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Fasting / 5:2 diet

Talk about intermittent fasting and 5:2, including what’s worked for others. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

blood sugar diet thread 5

999 replies

yumyumpoppycat · 15/10/2016 17:12

Continuing thread for Blood Sugar Dieters:
Phase 1 lasts 2 - 8 weeks and involves restricting calories to 800 a day. Eating healthy fats is encouraged as is limiting carby foods (no specific guideline on this but some people aim for under 50g), small amounts of complex carbs are allowed but should be balanced ideally with green veg, protein and fat to lower the glycemic load and reduce the effect on blood sugar.

Tips
You may get headaches at first so drink lots of water, possibly try mixing a teaspoon of marmite into boiled water and having that to replenish salts etc
Exercise: aim for 10,000 steps a day and ideally consider adding in resistance training and some HIIT workouts.
Fasting some people find it helpful to have an eating window e.g 14:10 – 14 hours fasting and 10 hours to fit in the 800 cals. Avoid snacking and grazing - split your calories into 2 or 3 meals for potentially better weightloss.
Use the menu plans in the book or plan ahead on My fitness pal app

Foods to avoid
Sugar, sweets, milk chocolate, biscuits, cake
White bread, pasta, rice, chips etc
Processed Junky food with added sugar
Alcohol, fizzy drinks, juice etc
Diet foods, artificially low fat foods
High sugar fruit

Foods to eat
Full fat Natural/ Greek yoghurt
Fish in particular oily fish, Meat, eggs, nuts seeds
Non starchy veg, cauliflower, leafy greens, avocados, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli etc
Olive oil, coconut oil, rapseed oil

Berries and low sugar fruit (2 portions or less)
Lentils, beans etc

Foods to include in small amounts and be careful of
Full fat dairy is fine but some people do better with less of this
Starch veg such as sweet potatoes and squash
Wholegrains (quinoa, buckwheat etc) limit to 2 tablespoons
Low carb crackers and breads made with coconut flour, almond flour etc

Phase 2/ 3
for more sustainable continued weight loss and then maintenance add in some days with higher calories but still lower carbs, and have 2 – 5 days at 800 calories. Continue to avoid processed simple carbs like white bread, chocolate etc but possibly add in small amounts of dark chocolate and red wine or less sugary alcohol if you wish to.

Useful links:
My fitness pal
[[https://www.amazon.co.uk/8-Week-Blood-Sugar-Diet-Recipe/dp/1780722931/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476547726&sr=1-1&keywords=blood+sugar+diet Bloodsugar diet recipe book
BigChocs Fasting exercise thread]]

For full recommendations and lists of those who should avoid this diet please see the BSD forum

OP posts:
Thread gallery
40
APlaceOnTheCouch · 10/01/2017 16:15

LookingforHope there is a recipe for chicken and red pepper curry on the BSD website which tastes a bit like a korma. It doesn't have cream or yoghurt but it does have almonds. (Personally every time I try to make a low carb korma it's a disaster but this recipe is easy and tasty).

chicken and red pepper curry

I'm 1.5lbs down today which is keeping me on track. DH and I both forgot to pick up shopping today so tonight's dinner will be whatever I can pull together. I'm thinking the creamy garlic mushrooms on the BSD site look good.

Lovetunnocks · 10/01/2017 16:44

Arggg. Famished. Think I'll go back to eggs for breakfast tomorrow - 2 scrambled eggs and a wee dob of black pudding, or M&S crunchy bacon bits and I'm good to go most of the day. If it ain't broke...

Made a mackerel dip for lunch which was nice but didn't really touch the sides. Got an evening class now so won't be having dinner until 9ish. Lookingforhope there's a nice korma recipe in the blood sugar diet cookbook. We had it the other night and the kids loved it though I thought it was just tiny bit on the runny side so would use slightly less coconut milk next time.

ragz134 · 10/01/2017 16:47

Don't have a recipe, have just invented one. Not sure how well it will turn out! I used creme fraiche.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 10/01/2017 17:36

I've had a good day today, haven't really eaten much at all- just about to do my calorie log but all I've had is scrambled egg and 2 meatballs. I have a nice steak for tea tonight and I might do a blue cheese sauce for it as I have a few spare calories - practically unheard of for me!

AccioNameChange · 10/01/2017 18:12

Six days in. Cracked. Ate whole packet of breadsticks.

This is my problem right there - bingeing. Just writing it down so I'm accountable.

ragz134 · 10/01/2017 19:18

Accio- tomorrow is another day. Forgive yourself and turn the corner, lesson learned. We can't hope to be perfect.
My korma was just about okay but not great, will follow a recipe next time!

Scandicat · 10/01/2017 19:44

Hello everyone. So I've just completed day 4 and as of this morning I've lost 4 pounds and an inch and a half off my waist. Ragz I'm pretty similar to you, intermittent fasting so not eating breakfast and sticking at 20-40 g of carbs. It seems to be working.

Food wise, I'm not finding it too tough although weirdly I always feel most hungry immediately after I've eaten. It really helps that DH is also on the diet.

Today I had a broth pot soup thing and a packet of sweet and smoky chicken for lunch. I've also just had the korma from the BSD book for dinner with a chickpea flatbread. I've got enough calories left for a coffee with milk.

I'm really encouraged so far, it's the first thing that's really motIvated me for ages.

Hope - maybe be careful with the fruit, perhaps that will help. It does all have sugar in it which adds up so that might explain why you are losing but a bit slower?

AccioNameChange · 10/01/2017 19:51

Thanks ragz.

yumyumpoppycat · 10/01/2017 20:17

Don't beat yourself up Accio - , I do that sometimes compulsively eating, it sucks, but a packet of breadsticks isnt a binge really you were probably just hungry. Nuts are quite good for when you get in and just cant wait for dinner or whatever, I also find sugar free chewing gum is good for when I am bored and just want something.

Welcome Scandicat that is how I felt when I started this its a brilliant feeling.

OP posts:
yumyumpoppycat · 10/01/2017 20:19

Accio had you just been for a run by any chance before munching breadsticks?

OP posts:
AccioNameChange · 10/01/2017 20:37

Sadly nothing so energetic! Had walked home from work but it's not far.

Think you are right about being hungry. Sometimes I just can't even wait for dinner to cook! Adding nuts to shopping list Smile

thenewaveragebear1983 · 10/01/2017 21:06

Anyone watching 'how to lose weight well' with the military diet? Sounds a bit like our maintenance programme- 3days on 1000 cals, 4 days high protein/low carb. Will post more when I've watched it!

yumyumpoppycat · 10/01/2017 21:16

Newaverage I am watching sugar free farm - lets compare notes Grin

OP posts:
thenewaveragebear1983 · 10/01/2017 21:21

Wait, strike that. It's nothing like our plan, except for the calories. High protein. Low fat. Woman eating dry tuna on white toast. Yuck!

In contrast. I've just had a medium rare rump steak, slice of Stilton melted on top and mushrooms cooked in the steak pan....600 calories and bloody yummy.

Sugar free farm taping for tomorrow night!

notsoold · 11/01/2017 00:13

4lbs on my first week back into bsd.
Not bad considering I have been low carbing for a while now. Still 2 pounds to go to my qeight before Xmas.
But.... I went to a party and one with lots of really lovely food (bring and share and all friends are great cooks). I had half a cup of coffee and chatted and did not succumb. I was really stressed about it so really please! Plus I went wearing jeans that only fit me in 2005! They were really tight but they fit!!!!
Going to watch Summer farm....
Bear tuna and toast versus your meal??? Give your meal any day of the weekSmile

APlaceOnTheCouch · 11/01/2017 07:28

notso that's a brilliant result - well done! And congrats on your willpower at the party. I'm not sure I would have been able to resist.

Lovetunnocks · 11/01/2017 08:20

Accio - that's exactly what I do. It drives me nuts.

Checking in at the end of week two. I'm 9lbs down from when I started officially two weeks ago, and 13lbs from mid-December when I started a more general lowish carb diet. I know it's not the super-massive losses some people have on the blood sugar diet but I am THRILLED. Previously I've tortured myself on 1200 cal diets and not lost more than a 1lb a week before giving up so to have shifted nearly a stone in under a month is Shock. I'm finding it pretty impossible to stick to 800 cals for the full week and sometimes go up to 1100/1200 - but never on consecutive days and I stick to 'on-plan' foods (with the exception of the odd mini chocolate pot...). Non-scale victories include two inches off my tummy in the two weeks, and my skin - if I say so myself - looks amazing (think it's all the water I'm glugging).

If anyone's interested here's the BSD korma recipe from the recipe book [://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3812769/Eat-beat-diabetes-enjoy-takeaway-treats-opt-super-salad-up.html BSD Korma recipe published in the newspaper of shame]

Lovetunnocks · 11/01/2017 08:21

link fail, trying again... BSD Korma recipe published in the newspaper of shame

Lovetunnocks · 11/01/2017 08:23

Bloody diet hasn't done ANYTHING for my IT skills - just paste it.... www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3812769/Eat-beat-diabetes-enjoy-takeaway-treats-opt-super-salad-up.html

diamantegal · 11/01/2017 09:57

Congrats to everyone on their weight loss - some great results! And another binge eater here - my danger time is the bit between getting in from work and having dinner - especially if I have to cook something for DS.

Anyway yesterday was slightly scuppered by needing to eat in the work canteen which had limited options so I ended up with a veggie wrap (attempt to counter the carbs in the wrap with a lower calorie filling!).

Have made a veggie frittata for lunch today though so will have that with a green salad - should hopefully keep me going. And tea is chicken with pesto creme fraiche, watercress and roasted cherry tomatoes. Should be about 850 calories and 20g carbs for the day so I'm pretty happy with that - I agree that it's really hard to stick to 800 every day.

notsoold · 11/01/2017 10:06

I am totally on shakes today..... both little ones are under the weather and the dog is vomiting so the thought of cooking is non existent.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/01/2017 10:59

Mmmm your pesto chicken sounds gorgeous, I love pesto! I've done a chicken wrapped in Parma ham and filled with pesto before, it was beautiful.

I have just bought some stuffed peppers from tesco for lunch to have with salad, and then tea tonight is a Mediterranean chicken casserole, plus cooking at chicken tikka casserole at the same time for tomorrow as I have 2 huge packs of chicken portions to use.

ragz134 · 11/01/2017 11:40

Well, according to myfitnesspal I just hit 1099 calories for breakfast! Took my sister out for all you can eat breakfast for her 21st birthday, I skipped the toast and hash browns and just had eggs, Bacon, sausages and small amount of tinned tomatoes. I hadn't realised the sausages were nearly 250cals each! Glad I only had two... The 6 bacons were totally worth it though, nice salty fatty hit! Stayed on plan, only 22g carbs. Not worried about the odd high cal day as long as I'm on plan. Especially as I had been feeling a bit fuzzy yesterday so probably needed it. No cake later, I will just take photos instead!

Okumara · 11/01/2017 12:53

Hi all, Back on the diet as of yesterday. I lost 3 stone last year but fell off the wagon while doing a two month long training course at work. I was just happy that I was maintaining. But then started to put weight back on over Christmas :( Need to lose another 3 stone but the carb withdrawal fuzzy head has hit hard today

thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/01/2017 13:11

My lunch! I've been building an IKEA chest of drawers while ds slept, didn't realise the time so now I'm starving! It's my first meal today- peppers are 128 cals per half and salad with tbsp Caesar dressing is 60 cals so not too bad!

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