Week 4 - May '24 Low Carb Bootcamp - the end of the first half!

[BIWI]

Morning all

Here's the spreadsheet

So this week sees us reaching the end of the first half - so 'only' another 4 to go!

Remember that week 4, along with week 3, can be a tough week from the POV of weight loss, so if things look like they're slowing down/stopping, despite your best efforts, don't be downhearted. We see this every Bootcamp, without fail! Just KOKO (and make sure you're following the rules, of course), and things will get going again.

We took advantage of the lovely weather yesterday to have our first barbecue of the year. Can't believe we had to wait until June! But I love a barbecue as it's so easy from a low carb perspective. On the menu this time we had:

• halloumi in lemon, garlic and coriander dressing
• home-made beef burgers (just beef mince, with some added olive oil and salt/pepper/mixed herbs), with fried onions and plastic cheese (It's got to be plastic cheese!) DH/DC had their in buns, I had mine 'naked'.
• chicken breast fillets, on skewers, which had been marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and fresh oregano
• sausages
• aubergine, served with FFGY into which I'd added the zest of a mandarin, and a little bit of its juice

And to go with this I'd made coleslaw, a green salad and (for the rest of the family) potato salad.

Loads left, so I know what I'm having for lunch!

Sadly the weather doesn't look like it's going to be anything like as nice for the rest of the week
However, I hope you all have a good week. @MissBeck I haven't seen either of those books before, so looking forward to hearing your review!

Morning!

Well I've just had a weird experience. Went upstairs to get ready to go out for the day, asked DD if my top looked okay and she said no, it looked too big! Went and changed into another top, asked again. Nope, looks too big!

That's a first! I used to get 'Too tight/small' 😊

I think I need beating up with the big stick, weekends are a bit of a disaster zone for me (and that includes Fridays as I only work Mon-Thur). I forget my water when I’m not sitting at my desk all day, I am surrounded by people eating crusty bread at home and after an effort all week I always seem to weaken, I can manage the WOE for a week or so and then I just get tired of all the richness of just eating fat/protein/veg and just fancy toast or similar. I know it works but I do find it incredibly hard to stick to for very long. The only aspect I’m any good at is no alcohol because I only drink maybe one drink a month anyway.

I'm sat at a trampoline centre (kids at a party) and I swear if one more tray of golden fries goes past me I might dive on them face first....

Does anyone feel a bit gippy if they eat something a bit oily/fatty? I made some salami crisps last night and felt really ill. I went to bed without eating dinner... (Get your violins out lol 🤣)

Anyway..

B - bacon, mushroom cloud bread toasted
L - who knows something and salad
D - lamb kebab and spicy sausages

Hi, have been quietly lurking. I am beginning to get a little disheartened. Weighed in this morning and have
I have only lost the 1lb that put back on last week, so 5 off in total. I haven't cheated apart from 1 glass of wine after a crappy week. I know I am not drinking enough water. Haven't touched, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, crisps, chocolate, cake since we started, now want to sit and binge them all. Think I am going a bit heavy on the cheese and yogurt. Maybe I will try making some cloud bread later

@SpellitwithaY yes, that's exactly the problem for me, high fat foods seem too greasy/rich without carbs to dilute the richness or absorb the fat and leave me feeling a bit yucky. Eg bacon and egg sandwich = fabulous. Bacon and egg on their own = feel sightly queasy for the rest of the morning.

Well, you know we're just finishing week 4, and I have posted several times about weeks 3 & 4 being troublesome in terms of weight loss.

And you've lost 5lbs so far, which is great! Looking at your weight, it would seem that you don't have that much to lose - is that right?

But that said, if you're not drinking the water, then you're not following Bootcamp rules, are you?!

@SpellitwithaY not much veg going on in your day, by the looks of it.

@EasilyDefined I'm not really sure how to say this without sounding mean or patronising - and I don't want to be either of those. But I have to ask you, are you sure this WOE is for you? Obviously I don't want to 'lose' you from Bootcamp, but you've posted a lot (in previous Bootcamp threads as well) about not enjoying the food - specifically the high fat element. I'm wondering if another way of losing weight might suit you more - at least you might enjoy what you're eating a bit more?

That's the kick up the bum I needed, thank you ☺️ I would be happy with a total loss of 10/12lbs, so on track just impatient. I never drink enough water full stop. That will be my aim this week.

I wonder that too @BIWI but I don't enjoy any of the others any better either and this does work if I can get a good run going. I also know now that when I lapse for several weeks I won't put any significant amounts back on as many of the good habits have stuck, which is great, but I just can't seem to stick at it fully for long enough to shift all the extra stones in the first place (I have lost 2st, 3 more to go).

I really like being on the threads but in real life I am prone to the fuckits. I am also aware that I come on here to let off steam a bit sometimes and people make lots of recipe suggestions but that isn't quite what's needed. Then I feel guilty that people have given their time and effort to try and help me. I think I keep holding onto the hope that if I stick around for long enough the positive thoughts will eventually embed themselves and my taste buds will adjust but it seems to be a slow process. Unfortunately I don't see any changes with the WOE other than weight loss (I don't suffer with sleep, skin, joint etc issues) as that would motivate me a bit more. What I will say is you are a bloody lovely bunch who have been very patient with me

Well these threads are always places to rant and let off steam!

@EasilyDefined if you find this woe a bit rich would upping your veg intake help? I’ve found that if I add lots of steamed spinach cabbage leeks etc or loads of salad and have the ‘moussaka’, for example, as the side dish it feel much less heavy. I also have way too many ‘guck it moments’ but that tends to be around sugar. I’m trying really really hard to get over my sugar cravings.

This morning was a bit odd. I’m a daily weigher and always wake up stupidly early. This morning no exception at a 545 wake up, went for a wee & weighed. Bit disappointed that weight was static. Decided to go back to bed as exhausted to see if I could get back to sleep. Woke 2 hours later, wee’d and weighed and had lost 2lbs during that 2hr snooze!! How can that be?

Have you considered buying this low carb bread @EasilyDefined? Yes, it's expensive, but I honestly couldn't tell you that it wasn't 'normal' bread. It might help you with your bacon sandwich!!!

The wraps are really good too

I have looked at it but the cost (especially shipping costs) are a bit . We only have very limited freezer space so I wouldn't be able to buy enough to get the free delivery.

This I can't explain! Perhaps your scales were resting on something? I am still struggling with my IBD and I'm up 0.2kg on yesterday, which I know is because of that, but it's a bit disheartening.

@NotDonna I eat massive salads for lunch but am less good at doing lots of veg in the evenings. Partly because I go out most nights and don't always make time for proper cooking. Same for the rest of the family (4 adults). We have all got into the habit of eating separately a lot of the time (I posted last week about autistic food issues). DH never cooks veg unless its peas or he is specifically told to. I do agree that steamed veg are a good way to bulk up / offset the richness though and must try harder.

I know it's expensive @EasilyDefined - but I look at it as an investment in me and my health.

I also don't eat them every day - I tend to keep them for the odd occasion when I'd love a sandwich, or something just that bit carby.

If they can make your life easier and more enjoyable, then why not?

I’ve started sautéing cabbage and leeks in the morning - so I’ll do a whole sweetheart cabbage and say 3 leeks, then pop them into 3 Tupperware boxes and keep in the fridge. I’ve also frozen them too so that when I’m rushing I can just microwave them (even from frozen) in a few mins. My DH and DD3 wouldn’t eat cabbage & leeks so it’s an easy add for me when they’re having pasta. Not sure if pre-prep would help?

Interesting to read about others increasing their intake of veg.

In my third year happily low carbing, I am completely used to substituting leafy green veg for more familiar crabs. Wilted spinach, roast or raw cabbage, roast or grated celeriac are my go-to carbs.

Don't think twice about swerving rice, potatoes or bread and feel so much better for it, immediately after eating and for a good few hours thereafter.

YMMV (your mileage may vary)

Crabs???? I mean carbs. Carbs.

Yes, bulk cooking is a good idea, we don't have a microwave or huge amounts of fridge/freezer space but I am very good at rejigging the fridge to fit more in.

@BIWI you are right, the cost would be a deterrent to binge eating! I don't know why my food always seems to fall to the bottom of the priority list, I have got much better at prioritising exercise. I do actually like food shopping and cooking but 20 years of autistic food issues and putting the DCs needs first seems to have taken the joy out of it. All four of us seem to be the sort of people who will always say yes to an opportunity to go out somewhere too and I'm the worst. I have put my email in and been sent a 20% code so I'll try the breads. How long do they typically have as a non-frozen shelf life?

I don't know I'm afraid, as I always put them into the freezer.

Evening all,

Aaw, I see we've got some '4 week blues' happening! If I told you how many times I've fallen off the wagon since January you'd laugh! (Well, you saw my Thursday adventures at least). The couple of week prior to bootcamp, I'd not only fell off the wagon, but it had rolled over me and left me for dead!! I had a two week bender of carbs!! But funnily enough, I knew it was wrong, and although I had chocolate, cake, KFC, Pizza, it was niggling in my mind that what I was eating was wrong! Wrong for me that is. I'd seen the results of low carbing, but felt the need to have one big blow out!

I've hopped back on the wagon now since starting bootcamp apart from last week, and can't thank @BIWI enough for the time she's put into making these threads for us. It's hard, I know. Will I fall off again? Yes, I know in a few weeks I'll want another blowout, and I'll have it, then hop on again and KOKO. The scales are still going down.

My workmates can't believe I'm doing it, and are always trying to tempt me with stuff, but I remember how distraught I was getting looking in the mirror every day, standing sidewards and thinking WTF!!

Weight, and trying to lose it is soul destroying, but finding the WOE that works for you is essential. No one should do anything that makes them totally and miserable. You need to find that balance. 😊

Unfortunately my balance is the occasional blow out to get it out my system. 😂

@BIWI step back with the stick! There is veg there I just haven't listed it 😁. Had a lovely salad with dinner lots of lovely leaves cucumber a couple of cherry toms and mozzarella balls was about half the plate.