Week 8 - Low Carb Bootcamp - three weeks to go ...

[BIWI]

Morning all. Hope you weren't blown away by storm Clodagh yesterday/last night!

Here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for your delectation and delight

I'm at home this morning before I drive off to some research groups north of London, and not liking the wether forecast. I'm going to make a lovely, wintery, warming beef shin stew this morning, and get it in the slow cooker ready for later. (Not that I'll be eating it as I don't finish until 10.15pm so won't be home till well after 11)

Anyway, here's hoping for a good week for us all.

Morning all, another half pound off for me, now only 2lbs off my end of this bootcamp target so I'm determined to get there. Will be back for more bootcamp in the New Year as I still need to lose more, but I find I respond better to smaller, more achievable targets.

Take care out there BIWI, your stew sounds delicious! Day off for me today, taking my Mum shopping so am bracing myself for that, off to make some scrambled eggs.

Have a good day everyone and good luck to everyone posting after me.

Morning! 1lb off for me which is a bit more than I deserve really after pmt related mini carb binge! DH bought some mince pies over the weekend which were seriously calling to me but I resisted and thankfully he's so greedy he's govbled the lot!

'wether forecast'? WTAF! I do know how to spell 'weather', honestly

just less than a lb off but that's Ok, will KOKO with (jingle) bells on

STS this week so I still have three pounds to go to reach my goal. I am going to up the water and limit myself to 1oz of nuts and chocolate per day.

Thanks for the new thread Biwi.

Yahoo! 1 3/4lbs off for me so I'm now exactly 1stone lighter than 8 weeks ago! My size 14 jeans are now fitting loosely! My mini-goal is now 6 lbs by Xmas then KOKO after Xmas. Think Im going to just allow myself Xmas day off then straight back to it.

Have had a sore throat/cold this week so had to have sugar free lemon squash as water was unbearable and Heinz chicken soup (6.4g). However Im going to start afresh today with the water and proper meals.

Good luck campers!

just had lovely lunch of hm egg drop soup using hm chicken stock and bits of leftover roast chicken with an not very authentic knob of butter on top, mmmm

chester what kind meals do you like to eat? perhaps we can suggest something. Maybe do a few fish and veggie meals to break up the meat? Fish pie would be nice this time of year. Other ways to get fat in apart from on veg, like hm mayo, BPC etc

Lex and BIWI, I am just stuck in a rutt at the minute, losing and gaining the same few lbs every week.

I am trying to keep dairy low as I think it stalls me and am not really a lover of veg, although I do try to eat it. Usually find it much more palatable when covered in cream/cheese so finding it all a bit bleeeugh at the minute.

I'm not big on fish either but do eat salmon and tuna - tend to have these once a week or so.

I think I'm missing easy 'whack in the oven' meals, and warm comfort food type stuff. I rely heavily on my slow cooker in the week and used to do lots of spag bol/chilli type stuff, but am wary of tomatoes and also miss smothering them in cheese

I used to love cooking but finding it such a chore at the minute so any suggestions for new and inspiring meals without dairy would be much appreciated.

We had roast duck last night - delicious.
DH and I held back on the potatoes but apart from that were able to eat everything!

DH is low carbing now because he's been told it is good for his parkinsons. The thing is he doesnt want to lose ANY weight, in fact he needs to put it on. So we are both low carbing for different reasons. Seems a little odd really, but hopefully the WOE works out what it needs to do to each body IYSWIM!!

chester, I hear you. I am a big fan of veg but took some getting used to acquire a taste for it with butter on, I find salt and pepper helps. Just sharing some thoughts/ideas:

• salmon curry appeal? I did one last week with paste from a jar, coconut cream and steamed cauli in the sauce or just do oven roasted cauli rice in coconut oil. Or cover it in pesto & whack in the oven and have with a dressed salad or hm coleslaw or courgetti?

• spag bol/chilli should be Ok if you get tinned tomatoes that are low in carbs (sorry don't know which ones are best, hopefully someone else on here knows) as you only end up eating a small portion of tomatoes overall. I always add butter to a spag bol at the end as makes the sauce so much nicer, could serve over saluted cabbage/mashed swede/courgetti. I did a chilli last week and same idea re the tomatoes and I think I just had avocado with it as it was so rich. Both good freezer meals and cauli rice freezes just fine, re-heat in the oven no problem.

• slow cooker. I use mine a lot. currently have meatballs simmering in there. A ham hock is nice in there and serve with fried egg and cabbage crisped in butter. Lamb or beef stew also good in slow cooker to serve with mashed swede/celeriac and greens.

hope that helps, sure there is more but can't think right now

Gah! Put on 2 pounds this week and that's before my weekend slip-up shows on the scales... thought I'd treat myself to a few squares of nice Montezumas dark choc with geranium and orange. Ate the whole bar! All 100g!

Well done on the losses. I'm going to KOKO and hope to do better this week

Nice ideas there, Lex, may do curry this week.

I know it can be difficult Chester I'm not very adventurous with my food, I tend to stick to the same meals. I also don't eat enough veg but I make a curry every week and put a courgette and an aubergine in it (which I cook right down). I have a portion everyday for my lunch so I am getting some veg. I just alternate between chicken and lamb for the curry.

I'm lucky in that DH does all the cooking through the week, and although he doesn't LC, we eat regular meals and he just adds something carby for himself. I don't add butter to my veg unless it's cabbage.

2lbs off for me and I'm hoping the weekend doesn't catch up with me later in the week. I'm half a pound off losing a stone this BC and my BMI has dropped from obese to overweight

B: Egg mayo
L: Roast chicken thighs
D: hm beef burgers and a fried egg
S: 4 strawberries chopped up with double cream/ pork scratchings

Chester, some easy 'whack it in the oven' low carb options.

1. Sausages, roasted mixed LC veg (in lots of olive oil & garlic) - you can even buy pre chopped veg (lidl do a tray of courgette, red onion, peppers and cherry toms ready for the oven - I eat round the onion) doesn't need to be greasy, if too fatty I find adding a little apple cider vinegar and eating roasted veg like a warm salad is good.
2. Chicken thighs roasted plain served with baked tikka cauliflower (2 mins prep - mix yoghurt with curry spice you like, oil and smear over whole cauliflower. Bake both for 1hr)
3. Baked aubergine slices, drizzled in olive oil. Eat with a baked block of feta with cherry toms and oregano.
4. Salmon en papiote (make a bag from greasproof paper) pop in some stir fry veg (peppers, bok choi, mung bean sprouts, shallot, chilli, garlic, ginger etc - Tesco do a nice 'Thai stir fry' pack of pre prepared veg) pop salmon fillet on top. Drizzle with tamari. Meal all in one, minimal clean up. Bake for 15-20 mins depending on thickness of fish.
5. Beef brisket, smoked paprika, dried chipotle chilli, carton passata, dried oregano - top up with water till 1/2 covered meat. Cook in covered casserole dish for 3-4 hours. Serve with buttered cabbage.
6. Baked eggs en cocotte - low carb veg (defrosted, squeezed out frozen spinach and sliced mushrooms are my favourite) in the bottom of a ramekin. Season. Crack a couple of eggs in then pour on some cream and top with cheese (Gruyere is awesome). Bake till egg white set.

Just checking in:
B: BPC. Ff Total yogurt
L: quiche sans the pastry, pate, cheese, cucumber, tomato
D: m&s chicken saag curry & bit of ff yog

Some great ideas, thanks everyone. I'm usually a lot more inventive but this BC I've had loads of other stuff going on and have definitely not been as organised as usual.

Stuck to my plan for today and also kind of have one for tomorrow too so that is looking positive.

Today:
B: buttery eggs
L: tuna, avocado, salad, olive oil
D: slow cooked chicken thighs in tomatoes, mushrooms, shallot, cauli rice
S: made some courgette crisps, nice but need to refine my recipe

Tomorrow
B: buttery eggs
L: tuna, avocado, salad, olive oil
D: pork kofte kebabs, HM coleslaw, swede chips

chester yes it can be hard to focus on BC with other stuff going on and some BCs just don't go anywhere for me and others do so perhaps this one is a dud for you and the next one will be better. Your meals today sounds tasty.

I knew Gcal would rise to the menu challenge, all sound easy, delicious and fab! I just though of another whack it in the oven one: the lamb donner from the recipe thread, could not be easier as just smush up the mince with the spices, shape and bake, I think you can do in the slow cooker as well. Last time I made it I roasted some cabbage leaves in the oven to soften and used them as wraps and it was luverly. Just brush with olive oil and lay on a tray, they only take a few minutes. I did half a grated carrot too.

Oh and a squeeze of lemon with your melted butter on green veg like fine beans and broccoli is lovely and cuts the grease.

I really like the food on this WOE but am still struggling with the sugar, I don't need it, I am not hungry but all the same think I deserve some, old old habit.

I feel like a hypocrite preaching about recipes yesterday as immediately after had something verboten as DD didn't want it and could not throw it in the bin - gah!

Ha ha Lex, the donner recipe is actually one of mine!!!

See, told you I'm good when I'm on the ball

Hi all, have been Lc'ing myself for a weekish now.
I have come searching info from gurus
I slao started exercising 2 ish weeks, and was doing great (for me), until this morning.
I really struggled with the cardio and it took everything to keep going for 30mins and was unable to add in my faster minutes.
Then weights I could only do 3 sets on a lower weight, and even then I had to break the sets up and only did 2 different muscles, I can usually do 10 sets of each on a higher weight and at least 5 different muscles.
Hope the explanation makes sense as exercise is not my thing so not sure with the lingo.
I remember reading before people struggling with usual exercise, but did not pay a lot of attention, as exercise was no where near my radar.

So my question is will this be a short term thing or will I now feel like this as long as I am low carbing?

I am actually really worried, as even if it is a short term thing, I know at the moment I need to be exercising and if I do not keep the momentum going I will really struggle to get back into it.
But I am now on the sofa and can not imagine I will be doing much for the rest of the day I feel like all my energy has been sucked out, so thats not really sustainable either.

Yesterday I was buzzing about everything, today I feel meh!

Thanks

chester there you go then! Have just twigged you must be the inventor of the famous Chesters Chicken too, time to re-visit some old favourites methinks

concept welcome, from what I have read on previous threads yes that is quite common and passes, within a few weeks I think, sure someone with first hand experience will confirm for you and make sure you are drinking enough water ( as per the rules) and take on more salt and magnesium if you feel a bit of carb flu coming on.

B - buttery eggs and beetroot & orange smoked salmon from M&S, thought I would try, higher carbs than usual as is OK but not worth it imo.
L - Saucy Fish Co chorizo, squid and shrimp in a sherry & paprika butter 1g per 100g and I ate the whole 275g meant for 2 as DH away at the moment but still less that 3g so not bad carb wise, very tasty and quick, served it over some spinach, just about to have sq of choc and an earl grey with almond milk - trying 3 days of no dairy
D will be speedy sausages and an assortment of veg that needs using up plus a fried egg or two I expect

But not at bolding it seems

Concept what you are experiencing is perfectly normal and should pass in two to three weeks. Basically your body is switching from burning carbs to fat for fuel and once the process is complete, not only will you find the exercise much easier but you'll be a lean, mean, fat-burning machine .

Once you are fat-adapted you can go forever (slight exaggeration) as you have a huge supply of fat to burn, which unlike carbs will never run out.

So keep on keeping on, maybe at a lower intensity for a few weeks, then you should notice you feel much better. Here is a good book on the subject if you are interested.

Lex*, yes Chester's Chicken is mine too. Dammitt, I am good

Ha Chester! We all get stuck in a rut. Your recipes sound yum, time to try and get yourself some downtime in the kitchen and get creative I think. Please share results

Thanks Lex and chester.
Lex your right I always need reminding to up the water, I have to drink loads for my weight.
Chester no where near lean at present, but cant wait for all the energy! Thanks for the book recommendation.
I shall keep going and just be aware the next few weeks may be tough, but it will all improve.

I am 6lbs down- 1st week. But 1st week loss and all that and I am very overweight! But its the right direction.

Well done Concept that's a good result

B: Egg mayo
L: Lamb, courgette and aubergine curry
D: Braised steak with loads of sprouts and a few carrots

That's fab, Concept!