Low Carb Bootcamp challenge - lose half a stone before Christmas

[BIWI]

If we start next Monday, there are 6 weeks leading up to Christmas.

Hopefully that means that we can drop 7lbs in those weeks - but only if we're properly strict.

It's entirely up to you if you want to do strict Bootcamp, or Bootcamp Light across those 6 weeks, although I'd suggest that if you haven't got too much to lose, you veer towards a stricter approach.

It's also, we need to bear in mind, a more difficult time of the year to think about losing weight as there are likely to be more social occasions, so a stricter approach around all of those events is probably a good one!

Who's in?!

Hi everyone

Sorry for not posting much, things are a bit hectic here at the minute. I have been pretty much sticking to bootcamp light apart from the odd change, and am feeling good for it. I think I am planning on having Christmas food from 23rd, but not going overboard. I am going to have dark chocolate in (just to add to the mix, my favourite is Lindt 85%) and make truffles, probably aztec ones, to have instead of milk chocolate. And lunches will be plenty of cheeses / pate etc. Just avoiding as many crackers and bread. This is a major change for me, before I have done slimming world etc. And have usually given up at this stage in December.

Also, I made this curry this evening and it was delicious so thought I would share

https://www.funfoodfrolic.com/palak-anda-curry/

Evening all. I'm trundling along still, trying to be as LC as I can whilst eating down the contents of the freezer and cupboards prior to Christmas. Which is making for some slightly unusual meal combinations 😆

My 3 month post partum HbA1c came back as normal (40, pre-diabetic would be 42+), but closer than I'm comfortable with. So definitely good incentive to continue eating this way as it shows that if I'd not been being mindful of carbs, I would definitely be at 42+!

@prettybird - I absolutely 100% agree with you on both the water front and the "I'm not a human dustbin" mindset. With breastfeeding first time round, I remember being enormously thirsty ALL THE TIME but this time round I'm really struggling to keep it up. I definitely see a big difference when I do though. And the human dustbin talk, plus teaching my toddler to put their leftover food straight into the food waste bin after dinner, is helping (a bit!) with the temptation to mindlessly eat their leftovers 😋

I've lost the 2lb I'd regained last week, so that's good. Annoyed at myself though for being a week 'behind'.
Been out for a longish walk today to try and burn off some calories.

0.4lb down which is a minor miracle considering various meals out and random slippages. Phew.

I have a Pukka herbal tea advent calendar BTW. Perfect for BC!

Morning all. Hope everyone has a good week.

I've stayed the same again this week. (Not too sure why.)

2 ibs down! Makes a total of 6, very pleased about this.

I se to have put on a pound overnight, so am going to weigh again later in the week and record then. It my totm, so might be why. Annoying though!
Good luck everyone who is weighing in today.

Amazed to have lost a whole 1lb despite having a day off with DH on Friday. I'm learning what works for me, and definitely think water is the key. I might be saying this because we drank LOADS of red wine on Friday but keeping hydrated meant I didn't feel ill at all. I had a craving for carbs at the weekend having had pasta and pitta bread on Friday but managed to get back on the straight and narrow. It helps that DH is so committed as the weight is just dropping off him. It seems to be harder for me. I'm travelling this week and looking after my mum so I need to make a bit more of a LCBC plan. I'm going to cut back on the cheese and just have a little cream in my decaf coffee in the evening with my square of 85%.I have loved everyone's tips about chocolate @Almahart I might just have to try a square melted montezuma in cream. But I will definitely be more active now which will hopefully help get those last 2lbs off before Christmas. Hope everyone has a good week.

Morning everyone! It's been a little while since I've checked in as work has been more or less 24/7 Monday to Sunday for the past couple of weeks so I forgot to add my figures to the sheet last week.
I honestly can't believe it but since starting I have lost just under 2 stone!! It's only been a month! I keep stepping on the scales, putting them in different places to see if there's an imbalace on the floor, and I've borrowed my neighbours this morning to make triple sure too 😁& she commented on my face looking a lot slimmer so yay to that!
I can't see anything yet but whenever I lose weight I never do until past the 2 stone mark for some reason & this time round I'm a lot bigger so guessing it will be at least 3 before I start seeing it myself. It's a little demotivating not being able to see results but I feel good within myself. I feel hopeful & like I can really do this & get back to living a normal life, not held back by my size.

I've been getting up at the crack of down to exercise for 30-45 minutes a day with weights which I have no doubt has helped shed the lbs. I've defo had hiccups but not major ones and where as before I'd say oh well I messed up, might as well continue, I've stayed the course.

Feeling great this morning. Going for a long walk out on the river now

@islandtiger

It helps that DH is so committed as the weight is just dropping off him. It seems to be harder for me

I'm afraid it's a sad fact of life that men seem to lose more, more quickly - and even when they're cheating!

@N2022 - great progress! 24lbs in 4 weeks is truly fantastic. Low carbing obviously suits you.

@Frumpyunicorn that recipe sounds amazing. Would you mind popping it onto the vegetarian recipe thread as well, please?

@Frumpyunicorn definitely going to make that curry, thank you! What are aztec truffles?!

In the past when I've ignored hunger (actual hunger not 'I fancy that now it is under my nose' :) ) I've seen a slow-down in weight loss.

It seems that when my intake is low enough (and I feel hungry) I might lose initially but then get steadily more cold and tired and don't lose any more weight.

Bootcamp has been great for allowing me to keep eating good things when hungry and yet somehow magically allows me to keep on losing weight.

Well done! What a great pre-Christmas present to yourself.

A 7lb loss on this bootcamp so far :)

I've been absolutely steady in eating to plan but have seen various results over recent weeks. I think it likely that this scale reading is the accurate one. (It seems fair!)

I can't lay hands on my tape-measure but have just had to send two new items of clothing back because they are too loose.

I had a bit of a haywire weekend eating wise with works xmas do and then two more meals out, none of which were very LC. However I woke up feeling really crap today and just tested positive for covid, and I have no appetite at all, which is lucky because firstly I have nothing here to eat and secondly even if I did I don’t feel up to cooking. Forgot to weigh this morning so I’ll use my lowest weight recorded in the last week.

Oh no! Sorry to hear that @VeryGoodVeryNice - hope you make a swift recovery.

Some great losses, well done everyone. Late entry as had to dash off up north to look after an elderly parent on Sunday so no weigh-in this morning. Have entered Saturdays so a 1lb loss. Not much LC at mums, I think she must live on biscuits but I did the best I could. I won't be doing the Christmas shop til 23rd ish, so hopefully avoid treats til at least then. And since I love cheese more than life itself, I'll assemble a festive cheese board as my treat. The 3 gannets men in my life will make short work of chocolate and mince pies. I'll probably succumb to a roast potato or two on the day.

1b up which I'm not surprised by as we had our annual pre-Christmas trip to Scotland to see DH's family which always involves eating out and an awful lot of alcohol!!!! Carvery on Friday night which was lovely and I avoided all potatoes, pasta (who the hell has macaroni cheese with a roast dinner?!), stuffing and yorkshire puddings. Did have gravy which will have been a bit carby but a good time all round.
Lunch out on Saturday at a wonderful Italian in Glasgow - I ordered from the starter menu pepper stuffed with spicy sausage and tomatoes and a salad, then fish tacos at MIL's on Saturday evening. Didn't have the taco itself but the fish was battered (and v nice), and there was also mayonnaise and a mango salsa. A lot of wine and prosecco so I'm amazed that there wasn't any more damage, planning a few strict days a la BIWI this week and next before going into Christmas itself. Will be a strange one this year, first one without Mum, first one where I'm not cooking, and as a result first one where I won't be drinking as we Some amazing losses, well done everyone! Will also be needing a frugal BC thread in the new year as we have to save up for a new roof 😭

Nosy - which Italian restaurant did you have lunch at @TheOnlyMrsW ?

You and me will be coping with the "1st Christmas" without a parent In my dad's case, Christmas Day is also his birthday - but he was so often in South Africa, at least the celebration wasn't an integral part of the day.

@prettybird I remember you talking about your dad too, lots of conversations about how/what to do things.........The restaurant was The Italian Kitchen in the Merchant City, can absolutely recommend!!!!

Hello everyone.

Some great losses and impressed with how you’ve all been navigating Christmas. We’ve not had many social occasions and on the ones we do have I’ve managed to influence food so it’s pretty LC friendly. Elias Greek Restaurant in Glasgow eg for those that are local.

One lb off. Happy with that though not sure I’ll manage another 2.5 before Christmas to take me to the half stone. I have lost 10 since the beginning of the last bootcamp so still pretty happy with that - just nervous I’ll put it all back on over the hols!

I’m also worried that the carbs will make me tired and I’ll have a lot of work on over Christmas as I’m covering.

And that once I start I won’t be able to stop.

Am working on a plan - and will make sure I keep up with all the water whatever happens.

Oh, can anyone recommend a book or articles on cholesterol? Mine’s suddenly a high (7) which I suspect is mostly genetics plus perimenopause. Imagine statins will be suggested at some point so I’d like to educate myself beforehand.

My 2nd reply to @TheOnlyMrsW doesn't appear to have posted

I'll need to add The Italian Kitchen to the list of places to try - although I'll admit that it will be hard to see beyond Sarti's

Dh and I had breakfast there on Friday - dh had their (very good value) breakfast of toasted croissant (or he could've had 2 slices of Italian toast), OJ and excellent coffee, while I had scrambled eggs (and gave him my two slices of Italian bread toast ) and coffee. We then went off and did a bit of belated Christmas reconnoitering

I managed to lose my phone while we were out but activated the "Find my iPhone" once we got home, declared it as lost and then got it to play a sound. The lovely folks at Whittards then gave us a call

There are lovely and honest people in the world

Christmas won't be too bad for us as even though it was also dad's birthday, he was so often in South Africa, we didn't celebrate his birthday with him then and we can just imagine he's away. We'll raise a glass to him of course