Jan '23 Low Carb Bootcamp - the (in)famous week 3 ...

[BIWI]

Morning all

Normally I'd link to the spreadsheet, but I'm having an issue with it this morning, as I can't scroll down the list of names and keep getting an error message saying my window isn't big enough to display it. Both on Safari and Chrome, which is odd - so I'm putting a call out for @FinallyHere to see if she can resolve it!

Anyway ...

PLEASE READ THIS POST CAREFULLY!

Welcome to week 3. This is the week where you have a choice. If you wish, you can move on to Bootcamp Light, which means that you can now introduce fruit, nuts/seeds, chocolate and alcohol.

SOME.
IN MODERATION.
NOT AT EACH AND EVERY MEAL!

So with fruit, this is mainly berries - when the spreadsheet is sorted, check out the fruit counter on there, which will show you which fruits are best to introduce. Similarly nuts.

With chocolate, make this the highest cocoa content that you can - certainly 70% should be a minimum - and restrict yourself to a couple of square, not a whole bar.

And as to alcohol - it's dry wines and clear spirits, with low calorie mixers or, even better, soda/sparkling water.

Remember we're still on Bootcamp - so be very careful how much of any of these you introduce.

However, week 3 (and 4 and sometimes even 5) is infamous as this is the point where you may see your weight loss slow, stop or even reverse

It's very, very, very common for this to happen, so if it happens to you, don't panic! It's not a stall. It's all about your body settling into this WOE, and what you'll see once we get through the low carb doldrums is your weight loss will continue, albeit at a slower rate of around 1-3lbs a week. (How much you lose will depend on how much you have left to lose).

Bearing this in mind, you may want to stay on strict Bootcamp. There's nothing wrong with this at all - just make sure you are following Bootcamp rules, and that things haven't started to slip. In particular, make sure that you're sticking to rule 4 - i.e. that the majority of your carbs are coming from veg/salad. And don't forget the water!

Some Bootcampers like to do a hybrid, which means strict Bootcamp during the week, relaxing into Bootcamp Light at the weekend. The choice is entirely yours.

Ah @pinknsparkly what wonderful news! Another BC baby! 💐

Massive congratulations @pinknsparkly !

@pinknsparkly what wonderful news many congratulations!

congrats @pinknsparkly what fab news!

Amazing news! Congratulations 🎉 you must be over the moon!! First tri is v tough, go easy on yourself. How old is your first?

Mine is 20 months and I’m ttc our second soon(ish) and concerned about holding up the low carbing as carbs were life during pregnancy 😖but I absolutely ballooned too and that’s the reason i’m even doing BC so hopefully that’s enough motivation to resist haha.

Congratulations @pinknsparkly

Lovely news @pinknsparkly congratulations

Am KOKO and feel like I am losing the fat even though the scales continue to be stuck losing and gaining the same few lbs. Feeling so much better in myself though so that alone is keeping me on the wagon.

B: creamy buttery scrambled eggs
L: big mushrooms stuffed with Boursin and lardons, salad with olive oil dressing
D: something with turkey mince - any suggestions gratefully received as I am lost for inspiration!

Early PT session done too so now just to get through the rest of the day at work.

That's lovely news @pinknsparkly!

I'm having a bad day today. Not food wise but mentally. I looked in the mirror this morn and just see a fat lump staring back. I've lost 5lbs so far I think so I know it's working but I just feel fat and bloated today. I think I've let my water intake slip over the last few days so going to get that back on track and hopefully that makes a difference. I had the coil removed 2 wks ago and went on the mini pill and feel like I have just haemorrhaged for the last week now (sorry TMI) so I'm sure that a huge factor in how I feel. Anyway enough of my woes, hope everyone has a good day today.

Food today
B: FFGY with almonds
L: salmon fillet with veg roasted in lots of olive oil and some sliced greens.
D: not sure, I have a lamb grill steak thing in the fridge so probably that with veg.

Hugh congratulations @pinknsparkly

A gentle handhold for you @BonnieBairn You are absolutely in the right group here for low carb, high fat bootcamp. knowledge and support .

Keep On Keeping On and it will happen for you too.

Congratulations @pinknsparkly . I had GD but didn't control it with diet very well so had meds. However my cousin had GD and did so well dropping carbs to control it that although she gained baby weight after the birth she weighed less than before pregnancy

In fact after being diagnosed I panic binged and ate 12 sugar coated jam doughnuts! It sounds funny now but that binge led me to start looking at binge eating as an Eating Disorder

Anyway on to today
Very green soup for lunch
Tandoori style chicken with cauli rice (trying home made to avoid fart rice) and green beans with flaked almonds

Re turkey mince, fajiatas / tacos without the carbs shells? ( I use little gem lettuce leaves instead) I fry sliced papers, onions, garlic, fajita mix (or home mix of paprika, garlic etc) and then dump the meat in til cooked

serve it with avocado and sour cream / yoghurt / crème Fraiche / grated cheese to up the fat content

@LittleMy77 I love lettuce wrapped fajitas/similar.

@AllTheBlackCoffee If the above isn't any good I would probably go Thai/S.E.Asian-style, with garlic/ginger/chilli/coriander etc. Had with a zingy stirfry/salad or alternatively wrapped in lettuce.

@BonnieBairn Hope you feel better soon! Have you got any bovril/stock cubes or gel/bouillon powder? I find that a warm, savoury drink often really helps me to feel comforted and soothes me if I'm having a bad day.

Thanks @TangledWebOfDeception and @FinallyHere I'm feeling a little better as the day has gone on. Keeping my water up and my lunch was yummy. I think the bleeding has really worn me out. Hoping it stops soon.

@BonnieBairn if you have any iron supplements might be good to take some for a while, and I think B12 is good too.

(Only saying from the top of my head, mind! Always check it first, obviously.)

@TangledWebOfDeception yeah I was thinking of either taking an iron supplement or a vitamin c supplement as that would help boost the iron I'm getting from my diet. I do already take B12 as that helps with my fibromyalgia symptoms. I sound like such a wreck 😞

Many congratulations on the stowaway, @pinknsparkly, lovely news. Not long back from a 40 mile bike ride. I am dead*. Mid ride snack was half a lidl protein bar, mostly nuts, I think about 15g carbs? Or maybe 7.5, will check. I've hidden the rest in the freezer to avoid temptation. Breakfast was a boiled egg, lunch was a picky plate of streaky bacon rashers, a chicken thigh, a chunk of camembert and some kale crisps left over from yesterday. Niece (lives with us) is cooking tea, a chicken hot pot pie (despite me never shutting up about my low carb diet so will have to navigate pastry 😬😬😬😬😬.
*Disclaimer: it's an e-bike but I'm 65 and 4 stone overweight so allows me to keep up with the fit wiry men in the group!

Ahhh @pinknsparkly that's such wonderful news. So happy for you

Congrats @pinknsparkly . Such good news. Hubby went to the doctors goes he had leg pain. The last time he went was 2017! He has been diagnosed with diabetes. It's been a huge wake up call for him cos he is only 37. I always assumed I would be the one most likely to get it as I has a serious sweet tooth. We both have parents who has type 2 diabetes.

Forgot to say late breakfast was scrambled eggs with homemade guacamole and cheddar cheese crisps

Looking after dgc (school strike day here) so quite exhuasted now. No breakfast (intermittent fasting) but had a much needed expresso macchiato during our trip to the museum - a tiny shot of strong caffeine and a tiny wee foamy milk top, which I hope still allows me to count it as fasting?? Haggis, neeps and tatties celeriac for lunch. And tonight is a sort of mediterranean platter - olives, anchovies, mozerella and tomatoes, avocado, ham, salad.

Congratulations @pinknsparkly, wonderful news

@BonnieBairn that sounds really difficult, hormones have so much to answer for, but 5lb is a great loss and hopefully you'll feel better soon.

I feel your pain, @BonnieBairn, I had relentless bleeding on the mini pill and then had the implant and settled into a 5 week cycle with 2 periods. Done with hormonal contraception now but it is so draining. Hope yours settles down.
I had a bad day yesterday and felt constantly peckish so did have some berries and nuts and lots of cheese but back to normal today. Need to keep up the water! And resist creamy coffee in the morning, that just sets an indulgent tone for the day for me.

So I tried the Celeriac fries and I didn't like them! I'm disappointed. They seemed very sweet and reminded me of parsnip which I also don't like.
I cooked them in olive oil, garlic powder and hot paprika.

Other than that I've had a good day.
My lack of appetite is so strange though.
I can't believe I'm not fussed about all the things I used to love.

I'm generally not having breakfast
Lunch is usually like a little grazing plate; cheese, olives, cucumber etc

Then whatever I cook on the evening. And I feel fine with that.