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!

The other way to add butter simply is to use the trademark "shoogled" microwave method. Works particularly well for brussels (hence the frequent mentions of "shoogled sprouts on these threads ) but they're coming to the end of their season but also works well on cauliflowers, broccoli, cabbage, baby sweet corn....

Bowl, prepared veg (whole brussels, florets, sliced cabbage), slab of butter, cover with plate, microwave for c 2 minutes, shoogle, cover again, microwave for another 2-3 minutes (or until done to your taste), season, devour

Looking forward to this! I'm inspired reading what others are eating. I'm loving tuna at the moment with a dollop of mayo.. just finished up mine and am going to make my own for tomorrow. Also going to try chicken traybake with feta, lemons and olives.

@APerfectlyGoodName if you're using an oil spray you're probably not getting enough fat!

Just placemarking really. I've got some chicken thighs in the oven and doing some crispy bacon for a creamy caesar salad.

I'd like to lose 9lbs on this bootcamp if I can. This will get me past a sticky pound i've been stalling at each time I try to get a grip.

I really did use it 🤭 but it tasted good and I'm not hungry.

Hi all, checking in for the day!

I'm almost ashamed to admit my weight tbh, but not confronting it is not going to help me so will update the spreadsheet today. I'm pretty much the heaviest I have ever been at 20stone+ which makes me feel crappy. I do feel really positive about LC this time though because I know it works. I think seeing some early wins will be very motivating as well.

Breakfast was boiled eggs, lunch was mackerel and cheesies (really handy snack). It wasn't massive because I was on the go today but it felt like enough and I'm not feeling hungry (yet). Dinner will be stir fry and a Quorn steak. I'm pescatarian so this does take a bit of planning but I need something quick and easy today.

Sorry to hear about your Dad @Livelongandprosper

@TidyDancer please don't be embarrassed to admit your weight. I weighed nearly 22 stone back in January.

I've lost 2 stone since then by low-carbing but I've obviously still got a very long way to go. But I look on it as being good to have made a start, and I already feel better. I have less fat round my middle (and I can cut my toenails more easily now as a result!). I've just ebayed some clothes that are now too big for me (and can spend that money on the next size down!)

I'm not sure other people have noticed my weight loss yet (well, dh has) but I'm doing this for me not them, and I'm definitely seeing and feeling a difference. I'm hoping BC will give my weight loss a bit of a boost and get me into some clothes I'd like to wear again that are 22-24.

And I've found LC eating easier than I expected, once I accepted the rules. I'm not hungry, and I'm losing weight! Bargain!

Just marking my place - thank you!

Just placemarking! Totally forgot it started today but I've not eaten anything yet so will start off with some steak and buttery veg

Will weigh myself and add to the SOF!!

Aaar, ahoy! (Just kidding, my username has nothing to do with pirates.)

A warm hello to the oldies and warm welcome to the tyros—I just learned that word today and had to use it.

Lost count of how many Bootcamps I’ve done, but I think my first was non-lurking Bootcamp—meaning the first I actually participated in from start to finish—was May 2017.

Weight as of 12/16:

236lbs / 16st 8lbs / 107kg

Weight as of 05/22 (today):

172lbs / 12st 3lbs / 78kg

First goal weight is 12lbs away and—ambitiously—I would like to achieve this during Bootcamp.

You will hear me say this a lot but best advice is drink all the WATER! WATER! WATER!

Best of British to all.

That's amazing @ShagMeRiggins . Success stories like that are so inspiring.

I've been doing this since saturday and struggling a bit with cravings today. My son has come down with chicken pox, so I know i'm just bored and cooped up with him and wanting to pick at things.

Day 1 started well enough so far, black coffee for breakfast, lunch was in a restaurant and had a chicken ceasar salad without croutons but with extra avocado.

Bought some asparagus earlier because i really liked the sound of @venusandmars' asparagus with butter and parmesan😂

Just have to say, how on earth am I going to drink 4.5 litres of water every day? So far I've managed about 1.5 litres and I'm sloshing as I walk!

I'm someone who doesn't drink enough anyway, I rarely feel thirsty, so I know I need to really make an effort to drink water. But 4.5 litres? Aargh.

Hi. I'm a returning poster,with a loss of around 17lbs in the autumn bootcamp.
I've put on half a stone since and just need the strictness and routine to get me back to eating well, keeping on track and hopefully lose those extra pounds.
Good luck all.

Hello all, I'm de-lurking to join you all. I've tried to follow along on the past few bootcamps, but without the accountability have gotten nowhere.

I'm excited to get things back on track and undo some of the damage of the past 18 months.

Good luck everyone!

Hello hello, signing in here. I did the bootcamp in January and pretty much carried on low carbing, although I did fall head first into a chocolate bunny over Easter... another 5lbs or so to go which I would like to see the back of by end of May when I'm back in France at the in-laws... we shall see. The fridge is full of boiled eggs and good stuff. I've found it easy to avoid bread, pasta and potatoes, rice started slipping in occasionally but it's the 'hidden' carbs that were creeping up on me.
I shall have to take more control over the shopping from DH who is a devil. He bought 10 litres of icecream on Saturday (not an exaggeration)- fortunately that doesn't tempt me but I could have used the freezer space for something more nutritious!

@Lucienandjean do you use the High5 Zero hydration tablets that @BIWI mentioned? I find drinking water quite difficult but I can drink 750ml of water in one go once I've added one of those tabs. They are a subtle but pleasant taste and give the water a very slight fizz but not carbonated. You shouldn't have more than 3 per day though, it says, so you'd have to do 2.25 litres with that and the remaining 2.25 litres water.

@Lucienandjean with you on the challenge of how to drink so much water. I look forward to loosing enough pounds to be in a lower category for the amount of water to be consumed.

My way is to get it done as early in the day as possible and work out how. You you need to consume throughout the day to reach that target.

For the first few days of drinking substantially more water It feels as if I might as well just stay in the loo all day, given how often I need to visit.

I'm currently on three litres. I start drinking the first litre as soon as I have woken up (well, yes, and visited the loo) with the aim to have swallowed the first litre before any breakfast. Another litre before lunch. Another litre before 4pm and then I feel I can 'knock off' for the evening having achieved what I set out to do.

Amazingly, at this level I do sometimes feel a tad thirsty at supper time so can easily drink another half litre more than the rules require.

This is a lot easier to do when I am at home. I have a simple 1l carafe which is filled three times a day, the last time ready for the morning. I also treated myself to a water filter tap when I first lost some weight on bootcamp to encourage myself to drink 'London Ordinary' water rather than bottled which would have bankrupted me at this rate.

When out and about I have a reusable bottle to take with me. I find it relatively easy to drink a litre when I am driving, on a long journey I'd need a quick comfort break every two or so hours. On a long journey, I drink one litre then pause til its been 'offloaded' before drinking the next litre.

Drinking the water is for me the single easiest thing I can do for my health. It has the useful side effect that I'm much less likely to reach for snacks so long as I have drunk all the water.

We drove the four hours down to Devon a week or so ago. I wondered how I'd manage lunch etc on the road. Instead of eating, I drank three litres, did a few stops and arrived comfortably looking forward to the evening meal but by no means desperate for food.

Oops, sorry, that was a bit long. Hope you find a way that works for you. I'll pretend that I'm just trying to help the 'tyros' @ShagMeRiggins I live that word and have managed to use it here too.

Good luck everyone, though the pedant in my wants to add that it's keeping to the rules that makes this work.

It was 2015 when I last lost loads in bootcamp in and could fit into everything. I didn't stick with it and have since put on ahem a few pounds since then. I'm just too embarrassed to admit my actual numbers here. I have kept a record and am looking forward to sharing how much I've shed when I'm back in the 'normal' BMI range. According to the NHS calculator I've moved from obese to overweight this year starting a week before the Jan Bootcamp.

I find myself wondering why in earth I let my self fall off the waggon so badly, given I always signup to Bootcamp. Looking forward to hearing everyone else's experiences on this Bootcamp.

I am definitely finding the switch to a glass bottle helpful. I don't get put off by the plasticky smell/taste.

@Lougle, yes, I do use the hydration tablets, usually just one a day though because I don't like the taste much! But I could try diluting it more, across a couple of water bottles-full. It's certainly worth a try.

@FinallyHere I think you are right, I need to drink far more when I first wake, and then divide it up over the day. I've bought a new 850ml water bottle and I need to empty it at least five times a day! I'll do it, it's just a challenge. And that's the point of BC I guess, to challenge us to try a bit harder. Thanks for the advice.

😀 @Lucienandjean

Don't forget, with drinking all the water, that you really need to keep your sodium intake up. If you're drinking loads but still finding yourself thirsty that is, apparently, a sign that you need more sodium.

Don't be afraid of salt!

Going well so far.
Breakfast: creamy coffee
Lunch: 3 boiled eggs mashed with butter
Dinner: I've got a low carb chili in the slow cooker, added a finely diced aubergine to replace the beans as the recipe seemed short on veg. Otherwise, pretty much followed the recipe here www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/low-carb-chili-in-crock-pot-or-instant-pot-paleo-gluten-free/
It's quite spicy, so not sure DS2 will eat it, but we shall see. The others love spicy food.
Water wise, doing well (for me) already down 1.5l plus 3 black coffees.

Very first post on Mums-net so hello all and delighted to have spotted this thread. Just signed up so going to get organised for the week ahead. Good look everyone.