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Low-carb bootcamp

Join discussions about low-carb bootcamp plans, meals and progress. Consider speaking to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

Welcome to the Bootcamp Maintenance thread!

281 replies

BIWI · 27/11/2017 21:46

As several people look like they're reaching or soon reaching their target, I thought it would be a good idea to start a maintenance thread.

I know lots of people are worried about how they're going to maintain, so having a support thread for ideas and suggestions sounds like it's going to be important!

OP posts:
StuntNun · 15/12/2017 08:25

If you're vegetarian then pulses are a useful source of protein. I think you have to put them in context. They may not be ideal for some people, especially if you have gut problems or food intolerances. But if you've already cut out the really bad stuff (sugar and grains) then your diet is already a lot better than the standard UK diet so a few pulses aren't such a big deal.

FurryTurnip · 18/12/2017 07:16

Morning all, checking in as maintenance starts today. Going to try a small amount of extra carbs each day, in just one meal, and keep everything else the same.

B: scrambled eggs
L: leftover roast celeriac and halloumi
D: veg chilli with kidney beans, sour cream and cauliflower rice

Hippadippadation · 18/12/2017 09:45

How are you doing it guys? I've been trialing maintenance since I was about 8 stone 10lbs as I was pretty happy there. It's clearly not working as I weighed in at 8 stone 4lbs today.

I've been increasing my calories and my carbs and I still seem to be losing. I've been ill so not been exercising as much, although I'm getting back to that now. Maybe it's muscle mass I've lost? Hmm.

This is tough, I've never had to consciously maintain before.

FurryTurnip · 18/12/2017 12:23

Crikey Hippa that's quite a drop. How do you feel and look at that weight? How have you reintroduced carbs, daily or every meal?

I don't have any advice as I am only starting today, but must admit I am slightly anxious about getting the levels right, I've not eaten brilliantly this week but still lost weight.

I really don't want to eat bread, pasta, or sweet stuff again, so am hoping to do it with carbier veg and pulses. What have you been eating?

BrassicaBabe · 18/12/2017 13:48

Wow Hippa that's impressive. But I understand that it's odd when you are trying to maintain.

Well I cheated last night in the name of science and the greater good Grin I had Donner meat, chips and cheese!! Classy eh!! Tbh I was getting quite anxious around the xmas idea. I didn't want one meal or a few crisps to undo all of my good work. Today I'm 0.6lb heavier. And I can fluctuate that on a normal day. I'll see what the scales look like tomorrow. Another good thing is that despite cheating I don't feel the need to fall face first into a loaf of bread!!

FurryTurnip · 18/12/2017 15:40

Love your top class meal Brassica, sounds good to me!

Hippadippadation · 18/12/2017 21:45

I don't look too bad, BMI just less than 20, so not gaunt etc.

I've not been eating bread or pasta, have had potato twice and rice at the harvester yesterday. I've just been eating the carby veg and some fruit and yoghurt. And "helping" DD2 with her advent calendar, haha. I've even had porridge one day. DH said is it the carb-up effect, but I've not gone back to strict BC so it doesn't really make sense?

I'm sure it will all go back on over xmas, haha.

StuntNun · 19/12/2017 12:05

Hippa I wouldn't expect your weight to keep dropping. It's more likely that the increase in carbs has triggered a whoosh. Keep on eating as you are and see how you go. At least you have a bit of wiggle room on your goal weight now.

Velocity · 19/12/2017 19:56

This is me joining the maintenance thread. Thanks @starsky22 for the PHUC guidelines its a great resource and I think that I will follow their guidelines. I'll still be on weight loss though because there is definitely still some fat there to shift! Biggest challenge is definitely going to be Christmas/New Year - 2 weeks with very little input on meals and a lot of temptation. No strategy yet but I don't want my weight to yo-yo so a little bit of give but not too much!

FurryTurnip · 20/12/2017 08:28

Hi Velocity and well done on your weight loss.

I'm only on day 2 of maintenance but yesterday was a very carb heavy one. It's quite hard after bootcamp to get my head around the fact that it's actually OK to eat these extra carbs.

Had family over for meal, lots of curries, so amongst the non carby stuff I also had poppadoms, bombay potatoes, a tiny bit of naan bread and a chocolatey ice cream pudding.

Felt a bit bloated and windy, and also very tired, which I'd not felt at all on bootcamp, so clearly that was way too much, but won't be typical of maintenance thankfully!

StuntNun · 20/12/2017 09:00

Furry sometimes going low carb can reveal food intolerances (as you cut out common culprits such as wheat and cut down on others such as dairy and FODMAPS) so keep an eye on those symptoms. Even at maintenance I can't eat anything wheat-based without having tummy trouble the next day so I suspect in my case it's a mild wheat intolerance rather than the carbs.

FurryTurnip · 20/12/2017 10:51

That makes sense Stunt. I am planning from now on to only have 1 new carb per day so I can see the effect. I'd also had kidney beans the day before so they could have been the culprit as in the previous discussion about pulses!

Almahart · 20/12/2017 12:05

Fell off the wagon on Monday with a falafel wrap and some stollen. Spent yesterday battling carb cravings - only defeated with very fatty lamb chops. Not nice really. Gah

Learnt my lesson but it is so so hard as soon as I have carbs I want more. Not sure how to manage long term

starsky22 · 20/12/2017 14:45

I appear to be maintaining by eating low carb most of the time and then ocassionally eating crap, such as a whole dominoes pizza last week! Really not ideal and I need to get a better balance. However, when I stick to low carb, I am still losing weight, which makes me wonder whether I am at my ideal weight yet, or if I have more to lose. I certainly still have excess fat on my stomach and thighs that I wouldn't mind reducing, although think I need to do some exercise to help the flabby bits. I'm not going to worry about it too much over Christmas and will then decide whether to join the Jan bootcamp.

BrassicaBabe · 20/12/2017 15:35

Starsky you've hit the nail on the head for me! "I appear to be maintaining by eating low carb most of the time and then ocassionally eating crap". This is what I'll be doing!

I've just had a big old Christmas LCHF meal but much too much of it. Just water for the rest of the day for me now.

BrassicaBabe · 20/12/2017 17:23

Hahaha my vanity and enthusiasm got the better of me (along with the saggy arse on my current size 12 jeans) and I ordered my "usual" jeans in a size 10. They sooooo didn't fit. Grin It's still time to KOKO for me!

In the mean time I might have to put my current jeans in a hot wash to see if I can resolve the saggy arse situation!

FurryTurnip · 21/12/2017 07:10

Well I've had a shocking couple of days, talk about going in at the deep end! December is birthday season in our family, so as well as the curry fest on Tuesday, yesterday was kids birthday party, ate chips, and a very large piece of chocolate cake. Which I added double cream to in some sort of demented thinking.

Not too fussed by the chips as we don't eat many potatoes in general so I won't cave into those, but the cake is another matter. Cutting that right out as if now, to avoid getting my head stuck in the box of Xmas biscuits!

Koko maintenance people, we can do Xmas with minimal damage!

Almahart · 21/12/2017 09:59

Had dropped 2ibs this morning which was great but am off out for cocktails and a meal tonight so no doubt it will go straight back on

I do actually have half a stone or so more to lose so am just trying to maintain over Christmas really

StuntNun · 21/12/2017 10:22

Furry I got caught out one year when everyone on the pre-Bootcamp thread was determinedly hoovering up all the carbs after Christmas so they were out of the way before Bootcamp started! Hmm Bloody stupid idea but I got swept away with it and ended up gaining 3lb between Christmas and the start of Bootcamp which was a real shame as I ate so healthily in the run up to Christmas and on Christmas Day itself. So a cautionary tale for everyone on maintenance.

BrassicaBabe · 21/12/2017 12:13

Come Christmas Day and Boxing Day I'm going to try to eat carbs mindfully. If I really want them then I'm gonna to eat and enjoy. If it's the kind of thoughtless hoovering where I might enjoy the first mouthful then not notice I'm going to try to avoid.

FurryTurnip · 21/12/2017 13:18

A very good reminder Stunt, it's easy to get into that 'get it out of the way' mindset. I'm hoping if I ignore the festive biscuit cupboard for long enough they'll all just disappear without me needing to help. Am really struggling with tiredness last few days, some of it genuine as it's been really busy and social and I find people exhausting, but also feels like an element of carb lethargy. May try a few very light veg based days.

BrassicaBabe · 21/12/2017 16:51

Love the fact that we're not hosting so I have no special food in the house. In fact, having missed all delivery slots we may not have any food at allGrin

Velocity · 22/12/2017 06:28

Today is Christmas travel day. I will take cheese cut into blocks and dried sausage thinks for snacks on the flight. Fat laden pre-departure fry up planned 😄.

FurryTurnip · 22/12/2017 07:50

Well Brassicathat may be extreme but it's one way to maintain! We are also not hosting so apart from a few biscuits, there will be no other Christmas food in the house. My planned Xmas lunch is a big cheese board and celery. Job done!

BrassicaBabe · 22/12/2017 17:18

Today I think my SIL thought I was one of "those" women. We took the kids out to a farm park and had lunch while we were there. Choice wasn't great. I had a burger, coleslaw and chips. Without fuss I gave the chips to the kids and popped the bread from the burger on the side of my plate. She's in one of those "I need to lose weight but for now I'm gong to eat heaps and worry about it after Xmas". Fair enough! We've all been there!! But she wanted me to over indulge to make her feel better. I resisted!! 10.4.2 this morning!!