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Low-carb bootcamp

Join discussions about low-carb bootcamp plans, meals and progress. Consider speaking to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Week 5 - Low Carb Bootcamp - time to get rid of all the Valentine's treats!

750 replies

BIWI · 15/02/2021 00:04

I rather suspect that a lot of us have been so far off the wagon this weekend that it's disappeared over the far horizon!

having to post on the spreadsheet may sober us all up, in more ways than one!

I hope any cheats were enjoyable. There's nothing worse than deciding to cheat and then not liking it.

But from now, it's time to buckle down and get back into the swing of things. If you did cheat, please don't complain that the scales aren't being kind to you. It's an inevitable consequence.

So let's focus on a really strict week, recognising that this is the end of our first half of Bootcamp.

Good luck to us all Flowers

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Bestbees · 19/02/2021 07:58

@ListenLinda Brew my twins were terrible sleepers and were early birds for years. Much better now at 7. It will pass but honestly I thought I would die from tiredness. Its truly torture. I used to go to bed at 8pm to get some extra kip, is that possible for you?

Yesterday was interesting, I really wasn't very hungry. I ate lunch at 2ish as I was starting to get peckish (2 chicken wings, mayo and small salad) dinner was delicious: tuna steak, jansens temptation and brocoli. I was hungry ish for is at 8.ut certainly not starving. Still feel stuffed this morning. Wondering if I am finally (6 weeks in!) getting the fat balance right. Also haven't had cheese for two days so maybe that makes me hungrier?

Today's plan:
L chicken wings, salad, mayo
D chicken breast skin on with escalivada. Oily salad.

Cocktails with mum and sister via zoom. I will prob have gin and sparkling water with a splash of lime juice. Really enjoying this more than I though possible!

Pleaseandthankyou · 19/02/2021 08:00

My sympathy to those who have lost someone. I have a very frail close relative. The fact that I can’t see them and hold them almost broke me a few weeks ago. On the outside everyone sees me as a very confident person. I was shocked at how devastated I felt. I found it so hard to deal with the fact that they were in hospital on their own.
@ListenLinda no one can function with no sleep. I have been there. It will get better. Hopefully soon. Grab whatever sleep you can.

ouchmyfeet · 19/02/2021 08:15

Just updating on my electrolyte situation. I have reduced down to 4 litres of water for the last 2 days and I feel loads better. My mouth is a bit dry this morning but no worse than regular overnight thirst. I've stuck with 1.5 zero tablets and that seems to be working so far.

I upped my carbs very slightly by having 2 cups of tea with proper milk, but it tasted quite sweet so my tastebuds must be adapting Smile

Scales don't seem to be shifting this week so I hope the lower water target and extra milk isn't an issue. I'm KOKO!

Bestbees · 19/02/2021 08:21

@ouchmyfeet I had similar and felt better for reducing my water intake. I am still getting plenty, I think I was feeling rough, drinking more water and then making it worse!

Doilooklikeatourist · 19/02/2021 08:31

@ListenLinda the sleeping will get better , it’s awful for you though , and you never forget the exhaustion ( had 2 bad sleepers , now aged 23 & 25 !)
DD is planning on making the TikTok tomato and feta pasta tonight , I’m having broccoli instead of pasta
I’m now on antibiotics skin cream for my rosacea flare up , the little pamphlet tells me not to drink alcohol while using the cream !
So there went my plans for a bottle of white over the weekend
Had a quick look on Diet Dr , and will make this chocolate cake for the weekend

www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/low-carb-chocolate-cake

I’ll let you know how it goes ( and if it measures up to last weeks delicious mousse )

Good news @ouchmyfeet

ListenLinda · 19/02/2021 08:41

@Jollyholibobs i really don’t know, DH thinks he has trapped wind and just needs to trump, but he is nearly two so not a baby anymore and perfectly capable of trumping throughout the day Grin

@Bestbees yeah i usually go up not long after him as they are both early risers and up for 6am ish every day, but I think i’ll fall into bed as soon as I can get them both to bed tonight!

@Doilooklikeatourist thank you, it’s good to know that it will pass eventually 😁

Anyway seeing as I was up at daft o clock, I managed to get to aldi nice and early and it was sooo quiet! Stocked up on my veggies, eggs and cheeses. Got some fish fillets tonight and sprouts I think. Aldis premium cumberland sausages are 1g carb per sausage so may have some of them with lunch today.

Scales have budged 0.5lb overnight so fingers crossed for a whoosh by Monday!

LostaraYil · 19/02/2021 08:49

Definitely have a nap if you get a chance @ListenLinda, not getting enough sleep makes everything so much harder.
Right, I will probably be back in work in 3 weeks. I tried on 2 pairs of size 10 work trousers yesterday and I can do them up but they are extremely snug. I'm going to use this as my motivation to stick to the plan and I aim to be able to wear the trousers when I go back in. I have started by pouring the left over prosecco out so it's not sitting in the fridge door whispering to me in the evening.

NotwatchingSpooks · 19/02/2021 09:14

Morning, sympathies to those with poor sleepers, it’s really tough, my first was dreadful, but as others have said it does pass.

I laughed out loud at all the talk of hairiness and hair removal, there must be an interesting correlation between lockdown and lower razor sales.

Today
B Greek yogurt
L lettuce wraps or soup
D pot roasted pork

1stMrsF · 19/02/2021 09:20

@catwithflowers here it is (I've put it on the vegetarian recipe thread too)

Celeriac and leek soup
Serves about 4
1/2 celeriac, peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks
3-5 leeks (depending on size) chopped into 1cm rounds
About 50g butter
Chicken or veg stock - about a litre
About 200ml cream
Salt and pepper.

Sweat leeks in a lidded pan with the butter and a pinch of salt for 20 mins or so. Add the celeriac and continue to sweat for 10mins. Add stock to cover and bring to the boil. Simmer until celeriac is (really) tender - 20-25 mins. Blitz in a blender until smooth, add cream and reheat. Season.

Sulusu · 19/02/2021 09:28

Just a wee update on me after my heart palpitations earlier this week. They continued over the next couple of days. GP is sending me for a heart trace and bloods next week. They don't think it's anything serious, but she asked me to eat a bit more "normally" until I have it done, just to try and rule out a diet connection. So I'm still low carb-ish but not as strictly. So I'm going to stay off the boot camp thread for now. I did lose a kg last week though!

Thank you for the support though,and I will continue reading all the Great progress you are all making.

VeryLittleOwl · 19/02/2021 09:34

Athelstane and ChristMyArse very sorry for your losses Flowers Flowers

prettybird the belt looks fantastic!

I fell head first into a large bar of chocolate yesterday - the weather's miserable still, I'm having a really nasty period and was feeling pretty sorry for myself. But that's now two lots of sugar in a week after the V-Day croissants, so I need to give myself a talking to and get my head back together for the remainder of boot camp.

NSV - I bought a size 12 dress in the Weird Fish sale and it's a little bit on the big side already. Will still keep it as (a) I like it, (b) it'll be fine with a belt and (c) it was only £9.

StuntNun · 19/02/2021 09:40

Welcome Athenajam80 and Walkinglikeazombie. I've heard of Dr Eric Berg but never watched his videos.

Athenajam80 I like hardboiled eggs with mayo for a snack. Whenever I'm boiling eggs (although I prefer steaming them in a fan steamer as it's more reliable for perfectly cooked eggs) then I do a couple extra to keep in the fridge. Celery dipped in cream cheese is nice when you fancy a bit of crunch. Or exploded Babybels - microwave an (unwrapped) Babybel for about a minute. If you're out and about and need a snack then those little packets of olives or Peperamis are good to carry with you as they don't need to be kept in the fridge. Generally though you shouldn't need to snack if you're eating enough at meal times. If you need to snack every day then it means you should eat more at meal times.

ListenLinda disrupted sleep is the worst! None of mine were good sleepers and two were downright terrible so you have my sympathy. I remember the 300th consecutive night of disturbed sleep with DS3 and still shudder at the thought. In the case of my two bad sleepers it was due to undiagnosed dairy intolerance which has subtle symptoms so it wasn't obvious for ages. Be kind to yourself as poor quality sleep raises your cortisol levels which makes you hungrier and more likely to have cravings. If that happens to you try and fill up on the good stuff and don't reach for the carbs. I know we discourage snacking but if you're tired then you may well need snacks to keep you on the wagon.

Onelittlepiglet adding leek fried in butter to your celeriac mash is a game changer. I liked it before but it's ever so much nicer with the leek added thanks to BIWI's tip. I do find celeriac doesn't mash very well so I use the hand mixer instead.

Bestbees only two chicken wings?! I would eat a lot more than that!

Ouchmyfeet that's interesting about the water. I do wonder whether we're drinking too much water on Bootcamp. It is essential for weight loss but on the other hand our water requirements right now in the middle of winter (if you're northern hemisphere) are going to be much lower than when we're Bootcamping in the middle of summer. Dr Tim Noakes has just released a book called Waterlogged which is aimed at athletes but he claims that people are drinking far too much water and we should be drinking to thirst. I do drink a lot of water myself but I add electrolytes to at least half of my fluid intake.

Doilooklikeatourist is TikTok all about recipes now?

Sulusu have you been fasting at all? I know that can cause heart palpitations. I also get them really badly if I take Sudafed, but I'm sure the GP checked any medications you're on. If you want to increase your carb intake then I would add in the higher carb root vegetables (e.g. carrots and parsnips) and the lower carb fruits (apples, satsumas). Diet doctor has good infographics here on vegetables and here on fruits. If you need to increase your carb intake even more then add in small portions of potato and/or white rice but keep avoiding grains and sugar.

Lyrata · 19/02/2021 09:45

Oh drat Doilooklikeatourist the TikTok pasta was going to be myyyyy new recipe contribution. But mine will be with courgetti so very different...

My NSV yesterday was ordering a load of clothes from Zara and finding the trousers fit in a small - I don’t think I’ve ever got in small trousers before. I’ve always been a small top, medium bottom at my very lightest (medium top, uncomfortably tight medium bottom normally).

MarmaladeTeepee · 19/02/2021 09:46

@ListenLinda both of mine were awful sleepers (hence why we never went for number 3!) and DD went through a phase of night terrors which were awful (might be what's waking your little one?) but both came through it and are now brilliant sleepers (DS 11 only woke up half an hour ago).

@Pleaseandthankyou sending you virtual hugs, it's just an awful time at the moment.

@LostaraYil ooh a physical goal to aim for - I'm sure they'll fit before you know it. I'm hoping BJs announcement on Sunday will give me some goals to aim for.

@VeryLittleOwl well done on the NSV!

StuntNun · 19/02/2021 09:49

Oh god yes Marmalade I forgot about that. Not only do they start sleeping through eventually but when they hit puberty you get to wake them up! There's nothing better for revenge than waking up a teenager that used to wake you up as a toddler!

Dailyhandtowelwash · 19/02/2021 09:50

@ListenLinda big sympathies on the broken nights. They drove me quite literally to the point of insanity. I’m not sleeping at all well during lockdown and it’s bringing the memories back a bit!

Yesterday:

Dinner: artichoke and celeriac soup, with a SLC ham toastie (was meant to be ham and cheese but DH took it out of the toaster and scraped all the melted cheese off it and binned it Hmm), with marscapone with strawberries for pudding.
I had a glass of red wine as I’m on ‘holiday’ today and didn’t enjoy it much - it took me two hours to drink it. It then triggered a reaction I occasionally get to wine in which I get sneezy, an itchy face and a runny nose. It’s happening more often but with no rhyme or reason - no clear link to type of wine or amount, although this is the first time I’ve had it after a single glass.

Celeriac mash by the way for whoever asked is done with a stick blender here!

StuntNun · 19/02/2021 09:52

Dailyhandtowelwash that sounds like sulphite allergy. Does perfume and aftershave irritate you too?

catwithflowers · 19/02/2021 09:56

@1stMrsF thanks ever so much! I'll try that tomorrow 😍

Ninkanink · 19/02/2021 10:01

@Sulusu to add to @StuntNun’s tips, just wanted to say there’s no need to leave the thread! You can still low carb with us. Just add in few more things - higher carb veg, a piece of fruit. Maybe a handful of higher carb nuts daily (cashews are very high so might be a good idea but in strict moderation), a small slice of toast in the morning, or a little bit of the less processed carbs (potato, sweet potato, rice, for example, but avoiding things like pasta) for dinner.

Ninkanink · 19/02/2021 10:02

Also if you keep one of your daily meals very low carb (lunch or breakfast, for example), you can guard against too much carb creep.

Bestbees · 19/02/2021 10:05

@StuntNun I know! They are quite big ones. Last time I ate 4 (the whole pack) but I really wasnt that hungry. I read the bit about fasting on the diet doctor website about intuitive fasting and I am really working on listening to hunger and eating accordingly, rather than just eating because it is lunch time. Its hard though as I do then worry I will get hungry and snack which I am trying to avoid!

ListenLinda · 19/02/2021 10:15

@MarmaladeTeepee hahah we were set only having two anyway and if we weren’t before, this definately has confirmed it Grin

nowlook · 19/02/2021 10:33

@NotwatchingSpooks

Morning, sympathies to those with poor sleepers, it’s really tough, my first was dreadful, but as others have said it does pass.

I laughed out loud at all the talk of hairiness and hair removal, there must be an interesting correlation between lockdown and lower razor sales.

Today
B Greek yogurt
L lettuce wraps or soup
D pot roasted pork

Indeed there is Spooks!
Week 5 - Low Carb Bootcamp - time to get rid of all the Valentine's treats!
Ninkanink · 19/02/2021 10:38

For those who are struggling and finding it hard to resist things like chocolate, my strategy in really difficult times is to allow myself some of it without feeling like I’m ‘cheating’ or framing it as a failure. This avoids that defensive compulsion to just eat the whole thing down quickly and/or move on to even more indiscretions.

I am quite good at distracting myself and fighting the urge to eat when I’m feeling rough, but there is the odd day or night where I just know that nothing else is going to fill that emotional ‘hole’ and on those occasions I will mindfully have something to calm that feeling.

I find it quite important not to say to myself, ‘I’ll only have two/three/whatever’ (because that usually means I’ll get rebellious), but instead I’ll say, ‘I’ll have enough to feel okay again’. The key, though, is to pick carefully - find something that a) is worth it, b) that you actually like (in other words not a poor substitute), c) that’s as low-ish carb as possible (so a small serving of ice cream is much better than a doughnut, for example. Chocolate is better than cake/cookies/bread), and d) enjoy it properly, slowly, savouring it and getting the full benefit from it and then e) stop when you feel okay again - which is where not framing it as a cheat or a failure comes in, as you avoid the in for a penny, in for a pound mindset.

As an example of what I mean, on ‘normal’ days where I fancy a little bit of chocolate, I’ll just have the dark chocolate that is best for BC. However when I’m in that space, I will have a more milky chocolate. Or I will have dark chocolate with some peanut butter on top, which makes it far more satisfying and hits that spot much better. I will have however much I need to feel better. But I won’t be stuffing it into my mouth as quickly as possible. I will eat it mindfully, and positively.

BIWI · 19/02/2021 10:52

@Sulusu
It's always good to get these things checked out by your GP - but I'm wondering: what have you been eating since you posted about this? Did you raise your carbs or did you continue to keep them ultra low?

Can you list out for us what a typical day looks like so that we can see if we can help?

As PP have said, absolutely no need to leave the thread. By going over 20g of carbs a day you won't be falling off the Bootcamp wagon - if anything, you'll be entrenching your place on it!

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