MM-Blood-sugar-diet-Part4

[Not2bObvious]

Shiny new thread for the BSD'ers. Best thing you can do is first read the MM bsd book do you get a full grasp of what the rules are but in a nutshell:
800 calories a day
No bread/pasta/potatoes/rice
No processed food, no alcohol
As close to no sugar you can get
Full fat, no low fat
Protein to keep you full
2-3 litres of water a day
10,000 steps a day (work your way up)
HIIT if you can 2-3 times a week

Sorry, I should have been more specific about food while following the diet. I have enough protein, mainly vegetarian, do not drink alcohol, and avoid sugar, though I have some dark chocolate and some fruit - mainly some apples and berries. Before the diet the same was true, except I had a bit of jam and a bit of honey, plus rice, oats, rye bread, potatoes.

I eat more frequently than the diet says, if I am hungry. I may sometimes have had more than 800, as I was not counting. I just glimpsed the gist of the recipes, especially breakfast, to start with.

As I said, I would be so interested to know if others have found the same extremely beneficial mental effects.

I haven't noticed this to be honest, but I havent been as strict about carbs. Fantastic that it has had that effect. It could be a mix of the effects of periods of fasting and having more good fats oils etc. I know oily fish in particular is good for this, and dark chocolate too I think? I have noticed that my thinking is prob a bit better when I am on lower cals.

There is some info on google about theraputic fasting www.mindthesciencegap.org/2013/04/10/fasting-for-mental-health-does-it-work/

Will address mental alertness tomorrow, but wanted to ask if anyone has used protein powder at all? Seems to come up in lots of low carb recipes or breakfast ideas, but surely it goes against this diet in terms of not being real food? It is just concentrated milk protein?

Thanks Yummyump. I don't fast as I can;t go for long without eating (unless that is the 800) and had oily fish and dark chocolate before, but I agree they do help. It's interesting you find low calories may make you think better.

I am so glad Mumsnet made me notice this diet, especially through how nice the food looked when people post photographs, and how well people seemed to be getting in with it.

It is a revelation to feel so much better.

I am not sure about milk based protein but I had hemp protein for the first time today, made a sort of post workout desert (250 cals) by blending frozen banana (not good on bsd!) berries, peanut butter, hemp powder, cacao powder and pysllium husk powder. stirred a few broken walnut bits though it. Yum, bit too sweet actually.

I think Hemp based is good. For breakfast, I mix it with some hot water first as it is a bit dry, then with full fat plain live yogurt, berries, ground flaxseed and nuts.

Thank you very much for the mindscape link about fasting. I missed that before.

In fact for me the beneficial effects have come without fasting in the sense of going for long periods without eating. Although the calories may be low on this diet, I never would go without eating and having snacks as I have to do that to feel all right.

But a snack would still fit the low carbohydrate rule and I might have something like a green pepper with some houmous.

When I did my first 8 weeks I really did it to the letter. I definitely felt that mental sharpness, although I was also emerging from the post pregnancy fog so I felt it more strongly I think. I haven't managed to recreate that since, and it's something I really strive for because I felt like the clear head and sharp feeling really carried me through. I do feel if I have a few good low carb days that I can feel a bit over stimulated and as a lifelong insomniac I definitely feel the 'buzz' which can actually impede my sleep. I didn't get that 1st time round, in fact sleep like a baby. I know that doesn't really answer your question, but that's my experience.
Sorry for the late night postings- up with Howler again. I'm going to be tired tomorrow!

Whoop whoop! End of week 5 and I am officially no longer 'overweight' according to the NHS website. 12.75 lbs off so far.

whatsonyourplate well done on not being 'overweight'! Excellent result! Are you going to stop now or are you aiming for a particular point in the 'healthy' range?
I still have another 4lbs to lose to move from 'overweight' to 'normal'.

Thanks APlace I am going to carry on for the rest of the eight weeks. The 'normal' range for my height has a difference of three stones from max to min! I'm broad shouldered but not especially muscley or large of boob, so can stand to loose some more. Plus the main reason for my doing the diet was to keep DH company, he was recently diagnosed as type 2. He has lost 1st 11lb so far but still has quite a bit to go. I think we will stay low carb after the 8 weeks, then consider a second round in the new year.

That sounds like a good plan. It's great that your DH has managed to lose so much too

Thats interesting Thenewaverage. Thanks for answering about how you felt sharper. I hope you get it back without sleeplessness. Gosh you were up late with Howler, I've just noticed! I hope you got to sleep again for long enough to recover.

Well done for getting to that stage ypu wanted, Whatsonyourplate

Well I've been exhausted today after my late night with the baby, and I have to admit my resistance against the carbs has been futile. I really can't manage on so little sleep, but hopefully he's over the worst of it now. Just been to a high school open evening for my oldest dc- this is the hard part of having teenagers and babies at the same time. The days are looooong and 800 calories barely touched the sides! I'm all set to try again tomorrow and have a few meals planned for the weekend to keep me focused.

Fantastic what's on your plate - well done.

Wow Newaverage that really does sound exhausting, when my dc were babies I couldnt get it together to lose weight at all and that is without a teenager in the mix. My baby is nearly 6 and this is the first time I havent been overweight since she was born!

I had lost a bit more this morning down to 136.7 but cake sale's are not helpful. I cant believe a piece of cake can have as many cals as a meal! Anyway 2000ish for me today and no exercise - eek - technically a rest day though.

My lunch today- I finally got around to making the terrine/ slice thing. Lined a tin with bacon and put turkey mince, sundried tomatoes, basil spring onions, whizzed up in the blender, in the tin. Wrapped the bacon around it. Tastes delish!

That lunch looks lovely Thenewaverage. It must be really, really difficult for you when you feel so tired and have people around you with such different needs.

I wondered if you thought of making a big supply of high protein vegetable-full soup (add lots of pulses from a tin or carton to make it easier), store it in a large container in the fridge, then when ever you are hungry you could dip into that and a few minutes notice. Personally, I find that that way, when you are very tired, something will be ready.

Thanks kind , I did used to make soup, I had a lovely soup maker for Christmas. But I'm the only one who eats it and I got so fed up of wasting it, or worse forgetting it and having to clean the mouldy soup out! But you've inspired me to make some this weekend. My all time favourite is my mum's 'fish,chip and mushy pea soup'- potatoes, onions, frozen fish portion, peas, stock. Sounds rank but it is delicious- tastes just like fish and chips! (Obviously for bsd - no potatoes!)
I'm not so tired today as ds actually slept last night, he's getting over his cold/teething nightmare. I do struggle to cook healthy food but I am quite partial to a day batch cooking and my freezer is full of frozen portions of leftovers. We do have a like it or lump it rule as well, I can't be doing with cooking different meals for everyone. It must be equally as tricky for everyone else though, I don't work so I do at least have the days free to plan and prep.

I've just had a flapjack. I've blown it. Kicking myself.

Never mind Rach onwards and downwards ;) Iwas up today on the scales thanks to cake but keeping it low today!

Newaverage the potato (maybe less of it for cals sake) might be ok as cooling the potato does something to the starch making it more blood sugar friendly. will find a link at some point, its been mentioned on here though at some point. Fingers crossed for a restful and enjoyable weekend!

Thenewaverage, your fish soup sounds very nice. I hope you get the chance to make it.

When I make a supply if soup, I use a 1.8 litre "sistema" container, (this in the link, I think) which fits masses more soup than you would think www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Sistema+1.8+litres&tbm=shop&spd=4447108061215011841

I keep the soup in the fridge in the milk shelf and there seems to be enough for me for lunch for five days at least.

The soup I make , is onion, celery, a little carrot, green beans, cabbage, broccoli, green pepper and lots of cannelini or other beans - so it has high vegetables and enough protein. Then a dash of olive oil/hemp oil can be added for serving.

Rachcakes me too, when I was out at someone's house. Never mind, it's just one blip! We should carry on regardless!

Kind that recipe sounds like a good way to use up the green peppers I always have lurking in the salad box.

900 today, bit cross with myself as I am only aiming for 2x800 days a week so no excuse not to be closer to 800!

It's Friday though! I've had three squares of chocolate instead of one. Woot woo.. there's a weekend celebration for you. Also tried half a glass of Prosecco, but had a hot flush half way through and had to give away the rest of it. I've been to the doctors about those, and am having a blood test for menopause on Monday - she also told me to do a pregnancy test, but haven't got around to that yet. Don't feel remotely pregnant though. Didn't have hot flushes the last time I was pregnant!!

can you have any type of 'brown'/rye/wholemeal bread at all on this diet?