Week 3 - October Low Carb Bootcamp - the fork in the road

[BIWitch]

Welcome!

Here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for you to confess all.

So we enter the infamous week 3. Along with week 4, these are the two weeks where you are very likely to see weight loss slow or stop altogether.

Don't panic!

This is entirely normal.

But, from now on, you can also decide if you want to continue with the strict approach of Bootcamp, or if you want to take a slightly more relaxed approach - Bootcamp Light. This means that you can incorporate some nuts/seeds, and some fruits - mainly berries. Alcohol can be introduced - moderately, and only those which are low carb.

Some people choose to stay on Bootcamp, others choose to do a hybrid, so Bootcamp during the week, and Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

The choice is yours - just keep a close eye on the scales/your measurements - or however you're choosing to monitor your progress.

@KondoKonvert

I'm 0.8lb up, which I'm disappointed by but I can put it down to hormones.

What do you actually mean by this? I'm taking it that you're not talking about insulin, leptin and grehlin - the key hormones that we're aiming to balance, so that we don't put weight on/so that we lose weight?!

Are you looking to blame something for your gain? Only you are responsible for that!

What have you been eating/drinking? List out your meals for the last few days so I can help.

@ARoomWithoutADoor welcome!

tend to snack on nut/seed sachets, cheese fingers, oatcakes and berries but I'll try to cut those out / down. I'm guessing it wont work if I don't do Bootcamp to start with?

No nuts and seeds in the first two weeks of Bootcamp - and oatcakes are definitely out as they're not low carb! Once you're into low carbing, probably after the first couple of weeks, you should find that you're not hungry between meals, so won't need to snack any way.

Re the milk in your tea and coffee, yes you need to restrict that - milk is more carby than cream, and you can very quickly rack up a lot of carbs if you're drinking several cups throughout the day with milk.

I'm worried about eating lots of fat and putting on weight

Nope. Honestly. This won't happen, as long as you keep your carbs low enough. . Go to the spreadsheet (linked in the OP) and have a read of the resources there (on the tabs) It's important that you understand the science behind this way of eating - and especially that you lose your fear of fat!

Incidentally, the ten rules are also on the spreadsheet.

@Ketomeato brilliant!

GreenWillow I love your goals. I have lost almost 3 stone over the past 3 years and like you I had lots of little milestones along the way - the moment when I first saw my weight (in kg) beginning with a 6.. and I determined that I would never see it starting with a 7 again - the point when I was out of the 'overweight' range - the wonderful feeling when my weight (in stone) started with a nine - the little victory when my weight in kg was the same as my age (only works if you're quite old )… I switched between imperial and metric to keep the goal steps small. And important to me was the determination not to reverse it. I also had other non-scale victories (NSV) like getting into a particular dress, ditching a pair of trousers, tightening my belt by a notch, being able to see over my belly, not to forget the important health ones re reducing blood pressure and blood glucose.

My ultimate goal, like yours, was the weight I was pre-dc. It's only 4 pounds away, but I seem to have settled at my current weight so I'm accepting that 30+ years have taken their toll, and that my body likes this new weight. That's OK by me.

athelstane I promised myself that if I reached one pound less than my goal weight I would 'reward' myself with a bigmac, fries and coke. As per the paragraph above it doesn't look like I'll reach that weight, but in all honesty that's fine because there is nothing I'd like less than the crap and sugar. Give me egg and spinach any day!

Right I've not caught up with the thread but know there will be loads of fabulous losses. Well done. I was heading for a good loss but really blew it yesterday. Lots of excuses but none of them valid. I'm avoiding the scales today but I'm facing you lot. Will go back and catch up on the thread now that I've admitted all.

Hello, just place-marking really. Have updated the spreadsheet with my new low-weight, and I have a NSV victory to report. I've had to buy a new winter coat, as I look like a child who's been bought something to grew into in my old ones...and it's a size 8!!! A fitted size 8 too. I can't believe it.

Any tips for staying on the wagon over the Christmas period please? I think I'll find it a challenge!

Congratulations Greebo!

Christmas... I find it helps if I really, really try to remember that it's a one-off celebration/feast, not a change in eating for an entire season. That it's special, that's it different, and that it's only TWO days.

So a mince pie/cognac on Christmas eve, fizz, full roast carby veg dinner and cake/pudding on Christmas day, etc.

But most emphatically NOT an endless stream of sugar, alcohol and treats from the 1st of December until New Year's Day.

Thankyou Athelstan

@BIWitch

I just meant I have my period just now and I regularly gain weight over this week and when I ovulate too.

My meal plan for the last couple of days looked like this:

B: spinach and mushroom omelette with a little cheese, cooked in butter with creamy coffee

L: chicken breast with olives, avocado, lettuce and mayo

D: homemade lamb koftas with salad and olive oil dressing

B: scrambled eggs with mushrooms and avocado

L: smoked salmon with salad and feta

D: stir fried veg in coconut oil with salmon roasted in olive oil

Just 0.8lb off for me today, so a total of 4.8lbs off for this BC, but I started 3 weeks early - total loss over 5 weeks is now 1 stone.

Thanks to whoever it was that mentioned the Chicken Caprese Diet Doctor recipe, I made it for dinner last night it was easy quick and very tasty.

Down to 12st 3lb - down 1 and 3/4lb this week (and half a stone this month )

Only 1st to go to get back to where I was last Christmas ....and 4lb to go before I measure myself again

Tough but do-able. I may throw in a couple of egg fasts to help (since I quite enjoy them ), and rather than having weekends on Boot Camp Lite, am only going to give myself one day a week on the more relaxed rules.

I'm hoping to avoid the Weeks 3 & 4 stalls as I've been doing HFLC for a while - but I might do the Egg Fast next week for a few days just to keep things moving.

Off to glug more water

I agree about Christmas being 2 days rather than 12 or more Athelstane

Afterall, the original feasts came alongside strict seasons of fasting; we seem to have kept only the feasting :).

Keepin goals is a good idea. I have a record of mine - started as a wishlist when I began and added to as required.

FROM A DIARY OF TARGETS/DREAMS:
START (May 2018)
60lb to lose. (start at 225lb)
From BMI of 32.6... 31.4... to 25 :)

1-out of the 200s ONEDERLAND -REACHED
2-below 196 ( BMI 29 ... o/w not obese ) -REACHED (Can now shop in most 'normal' clothes outlets.)
3- below 186lb -so that (in theory) I could ride a horse without cruelty (I even feel sorry for my bike just now) -REACHED (though haven't inflicted myself on a horse yet.)

1. 181lb = 12 stone something :) -REACHED
2. 179lb -into average BMI range REACHED - YIPPEE - I am only averagely fat now :) (and 176 =size 14... in modern sizing)

The last pounds seem hardest to lose. I am very comfortable with our way of eating now but suspect that reducing dairy will be required. When it creeps up my losses really do stall.
Future targets:

6.169lb NOT-overweight (I don't remember when that was last true of me.)
7 -167LB = 11 stone something (A weight last seen when I was a student)

1. SUCCESS healthy BMI 165lb
2. Ideal - a secure healthy BMI (so about 161lb - I am quite tall)

10. possibly as low as 155 - depending on how it feels at 161 My ambition is to be able to wear a belt without looking like a cushion on either side of it. (NHS guidelines are from 8st 13- 11st 11)

I am 'only' down 1lb this morning.
I know it all adds up , but I am a little disappointed nonetheless after a whopping 7lbs last week!

I think I am not eating enough fat, and most of my fat is coming from dairy, which I know is an issue. Will try and be better on that this week.

I have been very diligent on the water front, and getting my allowance++ in, so I don't think that's the issue.

Oh well. Must try harder! Need to check out the recipe threads for more inspiration.

Delicious lunch just now - almond flour rolls (the basic recipe is very bland but flavoured with herbs and spices and sometimes cheese they're lovely - these ones are rosemary and parmesan flavour) topped with buttered spinach and Sainsbury's firecracker chicken.

2.5 down, which is great.

But most emphatically NOT an endless stream of sugar, alcohol and treats from the 1st of December until New Year's Day.

I think this makes it so much more special. Christmas will be like it was before consumerism hit us; a day of feasting. Which is how my slim mother treats special occasions.

I made the blue cheese mushroom pie someone posted. I will report back but it smells incredible and the rest of the family were trying to steal it. I left them to their crisps and crap. Suckers.

@absopugginglutely new scales in the post. I will let you know if they are better.

Thanks for the new thread BIWitch.

Loved reading about the losses and targets, I’m a big fan of mini targets to tick off along the way - maintains focus.

Another 2lbs off for me so 5 this bootcamp and just 2 of my first mini goal of a 7lb loss. Need to up my water as I’ve not been having my quota while away over the weekend. Ready for week 3!

Should review before posting off not of!

Loving all these goals, mini goals and some great NSVs too!

My big goal is to get to 120 lbs which is a nice round number (in lbs) just over 8 1/2 stone. On from that I suspect 115 would be my ideal on my absurdly small frame but I'm not sure I'm willing to be as strict as I'd need to be on an ongoing basis to maintain this if I even got there plus would probably require new trousers as it would be a solid size 8 I think. I carry nearly all my weight on my belly.

So, 3.8lbs to go, aiming for before the end of this bootcamp so that I can relax a bit for the festivities. Giving serious though to setting a new "rule" maybe as a new year resolution of NEVER eating the office biscuits/cakes etc as this is often my downfall and they're always cheap processed crap that is definitely not worth it, and I eat stuff I wouldn't dream of buying and eating at home in massive quantities because free food doesn't count That's why bootcamp is good for me as it just puts a blanket ban on it. Restrict sugary treats to occasional excellent home made or quality cafe cakes and good restaurant food.

Eating early before a late Pilates class:

B: 2eggs scrambled with butter
Snack of mixed plain nuts, about 30g
L: egg cheese tomato mayo on spinach and cucumber with oil. Greek yogurt with a tsp of almond butter
D: salmon fillet, broccoli, leek and kale with butter on the veg.

In a great routine now with my water. Generally all done by the time I leave work.

So i forgot I was going to go on two meals a day from today. But then my body reminded me anyway!

B: at about 9.30am, 3 rashers of bacon, two eggs, heap of broccoli, mushrooms and a few cherry tomatoes (all fried in butter)
Then.. wasn't hungry at all until around 4.30pm so had
D: 3 chicken thighs with skin, and leek and some mushrooms fried in butter and loads more broccoli.

Plan for tomorrow is to go as long as possible before 'brunch' (hopefully at around 11.30am) then have dinner at 4-5pm. I've been watching a ton of dr berg videos and he explains it all perfectly. (Insulin resistance and intermittent fasting etc) so this is the plan.

GreenWillow I like your extensive mini goals, they break things down nicely. I keep going back and forth with my end goal weight. It was originally 5lbs less but thinking now about the fact I was quite happy with my weight when it was a stone more (marriage weight, it’s just not in the normal BMI. I’m sure I’ll re-evaluate once I’m closer to target.

@KondoKonvert

That's good to hear! I was concerned that you were using hormonal fluctuations around the menstrual cycle to excuse comfort eating or cheating!

Just one thing to check - how much water have you been drinking?

Because that's particularly important around the time of your period.

@JFDI2019

I am 'only' down 1lb this morning.
I know it all adds up , but I am a little disappointed nonetheless after a whopping 7lbs last week!

You're disappointed with losing a pound when you lost half a stone last week?! I think you need to review your expectations a bit! Logically you can't possibly expect to lose at the same rate every week

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal really well done - great news being able to fit into a fitted size 8!

@BIWitch I REALLY wanted to cheat but I'm quite proud I didn't!

I think I do need to cut out at least one of my coffees a day. I have three and I can switch one to green tea or peppermint tea instead.

Back on track today.
Breakfast. None.
Lunch. Slice belly pork, cherry toms, olives and cheese.
Dinner. Low carb sausages. Cauliflower ,broccoli and sprouts.

Today’s lunch. Think of you 8track!

fried egg and beefburger - butter coffee
water

Broccoli and spinach soup
Kale and egg mayo
water

Lamb chops cooked in olive oil and rosemary

• baked runner-beans with oil and parmesan -and broccoli