Week 1 - Back-to-school Bootcamp!

[BIWI]

Morning all. I hereby declare this Bootcamp open

Here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

... with many thanks to the lovely @FinallyHere for creating (and managing)

I know you're all keen to get going, so will post this now and then come back with some important housekeeping notes

@MyShinyThing my bowels are the same this morning. Although I do often have bowel issues so I don’t think for me it’s this WOE.

@Ihavehadenoughalready I also find it takes ages for people to notice I've lost any weight! It's quite annoying - but we're not losing for them (I tell myself). If I'm looking for excuses to stop though that can tip me over so thanks for mentioning it so I can mentally prepare for that. Such a nice feeling when tops skim over hips rather than ruching! (sp?)

@fruitstick My jeans all wear in that same place too. I'm hoping there's a fashion soon for obvious gusset/thigh repairs on jeans 😆 ... would save me a fortune!

@Rogue1001MNer Great on the reduced cravings. Mine seem to be waning too.

@TheOnlyMrsW Boo at the pa boss - BUT it might be that there just isn't much option. I remember booking lunches for meetings and it was ALL sandwiches, fruit and cake with the occasional samosa. Could you just eat the fillings?

@RooRooCooChoo 🙌 for the alcohol swerve.

@AllTheBlackCoffee I recognise that lunch. It was mine yesterday except I had a whole pack of ham and probably a bigger chunk of cheese! BUT I didn't buy the packet of 'store baked' processed to shit cookies that I have been known to 'treat' myself with. 🙌

@MyShinyThing Oh no. Sympathy on the bowels. Could it possibly be too much dairy? I get that if I go mad on double cream.

Yesterday was BC compliant - though lunch wasn't ideal but ended up not having time to pack something before I left.

I woke hungry at 3am for the second night in a row - as likely to me perimenopause and imminent period as the BC. Had some greek yogurt and that was enough to get me back to sleep. Would previously have eat cheese and oat cakes.

Weighed myself early and am down 1.7kg on last Friday despite monthly bloating so that chuffed with that. Hopefully there'll be something similar on the scales tomorrow.

B: Yogurt and cream
L: Rolled lettuce sandwiches - ham cheese butter cucumber tomato
S: Ragu on buttered cabbage

So much good bootcamping going on!
I'm enjoying the water woosh- down 6lb already but 1. I am very fat and 2. I stuffed my face in advance so there was a lot of water retention sloshing around. Still, it's a good boost to really get into LC again.

Someone upthread mentioned insomnia at the beginning followed by much better sleep - I'm really hoping this is true for me as I've got the insomnia, looking forward to good sleep soon... but prob need to get my water drunk earlier in the day so I don't need a wee at 5am 🤣

@TheOnlyMrsW well done on seeing a new number!

I’ve had pan fried kale with cheesy scrambled egg for breakfast. If any of you struggle to stomach eggs (I do - they are just too…eggy) may I suggest stirring some grated mature cheddar in when they have finished scrambling. It adds a nice cheesy flavour, adds extra fat (and calories so I don’t fall over - I need a good big breakfast every day) and also makes the pan easier to clean. Winner.

I’ve already had a litre of water with an electrolyte thingy dissolved in it and am ready to go.

@MotherBuckets I hear you re: the nighttime wees. They’re unavoidable for me in the first week, but after that I try to drink all of my water in the morning, afternoon and very early evening, then just a few sips throughout the rest of the evening. It’s not ideal but it stops me waking up for the toilet in the middle of the night.

Yes to mid-night wees. But also I took a pint of water to bed with me so drank some of that when I woke up so it feels like at least I'm not waking dehydrated.

I've bought a pair of cords on Vinted for £12. Will save myself for new jeans at the end of bootcamp.

First boot camp post here - I’m going to try hard not to lurk!

low carb has suited me really well in the past, but I am quite out of practice so boot camp will be very helpful- thank you!

I started properly on Monday - today I put a pair of shorts on that I have been struggling to do the button up on - they fastened easily. Feeling very enthused!!

just had FFGY & cream, a new one for me - delicious! And forewent my “addicted to tea” cup of tea for coffee & cream

Morning all!

Sounds like there's some really good progress already. Worrying about whether or not to buy a smaller pair of jeans HAS to be a good thing, right?!

@ginislife unfortunately there's no such thing as a low carb, flavoured yoghurt. But you can make your own. Some people add ground cinnamon to theirs (not me, as I don't like cinnamon, unfortunately). You could also add some vanilla (although go careful if you're using the bean paste as that has sugar in it). You could always add vanilla powder, if you can find it. Waitrose used to sell it, but not sure they do any more. (There's some on Amazon, if you're interested)

Very glad that you're not going to lurk @Withinthewhirlwind

@PowerTulle

Catching up from yesterday, when I ate nothing against the rules, but had no veg or salad

While I realise this was the day before yesterday, and yesterday was obviously a better day, that although you weren't eating anything against the rules, you also weren't following the rules?! Rule no 4 is that you must get most of your carbs from vegetables and salad.

This is really important, as it is helping to make sure you get decent nutrition. There are many low carb/keto plans which advocate taking vitamin/mineral supplements, whereas on Bootcamp you should be eating enough good, balanced foods to not need to spend money on them. (Electrolyte supplements to one side)

@MyShinyThing and @Gnomegnomegnome - the change of food, adding in a lot more fat, more veg/salad and drinking more water, is more likely to be having an effect than the removal of carbs. It will be a temporary thing. In the meantime, just try to reframe it as your body removing unnecessary stuff!

@nappiesandcontracts I hear you re this WOE being so different! It takes a while - and can be a great leap of faith - to start eating fat and increasing your salt intake after years of being told that they're bad for you.

Calorie counting on Bootcamp is generally really not necessary. That said, if you haven't got a lot of weight to lose and/or you're nearing your target, then it is a good idea to take stock of how much you're eating. We always say on Bootcamp that if you're hungry, that you should eat (low stuff obvs!), and that this isn't a WOE that's about deprivation - but that doesn't mean it's carte blanche to pile plates high.

Thanks @BIWI - it's such a mindset switch! Really enjoying it though as I'm a big big mayo and butter fan, also love a salad with an oily dressing. What a joy not to be suffering the indignity of low fat mayo and fat free dressings! 🥳

@Sheraprincessofflower we're (almost) breakfast twins! Mine was spinach fried in butter with scrambled eggs and grated cheese - so good!

@nappiesandcontracts breakfast of champions! I sometimes add a few slices of smoked salmon or half an avocado to it. It it works pretty well on its own and you get to feel smug because you’ve eaten a portion of kale/spinach before your day has even got going 😉

@BIWI not complaining, I love a good clear out 😂

Some information here about mayonnaise - while it's a good source of fat, just beware that the carb counts can vary a lot. (And light/low fat versions are always higher!). I've listed some of the main brands (and some OL) below.

Many of them contain sugar, which is odd as if you make mayo yourself, you wouldn't add sugar. But then this is also true of many foods that are pre-packaged/processed. (As an aside, I was horrified to discover once that the brand of Chinese 5 spice powder I had bought also had sugar in it!)

The only brand that's zero carbs is Delouis, and this is because it's the closest to homemade - here are the ingredients:

Sunflower Oil, Dijon Mustard 9% (Mustard Seeds, Alcohol Vinegar, Water, Salt), Egg Yolk from Hens Raised Outdoors 8,85%, White Wine Vinegar, Salt, Lemon, Egg White from Hens Raised Outdoors, Contains Sulfites

It is, perhaps not surprisingly, also expensive.

Anyway, before you go dolloping great tablespoons of the stuff on to your plate, just have a look at these

Carb counts, per 100g:

Delouis - 0g (available in Waitrose)

Heinz Seriously Good - 3g (Light version is 8g)
Hellmann's Real - 1.4g (Light version is 6g, Lighter than Light 9.7g)
Hellmann's Vegan - 3.9g
Hellmann's Organic - 1.6g
Nando's Peri-naise (mild) - 13g
Sauce Shop Ranch Mayo - 2.4g
Stokes Real Mayonnaise - 2.7g
Leon (Korean) - 21.4g

Sainsbury's Real - 3.5g (Light version 9.9g)
Sainsbury's SO organic - 6.7g
Sainsbury's Stamford St - 12.1g

Tesco Mayonnaise - 1.9g
Stockwell (Tesco) - 11.1g
Tesco Lighter than Light - 12.5g

Waitrose Essential - 3.3g
Essential Half Fat - 10.4g
Waitrose with Olive Oil - 3.4g

Aldi Bramwells Real - 3.4g
Aldi Branwells Light - 6.1g

Virtual high five!! 🖐️

I was told that about mayo about a year ago, it's shocking. At that point I started making my own with a stick blender and have never gone back to shop bought.

Thanks for the mayo info @BIWI. I usually get the Aldi stuff but will splash out on the Hellman's instead as lower carbs 👍🏼

... or you could make your own, as @EquallyDetermined does!

Recipe here from The Guardian

The only thing I'd say about making your own mayo, is avoid using extra virgin olive oil (I see it's listed as an ingredient in that recipe), as that can make it too bitter.

@fruitstick dp you know if anyone locally who could patch your jeans? DS had an annoying habit of wearing through his expensive ones at the crotch and I found a lady who fixes them so well, you'd never know they'd worn in the first place. Would tide you over at least, until you decide about sizes.

Afraid I'm far too lazy for that! 🙈

Yes, I have made that mistake! I use Filipo Berio Light with a glug of EVOO (max about 10%). Same with cold-pressed rapeseed oil, that mayo was completely inedible (and expensive ).

Thanks to @Sheraprincessofflower for the celeriac Rosti idea, I'll definitely be trying that.

I've done bootcamp a number of times over the years, and have also dropped out mid-way through a good number too, so I'm committing to staying the course and finishing this one.

So posting for accountability my Food so far
Monday
B - FFGY + cream
L - fiajita spiced (home made to avoid the sugars) steak with a big salad & oily dressing
D- Cheese and mushroom omelette, salad and lots of coleslaw (made with shallot and small amount of carrot)

Tuesday
B- FFGY & cream
L - ham (2 slices) and grated cheese and avocado salad oily dressing and more coleslaw
D - chicken thighs oven cooked with spinach & mushroom and and crème fraiche sauce

I Served that with roast Hispi cabbage - I had some off cuts of chicken skin (kept most of it on the thighs) so after brushing the cabbage with butter and seasoning it - I laid the chicken skin bits over the cabbage before popping in the oven - it came out nice and crispy and also added lovely flavour to the cabbage - yummy!

Wednesday
B - creamy coffee
L- chicken with a big salad
D- low carb sausages with cauliflower and broccoli covered in a cheese sauce more cheese and then grilled

I use BIWIs cheese sauce recipe - just cream and cheese and lemon juice / seasoning but like another poster I also add mustard too.
My additional tip for that sauce is if it looks a bit runny I keep some grated mozzarella in the freezer and stir that a small amount until you get the thickness you want. (careful of the pre grated ones as they use some type of flour to stop it sticking - the one I use is 0.1g per 100g though)

Today
B - fried egg, 1 x bacon, cheese slice
L - mackerel salad w oily dressing
D - left overs from last nights cauli dish with a lamb steak.

I've also managed all my water each day which has been the biggest challenge so far!

Sorry for the long post I'll try to post more regularly to keep them shorter.

Well done to everyone on some great results and KOKO!

It only takes a few minutes when you've got the hang of it, I make a jar every Sunday evening now as I eat it on salad pretty well every day. But I love doing things like that and make my own yogurt too. I also made butter last week but I'm not really using enough to be worth it now, I don't like buttery veg.

Is it a lot nicer @EquallyDetermined or do you mostly do it so you have lower carbs?

I started doing it for lower carbs, the flavour is a bit different and does vary a bit from batch to batch as I don't measure anything except the oil and even that is approximate. You can vary it with mustard, lemon juice, garlic etc. I never did like Hellmans and the like, I prefer mustardy French style mayo. I enjoy the process too, I find it really satisfying.