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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.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Week 1 - Summer Low Carb Bootcamp starts here!

797 replies

BIWI · 29/04/2013 10:34

Morning all! There are over 150 of us signed up for Bootcamp, so it?s going to be busy I think. If you haven?t already put your name on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness, here is the link so that you can add yourself:

Just add yourself to the bottom of the list and the lovely WillieWaggleDagger, our SpreadsheetMeister, will ensure that it is re-sorted to remain alphabetised. Don?t touch any of the blue columns!
We work in pounds, but if you are a metric person, there?s a tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet that says ?conversion? which will recalculate from metric to imperial.

It?s up to you whether you choose to enter your actual weight or to index it, i.e. you start today at 100, and for every pound you lose you drop by 1.

You will also see on the tabs on the spreadsheet the rules for Bootcamp, as well as rules for those of you who are vegetarian, and rules for Bootcamp Light, which you can move on to after two weeks of Bootcamp.

There are only 10 rules, and the thinking behind Bootcamp is that it should be as straightforward as possible to follow. If you follow the rules (yes, all of them ? and especially no 7!), you will lose weight.

The idea behind Bootcamp is that we have a strict fortnight of low carbing, to break the addiction that we have to carbs and sweet things. You are making sure that you are switching your body from burning carbs to burning fat, and you will go into what is called ketosis in these first two weeks.

All that this means is that you are fat-burning.

In the first few days of low carbing, especially if you haven?t done it before, you may feel a bit rubbish ? you may have headaches or just feel generally tired and achey. This is known as ?carb flu? ? and it means that you are withdrawing from carbohydrates. Sugar (which is essentially how the body views and uses carbs) is highly addictive, and your body will be craving it. Don?t give in! After a couple of days you will feel much better.

If you are feeling odd or ill, make sure that you are getting plenty of sodium, potassium and magnesium. Add salt to your food and cook with salt. Try making a drink from Marmite/Bovril. Good foods to include in your diet are spinach, salmon and avocado. Drink plenty of water and make sure that you really are keeping your fat levels up. Take some paracetamol if you have a headache (not aspirin or ibuprofen as these drugs can impede weight loss).

OP posts:
captainmummy · 03/05/2013 15:29

Rubytueby - fantastic loss! Well done - great to hear as it gives so much inspiration to others .
Black - food porn indeed!

CarolBornAMan · 03/05/2013 15:33

When does the energy to exercise kick in - have avoided it all week and just went for a swim with kids and really felt "heavy" and no energy to swim properly. When I got out, felt quite giddy and a bit wobbly legged which I guess is due to lack of sugar in my body ? Does this get better as I adapt to burning fat for fuel? am pretty unfit so dont want this to sabotage my efforts .. Anyone been through this and come out other side as marathon runner - I do want to exercise as toning up essential!

GetOrfMoiLand · 03/05/2013 15:58

I am going out for dinner again tonight. I am a bit chickened out so will probably have fish. I fancy mussels, I assume they are OK to eat.

I wish I liked Belly pork, my dd had that for dinner last night but I am a bit like Jack Sprat in that I cannot bear any fat on meat it looks nice from afar but then you see all that wobbly fat under the crackling.

NoCarbsBeforeBarbs · 03/05/2013 16:08

Cannot believe it is Friday, day 5 and I am still here! Proud much! Grin

So not like me to stick to anything this long but I'm here to stay as I love the woe!

Have a nice weekend everyone! x

geologygirl · 03/05/2013 16:17

Happy Friday everyone!

Looks like we are doing well. I've lost 4lbs so far (since starting Mon) and am feeliing so much better! Tummy is looking flatter and I feel like Im getting somewhere for a change.

Havent wanted any carbs really & have avoided the biscuit tin at work.

I have had the most awful headache the last 2 days though. Feel very nauseous...and am finding it hard to revise for my exams next week because of it.

Guessing its a combo of withdrawal of sugar/carbs and also because my time of month is nearing....eugh!

Let's hope the sunshine continues this weekend. BBQ's all round!! Wink

BIWI · 03/05/2013 16:30

Carol - by the end of the whole Bootcamp fortnight you should have switched your body into fat-burning mode, so you should feel much better and more energised/capable of exercise.

OP posts:
MrsHerculePoirot · 03/05/2013 16:36

Carol also make sure you are eating enough, enough fat and having lots of salt/potassium too. Someone said to drink bovril or a salty drink and see if that helps.

Right bank holiday coming up. I am making a promise to myself that i will not be a sugary twat.

I have just made up a recipe with red cabbage an random spices hmmmm it is either going to be unedible or delish I reckon!!!

BIWI · 03/05/2013 16:48

What were the random spices?! Grin

OP posts:
dawnpreview · 03/05/2013 16:48

Had a bit of a chocolate craving this afternoon, but I had a chicken drumstick and a babybel and the craving went away! I am loving this woe, just wish I had tried it sooner :)

twinklestar2 · 03/05/2013 17:12

Well done ruby that is fab!

CarolBornAMan · 03/05/2013 17:15

BIWI MrsHP - thanks for advice, think will take it easy for rest of bootcamp and then start again when I am finished with bootcamp - will stick to walking for now ..off to buy some bovril as well.. thanks and good luck with the red cabbage!

BobblyGussets · 03/05/2013 17:33

Gosh, nothing sneaks past you, BIWI Grin

BIWI · 03/05/2013 17:42
Grin

Eyes everywhere, Bobbly!

OP posts:
JaxTellerIsAllMine · 03/05/2013 18:07

DD has requested Indian for her birthday dinner, so Ive ordered myself lamb shashlick and saag paneer.

BIWI · 03/05/2013 18:09

Sounds perfect, Jax. Enjoy!

OP posts:
CalicoRose · 03/05/2013 18:28

I can't believe I've lasted to day 5! Only 65 days to go.....

Nor can I believe I have lost 3 pounds.

Finding it very hard having no ice cream or coke in the sunny days. But am managing to stick to it.

Fingers crossed next week is equally successful (not in terms of weight loss, but in terms of sticking to it)

Tigglette · 03/05/2013 18:52

Carol, I do karate training 3 times a week - very hard work at the level I'm training. I found after the initial two weeks I felt much stronger and more able to train for a longer period of time, like I had no limit to my energy levels. I could hardly move during the first two weeks so was quite worried but I've not had any problems since.

I've been all over e place work wise this week but have kept pretty much on track (one spoon of peanut butter the other night but kept on plan when eating out).

Today has been
B. bit of cheese driving to work
L. Chicken breast stuffed wrapped in bacon with steamed veggies
D. Chicken tikka and salad from the takeaway

All going well!

CarolBornAMan · 03/05/2013 19:01

Tigglette - that is interesting and great to hear - I am totally unfit and find exercise hard enough when full of sugar so today I felt like death and was not really trying very much. I think this is helping me stick to plan and not head off into a bowl of blueberries which I had been considering - will just keep up with walking and then after the 2 weeks, start back in gym.. hopefully with less heft to drag on the treadmill!

BIWI · 03/05/2013 19:09

Carol - I routinely train now in a fasted state. There is some evidence, apparently, that this encourages more fat burning. And once your blood sugar levels are properly stable, it's not a problem for your body, as it has a plentiful supply of fat.

OP posts:
AngieAir · 03/05/2013 19:11

Help! I'm going to fab Turkish restsurant tomorrow. Apart from kebab and salad, what can I eat?

We usually have a few mezze dishes too and I'm worried it might be too tempting and I'll into succumb to the savoury pastries. It's always the pastry for me.

Ps thanks for the replies re carb count & mfp.

MrsHerculePoirot · 03/05/2013 19:20

BIWI juniper berries, all spice (whole ones), cinnamon stick and some cinnamon, some cider vinegar, some vegetable stock. One onion, one red cabbage and not bootcamp but one small apple grated, oh and a shed load of salt crystal butter!!! I was lovely and there is loads left!

B - two eggs, two bacon and mushrooms
L - little gem lettuce avocado and grilled goats cheese
D - roast duck legs, red cabbage and randomly a small roasted beetroot as they came in my vegetable box this week!

Ruprekt · 03/05/2013 19:30

B bacon, eggs, mushrooms, chard

L celeriac soup

S pork scratchings

D rainbow trout with buttered swede and chard

Water
Tea

Weight not moved yet but I am still low carbing since Jan 7 so maybe weightloss takes longer.

Am away this weekend for romantic break with dh and want to stay on the plan!SmileSmile

twinklestar2 · 03/05/2013 19:35

Impossible to stay on track here at my mother in laws! I've had to eat what she's served up. Am here till Sunday night but have made a plan: tomorrow will have eggs for breakfast and then going out for lunch so will have chicken / steak salad. Then Sunday we've convinced her to have a BBQ so meat and salad!

Hopefully today won't affect my weight loss too much.

BIWI · 03/05/2013 20:02

Angie - any chance they have their menu online? If it is, post a link and I'll have a look at it. Otherwise, just have as many meat dishes as you can - chicken kebab, lamb kofta etc. I'm sure there will be some kind of salad and veg dishes. Just don't order the pastries!

OP posts:
AngieAir · 03/05/2013 20:22

I may have been under optimistic about the menu
Lots of options, just need to avoid temptation and rice. I don't like hummus or fish and bread is no temptation.

But the pastries (anguished wail)

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