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Low-carb bootcamp

Join discussions about low-carb bootcamp plans, meals and progress. Consider speaking to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Week 8 - Low Carb Bootcamp - only two more weeks ... **Thread title edited by MNHQ**

320 replies

BIWI · 04/03/2019 08:56

Morning all. Sorry for lateness of the thread.

Here's the spreadsheet

As the title says, only two more weeks left! But that still means there's time to shed a couple more pesky pounds.

Hope you all have a good week

Flowers
OP posts:
KiteMarked · 05/03/2019 13:09

It takes a few days to get back into ketosis, so if you are deviating a couple of times a week, it may well be that you are never getting back into ketosis properly.

Maybe get some keto sticks to pee on so you can check to be sure?

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 05/03/2019 13:14

When I say deviating, I mean eating, for example, one dark chocolate digestive biscuit a week. E.g yesterday I was stuck in a long meeting which was due to finish at 12 but went on to 1.30. I was really hungry so had a biscuit. But I had eaten nothing expect 2 boiled eggs for breakfast at 7.30am. Is that really enough to derail me for days? Blimey!

Dia12 · 05/03/2019 13:37

Hello all, I've had a few days absence as I've been engrossed in prep for my DS's upcoming wedding. Inadvertently ended up on a 20hr fast on Friday as there was no time/nothing suitable to eat but then spent Saturday feeling really hungry. Although I didn't indulge in serious carby foods, I think I just over ate, had far too much dairy and generally had a lot of carb creep and generally felt very tempted to just stuff my face with the pizza everyone else was eating (I did have a bite).
I was feeling really bloated and so didn't weigh myself on Monday as I knew any weight gain would tip me over.
Anyway, today, much to my surprise I weighed myself and happy to say I'm about the same as I was last Thursday.

Small deviations can add up @UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea and slow down your loss as during that time your metabolism will have shifted from fat burning to fat storing. Unless, you can increase your level of activity and use up the extra carbs you have consumed.
I've not really exercised during this BC, although I really know I should do to help speed up the loss.

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 05/03/2019 13:43

Thanks @Dia12.

At the moment I'm doing 3-4 heavy duty strength and conditioning classes a week plus minimum 3 visits to to gym which include a 15 minute run on the treadmill. I also walk the dog once or twice a day for 40 minutes, longer on weekends. I have a very sedentary job so I have to build in exercise to my week. If I didn't I would only average about 3,000 steps a day!

Dia12 · 05/03/2019 13:47

That's amazing effort @UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea!! I'm a sloth in comparison.
I wouldn't be surprised if your increase was due to muscle gain. Keep at it, tweak your food and you WILL lose.

BIWI · 05/03/2019 14:04

Please don't stop posting, @UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea.

I know you must be frustrated you have clothes in your wardrobe that don't fit - but are you sure you need to lose any more weight?

How tall are you?

OP posts:
UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 05/03/2019 14:32

I'm 5'2" on a good day. BMI 23-24 so I know I am in the healthy range but I also know I am probably carrying at least 1/2 a stone of excess fat, especially round my middle. I have lost it in the past and when I do I feel amazing!

I know when you get older you're more likely to have excess weight but I'm only 45 so not ready to settle for that yet!

BIWI · 05/03/2019 15:10

OK. If you're sure you need to lose more, then you need:

  • to be super vigilant about the amount of carbohydrate you're eating
  • keep an eagle eye on your portion size
  • make sure you're eating more fat than protein
  • probably start to count your calories too

But if it would help you, list out for me what the last few days' food and drink have been and let's see if there's anything we can spot that might help

OP posts:
venusandmars · 05/03/2019 15:21

@unexpectediteminshaggingarea I am a similar weight to you and it can be a challenge. I am short and have a small frame (was a wee skinny kid) so although my weight doesn't sound much it hangs heavy on my tummy little body. I thought that in the first couple of weeks my weight was lost from the top down - my face, boobs and upper stomach, but it was almost as though it slipped down onto my belly! Then in the past couple of weeks my thighs and bum have got smaller. I feel like a kids drawing of a round body with stick arms and legs. Not helped by being an apple shape. I think some of it is that I'm hyper aware of my tummy, and I know from trying on a favourite evening dress (last worn 20+ years ago) that I am slimmer overall, even my belly.

I did low-carb last year but not on Boot Camp (I don't think it was on at the time) so I read everything keto, used keto sticks, and monitored my food on mfp. I didn't weigh food portions. The macros I use are: 65% fat, 20% protein, 15% carb. I have it set to 1200 calories which equates to 87g of fat, 60g protein, 45g carbohydrate.

I don't stick to those every day, but use them as a rough guide. Some strict keto programmes have a higher % fat but I find these levels are sustainable for me over a longer term, and they keep me in ketosis.

For example, here's my food diary for a couple of different days:

B - avocado; L - egg mayonnaise salad; D - chicken soup, cream cheese pancakes, mushrooms and pancetta
That is 1207 calories, 75% fat ( 104g), 17% protein ( 53g), 8% carb ( 25g)

B - avocado, wafer thin ham, olive oil; L - chicken and spinach soup; seafood salad with prawn cocktail, smoked salmon, anchovies.
That is 1336 calories, 59% fat ( 88g), 27% protein ( 91g), 14% carb ( 48g)

So even on those keto friendly eating plans, it is really easy to get above 45g carb. A single chocolate digestive has 10.5g carb (half of it sugar).

The whole of last year was an experiment for me, about what had an a positive and negative impact. I imagine that the details will be different for everyone, and for the same person at different weights and body fat percentage (I don't measure that). I used keto sticks last year to get to grips with everything. I check sometimes now, but not so much.

I know that (for me) I can eat some of the more carby veg and stay in keto (e.g. a small amount of beetroot or carrot, occasionally), alcohol throws me out of keto but I return relatively quickly if it was a small amount of alcohol. The combination of carbs and alcohol throws me out of keto for about 3 days. The combination of carbs and a high fat diet causes me to put weight on.

I think that is the danger of going 'off plan'. If I was eating a high fat diet, then added in excess carb, my body reverted to using the carb/glucose for energy and used the fat to make fat.

When not on bootcamp I follow this way of eating mostly, although I have carbs once a week (lentils, beans, chickpeas - not flour, pasta or potatoes). On those days I don't have high fat foods - no cream, butter etc so I might eat fish with veg and puy lentils, or chickpea and squash salad, or chicken livers with veg and brown rice.

Apologies for the me, me post but I hope it might help.

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 05/03/2019 15:28

Thank you @venusandmars, thank you @BIWI. I'll stick it out for the rest of this boot camp and probably join the next one as well.

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 05/03/2019 15:37

Any recommendations on a brand of keto stick?

AandL · 05/03/2019 16:32

Hello all,

Here I am back again, hoping to join in the last 2 weeks... Last time I posted I had just decided to have my parents to stay with us while my Dad got radiotherapy and had also just been involved in a car crash... 2.5 weeks later and they left today to go back to Spain, it wasn't as bad as I expected, I am glad I was able to help them out and I guess in the future I will cherish the time we got to spend closely together, and the kids got to know their grandparents better too.
But every day was "entertaining", I would cook nice meals, me & mum would share a bottle of wine, weekends she'd treat us to a takeaway..and because my back was cripppled from sleeping on dd's pull out bed among other reasons, no gym at all.
So I imagine I am back to MORE than I was when I started bootcamp. I wasn't able to weigh myself in the mornings as my parents had my room so we will see tomorrow.
I feel so emotionally fragile and really not in a good headspace for trying to lose weight and forego all my "comforts" but being overweight also makes my miserable, so I will have to woman up and get on with it.
Hope you all had a good week 6 & 7 :)

RobinHobb · 05/03/2019 16:52

Hello
I hope it’s ok if I join this late into bc. I’ve done low carb around ten years ago and lost two stone. I’ve put it back on, and last year after my second pregnancy I started again and last a stone. Stopped at Xmas and now want to resume. A stone to go. I started on Sunday.
The thing is the Keto sticks aren’t picking up anything and it’s horribly easy to eat carbs without realising it. My one sin is a gin and diet tonic in the evenings (it used to be a glass of wine) ... hoping I don’t have to give that up too.
So first weigh in on weekend. Let’s see. I’d love to be back at that weight and not have to worry about how Flabby I look in shorts.

MrsKoala · 05/03/2019 18:13

Hello AandL great to see you back, I was thinking about you the other day and wondering how your dad was doing?

I am about to pour myself a large vodka. My friend has had the results of his MRI and the cancer has gone to his brain and they suspect lungs. He gets the results of the biopsy next Tuesday. But it doesn't look good. I wasn't optimistic but this is the worst news imaginable.

I don't know if I will face dinner tonight.

Dia12 · 05/03/2019 18:15

Welcome back onto the weight loss wagon @AandL. I'm sure the lovely gesture of having your parents over easily is priceless and overrides the hassle of any weight gain.
I'm sure you'll get into the swing of things.

Dia12 · 05/03/2019 18:21

Sorry to hear that @MrsKoala, really can't imagine what your friend must be going through. Sending lots of love 

Welcome @RobinHobb, it's a friendly and supportive thread - it's really helped me to stick to my diet. I think it can take at least 3 days plus to start showing purple on the keto sticks. Exercising and fasting can help speed up the process.

AandL · 05/03/2019 18:26

Oh I am sorry to hear that @MrsKoala, fucking hate cancer 😥

Dad is suffering side effects of radiation and pretty miserable last couple of days, hopefully being back home in Spain will help...and he keeps out of the sun!

Thanks Dia, however things turn out for my dad I will always be glad I was there for them in the hard times, and my kids were there for me during that time too. Tight jeans aren't the biggest deal in the scheme of things.

tootstastic · 05/03/2019 19:59

@Siameasy yes, we'll have to try not to be too smug when all the doubters have to eat their low fat words!

@slinkydinkydoo I stole your brilliant username earlier...returned to my car parked in tescos carpark with my DD to find someone parked very close. I thought I wouldn't be able to squeeze in, but HALLELUJAH! I did it and said to my daughter 'I'd never have managed that before I was slinkydinkydoo 

@AandL Well done for coming back after what must have been a really tough couple of weeks.

@MrsKoala Thanks

I've continued to dig out clothing that didn't previously fit and I'm making the most of it (but I may have got carried away and been slightly overdressed just for the school run and DD's swimming this afternoon!).

I made a lo-dough pepperoni pizza earlier, it was absolutely delicious. I would definitely recommend trying, it was well worth the money to satisfy a desperate pizza craving.

SummerSazz · 05/03/2019 20:08

Awful news @MrsKoala - hope you're doing as well as you can be x

I'm joining in with the loose skin here Sad. When I was carrying a few more pounds my stomach almost felt flat across (over the fat!). But now it is drooping (over CS scar Hmm) and to top it off I shaved my legs today (hoping for a few Oz extra loss Grin) and my leg skin was wrinkly and droopy ShockShock. Now I can't complain as I'm clearly losing fat but this is a new side effect from when I've lost weight before. I'm 46 so guessing it's an age thing.

I've been exercising pretty much daily - Pilates, walking, running, swimming but this doesn't appear to be compensating. I will try some body cream to improve elasticity I think......

Still 3 up after my beers on Friday - I know it will come off but it's a salutary lesson.

Welcome to newbies and please take measurements - I didn't and regret it now. Also drink all the water you possibly can. And then double it Grin

BIWI · 05/03/2019 20:28

I'm really sorry to hear that @MrsKoala. How truly shit. Flowers

Welcome @RobinHobb!

@UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea - if you're drinking the amount of water you should be, the ketostix won't show up more than pale pink, so you'll be wasting your money I'm afraid

OP posts:
Siameasy · 05/03/2019 20:34

Sorry for your bad news Mrs K

Welcome to all new comers!

Unexpected I do wonder if we are more sensitive to derailment now we have been “cleansed” so to speak.

I was a bit over indulgent by low carb standards over the weekend. I ate too much cheese I know I did. I also had hummus and carrot twice. The hummus serving was 11g carbs but I can feel it in myself.

RobinHobb · 05/03/2019 20:49

Thank you for the welcome. Only three days in and feeling a lot less bloated.
Just ate a big portion of cauliflower rice with my stir fry though and thinking I better control my portion sizes. Think I'm eating too much...

Doilooklikeatourist · 05/03/2019 21:15

Terrible news for your friend @MrsKoala
Nice to see you back @Aandl , it must be good to have your space back

Have drunk loads of water today , had a few strawberries and an orange for breakfast , scrambled eggs and butter for lunch , and Tesco finest chipolatas with lots of veg for dinner , no cream or cheese today ( which is unlike me )

Have been off the ibuprofen for 3 days now , and will weigh tomorrow as I forgot this morning

Needs some new shoes , wonder if my feet have lost weight ?

MrsTeaspoon · 05/03/2019 22:14

Hi everyone, is it ok if I join you? I lost 100lbs low-carbing 7 years ago, kept it off for 5 years then sadly piled it all back on over three pregnancies. I’ve just been told at 34 weeks pregnant that I have gestational diabetes (also suddenly measuring way ahead, 41 weeks today) so need to bring my plans of going low-carb after birth forward a bit!!!! I will add pulses though until after birth. So tomorrow first day:
B - yoghurt
L - Scrambled eggs and onion
D - kidneybean burgers and salad
I have to eat every two hours too, that’s going to be hard getting my head around. Maybe tinned fish/eggs easiest for that. Wish me and baby luck!

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 05/03/2019 22:16

Feet can lose weight! My friend lost 65 pounds and went down two shoes sizes.

@BIWI I am drinking a lot of water so maybe I'll hold off on keto sticks for a bit.

Successfully swerved pancakes tonight, DD had them straight after school and I didn't get home until 5.30pm and it was all cleared away.