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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:
toysoldiers · 23/07/2012 14:28

and what a marvellous spreadsheet it is too Grin.

Will fill it in tomorrow.

Whippoorwhill · 23/07/2012 15:21

Vnmum, hope your new start is going well. The kangaroo was ok. My son described it as pork flavoured beef. :) It was a bit chewy despite being very rare and not as strong tasting as I expected. I think it would lend itself well to slow cooking. I probably won't bother buying it again though.

Serious question time. I have now stayed the same weight for 5 weeks so I think that is officially a stall. I've lost 2 stone 3lbs and have about 3 and 1/2 stone still to go. I originally started low carbing to support my husband and MIL with their diabetes diets and had no thoughts of losing weight. I never did a proper plan, just cut out carbs and carby vegetables. I'm not a big fruit eater so that wasn't an issue and I rarely drink. Should I just carry on as I am and hope the stall ends and not worry if I stay the same or should I take some kind of action and if so what? Get stricter with the carbs, cut out dairy, smaller portions?

Jins · 23/07/2012 15:32

I've just come back from a hospital appointment to review my intake/output chart and have been told I'm drinking far too much and need to cut back to 2l from 3.4l. The chart counts anything liquid including soup as a fluid.

My next chart will show a cutback but to be honest I don't force fluids at all.

Jins · 23/07/2012 15:35

Whippoorwhill it does sound like a stall. If you aren't strict with the carbs at the moment then I'd recommend having three days or so of carb counting to see how many you are on. Carb creep can happen very easily and you might be at your maintenance level now.

I'd be strict with the carbs first. Only make one change at a time is my rule. If you cut back on carbs and reduce dairy at the same time you won't know which one worked Grin

Lorelilee · 23/07/2012 15:45

BIWI, I'm now entering my 4th week. Lost 8lb in the first week and nothing since. As I said, have no intention of quitting, but just a tad demoralised :$

vnmum · 23/07/2012 16:30

whip the new start is going well. gym this morning, then had 2 slices ham, 2 peice cheese, 2 boiled eggs and some coleslaw for lunch about 1.30. didn't do breakfast. DH is currently cheffing on the bbq so we are having, roo steaks, homemade pork burgers, chicken in a lemon and sage marinade served with salad. yummy

need to drink more today though, been busy and forgot to drink

Poppylovescheese · 23/07/2012 17:10

3lbs down for me to 146lb!

BIWI · 23/07/2012 17:39

Lorelilee - list out for me what you've been eating/drinking over the last few days, and see if there's anything I can help you with.

Jins - why are you having your input/output measured (if that's not too personal a question!)?

Whippoorwhill - have you been following Bootcamp rules, or just cutting down on carbs generally? As with Lorelilee - list out for me your last few days' worth of food/drinks and see if there's anything we can spot.

OP posts:
Jins · 23/07/2012 17:44

input/output is part of the investigations to see if I have a prolapse.

I do :(

Finbar · 23/07/2012 17:59

many thanks BIWI - have sorted the book mark thing!

BIWI · 23/07/2012 18:02

Oh bugger, Jins Sad

OP posts:
Jins · 23/07/2012 18:21

Occupational hazard BIWI!

Thegoddessblossom · 23/07/2012 18:23

Very sorry to hear that jins. What is the treatment plan?

It is NOW that I always drink wine and I am literally sitting on my hands. What a bleedin' alkie!!!!! Have made myself an enormous cuppa and have finished that. If I can just eat tea I would be fine (rarely drink after we have eaten) but have to wait until I have take DS1 to his cubs water fight before we can eat.

If nothing else I need to try and kick this very bad nightly habit. I am one of those suburban functioning middle aged dependent drinkers!!!! Sad

TooImmatureTurtleDoves · 23/07/2012 18:26

Jins, not to sound unsympathetic, but what occupation has prolapse as a hazard? Apart from motherhood, of course.

Whippoorwhill · 23/07/2012 18:31

BIWI - I've always been pretty much on Bootcamp Light. A few nuts, some fresh strawberries, the occasional MiM, a little alcohol, mainly vodka with lime and soda or a glass of dry red. No more than one drink in an evening maybe twice a week. In the last month I've had two proper cheats. One was a small portion of chips perfectly triple cooked in beef dripping (well worth it) and one evening when I had 2 1/2 pints of cider. It was supposed to be dry but tasted very sweet to me. The other crap cheat was the soup at my Mum and Dad's which had potato, carrot and flour in it and made me sick as a dog.

The last few days I have had:-

Friday
L - two poached eggs and 3 rashers of bacon.
D- courgette noodles, celery, spring onion and just a little bit of the pepper and onion mix, topped with spicy chicken, cheese, sour cream and a spoonful of salsa.
Snack - babybel, handful of nuts

Saturday
B - three Black Farmer sausages and a fried egg.
L - smoked cod steak with a poached egg and butter
D - broccoli and stilton cream soup
Snack - two squares of Green and Black's 85% chocolate and a tiny corner of Lidl's 81% chocolate for comparison purposes and a swallow of redcurrant vodka liquor.

Sunday
B - bacon, fried egg and fried mushrooms.
L - large salad, bratwurst and home made lacto-fermented mayonaise.
D - barbequed kangaroo steaks, 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.
Snack - home made greek yoghurt with a little rhubarb and strawberry puree, couple of slices of ham and a cold burger

Monday
B - cold kangaroo steak (small)
L - home made sausage patty, salad leaves, mayo
Snack - slice of ham

I think looking at that list that I should cut a few of the carby things. There does seem to be a few extras that are unnecessary. I'm only 5 foot tall and 47 so there is likely not much leeway for me. :)

Jins · 23/07/2012 18:31

Just motherhood TooImmature :)

Treatment is conservative at the moment which suits me fine. Pelvic floor exercises, drink less Hmm and go back in 6 weeks

mummyduff · 23/07/2012 18:39

Orange tree sorry to here things not greatSad

Good luck Livelong!

Jins sorry to hear about the prolapse.

brunch - salad
dinner - roast chicken with lots of veg in butter

emmak86 · 23/07/2012 19:03

Evening Smile
Good day today!
No snacks!
Breaky.. Roast chicken
Lunch.. Mackerel salad
Dinner.. Homemade moussaka and green beans!
Feeling so full up after my dinner.. Idont know about everyone else but i must have sweated out alot today lol!

X

Thegoddessblossom · 23/07/2012 19:17

Mummy duff I wish I was 8 10 Envy

Heartstart · 23/07/2012 19:24

Hey all am back having sunk beneath a tidal wave of family issues and carbs! I weighed this am fr first time for ages and have put on 8.5llbs. So need to focus focus focus as am off on hols 3 weeks today and want to have at least got rid f that gain.

BIWI · 23/07/2012 19:35

Whippoorwhill - sounds like you are suffering from carb creep! Time to cut out the chocolate and the fruit and the nuts - they will all be adding up1

OP posts:
Thegoddessblossom · 23/07/2012 19:44

Tea: chicken breast wrapped in ham with pesto and cream cheese with salad and olives.

Slimline tonic with ice actually tastes a lot like gin! Who'd have known? Grin

Whippoorwhill · 23/07/2012 19:58

Cheers BIWI and Jin. I looked at the food list and thought 'you're in serious denial about the amount of carbs there'. :)

I will cut the little extras and see how that goes.

Dinner tonight was another sausage patty, they are so good that I don't think they're going to make it to the freezer and buttery cauli mash.

Lorelilee · 23/07/2012 20:13

Oh Jins, sorry to hear that.

BIWI - here it is..

Friday
B: Egg and bacon sandwich filler
L: Tesco Coronation chicken sandwich filler + salad
D: Gammon Steak, Fried Egg, mushrooms in butter

4 glasses of wine Blush

Saturday
B: Scrambled Egg made with double cream
L: Smoked Salmon and half pack boursin
D: Curried, spit roast chicken and salad

Sunday
B: Omlette with double cream and smoked salmon
L: Ham, olives, feta, tomatoes
D: Roast chicken, with skin, salad with loads mayo

Packet of pork scratchings

I drink on average 3-4l water a day

Where am I going wrong?

jan2011 · 23/07/2012 20:20

am: yoghurt and berries
lunch: sardine salad
dinner: salmon, cauliflour, broccoli & spinach salad with cottage cheese

snacks: some cheese and 2 spoons of dds left over blueberry greek yoghurt which is carby, and some nuts.

feeling very bloated - wondering if its the weekend blunders that is making me feel like this already.