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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.

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Autumn Low Carb Bootcamp - The Questions Thread

338 replies

BIWI · 08/09/2013 14:12

Welcome everybody!

As there are lots of us signed up for the next Bootcamp, you will find that the chat thread moves very quickly! It can be the case, therefore, that questions get missed - hence starting this thread. If you have a specific question or issue, please post it here to make sure that it gets answered. I will do my best to check this thread as often as I can - and if others can answer your question then they will do so as well.

I thought it might be a good idea to start off with some FAQs that often get asked, just to help save a bit of time! So here goes:

How many carbs should I be eating per day to make sure that I lose weight?

There are a couple of points to make here. First, Bootcamp is designed to make low carbing as easy as possible. One of the things that I believe puts people off diets is having to weigh, measure and count everything that they are eating - and of course, this is impossible if you are eating out/on the go. If you make sure that you are following Bootcamp rules, then you should lose weight.

Second, we are different in terms of our ability to cope with carbohydrate. Some people can eat more carbs without gaining weight whereas others have to keep their carbs at quite a low level.

The initial 2 weeks of Bootcamp are designed to be sufficiently low carb for the vast majority of people to lose weight by following it. Although Bootcamp Light (for the remaining 8 weeks of Bootcamp) allows more carbs, it is still supposed to be relatively low carb.

Once you have completed Bootcamp and/or you have reached your target weight, then it's time to start to explore how many carbs you can tolerate before the weight goes back on. And the only way to do this is to experiment by re-introducing carbs. A gradual introduction, along with a vigilant eye on the scales/your waistband will soon tell you if you have overdone it!

Will I ever be able to eat carbs again?!

Absolutely you will - see the answer to the above question! However, if once you reach your target weight you revert back to eating the same level of carbs as you were before you started, then you will put all the weight back on. Carbs make you fat!

The best thing to do is to work out a WOE (way of eating) that keeps the carbs at a sufficiently low level such that you maintain your weight.

By the time you reach your target weight, you will also be ketogenically-adapted, i.e. your body has switched from carb-burning to fat-burning, so the odd night off will not do you too much harm.

How hard is it to eat out when you are low carbing?

It's easier to eat out when you are low carbing than if you are trying to count calories or eat a low fat diet. (As long as you don't find yourself in a restaurant that only serves pizza or pasta!)

The majority of restaurants will have something on their menu that is easily adapted for low carb eating. And it's always possible to ask them to substitute something high carb for something lower carb - so if something is on the menu being served with chips, or rice - ask if they will switch those for a salad, or extra veg. I have never been refused when I have asked this, and it is never an issue.

Some types of restaurants are harder to navigate - Thai is very difficult, not only because of the rice/noodles, but because many of their meals use sugar in the sauces as well as thickeners. At an Indian restaurant, poppadoms, rice, chappattis and naan breads are all (obviously!) out. Aim for a dry curry (so a tandoori or tikka dish), and have that with a side curry such as cauliflower, spinach or mushroom.

The best thing is to be prepared - if the restaurant has a website, have a look to see if they have posted their menu, so you have a chance to see what's available, what you can eat. And you could always ring them in advance to see if they can accommodate any particular needs that you have - mostly restaurants are happy to try and accommodate their customers.

Is it really possible to eat so much fat and still lose weight?

Oh yes! Grin Just ask anyone else who has done Bootcamp! Fat doesn't make you fat. When you eat fat, your body does not produce an insulin spike - unlike when you eat carbs. It is the insulin production that causes your body to lay down fat.

We need fat. It is good for our brains and for our skin.

Also, very importantly, eating fat is very satiating. It is what will help to stop you getting hungry. It's actually quite difficult to eat masses of fat, whereas it's very easy to eat masses of carbs.

Here's a very good piece from a site that's well worth following, all about fat and why it's good for us/isn't going to harm us

Do I have to do any exercise on Bootcamp to lose weight?

Not if you don't want to. Exercise, as a means of losing weight, is way over-rated. You have to exercise a lot and frequently to lose a significant amount of weight. For example, I have recently taken up running. My last run saw me burn 390 calories. That's quite a lot - but that was after running for 30 minutes, and for 5km.

On my plan (and on the advice of my osteopath) I am only supposed to run three times a week. That would mean that in the course of a week I have burnt off 1,170 calories. Not that much in the grand scheme of things - but that's a lot of running!

Exercise can help you, but it's not essential.

I do a lot of regular exercise, and I'm advised by my trainer/the gym to eat plenty of carbs and/or to carb load before I run/cycle/train - what should I do if I'm low carbing?

Once you are ketogenically-adapted, you will be able to train quite happily whilst following a low carb diet. Your body will be using fat as its fuel source - and let's face it, most of us have plenty of fat readily available for that. Whereas with carbs, our bodies actually only store a limited amount in our muscles and our liver. Once these have gone, and we have emptied our glycogen stores, that's when you will find yourself 'hitting the wall' or 'bonking'. This is why serious athletes often have to carry various gels and drinks - so that they can replenish their carbs/glycogen very quickly. This won't happen if you are burning fat.

If you're in doubt, there's a very good book called "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance" by Drs Jeff S Volek and Stephen D Phinney. Here is a description of the book from the Amazon website:

"A Revolutionary Program to Extend Your Physical and Mental Performance Envelope. Our recent book 'The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living' was written for health care professionals, championing the benefits of carbohydrate restriction to manage insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type-2 diabetes. In response, our athlete friends asked "What about us?" This companion book is our answer, and it could be titled: 'The Art and Science of Avoiding the BONK'. But actually, it is much much more than that. The keto-adapted athlete benefits from superior fuel flow not only when nearing glycogen depletion, but also during training, recovery, and in response to resistance exercise as well."

OP posts:
halfthesize · 13/09/2013 19:44

sorry wrong thread Blush

PMMummy · 13/09/2013 19:50

Quick question, anyone experienced their periods arriving earlier whilst low carbing ? I've just noticed slight bleeding and not due for another week???

losenotloose · 13/09/2013 21:14

Sorry to put this on this thread as well as my own, just want to make sure it gets answered!

I've been low carbing for 3 weeks, bootcamping since yesterday. I've had one incidence of bad palpitations and the rest of the time a kind of tight, heavy feeling in my chest. Is this anything to worry about/normal? Should I stop low carbing?

JustasmallGless · 13/09/2013 21:18

Pm mummy- yes I posted this the other days the only drawback for me with this WOE was going back to having periods. I'm on the mirena coil so it was a bit of a shock but it only lasted 2-3 cycles then back to. Normal

JustasmallGless · 13/09/2013 21:20

Losenotloose - this isn't a symptom of low carbing.
Have you experienced this before? I would recommend getting checked out

losenotloose · 13/09/2013 21:35

Well, only one when pregnant with ds2, but literally once. Didn't get it checked out or anything because it never happened again.

PMMummy · 13/09/2013 22:18

Just - thanks for replying, did a bit of googling and it looks to be a common occurrence on lc.

WillieWaggledagger · 13/09/2013 22:29

Pmmummy I think it can be to do with the various hormones that are involved in fat metabolism and other processes and their knock-on effect

Losenotloose that's not usual a symptom I've heard of and it does sound a bit of a worry

pixiegumboot · 14/09/2013 08:24

well I'm on the injection, haven't had a period for 5 years due to this & breastfeeding, woke up this am bleeding. not happy.

BIWI · 14/09/2013 09:13

losenotloose have a read of this thread

It could be an electrolyte issue, especially potassium. here are some foods which are high in potassium

How much water are you drinking?

I would suggest that you try and eat as much of this food as you can over the next couple of days and see if that makes any difference - but I'd also recommend that you see your doctor as soon as you can. Whilst palpitations sound like they can affect people who are low carbing (until their electrolyte balance is sorted out), a tight, heavy feeling in your chest doesn't sound right.

OP posts:
Yddraigoldragon · 14/09/2013 09:50

Anyone tried rosewater in total yoghurt? I have a little bottle from Sainsbo but no idea of carb count. Orange oil worked well, bit of a change from vanilla.

losenotloose · 14/09/2013 10:12

Thanks, BIWI, I'll start eating more avocado, salmon and spinach. If no improvement, I'll see my gp.

losenotloose · 14/09/2013 12:00

Sorry, another question! Doesn't the brain need carbohydrates to run on?

BIWI · 14/09/2013 14:24

Well if it did, many of us here would be in trouble!

OP posts:
BIWI · 14/09/2013 14:30

This is worth a read

But no, the brain doesn't need carbohydrate to function. It needs glucose, and it can get that from fat and protein. It comes more easily from fat, which is one of the reasons that we should eat a high fat diet.

OP posts:
CJCregg · 14/09/2013 14:53

Can I ask about the flour? I've seen people mention coconut flour - wondered if any other ones were allowed. I've got some courgette flowers that I want to stuff with ricotta Grin but they need to be fried in something that will give them a bit of batter ...

pootlebug · 14/09/2013 16:01

There's a list of flours here with carbs for each (you need the net carbs, not the one including fibre, I think).

ggiswheatfree.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/so-many-flours-so-little-cupboard-space-how-gluten-free-flours-compare-for-carbs-and-protein-content/

Coconut flour is nice and fine so good for that kind of thing I find (whereas coarser, wetter almond meal good in things, but not so good for coating things, I find.

pixiegumboot · 14/09/2013 16:45

just checked the carb count for coconut flour. is it ok to use? I am actually going to make my own using up some dessicated coconut from the cupboard since i can't find any anywhere for love nor money. Well, actually lots of money but £13 for 5Kg is not good. This WOE is expensive.

holmessweetholmes · 14/09/2013 17:38

Losenotloose - I have had some palpitations over the last week or so too. I am wondering if it's because this WOE is lowering my blood pressure. I've had palpitations before and had them checked out. Doc said they were quite common and that mine were nothing to worry about. I'm on medication for slightly high bp though (used to be very high). BIWI said this WOE combined with the meds might make my bp low. Hope yours stop soon!Smile

giraffeseatpineapples · 14/09/2013 19:03

Pixie holland and barret sell coconut oil, flax and coconut flour you would need to order online (i havent tried these - tend to stick with ground almonds). Looking on here for inspiration! I am doing paleo but need to cut out nuts and bits and takes things lower carb for a while if I want to be slim for crimb

giraffeseatpineapples · 14/09/2013 19:05

Dessicated coconut has a different water content so it might be too dry

losenotloose · 14/09/2013 20:05

Thanks holmessweetholmes. I started to feel quite worried so had some berries with Greek yogurt, seems to have helped a bit actually!

pixiegumboot · 14/09/2013 20:52

thanks giraffe have also found on Amazon and eBay :-)

JustasmallGless · 14/09/2013 22:41

Pixiegumboot - do you have an Asian supermarket near you as you can find products in there. I do the bulk of my LC shopping at Lidl and aldi now and my shopping bill has decreased on this woe. No ready meals and of much processed crap, the veg is fab in there although never seen celeriac yet!

pixiegumboot · 15/09/2013 07:34

yes went yesterday but nothing doing. I might try aldi for meat & cheese

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