Starting today - low carb

[lasttimeround]

Right it's time to get back in the low carb saddle. I basically follow boot camp rules. That works very well for me. I find getting into ketosis hard so making my public declaration of intent here. Planning to weigh and measure shortly.

So I'm starting today. Whingeing about carb flu all the way. Join me

neokobus - more water and more fat!

Iamdobby - yes, I wondered about some of the carb counts too.

Hello all. I'm back in the BC light room before the next official BC. Have had a month off over Xmas and braved the scales yesterday. Was delighted to see I'd only put on 2lbs so very motivated to keep going downwards, building on my 3 stone plus loss over the previous 6 months!

I find it easiest to combine with a bit of 5:2 or 16:8 intermittent fasting, as that 'resets' my appetite and gets me into fat burning more quickly. I did a fast day on Monday, with only black coffee and dinner of LC sausages with courgettes, and a smaller fast yesterday, with coffee/cream and some nuts for lunch and sprouts with bacon for dinner.

Today I've had nuts and coffee for breakfast, and some mezze (guacamole, roasted veg, coleslaw) from work. Snuck in a falafel for protein as they had nothing else except tuna which I really wasn't in the mood for. So a fair bit of carbs there but I'm still patting myself on the back that I'm day 3 and haven't had alcohol, bread, biscuits, cake, mince pies, Haribo, chocolate and ALL THE REST OF THE FOOD over Xmas!

Am currently 12st 13 and my final goal (by beginning of June) is 10st10. At my heaviest I was 16st6 and am testament to the way this works: it isn't rocket science, but the impact on appetite, hunger, sweet cravings, control and all the psychological stuff is enormous - so it is sustainable over a much longer period without a sense of deprivation. A spoonful of double cream sorts out any notion that I need a biscuit in an instant: I wouldn't be able to stop at one biscuit, or even half a packet so the 'reward' of cream, cheese or nuts really helps me. If you're new to this and can't get your head round that, I'd urge you try it: when you see after one week that you CAN lose weight by dealing with your hunger by satisfying it properly, instead of all the guilt and battle of 'I must only eat one biscuit...', then after a while, you genuinely change your attitude to food.

I noticed it over Christmas. I did allow myself junky carbs, but because I knew I'd put in so much work in changing my appetites, I couldn't go back to my old 'stuff myself senseless and hate myself afterwards' ways. So I was able to be much more moderate, and only have what I really wanted. It really helped. I feel like LC has taught my brain how to eat like a thinner person, and that is the most valuable thing of all. The longer I can sustain it (a year and beyond I hope) and I'm then hoping I can feel like 'this is how I eat now' instead of it being a diet...

Just dropping to recommend something I ate today.
Bought some organic soy spaghetti from ASDA earlier. Asian something is the make. It was on offer at 2 quid. It's 14g of carbs per 100g of spaghetti so I had a 50g serving which was plenty and came in at 3.5g carbs had it with prawns and low carb green pesto. Honestly it was so close to normal spaghetti I can't believe it. Maybe slightly softer, more noodle like but a great substitute

Wow WilfSell your post is really motivational. The 'this is how I eat now' is what I really want to achieve, with different diets, plans and ways of eating I am always thinking 'when I go back to eating normally' but I cannot go back to 'normal' eating that's what got me here looking to loose weight.

Sorry meant to be 7g of carbs per 50g of spaghetti. Maths not a strong point
Total mea came in at 8.5g carbs inc spaghetti, prawns and low carb pesto so not too bad for later on in boot camp

Jumping in, been doing low carb since Monday after having great results before I got pregnant with DC2 (who is now 1...so time to get myself sorted a bit!).

Just checking in. Everything fine here. The weight is coming off. I've started weight training again and usually find an Atkins bar helps me get through the work out. I have avoided eggs as my body is still a bit cross with me for overdoing them the first time I did low carb.

I am going to try some of the recommendations listed here, thank you.

HI All. I think i'm going to duck out of bootcamp sadly. I just am so hungry all the time (i ate half a tub of extra thick double cream the other day and i still felt hungry - sick, but hungry) and i have noticed my breast milk is decreasing and DD1 is on the boob constantly - so i am worried the quality may not be great either. I did a bit of reading and something this low carb could release toxins into the milk apparently, which i also don't want to risk. It must be the breastfeeding as i have done BC before and felt great and very full on it.

I am going to try to do a more relaxed Paleo/Primal with sweet potato and more carby veg and fruit and i will also go back to a small amount of oats a day and some pulses. See how i go with that.

Good luck everyone. I am really sad to stop but i think it's for the best. :)

Mrs K - I know nothing really, but my gut sense is that it may be best not to do aggressive LCing when b-feeding. Such a particular time as a mother and the body makes huge demands on you. Go with what feels right (which is NOT hunger)!

I think it's definitely best not to low carb when you're breastfeeding. I also found that I couldn't lose weight until I'd stopped bf.

Thanks for the reassurance. I know it's the right thing. BUT i am not used to doing things incrementally i either do things to the max or not at all. I am also not used to hating my body. I want to get weight training and back to the way i was but can't. I am telling myself it's a short space of time but i am very impatient and goal oriented. I try not to look at myself in the mirror and think of the baby's needs.

I will still be frisbeeing quiche in the bin tho and trying to lose weight slowly. I will be back to BC the moment i finish bfing. Hope to see some of you there when i do. :)

Mrs K - honestly it goes so fast. Try to be kind to yourself for these weeks/months. I promise you there is PLENTY of time to get back into shape. Snuggling with a tiny babe is precious time and is gone in a flash not that it always feels like that at the time as I remember only too well

See you further down the line!

I started on Monday and, so far, it's going quite well. I definitely find it easiest if l have a menu plan and know exactly what I'm going to eat.
Monday
B. Bacon, egg, mushrooms fried in butter, coffee & cream x 2
L. Tuna mayo, green salad with mayo, half avocado
D. Low carb sausage, cauliflower, broccoli with grated cheese

Tuesday
B. FF Greek yogurt, coffee with cream x 2
L. Chicken thighs, green salad, mayo
D. Beef burger, cauliflower, sprouts in butter.

Today
B. FF Greek yogurt, coffee with cream x 2
L. Chicken breast (with skin) salad with mayo, half avocado
D. Chicken breast wrapped in bacon, sprouts in butter, cauliflower and grated cheese .

I'm not snacking as I'm really not one for snacks and if I start I might not stop! I need to drink more water I've only managed 2L each day.

Gosh that's long!

TBH you shouldn't be snacking anyway! (And once you're into the swing of low carbing you'll find you won't want to anyway)

Has anyone successfully made Parmesan crisps? I followed recipe which said to scatter 1tsp of Parmesan in a cookie cutter disk on a tray with grease-proof paper. They all came out stuck to the grease-proof paper

The few crumbs I managed to separate from the paper were yummy! Maybe I should grease the paper with butter first? Or I was thinking of investing in a silicone tray liner.

Feel like I'm wading through treacle today.

B - 2 teaspoons of almond butter
L - 2 slices of flaxbread with butter, marmite and 1 slice cheese
D - will be prawn stir fry

My sister made me some low carb lemon cakes made with ground almonds and cream cheese 'icing'. Have had 3. They so contain artificial sweetener though, so won't be having them too often.

Flibberty you need proper baking parchment and then it works a treat. The heat just melts the coating on greaseproof paper which makes things stick WORSE in my experience.

If you're lazy, you can always microwave the shit out of a Babybel on a plate... (Unwrapped obv )

Aderyn - doesn't look like a good day for you, food wise - no wonder you're suffering!

Where's your proper breakfast? Why only 2 teaspoons of butter?!

And you're not eating much veg or salad.

Flibberty when I make them, I just put the grated parmesan into little heaps directly onto a baking tray - allow room for them to spread. They have fat in them so don't stick. Wait till they cool slightly and remove. Lovely

Good day today.
B - ff Greek yoghurt
L- chorizo, olives and cubes of cheese
D - mackerel with sautéed red cabbage, artichoke and haloumi, 2 squares of 85% dark chocolate

Feel much less bloated already!

Not too bad today.

B: FF Greek Yoghurt, some double cream and a handful of raspberries
L: slice of gammon and 2 eggs fried in butter
D: will be prawns warmed in butter on a green salad with avocado and mayo

Lots of water, one Coke Zero and a beef stock in hot water.

Will give them a try without paper directly onto baking tray, thank you.

Today for me:

B - 2 scrambled eggs and coffee with cream x2
L - half a bag of pork scratchings (not great I know) & full fat yoghurt
D - Minced beef with veg

BIWI, I forgot to make flaxbread last might so didn't have much in the house that was suitable for breakfast (apart from eggs, which I'd had for dinner last night so didn't fancy), hence the almond butter. I wasn't really hungry anyway and didn't want to eat just for the sake of it.

Will make sure I have loads of veg with the stir fry later.

Finberty there's the world of difference between baking parchment and greaseproof paper which is dreadful stuff imo. Good to be reminded of Parmesan crisps as I love them but have had my cheese allowance today.

Today's menu:
B: Haloumi and tomato with rocket
L: finished the above as had to dash out half way through as had forgotten an appt.
Had an extra slice and another tomato and more rocket.
A decaf coffee with cream
Tonight I'm having 2 peppers stuffed with minced beef and tomato with a drizzle of cream and a light grating of cheese on top. I've stolen one small
Sausage which I'm cooking for my husband - gluten free ones not v carby.
Missing wine tonight but I'll have a slimline tonic with ice and lemon and lime and wish it had gin in.
I feel slimmer already and the day 3 crash hasn't happened .... yet.