Hello fellow BSDers,

I started on Monday 15 February and today is day 5. So far, so good. I find VLCD easy to do as I am one of the lucky ones who doesn’t feel hungry or deprived. The recipes in the book are fabulous and so tasty, although very time consuming to prepare. I have no idea how anyone follows it to the letter if they are working full time. I also found it amusing to buy 6 red capsicums this week and I’ve eaten them all to myself! Moreover, as a pesco-vegetarian, I’ve had to adapt the meat recipes to Quorn products and as a result, I’m eating a lot of it.

Tonight I’m having foil-steamed King George Whiting (a small local fish here in Australia which is sustainable and sustainably harvested and named after none other than the former King of England) bought fresh from the best fish and chip monger in Melbourne, with green beans but sans the coriander (I cannot abide the fresh stuff). And what a shame I can’t have the chips! 😉

I’ve found both my Wednesday and today’s workout at the gym (which includes HIT aka Fast Exercise) unusually hard going. I think it’s a combination of recently upping the level on the Power Mill (stair master) and the reduction in calories and carbs.

I’d love for this diet to be translated into a vegetarian version (Michael, are you reading these posts?). Thus, I’d like to thank both Aly and Essentially Jane for the low carb vegetarian book recommendations. I will definitely check them out.

All the best to everyone. I hope each and every one of you reaches your goal.

gateofheaven after reading some of the posts on here about health professionals with bad attitudes, it’s refreshing to read that somone else, like myself, has a GP who is supportive of them.
Your story is a fine demonstration of what can be achieved even with minimal exercise.

6 weeks ago my fasting blood glucose score was 6.7, so well on the way to type 2 diabetes. Using the Mediteranean diet and strict calorie counting, I’ve lost a stone (still need to lose more), and my score has gone down to 5.5!

I made a big pan of chicken broth with barley and good vegetables, portioned it out and froze the containers.
Now I just have to pick up a container from the freezer each morning (Got lentil soup in there as well now)

Last night I was still really hungry after tea and thought I’d have an Oxo drink – was horrified I didn’t have any! Marmite hadn’t occurred to me before, so I looked on the label. I thought it said one teaspoon was 35 calories or something according to the jar, so I had a cup of tea instead.

Maybe I was reading it wrong, though, as have just Googled this, and it seems 4g (not quite a teaspoon – and not loaded up) is 10 calories – this could easily double if you don’t let the excess run off the spoon first, though.

Slightly fewer calories in Bovril, but not enough to make a difference if one is preferred/available over the other. High in sodium however, but then so is Marmite.

Oxo has 15 calories per cube – seems higher put portion size easier to control. Also loads of sodium.

So, it’s the salt/sodium you need to look out for. In my case, a mug of tea is only about 20 cals as I only take a little milk and there’s no salt, so that’s another option to fill a hole in a warming way.

Morning, Grumptoglam. Thank you for your reply. I’m just off to work, but quickly googled ‘whoosh effect’ and scanned through the article. It looks quite informative, and reassuring, so thanks for that. Just have to keep going, and hope the tape measure tightens soon!!

I wasn’t expecting anything dramatic this week as I hurt my back on Monday so exercise has been a no no. I’m also getting serious puppy dog eyes from our Shih Tzu as she is missing her long night time walks.
Weigh day tomorrow so we’ll see but I’m delighted to report that after hovering between 6 and 7 all week, my sugar reading this morning was 5.8 and, as the whole point of this diet is to get the blood sugar down and try to reverse the diabetes, I have to be happy with that.
Going to source some chickpea flour this weekend as I’ve found some nice low carb recipes for it.

The beetroot falafel are indeed lush… I packed up the no carb ploughmans for my oh today and yesterday we had the Mexican platter.. Its not too tricky to get something together but hard to find something outside the house so it is requiring that extra effort if actually planning and preparing something

Hi Malkay,
I’ve had a very similar experience. 3stone to loose. 6lb came off the first week and not an oz in weeks 2&3… I stuck with it and now in week 4 im 3lb down… As ‘motherofthebride’ mentioned the ‘whoosh effect’ I googled it and this might help you stick with it..

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/797688/experience-with-the-whoosh

Your body will let go of the weight sooner or later so keep going! One morning soon you’ll be thrilled you did. 😉

Hi Blackspot,
I think this is awesome. I used to work loads of shifts and getting through the night can be really difficult without nibbles and snacks- was for me anyway
Keep up the good work.

Hi all, I’m on my first 12 hour night shift on the diet.
I was getting quite stressed today at the thought. As I woke up at a normal morning time, as I’ve been on earlys if feels like a very long day. The OT cooked a really nice dish of chicken Breast with a wodge of feta in it, cooked in a tomato garlic sauce.about 350kc each for dinner at 5pm.
It’s now 3.30 in the morning and I’m on lunch eating egg salad. It’s not been the hunger marathon I thought it might be, and that’s despite me chosen today to start running!

Because i see this as a unique opportunity to do 800 calories for 8 weeks – and only that according to my very knowledgeable doc, I am taking this to the Nth degree. I’m weighing everything, counting carbs (only in the beginning), making sure i have 50 grams of protein and some fat with each meal. I was clearly in ketosis after 3 weeks and cutting out porridge. Each body is different – so everyone’s reaction to specific foods will be different. After the 8 weeks, i’ll go to two days a week for the other 90 pounds I want to lose. My medical history dictates that i do the 5/2 afterwards according to my doc.

Hi Penny and toofattorun. I too, cannot find the Links that Penny is offering.

For toofattorun: I cannot exercise at all. Accident recovery. I have been on the diet since Jan 10th. Have lost 23.4 pounds, 4″ inches around my waist. Blood sugars went from 112 to 74 this last week.

I had to cut out the porridge and tough out the ketosis in the beginning. It worked! My body is now burning fat instead of protein and carbs. When the body burns fat, the mind clears, the emotions even out, the blood sugar does down, blood pressure goes down, the veins and arteries become more supple. It is worth the effort and discomfort to get there. I eat between 30 and 50 carbs a day. I add fat (although not much on 800 calories! – about 40 calories each meal) to each meal, eat 50 grams of protein a day. For me (and every body is different) I add legumes to my evening meal for carbs, at the suggestion of my doc. I sleep better with them.

I have multiple autoimmune illnesses and pituitary insufficiency, which means i do not produce most hormones, and now the accident recovery. I too have fibromyalgia, which is getting better with the diet. I have excellent physician support and knowledge so I can do this. But as my doc and I discussed, I had to be willing to be uncomfortable. The blog support has been so necessary for me.

I check my blood sugars constantly throughout the day because dieting can set off the autoimmune pancreatitis that I have, necessitating extra prednisone, which makes me hungry as a goat. But the weight loss has been motivating, just as Dr. Mosley said it would be.

If i can do this, truly you can.

As a friend from India said to me once, “You Westerners have it very easy. When we turn on the lights, maybe we have light, maybe we don’t. When we turn on the water, maybe we have water, maybe we don’t. If we want rice, maybe the store has it, maybe it doesn’t. If someone is sick, maybe we can get them care and maybe can’t and they die. We know that life isn’t easy and we’ve built the skills to deal with difficulties.” I took her words to heart and have lived by them ever sense; learning bit by bit how to handle “hard”.

Be kind to yourself, be gentle, be compassionate to yourself. This is an experiment and it works. Do look into full fat milk products to help you feel full – Dr. Mosley has an excellent paper on it in these blogs. He also says eggs for breakfast – i wasn’t an egg fan, but believe me, i am full after eggs! (i add lots of good greens and other low-carb veggies some days).

Hi Penny,
I get what you’re saying but I can’t really exercise every day because I have fibromyalgia and I get so physically exhausted. Also it says in the book that the meals are satisfying and that you don’t get hungry afterwards or feel the need to snack but my friend and I felt both those things. We were eating porridge but were not eating any bread (nor crackers, ryvita or pittas), potatoes or bananas or other tropical fruit. We did have some brown rice but Michael said that was OK. And I drink water constantly because I’m thirsty all the time due to my diabetes! I take a bottle of water everywhere with me! I don’t like normal tea or coffee – I only drink herbal tea, so I really don’t understand it. We both realise that we have gone back to the beginning by eating chocolate but we were so angry and frustrated we didn’t care at that point. Thank you very much for your support and your kind message of encouragement and advice 🤗. I’m afraid I can’t find the ‘useful links’ that you mentioned as I have no idea how to find the thread 😮! Please help! Must be getting old 🙄!

Just found this on http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/low-carb-food-list.html
Low carb veg…..
Alfalfa Sprouts
Any leafy green vegetabl
Asparagus
Avocado
Bamboo Shoots
Bean Sprouts
Beet Greens
Bell peppers*
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots*
Cauliflower
Celery
Celery root
Chard
Chives
Collard greens
Cucumbers
Dandelion greens
Dill pickles
Garlic
Kale
Leeks
Lettuces and salad greens (arugula, Boston lettuce, chicory, endive, escarole, fennel, mache, radicchio, romaine, sorrel.)
Mushrooms
Olives
Onions*
Radishes
Sauerkraut (watch for added sugar)
Scallions
Shallots
Snow Peas
Spinach
Sprouts
Summer squash*
Swiss chard
Tomatoes*
Turnips
Water chestnuts
* Limit amounts of these vegetables, as they are higher in carbs.

Thanks Penny! I thoughtvthats the case, now to convince the medical people! 😁

I lost 5 lb in week 1, 2 in week 2, and nothing so far this week. I would be happy with half a stone in 3 weeks, except that I still have lost nothing from my waist measurement. In fact I think I gave increased by about half an inch!! Everyone else seems to be loosing inches rather than pounds. I am worried that my body doesn’t seem to be letting go of the dangerous stuff. I don’t need to lose weight from anywhere else as I’m very apple shaped, but not excessively heavy (started at 10 st 4 at 5′). Any ideas anyone?

captainlynne

Thanks

Were you measuring your BP ?

If so could you quantify the reduction ? % maybe ?

regards Paul

Hi Charlie
From what I’ve seen on here that is exactly the point, to prevent hypos. As you can see your sugar falling, you probably need less meds. Presumably the team you’re seeing can advise you on this? I imagine it’s important to reduce them, but slowly.
Good luck tomorrow.
Penny

Hi Speedy. That was a good answer!
With this diet and all of us here you probably won’t need the op anyway. Think of the money and suffering that could be saved!
I was thinking about gastric bands only today. That I feel as if I have a mental gastric band that stops me wanting to overeat and stops me wanting carbs. Because I don’t crave those things at all anymore.
Penny

Hi there
I have not referenced Davina’s book but one thing you could try is use my fitness pal to enter the ingredients with the related portions/measurements and the app will provide you with total calories, carbs, fat, protien and sugar. The bsd book does advise to stay away from starchy veg (mainly those grown under the ground) yet carrots seem ok to use but limit peas and sweet corn. It is confusing but I find mfp app very useful to really understand the carb content

Hi everyone,

Please can someone advise me – I’m 38, T2 diagnosed 5 years ago after my son’s birth – and on 2 metformin and 1 glicazide tablets in the morning and same in the evening.

My question is, I’ve seen a few people saying they’ve come off Glicazide, is this to prevent any hypos and should I be requesting to do this with the diabeties team at the hospital who I have an appointment with tomorrow? I’m worried my sugars will sky rocket if i’m not on medication as well. Any responses are welcome!!

My sugars used to range from 10/11 in the morning up to 17 afternoon, and back down to 9 to 12ish in the evenings. I exercise about 3 to 5 times a week and i’m a veggie! i’m 5,3 and 10st 5lb so i’m just on the cusp of normal weight/BMI.

Since starting the 800 diet 4 days ago (though I did a week at 1,000 to 900 before this and lost 2lbs) they are now around 8/10 in the morning and i’ve even hit a 5.2! – I’ve had steady readings which is really encouraging.

Thanks all!

I was doing the 5:2 (my own fault didn’t keep it up) and got the rolled eyes from my dietitian who jumped in with: Oh a crash diet’.
But I was ready and asked her what she would call how you eat after a gastric band operation.
We get on well so she had to laugh and agree that that was also a crash low calorie diet and was being recommended to me!
(Only I am too scared of the operation – but that’s another story.)

Hi Ckuate
I ve not had your experience, but just want to say welcome, and fantastic you ve found the diet and it’s working for you
Penny

I’m with Bill on this one. It used to happen to me and was so disheartening. I could have a great reading before bed and wake up two or more points higher, not having eaten since 6pm. I was getting worried about needing to start on meds. so I googled it and found all the info.
Now I have a small glass of full fat milk or some cheese before bed. This is week three for me and I achieved my best fasting sugar yet, 4.4!!! If I’m tired and forget to have the fat/ protein combo before bed I can easily be high 5’s or 6+ the next morning.
I’m sure this would work for you too

SOUNDS NICE!! Not sure if it’s allowed but I can’t see why not 🙂

You’re welcome Squidgy, isn’t it an eye opener! There’s hope for us all 😀 xx

Anyone else on Warfarin? Since dieting in earnest my INR levels have headed downwards. As I have lost weight my Warfarin dose has gone up and my INR has gone down.

It’s now 1.4 and my Warfarin has gone up.

I am convinced that it is due to the weight loss and perhaps losing the fat in my liver but wondered if anyone else has a similar experience?

Thanks very much for the info about the book, just diwnloaded it to my kindle!

Hello all, reading with interest all this information, I have recently turned 60, ive been diabetic, type 2 since my early 30’s and on insulin (high doses) for 20 years or more. I have started to have some nerve damage to feet, and eyes at one point to the stage where i was unable to work for 6 months. this gave me a shock and i have had to try repeatedly to get my blood sugars under control. The advise i have had from my consultant so far, is stick to a diet, including carbs. A friend told me about this diet, and i have now read the book and commenced it a week ago tomorrow. I have lost 5-lb in a week, and my blood sugars are amazing, even first thing on a morning i am getting readings of 7.7 or 8.3, which has never been the case for years. I have started to reduce the amount of insulin I am taking, to prevent hypos. I have spoken to the diabetic nurses at length today, and they have been supportive of this regime, advising me to reduce my Levemire by 5 units a night so long as the blood sugars keep going down. I am peeing for england, but dont mind. I am sleeping better, but have had severe mood swings, at one point i could have punched doors through windows! This appears to be easing, I hope. I would really appreciate some feedback from anyone who has been on high levels of insulin for a number of years, and how they have managed to keep on this diet and reverse their diabetes. I thank anyone for replying

Hi everyone, read the book today andfound it interesting and well written. I’m not diabetic and my sugar levels are fine BUT i’m overweight and apple shaped. I’ve done original 5:2 withno problem but can’tseem to shift the podge around my middle, istheblood sugar diet a better option for me?

I mix equal parts sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and milled flaxseed in a tub. Give it a shake to mix them up and then add about a dessert spoon of the mix to Greek yoghurt.

I am justing starting on the 5.2 bsd diet after also doing 5.2 diet which was very successful but wasn’t sensible enough in my eating choices on days off so wasnt sure about my nutrition. I also have tinnitus which gets worse at night if I gave very little to eat and I dont sleep very well. I gave put some weight back on since then and I was diagnosed as pre diabetic a few years ago. Lately I have had a very itchy skin after having biscuits and sugary things (very bad I know) so I have a feeling that my blood glucose levels are up. I am reluctant to go to gp at the moment as I am going on holiday in 7 weeks and I dont want to have anything diagnosed that may affect my travel insurance. I dont know what my levels are so I thought I would get a blood glucose meter to test myself but I dont know anything about them or the procedure. Could anyone give me any suggestions on meters. I think its fabulous having this forum to exchange ideas and get support. Good luck everyone.

I bought Davina’s latest book Smart Carbs immediately after reading MM’s latest book The BSD. Both books are informed by nutritionists – I certainly wouldn’t have bought Davina’s book otherwise. MM’s book says roasted sweet potato has a high gi, and is effectively candied. Guess which recipe is in the Davina book?! It makes me worry about how good the rest of her recipes are. Many contain root veg for example. Any thoughts?

Great advice from people – I’ve stuck to the plan during my second week and decided not to weigh myself every day but wait until the end of my week 2 on Saturday. I’m hoping to have had a’whoosh effect’ (read some interesting research on this) as mentioned earlier in this thread by Cassowary. Fingers crossed….

Aly just use a UK proxy server to access amazon UK

Hi Crescentmoon
In terms of just eating, I m trying to keep carbs down, fat up and protein in the middle. This is because we ve all spent years trying to keep carbs up and fat down. It’s an effort to change that mind set. It’s as though fat is evil and carbs of no consequence. Now we know it’s the other way round!
Penny

Hi Magiek
I agree!
Penny

Definitely exercise is a big part of the ‘cure’ Penny. If everyone reads Michael’s exercise schedule, they will see it is quite arduous. Like yourself I can only fit so much in and have managed to get to 10k only twice in a month. The tip about not sitting longer than half an hour is a good one. Moving also gives you less time to think about food!!!

Hi Steph
You have to do what you feel most comfortable with. 800 calories does sound very low and the thought of it terrified me at first too but the principles of this diet make it easier to stick to. For example upping fat intake….it goes against everything we have been told over the years but it really does stop you feeling hungry. So ordinary yoghurt, olive oil, coconut oil, full fat milk…no low fat anything. Two tablespoons of full fat Greek yoghurt at breakfast plus some seeds, nuts and few frozen berries and I’m not hungry till lunch time. No snacking…because you are not eating refined carbs you stop craving them…so it’s not that difficult. Some elements of fasting…I wasn’t fat until I started to snack and have breakfast first thing. Now I don’t eat breakfast til later but have a coffee first thing with full fat milk or cream when I get up and eat breakfast at about 10.30 and don’t eat after my evening meal.
It’s worth a go but don’t beat yourself up if you go over your calories some days and can’t do 800 everyday..follow the general principles, take it a meal at a time, a day at a time, make the food you do eat delicious not boring and see what happens. Lots of us have been where you are, we all want to lose weight and get healthy but there is no competition or pressure. Rooting for you and sorry this is so long….got a bit carried away!

Hi Magiek
I was having the same thought, about excercise.
I’m doing a few thousand steps a day, between 1 k and 13 k depending on available time. Also 1 hour of Pilates which I’m going to double.
That’s all I’m doing at the moment.
I’m definitely feeling better in general and sleeping better.
Penny

Hello everyone. We seem to be getting great results according to this thread. I have dropped my Glicazide for nearly a week now and haven’t had a reading over 6 so all is well with me too. Sometimes after fast days it has gone as low as 4.4. I would like to see it stabilise a bit more before I reduce any other medications. I think some of us could get a little hasty and I shouldn’t like to see anyone having to call in the docs due to blood sugars soaring again.

Not many are talking about the exercise part of the programme. I know Michael recommends upping physical activities as well as following the diet. I have been walking regularly and am up to 7.5k steps per day. I’m also doing the resistance exercises so I am building muscle as well as losing fat. My general health and mood is improving too. I hope that you all feel as positive as I do just now. Good luck.

Hi Paul

I’ve finished the 8 weeks and can confirm that my weight, fasting blood sugar levels and blood pressure have all dropped.

Hi all

So I have the book The 8 week blood sugar diet and have read it once.

I am just 6ft and 74 kg and have a waist measurement of 35″ [ sorry for the mixed units , they seem to work for me !]

I cycle regularly at least 3 x 12 miles every week with 3 good hills involved , and do quite a bit of dog walking as well.

The Diabetic Association web site say I am at risk of getting Type 2 , risk now 1/33 will be 1/7 as I age.

However I am more interested in whether the diet and 5:2 can reduce my blood pressure ?

I was on medication but I was not happy with the possible side effects and came stopped it couple of years ago.

Currently my BP is around 195/95 however it does vary considerable through out the day it can be high when I first wake and lower after the bike ride !

regards Paul

Hello everyone!
I finished the book last week, and plan to start the diet on Monday. My question is, can I succeed if I try and do the 800 calories for 5 days of the week, and have 2 days off? Does anyone think this could work? I don’t want to try the fast option, but I’m not sure that I could keep up 800 calories, 7 days a week. Should I just bite the bullet and go for the full plan? Or try 2:5 first?
I am about 3 stone overweight (I have struggled with my weight since having children) and my dad has type two diabetes, so it’s something I really need to worry about. I’m 35, so I really want to nip this in the bud now, before it becomes a big problem.
Thanks for reading!

I use the MyFitnessPal website to note all my food intake, it’s great. I don’t have the facility on my mobile to use apps but I’m guessing it’s the same thing. Very happy for you that Week 1 has gone so well. Thanks for the good wishes. 🙂

The theory behind it is that, during sleep, your sugar levels go down so your liver releases stored sugar to compensate for this. It’s a well known phenomonen called the dawn effect.
A snack containing fat a couple of hours before bedtime can help by giving your body the calories it needs during the night.

what is the name of the magic seeds ? i sure need to try a few of them , and how much do you use ?

My cholesterol dropped from 6.3 to 2.3 when I started eating seeds in Greek yoghurt for breakfast.
That was before before I started on this diet. Looking forward to many more changes now!

my blood sugars are at an all time low , i think that is what is really supporting me on this diet before they were 10 12 15 and more day and night , i thought 6 to 7 was good , now down to 4.6 , the last time i asked my doc was it reversible, he said you need to go on a cabbage water diet , and how would you like that !
better call in to doc and get a check over , before i shrink any more . let you know how i get on.