Pre-Christmas '26 Low Carb Bootcamp - the prep thread

[BIWI]

Welcome! This Bootcamp will start on Monday 5 October, and will run for 8 weeks.

I know some of you have done Bootcamp before, some of you have low carbed before, but a few haven’t done either, so here’s a load of information which should give you a good idea of what to expect:

First, a bit about Bootcamp generally:

Bootcamp is a Low Carb way of eating
It’s important to recognise that it’s not a zero carb diet. You aren’t cutting out a whole macronutrient. You will still be eating carbs, except far fewer than you would have been before. Your carbs will come mainly from vegetables, salad and (some) fruits.

A ‘conventional’ UK diet is one that is high in carbohydrates, has a medium amount of protein and is low in fat. What we do when we’re low carbing is to turn that on its head. So it’s low in carbs, still has a medium amount of protein, but is high in fat.

How does Bootcamp work?
Bootcamp is designed to be easy to follow. We don’t count carbs (or calories), and we don’t set a daily limit for carbs. There are just ten rules that we apply.

However. Easy to follow doesn’t mean easy to do. The clue is in the word ‘Bootcamp’! The first two weeks are strict, and the most restrictive. They’re also the weeks where you’re most likely to see pretty significant weight loss. After these first two weeks, you can move on to Bootcamp Light (if you wish).

Low carbing isn’t a very forgiving way of eating. It’s not like calorie counting, where you can compensate for one high calorie meal by having a very low one next time. You need to keep your carbs low at all meals, all day, for it to work optimally for you.

Bootcamp is, though, designed to be nutritionally positive. You will be eating plenty of fresh, unprocessed foods, along with lots of vegetables and salads.

As it’s a Bootcamp, you’ll find (and many of you will know (!) that I’m pretty strict. If you’re not following the rules, I will pick you up on that. Because I know that if you are cheating, then it won’t work for you. Which ultimately means you’ll be disappointed when it comes to weighing-in.

The ten rules

Here is a summary of the rules - the full explanation of these is on the spreadsheet

1. (In the first two weeks) eat three proper meals a day
2. Avoid processed foods
3. Eat lots of fat
4. Make sure you’re eating vegetables and salad with your meals
5. Be careful about dairy (apart from butter, which is unlimited)
6. You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day
7. (In the first two weeks) no alcohol
8. (In the first two weeks) no fruit
9. (In the first two weeks ) no nuts or seeds
10. No sugar or artificial sweeteners

NB if you’re a vegetarian, you are allowed to include nuts and seeds, and some more processed foods like Quorn, tofu or soya-based products.

As well as following the rules, you need to know which foods you won't be eating during Bootcamp. These are:

• pasta/noodles/rice (of any colour or type)
• bread, in any form
• pastry
• sweet and savoury biscuits/crackers
• cereals
• sugar (which also includes honey, agave syrup and fruit sugar)
• flour (and sauces/gravy thickened with flour)
• cakes
• full sugar fizzy drinks, and squash/cordial
• fruit juice
• potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweetcorn, beetroot
• balsamic vinegar (all other vinegars are fine)
• grains/pulses/legumes (which includes peas)
• sweets

... and alcohol, of course!

For the first two weeks of Bootcamp, you must also exclude:

• all fruit
• nuts/seeds*
• all chocolate

After the first two weeks of Bootcamp, if you wish, you can move to Bootcamp Light, which means you can add in:

• some fruit - berries are the best
• some nuts/seeds - in moderation, and choosing them carefully as the carb counts can vary dramatically
• some chocolate - dark, high cocoa-content chocolate only

Foods you CAN eat and enjoy:

In the main, things you generally can't eat on any other diet! Low carb means high fat, so you will be able to enjoy things like:

• butter
• lard
• cream
• cheese
• mayonnaise
• olive oil
• full fat yoghurt
• No light/lite or low fat anything!
• all meat/fish/seafood (although keep processed options to a minimum); fattier cuts/types of fish are encouraged
• eggs (no restriction on how many per day/week)
• oily dressings (especially using extra virgin olive oil/avocado oil)
• lard/coconut oil (as well as butter) for frying food
• LOTS of vegetables and salad

The very lovely @FinallyHere will be running the spreadsheet, where we record our progress each week - and which has loads of other information and resources for you. I'll post a link when we get going.

Very importantly:
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 whether or not this is something that you should be doing.

I've been doing this for a long time, but it's always good to have the prep thread to remind me of how far I've strayed...

Just a heads-up - I'm away from tomorrow until the weekend, so won't be posting much until then.

But as I've posted before, here's a link to the spreadsheet; have a read of the resources (on the tabs at the bottom) so you get a better feel for it. Also, a full version of the rules is on there, along with helpful carb counters.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gsWvWpGzTSJld1avBi9-uLJveFZes9Qa2ORKthPMl8E/edit?pli=1&gid=1415293539#gid=1415293539

There's also a FAQ thread which is worth a read

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

I think you mentioned on the sign-up thread, BIWI, that it would be good to make a statement of goals at the beginning of the bootcamp, for the purpose of loin-girding, realism and holding oneself to account.

So here is mine:

1. I don't need to lose weight. I WANT to lose weight, but what I really need is to teach myself to focus on eating for health and energy, and to turn myself gently away from a disordered attitude to food.
2. I will fall off the wagon. Learning to eat well is learning to jump back on the wagon cheerfully and fast, instead of sadly watching it rumble out of view.
3. Portion control. PORTION CONTROL, WOMAN!
4. Getting control of the evenings. Avoiding the habits that lead to snacking. E.g. sitting in the kitchen watching Netflix in easy reach of cupboards.

Thanks, @BIWI. Just placemarking for now.

Are red onions allowed in first two weeks please? I can’t see them on the spreadsheet so I’m wondering if they’re fine like shallots, or best avoided like brown onions.

As far as I know, red onions have the same carb count as white/brown onions (but I'll check!)

Given that they form so much a part of so many dishes I tend not to worry too much about onions - but if you can use shallots instead that's always good! (Avoid the little round ones and go for the echalion/banana ones as they're much easier to peel)

@MyThreeWords You have just saved me working out my goals as yours are just perfect , I’m just adding on
5 Waistline . I want a waist again

@KellyOnAHeli yep - red onions are the same carb count as brown onions

I usually have almond milk in my tea/coffee. Is that ok or should i be aiming to have it black these two weeks?
I know the advise is veggies can have some nuts. Does it include nut milk?
I could prob stick to green tea/peppermint other herbal tea for two weeks tbf…. maybe

Looking forward to your company lovely Bootcampers. I've been back on the waggon mid august and soo glad to be feeling the benefits of this way of eating.

Going to focus on matching portion size to my real hunger, reminding myself i can always go back and get more if i really am hungry after eating. Simples.

I don’t know about nut milks but if you’re looking for a hot drink that’s good without milk, have you tried rooibos tea? I really like it, it’s naturally caffeine free and it’s stocked in most supermarkets. The Tick Tock brand is quite often on special offer.

I have! It’s the only tea I drink, well that and Earl Grey. It’s lovely without milk too so will stick to having it without milk for the two weeks at least.

I’m really looking forward to starting this. I usually try to eat low carb anyway, but then a bit of a ‘treat’ creeps in and before I know it, I’ve gained anything I ever lost. Low carb always helps me beat the sugar cravings.

I've just been to the shop and got stocked up on meats, fish and veg. I’m planning to do lots of traybakes because it’s easier for me to cook a large portion and use it for multiple meals and I find traybakes work well for me for that.

CICO never works for me no matter what anyone says. Low carb is the only thing that ever works. I want to get a handle on my weight and mental energy - sick of thinking about what ‘treat’ will I have this evening? I know that isn’t a healthy way to view food.

Also does anyone else do low carb whilst weightlifting? There’s so much conflicting advice. I’m not lifting heavy but want to make sure I’m not doing anything too crazy.

Good morning all,
Just checking in. Will be going shopping today in preparation for next week. Am on my phone so struggle with the spreadsheets and opening recipe tabs - the main thing I'm worried about is what to take to work for lunch. I have access to a fridge but no microwave. The canteen is very carb heavy.
Good luck to everyone for next week.

@Aiming4Optimistic salads are good for work lunches. Or there’s a recipe for “cheeseburger pie” on the recipe threads which is like a quiche made with a minced beef base. It’s lovely cold and very handy for packed lunches.

@staytoxic if you’re already eating low carb then it won’t make any difference to your weight lifting. If you’re new to low carb then you may find it tough going for the first few weeks until your metabolism fully adjusts to burning fat instead of glucose.

@SaySomethingMan unsweetened almond milk should be fine in the first two weeks. The reason nuts aren’t allowed in the first two weeks is because they’re relatively high carb so it will disrupt the process of switching your body over from carb-burning to fat-burning. Even when they are permitted, in week 3, it’s best to limit the quantity as they’re hugely calorific. A 100g portion of peanuts is 567 calories!

Morning all!

Back from hols now, so will start to post some more info later today in preparation for starting tomorrow.

But the best piece of advice I can give any one here is to plan and prepare for next week - meal plan, including your lunches (especially if you're back at work) and make sure that you've got rid of any carby temptations in your fridge/cupboard.

I find it helpful to hard boil a few eggs at the start of the week, and then they’re ready for me to grab on my way out to work. A regular workday lunch for me is hard boiled eggs, baby bel cheese, and a Peperami (but I’d need to check if those are Bootcamp compatible).

A pot of tuna & mayo with cucumber is also a good option, and I like to take salad leaves and roll them up in a slice of ham to eat.

@Aiming4Optimistic I don't use my phone much to use MN so I can't really help there - however, to access the spreadsheet you'll need to have the Google Sheets app on your phone.

Other things for lunch include cooked, low carb sausages. Most of the supermarket premium ranges are low in carbs, because they have a high meat content. (Just check the back of the pack for the carb count).

And @Castlerigg is spot on

A regular workday lunch for me is hard boiled eggs, baby bel cheese, and a Peperami (but I’d need to check if those are Bootcamp compatible).

These are all good.

I'd also add avocado - make a vinaigrette dressing and take in a small pot to add to the fruit. (If you can find a good avocado - I'm absolutely hopeless at judging how ripe/unripe they are!)

Another favourite lunch was a whole mozzarella, with a few cherry tomatoes, some basil leaves and a good drizzle of olive oil. Mozzarella is high in fat (as long as you're not buying the lighter versions) and protein but very low in carbs.

Hello all...am also prepping for the next few days so that I don’t get caught out. Am veggie so reaching for bread is incredibly easy when hungry!

Am also making a big batch of mushroom soup for work lunch, which I will take with a tub full of cheese cubes, avocado salad and cucumber.

Dinner tomorrow will be an omelette full of veggies.

Slightly intimidated by the 4l of water I need to drink daily but will do my best and gradually increase across week 1.

Excited to start!

@JuggedHare tea and coffee will help towards your water intake (just try and keep the amount of milk you're using, if you are, and no adding sugar or sweeteners!)

@Fupoffyagrasshole @BoredtoRushed you've both said you're new to low carbing, so it's really important that you understand how low carbing works, as it's a very different WOE/mindset from low calorie or low fat diets.

If you haven't already, have a read of the FAQ thread, which should give you a good idea of what you've signed up to (!)

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

Here's the starting question, which explains a little more about it

1. How does a low carb diet work?
When you eat carbohydrate, it breaks down into glucose. Your pancreas releases the hormone insulin to sweep glucose out of your blood stream. The current diet that we’re recommended to follow in the UK is a high carbohydrate one, and so our bodies are constantly having to release lots of insulin.

The effect of this is for your blood sugar levels to rise and fall quite dramatically. Every time your blood sugar levels fall, which will happen around 2-3 hours after you’ve eaten, you’ll feel hungry again. The more carbohydrate you eat, the more pronounced this will be – this is why you’ll find yourself hungry around 11.00 and 15.00 after a typical breakfast of cereal/toast/fruit juice, or lunch of a sandwich and a packet of crisps (and perhaps a chocolate bar!). And what will you snack on at those times? Generally, even more carbohydrate! The biscuits with your mid-morning cup of tea or coffee, a slice of cake in the afternoon, etc.

If you keep your carbohydrate intake low, this rise and fall of blood sugars is much less dramatic. Protein and fat have a much more limited impact – insulin isn’t released to deal with fat – so your blood sugar levels are more stable, and as a result you will feel much less hungry between meals.

Strictly speaking Bootcamp is not a low carb diet, but a low insulin diet. The hormone insulin is released when we eat carbohydrate and one of its effects is to block the release of fat from fat cells. Lowering our carb intake, and therefore our insulin levels, allows fat to flow freely out of fat cells and be used as a fuel source. Over the first couple of weeks your appetite will naturally reduce, and your calorie intake will drop without hunger… and you’ll lose weight.

@Lexingtonavenueandme @sillyrubberduck @Theoreticallyadult you've said you've low carbed before, but not done Bootcamp.

The main difference between Bootcamp and other plans, like Atkins, is that we don't count carbs. (And we certainly don't count calories). If you look at the spreadsheet, you'll see that there are vegetable and fruit carb counts, which are helpfully marked red/amber/green. The traffic light system is to help make it easier to identify the veg, and fruits after the first two weeks, that you should be focusing on, or ignoring/keeping to a minimum.

The reason for not counting carbs is simple - it's to make it an easy plan to follow. Having to weigh everything you're cooking/eating is not only tedious, it's sometimes not very easy to do, e.g. if you're eating a meal in a restaurant or at someone else's house.

Bootcamp is designed to be easy to follow - but that doesn't necessarily make it easy to do. The clue is in the name 'Bootcamp'!
You may find the first few days, or the first week, tough - especially if you've previously been eating a very high carb diet. Watch out for symptoms of carb flu - this again is from the FAQ thread

7. What is carb flu?
Carb flu, or keto flu as it’s sometimes called, occurs as your body transitions from burning sugar (i.e. carbs) to burning fat for most of its energy needs.
Switching from a high-carb diet to a very-low-carb diet lowers insulin levels in your body, one of the primary goals of a ketogenic diet.

When insulin levels are very low, your liver begins converting fat into ketones, which most of your cells can use in place of glucose.

When your body is mainly using ketones and fat for energy, you’re in a state of ketosis.

However, it takes your brain and other organs some time to adapt to using this new fuel. When your insulin levels drop, your body responds by excreting more sodium in the urine, along with water.

Because of this, you’ll likely find yourself urinating a lot more often in the first week or so of low carb eating.

This change is responsible for some of the rapid – and usually very welcome! – weight loss that happens in the early stages of a low carb diet. However, losing a lot of water and sodium is responsible for many of the unpleasant symptoms of carb flu.

It’s well known that response to this transition is very individual. Some people may feel fine or slightly tired for a day or two after starting low carbing. At the other extreme, there are those who develop symptoms that strongly impact their ability to function for several days.

These are the classic symptoms of carb flu:
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Irritability
• Difficulty focusing (“brain fog”)
• Lack of motivation
• Dizziness
• Sugar cravings
• Nausea
• Muscle cramps

You may only get one or two – you may be lucky and not suffer at all! But if your current diet is very high in carbs, prepare yourself for this.

However, carb flu doesn’t have to be unbearable and there are things you do to get through it and make it less unpleasant.
(Adapted from www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/flu-side-effects)

So the very lovely @FinallyHere has created a new spreadsheet for us all, ready to declare our starting weight.

By convention, we start on Monday - which is when I start a new thread each week - but you don't have to use Monday's weight if you don't want to. If there's a day of the week that works better for you, then just add your weight when it comes to that day.

You can add your weight in two ways. Your actual weight, or using an index if you don't want to declare the numbers. Which means that in week 1 you start at 100. Then you take 1 point away for every point that you lose.

Week 1 chat thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/my-lists/threads-i-started

@BIWIcould you link again please? That link made me log in again and then took me to “threads I’ve started”

Thanks, apologies if it’s me doing something wrong 🙂