Week 1 - May 22 Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Just getting the opening of the thread started, as there's a lot I want to post before we get into tomorrow!

Firstly, here's the all-important disclaimer:

I'm not a medic. I'm not a scientist, nutritionist or dietician. Everything that I write here is based on the reading I've done over the last 15 or so years. You sign up and take part in Bootcamp at your own risk - although I fervently hope there are no risks!

Please note, if you're taking any long-term medication, especially for hypertension or diabetes or high cholesterol, you should consult your GP; low carbing (for most people) will bring high blood pressure and cholesterol levels down, and will help regulate your blood sugar levels - so the dosage of your medication may need to be reviewed, if not reduced
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A note about weighing

Each Monday I'll re-post the spreadsheet for you to add your weight. Weight is the most conventional way that we monitor progress, but it isn't the only way, and actually isn't always the most accurate way. It's not unknown for people to see no change on the scales, yet to know that they've lost weight as their clothes are fitting better.

You don't have to weigh (and nor do you need to be on the spreadsheet), but it is always helpful to know how you're progressing, as this helps to keep you focused. There are two other important ways to do this:

1 - take your measurements. Hips, waist and bust, as well as upper thigh and upper arms.

2 - find an article of clothing that currently just a little too tight - a pair of jeans, or a blouse - and try them on each week. This is the most tangible way to see how things are working for you.

You can do these as well as weighing of course!

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Also, before we really get going, a plea for good thread etiquette!

The threads will move very quickly (especially in the first couple of weeks). But please, please, please read everything that's been posted. Use the bookmark facility so that you don't lose your place. Don't just jump on the thread to post your own stuff without bothering to read what others have posted

It is very wearing when we have to keep answering the same questions, because posters haven't bothered to read what's gone before!

It's hard to believe @glamourousindierockandroll isn't it!

More roasted veg tonight with feta, it was lovely at the time but the best bit was scraping the last few toasty oily bits of feta out of the roasting tin.

Meal out tomorrow in a restaurant which isn't the best for LC but I'll manage. It's not that there's nothing I could eat (in extremis a steak and salad) but there's nothing I want to eat.

Wow @bella1426 those look amazing! Just missing a nice oily dressing 😉

They look lovely! @bella1426

@prettybird mushrooms are my very good friend this week 😁

My round up for today:

B - 2 eggs and double cream omelette with butter fried mushrooms and cheese filling.

L- Late because we'd been working on the farm and the shop didn't have anything low carb that I fancied. Greek yoghurt, double cream and (after a few minutes, not mixed in 🤣) olives.

D - Half a ribeye steak fried in butter, vegetables roasted in garlic infused olive oil (aubergine, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, celery, sweetheart cabbage), salad (lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes).

Fluid: 3x 750ml High5 water, 4 cups of tea with almond milk, one with a splash of full fat milk.

Evening all, hope everyone is having a good day.

I've made a note of those avocado tips as I'm another who struggles with the texture!

So today I had no breakfast but only as I had a ridiculously long lie in. Brunch was mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, spring onions and spinach fried in butter, then two eggs and Parmesan scrambled in.

Dinner was three Black Farmer sausages on fried Savoy cabbage and shallot, followed by huge gob fulls of double cream.

Lots of water drunk as we've been tidying up the garden today. Only now it looks so nice in the evening sun, the type of nice where you want to sit in it with a glass of wine.

Oh well, sparkling water it is!

Hello all, hope you all had a good day

B: coffee & cream (was still quite full when I woke up this morning)
L: minced lamb kebabs, roasted aubergines, peppers, onion & tomatoes, green salad with olive oil dressing and tzatziki (I must say it was delicious)
D: 3 egg cheese omelete made with butter and salad with dressing

Drank just under 4L of water (my kidneys must be in shock as its v unusual for me 🙈) had a coffee and splash of milk in afternoon too

Saturday night is a tough one, I'd love a glass of wine, but staying 💪 hope you all have a good evening

@failinghard i know you're feeling rough today, but why the shake (what's in it?) and the protein powder for lunch? These are not part of bootcamp.

Sorry to be a pain in pointing it out, but there are some posters new to bootcamp who need to know that this woe is about real food and proper meals. There are no recommended shakes / protein powders in the bootcamp rules.

Just checking in with my food for the day:-

Fasted until 12.45pm
L: @SpottyBumPony's amazing BLT! Massive bit of iceberg, loads of mayo, tomatoes, sliced boiled egg and crispy bacon! See photo. It was too big to roll up but equally delicious eaten with a fork!
T: Diet Doctor's chicken alfredo. And I have another portion for later - yum!

Asda had steak burgers and cauliflower and large mushrooms in their reduced section so I've started planning my meals for next week round these.

I am struggling a bit with cravings this evening. I don't really drink so its specific foods. I know they won't be worth it, but I would kill for a massive packet of chocolate digestives or a big bowl of custard or some Magnums!! Luckily, I have children in bed and am on my own so no chance!

BLT!

I'm wondering if I'm in some kind of switch over? I've not felt my best today. I've still been able to keep going but felt a bit sluggish. I'm hoping I'll feel better tomorrow.

Had a lovely large salmon fillet fried so that the skin was crispy for supper

Served it with shoogled caulifower (for newbies: florets microwaved with a slab of butter) and oven roasted asparagus (with some olive oil). Didn't make a salad as I realised I'd finished my cherry tomatoes).

Watched dh open a nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc he did ask if he could and stayed with my water

Crispy chicken skin is indeed the nectar of the gods. I switched it up from my original plan and had buffalo hot sauce (low carb) and I rustled up a blue cheese dip with celery .

I can feel my hunger/appetite going so I think all the protein is kicking in.

I’m popping in to say hello :). We’ve been more or less living in our caravan since the last bootcamp ended, which has been lovely and now I’ve finally established decent internet plan to stay for a few months more. I’ve just been gently keeping on. Probably not quite as strictly as I did 5 years ago when I lost 6 stone, but consistent.

When I joined the January bootcamp this year I’d put 2.5 stone back on after the year from hell which had left me in a bit of a state mentally - first time I’d had any increase since my initial loss. Anyway, since then I’ve lost 16 lbs again which I’m pleased about. I’m on antidepressants which are helping a lot but I suspect stalling my weight loss a bit, but that’s ok. I’m avoiding all sugar and grains but not fretting about the odd sweet potato or spoonful of peas(but I won’t talk about them here!).

However, I’ve bought an instant pot and air fryer for the van and I’m a bit evangelical about them! Both brilliant for low carb and so quick. My aim this bootcamp is to lose another half stone and then I’ll be getting back inside ‘wriggle room’ territory. Plus all my summer clothes should fit again!

Hope week one has gone well for everyone.

Good work @heliosfountain, I feel like a proud Aunty 😄

The weeks gone well for me, no major drama's with food. In a Non Scale Victory moment, I put my wedding and engagement rings on today and they are comfortable. I stopped wearing them after having DS 3.5 years ago because I kept scratching him. When I tried to wear them last they went on but were very uncomfortable so kept them off.

Went for a meal today. It was one of those Brazilian places where they come round with different meats on the big skewers, slicing off different cuts of beef, lamb, chicken, pork etc. I had a massive starter of low carb things, cheeses, fish, salad and chorizo. Broccoli and mushrooms as a side with the meat and only pinched ONE chip from DP. I ignored the rest of his chips, his sourdough bread and butter, his dessert and all the cocktails on the menu, sticking to still water, a diet coke and a black coffee. The temptation was strong, but I was a saint, a bloody saint I tell you. 😇

B. Eggs mushrooms tomatoes leaves. Coffee with cream
L. G yogurt
D. Veg traybake with feta & burgers & olive oil

@prettybird thanks for explaining shoogled! I had wondered...

7th for me was:
B: egg, cheese, kale, mini carrots (grabbed out of the fridge as I had to go to work. On a Saturday 😵 which is NOT nice when you're a teacher 😆).
L: caesar salad with homemade dressing and coffee with cream
T: we had an Indian takeaway so I had a cauliflower curry and fish tikka pieces. So can't vouch for every ingredient but there's was nothing noticeably on the banned list in there, and I avoided the rice AND nan I'd normally have so feeling quite smug. And I didn't have a beer watching the football which I normally would, especially as we won 4-0! Sheffield United if anyone's interested, gets us into the playoffs.
Even had enough energy to go for a quick run at night, so all good.

Happy weekend everyone!

Naan. I don't avoid my gran.

Made a lovely chicken saag last night to go with the leftover veg coconut curry and cabbage side dish from Friday.

Going to repeat my now famous mushroom egg breakfast as it was really good cycling fuel and not too heavy. Planning a big ride, will aim to get something like bacon and eggs at a cafe even if the menu's all bacon rolls!

Water a bit harder as I'll be out for hours with limited toilet access I wee'd in the forest last week

Roast chicken, celeriac in some format, carrots and something green later.

Prettybird I think you could definitely do a version of my breakfast using peppers/onions/peppers, cracking the eggs on top. Or shakshuka is almost the next step, must make that soon.

Tried on all my holiday clothes yesterday, a few trousers a bit tight but it's mostly ok. Bit sad I never started the weight training I'd said I would this year but another time maybe. All this cycling will surely have some impact on my body by the time I get to my big challenge in September.

Lovely to see some old names here, especially @ilovecherries - I was very inspired by your loss and glad to hear things are settling down after a tricky time.

DH made truly the most revolting lunch the other day, bless him. I was genuinely able to avoid it by claiming I'd had a big breakfast (eggs and bacon which I never have unless I'm low carbing). He redeemed himself with burgers in a LC roll with celeriac chips for dinner. Does anyone have any tips on how to get them to crisp up? Regardless, they were delicious.

I'm feeling a bit despondent. I weighed myself on Friday and I was -2kg. Then yesterday I was up 0.3kg and today I'm up 0.1kg. Bearing in mind that 100g could be just a poo.... Why am I putting weight back on? Could I be having too much fat or dairy?

@Rayna37 - you've mentioned the other food of the devil that I hate, even more than mushrooms and that is peppers

Hi all, I've been truly appalling at checking in with this thread this week so must do better next week! I've mostly been quite good, had a couple of blips Thursday and Friday but I think this is because those were my office days this week. I need to get more organised with meal planning so I don't cobble together something at the last minute and end up not taking enough food so wanting to snack on unsuitable stuff.

From memory, I don't think I tend to get a big loss in the first week of doing this, but I'm hoping for a couple of pounds then more next week (I have a lot - and I mean a lot - to lose).

@Rayna37 - just rereading your post: my mum got herself a "she-wee" for her long cycling trips (and weak bladder ), which allowed her to pee without having to practically undress. I've inherited it and sterilised it but never actually used/tried it

I do seem to recall that she said it took some practice

@lougle - daily variations are normal. If they make you despondent, then you might be better going to weekly weighing.

For those of us who do daily weigh, they're useful as a warning that, eg, you've not been drinking enough water that day before. Counter-intuitively, that can end up with fluid retention and hence a slight change up in the scales. Could that be the case with you?

Also, be aware that in Weeks 3,4 and/or 5 we often experience a stall or even a slight increase as the body completes its adaptation and thereafter healthy losses only average 1-2lb/week (as opposed to the initial "whoosh" as the glycogen stores are released).

I can't remember how long you've been low carbing (even though we're still only in Week 1 of the formal Boot Camp) so I thought I'd add that advice in in case you've been doing it for longer.