Week 3 - Summer Low Carb Bootcamp - When the Going Gets Unexpectedly Tough

[BIWI]

I'm starting this thread a little earlier than usual, as I have to be at work at dawn's crack tomorrow

Come and confess all on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

So from tomorrow, you can move on to Bootcamp Light, if you want. (Rules on the tabs on the spreadsheet). That means that you can introduce fruits (berries only) and nuts (in small quantities), as well as alcohol (albeit in moderation!)

You don't have to, if you don't want to. You could continue to do Bootcamp if it's suiting you - or do Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend. Whatever suits you.

Whatever you decide here is something really important that you need to know about weeks 3 and 4 (and possibly 5):

It is very common for weight loss to stop at this point in the diet. You may even find that you gain a pound or two. DON'T PANIC! It is entirely normal. Your body is switching from carb-burning to fat-burning, and is re-adjusting to your new WOE. You have jettisoned a lot of water weight, and have emptied your glycogen stores. You will also have lost some fat. Now, your body is working on just burning fat.

PLEASE DON'T PANIC AND START TO TRY AND CHANGE ANYTHING. THIS IS ENTIRELY NORMAL AND HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY LOW CARBERS BEFORE YOU. STICK WITH THE KNITTING, AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED BY SEEING THE SCALES MOVE AGAIN IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO

Good luck for next week. As ever, post any questions on the questions thread, and keep us all updated as to what you're doing/eating.

[CrabbyBigbottom]

I'm not meaning to discourage anyone from low-carbing, btw!

[Badvoc]

No, I known what you mean big bottom.
Low carbing is a lot Easier with no dietary constraints I am sure.
And tbh all diets are the same...they all use cheese and yoghurts albeit send use the fat free ones.

[CiderwithBuda]

I agree Crabby. This bootcamp is brilliant at getting people through the worst stage - the cravings. And the boost of quick weight loss is great. But for most people this way of eating and even bootcamp light is probably too restrictive. The original Atkins diet if done properly means you start to reintroduce carbs. I think it was 5g extra per week till you find your set point at which you maintain. Those carbs are not meant to be the normal white carb crap that made us all fat in the first place though! Low gi is a great way of eating. That is what I was doing on my 'no crap carbs' diet.

At the end of the day not every diet works for every one. We are all different. And if we have any dietary restrictions its harder. So we need to find what works for us.

And now I am off to make pasta carbonara! For DS I hasten to add. And I think I am just going to have an omelette. Have just had to clean the utility room after an unwell dog so am shattered.

DS also managed to spill some juice on the table his iPod touch was on so had to clean that up too.

[BIWI]

To be honest, Badvoc, I could easily do Bootcamp without cheese. I don't use much cream and although I have yoghurt, it's an alternative to eggs for breakfast, so I could easily drop that too.

It sounds like an excuse, I'm afraid There are plenty of dishes that you can enjoy without cheese. And also lots of things to snack on - especially once you're in Bootcamp Light and can include nuts.

And Crabby - not really sure I agree with you about the assertion that low-GI is better. Nor would I agree that this is a more costly way to eat.

What you're complaining about at the moment is the strict nature of Bootcamp. Bootcamp is meant to be strict! There's a bit of a clue in the name!

Once you have completed Bootcamp and/or lost the amount of weight you want/need to, then you focus on working out the level of carbs that you can consume on a daily basis that will allow you to maintain your weight.

For some people this will mean that they can start to include things like beans/legumes (or even bread/potato/rice/pasta) in their meals, as they are less sensitive to carbs. For other people, these foods will remain verboten.

Re cost - lots of meats/fish that are perfect for low carbing are also very good value. Chicken thighs, breast of lamb, pork belly, fatty mince and even salmon fillets (which always seem to be on offer in Sainsbury's) are very good value. But you don't have to have meat/fish at every meal. Check out the recipe thread for lots of lovely vegetarian low carb recipes.

Cider - yes, definitely a Freudian slip there

[Badvoc]

Oh BIWI I have missed you! :)
Yes I think you may be right.
I am making excuses...so much going on, I have been putting my own health/weight loss on the back burner for so long...
Just had meatballs in tomato sauce :)
No focaccia with it!

[BIWI]

Now remember. you and your health are very important!

[sammisatt]

Hello

I've decided to stick to boot camp during the week and lite at the weekends so:

B: sausage, boiled egg
L: leeks, courgette, bacon in cream with 2 eggs on top
D: celeriac boulangere which I ate two mouthfuls of then couldn't finish it. I am really trying with celeriac but its not doing it for me. Some roast lamb which was fatty and should have been slow cooked and was tough and horrible.

Depressing food day but have just cheered myself up by having a slice of my favourite cheese ever. It's called blue sticks. It's both red and blue and is divine if you are a cheese head like me.

[JustasmallGless]

For those struggling with dairy try uber camp for 3 days - plan already designed for you.
I've been eating like this for over a year and no desire to go back to eating anything other than veg for my carbohydrate intake.
The odd slip is due to being out and having limited food choice. That's not my fault, that's society which has conditioned us to eat carbs mainly because it benefits the food industry .

Meal planning is your friend. It's the best way to do it. It may be that if you are buying reduced products you work it out round that. Or go with a strict list.

But honestly it DOES work.

My benefits:-
Weight loss
More energy
No thrush
Rosacea disappeared
Mental health improved beyond recognition

The choice is yours really but if you read about the health benefits and why it really works and the evolution of our bodies there really is no question in my mind

[CrabbyBigbottom]

[CrabbyBigbottom]

Also, as I said, I think there's a big crossover between long-term low carbing and a low GI WOE!

[maidofmuss]

Just as that's really interesting about your Rosacea disappearing on this WOE (as well as other benefits). Do you think that's as much down to dairy restriction you mentioned as low-carbing?

Today:
B (missed ? late for work), black coffee
L sliced chicken and two salads from deli (mange tout and beets ? least carby looking ones I could identify)
D roast chicken, home-made cabbage slaw (with white vinegar, oil and full-fat mayo dressing plus bit of parsley and a shallot) plus handful of green salad leaves and a small avocado
S handful of black olives, cream cheese and cucumber (maybe because I missed breakfast ? usually not needed to snack)

[captainmummy]

I think you could think about why high-carb is cheaper, crabby. Is it because it relies on cheap fillers like pasta, rice, bread? Why do you want to eat such processed filler?
Why is it that when you go for a meal out, the menu is inevitably chips, rice, bread, pasta, crisps etc. They are cheap and this means the plate doesn't have to have so much of the more expensive meat on it.
I've been low-carbing since June; in spite of being a health freak, and a complete carb-queen, I much prefer this WOE. It's good food, prepared at home so i know what is in it, it doesn't have to be exp (altho I see that organic etc is going to cost), I eat far more and far more variety of veg and meat than ever before.

My dinner tonight - think omelettes made into 'wraps', stuffed with leftover chicken thighs from yesterday and about 3 mushrooms. Drizzled with a tbsp cream and cheese and served hot with frozen green beans in butter.
Another advanteage is that I never need pudding! (more cheap starch!)

[captainmummy]

Not picking on you Crabby, just saying in case anyone else is interested.

Maid - my rosacea has gone too. I've gone from needing tablets, to none at all. I put it down to the lack of sugar in the diet - the bacteria that cause it (probably ) have nothing to feed on, on my skin

[TreeLuLa]

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrhggggggggggggghhhhhhhh


Just having such A BAD DAY

GGGGGGGGGGGrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Have stuck to bootcamp though.

[JustasmallGless]

I haven't cut out dairy maidofmuss- mainly because I love cheese!
Like half I put it down to no sugar.

I agree Crabby re low Gi being the way forward - interesting regarding glycemic index for different fruits

[BIWI]

Crabby - Both times it shifted the weight but it piled straight back on once I re-introduced carbs. I think that's because I reintroduced the complex carbs but was still eating quite a lot of fat

This is exactly the point I was trying to make.

You didn't work out, when you last low carbed, what daily level of carbs you can tolerate. It's actually not to with the complex carbs (although I would definitely agree that they are likely to be better for you than refined bread/pasta, etc!), the weight gain was due to the amount of carbs that you would have introduced.

And the point is, we all have different levels that we can tolerate. So low GI isn't necessarily going to suit everyone.

[halfthesize]

So finally home from DS1 footie training in the rain, just imagin the state of my car!!!
Could not be bothered to cook so have had 4 slices of corned beef, a bowl of cheese salad and finished off with greek yog. Now drinking lots of water.

I have to say for those finding things hard, like Gless I have been been following this woe for a year now and bar the odd slip have found it very easy to sustain..
I have lost weight
Have a completely different body shape
No more PMT, wohoo
and according to DH am a much nicer person to be around

[HeirToTheIronThrone]

Meatballs for me too Badvoc, with DP's signature sauce and cheese on top. Spaghetti for DP, broccoli cooked in garlic butter for me which was LUSH. Feeling good, though I have somehow contracted ringworm which is GROSS - blaming skanky gym, feel horrible!

[JaxTellerIsAllMine]

I have been so good lately that I thought I would make myself a mini hot choc with 85% dark choc and some cream. Cant drink it. My stomach was killing me earlier - think griping pain. Poss trapped wind TMI and I feel yuk. I hope I dont have this sick bug doing the rounds...

[toomuchtoask]

Thanks for the advice. I will try upping the fat content rather than having snacks. I am trying to get out of the snacking habit as it's what has got me into this weight situation as it is!

I fell apart a bit today and had a curry with chips. Totally smacking my own wrist. I shouldn't have let myself get hungry. I did leave the naan bread which I never normally have done and didn't eat all the chips. Felt so guilty afterwards that I did 45 minutes at the gym. I am really struggling as I dislike so many things that we can eat on this WOE.

[BIWI]

toomuchtoask - why don't you tell us the things that you like and let us see if we can help you with some menus/recipes?

Crabby I get what you're saying about cost, but that's obviously a personal choice. Having said that, fattier cuts of meat, even if organic, are considerably cheaper than if you're buying fillet steak and pork tenderloin!

Re the fat, I know it takes some time to get your head around it - and it's not surprising as we have been told for the last 30 years or so that fat is bad. It's so counter-intuitive to be told you can eat and enjoy it! All I can say to you is that you need to read up more about it.

[JustasmallGless]

toomuchtoask - tell us your favourite meals that you make. What would a normal weekly meal plan be?
We can help you

[WhyIRayLiotta]

I've just done my shop and stocked up on low carb goodies. Including the total yoghurt and some blueberries (for a treat!)

I want to cook the Southwestern chicken recipe from the recipe page - I bought black eyed beans - are they the same as black beans?! The black eyed beans seem pretty high in carbs? I couldn't see any black beans in tesco.. So went with what seemed closest!

[BerylStreep]

OMG, on this thread's recommendation I bought pork scratchings.

Perhaps I am a philistine, but they are vile.

[Yama]

Evening folks, I have found a new benefit of this woe.

So, as well as clear skin, loads more energy, no bloating, no sore tummies and being able to keep my weight at target - my periods are SIGNIFICANTLY less painful.

It has been just over 4 months since I started this woe and it feel like my body is saying 'yes, you are doing the right thing'.