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.

Evening.....Happy New Year.....I don't often join Bootcamp but this time I really feel like I need some accountability. I have been low-carbing since 2010, but have been a bit slack recently; I started Christmas eating and drinking sometime in November, and consequently have a 7-10lbs to lose so I can do up my jeans again. Midweek wine has become a habit, and I need a reset. I've added myself to the spreadsheet.

I spent last week finishing off all the Christmas goodies, and have nothing around to tempt me. No kidults to cook for any more. Stocked up on herbal teas to combat the wine craving. Cheesy omelette for breakfast, turkey soup and a small sandwich made with low-carb bread for lunch.....will be having panfried seabass with coleslaw and a heap of salad for dinner.

I am TERRIBLE about drinking water, and always have been (child of the 70s, when we seemingly managed without it), so will try and do better in this area.

@poorbuthappy for me the key trick about eating out is to look at the menu in advance - sometime when I've just eaten, so I'm not hungry - choose the best bootcamp compatable option in advance, and stick to that choice as closely as possible.

@BrieAndLetBrie Oh those brie bites look lovely!

Meal planning is a bit delayed as I have to wait to see what my veg box brings tomorrow, then I can plan for the rest of the week.

Was out with dgc today, I did have some food with me but we ended up in a place where it would have been difficult to eat it. I went for baked potato with prawn marie rose. But WAIT @BIWI before you get your big stick out. My meal came with salad and slaw, so did the dgcs meals. So I swapped half a potato each for their salads. I had prawns with heaps of salad and they had fish goujon sandwiches with baked potato. Phew! I think that was all OK and I'l have my salmon, waldorfy thing for breakfast tomorrow.

I made mayonnaise! Thanks @BIWI for the link. It’s so good! Tuna mayonnaise and cucumber for tomorrow’s lunch then 🙂

Hi all, I'm joining again after doing this several years ago. I'm at a fairly comfortable weight but would like to lose half a stone or so, mostly doing it to try to cut out the school night drinking (I'm a teacher, not a student 😂) and snacking...plus my IBS has been horrible recently, so I'm hoping a reset might help. I've already cut out gluten for the past year which did bring some relief but I think it's sugar that sets it off, along with stress...it's been debilitating over Christmas, too much alcohol.

I started with two boiled eggs for breakfast, not until 10.45 (so after getting up at 6, probably lunch!) as I had a break in lessons then, couldn't eat again until 2pm, had turkey and ham pie filling from home made Xmas pie, spring greens and broccoli. Haven't drunk much water though, on my third tea/coffee with milk but I'll try to stick to black coffee tomorrow. I usually fast until lunch at 2pm anyway so I'm used to that.

Struggling with things to drink though, I ordered some magnesium glycinate drinks over Xmas which have flavouring and stevia, I'm guess that's no good though?

Bought them in an aim to get better sleep, drink less alcohol and not be so achey at night (just about done with perimeno phase and properly menopausal now, which was a bit of a shocker at 47, but I'm really feeling it in my bones now.

I'm mostly going to struggle drinking 2 litres of water, it was freezing at work today and there's never any time to dash to the loo, so I've learned to ignore a full bladder and to not drink much all day...got to get into the habit though.

Also struggling with how to manage three meals, with one low carb, my son being super picky and only eating beige food and DD not eating gluten either...I get in a proper rut with making dinner as it's just me at home, I do manage to plan quite successfully but am just so tired when I get in the door it all goes out the window.

Dinner tonight is roast chicken leftovers, veg and gravy. No idea what's for lunch tomorrow as I have to leave at lunchtime to drive to get home for DD who is on a home Ed package and doesn't leave the house unless I take her places, so she comes with me to do the food shop. Will have to eat in the car, or just wait till dinner at 5 ish. Hoping some of this will rub off on her, she's put on so much weight since being at home all day and barely moves, she's addicted to sugar too. Can't be told anything though so I just have to lead by example...

@Theghostofchristmasarse I have bought these two different drinks: Jinger which I have beside me now with ice and soda water, and ZooZ a can of which is in the fridge in case I 'need' it later.

Neither product has artificial sweetners. The ZooZ has some honey in it, but it's only 17 calories per can so it can't be much. Both are expensive - but then so is wine!

@venusandmars thank you, they sound lovely, I'll give it a go. I'm with my partner this weekend and were heading out to see some music, I know I'm going to want a drink but he's trying to cut down too, if I had something as an option in the pub that would be good too..

Food check in for the day:
B: scrambled eggs with butter, some black olives on the side to boost the veg
L: 2 egg omelette with shallot, tomato and 3 cheeses in it. Full fat plain yogurt.
D: Really nice lightly smoked salmon fillet, some sautéed pointed cabbage and tender stem broccoli, with butter.
Surprised to find I’ve smashed my water, despite the cold weather. It takes a while to tick it off if it’s just mugs of chamomile but actually enjoyed some cold water in nice 500ml glasses plus got one 500ml bottle in during DS’s swimming lesson.

@TeamToeBeansthat is very impressive! I’d written off trying after wasting lots of oil on failed mayo attempts but maybe I’ll try again.

I'm not vegan (love cheese!) but I don't eat eggs. Any suggestions for breakfast? I had scrambled tofu today and did not like it 😔

• Edited to add that I'm vegetarian.

Had a busy day. Actually left my salad on the side so instead ate a boiled egg at lunch, and maybe 3 chips... but didn't actually feel hungry until dinner time. Then, DH gave me a small portion of white rice as it's 'low carb' didn't quite get when I keep telling him carbs are in fruit veg nuts etc. I didn't eat the rice at dinner, chicken and tomato sauce. Then my lunch i hadn't packed. I still felt hungry had some yogurt (I only got 5% fat) but it didn't really fulfill me. I'll have maybe a nice herbal tea. And hopefully remember to take my lunch with me tomorrow!

@BrieAndLetBrie those crispy brie bites look great. Do you really just blitz sliced brie in the microwave?

I'm very inspired by the mayonnaise. I've had mixed results before but you've encouraged me to have another go @TeamToeBeans

I didn't quite get through the whole 2 litres of water but if I include the 2 coffees and 2 cups of tea I probably did drink that much overall. It certainly helped me to move more, I was trouping to and fro the loo all day Will try to finish the water this evening.

I've done BC successfully in the past, but have crept up steadily, not least over Christmas, and I'm ready to reset.

yep the brie was just sliced and 3 minutes in the microwave, full power on greaseproof paper, I didn’t think it was working for the first 2 minutes but it actually turned out ok. I am definitely going to have to try the mayo recipe tomorrow, feeling inspired!

@Rayna37 @RightTurnClyde I was fully expecting to dump failed mayonnaise in the bin, after first having a strop, but I was amazed, I followed the recipe and it just worked!

I’m going to try the Brie things next.

My go to is full fat greek yoghurt with some cinnamon and some cream. I add some berries when we get out of the first two weeks of BC.

Me too, but also inspired to try again. Avocado oil is on the shopping list.

How about large portabello mushroom with grilled cheese on top.

or Halumi, roast cherry tomatoes and spinach.

or even Greek salad?

@CrawlingFromShitshowToAfterglow I like avocado with grated cheese and olive oil. Or soup, love soup for breakfast.

@Alwayslearning25 I think that eating properly at lunch time (plenty of fat) means I'm less snacky and hungry later on in the day.

Ooh those are nice ideas. Whoever said that breakfast has to be crunchy cereal or toast? Mr Kellog / Mr Warburton I am looking at you

@Theghostofchristmasarse the only thing I drink in the pub (when on strict bootcamp) is soda water. There is nothing else. I just go with it, and it's surprisingly OK.

I think some others may have suggestions for no alcohol beer...?

There are lots of low/no alcohol beers, unfortunately a lot of them are pretty high in carbs. You can buy lower carb ones in the supermarket, but the ones in pubs tend to be the higher carb ones.

I’ve done a list of some of them, on the spreadsheet.

Does anyone else already have a headache. I started yesterday and probably started getting a headache at some point in the evening yesterday. I ate well today and just took some pain killers for the headache. I am very tired as well 😅. Really missing my sugar

Hello! Thanks for setting this up BIWI. Just logging myself on the system here so it will pop up easily when I get online everyday, There seems to be a lot more adverts to fight through and try to find the threads these days.... I did the bootcamp in 2012/13 and my hideous goals were to go from morbidly obese to obese... etc. It worked, and I lost a lot and kept it off for a fair while but I've let it slip again so I'm back on bootcamp. Should have listened to you, BIWI, about it being a way of eating and not a diet....My goal this time is to get down to my 9 months pregnant weight..... anyway, I'm boring myself now, so hello and let's do this!

Today didn’t quite go to plan , as we have snow ( lots of, we don’t have snow often )

Not as much veg in the house as I’d like , but managed to make a veg soup for lunch by scrabbling round the bottom of the fridge and finding some frozen cauliflower , bit of Christmas blue cheese melted in , nicer than I thought !

Dinner was leftover baked ham , ratatouille and some frozen beans sautéed in garlic butter

Scrambled eggs for breakfast

Hoping to be able to get the car out tomorrow ( or catch the bus ) and get some greens , cream , chicken , I remember the lovely Chicken Alfredo from Diet Dr website from a previous Bootcamp

Thanks @BIWI for doing this again

I’ve had a good start , boiled eggs for breakfast , smoked salmon and cucumber for lunch , chicken with broccoli and kale for dinner . I’ve drunk at least 3 l of water , I put a slice of lemon or lime in a pint glass to give it a bit of flavour which I hope is ok as I don’t like plain water .

Thanks for this @BIWI
Here again because excessive sugar cravings are starting to really worry me as I age.