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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 support thread #18

998 replies

thenewaveragebear1983 · 10/03/2020 17:03

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.

Time restricted eating/TRE :
In addition to the fast800/ BSD plan you can incorporate a strategy of time restricted eating. Put simply, this means only eating between certain times each day to maximise your fasting time. TRE has shown to have positive results for weightloss, even if there is no calorie restriction, and increases insulin sensitivity/reduces insulin resistance. At first, try for a clear 12 hours without food each 24 hours, increasing to 16:8 as you get more adept at fasting.

Some useful links:
BSD and Fast800 support thread #17
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/3787860-bsd-and-fast800-support-thread-17

Previous thread

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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31
CiorstanMI · 03/04/2020 19:39

Well done @Cream123 - resist those evil hobnobs!

I'm closing the kitchen on day 26 at 837 cals & 50g carbs.

Bit demotivated today as I appear to have put 1.5lb back on overnight Confused. Why? How? Oh well, just the vagaries of the weight loss process I suppose.

agteacht · 03/04/2020 22:23

Oh that's interesting @thenewaveragebear1983 thanks for that explanation! It's quite reassuring actually was was worried I wouldn't get my cycle back to normal for a long time. Hopefully it doesn't cause a gain though!!

@Cream123 hope you are feeling better and well done on avoiding the hobnobs!

Well I'm ending the day on 911 cals, was coming in under 800 for first time ever but then a glass of wine slipped in...
And 34g carbs. Did 50 mins spin class and 8k steps walk.

Had egg fried cauliflower rice and it was really good!

Tomorrow I'm planning on a couple of heck sausages, beef taco lettuce wrap for lunch and something with chicken for dinner, any inspiration let me know!

agteacht · 03/04/2020 23:14

When I've been googling low carb recipes I have found a lot of keto recipes which are very low carb but would blow my calorie budget (often due to a lot of cream or cheese). Interested in any views on this diet vs keto and why keto seems not to care about cals? I haven't properly researched so apols if I've missed something obvious!

Pinkied · 04/04/2020 07:02

Weight in day 2 and down 1/2 lb small but going in right direction. Good food day yesterday but did have 2 glasses red!

Have good days all Smile

thenewaveragebear1983 · 04/04/2020 07:40

Morning!

@agteacht the difference between this and keto is that this doesn't really put you into ketosis. To achieve ketosis you really need less than 20g carbs and also significantly less protein (as excess protein 'converts' to glucose and raises insulin) and you really do get the majority of your calories from fat. The idea behind keto diets is that once you are fully 'fat adapted' ie. getting most of your energy from fat and fully in ketosis, your appetite will be so tiny that you eat until satiated and you don't eat any more. This is why most keto plans don't count calories because the idea is that for a few days/weeks you eat as much as you want but gradually the amount you want will reduce to a very small amount of cals.

However: this, in practice, is not that easy. I know for a fact that if this week I had only eaten when I was actually hungry I would have come in under 800 cals every day. But we don't always do that. I have tried a ketosis diet once and found that I was consuming vast amounts of calories but still wanting 'something'; it's also hard to eat enough fat (especially if you don't eat dairy, like me, or meat). On the one time I have achieved keto doing this diet (cut carbs to 20g and properly stuck to plan and did long fasts for 2 days) I found it to be a quite unpleasant sensation, with a spacey head and although I did lose weight quickly, it wasn't very nice.

Our Mediterranean diet is still quick, but it feels more normal and like proper food to me.

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thenewaveragebear1983 · 04/04/2020 07:44

Also: weighed in this morning, and I'm a pound up (again) - I have GOT to stop my sugar binges! I'm doing really well all day and then in the evening just can't stop myself! It's terrible and I don't even want the rubbish I'm eating. I have to rein myself in before I gain any more.

Today: no run as I have done quite a few Kms this week, but I will do a hiit workout and also day 4 yoga as well. Try to fast as long as I can but I'm already thinking about food!

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agteacht · 04/04/2020 08:40

@thenewaveragebear1983 I knew I could rely on you! Thank you for that detail, I appreciate it! Now much clearer to me

Enjoy your workout and the yoga!

bluepixie · 04/04/2020 13:43

Mega can’t be bothered anymore!!!! But I start day with right intentions then by 8pm it all goes wrong
Hob knobs were consumed last night
Trying again today. I don’t know why I’m so hungry last few days....nothing is filling me!
Can someone please remind me I’m n far for the tens and prob 1 week consistently good will bring me into it!!!

Lndnmummy · 04/04/2020 14:28

Hi everyone!! You are doing great! I have braved the scales and I’m a whopping 77.8. I’m gutted. I need to get to just under 60kg, even 59.9 would do. I’m angry with my self for getting so close last year and then letting it all go. But there we are. I’m back now and I know this works so I’m back on it. After a few false starts, this is is it. Day one! Hoping to have hit target by the end of August.
@thenewaveragebear1983 I salute you for keeping us all going.

Does anyone fancy sharing some before and after pictures? They really got me going last time around!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 04/04/2020 14:44

@Lndnmummy I have lost my really good before and after pic, but I keep intending to go back through the threads and find it. I will try and do it today

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thenewaveragebear1983 · 04/04/2020 17:57

Found it!

Blood sugar diet and fast800 support thread #18
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CiorstanMI · 04/04/2020 19:53

Fab pics @thenewaveragebear1983.

Day 27, closing the kitchen at 708 calories and 49g carbs

bluepixie · 04/04/2020 21:45

Ciorstan do u have brekkie or skip it out of interest
I’m feeling too unwell to be sticking to anything! Will start when better again. Hoping that’s Monday!

CiorstanMI · 04/04/2020 23:21

I do have breakfast (about 09:00 - roughly 200 cals), it's always greek yoghurt. Then I generally have some kind of salad for lunch (about 12:30 - roughly 300 cals) but always with a big helping of some kind of protein in it, and my evening meal (about 18:00 - roughly 300 cals) is very often a slight variation on something I would normally eat but without the carbs, although I also have an omelette twice a week, and always with a big helping of leafy greens. I planned my menu for the entire 8 weeks in advance and have most of the evening meals already prepared and stored in the freezer so I barely have to cook and I never have to stop and think about what I'm going to eat. I would describe my regime as very boring but survivable for 8 weeks, at least I hope so 🤞

thenewaveragebear1983 · 05/04/2020 07:51

@CiorstanMI you're very organised. That's going to really stand you in good stead having everything prepped, especially at the moment. Have you lost much weight now?

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thenewaveragebear1983 · 05/04/2020 08:02

In summary, my week has been overall rather disastrous. My food has been good actually, but every single day I've had probably several hundred calories worth of rubbish that I didn't even want and certainly didn't need. I am very lucky to have scraped through with just a pound or two gained (10.5.5 this morning) and that's certainly deserved.

Today I need to go through the kitchen and sort out all the kids treats and put them somewhere else so I can't eat them. I think because it's in the house, plus because they aren't reserved for lunch boxes for the week, it's been a bit of a free-for-all.

However, it doesn't feel good, I feel very unhealthy and hate that feeling of being out of control and powerless over it. So it's stops today. It's stupid because I know exactly what to do and I know exactly what I'm doing to myself but I still can't quite get there.

I think I will do like @CiorstanMI And plan my food very strictly this week. I think because I haven't been able to shop as normal I've sort of coasted along for the last two weeks.

This week:
I need to get my tracker and use it, weigh and write down everything I eat!

I need to drink more water earlier in the day.
I need to get more fat in Earlier in the day too.

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bluepixie · 05/04/2020 08:22

Yes @thenewaveragebear1983 ive been disappointing too. Partly not well. Partly shit in house. Partly am bored! And I have been weirdly ravenous too.
I’m going to sit down and plan my meal for the weeks too.

bluepixie · 05/04/2020 08:25

Ps @CiorstanMI what do u have for brekkie? I’ve been doing either eggs or Greek yoghurt but wondering if I’m missing an alternative. Most on here misss brekkie but I can’t function that way! So I usually when I’m on plan do same as u. With salad for lunch too...

CiorstanMI · 05/04/2020 09:44

Thanks @thenewaveragebear1983. I'm sorry you've had a rubbish week. It must be a real challenge to have the whole family in the house all day everyday and I can imagine how much it must disrupt all your best laid plans. Wishing you good luck for next week.

Sorry you're still feeling unwell @Cream123. I'm afraid I can't help with breakfast ideas as I have greek yoghurt for breakfast everyday. I'm still working full-time (though from home) so I like to have something very straightforward for breakfast - I really don't want to cook in the mornings. Perhaps someone else might have some more imaginative breakfast suggestions they could share?

thenewaveragebear1983 · 05/04/2020 09:51

@Cream123 I pretty much always skip breakfast. If I do I have it it is usually egg based. I love avocado, egg and bacon. Or avocado and smoked salmon. Anything carby like oats or fruit just sets me off on the wrong track and I have to admit even Greek yogurt on an empty stomach affects my carbs cravings quite negatively. I really do find that skipping breakfast is best for me really, but I love breakfast. Smile

Other things you can do are those little egg muffins. I like them with a chunk of smoked fish in them and they keep really well so you could easily make a batch and they would do breakfast for 3/4 days

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bluepixie · 05/04/2020 10:44

Thanks guys
So I’ve planned my brekkies
1 Egg smoked salmon avacado 4 days next week
Greek yoghurt and berries for 3 dats

Lunches and dinners to do!

agteacht · 05/04/2020 21:19

@CiorstanMI that's so organised planning all 8 weeks -
I'm in awe!

@Cream123 for breakfast I tend to have two heck sausages (about 75 cals). A snack really, but keeps me going if I can't wait as long as lunch. Don't know if that would work for you?

I've had a pretty meh couple of days... still managing to resist chocolate and all the bad stuff but some wine last night on a 3 hour video chat with two of my friends did not help!!

Today I had pancakes with coconut flour which were yum, and a modified roast dinner but coming in close to 1000 cals. Shouldn't be there on my second week should I!!!

Well the more days until my week 2 weigh in so I'll be being much stricter for the next two days in the hope to shifting down closer to 150 from 153.8 after week 1.

Hope everyone's had a nice weekend!

CiorstanMI · 05/04/2020 21:35

Day 28, closing at 763 calories and 41g carbs.

bluepixie · 06/04/2020 08:15

I love those heck sausages yum! I forgot about them yes thanks. I used to have 2 of them and some Avacado sometimes

Right I’m still feeling crap but hoping I’ll stick to it today! Am unimpressed with my willpower!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 06/04/2020 09:02

@Cream123 I'm with you today. Need to get on it. I weighed in this morning and was cross with myself.

Have you looked at the recipe thread? It's linked in the opening post on here? There's some good ideas on that and every time I read it I remember something I used to love and have forgotten.

Just been for my run, now having a pint of water and my vitamins. Lovely day forecast today so my plan is gardening, jobs, lots of steps (garden only obvs)

Have a great day all

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