Low Carb Bootcamp Léger! Notre quatre semaine est ici!

[BIWI]

It's Monday! So soon!

Morning all.

Ici, c'est le début de notre quatre semaine du Bootcamp. C'est léger est pas ordinaire.

... which means we can relax things slightly.

Some fruit is allowed in moderation - mainly berries. Nuts and seeds in moderation, and alcohol very much in moderation.

Here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness if you need to, check the rules for Bootcamp Light on the tabs there.

If you're happy on 'ordinary' Bootcamp, then by all means continue. If you were finding intermittent fasting was helping you, then you could also consider trying to extend the length of time you've been fasting - so if you were managing 12:12, try working up to 16:8. If you were managing 16:8, see how much long you can extend that for. Just don't let it go so long that you get too hungry and are tempted to cheat.

Alternatively, you could do a hybrid, so strict Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

We only have two weeks left of this Bootcamp, so let's get/keep focused, and see what we can do!

Lunch today was a couple of soft boiled eggs (wasn’t very hungry, am on my period and not feeling very well, but had to eat something in order to take meds).

Dinner was two burger patties with a FLGV (leeks, green cabbage, cauliflower and a small handful of peas, all from the freezer, plus the last bits of veg from the fridge that needed using - mange tout, spring onions & a handful of salad leaves) sautéed in olive oil and lots of butter, with garlic, salt & plenty of black pepper.

3 small egg and cheese omlette at 1pm ( decided to eat a bit more fat today)

Then 5pm a small bowl of fresh raspberries and blueberries with sour cream (my god they were good, I've been so craving berries !)

Dinner was 3 pigeon breasts ( they are small!) as we had some in the freezer still, with large (mostly) green herb salad , and home made pesto ( so it did have some pine nuts and quite a bit of parmesan in )
Lots of water ..

I'll be interested to see what this does to the scales in the morning ..

I usually can tolerate a few berries and nuts, but if I'm up then tomorrow I'm going to treat as a 5:2 fasting day and just have dinner

The things people are eating today look and sound lovely!

I have a 'TMI' question, I really hope nobody minds me asking and I hope even more that somebody has an answer because no matter how much I search, I can't find any answers.

I've steadily gained weight since giving birth, and as I got heavier I obviously started to consider how I was going to lose the weight.

But it scared me to think about it, because, and here's the TMI part... my boobs have become possibly about three times the size since I've had the babies. And not in a good way. So it actually put me off trying!

I'm genuinely petrified that I will end up with deflated balloons on my chest after all of this. And I'm not going to let that stop me from pushing forward, but I'd really like to know if anyone here has lost a significant amount of weight in the past, and what happened to their boobs?

All the 'before and after' things I look at online, the women seem to have a normal flatter chest. But is that just a clever bra trick? Do they actually have to roll them up in their bra?

Apologies for the long and embarrassing. Thanks for reading this far

NumbsNet - quick answer: mine picked up again.

I lost about 7" from my heaviest, and at the start-to-middle of the loss they looked quite deflated, but shaped up again some months down the line, just on a smaller scale.

In fact, without knowing your age, it was a friend of mine who was nearly 60 at the time who reassured me; she'd lost about 4 stone and said it all filled out again for her and would for me too. She was right.

Numbsnet. Pre kids I went from s18 to a 8/10. Am naturally big boobed and i will not lie, the skin was terrible. They didn't look like old lady boobs but i could grab loose skin and whilst i didn't hate it because the trade off is looking nice all over and yes a good bra is the key, i was already married so no pressure of being naked in front of strangers to feel self confident in front of.

Ive not been skinny since so boobs v full. Ive no doubt when i reach target I'll have to make peace with saggy boobies and invest in shapely scaffolding.

My dinner tonight: duck breasts with green beans finished off with butter with a lovely bottle of Pinotage

I also made myself a rocket from the garden salad

@NumbsMet I’ve been up up 76kg before once when my thyroid problem really kicked in (probably got up to a size 16) and once when pregnant with my second child and then didn’t really lose any weight even after birth for a long while. I’ve also between those times been as low as 58kg (This was pre kids) and last summer got down to 60kg (size 8-10). At the moment I’m about 64kg so 4 to go. My breasts have always been ok for some reason! Shrunk in proportion to my body shrinking and gaining. My stomach is never going to be completely taught as I have a bit of wobbly skin that I got even before kids when gaining then losing due to thyroid issues but the boobs have always been ok. No idea why just luck I guess. So it’s not a given that they will go south. I HAVE frequently been a gym goer and like lifting weights but that would only affect the muscle not the skin/fullness of breast!

I finished off a lovely home made pork vindaloo. DP has rice and I did a pile of lightly sautéed red cabbage in some indian seeds and spices. Fab. Washed down with home brewed ice tea. I did have a wine or two at the weekend but back on the wagon again.

Thank you all so so much for your insight . Definitely looks like results are a mixed bag, BUT I am going to focus on the overwhelming positives of this woe instead of this one negative thought. I will work on making peace with either outcome in the meantime.

I'll probably be coming back here in a few months asking for droopy boob bra recommendations

I put 0.5lb on this week. But I know why, so have given myself a talking to and will be sticking to boot camp ordinaire for the remainder of this BC.

I was also really interested to read other posters experiences with alcohol and a lot of it resonated with me too. Thanks to all those that shared their experience.
Going to KOKO.

I've started low carb again this week. Need to lose about half a stone I've accumulated over lockdown.

Had chicken breast and coleslaw for brekkie. And had cauliflower mashed up with mayonnaise sprinkled with spring onions for lunch.

Not gonna lie. When I was at my lightest (11 stone) my boobs were a bit deflated. Unfortunately I’d lost the weight due to the stress of divorce, not a conscious effort, so I’ve not been able to replicate it!

I met DP shortly afterwards and was quite embarrassed at my saggy tummy and shrivelled boobs. Was quite glad when I put a bit of weight back on and they filled out again

Not much danger of getting back down in the 11s anyway, but it’s definitely one of the first places I shrink, annoyingly!

For those with wobbly inner thighs and deflated breasts, allow me to suggest the Thighmaster.

Variations abound but it’s a resistance device that helps.

Your boobs can’t inflate, but your pecs can.

Your inner thighs can’t deflate but your can become firmer.

Ideal for sitting in a chair on Zoom, or when reading, or watching telly.

You’re welcome.

For saggy thighs and deflated boobs

Sloping in to join a little late if that's okay @BIWI

Got up this morning and weighed myself and I’m now down a little despite being up slightly yesterday - yeh! 204.15 getting under 200 or to the 90 kg mark feels more achievable than it has for a while. I want to be decidedly less than this. But baby steps...

I was 67 pre IVF then went up to 75 with that treatment and 94 with pregnancy. I did diet and was down to 80kg about 4 years ago. But never got beyond this as my health took another nose dive and I’ve had 2 surgeries since and need more. Was 99kg at my heaviest earlier in the year... ideally I’d be no more than 70kg to be within healthy bmi. Hard to think I was a little less than half my current weight when I was 16 - I was very skinny!

@Freetodowhatiwant

Yeah I find that with the scales *@Ifeelfat*. I only have one set at the moment but it changes when I get on it a second time and a third. I always go with the first one, totally unscientifically!

My scales are like this too. I have no idea why they do it, but the first time I step on them they always show a higher reading than the previous day. So I get off, let them turn themselves off and get back on again. The second weight is always lower, and then the third one is exactly the same as the second one, so I'm always grateful for that, and take that as my weight!

Brilliant @Numbsmet and MrNumbsmet! It does really help when you're doing it together. MrBIWI has the opposite problem to me and, if anything, needs to gain weight - but is very happy to eat the same food as me - albeit that if I make a bolognese, say, I'll give him pasta with him, or rice with a curry. But if he was to moan about wanting potatoes and rice and pasta all the time, he'd rapidly find himself under the patio!

The advantage of this is that over the years I've become totally used to planning and meals that it would ever occur to me to add refined carbs to. Just plenty of veg and/or salad.

@Mixitupalot

Weighed in, no movement so still the same despite exercise & being good.

Just remember we're in the infamous weeks 3 & 4! You might want to put a hold on those berries ...

@Takingontheworld

1lb down for me despite the wine and extra nibbling.

The pp who says another 5lb down. May I ask how much weight you are hoping to lose total? I've 6st or a little less if we were being very ambitious so will admit to thinking I'd have bigger losses weekly in the early weeks.

Just have a look at these two paragraphs and see how one might relate to the other!!!

Of course your rate of loss will be less if you're not following the rules - and especially if you're drinking wine.

Wine has carbs in it - but more importantly, all the time you're drinking alcohol your body is using that for fuel. So you're switching off the fat-burning mechanism.

@Linnet

Don't be downhearted - a 5lb loss as well as inches off your measurements is great progress.

@NoraEphronsneck

Taking on the world I have about six stone to lose too to put me at a healthy weight/BMI.

I can't believe for one minute I'll ever get there so I'm only focussing on each week as it comes - and don't have a final goal at all.

What I've lost so far is a huge step forward from where I was 3 weeks ago so even if I stopped now I'd still be happy with what I've lost iyswim.

I think this is a fantastic way to think about it!

If you become focused on having to lose 6 stones, that can quickly become very overwhelming and seem like an impossible task. So break it down into chunks, and take it one day or one week or one month at a time.

(And you will get there!)

@kakiqueen do you think you could put your seed cracker recipe on one of the recipe threads, please? They sound great.

To clarify- by nibbles i meant, i ate more hflc snack than I might have, and I had the equiv to one full glass of rose across 2 nights, really minimal. I tried really really hard to stay on track this weekend despite being surrounded by treats etc. I was really pleased with myself but after over a week of non movement despite sticking to it religiously, i expected a gain. So was surprised with 1lb off.

Will see what this week brings scale wise.

Welcome @eggbound!

Do you have a snack between your two meals? It seems like a looooong six hours between lunch and dinner, and I fear the 4pm cave. If I can manage that, I can envisage a long-term move to two meals a day.

One of the most important benefits of low carbing is that it suppresses your appetite. Go and have a watch of that video I posted a link to further up the thread. So you really will find that between meals you're simply not hungry. Something you do need to beware of, though, is that often we find ourselves snacking because we're bored, rather than hungry. But honestly, once you're fat-adapted, you will find that you're not hungry, and you may even find yourself forgetting to eat at 'proper' mealtimes!

In the initial couple of weeks, while your body is transitioning from carb-burning to fat-burning you may have hunger pangs, in which case then eat - as long as it's low carb, of course!

@SparklesAllOver - sounds like you were lucky to be able to record a loss . Be very careful this week, otherwise next Monday you won't be so lucky.

Yay @prettybird - the 11s!

@Hopeislost

With the advent of Bootcamp Light, where do we stand on things like Keto bread, fathead pizza etc? Ok in moderation?

re Keto bread - I really don't know. It depends on what's in the recipe and also what your tolerance for that level of carbs is. Personally I prefer to avoid substitute/'fake' foods as much as I can, simply because it only serves to remind me of what I'm missing. Any supposed low carb 'bread' that I've tried has never been as satisfying as the real thing, despite what it might promise (Tom Kerridge, I'm looking at you!)

Fathead pizza should probably be ok, given that it uses almond flour (I think).

@Sauvignonismysaviour

There's rumours of us getting a takeaway curry later this week so please can anyone suggest any dishes that are within tolerance please? Last time I had one I put 2.5lbs on so clearly went wrong somewhere!

As PP have advised, try to go for a dry curry - so anything that's tikka or tandoori, and not in a sauce. I usually go for a chicken shashlik, which is a chicken tikka kebab, skewered with pepper, onion and tomato. And then have either a mushroom, a spinach or a cauliflower curry with it. Definitely no rice, naan or poppadoms though!

@adviceatthislatestage

2lbs in this week and have no excuses. I took my eye off the ball and started getting a bit lax in my mfp and discounting the odd snack here and there

What have you been snacking on? If it's low carb stuff then this shouldn't be a problem. (And why are you using MFP?!)

@JustFrigginNameChange

So I've gained about 3.5 over 3 weeks... which I think is normal for 2nd trimester. I believe without low carbing it my weight gain would be a lot more!

I'm very pleased to be able to congratulate you on weight gain!

@Numbsmet, your boobs are mainly fatty tissue - but they are surrounded by muscles. If you focus on specific exercises for your chest, upper back and arms this should help you. If you belong to a gym it's worth asking one of the trainers for better advice here. this page should give you an idea of where to start

Welcome @catinb0oots!

@Mummyoflittledragon

I was 67 pre IVF I completely misread that and wondered what on earth you were doing trying to conceive at that age

Sounds like a good result then @Takingontheworld - especially as we're in the doldrums of weeks 3 & 4.