I don’t know what anyone else is doing but I’m having a square of 90% dark chocolate- it sure keeps the cravings away and is a little bit of sweetness (extra lovely with a cup of tea with milk)- I’m pretty sure I’ve seen chocolate in the south of France and that’s pretty close to the Mediterranean 🙂

Good luck and hope you all feel better soon

Yikes! 5.2 lbs. the second week! I need new glasses.

Congratulations!

gateofheaven, I appreciate your feedback so, so much. My goodness, you are truly a success, and congrats on the first 9.2 pounds lost. I too have heard about plateaus. I’ve also read that weight loss is not linear – it goes up, it goes down – but it’s the downward trend, the big picture that matters.

I was going to start right in with 5:2 on Monday. I have such issues with hunger, the thought of doing 800 cals for 8 weeks sounded awful. But I experimented and ate 800 calories of protein and veg, and I can’t believe how sated I was. Well, the book will arrive on Thursday. You are fortunate you received yours so quickly! I’m a fast reader, and will get what I need from it before Monday my first fasting day!

Thank you for the tips about fat. When my husband saw his doc the last time (he needs to lose weight), the doc told him “eat more fat!”..we both thought he was crazy.

Thanks again for your feedback and good wishes.

I agree. I am on statins since having a heart attack 3 years ago, and I am certain there is no problem being on this Blood Sugar Diet with those.

Yeah, I’m beginning to think that about raisins myself. I think you are right GoH. I’m going to go for berries as a snack myself now.

Hi Malkay
I also have reactive hypo. I have not started the 800 yet and am nervous because of the possibilities of hypo which makes you feel so awful. However, my understanding is it’s the carbs and sugars that make the hypos happen so I think ‘no bread ‘ is the answer , just quinoa and brown rice in very small amounts. According to the theory, a few days after coming off the carbs completely we should stop having the problem. Fingers crossed and good luck.
Penny

Gateofheaven, that sounds a good mix. Any idea of the calories or whether it covers nutritional needs? I can’t stand the chemical taste and sweetness of the usual commercial meal replacement shakes but don’t quite feel confident to design my own in case I miss some vital nutrient; 8 weeks is quite a long time to be relying on them.
I am vegetarian but do eat eggs so yours sounds tempting.
Where do you get your kefir? Never tried it but have read about its health benefits.

Hi Caroline – A low carb diet is likely to improve your lipid profile. Assuming your medication is a statin you should be fine to to the diet. Good luck with it – hope you manage to improve your sugars

I m assuming it’s no carb in the way we think of carbs as grains etc.
Penny

I make a homemade replacement shake that is filling and it can be adjusted or modified as one pleases. 12 oz Unsweetened almond milk (since I don’t tolerate cow’s milk easily). 1/4 – 1/3 C Plain eggwhite powder. Berries. Cooked steel cut oats 1/4 cup (I cook up a batch and freeze it in an ice cube tray, then pop them out and bag them). 2 tablespoons flax seed meal (helps with constipation and is a good fat). I found it necessary to start slowly with the flax because it caused discomfort. Moved up bit by bit to 2 TBL. A few weighed out walnuts. Sometimes I add favorite spices like cinnamon, cardamon. Sometimes some xylitol that i saw mentioned in the book. I’m playing around with whole milk goat kefir as a shake base too. Sometime I might try whole goat’s milk and delete the walnuts. Then I write down the ‘recipe’ with calories, fat, protein, and carbs for later reference.

Looking at what michael wrote it seems you release sugars from your muscles when you except use so you should be ok on the 800
Penny

I make a homemade replacement shake very close to Mullaway man. 12 oz Unsweetened almond milk. 1/4 – 1/3 C Plain eggwhite powder. Berries. Cooked steel cut oats 1/4 cup. 2 tablespoons flax seed meal (helps with constipation and is a good fat). A few weighed out walnuts. Sometimes I add favorite spices like cinnamon, cardamon. Sometimes some xylitol that i saw mentioned in the book. I’m playing around with whole milk kefir as a shake base too.

I ordered it from speedyhen on Jan 2 and it came Jan 9.
I do understand the urgency. i felt it myself. Removed all tempting foods while waiting for the book. Looked up Mediterranean diet to know what to have in the house. Prepared my mind! Started the diet Jan 10. I have a complex, tricky medical history, so i’ve had to be very careful. Have included my doc in all aspects.
Because it is so important for me to lose weight, I’ve been very strict. Weighed everything on a kitchen scale. veggies included. i measured a ‘drizzle’ of oil – surprisingly high in calories. I use a teaspoon at a time and that’s 40 calories.
The quick weight loss has been it’s own reward. I was gung-ho the first 5 days and then I thought, ‘this is HARD’. Didn’t feel so hot the first 6 days. Realized that I needed to acknowledge that and not expect it to be easy. But starting day 10 it WAS easy. I’d figured out what i could eat and feel well.
I lost 9.2 pounds the first week. 5.2 pounds the second. Nothing so far days 14, 15, 16. Not too worried since I have seen others post about plateaus. I know to just keep it up. I try to keep notes about the meals that make me feel best; which ones leave me satiated the longest. I compare the easier days with the bad to see what the differences are.
Things really started taking off when my doc showed me research about the benefits of more fat in my diet. Fat???!!! But he was right. As soon as I added walnuts or more olives or olive oil and the like, the hunger stopped and my mind became clearer.
Good luck to you! It works!

The peanut butter and cream cheese dip is a great lunch. I take that in a pot with carrot, celery and pepper. Very satisfying. I have had it everyday and am not fed up yet.

That’s a great attitude.
Penny

Hi Cvrus
That was really bad luck. Hope things go well now you’re back on track.
Penny

Hi Jules
Good luck with it. I’m about to start.
I also have the kindle version of the book. I ve discovered that if you highlight something it then shows up in Notes which makes it very easy to find. Hope this helps.
Penny

Sounds good!
Penny

Hi Caroline
In the book it says they’re OK. Not too much I suppose!
Penny

gateofheaven (what a lovely name by the way!)..

Yeah, I saw several booksellers selling it on U.S. amazon, but none of them were prime (2 day) shipping, and I wanted the book this week the latest, so I could read it, educate myself about low carb and then officially start 2 day fasting/low carbing on Monday. I’m really worried about my health and have put off taking care of myself for far too long.

gate, did you get the book right away? Just curious, because when I order from amazon vendors it can take several weeks to be delivered.

Anyone tried Purition as an alternative to the usual meal replacement shakes? Not cheap but look healthier.

That’s a relief!
Penny

Hi Both
Really helpful info, thanks
Penny

Hi Eureka
Thanks for the info really helpful.
Penny

I think in the book it says 30% carbs
Penny

I overdose the Cauli rice with spice of the main dish and it becomes okay.

Thanks for that! I’m a newbie, and don’t think I could live without my Flahavans Oats!

Hi Natalie
Having read the book I think that your glucose intolerance should improve.
Penny

When I want something sweet, I go for berries, kiwi, and mandarin oranges. I think that dried fruit like raisins are a concentrated sugar. I always have the fruit at the end of the meal so that it doesn’t spike the blood sugars.

I was able to get a Freestyle lite monitor for free going to their website. The strips are what cost. In the States we can get strips with a prescription for free. But, if that is not possible, Amazon had some of the cheapest prices for strips that I was able to locate. Even on Amazon, though, some companies were selling the strips for twice what others were. Cheapest I found was about $30 US for 50 strips (shipping included).

I think if you soak quinoa the bitter coating comes off. Obviously then change the water before cooking!
Penny

Malkay once I have eaten my evening meal I only have drinks. That is the hard bit as I used to snack all evening which explains why I didn’t do well before. I am just accepting the evening is a no food zone. ( not easy with hubby still snacking 😯)

I also was spaced out for about the first 4 days. Had a headache the first day. Extra water didn’t help it. But no headache the second day. When it re-appeared the second week, i increased both salt and water and it disappeared. My mind became much more clear towards the end of the first week – even better than before the diet. It has remained clear ever since.

My doc suggested that I use full-fat kefir instead of yogurt. It has more probiotics than yogurt. The tastes range quite a bit depending upon the brand. He said that the probiotics will make my gut bacteria healthier. Healthier gut, less desire to eat incorrectly. Am finding that to be true.

If nothing else, it’s a nice change from yogurt.

In the BSD book the calories next to the recipes are they per recipe or per portion?? Thank you

Thanks again, gateofheaven. I have just bought some miso today, but haven’t had any yet. I thought it would be a good snack when I am hungry. I do drink quite a bit of decaf tea, and I do use xylitol to sweeten my cocoa at night, made with water and a little milk. I will try the decaf green tea. Thanks.

I know I have many galls stones which are mostly quiet and cause me no problems – and I’d like to keep it that way if I can! I think weight loss is linked to gallstone problems and I wonder if there is any advice about following the BSD without disturbing gall stones? I’m assuming the good amounts of fat in the diet will keep my gall bladder functioning around the stones?
But I’m confused about the association with weightloss and the usual advice to stay away from too much fat to avoid gall bladder attacks. Thanks.

Well done to you both 6 lbs is fab, I guess once we have achieved our personal goal then we can look at incorporating more carbs for maintenance. I’m day 2 and it is the withdrawal with me, it’s funny I don’t think I realised how much hidden sugar I ate until now.

For others in the future, I purchased the UK version of the book through Amazon. However, i searched for a book seller from the states and did not have to pay extra shipping.

I also try to add some warm beverage to the meals when I feel particularly hungry. Like de-caf teas (yes there’s a de-caf green tea!). But especially, i like some of the prepared vegetable soups we can get in the States. Imagine brand is organic and makes broccoli, mushroom, and tomato soups that have 70 calories a cup. Miso soup is a nice alternative too. I especially like hibiscus tea because it has a fruity taste. I put a bit of xylitol in it. Lots of different herbal teas to experiment with. I have a boxed de-caf black tea Chai that is quite nice – although one could make it themselves by adding spices. Many recipes for it on the internet.

gateofheaven, I think you might be right about the bread, even though it was low carb, high protein. I have had it before, and often do feel hungry after, even though I think I shouldn’t!! I am beginning to think that all bread disagrees. I feel as though I have been experimenting forever (I’ve had this condition for 3 years). However, I do believe this way of eating is the answer if only I can manage it. You are very lucky to have a doctor who suggests increasing fats, and obviously ‘gets it’. Mine doesn’t. Thanks for the support.

And me, I have just put a chocolate in the bin!!! I have had the celeriac fish pie for tea, I feel a little sick, I will drink plenty of water see if that helps.

Have just bought the Blood Sugar Diet Book & am put off by the recipes. I am quite a “plain” food person & do not enjoy fussy meal preparation. Is it possible to follow the principles without sticking to the recipes?

Thanks, Debsym62. I have to have eggs for breakfast, otherwise I am starving mid morning. I am going to try the peanut butter and cream cheese tomorrow, as that sounds good. I agree about being busy, as I haven’t been busy today. I haven’t tried green tea because it contains caffeine, and my blood sugar seems to drop after caffeine, but I might try it. If you eat at 5 (as I have just done) do you have anything before bed?

I had that experience too! I’m one hot momma and not menopausal. Metabolic rate going up? Perhaps Dr. M could please ‘weigh’ in on this one.

The more carbs i eat, the hungrier I am. My doc suggested that i increase my fats, using a few walnuts. That cut down on the hunger too, even on 800 calories. Since Malkay you had avocado, you had the fats. Perhaps it was the bread? It took me about 10 days of experimenting until I could find the right balance of foods that left me feeling satisfied and not hungry.

Quinoa varies considerably in taste depending upon the brand. The earlier versions of it were more bitter. Perhaps look for a “non-bitter” label?

That roast tomato soup sounds lovely. Have you put it in the recipes? You should submit it.☺

I am having Greek yogurt and blueberries then the peanut butter and cream cheese dip for lunch with carrot, celery and pepper. That tends to keep me going I do have an apple with my lunch as well. Some days I have not been hungry at all but I find that is when I am busy, today nit been so busy and I was ready for my evening meal at 5.
Have you tried green tea! That seems to been helping me as well.

Hi everyone! I’m on the first week of the diet and I am feeling really hot after eating something. It’s like hot flushes that starts approximately 10 minutes after a meal. I am not in the menopause. But I was wondering if that’s a common symptom and if I should be worried about it.
Thank you!