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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
thenewaveragebear1983 · 22/04/2020 15:06

@waterproofed I have not quite got the running/low carbs/ cals sorted really. When I'm doing as I am now, 30 km a week, I can manage ok but when training for long races I just have to increase cals and protein during training. Otherwise I just feel like a wrung out cloth. I don't increase carbs especially except in the immediate days before a race (or if I'm doing a long run for fun). Be mindful of dehydration, it will make you feel absolutely starving post run. I use a sugar free electrolyte (does have sweetener in, see above post!) if I'm struggling and it seems to help. Low carb can exacerbate the very heavy legs feeling you get before TOTM as well, and electrolytes can help with that too (if you feel like you're dragging yourself round it could be that)

OP posts:
waterproofed · 22/04/2020 15:11

@thenewaveragebear1983 Wow, you are so knowledgeable! It’s exactly that - my period is due in a couple of days and it definitely feels like I am dragging myself around today! Really helpful to know I have not broken myself though Wink

I am definitely partial to an artificially sweetened drink and will check out your recommendation.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 22/04/2020 15:51

https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a20805395/how-menstruation-affects-your-running/

@waterproofed , this article explains it. I cheered when I found that it was a real thing, and I wasn't imagining it. Makes sense- having periods ruins virtually every other thing, so it might as well ruin running too! Grin
I use these soluble electrolytes, (they sell them in supermarkets with the protein shakes, carb-killer bars etc), not every time but if I'm racing or if I'm doing a long run and due on. They are also very good if you are prone to a hangover, drink one at night and you'll feel fine in the morning!
Some of my friends swear by drinking milk to replace electrolytes but I don't drink cows milk so cannot comment, might be worth researching.

Blood sugar diet and fast800 support thread #18
OP posts:
agteacht · 22/04/2020 16:29

Hi all and welcome to all joining

I weighed in for week 4 this morning and another slow-ish week on the scales which is definitely because of my Saturday blow-out! I had a nice little whoosh on Friday but regained that and am still higher than that now... hopefully it will reappear by this weekend.

But anyway still a loss so can't complain too much - here is my stats update:

My calorie and carb counts averaged:
Week 1: 940 cals, 60g carbs
Week 2: 970 cals, 38g carbs
Week 3: 1115 cals, 44g carbs
Week 4: 1200 cals, 37g carbs

As you can see my cals are a bit high, I'd be happy keeping them closer to 1000. But massively skewed by Saturday when they were double a normal day...
However keeping my carbs close to 30g each day has helped me lose a bit still:

Starting weight: 161.2lbs
Week 1 loss: 6.4lbs
Week 2 loss: 3.4lbs
Week 3 loss: 0.4lbs
Week 4 loss: 1.6lbs
Starting weight week 5: 149.4lbs so 11.8lbs now lost in total.

So pleased to see a number on the scales starting with '14', wasn't sure I ever would again! I'd really like to get to 147lbs soon as that's always been a weight I've struggled to stay under, also giving me over a stone loss.

Whattheladybirdsaidnext · 22/04/2020 18:33

Day 6 I think. Finished on 31g carbs and 791 cal. Going for as long a walk as I can get away with so I get away from bathtime and bedtime for once....

IgglePiggleNotInBed · 22/04/2020 19:10

Thanks for the info re sweeteners!
I'm finishing on 722 cals today and 18g carbs. Did a 5k walk earlier and have drank loads of water. Hoping for a little loss tomorrow.

Itshotoday · 22/04/2020 19:23

Hi all,

I have really tried with this in terms of sticking to 800 but the next day I struggle with insatiable hunger, even if I lift the kcal to 1000!

Thank an including some bread - two slices but that’s pretty much it. From your experience does anyone feel carbs cause continuous hunger? Other meals have been curries with salad type meals. I have had some low sugar protein bars too (perhaps these are the issue?). Just wondering when that hunger dissipates - does it?

bluepixie · 22/04/2020 19:29

Kitchen closed 900 and 30g carbs

Add in more fats - Avacado nuts salmon full fat yoghurt and reduce carbs. Took me about 1.5 weeks to get calories down to near 800 I was too hungry to start with and was doing 1000-1100 but I find it ok now !

bluepixie · 22/04/2020 19:30

@agteacht well done!!! It’s still a good loss and ur total is great! Well done
Keep going :) I find weekends the worst even in lockdown! Really need to behave his weekend it’s really stalking my weight loss...

agteacht · 22/04/2020 19:47

Thanks @Cream123 slowly does it I guess!
Yes weekends are my total downfall. I track everything but that's about it 😂

agteacht · 22/04/2020 19:51

@Itshotoday if you're missing bread you could try baking almond soda bread. Only 2g carb a slice vs 18g in hovis granary

Another way to help with hunger is cheese - I picked up the babybel tip on this thread and if I get really hungry I have one and crazily enough it does work!

bluepixie · 22/04/2020 19:53

Yes babybel or a spoon of almond or peanut butter
Both keep me going for long enough till next meal!

agteacht · 22/04/2020 20:01

Oh yea peanut butter my fave but hard to stop 😂

Another good one is two heck chicken sausages only about 70 cals from memory

thenewaveragebear1983 · 22/04/2020 20:22

Oh god peanut butter. I can't buy it anymore. I will literally eat the jar.

@Itshotoday the carb cravings will subside quicker the fewer carbs you eat. I find occasional bread is ok once I'm settled on plan, but in the early days it throws me right out.

I've had a difficult day, 'returned' to work (from home) after 2 weeks off to hundreds of emails, loads of issues to resolve, the usual stress. I'm now 4 days late too which is crap. My food has been good but tonight I am drinking wine and I know that's rubbish but I think I need it today. I'm really struggling with lockdown today (I think we all have ebbs and flows) and generally feeling meh.

On the plus side: I ran 6km, I did resolve most of my work issues, we're staying up to watch satellites, and I'm enjoying my hypno book and feel like I might be ready tomorrow to try again.

I am so in awe of you all who are managing to stay on track and you will emerge from lockdown feeling amazing. I think anyone who emerges even maintaining has done incredibly StarStarStar

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bluepixie · 22/04/2020 20:26

Yes I agree @thenewaveragebear1983 those loosing and maintaing well done! Not sure wot I’m doing!!! Ha

Why is it at this time after a good day do I want to raid the chocolate cupboard!?! Any tips advice or thoughts?! I’m not going to do it!!!!!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 22/04/2020 20:32

@Cream123 I'm the Same. You'll notice from my posts, I'm all motivated in the morning, my food is good, I know this plan inside out so I'm not making errors....but then at 5pm I'm like a toddler at a birthday party and it's just SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR which basically ruins my whole day. And I seem to do this most days. Honestly? I don't know why. I do know though that after a few days it's so much easier not to do It so i just need to get through two days of detox...

However, the being good all day thing is what's making me maintain rather than gain I guess, plus exercising is helping. So I am not letting myself give up completely. It will click eventually, it always does Smile

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bluepixie · 22/04/2020 20:36

Ugh. Yes I’m same. Bascailly my son goes to bed and I want loads of sugar!!!!

Ur doing great beaver u have to remember how much weight u have lost and u have been maintaining for ages now - that’s the absolute dream and hardest part....

Enjoy ur wine, I think u deserve it!

I’ll just get an early night and hope tmrw bring some happy news on the scales!

CiorstanMI · 22/04/2020 21:08

Well day 45 over and that's 803 calories and 47g carbs.

I delivered some shopping to a self-isolating relative this evening and she gave me an Easter egg to give to my DH. I was sooo tempted to stop the car on the way home and guzzle it. Instead I resisted, rushed it into the house like I was carrying a live bomb, hurled it at my husband and then dived into the fridge for a mini babybel. Crisis averted.

bluepixie · 22/04/2020 21:30

Ciorstan that made me laugh out loud!!!
Again -well done!!!!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 22/04/2020 22:13

Well done @CiorstanMI Star

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Itshotoday · 22/04/2020 22:44

Ooo thank you great tips.

I can’t buy peanut butter I tried almond butter but I’ll eat the lot! It’s great but I really struggle correctly with portion control. I’ve turned into a crazy woman whilst stuck in. It’s reminded me never to completely work from home.

Thenewaveragebear - yes today I opened up to 170 emails and work was manic, trying to work from home was a challenge with children in the house too.

Thanks for the tips I’m nervous about lowering carbs too much in case I’ll go crazy with them.

I had around 6-9 months of being great following time restricted eating. For some reason I can’t bring myself to miss breakfast at the moment.

It sounds like you’re all doing brilliantly. Thank you for tips!

waterproofed · 22/04/2020 23:35

@agteacht That's a great overall loss and what an achievement to keep it going for 4 weeks!

@Itshotoday and @thenewaveragebear1983 similarly manic day at work for me, but at least it stopped me from grazing.

@CiorstanMI I too was saved by a babybel today. Day 45 though! Very impressive.

@thenewaveragebear1983 it sounds like a very busy but productive day. I really appreciate all the info you shared about how periods affect metabolism and running, but I also recognise in your post a touch of TOMO malaise, which I also definitely suffer with. Hope we both start to feel better soon (hurry up, periods!). Planning to start the day with yoga tomorrow as I cannot face another run with legs this heavy.

@Cream123 and @Itshotoday it's so hard getting the balance right without ending ravenous, isn't it? From my very scientific study of me and my DM together on this diet for literally five minutes, DM is a lot hungrier and we worked out it is because she still has quite a bit of carbs, such as oats or tiny slices of bread.

Day 5 and the kitchen closed at 829kcal with 42g of carbs.

Food today:
yoghurt with berries for lunch
two babybels
panfried salmon with samphire and gherkins

thenewaveragebear1983 · 22/04/2020 23:40

@waterproofed you're right, I'm in that hormonal limbo from being late. I had a weird mid cycle bleed this month and I think it has affected my cycle a bit.

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Teaismynewfriend · 23/04/2020 06:46

I think it's fair to say that pmt does not mix well with this way of eating. I think there is a physiological reason (not to mention a psychological one) why we need more food at that time of the month. Personally I have always had severe pms and now I'm on hrt for it but I'm still suffering, and I crave sugar and alcohol. Both of those make pms worse. I think we should be kind to ourselves during those times. Vigorous exercise does help but maybe a brisk walk would do more good than a run. I have been running for around a year now but I'm not supposed to (post childbirth issues). Having ignored my surgeon's advice for that long I suddenly thought...what the hell am I doing! I walk briskly instead, for around an hour. Where I live I can walk from the house and be in hills and forests in 10 minutes. I've found the walking has given me almost the same high as running, and my legs and core feel like they've had as good a workout.

Weigh in day today :
Loss of 1.5lb
Total loss 4.5lb in 10 days
I have a LOT of room for improvement but it's not a bad start, especially considering the lockdown circumstances.

Welcome to the new joiners!
And well done for the losses and for keeping it up at this stressful time!!

IgglePiggleNotInBed · 23/04/2020 07:00

@CiorstanMI that made me laugh so much Grin

I am another who would recommend a bit of cheese I've done this in the last few days

Pleased this morning, woke up and had whoosh of 3lb, so 5lb down in total now!