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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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IAmSamSamlAm · 10/01/2018 18:16

A packet of pork scratchings, Queen? Not ideal as a lunch but I have a packet in mine in case I'm starving and tempted to carb.

Not to worry, tomorrow's a new day!

IAmSamSamlAm · 10/01/2018 18:17

Or if you have a freezer and microwave at work, could you freeze a dinner and put it in there for emergencies?

prettybird · 10/01/2018 18:18

A couple of pepperami? Some cheese triangles (eg Laughing Cow, Dairylea or the Lidl equivalent)?

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Wh0KnowsWhereTheT1meG0es · 10/01/2018 18:21

I hate Babybel too (so bland) but Sainsburys do some mature cheddar in individually wrapped sticks which I use instead.

ilovecherries · 10/01/2018 18:21

Most important lesson I learned early on was to stop giving a shit what other people think, to be honest. So pick away at the sandwich fillings. Also it won't take too long to become fat adapted, and missing a meal, while annoying, won't generate the same 'need to eat now' sensations. In a few weeks you'll be able to move onto the next meeting with a drink to keep you going.

Meanwhile, if you have access to a fridge, there's loads of deli type things you can take - olives, salami, ham etc, or a salad with chicken, egg, tuna - whatever you fancy. If there's no ridge, they I'd have a tin of tuna in oil (one with a ring pull top) and a plastic fork in my bag. In a couple of weeks, a small bag of nuts or a square of dark choc will also be options.

prettybird · 10/01/2018 18:22

Also, Queenonaplate - once you've really got into this WoE, then you may well find you're not hungry and can forego the sandwiches. I like the analogy that someone can't remember who has used earlier: remind your body self that you are going to "dine in" - use your own fat cells for energyWink

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Alwaysinmyheart · 10/01/2018 18:24

An avocado is also something that you could keep at work.

ilovecherries · 10/01/2018 18:27

It was me, PrettyBird. Am always reminding my body to crack on with what's available a plenty in house. Just need to get it to be more selective - waist fat, fill your boots, but leave my arse alone for a bit :)

ilovecherries · 10/01/2018 18:28

I'm being very sweary today...

NigellasGuest · 10/01/2018 18:28

Hello Campers - I’m definitely in ketosis as I have a horrible taste in my mouth and no hunger pangs! Good luck everyone !

CointreauVersial · 10/01/2018 18:30

Raindrops - I think a small glass of fizz is extremely well deserved, and I'm sure the low-carb gods will overlook it just this once - many congrats to your DD!

A shallot tip for you, if you cba peeling them - you can buy them peeled and frozen. Tesco do them.

A salad dressing tip for you - one of the lowest carb ready-made ones I found was the Newman's Own Italian Dressing. 1.3g carbs per 100ml, no sugar added, unlike quite a few bottled dressings.

Am just relaxing with a coffee before dashing off to the first Zumba class of the NY. Meals today:

B: Cheesy omelette
L: Small portion of leftover braised beef with mountain of buttery sprouts (love 'em)
S: (post Zumba) Spatchcock roast chicken with salad

mrsglowglow · 10/01/2018 18:51

Evening fellow bootcampers,

Congrats Raindrops!! I would say a glass of bubbly is allowed in these circumstances 😁🎓

Have had a good day 3 although slight headache now but i think that is tension more than anything.

B - coffee with cream, cheese
L - low carb sausage, lettuce, coleslaw
D - sauteed in butter kale, shallots, meatballs

2 litres of water plus a coffee and a hot water.

Not feeling hungry but missing my crisps/nuts and glass of wine treat this evening!

prettybird · 10/01/2018 18:52

My low carb "courgette" lasagne, 2nd helping tonight (left over from Monday). Still yummy Smile

New Year, New Start Boot Camp: Week 1, Now we get down to it in earnest
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Gammeldragz · 10/01/2018 19:00

Breakfast - leftover chicken in cream and sundried tomato.
Lunch - sprouts in butter, piece of spicy cheese.
Dinner - sausages, fried eggs and celeriac chips with a bit of mayo.

TimbuktuTimbuktu · 10/01/2018 19:12

B- yoghurt with vanilla
L- avocado, cheese and ham
D- shepherds pie with celeriac mash

3.5l water (including tea)
Mouth is tasting rank so hopefully I have made it to ketosis!

Twoo · 10/01/2018 19:26

Thank you for the information re onions/shallots ’Riggens. I didn’t realise. I have shallots in as well Grin

ilovecherries · 10/01/2018 19:45

Food today

Breakfast: fasting
Lunch: leftover spiced mince cooked with two eggs and sliced shallots. Marinated courgette ribbons
Dinner: Brussels sprouts Blush and salmon
Snack: costa coffee with cream

TitusAndromedon · 10/01/2018 20:01

Just checking in. I haven’t weighed myself or added to the spreadsheet because I’m petrified of the scales, but maybe tomorrow? It’s all going well so far, I think. My husband is away for two weeks with work which is usually my excuse to dive headfirst into carby convenience foods once I’ve wrestled my children to bed, but it hasn’t been a problem so far.

B: Two boiled eggs
L: Roasted chicken, mashed swede and broccoli
D: Heck sausages, courgette, more mashed swede (It was enormous and I’m the only one here to eat it!)
S: Cheddar cheese
Plus bucketloads of water and fruit tea

PrincessPeaPod · 10/01/2018 20:16

Just had some lovely dinner. Tried 20% fat mince from Tesco. It was super flavoursome and did not dry out like lean mince. Was very rich so have plenty left over! Worth a try gang, was cheaper too!

prettybird · 10/01/2018 20:18

Titus - if you are going to weigh (and it is not compulsory!), it's better to do so sooner rather than later, so you can get the full motivating result of the initial "whoosh" most of which is just water but still.....

The weight loss will settle down to 1-2lb a week - sometimes less (weeks 3 & 4 are notorious for stalls), occasionally more - but when you add in that initial whoosh, you can really recognise and celebrate your achievement.

If you can't face the scales yet, do try to recognise the NSVs - a pair of trousers or a skirt that was tight that I want to get into or a belt that you have to use a different hole for (or even have to buy a new one! Wink)

And/or take your measurements now. As a minimum, measure your waist so that you can see in its diminishing size the health benefits of the reduction in visceral fat around your organs. Smile

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prettybird · 10/01/2018 20:24

Good advice Princesspeapod

I use the "ordinary" mince from Lidl (their "Simply" range). Much cheaper than their steak mince Grin For this week's lasagne, I tried Tom Kerridge's way of roasting the mince to cook it, before adding it to the sofrito and canned tomatoes. I missed out his stage of "drain it in a colander" though Wink - just chucked it into the casserole, fat and all Grin

Remember when the "chefs" and butchers talk about the importance of marbling in meat/steaks for flavour and tenderness. That's the fat Smile

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Twoo · 10/01/2018 20:35

Pretty what does NSV stand for. Sorry I can’t work it out Blush

ilovecherries · 10/01/2018 20:36

Non Scale Victory :)

prettybird · 10/01/2018 20:38

I explained what the acronym was in an earlier post: a "Non Scales Victory". Smile

They can be a belt becoming looser, a pair of jeans you can now get into or a compliment from someone. Anything that gives you boost and makes the progress that you're making more concrete Smile

Probably even more rewarding than "Scales Victories". Grin

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prettybird · 10/01/2018 20:41

....I had to ask too when I came back to Boot Camp in May. It was a new acronym that had come into use while I was off the wagon comfort eating "away" Blush

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