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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

BIWI's Two Week Low Carb Boot Camp - starts Monday 16 April

568 replies

PaquesJeLeVauxBien · 06/04/2012 22:41

I've been back low carbing seriously since February and have lost a stone (almost). I have another 1.5 stones to lose.

It's been going well for me, but I have slowed down in the last month and I'm keen to get things back on track and up the speed of my weight loss. To that end, I have devised a strict two week bootcamp.

It will start on Monday 16 April to give anyone who wants to join in time to sort themselves out, get planning and generally get themselves ready to join in.

Who's up for it?

OP posts:
LackaDAISYcal · 13/04/2012 07:26

Welcome to MN onthecouch :) You do realise that now you have made your first post, that's it; the end of life as you knew it...prepare for your house to become neglected, your children to turn feral, and every conversation with your OH to begin with "there was a thread on MN today..." :o

BIWI · 13/04/2012 07:45
Grin

Welcome, onthecouch. You may find that once you've got going, you don't need to snack. You will rarely be hungry between meals. Snacking, of course, has become a habit - a habit because our 'conventional' ways of eating mean very high levels of carbohydrate, which means that you're often hungry at around (typically) 11.00 am and 3.00 pm.

GretEXPATations - great post.

Olives are fine, by the way ...

ledkr · 13/04/2012 08:15

great expectations,thanks for some great snack ideas,im happy if i can eat olives.
BWIW Am i likely to feel a lack of energy on the first couple of days? I have realised just how much i rely on carbs in my diet and with easter have had abit of a carb overload in the last week.Yesterday we went for a walk and it nearly killed me going up the hills i normally dont have a problem with.I wondered if it was all the sugar i have over consumed.

OhThisIsJustGrape · 13/04/2012 09:38

I've been following this since Wednesday. I'm a complete carb addict, my eating habits are dire (rarely eat meals, just graze all day on biscuits, cake, chocolate with the odd slice of toast thrown in now and again).

I've successfully done weightwatchers a number of times, usually after having a baby (4 dcs) and, despite my awful diet I never go much over half a stone or so over my ideal weight. However, I would like to lose the 7lbs I'm currently carrying and also desperately need to find a healthy, normal WOE as all the crap I'm shovelling in is catching up in me in other ways (crap skin, always tired etc).

Anyway, will get to the point! I woke before 5am this morning feeling awful. Hot/cold sweats, dizziness, dry mouth, nausea etc. Have I gone into ketosis? Dh was furious with me (I have form for severely restricting food intake on previous diets and making myself like this Blush, he made me tea and toast but I couldn't eat it. I did drink the tea and some water, he had to go to work but wasn't at all happy with leaving me. I got up eventually and I do feel much better but I can't do this to myself.

I don't feel hungry, I did steal a couple of bites of dds banana but can no way face any meat/eggs/veg etc. I know I'm going through carb withdrawal, I know I need to up my fat intake, I love veg but struggle with salad due to only liking lettuce and cucumber oops! I have a tesco delivery coming this morning with lots of meat, cream, salad dressing but will I feel better after today?

So sorry for long post but I'm feeling out of my depth here and can't get my head around this WOE I don't think. Dh made me promise I'd give it up and do WW or something but tbh I can't eat anything atm Confused On the bright side I have lost 2lbs since Weds so I'm a third of the way there! I'm worrying it's just too drastic for me, I've a tiny 5' frame, do I need to stop?

Help!

ShirtyKnot · 13/04/2012 09:42

Might it be a coincidental bug? GRAPE?

I've been dying this week of a stomach thingy - and it sounds just like you (although I had added sicking and pooping at the same time Shock) ARGH!

ledkr · 13/04/2012 09:46

I had a stomach thingy too on Monday,I havent even started the diet yet Grin

GreatEXPATations · 13/04/2012 09:52

Grape, are you getting enough salt and enough water? esp if you're little and/or have low blood pressure, lots of water with added salt for a couple of weeks should help. also glutamine powder can help with carb-withdrawal as can chromium supplements..

teaandthorazine · 13/04/2012 10:00

Grape, it could be a bug, it could be carb withdrawal. If your eating habits were as bad as you say, don't underestimate the effect removing sugar could have for the first couple of days. Most people have a day or two of feeling pretty crap tbh - it's even called carb flu!

You must drink water, lots of it. I wouldn't tell you to carry on if you really do feel awful though!

OhThisIsJustGrape · 13/04/2012 10:01

Could be a bug but it does feel more like I have before when I've deliberately not eaten enough.

I am drinking lots of water but I think my blood pressure is quite low (around 90/60 usually) and I get a lot of dizziness at certain times during my cycle.

Just scared of making myself ill yet at same time I know the way I have been eating is also making me ill :(

Onthecouch · 13/04/2012 10:08

Thanks for your response BIWI. I know what you mean about not feeling the need to snack when lo carbing. It happened when I was doing the Dukan. Now though my job is so stressful. and busy that as soon as I am home at 5.30 pm. I am so hungry that I end having whole load of rubbish as I know that it will take at least another hour before supper is ready. I guess I just need to be more planned and have something ready beforehand. Any suggestions for lo carb veggie meals which are quick and can be prepared in advance?
Thanks for the snack suggestions Greatexpatations.

ShirtyKnot · 13/04/2012 10:08

I'm pretty sure that in everything I've ever read about low-carb WOE is that if you feel ILL then you need to add a few more carbs in - can you try to eat some nuts?

The hot and cold flushes sounds far more buggy to me! (I had freezing cold feet and hands as well - oh I was poorly. Sad)

ExcitedElectrons · 13/04/2012 10:10

I still want to do this...
but...
It's a big change - I love chocolate and bread :( I know that it's because of cravings and the addiction to sugar but I don't think it would work for me. There is also nothing in the house to eat that consists of just meat and veg.

I'm being a bit whingy now aren't I :o

But doesn't going into ketosis give you bad breath? That is my major concern!

RatherBeOnThePiste · 13/04/2012 10:20

Not if you drink lots of water no!

BerylStreep · 13/04/2012 10:25

For those who have asked about breakfasts on the go, my favourite is eggs & spinach. I think I got the original idea on MN, but that involved ovens and ramekins.

My version is grab a huge handful of spinach & put in a bowl, crack 2 eggs on top and add a bit of butter. Microwave for 2 minutes (although you may need to play around with timings / levels - I reduce the level to 650w as apparently a high wattage in a microwave makes eggs a bit rubbery).

Delicious and quick.

You can also add cheese, which makes it even better, but sadly not for bootcamp.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 13/04/2012 10:29

I am so shamed Blush

I was carrying a v large glass of water, and my son asked if it was a gin. Tis 10.30am

Blush
GreatEXPATations · 13/04/2012 10:29

excited, there are ways round that (well, after bootcamp) - a little 85% cocoa choc is a good snack with a few almonds, you can always make your own flaxmeal based bread (easier than it sounds) for v low carb toast, flaxmeal/linseed is only 2% carb yet 31% protein

BerylStreep · 13/04/2012 10:30

I have looked at the packet of ready to eat quinoa in my cupboard, and it is 30.7g carbohydrate / 100g, of which sugars 1.6g.

I've never worked out which figure to look at, the total carbs or the sugary ones.

teaandthorazine · 13/04/2012 10:46

Total carbs, beryl - sorry! Quinoa is definitely out, at least for the early stages.

Excited - lol at whinging! We ALL love bread and chocolate - that's why we're overweight Grin. If it makes you feel any better, after bootcamp I'll be back on the 80% hotel chocolat good stuff! And... after a few days I found I didn't miss bread at all.

You can do this, and it might be easier than you think. If I posted my average pre-low carb menu you'd be amazed that I ever gave up refined carbs and sugar but I have (Easter eggs don't count!) and I feel so much better for it.

GreatEXPATations · 13/04/2012 11:03

hah, piste! He's on the right lines, gin is VERY low carb! still a little early though... ; )

PostBellumBugsy · 13/04/2012 11:13

LOL @ Piste! Could have been worse, could have been breakfast time. Wink

BerylStreep · 13/04/2012 11:27

I also got my new zaggora flares yesterday.

My sis has recommended them - I wore them last night, and they are like hot wetsuit bottoms. Disconcertingly, my DH said he quite liked the 'specialist' material Hmm.

Anyway, I'm hoping they will help with the weightloss.

BerylStreep · 13/04/2012 11:29

Piste, how old is your DS. If he is 3 and asking that, you may have a problem! If he's 18, perhaps it's not as bad. [clutching at ways to make Piste feel better].

RatherBeOnThePiste · 13/04/2012 11:30

erm... he is nearly 13 Blush

BIWI · 13/04/2012 11:37

LOL at Pistey trying to pretend she's drinking water!
Grin

Look, people, if you haven't done low carbing before it's really, really important that you get your head round it so that you know what it's all about and why you're doing it.

There's a massive amount of both ignorance and prejudice about low carbing, and you will quite often come across people who tell you it's dangerous, and you'd be much better off doing a low calorie/low fat diet.

The fact is, most of us will end up eating a better diet once we remove all those overly-processed white carbs. What on earth can be wrong with a meal that consists of meat/fish with fresh veg/salad?

And yes, if all you're eating now is biscuits, cake, toast and chocolate then chances are you will feel a bit crap for the first couple of days. Again, if you have read up about low carbing then you will understand why this is, and why it's important to get past these first couple of days.

It's also why there has been a 'notice period' about the bootcamp coming up!

Once you're in ketosis - generally after 2-3 days - you won't feel as hungry. But if you are hungry then eat something. The whole point of this WOE (way of eating) is that it isn't a diet. There should be no deprivation involved. OK, to start with you can't eat certain foods, but once you're at a weight you are happy with, then most carbs can be re-introduced in small quantities - and you can have the odd cheat now and then without doing too much harm.

BUT THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS TWO WEEK BOOTCAMP IS TO GET YOU ALL UNDERWAY AND TO LOSE A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. THAT IS WHY IT IS SO STRICT!

If you don't want to join it, I can quite understand. It isn't intended to be easy peasy. But it is intended to shift some weight.

OhThisisJustGrape - that sounds like a very severe reaction to me, and it doesn't sound like just carb withdrawal, unless you have just stopped eating altogether. This is not a diet where you do that, at all. You should be eating proper meals, three times a day - with snacks if you really need to. To be honest, it sounds like you have serious issues with food, and I'm not surprised your DH is worried about you. What have your meals been since Wednesday? You really, really have to eat! Have you read all of this thread properly?

BIWI · 13/04/2012 11:38

Hark at me, cracking the whip before we even start ... Blush

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