Week 4 - Low Carb Bootcamp - We're not cheating at all, are we?!

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Here's the SoF

Hopefully it will be working for you all. As ever, if you can't enter your weight, please ask on the thread and (hopefully!) someone will do it for you.

And just to reiterate StuntNun, this WOE really does work. However, it's a very unforgiving way of eating, and if you're going to cheat, then it won't.

I totally get that circumstances interfere with things - but we all have to try as much as we can to plan around 'off piste' occasions.

Also, however, don't forget that we're still in the tricky 3-4-5 week period, where it's not unusual for weight loss to stop altogether.

Remember - KOKO! If it worked for you in weeks 1 and 2, then logically it's going to work in subsequent weeks.

Good luck all

Love them nigella, probably should get an endorsement deal though.

lex my DH would feel uncomfortable with his best friends staying never mind anyone else. Poor guy. He has chronic social anxiety (which I do too sometimes but I love playing host)

Beyond the best place to start is with the bloggers. Mark Sisson, Zoe Harcombe, Michael Eades are all good places to start and will link to other interesting people.

Should I find I do have to eat some carbs (eg 20g total per day) or I feel dreadful. I cannot do the Atkins induction that is pure protein: meat/fish/eggs or I feel like death. Tho fat increase is a good idea too. This probably means I lose a bit more slowly
B 2egg cheese omlette, avocado, salsa ( homemade) sour cream, 4 rashers streaky bacon, coffee with cream
L 2 Parmesan shortbread, ham
Snack, sour cream dip with celery & salami
D 3 ribs with LC rub (instead of BBQ sauce) courgetti with cream sauce, Cole slaw.
I am a bit suspicious of the shortbread so I am rationing - no more than 4 (preferably 2) per day.
Valentine's Day tricky. DP ( who is an absolute sweetheart) bought the M&S 2 for 1 deal. I am going to have to eat around it. Main is ok - duck, but I will have to scrape the sauce of, starter of fish cakes, which I will taste, to be polite, & then I will be " too full" for dessert. He did get lots of veg, though. Watch this space.

Coming out of lurking- need a whack with the stick. I need to be more accountable. I need to log my food here everyday. I start the day well and then by the time toddler DS is in bed I think "well a little treat won't hurt"

Not a good day yesterday. I've been LC since the first of January but fell off the wagon yesterday for the first time. I'm putting it behind me and starting again today. Just going to make some scrambled egg for breakfast.

My slightly indulgent breakfast today (that i asked for - we dont do valentines) was half a pack of smoked salmon trimmings mixed with cream cheese, spread on a muffin-in-a-minute. Coffee with almond milk.

Moanranger 20g carbs per day should be fine for weight loss. If I cut carbs below around 20g per day then I get carb flu again so that could be what's happening to you too.

Beyond those amaretti biscuits look fab, they've gone on my must-try list, in my bujo yes, they got me, too
Gcal another great looking meal.

Yesterday, I ordered Domino's for the boys AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY. In fact, I wasn't even bothered about not having some. I had chicken carbonara with courgetti instead, which was lovely. I then treated myself to 20g 90% chocolate with my almond milk spicy chai latte. My taste buds have definitely changed because when I've tried 90% previously it has tasted too bitter. Whereas, last night, it was just divine.

Today, am having:
B - 2-3 creamy coffees ( I know, too many)
L - cucumber, lettuce, mackerel pate.
D - pork roast and I shall fight to the death for the crackling.

Disappointingly, I am 1.2lbs up today. As my boobs feel like melons and are very sore, I know I'm pre-menstrual, so there is a reason. Looks like it'll be a modest increase in weight when I check in tomorrow though. This seems to be my pattern at the moment. I know I just need to KOKO, but I must admit to feeling a bit disappointed anyway.
Good luck to everyone else for tomorrow

moan Atkins induction is 20g carbs per day.

Thanks for the feedback and the info Stuntnun. So, silly question - why can't I just not eat for the next 3 months considering how much fat stores I have to survive on ? Why is it I need to eat at all?

Another lesson learnt. Felt deprived all week and yesterday fell into a platter of cheese fondue which I had to eat with bread of course (and red wine). Was delicious, although not quite as satisfying as I expected to be honest. I also felt quite ill by the end of the evening. Up a pound or two this morning but I think that isn't too bad considering. But I have to have a properly done BC week at some point.

Bujo = bullet journal. There's a long thread about them in household. It's basically a journal/ diary to help you get organised.

Should I think that it's to do with efficiency. The body, when deprived of nutrition tries to conserve what it has, it goes into 'starvation mode' and yes, whilst it will use your fat stores, it doesn't want to. Being in ketosis and eating well (as in BC) means that you get all the other stuff your fat stores can't provide (if not eating at all the body can start muscle wastage to get the amino acids it needs from protein etc) and also tells the body that there is plenty of food about so use your stores up, it's not a problem. Butter Bob is good on the subject. You can google him.

God being at someone else's house is hard. I managed the hotel and a pub lunch fine. I had a tiny bit of cake and wine yesterday after scattering mum's ashes which I am happy with as a planned slip.

But at PIL there are goodies everywhere I look, this is a real test of willpower. We are having roast beef for lunch with all manner of carbs followed by crumble! Well not me but 5 other adults and 3 kids. Must get to the shop for my own supplies.

I am also cross because I forgot my running shoes so can't escape for half an hour to get away from the chaos.

blacktea enormous hugs, go for a walk to get some head space. X

Yes, big (((hugs))) for you blacktea.

Well I fell completely off the wagon and rolled a way back down the road today - bloody Valentine's Day! We went out for lunch; I had LC starter (trout gravadlax with a prawn, crab and dill terrine), followed by LC main (confit duck leg with spinach and mushrooms, I refused the roast spuds) - and then went completely off piste and had dessert. It was bloody lovely though - if you're going to sin, you might as well do it properly - but dearie tut me.

Didn't need to have any dinner mind. Still full!

So I'm expecting that I won't have lost anything tomorrow. Oh and bloody DH bought me chocolates for Valentine's Day - I wasn't happy. He says they're for "after you've finished your diet" and it's my own fault for not wanting perfume or makeup or jewellery or anything like that.

Hey ho - tomorrow's another day and I'll be back to it.

Stunt - I sort of agree with the bloke re. the PUFA oils, but am more ready to blame the obesity epidemic on the quantity of "low fat diet foods" that contain significantly higher amounts of sugar in its many and varied forms. But have also a lot of cynicism surrounding PUFA oils, especially when they're chemically altered to make them into e.g. Flora (ghastly stuff!)

moan DH has done the same, I've told him to hide the box of chocolates from me because knowing its in the house is too much temptation. I've got the fishcake starter too, sirloin and carrot/swede mash and a dessert that I won't be having any of. Will probably go for a glass of white wine though! I'll make my own side dish I think.

Yesterday felt disastrous, I could not stop eating, carb creep has meant the dreading cravings have returned. I logged my food on myfitnesspal for the first time this BC yesterday and I was horrified. I do need to reduce my portions and eat at set times to get back into the Ruthin of things because I ended up eating more than 2000 cals yesterday.

B: scrambled eggs with butter and sprinkle of cheddar, 3x 97% pork m&s chipolatas and 2 rashers of bacon.
L: m&s Moroccan chicken skewers (too high in carbs!)
D: none
S: a lot of strawberries with whipped cream, far too much Lindt dark choc- probably about 45g!!) 2x cheestrings.

Drawing a line under it and moving forward.

In replying to ShouldI's question I want to make it quite clear that I don't think anyone should try going without food entirely, no matter how much they weigh. People on a no food diet have to do it under medical supervision which usually involves being admitted to hospital for the duration. If you're doing Bootcamp then you shouldn't need to be fasting at all unless you're very close to your goal weight and you feel you may be eating too many calories for weight loss.

Right, after that disclaimer...
You can go without eating anything at all for four to six weeks. You will be using up your fat reserves that whole time. You will also be dizzy, tired, probably have difficulty concentrating and you won't be up to much physical exertion. Your metabolism will slow right down and your body will cease repairing itself and renewing tissue as far as possible. After the four to six weeks (probably nearer four if you're already eating low carb and have no glycogen reserves) you will be breaking down your muscles to carry out the essential repairs to your body. You will lose weight quickly BUT you will be metabolically damaged, nutritionally depleted and most of all you will feel utterly shit. When you start eating again you will rapidly gain weight and be likely to put on more than you lost. Definitely not recommended!

Bootcamp is a safe and healthy way to lose weight. You're eating high calorie, nutrient-dense food that permits your body to use up its fat stores without losing muscle mass or slowing your metabolism. You're also retraining yourself into a way of eating that will keep you slim for life. I'm coming up for three years of low carb and there's no way back for me. My health is so much better, I feel twenty years younger when I eat like this. And knowing what I know about sugar, grains and vegetable oils - going back to eating those would be like deliberately taking up smoking knowing it would be bad for my health.

stunt

Moan

I find I do have to eat some carbs (eg 20g total per day) or I feel dreadful. I cannot do the Atkins induction that is pure protein: meat/fish/eggs or I feel like death.

Atkins induction is absolutely not pure protein. You have 20g carbs per day, and he is very clear that those carbs should come mainly from vegetables/salad.

Which is also key with Bootcamp. We are low carb, not no carb!

should please have another read of Bootcamp rules, and their explanation. This WOE isn't about restricting food, or cutting out all carbs, and if you're hungry then you must eat. (As long as it's low carb, of course). The reason for eating 3 meals a day is to ensure that you keep your blood sugar levels stable, and it's this which controls your appetite.

If you're feeling odd/ill as you are, then a) you need to eat and b) you need to make sure you're getting enough salt, etc.

Stunt that's a really useful answer. Thanks. I'm not planning on not eating for 3 months but just wondering why it wouldn't just burn up my fat and I'd emerge like a gazelle. 3 years of low carb? Wow!

BIWI looking back I was only eating vegetables every 2nd day or so this week, and even then not much. Not enough carbs I think. I had read something about IF and was just hoping to use it as extra weight loss but that isn't a great idea I now realise. Now that i've kicked against the rules for several weeks, I realise that doesn't work and I'll try and do it properly this week.

Wand and Gcal thanks too (sorry, missed your answers upthread).

Happy LC Valentines Day everyone!

Sort of proud of myself... went out for a meal last night and managed to have a lovely low carb meal and stuck to drinking dark rum.... until we were in a club towards the end of the night and someone else bought me a cocktail and I drank it without realising I'm hoping as it won't do too much damage but am cross with myself as I refused shots and chips on the way home and even refused dessert!

Anyway back on it today...