Week 4 - Low Carb Bootcamp - already a month!

[BIWI]

Morning all.

Here's the Spreadsheet

The link should open on the rules rather than just the spreadsheet because I rather think some of you need a reminder!

@Dia12 - you asked about water. Do you not know how much you should be drinking? If you don't know, then that tells me that you haven't read (or remembered) the rules!

Seriously - drinking the water is really important. That's why it's one of the rules.

So we're in week 4 - remember, this one has a reputation (along with its evil twin week 3) for being a week where weight loss is limited or even unlikely. Don't despair if you don't see any loss this week. As long as you're following the rules, you will be fine.

And remember - it's not all about the scales! Take your measurements, or try on something that was too tight a month ago, and you'll get a much more realistic idea about your progress.

I'm away for the next three days, visiting my best friend, so don't really know a) what's going to happen on the food front and b) how often I'll be able to post. I should have wifi on the train, but after that - who knows! I'm travelling first class though, so looking forward to my fried breakfast this morning.

I hope you all have a very good week.

Well done @CeciliaMcFlange - and thank you.

I know that it's not always appreciated, but being direct and straightforward seems, to me, to be the only way that posters are kept on track.

What irks me greatly is when people moan about not losing weight, or gaining weight, when it's quite clear that they're self-sabotaging themselves by not following the rules.

When it comes to weight loss on Bootcamp, I can't do it for anyone else - I'd be a millionaire a million times over if I could . So the next best thing is trying to ensure that people keep to the 'straight and narrow'.

Weight loss has stalled here too, but I'm hoping that by building these habits my metabolism will adjust and I'll see some steady improvement in weeks 5 and 6...

I've also being using the motivation of Boot Camp to up my activity levels. I'm never going to run or go for hard activity at the gym but I have been walking every day and swimming a couple of times a week. Today is shite weather though, so it will take all my motivation to put on leaky waterproofs and get out in the wind and the rain. I'm just trying to imagine how good it will feel when I finish and come home to a warm bath and dry clothes.

Food today:
B - avocado and egg mayo
L - left over Thai green chicken curry with roast cauliflower
D - salmon, celeriac chips, stir fry onion/celery/kale

I have to go to work all day today, so that's my excuse @venusandmars!

Just remember we're in week 4 so don't despair. And it's not a stall until you've not seen any loss for several weeks. As we always say on these threads, weight loss isn't linear.

Oh Dia a Bootcamp baby would be so lovely. Good luck.

The last few hours of my birthday were very nice. Having a very uneventful and lazy morning. DH took the boys to school (because he has some gruelling 3 hour assessment meeting with social services this morning). We had an Indian takeaway last night and I had a tandoori mixed grill, sag paneer and some home made cauli bhaji. It was very nice but I feel a bit bloated this morning so maybe there was hidden carbiness in there. Probably the sag paneer it tasted quite sweet.

I'm going to focus on drinking lots of water today as I feel I've got a bit off track with that this week.

Pleased to hear the rest of the day went well @MrsKoala and fingers crossed the SS assessment goes the way you hope. Adulting is shit sometimes, isn't it?

I have put in 500g this week despite sticking to the rules. I know it's the week 4 gremlins (at least I think so), but I've eaten out quite a bit so maybe hidden carbs. I'm annoyed though!!! Probably not helped that I'm typing this in a rather attractive bakery with not a low carb option in sight so having just tea.

I'm travelling to North America and my old ski jacket does not do up over my hips  so I've had to borrow my husband's and his barely does so I'm altogether put out. Good motivation to carry on though!

@StuntNun @AthelstaneTheUnready

Any scientific explanation behind me having to drink loads more water over the last few days in the run up to AF? I've felt quite dehydrated (so upped to 4ltrs) and wondered if it might be hormonal?

Great to hear you're feeling a bit brighter, @MrsKoala.

Nowlook it's probably a hormonal interaction increasing your levels of anti-diuretic hormone and/or insulin levels causing you to retain water. If you're feeling dehydrated then put a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice (bottled lemon juice is fine) into your water to get some electrolytes in.

@StuntNun

Thanks! Will do!

I started last year at 13 stone 3, and over the course of the year through on and off low carbing I managed to get to 12 stone 3. Although a good loss, it left me with 2 stone to go, and only 8 months to do it in.

So to step on the scales this morning and see 11 stone 7, I am absolutely overjoyed.

I’m over halfway there! Only a stone and a half to go!

Thank you @BIWI and everyone else for your support!

That's brilliant!

@nowlook it can also be a sign that you need more sodium

@BIWI I'll up the salt, too. Thanks!

I remembered earlier that when I went on a French exchange trip 25 years ago, the family videoed my absolute disgust at eating one of their traditional appetisers: a whole raw radish with a knob of butter on top sprinkled with salt. I might just see if my taste buds are more refined these days!!

Congratulations, MrsFiona! That's really fab. Makes me feel like this is possible for me, too!

Feeling a bit blurgh and bloated out (hormonal) although I started this on 01/01 because I was impatient. I went from 10.11 to 10.2. But I think I’ll wait till after my period to weigh again as I’ll be disappointed but haven’t cheated so far. I’m expecting weight loss to be slow because I don’t need to lose much more (maybe up to 7lb but I’m within my BMI now)
I find it’s not sugar I’m missing but the comfort savoury salty carbs but I’m ok unless I SEE them!!

Have just been to the annual family and friends school BBQ dinner. I had no control over the food so was a bit (very) anxious
I really did not want to go... no strength for small talk and chit chat this week.... but it had to be done.
I promised myself to stay as true to lc as I could. I ended up eating one (decent quality) burger patty and some salad greens. Drank bubbly water. No sweets. It was a pasta salad & brownie plethora and I was pleased with my efforts. Promised myself a nice little antipasti platter ( olives, salami, proscuttio, mozerella) for when I got in (and 1 glass of red wine) as I was still hungry and to keep myself well away from dessert table.

@MrsKoala what a horrible week you've had, well done for staying so sane and hope things now start to improve
@MrsFionaCharming well done!
I am also, like lots of PP, very grateful for all the support and advice.
This is the first time any weight loss has worked for me, and the threads and so much helpful information and ideas is a huge contributory factor.

Had an event at school today with loads of amazing baked goods for the visitors, but I just took a cup of coffee (tiny splash of milk as my treat!) and managed to hang on until lunchtime.

L - cheese and tomato omelette, salad leaves, coleslaw
D - not sure yet, but Ocado arriving early evening so lots of good choices available.

Is pesto allowed? I'm thinking of making something I used to serve with pasta - chicken, courgettes, pesto and cream - and serving with salad or more green veg instead, so would probably be a tablespoon of pesto between two people.

I’ve been eating pesto. I chose the one with the lowest carbs. I mixed it with olive oil to go further. I mixed it with mozzarella balls and toasted pine nuts.
Have u tried Boursin mixed into green veg.? Yum.

What I must say is I love this WOE due to the general feeling of calmness.
I’m not diabetic but I have a tendency to abdominal fat plus I was always a victim of the carb/insulin rollercoaster
I’m just never STARVING hungry any more (apart from PMT when I am more hungry but still not as bad as before)
Hunger is no longer an emergency.

@Siameasy thanks. Boursin sounds great, have tried with mushrooms but not green veg yet. I've bought those individual portions which makes it easy to add a bit.

I do agree about the calmness. I have been much less shouty with my children. Before I started this I had got to the point of having a complete meltdown with DTD1 (who is prepubescently hormonal and a complete pedant. Not a winning combination for the rest of us...) on a fairly frequent basis, but that's not happened at all for weeks, and even getting mildly irate is more occasional now (and I think may have coincided with hormones rather than low blood sugar as it would have been previously).

Okay, I thought you might like a SUCCESS STORY to help you keep motivated. I have lurked on multiple threads on MN, but NEVER posted so this is my first post EVER so apologies if I get some of the terminology wrong!) but have been drawn back to the LC threads, as that is the diet I chose having done my research. Anyhow......

Back in September 2017, I was a very sedentary home-based worker weighing in at 12 stone, 12 lbs and a size 16, probably pushing an 18 in a more fitted outfit. I am female, 5 foot 4 and then I was 49 years old. My diet consisted of a lot of bread, pasta and jacket potatoes and very little exercise and lots of "covering up" in oversized sweatshirts and leggings.

My eldest step son announced his engaged at the end of that month, with a wedding planned for a year later in September 2018. I was ABSOLUTELY determined I was not going to be the "fat step mother" at that wedding, a year away.

So I found the LC threads on here and started. I lost my first stone before Christmas 2017. I hit 50 years old in the January of 2018, joined a gym and made myself swim about 800-1000 meters 3 times a week. Nobody really noticed any weight loss as it was winter and I was still hiding under my safety blanket of bigger clothes but I noticed small changes like my knickers being too big, bras looser and my treble chin, became a double.

By Easter 2018 I was down too...let me just check my notes as I have weekly weighed (every Thursday since starting back in September 2017).... pretty much 11st stone, well 11st.0.9 lbs. Stone and a half GONE

We went away for a week in the May half term, 2018, to Spain. I stepped on the plane weighing 10 stone 9.9 lbs and came back having had a great week, with a tan, and weighing in at 10 stone 9 lbs, so a week away is compatible with weight loss on this WOE! I felt so much better. More energy and just so much better in myself. We then had that really hot summer here in the UK. I got a ton of compliments because by then I was down to a size 12 and happy to wear slightly more fitted clothing and happy to discard the "cover up" clothing. I went and had a personal fitting for my wedding outfit, which included a serious re-sizing/measurement of my boobs. Wow, what a difference a well fitted bra made!

By the time of the wedding in September last year, I was 9 stone 12! I'm not sure I had been that weight since probably leaving Uni. 3 stone down and in a very healthy BMI. My fitness levels have improved massively as has my skin and to be honest MY OWN SELF CONFIDENCE. I no longer wear baggy clothing. I have had to have my favourite (rather expensive) tailored coat taken in and when I meet people I haven't seen for a year or 18 months, they are like "Wow" !

As of this yesterday morning (yes, a Thursday) I have maintained again (since late November 2018, when I hit my "goal") at 8 stone 12lbs. I don't want to loose anymore weight and feel happy at this level. 4 stone down a little over a year and half after starting! I am a size 10, sometimes an 8 (although my shoulders are quite broad from the swimming), but I feel so, so much happier. THIS WAY OF EATING DOES WORK. TRUST IT.

I have picked up so many tips from following these threads, been inspired by so many stories of those who regularly contribute - I have no idea how to reference those individual users names, but all I can say is THANK YOU. Long may it last, and roll on another warm summer when I can fit into comfy size 10 shorts and fitted cigarette trousers with no tummy roll top, or fitted dresses with no leg chaffing, or just be comfortable in my own skin (which has shrunk back pretty quickly, although maybe not a quickly as the scales dropped)

It does work. Stick with it all. I promise you, come the Summer you will feel like chrysalises discarding your cocoons and you can emerge as butterflies to everyone's astonishment and delight. Go for it xx

I promise you, come the Summer you will feel like chrysalises discarding your cocoons and you can emerge as butterflies to everyone's astonishment and delight.

Well done @ceciliamcflange

Congratulations @mrsfionacharming

So inspirational @cloverleafe!

cloverleaf1 That's so encouraging to read. I have over 3 stones to lose and despite knowing week 3 is tricky I have been feeling a bit dispirited with my gain last week. I keep pushing the niggly thoughts away and am KOKOing because I know how many successful boot campers there are on here.
That was a very timely motivational post, thank you.

What’s a DTD?

@ShagMeRiggins Isn't it Dear Twin Daughter?