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.

@Clomid1 it is showing as green on the spreadsheet so I think you are ok 😊

I hope you had an oily dressing with it too, @Clomid1!

@PunksVersusBrats that looks very tasty.

I am making a carby meal for the rest of the household tonight, one that isn't easily adapted, and was debating what to make myself. I have some cooked ham in the fridge, though unbelievably I have no onions! I don't know when last there wasn't one knocking around the bottom of the fridge.

And only 1 egg...

@TeamToeBeans have you tried your americano with cream? I absolutely love coffee with cream, which replaced my latte habit and has stayed with me since my first bootcamp. It can be a little difficult to get cream at a coffee shop, so it depends where you go to meet DP but some do have it - ask for pouring cream (and if they only have whipped cream it's worth clarifying do they have it delivered as pouring cream).

Lunch today using leftovers as I'm WFH - salmon & spinach omelette with sprout, broccoli & halloumi traybake. Tonight it's meatball stroganoff with fried courgettes (cut into 'penne' whilst some family members have pasta) and probably some more spinach. All the water, more than usual ingested as herbal tea as it's so fricking cold!

Theonly dont see why it wouldn’t freeze well.

i found frozen med veg with basil oil in the freezer section at Tesco yesterday. My next easy soup will be with this. I’m imagining a handful of grated cheese on top. Will report back . Cheese is what I adore and is why this diet is so good for me

I'm on nights tonight and worried I'm.going to struggle. I don't usually eat much on a night as I bloat but what I do eat is sugar to keep me going, so sweets, full fat coke and toast at break. Probably why I bloat 😂 I've just had chicken, green beans and broccoli in a cream and mushroom sauce. Thinking of taking some cold cuts, cheese and cucumber sticks. Whether ill want that at 4 in the morning is another matter.

Thank you. There was a rule about no fruit and then I wasn’t sure if it was a fruit or a vegetable 😂

I also love all the cheese and chorizo, I can't think of anything that wouldn't be improved by chorizo but it does hinder me when I only have a little to lose, although that won't be for a while!

I am hungry. Woke up hungry. Was not hungry after breakfast though, not particularly at lunchtime. So I'm appreciating the lower carbs. I find it no problem drinking as this diet makes me thirsty and also a bitter taste in my mouth I want to wash away. I'm new to low carb, is that normal? Did not take enough for my lunch (ham in veg soup and Yeo valley greek yogurt) gonna eat cheese tonight. @BIWI noted about the cough sweet. I'm not coughing anymore. Toddler kept us up last night. Might be contributing to my hunger.

@InMyLowCarbEra I hadn’t thought about an Americano with cream. I’ll ask tomorrow, good idea!

Opened the last of the assorted jars of mayo I brought back from France last summer and found this one is VERY low carb, hurrah!

Food for today:
B: 2 eggs scrambled with butter, black olives
L: tuna mayo, lettuce tomato cucumber celery and olives. Plain yogurt.
D: just made a big batch of bolognaise using 50/50 pork and venison mince. Will have mine with sliced field mushrooms and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

I was regretting my cold lunch in this freezing office (lettuce/cucumber topped with smoked cheese and a chopped up random sausage) but having some sort of warming chicken curry with cauli rice later.

@PunksVersusBrats phwoar, that plateful looks right up my street. Sprouts are one of my favourite things in the world. Normally midweek I am alone in the house (as DH works away Tues-Thur) but he's hurt his back and can't drive, which has rather thrown out my meal planning. I'd be delighted with cheesy sprouts; him less so.

@Alwayslearning25

this diet makes me thirsty and also a bitter taste in my mouth I want to wash away. I'm new to low carb, is that normal?

This is a good sign! Suggests you’re in ketosis - and it will only be temporary.

Have a read of the FAQ thread I linked to earlier, for an explanation.

Thirst can also be a sign that you need more sodium (i.e. salt) - it’s one of the key electrolytes that we need.

Theonly I love choritzo too, but since it’s highly processed I’m leaving it. I was overjoyed when BIWI said olives were ok though.

Managed the water today by drinking mint tea instead of my usual coffee/tea. This is so good, I’m expecting to have glowing skin and for my wrinkles to disappear before my big (depressing) birthday at the end of the year 🤣. Spent most of the day rushing to the loo though!

Cortado? The expresso, but only a fraction of the milk

Inspired by @PunksVersusBrats I finally plumped for fried shredded Brussels sprouts, mushroom, garlic, gammon, my one egg, and some sliced up brie. It was delicious! The brie worked well in a bacon-and-brie sort of way.

Struggled to get through the 2 litres of water but I'm persevering through the evening.

Defrosting some spinach to make some sort of curry tomorrow, warm and spicy feels like a good idea (thank you for the inspiration @CointreauVersial)

Today was challenging , as due to snow and freezing cold I only went outside to check my cold frame ( but couldn’t open the lid )

Had to hunt for veg in the freezer , only found peas , but hopefully the wrong veg is better than no veg
B Greek yog
L cheese and spring onion omlette
D chicken breast with onions , carrots , some tomato passata , some clotted cream ( a lucky find in the freezer ) and peas

Long list for the supermarket tomorrow

@venusandmars i have always admired the look of a cortado , but don’t like milk ( I’ll try it one day )

Well I can safely say I do not want cold cuts at 4am on a night shift. Not appealing at all. Currently picking at cucumber and tomato with cream cheese. Will have to think of something different as I'm on nights next week too.

Can you take a flask of soup @zobalina77?

If you can get hold of a wide-mouthed flask @zobalina77 you could take leftovers from a hot meal - or, as @Almahart suggests, some soup.

Hi everyone. May I join? I've been silently watching and trying to follow the rules of one of the last year's bootcamp (what a great idea - thank you {mention:BIWI}@BIWI)), but I don't think I approached it with the right mindset - I did lose around a stone and then just gave up. Maybe a bit more accountability and actually admitting that I'm trying to lose weight might help. I have added my name to the bottom of the spreadsheet - hope that's OK.

You’re very welcome @SavoySteam!

Accountability definitely helps, and admitting you’re aiming to lose weight will definitely help. It’s important to have the support of those around you. (Watch out for those who try to sabotage you though - it’s surprisingly common.)

Went to a pilates class this morning, it's been some time since I last went and I guess I'm going to have some sore places tomorrow! No breakfast before I went so I came home to a brunch of creamy mushroom soup (made with left over sauce and bones from yesterday's chicken) with chopped up chicken and kale in it. Plus a couple of anchovies to nibble on while the soup was heating. I think tonight will be a cheese, tomato and broccoli crustless quiche, with salad.

Aargh, went to buy more eggs last night and the shelves were completely empty, will try another supermarket tonight.

I am patting myself on the back as I have been avoiding cakes at every coffee and lunch break at work this week (someone brought a load in for their birthday and they stay out till they're gone) plus homemade cakes at choir last night. The hardest thing so far was when DS was making toast this morning and it smelled AMAZING. But I resisted.