Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

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.

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
37
PastramiNoRye · 12/10/2020 17:42

Loving all these motivational pics! I have a dress that I'd love to get into for Christmas...must take the plunge and take photos!

Good day so far with soup made with lots of leafy greens, coconut oil and butter melted in!

Dinner will be roast pork with crackling, celeriac and Savoy cabbage.

Well on my way to hitting my water goal! Been to the loo several times today 🤣

I'm substituting my usual gin with fizzy water...

PastramiNoRye · 12/10/2020 17:42

@prettybird how long do you microwave the sprouts for?

BIWI · 12/10/2020 17:47

[quote Midlifemission]@BIWI and others. Can anyone advise me as well please ?
After lunch I too have developed a terrible headache and felt so awful I just went and had a short nap ! Luckily I am at home all day but I feel light headed and lacking in energy still so would be good to know if I can do anything to keep myself on a bit more of a even keel !
I have only had approx 1.75 litres of water if that relevant ?
Omelette for breakfast and sausages and veg for lunch.
Thanks
[/quote]
Yes this is about your electrolytes - you need sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Sodium is dealt with easily - you need salt. Have a hot drink made from Oxo or Bovril or Marmite. Make sure you're adding salt to your food and cooking with it too.

Other electrolytes can come from your food - salmon, avocado, spinach and full fat natural yoghurt are all good sources.

It's also worth getting hold of a supplement - try Zero from High5 .

OP posts:
GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 12/10/2020 17:49

Little recommendation for all the celeriac lovers - Waitrose do packs of frozen celeriac, which make it so easy! It boils in 4 minutes, then I add butter and black pepper and use a stick blender to purée it. Great as a substitute for mash.

prettybird · 12/10/2020 17:49

Prepare brussels. Put into bowl with a slab of butter and cover (I just use a plate). Microwave for two minutes. Shoogle

PastramiNoRye · 12/10/2020 18:03

[quote prettybird]Prepare brussels. Put into bowl with a slab of butter and cover (I just use a plate). Microwave for two minutes. Shoogle

Hopeislost · 12/10/2020 18:04

@IncurablyCurious I use the Bulk Powders seasonings as rubs as they have no added sugar. They're available on Amazon and are pricey but you only need a pinch. The smoke and spice one is really nice on pork ribs or pork steaks 👍

Anotherducker · 12/10/2020 18:05

Can I join too please, I’ve been waiting for a boot camp to start.

AthelstaneTheUnready · 12/10/2020 18:07

@wantmorenow you're on!

Love the motivational gear.

Fully endorse prettybird's microwave sprouts and butter. I do that with loads of different types veg if I'm in a rush - cabbage, kale, broccoli, broccoli, broccoli, broccoli, mushrooms, or any combination.

Not being such a chef, however, Wink I dump butter and pepper on whatever single or combination, and it invariably gets 4 minutes straight in the microwave. No effort virtuosity.

anewdispensation · 12/10/2020 18:08

I just cant bring myself to eat Brussel sprouts... ever

Margaritawithlime · 12/10/2020 18:08

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal they do?! This is EXCELLENT news!!!

1WildTeaParty · 12/10/2020 18:08

Lovely meal suggestions on here. (I'm looking at Delia's Beef and Aubergine Fatteh -minus the pitta breads and probably the tahini in the yogurt topping.)

To all who begin today - this really does work.

I've tried just about every other method (and seem to have low requirement for calories but a vast appitite for them) but this way of eating does reduce me without making me cold and unhappy.

The food is lovely and not having to count means that becoming obsessive (so boring) and then bored does not happen.

Looking forwards to seeing your dress/trouser dreams come true. (You know what I mean!)

Midlifemission · 12/10/2020 18:17

@BIWI really appreciate the reply.
I was planning salmon for dinner and have spinach too so will give that a try.
Earlier I took a Panadol with water and had a herbal tea.
Then I snacked on a few bits of crispy bacon and half a carrot. Maybe it was the
Salty bacon but I started to feel better and am ok now.
Sorry about the carrot but it seemed a better plan than finding an excuse to eat a biscuit or something even worse.
I will look at the supplement too.

I am really enjoying the thread - though it’s very fast ! The pictures of peoples clothes to fit back in to are really motivating I will find something tomorrow.

prettybird · 12/10/2020 18:18

Honestly, brussels done this way are almost sweet and aren't bitter Smile

And yes, it works for all sorts of other veg, especially brassicas.

Mushrooms are the food of the devil and I won't go near them Wink

AthelstaneTheUnready · 12/10/2020 18:22

@prettybird

Honestly, brussels done this way are almost sweet and aren't bitter Smile

And yes, it works for all sorts of other veg, especially brassicas.

Mushrooms are the food of the devil and I won't go near them Wink

Shock

Mushrooms are full of vit D, selenium, and, er, something else!

They're amazing for you, and a perfect BC food.

And for newbies who won't know, pretty has all sorts of brazil nut excuses up her sleeve on account of 'selenium'... Hmm which a lovely buttery fried mushroom or two would fix Halo.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 12/10/2020 18:27

I can do inspirational photos. The one on the black dress was March 2019 (taken whilst on stage, hence the odd pose!) The blue dress was March 2020.

2020 Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp.  The first week!
2020 Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp.  The first week!
prettybird · 12/10/2020 18:31

I never mention Brazil nuts during the 1st 2 weeks of Boot Camp. Grin

I gag if I try to eat mushrooms Envy

MsAwesomeDragon · 12/10/2020 18:31

I've read through all the chat for today. I'm never going to be able to join in during the day while I'm at work. But I'll catch up in the evenings probably.

B: FF Greek yogurt
Snack: pepperami
L: salad with tuna
Snack: cheese and cucumber sticks
D: pepper, mushroom and bacon omelette with cheese.

PurBal · 12/10/2020 18:33

I want Brussels so much right now. And I have some, yay.

itsmeagainagain · 12/10/2020 18:33

@VeryLittleOwl

Can I please absolutely echo what BIWI says about taking measurements, either by tape or by clothing? These are my target clothes, a size small t-shirt from the local agricultural store and a 20-year-old pair of size 10 Topshop shorts, which will never be worn in public again but make a good size guide! First pic is taken this morning (and there was some serious wriggling needed to get them high enough to make that even halfway decent!) and the second pic is my progress in the May 2019 boot camp, taken at two-week intervals. I don't think I ever lost more than 4lbs over a 2-week period, but the pictures told me I was making really good progress even when I felt like I wasn't.
awesome progress pics @verylittleowl... thanks for sharing. I may take a similar photo but probably wont post it!!
itsmeagainagain · 12/10/2020 18:38

@20bloodypounds

Shorts
wow @20bloodypounds thanks for the photos ... inspiring me to get back into my smaller clothes thanks!
itsmeagainagain · 12/10/2020 18:41

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal

I can do inspirational photos. The one on the black dress was March 2019 (taken whilst on stage, hence the odd pose!) The blue dress was March 2020.
@greebolsmyspiritanimal more brilliant inspiring pictures thank you! Im going to print one of myself to stick somewhere I can see it as I really do feel motivated when I see these!
AthelstaneTheUnready · 12/10/2020 18:41

My runner beans failed first time round too (also Scotland), and second lot didn't flower in time - frost has taken them now.

Which I suppose is a good thing, since I think runners are off the menu as too high, but will have to check.

Another fab, easy, BC veg is to slice broccoli stalks about 1/2cm thick to make star shapes, drizzle with oil, add s&p and roast for 20 mins. Fabulous. (and thanks to Rayna? Rshard? a previous BC'er for that! I'd always binned them before!)

AthelstaneTheUnready · 12/10/2020 18:42

I retract! Runners are fine!

itsmeagainagain · 12/10/2020 18:43

well done everyone, I've enjoyed reading what you've eaten! Mine today:
B = fasted (been doing a while)
L = yummy leftover cauliflower cheese from last night
D = currently being cooked by DH.. chicken in wraps with wedges... He knows I can't have the wraps or wedges so has done me a lovely green salad with avocado yum
Just about to enter my weight on the spreadsheet from this morning. Have a good evening everyone ...stay away from the snacks! Wink