January '25 - Low Carb Bootcamp (Dry!) - week 1 (of 4ish)

[BIWI]

Good morning all, and a very happy new year

So today sees the start of the first low carb Bootcamp of 2025, and to get us off to the best start, this one is short and sharp. Only 4 weeks (ish, depending on when you actually start!), but also a dry one.

As with all Bootcamps, our first two weeks will be the strictest but with the option after this of moving on to Bootcamp Light for the remaining two weeks. The only difference being that we're aiming to be alcohol-free for the whole time.

Many thanks, as always, to the very lovely @FinallyHere, who is womanning the spreadsheet for us; you'll see that it allows for different start dates. Some of us are starting today, those in Scotland get an extra bank holiday so might be starting tomorrow - and several people are on holiday until 6 January. Exactly when you choose to weigh-in is entirely up to you!

Please have a good read of the spreadsheet!. Not only are the rules on there, there's also a huge amount of really useful information, along with a veg carb counter, helpfully traffic light colour-coded, to show you which are the best (and worst) options. You'll also find plenty of resources about low carbing, which will give you a good understanding of the science behind this WOE (way of eating).

As ever, any questions please post them here - or send me a PM if you prefer - as well as any meal suggestions and just general observations about how things are going for you.

Good luck to us all!

For inspiration - as well as reassurance that you can eat really well and still low carb,

Morning @BIWI ! Could I please be added to the spreadsheet? I forgot to add my name to the list.

4lb up from Christmas but it could be worse. Looking forward to a positive (sober) month!

@Doughnutcarrotall35 @SunshineInMySprocket
@Bex5490

added to the weighin sheet

Welcome to you and to @somanylights and @KittenPause

Glad to have you on board

(Copied from sign up thread to encourage all new messages in this the latest thread.

Thanks BIWI. I'm going to use the 'economy recipes' tab on the spreadsheet to do a bit of meal planning and make a shopping list.
I don't normally plan meals, and I think that really does sabotage me.

Thanks to a thread in the Yoga topic yesterday I realised that the youtube yoga person Adrienne began a new seven-day easy yoga programme yesterday that might be really helpful to a lot of people here. It is so gentle and loving and positive.
An easy bit of morning yoga is a great place from which to 'set an intention for the day' as yoga people put it. The intention in my case will be to eat with self-care and curiosity in accordance with the bootcamp rules -- and to do it in a spirit of kindness to myself (and others). That means that I mustn't punch and bully myself if my weight doesn't go down.
It also means that if I do have any failures I will just pick myself up kindly and carry on - in much the same way that we are told to gently return to an awareness of our breath when we catch ourselves in distraction during the meditation bits of yoga.

Placemarking for later! Thank you.

Thanks BIWI. Just done my first weigh in and am absolutely horrified at the number on the scales. I didn’t weigh this much the day I went into hospital to have DS!

But the fridge is stocked with healthy foods, my water bottle is next to me, have made a crustless quiche for lunch and a marinade for some chicken thighs for dinner. The only way is down - but in a good way.

Thanks @BIWI & @FinallyHere
Had lost a few pounds quite quickly after following silently on the last thread but had put half of that back on after really spoiling myself over the holidays!
looking forward to feeling a bit more comfortable in my trousers!

I can’t seem to see the first few columns of the spreadsheet, the only data I can enter is for week 2 and beyond

Good morning and thanks again @BIWI. I did Bootcamp in the summer, got down to a good weight (lowered my stress/resting heart rate, felt epic, etc.) and then stupidly let regular bread, sugar and booze back into my life. I'm now back (and a bit more) where I started and need a slap.

I'm starting on 3rd (Wales rather than Scotland) as I've still got unsuitable leftovers and hate food waste, which is a bit of an achilies heel of mine, but I stopped alcohol on 30th, so have had a dry New Year.

I've tried to add my starting weight to the spreadsheet, but I can't see a column for week 1. I'm on my (quite old) phone and can only see columns E onwards, so I'll try on my laptop later and see if that works 🤞

Cross posted with @Nexttoyou. I could only see F onwards, have somehow opened E, but no idea how 🤦‍♀️

@Nexttoyou @PunksVersusBrats

Sorry the spreadsheet isn't behaving for you. How are you accessing it? Maybe on a phone with the sheets app or a browser?

Or maybe on a laptop/desktop ? Again in a browser like chrome or an app?

Everytime someone reports an issue like this, if (when) we get it resolved I have learned a bit more about how it all works, so please bear with me while we work it out thank you

I also can’t use the spreadsheet but I’m 167.75lbs so jolly happy as I have lost a very small amount over the holidays .

@punksversusbrats I think the spreadsheet has freeze-panes activated but on a phone it's not possible to get into the columns - hopefully @FinallyHere can come to the rescue!

I've put my weight in kilos, hope this is OK. I'm 71.5kg today and my target is 62kg. More importantly I feel terrible and have eaten dreadfully for the past month. I'm looking forward to feeling better.

@Nexttoyou @PunksVersusBrats

I've wiped the oily rag across the parts of the spreadsheet indicated by @Baystard

Does that make any difference?

Thank you @Baystard

To answer a question from the other thread from@TheCourseOfTheRiverChanged

I'm in Australia, so coming to the end of my first day.
We had an unusually hot day for us - has been low 20s, today got up to 35`. My feet and ankles have swelled up so much it's painful.
It's possible this is just due to the weather but is there any chance the switch to low carbing has exacerbated it? Should I be having more water? More salt? Something else?
Many thanks for any pointers.

It sounds like it could be a need for potassium - so would be worth you getting some electrolyte supplements:

https://www.drberg.com/blog/fluid-retention-on-ketogenic-diet

In terms of water, at your weight, then around 2.5-3 litres a day is what you should be aiming for - however, in excessive heat, you could need to drink more.

Very important!

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.

It works nicely for me now @FinallyHere , oily rag applied with skill

Happy New Year everyone!

I wasn't doing too badly over Christmas but had a very boozy NYE and a lot of hangover-related carbs yesterday, so I'm a bloated mess today. So onwards and downwards!

Enjoyed eggs, bacon, asparagus and mushrooms for breakfast and looking forward to a lunchtime salad. Bolognese with courgetti for tea I think.

Thanks @BIWI - and thanks also for deciphering that I meant to post my question here! Easily disoriented!!
Will try and find some ORS without added glucose.
And DRINK MORE WATER!

Oh that is good news, thank you lovely @Baystard

Who knew that frozen panels were not supported on the app. Not me, that's for sure

Spreadsheets working on my iPad now but I’ve only put todays weight in as I can’t recall exactly where I started from in September .

Delighted to be starting this. Breakfast was ff yoghurt, lunch chopped up smoked mackerel, celery, lettuce and cucumber with mayo. Having to remind myself to drink all the water

How is everyone's eating going today?

I had Greek yoghurt for breakfast and have just had a tin of mackerel (plus the oil), some cheddar and half a bag of salad for lunch. I have also had two coffees with a dash of milk, and 3 glasses of water. I am quite full now, so hopefully that will keep me going until dinner time.
This is a WFH day for me, and I always tend to snack a lot, which is a bad habit! In the office, I never snack.

My lunch is some soup that I made, and froze, a couple of months ago. And then labelled, imaginatively, 'green vegetable'! Probably means it was what was left before I went shopping, so most likely leeks and broccoli. I do remember that I had some home-made chicken stock, so hopefully it will taste good. I'm going to have that with a dollop of crème fraîche and possibly some grated Parmesan on top.

This evening: something with chicken! Not sure how I'm going to cook it yet, although I have some olives that need to be used up, and some chillies, so could be some kind of spicy tomato sauce. With leeks and roasted cauliflower.

I had 2 boiled eggs for breakfast , smoked salmon and salad for lunch and we are having chilli tonight which I will have with shredded iceberg lettuce and cheese .