Week 1 Weigh-In - Little Black Dress Low Carb Boot Camp

[WillieWaggledagger]

i know you're all dying to get started on the low carb boot camp, and for those who haven't done this before, here is the link to the spreadsheet where you should record your starting weight for Monday 1st October in column c next to your name. Please don't touch any other columns for now

weight is recorded in lbs, so if you have problems converting from kg or stones, FiddledeFat made a handy widget which can be found in the tab at the bottom labelled 'conversion'

if your name isn't on the spreadsheet then you can add yourself by adding a new line and dragging the formulae down from an adjacent row, or just ask me to add you and I will do so as soon as i can

good luck with the first week of bootcamp!

Only 2 pounds?! We've only completed three days! That's brilliant

Colly - you sound like you're on a really strenous exercise programme. Be prepared, this early on into low carbing, to feel weaker/as if you have less stamina.

Ahh. When you put it like that... but I have previously lost a stone in just over a week, and two stones in about three weeks on a diet - bereavement diet. Not recommended

Go on admit it. You bought those shares in Deloius/Andrex, hey?

If only ...

I have been LCing for over a year now BIWI so should be ok (I hope). I had just got into the habit of eating too many nuts and cheese and not "proper" meals so needed a kick up the bum!

Toddler naptime so a minute to post. Breakfast of greek yoghurt and lunch was an oven baked frittata (chorizo, spring onion, mushroom, parmesan and cheddar) with salad and mayo.

Dinner is a haddock and spinach gratin, excluding the breadcrumbs and using fresh rather than smoked haddock. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1101635/quick-smoked-haddock-and-spinach-gratins

Can I ask, with the exception of breakfast where my 1 and 2 year old eat porridge, my children are eating the same as me, with the exception that they do eat starchier vegetables such as sweet potato and butternut squash and include fruit. They are eating very well so far but I was wondering if such a high fat diet with the inclusion of some higher carb additions could be detrimental.

I was delighted last night when they ate cauli rice much more readily than they do rice normally and today's frittata was demolished. I have a breadmake so make more 100% wholemeal loaves so they can have a slice with soups and salads depending on what you think BIWI. Thank you.

Lunch: massive green salad with celery and cucumber and 3 frankfurters chopped into it.

And coleslaw

poppy so impressed that both your children eat so well my DS2 aged 3, is a nightmare, worst out all 3 of my DC.

caramel 2lbs is great, well done

Lunch for me was burger, salad and mayo mixed with garlic and ginger(its yummy)

Dinner going to be tricky as off to a charity pamper eve(organised by my DD1 friend) where there will be bubbly and nibbles, booked in for a pedicure and manicure, cant wait.

poppy I don't think it is detrimental. I feed my DC using paleo guidelines so they have no wheat and the only grain they do have is porridge oats and occasionally white rice (deemed a safe grain by mark sisson). They still get dairy and some fruit but not loads. Other than that they eat the same as us. You are doing better than me though as my DC won't eat cauli, butternut squash or sweet potato, or any veg other than salad really come to think of it.

I could finally start this morning. I ate some parma ham for breakfast, as I wanted to be at IKEA as early as possible and did not have much time. For lunch I had salad and some meat balls. I also got my test results back from my blood test and I have been diagnosed with PCOS. My GP prescribed me Marvelon pill and I should follow a low carb/low GI diet. If things don't improve I probably get Metformin. I am upset that this hasn't been diagnosed earlier as an put one nearly six stones without any lifestyle changes, I have a personal trainer three times a week and as a nanny I walk a lot every day.

Does anybody else here have PCOS and struggles with weight loss?

From everything I know, BornToShop, a low carb diet is very helpful for PCOS sufferers, and I'm pleased that your GP recommended it too.

Poppy - at the age your children are, I wouldn't worry about them having a higher carb diet than you (as long as it's not all about sugar/sweets/fruit), as they will burn it off. Equally, they need fat for growth too.

someone help me here - i have big carb cravings in the evening after kids in bed - i need instant, filling up, nutritious, yummy food.

what is good for a big and instant low carb snack, not carrot sticks etc as i will be too hungry? Dont really want to use atkins bars as they are expensive and you dont get that lifestyle change

Firstly - are you eating properly during the day, so you're not actually hungry in the evening?

And second, when you say 'big', what do you mean?!

Thirdly, if you're hungry, why aren't you eating your evening meal instead of snacking?

Definitely avoid the Atkins bars, especially in this first two weeks. Once you're on Bootcamp Light you can have them occasionally - but bear in mind their ingredients.

And you shouldn't be snacking on carrot sticks anyway, as they will get too carby too quickly ...

gaah - i dont think i'm quite bootcamp material really - carrot sticks and cherry toms are very low carb for me!!!

Yes good point there, my main evening meal is a bit of a fleeting thing, i need to make more effort to get organised and prepare something, that way i wont get so hungry in the evening.

big snack - what i want to have and could easily eat would be 2 slices of toast and a saucer full of chips

like again, now i am really hungry, but lunch was salad, half an egg, spoon of coleslaw, spoon of humous, one inch cube of cheese - i dont think it was enough, I feel hungry and the ice cream in the freezer is calling me, what do you reckon?

That is hardly any food! Why half an egg? Why only one inch of cheese?!

This is silly. And no mention of breakfast. Please don't tell me you haven't had any breakast?

You have to eat properly. This WOE is not about deprivation, calorie restriction or teeny tiny portions. The whole idea is that you eat enough of the right things to make sure that your blood sugar levels are stable and, in turn, that you are not hungry.

Low carbing acts as an appetite suppressant.

Eat something. Have the other half of the egg (pretty much zero carbs), have another piece of cheese, and plan what you're cooking this evening.

Cats tail. Far too little. Half an egg? Are you trying to low calories as well as low carb? It won't work.

And hummous is a big no no on Bootcamp!

Please read the rules of Bootcamp again, in their full glory, so that you understand not only the rules, but why they are the rules.

As a reminder:

There are only 10 rules to follow, and the idea behind these is to keep Bootcamp as simple as possible. There is no need to count carbs or weigh your food (unless you particularly want to). In summary, these are:

1. Eat three, proper meals a day

1. Avoid processed food

1. Eat lots of fat

1. Make sure you are eating vegetables and salads with your food

1. Be careful about dairy (apart from butter, which is unlimited)

1. You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day

1. No alcohol (Sorry - I did say it was strict!)

1. No fruit

1. No nuts/seeds

10. No sugar or artificial sweeteners

And here is a link to the rules with their explanation

One of the most important things about low carbing is preparation

This is not an easy diet to follow if you leave you food choices until you're starving, or if you are out and about. You will quickly find that the world of on-the-go food and snacks is all about the carbohydrates! Think about what you're going to cook next week, and plan your food choices and shopping accordingly. There is no need to cook anything different for you from that which your family will be eating, although carbohydrate-centred meals (e.g. lasagne or risotto) are obviously out of the question. Focus on meals that are based around meat/fish and vegetables/salad - your family can always have potatoes with theirs, or some other form of carb.

If you're out and about, buying low carb food can be difficult. However, places like M&S Food are getting better - you can buy pre-packed cheese in individual portions, or packets of ham/chicken/prawns, for example. Olives make a great snack, and they are very low in carbs.

It's really helpful to know something about the thinking/science behind low carbing

If you can, try and do some reading up about it. Good books are:

Dr Atkins "The New Diet Revolution"
Dr Charles Clark "The New High Protein Diet"
India Knight/Neris Thomas "The Idiot Proof Diet" (there is also an IPD recipe book, which has some great recipes in it)
Dr John Briffa "Escape the Diet Trap"
Gary Taubes "The Diet Delusion"/"Why We Get Fat"

I think I can see BIWI'S big stick coming out

catstail I have had today a boiled egg for breakfast, as was not that hungry then 2 big homemade burgers with salad and mayo. Perhaps try some different things and dont worry about portion size, you need to eat enough so not to be hungry.
What do you have planned for dinner? x

Was that a bit too shouty?

No thats what we all need

vnmum I have started taking vitamin B6 its supposed to help with your hormones and was recommended by my GP to help with my TOTM etc.

I've just been rereading bits of 'The Diet Delusion' - really find it motivating.

I'll never do a calorie controlled diet again!