2023 Low Carb Bootcamp - THE PREP THREAD

[BIWI]

Happy New Year everyone! So far, we have 119 people signed up, so I think it's going to be a busy one.

As ever, I'm starting the prep thread a week in advance, to give you all the information you'll need to get started. If low carbing/Bootcamp is new to you, it's really important that you read all this. Even if you've done it before, it's a good idea to re-read!

I'm going to tag everyone, to ensure that people get good notice to come over to this thread. Previous experience tells me that trying to tag everyone in one go just won't work, so I'm doing it in groups of 20.

Here we go:

@Janieread
@Skiphopbump
@Henowner
@ZiggZagg
@TidyDancer
@Comfortablylesslumpy
@Cleanthatup
@Passtheturkey
@Lucienandjean
@Smorgs
@FinallyHere
@EmergentThoughts
@pinknsparkly
@baystard
@SpottyBumPony
@Eanair23
@Potas
@ThistlyPerf
@ListenLinda

Hey, I'm all set for tomorrow. Started low carving last week in prep but did go for it this weekend as my in-laws are up for thier Christmas with us my concern is not counting calories. Whenever I have dieted before I've found I need to eat less than 1200 calories a day to lose any weight. I have fibro and cfs which really affects how active I can be so any weight loss for me is going to be purely diet for now.

You don't need to worry about calories or exercise @BonnieBairn!

Keep your portion sizes sensible - we're not giving you carte blanche to pile your plate high! - but also eat till you're satisfied. You will find after a couple of weeks that your appetite diminishes anyway, especially between meals.

And you don't need to be concerned about not doing any exercise. While exercise is undoubtedly good for general health, it's a very inefficient way to lose weight. You have to do A LOT of it to make a substantial impact. Dr Jason Fung (who wrote The Obesity Code) says that weight loss is 95% diet and only 5% exercise).

@BonnieBairn

This is from the FAQ thread, that I linked to up thread:

5. Do we need to count calories as well?

Yes and no!

At the outset of Bootcamp you don’t need to count calories at all. Bootcamp was designed to be easy to follow – mainly because I can’t bear having to weigh and count everything all the time! It also encourages what I think to be an unhealthy obsession with food, rather than creating a mindset that’s about enjoying our food.

As long as you’re keeping your carbs low, you will lose weight. In fact, there’s a distinct calorie advantage when you’re low carbing. A calorie of carbohydrate will have much more impact on your insulin levels (therefore your weight) than a calorie of protein or fat.

That said, this isn’t an excuse to go mad and overload your plate. You still need to be mindful of your portions, and to only eat when you’re hungry. You may find that at a specific mealtime that you’re not hungry – this is a very welcome benefit of low carbing, that it acts as a natural appetite suppressant. If you’re not hungry, don’t force yourself to eat!

However, as you near your target weight, you will find that weight loss slows down. And one of the things to take into account at that point is your calorie intake. It also appears to be true, sadly, that as we age, we need fewer calories anyway – so it’s always worth considering how much you’re eating, and whether or not you need to eat that much.

As an example, if you were going to cook yourself bacon and eggs for breakfast (and who wouldn’t want to?!), that you probably serve yourself two slices of bacon and two fried eggs. That seems like a natural-sized portion. But is it? How about two slices of bacon and one egg? Or two eggs and one slice of bacon?

Hi all, prepping over here today too!

I've asked similar to this on a previous bootcamp last year or the year before maybe but I can't remember which thread it was on so apologies for the repeat question but where do we stand on using things like the lo-dough pizza bases (if we can still get them anywhere!) or the seriously low carb rolls and wraps?

I know the idea is to cut as much processed stuff out of our diets but I'll be starting a new job midway through bootcamp and it will no longer involve home working and I'll need some ideas for packed lunches!

TIA for any help!

I've recently discovered this which is delicious and seems to be low carb:

www.ocado.com/products/sproud-original-unsweetened-pea-protein-milk-alternative-502543011

Looking forward to tomorrow - meal prepped today and all set to go!

@TidyDancer I'm a big fan of the Seriously Low Carb bread. I'd be an even bigger one if it was cheaper! I didn't like the Lo-Dough pizza bases/wraps, although I know some here did.

These are the ingredients of the Seriously Low Carb loaf:

Water, Wheat Gluten, Egg, Brown Flaxseed, Oat Fibre, Rapeseed Oil, Wheat Flour (with Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin),Yeast, Invert Sugar Syrup, Salt, Thickener: Xanthan Gum, Sweetener: Erythritol, Flour Treatment Agent: Ascorbic Acid, Preservative: Calcium Propionate.

This compares with Hovis wholemeal:

Wholemeal Flour (Wheat),Water, Wheat Protein, Yeast, Granulated Sugar, Salt,
Soya Flour, Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Preservative: E282, Emulsifiers: E471, E472e, Caramelised Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Palm, Rapeseed), Flour Treatment Agent: Ascorbic Acid

So really just as processed as 'ordinary' bread.

An that's fab, thanks @BIWI.

I know it's not ideal because of the processed element (as you say, much like 'real' bread!) but it will definitely help me, at least until I get into the stride of office working again (have been doing only about 50% office days max since the start of the first lockdown). I'll do a stock up of the bread and wraps I think, at least then I'll know I've got some 'easy bits' available to me!

Fridge is stocked and I'm ready to go.
Not looking forward to weighing myself in the morning 😳

May I be added please? The main issue for me will be no fruit and drinking enough water. I have a range of herbal teas in so will drink as many of them as I can and stay away from the fruit bowl for the first two weeks. Thanks for all your hard work for this group!

I put in a Seriously Low Carb order on Friday. Very useful to have a stash in the freezer for when I’m starving and out of inspiration.

Stocked up on meat, veg, double cream and cheese today. Have ordered some Zero electrolyte tablets. I think I’m good to go!

I'm going to try to delurk this time and join in the thread chat a bit. I've been doing LCHF since Jan 2018 and every year I start out lighter than the year before. It was easier to stick to when DH and FIL joined me, but both have decided its not for them long term.
DH is now cutting back on sugar at least, so hopefully there will be less temptation around. I have been LC lite for the past week and already feeling much better, stomach is flatter.
Low carb food is in the house already (usually is, just less high carb food around) and meals are planned for the week.
Excited to start back on strict!

I'm nervous about tomorrow
I was low carb for nearly 2 years. Lost weight and felt good. Starting eating carbs in October 2022 when my FIL was in hospital. Then my dsis had a serious op that went wrong and I had to look after my niece and just started grabbing sandwiches and croissants etc. Carried on eating carbs and sugar over Christmas and have put in nearly a stone in three months. I'm craving toast and weetabix like never before. I'll be amazed if I can crack this but I'm going to try.

Why are you nervous @Janieread?! But hopefully lots of support here to help you

Sorry, think I should have tagged you in order to be added @BIWI TIA

@HungryHazelEyes please do de-lurk!

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe you're fine - @FinallyHere is sure to add you.

@TheMagicSword good point about the electrolyte tabs. I'll remind people about those tomorrow

Because I don't have much confidence that I'll stick with it.

Anyway. I have electrolytes (have had them on repeat from amazon for 2 years). I have psyllium husk because I might make some cloud bread - I think having lots of "fake carbs" might be essential at first. Have Burford browns, bacon, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts (microwaved sprouts with butter and salt are my favourite thing). Also have almond milk - basically i eat all this stuff anyway, just have to remove bread pasta and sugary carbs from diet!

Psychologically, I had to have a last hurrah before starting tomorrow

Meal prepped (at least for 2 days) which is extremely organized for me hehe!

Severe egg shortage where I am, leading to 6 eggs costing £3 plus, I cannot morally pay it! So rationing myself to one egg per day!

Let's do this- WATER WATER WATER

Cheese, check.
Eggs, check
Green veg, check.

We ride at dawn...

@ThistlyPerf
Thanks for this!

Lunch and emergency snacks prepped ready for a day at the office tomorrow, a snacky selection of chicken, left over omelette, a few tomatoes, veg sticks and a couple of small chunks of cheese. Planning to buy a pot of Greek yoghurt on the way in and that will be my breakfast for the 4 days I'm in, with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon on top 😋

I'm going to really have to focus on water this week, have got into v bad habits of drinking not enough and what little I have been having has been largely squash etc. Also have some hi5 tablets left from a pervious BC in case of feeling wobbly the first few days.

Have a great first day everyone 😀

@earlyraisin
‘ We ride at dawn..‘ lol 😂

feta cheese and roasted ( today ) veg for lunch

if so no breakfast which is pretty normal for me

Greek yoghurt as a snack

salmon and veg for evening meal

will swop Yorkshire tea for camomile or peppermint

have felt fat and sluggish , I have lots of clothes that I need to lose weight to wear , particularly need to lose it in the stomach area .

I read biwis thread about prepping and went and did a shop , told dh we are cutting the crap out and will be eating better, to his bemusement.

newbies - don’t forget to drink water too

@amigababy good to see another vegetarian. Agree the cauliflower recipe does sound good. Will be weird not to make a classic cheese sauce using flour, but easier I guess just to use cream (did I really just type that on a thread about losing weight?). I like cooking and I think I will be able to adapt/ choose suitable recipes once I get going.

We ride at dawn indeed. Good luck everyone. Eyes on the prize!

We ride at dawn

Bit of a lurker around here. But thanks for this thread.

I lost almost three stone from jan 2021 to may 2021. Kept it off until about 2 months ago and it’s all back on.

spent most of today crying for how awful I look and feel.

Tesco order coming tomorrow. I’m ready to get back into it and can’t wait to feel and look how I did a few months ago.