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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

OP posts:
Thread gallery
31
agteacht · 17/04/2020 19:56

They look amazing @thenewaveragebear1983 !

@CiorstanMI another super impressive day from you!

@Cream123 had a lo-dough pizza it was mega. I am converted! Gonna order a big pack of them. Any tips on how to get the underneath crispy? Might just be my oven...

Also by the way I think you're doing really well, 7 weeks is really not that long!!

Welcome @Whattheladybirdsaidnext
I personally think hitting the carbs number is more important than the cals number. This is my 4th week and I've averaged almost 1000 cals each day. But my carbs average is 47g (41g over last two weeks). I'm not encouraging you to go for 1000 if you can hit 800, but basically it won't completely ruin your weight loss.

Well I'm closing today on 913 cals and 23g carbs, helped by the lo-dough pizza for tea.
I did a mid-week weigh-in this morning and wahey, I've had a little whoosh! Scales said 148.8, a fab little drop from 151lbs on Wednesday - and now below my starting pregnancy weight a year ago. Won't count it until my official weigh in next week... but fingers crossed 🤞

thenewaveragebear1983 · 17/04/2020 20:17

@agteacht I agree, getting the carbs as low as possible, and the fewest 'eating opportunities' as possible (eg two meals in a 16:8 fashion) will get results even if you don't reduce calories at all.

Do you have one of those pizza trays (mind is round with holes in the bottom) - that might get the lo-dough crispy underneath? But would it burn?? They are too expensive to waste!

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agteacht · 17/04/2020 20:27

No don't have one of those, but just read on their website that they recommend frying it first in fry light to crisp it. Will try that for the next one!

agteacht · 17/04/2020 20:35

Good news!
Use the code LODOUGH20 and you get 20% off! So those expensive pizzas are slightly cheaper 😊

thenewaveragebear1983 · 17/04/2020 21:22

Ooh nice, thanks . I ordered mine on amazon, they were about £5 for two including postage. Very expensive air!
I think that about zero noodles too, they are flippin expensive for something with zero nutrients and zero calories! I suppose it's no different to buying posh water I guess but it feels weird especially at the moment to buy food that's not food! (And I don't buy posh water either!)

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agteacht · 17/04/2020 22:03

Haha I know what you mean!

I bought mine from amazon too but now that I know I like them I've ordered a bigger pack from lodough as cheaper that way. I have reconciled it in my head though because I'm not getting nails / hair etc done for months 😂

Teaismynewfriend · 18/04/2020 08:21

Morning all
I'm now 4lb down and on my 5ft 2 frame it already feels better. But I can't do 800cals every day this time. I am switching to 5:2. Being stuck at home every day with endless chores and referreeing between kids plus endless cooking is just too damn hard. I need things to look forward to, and food and drink is part of that. So I've cobbled together a plan, it looks like this:
2 consecutive days per week 800cals
2 days per week 16:8 but not calorie counting, fast 800 friendly foods, no snacking
Weekend days Fri-sun fast 800 friendly foods not calorie counted, but no snacking, with a treat added each day. For me, that treat is going to be alcohol or dark choc

I know the loss will be slower but I think for me this is more sustainable. Knowing I can be more relaxed at the weekend will help me be self disciplined during the week.

Are any of you on the 5:2 approach too, or are you all doing strict 800 per day?

thenewaveragebear1983 · 18/04/2020 08:48

@Teaismynewfriend I'm struggling at the moment and think I need a really strict 2 weeks (maybe relaxed a bit at weekends) to get focussed. I've never done well with 5:2 because I eat too much so I find increased daily calories but keep carbs low works better for me as a long term strategy. However nothing is really working well for me currently.

I've deliberately not weighed myself this morning. Wet and miserable here, so my morning workout will have to take place in the kitchen not the garden! I'm going to try for low carb but no counting today or tomorrow, realistically the weekend is not a great time to restart is it? But then Monday, (oh Monday, old friend, forgiver of sins, wiper of slates....) I am going to kick ass. I'm re-Reading both books this weekend and planning every morsel for the week ahead in the style of @CiorstanMI Smile

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RosesandIris · 18/04/2020 08:54

I want to so this but 800 cals a day sounds really draconian. I am eating far too many carbs and not Eating well . Feel awful.
I need someone to hold my hand and get me started. I avoid processed food and am not keen on eating a lot of meat. Where do I start??

agteacht · 18/04/2020 08:55

I don't do that @Teaismynewfriend but will be really interested to see how it goes. What you've laid out sounds quite sensible to me

bluepixie · 18/04/2020 08:56

@teaismynewfriend

I intend every day to do the full 800 but I can only do it 4/5 days in a row and then have weekends off. I started pre lock down and had social plans I couldn’t say no to! I had just had my life on hold forever due to ivf and it finally all ended and it was to depressing to put life on hold again.
now lock down is I still have my weekends. Weight loss is slow but happening! And I can sustain it I feel.
I’m doing a 2 week challenge of it though from tmrw-let’s see if i last!
Well done on 4 pound loss :)
X

bluepixie · 18/04/2020 09:02

@RosesandIris I did 1000 the first week as I just couldn’t do 800 but as time went on and I worked out how to keep full I can do 850 but I do think I don’t always get al my fruit and veg in and have low carbs....I more or less just have 1 portion of fruit and mainly veg

An example of day (all full fat no low fat stuff)

Greek yog and berries or 2 eggs and salmon / avacado
Lunch a big salad with either chicken or prawns or lentils with a nice dressing to keep me full
Dinner fish and veg or eggs or chicken and veg or lentil soup . I have a lot of stir fries with soya and garlic and chilli.

Nuts and cheese as snacks. But basically don’t have snacks on days I manage to do 850.

Think someone on here is veg and can let u know how to do it with less meat I would def find that harder

Replacing my low fat yoghurt with full fat and having lots of good fats like Avacado and salmon and nuts also help keep me full.

Good luck xxx

NathanNathan · 18/04/2020 09:02

@RosesandIris hello!

800 sounds very little, but if you get the amount of protein and fat right, it really can be fine. The rapid weight loss motivates you, and you really do feel better for not eating all the carbs! I was pescatarian and have found I need to add some chicken to keep the protein up, but also cheese is very encouraged and has a lot of protein!

I really would suggest getting a copy of the Blood Sugar Diet book. It's a quick read and explains really well why certain things are important. Also has a load of recipes.

NathanNathan · 18/04/2020 09:04

@Teaismynewfriend I think your plan sounds sensible. It's got to be what works for you. Anything off is good, even if it's slightly slower! 4lbs down already is great.

NathanNathan · 18/04/2020 09:07

I've never been keen on breakfast, much more of a brunch person, so I've managed to get into 16:8 quite well.

I don't eat before 1pm, I usually have a cup of tea with some milk before then but from looking at various things on the internet I don't think this gives a big insulation spike. Most of the time I have my last food before 8pm.

This means I have two bigger meals which I like. As well as that I really try to keep carbs between 30 and 40 which I'm largely managing.

NathanNathan · 18/04/2020 09:09

Just read what Cream said, I rarely have fruit, it's one thing I am reluctant to eat as it uses quite a few of the carbs! 50g of blueberries some days.

Teaismynewfriend · 18/04/2020 09:48

Thanks for the support everyone. We all have to do what suits us individually don't we. It's a beautiful sunny day where I live and I'm just about fitting into a pair of last summer's shorts....They're tight but wearable!!! Smile

agteacht · 18/04/2020 11:31

I'm also reluctant to eat fruit @NathanNathan although I would be happier to include some! I have some berries occasionally but it doesn't quite feel right not to pick up a satsuma or an apple! Might have to try add some in at some point and see what the impact is

thenewaveragebear1983 · 18/04/2020 11:36

I buy frozen bags of berries, they work out much cheaper and obviously last longer than fresh. I do eat raspberries most days with my yogurt

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gigi556 · 18/04/2020 13:02

@RosesandIris I have struggled with low carb and getting enough protein eating vegetarian food (not veggie myself) but people do it so it just be possible. There might be Facebook group for veggie low carb?

If you aren't vegan, I'd try cottage cheese and whey protein.

I quite like this cookbook. Low-carb & Gluten-free Vegetarian: Simple, Delicious Recipes for a Low-carb and Gluten-free Lifestyle https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1909108731/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_jXUMEbX7DSBJH

CiorstanMI · 18/04/2020 14:04

@RosesandIris I don't eat meat either and, while I don't find it easy to get the carbs below 50g, I do usually manage it (though it's pretty much impossible for me to get them below 40g). I have high protein yoghurt for breakfast, usually some kind of salad for lunch, but with a big portion of protein in it, e.g. feta, halloumi, egg, tuna (if you eat fish?). For my evening meals I just went through the list of all the meals I normally cook for myself and figured out which ones would still be palatable if I removed the potatoes/pasta/rice and then I serve that on a big helping of green veg. I also have an omelette with salad twice a week. A lot of people skip breakfast and only have 2 meals within an 8 hour window. I prefer to have 3 meals a day so I eat within a 10 hour window. It's surprisingly doable, I think particularly if you focus on doing it for a set length of time, rather than a specific weight goal. I'm focusing on sticking to this for 8 weeks. I know I won't have reached my goal weight at that point but I'll be far, far closer to it and in a relatively short space of time. After I've completed 8 weeks I'll see how I want to proceed. As @NathanNathan says if you keep your protein above 50g and your carbs below 50g you'll be surprised by how little hunger you feel.

RosesandIris · 18/04/2020 15:20

Thanks ciorstan

I have done low carb years ago and lost a lot of weight. I need to motivate myself again!

Whattheladybirdsaidnext · 18/04/2020 18:13

Kitchen closed on 800cal exactly and 28g carbs.

How much water should I be drinking?

thenewaveragebear1983 · 18/04/2020 18:22

@Whattheladybirdsaidnext it does help to drink a decent amount (eg 2-3 litres a day) but I find sometimes it can leave me a bit washed out if I don't get enough salt. If you don't normally drink much water you should build up gradually. Great day for you today, well done! Star

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CiorstanMI · 18/04/2020 18:36

Day 41 and the kitchen is closing at 888 calories and 41g carbs.