Week 3 - Jan 22 Low Carb Bootcamp - Bootcamp Light or not?

[BIWI]

So now you have several choices:

• move on to Bootcamp Light for the next 6 weeks, which means allowing nuts/seeds, fruit and alcohol all in moderation!

• a hybrid, where you do Bootcamp during the week, but relax and follow Bootcamp Light at the weekend

• stay on Bootcamp, if it's suiting you

Bear in mind that weeks 3 and 4 (and sometimes 5) are infamous for seeing little or no weight loss - indeed sometimes you may see a gain.

Whatever you decide, here's the spreadsheet for you to declare all!

I hope very much that you will see good results from the last two weeks (or the last 3 or 4 weeks, depending on when you started!)

And now this week's challenge!

Like me I'm betting you all have several cookbooks that you rarely use. Go and find one that you haven't used for ages and choose a recipe that is or could be low carb and post it here.

You may have to change some of the ingredients, but that's fine! Let's all look for something that inspires us to cook something new/different.

Here's to a successful week 3

Just finished a late lunch when I had another go at making the creme sauce finished off with lemon juice. My last attempt (off the top of my head,without reading the instructions was ahem not such a great success, more like the items remaining separate.

Today I read and followed the instructions as was delighted with the results. Poured half (!) over broccoli and cauliflower florets for lunch. Completely delicious and I was still absolutely unable to eat more than half, well three quarters certainly.

Very sustaining.

B IF
L see above
D still digesting. 😀. All the water.

Do I really need to adjust my portion sizes?

It's so convenient to to cook and eat only once, only the threat of the 'big stick' makes me think I should eat twice a day.

Can anyone suggest that now that I am fat adapted after four weeks on hard core bootcamp, 23 hr fasts three or four times a week are not soooo bad?

It's much less likely to happen at the weekend or when I have less interesting work to do. Especially when I am absorbed, in the absence of any hunger cues I find I work straight through. Is there any real driver to eat according to the clock, which is what it would take.

Ideally I would start take a break for a walk or something in the middle of the day. I am loath to spend more time in the kitchen during a break instead, when I do not feel hungry.

Thoughts very welcome. I'm feeling almost dazzled by the success of this Bootcamp for me.

@FinallyHere I believe that from an intermittent fasting perspective it can be better not to slip into the habit of eating only once per day as your body gets into the habit of it you are more likely to plateau, and it can be difficult to eat enough in one go so then your metabolism starts to slow.

I lost alot of weight with OMAD previously and found it really convenient and actually a bit too easy to get into the routine, but then my weight plateaued. I'm making a conscious decision this time round to mix up the length of fast to see if it helps me to progress a bit further with the loss so I try to eat twice most days.

@finallyhere also look at how you break your fast, eating a small amount of something 30 mins before you eat can help get the system ready for food and you're less likely to feel full too early, I.e. before you've taken in a decent amount of nutrition. I like a little bit of cheese whilst I cook to get my appetite moving.

[quote Baystard]@finallyhere also look at how you break your fast, eating a small amount of something 30 mins before you eat can help get the system ready for food and you're less likely to feel full too early, I.e. before you've taken in a decent amount of nutrition. I like a little bit of cheese whilst I cook to get my appetite moving.[/quote]
What's the science behind that @Baystard?

My worry if you do this is that you're provoking an insulin release twice.

In week 2 I fell off the wagon for 3 days - stressed preparing for a very big interview, not prepared with shopping, and then celebrating getting the job … with cream cakes and Prosecco 🙁 and Chinese takeaway with wine the day after.
Strangely, the takeaway/wine was not enjoyed much at all. Felt bloated and puffy, with trouble sleeping.
Back on track for week 3, but have predictably put back on some of my nice loss from starting.
Just tried cabbage hash browns, cooked in butter. Absolutely not the same as potato, but made a nice, crispy change
www.myketokitchen.com/keto-recipes/keto-cabbage-hash-browns/

Might try celeriac or cauliflower versions too. I am craving chelate like you wouldn’t believe, still.

Chelate? Chocolate!

@BIWI I def wouldn't break a fast with something carby, but giving the digestive system the chance to wake up properly before consuming a meal (I.e. in OMAD) makes it more likely that you can then eat the amount needed. It's no different to eating multiple courses of a meal, think of it like having a starter to get the juices flowing.

I liked OMAD but I struggled to eat enough in one meal, I'd feel full very quickly. I was given advice from seasoned fasters to think a bit more about how I broke the fast, rather than expecting my digestive system to go from 0 - 60 mph.

It's less of an issue on 16:8 type because you don't need to eat as much in one go, and you've eaten more recently.

B Yoghurt and cream
L Greek salad, salami
D Sausages, cheesy leek, spinach, green beans

I felt quite snacky this afternoon but had a nice cup of tea and some water and forgot about wanting a snack.

@APerfectlyGoodName 👋 to my weight twin 🤣

@venusandmars that sounds delicious of the chef! It's at their house so I'm just hoping she'll have something other than sandwiches and I can tag along with her!

My daughter made a lovely yakisoba for tea with bare naked noodles, pak Choi, peppers, mushrooms and spring onions. She changed the recipe so it didn't have ketchup so I didn't have the heart to say oyster sauce is a bit carby. However it was only a small amount so think I'll be ok. The noodles were fine and will deffo use again.

I've cut down on dairy today so hopefully this may help a bit.

@quince2figs congratulations!!

New thing for my water: adding a couple of drops of rosewater to make it smell like Turkish delight.

Sorry to hear you’ve been unwell @DollyDingleberry - sounds rotten. Hope you feel better soon.

I forgot to eat until late afternoon today.
B: IF
L: coffee with cream
D: Buttered cabbage & bacon, GY & few raspberries.
S: salami slice, pork scratchings & kale ‘crisps’.
Water water water.

Going to weigh tomorrow -I’ve cut back on dairy so really hoping I’m back on track after the weekend.

@Benvolio, thank you! The new job will make life very much easier, closer to home and more money.

Love the rosewater tip.

What rubbish luck @DollyDingleberry. Did you not have covid a couple of weeks ago too?

Have decided to try a new moussaka recipe tomorrow. Don't know which one yet, but it will be my challenge task for BIWI.

@Benvolio

Have decided to try a new moussaka recipe tomorrow. Don't know which one yet, but it will be my challenge task for BIWI.

I have a fabulous low carb moussaka recipe - I'll try and dig it out!

There's a moussaka recipe on one of the Bootcamp threads!

@BIWI

There's a moussaka recipe on one of the Bootcamp threads!

Cheers, BIWI, I'll check it out!

Ooh, spooky! I cooked the moussaka recipe from the thread tonight and loved it!

Thought it would be tiny when frying the meat, but then once it was made up, DH and I shared less than half! Pretty rich, was great with a leafy salad.

Feeling quite snacky these days and trying to rein it in with water. I realised that most of my (pre-BC) snacking was while cooking for DS. Since we mostly eat after he’s asleep, by then I am not really hungry. Doesn’t stop me piling in a big dinner tho

Any tips for managing multiple dinner times?

@Baystard @BIWI @FinallyHere I've read that too about OMAD and that mixing up your I/F is better I think it's why the origianl 5:2 was deemed to be so successful, because your metabolism stays high... I can't find any of those resources at the moment, but I'll look for them over the next couple of days. @StuntNun will surely have something to add here too

Finallyhere I so get your 'being absorbed and working straight through' that's me. On this woe I never feel hungry when I'm working, but I do imagine I'm hungry when I'm bored.

@quince2figs congratulations on your new job

@SummerSazz be proactive! have you tried the cheese and almond muffins? I make mini ones. I have them with nut butter (watch the carb count, they vary widely) or with a little sausage pattie in the middle. You could get schneiderbrot I get it in Asda open sandwich with cream cheese, smoked salmon, gherkin...

Offer to take a couple of little nibbles - help your friend out, help yourself out.

@Benvolio The Twinings raspberry and lemon teabags with a hint of rose petal have the similar Turkish delight effect. In fact as I sit with my one square of 90% chocolate and my mug of aforementioned tea I feel like I'm having a deconstructed one of these

do imagine I'm hungry when I'm bored.

So recognise this one, @venusandmars

and using food as entertainment, piling on my lockdown pounds

I had the toast. I couldn’t face anything else but needed to eat because half the problem was hunger. I felt instantly much better so I don’t feel bad. Needs must!

Thankfully, the bug seems to have burned itself out so I’m back on the wagon today!

Morning everyone-I've been lurking again....

Haven't put my details on the spreadsheet this time around and didn't start until Monday of this week.

Have had an astonishing 5 days so far and am down -11.3lbs from 212.5 to 201.2.

I know it's not ideal to weigh every day but at the moment it's really focussing the mind and spurring me on. I know it will plateau out shortly and need to stick with it on weeks 3/4. It helps the other half is doing it with me.

I've made some delicious food this week and it's reminded me just how full I am on this WOE. I had been doing slimming world for the last couple months (I know I know) and was permanently ravenous!

Thank you for all the inspiration, I've found it supremely helpful and am tempted to make the chaffles but fear it may be a slippery slope for me as I love cheese, so am trying to not eat too much dairy presently!!

Anyway food today:
B black coffee
L breakfast wrap (egg wrap filled with buttery mushrooms with some crumbled blue cheese and good quality sausages)
D pan fried salmon with roasted veg and buttery sprouts
And all the water!!!

Have a fab day everyone 💪🏽

Going to report a NSV 🙌🏼

(Trigger warning...if you're eating, or squeamish, stop reading 👍)

For years I've had a rather 'embarrassing bodies' condition that I've been unable to shift (even with help from GP!)

I get a recurring yeast infection in my belly button!!! It's horrible and despite SCRUPULOUS 'maintenance' I can't shift it!

It's always there...end of every day, I have to do 'belly button maintenance' otherwise it can become awful.

5 weeks into Bootcamp...NOTHING!!! My belly button is fresh as a daisy 🙌🏼🥳🙌🏼

First time in over 7 years!!!

What is this magic? And why did the GP not tell me about it??

I've had two days off plan eating and suffice to say the scales have punished me for it. No excuses, except to say when real life - celebrations, bereavements, crazy work schedules etc. - disrupts I don't have the headspace to manage my food as well as I should. Will need to develop some strategies.

Back on it today although I'm working offsite and I don't know what food will be available.

@SweetPotatoDumpling you've cut out a lot of the foods that are good for Candida growth: sugar, grains, high-sugar fruits, etc. I don't think GPS believe diet has any effect on health issues otherwise they wouldn't be telling diabetics to eat carbs at every meal and inject more insulin when they eat a lot of sugar.