The Basics Boot Camp

[BeachWithMyBabies 24]

Did an experiment and did a hybrid of the 5 Day Pouch and Diva's Boot Camp. 2 days of liquids (shakes, Soups, sf Jello and pudding) followed by 3 days of high quality protein's she recommended and greens (treat for me, cause I love greens). Over the 5 days, I lost 6.8 pounds - all and more of my holiday gain! A week later, happy to report I'm up a tad, but still lost all my holiday gain. Pretty sure the weight I lost and gained was Water, so there you go! Success in my book! Did I mention I just put my ass in a size 8 jeans?? Thanks Diva!!!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

@Beach - RIGHT ON!!! Ehhh now, fittin size 8!! Was worth it huh? From here though the trick is to just follow sleever rules, you know, Protein first, no drinking with meals... etc. And yes majority of that was Water drop - but still is nice!! Xox

[Was a humpty dumpty 35]

@beach Great job, I will try that on my next stall.

[BeachWithMyBabies 24]

Hey - I'll take any kind of drop I can get! And the Water loss was simply the pound difference from last week and this week. I'm pretty sure your Boot Camp burned 5 pounds that I gained from holiday eating. It broke my stall, which is wonderful!

[ouroborous 519]

So, looking at this diet, it seems very "paleo" -- if you're eating like this, you're eating:

• Very high Protein -- a good thing, especially for us sleevers. Not to the point of Atkins -- which is bad, and taking a good thing too far -- but maybe South Beach-y, which is a good, solid, sensible plan
  
• Very high complex carbohydrates -- another good thing. Most Americans do NOT get enough vegetables (and no, potatoes don't count!)
  
• Very high Water (more on this in a moment)
  

Now, dramatic short term weight loss is only possible in two cases:

1. Significant anorexia. "Anorexia" is actually a medical term, not a disease (technically, the disorder is "anorexia nervosa" -- or "mental" anorexia). Anorexia just means that you're eating too little, medically speaking. And it's not healthy! When you're anorexic, your body begins to do all sorts of things to conserve energy, including switching from burning fat stores to burning muscle stores. It will even begin to metabolize brain matter over time, if the anorexia is significant and prolonged enough. Medical anorexia is not a good thing.
   
2. Fluid loss. Yup, good old "water weight."
   

My guess is that if you lose more than a pound or two over five days (on this diet or on ANY diet), it is primarily Water weight. Five days is simply not enough time for your body to become anorexic enough to have burned any significant amount of fat (especially the stubborn superficial fat that most of us are concerned with).

With this diet, since you're eating almost no highly-processed food, you're eating very little salt (at least compared to "normal" Americans, who eat way, way, way too much salt). And as a result, your tonicity -- water/mineral -- balance will shift. In an attempt to maintain homeostasis (fancy medical speak for "keeping things in balance"), your body will dump water so that your salt concentration doesn't get too low.

Drinking lots of water will flush out more minerals, but you have to be careful. Over the long term, I believe that drinking double the daily recommended water (64oz is recommended) coupled with this very low-sodium diet might be dangerous (I'd ask a doctor about it); it could introduce a hyponatremic state -- dangerously low sodium. This can kill you (google "hyponatremia" or "water intoxication" if you don't believe me that drinking too much water can kill you). Over the short term, what you'll do is DUMP water in order to maintain your salt tonicity, so if you drop a lot of weight in five days due to this diet, I'd suspect that it's almost entirely water weight.

That being said, minus the excessive water intake -- my nut. was emphatic that over the long term I was to consume no more than 60 oz. per day -- I think that this would be a Very Healthy Diet. You'd have to introduce some fruit (a low level of fruit intake is important for maintaining levels of Vitamin C and some flavanoids), and you'd want to make sure that your Fiber intake balanced the Protein intake for bowel health, but if you could stick with it, I think this diet would be a great way to keep steady healthy fat loss. Couple it with a good exercise program, and you'd be on track for a very healthy body.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

So, looking at this diet, it seems very "paleo" -- if you're eating like this, you're eating:

• Very high Protein -- a good thing, especially for us sleevers. Not to the point of Atkins -- which is bad, and taking a good thing too far -- but maybe South Beach-y, which is a good, solid, sensible plan
  
• Very high complex carbohydrates -- another good thing. Most Americans do NOT get enough vegetables (and no, potatoes don't count!)
  
• Very high Water (more on this in a moment)
  

Now, dramatic short term weight loss is only possible in two cases:

1. Significant anorexia. "Anorexia" is actually a medical term, not a disease (technically, the disorder is "anorexia nervosa" -- or "mental" anorexia). Anorexia just means that you're eating too little, medically speaking. And it's not healthy! When you're anorexic, your body begins to do all sorts of things to conserve energy, including switching from burning fat stores to burning muscle stores. It will even begin to metabolize brain matter over time, if the anorexia is significant and prolonged enough. Medical anorexia is not a good thing.
   
2. Fluid loss. Yup, good old "water weight."
   

My guess is that if you lose more than a pound or two over five days (on this diet or on ANY diet), it is primarily Water weight. Five days is simply not enough time for your body to become anorexic enough to have burned any significant amount of fat (especially the stubborn superficial fat that most of us are concerned with).

With this diet, since you're eating almost no highly-processed food, you're eating very little salt (at least compared to "normal" Americans, who eat way, way, way too much salt). And as a result, your tonicity -- water/mineral -- balance will shift. In an attempt to maintain homeostasis (fancy medical speak for "keeping things in balance"), your body will dump water so that your salt concentration doesn't get too low.

Drinking lots of water will flush out more minerals, but you have to be careful. Over the long term, I believe that drinking double the daily recommended water (64oz is recommended) coupled with this very low-sodium diet might be dangerous (I'd ask a doctor about it); it could introduce a hyponatremic state -- dangerously low sodium. This can kill you (google "hyponatremia" or "water intoxication" if you don't believe me that drinking too much water can kill you). Over the short term, what you'll do is DUMP water in order to maintain your salt tonicity, so if you drop a lot of weight in five days due to this diet, I'd suspect that it's almost entirely water weight.

That being said, minus the excessive water intake -- my nut. was emphatic that over the long term I was to consume no more than 60 oz. per day -- I think that this would be a Very Healthy Diet. You'd have to introduce some fruit (a low level of fruit intake is important for maintaining levels of Vitamin C and some flavanoids), and you'd want to make sure that your Fiber intake balanced the Protein intake for bowel health, but if you could stick with it, I think this diet would be a great way to keep steady healthy fat loss. Couple it with a good exercise program, and you'd be on track for a very healthy body.

Great analysis and you are absolutely right. I never do this for more than the 5 days. Also, once that 5 days is up I go back to the very easily and simply followed Sleever rules being, protein first, veggies second and a few bites of good complex carbs. I do drink a lot of water, but I do also workout a lot so my water always needs to be replaced. I think anyone should try to find out how much water one needs for each person individually.

ETA: the Atkins and South Beach Diet references are very right on, I've been eating their style since 2008. I don't know what Paleo is...

[meggspeggs 0]

Oro- you seem very knowledgable. Are you in the medical field? I am so naturally I am curious if you are too:)

[ouroborous 519]

Nope, just an interested layman I read science news every day (http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/) and have a subscription to Scientific American. How geeky is that??

[meggspeggs 0]

It's awesome!!!!!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Gotta love Mr. Science!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

So anyway, on Wednesday I start my favorite way to get me back on track, and I'm so ready!!! Been down a lot recovering from my surgeries, but I got time on my side now and it's time to get back to my fit and fierce form!!

I will check in daily to provide what I've eaten for the day.

Yeahhh!!!

[Kimmes 38]

I just updated my status... I need to get my carbs under control... I have been super busy at work and NOT making good choices so I am going to start my own bootcamp basics starting NOW. I am currently weighing 146 - up 2 from my lowest of 144... UP is not the way I want to go - and I know exactly why it happened.... POOR food CHOICES.

So back on track I go! This is a journey!

[Was a humpty dumpty 35]

Kimmy you can do it!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

Here's my first day totals:

Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sugar Sodium Totals 1,193 53 58 114 38 1,892 Your Daily Goal 2,289 171 76 228 63 2,500 Remaining 1,096 118 18 114 25 608

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Here's my first day totals:

Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sugar Sodium Totals 1,193 53 58 114 38 1,892 Your Daily Goal 2,289 171 76 228 63 2,500 Remaining 1,096 118 18 114 25 608

this is a little confusing. you ate less that 1200 calories?