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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.

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ChimneyPot · 17/10/2022 13:25

Afternoon everyone.
Thank you @prettybird , @BIWI and @FinallyHere . Really pleased BC is on again. This is my second BC and I mostly stuck with BC lite since the last one ended but the nuts and wine may not have been in moderation!

I started last Monday because I am travelling later this week and wanted to have a good start before dealing with flights and hotels.
1.75lbs down after one week which I am pleased with.

I was also wondering about snacks for long flights. As well as babybel and pepperami I think I will bring some pork scratchings. I will be going through US immigration in Dublin so I hope they don’t take all meat and dairy products off me at that stage!

B coffee with cream
L broccoli/cauliflower and Stilton soup with some pate on celery for crunch
D beef and veg stirfry with cauliflower rice.

Canthinkofaname79 · 17/10/2022 13:28

Today -
Breakfast 3 boiled eggs mashed with butter, salt and pepper. One creamy coffee.
Lunch- salad probably with some chicken
Dinner- steak with veggies and some sort of cheese sauce.

Does that sound OK?

AlhambraQueen · 17/10/2022 13:37

Apparent from the wedding I'm not gonna socialise for the first two weeks. This week is our half term in Scotland but enough of the excuses.

AlhambraQueen · 17/10/2022 13:38

@Backstreets

prettybird · 17/10/2022 14:13

@Canthinkofaname79 - that looks fine. Does the chicken have skin on (which would be good ) and is the dressing for the salad home-made/low carb?

Do your veggies in butter - helps add to the fat and they are sooooo much tastier Smile

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prettybird · 17/10/2022 14:14

@AlhambraQueen Are you doing anything special for the October Week? The weather's a bit dreich though - Autumn is definitely upon us.

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ZiggZagg · 17/10/2022 15:03

I've got a funeral up in Scotland the week after next, should be ok for me to stick to low carb, I think. Lots of chicken and cheese if not.

I wish it was in better circumstances, I absolutely love Scotland!

ZiggZagg · 17/10/2022 15:03

Next week 🤦‍♀️ I forgot today is this week Blush

prettybird · 17/10/2022 15:18

Sorry to hear about your lovely cousin (I'd meant to post that on the prep thread) @ZiggZagg Sad - but at least in Scotland funerals are usually pretty quick. My good friend died on 4 October and his funeral was last Thursday. Still reeling at the shock - he had cancer but the end was unexpectedly and shockingly fast, so we never actually got the chance to say goodbye and how much he meant to us Sad I drank far too much wine at the funeral - but he'd have approved of that Grin

You might need to take the ham and cheese out of the sandwiches that they always seem to serve at a purvey - and give the ubiquitous sausage rolls a swerve. Wink

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ZiggZagg · 17/10/2022 15:33

Yes I've had so many funerals over the last 18 months I'd be happy never to attend another one but I was really close to him, an absolutely lovely man Sad very sudden also, only 58!

I don't eat ham or sausage rolls so looks like I'll take a wee picnic with me. Have also given up alcohol recently so just need to swerve any haggis 🤢 which will be very easy 🤣

prettybird · 17/10/2022 15:51

Our friend was only 60 Sad. He lived 10 houses along the road (I helped him find the house as it has a great garden and gardening was his passion - along with wine WineWink) He was like an uncle to ds Sad - more so than my brother (no fault of my brother but he lives in France)

He did Boot Camp occasionally but could never cope with cutting out the alcohol - let along re-introducing it "in moderation" Grin He was always very supportive of the WoE though and would barbecue bratwurst from Lidl when he had his regular barbecues as they were really low carb.

Even though he'd lost a fair bit of weight in recent months, dh and the other pall bearers were warned that "this is not a light coffin" They laughed! Grin

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venusandmars · 17/10/2022 16:43

Flowers for all those with sad events in their lives, the autumn weather makes it feel all the more poignant...

A very busy day, with lots of travelling, so not the best start to BC - challenge to drink all the water when there are limited places for toilet stops and it was rather breezy today for a 'nature wee' on a quiet country lane Boiled aggs and butter for breakfast, coffee and cream, a snak of coconut and red cabbage sambal (left over from last night's indian), and tonight will be beef and mushroom strogonoff with green beans. Just catching up with a mug of buttermint tea before heading out for yet another meeting.

prettybird · 17/10/2022 16:51

You'll be amused by this @venusandmars : the music used for my friend's committal was 500 Miles. My dad came out of the crematorium (the new on at the Hurlet with fantastic full length windows behind the coffin, so we were looking out onto lovely fields) saying that's the music he wants at his funeral Grin hopefully more than a decade away given that he's 85 Wink

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Canthinkofaname79 · 17/10/2022 16:52

prettybird · 17/10/2022 14:13

@Canthinkofaname79 - that looks fine. Does the chicken have skin on (which would be good ) and is the dressing for the salad home-made/low carb?

Do your veggies in butter - helps add to the fat and they are sooooo much tastier Smile

Yes to skin, and I just had mayo.

ListenLinda · 17/10/2022 17:17

I had the most delicious salad for my lunch.
Mixed salad leaves, couple of cherry tomatoes, cucumber and a little bit of onion, cubes of mature cheddar and tuna in sun flower oil. I opened the tin and drained the oil over the salad, added the tuna, a generous helping of mayo and salt and pepper. Lovely, quick and hit the spot.
I need to start cooking tea but I aren’t hungry yet, I hope I will be by the time DH is home at 6.30pm!

prettybird · 17/10/2022 17:21

Sounds lovely @ListenLinda Smile

I need to and prepare the wee half leg of lamb we're having for supper.

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ListenLinda · 17/10/2022 17:29

I also came across this today, picked up a pack for BC Lite.

Could be good for a hearty paella, which is one of my fave dishes!

Pre-Christmas BootCamp 2022: Week 1
Pre-Christmas BootCamp 2022: Week 1
comfortablyfrumpy · 17/10/2022 17:41

ListenLinda · 17/10/2022 17:29

I also came across this today, picked up a pack for BC Lite.

Could be good for a hearty paella, which is one of my fave dishes!

It is pretty handy - tastes weird on its own but seems to take up the flavour of what it is cooked with
Aldi have it sometimes-, and the noodle version.

Mercedesbenz2022 · 17/10/2022 17:47

For tea
beef stew with onions and mushrooms, cooked yesterday in the slow cooker
with cauliflower and shoogled sprouts, )@prettybird )
ive also had lots of water today so feel like I’m off to a decent start

prettybird · 17/10/2022 17:54

@ChimneyPot - pork scratchings are a good shout for travelling. I prefer the puffed pork scratchings (less likely to break a tooth Wink). I like the plain packets of Golden Crunch (they're a bit like Wotsits but pork and not cheese Grin) which I find in big Sainsbury's (but not normally on the shelves - on hanging strips in random aisles Confused)

Curators also do a salt vinegar version which is more easily found but I don't like them as they're too vinegary.

No idea whether you'd be able to get them in to the States though Hmm just make sure to eat them all before you land Grin

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prettybird · 17/10/2022 17:57

@Mercedesbenz2022 - we're also having shoogled sprouts tonight Smile alongside the roast lamb and the celeriac "chips". Might also do some mini sweetcorn alongside.

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ZiggZagg · 17/10/2022 18:09

So, end of a pretty successful day-

Had some chunks of lancashire crumbly cheese with silverskin onions for brunch/ lunch.

Beef tomato with cauliflower rice for dinner.

May have shoogled sprouts later if I feel peckish.

AlhambraQueen · 17/10/2022 18:10

@prettybird @ZiggZagg sorry about your friend.
I've been redecorating my bedroom and en suite. Taken the kids to shows, cinema, woodland activities that are Halloween theme. We've been carving 🎃 today. Weather been hit or miss and they are quite happy to be sat in front of the TV.
Im off to take the kids and their friends to a dessert place just now. 🤐🤐

ZiggZagg · 17/10/2022 18:11

Oh and definitely ALL THE WATER 💦

Also, after seeing the doctor today, I’ve got high-ish blood pressure and he sent me for blood tests for diabetes. Hopefully, I'll get a second chance when I get my results back, fingers crossed 🤞🏼

prettybird · 17/10/2022 18:16

@ZiggZagg - did you have the blood tests today?

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