Week 9 - Low Carb Bootcamp - the last fortnight is here

[BIWI]

Good morning all

I see from the end of last week's thread that some of us have been struggling with various demons.

We only have two weeks left, so time to gird your loins (however you do that!), and plough on.

Hopefully the snow has gone, or is disappearing rapidly, and that there's enough appropriate food in the shops. At least our problem is not being able to find what we want - I saw a very sad piece in the news yesterday about a dairy farmer, who was having to throw all his milk away, because the tanker couldn't get to his farm to collect it. So days' worth of money for him gone

Anyway, here's the lovely new thread, and with the fantastic Spreadsheet of Fabulousness.

Good luck this week. Stick with it and keep the focus.

Ok, then it’s likely I am fat adapted then, or almost! I don’t have diabetes but I do have Pcos and insulin resistance and had GD 3 times. I follow the BSD plan mostly because I just prefer the basic rules of it, and I like the Mediterranean style eating, but generally I probably eat pretty much what you guys do on boot camp with a couple of fasting days thrown in. I didn’t really have a pre-diet performance as I’d not done any exercise really before. Would you suggest a pre-run snack, or just a general increase in my average intake?

No you shouldn't need a pre-run snack although you might want to give the BCAA a try. I think you just need to decide what you want to prioritise: low calorie intake or exercise performance.

Personally i would increase generally but not by much. But you could do this via a pre exercise snack.

I find though somedays I need more food others less. You need to be able to judge your body. If you're tired and lethargic, then eat a little more and get a good nights sleep.

@thenewaveragebear1983. If you don't have diabetes then you really don't need to be following the severe calorie restriction of the BSD.

Straightforward LCHF will deal more than adequately with your PCOS and insulin resistance - and will also make sure that you're taking on board sufficient fuel to exercise with.

There really isn't any need to be so ferocious about your calorie counting!

I'd recommend you read The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance, by Dr. Volek and Phinny - it will give you some insight into how a low carb diet works alongside exercise.

I’ve a NSV to report. I’ve gone from 39inch to 31.5inch as lost 7.5 inches from my waist since 10th jan . I knew I’d lost something as my waistbands were bigger and belts have gone up a couple of holes. Scales still up though.

Twoo wow that's a massive drop! I wonder why it's not showing on the scales tho?

I've just made some chocolate brownies using avocado. They are absolutely delicious, really moist and soft. Diet? What diet? 😀

I'm still here! Haven't posted for ages as have had lack of wifi. Also hadn't logged on spreadsheet for several weeks either - can't remember exact weights each week, but I've been going up and down in the same sort of zone for over a month. Entirely due to going completely off piste when on holiday with inlaws at half term and then having a week of birthdays and wedding anniversary celebrations - this time of year is always a nightmare for staying on track. But the important bit is that I've been 100% on back on track for a week and have every intention of staying there. I'm still 18lbs down on 1 January. Onwards and downwards!

So, for the first time in about 8 years, the scales showed less that 70kg (only just, mind!) this morning.

My children (with rather a lot of help from their Dad!) made me a three course lunch for mother's day - Garlic mushrooms and grilled halloumi, Courgetti Bolognese and a small bowl of strawberries with cream.

thenewaveragebear1983 I have been LCHF for 5 weeks now and I also run. I'm probably not properly fat adapted yet, but I find running fasted is somehow easier than running after eating and also electrolytes help a lot - I've got some zero sugar electrolyte tablets and if I have one of those before I go out, the running through treacle feeling is less. I also find my legs take a while to get going, so I'm better after the first km or so.

shag beta-blockers are prognostically beneficial in people with ischaemic heart disease (heart attacks or angina), so you might want to carry on taking them if you can tolerate them ok.

Wow twoo, that’s a huge reduction

Whoever gave us the code for the blood test people - thank you. My sister just used it.

Also - all the running chat. It was doing C25K (and beyond) which totally kyboshed LCHF for me three years ago. I got so ravenous that my appetite totally outstripped the calories I was using (running about 20-30 miles a week). I piled on weight. I haven’t run regularly since last September - and am terrified about starting to run again when I’m not sure I can keep a lid on my appetite!

The weight is coming off and I don’t want to start running and ruin it all! Any tips?

I had a bit of a disastrous lunch today. I was supposed to be working from 7 until 1.30, so had only taken a small snack for the morning (cheese and cucumber), assuming I'd get lunch at home afterwards. It turned out to be really busy and understaffed at work, so I offered to stay until 5, but that meant I had to buy some lunch from the hospital shop. Nearly everything was full of carbs! I found a pot of salad, but even that contained carrots and chickpeas (as well as spinach leaves, feta etc) and some rather dubious sweet dressing. I didn't eat it all as it wasn't even very nice. Now really looking forward to my roast pork with crackling and buttered Brussels sprouts!

Velocity thanks, I will look for those. That ‘running through treacle’ is definitely what I’m experiencing!

Re: the BSD- it works for me, I don’t do 800 calories generally except a fast day here and there, and I really do need to calorie count because if I exceed 1500 ish I will not lose anything. I appreciate what you’re saying but essentially I’m just doing a calorie counted med style diet, and it is working at the moment.

SoMuch, if it helps you feel better about your disaster, I could tell you that I’ve eaten a pizza, a box of lindor and a small box of salted caramel truffles. Bet carrots and chickpeas doesn’t sound too bad now?

Anyway I’m currently sitting feeling mildly shellshocked and slightly ill. I think this is the biggest tumble off the wagon I’ve ever had in either of the bootcamps I’ve done. Not even sure what preempted it. But I’ve also let DS1 watch tv all afternoon so clearly some sort of ‘sod it I give up on being an adult’ feeling has kicked in. Going to get the kids in bed then make myself some herbal tea and mentally prepare myself to face the scales in the morning.

But it's not though, is it, if you can't do your exercise?

Ave, at least it wasn't refined carbs! Everything else in the shop seemed to be sandwiches, wraps, baguettes, cakes, biscuits, pies, pasties, crisps, cereal bars or confectionery. So it was the best of a bad bunch. Still left me feeling totally dissatisfied and disappointed though.

But at least it has made me really appreciate my roast pork, which I can smell cooking now!

Speaking of NSVs and all things running, I managed a sub-30 minute 5k for the first time since having my baby at yesterday's parkrun. Still got to find 5 minutes to get back to my speed from the start of last year, but considering I've barely been running more than once a week (though doing exercise with Baby and bootcamp classes) not too bad!

newaveragebear I'd say run fasted (or just a coffee with cream) if it's fairly soon after getting up, or if you're hungry and have a couple of hours before you want to run, try a boiled egg or a small glass of whole milk. But more important get outside! It's a totally different experience to a treadmill and you may find what you can do and how you feel is completely different. Good luck.

Biwi I am still exercising though, and still losing weight. I need to calorie count, or i won’t lose weight. It really does make a difference to me losing it not, plus i have a voracious appetite and will overeat if I ‘free eat’ for too long, I really do need a degree of control in place!

Out of interest, what would be different if I followed BC not BSD? Surely the basic foods ‘allowed’ are the same/similar? My original question was related to carbs and exercise, as in should I eat more carbs to allow me to run more easily, and I’m really grateful for the advice I’ve had and I’m definitely going to try some of the suggestions, especially those electrolyte tabs.

And thanks rayna, I know, I really need to try outdoors. It’s partly confidence and partly necessity- Dh works long hours and I am a Sahm so the treadmill is the only way I actually can get regular exercise in as I can do it in the mornings/evenings with the dc here. Needs must I’m afraid!

Anyway, thanks all!

@thenewaveragebear1983

Biwi I am still exercising though, and still losing weight. I need to calorie count, or i won’t lose weight. It really does make a difference to me losing it not, plus i have a voracious appetite and will overeat if I ‘free eat’ for too long, I really do need a degree of control in place!

No. You don't need to calorie count. You do, obviously, need to watch portion sizes. But if you're finding exercise so hard, when you are clearly fat-adapted, then this suggests that you're not fuelling your body enough - as @StuntNun has already pointed out.

If you still have a voracious appetite, then this would also suggest that you're not eating enough. Alternatively this could mean you're not eating enough fat to sustain you? And fat will also give you the fuel that you need for exercise.

Out of interest, what would be different if I followed BC not BSD? Surely the basic foods ‘allowed’ are the same/similar? My original question was related to carbs and exercise, as in should I eat more carbs to allow me to run more easily, and I’m really grateful for the advice I’ve had and I’m definitely going to try some of the suggestions, especially those electrolyte tabs.

Not really - the basic foods of the BSD are actually relatively high in carbs, even if they're low calorie.

You don't need carbs for your running. It's possible that your electrolytes might be out of whack, so the electrolyte tabs will definitely help there.

But the overall message remains the same - you don't need to calorie count to be able to a) lose weight and b) run without the effort!

So much to catch up on... Twoo that shrinking waist is incredible - well done you!

I had a family evening out last night - an early birthday dinner as I'm going to be away for my actual birthday next weekend - and I didn't veer off track by even a crumb....that's almost unheard of. I completely ignored the bread, though it looked and smelt divine, and stuck to starter & main (king scallops and then belly pork with celeriac) before a coffee as everyone else had their puds. Actually, it wasn't nearly as difficult to stay on track as I'd thought it might be and not only that, I didn't need any insulin for it and I was down a pound this morning too. I'm hoping that's going to stick for tomorrow's weigh-in as it'll be my last before going away and I really want to see an 11 at the beginning. I've had a bit of a plateau and the weight loss is definitely slowing now, though I've still got another two stones to go. Still, I know it'll happen, just taking a bit longer than I'd hoped. Roll on next boot camp.

I'm off on Thursday and am so looking forward to going on holiday now. It may be the first one in 14 years, but I have a strong feeling it won't be as long till the next one...

As a long term low carber I will disagree with biwi on this, and the discussion has already been taken on this thread, Calories do count on this way of eating, not to the extent of other diets, but yet they are relevant,

As I said before if I was eating the same diet but 3000 calories a day I would be overweight and gaining, it's that simple, this way of eating reduces my appetite and as such my calorie intake.

However I do agree with her you're not eating enough which is what is causing this feeling, but I don't agree you can just forego the calorie counting and fill your face and you'll drop pounds. That's not correct, I'm sorry biwi,

I didn't say that calories don't matter, @Bluntness100 . I said that she doesn't need to calorie count, whilst still keeping an eye on her portions.

She doesn't need to be so excessive in her calorie counting - the BSD is 800 calories a day, and if you're not diabetic, then this is really a super low level to go to. And if she's struggling with exercise, then this could be the cause of it.

Sorry, expressed that rather clumsily:

I said that she doesn't need to calorie count, whilst still keeping an eye on her portions

What I meant to say was:

She doesn't need to count her calories, but she should still keep an eye on her portions.

That roast pork and crackling with buttered sprouts and broccoli was lovely! And ds commented that even though I'm "on a diet", he doesn't feel that our choice of food is restricted at all. I did cook some roast potatoes for him, but as usual he eats the same as me but with an added carb portion if he wants it (which he doesn't always).

My job has been really stressful the last few days. Extremely busy and short of staff. But I think eating low carb has helped me to cope with it and not get too stressed out. I've managed to remain calm all the time!

Thanks bluntness and biwi
(I don’t do 800 calories though, as a rule. The BSD has several variations and because I’ve done it for so long I don’t do the rapid weightloss 800 cals plan)