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Low-carb bootcamp

Week 1 - May Low Carb Bootcamp - It all starts here!

999 replies

BIWI · 05/05/2014 08:54

Morning campers!

Sorry for the late start. But what with it being the Bank Holiday and everything, I didn't have to set my alarm.

Anyway, you can now sign into the weight tracker

And a quick reminder of the rules:


You aren't allowed to eat:

potatoes
pasta
rice/noodles
bread
sugar
flour

And for the first two weeks you can't eat fruit or drink alcohol

The idea behind Bootcamp is that whilst it should be strict (and therefore, hopefully, work!) that it should also be easy - therefore there is no weighing or counting of anything. Just ten rules that you need to follow.

And here are the rules of Bootcamp (the first two weeks)

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,

and 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. Avoid foods marketed as low carb, e.g. Atkins Daybreak bars.

3.Maximise your fat intake.

Fry in butter, add butter to vegetables, eat salad with a home-made vinaigrette dressing (not made with balsamic vinegar though), 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. 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.Minimal dairy

(Apart from butter, which is unlimited). If you are drinking tea/coffee with milk or cream, try to restrict yourself to max 2 cups per day. You may eat cheese, but only in small amounts.

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. This is from www.low-carbdiet.co.uk/. Water is essential to weight loss for those who eat low-carb. The minimum consumed in a day should be:

Your Weight----Litres
140lbs-----2.5
160lbs-----3.0
180lbs-----3.0
200lbs-----3.5
220lbs-----3.5
240lbs-----4.0
260lbs-----4.5
280lbs-----4.5
300lbs-----5.0
320lbs-----5.5
340lbs-----5.5
360lbs-----6.0
380lbs-----6.5
400lbs-----6.5

High levels of ketones in the blood stream can lead to a reduction in ketone production, therefore being well hydrated could aid in keeping the levels low and ketone production ongoing. Consuming enough water can have many other positive side effects: aids your kidneys with the processing of protein, reduces the retention of water, helps with preventing constipation, and reduces the levels of ketones released by your breath, which in-turn will reduce breath odour.

However, drinking a lot of water can mean that you also need to keep an eye on your electrolyte balance. You need to make sure that you are consuming sufficient sodium and potassium. On a low carb diet we can eat more salt, so make sure that you are cooking with salt and adding salt to food, if you like it. Good, low carb, sources of potassium are spinach (raw), avocado, mushrooms, courgettes and asparagus, as well as salmon and yoghurt.

7. No alcohol

Alcohol is the easiest source of fuel for the body to burn, so it will always use this first before it starts to burn any fat - which is why you need to restrict it, especially in the first two weeks of Bootcamp, when we are encouraging the body to stop using carbs for its source of fuel and turn to fat-burning instead. 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. After Bootcamp you will be able to introduce certain fruits, but at this stage fruit is simply too carby. We are also trying to break the addiction to sweet things, so cutting fruit out is part of this process. If you are getting all your carbs from vegetables and salad, you will be getting all the nutrients and fibre that you need.

9. No nuts/seeds.

In Bootcamp Light these are a great snack, but they can very quickly add a whole load of carbs to your day, so they are best avoided during Bootcamp


10. No sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Sugar is an obvious ‘no no’, but artificial sweeteners are also an issue. One of the aims of this way of eating is to eat pure and natural foods, so including sweeteners is not recommended. Some people find that artificial sweeteners can impede their weight loss, and there is some suggestion that your body can respond to sweeteners as if they were sugar, by releasing more insulin - and therefore laying down fat.

Given that the aim of Bootcamp is to help us lose our sweet tooth and addiction to sweet things, then it is a good idea to avoid sweeteners altogether in this first two weeks.

You might find it useful to print these rules out and stick them on the fridge, or somewhere handy.

And, although I'm not sure what's happening about the spreadsheet this time, have a look at the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness at the tabs on the bottom, there is loads of useful information

OP posts:
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BIWI · 05/05/2014 08:55

Importantly, here is the vegetable carb counter

Focus on veg that is 3g carbs per 100 as much as you can.

And that's a very useful little spreadsheet to help you work out how many carbs are in your meal, if you really want to start weighing things!

OP posts:
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PseudoBadger · 05/05/2014 08:59

Hi BIWI! I'm in as from tomorrow as we have had a weekend away :)

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StuntNun · 05/05/2014 09:05

First weigh-in done. Let's do this!

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Hissy · 05/05/2014 09:09

I is here. Larger than life, and larger than I want to be! :)

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RatherBeOnThePiste · 05/05/2014 09:09

Am here! Lurgied, but here, weighing in tomorrow as I forgot this am, good start, keep thinking tis Sunday Grin

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RatherBeOnThePiste · 05/05/2014 09:09

As always thanks to lovely BIWI for all you do xx

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emmoB13 · 05/05/2014 09:10

It's my first time joining, i'm excited! Probably wont feel as excited in a week.

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lowcarbforthewin · 05/05/2014 09:11

Good luck everyone! Beginning at 155 pounds. My body is very stubborn when it comes to scale losses so while I'd like to say I want to lose a pound a week, my body is unlikely to comply. So I'm taking measurements as well. I've been stuck at 155 pounds for weeks so just to get below 11stone would be great.

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glenthebattleostrich · 05/05/2014 09:12

Morning, having a big bowl of Greek yogurt for breakfast, it's strange without fruit, seeds and honey but the full fat makes up for it. Yummy and creamy.

Is it OK to post weights? I think I want to to keep me motivated, looking at the numbers and wanting them to go down.

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glenthebattleostrich · 05/05/2014 09:14

Measurements are a good idea too. I'm starting at 195lb.

Think I may pop over to the shred thread too whilst I'm feeling all motivated!

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notamonkeysuncle · 05/05/2014 09:14

All weighed
I have a small frame with very large boobs, the weight never comes off them either!
Started well today but the lack of coke will be showing its effects by lunchtime

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ForeskinHyena · 05/05/2014 09:15

I've weighed in and joined up. Not sure if I should be pleased that being I'll all weekend means I'm already 7lbs down! If it's just water (I've been drinking lots but probably not my 3 litres a day) then it will presumably creep back up once I'm better. If it's fat then it would have been nice to have it recorded as part of my loss!

Never mind. I have an end goal in mind and that's the important thing. Going to try and stomach some yoghurt, no way I can manage eggs this morning Sad

Good luck all!

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ForeskinHyena · 05/05/2014 09:15

Being ILL all weekend

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Notsoskinnyminny · 05/05/2014 09:16

I've just realised I completely missed rule no 5 last time and most meals were drowned/smothered with either cream or cheese and often both Grin because I thought they were unlimited.

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PseudoBadger · 05/05/2014 09:17

I think the wording of 5 had changed, i'm sure on last BC dairy was fine as long as it didn't stall you. That's what in going with again...

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PseudoBadger · 05/05/2014 09:18

I'm...

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Pleaseandthankyou · 05/05/2014 09:30

I am in. Weight has shot up over the last few weeks. I am determined to make it to Eva's maintaining thread. Thanks Biwi for keeping us all at it

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Ohwhatfuckeryisthis · 05/05/2014 09:32

Oh ffs, that is incredibly scary getting weighed. Anyway, have just had lovely posh eggs with mushrooms and a cup of black chai tea and glass one of water. Did I read somewhere about caffeine?

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ImSoOverIt · 05/05/2014 09:33

Morning all! Good luck everyone!

I have a question about homemade mayo. Is using a handheld electric whisk or a food processor (with blades) better? Also is it possible to use olive oil instead of vegetable/rapeseed oil?

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Best1sWest · 05/05/2014 09:33

I'm in but will start tomorrow.

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KikitheKitKat · 05/05/2014 09:36

Any suggestions for breakfasts (other than eggs - I am a bit fed up with them already!)

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Seri77 · 05/05/2014 09:40

Up 4lbs since end of last bootcamp but I'm hoping that's water retention as it's TOTM and my hip measurement has not increased.

Already had 750mls water, a coffee with cream and mushrooms & bacon fried in butter. Lunch will be mozzarella & avocado salad and dinner is mincey peppers. Have olives for snacking.

Last bootcamp I ate fruit, seeds, chocolate and some carbier veg from the start. I'm going to try to be stricter this time.

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scratchviolet · 05/05/2014 09:40

I'm in. Lost 20lbs on the last bootcamp and found the threads really motivating although I mainly lurked.

I have gained a few lbs over easter and have lost a bit of discipline - started nibbling on my DD's toast, have given in to cake. Glad to be back on bootcamp - having some rules really helps me stay on the straight and narrow. Would really like to lose another stone although I'm not expecting the big early losses I got last time.

Scrambled eggs for breakfast, some sort of yet to be determined salad for lunch and I've already made a yummy cottage pie topped with swede for dinner

Good luck everyone

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PeonyStick · 05/05/2014 09:46

I am in - my goal was to maintain the same weight after last bootcamp and then start losing again now ( in an attempt to let skin catch up !)
Epic fail ! Easter and crap willpower fucked me over Confused
Going with carbinator approach a la trashkins ( whoosy here in a new guise !)
Really good to read the rules again - my advice to newbies is to stick them on the fridge .... I thought I knew them but realise I didn't cheese madness

B - wafer thin Ham and Philly roll ups x 6
L - salmon and broccoli in oily dressing
S - leeks fried in butter with chilli flakes and pork

Attempting NO snacks ( which is my downfall totally )
Water - 3 litres planned . Large pint glass x 2 so far )

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Cherrypi · 05/05/2014 09:55

Yay. This has started at the perfect time for me. I got down to a size 12 with this weigh of eating last year but a few months off work with depression I didn't concentrate on what I was eating. I'm now up to a 16 but want to be a healthier weight. Good luck everyone and thanks BIWI as ever.

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