Jan '24 Dry Bootcamp - our last week

[BIWI]

Morning all. Hope Storm Isha didn't do any/too much damage.

Here's the spreadsheet - hopefully fixed now!

Although this started out as a 4-week challenge, I realise of course, that January is the never-ending month, so we'll continue right to the bitter end, which will be a week on Wednesday!

Don't panic though - I will be starting another one for February, only this time it doesn't have to be a dry one.

I'll start the next one 'afresh' so it gives other people a chance to join us, which means that (if you want to) the first two weeks will be the usual strict Bootcamp. If you're happy on Bootcamp Light, or you simply want to be able to have a drink (!), then it's entirely up to you.

So thinking about our last ten days - what do you realistically want to be able to achieve? I'm still hoping to get the scales to start with 9 rather than 10, but that does mean I'm going to have to be super strict, as that leaves me with 3.25 lbs to lose. I have two meals out before the end of the month, but they're both in places I know I can make good choices, and I'm finding it easier to forgo the alcohol too, so I'm not too worried about those.

For me, then, it's a weight challenge - but it doesn't have to be weight. It could be a specific item of clothing (thinking about those of us who have holidays coming up), or your measurements, or anything else that you think you can work towards over the next ten days.

I agree @Metabolicallycomplicated double cream is possibly the answer to everything
Dinner tonight was salmon fillet with green beans and pan fried mushrooms, looked a little plain , so I added some double cream and a squeeze of lemon to the mushrooms , some sea salt and black pepper and a knob of butter
Top notch 👍

Adds Parmesan to shopping list

I have to say, the Captain Morgan 0% Spiced Rum and Tanqueray 0% Gin are really helping me. In fact, this evening, I had to check I hadn't poured myself a real gin by mistake!

And the great advantage of drinking something alcohol-free, is you don't get the stupid 'must have another one' behaviour like you do with alcohol! So I can enjoy a 'gin' or 'rum' while I'm cooking, and then after dinner move on to sparkling water quite happily.

I fell off the wagon spectacularly yesterday after an 8 hours round drive to a funeral of someone who was taken far too young, at age 37 with two young boys.

just was all a bit too much. And while I resisted the high carb buffet I got dehydrated on the drive and when I got home I had run out of willpower.

back on it today- got some damage to repair but today is another day.

Sorry for your loss @Nestnearlyempty

Is the Tanqueray 0% worth it @BIWI? Some of the AF gins are almost as expensive as the real thing and I can't bring myself to buy them in case they are disappointing.

That's exactly how I felt - but I'd recommend it. It's not gin, obviously, but with plenty of ice, lots of fresh lime and tonic, it hits the spot. And as I said, I had to check I hadn't poured myself an alcoholic Tanqueray this evening!

I think Sainsbury's have it on offer, with the Nectar card, at the moment.

Yes

it's £15 at the moment

Oooh excellent, thank you. I do my weekly shop at Sainsbury’s so one of these might be finding its way into my basket.

@AllTheBlackCoffee I know what you mean about spending the money before knowing if you like it, but the 0% Gins are generally quite good now.

In terms of cost, just think about what you'd have spent on alcohol (or snacks treats etc.) if you hadn't been following this boot camp this month.
So I'd say dive in and treat yourself - I think it's worth investing in a few things that could help you feel like you're not missing out to much and may just save you from a dose of the fuckits!!

I was very hesitant about buying the Tanqueray, because I am a pretty committed gin drinker! I'd tried a non-alcoholic 'spirit' before, Cedar, which claimed it was 'like' gin, but it was awful and nothing like gin.

The first 0% alcohol one I bought was Tanqueray's Sevilla, and that was pretty good - but I don't always want that flavour, hence trying the ordinary one.

I'm really enjoying the Captain Morgan spiced one though, as I'm drinking that with sparkling water (and fresh lime), so I don't have the artificial sweeteners in slimline tonic.

Sorry for your loss Nestnearlyempty, that sounds a very challenging time x

So all went well at my appointment today and pleased to report only cheese and a small packet of nuts were consumed! Plus lots of water which seems so much more refreshing than it used to... After the insights yesterday I decided not to take any of the back up food and it worked out well. I'm feeling much calmer these days (not sure if that's LC or some of the other things I'm changing) so didn't feel the need to calm myself down or try to ramp up my energy w the food or drink before going to work.

Just went on to the spreadsheet and had to correct my results?
I was down as 195lbs and am 143 in real life.

Hi everyone

Well done @bluesupermoon that is fantastic, hospital's are stressful so you did really well. I am the same, I feel much more even on bootcamp and get fewer mood swings, I am convinced in my case it was down to blood sugar spikes.

It's great to hear from long term bootcampers like @FinallyHere and@prettybird it is so inspiring to carry on. I have been doing it since September and have lost 15lb so far, I have at least the same if not double that to go but am trying to do it as a lifestyle change so if it takes longer whilst I do bootcamp lite that is OK with me.

I had baked aubergine tonight whilst everyone else had jacket potatoes but I am not enjoying it massively now so next week I think I will just have something completely different.

Thank you! I really appreciate the support. Am open to the possibility that in the past I have been telling myself this and other situations are stressful in order to justify the food/drink afterwards...

Congrats on your loss, that is brilliant!

Morning everyone, scales have finally inched downwards, I've hit a new low for the year and moved down into the next lb after bobbing up and down for ages. I'm so chuffed and so proud of myself for sticking with it, especially when I could quite easily have caved and had wine last night. Just hoping now my body has remembered what it's supposed to do and will keep bloody doing it.

Felt a bit hungry this morning so have had breakfast - Greek yog and cream, lunch will be stuffed mushrooms and salad and tea is going to be chicken thighs in tomatoes and fridge veg.

@Frumpyunicorn i love aubergine but if that doesn't work for you, how about a stuffed pepper ? I remember when they (or big tomatoes) stuffed with mince / rice / whatever baked potato topping your family had would have been the height of sophistication :)

I am wondering if anyone can shed any light on the calorie count of a costa black americano? I know we don't count calories but I saw when I was ordering that it has 26k per cup. I've been trying to have coffee black in the morning to not break my fast before breakfast which I have around 9ish (several cups of tea and coffee after I wake up!) and wondering if I've got it wrong? Somehow always assumed it was like black tea and more or less calorie free.

Have a good day all!

In theory a black coffee - of any nomenclature - should be calorie-free. But I'l see what I can find out.

According to their website a 260 ml Americano will have 12 calories. A 340ml will have 18 and a 450ml will have 23.

I can't find anything that gives information about ingredients, however, I have found another site that would confirm that black coffee does, indeed, have calories - which is not what I expected to find!

See here

I am very pleased to say that I have achieved my aim for this bootcamp - tried on my skiing gear, and it fits perfectly! Last year the popper and my midriff fought a daily existential struggle. This year they may not even really be aware of each other's existence 😂

Looking forward to starting afresh in February. I've noticed that I tend to lose motivation once I've lost 10lbs or so, so to counteract that slump I have just bought a range of low carb bread and treats. Here's to the next bootcamp and getting rid of that final stone!

Hello all.

Sorry for the absence. I've been quite unwell this week and still am. Not been eating very much, but unfortunately struggling to drink the water as my throat is so sore.
Not sure what the scales will say next week

I would like to join again in February, if that's OK @BIWI?

@Metabolicallycomplicated so sorry about your health.
Everyone else, glad you're doing well, or at least KOKO.

Inching downwards here again now, but I think its because I have been having a shit couple of weeks and not felt like eating much, permanent butterflies in the stomach with anxiety at the moment. Although I have stuck quite well to BC this week when I have eaten.

I am a little envious of whoever said upthread that they no longer have any desire to eat oven chips when the family are having them, its still pretty hard for me, same with bread, still love and crave both. I have managed to move on from rice, pasta and other types of potato so hopefully its a journey. I am not mentally rebelling against the WOE anywhere near as much as I used to.

It's progress, even if it's slow @EffortlessDistraction

Like @BIWI , i looked up calories in black coffee: it apparently does indeed have negligible amounts (2-5 calories in a cup depending on size and a single calorie in an espresso shot) , but I then also looked up black tea and it too has similar, negligible amounts

I suspect you'd use up more calories just making and drinking them

I know @prettybird. Soon we'll be finding out that water has calories too!