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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 15

999 replies

thenewaveragebear1983 · 23/05/2019 07:34

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 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)
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 at 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.

Some useful links:

Previous thread

Blood Sugar Diet and Fast800 thread 14 http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/3532374-blood-sugar-diet-and-fast800-thread-14

Meal planning ideas thread
Blood sugar diet recipe thread and menu planner 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
57
Maccalenny · 08/06/2019 06:39

I realised I had my weeks wrong on my summary last week....I had added a week on at the start I think, so my monthly losses were all out by a week. The reviewed version, at 15 weeks in:
Start: 16st8.4
Month 1: 15st3.6 - 18.8lb lost
Month 2: 14st11.2 - 6.4lb lost
Month 3: - 14st0.4 - 10.8lb lost
Month 4 so far (3weeks in) - 13st9.8 - 4.6lb lost

I have had quite a relaxed week, approaching 1000 cals on several days mid-week. I’m still aiming at 800 through the week with TDEE at weekends, but the cook at work made an amazing cottage pie and saved me several portions - she knows it is my ultimate comfort food! - so I had that for breakfast for three days. Including the very gorgeous cheesy mashed potato on top.
The last three weeks have been odd - one week of barely budging, then one of a random gain, then this week, despite potato-related indulgences, I’ve lost 2.6lb. Which brings my graph almost back to my previous trajectory, which is good to see as I still have a long way to go.
Have a lovely Saturday everyone!

Blood sugar diet and Fast800 thread 15
Maccalenny · 08/06/2019 07:12

Boldly - the happy scale app has kept me on track through the ups and downs....it’s fabulous! I don’t think I would have found this process so straightforward without it.

MelanieCheeks · 08/06/2019 07:32

Bleurgh, not a brilliant week. Will try to get some motivation to do better next week.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 08/06/2019 07:46

So despite my indulgences I have lost 4lb this week in total, which I'm pleased with. I'm still still chasing that half stone though, I hope that a really good few weeks alcohol and sugar free will get me there. I have decided that if it doesn't, I'm drawing the line and officially calling target on my birthday (mid July) because that will make a full year of maintaining this weight almost exactly to the pound. I think it might be time to listen to my body!

It's a grim rainy day here so I've dodged outdoor bootcamp due to my sore throat, and currently enjoying a coffee in bed- what a rare treat! Food today will be a salad lunch (I have a hankering for some egg mayo) and dinner will be chilli or bolognese.

Well done everyone! I'm going to read the thread properly today and catch up with you all and your journeys. Have a great weekend

OP posts:
StarJasmine · 08/06/2019 08:05

I’ve had another stupid busy week and lost track of the thread, but stayed on plan diet wise which I’m very proud of.

Around the end of week 3 for me today. I gained around 3lb over my weekend away, but today am 4lb lighter than the start of the week, so back on track. The happy scale app smooths it out and makes it look much better than it sounds as well Grin

Hope everyone is doing ok.

Blood sugar diet and Fast800 thread 15
Maccalenny · 08/06/2019 09:14

Star that’s a great-looking chart - well done!
Bear well done on your week. A year maintaining is amazing.

teta · 08/06/2019 11:38

I love looking at those charts. They're so encouraging.
@Bear the hardest thing is keeping the weight off long term and you've obviously cracked it . As well as being a brilliant motivator for everyone on this thread.
I've been pretty good this week. I had a headache last night that even a long dog walk didn't clear, so skipped wine and had Ibuprofen instead. Of course I was expecting to be down at least a pound - but no. The water retention caused by Ibuprofen put paid to that and I stayed the same.

MelanieCheeks · 08/06/2019 13:51

Subway vegan salad 204 calories (I'm guessing before extra toppings and dressing) Very tasty!

Maccalenny · 08/06/2019 16:07

Thanks Melanie my daughter loves subway but I try to avoid it so I’m not tempted. It’s good to know there are good choices there!

Ohyesiam · 08/06/2019 21:51

MelanieCheeks I saw the poster for that and added it to my list of veggie on the go possibilities.
My other discovery this week was the Pret Asian style veggie box at 230 cals. It has a little wild rice in it, but not much. I had it with their protein pot, 2 small boiled egg and some spinach. it Mae’s a b nice lunch.
My birthday lunch today was even nicer though, complete with sweet potato fries, several glasses of Prosecco and some gorgeous cake. It felt very relaxed and celebratory. Thanks everyone for your support with coming off plan .
maccalenny your happy scale chart was one of the reasons I started this plan. It’s really inspiring seeing yours and statjasmines charts. It makes me realise that I’m too filled with fear to record gains. I just try and block it out, don’t weigh for a while and feel anxious. I’m going to work on this. I think next week I might weigh daily and record it, as you say Star the happy scale makes it all look ok. I think if I engage with my fear around my body not being good enough it’ll be quite empowering.

bear, a year of maintenance is a massive achievement.

Maccalenny · 09/06/2019 05:57

Ohyes happy birthday for yesterday, sounds like a lovely celebration.
You said about not wanting to record gains...I’ve been exactly the same on every other diet. And as soon as I’d eaten something off-plan I would avoid the scales for a few days, then one of those times I would just keep avoiding the scales and eating off-plan....we all know where that ends up. This time, I can look back on my graph and see a spike where I had fish and chips, a spike for the first weekend I ate TDEE, and a random spike this week....but it all sorts itself out! Daily weighing and recording keeps me accountable and it really works for me.

lasttimeround · 09/06/2019 09:36

Nice graph star. I'm focusing on maintaining, cos I'm not that motivated to lose. So I'm focusing on starting up my exercise again. I was doing so well on that score recently. But I think the trick is to get back to it. Stupid rainy weather isn't helping tho.

lasttimeround · 09/06/2019 09:38

My chart 2 months weightloss just over a month maintaining. I've lost 10% of starting weight.

Blood sugar diet and Fast800 thread 15
FurForksSake · 09/06/2019 10:49

Happy birthday for yesterday!

Sounds like you should listen to your body if you've maintained for that long, sounds like you've got it!

Great graphs :)

Apologies I am crap with going up and down and remembering names!

So, I have a wedding to go to in 7 weeks. DH is best man. I would like to lose at least a stone by then, so 2-3lbs a week every week. I'm doing two spin classes, a combat class and a dance class a week. I am really hoping I can get under 10st.

Weird thing I've noticed, my ankles are looking far better the less carbs I eat. How can I have not noticed this before?!

PhoenixMama · 09/06/2019 10:54

Loving the Sunday graphs ladies! Yesterday was a write off as predicted and I'm out for at least 1 meal today so we'll see how things go. Desperate to get back on track to be honest, feel so sluggish and mentally foggy again with all the carbs. It's weird to think I felt like this all the time and thought it was normal!

StarJasmine · 09/06/2019 14:57

Thanks for the graph compliments! It is motivating. I weigh every morning first thing after going to the loo, and am lucky I have the Aria 2 Fitbit scales so they sync automatically with my apps so I don’t have to do anything, don’t even have to look at the scales if I don’t feel up to it, can check later!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 09/06/2019 15:00

I feel like I should jump on the graph bandwagon but I only ever recorded losses and stopped about 6 months ago once my losses slowed down to virtually nothing! I do love the data though!

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Justalittlebitfurther · 09/06/2019 19:34

Those graphs are so encouraging! Well done everyone. I have completed week 1 and lost 9lbs in total. I’m really pleased. Planned next week too, it would be great if I could get a stone off but I know my second week may not be as good as the first.

purplespring · 09/06/2019 21:10

Happy Birthday ohyesiam Glad to hear you enjoyed your birthday food!

The graphs are interesting, I do weigh most days but have only recorded my weight once a week (ish!). Everyone seems to be doing really well.

newaveragebear maintaining for a year is amazing!

The weight I gained on holiday has gone, 5 days after I got home, I’m truly amazed. I haven’t even been particularly strict, other than 2 new potatoes and a small piece of cheesecake I’ve stuck to the principles of the woe but haven’t counted calories and have definitely have been over 800.

I’m working nights the next few days and then a quick turn around back to days so I need to make sure I’ve planned and have stocked up on what I can, because I need it to be easy for when I’m tired.

Maccalenny · 10/06/2019 05:32

Morning! Guess what?

I AM NOT OBESE ANY MORE!!!!

(And also quietly pleased with myself)

MelanieCheeks · 10/06/2019 06:27

Well done Macca! Right, lets grab this week and make it happen.

lasttimeround · 10/06/2019 07:28

Macca - that is brilliant!!! Well done.
Just a little- 9 lbs in a week is a great start.
Maintaining and planning is such a challenge. I noticed this week how quickly I slide into bad habits when tired and what a drama queen I am. I don't know what to call it but without the excitement of losing weight, the challenge it's easy to lose interest and put weight back on. It's the unexciting mundane day to day if staying the same I find really hard to keep going with.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 10/06/2019 08:21

Macca that's amazing well done! Star

I'm starting the week at the same Weight i started the weekend, which is actually something of an achievement for me as I normally have a pound or two of bloat to deal with. I reckon it's the absence of wine, and sugar. I'm really going for it this week with my mission to be sugar free, my heart wasn't really in in last week.

I have a really busy week on, my dd is having multiple orthodontist apps to have her braces fitted, plus has exams, and I'm here there and everywhere doing invigilating and other things. I've done my menu and shopping list, factoring in the need for some simple meals and a few ready prepared things for convenience. I'm hoping being busy will help me hit 800 a few times this week, the first one being today!

No run today but I am going to do a hiit workout and a yoga workout on YouTube later.

Have a great week!

OP posts:
PhoenixMama · 10/06/2019 10:22

Well done @macca That is brilliant news & you've worked so hard for it. Really inspiring!

Amazingly I've woken up down half a pound, taking me (finally!) Below 185. In May I lost 4lbs but overall the scale only showed 1lb loss because I was so busy losing the same 4lbs over and over again.

Mostly planned for the week, still need to shop & top up but I'm going to be pretty strict this week. I want to hit (or get just under) 180 by the end of the month!

Tonkerbea · 10/06/2019 11:04

I've been lurking on this thread, it's so supportive! Some inspiring victories which are really motivating.

I started with four fast days last week, and already feel better for it. I'm going to up it to six days this week, as I was inspired by all the graphs to buy some scales. I've got more to lose than I'd hoped, but I'm feeling spurred on.

The first few fast days have already made me realise I used to be scared (!) of feeling hunger. Walking round a supermarket, for the first time in a long time, I've managed to avoid all the sugary processed rubbish.

I think I've also started to eat more intuitively on my nonfast days- I really ask myself if I want to eat, or if it's thirst/boredom/comfort.

I really think the process can help me reevaluate my relationship with food- it's something to nourish you.
Not reward a bad day, a habit, something to keep you company...

That was a bit deeper than I intended for a Monday morningConfused

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