Blood sugar diet and fast800 thread 16

[thenewaveragebear1983]

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

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

<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=caliberstrong.com/how-whooshes-impact-your-weight-loss/" target="_blank">information about the ‘whoosh’ phenomenon

@thenewaveragebear1983, would you mind posting the recipe for your lamb bone soup? It sounds lovely.

I'm hoping you don't mind me joining in. I've tried low carb WOE several times in the past (Atkins, Dukan,etc). I always feel so much better and have so much more energy, but struggle to stick to it long term.

My family area all trying to get healthier and lose weight, so I bought the Fast 800 book plus the BSD book and recipe books, including the 5:2 recipe book.

I was out of action after surgery over the summer and I'm struggling to get back on track now that I'm well enough to start cooking again, etc.

I think a big part of it is that I'm still not that mobile and I'm bored (always was a comfort eater!).

Any, and all, tips welcome!!!

Can't I use the bones (eg chicken carcass) or this time I have lamb chops with bones in, an onion, and simmer it for a fair amount of time to make the stock. Once you've got the stock you can freeze it if you get enough. For the lamb soup I'm going to add Ras-al-Hanout, chopped carrot and garlic and maybe a lamb stock cube if it needs more oomph, and maybe some peppers too. I like my soup really chunky so I leave all the pieces of chopped veg whole, not puréed, and strip any remaining meat from the bones. I then freeze portions in old jam jars and defrost one each evening for the next day.

Welcome grazing 👋. I'm loving the effect of more energy too! I'm also sleeping so, so deeply too which is another great bonus!

I've lost another 2lbs over the past week which is brilliant as also included my 'day off'. Good to see that getting back to plan on a Monday can counteract cake at the weekend!

I've maintained today, well I suppose a few grams off really! 10.7.0 - I think as a result of two quite high carb days with lots of veg carbs.

Off for my run this morning, potentially a long one if my creaky hamstring cooperates, and then brunch will be egg, black pudding and mushrooms. Soup during the afternoon and dinner will be a spicy lamb mince curry type affair with salad.

Closing up the kitchen today on 1300, 60g carbs, 15k steps (5km was a run). I won't lie- I've struggled today. I have battled over and over With cravings for the stodgiest, doughiest, most unhealthy sugary carbs. Even now in the space of an hour I've contemplated going to the shop for chocolate about 5 times! Don't know what's got into me as I've actually had a reasonably good day. I think it's a combination of tiredness and the dc being tired and a bit under the weather so hopefully it will improve tomorrow.

I feel the same 😩, I want ALL the chocolate 🍫, tonight is the first time this has happened in over 3 weeks. I really can't work it out. I think it's a combination of having an after work snack and later dinner rather than eating by 6pm, slightly elevated life stress (hopefully temporary) and W3 of cycle (pre-PMT) - goodness knows how il cope next week 😂

Madden it's bizarre. I get cravings sometimes but this is almost surreal like a little voice is planning all these huge binges, but it's happened over and over again today; maybe 20 times or more. I do feel really tired so perhaps it's just that, plus I have a bad leg/thigh muscle which I really should be resting but I haven't so that's made me a bit miserable as well. Hopefully we both feel better tomorrow!

Hello all you wonderful lot who I've been spying on for months. Sorry! I love this thread, it's so brilliant. You are all incredible - Phoenix with so much life stuff happening, Macca and your charts of success and many others whose names escape me right now, well done! And big well done to Bear, you've kept on it for so long and are a complete and utter wonder. Inspirational to so many of us and in such a huge way you'll probably never properly acknowledge yourself. So clever and read up on all the science as well, amazing. Thank you.
I did the BSD a few years ago and got to the lovely 9s and held it for a long while but the past year has seen it creep up to 10.12, 11 sometimes. I thought that just by watching the posts again I'd absorb your brilliant results. But it's time to join in again as just watching the thread isn't enough clearly. I need to mark my place.
I've dropped a few lbs here and there over the past couple of months but they spring back up again after every weekend. Familiar?!
I'm vegetarian, desperate to ditch dairy too so edging on vegan. I run, slowly and not often, do a bit of Pilates but drink wine most days. My carbs are at about 60-90g, calories rarely below 1000. So I have some refining to do. From my 'on the thread' start of 10.12, I'd like to be 9.7 by Christmas. Hope I make it.....

Also - please veggies and vegans - any tips? I don't want to just eat veggie sausages every day. Well I do because I love them, but I mustn't. I want to eat proper real food not processed gunk. Any advice please? I want to cut dairy and don't eat eggs so I'm hoping to avoid veggie junk food and stick to getting everything I need from veggies, if possible. Thank you

Bear I always like your description of being wanty - that’s what it feels like to me too some days....randomly wandering into the kitchen, looking in fridge and cupboards, not really hungry but not satisfied. At work things are too busy to think about food other than at lunchtime which helps!

North thank you for your kind words. Do you eat beans and lentils? They do push the carbs up but bulk out a meal well and are filling. I know you are trying to avoid the processed stuff, but something like quorn mince will give you a bit of variety in meals.
I find the lower I keep my carbs, the less I crave or experience hunger, so I would try to keep fats up - I eat lots of olives and avocado at the moment. Also, try a few potato-substitutes, like celeriac or mashed cauliflower...I’ve learned to love both with plenty of seasoning.
I also had a glass of wine most nights when I started back in Feb. I’ve only bought one bottle since then, and ended up freezing half of it to use in cooking as I just didn’t fancy it.
Anyway I’ve waffled on lots and you’ve done this before so probably know all of this anyway....the key for me was measuring and recording every mouthful of everything for the first few weeks. Then I was so pleased with weight loss that the urge to self-sabotage eased off a bit!

To clarify....prior to starting in Feb I had a glass of wine most nights. I stopped when I started on fast800 and now really never miss it.

Hello north 👋 - I had the Jack Munro bean burgers last night (really easy to batch cook and freeze) which were a nice option. She has lots of veggie recipes.

Well, I've woken up this morning feeling like crap. Really sore throat and heavy chest. My kids have all just had the lurgy and it's expected at this time of year as a teacher. No wonder I was craving sugar last night. I have to make a 6hr round trip tonight after work to go to a friend's wedding. I might have to resort to some kind of treat to keep me going in the wee hours of the journey back. Will see how I get on x

Ah north that's very kind, welcome to the group. I have pretty much removed dairy now, I don't actually miss it which is weird because I ate a lot of if. The substitute products, particularly soy ones are quite good, but be warned because often they are sweetened and the unsweetened ones are not great. The one thing I miss is yogurt, it was always my nice pudding food and the subs are vile so now I just don't have it at all.

Dunno what got into me yesterday, I was like a woman possessed. Daren't weigh myself to assess the damage, although actually I didn't go carb crazy. I slept well though, and my leg is not as aching today. Someone please hide my trainers for a few days because what I need is to rest it properly.

Lots of domestic jobs to do today, clearing up and tidying, plus as it's so glorious I'm going to strip all the beds and do loads of washing and get it out. Life goals, yeah! Food wise, it's slim pickings at the Bear household by this late in the week, so lunch will probably be eggs, dinner is steak and salad.

Hi all - I've had a good week personally but a bad food week and my period has been awful. I swear they're getting worse as I get older.
I need to get myself together. Will menu plan for next week but mostly I need to stop making so many bloody excuses and just be hungry for a week til I'm over it and back on track.

Thinking I'm going to drop my cals back to 800 but 1000 on run days and really up my protein, I'm just not getting enough. Not sure how the weekend will go, but will try not to go too mental. Maybe I need to go sugar free for a couple of weeks too... I know dd needs this but it just feels like too big of a struggle. Arrgggg, it was so much easier when I first started than it is to go back to it now!

Thank you all for the welcome.
Yes Macc I probably could add a few beans in but I'm so terrified of the carbs. A couple of tablespoons of chickpeas and that's it - 30g carb right there. I know the fibre content means it's not the same as eating 30g of processed white carb but still... that's over half a days worth. Maybe I need to just eat the quorn/soya gunk for a few weeks to get the first bit of weight off then worry about whole foods later?
And I hear you on fake dairy Bear, it's pretty grim and best avoided. But Nush do an almond based creme fraiche which is quite nice if you do fancy something creamy with some berries. It doesn't clag your mouth up like some of the others.
I will try and cut back on the wine. But after a brutal day of work it feels like the only thing that draws a line and tells me the day is over and I can relax. But then I worry I'm reliant which is a slippery old slope. I need to break the habit and reach for something else automatically. I'll have a ponder.
And finally, just by engaging with the thread last night I lost 1lb in my sleep. So 10.11 today. It works!
Have a good day everyone. Rest up Phoenix, hope it all eases off soon.

And also did a very slow 2.5k plod jog. I think it was slower than walking pace (took nearly half an hour!) but at least it was sort of bouncing up and down a bit. Running makes me hungry though.

North in my experience as a runner nothing, repeat nothing makes me hungrier then running. It seems to make me far hungrier than the calories it burns. I do it because I'm addicted now, but sometimes I do wonder why! Thanks for the tip about Nush, I'd been having oatly fraiche but it's quite Carby and not particularly nice. Or I buy the alpro completely plain and add fruit to it, but it's not exactly pleasurable!

You don't need to be terrified of the carbs. It's the type of carbs that make the difference so provided you're having lentils/beans within your 800 cals then you should be ok. Especially if you're veggie and on your way to vegan, your protein intake should be up there in importance so I'd prioritise that or ultimately you'll end up hungrier. Vege protein, unlike meat, tends to be very low fat so you do need to be mindful to get enough of both in from your different sources

I hit a wall yesterday, (metaphorically obvs) but I really felt something of a crash out and ended up having quite a harsh word with myself. I've gained 4-5lbs over the last 6 months, which I know is nothing really, but like was said upthread, I am just losing the same 4-5lbs over and over again. I think I can only claim It as maintenance if two factors are achieved: 1) I'm happy and finished losing weight, and 2) if I'm staying there intentionally - so it's not maintaining, it's stalling/plateaus/ yo-yo-Ing...whatever. I'm self sabotaging to some degree, and I really don't like it, aside from the fact that it's very demoralising, i know that I'm happier and healthier when I eat right.

I don't have a stressful life by any means, but there's some things going on right now which are testing my confidence and that's manifesting into me returning to my old crutch, food. I recognise I'm doing it, but have just ignored it, but no. I'm not going to do it any more. It's stupid really because most of my 'out of control' eating occurs in a very small window of madness, I'm talking 10 minutes max but boy, I can eat a lot of crap in 10 minutes!

Ok so enough pondering. No negativity! Food is planned for today and weathers going to be lovely. I'm not running today because of my hamstring (which is probably contributing to my low mood) but will attempt to drag the dc away from the computer for a walk at some point!

Have a great weekend everyone

I try and do my running in the evening then I'm not ravenous all day. It is weird though, it's not like I'm going for a long time or moving fast but an hour later and for the rest of the day I'm starving! Although thinking about, nothing on the totally mad ravenousness I feel after swimming. I'm avoiding the pool for a few months, I can't afford a post swim donut session.

And I hear you on the good carbs, I'll chill out and eat a bean here and there and just observe whether it stimulates hunger. It is so fascinating that after a couple of days of reducing carbs right down, the hunger really does mellow. I guess that means my insulin response is a bit messed up?

North I think the reality is that nothing uses stored muscle glycogen like running does, which is why you get this urgent hunger afterwards, a bit like a vacuum. You've burned it off, so your body has this huge chemical response to replenish it. I suppose it's similar with swimming, being a whole body exercise. I never get it with circuits or hiit classes though, even though I work harder there. My PT recommends drinking milk after running, (not ideal if you're off the dairy though!) because it has a good balance of electrolytes, protein, and sugars.

Yesterday was a complete write off. Closed the kitchen (at 1am) on around 2700 cals. My 6hr round trip turned into 8hrs of driving due to Friday traffic. The most calorific culprits were a Starbucks Frappuccino and shortbread (800cals!) and the half bar of dairy milk I ate when I finally got home.

But....

1. I didn't drink any alcohol. That's 4 weeks now and I've been to three parties in that time and enjoyed myself just the same (in fact maybe even more knowing I'm going to sleep well and feel well the next day)
2. I wore a button down dress which 4 weeks ago was gaping and straining at the bust. Last night the buttons stayed together all night and I felt slim in the dress.
3. I didn't drink nearly enough water so hopefully, a few days of being sensible and flushing out the crap should at least see me keep the same weight as last week.

Bear I hope your hamstring improves - and your stern self-talk helps you. You are amazing and inspirational to everyone who reads this thread.

Madden it sounds like you’ve coped well with a difficult day. Congratulations on the dress non-scales victory.

I was very over-excited this morning to stand on the scales and see that I have officially lost four stone (four stone and 0.2lb if we are being strictly accurate!) in 210 days.
My waist is now a healthy 31inches, and my bmi is mid-overweight range....not ideal but so much better than well into the obese which it was when I started. I’m very hourglass so even though I still have weight to lose, I’m happy that very little of it is around my middle. I feel fabulous!

I’ve had a full English for breakfast today, and a bowl of chicken and chickpea curry for tea. I picked some blackberries earlier today and cooked them with some apples. I’ve frozen them in very small portions to have with yoghurt when I fancy a treat. I know the apples are carby but there is a lot of goodness there too! I love that I now consider apples a treat.
Hope everyone has had the same gorgeous weather that I’ve had today....a real last taste of summer!

Ok I need some support this week

I'm going back to 800 and doing a full 2 weeks

However I have no kitchen and no means to prepare food for at least another week

Are there any healthy low carb ready meals out there?
I have some frozen stuff that I've made previously so can use some of that for work lunches

Mozzchops you could look at tins of soup, or the fresh containers...some are quite nicely low calorie but tend to be quite high in carbs....but something like oxtail or cream of chicken should be ok. For ready meals, I’m not sure as I’ve not really looked at them for fast800, but the ones that are just the meat, eg lamb shanks, might help you - then a bit of veg to go with it. Or a curry without rice - I like curry with iceberg lettuce and natural yoghurt these days!
There is always tinned fish - I do a tuna melt which is just a bit of onion, some chickpeas or 5-bean salad, tuna, bit of cream cheese or cheddar, popped in the microwave. Then imagine I’m having a panini! You can even buy ready-cooked boiled eggs these days!

All that said, sticking to 800 is tough enough with a kitchen, let alone without. It you are feeling really motivated to be strict, might you be better to ‘save’ that motivation for a couple of weeks and relaunch when you have a better chance of being able to succeed? You could set other rules for the next two weeks....eg no sugar, no wheat, or 1000 cals...so you shouldn’t gain, you wont feel out of control and will be ready to do 800 stunningly well when you have a kitchen again!