Week 5 - Little Black Dress Low Carb Bootcamp - Almost Half Way There!

[BigBroomstickBIWI]

Come and weigh in:

docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmNIskihgXotdFVPcF9zWUhIal9BbTl5SnlTM3BlWVE#gid=0

Glad to see the losses so far!

I'm taking my weight as of last Friday, as I know that my weekend will have affected things. Yesterday wasn't too bad a day, although we went out for a Thai meal and even though I made the best choices I could, some of the food was definitely too sweet.

Now that I've got this weekend out of the way, it's back to it.

There's also a very interesting article for you to read, about leptin, the hormone that controls hunger:

articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/29/leptin-resistance.aspx?e_cid=20121029_DNL_art_1

[BigBroomstickBIWI]

willowisp - I would echo what Willie says. I'm not convinced by that galette at all - and I think in combination with sugar, it's not going to do you any favours. And your veg is quite high carb - onions and peppers quickly become carby.

If you have bowel problems, you would - IMVHO - be much better off eating more, lower carb veg and salad throughout the day. And if you keep your fats up, you shouldn't feel hungry any more.

[jan2013]

Biwi i will try to cut the carbs but just worried i won't be able to maintain my weight if i keep yo yoing off this woe and have the fat too. ill keep eating it and see what i can do.

anyone else find it hard to get motivated to cook if ur only really cooking for one? i need to make it a habit. its getting into the habit that will be hard.

[Willowisp]

maybe...it's an odd one because I don't think it's a craving...more like my whole body is empty of food & needs toppping up !

A few years ago I had to take anti d's & lost my appetite & about 5lbs, it was great as I had to buy a belt to hold my trousers up ! Anyway, when I got used to the ad's, my apetite came back, I stuffed myself (with choc spread sandwiches...oh the shame!) & put on about 10lbs.

I was wondering if my body was throwing this out as a don't-go-below-this-weight ?

thanks for your input & will take your comments on board & see how I go today - having v low lunch of salmon veg/combo. TBH I do struggle with breakfast & thought dukan galette was a good option..yes, also have a bowel that literally seizes up, but managing quite well at the mo

[Willowisp]

i cook for mostly just me at lunchtime (my naughty veg combo ) & find it as easy as a sandwich, just chuck it in a frying pan, fiddle somewhere around the house - washing/hanging stuff up/having a wee ! then come back & all cooked. I think it's just getting your head around it & helps is veg stuff is washed & salad in a bag.

[BigBroomstickBIWI]

Yo-yoing is definitely not going to help, jan, you're right. It has to become a habit - something you do without even thinking about.

Willow - hunger is caused by hormones. It's not about being empty, really. If you keep your hormones - insulin and leptin - in balance, by keeping your blood sugar levels stable, then you shouldn't feel the hunger.

[JessicaWakefield]

BIWI you have radically changed my woe and my attitude towards food. I weigh less than I did pre-DC, I have energy, I drink water rather than main-lining espresso, DH loves the BC recipes that I'm cooking and I feel really really good in myself! I'm sure many others have had a similar experience on bootcamp. That to me certainly warrants the nomination!

[MrsHerculePoirot]

Jan, yes I find that. DH is away for most of the next two weeks and that is usually a difficult time as I just can't be arsed and don't have him here to be strong when I'm not being! Things that help me are to have things that just go in the oven - meat of any description basically or fish in foil. Usually I can cook enough for two nights and just reheat another night. I try to cook lots of casseroles and then freeze, these just then come out night before or go in microwave. Also sometimes I find it easier to have bigger/main meal at lunch as there will be others about or I jus have more motivation and then just have smaller stuff for tea e.g. Celery and cream cheese or salad and cold meats.

When cooking for DD at that age she loved roast meats with gravy, carrots, red cabbage, parsnips, peas, green beans, broccoli. Casseroles went down well as the meat is tender for them. For her now if I want her to have a small carb portion I generally make her cous cous (25g of cous cous and 40ml of water) and it takes 5 mins. She thinks we are eating the same... Or fish, salmon in particular, just wrapped in foil in oven. Would it be easier to cook for both of you, you eat with her and have small snack after if needed? No idea if it will work - just an idea of course!

[EwanHoozami]

Well done on the weigh-ins everyone.

I have full-on food poisoning. Can't even keep down water. Thank heavens for my dad for coming over for the kids.

Will weigh in when I can. Won't need a Halloween outfit at this rate, I look like a particularly off- colour zombie..

[WillieWaggledagger]

you poor thing ewan, what did you eat that gave you that do you think? hope you're getting lots of rest

[jan2013]

oh no ewan... nightmare! i hope you get better real soon. mrsH yes it is hard - it must be difficult with your dh being away too. even now, dd is getting minded while im meant to be doing an essay, so i do have time to cook and im struggling to get motivated... i have 101 other things i could do! but yes we do eat together and i could cook for both of us...she is so so fussy but now shes over her illness she is eating a bit better. couscous is a fab idea - easy for her to eat too so i will try that for sure.

[MegTheCat]

Hi just quickly checking in. I've put my weight on the spreadsheet - no loss but didn't deserve any. No major cheats but had some busy days last week and felt like I hadn't eaten enough veg or drunk enough water; chinese takeaway on Friday when I thought I had chosen low carb options and found the spare ribs had batter on them and the black bean sauce had beans in it (duh - the clue was in the name really); visit to my parents yesterday. Got told off (jokingly I hope) for spurning my mum's crumble. I don't think they even noticed I skipped the mashed potato. But I did succumb to fruit salad and had some milk in my coffee.
Looks like lots of people have slowed down this week (from the spreadsheet). I believe that is just what Biwi predicted at the beginning of the week 4 thread (spooky...) Anyway, nothing to worry about - as long as the trend is downwards its all good.
BIWI you definitely deserve your nomination - I cannot believe how much better I feel since starting this woe and that is all down to you starting off these threads.
Ewan hope you feel better soon

[Ilovemyteddy]

1lb off for me this week.

BIWI you really do deserve the nomination for keeping us all on the straight and narrow.

Viper Sorry about DS being stuck in the US. Try not to fret - easier said than done, I know.

Willowisp try drinking a glass of water if you feel hungry and see if that works - it usually does for me.

MrsHP - well done on the weightloss this week. You are right about not being arsed to cook when you're just cooking for yourself. My DCs are grown up and away from home now and, if DH is away (which he is, occasionally) I just can't be bothered. I also cook casseroles and freeze them, and sometimes resort to microwaveable bags of veg too!

[BigBroomstickBIWI]

everyone

I'm just so glad it's working for everyone. Just imagine if it wasn't!

Ewan - sorry you're poorly. Food poisoning is the pits. Hope you're feeling better soon.

[jan2013]

ok well i made a start... i had no ingredients unfrozen to cook a dinnerish meal (shame on me) but i made tuna muffins! i think they turned out pretty well. all good ingredients...eggs tuna onion flaxseed. so its got me off to a start, and tomorrow i hope to cook a proper dinner... (wow, cooking a proper dinner?!!!)

[tartiflette]

Just marking place on the new thread. After weigh in this morning totm arrived so am feeling even better about having got away without a gain this week after my boozy weekend away.
Like BIWI I think I will commit to 9.7 being on the scales next week and go hardcore to achieve that. It's a big ask (3lb) but have been cruising for ages and want a whoosh!

Poor Ewan

[Poppy1234]

Congratulations BIWI, totally deserved.

Oh my goodness Viper, how stressful and worrying for you.

I'm drawing a line under the weekend, had a rather large planned cheat yesterday at a Christening. I think my 2lb gain gave me more of a sod it attitude but I fully believe life is for living and if that means a bit of cake once in a blue moon (well 4 weeks) then that's ok and I think makes this way of eating much more achievable as a lifestyle.

BIWI, inspired by your adapted tartiflette I bought a mandoline and it's fabulous, I made swede gratin on Saturday night and it was gorgeous. DH was convinced it was made with potatoes and who was I to correct him.

B: Greek yoghurt
L: Curried cauliflower soup with a tiny bit of ham and feta cheese
D: Lamb keema (minus the peas) with cauliflower rice, courgette and mushrooms.

[Lavendersbluedillydilly1969]

2.75lbs down this week which is amazing. Am aiming for a number starting with 9 for next week. I am so much happier and feel so much more confident now than I have in ages. I weighed 9.5 stone for years then over the last year another couple of stone had just sneaked on without me really changing anything. Don't know if it's anything to do with being 43 and middle aged spread but it was affecting pretty much every area of my life.
BIWI I can't thank you enough for doing this bootcamp, the support of reading everyone's different experiences is so helpful and keeps me motivated in the face of chocolate buttons, one of my many old vices.
I feel good, sleep better and no longer have that 3pm slump on the sofa.
If you could just invent a cure for wrinkles now life would be perfect .

[MrsHerculePoirot]

Go Jan! Hope your essay is going OK. I must add DH is only away for short spells and I'm not in any way professing to have the answers btw... Also since Dd has been a bit older and able to talk really well it is much easier to get her interested in food and cooking. We get a veg box delivered which she loves (it's like opening a birthday present every week for her) and makes me eat and try new things with her. She didn't like the 'spiky' bits on broccoli, only the stalks but when a whole one came in our box, she tried it raw and loved the 'spiky' bit - I had just never thought of giving it to her uncooked!!

B - bacon, mushroom and eggs
L - lettuce, cucumber, feta, olives and 2 cherry tomatoes and a slice of yellow pepper
S - small handful of nuts

[MrsHerculePoirot]

Will done lavender!

[NotAgainAndAgain]

Viper sorry to hear about your DS. everything will end up ok, I will keep my fingers crossed for you too.

[NotAgainAndAgain]

You know what, I got fed up and had wrong chocolate. The one I always treated myself with. Thorntons Vienese. And I felt cheated. A bit like after sex when you already decided to divorce. Did not enjoy it even a little bit.
I think it is a good sign! I divorced cars for life!

[halfthesize]

Hi All, sts this week, no suprise after wine indulgence since Thursday[hblush]

Congrats on your nomination Biwi

Viper hope DS is ok

[Willowisp]

BIWI can you post your low carb Choc pudding please....(drools...)

[Viperidae]

Thanks for the support everybody. DS and girlfriend are going to have to ride it out over there. They are changing hotel as they could not afford to stay in their current one but the one they are moving to is marketed at younger travellers so has good, free wifi, etc which may be useful. They have no flight home yet as airlines have closed bookings because they don't know when they can resume as planes are in all the wrong places even when the storm is over. I am praying they will be ok and logically I am sure they will be but my mind is running riot worrying, going through apocalyptic storm scenes

I had a couple of mugs of dockers tea to start the day, then some Alpro yoghurt, stewed rhubarb and cinnamon. After I'd been out and distracted myself by buying new pyjamas, dressing gown, socks and, not one but, two pairs of boots I had 2 bacon rashers, sausage and scrambled eggs.
Have BIWIs coconutty pork in slow cooker for tea.

[SingingTunelessly]

Hello everyone, just marking my place. Haven't weighed in yet will do so tomorrow.

Viper' how worrying for you. Any further news?

BIWI the nomination is so well deserved. I know I've told you before how much this woe has helped me not only lose weight which I thought was impossible with my thyroid problem, but better skin, hair, sleep ........ fantastic. And it's all thanks you. Before your thread I just assumed Low carb was a faddy diet . I blame the bad press Atkins got. Now the same bad press sends my blood pressure soaring with irritation.

Anyway, these are for you. With much appreciation you lovely star.