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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
29
prettybird · 09/01/2018 20:05

4.4g carbs for 2 spoonfuls seems quite high - but I might be over analysing.

Is there any sugar or artificial sweetener in the ingredients?

OP posts:
ponygirlcurtis · 09/01/2018 20:06

Today's meals:
Lunch: roast chicken (skin on) with loads of salad leaves and some dressing, followed by natural yoghurt with cream added.
Dinner: pork mince curry with broccoli rice
Snack: Brussels done with butter

I am floored with tiredness today and freezing, but I am a long-term low-carber. Can only think it's Christmas catching up on me plus having to stand outside for 45mins at lunchtime (playground duty) did me in, couldn't feel my toes after it. Hopefully just weather related, although I do generally have poor circulation and always have cold hands. Brrrrrr.

mrsglowglow · 09/01/2018 20:09

Here's the label pretty bird. I know it's probably not ideal but have an unopened tub in the fridge! Thanks so much for all your help and encouragement. I couldn't do this without these threads!

New Year, New Start Boot Camp: Week 1, Now we get down to it in earnest
prettybird · 09/01/2018 20:09

Explodingkittens - I am going to try some after the first two weeks. I love both cinnamon and vanilla - although I need to make a trip to Waitrose for the vanilla powder. Smile

OP posts:
intelligentPutty · 09/01/2018 20:13

Wil I be permitted a glass of dry white at the weekend. Is that ok? (Really crossing fingers here!!)

Scabbersley · 09/01/2018 20:13

No, wine is not OK for the first two weeks.

PennyMise · 09/01/2018 20:14

Quick question - I'm travelling for work on Friday and was planning on taking a box of nibbly stuff - celery, cucumber, babybel, olives, sausage - to avoid sandwiches or bad choices made when hangry. Does this sound like it fits in with BC?

prettybird · 09/01/2018 20:14

In a word IntelligentPutty....No.

but you knew the answer before you asked Wink

OP posts:
Alwaysinmyheart · 09/01/2018 20:14

I’ve made fat bombs before, they’re bloody lovely, like truffles!

A treat for a few weeks time methinks 😀

mrsglowglow · 09/01/2018 20:14

just re read my original message, dah I'm day 2! Typing on my phone is terrible!

prettybird · 09/01/2018 20:19

Mrsglowglow - there is indeed sugar in it but because I'm in a good mood and going to duck BIWI's all seeing eye and you are trying, I'll let you finish the pack (but try to get the family to eat most of it).

Let this be a warning and next time check the label! Otherwise I will have to get the Big Stick out Shock

OP posts:
prettybird · 09/01/2018 20:29

Pennymise - that looks a good selection. Just check that it is low carb sausage.

OP posts:
mrsglowglow · 09/01/2018 20:38

😁🤣 phew! Lunch sorted! Will be making my own at the weekend!

HattietheManatee · 09/01/2018 20:47

Hey all, look forward to making some fat bomb when out of two week strictness.

Today I have eaten:
B decaf coffee with cream, half an avocado Very late in the morning
L aubergine curry with noodles made from peas (both cheap in Waitrose!) and some Parmesan. Totally craving veg at the mo but maybe this was too much the other way.
S: decaf unsweetened soya latte, boiled egg with asparagus spears, other half an avocado, bite of cheddar and some cottage cheese (v hungry, which makes me think lunch was a bit carby)
D: mustard and creamy chicken with mushrooms (from Jamie’s 5 ingredients), creamed spinach and cauliflower rice

RupertsMum2 · 09/01/2018 20:53

I woke up with a headache and felt quite light headed. The headache has lingered all day. I had a lovely walk with the dogs but I was soooo cold and needed a pee. I didn't really warm up until after dinner.however, on a more cheery note, I have not been hungry at all and am on my last 500mls of water.
I'm loving reading what everyone has been eating. I'm making a wee list for Asda tomorrow or Thursday.

B. Coffee with cream X2. FF Greek yogurt
L. Ham salad with half avocado and mayonnaise
D. Butter fried tuna steak, mushrooms, spinach and cauliflower
S. half a bag of pork scratchings

SayrraT · 09/01/2018 20:55

Just wondering what sort of hours everyone else is out the house. I often end up changing my meal plans because I can't be bothered eating properly when I get in. Tonight I had soup (same as lunch) instead of courgetti bolognese). This is my normal day:

0630 get up and get ready
0700 breakfast
0730 leave house
0800 muck out and ride
0930 arrive at work
1830 leave work
1900 bring in and feed horses
2000/2030 home

On pole nights I'm not home until 10, I don't have any dinner on pole nights but have some cheese/pork scratchings at work before I go to do horses.

Luckily I dont have (or want) children, I don't know how they'd fit in Grin

SayrraT · 09/01/2018 20:57

Sorry my question was am I being pathetic and/or do other people with a similar schedule eat dinner really late?

bendyruler · 09/01/2018 21:04

Lots of people have really good ideas it's really useful to see what you have all eaten ... I'm a terrible cook but I'm going to try....
Today I have eaten:
B bacon and eggs
L salami, ham wrapped around cheese
D steak broccoli
Managed to drink 1.5 litres so far and will keep drinking until I go to bed.
I've got the start of a headache coming I wonder if that's carb withdrawal or maybe I haven't drunk enough but could be trying to sort out my tax return as usual left it to the last minute Wink
grammel I'm 5.10 too and also have hypothyroid .

AveAtqueVale · 09/01/2018 21:08

DH and I usually eat around 8.30/9, once I’ve finally got dc to sleep and can be bothered to cook. Except when he’s on a late shift, so isn’t here, and then I either don’t bother eating or have something with the dc around 5.30/6 (but mostly not now as DS1 basically will only eat carbs). And after his night shifts we usually don’t cook lunch until about 3 and so don’t want dinner until 10ish by which time he’s gone to work, so we don’t bother. We have no routine Blush. If we go out for a meal we usually find the restaurant empty and then realise that most people don’t want a meal at whatever random time it is...

TheMonkeysOnTheTable · 09/01/2018 21:09

I’ve never heard of fatbombs before but they sound great. I’ll definitely be making them after boot camp. In a similar vein I’ve been having pecan nut butter whipped in cream as a treat and it’s lovely (Not in the last few days of course...)

Today’s meals have been:
B; Coffee and cream
L; Spiced cauliflower and coconut cream soup
D; steak with peppercorn sauce, courgette ribbons and spinach sautéed in butter.
I had a pepperami as a snack too.

SayrraT · 09/01/2018 21:12

I don't really mind ave but I realise that I often end up eating an omelette every night!

bendyruler · 09/01/2018 21:12

sayrra you must be shattered your up and out so early and you do lots of physical stuff too. I'm not out the house until 10.30 then I mostly am just walking dogs until about 2.30 ish so nothing like as active as you. I don't know how you do it ? But then again I'm an old git Wink

IAmSamSamlAm · 09/01/2018 21:17

Dissertation writing is so much harder without chocolate/ sweets.

953 words down, 19047 to go. Sad

Though to be fair, it's lots easier without wine, so swings and roundabouts I guess Wink

prettybird · 09/01/2018 21:17

HattietheManatee - peas are actually quite high in carbs (and therefore should be avoided in Boot Camp), so maybe the noodles made from peas were the problem. Hmm

There are low carb noodles available (their name slips my mind - Sobu? - also can't remember what they're made of, but they apparently smell quite fishy - I've never actually had them myself).

OP posts:
JingsMahBucket · 09/01/2018 21:21

Here’s a little nighttime reading that confirms what some of us may have experienced before:

If You Want To Lose Weight, Don’t Tell Your Friends

quartzy.qz.com/1172680/weight-loss-tip-studies-show-friends-can-sabotage-your-efforts/

They go on to say at the end:

“Of course, that’s why you feel the need for support. And you should have it; just don’t expect it will necessarily come from the people you usually brunch with. Join a support group. This could be in person or online via an app, as an informal group of colleagues or neighbors, or via a weight-loss service like Weight Watchers. Many studies have shown that social support can help your success in losing weight.”