Week 10 - Low Carb Bootcamp - the last week!

[BIWI]

Well, finally, we reach the finish line! One more week to shout your shit.

Here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

And the Weight Tracker

Hope the results are positive for you today - and that the rest of this week gives you time to drop another pound or two.

Eva that sounds delicious!

Whoosh I have no advice but I'm soooo jealous. I'm desperate for a dog but it's not the best idea due to newborn baby id love a cocker spaniel.

Can anyone help me with my tea? Shopping day tomorrow so it's random ingredients day. I have:

Bacon lardons
Streaky bacon
Smoked salmon
Frozen generic white fish
Cream cheese
Butter
Cheddar
Mozzarella
A tiny bit of Boursin
Mushrooms
Swede
Garlic
Natural yoghurt
All the usual spices in the cupboard

That list doesn't sound like I'm scraping the barrel much now I've written it down, but my fridge looks bare! Please inspire me. If it's something that can be reheated that would be even better as I have my driving lesson at 6-8 so we usually eat when I get home, but I could cook it before I leave. It's not essential though, I'm just being lazy

Felix - try fish mornay, but without the crumb topping. Generic white fish in cheesy white sauce, maybe a bit of smoked salmon in to add to the flavour; and include the Boursin in the sauce. You could put the mushrooms in there as well if you felt like it.

Thumb that sounds good. Any tips on how to make a good white sauce? I'm rubbish at cooking anything cheesy/creamy as I only started eating them in the past year or so

Ah well I'm not so good at doing a completely carb free white sauce, I have to admit! but I'm pretty sure someone had a really easy hollandaise sauce recipe (do you have egg?)
But what you could do is use the cream cheese as thickener, rather than flour. Just melt butter and cream cheese (and Boursin) together in a pan.

If you don't mind a touch of flour, then this is the way I do it:
1 tbsp of butter in a non-stick pan (for ease), melt and add 1 tbsp plain flour. Stir this and cook for a couple of minutes (it opens up the gluten in the flour to allow for thickening). Then slowly add milk, stirring all the time, until it gets to a nice consistency. You can add salt (I have the options of garlic salt or onion salt, which are fab!) at this point, and then the grated cheese to taste; also melt the Boursin in. Grated cheese to taste for me = 1 really good handful!

Anything else you want in this sauce, fry it in the butter to start with before you add the flour - e.g. mushrooms, finely chopped onions etc.

As I said though - definitely not strictly in accordance with Bootcamp guidelines! (milk and flour = bad)

Thumb that sounds easy enough for me! I'm not as strict as the bootcamp plan suggests so I may go with the flour this time just so I don't royally mess it up. And I have garlic salt! Huzzah!

Thank you for the help. I'll report back tonight (if I haven't poisoned us all)

Sure you won't have! Hope it tastes fab. :)

One more thing (sorry I'm just doing my shopping list!) - what do you lot usually eat for lunch? I've been having salads but I only shop around once every 1.5 - 2 weeks so the salad gets used up within a few days. I have majorly gone off eggs, and not a soup lover. Any ideas? Sorry for all the questions!

I must admit, if I'm going to eat a proper lunch, it's usually a mushroom, greens and cheese omelette (greens are either wilted baby spinach or butter-fried courgette).

If I'm snacking, it'll be cold home-made meatballs, or cold sausage, or a lump of cheese and a piece of celery.

But you could maybe try these things and make yourself a quick pasta-y thing - konjac zero carb noodles. I've been eating them in lieu of pasta when we have pasta-based food here, and although they're a little on the "squeaky" side, they're not bad. The ones I get need to be rinsed very well first - they don't smell nice coming out of the brine they're in - but they taste absolutely fine when mixed with pasta sauce.

That's a good idea! I saw some similar ones recently on offer somewhere but now I can't remember where pre-LC I used to eat pasta for my lunch all the time so it makes sense really. I'll go on the hunt!

Thumb I feel your pain re the longhaul flight. I spent 3 years going to the states every school holidays to visit my ex with DCs because his original visa wouldn't allow us to live there.

Whoosh vizslas are lovely, psychopup went to puppy class with one and I don't think they grow as big as labs. We had a retriever who was a proper himbo, gorgeous but dumb and impossible to train Psychopup's a Shiba Inu, very clever and conforms to every breed trait except for a lack of recall, wave a piece of cheese and she legs it straight back - I love going to meet-ups and she's one of the only ones off her lead. Best of all she refuses to go out if its raining unlike himbo who was able to tell the time and had to go out 4 times a day whatever the weather.

Back on the wagon after a disastrous weekend and 2lb up as a result.

Thumb I missed the post about your epic flight, due any time now. Hope it goes well.

I'd definitely pass you a fork Whoosh but I hope you've had some food of your own by now! Your trip to Porlock weir sounds dreamy.

I posted my lunch as an antidote to only unhelpfully mentioning carby exceptions... so I can report I had broccoli and stilton soup for tea, and have had an indulgent post-kids-in-bed snack of cream, Total yogurt and nuts mixed together. Which probably has a fat content of off-the-scale!

snorting with laughter at your fiendish attempts to blame me for your heinous piggery whooshy do you feel ill at the thought of further trufflage? A puppy you say!! Very exciting. I have had only one person ask me about vislas (do you know I'm a dog nanny? So I do bits and bobs of behaviour rescue - mostly I do day care/walks/holidays) and he was chronically under exercised, and the owner walked around focussing on the dog constantly, so he had issues, but I put it to you, that any dog subjected to that would have. I've seen a couple in the parks where I usually work, and they were excellently behaved and really lovely. I'm getting myself a puppy too! Although I want a chihuahua Everybody takes the piss out of me when I mention it, but I don't give a toss, and have started to make enquires through a breeder

eva you get the prize for most uplifting lovely post of the day!

felix I am aware this is far too late, but I would have had lardons and or bacon fried up with mushrooms and cheese splodged through. for lunches, I often do extra dinner and just have that for lunch the next day. Massive fan of frozen tuna steaks from the cash and carry. They defrost in warm water, still in their bag, and then fry up lovely in a few minutes. I had half of one with salad for lunch today. Also kale keeps for a lot longer than salads and I wilt it then use it in the same way as baby spinach or rocket. And could you be arsed with those 'living salad' things? They could be bought and just left on the window ledge being watered till you are ready to scoff them?

thumb whereabouts in the uk are you headed? and when?

LMD foot pain is crap - mind you, pain is pretty crap generally, and chronic pain is fuck'n wank in my opinion. I have joint hypermobility syndrome (apparently ) which is the root cause of my seemingly endless, yet minor bastard issues. I can't wait for the surgery to stabilise my floppy ankle. Another three months wait possibly, unless there is a cancellation [hopeful emoticon]. I'm a bit scared though, as I have now got tendonitis/tendinopathy (or some shit) on the achilles on the other foot. That's my one good leg!!!! I'm going to have to adjust some roller boots and wear them on my knees except they are knackered too. No, actually, I am positive that losing weight will be a huge benefit. If there's less to cart round, there has to be a benefit.....

I am longing to be able to run again. A mere two years ago I was 13 stone and I ran a 5k fun run in 44 mins. It was my greatest ever physical achievement. I did it last april and took 1hr 20mins, and I can't even consider it this year. Bah! My goal is to run the great north run. And I bloody well will as soon as my foot is better from surgery. The results are apparently very good for most people.

My weight has only dropped by a pound this week, but daily weighing is working fantastically for me. It is an enormous motivator. My appetite has diminished an awful lot with the new painkiller. I'm forcing myself to eat three times a day, but I'm only managing child portions. Who'd have thought it eh?

Saw ds1 today. He came over and hung out at the flat whilst I was at work. He was lovely... I could just cry at how much I love and like him.

Have got to go and watch the twins do a school performance tomorrow. One of them is confident and can't wait to show off, the other is quietly terrified, but determined.... Can't wait. A mental day tomorrow as I have to charge about like a knobhead but make it home in time to see a guy about the dishwasher, which is bolloxed

Big love to all

behaviour rescue wtf? I mean I help people with their dogs behaviour problems....

Thumb thank you so much for the recipe. It was a massive hit and I am still here to tell the tale definitely making it again soon.

Trash thank you for the ideas. You've sorted my lunch for tomorrow never thought of those living salad things. Every plant I try and keep always die but I'll get one and give it a go.

Will read the post I've missed later on so just a speedy update.

Have been away for the weekend to visit friends in The Netherlands, it was really nice to see them but literally all I ate was carbs. They are veggie so I couldn't really avoid it so I just went with it. I am looking forward to getting back on the LC wagon tomorrow

I think I have bruised my fanjo cycling . My friend (who is due her first baby in 6 weeks) said do you want to go a cycle. Yes I said, she worked out the route and said its only 40 km so that will be fine won't it.....thats nearly 25 miles! Good job NL is flat, I was so sore after, she was bloody fine!

Hope everyone is doing well, as I haven't read everything here is an assortment of things, take what you need

Felix, I'm very happy to have helped! :)

Trashy - we're staying at my Dad's, he lives about 20mins from Heathrow (luckily! I couldn't imagine getting off the plane and then needing to travel another few hours in a car or something) and we're arriving at stupid o'clock this Friday morning, leaving 3 weeks later.

Thanks for good wishes for the flight - I'll probably be a gibbering wreck by the time I get to Heathrow but at least DS1 will be good and help out with everything, he's such a seasoned traveller himself now! I must be crazy doing this journey by myself with the 2 boys though...

Hello... a very sleepy LMD here, but it must be healing, right?
thumb a very safe and not too crazy flight, definitely don't worry about the eating, keeping two boys content all that way sounds hard and very contained work.

And of course I don't mind being asked about my surgery - this time it was a closure of a previous skin graft that covered the whole of the inside of my left calf (will be amazing if it has worked with no complications, it was very unsightly) and tendon surgery to release and extend the flexor tendons of the toes in my left foot. Fiddly stuff. 16 weeks since the more major op which had me housebound over Christmas and New Year, that was Achilles tendon lengthening and a tendon transfer in my left foot, and 12 weeks before that in September was the Achilles tendon lengthening in my left leg. I really hope we are done now... I thought this was minor, now admittedly it's less major, but here I am parked on my bottom for 2 weeks feeling like I've been run over by a bus again....

Had a similar lunchtime experience to Eva today - and have been struggling a bit since I forced myself back on the wagon on Friday to be doing this with enthusiasm, especially as I am surrounded by DH's non LC food all the time. But this lovely, overflowing with health and taste - halloumi and serrano ham, with rocket and watercress and basil infused oil and a few toasted seeds and mayo. Delicious.

Trashcan those are awful waits, I shouldn't complain, I haven't waited longer than 8 weeks from listing to surgery - and that's not because I have "frequent flyer miles"! though I jolly well should do! Achilles tendinopathy I do know quite a lot about, and agonising though it is it does need massage and stretching. Achilles surgery is not fun... it has the same bodily trauma as a fracture or major joint replacement, and takes 9 months to properly heal. I hope you get a date soon, it's a long recovery but much better if you can just get on with it!!

waves to notso, Sayra, Stunt, and any others still about :)

Waves back to LMD. It's quiet on here isn't it?

It is very quiet. Am missing the lively chatter. It's lovely and sunny here and the people over the road are sat out in their front yards... I'm feeling a bit caged.

Waves back at everyone.

Trash I get tendonitis in my hips and my bones pop out if I sit for too long, my last GP had a laser thingy that worked on accupressure points on loan that she zapped them with and they were fantastic for months. It was like a battery charger, she wiggled the probe on my hip and just as I was about to say, that's it, inside that bit, the needle went all the way over. Enjoy the performance I love working with littleuns after being told to constantly feck off by some of the notsolittle darlins at my last school And a chihauhau??!

LMD you've been through the wars

Mother rant - I phoned on Sunday no answer but no surprises there but got a text last last night asking if they can visit on Wednesday as they're going home on Thursday after a 20 minute bout of tourettes I'd calmed down enough to go to bed and composed a reply this morning. Anyway I'm getting a royal visit in an hour, why fly 2000 miles and not tell people you're coming? They arrived on Sunday and are staying 3 miles away but they've no connections with this area, they lived 10 miles away and we only live here because we found our dream house on a bus route to the kids' school but if we could pick it up and move it we would.

I've been good all day but think I'll be on the gin after they've gone

Since I have relaxed my low carbing a little bit and am eating all manner of veg and more fruit I have actually just dropped a couple of pounds in a week
I think the reason may be because I felt restricted with regards to what veg/fruit I could have, especially to snack on. So sometimes I would avoid a bit of veg or a piece of fruit and have a bag of pork scratchings or a handful of nuts. I think this may have been what made me stall in the last few weeks. If I can keep up with what I'm doing now and avoiding pasta, bread, potatoes and rice I will be at the weight I want to be in another week

Morning everyone

Well done Durham I think if you've found a way that works for you then stick with it.

I had the most delicious dinner last night, if any of you live near a Lidl I recommend you go and see if they have any Irish duck breasts here. They were yummy, I had one last night with petit pois and purple sprouting broccoli, I have the other one for lunch today.

Are any of you still using the weight tracker/spreadsheet (can we, I've not checked, I will do once I post). I think that until the next BC I will continue as I am but allow myself some carbier veggies and see what happens with my weight. I put on 3 lbs while I was away but I am not surprised given the carbs I ate.

morning my lovely darlings! Just a quick shit shout - wednesday is a ridiculously busy day, and I am literally running out of space in the trashmobile. I have six rather large dogs to gather up for walkies, and it's getting to the stage where I'll need a trashvan to take anymore - not entirely sure how that's going to materialise, but hey ho, here's to hoping

I've got the tendon issue in my good leg the 'poorly' leg is the other one. I have to have something called a 'modified evans procedure' done on that one..... it involves taking a piece of ligament from elsewhere and using it to stabilise the ankle by drilling through the bone and threading it through (gulp) as far as I'm aware too chicken to properly find out

It does feel like a heck of a wait. I spent the majority of last year in a 'moon boot' walking like a zombie. Hence the huge weight gain nothing to do with comfort eating, oh no

The thread has felt quiet, and I feel sometimes like, all paranoid about coming along and waffling like a nobhead, but then I remember that is utterly silly, and I get a grip, and waffle some more. In fact, I'm gonna now post week two of my nearly naked selfie for your perusals.... Incidentally, I have washed the knickers, but not the bra and I have had a new tattoo started which you may or may not be able to see!

here goes!

bloody hell, there is actually a visible difference! I thought I looked bigger on the tummy, but when I compare it side by side to last week I have lost some off the top, so my gut appears to stick out more. BIWI I can't wait to be a few months down the road, so we can have a visual flip chart of your work in action You are my absolute hero!!!! Right, off to work, laters, most excellent posse of brilliant peoples x