Week 5 - Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - we reach the half way point!

[BiWitched]

Eeek! I'm not stepping on the scales this morning, so will not be confessing all on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

Family wedding this weekend, and no control over food means I really don't want to see what number is on the scales!

Anyway, don't forget there's also the Weight Tracker

Here's to a successful week for all of us. Hopefully those who have seen things slow down/stop will see the scales begin to move again from now on.

Chester slow and steady weight loss is good weight loss (and by steady I mean if you were to weigh monthly that the scales would drop every month - daily or weekly weighing is setting yourself up for disappointment). It isn't possible to lose fat any quicker than a pound or two a week, if you lose quicker than this then you are breaking down your muscles not burning fat. The other consideration is all the other tissue: skin, subcutaneous fat, connective tissue etc. that has to shrink back in with the fat. Trust me you wouldn't be happy getting to your ideal weight but then finding you have loose flabby tissue on your arms, abdomen and legs because you lost weight too quickly. If you're doing exercise classes then that will help everything else to tone up around the lost fat.

Thanks Stunt, I know you are right, but it's so frustrating. I know I should try to stay away from the scales but it's a scary prospect when they have governed your life and mood for so long.

I have a little goal in my head to be at a certain weight by DS's birthday in two weeks time and at this rate I am not going to hit it. It's not an unrealistic goal either, but I know I'll be disappointed if I miss it, especially as I am doing all the right things to get there.

As I said I have no intention of giving up, I am in this for the long haul, I just wish things were moving a bit quicker. I've not cheated at all, but as we go on I've got DS's birthday, a weekend away then of course it's Christmas and all that entails. In my head I'm saying I will stick with it through these things, I know that reality might not pan out like that. And if I've not lost weight, these things will surely result in gains.

Am not moaning as such, I am just thinking out loud really. I believe in LCHF, am eating amazing meals, am never hungry and am happy to eat this way for the rest of my days I just want to be smaller, please.

Wow, self-pitying essay - sorry about that guys

But this is what can derail us though Chester and sometimes we need to put it down, to make ourselves really see what we are doing, and for the sometimes needed reminder to get a grip and it is ok. You will get there, but as stunt says slow and steady is best. You will get there.

I have this as a picture on my wall. It helps me remember that my expectations are often unrealistic and I need to get a grip. and as much as I would love to be super human I am not :(

Chester half a lb change means nothing. It could be a full bladder! Or, if you've just showered and have long hair, it could be the weight of the water in damp hair.

Step away from the scales

Chin up chester zoom out to the bigger picture and pat yourself on the back for how brilliantly you've done so far.
I'm continuing back on course, tho am still struggling to get my water intake back where it was. Yesterday:
B: ff total splash dbl cream and peanut butter
L: bacon avacado and spinach salad with oily dressing and pine nuts
D: bolognese inc mushrooms, celery, carrot (a little) and little gem side salad with oil. Dbl cream n Parmesan stirred thro.
S: 1 square 90% Lindt
W: 2 litres
E: walked out with horses but still recovering strength from last week so nothing too strenuous and was knackered afterwards.

Positives to report: whilst overweight/over carbed in the last few years, I've totally lost track of the sense of how big I actually am....can't explain this well, but now I fell like this odd sensation has gone and I now have a sense of myself again.Result.
Getting this WOE sorted for me (and DH) sorted has inspired me to have another much needed crack at brain food plan for DD1 who has ASD and sensory stuff that limits her diet - and so far, it is really going well I think because I feel better and eat better myself. So we are all eating better which is a Massive result!!

I know how you feel Chester but we just have to bat on! I've been doing the Fat Fast this week and its manky! I know I'm well into ketosis as my mouth is funky and my pee stinks (sorry tmi!) but my trend line has actually turned back upwards. I think someone is holding the Whoosh Fairy hostage. If they are listening I would be prepared to chip in with Chester and pay the ransom! I'm trying to stick it out on the FF for the full 5days but not sure I'll make it as I was struggling with my weights reps yesterday.

Its true what Stunt says, the slow loss is better for your skin. I lost slowly but steadily up until my mega stall and even my aged skin is pretty good considering the amount I've lost.

I know what you mean Chester. I have an image in my head of what i should look like and i just don't match it at all. You sound like you are doing really really well. Don't be down hearted, you will get there. :)

I have spoken to DH about this woe and he wants to lose weight also so he has said he would like to try it too. So when we are living back together (having work done on the house and i am at parents for a few weeks) i am going to just shop and cook LC all the time, which will be much easier.

Are there any good tips on LC/BC packed lunches?

In the meantime however, the tesco shop arrived, and the lovely delivery man brought it upstairs to the kitchen for me. We now have meat to see us through the apocalypse

Thanks for the inspirations guys. I will make dp cook some meals that I can easily re-heat.

Finally found some greek yoghurt made from goats milk, so we'll see how that pans out.

Chester I had the most biggest cunty bastard stall for arsing weeks/months on previous bc. I despaired at times. I knew I was doing it right, and felt so disheartened to read of others who didn't follow the rules quite a bit, but still seemed to pull it round and shed two or three lbs each week.

I can't say I did anything that differently when the scaled finally moved again. At a push I'd say I was eating slightly less protein, more fat than ever, and really going at the water and avoiding dairy and caffeine.

But it is bloody hard I know.

Bugger!! I have weighed in and gained 2lbs. I am v disappointed as I have stayed on the straight and narrow, drinking loads of water (at least 3L), plus herbal teas and the odd coffee with cream. I am going to go back to daily weighing so that I can keep an eye on what's going on and not get derailed by numbers. Its probably TOTM but I don't know as I'm all over the place!

I've had the dreaded lurgi for the last week with snotty beak, runny eyes, aches and pains, and little appetite (should be a good thing!). I've barely looked at the week 4 thread and only caught up with day 1 of this thread as I am playing catch up with everything.

Sorry for the rant. I know its not all about me but I have to get it off my chest. Hope everyone is doing well. I am going to keep on keeping on as the alternative is not worth thinking about. Will catch up with the threads tonight.

Checking in and catching up.

Hugs for anyone struggling

non - if you've been poorly that's probably why things have not gone the way you want them to.

Don't worry about it, once you're properly well, things will get going for you again.

I do get how dispiriting it is when you know you're doing everything you should be (you are, aren't you? ) and the scales won't cooperate!

Sorry, that should have been a !

Scales lie, especially my bastard scales. SO far today I have weight 8 different weights ranging from 75-85 kg, all in the space of ten mins of hoping on and off again. Tape measure, tape measure won't lie to me.

Otoh I will actually get a couple of hours peace if I allow ds to take them apart so I think they will still serve a purpose

Can you help me read this label, please?

It's on a packet of milled flax seed from Costco. The product is Anerican, and I think for Anerican produce you have to subtract fibre from total carbs to get actual carbs. i think. . But this one has been relabelled for the UK market, and they've spelled fibre the British way, so I'm not sure. But the numbers almost add up (fibre + sugar = carbs).

Trying again.

Oops.

Yup its American labelling again! I have a pack from Aldi that gives carbs as 2.4 per 100gr. It also lists the fibre as 27.1 which would account for the difference in your pack.

Its like banging your head on a wall isn't it Trash? It doesn't seem to matter what changes I make I can't get the scales to budge back below 12st. I had got down to 11st 10lb but that was 12mths ago. I got caught up in all the media hype and tried the 5:2 diet and it was the worst thing I could have done! I piled back to 12st 4lb, my BP, cholesterol and blood glucose all shot up too. I went back onto the IPD as I hadn't found the BC crowd at that time. I got back to 12st before Christmas and then gained it back (like a fool!) At least my blood numbers and BP are back down now so I just try to keep fixed on that and plug on but its awfully hard.

Thanks miffy. Now, what can I do with milled flax seed? Apart from just sprinkling it on food.

I, too, long to see an 11 at the front of my weight, but struggle even to dip below 12. I managed it once!

I wonder whether there is a naturally right weight for me, that does not pay attention to BMI or waist measurement or whatever.

Or maybe I need to choose between dieting hard to get to that magic 11, or be happy maintaining at 12something. Would I be able to maintain at 11someyhing, anyway, seeing as I maintained at 12st-12st4 without too much difficulty on a very relaxed, non-BC LC WOE? As soon as I allowed myself free rein on carbs I shot up to 13something. Perhaps I need to ignore what others say I should be, and focus on remaining at a weight that my body seems to want to be.

Chester sorry I can't remember, but have you tried removing dairy for a bit?

Yongnian I didn't realise you were a fellow asd parent . I really need to sort my DS's diet out too - he's a carb and dairy fiend.

Six if its the same as linseed I use it to make a pizza base

75g linseed
1 egg
handful grated cheese

mix together and leave for 10 mins so its not as sloppy. Roll out between 2 sheets of parchment (otherwise it sticks to the rolling pin) bake for 10 mins top with a couple of tablespoons of passata, more grated cheese and whatever topping you want - I have steak and garlicky fried shallots and mushrooms and its my F1 tea when the carbytwats have steak baguettes

or mix some with cajun spices, dice a chicken breast and dip in egg and coat in the spicy mix and fry. I let mine blacken a bit then I put the lid on and lower the heat so they don't dry out too much and have them with a cucumber/mint sauce/ff greek yog sauce.

Yongnian DS has ASD and his diet's atrocious, he's in his 20s and still eats a limited range of foods and takes forever, meals out are torture because he's got a fear of choking so chews and chews and chews, the rest of the time he choses to eat in his room. DDs not much better and her meal of choice is still dry bread must be warburtons and a chicken breast. She copied a lot of her brother's behaviour and it was easier to give in than turn meals into a battlefield with everyone crying.

Chester Bitchy's got the right idea, ignore the scales and trust your tape measure.

Thanks for all the advice everyone, you are all so good.

I'm not truly panicking yet and will wait til Monday's WI to decide where I go next. Needless to say I am sticking with BC as I feel so much better and full of life - although Miffy and Six's tales of lengthy stalls do scare me.

Tanuk I have cut down a fair bit of dairy but can't quite bear the thought of ditching it altogether! yet at least.

six - bread or focaccia or pizza

I haven't tried any of those recipes but have collected them on my recipe spreadsheet . My flax just arrived yesterday, so will be trying them out over the next few days. Let me know if you try them and think they are good or need tweaking.

I know what you mean about a natural weight. i sit naturally at 12st8lb if i just eat normally (ie whatever i fancy) but am happiest at 11st10lb but that requires constant misery vigilance. So i don't know whether just to accept my body wants to be 12st8lb. I am hoping that with this woe i will be able to maintain under 12st without the misery of calorie counting. i'm quite happy to eat like this forever and haven't missed anything really so far.

tanukisan and notso . Yes, it is hard isn't it and has a knock-on effect on the whole household...but yes, for us just now even if this only lasts a short moment, we are all almost on the same page, which I feel really good about and I do feel it's down to this WOE. (DD is not on this WOE just to clarify, she is eating a children's 'brain food' plan, good for those with ASD but also designed and beneficial for all children. There are a lot ofoverlaps with this WOE though so its easy to combine them). Even the baby benefits, with her BLW, she's having lots of lovely stuff to try! I think once I ditched starchy carbs and sugar and felt so much better for it, I had to have another try with brain food for DD as her diet is so disastrous in terms of blood sugar spikes etc. She says she feels more chirpy and has more energy already. This time it could stick.
A friend came over earlier who is a weight-loss queen, similar height and build to me but always much slimmer...she was marvelling over what BC is doing for me and wants to give it a go, which was a great boost.
Onwards and downwards everyone!