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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.

Original poster

Low Carb Bootcamp challenge - lose half a stone before Christmas

637 replies

BIWI · 07/11/2023 17:09

If we start next Monday, there are 6 weeks leading up to Christmas.

Hopefully that means that we can drop 7lbs in those weeks - but only if we're properly strict.

It's entirely up to you if you want to do strict Bootcamp, or Bootcamp Light across those 6 weeks, although I'd suggest that if you haven't got too much to lose, you veer towards a stricter approach.

It's also, we need to bear in mind, a more difficult time of the year to think about losing weight as there are likely to be more social occasions, so a stricter approach around all of those events is probably a good one!

Who's in?!

OP posts:
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Original poster
BIWI · 11/12/2023 21:01

@agnesmartin check out Zoe Harcombe's website/forum - and search for her posts on cholesterol.

You could also read The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr Malcolm Kendrick

@StuntNun is also very wise on the subject (as she is on many others!)

OP posts:
agnesmartin · 11/12/2023 21:10

Thanks BIWI - I’ll have a look 😊

StuntNun · 11/12/2023 21:52

Definitely look into it @agnesmartin as statins are prescribed very freely and may not always be the best solution for everyone.

N2022 · 11/12/2023 23:23

@BIWI Thank you. Yes it really does. I've done Keto before & lost just over a stone in a month the first time (with exercise) so I know that it works. This strict low carbing, though, has been a game changer.

@LiesDoNotBecomeUs Thank you! I don't actually celebrate Christmas but I do partake in the mince pies. All the mince pies. I love em! I'm just glad I've got a head start on the new year which means I'll be a lot closer to my goal than if I started in Jan.

Talking of mince pies are there any suggestions for a good one? I used to be hooked on Marks & Spencer's all butter cognac ones apparently they have gone a little downhill. Have they?
I'm going to be buying some as a treat in a couple of weeks and don't want to waste the carbs and calories on not so great ones! I loooove a buttery pastry and juicy filling with more raisins etc than the little hard bit (no idea what they are) Any suggestions?

Goodiewhemper · 12/12/2023 05:40

Morning all, I have been away visiting in-laws so not been on here in over a week so so need to catch up on a week's posts. Weighed on this morning expecting an increase but was pleasantly surprised to find I had lost 1/2 lb. I have been trying to keep as low carb as possible not my Italian family are feeders and most days one meal had some carbs.i tried to eat around them - some meals were more successful than others. I am glad to be home and have full control again. I guess all the water helped. Chat later after I have caught up on the week's posts.

Baystard · 12/12/2023 06:50

@N2022 you might find that your mince pie tasted have changed with bootcamp - I find M&S ones taste far too sweet. I'd be interested to know if any shops have less sweet ones. I make home made ones with almost no sugar in the pastry, which I prefer, but don't really have time this year.

agnesmartin · 12/12/2023 07:51

I've had a look at Zoe H and also found lots of references in 'The Big Fat Surprise' by Nina Teicholz. Will read through those. Knew I'd read a different perspective somewhere. Thanks @BIWI and @StuntNun

Re mince pies DH has been doing a taste test and he's enjoying the 'classic' M&S pies (but he doesn't like alcohol in mince pies). His Mum rates the Aldi ones. I don't think I'll have any - think I'd be disappointed by the texture of shop bought pastry. Will limit myself to Mum's homemade ones, I think.

Original poster
BIWI · 12/12/2023 07:54

When I make mince pies - not every Christmas as only me and DH like them - I make them with ordinary shortcrust pastry. I never sweeten the pastry as the filling is always so sweet.

OP posts:
TheOnlyMrsW · 12/12/2023 08:46

@prettybird how lovely that you got your phone back, will think of you and your dad when we go to see mum on Christmas morning (with prosecco - her favourite). Filing Sarti's away for the future, we've been to Glasgow a few times when visiting DH's family but mainly the shopping bit, but now DSS1 seems to be settled there will be longer visits 😊.
Chicken & chorizo stew last night with roast vegetables (the carbies had rice), pulled beef tacos today so will swerve the shells and planning an omelette for brunch. Plus all the water and herbal tea...........
I don't like mince pies but DH's current favourites are the Aldi rum ones!!!

prettybird · 12/12/2023 09:49

I was 11st 11.25lb this morning Smile so I should achieve my objective of being under 11st 10lb by Christmas Eve Grin I should even with a bit of effort get to where I got or even below to last year on Christmas Eve (our main Christmas Dinner) which was 11st 8.75lb Xmas Grin

prettybird · 12/12/2023 09:57

I don't like shop bought mince pies but I do like my own (so I have to keep them frozen as I also don't like them hot Xmas Confused)

I make my own shortcrust pastry with the proportions of fat (half butter/half lard or Cookeen) to flour slightly higher than "standard" (ie about 9oz fat to 16oz plain flour for some reason it's easier in imperial ) and only sprinkle a tiny amount of sugar on top.

I'll probably have 5 over the period (out of the >100 that I'll make).

StuntNun · 12/12/2023 10:00

@agnesmartin as I'm not a medical professional, I can't tell you that there isn't really any evidence for statin use in anyone other than older males who have previously had a heart attack. All I can say is that you should consult a medical professional and make a decision based on your own circumstances. I would never consider taking statins myself since the benefits are so tiny and the side effects can be so serious. However, my mum has been taking them for years and she genuinely believes they will prevent her having a heart attack. Given that her mum died of a heart attack and her brother has already had triple bypass surgery, that's the decision that makes the most sense to her. But, as @BIWI says, it's definitely worth reading up on the subject. Only you can know what's best for you.

EversoDisorganised · 12/12/2023 12:08

I make my own mince pies too, never add sugar to the pastry. This year I am using shop-bought, some years I make my own but I am so busy this year. I have a jar of leftover homemade mincemeat from probably several years ago and a jar of Sainsburys TTD that I picked up last Jan for about 15p. I add a little finely grated orange zest to each before putting the lid on, it really boosts the flavour.

prettybird · 12/12/2023 12:30

I hadn't thought of adding zest - I'm going to try that Xmas Grin. I add some extra cinnamon because I love it Xmas Wink, maybe some nutmeg and a slosh of brandy and ginger wine and then mix up in the big jar of shop bought. I have lofty ambitions every year of making my own mincemeat but never quite get there Xmas Blush

Almahart · 12/12/2023 18:09

I did my first bootcamp in about 2011 and have only just seen that honeydew/canteloupe melon are fairly low carb. So I have had half a melon over a couple of days (with greek yog, and also with prosciutto). So so good. But I doubted myself and googled and it seems to come up at 8 carbs per 100g, not 3 ish as per the spreadsheet. Is it definitely 3? It has made my bootcamp so please say yes!

agnesmartin · 12/12/2023 18:19

Thanks @StuntNun Yes, rereading the relevant sections of The Big Fat Surprise showed it's not so clear cut, esp for females, but does seem to offer some protection depending on your individual risk factors.

I just want to make sure that I have done my own research and then can make an informed decision.

I'd only just recovered from Covid when the test was done so hoping LDL was raised because it was clearing up after the virus, but we'll see. :)

Original poster
BIWI · 12/12/2023 19:34

@Almahart Sainsbury's gives all melon (including watermelon, which I always thought was much carbier) at 6.8g carbs per 100g. So I'm not sure where the carb counts on the spreadsheet have come from. I'll go away and check!

OP posts:
Original poster
BIWI · 12/12/2023 19:41

OK @Almahart - it looks like Sainsbury's have used an average carb count for all their melons. The carb counts below come from the McCance Widdowsons Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (2021), which is data from the government (and so hopefully more accurate)

Melon, Canteloupe-type, flesh only 4.2
Melon, flesh only, average 5.5
Melon, Galia, flesh only 5.6
Melon, Honeydew, flesh only, weighed whole 3.8
Melon, watermelon, flesh only 7.1
Melon, yellow flesh, flesh only 6.8

Composition of foods integrated dataset (CoFID)

McCance and Widdowson’s 'composition of foods integrated dataset' on the nutrient content of the UK food supply.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid#:~:text=The%20%27Composition%20of%20Foods%20Integrated,recipes%20within%20the%20pork%20section.

OP posts:
prettybird · 13/12/2023 08:44

So I can enjoy Honeydew melon and at a push cantaloupe and then galia. But as honeydew is a) cheaper and b) more widely available, so that's easy Grin

In good news, I was under 11st 10lb this morning at 11st 9.5lb Shock That's my main objective for this Pre-Christmas Boot Camp achieved Xmas Smile

Only 3/4lb to go to get to where I'd got to by Christmas Eve last year Xmas Shock - and 3lb to get to just below I'd got the year before that Xmas Grin

I can do this! Xmas Smile

LiesDoNotBecomeUs · 13/12/2023 09:41

Good news about honeydew. It makes traditional starter with ham and an exciting breakfast with yogurt and a sprinkle of curry powder

LiesDoNotBecomeUs · 13/12/2023 09:42

Well done @prettybird !

Almahart · 13/12/2023 14:38

Wonderful news @BIWI !!

LC4life · 14/12/2023 08:42

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

VeryGoodVeryNice · 14/12/2023 09:29

Well I’ve hit my half a stone before Christmas. It’s really helped having covid this week and being too ill to cook anything, and no one here to look after me 😞. I feel really dizzy and my balance has completely gone. Seem to be feeling worse every day, this is a particularly nasty bout of it.

LiesDoNotBecomeUs · 14/12/2023 16:21

Sorry to hear that @VeryGoodVeryNice
Hope you feel better soon.