Week 1 - Pre-Christmas '24 Low Carb Bootcamp. And we're off!

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Here's the spreadsheet

Four important things:

1. You don't have to be on the spreadsheet if you don't want to - so if your name is there and you want it taken off, let @FinallyHere know, and she will remove it
2. If you've signed up, but your name isn't there, again, let @FinallyHere know and she will add you
3. Just add your weight and don't touch any of the other cells!
4. If you're using your phone for Mumsnet, you'll need to download the Google Sheets app

For Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs.editors.sheets&hl=en-US For apple iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-sheets/id842849113

If you don't want to be on the spreadsheet that's perfectly fine, but please make sure you check out all the resources that on there, on the different tabs. Most critical of all, of course, is the tab with the rules. But there's also loads of information about low carbing, carb counts for various things (including the veg carb counter, which is important), and various different plans and recipes that might help you.

And a massive thank you to @FinallyHere for managing this

Two very important bits of admin. First, the disclaimer - if you've read the prep thread you should already have seen this, but as it's important I'll re-post it:

THE DISCLAIMER
I, and any of the other MNetters who give advice here, are not medics and we are not qualified in nutrition or dietetics. Recommendations and support are based on our experiences and understanding of low carbing. Before starting, if you are on any kind of long-term medication (especially for hypertension, diabetes or high cholesterol), please check with your GP, as the results of low carbing can mean you may need to reduce your dosage. And if you’re pregnant or breast-feeding, we suggest you follow Bootcamp Light. If you have a history of disordered eating, please consider very carefully whether or not this WOE will be in your best interests.

And second, a plea for good thread etiquette. The threads move very quickly (especially in the first couple of weeks), but please make sure that you read all the posts rather than just jumping on the thread and posting your own stuff. A lot of work goes into these threads (and not just by me!) so it's very galling when people ask questions that have already been dealt with. Use the bookmark function to help you keep your place marked.

Thank you

Welcome aboard everyone. I first joined Bootcamp with @BIWI in June 2013 and I've been following a low carb way of eating ever since. It worked for me and it can work for you too... you just have to give it a shot! The benefits aren't limited to weight loss either; there are multiple health benefits to ditching sugar and dramatically reducing your carbohydrate intake.

Some important links:

The prep thread, which helps to get you 'in the mood' for Bootcamp!
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/lowcarbbootcamp/5187331-october-24-low-carb-bootcamp-the-preparation-thread?reply=139173342

Useful low carb products (this thread was started a long time ago now, but hopefully products are still available)
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/lowcarbbootcamp/3583325-Useful-low-carb-products-with-photos?reply=134438934

And FAQs about low carbing, which will explain a lot of the science about low carbing:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/lowcarbbootcamp/4049535-Low-Carb-Bootcamp-FAQs?reply=118903269

And a link to the Low Carb Recipe topic which might inspire you:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/low-carb-recipes

Morning! Thanks as always. 💐 I've not officially joined because I need to do some minor things differently (health/meds reasons) and I'm also not looking for weight loss although anything I do manage to shave off will be a happy bonus! Is it ok for me to hang out here anyway @BIWI? It's such a good way to keep myself motivated and in the right headspace!

Of course! Just be mindful when you're posting stuff if it's not Bootcamp compliant. But happy to have you 'on the journey' with us

Thanks! I'll keep it compliant for sure! It's not a big deal, really - I just have to eat a little bit of chia seed/flaxseed pudding in the morning (made with water and double cream), and I'm having to bring my veg intake right down for the time being so I have a few berries in the pudding too to compensate. Mostly I'm eating lots of protein and fats so still fully on board with bootcamp.

Good morning all. I've ended up having some leftover roast lamb for breakfast, but couldn't face the leftover sprouts just yet so will have to up my veggie intake later in the day😂
Good luck to everyone - I'm off to fill up my giant water bottle.

@SpinningTops - to answer your question from the prep thread:

I'm planning for next week and I tend to struggle for lunches, particularly when out. Is srsly low carb bread ok or is it best to avoid anything 'bread'.
Is it something to wait until after the first 2 weeks to have?

Technically SrslyLowCarb's bread isn't Bootcamp-compliant, as it is pretty processed. And it's a good idea in the first couple of weeks, or if you're new to low carbing especially, to try and avoid it to start with, so that you get used to finding low carb alternatives to sandwiches. (It's also an expensive way to eat bread!)

I usually have a loaf and some wraps in the freezer, but I only use them occasionally.

So I'd say 'yes, if you have to' but also 'try and find other, easy solutions for your lunches!'

Morning BC-er's, thanks to @BIWI for this and FinallyHere for spreadsheet magic!
Back to work after a fairly non-compliant week off and gobsmacked that I weigh less than when I finished but I'll take it. I have just under a stone to lose before I get to my goal weight so hoping that this will give me a bit of a push in the right direction after a very lax summer 😉. Down several cups of herbal tea and about to contemplate breakfast...............have a good day all!

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind about the bread. I think I'll get some in just in case for the freezer but only for if really needed. If I'm at home then I'll whip up a salad and I have a fully stocked salad bar at work of all delicious things like roasted aubergine and courgettes. It's just for when I'm on day trips out with the kids and it's easier to eat a sandwich than dig out a Tupperware of salad.

We're going camping next week and then the in laws are coming to stay so I have lots of planning to do to keep me on track.

Plan for today for me is
B: FFGY with a splash of cream
L: I'll probably make a tuna Niçoise salad
D: bolognese with buttery courgetti

Already had 1L of water. Thankfully I'm at home for the constant toilet trips.

Huge bowl of Tunisian tuna salad prepped and ready for snacking. 😋

A quick note about weighing

You don't have to weigh at all, if you don't want to! But you do need some way to monitor your progress. So take your measurements (hips, waist, bust, upper arm, upper thigh) and repeat those each week. And/or find an item of clothing that's just a bit too tight to wear comfortably, and try that on each week.

And although I post a new chat thread each Monday, you don't have to weigh on Monday.

There are also different approaches to how to enter your weight/what to enter

• most straightforward is your weight on Monday morning
• alternatively, you can weigh daily and take an average of your weights for the week
• ... or record the lowest weight that you saw during the week

You don't have to weigh daily, especially if an upward movement on the scales is going to throw you off course. It's quite natural for the scales to bounce around, even if you've followed the rules to the letter. But many people find that daily weighing keeps them focused.

Morning!
Me and my scratchings are here. I did weigh myself this morning, but thread wasn't up and running so will enter later when I get home.

@finallyhere, I can't see the starting weight column on the spreadsheet. Are they hidden?

I struggled too but found when I pressed this bit it opened up. I'm on my iPad so might be different on other things

Good morning everyone, hope you are all doing well.

Food Plan for today:

Breakfast: FFGY with a little bit of double cream
Lunch: Chicken breast with a salad
Tea/Dinner: Lamb Shepherds Pie with swede mash topping

I actually started eating low carb last Thursday, as I had my food delivered, & decided why wait until Monday. Scales already down by 3.53lb.

Need to nip to shop to buy more salad, vanilla essence etc.

Morning all
not ideal but I arrived on holiday yesterday for a few days. I’ll probably be ok with food but I know I’m going to have a drink or 3, but will be back in line reporting for duty on thursday.

I am always overweight.
I went down to my lightest weight ever with a bootcamp around 5 years ago, but was also exercising daily.
I don’t have time or inclination to do that now,

I’ve never been back as heavy as I was then though. I started around 110kg and went down to 79.5kg. At 5’9” I was still technically overweight but that was my limit - just couldn’t go below.
I now live around 95ish but am happier under 90. Hence this.
im fine with the diet, just love wine too much.
hey ho.

good luck all.

and haven’t been on MN in an age - aren’t the ads irritating!

Hopefully I’ve added my starting weight but I’m an absolute Luddite with technology . I’ve started the day with a small portion of natural yoghurt as that’s all I can eat at breakfast .

If this is your first bootcamp, make sure you enter your weight in the original weight column as well as the starting weight, otherwise it looks like you've lost everything!

Thanks @BIWI and @finallyhere for setting us up 🙏. Place marking - even though I probably won’t be fully boot camp compliant til week 3 owing to holiday. I’m fairly low carb alll the time now since starting in January although carb creep is upon me so this reset will be good. My goal for this boot camp is to get below 140 - between 135-138 where I would like to stay long term. I’ve been between 140-144 for months now so hoping I can just nudge under.

Morning all! I've been starting back low carbing since early september, and have gone from 14st 5 to hovering around the 13st 1 / 2 mark, and really feel the difference! I've just sneaked into the 'overweight' BMI from 'obese', and hoping to eventually get under 11st - it's been a long time since I've been that. For now I will be thrilled to get to 12 stone.

Ive found that meal planning the week ahead and having low carb lunch options really helps. Takes all the thinking out of it.

Today's lunch is a packet of king prawns with cucumber and tomatoes, maybe some avocado too, dinner will be cheesy scrambled egg with asparagus and possibly a slice of SLC bread with butter. And maybe some bacon.

I don't do breakfast now as I don't get hungry for it - one of the big perks of this WOE

Weigh in this morning was very representative of where I've been for quite some time, and almost exactly my average weight for the last month, so a fair start. Would like to lose a good half stone. I definitely have clothes which don't fit, which used to be a real red line for me, but alas I'm now Rayna44 not the "youthful" 37 I was when I had my son and first joined Mumsnet, and these things do seem more difficult!

I'm away working for a couple of days so breakfast on the go was a cold boiled egg and two leftover pigs in blankets; great start! I have tuna mayo salad and Greek yogurt for lunch but dinner still TBC!

Well, here I go.
Am trying not to get myself in a pickle, pushing too many new things into a routine. But, I can see the merit in really filling time, pushing it, in the hope that swift results means more motivation.
I think this is the heaviest I have ever been including pregnancies. The most upsetting thing recently was walking up a local hill, and being out of breathe. Really brought home how big and out of shape I've got.
Looking forward to the food planning and taking control of the kitchen.

... and by taking control of the kitchen @CarbONothing, you're taking control of yourself!