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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Bootcamp Week 5 - Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Staying Alive - chat here!

419 replies

BIWItheBold · 13/05/2012 10:26

Welcome to week 5 - how time flies when you're having fun!

Those of us who have been here since the beginning may be finding the going tough now. You may have found that your weight loss has stopped, or you may even have put weight on

But hopefully you will also be enjoying the food now, and settling into this as a new way of eating. You may also have discovered the other benefits of low carbing - not being hungry, having better skin, sleeping better, fewer problems with conditions such as IBS or even asthma, fewer hot flushes (for those of us of a certain age Grin) etc.

A month in, whilst you should be more used to eating like this, you will also have discovered that it's not always possible to follow a strict low carb plan because Real Life has an irritating habit of getting in the way.

But that's an important lesson for us all to learn. There are two key things here:

First, it demonstrates very clearly that you have to plan what food you buy and how you're going to eat. For example, I do quite a bit of travelling for work - going to meetings by train all over the country and sometimes abroad. If I don't plan my meals, then I will end up eating something like a sandwich because that's all that is available. I went to a meeting on Friday where the client very kindly suggested that she order lunch for us. I knew that if I didn't say I was low carbing, then we would sit down to a plate of sandwiches. It feels awkward to have to ask for special food. But - if you had a medical condition that meant you couldn't eat wheat, there would be no issue with such a request, would there?

Dieting is often seen as a trivial issue, and we think it's silly to have to ask for special/different food. But think of the impact/implications of being overweight. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc etc. None of these is trivial.

So in these situations, plan ahead and ask for something that suits you.

If you're travelling - eat properly before you set off. Get to know what shops are available at any station you're travelling through - there are an increasing number of M&S Food shops at railway stations and service stations, where you can always buy cooked meats/fish, small portions of cheese and salads (there are one or two without pasta/rice/noodles/potatoes!)

Second, despite your best efforts, sometimes life seems determined to sabotage things. Even if you ask people to cater for you, few people really understand what a low carb diet is. This has happened to me twice since Friday! My client very kindly ordered me a salad for my lunch. I was provided with a bowl of lettuce - with no dressing. Presumably whoever made it was thinking "this person is on a diet, therefore it must have to be fat-free". On top of the lettuce was sweetcorn (one of the carbiest veg there is), a dollop of coleslaw - presumably with sugar in it, like most is - a huge mound of grated carrot, some sliced cooked chicken, cucumber and tomato.

At least I could eat the chicken! But it was very dry and so to make it palatable, easy to eat, I ended up eating more of the coleslaw than I intended. I also was in the embarrassing situation of having to leave a lot of the lunch that I had specially ordered.

And last night, at dinner with friends, I had again plucked up courage to tell them of my low carbing. Despite being reassured that the meal would be low carb-friendly, it was anything but. And it was (mostly) served plated up, so to not eat it was to have been very rude. And it was delicious, and I was hungry ... Smile

But this is life. We have to get through these kind of occasions and accept that they may throw us off course briefly, but that this is a longer term process we are involved in. To use a horrible cliche, we are all on a journey here.

So if it happens to you - just accept it. Don't obsess about it. Avoid the scales for a while, and make sure you are super good for the following days. Don't use it as an excuse to jump off the wagon, for that way, surely, fatness lies!

Come and tell me how you're all getting along. How has life changed for you since we set off on this journey?!

OP posts:
NigellasGuest · 18/05/2012 11:04

have just made my first celeriac crisps/chips and had them for breakfast/midmorning snack - How Delicious Are THEY !!!

will be making tons of these!

BettyBathroom · 18/05/2012 11:08

OK other ideas - can't vouch for them but they come from a book I love!

Berry Gratin
Coconut ice cream
Coffee Ice cream
Lemon Custard Macroon Tart
Zabaglione
Cardamom cake

Cream cheese and Macadamia Nut Brownies
Rose and Raspberry pudding
Pistachio meringes
Rhubarb fool
Eton mess

teaandthorazine · 18/05/2012 11:09

Betty - I ended up getting mine from Holland & Barrett - not the cheap option at £16 but I was too impatient to wait for an online delivery Blush. It's a big 500g tub of extra virgin stuff - it just looks like lard! You can definitely cook with it, apparently it has a very high 'smoke point' so you can use it for frying etc. But the advice on the side says just eat a tablespoon a day...

I know what you mean about being a defiant teenager - I had to smile when I saw the nutrition label said 94% saturated fat Grin.

BettyBathroom · 18/05/2012 11:10

Should be a Macaroon tart!

BIWItheBold · 18/05/2012 11:11

Willie - an alternative that I have sometimes done is a platter of different berries (which look lovely because of their colours) with a white chocolate sauce. If you can get hold of some low carb white chocolate you can make yours with that. (Or just serve yours with cream).

White chocolate sauce:

175g white chocolate, broken into pieces
170ml cream (I use double cream)

Put chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Sir until the chocolate has just melted and pour into a jug.

How hard is that?! (recipe is from Bill Granger's book "bills food")

OP posts:
teaandthorazine · 18/05/2012 11:13

Like the sound of the lemon custard tart - mmmm.

I'd probably just make a big pavlova with a ton of whipped cream and berries (maybe dark choc curls also?) - the meringue will be fine with sweeteners.

mummyduff · 18/05/2012 11:16

Morning ladies, I may have to indulge in some bubbly tonight as have a new nephew Grin

Have been to the gym and had boiled eggs for breakfast.

ohforfoxsake · 18/05/2012 11:17

Ah found you! Fell off the thread there.

Anyhow, I have been wobbling around all over the place but have still lost. So 11.7 today. That's pretty much a stone, half way to my goal. Grin

Off to catch up now.

moonshine · 18/05/2012 11:26

Hello can I join your merry band? I'm 45 and and been trying to seriously lose weight most of my life over the past year but instead have managed to put on 1.5 stones Shock. Have felt very depressed as nothing seems to work, including the Cambridge Diet (am an old hand at that!) joining MFP and even various attempts at low-carbing - I convinced myself it's because of my hormones and/or I have seriously f**ked up my metabolism.

However, this week, have been following your bootcamp well sort of but have given up milk totally this time and 5 pounds so far has dropped off Shock.

I'm trying not to get too over-excited - have been here so many times before, and I know all my loss so far is probably water/gyclogen stores but it's further than I've got for months. And I have about 2 outfits only I can get into and a wardrobe full of lovely dresses I can't even squeeze into now (only size 14 - am not being over-ambitious!).

Need to lose 3 stones to get into healthy bmi but 2.5/2 stone will suit me fine for now so am hoping for some hand-holding and guidance - it's going to be a long journey.

Jacaqueen · 18/05/2012 11:33

My FIL has type 2.

According to his doctor Hob Nobs make a great snack. Fat should be avoided and sweetners are fine!

Of course FIL is from the generation that never questions what the doctor says. I have tried to get him to have a cooked breakfast, which he loves, but he insists on eating cereal and toast as directed by the doctor.

WillieWaggledagger · 18/05/2012 11:35

thanks for all the pudding ideas, these are great!

vnmum · 18/05/2012 11:54

betty I get my coconut oil from an asian supermarket. £2.75 for a 500g tub of the solid stuff.

Tea My DF was only diagnosed a couple of years ago. It is now classed as under control. He takes metformin and goes to the gym and walks the dog everyday. The only change to his diet has been that they have cut down on takeaways. He still has a lager or 2 every night as he was told that was fine. I am worried about my DM too. She is overweight, doesn't eat breakfast, has a yoghurt or toast for lunch at about 3pm due to that being her only lunchtime at work then comes home to a carby evening meal and a glass of red every night. She keeps saying she wants to lose weight but that there is nothing that works because at her age it's normal to gain weight. I notice she is definately getting heavier every year and I worry that she too will get diagnosed with Diabetes or something worse. She is on her feet at work (waitress) but other than that does no other form of exercise.

Also tea, I had been doing oil cleansing with jojoba but since I started this woe my skin has got a bit more spotty. I thought the oil cleansing would sort it out but it seems to bring more spots out so I then stop doing it. Do I need to just persevere and eventually the skin will clear?

teaandthorazine · 18/05/2012 11:56

Hob Nobs? Hob Nobs?? FFS, that is unbelievably irresponsible advice Angry

Hi moonshine and well done! Have you read the Bootcamp rules etc? Giving up the milk is a great start and will have probably made a real difference. Keep going, LC is kinda fun once you get into it Grin

BIWItheBold · 18/05/2012 12:00

Welcome, moonshine, and really well done! You will probably gather from this/these Bootcamp threads that I we are all a bit evangelical about low carbing!

I am never, ever, ever again going to count calories.

OP posts:
teaandthorazine · 18/05/2012 12:01

vnmum - I'd say keep going with the jojoba. For the first couple of weeks of low-carb my skin did go completely haywire, to the point where I was even thinking of giving up as I figured I'd rather have clear skin than a flat stomach! But... I kept on and now, a few weeks later, it looks great, all soft and plump and dewy (kinda) Grin. And no more spots, even around TOTM.

I think giving up the sugar and upping the fat counts for a lot. It just took my skin a little while to adjust, I think.

Thegoddessblossom · 18/05/2012 12:04

Congrats MummyDuff! I am expecting a new nephew any day!! Grin Very exciting.

Welcome Moonshine - huge support on this thread you are in the right place.

Breakfast: greek yog with blueberries.

Have swum 60 lengths this morning.

BIWItheBold · 18/05/2012 12:06

Oh yes! Congratulations, mummyduff - how lovely!

OP posts:
teaandthorazine · 18/05/2012 12:08

btw, vnmum, your mum's diet sounds just like mine was before LC Sad. I felt crap all the time and was getting persistently more and more overweight. But it does take a big leap of faith to change.

I would love for my parents to start following this WOE - my mum is morbidly obese, pre-diabetic, addicted to fruit juice, white toast with marge, cigarettes and endless cups of milky tea. She has had severe mental health issues for many years and both her depression and the medication have screwed up her metabolism and eating habits completely. My dad is healthier but still overweight, and on statins. I'm sure this WOE would be of benefit to them both - they're impressed with my weight loss - but I think they'd find it so hard to change.

NotMostPeople · 18/05/2012 12:12

Sorry to be dense, but why coconut oil rather than olive etc?

vnmum · 18/05/2012 12:15

tea I think it is the idea of change that is hard for our parents. They are of the generation where you listen to the doctor and don't research stuff yourself to question what the doctor says. Also mine have grown up with all the low fat low cal advice for so many years it is kind of engrained Sad. I really just wish the government would give up on the low fat advice and start giving out low carb. It is not as if there isn't enough evidence to support low carb. Now they want to put a fat tax on things. Now fair enough if it is on high sugar high transfat junk but if it ends up on just high fat stuff then it will make this WOE alot more expensive and give the message to the general public that fat is sooo bad. Angry

jan2011 · 18/05/2012 12:28

i am not following all the rules exactly, but doing my best and hope its still ok to post here for support.
bad day yesterday after a week of low carb, i which i progessively felt better. back on track again today - you guys are right about the government. i had a dietician for awhile and she was always on about carbs carbs carbs

Ilovemyteddy · 18/05/2012 12:58

Out for dinner tonight for the first time in ages to a vair naice restaurant. I've already been on their website and have decided on chicken stuffed with mozzarella wrapped in parma ham. I'm going to ask them to substitute the potatoes with a green veg. I haven't had a drink since I started this WOE (how very Un-Mumsnetty of me Grin ) but thought I might indulge in a small Wine How many carbs are there in a glass of red?

Oh and can I say ETON MESS!!!! I love Eton Mess and hadn't thought for a moment that you can eat a large bowl it on this WOE. Yum!

Thegoddessblossom · 18/05/2012 13:00

Sorry but how come you can eat meringue? It's sugar innit?

Thegoddessblossom · 18/05/2012 13:01

Lunch: 3 egg omelette with mushrooms, smoked salmon and large salad with mayo.

teaandthorazine · 18/05/2012 13:07

You could make the meringue with sweetener, blossom. It's not Bootcamp-y, but there is, iirc, a recipe in the IPD Cookbook for Eton Mess, so technically you could consider it a low-carb option. But only for Special Occasions Grin