Week 3 - Pre-Christmas '24 Low Carb Bootcamp: Full, Light or Hybrid?

[BIWI]

Morning all.

To repeat my warning about week 3 (and possibly 4):

... just a word of warning for those of you new to low carbing (and a reminder to those who aren't!) - weeks 3 & 4 are notorious for seeing little or no weight loss. Sometimes you may even see a slight gain.

As long as you know you've been sticking to the rules, DON'T PANIC! This is very normal and we see it every Bootcamp (which has been going for 12 years now). KOKO and things will get going again.

From next week you can, if you wish, move on to Bootcamp Light, which will allow you to reintroduce (some) fruit, nuts and seeds, chocolate and alcohol. All in moderation, of course! And all should be low carb choices - i.e. berries rather than grapes or bananas, almonds rather than cashews, 70% minimum cocoa chocolate and dry wines and clear spirits rather than cider or lager.

Bearing in mind the advance warning about next week, you may decide to stay on Bootcamp if you wish - entirely up to you, as long as you really are including plenty of veg and salad in your menus. Or, you could consider a hybrid, so Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

Here's the spreadsheet

Good luck all who sail in week 3!

Sorry BIWI I only got round to putting anything on the spreadsheet today and can't put in a starting weight so everything is negative in my column.
I've struggled going from full veggie to part time meat eater and was still eating nuts. I've stopped (no nut november) and starting to see a change.

Good morning everyone. Scales show a loss this week, overall pleased. I started the Bootcamp on Thursday 17.10.24 weighing 88.3 kilos (194.14 lbs) and now weigh 85.9 (189.38 lbs).

The only food I am now going to add is some fruit (berries), I have bags of mixed berries in my freezer. I very rarely drink alcohol as I don’t like beer, lager, wine etc. so will not be adding that. Will leave nuts & seeds and dark chocolate for now, as it is very easy for me to overdo them

Good luck for Week 3.

@potas - what was your starting weight? I'll put it in for you, if that helps.

Morning all. Bit of an up and down week for me last week but have KOKO as far as I can. Registered another loss which is great motivation. Have definately felt less hungry and find myself thinking about food less which is great. Going to introduce a few berries and seeds with my breakfast as I am struggling to stomach plain FFGY. No alcohol in the week for me and just a glass at the weekend, as very wary of the 3/4 week warnings as above.

Thanks @BIWI and everyone else for the motivation and support.

3.5lbs down here, which is really 6 days worth of week 1 so I'm pleased. Scales haven't budged for two days but I've been 100% compliant so hoping for a mini -whoosh over the next day or two.

Well done everyone recording a loss - however big or small - and good luck for the week ahead!

Morning all
After a very encouraging start to my first week where I lost 6lbs I have now put 3 back on 🙄

Monday 14.6 (204.4)
Friday 14.3
Sunday 14
Monday 14.3 (200.2)

Tbh there was a slight blip over the weekend though as it was DS's birthday so a tiny piece of cake was eaten. Would this have thrown me out? I'm so annoyed with myself!

Trying not to be disheartened & booking a PT session tomorrow.

Perhaps I shouldn't weigh daily. I'm just really impatient 😂

@ReconstructionSite great going! Just know, though, that even if you have been super compliant, the scales aren't necessarily going to budge every day. In fact, sometimes they may even go up. Your body does fluctuate quite naturally like that!

Perhaps I shouldn't weigh daily. I'm just really impatient 😂

Well, yes! You need to be more patient, and get a bit more perspective. The weight didn't go on quickly, did it?!

And yes, the cake will have thrown you out. But that gain isn't all fat. It's you refilling your glycogen stores.

There is a reason why, in the first two weeks of Bootcamp, we're super strict, and it's to ensure that we get the best possible start to weight loss by using up the body's stored glycogen - so you'll be losing water, using your glycogen stores and starting then to burn the fat. In this way you're switching your body to burning fat for fuel, rather than carbs.

It's important to stick to the rules!

And @NoCarbsForMe please don't be disheartened. You're still 3lbs down.

Starting weight is the sane as first weigh in. Thanks

You are absolutely right.
I will be stricter! 👍

Mentally, I was just really hoping to see "13st something" this morning, for the first time in ages.

I also seem to always lose and put on the same 3lbs each month. So it doesn't feel like such an achievement. But am going to stick with it.

Good luck this week everyone 🤞

Good morning all.

I am at a healthy weight, but I know I feel/look better a few pounds lighter. It was lovely to hear on last week's thread that some fellow short/petite people are here.

Due to all of the above, I also often track my calories (I know that's not needed on boot camp) as it can be so much harder to lose weight at my height and weight.

One thing I've noticed through tracking is that I struggle to eat the recommended 30g of fibre when eating low carb. Does anyone else track and/or regularly manage 30g of fibre? I eat lots of veg, salad. My lunch most days is salad and my dinner always has lots of veg. I'm going to add in some berries from today. But I'm still struggling to know how to increase my fibre more? I'm not worried about it being exactly 30g every day but wondered if anyone could share a typical day of meals when you get close to 30g?

Back up a little today after a loss mid week. I can't even completely blame being away as there were plenty of deviations I could easily have avoided. Probably the hardest part I couldn't help was lack of water actually. Feeling good for this week and have a swim and some water under my belt already.

Should have a good week, next few days all planned and I'll pop to the supermarket tonight.

I'm reading "Ultra Processed People" which should give me plenty of food for thought!

@Magnolia82 I don't track amounts but seeds could help? Chia seed/flax seeds etc with yogurt, I think are fairly high fibre?

I’m happy with my small loss this week and the only thing I will add in is some fruit . I don’t drink so that part is at least easy .

Down then up but still lost a pound.
Going to walk more and keep the water level high.

Where does that recommendation come from @Magnolia82? TBH it's not something I worry about. Just focus on keeping the carbs based around higher fibre veg, and consider adding some nuts/seeds/fruit and I'm sure you will be fine.

Sadly I think you're right about calories though - certainly as you get nearer your target, weight loss will slow down. But I'd say keep an eye on your portion sizes of low carb foods, rather than worry about having to count calories. So, for example, if you were (say) used to having a breakfast of 2 eggs, 2 rashers of bacon and 2 sausages, try cutting down to 1 of each, or reducing one or two of those. It's easy to give yourself the same size portions because it becomes a habit - but you don't always need that amount of food.

A couple of tips I remember from the 'good' old days of Slimming Magazine were to eat slowly, but to have a small portion of your meal - then wait for 15 minutes. If you're still hungry, then eat more. Oh, and also make sure you're drinking plenty of water with your meal. (Which you probably should be doing on Bootcamp anyway!)

Thank you, @Rayna37 and @BIWI

@BIWI
The recommendation of 30g fibre is what I hear on lots of podcasts, etc and is recommended in lots of places eg.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/

www.bda.uk.com/resource/fibre.html#:~:text=How%20much%20fibre%20should%20I,aim%20for%2015g%20per%20day.

gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/health-and-lifestyle/fibre/how-to-increase-your-fibre-intake/

www.diabetes.org.uk/living-with-diabetes/eating/carbohydrates-and-diabetes/fibre-and-diabetes

Yes, I agree about portion sizes. I drink lots of water and only drink alcohol about twice a year. My daily calories are around 1200, so not sure I can reduce much more?! As I said last week, I'm not overly worried as I know I'm at a healthy weight. It's just that my extra pounds really show on my petite frame and I know that I feel/look better a few pounds lighter.

I've lost nearly half a stone : down 6.5lb to 13st 0.5lb. Maybe one day this week I'll be able to see a 12 in my weight recognising that the weight loss can stall in Weeks 3 & 4

Been really strict and seem to have been able to kick "snacking on Milano salami and Emmenthal slices" habit without having to resort to extended fasting m

Just shows that this WoE if you follow The Rules does work

I know I said I wouldn't weigh but I did and 4lbs down for week 1. But more than this am v happy to have more energy and not feeling the massive post meal slump!
Think the only real difference between BC and lite for me is the fruit (am already having a few nuts as veggie, don't drink and don't really miss chocolate once I'm doing LC) but think I'll save the berries for next week.
Thanks for all the support and inspiration!

My week one completed - I lost 6lbs! Absolutely thrilled. This week will be a bit trickier as I’m away with work for two full days and relying on what is available. Think it might be a struggle. No clue where we are going for dinner so can’t even plan 🤦‍♀️

@Magnolia82

When I'm eating 'enough' fibre (and water and fat) I feel good and am <ahem> regular.

If I need a little help, as when travelling, I focus on eating plenty of roast celeriac, wilted spinach and/or raw cabbage and all is well in my world.

Completely agree with @LCagain that eating for how I will feel after I've eaten, avoiding the post food slump followed by the hangry if I don't eat rollercoaster is exactly what keeps me bootcamping

that 'how I feel

2lbs off this week! Really pleased as 6lbs in total since the start. Plus I've edged into the 12 stone bracket which just feels so nice to see
Plan this week is to keep doing what I've been doing and maybe add a small amount of nuts. I don't drink alcohol anyway so that's a bonus!

My fleeting slight of a 10 on the scales has disappeared properly due to my carb intake at the weekend. 😳. But still I am down 0.5lb on last week so I am taking it as a learning. Stick to the rules! In the past I'd have been demoralised at less than a lb but thanks to everyone sharing I realise it's a long game! I'm probably bending rules by drinking 100 ml of beetroot juice a day but it does seem to really help with high blood pressure. As does rosehip tea. Brunch today has been a three egg buttery omelette with mushroom and mozzarella. Dinner will be pork chops with grilled aubergine, peppers and maybe a salad. Might cut down frequency of FFGY and cream for pud which I tend to have as a bedtime treat. Much appreciate all the posts, advice and support. Have a great week everyone.

Just checked in with post holiday weigh in and have started boot camp proper today. Well done of all the losses so far. Hoping to join you all soon.