Well done you for embarking on this and having those two boys – you’ll have bags more energy to keep up with them because of what you’re doing. I can’t give you solutions because I’m just starting out myself, but I wonder if you could have someone take the boys off your hands for a few hours every so often so you could bulk cook some of the meals for freezing. I made the veg curry and cauliflower rice last night, which is for three, so I froze two helpings. I’m having some headaches too and telling myself they’re good ones rather than the ones I had for eating and drinking the wrong stuff.

Gateofheaven, you clearly have a doctor who has been reading the research and commentary of the last 20 years. I bought Gary Taubes’ book “Why we get Fat, and what we can do about it”, all about the action of insulin in the system, beyond just its transport of sugars out of the blood. Dr David Ludwig has lots to say on this and also Dr Michael Eades. You will get lots of discussion from them by googling the names without buying their books, though the books are really good. The main point besides all the discussion of insulin and other enzymes is that higher saturated fats and avoidance of processed oils are much healthier and have a better effect on weight loss and blood sugars over time than low fat. Lowering fat will take the weight off but because the body needs it you will feel more hungry and the tendency is to go to high carb foods for a quick hit. These then put the weight back on, causing insulin resistance in most but not all people by fuelling the over production of insulin. So as Gateofheaven says, have some fat even if it raises the calories.

I use my own chilli recipe, i’ve used it for years and for this the only changes i’ve made are removing baby potatos and replacing honey with a low cal sweetner.

I’ll glady share if you want ?

Oh and i use a slow cooker ( cooked for 12 hrs, i made a batch last night that works out at 346 cal per portion )

Ah yes, mushrooms. I had one in the veg curry last night and couldn’t distinguish it in that. So often the veggie option eating out is a mushroom with cheese on top of it and they are such slimy characters and I think as a child I must have internalised something about them being poisonous. I have two more Portabello ones lurking in the bottom of the fridge so I need aversion therapy!

Third day today and started off with the no-carb bircher – first time for me eating flaxseed and I quite liked it with Alpro yogurt – had to have that as it’s lactose free and I had two cartons of it already. Now, what to do with a whole carton of apple juice minus 50ml. I think freezing it in an ice cube tray may be the option. I know I don’t need to be completely rigid with the diet but I think if I meddle with it I will lose it. I haven’t been this disciplined since I gave up smoking 12 years ago.

I’m thinking that finding the time to source products and ingredients is part of the attitude shift required for this diet and food changes; didn’t realise how far from thoughtful shopping I’d become. Should I say mindful food shopping.

Wonder if you’ve started yet?

People keep telling me I am getting too skinny. Problem is I was diabetic, and getting told I needed tablets, at “only” 11st 5lbs, but getting fasting BG of 3.9-4.4 now at at 10st 2lbs. So skinny is healthier. Trouble is we have ALL got so big on the “healthy” low fat diet of the last 50 years we have lost sight of what you are supposed to be like.
Quick is good – so motivating.

Coconut flour and almond flour quests today! Thanks for your suggestions. The first vegetarian cookbook I acquired was by Rose Elliot and it’s held together with sellotape now; I delve into her Low Fat Low Sugar one a lot and will be adapting some of the ideas for this diet and for afterwards. Third day today and I’m feeling rather weak and light headed and need to summon energy for some over due housework. I haven’t weighed myself yet, think I will give it a full week before I do. On the plus side I am sleeping a great deal better already and think my face and fingers are less puffy. I like the feeling of having some control over my body. I’m also liking the idea of being part of this community 😉

Hi Kate & Bill,

Thank you for your post. What a difference a day has made! I haven’t weighed myself today and have decided I will wait till the end of the week. However, I checked my blood sugar this morning – the main reason for me doing the diet – and it has gone down to 5.4 so I am ecstatic. I have a fasting blood test own Friday at GP’S so aiming for it to be under 5 by then which I think is realistic.

I found it really helpful yesterday getting both your posts, so a big thank you. I was reading in the book that stress place a part in dieting and I did have quite a stressful day with hospital appointments. I think that possibly focused on the negative. I still stuck to the diet and as I said yesterday if I keep to the 800 cals a day then I will lose weight.

Thank you for your support.

Hi Malkay
That’s fantastic!
Penny

Hi Donna
Have a look at the YouTube TED talk by Sarah Hallberg. Very inspiring!
Penny

Just thinking, you should be able to get multi minerals that are guaranteed nut free, so many people have nut allergy. But most things can be covered by a varied range of foods within the diet, I’d’ve thought. Lots of doctors follow the research that supplements don’t do much away from the foods they stem from. The jury is still out on that I believe, at least within generally healthy people, as so much is just shed by the body. I believe an exception may be vitamins D and B12, though I forget where I read that so don’t know the quality of research. Generally it’s better to eat the foods rather than drop the pills, even though the quantities will be smaller.

Hi guys I’m on my 2nd day on the 800 cal version. I have got Tony Ferguson shakes/soups for my meal replacement because I have 2 year old twin boys and I figured this way would be the easiest way to start. Because it was hectic here yesterday I couldn’t make food and so I had a 4th shake instead of the 200 cal non starchy veg and unfortunately tonight is the same. Here is my conundrum can I make a salad of lettuce tomato onion and cucumber Beetroot avo for my veggie option and could I add a bit of feta or even normal cheese or some cold meat. I need simple to start because other wise I will fail as I have many many times before. My doctor has put me on duramine to try and stop the food craving and I’m having headaches I’m assuming from a Coke Zero withdrawal(up to 2L a day). Any help is greatly appreciated

Sesame seeds have lots of goodness in too, you can add them to all sorts. And tahini paste is nice (check it’s been made in a nut free environment, though)Do you have a problem with pine “nuts”? They are a seed, not a nut, growing between the sepals of fir cones of particular types. Delicious toasted and sprinkled in salad or on green beans.

Hi all,

Here is a rough guide at what i’m looking to put in practice as my diet for the next 8 weeks. Thoughts ??

Breakfast –

Flat mushroom, cherry tomatos & bacon medallions
Scrabbled eggs & beans ( reduced sugar )
Flat Mushroom and poached eggs
bacon medallion & egg baked in the oven
Mushroom and cheesy beans ( reduced sugar )

Shakes instead of cooked breakfast

Green tea & blueberry shake- Chilled green tea, blueberries, greek yogurt, almonds & flaxseed
Melon, spinach & blueberry – melon, blueberries, unsweetened almond milk, spinach leaves & sunflower seeds

Weekend brunch – cause sometimes weekend days mean we can’t eat 3 meals.

The pancakes made with coconut flour & strawberries
A decent omlette, mushrooms, onion, cherry tomato, spinach, worcestershire sauce ( use egg whites and one full egg to reduce cal )
Sausage ( low cal gluten free ), bacon, poached egg, beans ( reduced sugar )
Poached egg & salmon stack – flat mushroom, smoked salmon, creme fraiche, wholegrain mustard, lemon juice, poached eggs, pine nuts
Veg Frittata ( like an omlette ) – red peppers, scalons, garlic, chickpeas, paprika, spinach, eggs ( one full and one white per portion )

Right lunches

Chicken salad – chicken cooked in cajun mix, onion, peppers, sweetcorn, rocket, snap peas, chick peas, cherry tomato
Tuna salad as above but mixed with either yogurt, hummus or avacado ( to be decided after samples to taste )
Add to that

Spanish chickpea and spinach soup, it has chorizo in it as well
Med chicken soup – baked chicken breast, onion, leak, rewd pepper, veg stock, tinned tomato, garlic, basil, oragano.
Prawn Pho, its a soup with bean sprouts, sweetcorn, snap peas etc.
Veg Frittata – as above can be reheated and reduce cal buy replacing 2 eggs with egg whites.

At home –

Lettuce cups –

Crab & Mustard – crab meat, creme fraiche, dijon mustard, lemon juice ( can add onion or peppers )
Chicken & Walnut – As above but with chicken, and some tiny pieces of red apple, sprinkle some walnut pieces on top.

Ricotta, Pear & Walnut salad – ricotta, scalons, green beans, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic clove, pear & walnuts.
Skinny spicey bean burgers – mushrooms, coriander, cannellini beans, kidney beans, onion, chilli,

Dinner

Our chilli ( honey removed ) – Lean mince, tinned tomato, worcestershire sauce, garlic, chilli, reduced sugar baked beans, onion, red peppers, mushrooms, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, beef stock cube.
Steak with side salad – Leans steak
Bulked up stir fry – prawn/chicken/beef with stir fried veg, coconut oil, soy sauce and low cal sweetner, chilli, garlic, ginger.
Cottage pie with celeriac topping – lean mince, tinned tomatos, onion, mushroom, garden peas, garlic.
Cajun chicken with 3 types of veg
Fish pie with celeriac topping – onion, leek, parsley, mushrooms, white fish, prawns, 1 bay leaf, milk.
Courgetti Prawns – leek, courgette, ginger, chilli, garlic, lemon juice, prawns, cannellini beans
Beef & pine nut meatballs & Moroccan salad – (meatballs) – lean mince, onion, garlic, pine nuts, paprika, all spice, cumin, egg white, parsley (salad ) – spinach, sliced almonds, chickpeas, scalons, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice.
Spicey chicken & lentils – fennel, red onion, garlic, thyme, chilli, chicken, green lentils, snap peas
Crabcakes – crab, sweetcorn, paprika, woster sauce, mayo, scalons, parsley, lemon juice, serve with veg.
Turkey steaks – serve with veg
Spicey turkey mince – Turkey mince, yellow peppers, onion, chilli, garlic, soy sauce. – served with a side salad.

After all my whingeing and anxiety about hypos last week, I thought I would share my current positive feelings. In about 2 weeks (I wasn’t very thorough at first), I have lost 6lbs. That’s great, but much more importantly to me, my blood sugar seems to have stabilised. I don’t monitor it with a monitor (never got round to that), but can tell that I am not crashing. As a result of this, my anxiety has levelled, and I just feel so much better in myself. I WAS sleeping better until last night. At around 5am I realised I was starving, BUT I hadn’t crashed. Progress indeed. However, my waist measurement has not budged yet, but am sure that will happen soon. As I don’t want/need to lose it from anywhere else, I certainly hope so. Keep up the good work, everyone!

Welcome Bruce! I’m on day 3 so am new to BSD. I have about 17kg to lose and have tried diets on and off with temporary success but then the weight has crept up again so I’m also looking for a lifestyle change. I’m determined to get to my target weight and then keep it under control. You’re right in saying that support from others helps and I’m happy to share my progress over the coming weeks. I have found it ok during the first couple of days. I try to plan ahead and put my food into myfitnesspal in advance so that I know I’m within the 800 cals. Won’t be weighing in until Monday as I want to give it a full week but will let you know how I get on. Good luck!

Hi. I’m on my 3rd day of BSD and logging all food on mfp – so good so far. Does anyone know what are the ideal macros for protein/fat/carbs? I’d like to update the percentage split in my app so I can see if I’m getting the right balance. Perhaps someone who’s a few weeks down the line and getting successful results could share their stats. Thanks folks.

HI all, just introducing myself, I’m an Australian guy living in Germany and ready to start the 8 week progamme tomorrow. Have had lots of success with various factors of this way of eating and dieting in the past – currently 89kg, at times in the past somewhere beyond 120kg (stopped looking at that point) – so know it will be a success again for the last 15 – 20kg. Have been diabetic for 21 years , currently on long acting insulin levemir and a stack of metformin. Good HBA1C results, cholesterol and BP at the moment but would love to achieve the same with less medication or even fewer medications.
Anyway, love a chat and there is a nice sense of accountability that comes from the support of being in a group, which is not really available to me in person here. Neither are crumpets, which I would dearly have loved to have said farewell to, but there you go. Am very much thinking of this as a lifestyle change rather than a diet, and have spent a week preparing myself psychologically for what that means. See you round.

Thanks for the information and encouragement Aliba and pmshrink. I’ve downloaded the app now and will check it out this morning. I have had success before by keeping a food diary in an actual book so will have to decide how much advantage the app gives me. I will certainly be putting the 10g measures in, as multiplication is much simpler that division for the most part, great tip – thanks!
OK, tomorrow is the kick off day since I have a big party to go to this evening, looking forward to bumping into people here again!

Thank you. This is the second recommendation I have had for Mindspace so I will look into it. Might be the saviour to get out of this stress fog!

OOPS
2 small thin pancakes made with wholemeal flour and semin skimmed milk with a filling of blueberries cooked in theie own juice for tea last night and this mornings BS reading has gone up to 8.1

That demonstrates to me perfectly what carbs can do to you, even in small amounts.

I started the BSD 2 days ago. I cannot work out if the calorie value of the simple suppers includes whatever I am ” jazzing up” eg a chicken breast or salmon steak or lamb chop or if I have to look up the calorie value of the weight of food being jazzed up and add the calories to make up a bigger total. Advice welcome . Thanks

Yes , I know about the ‘dawn phenomenon’ as I have been monitoring my FBS for a year now. Mine generally stays slightly raised until lunchtime or if I eat. I was feeling positive that blood sugars were dropping but it’s back up to 6.2 today 😥. Not sure this is working for me. Have been very strict and not gone over 800 cals at all.

Thanks for this great tip. I have a number of Rose Elliot’s books but had not heard of this one, so I am off to seek it out! Good luck with your weight loss programme.

Try to keep the fat content up if you can. It really helps with carb cravings. Last week I totally overdid it with bread but the next day I had herring with small slice of bread and butter, since when I’ve had no main carb foods at all or even wanted them. I’ve made sure that I have a little oliveoil or butter wit most meals and it does seem to help.

I really hope so because I only started the diet today and I’ve come to bed with a banging migraine! I’m just hoping it’ll be gone in the morning. And that I won’t get any more this week, but I have a feeling I may well do, as cutting out carbs and sugar is pretty drastic! And my system is extremely sensitive. I have taken some pain killers, so hopefully it won’t prevent me from sleeping. It’s good to be on the forum and have positive comments from other people who have been on the diet longer.

Aly, I can see your marzipan and raise you…heck, you name it, I’ve binged on it. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not proud of it but in the spirit of this thread I own it and put it behind me. There is life after sabotage!

Hi Everone
I’m eating absolutely no carbs except what’s in beans and low sugar fruit like berries etc. No cravings at all. Which fits with the science.
Luckily for me I don’t have to have biscuits etc in the house as my partners sort of doing the diet too which makes it much easier.
Penny

Too late now Bill, but I saw a pancake recipe on the recipe section for gram flour pancakes. Much less carbs than wheat.
Hope you enjoyed your pancakes!
Penny

Hi Katie
According to the science, the less carbs the less cravings. Can you reduce your carbs more and replace with protein and fat?
Really inspiring TED talk on YouTube. Dr Sarah Hallberg. Obesity/ diabetes doctor. Inspiring.
Penny

Hi Jellyang
If you’re having hypos, maybe need to reduce meds?
Penny

Hi Jolly Roger
Welcome to the forum.
I’m wondering- if you’re still hungry after 2 weeks and your BG isn’t going down- are you accidentally eating too much carbs? Because those are symptoms of that.
Just a thought.
Penny

Hi Salty Stan
In a couple of days it gets easy.
Penny

Hi Joycey
I think we re a mixture of people whose sugar is high and others trying to avoid that! But I think everyone is aiming for weight loss.
Penny

Also there’s a BSD group on MFP – find it in ‘community’
Penny

Hi Chloee
I just put a long detailed post to help people with Myfitnesspal. It’s on ‘Wow2 weeks in and what a difference’
Basically the food info on MFP is whatever you and everybody puts on it, not MFP itself. So not accurate. Anyway I explain what to do about it on that post.
Hope it helps. Please ask me if anything else on MFP confuses you- which is likely- but after 2 years I’ve now got a handle on it.
Penny

Oh this is so me! I can go days being good then wham! Complete sabotage. I have tried keeping biscuits and chocolate out of the house but then I ransack the pantry desperate for something sweet. I once ate a whole pack of marzipan!

This is my kind of thread! Had Parents evening tonight at school, needed change for parking meter so bought a Lindor truffle egg to charge a tenner.. I was running late, stressed and there started the catastrophic thinking! Ok, so you know what happened next!
l then had kids leftover rice with the other sensible stuff when I got home famished at half eight. I am now back on track, not even waiting for tomorrow!

As I live in France where such things as coconut flour are unheard of it is very difficult. Whilst I am in the UK I will see what I can find. Amazon often charge high delivery prices. Doves farm deliver to me so will look there too. I have yet to try cauliflower rice. Maybe I should invest in a spiral gadget thing too!

Hi Kitty
Welcome to BSD!
Good luck with your diet.
Penny.

Hi Bruce
I would really encourage you to put your own foods in My Foods in Myfitnesspal, which is a bit of work but its just once then you’ve got them. The other list is everybody else’s idea of correct cals etc. Often wrong and usually in ‘cups’. I use Calorieking to find the cals and other info. Using two devices is best so you can read it on one and write it in on the other!
It’s best to put 100g or 10 g then it’s easy to put on a larger or smaller amount eg an 80 g Apple is .8 of a 100 g portion etc. Also setMy Foods as the default search so you don’t get that annoying stuff, or always press MyFoods before you search, then it will search your own list.
Sorry a lot of detail but I’ve had to work all this out over a long time!
There are some confusing things at first. Just ask me I ll probably know as been using it for 2 years.
Good luck with the diet.

Well done Squidgy, your doing great.

Day 2 – completed … Feeling great, I haven’t needed insulin for 2 Days. Fasting BS below 7 already. Sticking exactly to the meal plans .. Food is great no hunger.

Why I didn’t I do this earlier.

Absolutely agree Janet. The only way is to get back on the horse. Which you did , peanutbutty, with your herb tea. Just continue on as if all that stuff didn’t happen.
I wonder if there’s any way to avoid it in future. ? Ask colleague not to do it? Leave the room til others have eaten it all? Suggestions welcome!
Penny

“…will have to get a new slow cooker this weekend as I use my for jewellery making… ” – can I enter that sentence for the award of the most random thing I have ever heard!

How does that work Aliba?

Loving this thread btw

I found coconut flour at Asda. Maybe an online shop if there isn,t one near. They do quinoa and bulgar wheat too.

I’ve seen the fresh cauliflower rice in Tesco, but I bought some of the packaged cauliflower rice in Indian pilau and plain, made by CauliRice company, I think., also sold in Tesco. Quite handy when in a hurry, although I do make my own too. I had the Indian one with some quickly stir fried prawns last night, flavoured with madras curry powder, ginger, garlic and chilli – very tasty!

So sorry for your loss don pedro 🙁

Warning for all following recipes from the book

First heard dr Mosley on BBC2. Bought the book and started the diet. Going very well, already seeing results. Using only recipes from the book – so far all of them worked like a charm and produced delicious and satisfying meals

Up until tonight. Having very high expectations I spent significant amount of time shopping for ingredients and preparing ‘skinny chilli’ recipe (page 231). All was good, amazing flavours all around the kitchen made a promise of a great meal. Until the last moment, the chilli was flawless. Guided by the book, I tossed 75g of chocolate in my perfect chilli and mixed it in – just like the book says. The result – a total disaster. Instead of a delicious chilli Inedible disgusting chocolatey goo. All of this after 1 hour preparation and 3 hours of waiting for it to come out of the oven.

Only later I started reading other chilli recipes on the net and found out that you are supposed to put just a small chunk of chocolate, to balance the acidity of tomatoes. The amount that recipe makes you add is more than 10 times higher.

This must be a mistake and I am sure it will be rectified in later editions. However, as for now, sitting here hungry and very cross as up to the very last moment, I had an excellent delicious dish to enjoy and was left with nothing.

Hi PB
Speaking as a serial dieter, I know exactly where you are coming from. You have had a truly magnificent start to your weight loss. And guess what – there will always be things, events and people who will sabotage your good work.

I learned many years ago that guilt is one of our biggest enemies. Your wagon takes a slight knock in a pothole and before you know it, you are so full of remorse that you have pulled all four wheels off well and truly!

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start. As long as you have tomorrows, you have fresh starts. So remember the good times – you really loved that kit kat! But forget the guilt and move on, tomorrow is a new start. You’ve already proved how well the diet works so you will soon make up for any damage done. Lets see the next 5 kilos please!

I’m at the very start of my weightloss, day 2 , but feel encouraged by how well others are doing. My story very similar to beginning of thread, determined to give myself a fighting chance 👍

Try amazon for your coconut flour. You can get absolutely everything on there!