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Low-carb diets

Share advice and experiences of following a low-carb diet.Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Week 5 - Autumn Low Carb Bootcamp - Almost half way through!

278 replies

BIWIZ · 06/10/2013 22:52

Welcome to another week!

Here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

I have been a carby twat, I have to confess, but I've been making the most of my last couple of weeks without work. Tomorrow I start my new job, which will also be the first time I've worked for someone other than myself/my own company for over 16 years Confused

So from tomorrow I will have to be more disciplined in all manner of ways - working out what to have for my lunch in an office, rather than just rummaging around in the fridge, planning meals that I can easily cook when I get home from work, etc.

There are now 6 weeks left of this Bootcamp (including this week), so I'm really hoping that I can jettison a good few pounds in this time.

However, firstly there is the matter of the works 'annual conference' that I have been invited to join. On Wednesday I'm off to Marrakech until Friday ...

It's a tough job. Obviously. Grin

Good luck everyone for this week.

OP posts:
Maryz · 11/10/2013 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

timidviper · 11/10/2013 22:57

Maryz On occasions like that I console myself with the thought that I have given myself a shock to my system which may jolt me into weight loss when I go back to low-carb! Grin

Maryz · 11/10/2013 23:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NewStartNewStory · 11/10/2013 23:28

There is nothing to say you do have to weight on Monday maryz if it is better for you not to weigh them just don't.

Lifeisontheup · 12/10/2013 09:12

Interesting article about sugar in the Times today. I have wondered for a while if that's why none of our family put on weight when I was growing up. I had older parents who were adults during WWII and had got used to cooking without much sugar. We always had puddings but they were mainly berry based and without huge amounts of added sugar. Also Mum rarely used processed food so we didn't get the hidden sugars.

holmessweetholmes · 12/10/2013 10:18

Sorry to have wavered, but this time I really am off. Congrats to all of you for sticking to this WOE but I have decided I really can't. Too much commitment for too little result for me. I know this is because I have not been strict enough, but I don't find the level of strictness required manageable. I know I will cheat too much, and frankly, continuing to eat high levels of animal fats while simultaneously failing to keep consistently low enough levels of carbs seems like a recipe for disaster! I absolutely do believe that the lc WOE does all that it claims to, but it is not for me.
I plan to eat smallish portions of wholegrain carbs, avoid sugar like the plague, have plenty of veg, fish, meat and olive oil and see how I get on. The very best of wishes to you all - may the scales be kind to you! Smile

BerylStreep · 12/10/2013 11:00

Holmes have you had a look at the Zoe Harcombe diet? It pretty much describes what you are planning to eat. I tried it before, and lost a shedload of weight (see graph on my profile - I think hers was the purple line). I can't remember exactly, but I think lost about 5 kg in one month.

MaryZ - you are the same weight as me! 90kg is my mental barrier - I just need to get into the 80s!

holmessweetholmes · 12/10/2013 11:11

Thanks Beryl - will have a look.

BIWI · 12/10/2013 12:25

Sorry to see you go, holmes but I hope it works for you. Ultimately I think that's the really key thing - you have to find something that you can accommodate into your life.

I would also agree with Beryl that the Harcombe Diet is probably worth a look.

And you're always welcome to keep posting here!!!

holmessweetholmes · 12/10/2013 12:56

Thanks BIWI Smile. Oh and I second whoever said to read that article on sugar in the Times today. The guy who wrote the book they are talking about lost 6stone just by totally cutting out sugar (he was still eating meat pies etc!).

BIWI · 12/10/2013 13:00

ohfuck

The first thing to say is that you have lost weight. In the 'difficult weeks' of 3, 4 and 5 you have maintained that loss. I know it's not a massive amount compared to others, but it is, nevertheless, a loss.

Overall, your meals look fine, so I suspect you could just need to look at tweaking things a little.

The first thing I would say is that it's obviously difficult to comment on portion sizes, but could you look at those and see if you perhaps need to cut them down a little?

Second, you keep emphasising the amount of fat you're eating - e.g. massive knob of butter - but I'm wondering if, actually, you're not eating enough fat. Again, without really seeing what you're eating it's hard to be sure about this. The protein that you are eating is sometimes lower in fat and it's difficult to tell how much of this you're actually eating.

By contrast, you're eating a lot of veg (all of which sounds lovely, btw!), which is fab, but only if it's delivering carbs in a lower proportion to protein and fat.

I wonder if it would be worth working out - just for a couple of days - how much carbohydrate you're eating? It could be that you're simply eating a little too much. And certainly if you're doing Bootcamp Light at the weekend, and including nuts in your diet, it could be that you're just lifting your carb levels a little too high for you.

Unfortunately there's no hard and fast rule here - everyone is different in terms of the level of carbs that they can tolerate. But if you work out how much you're eating at the moment that might give you a better insight into what's going to work for you.

I might, also, look to cut out the green beans and tomatoes/tomato sauce, as I suspect that theses could be adding more carbs to your diet that you suspect. Similarly, switch to a vinaigrette dressing rather than Hellman's mayo - although mayo is great for fat, it does still have some carbs in it.

Third, if you're frustrated by the scales sticking, perhaps consider reverting to Bootcamp at the weekend as well.

Fourth, have you measured as well as weighed? Have you been trying on something that was initially tight to see if there's any difference over the last three weeks?

Re exercise, I would be less concerned about this. Exercise only counts for 15-20% of weight loss and actually is more likely to increase your appetite, making you eat even more. Obviously it's good from a more general health perspective, but if you were to suddenly rush off the gym or start running a marathon, that isn't going to solve the real issue, which is discovering a way to eat that's going to encourage weight loss.

I know that it's frustrating when the weight loss slows, especially when you feel you have a long way to go, and it seems so early in the process. But we are only half way through, and it's really not a very long time that we've been doing this. As someone wiser than me once pointed out on these threads, this is a marathon not a sprint!

As long as you're enjoying the food, don't feel deprived and are not hungry all the time, then stick with it.

Good luck for tomorrow morning!

BIWI · 12/10/2013 18:23

Oh dear - I seem to have killed the thread. Has everyone flounced?! Grin

NewStartNewStory · 12/10/2013 18:25

Perhaps everyone is shivering in a corner? Brrrrr. I has been quieter in here this bootcamp then previous ones by this point.

Did you have a nice trip BIWI?

Ohfuckohfuckofuck · 12/10/2013 18:59

Hi BIWI, I love posting on here because it's one thread that I know I can't kill!

Thank you for looking over the food. Well I don't want to speak to soon and I won't give details, (because I am going out for a once in a blue moon dinner with DH tonight and although I will stick to BC food, I can not promise not to drink half a bottle of wine...) but the whoosh fairy appears to have visited overnight. Literally, whoosh.

I know you all told me so. I know I shouldn't have whinged. But I'd had a shit week and was beginning to feel a bit bleurgh about all the fat too. I don't feel 'clean' inside like I do when I stay away from it, but not nauseous, so I'll get used to it.

Anyway, thank you for the support and here's to continued steady loss, rather than 3 more weeks of sts!

OhCobblers · 12/10/2013 20:43

BIWI pls could I ask you to look at my post from Tues at 13.27 and let me know what you think? I'd appreciate it.

BIWI · 12/10/2013 20:47

That's great, Ohfuck.

I'm intrigued, though, why you wouldn't feel 'clean' because you've been eating a high fat diet. Why do you think you feel that way? There's absolutely nothing wrong with fat. It's just a line that we've been fed over the last 30 years or so.

Fat is good. Fat is what helps us grow and, in particular, is what helps our brains develop and grow. Honestly!

AuntieMaggie · 12/10/2013 21:28

Brilliant article BIWI thanks :)

BIWI · 12/10/2013 22:59

So. I wondered why it was a bit quiet in here. It's been made apparent to me that people feel that they can no longer post honestly about their achievements or their problems, because they aren't being supported by other posters.

This is a horrible position to be in

Please, please, please think about how you post to other people.

It's lovely when you're losing weight apparently effortlessly, and I hope that other people will be happy for you. But please appreciate that other posters may not be having the same success as you.

Equally, sometimes people are really struggling with things so they need some support and help.

We may all need a big stick applied to our backsides from time to time, but please do it with kindness and consideration. We aren't all necessarily living perfectly lovely lives all the time, and it's not always easy to stick to a plan when things are going tits up.

This is not the easiest of WOEs to follow, so it's really important that we are all here to help and support each other. Goodness knows, there are enough people out there ready to knock low carbing as a WOE without all of us helping to sabotage our efforts.

timidviper · 12/10/2013 23:12

Good post BIWI.

For anyone debating whether to keep going or not, I can only tell you that I nearly flounced around this point in my first bootcamp. Myself and another "newbie" both had events coming up where we had to cater and felt a dessert was essential so were discussing minimal damage puddings. Someone else came on and said she was having a hard time and couldn't cope with any mention of anything sweet and how could we? etc etc. Nobody was right or wrong but we all rubbed each other up the wrong way and I almost went but I am very glad I didn't because... HAVE I TOLD YOU I HAVE LOST 3 STONE???!! (Just in case anybody this side of Outer Mongolia has missed it Grin )

The threads have been a great help and support and I couldn't have done it without everybody on here

Listen to BIWI She knows what she is talking about!

BIWI · 12/10/2013 23:51

OhCobblers

I haven't added anything since Bootcamp started as I'm having a nightmare and really need some help/advice.

I've been low carbing since June. I lose about 3-5lbs and even though I had a holiday in there I still ate properly even though booze was involved.

^Day to day I don't drink and I'm pretty sure I eat properly. No potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, high carb veg or fruit and def no sweets, chocs etc.
I really hoped to see more of a weight loss. ^

When Bootcamp started I had 2 weddings in 10 days and even though I ate properly I was of course drinking. I pretty much do not drink the rest of the time. I'm exercising and drinking 3 litres of water though some days I don't quite make it to that much as its a real slog for me!

Where can I be going wrong (I realise a food diary would help) I'm desperate to get pAst the weight that I seem to be sticking on but not sure if this is working for me? sad I need to lose at least a stone.

Sorry I haven't replied sooner.

First thing, and most obvious thing to ask is - are you following Bootcamp rules?

If you're still drinking, and not drinking enough water, by your own admission, then I'm wondering what else you're doing/not doing! You say that you're 'pretty sure' but what does that actually mean?

LilyAmaryllis · 13/10/2013 01:02

I've only been quiet on this thread because its been a busy day. And I'm still up because.... Oh my god I've lost the hamster. Gave her a little run around on the carpet, thinking, what could go wrong?

Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh

She has vanished into thin air. I've been listening and listening for hamster-y noises. Nothing. Sorry - this is completely off-topic but definitely the only thing I can think about at the moment!

LilyAmaryllis · 13/10/2013 01:05

But to pass the time waiting for hamster signs...

B and L were both scrambled egg, mushrooms and tomato. B at home and L in a greasy spoon.

D fried salmon, cauliflower cheese and celeriac chips.

With a late side order of total panic

timidviper · 13/10/2013 01:11

Well I checked your menu and at least you haven't eaten her!

Sorry, I hope you find her
Could you tempt her out by scattering seeds around or something?

LilyAmaryllis · 13/10/2013 01:26

Guess who just came sidling down the stairs.... One very adventurous hamster. Phew thank god and I am NEVER going to confess this to my DH (he's staying at his sisters tonight). I know from the posts it doesn't look long but I've been looking for her for about an hour and a half!

Now I can stop imagining that she's gone behind the kitchen cupboards into some netherworld. Now - I can put the sofa bed back together and put back all the furniture and toy boxes etc I'd pulled back from the wall!...

Ahem - end of total not-the-topic!

Please everyone do feel you can post! I get a great deal of support from these threads, I definitely find it helps my motivation. I even find myself thinking about the situations of people on this thread, sad as it might seem, idle moments thinking, "I wonder why its not working for xyz at the moment" etc - so I think we are all willing each other on and do care how it goes.

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