Week 2 - pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Morning campers!

This is my favourite week of a new Bootcamp. Because for all those new to low carbing, and especially those who were so fearful about the amount of fat they're supposed to be eating, this can be a real revelation.

It's often a real leap of faith to commit to a way of eating which is against everything we've been told, for the last 30 or 40 years, is bad for us. And yet, all the recent science confirms that lowering our carbohydrate intake can only be good for us - and that embracing fat is also good too!

Here's a link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

I look forward, very much, to seeing results of the first week. Somehow, from what people have already posted, I think it's going to be good!

I have a small squash in my veg this week - looks like a white coloured pumpkin. Do I treat it the same as pumpkin (2.2g) or like butternut squash (9.7g)?

I just want to thank you to everyone who keeps reminding me to drink water. Ever since last week, every time I would see water I would drink. That's the push I needed to get back on track, my intake had dropped. I'm now 3.8lbs down and feeling great! Also, because I work in a utility company, every time I see water at work, my brain says to drink. That's a lot of drinking!

I also have an NSV to share. I tried my costume on (corset top) on Sunday and was able to tighten it and not look like I was bursting out of it either! it had arrived the previous Monday (1st day of BC) and I was bursting out of it. Now I'm excited to wear it on Saturday!

Thank you very nice @BIWI and @venusandmars

I have weighed myself as the new scales arrived today. The truth is quite stark; I've put on a lot of weight since the accident.

So, I have a fair amount to lose.

The weigh in is 152 pounds and I have a minimum 14 to lose to get to pre accident weight. I have 21 to lose to get to target pre baby weight... (the baby is 18 now) ...!

So maybe I'll start with a target of 7

And I'll check out the low carb vegan recipes

Hello all!

Very late to joining the thread - DS coming down with Covid just as half-term started has meant things have been rather more hectic than expected!

Well done all for some great losses. BIWI thank you for that link to the emotional eating article. It's something I'm really prone to and the article has some great tips I'm going to try.

I do have a question - what is a reasonable amount to aim to lose over the course of this bootcamp? I started at 16'4'', and I'm only 5'3". I always really struggle with setting weight loss goals, as short-term ones seem almost pointless, and long-term ones seem unachievable.

Hola, Bootcampers. Will go back and read the threads later, but posting now just to say hello.

Have been AWOL (well, AWL with the O kindly dismissed by BIWI) for a lot of this year, but now would be very grateful to join this shared endeavour again!

My mother died two weeks ago after what seems like both a really long, and really brief, battle with cancer. And though I have lost weight throughout this time, it's been from a really, really shit diet of booze, fags, and a small amount of carbs.

So, as plenty of other people have said before me, I need to join again to restart my healthy eating habits. I'm now under 9 stone and still fairly squidgy, but this WOE is about health, stability, and strength - not just fat loss. And I can't keep following the crisis-diet now my mother has gone and my father needs so much ongoing and increasing support.

And ALSO... I'm the crappest cook in the world, so even when I'm on it, if I'm not on these threads getting inspired, I basically bite raw veg out of the fridge, fry meat, break off lumps of cheese

Will go and read back now...

@AthelstaneTheUnready - good to "see" you, and sorry about your mum

@DistantVworp - apart from the initial "whoosh" which not everyone gets thid WoE, like most diets, averages 1-2lb/week. Some weeks might be more but other weeks (especially Weeks 3-5) might STS or even go up a pound

I managed to lose 22lb last pre-Christmas BootCamp - but that included an 8lb Week 1 whoosh thanks to a spectacular pre-Boot Camp falling off the wagon and running in the opposite direction leaving a trail of sweetie wrappers and cake crumbs

Cheers @prettybird, the belle of Glasgow

Have managed to read this thread so far, and the most striking thing is...

@venusandmars really!? A pumpkin is a giant, orange... berry? Are you one of those old-fangled 6" high pictsies?

@AthelstaneTheUnready 🌸. Sorry for your loss x

Athelstane, I'm sorry about your mum

@AthelstaneTheUnready I’m so sorry to hear about your mum 💐

To those asking about weight loss, I lost about 12lbs last boot camp, taking me from 11 stone to just over 10 stone, but I’m only 5 foot and a bit and so that made a huge difference to how my clothes fitted and I felt about myself. I also measured my waist by which hole my belt was on. I know when I’ve got too heavy as I start to snore and my knees hurt on the stairs, so when that goes away it is a huge NSV (non scales victory).

So by the end of this boot camp I am aiming to not snore, feel better on the stairs, feel a bit fitter and better in myself, the numbers on the scales are an indicator of how it’s going but for me it is about feeling better in myself.

In other news I’ve had both my booster (over 50 😀) and flu jab, one in each arm at a walk in pharmacy, my arm has been sore (had paracetamol) but apart from that I’ve felt fine and been at work all day. I was poorly after my first jab, okay after my second. Thought I would let you know as I was slightly concerned prior that I might be ill again.

Also Water 💦

@AthelstaneTheUnready really sorry to hear about your mum, what a tough time 💐 You deserve a bit of looking after now with healthy meals and good cooking (the booze and fags got you through, but I’ve learnt the hard way not an ideal long term lifestyle plan 😆) good wishes to you & your family

@prettybird 22lbs is amazing! Even with an initial woosh. Will be well chuffed if I can get even anywhere near half that loss

@HauntingHazel corset sounds fab! For Halloween I presume?

My second day of bootcamp is going okay. Lots of WATER WATER WATER! And I feel less foggy and a bit more energy already.

Today I’ve had
Breakfast: Spinach and avo
Lunch: Chicken salad with turmeric cauliflower (olives and olive oil dressing)
Tea: Beef Ragu

I’m still struggling to get in the habit of choosing to eat fat (although when I do everything tastes so much better!) Automatically bought 5% fat mince for the ragu, so bumping it up with cheese on top

Oh @AthelstaneTheUnready I'm so sorry. I know from what you've said before that it was inevitable, but it doesn't make it any easier.

Much love

@AthelstaneTheUnready that's so sad I'm sorry and as others have said this woe is about nourishing and feeding your body and soul so is just what you need right now.

Managed to navigate tricky situation just now - DH and I off to cinema but work nuts so ran out of time. Quick look at the many many restaurants and I could tell that although there would be options, they would involve eating in and we didn't have time for that. Tried a bun less McDs before and didn't fancy repeating that!!

So threw a leftovers salad into a collapsible Tupperware which I am now enjoying whilst DH waits for his Five Guys!!

@AthelstaneTheUnready
Very sorry to hear about your mum xx take care of yourself 💐

@AthelstaneTheUnready so sorry for your loss.

I've been thinking of you @AthelstaneTheUnready. So very sorry to hear about your lovely mum

Apologies all, but I've got to duck out of the thread for a little while. We lost MIL yesterday after a very short illness. DH is our chef and I can't ask him for my fancy food (which is delicious but definitely more laborious for him). I'll be back as soon as possible xx

@AthelstaneTheUnready sorry to hear about you mum. Look after yourself.

Oh no @nowlook! What a shock that must be. Take care of yourself xxx

My condolences @AthelstaneTheUnready 💐

@DistantVworp

Welcome!

It's really difficult to say how much you're likely to lose, as we're all different and - of course! - it depends how well you stick to it

I totally get you about being able to set a goal that's both challenging and achievable though.

If you've not low carbed before, you may find that you lose a lot in the first couple of weeks. I don't want to promise that though! But overall, I'd say that you should easily be able to lose half a stone.

However - why not just take it a week at a time? See what happens in this first week and then take it from there?

Oh @nowlook 💐

@AthelstaneTheUnready ah.. you've rumbled me, I am in truth a 4 inch creature, I look up at a sea buckthorn berry and think 'My God! That's the size of a pumpkin"

I also have a core of heavy lead which makes up most of my weight...

But I know what you mean about being a low weight yet squidgy. I'm curently about a stone above my happy weight. At this weight on lchf I feel OK (just to much of the OK me). At this weight when I've been on a carb / alcohol / sugar period I feel bloated and squidgy and horrid.

Sorry to hear about your mum - that's been a tough time for you

@AthelstaneTheUnready @nowlook my condolences to both of you. So sorry to hear your news

[quote BIWI]@DistantVworp

Welcome!

It's really difficult to say how much you're likely to lose, as we're all different and - of course! - it depends how well you stick to it

I totally get you about being able to set a goal that's both challenging and achievable though.

If you've not low carbed before, you may find that you lose a lot in the first couple of weeks. I don't want to promise that though! But overall, I'd say that you should easily be able to lose half a stone.

However - why not just take it a week at a time? See what happens in this first week and then take it from there?[/quote]
@BIWI would you like us to fill our own names and weights in the Google sheet?

Had main meal at lunchtime today and was planning just green veg soup for dinner, but then noticed the glory of glories in the fridge... the chicken skin from our weekend roast.

10 minutes in the oven, a sprinkle of salt and pepper. The perfect accompaniament. A potato crisp could never taste so good! and it would have carbs