Week 3 - Leaving Lockdown Bootcamp

[BIWI]

As ever here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

I rather suspect, given the confessions/visits by Cathy Twat, that a lot of Bootcampers aren't going to have much luck on the scales at the end of this week.

As I've warned, cheating really won't help - and this is a very unforgiving WOE. I have all my fingers and toes crossed that you will be lucky, and will see a good result on the scales, however. Or with the tape measure - or that you're fitting into your clothes better.

So now you have a choice

After the first two strict weeks of Bootcamp you can, if you wish, move on to Bootcamp Light. This means that you can re-introduce some fruit (mainly berries) and some nuts/seeds, and alcohol in moderation - and restricted to dry wine and clear spirits.

BUT

... you also need to remember/know that weeks 3 & 4 are notorious for seeing little or no weight loss - sometimes you may even see a slight gain.

So it's up to you if you want to relax things.

If you haven't been totally on plan over the last week, I strongly recommend that you stay on strict Bootcamp for another week

If you feel you're ready to move on, then you can go to full-on Bootcamp Light, or you could consider a hybrid - so strict Bootcamp during the week and then Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

Whatever your choice, I hope that week 3 is kind to you!

Please, please, please remember that this week/next week are our infamous 'Doldrums' and so don't be disappointed if you don't see any losses on the scales

This is also another good reason why you should be taking your measurements - the scales might not be moving, but your body shape may well be changing.

Anyway, whatever you decide, good luck!

Morning all

Surprise drop this morning, now close to getting below 14 stone which will be great.

Much needed as I tried on a box of bras last night and my word I did not enjoy looking in the mirror. Ugh. Three styles, two nopes, one well maybe as my bra situation is desperate.

I farkin hate bras.

Mad busy at work so hard to keep up but hugs to so many of you here. What a crew of strong women we are, so many have really come through the fire.

This place needs a muscle arm emoji.

I'm off for bloods with my gp this morning. I'm fasting so I'll ask to check cholesterol, and will report back.

And thinking of you fusionchef today.

@ouchmyfeet

I love courgettes but find courgetti a disappointing soggy mess. Perhaps I over cook it. Not sure, but my preferred pasta substitute is leeks or cabbage (or both) fried in butter. It doesn't look like pasta but it's delicious with tomato sauce and meatballs which is a family favourite here. I find it quite hard to adapt the kids favourite meals so that we can eat together as my lot are big carb fans so pasta and meatballs is one I do quite a bit as I can make it work for me too

Meatballs in tomato sauce a regular option here too. I have mine with broccoli, it’s so nice.

Ouch stuntnun, sounds very painful

Thinking of you fusion

@StuntNun ouch! That sounds really uncomfortable. Wish you well!
@ListenLinda riding the wave of a little one in surgery cannot have been east. Full mum points for koko and wishing LO quick recovery.

I did eat what I said I would yesterday but was still hungry so ate rest of mince and two tablespoons of leftover cauli cheese.

Scales show a 0.5lb loss though so yay! Finally a small movement.

Will continue with keep it simple strategy.

Today
B boiled eggs sauerkraut and butter
L hoping for a feta pea and spring onion salad if house guest gets to cooking early! Otherwise will have smoked mackerel with salad and spring greens with butter
D- something with chicken.

Btw I have a fantastic egg curry recipe for BC - want to try it? Egg curry sounds weird but is totally delicious. You can add extra veggies too....

myheartbeets.com/punjabi-egg-curry/#wprm-recipe-container-8614

Also one with coconut

Whoops! Here’s the coconut one

myheartbeets.com/coconut-egg-curry/#wprm-recipe-container-8575

@MrsBertBibby I too am on the 14 threshold! Let’s leap into the 13’s together! Final four day push to Monday——!!

See you there Angliski!

Such a lot of challenge in people's lives to everyone who who'd like them (whether you think you deserve them or not). I've been dishing out flowers in real life too. dh got a huge bouquet as part of his retirement, but we're off on holiday today (road trip to the Inner Hebrides) so I split the bouquet into several smaller bunches and have been giving them to friends and family to enjoy. It think it's nice that his colleagues didn't think he should just have 'manly' gifts.

I really love that despite the worries and the traumas that people are facing, you're still here, adding to the banter, sharing your stories, inspiring me with new recipes and reminding me of the simplicity of this way of eating. I'll need to keep that simplicity in mind while we're away and food choices might be more limited. Avocado or yogurt or egg for breakfasts; whatever simple choices are available for lunches (mostly eaten out); soup, omelette, tuna and salad for dinner. Lots of fresh air and water.

Will be on my phone from now on, so will read often and post when I can.

I'm not a cake baker, so didn't make on for dh's birthday, however everyone else know this so he's had 3 cakes! One from his colleagues (lemon drizzle, I think), one made by a friend who is a pastry chef and chocolatier (chocolate of course), and a coffee and walnut one made by dd (who was always the cake-maker in our house). So we are travelling away with a big selection of leftover cake. Fortunately it doesn't tempt me.

I love the idea of splitting up your bouquet and giving it to others, venusandmars. Such a lot of pleasure in both the giving and the recieving. And yes it is lovely that they felt they could give a bouquet to a man. Lots of men love flowers and are keen gardeners so it is a bit weird that once they are bunched up they become a woman thing in so many people's minds.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday.

@BIWI @StuntNun @AthelstaneTheUnready thanks for the updated carb count. I find it helpful to look through the list whenever I need inspiration for something different to eat with my salmon / confit duck leg / whatever...

It's interesting though I still find there are certain combinations that don't work for me. Celeriac dauphinoise, for example, seems to cause a gain in a way that celeriac chips don't. I guess that with not much to lose, the delicious therefore tempting to eat far too much combination of celeriac, cheese and cream, plus some accompanying slow cooked pork belly, plus some leafy green veg with butter it a point at which overall calories start to matter!

Meatballs snd tomato sauce popular here too.

I often have mine with Sains chargrilled Mediterranean veg (in freezer section) warmed up in microwave. No faff, no washing up, highly recommend them!

Yesterday I discovered that Waitrose ready meal Chicken saag masala is only 5.5g carb for half portion so getting some of those for freezer when run out of steam. Had half pack with a bit of extra cream and a pile of broccoli - delicious. Followd by lindt 90% choc

Exhausted today.

Have a lovely holiday to Hebrides venusandmars - somewhere I want to go too!

Courgetti... Best raw dressed in oil and vinegar. I like to add chilli flakes too if you're going to cook it, try fried in butter and garlic but I find it still leaks watery butter everywhere

Have a lovely holiday @venusandmars! Very envious

I took some flowers round to a male friend of a friend who had invited us over to Sunday lunch with them, despite us never having met. (We took wine as well). From the look on his face you'd have thought I'd handed him over a lump of dog shit! I was both amused but also a bit angry that he actually expressed his amazement that we would give a man flowers. (Although he does like to play the 'professional Northern bloke' a bit, having got to know him better over the years).

I had a go at doing my own duck confit yesterday - read lots of different ways of doing it, but in the end went with the simplest. I just seasoned the legs well, put a thin layer of olive oil in the slow cooker, and then cooked them on low for around 10 hours. Chilled them down, so that the fat solidified, and then when ready to cook, just pan-fried them for 5 minutes skin-side down and a couple of minutes on the other side. And they were lovely! Tender and tasty. There were enough juices in the slow cooker to also have a bit of 'jus' on the plate.

I have to go for my second week 9 run today, but I really don't want to. Despite having reached the end (almost) of the C25K I still haven't found a love of running.

Good luck with your run BIWI. I took up C25K last year. Have just come back from running for 40mins. I don’t love it either but have to keep closing those rings on my Apple watch🎖

Duck confit sounds delicious!
How rude of that ma, did you take them home again!
We are also going away tomorrow until Monday really looking forward to it but determined to really try and stay on plan.

I'm such a numpty. I've just googled C25K to find out whether it was about running circa 25km per week, or running circa 25km in a single session. I reslise, now, that it is about neither of these.

At least I didn't get loads of porn results like when I googled Cathy Twat.

Enjoy your run @BIWI I’m re-doing c25k and hating every second. I’m only in week two and I feel like it’s impossible - despite knowing it isn’t as I’ve done it before!

I was happily going for long walks and short runs in Jan/Feb and then did nothing at all for the whole of March. Lost all fitness and combined with dieting I’m finding cardio slightly beyond me! (And I’m too lardy for my ‘favourite’ sports bras)

at the porn results Random789

I've had a slight mishap this morning as the veg box came just as I was serving my Greek yogurt, with a punnet of strawberries. I added 3 . Am looking forward to getting to week 3 when berries are allowed. Still I did manage a pre-work hour's walk after taking the DDs to breakfast club. Slightly disappointed I only reached 7,000 steps but hopefully will get to 10k by evening.

The thought of running 25KM is enough to make me die @Random789

I know what you mean about finding a love of running BIWI, same here. I would love to and am so envious of those that do. I need to get my running shoes back out, am very on and off with it.

😂 random789

@Makegoodchoices

Enjoy your run *@BIWI* I’m re-doing c25k and hating every second. I’m only in week two and I feel like it’s impossible - despite knowing it isn’t as I’ve done it before!

I was happily going for long walks and short runs in Jan/Feb and then did nothing at all for the whole of March. Lost all fitness and combined with dieting I’m finding cardio slightly beyond me! (And I’m too lardy for my ‘favourite’ sports bras)

This is the third time I've done it - both times I've started it again, I never believed I could get back up to 30 minutes! But I have to say, it is a great programme and you do build up your stamina after each and every run. I just wish I enjoyed it more. That elusive 'runner's high' never seems to find its way to me!

I'm just back from my second trip to A&E as the one I went to yesterday didn't have an eye specialist. Eye is healing nicely and they checked me out very thoroughly. God bless the NHS. I know they suck in some respects but I've always had outstanding emergency care.

I'm completely starvo now but DH has very kindly bought me some duck breasts and salad so I will be having an unusually splendiferous lunch for a Thursday. Dinner will be bolognese and courgetti but I have to get through a parent-teacher meeting (DS1 is not doing well at school) and trying to get 16 Beaver Scouts to pay attention and earn a badge before dinnertime so it's good that I will be well fortified. Wanders off wondering whether 6-year-olds can be clicker-trained like dogs.