Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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
Riddleofthesands · 14/08/2019 18:05

Amazing Bear, have seen before but always inspiring. You waist looks tiny, would it be weird to ask? I am trying for 30 inches, I think I am 32 right now, I was 37.

Having a glass of wine tonight and will be over on calories, DH has sprained ankle which has aggravated his recent knee surgery. Just needs rest and physio probably but I am done in.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 14/08/2019 18:12

Riddle I'm 30 inches round my belly button/waist.

OP posts:
FastAway · 14/08/2019 18:19

Is it normal to get a bit of a slump a couple of days in? I feel weak and a bit dizzy and have a terrible headache. Also a bit brain foggy. Felt fine the last two days?

MozzchopsThirty · 14/08/2019 18:33

Oh yes that third day is hideous

I am always a crazy bitch on that day and can range from tearful to psychotic
Also headaches for first day or so

However at 2.5 weeks in I haven't had a headache since the first week and used to suffer 3-4 a week

thenewaveragebear1983 · 14/08/2019 18:41

Yeah the headaches are normal. It's the carb flu. I've had a dull one today too. Some salt can help ease it.

OP posts:
PhoenixMama · 14/08/2019 18:50

I've realised today how much carbs have snuck back into my life. I'm going to be super low carb next week. I need to shock myself back into 800. I'm also going to take measurements as well because I think the bloat has made me go up quite a bit.

In some ways this has been good because it's reminded me how I used to feel all the time but also? I want my life back!

Riddleofthesands · 14/08/2019 19:10

I definitely need to address exercise and weights at some point, thanks Bear.

PhoenixMama I feel for you. I am having a large glass of wine without crisps and nibbles thanks to this WOE, feel better without all the junk.

FastAway · 14/08/2019 21:21

Essentially threw the kids into bed and then laid on my bed with a hot water bottle on my head until DH came home and cooked dinner. Had a really small piece of cheese when I got in. Ended up having pork and apple for tea with broccoli. Now having my mug of Bovril (thanks bear for that suggestion further up the thread!) and feeling a lot better. Hopefully today will be a bit better, really struggled today.

Ididit2019 · 14/08/2019 21:24

Those pictures are amazing newaverage, it's the first time I've seen them. It's actually spurred me on to lose a little more now.
Do you make the sauerkraut or can you buy ready made?

Ididit2019 · 14/08/2019 21:26

Phoenix Mama I could have written your post word for word. Feel like I need to go heavy on it but then feel like I'm going from one extreme to the other when I just need to find the balance!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 14/08/2019 21:39

Ididit I bought it from the polish food section in Asda. I actually bought it for a recipe I did earlier in the week, which was grated celeriac, sausages and sauerkraut- which was considerably nicer than it sounds!

Today I made a vege side dish with runner beans (from my garden!) which I sliced up and boiled, then in a pan I sautéd onion, chilli and chopped up tomatoes in oil, loads of salt and pepper, then added red wine vinegar and a small amount of sweetener (should have been sugar really) - mix the sauce with the cooked runner beans. That was delicious too.

OP posts:
ISmellBabies · 14/08/2019 21:47

Wow great before and afters newaveragebear, you look fab!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 14/08/2019 21:49

Closing up the kitchen today on 1503 cals, 36g carbs, I did 16k steps (ran 5.5k). My food was good actually, no snacks or grazing. I am feeling the carb detox now though, this the end of day 3, and I'm going to have to go to bed because otherwise I'm going to crack.

My dc come home tomorrow, so things will go back to normal! I'm going to get out early for a run, and then continue my garden project as it rained all day today. I have 1600 litres of soil being delivered tomorrow so lots of lugging and shovelling. I'll be having a salad lunch with tuna mayo, and then dinner will be homemade burgers.

OP posts:
ilovewelshrarebit123 · 14/08/2019 22:59

I'm still plodding on with Fast 800, canes and had a melted milk biscuit yesterday Blush tasted amazing but the guilt afterwards.

I've been 100% today, can I ask about macros please. Do you have to eat up to them everyday? Mine were bang on today with only 1g of fat left!

I've got two and a bit weeks left until I'm back in work (term time only work) and I told everyone they'd be seeing less of me!

I've lost 8lb but would love to get a stone off by then 🤔

Ididit2019 · 14/08/2019 23:31

Thank you, I had seen a recipe for it in one of the Ella cookery books which needed to rest for several days which put me off and couldn't see it in the supermarket so will be heading to asda tomorrow!

Newtons3Laws · 15/08/2019 07:13

First time I've seen those pictures bear and they're motivating me to continue with this. Amazing transformation!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 15/08/2019 07:35

Ididit it's this one, from the World Food section

Rarebit I find macros very confusing. I don't follow them exactly. For example, yesterday according to my tracker I potentially had 300 calories left to eat, but had exceeded my protein by 20%, but still had 60g fat left. So what could I eat? Oil?? I really struggle to eat enough fat, and I eat loads of it anyway (eg oily fish, fattier meat, avocado, oil, mayo, eggs). I suppose since I've been focussed on the numbers a bit more it's made me add fats in earlier in the day. I'm struggling with the keto app I downloaded for exactly this reason, I'm struggling to get the protein low enough and the fat high enough.

The key is to get the carbs low. If you're going for 800 calories the diet will naturally self-limit on the other bits but you do need both protein and fat in reasonable amounts for the diet to work. Not enough fat, you'll be starving. Not enough protein, and you'll lose lean muscle weight not fat.

Blood sugar diet and Fast800 thread 15
OP posts:
FastAway · 15/08/2019 11:13

Had a much better start today, just feel really good and content. The self loathing has gone which is nice. I’m the same size and shape but I don’t hate myself for doing this to my body (at the moment).

Had my oats at 1030..... falafel salad again for lunch then mixed bean chilli tonight.

lasttimeround · 15/08/2019 17:50

Ugh day 3. Huge energy dip each afternoon today and yesterday. Wolfed down chorizo and dark chocolate yesterday in response and ruined my appetite for dinner out yesterday. Today I've had an extra portion of chicken. Just over 1000 cals. Thinkni need to reduce my carbs to feel better. Ugh ugh ugh I feel dreadful.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 15/08/2019 18:00

Last it's just the grips of the dreaded carb flu, you could try some salt, a warm drink- or even, dare I say, some carbs- eg. Dairy, veg, cucumber and hummus, cheese- something to take the edge off. If you feel even remotely like this isn't going to end well (toast, crisps, biscuits....) then I'd take pre-emptive action and have some 'allowed' carbs, just a bit, with some fat/protein. Especially if you feel dreadful; it's not supposed to be a horrible torturous punishment Grin

OP posts:
lasttimeround · 15/08/2019 19:34

Thanks bear. I've had some marmite and yet more water. Feel better in terms of achiness, tho still tired. The energy dips tend to get better once I adjust to the lower cal intake. Bloody sugar I'm so damn addicted to it. I slide very quickly into basically propping myself up on caffeine and sugar. One of the reasons I really want to lose weight and get healthier. Once I'm adjusted its usually plain sailing for me but it takes a few days. Roll on tomorrow.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 15/08/2019 20:33

It can be a sharp shock to the system. I find sometimes I drink too much water and it gives me a really weak, washed out feeling.

I'm closing up the kitchen today on 1300 cals, 54g carbs (which I'm surprised at actually as I thought I was very low carb, but then ate a pink lady apple which has bumped them right up!). I did 22k steps (6k was a run) then was gardening all day. I'm exhausted, but I've finally finished, it's taken me all week!

Tomorrow: nice chilled day at home. No run but probably lots of domestic stuff. Food will be a salad (as always!) and dinner will be the burgers I forgot to defrost for today!!

OP posts:
Isadora2007 · 15/08/2019 22:36

Hey guys I’ve just found you here following a link from an active thread today 🙋🏻‍♀️

I am on day two of my second week on the BSD although I’m trying to make it pretty much fast800 as I find missing breakfast works anyway allowing two larger meals. Im pretty much having a nice salad with meat
And olives at lunchtime and meat with veg at teatime and lots of water.
Ive a wedding in 5 weeks and am bridesmaid. I started this diet at 14stone 3 and weighed in at 13stone 9 yesterday. I was delighted to have such a good start- insomnia on most days of the first week (now taking magnesium) and Keto diarrhoea on day 3 I believe... but it’s worth it for that number on the scale. And to top it off my period arrived today so a massive loss right before my period is fab.
I feel free as I don’t have the daily cycle of eat-guilt-eat again going on and I am finding it easier than I thought I would. I think my head is in a good place for it right now. It’s not just the wedding- it’s life. I’m over 40 now and my dad is diabetic and sister heading that way too and I don’t want that. I’m fed up feeling ashamed of my figure and I want to feel happier and healthier. 💕

thenewaveragebear1983 · 16/08/2019 07:34

Welcome isadora. That sounds like a good start.

OP posts:
PhoenixMama · 16/08/2019 09:01

Well yesterday it was DD's birthday and such a huge carb fest, pastries for breakfast, then it was supposed to be a light lunch but she wanted pasta so we went Italian (I had a chicken Milanese & broccoli but did have a bit of her pasta) then we were supposed to have pizza for dinner before the theatre but we were so full from lunch we ended up just having a side of chips & cake (and I had prosecco) - this morning I weighed in and I'm back down to just 1lb off my lowest weight!!! Sometimes I really don't get my body!

This does however make me hopeful that I'll start seeing some movement when I go back on the plan on Sunday. In some ways maybe a couple weeks totally off plan will allow me to go back on plan and lose more, rather than stay plateaued.

Welcome to the newbies! Welcome back Last!

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.