Week 3 Low Carb Bootcamp - Where we stand at the crossroads ...

[BIWI]

Morning everyone.

So, we enter the fabled week 3.

This week you have a choice. You can either continue with Bootcamp or you can move on to Bootcamp Light:

Rules of Bootcamp Light

Or you can do a hybrid - Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend. Totally up to you and what you find is working for you the most.

Don't forget to enter your weight on the weight tracker - today you should see your graph appear! Or if you prefer, here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

And now - a word of warning!

It is very, very, very common for weight loss to slow down/stop altogether in weeks 3, 4 and/or 5. This seems to be entirely normal. It's probably to do with your body adjusting to low carbing. You will have junked the glycogen stores and a load of water, and will now be burning fat. From here on, weight loss will - and should be - around 1-2lbs a week

Good luck everyone!

Got the peeler on amazon. Think the make is OXO. Its razor sharp, goes through a courgette like a knife through warm butter and I absolutely guarantee it's the best fun you'll ever have with a vegetable :)

Trashcan - I'm finding the opposite in that I'm running much warmer than normal. I'm a cold soul as a rule but I've felt it much less since LCing.

I've also just ordered that peeler. Anyone use any of the cookery books on Amazon?

I'm finding the water much easier to manage. Room temp is easier to drink than fridge cold. Also having a 50cl bottle nearby AT ALL TIMES is key for me. Every time I go near it I have a good long drink of 8-10 large swallows. Four of those and that's another bottle drunk!

Mlig, do come back. sansucre was trying to help, as we all are. Don't take a bit of tough love the wrong way and sabotage yourself

trashcan, am freezing too! Almost sitting on top of the radiator this evening. Haven't eaten enough today so that may be why.

at shouting shit. I feel that way too - am taking everyone's triumphs and tragedies in but stupid iPad is crap at letting me scroll through and answer individuals that aren't right at the top! Loving the thread though.

Another not-brilliant day for me, in that I am having trouble organising myself LC-wise. Haven't caved to the carbs too much though, just made some slightly crappier food choices than I would like and not enough water. Work and home are crazy atm...this is the first time I've sat down today.

Breakfast: protein shake
Lunch: packet of salted popcorn (I know, I know!) and two squares 70% choc
Snack: packet of pork scratchings
Dinner: just cooking haddock with cream and cheese and steamed Savoy cabbage

Couple of bottles of water, couple of coffees.

So not enough water and of course, the popcorn. Only 12g carb per pack so not a total disaster but far from ideal. Could've been cake though!

Going to focus on the water and fat tomorrow.

"Love the graph! It's amazing! As is the spreadsheet."

Nell you are adorable , but don't pretend the spreadsheet is anything like as good as the tracker with the graph!

i'm really keeping the spreadsheet going just in case some people prefer it to the tracker

Yes, apologies Willie - the spreadsheet was really only supposed to be a back up in case the Weight Tacker didn't work!

I've gone from hating the Greek yogurt to loving it, in the space of a week! Though I do prefer the Rachel's Kitchen one to Total. But they're both nice.

I don't know why but this has really clicked with me. Since I started it properly 8 days ago I've had no problems. I know it's early days yet, but I've had no problems drinking the water, I'm loving the food, all my cravings have gone, and my huge appetite has gone too. It feels like my brain is going 'That's it, this is how you are supposed to eat!' I hope that doesn't sound annoying to people having teething troubles, I'm just so pleased. I've tried so many diets, and it was always a struggle. I feel I'm just cruising along with this one and it's lovely!

I'm trying to work up the courage to try a bulletproof coffee again as last time I enjoyed it but felt a bit queasy afterwards. For a beginner would 200 ml decaf coffee, 1 tsp butter, 1 tsp coconut oil work? Also do you blend it using a stick blender or in a jug blender? I already drink rooibos tea with coconut oil in but I just let the oil float on top of that.

Do you think it's possible to make low carb Baileys? Whiskey and cream over ice? Just asking for a friend, like

Today's been good, but craving chocolate tonight for some reason:
B: eggs, ham, butter
L: hot smoked salmon, salad olive oil
D: lamb leg steak fried in butter, creamy cheesy leeks and courgettes

Just having a decaf with cream to take my mind off green and blacks.

Gatorade - me too! Plain yogurt was always far too tart for me. Hated the stuff. Now all I can taste is the creaminess. Lovely.

Nonsense willie, the spreadsheet is marvellous! They totally confuse me with cells and formulas and stuff so I think you're very clever. Fortunately for me, and everyone else in my department, I rarely have to touch them.

Calamity thanks for the Amazon tip off re. raunchy vegetables - and thank you arselikekylie (oh I wish) for the Lakeland link.

Organised a Taste of Scotland (late Burns Night) at work today with mini cups of haggis, neeps, tatties, whiskey sauce, Irn Bru and shortbread for everyone. Needless to say, I obviously sampled all bar the tatties, but in minuscule amounts. Hopefully not too much damage - I had but a sip of Irn Bru, honest BIWI, I swear I'm not going to revert to Sugary Twatdom.

trashcan and tea, I'm freezing too and I'm currently snuggled on the sofa under two blankets with the central heating on too. And a halogen heater! This draughty old house is like a morgue.

That's enough shouting shit from me tonight, keep going everyone!

Stuntnun I could never stomach the butter so have 2 coconut coffees. Just do them expresso size, big lump of coconut oil in to melt and a dollop of cream. Stir, mouthful, stir, mouthful gone

Ooh Bombero I was going to do filter coffee but I could totally make espresso instead, or more likely a lungo.

Apologies if you felt I was being harsh or like I was attacking you, I honestly didn't think you'd be so sensitive. I'm trying to help you, much like the others.

I'm a therapist, so I probably should have toned down my words a little but to be frank, I wasn't harsh at all and the advice I gave you is perfectly valid, all this obsessing about the numbers on the scale is making you stressed, and as BIWI has said, this releases cortisol which will hinder weightloss.
I also stand by my comments about you not giving this a proper timescale to see a change, you want instantaneous results, and that's just not how diets work. Well, not sensible one. And besides, this isn't a diet, it's about changing how you eat for life, and why it's referred to as a WayOfEating.

Reading between the lines of a lot of what you've said over the various threads and you seem to give up on diets really easily. That's not a criticism, it's an observation. (Often when I read your posts I find myself saying out loud that you need to relax and stop stressing, you'll get there in the end.) Weight doesn't just go on overnight, it's taken months and years, so it's not going to come off overnight either.

Ultimately, I just want you to stop worrying, relax and realise you've made a great start, and with time and possibly a few modifications to your meals - more water and fat, things will get moving again. And most pertinently, stop weighing yourself!

So, apologies if you felt attacked, it wasn't meant that way.

Yes you will adjust to it.

Feeling more human today thanks BIWI for the carb flu reminder
(Note I'm not on BC just paleo and lurking but BIWI keeps me in order)

B - total yog, double cream, raspberries, vanilla
L - roast chicken, baby spinach, spring onion, cucumber, anchovies, Caesar dressing
T (was at pole fitness) almond milk, flax powder, protein, PB
Snack - chicken, crispy bacon
4l water

Hello there! I'm happy to delurk now that I know it's ok to shout shit

I started this in the soft-start week and am 7lbs down. Hurrah! Have stayed the same this week and am taking this as a sign that I am responding in a typical low carber way.

I am loving this WOE and am thrilled to have 'discovered' some new foods: coconut oil, courgetti ( omg -where has this been all my life), cauli-rice, saag and many more.

My skin is clearer, I have lost inches ( not measured but can feel by my clothes), better sleep, teeth feel nicer, my mood is really positive.

I really liked a previous poster's attitude to 'off plan' meals: ie make the wisest choices and only choose the carby things that you will actually enjoy. I think it's a concept from the Dukan Diet that it's ok to have a celebration meal then use the next day to even it out. Sounds very do-able to me.

Thanks to everyone and especially the thread starter / spreadsheet gurus

lighthousekeeping I have the following books:

Low carb living for families www.amazon.co.uk/Low-carb-Living-Families-Monique-Forslund-ebook/dp/B00EDLEUD0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390946416&sr=8-2&keywords=Low+carb+for+families

Some good recipes, we tried the meatballs in gravy recipe for tea and was yum

Low carb revolution www.amazon.co.uk/Low-Carb-Revolution-Comfort-Eating/dp/0857831828/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390946525&sr=8-1&keywords=Low+carb+revolution

Looks good, has recipes that we want to try but a few recipes have root veg such as beetroot and carrot so not suitable for bootcamp or weightloss (I think) but ok for maintainers

The paelo diet www.amazon.co.uk/The-Paleo-Diet-Food-Designed/dp/0857832271/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390946565&sr=8-1&keywords=daniel+green+paleo

Not strictly low carb but there are quite a few good recipes and some easily adaptable ones.

I have another slow cooker low carb which is I think is this one:

Low carb slow cooker recipes www.amazon.co.uk/200-Low-Carb-Slow-Cooker-Recipes/dp/1592330762/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_9 by Dana Carpender

I used to have another of her books. Some good recipes but American so not as easy to find all the ingredients, most recipes don't appeal and a lot have artificial sweeteners added which don't appeal to me.

I did have this one which I know others have but personally I didn't find it much use in terms of recipes that we liked

The low carb gourmet www.amazon.co.uk/The-Low-Carb-Gourmet-Karen-Barnaby/dp/1405087935/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_8

Hth! Anyone else got any good recipe books? I get a lot of recipes online esp from mumsnet boot campers!

Succumbed to sugary twatdom today. On medical advice! I went to give blood (after a two hour presentation thing at school where I avoided the bacon rolls) and it was coming up to lunchtime. Was asked if I'd eaten since breakfast and as I hadn't the nurse asked me to eat a pack of biscuits! So I did. . Then after I gave blood I had a cuppa and the guy I was sitting next to gave me a Club Milk and I had that too.

And I am really struggling with the water.

Rest of food was ok today. Really wanted wine tonight but resisted.

Well done on giving blood cider! You totally could have fainted if you hadn't eaten something.

For the first time ever, I felt I could have gone to work without make up on as my skin looked soooooo much better and not as red.

This WOE is life changing.

Chipping....stocked up on low carb reductions at Waitrose today.

Quail eggs £1
Smoked salmon £1.25
Ham 59p
Asparagus free
Broccoli 39p
Salad 29p
4 aberdeen angus burgers 89p

Twas mega!! ,

Thanks so much for that LittleMiss Googoo and BIWI. She'll love it over there, I know that, and I'm sure the time will fly by.

Gerry now that's a good idea - low carb ready meals for people too busy to do all the planning and cooking.

Hugh isn't most of Somerset still under water? Maybe I could open a low carb boat?

Heir glad you enjoyed the curry and glad it worked well with the different ingredients. I'll have to try it with beef some time.

Chipping I'm sure we could come to some arrangement if you want to hire me as your personal chef... I must warn you that I come as a package with a very demanding little cocker spaniel though.

at everyone shouting shit. It's lovely to hear how everyone's getting on and it's sometimes hard to keep up with the thread when it moves so fast.

I'm knackered and aching so must go to sleep shortly. A not altogether good day today foodwise. Didn't eat properly as didn't have time and then found myself with weak willpower later and had a large glass of red. Then I licked the cake mix bowl. Then I ate a couple of mouthfuls of cake shavings. This is why I would never choose to bake this stuff or have it in the house - I am weak!

I'm not going to have time to make the low carb dessert I'd planned to have instead of cake tomorrow, as the sponges I made aren't thick enough so I'm going to have to start again in the morning. Arsebiscuits. I've accepted that I'm going to eat cake and just enjoy my girl's birthday. I'll be back on the case on Thursday but tomorrow is going to be a whirl of frantic activity as I still haven't finished packing and got everything organised. Aaaarrrgghh!

L - half a pack of boursin with some little tomatoes
S - a bit more of the same
D - ragu bolognese with courgette pasta

Rup WTF can't I get bargains like that in our Waitrose?? [indignant] I'll have to complain and demand that they give me some better bargains!