May '19 Low Carb Bootcamp - week 1

[BIWI]

So here we are!

Lots of us signed up this time, so inevitably the thread will move very quickly. Please, though, take the time to read the whole thread!. Although this is a place where you can post your daily menus, or your thoughts and questions, please don't just do this, but read what other people have posted too.

A bit thank you to the very lovely @AthelstaneTheUnready who has set up the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness.

The Spreadsheet

If your name isn't on there, don't panic! Just add yourself to the bottom of the list. Don't worry about trying to alphabetise it - that will be sorted out for you. (And if you're on the spreadsheet but don't want to be, don't worry - if you don't post on it your name will be taken off)

Here's a brief recap of the rules:

1. Eat three proper meals a day
2. Avoid processed foods
3. Eat plenty of fat
4. Make sure you are eating plenty of vegetables and salad
5. Be careful about dairy (apart from butter which is unlimited)
6. You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water a day
7. No alcohol
8. No fruit
9. No nuts/seeds

10.No sugar or artificial sweeteners

The full rules are here . They're supposed to be stickied at the top of the Low Carb Bootcamp topic (along with the recipe threads), but for some reason they're stickied at the top of page 2!

Remember that after the first two weeks we can relax some of this, and move on to Bootcamp Light, which means that you can add some fruit (berries mainly), alcohol (in moderation) and nuts and seeds (again, in moderation), but the point of the strict initial phase is to help push your body into burning fat for fuel rather than carbohydrate.

And remember - if you cheat, you will only be delaying this process from happening!

Good luck to everyone. Any questions or problems, just shout!

I'm loving catching up on this thread, so many little successes and ideas, thNks everyone.

@Summery1 I have 3 eggs scrambled almost every morning and have been doing this woe since last October, but do think I'm on the bigger side where portions are concerned. It keeps me full until at least lunchtime though and sometimes all day, so I'm sticking with it.

Bumped into my neighbour whilst walking the dog earlier and she said they'd noticed me shrinking and how great I looked. It's made my day, despite me blushing like a goon. It's happening so often now though, I'm getting better at saying 'aww...thankyou', as per your advice @BIWI, rather than over explaining like I used to.

I do wonder what they all thought of how I looked before I lost weight though, but it does all help to strengthen my resolve. I pretended otherwise for many years but, despite wanting to be judged on my personality traits rather than how I look, I have to admit that everyone looks better when they're slim and it feels good when people notice

Sounds like a euphemism @VeryLittleOwl

@ChippingInLowCarbing I've found that if you add some leeks to the celeriac mash somehow it becomes a bit more like mashed potato in terms of texture.

@Flyingsouthwiththeswallows I got dreadful Keto insomnia last BC. I found some no-sweetener electrolytes because BIWI whacked me with the big stick and they seemed to work. I've taken them from the beginning of this BC and I've had far far less insomnia. Little waking in the night but nothing major.

Checking in. It's hard to keep up with the thread! Have read everything but struggling to respond to individual comments, sorry. Thank you everyone for posting your ideas, menus and just chat - it all really helps.

L - (School dinner) chicken pie (gave pastry to DD) and roasted peppers with salad and a little coleslaw. Thought it wasn't too bad until it clicked two mouthfuls before the end that it had sweetcorn in it...Doh! Still the other options were breaded chicken or houmous so it was the best of a bad job, but if I'd clocked that on the menu, I'd have brought something else to go with salad.
D - taking the kids to Pizza Express before cricket. Will have the new Lemon & Herb Chicken Wings only 2.2g carbs per serving to keep me from eating crisps when hungry and then have some salad or spinach omelette or something when i get home.

I managed Nando’s super easily with chicken thighs, coleslaw and broccoli spears. Was yummy, didn’t miss chips at all

Their portions are massive though

Feeling a wobble I was tempted to have some lemon cake a colleague brought in. Luckily, despite only a quarter of my office being in (7 of us) by the time I caved the rest of them had eaten the whole thing! No cake for me
I am peckish though and struggling to find motivation.

It wouldn't have been as delicious as you think

Well done to everyone navigating social and office events, we’re all doing so well.

We’ve got the in-laws this evening but we’re just doing loads of picky bits, which I’ve engineered to mostly be low carb. There is 🥖 and 🧁 though but I’m happy to swerve those.

Do I have to post weight etc

Polly No. You don't have to post your weight. You could put yourself on the spreadsheet and show a start weight of 100, or don't go on the sheet at all.

Work was insane today, so ended up missing breakfast and not having time for a lunch break. In the end I ate a big chunk of cheese and some cherry toms. Just had dinner - a 3-egg omelette with spinach and a side salad (I’m in Belgium, so an hour ahead). Now hiding upstairs from my DSs and their pizza. Need to plan better and drink more water.

The dangerous part of the day starts now, the dreaded post-dinner sweet-tooth munchies...

Well done all the social carb avoiders. Have had a somewhat stressful day. Weekly battle of getting ds2 to Lido on time, for school swimming lesson, as usual leading to grumpy shouting and undignified clambering over sewage pipes behind the cemetery as it's a shortcut. Then had to deal with officialdom and ended up on same train as secondary school kids. Still dad's auditions for school play and local talent completion went well.

B coffee individual cheese portion
L chicken and endame protein pot from Marks
T deconstructed moussaka

Off to catch up with water intake. Protein pot 2.3 of carbs, 8g of fat but 18g of protein.

Hi All - thanks for the anniversary wishes. Despite stuffing myself with steak I’m another pound down this morning.

B: Greek yogurt with a bit of cinnamon
L: salad with ham olives and Stilton
S: kale crisps and cheese and rosemary crispy things (forgot to oil the baking tray so had to chisle these off but they were still delicious!)
D: off out for dinner now, but it’s a Turkish place so lots of grilled meat and salad on the menu.

Not Dads auditions sons. Oh acting days long behind him. Though I am still amused he managed to travel all the way to Brighton from London without realising the co lead in a production by the pink triangle company might not have a female love interest. I asked what he did , " I auditioned it was full equity rates".

Ooh - taken precious Mumsnet advice about bloomin well using nice things that you’ve been given. Seedlip non-alcoholic stuff with soda water hits the spot....

Am finding it difficult to eat breakfast because I’m too exhausted to get out of bed and make it. Am unemployed at moment and am totally out of synch with life - am collapsing into bed at about 10 and waking up once or twice in night for the loo and then not being able to sleep. I was supposed to go out and try and buy some of those electrolyte restoring tablets today but my legs aren’t cooperating. My body is really protesting.

Am trying to drink required amount of water but it’s so tedious climbing the stairs to the loo constantly. My kidneys are twinging too as if they’re protesting. Moan, moan, moan - sorry!

But it’s day 5 and I haven’t done too badly. If I don’t have breakfast I’ve been having mega big lunches. Today’s was 3 scrambled eggs with a bit of cream cheese, 4 rashers of bacon, a whole avocado and a dollop of mayo. Followed by enormous bowl of 0% Fage and 2 slices of Emmental cheese and 2 slices of salami.

Dinner will be... sausages, cauliflower cheese and mashed swede.

I’ve just had a cup of miso because it’s got 2g of sodium and I think that’s good with all the water but it did have 5g carb. So might be overdoing the carbs today and overdoing the processed meats.

I have no idea how I am going to cope over the weekend. Kids are having pizza, sweeties and crisps tonight and DP will be on the red wine and crisps. Last night I watched my child eat churros with chocolate dipping sauce and I was actually drooling - my mouth just wouldn’t stop watering I craved the demon sugar soooooo much. Just thinking about it again has had the same effect. Why doesn’t an avocado have the same effect?!!

Right, hopefully that’s out my system now 😄 I promise to be more positive in my next post. I too don’t want to take diabetic medication so I know exactly what I need to do. Keep on keeping on! Well done everyone else. We can do this!

I bought actual cake and sweets and brownies today for my 6th formers... And didn't eat a tiny bit! I had a bit of dark chocolate though, the one from aldi.
I did sniff the chocolate cake though... 🎂😬
B. Yoghurt
L. Rest of the chicken saag meal from the other day
D. Asparagus, broccoli and 2 thin pork steaks, all fried in butter and garlic. Yummy.

Got to keep strong about the booze, plus drink more water.
I also weighed myself this morning, down from nearly 63kg to 60...!

eaten all the eastereggs you'll be fine, stay strong!

@Eatenalltheeastereggs sounds like you're having a tough time

One thing - why are you eating 0% yoghurt? It should be full fat not no fat.

Would it be worth considering what your kids are eating? It sounds like they're having a lot of carbs too, which isn't really great. I know it's the weekend, and everyone deserves a treat - but it's this way of thinking and eating that has got lots of us into this situation!

You’ve got this eatenalltgeeastereggs!

Stay strong. The churros won’t have tasted anywhere near as good as they looked. Bit of a spin on the saying ‘moment on the lips, lifetime on hips’... moment in the mouth, hours/days/weeks/months of misery not achieving your health/weight goals.

Admittedly it doesn’t roll off the tongue the same way but you get the gist

@Youcantscaremeihavechildren I've often wondered why the smell of something isn't as satisfying as the actual eating of it!

I'm happy to sniff whisky and not actually have any. But that's the exception rather than the rule

When faced with temptation I find what really seems to work for me now is asking myself if I want whatever it is more than I want to be at goal size/shape. I’ve spent the last 12 years hating the way I look because of the weight gain, but ultimately, it’s only me that has/is prolonging my misery. Something seems to have clicked in last year and I’ve just decided NO MORE. how long this lasts is another matter but it’s working for now

Yes to the smell thing! We have a bread maker that gets used a few times a week (used to be daily) and the smell is divine, but honestly, if I have a big lungful, I can walk away. It would taste bloody amazing mind, but the smell is oddly satisfying enough.