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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:
mummyduff · 29/07/2012 13:06

BIWI I have just had a lovely cheese omelette with salad, so yes fat intake is okSmile best thing was didn't even enjoy coke it tasted of syrup!!

I would like to say this WOE has changed my life and way of thinking when it comes to food. Everyones continued support/advice, the recipe thread and the advice re water intake have been invaluable.
I still have 10lbs to go to my goal so would def be in for the 10 week bootcamp.

Thanks
teaandthorazine · 29/07/2012 13:18

Well, I can't say I've been a model Bootcamper over the last couple of weeks, hehehe, but I love, love LOVE low-carbing.

This is my WOE, for life. Of course, I do lapse from time to time but low-carb is my default now. I've gone from someone who ate pasta, bread and sugar every single day to someone with a fridge full of fish, chicken, berries and green veg. I drink water instead of Lucozade. I have a couple of squares of dark choc instead of a 500g slab of Dairy Milk and a tube of Pringles.

The thing that's really changed for me is the awareness of how crap, processed, carb-heavy foods make me feel. I used to think it was normal to fall asleep on the sofa at 3pm, to get shaky and dizzy and desperate for food just 2 hours after breakfast, to have bad skin and feel bloated and sluggish all the time. I find now that if I do eat crap, I honestly don't enjoy it. I think 'well, what was the point of that?' I'm not saying that I'll never eat cake again (clearly!) but I'm now so aware of the effects of sugar on my body that now I just can't believe the way I used to eat.

Soooo, thanks BIWI Thanks. This has been great. In fact, it's changed my life. You're all stars and I've enjoyed these threads so much - well done everyone! Grin

TeamGBIWI · 29/07/2012 13:55

emma - we're not going away - we will still be here to support you, as I suspect we are all still in need of support. Targets still to be reached, and all that Grin

If you want to move on from Bootcamp, the next phase is Bootcamp Light - here are the rules of Bootcamp Light, which you may want to c+p:

But here they are:

  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)
  1. Avoid processed food
Focus on pure, natural protein as the basis for your meals ? meat/fish/eggs. You may include processed meats like bacon or (low carb) sausages, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, gammon - but please don?t have these at every meal or every day. As well as being highly processed they often contain undesirable ingredients, can add unnecessary extra carbs into your diet, and often include sugar.
  1. Eat lots of fat
Eating fat helps you to burn fat. Honestly! It will also keep you feeling fuller for longer. 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!
  1. Make sure you are eating vegetables and salads with your food
This is where the bulk 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.

Beware that some of the veg on the allowed list can be surprisingly high in carbs once you make up a portion of it ? this is because they are denser, and therefore you tend to use more ? compare, for example, 100g of onion with 100g lettuce! Keep your focus on those veg which contain 3g carbs per 100g and use these as the focus of your meals. Use those over 3g per 100g sparingly.

  1. You may eat some dairy
You should aim to include plenty of butter on this WOE. Fry with it and add it to your vegetables. And if you know that dairy doesn?t impede your weight loss 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.

If you?ve been cutting out tea/coffee, you can re-introduce this ? but just be careful how much milk you end up drinking. You can end up adding a lot of extra carbs this way.

  1. You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day
Even if you?re drinking more tea/coffee than in Bootcamp, this is still a non-negotiable part of this WOE. And the more weight you have to lose, the more water you should drink. Water helps to flush out the ketones that your body will product ? so flushing out the fat.
  1. You may drink some alcohol
But restrict this to once or twice a week max. Vodka with soda is the best thing to drink. Or Champagne, red wine or dry white wine. Absolutely no beer/lager, cider, liqueurs, cocktails or full sugar mixers. You can drink spirits with artificial sweeteners, but bear in mind that we are attempting to avoid all things artificial!

Alcohol is the easiest source of fuel for your body, and it will use this over and above anything else that is available to it. Therefore, even if you?re following the diet absolutely to the letter, including alcohol can prevent weight loss.

  1. You may eat some fruit
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and rhubarb are all fine. But please ? only once a day at the very most, and keep an eye on your portion sizes. Just for information ? these are the carb counts:

Rhubarb ? 0.8g carbs per 100g (but don?t forget you will need to sweeten this ? and not with sugar!)
Blackberries ? 4.4g carbs per 100g
Raspberries ? 4.6g carbs per 100g
Strawberries ? 6g carbs per 100g
Blueberries - 6.4g carbs per 100g (although this is a bit controversial - I have had differing carb counts from various sources - some saying as much as 12g carbs per 100g)

  1. You may eat some nuts/seeds
Nuts/seeds can make a good snack. BUT it is incredibly easy to overdo it, and you can end up eating your bodyweight in carbs. Also, if you prefer salted nuts, it is very easy to eat too much salt via nuts/seeds. As an occasional snack they are great. As well as being bad for you, too much salt can result in fluid retention - which will mean a higher weight on the scales.

Macadamias are not only luscious, but they are very low in carbs. Sainsbury?s sell little bags of roasted, salted Macadamias that work out at around 4g per bag.

Here are some carb counts ? BUT ? check the back of your packets as I don?t know if these are for raw or roasted nuts:

Pistachios 4.6g carbs per 100g
Macadamias 4.8g carbs per 100g
Pecans 5.8g carbs per 100g
Almonds 6.9g carbs per 100g
Peanuts 7.1 g carbs per 100g
Cashews 18.1g carbs per 100g

  1. Avoid artificial sweeteners The aim of Bootcamp was to help reduce the stranglehold that sugar has on us ? and to curb your sweet tooth. But it does make some things difficult, e.g. desserts at a dinner party, and it is undeniable that it can be enjoyable ? occasionally ? to eat something sweet. However, restrict such goodies. For some people, artificial sweeteners can impede weight loss.
emmak86 · 29/07/2012 14:05

Thanks BIWI i shall defo be copying and pasting that!

Im glad ur all still going to be here its been such a boost havinf this thread and all you lovely people to talk to along the way Grin
X

clare8allthepies · 29/07/2012 15:00

Thanks BIWI I'm going to make an appointment tomorrow, I'm very conscious of the addictiveness aspect, although I've been told to take them up to 4 times a day, the last 3 days I've only had them once, first thing in the morning when the pain is worst (this may change tomorrow when I'm back at work and stuck at my desk all day)

I've also got an appointment tomorrow at a gym to sign up (as they've got a special offer at the moment so as soon as I am better I'll be feeling the burn Grin)

Thegoddessblossom · 29/07/2012 18:28

Agree with all said so far and wil deffo join in a sept boot camp. I think the lesson I have learnt is that you can't just do it a bit - it's only in these last two weeks I've been strictly boot camping and I have lost 4 pounds. Last night 3 different people told me I looked "tiny" and I have deffo lost inches. I had all those symptoms tea listed above when I used to eat carbs and that was just the bread mainly, I've never really eaten that much sugar.

last night's BBQ at a friend's was a low carber's dream meal. Halloumi on the BBQ for starter followed by prawns, then 2 whole chickens, those sausages curled round and skewered and a rack of beef. Must have cost them a bloody fortune (feeding 8) but it was fab. I ate loads of all of it with an undressed green salad. Didn't drink all that much either.

Breakfast today was fried eggs bacon and mushrooms.

We spent today at a theme park dodging the showers, and I took a very low carb picnic but have had bad stomach cramps and the runs from something and haven't eaten much since breakfast. Oh well should help with weigh tomorrow! (shallow).

Thanks very much Biwi for all your help support and encouragement. Flowers

Bloss

Badvoc · 29/07/2012 19:16

So.
Am back from our weekend away.
And I didn't cheat!!
Even at,bathe breakfast buffet this morning....even at the italian restaurant at lunch....am amazed at myself!
I wanted a croissant and muffin, don't get me wrong, but I had an omelette and a platter of fruit instead.
Had a mixed salad for lunch whilst everyone else was scoffing pizza/pasta and snaked in nts and had some dark choc to keep me on track.
Just about to tuck in to thick carved ham, egg and salad with mayo.
:)

TeamGBIWI · 29/07/2012 20:34

Wot - no potatoes?! Wink

Badvoc · 29/07/2012 20:37

Nope! :)
I am indecently proud of myself :)

TeamGBIWI · 29/07/2012 20:40
Grin

You did bloody well.

emmak86 · 29/07/2012 21:33

Wow
Badvoc! What determination, well done Grin

Italian is my fav x

SharonGless · 29/07/2012 22:40

BIWI - the thing that worked for me is daily food diary, support from like minded people who DON'T judge and the recipe thread
Lots of lovely recipe ideas to try- I am waiting for MN to come up with the new LC section on recipe thread

I am in it for the long term and am having a blast. I feel so much better on this WOE bothe mentally and physically. I love the way that being slimmer makes me feel.

I feel I have made new friends along the way and look forward to the support continuing

BIWI I understand that you don't want to
Put yourself in the "firing line" again
We could take it in turns to start the chat thread if that's easier for you?

SharonGless · 29/07/2012 22:42

Ps putting my Barcelona weekend in a big non LC box and trying to forget about the food! Had a fantastic time though and every cheat counted!

TeamGBIWI · 29/07/2012 22:45

I think it would be great if we shared it. I'm happy to take the lead, starting the threads, etc - but I think there are also several of us/lots of us who are knowledgeable enough to run something suitably inspiring.

tartiflette · 29/07/2012 22:52

Just wanted to say as the two weeks draw to a close that I will definitely be up for a September Bootcamp in the run up to Christmas and will appreciate continued chat/support over the summer. I don't post all that often but I read every day and am inspired, amused and informed in equal measure Smile These threads have changed my life too: I am now the lightest I've ever been as an adult (though still a few lb off target) and, as someone else said, I feel like myself again.
I've been doing more of a Bootcamp Light over the last two weeks for various reasons so am expecting to sts but that's ok. Smile

TeamGBIWI · 29/07/2012 23:03

I wish you weren't called tartiflette though. It has to be said that tartiflette is one of my absolutely favourite dishes!

SharonGless · 29/07/2012 23:15

I'm happy to share the load and am sure that Jins and a few of the other long time low carbers will join in.

Am now swigging water and peppermint tea as got horrendous stomach ache. Combination of shit food at the airport which I ate to keep DH happy and not enough water today I think. Back on the wagon tomorrow

TeamGBIWI · 29/07/2012 23:42

That sounds like a fine plan, Sharon!

Heartstart · 30/07/2012 03:38

Hi all looks like you're going great guns. Intend to join sept plan but have had some v v bad news. An observation though is that before LC woe would have comfort ate carbs and haven't at all

SharonGless · 30/07/2012 07:08

Oh heart start am so sorry to hear that. You are always welcome to pop in on the threads for chat and support
Sending big hugs cos it sounds like you need them xx

Badvoc · 30/07/2012 07:37

Sorry to hear that heart x
I am up for a sept boot camp!

Thegoddessblossom · 30/07/2012 07:55

Big hugs Heartstart! Sad

Can I please announce that I am 8 13!!!!! Grin almost certainly because of having the runs (sorry TMI) but still.

WillieWaggledagger · 30/07/2012 07:57

Oh heart, all strength and best wishes to you

WillieWaggledagger · 30/07/2012 08:02

congrats goddess!

i haven't been as successful as i'd hoped these last two weeks, but i am 2lb down overall and that is not to be sniffed at (better than 2lb up too!). i am convinced the heat had an impact because i went up by 2lb during last week and then lost 3lb over the weekend so a net loss of 1lb in the final week

fab lunch yesterday of mushrooms cooked in butter with a couple of spoonfuls of boursin crumbled over the top... god it was heaven with a green salad

mummyduff · 30/07/2012 08:30

Well done Goddess and hugs to heart x

I have officially lost 4lbs on bootcampSmile

Party yesterday was fine I ate salad, cheese and cooked meat oh and drank a little bubblyGrin