Week 4 Low Carb Bootcamp - Keep on keeping on

[BIWI]

Morning.

I see that some of us are struggling.

I see that there is a lot of cheating.

Hmm. I wonder if there is a connection

Seriously folks, this is not a terribly forgiving WOE. The idea of Bootcamp Light was to give you a bit more flexibility, but not to send you spiralling into a chocolate and alcohol-fuelled frenzy!

Come and confess all on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness or on your own personal Weight Tracker

Remember that weight loss may stop in weeks 3 and 4 - sometimes 5. It takes this long for your body to become keto adapted, i.e. to switch fully from carb-burning to fat-burning.

And if you're continually pushing up your daily carb intake, all you are doing is delaying this process

Hope you all have a good week.

Just logging on to say god morning before the laptop munching 1 year old gets up.

To everyone who has posted picture of their losses - well done, you are all amazing! And Eva, that loss is a serious achievement!

It's great to hear about how much people have lost - lots of positive inspiration.

Ambassador: good luck today. Don't beat yourself up about it too much - mistakes happen and it's done now. Are you still going to do the race? Can I ask you how long it took for running to feel any thing other than hard on LC? I'm about 5w in now and it still doesn't feel right.

chester and chance they could give you the roast with salad? You could sneak your own mayo in if you are cheeky like me. I've started saying I'm avoiding sugar and starch, even the hidden ones, as that seems to cover up a whole wealth of fussiness!

The whoosh fairy has been for me and I'm 2lb down on yesterday and 1lb down from last Monday. I can't tell you how happy I am about this - I really thought I'd screwed up my metabolism for good after 25 years of abusing it!

Been better today apart from the beyewtiful Tasmanian cherries DH found at the supermarket but still no breakfast. Mind you, that's a plus as I was sorely tempted by the toast and lime marmalade that DS1 was having!

Lunch - roast beef, with broccoli, carrots, beans + butter, fried mushrooms and gravy. Dh couldn't cope with the concept of doing swede roasties for me so I just had none while the others had potato. Because he cooks every other night, and finds it enough of a chore as it it, I can't persuade him to not do carrots and beans and so on; but I smother them with butter to reduce the effect (ok, I know it doesn't, but it does reduce the GI).
Then this afternoon I REALLY REALLY wanted chocolate, but didn't. I had an ultra low carb energy bar instead. Really does work to knock the chocolate wanting on the head, that. I'm very pleased!
Dinner was 2 large portobello mushrooms stuffed with chopped mushroom stem fried in butter with almond meal, Boursin, chopped chives and grated Parmesan. Then more parmesan sprinkled over the top after putting the stuff into the mushrooms, and melted butter poured around the edges of the mushrooms to aid cooking.
YUM!

Not too bad on the water today (it's hot).

Morning! I am now down to my last remaining nerve, but hoping madly my application for the new house will be accepted Monday or Tuesday.

As for the size 10 thing - yes, I agree it's never good to look in the mirror and berate yourself. But I think BIWI said she was 5'2"? Apologies if not. However, I completely sympathise with what she says: I'm 5'6" and I don't appear to have much, if any, weight to lose if you just look at my numbers. But I have size 4 feet, my hands are off the tiny scale for buying gloves, my head is so titchy I can never buy hats - I genuinely, truly, have that thing called 'a small frame'. My ideal weight is probably about 8 stone - including muscle, I'm a frequent climber and semi-professional gardener as well as the office job - anything over about 8.5 doesn't become wonderful, womanly, voluptous curves. It only becomes extra chins, large jowls, and hugely inflated inner thighs - which with the tiny head, tiny limbs etc etc just looks all kinds of wrong.

So it is entirely possible to be a size 10 and still have extra fat in all the wrong places, depending on height and frame. And it is entirely possible to be just as insecure about it as someone who has more to lose without it being some sort of body dysmorphia or unrealistic discontent.

Thank you, Athelstane. That's absolutely right, both re the extra fat and the insecurity.

You know, some of the comments yesterday were actually quite hurtful. I don't often post about myself or ask for support and I was quite shocked by the responses I had.

Yes, I'm lucky to fit into a size 10 or occasionally an 8 (even if I know that it's vanity sizing - I was never a size 8 when I was in my late teens/early 20s and only weighed 7.5 stones . But that doesn't mean that I don't still have weight to lose.

And yes, I'm only 5 ft 2 and I'm small-framed

Notso I'm glad it's not just me in pedants' corner! Thanks Sarah, I was so irate when I wrote it that I didn't proof read before submitting it. I'll have a read of the Gary Taubes article... glad to see he's getting a voice in the BMJ.

Lookin' good in those photos Goodas. How much have you lost?

Steel WOW! What a difference! for you. You should be in the Daily Wail in one of their feelgood slimming stories with lots of photos!

Athel for you. I'd be gutted if I couldn't eat cheese.

at Snowie all excited by the Whoosh Fairy's visit!

Cider oops at slagging off kinesiology to someone who's trained in it! I had a lovely tutor years ago who was a biomedical scientist but also a kinesiologist. In fact I've just found her here. Personally I found that the more I learned about science, the less I believed in all the woo stuff, but that doesn't seem to follow for some people.

Thanks Ewan and I'm glad you like the chart. Yes I think it would work brilliantly with smoked fish and the smoky taste of the pimentón would complement it.

Athel I do love an artfully scattered prawn! I'm quite a fussy eater and also greedy, that's why I'm prepared to go to the trouble of cooking, I think.

LMiss sorry you were feeling low. You've done so well sticking to this and it's bound to be hard sometimes. You've got a lot on your plate! I loooooove hot cross buns. Couldn't have them in the house I don't think. DP bought a warm crusty ciabatta roll yesterday for his lunch and I felt irrationally furious. And he had toast and jam after his breakfast. And chocolate.

Glad you liked it Daisy. Oh no Notso is the taste of the final product not convincing your DH that the mess in the kitchen is worth it? I like the slow cooker stuff partly because I do all the prep in the morning, clear up the mess and then smell the result cooking all day and know I've got minimal cooking and clearing up left to do.

BIWI at feeling flabby at a size 8-10! How tall are you? Height makes a huge difference. I was very slim indeed at a size 8-10 - I don't really want to be that size again now I'm 40 as I think I'd look a bit drawn. I'd be very happy with a size 10-12, which I'm not too far away from now. I understand what you mean about having flab in certain places though. My waist has always been small compared to the rest of me but I have bigger hips/bum/thighs and stocky legs. And as for my upper arms... It's easy to disguise bum and legs but very difficult to disguise arms, especially in the summer. Hate it. I like being busty though - creates the illusion of a smaller waist in comparison.

Sarah thank you! The charts were actually DP's idea. He trains using Lean techniques, and he and a colleague were talking about cooking and the colleague commented that he was tired of having to read recipes over and over whilst cooking to see which bit he should be doing now. They decided that if recipes had gantt charts - a simple visual representation of tasks and timing, then it would be easier to just refer to that as a reminder, having read the recipe. So I thought I'd give it a go and DP is a spreadsheet wizard so he showed me how to do the charts.

Ambassador hope you're feeling better for your race today.

Gator glad you talked yourself round. Your rider has convinced your elephant not to go galloping into a quicksand of carbs.

Eva that's bloody brilliant. What an achievement!

Thumb if you make up a big bowl of mashed swede beforehand, all you've got to do is reheat a mound of it to go with your roast.

Food yesterday
L - mozzarella, tomatoes, parma ham, olive oil, gran padana grated over
S - cubed halloumi whilst glaring balefully at DP eating his crusty fucking roll
D - fish stew with swede mash and broccoli
Mucho vino, too much tea, loads of water.

I need to make another bowl of swede salad, I think. Although I expect reheated swede mash would probably taste nicer than reheated potato mash which is all kinds of horrible!

I need to try again with the swede crisps as well, I'm still very put off by my incompetence last time.

BIWI - It's not about what size clothes you fit into, is it, it's about what size/ weight YOU feel comfortable at (assuming you don't have an actual eating disorder, which doesn't seem likely from everything you've said so far). And vanity sizing means that a size 12 these days is roughly equivalent to a size 16 from about 20 years ago! One of the reasons I got as podgy as I did is because I continually fit into size 12 clothes, regardless of my expanding girth - and it wasn't until I cottoned on to the fact that clothes had got bigger that I realised how much bigger I was! [dim]

BIWI cross posted with you. 5' 2" is tiny (compared to big ole 5' 8" me) and yes, I can totally see that you could still be feeling like you've got plenty to lose at a size 10. Clothes sizes really are completely relative to height and frame. DD is only just 11 but is over 5', has size 7 feet and takes an adult size 8 in clothes already! She's fairly big framed (not at all overweight), like me and her 6' 3" dad. I have a friend who is 5' 2" and a very petite frame, and she feels overweight when she's in size 10 clothes. She also complains that she holds the fat around her middle, actually, but she has lovely slender legs and arms.

Sorry you feel unsupported. I agree that you rarely post about yourself - you are always helping all the rest of us! [wheat and sugar-free ]

BIWI This is just a quick post on my phone before church, but I didn't want to read and run. I really apologise if you were hurt by anything I said. I was really glad you'd posted your stuff, and maybe if the sizes had been left out of the post I wouldn't have recoiled, but it's your stuff and you are entitled to put in there what you wish. You fit the definition of massively amazingly successful to me and maybe I should have just said that and owned the fact that I felt disgusting (I try not to mention weight or size in my posts but amounts lost, and a 'lot to lose'- tho it is public record on the spreadsheet) by comparison. My comparison being the problem, clearly. Thank you for sharing your feelings because I think it encourages us to do the same.

Eva you are very encouraging, and are helping me believe that just maybe I might get beyond my initial goal.

And here... I'm pretty happy with how I look in clothes now, thanks to BIWI and the support of all you wonderful bootcampers since last spring, but I know I've still got a bit more to lose and I wince when I see my naked legs, upper arms and overall lack of tone. I bet many will think 'well what's she complaining about ' but our body image is a hugely subjective and emotive thing, and we're all on the same path.

I took this before the wedding a couple of weeks ago.

I'm another 5'2" petite build... in my teens/prekids, I was 7.5-8st and I have to be honest... I never appreciated how good I looked (what is it with teens/young adults and body image?!) 8st is my aim again though I'll be comfortable at 8.5 but I know that I'll get comments of "too thin" and "you look ill" - I don't, DH has told me I don't, it's just people have got used to me carrying that bit extra weight from having the kids and can't get used to me carrying less. Crabby I'm the same as your friend, the extra weight is on my thighs and a little bit on my tum! everywhere is else is slim - my thighs are what make the difference between a size 8 and a size 10 - what fits my thighs are too loose round my middle (and what fits my waist is too tight round my thighs...) but I also find different brands fit differently so peacocks size 8 fit great yet m&s size 8 are too tight... I hate clothes shopping(!)

BIWI I think whatever your weight, you will get comments, it seems to be the way of the world that however we are, someone will critise - you only have to look at celebs & the daily fail/forums to see that. I've come to the conclusion that I have to be comfortable for myself and that in effect chooses the weight/clothes size I'm aiming for. The only opinion I value is my dh's - he knows my weight prekids,, he's seen me at my heaviest, he knows my turmoil about it and more importantly he knows when I look good. I think you have to do the same - aim for whats right for you and ignore everyone else!

Looking good Crabby

Yep, it's whats hidden that makes us cringe...... I'd hate for anyone to see my flab!

BIWI you are so lovely, always around with helpful/straight talking advice and support, I'm sure the posters' comments that have upset you were not meant to be hurtful - and there's no reason why you shouldn't come on here and talk about how you feel after your trip to M&S changing rooms - clothes shopping can be hideous at the best of times.

Your desire to be the best you can be is just as valid as anyone else's. So if you are feeling pissed off after your shopping trip you can come here and say it! Everyone else would!! We are all in it together, to coin a phrase argghhhh, whether we want to lose a few pounds or a few stone. I'm so glad I found this forum - (although I don't post often and struggle to keep up at times it really is helping me get my head round a few of my food issues) - and you are one of the reasons it is so good - so thank you

Agree with others about not meaning to offend you BIWI, it was an unexpected post from you, I guess.

BIWI for sharing this WOE and for all your support and encouragement.

I am lighter than I have been since my teens, many years ago, and have maintained it, more or less, over the last 18 months or so.

Probably as a result of loving my new shape I am acutely aware if I do creep up again and when clothes don't fit so well and I return to this thread, usually as a lurker, for support and encouragement.

Cor, Crabby

I agree with the clothes on/clothes off. Clothes on (in skirts) I look alright. Clothes off, I appear to have lumps of jelly stuck on in unlikely places.

Sympathise with Daisy's thighs, too (see post above). Over about 8.5 stone and trousers that fit over my thighs gape comically at the waist - not just a few inches, but so much so that all a belt will do is create a ridiculous looking inflatable ring of air-filled material between my waist and my arse. I need to wear trousers for a lot of what I do, and I am very, very tired of wincing every time I put them on.

BIWI, I'm 5 2 and a size 8/10, I too have flabby bits which need attention. This WOE is making me ' leaner" , I'm loosing weight slowly but I'm fine with this. Friends and work colleagues never take me seriously if I mention doing more exercise or dropping a few pounds, despite me being very supportive of them when they embark upon a healthy eating plan. One particular work colleague is on a diet at present, when I dare to join in when she is sharing with the office how she survived on 500 calories I am accused of looking for compliments because I don't need to loose weight. But the fact is I do

BIWI, you can SYS on here any time. I was shocked by some of the responses to your post yesterday. I don't suppose for a second anyone would wish to hurt your feelings. I think perhaps your amazing and inspiring hard work on behalf of all on bootcamp means you are viewed as a bit of a guru and are sort of expected to know everything and be super confident. I don't say that as any sort of excuse for you not getting support back when you need it, but by way of tentative application. Hope you're OK.

explanation!

Sorry. And thank you. Right, you can all talk about something else now.

Normal service is resumed ...

Cheese News then: (although have to go out to work in a moment so won't be much of a conversation) I have had No More Cheese and this morning my skin looks lovely - all creamy and even. Not a splodge or a reddish bit in sight. I have to accept at this point that I am clearly sensitive to cheese. I cannot cry enough over this fact.

Except I'm not accepting it (hah!) - I'm going to get some goat's cheese this afternoon and see if that's acceptable to Old Fussy Pants Stomach.

I come today to beg forgiveness.

Last week I went to restaurant and although I tried to make good choices obviously some carbs were consumed. BIWI et all assured me that this was ok. As long as I ate mindfully and enjoyed every mouthful it was all good.

So last night at Fat Buddha, I ate mindfully. And then I ate so more mindfully. I didn't order dessert ( get me!!) but I shared my friend's sticky toffee pudding, it wasn't even nice and there was NOTHING mindful about the way I was spooning in that custard.
So I beg forgiveness and will get right back on the wagon today, I see it as a challenge because I have actually for the first time lost more than 1lb this week, not much more but it made me happy. Really hoping for the weigh in I will have retained my loss, couldn't cope with a plateau or please-god-no-a-gain!!

As it's Sunday and I promise to repent and lash myself for my sins ( not literally, I'm not that brave) can I have forgiveness for eating a pudding that I wouldn't even have when I'm not on this Woe!! ( it wasn't even nice if that helps my case at all)

Thanks all

at athelstane in her quest for the cheese grail.

Posting from my phone, so no chance of a super post, so waving at everyone and SMSing.

BIWI we all have our hang ups, you are as entitled to them as anyone else. We all thank you for your encouragement and support (and stick when needed) and you can always be reassured of ours.

Woke up really late today, I'm going to struggle to catch up with my water...

Huge hugs to you, BIWI. There is nothing like the harsh lighting of a changing room to bring anyone down. I also think that smaller people have a harder time, because you can't hide it as well. I am 5'9" and it is relatively easy for me to be a stone heavier without looking that much different. That wouldn't be the same for you of course. Thank you for all your support . Glad you are feeling more chipper.

Crabby, you look amazing! Wow! I am around your height I think but don't look like that yet very sadly. Are you maintaining now?

Steak and celeriac remoulade for supper last night and beef stew tonight.
Yum yum. Got to take DS shoe shopping in a minute. Wish me strength.

Hope you are all having a relaxing sunday

I'm sorry to hear you're feeling unsupported BIWI. I think a lot of us assume that when we lose weight our bodies will shrink back to the exact same shape they were. I was quite surprised that when I achieved my first goal of a BMI of 22, which sounds ideal, that I still have a flabby tummy and I clearly need to lose more weight to achieve the same figure I had last time I was that BMI.