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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 and Fast800 thread 14

999 replies

thenewaveragebear1983 · 13/03/2019 19:48

Here’s the new thread for the BSD followers, plus those following the Fast800 plan. Everyone is welcome to join us. Here’s a quick recap!

The BSD/fast 800 is a low carb, Mediterranean style way of eating, with the primary aim of stabilising your insulin response when you eat. You achieve this by: eating fewer carbs, cutting out sugar and sweet tasting foods including most fruit, and by following a low calorie plan that reduces your visceral fat meaning that everything functions more effectively. Less insulin means less fat storage (in a nutshell, although more info can be found on this online). The blood sugar diet was designed to reduce T2 diabetes symptoms (or even reverse it entirely) but can also be used for weightloss.

Eat:
Meats and fish
Oils
Eggs
Full fat dairy products
Nuts, seeds
Pulses/ beans
Veg that grows above ground
Limit fruit: apples, pears, berries- in moderation, with meals, with fats

Occasional alcoholic drinks allowed (spirits, red wine are preferable to beer, lager, etc) although alcohol is calorie heavy and can influence your appetite
Tea and coffee, herbal tea etc.
And water- drink lots of water!

Avoid
sugar, sweets, and ‘naturally occurring sugars’ such as fructose, maltose, honey, agave, puréed dates etc....

Potatoes of any variety
Pasta
Rice
Breakfast cereals (occasional steel cut oats are ok)
Breads/ flour based products

Exercise:
Michael Moseley recommends HIIT workouts to increase calorie burn and help to tone up, and recommends walking more (increasing your steps weekly until you hit around 10000 a day)

Mindfulness
MM also suggests a programme of mindfulness, meditation, practised for a few minutes each day.

How to follow the plan:
Fast800: follow the plan above, sticking to 800 calories every day for 2 weeks. Ideal to give your weightloss a real kick start, plus improve your insulin function and reduce your sugar cravings.
8 weeks BSD- 8 weeks, follow the guidelines above- 800 calories a day. You don’t need to count carbs grams because the diet is naturally self limiting.
BSD 5:2- for a more leisurely weightloss journey, or as maintenance, or once you’ve done an 8 week stint or 2 weeks of Fast800, you can play around with a combination of increased calorie count, ‘free eating’ and fasting days (800 cals) until you achieve your goals. Many of our long standing members now follow this approach.

You can stop 800 calorie days at any time once you achieve your goal. It’s advised to limit yourself to 12 weeks maximum of 800 calorie days, but you should get excellent results in 8 weeks. Depending on your weightloss goals, you can do further ‘rounds’ of either the 8 week BSD or the Fast800. We recommend you take your measurements before you begin, not just your weight. A target pair of jeans in a smaller size or even a photography or two can be very motivating!

Some useful links:

previous thread

meal planning thread

<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=healthyeater.com/important-tool-weight-loss" target="_blank">TDEE calculator to calculate your daily calorie requirement

information about the ‘whoosh’ phenomenon

OP posts:
Thread gallery
36
Maccalenny · 11/05/2019 07:22

My ten - week summary:
Start: 16st 8.4
Week 1: 9.2lb loss
Week 2: 4.0lb loss
Week 3: 0.6lb loss
Week 4: 5.0lb loss
Week 5: 1.2lb loss
Week 6: 2.2lb loss
Week 7: 1.6lb loss
Week 8: 1.4lb loss
Week 9: 2.8lb loss
Week 10: 2.2lb loss
Week 11: 3lb loss
Total loss in 11 weeks: 33.2lb
Current weight: 14st 3.2

Really interesting graph this week - up over the weekend and into the start of the week as expected, as I ate close to TDEE over the weekend. I was a bit concerned about how long it was taking to come down again....I’m searching for a way to move on from 800 but I do still have lots of weight to lose, so really want to keep at around 1lb loss a week. Then over the last three days, weight has dropped 3.8lbs, giving a higher weekly loss than I’ve had since the early days.

I think I can only conclude that changing things around a bit seems to work well for me. My losses were slowing down three weeks ago, and I was having several days steady before a drop. Following a high-carb meal causing a peak then better loss, and two higher calories days causing a peak and then again a better loss, I’m comforted that I can hopefully keep at higher calories over the weekends and still lose over the week. Probably not always as much as this week though!

Blood Sugar Diet and Fast800 thread 14
lasttimeround · 11/05/2019 07:55

Macca - that's really interesting. I wonder if that's a carb refeed. Plus love the graph. I ended up eating more yesterday evening to 1400 but low carb. I think if I want to lift weights twice a week I need to do 2:5 really. It really shreds me I can feel my body going "feed me now". I think if I tried to resist it I'd binge. Binges for me are very much the classic binge foods. All with that fat:sugar ratio from the book. I just stared at that with such recognition. Both the utter simplicity of the fact that I'm trying to comfort and sustain myself with food as much like breastmilk as possible. And the outrage that some company out there is exploiting this...or catering to it...but I just feel exploited. And making me fat to boot!

Maccalenny · 11/05/2019 08:16

last - I’m hoping/dreaming that one day I will be enough in tune with my body that I will be able to listen to what it wants and provide it - and that what it wants won’t be carbs all the time! I think if your body is driving your appetite to the extent that you know you will binge if you ignore it, your body is probably right and more calories are needed to fuel the weight lifting. You will still get good result on 2:5 I’m sure...mine have been fine over the last few weeks!

Ohyesiam · 11/05/2019 08:42

@Maccalenny that’s amazing!

It’s very inspiring for me to see this as I have more to loose than I would in the initial phase.
I’m getting married late July, so that has naturally become my focus point, but I am great at stopping diets in an unaware way, with no maintenance plan. This gives me hope!

Waterandlemonjuice · 11/05/2019 10:38

Woo hoo, I’ve lost 16lbs in 12/13 days, very happy 🙂

Maccalenny · 11/05/2019 12:59

Water well done, that’s brilliant! It’s a great feeling isn’t it....like you might have happened upon something that is actually going to work.

ohyes I’ve also only ever crashed out of diets, straight back into rapid weight gain. I’m putting a lot of thought into doing better this time.

Late July wedding is very exciting! How are you thinking of managing dress fittings, as your size will be changing?

teta · 11/05/2019 13:43

Wow water that’s fantastic..
You must be thrilled. I agree, it’s such a relief to find a diet that actually works. I’ve lost 6 pounds in the last two weeks. I was doing this diet for 4 weeks, but without weighing myself. I did eventually pluck the courage last week.
.

Lndnmummy · 11/05/2019 13:56

Hi everyone, I will be joining you all again on Monday. I have had a baby since the last time I was on here, and he is 10 mnths now. I had gestational diabetes with him and recent tests showed I was prediabetic and insulin resistant. I also have pcos. So, time to take action. I’m 73kg (11.4st) and need to get down to 58-59 which is about 9st).
Let’s go!

Maccalenny · 11/05/2019 16:44

Welcome lndn - congratulations on the baby.

Finished eating for the day...non-fast day, 1200 cals and about 65g carbs. A third of the carbs were from a small portion of potato salad - made with new potatoes for the fibre in the skin, and cold so I get plenty of resistant starch that seems to be very popular at the moment. Delicious with a lupin flour tortilla pizza, which I felt the need for as the kids had pizza last night and it really gave me a craving.

PhoenixMama · 11/05/2019 19:09

This diet has turned me into a weirdo!

My boyfriend of almost 2 years and I broke up this morning. I just went to Tesco because there's nothing in the house and, to be honest, I was feeling the need to emotionally eat. Ended up buying some pate and high fibre crackers! I did buy some wine gums too but after 3 or 4 decided they were too sickly sweet & threw them away! Will come in over 800 cals but definitely nowhere near I would have even only a few months ago.

Curling up with the tv now but already planning to go for a run tomorrow to keep myself busy!

JeanieJardine55 · 11/05/2019 19:55

I’m still hanging there. This is Day 20 and I’ve lost 9lbs which I’m very happy with. I had a couple of bad days on week 2 but pretty much on track this week. I’m amazed that I’m hardly ever hungry. Thursday and Friday I had a small bowl of soup for lunch and I was completely satisfied. I can’t believe it. Sounds like everyone else is doing pretty well. Some great losses!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/05/2019 20:42

Phoenix Thankshope you are ok?

OP posts:
Waterandlemonjuice · 11/05/2019 21:39

Sorry about your break up phoenix 💐

thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/05/2019 21:43

I agree with what you said about being a weirdo though- today I made 100 cupcakes and 2 chocolate cakes for the pta and I didn't even so much as lick the spoon. Not a morsel. And I bloody love cake mix, it's my nemesis.

OP posts:
Ohyesiam · 12/05/2019 00:14

*Maccalenny I’ve bought a dress I ( think) I like in 16 and 14. They are still on the packaging in my cupboard as I’ve not had the courage to try them on! I’m going to try them in time to return, but I’m leaving it as long as possible to give my middle max shrinking time. Feeling much better about it since starting this WOE.
It’s not a traditional wedding dress, it’s bright saffron yellow!

Phoenix hope you’re doing ok x

Ohyesiam · 12/05/2019 00:18

And thanks for the cottage cheese tip. I don’t get on great with cows dairy, but I actually quite like cottage cheese.

Maccalenny · 12/05/2019 05:11

Phoenix so sorry to hear that. Hope you are ok. Well done for avoiding a nose-dive into carbs - make sure you are nurturing yourself in other, more useful ways.

Jeanie well done - great losses!

Ohyes that sounds like a stunning colour for a wedding dress and you are going to look amazing!

PhoenixMama · 12/05/2019 07:47

Morning all! Thank you for your concern. I'm hanging in there, but obviously it's hard & I'm sad. And I've now discovered that I don't have eating my feelings to fall back on (good it used to be so easy!) I think I need to be more proactive about taking care of myself. Embarrassingly I'm not entirely sure I know how to do that without food, it was such a standby.

@anewadventure Thanks for getting this weirdo started! well on the cakes!

@ohyes That dress sounds amazing. It's so exciting when the sizing changes. Ive gone from an 18 to a 16 & tried a Next 16 on the other day and is going back because it's too big! I will be very happy at 14 but I'm beginning to think this diet means I could go further!

Ok, off to torture myself with the next stage on C25k and hopefully blow some cobwebs from my mind! X

thenewaveragebear1983 · 12/05/2019 08:18

Phoenix hope you feel better after your run. As you know, it's my drug of choice- cures all ills!

Finally, finally the sun has arrived. The sky is blue. Lots to do today in the garden! We're having salad for lunch and Dh is cooking roast gammon and cauliflower cheese for dinner.

I am now 14 days sugar free, and really pleased how my urges for sugar and carbs has just switched off now. I doubt I have lost any weight, maybe a pound or two, but I do want to lose a bit before Whitsun so it's calorie counting for me this week (I know I did say this last week but it didn't exactly happen!). Should be easier this week though as I am working 3 days and have a school function on Friday afternoon, so provided I pack my lunch and count it properly, I won't have the opportunity to have extras. I will sit in the sun and plan my menu later.

Ohyes love the sound of your yellow dress!

Well done to everyone Star

OP posts:
lasttimeround · 12/05/2019 08:30

Hello all and welcome to joiners and rejoined.
Phoenix sorry about the break up but really really well done on not turning to food. Self care ideas...running you've got. Walks esp in nature. Coffee in a cafe with a book. Window shopping. Seeing/calling friends. Gardening. Putting outfits together at home - going through clothes to check fit at same time. I find making lists of things to do for pleasure useful, when I'm upset I cant think beyond bingeing.
I was all weird today about weighing in. Partly cos I'm expecting a whoosh. To the point that I wondered about weighing so often. Then I weighed myself and my weight is inexplicably up. But instead of feeling crushes I feel interested. I've been weighing my food. Theres been no sugar or booze. So it's the water retention needed to fix muscles after training or something hormonal. And I'm ok with it. It's a shame to put a blip into my chart but otherwise no big deal. I know the laws of biology and physics apply to me and in time this next drop in weight will be there on the scale. So that's fine. I bought earrings yesterday to mark a 10 percent drop from my starting weight which is phenomenal. I'm in control of my eating, making progress, exercising as a habit. This feels like a huge step getting perspective rather than being so emotional about it. This diet is hard but I've never really learnt so much while losing weight. The sheer restrictiveness of 800 cals makes choices and consequences much clearer to me. Even when like today it's not clear I have confidence. The most I've eaten in a day over the last week is 1400 and that's just happened once do of course I'll lose weight. I dont need to worry. Amazing!

boldlygoingsomewhere · 12/05/2019 08:51

Sorry to hear about your breakup, Phoenix. Flowers A huge well done though on not using food as an emotional comforter. I’ve also been an emotional eater in the past - seeking out that comfort food to soothe myself when upset. I’m much better now and find that a walk, a bath, curling up with a favourite film all work to soothe too.

Well done, bear on making it 14 days sugar free!

You’ve developed great awareness of your own body, lasttimeround. That is so valuable!

At the end of week 3 for me and I think I’m going to continue with the 800 cal days for another week. I don’t have a huge amount to lose but I think another week will be a good boost if I can manage it. After that, I think I will move to a 4:3 model and have 4 days ‘normal’ eating (but still lower carb) and 3 days fasting.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 12/05/2019 09:17

Also, I did weigh myself and I'm 10.3.5 so that's about 3lb off this week, which considering I've not calorie counted at all is pretty good, and leaves me feeling optimistic that a good week of tracking could yield some good results!

OP posts:
Ohyesiam · 12/05/2019 09:35

Thanks phoenix and boldly for talking about emotional eating.

Ive always called my compulsive eating/ eating when not hungry. “ emotional” or “ comfort” eating. But then why don’t I feel more emotional when I’m restricting?

I there’s pleasure in

  1. Not feeling out of control
  2. Knowing that I’m changing my( poor, much maligned) body.
  3. No guilt at over eating

But if it’s comfort that I’m creating in eating, surely I’d feel a bit upset due to feelings arising and not being quelled by food.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

Maccalenny · 12/05/2019 09:55

last and ohyes - completely agree with what you said.
I think maybe the answer to the lure of emotional eating may be our bodies’ chemical responses to carbs, and the carb and fat combo.....the ultimate comfort as that is what breast milk is made of. All sorts of happy, contented hormones released - closely followed by self-loathing as I realise I’ve fallen into the trap yet again. So the longer I stay off the carbs, the more able I am to resist as I’m used to being without that source of happy hormones.
Of course, if you are a keen exerciser, you are getting your happy hormones from there! Having a hug works too.

Maccalenny · 12/05/2019 09:56

Bear well done - you will be where you want to be by your holiday!

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