'Soft' warm-up approach to next week's Low Carb Bootcamp!

[BIWI]

Official Bootcamp starts next Monday - here's the sign-up thread

But I know that lots of people want to ease themselves into it.

If you've never low carbed before, it can be quite a good idea to do this, and it can help minimise the chances of getting 'carb flu' - the withdrawal symptoms when you cut down on your carbohydrates.

So if you're interested, this where it starts!

My advice:

• make sure you've got rid of all your Christmas treats

• ... as well as other carb-heavy stuff like biscuits, cakes, etc

• start thinking about the meals that you're going to eat in w/c 13 Jan - write yourself a meal plan (and think about all your meals, including your lunches as well as family meals, etc), and then make sure you write yourself a proper shopping list

• have a look at hat you're eating on a 'typical' day, and see where you cut down/out on the carbs -breakfast is likely to be your most carb-heavy meal, so think about how you're going to cut the carbs here (clue that will mean ditching toast, cereals, fruit and fruit juice!)

• if your diet is heavily reliant on pasta and rice-based meals, start thinking now about what you're going to cook instead

• make sure you are planning meals for the whole family to eat - try as much as possible to make sure that you're all eating the same food, rather than having to cook separate stuff for you - the idea is that this is a WOE - way of eating - and not a diet. So for example, if you're planning on having meat and two veg, plus potatoes - have meat and three veg instead. No-one will die if they don't have potatoes on their plate!

• look at how much tea/coffee you're drinking; if you drink them white, you will be consuming a lot of carbs in the milk. See if you can cut the number of cups down per day. Try and drink them black or use cream instead of milk

• think about the fact that you will be starting to eat a high fat diet; if you have anything that's low fat in your fridge/cupboard, get rid of it! Butter, cheese and cream as well as olive oil are all now going to be key parts of your diet

• similarly, think about all the artificial sweeteners you're eating/drinking and get shot of them. Diet drinks are not allowed on Bootcamp, so cut them down/out as much as you can

• fruit will not be allowed on Bootcamp (for the first two weeks); if you like to snack on fruit, consider replacing it with veg, e.g. slices of cucumber and peppers

• read, read, read and read more about low carbing have a look at the resources on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness ; there's loads of good stuff here that will help you get your head around what low carbing is all about

• and have a look here some lovely recipes to inspire you

• and here is a link to Bootcamp rules ; make sure you are familiar with them by 13/1!!!

But above all, come and post on here with any of your questions, concerns and suggestions!

Good luck.

MrsTwg I can't be bothered with all that blending. I just melt a teaspoon of coconut oil in with my coffee, and quite like the way it forms a grease layer on top. It's like coffee and chapstick in one...

Gussie I have PCOS too and low carbing it supposed to be very good for us indeed. I got a natural cycle this way for the first time. One doctor recommended LC to me in 2001 already - too bad I didn't listen to them back then.

Thanks, that sounds really easy, Steeleye and I will deffo try it.

Steeeye that's exactly what I didn't like - bleurgh!!

My cycles are more regular & less heavy when I'm low carbing - far fewer period pains as well. Love it.

at coffee with Chapstick. I've tried it too and that's exactly what it's like. Nicer than it sounds.

Today's plan is:

B: eggs in clouds
L: chicken, bacon and pesto salad
D: cottage pie topped with cauli, courgetti spaghetti in butter

Will snack on some Total with cream, cinnamon and orange oil if needed and will have a coffee with cream this evening as my treat (how times have changed).

My plan for the day is
B- creamy scrambled egg with bacon pieces mixed through
L-tuna mayo salad
D- road to chicken breast with mashed swede and broccolli (adding butter to veg)

I am sipping on peppermint tea and have filled my water bottle. I will be going to the gym or shredding after work.

Good luck everyone!

Good morning everyone:) must remember to buy some big bottles of water:) for refilling and putting somewhere obvious in the kitchen:)

Good luck, losers:)

I'm in :)

I've just had some roasted pork loin and NLY for breakfast. It's not Total so that will go with Bootcamp proper. Coffee with semi-skimmed milk. I'd drink 10/12 a day normally but have cut back to 2/3 and will try to keep it to 1/2 on Bootcamp. May try cream too.

Today's weight - 175.2lb. I've lost 40lb already starting on SW red days and then the Harcombe diet.

For those of you new to low carbing, here's a whole load of stuff I wrote about it, which is on the site somewhere - but not easily accessible for some reason!

look here

Be prepared for this WOE (way of eating) to turn on its head everything you thought you knew about healthy eating

... which also means you need to be prepared for other people's reactions to your food/what you're eating.

Although the medical profession is slowly and quietly coming round to the benefits of eating fewer carbs, and especially sugar, it is generally a strongly and fervently held view that fat is a bad thing and that we should be eating as little of it as possible. There is much written about why this is a fallacy, and Dr John Briffa ) ("Escape The Diet Trap") and Gary Taubes ("The Diet Delusion"/"How We Get Fat And What To Do About It") have written extensively about this.

You will also find it strange in the first few days - and it will feel like a real leap of faith to tuck into bacon and eggs, and meat with creamy sauces, and salads with oily dressings in the hope that you will lose weight! I remember my very first week being convinced that I was only going to pile the weight on - and it was a complete revelation (as well as a bit of a shock!) when I did, indeed, lose weight.

If you can, do as much reading up about low carbing as is feasible, so that you have the ammunition to provide a cogent argument to all those who will try and tell you that you are eating an unhealthy diet.

One critical factor in your success is to make sure that your partner/family understand what you are doing and are supportive of it. Many posters here have been deterred by partners that they have been unable to convince. If you don't believe in what you're doing it can be incredibly disheartening (and so easy to give up) if you have a partner/parent/sibling constantly undermining your efforts.

Just marking my place!

More benefits to low carb that I've found: no spots! extra regular cycle & barely get period pains (& that's coming from someone whose stupid body 'likes' to exaggerate pain (Fibro)!), no bloating, no farting!!!!!!! only do a number 2 a couple of times a week (this is wierd till you get used to it!), generally feel better in myself, don't get cravings (I still get the nibblies but I don't crave sweet stuff), don't get the 4pm slump (not to be confused with Fibro slump!).........!!!!

I'm boot camping to make sure I'm eating correctly and will work out my weekly menu shortly.

Oh God, finished off mega bar of chocolate last night in demented feeding frenzy. Going to start BC Light today to get myself back on track. Just know I'm going to have to fight off those awful sugar cravings again BUT IT'S WORTH IT! Honestly, for those who've not done it before, once you get into the zone where you can walk past a display of croissants and cakes and not have the slightest urge to scoff one is amazing.
Started day with coffee and cream to last until 12 (I hope).
Good luck to all of you starting full-on BC today!

I'm a fan of Bulletproof Coffee although find the whole experience vastly improved by using a stick blender. If you use MCT oil you eliminate the taste of coconut. I have used it to replace breakfast/lunch in a sort of low-carb fasting way, will try that again once I'm a few weeks in and know my appetite has been reduced.

I'm in for this, just can't wait until the 13th because I feel SO BLOODY FAT. I separated from my H on 2nd Jan last year, and despite being mired in horrible divorcey things (two court appearances in the next month, oh the joys of divorcing a sociopath ) am determined to take control of things having spent the last year overeating and feeling chaotic. Onwards!

For exercise I'm about to start power plate sessions, three a week, and see how I get on. I just wasn't going to the gym and am going to try something a bit different.

It's fabulous. I lost a stone & a half last time, hoping to shift last half a stone this time. I know it will fall off when I apply myself!

Good Morning All!!

Im half way to work and realised I've left my big bottle of water behind! Great start! I'll have to see if I can pick something up when I get there.

B-Greek yogurt
S-spinach and mushroom frittata.
L- buffalo mozzarella in garlic oil, a variety of meats and olives - like an antipasto thing.
D- sirloin steak, tallegio stuffed mushrooms,

Dairy/cheese doesn't stall me , so I'm good to fill up on it.

Also, for those new to this - try your local meat market for cheap, quality meats. I was AMAZED by how much we get for our money by going there.

JeSuis - all sounds delicious :)

It does, doesn't it? Makes you wonder why I let the carbs creep in last time - I don't even particularly like them, and feel miles better without them in my diet!

On track so far, just had 2 lovely runny poached eggs and some mushrooms. And one cup of tea.

I agree, I let carbs creep back when I was ill and then kept on stuffing my face despite the carbs making me feeling even more rubbish.

As I'm off work this week and next I am going to use the time to establish good habits. All sugary rubbish has been eliminated from the house. I've made chicken and leek soup, roasted peppers and I'm waiting for a low carb supermarket delivery.

The problem I have at work is there is no fridge so can't have salad. I was thinking of making some breakfast muffins and taking them out of the freezer in the morning so they will be defrosted by lunchtime.

I've also discovered creamed coconut sachets (3g per sachet) which I've combined with 500g Greek yogurt to make lovely coconutty yogurt for breakfast.

I haven't dared weight myself yet.

The day my baby's head is smaller than one of my breasts I will stand you all a pack of pork scratchings.

Snort! Humph, I think this should be quote of the week!

I have been drinking loads of water for the last few days - something I never managed to achieve with previous BCs.

seri could you not get an insulated bag and an ice pack? DH and I use those and my lunches are still cold by lunchtime...

Good luck to everyone. I also liked that line about the baby's head.
I have been almost 100% paelo/sugar free for a few years with a very few breaks (a couple of months last Autumn but even then mostly ate pretty well) and I feel so much better. However I had been eating a lot of nuts and raisins and I can easily over eat on cheese and it makes my nose run so I want to lose a stone or two this year this way.

I also like the reddit keto site. I agree that the harcombe diet is similar and she writes a lot of sense although I bought the book very recently and did not like it (and the author does suggest putting some brown carbs back later however she has a pretty sensible way of eating). In fact what I find is increasingly people are coming together to recommend this way of eating - high good fat, medium protein and low carb is how I describe it and no processed foods.

I put a pint glass of tap water on my desk (I have never drunk tea or coffee) and keep filling it up all day. I am not a fan of plastic bottles and don't buy water but whatever sort of water you drink I do recommend drinking more. Most people don't drink enough.

I won't weigh myself until we start on 13th though.. as it might be more than I like.

are you all kidding? You eat NICE STUFF and still lose weight?

More mulling. Mostly with drool hanging off my chin.

Re: partners/other halves

Mine keeps asking if I want bread with my meal. He is well aware what carbs are. Dropping the carbs hasn't left me feeling too bad so far but I am exceptional grumpy! Would it be excusable to strangle him?

Gussie in the last five days I have eaten some amazing meals! Leeks cooked in cream, steak in mushroom and cream sauce, broccoli roasted with Parmesan, everything fried in real butter, lots of tasty meat AND I've lost five lbs.

I can definitely recommend, if you fancy joining us (no idea if you need/want to lose any weight so sorry if not, don't want to cause offence).

I'm in for a soft start too - will Bootcamp Light for a week before diving in. I have gained 4.5 lb over Christmas so my goal is to lose 8 lb this Bootcamp. I'll have to get stricter though as the carbs have snuck their way back in through extra cups of tea, too much chocolate and more booze over the Christmas period.

B: berries, double cream and Lidl full fat yoghurt
L: steak (my treat for the kids going back to school) and salad with homemade vinaigrette
D: chicken rogan josh