The 8 weeks of BSD

[bridgetreilly]

I know there's the ongoing excellent threads for people doing BSD/Fast800 etc, but I wondered if we could also have a thread for those who are on the actual 8 weeks of BSD, rather than maintaining or doing other versions.

I did it a couple of years ago, lost a couple of stone, felt great, but then lots of life happened and I put it all back on and more. Recently I have had a huge wake-up call with some serious health issues, including a type-2 diabetes diagnosis. So I am very grateful that I already read the book and know what to do. But I need to be serious and strict about it.

I am monitoring my blood pressure at home and I am monitoring my blood sugars via the GP. My goal is to reverse the diabetes, and to come off all my medication. My GP and nurse practitioner are absolutely on board with this goal, though I think they are more cautious about how long it might take than I am.

My current eating pattern is:
Breakfast: full fat natural yoghurt, half a dozen blueberries, pinch of toasted flaked almonds, cup of tea with milk.

Lunch: lettuce cup with tuna mayo, 5 cherry tomatoes, 2 walnuts.

Dinner: something from the BSD book or recipe book.

I can't and won't measure everything and calorie count. That's why I like to use the recipe books so I can follow their portion sizes and know that I'll be in the right ball park.

My starting weight was 18'2, I'm currently on Day 5 of week 1 and I have lost 7 pounds. I've been to the gym once and plan to go again today. This is the beginning of the rest of my life.

Day 2

B. Cup of tea/cup of coffee with soya milk
L. Chicken breast, spinach and cauliflower fried in butter and a cup of tea.
D. Chicken breast with salad, avocado and mayo.

811 cals 39 carbs (too much cauliflower!)

I’m not at all hungry and hoping I won’t hit carb flu tomorrow.

Day 3:
Missed breakfast so I had a teaspoonful of peanut butter midmorning.
Lunch: tuna and cheese mayo in lettuce wraps.
Dinner: rest of the meatballs and veg from yesterday.
A little snack of a small bit of cheese and a few walnuts at about 4pm.

That's me done for the day. How's everyone else doing?

Day 3

B. Cup of tea/cup of coffee with soya milk
L. Sliced chicken, salad, avocado and a cup of tea
D. Heck sausages, cabbage with butter and black pepper.

805 cals. 25g carbs

I could easily have eaten another sausage! It even got as far as my plate before I put it back. I was down 5lb this morning and feeling fine so all good.

5lb is brilliant, well done! And for putting the sausage back. That is very disciplined. I'm not at all good at portion control, though I try to make sure that if I have extras, they are pretty much zero carb.

Just popping in to ask if any of you have come across Tom Watson's book Downsizing, published last week. He doesn't give food plans or nutritional advice, but he does give an honest account of how he got his type 2 diabetes into remission. I devoured it over the weekend instead of devouring left over Christmas goodies.

No, but I've been really impressed with things I've heard him say about it.

Definitely worth a read, especially if you need some inspiration. I'm not sure I fancy the bullet proof coffee he swears by though.

😂😂 Supposed to be Manchego Salad!

Still feeling super grumpy but know it will pass. Am really tired which doesn't help! Have lost three pounds in two days.

That book looks interesting..

Well, I don't drink coffee, so I definitely won't be drinking the bulletproof kind!

Ah, Manchego! That makes a lot more sense - and sounds very yummy. Well done for keeping going despite grumpiness and tiredness. It will pass. I find that after a week or two of low carb I start sleeping SO much better and waking up not tired and actually needing much less sleeping. Sadly, I have not yet got to that point and today I am tired, grumpy and a bit headachy. Ugh.

We can look forward to next week then when we are feeling wonderful and full of energy!!!

I remember feeling pretty good last time. Onwards!

Hope so!

Today's food:
B: yogurt, blueberries, hazelnuts
L: tuna and cheese mayo, lettuce wraps
D: chilli con carne with lots of veg in, creme fraiche.

Day 4

B. Cup of tea/cup of coffee with soya milk
L. Greek yogurt, strawberries, cup of tea
D. Chicken, mushrooms and cabbage fried in butter with chilli, garlic and ginger.
Snack, cucumber, celery, soft cheese.

Cals 832 carbs 47g

I haven’t had enough water today but my stomach’s a bit dodgy. Carb flu or something I ate?

Sounds like everyone is doing well.

Dunno, I've never really had carb flu.

I do find that occasionally if I'm feeling under the weather my body just tells me it needs a piece of bread or something. Generally if it's a craving, it'll be all about chocolate or doughnuts, and I ignore those. But if it thinks it needs a piece of dry toast, I usually listen to that and find it helps.

I’m feeling fine today so probably the chicken dated the 6th that I ate yesterday!

I’m actually feeling fairly energetic today. I have fibromyalgia and some arthritis so don’t do much walking and usually only take one dog at a time but I took them both together to a park we haven’t been to for years. We didn’t stay too long (my old dog is more arthritic than me) but it made a nice change and meant I didn’t eat anything until 1:30pm. I certainly don’t feel hungry.

Day 5

B. Cup of tea/cup of coffee with soya milk
L. Poached eggs (2), mushrooms, tomato
D. Chicken salad, olive oil and lemon juice dressing

Cals 766 carbs 37g

How’s everyone doing? I am so looking forward to a long lie in the morning.

B: about half the normal amount of yoghurt because I ran out, some blueberries and hazelnuts
L: cheese, carrot, almonds
D: cod with bacon bits, roast veg.

Nearly a week in and last night I slept really well and woke up not feeling tired about 5.45am, which for me is a real sign of this working.

Glad to hear you're feeling better @VividImagination. Enjoy your lie in!

A good nights sleep makes everything so much easier @bridgetreilly. I take a long time to fall asleep and then feel so tired in the morning. Strangely, years ago I used to be the other way about. I’d be falling asleep by the time we were ready to go out, then up with the lark in the morning. I think my ten years of night shift have ruined my sleep for ever!

On a cheery note I’m 8lbs down since Monday, haven’t eaten yet today, and am not the least bit hungry.

Hopefully the BSD will help your sleep too, @VividImagination. For me it was one of the best unexpected side-effects the first time I did this. I have always hated getting up and I have always felt tired in the morning. I had no idea other people didn't necessarily feel the same!

8lbs is brilliant! I was staying with friends last night so I didn't weigh myself this morning. I'm hoping to be at 6 or 7lbs lost tomorrow.

Day 6

B. Cup of tea/cup of coffee with soya milk
L. Greek yogurt and berries
D. Pulled pork, salad, low carb pitta bread (muscle food)
S. Greek yogurt.

Cals 775 carbs 41

I was so hungry tonight that I had a couple of tbsp of Greek yogurt. It will spoil my fast but needs must. My sister never takes more than 10 minutes to fall asleep and usually much quicker than that.thats her for the whole night. I’m so envious! However she did find the baby years very hard with the night wakings where as it didn’t bother me at all. Hopefully BSD will help my sleep. I definitely think I am less stiff and sore.

Well, yesterday was a bit of a write off (yum, creme caramel and biscuits) but back on track today with:
B: yoghurt, blueberries, hazelnuts
L: broccoli and stilton soup
D: chicken and chorizo traybake with cannellini beans and lots of veg.

I would LOVE to have lost half a stone at the week 1 weigh in tomorrow, but suspect 6lbs is more likely. Still, that's all the Christmas weight and then some, so that's pretty good.

Day 7

B. Cup of tea/cup of coffee with soya milk
L. Bacon, egg cooked in butter, tomato
D. Gammon and Brussels sprouts in butter

Cal 794 carbs 21

I can’t believe it’s the end of week 1. 11 more to go!

One week in: 6.5 lbs lost. Tomorrow I hope to lose another pound and tip over a stone milestone. Today's big win was getting back to the gym for the first time since early December.

Today I have eaten:
B: yoghurt, blueberries, hazelnuts
L: leftovers of the chicken, chorizo, veg traybake
D: broccoli and stilton soup, a few nuts

Tomorrow and Wednesday I'm going to be at a work conference. I will take some babybels, nuts and cherry tomatoes, and do my best, but almost certainly there will be some non-plan eating.

Well done on getting to the gym today and being 6.5 lbs down. I hope you get your stone milestone tomorrow. I’ve been pretty lazy but the weather is terrible today. It’s so cold, wet and windy here. Ds3 (13) has just made a chocolate cake which is tempting but that’s the good thing about this way of eating. I can’t have cake. End of.

My week 1 loss is 8lbs so I’m pleased with that. Today I’ve had:-

B. Cup of tea/cup of coffee with soya milk
L. Tuna salad with homemade Lemon dressing, 2 squares of 85% choc
D. Tuna steak, Brussels sprouts, green beans With butter

Cals 731 carbs 34