Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - the lucky 7

[BIWI]

... no idea why 7 is supposed to be lucky, but let's hope it is for us!

Here's the Spreadsheet

If you haven't visited the spreadsheet for a while, or really had a good look at it, can I suggest that you have a good browse of it now? There's lots of really useful information there.

Why do I suggest that? Because it's easy to get complacent or to lose enthusiasm this far into Bootcamp - but yet we still have 4 weeks to go, so it's important to hold your resolve.

Hopefully the scales (or your tape measure/favourite item of clothing) have been kind to you this week - but if not, have a think about why. Have you allowed carb creep? Have you been cheating? Have you slipped on the fat/water front?

Anyway, hopefully all is good, and here's to another positive week

Oops ....a load of bras

Another 3lbs would get me to a stone off this boot camp and just back into the healthy BMI band for my height. If I can manage that, I'll be delighted. The last bootcamp I completed I lost 15lbs, so it's not unrealistic.

The scales have finally shifted after a week of refusal. 1lb off. So that’s 11 bootcamp lbs off but a total of 1 stone 12lbs off since the start of August. Tantalisingly close to 2 stone and then just a few lbs more to my target weight.

@prettybird

Oops ....a load of bras

All the best with your goals.

I'm hoping to just under the 10 stone mark by Christmas. It is feeling weird seeing my body slimming down. I do like it. But, it's odd nevertheless.

I'm trying to imagine myself staying slim for the rest of my life. It feels like I'm going to become a different person...

What's helping me imagining myself staying slim long term, is realising that I hardly ever feel hungry with this WOE. So, from that point of view it's very doable.

At the moment I'd be happy with 3lb off to get into a healthy bmi.

I am pretty sure a loaf of bras would be low carb, but high fibre. Bras may be more suitable for rolls or baps rather than a large loaf.

prettybird I'm another one with a 60th birthday next year. dh is 60 in April, then me in July. I don't understand how it is possible that I've got to that age when I feel as though I am about 38!! However, I look at photos of my mum and my grandmother when they were 60 and I am determined not to look like the short, stout, fierce, jowly archetype, wearing tan coloured tights, sensible shoes and a grey perm.

I am channelling my inner hippy chick - long hair, floaty dresses, tanned legs, bare feet... but it only works if I'm at my goal weight. Put the long hair and floaty dress on the stout matriarch and I'd look like Stanley Baxter in drag!

B - avocado
L - boiled egg, cheesy coleslaw, salad
D - salmon FLGV and butter

I have started to dare to dream that I might be able to see the 10s before Christmas (6lbs). I haven’t weighed that since university!

I know what you mean WitchWand. I’ve been overweight for so long that even when I look in the mirror I can’t see that I am not a fat person anymore. The c-section overhang does not help...

My mum was tall and glamorous - if I can look half as good as her at 60, I'll be pleased! In fact, she was cycling in India, aged 66 when she had her accident (which indirectly killed her 6 years later as she developed fronto-temporal dementia as a result).

My dad is 83 now and still going strong.

BurningGubbins and 20bloodypounds. That's such a help to read you. Feeling less like an alien in this new place now.
So glad to be amongst you fellow travelers.

@prettybird

My mum was tall and glamorous - if I can look half as good as her at 60, I'll be pleased! In fact, she was cycling in India, aged 66 when she had her accident (which indirectly killed her 6 years later as she developed fronto-temporal dementia as a result).

My dad is 83 now and still going strong.

Ooh that's hard. Sorry to hear about your mum prettybird. Great about your dad though.

@Pleaseandthankyou

I am pretty sure a loaf of bras would be low carb, but high fibre. Bras may be more suitable for rolls or baps rather than a large loaf.

Haha ! And who knows - a bra cup could replace the traditional cupcake...

(I really think I might be losing the plot though.)
Will have a camomile tea to calm myself.

@prettybird I would love to take you up on your kind offer, if they're still available?

In the spirit of paying it forward, I'd like to offer a variety box of chicken cracking (11packs left). I bought it after seeing it on here, tried a pack and it is not my cup of tea! Free to a good home!

Dinner last night!

[quote Hopeislost]@prettybird I would love to take you up on your kind offer, if they're still available?

In the spirit of paying it forward, I'd like to offer a variety box of chicken cracking (11packs left). I bought it after seeing it on here, tried a pack and it is not my cup of tea! Free to a good home! [/quote]
PM me your address and I'll post them to you. I'll give you my Paypal address once I know the cost of postage.

It is strange isn’t it? Usually if I diet I can’t wait to get to where I want it to be so the diet can end, but I don’t really feel like that about this one. It’s more a way of life. I would like to be able to have a bit of cake or a full bar of chocolate sometimes and to have more fruit and sometimes some sweet potato fries, but otherwise I’m not bothered and don’t feel deprived. I can see myself staying fairly slim for good as long as nothing happens that makes me stop eating this way.

Gah! A birthday in the house resulted in my greedily eating a lot of cake. I made it so it felt hard that I did not get to enjoy it. However one slice per day would have been enough but I am such a greedy cow sugar addict that I am best following abstention.
Well done @NoraEphronsNeck and I agree with @Jdhshekr no hardship to return to bootcamp this week.
KOKO

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously

Feel like I've eaten loads today and am feeling guilty. Although I don't count calories, I'm still trying not to go overboard with huge meals, since presumably there does have to be some deficit in order to lose. B was bacon with fried mushrooms and courgette with boursin. L was 3 rollitos and 2 slices of corned beef and 2 squares of dark choc. D was 2 meat free burgers (5g carb) fried tomato and courgette, again with boursin. Have had loads of liquid though. Really want to see a 10 on the scale before Christmas!

Just be careful:

• processed meat/food at each meal
• how much fat?
• what's in the meat-free burger?

And why are you feeling guilty? This WOE isn't about deprivation. As long as you're eating to satisfy hunger, you should be fine. Yes, portion sizes should be watched, but please don't start feeling guilty for eating normal amounts of food!

Hi Biwi I do have a question, if you don't mind. I'm really craving sugar today and I have no idea why. My dad is a T2 diabetic who has managed to reverse his symptoms by going low carb and he says that occasionally he just has to eat something sweet, that he feels his body needs it. He's lucky because he's not a sugar demon like me, so could eat a sweet and be fine for months, since he naturally prefers meat to chocolate. Am I likely to be experiencing something similar or is this something I should just ignore and Koko and not break by eating something sweet?

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously I wonder whether it is really sugar that you are craving, or whether it is the dopamine hit, that often accompanies it? You know that sugar is an easy way to achieve that in the short-term, hence the craving for something sweet. You could experiment by finding other ways to increase dopamine...

• exercise (if that is your thing)
• meditation
• achieving a small goal (tidy your sock drawer or pay an outstanding bill)
• stroking a soft and appreciative pet
• therapeutic massage
• sex (if it's good)
• listen to music (or even think about listening to music, which apparently works just as well)
• take a cold shower
• take up a 'quest' e.g. finding a bargain, or a hobby such as bird watching
• do a little victory dance whenever you achieve something, even if it is just unloading the dishwasher or getting to the end of a pile of ironing

Remember to eat food that have high levels of l-tyrosine (the precursor of dopamine) such as avocado. spinach, aubergine, poultry, eggs, and make sure your vitamin d levels are ok.

Avoid all the things that cause a temporary boost (sugar, alcohol, gambling, video games). Dopamine receptors are sensitive little creatures, they like to be cultivated and treated gently, and the aforementioned things overwhelm them resulting in down-regulation and further cravings.

That's such a brilliant post 20bloodypounds

I'm going to copy it and refer to it every time I'm on the prowl have a craving

Thank you so much for that 20bloodypounds. I will try something this afternoon, when I get back from taking one of the DC to their hospital appointment. I do wish I had an appreciative pet instead of my demon cat or a house where the DC were out,CSO I could try something more fun

I needed to read that today 20bloodypounds - thank you!

For the pp who asked about mini goals this bootcamp, I'm hoping to finally hit the 1 stone off mark next week - currently 0.6lbs away. Then my goal for the end of bootcamp is to hit 11 stone or even better 10 something (but I'm not being greedy) My NS goal is a pair of size 12 jeggings I bought for Christmas... they are pretty tight right now!

I weighed today, one more pound down, weight loss for me is agonisingly slow and always has been, it's why I always fall off the wagon... Short attention span.

I weighed as I should yesterday and seemed to have put on 4lbs overnight (from Sunday night), I refused to accept it and (most) of them had disappeared by today. I think I also have some period bloat so I'm hoping for a whoosh at some point soon!

I am however just under 14st for the first time in years, this is good!!!

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously

Hi Biwi I do have a question, if you don't mind. I'm really craving sugar today and I have no idea why. My dad is a T2 diabetic who has managed to reverse his symptoms by going low carb and he says that occasionally he just has to eat something sweet, that he feels his body needs it. He's lucky because he's not a sugar demon like me, so could eat a sweet and be fine for months, since he naturally prefers meat to chocolate. Am I likely to be experiencing something similar or is this something I should just ignore and Koko and not break by eating something sweet?

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously my dad was a type 2 diabetic, and funnily enough that was the excuse he always used too!

You don't 'need' sugar. That's a carb craving. Don't give into it - follow @20bloodypounds excellent advice.