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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.

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Thread gallery
29
lisbapalea · 09/01/2018 12:57

forgot to mention I am 5'8" which might some of those weights / sizes make more sense.

TheIllaminati · 09/01/2018 13:00

princessbear, for a head of cauliflower I usually use 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and roast for about 20 minutes at 230c.

I don't parboil, by the way, and use lots of different seasonings depending on the meal.

prettybird · 09/01/2018 13:16

Re the amount of carbs. Because we don't count them, I'm not actually sure how many we're aiming for. I think it is between 25-50g/day. The carbs we do have are supposed to come primarily from vegetables and by concentrating on the lower carb vegetables ( not including their fibre Wink), you'd have to eat a lot of veg to go over. It's also why we advise against having too many cups of tea with milk in them as the amount of carbs from the milk can mount up must listen to my own advice Blush

I think I am closer to the 50g/day because of the milk Blush - and still manage to lose an average of 1-2lb/week (with the odd stall - which is fine)

....now need to go away and self-flagellate with BIWI's Big Stick Grin

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princessbear80 · 09/01/2018 13:20

Thanks theillaminati. That’s probably about what I did. I might try if for a bit longer next time. I wonder if my one year old turned the temp down without me noticing!!

TheIllaminati · 09/01/2018 13:26

wonder if my one year old turned the temp down without me noticing!!

I sometimes manage to do that with my own arse, by leaning against the oven. Confused

prettybird · 09/01/2018 13:30

Sticky Lemon Chicken : put (skin on) chicken thighs (I've also done it with a mix of thighs and drumsticks) in an oven proof dish (which can also go on the hob - I have a le creuset frying pan). Drizzle over a generous glug of olive oil. Scatter some unpeeled cloves in/around them. Halve a lemon, squeeze it over the thighs and then tuck the halves in amongst the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with some sea salt. Put in to a hot oven (200C Fan, 220 conventional) for 40 minutes. You can add some torn fresh basil leaves to it after 20 minutes if you happen to have any. At the end, if you want, you can deglaze the pan (having taken out the chicken, garlic cloves and lemon halves) with a small glass of wine/sherry or, if you're in the first two weeks of Boot Camp, plain water/chicken stock and bubble for a bit. Pour juices over the chicken and serve. Dead easy Smile

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LeapinLizards · 09/01/2018 13:35

I sometimes manage to do that with my own arse, by leaning against the oven

This made me laugh! Grin

prettybird · 09/01/2018 13:43

Itsjanuary - I find that I snack quite a lot initially, purely out of habit. It takes a wee while to start to listen to true hunger cues. That's why I like the occasional egg fast once I am properly back into the way of things: it proves to me that I am not truly hungry if I can't be bothered going to cook myself an egg.

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MasterFlamingo · 09/01/2018 13:51

TheIlaminati
Coach says he’d like you to reinstate a username befitting of a Lions fan 🦁

Back to bootcamp... I’ve had Greek yoghurt for breakfast, a prawn salad for lunch.

I am stuck on a train and too afraid to drink anymore water until the train moves... Legs are crossed.

JingsMahBucket · 09/01/2018 13:58

Hey gang, what could I possibly substitute for sweetened condensed milk in a recipe for no churn ice cream? I’m going to make ice cream for a dinner party I’m hosting on Saturday and want to make a low(er) carb version.

JingsMahBucket · 09/01/2018 14:06

Actually, scratch that. I can just use unsweetened condensed milk though I may have to hunt for it. I can also use what’s called “table cream”.

www.livestrong.com/article/389205-low-carb-foods-that-make-you-feel-full/

Alwaysinmyheart · 09/01/2018 14:06

Cream, cream cheese and Splenda might work for your ice cream?

explodingkittens · 09/01/2018 14:07

Aaargh, one of my students has just brought me the most enormous homemade iced lemon and ginger cake as a thank you! It's sitting next to me on my desk, smelling utterly divine.

Obviously it would've been very rude to have refused it, but I'm going to tape up the box and take it to an all-day meeting I've got tomorrow. I'm sure the rest of my department will love it!

Alwaysinmyheart · 09/01/2018 14:17

Here's some ideas for low carb ice cream

www.ditchthecarbs.com/best-low-carb-sugar-free-ice-cream/

Scabbersley · 09/01/2018 14:19

Hi all.

I've decided to have a Lidl protein roll everyday, one slice with peanut butter. I absolutely know this isn't bootcamp so I'll just lurk. I am doing it to try and up the carbs a bit as for some weird reason, very low carb gives me awful palpitations. So we will see if it makes a difference. Everything else is as normal BC.

B: coffee with cream
L: 3 scrambled eggs with butter, mushrooms and some pork belly that I cooked yesterday. half a Lidl protein roll
D: meatballs and courgetti

Scabbersley · 09/01/2018 14:20

Just to say I take magnesium and have low salt (which has potassium in).

BadlyParkedRangeRover · 09/01/2018 14:22

Hi prettybird no idea if livlife is bootcamp (i heard about it on the may thread) and know peanut butter isn't Blush
I think i underdid the carbs yesterday, I've added up and it was about 10g so going to aim for a little more today!

prettybird · 09/01/2018 14:35

BadlyParkedRangeRover: I've now looked up Livlife - and it has whole wheat flour as the first ingredient (ie the highest percentage ingredient). After the first 2 weeks of Boot Camp, the Lidl high protein rolls look like a better bet for the occasional treat. According to the reviews, they are better warm - either toasted or warmed in the oven.

JingsMahBucket - I'd be concerned only a week in to Boot Camp about having anything with artificial/low carb sweetener. The whole point about the strict first two weeks is to re-educate our palates so that we are no longer craving sweet stuff.
I know you say you're having a dinner party this weekend. Do you think you could make a dessert for everyone else and choose not to have anything yourself? Maybe have a cheese board too?

Having said that, some of those low carb ice creams that Alwaysinmyheart linked to look great for once you are in to Boot Camp Lite Wink

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prettybird · 09/01/2018 14:37

Scabbersley - in your case, and given your medical issues, I'd say that that was a sensible decision Smile just don't flaunt it during the first two weeks Wink

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prettybird · 09/01/2018 14:39

explodingkittens - I am sure the rest of your department will love you! SmileCake

Congratulations on resisting and getting into the Zone Smile

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ShagMeRiggins · 09/01/2018 14:40

^^^

Will this do, MasterFlamingo? Grin

Good luck with your pelvic floor, leg-crossing, zen wee...

JingsMahBucket · 09/01/2018 15:29

prettybird I probably wasn't going to have any. I'm trying to use up ingredients from the fridge that we got over Christmas. Even OH requested I make the ice cream for the guests so we wouldn't have it laying around the house and have it tempting him. Grin :) He's trying to rein in his habits as well.

I was planning to do something between the following two recipes and just make it low carb:

www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/no-churn-strawberry-ice-cream-3364490

lovegrowswild.com/2014/08/churn-vanilla-ice-cream/

Thanks for those links Alwaysinmyheart. I'll add them to my recipe book to save for later on. I'll stop posting about this now as I don't want to trigger others. Thanks for your help!

On a BC note, I weighed myself this morning and I've already lost 1.1lbs since yesterday. I'm just peeing the weight away!!

PennyMise · 09/01/2018 15:33

Can't wait for hunger cues to adjust. I've been battling the old 'Oh, go on then, have one.' when walking past post vacation chocolates people have brought into the office. But sticking to herbal tea, water and my on plan food.

prettybird · 09/01/2018 15:42

Re the discussion about different weights/heights/sizes, it is a useful reminder that we are all different : different shapes, different metabolisms, different ways that we carry our weight. Even though most of us on here are wanting to lose weight, we also need to be kind to ourselves about the shape we are - and to learn to work with that shape. Some of us are hourglasses, some of us are inverted triangles, some of us are straight up and down, some of us are pears, some of us are apples......there is nothing wrong with any of those shapes Smile. The "Parisiennes" threads (now onto the third one) in Style & Beauty are a good place to go to try to work out and to develop the confidence to do so your own style and to get advice about both clothes and makeup (like the "right" red lipstick! Smile, speaking as someone who followed that advice and has now got used to - and enjoys - wearing a bright red lipstick Grin).

It's also worth reminding ourselves that NSVs ("Non Scale Victories" for newbies) are just as - if not more - important than our progress on the scales. If you haven't done so yet, take measurements of your waist, hips etc, so that even if the scales are sticking, you can see the progress on the tape measure. I only starting taking them in August, 2.5 months and over a stone down from when I started, so I can't actually calculate my full achievement. I measure my waist, hips, one thigh, under bust, over the fullest part of my bust (leaning over), my neck and my upper arm. Curiously, my under bus measurement is going down yet at the moment my full bust measurement is staying the same, so I am going up cup sizes Confused

Also take pictures : I have a horrifying picture of me at my heaviest at a wedding which I'd like to pretend doesn't exist so I took a new one once I was two stone down so that I could see the difference. I also - but only in mid-November, when I was 2.5 stone down from when I started - took front and side shots of me in bra and knickers, so that I can "see" progress (and was brave enough to post them on here Shock). Haven't taken the next set yet - I'd said I would do it every 2 to 3 months, and with Christmas in between, I think I'll make it 3 months Wink

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ShagMeRiggins · 09/01/2018 15:58

Good for you, PennyMise. It can feel difficult at first but if you stick with this you'll find yourself completely uninterested in post-holiday chocolates.

It's very true that we can adjust to anything with food.

Think about all the advice parents receive about getting children to eat different foods--serve it to them over and over again, in multiple forms.

I believe the same is true in the opposite direction. If we continue to say No to a food or food group (in many different forms), andcruciallyreplace the food with equally delicious items--we lose our taste for it, and our cravings.