Pre-Christmas Bootcamp: final weigh-in and ongoing chat thread

[BIWI]

Morning all.

So here, for the final time, is The Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

I hope that you've all enjoyed it, and have lost the weight that you wanted. Ten weeks doesn't seem very much until you actually start them! But I know that there have been some really good losses so it's great to see it working for you all.

But this isn't the end! (Unless you want it to be, of course). This chat thread will stay up, for everyone to keep posting, supporting and generally wittering on until January, when the lovely @StuntNun will be running the next Bootcamp.

Thank you all - I have very much enjoyed this Bootcamp and getting to 'know' you all

I must admit I did BIWI. It wouldn't have felt like Christmas with a gravy-drenched roast potato or two, or a mince pie and mulled wine.

Back on it now though - just finished breakfast of buttery scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and a pint of water - and the damage wasn't too bad - only gained a couple of pounds, which is fine as I'm well within the healthy weight range.

That's great then! Nothing wrong, IMHO, with the odd day off when it's for something special, and particularly when you're actually maintaining rather than trying to lose!

I’m back on the wagon again tomorrow. Not one of the CFs I’ve had over the past few days has been that good really and I feel bloated.
Really looking forward to continuing WOE for the rest of 2020 even when I get to 10 stone!

@biwi thank you so much for running this boot camp. Know I've been a bit absent the last few weeks - mainly as we were gearing up for an then moving house. However I've been pleased with the results and both DH and I are on board with this new way of eating. We both had a bit of a relapse over Christmas but I've only put on 1lb so I'm feeling quite chuffed as I've eaten and drunk lots that I shouldn't have!! Will totally be up for a January boot camp though. I'm so close to getting under 11stone!

It's been an absolute pleasure @christmasrosesandmistletoe!

Well done you for keeping the weight gain to a minimum (just beware that it might take a couple of days to catch up with you though ...)

Hello - sidling back in here. We were on holiday 30th November to 12th December and I was so proud of myself for mostly eating well and only putting on 3lbs while we were away (and I swear most of that came from breakfast the day after we got back to the UK, because we stop over in Inverness before carrying on north, the hotel's restaurant is a Chez Roux and they ply you with freshly-made pastries while your eggs are cooking - since DH doesn't eat them, I had all six...). Anyway, pride definitely comes before a fall as I didn't manage to get back on plan between getting home and Christmas and after waking myself up a dozen times last night snoring (fortunately DH is away at his brother's) I got on the scales this morning. Another NINE pounds on top of the holiday three. I'm hoping a lot of it is bread bloat because I started yesterday with a bacon and sausage sandwich and finished it with turkey and mayo sandwiches, but it's enough to make me go straight into bootcamp starting today - fortunately we're not doing anything for NYE!

I'm still here too. Put on 3lbs over Christmas. A lady I work with does slimming world and kindly told me that counts as maintenance there and you're allowed 3lbs either way so I'll go with that. I actually got to target the day after bootcamp ended.
I am SO glad I started in May. It took a long time to get those 30lbs of baby weight off but at least I stuck at it.
I know bootcamp is always so busy at the start and then quiet at the end because so many people give up but I promised myself I wouldnt and here I am.

Maintaining so far, with some fluctuations, but the greatest challenge is my husband doing all the cooking—which I appreciate—yet sneaking in little flavour blasts such as balsamic or honey on toasted veg, or doing some beautiful salmon en croute. It’s a mini minefield, but has been okay.

Not tempted at all by the abundance of sweets and crisps in the house.

Off to the pub this afternoon for a quiz, then beef stew tonight and a fondue tomorrow night, all well within this WOE. Feeling pretty good about getting through the holidays relatively unscathed!

WATER! WATER! WATER!

Oh, and I’ve stopped smoking.

Hmm.. a pretty challenging disastrous few days. Was away and my host, knowing that avocado is one of my breakfast staples, kept making smashed avocado on sourdough bread (bought specially for me). I would normally just eat the topping but the season of goodwill and all that...

Then eating carbs seemed to lower my resolve for other things that I've avoided for months. Crisps were my downfall, and very much enjoyed.

However. I'm back home now and it feels good to be in charge of the kitchen again. Creamy, buttery scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, a butter coffee, and a coconut vegetable curry have miraculously quietened my churning guts. Ahh... it's good to be back!

Second day back on the wagon and already feeling better even less depressed, I think I’ve discovered a direct corellation between the carbs and very low mood so I feel like this woe is just as much for my mental health as well as my physical.

Delicious dinner tonight - tuna steaks with prawns on a bed of buttered spinach with padron peppers (love these - tip for anyone about to start, they're a great chip substitute, as they're oily and salty and slightly crispy) and some asparagus tips wrapped and fried in streaky bacon. 😋

Well done everyone back on it! I'm back home after a lovely week away. My eating had become steadily worse as the week went on, carbs definitely cause cravings for me. I'm going to do an extended fast today (hoping to not eat until teatime tomorrow) as I know this always helps my body to reset. My water consumption has also been pitiful, so aiming for 4 litres today and tomorrow as I feel disgustingly dehydrated. DH is on call over NY so we'll just be having a quiet night in and he can't drink so I won't be tempted either. I'm liking the fondue idea, may do that or just a large baked camembert as a new year's treat with asparagus, cauliflower and mushrooms to dip.

I've just signed up for next year's bootcamp and would like to slink (or chunk) in here as I think I'll be starting a bit sooner due to the epic sugar overload recently. I did bootcamp previously, and felt so, so, so much better for it, but like any addict, it was a case of "just one" and a slippery slope lay ahead. So I start tomorrow.

However, I've got a massive tub of clotted cream to use up, as I had big scone making plans which didn't materialise. Any good suggestions for using it up? Can I just replace clotted cream where a recipe calls for double?

Clotted cream is fine for you to have while you're on Boot Camp . I keep a tub in the fridge and have a spoonful as a treat when required

You only need to be wary of it if you stall and determine that dairy is an issue (although butter doesn't count as dairy)

@StuntNun sorry if this is the wrong place to ask - and hello to anyone else who can advise me! I saw you mention on another thread that you had breastfed two babies while low carbing. Could you give me a bit more info about that please? Basically I’m feeding my fourth and final baby and really keen to lose the accumulative weight of a decade of pregnancy and breastfeeding, but know I’ll be breastfeeding for at least another 3 months. I’m really wanting to do fast 800 but can’t do that while feeding, but hoping to get into low carbing while I’m waiting. Do you, or anyone else, have any tips or advice on successfully and sustainably low carbing while breastfeeding please?

Oh my goodness I lost the plot today after declaring myself back on the wagon 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️
It started with having “just 1 piece” of DD’s birthday cake and telling myself that it would be the only carby thing all day. It just went from bad to worse.
I am utterly determined to just leave today’s disaster in today and start again tomorrow. Anyone any tips for not being so silly tomorrow? I feel crap for it.
Thanks.

Hi.

Have a wonderful holiday @BIWI

I'm afraid I fell off the November wagon, but I've just signed up for January BC. I'm looking forward to starting back.

absopugginglutely, two things come to mind.

1. Stop thinking of this as a diet and instead realise this is how you eat. This is your way of eating—LCHF & FLGV.

1. Prepare alternatives. Always be ready with food you eat (as would a vegetarian or perhaps someone with a nut allergy).

Don’t beat yourself up. You’ve done so well.

Basically I’m feeding my fourth and final baby and really keen to lose the accumulative weight of a decade of pregnancy and breastfeeding, but know I’ll be breastfeeding for at least another 3 months.

MeanMrMustardSeed there shouldn't be any reason why you can't start Bootcamp while breastfeeding. Given the extra caloric demands of breastfeeding you could choose to start straight in to Bootcamp Light if you like. I suggest that you take a breastfeeding vitamin supplement as a precaution, if you aren't already. Although your intake of micronutrients increases on Bootcamp because we are replacing carbs with vegetables and fat, your calorie intake may drop significantly. So the multivitamin is a safety net since the baby gets first dibs on the vitamins and minerals in your diet. If your baby is still feeding frequently at night then I recommend keeping a snack on your bedside table for the first few nights. It takes a while for your body to switch over from carb-burning metabolism to fat-burning which can leave you low in energy if breastfeeding is depleting your resources over night.

I’m really wanting to do fast 800 but can’t do that while feeding, but hoping to get into low carbing while I’m waiting.
If you've been eating low carb three months then you won't need the 800-calorie phase of the Fast 800 any more as you'll have already used up the glycogen in your liver, lost visceral fat around the organs, and improved your insulin sensitivity. If you want to introduce fasting / time restricted eating then we can discuss that as part of the ongoing Bootcamp threads. A lot of our members go on to introduce 16:8 or other forms of fasting towards or at the end of Bootcamp. We don't recommend it at the same time as starting Bootcamp because it messes up the fat-adaption process and basically makes Bootcamp much harder. The time to introduce fasting is when you have fully adapted to a low carb diet, which can take 2-6 weeks. On the other hand many of us get along fine with no fasting at all, it's very much an optional extra.

Thank you so much @StuntNun for taking the time to reply so quickly! That is really helpful - especially the fast 800 info - I hadn’t realised that. I think I’ll join bootcamp then!

@ ShagMeRiggins thank you! I really appreciate your reply, I’m currently sat in my car having a low carb picnic and guzzling loads of water instead of go to a cafe with CFs everywhere. I’m in town shopping in the post Christmas sales have bought size 10 and 12 clothes that fit beautifully and I’ve been a size 14 for past 3 years so I’ve calmed down.
Slices of meat, celery sticks, a few cherry tomatoes and some cheese.
The thing that’s hitting the spot the most is the water!
Thanks again here’s to a happy new year 🥂

Check out the preparation thread for the Low Carb Bootcamp starting on Monday 13th January.

Slinking back in after falling off in mid December. Weighing in this morning at 129 so while still a healthy BMI, heading towards the top end with a very small frame. 9lbs over my goal weight and about 6lbs over my lowest weight last bootcamp. Jeans a bit tight.

Will see what I can achieve in the next week; unless it's miracles I will probably join you for the next bootcamp. I do have a big birthday and a number of meals out before then!

Checking in after a few years away from Bootcamp - low carb had become a way of life subsequently but then life happened and the weight has crept back on. Looking forward to starting in earnest no later than 13th but hopefully will clear the cupboards in the next couple of days and be back to low carb. Looking forward to chatting to and sharing support with everyone 😊