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Low-carb bootcamp

Join discussions about low-carb bootcamp plans, meals and progress. Consider speaking to a medical professional before starting any diet.

New Year, New Start Boot Camp: Week 1, Now we get down to it in earnest

999 replies

prettybird · 08/01/2018 08:37

Stepping in to BIWI's big shoes and with a loan of her Big Stick, I take a big gulp and lead the first Boot Camp of 2018. ShockGrin

Here is a link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness If your name is not on it, because either it got lost in one of the many copy and pastes, or because you "signed up" after 0732 on Friday, which was when SayrraT produced the spreadsheet, you can add your name add the bottom and at some point it will be re-ordered alphabetically. NB: there is no obligation to add or your name or to weigh-in weekly - this is for those that find the weekly weigh-ins useful for motivation or accountability Wink

These are the Rules for Boot Camp. They are also on one of the tabs of the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness (SoF).

You need to follow The Rules for the first two weeks of Boot Camp. This gives your body a chance to "fat adapt" and for you to learn to eat because you are hungry, not because you crave carbs/sugar. As you get used to this Way of Eating (WoE), you will be amazed to find how often you are not hungry. You will find your fat stores give you sufficient energy.

For newbies, it is important to eat 3 meals a day - even if it is just a nominal breakfast/bulletprooof coffee (coffee blended with butter). Otherwise, you may find that hunger - or habit - will lead you to fall face first back into carby twatdom and then you need to start that process of fat-adaption all over again. Some of us who have now been low carbing for a while have found that we can follow 16:8 fasting or even the occasional 24 hour fast - but this is not something to be done in the early weeks. Don't try to restrict your fat because you think you are having too many calories, as they are important for the process of encouraging your body to change the way it uses its fuel.

So, here are the Rules. After 2 weeks I (or whoever takes over the next stint of the BIWI Replacement Programme ) the rules will be posted for Boot Camp Lite. Many of us who are still actively trying to lose weight tend to follow "full" Boot Camp during the week (maybe with extra berries and nuts) and then allow a small amount of alcohol at the weekend).

1. Eat three proper meals a day.
"You must eat breakfast. It doesn’t have to be a lot, and it doesn’t have to be absolutely first thing, but you must have something. For the rest of the day, if you’re eating enough food and you are in ketosis then you shouldn’t be hungry between meals. But if you are hungry, eat something. (Hard boiled eggs make a great snack).
After the first two weeks of Bootcamp we will relax this, but these two weeks are critical in terms of helping you switch easily to a low carb way of eating - and if you start to feel hungry, it makes things much harder! Eating this way will ensure that your blood sugar levels are kept stable, which will mean that you are much less likely to experience hunger.
A typical high carbohydrate diet can mean that snacking is a routine part of your day. Once your blood sugar levels are stable, by eating low carb, you should find that you no longer want to snack. But the rule of thumb here is ‘if you are hungry, eat!’. (Just make sure you are only choosing low carb snacks, of course!)"

2. Avoid processed foods.
Focus on pure, natural protein as the basis for your meals - meat/fish/eggs. Things like sausages, ham, bacon, pre-prepared burgers etc should be avoided as much as possible. You can have them, but just not every day. Avoid foods marketed as low carb, eg. Atkins Daybreak bars.

3. Eat lots of fat.
Eating fat will not make you fat. Honestly! But it will keep your appetite satisfied, and it sustains your body’s energy requirements perfectly. Fat does not provoke an insulin spike, unlike carbs which do (a lot) and protein (a little). Fry in butter, add butter to vegetables, eat salad with a home-made vinaigrette dressing (not made with balsamic vinegar though, as this is too sweet), add mayonnaise where you can (just check the carb count on your mayo first). Eat fattier cuts of meat – e.g. pork belly, roast chicken with the skin on and/or eat the fat off your lamb chops. Absolutely no low fat/light foods of any kind!

4. Make sure you are eating vegetables and salads with your food.
This is where your carbs should come from, and this is non-negotiable. But choose only those vegetables that are on the allowed list. Make sure that you focus on eating those vegetables that are 3g carb per 100g or less, and this will ensure that your carb counts are kept low. You don’t have to weigh/count carbs – this is one of the great joys of this WOE (way of eating), but if you’re new to low carbing it can be helpful to weigh your portions of veg in the early days, just so that you know how many carbs are in the sort of portions that you like to eat.

5. Be careful about dairy (apart from butter, which is unlimited).
Dairy can impede weight loss for some people. If you are still drinking tea/coffee with milk or cream, try to restrict yourself to max 2 cups per day. There are a lot of carbs in milk, so if you are having several cups of tea/coffee per day, you will quickly rack up your daily carb count (e.g. 1 medium latte contains more than 12g carbs!) You may eat cheese but again, don't overdo it. Full fat yoghurt is the best way to include dairy in your diet - but beware, it does contain carbs. Total Full Fat is the best

6. You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day.
"The more weight you have to lose, the more water you should drink. This is from www.low-carbdiet.co.uk/. Water is essential to weight loss for those who eat low-carb. The minimum consumed in a day should be:
Your Weight----Litres
140lbs-----2.5
160lbs-----3.0
180lbs-----3.0
200lbs-----3.5
220lbs-----3.5
240lbs-----4.0
260lbs-----4.5
280lbs-----4.5
300lbs-----5.0
320lbs-----5.5
340lbs-----5.5
360lbs-----6.0
380lbs-----6.5
400lbs-----6.5
High levels of ketones in the blood stream can lead to a reduction in ketone production, therefore being well hydrated could aid in keeping the levels low and ketone production ongoing. Consuming enough water can have many other positive side effects: aids your kidneys with the processing of protein, reduces the retention of water, helps with preventing constipation, and reduces the levels of ketones released by your breath, which in-turn will reduce breath odour. However, drinking a lot of water can mean that you also need to keep an eye on your electrolyte balance. You need to make sure that you are consuming sufficient sodium and potassium. On a low carb diet we can eat more salt, so make sure that you are cooking with salt and adding salt to food, if you like it. Good, low carb, sources of potassium are spinach (raw), avocado, mushrooms, courgettes and asparagus, as well as salmon and yoghurt."

7. No alcohol.
Alcohol is the easiest source of fuel for the body to burn, so it will always use this first before it starts to burn any fat - which is why you need to restrict it, especially in the first two weeks of Bootcamp, when we are encouraging the body to stop using carbs for its source of fuel and turn to fat-burning instead. If you really can't do this - at least try and restrict it to the weekend. Vodka with soda is the best thing to drink. Or Champagne, red wine or dry white wine.

8. No fruit.
Really. Seriously. Honestly. None at all. Zilch. Nada. After Bootcamp you will be able to introduce certain fruits, but at this stage fruit is simply too carby. We are also trying to break the addiction to sweet things, so cutting fruit out is part of this process. If you are getting all your carbs from vegetables and salad, you will be getting all the nutrients and fibre that you need.

9. No nuts/seeds (unless you are veggie: check the SoF for veggie rules)

10. No sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Sugar is an obvious ‘no no’, but artificial sweeteners are also an issue. One of the aims of this way of eating is to eat pure and natural foods, so including sweeteners is not recommended. Some people find that artificial sweeteners can impede their weight loss, and there is some suggestion that your body can respond to sweeteners as if they were sugar, by releasing more insulin - and therefore laying down fat. Given that the aim of Bootcamp is to help us lose our sweet tooth and addiction to sweet things, then it is a good idea to avoid sweeteners altogether in this first two weeks.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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prettybird · 08/01/2018 20:46

This was my supper tonight: the close up is of the courgette "side" of the lasagne after I'd taken my portion. Couldn't take a picture of my plate before I ate it as ds would have whinged, but it looked really tasty. Dh and he had the left hand side of the dish with the pasta sheets.

Enough left for supper on Wednesday Smile

No bechamel sauce, just layers of mozzarella, Parmesan and cottage cheese mixed with a beaten egg.

New Year, New Start Boot Camp: Week 1, Now we get down to it in earnest
New Year, New Start Boot Camp: Week 1, Now we get down to it in earnest
OP posts:
lanawinters · 08/01/2018 20:48

Evening all! I lurked during the last bootcamp and joined in around a month late at the beginning of November - I am absolutely thrilled to be over a stone lighter. Took a week 'off' for Christmas but suffered heartburn, indigestion and crippling headaches - so glad to be back on track. This WOE really suits me (I didn't eat carbs at all during my 20's and most of my 30's) so this will be a forever plan for me. I am now under 10 and a half stone for the first time in four years - wooohooo!
Breakfast - Bulletproof Coffee, 1 boiled egg
Lunch - Tuna, mayo, 1 hard boiled egg, mountain of rocket
Dinner - Roast Chicken (with skin) buttered sprouts, cauliflower cheese.
Really got into drinking water over the last 9 weeks - 3 litres today.
Not expecting a whoosh - will be happy with a 1- 2 lb loss each week.
Good Luck all!!

prettybird · 08/01/2018 20:51

I have to admit I struggle with eating enough veg. It's much easier to snack on cheese or meat Blush

I need to make that big pot of veg soup that I'd planned, to help my veg intake.

The water intake is easier: I've got quite good at downing a full pint of water at a time! Grin

OP posts:
BrassicaBabe · 08/01/2018 20:52

Ooh, what's your fav veg soup pretty?

prettybird · 08/01/2018 20:59

I have a giant pot of ham stock (which I'm boiling up every day as I don't have room for it in the freezer Blush), so I'm going to use half of it for a standard veg "broth" which is dh's favourite: diced celeriac, neeps, a wee bit of carrot (not too much Wink), sliced leeks and white cabbage.

The other half of the stock I'm going to use for one of Tom Kerridge's soups in his Dopamine Diet recipe book (instead of the chicken stock he uses)

OP posts:
StuntNun · 08/01/2018 21:03

ExplodingKittens the weird dreams are because your sleep quality can improve on LCHF which means you spend longer in REM sleep, hence more dream time.

mrsreynolds · 08/01/2018 21:06

Well today's been a disaster and now I have stomach cramps so prob am getting what ds2 has 😷

Sigh

Twoo · 08/01/2018 21:11

Thank you Say’ & ’Kittens. I’m not expecting to be in ketosis yet as it’s my first day. Fingers crossed it arrives sooner rather than later.

OAN I was messing around with weight & loss calculator apps earlier and it said for me to lose a steady pound a week I only need something like 987 calories a day 😳 Shock.

I’ve read on mn threads that you don’t need to count calories with this woe and you will lose. So I’m confused. Admittedly it doesn’t take much Grin

Twoo · 08/01/2018 21:12

Oh no Mrsreymolds . Hope you feel better soon.

Smallpotatolove · 08/01/2018 21:15

Helloo
First day has gone ok although maybe a bit cheese heavy. Starving now though, is that normal?

Breakfast - coffee with cream and greek yoghurt.
Lunch - frittatta with spinach and mushrooms with mayo
Dinner - courgetti carbonara
Snack - cheese cubes

Two cups of tea and 2 litres of water. Might have a fruit tea before bed.
Will add myself to the spreadsheet at 172lbs, the same weight I was when I was 9 months pregnant so thats a bit of a shock.

prettybird · 08/01/2018 21:26

Smallpotato - if you are starving, you should eat. But are you actually hungry or are you thirsty? Have you had some extra water to counter the "hunger" pangs?

If you are hungry, then you've maybe not had enough fat - did you use a generous amount of butter for your courgetti and frittata?

OP posts:
HattietheManatee · 08/01/2018 21:28

Today’s food:
B: decaf coffee with cream, two boiled eggs with cucumber
L: fake shepherds pie and spinach
S: piece of cheese and decaf coffee with cream
D: smoked salmon plates from Jamie’s 5 ingredients (avocado, smoked salmon, cottage cheese, pickled cucumber), plus some mackerel pate. Was absolutely lush, quick and easy to make and only 4.4g of carb. Totally recommend! OH who is not low carbing really enjoyed it too!

smallpotato I honestly was not hungry from day 1 (on day 14 of LCHF diet now). And I had blood sugar issues before which made me hangry if I didn’t eat every couple of hours. Maybe add a bit more fat, cream or butter, or try an egg? Others may disagree but it works for me.

TheWayOfTheWorld · 08/01/2018 21:29

hello twinnie Grin

Today has gone well, I'm relieved to say. Even managed my water but have been up and down to the toilet like a yoyo! Had also forgotten how dry my mouth gets at first with all the extra water.

So food today:
B: creamy coffee and 2 sausages
L: egg mayo salad
D: courgetti carbonara (made 2 lots last night) and I sauted some Brussels. Pretty good! Picture below, tastes a lot better than it looks Grin
S: 4 M&S manchego/Serrano ham rollitos.

Water: 2.5 litres and counting.

New Year, New Start Boot Camp: Week 1, Now we get down to it in earnest
BadlyParkedRangeRover · 08/01/2018 21:30

@Stuntnun science hat hmmm?
I have a question! (I asked it on the last thread and had anecdotal responses but no evidence or mechanism!)
Gary Taubes et al state that calories don't matter on this WOE, however, even if you are optimally fat adapted surely if you have enough calories from fat in your diet you'll burn dietary fat not body fat?
I understand that you wouldn't gain weight due to lack of insulin, but not how you lose weight despite sufficient calorie intake!?? Google/diet doctor isn't helping, and dragging myself through 'the case against sugar' again isn't attractive.
Thankyou!

explodingkittens · 08/01/2018 21:31

Thanks @Stunt, knew there had to be a reason! The effects that this WOE has on so many aspects of life/wellbeing never cease to amaze me.

Or rather, perhaps I should say the effects that eating a standard high-carb diet has, as I truly believe that LCHF is the way we are supposed to eat, so all these 'side effects' are actually the body and mind functioning as they should.

Mandelinka · 08/01/2018 21:31

Evening all
I have a favour to ask, can someone please add my weight (148lbs) to the spreadsheet? Can’t do it on my phone and can’t even sign in onto MN on my iPad Confused. Pretty please....
I felt cold and sort of foggy headed the whole day (plus week 3 of sinusitis and head cold)
Food:
B: 3 cups of green tea (to keep warm), sprouts, courgette and meatballs with butter and spices
L: salad with radishes, olives, avocado and blue cheese
D: leftover of veg soup with cheese —exploded babybell— crouton
S: pate, cheese. Cream coffe. Tea flavoured fizzy water, cinnamon ff yoghurt

SayrraT · 08/01/2018 21:34

Done mandelinka

Grimbles · 08/01/2018 21:37

Evening all, just popping in to log food :). My starting weight this BC is 178lbs, 12st 10. I started lchf in September weighing 14st 7.

As I've been doing this for 4 months I follow a 16:8 fast so don't eat til about 3pm. This pattern is something that happened naturally, I simply do not get hungry anymore. This is one of the many benefits of lchf - no more being hangry and feeling out of sorts of you haven't eaten for a few hours!

B. Fasting (long term lchf'er)
L. Fasting
S. Pork Scratchings
D. Pork Steak, asparagus roasted in butter, sprouts and pancetta roasted in butter

3l of water drunk plus 3 cups of coffee

Twoo · 08/01/2018 21:39

Thank you mrsglowglow. I have a spirilizer hiding at the back of a cupboard. Me thinks I will get it out and give courgette ribbons a go.

BadlyParkedRangeRover · 08/01/2018 21:40

they're doing a version of HFLC (the original! The Banting diet) on How to Lose Weight Well (C4) watching with interest!

prettybird · 08/01/2018 21:41

Hope you feel better soon Mrsreynolds Just think of the extra and more even energy you will enjoy once you're fully into this WoE.

Twoo - step away from the calorie counting app! Trust this WoE. Give it at least two weeks: follow the Rules and no calorie counting - and see what you achieve. Calorie counting should really only be if you've had a stall and if you suspect that you're not eating in a balanced way. It's a leap of faith but it does work.

There were a few people on the last Boot Camp (and the one before iirc) who really railed against the restrictions and felt it wasn't working. They were persuaded to commit to it for a bit longer - and guess what, it did work after all! I'm not going to name them - but they can "out" themselves if they want Wink

OP posts:
Twoo · 08/01/2018 21:47

Pretty’ that looks lush!

Waves back at TheWay’ .

Great having a Twoo Twinkie

Twoo · 08/01/2018 21:47

Twoo Twinnie

Twoo · 08/01/2018 21:49

Crossed post. I’ve deleted the app Pretty’, it was twisting my melons man Grin

lisbapalea · 08/01/2018 21:51

Couldn't face tuna salad for dinner as both Dh and I were freezing so I made a delicious cauliflower cheese (sauce made from double cream, some Boursin, some Gorgonzola, some cheddar and some grated Parmesan), which had some fried pancetta and mushrooms in it too. With watercress on the side for de-greasing!

It was amazing and even Dh who isn't on this WOE wanted more!

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