Week 3 - Low Carb Bootcamp - the hard work is over!

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Well done everyone for getting through the first two weeks. Still a bit of carb flu around by the sound of it though. Remember it's really important to keep your electrolyte levels up, with all the water that we're drinking. This means plenty of salt!

I know we're all told to keep the salt down, but it's (yet another) thing when you're low carbing that runs counter to expectations. Cook with it, and put it on your food.

Here's a really good post about salt and why we need it

As well as sodium, we also need magnesium and potassium - salmon, spinach, avocado and (full fat) natural yoghurt are all good.

Bootcamp Light

So now, if you want to, you can move on to Bootcamp Light. The rules for this are on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

(Oh, and don't forget [[www.mumsnet.com/bootcamp the Weight Tracker as well)

Essentially the differences are that you can, if you want, start to skip breakfast if you're not hungry - I know that lots of people have problems with eating first thing. By now you should have stabilised your blood sugar levels, so if you're not hungry in the morning (or at any other time of the day) you don't have to force yourself to eat. Just make sure you don't end up ravenous later on and without anything appropriately low carb to eat!

You can introduce some fruit - berries or rhubarb only (although bear in mind that rhubarb will need to be sweetened, which will mean using an artificial sweetener; stevia is probably the best one to use - brands are PureVia or Truvia.) But be careful not to go mad - it's an occasional thing, and in moderation!

Similarly with nuts and seeds. These can be introduced now as snacks, but go easy. They can quickly add lots of carbs to your diet. Almonds and macadamias are the lowest in carbs. And if in doubt, check the carb count on the back of the packet

And you can also introduce alcohol, but with the same warnings about moderation! Spirits like vodka and gin are the best, as these are low carb - drink them with sparkling water or - if you have to - slimline tonic. Champagne, dry white and red wine are allowed, but these do have carbs, so go easy.

The week 3 (or 4, or 5) stall

PLEASE NOTE! IT IS VERY, VERY COMMON FOR WEIGHT LOSS TO STOP ALTOGETHER AT THIS POINT.

This is to do with your body switching from carb-burning to fat-burning - StuntNun posted a really good post about this last week, I think, and I'll ask her to re-post. It is entirely normal and doesn't signal that you're doing anything wrong.

However - you may feel, knowing this, that you want to stay on Bootcamp for a bit longer. There is no problem doing that, as long as you are getting your carbs from vegetables and salad. You may want to consider doing Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

So good luck everyone! Here's to another good week

Hello all

Staying on track with bootcamp and so far so good. I am managing to make food for both myself and my DH and it is not too much of a problem. Last night I made Turkey Enchiladas for him, and used the meat to stuff half peppers for me, with sour cream/cream topping with cheese and ate them with courgettes and mushrooms fired in cream.

This morning I was 2 lbs down, so nearly back to my lowest weight in the last few years. The water is certainly making a difference.

For today:
B: leftover veg and Turkey sausages
L: leftover stuffed half pepper and veg
D: Going out, so will aim for Fish and Veg if possible

Hissy - Glad all is ok! Sounds good if they are talking about when you might be going home. I know there is probably still a ways to go after that, but it will be nice to be in your own home!

Hissy

I have fallen off the wagon badly and feel crap emotionally and physically. Have been boot camping alone since March with barely any problems and somehow it all went wrong this weekend.

Hi all, missed a couple of days, week from hell. But be proud of me! I went for a curry with work. I ignored the popadoms and chutneys, drank water and had chicken tikka, yogurt and a spinach thingy (bit of onion and chilli) my it was lovely. There was cake today-again ignored.
Fried egg and (burnt) bacon for breakfast, so a fried egg. Coffee and cream. Ham and mozzarella salad then 3 strawberries. Tonight I'm having a fluffy gruyere and mushroom omelette. My treat will be a tiny gin with soda and dash of lime juice.

I have lovely homemade prawn curry with cauliflower rice tonight, looking forward to it.

lowcarb yes massively - on the previous bc a few of us really went there with the 'sharing' - we felt like knobs a bit at first, y'know droning on about our terrible childhoods and suchlike, but fuck me - it was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders, and shared among many. So many others had similar, yet really wide ranging ishoos that came up and got spewed out here.

We supported each other and I think I speak for the thread when I say that a major part of recovery from 'being an overweight person' is confronting all of the things one hides/comforts with food, carbs, or over eating. Several people have also overcome other addictions, and fell into food problems, and then decided they weren't bloodywell having that either, so tackled it. I personally have done lots of mental journeys on these threads - and things still come up for me, and then I share them shout my shit here, and it's like 'oh, I'm done with that one for now' and if more come up, I shamelessly throw them down here, and it works for me.

I had the strangest rollercoaster of emotions, from high as a kite to ground scrapingly grim grotty and foul tempered - through to bereft, and then back up to bouyant. It was helpful to track the moods here along with bits and bobs about what may have triggered. The thread at times is my new coping mechanism.

Sometimes one can feel they are all take take take emptionally here, but in fact there are enough of us to hold up those who need it, in the good faith we'll be held when and if our time comes.

In other news peony my turds are now resembling their proper shape (ish) once again. They smell despicable however and I'm waiting to find out if/what type of antibiotics I need on Monday.

Shout out to everyone we are all fucking great you know

Good news Hissy.

Can you find a new treat Lowcarbforthewin? I count out ten salted almonds and have a square of 85% chocolate as my treat. Almond butter is lush too. Or get some nice olives if you prefer a savoury treat.

Anything we can help with Notso? I find posting my meals on here really helps with keeping on the straight and narrow. I also like reading everyone else's meals to get ideas. Prawn curry with cauliflower rice sounds delicious. And I can't wait to try Crabby's orgasmic duck!

Hi all, hope you've all had a good day.

Still static on the scales, still hoping for the whoosh fairy! Getting a bit fed up of being in between clothes sizes, all my 18 trousers are hanging off me but the 16's are still a bit tight. Going away next weekend and Ive not got a clue what I can wear!

B - 2 eggs with butter & chicken
L - tin tuna in oil with lettuce and mayo
D - minced beef (20%fat) cooked with red pepper & mushroom and some passata (3.0g/100g)

2 gallons of water

Hi everyone,

Hissy that's good to hear; have been thinking of you.

Lowcarbforthewin I sometimes go roaming in the fridge when I'm not hungry, looking for flavour really. I stop myself more often on this WOE because I'm truly not hungry but that strange need must be habit/emotional.

I used to have a problem with eating for the sake of it in the evenings but broke it before starting bootcamp by having a house to decorate in the evenings and sewing when trying to save up money to decorate said house! A lifelong habit has gone thanks to being really effing busy
Work and family admin is now taking up all of my evenings [feeling overwhelmed at the moment emoticon]

Peony hope you enjoyed your SIP!

Today, I am fed up and I'm not going to burden this thread with the moan! It's been BCL not ubercamp today thanks to a leaving do buffet that I forgot about and my end-of-the-week-tired-and-screaming children have fried my nerves. Lowest weight this morning at 4lb down from the beginning of the week but I won't mentally count it until it "sticks", as it were.

I've felt shit the last couple of days. Don't think it's anything to do
With this but people keep saying, "you know, you really should eat some carbs" or "maybe you should eat some more".
I'm probably eating more now than I was before! and not including the last couple of days was feeling better than I have felt in a long time.
Anyway I'm rambling..

B- coffee with cream
L- egg mayo in baby gem lettuce 'cups'
D- (can't wait, it's cooking now) butternut squash chips with portobello mushrooms filled with shallots, courgettes, bacon and double cream topped with a pinch of double cream.

Haven't quite met my water target but working on it

I started on the Tuesday, so coming up for 3 weeks

Tuesday the 6th. The Monday was ds' birthday

Thanks StuntNun I think it is because people have started noticing I have lost weight.
I never tell anyone But DH when I try and diet, too many failed attempts. Instead of feeling good that people have been complimenting me. I feel terrible that I got so fat in the first place and that they noticed I am thinner therefore the must have thought about how fat I was.
Then I feel bad, then I eat crap, then I feel worse and then I think I've messed up so might as well stop.

Sorry that sounds so silly written down.

absolutely.. apart from the last few days I've felt brilliant!
I work in a nursery so have probably caught something from one of those darling little germ fests, also dp works offshore and has been away for 3 1/2 weeks, ds2 has decided that 5am is the best time to be up so I think I'm just exhausted.
its really annoying that people are so quick to blame this WOE though, I've lost 10lb 4 since I started this.

Thanks for your kind words.. I will not be derailed. Getting married in November and don't want to look back and wish I'd worked harder. I'm almost at the 4 stone mark and determined to keep going

Hello all, just checking in. Glad to hear things are looking up Hissy. Anyone know how bad white coffee from a machine is? I had 2 in work as I was out of tea.

I find it really helps me to write down what I eat every day so sorry if it's a bit boring.

B - 2 eggs scrambled with butter.
L - Tuna mayo with leaves ant celery and tomatoes.
D - Chicken portion with salad again and a little coleslaw.

1 coffee with cream, 2 machine. Coffees.

Been slacking on the water this week so trying to make sure I get at lest 3 litres down me today.

Hmm best, reckon white tea from machine might be a bit carby, might be better to buy black and add your own milk/cream?

Me today:

B - egg in cup, coffee w cream

L - selection from salad counter, egg mayo, cheese, salad etc.

D - korma made with Quorn pieces, adapted this recipe - chucked in some coconut cream as well. Served with cauliflower rice.

Seem to naturally be deviating to bc light at the weekends, added ground almonds to my curry and let dp pour me a small glass of red but it tastes funny!

Had horrendous endometriosis pain today. Died back with some painkillers and still managed a run tonight, but felt really ropey around lunchtime.

It's not silly Notso we all have complex feelings about food and that's the reason we're in this mess. Some people just need a bit more help to get where they want to be. The number of ignorant people that will just parrot 'eat less exercise more' when I don't know anyone that actually works for. I get really cross when I think how far we have been led astray with 'healthy eating'. I was in Tesco with my mum today and she wanted to buy some sunflower oil because I don't have any. Without thinking I said, don't buy that rubbish it's bad for you it has too much omega 6. But a year ago I thought that was the healthy option whereas now I'm getting through a couple of packs of butter a week and I'm thinner and healthier than I've ever been.

This WOE works. It's especially good for the insulin resistant and for the yoyo dieter. Give it the ten weeks and you'll be amazed at the end.

Thank you Trash it helps so much to know it's not just me. It's been very enlightening these past few months just how much I've been suppressing with food.

For me mainly it's issues with health situation. Nothing to be done about it really, but I'm grieving because I can't have children, don't have a career, am not really well enough for a partner right now (and have a talent for meeting utter wankbadgers anyway so all attempts on my part to find the right person have been disastrous). That's a lot of big ole empty holes in my life which need cramming with food. I'm not sure how one ever comes to terms with having a chronic illness which drastically alters one's life. I was absolutely healthy until a certain age, so I suppose I know what I'm missing out on too.

I'm working very hard on improving my life so I don't feel so utterly cheated and grief struck, and there are a great many good things to be grateful for. I have some good friends (and so something of a social life; my twenties were mostly spent without knowing anyone, I was so incredibly ill), a lovely secure place to live, some great hobbies and with all my weight loss the hope I might still convince someone to go out with me even though I'm in bed most of the time. But it's still hard on a daily basis; the physical suffering but also things like facebook where people are announcing marriages and births and promotions. It really is like getting punched every single day and having to drag myself back to standing, only to be punched down again.

In some great news though, I have discovered courgette chips and I think I just found me a treat! Wow, they're good. Think the odd spoonful of nut butter is great too, and very occasionally some dark chocolate, I'm just so sedentary I need to be careful with those. I think if I plan for one treat a day, whether that is smoked salmon or nice sausages or dark chocolate, I can help myself that way, I guess ultimately I'd rather not be turning to food to comfort myself at all.

And Sarah I do that roaming the cupboards thing searching for flavour. Drinking water is helping control that, as is herbal tea, but also not being hungry definitely helps. Actually, I was quite proud today, I broke off 4 squares of dark chocolate. I ate three over half an hour and realised I really didn't want the fourth. That felt great, being in control like that.

Notso, I completely understand. I get quite grouchy when DP says he thinks I've lost weight.

Part of me thinks he's just saying it and that I haven't at all, but another part of me thinks he is noticing that I look better because he didn't like me before, that telling me in positive terms that I look thinner today must mean I looked bad for the past two years.

It's ridiculous I know, we're doing this because we WANT to look thinner, but I feel really conflicted about it actually happening or being noticed.

Fell off the wagon yesterday and today after a positive start both days . Determined to start again tomorrow so I've cooked a big pork belly joint and bought some kale to give me something tasty to work on tomorrow.