Week 4 – Is this the new normal? Because it feels great!

[BerylStreep]

Welcome to the week 4 thread of Bootcamp. I enjoyed the power of wielding BIWI’s big stick last week so much that I am staying on for another week. Normal service will be returning next week.

So week three was great – as well as lots of impressive scale victories, there were loads of NSVs – bras moved to the next hook, colleagues commenting favourably, feeling as if there is more energy, along with err, some less orthodox NSVs such as smaller earlobes and re-emerging pubes.

The thing that has really struck me is the number of posters who have lost significant weight over the last year, and are sticking with it and still seeing progress. That’s a fantastic inspiration to us all, and really shows how this WOE works long-term.

There are a number of posters who have committed to doing dry February (along with a few who are kicking a diet coke habit). This starts on Thursday, but it goes without saying that this is not an excuse to put as much away as possible before that! note to self

Thanks to BIWI who has been working hard on creating the Bootcamp recipe threads. There are loads of great ideas there to avoid menu boredom.

So KOKO, and good luck for the weigh in, but also remember the scales are only one indicator of progress. Here is the link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness.

Checking in and reading bits of the thread here and there. OH is doing well and is much better. He just texted me from his first follow-up appointment and they said his blood pressure is better and the clot in his leg is reducing. I think he’ll get a lung X-ray next week. When he was in the ER he volunteered to be part of a study so they’ll be monitoring him along with the anticoagulants for the next three months. Yay for submitting oneself for science! :)

I’m on a train headed in France for the weekend until Tuesday afternoon. Monday is a conference day then my train back home is Tuesday late morning. I have my snacks with me to keep me company and will buy more as necessary throughout the weekend. There’s a Lidl two blocks away from my hotel.

B at 7am: a bit of Fage full fat with blueberries and cinnamon; one M & S oatcake with butter.

8am on train: boiled egg and a few blueberries.

Just now: a few slices of French salami, a couple grape tomatoes and some cheddar.

In terms of snacks and foods I packed: French salami, cheddar, grape tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, duck+pork pâté, peanuts, a few oat cakes slathered with butter, an avocado that’ll probably ripen by Sunday, a banana, a clementine and some tea.

Before you yell at me, the banana and clementine are there for back up. I am T2 so I do need a back up just in case I really go low. I don’t tend to crash much compared to others so I should be fine. Since switching to LCHF, this hasn’t been happening at all though but I just want to have something to keep on me just in case while walking around the city the next few days. I’m going to be walking way more than I normally would in my city. I also brought my glucose tablets with me just in case. I’ve never had to use them but again, I’d like to be safe especially because OH isn’t with me this weekend to help.

I don’t have a place planned for lunch yet but I'll look through my list of restaurants when I get to the hotel. I’m also starting to feel sick so that’s one of the reasons I brought the tea with me. I blame that bloody hospital! It was so hot in there and full of so many sick people. :)

When in France I plan to stock up on lots of terrines, pâtés, and cheeses to take back with me. YUM.

BTW, I won’t be near a scale until Tuesday evening. I can just weigh in then, right?

Good morning everyone, been a bit absent recently as work been busy, probably far too much to catch up on!

I am going through the 3/4 week stall at the moment but need to keep reminding myself of NSVs etc. I'm a daily weigher and weight is yo-yoing between 146lb and 144.6lb, up and down, up and down.... my weight chart looks like a mountain range

I've reminded myself of how it went last time - I had started at 155lb the week before, was 149lb for start of boot camp and got down to 142lb.

This time I started at 154lb and am down to 145lb with another 6 weeks to go - I AM going to break the 130s!

I have found all the comments about analysing eating behaviours etc really interesting and insightful. So much of this is about retraining the brain and how we interact with and respond to food. So much of my social life (both personal and professional) is tied up in eating and drinking, and I suppose I am a little fed up of "panicking" about what I can eat etc when the menu is not in my control.

I've got 3 "danger zone" situations coming up in the next couple of days;

1. I'm making my son's birthday cake: chocolate sponge with raspberry buttercream. No licking of the bowl for me!

2. going to a quiz night tonight. Will eat beforehand and allow myself one glass of something.

3. friend is hosting a dinner tomorrow night. I was mortified but whatsapped him yesterday to explain that I am low carbing and to ask what he was planning on making. He was lovely about it

On NSVs, I wore a dress to work yesterday that I hadn't worn in a while and whilst it was a bit tight, it didn't look terrible. I also think I am sleeping better, I don't find myself waking up in the night as frequently. In addition I am definitely less hungry and can go longer without getting "hangry".

Yesterday's food:

B: 2 sausages and a creamy coffee
L: tuna mayo salad
D: courgetti pasta in a garlic and tomato sauce (homemade) with mozzarella
S: creamy coffee, square of 85% chic

Checking back in. I've been ill for a week and totally off my food, also struggling a bit mentally. The thought of eating high fat food at the moment makes me feel sick, I can barely bring myself to open the fridge and look in. I'm in two minds as to whether I can get back into BC or not, as I have said before I struggle with the richness of it even when well. Hoping things will improve soon.

I've had a better week and finally seen some movement on the scales! I have only really achieved it with some accidental intermittent fasting though. Working late and forgetting to eat so probably not the healthiest but I haven't been hungry. Wouldn't have happened before!

Nsv I am wearing a skirt today which was definitely too tight at the start of jan. I have 4lbs to lose to be a stone down from my highest post Christmas weight (not 1st day bootcamp) and I think I'll get my nails done as a reward when I hit that.

Another half a stone after that and I should be able to get back into my size 10s.

Sorry to hear you've been ill who. Hope you are on the mend!

Haven't been around for a couple of weeks as moved house to a mobile phone blackspot and BT have messed up connecting broadband 😡 But found great wifi at hospital so making the most of chance to catch up. Loads of NSVs and am now into smaller trousers. After messing around for a couple of weeks scales dropped this morning and showed lowest weight in years. I reckon I've only got another 4 or so lbs to go before getting into lots of new pairs of trousers that have been waiting several years - I'm at the point where I always lose the plot. Not this time - am determined to keep going.

jings Glad your DH is improving. I'm in a long term study for a genetic issue (as are the kids) and actually find it very reassuring. We all feel we get much better care and detailed follow up than we would normally - plus it means we are bang up to date with the research if we ever need treatment. Enjoy France. Love France. Want to BE French.

Always I only get a congested nose from dairy, and even then only for foods higher up the milk ladder. Other common symptoms are stomach ache, eczema, and constipation.

This is the milk ladder Always (not designed for LCHF obviously.) If you are dairy intolerant then the recommendation is to cut it out entirely for a couple of weeks then reintroduce gradually starting at the bottom of the ladder. There can also be a cumulative effect so for example I can have a cup of tea with cows milk with no ill effect but if I had one every day then my symptoms would start to return.

Here's another version of the milk ladder.

Thanks, Rshard!

Twoo and Athelstane - glad to be an inspiration to you, though if you knew what I had for lunch yesterday you'd not be saying that!!!

I am taking this weekend off. It's my birthday, and I'm allowed. Before anyone tries waving the stick at me I'm definitely an abstainer, will have no problems at all getting back on plan come Monday but will feel aggrieved if I can't enjoy myself before then and it will be a lot worse in the long-term.

Turns out we'll be going back to Fort William at the end of April, less than a month before my BCversary. So it will be interesting to see how far I can get by then. I'd really like to go back wearing size 6 jeans. I know that sounds OTT and too low but I think it's an ok aim for me. I remember meeting up with an old school friend about 8 years ago, the last time I was an 8. She was a size 12, and is a couple of inches taller than me but not masses. We were both bemused that, despite me wearing the smaller clothes, I was carrying a noticeable amount more fat than she was.

But don't worry, aiming for a 6 is only a notion. I am going to be sensible about this.

Morning. Well, it's happened - I've broken the three-stone mark. Three whole stones (and a pound)....I'm starting to feel I'm on the homeward stretch now, only two stones to go.

Today is also my Dad's anniversary, so it's come on a day I really need a bit of a lift. Thanks Dad

Oh, and a bit of a NSV - I was lying in bed last night and felt a lump in my side....was wondering whether to be worried when I realised it was a bone - my hip bones are emerging from the blanket of flab

Abbey44 well done!

Wh0knows have you had a look at some of the alternative suggested WOEs? Both Zoe Harcombe and the [whole30.com whole30]] are similar but don't rely on fat to such a degree. They might suit you better, and you can still stay with us for support and accountability.

looks nervously in case I lose people whilst thread minding

Jings enjoy France. I remember loads of corner shops did celeriac remoulade when I was in Paris. Glad your DH is recovering. I worry that I the fear of the big stick is making people justify having bananas and oatcakes on their person

Whoever it was that asked about rollmops, I have lidl Bismarck herring in my fridge and it says 0.1g carbs per 100g drained weight.

Just landed at the hotel and am currently being refueled by a very meaty duck and porc pâté. Imagine it’s like Popeye and his can of spinach... but with fatty animal innards instead. LOL.

Beryl - I'll have a look at those, thanks. I like being on the threads but do struggle with the WOE, partly psychological partly genuine dislike of fatty food. I need to get my strength back up a bit as top priority right now. On the plus side I have lost 2.8lb since Monday.

Wh0knows and result on the scales!

BEWARE duck and orange pate. I've just eaten half a lot with salad veg and I've consumed 26g of carbs!! I thought it tasted a bit too sweet.

read the label YoLo

half a pot. half a lot would be much worse!

omg my maths is shit. I ate half. the whole thing would be 26g. So I ate 13g. Phew. Still a lot but not as bad as I thought.

as you were eveyone.

YoLo. Minor crisis averted.

@Wh0KnowsWhereTheT1meG0es. Sorry you've been feeling so poorly although sometimes from a scales point of view it's worth it!

I know you've really struggled with the fat, so why not cut yourself some slack and just cut it down for a while - it will make your food a bit higher in protein, and possibly carbs, but there's no point continuing to struggle with something that's making you feel ill!

resting smug face

I just had a burger and chips for lunch and they were delicious.

Before anyone hits me with the bossy stick: the burger was turkey and the chips celeriac.

The first time I tried celeriac I can't say that I liked it. However, I've found that the more I cook celeriac, ie a longer cooking time and the more I use spices (paprika and chili powder) and oil, the less I can taste the actual vegetable.

Plus, as I struggle with getting enough fat (don't like fatty meat and am increasingly finding that dairy does not agree with me) using olive oil in my cooking works for me.

Onwards and, erm, downwards!

Huzzah, abbey44!