Summer 23 Boot Camp, Week 3: (maybe) you can relax (a bit)

[prettybird]

Welcome to week 3 . This is the week where you have a choice.

PLEASE READ THIS POST CAREFULLY

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 - check out the fruit counter on the Spreadsheet, which the lovely FinallyHere will be along shortly to link to, 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. Your body will choose to use alcohol rather than its fat for energy but some of you have already seen how the disinhibiting effect of alcohol can result in falling into carb consumption

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 and I've seen talk of quite a few slippages . 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.

All the best! And remember, if you're not seeing the scales move as quickly as you'd like, then look at the NSVs: looser clothes, better skin, better sleep - and simply no longer being in thrall to carbs

Just catching up this morning as I’ve been ill. (Actually I started catching up yesterday pm and then got distracted by all the lovely roses and went onto the David Austin website instead 😂 We are getting our garden redone at the moment so obviously I have to buy lots of lovely plants…)

Happy Birthday @onthecoast . It sounds like you did brilliantly really. I think if this WOE is going to be long term, then you have to make peace with the fact that sometimes you’ll have to break it a bit. And so long as that’s not every weekend then I think that’s fine. Your carb count sounds like it would still have been a lot lot lower than most peoples daily intake anyway. I’m going to a weekend festival in a few weeks and your post has helped my mindset. So thank you!

Ive only just weighed in this morning. I’ve lost 1lb which I’m happy with (@Baystard thanks for sharing your thinking about slowing weight loss!). The only thing I’m slightly peeved with is that my BMI is now exactly 25. I was hoping to get to 24.9 this week which is officially “healthy”. I’ve not been in the normal range for 7 years and started the year with a BMI of 32.5.

Ive been woefully bad with water since the weekend so that needs improvement. Big stick please…

On Sunday I went to a concert at Hyde park. I managed to sneak in a LC bread roll and some pumpkin seeds (strict no food policy). I had a decent lunch before setting off and for dinner I bought a German sausage with no bread and transferred it to my own roll. I was home by 11:30 but on Monday I felt awful and had a thumping headache. I’d been run down last week and I think the long day just pushed me over the edge. I suspect the lack of water didn’t help much though. Luckily I have a few well timed days off this week so I’ve been taking it easy.

I made slow cooker pulled beef brisket yesterday. It tastes divine! Looking forward to having some for my lunch later. I Think today I’ll have it Mexican style with salad, guacamole, grated cheese and sour cream. Yum.

Belated happy big birthday @onthecoast

So , my challenge today is how to make 2 leftover chicken thighs make dinner for 2 .
I would normally make a bung it all together pasta , tonight will be a bung it all together vegetable gratin I think

Weighed in at 149.8 - very happy to see less than 150, somehow being in the next set down (counting down in 10s) feels very motivating. Determined to stay in this bracket so will remain on strict bootcamp this week.

Food today:
L - left over ham cheese and veg omelette/frittata and a coffee with cream
D - chicken thighs in cream and mushroom sauce, broccoli, roast tomato, spinach, broad beans (just a few - they were in the veg box)

I bought 2 packs of ham yesterday. One was Wiltshire Cured (0.1g carb per 100g) the other was Honey Roast Wiltshire Cured. I snuck a little taste while I was making the omelette (cook's privelege) and thought it tasted very sweet - yes 2.7g carb per 100g. There was only a little in the omelette but it was a reminder to read the packet, it was just unnescessary sugar.

@onthecoast It sounds like you managed well (happy birthday!). I think it's important to notice what you enjoyed about the ocassion - the thoughtfulness of friends, a delicious lunch, a small amount of rice. The best birthday present you can give yourself this year is learning to navigate these kind of events without needing to go overboard on carb-laden foods.

I need to get on to a laptop and log it in the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness but after a lot of water, I'm pleased to be able to record a 2lb loss to 12st 1.25lb.

Only 1.5lb to go to my next intermediate target, which is to get below 12st I may not get there next week as I'm now in the Weeks 4-5 doldrums (I started a week early) - but at least it's in sight

Another one not such a fan of green beans @TheOnlyMrsW though I found them delicious served as a salad with, I think, very small 'flecks' rather than bits of bacon and onion & with french-style salad dressing poured over probably when warm. Only tried them when they were literally the only thing left on a sandwich trolley, then had then every day we were there. Have been looking for a recipe ever since. There is usually a dryness about a green bean that was totally absent in these. Delicious, though i have no idea what alchemy was used

Gratters on your relative restraint, @onthecoast and well done for navigating a tricky time with grace and ease, appreciating all that your friends and family arranged to mark your big birthday.

I feel your pain @ItsAsIfWeWereThere being on the verge of 'normal'

(a BMI-related comment in case anyone missed the original and is wondering....)

This morning i nudged by one pound into that happy state. My first attempt on the in-body scales in the gym was disappointing but knowing that I had drunk one 1liter water (weight one kg) that morning, I tried a visit to the loo and ta-da normality. Last seen in 1990, hurrah and many thanks to @prettybird @BiWi @StuntNun for Bootcamp which feels successful and sustainable. In fact, thanks to pretty much everyone except my mother, who tried so desperately to not show how much she minded when i was overweight and how overjoyed she was when i lost weight. Far, far happier than about anything else I ever achieved. sigh

I just made a tomato omelette which turned into scrambled eggs - ratio not good I guess - too many tomatoes 🍅(3) to 5 eggs 🍳

Very yummy though and hit the spot especially as I've run out of FFGY which I need to top up as I'm constantly eating it

I need to up my recipe repertoire

Yesterday was

B coffee FFGY
L Avocado 🥑 Camembert 🧀 with basic salad stuff cucumber 🥒 tomato 🍅 lettuce 🥬
D baked gammon - FFGY with defrosted frozen mixed berries

I planned on having gammon leftovers today but someone has eaten it all - looking at you DS.

My bingo wings and back fat seem to be shrinking I need to do specific exercises I think to try to tone them up - hoovering the stairs might do it

Lots of good weight losses. Congrats to you all. Scales are still stuck for me. Not surprising since I have had some slips during the first two weeks.

My NSVs include a reduction in the size of my 'double knees' (the little fat rolls just above my knoeecaps which look like extra knee caps).

I've been held back a bit by some horrible tension in my neck, which makes a lot of yoga positions hard and also makes running difficult. It is really demoralising and the other day it got really bad and triggered a wave of nausea. Google tells me this is called cervical vertigo. But I saw a chiropractor yesterday and am hopefully moving towards an improvement.

Happidaze, lots of my omlettes turn into something like scrambled eggs. I have christened them 'scramlettes' so I can pretend that this is an actual thing which I created on purpose.

Usually it is because I have added more veg than the eggs can incorporate properly.

Interim weigh-in is promising on the under 200lb front but I'm only going to claim success at official Monday weigh-in. I've compromised on the cream in coffee by switching to double from single - need a lot less for that creamy hit. And cut down from 3 to 2 cups a day. New water game if you're watching Wimbledon. Take a sip of water every time the players do 😁. Boiled egg for breakfast, 40 (!) mile bike ride included half a protein bar (7g carb 😬), lunch picky plate of streaky bacon, cheese, chicken, dinner - chicken thai curry with brocolli.

Taking some time to go back over posts, while ds and his girlfriend make supper 

@Goodiewhemper - sometimes family and being empathetic is more important than than sticking strictly to Boot Camp. Sounds like you made a good choice with your aunt

I've got no idea what a coconut moochi is but it sounds bad from your guilt. Big Stick duly deployed for that

Dinner's ready so I have to finish now

Hi all.
Checking in with todays food
B - low carb toast with almond butter and bovril spread (not on the same piece of toast though)
L - salad made of leaves, feta, olives, bbq brisket slice, a few walnuts, gherkin and a few raspberries. Not as big as it sounds though.
D - chilli with cauli rice, leeks snd mushrooms fried in olive oil and butter.

3 coffees with cream.
2 squares dark choc.

Been properly craving carbs today but stayed away except for the choc, which was quite a challenge when dd ate cinnamon buns with frosting!

I do feel like I'm eating a lot of food when I list it out.

I woke up feeling hungry today , so I had FFGstyle Y with some berries and some vanilla essence for breakfast , which was lovely
L was leftover from last night baked aubergine ( DH are the cold chicken which I’d thought we’d have tonight )
D salmon fillet with green beans , HM coleslaw with vinaigrette, mayo on the salmon though
I have had a glass of wine whilst watching the Wham documentary ( still love you George ❤️)
@OldandTired66 your Wimbledon water idea reminds me of the Dallas drinking game from a long time ago …..

I've struggled a bit today. I've been looking after my grandchildren and rushing around, and I've felt hungry all day. I had a slip-up, snacking on the children's leftovers, then felt guilty about it and ate a big chunk of cheese 🙄.

I guess tomorrow is another day.

Food today:

B: FFGY and a couple of strawberries
L: tuna mayo, boiled egg, salad (and some leftover sandwich 🙁)
S: cheese
D: steak fried in butter with mushrooms, tomato, avocado and asparagus.

Lots of coffee, but struggling with the water.

@Goodiewhemper - the other thing to remember, if you've been doing this 4-5 weeks, is that you're in the doldrum weeks, so don't worry about your weight loss slowing or even stalling. Keep going with the water and enjoying the right foods and resisting as best you can auntie temptations and you will achieve your target and be able to enjoy that glass of wine

@OldandTired66 - skin improvements, like elbow and heels is one of the NSVs of this WoE

B: 1 coffee with cream
L: Avocado and feta salad with tomatoes, mixed leaves, olive oil
D: Mushrooms fried in butter and garlic; ostrich steak; swede mashed with quite a lot of cottage cheese. With waggamamma spicy mayo.
2 cupswhite tea.

I think the cottage cheese and the mayo were more carbs than I should have allowed myself, but overall a better day than several recent ones.

@LadyBird1973 I think your food diary looks great. Not too much at all. I wonder what your previous life food diary might have looked like?

Cereal and/or toast for breakfast? some kind of fruit snack, perhaps a banana or apple? A wholegrain sandwich, some crisps, or another fruit, and some juice, or a low fat yogurt? Late afternoon munchy snack of a biscuit or two Healthy dinner of pasta with meatballs, veg and some garlic bread. Late night nibble of some chocolate...

You are doing great. KOKO

@venusandmars thank you. It's reassuring that someone else thinks it looks okay.
Tbh, my usual way of eating is to pick all day - i didn't really eat big dinners and would quite often have a sandwich for dinner, but I would snack all day on bread, cereal, fruit, chocolate, cake, cheese, dips and when I did eat dinner it came with potato or pasta or noodles. Plus tons of Diet Coke. And espresso martini I knew I was overeating a lot before but in my head it still feels like a lot of food to still lose weight on.

I do feel a lot happier on this woe - I know I'm giving myself proper food and I feel like I'm looking after myself better. Like others have said, my skin looks and feels a lot better too. Who knew smooth elbow skin was a thing?

Food and my state of mind are very much linked - I'm not sure that's entirely healthy mentally, but maybe it's the same for many women in particular. I know that when I eat well I put more effort into other parts of my life, which can only be good.

Am trying to find ways of treating myself and living that don't include using chocolate as a comfort or a reward.

Sorry, that was a bit long

@Random789 what does ostrich steak taste like? Is it like normal steak?

@LadyBird1973 It's a dark meat, slightly sweetish (in a manner similar to lamb) and very lean (so not ideal for BC). It tastes more like a red meat than like poultry. Its texture is dense, more fibrous than poultry, but it is very tender.

It is more like a tender beeef steak than anything else.

It just needs to be very briefly seared on both sides (though I prefer it more well done) so it is very convenient to cook

Gradually catching up on posts.

@Lucienandjean - hope a few days back on Boot Camp proper has helped.

@TheOnlyMrsW - it's perfectly normal for hunger to reduce in this WoE. It's an important part of why we say that you should only eat when hungry. With your body adapted to use your own fat for energy, your calorie intake naturally reduces with your hunger hormones in balance. It does sound like Intermittent Fasting would work well for you and as others have said, mixing the timings up a bit will actually be helpful.

Personally though I now find it easier just to skip breakfast which I now have rarely/on a special occasions. But if I feel hungry, I have a plate of FFGY.

It helps that dh also doesn't have breakfast and although ds is back at home, he sorts himself out for breakfast.

Thanks @FinallyHere for sorting the spreadsheet . Memo to self, must remember to get on to a laptop to post my weight

@Random789 thanks, it sounds interesting. I think there is a restaurant not too far away that serves it, so I might try it when I'm ready to start eating out again. I don't trust myself to stay away from dessert right now!

@venusandmars - I have potatoes growing in the garden - a mix of first and 2nd earlies and maincrop. None are ready to pull yet (I checked at the weekend), so at least I've not been tempted by homegrown potatoes yet.

@ListenLinda and @YappyCamper - I can't advise on non-carby shop bought salads as I rarely need to get any but iirc, M&S was good for options. No idea about how much they cost though. I also seem to recall that one of us keeps sachets of mayonnaise or a wee bottle of EVOO to add to the fat count.

@EvenmoreDetermined - sounds like lovely food (I'm still on the Tuesday posts ). You've reminded me that I need to make a big batch of coleslaw. I'd even bought a white cabbage especially.

@onthecoast - congratulations on your big birthday and for navigating the birthday celebrations so well. No Big Stick from me.

Plus, like me, you started a week early so you were "allowed" to move on to Boot Camp Light. yes, I know beer technically still isn't included

I bet you felt better for just having had 3 halfs rather than 5 full pints - and still had a good time

Your attitude is great. Remember too that after your great initial loss, you're now entering the doldrum weeks so that weight loss might naturally slow. So don't get despondent.

Finally up to only yesterday 

@ItsAsIfWeWereThere - you've made brilliant progress to get from a BMI of 32.5 to 25 in only 6 months.

I'll wield the Big Stick as requested though with regard to the water. It will have contributed to your headache. So, let that be a warning and go and have some water

Hope the concert at Hyde Park was good!