Week 4 - New Year Bootcamp - Where We Really Get Going

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Quick post from me as I have to go to work. Damn that RL!

Come and confess all on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

Remember that in this week, it is still likely that you may see very little or even no loss. This is entirely normal and will happen no matter how well you have been following Bootcamp rules

It sounds, though, like some of you are eager to report losses anyway, so that's brilliant!

However, there's been a lot of falling off the wagon recently, so can I suggest that we really get focused in this week and make sure that we don't allow the carbs to creep back into the diet? From here on, we're only really going to see losses of around 1-2lbs a week, so let's not sabotage things.

froufrou what sad news hug I will be thinking of you.

Had roast pheasant tonight with celeriac dauphinoise/gratin and buttery savoy cabbage with bacon pieces. Yummy.

Was tempted persuaded by dh and his MW Study Buddy to taste two of the three wines that they had been tasting as they were such good matches for the pheasant. I had less than a quarter of a glass of each - purely for tasting purposes of course.

I was then really really good and didn't have a single After Eight when dh opened the box from Christmas even though they are one of my favourite chocolates

B - cooked lc breakfast

L- my hm delicious broccoli and stilton soup

S - hogbites Yummy!

D - Waitrose Chicken with cream and cheese, celeriac and swede chips and spinach. Cheese board

Peppermint tea.

Nightsky. I see . I am hoping its the lack of exercise holding me back. I so want low carb to work.

Gless. My dairy intake is quite small. I have 2 or 3 coffees a day with cream and usually some FF greek yog either as breakfast or in the evening. I gave up cheese halfway through last week and i have not had any cream cheese at all during boot camp. I could ditch the Greek yog but given I have given up my daily 8 cups of tea in favour of a couple of coffees, the coffee has to stay.

think the key must be getting to the gym. I don't think I can lose otherwise.

No difference in my skin so far. That said my experience with rosacea has taught me that results tend to take a couple of months to show. Still holding out for that.

I so want this to work. Before I had my DC I was very slim and had never been on a diet. Within 8 weeks of falling pregnant with my first I blew up like a balloon and just got fatter and fatter. No change in what I ate just changes in my body's metabolism.

I have a whole wardrobe of beautiful clothes I am too fat to wear and I miss looking smart.

I am also ashamed because people constantly think I am pregnant (all the weight is on my tum). It was easier to deal with before DD turned 3 but now she picks up on it and asks whether she is going to have another brother like DS. And obviously I tell her no. I think it confuses her.

It's worst when I am with DH and it happens. He took me to a very swanky Michelin starred establishment in November and the staff all congratulated us and started asking when I was due whether it was our first. DH pretended not to hear and look at the menu. I was mortified beyond belief. Needless to say I did not enjoy my special expensive dinner.

To clarify, my legs, arms bum is a size 14 but my waist is more like a size 20.

Sorry mammoth post

Froufrou - what sad news. I do understand your sadness (was orphaned in my 30s) and know that, even as an adult, it is a hard loss. The most important thing right now is to be kind to yourself and allow the emotions to come. Take it all day by day, the good ones and the bad ones. I wish I could explain that grief is a part of loving someone and so it has a poignancy to be treasured. With lots of love. xxx

... and Skandi1 - just big hearts for you. xxx

Skandi - I'm sure you will lose the weight - hang on in there. I always carry weight on my tummy too - never been able to shift it.
You can try exercise if you've got the time.

Are you sure your tummy isn't being affected by something else? Are your periods ok?

Kids just knacker those tummy muscles don't they? My last baby has really buggered mine. Thank God we love them do
Much!

skandi1 - perhaps diastasis recti is a possible explanation for your tum?

Sorry to hear low-carbing hasn't worked any magic for you yet.

Kerry - some ideas

For getting low carb food into house - supermarket deliveries, could set up a reg weekly delivery with full fat yoghurt, almond milk, eggs, cream, butter, full fat cream cheese etc. Then stuff would be in the house.

Preparing veg - frozen veg is very handy and doesn't go off (note to self, must get in frozen cauliflower). Mushrooms, young broccoli and courgettes very easy to prep and quick to cook. Bagged salad and fresh mayonnaise also easy and quick. Celery and cucumber for quick snacks with cheese or pate, or just dipped in mayonnaise.

Easy main courses - can buy ready roasted whole chicken, deli ham, smoked mackerel, with veg options as above these are easy and quick. Boiled eggs are a good brekkie or snack. Omelettes are great as an easy meal. Also tinned fish a good nutritious standby.

Food when out - I have gone to the deli counter in a supermarket for ham or cooked chicken and combined with a takeaway salad (plus plastic fork)

Top of the morning to you all!

BIWI - fabulous pages on low carbing on MN! Are all those pages new? Wow, you've been busy - and yes, world domination is surely round the corner?!

thenightsky, wha wasthe programe called? Ill see if its on 4od so I can watch it!

Blackaffronted - I made your sausage stroganoff last night AND took a picture of it! Will post now on the photo thread! (It was delicious!)

Skandi, perhaps you are quite insulin resistent, and it is just takiing your body time to adjust to this woe. It will happen though, you just need to keep at it. You are also 3lb less than you were at the start of the year, way better than being 3lb heavier, which could have happened had you not changed to this woe!

Kerry - I always make sure I have babybels, ham slices and homemade coleslaw in the fridge to snack on. A few pepperamis too. Make sure to have tinned tuna and a jar of mayonnaise, for a quick lunch with some salad leaves. Dinners are easy really, the kids can eat the same as you, with maybe some brown rice or potatoes with theirs. I have a DH and 3 kids, and dont tend to make many different meals. Generally we all eat meat & veg, with potatoes sometimes for them. If my DH doesnt fancy what I have planned for tea, he will make something different for him & the kids so that I dont have to make 2 meals - get your DP roped in! :)

I am now on day 16 of bleeding :( It is the only downside I have experienced, and I am not liking it. Have had a google, and it does seem common at the start of a low carb woe. Will just have to wait it out

Novelty [gein] I had it for dinner last night too.

(To those who haven't stumbled on this gem yet, a link to the inspiring photo thread is here)

Sorry about your bleeding black, that is a pain

Morning everyone

Frou

Busy day here, got the auditors in eek! Hope everyone has a good un

Morning all - sorry I've not been around much.

skandi1 - I'm sorry you aren't losing as fast as you had hoped that you would. BUT you have lost weight. 3lbs = 6 packs of lard. Far better to have lost that than to have gained the same.

If you haven't already, then I seriously recommend that you do some reading about low carbing, so that you can understand how it works - for general health as well as weight loss.

As well as ensuring that your food is OK, there are three other things that I picked up from the Dr Briffa session, all of which contribute to weight gain/loss:

• sleep: are you sleeping properly? Poor sleep is caused by/can provoke release of stress hormones, which cause inflammation, which cause weight gain

• light/sunshine: it's unlikely you're getting much of this at the moment! The critical thing here is your Vitamin D levels. Most of us don't get any/anywhere near enough in this country. Do you take a Vitamin D supplement? If not, get yourself a high dosage supplement, one which has Vitamin D3. (There won't be enough in a multi-vitamin, you want one that's at least 1000iu. Vitabiotics make one that Boots sell).

You can also amplify this by trying to get outside for a period of time everyday - even though we don't get much sunshine - a 20 minute walk at lunchtime, for example

• stress: this one is really hard to avoid, but when we are under stress the body produces stress hormones, which impact negatively on our weight. Relaxation techniques, yoga, pilates, etc could all help here.

And make sure that you really are following the rules - plenty of fat (should be the highest component of your diet), protein and then carbs. Carbs only from veg/salad, and not from any processed foods. Lots of water.

Exercise doesn't necessarily help, and can even cause you to gain weight - exercise makes you hungry so you eat more. It's great for general well-being, though, and things like High Intensity Intermittent Exercise or High Intensity Interval Training can help with weight loss - but overall, exercise is not essential for weight loss.

I would seriously, seriously, seriously suggest that you give up the dairy - even if it's just for a week. You say you've only just given up cheese, so it could still be an issue for you.

And finally, why don't you try keeping a detailed food diary for the next week - list everything you have been eating and drinking, and then post it here or send it to me if you would prefer (PM me for my e-mail address) and I'll see if I can help you more.

Kerry - will craft a proper reply to you later, but have to go gym/work right now. But chin up.

And why is your DP trying to do LC and low fat?! What is his thinking behind this? Far better for him to do what you're doing.

Hi everyone, sorry for short response yesterday, just catching up with you all now.

Although I gained this week, weighed myself this morning and I've lost it all! Mind you, it's a fair price to pay seeing as I was off work yesterday afternoon with a horrific migrane. Fuzzy eyes, nausea, the bloody lot. Doctor told me to rest today, and I think my boss was a bit about that but tough. I'm taking it easy today. I've never had a migrane before, and by God, I never want another one Huge sympathy to anyone who has them regularly.

Having steak and M&S ready peppercorn sauce tonight, and the sauce only has 1.6g of carbs in per 100g! Yaaaay!

Morning!

I have woken up with spots

It's all the water I think - hopefully should clear within a few days.

Yesterday:

B: cinnamon pancakes

L: pork steaks with paprika celeriac chips and watercress

D: Creamy pepper chicken with buttered baby broccoli

Will post pics later this afternoon

Hello all - I posted on week 3 and didn't really clock there was already a week 4!

I've gained 2lbs which isn't surprising given the massively boozy weekend I had so I'm pleased it's not more! I rarely go out but it was my best friend's birthday so I'm glad I let my hair down even if it did slow things down

Back on the wagon now for at least another week - I have no evening plans for ages now so I have no excuses for slip ups in future.

I made a really lovely cauli and leek gratin last night adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe - I will post it on the recipe thread

Val. yes kids do knacker your tummy area! And your sleep house etc

BIWI. I have done some reading up on low carb to understand what foods best to eat to get the most out of it.

I have also read Briffas book as well as others like Zoe Harcombe.

Yes it's 3 lbs lost but they were in the first week and nothing since then. That is what I don't understand.

Sadly on the sleep front I am seriously deprived. My 18mo DS can have me up anything up to 10 times a night (yes tried CC, no cry sleep method everything short of drugging him!) and a good night is 5 broken hours. Most is less than 4. I feel permanently fuzzy and hungover. Some days it's so bad a can't string a sentence together and I can't risk going out in the car because I would fall asleep at the wheel.

I do get fresh air and a walk. I take the DC to the park most days. And I take a Vit D supplement.

I have cut down on dairy a lot and will cut more. I will have another go at coffee with almond milk but it wasn't nice. I need the caffeine hits

Stress. Tick that one. A few different things but big ones that I have no control over. Can't really go into it without outing myself.

Sloppelganger. I do suffer from diastisis as well but I have worked on it and my gap is down to 3 fingers. Besides my tummy doesn't go flat when I lie on my back. Tis a lard mountain

Blackaffronted. Yes it's 3 lbs off but those were lost in the first week and I have lost nothing since then at all. Sadly.

I was clinging onto hope that the lack of progress was lack of exercise but if lack of sleep is the cause then I am beyond help.