Week 6 - Low Carb Bootcamp - Let's do this thing!

[BIWI]

Morning!

Here's the SoF for you to confess all

So we move into the second half.

By now, those of you who have been here from the beginning should be hitting your stride, and be more comfortable about what to do, what works/doesn't work etc.

Let's really focus and concentrate on doing it properly.

Good luck!

Happy Birthday Mook! Hope you have a lovely day

should and TooExtra, sorry to hear that you are feeling low. should, I don't think any diet or way of eating can withstand cheating, unless you count "syns". Different things work for different people though and I hope you find something that suits you.

TooExtra this is my 3rd round of low carbing. The first time I tried it was about 10 years ago on Atkins and it worked amazingly quickly. Last time and this time my weight loss is definitely slower and I remember seeing something in the India Knight "Pig to Twig" book about your body resisting more second or third time around.

Having said all of that, this woe definitely works for me and I plan to continue, even when I reach my target weight.

Happy b day mook.
Hope all is well for everyone else. My virus is slowly going (only took a month!) and starting to feel good. And my clothes are hanging off me which is good in my eyes!
I have a question which is probably stupid as I'm prob being dumb. When I am checking labels etc, why do some things say eg. 5.3g carbs per 100g, then 16.3g per 20g portion???
I was thinking if 100g of something has 5.3g carbs? Why does a smaller portion have more carbs??? Or am I reading this wrong????

Well done to everyone still koko despite illness and other woes.

I was beginning to despair as I had a small slip 10 days ago. I didn't put any weight on but have sts for 9 blooming days! Finally lost another pound overnight, so hope I am now back into fat-burning mode!

It really seems to be quite an unforgiving diet.

feek - I think you must be reading the label wrong, can you post something specific?

Thanks, especially to BIWI for your effort in supporting me.

I've had a perfect week eating wise (e.g. yesterday: B: eggs and spinach with loads of butter L: home made scotch eggs, D: roast courgette, cabbage and chorizo, plus a tablespoon of coconut oil). Loads of water. I even had severe diarrhoea as an added bonus. I have cheated at times in the past 8 weeks, but I have also had other perfect weeks too, where nothing came off. I also bloat very easily; I was bloated after my breakfast this morning which was a home made scotch egg, a boiled egg and some tender stem broccoli with butter. Lunch today is pork belly with roasted cauliflower.

I have cooked all my own meals bar 3 in the past 8 weeks, I have cut down coffee - honestly, i have tried everything that was suggested on here and other online discussions.

I'm hovering around having lost a pound or two at the moment. But i've done this on other weeks and it's popped straight back up again. I'm still 2lbs heavier than my lightest a few weeks ago. I think I was dehydrated then, because two days later (no cheating) I was back to my starting weight. Effectively, I'm hovering with a range of about 4- 5lbs. And it doesn't seem to drop below that.

I started on 3 Jan so I'm 3 weeks ahead. I'm pretty sure I'm fat adapted because I hiked for 4 hours last week without needing any food at all. My appetite is diminished and I have consistent energy all day. It took about 3 weeks. Maybe my body just needs to heal for while first before it will drop the fat.

I might lurk, but I'm not going to post any more because you don't need to hear my pity-fest! I feel trapped in a fat body and whether or not I am, I feel powerless to do anything about it. But I will persist - because what else can I do? I'll eventually crack it.

Thanks again.

Chia pudding feedback : it was fantastic! That is now going to be a staple for me. Thanks for help, wand and thumb

shouldi these are for you
I am not an expert so I don't have any suggestions, I'm sorry. It must be so frustrating for you. Is there any particular area where the weight bothers you or do you just want to lose it all over? What sort of exercise do you do - just hiking, walking etc? You could try interval training?

Happy bday mook
shouldi , what diets have you tried in the past and diarrhoea again? Would def check with Drs

B - bacon x 1', scr eggs, avocado, shrooms in butter - progress as would usually have 2 bacon but I don't really need them BUT 2 cups of tea
L - roast chicken, skin, roasted swede, broccoli, hm stuffing using sausage meat, celery, leek, shallot, butter, lemon, sage and tbsp of ground flax 'twas lovely - hm truffle
d - think we will have cold chicken, stuffing, mayo and celery, not that hungry tbh

Have decided to do über from tomorrow, I suspect I have been having too much choc plus dairy effect hindering me

Off for more water, took DCs to a party thinking there would be water but only juice so Am v thirsty !

should I hope you work something out and know you can return at any time. I struggled on a past bc then did a successful one but I'm not doing very well this time. I know that I am sabotaging myself but I'm sticking around to ensure I don't go completely off track.

OK, shouldi. I'm going to be a bit brutal here. But first, I do understand how frustrated you must feel. But you also should understand how frustrated I feel reading your posts. You've admitted to cheating all the way through Bootcamp.

There are no two ways about it. If you don't follow the rules, it won't work!

And in answer to your post earlier:

^I've had a perfect week eating wise (e.g. yesterday: B: eggs and spinach with loads of butter L: home made scotch eggs, D: roast courgette, cabbage and chorizo, plus a tablespoon of coconut oil)

Loads of water.

How much? I keep asking you to list out food/drink but you are never specific.

I even had severe diarrhoea as an added bonus.

I'm really sorry to here this. It's not pleasant at all! But why would drinking loads of water mean that you had severe diarrhoea?

I have cheated at times in the past 8 weeks, but I have also had other perfect weeks too, where nothing came off.

So? A perfect week doesn't compensate for a cheat week. Low carbing isn't a very forgiving way of eating, and from week one I have posted about this and warned about the dangers of cheating.

I also bloat very easily

This means you're not drinking enough water.

I was bloated after my breakfast this morning which was a home made scotch egg, a boiled egg and some tender stem broccoli with butter. Lunch today is pork belly with roasted cauliflower.

This sounds lovely!

I have cooked all my own meals bar 3 in the past 8 weeks,

Great!

I have cut down coffee

From what to what? Are you taking milk in it?

honestly, i have tried everything that was suggested on here and other online discussions.

But you haven't followed the rules, have you?

I'm hovering around having lost a pound or two at the moment. But i've done this on other weeks and it's popped straight back up again.

Probably because you keep cheating!

I'm still 2lbs heavier than my lightest a few weeks ago. I think I was dehydrated then, because two days later (no cheating) I was back to my starting weight. Effectively, I'm hovering with a range of about 4- 5lbs. And it doesn't seem to drop below that.

If you're dehydrated then you haven't been drinking the water. It's one of the key rules of Bootcamp. It's really important.

I started on 3 Jan so I'm 3 weeks ahead. I'm pretty sure I'm fat adapted because I hiked for 4 hours last week without needing any food at all. My appetite is diminished and I have consistent energy all day. It took about 3 weeks. Maybe my body just needs to heal for while first before it will drop the fat.

I think you just need to do something consistently, stop cheating, and follow Bootcamp rules. Please don't tell me that Bootcamp isn't working for you, when you're not following Bootcamp.

I might lurk, but I'm not going to post any more because you don't need to hear my pity-fest! I feel trapped in a fat body and whether or not I am, I feel powerless to do anything about it. But I will persist - because what else can I do? I'll eventually crack it.

You are not powerless to do anything. You can take charge by not cheating, and by following the rules properly. Stop the pity fest that way.

Happy birthday Mook

Happy birthday, Mook!

Well, the less said about my food today the better! I descended into full-on pity fest eating. On the plus side, I just finished Shredding and I'm going to cycle to the bus tomorrow - and back after work. I'm a bit nervous because I haven't cycled in 4 years, and I've never cycled in the dark on country roads before either. I've got new lights and a luminous yellow cycling jacket, so I should be safe enough. It's downhill most of the way apart from the very last stretch, which is up a long hill. That bit is in town so I can always get off and walk if I'm holding up traffic. Going home will be much harder but I can take as long as I like over it. Oh God, maybe I should aim for the train station instead - 3 miles instead of 5, and no hill! The train is more expensive than the bus, but I did just get paid and I can work up to the bus.

Well dammit and bugger. I was going to spend tomorrow as a happy get-all-my-low-carb-food-sorted day, and fate has decreed otherwise. I'm hoping to use Thursday instead.
Still, a delicious day had today:
B: cauliflower florets dipped in cream cheese
L: chicken, bacon and paprika soup
D: duck, celeriac chips and broccoli. We so need a new oven, the chips came out more steamed than anything. Every time I open the oven door it's like a sauna!

Happy birthday Mook

Another unplanned meal out today and I was delighted to find out that the cafe had not one but two dairy and egg free dishes... Irish stew or potato and leek soup. So I had the Irish stew and it was delicious but I shan't be weighing in tomorrow. It was a nice reminder of how I will be able to eat at maintenance though. I've been following this WOE for years which means that I've regained the metabolic flexibility to be able to deal with the odd carby excursion without weight gain/bloating. But it does stall weight loss and I still have 2lb to go.

TooExtra it's tricky to incorporate 5:2 into a low carb high fat WOE because your fasting days need to be low fat to stay within 500 calories. It can be done but a better option may be 16:8 where you eat within an 8 hour window (I do 14:10 three days a week at maintenance). However it depends on what works for you. If you think you can manage two low calorie days then give it a try. I'm told you get into it very quickly and you don't feel extra hungry on fast days.

ShouldI I think going back to Bootcamp and giving it another couple of weeks would be well worth it after all the effort you have put in. I know you're disappointed with how much weight you've lost so far but you have lost weight so something is working for you. There has been a lot going on for you over the past couple of months. Yes there has been a bit of cheating: naan bread, kiwi, beer, wine etc. and that won't help. But your weight has been going up and down which points to water retention issues. And gastroenteritis is bound to have had a shocking effect on your body. You said you have a stressful job so cortisol could be having an impact too. What about the coat that you found could do up even though your weight hadn't changed? Does it still fit? Have you seen any changes in your measurements at all? I really think this WOE can work for you, and work well if you'll just give it a chance. Let your body heal from the tummy bug and get fully adapted to burning fat. I would be pretty confident that the 7lb will drop off again overnight for you. I suggest you reread the rules and recommit to eating lovely low carb food, drinking your four litres of water, and letting your body heal and let go of the extra weight.

Too extra I do 16:8 most days, just sort of fell into it because I'm normally nauseous at brekkie and don't sit down till after wee one is at nursery.

It's not really accelerated my loss (but then nothing really does). Slow and jerky will have to do me though. I will get there.

Well said stunt shouldi what stunt said about how she has ^regained the metabolic flexablility* to have the odd carby thing is really important. You can't expect to have that ability yet. I've been off and on low carb most of my adult life and due to my medical issues (IR/ PCOS etc) doubt I ever will. In the early days (and I mean by that your first 6 months IMHO) having a cheat confuses the hell out of your body, especially when you are ill. You have an insulin spike and kick yourself out of ketosis every time you have a cheat. Your body thinks you are going back to the old way of eating, it makes you retain water and prepare to lay down fat stores and is always always worse when you are ill. I know it feels like your are getting no where and treading water but you can be in control of this.

Sorry quote fail
Food today:
Creamy coffee
Ham, butter and cucmber roll up, creamy coffee.
Roasted shallot, pepper, feta and chorizo served over mixed leaves with dressing made from the olive oil I roasted the veg in and rendered fat from the chorizo whisked up with some red wine vinegar and oregano.

I'm going to up my exercise and start again tomorrow. I will try a week doing that, weigh on Friday morning, and then try to stick to low carb food throughout the drinking weekend. The alcohol won't do me any good but I will try to make it my only badness.

16:8 sounds interesting plus a good way of cutting out dairy (I'd skip my breakfast yoghurt!). I'm not going to cut dairy completely but I will cut down. Plan for tomorrow is to buy a cooked breakfast at work!

Posting cuz can't sleep.
Happy BirthdayMook , my b-day, too! Went out for a meal.
Lot's of exercise in last few days - body a bit stiff & sore. I will see what weigh- in brings. Sometimes my weight goes up if I excercise to point of soreness, which results in water retention.
Today, 7 mi, rather arduous walk, steep hills in bitter weather. Wearing lots of thick clothes which makes walking harder & reminds me how much I hate being fat. Due to LC adaption I had plenty of energy, after having a light breakfast so when we sat down at pub I was not ravenous. I had roast beef, low carb veg, & cheese for dessert. My DP is finally understanding my point of view, I think. He had to help me zip into my over trousers & I said if I got any fatter, I would have to go around naked as I wouldn't any clothes to wear.
Made a big shepards pie yesterday with cauliflower topping to last for a few meals. I have now greatly reduced dairy, though I am still eating some hard cheese to provide variety. I will have to see if that works, or if that has to go, too. I am in this for the long haul, even if only 1/2 lb a week.

Week 7 chat thread is here