Week 2 - 2016 Low Carb Bootcamp - our first official weigh-in!

[BIWI]

Morning campers!

Here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

I hope it was a good week, and I hope that those of you who have been suffering from carb flu are starting to feel better. Remember, keep up the electrolytes - sodium, potassium and magnesium. Which means firstly that you have to make sure you're getting plenty of salt - so salt your food during cooking and add salt to cooked food.

For potassium, you could also consider Lo-Salt. Good foods for all electrolytes include salmon, avocado, spinach and full fat (of course!) natural yoghurt.

A note about weighing in

If you're a daily weigher, you have several different options. You can either just record your weight every Monday (or whatever regular day of the week you choose - I am going to start weighing in on a Saturday, because my trainer records my weight as well, to keep me on track!).

Or you can record the lowest weight you achieved in that week

Or you can average your weights and record the average.

Whatever you decide, I hope it's a positive result!

Dartmouth well done you for being super swotty BCer today!

for all those struggling to give up the wine - good advice from felicity the herbal tea really helps me in the evening - or I go brush my teeth if a craving starts.

I. Managed to lay off the cheese and not snack today.

Crown, when you are away, are you able to request any dietary needs? A hotel should be able to cater to this if they know in advance; you just need to get over the 'I don't want to be a nuisance or appear odd' factor.

I tend to just ask upfront if they can cater low carb and no grain for me due to health reasons. A kitchen in a hotel or restaurant can usually produce some kind of vegetable or salad effort at a minimum, then all they need is egg, cheese or ham.

I am always very polite about going off menu and ask if it would be possible; and I haven't been given a no yet.

I think you did really, really well crown given your choices.
Maybe RomiRoo's idea is possible?

I still feel awful but hopefully it's going now. I didn't drink enough water yesterday because I was dashing everywhere after work- I'm going to have to carry a water bottle I think.

B coffee with cream and a boiled egg so far:)

Oh gosh, yes, Crown, you did do well; it is hard to be surrounded by carb eaters, even when you are catered to! Since LCing, I have realised how much carbs are integrated into every day life. I think things are changing, but not always at an institutional catering level (my issue with school lunches, where even healthy menus have hidden sugars, or added sugar or are not wholemeal etc - but that is another story)

crown well done - I think no gain is a result!

shouldi read your posts back. I get that you have long and intense days - but if that's normal for you then using alcohol in the way you are really isn't good. I really sympathise with you - I'm not an emotional eater, like lots of Bootcampers are, but I do turn to alcohol as you do.

But your reaction to not being able to drink (just for two weeks) seems a little extreme. Perhaps something to watch out for? If you really want a drink then go for a clear spirit with soda/sparkling water - vodka and soda with a slice or two of fresh lime is very pleasant. But try and avoid wine as much as you can in these first two weeks.

And also, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but low carbing is in no way a magic bullet! It's often easier to stay on a low carb diet, because you won't be hungry, but the weight loss rate will be the same as on other diets. And you only get the initial large losing you're being really strict. Which you aren't if you're still drinking.

CrownofStars I always used to have this problem but used to do what Romi said and request something - it helps if you can give them an idea of what you would like as low carb sometimes confuses them. Once they did me sugar less meringues with berries as a dessert... it was not good! I used to tell them no bread, pasta, rice, potato, other grains and if I had to compromise on the odd occasion I would go for potato rather than the others as it's less processed but would often reqest a massive salad and meat (or fish if you like it but I'm fussy). If it's only one or two days though I buy my own at M&S. If there's a fridge in the room and I'm staying over I use that or ask the hotel to put it in theirs. They're used to people bringing their own I should imagine for allergies and stuff. I also if I have control over where to stay choose somewhere central so I have options of restaurants in the evening if I don't have to eat in the hotel (toby carvery and harvester are faves of mine) and can nip out and stock up on low carb options for snacks and lunches if I need to. Hope some of this helps.

I noticed this morning Starbucks are advertising a coconut milk latte... worth a try or still too carby? (I miss my latte when travelling)

Thanks mustbemad

Weighed myself this morning and a further 4lb down so 5lb off overall so far, thanks for the stick BIWI

Also if you know where you're going in advance we can probably help as some of us travel or have travelled with work so might know where you're going and what the options are or someone might be familiar with the area. Planning is key unfortunately which I'm great at when it comes to work but not so much at home!

Morning :) bpc for breakfast here, my trigeminal neuralgia has raised its ugly head again :(

Aunty I got excited about Starbs coconut latte too but sadly it's not made with real coconut milk - there's 11g of carbs per cup! Full of added sugar, emulsifiers etc. We will have to stick with BPC!

Scales were kind to me after my show of unbreakable determination yesterday and showed 1.5lbs since Monday. Lots more birthdays this weekend, so hoping I can remain strong after last weekend's cock-up.

In particular, I've got a meal out with DH on Saturday - there will be alcohol. All this talk of booze is making me think - I would usually have a gin and slim, but would vodka and soda be better? I think I tried gin and soda before and it was not great! I will steer clear of lovely wine

Today's plan:
B: eggs, butter, a bit of cheddar
L: broccoli and roule soup
D: spag bol, courgetti, cheese

I dislocated my shoulder last night. Pain is such I don't even want sugary foods. But then I don't want anything to eat either. Have you got some suggestions of something that will feel treaty and comforting and appealing that can be prepared by a right-handed person who can only use there left hand/arm atm?

TIA

Ahhh.. Sorry I've not her here this week. It's been a crazy week at work.
I still haven't rtft it's huge now, I forgot how quickly they fill up.

I promise I'll be better next week, and the rest of this one.

Food yesterday

B raw mushrooms
L crust less quiche with asparagus, shallots, bacon and cheese. Cos lettuce with oil and mayo
D another slab of quiche
S ff yog with double cream after trainer/aerobics double whammy

4l water 2 coffee with cream.

Great food day.
B eggs and salad 2 coffee and cream
S cheese crackers
L egg, leftover creamed chicken, salad
S cucumber and cheese
D salmon and hollendaise broccoli and coleslaw.
A yoghurt and cream

Oh is also following along but today told me heed been drink half an iced coffee. He looked gutted when I told him they weren't ok I have tried to explain the rules. But when I said a serve had 32 grams if carbs he asked if that was a lot.

Aunty was coming on to say there is 11g of carbs in a tall coconut latte which is but mustbe beat me to it.

I had a craving for avocado this morning, but had run out at home. I had to stop on the way to work to buy some! In fact, I had to stop at two shops as the first didn't have any in stock. At least it beats the cravings I normally have.

This evening is going to be tricky as I am going straight from work to the hairdressers, then will have about half an hour to walk the dog and get something to eat before going to a scout committee meeting. I might end up eating HB eggs as I walk around with DDog!
Breakfast was (unsurprisingly) avocado, with 2x creamy coffees. Lunch will be yesterdays green salad with mackerel.

I have DOMS today from my gym workout on Tuesday, but despite that I have still lost weight today, which I was surprised at.
KOKO everyone.

Einstein
Ouch! That sounds painful. . i was going to suggest scrambles eggs, but it might be a bit tricky cracking it...

Tbh as I have just managed to pour boiling water over my hand making a coffee I think that I would probably end up clearly egg off the floor today. I might attempt a boiled egg and then bribe ds into cooking proper tonight. He is capable which is a pre-teen bonus. However, when pain is bad I burn boiled eggs and they smell really bad But it might be worth a go.
I have taken myself back to bed on the basis that it is unlikely that I will do myself much harm there.

Just had to share a LC cheats caesar salad dressing recipe I used the other night - it was delicious, if a little garlicky:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2516/chicken-caesar-salad

Einstein you poor thing.

Re food do you have Tesco? If so I suggest stocking up on the ready made cauli rice / courgette noodles.

if you can get into a packet I'd suggest prawns and courgettie. I tore my rotator cuff but while my arm was strapped up I could still use scissors. Not sure if you can?

Lump of butter in a pan with some garlic powder and chilli flakes (fresh is best but this way no chopping) let it melt. Add in pack of cooked prawns and let them heat through. Add in some cream and 1/2 pack of the ready made courgettie.

Noodle soup can also be made v easily with a tub of fresh stock, courgette noodles, chicken (get a rotisserie one? Not ideal as there are some sugars in the glaze but better than starving) and a pack of sliced or button mushrooms - add in some cream and garlic powder/or lazy garlic (if you can get into the jar?)

Cheese crisps in the microwave (silicon mat, cheese portion, microwave - I like to use a silicon muffin pan as it makes them nice and round like real crackers) or slices of cucmber if you can to eat a pot of deli sandwich filler - chicken and bacon Mayo, egg mayo, tuna mayo, cheese and onion, guacamole or pate.

Aldi do a cauliflower in cheese sauce which is around 3G carbs /100g

Morrisons do sliced cucmber and hard boiled eggs in their salad bar even in the tiny one near me.

Embrace frozen veg and grated cheese too! Frozen swede and cauli? Grated cheese has a few more carbs but better than nothing.

Thank you that really helps with combating deer in heights effect. Lots of very doable ideas.

Just thought of another one,

Pan, bacon lardons cook until crisp, melt in some butter, add in spring onion (buy the ready prepared ones and snip with scissors) and some chicken from the rotisserie one, spices as you like - paprika? Garlic powder?

You can do the Tesco cauli rice in the microwave in the pot. Stir together.

Chees, mushroom and shallot omelette for lunch