Week 9 - Summer Low Carb Bootcamp - Wimbledon Fortnight!

[BIWI]

Morning all.

Come and fill in the spreadsheet

Only two weeks to go before we finish this challenge. Time to drop a few more pounds!

But go easy with those strawberries ...

I am back with coffee & no cookies yet

Oh and before anyone asks - I don't really know if my clothes are any looser or not this month. I don't really have anything 'tight' ones left to try (which yes, in and of itself is a good thing - just not very helpful). Some things which were loose are now falling off me, but I can't say if that was before or during this past month.

The other thing that didn't help was seeing myself naked from a different angle this morning and seeing all the fat left to go and knowing how much longer it's going to take. I would be fine with that if the scales were shifting, but I'm fed up of putting this much effort in for no results :(

I'm not sure how many of you will understand this as most of you seem quite small anyway - but it's the old 'photo' thing, I don't feel as huge as I look... fecking fed up today.

sorry you are struggling chipping Starbucks must be the worst place for carb overload
Are you eating enough? I had a bit of a stall and put on 2 lb and started moving again after making sure I was eating a decent amount 3 times a day.

I actually find it very difficult eating enough on this WOE

Chipping, I totally understand what you're saying. Been there so many times myself. It's so frustrating to stick to this WOE and yet not lose weight. In the past I have always lost the plot then and eaten lots of chocolate and crisps

Have you tried measuring yourself too? Apparently sometimes you can lose that way without the scales moving?

I hope you can withstand temptation with cookies in the house. I don't think I could - I have to make sure there's nothing at all in the house that could tempt me.

My downfall at the moment is cheese. It seems to be slowing down my weight loss, yet I like it so much, it's my snack when I fancy something and I keep telling myself it's better than biscuits.

Sorry I don't have a magical solution except to agree to maybe cutting out dairy and upping fat intake. I'm not vegetarian but have I understood correctly that you are? I can't begin to imagine eating in this WOE without meat, it must be hard.

Happy birthday Prettybird !

Sorry about you being fed up Chipping. Don't worry I am not "small" by any definition and still have nearly 2 stone to lose still. I look much better naked in front of the mirror, but things like losing a lot of back fat has only revealed a muffin-top still to lose!

I've had times when it seems to slow down and I think, "am I doing it wrong, which bit... dairy, water, enough fat, right medium amount of protein, too much this, too little that", it can feel a bit complicated knowing what all the effects are.

It would be nice to have the Expert Stall Trouble-shooter Service! There is lots of very knowledgable advice on these threads, esp from BIWI and Willie, but without really knowing exactly what's on the menu and how it relates to us (eg weights, BMI, active/not active) it must be hard to be precise.

Also I know that I fall quickly into a same-again pattern of usual breakfasts, lunches, dinners. I need to be more adventurous and explore new recipes.

I know you are a vegetarian non-egg eater (I think that's you?) and without cheese that is near impossible. Does anybody know if tofu is allowed? If it was it might open up a whole range of recipe possibilities, different marinades etc. I've been wondering idly about tofu myself.

kiwi thanks - considering what you are going through I really should apologise for my whinging but I don't have anyone IRL who understands - they all just think I should have what I want and not worry about it/deal with it another day.

TBH it's the diabetes that gets me down as much as the low carbing really, if I was just doing it to lose weight I think I'd just have a 'fuck it' weekend then scramble back onto the wagon, knowing I can't do that pisses me off.

I was at a festival yesterday (not Glasonbury! LOL) and everyone around me was enjoying sandwiches, fries, burgers, pims, cold beer etc and I can't have any of that anymore (diet controlled diabetes) and I guess it just got to me. Usually I can think 'Oh well, never mind, I'm losing weight and I'll worry about 'long term' when I'm at my goal weight' but when I'm doing all this and not losing weight it gets me down.

It's not just 'starbucks' though - it's anywhere that's not a 'proper' restaurant and my friends and I can afford to meet up at casual places like starbucks, but not restaurants all the time and with kids in tow it's just easier at starbucks type places. Today for example, my friends DH is working and normally I'd have called to see if they wanted to go to the park for an hour then a cafe for lunch later... can't do that. Yes I can take a picnic, yes we can go back to theirs or mine - but you know what I enjoy going to lunch at a cafe with them and it's pissing me right off that I can't.

I think I'm even more angry/upset/pissed off than I even realised. Periods not even due yet.

I think I'm eating enough? I do try to have protein and fat with 2 meals a day, I do try to eat veg/leafy greens twice a day. I look at what others are posting that they eat and wonder if I'm eating too much some days? Who knows - that live in bootcamp would be a good way to find out

Thanks again.
x

1.9g carbs per 100g

chipping don't ban yourself from cafes! You can buy salads in lots of them. (Greek salad - perfect! I know it has cheese but surely better that than falling off the wagon.)

At a greasy spoon you could ask for mushrooms and fried tomatoes out of the breakfast list?

if its only sandwiches etc you could eat the filling of a cheese-based sandwich and give the bread to the kids?

Or just have a mega-big bucket of tea or coffee to tide you over...

I realised today that once the schools break up I have the challenge of a 3-day camping trip. Ie, no fridge for greek yog/fish/cheese. Ie, having to cook a breakfast (don't like wrestling with camping stoves first thing in the morning). I might be finally forced to find out about the breakfast muffins I've read about somewhere and cook them in advance.

Doh! For tofu!

loopy thank you too :) I'm no saint, trust me, if it hadn't been for the diabetes I wouldn't have been 'this good' for almost 6 fucking months.

I don't 'measure' with a tape, but had been seeing results in clothes - but now I don't really have any that don't fit me - maybe I need to buy some I can't fit into, to keep trying

Yes - I am a non egg eating vegetarian and it is harder than if you eat eggs/meat/fish - but I just couldn't do it. I've been vegetarian 23 years now and just can't even contemplate changing that.

I have loads of stuff in the house that I 'cant' eat and my niece has been working her way through it :) It really never bothers me... for some reason these cookies are? and TBH I've had a bite and they aren't 'amazing' so I don't know why that is... maybe it's just the fact that they are in a large tin and I could really really binge on them? I had gotten into a really bad binging habit - it wasn't that the food was nice or I really wanted a biscuit or whatever - it was the 'freedom'?? to eat a whole packet then to eat a whole packet of crisps or whatever - if I wanted to. Totally eating to submerge/self medicate sad feelings :(

Even yesterday at the festival - it wasn't the 'food' per se, it was the FREEDOM that all these other people had to have/do what they wanted and not have to worry about it (again the diabetes, not really low carbing, low carbing alone I could have just said 'fuck it' and started again today). I probably should be posting in General Health/Diabetes about this really - but I feel 'at home' here.

Cheese is quite hard to avoid as a veggie low carber - it's the easiest low carb yet protein/fat snack. But other than the 'massive' slip up the other day for lunch, I've managed.

It's a shame you don't have a magical solution but chatting is helping :) x

Lily thank you :) Although it made me chuckle - if I only had 2 stone to lose I'd be absolutely elated. I have a lot more than that to lose :(

I've had times when it seems to slow down and I think, "am I doing it wrong, which bit... dairy, water, enough fat, right medium amount of protein, too much this, too little that", it can feel a bit complicated knowing what all the effects are

That made me laugh too - my brain is constantly doing that!! LOL It's exhausting.

We need an 'internal trouble shooter' something inside us that can tell us what's going on

Tofu is a weird one. I started not eating it (or Quorn) as per Dr Briffa's book. I agree 100% with what he says (not natural, not good for you, not manfactured in a desirable way...) but I just can't get hardly any protein without it if I'm not eating beans/legumes etc so I am currently mainlining Cauldron marinated tofu & 'chicken chunks' of Quorn (both only 1g of carbs per 100g and I still can't get anything like the amount of protein I should be having according to all of the calculations.

I am adding lots of butter, olive oil, coconut oil to everything. I tried not doing that as well but neither consciously adding or leaving out seems to make much difference.

lily I haven't banned myself from cafes and I will still go if others suggest it. I always see if there's anything I can have and if not I'll have a coffee or vat of tea. But there's seldom anything (not even a greek salad) and I draw the line at paying £3 for a sandwich to take a slice of cheese out of it - there's seldom another option for a vegetarian. Sigh. It just puts me off arranging to meet up with people as much as I would have (not entirely, but as much) or at least with a lot less enthusiasm I nearly caved and had a marmite and cheese panini in starbucks last week! It's not even as though I want a mountainous piece of cake or anything - just a pretty normal, by most people's standards, fecking lunch! LOL

Fair enough chipping (a sandwich would be LOVELY! )

Still for me its a tofu revelation today!

Until the rest of the world wakes up to this WOE, they won't realise that their normal lunches are not in fact normal. We're eating the new normal, society has to catch up!

Is there anything you can keep on you - like some cheese triangles or a wee tin of almonds/macadamia nuts, do that you've got something to snack on when you're at a cafe with friends?

prettybird - yes, I am going to be known as 'TheAlmondGirl' :) Maybe I'm not explaining this very well. I'm not going hungry (I'll eat before/after/sneakily my almonds if I want to) it's just not being able to do 'normal' things and enjoy them... and most of the time I'm fine with that, but seeing everyone yesterday just go to me a bit and combined with only being 2lb this whole calendar month I'm pissed off with it. Mind you, having had 2 cups of coffee I'm on a slighter more even keel now

Chipping sorry to hear that you are feeling fed up. I know that feeling. Last week when I went to my party (organised cheat) I met up with friends before in a coffee shop and they were all treating themselves to coffee and massive slices of cake and I was a bit because the evening party was my organised cheat and they didn't think twice about scoffing cake followed by big dinner and lots of drinks. And they are all much much slimmer than me. It definitely feels unfair at times.

Every time I have lost weight in the past I have had some kind of rubbish long unexplained stall and I have never worked out what it was. Just before starting this WOE a couple of months back I was doing a fasting diet and after initial loss, I just stalled and gained and stalled and I had no idea what I was doing wrong and still don't.

With cafes I am still not sure what the answer is. For me, if there is nothing I can eat, the best solution is to arrive full so that just having a coffee does not make me feel deprived but I know that isn't perfect.

Chipping - I don't ban myself from cafes, I only go once or twice a month depending on when everyone is free and i'll have a coffee or tea - it's my treat as I do little else & I'm not going to give up seeing my friends! I do avoid eating out though... usually not a problem but if anyone suggests lunch or breakfast straight from the school run then I just suggest the deli which does do bacon and egg - any chance of doing that?

Bit of a blip today - friends had a BBQ - which had low carb options but I got tempted by a birthday cupcake & a few sweets.. oh and a couple of small soft drinks (half wine glass size), why I didn't just make tea I don't know.. she knows I'm a tea addict and wouldn't have cared(!) oh well, it's done, time to move on and start again

Negroni - life is bloody unfair isn't it :(

Daisy - I am a non egg eating vegetarian - so not really no . I wish there was a 'Deli' around here, then it might not be so impossible to find something to eat! It's all boring little cafes. I meet up, or try to, with friends quite a bit more than that too as I work by myself so I try to meet up with others to 'get out' a bit. In the scheme of things it's 'not a big deal' that I can't get anything to eat when I'm there, it's more the constant feeling of 'being different' to everyone else. I've been veggie for 20 odd years now and one of the things I loved about living in the UK was that it is soooooo much easier to eat out at a veggie, there's always something you can have and despite being 'The Veggie' I've always been 'The Easy One' if it was (non egg) vegetarian I'd eat it - whereas now everyone is 'What CAN you eat and it's hard to answer that :(

Bugger re your blip - still tomorrow is another day & hopefully it hasn't left you 'carb craving'!

chipping sorry you are feeling a bit down. I know exactly how you feel about the unfairness or just not being able to choose, the unfairness of diabetes and unforgiving nature of the disease. You have done so, so well my love, and I reckon it is just your body catching up with you and your determination to suceed. I think this warmer weather sometimes makes it harder as your body holds on to more water to keep hydrated and stuff and it will whoosh off soon I am sure. Think about what you said about the binging just because you could before and think about how much healthier your relationship is with food now and try and focus on all the positives. Deffo go and buy one thing new, that is slightly tightish so you can see the inches going, as they will be going. With cafes I find the very often serve jacket potatoes, which usually come with a salad, or if they make sandwiches/whatever fresh, then I just ask for a salad and filling instead and explain I can't eat too many carbs because I am diabetic. I agree starbucks is rubbish though and I only have coffee there. If you are feeling in a rut, I would perhaps introduce some small tofu/quorn stuff perhaps (I am no expert though so feel free not to!) if you wanted a bit of variety and more protein. Big hugs anyway, and hopefully in the next few days you'll be out the other side and all sunny again!

Not had a 100% day today. Went to qa great adventure park with my son, took a great LC picnic. On the way home thoug, our train was delyaed for an hour & a half :( tired & hungry and bored with only a Burger King as an eating option (everywhere else shut as it was a Sunday evening), so I shared a burger meal with DS. Home now, drinking loads of water. Will do a 7 minute workout even though I am exhausted.

Sending positive vibes to chipping (as, sorry, I have no useful suggestions except to keep on going and hopefully the whoosh fairy will visit soon)

Glorious day here, which is saying something for how far north I am!

B 2 egg omelette with asparagus
L one small piece lamb, pan fried, with salad oil and cucumber
magnum lolly
D MacDonalds grilled chicken and bacon salad

We were running late returning from visiting my parents, Ds was hungry and needed a pee, so we stopped at MacDs. I didn't like the sound of either of the dressings on offer for the salad (Caesars/balsamic) so I opted for none. Have to say it was pretty grim and tasteless. I ate about a third, gave up, finished the drive home, clarted it in nice oil and a big dollop of mayo and finished it. Don't think I'll bother with that again. Have the feeling I will be munchy later.

Oh just a warning for anyone else caught on the hop at McDonalds - I've just looked at the info on the side of my salad carton and the difference between the "crispy" chicken salad (325 kcal with 24g carbs) and the one I had, the "grilled" chicken salad (140 kcal with 7g carbs) is quite a lot so be careful! (And it says those are without bacon and dressing!)

MrsHP - Thank you - so so much x All hugs gratefully accepted!! I love it here, you are all so kind & understanding. It's nice not to feel so alone with this (especially the diabetes side of things). Fingers crossed for a bit of wooshing

Thanks toomuch if you see the bloody 'woosh fairy' do give her my address!! I think she might actually need a satnav as she's never visited me even once!! continues to ignore anything in toomuch's strikeouts Those premade salads do tend to be a bit grim & very expensive for what they are, I usually opt to go without.

black did you have a good day other than the slight BK hiccup & train delay??

It has been a lovely day here too - but I haven't made the most of it Oh well, hopefully it will stay nice all week! very optimistic I know

Chipping, had a wonderful day, thanks :)

Wish I had some great advice for you :( Where does yoru fat come from? I get most of mine from the meat I eat. Do you take supplimenst at all?

Talking of suppliments, I ve been taking a very high dose of vit D3 for the last wee while, as I know living in Scotland that I would be very lacking. This year, despite not wearing any sun protection at all and spending a few days in the sun, I have not burnt at all I was so shocked, I googled it & seems that getting plenty of d3 stops the skin from burning as easily. Have also got the kids on vit D3 now too (though not high dose like mine, just Asda's kids version).

The difference is chipping that you didn't given in to that binge feeling, so it has changed, and I honestly believe the feeling is because you can't not because you actually want it as you say. In the long run, once you feel you are under control a blow out here and there will be fine. Obvs not to the extent that your blood sugars shoot up and down regularly and not in the 6 weeks before you are due a Hba1c obvs, I have had at times awful things to eat in an uncontrolled fashion, but still over time my blood results have all improved as luckily I have managed not to do it very often. What I am trying to say is that you might not need to be quite so restrictive in the very long run, if that helps thinking about it at all. Sorry I got confused about the tofu/quorn issue - does peanut butter (other nut butters) help with protein at all, without too many carbs? You could buy one of those machines and make your own nut butters, my brother had one and it was great!!!