Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - week 9/the last fortnight

[BIWI]

Evening/morning all!

A very late/early start for me (it's become a weekly 'thing' playing Trivial Pursuit with DH and DS1, which goes on, and on, and on ...)

So as I'm only just going to bed, wanted to start the thread now, so it's ready for all you eager beavers to declare your losses. From what I've read so far, there are some really good results, which is fantastic.

here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for you to declare all.

We have two weeks to go before we get to the end of this Bootcamp, which will take us right into Christmas week. I know that already people have been sharing their strategies for dealing with Christmas, and I encourage you all to have a really hard think about this. It's so easy to let everything go 'because it's Christmas' - but I'd really counsel you to seriously consider what your plan is going to be. I doubt that anyone is going to stick to low carb throughout the festive period, and that's not a problem - but please think about when/how you're going to go 'off piste'.

There will be another Bootcamp starting in January (probably mid month), but just think what a shame it would be, to be starting that Bootcamp having regained a lot of the weight that you've worked so hard to lose in this Bootcamp!

I bought a very expensive pair of jeans a few weeks ago in a sale. They were far too tight, even though I have just lost a few pounds since then I thought I would try them this morning. I can actually sit in them AND breathe.

BuffyTheBuffetSlayer I hope that the funeral went as well as it could, I was thinking of you yesterday.

I’ve stayed the same for a couple of days, which hopefully means my body is getting used to my weight loss, I’m sure that there is a scientific reason why weight loss is like this.

Today
B Greek yogurt
L soup or salad , may be out
D cottage pie with a swede and celeriac mash and flgv

I would love to see pictures of people’s FLGV or descriptions. I always imagine mountainous piles of buttered spinach and then feel guilty about my vegetable intake which is often QLMV (quite a lot of multi-coloured veg) as I am a big fan of aubergine and the Mediterranean canon.

I am also being quieter because my food has settled into a happy rut of cauliflower soup for lunch, and chicken thighs + aforementioned QLMV for dinner. I’m putting more energy into updating my wardrobe than my recipe repertoire!

My running is going well - I’m managing 3-4 5k runs a week and hitting 10k steps most days.

There is not a scientific reason why weight loss is so stop and start Spooks. There are lots of theories but nothing proven. If we look at it empirically though, no-one loses weight steadily each week. In all cases you get a periods of weight loss interspersed with periods of no weight loss. All you need to do is stay motivated when the scales don't budge and they will start moving again. Think of it as you need to get through the stall as it's a necessary part of weight loss. There are two exceptions to this: (1) a LOT of people experience an extended stall at around the six month mark and this can last for ages; (2) when you're within half a stone of your ideal weight there can be an extended stall. Otherwise, if your weight hasn't changed in the past month and your period isn't due then it's always worth asking for feedback on here. Common causes of weight loss stalls are exercise, particularly when you feel sore the next day; stress; and poor sleep quality/insufficient sleep. Sorting these issues can kickstart weight loss. Other ways to get weight loss going are: drinking more water; eating more fat; stopping snacking; reducing dairy to once or twice a day; introducing intermittent fasting; checking portion sizes; and actually eating more.

My DH's work have sent him a fancy gift basket in lieu of having a Christmas party this year. https://www.fortnumandmason.com/the-highgrove-christmas-basket-2201615 It looks amazing but at least half of it is not Bootcamp approved.

Stuntnun That's interesting about the sixth month stall. I started at the last Bootcamp (end of May?) so that would fit in with what I'm experiencing. Do you know what the reasoning behind it is?

I've managed to gain a pound this morning which was baffling as i've been very strict to stop me getting tempted for the last two weeks.n I had my usual big meaty meals on monday but it was all bootcamp acceptable. However just realised ive started my first ever non-planned period in about 10 years, would that explain the weight gain? I have seen people talking about that but i don't know if its true for me any hope things will return to normal by monday weigh in?

Breakfast 2 egg cheese omlette.
Lunch chunky bacon and veg soup
Dinner spagbol minus the spag, probably with spinach or whatever else i can dig out. Its shopping day tomorrow so veg draw is a bit bare.

Hopeislost continually losing weight is a bad situation for the body which is geared towards homeostasis which means staying the same. So when we are losing weight we are fighting against our own natural systems of hormonal control, hunger, satiety, and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (which is any movement other than exercise that burns calories for example fidgeting.) The old idea of the "thrifty gene," that there was an evolutionary advantage to laying down fat, doesn't really make any sense. For a start it doesn't happen in any other animals. Also, even lean people (assuming not in starvation) have enough body fat to easily go without food for 30 days. As a species we are not supposed to get fat in the first place so we haven't evolved any ways to lose weight. It's only because we fucked up our food environment so badly that we have an obesity epidemic in the first place. And don't look to sedentary lifestyles as a reason for obesity. We generally do more exercise than our ancestors because recreational exercise wasn't even a thing until the 1970s. Also even very athletic people often end up putting weight on in the end - ex-Rugby players for example are often still very fit but gain weight. Our sedentary lifestyles are more of an issue for injuries such as back problems and reduce longevity as we evolved to be moving around more. You can counteract an office job by getting up from your desk every 25 minutes. Even just standing up increases your blood flow. My physiotherapist recommends getting up for a drink of water because then you have to get up again later to go to the loo! And then walking briskly for 150 minutes a week extends your lifespan by 4 years. So you don't have to be doing a lot of exercise to get substantial benefits.

@Hopeislost

Stuntnun That's interesting about the sixth month stall. I started at the last Bootcamp (end of May?) so that would fit in with what I'm experiencing. Do you know what the reasoning behind it is?

But @Hopeislost you're not really in a stall are you? Because on 30 November you reported a loss of over 2lbs! (And that was only 9 days ago ...)

If you're weighing daily - it sounds like you are - then your weight will fluctuate naturally on a day-by-day basis.

Remember, this is a marathon not a sprint, and there will be times when (for no apparent reason) your weight doesn't shift, or doesn't shift as quickly as you'd like it to.

@iamnotacerealkiller what's a non planned period?

@Oneborneverydecade
Oh I mean the last time I had a period it was because I came off the pill to ttc so it was 'planned' sort of. I'm on the same pill now so no idea why this has happened. Just stopped breastfeeding which may be connected.

I’ve just been traipsing around the shops Christmas shopping. Buying chocolate and biscuits for others was fine, but I missed stopping off for a hot chocolate and piece of cake. I wasn’t hungry, it’s just a festive habit, like drinking mulled wine when we put up the tree this weekend. I have not been drinking alcohol at all, except for the 2 cheat days I have had since May, so am planning to abstain until after bootcamp. Bootcamp is feeling a little harder at the moment, especially as my husband is conducting scientific research into the best Christmas sandwich...

I did have a very nice lunch at Leon - paprika chicken paleo box. Chicken thigh with roast cauliflower, swede, celeriac and red onion. It’s billed as low carb and high protein. According to their website it’s 13g carbs per serving which I would guess is more than a strictly bootcamp meal (I have no idea what my usual meals are) but not terrible, especially as I am IFing.

Posting because I lost the new thread.

That hamper StuntNun looks sooo nice - especially the lemon curd! You must have iron will to resist it!
I too am not going to drink alcohol at all until Christmas - it gives me a 'sod it, have a cake' attitude that I can do without in the final two weeks of bootcamp!

Ah I see @iamnotacerealkiller is your baby still quite little? My youngest is 2.5, it's taken me this long to decide to get rid of the baby weight. Urgh

@burninggubbins so jealous of your local Leon

I've eaten way too many mini chicken satay today. I won't risk buying them again!

Started a stint of jury service today (socially distanced in a cinema with a video link to the court). They supply a packed lunch - but the choices are all carb-tastic Today I ate a few salad leaves from the packed lunch and fortunately had taken along a couple of pepperami. Tomorrow I'm taking my own packed lunch of leek and shallot frittata (which I've also just had for supper) and will probably take another couple of Pepperami.

The jury service itself is boring boring boring - but hopefully should be wrapped up by the end of the week. This is the third time I've served on a jury - and about the 6th or 7th time I've been called

At least it will mean at least 3 years before I get called again

@Oneborneverydecade

She is 10 months and i have a boy who is nearly three too. I can't credit my will power im afraid i just had the right combination of timing, right diet and things coming together this particular bootcamp (i usually slink off midway after fucking up). I'm the lowest weight for four years and still have a stone to go until i hit normal BMI so i'm not exactly proud of myself although very please with progress this bootcamp! 16lb!

Unfortunately possibly because of the diet, my daughter is now fully formula fed rather then BF but it was getting difficult anyway so i decided not to use it as an excuse to stop the diet like in previous bc and she was getting frustrated anyway so meh. I need to get my body back after 4 years of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

@prettybird

How is that even possible?! I don't know anyone who's done it even once!!

OH's work hamper was rather sad in comparison to that. Smallest bottle of prosecco i've ever seen :). Especially upsetting as they usually throw ridiculously extravagant Christmas do's and invite partners so i'm missing out on all those free drink, canapes and a slap up three course dinner in giant inflatable igloos or the kew garden glasshouses or something...

@Iamnotacerealkiller God knows - it's as if once you've done it once, you're seen as fair game because they know you'll turn up Dh too has served 3 times: twice at the Sheriff Court and once at the High Court.

I've been called twice to the High Court - first time I wasn't needed (so therefore my "call" was still active and got called again a year later) and 2nd time was April this year, therefore cancelled because of Lockdown. So the fact that I've now been called (and am serving) to the Sheriff Court is good because it "saves" me from the risk of the High Court (and potentially a long case) for at least 3 years

Down 1lb - just been a little busy to update - giving a total loss of 4lbs! I have good and bad days, but I haven't quit.

I live that Leon paprika chicken. It's not a super low carb choice but a nice alternative to salad, especially when it's cold out, I've had it a couple of times in BC.

Love

@Lyrata I'm bloody fascinated by your COM-B model. I'm reading this all out of order (catching up on 4 days of unread posts) so apologies if what I write has now been hashed to death...)

What a great structure for looking at our motivation and behaviour. One of the thing I noticed was 'cheat days'. I challenge the word 'cheat' and I wonder about 'days'.

I've been a long-term lchf. This is a woe that works well for me. So having sugar or potato isn't a cheat. CHEAT implies that it is a sneaky way to get something, and to get it in a way that no-one will notice. However on this woe my body will notice, If I have roast potato or a trifle or a pint of Bailleys, I have to face it and own it and accept the consequences.

However... one meal doesn't meant I have to cheat all day. I can eat roast potato and then I can stop. I don't also have to eat sweeties and snacks and more wine and ice cream.

It's time to confess. I've been lurking since January.
I've used the 10 rules as closely as I could, had a period during lockdown 1 where home-schooling and the never-ending cooking got to me, so wine was needed. I was pleased not to put any weight back on at that point.
I've lost 3 stone since January, so thank you for all the support and motivation you didn't know you were giving me. Couldn't have done it without you!
I need to lose another 3 stone but for now, a few more pounds before Christmas will do!