Lunch break but I am doing one of my fasts ! It really is easier the second day .
Just a quick Hello to everyone joining us this week.

Hi Cyster ! Let us know what would help you so you don’t feel overwhelmed.You know this works as you have already had success. Can you begin with your weekly plan so meals are sorted and you have everything you need to get you started. ? Keep the meals simple if you have limited time with your little girl.Omelettes, smoked salmon, avocado, roast asparagus, moderate protein. Just remove all the white processed carbs and subsitute with leafy greens.
I log all my food because I like having a notebook 😉

Welcome back Mariet ! You sound very upbeat and you have every right to look forward to your upcoming birthday trip.What Mediterranean destinations are you visiting ? ( We have a Holidays thread on the forum to share experiences)

Hi avisamuelgrey. That’s a great result. You need strategies for coping wih boredom which don’t involve the biscuit tin !! It would be a shame to scupper your efforts for carbs you don’t even enjoy 😉 Are you drinking plenty ? Think of those biscuits as cr*p !!! Focus on those smaller sizes ….and upcoming breaks. You have shown great determination with wine and you can do the same with the biscuits 😉 I know what you mean about epiphanies and they are very powerful but they make me very inflexible in my views 🙂 😉
Wishing you all a great week.xx

Jennie – thank you so much for asking – you are a good friend. How are YOU doing? Hope you have a healthy BMI in your sights and also that your brother and sister-in-law are doing well. Also hope life is still a bit more settled for you all. I want you to know that I have been very grateful for your various wise and soothing comments lately. Hard tho it is proving to be (5lb regained) I’m encouraged to get back to this and stick to it. Thank you.
Was in hospital almost all day – various tests and then a lo-ong time with an excellent consultant who could not have been more thorough or caring. He asked a million questions, obviously grounded in possible causes he had in his head after reading my notes. In the end he said it really IS a mystery but that he feels a duty of care to ensure that I don’t spend the rest of my life falling to the ground. HOORAH! No one has said THAT before. Helpful that he had the notes re my most serious fall and CT scan so he could see I’m not swinging the lead. It’s still going to take ages and a ton more tests but I’m happy that finally someone is taking me seriously and giving attention to sorting this out. Could have been worse. Still a lot of waiting though. Need to learn patience – and also find fortitude to get back down to it. Hey ho . . . .
Margaret – how’re you doing? Hope all is going well. Was wondering how your wish to learn to enjoy black coffee is going – assume that’s part of your fasting regime. I have cream and (ssh!) a sneaky half teaspoon of honey in mine. Love it and so far nothing else really cuts it but I need to try harder to change old habits. Must learn the lesson alongside you – need to shed my 5lb gained!! So am cutting back my carbs and various other little comforts I’ve taken to lately. Always happy for your hints and tips.
Keep at it folks – we can all do it with this great WoE, despite the odd slip – the good thing is knowing that a serious effort can get us (back) to where we want to be. Xs to both – Sonia

caronl – I think that’s a great suggestion

1) Lovely day here too. Apple tree about to erupt in blossom.
2) I see we are getting close to 100,000 posts on the website. Should we celebrate? Perhaps a time-limited celebration thread where we invite members past and present to post their top positives of this way of eating?!
3) Had a glorious day in Amsterdam yesterday – seeing Rembrandts and Hockneys and sunbathing in the museum gardens.
Happy Tuesday!

My positives are:
1. It’s a bright and lovely morning, perfect for enjoying my reorganised wardrobe!
2. My reaction to a delayed hospital appointment was calm. The hospital rep had no information to offer, but checked for me that my x-ray will be on the system later this week.
3. My size 18 linen trousers are hanging off me now! My size 18 jeans have shrunk so much they still fit.

Birdy76, glad you are doing well.
Your honor, delighted you got the job, you can follow your passion.
Notre dame Cathedral will be rebuilt, the damage has been horrifying to watch.

I use Sparkpeople.com. You can track your food etc for free, add your own favourite foods etc. It is US based and the database is a bit heavy (!) on processed foods. But once you have used it for a while and put in your own foods, the “recent” and “favourite” options make it very easy to use.

Just popping in to say CONGRATULATIONS to Jennie10 on getting back into the BMI healthy range. I bet that feels brilliant. x

Sonia
I’ve been wondering how you’re going?
Jennie xx

Sounds bloody marvellous!

Seriously, it’s great that your Dr recognises what you’ve achieved and is so supportive of you doing this, and that you’ll get your hba1c test. Win, win, win. Yes, her advice sounds reasonable to me. It’s what you thought anyway, isn’t it.

Sunshine-girl’s initial advice is good about getting extra calories from things like nuts, avocados, meats and poultry.
A site worth visiting is dietdoctor.com which has some great information about what is good to eat, visual guides etc e.g. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/fruits. Ignore the paid for bit – there’s lots of good, free info. (Although there is a month free trail to gain access to the paid-for stuff, which at some point I will do).

It’s always nice to read positive news.

Jennie

.

So far this week:

Breakfast: baked omelette ( ham peppers cheese)

Lunch: veg soup

Dinner: salmon in almond flour crust with green veg

How’s everyone else’s menus looking?

Today I am starting Round 2 at 14st 13lbs, having discarded 1st 4lbs in my first 8 weeks.

Firstly, thank you to Skipping through the Tulips, who posted a very encouraging and thoughtful reply to my anguished post when I was faltering. The last 2 weeks I have been failing to keep to 800 cals, have had wine and pizza (just one!) and have raided the office biscuit supply more than once, out of sheer boredom. I have totally identified with a lot of what Scottishgal has said about work: the absolute danger zone for me is the afternoon, when I’ve had lunch and I’m stuck in my office alone with a bunch of tedious admin. This used to be a smaller part of my job but has increased since the company changed hands and really gets me down. Yesterday, I went for a 15 minute walk after lunch, but was into the biscuits again by 3:30pm 🙁 I don’t even like them that much!

HOWEVER. Today, I am wearing size 16 leggings. I was a size 20 8 weeks ago. Yesterday, a colleague commented that you could really see the weight loss around my middle. There are a few public holidays coming up and I never have a problem keeping busy at home, plus we are soon to have Mediterranean weather ~ *happy dance*.

I’ve also had a kind of epiphany about wine, after reading here that it slows down weight loss. To be clear, I have always liked drinking (don’t judge!), and don’t really want to give it up completely, but it hasn’t been that difficult. When I had my holiday weekend bottle, I felt horrendous the next day, my sleep was affected badly, and I found myself craving sugar. I am starting to be at peace with the thought that it can be a very occasional treat for events :O

One last thing: I joined a Facebook group for the Fast 800 and you guys would be honestly horrified at the chat going on there!!!!!!!!

Best of luck to everyone, keep on keeping on.

Hi All,
Hi Happyhel35 and welcome from me, too. I’ve been reading and enjoying your posts. I’ve always found it helpful to have targets too, and your family get together sounds like a great one, especially as you’ll be so much slimmer!

SueBlue – hope the sling came off on Monday and the physio is helping. It’s certainly been a tricky road trip for you but it sounds like a good plan for Easter and onwards. Btw, I envy you having hair to tie up, even with all the glorious benefits of this woe, my hair is still thin and straggly!

JGwen – like Dreamscometrue, I love the sound of the Pilates for Riders class. Dreamscometrue, wouldn’t you have loved some photos!. I also enjoyed the description of your saddle versus the others – it made me smile.
When you were talking about your HiiT training recently it reminded me of a video I saw by Ted Naiman (or something like that). I’ve always been put off high-intensity training because I’ve only ever seen MM running very fast on the spot, or pedalling furiously, but this was very slow and deliberate. I’m going to find it and post it. I’ll be interested to see if it’s similar to some of what you do.

Dreamscometrue – glad you enjoyed your other road trip. I love Scotland and my husband would go there every year.

Well, I weighed myself this morning for the first time in a week and a half and I’ve lost 3lbs! At 10st 1lb, I’m now back in my BMI healthy weight range – woohoo! I’m only just back in there – 10 stone 2lb is the top of the range – but I’m happy with that for now.
More importantly, I’m fully back into my BSD/low carb and exercise routine.

I’ve been doing BSD, both weight loss and maintenance, since May 2016. I got my Type II back into the normal range within the first four months. I’ve stayed eating low carb so my Type II has remained in remission throughout. But, having lost just under 6 stone and maintained for 20 months I regained 2 stone plus last year. I’m not quite back at my lowest weight yet, but being back in the BMI healthy weight range is a nice boost. As is getting my lovely slim ankles back again!
I’m sure I’ll lose a few more pounds but for now I’m going to focus on maintenance – the tricky bit for me – I might read through Allie’s posts to get some tips – happy anniversary Allie.

Cathy, I’d also like to keep going. I’ve been really busy lately with family and then doing a one-off piece of paid work – deadline was yesterday! – so I haven’t been around as much as I’d like. But, hopefully I’ll be around more for the next road trip. Will weigh in again on Friday, too. Is that Good Friday?

Kazz – Hope you’re good xx .

Well Kafin, we have always been honoured to have you as one of the team, – so glad to hear that your application has been successful and you are going to able to help children in this way.

Like others I am sad to hear the news from Paris, but I am glad to see from the news today that most of the stone structure is still in place. I remember looking at Notre Dame from the outside on visits to Paris but never saw the interior.

Wow Kristen your honor that is amazing news, congratulations!

Mine so far today are

1 I woke up this morning with no GERD pain in my left side, (sorry next bit a little gross) and a normal bowel movement,

2. No bloating, in fact I feel slimmer than I have in years!

3 I feel full of energy and ready for anything.

Thank you guys and what a difference a few days make. So so happy. Birdy💞🐥

Morning Allie and thank you. My skin looks amazing from all the water though😂 I can’t use lip balm as it is really bad for your lips, with prolonged use it actually dries your lips out even more because it only sits on the top instead of going into your skin. But I am using my trusted Nivea soft morning and night and during the day if needed. I am also thinking it could be because of working nights too as that messes with your whole body. Like you say I am sure it will sort itself out. Until then I will get some almonds as they are the only nuts I don’t have in and I will eat more avo. Thanks again Hun 💞🐥

Oh we have a name for Kafin..Good morning , Kirsten Your Honour ! I am pleased that the procedure is going to plan. All the best for your training. Tune in to us if you need support in the evenings
It was good to hear something positive this morning. We are all so sad here .I watched the news from Paris in disbelief last night but it is heartwarming to witness how people come together in traumatic times. I will try to hang on to that positive feeling.

Thank you, Allie! I like how you pay attention, I said the same to my family and they said…no.

A huge congratulations, your Honor! Things seem to be very “on track” for you. I love flowers!

As curious as it might seem, carbs retain fluid, and much of that is lost in week 1. Week 1 is not really fat loss,
but the release of water 🙂 We are also drinking a lot of water, which flushes our body further, and can cause an electrolyte
imbalance. By having a small bit of a natural sea salt, it replaces the salts we are losing, and headaches and
dizziness improve. I’m not a “science” driven gal, but there are others here who are, and will be able to provide you
with a more in depth answer.Remedy will be same, however 🙂 Let us know how you get on. Just want to reassure
you that nothing is wrong, the headaches are simply part of carb withdrawal. Hang in there!

My three for today:
1. I had my interview to be a child advocate in the foster system here in Los Angeles – clicked with the interviewer and he ok’d me on the spot! Just waiting on the face to face background check and then training begins. Feel free to address me as “Your Honor” from now on as I’m just six weeks away from being an officer of the court 😉
2. Just about finished Day 2 of my restart and feeling good so far physically. I struggle
In the evenings with wanting to stuff myself so going to have a lot of evening showers!
3. Caught up with an old friend today and got the third bunch of birthday flowers. My apartment smells divine.

Hope everyone else had a good day
Kirsten xx

Hi all
If you are in Australia and have an iPhone – then I use an app called Easy Diet Diary – in app store blue logo with a pear.
It lists most of the Australian brands so easy to use, and you can add your own foods and recipes. It tracks daily protein, fats, carbs etc. I’ve used it a long time, and they regularly update their food lists.
If I make a recipe such as from the book, I enter it in, with number of servings and it gives me all the stats per serve.
Merry

Hi Timetochange
I posted this in another thread recently – just of my experience.
I successfully followed 5:2 for a couple of years and I would have just 500 cals a day with a mini lunch and then dinner spread over 36 hrs, I always had my morning 2 cups of coffee with splash of milk (40ml or so). I counted the cals and it never seemed to interfere with my fast.
So now with Fast800 I also have splash of milk – I now drink unsweetened soy which is slightly lower carbs than cows – in my 2 morning cups of coffee. I am doing 16/8 – eating between about 12-8pm – 2 meals. I have my coffee in the morning. It doesn’t effect my keto and I am discarding weight each week. I also sometimes stir in a teaspoon of powdered fibre (like Benefiber) into my coffee as it helps keep me feeling full until lunch.
My thoughts are that if a little adjustment makes it easier to stay on this WOE, or on the 5:2 way, then as long as you count the carbs/cals in the milk then go for it. I know there are many who wouldn’t agree but I’m just saying from my experience. I am under 20g carb total each day.

Thanks, I’ll try that. One question though, doesn’t salt cause water retention?

I’m back again! I’ve had no internet for the past fortnight so access has been difficult on my limited mobile data.
Four and a half weeks to my 60th birthday holiday in the Mediterranean and I’m pretty happy with preparations so far. I don’t have scales working at the moment but clothes are looser and according the blood ketone meter at work I am consistently in ketosis, even the morning after a couple of glasses of champagne the night before (OH 65th birthday!)

So happy to see the weekly threads still going strong, they are so very helpful.

Allie, congratulations on your maintenance anniversary, what a marvellous achievement.

I woke up this morning to the news of Notre Dame burning, so terrible. I have very fond memories of climbing up there with my mother and sister many years ago when we took mum to Europe for her first visit at more than 70. So sad, but hopefully the two front towers can be saved.

Halicarnassus, try a bit of sea salt on a dampened finger several times a day. This is carb flu, and the headaches are
withdrawal from carb/.sugar. It shouldn’t last more than a few days, a week at the most. It will pass 🙂

Birdy, the BSD has had the opposite effect on me. Prior to this way of life, I had extremely dry skin and hair. The combination
of hyper hydration, and the healthy fats in avocado, olive oil, and a measured qty of almonds each day has reversed all
of that. When we get into ketosis, many experience dry mouth and increased thirst. You may be experiencing that.
In time the body adapts, and in the meantime, drink extra fluids and try a lip balm of some kind. It shouldn’t persist
for very long. Don’t worry 🙂

Thanks onmyway.
Just weighed in this morning and dropped 4 pounds yesterday. Head feels like it’s about to explode though. 😐

There is research that if you do not keep your insulin levels low enough that your body can access your fat stores, than your body will respond to calorie restriction by reducing your metabolic rate. – (See Biggest Loser research).

So to me the issue of strategy revolves around how long a period of cal counting when not in ketosis will the body tolerate before reducing metabolic rate. – I haven’t seen any research on this topic. – So my view is that if someone will loose enough weight in an single round of 8 weeks of eating 800 calories to make it possible to move on to 5:2 afterwards, then Dr MM has effectively sanctioned this as being a workable option and there is no evidence that he is incorrect.

But for those who have enough weight to loose that they ask the advice of members of the forum about repeated rounds we should advise them to play safe and ensure they are in ketosis if they are going to eat 800 calories a day.

If you consider the example of the Biggest Loser, people were evicted each week and even the winners were only on the show for 30 weeks. The majority of participants regained more weight than they lost, Dr Fung points to research that their metabolic rates dropped by 600 calories a day. – I have just come across a different piece of research that says it was 500 calories a day, but that there were some people who did not regain weight but only by maintaining higher levels of exercise. https://www.today.com/health/new-study-biggest-loser-contestants-finds-exercise-not-diet-key-t118250

The other issue is about adaption to eating patterns such as one meal a day. – That is something Dr Fung talks about. I wonder if the issue is again that without either the personal resolve to stay under 20g of carbs or using some mechanism to monitor so you remain in ketosis having one meal a day causes a spike in insulin which is enough to push your body into reducing metabolic rate. Whereas if you fast for 36 hours 3 times a week and then eat without counting calories between each fast you have a long enough period low insulin so that you enter ketosis, and at the same time have periods of refeeding so the body is not triggered into reducing metabolic rate. – If you are having no cals one day, and two meals the next then you will be probably averaging less than 800 calories a day, and Dr Fung says it isn’t important to eat low carb (but it is easier to fast).

————————-

I recently posted a link on the take a look at this thread about a podcast by Dr Bikman, where he explained how burning ketones increases metabolic rate, because it encourages fat cells to be decoupled and burn extra fuel that you may find interesting.

Has/did anyone suffer with dry skin on their face and lips when they started BSD, or whilst they have been on it? I have never suffered with dry cracked lips but I have this past few days. It just be me age💞🦜

Hi Custer and welcome back! That is amazing news on your daughter and way to go!❤️ I am now just starting my third week and it is going well. I am not an expert but I have been keeping to 20g carbs and it is helping me discard weight and inches. I am sure one of our more knowledgeable ladies will be along soon to help you on your journey. But until then if you type a few key words in the search bar there will be lots of helpful posts😉. Once again welcome and good luck on your journey. Birdy💞🦜

Hi everyone I’m re starting the fast diet after two years. Originally started in 2017 January because of infertility and successfully lost four stone then got pregnant and had a beautiful little girl who has just turned one.
I have forgotten how to go about this am just feeling a bit overwhelmed any tips would be very much appreciated thanks for taking the time to read this

Norte dame I am so sorry, I was with you 4 years ago and I thought you were spectacular. My heart goes out to Paris. ❤️😢❤️😢

Wow happy that is great news hun, I am so pleased for you. The thing I love about this WOE is that we discard quite a bit in the first week, I lost nearly a stone and I know with slimmers, WW and other diets that would have taken weeks, months and even a year! All that drop one, pick one, drop 2, pick three etc….. how slow and boring. The other day I really thought it had all gone a bit wrong, but just two days later and gilet is even loser on me! I am ecstatic! I can do it up and it is only tight over my bust! It really should not have been done up at before I started this🤣🤣🤣🤣. I am so so pleased for everyone on here who like me have struggled so long with our weight, that we are seeing results and learning a fantastic new way to eat that will get us the bodies we want, and help beat that bloody diabetes 💞🦜

Welcome new members! The subject of how many carbs is one that reappears weekly. Please type “how many
carbs” into the searchbox and there will be extensive material there for you to read. Good luck to each of you!

Allie

Thanks. I’m having tea and coffee with as little milk as I can bare for now. Just until I establish a routine. I’ll see how it effects the weight loss.

I’m only a couple of weeks in front of you so that happy feeling and determination is thankfully still with me. Don’t underestimate how well you’ve done!

In my WeightWatchers days I’d have probably gone to the chip shop to celebrate. 😂

I’m interested in your opinion on this too, JGwen. I’ll weigh in at 100+ lbs. (pun intended!) 🙂

Jgwen how much would you class as a lot to lose? Xx

Oh my God, Paris and France, I just heard. I cannot express my sorrow — beautiful Notre Dame, such a loss.
I am crying for you.

Hi I use fatsecret, it doesn’t nag you to have minimum values as I hear myfitnesspal does. Also it works with the UK method of showing carbs with the fibre subtracted.

Dr MM’s book doesn’t give targets for macros, so most of us who have a lot of weight to lose have turned to other sources for the guidelines.

Protein in the range 0.6g to 0.8g per Kilo of TARGET weight.
Carbs – It depends on how insulin resistant you are, some people can get into fat burning mode (ketosis) on 50g of carbs, others have to drop under 20g of carbs. – If you are only going to be on 800 cals a day for just a short time then eating low carb is fine, but if you have a lot of weight to loose you run the risk of slowing your metabolic rate if your insulin levels are too high for your body to access your fat stores easily. You can either use blood or breath testing to work it out, or play safe and stay under 20g of carbs if you have a lot of weight to loos.
The rest of your calories come from healthy fat.

That’s onmyway. Its a lot of water i know but I’m very happy 😀

Hi birdy76, no scales for me either as I can only stand when wearing a space boot. Comfy bra = happiness.

Scottishgal, we are all going to have the best summer with space for new smaller dresses and trousers.

I’m heartsick too, Wendy. This is an unspeakable tragedy. My soul is with every French citizen today..

I’m simply overwhelmed by everyone who has taken time out of their busy day to acknowledge my maintenance
anniversary #2. Thank you, Wendy, Birdy, Shellbob, Patricia, Caron, Scottishgal, Violinist, Kafin, JGwen and Kazz. You
are the extraordinary women who make this community what it is with your generosity of spirit. ClarinetCathy, I’m
truly humbled by your kind words. Traveling this road with you since 2017 has been a joy. If I’ve forgotten anyone,
please forgive me. You are all special miracles in my life xxx

Allie

Wendleg, I am with you on Notre Dame. The stained glass, and the organ presumably are at risk, if not destroyed already (I am just looking at BBC news website)… Just dreadful to see.

Signing off on this week’s thread, and installing myself on the new chapter that will begin tomorrow.! I’m going
to express my gratitude to all that have taken time out of their day to send such generous messages to me today
on our new weekly thread. This is also my underhanded way to get you all to sign up for the new week, too 🙂 🙂 🙂

I still have another Week at school to do before the break.

Feeling very emotional here watching the raging fire at Notre Dame .

Wendy, enjoy your vacation!

Allie, wonderful anniversary!!!

Well done what a brilliant result. Sounds like you must have got lots right to lose 7lbs! I hope your second week is a great success too!

Hope you don’t mind me jumping in – new today 👋
Just finishing my third meal – chicken stir fry with courgetti- yum but may have slightly overdone the chilli 🌶
Struggled a bit this afternoon but stuck it out and very pleased with myself. Now off to clean my kitchen to keep myself busy! Looks like a lovely group of people in here so look forward to getting to know you all 🙂

So today marked my first 7 days on the fast 800.
I was 13 st 5 and a bit.
I weighed in today at 12st 12 and a bit.

I’m very happy so far but i have realised you cannot do this half heartedly. You need to plan, shop appropriately and plan again.

I have discovered i feel better (possibly all in my head but i don’t care) if i eat a small breakfast of 50g full fat greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of seeds or nuts. If i go without breakfast I’m struggling.

Lunch needs to be a small fish or meat salad. Soup if it’s freezing weather.

Dinner must be a hot meal. If its not i just don’t feel as happy. That will change when the weather improves I’m sure.

I have also realised that currently i need to stay away from cheese . I’m eating far too much.
And i need to watch my milk intake. I know its the cold but I’m drinking 5 cups of tea a day 😯😯

But apart from ham and 2 shoves of bacon i cant remember eating anything processed this week. That’s pretty incredible. And no bread, alcohol, pasta or anything like that.

I don’t look any slimmer- measurements are the same, but my skin is definately glowing as I HAVEN’T DRANK SQUASH IN A WEEK!!
Here is too next week. Much love all
X