Week 3 – Keep celebrating the scale and non-scale victories!

[BerylStreep]

Hello Bootcampers and welcome to week 3. Thanks so much to PrettyBird for the previous threads – I hope I can live up to the high standards this week.

Hopefully this WOE (way of eating) is starting to feel easier for you, and you will have seen some good losses in weeks 1 & 2. The exciting thing about week three, is that for those who want to, we can tentatively move into Bootcamp Light.

The key changes are that you can add in some carbier vegetables in moderation, although it is best to stick to those that are 3g carbs per 100g or less for the majority of your vegetable intake. You can add some fruit in the form of berries in moderation, have nuts and seeds in moderation, and can have some alcohol – you guessed it – IN MODERATION. Vodka and soda, dry white wine, or red wine are the best choices. The rules for Bootcamp and Bootcamp Light, along with fruit, veg & nut carb counters are in the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness, kindly organised by SayrraT.

The good thing about Bootcamp Light is that it opens up your menu choices, and hopefully feels sustainable for a lot of people. However don’t be tempted to view this as a free for all – if you suddenly start eating loads of roasted butternut squash, followed by bowlfuls of berries all washed down with a bottle of Prosecco and packet of almonds, it will stall you.

Lots of people find that sticking to Bootcamp during the week, and Bootcamp Light for the weekend works well for them. Others find that they need to stick to Bootcamp in the main, either because their metabolisms can’t cope with the extra carbs (me) or because psychologically they are in the ‘abstainer’ camp (also me) rather than the ‘moderation’ camp. Just do whatever works for you.

Some people find they stall in Weeks 3 and 4, and the initial whooshes of weeks 1 and 2 can quickly become distant memories. Just KOKO (keep on keeping on), celebrate non-scale victories, drink plenty of water, and trust that this will work. Weight loss isn’t always linear, and there are loads of posters on here who have had amazing losses over the last year who are testament that this works in the long term.

So after what feels like an epic OP , good luck on the scale and non-scale victories this week!

I'm really not on it at the moment. Not massively off track but too many treats like nuts and dark chocolate. Need a beating with the stick I think!
I've been bouncing around 165lb for far too long.

Mini goals

• Get under 165lbs
• Get into the 150s
• Under 11 stone (154lbs)

Nsv goals

• Fit into a pair of size 12 shorts I have
• fit into the jeans I bought 6 weeks after having my first baby! I don't keep many clothes as I clear out a lot, but these have always been goal outfits.

prettybird, yes it seems awful to me that hospital food doesn't help the people who most need good nutrition.

I'm another one with a wardrobe full of clothes that are still a bit too small! I think if I lose another few pounds I will be able to wear quite a few of them. I'm really hoping to wear some of my nice summer dresses this year.

Loads of fabulous mini goals! I love the NSV goals too, particularly the tucking shirts in so I’m going to adopt that one!

Yesterday’s food was
B - buttery scrambled eg
L - leftover paella
D - bolognaise with kale

My first mini goal is to get to 12 stone 7lb as then I will no longer be obese - 'just' overweight. That's only a few lbs away now... 2nd one is to get down to 12 stone, as its a nice round number (and right in the middle of the overweight category). That should mean I'm consistently size 14 rather than somewhere between size 14 and 16 which I am at the moment. Then I think I might stop and try to keep at that weight for the summer, and I'll go over to the maintenance thread for support. And see how I go after that.

SayrraT - I've always ignored the dates on cream - I've found it lasts much longer than is claimed, especially if it's not opened till late on. It's easy enough to tell if it's off by taste and smell.

There is a story behind my dress. 24 years ago (yes, it's that old ) dh and I went out looking for a dress for a formal dinner dance we were going to (Junior Chamber). Dh picked up this dress in Liberty. I recognised the label and thought, "Oh no, it'll be expensive", at the time the name Nicole Farhi meant nothing to dh , as well as, "But black doesn't suit me - I'd rather have a nice bright colour". Tried it on and it was fabulous - and £299 that was a lot back then There was enough "skin" close to my face not to wash me out.

Spent the rest of the day looking for a "coloured" dress. Found some nice ones, but of course they were all measured against the first one. I'd never spent that amount of money on a dress - usually my mum would make me any "special" dresses I needed (she was a great dress maker - even made my wedding dress) but she was away at the time (Dad was doing locums abroad).

So, dear reader, I bought it

(Fortunately I got the 12 and not the 10, which I actually fitted - but we decided it was just a little too tight ).

Just checked back old intermittent diaries: I must have been about half a stone lighter than I am now when I wore it. I was 11 stone about 10 days before the ball, and still actively trying to lose more (diary talks about being a "buxom wench" when I tried it on then, and the buttons it's a button through dress being under far too much strain ) but I was measuring on a "special" bit of the bathroom floor which weighed "light" I don't try to delude myself any more Tried the scales there again this morning and they showed 11 stone 4lb - as compared with the real 11 stone 13lb I'd just seen that is the accurate weight.

1lb on today (daily weighing) so back to 12st12. Fingers crossed it's just a blip as i'm hoping to see 12st 9 soon!

Gorgeous dress, Pretty. I'd been so fat for so long that Id got rid of everything except one case of clothes, but they were too 80s to be salvageable. I had a vast range of plus sizes though that I'm gradually selling on eBay - and some of the things I bought last summer are now in that pile because they are too big :)

Yay a whoosh this morning to remind me that this diet does work. I think my period was causing water retention, literally 2lbs down overnight.

I really only have my white trousers to get rid of - so they'll just go to a charity shop (only worn twice plus for the comparison photo ). The coral top, I can keep as it will look ok really loose. Although it's a cheaper fabric than I would normally buy - but I wasn't prepared to spend too much when I was feeling so crap about my size

I need to make more effort to post on the thread; I did this in the first bootcamp I joined and that's when I was most successful.

Today's menu:

Scrambled eggs
Chicken fried in herbs and olive oil with salad, olives and avo
Lamb meatballs & cauli rice
Small portion of cashew nuts

twinkledag - have you remembered that cashew nuts are one of the carbiest nuts? I love them too

Macadamia nuts are the best nuts to have if you really want some nuts.

Great story behind the dress pretty. £299 is still a lot of money for a dress (to me, anyway) but that one looks worth it. I LOVE the story of the special bit of the bathroom that gives a lighter reading - how can i get a special bit? quite happy to delude myself

Hands stick to Gammeldragz

at magic spots on the bathroom floor! Lovely dress PrettyBird

SayrraT – cream lasts for ages – well beyond the use by date.

Someone asked on the thread earlier about why dairy could be a problem. I’ve been reading the DietDoctor website (very good) and it says this:

Dairy products contain varying amounts of lactose (milk sugar), which slows down weight loss. What’s more, part of the protein in milk generates a significant insulin response, which can have the same effect. Consequently, cutting back on dairy products may accelerate weight loss. This applies especially to dairy products typically lacking in fat, such as regular milk and various yogurts, but be careful with full-fat dairy such as cream and cheese all the same. And don’t forget whey protein powder, which is pure milk protein.
Exempt from all these dairy-product warnings is butter, which is almost pure fat. Butter may be consumed liberally as desired.

Can I just point out that you don't have to be in ketosis to lose weight? So please stop stressing about it! As long as you're keeping your carbs low-ish, and you're losing weight, that's all that matters.

With bells on!!!

Checking inwas 1.2lb down on Monday and feeling in the zone on this Bootcamp but scoffed a few blinis last night at book group despite having having had an early lovely dinner and having a million low carb options in front of me as hostess also doing Bootcamp. Not sure I have the headspace to try and understand why I'd do that.

Things have been busy in the last week and I've had a couple emotional highs but some real lows as well. The mood swings are nothing to do with LCHF, though.

Anyway, KOKO, back to the zone.

NSV 1 - lovely gruff lady who works at the corner shop "Have you lost weight?" Yes. "I can tell!"

It was just so unexpected.

NSV 2 -- my back fat isn't bursting through my best bra anymore. It really changes the silhouette when I'm in clothes.

NSV 3 - I recently bought a One Size Fits All garment. And it did.

Weighing in on dairy, it affects everyone differently. Some people produce a lot more insulin than others when they eat dairy. So not everyone will be stalled by dairy. If you're concerned about dairy being an issue then you usually don't need to cut it out entirely but try reducing it to one or two portions a day. The problems usually occur when someone is having yogurt for breakfast, creamy coffees, cheese as part of a meal, and snacking on cheese. If you are experiencing disproportionate insulin release to cows milk protein then you will lose a lot of the benefits of this way of eating which are due to a consistently low insulin level throughout the day. We call it a low carb diet but it is more accurately a low insulin diet.

I am wondering dairy is affecting me adversely and is the reason behind my stall. As a vegetarian, I have been eating a lot of cheese and cream (in coffee and sauces). Or the stall could be because my period is due, which is the better option for me because then I can carry on eating cheese or it could just be the infamous week3 and 4 stall.

I'm trying to reduce dairy this week. I've knocked the cheese-heavy meals / snacks on the head and will see how that goes. So now just having cream in my coffee and some sauces.

My first mini goal is to get down to 8st 8 by next Thursday, as that would be 2.5 stones down from when I started last May, and it's the first time I'll have gone back to the place I went to on that day. I'd then like to lose a few pounds more to get me back down to about 8st 3. That was the weight I was about 8 years ago when I was walking 50 miles a week and going to the gym every Saturday and it really suited me as I'm short with a very small frame. I'll see how I get on.

In other news, I did another 30 minute run this morning! Am shattered, but pleased with myself!

Lots of challenges this week for me.....any recommendations for low carb food options at an Asian Thai street food restaurant?

TimeIhad, you'll be returning somewhere 2.5stones lighter than your last visit? Will the same people be there? Walking in there will be an amazing feeling! Fingers crossed that you smash your target

Hello Can I join in pls?
I am currently 114kg (weighed at hosp y'day)
due to be weighed again on same scales on 15 Feb so I am trying to go bootcamp until then at least.

I struggle with drinking enough water.
I like a full cafetiere of fresh strong coffee of a morning but cant stand cream with it so need some 'green top' milk. How much can I spread through the day without stuffing up this WOE pls?

I am on the waiting list for bariatric surgery. I read the list of side effects and dont want to go down that route. So this is my 'last chance saloon' in my own mind (no pressure then).

lizard prawns, or papaya bok bok are my first thoughts if you want snacks. Potentially fish cakes.
Thai curry with no rice would be fine, avoid massaman as it has potatoes in. They may also prepare a noodle solid with no noodles if you ask.

noodle solid? FFS autocorrect, what is that?

I meant noodle soup.

Food for today:
2xboiled eggs, 1 cafetiere coffee (with a little green milk)
Lunch: skinny green soup okay?? or is an avocado and marierose prawns better?
Dinner enormous ham salad.

LeapinLizards - unfortunately I didn't go there to see anyone, so there'll be nobody there to notice a difference, it's just a personal goal that I have in my head. I'm just thrilled that, instead of trying not to burst out of size 12 jeans I'll be comfortable in a pair of size 8s.

It's also my birthday that weekend which is another weight milestone: last year I was away for my birthday, and the day before I decided I really wanted to buy a dress to wear. The only one I could find that fitted was a 14, and it made me look horrendous. That was a very depressing day. This year I'll have a smile on my face whatever I choose to wear (I hope!).

Welcome basseting

I'd already put your name down on the spreadsheet - I'll add your weight when I'm back on the laptop.

I presume by "green top" you mean semi-skimmed milk rather than raw unpasteurised milk. No, you can't really fill yourself up on that. If you really need milk in your coffee, change to blue top/full fat milk - or even almond milk (but check that it is unsweetened and low carb). Two of your cups of coffee can count towards your water total - but it is really important that you make an effort to have it. And with your starting weight, you'll have a high daily target.

Ways to drink water: flavour it with sliced strawberries but don't eat them in the first 2 weeks ; sliced cucumber (amazingly effective); mint leaves; slices of orange don't be tempted to eat them either or all of them together in sparkling water infused with a fruit tea bag as a pretend Pimms; various herb or fruit teas (peppermint & liquorice is nice, as are the various ginger based ones, and Buttermint is lovely - and Twinings have started making it again but bastarding Sainsbury's don't stock it so I bought spices Turmeric to try instead ); keep a full glass or bottle on your desk or countertop as a constant reminder to have little and often

If you want this to work then you really do need to follow the Rules as outlined in the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness. If you do, you will see some good progress by 15 Feb. but remember: this is a Way of Eating, not a short term diet. You need to commit to it for the long term.