May '24 Low Carb Bootcamp - Final weigh-in and ongoing chat

[BIWI]

Morning all

Here's the spreadsheet for its final outing although that said, you'll see that @FinallyHere has added extra columns for anyone who wants to keep using it

I hope that all has gone well - and I notice that we have at least 2 Bootcampers who have reached/exceeded the 1 stone mark, which is fantastic!

Just because we've reached the end of the 8 weeks doesn't mean that you have to stop - or stop chatting. We'll keep this thread going for as long as people want to use it, and I'll start a new one once this one gets full.

Thank you, it's something I do quite a lot because I can make batches of the vegetable base and then reheat in various guises - base for an omelette, with eggs, tomorrow I might add halloumi instead as a change from eggs.........

Bunnychow is a South African (I think - the lovely @prettybird will be able to confirm hopefully) stew which is served in hollowed out crusty bread with a bread lid. The ones we've seen at festivals are mainly a version of beef or vegan chilli so probably not especially authentic but flipping delicious all the same! Cheese/sour cream/salsa as toppings and the option of nachos rather than bread is very welcome even if not massively BC-compliant 😊

Yes - bunny chow is South African: I have a South African friend who enjoys making it (although I don't remember my mum ever making it even though it apparently originates in Durban which is where she was brought up)

The bunny chow sounds really good @TheOnlyMrsW and thanks too to @prettybird . I was thinking it was going to be something like 'rabbit food', though I then wondered if it was an actual rabbit recipe.

I plan to do something involving eggs for supper today, it's been ages since I've had a buttery cabbage omlette.

Yes it has definitely become more healthy! I'll try to be good. I've overdone the booze in the recent past plus I'll be 'looking after' my partner who's coming for the first time so I'll not be drinking too much - to be fair, I don't drink much at festivals anyway really as I want to savour the bands and the moments with friends, getting drunk wouldn't be compatible, and hangovers in a tent I can imagine are horrendous! I need comfy clothes, a bath and a proper bed in those situations!

They do have bunny chow! And I'm taking some relatively healthy food with me. Not going to even attempt to LC, but I'm not going to go all out junk either. It's my only 'holiday ' this year so I'll just have fun, be a bit careful and get back on it as soon as I can.

I will also enjoy my slimmer body, I'll admit it! I'm still not in excellent shape, but I no longer have a round belly and lots of flab to squish into skimpy festival summer clothes!

Tent hangovers are the worst! Which festival is it? If it's Bloodstock have a brilliant time, it's not exactly my thing but everyone who goes raves about how chilled it is and it doesn't matter about the bands..........there's just too many to go to them all!
I'm not an "outfit" person but have definitely felt more comfortable in shorts this summer with less weight about me 😍

It is bloodstock!
And yes exactly right, it is such a lovely, friendly, relaxed atmosphere here.

My partner is very much not a metaller 😂 likes her dance music and the like, but we went for the day last year and she loved the feel of it and is very happy to be here.

Thank you 😊 and yes it feels great to feel more comfortable, no matter what you're choosing to wear.

I prefer more classic and hard rock, DH is more into the heavy stuff so we're definitely planning it possibly next year 🙂

I'm still here and slowly losing. I've added back my favourite carbs such as new potatoes and a bit of rice but only once a day. We had a day at Thorpe Park this week. 21,000 steps and no lunch because it was all fast food so that has probably done me good! Keep going everyone 😁

Hello everyone. It's lovely to hear how people are continuing with this WOE.

Does anyone have any thoughts/experiences of the best way of occasionally having some healthy carbs? I want to occasionally include lentils/beans and some different fruits/higher carb veg. (With the VERY occasional piece of cake or dessert.)

Would I be better having one day a week where I might have legumes and some higher carb fruit, etc. or would I be better to have legumes one day and then higher carb veg or fruit another day in the week? Or does it not really matter?!

I think it works better to space out the carby foods so you don't create so much of a blood sugar spike. That's what I'm doing and still losing weight very slowly.... I'm in the healthy weight band so I can't lose quickly anyway without being very strict.

I try and follow the advice of the Glucose Goddess who advises you to eat the carby foods after your protein/fat/veg, so for example having a salad starter, or leaving potatoes till the end of your main course, eating fruit immediately after a meal not as a snack. She also advises a 10 min brisk walk after consuming carbs to flatten the curve.

That's interesting. I am still quite strict with carbs, but good to read that it might be possible to be a little flexible.

Hi Honeys, I'm home!!

What a bloomin fantastic week in Presthaven!! And no, I didn't even try going low carb! 😂I've had the lot this week!! Everything I shouldn't have had and more!! It's been fab! Burger King, Chippy, Pizza, Crisps, biscuits, those hot mini donuts in sugar!! It was fecking awesome! Came home via a detour to Rhyl, then Llandudno. And I'm declaring I'm still in holiday mode until Sunday night! 😂😂Forgot to log my weight from last week so will do that in a bit!

Sounds wonderful @MissBeck!

Interesting. I’d have thought the opposite. You’re going to get a spike so may as well have carbs in one hit. Spacing them out throughout the day would keep blood sugar levels higher for longer. However, I’m not sure if pp meant in one day or very generally. I think if you’re maintaining then you may be able to get away with breaking the rules once a week if you don’t go mad. I think it’s trial error.

Or as @MissBeck has done… have a carb fest week. Interesting that you loved it missbeck and doing LC for a while hasn’t put you off. I totally get the lure of those little hot sugared donuts though! So are you not now craving salads and veggies and of course pork scratchings? Im curious as doing this has really put me off certain carbs - not sugary one but the bready types especially.

@NotDonna sorry I didn't mean spaced out through the day. I mean one small portion of carbs once a day at most doesn't affect me too much.

Welcome back @MissBeck

Thanks for the replies. I have no interest in going mad with carbs (just legumes/fruit really). I guess I just need to experiment and see what happens.

I've been doing quite strict bootcamp pretty much since January, but not really lost any weight. I'm at a 'healthy' weight but know I feel and look better a few pounds lighter, so that's why I'm still keen to lose (but I'm also quite short, so it's challenging!).

I definitely feel better eating low carb, but think I might just experiment with adding in some of the 'healthy' higher carbs maybe once a week.

@Magnolia82 that sounds like a very reasonable plan especially if you’re already a healthy weight. For those few more pounds have you considered intermittent fasting? The easiest is to have an 8 hour eating window so for example nothing for bfast other than water, black tea, black coffee, then lunch around 12, dinner around 7 and nothing after 8pm, other than clear fluids. The timings are irrelevant; it’s about stopping blood sugar spikes. I’ve done it previously and it does work well.

@NotDonna Thank you. Yes, I already do that. I generally do 16:8 IF and only have breakfast very occasionally.

I've also recently started doing strength workouts at home (very light weights at the moment!). I'm quite short and really don't weigh lots. I'm quite small framed with thin legs/arms, but have a huge stomach (I'm a teacher and children in my class asked if I'm pregnant a few times).

I really don't eat lots of food, but wondering if I actually need to eat a little bit more but maintain/build a little bit of muscle?

Ah sorry to not be of much help. Can I ask what strength training you’re doing as that’s something I need to start. Although my weight is coming down and my BMI is just in the healthy range my Renpho has me quite high with fat and low with muscle mass. Plus has my age too high, which is very disconcerting! So any links to good strength workouts would be ace!

Oh you have to click on the photo to see body weight in the red for obesity.
Im over to a friends tonight for drinks, dinner & sleepover. We are having pre dinner drinks at hers then walking to a local pub/restaurant so that’ll be easier as I can choose LC. I’m taking cans of Low cal G&T so I can swerve the wine and will just have either diet tonic or water at the pub. That’s the plan anyway.

@NotDonna I'm not sure if I'm the best person to give advice (only just starting to do strength training) but here are some things I've looked at and I just need to decide something to stick with:

• Olivia Lawson (YouTube)- I was already using her walking workouts but had always ignored her strength workouts! I find these quite do-able (but with lighter weights)
• Heather Robertson (YouTube)
• Team Body Project - you can sign up to become a member. I've been a free member for around a year and you can access loads of workouts without needing to pay for the premium membership. They have cardio & strength workouts.
• Caroline Girvan is recommended lots on Mumsnet, but she's too advanced for me at the moment!
• The Girl with the Pilates mat - I'm particularly enjoying some of the workouts with resistance bands or light weights.

Hope this helps. Let me know how you get on or if you find anything else.

@Lougle It really was!! 😍

@NotDonna I am NOT craving salad one bit! And took scratchings with me. 😂But having all the carbs has took it's toll. I've had the shits the last two days and farting like a trooper!! And, had a few headaches, so carb fests are not for the faint hearted. And looking forward to going back to strict on Monday believe it or not. Oh, and I dropped my 2.2ltr water bottle the second we got out the car when we arrived and it cracked in half! 😭That's why I had to drink Cola and couldn't drink ALL the water! 😂

@Magnolia82 Thanks Magnolia! 👋If my body can bounce back after all the benders I go (and we're talking very high carb food, and a lot of benders!) I'm sure you'll be fine adding in the odd fruity carb treat.

That made me laugh @MissBeck
Thanks for those @Magnolia82 Ill take a look and actually start doing something!
Our get together last night was lovely and no wine - stuck to G&Ts, had lamb & veg albeit carby carrots & purée parsnip but…
Probs have a salad for lunch and BBQ for dinner. Booze free day & lots of water as already a hot one! ☀️☀️