Week 3 - Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - 'full' or light?

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Here's The Spreadsheet as per

Hopefully you've had a good second week, and have settled down into Bootcamp ways by now, and any trace of carb flu is but a distant memory.

By now, if not already, you should be well into the switch from burning carbs to burning fat. You should be finding it much easier to go between meals without snacking, and should find your energy levels picking up, maybe even feeling like you've got more energy than you had before.

So as we start week 3, you have a choice: you can continue on Bootcamp if it's suiting you, or you can move to Bootcamp Light, which means:

• you don't have to have three meals a day
• you can have some fruit (berries)
• you can have some nuts/seeds
• you can drink some alcohol

Please not the use of the word some! This isn't carte blanche for you to go mad. Just remember, all these things will add a lot of carbs quite quickly - so it's very much in moderation.

You also need to know/remember that week 3 (and 4) is infamous for being the point at which weight loss slows - sometimes even stops - so this is another good reason to go easy when you relax things

A good compromise is to stay strictly Bootcamp during the week but Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

Whatever you choose, hope the results this morning are positive, and wishing us all good luck for the week ahead.

@Lyrata

I have a 6-week wall calendar I’m using to tick off the days, which I’m finding very motivational. I started a (somewhat low carb) diet a month or so before Bootcamp started so I’m coming up to the end of week seven. Seeing the previous sheet of 6 completed weeks with a tick on each day (okay, most days - four of them say ‘cheat’ (pre-Bootcamp, I swear)) sitting underneath my new one really motivates me because it reminds me how far I’ve come. This is the first time I’ve spent over a month on a diet for perhaps three years.

If I hit my goals, I should be (just) under 10 stone by the time I finish my current 6 week block (5.5 weeks to go!) which is when all my clothes fit! I can’t wait.

I really like this idea.

Loving the chat, everyone. I read through it a couple of times per day even though I don’t have much to contribute.

Had a weird day today, was hungry this morning but also in a picky mood today, which wasn't deterred by having a decent breakfast of 2 scrambled eggs cooked in butter and a thick slice of bacon. Picked by eating 18 almonds, 2 squares of 85% dark choc and a mug of Bovril drink. Have got stomach gripes so going to skip dinner and eat in the morning. Weight went up a pound yesterday but back down to Monday's weight again today. I wish I could stop this daily weighing - it's why I threw away my scales in the past. I think I could get a bit obsessive about it, which isn't good given that I know daily variations are normal.

Thanks, BIWI. I think I got the munchies because my period was coming up, and I was out of sorts, because i was definitely eating lots of butter and pork belly etc. fasting helps with the bloat (I always drink over 2 litres of water) and (weirdly) the munchies

Today has been better all around, and I've now finished my 6th hat.
B- bulletproof decaf coffee
D- lamb curry, buttery spinach with goat's cheese (I tolerate it better than cow cheese)
T- spiced pork belly, roasted bootcamp vegetables with butter.
A pack of salt and vinegar pork puffs, and possibly a pack of goat's cheese popped cheese stuff. (Both from a*azon.)

I wonder if there's a way to eat low carb using tins and other long dated food in case of emergencies or another lockdown? Would this be a useful thing to try to figure out?

Oh! And so far, 2.5 l of water, on my way to 3.

I am also in a weird mood today. I'm sure mine is period based. My cycle has gone to 48 days but with the added joy of having PMT for the 3 extra weeks before I actually start.
Can't be bothered with anything! Even cheesy lumps.

Stuntnun I like grated courgette in an omelette. I love it cut into thick discs and fried in butter as a side to anything.

B: mushroom and cheese omelette
L: third day in a row of chicken Caesar salad; yogurt with tsp almond butter
D: moussaka style lamb mince I cooked a big portion of last week and froze, with buttered hispi cabbage and some grated cheese on top.

@StuntNun this recipe is great for Egyptian Courgettes I miss out the peas and sometimes add haloumi or feta. The smoked paprika is the key ingredient.

VeryLittleHowl I had / have a long list of mini-goals. I switch between pounds and kilos, and I also have 'magical' numbers in included such as people's birthdates or the ages of my adult dc combined!

Well done Buffy!!!

[quote 20bloodypumpkins]@StuntNun this recipe is great for Egyptian Courgettes I miss out the peas and sometimes add haloumi or feta. The smoked paprika is the key ingredient.

VeryLittleHowl I had / have a long list of mini-goals. I switch between pounds and kilos, and I also have 'magical' numbers in included such as people's birthdates or the ages of my adult dc combined![/quote]
I presume you're also leaving out the beans?!

Would someone mind doing me one of those mapped out weights kilos/lbs / whatever?

Started at 15st 13

Currently 12.13

Aiming for 11stone.

Xx

I shoggled my sprouts as prettyscarybird suggested and they were delicious. Today featured:

B: Coffee X2
L: Cheesy broccoli soup
D: Burger (beef with salt & pepper only), celeriac mash, spinach and the shoggled sprouts

It's getting easier. I ordered some extra of the 3 for £7 M&S picnic things for next week, as I'm working outside for 4 days. My experiments with lactose free cheese crispies have been positive too, so they'll be going with me along with crustless quiche.

Thanks for all the courgette suggestions; I love courgettes so I'm going to enjoy trying them all.

Is anyone else still drinking electrolyte drinks?

Really cut back on dairy and my skin cleared up. Then I had a small amount of cheese for two days and got more spots so I’m almost certain it’s dairy causing them.

B electrolyte drink
L egg mayo on lettuce and veg soup
D steak, cabbage and peppercorn sauce

Lots of water.
Felt washed out this afternoon as the veg soup triggered an IBS attack (I mistakenly thought I could handle it as things have been very settled)

I made a delicious, really simple leek, cabbage and celery soup instead. I thought it would be awful, but it’s really nice.

PP mentioned how long treats are lasting in their houses. Same here. It’s amazing what I used to get through. Like a one woman locust finishing off trays of brownies and packets of cookies. At one point I’d buy chocolate and custard pastries for the kids, but eat them all before they even saw them.

I haven’t felt like I’ve got the energy to start exercising yet, possibly due to AF, although I walked along way yesterday and felt fine.

Does Bootcamp life change now before the end or are the rules the same all the way to the end?

@StuntNun latkes?

https://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/zucchini-sweet-potato-latkes-2/

These are really good, and you could leave out the sweet potato.

Evening all I am loving all the courgette inspiration - mind you I still haven’t got round to trying the radishes . Definitely feel like half
Term is making me eat less well for some reason.I haven’t broken the rules as such but am probably eating less veg just due to less thinking time.

Seem to be doing ok with water when at gone so hoping nothing too much to worry about.

Found everyone sharing mini Goals and achievements to date so helpful . I haven’t lost motivation but did find myself feeling a bit despondent on Monday at how far away a happy weight feels .
After reading the pearls of wisdom especially Mimosa boss I nave managed to find a goal that if I can get to a stone loss by end of bootcamp I am in with a chance of starting 2021 lighter than either of the last two years. That would feel amazing !
I haven’t opened the Renpho scales in case a change in readings messes with
My head too - I am going to deal with that on Monday.

Hello all, we have been really busy today, new floors put down and sanded and stained, so the house is upside down and we can't get into the kitchen.

B: decaf coffee and cream x2
L: forgot
S: packet of pork scratchings at 4pm
D: chicken tikka saag from the Indian. It was very good, and not sweet like many dishes are.
Not enough water though.

It's interesting reading other people's accounts of disordered eating as I recognise myself. I remember as a child always secretly eating and snacking although I was always slim. (I was very active). But as an adult I know I have no off switch for carbs, and it can last months. When I am out of control I buy and hide chocolates, and I wolf rice cakes or oatcakes slathered with butter.

But boot camp helps. My appetite is more regulated and I don't have the same cravings.

I'm pleased to say that every day this week the scales have been lower, hopefully by Saturday I will be 13 something!

itsmeagainagain, lyrata and all the other junk food gobblers. I'm one too. Used to raid the cupboards when parents went out, not much better as an adult. But hopefully that's all passed now!

Weightloss has been slow the last 10 days but I'm still on course to lose a pound a week - after 6 in the first one - so chuffed with that. Feeling more comfortable with this WOE and this week I have rarely been hungry. I am back to skipping breakfast - I prefer it. And am then just eating what I want between 2 and 8. Seems to be working. One of these weeks I might try to go without cheese, maybe, just to see if i can / if it makes a difference. But not this week. Probably never

This Saturday I am going to have slice of birthday cake though. It's hubby's birthday and I'm not going to leave him to eat the cake on his own, esp as I'm making it. But shall just have one slice. Am interested to see how eating that feels as I have kept 100% on bootcamp so far.

@Anotherducker I am still having electrolyte drinks but not sure if I should so am interested in what others say.
I am still tending to wake up with a headache most mornings which
Doesn’t last long but would be good to know of there is anything else I should be doing to stop that happening. ( seems ironic when I haven’t drunk for a month !)

@Takingontheundead

Would someone mind doing me one of those mapped out weights kilos/lbs / whatever?

Started at 15st 13

Currently 12.13

Aiming for 11stone.

Xx

Here's a start for you, @Takingontheundead - I can't put BMI ones in without knowing your height, but there's an NHS calculator you can fiddle around with if you want to put them in :)

15st 13 - start

12st 13
12st 12
12st 11 - under 180lbs, 20% of start weight lost, 20kg lost
12st 10
12st 9
12st 8
12st 7 - under 80kg
12st 6 - into lower 12s
12st 5 - 50lbs lost
12st 4
12st 3
12st 2 -
12st 1 - under 170lbs
12st 0 - 25% of start weight lost, 25kg lost
11st 13 - into upper 11s
11st 12
11st 11
11st 10 - under 75kg
11st 9 - 60lbs lost
11st 8
11st 7
11st 6 - into lower 11s
11st 5 - under 160lbs
11st 4
11st 3 - 30% of start weight lost, 30kg lost
11st 2
11st 1
11st 0 - GOAL!

(Your stone and half-stone losses match up with the 'uppers' and 'lowers' so you could swap them out for those if you find the stones and half-stones more motivating)

@StuntNun I really like courgette coleslaw. Grated coleslaw, onion/shallot, mayo, some grated cheese if you're feeling indulgent!

Grated courgette, with the excess liquid squeezed out, can be added to egg muffins, omelettes, pretty much anything!

www.bellisbrothers.co.uk/easy-courgette-and-boursin-soup/
I'd recommend this soup for using courgettes, it's delicious.

Another courgette recipe - www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-courgette-bacon-pasta

Sub the low fat creme fraiche to full fat and obviously ditch the pasta but it makes a nice side dish or I’ve had it as lunch. I’ve made similar with shredded sprouts too

Interesting chat about relationships with food and about mini goals

AnotherDucker and Midlifemission if you feel you need the electrolytes then keep taking them. Remember that our prehistoric ancestors drank from natural water sources containing dissolved minerals, and ate meat that hadn't been drained of blood (which also contains electrolytes.) It's not really surprising that it's difficult to get enough from food, especially as we're drinking so much water. I buy cheap electrolyte powder without artificial sweeteners and use it just about every day. Otherwise I wake up in the night simultaneously thirsty and needing to pee!

Thank you @verylittlehowl!!

lurknolinger that soup looks delicious. Think I might try at lunch!

I'm still using the electrolytes too, but not as religiously and found myself needing the loo last night. Will try and get back into a glass or two each day.

I've had a fair bit of spotting this month and still a week away from period. Am hoping this is my body having a good old clear out / reset in response to my improved eating habits! Am also wondering if this might be why I'm a bit yoyo-y on the scales. Only 0.5 lb up 0.5 lb down, and still overall in the right direction, but it might be affecting it slightly. Or it could just week 3 ...