Week 4 - Pre-summer Low Carb Bootcamp: are you KOKO?!

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Here's the Spreadsheet of Doom Fabulousness

Week 3 might not have been kind to you - and here's the warning that week 4 might be the same

But hopefully by now you're starting to adjust to low carbing, and should be feeling some of the other benefits, even if the scales are resolutely ignoring you!

If you're struggling, come here and tell us about it. Don't self-sabotage by thinking 'oh fuck it' and diving into the carbs!

Sayrra, that's horrible :(. I really hope you guys get some better news soon.

Saffynool - I'm no expert on this front, but personally, I really struggled with exercise in the first few weeks - leaden legs etc, but found it way easier after that.

I'm like you, and I just try and keep my 10,000 steps up. I think that's important for me. When I don't have that carby energy boost, sometimes I feel my energy levels (/metabolism?) dropping and I get a bit lethargic. Walking makes me feel way more energised and lively.

This has nothing to do with LC, but personally, I don't like exercise and I find it too much to make myself give up carbs and exercise in the same time period. Again, this is personal, but I have found in the past that if I set myself a daily workout challenge while dieting, I fail on the workout and then think 'sod it, may as well have some chocolate'. So what I do, is stick to walking and do any exercise above that when I feel like I would enjoy it. Or, I set myself shorter workout challenges. Over this BC, I set three weeks where I would do HIIT on 5 days. It's tough, but it's working, because I don't see months of it looming ahead. Anyway, very personal ramble there and probably not what you wanted to know.

The gist is that I agree with you, and I don't think exercise is that important (with the exception of walking which I think gets everything moving).

It's insane how taste buds change. I used to love Reece's peanut butter cups, but now I find a teaspoon of peanut butter just as enjoyable as they ever were.

saffynool I'm a runner and started about the time I started my first bootcamp. It helps, you can't ignore the extra calories off but do as otherwise you end up counting them and that way madness lies and its not LCBC friendly way of life.
BUT... exercise helps with how you feel and getting your dietary system going, moving, being outside sunshine its all good and 10k steps is massive
If you want a bit more and your doing well with your walking have a look at a couch to 5k programme.
I have masses of energy when I'm LC, I normally go running in the morning on a coffee and average 20-25miles a week, also cycle to work and some martial arts. At the moment I'm punishing myself for having a pulled calf muscle with lots of bike rides and trying to hold plank position for 2 minutes a day for a month, its day 10 and it hurts

No, I think that's really interesting PlayNice, and totally agree. I can't stand the idea of running or 'aerobic' exercise but do love walking and find that a bit of exercise definitely fosters more, iyswim.

Having said that, have just got back from a walk and detoured via the crossfit gym that's just up the road. Have been too intimidated to go in before but they were lovely. They do a free 7-day trial, and a free month for kids! Am toying with it - they don't do mixed groups because they said that's too much pressure and too competitive, so I wouldn't be surrounded by scarily fit weight lifters...

I dunno though - is that a step too far? I quite like the idea of having a bit of muscle tone though

You're waaaay ahead of me pisses!

Gosh Sayra - sorry for your troubles, hope everything works out soon.

I moved house and purposefully didnt unpack my scales,they make me demented! I have done bootcamp on and off (under different user names) for the last 2 years and this is the first one where i havent weighed myself at all and its a liberation. I trust the plan, i know it works and i can see the change.

If i weigh myself i do it almost hourly, i just cant resist. I am either really pleased that i have lost so much so therefore i deserve a treat - that then turns into falling off of the wagon or i havent lost anything so therefore i might as well have a treat as it isnt working and that leads to falling off of the wagon! So scales are staying hidden.

On the exercise front, i have done all sorts. Currently i am doing kettlebells and loving it. I feel so much stronger and my shape is changing - i am nearly a size 14 but 2 stone heavier than i usually am at that size. I am also doing some cycling and walking more. I dont like huffy puffy exercise so kettlebells is fab but is supposedly good for cardio. I certainly wobble a lot less - except for my stomach which is still a work in progress.

Marks daily apple has some good stuff on exercise and he suggests 1 sprint / heavy cardio session a week and a couple of heavy weights sessions with low level background movement, such as walking an hr a day. I am trying to follow his advice loosely and it seems to be working except on my tummy- big sobs!!

Dinner tonight will be metazza and i cant wait, it has some good reviews on here and after my poor attempts at cauliflower pizza the other day i am looking forwards to something that feels like a weekend treat.

Sayrra I'm so sorry to hear about your DH

Pisses my plank record is 6 minutes!

Sayrra

Sayrra so sorry to hear that it sounds really tough and scary. I hope that you and DH in time can sort out something that works with his work so that it's not just bad news. I also hope you don't allow this to derail you into emotional overeating (God knows that's something we all do at times when stressed)--it's great you have checked in with us so that we can keep supporting you.

bettyblue I loved your 'adding pottasium to your magnetism'

saffy in terms of exercise, I think it's a really really good thing to do something and just makes you feel better overall. In the first 2 weeks I found I was exhausted and didn't push myself but this last week I have been walking loads and feel so much energy!!

BIWI in terms of what you wrote, you're absolutely right (and helpful as always). The important thing in most of our cases is feeling more energy and a more stable mood and not feeling hungry which is a revelation!!! I just feel so liberated, not having the carb cravings for months now!!
In terms of LC rules though, yes, now that I think about it, this week I think I've probably made some minor mistakes that altogether mean my weight loss is stalling. Eg eating nuts and berries (probably more than I should); sneakily adding some milk to my coffee when it was happily black; eating more cheese than I should... Probably not eating enough overall. I think I'll go back to basics for a week.

Thanks Biwi and others. I know you are all right. I'll KOKO and hope for a loss on Monday.

I also probably shouldn't have picked today to try on a pair of shorts in Next..........

Went to M&S and ended up in th food hall in a mood to treat myself. Ended up with a piece of poached salmon, a pot of avocado and a pot of hard boiled eggs. And a magazine and a bottle of water.

Sayrra - I am sorry for what you and your DH and going through. It sounds really worrying. Is there a way of finding out if it was a seizure?

Exercise wise - I too have a Fitbit. Am not great at th moment though. I do feel better if I do something though. Want to lose some weight and start couch to 5k again, I did It a few years ago and got to week 7 but my knees weren't up to it. So I'm walking now with a view to building up to running again. I was also do a circuits class twice a week which I enjoyed. Will get back to that once I finish my radiotherapy next week.

Biwi - am impressed with your plank record!

Just read the lead article in this week's New Scientist (self-confessed geek). It's entitled Fat vs Carbs - and is an excellent piece - showing that attitudes towards what constitutes a healthy diet are doing an 180% turn. Cites those who are anti the LCHF approach, but is definitely leaning towards recent evidence showing that our WOE is not only good for weight loss, but also for heart health, protection against diabetes etc. And even SATURATED fats looking like they are just fine/actually beneficial. Am going to force DH to read it tonight!!

I've just had a mouthful of Diet Coke, eurgh it tastes so sweet!

Sayraa that sounds really tough

I'm going to the gym for the first time is weeks this afternoon . KOKO and doing okay I think .
I have 33 days till my holiday.
Has anyone else found that the coyo youghuts go quite lumpy and thick if not eaten straight away .. I think my fridge might be dodgy though

Just popping back to say how brilliant the cafe in my new gym is. I'm popping in there to work sometimes instead of pissing about not getting anything done working from home. My first time I asked for cream in my coffee and she didn't have any. I've politely checked a couple of times since, but she only has semi-skimmed milk. She says 'everyone asks for low fat and skinny everything'. Today I ordered an omelette with bacon and a greek salad and asked for extra olive oil, and she looked at me like . When she brought it she said 'Are you doing Keto?', and I said 'Yes!' and she was like 'Ahhhh' and then she came back later and said 'I'm going to get you some cream in'. Amazing!!

Sayraa - that sounds really worrying, I hope he gets some answers.

I am on a not-hungry day. Funny how the week fluctuates. Just trying to get my mind around visitors coming on Sunday. They are funny eaters themselves (one plain food, one lots of fancy salads and very weight obsessed). I need food that will work for both of them and for me, but won't make it obvious I am eating this way. Believe me, I don't need the hassle!

So what do you think of this:
Lunch - homemade chicken liver pate, homemade mackerel pate, LC sausages cut in to chunks, olives and then either a big tuna/mozzarella salad (but the plain one only likes iceberg which the other one won't eat, so I have to do two different ones) or just mozzarella/tomato/avocado/basil. Then a bowl of italian caponata (aubergines fried up with capers, olives, oil, basil, garlic and some chopped tomatoes) and some fried courgette slices with lemon juice, feta and olive oil. I can get French bread for those who want it.

Dinner - maybe baked whole trout and salad, with green beans in aioli, good mayo and roasted new potatoes for those who want.

What do you think?

Today:
B: creamy scrambled eggs in butter
L - last remaining pork belly slice from last night with a bit of cream, mayo and spinach salad
D - chicken with crispy skin, broccoli & cauliflower cheese

Sayrra

Well I'm KOKO so that's something. I don't seem to be loosing weight at the moment but I believe that's normal. Hopefully I'll have a whoosh next week.

I saw a loaf of "bread" on one of the previous threads made with flaxseed and ground almonds. Would that be suitable for bootcamp light or not?

sayrra not knowing is horrible. Hope your dp is ok.

I'm feeling pretty low ATM, anxiety is getting the better of me. Koko but really near to a wobble.

I bought some oppo icecream (made with stevia) to have when I'm on holiday next week as a treat and it's calling my name...

Metformin is making me fault nauseous again today :( some days I'm fine and others I can barely swallow food. I'm going to buy a nice big piece of ribeye for dinner hopefully that will help me eat. Does anyone know what shallots are best, the long ones or round ones? Would love to do fried onions to go with the steak but will chose shallots instead

Shallots are just as good as onions. The long/small ones are pretty similar in carb count so I go for the big ones (they are easier to peel).

When I was on metformin before I always felt rank. My assisted reproduction dr took me off of it, basically said that it regulates insulin spikes but if you are low carb and your insulin is regulated by the diet you don't need it. Worth speaking to your dr about it maybe if it's making you feel really bad.

I feel fine until I'm faced with food, sorry wasn't clear in my other post. I am seeing the dr next week for something else so I will mention it then. I've low carb'd before on it and felt fine.

After a couple of weeks from hell with my stomach, I'm back to losing weight again after bouncing around on the same couple of lbs despite following bootcamp.

I've been following LC since the start of April when I was topping the scales at 228lbs (16st 4lbs) and set myself an interim goal of hitting 196lbs (14st) by the 6th of July when DH and I go away, I hit my goal on monday and I'm over the moon! So I'm dropping it another half a stone since I have the best part of a month to play with.

Had a bbq at work for the summer party and I thought it would be a nightmare but it turned out to be great!

There was a hog roast option so I had pork, crackling, salad and halloumi - winner!

Trying to catch up after not reading thread since yesterday morning...
Hope your DD found GCSE maths ok reader ! mine said 'meh' but tackled all the questions so we'll see...
Sorry about your husbsnd sayrra ....

BC-wise I got excited by what I thought was a mini whoosh yesterday morning but 2lbs mysteriously back this morning and with a friend, so 3lb on!!! My scales are crap though and hover all the time / at least now they are fluctuating below the 12 st mark rather than above it,
I have decided to do this WOE long term I will gave a treat sometimes, like a glass of wine or two at the weekend and poss a blip further down the road when I am on holiday so I think I must just knuckle down for the long haul and do the BIWI method, with a few off piste moments but generally KOKO...

In terms of other benefits my energy levels are really up and down but I think my skin does look a bit better - had a bit of redness across nose which seems to have faded so that's good

Hv s good eve everyone!

That's great notquite!

Epic catch up. Horrible stomach bug seems to have passed. Thank goodness.

Wednesday:
B:BPC
L: skipped due to stomach bug
D: cauli cheese and a LC sausage

Thursday:
B: BPC
L: none. Didn't feel hungry
D: more cauli cheese, leeks and sausage
S: 5 blueberries and a mini bar of dark choc (14g of carbs! Not sure if it was worth it)

Today:
B: BPC
L: 3 breaded chicken tender things from school canteen (not great, but forgot my lunch) with cheese and salad.
D: butter chicken and cauli rice