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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.

2020 Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp. The first week!

906 replies

BIWI · 11/10/2020 22:17

Welcome all.

Well what a strange year this has been! If you're anything like me, food, meals and eating have been all over the place. And that's before we think about the booze.

I found lockdown an odd mix of feeling like I was on holiday but it was also the end of the world. So what was the point of worrying about my diet?

I am lucky, relatively, in that we don't have small children to worry about educating. We also have a nice house and garden, and as me and DH have recently retired, don't have to worry about work. So we were very much advantaged over many people.

But still, the diet/drinking was all to pot. And with the inevitable result.

So we're now in the run up to Christmas - traditionally a time when diets go out of the window, and we start to indulge ourselves. Who knows what's going to happen this year though?!

So with that in mind, it's a good time to try and be focused and aim to have a bit of discipline! This Bootcamp, as with most others, will last for 10 weeks, which will take us right up to Christmas week.

(I truly hope that we'll all be able to spend Christmas with our loved ones, but who knows?)

With grateful thanks to @AthelstaneTheUnready, here is the Spreadsheet of Exceptional Fabulousness .

You should find that you're on the spreadsheet. A couple of things:

  • if you don't want to record your weight every week, that's absolutely fine. Just don't do it!
  • if you're not on it, just add your name to the bottom - don't try and re-alphabatize it - we'll sort it out later

The spreadsheet isn't just a place to record your weight though - have a good look at it, and the tabs - there's loads of information on there, including a veg carb counter and lots of stuff about low carbing in general. You'll also find Bootcamp rules there.

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AthelstaneTheUnready · 15/10/2020 20:55

A bonus for this WOE: it's my fortnightly trip to the shops tomorrow, and I have SO much stuff from the recipes on this thread I'm going to get - it's not normally a very interesting trek. Grin

Top of the list is some sort of aubergine/mince affair.

Titsywoo · 15/10/2020 21:05

@BuffyTheBuffetSlayer

Is this the recipe for cauliflour mash which has been mentioned? Everyone seems to rave about it so wanted to give it a go, it's different to how I've been making it.
I always add butter and parmesan and its delicious
FizzyPink · 15/10/2020 21:25

Gosh my sugar cravings are bad today! I don’t really eat loads of sugar usually and the only liquid I drink is water, green tea or booze but I just poured DP a glass of squash and had such an overwhelming urge to have a sip! But I resisted Grin

The new restrictions in London today have made everything a bit harder as well. And sympathy to those who have it even harder. Lots of things I had in the diary for the next few weeks have had to be cancelled but I think it’s more the uncertainty I find difficult.
I’m very much a planner and get lots of enjoyment out of planning weekends, holidays etc and it feels like much of that has been taken away.

Anyway tomorrow is a new day!

PastramiNoRye · 15/10/2020 21:36

Sorry to those feeling a bit down in the dumps. That was me yesterday but feel a bit more positive today.

I've enjoyed my food today and it's been great to get some ideas for next week too. I've fallen into a habit of a nightly gin once the kids have been in bed and it's nice to break that habit.

Today's food:
B: scrambled eggs with kale fried in butter
L: Fennel, leek and parmesan soup with salami
D: salmon with roasted asparagus and cabbage with butter

Close to my water target! I bought a huge 500ml mug for peppermint tea purposes!

Anotherducker · 15/10/2020 22:01

Thank you to pp on the link to the Covid info, it was v interesting.

Sorry so many others are having a grumpy day, hopefully tomorrow will be brighter.

Nice surprise tonight, no IBS after a steak. Not sure if that means the home cooked chips I normally have are the cause or if my gut is already more robust.

Mimosa1 · 15/10/2020 22:21

Finally caught up with the thread! I'm loving all the recipes and have made a note for my next food order. I've bought myself a rather lovely treat as well. I was walking past a Fortnum's and have bought myself a tea lovers advent calendar. I'm going to be starting tomorrow (can't wait til Dec!) and trying one new variety of tea bag ever day. I'm really rather excited!

Mimosa1 · 15/10/2020 22:23

Here's the link. Isn't it gorgeous?

www.fortnumandmason.com/christmas-tea-lovers-advent-calendar

It's a bit extravagant but like the PP, I'm
thinking of all the money I'm not spending on wine and pastries!

Pinkrinse · 15/10/2020 22:31

Hi, I’ve been doing something similar since July managed to loose 25lbs so just letting you know it works. The best thing is you loose the cravings, which for me was what was fuelling the weight gain during lockdown.

Titsywoo · 15/10/2020 23:30

Well it's a first for me but I have had lunch and dinner today and no snacks. Haven't been hungry much at all. Very odd. I even thought at about 9pm I really should eat something (because I always do!) but then stopped myself as I wasn't actually hungry.

2 of the things I was supposed to be doing for my birthday in a couple of weeks have been cancelled due to the London restrictions so was a bit annoyed earlier but they were both meals out with drinks so I guess it saves me the stress of trying to eat low carb in a restaurant! The birthday meal I'm having with my family is going to be at Miller and Carter and that's easy - I always low carb there as the steak fills me up so much I can't eat my chips Grin

BuffyTheBuffetSlayer · 15/10/2020 23:42

@Notwatchingtvtoday Your pressure cooker sounds brilliant! I recently bought an air frier though, so might have to give it time before convincing DP we need a new gadget Grin I did see them in action years ago and was really impressed, I should've bought that instead.
I'm going to try the stew in my slow cooker. I normally thicken the stew or gravy with cornflour but cant do that now. I bought Xanthumgum as a substitute thickener, are we allowed to use that @BIWI?

Titsywoo

BuffyTheBuffetSlayer

Is this the recipe for cauliflour mash which has been mentioned? Everyone seems to rave about it so wanted to give it a go, it's different to how I've been making it.

I always add butter and parmesan and its delicious

Aw I saw this too late! I'll try it next time. I was making mine with grated cheese and chopped spring onions.

BuffyTheBuffetSlayer · 15/10/2020 23:50

@Titsywoo we love Miller and Carter! Have you tried the bone marrow? It has to be the most amazing thing I have EVER tasted!! I know how frustrated you feel about your birthday meals being cancelled. Our booking at Millar and Carter for DP's birthday got cancelled and theatre tickets for Phantom of the Opera also got cancelled for mine. I waited years for that show to come back to scotland, bloody sods law.

Titsywoo · 16/10/2020 00:51

[quote BuffyTheBuffetSlayer]@Titsywoo we love Miller and Carter! Have you tried the bone marrow? It has to be the most amazing thing I have EVER tasted!! I know how frustrated you feel about your birthday meals being cancelled. Our booking at Millar and Carter for DP's birthday got cancelled and theatre tickets for Phantom of the Opera also got cancelled for mine. I waited years for that show to come back to scotland, bloody sods law.[/quote]
Actually I haven't tried that. The menu has changed this week and they've added a cote de boeuf which looks amazing!

StuntNun · 16/10/2020 06:51

Buffy I thicken stews by adding grated swede at the beginning. How is the bone marrow cooked at Miller and Carter? I have some being delivered this week but I don't really like it - I only eat it because it's good for me!

Rshard · 16/10/2020 07:04

Have always fancied trying Miller and Carter, but never quite managed it. Definitely will based on titsywoo and buffythebuffetslayer glowing recommendations.

Sneaky peak this morning, 2 lbs down which is pleasing to see.

Hope everyone has a good Friday, almost the weekend!

Choccorocco · 16/10/2020 07:08

Anyone who is grumpy - google keto flu. It’s not flu but a common side effect of low carb diet when you first start, which can be avoided by making sure you include extra electrolytes in your diet as well as drinking lots of water.

I was horrifically tetchy around days 3-4 when I first went low carb but never since as I add extra salts into my diet. Other symptoms can be fatigue, dizziness, nausea - all enough to make you want to stop, so do look it up as it is avoidable.

I think it’s something to do with the amount of electrolytes that your body loses as we drink so much water plus lose water that was bound to glycogen (how your body stores carbs) as well as changes in insulin etc. The good news is that it does mean that your body is going into ketosis which is what you want to happen.

The prevention / cure is to drink lots of water and also make sure you have sodium, potassium and magnesium in your diet.

This time I’ve just salted my food more heavily than usual and also had the odd spoonful of marigold vegetable stock in a cup of hot water which has kept the keto flu at bay.

Hope this helps. Smile

Choccorocco · 16/10/2020 07:13

RitaEllen That last post was for you x

Choccorocco · 16/10/2020 07:15

Anotherducker and for you x

CowGurl · 16/10/2020 07:38

Hi bootcampers,

Flowers for everyone esp those who're feeling down. It's pretty shit out there.

I'm very knackered and a bit grumpy so will definitely add electrolytes today. Also really hungry - but I'm wondering if it's actual hunger or if I'm just used to my belly being full. Grin I've mostly been avoiding snacks but have munched on babybel when preparing meals -
thought I'd have been one of those who don't do well on cheese, but still seem to be losing. [Tantalisingly near those numbers beginning with 8 ...] I think I'll keep the dairy as a crutch until I plateau and then knock it on the head for a bit ... maybe. I LOVE cheese!

Had the chorizo and kale soup for lunch yesterday and it was delicious. Tried the protein noodles last night - they were ok and pretty filling. Couldn't eat them all so hubby finished them and really like them.

Love that I am eating so much veg. It had very much been a token offering on the plate Blush but now I need it to bulk things out!

Hope everyone has a successful day!

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 16/10/2020 07:53

So, I weighed myself this morning and am 2.5 lbs down. Yay!
I did dream that I was eating crisps though and the back of the packet had 12 carbs written in big red numbers Grin
My seriously low carb bread arrived yesterday - would it be disastrous if I had 2 slices for lunch? DS is steadily working his way through it. (he claims to want to eat healthier, then has a big bowl of pasta for dinner!). Have hidden two loaves in the freezer though. £15 for three loaves!!!

Lyrata · 16/10/2020 07:59

Can I join a bit late? I’ve been dieting for around a month and just wondered today whether a bootcamp would be starting soon.

I have just RTFT and got some recipe inspiration already - thank you for the moussaka recipe! And the velvet spinach soup. Low carb is so much easier in winter (I find).

Anyway I’m joining because I weighed myself on Monday - after a month of dieting - and I’m 10’13”. I know I’ve lost weight because clothes are looser, but it must mean my starting weight (I didn’t weigh at the start in fear of depressing myself back into the cake) must have been much higher than I’ve ever been before. Normally 10’13” would be my starting point!

I just have such a problem with sugar. I don’t understand it. In small quantities (fruit or one biscuit or sweet) it seems to be okay but it seems like if I eat over some yet-to-be-scientifically-determined amount it develops an unholy power over me and then it’s all I think about or want to eat. And then I just binge on desserts for weeks and weeks - and never want to eat anything healthy because my taste buds are fried by the constant sugar. That has pretty much been my whole lockdown!

Anyway no more sugar for me. I haven’t been strictly low-carbing this week, just eating sensibly but I will start following BC rules from today. I’m going to go and get some cream for my coffee now instead of buying a latte on my dog walk (which will save money too).

Margaritawithlime · 16/10/2020 08:10

Morning all! Last night the mince stuffed peppers were ACE! Dh isn’t low carbing but happily tucked into his proclaiming it ‘really great’
Tonight is his fave - chicken wings and franks buffalo sauce. Thankfully low carb! I’ll have roasted Savoy cabbage with mine which is lush with soy sauce all crispy and salty.
Have to go into the office today so MUST remember my water.
Anyone got plans for the weekend? This is where I can stumble so got to try and keep going!!!

BIWI · 16/10/2020 08:16

Re Electrolytes

I've posted several times on this thread alone about how important they are, and there are several posts on the FAQ thread about them, about carb flu and how to avoid it.

THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO READ THE WHOLE THREAD!

Seriously. There's a huge amount of good advice on the thread (from other posters, not just me!) and so not reading the full thread means you're likely to miss something important.

And once again, here's the link to the FAQ thread

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Montybojangles · 16/10/2020 08:21

Morning, I’m more of a lurker than a poster, sorry, but this thread is keeping me focused and giving some great menu ideas. I’m also a weekly meal planner, and find that helps me to stick to plan when low carbing. @AthelstaneTheUnready I wish I had neighbours dropping me round a brace of pheasant every now and then. I’d take that over a cake any day, low carb or otherwise! Grin

BIWI · 16/10/2020 08:22

Welcome @Lyrata!

Re sugar, there are those who say that it's addictive. Some say it's more addictive than heroin.

I don't know about that, but it has been shown that sugary things do lead to the production of dopamine, which is linked to feeling good. Here's a piece from Healthline about it:

What is dopamine?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in the brain. Basically, it acts as a chemical messenger between neurons

Dopamine is released when your brain is expecting a reward

When you come to associate a certain activity with pleasure, mere anticipation may be enough to raise dopamine levels. It could be a certain food, sex, shopping, or just about anything else that you enjoy

For example, suppose your “go-to” comfort food is homemade double chocolate chip cookies. Your brain may increase dopamine when you smell them baking or see them come out of the oven. When you eat them, the flood of dopamine acts to reinforce this craving and focus on satisfying it in the future

It’s a cycle of motivation, reward, and reinforcement

Now imagine that you’ve been longing for those cookies all day, but your co-workers scarfed them down when you were sidetracked by a conference call. Your disappointment might lower your dopamine level and dampen your mood. It might also intensify your desire for double chocolate chip cookies. Now you want them even more

Does that ring any bells for you?

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BIWI · 16/10/2020 08:26

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously

So, I weighed myself this morning and am 2.5 lbs down. Yay! I did dream that I was eating crisps though and the back of the packet had 12 carbs written in big red numbers Grin My seriously low carb bread arrived yesterday - would it be disastrous if I had 2 slices for lunch? DS is steadily working his way through it. (he claims to want to eat healthier, then has a big bowl of pasta for dinner!). Have hidden two loaves in the freezer though. £15 for three loaves!!!
I wondered when/how soon someone would have 'The Dream'!

It's such an awful feeling, isn't it, when you first wake up. And then the relief when you realise it was just a dream! Mine was about eating not just one, but two, King size Mars bars Grin

Re the bread, I'm cautiously optimistic about it. I have had two of the rolls this week (and they're really big) and I have still dropped 2lbs so far. Naturally I can't say how much I would have lost if I hadn't had them! But I've also had cream this week, which I do know isn't great for me, so all in all, I think the only thing I can say is to try it and see what happens.

I'm waiting on a couple of other MNetters who are diabetics to let me know the impact it has on their blood sugar readings, but last I heard they hadn't received their delivery yet. As soon as I hear from them I'll feedback on this thread.

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