Jan ’26 Low Carb Bootcamp - week 3 - full-on, light or hybrid?

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Spreadsheet as per:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gsWvWpGzTSJld1avBi9-uLJveFZes9Qa2ORKthPMl8E/edit?gid=1415293539#gid=1415293539

So as I posted in the last thread, you now have a choice. You can move on to Bootcamp Light, which means you can add in:

Some nuts and seeds
Some fruit - mainly berries
Some chocolate - 70% cocoa (and higher)
Some alcohol - clear spirits and sugar-free mixers, dry white/red wine.

… all in moderation and not at every meal time! Try to avoid the sugar-free mixers as much as you can, if you’re drinking spirits, given how artificial they are.

You can stay on full-on Bootcamp if you want to, or if you feel you’ve been slipping a bit too much recently - as long as you make sure you’re eating plenty of vegetables and salad, for good nutrition. You may, though, want to consider a hybrid - Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

It’s up to you.

Just remember though, that weeks 3 & 4 are infamous! It’s not at all unusual to see weight loss slow or stop. If this happens to you, don’t panic but just KOKO.

Good luck to us all

Just 1lb? But that means you’ve lost 9lbs in two weeks! That’s brilliant!

Oh, and this is 1lb of fat:

I’ve updated the spreadsheet for you @zobalina77 - can I check, have you downloaded the Google Sheets app? That might help you access it more easily.

venus your stuffed peppers sound delicious. I’ll copy that!

No loss for me this week, not really sure why, but no gain either....I did get new fancy scales, my old ones were dodgy, so maybe they were weighing me lighter.
Happy enough though, my clothes do feel less tight. I'm just 10st now, so not too far off what if like to get to.
Going to try to plan a bit better to make things to take to work, this term is mental and I haven't got a break from the kids for another 2 weeks, I need to plan better snacks than aldi pepperami!

Also drinking tonic most evenings might be doing it, I just get so bored of water though.

Going to stick to boot camp this week, then allow myself a drink at the weekend, I am feeling loads better for not drinking during the week at least. My stomach issues have definitely improved too, so happy with that.

I just saw this on Facebook, made me laugh so much. This is exactly how I feel about Cauliflower ' rice'!
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17qEEee76A/

Well done to everyone! 1lb down this week - my brain is already going into 'what's the point?' - this is such a mental battle!
I'm planning to keep to the bootcamp rules one more week since just last few days I really noticed reduction in hunger pangs, so I feel like I now have a better chance of sticking with it. I'm also trying to be intentionally positive and remember that I didn't get this big in a week, which is my biggest struggle, so my list of positives:

• 1lb is a good loss (refer back to 'you didn't put on 4st in a week' )
• I'm already feeling more energetic and less brain fog, which is great!
• my 'liver shelf' has shrunk
• earl grey tea with a slice of lemon is lovely
• I actually enjoy the food more now
• It's all going in the right direction.

Hopefully next week there will be a bit more movement on the scales.

Filled up my water bottle on arrival at work today and went on to smash the target. Hard boiled eggs and salad for lunch, leftover fish & prawn curry with broccoli for dinner. Resisted when DD brought home banana bread baked by her bestie. Winning today. KOKO.

Worked out a way to make hard boiled eggs more palatable without using mayo. I remembered I've got one of those gadgets for slicing them thinly for sandwiches, so I've topped my salad for tomorrow's packed lunch with the slices. Might use it if I want to eat a whole one as well, definitely easier to eat in thin slices and more surface for salt and pepper.

Tonight we had chicken thigh fillets in a cream and pesto sauce, boys had couscous with theirs, I had roasted brussels sprouts. I have made a moussaka for tomorrow night. I am enjoying the cooking from scratch but it is a lot of effort fitting it in after work and around exercising.

Good morning everyone. I only started yesterday so I have a bit of catching up to do. I weighed in yesterday morning at 80.9 kg (178lbs) and that weight has tipped me into obese territory so this BC couldn't come at a better time! I had a coffee first thing (5am)with a splash of cream
For breakfast yesterday I had a smoothie with spinach, cucumber and avocado. I usually add lime and mint but will hold that until I start BC light. Lunch was a salad with fried sardines and a boiled egg with some sprouts and halloumi. For dinner I had beef. stew with swede and half a portion of konjac noodles followed by a small portion of FFGY with cinnamon.
After dinner I had a cup of mint choc herbal tea which was delicious and helped with the after dinner cup of tea with a bit of chocolate craving that is so often my undoing!
I also started my 6 week menopause programme yesterday so had a 40 minute workout just before dinner.
Not a bad start to the week!

Today will be similar but with mackerel instead of the sardines and dinner this evening will be carbonara for everyone but I will have mine with the remaining konjac noodles.

Have a great day everyone.

Well done everyone! Also feeling full of energy here and want to focus on this rather than a particular number. Enjoyed my berries yesterday and finding the lunchtime muffins much more filling than I remember.

@SprinklesofRain it's difficult finding time to fit everything in isn't it. Do you have you room in the freezer for a few batch cooked things, to avoid having to cook from scratch every night? Casseroles, curries or mince dishes (e.g., beef chilli) all work well and then just need warmed up.

I stalled last week already. A family member ended up in hospital which impacted life and I wasn't able to focus. I was thinking of coming off the spreadsheet and just following the posts but I'll stay on there for now on the hope things settle.

No, not really, it's small and always fairly full of ingredient type foods (meat, fish, veg, fruit) but I do make things like batches of pesto and freeze in small portions, I used one of those last night.

Afternoon all. Back to routine after my weekend away. Yesterday’s meals:
B – low carb toast and Bovril
L – ham and home-made coleslaw salad
D – beef bourguignonne from the freezer, celeriac mash and broccoli

Today:
B – blueberries, Greek yogurt, walnuts
L – King prawns from the Reduced corner at Waitrose, side salad
D – yikes, another test! Out for dinner in London with old uni friends. Fortunately, I’ve scouted the menu, and I should be OK if I choose wisely, and I’m taking my car to the station so I can’t succumb to alcohol.

@SavoySteam I do like the mantra "remember that I didn't get this big in a week". I worked long and hard to get this midriff tyre! So a few weeks of consistent effort are required to get rid of it again.

There was one half left over which I ate cold today, with salad. Still delicious!

L - last of the chia pudding with a couple of berries and nuts; stuffed pepper
D (early) - cheese, ham and veg omelette
Evening snack of brie with walnut pesto and celery sticks.

Ate a very late breakfast after running 10k for the first time since 2020; considering entering a local race so thought I’d see if I could do it. Late lunch was leftover chicken from Sunday’s roast with salad and Cardini’s Caesar dressing, then some yogurt and fruit.
Dinner tonight with be salmon and veg for the whole family, DS can have a few leftover wedges with his but I did forget to give him a carb side last week to fish and veg and he actually didn’t notice!

Scales have gone kaput which explains yesterday's shenanigans so I'll get some more this week at some point and add to the spreadsheet when I can. Really still struggling with appetite, think i'll stay on strict BC (I'm not really one for fruit/nuts etc) but just eat when hungry and see where that gets me.

I've always been jealous of bootcampers who get the energy boost as it's not my experience but I'm prepared to put that down to mainly being in peri since I started and falling off the wagon A LOT. I've got vitamins to start taking but I'm phasing in gradually starting with a multi-vitamin so I can work out what's effective rather than take everything at once and see a boost which might only be down to one or two elements, bloods over the last couple of years have consistently seen me down on B12, D and iron but at the low end of the NHS "ok" zone so not enough for intervention...........

Having a "meh" day again after the weekend - need to catch up on chores/washing etc that didn't get done and really not feeling it 😆

@TheOnlyMrsW I’ve never got the ‘energy boost’ either but I’ve got Addisons disease so my energy levels very much rely on my taking enough steroids and are nothing to do with what I do or don’t eat .

Sorry for being absent - we were away with friends yesterday. So just catching up now.

@Theghostofchristmasarse how much tonic are you drinking? Don’t forget, we’re trying to avoid artificial sweeteners (I’m hoping you have at least been drinking diet/Slimline tonic, rather than full sugar stuff!). There is some research to suggest that the body responds to sweeteners as if they were sugar, so definitely worth a swerve if you can.

But I’m glad that your clothes are less tight - always a good sign!

@SavoySteam have you read the thread? Did you not see the picture I posted, to show what 1lb of fat looks like?

Welcome @Goodiewhemper! I was curious to know what you meant by this:

I usually add lime and mint but will hold that until I start BC light.

There’s no issue with these on Bootcamp.

@TheOnlyMrsW if you’re not feeling the energy, can I check how much fat you’re eating? That’s where the energy should be coming from.

@TheOnlyMrsW I don't get the energy boost either but to be honest lack of energy isn't really a problem for me, if anything I could do to learn to relax a bit more, I am trying to fit in mindful breathing etc to my daily routines.

I don't get an energy boost as such @TheOnlyMrsW but I definitely get more slumps when I eat white carbs. I'm finding afternoons are easier when LC.

More celeriac tonight with pork chops and lots of different veg. Did have a little bit of DH's black pudding which I don't think is allowed but otherwise was virtuous.

Hi all, having a really down day and although I made myself dinner of turkey burgers and mushrooms etc, I just can't be bothered to eat. I know it's because I'm down, I really need to force myself. Been drinking lots of water but have a headache today despite it...I've eaten a boiled egg, some yoghurt and a pepperami today. Usual thing of no time to stop and when I finally do I can't eat because my brain is too full of things I need to do and overwhelmed with everything I should be doing. It's sitting there uncooked looking at me and mocking me right now, I'll try again when I've got DS to sleep. If I get him to sleep before 10pm!

@BIWI maybe a glass a night of slimline tonic? Trying to use fizzy water instead, I'll try to avoid it as much as possible. I just need something that tastes of something! I've been having that Jinger drink that someone posted a thread or so ago, lovely but just too spendy. Needs to be mixed with something but I need to just have it with soda. I'm still pleased that I'm not drinking my usual amount of alcohol, did the food shop today and didn't even think of buying any. I will allow myself a tiny one glass bottle of wine at the weekend though.

Out for lunch and dinner Saturday, taking DD to her Christmas present day out, to see a show. Not only going to have to find gluten free for her and me but also low carb... somewhere in Kings Cross or st pancras on the way home. Can't make too much fuss or DD will get anxious and won't eat anything. Really tricky but it might just have to be something where I ignore the chips or whatever.

Has anyone tried fasting 16:8 with this? I used to do it and got used to not eating until lunch at 2pm, wondering when or if I can start again.

Just made the cheese burger pie with salad . A huge hit and I’ve told DH he is NOT allowed it fir his lunch at work tomorrow 🤣. I like my burgers with blue cheese. Could I substitute Stilton for the cheddar?

B. Smoked salmon omelette
L. Med veg soup with chicken, ffgy
D. Cheese burger pie

Have had a good day, but have realised my weak spot at the moment is after I have eaten dinner, when I could happily eat a lot of chocolate - I am limiting myself to just 1 square of 70% dark chocolate and telling myself it is too early to go to bed 😂

Just off to look at low carb options for tomorrow at Heathrow T5. I know there are all kinds of options, just need to choose the best one, any suggestions gratefully received.

@Theghostofchristmasarse Nando’s , although a little dull is good for low carb and gluten free and on the plus side you don’t end up paying for chips that you aren’t going to eat .