Bootcamp - the questions thread

[BIWI]

From experience of past Bootcamps, in the first few weeks the chat threads move really, really quickly and it's difficult sometimes to see/answer everything.

So this is a place to post any questions that you might have. Those of us who are old hands at low carbing will check this thread regularly and make sure that we answer you as soon as we can.

Depends on how many carbs, and then how much milk/how many carbs in the milk!

Hi, this is my first post and I'm hoping for some feedback on my diet - I only got interested in LC a few weeks back after reading Gary Taubes and John Briffa, and came across this site via Google - it seemed a lot more useful and friendly than others so I've signed up, despite my younger child coming up for 30 years old this year!

Like many dieters, I've tried all the usual things in the past and liked the idea of not being a slave to tracking every single thing I'm eating, but I'm not sure I'm getting the proportions right. If I list a typical day's intake, would someone be able to offer any suggestions for what I need to change? The problem is I don't snack between meals at all but am often REALLY hungry and that seems to be wrong according to what I've read, so I don't know if I'm missing something or am just an absolute piggy!

Breakfast time:
2 scrambled eggs plus mushrooms fried in about a teaspoon of coconut oil
Black coffee with a teaspoon of coconut oil

Lunch time:
Some kind of unprocessed meat or fish (eg a chicken breast, tin of tuna) plus quite a large helping of veg (eg leeks, celery, green pepper, courgette and mushroom) fried in about a tablespoon of coconut oil with maybe a little butter added

Dinner time:
Similar to lunch - maybe I'll have cauli mashed with about a tablespoon of butter instead of the other veg, but again normally a big portion of veg with a serving of meat or fish

I drink about 3 litres of water and about 5 cups of black tea during the day as well.

I haven't lost a tremendous amount of weight as yet (apart from the first week) so was wondering if anyone can see any flaws in this path?

Apologies for the lengthy question, it's just that this seems like a helpful place and although I'm enjoying the food I'd like better results!

Thanks in advance

HN xx

Welcome, Halo (don't forget to explore the rest of MN, we're not ageist )

What you're eating sounds very similar to what I eat, except that I have a lot more fat in my diet. I often go through a large jar of Helmans mayo and a block of butter every week. I also snack between meals. Typically hard boiled eggs, pine seeds, soured cream or creme fraiche.

Weight loss is fairly slow after the first few weeks. Averages out as 1-2lb a week.

Welcome, Halo! We're certainly not ageist here - I'm 54!

You need to eat a lot more fat, and stop worrying about quantities. This WOE (way of eating) should be fat:protein:carbohydrate. If you're hungry between meals, this suggests that you really do need this extra fat.

Keep an eye on how much veg you're eating, and the carb counts, as it could be that you're eating a lot of carbs that way. And look to eat fattier cuts of meat/fish.

Have you had a look at Bootcamp rules? They are on the bottom to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness here which you don't have to join, if you don't want to share your information.

There is also our Weight Tracker which is individual, if you prefer

Thank you BIWI and Her Majesty - lovely to be made to feel so welcome at the ripe old age of 47 - I'm not really much of a "forum" expert as you can probably tell but this one seemed so good (all of MN in general, not just this thread - I'm swilling coconut oil round my gob as I type!) Can't believe I've never come across it before.

Thanks for the wise words - I did suspect that maybe I am eating too many veg and not enough fat but it is still a scary prospect to me to turn all my "learning" about healthy eating on its head, and I don't want to end up having to track carbs instead of calories! I will definitely try to up the fat this week, as it seems contrary to what people say on here to be so hungry all the time!

Oh yes, I've scoured all the wonderful info on here, it's just so fabulous - the spreadsheet has the right name!

Thanks again x

The whole idea behind Bootcamp (apart from losing weight ) is that you don't have to weigh or count anything - unless you want to, of course. If you just follow the rules, then it will work for you.

Just a quick one - I have a recipe for cauliflower cheese which calls for milk. I have a massive carton of double cream. Could I water down the cream and use that instead of milk? What ratio of milk to cream should I use if so?

Why water it down at all?

I dunno, I assumed as double cream is thicker than milk I'd have to water it down so there's enough liquid for the recipe. If that makes sense! Should I just use the cream as it is?

It depends what the recipe is, and how thick the DC is.

What are the instructions? (I can't imagine that precise consistency wd be critical for cauli cheese.)

500ml milk but it's cooked with butter and flour to make a sauce, so I could probably just use the cream to eliminate the flour and milk as the cream will be thick anyway. I'll give it a go and see

Sorry I've never made cauli cheese before so I don't want to mess it up!

I haven't found a simple LC substitute for flour in sauce. IME simply melting cheese in liquid doesn't work.

If I was making cauli cheese with your ingredients, I would:

Steam or boil cauli florets until barely cooked.
Grate cheese.
Mix with double cream, freshly ground black pepper, a teaspoon or so of grainy mustard, chives, a teaspoon of veg stock powder.
Put drained cauli in a shallow Pyrex, slather with the cheesey creamy mixture, and bake until top is brining and bubbling ly delicious.

Browning, not brining.

Thank you! I will try it your way. I can't wait

I find using cream cheese (any variety) in the sauce works really well and brings the consistency to be how you'd want it - doesn't matter which, I made it with Cracked Black Pepper Boursin this week and it was gorgeous. My sauce is mostly creme fraiche and cream cheese with a bit of grated cheese/ cream/ seasoning.

I added cream cheese as I had some which needed using it was delicious but very rich. I'll probably use creme fraiche next time and not as much cream. I'd never tried cauliflower cheese until a couple of weeks ago and I can't believe I've been missing out this whole time

I bought a cauliflower today...

Hello everyone!
I found this section of MN after reading John Briffa's book, and began Bootcamp last monday. I've been following the BC threads in 'real time' so it feels like I know you all already in a massively stalkerish way.

My question is that I seem to be having a weird reaction to this woe and wondered if any of you might have some tips?

The main things are:

• incredibly dry skin - cracking on my hands and red stripes, almost like burns on my face
• disturbed sleep
• farting like a trouper
• tired, washed out and foggy. I can't concentrate on anything.

Apart from that, it's all good!

ooh, typical menu for a day would be:

B - FF greek yoghurt with double cream, cinnamon & flaxseed
D - cheese omlette with 3 eggs
T - leafy salad with jerk chicken and ceasar dressing or mayo

drinks: limited to 2x tea with milk & 1 decaff coffee with cream. Yesterday I managed 3l of water for the first time as I thought upping water intake wouldn't hurt, and have ordered some coconut oil too.

a question about net carbs.
if my 100g bag of pistachios says its 8.2g of carbs and 4.5g of fibre does that mean that its only 3.7g of carbs for the whole bag ã??clutching wildly at strawsã??

I've been following bootcamp since week 2 & just sort of ate the whole bag without even thinking about it

I am so not going to be having salty nuts in the house again - waay too moreish

Hello, could I ask some questions please?

Hopefully Biwi you may slightly remember me from previous bootcamps, I had some time off to have a baby.. Hes now 4 weeks old and I want to lose the weight, Im disappointed to say my first target is to lose 2 stone.

I cant find much info online about low carbing and breastfeeding so wondered if anyone had any advice? My main concern is low carbing affecting my milk supply but I cant quite see how it would as long as Im eating enough.

Is it too soon to be doing this? Im finding that despite breastfeeding Im not feeling very hungry, I don't have much of an appetite and due to dh working late most nights I haven't got on with a low carb meal plan yet, and once Ive fed my other 2 children Im grabbing a bowl of cereal for my dinner whilst Ive got 5 mins. This obv isn't helping my mood nor how I look.

Im going to read through the rules now to remind myself, and look for meal ideas that are low carb and relatively cheap and easy to do.

Any help/advice most appreciated.

Guy the low carb Bootcamp is absolutely compatible with breastfeeding, I have been following it since June 2013 and breastfeeding that whole time. I lost 30 lb in five months. I skipped the initial Bootcamp phase and started straight in to Bootcamp light. I recommend taking a supplement such as Pregnacare Breastfeeding so you can make sure you aren't depleting your own nutrient stores to make breastmilk. I found the low carb flu hit me really hard for three days at the start and I think it's because I was breastfeeding up to six times at night between dinner and breakfast. Once I was low carb adapted that wasn't a problem because I could run off my fat stores iyswim. But I suggest having food on your bedside table for the first week, such as almonds or other snacks so that you can eat before you get out of bed in the morning.

StuntNun - Thanks for that! Ive been low carbing and am now into my second week. Im not being super strict in that I'll have milk with my coffee but Im having no more than 2 a day. Tbh Ive found I haven't experienced the low carb flu this time, usually around day 3 Id feel like absolute crap and usually have a headache for a couple of days. At the moment Im on day 9 and feeling ok.

Thanks very much for the supplement recommendation, I shall definitely look that up.

Sorry - have been a bit absent from the thread for a while Real live does have a nasty habit of getting in the way!

linesandlines - that doesn't sound good, and my first thought was to ask how much water you're drinking. And make sure you're eating plenty of fat. Are you still suffering?

ladygagoo - it's only American carb counts where the fibre is subtracted. So if you're in the UK/buying UK products, I'm afraid that the carb count is the full count.