Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

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.

Pre-Christmas BootCamp 2022: Week 1

491 replies

prettybird · 17/10/2022 01:02

While @BIWI takes a well-earned break from running BootCamp after many, many years of supporting people in this Way of Eating I have, for my sins, volunteered to run the Pre-Christmans BootCamp Shock. I'll admit to only doing so for selfish reasons: I needed the BootCamp in the run up to Christmas and the accountability of running it would in turn help me to be more accountable Grin

My Big Stick might not be as big as @BIWI's but I will do my best to channel her Wink. And with the support of all the other experienced BootCampers and @FinallyHere's help with the Spreadsheet, I am sure we will see a lot of success in the run up to Christmas.Smile

Here is the link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness You don't need to log your weight if you don't need to but within the various tabs of the Spreadsheet are The Rules ( very important), Vegetarian Rules links to resources that outline how and why this Way of Eating works, menu plans, veg carb counters and many other resources.

I'd strongly recommend that even if you don't weigh yourself (and even if you do), you should measure yourself at the start, especially your waist. That way, if your weight loss stalls, you may still see progress in other ways. BootCamp is very effective at reducing visceral fat, which will manifest itself in a smaller waist measurement.

Anyway, on to the important stuff: here are The Rules

1. Eat three proper meals a day.
You must eat breakfast. It doesn’t have to be a lot, and it doesn’t have to be absolutely first thing, but you must have something. For the rest of the day, if you’re eating enough food and especially enough fat, you shouldn’t be hungry between meals. But if you are hungry, eat something. (Hard boiled eggs make a great snack). After the first two weeks of Bootcamp we will relax this, but these two weeks are critical in terms of helping you switch easily to a low carb way of eating - and if you start to feel hungry, it makes things much harder! Eating this way will ensure that your blood sugar levels are kept stable, which will mean that you are much less likely to experience hunger. A typical high carbohydrate diet can mean that snacking is a routine part of your day. Once your blood sugar levels are stable, by eating low carb, you should find that you no longer want to snack. But the rule of thumb here is ‘if you are hungry, eat!’. (Just make sure you are only choosing low carb snacks, of course!)"

2. Avoid processed foods.
Focus on pure, natural protein as the basis for your meals - meat/fish/eggs. Things like sausages, ham, bacon, pre-prepared burgers etc should be avoided as much as possible. You can have them, but just not at every meal, every day.

3. Eat lots of fat.
Eating fat will not make you fat. Honestly! But it will keep your appetite satisfied, and it sustains your body’s energy requirements perfectly. Fat does not provoke an insulin spike, unlike carbs which do (a lot) and protein (a little). Fry in butter, add butter to vegetables, eat salad with a home-made vinaigrette dressing (not made with balsamic vinegar though, as this is too sweet), add mayonnaise where you can (just check the carb count on your mayo first). Eat fattier cuts of meat – e.g. pork belly, roast chicken with the skin on and/or eat the fat off your lamb chops. Absolutely no low fat/light/’Lite’ foods of any kind!

4. Make sure you are eating vegetables and salads with your food.
"This is where your carbs should come from, and this is non-negotiable. But choose only those vegetables that are on the allowed list. Make sure that you focus on eating those vegetables that are under 5g carb per 100g, and this will ensure that your carb counts are kept low. You don’t have to weigh/count carbs – this is one of the great joys of this WOE (way of eating), but if you’re new to low carbing it can be helpful to weigh your portions of veg in the early days, just so that you know how many carbs are in the sort of portions that you like to eat.

The vegetable carb counter is helpfully colour-coded into green (eat freely), amber (go easy) and red (best avoided as much as possible), which will help you to make your choices."

5. Be careful about dairy (apart from butter, which is unlimited).
Dairy can impede weight loss for some people. If you are drinking tea/coffee with milk or cream, try to restrict yourself to max 2 cups per day. There are a lot of carbs in milk, so if you are having several cups of tea/coffee per day, you will quickly rack up your daily carb count (e.g. 1 medium latte contains more than 12g carbs!) You may eat cheese but again, don't overdo it. Full fat yoghurt is the best way to include dairy in your diet - but beware, it does contain carbs. You should choose one that’s 10% fat – most of the supermarkets have a Greek yoghurt in their premium ranges with this amount of fat.

6. You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day.
The more weight you have to lose, the more water you should drink.

This is from www.low-carbdiet.co.uk/:

Water is essential to weight loss for those who follow a low carb way of eating. The minimum consumed in a day should be:
Your Weight.........Litres
140lbs............2.5
160lbs............3.0
180lbs............3.0
200lbs............3.5
220lbs............3.5
240lbs............4.0
260lbs............4.5
280lbs............4.5
300lbs............5.0
320lbs............5.5
340lbs............5.5
360lbs............6.0
380lbs............6.5
400lbs............6.5
"High levels of ketones in the blood stream can lead to a reduction in ketone production, therefore being well hydrated could aid in keeping the levels low and ketone production ongoing. Consuming enough water can have many other positive side effects, e.g. it aids your kidneys with the processing of protein, reduces the retention of water, helps with preventing constipation, and reduces the levels of ketones released by your breath, which in turn will reduce breath odour.

However, drinking a lot of water can mean that you also need to keep an eye on your electrolyte balance. You need to make sure that you are consuming sufficient sodium and potassium. On a low carb way of eating, we should eat more salt, so make sure that you are cooking with salt and adding salt to food, if you like it.

Good, low carb, sources of potassium are spinach (raw), avocado, mushrooms, courgettes and asparagus, as well as salmon and yoghurt."

7. No alcohol.
Alcohol is the easiest source of fuel for the body to burn, so it will always use this first before it starts to burn any fat - which is why you need to restrict it, especially in the first two weeks of Bootcamp, when we are encouraging the body to stop using carbs for its source of fuel and turn to fat-burning instead. If you really can't do this - at least try and restrict it to the weekend. Vodka with soda is the best thing to drink. Or Champagne, red wine or dry white wine.

8. No fruit.
Really. Seriously. Honestly. None at all. Zilch. Nada. After the first two weeks of Bootcamp you will be able to introduce certain fruits, in moderation, but at this stage fruit is simply too carby. We are also trying to break the addiction to sweet things, so cutting fruit out is part of this process. If you are getting all your carbs from vegetables and salad, you will be getting all the nutrients and fibre that you need.

9. No nuts/seeds.
Although they are a good source of nutrition and contain lots of fat – which is great for us – they also contain carbohydrate and, because they’re so moreish, you can quickly end up eating a lot of carbs. When we move to Bootcamp Light, after the first two weeks, you can re-introduce these, but be careful and go easy.

10. No sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Sugar is an obvious ‘no no’, but artificial sweeteners are also an issue. One of the aims of this way of eating is to eat pure and natural foods, so including sweeteners is not recommended. Some people find that artificial sweeteners can impede their weight loss, and there is some suggestion that your body can respond to sweeteners as if they were sugar, by releasing more insulin - and therefore laying down fat. Given that the aim of Bootcamp is to help us lose our sweet tooth and addiction to sweet things, then it is a good idea to avoid sweeteners altogether in this first two weeks.

That's enough for now. I'll post more in the morning: in particular the disclaimer that I am not a medical professional and that if you have any concerns, you should check with a medical professional.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Baystard · 20/10/2022 14:33

Thanks @prettybird and @FinallyHere , and have a great break @BIWI.

I'm joining a little late after having a challenging few months for various dull reasons and falling off the wagon. Back on it today.

Will catch up on the thread and be back later but wanted to sign up while I was feeling motivated!

FinallyHere · 20/10/2022 14:45

@imsofancy I've added you OK Welcome & enjoy

ditavonteesed · 20/10/2022 15:05

@prettybird hope today goes ok

imsofancy · 20/10/2022 15:13

@FinallyHere thanks for this. I've added my stats but the formula hasn't copied???

Backstreets · 20/10/2022 16:29

Mini fail today - had great looking salad for lunch but realized belatedly what I thought was weirdly cooked carrots was probably sweet potato. They were so orange :| On the plus there was this sort of curry mayonnaise on the side which tasted incredible, I'm going to have to track that down.
Also got talked into a mini pudding for dessert, knew socialising would be my downfall (sugar but at least not flour??). All in all not too terrible but I think I'll wait to weigh myself again until Monday morning just in case! And go nuts with the water.

brookln · 20/10/2022 17:00

@NotDonna beetroot is carby unfortunately 😄 any root vegetable is

L- one sausage and peas
D- slow cooked lamb with cauliflower mash

Lots of water finally, yay! I had a protein bar, again! Really need to stop this. Won't buy them so they're not in the house.

Did a 30 mins reformer Pilates session.
I feel fatigued so booked an app with a GP to get iron levels checked.

@FinallyHere can you add me to the sheet please ?

ListenLinda · 20/10/2022 17:07

Are the orange coloured veggies allowed in moderation, or are they a no go during BC?
Can sormone let me know before I add a spoonful to my plate when dishing up tea 😊

prettybird · 20/10/2022 17:10

@ditavonteesed - it's tomorrow but I'm sure it will be fine. I didn't really know him that well, bar playing flute (as my friend and I also did) with him in a concert band when I was a teenager. And again a few years ago when there was a reunion rehearsal to celebrate 40 years since it was formed.

@NotDonna - as well as beetroot being carby (iirc it's in the "red" zone), juice isn't encouraged as it's usually a carb rush without any of the fibre.

@AlhambraQueen - as @BIWI says (and she's the guru Grin), we're trying to re-educate our taste buds and you may well find that things taste too sweet afterwards. Doesn't happen fit everyone at least not for me Blush but what does happen is that the cravings stop and you stop feeling the need for something sweet. For example, I filled the car up today and was able to walk past the shelves of confectionery and need feel the need to buy something Halo

Having said that, because your taste buds do change, you'll find that other things may satisfy you. For example, a cherry tomato. And I find a spoonful of clotted cream is remarkably satisfying Grin

OP posts:
prettybird · 20/10/2022 17:14

@ListenLinda - depends which orange veg Wink Some finely grated carrot goes a long way in a coleslaw and I also blitz a carrot into a soffrito when making a ragu or chilli - so I'm only having about a quarter of carrot (or less) in a portion. Neeps/swedes (orange flesh) are ok. Sweet potatoes are not - the clue is in the name Wink

OP posts:
prettybird · 20/10/2022 17:15

I love mashed neeps with loads of butter Grin

OP posts:
ListenLinda · 20/10/2022 17:16

It’s carrots :) i’m doing a roast chicken dinner and while I am happy to leave off the roasties and yorks puds, I wouldn’t mind a small spoon of carrots alongside.

Will leave them off if needs be though @prettybird 😊

DurhamDurham · 20/10/2022 17:17

@brookln I always thought peas were too carby for BC? Be sad if I've been missing out unnecessarily Grin

Sunsnowsun · 20/10/2022 17:28

Thank you for the reminder about celeriac and leeks, I got 3 small celeriac in Waitrose today and found myself looking round for other fellow boot campers 😀. Foolishly I bought 3 celeriac and only 2 leeks so will have to return.

they had also sold out of my favourite butter with salt crystals, again I suspected it was some of you 😂

I spent most of yesterday going to the loo, with all the water, but have not had as much as I should have had so that is my next challenge. Water, water, water …..

FinallyHere · 20/10/2022 17:28

@imsofancy think that's all sorted now, soz.

prettybird · 20/10/2022 17:28

Peas are indeed too carby - and carrots on their own are too Hmm (the sort of thing you may end up having when you're out in a restaurant but should avoid at home).

From memory, green beans and runner beans are better, or baby sweet corn (but not sweet corn), brussels (the ubiquitous shoogled sprouts Grin) cauliflower, broccoli, sliced cabbage (all of which can be cooked the same way as shoogled sprouts), ribbons or medallions of courgettes fried in some butter, thinly sliced leeks cooked in butter (and maybe some cream added), celeriac (lots of different ways to cook them), neeps (ditto).....there are plenty of alternatives Grin

OP posts:
LiesDoNotBecomeUs · 20/10/2022 17:34

DurhamDurham · 20/10/2022 17:17

@brookln I always thought peas were too carby for BC? Be sad if I've been missing out unnecessarily Grin

Depends on the peas @brookln and @DurhamDurham - the rules say that we are aiming for 5g per 100g or less. On the spreadsheet veg counter ratings are :

RED: Peas, frozen 10.7g

GREEN Peas, mange-tout 4.2 g

AMBER Peas, sugar-snap 5 g

FinallyHere · 20/10/2022 17:34

Added you @brookln Welcome & enjoy.

(least i hope that's it, i have been known to need three goes til it works :-)

prettybird · 20/10/2022 17:39

@LiesDoNotBecomeUs - I'd meant to include mange-tout in my list of suggestions m (together with the reminder that sugar snaps aren't good) so thanks for that Smile

OP posts:
pinknsparkly · 20/10/2022 17:39

Evening all, I feel like I've been hit by a bus with this cough and cold. Fingers crossed it eases off by the weekend. As a result I have had a couple of teas with more than a splash of whole milk today. But otherwise held strong at toddler group when someone brought in a lemon drizzle cake and someone else arrived with brownies!! Very little appetite today as a result of the cold but I'm hoping to eat some veggies at dinner...

Breakfast: greek yogurt and cup of tea
Lunch: cheese
Dinner: mushroom stir fry with swoodles (noodles made from swede)

I need to get working on my water intake though!

DurhamDurham · 20/10/2022 18:09

Thank you @LiesDoNotBecomeUs and @prettybird I thought that was the case. Plenty of good alternatives suggested and I'll carry on avoiding them. I do love garden peas and mushy peas (especially with vinegar but I think that might be a northern thing!)

Lucienandjean · 20/10/2022 19:06

I have Rebellious Thoughts about carrots but I don't want to lead anyone astray. Personally I'll have 3 or 4 discs of carrot if I'm cooking them for the rest of the family, and (much) more of the green veg. I'll savour the sweetness and colour, and that way I don't feel deprived.

And no one ever got fat by eating 1/4 of a carrot.

Anyway.

B: nothing
L: radishes, pepper strips, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, avocado, boiled eggs, mayo, a spoon of full fat cottage cheese.
D: sausages, fried eggs, fried tomato and mushrooms.
S: cheese.

Water: doing much better at this today. 🙂

prettybird · 20/10/2022 19:14

@Lucienandjean - I do the same when I'm chopping carrots into chunks to blitz for the soffrito. Not every chunk makes it into the food processor Wink But that's at most once a week (less than that) Grin

OP posts:
Canthinkofaname79 · 20/10/2022 19:23

I've had a huge dinner today, bologese, with courgetti, green beans broccoli with lots of grated cheese. I felt really full afterwards but now I feel starving. What's that all about? Feel bit weak and shaky.

Canthinkofaname79 · 20/10/2022 19:23

Sorry about typos, bolognese!

prettybird · 20/10/2022 19:29

@Canthinkofaname79 - could it be a bit of carb flu? You mention cheese but did you have plenty of other fat? Did you cook the various veg in butter?

We're having bolognaise tonight with thinly sliced courgette ribbons, which I'll fry briefly in butter. The mince I used was Lidl's 20% fat mince (also helps reduce the cost - what's not to like Wink)

OP posts: