It starts today but help make it last!

[MrsTatum1980]

I know bootcamp starts next week but my head is there now so I'm starting low carbing today...again! And there is the problem.
How do people sustain this WOE? I can manage about a fortnight especially if the results are good from a weight loss viewpoint but then I crack! Once I fall off the low carbing, I fall off it big time and binge, destroying the good work.
So how do you sustain it for the long term? How do you make it fit in with every day life and be able to have the occasional takeaway? Eat out? Any support would be gratefully received as I'm feeling determined and want this to work!

[AStoneBeforeChristmas]

I've started today too. Possible holiday in 10 weeks so would like to shift 21lbs. Is this achievable??

[ProfYaffle]

I've been low carbing for 4 months and absolutely love it. I really enjoy the food and find it quite easy to fit into every day life. Eg tonight I'm making spag bol for dinner, everyone else has it with normal pasta, I'll be having courgette 'spaghetti', if we have burgers everyone else has normal rolls but I'll have an oopsie roll (batch cooked, from the freezer)

Eating out is relatively easy. The only thing I can't do is eat in coffee shops/tea shops/bakery type places. I normally end up with either a full English breakfast (minus beans and hash browns), steak and salad, omelette, salad with fish or chicken. Our local pub now does the option of salad instead of potato with every main course so I might have Hunter's Chicken with salad for example. Indian is easy if you stick to tandoori plus veg side dishes, chinese is also doable if you stay away from the sweet sauces.

Yesterday we had an impromptu picnic, we called at Morrisons for the food, I had a combination of salad bar plus hot deli options, cooked chicken, pork crackling etc

Pinterest is a great source of inspiration for me too, just search for low carb recipes.

[AStoneBeforeChristmas]

ProfYaffle how much have you lost in 4m?

[ProfYaffle]

2.5 stone. The rate of loss seems to vary a lot though.

[MrsTatum1980]

Thanks Prof... I'm still on maternity leave and that chunk of cake at coffee shops is proving my downfall! I think secretly I know there are good choices I can make but it's avoiding a side of chips or cake with a drink.
A Stone, holiday dday is 9 weeks for me! We can do this. Previously I've lost around 10lbs in a fortnight low carbing but then I eat for Britain for the next fortnight! This time round I want to keep it up and keep it off!

[ProfYaffle]

Yes, that is difficult. Personally when my dc were very small I just wasn't mentally in the right place to turn down cake etc. Mine are older and I'm finding it much easier. When you're in the thick of the baby stuff, not sleeping, finding it hard to make time for yourself, that bit of cake is a reliable quick fix. (not sure I'm helping tbh! )

[MrsTatum1980]

Haha you started so well with great ideas and now you're letting me have cake!
It's not too bad as he's 8 months and my 2nd so the sleep is getting there and I feel my head is there now. I find I only manage to lose weight and be slim (ish by my standards) when I'm miserable, I'm currently really happy with most aspects of my life (bar weight) so the weight creeps on (plus 3 stone of baby weight/daily mars bars) but then that's like the missing piece of the happiness jigsaw!

[Iamblossom]

Eating on the run is the hardest thing, garages, train stations etc, so being prepared is key.

After two or so weeks you will find you break the sugar addiction and will find you just don't crave the sweet stuff any more. I promise.

[MrsTatum1980]

I find I get to about a fortnight by doing meal plans and being very organised but then I just binge. I don't know whether it's a sense of 'I'm not allowed it' or lack of willpower but I totally agree that the hunger pangs decrease and I like feeling less bloated etc but I can't get past 14 days. It's like a mental block, I'm telling myself I'm depriving myself of 'good' stuff like cake and I just have to have it (and large amounts!) but logically I know it's not good stuff! I think if I can break the fortnight barrier I can do it...only 13 more days to go!
Can I ask, do any of you low carbers

[MrsTatum1980]

Oops posted too soon
Do you drink alcohol? I know it's frowned upon and previously I've totally abstained when low carbing but it doesn't suit my lifestyle. I love a glass of wine on a night when the children are in bed and a prosecco when with friends, if it's a couple of nights a week, can it work?

[Iamblossom]

I drink every night although try and have two nights off a week. I drink gin and slim in the week and red wine at weekends.

[AStoneBeforeChristmas]

Mrs Tatum I'm with you on the children issue! My 3 are teenagers but I also foster and currently have two babies. When sleep is good all is ok but when sleep is not, then I feel almost entitled (!) to eat cake and biscuits!

Anyway, 12st 7lb this morning. We will do this!

[MrsTatum1980]

Sleep deprivation definitely means an entitlement to cake!
Around 12:7 is where I want to be in 9 weeks but is pretty impossible as I'm (sob sob) in the 14st bracket and only bloody just! The very high 14's! I was in the 16 stone bracket in Feb though, desperately clutching at positives. It's coming down but way too high, I've never been this big.

Bloody kids (ignoring my lack of willpower, love of fatty foods and eating for 2, hmm maybe more like 5 during pregnancy!)
Scrambled eggs and ham for breakfast tomorrow to look forward to!

[Panadbois]

I have started low carbing since last week, since my husband is loosing loads on it and he cooks a lot for the family . So I had an eureka moment and decided to eat what he does. (He never got SW so wasn't helpfull!)
Now I'm following his lead, it's easy to stick to. I have lost 9 pounds this week!!
Haven't been constipated, but did get a couple of headaches.
I drink red wine and have been away to a hotel Saturday night.
Here's hoping I'll stick to it until I loose another 3 stones

[ShebaQueen]

What's an oopsie roll ProfYaffle?

[AStoneBeforeChristmas]

9lbs in a week is incredible! I could be nearly where I want to be in a fortnight! Let's see what the scales say tomorrow.

[ProfYaffle]

Re alcohol, yes I do drink but I try to stick to wine. I've not lost this week and it's because a few beers have been creeping in lately so I need to sort that out. I did an experiment using ketostix (the thing you dip in urine to see if you're producing ketones) and I stayed in ketosis even after quite a lot of wine.

I would point out though that I am strict about exercising regularly. I do kettle bells 4 times a week and make sure I'm challenging myself with more weight/harder workouts etc. I think that helps the woe be a bit more forgiving for me.

Oopsie rolls are bread roll substitutes made from eggs and cream cheese - have a Google, there are loads of recipes out there. They are a bit of a faff so I tend to make a large batch and freeze them. They don't taste of much (but neither does bread!) but they're handy for burgers.

[ProfYaffle]

Just noticed your 'love of fatty food' - hold that thought, on this woe you get to eat all the fat!

By the way, my top tips for coping when out and about: have an Atkins bar of some sort in the glove box of the car for emergencies and buy some full fat mayonnaise sachets off Amazon to keep in your handbag so cope with 'naked salad' emergencies.

[AStoneBeforeChristmas]

12st 5lb. I have a cup of tea and really would like some Rich Tea to go with it...

[MrsTatum1980]

Don't do it! Step away from the biscuits!
I'm not weighing until next tues in the hope I get a 'big' boost! Thank you everyone for your ideas and advice! I drank that much water yesterday I had to get up 3 times in the night but other than that, I'm still feeling positive.
I'm upping my walking but I tried Zumba about 8 weeks after giving birth and I swear I nearly died! 5 months on and I'm still scared to go back. I'm hoping as the lbs drop off I'll feel more energetic. It's 2 miles one way on the school run so I'm going to leave the car for at least drop off or pick up which will mean a minimum of 4 miles a day and I walk so I'm out off breath so hopeful that will make a small difference. I've also just dragged my stepper out of the shed so will aim for at least 15 mins a day of that too!

[MrsTatum1980]

Out of breath oh the shame! Lack of Carbs is affecting my spelling!

[AStoneBeforeChristmas]

12st 4lb.

[MrsTatum1980]

Well done! What are you eating?
I made a cottage pie with cauliflower topping last night...it may take some getting used to!
breakfast: ham omelette
Lunch: homemade mushroom soup Dinner: The interesting cottage pie with plenty of cauliflower and served with broccoli and green beans!
Then I disappeared upstairs from 8pm to resist the call of any snacks!!!
Think I need to up my veg/salad intake so that's the plan for today

[ProfYaffle]

Try mashed celeriac on the cottage pie with cheese topping - it's really nice.