Week 3 Pre-Christmas 22 Boot Camp

[prettybird]

Good morning!

Here we are at Week 3 already

So today you have a choice: you can move on to Bootcamp Light, if you wish - which means you can re-introduce some fruit, some nuts/seeds and some (low carb) alcohol (drye wine and certain spirits). Note the use of the word some! This means in moderation - and not all of them at the same time

If you wish, you can also now introduce/re-introduce intermittent fasting - most people drop breakfast, but it's up to you how you want to do this. @StuntNun has a thread about how to combine fasting with low carb for anyone who is interested in this approach.

You can, if you wish, remain on Bootcamp, if it suits you and it's working for you. Alternatively you can adopt a hybrid - so Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

Whichever route you decide upon, good luck!

A reminder re weeks 3 & 4 (and even 5)

It is very, very common for weight loss to slow or stop in weeks 3 and 4. If this happens to you, know that it's not just you! It's also very unlikely to be something you're doing, or not doing, if you've lost in the previous two weeks.

Just KOKO and things will get going again for you.

It is, though, also something to bear in mind if you do decide to switch to Bootcamp Light.

I’m tagging @FinallyHere to ask her to link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness so that I don’t link to an out-of-date one

Good luck to everyone - hope you're continuing to see results either (or both) on the scales or NSVs (Non Scales Victories - leg clothes fitting better or better skin or more energy)

Hi everyone, I sort of abandoned the last thread, sorry. But I’m checking in I’ve mostly eaten lots of salad, eggs, chicken and veggies and I’ve lost 3lbs. Quite chuffed with that result. Will try to keep going this week in the hopes of losing some more.

@sheepdreams

Might it been my thoughts on thinking about weighing myself ...

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It's the end of the week for me and I find myself thinking about the scales.

Hope everyone sees a good result on the Monday weigh-in. I get just how wonderfully motivating that can be.

There are lots of daily weighers on this thread too, who can cope with the expected fluctuations around the norm that show up with frequent weighing, even when the overall trend is down.

This post is about a different approach. The scales are always a bit of a struggle for me. Maybe ingrained from my high carb low fat very unsuccessful weight loss days, for me a loss feels as if it deserves a celebratory treat and a stall or even a gain however small plunges me into the despair of 'why do I bother'.

These days, I low carb for the immediate gains, or 'how will I feel when I have eaten this'. Will I feel heavy and lethargic and need to sleep it off? How will I sleep, peacefully or disturbed by a bloated stomach ? Will my skin be dry and lips chapped. Will I feel I'm not looking after myself and not competent as an adult?

So long as I keep to bootcamp, over time my excess weight does very slowly melt away. It disappears from different parts of me at different times, from my hips much faster than from my top half.

It does slowly but definitely go.

I fit into clothes that were straining at the seams, at least I fit into intermediate sizes of my jeans. I have bought the same pair in different sizes. Being able to fit into a smaller size is so different to fitting into a larger size. I also keep track of my hip and waist measurement.

Just another approach that works for me.

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Thank you so much FinallyHere. It was your thoughts. Such a motivating post. I will refer to this when I’m struggling. It is so helpful.

Thanks @FinallyHere really great points and a brilliant attitude.

I've always been a daily weigher but this BC I'm trying not to weigh at all now. I've had a problem when I get close my target weight and I see it as "job done" and start to think that I can add in some carbs, then some more, and more, and before I know it I've put on half a stone. I also find the scales only really motivate me while they're dropping, but at some point I reach my target and I then find the absence of that little daily motivator really difficult. It may not work but it's worth a try. KOKO

Back from my American escapade and only half a pound up, which I'll consider a win given everything I ate that was definitely not LC. Think I'll essentially restart strict boot camp and keep at it for the next 10 days or so.

Have already downed a litre of water and it's not even 9:00 yet! Managed to sleep well; hope that's jet lag dealt with. Breakfast of buttered eggs.

I agree about the daily weighing causing a lot of motivational problems, I get in a funk if I don't see results and as I am close to goal I don't see results that often. In fact I go up more than I go down. I also think he am I bothering to put the effort in when I have achieved what I initially set out to, then some days I'm all in. The result seems to be for the most part maintenance. I let a little bit slide and ended up putting a stone back on over this year, I lost half of it on the last boot camp. The daily weighing is like a strange addiction for me though and I do love watching what effect things have on my body in actual numbers.
So my goals for this month were to do a class at the gym and to run outdoors. I did class yesterday and after a pt session Monday 9m thinking I should have a rest day, but now I'm thinking I could try the outdoor run and see how I go.
Taking dd out for lunch today and she wants to go to the mall, no idea what she will want and what I will be able to eat so I'll wing it.
I am very bloated this week and I can't seem to shift it. Friday night I had a few drinks and Sunday I was up 3lbs (used my saturday weight for the weigh in) now it normally comes off in a day or 2 but this week it's seems to be sticking which is really annoying me. I can feel my stomach is swollen and hard and no amount of water seems to be shifting it. I know really I just need to keep at it.

I have a work pub crawl tomorrow and havent yet decided if I'll drink or not. They always either end up messy or I don't drink and go home early, I have a bit of social anxiety and find a drink takes the edge off that but I don't have an off switch. I also have a ladies gin and cheese night on Friday so this week might be a write off for me.

@humancalculator half a pound is amazing well done.

Well done @humancalculator thats a great win!
@ditavonteesed that sounds like some tricky social events! Our drinking culture does annoy me. So many work do’s are around drinking (wine tasting, gin tasting etc.) During covid I stopped drinking for a year and it really highlighted how so much is focused on drinking. Even on zoom/teams it was drinking! I’m the same if I have one it’s then hard to stop.

Im another who is weighing daily during BC. Mostly to ensure it’s working. I don’t get too worried about fluctuations. But it helps me stay focussed I think. I’d lost another 1.5lb yesterday but today it’s back up by .5 so this little rise is helping me remember to drink more!

Thank you all for your support and inspiring stories, yesterday was a slip and today is another day.
Was back on it yesterday for dinner and had mince stuffed peppers topped with cheese, very tasty. Haven't eaten today yet but plan yoghurt for breakfast and a picky lunch as I have to rush homer from work to walk the do and back again so cold meats and cheese in the car.
We have some prawns we need to use today and other half is really fancying linguine with tomato and garlic. What suggestions do you all have for me? I know I could use courgetti as spagetti but any other ideas?
keep going guys!

Oh dear, oh dear - for those who got diverted down a carb-laden route. We talk about 'falling' off the wagon, but I know for myself that it is not an accidental fall, there is something of a deliberate 'fuck it' rebellion, so I try to work out why I'm doing it, and what triggers me. Sometimes it is my mood, feeling not cared for, a bit deprived of something in which case I try to interupt the pattern and do something more holistically rewarding like buying myself a bunch of flowers, or finding somewhere to sit iin the sunshine for 15 minutes (depending on the season / weather).

I also find I am triggered by smells. I have never eaten in Subway ever, but I walk past and I want one. I don't know what the aroma is but it makes me salivate, even when I'm really not hungry. Our local supermarket has a Subway outlet so I use the entrance on the other side of the building to avoid walking past Subway. I can be the same with our local chinese restaurant, so I avoid walking past that, particularly if I'm tired / hungry. I don't give in to the temptation but it sets up a real longing / feeling deprived cycle.

The advice to drink lots of water is good. The challenge of this way of eating is that being low carb / high fat for 3/4 of the day and high carb for 1/4 DOES NOT WORK (I know we all know this). I know to my cost during lockdown that it is infact the worst of both worlds - lots of butter, cheese, pork belly - which is the food I've become accustomed to buying and cooking, and which I love to eat - PLUS carbs, resulted in my putting on 20lbs, which I'm still struggling to shift.

B - coffee with cream
L - left over cauliflower cheese and crispy bacon
D - sausages with turnip, kale and leek 'mash'

Ŵell the intention was there for the outdoor run, I got half way round the park and bumped into my mum so had a slow mooch round the rest of the park then went for a coffee, much more pleasant although A little chilly As I was in leggings and t short.

Slightly random question, but has anyone used the slimming world recipes on this way of eating? I had a flick through some recipes recently, and it seems that they have a lot that could be turned into low carb meals, but (importantly for me!) seem to be super simple to make! I'm thinking that a lot are pasta based, or have potato, that could be left out/subbed with veggies, and you could sub the low fat products with high fat ones?

@pinknsparkly not the slimming world recipes but joe wicks, lean in 15 has a lot of low carb recipes and alternatives in dishes for inspiration.

Checking in for the first time this week - STS but not too surprised as I am in a bad sleep cycle and didn't drink enough water on some days, and reached for a couple of dark chocs through sheer late night boredom. Also been a bit heavy on the cream as I worked out how to make LC custard with just egg, double cream and vanilla.

So this week I'm back on the strict wagon with chicken for dinner and FLGV (especially sprouts). Highlight so far is finding packs of Olina's Simply Seed Crackers in Waitrose last night, which offset my devastation and sheer rage at M&S for destocking theirs...

B: black coffee
L: cheese and seed crackers
D: chicken thighs with FLGV and a little celeriac dauphinoise
All. The. Water

KOKO

Thanks @Crazyone84 - I actually have Lean in 15 somewhere in the house (we moved house recently and haven't yet unpacked books!) so I shall have a hunt this weekend :)

Hi everyone, bit late to the party but can I join please? I am getting v uncomfortable when I look in the mirror and need to lose about 3 stone! I am hovering very very close to the 13 stone mark, at 5ft 5 I need to be more around the 10 stone mark!
To lose a bit before the festive season would be great.

Well and truely got my head in the game today.
cheese omlette with butter, big leafy green salad, olive oil & lemon juice dressing with mayo, left over chilli with 20% fat mince, cheese sour cream and sprouts & leeks fried in butter.
Who knew leeks could be so tasty?!

@Olio Hello and welcome to Boot camp. Enjoy!

I've added you to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness where you can log your weigh if you like, no pressure if you prefer note to. Do check out the other tabs which has load of info and support.

Quietly getting on with things here, feeling good and calm about eating which is pretty nice! Got plenty of energy and no cravings. Was hoping to go for a run tomorrow morning but it's set to pour with rain here and I don't fancy a wet run so much!

Also going out to a fancy restaurant with a set menu for lunch tomorrow- the starters and mains look pretty low carb, and I'll see if they can do me cheese instead of dessert. Here's the menu if anyone wants to have a look- we're eating from the lunchtime prix fixe menu:

the-brasserie-ms.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/BMS-MENU-14.10.22.pdf

Welcome to the newbies!

B- eggs and butter
L- yoghurt and walnuts
D- steak, pepper sauce, salad
S- peanuts and a square dark chocolate

I'm liking that menu very much, @debka

and noticing that the more expensive the restaurant, the less likely it is to lean heavily on beige carbs.

That menu looks lovely @debka, but mainly I want to see the "trolley of cheese". I know they mean they'll let you pick a dainty morsel from the trolley but I want it to be a cheeseboard that is so hefty it needs its own trolley

Too busy for lunch and I'm a well heeled faster so worked through to dinner which was two hot smoked salmon fillets on a huge mountain of buttery cabbage. Followed by a big chunk of Manchego and a single small sour and sweet pickled fig (from the continent, the sort designed for having with cheese - so possibly due for a thwack of the stick but it was small and just a delight and i savoured every morsel).

I've had a stressful couple of days, and next week will be worse. For some reason stress makes me crave carbs. I don't even enjoy them, I just crave them.
B: nothing, but I felt hungry.
L: egg mayo, salad, kombucha
D: sausage, tomato, mushrooms, avocado
S: berries and cream (desperate for something sweet).

Water - this part is going pretty well.

@Danny80 Welcome  - we're now over here in the Week 3 thread 

@FinallyHere will add you to the Spreadsheet which you can choose to use or not as you see fit.

@ZiggZagg sorry to hear you are having such a difficult time at the moment.

I am starving this morning and my stomach is rumbling away. I usually skip breakfast without any issues but feel I may need something to eat soon!

Not had a great morning so far. DS was anxious when he woke up this morning and this increased as his taxi driver was late. Then I got a call to say that the poor driver had been in an accident. I really feel for him. I sent DS back to bed as I knew he’d be stressing all the way to school if I drove

Been a bit busy the last day or so so haven't been contributing to the thread  - but I have been reading it and there's been lots of lovely support and advice from old timers - and the not-so-old-timers .

@Lucienandjean - sorry for the stressful time you've been experiencing and well done on resisting the siren lure of carbs (I've been guilty of that myself on occasion ) You've done the most important bit which is recognise you don't even enjoy them.

@Baystard - the Big Stick did indeed twitch but we're now in Week 3 and as long as that's the only piece of fruit....

Enjoy your lunch @debka - I'm sure you'll be able to navigate to the lovely low carb choices.

@ListenLinda - I had buttery leeks last night and they are indeed lovely. (with leftover celeriac dauphinoise and griddled flattened turkey steaks)

@Olio - I'm a similar height to you. At my heaviest I was just under 15 stone and have managed to get down to just above 11 stone (target to get into the "10s"). I oscillate upwards about 2 stone and am currently 12 stone 8lb . Target is to get to under 11.5 stone by Christmas which will be tough but potentially achievable but I won't beat myself up if I don't get that far.

@CrystalTits I'd be interested to try your low carb custard.

Just going to post this post now in case the app shuts down and I lose it and I'll continue the rest of the comments later.