BIWI's Bootcamp - Week 2 - Come and chat here

[BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed]

So we have survived week one, more or less intact

There has been a lot of cheating along the way - either intentional or accidental - but most people seem to be getting on with it and embracing low carbing. And we have seen some spectacular results already!

As one of the cheaters, I can tell you what you will already have discovered for yourself:

This way of eating (WOE) is an unforgiving one. If you slip up or cheat, it will show up on the scales

I know it's hard. I drank wine on both Friday and Saturday night. But it really is up to you how strict you choose to be - and therefore hopefully you will understand that it is up to you how much weight you are losing.

I realise this sounds patronising. But it's the ultimate truth of this (or any) diet.

Having said all that, I also know that there are some people who are struggling, and for whom weight loss has been very slow.

Just remember, if you have less weight to lose, then your rate of loss will be slower than those who have more to lose. And any loss, even if it's only a pound or so, is still a loss. Visualisation is always helpful for me if I think I've only lost a pound this week. Remember, a pound loss is like two packets of lard! That's a lot of fat.

And if weight loss is slow, or you're not seeing the scales move, have a long look at what you have been eating and drinking, and be really honest with yourself. Have you been following the rules? Have you been allowing carby things into your diet? Have you being drinking enough water? Try keeping a food diary so you can record everything (and I mean everything) that you're eating and drinking, as this can help you identify what might be affecting your progress.

If you still can't work out why it's happening (or not happening!), post what you've been eating and drinking here, and others might be able to help and advise you.

Anyway. Lecture over! Welcome to Week 2. Hopefully you will all see significant loss this week as well. But those of you who have lost loads in week 1 - don't expect to see the same kind of loss in this week - it's inevitable that it will slow down. Remember that sustainable, long term weight loss is around 1-2lbs per week.

And those of you who are struggling, hopefully another strict week will get things going for you! And I also hope that everyone has got through their carb withdrawals by now, and you are all feeling fantastic!

Onwards and downwards ...

That's a shame, notmostpeope, but I can understand, it's hard going on the actual days, isn't it? Anyway, whatever works for you. I'm mixing and matching now too but with lots of breast cancer in my family I should bear it in mind..

Why? You getting too much heavy muscle there, Shirl?

Driving into London shortly.

B:salami and cheese triangle and tomato.
L:cold roast lamb and cucumber

And a loss :o

Keep on keeping on Shirl ...

... and a bit more veg than that, MNP, surely?

But not I'd the bowel variety as that is by dribs and drabs thru the day.

If you insist BIWI tho bulk of veg will be tea as salad and driving don't mix ut could add another tomato and carrot chunks.

Actually, MNP, it doesn't look like you're eating nearly enough.

And try and go for other veg, rather than tomato and carrot, both of which are relatively carby.

How do I start low-carbing? Can you point me to the rules, please?

It's like you're all speaking in a foreign language.

Welcome, LittleFrieda!

Here is the original thread, with Bootcamp rules

And here are some fabulous recipes to inspire you

We're coming to the end of week 2 of Bootcamp. As of Monday, some of us are migrating to 'Bootcamp Light', whereas others have opted to stay with the somewhat stricter rules of Bootcamp.

I suggest that - as long as you like the sound of it - you start following Bootcamp rules, and see how you get on for a couple of weeks. If it works for you, you can then either continue what you're doing, or move on to the slightly more relaxed rules of Bootcamp Light.

If you want to join us, This is the weigh-in thread Most people are weighing in today, and then the lovely and very geeky talented KeepOrfThemCarbs will enter the data into her magical spreadsheet and show how much weight we have all lost.

I will be starting a thread for Bootcamp Light on Monday, which will also be the next official weigh-in.

Yay 1lb loss for me today.

I am sat at home waiting for the electricity meter safety inspector to come. Being at home makes me hungry. I am not hungry, I had a good breakfast and I am drinking my water. Just habit I suppose.

B - scrambled egg, cherry tomatoes and a piece of bacon.
L - leftover paprika pork and some veg (maybe cauliflower)
D - not too sure, friend and her dcs over for dinner, have got sausages, but not sure how to do them/ what to have with.

I think I might have to leave TBH.

So, Good Luck everyone! Here's to lots of lovely losses to you all.

Constipation expert here!
Nothing but nothing apart from bisacodyl or massive alcohol binge makes me go. Here is a summary in order of gentle thru to strong of all the methods you can try to relieve the problem:

-drink more water
-eat more green veg
-have a strong coffee (black)
-Thorntons diabetic toffee/choc
-psyllium husks
-senna tablet x1 at bedtime
-as above but times 2
-dulcolax (or other bisocodyl tablet) x1 at bedtime

For most people if the first few don't work then the senna definetly will

Also, it doesn't matter if you don't go every day - everyone's different!

Oh Shirl - that's a shame

What are you going to do instead?

Thanks, BIWI (Swedes here by the way).

Where do I find the allowed list of vegetables?

Can you recommend a good book to help explain the whole thing?

Allowed veg list:

Don?t eat any veg unless it?s on this list, and try and focus on eating those that are under 3g carbs per 100g:

Veg (raw)Carbs per 100g
Mushrooms0.4
Watercress0.4
Spinach0.8
Celery0.9
Broccoli1.1
Asparagus 1.4
Cucumber1.5
Lettuce1.7
Fennel1.8
Courgettes1.8
Cauliflower1.9
Avocado flesh1.9
Turnip2
Pumpkin2.2
Runner beans2.3
Swede2.3
Celeriac2.3
Bean sprouts2.5
Carrots2.5
Green pepper2.6
Baby sweetcorn2.7
Aubergine2.8
Leeks2.9
Okra3
Tomato3.1
Mangetout3.3
Shallots3.3
Brussels sprouts3.5
French beans4.7
Cabbage5
Yellow pepper5.3
Carrots6
Orange or red pepper6.4
Ginger (peeled)7.2
Butternut squash7.5
Onions7.9

My three top recommendations are:

Dr Atkins "The New Diet Revolution" - really explains the thinking/science behind low carbing

India Knight/Neris Thomas "The Idiot Proof Diet" - more about the emotional/psychological side of weight loss, but also very practical (written by women who both lost 5 stones in the development of their plan)

Also, the recipe book that accompanies this is very good

Dr John Briffa "Escape the Diet Trap" - not just about low carbing, but explains a lot about dieting and why calorie counting doesn't work and why fat is good. He reviews a lot of scientific stuff in the process of researching/writing his books, but manages to write about it in a very accessible way.

I'm going to carry on LC. I've bought the Idiot Proof Diet books and I'm going to carry on.

I just don't think me being here on this thread is helpful to me as I feel like a failure for not losing anything despite sticking to it all rigidly. So when I read that people are having slices of pizza or wine or whatever and still losing, it makes me feel even worse, IYKWIM? And it also makes me crave those things

Feel really down about it all today.

Breakfast - 3 eggs with smoked salmon and a knob of butter done in microwave

Am still feeling decidedly dodgy, headachy and crampy tummy, which i am sure is dow to that FUCKING salmon. HATE it when DH is right.

Shirty and Ledkr - sorry it hasn't worked out. Ledkr I would really recommend the Harcombe diet for you, I know it's been mentioned before. My friend lost 3 stone on it. It's also much more forgiving in that if you have treats it doesn't immediately make you gain. You can have porridge for breakfast, low carb fruit, and as long as you leave 3-4 hours between meals you can have all carbs in one, and all fats/protein in another. The only mandate being you need to eat non-processed natural fats and carbs, just not together. I've got the main book and the recipe booke and they are both very good.

Shirty - sorry to hear you're feeling low. Please don't think you're somehow in a minority by not being able to eat pizza/drink wine and still lose weight - in my experience those who are able to do that are only able to for a short time. Most of us aren't - I'm certainly not. Good to hear you've bought the IPD books, for me when the weight loss is slow/non-existent I have to keep focussing on the fact that low-carb is actually the healthiest way to eat and look at the bigger picture. It's so tough when you just want to lose the weight and are putting the effort in.

Shirty Sorry to hear you are leaving us - I feel bad now because I'm one of the wine cheater losers but I've had my weeks of losing nothing so I understand how you feel. Are you sure your scales are working?

shirl sorry to hear you're leaving and as thegoddess says there may be better alternatives for you. aside from the lack of weight loss, have you experienced any benefits with this woe?

i seem to have put on a pound since monday despite my SAINTLY behaviour on Tues night, which is v depressing as I had really hoped to break into the 10s this week, but I'm ignoring it and going to officially weigh in on Monday in the hope i have a net loss

However, the non-weight loss benefits I've had from this woe since starting in february are:

• migraines basically gone (this was my original motivation wrt starting low carb). i've had a couple of twinges but that is it
• period pains seriously reduced
• more energy, more alert
• better sleep, and easier to wake up and get up in the morning
• no bloating (so even if i haven't lost any pounds i feel trimmer and clothes feel more comfortable)
• no longer craving food or bingeing/deliberately starving myself (this is huge for me. I've had several periods of seriously disordered eating since early teenage years. I very very rarely talk about it and am seeking help for the mental health aspect, but in terms of actually altering my behaviour nothing has helped like this woe)

thanks biwi for starting the boot camp - your and others' posts have really renewed my belief that this is the right thing for me

Oh Gawd. Listen, please don't feel bad - it's about ME, it's MY problem, not yours or anyone else who has been able to have the odd cheat and still lose!

The thing is that I think the threads are making me feel shit about myself, that's no one elses fault, it's just something that I'm feeling.

I feel good on theis WOE and have no desire to go back to munching bread and stuff, but I do think that me coming on everyday and comparing myself to other people is just making me feel upset rather than anything else.

So, I'll probably float around here until the new thread goes up on (I know myself well enough that it will pop up on my Active Convos and I'll be compelled to read!).

You never know, I might have a great big loss tomorrow (yeah right) and be all back on here joyful and happy.

BIWI Thanks for that list. Lots of surprises on that list for me. How many grams of carbs should I be aiming to consume during the bootcamp phase?

Hi all.
shirty I'm not losing either and a few days ago i thought about leaving the thread as it was getting me down seeing loads of other peoples losses (especially all those well into the 9's which was my goal) but I love this WOE. It makes me feel better and to be honest, quite smug. I feel that I have it sussed and all those calorie and fat watchers have it wrong.

The fact that I couldn't bring myself to eat any sweet stodgey stuff kind of cemented it for me, and I had to remember that this is the first 2 weeks for most people so their losses will be good where as I've been doing it since beginning of feb.

Also I do quite abit of weights as you seem to do and I'm sure that hinders a loss on the scales but it doesn't hinder a loss of inches. Sometimes if you've upped your weight or done new exercises your muscles can retain water for a few days afterwards which is always worth bearing in mind.

I guess the thing that made me stick on the thread is that it is like a group of friends, and although I am not losing the same as everyone else, it is not a race. The way of eating makes me feel good and I will accept a slower rate of loss if that means I can still tone up at the gym. My ultimate goal is to be lean and toned (debatable wether I'll get there) not skinny fat, so I don't want to give up the weights just to get better numbers on the scales.

Sorry for the essay, hope it makes sense.

Anyhow, Porridge, interesting about your gain after introduction encyclo. I am reading IPD at the moment and they say you can introduce it in their 2nd phase. I wouldn't be surprised if your 5lb gain was glycogen though, because as soon as you eat fairly high carb stuff your liver stores it as glycogen which can be anything between 5 and 7lb.

BIWI Is it normal to not poo as often on this WOE? I am not going as often and some days feel like I want to but it just doesn't happen so not sure if I'm actually constipated or just not going as often. TMI, I know, sorry