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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.

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:
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ditavonteesed · 21/10/2022 19:48

@Canthinkofaname79 I also lift, we'll sort of. I have a pt started about 6 months ago and I love it. I'm going to start doing classes as well as it's cheaper when I've finished my pt sessions. I spend most of my sessions chucking tyres about and doing stuff with ropes. I absolutely love how my body has changed my muscles are quite defined now (apart from the tummy ones). As @debka says very good for women as we get older, helps with bone density. I love feeling strong.

Skiphopbump · 21/10/2022 19:48

L - turkey burgers, mozzarella and raspberries
D - beef stew and broccoli

may have some Greek yoghurt too with a sheen full of clotted cream and peanut butter

prettybird · 21/10/2022 20:18

The funeral went well. I had to have a Diet Coke at the purvey as they didn't have jugs of water Hmm. I had a few sandwiches and ate the centres, leaving behind a pile of bread. Also succeeded in body-swerving the sausage rolls and the cakes (it was a very old fashioned purvey Wink) Halo

Going to have shoogled sprouts for supper. Smile

@Lucienandjean - what were you doing having a mouthful of your dh's toast? Shock I might have to get the Big Stick out Wink

OP posts:
Lucienandjean · 21/10/2022 20:21

@prettybird it just fell into my mouth, honest! quivers at the thought of Biwi's big stick.

Canthinkofaname79 · 21/10/2022 20:24

Thank you. I need to be brave and try and find a way of learning!

UnOeufIsEnough · 21/10/2022 20:27

Struggling to get the 💦💦 in today. I'm about 2l in with another 1.5l to go!

B: ham, Emmental, cucumber and mayo lettuce wraps
L: a Caesar salad with avocado
D: pork meatball curry with courgette
Snack: roast chicken with some mayo, baby cucumber, Emmental slice

prettybird · 21/10/2022 20:36

I'll let you off on this occasion Wink @Lucienandjean

Just avoid jumping toast in future Grin

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ditavonteesed · 21/10/2022 20:41

@Canthinkofaname79 go for it you won't regret it. Seriously addictive. If you join a gym they will give you a program. I go to the cheaply gym, it's £20 a month. I've been going crackers this week not going.

Nearly a week in till the big stick came out that pretty good going, @prettybird your not as strict 😂

Porridgeislife · 21/10/2022 20:43

Jumped on the scales this morning and I’ve lost a pound. I seem to be one of those women who don’t lose weight breastfeeding so I’m quite pleased.

B - Greek yoghurt, coffee with cream
L - Warm salad with bacon and chicken at a pub with my family
D - Another warm salad with bacon, chicken, avocado, blue cheese, fried mushrooms and walnuts dressed in EVOO and white wine vinegar

Some olives and Babybel in the late afternoon and dark chocolate and blueberries after dinner.

Canthinkofaname79 · 21/10/2022 20:43

Thank you , I have joined a gym just don't really go very often and when I do I don't know what to do!

prettybird · 21/10/2022 20:49

@ditavonteesed - I did say before this Boot Camp started that my Big Stick wouldn't be as big as @BIWI 's Wink ....I haven't had the specialist heavy duty training Grin yet Wink

OP posts:
BIWI · 21/10/2022 20:50

But you know I'm here in the background @prettybird Wink

<thwacks Big Stick into my palm>

ZiggZagg · 21/10/2022 20:58



I made it back in one piece from Durham, it was actually quite a nice drive 

Lunch was SLCR with dairy lea, celery sticks, a boiled egg and a babybel

Dinner is comfort food so chicken jalfrezi with celeriac chips.

My cousins funeral is on Halloween, which also happens to be my birthday 

Have booked my hotel but will be taking my own snacks for there and the purvey (new word learned from @prettybird Wink)

Have drank 2.5 liters today just 2 more to go before bed which is easy for me, just not my bladder through the night!

ditavonteesed · 21/10/2022 20:59

😂 @prettybird think you've had training plenty enough. It really is appreciated

ZiggZagg · 21/10/2022 20:59

I did laugh at @BIWI but it didn't show up for some reason, so GrinGrin

prettybird · 21/10/2022 21:16

@ZiggZagg - "purvey" is apparently a West of Scotland word. Confused

I'll admit that I only properly learnt the word a few years ago when I started having to go to funerals regularly Sad Learnt it from dh who is Glasgow born and bred, as opposed to me who is just posh Glasgow bred Grin. Dh probably used the term at his dad's funeral in 2011 but I didn't register it and my dad (originally South African) wouldn't have used it to describe the wake at my mum's funeral in 2012.

OP posts:
prettybird · 21/10/2022 21:20

That's a bummer about your birthday being the day of the funeral Sad @ZiggZagg

Will you at least be able to catch up with family members?

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venusandmars · 21/10/2022 22:45

@Sunsnowsun my favourite soup is 'spinach velvet'. I fry onions/shallots, celery, (plus any left-over veg bits - asparagus stalks, broccoli stalks etc) add home made chicken stock and cook till veg are soft. Then add a heap of spinach and cook for a few minutes more. Blitz in a blender, season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Then IMPORTANT bit - whisk in lots of butter till it is really rich and creamy. Serve with a swirl of cream.

For curry I really like mutter paneer like this one Except I use halloumi cheese instead of paneer and grean beans / mange tout instead of peas.

@Lucienandjean my the smell of my dh's toast and butter drives me mad - sometimes I have to leave the house. I don't even really like toast. I try to tell myself that bread / toast is one of those things where the smell is nearly always better than the taste, I know how disappointing it is to be lured by the scent in a baker's shop only to find the resultant loaf tasteless and dull.

We've got a turnip (most of you would call it a swede) in our veg box, so tomorrow I'll make turnip gratin: layers of sliced par-boiled turnip (swede), with finely shredded cabbage, buttered leeks and shallots, all mixed with lots of melted butter, lots of grated cheese and a spoon of wholegrain mustard. Bake in the oven for about 1.5 hours. Great on its own or with sliced ham.

NotDonna · 22/10/2022 00:22

thank you backstreets I’ll be popping lots of it on my veg as I’m definitely not eating enough fat. The only snacks available between meals are crisps, cakes or ice cream and so far I’ve avoided all 3 despite being quite peckish around 10am & then 330/4pm. So far I’ve just filled up with water and the peckishness subsides. My tummy even rumbles! But I’m pretty sure adding butter to meals will help. Interestingly it’s now 6.15pm and I’m not remotely hungry. So what was the tummy rumbles all about?
B - an awful omelette. The ham tasted more like tuna and the American cheese was just weird. So had yoghurt instead. And coffee.
L - octopus salad, prawn salad, olive salad, salmon, roast peppers, courgettes. Diet Coke. I know, I know! But EVERYONE quaffing wine and I was getting very bored of water. It was actually Pepsi Light and tasted incredibly sweet. Not sure if Diet Coke would have tasted better but it’s now put me off drinking that. Would soda water be ok?
D - maybe just some veg with butter as really not hungry.

NotDonna · 22/10/2022 00:52

@venusandmars is Halloumi better than paneer? I really like mutter paneer too but always use paneer. Love your idea of using grean beans / mange tout instead of peas. I usually leave them out as none of my kids like peas.

venusandmars · 22/10/2022 07:51

@NotDonna when I went to Indian cookery classes many years ago, you couldn't buy paneer very readily where I live. But you need a non-melting cheese so I used halloumi instead. I've got so used to it that I find paneer a bit bland (and not so 'squeaky'). My dc used to call it Squeaky Spice - curry with squeaky cheese and squeaky beans!

Baystard · 22/10/2022 08:19

@NotDonna soda water with a squeeze of lime is very nice. I also like still water with cucumber (and have been known to use a piece pinched from a salad and added to a glass of tap water...)

Thanks for the swede/turnip/neep [delete as appropriate] gratin recipe @venusandmars . I don't normally like them particularly but there's one in the fridge and maybe I've just never added enough cheese. Plus I like the idea of a gratin type thing to go with roast lamb that I planned for this evening. That said, I've still not taken the lamb out of the freezer so I might delay until tomorrow.

You've reminded me to pick up my weights and kettle bell today @Canthinkofaname79, I've not done much any weight exercise for a few weeks months now, and I know it'll make me feel better.

Lots of tomatoes to use up here so planning to have tomatoes and roast feta for lunch. Looking forward to it already!

agnesmartin · 22/10/2022 09:09

venusandmars - Those recipes sound delicious! I always forget the lashings of butter in soup.

finallythere - I've been ruminating on your post from yesterday re: weighing and alternatives. I am similar in the reward / punish mindset. It's really difficult to just see a number on the scales and not make a judgement. I know when I eat carbs there can be a lag between what I eat and when I put on weight. I think I'm 'getting away with it' so I can't've gone that far off track, and then I put 4 kg on over night. No reason why weight loss shouldn't work in the same non-linear way. I am still weighing myself - old habits - but once I know I'm heading in the right direction I can see myself stopping. The sort term benefits to this eating are significant - so it makes sense to me to focus on these.

Forgot who else I was going to reply to, sorry!

Nothing to add on the weight lifting though I'd like to do it at some point - but right now I'm thinking I should try pilates - I'm very out of balance on one side of my body since my work involves lifting and things over my RHS. Does anyone have recommendations for online pilates classes?

B: Leftover tandoori chicken + leek and cauliflower soup (which happens to contain an old broccoli stem ala venusandmars)
L: Probably early lunch of bacon and halloumi to fill me up.
D: Eating out at an Italian tonight - they change their menu regularly so I can't check out tonights, but it looks pretty bootcamp friendly as long as I miss the pasta course. 🤞

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

UnOeufIsEnough · 22/10/2022 10:21

@agnesmartin if you're looking for streamed Pilates, these guys are fab: www.pilatesplusphysio.co.uk/live-streamed-classes/

They're all trained physios and they know their stuff. Any class with Tess or Laura is great.

agnesmartin · 22/10/2022 10:22

UnOeufIsEnough · 22/10/2022 10:21

@agnesmartin if you're looking for streamed Pilates, these guys are fab: www.pilatesplusphysio.co.uk/live-streamed-classes/

They're all trained physios and they know their stuff. Any class with Tess or Laura is great.

Brilliant - thank you!