Week 5 - Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - the end of the first half

[BIWI]

Morning all

This week sees the end of the first half of Bootcamp. The last two weeks may have been tough going, as you might have seen weight loss slow or even stop.

But this has been an important transition period, as your body has been switching from burning carbs for fuel, to burning fat. So from now on, the weight loss you will see will be entirely fat. And hopefully from week 5, you should see the scales showing a weekly loss too!

By now, hopefully, you have also have become a bit more accustomed to low carb eating, so that it's becoming a bit more of a habit. Once things are habitual, it's a lot easier to stick with things, as they're more routine.

Anyway, here's the spreadsheet for this week's 'confession'!

@BIWI

So very true, and very sad *@NorthofAmazing*. Like places where their omelettes come frozen

When I had my first job I went for lunch to a pub that did food, they had loads of omelettes on the menu but I fancied poached egg on toast. I asked if they could do it for me and the server said no as they had no eggs. I asked how they could have omelettes but no eggs and she said snappily ‘we only have powdered egg’. I know I’m old, but I’m not that old, it was 1993 and powdered eggs were not a normal kitchen ingredient.

When exH and I went to lunch at a pub in Kensington once I ordered sausage and mash and asked for vegetables with it. They said no as they didn’t have any. Some people had a roast on the next table with veg on, I said what about them? And the guy said each meal comes ready portioned frozen so if we take the veg off a roast we can’t then sell it.

Interesting about the dreams, apparently in the last couple of nights I have been chairing a meeting, and also shouting Yes, yes yes!

Have also been in a restaurant (quite a good one) where the dessert choices were apple pie and custard or sticky toffee pudding with cream. My colleague asked for the apple pie with cream. Not possible [wtf??]

B - avocado, coffee with cream, rollito
D - chicken, ham, broccoli, kale

@Totalshambles and @NoraEphronsNeck I'm having the same issue - I keep dancing over and under 71kg, and I desperately want to be under 69.999. I have just recently squeezed into some trousers that used to be too small for me though, I can't breathe or sit in them but they didn't do up 3 weeks ago (strangely have barely lost half a pound since then but I'll take it!)

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Found this on Aldi yesterday, as a nice alternative to alcohol. Haven't tried Sipsmith but reviews on here were mixed, and it's expensive for no alcohol, so thought this would be a less spendy alternative. I think it tastes quite nice, although not strong like a spirit. I mixed with diet lemonade. For £9.99 it was worth a punt.

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously that looks really good. I wasn't a fan of the sipsmith, it was just spiced water.

Mimosa - that just shows the value of taking photos! Sometimes when the scales aren't moving, you're changing shape for the better anyway.

Can people stop calling Seedlip, Sipsmith as it's confusing!

Indeed! Especially as Sipsmith is alcoholic

Apologies, got confused between the two.

It starts with a 10 this morning First time this year! Also wore some jeans I've not worn for a year yesterday.

I have lost another lb! I’m so shocked and pleased. That’s 6 lb in 12 days. I’m now my lightest adult weight. I’m still going tho, going to try to get to 11st (which is 5lb away). Seems mad that just a couple of months ago I was saying I’d be happy to stop at 12st as I just couldn’t get past it. So pleased I persevered. I’m doing Pilates everyday too which I think is having a positive effect on my shape as I’m not bulking up like I do at the gym. I’m a bit concerned I’m going to lose fitness tho, and I miss spin class so much (but my Pilates teacher said it’s over developing some muscles - front quads and calves - and meaning I don’t use others - my glutes mainly).

In a separate but equally vain vein, I’ve ordered some collagen sachets to drink daily. They are meant to plump the skin and make you look more youthful. Has anyone tried them?

Well done @MrsKoala @VeryLittleOwl impressive achievements both of you !
So motivating seeing other people reaching goals similar to mine.
I will need at least two more bootcamps to get there though .
I think I may need to try some long outgrown trousers today to give me visual progress as well as scales.

I was also very confused about the seedlip and Sipsmith ! Thanks Stuntnun

@MrsKoala I get quite quad dominant in the gym too. I've got myself a short resistance band for lockdown and am doing lots of glute work to try and firm up my bum instead!

Pre-bootcamp I used to put collagen protein powder in my coffee for breakfast. It's touted as quite a clean protein powder (assuming you're not veggie) and there's meant to be other benefits.

Wow @Takingontheundead "I'm wearing size 12 active wear today. Size 12! Size 18 was pushing it in June. "
That is amazing and you should be so proud and delighted with yourself.

These stories are so inspiring and helpful; great successes give me hope and then hearing that other people slow/ stall/ fall off the wagon/ get back on again whatever just make me feel normal and that it's worth koko.

I am finding that I am not tempted by sugar anywhere near as much as I was before. I can kind of look at it dispassionately now. It does not call to me the way it used to. However I am mindful that abstinence is the best way for me. I now allow some fruit (mainly blueberries tbh) which is good.

It is shocking to me how much time of my life was spent wanting sugar, eating sugar and just suffocating my emotions with sugar. I had a really down in the dumps day during the week but I was easy on myself and had a good few nuts and some lots of Parma ham for lunch and went for a long nap afterwards. I know only a month or so ago I would have secretly eaten my body weight in white chocolate and then crashed into a nap and felt none the better for it. I allowed myself a miserable day and acknowledged that that was what it was.
Thanks to @BIWI @AthelstaneTheUnready and all other posters for setting this up and the support given.

I've just done my first workout in weeks (since starting bootcamp) and my legs are tingly! I'm hoping this is normal (the fat fizzling away).

I've had a chaffle post workout and am planning to have cod fillets oven baked in olive oil, lemon and harissa with FLGV sautéed in butter!

Have a great weekend everyone!

@Hopeislost I had no idea by working my quads so much I was creating an imbalance in the muscles at the back. I spoke to my new Pilates instructor and she said from looking at me she could tell I did spin and pump and that was the reason my glutes were so ‘neglected’ (polite euphemism for saggy, flat, wide, wobbly arse ). So now I’m taking the opportunity while the gym is closed to focus on rebalancing myself with Pilates. Trouble is I love spinning and pump so I am going to try to get back to it in the new year but ensure I don’t overdo it and compensate with other exercise too.

Oh and thanks to @ShagMeRiggins too

Really fancied a roast today so pretended it was sunday

@BasicMadeira

DH forgot to get cauli rice to go with tonight's butter chicken so we had broccoli rice instead which made for an interesting, but very tasty, colour combination!

First attempt at the IPD moussaka. Really nice but will add more aubergine next time, maybe as two layers like a lasagna.

all those dinners look delicious @Takingontheundead @StuntNun @Rayna37 yummy! I had a really nice one this evening inspired by watching Rick Stein in the week. Hake with chorizo on a bed of samphire it was really nice. There were potatoes in it which I picked out but it was a nice smokey paprika kind of sauce and I didnt have to cook it so always a bonus. Also having a glass of white wine and ignoring my husband scoffing ice cream and chocolate across the room.. Hope everyone is doing ok x

@StuntNun how do you make your butter chicken?

Apologies everyone for random Seedlip / Sipsmith references. I'm still not entirely sure which one is which. I went to try to get the rhubarb and ginger drink that MrsKoala posted, but had misread as Asda, and not Aldi. There was a fairly mortifying moment in Asda when I asked a shop assistant for it and he asked if I had a photo. I had to then try very quickly to scroll through the thread to find it, hoping that I wouldn't look odd having photos of people with shorts / trousers trying to do up.

Did lots of cooking today for the week ahead. Bolognese sauce with courgetti, Turkey burgers, coleslaw, egg mayo, and cauliflower soup. 😇