Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Low-carb diets

Share advice and experiences of following a low-carb diet.Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Summer Low Carb Bootcamp - The Questions Thread

506 replies

BIWI · 29/04/2013 16:18

If you have any questions, just ask them here. From experience, the chat thread moves so quickly, posters' questions often get missed.

Picking up on some that have already been asked today:

Can we eat dairy in Bootcamp?

Yes you can, but be aware that for some people dairy can impede weight loss. Butter is fine - you don't have to worry about that, and yoghurt is apparently better tolerated than milk, cream or cheese.

Cheese is a great low carb food and it's lovely to not have to worry about being able to eat it on the basis of it being a fat.

Milk can become quite carby quite quickly, so if you're having several cups of tea/coffee a day, you need to keep an eye on this. If you can, it's best to have your tea/coffee black - or to substitute cream (double) for the milk.

Cream can be used in cooking (always double, as it has a higher fat content), but again be aware that it might be an issue for you.

The best way to find out if it's a problem for you is to keep a food diary, and then you will be able to see the impact of dairy on your weight loss.

OP posts:
BIWI · 17/07/2013 13:40

It's a sign of the hold that sugar has over you, BeenieBaby! The only way through it, I'm afraid, is to go cold turkey and just ride through it as best you can.

OP posts:
CheeseAndMushroomToastie · 17/07/2013 19:28

How long does it take to get to the ketosis stage, if you start off very strictly?

BeenieBaby · 17/07/2013 19:52

BIWI thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions! I just have a few more-

Are beans and lentils etc too carby? Does that mean a vege plan would essentially consist of veg, egg, dairy and soya?

And when you say dairy within limits does that include cheese?

I'm getting geared up to start on Friday!

And finally, how do you eat out on bootcamp?! Is it do-able??

CheeseAndMushroomToastie · 19/07/2013 13:23

Quick question though, what would you suggest I get from the supermarket to help me start. I don't have much time at the moment to cook from scratch as i have two young children and am in process of moving.

Eglute · 21/07/2013 22:54

Am I allowed to drink fruit tea in early days or better to avoid it? My favourite tea is three ginger (Puka) and I'm not sure if I can still drink it.

Thanks

ElizabethHornswoggle · 22/07/2013 00:32

Hi, can I join? Got lots of weight to lose (3 stone) and want to try the low carb diet as I know I feel a million times better when I don't eat things like bread, which tends to bloat me up.
Has anyone got any ideas what I can have for breakfast though, as I can't eat eggs (allergic.)

BIWI · 22/07/2013 10:37

BeenieBaby

Are beans and lentils etc too carby? Does that mean a vege plan would essentially consist of veg, egg, dairy and soya?

Beans and lentils are too carby for Bootcamp. Once you have reached your target weight you will be able to re-introduce them, along with other carbs, although gradually and carefully - till you find the point at which you start to re-gain weight.

Yes a veggie plan will need to look to other sources of protein, such as eggs and soya - just watch out with any soya products that you're including in your diet as they do contain carbs (unlike meat/fish)

And when you say dairy within limits does that include cheese?

^Cheese is fine, as is other dairy (cream, yoghurt, and a smaller amount of milk), but some people find that dairy impedes weight loss, so you need to keep an eye on this. I would certain advise that you aren't pouring cream on everything or having cheese at every meal!

And finally, how do you eat out on bootcamp?! Is it do-able??

^Eating out on Bootcamp is very doable! It's actually much easier to eat out when you're low carbing than if you are on a low calorie/low fat diet. Unless you're going to a restaurant that's just pasta or pizza, you should be fine. I have never yet been to a restaurant that would substitute the carby element of the meal for something less carby. So for example, we have a local Italian restaurant that serves sauteed potatoes with all its main courses. I have a green salad with mine instead.

Obviously the dessert menu will be off limits (until you've reached your target weight and then the odd dessert will be perfectly fine), but the cheeseboard would be fine.

CheeseAndMushroomToastie

Quick question though, what would you suggest I get from the supermarket to help me start. I don't have much time at the moment to cook from scratch as i have two young children and am in process of moving.

Salad stuff? Most salad veg is low carb. (Avoid beetroot and carrot though). Please avoid as much processed stuff as you can though!

What kind of foods do you like to eat? It's a bit of a broad brief otherwise! But meat/fish with salad or low carb veg. Fry the protein if you can, and serve with a creamy sauce or mayo, and make an oily dressing for your salad. Avoid bottled salad dressings as they usually contain sugar and are therefore too carby.

Eglute

Am I allowed to drink fruit tea in early days or better to avoid it? My favourite tea is three ginger (Puka) and I'm not sure if I can still drink it.

As far as I know, any fruit tea or herbal tea will be carb-free, so you can drink as much as you want!

ElizabethHornswoggle

Hi, can I join? Got lots of weight to lose (3 stone) and want to try the low carb diet as I know I feel a million times better when I don't eat things like bread, which tends to bloat me up.
Has anyone got any ideas what I can have for breakfast though, as I can't eat eggs (allergic.)

Welcome, Elizabeth!

^Natural, full fat yoghurt makes a good start to the day - Total yoghurt is less than 4g carbs per 100g. Or, bacon or (low carb) sausages and mushrooms. A continental breakfast of ham or sliced meats with cheese is also good. The other thing is to stop thinking of breakfast as a meal that requires special, breakfast food! Leftovers from the previous night's dinner make a good meal.

Good luck!

OP posts:
Eglute · 22/07/2013 15:56

I was just browsing in this thread and I found a lot of useful info. Thanks for that.

just to make sure.. are we not allowed tomatoes in bootcamp? :(

BIWI · 22/07/2013 16:14

You can have them, just beware that they can get quite carby quite quickly. If you're using tinned tomatoes, the lowest carb ones I have found are Sainsbury's Basics, in a tetrapak carton

OP posts:
Eglute · 25/07/2013 20:00

I have balsamic vinegar of Madeira with 0 carbs so am I ok to use it then?

Eglute · 26/07/2013 08:21

I have bought Babybels this morning first time in ages. It only has trace of carbs in it! Does it mean I can eat it without really worrying too much of overdoing or shall i treat is as diary and be careful?

Also.. I saw Hellmann?s Caesar dressing in Tesco today. It is 2 for £2 and it only has 4 carbs in 100g. Can I use it in early stages of this WOE? It would be a nice change to olive oil and mayo.
Thanks :)

BIWI · 26/07/2013 09:34

I'd be amazed if your balsamic vinegar is 0 carbs! It's really sweet!

Did you mean Madeira or Modena? Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Balsamic of Modena has the following nutritional info:

Per 100ml:

Carbohydrate 39.6g
Total Sugars 32.5g

OP posts:
Eglute · 26/07/2013 09:53

Gosh my eyes must have lied to me then :) I blame Carb flu :))) I will check again once I am at home :)

Vinividivino · 26/07/2013 19:04

Hello everyone - may I join? I have been LC since Monday and have lost 5lbs (in 5 days!). Can that be right? Or should I expect some of those to go back on? I dont have loads more to lose(if the scales are right, about another 5lbs from here - wuhu!) but totally buy in to this as a WOL. Just want to prepare myself so I am not demotivated if/when weight gain happens. How do guys handle any weight increases- just keep ploughing on or cut back on portion sizes/cut carbs even further (I'd say I'm on about 30g a day now)?

Thanks in advance.

BIWI · 27/07/2013 14:42

Welcome, Vini! And well done on the 5lbs so far. I don't think any of it should go back on, as long as you stick to the plan.

If weight gain is something you find hard to deal with, my recommendation would be to make sure that you're not weighing every day, but doing it every week instead. Your weight does naturally fluctuate, but if you weigh once a week you should see the overall trend downwards reflected better.

Come and join us on the chat thread

OP posts:
CheeseAndMushroomToastie · 27/07/2013 15:05

I'm easing into the low carb WOE, as my diet is very carb heavy and I also needed to use up some food Blush. Can I ask if a Caesar salad without the croutons is suitable? Or is the Caesar dressing not good? I need to have snacky things in the fridge that I can just grab, I am so used to snacking and although I have been quite strong about it I need things that I can just grab out of the fridge.

CheeseAndMushroomToastie · 27/07/2013 15:13

Also if in doing low carb light, how many grams of carbs a day should I be aiming for?

BIWI · 27/07/2013 15:21

Check the label on the back of the dressing bottle, CheeseAndMushroomToastie. Certainly a Caesar salad minus the croutons is a good choice, but it will depend on the carbs in the dressing.

The whole point of Bootcamp/Bootcamp Light is that we don't count carbs. It's supposed to make it easier for you! If you really want to have a figure to aim for, I'd say around 60g carbs per day for Bootcamp Light, up to around 100g.

BUT

Everyone is different in terms of their tolerance of carbs, which is why it's also impossible to give a definitive figure. If you find you're not losing weight eating at that level, then you know you need to reduce the carbs further. (Although if you're eating a diet very high in carbs at the moment you may well find that you lose weight even at a relatively high level of carbs)

OP posts:
Vinividivino · 27/07/2013 17:06

Thanks very much BIWI and thank you for the great program you've put together. It's awesome! Here's hoping those lbs stay gone! Thanks for the link to the other thread - i'll be there!

BIWI · 27/07/2013 18:46

That's my pleasure, Vini!

OP posts:
CheeseAndMushroomToastie · 28/07/2013 19:36

Can someone post a recipe for a homemade dressing please? I'm sure it's dead easy but I will probably add something really carbariffic!

BIWI · 28/07/2013 20:26

Simple Vinaigrette:

5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of (red or white) wine vinegar or cider vinegar (NOT balsamic which is way, way too carby)
salt/black pepper

Put all the ingredients into a jar with a lid and shake till well mixed.

Instead of 5:1 oil:vinegar you may prefer 3:1 - it's all about personal taste.

You can also add:

  • teaspoon of Dijon or wholegrain mustard
  • finely chopped shallot
  • finely chopped garlic
OP posts:
BIWI · 28/07/2013 20:29

Blue cheese dressing:

50g blue cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
3 tbsp walnut or hazelnut oil
3 tbsp sunflower oil
dash of lemon juice, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

As before, shake all ingredients together till well emulsified

OP posts:
BIWI · 28/07/2013 20:31

(That last one was from BBC Good Food, by the way)

This is another blue cheese dressing from a low carb site - American though, so it has cup measurements

OP posts:
CheeseAndMushroomToastie · 28/07/2013 22:32

Thank you so much BIWISmile

Swipe left for the next trending thread