Hi Bordercol
On My Fitness Pal you can write in what you’ve done and it works out what cals you’ve used.
Obviously you have to time yourself but it can be linked to various monitoring gadgets.
Penny

Hi GofH
By crash or hypo we mean our blood spikes then goes too low. The effects are to start feeling like your brain isn’t working properly , you can feel disorientated, get lost in a familiar place, feel confused and unable to think. Decision making is impossible. It’s a really horrible feeling. Quite frightening and we ve learnt to deal with it by eating carbs- the more easily absorbed the sooner we feel better. Of course this leads to more of the same.
Is this how you feel Malkay?
And it’s made worse by the fact that people in general don’t know about it or understand it.
Penny

It took me quite a bit of experimentation to see what worked and what didn’t. For better or worse, I am mostly home bound and that is making it easier for me to handle the difficulties as they come up.

Wishing you both the very best.

My doctor is writing a little paper on teaching the body to be fat burning rather than protein and carb burning – important for athletes with hypoglycemic reactions. He states that hypoglycemia is better controlled with fats than with proteins. I truly don’t understand all that he is saying. I am urging him to get the information out there. But in the meantime, perhaps increasing healthy fats might help.

Thanks, both of you! I am definitely going to try to divide my cals out the way you suggest tomorrow, pm shrink. II’ll let you know how I get on. When Im really careful I definitely feel better. I think I just need to be more organised. It’s definitely easier when I’m home all day.

Hi Malkay
I ve always had this as long as I can remember – and my son has it more than I do, and definitely had it as a child. Neither of us has ever passed out except once when he cycled up a long hill.
I think the key is definitely eating as often as you need but in a planned way so there’s no carb temptation and you stay on your 800.
Penny

I feel in over my head on this one, Malkay. Penny sounds like she may be of more help.

Hi Again Malkay
Maybe you don’t need to go more than three hours without eating, but could spread the 800 out differently. I definitely didn’t go longer than that today. I have a snack allowance out of the 800. So breakfast and lunch are 200 each, snacks are 100, and dinner is 300.
The snacks were non carb.
Hope this helps.
Penny

Are you diabetic? What is your blood sugar when you feel lightheaded?

To explain the pancreatic diabetes. I have chronic, progressive autoimmune pancreatitis. Steroids help control it. There is some thought that the Mediterranean diet lowers inflammation as does weight loss.
I am surprised that today quite a lot of prednisone was needed and i am not particularly hungry. Used to be i could eat the frig door, forget the food. I think the low carb is helping.

I have to be careful with fats (my pancreas loves olive oil – but not much else), but find that 1/4 C full fat milk added to decaf makes me less hungry. I have it with a meal that leaves me wondering if i’ll be satiated. The trouble is then later, i don’t feel like eating, but must eat to take meds, lol. This doesn’t help crashes to the best of my knowledge.

Hi gateofheaven. I feel very lightheaded, and anxious. Nowadays I can tell as soon as I’m getting low, so am able to avoid a real crash. But if I don’t eat, I feel terrible, and I guess I would eventually pass out. I have never got to that point, but in the early days (about 4 years ago), I came very close to it. I suspect I do overeat in order to avoid getting too low.

For the sweetness, on page 113, Dr. Mosley has some helpful things to say. He does say we can use Stevia and Xylitol instead of sugar, but he says, “try to wean yourself off your sweet tooth”. Perhaps that will make the oatmeal be a happy experience. I use Xylitol mostly for its laxative effect and am surprised by my sweet tooth disappearing on its own – although please don’t put a bunch of cookies in front of me, yet! I am finding that my urge for sweets is well rewarded by berries like raspberries!!! Into 4 th week and things seem very easy now, but were quite difficult in the beginning.

Hi Malkay
Poor you. It’s so horrible.
I’ve only done 2 days. Yesterday I did feel fairly awful in the afternoon but the nuts and yogurt seemed to help a lot. Then today I hardly felt hypo at all.
What are your snacks? I know the total urge is to eat carbs but if you are please don’t. 😞
I think Gateofheaven really knows her stuff.
I think the nervousness is part of what happens to our brains- a sort of panic sets in. If you can have 100 gms of yogurt and a few nuts and sit it out you ll probably recover. And maybe then they ll lessen.
Penny

It would be helpful for me to understand exactly what you mean by “crashing”, please. We may have different definitions.

Hi Aliba
Thanks.
I did definitely feel more awake than usual this morning despite sleep disturbance. My sister, who s a few days ahead of me, has found the same.
Penny

Some good ideas, gateofheaven. I like the idea of hummus at night, as it is filling and healthy. I have to have something at night, otherwise I just don’t sleep. You are right about fats, they definitely help. But I seem to struggle at going for longer than 3 hours without anything to eat.

Sounds good…
Penny

Hope you do sleep well Penny. Interestingly I’ve actually slept better and woken up feeling good last few days. Not knackered in the mornings like usual!

Hi Jan
I love that joke- another version is – I’m not overweight I’m undertall!
Me too- but not for much longer, fingers crossed.
Penny

To avoid the crashes, this is what i do. I eat 3 good meals a day. I eat 2 eggs, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 C. Daiya cheese (vegan cheese that has carbs in it). 1/2 C blueberries.

All meals I eat protein, fat and some carbs. Carbs mostly in low glycemic veggies. Sometimes a small mandarin orange or 1/2 cup berries.

Yesterday I had a high fat palak paneer for lunch. So for dinner I had 1 1/2 cups of asparagus (cooked in 1 tsp olive oil, lemon juice and salt) and pea pods (1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and soysauce) (I was craving salt and need it cuz i don’t store it).

I have a small 4th meal to take meds a few hours before bed of store bought hummus. 50 calories of fat, protein and carbs.

I am finding that the extra healthy fats seem to keep me on an even keel.

I am under my doc’s watchful eye and going whole hog with this as i am heading towards pancreatic diabetes and want to avoid that at all costs. Once the pancreas is destroyed, there is nothing to tell the liver to release sugars, so hypo is a constant danger.

Good luck.
it will be interesting to hear what others do.

I like the idea of drawing the cups and glasses, I shall try that!!!

Today I had greek yoghurt and blueberries for breakfast, nothing for lunch (which is quite normal for me) but I think Michael Mosley seems to think this is OK (unlike so many others), then chicken and stir fry veg, with 1oz of noodles for dinner.

Hi pmshrink
I have been using MFP just to count my calories. I was doing quite well, having lost 4lb over about 4 days, and feeling as though my blood sugar was stabilising. Then yesterday, for no obvious reason, I had a crash mid morning, having had 2 eggs for breakfast. I had to have a snack, and then similar again in the afternoon. That took me well over 800 cals. Today I was working, and again haven’t managed to stick to it. I have had healthy low calorie meals, (eggs, chicken salad, courgette Bolognese), but have had to have snacks too. I have just weighed myself, and appear to have put 2lbs back on. Also feeling a bit bloated. I haven’t lost hope, but a bit disappointed. Am at home tomorrow, so will try really hard. But if I get a crash, I get nervous and just have to eat. Do you ride them out? I was hoping the crashes would have stopped by now, after such a promising start. Glad you’re doing well.

Well done everyone – so great to read your encouraging news and meal suggestions. Day two done, no hunger at all but slight boredom around 3 o’clock – this was always when I would tuck into a packet of biscuits and a nice cuppa but that’s so last week!! I’ve managed to keep to the 800 calls but only by counting every morsel. It’s scary how quickly the calories add up. Got another PT session tomorrow which I’m excited about with Michael’s day 3 menu to look forward to. Keep up the good work everyone

Hi Malkay
I hope you’re getting used to MFP.
I have just finished day 2. Yesterday I was hungry all the time including in the night- couldn’t sleep. And felt fairly brainless in the day in that hypo way. But today that didn’t happen. I wasn’t hungry and had a very slight hypo- y feeling late afternoon. I had a snack of yogurt and nuts then I was ok. So I think it’s working having absolutely no bread, potatoes etc, just like it should in theory. And I’ve lost a pound!
Hope you’re doing ok.
Penny

Hi All
A typical day for me food wise
Breakfast – greek yoghurt with some raspberries
Lunch – green salad, spring onion, 4 baby plum tomatoes and either boiled egg or prawns or chicken
Dinner – Salmon fillet or small steak with peppers, leeks, mange tout, green beans with a teaspoon of sun dried tomato pesto in a stir fry.
I ensure I don’t eat after 7pm. In 8 days I have lost 11lbs. However I am morbidly obese or too short for my weight (should be well over 7ft tall) 😃😃
Jan

Hi Jcee
I don’t know what would happen if you did but I think Michael says go on the BSD Way of Life after the 8 weeks.
Maybe if you felt you still needed to you could do that for a while then do another stint on 800??
Penny

Thanks Aliba
Much better today, no horrible hunger. I’m not used to it either but luckily it seems to have gone. We ll see if I sleep!
Thanks for the encouragement
Penny

Hi Nike70
I agree so much with you about the book- it all makes sense. Of course we failed with WW etc because they’re low fat diets.
I have just finished day 2 and I was a pound down this morning. People have posted that they’ve lost a lot of pounds in the first week so probably you have lost 4 lb.
I imagine you can monitor your blood sugar as often as you like. Why not if it encourages you.
Re the 800 cals- I think Michael says it can be slightly over or under as long as it averages 800.
Great you’re doing an hours walk.
Penny

Hi Bill – I’ve been diabetic for 8 years now, also with some background retinopathy, and my fasting blood glucose levels are often the highest of the day. I read somewhere about a Dawn phenomenon where your liver releases glucose around 4am as throwback to caveman days to get you ready to hunt!

Last October I went through a stressful time at work and my fasting sugars went up to 17 for a few days and I felt awful, even though my diet was pretty good at the time (I was doing 5:2) and unfortunately I had to go back onto Gliclazide to get it under control.

I started the BSD last week (26 Jan) and am sticking very strictly to the Mediterranean principles in the book so have cut out bread, cakes, rice, potatoes, pasta etc and mainly am having really healthy food – fish, shellfish, chicken, a little meat, loads of veg, some fruit and since last Monday my blood glucose has been between 4.7 and 7 (measuring 3 times per day!). So good that yesterday my GP agreed I should stop the Gliclazide again and see how I get on.

I’m also trying to increase my exercise and relaxation as I find that really helps both the stress and the sugar levels.

Good luck

Hi Squidgy
Your food sounds great.
Penny

Hi Smileysmiley
I think we re supposed to cut out carbs in general during the 8 weeks because they spike the blood sugar. I think to get rid of the internal fat that causes diabetes it’s necessary.
I think only a small amount of jumbo oats and a small amount of brown rice is ok. Otherwise only the carbs that come in other foods eg beans that are partly carbs but don’t spike the blood sugar. Cheese is ok I think if within the cals- so not much!
Hope this helps.
Penny

Hi Chinta
I have just finished day 2.
I ve managed to drink enough by drawing 5 cups of tea and 5 glasses of water in my notebook and crossing them off as I drink them through the day. Yesterday I did 4 of each to get used to it. – well it works for me!
Hope it helps
Penny

Hi Julia – I try and mix it up a bit but one of my quick breakfasts is Greek yogurt with blueberries and a tablespoon of oats and a few nuts or seeds. Seems to keep me going till lunchtime.

When I have more time I sometimes poach an egg and serve with avocado or scrambled eggs and a little smoked salmon or a small portion of porridge with berries.

Good luck

Hi Cheryl – hope you’re feeling better. I agree about the fluids. I have been much thirstier than normal since starting and so take a water bottle with a couple of slices of lemon or lime which I find much nicer to drink. Also herbal teas are great – I enjoy the Pukka teas – cinnamon, ginger or mint are all really good.

Hi Smileymiley – I’m trying to reverse my diabetes type 2 or at least reduce the medication (I was diagnosed 8 years ago) so am being very strict and like Andy cutting out all bread, cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, rice, pasta, sugar, potatoes, starchy veg, etc

Today I had Greek yogurt and blueberries, with a few oats and chia seeds for breakfast, then homemade veg soup and a kiwi fruit for lunch, then scallops and stirfry veg for dinner, with a glass of coconut water. I also allow myself 200ml milk per day and make myself a flask of filter coffee which I take to work, and when that’s finished I have herbal tea – Pukka cinnamon or mint are the current favourites. And I take a water bottle with a couple of slices of lemon or lime. Drinking is definitely a must – I’ve felt much thirstier than usual even though my blood glucose is lower than usual. I can’t believe I have not been really hungry once since starting last week.

I track all my calories on Nutracheck

Good luck – the important thing is to find something that works for you.

Hi Smileymiley…

I have decided to cut out bread, cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, rice, pasta, etc

I love cheese so have a bag of grated cheddar which I sprinkle over meals. Not too much though!

I had 2 scrambled eggs for brekkie today, sprinkle of cheese on top. Pilchard salad for lunch then turkey stir fry with lots of green veggies for dinner, sprinkling of cheese on top! Calories 760 for the day.

Drinking 3 litres of water by sipping during the day.

Hope that helps

Andy

After trying every diet there is and failing miserably, including Slimming World and WW, I had an epiphany reading the most insightful, inspirational, life changing BSD Book…..I realised I had to get my Type 2 D under control after being in denial about it for the past 6 years resulting in more and more medication, vision deterioration, and now strangely – pains in my upper arms like a tightening of the muscles (although I don’t know whether this is related)….
I am now 3 days in and I seem to have lost 4Ib – and undertaking a daily 1 hour walk (something I have never done before) although I am still doubting myself whether that’s true ( I use the same scales always when I get weighed)…
I feel better already and full of energy, but haven’t done my levels yet as I’m not sure how often to monitor them ??
I have struggled maintaining the 800 cal target today so will that have a negative impact ????

That’s brilliant andypandy! Keep it up. Can I just ask is everybody eating anything as long as around 800 Cals eg hard cheese and bread?

Hi Bill1954
Hang in there!
I’m on hols at mo so will be a week behind you starting. I’m walking & making good food choices but will be vry strict on return

This has to work for me too. Diagnosed 2013 but know I must have been diabetic much longer. Have some eye retinopathy too. Can’t reverse it but want to arrest it

My high bs is on waking too. Do try some breakfast within those 800 calories. It’s going to take time effort & motivation for us all. Lets keep each other going as we are doing

Don’t forget this is experimental stuff we are doing. A total change from the advice we have all been previously given. I’m up for being a Guinea pig if I can help myself improve at all.

Learn as much as you can about your diabetes & the way your body reacts to carbs. Look at recommended web sites & keep asking for help. We all want the same thing

Keep on keeping on
Eureka

So far, so good. Three filling meals totalling around 800 calories & 3 litres of water sipped during the day. Lost 4 lbs from 7 am Monday to 7 am Tuesday & feeling great 👍 Hope everyone else enjoying & losing…

Trust me if you don’t drink a lot you will get constipation! Very unpleasant . Drink drink drink. I know it is hard. I struggle too 😳

Hi does anyone have any ideas for a quick and easy breakfast ? Doing food prep for every meal will make this way of eating very difficult to maintain .

I understood that graefruit and juices increased the effect of the statins either way best not to have them. I have just come back from Medeira where they had the biggest freshest grapefruit and oh did my mouth water. But l was good.

Lost 1kg since yesterday but really struggling to drink as much water as I should.

After reading your entry l also watched The Sugar Film.What have we been doing to ourselves?. What future have my grandchildren got? It should be compulsory watching. Thanks so much for mentioning it. I am very thoughtful now and only hope that all the damage l have caused myself can be partially rectified. I have struggled with low fat diets and diet products for years and slowly the weight crept on and the diabetes started and the blood sugar kept on rising and the medication was increased and the weight kept creeping up and the blood sugar kept on rising and and and at last maybe.

Well done, keep going! I am Day 11. Lost 10lbs in first week another couple more so far. Weigh myself first thing before eating and drinking as I find it is a motivator to be careful with portion sizes! I take my levels first thing too and they were 5.3 this morning, been in the 5’s since Saturday. This diet is good! My wife is doing it with me and she wants to drop some pounds so that helps that. We have adapted the meals to what works for us, but enjoying tasty filling meals and watching the calories and portions. Feeling good 🙂

Thanks woobear45!
Good luck to you too 👍

“The book says the diet is best for those with pre-diabetes or diabetes type 2.”

Which I have. I have high blood sugar because I my body doesn’t take it up. That’s why I am on the diet so I can loose the visceral fat and hopefully do something about it.

Sugar is something I avoided long before the diet, now I avoid the sugary fruit I thought was doing me good like melon, pineapple and grapes. As I am loosing weight I am a happy bunny and will stick with it, without the sugar.

It is the blood sugar diet?

Hi,
The book says the diet is best for those with pre-diabetes or diabetes type 2. I think it would be safest for you to speak with your Doctor before continuing to decide whether this is the right diet for you considering your Hypoglycemia. Better safe than sorry.
All the best,
Spencer

Hi Aly. Sounds like you are doing really well. I’ll check out RCV, I like Hugh and he has done some fantastic veg cooking on his TV shows. I’d actually like to quit Quorn as a processed food, but later, further down the line. Got to start learning to cook with lentils!