Week 2 - Low Carb Bootcamp Jan 2014

[BIWI]

Wow! So much nattering that we've filled up the thread before the end of the week!

Here's the link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for tomorrow morning.

And, for the Weight Tracker I'm not quite sure what happens with this link I think that you will be asked to enter your weight for this week and then you will see your individual graph.

I hope you all had a good week last week, and very good luck for week 2.

Ruby this is the cake I made last year. No time to that this year (though considering how long I've spent on this thread this morning, maybe I'm just not prioritising very well!)

Prettybird - thank you, I'll give that a try!

Captain - thank you, I am so sold on this woe I'll be gutted if it doesn't work, and I've read the research too so I don't understand why it wouldn't.. As long as my trend is going down I will stick with it, I do feel lots better in myself. I need to measure myself too, I meant to but inadvertently seem to have lost my tape measure, despite the fact that I run a small wahm sewing business at the business at the moment... I have one ordered from the shop lol!

I haven't been overdoing the bacon and sausage, I buy either 12 or 18 sausages a week, but as well as for me we have a meal a week normally where 5 out of 6 of us eat them, and the bacon I only go through about 6 or 8 rashers a week, depending how many are in the pack lol! My problem is that I struggle with lots of meat, I don't like anything faffy, so last week I bought chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks but me and the hubby don't like that it's on the bone so I've reverted to breast fillets this week. We don't eat lamb or pork, lamb I just can't and pork isn't my favourite and I don't really know what to do with it. I actually used to like crackling though so maybe I should give it a go! I wonder if I eat too much veg? X

Crabby - that sounds awesome and so brave home educating your dd. I thought about it for a while for my babies, but basically chickened out, and now one is at nursery... We're both teachers so I figured we could cope then I realised I don't think I'm organised enough. And we both teach the same subject so it may end up a bit if a narrow education lol

Crabby, I think you might be right tbh, I have done ALL the other diets! Also the hubby who is a bit of a fitness/healthy eating freak was saying the other day thatched never met anyone as overweight as me who eats as little, I reckon I do have metabolism problems. Do you think they can be fixed?

Morning! Flying visit, hope everyone's okay?

I've got my weekend at the seaside starting tonight, so I got weighed this morning to head off depression on Monday. I've lost another 3 1/4lbs! Yes, the 1/4 is important.

That makes over 16lbs since 2nd Jan! So pleased, even if I am likely to eat a few chips tomorrow.

Can I enter this on the spreadsheet on Monday? I don't intend on getting weighed again before next Friday, haha.

mlig i hope he said taht sympathetically!

SayraT if your diet before was just like this with fruit and you got to 17 stone, you might want to look into the possibility of having an underactive thyroid/hashimotos, especially if you have been lacking in energy too. Adrenal gland fatigue often accompanies depressed thyroid function, and makes people even more likely to gain weight.

And - clambering up on my thyroid soapbox for a sec - if anyone gets an exploratory thyroid function blood test, make sure you write down the TSH number. I have been on thyroid medication for years and I only feel well when my TSH is below 2. The NHS currently says people are well as long their TSH is under 5, and I think there are plans to raise the number to 10. So there are a lot of undiagnosed people out there, gaining weight and feeling exhausted with no idea why. I would say that if your TSH is over 3 you should argue for a medication trial (levothyroxine), and look online for ways to help your thyroid (coconut oil is fantastic for revving up the metabolism - while soya is terrible for someone with a low thyroid condition.)

Anyway, I don't want to take over the chat thread with thyroid stuff, but it's worth bearing in mind!

Well done Lucy

YY pisci, I grew up on the Wirral and egg in a cup was a standard offering (mayonnaise? What's that then?). Lovely stuff.

Regarding lack of weight loss - I haven't moved since Monday, so if the whoosh fairy is coming she'd better get a move on - but I realised when I was going through my phone yesterday deleting stuff that I'd taken a pic of myself before beginning BC (BBBC?). I took an identical pic this morning. See the difference in my torso (the BBC one is to show a friend what my Lady Rainicorn scarf looked like but you can still see how big I was)!

Just reveived the new issue of The Week. On the cover 'The demon sugar - Is it really bad for us?' and then the last sentence 'As with anything, too much sugar is certainly bad for you, but it isn't the demonic scourge many of us want it it to be.'

Would like to know who wrote this article,

Well, I posted that before I did the school run, no idea why it's only just popped up now... but I see the thread has now moved on so,

Happy Birthday Fluckety!

Amazing cake, Crabby - DD would love that :)

Gatorade, really interesting re. thyroid. MIL has Hashimotos and has had to have her thyroid removed. SIL was unable to lose weight, exhausted all the time, she kept 'failing' the thyroid test, in the end it was only when she saw the practice nurse for the fifth time and was told 'oh, lots of people get a false negative on this test, let's put you on a low dose and monitor it' that she got any energy back. It seems common knowledge that it's not a very reliable test, I wonder why/if no-one's looking for a better one?

Lucy Yaaay! Well done!

Mlig I went on holiday with a GP friend a while ago who is a size 8 and with whom I have discussed my weight issues (I was size 24-26 at that time). We ate the same and did the same activities all week. At the end of the week she had lost 0.5lb and I had put on 2lb! She was stunned but saw what I meant that I put on weight where others wouldn't! You are not alone.

All I can tell you is from my own experience. I am losing weight on this WOE although more slowly than I would like, partly because I still want to live life to the full so don't turn down dinner invites, drink my own body weight in gin now and again, etc but partly because I think my body is still acclimatising over a year after I started. Although my overall trend is down I still put on weight really easily when I eat indulgently; some people here may remember the howls of anguish when I put on 12lb in a week on my holiday last year eating just the same crap as the rest of the family ate (they all put on just a couple of lb).

I think we have to be kind to our bodies. I was a chubby child with a very sweet tooth then became slim as a teenager because my friends and I were either not eating at all or on one diet or another from about the age of 14. My weight rocketed on the pill, I dieted down again, my weight absolutely rocketed while breastfeeding after both DCs (not during pregnancy oddly) and despite numerous diets the trend remained upwards. By the time I started this it was over 35 years from my first diet so I can't expect my body to stop grabbing and storing any cheaty carbs or calories it can and be a lean, mean fat burning machine within a short time.

My trend is downwards (3 stone 4lbs so far ) which I think is a great thing after everything I have put my body through and I hope, in time, that things will stabilise more.

Good luck and I hope things settle down for you soon

Gatorade I have often wondered if my thyroid is slow and have been recalled to the GP twice when TSH levels have been too low but they redo the test and say within normal limits. I have argued that, if it is fluctuating enough to "fail" twice then there is a concern but the GP says no.

Lovecat I really can see a difference.

Oh, I thought I had invented egg-in-a-cup (I live in Dorset :)) I put Marmite in mine too...

So, up and down for me. Made my first ever oopsie rolls which I was pleasantly surprised with - I needed to make a portable breakfast so had two in a 'sandwich' with cream cheese and ham. Yesterday lunch was fish and chips, totally unavoidable as was at a client event promoting sustainable seafood and that was the only lunch provided! It was jolly nice, but straight back on the bandwagon for me. I think I have lost a lb or so since Monday so hopefully a good weekend will mean not too much damage.

B today was avocado and bacon chopped up and mixed with mayo - bit weird but haven't managed to get to Lidl to procure yogurt yet! Am heading to the pub for lunch so probably steak and salad, and then gammon and egg and (celeriac) chips for dinner.

Holy Moly - I agree CrabbyI miss a day and it all moves on so fast !. I was last in sniggering reading about Dolphin Pose and now we've got Lovecat and her fabulous waist. Not really too

Sorry haven't been on here - no time with mad house.

Posting a pic of what BOTH the bathrooms look like in our house ( not pooing has NOT been a problem - in fact has been most useful, I can assure you)

I have finally cracked today and I am going to stay at my parents with my DDx3 ( leaving poor DH,hindering helping the builders) I am off to the land of Carbtastic delights - so wish me luck team ! Will try and avoid all pushing of . DM is a ' feeder' !

helium 2014 IS your year - sod the bastard and good for you for keeping on keeping on.x

Blizy there are no words but huge hugs a big and everything that snowie said. x

NellVarnish at " how much does snot weigh"

Sorry have turned into a bit of a lurker, I am reading and if I can answer or suggest anything who am I kidding, far roo much of a newbie I will . Happy Friday

Lovecat, that is impressive! Well done you.

Blitzy, I am so very sorry for your loss. 2 years is not a long time in the context of something so sad. Please be kind to yourself and take it gently. Sending you love.

Am having a terrible time at work and fell into wine last night. Fortunately my very high water intake means I am not feeling too rubbish today. Need to crack on with the work now. I'll be back later for a proper catch up.

Morning

Blitzy - have a big squishy hug and be very kind to yourself.

Lovecat - the loss shows.

I had a small blip last night - I have been having dreadful period pains for the last couple of days but no other symptoms so I had a glass of red wine and 50g of tyrrells veg crisps after a very hot bath. My period did actually start last night but it is the first one I have had for 2.5 years because I have an implant.

My ulcerative colitis is playing up a bit at the moment too so last night I was up and down to the toilet and this morning I have lost 4lb.

Yesterday's food was

b-boiled egg, 2 wafer thin slices of ham, small piece of ementhal.
l - prawn, salmon and spinach curry. Natural yoghurt.
d - chilli (leftovers from the night before) courgette and savoy cabbage fried in evo and butter with a splash of lemon juice and a dollop of creme fraiche on the top.
s - wine and crisps as well as 4lt of water.

Today I have had a ham and cheese omelette and am not very hungry now. I might have some yoghurt for lunch and I think we might have gammon with cauliflower cheese for dinner.

I'm grilling some sausages. Does 2.1 carbs in each sound too much? I had a g and t when I got in from work. I needed it. My head is pounding this morning. I wonder why the hangovers are so bad?

So sorry about your beautiful DD, Blizy - take it easy and do whatever you need to do just now.

I'm getting a little better on the water, but still not managing 3L a day.
No breakfast again either - it's so hard to remember, I don't normally eat breakfast!

L - smoked salmon and cream cheese with rocket salad
D - parmesan-crumbed steak with carrots, brussel sprouts, and courgettes and mushrooms fried in butter with garlic salt; followed by yoghurt and cream flavoured with vanilla.

I went to buy a vanilla bean yesterday. ONE vanilla bean cost $5.80 (about £4) so I didn't bother - are they that much in the UK??

Getting better re. cravings in the evening - it's gone 11pm and I've not felt the need to eat anything yet; but last night it hit around midnight. So once I've cracked going to bed early, the late night snacks should stop. My problem is I have to be dropping with tiredness when I go to bed, because DS2 sleeps in with me, so I can't read myself to sleep (as I normally would) without waking him.

Never mind.

I have found a Snack that I like. It's a low carb protein bar in choc mint crisp flavour - it claims to have only 2.1g carb/100g in it, which is amazing - but it contains polydextrose, something I don't know much about, and maltitol, which is a polyol sweetener - are these banned? It's bloody expensive too, at nearly $5 for a 50g bar, so it's only going to be a once a week MAX treat if I can have it.

lighthouse the sausages I buy are 0.6 g carbs per sausage so yours aren't the best but if three sausages are 6 g of carbs it's probably not the end of the world.

Which ones do you buy?

I just weighed myself this morning, and i'm half a pound up from where I was on monday. And I've been really good. Trying not to think about it.
I have 8 adults + my 2 kids here for dinner tonight, trying to make sure I have good options for myself, but it's going to be hard. Making roasties soon and they are one of my weaknesses! I asked about marinading my beef in a carby marinade, which i did do in the end, it's just my best recipe.
Then tomorrow we have been invited out to a friends house for lunch, new friends so I wasn't comfortable telling them that I'm on a diet. Will have to wing it.

Piscivorus In my opinion if the NHS tell you they have any cause for concern over your thyroid at all, there is definitely a problem. As I said, even their 'normal testing range' is woefully inadequate. I can only assume they don't want the expense of treating so many underactive patients, which is silly because eventually most people would become sicker and need more treatment anyway. When my levels got really low my neck muscles seized up. I spent £100s at a chiropractor. As soon as my medication was changed and I went on a supplement regime (often people with u/a thyroid are low in Vit B12 and Vit D as well as iron) I felt better.

I think you should go back, ask for your test results, and insist on a thyroxine trial. The health unlocked thyroid board is fantastic for info and support (also stopthethyroidmadness - it's a US site but very informative). I can talk the hind legs of a donkey about this subject, so I'd better stop, but please PM me if I can help with links or arguments for your GP. (I'll just say, suggesting you'll buy your own medication online can work wonders...)