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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:
Finbar · 24/07/2012 17:53

I would love your advice on eating out please - I have been invited out for meal with friends and the venue is an italian restaurant(previously I would head for the seafood risotto!)...any good ideas of what to aim for?

leeiam · 24/07/2012 18:02

MissBeehiving - gosh it's been about 2 years since I got that low ... well done!
I feel inspired now, that in spite of my STS for a few days ... I will eventually be able to lose it.

Does anyone know if going too long between meals will cause the body to go into starvation mode? I am getting my 3 meals - but often go quite extended periods to the point i could chew my own arm off between meals.

MrsHerculePoirot · 24/07/2012 18:06

8 st 11?!?! that's about half my starting weight!

I have been an idiot and eaten absolute rubbish last night and today lunch. I am however not going to let t spoil the rest of my day or week. I have felt very tired all day as a result.

MrsHerculePoirot · 24/07/2012 18:08

finbar they usually have a meat or fish option go or that and ask for potatoes to be replaced with salad or veg is what I usually do. Italian antipasti starters often brilliant cold meats and olives too.

Finbar · 24/07/2012 18:11

Cheers Mrs HP.
So olives are ok? Hadn't thought about them before. I love antipasti - so am looking forward to that part. Was just the thought of having to say no to fresh pasta or risotto!

MrsHerculePoirot · 24/07/2012 18:32

I think so - just be wary stuffed ones depending on what they are stuffed with I think!

BIWI · 24/07/2012 18:40

Yep - olives are good!

Antipasti is usually a good starter. Or melanzane Parmigiana - aubergine baked with tomato sauce and mozzarella.

Then avoid the pasta/pizza and look at the meat/fish courses. You should find that they usually have something that that is good for low carbing.

At our local Italian they do a lovely fillet steak in Gorgonzola sauce. It comes with sauteed potatoes, but I always ask them to replace them with a green salad.

Yum!

OP posts:
BIWI · 24/07/2012 18:41

... and of course MP will also have Parmesan on the top of it!

OP posts:
emmak86 · 24/07/2012 19:04

Evening all..
Following my post this morning.. Dinner tonight was steak and green salad, i also had cooked spinach with it and some chips.. Im hopingvthis will help menin the toilet department as i havent really lost in last 2 days since i havent been!

Once again well done to everyone losing :) x

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 24/07/2012 19:09

just joined - a bit late:-) and OMG re buttenut squah - had no idea Shock - this and the wine has been my downfall.... re-starting as from now....

BIWI · 24/07/2012 19:13

Emma - you didn't really have chips with it, did you?

OP posts:
emmak86 · 24/07/2012 19:18

Yep.. And i no theyre not aloud!! Just thought if i had something potatoey i might be able to go.
Dont know what else to do.. Dont really want to take laxatives Blush

BIWI · 24/07/2012 19:25

Not going to the toilet in 2 days does not mean you are constipated!

And now all you've done is sabotaged your diet - you definitely won't have lost weight now.

How much veg/salad are you eating each day? And how much water are you drinking?

OP posts:
emmak86 · 24/07/2012 19:30

Im having alot of veg/ salad with my lunches and dinners!
Spinach, aubergune, lettuce, cucumber,green beans, carrot, suede, cabbage, broccoli.
Im also wating quite alot of eggs (mornings for breakfast)

Im drinking around 2 litres of water a day at the moment but im trying to drink more.

BIWI · 24/07/2012 19:33

Apart from the carrot (which you need to be careful with as it's very carby) that all looks fine. Not an issue with eggs.

Try upping your water. You could also try a high strength vitamin C tablet, that is supposed to help, or the linseed/flaxseed option that people talk about here. I can't help with that as I've never used it/wouldn't know what you have to do with it!

But if you're not going as often as you used to, don't worry. That isn't constipation.

OP posts:
Thegoddessblossom · 24/07/2012 19:34

2 sausages a burger and a chicken kebab with green salad for BBQ tea. And no alcohol. You should have seen my dad's face when I turned down a glass of red wine. He simply COULD NOT believe it. "but I only opened this red for you!" then proceeded to drink it himself. His incredulity only strengthened my resolve TBH.

am drinking slimline tonic but now worried about the aspartame. Will this hinder weightloss?

emmak86 · 24/07/2012 19:41

Thanks BIWI i dont think i used to go too often either really..
Thanks for the advice Smile

leeiam · 24/07/2012 19:42

Re: the olives - just today I was thinking of ideas for appetisers as my partner and i often have breads/crudites dipped in houmus (sp?). I'd like to try making the cheese crisps and a homemade tapenade of sorts ... but chopped a bit finer (almost pureed) so that we can serve as a dip.
Just the small matter of making the cheese crisps without an oven to get around! Hmm

MrsHerculePoirot I think we can all relate to that post-carb fatigue (not a technical term ... just what I call it Wink ). That was almost a bigger motivation for this WOE than the weight loss ... I just couldn't take the constant energy slumps. Hope u'r back on track soon Smile

x

BIWI · 24/07/2012 19:50

thegoddess - it's a bit of a controversial issue, the whole thing about artificial sweeteners. Some say that the body responds to them like sugar - because it's the sweetness that triggers an insulin response. You'll need to see how it works out for you! Personally I avoid them anyway because they are artificial - although I can't see that the odd one would hurt.

Emma - just try and drink a little bit more. Also, a cup of coffee first thing in the morning is said to help!

leeiam - what will you be using to dip into your puree? Not bread, I hope! And avoid hummous as it's too carby.

You might be able to make the cheese crisps in the microwave - you'd certainly be able to melt them. Whether or not they would go crisp I have no idea!

OP posts:
leeiam · 24/07/2012 20:01

BIWI I was going to use the cheese crisps to dip into the tapenade - gave up houmus a couple of weeks ago and have avoided bread for some years as it bloats me and causes me shocking food cravings/fatigue.

Yes - may give the microwave a go ... can't hurt I guess.

btw - meant to say before - thanks so much for the great info at the top of the thread which has been very useful indeed!!!

Thegoddessblossom · 24/07/2012 20:09

Thanks Biwi - I googled it and it seemed to be that retaining asparatame in your diet may sabotage weight loss because it would cause you to crave carbs. Which seemed to be the same theory behind the statement that the pill makes you gain weight. Ie. there's nothing actually in it that will make you gain weight, only that it will make it harder to resist things you shouldn't be eating. So that's ok? My resolve is strong.

FiddleDeFat · 24/07/2012 20:18

I shall be back in a bit to update the spreadsheet, and see who the Biggest Loser of the Week is. In the meantime, would any of the many lovely newbies like to be added to it?

Either post your starting date and weights on this thread, or add yourself to the spreadsheet. I'll return after small people are asleep to tidy it up.

MrsHerculePoirot · 24/07/2012 20:18

Thanks leeiam. Re the dips - I used to make one with light cream cheese and low fat yoghurt - don't see why you couldn't make it with the full fat stuff. Basically it was 100g of cream cheese to 50g yoghurt and then you can add whatever you like but my favourite was crushed garlic and chopped chives with a squeeze of lemon juice... Other opitions include adding smoked salmon bits and dill, or cucumber and mint to make a sort of tzatziti (I know that isn't spelt right!)...

Ooooh or guacamole - just mush up some avocado should work, add a bit of lime juice if you need to loosen it up perhaps?

MrsHerculePoirot · 24/07/2012 20:20

Thanks Fiddle you've updated me on there!

Will we be able to keep the spreadsheet going even with BBC has finished and we are just doing ongoing threads? I quite like being able to see the total (and seeing others who started near me who have lost loads as inspiration!)

leeiam · 24/07/2012 20:32

MrsHP mmmmm .... I do love my dips (especially tzatziki) and they sound great!!! Thank for the ideas - will be experimenting tomorrow!!

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