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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.

At last - here it is! BIWI's 2 week Low Carb Bootcamp - starts tomorrow - sign in here

999 replies

BIWI · 15/04/2012 22:36

Lots of you have said you want to do this - now it's time to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak.

Oh, alright, it's free. Grin

The plan is that we have two very strict weeks of low carbing. Which is why, doh, it's called a bootcamp.

There are 'rules of engagement' for the fortnight - but they're different if you're carnivore or a vegetarian. I shall post the rules for us carnivores, and flipflopflap will post the rules for those of you that are vegetarians.

Sign in with your starting weight - in pounds, stones and pounds, kilos or - if you don't want to reveal your weight, with 100 as an index - and what you're wanting to achieve in the two weeks. I know that not everyone is doing this for the purpose of weight loss, so you don't have to do this if you don't want to - but tell us what you want this fortnight to help you achieve.

The Carnivore Rules

1.Eat three, proper meals a day.
You must eat breakfast. It doesn?t have to be a lot, but you must have something. For the rest of the day, if you?re eating enough food and you are in ketosis then you shouldn?t be hungry. But if you are hungry, eat something. (Hard boiled eggs make a great snack)

2.Avoid processed food
Focus on pure, natural protein as the basis for your meals ? meat/fish/eggs. Things like sausages, ham, bacon, pre-prepared burgers etc should be avoided as much as possible. You can have them, but just not every day. Avoid foods marketed as low carb, e.g. Atkins Daybreak bars.

3.Eat lots of fat.

Eating fat helps you to burn fat. Honestly! Fry in butter, add butter to vegetables, eat salad with a home-made vinaigrette dressing (not made with balsamic vinegar though, as this is too sweet), add mayonnaise where you can (just check the carb count on your mayo first). Eat fattier cuts of meat ? e.g. pork belly, roast chicken with the skin on and/or eat the fat off your lamb chops. Absolutely no low fat/light foods of any kind!

4.Make sure you are eating vegetables and salads with your food ?
This is where your carbs should come from, and this is non-negotiable. But choose only those vegetables that are on the allowed list. You don?t have to weigh/count carbs ? this is one of the great joys of this WOE (way of eating), but if you?re new to low carbing it can be helpful to weigh your portions of veg in the early days, just so that you know how many carbs are in the sort of portions that you like to eat

*5.Be careful about dairy (apart from butter, which is unlimited). It can impede weight loss for some people. If you are still drinking tea/coffee with milk or cream, try to restrict yourself to max 2 cups per day. You may eat cheese, but don't overdo it. Full fat yoghurt is the best way to include dairy in your diet - but beware, it does contain carbs. Total Full Fat is the best.

6.You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day.
The more weight you have to lose, the more water you should drink

7.No alcohol
If you really can't do this - at least try and restrict it to the weekend. Vodka with soda is the best thing to drink. Or Champagne, red wine or dry white wine.

8.No fruit
Really. Seriously. Honestly. None at all. Zilch. Nada.

9.No nuts/seeds
Whilst these are really good to snack on later - it can be too easy to start snacking on these - and before you know it, all your carbs have gone on nuts. Seriously - in bootcamp - don't do it to yourself.

10.No sugar or artificial sweeteners

OP posts:
lemniscate · 18/04/2012 09:55

Wow, well done Jacaqueen!

On the energy/exercise thing, I found I lost all of my energy for about 5 days and then suddenly realised that I had gone from having energy bursts and troughs to really even energy levels all day, so by the end of this week you should all feel much more in the mood for exercise. In IPD they talk about doing a 10 minute brisk walk each day and then gradually lengthening the time - I think that is a really good idea, even if you don't feel in the mood for weights or a run or an exercise class.

I find doing weight-based exercise fine on this diet (I do kettlebells 2 or 3 times a week) but it has taken me 5 weeks to get to the point where I can do a 6-7km run and not be exhausted for the last 2km. I'm really used to running on the back of a bowl of porridge and berries in the morning and I'm finding that running later in the day after lunch seems to be better on this diet for some reason (my utterly unscientific layman's guess is that it might take my body longer to start burning fat/protein in the mornings than carbs and so it's not releasing the energy from my food until later in the day???). I'm doing a 10km in about 5 weeks (first one in 10 years!) so still trying to get my head round the best time of day to train for that and also think about what I can eat beforehand to give me enough energy to get round my longer runs. Anyone got any tips or links on that?

ledkr · 18/04/2012 09:55

Right,i have a day off today so will struggle muchly.

DD1 had some sort of 10 yr old tantrum this morning as she was "too ill for school" but when i told her no tv/i pad if off she went mental.Oh and the baby wont be put down at all!
I had 2 boiled eggs but feel peckish.I am off to toddlers where they give out choc hob nobs but i am taking some nuts to snack on which i know isnt quite right but better than hob nobs.
I havent changed much on scales but am defo slimmer and my swollen ankles which have mnever gone down since baby was born have gone!!! I have shapely legs again.
It is getting harder going today as my supplies are running down and its soooo expensive but i have just got some nice staeks out of the freezer and will make a nice creamy mushroom sauce with it and lots of veg.

Is butternut squash ok? Swede?

noddyholder · 18/04/2012 10:00

I felt rubbish yesterday between about 1 and 5 then perked up Slept well but woke early full of life Have had 2 boiled eggs and am now flagging!

LackaDAILYcarb · 18/04/2012 10:00

The thought of kippers for breakfast makes my stomach do a somersault Envy

lemniscate · 18/04/2012 10:03

I love kippers, but only ever for brunch or later :o

Jacaqueen · 18/04/2012 10:12

Just to let you know from my past experience, days 3 and 4 can be hard.

For the past 2 days you have been on a sugar detox and your body will start to fight back. There are little organisms in your stomach that love sugar and will do anything to get a fix. These little buggers will send out signals to your brain telling you to eat sugar.

DO NOT GIVE IN TO THIS CRAVING!

At this stage I often crave vinegary things too. Be prepared with lots of yummy low carb food.

BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed · 18/04/2012 10:17

Jacaqueen is absolutely right - you have to be prepared with this WOE. Plan ahead and think about what you're doing/where you will be during the day. (Wow - 6lbs is brilliant!)

My trainer, who is an ex-professional footballer, says that he does eat carbs the night before a football game. The carbs can be accessed more easily/quickly for energy. So if you're doing serious exercise, where you need to sustain energy levels, perhaps something slightly more carby beforehand might be worth contemplating? Charles Clarke does allow a slice of wholemeal toast, so maybe think about having that in the morning, with some protein as well? Scrambled eggs on toast, perhaps?

I'm loving the idea of being Welsh totty ...

ShirtyKnot · 18/04/2012 10:18

lemn - This is quite interesting

It seems that it's a transitional thing. My run yesterday morning was harder than usual but I put it down to a) being Week 5 Run 2 of the C25K programme therefore running continuously for longer than before, and b) 6.30 in the morning, not really warmed up and cold and rainy out - plus I dropped my puffer in the road and a car ran over it. Hmm. It'll be interesting to see how I get on tomorrow with a 20 minute run later in the day.

moonmother · 18/04/2012 10:22

Had Breakfast of sausage,mushrooms and a rasher of streaky bacon, and 1 cup of tea.

Lost just over another pound so that's 2 since Monday Smile. Feel better today , not sluggish and less 'fuzzy' in my head, and no headaches as of yet ( touch wood).

Have very funny taste in my mouth though, have cleaned teeth twice already this morning.

1 litre of water down already today ( which is good for me) .

I'm hoping that the last couple of days have been the worst I'll feel, I gave up the Diet Pepsi on Monday too, so imagine I'm finally coming out of the caffeine withdrawal.

Walking about 3 miles a day as well, although if I stay feeling this good will probably add some extra exercise to that over next couple of days.

GreenEyesAndHam · 18/04/2012 10:28

Hrmph scales show a measly 1lb loss since Sunday

No caffeine, no sweetener, no milk, no NOWT.

This is exactly why I didn't want to start weighing myself again- I get depressed, but the IPD convinced me I needed to.

Oh well, it's only halfway through the first week innit

Bacon and egg for breakfast today

BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed · 18/04/2012 10:34

Not even half way, GreenEyes! Don't despair quite so soon.

Are you eating enough fat? That's key. (As well as the water, natch!)

GreenEyesAndHam · 18/04/2012 10:45

I really thought I was BIWI? But perhaps I need to look at it again

I must admit, it could be lack of exercise as well- I'm doing the IPD walks in a morning but that's about it. The rest of the day I'm sat on my fat arse at my desk! Might try to drag myself out again in the evenings.

GreenEyesAndHam · 18/04/2012 10:46

Water- tick

I'm rippling when I walk. I've got my own tidal system going on

Grin
FaresPlease · 18/04/2012 10:47

Hi everyone - finding it really motivating to be doing this along with so many others, getting recipe ideas, hearing other peoples experiences.

I had a stinking headache Monday, felt grumpy yesterday, but all bright and sunny and un-hungry today! Want to do some exercise but hard with a toddler home all day and school runs at 2 different times later.

Stocked up at the supermarket yesterday, and just knowing that there will be something tasty and substantial later for dinner sort of stops me feeling deprived.

Scales were down a little this morning, but I do know I'm cheating a little by having decaf coffee with a wee slosh of milk and a teaspoon of splenda - any opinions on whether I'd be better cutting out the milk or the splenda? Not sure I can get rid of both!

Keep going everyone!

encyclogirl · 18/04/2012 10:48

I could not have kippers for breakfast. You were very brave Shirty!

Wasn't brave enough to face brocolli and cheese soup for brekkie. It's all very well having these plans the night before.

Had two soft boiled eggs instead. That seems to be my default breakfast now, which is fine by me.

I can't be thinking too hard about that meal, and we do have our own laying hens. So that's that sorted.

Big salad for lunch I think.

Hopped on scales and am a further half a pound down. That's 10.5lbs in total. Fantastic!

Brocolli and cheese soup with big salad for dinner.

One litre of slosh consumed already.

PorkyandBess · 18/04/2012 10:51

I know the original Atkins book said it very important to do some exercise every day.

I was another 2 lbs down this morning, so 4 in total.

I felt very weak and feeble this morning though and had to sit and look wan whilst dh made me scrambled eggs.

Feel good now though. Dog is off to groomer's in a bit. It takes 2 hours so I'll go to the gym whilst he's there.

TheShapeJaper · 18/04/2012 10:57

Morning all. Slight loss this morning, weighed 9.9.8. I've never taken an interest in the third digit before!

My question is; am I allowed a MIM? Pretty please? Thanks

WillieWaggledagger · 18/04/2012 10:58

that makes sense lemniscate - I used to to cardio exercise very early in the morning (5am), but find if i do that I feel absolutely rotten if I'm low-carbing (i have always exercised before breakfast). so i switched to after work

one of the reasons I used to exercise in the morning was that I felt so exhausted in the evening after work, but I feel much more energetic and able to exercise at that time with the low carb

I agree about weights too

TheShapeJaper · 18/04/2012 10:58

encyclogirl I am insanely jealous of your loss. Well done! You must have been very disciplined. Hard work pays off.

PorkyandBess · 18/04/2012 11:13

encyclogirl - you have done so well in such a short time! Well done! Are you exercising too?

MrsNouveauRichards · 18/04/2012 11:15

What's a MiM?

I am still feeling a bit off and feel like I want something, but there is no hunger in my stomach iyswim? It is more my mouth is hungry :o

teaandthorazine · 18/04/2012 11:22

Hideous and chaotic day at work today. Am hiding in my car so I don't actually put my hands around my boss's neck Angry

Want coffee and cake. And a good cry. And my bed.

And it's pissing with rain and I have 5 visits to do before 2pm.

Not a good day so far. But no carbs!

MNP · 18/04/2012 11:31

Morning, love the name BIWI

Yeah to reduced pain and feeling better.

Only 0.5lt drunk overnight.

Not feeling hungry, but then don't usually have breakfast.

B:was about an oz of cheddar.

L:fried salmon, creamy leek and cauli mash and asparagus.
D:belly pork, pakchoi,leek,green pepper
S:pâté with spinach

Is the plan and 3-4ltrs.

MrsNouveauRichards · 18/04/2012 11:36

tea that is rubbish. Would virtual tea and cake help at all?

Lunch is going to be 'shrek' soup (broccoli, cauli and stilton) with some grated cheese and was thinking maybe bacon bits on top but it is probably not recommended to have that much bacon in a day. Would a slice of fried onion be allowed?

Dinner is bolognese minus the spaghetti which I'm really looking forward to as it is a normal meal which I like.

BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed · 18/04/2012 11:42

For those of you who aren't doing any exercise/can't do any exercise, perhaps you could [http://atkinsinternationaluk.m4.mailplus.nl/genericservice/code/servlet/React?wpEncId=YNGp8fx7KN&wpMessageId=10602&userId=70202&command=viewPage&activityId=165964&encId=fYphTCFj39Wvy7y splash out £90 for these beauties instead? ]]