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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:
Roseformeplease · 18/04/2012 20:54

Thanks so much for this. It is really helping.

KeepOrfThemCarbs · 18/04/2012 21:00

Yes, I will alphabeticise (?) the list to make it easy for people to find themselves.

I will start it and link back to this.

MsRinky · 18/04/2012 21:01

Dinner was monkfish with brown shrimps in lemon chervil butter sauce with purple sprouting broccoli and runner beans. It was insanely delicious. I'm afraid in the absence of a bit of bread to mop the sauce up, I was forced to lick the plate.

TheGoddessBlossom · 18/04/2012 21:05

Celeriac shepherds pie a hit! Thumbs up from DH who is a master chef ( he thinks). Was stuffed but still had berries with double cream for pud. (I am not strictly bootcamping remember). I am weighing tomorrow....

WizzyBizzy · 18/04/2012 21:05

Evening all. Checking in. So, today:

B: Avocado and bacon as previously advertised.
L: Soup ditto
D: Pork fried in butter with broccoli and leeks sauteed in garlic oil. Followed by a yogurt. Still not totally sure I'm really allowed the yogurt (seems to be some differences of opinion up-thread) but I've bought a big tub...
Snacks: Couple of chunks of cheese
Doing ok on the water I think.

Am actually massively craving something else. Would normally be diving for the chocolate or at least fruit by now. There's some celery looking at me from the fridge but the idea is making me . Might boil myself an egg to have during the Apprentice.

My biggest achievement is another night without any booze. Especially given that MIL was round for dinner..... [carb-plunge-petulance emoticon].

The bad news is that I weighed myself mid afternoon and have lost precisely....er...none of your English pounds. Which is a bit gutting not to mention embarrasing given that I thought half a stone might be achievable in a fortnight. Ho-hum. Trying not to lose motivation. This thread is bloody marvellous from that pov. Thanks BIWI!!

WizzyBizzy · 18/04/2012 21:06

Guffaw at MsRinky and the plate! Must try that Grin

encyclogirl · 18/04/2012 21:06

To answer shapejaper and porky

I am doing some exercise, 3 miles walk/run 5 times a week. So not exactly killing myself. Mind you I was running about 30 miles a week last year and lost very little.

I think for me it's 80% what I'm eating. Had brocolli and cheddar soup for dinner and finished off some homemade coleslaw from last night.

Drinking my last half litre now.

I am actually scared I might pee the bed tonight! Kept dreaming I was on the loo last night Blush

ANTagony · 18/04/2012 21:12

Celariac the wonder veg has made its way into North Wales. DH went to Rhyl and it was in Sainsburys. Now I have the dilemma as to what to do with it.

Delia has a recipe for celeriac crisps, I love crisps, but they're deep fried in sunflower oil which I'm guessing is a no no. Has anyone tried tossing in coconut oil and baking them? I'm going to try and source coconut oil at the weekend so can't try myself yet.

coocoocachoo · 18/04/2012 21:14

B: total yoghurt - I know, I know but just a few small spoonfulls
L: 2xmackerel fillets with green salad and an egg
D: Chicken breast with courgette and mushrooms (snap maria callous) cooked in cream WITH cheese - felt soo naughty!
S: MORE CHEESE - M&S babybel AND some littl cubes of chive cheddar

Nearly ate DS's rice cake snack though, he was just bloody WAVING it under my nose. DH may have to hide his baby bloody biscotti too .....

I agree bizzywizzy. Following what others are eating, recipe tips and not wanting to cheat when I write down what I eat is brilliant - I'd normally be on my 3rd round of toast by now!

BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed · 18/04/2012 21:24

Just watch all hat dairy, coocoocachoo - the yoghurt together with the cream and the cheese ...

KeepOrfThemCarbs · 18/04/2012 21:25

Here is the weigh-in thread for tomorrow.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/big_slim_whatever_weight_loss_club/1453299-BIWIs-2-week-Boot-Camp-first-weigh-in-Thursday-18th-April?msgid=31264725#31264725

Good luck everyone. Smile You will all do better than me, I have just eaten a bowl of leek and potato soup with a slice o' toast (hopefully will feel better tomorrow and will be able to join back in with a VENGEANCE Grin)

ANTagony · 18/04/2012 21:25

So excited by googling I've found an oven bake celeriac crisp recipe. Going to try in the morning. see here

slowlyburningcalories · 18/04/2012 21:37

well now. Got home from work at half six, was crawling the walls in hunger, drank pint of water - nope still hungry. SO ate pack of smoked salmon meant for MIL at the weekend.

then DH reheated dinner but not realising greens off menu did a huge pot of peas and broad beans - he had pasta too but still served himself most of the reheated shephards pie - apparently I am on a diet so mustn't eat too much. sulk.

coocoocachoo · 18/04/2012 21:38

Oh dear BWIW - just added up the carbs from my dairy intake today! See what you mean. Just when I thought I was getting the hang of this to....

Buying soy milk tomorrow and being much stricter with myself. No dairy, more protein!

BettyBathroom · 18/04/2012 21:42

Spinach & Ricotta Gnocchi - served with tomato sauce or sage butter recipe from Low Carb Vegetarian by Celia Brooks Brown. Serves 4 or 2 with very big appetites!

200g young spinach, washed
2 tbsp parsley, chopped (optional)
1 nice plump garlic clove - or 2 slim ones, crushed
150g ricotta, drained
75g soy flour
100g grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
nutmeg - generous grating to taste...(I don't like nutmeg so I omitted it)
Salt & Pepper

Tomato sauce
Olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans tomatoes
squirt of sun dried tom paste

Sage Butter
75g unsalted butted
salt!
16 fresh sage leaves coarsely chopped

To make tomato sauce: Heat oil, fry shallots till translucent, add garlic fry for a minute, add tomatoes and sun dried tomato paste - simmer while making gnocchi and till the tomatoes lose their acidity - at least 30 mins.

To make gnocchi: Wilt spinach, drain and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle wrap spinach in a tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Then chop finely.

Mix spinach, parsley if using, garlic, ricotta, soy flour, parmesan, nutmeg, S&P. Then mix well!

Have a big pan of salted boiling water at the ready. Form balls small walnut size. Gnocchi can be frozen at this stage. Drop a few Gnocchi into boiling water and simmer for 3-4 mins, until they have risen to the surface - remove with a slotted spoon, keep warm and cook the next batch.

To make sage butter: Melt butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and the sage. Fry till the sage starts to go a golden colour - keep your eyes on it, as it can burn very quickly.

Pour chosen sauce over gnocchi and add some grated parmesan.

6g Carbs per serving with sage butter - bit extra with tomato sauce.

BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed · 18/04/2012 21:44

coocoo - it's not so much the carbs (although you obviously need to be aware of those), just more that a lot of dairy can impede weight loss.

WizzyBizzy · 18/04/2012 21:47

I need. To stop. Snacking. Clearly not in ketosis yet. Could be the cheese? Worried I'm in a vicious circle. And getting severe stage fright re weigh in tomorrow (what if I've put ON weight??).

Just had two mashed boiled eggs to get me through the evening and stop me thinking about chocolate not working. Gah.

Creamtea1 · 18/04/2012 22:00

Had my first lecture tonight by the slimming world brigade. That's really unhealthy, you can't just not eat carbs, on SW you can have jacket potato and beans and still lose weight etc...
Funnily enough it didn't bother me and all went over my head- they wouldnt listen to my reasoning so I gave up!

TheGoddessBlossom · 18/04/2012 22:02

I feel ridiculously full more quickly on this woe... Anyone else? A plate of shepherds pie followed by berries and cream, would see me looking for a snack an hour later but I am absolutely stuffed....

SharonGless · 18/04/2012 22:17

Fuck fuck fuck completely messed up. Just been to book club and due ti my embarrassment the hostess had made lasagne which I have forced down. Completely gutted and annoyed with myself as been doing really well and been strict

TheShapeJaper · 18/04/2012 22:19

Thanks for all of the links BIWI, the last one was particularly helpful to me as it's when I "stall" that I tend to give up. Determined to push through this time. I will wear those jeans again!

How very annoying Creamtea1. They'll see - at least you know the truth!

TheShapeJaper · 18/04/2012 22:25

these look good

TheShapeJaper · 18/04/2012 22:27

Oh Sharon, what a situation! My worst nightmare. There probably wasn't really anything else you could have done. Just try to forget about it and start again tomorrow.

Hepsibaaah · 18/04/2012 22:27

Evening all, a (very) late check-in for me :(
Feeling much better, shakiness and carn cravings have passed, not feeling hungry, if anything feeling full and thirsty! today was:
B- left-over salmon and an oopsie roll
L- smoked mack and buckets of low carb salad
S Smoked mack pate and celery (did cheat with a half of ryvita as there's only 4 gm carb in 100gm ryvita???!)

snacked on a wee blob of cheese and a boiled egg