Week 3 - May Low Carb Bootcamp - you've survived the first fortnight!

[CrabbyTheCrabster]

Hello everyone. I'm starting this week's thread as BIWI's away and Sayra's internet connection is a bit unreliable.

Here is the The Spreadsheet of Fabulousness.

Here is the weight tracker.

So firstly, a massive WELL DONE! for surviving the first fortnight. You now have the option of moving to Bootcamp Light, which means that you can introduce low carb fruits (berries, basically - raspberries, strawberries, red and blackcurrants) and nuts to your diet. Be careful though, as this can add a lot of carbs. Nuts, especially, can be very moreish. Some people stay longer on Bootcamp proper, some do Bootcamp Light at weekends and drink wine. I'm sure BIWI will be along when she gets the chance, to give you all some pointers.

Good luck with the weigh in, everyone, and please remember that weight loss is not a linear thing. Don't be discouraged if you haven't seen as much of a loss as you'd like - just KOKO and The Whoosh Fairy will visit you, whisking away a sudden whoosh of weight.

Since I posted on good housekeeping to get some tips on housework, I've gone from no time, to loads if time. I am completely amazed.

I unloaded the dishwasher, filled it up again. Washed the left overs. Cleaned inside the oven, pulled it out and cleaned the sides and behind it- including the floor. I put a load in the washing machine, made all the beds, cleaned 2 bathrooms, made everyone breakfast, wiped the table, hoovered the dining room and ironed..........

before 10am

Sat here twiddling my thumbs, so I went for a run.

I've not been since Feb. Managed 2.2 miles.

I've said it before, but the energy on this woe is amazing. It's like running on full power instead of half a battery.

Hi all, I'm having a really good day today and feeling happy with this WOE. When I weighed on Monday I had put on 4 pounds which took me 1 pound over my starting weight so I was pretty down about that. But I have really focused this week on what I'm eating and drinking and have already lost 3 of those pounds! I have cut down on dairy and tried focusing more on natural fats. And there were probably just some natural fluctuations going on. Really relieved as I was dreading the thought of going back to a low fat diet.

B: Scrambled eggs and 2 x bacon
L: Peppered mackerel pate (fillets mixed with some Philly) plus aubergine, courgette and a few cherry tomatoes fried in butter
D: Nigel Slater's rib ragu (w/out carrots) and probably courgetti or cauliflower rice

Plus 3L water

shebee you can rescue curdled hollandaise by cooling it quickly i.e. putting the pan in a sink of cold water and if necessary adding a splash of ice cold water and whisking for a minute, it un-separates (not sure if that is a word but you know what I mean) - I did this twice last weekend as didn't want to bother with the jug blender for such a small amount. If I had a stick blender I would do Crabbys method - think she posted it on the recipe thread last week

sass that is brilliant!

Feeling awful today, bug going around it would seem - pounding headache, sore throat, achy joints, tired, no sleep last night due to headache and coughing and worrying about things in RL - such a shame as was hoping for a kick start from the no dairy this week but I doubt I will have the energy to carry on with that - craving warm comfort food like cauli cheese and hot choc, might need to get myself some almond milk on the way home, planning on leaving early, wish I was in bed right now

It's like running on full power instead of half a battery

Brilliant love the analogy

hope you feel better soon, Lex

thanks romey you too

i felt the overwhelming urge to cheat just now, so I ran up to the shop and bought some strawberries and double cream, thats ok isnt it? I am not officially doing bclight but I figured it was the best thing to have in the situation.

romey at times the last 5 years I've felt like I was wading through treacle on a flashing battery.

lex get well soon.

I've just treated myself to some pork belly slices. A quick Google and it either tells me how to do a pork belly roast or covers everything in sugar sauce. Dp always cooks them. What do I do?

I'm thinking loads of oil and seasoning and bung them in the oven, but do I put the seasoning on straight away or half way through? Or something else? How long do they take? Dp's take bloody ages......

I season mine and roast for 20 minutes then pan fry until really really crisp.

Mmmmm

I'm slightly addicted to pork belly.

I make this blender hollandaise - super quick and no curdle.

www.foodnetwork.co.uk/recipes/blender-hollandaise.html

You don't need much oil sass they let out so much fat in the pan. I normal do chill powder and lemon zest.

for romey and lex.

Lex sounds like what I have. I still feel rank :(

• normally do chilli

diva strawberries and cream are ok , after the 2 week BC. If you want to be careful, you could weigh out the strawberries i wouldnt and stick under or around 100g.

You know gcal I could do with you on hot dial

Gcal thanks, hope you are better soon too as it sucks

Do I put the lemon and chilli on at the beginning?

Chilli powder or flakes?

Cathy tapas suggestions...

Fancy mushrooms (dried porcini or something) bulked up with portobello/portobellini/chestnut mushrooms, fried in butter with garlic and herbs. When you serve them, dish them in a heap on the serving dish with a little dip in the centre, and put a raw egg yolk in. Burford Buffs (Sains/Waitrose/Co-op) have wonderful orange yolk. At the table, mix it all together to disperse the yolk... the heat of the shrooms half cooks the yolk and gives it a lovely creaminess.

Chicken and sherry. Chunks of chicken (breast or thigh fillets), cooked in butter, garlic, sliced shallot, herbs. Deglaze the pan with a splash of sherry/madiera (only a splash, as carby).

Tortilla with celeriac instead of potato.

Savoury tart using almond pastry prepared like feastwithoutregret.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/low-carb-chocolate-tart/

Hot, spicy nuts

Fish stew with alioli

Can you tell I've had people round for dinner whilst low carbing...

Sorry that pastry link should have said this

Either sass. I put it on at the start.
Cathy - celeriac Bravas is a good one ( I normally add fried chorizo cubes)

Thanks gcal I've put them on. Opened the wild boar salami while I'm waiting, with my favourite red and I hardly got a look in because of 3 grabby little hands.

Tbh the youngest who is 3, could be completely lchf. She loves everything, including dark choc, olives etc.

The eldest who is 14 is a nightmare.

I wish I'd done it with them all from the beginning.

Interesting article here 8 weight loss tricks using only your mind

Might be helpful for those of us who have emotional eating issues

Thanks for that BIWI. I'm using a further technique at the moment which is really helping: swearing at carbs. Especially useful when cooking for and clearing up after kids!

Boring food but managed to eat in a day full of obsessive computer work, when i am prone to forget to eat although did boil dry a saucepan

Breakfast: a dollop of alpro soya yoghurt and 3 mini babybels
Lunch: lump of brie, smoked mackerel and 2 hard boiled eggs
Drink: 2 cups coffee

Tea will be cod and lots and lots of veg. Got about 2ltrs into my 3 ltr aim. Safe to say I will be no inspiration to anyone food wise. Good to be back on strict bootcamp. Looking forwards to the next few weeks and enjoying my re-tamed coffee habit.

Thanks Lex and Gcal for the saucy tips. Will try again at the weekend.
I hope you feel better soon Lex.

I have the bug too Lex feel awful. Don't have much appetite skipped lunch yesterday but am getting it in today. DH extremely puzzled ?? at the addition of butter to my tea this morning . Have a family dinner over the weekend and have looked at menu online so I can make a good choice beforehand as per advice of a previous poster.