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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.

Two Week Low Carb Bootcamp Bonanza Challenge! All welcome.

969 replies

BIWI · 16/07/2012 08:11

For those of us who have been here since the beginning, these are the last two weeks. And it seems like a good idea to finish with a couple of strict weeks, seeing as there has been a fair amount of slippage!

For anyone who wants to join - you are more than welcome! These two weeks will get you off to a great start if you are wanting to lose some weight.

So. Who wants to sign up for two weeks of strict Bootcamp? If you want to join/continue, put your name on the list and we can see who is there. We have a fabulous Spreadsheet of Marvellousness to track weight/weight loss, which I will also post a link to.

Here are the rules - for carnivores and then the veggie version:

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

Allowed veg

Don?t eat any veg unless it?s on this list, and try and focus on eating those that are under 3g carbs per 100g:

Veg (raw)Carbs per 100g
Mushrooms0.4
Watercress0.4
Spinach0.8
Celery0.9
Broccoli1.1
Asparagus 1.4
Cucumber1.5
Lettuce1.7
Fennel1.8
Courgettes1.8
Cauliflower1.9
Avocado flesh1.9
Turnip2
Pumpkin2.2
Runner beans2.3
Swede2.3
Celeriac2.3
Bean sprouts2.5
Green pepper2.6
Baby sweetcorn2.7 (there is some debate about this - carb counts seem to vary according to variety and where you buy from - check the packet to be sure)
Aubergine2.8
Leeks2.9
Okra3
Tomato3.1
Mangetout3.3
Shallots3.3
Brussels sprouts3.5
French beans4.7
Cabbage5
Yellow pepper5.3
Carrots6
Orange or red pepper6.4
Ginger (peeled)7.2
Butternut squash7.5
Onions7.9

Veggie Rules

Only slightly adapted from BIWI's but best to take notice of the changes if you're vegetarian.

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 ingredients as the basis for your meals. Vegetarian Sausages and Burgers are ok in small quantities, but check the carb count as some can be very high. Avoid foods marketed as 'Low Carb' such as Atkins Daybreak Bars, etc.

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). Absolutely no low fat/light foods of any kind!

4.Make sure you are eating plenty of vegetables and salads with your food ?
This is where most of 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.Beware of Nuts and Seeds.
Nuts are a very good way to include more fat and protein in your diet, however some are very high carb (e.g. Cashews). Stick to small amounts of Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Dried Coconut, Walnuts, Seeds and Peanut Butter, but check the ingredients, many supermarket brands have sugar added.

10.No sugar or artificial sweeteners

OP posts:
NigellasGuest · 18/07/2012 21:00

RCB a playdate from 10am til 5pm!!! Shock Shock
What sort of a nightmare is that!!!

SharonGless · 18/07/2012 21:03

Catching up on the thread, watching men who make us fat finally and scrubbing my feet. Rock and roll me!

B boiled egg mashed with Boursin - I can't remember who mentioned this but its bloody gorgeous
L chicken salad
D Parmesan plaice (recipe on thread) creamed cabbage and broccoli.

Drinking water now so I'll probably be up all night - not drunk enough today

toysoldiers · 18/07/2012 21:06

How long does this flu of which you speak last?

It's a little embarrassing to feel so bad so quickly Blush

SharonGless · 18/07/2012 21:06

Mrs CampbellBlack - am concerned that yOur food wasn't delicious. Bacon and courgettes- you could have had a carbonara sauce mixed in with it tomake it yummy- cream, egg yolk and Parmesan!!

If your food is boring you wont stick with it. I love it because my food actually tastes now

Have you had a look on recipe thread

Ps 7 hour play date sounds like hell

SharonGless · 18/07/2012 21:12

Just been having quick look on google - put in carb flu.

It's really common and depends on your level of carbs prior to starting this on how it will affect you. Normally by day 4 -5 of low carbing symptoms will reduce

Have you read the idiot proof diet by India Knight and Neris Thomas
It goes into the emotional eating which really clicked for me. Try the local library

teaandthorazine · 18/07/2012 21:15

Sharon - that was me with the boiled egg and Boursin - it's bloody amazing isn't it?!

In fact, I demand that everyone tries a boiled egg and Boursin this week Grin

Toysoldiers - drink plenty of water, get some sleep, keep your fats up, it'll pass. I've been feeling utterly exhausted today because I've overindulged in the carbs for the last few days. Your body's just getting used to this new WOE.

SharonGless · 18/07/2012 21:18

Tea- I think I love you for that! Stank of garlic all day mind Wink

MrsCampbellBlack · 18/07/2012 21:18

Oh playdate was fine - 2 7 year olds just played together with minimal input from me and entertained my 4 and 2 year old too.

Food is normally good but fridge was bare so it was my least favourite things. But Mr Ocado arrives tomorrow pm and will do a quick m&s run in the morning. Have got new low carb recipe book on kindle too - so must read that later. Did start last night but got caught up in which alcohol was the lowest carb Wink

Oh I am such an emotional eater. Had tricksy weekend and could not stop eating.

SharonGless · 18/07/2012 21:23

Spirits- there see! All sorted

Glad you have some yummy things on order. Would recommend IPD - am a bugger for emotional eating. Plus using food as a "treat" for the kids or to cheer them up. Am desperately trying to get out of that so that they don't have the same issues with food that I had/have

emmak86 · 18/07/2012 21:30

Im in!!!

Starting weight: 91.6 kilos.
Not sure what else im supposed to write :/

Em x

Thegoddessblossom · 18/07/2012 21:32

[adds boursin to shopping list]

tea was a bowl of chilli made by DH which I picked all of the kidney beans out of, and was so small after I had done that I then had a bowl of the leftover seafood curry. I promise that is the last time I mention the goddam seafood curry. Grin

Snacks: macadamia nuts and a glass of red, coffee with cream.

emmak86 · 18/07/2012 21:33

Also im wondering... Why no low fat foods?
Em x

SharonGless · 18/07/2012 21:39

Em

It's all to do with the science around changing the balance of what you eat to high fat, low carb. To really buy into it I would recommend you read why yu need to eat fat to lose wait. I kow it sounds crazy but it really does work!

Someone far more articulate than I will come along in a minute and explain fully.
Dr JOhn Briffas book Escape the Diet Trap is a great book to start with. Have a look on some low carb websites via google and read the old Bootcamp threads

SharonGless · 18/07/2012 21:40

The goddess- you're gonna love it!

Allergic to seafood so can't do the curry but looking to adapt. How much have you got? You could feed us all I think ;)

Thegoddessblossom · 18/07/2012 21:41

and by the way - I like something sweet after tea and a coffee with cream absolutely hits the spot. I don't eat dark choc any more.

Thegoddessblossom · 18/07/2012 21:43

all gone now thank god Sharon - glad to see the back of seafoodcurrygate delish tho it was!!

toysoldiers · 18/07/2012 21:49

Ha! Ever one to like a challenge - I've just made chocolate gingerbread for DS's teacher Grin

I'm not sure I could get more carbs in short of serving it with mash.

I haven't licked the bowl
DH will be 'testing'

teaandthorazine · 18/07/2012 21:49

Hello Em

Have a look at John Briffa as Sharon suggests - imo it really is quite important to understand how this WOE works. Gary Taubes is brilliant on this subject too - plenty of stuff on youtube if you don't want to wade through the books.

For a start, low-fat food tastes like cardboard and is usually full of sugar or sweeteners, neither of which we do on this WOE Grin

The bottom line is that fat doesn't make you fat. Eating fat (and protein) won't make your body produce insulin. Eating carbs - especially processed, refined carbs - will. Carbs turn to sugar in the body, your blood glucose rises, insulin comes along and stores this sugar as fat.

The more insulin you produce, the more fat you store.

So we eat plenty of fat on on this diet because it fills you up, it helps you absorb vitamins, it's good for your skin and hair and nails, your brain needs fat to work. It makes things taste delicious and it won't make you fat!

emmak86 · 18/07/2012 21:50

Thanks sharongless ill defo google low carb diets and recipes and see what i can find! I had a chicken cous cous salad today which was loverly!! Thinking i might try a pepper stuffed with cous cous tomorrow :)
Em x

BIWI · 18/07/2012 21:54

Evening all. Goodness, this thread has got busy!

Welcome, emmak86 - just write about anything you fancy. It's what most of us do! Generally how you're getting on, what you've eaten, how you feel about things, or any questions that you have.

Today:

B - 2 poached eggs
L - leftover marinated salmon and stir-fried veg from last night, with mayo
D - chicken pieces, marinated in yoghurt, curry powder, olive oil and garlic and then grilled, with avocado salad, green salad, griddled asparagus with Parmesan and a bit of beetroot salad (probably a bit carby but I love beetroot!)

Another early gym session tomorrow.

OP posts:
teaandthorazine · 18/07/2012 21:55

Ummmm, sorry emma but couscous is definitely NOT allowed! Red peppers are v carby too tbh.

Honestly, you need to forget everything you think you know about losing weight. This is totally different. that's why it's so important to read about low-carb. The 'rules' are at the top of the thread.

Have your chicken salad with avocado, olives, mayo, lots of leaves, cucumber. No couscous; it's a grain. Sorry!

emmak86 · 18/07/2012 21:59

O i didnt realise! Thats that plan out the window then lol! So does that mean no rice either?
I read all the rules about veg thats allowed etc! And ive just ordered a low carb book on amazon.. Low carb gourmet.

Em x

toysoldiers · 18/07/2012 21:59

Bugger, just realised my red onion and red pepper for dinner were really high Blush. Aubergine not so bad though.

Em, I know what you mean about couscous. It's unnatural that we're not allowed to eat it Grin

SharonGless · 18/07/2012 22:03

Hence why you need to understand that carbs are starch basically which turns to sugar. This is why it is important to break your sugar addiction/carvings. If you cut them out of your diet you stop the mid afternoon slump which carbs cause. I am rarely starving hungry now on this WOE, because I eat fat in different foods which keeps me full for Longer. I never snack now unless I drink alcohol. I don't need a pudding as I am full after my main meal

toysoldiers · 18/07/2012 22:05

In my head, you are actually Sharon Gless Wink