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.

I'm happy to report I am still sticking to low carb, still losing although slowly. I'm very proud of this after the week from hell I had.
I'm peri-menopausal and hav had to give up on my HRT plaster that can be supplied because a manufacturing issue and I'm struggling to say the least. This week I had my period and I managed to stick to my diet anyway! Victory! I do feel very positive and sticking to the food list like glue. :)

Thanks, @StabMeReaper. You're quite right, this morning is better. Onwards and upwards.

I have a question about water - I'm drinking more than I have in years, but I'm waking up with a headache most mornings. I went down to one caffeinated coffee first thing a year or so ago, so I don't think it's that. Anyone have any other thoughts?

Food today: no idea!
I know it will be LC sausages with lots of greens for tea, but prior to that I don't know. Possibly my egg for the fortnight for breakfast, so I can have cheese and something for lunch.

Total wobble last week. Refocused again. Starting the day with scrambled egg 😀

Thanks @MrsGarethSouthgate

Good morning all. Sending LCHF good wishes to everyone.
Well done @Hagbeth sticking to it in tough times is easier said than done.
Well fancy @StabMeReapers being shagme. That's my second Duh moment with this Halloween lark.

Hi all, just restarting my low carb diet and wanted to recommend this book I've just got. It's called Keto for Life by Melissa Sevigny who writes the I breathe I'm hungry website. It's beautifully laid out with lots of great recipes! ( much better than the Tom Kerridge Dopamine Diet book which has a huge number of ingredients and hard to find ingredients )

www.amazon.co.uk/Keto-Life-Mellissa-Sevigny/dp/1628602899/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=mellissa+sevigny&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1572337639&sr=8-1

Thanks @prettybird - you're right, I think the idea of me being beautiful how I am is intended to be lovely and supportive, but just isn't helpful when you're still stones away from a healthy weight

Quick NSV! 13st 1.3lbs is the point at which my engagement ring can go over my knuckle again. Hurrah!

@Hagbeth you may find that low carbing helps with your menopausal symptoms anyway!

@BlueLilyLilyBlue ignore your 'friends' - they're jealous, and don't want you to lose the weight as then they see you as more of a competitor! Also, if they themselves are fat, by you losing weight you're shining a light on the fact that they aren't - so they don't want you to succeed. As @prettybird says, mostly (I think) this is subconscious/unintentional - but still hurtful and also potentially harmful if you have people like your mum cooking things that will derail you.

@IWillWearTheGreenWillow for the NSV! It's great to see the results in such a tangible way.

If you're waking up with a headache, can I suggest that you start to take something to help with your electrolytes? So either a home-made remedy (@prettybird can advise on a recipe for this) or by buying something Zero tabs from High5 - Holland & Barrett sell them (or you can buy them on the High5 website).

@Destinysdaughter - thats one of my FAVE websites - such a useful resource.

So I have put on a 3 lbs. Was too much wine at the weekend and my arthritis is out of control at the mo so could be that also (no deffo the wine). My goal this week is to have none. I have bought Alan Carr's book about moderating alcohol, but its sat gathering dust and being unread and unloved. I shall also task myself with reading it this week.

So yesterday I had a friend come to visit, she is also low carbing and she said "shall I bring my broccoli and bacon salad..?" I was like yes please! She literally fried a pack of smoked streaky bacon cut into cubes, cooled and drained on kitchen roll, cut a head of broccoli into small pieces, added salt, pepper and mayonnaise and stirred through the bacon.... it was AWESOME. lovely and nutty and just fabulous. I would NEVER have tried raw broccoli... But its amazing and you must all try it. I have it with some other salady bits for lunch today... YUM

I also bunged a pork and tomato "rice" soup in the slow cooker for dinner and that was lovely - from I breath, I'm hungry - I shall add the recipe to the recipe thread!

B - none
L - Broccoli, bacon salad with deli meats/cheese
D - Pork and tomato "rice" soup.

Right. That's me - Well done everyone for your fabulous losses and NSVs!

You're all fabulous - KOKO and WATER please!

My planned lunch for yesterday got changed. Was meeting up with colleagues and they insisted on giving me lunch, which was leftovers from a lunch party the day before. They said: "we've got loads of veggie lasagne and new potatoes left". On explaining about not eating carbs they said, there was salmon and lots of salad.

Salads turned out to be cous cous, spiced rice, and a mixed veg one with apples and grapes! They are good enough friends that they were happy for me to pick through and leave the pasta from the lasagne, and ditch the fruit from the salad, and to have a big chunk of the salmon. And I refused the homemade scones and jam fresh from the aga...

Sometimes these things can't really be avoided but I did feel disappointed knowing that at home I had some lovely coleslaw, egg, avocado, green salad, olive oil....

Anyway, good colleagues and friends are worth a little moderation. I've got the rest of my life to return to this woe.

Today...
B - butter coffee, spinach mushroom and cheese omelette
L - avocado salad with tuna mayonnaise
D - might be the mushroom and blue cheese pie, with whatever green veg turn up in the veg box.

@Cauliflowerpower I think I might have just changed my lunch plan for the day! I have broccoli and bacon in the fridge!

That salad sounds amazing cauliflower, a salad/sandwich bar near my office does a raw broccoli, feta and toasted hazelnut salad - has a mustard vinaigrette on it and is amazing.

Lovely NSV iwillwearthegreenwillow!

I have feta in the fridge cheese cupboard at home.... going to make it again for tomorrow and add feta! :)

Reporting back...

The new scales are Etekcity scales (cheap ones 14 quid on Amazon).

The Good News: Very accurate no matter when I stand on them or in the house.

The Bad News: They weigh me (and DH) 2 lbs heavier so I'm gaining this week no matter what.

Oh my gosh I've had a diabolical weekend. I have eaten all the carbs: cereal, bread, pasta, cake, crisps and wine. Was it worth it? No! I feel sluggish, bloated stomach, puffy face and have gained 2lbs. Ughhhh.

So back on low carb with tail well and truly between my legs. Four and a half weeks til my wedding and about four and a half lbs to lose (I think … I keep setting goals, hitting them, and realising they are not enough when I look in the mirror!)

Yesterdays meals
B - bacon & avocado
L - homemade pumpkin soup
D - chicken & blue cheese with broccoli

Todays meal
B - greek yoghurt with couple of blueberries
L - chicken and mozzarella salad
D - either steak or pork and veg.

The next 2 days might be hard as I'm out working at a client and I've never been to their offices so I'm not sure what the lunch arrangements will be. I need to leave early as well so need to try and figure out breakfast plans.

Well done on the losses! KOKO - let me be a cautionary tale!

Take your own lunch @Sauvignonismysavious! Then you're in control and no risk of going off piste again!

This really is amazing. Here's me thinking it'd be hard to last until 11.30am for brunch saying as how my last meal was dinner at 4.30pm last night. But nope, I've just had my first meal of the day at 1.15pm!
Wasn't at all hungry until then and even so, it more of a background rumble rather than the gnawing hunger I would normally get two hours after eating my last meal i also added tomatoes to my salad and get this, I couldn't eat them as they were too sweet!! I usually LOVE tomatoes but these got pushed to the side of my plate in favour of pea shoots . Another thing, I've always thought that I couldn't get to sleep on an empty stomach but I went to bed at 10.30pm last night and slept like a baby! I love this woe (if you haven't already guessed )
So today.

B: black coffee and lots of water.
L: bag of mixed pea shoots (80g) half an avocado, some bacon cooked in oil, a table spoon of mayo stirred in , chicken thigh and some parmesan shavings scattered over the top. (And one cherry tomato, the rest didn't get eaten..)

D: going to fry some mushtooms and bacon together, add some cream and chicken then stir in a whole (sauteed) bag (200g) of kale, and throw some more parmesan shavings on the top.
Can't wait!

*mushtooms?? 🤔 how very festive

My pseudo/home made electrolyte drink is simply a pint of water with a squoosh of lemon juice and a shake of Lo-Salt (which provides some magnesium).

I get reminded to drink it when I start getting too thirsty despite because of drinking lots of water and/or getting headaches and it seems to help

They weigh me (and DH) 2 lbs heavier sad so I'm gaining this week no matter what.

Add two pounds to your start weight and to all weekly weights in the spreadsheet MrsTerry. At least that way you’ll get an accurate record of how much you’ve lost in Bootcamp.

Lolz @mushtooms!!

Breakfast today was eggs, butter, chorizo and mushrooms blasted in the work microwave. Left most of it as I overcooked them - how disappointing!

Lunch - warm chicken with piripiri sauce (2g carb in total, I was checking!) and a salad with mozzarella, olives, olive oil and more sauce.

Dinner will be crispy chicken thighs and chard / kale. And Bake Off!!

Add two pounds to your start weight and to all weekly weights in the spreadsheet MrsTerry. At least that way you’ll get an accurate record of how much you’ve lost in Bootcamp.

You're a genius.

Done!

Oooh - I've been chosen as one of the shortlist of Halloween names! Nobody has voted for me yet though