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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 · 29/05/2019 15:55

bear and last - I love everything you both said! I’m going to have to reread it several times and possibly even make notes because it makes so much sense to me. I love this forum - it helps me so much. And reminds me that there is life after carbs!

Whoopstheregomyinsides · 29/05/2019 20:58

I really wobbled at the supermarket today and I’m only on day 2. I hovered by the bakery, ravenous and so nearly thought “sod it” and got a roll. Then by the sweets I was nearly drooling. But I didn’t. Made fish, green veg and I’m under 800. Got maybe 50 left so might have some blueberries and cup of tea. I like the idea of wanting the clothes to fit more than cake

Laniakea · 29/05/2019 21:32

One week done :)

Days 1 & 2 were fine - I have happily done B2B fasts on 5:2 - 3 & 4 were tougher but managed it & feel like I should be okay now.

Seasidedreamer · 29/05/2019 22:55

Hello all and new starters. Just checking in after a disastrous weekend. Days fine evenings went to pot. Pure emotional eating for a whole host of reasons. Anyway the happy scale is not at all happy but I’ve just done two days back at c. 800 so hopefully on track but it is taking resolve! DH is off working for a few days so that does at least make it somewhat easier.

LNDN our posts crossed a couple of days ago when you mentioned your cousin. I am so sorry. I am pleased to read though that your lovely DH has booked you some PT sessions. He sounds a sweetheart and your GP friend has offered sensible and calm advice and GP supportive.

Last - fab graph! I didn’t do measurements but clothes are feeling looser which is a good yardstick for me.

Phoenix - my scale is all over the place and also up 5lbs. I have never been a daily weigher before – would rather avoid the scales which is silly really. I think because I’ve seen a different reading every day so far its not really bothering me. My periods are so erratic now I am hoping is pm bloat not just wine and biscuits at the weekend. I hope the evening went well and you felt fabulous in your LKB dress.

Bear well done for sticking with it on holiday.

Soy - great to hear a treat day can work. I have a couple of nights out coming up so just stalling is good. I automatically think I’ve blown in – like this weekend!

Macca - keep the faith, half way to a healthy weight is still a great achievement and your approach moving forward seems sensible. For me the obvious health benefits of this WOE really helps focus the mind. This has helped after my mini binge this weekend. I’m still mentally chasing a smaller dress size and a more ordered / less chaotic approach to food.

PhoenixMama · 29/05/2019 22:55

Oh you lovely lot! Thanks for the well wishes. @Bear is right (as always!) The feeling of sashaying into the room knowing I weigh 30lbs less was worth everything. Even if at a size 16 to some people I'm still plus size I know what I've achieved and tonight I kept my head & my heels high! To be able to wear something figure hugging and not have that figure just be a big round circle was massive.

I've had plenty of wobbles over the last few weeks (to which you've all been awesome!) but we're retraining ourselves. I'm starting to think about this woe like learning a new language - I'm not always going to be able to find the right word, sometimes it will be almost right and other times it will be a disaster and then there will be times where I nail it. Why is it when it's something food related & we mess up so we beat ourselves up so much? Can you imagine, if when our kids started to walk we just admonished them every time they fell over? No one would walk anywhere! We'd be a nation of bum scoochers! We need to encourage ourselves to get back to & try again - and the great thing about this forum is that when you can't do it for yourself, one of us can do it for you!

Tonight went well for me but most of all it felt amazing to catch my reflection in a window and think I looked good - and I felt good, I haven't felt that way about my body for quite sometime!

Totally over cals today (although very low carb except for booze) but am really looking forward to being back on top of it next week. Will do my best over the next few days while we're away but not going to freak out about it either (she says now! We'll see!)

One other thought on exercise - I hate exercising, I hate sweating and physical effort & pain! But, the mental rewards of doing couch to 5k have been huge - definitely helps me stay on track, make better choices & mostly have a positive attitude towards my body. I think the fact that I know what the goal is really helps. 2 years ago I started doing Yoga with Adriene on YouTube - she's got some fab 30 day yoga challenges and it was nice doing something every day but it also being different each day iyswim? I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to ease into regular exercise without taking on something massive! I use her vids at least once a week - for my head as well as my body!

StarJasmine · 30/05/2019 07:03

Morning everyone. Last weigh-in before going away this morning and 1.5lbs off, so thats something.

I did some emotional eating yesterday - I’d had a shit day at work, didn’t get home till nearly 10pm, and my cat was missing (hadn’t been home for 24hrs). I had a definite ‘sod this, I’m going to eat even though I’m not actually hungry’ moment. BUT I grabbed 3/4 a packet of quorn ham and a sugar-free jelly, so that was only about 80 carb-free cals in total anyway Grin. Thankfully cat is back now, so very relieved. Naughty sausage.

Great discussion about motivation, especially the point about visualising yourself in the future - prioritising health, strength and mental wellbeing - rather than aspiring to rewind unrealistically to adolescence, essentially. I can see myself getting very stuck half way through this weight loss journey, 4 stone (well 3.5 now) seems impossibly massive to me, like I said I’ve never been a healthy weight as an adult. I’m a very short person, I should probably easily be a size 8-10 but I just can’t imagine it. I’m usually a 14, for the last year a 16, and I’ve never been below a 12, apart from very briefly after the break up with my ex - heartbreak diet will do it every time!

Phoenix I understand the thought of taking scale away with you! One of my main thoughts about this weekend is I’m going to mess my graph up missing 3 days weigh-insBlush but also, without it to keep me focused each morning, might I be more likely to overindulge? I guess we’ll see.

I’ve planned my hotel room picnic supplies:
4 x individual Greek yoghurts
Blueberries
Almonds
4 x hardboiled eggs
Cherry tomatoes
Snack cheeses
Quorn deli sliced fillets (like chicken)

Also taking some herbal teas. But I will happily enjoy at least one meal out each day, and have a glass or two of red in the evenings. Try and keep water intake up, and then assess the ‘damage’ Monday! Might sound silly but I’m really looking forward to a proper posh burger tonight, without the bun ofc. Just me and DP tonight before our friends join tomorrow.

Whoops well done on surviving the supermarket! When I’m on top of things, I feel a certain empowerment(smugness?) being able to walk past entire aisles of the supermarket that I now see as offering nothing but blood sugar spikes and misery. Other times...... yeah, the supermarket can be very difficult! I even feel a little embarrassed doing this super healthy shop with nothing but fish and vegetables and a family pack of eggs...like the checkout staff might think I believe myself to be all superior because there’s no Jaffa cakes or pot noodles in my trolley. Does anyone else get that?

Laniakea · 30/05/2019 07:53

I braved the scales this morning 12 st 6.8 ... so I’m calling that 12st 7 and have a stone & a half to lose to get to my first goal.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 30/05/2019 08:29

I had a rather carbier day yesterday- eg. Had made a curry and had some bulgar grains and quinoa with it, plus half a nan bread. I did also have a piece of cake, which was horrifically sweet but I still ate it. So not entirely sticking to plan, plus drinking wine every day. However, I haven't jumped headfirst into it which is a positive change for me. My appetite is still fairly controlled. I am actually due on in 2 days which would normally prompt a full on carb fest, but last month and now this month I've not really experienced that pmt feeling. In fact, I only know because my Fitbit told me!

I'm going to try and have a relatively good day- off out for a quick run now, then I'm taking a packed lunch for our day out today so it can be 100% on plan, and then dinner is a steak and salad and halloumi fries. Despite this I am still dreading the scales on Sunday.

I have skimmed the thread but I'm looking forward to sitting with a coffee later and reading all your recent posts. Phoenix I hope your evening went well. Good work everyone else Smile--

OP posts:
lasttimeround · 30/05/2019 09:15

Phoenix your night out sounds amazing. Brilliant. Hold on to the feeling.
Star - I like your picnic prep.
Bear - the reduced pmt sounds like your sugar free period is paying off.

I had a good clothes moment yesterday. Tried on something in Zara and it looked great. I'm so pleased with that. I used to have a nice positive self image. I'm no great beauty - probably would be described as looking interesting. But I wasnt one to nitpick at flaws. The last 5 years or so I've lost that to being overweight. Much of how I look disappoints me. I buy things to cover up and conceal problem areas. All that crap. I miss that feeling of seeing myself and thinking 'I like that'. Yesterday I had a taste of it again. It's very motivating!!
Scale is down slightly but trying to keep focused on my slowly emerging positive self image.

Maccalenny · 30/05/2019 18:11

Last - nice non-scales victory - bet you looked great.
Star - like you, I’m not aiming for the lower end of my weight range as I’ve never been there. Even if my finishing weight is still a little overweight according to bmi, it will be a whole lot better than very obese.

I’ve discovered the joys of 5 min workouts on YouTube! I know they are not doing much for my cardiovascular system, but even I cannot get bored during them and they do make my muscles ache, so are toning me a bit.

I’ve decided to set myself some weekly targets, for things that I want to do more of. Exercise is one thing, but also gardening, sorting out cupboards etc, craft or creative activities, reading, experimental cooking. I’m aiming to do less mindless tv watching and internet browsing! By setting the targets as weekly, I can catch up at the weekend if I have an unproductive week. I’m feeling quite inspired by these new aims.

Lndnmummy · 30/05/2019 20:08

Playing catch up!! Bear as always so thoughtful and informative. Love that post. Phoenix so glad your night was a success!! Will catch up and respond properly later. Closing kitchen today at 1030 calories. 47g carbs. Not a great day I guess. But still a 1000 calories of healthy food is still so fa riff where I was this time last year. So it’s ok. Closing kitchen now. And tmrw I’m determined to keep at 800. I’m finding it very challenging during half term.

MorrisZapp · 30/05/2019 20:16

Bear, I'm not on 800 cals or low carb but your post really hit home with me. It absolutely the non cake eaters who win.

Particularly in my case because I don't massively like cake anyway, and I still don't know why people bother eating whipped cream, which is full of fat and tastes of nowt!

Ordinary life means I can't stick to my diet 100%, but if I gave in to every single 'go on, go on' moment I'd make no progress at all.

I've learned that nobody really cares what others eat. As long as you keep smiling and don't make others feel awkward, it's absolutely fine to say no thanks to calorific treats.

Save the treats to enjoy on your own terms!

MelanieCheeks · 31/05/2019 06:38

First weigh in since starting on Monday, and I'm down 3 pounds already!

Mon-Tues were good, and I can see myself using that as a maintainance plan.
Wed Thurs not just as on point, but still reasonable.

I'll do a full week'ws menu, plus my review of the recipes I tried from the BSD recipe book, on the meals thread when I've completed a full week.

DH and I have very few meals we both like, but even he is trying to find some from what I'm planning to eat that he can join in with. Jamie's 5 ingredient pancetta wrapped cod is a favourite, at 350 cals.

QRCode · 31/05/2019 07:47

Great start melanie

Some very inspiring posts here, thank you for sharing.

My loss for May is 10lbs and I'm thrilled with that. Only 7lbs left to target now, would like to do that by 4 July but I'm ok if it takes longer.

Lndnmummy · 31/05/2019 07:48

I have had a woosh!! Well a smallish one but it’s 2lbs off!! I’m now 70.5kg so nearly nearly 6 something rather than 70something. I’m hoping to be there in the next few days then I’ll maintain when I go for the funeral. Then back at it.
I was nervous about scales this morning as had a bigger day yesterday. Think it’s fluid retention that’s left as well as I’m nearing the end of my period! I’m so happy

Lndnmummy · 31/05/2019 07:50

QR what an amazing result!! That’s so inspiring! You are nearly there!

StarJasmine · 31/05/2019 09:16

Macca I like your weekly targets idea - taking care of mind/spirit as well as body. What 5 min YouTube workouts have you found? Exercise is my nemesis. I love yoga, and will restart that soon I think, my belly is a little less ‘in the way’ already. I love swimming as well but hate the whole palaver of getting to the pool/leisure centre changing rooms/pool being busy and noisy, so pretty much only swim in nice calm hotel pools (or the sea!) when we’re away. I’ve been pondering getting a bike - with a little carry basket for the chihuahua Grin.

Melanie fab start well done!

QR 10lbs in May is amazing, you must be chuffed Smile

I’ve just had the most fantastic hotel breakfast, which was really easy to make BSD-friendly - smoked salmon, charcuterie, Swiss cheese, poached egg and lamb sausages, with Greek yoghurt, berries and pistachios for ‘afters’. Could maybe do with some veg Grin but with this and my picnic food I might not even be hungry enough to eat out later, I’m stuffed right now!

Happy Friday everyone Grin

lasttimeround · 31/05/2019 11:59

QR - 10 lbs in May!!!! EnvyEnvy Wow!
As well as envious I'm really impressed - well done.
Macca - I'm joining you with the targets idea. Although more pinning up a list of what I could do instead of eating. Short jobs round house. Exercise etc. Making my life nicer. When I'm thinking of overeating I forget all that.
Melanie- great start.
Happy weekend all

Maccalenny · 31/05/2019 18:03

Star - the 5 min workouts...just go on YouTube and type what you want eg 5 min arms workout. Quite a few will pop up! I love yoga too but am really struggle mentally with exercising at the moment...i am not managing to exercise mindfully at all, I get bored, distracted and give up. Hopefully at some point I will regain my focus and enjoy longer workouts, but for now, a couple of 5 min workouts are fine for me!

My targets are going really well and are distracting me from a really poor week weight loss-wise - I’ve cleared out the understairs cupboard and my wardrobes (lots of stuff for charity shops) and have planned a way to make more of a feature of my unused open fireplace. I’ve done an hour in the garden and lots of reading - I feel like I’m using my time better and I’m much more chilled out.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 31/05/2019 19:18

Planned complete cheat day for me as it's the last day of our holiday! God knows how many calories! I actually think I've not done too badly as a whole over the week: a nice balance of keeping on track but still enjoying my food and feeling in control while having more food. Occasional treats. I would expect to see a 2-3lb gain when I get home tomorrow, but I imagine it would be mostly water/bloat weight and a couple of good low carb days will put it right.

It's my ds's birthday on Monday, but Dh and I are embarking on a 6 week alcohol free mission and I will be returning to my sugar free state from tomorrow!

OP posts:
Maccalenny · 31/05/2019 20:05

Well done bear - hope the holiday has been good and that you saw the sun occasionally!

PhoenixMama · 31/05/2019 21:56

Well done @bear!

I'm stuffed after a crazy non-tracking day but feel like I can get back on track Sunday. Also, even though we're away I dragged DD out on a run this morning. I was dehydrated & slow but I still managed it - sometimes I can't quite believe this is me!

MelanieCheeks · 01/06/2019 07:04

Oops, fell into a vat of wine and peanuts last night, and am suffering this morning! Lesson learned.

Maccalenny · 01/06/2019 07:23

It’s been an odd week this week for me - the first weight increase I’ve had without obvious cause on Thursday of 1.5lb, then setting out today at a tiny loss of 0.4lb over the week. It has been half-term so a little out of routine, but nothing off-plan and every day has ended around 900-1000 calories.
I like doing the summary of my losses each week on here, to help keep me on track, but it is getting to be a long post! So I will summarise monthly instead from now on.
Starting weight: 16st8.4
Week 1-4: 13.8lb
Week 5-8: 10.0lb
Week 9-12: 9.4lb
Week 13-15: 4.8lb so far.
Current weight 13st12.4
This weeks tiny loss has slowed the monthly loss a lot....hopefully next week will be better!

Blood sugar diet and Fast800 thread 15
Lndnmummy · 01/06/2019 09:20

Macca, bloody hell!! Look at those numbers. I’m so impressed and motivated by that!! Phoenix huge well done on the run! I’m dragging myself out for parkrun with da tmrw. Breaking out in hives just thinking about it but it will feel good afterwards. By this time next week I want the scales to say 69 something or 10st something so this is it. I will stay very strict until I fly to the funeral then I will have to relax somewhat thurs-sat when I’m there then straight back on it Sunday. Then the next big target is chasing down towards my next goal which is 65kg. I want that achieved by the end of June. Then I will have 7 weeks to do my damn hardest to get under 60kg for my holiday on 15th august. Realistically that might not work but that’s the goal. I will then do 5/2 and 16/8 over holiday but not worry to much about calories. I will maintain for the rest of August then if I need to do a final 800 push during the course of September then I will. Then spend the rest of the year learning to maintain.
Nearing the end of my matleave. It’s gone so fast. An end of an era. My baby still feels so so young. This time last year he wasn’t even here!

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