Week 3 (or 2!) Jan '25 Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Morning all

So this is our second full week - some of you will be a few days ahead, so coming up to your week 3 (this is very confusing!)

I'm really impressed about the lack of wine so far

We've had a couple of very quiet weeks so far, after some fairly hectic socialising at the end of last year. It does make it easier to stay on track, both food-wise as well as booze.

If you started on 2 or 3 January, when you get to the end of this week, i.e. 16 or 17, you can make a decision about moving on to Bootcamp Light if you wish - i.e. you can reintroduce fruit, nuts/seeds and chocolate. All in moderation, obviously!

And if you check out the spreadsheet you'll see that there are carb counts there for fruit and nuts/seeds, to help you make your choices.

Good luck

Thanks for replying @Baystard - really helpful to hear from you.

I think my question is linked to 2 things.

1. I think I might want to include some more 'healthy' carbs in my diet. I've never really had much of an interest in UPF or lots of sweet things etc. (apart from a couple of mince pies at Christmas and maybe a piece of birthday cake 3 or 4 times a year).

1. I'm wondering if there is something different I need to try as I'm still struggling to lose the few pounds. I'm maybe a bit different to some people here, in that I've never actually been over-weight but in 2023 I slowly gained around 10 pounds (no idea why/how to be honest!), which on my small/petite frame was quite significant for me.

I know lots of people would say that I shouldn't worry, I'm a healthy weight etc, but I just know that for me I'm not happy (all the extra pounds show on my tummy!).

Also, just to add - I'm not overly obsessed with any of this! I'm aware the above could sound like that. I have a very sensible attitude to food, etc and don't talk about this to anyone in real life. I just know that I'd feel/look better a few pounds lighter.

It was such a shock when I gained those pounds in 2023 as I really had no idea how it happened (other than turning 40!). I couldn't identify anything I'd changed in my diet and I'd always maintained around or just under 8 stone for my whole life until that year!

@Magnolia82

What does a typical year look like for you? Do you add in some healthy carbs (eg. Legumes) in between boot camps?

I eat pretty much the same all the time - I very, very, very rarely eat pasta, rice or bread (other than low carb bread), but if I do, it's a mindful choice, or if I'm in a situation where there's no other option, e.g. someone else cooking for me. I may, occasionally, eat potatoes - specifically new potatoes, which I love, and occasionally, if we're having a roast dinner, a roast potato or two, possibly a Yorkshire pudding.

I occasionally add pulses too, as I love those - and they are, after all, a pretty healthy option. I love a lentil salad. We have a great Lebanese restaurant near us who make a fantastic hummus, which we'll always order with their home-made flat bread.

Does your weight stay fairly consistent when you do this?

It depends how off piste I've gone, and for how long! Around Christmas is a time when I allow myself to eat whatever I want, including sweet stuff. I don't have the will power to refuse! However, I do it knowing that it will show on the scales.

Are any of you at your 'target' weight? Have you kept the weight off?

After a sudden bereavement (younger brother) I went massively off piste for quite some time - eating and drinking way too much/of the wrong things, which led to a huge weight gain and a significant period of ill health. (All better now). Slowly making my way back to my target now, but it takes time. However, it did confirm to me - if I needed it confirmed - that a high carb/high fat/high alcohol diet does not do me any favours!

Do you come back to bootcamp to help you maintain, for the lovely community here or because you yo-yo or something else?

For me, apart from the fact that I'm doing it for others as well, it keeps me focused. Not just on the scales, but in terms of reading and learning more about food, diet and low carbing. Things are changing all the time, and this helps to keep me aware of the latest thinking.

And obviously, because of the lovely community!

Comforting to know that our great leader isn't strictly bootcamp all the time 😁 As much as the low carb way of life suits me, it's not realistic to strictly stick to it absolutely all the time. I love illegal foods too much for a start 😂

Well, it's why it's called 'Bootcamp'! i.e. short, sharp shock.

But like any other diet/WOE, if you go back to what you were eating before, the weight will go back on - so post-Bootcamp it's all about finding what works for you as an individual, both pragmatically in terms of enjoying your food but also in terms of carb levels that will keep you in/around your target weight.

Also bear in mind that when you do reach your target, you won't stay there! It's quite natural for body weight to fluctuate anyway. I think the key is to have a weight range that you're happy with - and once you realise you're hitting the top of that range, to cut right back for a few days.

Thank you so much @BIWI for giving such a detailed response. It's so helpful to hear your experience. You are so kind and generous in the time you give to these threads.

Sorry also to hear about your brother. Thank you for sharing.

I'm so sorry @BIWI

@Magnolia82 it could be peri menopause causing the weight gain

Some facts that might help make sense of fluctuations

Changes in hormones
Estrogen and progesterone play a role in fluid regulation in your body. When these hormones drop before your period, your body retains water. This leads to a feeling of weight gain, through fluid

Evidence from the SWAN study and The Healthy Women's study suggests that on average women gain approximately 1.5kg per year during the perimenopause transition, resulting in an average weightgain of 10kg by the time menopause is reached. Most of this weight accumulates around the abdomen and upper body.

This is a lovely detailed response

To add to /support its sentiments, I too try to maintain Boot Camp principles . I almost never eat pasta or chips now but I will when not on Boot Camp have the occasional excellent pizza. When I do go off piste, I try to do so mindfully eg when in France I'll allow a pain au chocolat and the occasional patisserie.

I do fall off the wagon from time to time (usually when stressed) but have never gone back to even close to my highest weight. Usually it's a maximum of a stone up but this past summer I blipped up to two stone up I think that was due to the stress that my bastard brother was causing me - although I didn't see that at the time.

An NSV: I tried on a lovely pale blue heavy silk Austin Read dress that I have (that must be neatly 26 years old ). It's a simple classic style: a sleeveless column dress that is just above the ankle. I also have a matching short sleeved jacket.

It's a 12 but to my surprise I actually got it on and dh was able to zip it up . From the front it looks brilliant- maybe a wee bit tight across the hips However, the side profile shows far to much of a tummy bump

It will be perfect for the wedding on 21 March, so is a perfect incentive to stay on Boot Camp until the end of February to loose that bump and to continue to be careful when we get to Australia

Thank you for those brilliant questions, @Magnolia82 , and thank you to those of you who have already answered. It has been very informative to read your answers.

I'm not representative of a regular bootcamper, but I have done the bootcamp once before, in about 2020 or 2021. I found that my low-carb habits stayed reasonably well entrenched for a couple of years post-bootcamp, in that I continued to avoid the traditional carb-rich staples (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes). I did start to allow things like pulses, and I intend to do that again because I love those foods and because I think that for me the benefits of low-carbing still exist when it is not completely strict. And i increasingly consumed too many carbs via beer. Over the years, I have sustained about half of the weight loss I achieved during my first bootcamp. That's not too bad because I am in the healthy BMI range.

But I also think that (both psychologically and physiologically) I do need the periodical reset of strict, bootcamp-style, low-carbing. Especially now, because I had reached the point where even my moderate carb restriction was starting to fray at the edges.

The main benefit for me isn't weight control but appetite control. My relationship with food is way more positive and calm when I keep carbs low.

@BIWI , I am very sorry to read about the loss of your brother.

Congrats on the NSV @prettybird . I think it was you who expressed a love of biltong upthread? so I will say that I loved chomping on mine during today's Ramblers hike.
Some bits were way more fibrous than others! After chewing a particularly hairy piece for about five minutes it dawned on me that it was never going to feel 'swallow-ready' and that what I basically had was meat chewing gum.
So I discreetly slipped it out of my mouth and gave it to the dog! So tasty though, and a perfect hiker's snack.

@Magnolia82 I've been following Bootcamp for over 11 years.

What does a typical year look like for you? Do you add in some healthy carbs (eg. Legumes) in between boot camps?

I follow Bootcamp Light just about all the time. I don't worry so much about minor carbs such as thickening gravy or Chinese takeaways but I generally keep my carb intake to a minimum.

Does your weight stay fairly consistent when you do this?

It did until I got the Mirena coil a few years back and then I gained a lot of weight. I've since had it removed and the hunger it caused has stopped but I'm back in the middle of peri-menopause and haven't managed to lose it again despite the fact that I eat well. I suspect it will come off again once my hormones settle down.

Do you come back to bootcamp to help you maintain, for the lovely community here or because you yo-yo or something else?
To support the Low Carb Bootcamp because it did so much for me. I may have regained some of the weight I lost but I still have so many health benefits as a result of eating this way: no more IBS; arthritis pains much reduced; cleaner teeth and healthier gums; no period pain; not getting hangry!

I'm trying to work out what is best for me/my body. I'm officially a 'healthy' weight/BMI but I definitely want/need to lose a few pounds and not being successful. I'm trying to work out what is going to be the best way forward for me (after eating low carb pretty much consistently for the last year, even in between bootcamps).
There are various things you can try to shift the last few pounds: increasing your fat macro; introducing intermittent fasting; monitoring portion size. I'm happy to chat about any or all of these.

I think I might want to include some more 'healthy' carbs in my diet. I've never really had much of an interest in UPF or lots of sweet things etc. (apart from a couple of mince pies at Christmas and maybe a piece of birthday cake 3 or 4 times a year).
You can't do that while you're still trying to lose weight. When you're at maintenance then you can either gradually increase your carb intake of e.g. moderate carb fruits and vegetables or small portions of bread, rice or potatoes. Or you can have one day off per week/fortnight/month where you have whatever you want - but within reason i.e. a baked potato rather than a family-sized tiramisu. With both of these methods you should monitor your weight and, if you reach the top of your ideal weight range, go back to Bootcamp or Bootcamp Light until you get back to where you want to be.

I'm wondering if there is something different I need to try as I'm still struggling to lose the few pounds. I'm maybe a bit different to some people here, in that I've never actually been over-weight but in 2023 I slowly gained around 10 pounds (no idea why/how to be honest!), which on my small/petite frame was quite significant for me.
Yes as per my answer above. In my experience, the best thing to do is to track your food intake using My Fitness Pal for three days and then evaluate it.

I know lots of people would say that I shouldn't worry, I'm a healthy weight etc, but I just know that for me I'm not happy (all the way extra pounds show on my tummy!).
Have you taken up any extra exercise? You may be able to get the figure you want that way instead of by trying to lose more weight. If your goal is a flat tummy then be aware that you need extremely low body fat to achieve that.

@Magnolia82 I’m planning on sticking to this WOE as it’s the only one that seems to work for me and my various diseases . I’m fairly new to it as I started mid September . After BC ends my plan is to carry on with it at home but maybe allow myself to go off piste a bit when I’m out / away . Fortunately I’m teetotal anyway and prefer a starter to a dessert . Over Christmas I had 1 pudding , a couple of biscuits and a couple of turkey sandwiches and I hadn’t gained any weight . I’m going to Disneyland Paris in a couple of weeks ( family celebration) so I will have 3 days eating all sorts including croissants so I’m sure that will add a few pounds . I also plan to carry on weighing myself every Monday so that I know if I need to be stricter for a while . I started at almost 14 stone ( BMI 29.2) and last week was 11stone 11 ( I think) which means my BMI is now 25.1 .

@Baystard I feel like that. My face is thinner, my boobs are smaller (thank goodness) but all the lost fat seems to have accumulated on my tummy!

@Magnolia82 Whenever I get to a reasonable maintenance weight (that might not be the lowest I want to be, but a target achieved that I'm happy to keep for a while) I add in one carb day per week. A day when I have some lentils OR some beans, OR some beetroot or parsnip or sweet potato. But not all of them together. So in a month I could have all of them, but each as a 'treat' spread out over the period. And usually on that day I have less fat, to keep an eye on calories. It means I could go to a resturant and choose seabass served on puy lentils with spinach.

If I stick with that and general bootcamp principles I can maintain at a happy weight. My weakness is combining BC with carbs. Putting butter on everything AND having some rice; fatty duck or pork belly then adding in some potato. tbh I've had a bad couple of years, with that pattern but I got back on it, and now I have about 7 or 10 pounds that I want to lose.

I pretty much never have sugar, have no desire for it.

tbh, weight gain is usually related to how much alcohol I have consumed.

I come back to bootcamp because I value every bit of information that @BIWI @StuntNun @prettybird and so many others offer here freely and generously. Over several years I have learnt so much from the links that I have followed. I think it is fantastic to have a community which is so positive and supportive, yet also clear when things are not on plan (often gently, but occasionaly with a thwack from the big stick). And there are just simply the best ever recipe ideas.

@AlbertCamusflage simultaneuosly laughing and gagging at the thought of your unswallowable hairy biltong, and your dog eating it secondhand!

Thank you all for sharing your LC experiences! I'm also starting to miss fruit and higher carb veg/pulses. Not missing sugar at all at the moment, and I think that is the biggest benefit to me of this WOE.
@BIWI so sorry to hear about your brother x

I took myself off today for an art gallery wander and was very proud of myself to not have a pastel de nata with my coffee in the gallery cafe, and for not eating the Lindt chocolate ball I found in the bottom of my bag! I was sorely tempted by both, but bought a small pot of melon from M&S and it was so delicious. I hadn't realised how much I had missed fruit.

Cooked a Sunday tea inspired by one of @prettybird's menus.. crispy duck leg with a leek, fennel and kale gratin for me and my husband, who is also on bootcamp along with us. I did a couple of roast potatoes in the duck fat for my little boy instead of the gratin. A romping success of a meal all round! Couldn't believe how easy the duck legs were to do.

I really love all the discussion on these threads - so much insight, thoughtfulness and generosity. It is so nice to check in daily and see how everyone is getting on and supporting each other.

Thank you so much to all of you (sorry, struggling to tag you all) who have shared your thoughts to my questions I asked earlier. All of your responses are really helpful and I will give some more thought to everything you've shared. Thank you!

@magnolia I’m one of the yo-yo fall off the wagon or give up halfway boot campers , ( I can picture @BIWI shaking her head and tutting when she sees me , and others I’m sure , signing up again ! )

Anyway , had a good day , cold grey walk down to the river , then drove to the supermarket , sticking up on the greens and other goodies for the next few days , late home which meant I had a stupid lunch of a lump of cheddar

I’d had a bowl of FFGY ( Lidl 10% , Greek style , it’s lovely ) for breakfast and roast chicken , with skin , buttered cabbage , fine beans and cauliflower and celariac purée for dinner , lots of water and some herb tea

@ReconstructionSite the duck leg .. did you just quickly roast it ? Or slow ( just thinking of the lovely duck leg I had for lunch yesterday , hoping I can replicate it at home )

Sorry to derail, but I've got a question about shallots.
DH and I were just discussing pickled onions, like you do.
We're not eating oinions at all atm, but quite a lot of shallots.
We've just been goggling, and shallots seem to have a higher carb count than onions.
But I've rechecked and shallots are green.
I can link our Googles if wanted?

Just roast for 90 mins at 180-degree (fan) and rest for 10 mins @SemmaLina.

Pat the legs dry first, prick the skin and season. No need to brush oil or any anything as they release fat very quickly. Baste a few times and that's it. They were phenomenal! So much easier than trying to get duck breast just right.

I'm really pissed off that I didn't get back to Lidl to get more of those duck legs as they were fantastic value and SO tasty and easy. I was planning on getting at least 2 more packs and sticking them in the freezer

Shallots are 3.3g per 100g, whereas onions are 7.9g carbs per 100g. So definitely go for shallots!

Thank you all for sharing your stories and all the good advice that came with them. I am so sorry for the loss of your brother @BIWI.

Yes, I'm not posting much atm as my laptop is broken and I don't particularly like typing on my phone, but I have really enjoyed reading everyone's experiences of low carbing and I too am sorry about your brother @Biwi

Thank you everyone 💞