Week 8 - Pre-Christmas 22 Boot Camp: the last week!

[prettybird]

Can't believe that it's the last week already ! It's been a pleasure to run this Boot Camp with you lovely lot.

@FinallyHere will be along shortly with the link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

There have been some great losses already and there is still time for a few more before Christmas . I for one have lost over a stone (although I started a week early) but ideally would like to lose another 6lb by Christmas (challenging I know and I won't beat myself up if I don't achieve it: 3lb to get under 12 stone would do me )

This thread will keep going as an ongoing chat and support thread until the next Boot Camp

Evening all!

We're having a Christmas lunch in work tomorrow and everyone has to bring something, so I've made a chicken curry (low carb of course!) just hoping there are some options from other people for me!

I'm starting to get that low carb energy that I love! I'm not dropping on my feet after work anymore! Just waiting for my skin to clear up it gets so dry this time of year!

Catching up a bit from yesterday: @Backstreets - congratulations on getting to your age-26-year-weight - I bet you're not the same shape though

As @venusandmars - I think you might be pleasantly surprised at how nearly you can follow this WoE in Italy: think antipasti of bresaola with Parmesan and olive oil, Parma ham, tomato salads , with pasta and risotto as small portions (starters or side dishes) - not the *core of the dish as it is here.

@FinallyHere - my Big Stick is not as big as @BIWI's This WoE does have to fit in with life and it may be on occasion that it is appropriate to celebrate an occasion like a birthday with family with some cake. But do so mindfully and as you say, it's the consistent overeating/not following this WoE that causes the weight gain.

The Big Stick comes out if people have these treats/diversions and then complain that they're not seeing the results they want

@prettybird 😁

@pinknsparkly - congratulations on your new comfortable size smaller trousers.

Speaking of which, I tried on my good black trousers again - they're fitting better (with no muffin top ) but still aren't having "right" (as in, they're still too neat on the thighs )

But I can record a 2lb loss this week and am down to 12st and a 3/4lb So I should definitely be able to get under 12st by Christmas and might be some to get to "3 figures" (11st 9lb or under ).

I'm having a Christmas lunch out tomorrow so that might stall me (I'm not sure I'll choose the cheese over the dessert ) and I'll be having wine

This is the sample menu

https://www.brianmaule.com/lunch-pre-theatre-menu/

@Lucienandjean - as you say, weight fluctuates and your trend is downward 

@venusandmars - I hope your funerals go ok. I know you're used to doing these sort of things but being close will make it more difficult

@ZiggZagg - enjoy your Christmas lunch . I'm going to a fine dining restaurant so I won't have much choice.

Loving the look of that menu.

Was ready to book a table til I spotted just how far away it is. Sigh.

We've had lunch there last year and pre-Covid. I've just decided that since we've found somewhere that works, that's convenient for all of us and is good , I don't need to look elsewhere The lunch/pre-theatre is excellent value (his jus /gravies are to die for) but the wines are horrifically over-priced like most restaurants

Checking back and I've lost half a stone since I last wore the green dress I'm wearing to today's lunch. Hopefully there will be a few fewer lumps and bumps!

On my way in to the lunch. Definitely fewer lumps and bumps with the dress - and not all down to wearing a smoothing tight underslip although it helps

Had some scrambled eggs (late breakfast) at 11.15 so that I don't fall face first into the carbs

The lunch menu looks delicious @prettybird !

This was the menu today

I had the roulade followed by the duo of lamb (ate a few of the Jerusalem artichokes, left the creamed potatoes and the lamb was on some wilted spinach) and I did have the treacle tart

Being "fine dining" the portions were small though

Only had two glasses of wine though (2 bottles amongst the 8 of us who were drinking)

Mmm-mmm

Delicious.

I love that the whole concept of fine dining probably means fewer carbs, and interesting protein&fat.

My kind of good food.

Good point @FinallyHere

I also drank plenty of water

I was also still 12st 0.75lb this morning. Sometimes Usually there's a re-bound after an extended fast (which I'd managed to do on Monday). I'm probably just going to have a bowl of (home made) chicken and veg soup tonight.

I've now made the tomato and mint soup for Christmas and squeeze get it in the freezer. The freezer now desparately needs clearing and sorting so that I can get other things in there like mince pies

So sorry to hear about your friend @NotDonna and also your family funeral @venusandmars 💐
l have still got Covid, but feeling much better. I’ve stayed the same this week, but that’s fine, I’ve hardly moved.

@prettybird that looks magnificent. We went to a Michelin starred restaurant for our anniversary this year and the food was something else. I can't wait to go back!

Did a sneaky weigh yesterday at work and I think I've lost the 1lb I put on. I then went and ate a mince pie 🤦‍♀️

@debka I'm going to get out the Big Stick and say why did you eat a mince pie after seeing that you'd lost your pound

Did you even enjoy it?

You're not going to see the results that you want if you self-sabotage this way

If it was a perfect mince pie that you were never going to have a chance to have again, I'll let you off - but somehow I doubt it Things like your anniversary meal at a Michelin starred restaurant (and my lunch yesterday ) are rare events so I can understand savouring them to the fullest.

It's two and a half weeks to Christmas, how many more mince pies are you going to come across?

@prettybird it was a lush mince pie after a very long day at work! I do struggle to eat enough on this diet to be honest, so I don't feel too bad about it. Perhaps I'm being a little bit less strict with myself because I've lost a stone and everything feels much more comfortable. I'd still like to drop another half stone or so though.

I wonder if anyone has successfully maintained? I lost 8 stone doing keto a few years back and slowly gained 2 stone back on over about 18 months. I really struggle to maintain. Would really appreciate any tips :)

I can't remember if it was @venusandmars or @FinallyHere who did a good post on maintenance (maybe it was both of them at different times ).

I think the key thing about maintenance is giving yourself a margin that you're prepared to fluctuate within (because weight does fluctuate on a daily basis).

If you go above your upper band, then you need to go back on to strict Boot Camp, otherwise things will slip and you will go down a slippery slope (or rather, your weight will go up a slippery slope ) I speak from experience

Because this way of eating works by being high fat and low carb, you have to be very careful about going off piste.

Maybe once a week, have a nice pastry or a slice of sourdough bread - but be careful with what else you eat that day. But not a pastry every day - it doesn't work like that.

Whatever you do have, make sure it's worth it - and it eat mindfully

NB: this is only once you're at your target weight and on maintenance

And a further caveat: we're all different and as such we'll all have different levels of tolerance to the amount of carbs we can off without them impacting negatively on our weight.

More Christmas prep: the steps up from our entrance to the "main" floor

Thanks @prettybird

I just don't feel like I have enough chill when it comes to food, when I come off keto it's like the floodgates open and it's carbs carbs carbs. It's exhausting. The thing I like about keto is it takes the power out of the food.

Wow, wonderful and festive @prettybird

I am planning to make mince pies @debka but I'm going to wait and have one on Christmas day, I'm worried that one becomes two and before I know it I've eaten them all.

Generally I feel like there are so few genuine 'treats' nowadays, go into any supermarket and you can buy whatever is 'your poison' 24 hours a day. I hanker after the days when chocolates were a special treat etc.

I've ordered two pairs of jeans, one which is my new size (2 sizes smaller than they used to be ) and one the size below that (an aspirational pair to help keep me on track !).

I've just cleared/sorted out my freezer so that I've got room to put in the mince pies that I'll be making shortly, so that I'm not tempted to eat them myself!

I'd have to be organised to ensure one was unfrozen while I heated others for those that wanted them warm I don't like them warm

@debka I have maintained for a year and a half now. I lost the initial weight and then focussed on maintenance, then I have tried to do it in half stones and maintain so my set point gets lowered gradually. I'm 2 pounds above healthy bmi now and would still like to lose more but I'm not in a rush.
I weigh daily, I have a range that is acceptable to me, when I'm close to the bottom of the range a few treats sneak in, if I get close to the top I get strict again. I have practiced seeing the effect things have on my body, on water weight, how much say a mine pie will make me put on and how long it will take to lose it. Once I know this I can decide if it's worth it. Usually it isn't.

I have also realised that I have a bit of a binge problem and that is something I am trying to face, I want to understand why I do it, self sabotage is so ingrained that it's almost like we want to punish ourselves. I am trying to think that I can eat what I want but mindfully and generally I want to eat well, I want to feel good about myself.
People still seem shocked that I lost the weight and kept it off, it doesn't fit the script but it is possible.

@prettybird love the stairs. Christmas is officially up here. My little pony and care bear tree and my favourite ever ornament, flamingos driving a pink Cadillac snow globe because why not.

Great to read about your maintenance journey. @ditavonteesed

Love the decs, too

I've quite some way to go til I need to worry about maintenance, though very glad to read about experiences so I can be ready for that great time. I suspect it will be more complicated than now.