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Week 3 Little Black Dress Low Carb Bootcamp - or Bootcamp Light!

492 replies

BigBroomstickBIWI · 15/10/2012 08:59

Morning all!

Hopefully everyone has had a good couple of strict weeks, and the scales have rewarded you.

[[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmNIskihgXotdFVPcF9zWUhIal9BbTl5SnlTM3BlWVE#gid=0 Here is the link to the Spreadsheet of Wonderfulness. Enter your weight for today if you haven't already.

We're now ready to move on to Bootcamp Light - if you wish. If you're happy to stay on Bootcamp, then that's fine. Or, perhaps you want to do the hybrid of Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend?

Whatever, here are the rules of Bootcamp Light:

1. Eat when you?re hungry - if you?re not hungry, don?t eat
In Bootcamp, you should have been eating three meals a day. The point of this being to ensure that you got used to eating proper meals, and so that your blood sugar is regulated and stable. Having achieved that, you can now relax this a little bit. If you find you?re not hungry - which often happens, because ketosis suppresses your appetite - then don?t force yourself to eat. But don?t let yourself get so hungry that you make inappropriate choices! Always make sure you have plenty of low carb food to access quickly, if you need to.

2. Avoid processed food
Focus on pure, natural protein as the basis for your meals ? meat/fish/eggs.
You may include processed meats like bacon or (low carb) sausages, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, gammon - but please don?t have these at every meal or every day. As well as being highly processed they often contain undesirable ingredients, can add unnecessary extra carbs into your diet, and often include sugar.

3. Eat lots of fat
Eating fat helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Fry in butter, add butter to vegetables, eat salad with a home-made vinaigrette dressing (not made with balsamic vinegar though, as this is too sweet and has too many carbs), add mayonnaise where you can (just check the carb count on your mayo first). Eat fattier cuts of meat ? e.g. pork belly, roast chicken with the skin on and/or eat the fat off your lamb chops. Absolutely no low fat/light foods of any kind

4. Make sure you are eating vegetables and salads with your food
This is where the bulk of your carbs should come from, and this is non-negotiable. But choose only those vegetables that are on the allowed list. You don?t have to weigh/count carbs ? this is one of the great joys of this WOE (way of eating), but if you?re new to low carbing it can be helpful to weigh your portions of veg in the early days, just so that you know how many carbs are in the sort of portions that you like to eat.

Beware that some of the veg on the allowed list can be surprisingly high in carbs once you make up a portion of it ? this is because they are denser, and therefore you tend to use more ? compare, for example, 100g of onion with 100g lettuce! Keep your focus on those veg which contain 3g carbs per 100g and use these as the focus of your meals. Use those over 3g per 100g sparingly.

5. You may eat some dairy
You should aim to include plenty of butter on this WOE. Fry with it and add it to your vegetables. And if you know that dairy doesn?t impede your weight loss you may eat cheese, but don't overdo it. Full fat yoghurt is the best way to include dairy in your diet - but beware, it does contain carbs. Total Full Fat is the best.

If you?ve been cutting out tea/coffee, you can re-introduce this ? but just be careful how much milk you end up drinking. You can end up adding a lot of extra carbs this way.

6. You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day
Even if you?re drinking more tea/coffee than in Bootcamp, this is still a non-negotiable part of this WOE. And the more weight you have to lose, the more water you should drink. Water helps to flush out the ketones that your body will product ? so flushing out the fat. However, drinking this amount of water can affect your electrolyte balance; you need to make sure that you get plenty of sodium and potassium. There is less need to worry about restricting salt if you?re eating a low carb diet. Good sources of potassium are salmon and avocado. You could also consider supplements if you have an issue with this.

7. You may drink some alcohol
But restrict this to once or twice a week max. Vodka with soda is the best thing to drink. Or Champagne, red wine or dry white wine. Absolutely no beer/lager, cider, liqueurs, cocktails or full sugar mixers. You can drink spirits with artificial sweeteners, but bear in mind that we are attempting to avoid all things artificial!

Alcohol is the easiest source of fuel for your body, and it will use this over and above anything else that is available to it. Therefore, even if you?re following the diet absolutely to the letter, including alcohol can prevent weight loss.

8. You may eat some fruit
"Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and rhubarb are all fine. But please ? only once a day at the very most, and keep an eye on your portion sizes. Just for information ? these are the carb counts:

Rhubarb ? 0.8g carbs per 100g (but don?t forget you will need to sweeten this ? and not with sugar!)
Blackberries ? 4.4g carbs per 100g
Raspberries ? 4.6g carbs per 100g
Strawberries ? 6g carbs per 100g
Blueberries - 6.4g carbs per 100g (although this is a bit controversial - I have had differing carb counts from various sources - some saying as much as 12g carbs per 100g)

9. You may eat some nuts/seeds
"Nuts/seeds can make a good snack. BUT it is incredibly easy to overdo it, and you can end up eating your bodyweight in carbs. As an occasional snack they are great, but keep it occasional and keep the portions to a small handful at most.

Macadamias are not only luscious, but they are very low in carbs. Sainsbury?s sell little bags of roasted, salted Macadamias that work out at around 4g per bag.

Here are some carb counts ? BUT ? check the back of your packets as I don?t know if these are for raw or roasted nuts:
Pistachios 4.6g carbs per 100g
Macadamias 4.8g carbs per 100g
Pecans 5.8g carbs per 100g
Almonds 6.9g carbs per 100g
Peanuts 7.1 g carbs per 100g
Cashews 18.1g carbs per 100g

10. Avoid artificial sweeteners
The aim of Bootcamp was to help reduce the stranglehold that sugar has on us ? and to curb your sweet tooth. But it does make some things difficult, e.g. desserts at a dinner party, and it is undeniable that it can be enjoyable ? occasionally ? to eat something sweet. However, restrict such goodies. For some people, artificial sweeteners can impede weight loss.

Good luck for the forthcoming week!

OP posts:
hurricanewyn · 15/10/2012 09:03

Thanks BIWI - just marking my place for this week Smile.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 15/10/2012 09:11

Marking my place, but I am a week behind so still on proper full-on bootcamp. Smile

BigBroomstickBIWI · 15/10/2012 09:13

Oh dear - link fail - let's try again:

The spreadsheet

OP posts:
Collywibbles · 15/10/2012 09:16

Stayed the same - sigh.......

WillieWaggledagger · 15/10/2012 09:25

thanks biwi

am continuing with bootcamp for the next couple of weeks

i think this bootcamp has been extra-tough for quite a few people because it has coincided with the first illnesses of the winter (rather than just carb flu). hope people are on the mend now!

motherofluvlies · 15/10/2012 09:41

hi morning all,I have lost 5 this week so I am delighted as I am also very pmt so probably retaining.Was hard work though but those dresses spurred me on .Good luck everyone and thank you for all the encouragement and time put into the thread.
onwards and downwards.

BigBroomstickBIWI · 15/10/2012 09:42

I think you're right, Willie. There's a lot of Something around at the moment!

OP posts:
motherofluvlies · 15/10/2012 09:44

Oh we had chorizo rapido yesterday.unusual but delicious
Fry fennel bulb pepper onion add chorizo& sprinkle manchego over to melt.( IDP recipe) lovely for a change for lunch.

dotty2 · 15/10/2012 09:44

1lb down. Moderately pleased with that as I fell off the wagon on Saturday. Back on it now. Intending to do bootcamp for the rest of this week, then mix bootcamp during the week with lite weekends.

I am doing a sponsored 24h fast for charity on Tuesday/Weds. I didn't really want to, but I am on the steering group of the charity and some of our supporters had offered to do it, and I felt I needed to show them solidarity. I am a bit anxious about how it will effect me (will I be able to make it through the day?) but hoping that by being v. strict with my carbs until I start I will make it easier for myself. Thanks for the spreadsheet, and all the fab support, BIWI.

DIYapprentice · 15/10/2012 09:58

Down 2 lbs, which is great, given all the cold and flu medication I'm having.

That Something has well and truly hit this house!!! Cold has got to my chest, so am taking it easy for the next few days. Both DSs are ill with it, poor DS2 coughed his way through the night.

I'm moving to boot camp lightish. Will stay off the alcohol for a bit longer, no parties/outings planned for the moment. Will have some berries, but will try to only use nuts as part of cooking rather than snacking (otherwise those damn pistachios will push me off piste!) except for some peanut butter (sugar free variety from Sainsburys) in celery as a snack. If i stay too strict while feeling this crap I'm far more likely to fall off the wagon, whereas if I plan a low carb pudding with berries in it I will hopefully stay on track.

I've made a lovely low carb flan/pie using soya flour before which I got from a normal recipe book but adapted using the Atkins recipe book which I might pull out for next weekend!

foosty · 15/10/2012 10:02

morning all!

4lbs down this week - after my zero loss last week I am v v pleased. Not giving up now!

So the restricting dairy thing seems to be working for me, along with reducing my portion sizes by about a third. And I'm not hungry! Yay!

Keep going everyone. Smile

Jacaqueen · 15/10/2012 10:03

Marking this thread.

I am away this week with DH and the boys. I am going to try my very best to stay on plan, but realistically it will probably be more Bootcamp light. We are fitting a new kitchen in our holiday home so cooking facilities are limited. Lots of lovely eateries nearby though so we will not starve.

vnmum · 15/10/2012 10:15

Well done all the losers this week. anyone who has gained or sts, jusT keep on keeping on and next week will be better.

1.5lb off for me this week making me 9st 8. Just 1lb off my interim target where I assess if I am happy or want to lose more. I want to lose more Smile maybe a stone.

seeing as everyone has been putting up their dresses Mine is this. It is for my xmas ball and I would like to be able to get in the 10 (formal wear usually being smaller than normal clothes)

cathyandclaire · 15/10/2012 10:18

Well done everyone on fantastic losses Grin and fingers crossed that all poorly bootcampers will feel better soon.
I'm 1.5 lb down, but better than that my body fat has dropped from 32% to 27.9% on the proper gym machine...whoop whoop!!!!!
I'm going to try and move to Bootcamp light now, problem is I'm an all-or-nothing girl [ eg...oh bugger I've had a slice of watermelon I may as well scarf that jumbo bag of Maltesers too]
I know we're not counting but I've vaguely calculated that I've been having 20-30g carbs, so going to go up to 40g this week with some nuts and berries and then reassess next week. No doubt a little alcohol may wet my lips at the weekend too! Wink

vnmum · 15/10/2012 10:18

Ewan when i first started my cycle went a bit irregular. First one was early then a couple were a week late then I seemed to get on to a 28 day cycle.

DIY Hope you are feeling better soon. If it doesn't clear off your chest in a few days you may need antibiotics.

Hope everyone else who is under the weather starts to feel better soon

BigBroomstickBIWI · 15/10/2012 10:18

That's nice, vnmum - what colour are you going for?

OP posts:
clare8allthepies · 15/10/2012 10:23

Hooray 2 pounds off after staying the same last week, only 6 pounds to go to the magic 9 stones! Smile

Jins · 15/10/2012 10:26

I kept my pound off but it was touch and go as I had a massive problem with bloating and water retention again this weekend

toomuchmonthatendofthemoney · 15/10/2012 10:29

Morning all, thanks biwi I am 2lbs down at 161.

Can I say I am a teeny weeny bit disappointed? I have been very strict, stuck to the rules, no booze or cheats (apart from a splash of milk in my decaf coffee) and after my 7lb loss week 1, I was kinda hoping maybe for half that, 3/4 to push me under 160. I have my period and probably didn't drink quite enough water over the weekend, 2 rather than 3 litres I would guess I was doing during the week. Does decaf coffee count in fluid total?

Still, 2lbs I will hopefully never see again, and will keep going. I know it takes 4 of my cups to make a litre of water, so I've put a stickie on the cupboard nearest the tap marked with 1 to 12 and will tick them off so I will know I've done 3litres today!

It's school holidays here so I will need to be ahead with planning lunches to take out etc. think I will stay on bootcamp as have no social things this week so no need of cheats.

Good luck everyone, I really get a lot from this thread Thanks

bubblecar · 15/10/2012 10:30

Hi everyone. Can I join you? Would love to lose a stone (or more!) by Christmas and fit into a size 10/12 instead of my current 14. Well done all on their losses so far.

toomuchmonthatendofthemoney · 15/10/2012 10:32

Ooh VNMum foxy dress!! Luurve it.

frumpet · 15/10/2012 10:33

Got weighed last night and have lost another 3llbs , yayGrin

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vnmum · 15/10/2012 10:37

BIWI I Am thinking of the bluey colour. I think the green would be too in your face and the red is a bit usual for xmas time IYGWIM.

toomuch The first week will always be a better loss due to the water loss. 2lb is a good loss especially when you think that on this woe it will be 2lb of fat rather than abit of fat and a bit of muscle like you get on low cal/low fat.

AuntieMaggie · 15/10/2012 10:45

Just marking my place...

Welldone everyone :)

I'm going to stick with bootcamp as only my 2nd week. Hoping I haven't got the something but my tongue is really dry and minging on top of the other stuff...

MsRinky · 15/10/2012 10:52

A pound off for me, not bad considering. Want to do better this week though.

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