Low Carb Bootcamp - our final weigh-in!

[BIWI]

Good morning!

Well, we've finally reached the end. Here's the spreadsheet, for the last time

It feels to me like it's been a really good Bootcamp, with lots of NSVs as well as success on the scales. Hopefully today sees another good reading on the scales too!

As I've said on previous threads, just because we've reached the end of this Bootcamp, it doesn't mean that we all just melt away - I'll keep this chat thread going and when it fills up, I'll start another general chat one, so there's always someone here for help and support as well as ongoing low carb stuff.

I'll probably put the big stick back in its cupboard for a while though

Morning all! Have been away for a few days. Bit disappointed in parental reaction to weight/inch loss (have made disparaging remarks in the past about my extra weight) - apparently I still have more weight to lose so nothing positive to say as yet.

What's infuriating is that I think I have more flab to lose, so they're technically right, but somehow I don't like them saying it! Need to get a grip. Am at 9 stone now (5'5") so only a half stone to go to my goal. Would have been nice if they'd retracted some of their previous comments about fat and whales though .

Morning all.

Athel, that doesn't sound healthy to be honest. You're already very slim. It doesn't sound like your parents have a healthy attitude to weight. As a grown up, don't look for their approval. Just try to understand what's causing their behaviour. They are defintely at fault here.💐

Well, they've always been naturally trim themselves, and couldn't understand how they ended up with a fat teenager. And being a surgeon, my father told me how additional fat makes it more complicated to operate, taking more time, and so more risky for the patient (aside from other risks).

As for my actual weight being reasonable, I do have a tiny frame (wrists only 5" for e.g.), so my ideal weight is at the lower end of the NHS range. I was 8 stone 7lbs for many years, which is what I'm aiming for - and I still had plenty of extra wobble at that weight, so it wasn't unreasonably slim.

I don't necessarily need their approval as I'm doing this for my own health, but it's a bit sad to have it made clear that while they're happy to criticise, they're not so keen to approve.

That should have continued... 'being a surgeon...' I'm well aware he is very prejudiced about fat for professional reasons as well as having some personal opinions I also struggle to sympathise with

Maybe athel, but it's more than that, I'm no surgeon, but I cannot see there being an issue on operating on a five foot five nine stone woman. I think you know that. You are not fat, not even slightly. You are actually very slim.

I'd imagine your father would run into professional problems if he thought there were issues with operating on people your size and weight. Not least Because recovery would be more complex if you're too thin and have no fat stores to call on.

To be honest, it sounds like your parents have issues with food and body image, but they shouldn't put that on you. And as an adult you need to be able to see their faults, still love them, but understand they are not always right.

On this, they are not right.

I know! I agree with you on that. The operating comment was when I was over 10 stone. They have set views which I can't change - my disappointment is more that they find it easier to be negative than positive about me.

Trust me, I have fat stores to call on. I'd post a photo, only I'm not brave enough. But I have spilling over double handfuls of fat at the top of my hips, on the outside of my thighs, I'm not even going to mention the inside of them, and upper arms you could roast and feed a family of 10 on.

I know it sounds dubious, but I have a 5'5", 11 1/2 stone friend, whose jeans I can't even pull up over my arse. It's not as simple as height v weight - my frame is tiny, so my base weight is lower than women my height with larger frames, which means any additional weight is unfortunately un-needed fat. My friend above wears size 8 jeans and looks like Rachel Weisz and I am most noticeably wider than her at 2 stones lighter. But she has humoungous^ feet and hands .

I hear you, Athel! I'm also small framed (5'4", wrist 5.5" (I just checked). Currently 8 stone 7, size 6/8. I STILL have a roll of fat on my tum, like a mum tum except I've never been pregnant. It IS smaller than it was, obviously (and I have photographic evidence) but I would like it gone completely. There's just no excuse for it to be there.

Last time I dieted I got down to 8 stone nothing, but no smaller than a size 8 (and it's not vanity sizing coming in to play as my old size 8s are too big for me now). A friend of mine was really surprised at my dress size. She's 5'7", was a size 10/12 yet was considerably smaller than me (and probably still is). No idea what she weighed but she was probably heavier than me, yet you'd have pegged her at being a lot lighter.

Sorry to hear your folks couldn't be positive about your weight loss. It sounds odd, but maybe they're struggling with it as they can no longer be negative about it (assuming they're the type that always has to be negative about something)...? And at least they didn't comment that you are still fat or something (or did they? I can't quite tell).

My weekend was going to go so well. I had all my meals planned out to be LCHF, but it didn't happen. Saturday I did a 7 mile run, including a hill which I promised myself beforehand I'd turn around before tackling, but ended up keeping going. I was going to have mozzarella, olive oil, spinach and tomatoes for lunch, but ended up not eating that til about 5 o' clock (having not eaten anything before then). I then didn't want dinner, but did end up eating the WHOLE large bag of pretzels at about 10. Whoops!

Then, yesterday, friends invited me round for lunch - French bread, quiche and pizza, and then I stayed for dinner (Shaksuka, so not, actually, too bad), and I won't mentioned the wine that got consumed! In other news, though, despite thinking that I might, at some indeterminate point in the future, be able to cycle up the hill, but not for a long, long time, I ended up tacking up it on my way to theirs. I stopped lots, but I made it. And I cycled in to work today. So the exercise part of things is going ok. The diet..... let's not go there!

I also understand what you're saying about small frame. As I mentioned previously I have one too, I'm weirdly narrow in terms of hips, shoulders, rib cage etc. I carry a layer of fat all over that will always prob be there. I can look heavier in the same dress size than a friend of mine who is very angular. I'm more curvy at my current weight and no one would accuse me of being skinny..

You do sound quite negative about your body though and I very much doubt you should be. I suspect you look great but are so used to focusing on the negatives that you can't see the positives. It's quite easy to do that sometimes, especially if used to negative comments...

Here's the preparation thread for next week

It would be super helpful if any of you could also add your own thoughts about preparation and planning, and things that worked for you.

I was also going to write 'beware of the big stick!' but thought that might put too many people off

Totally off-topic. Are any of you here employment lawyers? Or do you know anyone who is? I am in serious need of proper advice.

I think there was someone on the last boot camp who was a lawyer, not sure if it was employment though - littleladylawyer.

There is a legal section on here which some lawyers frequent which you could post on.

My daughter is just finishing her law degree this month. If you struggle I can ask her for you and if she doesn't know she can email and ask the relevant law professor.

However any response would be clarifying a point of law only, if that makes sense..

Can I ask what people's favourite artificial sweetener is, please? I've avoided them up to now as I'd "rather" have the real thing, but I KNOW sugar doesn't agree with me, yet I do like to have the odd sweet thing from time to time. I can go months without, but then really want something and it would be good to know I could make something that won't make me ill the next day.

Oh, and I can't stand nuts (except ground almonds) so making a peanut butter fat bomb won't hit the spot.

I’ve not used on at all time, but I’ve seen stevia and another eryth.... something mentioned on the threads.

Ive got some Erythritol. I don't use it very often. Last time was when I stewed some rhubarb (a vegetable don't you know! I had to google). Tastes ok to me. But then I like Diet Coke!

Thanks, the pair of you. I, too, like Diet Coke (prefer it to the normal version, which has a strange effect on my teeth) so I'll give it a shot.

Wow, that was some deviation, Time

Blunt, I am absolutely negative about my body atm. It doesn't look like it used to, it doesn't perform like it used to, and it aches where it shouldn't. Which is why I'm exercising bits of it, feeding it well, and keeping it out of the sun. It's already hugely better than it was, but damn right I don't like looking down to see dimpled wobble where no dimpled wobble was before.

Ach athel. You know the weird thing is I suspect you look great and just can't see it.

I have the opposite problem, I always think I look fine. Which is a bit of a bastard on the odd occasion I suddenly find my self nudging into a size 16.🤣

I was brought up predominantly by my father though, and I didn't get any negative stereotypes through my formative years. Don't get me wrong he was an abusive shit, but in terms of body image he always told me I was gorgeous. I remember once one of his girlfriends did say to me "you've put on weight"and he roared like a lion and said "she looks great look at her". He was really, really offended.

He did once say to me in my thirties "you've let youtself go" I just looked at him blankly. I thought I looked fine and it was the first negative comment he gave me. By then though I was olde enough to not let it bother me and I shrugged it off.

We are no contact for many reasons, but to be fair to him, on this front he did bring me up with a healthy body image, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

If I make anything sweet I use erythitol and it sees to be fine.

From memory, Tom Kerridge uses erythritol in his Dopamine Diet book.

Thank you both. I'll get some erythitol and see what happens!

@BIWI - we seem to have lost some sticky threads, the poultry one is missing and I think there was another, though I may be wrong.

On that point, could we do a snack one too. I know we shouldn't be snacking, but the way my life's going to be for the next year or so I'm going to have to*, and I need some more variety than just cheese, eggs and ham, especially since I don't have access to a fridge. I know I can Google, but I also know there are some tried and tested recipes here and it would be nice for me (and others) to have them all together. Pretty please!

(* In the office 9 - 7, can't eat breakfast (if I eat early I'm then hangry by 11), a lunch of salad and yoghurt+ double cream is not enough to keep me going to 7 and then running 2 miles home, so I really do need something at about 5 to keep me going til dinner. I don't want a bigger lunch as what I have suits me, and I can't really take another meal in each day. What would be handy would be some things I can take in on a Monday and keep in the office all week.)

Pork scratchings? Asparagus stalks? Yoghurt?

Just looked at the other bootcamp thread, wow. Huge crowd..

Thanks for the suggestions, Blunt. I have tried pork scratchings a couple of times and really don't like them. Wish I did as that would solve a lot of problems! I could try some asparagus, and maybe another helping of yoghurt to tie me over. Maybe I'll relax the rules about fruit and bring some in too.

It would be useful if I liked nuts, but I don't, nor fish, so tins of tuna are out. I was thinking of things like Pepperami, but I do eat quite a lot of processed meat anyway. I did find some meat loaf in the freezer the other day. Can't remember if that's got oats in it but I might bring it in tomorrow regardless. By 5 or so it'll be defrosted, but ok out the fridge all day.

What about a Tupperware of cheese crisps, @Time?