Week 6 - Low Carb Bootcamp - we start the second half

[BIWI]

Morning all

Here's the spreadsheet of fabulousness for you all

Many thanks to wombattoo and SayrraT for keeping the threads going while I was away.

Lots of people talking about how to deal with future events, especially Christmas, and this is something that's really important to think about. This is a tough time of year for low carbing. But it's also a tough time of year if you can't squeeze into your partywear - so you need to decide which is more important. Those roast potatoes or looking good

Good luck everyone

0.2lb up for me (same before and after a "number two"). I'm another who weighs through the week and is never at their lowest on a Monday, Thursday was always my weigh-in day when I was doing SW and does seem to be my lowest day. I tend to forget my water over the weekend and that is the time I'm most likely to be tempted by carby foods.

Time - it did mention something about the repair of the microtears that result from weight training and then form muscle, but I can't remember the detail. It did explain why morning was more likely to = weight loss and evening = muscle mass - but I just stored the outcome in my memory bank

pimmsy - I've lost at a rate of less than a pound a week since May: I was hoping I could lose lots this week and thus be able to say I'd lost 26lbs in 26 weeks, but it's not going to happen. I've stalled for weeks at a time and got frustrated. But, it's been at those times when my body shape has changed the most.

At one point during the summer a colleague went away on holiday, and so didn't see me for a while. When she came back she told me I'd obviously lost lots of weight and it was really noticeable. She didn't believe me when I said I'd actually only lost a couple of pounds in that time, but that was the truth.

Go and take some photos wearing something that's slightly too tight now, and then repeat in a few weeks. I have photos of me wearing the same jeans and top which go from the top being rucked up over my hims, to falling loosely, to being able to be tucked in and my subsequent muffin-top getting smaller. I have also taken some of my tum which I really wouldn't want anyone else to see, but it means I have photographic evidence that it is decreasing.

Please go and do the same, it will help, I promise!

When I started this LCHF woe at the end of August, I was 12st 7lbs. Am now 11st 3lbs. And it has not been any hassle at all. Looking forward to being 10st something soon, which I have not been for about 20 years! Thanks very much to BIWI for making it all so clear and easy - and to SayrraT and wombattoo for keeping the threads going.
The only thing that concerns me a little is that I am eating a lot of eggs and butter and I do wonder about my blood pressure / cholesterol. Maybe I will go to have them tested. Am also thinking about taking flaxseed capsules - or is that sort of thing bonkers and unnecessary?

I am only losing half a pound a week now on average - but that is fine by me.

A slight gain of a quarter of a pound for me. I'm not unhappy with that as I'm a week behind anyway so this was my week 4 when I didn't expect much, plus I was away for weekend and didn't eat too well.

I saw 2lbs less during the week though which got me into the 10 stone bracket so really keen to see that again.

Well done on all the losses everyone, and good luck to ASD for getting into the 100s next week - that would be such an amazing milestone!

A pound off this week but it feels like a lot more, I definitely have a lot less around my middle.

Ave why do you think your supply is dropping? Are you drinking plenty of water? A non-carby way to boost supply is to express milk. But definitely check that he hasn't dropped centipedes!

Chocdog if you're worried about your blood pressure and cholesterol then ask your GP to test it to get some peace of mind. Why on earth would you want to take flaxseed capsules?

@lurknolinger I prefer the Seedlip Spice non-alcoholic gin. It tastes similar to Bombay Sapphire but slightly stronger (I just use smaller amounts). The Seedlip Garden tasted too grassy to me. I'm totally hooked on the stuff as for me alcohol is a gateway drug for carbs.

This will be my fifth low carb Christmas. I stay low carb before and afterwards apart from a couple of mugs of Gluhwein on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas Day I have one slice of wheaten bread with smoked salmon for breakfast, one roast potato and some stuffing with dinner, and a small piece of my mum's amazing home-made Christmas pudding. I'll also have lots of some wine. I feel that strikes a balance between treating myself and still eating well. DH is going to cook roast goose for our Christmas dinner this year which I'm really looking forward to.

Thanks so much stuntnun I'll try the Spice one then as I like Bombay Sapphire.

Just popped in to say hi and placemark.

Back home today (hooray!) but I probably won’t weigh as I’ve not really slept and have had weird meals. I think I will record tomorrow morning to be more accurate.

Well done everyone!

Stuntnun ... if you're worried about your blood pressure and cholesterol then ask your GP to test it to get some peace of mind. Why on earth would you want to take flaxseed capsules?
Will get them checked, thanks. Flaxseed capsules are something that came up when I googled foods supposed to reduce cholesterol. Have never worried about such issues before, but I am aware that these Atkins style diets are a bit controversial and as the weight loss has been so easy and successful I am planning on sticking with it for the foreseeable and don't want to live to regret it.

I am with you ChocDog. I love this WOE and want it to be long term, but there's always a niggle in the back of my mind that there aren't really any long term studies on the effects of this (please correct me if I am wrong anyone). I worry that we may all look slim and then keel over and die in 10 years time. Let's hope not!

One thing I have noticed is I have lost almost a stone in five weeks and no one has commented. Now usually I hate it when people comment on your weight but nonetheless I would like someone to say I am looking well or thinner or whatever.
That almost stone is from a starting point of very heavy by the way. From 155lb to 142.5lb.

Chocdog definitely don't start taking flaxseed capsules just in case you have high cholesterol. After I had been low carb for a while I went to the GP and asked for routine blood tests to check my health, I didn't mention my diet at all. I had them done again recently and after 4.5 years of LCHF my LDL cholesterol is slightly higher than it was (but still in the normal range) and my triglycerides level had dropped to an extremely low level making my overall lipid profile better than before. There are people whose LDL levels become higher than normal on this WoE. It isn't necessarily a risk factor because you have to take the LDL level in the context of the whole lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglyercides). In that case, one approach is to replace some saturated (animal) fats with monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, nut oil and avocado oils.

Singadream have you started wearing a smaller size of clothes? When I lost weight nobody really noticed until the summer when I was wearing t-shirts and skinny jeans. In my winter clothes the size change wasn't so obvious.

A new dilemma has just arisen. Have any of you given blood while on BC? I've just had my reminder text for my appt later in the week . Normal procedure is to swig down a pint of full sugar squash beforehand and eat biscuits afterwards. I have felt faint occasionally in the past so I follow this guidance strictly. Hmmm.

2lbs down making 13lbs loss so far!

I didn’t stay the same!! After three weeks at the same weight I’ve finally lost 0.75lbs!
Wake up time: 4:30am
Breakfast: strong coffee and piece of cheese
Times offered Danish pastries this morning: 5
Times I said yes: 0
Lunch: cucumber, hummus, beef, Greek yoghurt
Water: 1
Dinner: meatballs and broccoli

Morning! I have lost another pound this week, so that's a total of 13lb in 6 weeks (I started a week early). I'm happy with that.

BIWI , your talk of partywear reminded me that I rarely have occasions to wear any, so about 4 years ago I needed a "posh frock" but the only couple I had in my wardrobe were a few years old, and I found I could barely do them up, let alone fit into them comfortably! I bought a new one, a size larger, but even that was a snug fit. I tried that on this morning, and now it's not even remotely snug. And the other two, I can now do up, and one of them is only slightly tight. All I need now is a party to go to!

Frigglet, on the last thread you were asking if anyone was still on BC rather than lite. I have remained on BC for the following reasons. Firstly, I think I'm likely to see a slightly faster weight loss that way. Secondly, although I quite like berries, nuts and dark chocolate, I'm not really bothered about eating them, and I'm reasoning that I can always add them in later when maintaining my weight if I want to. With regard to alcohol, I was a regular wine drinker (most nights) before BC. I feel much better not drinking regularly, and think it's probably better both for my health and my finances if I stick to drinking only on social occasions (out for a meal, having friends round). I don't feel particularly deprived on BC, so I may as well keep to it for the time being!

Oops. I did this on week five. So posting again

I’ve stayed the same. Would someone add me please Veryflummoxed 189

Right I am not able to get below 13 7. It just isn’t happening. I have the odd blip but also I am not drinking enough water. Today I WILL drink my water. I am also going to fast. If I get too hungry to fast I will turn it into an egg fast. (I’ve done several boot camps now and this is a long time with no weight shift)

Well done all you losers and everyone else for still being here.

1 and a bit lb off for me. Pleased with that. That means only 1.6lb to go until I reach my goal. I might reevaluate that goal.

I’m going for an Indian meal on Wednesday. Can folks share with me their favourite dishes? (Before I start dreaming of garlic naan!)

Furry I think the concerns that people have about this WoE in the long-term tend to be rooted in the current "healthy eating" advice of fat is bad. It's well worth reading up on the history of healthy eating advice, for example Nina Teicholz's Big Fat Surprise or Gary Taubes's Diet Delusion or even more damning, his Case Against Sugar which is meticulously researched and more than half of the book is taken up by references.

One thing that is for sure is that obesity itself is a risk factor for diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer and Alzheimer's. So if you have lost weight and gone from overweight/obese to a normal weight then you have undoubtedly reduced your risks of disease.

The main worry is cholesterol, as ChocDog mentioned. It's worth bearing in mind that there never has been any scientific evidence that cholesterol intake has any effect on health (apart from in people with familial hypercholesterolaemia which is a genetic condition). The initial idea of reducing fat intake was based on a hypothesis in the 50s/60s and it has not yet been possible to prove the hypothesis that saturated fat intake is related to the risk of coronary heart disease. The Women's Health Initiative study found that lowering fat intake made no difference to the risk of heart disease, stroke, or colorectal cancer. This is a particularly famous study because it discovered that hormone replacement therapy increased the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke, and it made headlines at the time because they had to stop the trial early. Long story short, even when studies are designed to prove that reducing fat intake improves health, they couldn't do it.

One potential problem with eating low carb in the long-term is with thyroid hormones. People with hypothyroidism need a slightly higher carb intake (above 50g per day) and may not be suited to a very low carb or ketogenic diet. Key signs of low thyroid hormones are feeling cold all the time and unusual fatigue.

For a bit more information about the long-term effects of LCHF take a look at the Diet Doctor's health markers after 10 years.

WhoKnows you need to replace fluids after giving blood; I would take a bottle of water and a low carb snack such as cheese or nuts (or both). If you're really worried about feeling faint then take a drink of milk with you for a sugar boost that isn't biscuits or squash.

Wow thank you so much for your reply StuntNun That's really interesting about the links (or lack of) between cholesterol and health.

You are right, we have the 'low fat' message drummed into us so much it's hard to shake off. My mum started this WOE about a year ago, lost weight, felt amazing, arthritis improved and yet she gave up because she couldn't quite cope with going against 50 years of messages about the risk of fat. She's now doing SW- we will say no more!

I'll have a look for one of the books - always good to have some facts behind you, especially if anyone decides to challenge you on it.

I do (sometimes, vaguely!) worry about cholesterol. But I think that's really a reflection of years of very low fat eating, and decades of public health messages demonising fat. I think I'm trying to just come to terms with the idea that everything carrries risk, and being 4-5 stone overweight was in itself a huge risk factor. 50lbs down already and I have more energy, sleep better, look better, move a lot more, GERD has gone (completely stopped all medication except for a very occasional rennie, and I was on prescribed omperazole daily before), chronic pain levels have subsided, so no longer need heavy duty analgesia on a daily basis. Year on year I was getting fatter and sicker, and in 6 months I've reversed that. Having said that, I'm not a massive saturated fat consumer. I have one coffee with cream every day, eat small amounts of cheese, don't care for the texture of very happy meats, will use butter now and then, but a pack lasts me a good 3-4 weeks. Olive oil is a different matter! I put it on/in/longside just about everything. I've basically decided I need to chose the risks I can live with.

Fatty meats. I have no idea if they are happy or not!

@stuntnun I don't know - I have clothes in every size from 16-22 - some are def looser or fit better though.