Week 3 - Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp - the fork in the road ...

[BIWI]

Good morning! (not that there's much good about it, from what I can see out of the window ...)

So we're at the end of the first two weeks. Felt like forever, didn't it?

Come and tell us how you got on on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

... or keep it to yourself on on the Weight Tracker

I hope that you have seen a good loss over these two weeks, because you do need to prepare yourself for the infamous weeks 3 and 4, where it is very, very, very, very common to see weight loss slow, stop or even reverse slightly

IF YOU FIND THIS IS HAPPENING, DON'T PANIC!

Keep calm and Bootcamp on ...

as we might say if we had our own posters Just keep on keeping on, and things will start to move again very soon. However, the rate of loss will now - from here on - be at a more sustainable rate of 1-2lbs per week. (If you have a lot to lose it might be a bit more than this, but please don't expect to see massive losses every week - that way madness lies!)

And now you have a choice.

You can stay on Bootcamp if it suits you (but please promise me that you're getting your carbs from vegetables and salad), or you can move to Bootcamp Light, which means you can introduce a few berries and nuts/seeds, as well as re-introduce alcohol in moderation. Rules for Bootcamp Light are on the spreadsheet (look at the tabs at the bottom)

Or, you can do Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

Whatever you decide, I hope it goes well for you.

for all those still with us!

I"' just here to celebrate that the running seems to have taken off again! 8km without too much hassle tonight and felt like I could have kept going! Woo! Considering I was struggling to do 3 a couple of weeks ago it's a massive change. This woe is definitely pretty amazing!

Evening everyone.

I'm a bit too carb fluey and end of the week-y to post much coherent to be honest!

I think Sayra's idea of ditching the scales is inspired, Chester. It could help you to concentrate on the food not the weight, perhaps? (Not sure I could be that brave though!). Stick with it . It does work.

Right, vegetable rosti:

(It's a bit if a faff but I was trying to convince the DC that they were eating burgers).

I've been grating up a mix of veg in large batches to use in salads during the week - I got a bit fed up of green leafy salads. I used some of this, which was about 1/4 swede, 1/4 celeriac and 1/2 a large courgette coarsely grated. I sautéed the lot in olive oil until soft. I then beat 2 eggs and a tablespoon of mayo, salt, a tsp of baking powder, smoked garlic power and 1/2 tsp dried sage together and once the veg had cooled a bit I mixed it all up. It needed to be spooned into the frying pan for frying and it's a bit delicate but made some nice little rosti style cakes. They firm up a bit if you put them into a warm oven for 10min or so.

Clearly garlic and sage is to my taste and I'm sure you could flavour them with anything you want!

NB: I find it quite easy to eat a lot of carbs with swede + celeriac, probably because they are two of my favourite roast veg. It's worth keeping an eye on portions sizes i.e. not a whole swede to yourself

(I've put this on the recipe thread)

Have just seen massuman curry on the recipe thread, CharlieSierra! Mmmmmm [mouth waters]

Tanukisan I hope today has been better.

I forgot to put down what I had today...

B: 2 eggs + cheese, cooked in oil
L: Spinach, raw grated swede/celeriac/courgette, vinaigrette, smoked salmon. Greek yogurt and peanut butter.

(Went for a run)
(Drank 1l of water + 2 rehydration tablets - new running + low carb strategy)

S: boiled egg, slice of cheese, tsp peanut butter
D: roast celeriac, swede and courgette fried with left over roast pork.

MFP: carbs 25g, protein 80g, cal 1630.

Definitely going to try the veggie rosti, always good to find non-carby side dishes

Me? An inspiration Clash? Well, thank you .

Good day yesterday:

B: yogurt, cream, cinnamon
L: chunk of cheese, kale chips (out over lunch so just had coffee while friends had huge baguettes and choc chip shortbread)
D: chicken with Stilton and Parma ham, roast broccoli, courgette fritters

Tricky day today as we are off to Blackpool to see the lights. No idea where we will end up eating but I'm going to have a big ass breakfast and a BPC to keep me going just in case.

I have just braved the scales (have been avoiding them in the ultimate ostrich impression). I'm 7lb up on my lowest weight from the summer, post spring boot camp. Arsey McArse.

Oh well, at least it provides some motivation

Have fun in Blackpool Chester!

Right, I need to apologise first off for my grumpiness earlier, and thank you all for your comments.

I definitely do need to drink more water, increase my fat and cut out the diet coke (the hardest bit for me!).

I've got into a routine of not dressing my salads because I make them up at work, so this weekend I'm going to buy a small bottle of olive oil to keep in my drawer, plus babybels and some salami. Thank you everyone.

Chester - there's still a fair bit of dairy going on in your meals - if you see no change on Monday I would drop it for a while

That rosti sounds delicious, Sarah. Am definitely going to try it!

I know BIWI, it's just so bloody lovely and easy to eat. Depending on the scales on Monday, I will ditch it if needs be but I think it's going to be tough.

Morning all - had a good day yesterday but am feeling really exhausted still - not sure if that's caused by life or Bootcamp!

I think I am probably eating too much dairy and maybe too much meat. Been looking at what others are having for breakfast I would be starving!

Today's plan -

B- boiled eggs, slice of ham, mayo
L- probably omelette with salad as will be at a local cafe
D- curry made with chicken thighs and coconut milk - served with cauliflower - rice or roasted.
Before I do that I had better check coconut milk is allowed.

sarahbeeny I know what you mean about the head-in-the-sand approach!

I was quite shocked when I got back on the scales at the start of BC. Think I'm going to keep on weighing myself every week even after boot camp so I can tweak as needed...after all, it's easier to lose a couple of pounds than twenty!

vegetable rosti.... yum!

Liveinthepresent - coconut milks a bit carby so check its amounts and be careful how much you use.

Morning all, in hiding yesterday with massive grumpy headache all day, so I upped water, salt, low salt (potassium) and drank a stock cube. Finally had a little carb reefed last night and am allot better today, and will up my intake (of everything) on the heavier training day and recovery day as well.

Yesterday
B. BPC
L.2 eggs mushrooms curry cabbage maoy
D. 2 peppered makrel large salad olive oil mayo
S. P nut butter non bootcamp liquid

today
B. bpc / 2eggs mushrooms courgette
L. ham cheese omelette
D. Lamb curry & Salad

BIWI - meant to say only one sausage because the kids ate the rest! Little dustbins.

The best thing I've found so far for carb flu symptoms is homemade chicken stock with a spoon of bouillon in. SO delicious!

Quick check in. Waves

Quick question. If I make a cauliflower crust for pizza now, does it keep ok until later?
Doing some batch cooking, some baked cabbage currently smelling lovely in the oven. Think will do the massaman curry also, that will go down well in this house!

Later ladies and gents.

Ooh that sounds lovely!

Round at SILS for her birthday. Rather than taking the usual two bottles of wine, I'm taking one bottle and some fizzy water to mix it with.

Also, I know if I've had a drink, I'm likely to slip food wise so I've prepared as much as I can. I've deleted my just eat app, got my mum to change the password so I can't log on and made sure there's no cash in the house because I'm a bugger for takeaway when I'm tipsy.

Big brunch of bacon, eggs and mushrooms and a crust less quiche prepared to munch on when I get home with a bit of salad. No doubt I will be cursing LC later, but at least I won't be remorseful in the morning!

If she does food, she'll be doing a ham and salad (as well as carby bits which I feel quite comfy ignoring) so can eat that while I'm there.

Tanukisan if I take a salad to eat out I put my home made oily dressing into a little jar I keep for the purpose. It will wedge down into the box and then it just needs a quick shake and its ready to dump onto the leaves. Some of the fancier snack boxes have little dressing pots included.

I also keep an emergency bag of nuts in my bag. I know they are more for BC light but they are better than being stuck somewhere feeling hungry and ending up with a sandwich or biscuits. Brazils are good as they are fairly low carb and they are easier to eat one at a time than the smaller nuts.

Thanks pisses - you are an inspiration to a novice like me!
My coconut milk said 2.5 per 100ml - is that ok if I have max 100ml?

Meantime might be a change of plan as DH prefers the sound of Nigellas Meatza so might have that tonight.

Still keen to know about the coconut milk though.

Live - I've never heard of meatzza but it sounds fantastic! I'm going to make some tomorrow!

Miffy you've reminded me that I actually have one of those little pots x

Liveinthepresent - seems fine, (check for added sugar). but if it fits in with your daily carb load then all good.

Tanukisan I suddenly remembered it from last Bootcamp ( 2 years ago and then abandoned and became a slave to sugar when I got a BFP!!)
It is yummy and my DH really misses pizza so it's perfect for Saturday night and strictly don't mention the wine
pisses is there an actual way of working out my own carb limit? I haven't been that scientific so far. Tell me to bugger off to the questions thread if I am being too needy - I am just determined to crack this WOE.

Just a quick visit because I'm bored with my coursework and now need to google nigella's meatza so Live its your fault when I'm still procrastinating in a couple of hours

DH wants lasagne because he's still not 100% over the bug he had earlier in the week needy bastard so I'm going to adapt the hairy bikers recipe and make one for me with leeks, I'll add a slice of mozarella between the layers to up the fat. I made braised cabbage last night and its yummy, cabbage never tasted this good when I was a kid .

I've got a busy week with a subject ofsted on Wednesday the head's more manic than usual so I'm going to make creamy mushroom soup and a crustless quiche. I'll leave half the quiche in the fridge in work in case Monday and Tuesday are late nights and have the rest with the soup if its too late for a proper dinner.

I made a low carb lasagne, half using opened out leeks and half using long slices of courgettes as an experiment. The courgettes were definitely the best of the two and less hassle.