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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:
PigletJohn · 22/07/2012 18:21

BIWI

Because I like swedes, obv!

SingingTunelessly · 22/07/2012 18:54

Ooh BIWI you just made me realise our BBQ needed some oomph. Added in lime and chilli marinated prawns to dunk in mayo. Smile

BIWI · 22/07/2012 18:55

Fair enough, PigletJohn! A vastly underrated veg I always think.

OP posts:
WillieWaggledagger · 22/07/2012 18:57

So you search for threads that mention swedes and then cme and tell everyone there that what they're doing is unnatural? That's a bit odd

Lovely steak for supper (eating early as oddly shattered - I think it's being outside all day)

LeB0F · 22/07/2012 18:59

I'm having taco shells for tea. Without the taco shells.

BIWI · 22/07/2012 19:00
Grin
OP posts:
Amaxapax · 22/07/2012 19:10

Well, I abandoned plan completely yesterday and I'm okay with that. Today I'm back on 100%, so I'm pleased with myself. I'm feeling very realistic that the weight I want to lose will take a while to come off, so I'm okay with blips here and there.

After a conversation with my fiancé last night, he was very insistent that I go back home for a couple of weeks. I think he was getting a bit concerned at the prospect of how I would handle six weeks on my own, so last night I bought my tickets. I'm so excited and I clearly have the loveliest partner in the world for being so supportive and helping to make this trip happen. I'm going to get to enjoy a proper summer back home with lots of time outside and plenty of fresh, seasonal food and barbecues. Cannot wait!

BIWI · 22/07/2012 19:14

That sounds lovely, Amaxapax! (Give us a clue where home is ... Grin)

OP posts:
jan2011 · 22/07/2012 19:17

oh amax sounds great! something to look forward to!

binged again today. sigh. need back on track.

Thegoddessblossom · 22/07/2012 19:36

Tea was 2 big flat mushrooms each with a fried egg on top and some smoked salmon. No booze for me tonight Halo.

Have discovered that these big mushrooms are perfect for sopping up the runny yolk of a fried egg where you would previously have used toast or bread!

Snacks - some olives, and a stick of celery with some Brie.

Lovely day in the sunshine today, nice long walk this morning, and took boys to the practice tennis wall up the road this afternoon.

emmak86 · 22/07/2012 19:40

Dinner today was roast chicken and some butternut squash with cabbage and carrots.

Snacks today were rice cakes with sea salt :) got a bit peckish!

Em x

WillieWaggledagger · 22/07/2012 20:05

Jan hope you're ok
I don't want to make any assumptions about your situation and I don't know whether this helps, but I have had seriously disordered eating since I was a teenager (starving/bingeing) and since starting this woe in February my eating behaviour has significantly improved. I still have bad days from time to time (and it's hard not to beat myself up when thay happens) but they are becoming much less frequent and this woe has really helped me separate eating from emotions. I have no idea if your situation is in any way similar

WillieWaggledagger · 22/07/2012 20:07

(arsing phone)

If your situation is in any way similar to mine I hope this woe helps you too

MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe · 22/07/2012 20:17

I'm more of a celeriac groupie as opposed to swede Grin

B: Egg/bacon
L: Cauli pizza
D: Creamy tarragon chicken, courgettes, broccoli and mushrooms

I really don't feel hungry inbetween meals any more and not finding sweet, sugary things very tempting. That to me feels quite weird, but good.

Amaxapax · 22/07/2012 20:25

Home is Oregon, which suffers from winters similar to England except rainier, and then goes and redeems itself entirely with reliably beautiful summers. Plus there's the beach, rivers, lakes, mountains...

cryhavoc · 22/07/2012 20:37

Can I join in please? I started in earnest on Wednesday, having considered low carbing for a while. Have lurked a little on here, and chatted with BIWI and the some other low carbers on Twitter, so thought I would pop in and say hello.

I am utterly convinced by this WOE after only five days, but after many years of low fat this and diet that it is a real headfuck to find myself adding butter to food I am frying for my breakfast. I haven't cheated, and have been lucky enough not to be suffering with any cravings.

I also haven't weighed myself. I've heard so many things about this WOE making a massive difference to weight that I am actually a bit nervous about getting on the scales in case I haven't lost any weight. However, my trousers are noticeably looser.

Today:
B: Bacon rasher, three mushrooms fried in oil and butter.
L: Tuna mayo salad.
D: 'Lasagne' made with meat sauce, layered with cream cheese and cream sauce, and sliced marrow. It was a bit weird, but we all ate it.

BIWI · 22/07/2012 20:45

Can we come? Grin

OP posts:
Whippoorwhill · 22/07/2012 21:05

Breakfast - bacon, fried egg and fried mushrooms.
Lunch - large salad, bratwurst and home made lacto-fermented mayonaise.
Dinner - barbequed kangaroo steaks (Lidl's are a bit mad really), cauliflower in a peanut butter and mayo dressing, mushrooms marinated in soy sauce, olive oil, lime juice and garlic and 3 slices of ham rolled around cream cheese mixed with salsa.
Snacks - home made greek yoghurt with a little rhubarb and strawberry puree, couple of slices of ham and a cold burger.

Lacto-fermented mayonaise was a huge hit. I will definitely make it again, because I think this jar will be eaten before I've had a chance to find out how long it will last in the fridge. The kids think it's nicer than Hellmans! Go me. :)

jan2011 · 22/07/2012 21:19

hey willie my situation has been similar, and since i had the baby things have been so much better, also since starting this WOE it has been better but like you i still get the odd bad day but less frequent....am hoping im not going to get myself into a bad cycle of eating again. but i think i can pull myself out of it...im glad youve been a lot better :)

MsRinky · 22/07/2012 21:47

Just back from, miracle of miracles, a sunny festival. Was in the camper van, so had bacon and eggs in the mornings. We will draw a veil over the rest, although I'm sure tequila has no carbs and dancing is definitely exercise. Fridge was a bit bare when we got home, but managed to rustle up a broccoli and goat cheese frittata, which was surprisingly tasty.

Thegoddessblossom · 22/07/2012 21:47

Welcome cry havoc. It is a headfuck. No doubt about it.

Emma - you do realise rice cakes are a no no? Sorry if you do and are not strictly low carbing.

emmak86 · 22/07/2012 21:49

Omg i didnt realise that! This keeps happening to me :/ ill have to find something to replace them with!! X

leeiam · 22/07/2012 21:50

Hello you lovely low-carbers! Please may I join?
I?ve been lurking for a few days and thought it was time I showed my face, so to speak.
For the last 2 to 3 years I have followed a high (ish) protein diet the vegetarian way (i.e. a lot of quorn and protein shakes). Reading John Briffa?s book this week, however, has been enlightening and I have faced my fears of fat and have started true low-carbing (including eating eggs which is a challenge for me). I?m already 9lbs down on abt 10 days ago ? though I realise this will slow dramatically. I am also ditching the quorn for a while and finding alternatives to my protein shakes (thought I still have the odd one for brekky).
Having read this thread and seeing what a wonderfully welcoming, friendly bunch you are has given me the confidence to pop my head around the door and say ?Hi?.
I hit a wall today with what I suspect as being ?carb flu? I upped my water (which I had been pretty useless at up till now) and added plenty of extra salt/low salt to my dishes. I feel a lot better already :-)
Today was:
B: Whey protein shake (with blueberries because of feeling v.rough this morning) and half avocado
L: Mushrooms fried in butter with stilton on a rocket salad
D: HM cauliflower soup and a 2 egg omelette
Snack: a piece of stilton with a v&t
Thanks to everyone else for their support/contributions.

xx

emmak86 · 22/07/2012 21:55

Welcome leeiam Grin

Em x

leeiam · 22/07/2012 21:58

Thanks Em Smile