Week 1 - Autumn Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

So here we are! Over 160 of us signed up!

Here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for you to enter your first weight

If you aren't on the list for any reason, just go to the bottom of the list and add your name - the lovely Willie will sort out the alphabetisation later.

From experience of previous Bootcamps, the chat thread can move very quickly! So, if you have a specific or particular question, please post it on the questions thread I will do my best to check it as often as I can, as will other seasoned Bootcampers.

If you have a really burning issue, please feel free to PM me and I will do my very best to help you as soon as possible.

And if you're looking for inspiration for things to cook, here's the recipe thread

Here is a brief reminder of the rules:

We do not eat any of the following during Bootcamp:

bread
rice
pasta/noodles
potatoes
flour
pastry
sugar
chocolate/sweets
biscuits/cookies
crisps

And here are the ten rules of Bootcamp:

1. You must eat breakfast.
2. Avoid processed food
3. Eat lots of fat
4. Make sure you are eating vegetables and salads with your food
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. No alcohol
8. No fruit
9. No nuts/seeds

10. No sugar or artificial sweeteners

More detail/explanation of these rules is on the spreadsheet ? look at the tabs at the bottom.

One final word from me ? the disclaimer! I am not a doctor, a scientist, a dietician nor a nutritionist. The advice that is given here is based on my own experience of low carbing, as well as the reading I have been doing over the last few years.

If you have a medical condition, or you are taking long term medication, please take advice from your GP/consultant before starting to low carb.

Good luck everyone!

I just had my first bulletproof coffee. It was nice, much more pleasant than black coffee. But I don't drink coffee that often so I think I'll stick with double cream in my coffee. I am going to try a bulletproof rooibos tea next!

I have had loads of fat today. Big old chicken in mayo for lunch plus steamed veggies need butter.

PassTheTwiglets - I'm getting the feeling that you're not really committed to Bootcamp

Why, because I'm struggling with fizzy drinks and asked whether it would be ok to have a day off? I didn't say I was going to have the day off, I asked whether it would be ok.

:(

PassTheTwiglets

I am pretty sure BIWI was being nice. The showed she was teasing, surely?

Well done everyone. I'm doing fine with sticking to the WOE but am feeling a bit rubbish today. Hoping it's carb flu, but dh had a bad sore throat this morning and he's not lc-ing so I fear it is the actual lurgy. Making shepherd's pie with mashed celeriac for dinner. Yum.

Thanks for the salt advice. I'm drinking lots, but I'm not in the habit of using salt, so that may be the answer. Will add some to dinner!

Pag, I know, I'm just feeling very down atm. Sorry BIWI.

I'm sorry PassTheTwiglet, it's shit when life feels hard enough and you can't even have cake.
But if it helps at all, I am her because I was so down and had been comfort/guilt/misery eating. I know when I stop the white carb I start to feel better quite quickly.
It's the first week for me - then it gets great .

Keep strong, PassTheTwiglets!
I know it's so hard on DC birthdays and any kind of celebration really. Goodness knows how I'm going to cope at Christmas - although that's probably jumping the gun.

I have only eaten my omlette today. I am simply NOT HUNGRY! I am drinking lots of water though.

Right, I have added myself to this and WILL stick to it. I've been getting really dispondent about the way my trousers now bulge at the front.

I'm probably not going to be able to start properly until after the weekend, as until then I'm stuck with what I have in the house. One thing I do have is plenty of eggs....

What sort of things do you suggest for lunch? This is where I'm going to have the most trouble keeping away from bready things. (Breakfast I can work around, but lunch...) Bearing in mind there's a microwave but no oven, and time in the morning is limited to say the least, what do you suggest?

Right, I have added myself to this and WILL stick to it. I've been getting really dispondent about the way my trousers now bulge at the front.

I'm probably not going to be able to start properly until after the weekend, as until then I'm stuck with what I have in the house. One thing I do have is plenty of eggs....

What sort of things do you suggest for lunch? This is where I'm going to have the most trouble keeping away from bready things. (Breakfast I can work around, but lunch...) Bearing in mind there's a microwave but no oven, and time in the morning is limited to say the least, what do you suggest?

rabbits will you have access to a fridge at lunch?

i would prepare lunch the night before if no time in the morning, and i usually have salad with cold meat/fish/cheese/hardboiled eggs and mayo, or leftovers from the night before (great if you have a microwave)

Thanks, Pag :) I am so down about my weight at the moment and I wanted this to work so badly... so to find it a struggle is very disheartening and I was just being over-sensitive about it

I guess DS will be better off with a mummy who isn't morbidly obese, than one who shares his cake with him. I'm sure you're all right and that he won't notice at all if I don't eat it.

Anyway, on a more positive note, I'm having friend chorizo & halloumi with avocado and artichokes for dinner, yum.

That does sound yum

i love halloumi with a love that is frankly unhealthy

Can I just say that frittatas are bloody lovely.

I had one for breakfast this morning I woke up all excited about it

BIWI this is for you, hot from the Starry Test Kitchen: a crispy cracker that doesn't fall apart with toppings. It's delicious too. I'm quite pleased with this one!!

Starry’s Cheese Crackers

120g ground almonds
120g milled flaxseed
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
50g plus grated cheddar cheese, plus some extra for sprinkling
¼ tsp chilli flakes
30g melted butter
1 large egg
sea salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 150C
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in grated cheese. Add melted butter and egg and stir until it forms a dough (it will be a bit crumbly but should be more or less sticking together)

Cut two squares of baking paper the size of a large baking sheet.
Put the dough on top of one sheet of paper on the baking sheet, squash down into a flattish rectangle. Cover with the other sheet, then roll out thinly, lifting the paper occasionally to check the shape is fairly uniform. Aim to make it of even thickness all over – the edges tend to be thinner, so concentrate on rolling from the middle.

Remove the top layer of paper and score it with a knife through into rectangular cracker shapes (mine were approx. 6x4cm). Sprinkle with the extra cheese and sea salt, then bake for around 45mins until brown.

Leave to cool on the baking sheet then carefully break along the marked lines. They are crisp once completely cool and are robust enough to take toppings without falling apart.

The total carb count for the dough mix is 20g. I got 28 crackers out of it, so it comes in at around 0.7g per cracker.

BIWI I thought you were shouting at me about berries but I think I dreamnt posting on here last night...

I was cross at lunch as I managed a mammoth train journey yesterday with no junk or non allowed food and I end up having sushi for lunch today. I'll be better prepared in future as our org can't organise these things properly!

Hello everyone.

It's been a busy few days but I'm kind of on track.

Haven't filled my weight in yet but I was dead on 13st on Monday morning so we'll see how we go.

I've been having either omelette or tuna mayo & cucumber for lunch. Last night I had salmon & broccoli for dinner. I'm turning into a cat

Slightly worried I'm eating too much dairy so might need to watch that. Also worried I'm not eating enough fat. It's just so counter intuitive.

Still need to work on caffeine too (which would also help my dairy).

However, not too much withdrawal or snack attacks so far

Am off to read the rest of the thread now.

PassTheTwiglets, sorry you're having a rubbish time It is hard when every celebration involves cake. I do the same, say I'll have it later. I do that at work too, because for some reason no one gets it! Frustrating. People take it personally when you don't accept a piece of cake.

It will get easier, I promise, and you will start to feel better and get used to finding ways round these situations. We are all here to help and we all understand how difficult it is.

I'm struggling today a bit, keep forgetting to drink or only fancy coffee (black decaff but still) instead of water, because it's so cold!

Had late breakfast of egg mayo with fried mushrooms and low carb sausage, for lunch a bowl of yog with double cream and cinnamon and dinner will be chicken curry with mashed swede. Plus a snack of 2 slices of Brie.

Dashing in quickly buy A couple of things to share with you.

Nothing tastes as good as being slim feels

As Toomuch once said - you have tased this food before, you will taste again. Do you really NEED to eat it right now?

Those who are struggling to drink water get a sports top bottle. There is something scientific about how it's easier to drink more water cos it fools your mouth

Or something???

Passthetwiglets- keep the faith. This will work I promise if you stick to it

Passthetwiglets - I'm sorry you're feeling down, and I really was teasing you. Sorry if it upset you

Really struggling today. Ive hurt my back so feeling a bit sorry for myself. Haven't been hungry so just about managed an omlette for tea. Its times like this when I usually emotionally eat and im finding it hard. Don't worry I won't be doing it. Just feeling a bit crap.