Week 4 - Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - first month done!

[BIWI]

Morning all! Sorry for later-than-usual start to the thread

Hope last week was good, and that you have managed to keep to it despite the fact that we are in the infamous weeks 3 and 4!

Come and confess all on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

or on the on the Weight Tracker

If you haven't seen the scales move, don't panic!

This is really, really common - keep on keeping on and from here on, hopefully things will start to move again. And you will know that every pound you lose from here on, will be fat. You are only likely to see losses of 1-2lbs every week, but don't forget how much a pound of fat is - imagine 2 packs of lard, and that's what you're losing for each pound!

Note that control over food comes with low carbing. Once you break out of the carb addiction then it becomes much easier to eat to your hunger rather than being controlled by it. Sainsburys sell little bags of dark chocolate drops - 35g which I weigh out into three containers to last me three days on Bootcamp light. Because they're tiny chocolate drops they take ages to eat do even 11-12g of chocolate can be very satisfying. Recently a friend was complaining on Facebook because her DH had eaten all her Chinese takeaway while she was asleep. To me that is a classic sign of a carb addicted person: they just can't help eating even though, in this case, the food wasn't even his.

MoJangled - I still drink too much tea but I try to drink more herbal teas (rooibos/red bush and more recently I've tried the lovely and sweet licorice and peppermint as recommended by Boot Camper ) which I can drink without milk. Maybe take some tea bags with you next time you ate visiting?

Note I would echo stunt - it's so much easier to stay in control whilst low carbing as there is less fluctuation in your blood sugar. When I'm eating sugar I still find it difficult to stop . Also, the really dark chocolate is harder to eat lots of!

Wow, I can't remember who recommended liquorice tea on the last thread, but I tried some and it was great! Super sweet though. I assume it tastes sweeter the longer you go without sugar? I have noticed that when I have the odd nibble of carrot (my toddler likes to feed me) it tastes ridiculously sweet.

On sweet things - I still don't think I could trust myself, as my issues are 50:50 physical and psychological. I'm a classic comfort eater and I'm still over-eating for comfort a few times a week and eating when full. Like last night - I made up a bowl of ff Greek yogurt with cream and a few blueberries. Realised as I was making it that I didn't really want it, but ended up eating it anyway. I obviously need to do more to break some pretty entrenched habits from a lifetime of crappy choices.

Morning everyone, I will try and do a superpost later on but at the moment I feel a bit shit. I don't know if I've got the cold that all my friends have had, if it is my allergy to my cat or if it is a side effect of some vaccinations I had yesterday (yellow fever and rabies) or maybe a combination of all three

I had an awful day foodwise yesterday, I am actually ashamed of myself I won't go into details but my mum and her friend came at the weekend and the friend always brings a bag of goodies for me. There is always a theme that I have to guess, the theme this time was "L" so everything began with "L".

I got lime shower gel, lasagne sheets, lotus flower handwash, lemon puffs, lindt chocolate, long life milk, lemonade etc etc. I had all big intentions of taking all of the food stuffs to the food bank since I can't eat any of it but instead I ate all the "nice" things. Why do I have such a lack of control, as I was eating it I knew that I shouldn't be but I just couldn't stop I did eventually and I have thrown three lemon layer slices in the bin.

Anyway, I am going to plan lots of LC things for the next few days and I will not give in to any cravings.

Sayra it sounds like a lot of the people in your life - with the best intentions- are feeding you and sabotaging your efforts. Does that sound familiar?

As a fellow over-eater and emotional-eater, I completely recognise and sympathise. But, girls, cut yourselves some slack. We're just at the beginning if this journey. Yes, I know many of us have started trying to overcome this eating-relationship many times, but each time we start it is a fresh beginning.

You cannot change the habits of several years in a few weeks.

How about be pleased with yourself and praising yourself when you eat in a sensible way, and...wait for it... not blaming yourself when it goes wrong. Instead of feeling bad about a binge, say to yourself "OK, I know that what I did wasn't helpful. It happened, it's the past. I'll have more chances."

Think about alternative satisfiers: fat bombs, pine seeds, tahina, scratchings, biltong. Whatever is allowed on this WOE and you enjoy.

Don't feel guilty about scoffing permitted foods, because as your body and mind become accustomed to it, you will find that the cravings reduce. I promise you, they will.

But something else to consider: if you are hungry, eat; but if you are still hungry, then you were not hungry for food: are you bored, sad, lonely, frustrated? Recognise it, accept it - don't try to hide it under more food - and do something that you will feel good about.

Scrambled eggs are nowhere near as nice without cream

tankukisan I think that mums friend just loves to bring me things and there is no way I could ask her not to, she would be extremely hurt. I need to learn to control myself, just because something is there doesn't mean I need to eat it. Sometimes I am very good, but sometimes I am not. I was hungry which I think was what started it.

And six I do get what you are saying but you there are only so many chances you can give yourself. It is all very well saying "ok, I shouldn't have done that but never mind tomorrow is a new day" but if that continues then soon there won't be enough tomorrows to make up for it! Generally I am quite good and give myself non-food rewards etc, I like to have a nice hot bath with a good or trashy book.

On the plus side, all the nice food is now gone so I can't eat it again and I won't be seeing mums friend at mine until spring! They come and stay twice a year.

I am back on the wagon and started the day with a coffee with cream and some fried eggs. I've also boiled 6 eggs to keep in the fridge to snack on. I will head to the shops after I walk the dog and pick up some more LC goodies.

there are only so many chances you can give yourself. It is all very well saying "ok, I shouldn't have done that but never mind tomorrow is a new day" but if that continues then soon there won't be enough tomorrows to make up for it!

That is only true if you are not doing anything about it, and making excuse for yourself. But you are doing something about it: you are HFLCing. So tomorrow really is another day and another chance.

When you bash yourself, you feel bad.
When you feel bad, you are more likely to overeat.
When you overeat, you bash yourself.

It's a vicious cycle. By being gentle to yourself you give yourself the chance of breaking the cycle.

I am attempting to bring the principles of mindfulness to my eating (slowly, slowly) and have just started a useful workbook. I can post the link if it's helpful to anyone. One of the key principles is self-compassion - you sound really hard on yourself, Sayra. I'm very similar!

Struggling with really strong cravings again today. Is there any reason for this? I've been 100% since the start of BC so surely I should be over this.

I am clinging on by my fingernails here.

Morning all - weighted today and STS - I am very grateful that through this thread I know this is pretty normal as otherwise I would have gone off piste today.
Still feel irrationally down about it though as I am now stuck on a number I have been seeing on the scales for a long time and I really need a breakthrough. All I can do is keep the faith though.
I worry I eat too much dairy but I really can't imagine coping without it - maybe I will just try to cut down a little this week.

SayraT , Tanukisan, siximposible and everyone else contributing to the discussion I am finding this thread so helpful as I can relate to so many of these thought patterns. It's really interesting learning how other people cope with the hard bits.
Think I still need to shift my brain into accepting this is going to take a while and require huge commitment - part of me wants it to be easy...

Chester I was like that at the weekend, I haven't cheated once but my craving for something sweet seemed to build up to the point where it was really difficult to resist. Hang in there, it should pass.

Ive been like that on and off for the last few days chester I too haven't given in but it's hard isn't it? Really strong ones.

Phew, glad to see I'm not the only one. It's so difficult as I really don't want to mess us, especially as I've not lost anything for two weeks. The last thing I need to do is gain!

My sympathies to everyone struggling with cravings, I sometimes find that I hot drink of herbal/fruit tea helps me.

I've also found a breakfast alternative to eggs or yogurt. I think some people are already having it but I put the recipe into MFP and I think it would be ok for an occasional breakfast.

Coconut Porrige

25g desiccated coconut
25g ground almonds
100ml coconut milk
10ml double cream

This came out at 526 calories, 50g fat, 10g protein, 7g carbs.

I'd probably do less next time as it was quite a lot, but filling and warm for the autumn/winter period.

Chester I have been doing bootcampy type eating since the start of August and this last week out of nowhere I've felt like no matter how much I ate I wanted more, and the temptation to eat carby stuff or sweet stuff was huge. Haven't had cravings like that since I started. Then my period started and I face-palmed. Could it be something similar for you? I do miss sweet stuff a little, I sometimes allow myself a small tub of cream on a Saturday night that I eat like a yoghurt, feels like a treat.

For me, I don't think I could go back to eating carbs all the time now anyway. After over 40 years of emotional eating I have stopped, almost dead in my tracks. (Mostly, see above...) And I am still amazed at the lack of tiredness fluctuations in my day (ie sugar slumps). However, we all have our personal battles don't we! Mine is not having wine, I was used to having it most nights. So I am not adding my weight to the spreadsheet again this week because too much wine has had an impact, not because my eating has been out of control.

I need something that is good for tums and digestive systems that are on a clear out mission due to something that has been eaten or some sort of stomach flu.

I am not fully back on track to rejoining boot camp but i am heading in that direction and I suspect that this might be a reaction to yesterday's forgot to eat and have to raid ds tea/supper in car box as had precisely 5 mins to grab lunch and i am ready to pass out and no chance to go to shop. It was wheat based. Clearly wheat is not a good plan. Alternatively I have maxed out on the dairy again. Which ever I don't want to do anything carby, trying to stay away from anything sweet and run out of ideas. Had scrambled eggs for breakfast and some soup with cheese in it for lunch not strictly bootcamp friendly soup I will be honest Clearly my body is trying to tell me to get my ass back onto bootcamp asap. Hopefully one more medical type appointment and then my brain will be completely in the right place again.

So none dairy, bootcamp friendly gentle to tums and bums (tmi) kinda food recommendations pretty please?

Hi Chester, I'm feeling like that today too

How strange that a few of us are struggling at the minute. I wonder if it's to do with the nights (and mornings) drawing in and our body thinking we need to store fat (carbs) for the long winter ahead? possibly overthinking this

Definitely not AF Pony, that was last week, and was actually not too bad cravings wise. Feeling much worse today and yesterday.

I am currently surrounded by biscuits and a colleague has just been on a vending machine run. Sob, this is so hard sometimes.

I think, Chester, it's also something to do with the fact that we're through the relative euphoria of the first couple of weeks, weight loss has slowed/stopped, and we're facing the fact that we're on a longer, slower journey. Ideally obviously we'd all like to see the weight just melt away, but it's a realisation that, no matter how lovely the food can be, we have to work at it - just like on any other diet really.

But trust me, and stick with it - if you can get through this part and through to the end of Bootcamp you will have developed new habits, and hopefully the weight and health benefits that you experience will ensure that you are happy to stick with it.

That was me yesterday Chester, someone brought in cakes - honestly, think of how much it would set you back, and how well you are doing - it isn't worth it for a biscuit or a bar of chocolate which is gone in a flash.

Lots of cravings here too I've just eaten two massive bags of pork scratchings and i could quite easily eat another two!