Week 1 - New Year 2014 Low Carb Bootcamp - And We're Off!

[BIWI]

Morning all!

I see several of you have already weighed in on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

As of today, though, we also have our bright, shiny, new Bootcamp section on Mumsnet, including our own Weight Tracker, which will only show your own weight/progress.

You can either use the Spreadsheet as we have done before, which everyone has access to and can see, or you can go here and enter your weight.

Obviously you can do both!

When you're in the new Bootcamp, if you click on the tab that says 'more info' that will take you to a section which has loads of information about low carbing, as well as Bootcamp Rules

Before we get going formally, I have to make an important disclaimer:

I am not a doctor, a medic, a scientist, a nutritionist or a dietician. I have no formal training in food, dieting or low carbing. The information that I provide here is based solely on my reading on the subject, as well as my own experience. If you have any kind of medical condition and/or you are taking any kind of ongoing medication, you should consult your GP before starting a low carb diet

That done, good luck everyone!

Checking in too. I started last week but am being properly strict this week. Today though I'm having big old cravings for something sweet! I usually have a coffee with cream after dinner which does the trick. I bought a bags of nuts last week that I haven't opened and I am so tempted - but I shall resist.

Tomorrow is DP's birthday and we are going out to dinner with friends so that will be a big test. It's at a wine bar . I think I might succumb.....

Today I had:
B. leftover chicken and broccoli bake made with cream cheese, chicken stock and cheddar,
L. ham and cream cheese rolled up with salad, some olives, a chunk of Brie
D. chicken-base pizza with celeriac chips. With mozarella and more cheese.

I think I've overdone the cheese today

Hi all, hope you losers are all ok. [ smile]
Yesterday was hard, no energy etc etc, not so bad today but my knackered ness makes me want to reach for something that will help me push on through til bedtime. Meh.
I've had no real cravings though yet, but now I'm worried it's because I'm not there yet. I haven't weighed though so will hold off the panic until Monday .
I'm drinking about 3 litres a day, is that right?
Anyhoo.

Today I ate...
B- sausage and decaf bullet proof coffee
Then, after school drop off, 2eggs, mushrooms and a small tomato fried in butter.
L- umm, I can't remember but I'm sure you would approve . But it was accompanied by a normal bulletproof coffee (to keep me awake for a bit)
T- pork belly steak fried in Chinese 5 spice and butter, courgette chips, an egg and spinach. All with extra butter etc.

Yesterday I had chicken, fried with leek, mushrooms, courgettes and butter. With a dollop of ff Greek yoghurt. I gave to be very careful though as I have to use tescos own because THEY ARE SHIT. There's none of this fancy stuff you all keep banging on about... Celeriac? Nope. Decent meat I can afford ? Nope. Malt salt? You're having a laugh.

aright I could be wrong as it is a long time since I read it but I think Fat Is A Feminist Issue by Susie Orbach may address that issue. The psychology of weight loss and eating is fascinating and complex, I wish I understood it and understood myself!

I found something wonderful today! I had some creamed leeks left from a day or two ago and didn't know what to have them with. I dissolved a chicken Oxo cube in 200ml boiling water, added a giant blob of creamy leeks and blitzed it. It was like a CupASoup but nicer!

rosetinted - you're not on the spreadsheet, so I don't know how much you weigh. Have you got a lot to lose?

List out for me what you've been eating/drinking over the last few days, see if I can spot anything

I'm not missing alcohol at all because I don't normally drink, but right now I could do serious damage to a dairy milk and cup of tea to dunk it in. I can feel it melting in my mouth now. Luckily there is no chocolate in the house so I can go on fantasising wanting it all I want.
Tomorrow night will be tricky for me, it is family movie night and there are treats and snacks.... Dun dun duhhhhhhh

Poor you Rose - that must be really disappointing . However I'm sure Biwi says it sometimes takes a couple of weeks to get going - it just depends on you and your body but it will work eventually. You must know that you are eating more healthily than before so there are benefits even if you're not getting immediate results. The first time we did lo carbing my DH gained 2lb the first week and was not impressed! He stuck with it though and lost 2 stone over about 3 months - so don't give up just yet!

Rosetinted that doesn't seem right - do you want to post what you've been eating and see if anyone can come up with suggestions?

Today:

B - scrambled egg, green salad with dressing
L - cheese, salad, mayo
D - saag paneer with Total yog, veg (courgette, brussels)

The saag paneer was bleddy lovely! I know we're meant to avoid processed food so my confession is, it was ready-made from Sainsburys. Twas 3.9g/100g carbs, 7g protein, 10g fat so I call that a perfectly balanced meal! The whole pot was 300g so I guess that is 12g carbs in one meal, perhaps a lot. But it was seriously DELICIOUS, really hit the spot.

That's a lovely menu, Sal, although the starters will be more difficult.

TBH, my personal strategy is that this has to be a WOE for life, so I'd just go with the flow - be super strict the day before, and super strict for the next few days afterwards.

And if you can try and drink loads of water during the meal, so you're keeping the wine consumption down, that will help as well.

Nice menu there. Starters - I'd go for Fresh Crab, but don't eat the toast, or, cod and cockles on toast and leave the toast.

captainmummy it should be plenty warm enough. I prefer ocean swimming in late February/March because the water has warmed up by then. It can be a bit cold for me in December/January.

Today:

B - Total with flaxseed.
L - Green salad with creamy dressing and roast chicken.
D - Fish pie topped with cauliflower mash, topped with cheddar and parmesan crust as per recipe thread.
S - olives and baby bel cheese

I know my skin thing isn't hot flushes. I'm only 33, had my hormones checked not long ago, and it just doesn't feel the same (had loads of those before IVF etc and it didn't make me look like I have angry hives).
I'm actually now thinking could it be olives? I don't eat them often, but have had them every day now. The skin was getting better tonight, but had an evening snack of some olives, and I'm red and hot now and a bit itchy actually. I think I'll skip them from now on...

to all of you having Friday night misery without booze. All I'm craving is chocolate, but not too strongly. It doesn't really feel like Friday anyway as DH is working tomorrow. :( I'll be doing mealplanning and Morrisons alone, I guess. (But yay, overtime pay!)

I've noticed a lot of people are craving chocolate. You might need more magnesium in your diet. table of cravings

This is a bit about what magnesium does

BIWI - Is a hot chocolate as described by Notsoskinny sufficent for breakfast or do I need to eat as well?

Oh, thanks for replying BIWI and Eva. Example days are

Thurs
B - scrambled egg
L - roast chicken, blob of mayo, salad
D - moussaka from the recipe thread (totally yummy)

Today
B - total yoghurt
L - tuna mayo, salad
S - portobello mushrooms with Boursin, veggies

Snacks - bits of ham or black farmer sausages, cheese squares, olives
Drinking water, sparkling water, peppermint tea

Feel much more upbeat after getting DD's wheeze settled and having some peppermint tea this eve! I'm 130lbs and have put on a good 15ish in the last year, so dropping 10 of those would be great. However, I do know it may take time and actually breaking the carb addiction (darned Italian family and their pasta eating habits!!) is just as much of an aim so I will focus on that rather than actual weight loss (or lack thereof!). I've surprised myself by how much energy I've had this week despite poorly DD and lack of sleep - didn't expect that with this WOE so that's a real plus. Onwards and upwards into week 2! Loving this thread and all the ideas and support - thanks everyone

Better day today. Finding it very hard going this time though.

Lunch - small portion left over curry
Snack - cheese and tomatoes
Dinner - salmon fillet in a shallot butter sauce with roasted broccoli
Snack - pork scratchings (my first ever!)

2 teas, tincture, >2L water

I've been out for a meal tonight with friends at Fat Buddha, I tried to choose the best options but have probably undone all my hard work.
I had salt and chilli prawns, followed by fillet beef in black bean sauce with a side order of greens and spring onions. I tried not to eat the sauce but obviously quite a bit of it was attached to the beef! Managed to avoid the alcohol and stuck to water.

So it hasn't been a good day but when you think of what I could have had it could have been much worse.

Tomorrow I will be good. I will also beg forgiveness of BIWI and try to avoid her big stick.

Couldn't understand why no one had posted since Wednesday.... then I realised that you were all on pg2 I don't like this pages lark.....

Am not doing brilliantly... am ok till late afternoon then feel queasy and horrible but.. I'm on antibiotics and I don't do well with antib's when low carb'ing for some reason.. hopefully I'll finish the course on Sunday and will restart bootcamp then....

Oh, bum. Went out to dinner after panto performance, drank fizzy water, had tandoori salmon with cauliflower banjo, then at the end of the meal I managed to knock back the free shot they give you without even thinking - Tia Maria with cream on top. Raah! If this screws me up I shall be so disappointed. Meh. :(

Banjo = bhaji. Arseing kindle.

Morning everyone!

This woe seems to make me sleep more lightly in the mornings so I'm wide awake listening to dh snore. As it's the only moment of peace I'll get in the whole day I thought I would use it to say good morning and good luck for the day! I've only had time to skim and lurk for the past couple of days. Congratulations to everyone seeing losses

I actually got to 14 days of bootcamp yesterday - yippee! I lost 8lb in total. I had a g and slimline t to celebrate- didn't want to post that last night whilst everyone was trying to stay off the gin!

I've not got the foggiest what I'm going to eat today- I'm off to my parents for the day while DH decorates. I don't like talking about diets with them (very long story about mothers/food/daughters). I'm hoping that we go out for lunch and that I can have a salad. Failing that I might just tell them I'm doing it for my skin.