, my daily carbs have levelled out to around 50-55g. I’m not eating any fruit though.

Hope this helps 🙂

Yes I would like to know the Maximum gram of carbs allowed ? I am starting this diet today. Can someone help ?

Hi Bordercol – what a great idea to make a prebiotic soup! it could include leeks, onions and jerusalem artichokes. Sounds tasty. Perhaps add a bit of milk or cream. We might try making it. Will upload to the recipe section when we do..
Clare (Michael’s wife)

I’m new here and wonder if there are any others on the forums who have Asperger Syndrome? It’s a very significant condition with regards to diabetes/pre-diabetes due to the cortisol constantly being pumped out in response to anxiety (I am hyper sensitive to noise and have the neighbours from hell). I was only diagnosed last year after a lifetime (56 years) of high anxiety and all the problems that brings. I’m convinced, after reading the book, that the almost constant anxiety I suffer has contributed in a very big way to my weight gain, high levels of cholesterol, high BP, and pre-diabetic state, so naturally I’m concerned that my success will be directly affected by the over production of cortisol, and will mean I’m not going to be as successful as less stressed folk. I’m determined that this new regime will work for me because I don’t want to end up sick and dying early, as my mother did. But since reducing stress is a big part of this diet, I wonder how other Aspies manage? Thanks for reading this, and please don’t ask me to ‘just chill’ – my brain’s programmed differently from the majority so it’s largely out of my control!

Hi Maggs. I’m starting out too, and want to follow the veggy option – but there isn’t one. I was wondering about Quorn, as I use it quite a lot anyway.

Three days in to 800 diet and waking up with headaches and feel like I have been poisoned. Awful taste in my mouth. Wake in the night feeling rough. It is like a hangover and getting worse. I am drinking plenty.
Explanations or tips?

My LDL reading has been increasing yearly since starting tests 3 years ago and now sits at 5.9. I have been resisting starting statins while I researched them and what the LDL and other blood readings mean. Cholesterol is at 7.7.
Mosley’s book is informative but is too light on details to properly understand things so I have been reading deeper. Headlines:

LDL is sub-classified as small and large, and the small ones are the harmful ones. You need to get this tested to find out if you have a real problem that may require medication.
Usual blood tests only approximate total LDL anyway. There is a more direct test that can be done.
Most GPs do not understand this topic (my wife is a biochemist with PhD research in the area of blood lipids) so it is difficult to sort with them. My GP is good
Cholesterol readings are not much use.
Fatty liver, pancreas etc. is thought to underly many of my symptoms. I have not had this checked directly (involves MRI scan). Instead I am just starting the 800kCal diet, which is worth a try.

The book “Wheat Belly” by Dr William Davis has more detailed explanations of LDL etc.

I have done the meal replacement program (shakes) before as advised by my doctor. The meal replacements to use are Optifast or Optislim. Optifast is more expensive. I am in Australia so not sure if these are available in other countries. My doctor told me to avoid most other shakes as they are full of sugar and do not provide the correct nutrition.
Good luck GettingSerious. The shakes do work really well but I got sick of the sweet taste so only lasted 3 weeks on the program. It’s a good idea to introduce real food after a few weeks.

Hi again diabetes.co.UK has info on original study at newcastle university they used optifast meal replacement sachets 3 per day plus meal of vegetables but not cheap!

Be careful read what’s in the shakes slimfast is full of sugar! Personal trainer friend recommended my protein.com

That’s a good point. My sleep has been negatively affected by the diet. But since i am home bound without a schedule, i make up for it with 2 hour naps until i feel well rested. It’s an old cycle started when i developed pituitary insufficiency (and now resurrected again) and stopped producing most hormones. I’m working at it, but will be even more diligent now thanks to your comment.

Have you been getting enough sleep? Having too little sleep can affect your hormones, which can then affect your weight loss.

Oh Lesleyp I must have missed it. Can you tell me what page it was on please?

Starting a new thread to hopefully keep it narrowly focused on the subject: simple indications or examples of meal replacement diet shakes for the BSD (600+200 kcal)

First, thanks Dr. Mosley for this excellent book! I received it a few days ago.

I’m starting my 8 week BSD (the “800 kcal” variant, not the “5:2” one) on Monday 01/02.

On pages 128/129 you say the last thing before beginning is to choose between MR diet shakes (600 kcal, to be supplemented with 200 kcal of non-starchy vegetables) or real food.
I’ll go with the shakes for various reasons, including: convenience, that I’ve never tried any, and that’s what the original Dr. Taylor’s study used. You also report an excellent success story with them at page 59 (the only other reference in the index). After a few weeks maybe, as you suggest, I’ll change to the real food with the book’s recipes for the entire meals and not just for the 200 kcal vegetables integration.

The problem is, I have no idea what to choose, and most importantly how to ensure they’ll provide me all the required nutrients in the right amounts for their 600 kcal: in other words, the same that the real food recipes in the book would provide.

There’s no indication of any kind in the book or in this site (where you do indicate, however, other products). I’m not asking for a recommendation or endorsement of any specific product of course, just some examples or at least the composition (proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates (!), other nutrients: types and quantities) we should generally be aiming for.

A quick search in a shop was terribly confusing: unclear what some things are for, some woman-specific products (while the entire book and all the recipes make no such distinction, correctly I think), wildly varying compositions (including up to 10% carbohydrates in some)…
A famous retailer has exactly 8 products on its website that qualify as MR diet shakes: 4 PHD ones “for woman”, 4 Forza ones non-gender orientated. If the recipes are not “qualified”, since what matters are the calories and nutrients, so the shakes also shouldn’t need to be.

We’re left in a right pickle by an otherwise excellent book on this aspect, can you please help?

Just 3 or 4 examples (as done for the glucose monitors on this same site, for instance), or a reference to the exact products used by Dr. Taylor’s study, or equivalent ones, would all be extremely helpful.

I plateaued for 4 days. Decided to carefully examine everything I was eating. 2 of my medications had artificial and sugar sweeteners in them, so i changed to other forms. So did my creamer. I also cut out dairy, although i loathed to do it, because it was not completely agreeing with me (there is some research out there that indicates that foods we are allergic to may cause havoc on the digestive track). I measured out a “drizzle” of oil and found that i was under-reporting it. At first I used the calories on packages to guide me, but once i actually started weighing the items, I found that the packages under reported calories (hmmm). I do weigh the veggies because i like a lot of them – in omelets and salads; they were adding up, although Dr. Mosley’s concern that we get more veggies in and not weigh them is good advice for most. Once I made those changes, the weight loss started again. Drinking water through out the day seems key to me. I cannot exercise yet due to a back injury, but can now do some simple resistance movements when sitting on the couch. I’m sure that once exercise is started again, there will be even greater weight loss. Day 13 is showing 17 pounds lost (9.2 the first week) and 2 1/2 inches of the waist (I started out at 240.4 lbs – so i’m a big girl, lol). Sticking with the program despite the plateau truly was beneficial. My blood sugars are finally coming down slightly.

That diet sounds OK to me. The fruit should be without sugar or syrup of course – berries are best – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or cherries. The yoghurt should be full fat greek natural yoghurt. The devil is in the detail! Eggs and salmon sound fine, steak is ok and dont stint on the green leaf salad, but make sure the dressing is sugar free. Another handy ‘hotel’ type dish would be omelette. I dont count calories – just try to stick the spirit of the recipes in the book, its working for me.

Very interested in Michael’s comment regarding gut bacteria, having watched the recent Trust Me and then done some further reading on the subject.
Any chance of a prebiotic soup recipe that would give the maximum benefit to gut bacteria within a 200 calorie portion?
Also, could you clarify whether the bacteria toward the end of the system still benefit if prebiotic vegetables such as Jerusalem artichokes, chicory, asparagus stems , onions have been both cooked and then puréed in soup? Maybe it’s better just to chomp down a bit of raw chicory every day? If so, how much?