Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp Starts Here!

[BIWI]

Welcome everyone! I'm starting the thread early because I have to be up and out of the house at stupid o'clock tomorrow morning.

Here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for you to enter your starting weight

If you don't want to put your weight on the public spreadsheet, you can enter it on the weight tracker. (This probably won't be available until tomorrow morning)

If you've joined up very recently, and your name isn't on the spreadsheet, just add it on at the bottom - the very lovely SayraT will re-alphabetize everything later.

I seem to remember that I checked the carb count on the Pret Kale crisps, and they were pretty high

I'm a bit taken aback at all the posters who are doing bootcamp for the umpteenth time. Does this mean this diet is not sustainable?

This is my first time. Im hoping to shift a stone and then introduce low carbing, ricecakes, oatcakes, potatoes etc in small portions. I haven't enjoyed this week at all and i feel like giving up now unless someone can reassure me that i will never have to push the restart button again for a successive bootcamp.

figrus I was a couple of days ago. Are you getting enough fat?

Had tandoori chicken and lamb with an undressed salad to which I added my own dressing. Was nice. And don't think will be too bad.

I discovered kale crisps as well - they're ace!

All ready for the weigh in tomorrow here.

Yep - 7.7g per bag, which is very high - you should be getting your carbs from (fresh) veg and salad, not from processed snacks!

Thanks Biwi, i'll increase veg, water and fat.

I think Figrus that it is more that sometimes the support and company are helpful and it helps to maintain for the long term. Rather than it is unsustainable.

Personally for me eating regularly was never something I did so will find it far harder than those who are changing what they eat. personally I would happily never ever have to eat again. But i do find this way is much better for me than other approaches it is just because of this i will always fall off the wagon more than most people. And lets face it the whole world is set up to pander to carby twats it is how the food industry makes its money

And once you get through bootcamp and it becomes habit it is sooooo much easier!!!

Evening. Just popping in to update but will have to catch up later! So I managed to spend an afternoon in the pub and only drink water with ice and a slice in. Woo! People have assumed I'm doing sober for October but they also suspect I'm pregnant! Not due to size however. Food has been a bit dairy heavy but I think otherwise not too bad...

B: cheese omelette
L: salmon, cheesy leeks, mashed swede, cauli and spinach
T: salmon, cheesy leeks and avocado

Tea x1 fruit tea x1 coffee x1
W: 2.5ltrs at least

Figrus - the thing about low carbing is that you have to find the level of carbs that you can eat that work for you. And that's the difficult thing. Maintaining on any diet, frankly, is difficult. But it's a bit more difficult with carbs because the world is not set up for people like us!

Events like Christmas, or Easter, or holidays all set people back. Sometimes we slip because we reintroduce too many things, too often.

We're all human!

That isn't to say that this WOE isn't sustainable. It is, but only if you are vigilant and know how many carbs you can/can't eat on an ongoing basis. You will be able to reintroduce all the foods you talk about, but no-one can tell you how often/what quantities you can introduce without gaining weight again. And that's what's hard for all of us.

To be honest, it's like any other diet - if all that you do when you've 'finished' is to revert to how you were eating before, then you will put weight back on. Because eating like that was what made you fat in the first place!

However, it worries me that you say you haven't enjoyed the last week at all, especially when this WOE means that you can a) enjoy lovely tasty food and b) you don't have to starve yourself between meals, and by eating teensy tiny portions.

What is it that you haven't enjoyed? Can we help you in any way?

Well, I suppose no diet is sustainable if you don't sustain it, IYKWIM.

I'm a first time boot-camper too, but I'm not finding it too difficult yet. That's why I think this WOE could be sustainable for me - it's fitting in well with family life, doesn't require lots of expensive ingredients and I'm never starving. Of course, on a bigger scale I'm aware there are health benefits etc, but those are the things that short term matter to me.

Is there any particular aspect you're finding difficult?

Just out of interest, boot camp veterans, what are we supposed to do when we've finished boot camp? I'm certainly going to eat far less carbs because I have noticed a real benefit in my skin, sleep pattern and energy levels. But I worry I won't know how much is 'too much'.

Clash, If you're going to add back carbs, I'd do it gradually, and keep an eye on both your weight and skin/general feeling of wellbeing.

Start with fruit and/or more carby vegetables. You may well find that you can add a couple of pieces of fruit per day and still keep the benefits you mention. I'd avoid grains etc. where you can.

You'll know it's too much if you start to put weight back on!

You'll know it's too much if you start to put weight back on!

Good point, well made

Sometimes I think I over-complicate things.

Tbh, I'm not missing carbs very much at all - certainly not as much as I've expected to.

But yes, good advice from pootlebug - introduce things gradually, and start with more carby veg and a bit of fruit. Possibly a slice of wholemeal toast for breakfast, but do it gradually and make sure it doesn't trigger carb cravings.

Thanks for your explanation bitchy and your response Biwi makes sense.

There are some positives this week. My skin is so soft and i have way more energy. But i am grumpy, moody and touchy, which has probably sparked my post. Yes the food is tasty, i agree.

I only do 'a diet' every few years. I hate being obsessed about food and weight every minute of the day. I still have to cook and shop for dh and kids. I'm able to resist their food easy enough but it is just double the work. I feel like i have been glued to the kitchen all week. I have overspent our shopping budget by getting appropriate food for me. And i lie in bed planning my menus and wondering how much weight i will lose. I also missed my wine this weekend. It is my treat and i feel so deprived. I know i sound like a spoilt whinging brat and this is not the norm for me.

I read around the diet for inspiration. Whether, true or not, i read that the first boot camp will be the most effective. So one might as well do it properly. Also, say if i lose 8 pounds in the first two weeks, than loss may stall for the next 3 weeks, that will drive me insane. Although writing this down makes me see how ridiculous i am being. I can't see the future. Your earlier post , biwi, where i realised you were still doing extreme low carbing to lose weight tipped me over the edge.

Well, it's a long weigh off yet (see what I did there?!).

Anyway, bed for me, up at the crack of sparrows tomorrow.

G'night all.

Those of us with a lot to lose are never going to lose it in one Boot Camp! I'm trying to break a stall so mostly I'm on the trawl for ideas and I enjoy the companionship. I eat like this anyway and would never go back to a carb diet. Hubby used to be a SW consultant and he was told that 96% of people who 'diet' regain the weight and often add more. the ones who succeed are the ones who find their own personal level for maintaining. Low fat is far less sustainable as you are always hungry!

I find that bootcamp helps me to eliminate bad habits and carb creep. I generally try to eat like this all the time, but we live in a carb heavy society and it is easy to fall into carby ways. And then there are holidays, festivals, milestone birthdays....bootcamp helps to focus the mind!

There are some positives this week. My skin is so soft and i have way more energy. But i am grumpy, moody and touchy, which has probably sparked my post. Yes the food is tasty, i agree.

Why do you think you're grumpy? Is it carb flu do you think? But good skin and energy after only a week is brilliant!

I only do 'a diet' every few years. I hate being obsessed about food and weight every minute of the day.

The whole point of Bootcamp is that you don't have to count or weigh anything, just follow the rules, so it's designed to be as easy as possible. I can't bear obsessing about food - which is what used to happen when I was calorie counting - which is why Bootcamp is designed the way it is. And the food that you can eat should ensure that it doesn't have to feel like a diet.

I still have to cook and shop for dh and kids. I'm able to resist their food easy enough but it is just double the work. I feel like i have been glued to the kitchen all week. I have overspent our shopping budget by getting appropriate food for me.

Why are you cooking separate foods? The great joy of low carbing is that you can eat normally! I never cook anything different for me and DH/DS2. All that it means is that I leave out the carb element for me - so if we have, say, roast chicken with roast vegetables (a staple meal Chez BIWI!), I'll roast peppers, shallots, courgettes, fennel and new potatoes - but I won't eat the potatoes. I don't make pasta or rice-based meals, because I can't eat those. So they don't have them!

And i lie in bed planning my menus and wondering how much weight i will lose. I also missed my wine this weekend. It is my treat and i feel so deprived. I know i sound like a spoilt whinging brat and this is not the norm for me.

Well, I can promise you that if you follow Bootcamp rules you will lose 1-2lbs a week. (Assuming that you have weight to lose, and that you're not just doing it for health reasons). So you don't have to worry or obsess about it. And as for the wine, you only have one more weekend to go, and then you can reintroduce it.

I read around the diet for inspiration. Whether, true or not, i read that the first boot camp will be the most effective.

This isn't true

So one might as well do it properly. Also, say if i lose 8 pounds in the first two weeks, than loss may stall for the next 3 weeks, that will drive me insane.

Why do extreme? If you know that this is something that effects everyone, surely you can just accept that this is all part of 'the journey'? You can plan around this

Although writing this down makes me see how ridiculous i am being. I can't see the future. Your earlier post , biwi, where i realised you were still doing extreme low carbing to lose weight tipped me over the edge.

^Well, I'm only human as well And, to be honest, I'm not doing extreme low carbing, I'm doing sensible low carbing - which )is what Bootcamp is also designed to be. Why do you think I advise people to get their carbs from vegetables and salad, and to eat fresh food and avoid processed, artificial ingredients? Yes, I admit to the fact that I need to lose some weight, and that I have put weight back on recently. (I won't bore you with the reasons why.) Am I not allowed to be on my own Bootcamp?!>

To say that this has 'tipped you over the edge' sounds very extreme. Do you have issues around food generally? Are you a dysfunctional eater? The way you write about all of this is generally very concerning. Are you just in a grumpy mood at the moment, or is there more to this?

Apologies for bollocks formatting!

I agree with everything Biwi says. Although I think this is my third bootcamp and I've never managed past the first few days. This time I am in the right head space.

Apart from two spots my skin is looking great too. I got told today "whatever you are doing, keep doing it".

Figrus I have done a couple of the boot camps. To keep my weight steady I try to keep to bootcamping rules during the week and throw in some carbs at the weekend. If I eat too much bread etc I put on weight. It is definitely sustainable. I do follow the threads. They keep me focused.

Why do you think you're grumpy? Is it carb flu do you think? But good skin and energy after only a week is brilliant!

Hopefully it is carb flu.

Why do extreme? If you know that this is something that effects everyone, surely you can just accept that this is all part of 'the journey'? You can plan around this

Wise words . Thank-you, i will take that onboard.

^Well, I'm only human as well And, to be honest, I'm not doing extreme low carbing, I'm doing sensible low carbing - which )is what Bootcamp is also designed to be. Why do you think I advise people to get their carbs from vegetables and salad, and to eat fresh food and avoid processed, artificial ingredients? Yes, I admit to the fact that I need to lose some weight, and that I have put weight back on recently. (I won't bore you with the reasons why.) Am I not allowed to be on my own Bootcamp?!>

Haha. Of course you can but i had preconceived notions. 18 years ago, i attended weight watchers after dd's birth. The instructor had a figure to die for as does my current pilates teacher. So i just presumed you were sorted weight wise and teaching everyone else about this woe. I projected their images when i visualised the infamous 'bibi'.

To say that this has 'tipped you over the edge' sounds very extreme. Do you have issues around food generally? Are you a dysfunctional eater? The way you write about all of this is generally very concerning. Are you just in a grumpy mood at the moment, or is there more to this?

Aha , light bulb moment you genius. I am not a dysfunctional eater, fussy maybe. But this summer, ds was diagnosed as a coeliac so i have been busy sorting that out. It was easier when he was home during the summer and more challenging now he is out all day at school and playing sports after.

I do pander to my family's difference preferences too much and am going to tackle that soon. I probably needed to get on top of the coeliac situation before i introduced this woe. But i've started now and, by jaysus, i'm going to finish the 10 weeks.

Pleaseandthankyou and primal lass, thanks for replying. I like the idea of being good mon-fri (after boot camp)

Figrus - I'm lurking this bootcamp as I'm very much at maintenance level. I started low carbing on the January bootcamp and have never really looked back.
It just feels so much better to eat this way that I don't feel on a diet at all. That said, bootcamp is quite tough because there a few things that you really must avoid to get your body keto - adapted. Wine is probably the hardest for a lot of people but I promise it's only 2 weeks. I drink a fair amount of wine and easily maintain my weight loss but it's all relative. Pre this woe I'd need a heck of a lot of wine to feel I'd got my money's worth of 'treat'. These days a couple of medium glasses is more than enough.
To put it in perspective though, strict bootcamp is just two weeks of your life. It's nothing in the scheme of things and then you will feel much better for it and your weight loss will spur you on as well. Most people tend to stick to fairly strict bootcamp after the two weeks because they want to achieve their goals/health/weight loss.

The reason lots of us come back to bootcamp is that it gives us ideas and its such a positive vibe to feed off. It almost is another re-set to achieve even more from.

I can't wait to hear about everyone's weight loss tomorrow - it's infectious.
Onwards and downwards and all that