Week 9 - Spring Low Carb Bootcamp - our last fortnight

[BIWI]

Morning all

the Spreadsheet

I hope that the scale are kind to you this morning.

Looks like it's going to be a lovely week, weather-wise - always makes me look at the stuff in my wardrobe and wonder what will fit

... but there are still two weeks to go, so a chance to drop a few more pounds as well.

Good luck for the week ahead

Oh great idea, thank you. I actually have a pack of that at the back of my food cupboard. Will give it a try

It can be difficult to tell Dogblep, some people just naturally poo a lot less often when they eat low carb. If however you feel that you need to go and you can't then it's worth trying something. According to Giulia Ender's book Gut the thing to do is lean forwards on the toilet with your feet up on a footstool. Apparently that straightens out the last kink in your intestine and makes it easier to poo. I've tried this and it really works! Drinking more water can help as the reason you're constipated may be because you're dehydrated. Eating more fat can help, for example a bulletproof coffee. Magnesium tablets or psyllium husks are other options to get things moving. The last resort is BIWI's sugar-free sweets trick although I have herd it can have disastrous consequences.

I'm one who doesn't poop on low carb

I was a 3 times a day, clockwork kinda girl on high carb low fat.. I now 'go' about twice a week

I'm not uncomfortable though and when I do go it's fine, so I figure it's because I'm absorbing more nutrients from the food I'm eating and there's less waste. The same thing happened when I switched the dogs onto raw food rather than kibble :)

Dinner :)

Belly pork with roasted broccoli and sprouts, with a cream and mustard sauce

Oh I have the opposite problem.

-2 over the last two weeks. Was away overseas last week so pleased I have managed the slow but steady decline. 12lb off on boot camp, 1st 3lb off overall.
Exercise has been shit so feeling less toned but life/work a bit bonkers before we go on holiday on Friday.

That looks good Hesdead, I had roast rack of lamb, roast brocolli/cauliflower and celeriac mash. Well done on that loss *SayrraT and others who are doing well.

Another 1 and a half for me which is a total of 12lbs in 5 weeks. Very happy. Especially as I have had a very challenging few weeks emotionally.

I had samphire with my tea tonight But I have just checked the allowed veg and it wasn't on there. It is only 0.6 carbs per 100g so I thought it would be ok.

Please can someone clarify if for me. Thanks.

Sugar free sweets are definitely a back up option. Already drink a fair amount but will try drinking more.

Samphire I'm sure is fine, it's just not a very common veg hence i'm sure it doesn't crop up on many lists I have only had it a few times but I love it

I think I read about someone having insomnia on one of the threads somewhere but can't find it. Is anyone else having this problem? I'm not having trouble getting to sleep - I crash out at 9.30/10 - but am waking at 4.30. After googling insomnia and hflc, I think this is a common side effect to but has anyone got any tips or can you tell me if it eases up? I've started taking a magnesium supplement and someone somewhere suggested potassium too but just thought I'd see if anyone here had any tips? I'm on week 5 I think now. Thanks.

Are you feeling tired Wishful or could you be getting enough sleep? LCHF can improve the quality and duration of R.E.M. sleep so it can mean that you don't need to sleep for as long and it can change your sleep patterns.

wishfulblinking that was me. I was WIRED for 2 days in the first week, slept 5 hours in 2 days but was absolutely fine and functioned as normal

It did settle down on its own after a couple of days but apparently it's because you don't have a blood sugar slump in the evening and therefore don't have that to help you off to sleep

wishfulblinking. I had insomnia at the start. Took ages to get to sleep and then woke very early. Now I am falling asleep really easily and waking at about 7 or so. I used to sleep in much longer but am now getting all the sleep I need. It will get better.

Thanks for your reassuring words, everyone. I feel totally bloody knackered at the moment but the clocks have just gone back here in aust. so I suppose my body clock is stuck on waking at the old 5.30 which is now 4.30am. And you're right I was feeling okay on that amount of sleep and waking at 5.30. But even then I felt utterly wrecked by 9. And I still have no energy for exercise. But wahooey I've lost 4kgs so it's worth it!

That's really interesting about the REM stuntnun. Are carbohydrates that powerful.. in a bad way?!

I also get the waking up this. I read about tryptophan can help, eating some things before sleep high in it. Also taking magnesium and a 5HttP supplement. I'm trying baths with lavender and epsom salts as well. Also getting leg cramps which wake me up. Does anyone else get that as well?

Yes me too Lovely. Well not so much cramps as restless uncomfortable feeling legs. Like they need stretching out or constant movement if that makes sense, esp in the eve and yesterday in the night. I'm adding salt to food but think I need to get some of that Lo-salt which is half potassium.

Ok, so there's a dish I'm really craving and I need ideas on how to make it low carb:

It's slow cooked lamb, feta and honey with mint leaves and lemon all mixed through couscous.

I'm thinking replace the couscous with salad leaves and it's actually not bad, but what do I substitute the honey with? Any creative cooks about?

Maybe mix through cauliflower rice. There is no honey replacement so just leave it out.

I believe cramps = up your salt. Magnesium and potassium too.

Hesdead I'd also just leave the honey out.

Hi everyone, sorry to hijack, but can I join the boot camp? I'm newish to MN but I've been low carbing since Jan and am 17lb down - few blips here and there but really desperate to get myself in better shape and could do with some support.

What do I have to do?

Welcome Moany! We only have a couple of weeks left of this Bootcamp, but you're very welcome to join us.

Go to the OP (original post) on this thread and click on the link to the spreadsheet. Look at the tabs at the bottom and you'll find the Bootcamp rules.

Any questions, just ask here!

Thank you very much! I'll go have a look

For info, I've just come across a new range of ready meals from Sainsbury, called Fit Kitchen

There are 4 in the range, all chicken based, ranging from 15g carbs to 21.4g carbs per meal (and if you're watching the calories, from 202 to 296 per meal.)

I had one yesterday for lunch and it was really tasty and a good sized portion too.

They might be a bit high in carbs for the first two weeks of Bootcamp, but for the rest of the time (or for maintenance) they're certainly much lower than most ready meals.

Reviews on Sainsbury's site (and Ocado's too) are a bit mixed, but I really enjoyed the one I tried yesterday - Middle Eastern Chicken. I've got the Kung Pao to try today.

Normally I make my own lunch, or bring stuff in from home, but I haven't got much time this week, so these are a godsend!

Sorry - correction - they're not from Sainsbury, I bought them at Sainsbury - other places sell them too!