January 2019 Low Carb Bootcamp - Week 1

[BIWI]

Well happy new year!

Here's a sparkling, brand new, Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for us all to get this new Bootcamp off to a good start.

Remember, you don't have to be on the spreadsheet if you don't want to - and if you don't want to declare your actual weight, you can index it - which means that your starting 'weight' is 100. Then for every pound you lose, you take off one. So if you lose 4lbs in week 1, then your 'weight' starting for week 2 will be 96.

There are over 170 people signed up, so the thread will move very quickly - but please, please, please read all the posts. Don't just jump on and post your own stuff without reading what other people have posted. That's especially the case if you're posting with a question - read the thread to make sure it hasn't already been asked.

Have a good look at the spreadsheet and all the tabs at the bottom, as there's a huge amount of information there - not just the rules, but also the list of vegetable carb counts, and some really interesting reading/videos too.

I hope everything there is clear, but if not - just shout.

Looking forward to getting going!

@CassieStuart that's alright then, you are forgiven

@nowlook do you have a small cool bag you could use? With an ice pack? That would help. I'd take a couple of hard-boiled eggs, some cheese and possibly even a little pot of salad, with some dressing in a small glass/plastic pot, if you have anything like that to hand. Those tuna sachets that @venusandmars has suggested are also a great option.

If you're driving, and on the motorway, a lot of service stations have M&S Food outlets, where you can pick up some good low carb options.

Oh, and don't forget plastic cutlery! I took to carrying that round with me in my laptop bag as a regular occurrence!

I love the low carb dreams, am quite jealous I’ve not had one!

I still remember one I had about eating a Mars Bar. I can't tell you how guilty I felt the next day.

I wouldn't mind, but even in my pre-low carb days I wouldn't have eaten a Mars Bar!

Omg, I dreamt I ate a chunky kit kat last night. I don’t even like chocolate that much!

Anyway, have got literally zero hunger today. I’ve had a can of salmon with mayo etc and some salad. I had to cover it and put in the fridge to finish later. I had some scrambled egg for breakfast.

Crikey, I didn't even think about a cool bag @BIWI...feel a bit daft now! Not only will I pass several services, one of them will be Gloucester (the best of all services imo). Thanks!

Haha love the dreams!

I went for coffee with some friends today and it was served with a little biscuit, also stumbled across the ferrero rocher again. They're all so small and tempting but I'm glad to say I managed to avoid. I've just had a creamy coffee to satiate me during the late afternoon sugar slump and about to start supper for DD so will be distracted

So far today:

B-buttery scrambled eggs (really buttery!)
L- chicken bacon and avo salad
D- will be a curry I think, with buttered cabbage instead of rice

@Cheeseandapple

I've just had a creamy coffee to satiate me during the late afternoon sugar slump

If you're eating properly, and low carbing properly, then you shouldn't be experiencing this!

(Well done for swerving the FR though)

Those tuna pots look perfect @venusandmars! Do you prep the avocado in advance or display some (in my case, unimpressive) knife skills in public? Great idea about the mayo; that will stop it turning into a complete mess.

Lunch today was butter-fried cabbage with cheese melted/fried on top. Very savoury and satisfying.

Dinner is a bastardisation of a low carb moussaka recipe. I don't have aubergine so used courgette, and added a bunch of needed-to-be-used leafy greens.

I made a meatless version for myself, an entire pie dish worth. That ought to do me for lunch tomorrow as well.

Almost done with my water intake, racing to the toilet every hour or so!

@BIWI 😕 I've gone from eating A LOT of sweet treats each day to none! It's less of a 'slump ' than a craving though.

Had a mega busy few days at work so only really managing to start tomorrow.

I couldn't get my lbs put onto the spreadsheet but think ive managed to do it now!

Love all the tips and food ideas, have been adding to my online shop as I read. Today:
B - FF greek yoghurt
L - Roast gammon, cauliflower and green beans (school lunch worked today and managed to say no thank you to roast potatoes and apple crumble and custard)
D - made a low carb moussaka last night so that it just has to go in the oven with the cheesey/egg topping tonight, which frees me up to to go my exercise class.

It'll be interesting to see how it feels today - last week I really struggled for energy, but hopefully this week my body is bit more used to no carbs and it'll be a bit easier.

It does take a while for your body to get used to not having the carbs for energy @1stMrsF, but you should be fine soon.

@Cheeseandapple - well identified! We mostly snack out of habit as well as to deal with the sugar slumps. Take the sugar out of the equation and you're left with the habit.

All going ok here.

B: 2 boiled eggs and spinach + coffee and cream
L: FF Greek Yoghurt + slice of cheese
D: Salmon with cabbage and spinach sautéed in lots of butter.

Love the carb dreams!

@biwi yes! That's it - I'm even in the habit of calling it a slump rather than an expectation haha.

@AandL, @Rshard and @BIWI - sorry for not replying sooner. I work in exams, no phones allowed! I think I will on half stones as mini targets. We'll where we go from there. I didn't mean to sound downhearted, more realistic. It's easier for me to be enthusiastic and hitting targets at the beginning, I just need to make sure I keep it up! As you say, it truly is a marathon.

@nowlook I take a knife, cut it in half and eat it with a teaspoon (often with s&p and a drizzle of olive oil. I think pre-prepped avocado always goes a bit yuk and brown. I recently saw someone pick up an avocado, peel it, and eat it like a banana. I was well impressed and

About to head to the pub, I know no alcohol, but is there any good low carb drinks?

Thanks for setting this up! It's great to read through the messages, see what you are eating and how much weight is coming off, or has come off in previous BCs. How inspiring you all are!
I'm doing OK in many ways but one habit is hard to break. It's my afternoon cupof tea with something sweet. I've cut it down to a small bit of chocolate but do you have any tips on breaking that habit, please?

Sorry - unless they have some of the new no alcohol distilled drinks like Seedlip? Otherwise, it's just sparkling water

Remember if you end up having something like Diet Coke which I could understand as it's more interesting than drinking water in a pub! that it's got artificial sweeteners in it.

@BIWI I gave up sugar a week before starting bootcamp to try to make things a bit easier on the 14th. Look at my resting heartbeat drop from the 7th January, the day I gave up sugar!!!! Is this A Known Thing?

I've been poisoning myself with sugar, haven't I?