Week 3 - Jan '21 Low Carb Bootcamp - time for Light?

[BIWI]

Well thanks to all the chat, I've had to start this week's thread earlier than usual

Here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for you to declare all

You now have a choice: you can move on to Bootcamp Light, which means you can re-introduce nuts and seeds, some fruit and alcohol - all in moderation.

However, also bear in mind that weeks 3 & 4 are notorious for little or not weight loss and this is nothing to do with moving on to Bootcamp Light. It's just something that seems to happen.

So it's up to you. You can stay on Bootcamp if you wish, or move on to Bootcamp Light, or a hybrid - so you do Bootcamp during the week but relax into Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

Whatever you decide - good luck! Here's to a good week ahead.

@MilesJuppIsMyBitch and congratulations on going from obese to overweight!

Reading the posts today, I’m not sure I am fat adapted...

I probably average 50-60g of carbs per day - primarily because of vegetables. I eat about 800-900g of vegetables with my evening meal (a whole big courgette, a whole aubergine, 350g of cherry tomatoes, a whole onion).

I am losing weight so I wasn’t really bothered about it before but I do get hungry and I definitely want breakfast. Am I missing out on the other benefits of low carb - like am I likely to burn muscle and not fat because my diet has too many carbs in it?

[quote MrsOmelette]@WitchWand I use Mary Berry’s Velvet Chocolate Torte recipe (on bbc) and use 95% chocolate and swap out the caster sugar for sukrin gold or another low-carb sweetener that works for baking.[/quote]
Thanks for this @MrsOmelette. You're sending us some lovely recipes at the moment !

@venusandmars how about a middle easten dish with mince and eggs? Add in sumac, zaatar, cinnamon etc. Ottolenghi does a gorgeous dish, and I know it works well with pak choi because I adore pak choi and eat it with as many things as I can.

I think this is the one we use as a base but it's good with lamb, and works fine without the tahini.

ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/braised-eggs-with-beef-smoked-aubergine-and-tomato

[quote Lyrata]@WitchWand I feel the same way! I am going to start focusing on building muscle and toning up. I don’t know how to maintain really - I have spent much of my life yo-yoing.

Weighed in this morning at 9 stone 6 - another pound down and six left to go. This is week 20 for me and I’m 24lbs down. Proud of losing slowly and steadily instead of my normal crash diets![/quote]
@Lyrata I really appreciate you're saying that. It's nice not to feel so alone with this as I'm starting to prepare to maintain.

I'm down to the same weight at the moment too. I really don't want be uncomfortable when I start maintaining. But it is definitely a new ball game for me.

Very well done on getting rid of all those pounds too !!

@WellityWellityWellity I love your post about the pro keto doctors, it gives me hope

My parents watched Fat Fiction yesterday and my Step Dad messaged to say that it was a real eye opener and they're going to make some changes like including more fat in their diets - I just hope they reduce the carbs too, I know my Mum will

@Lyrata I wondered the same after @Ninkanink said we should find it easy to fast till 1pm. I'm just not sure that's going to be the same for everyone. I usually eat lunch at 11.30am when i start to feel hungry but that might be habit

I'm up 0.5lb but I know why

@WitchWand I'm doing a grand job of maintaining - only problem is I'd like to lose another st Well done on your loss

My daughter has type 1 diabetes and I have type 2 (not weight related) and all of the consultants we have dealt with over the years have been very much behind the keto/low carb approach.

@WitchWand ahh I’m glad to help anyone even a little. I lost 100lbs low-carbing 2010-2012 so learnt a lot. Three pregnancies later I’m here again but am trying to change mentally even more than physically. It’s a long journey.

@Oneborneverydecade, the thing which really got me was when my sister said her oncologist was talking about a ketogenic diet and cancer, which really made me think "I've got to do this". I will try and remember exactly what the oncologist said, because it was mind blowing. Will ask my sister if I can't remember.

@Lyrata

Reading the posts today, I’m not sure I am fat adapted...

I probably average 50-60g of carbs per day - primarily because of vegetables. I eat about 800-900g of vegetables with my evening meal (a whole big courgette, a whole aubergine, 350g of cherry tomatoes, a whole onion).

I am losing weight so I wasn’t really bothered about it before but I do get hungry and I definitely want breakfast. Am I missing out on the other benefits of low carb - like am I likely to burn muscle and not fat because my diet has too many carbs in it?

That's still a low carb diet, @Lyrata.

I wouldn't look to cut the carbs further. After all, you're losing weight so it's working for you at that level.

I would, though, see if you can add more fat into your diet.

You don't have to fast - and if you're hungry we'll always say you should eat something (low carb, obviously!).

Why not try going without breakfast one day and just see what happens? You can often ride hunger out, especially if you have a drink of water. There are a lot of benefits in fasting, so it could be worth trying it - but it's not something you have to do. And especially as you're still losing, then what you're doing would seem to be working!

I didn't want to make spurious claims just now, but I thought the oncologist had said keto could actually be used to treat some cancers and this seems to say the same, (although it is obviously not 100% and no major cancer groups recommend it yet). I just thought it was mad that it may be able to be used to treat cancer.

www.webmd.com/cancer/keto-diet-cancer-link#:~:text=In%20recent%20years%2C%20some%20early,prevention%20or%20treatment%20of%20cancer.

@WellityWellityWellity I was going to recommend Fat Fiction like oneborn. It’s an interesting look at how the recommended (carb heavy) diet came about, who benefits and the lack of science behind it. It’s on amazon prime.

I’ve told my mum I’m losing some weight but I’ve not explained how. She is also overweight but I know would be appalled at all the fat! My step dad won’t eat more than one egg a day because he’s convinced they’re bad for you (he is skinny, needs to put on weight if anything).

@WitchWand well done to you too! It’s a great accomplishment. I’m relieved other people are worried about maintaining! It’s weird - I have clear memories of what it feels like to be at my highest weight. I remember feeling ashamed, angry at myself, in denial. I remember eating stuff and thinking ‘fuck it! Diet can start tomorrow.’

But I really don’t remember maintaining. I suppose those were the times I wasn’t thinking about what I was eating or my weight so there’s nothing to remember. I feel annoyed at myself that I can’t remember - and that I wasn’t aware at the points where I’d put 3-6lbs on, or even a stone. I can’t rememberer how quickly or slowly it happened. So I’m not sure if any of those periods count as maintaining or if it’s just been an endless cycle of losing and gaining weight.

I would like to continue eating LC long-term. It feels pretty sustainable. But when I think about maintaining I’m not sure what I’d want to add back in if anything! I get a bit confused with working out what I would enjoy vs. what society tells me I should enjoy!

Sorry - a ramble!

Thank you for that. I will see if I can find Fat Fiction and will casually put it on while DH is in the room .

As @BIWI said, there’s absolutely no need to skip breakfast! It was only a suggestion as an easy way to eat less without having to get into counting calories/carbs etc.

Thanks BIWI! It’s mostly the coffee issue. I enjoy coffee with cream so much in the mornings and it feels quite unappealing to try and switch to black.

I will give skipping coffee a go tomorrow to see how I find it.

You could always have hot water with lemon (very refreshing) in the morning instead, then have your coffee with cream just before lunch as your treat to start the day’s food intake.

Sorry, just before your first meal, that should say.

(Unless you’re talking about trying to skip the cream altogether...sorry I’ve a hundred things on atm.)

I actually bought some mint to try fresh mint tea so I might do that tomorrow morning! Good idea on the lemon though. Maybe I’ll do lemon and mint. I think the coffee thing is probably 80% the ritual of a hot drink while I check my emails and 20% caffeine. (I may think very differently come 9.10am tomorrow morning).

I've been having almond milk in my coffee rather than cream as I'm trying not to eat too much dairy. It's slightly lower carb than cream and a very acceptable alternative

I know what you mean - I’m very habit-driven and rituals like that really do make a big difference to my day and it can feel all wrong not to have the right thing at the right time.But I find it doesn’t actually take long to one element of a ritual to another - once you get into a new routine your mentality will change too as you adjust. I also find it much easier just have something else altogether (like the tea or hot water and lemon) rather than a coffee that just isn’t ‘right.’

Ugh should say *it doesn’t take long to get used to changing one element of the ritual

I’m down 2lb which I’m really pleased by as I started a week early & that was my week 3. Total loss is 7lb. Still got a lot to lose but hitting my stride. Determined to stay strict until Valentine’s Day. Am feeling hugely motivated by the idea that by the time I can see some extended family my weight loss will be noticeable 🤞🏻