Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - the questions thread

[BIWI]

From previous experience, the first few weeks of Bootcamp chat threads move very quickly, so having a thread dedicated to questions means that you stand more chance of getting an answer quickly!

So if you have any specific questions, post them here.

Thanks miffy. I'll look into the husk.

BIWI From the under 3g list I eat: Spinach, cucumber, lettuce, green pepper and baby sweetcorn.

This morning (woke up late) I had, cheese and tomato (naughty because it's 3.1g) wrapped in lettuce leaves.

Still deciding what to have later.

User What about finely chopped veg mixed into things like shepherds pie and curry? I often put chopped mushrooms into shepherds pie or casseroles as it makes the meat go further. When the kids were little it was a good way to get veg down them in secret. You don't notice the taste or texture if its cooked into the gravy.

Try looking at different ways to cook/serve the veg. Often its just a matter of getting away from the school dinners idea of plain, boiled stuff. What about stir fry or eating some veg raw? I like things like sprouts and mange tout sliced into a salad rather than cooked. Have a play about and experiment.

What's BPC?

Bulletproof coffee. It's black coffee whipped up with butter and coconut oil. People use it as a way of getting fat into their diet.

I've never had it because it sounds revolting, but people swear by it!

Is unsweetened almond milk allowed? I use it in my coffee and for green smoothies - although just realized, no green smoothies on bootcamp unless made with no fruit! Still, is it ok for tea and coffee?

Wow. That sounds revolting! But I'm having trouble getting loads of fat into my diet without resorting to meaty fat or cheese so I might give it go. Any other suggestions for upping the fat content?

And a Caesar dressing question. I've got a bottle of Cardini's in the fridge and it lists carbs as 1.4g per 100ml with sugars at 0.3g. However it lists both molasses and sugar in the ingredients. Fat is 65.9g. Is this alright as the sugar and carbs are so low?

Hi, does anyone know if it is ok to do this diet if you are on high cholesterol/high blood pressure tablets? Not sure what to feed my DP, he is happy to join in with me but I'm worried it will be too much fat for him

Jocastafantastica - you need to speak to his doctor. I have slightly high BP and agreed we monitor it with my doc, ended up having full bloods run after the may bootcamp and have never been fitter.
But again you really need to be in agreement from your DP's doc

Charlie - check the carb count on the back of the pack. If it's unsweetened, it should be fine, but different brands may vary.

MrsGuyMartin - what's wrong with resorting to meaty fat and cheese?! They are perfect low carb foods. Re the Caesar dressing - that carb count sounds suspiciously low to me, given those ingredients. However, if it really is that low then it's not too bad - but what other ingredients are in it?

Jocasta - if he's taking tablets for blood pressure he should see his GP first. The reason for this being that low carbing is very likely to reduce his blood pressure (which is a good thing, obviously,) but if it does do that, then his dosage will need to be altered. Is his cholesterol just measured as high, or does he have a genetic condition? If the former, then again, low carbing will be very good for this. If it's a genetic condition, it needs to be medically managed.

Bought some sausages in Aldi tonight. Packet says 0.7g available carbs per two sausages grilled (which I obviously won't be doing). Do they sound ok? Never seen carbs referred to like that. They are 85% meat.

Thanks miffy. I'm going to get some mixed frozen veg packets tomorrow.

What substitute do you use for the mash in a shepherds pie?

I did swede mashed with butter and cream and some black pepper,User. It was yum. I have been known to do it hot pot style with slices of courgette baked on top or sometimes I do potatoes for DH & DS and I have my meat on a bed of courgette spaghetti. I think some people mash celeriac and use that. I prefer my celeriac cooked other ways.

Username - read the recipe thread! There are several different versions of shepherd's pie on there. I use either celeriac, or a combination of celeriac and leeks.

I totally forgot about this questions thread. I am just posting here so that it appears in "threads I am on" so that if there are questions I might be able to answer then I see them.

Just ignore me just now!

thanks for advice - BIWI I think it was initially caused by his diet, but there is history in his family of heart disease. TBH I can't see him sticking to something as rigid as bootcamp! If he really wants to commit I'll send him to the doctors.

Given that being overweight is a contributor to heart disease, if he's prepared to commit to low carbing, I think he'll benefit from it.

Get him to do some reading - "Escape the Diet Trap" by Dr John Briffa is a good place to start.

If you're both doing it together it does make life a lot easier! Have a look at the recipe thread for some inspiration, and to see what lovely things you can eat whilst still losing weight.

Jocasta a lot of men find they don't need to be as strict and will still lose weight it's so bloody unfair. My DH has been low carbing along with me but he's still eating apples, the odd sandwich or slice of toast, drinking beer and going on business trips where he can't manage to eat lot carb all the time. The weight still fell off him. Having said that, *Pisseslikeahorse' posted a day or two ago that his missus reckons she has lost 10lb 'by association' with him going low carb.

Hello all - have my PIL law visiting this weekend. Need some ideas and tips to prevent it completely derailing me as they are very traditional in their food taste and MIL bakes a lot of cakes for her visits.
They are actually not staying with us so breakfast is ok - I will try to fill up early to reduce temptation later!
I need to do casual lunch on Saturday - they will I have just arrived from a long journey and will be focused on the DC so nothing grand needed
. dinner will be a nightmare as FIL loves to 'treat' us to a Chinese. I am going to view menu online and just make best choice I can - am thinking dry ribs or something.
Anyway knowing that meal will be BAD - need to try to keep the rest ok.
Need to then do either cooked lunch or dinner on Sunday - probably not both.
So it's only really two meals in total - for 5 adults. I have zero time to cook as two small DCs
Was thinking of slow cooked gammon with cauliflower cheese for Sunday.
Any other genius ideas ? I asked DH and he suggested bacon sandwiches for Saturday lunch - says it all really! sorry for very long question!

Live are you trying to avoid telling them that you're on a low carb diet? That would affect your menu choices if so - ie if you do spaghetti bolognese and have it with veg and no pasta, they'll wonder why.

I'd do a spread of cheeses and meats for lunch with bread for them, and just not have the bread. So a few different cheeses, ham/salami, cherry tomatoes (usually about 3.1% carb so ok), avocado or prawns in mayonnaise or something. Bit of salad. Or is that too exotic for them? Easy to make as it's assembling rather than cooking, you just have to resist the bread.

For the main meal, what you've mentioned sounds lovely, but just be aware that most people are used to cauli cheese made with a traditional white sauce, which you can't do because of the flour and milk. You could make a low carb one but it might be a bit different to what they're used to.

You don't fancy doing a roast chicken or something? Then the usual veg to go with - roasted broccoli and par-boiled then roasted sprouts are lovely, and roast potatoes for them but not you? Or is that too much cooking?

crabby thanks for your reply - yes I omitted that key fact - I can't cope with explaining - they just don't get it and if I mention Diet who knows what clangers MIL will come out with that might make me feel worse. She often randomly mentions having a 26 inch waist when she was younger. ( she is lovely by the way but you know how they are!)
Your lunch suggestion is perfect I don't know why I didn't think of that. We used to do something like this with quiche .. So I can just do my usual and avoid the quiche.
And good point about the cauli cheese! DH is asking them about plans so I have a better idea for Sunday - roast chicken is a good alternative.

You make it seem so easy!

Live firstly, I've been low carbing on and off (with some massive periods of carby-twatness in between) for about 18 months, so I've faced these sorts of situations before and have a sort of repertoire of recipes in my head, iyswim. Secondly I am a greedy pig love eating and therefore like cooking (as it results in delicious things to eat ) so I've made sure to work out how I can still eat things I really enjoy (couldn't stick to it otherwise).

I've never hidden my dietary choices from anyone though. My DMIL and DBIL were a bit about it I think but wouldn't dare say. They did laugh heartily at me though when I took my own swede round to dinner so I could make swede mash to have instead of potatoes.

When my (pissed) DMIL once rolled her eyes at my DSIL (and thought I didn't see) when I declined pudding on one occasion, I (also pissed) grabbed a photo out of the drawer of me about 15 years ago in bra and jeans with a little waist and great cleavage and shoved it under all their noses saying very firmly
"I used to look like this! I don't want to be overweight. I want to look like that more than I want that cake." There was no more eye rolling after that.

Also, for family lunches where you don't want to be too obvious, think about serving it in actual serving dishes rather than straight onto plates. You can do a wider variety of veg and it's less noticeable what people are putting on their plates - serve yourself one roastie and then mash it a bit during the meal and leave it with some other veg - everyone will assume you had roast potatoes and just left one. Make sure there's some buttery mashed swede, sprouts, broccoli etc as well as carrots/peas for the others. You could boil up your swede and par-boil your sprouts before and then heat up the swede and mash, and chuck the sprouts and the broccoli in a baking dish with plenty of olive oil/butter about 25 mins before serving.

And and and (bloody hell I'm on a roll today!) if people start asking questions, just start to describe in detail just how badly bread/pasta/whatever affects your bowels. I guarantee they'll change the subject asap.

Last time I did a family lunch and wanted to disguise what I wasn't eating I sat MIL opposite me. I did everything in serving bowls and put a pretty big salad bowl between us. She couldn't even see what was on my plate, never mind comment on it

Roast chicken with lots of different veg to choose from - you could do low carb veg plus roast potatoes for them - no-one will know that you haven't picked a roast potato if your plate is full!

So - roast potatoes for everyone else, along with:

Broccoli
Braised cabbage in butter with lemon and black pepper
Leeks in cheese sauce (made just with cream and cheese)
Swede mash

Or - if you go with the salad option, there are several recipes for savoury tarts on the recipe thread

Hello all. Day four and I am feeling great, can see a definite reduction in puffiness all round and have lost weight. I have never been so un-hungry in my life, despite eating less in calorie terms than usual. And, best of all by miles - I HAVE HAD NO PROCESSES SUGAR FOR THREE DAYS. Am thrilled.

But but but … I can already feel that I am starting to long for fruit, red peppers and the like. So it's set me wondering: what happens after these 10 weeks? Do we really aim to eliminate the likes of apples, oranges and bananas forever? What about rice and oatmeal?

I suppose I'm asking now because I can already see that I need to fix my eyes on the long term if I am to keep this up.

Thanks in advance for any information you can give.