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Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 04 Jun 2016, 00:21
by Hazelnut20
Due to overwhelming popular demand, (well, @justdee has asked me anyway!) I am going to chronicle my experience of Michael Mosley's 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet. I'm very much hoping it will be OK to write about it on here - principally because I am employing a 16:8 eating window at the same time. Not only that, but this is a brilliant forum - miles better than the BSD forum, whose format is quite complicated...& doesn't suit a technophobe like me!!!

My dieting history
I comfort eat for England. It's my answer to everything. I have no brakes and even continue eating sweet treats long after I stop enjoying them (think family bags of Maltesers - half way through, I am not enjoying them quite as much as at the beginning...yet I haven't the sense to stop and save them for another day). I could be stuffed to the gunnels....yet I wouldn't stop.

"The Great Diet of '93" was, until 2014, my most successful diet. It ran from June to early September - to coincide with my two children's christening. During that time, I ate salads and nectarines and exercised regularly to one of Rosemary Conley's videos. I was nearly a size 10 when I finished. I got as far as the christening, looked OK and then went straight back to my bad eating habits....grrrr! And stopped exercising of course.
Cue plenty of half hearted attempts....until late 2013 when I committed to 5:2. By July 2014, I had lost just shy of 4 stone - yippeeeeeee! Started to enjoy my clothes feeling looser and looking so much better - not to mention the health benefits. Unfortunately, I hadn't really sorted my head out whilst doing it! I certainly hadn't found a substitute for food during times of depression - which I am prone to. A nice hot bath just won't cut it for me!

To cut a long story short, due to many issues, I spent from August last year until early May comfort eating to the extreme. Mindless scoffing on a daily basis. Staring down the barrel of UK Size 20 clothes - something I'd never been. I had a choice - carry on and just keep going up and up a dress size while feeling less and less like someone who belonged in society (felt like a second class citizen).....or.....get a grip!

As is always the case with me, I have to wait until I get to the point of no return. Only then am I willing to make changes. Once I make that decision, there is no stopping me. I become evangelical about weight loss...some might say I even become a diet-bore!

Why the BSD and not 5:2?
I have enormous faith in 5:2 - it worked brilliantly for me in the past. I cannot fault the science behind it. The issue for me was that I really really wanted some fast results...so I could salvage the summer (when it arrives!). I don't know why summer has a particular significance for me - probably because we tend to cover up less and so have nowhere to hide! Being a size 18+ does not help my psyche - I've always lacked self esteem at the best of times....but when I'm this big, I just become invisible....and I despise myself for letting me get into such a state. Since August, I was majoring on carbs, white rolls for breakfast, white rolls for lunch, a large dinner with a big baked potato, a pudding and then late at night, lots of chocolate to supposedly comfort myself.

Now, I didn't get to the age of 53 without understanding a bit of myself. I knew that to turn around such an unhealthy diet, I was going to have to be very strict with myself. All or nothing. I definitely knew that I couldn't trust myself to behave for 5 days out of 7! If I'd returned to 5:2, the fasts would be absolutely fine, but I definitely wouldn't change my bad habits on the other days. Then I'd get miserable and indignant when the scales showed the awful truth....and be back to square one and no doubt turn to comfort eating.

I'm not diabetic, nor, to my knowledge, am I pre-diabetic. Though I believe I was headed down a one-way street towards it if I didn't do something about my eating. What appealed about the BSD was that it required commitment 24/7...but promised significant rewards. In short, I saw it as a way to jump-start my way back into healthy eating and a healthy weight. Almost a shock tactic, if you like. As a fan of 5:2, I plan to return to it once I feel I can trust myself not to slip back into my awful habits. Only time will tell how long that might be....

So what is the BSD?
I bought the book, read it through and on May 9th (a Monday, because everybody knows you can only start a diet on a Monday!) started on it. The basic principles are 800 calories a day....every day. Male or female. Low carb, high fat Mediterranean eating. There's tons of recipes at the end of the book, but as with every weightloss attempt I have ever undertaken, I tend to develop my own eating plan. I don't even mind repetition...which explains why I've had crushed strawberries and full fat Bio yoghurt for lunch and roasted vegetables with salmon, chicken or pork (high days and holidays!) for dinner....every day for the past 4 weeks! It wouldn't suit everyone, but it suits me not to have to stress about food. In a nutshell, from what I've gathered, carbohydrates get converted into glucose for energy. If you limit your carbs, the body is forced to obtain energy from an alternative source...so switches into fat-burning mode and goes to work on your fat stores. If you revert to eating carbs, your clever body will go back to converting them into glucose for energy....and stop burning the fat to such an extent.

The stats (aka The Awful Truth)
On May 9th, I weighed in at 15 stone 3 and a bit. O....M....G!! That explains my tight trousers then! I can't hide from it anymore. Time to get on.....
I decided that I wouldn't bother with breakfast. Have never enjoyed eating first thing anyway, so it wasn't much of a hardship. Given that, I thought why not do 16:8 every day? Seemed to make sense. Yes, I became reacquainted with hunger pangs, but thanks to my 5:2 experience, I knew I didn't need to stress over them. They'd pass. And pass they did....

I've really surprised myself by being so committed to this eating plan - considering how very out of control I've been of late. But then, I'm a bit of an all or nothing person. No point in being half-hearted about it - I need results and I need them now....& what's more...I'm prepared to pay the price for them.

So, I weigh in for Week 4 results on Monday morning (6th June)...but here are the previous stats

Week 1 -5.75lbs
Week 2 -6.00lbs
Week 3 -4.00lbs

So that's a good start. I suspect Monday will be skewed by it being the TOTM...but forewarned is forearmed as they say, so I won't get too distressed about it. I can't afford to get disheartened. It is what it is and I need to be in it for the long haul anyway.....

After 2 weeks, I had lost 2" from my really-rather-shocking 41" waist (so yes, a very long way to go to get to a sensible BMI!) and 1.5" from my hips. I'm taking measurements every 2 weeks, so will be measuring like mad on Monday to see if I've lost any inches! Not only that, but clothes are already feeling looser...thank goodness. My thunder thighs are experiencing a novel bit of slack in my trousers...hurrah...even if they are a size 18!

It's been a little lonely so far chugging along doing 16:8 BSD. I'm chuffed to bits that Justdee is going to dip her toes into the BSD for a couple of weeks.....hence this post. Hopefully, on here, we can spur each other on and discuss how our days are going etc. Full marks for having a go, JD - let's see where it takes us! I'll look forward to seeing you on here soon - but it's way past my bedtime now, so I really should sign off!

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 04 Jun 2016, 10:48
by barbarita
I'm cheering you on @hazelnut20. Really really hoping you get through the 8 weeks. Over a stone gone already!

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 04 Jun 2016, 11:27
by Tracieknits
Great job Hazelnut!!!

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 04 Jun 2016, 11:37
by justdee
I'm here @hazelnut20 and ready to start tomorrow ( a Sunday haha, I've never been one for 'rules' ;) ). I've been doing A LOT of reading on the BSD and although I said I'll give it 2 weeks, more than likely I'll want to carry on as my eating habits change. A lot of people say it's quite difficult to go back to old eating habit after the 8 weeks. People find their bodies can't handle so many carbs and no longer crave sugar, I dream of being like that. I can understand this, after being back on 5:2 for 7 weeks my body really can't handle too many carbs, I now get tummy ache if I eat too many, so I already eat less of them without trying. I will also be doing 16:8 as I think breakfast really is a waste of cals and my breakfast (if I have it) is normally something carby (brown seeded roll and butter or egg on toast). I think eggs will be my go to food on the BSD. I'm a little worried about variety, I'll need to come up with some good meals so I don't get bored, I really can't eat the same thing every day. I know the 800cals won't be a problem, anyone used to doing 5:2 will see 800cals as a treat. It's quitting the sugar that will be the biggest challenge for me, although I know it's something I really need to do. I am also not diabetic or pre-diabetic I hope (who knows without being tested) but know I am on the way if things don't change.
Thanks for starting this thread Hazel and leading the way for the blood sugar diet on this forum. Well done so far you are doing great.
My BSD staring weight is 176.4lbs
My waist is 37". I will take all other measurements tomorrow.
Lets see where this WOE takes me :)

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 04 Jun 2016, 12:12
by StowgateResident
Well done, @Hazelnut20for giving it a go! May your will stay strong and your hips get smaller!
Until I found 5:2, in January 2013, I used to describe myself as a great dieter but also a great eater, which sounds a lot like you! I could be so disciplined when in the 'diet' phases of the year (every year!). I allowed myself 1000 calories a day and wrote every morsel of food and drink down. The weight would fall off. Hurrah! Then the diet would end and I would gradually put all 21 to 26 pounds back on again, ready to start 'the diet' all over again in the next January! The 5:2 WOL has stopped the yo-yoing, although I am still very undisciplined at times (I still am a great eater!). :frown:
We will all be willing you on to succeed and I am pleased that you have a plan for the end of the eight week first phase. You are very self-aware of your behaviours and I hope that you can find a way to overcome the self-destructive ones. It seems that will be the answer to regaining control over your eating, in the long term. Anyway, that bridge can be crossed later, meanwhile, onwards and downwards to weight-loss victory! :victory:

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 04 Jun 2016, 23:25
by Hazelnut20
Ooh, thanks for your very kind comments and support, Mesdames @barbarita, @tracieknits and @stowgateresident! I really appreciate it and I know my new partner in crime on the BSD, JD will be very grateful for the cheers and encouragement too!

Your comments about how you used to be, StowgateResident, struck quite a chord with me - thank you so much. You are quite right about the need to gain control over my self destructive behaviours around food - I can't say I've ever exercised much control in the past - other than during diets! It's something I'm exploring with the therapist I see regularly - she doesn't want to wait until I hit a slump again, which is Autumn traditionally, instead we're going to put some procedures in place to prevent a nosedive, which should in turn help prevent mindless eating - or should I say scoffing.

Anyway, it's lovely to hear from you all. Do please drop by anytime - @justdee and I will be here & I hope this thread will be most entertaining!

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 00:23
by Hazelnut20
Whoop whoop and the sound of trumpets and all that! A very BIG welcome from me @justdee - it's great to have you on board the BSD!

Let's see how we can add to those 17 whopping packs of butter you've already lost, eh?

I can absolutely assure you that nobody has a sweeter tooth than me - and yet I have completely surprised myself just lately by foregoing all things sweet whilst on the BSD. Yesterday, I went to a barbecue at a friend's house. I made a red cabbage coleslaw and a carrot & sultana salad with a honey mustard dressing to take with us as I had already decided that that was what I was going to eat. I also took with me some homemade frozen yoghurt for pudding (which was actually the lunch that I didn't have in anticipation of the BBQ) - so I wouldn't be tempted by all the meringues and cream & berries that would be on offer. Instead of looking at what everyone else was eating, I concentrated on my own enjoyment of what I'd chosen to eat. I added a few cashew nuts to the portion of carrot salad....and it felt like I was being really wicked! Just for a change, I took a day off from weighing and measuring and even sunk a couple of glasses of my very favourite sparking Shiraz - just to be sociable, you understand! By the time I'd finished my dinner, I really didn't feel like I needed any pudding. Despite watching everyone enjoying an indulgent dessert...and having to listen to my husband crunching away on countless meringues...and even worse, scooping up whipped cream on them before said crunching...I was really surprised not to feel overly, if at all, deprived.

What on earth is going on????? That's not me! Not normally anyway......My best friend even had two bowls of pudding and all I could think of was the mindless eating that I had engaged in that had led to me being this large now. I seem to have a mentality currently that says I deserve to have to forego treats...because I've had more than my fair share over the past 10 months or so. For as long as that lasts, I am determined to harness it, because it is so very unusual for me! Don't know where it has come from, but I'm glad it's here, because it just might be a turning point for me....

Well, Dee, it is 1.14am and I am falling asleep at the keyboard. Not only that, but our cat, Luna has decided to lie on me in such as way as to make it impossible to type other than one fingered! So I guess that's my cue for bed. I will check back in with you tomorrow and wish you a fabulous Day 1. From what you're saying, you are in a good place right now to tackle a couple of weeks of the BSD...and maybe more! Let's just take it a day at a time though....and see how far we can get......I'm rooting for you!

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 07:02
by johns
thank you @hazelnut20 for this post. its a great read & I will be following it to see how you get on.

good luck @justdee with this too. wonder if you will carry on after a couple of weeks?

Im so glad you put it all in a post for us to read & understand. Id never heard of it until you mentioned it on here. dont know if I could be that strict but if it kicks the sugar cravings it may be worth thinking about :)

good luck :) shelley x

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 08:43
by carieoates
Great post Mrs Nut.
Have you got examples of the food you ate daily, would be a great help for some people who cannot decide what to eat.
I have the book and it's a great read. Very educational. As usual from our Mr Mosely
Well done And good luck let's hope this inspires others to give it a go.

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 10:48
by justdee
Day 1 and ready to go. Thanks for the lovely welcome to this WOE@Hazelnut20 I hope to follow in your footsteps. So glad others are already enjoying this thread, thank you for the support everyone. May be someday soon we'll be passing the BSD baton on to one of you guys.
Well today I'm off to a good start, I haven't eaten anything yet. It feels like a fastday, which isn't a bad thing but I have to remind myself that I can eat and must drink water (just going to drink a glass now).... (1 glass gone, just got to remember to keep doing it). Anyway I've got a pot of Lidl cottage cheese ready for when I feel hungry, will have half before I go to the water park this afternoon. Having a bit of trouble working out what to have for dinner this evening. It's Sunday so that means a roast in our house. Roast chicken with what though? Thinking roasted veg, got carrots, red pepper, what else is low carb. Turns out I'm a bit rubbish at this low carb business. I know to stay away from bread, pasta, potatoes etc, but the carbs in fruit and veg I haven't got a clue. As I found out yesterday after buying 20 apples and then checking the carbs, good job DD likes snacking on them too. Going to the market soon to stock up. What veg should I be avoiding? Will have a quick look on MFP before going. Hope you're having a lovely day Hazel and thanks for your support and for all the info you've already shared.

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 12:20
by carieoates
I seem to know many low carb recipes. I will follow you guys till I break up for the summer hols. Here are a few ideas @justdeeto get you going.
Could make a coleslaw with grated celeriac, actually celeriac is a great potato substitute full stop. Courgette fritters are fantastic.
How about breakfast muffins - these gorgeous low carb high fat and protein, batch bake and pull one out of the fridge to have with some nice leaves of spinach and rocket and chopped veggies for lunch. The. Fill fat Greek yoghurt with fresh berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Looks like this BS diet is one I follow anyway but go bonkers at the weekend and spoil it all.

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 16:57
by justdee
Thanks @carieoates, will be getting Greek yogurt tomorrow, I love the stuff, will have to make sure I weigh it out though because the reason I had to stop buying it is because I would go mad and just sit there with the big tub :( I've tried Courgette fritters before (few years ago) and liked them. Just bought about 10 Courgettes from the market for a euro so will be making some fritters tomorrow. The breakfast muffins also sound good. May be this WOE won't be so bad after all. Do the Courgette fritters keep well in the fridge?

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 19:04
by barbarita
In general: fruit, stick to berries. Pears and apples OK in small amounts, avoid very sweet stuff like grapes, bananas, pineapple. Vegetables - if it's above ground go for it - spinach, lettuce, kale, lettuce, avocado (strictly speaking, a fruit). Avoid all starchy veg like potato, carrot, parsnip.

To be a real goody goody, get your vitamins from veggies and give up fruit for a bit.

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 19:55
by Hazelnut20
Yay and well done you for the flying start to Day 1 @justdee!!

Now, preparation is key....so you are right to question what constitutes low carb in the veg department. I had a quick squizz ont'internet for low GI veg before I started on the BSD, whereupon I found my beloved broccoli, red peppers, red onions, mushrooms, courgettes, cauliflower...to name but a few. A selection of those, roasted, along with a spot of chicken...would be quite delish!

Accountability is also a word to conjure with! I am the worlds least able person when it comes to technology, but somehow I stumbled upon an app called "My Net Diary" which allows you to record what you have eaten each day and then tells you the daily percentages of what you've consumed....as in, fat, carbs, protein etc. It is very easy to fill in and also has space for logging your weight and goals etc. What they actually want you to do is to upgrade to a paid for version, but I don't need it to have all the bells and whistles - I just want to know that I haven't gone over 800 calories....You will find it very helpful JD - plus it helps you stay on the straight and narrow!

Did I mention that I have been weighing my food? Certainly, at the start, I think it is essential because it would be so easy to underestimate what you're eating! I keep a written record of the 2 meals I eat each day...and then log it in later.

It's probably a good idea if you think to yourself "what natural foods do I like eating?" and then look each of them up to see where they fall on the glycaemic index (not sure I've spelt that right!). I love tinned sweetcorn, but on this diet, I'm looking for plenty of bang for my buck - so, so far, I haven't eaten any! Instead, I prefer lots of mushrooms for example - a bit more bulk in other words. I may slacken off a bit once I get used to this regime, but in the early days I have been worried that I might be hungry even after having my dinner, so have had quite big quantities of roasted veg every night. That fear may lessen with time, but equally, our body needs something to work on and low cal veg is probably the answer...

Well, I'm going to be on tenterhooks until I hear from you at the end of Day 1 - so I'd better sign off for now!

Re: Hazelnut's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet musings...

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016, 21:24
by justdee
Hello ,,,, well, day 1 is just about done. A bit like a fastday but I've eaten things that I wouldn't eat on a fastday, so was a nice change. At about 3pm I had half a pot of full fat cottage cheese. That kept me going until my evening meal of roast chicken roasted veg (courgette, onion, cauliflower, red and yellow peppers, a few carrots and garlic), roasted in v little olive oil, also had some boiled cabbage. I have had 703cals and 40 carbs. May have a very small apple before bed, not sure yet. I've also had half a cup of full fat milk put aside for coffee, counted it, but haven't used it all yet. I've weighed and counted everything. I've been on top of it with the water too, 6 large glasses and 3 coffees. Probably need a bit more water really because the days are hot now, but I've had way more than I would normally. Today has been easy really, I think that's because I'm used to fasting. Didn't really feel hungry, feels like any other fast, I can deal with the odd pang. The challenge will be as the days go on. When it feels like I've been on a fastday for days. I'm going to remind myself that this is my choice, I can go back to 5:2 any time and the BSD is only for a matter of weeks. I think I'll be ok if I continue to plan. Looking forward to making courgette fritters tomorrow for lunch and I'll have my usual Monday chicken salad in the evening.
I'm using MFP at the moment to count cals and carbs but will check out that sight you mentioned @Hazelnut20. Thanks for all the help and tips, it is much appreciated. How has your day been? Hope all is going well for you :)
Thanks for that @Barbarita, great set of rules for me to follow.