Week 3 - Low Carb Bootcamp - which way will you go?

[BIWI]

Morning all

Here's the spreadsheet

So a few mixed results so far. Hopefully there will be some more good ones on the spreadsheet!

I suspect that what a lot of you are coming to realise is that this isn't a way of eating that can allow you to cheat or even to take your eye off the ball.

In this initial phase, while we're aiming to become fat-adapted, it's really important that you keep your carbs as low as you can (within sensible limits - this is not a a zero carb diet - you should be eating enough veg and salad to get good nutrition, which will mean you're eating carbs)

I know that sometimes it's impossible. I'm in a situation where tonight I'm being cooked for, by people who have no idea I'm low carbing, and who haven't asked if there's anything I can/can't eat - so I'll just have to accept it. But whilst it's within your control, you really do need to stay strong.

Now.

This is the start of the infamous week 3 (and next week, week 4) - and it's very, very, VERY common for weight loss to stop - or sometimes even for people to gain slightly, even if they're following the rules.

So. You can decide to stay on Bootcamp if you want to, to help deal with this, or you could move onto Bootcamp Light, which means you can start to add some fruit, some nuts and seeds and some alcohol back into your diet.

The operative word is 'some'! All in moderation - and not at every meal, every day - because this will mean that you won't see the weight loss you want to.

There are three options:

• stay on Bootcamp
• move to Bootcamp Light
• choose a hybrid - Bootcamp during the week, Bootcamp Light at the weekend

Whatever you choose, I hope that you have a good, positive and successful week.

Is 15g carbs OK for a meal? I really fancied some soup today as it's freezing in my office, and that was the lowest carb option in offer at the local Pret (gluten/dairy free tomato soup).

. Be nice with leathery steak!

Oh, I tried 5:2 for a summer and found it absolutely grim. I had a “challenging” two year old and was too exhausted to exist on so few calories on fast days. I was so miserable too! Not just through hunger, but knowing when I’d finished my solitary boiled egg for breakfast, that there was basically bugger all to eat until dinner time, which was a long, long way away (and dinner was going to be pretty unsatisfying too!)

And the temptation to go mad on cake on non-fast days (as a reward for surviving 500 calorie days) was just too much.

Great news @mrskoala

Freedom from counting calories has really helped me stop obsessively thinking about food and I'm sure that helps in not feeling the need to eat all the time. Carb counting wouldn't work for me - for the same reasons.

I think that should be OK Mimosa - but there's one way to find out!



WTF swede? Any tips on how to cut the fucker without cutting off my hand? I wanted to cut in half, I have a big knife and reasonable strength but no!

Resorted to peeling bottom half and then hacked chunks off. Is there an easier way?

Any tips on how to cut the fucker without cutting off my hand?

I cut all my fuckers (swede, celeriac) with a mandolin.

Swedes are evil SlinkyDinkyDoo. I can’t cut them in half. I peel the whole thing then slice haphazardly about an inch wide, or whatever I can manage. You have to be so careful not to injure yourself!

Slinky brilliant for swede and celeriac (and chipping herbs)

Fecking MN/WiFi fuckwittery...

Photo now attached.

I'm trying to fats that aren't animal related.

Had a full mushed up avocado with poached egg on top.

And out of ideas for tea so rather than the yummy looking cheesy chorizo pasta bake that the Dteens are having. I've had a portion of chorizo, a boiled egg and 😳😳😳 half a tin of coconut milk😳😳.

Can too much fat be a bad thing on low carbing???😁

Shag your a genius...celeriacs are a mare to cut up

Don't think the coconut milk and chorizo combo was wise😷

What on earth did you do with the coconut milk?! Drink it?

Thank you fellow swede warriors. Oh and google? 20 mins my arse to cook, 40 mins and still going. I have a stubborn swede.

Thank you for all the kind wishes. I'm fine, I just feel silly I got so ill from being tired

As for swede and celeriac; I go at the blighters with my cleaver. Chop them into quarters and then either put them thru the processor on slice for dauphinoise or mash or chop into chunks for roast.

Today
B - 2 boiled eggs and butter
L - Broc and stilton soup and tuna may and cucumber lettuce wraps
Snack - a small avocado
D - Grilled mackerel with celeriac dauphinoise and buttered spinach and cauliflower

Swedes are stubborn buggers but worth it - just had swede topped cottage pie for dinner and it was lovely. In fact I’ve hidden the left overs so I can take to work tomorrow

Well that was a bit of a wrangle. Would not go through the potato ricer. Cooked it for a bit longer in the microwave with butter and just ate it in chunks. Nice but not the mash I was hoping for. I remember having mashed swede when I was a child so it's obviously possible. Mind you that was the 70s when it was illegal to boil veg for anything less than an hour.

I use the hand blender for mashed swede. I can't do it with a masher or ricer. Then add loads of butter and black pepper. mmmmm

Knowhow I intermittent fast most days with a 16-hour overnight fast, usually 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. I have sky-high cortisol levels and they peak in the morning so if I eat breakfast then it triggers a big release of insulin which screws up my blood glucose levels. Basically if I eat breakfast then I end up hungry and snacking all day but if I skip breakfast then I'm good with two or three meals and no snacks. I have tried a longer 24-hour fast but that was more for health reasons than for weight loss per se. If you're very overweight then it's worth considering adding in some intermittent fasting at some point down the line (NOT now when we're so early on in the process) as it seems to reduce the probability of loose skin.

Swede mash cottage idea sounds yum.

I'm putting today down to a tired food day. Cooking 2 different meals after a tiring busy full day at work is draining sometimes.

Please pretend I never said coconut milk😳 think I'd eaten too much chorizo...anyway live and learn

When I've done low carbing before, I seem to lose a lot more weight when combining it with IF. I just miss breakfast a few times a week but not everyday. I feel less hungry doing this which is strange!

There's a really interesting book called Breakfast is a Dangerous Meal which talks about exactly the phenomenon @StuntNun describes