Hi nangemac,
Well done on your weight loss, that’s fantastic! Thanks for the tip for quinoa, I have a full bag of the stuff so I’ll give that a go the next time I’m feeling brave enough to take it on! Keep up the good work and keep us up to date with your progress.

Auntylil, thank you, yes, I am feeling better although I’m feeling a bit less energetic than usual. I know you felt like that last week – did it pass for you? I’m glad your daughter found something she likes, that’s so important, and I’m thinking anything in the health sector is a good idea these days. So pleased you had a good day out yesterday, its tradition that a lot of our get-togethers involve food and/or drink but they don’t have to – way to go girl!

Thanks for the link, I’m going to have a look now.

Have a great day both of you!

Hi Mark
I totally agree that’s what’s behind it. Which just means they haven’t read their own website which has the research on it, according to a forum post. As well as having the contradictory crap advice.
In any case a nurse or GP should be polite and listen properly, not tell people off!
I agree while this type of advice exists we just have to take our fate onto our own hands. Which we are going! Eventually they ll twig.
Good luck
Penny

Thanks Pat unlimited!
😊
Penny

Hi Bruce,
How are your blood sugars going and are you eating enough full fat products?
A few of us are finding that extra fat/ protein has been the key to feeling satiated and managing our blood sugars.
There’s also been some debate about counting carbs. I have found that just counting calories wasn’t helping because things like your apple, while relatively low in calories is quite high in carbs. A piece of cheese, which my dietician would have frowned on, helps with hunger and has no effect on my BGL because of it’s low carb content. A boiled or scrambled egg would work too. Stick with it because it’s your best chance of avoiding diabetes related health problems.
Someone else put up a link to a site, Diabetes 101, which has some great info.
There is always someone on this forum who can help, or puts up info you hadn’t thought of yet. Everyone is so resourceful and supportive. Hope your uncomfortable symptoms soon pass.

Hi everyone, day 10 here for me and 8lbs off, I love this diet! seeing some of you mentioned how bland quinoa was, I make a nice Mexican quinoa (if I say so myself! 😂) I’m not good at following recipes, more of a ‘chuck it in and see how it goes’ kinda girl, it’s basically a tin of tomatoes, peppers, onion, any other veg you fancy, garlic, coriander, cumin and chilli and quinoa simmered for about half an hour. You could also add a tin of beans of your choice.

Hi Metta,
yes i have been trying to pin down exactly what that feeling is, because I’m not totally sure that it is really hunger. I’ve found sitting down with a hot cup of tea has sort of helped, probably a combination of the warm liquid and the act of doing something. I haven’t fallen off the wagon, but have jumped somewhat, I think I’d need to have a couple of weeks of holiday to manage 800 calories, so am now averaging around 1000 – 1200 I think, which is keeping the weight loss going and allowing me to be functional at the same time.
How have your past few days been?

Me too colsanders, fruit is usually a big part of my diet

Hi Kbskylady
I am exactly the same as you on week two and no weight loss yet since 13/2 but I lost 7 lbs first week so if I was on a “normal” diet and had lost half a stone in two weeks I would be exstatic. As Mark says it will work and we have to keep going, I also feel no energy this week but trying to keep active regardless, food diary helps me
Reading the forums on here helps, I have also made coconut flour scones and a loaf to have as treats, the cloud bread is tasty too, I’m going to try the pumpkin seed muffins soon too
Best Regards

Are you feeling better yet? Have to tell you – I managed a squat and quite enjoyed it. I may do another 😀 One of my daughters was thinking about becoming a nurse after several career choices including media make up but she is now doing a degree to become an occupational therapist and she is loving it. Had a lovely day out with a pal and lots of dogs yesterday and not one extra carb or calorie passed my lips. It’s not so hard after all. Lovely recipes on this blog if you’re interested – https://beachhousekitchen.com/ he’s the chef who wrote Peace & Parsnips.

Hi Kbskylady, I have found it hard to adjust also. Difficult to comment to much as I dont know your full story. I assume you have the book and have read it so some answers are available to you regarding cutting back to 800 ish cal a day. Maybe this diet is to challenging at the mo and the 5:2 would be better at first. Getting used to reducing your cal for 2 day in a week will help moving on to the 800. I was diagnosed in Sept and 56 YO. I didnt have any symptoms that i recognized as diabetic but after reading this book certain behavioral things make sense. It is very difficult no one said it would be easy. You WILL succeed. Believe in yourself this is only the start. You will lose weight if you exercise, drink plenty of water and reduce portion sizes down also. Also keep active in between meals. Best of Luck! Mark

Hi. This is interesting to me as I was born lactose intolerant and use goats milk mostly but have tried this soya milk and I didn’t get ill from it so may be it’s only cows milk with it’s lactose that is my trouble. For dishes needing yogurt with say mint the goats milk works well; to me the Alpro does taste sweeter. I need to look into this more closely, may be almond milk would be better and assuming rice milk would be too calorific.

Hi again, Think about it. Liability and bad reaction if Roy Taylors research doesnt prove this diet works. They are sticking to guidelines they have been taught and advice since Med school. Clinical research backed up by years of trials then the BMA and NICE have to sign it off. In the mean time we keep taking the pills and drugs that the pharmaceuticals are making loads of money on. We are Diabetics for life! Not for me guys. I`d rather feel good about myself. Being more active with energy and a positive outlook will give me a reason to carry on with this approach rather than drugs. Chin up! Mark

The first week I chucked out most carbs and all sugars, but forgot to cut down to 800 cals a day. I lose 3 pounds. Since Monday Ilve stuck to 800 cals, now feel very low mentally, energy does spike and drop (adjusting BS levels?) but not losing much – 4 ounces since Monday. Friends are concerned and say I am cutting back too much and the body needs a certain amount of calories to burn up the fat. Is anyone else experiencing this problem? The book is full of positives but there don’t seem to be any people saying they had a hard time with it, and results not as expected. I started out at 12 stones 13 pounds, need to lose 3 stones, I’m 56 years old and diagnosed a diabetic (just) 2 weeks ago.

Hi All, After I was diagnosed wth T2 last September after seeing my GP with UTI issue I did the usual research in Diabetes and came across Roy Taylors research. I printed off the sheet and on my next appoint passed on the Info. Like some of you guys the GP filed it and went down the NICESs guidlines. Dont get me wrong she seems caring but want me on the medication. This is even though i have lost 21lbs and my Bloods are back to normal. QRISK is the issue for the GP. Im staying off drugs and using Lifestyle and diet and this programe. Good luck all! Mark

Grr, I have to use Amazon Fr and the book is there but in French! Could probably work it out but will wait for my Rose Elliot book to arrive. Thanks though!

Hello again,
This book is free on Amazon today- might be kindle only.
It might help us vegetarians expand our choices.

LOW CARB VEGETARIAN: Famous Dishes Made LOW-CARB VEGETARIAN! (Quick & Easy Low Carb Cookbook for Vegetarians) (International Vegetarian Low Carb Recipe Book) ?

Hi,
My hubby and I started on the 15th too.
We both are on blood pressure medication and my husband has a fatty liver so we are really up for this. 😊
Day four and feeling really good and not as hungry as I thought we would.
Over time we had slipped into easy meals at supper time and although they were cooked at home they were really bad for us. We’d also got hooked into that ‘just this once’ or ‘just as a treat today’ which had turned into everyday!
Thanks for the reminder to drink plenty of water.

That is brilliant idea Aliba. Move move, move, that`s what i keep saying to myself. Allow some TV for an hour or two at night and the Rugby at weekends. Thanks for the ideas.

Hi everyone, Keep drinking the recommended 2ltrs of water and headaches will go. Great you are all posting your experiences as we can all benefit from them. Here are some of mine. Day 4 after getting and reading Michael`s book but i have been working on my weight since September last. What he says about mood and energy and feeling hungry when you go for a sugary hit made sense with me. Not long afterwards i felt hungry again and that is the reason why we put on weight. At the moment I am enjoying making and trying out the recipes, such as Cauliflower rice with Coriander. Yum! Veg Curry, Beetroot Falafal. Exercise everyday if you can and you will feel you earned you meals. The more I read and digest his book (sorry for pun) the more I feel i will beet T2D. Keep going all and and keep in touch.

I sometime put a tsp of Marmite in a mug and have that as a substitute for Tea or Coffee; especially with this cold and wet weather. Really warming. Thoughts please?

I find it incredible that a professional diabetic nurse hasn’t heard of this diet. There was enough of a splash in the media when Prof Taylor did the initial research and if I, as a layman, knew about it I don’t see how someone involved in treating the disease doesn’t.
I didn’t think twice about telling my nurse about this diet and she was wholly supportive to the point of advising me at which point I should consider cutting my medication.
It seems like diabetes care, like so many other health services, is a bit of a lottery.

Lots of breakfast ideas in the book and a few on site. You do need to eat a certain amount of fat as the whole idea of the diet is for you to get your calories from fat instead of carbs.
Full fat yoghurt with berries, grilled flat mushroom with goats cheese or a poached egg or beans (low sugar) spring to mind.

Hi new to the diet and struggling for quick breakfasts that are filling .
After years of buying low fat everything it’s difficult to get my head around buying full fat items. Is this the right thing to do ?
Any advice out there please
Thank you

I guess it is the detox! Not sure if my headache is because of giving up caffeine or reducing carbs. Keep drinking plenty of water to flush it all away. Think my body is in shock just now, into my second day with no bread!
By the way woke to a covering of snow, the geese are still protesting and the chickens won’t come out of the barn! The ducks rushed out as normal then made a lot of noise when they found the snow. It is only about 2″ at the moment so I do not have to dig pathways for them. Sky looks like there could be more.

Hi all
I was going to post on the exercise part of the site but don’t think it’s getting as many hits so thought I’d post here.
As someone who works in an office based job and if I’m honest is a bit lazy I thought I’d share with you how I’ve managed to increase my steps. I monitor them via fit bit and have struggled in a normal day to get over 7k always citing the fact that I work v long hours, have an office job, no time, poor weather etc and I do more at the weekend.
So I decided that every time I needed to make a phone call at work I would go outside and walk up and down while on the phone and if I needed to have a meeting with someone I would try to make it a walking meeting.
Result is that I have managed to push my steps up to between 12 and 15k a day.
Honestly hasn’t been difficult and I’ve hardly noticed I’m doing it….result!

Hi all day 3 for me and have been reading all your posts for days before plucking up courage to say hi 😊. My sugar level was 9:4 on Tuesday when I started and is now 7:4 and dropped 5 lbs also so really pleased with me and my clogged up pancreas pal, yes he is now my pal after 12 months of being my enemy and keeping him in denial I have accepted we both deserve better care …… Love hearing about all your stories and achievements….. So thought I’d say hi ……. Really enjoying the food and can’t believe how tasty it is, but my head does ache but I am drinking lots 😇. Will it get better ?

About the same as me. I have gained and lost the same 2.5 stones so many times! I have had my morning porridge and one cup of coffee. Planning two boiled eggs and an apple for lunch and a quorn thing with veg for dinner. I have an egg mountain due to chickens and ducks laying well. Mrs Goose laid her first egg of the year yesterday too. I am leaving that in the hope she will nest.
My hubby will make things tricky as he will want his usual stuff. He is carnivore so I am used to cooking two meals but this way they will be completely different. I have Rose Elliots book , low carb cooking for vegetarians’ on order, hope it comes soon. This way of eating is very different for me. Bread and potatoes, pasta and rice are my main diet!
One day at a time!

I’ve completed 2 days, 1st at just under 800, 2nd at around 1000. I think I’m doing pretty good. It’s quite tricky thinking so differently. I never thought I ate much bread/potatoes etc but not I’m avoiding them, I see it differently. I love eggs but am a bit nervous of overdoing it and making myself sick of them. Going egg free until Saturday as I’m meeting a friend for brunch and there’s an amazing omelette on the menu that I can have with no issues.
I’m a good 2.5 stone overweight, lost a stone in the last year and when I say lost I mean lost/found it for 12 long month as. Slow doesn’t mean steady for me so I’m doing this for 4 weeks to kickstart the demolition of that 35 pounds. Really enjoying reading about people’s experiences

Hi regardless of her professional opinion you should be treated with respect and courteousy at all times please put a complaint in to the surgery regarding this lack of professionalism

I am also weaning myself off coffee. I do not like tea but have ventured into herbal. I prefer the fruit teas as they are less ‘tea’ flavored. I bought myself a cute sectioned box to keep them all in. Coffee for me requires cake or biscuits and I was drinking too much. Herbal tea is fine on its own. I cannot say I actually like them yet but can tolerate them after a week. All part of the plan! Summer will be easier as I always drink lots of water. I was a little hungry yesterday but kept up my knitting to stop me eating! Once settled in front of the fire I am less inclined to visit the kitchen!

Have been going well but need to eat less fruit

*GO!

Hi Magiek
The crazy thing is, someone put on the Fast800 forums that the research is on the NHS website, yet on that same website they advise diabetics to ‘ base your diet on rice, pasta and potatoes’- totally crazy.
If you can find the research on the website you could show the nurse or GO – though it still may not help if they’re very stuck in their ways.
Penny

Snackerlady – thanks for posting the video – really interesting and fantastic to see such positive results on some long term diabetics – gives me hope!

Hi Salky
All support for you on this website. You shouldn’t be subjected to that sort of crap. Terrible.
When you’re off your meds you can tell her where to get off!
Penny

That’s a great going! I am going to do the 8 weeks & see where I am. Keep
In touch.

Please keep in touch & let me know!

Hi Eireka
That diet shake is more than 50% carbs. Doesn’t seem to fit into BSD guidelines unless I’m misunderstanding something
Penny

Another one, found by crescent moon

http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

Helps you work out your carb, protein, and fat ratios. Fun to do!
Penny

Hi Crescentmoon
I just had a go at that calculation. If I did it for a year I’d be 7 stone! ( those were the days…)
It also tol me 800 cals is too hard to do – wrong!
My results were
12% carb which is 25 g
35% protein which is 70 g (!)
53% fat which is 48 g
Not what I’d put in MFP which was about 30% ish each. But usually fat turns out higher, which maybe I should change. What results did you get?
I’m going to put this on the ‘useful links’ thread.
Thanks! Fun to do.
Penny

After reading all the posts above I feel pretty lucky with my GP. She had seen quite a few of the TV programmes about the Newcastle diet and Michael Mosely’s programmes 5:2 etc and thought it was a great idea and is keen to see how I get on. Even if I just lose weight and reduce medication (as I’ve been diabetic for 8 years) then she felt it would be of benefit.

With her agreement I stopped the gliclazide after the first week as some of my afternoon levels were below 5, though since then my fasting blood sugar has been creeping up and I’ve had a couple above 8, especially when I’ve had beans or legumes (e.g. the spicy bean burgers) the previous day. Not sure if that’s just a coincidence.

If I remain stable this week, I plan to stop Sitagliptin next week (I’m not convinced that’s ever made a difference) and then gradually reduce the metformin. Again – I’ve never been convinced it’s made much difference on its own.

GP has arranged my next blood tests at the end of April, about 6 weeks after I’m due to finish the 8 week plan, so will be good to see how my HBA1C has changed.

Aa hungry day today, have had a snack of about 8 almonds mid morning and this evening. I went to the gym again, feels good and have gone down 2lb in weight in two days – I have mainly peeeeed that away! 😆😆 Ginger tea and hot water with lemon has been great for taking the edge of the hunger!
The Bircher was delicious Queenvix! Beetroot falafel, messy but yummy. What’s so great is not having to think of ideas for meals – usually so stuck in a rut. Day 4 tomorrow means halfway through week one, determination is high at the moment! Next focus is stepping up the steps! Being off the school run this week takes 4000 steps off my day!
I am enjoying taking care of myself, wishing you all a good sleep and a good week! 😊

Hi… Try this link http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com
In the 5:2 fast book it does state that protien intake should not exceed 0.8g per kilo of you weight. Other than That I too have yet to find recommend fat and carb grams or percentage

Hi Vicfish37 et al

Optifast shakes were used in the original Newcastle diet x 3 daily. Also total of 250g non- starchy veg to provide another 200 calories Total calories = 800
Multiply x3 the following breakdown of shakes contents + the veg ( you will have to work that out) & it might help you
Go to Optifast.com.au (Australian company) hard to get shakes here, for more info
Shakes contain – VLCD = Very Low Carb Diet
Serving size 54g. Energy Kj 870. Energy cal 207. Protein 17.5g. Fat 4.5g. Carbs 22.5g. Sugar 17.8g Dietry fibre 3.6g Gluten No. Lactose Yes GI 24 – 33
Check this out yourselves

Also go to Jenny Ruhl (American woman very knowledgeable on diabetes) her book =Blood Sugar 101 web site
Phlaunt.com Or just enter blood sugar 101
Once on site go to Diet. Then Nutrtional Calculator for weight loss & Maintenance eg protein, fat & carbs = what proportions are healthiest. Complete & enter the form to calculate your ideal nutrient intake for weight loss or maintenance. This is a good info site whether doing this 800 diet or other
Best I can do til BSD put stuff on this site
Hope this fills a geeky hole!
Ps. Watch your fingers I keep catching the report post box when scrolling! Good job it doesn’t
Eureka

Peace & parsnips is a great cook book.
Good fats in avocado, tahini, protein in tempeh, mixed bean and lentil combinations will give ‘whole’ proteins. Being vegie vegan is a great way of learning to cook with flavour using Indian cook books can give really nice flavours though the fat content does need watching.

Hi there,
I am starting on Monday as I have just read the book and am needing to sit down and plan for the weekly shop on Sunday.
I have a problem in that my husband is slightly underweight and our daughters are young and perfectly slim. I am wandering if any of you have advice for adaptable family friendly dinner time meals? Breakfast and lunch will be no problem but I have to ensure hubby is getting recommended calorie count.
To my knowledge I don’t have diabetes but according to the quiz I am moderate risk. I took my measurements tonight and honestly could cry. I have 30kg to lose to get into a “healthy” BMI. Nearly fell over with shock when i measured my waist!! 🙁 I don’t even recognise the woman I see when I look in the mirror. Looks aside my main motivation is the health benefits I have various ailments, sleep poorly, low mood, hormones seem all over the shop no energy, constantly hungry etc
As a nurse I treat patients with complications developed as a result of diabetes and/or obesity every day so really really want to make a go of this. I don’t want to end up being treated myself and also want to be a good role model for my patients and daughters.
Hope everybody here is managing/enjoying the plan. Would be grateful for any advice/support. Thanks. 🙂

UPDATE:

Just found this incredibly useful tool.

http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com

Bearing in mind the similarities between the BSD and ketogenic diet, I googled “macros ratio keto”.

When you input all of your details, the calculator works out your minimum and maximum carbohydrate and protein needs. You choose a number in between. It then asks you to set a calorie goal- whatever is left over is your recommended fat intake. Based on these numbers, it works out your macronutrient percentages.

Hope this helps! Best of luck to both of you!

xx

Good stuff Aly, I’m on 840 for the day, and finding myself wandering round the kitchen open minded to eating… have taken myself to bed with a herb tea away from temptation.

Well done Annajennings a stone in 3 weeks is very very motivating.
To get into the middle of my ‘ideal’ bmi I could do with loseing 3 stone.

Being in bed with hot tea, after a long shift, I’m not really feeling hungry now. Hurrah.

Hi all
I’m on week three, lost 7lbs first week and 2lbs second, haven’t lost this week but must admit that I have strayed a bit, not been recording everything and gone up in calories but still following the general principles for most meals. Eating full fat milk, cottage cheese etc for the first time in years? Interestingly, despite no loss this week, I have suddenly developed a waist for the first time in years…..yes my figure curves in the middle so am hoping the visceral fat is beginning to melt.
want to lose another two stone and haven’t been that weight since 1984 but think it’s doable now.
Well done to you all….you’re doing a great job!

Penny speaks the truth!