Week 10 - Low Carb Bootcamp - the finishing line!

[BIWI]

Morning all. Sorry for the late start to the thread, but I slept in. Then hungry cats had to be fed before I could deal with this!

Anyway here's the spreadsheet for its penultimate outing

Hopefully all good news to report - but never fear, if last week hasn't been great, you still have a few days left to sort that.

Looks like it's going to be a more settled week weather-wise, and hopefully we really will be seeing more and more signs of spring to cheer us all up.

Here's to a great last week

I am very jealous of you skinny wristed and delicately framed campers. My hands are like shovels and my feet are size 9, never been able to wear bracelets or rings from the high street. Bought myself an Apple Watch and picked out a fancy strap which only goes up to size 9. My wrist currently measures size 10 . I'm trying the fancy one on every couple of weeks and waiting for the NSV when it fits. Which it bloody better had do eventually.

SLC bread delivery today with a free pack of hot cross buns too! I didnt order them as I wouldnt eat a whole pack but they have gone in the freezer.
Just had a sandwich using a roll for lunch with a side salad, was lovely.

I've been low-carb for nearly 2 years now, and still won't get rid of my old, too big clothes, as I fundamentally don't "trust" this weight loss.

Greebo, as your self-appointed personal stylist, I’m strongly suggesting you get rid of your “old, too big clothes.”

They are doing nothing other than mocking you. They take up space and if your wardrobe were a landlord it would be asking it for rent payments. Those clothes are not used. They are in arrears.

When you see them it quite probably reminds you of things that are in the past, and unpleasant feelings resurface.

I have decided now to insist you get rid of them—donate or bin or burn. It’s been two years; remove those pieces of fabric from your life.

TOTM here and I've put my 2lb loss of last week back on plus another half lb! Very disheartening but hoping for a post period whoosh. We have a zoom wine tasting with friends planned for Saturday night though which isn't going to help!

L - leftover chicken thighs, cauli cheese and broccoli
D - courgetti with chicken, chorizo creamy sauce

My hands are like shovels

ouchmyfeet, no they aren’t. Your hands are useful and functioning (I assume) and they are your hands. That’s all they are. Your hands. They have served you well in life. Love them.

@ShagMeRiggins

I've been low-carb for nearly 2 years now, and still won't get rid of my old, too big clothes, as I fundamentally don't "trust" this weight loss.

Greebo, as your self-appointed personal stylist, I’m strongly suggesting you get rid of your “old, too big clothes.”

They are doing nothing other than mocking you. They take up space and if your wardrobe were a landlord it would be asking it for rent payments. Those clothes are not used. They are in arrears.

When you see them it quite probably reminds you of things that are in the past, and unpleasant feelings resurface.

I have decided now to insist you get rid of them—donate or bin or burn. It’s been two years; remove those pieces of fabric from your life.

Absolutely agree.

@StuntNun

A lot of women can't Greebo. I'm working my way up to press ups. I can do incline press ups at 45 degrees now, i.e. three sets of 10 press ups with good form. But that's after three months of specifically training to be able to do a press up. However I did have a very poor level of strength to start with and almost no muscle in my upper back. It's weird because I can easily do a straight arm plank for two minutes but not even a single press up.

Press ups are part of my fitness goal to hit before I turn 40 (4.5yrs away). I've never been able to do one, but I'm not going to start training until I weigh less. Those and pull ups, I'd like to have the upper body strength to pull myself up if i need to. I fell off a boat a few years ago and despite holding a rope I wasn't able to pull myself back in and was to heavy to be assisted. I was in a lock and had to swim across it and climb a ladder! Luckily I'm still a reasonably strong swimmer. It really made me think about how no amount of prepping materially can make up for poor physical fitness when it comes to survival (I read too many post apocalypse books!) so press ups/pull ups and being fit enough to run away from danger are my long term fitness goals.

Another vote of support for Shag's post to Greebo

It's good advice to us all too.

Today's earrings: not worn these for years and years They were bought in a lovely wee jewellery shop in St Andrews when I was a student there - so over 37 years ago . I know I wore them to my successful interviews (1st and 2nd) with ICI, as they went with my purple interview suit (I loved that suit: from Next, purple with black braid on the edges of the jacket and the edges of the below the knee mock wrap skirt Wore it with a high necked that sort of tied round your neck white satin blouse)

prettybird (have I ever mentioned how much I admire the self-worth in your user name?), your earring challenge has led me to decide you really suit medium-to-large scale earrings.

Thought I’d mention it.

On the LCHF front, I lost many pounds last week because I realised I was doing sweet FA during this Bootcamp. Mostly maintaining, which is fine.

I’ve had a real come-to-Jesus meeting in my mind and decided last week and this week we’re going to be BootUpTheArseCamp.

Then Sunday night, the night before weigh-in, I had chilli with spaghetti. Why in the world would I do that to myself? What part of me doesn’t want to lose the last two stone that will see me at a healthy/normal BMI?

Navel Gazing mode ON, Captain!

It's the 'devil and angel on the shoulder' thing, isn't it? Sometimes the angel wins but then the devil has to strike back.

Monday - Wednesday: angel firmly in charge
Friday - Sunday: devil wins out
Thursday - bit of a no man's land!

Shag - my newer earrings tend to be bigger. The "fine" ones tend to be the older ones from my late teens/early 20s It might also have been because back then I had a short pixie hair cut (which I have had periodically since: my hair goes up and down like a yo-yo - currently it's shoulder length and growing )

My MN user name is a rough translation of my very old German surname. I don't think my db is as quick to tell people what it means I learnt from an early age to give my name as [first name] I'll-spell-it-for-you

Can I ask a question about falling off the wagon and weight gain??? I don't intend on doing it but I'm interested in learning more about the potential consequences / risk vs reward.

So, pre BC, I had a varied but carb heavy diet that included lots of low cal fillers and veg / lentils / lean protein. I would make bad decisions regularly about chocolate / hot cross buns / snacks / biscuits etc. but due to high activity levels and the general content of my meals (plus IF and the fact I am tee total) generally meant I would have to make bad decisions consistently for a while (say a couple of weeks) before there was a change in weight / figure.

But it sounds like due to the science (?) of this WOE a single meal / 'Cathy Twat' moment (eg. a salted caramel and chocolate hot cross bun...) could result in direct gain pretty much immediately?? Is that right or have I misunderstood?

This is all with the caveat that I am genuinely slowly moving away from seeing carb heavy foods as 'treats' but it's a work in progress so I cannot guarantee that hormones / stress won't invite Cathy in one day

Any particular reason to wait to start weight training Ragz? it takes a long time to see results if you're new to it. It's not just the amount of weight you can lift but learning the movements with proper form. Flexibility is important too. I'm 12 weeks in and I still can't barbell squat to parallel, even with an empty bar, even though I have good flexibility. So I'm not getting the most out of the exercise yet. I can see it easily being six months to a year before I'm lifting reasonable weights and have visible tone in my arms and legs. So I would say the sooner you can start, the better.

Prettybird I'm a St Andrews alumnus as well! Which jewellery shop was it?

My Wagamama's adventure yesterday, while worth it at the time has left me starving hungry since then. I've filled up on lots of lovely low carb treats to keep me going. I've recently discovered frozen raw king prawns which cook from frozen in eight minutes. I fry them in butter with garlic, black pepper and parsley then deglaze the pan with lemon juice. Lush!

Another person here with a target of doing full press ups! I am doing lots of incline and negative press ups to build my strength.

Ragz I agree with StuntNun that there's no reason not to start now. Life is too short, and you'll start reaping the benefits now. I haven't lost much weight this bootcamp but I am stronger than I was at the start and am starting to see definition in my arms already.

Stuntnun - can't remember the name of it but it was just round the corner from Fisher & Donaldson's, on South Street going towards Janetta's, next(ish?) to the book shop. Lots of lovely handmade jewellery that I used to lust over

I remember that St.Andrews Jewellery shop too but not it’s name either. I have a ring from it.

@ShagMeRiggins

I've been low-carb for nearly 2 years now, and still won't get rid of my old, too big clothes, as I fundamentally don't "trust" this weight loss.

Greebo, as your self-appointed personal stylist, I’m strongly suggesting you get rid of your “old, too big clothes.”

They are doing nothing other than mocking you. They take up space and if your wardrobe were a landlord it would be asking it for rent payments. Those clothes are not used. They are in arrears.

When you see them it quite probably reminds you of things that are in the past, and unpleasant feelings resurface.

I have decided now to insist you get rid of them—donate or bin or burn. It’s been two years; remove those pieces of fabric from your life.

I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to clothes and shoes tbh. There are several tiers:

• half a small single wardrobe and half a chest of drawers, containing the clothes I actually wear.
• half of both my DCs wardrobes, containing "good" clothes which fit and which I do wear (but not very often atm, as I'm not going anywhere or doing anything)
• a large suitcase in the attic, containing "good" clothes which I don't wear very often, many of which don't fit. I would throw them out, but I really like them, and they were good quality and expensive (I used to have disposable income, before I had children and an acting "career.")
• second large suitcase, mostly old work clothes. I haven't worked in an office in nearly a decade, BUT I can't throw them out, because I am sometimes called upon to do corporate training videos and you're usually expected to provide your own "business dress."
• a large rail containing dresses and coats, various sizes, some of which fit. Can't get rid of any of them because I love them all.
• under the bed, huge drawer full of shoes. As well as the trainers, boots and sandals I actually wear, there's a large collection of beautiful and impractical heels (from the pre-DC days), that I'll probably never wear again, but occasionally take out to admire and cuddle.

So you see I can't possibly get rid of any of them. However! I did very recently go through my too big clothes and donated the items I just plain don't like and that never really suited me. So that's progress.

Next step is to go through the stuff that does fit and get rid of the stuff I don't actually like. I had an idle thought the other day of "I wonder what it's like to wear clothes you love every day", and then, well, why don't I? Why am I saving all my nice clothes "for best", instead of wearing them and enjoying them?

TL:DR - I'm Marie Kondo's worst nightmare.

Ooh Hopeislost I must give reverse press ups another try. Last time I tried them I was hopeless but I'm that bit stronger now.

I can't place it Prettybird I only remember the one on Market Street near the Victoria but that was more of a conventional jewellery shop. I remember it well because my engagement ring came for there! Was JTs takeaway there when you were a student? DH and I were reminiscing about their cheese and chilli burgers yesterday. Oh god and the all night bakery for when you really needed a bridie at 3 a.m.

Don't remember JT's but do remember the all night bakery and the bridies Iirc, it also used to do fabulous custard slices maybe shouldn't mention that on a HFLC thread There was also an excellent fish and chip shop that I can't recall the name of.

I always thought I'd go back to the wee jewellers that I can't remember the name of and have a modern engagement ring designed for me. In the end, the "right" ring for me was a way above budget simple oval diamond solitaire from Mappin & Webb Spent an extra 4 weeks trying to find a different one that was in budget before going back to Mappin & Webb

Today's earrings. I'm hoping I'll have enough to get to the end of the month!

Those are lovely Stuntnun !

Turns out it was a last hurrah for my purple St Andrews earrings Went to the newsagents and one of them wasn't in when I got there Hoped it had fallen out at home but not seen it and I've now retraced my steps 3 times (back home, and then there & back to the newsagents again). I'll keep looking at home.

Oh no, what a shame!

Turns out that a few nights of PMT plus insomnia is really terrible for my ability to stay off sugar and I've had a couple of non-bootcamp weeks as a result. I didn't fall back into bread, crisps or potatoes, but there was quite a lot of cheap chocolate and a few biscuits and muffins.

I braved the scales this morning and amazingly the damage is only 3lbs which has given me a kick up the backside to stop the rot now. My lambing starts in four weeks and I might well be helping out at my friend's farm before that (I think she starts a week earlier) and I know that means six weeks of long days, a lot of physical work and not much sleep, so I need to be well back into the swing of things before it starts.

Can’t believe we are so close to end of this boot camp! I had a very hungry day yesterday, all boot camp friendly food but nothing seemed to touch the sides. I did have to start the day at 3.45am so that maybe had an affect. Today I’m back to normal so that was weird.
Tomorrow’s food: L - 90s toast with poached eggs & chestnut mushrooms, D - lemon & rosemary baked cod with roasted veg.

I’m on day 3 of yoga with Adrienne. I got waylaid with work. I am so glad I am doing this at home with no one watching. I have all the grace of a baby elephant. To be fair most of it is just breathing so far which is very relaxing. Maybe by day 30 I will be moving like a gymnast.