January ’26 Low Carb Bootcamp - getting us started!

[BIWI]

Welcome to the first Low Carb Bootcamp of 2026 - and Happy New Year to us all

Each week, every Monday, I’ll start a new chat thread, with a link to the spreadsheet. But I wanted to start this one a little bit earlier, so that I could post some prep stuff - either as a reminder, if you’ve Bootcamped before, or as key information if you haven’t.

If you haven’t Bootcamped before, and things aren’t very clear, then the FAQ thread should be helpful:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/low_carb_bootcamp/4049535-Low-Carb-Bootcamp-FAQs?reply=118903269

But please ask any questions on the threads - or PM me if you’d prefer.

The very lovely @FinallyHere is working on the spreadsheet in preparation for Monday. You don’t have to be on it, so either message me/her to ask to be removed, or simply ignore your row!

To make sure everyone who has signed up has seen this thread, I’m going to tag you all - in batches of 10 because sometimes it doesn’t work if you try to do everyone at the same time.

@mumsandaunties has made a good point about being a vegetarian - if any other posters are veggie, please could you let us know? We colour-code the spreadsheet so it’s easy to remember, and that way we can give appropriate advice and feedback about food/meals.

Thank you BIWI, much appreciated. I fell off the ladder last time I tried due to some issues here. But I did keep the weight off for over a year. It has crept back on now and I’m looking forward to losing a bit so I make life a bit better for my pony!

@BIWI I noticed you usually set all the threads and run the bootcamp so thank you as you’re helping so much people and its not even a paid service. I was wondering what got you started with this? Did you have a lot of weight to lose or was there another reason?

Thanks BIWI, this is very much needed. I know my main danger zone is lunch. I'm a teacher, so an undisturbed 15 minutes to eat is a luxury rather than the norm, especially now that schools are running on a skeleton staff. It's a challenge to eat enough to see me through until later, especially if I've got meetings, etc. and no time to eat again when the children leave. I can demolish a sandwich and a banana in 5 minutes but a lovely LC salad takes much longer. Then I end up hangry and eating whatever rubbish is to hand. Rinse and repeat 😣

Maybe it's just time for a new job but, in the meantime, I'm going to try eating in my car 😆

Many years ago it was the run up to Christmas and I was trying to find the perfect ‘Little Black Dress’ for a party. I stood in the shop, in front of a mirror, looking at the size 14 I’d just tried on, and all I could see were lumps and bumps! At 5ft 2in, size 14 was already a size I hadn’t worn before, but the idea of having to move to a 16 was just too much, so I knew I had to do something. Over the years I think I’d done what everyone else had done - high fibre, low fat, calorie counting etc, but nothing really seemed to stick in the long run - and I wasn’t prepared to feel so hungry and deprived all the time.

Coincidentally, not long after, I met up with an ex-colleague, who had lost loads of weight, and she told me about low carbing - her GP had recommended it, so that was when I first started to explore it.

I ended up on a series of long-running low carb threads here, but eventually realised that I needed something a bit more strict than just chatting about stuff. So I devised the Bootcamp rules, for myself, but then asked if anyone wanted to join me - and 80 people signed up! That was the start of it, back in 2012.

@PunksVersusBrats it might be worth you exploring SrslyLowCarb:

https://srslylowcarb.com

Their low carb bread and wraps are pretty good - expensive, but in your circumstances they could be a lifesaver.

I don’t take commission, by the way!

Thanks BIWI, that might be just the thing! How well does it keep?

Thanks so much for running this again BIWI. Another veggie here - I won't participate in the spreadsheet this time but looking forward to the chat here. May also be worth pointing out there is a specific veggie recipes thread with lots of great ideas.

I keep it in the freezer

Thanks so much @BIWI. The first bootcamp I did was in 2012, I hadn't realised it must have been one of your first! I am so looking forward to this, I feel so much more energetic and clear headed on this woe. I put on a lot of weight when I had long covid and am ready to really shift it now.

Did a big shop today so the fridge is full and ready to go. Am now veggie with the odd bit of fish.

Thank you @BIWI

I'm not vegetarian but I am lactose intolerant. Hard cheese is fine for me though.

That’s amazing! Thank you for running these 14 years on!

Just another quick question the rules for the first 2 weeks says no processed food. Does this count things like sausages and ham because I’ve just bought lots of ham so I could snack on it if hungry

It’s processed food in moderation - bacon, sausages and ham are all useful in a low carb diet, but just be aware that they are processed.

Not all ham is bad though - just look out for stuff that’s re-formed (most cheap ham is). Even better is to cook your own ham - I do this. A small joint, first boiled various aromatics and then roasted, can yield plenty of decent slices.

… and when it comes to sausages, most supermarkets’ premium brands (Tesco Finest, Waitrose No1, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference, etc) will have high meat content sausages, that are pretty low carb

@Clomid1 it’s also important to say that one of the reasons I have continued with a low carb diet - mostly! I do fall off the wagon fairly frequently, for various reasons - is that I realised fairly early on that I was no longer experiencing any of my IBS symptoms. A major result. Indeed, if I do fall off the wagon for extended periods of time, it’s the first signal that I need to get back on to it, as my symptoms start to reappear.

For other Bootcampers, there are many similar stories, with various different conditions.

@PunksVersusBrats how about a pot of home made prawn cocktail - a base of very finely shredded lettuce, finely chopped tomato, diced cucumber (in one pot), then at lunch time add prawns and a homemade cocktail sauce (from another pot). Maybe with some chopped up salmon in it too for extra protein. If you can eat it with a teaspoon, then I think you can eat it fast enough. Maybe a couple of rollitos (cheese wrapped in thin ham) that you can munch while you are walking back to class.

Or a tub of cheesy guacamole. I like holy moly with added cottage cheese and some grated cheddar. Celery sticks to add some crunch.

Or celeriac and ham remoulade.

Essentially anything chopped finely enough that you can eat it relatively quickly with a teaspoon.

I also like this It is dense like rye bread, slightly under 4g carb per slice, great for an open sandwich with cream cheese, smoked salmon, cucumber, gherkins...

Thank you @BIWI and all supporting this BC.

I have spent the last few days hoovering up various nice carby (but largely non UPF) Christmas foods and making the most of pre-bootcamp freedom.

Tomorrow I'll move the white wine out of the fridge as I think it won't be as easy to drink on impulse if I need to chill it first. I'll also just bin any remaining Christmas food, including a box of celebrations that nobody actually seems to like anymore following their enshittification and which weren't even opened.

I'm going to be batch cooking lasagne tomorrow and wondering what to use instead of pasta sheets, preferably that doesn't involve going out to the shop. Could savoy cabbage leaves work? Or layers of courgette maybe?

I think @prettybird has a lasagne recipe that uses courgettes @RightTurnClyde - may be worth checking out the recipe topic to see if she’s posted it there?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/low-carb-recipes

(Although sending out the bat signal may prompt a reply )

Thank you running this @BIWI. Yesterday I ate up lots of bad food in preparation, probably not the best. I bought some coconut water, thinking it's not the same as juice but it's got added fructose and 4.5g carbs, 4 sugar.... should I stick to water for the first 2 weeks. I thought I'd have it to had if I get the 'carb flu'. I have lots of meat and vegetables, but the house is full of carbs as I have 2 small children as well. DH is more into healthy eating running etc than me. He does lots of running and does need carbs.

Personally, with my body I find exercising on an empty stomach/ just a small yogurt feels the best. So I do it before breakfast if I'm up/ family situation allows it.

I wake up with very random bruises. I have been checked with bloods taken and they say its all normal. Fingers crossed this helps with it. I also have PCOS so hoping to control some of those symptoms too. Fingers crossed I can get these under control like you have with IBS

Thank you @BIWI!

Hi @BIWI. Thanks for setting this up. I'm a vegetarian so hoping I can get enough protein as my carb (and sugar) intake is really high!

Rose Elliott has written a low carb diet plan and recipe book, which might help you. I have the recipe book, but not the diet plan, and there are some lovely recipes there.

Thank you @BIWIfor running this. I’ve got an activity booked in six weeks time that has a weight restriction. When I booked it I had plenty of time to lose enough weight, but I have been lax and not lost as much as planned. Now it’s very close and, as of today, I’ve got down to exactly the maximum weight for the activity. But that doesn’t allow for wearing clothing and shoes, or drinking water and having breakfast on the day. I’d like to shed another stone so I’m not worrying on the day that I’ll be turned away.