Jan ’20 – Week 1 Low Carb Bootcamp – Here we go!

[StuntNun]

Welcome to the January 2020 Low Carb Bootcamp. I know some of you have already started eating low carb so please share your good experiences to give the rest of us some inspiration as we begin our weight loss journey.

Make sure you’ve read the ten Low Carb Bootcamp rules. There are some shopping list and meal plan suggestions on the preparation thread.

If you need recipe inspirations then there we have hundreds on the meat recipes thread, the poultry recipes thread, and the vegetarian recipes thread. Note that vegetarians may include small quantities of legumes, nuts and Quorn right from the start to make sure they’re getting enough protein. There is also thread of low carb products people have found in the shops.

We weigh in every Monday so add your starting weight to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness. If you’re on a mobile or tablet and can’t get the spreadsheet to work then please post your entry on this thread and someone will add it for you. Some people choose to record their starting weight as 100 if they don’t want to share their actual weight. I also urge you to make a note of your waist measurement as sometimes we can lose inches without losing pounds on this way of eating. Some people like to have a goal pair of jeans or a dress that they can try on throughout Bootcamp so see how the fit improves over time. Others like to take ‘before’ photos that they can use for comparison later on.

If you have any questions or concerns then please do ask. Bootcamp has been running for nearly ten years so we have lots of expertise to share with you.

Waspfig we don't count carbs on Bootcamp, just follow the rules. In general we should choose foods below 5g per 100g carbohydrate and preferably below 3g. You do have to take portion size into account though. If a pre-made salad has a few shreds of carrot in then it probably isn't worth picking them out but serving lots of carrots as a side dish isn't okay. Similarly an onion is 9% carbs but one onion in a dish serving four is going to be fine.

In terms of what counts as low carb then it really varies from person to person. Some people prefer to stay as low as 20g per day. Some people (usually men) can lose weight on 100g or more. If you're female and your male partner is eating low carb along with you then be prepared for him to lose more weight than you. It's just not fair! I know some people are serial dieters and are used to logging their food in My Fitness Pal or similar. If you want to do that then your macros are 5-10% carbohydrate, 20-35% protein and somewhere around 20-50g carbs (net carbs in America) per day. There's no need to log food though so only do it if you think it would be personally helpful for you. I know we had someone on a previous Bootcamp who has Aspergers and found logging her food reassuring.

What I do recommend is posting a list of your food each day on these threads. It's absolutely brilliant for accountability and will help keep you on track. It will also allow those with more experience to feedback on any mistakes you might be making or suggest improvements. For example cashew nuts are really high carb so if I saw someone logging that (only in Bootcamp Light obvs.) then I would suggest switching to a lower carb nut. Also if anyone has a weight loss stall they're worried about, the first thing we will ask is for you to post three days worth of food.

And while I have your attention, go and drink some water!

Absopugginglutely mentioned 16:8 intermittent fasting and that is something we will talk about later on in Bootcamp. If you're new to eating low carb then stick to three meals a day for at least the first couple of weeks.

Morning all and thanks to Stuntnun for stepping into BIWI's shoes. I always learn some new tips and tricks each bootcamp, love to read everyone's stories and I'm looking forward to this one.

Starting mostly birthday cake weigh in of 129.2 so just under 10lbs to get back to target.

Hi Everyone, I can't login to the google doc, can I still participate?

Of course Millymaid I need to access it on a PC. If you have the Google Sheets app then it will save it to your recently opened spreadsheets making it easier to access in the future. If that doesn't work then post your weigh in on here and someone will add it for you. Maybe we need a volunteer to add weights to the spreadsheet for people so Athelstane can concentrate on keeping it running properly? Would anyone have time to help out with that?

Starting at 142. I’m On a mobile so please can someone add it on the spreadsheet? Thanks

Thanks stuntnun and for all so far and in advance for all of this! It's the canaries which is always a challenge as I don't eat meat and I'm usually playing the "find anything to eat without random ham in it" game at the buffet before, so let's see. If there's cheese and a steady supply of garlic prawns, I will be in heaven. Also hoping for momentum to keep me away from the cocktail list. For now though, focus on getting back into any of my summer clothes

Vegan Low Carb- an oxymoron?

Apologies I did look through the prep threads, but couldn't see any info- but is it possible to be vegan and still do LC?

Was challenged to complete Veganuary and would like to continue if possible. However the need to lose weight/be fitter is more urgent, as have a week long trekking holiday booked for the end of Feb.

302 today -eek!

I bought myself some new scales this morning (Fitbit Aria - £34 in Sainsbury’s), this will not move from their spot in the bathroom. My old ones were kept downstairs and Ilthe weight varied up to 3lbs when I moved them around!

Thanks @StuntNun
I don't find it helpful to count calories or carbs or anything usually so I'm pleased to hear it's not necessary. I'm a bit of a rebel if the rules are too strict so just sticking to a list of foods suits me fine. Just don't want to sabotage myself by eating too many nuts as I love them!

Almost 1L of water down already (as I've been up since 5am with baby )

Hagbeth , I lost my son 3 years ago, so I understand the need to look after yourself, so that you can look after your family whilst desperately trying to cope, wishing you a gentle day.

After a difficult Christmas I am keen to get back to boot camp and to shift the lbs that have crept on, so here’s to FLGV and water, water, water .....

Any ideas for snacks gratefully received , as that seems to be my downfall, pre dinner and after dinner

Also thanks for running this BIWI and stungun

Morning all. Starting at 185 after some January creep as I had STS (stayed the same) at 180 over the holidays. Fairly certain it’s not a real 185 by the way—not been drinking the water, haven’t had a poo, and basically weighed 3lbs less yesterday. But it’s going on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness just the same.

So that’s down from 236 which was my highest ever weight, 51lb loss and 40lbs to lose for a Normal BMI. I’m 5’4”. I’m a slow loser but ultimately keeping it off these past 2-3 years. Others have achieved what I have in just 6-7 months so it really depends on the individual.

This Bootcamp for me is about reincorporating strength and endurance in addition to continued weight loss. Even with 40lbs left to lose I’m feeling and looking pretty good so my body shape has become more evident and I’m seeing areas that need attention, specifically the muscle tone. Cardio and strength training will be a focus.

I’ll take photos and measurements later today, and will upload at some point as I find the visuals hugely motivating. I encourage others to do the same.

Another area I’ve slipped is water intake. I used to be like clockwork but nowadays it’s hit or miss so I’ve taken two empty 2ltr bottles and filled them with water. Other than a morning tea—with almond milk because I’m a saint —I’ll drink nothing until these two bottles are empty each day. I acknowledge this is easier for me as I work from home and have full control over loo access, but encourage each of you to devise some system of measuring your water and being reminded of it. Water is vital on this way of eating.

So there you have it—my long-winded first post to kick off the Bootcamp festivities.

Best to all.

...is it possible to be vegan and still do LC? Was challenged to complete Veganuary and would like to continue if possible. However the need to lose weight/be fitter is more urgent, as have a week long trekking holiday booked for the end of Feb.
It is possible Adviceatthislatestage but you'll have to do your own research as it isn't something we've covered on Bootcamp. In my professional role as a diet coach we don't take on vegan clients as we can't support an inherently unhealthy diet. It's only a couple of weeks so you should be able to make it work with a bit of searching the Internet. As with vegetarians you would be able to include nuts, legumes/pulses, and Quorn to make sure you're getting enough protein. Healthy vegan fats are olive oil, avocado oil, nut oils, and coconut oil.

Thanks @stuntnun for setting us off on this new weight loss journey. I've weighed in at 158lb (11st4lb). My goal this year is to get to 143lb (10st 3lb or 65kg).
Meals for today (keeping it simple as my shop doesn't arrive till tomorrow!)
B: 3 eggs scrambled with butter and a whole avocado plus a butter coffee
L: Brussels sprouts with butter and maybe a boiled egg
D: steak with celeriac chips and spring greens

Snack suggestions for NotwatchingTVtoday and I'm so sorry to hear about your son.

Snacks
Eat as much as you want of:
Avocado
Cucumber or celery sticks (can be dipped in pate or cream cheese)
Olives
Boiled eggs
Cooked meat (e.g. sausage, bacon, chicken leftover from other meals)
Ham and cheese roll ups (a slice of ham spread with cream cheese and rolled into a tube)
Biltong
Pork scratchings

Eat in moderation (check to make sure they are low carb):
Cheese
Cured meats; there are some health concerns over processed meats
Full fat Greek-style yoghurt

Eat in small quantities once we're on to Bootcamp Light:
Nuts
Seeds
Nut butters such as almond or macadamia
Dark chocolate (at least 70%)

softblock I’ve put in your weight. Used a mobile, so it is possible with the app, as suggested, but StuntNun I’m happy to volunteer inputting weight for those who can’t access the spreadsheet.

On that note I shall now review the thread to see if I’ve missed anyone.

@stegasaurusmum, @sauvignonandcheesecake, @Chista. @waspfig, you're on
@GuyMartinsSideburns, @PinkSubscriber, @NoOneCaresInRealLife, @Nux, numbers added
@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal, you're now, um, Greebo...

All signed in and ready to go :). We are on holiday this week but it’s self catering so we are just about to head out for a LC shop. In 2017 I lost around 80 pounds using boot camp. It saved my life. I was post menopausal, have no thyroid, and was recovering from major orthopaedic surgery that put me back on my feet after an accident, and bootcamp worked when nothing else had. I've maintained ever since, basically because I never came back off bootcamp, I just kept on doing the same thing every day. The tail end of last year though, a bit of stress and a bit of laxity in my application of the principles has seen a 10b gain. Not terrible, and not showing in my clothes yet, but a trend that needs nipped in the bud.

Morning, Bootcampers. Would someone mind adding my start weight - 155.8lbs. Thanks!

Thanks, Shag! I've just made myself a bit dizzy scrolling up and down the sheet... Very grateful for dizzying volunteer

Thanks Shag you're a star. We'll have to find out how to make the spreadsheet more accessible. I used to be able to edit it through the Google Sheets app but now I can't. I use my PC instead.

millymaid you’re on the spreadsheet and I’m happy to update with your starting weight when you have it.

Also entered Chista’s starting weight. Everyone else appears to have been updated.

Let me know if anyone else needs spreadsheet help with DATA ENTRY ONLY. Feel free to tag me for that purpose.

For any other spreadsheet issues (access, formula problems), AthelstaneTheUnready is your first port of call.

Sounds lovely BIWI, enjoy!

Good move to take a photo, think I’ll do that when I get home. Tracking progress against a currently too tight piece of clothing is good too.

truelove your weight has been entered.

I couldn't get the spreadsheet to work in the app on my phone until I emailed the link to myself and opened it in gmail. Hopefully that might help others!

Thanks so much @stuntnun!