The final weigh-in - Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Good morning all, for the final Monday of this Bootcamp.

Here's the spreadsheet for its last outing!

I hope very much that the last ten weeks have been successful for everyone - whether that's on the scales, seeing your clothes fit better, better health and general enjoyment of your food!

I'll keep this chat thread going, and when it's full, will start another one until we start the next Bootcamp, which will start in mid-October.

I've been lurking on these threads for a while considering making the jump to LCHF from calorie counting (lost 92lbs so worried about rocking the boat but have about stone to go). I was wondering if anyone had any advice about eating low carb with pre-existing hypothyroidism. I have a combination of drug induced damage and autoimmune thyroiditis so need a relatively high dose of thyroxine (200mcg). But the main thing that worries me is not a bit of levels going wonky, as that is not the end of the world and easily fixed, but the effect that has on my mood as I have bipolar disorder too. So I am looking for information about likely changes and the timescales of those changes. Also how reversible any changes are. I have googled a lot but found conflicting information and I don't know who is authoritative and who is scare-mongering. Thanks in advance

Ooh er, that's a bit beyond my capabilities @AnotherOtter! But @StuntNun might be able to advise you as she has much more scientific/medical knowledge than I do.

BIWI et al, I lurk on these threads but just wanted to say well done to all, and a couple of questions...

I've started LCHF again after putting on a bloody stone or more since falling off the wagon. I really, really want to lose 2.5 stone (from 11 to 8.5). How quickly can I expect to do this, or rather, how rapid is the weight loss on average, or does it just depend on your existing size/frame?

I started at 11st (the shame) and am already down to 10st9lbs after 3 days.

Thanks BIWI. I was very pleased when the NHS started digitising notes as I was on my third volume!

Otter I'm not a medical expert and I think you probably need to discuss this with your doctor, for example it might be sensible to test your thyroid hormones more frequently and to keep a close eye on your mental state. That said, problems with cutting carbs affecting the thyroid usually arise in the long-term, i.e. over six months, so I wouldn't expect a rapid or dramatic effect on your hormone levels. One way of combatting the effect on the thyroid hormones is to have a higher carb meal every week or two weeks. Obviously this would hinder weight loss so one potential option would be to eat low carb for six months and then introduce a regular carb refeed. I must point out though that I'm drawing on anecdotal evidence in suggesting this, as far as I know the research just doesn't exist. So it is very much a "suck it and see" approach. The other factor to consider is how you are eating now. Since you have already been so successful in losing weight I assume your diet is currently pretty healthy in which case cutting carbs won't have as drastic an effect as someone that's living on junk food and sugar. Finally, is low carb definitely the way you want to go? Maybe intermittent fasting would help you to achieve your weight loss goals without the potential to disrupt your thyroid hormones.

@ilovecherries may be able to offer some of her personal experience as she no longer has a thyroid (iirc) and lost weight initially and miserably on a calorie counting diet before moving on to Boot Camp's HFLC WoE and successfully losing a further 3 stone. She now has a normal BMI and although she had the longest stall in Boot Camp history - the scales have started moving downwards again for her only because I was catching her up again

ShackUp there's no way to predict your rate of weight loss because it depends how sensitive you are to carbs and how closely you follow the Bootcamp rules. But as a very rough guess you could lose 2.5 stone in six months if you're strict with no cheating/minimal booze.

Thanks stunt, I'm going strictly NO BOOZE so let's hope I'm shrinking like Alice in Wonderland over the next 6 months!

I think I am quite insulin resistant/carb-sensitive. Bread etc makes me look 8 months pregnant, I wish it didn't exist.

Shackup : Weight loss also slows as you get close to target. The weight you are talking about as a target suggests you are relatively close - although without knowing your height, can't really be sure.

FWIW: I lost 3 stone between end May and Christmas (including a small stall in August/September), from 14st 13lb to 11st 13lb, then a 2 month big stall (after losing the wee bit extra I'd put on over Christmas) and then fell off the wagon and put on half a stone Clambered back in the wagon for the last wagon and lost that half stone and then a further 9 lb, so am hopefully back on a downward projectory at 11st 5lb

6lb to go to my interim target (which also means a normal BMI) and 1 stone to my "target" (which may be re-assessed when I get there )

Down to 11st 4lb today

Also did Day 1 of Level 4 of Jillian Daniels' "Ripped in 30" - the one with the dreaded burpees And I survived it! ok, I don't quite manage the burpees at the speed that they do them and the scissor plié jumps afterwards aren't very scissorish

Roast chicken last night with runner and broad beans from the garden microwaved in butter. I didn't even taste any of the King Edwards (also from the garden).

One of my between-Boot Camps' objectives had been to try a new recipe a week. Last week I tried two - both using the plentiful courgettes I'm now getting from my three courgette plants. Will post them up on the recipe threads. One was a Moroccan mince bake (which I used pork mince for rather than turkey mince) from the Sainsbury's article on low carb recipes (but which still tried to be low fat ) and the other was a griddled salad using courgettes (both yellow and green), asparagus, cherry tomatoes and sweet corn (for which I substituted baby sweet corn).

This week I will be trying a Moroccan lamb and sweet potato bake - but it suggests I can swap with sweet potato with more green veg, so I will use asparagus and runner beans instead (and maybe some curly kale)

Please somebody stop me! Been low carbing since 23rd July. Lost 5 lbs in first 3 days, then 2 lbs by last Monday so 7lbs, great. Went up a pound by this morning despite no alcohol, carbs etc touching my lips. Even declined brownies our friend brought round Friday night.

Feel demotivated and like I want to demolish the last couple of brownies in an ‘oh fuck it’ kind of way. I know that 6lbs is good so why do I feel tonight like ruining it all? Feel no difference whatsoever in my clothes etc and just feel a bit low. I will never lose this weight. I’ve been trying for months (on low cal diet) and despite actually sticking to the diet for months couldn’t seem to get down to about 9 stone which is what I should be (currently 10 st 13).
So hard to lose weight in my 40s.

The only treats I can look forward to when low carbing are cheese and cream and they seem to stall me.

I’m going to a wedding in September and really wanted to have lost a bit by then but at this rate I don’t actually know if I will lose and more.

Just ate half a tub of whipped cream to cheer myself up

Sorry for the rant, nobody has to reply, at least I was able to vent!

Meant to add, I’ve been doing bootcamp (the full one, haven’t switched to lite yet) since 23rd July, not just low carbing!

Good for you for resist in the brownies desperatehousewife (and step away from them if they are still in the vicinity ). Kudos for having the cream instead. Can you eat butter on its own? I sometimes have a slice of nice salty butter which satiates me. Also - go and have a pint of water to fill you up.

If it helps, I stalled for two months on 11st 13lb, fell off the wagon (never good ), clambered back on having out on 8lb - and am now down to 11st 4lb. KOKO does work - eventually!

I never thought I’d say it prettybird but I think I’m all buttered out.

otter, prettybird is correct, I have no thyroid and currently take 200 mcgms thyroxine. I’ve been low carb for 16 months now. I only lost 7lbs on my initial low fat diet though, and have since lost nearly 5 more on LCHF. I’m part of a long term research study for something unusual, and as part of that my thyroid levels are monitored quite closely, and I am required to keep my TSH fairly suppressed. I haven’t required any dose adjustments in the last 16 months, my TSH has stayed very low, and my T3 and T4 have been very stable.

@desperatehousewife2 - don't panic! You're suffering from the dreaded week 3 and 4 phenomenon! It's very, very common for weight loss to stop or even to reverse during these two weeks.

Just KOKO and you'll see the scales start to move again soon.

Thanks for the detailed reply, Stuntnun. You are right that I should discuss this with my doctors but I'm not going to as I have already found out both my GP and psychiatrist don't believe that eating low carb is a good idea. Or dieting full stop. I trust their actual areas of expertise but don't think they know much about this. I used your Thriva link for a discount on blood tests a few months ago so could easily use them again. I'm not sure about the sound of carb refeeds as I saw an awful lot of folk talking about the gut side-effects of that (I already have a dodgy gut). How about eating at higher carb levels like 50-75g ish a day? So including some carbier veg. Would that have a similar effect? I don't think I would manage intermittent fasting just now as I eat three meals and two snacks a day (my insulin levels must be quite spiky!). My mood is bad at the moment but I think once I have recovered a bit then I will give it a go in the spirit of inquiry. I have had several disastrous experiments with medication over the years so an experiment with different food doesn't seem that anxiety provoking really.

Thanks for the information about your TFTs, ilovecherries. That is reassuring. Also, thank you for documenting your experiences with hair loss in the Style & Beauty thread. I have severe shedding and seeing a path through it if I lose the remains of my hair has helped a lot.

AnotherOtter I used your Thriva link for a discount on blood tests a few months ago so could easily use them again.
That's a good back up plan if you want reassurance that your thyroid hormone levels are remaining stable.

I'm not sure about the sound of carb refeeds as I saw an awful lot of folk talking about the gut side-effects of that (I already have a dodgy gut).
It shouldn't cause a problem if you choose the right foods. I tend to go for potatoes, rice or sweet potatoes which won't upset my gut. Anything with wheat or sugar is disastrous for me.

How about eating at higher carb levels like 50-75g ish a day? So including some carbier veg. Would that have a similar effect?
That would probably scupper your weight loss. Either way you can easily stick with Bootcamp in the short term and Cherries experience suggests you may be okay in the long term too.

I don't think I would manage intermittent fasting just now as I eat three meals and two snacks a day (my insulin levels must be quite spiky!).
It takes a couple of weeks for the appetite-suppressing effects of eating low carb to kick in but you will find your appetite naturally reduces over time.

Oh, thank you otter. Hair loss can be such a distressing and almost shameful thing for a woman, and I think it’s important that those who feel able to be ‘out’ about it do so, so that others can see there is still a full, happy and stylish life beyond it. I feel much better either wearing a wig, or going completely shaved, which I do frequently, than I ever did in the days of constantly rearranging thinning strands.

Thanks @BIWI. Up another pound this morning, didn’t realise I could actually put on weight in weeks 3 and 4, I thought I’d just stall!

Sadly it's not uncommon. KOKO and things will get going again soon. Just don't use it as a reason to give in!

Don't despair Desperate it's water retention not fat gain. It's caused by a temporary increase in anti-diuretic hormone in response to the weight you've already lost. KOKO (Keep On Keeping On) and you'll pee all that extra weight out again!

Thanks Stuntnun! Hanging on in there although I’m probably having too much cream and cheese at the moment to be honest. Anyhow will try to KOKO!

Thanks so much for the support on this thread, very much appreciated

I'm hanging in but am sure I am eating too much . its a couple of pounds off then back on again . drinking the water , eating plenty of fat

I have a curry thing going on , its only been various L/C veg and chicken and prawns and coconut all h/m from scratch (with spices not sauces).

But I have also been having strawberries or raspberries and creme fraiche.. not loads but it been going on..

Maybe i am at a sort of set point ..