Week 8 - Low Carb Bootcamp - only 3 weeks to go!

[BIWI]

Morning all.

Here, hopefully, is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness Let's just hope this one works

So we have three weeks left. Still time to see a good loss before our final weigh-in. This weather, I think, makes it all easier - so much easier to choose a salad when it's hot. And barbecues are perfect for low carbing (if you're a meat eater, of course!)

We had a barbecue yesterday and we had:

home-made chilli burgers (12% fat organic mince, chopped shallot, chopped red chilli, dried oregano and salt and pepper, whizzed up in the processor to combine). I had mine without the bun, obviously!

chicken thighs, skin-on, that had been marinated in a spice mix (ground cumin, ground coriander, ground ginger, turmeric, chilli powder, oregano, salt and pepper, all mixed in with olive oil and fresh lime juice to make a paste that was then rubbed all over the chicken)

coconut cod** - a lovely recipe I found in one of my barbecue books. Fish marinated in coconut cream, that had been infused with lime, garlic, ginger, shallot and lime juice - bring all that to the boil and simmer for around 10 minutes; cool and then use as a marinade for the fish, which you then cook on the barbecue in a foil parcel.

And sausages. Because you can't have a barbecue without sausages!

Anyway, plenty left over, so I'm taking chicken and sausages to work for my lunch.

Hope everyone has a good week.

Great to hear about your ideal blood pressure, @chocchip88!

I usually don't start the next one until around October, @itchyknees - it finishes halfway through December, so just in time for Christmas

But don't panic - there's always an ongoing chat thread in between Bootcamps, so we'll all be here! (I just don't wield my big stick as much as I do on Bootcamp )

Thanks v much @stuntnun - I will do as you suggest. I hadn't realised that potato was lower carb than rice or pasta so that's very good to know.
I'm not fussed for desserts, cake, sweet stuff - my weakness is alcohol. I will decide ahead of going what i will allow myself to drink. It's likely to be hot so that will help me be sensible.

Thanks too @prettybird for reassurance on the Italian restaurant that you like.

I have already stocked up on what I can for when I return & will be straight back on it. I may even experience a whoosh in the final days of boot camp, which would be fab!
@itchy I think the next BC is October.

Crosspost with BIWI

Great! I will be there!

BIWI roughly what’s the average amount that people drop during BC?

I have no idea! Sorry. In the early days of Bootcamp there were occasional stats posted, but we don't seem to do that any more.

It's also hard to really tell, because a lot of people start and then don't finish.

Itchyknees - it can vary so much. Some lose 10-14lbs, but then struggle over the next weeks/months, others just a few pounds but find that they've lost inches, others lose a steady average of 1lb/week.

It also depends on how close you are to target.

I have a theory that after every "big" loss (c.1-1.5 stone) your body then stalls while it re-adjusts to the "new" weight, before it starts moving down again. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it

But it is important to KOKO and not lose the faith. Therein lies the slippery slope back to carby twatdom.

I agree. I think there’s some science behind the “set point” weight, too.

I’m averaging small losses, but the general trend is downwards, so even at 1/4 a pond a week, that’s still a stone a year.

I definitely have done 2-3 week losses (between 200g and 900g) then 1-2 week stall and repeat. That’s been pretty consistent for 6 months but has resulted in 11kg lost...

I really wish I’d done before photos but I’d avoided a camera for ages due to my weight. Also I thought this would be a 2 week fad! Oddly it was the horrific sugar withdrawal that did it for me

I've started boot camp on here before and then wandered off after a few weeks - then felt let down by myself when the week 10 boot camp thread started and most people were raving! For me planning a shopping are crucial and also really trying to eat mindfully - I can plough through carbs without even really noticing, and then of course just want more!
The between BCs will be great for me to check in. I've also used MFP but more as a planner/diary to remind myself what to eat.

Ilovecherries do you mind me asking why you can't stand the idea of low carb baking? I've made a bread which I'm happy with and tried a couple of other bits which turned out ok but weren't particularly nice.
I don't want to eat substandard replacement carbs so haven't bothered with anything else as I suspect they'll be mainly blah and not worth the effort.

I've lost 38 since March, 14 since boot camp started and still have about four stone to lose.
Because I'm heavier it's initially came off quicker for me. It's started to slow recently with no movement this week so far and upwards fluctuations some days.
I've realised I have certain expectations of how much I'll have lost by certain events/dates and recently when I've realised I haven't met my goals for one of those events and won't for the next one, I've felt deflated. Yesterday I had a tough day and ate more carbs than usual because of emotions I can completely attribute to how deflated I felt by my current high weight and how long progress will take. It's strange because I know all the common sense behind weight loss, I know that every pound lost is a big achievement
But yet some sort of self sabotage has been kicking in and I could feel my resolve weakening.
Today though reading the above posts about people who KOKO and have seen huge results over time has really helped. Also luck was on my side today and I met two friends, one whom I hadn't seen since I started this and another who I last met half way through. Neither knew it'd been actively trying to lose weight and both were so complimentary about how well I looked.
One of the girls I work with commented on my uniform hanging on me and another said every week it's getting looser on you.
All of this combined has been a big much needed boost. I'm feeling relaxed and realising that even if by my next goal (holiday in 5 weeks) I've only lost a few more pounds rather than into the next stone bracket as I'd originally anticipated I will still be doing very well and happier with my appearance.

I'd love to know what it is in my brain that can switch me from happy and determined into deflated and wavering within hours.
Does/has this happened to anyone else?

I think we're all susceptible to that, @Lonesurvivor. Just wish I knew how we could turn it off!

Thanks BIWI while I wouldnt wish it on anyone else it's reassuring to know it's not just me
My dd15 last night was having a weep cause she'd broken her umpteenth phone screen and saying "why does this only happen to me" pretty much reflecting my pent up frustrations of the day except I'm triple her age and technically should know better

One of the reasons I fell off the wagon for 6+ weeks was that my achievable post Christmas target (a certain weight by 16 May, my 20th wedding anniversary) became unachievable after a 2 month stall So I gave up

I clambered back in the wagon shortly before my anniversary having put ON 8 pounds and have now re-set myself the same target for Christmas - so given myself a longer timescale and have made a conscious decision that if I stall or slow down, just continuing to make progress will be fine by me

I'm sure I'll have another stall between now and then and will be pleading with you lot to support me in KOKO

52lbs lost @Lonesurvivor!! That is a fabulous result , and in only four months too!
I think it's difficult sometimes to see our own successes, i have had low moments too and to be honest, I still don't in my heart of hearts actually believe I'll ever be that size 10/12 I used to be ever again. But I feel 10 years younger, and younger than I did 10 years ago
I was interested in your comment that you're relaxed though. I've also noticed in the last few days, how chilled I am too. Whether it's the sunshine, being properly hydrated for probably the first time in my life, or the increased fat intake I don't know, but very little is phasing me at the moment. My mood along with my energy levels seems to be stable throughout the day and my quality of life (no more back ache or joint pain) is hugely improved, so I'm definitely KOKO!

Btw I'm trying to read this thread too from a shattered iPhone screen. I feel your dd's pain!

waswittyonce it's 38 in total, sorry I made a mess of the way I worded that.

That's great you feel so relaxed, I love the general feeling of overall wellness from this plan. It truly stops me feeling like I NEED wine by the time the weekends arrive.

Poor dd she's as careless as can be inherited from me except I've finally learned. My older ds gave her an iPhone6 and she smashed the screen less than a week later through sheer bad luck.
Anyway dh is getting it repaired reasonably and we've promised not to tell ds and are going to put tempered glass on it so hopefully that'll be the end of her smashed screens for a while. It's so easily done.

Lone, I certainly have those moments where I can end up self-sabotaging. For me, it’s because I’m still mentally thinking about what I’m depriving myself of rather than what I’m gaining. It’s very easy then for me to think ‘bugger this, it’s not working so might as well join in the office cake round’.

I need to find a way of switching my focus from ‘deprivation’ to ‘health and wholeness’. Even with very real physical consequences for me of a high carb diet, it’s hard to do.

I self sabotage when I'm exhausted. I'm so terrible at resting or relaxing that I tend to dive into the food as a way of numbing how terrible I feel. Obviously it makes it worse!

The key for me seems to be allowing myself to flop in front of the telly or sit with a glass of water and take a break without feeling guilty.

Had friends round so ended up drinking pimms and champagne. Ate pretty well until the ice cream. Might go swimming tomorrow to help a bit. Feeling bloated so won't expect a Monday loss. Been so good all week but sitting in the garden with friends is just too lovely. All about balance, so I won't beat myself up about it.

38 is equally impressive @Lonesurvivor plus I totally agree with this;
It truly stops me feeling like I NEED wine by the time the weekends arrive.
Although I have had a couple of wines today due to football excitement

Erm ...

About Monday. I'm off to China tomorrow evening (work, not leisure!).

As, by the time I arrive, it will be quite late on Monday here, I'll start next week's thread tomorrow before I leave, so around 7pm

Hi all, think I'm on the breakup diet at the moment! All I had yesterday was a LC muffin and a bottle of wine. Today I managed some soup and just had chicken, salad and mayo. Been obsessively googling, how to get over a breakup and spent most of the last 2 days in bed. Promise you I won't wallow too much more now tho, am currently formulating my action plan for restarting my life!

On the bright side, at least it's better being single at 10 stone than 11stone 12!

@Lonesurvivor, I wonder if it's unrealistic expectations & obsession with numbers that cause us to come unstuck? Like most others, I had a whoosh in week 1 to my great delight. But foolishly i then began working out how much I'd have lost by x or y date & then felt very disappointed when it became apparent that it simply wouldn't happen. IT WAS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!
The obsession with the number on the scales on weigh-in day is also part of it. Too much riding on it. I weigh everyday now so arguably more obsessed, though feel better about it cos I see how much it goes up & down for no apparent reason. I'm fascinated when posters say they've sts for weeks but lost inches.
Anyway, as @waswittyonce says, 52lbs in 4 months is pretty damn impressive by any standard so you're clearly doing something right. KOKO and it will happen.

On the subject of why this WOE can make you feel well, I read somewhere that eating fat releases oxytocin, that would explain why it can give you that warm feeling!