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!

I ate some strawberries today. This is my first slip up

Never mind, I won't do it tomorrow! I went shopping today and bought a pair of shorts in the next size down

Thanks Gcal. I'm not sure I'm in a stall either as I don;t thin I have properly started losing weight. I'm going to do some serious menu planning and see what I can come up with.

I am trying to check if my fat is wobblier. It certainly is wobbly...

Reggae - I did it for the first time recently and they were fab. I scored the skin with a sharp knife in cuts about 2cm apart then covered them in olive oil with salt, pepper and some fennel seeds. I roasted them very hot for 20 minutes then turned it down for another 40 or so. I couldn't stop eating the crackling. I was stuffed after one strip; DH managed 4!

Just - great job. You must feel very happy.

Sing - I hope the nausea soon passes and the ADs kick in soon. Take care of yourself.

I have begun my quest for less carby veg tonight and not had tomato sauce with my meatballs. I was going to do something with pesto and cream but no discovered I have no pesto so I made a meatball salad with gem lettuce, avocado, rocket and mayonnaise. It was actually very nice, if a bit peculiar. I had cream in my tea too, and survived!

Well done to everyone one who's keeping going whether you've had a loss or not.

So, when is the sugar craving supposed go? I am really struggling with the sugar craving today. All day, on and off. I just want something sweet so bad.

I can resist, I will resist, but it's so hard. I have some 90% chocolate but I'm worried that if I start I won't be able to stop.

Tried to have coffee and cream but it was all curdled .. Yuck .
Couple of boiled eggs
2 pepperonis
Steak with asparagus and garlic butter
Gulping down the water.

Sing hope the meds kick in really soon

Margaritas, when I first tried tea with cream it tasted really weird. But several weeks later I have got used to it, and now prefer it with cream!

Also, I made a burger salad a couple of weeks ago, similar to your meatball one - it worked very well!

MothershipG, I always struggle with sugar cravings when I am ovulating or premenstrual. The good news is that this wears off after you have bean eating this way for a while.

I suffered last night with uber sugar cravings, I was putting together 35 pic'n'mix sweet cones and the smell of all the sweets was challenging.

I've eaten bigger all today.

My eldest son was rushed into hospital on Monday morning, he's still there now, luckily feeling slightly better and awake at least, we're waiting for an HDU bed in the specialist centre we are shared care with.

Normally it's ok, the cafe here has little pots of egg/cheese/meat/Tuna and a green side salad but today I got there too late
DP is just knocking up some fried chicken thighs and veggies and I'll have some yoghurt and cheese to finish up. I have had lots of water though and 2 black coffee.

Oh Titsalina, I hope your DS is ok

Titsalina I am in awe of you sticking to LC with the stress you must be under. I hope your DS is on the mend.

Humphrey but how long is a while?

Hope DS continues to feel better Titsalina

I'm struggling with low energy and exercise. Joined a new gym and leaving work to go at 6pm just felt absolutely depleted, like at the end of a long run, like my muscles had nothing to give. I'm guessing this is there being no carbs to call on, but I found it really hard to muster any energy at all. Wasn't hungry, but stopped at street food stall and had halloumi to try and pep me up but it didn't really work! (Yesterday I felt the same and tried almonds before - didn't really work either). Cancelled spin class and did pathetic 20 mins workout before crawling home on bike, like through treacle! I know it's hot but I thought I'd done quite well with hydration today, I drank loads.

B: 2 eggs scrambled in butter with splash cream and pinch extra mature grated cheddar, half an avocado
L: (Annoyingly forgot to take leftovers so had to have) Pret chicken, pesto, mozarella salad
D: Will be leftover Kung Pao chicken with coconut cauli rice
S: Miso soup, halloumi with salad bits and hummus (about 2tbsp - I said 'no hummus' but he added it 'for free' and felt so zonked I ate it)

Most of the day my energy levels are higher, especially in the morning, so any tips about how to fuel up for an evening workout after a long day (without having a banana or some oatcakes, which is what my brain is saying I need to do) would be appreciated!!

Mothership - I find my sugar cravings return if I have inadvertently eaten something with sugar in. I also find that I can have a little 85% chocolate without it causing a binge feeling. Perhaps you could a strawberry or 2 or 3 blueberries to satisfy it? I sometimes have a tablespoon of cream and that sorts it for me.

Titsalina Sending good wishes for your DS

Titsalina sorry to hear about your DS but hope he makes a swift/complete recovery

Xotic you're not eating much - why is that?

bettyblueeyes you're in the fat adaptation phase. You will get there, but it might take a couple more weeks.

There's a really good book that I recommend you read called The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance by Drs Volek and Phinny which will tell you everything (and more!) that you need to know about exercise and low carbing

Titsalina - best wishes for your DS

bettyblueeyes83 - you could try eating something v salty? I feel like that when I need potassium/salts so I dissolve some low salt in a bit of water and choke it down. Or you could drink an oxo or just eat something salty.

The last time this happened to me I dragged myself around on a day out with the kids, I had eaten bacon for breakfast and thought it tasted of nothing , when I finally realised and upped my levels I felt immediately better and found that the bacon next morning was actually extremely salty, it is just that I was so low I couldn't taste it!

Thanks both. I thought with the Miso my salt would be OK but I'll go back to bouillon tomorrow. That's reassuring, BIWI, thanks! Love a good nutrition/exercise read, will download it now!

Titsalina sorry to hear about your DS, hope he continues to improve.

Wintersea, after discovering the first ingredient in my Schwartz Chinese 5 spice was sugar I went on a search for alternative and got one at Waitrose in their 'cooks ingredients' section, it's a little tub. No wonder I was enjoying my pork belly so much!

Titsalina - hope your DS is ok. How stressful for you.

Bettyblueeyes - maybe a good vitamin supplement? The first few days on this I felt shattered and my legs felt like lead just walking up the stairs. I started taking a multi vit and it def helped. If I forget for a couple of days that feeling comes back.

Am taking a multivitamin and magnesium so I don't think it's that? Hate lead-legs feeling!

Posted too soon.

Food today

B - two eggs scrambled with some Boursin cheese
Went to a friend for coffee and she had made muffins! But she is doing Paleo so they were made with coconut flour and almond flours, eggs and lemon zest so not too bad I don't think. I had one. Quite heavy and filling.
L was in town so went into a cafe - had portobello mushrooms win mozzarella, pesto and tomato with bacon. Thought it would be yummy but it was disappointing. Only ate half
S some M&S cheese and onion deli filler
D - fried 'rice' with chicken and a fried egg on top
S a piece of Brie

All my water. Three teas with small amount of milk.

Just made a delicious dessert which might work as ice cream if frozen.

Marscapone mixed together with cream some vanilla powder and 1 square of melted chocolate (I used lindt hint of lime).

I haven't been able to weigh myself this week as our scales are knackered and won't be able to get some until the weekend. I don't want to be dropped off the spreadsheet. Could someone add my weight as staying the same this week please?

Ahhh... I'm here. Finally.
I've had a terrible weekend with ds. Looks like we might be getting a referral for him so hopefully next (school) year might get a bit easier.
Anyway, back on the straight and narrow now. I promise!

Sorry to hear about your son m Titsa. Hope all goes well for him

Re wobbly fat. Mine always ishowever I loved your explanation of the whoosh Stuntnun and will definitely feel kinder towards by wobbly bits in future.

Food today
b ff yogurt
L pork scratchings and cheddar cheese.
Afternoon snack. Stilton and Ham Philly roll up.
D Wanheda's pork chop coated with mayo and Parmesan cheese. It was delicious. Thanks for sharing. With mushrooms and asparagus dripping in butter.

Water down but could have been a lot worse.

All workers I out of the house now so back to a proper lunch tomorrow.

Just logging my food for today:

B - BPC
L - salad of leaves, cucumber, olives with king prawns in a marie rose style sauce (mayo, sour cream, tom purée and a dash of stevia)
D - salad of leaves, cucumber, olives, radishes (I never buy them but was inspired by this thread!) dressing, smoked salmon with a squeeze of lemon, celery filled with Boursin
S - small amount of raspberries and blueberries (about 7g carbs in all - wasn't really needed...), 2 X tea with soya, 1 coffee with cream.

spreadsheet stuff

I've noticed one or two people who are worried that if they miss a week they will be deleted.

That is not the case, after a few weeks of bc I sometimes delete people who have never started on bc (no weights recorded at all). That's all so don't worry about it.

Besides, I have no working laptop at the moment so can't do anything to the spreadsheet!