Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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
BadlyParkedRangeRover · 08/01/2018 12:06

Morning, 237.6 this morning, which could be worse considering Christmas!
Dry January here, so hopefully I won't derail myself with wine!

BrassicaBabe · 08/01/2018 12:13

morning. jumping aboard. This is my second bootcamp. I've got rid of my xmas weight and I'm back to where I was at the end of last BC.

I've logged my weight into the xls with yesterday's weight of 10.4.4. This morning is 10.6! and that's because I had pizza last night (a pre xmas cheat). Pretty sure that'll go quickly and don't want to attribute false lossage :)

My aim for this BC is to prepare better food. Last BC I ate too much grilled meat and buttered veg. Also to eat more veg and less processed meat. Think I ate too much bacon and salami last time. Onward and upwards!

Wh0KnowsWhereTheT1meG0es · 08/01/2018 12:17

I caused a teeny upset last time with a confession of something carby eaten (not so much what I ate but my lack of remorse) so I'm going to try and avoid any repeats of that and will be more mindful of others. I'm definitely a moderator not an abstainer so it is helpful to know that other people operate differently.

So far today - omelette with mushrooms, watercress and cheese, with a bit of rapeseed oil to fry in (I think it will take a while to adjust back to butter, I like it cold as a spread but find it too rich when melted). Plus three cups of tea and two pints of water.

I am using unsweetened almond milk in my tea at home but have a conundrum at work, we all use communal semi-skimmed. It's probably not worth me bringing in almond milk as I'm only there three days and no one would remember to put it in for me (we all make tea for each other). I don't like black tea very much but I think that might have to be the way forward in work hours, the others might have a better chance or remembering that.

GuyMartinsSideburns · 08/01/2018 12:17

Hello, could someone please add my start weight? 131.

Thanks very much and hope everyone has a good day!

lisbapalea · 08/01/2018 12:20

Just wondered if anyone had any tips for ensuring meals don't always feel greasy / cloying because of the fat needed?

I think I need stuff like chilli, vinegar (not balsamic) and bitter or sharp greens to counterbalance stuff. Watercress mentioned upthread is a great one.

Any other thoughts?

Twoo · 08/01/2018 12:26

Can anyone tell me what a fat head pizza is and how to make it please? Thank you in advance Smile

Itsjanuary · 08/01/2018 12:26

First time doing this so hello everyone & good luck

Itsjanuary · 08/01/2018 12:27

www.ditchthecarbs.com/fat-head-pizza/

Going to make this on Friday

AthelstaneTheUnready · 08/01/2018 12:28

Phew. Thanks, Stunt and cherries.

I have every intention of being a cherries and sticking like glue to the rules, as clearly my own choices are not doing me any favours. Having read all the gumpf, I now also appreciate there is no such thing as a 'cheat', in the sense of getting away with something. What I eat will affect my insulin levels (and so fat burning/storage) regardless of what story I'm spinning myself inside my head about stress or treats. Must try and remember that - my pancreas isn't interested in my mood!

Wh0KnowsWhereTheT1meG0es · 08/01/2018 12:28

I'm the same lisba, I hate oily food, especially veg and have found that a problem on BC. I found mayo spiked with a good dollop of mustard was a good way of getting fat into cold meals, I also used sour cream or full fat yogurt as accompaniments, which can be flavoured with all sorts of herbs, spices etc. Also fatty cuts of meat (you do still get the cloying thing a bit but at least the flavour is good).

prettybird · 08/01/2018 12:30

Unready - just to reiterate what ilovecherries and StuntNun have said - it was t aimed at anyone, it was just a preemptive comment.

Like StuntNun, I am a moderator - can go off-piste mindfully but won't during the first 2 weeks - but there are others who have to stick at it 100% or they risk giving up totally with an "Oh Fuck It" attitude after falling face first into Carby Twatdom.

But there again, as Grah used to regularly say on the last Boot Camp, today is "Day One of the Rest of the Boot Camp" (however many days were left) - right up to the end. Which reminds me - we haven't seen him for a wee while - hope he's not too snowed in in Canada. And which also reminds me - people should be aware that there are one or two blokes on these threads (I know personally one of them) but they are nice guys and are just here for the support.

Abbey44 - as long as you choose your veg from the low carb end of the list, you don't need to way them. That's the joy of this WoE - no weighing, no calorie counting Smile unless you really feel the need to Wink

TimeIHadaNameChange - Fathead pizzas, iirc, are Boot Camp compatible, being mostly mozzarella based. One of the low carb pizzas has ground almonds in it though - so that would have to wait until Week 3 onwards.

OP posts:
ln1981 · 08/01/2018 12:32

Hi! Have added my weight to the spreadsheet. First Bootcamp and feeling ready for it.

Twoo · 08/01/2018 12:33

Thank you Itsjanuary that looks delicious.

OldBooks · 08/01/2018 12:33

Lunch!

New Year, New Start Boot Camp: Week 1, Now we get down to it in earnest
Twoo · 08/01/2018 12:34

And hello Grin

prettybird · 08/01/2018 12:35

Good news is that the new power pack for the laptop has arrived and appears to be doing the job (otherwise we'd have had to acknowledge that there was something wrong with the computer which would've cost much more than the £24 for the power pack). Smile

OP posts:
Itsjanuary · 08/01/2018 12:40

I don’t think that fat head pizza will work for BC though as it has almond flour in it? Was looking forward to it too 😫

Ok I need to get on with drinking more water - way behind on what I need to drink today

nekobus · 08/01/2018 12:40

Hello Smile

Having put on a tonne of weight over the last few months I'm starting at 211 which is my heaviest in a few years, I fell off the LC wagon in September and haven't managed to get back on again... but l'm raring to go with this new BC.

Being more of a lurker, I love reading the thread but struggle to keep up if it is fast moving! Thanks for all the positive results stories they are a good reminder that this WOE does work if you stick to it. I've had success in previous BCs but somehow went off the rails last year. I'm definitely in a better frame of mind now so hoping to shift a stone if possible this BC and a few stone this year.

Good luck everyone Smile

Rshard · 08/01/2018 12:44

whoknows - I had this dilemma last bootcamp and ended up quitting the office tea club. I was struggling to drink tea as well as the water.

lisba and whoknow - have you tried paprika in mayo? That's really nice. It's particularly good with halloumi chips (once we're in bootcamp light of course, due to the ground almonds)

Your lunch looks lovely *oldbooks) - makes mental note to buy eggs tonight!

ilovecherries · 08/01/2018 12:47

my pancreas isn't interested in my mood. I LOVE that, Unready. One of my other favourite BC sayings, when there is nothing suitable to eat and I'm hungry, is to tell my body it doesn't need takeaway, it can just eat in - there's plenty lard round my belly it can crack on with.

StuntNun · 08/01/2018 12:48

I love love love curry powder mixed into mayo. So good with cold hard boiled eggs for a quick snack.

ilovecherries · 08/01/2018 12:51

I make a 'Meatzza' sometimes which is delicious a very filling. Base is mince made into a flatfish pancake shape, and bound with an egg (maybe half and inch thick, no more), cooked in oven on baking parchment. Near the end of cooking, heaped with LC friendly toppings and baked for another 10 mins. A slice served with loads of salad is very substantial.

Star2018 · 08/01/2018 12:53

Just checking in so it’s on my my TIO!

Avocado ham salad for lunch was delicious

MasterFlamingo · 08/01/2018 12:54

I’m 1lb heavier than the end of last bootcamp but still 1 and a half stone lighter than when I joined this forum last October. Huzzah!

My goal this bootcamp is to loose a stone and try and diversify my snacks away from pork scratchings.

Peanutmacaroon (sorry not sure how to tag) I can recommend looking at the diet doctor website for recipe ideas. I made a creamy pesto chicken bake last night. It was delicious and filling, and amazingly all 3 kids enjoyed it, even the picky eater.

TheIllaminati · 08/01/2018 13:08

Wh0Knows have you considered rooibos tea? When I first tried the Idiot Proof Diet (three million years ago) it was a revelation for me.

I started out using sweetener and cream, then dropped the sweetener, then dropped the cream. I don't recommend that (as sweetener isn't allowed on Bootcamp though it was on IPD), but my point is its flavour is so interesting that it doesn't feel like "black" tea.

BadlyParkedRangeRover your username makes me laugh every time I see it.

@ilovecherries, sorry if I missed it and it's none of my business, was wondering if you have had any alcohol this year after your year of abstinence. I always thought it was quite cool that you and your husband did a booze-free year just because you felt like it!

Swipe left for the next trending thread