General Bootcamp Chat

[BIWI]

Morning all

Here's a brand new thread, for general Bootcamp chat - it could be about low carbing, or about anything else you want to chat about.

It's Christmas Eve, and I'm wearing my Christmas pyjamas, and about to head into the kitchen for the last bits of prep I'm planning on doing. We're waiting for my BIL to arrive, and then rather than cook we're going out for lunch. Tonight will be buffet/party food, as both my DC are at work and won't be here till late.

I have a few more gifts to wrap - I discovered a bag of things I'd bought very early and had hidden, which I'd then forgotten all about! But apart from that, it's pretty much all done.

Tomorrow's menu is a simple one - we don't have turkey, but we're having roast fillet of beef. I've already made some red wine gravy, and just need to do the veg - which will be asparagus, peas and onions and (a definite non-Bootcamp treat!) potatoes dauphinoise.

So that's it from me. I hope all of you have a happy and relaxing Christmas and that [santa] brings you everything you want

I think 14 Jan is great timing, most importantly it’s up to Biwi when she feels she has the time & energy to organise the Boot Camp but also that date gives us time to finish the Christmas excesses, get the children back to school & just get us into the right frame of mind; again thank you Biwi.

I’ll be back in Jan too. Have overindulged last couple of days due to staying over with family. I feel awful now though and can’t wait to get home and go straight back to low-carb.

Paisleyday you can start sooner if you want. Just look online for low carb diets or look back at boot camp rules.

Hi, I will definitely be doing this bootcamp. I've messed around with low carb for 2 years and it is the best way of eating for me. Helps my eczema, my PMT and just gives me so much more energy.

I'm starting 'the rules' from 2nd January but will eagerly be joining in after that too.

Biwi for taking the time to do it.

I'll sign up again! 14th is perfect for me as it's my bday on the 13th.

Ooh lots of us ready for the next bootcamp....it's exciting!

@Scifi101 that's an amazing weight loss, I think @ilovecherries has lost a similar amount. It's so encouraging for me (with over 9st to lose altogether) to see that it's possible to shift such amounts in relatively short periods of time. A year or two in the grand scheme of things is nothing really when I think about how many years I've been yo-yo dieting. I think this WOE might be the one that finally works for me.

Well, Boxing Day was another turkey dinner and another day of victory with me sticking to the plan and avoiding the myriad of puds and chocs that are literally EVERYWHERE.

I'm just taking it one day at a time for now and focusing on the little goals I've set. Next one is a ball on the 11th Jan, so the thought of fitting into a nice frock is keeping me going through any weak moments. I want to try to be in the 15s by then (currently 16st 5.8lbs). Doable if I can just KOKO.

Went off plan for 4 days over Christmas and have manged to put on 6lbs (I'm hoping some of that will be water...!). Back on plan today though and hopefully it'll be gone by the time the next bootcamp starts. My skin has also broken out into lots of spots, so I think I've had plenty of overindulgence now (though I thoroughly enjoyed it!) and I need to get back to normal again.

Thanks for the new thread BIWI. Will keep popping in and out until the start of the new bootcamp. I need someone to keep and eye on me to make sure I'm properly back on the wagon . Feeling positive and also a tiny bit relieved that Christmas is over with and I'm still in the right frame of mind to get back to it without too much of a struggle...!

Same here @Littleorangetree , I’ve put on 5lbs since my last weigh in on Friday

Why is it so easy to put the weight on , and so difficult to take it off ?

Been back on track today
B coffee
L cheese , tomato and mushroom omlette
D left over turkey (😀) with cauliflower rice , loads of green veg and creamy mushroom sauce

Loads of water , lots of steps ( though my old Fitbit seeems to have given up )

See how we go , I will have the 5lb off by the 14th ( determined )

The thing is, the 'weight' you've gained isn't fat. You've refilled your glycogen stores.

This is energy stored in the liver (and some in the muscles) so you need to use that energy up! More exercise will help you. As well as being strict on how many carbs you're eating.

@tootstastic

I lost over 5 stone in the first six months.

You can do this!

Thanks @Scifi101 Wow! 5st in 6 months is bloody phenomenal. I do hope I can do that! I'm certainly starting to believe I can. I've never felt more determined and I've lost a quarter of my excess since the start of the last bootcamp. I should have hit 3 stone off, or thereabouts, by the next bootcamp on the 14th when it'll be 3 months in. It's just that 9st 5lbs feels a bit overwhelming, so I'm trying to focus on my little goals along the way and just keep going.

Good day today...smoked salmon and scrambled egg for breakfast and left over turkey and cauliflower cheese for dinner.

For those having days off over Christmas, I've read that the glycogen stores can weigh at least 5lbs, so I wouldn't worry too much. It should come off as soon as you start LCing again.

That's good news tootstatic because I seem to have put exactly 5lb on! Lucky I got a Fitbit for my birthday

I did this diet (perhaps not too the letter but for a couple of weeks) and the only thing that appears to have worked in preventong massive weight gain over my “time of month”. I just thought I’d share as I’m really excited by starting this and being part of a group doing it will be really motivating.

I’m in ‘carb regret’ mode. Overindulgence over Christmas has triggered a migraine.

Me too boldly

Ah yes. The seductive lure of the carbs, hiding in their wake migraines, IBS and all manner of other lovely things

Hope you're both feeling better soon

Am sure you didn't mean to come across as rude there, paisleyday but you did unfortunately.

And thank you god you're here. I fell off the last bandwagon so hard, I dented the sodding road and have put on at least every lb of the stone and half I'd lost. Gutted. Can't wait to get started again on the slightly earlier date of the 1st when all of the junk will be done (even if it needs throwing away!). Even DP is looking forward to it (and that's how you know it made a difference!).

I'll be starting on the 1st too...hope that's ok @BIWI I just feel so ready for it and don't want to lose that motivation xx

Don't let me stop you @VictoriaMeldrew!

And sorry for snipping back at you @paisleyday.

But there's a lot of work that goes into doing a Bootcamp, and it's not just about the day-to-day running/managing of it.

First people need to be given the date it's going to start, so that they can decide if they want to sign up. Then, if they do, they need to prepare themselves for it - so I usually spend a couple of weeks posting general advice about how to do this as well as things to think about, to read and generally to help prepare people for what a low carb diet is going to be like.

Then, once people have signed up, all those names have to be transferred to the spreadsheet - and all the new dates have to be entered into it.

This might not sound much, but sometimes we have had almost 300 people signed up.

And I can't always expect or assume that the same person is going to do the spreadsheet for me - this time it looks like I'm going to have to ask for a new volunteer too.

Once the spreadsheet is ready, then I have to start the first chat thread and start populating it with helpful information to get people going/off on the right track.

I do this on a purely voluntary basis. I'm not employed by Mumsnet and I get no help from the moderators/community team to do any of this. Up till now, I've also been working very full time, in a job that's also involved a fair amount of international and domestic travel. I frequently work in the evenings too (up until around 22.30-23.00) as well as leaving the house at 07.45 to commute to work.

So long story short - there's a lot of thought, planning and work that goes into each Bootcamp and I don't really have a huge amount of time to do it.

I need the time until 14 January to plan for it. But more importantly I'm also having some time off for myself!!!

Just looked on the spreadsheet from when I last did a bootcamp in May last year...I'm now EXACTLY the same weight that I was when I first started that bootcamp 😢😢 the 20lbs I lost have all been put back. I had a dreadful 'rest of the year' (personal stuff) but still, I'm gutted! In a MUCH better place now though so it's going to be great to get back on my weight loss journey. I feel sick at how much I've put back on though...so, SO disappointed in myself!

Northernknickers you’re the same but not more (usually we gain a bit each year) and this has worked before and will work again!

@Feelingfortyisntfun Thank you for your kind words...I know I can do it again, but I'm still upset with myself for quitting when I was doing so well. I don't even understand why I didn't carry on, as I've honestly never felt so well as when I was LCHF eating! My shitty life just overtook me and I fell back into old habits I guess. I now realise how unhealthy I feel, and more importantly, know why! So in a way, I think learning this has been a part of my journey...migraines are back, which had completely gone, joint pains are back, poor sleep...I could go on! All of these had completely disappeared in the summer.

I've spent today clearing out my cupboards and fridge...I'm ready!! 😊

Haha @Kleptronic get those steps up and you'll soon lose the 5lbs.

A good day today. I've been busy painting the kitchen and bathroom, so not much time to think about food. Just nibbled at ham/turkey/cheese/salad leftovers and finished off with strawberries and cream tonight.

I get the feeling this bootcamp is going to be s very busy one! Thanks for all you do for it @BIWI.

I ordered a couple of size 16 tops in the sale, they arrived today and I was pleasantly surprised when they fitted nicely (one mint velvet and one monsoon). I was a good size 20 (even 22 on a bad day!) before, so feels good getting into things I've not worn for ages. Those size 10s in my wardrobe will be worn again one day though!!

@tootstastic

I know what you mean about having lots to lose. From my highest ever weight to the top of a healthy bmi would be nearly 9 stone loss for me too. I had been very big for about 25 years.

But you don't have to lose ALL that weigh to look and feel so much better. In fact this is why I'm probably struggling to lose the last stone. I never thought I'd be the weight I am today.

Despite still having weight to lose to even get to the top of my bmi people keep telling me I've lost so much weight, I pass as a 'reasonable' unremarkable, not staring at size ( this is a comment on society more than anything else), I have so much more energy etc.

Try not to get overwhelmed by the number. You don't have to lose all the weight to feel and look so much better.

@Scifi101 I totally get what you mean about getting to a society acceptable weight. I think I do have to remember that I'll be looking better along the way and not just at the end when I've lost it all. That last stone must be frustrating for you, but you are doing so well keeping the bulk off.

Interestingly, one of my best friends, also my gym buddy, is a size12 and wants to be an 8-10 and she seems just as desperate to get her weight off as I do. Yet I look at her and think she looks fantastic. It's all relative I guess.

I have been slim several times throughout my adult life, 7 years ago being the last time...I kept the weight off for about a year that time, then quickly started to pile it all back on. So I know my biggest challenge is actually the keeping it off, rather than the losing it. But for now, the losing has to be the focus and then somehow my brain needs reprogramming. I find it quite ridiculous that I struggle to maintain a healthy weight even in my late 40s, bu I am determined to crack it, even if it means never eating carbs again!

This thread is literally a life saver. It's so good having people who actually understand.