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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

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Thread gallery
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BloomedAgain · 25/06/2019 18:36

I have inflammatory problems and am also looking at the fast mimicking diet which seems to have proper research behind it for reducing inflammatory markers.

teta · 25/06/2019 19:05

Any fasting diet reduces inflammation . I'm not sure the fast mimicking diet is any better than any others and it's very expensive . You would be far better following the main principals of Michael Moseley's Mediterranean diet rather than buy prepackaged meals in a diet plan.
Says me and I have gone totally off piste this evening . Dd1 is celebrating passing her first year vet exams so I've made a massive pot of fried rice and pudding was a crunchie . I've stayed the same for over the last week and it's so frustrating. Even though my kids said I looked slimmer ( before the fried rice !).

teta · 25/06/2019 19:13

For those suffering from IBS issues the things I've found that really help are:
The fodmap diet to work out food intolerances.
Eating more fermented foods and brewing kefir every day .
Yoga , Pilates and long walks rather than frenetic exercise.
Fasting
Avoiding stress which is easier said than done I know.

Acrasia · 25/06/2019 19:28

Thanks Nelly. I actually just asked DP about his poops, as he is also doing Fast800, and he just said they have been good since starting, so that’s excellent news.

I decided to give it a go because DPs Mum was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis three year’s ago but didn’t actually tell anyone, and carried on drinking a bottle of wine a day. She is currently in hospital with a decompensated liver and hepatic encephalopathy, which is awful. It reminded me that the doctor told me that I had a slightly fatty liver when they were doing an ultrasound when diagnosing my hiatus hernia, and I haven’t really done anything about it. Luckily, I hardly ever drink, but being overweight certainly won’t help it.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 25/06/2019 21:01

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the fastest growing health concerns acracia so you are definitely doing the right thing by tackling it head on with this diet!

I'm confessing now- I'm really struggling this week. I'm hormonal as hell, plus today I had a 90 minute dental op, which required loads of anaesthetic and meant that all day I've been numb, dribbling, and feeling very sorry for myself. I did do a quick run on my treadmill this morning, and went to circuits this evening , but in addition to my lovely healthy BSD meal I've just had a hot cross bun and a chocolate biscuit which probably has undone any calories I burned. My period is due in 2 days and I am blaming my hormones, plus the effect of having sugar at this weekend means it's very hard to get back on track

Tomorrow I am looking forward to a run with my friend in the morning and then some gardening/housework in the afternoon, lots of opportunity to burn some calories. I'm planning a long fast til lunchtime (I had to eat breakfast today due to dental work, and it never ends well for me) or maybe even later if I can manage it, then dinner will be a Thai style curry with marinated chicken and veg and zero noodles, so all being well I will manage a fast800 day! Watch this space!

Welcome new starters! Good to see so many new faces. I promise normally I'm better behaved than I have been this week....!

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Gillster · 26/06/2019 06:45

So yesterday’s food was:
Frittata and salad for lunch, berries and Greek yogurt for a mid-afternoon snack then an Asian inspired beef strip salad for dinner. There was a little black rice in the salad so not perfect but overall pretty good for the day. Was sooo tempted to have a bar of chocolate after though but managed to resist.

Even made it to the gym last night despite a woman reversing into me in M&S beforehand. So bloody annoying. She was apologetic and I’ve got all her details but now have the hassle of trying to sort it out. Grrr.

Weighed myself this morning and over 3lbs down which I appreciate is mostly water but is what I need to see to keep motivated in these early weeks. Just got to get through the next 6 hours until lunch!

PhoenixMama · 26/06/2019 09:51

Hi all - sorry wasn't getting updates about the thread and I'm having a weird week so not been checking in as much.

I'm apparently up 2lbs as of today which is so annoying when I hit my 2nd goal last week! But like @thenewaveragebear1983 my hormones are all over the place. I feel like I'm getting my period (have felt like this for over a week) but apparently I'm not due on for a week. My boobs hurt, I'm teary, massively hungry all the time, craving carbs. So frustrating.

I'm drinking loads of water though so hopefully a whoosh will come next week. I hate days when I'm just constantly fighting the urge to eat!

Welcome newbies! Look forward to losing with you!

BloomedAgain · 26/06/2019 10:25

I'm not looking forward to pms on this diet as I get so hungry. You have my sympathy. Yesterday I had a brunch of eggs and some high fibre toast, followed by a large amount of stewy vegetable soup and later some grilled chicken and olives. I've rekindled my love of fresh herbs which is helping. I'll weigh myself next week though the scales are winking at me whenever I walk past the bathroom.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 26/06/2019 16:44

Bloomed it's weird when pms strikes on this plan because I find I feel very aware of it, more than usual. It's not even that I get hungry Per se, it's more this horrible empty restless feeling that Leaves me craving carbs for emotional release rather than hunger. It's made me very in tune to it, which is good, but I have to really battle to overcome it (which is not so good). I think that restless, wanty feeling is insulin resistance, or linked to insulin in some way. I always get it worse and for longer if I've been eating more carbs during the preceding few weeks, so it's a double edged sword.

I've had a better day so far today, went for a good long run and then had salad lunch, then did some gardening and haven't been snacking or grazing this afternoon. I'm hungry now though and it's still slightly early to cook so I'm slicing veggies and prepping.

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BloomedAgain · 26/06/2019 18:51

I'm hoping I'll reduce carbs enough that it won't be too bad once mps happens. I have to get over my fear of being hungry too.

purplespring · 26/06/2019 19:46

I haven’t posted for a while but still following the diet - ish!

I’ve been home from my hols for 3 weeks and have lost 13lb. Just 3.5lb more to go before I see a 14 on the scales which was my goal for my next holiday. My next holiday is 3 weeks away so it should be achievable.

I haven’t been anywhere near as strict since getting home, I haven’t counted calories and have had 3 days where I’ve eaten carbs (bread/sugar in the form of cake and ice-cream/potato). But I’m still losing consistently, I suppose because I have a lot to lose I will still have been in a calorific deficit even on those days.

My total lost is now 2 stone 11.25lb since the beginning of April. So 12 weeks, with 2 weeks off (and a gain of 4/5lb for my holiday). I’m very pleased with that, I’m at a much more comfortable weight, although still very overweight and definitely want to keep going. I’m on track for 4 stone by Christmas which will be amazing. I’m so happy I started this diet.

I still haven’t started any exercise, not sure what is holding me back really. And have failed epically at 10000 steps a day since returning from my holidays, I just don’t enjoy walking around where I live, it’s boring. Maybe I need to download some audio books and use that to keep it interesting.

Well done to everyone else who is still going, and welcome to the new starters - I hope you find this diet as life-changing as I have!

PhoenixMama · 26/06/2019 21:27

Well today has been a write-off. So hungry. For the first time in three months, I felt lightheaded and low blood-sugar-y tonight. Not sure what's up with my body but definitely something. I also ran this morning and wondering if a combination of running, hormones and a bit of a mental health blip have something to do with it. Any which way I am DREADING the scales tomorrow!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 26/06/2019 22:01

Phoenix me too. Must be something in the water this week. I was so good all day, had a brilliant dinner, loads of veg....then ate 2 kitkats. I'm my own worst enemy aren't I??

I've planned out my food for tomorrow though- I am really focussing on getting some protein and fat in, more than I did today, because I have been feeling very hungry (I think partly due to cutting off my cheese supply) so I need to get the fat in somewhere else. I also wonder if the dairy substitute milk and yogurt has a lot of sugar in, and whether it's the 'wrong' sugar for me as I seem to be uncontrollable this week! Or maybe I just need to not eat the crap!! Probably more likely!

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PhoenixMama · 27/06/2019 08:58

@thenewaveragebear1983 It's weird isn't it? I used to have an osteo that swore that barometric pressure affected the body & hormones in loads of ways so that's my back up reason lol.

Luckily I haven't gained more (yet) but am out all day and won't eat till after 7 so don't have huge hopes for today but will try not to go off the rails! (She says wistfully!)

lasttimeround · 27/06/2019 09:13

I'm just checking back in. Hi to everyone. Nice to see many familiar 'faces'. Smile I was around on here in March + April. Lost 8 kilos in about 8 weeks. May was spent a struggling to lose more. June I've focused on consolidating what I lost which was 10% of starting bodyweight.
Although I'm a bit grumpy I haven't managed to push my weight down a teeny bit more as I'm not far off a healthy weight which is a big goal. Stopping the trying but failing thing has been really good this month. I'm focusing on habits. I often delay first meal til lunch - I find that easy. I'm exercising- not quite daily but almost. I'm also more committed to exercise. Taken running things on work trips. I walk to the train station for work trips as well. I'm walking more generally. I'm focused on more healthy food -esp veg. And I eat meals and try not to snack. I'm up slightly on what I lost - 1 kilo. But holding steady for a few weeks now. And I weighed having had both wine and bread the day before!
I'm not as ruled by hunger, and fear of hunger, as I was and so much more aware of the nutritional content and just making good choices.
This is definite progress. I'm hoping to do another round this year. Ideally another 2 rounds. The number on the scale still isnt one that makes me happy. But I dont feel out of control. Its good to feel I'm not in danger of immediately piling it all back on which i did worry about. Although vigilance will be needed! So so easy to just sink into sugar. The bloody stuff is everywhere and so normalised.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 27/06/2019 10:11

Phoenix i also haven't gained anything, in fact I'm down a fraction this morning (steppes on the scales fully prepared to face the music and get a shock) so I wonder if it's just my body overruling me and basically saying 'look, if you want to run miles and miles you gotta feed me!' - which is true, obviously. I got like this a bit before and I think it was that I was not eating enough protein.
Your day sounds hard with a fast til 7. Make sure you drink plenty especially in the sun.

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thenewaveragebear1983 · 27/06/2019 18:17

Today's been a day of two halves

Have exceeded calories by quite a lot, although 29% carbs/44% fat/27% protein

Have had 1600 cals, although I did run 9km and am about to go to circuits, so have probably burned 800+ in exercise

Meals have been very good, but I have Also had a few of the wrong things (bread roll?) but no dairy or sugar or alcohol.

And despite still hovering around that weight and not gaining despite my terrible week, someone today asked if I was pregnant. I mean, actually expressed concern that I was running too much 'in my condition' - I have to admit I did a startled blink and said 'in what condition?!' I was so surprised!!

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FurForksSake · 27/06/2019 18:51

www.gressinghamduck.co.uk/recipes/paleo-duck-and-berry-sauce I made this for dinner, it was delicious!

Justalittlebitfurther · 27/06/2019 19:27

Just checking in again, it’s really interesting to hear about people say they are struggling because I have been too. That said, I have now lost another pound and am at my lowest for 5 years which feels great 😊 Now I need to build in some exercise to get to my next goal which is 6lbs away.

Maccalenny · 27/06/2019 19:50

purple and last - good to hear from you, and that you are on track still!

Phoenix I’ve had the occasional day when my blood sugar has felt very low, for no apparent reason. Hope tomorrow is better for you.

Bear how on earth did someone think you were pregnant? From the photo you shared a while back, there is nothing of you at all!

Maccalenny · 27/06/2019 19:52

furforks that looks really nice. I’ve never cooked duck.

BloomedAgain · 27/06/2019 21:25

I now want duck pancakes Grin
I'm at 900 now so not ideal but I'll cut myself some slack today as it's been a day of delays and unintended meals out.

purplespring · 27/06/2019 22:44

Has anyone tried edamame spaghetti? Its not bad actually, has a mild taste but not unpleasant and seemed very filling. I would say you probably need more sauce than normal, it seemed to absorb it a bit.

I now own only 3 items of clothing that don't 'fit'. A skirt which I like but I've never worn, it does now zip us but looks way too tight; a Christmas jumper which fits but is on the short side so I'd like my tummy to be a bit flatter before I wear it (also if my boobs get smaller it will look a bit longer); and a skirt which I last wore in around 2005, I have no desire to wear it again but I do want to be able to fit into it again - still a way to go on that one.

Everything else I own fits, some stuff that hasn't for a while. I've also got rid of some stuff that is too big and some stuff that now fits but I've decided I don't want to wear.

I don't have jeans that fit but I'm putting off buying a pair for another couple of weeks.

Maccalenny · 28/06/2019 04:56

Purple that’s great...such a good feeling isn’t it! Enjoy the jeans shopping.

FurForksSake · 28/06/2019 09:31

Purple well done!

I am down to 10st12 so into the next stone bracket!! Still got around 35lbs to lose

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