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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.

Jan 2023 Low Carb Bootcamp - Week 1!

857 replies

BIWI · 08/01/2023 22:20

Welcome everyone! We have over 160 people signed up this time, so things are going to move quickly.

Here's the link to The Spreadsheet of Fabulousness which has been carefully and lovingly curated by the very lovely @FinallyHere

There are a few bits of admin that I need to post before we get going. The first of which is the usual disclaimer:

I am not a medic, a scientist, a dietician or a nutritionist. Everything that I post here is based on my reading and my own experiences of low carbing gained over the last 20 years. You follow the guidance here at your own risk - although I very much hope that there are no risks!

Very importantly, though, if you are on any kind of long-term medication, please talk to your GP/nurse about low carbing. This is especially important if you're on drugs for hypertension, cholesterol and/or diabetes, as a low carb diet should have a positive impact on all of those conditions, which would mean that your dosage may need to be decreased, if not removed altogether.

The second is about etiquette:

Please, please, please read all the posts on the thread before you make your own post. These threads work so much better when we're all here interacting with each other, as that means we can offer help and support when it's needed. Don't just jump on the thread to plop down your meals for the day, your weight that day and then just fuck off. That doesn't help anyone.

More than anything else, it's incredibly irritating when someone posts a question which has already been answered early in the thread. I, and lots of other Bootcampers, spend a considerable amount of time responding to people's questions and concerns, and it's pretty insulting when it's obvious that these haven't been read.

(Oh, and it's very obvious if you haven't read the thread, so take that as a warning Wink)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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BergamotMouse · 12/01/2023 13:40

QforCucumber · 12/01/2023 11:43

Morning All, reading and catching up at this time of day is really helping me keep on track (and giving me wonderful ideas for the next days dinner too!)

I know it's not recommended for kids to go full on Keto - but any ideas to help wean my 2 off the sugar/processed foods somewhat?

We do all sit together for evening meal and they are great with veg, so not so much of a concern there but it's mostly the breakfast.
They are 6 and 2 and I don't know how but we've moved so far away from porridge and on to rice crispies and shreddies that I think I'm going to struggle with the move away from cereal (they do always have milk and fruit too - banana or blueberries mostly)

I have a 6 and 4 year old and they have porridge every school day and choose what they want on a weekend. I find getting them to help make it helps. And chopped dates and if really complaining a drizzle of honey Blush.
They've learnt that complaining is pointless.

AllTheBlackCoffee · 12/01/2023 13:44

Haha @BIWI am laughing at the mental image of you sat in DH's office, menacingly thwacking the palm of your hand with The Big Stick. If that thought won't keep me in line, nothing will!!

50notout · 12/01/2023 13:48

@BIWI thank you for taking the time to reply, you must be very busy currently! I’ll swap to Greek yogurt & have sauerkraut/kimchi instead. I want to specifically eat more fermented foods rather than probiotics. These are
meant to be good for reducing cholesterol and managing blood sugar.

@Baystard he didn’t mention cheese on this particular podcast. It’s on the diary of a CEO of you want to listen. It’s really interesting although he doesn’t support low carb, so I’m ignoring that bit because it works for me.

my day looks like this:
B- coffee with no sugar but a little bit of milk - ( I’ve given up sweeteners which is taking some getting used to)
2 tablespoons of kefir with berries and flaxseed. (I will replace this for Greek yogurt and not have fruit for 2 weeks)

water
water

L -omelette with smoked streaky bacon and tomato with avocado (this is my main meal)

water
water

D - I plan to make a Greek salad and have with chicken but I’m very full so I might just have miso soup with chicken added

exercise
20 medium paced treadmill walk before work.
plan is to do same again after work.

BIWI · 12/01/2023 13:59

@Eanair23

My problem is that (for now anyway) I can't tell how long each stage will last. I'm happily at 5, at work. I leave at 2pm for home at level 4. I get out of the car an hour later at level 2. So I can go from 4 to 2 in an hour!

Anyway, I'm going with it for now. My 'go to' out and about lunch is Chicken Caesar, no croutons. The dressing tastes sweet, so I'm sure there's some hidden carbs, but it gets me home, and stops me dropping below 4. I feel like I stay 5 minutes in 3 - I go from 'i could eat' to 'moody' with hunger really fast. It's OK. I just eat the Caesar and good to go.

This illustrates perfectly the imbalance of blood sugar levels! If you eat low carb/high fat, you won't swing so violently between the different levels of hunger. And by continuing to eat the sweet dressing, all you're doing is fuelling this imbalance.

Seriously - please have a read of the stuff I've posted about why low carbing works/keeping your insulin levels under control, and this will help you to deal with these swings in your appetite.

The sweet salad dressing has to go!

OP posts:
Nugg · 12/01/2023 14:07

QQ Is it normal to not feel very hungry at a mealtime? absolutely not today, I am on day 12 as I started as soon as I had done my food shop last week. I picked at cheese, eat, olives, Eggs & Mayo, peppers and tomatoes but could happily have had just the water I drank with it! Aware I need 3 meals a day, I have had a bad grazing habit for so long I think I am now experiencing what full means!

BIWI · 12/01/2023 14:29

I should probably explain a bit more about The Big Stick ... Grin

If you're new to Bootcamp, you may be wondering what on earth this is all about.

Low carbing is not a forgiving way of eating. You can't compensate at one meal for what you might have eaten at another - unlike when you're calorie counting.

Although Bootcamp has been designed to be as easy as possible to follow, it doesn't necessarily make low carbing any easier.

Bootcamp is strict for a reason: it's designed to produce results. Therefore, if you cheat, it won't work, and all you will have done is to sabotage your own best efforts.

This is why you'll see me being all over what posters are talking about eating/drinking (or not drinking!). There's absolutely no point me sugar-coating things. I want it to work for everyone, so if I see things that are contrary to Bootcamp rules, I will point them out, and I will ask you why you've made the choice(s) that you have

There are many here who have had the thwack! (And many who have flounced because of it).

Please note, though, it's never personal. It's because I want you to succeed.

OP posts:
Baystard · 12/01/2023 14:44

I've been thwacked with @BIWI 's big stick a few times and it's done me the world of good - my waistline and metabolic health has definitely benefitted from it Grin (bruises fade very quickly Wink)

TheMagicSword · 12/01/2023 15:00

Honestly, the big stick is the reason (beyond the science) that this works. How often are we really held accountable these days? This is the difference between here, where we all want one another to succeed, and the slimming clubs which make money off keeping you fat.

On a previous boot camp (under a different username) I talked about having cake on my birthday, and BIWI’s response was: why would you sabotage your hard work for the socially constructed expectation of cake? And honestly, this sounds a little silly, but it really turned my thinking around!

Greatly · 12/01/2023 15:03

I've eaten something that I bought from the farm shop with no nutritional info 🤯🤯🤯

it was a smoked trout terrine:
smoked trout, yogurt, butter, lemon and parsley

hopefully that couldn't have been that bad?

Baystard · 12/01/2023 15:19

@Greatly if those were the ingredients then it's fine (oily fish like trout are very good). Having no nutritional info means it's unlikely to have been made by a big food manufacturer which makes it even better - less likely to have nasty stuff sneaked in to give it an improbably long shelf left.

Skiphopbump · 12/01/2023 15:34

I had the cheese crust omelette posted on the thread earlier- I filled it with chorizo and mushrooms and had salad on the side. It was so filling, thanks to whoever’s posted about it.
Cold salmon and salad for dinner tonight.

BrazilNutsLookLikeKillerWhales · 12/01/2023 15:35

Hello bootcampers. I've been lurking and was on previous BCs under a different name but am here under a BC Light inspired name change!
Really enjoying reading all the recipe suggestions, I had a disaster with a cauliflower bake but will try again. If it's helpful for newbies, I'm maintaining a 20lb loss since I started in September and have DH along for the ride after he went OTT (even for him) over Christmas!

some recent nice dinners have been steak with guacamole, cauliflower mash with bacon and buttered cabbage and Jamie's green chilli from his America book (no beans!)

I agree about the lycra in clothes and jeans, it's almost disheartening to be 1.5 stone lighter and still be in the same clothes.

BrazilNutsLookLikeKillerWhales · 12/01/2023 15:38

Greatly · 12/01/2023 15:03

I've eaten something that I bought from the farm shop with no nutritional info 🤯🤯🤯

it was a smoked trout terrine:
smoked trout, yogurt, butter, lemon and parsley

hopefully that couldn't have been that bad?

Sounds slog on to me!

BrazilNutsLookLikeKillerWhales · 12/01/2023 15:39

BrazilNutsLookLikeKillerWhales · 12/01/2023 15:38

Sounds slog on to me!

That was meant to say "sounds spot on to me" !

JustAPony · 12/01/2023 15:41

Help needed people,I’m having a couple of school mums over tomorrow for a cuppa for the first time. I don’t want to not offer them anything to nibble but also don’t want to be tempted to slip up-I’m terrified of the big stick! 😬🤣
Any ideas about wee nibbly things I could serve. I would usually make a cake or something but that’s out. Unless I make something I don’t like so won’t touch! But would prefer something I could join in with nibbling if possible.
Thanks!

BIWI · 12/01/2023 15:41

Not sure why you'd think it wasn't OK @Greatly - you know (don't you?!) that none of those ingredients is very carby?

And it sounds delicious! (Please tell me you didn't have it with bread ...)

OP posts:
BIWI · 12/01/2023 15:43

@JustAPony you might find something on The Diet Doctor's website that would work

OP posts:
BIWI · 12/01/2023 15:44

... although admittedly they don't really work for the first two weeks of Bootcamp!

OP posts:
BIWI · 12/01/2023 15:45

Could you do a savoury plate instead?

So olives, chunks of cheese, gherkins/cornichons, salami, cucumber topped with some pâté, rollitos etc?

OP posts:
prettybird · 12/01/2023 15:46

@JustAPony - why not put out a selection of meats and cheeses? Crackers/oatcakes if you feel it necessary for the others but don't have any yourself. I'll quite happily cut myself chunks of nice Brie or Camembert or a slice of good cheddar to eat on their own.

prettybird · 12/01/2023 15:47

@BIWI - see, I was good and didn't suggest one of the low carb "cakes" that I like to make as they're not compatible for the first two weeks Halo

BergamotMouse · 12/01/2023 15:50

I'm making a lamb rogan josh for dinner (minus the almonds for now). Recipe below - I really recommend these spice mixes. They make delicious curries.

But does anyone have alternatives to cauliflower rice. Or tips on how to cook it so it's not watery. I've been microwaving with a splash of water and it's quite uninspiring. I might have it with roasted cauliflower instead.

Jan 2023 Low Carb Bootcamp - Week 1!
JustAPony · 12/01/2023 15:51

Cheese and biscuits is a great idea, thanks! I’ll just have some chunks of cheese. Thank you!

BergamotMouse · 12/01/2023 15:52

Sorry, missed the recipe. I'm sure you could make your own spice mix.

Jan 2023 Low Carb Bootcamp - Week 1!
prettybird · 12/01/2023 16:09

@BergamotMouse - I blitz uncooked cauliflower in the food processor and then fry it briefly in a lot of butter Grin Not watery at all Smile Add salt and spices to taste.