Pre-summer Bootcamp - our last weigh-in!

[BIWI]

Morning all. Very excited to hear the final scores!

Here's the Spreadsheet for its last outing this Bootcamp

We'll keep this chat thread going, and when it finishes, we'll start a new one so that we can keep the support going until next Bootcamp.

ilove so frustrating when you are trying to stick to plan

old books great photo, I see a flat stomach there, amazing!

way fantastic result on the egg fast, still not sure I could do it myself, but may keep it up my sleeve if I start to stall.

C4 awesome work on the steps!

Yesterdays food:
B sausage
L goats cheese salad
D duck breast with swede fries & asparagus (not the orgasmic duck unfortunately, just normal duck breasts from Lidl, but was yummy non the less and thanks to whoever mentioned duck at Lidl as it is a lot less than Sainsbury's)

Today:
B fasting
L scrambled egg with sausages, bacon & broccoli
D cheesy pork steak with spinach & salad
S peanut butter & 1 chicken satay skewer

At a festival this afternoon and was hungry so had a chicken skewer, would have usually had alcohol, a burger or similar, followed by ice-cream or a crepe, it's a great feeling being able to say no to all the rubbish, I don't even really think about it much anymore, just think I don't eat that stuff, what is there here that I can eat.

I think the food sharing has two reasons behind it. The first is that I don't actually like a lot of random food dumped on my plate. I want to have the one thing I really want, not food I haven't chosen. Plus I like to consider what I'm having for a starter alongside a specific main course.

The other issue though is that as a fat person, I find helping myself to communal food really anxiety provoking. I'm never sure what other people will see as OK so because I'm terrified of being considered greedy, I take tiny amounts. Then after everyone else is announcing they are 'stuffed', I feel (my issue), embarrassed to take more in case they didn't notice I had hardly anything first time around. I never wanted people thinking 'look at that fat pig'. So I rigidly used to ration what I ate at shared meals, then ended up paying a lot for very little actual food.

Tonight though I went back to the table, called the waiter over, and said 'my friends didn't realise that I'd ordered a meal I particularly wanted, so my food got shared around, and I'm afraid there is nothing here I want to eat now. Would you mind getting me another meal, please?'

The funny bit came at the end when we were splitting the bill, and someone said 'should cherries and her DH pay more because they had another main course?' I just laughed and said, 'oh, I don't think so, I only had to get a second meal after my first one got scoffed when I went to the loo, after all, I think an equal split is very bloody generous fine.

When I'm with DH and/or the kids, we will often swap small tastes, so we try things we might want to order in the future, but mass sharing brings me out in hives.

Sorry I've been AWOL for a couple of days. I have read the thread inbetween.

i also have that communal food phobia and worry people think I'm greedy just because I'm fat. And the self esteem problems which I'm addressing now. So I hear you all on those issues.

C4 great news about 250 steps. Does this mean that your lung infection has properly gone? Hope so.

Well done ilove. Sounds like you handled that meal issue perfectly. What knobs.

starsky i totally agree with the acceptance of not eating some foods any more and focussing on what I CAN eat. It's second nature now. I've persuaded my mum to go lchf as she has some serious middle weight and water retention issues thst are making her more disabled than she is already. She doesn't think she can forego carrots or her daily large choc n nut bar though . I'm going to compile a list of foods she can and cannot eat from the bc rules and send it to her. Good thing is she loves butter and cream.

cleareyes it's lovely to hear you and your DH are working things out and I wish you both every happiness. Despite splitting from my DH last year I am still a total romantic and optimist at heart. That is probably why i stayed in the toxic marriage so long .

I'm up for the egg fast on Monday. I'll do 3 days proper since you still have to eat eggs on day 4-6 to wean off. Is any meat or veg allowed?

I'm going to scroll back and check the meet up date suggestions. I'm pretty sure I was asking who could do the 16/17 Sept but I forget. I'll post again tomorrow about this.

Oh my god ilove did someone actually say that about you ordering a 'second' main ? In an Indian Restaurant? Good grief. Good for you though for standing your ground. I really hate that sort of stinginess when eating out. Ruins a meal .

Hello lovely BCers,
I’m hoping for some advice please! I’ve just completed the last boot camp, and despite not posting much, read everything on the threads and was motivated and inspired by all those that share their highs and lows which really helped me stick with it to the end, so thanks to everyone . But disappointingly I only lost 4.6 its in 10 weeks which I have found really disheartening (I have seen other benefits which has keep me going) but apart from a the normal daily fluctutations I have remained the same weight for the last 6 weeks. I’ve done HFLC before (my first boot camp was 2 years ago) and I lost 17lbs which just melted away with no issues at all and no major stalls. However, what has changed since then is, I now have full on menopause symptoms (hot flushes night sweats low energy etc.) so although i know this could be a stall, since I haven’t experienced this before I’m more inclined to think this is due to the hormonal changes causing the problem. Ive checked for carb creep, exercise regularly, drink tonnes of water and since about 3 weeks ago when I realised things weren’t shifting introduced IF and didn’t drink any alcohol for the last 5 weeks, none of which appear to have helped. I’m feeling a bit desperate as I’m being so strict and not losing, I’m wondering if I’m going to be one of the few that have to track my food and stick to a calorie count ,which I’d prefer to avoid if I can as I’ve be there and done that with so many other diets over the years and that’s the great thing about this WOE that you don’t have to do that. Anyway thought I’d speak to you lovely lot to see if anyone here has any experience of this and advice to offer please as I need some help to get this weight shifted. I have looked at the menopause threads, but haven’t found any low carb related advice.

Stats; I’m 50, am 5 foot 4, currently weigh 12’7 (was 12’11.6) current BMI 29.5 so only just under obese range and have another 2 stone to lose to get to ‘healthy’ BMI but would settle for less. Food yesterday B: None IF Lunch: Kipper cooked in butter with spinach mushrooms courgette and cream cheese. D: Moussaka (from recipe thread thanks to whoever posted that it is really yum) large salad with oily dressing S: 1 square 85% dark chocolate and a G&T as I'm sick of not drinking! . Sorry for the epic post!

Oh, ilove, I seem to have something in my eye, reading how well you handled that situation, with grace and dignity. Feels like yet another win for the LCHF woe. xx

Hi lurknolinger Just read your post and feel for you. Didn't want to not reply given I am here on the thread but am a bit of a newbie myself. I do know enough to know that you have posted in exactly the right place to get the help you need. As you probably already know, there are loads of very experienced and knowledgable people around who will be able to help you with this.

I'm going out now, but am sure there will be other , more helpful replies soon. All the best..

Lurk can you post a few days' good for us? You may not be doing anything "wrong", extended stalls are a common feature of weight loss. But it wouldn't do any harm to get people to look over your food.

YoLo you could make a low carb-ish version for your mum by mixing melted dark chocolate with hazelnuts and dried acai berries. I have a silicone chocolate bar mould that makes nice looking moulds.

For anyone that doesn't want to commit to an egg fast you can make one meal per day egg-based to get some of the satiety effects.

*Food not good

I'm doing what i did before (when I lost 20lbs) which is following Dr John Briffa (escape the diet trap)
I hope I'm still allowed to post here! 😁
Dh had an op in May and the consultant told him to lose weight - he has been low carbing since then and has lost over a stone and inches from his stomach.
I have been really struggling to get back on it - have been ill on and off since feb and am also Peri menopausal and the weight just isn't coming off like it used to! :(
Im having treats like dark choc and cream and nuts as I know this will help me stick to it and make the carb flu less likely.
This is my third day.
Not really hungry.
Dinner at mils later so I can fill up on lots of veg and meat
I've been eating a lot of salmon and eggs
Berries too
I'm a carb fiend so this woe really does work for me but I don't think I'm going to see the weight loss I did before but a stone would do!

mrsmartell it seems to be a balance between being very strict and losing faster, or deciding this is a long term way of life and allowing a slightly more relaxed approach but losing more slowly. I think the latter is better as it incorporates all the health benefits of the WOE.

Lurk a few of us are starting an egg fast tomorrow, that has helped others break a stall if you want to try it?

Lurk, I could have written your post. I think it just takes longer as you get older.

Thanks for your replies oldbookks finallly and Stunt Ok so food for last three days. (no breakfasts as intermittent fasting)
Friday: L - Tuna Mayo salad, tin of tuna Hellmans FF mayo, salad leaves cucumber, radish, green pepper, 3 cherry tomatoes, olives, oily dressing , 1/2 Lidl protein roll with butter. D - Small scollops and spinach fried in butter finished with some double cream and tbsp pesto with courgetti S: Small 187ml bottle of red wine (please bear in mind I haven't been drinking for 5 weeks so this has not been the norm) creamy coffee, stock drink (to prevent leg cramps) at least 3 litres of water and green tea.
Saturday: L- Kipper fried in butter with mushrooms courgette and a tbsp cream cheese stirred in. D - Moussaka from recipe thread with large green salad with oily dressing S- green tea and 1 Gin & slimline tonic. 1 square of 85% dark chocolate - at least 3 litres of water
Today: L - the other kipper fillet fried in butter (I bought 2 and DH won't touch fish) flaked into cauliflower rice and spinach with a pinch of curry powder some cream hard boiled egg through it to make a kind of kedgeree D - Lamb chop, roast broccoli and cauliflower with kale, will add butter to the meat juices as my gravy S - stock drink, no others planned! have drunk 1.5 litres so another 1.5 to go.

Lurk I would say you need more pure fat such as butter and olive oil and less dairy/mayo. I would lose the Lidl protein roll and keep alcohol to a minimum. You've lost weight on this WOE before which puts you into golden shot territory so you may need to be more strict than on previous attempts to get the same results. Finally keep on keeping on, long stalls are part and parcel of weight loss and you can be consistently losing fat without it showing on the scales.

old thanks for the egg fast suggestion, yes I have considered that idea, but unusually I'm out after work on both Tue and Wed evenings this week so can't join you this week, but will be interested to see how you get on and consider it next week.

Thanks stunt I hadn't considered swapping out the mayo for oil, I have salads most days with big dollops of it so will switch to having oil as well as more pure fats and see how I go. I've probably only had protein rolls about 4 times during the whole BC so it's not typical for me to have them or the alcohol either. In general I know that I'm already being far stricter than I was 2 years ago and I'm still not losing, which is frustrating, but having asked for advice I will take it on and given I'm already being strict I might as well try a little bit harder to see if I can get the scales moving. I just need to find out what works for me now I'm peri menopausal. How I wish I'd stuck to it after successfully losing it last time and not let the weight creep up again! I will KOKO and let you know how I get on.

Lurk perhaps also post some photos of your full plates. Portion size has been a problem for me.

Have you tried the Paul McKenna book and CD 'I can make you thin'. It's very good at helping you stop eating when full and not override those body signals. It's on Amazon as a kindle book or hard copy. The cd is very hypnotic !

Ah copperas you have my sympathies it seems so much harder for far less reward! I'm wondering if it improves post menopause or if this is the way it is for me now, probably to early to say as it has only been a few weeks, so I think I'll have to learn to be more patient!

Thanks Yolo my first reaction was to say, I've thought about this and think I'm eating no bigger portions than I was the last time I did this and I don't pile my plate up, but that's just the point isn't it, my body is clearly not the same as it was 2 years ago, the goal posts have changed so my approach will need to change. So yes good idea, I'll post some pics and see what you think thanks! #mymenopausecanpissrightoff

Aaaaaaaaatrrrrrrrgh

Small rant coming up.

Has nothing whatsoever to do with food, fat or carbs.

Why do I do these things to myself????

1. I have the ongoing boob worry. Waiting for a date for my poor little ducts to be dug out.

1. I am supposed to be changing job. Aiming for october.

1. But I also applied on a whim for a different job and have the interview for that next week. So need to do a bit of prep.

1. I am also trying to write a bloody essay.

Why? Why don't I just sit back and give myself an easy life?

1. Bollox. I forgot I have an appointment on Tuesday to see a chap about my varicose vein. The GP referred me about 3 years ago before all the above happened.

EGG FAST peeps, I am doing a bit of reading and thought it might help to post the rules from Stunt Nun's thread here

THE RULES

1. Eat at least six eggs per day

This is not a calorie-restricted diet so eat to fullness.

1. Buy the best quality eggs you can

Free range eggs may contain more omega 3 fats and vitamin D.

1. Eat one tablespoon of butter per egg

Coconut oil, olive oil and mayo may also be used.

1. You may add up to one ounce of cheese per egg if desired

Make sure your cheese is low carb.

1. Drink as much water as you can: at least 2-4 litres MINIMUM

Black or bulletproof coffee, black tea, green tea and herbal tea can be added if required.

1. Add salt and keep taking your usual vitamins (if taken)

Consider extra magnesium and potassium to prevent cramps. If you suffer from constipation then flaxseed may help.

1. Exercise daily

Even a short walk will help maintain lean muscle mass.

1. Eat three meals a day; if not hungry eat one egg

Your appetite will be reduced but keep eating to preserve lean muscle mass.

1. Follow the egg fast for three days; five days may give better results

You will be sick of eggs by the third day.

10. Transition back to your normal diet E.g. the day after eat two egg meals and one normal meal (whatever you usually eat), the day after that eat one egg meal and two normal meals. Consider keeping on eating at least two eggs a day to maintain the effects of the fast.

The I Breathe I'm Hungry blogger who has some lovely egg recipes so we don't die of boredom over the 3-5 days is here: www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2014/07/egg-fast-diet-menu-plan-low-carb-keto.html

Hi all just caught up with the thread after being away. Sorry I haven't commented but thoughts were with those with things they are struggling with and congratulations for those having successes. Sorry I don't think I can commit to a meet up in Birmingham or London at the moment but will look forward to you lot posting about it.

I'm in on the egg fast. Have bought a gazillion eggs, bring it on.

I lost 7lb last time

Are you doing 3 or 5 days? I could potentially do five, not a huge amount on...