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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.

July '22 Low Carb Bootcamp

402 replies

BIWI · 24/07/2022 23:01

Welcome everybody!

Here, thinks to @FinallyHere, is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

This Bootcamp will last for eight weeks, with (as ever) the first two weeks being the most strict.

I'll post again tomorrow, but just wanted to get things underway for now Smile

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Forpoxsake · 28/07/2022 08:40

I am a daily weigher, I just like to see I’m going in the right direction even if it’s only slight.
I find clothes hard to judge by as I wear oversized dresses or stretchy leggings.
anyway I only started properly on Tuesday and have already lost 3lbs.
im 12st 3.5lbs now, ideally I’d like to reach under 12st in the next fortnight, and maybe an achievable target or 11st 7lb towards end of boot camp or just beyond.
I have a big event in the Autumn and would like to feel a bit more comfortable in my own skin by then

prettybird · 28/07/2022 08:45

Down 3.75lb already, so well into the 12 stone somethings now at 12 stone 12lb. Smile

Only woke up once the last two nights to go to the loo so my kidneys are settling down too Grin

Rshard · 28/07/2022 09:15

Nice work @WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa and @prettybird ! I’m 4lbs down, really pleased! Feeling less barrel like as a pp said.

Big fan of mini goals, first will be 7lbs which will take me really close to the next stone bracket, which is mini goal 2.

prettybird · 28/07/2022 09:22

I agree about the mini goals.

I've already achieved my first mini goal which is to get under 13stone Smile

Next one is to get into 3 digits again , so 12st 9lb.

Then it will be 12st 7lb. Grin

I'd like to get under 12st this Boot Camp but as it's only 8 weeks, that might be a bit ambitious.

Very Ambitious target it to get under 11st by Christmas - but I'll settle for 11st 2lb Grin

Onwards and downwards Halo

Lougle · 28/07/2022 09:28

Another thing to bear in mind is not to get obsessed by daily fluctuations, but focus on the bigger picture. I've only lost 0.8lb since we started, but when I look back over the last 3 weeks, I've lost 6lbs. There will be times when you lose lots and times when you seem to stay the same (STS) for ages.

prettybird · 28/07/2022 10:02

That's really good advice @Lougle

I'm only losing so much just now because I fell off the wagon so spectacularly. I know that it will settle down to an average of 1-2lb weeks provided I stick to the Rules Wink - and that some weeks I might not lose anything at all. In fact some weeks, especially the notorious Weeks 3,4 or 5, I might even put on a wee bit. That's why we recommend monitoring NSVs (non-scales victories) as things like clothes getting loser tend to continue to improve. Smile

greentrees9 · 28/07/2022 10:21

Morning and hope no one is feeling as rough as I do! Feel like I’ve got a cold - thought it was covid but luckily not! Thought it was a bit early for the carb flu but feel achy, no energy and miserable! 😢😓

weirdly I was craving toast this morning (rarely eat toast) but resisted the urge and had my yoghurt! Scrambled eggs with greens, ham and cheese for lunch and paneer curry with salad and yoghurt this evening.

I can see others are weighing themselves daily is it best to do that or once a week?

Lougle · 28/07/2022 10:27

@greentrees9 sorry you're feeling rough! Most people weigh weekly I think, but I know that I tend to do better with routines when they're daily, so I weigh daily. I tend to compare my weight weekly though.

WhoAteTheChips · 28/07/2022 10:27

Well done all the losers 😃. I’m staying off the scales for now, I’m anxious enough about what I’m eating, a gain at this point would send me straight back into the arms of SW. A place I Do Not Want To Be, it’s such a miserable existence. So I’m trying to keep the faith and tell myself my body isn’t so special that this won’t work for me. But I really don’t need to let the scales put doubt in my mind right now!

prettybird · 28/07/2022 10:28

@greentrees9 - it's totally up to you. Some of us like me like to weigh daily and can cope with the daily fluctuations (for me it usually serves as a reminder to drink more water Wink). Others find the daily fluctuations demotivating and therefore are best weighing weekly.

WhoAteTheChips · 28/07/2022 10:29

Actually, scales or any other tracking device - tape measures, belts, jeans that are too tight etc. I wear oversized or stretchy clothes anyway, so they won’t show a difference for a while either.

5thWisdom · 28/07/2022 10:30

Morning all.

Just had my 10% Aldi Greek yoghurt.

Woke once at 1.30am, otherwise slept heavily. Feel ok this morning, not a completely clear head so will have another Zero within next hour to fend anything further off.

I'm going to try to stick to weighing weekly on a Monday otherwise I will become obsessed by it - that is just me personal preference though.

Tummy bloat definitely gone down which I'm enjoying. Definitely a sense of feeling 'lighter' if that makes sense.

Hope everyone is ok, keep going team!

TheOnlyMrsW · 28/07/2022 10:32

1lb down already this week and have invested in a coolbox so can hopefully take some LC snacks with us for the weekend..........cold meats, cheese etc will go some way to countering the lousy food choices in the arena. DD is with us and I definitely drink a lot less when she's around plus the extra steps will come in handy too!
Agree with small goals - my first is to get back to where I was at the end of last BC which is 4lb, then to get below 12 stone, and I'd like to be at 11 stone by the end of the year. This will put me at almost normal BMI 😊

BIWI · 28/07/2022 10:35

@greentrees9 you're doing what I asked you not to do! You haven’t been reading the thread. I wrote a long post about weighing. Please go back up the thread and have a read of it.

OP posts:
FrenchBoule · 28/07/2022 10:57

How many pages you wrote in 2 days 😱😱😱 hectic here with school holidays,car malfunctioning and all other stuff going on 🙄 eating mainly eggs and cheese, fish tonight for a change.
Going to work tonight so will have a bit of rest from my lovely cherubs.
So sorry for not having a conversation but my mental load is insane 😭

prettybird · 28/07/2022 10:59

@TheOnlyMrsW - Babybels and Pepperami are good choices if refrigeration is an issue. More processed than the ideal, but needs must Wink

greentrees9 · 28/07/2022 11:09

@BIWI sorry 😢😢

loopylu26 · 28/07/2022 11:22

I'm going to join in setting a goal.

I've family visiting 3 weeks into bootcamp, and the last time I saw them over 3 years ago I was a size 10, now pushing my way out of size 14 to 16. I'll be happy to be comfy in my size 14 by then.

Tummy definitely smaller already so may be it's feasible.

BIWI · 28/07/2022 13:53

There's a thread here of FAQs which should be of interest/help to everyone

You're forgiven @greentrees9!

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BIWI · 28/07/2022 14:25

Catching up from yesterday - we were away staying with some friends; out for tapas which is a very easy meal to navigate from a LC point of view, thankfully

@ChimneyPot how did the celeriac fries turn out? I love those, but I'm always surprised how few you end up with from one large celeriac!

@SaSamhradh and @greentrees9 there's a really good book called The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance which you might find interesting. Drs Phinny and Volek conduct original research into sports science and how low carbing works in that context

@BasiliskStare well done on giving up smoking - just be kind to yourself over the next couple of week though - two lots of giving up isn't going to be that pleasant!

(And yes, 2lbs is just a blip!)

@pinknsparkly you could be right about the breakfast - if you're used to going without, then you don't need to re-introduce it. There's a very interesting book called Breakfast is a Dangerous Meal, by Professor Terence Kealey which talks about that.

@Bunce1 - read the rules!!! No. Legumes aren't allowed, so hummous is off limits for now I'm afraid.

@5thwisdom you could always have a go at making your own Marie Rose sauce - some mayo (home-made, preferably, then you know it's as low carb as it can be), with a splash of vinegar and some tomato purée might work?

As @Lougle has explained, you don't need to exercise to start fat burning. We're using our diet to trigger a metabolic switch, if you like - so your body turns to fat for fuel instead of carbs. Weight loss is 95% down to diet and only 5% to exercise, according to Dr Jason Fung (author of The Obesity Code). Exercise is, of course, very good for you generally - but in order to lose weight with exercise you have to do A LOT of it. When I was regularly running 5K, which was roughly 30 minutes, I was burning around 320 calories. That can easily be eaten/drunk back - and it's very easy to reward yourself after exercise, feeling that you 'deserve' something!

@ChairOfInvisibleStudies fathead pizza still gets a mention every now and then, but cloud bread less so. I still haven't tried either! One thing that may have change things though, is the launch of some pretty good low carb bread. this is the one I buy - I doubt anyone would be able to tell it's not 'proper' bread! . There's also The Low Carb Food Company, who make a decent loaf as well

@WhoAteTheChips re the smell - it's believed it's about ketones (which is a good sign as it means you're in ketosis!)

Here's a piece from www.refinery29.com:

When the body is in ketosis, it produces these chemicals called ketones," he explains. Ketones exit the body via your breath, and some through your sweat. One of these ketones is known as acetone, he says. Yep, you read that right — acetone, the same stuff that's in nail polish remover. And, as you may remember from your nail art nights, acetone smells atrocious

Entering ketosis will increase the amount of ketones, like acetone, present in your breath. One new test developed by Technical Research Center of Finland actually determines whether your body is in ketosis or not by testing acetone levels in exhaled breath

As of now, no studies have proven that the acetone is definitely responsible for the "keto smell." But Dr. Graham says it's pretty likely that the ketone is to blame. Though, he says, there may be other factors at play

"Any sort of dietary change alters your whole physiology and thus changes your pH, which can affect everything," Dr. Graham says. Translation: Though keto's effect on your BO may be uniquely horrible, any radical change in your eating patterns could cause you to smell differently. If you start eating a ton of cruciferous veggies, for example, you may notice your body odor gets stronger (and possibly more unpleasant) due to increased levels of sulfur from the produce

If you're really finding it unpleasant, and it doesn't appear to be temporary or assuaged by drinking even more water, then I'd suggest you up your carbs a little bit. You don't have to be in ketosis to lose weight.

And please stop worrying about the calories! As long as you're following the rules, and you're not using it as an excuse to pile your plate hugely high, you will lose weight. Trust me! Grin. I know it's a leap of faith - a bit like that bit in the Indiana Jones film where he has to step out into the abyss, trusting that there would be a path across!

It's very, very, very unusual for people to gain weight before they lose it - as long as they've been following the rules.

@CarpetMollusc please tell me you're having an oily dressing and/or mayo on those salads?

Brilliant going @WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa! Flowers. But again, please reassure me that you're eating plenty of fat? Oily dressing and/or mayo on your salad - and a good drizzle/sloosh of sesame oil on that stir-fry? Stir-fries generally don't use much fat.

@Rshard and @prettybird - good point about the mini goals. It's really important not to overwhelm ourselves with bigger targets, as sometimes it can just make it seem impossible to achieve.

There! Sorry for the mega post, but wanted to pick up on all the points/questions - thank you all for posting, especially those new to Bootcamp! Special thanks to @Lougle.

Flowers
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TheOnlyMrsW · 28/07/2022 14:25

Thanks @prettybird, I was going for putting stuff in tubs but pre-packed might just be easier tbh (and take up less room in DH's beer cooler!!!). I do tend to use chorizo for flavour quite often but hadn't considered how processed it is 😪

BIWI · 28/07/2022 14:34

@TheOnlyMrsW not all chorizo's are the same though!

For example, this is the ingredients list of Sainsbury's diced chorizo:

INGREDIENTS:Pork, Salt, Lactose (Cows' Milk), Paprika (1.5%), Dextrose, Sugar, Garlic, Milk Proteins (Cows' Milk), Rosemary Extract, Paprika Extract, Acidity Regulator: Sodium Citrate;, Antioxidant: Sodium Erythorbate:, Preservatives: Sodium Nitrite, Potassium Nitrate;, Black Pepper, Oregano.

Whereas this is the list for Sainsbury's Spanish Chorizo Ring - made by the same company!

INGREDIENTS: Pork, Paprika (2.5%) (Paprika, Smoked Paprika), Salt, Garlic, Preservatives: Sodium Nitrite, Potassium Nitrate; Extracts of Rosemary.

OP posts:
ChimneyPot · 28/07/2022 15:00

@BIWI Thanks for checking in on me. I think I overcooked the celeriac fries so they were a bit dry. Having mashed celeriac with blue cheese as my replacement for pasta with my meatballs tonight.
Also had some more water before deciding to have a snack last night so had a much smaller portion of cheese and olives than previous days.
Am drawing up a grocery list for Centerparcs. There is my stuff which is eggs, veg, cheese, butter, mayo and similar. And then DSs which is brioche, pancakes, chocolate spread, bananas and similar. I think the only overlaps are eggs and butter.

Todays menu
B: Eggs, spinach, mushroom, tomato fried in butter
L: lettuce, chicken, Parmesan and Newmans Own Caesar dressing
D: Homemade meatball in a tomato and veg sauce with mashed blue cheesy celeriac.

Snack Possibly cheese and olives.

Water currently at 2l but always drink 3-4l

Lougle · 28/07/2022 15:06

Thanks @BIWI it's only when people ask questions that you realise how much you've learned!

As it's BBQ season, just a tip for purists: Most burgers, even ones that are 'fancy' and low carb, have maize flour, tapioca starch, etc., as binders. We're meant to be trying to avoid processed foods.

However Tesco sell Tesco Finest Aberdeen Angus Quarter Pounders. They are frozen, but they're 99% beef with the only other ingredients being salt and pepper.

prettybird · 28/07/2022 15:20

It's dead easy to make home made low carb burgers. One of my family's favourites is pork burgers: a large pack of the highest fat pork mince in the supermarket (which has the added advantage of being cheaper Wink), an egg, finely chopped shallot, some chopped/mashed garlic, a generous slosh of olive oil, a very generous slosh of Worcestershire Sauce and (optional) a small amount of finely chopped sage. Mix well with your hands. Form into burgers and then leave to firm up in the fridge before frying or barbecuing.

The lack of breadcrumbs/binder (bar the egg) means that you need to be slightly careful when turning them. I make sure that they're well cooked on the one side before trying to turn them, using both tongs and a spatula.

I'll do beef or lamb burgers a similar way with different herbs and maybe Parmesan rather than Worcestershire sauce. Sometimes I'll put a piece of mozzarella cheese in the middle.