Our last week - Spring Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

So our last week! Here's the Spreadsheet for its penultimate outing

One more week could see another couple of pounds off.

Fingers crossed, and good luck!

ragz great pictures - you look fab in both, but I am very envious of your waist in the second.
nightsky great NSV, I love all these loose trousers.

My menu today

Blueberries with Greek yoghurt, coffee and cream
Chicken salad with a sour cream dressing
Chicken, avocado, halloumi and green leaves
4K run

Just catching up but Ragz you look fantastic. I will never understand bodies. I'm about 20 pounds lighter than you and you look so much slimmer than I am. I will be chuffed when I start looking like you.

I have had a really bad few days. I've had a bit of stress, I am absolutely exhausted (ME exhaustion is like nothing else, it's hideous). I always end up eating the wrong thing when I get like this. I was fine up until today when I ended up in severe pain.

I made a conscious decision to treat myself. I had a bowl of frozen yogurt with fruit. It was a pretty large portion. I don't feel cross with myself, it really was very planned out and severe fatigue plus buckets of pain is very hard to get through. And I enjoyed every bite. I am just annoyed because I've been going great guns and I want to keep going!!

Back on it tomorrow when hopefully I won't be so acutely exhausted. I ate well the rest of today. I did my best.

Shasta - give up the fruit! With that, you're not really low carbing/bootcamping!

And don't have the cake, it will undo your efforts so far.

Dust don't be annoyed with yourself, sounds like you had every excuse to treat yourself and made a very wise and planned choice, I can't say I would have done so well. Hope you get plenty of rest.

be kind to yourself dust,
So true that a conscious and well planned cheat is much better than falling face first into a pack of chocolate biscuits and not being able to stop (been there!) well done for planning it out and my going on a carb fest!

BIWI - I will drop the fruit for the initial two week when bootcamp starts. I'm eating the same breakfast as Bibs above and that's my only fruit usually. That seems to be following the Light Rules as far as I can tell. My BMI is 25 and have 20lb to get to 21, so I don't have a long way to go and gained this weight over five years. I also didn't have any withdrawal from carbs, maybe because of the small amount of lower carb fruit but it's a small amount to drop. I read something about low carbing strictly during the week and relaxing a bit for occasional treats at the weekend - is this workable long term, perhaps for maintaining? The birthday is my DD's so harder to skip the cake for her but I will keep it small and can choose my own food as we are the hosts. I also need to do a shop so I have better food to snack on rather than fruit being the only 'healthy' choice.

I also have pain and mobility issues so it can be tricky to shop and cook. But I'm experienced at drug withdrawals and carbs reduction has been a breeze in comparison.

Yes, you can do a more relaxed approach - but if you're not happy with the amount that you're losing (albeit that you've acknowledged it's likely to be a slow rate of loss) then it makes sense to remove anything that's getting in the way.

Can't have it both ways, I'm afraid

Enjoy the birthday

My weight starts with a 9 again!! Hurrah!

Now for something to discuss. Milk and cream give me cystic acne, so for years I've been having soy milk instead. I was reading something saying soy is fermented beans and it can cause an inflammatory response in your body, especially women's bodies. I wondered if that was the reason why my weight fluctuates & then I get a whoosh? So this week I've been having hazelnut milk in my coffee & almond milk in my tea and I've been consistently losing a bit every day instead of fluctuating up & down. For me, this might be the key, so I'm going to try & lay off the soy for the time being and see how I go.

Hi all,
Ragz, you look really good in that picture, well done, it is really showing.

It is my birthday today so weighed in before it all goes to pot and had a lovely surprise in that I am now in the 149.5 pounds, so out of the 150's!

I also heard my husband rattling around last night and he has made me that low carb cake someone linked a few pages back. He has never made a cake before so was quite chuffed. Basically it is dark chocolate, butter and eggs, no flour or sugar at all. Will probably have it with double cream and raspberries, it appears to have sunk a little but it smelt amazing, will report back on how it tasted. Not sure the kids will be too keen though!

Morning all Lots of lovely NSV's going on!

Day 94/100, sooo close to weigh day but I won't buckle yet (mainly cos I haven't found the scales) My NSV is that after having that horrible taste in my mouth I checked all my medications and decided to leave the omeprazole and see what happens. I know my body's changing and the whole point of doing this woe is to take control of my health. So, no omeprazole yesterday and the gerd I'd had didn't return I'm very happy with that. I tried stopping it 6 weeks ago but only lasted half a day so definite progress. In the last 94 days I've halved my pain medications too. I'm not pain free but it's in a tolerable range.

Brunch will be omelette with mushrooms, spinach and cheese
Dinner probably a diet doctor mince/cabbage recipe.
Snacks greek yoghurt with cocoa and some nuts if wanted.

Have a good day everyone, enjoy the sunshine

boatgirl Happy birthday, that cake looks lush

hippa Congratulations

bellalurgy you've inspired me to not weigh myself at all during the next bootcamp

I made the mistake of getting on the scales this morning and I'm up 3lbs on my Monday weight despite being completely on plan and running every ther day

I KNOW that can't be accurate but it still makes me feel rubbnish, so I think not weighing will be good for me psychologically. The question is can i remain accountable without a weekly kick up the bum from the scales, but I reckin keeping my running up and making sure I track diet at least with MFP I should be fine?

dust that sounds like you made good, considered choices in the circumstances. i hope you are feeling better today.
Well done hippa and boat - and Happy Birthday for yesterday. How was the ?
bella I'm glad your GORD hasn't returned, another great NSV. Is the cabbage/ mince thing from diet doctor the stuffed cabbage casserole? Is so, it's gorgeous, I had it yesterday.
Jiminny I haven't weighed myself for 5 days now (pales in comparison to bella's 94 days) and it's bloody hard. I am usually a twice daily weigher, so this is a big change for me. I think it is better psychologically and I've decided I've probably lost about a stone in 5 days . I will weigh at the start of BC (trying not to before then) and then see how far I can get before weighing. I don't know if I will manage to get to the end - might try half way. I think the threads will help keep us accountable and how our clothes feel.

Hoping to go for a run tonight and not fall over.
Food today is;
B: coffee x2
L: nibbles of flax bread, butter, pate, Stilton and olives. I'm going to have a picnic at my desk.
D: If I can get some ricotta, then it will be a recipe from the IPD cookbook. If not, then it will be something else!

can i remain accountable...

I'm sure you can, Jiminny.

If I step on the scales without seeing any difference, i have been known to have a bit of a wobble. I tend to weigh myself just once a month, which smooths out the trend. I'm enjoying the way of eating, so I am really having any kind of struggle to keep on track. It feels sustainable to me, hope it does for you, too.

All the best

Happy birthday boatgirl 🎉

Thank you for the support.

I have a virus today after a shocking week physically, so I feel a bit battered. However it's all been so stressful I'm not surprised and I am just trying to hang in there and remember I'll feel better soon. I actually think I did really well yesterday all things considered. Years ago I'd have binged much more. The frozen yogurt was still comfort food but sometimes I find myself in a pretty impossible situation with my physical health and I just have to get through it and forgive myself.

I have ordered an online shop and bought masses of veggies and low carb ready meals. I still have a month until my friend's wedding.

Feeling ill is making me feel low today generally. I can't say this anywhere else but being anonymous here I have been struggling with feelings for a married man for a while now. I'm not going to go there and so that's that, but it's been making me quite sad for a long time. It's giving me a lot of feelings of being inadequate because I'm overweight. I've always believed no one is going to ever choose me because of being bigger and it causes me a lot of upset. I suppose something in my head must be telling me that if I was thinner this man would pick me. Which is stupid because I don't in any way want to break up a marriage and he isn't that much of a catch. For a start he tried it on with me, knowing I was vulnerable. He's just got under my skin and try as I might I can't shake my feelings for him.

I am trying my hardest to say that I will meet someone lovely soon enough. This woe is going to help me sort my weight out and there will then be someone who picks me and he won't be married. It gets hard to believe that sometimes though. I tend to dwell when I'm in pain, so this is all part of having a rotten week. I need to bash myself over the head with a pillow and distract myself and stop moping. I have joined a dating site by the way but my brain is just dismissing all the men on there because they aren't this man. So I am trying to move on!

happy birthday boat

Dust - tough week indeed! Make a list of all the bad points of this man so you see he isn't that great then burn it! Cleanse yourself of him! There will be a man out there that will be right for you, whatever size you are. But it sounds like you need to be focussing on yourself at the moment.

Lunch - scrambled egg, ham and cheese with butter.
Dinner - meatballs in low carb tomato sauce with mozzarella served on baked kale.
Snack - square of dark choc and bit of stolen grates cheese.

Oof that was a tough day.

I've had a headache since I woke up but went for my run anyway. Managed the walk-run drills fine and didn't feel too puffed. Got back a bit late due to basset hound obedience issues so had to super rush my shower and was still late setting off

Drove the hour to work then had breakfast at my desk (2 eggs, butter, cream cheese and smoked salmon flakes made into smoked salmon and scrambled eggs) and then didn't look up from my desk until 3pm

Lunch was pizza salad (chorizo, sundried tomatoes, olives and olive oil) which I managed to throw down my neck before getting back to work. There's a big project that's landed on my desk and I'm responsible for it now but I feel a bit out of my depth on it. Manager is away for the week so I can't chat it through :( on top of that I have a team of 10 who are asking me questions and badgering me for stuff all bloody day so I can't settle in to a project and get my head in it. Nightmare.

Got home, DP had put braising steak in the slow cooker bless him so I had that with Morrisons the best cauliflower cheese and cleaned the kitchen while the cauli baked. My living room is an absolute rip which is triggering my anxiety a bit but I just can't find the energy to clean it. It will have to wait until Saturday.

My headache is still raging despite paracetamol and extra salt on my dinner so I've given up and I'm having a cup of tea, a bloody good sit down and a cuddle with my hounds!

Is it the weekend yet?!

My menu today was lush -

Scrambled eggs
All Bar One for lunch - I had burger (no bun), halloumi, avocado, kale
Raspberries with a dollop of extra thick double cream
Dinner was 2 chicken thighs, halloumi, chorizo and salad leaves

That sounds really tough, dust motes

But it sounds like you're taking the right attitude to him - keep your head in control rather than your heart! You know he's not worth it, and we can all tell you here that you are worth a lot more.

To be honest, I'd probably not even bother with dating sites yet either. You need to get your self-esteem and self-confidence sorted first.

And remember - you're the one who should be choosing the man, not waiting until someone deigns to choose you!

Thank you guys. I was very proud of myself telling him where to go when he first showed an interest and have been dismayed that my stupid heart has latched onto thinking he's a good idea ever since in any capacity. I haven't wanted to be caught up on him

He absolutely isn't worth it. I don't want to be lusting after someone who has a whole other life. I think it must be miserable to be an OW at Christmas and birthdays and holiday times as well as the rest of the time. This guy is very charming, very successful and extremely good looking but he's also just a creep, plain and simple. And his involvement with me was only planned as a bit of fun for him. I would have been tossed to one side straight after we slept together, if we had done so. That isn't decent of him.

Yes I'm probably not ready to be dating. I just wonder if I ever will be. I've been hideously vulnerable for a very long time. My body image and diet is all caught up in that. I have actually had a lot of therapy and have taken whole years of my life off dating to devote to building myself up a bit. I have a lot of love for myself and lots of things I like about myself but underneath it all that vulnerability is still there. The toxic relative I cut out recently bullied me very severely and I can't remember a time when that wasn't the case. It started at a very young age. So I have done a great thing by finally cutting her out my life. I at least have a lot of friends and am still continuously doing a lot to build myself up. Day at a time and all that.

This diet is ALL PART of me helping myself. The more weight I lose, the more I like myself. Perhaps I shouldn't - I should like myself at all sizes. Lots of bigger women are absolutely stunning and many are healthy. As a bigger woman I am extremely unhealthy, though. I get incredibly flabby. I have a really weird shape - my hips and legs get very heavy and I just look terribly frumpy and cumbersome and probably a bit stupid. I look very plain, to be blunt. I have spent a lifetime being overlooked as a friend and as a partner because of this, I'm completely sure.

As a slimmer woman - well I feel attractive. Much more so. I have lots of positives. So it's all so important I KOKO and I always hope that the smaller I get the more I'll value myself (but am happy to stop at a very reasonable size before anyone worries I'm taking that to extremes. Being a size 12 in life would be absolute bliss).

I don't feel so unwell today. It's been a stinker of a week but I'm pulling out of it. Had mince and some veggies for breakfast, along with some frozen grapes for my swollen throat and some strawberries purely for comfort. I have a quiet weekend planned and might do some retail therapy.

Thanks for listening. Dieting brings up all sorts doesn't it?

Dust - it certainly does. I think it's the self awareness required to do it well, we end up thinking a lot about how we feel about ourselves. Not a bad thing really. I do find when I'm really focussed on losing weight, other areas of my life tend to be addressed as well. There's no hiding from ourselves...

Went for breakfast with DH for the first time in over a fortnight, we usually do it weekly. I did have a slice of fried bread, first proper carbs since I had an ice cream on May Day. Won't be eating again until dinner though.
Ordered some clothes from Boohoo which arrived yesterday, not used them before. Most of the 14s I bought fit perfectly though they were stretchy. However I bought from the tall range and the trousers were all too long! Clearly designed to be worn with heels... I am 5'10" and I don't wear heels much, especially with summer clothes. Have sent most of them back and ordered a regular length so will see how of goes. All cheap stuff, just wanted a few new bits for summer.
I like to wear dresses but still get awful thigh rubbing, no matter what size I am. Considering some of those shorts type underwear things that you wear under clothes...