Week 8 - Low Carb Bootcamp - lucky number for some!

[BIWI]

Xin nian kuai le!

Happy Chinese New Year. We're in week 8, and 8 is considered a lucky number in Chinese, so hopefully this week will be a good one for us all

Here's the spreadsheet

A very cold week is ahead of us, so hope you all stay warm and safe

Noooooooo ilove

Nan0 I substituted almond flour on a gram for gram basis (need to reduce if use coconut flour as it is more absorbent). It gives a slightly "grainy" texture so not completely smooth (I may also have overlooked them a touch).

Anyway, I declare them a success! I also divided them into 12 rather than 9 and have just eaten a warmed up one with some cream. Definitely hits the chocolate pudding spot.

I used a mixture of 85% and 90% chocolate (the stuff which is too dark for me to eat) and didn't find it too bitter at all.

Also, my DC (and just now my MIL) have all said that they are yummy too. I may serve them up as part of a LCHF feast I am planning for next time I have people over for dinner.

Yolo I have been reading the thread on AIBU about whether it is normal to polish off a whole tub of ice cream in one sitting - have been 😋 On the one hand but on the other when some posters point out the cals and sugar....

Beryl I agree, it's a one off - I am sure that you will still be in the LC zone by the end of the day

Swooping in just before the end of the day to wish blackmozart a very happy birthday.

Celeriac chips for tea tonight - first time I've made them. Delicious!

How lovely leapin I was just off to bed and saw this! Thank you.
Thewayof I warmed my brownie up for 20 secs in microwave and served with a spoonful or two of coconut yoghurt and a few raspberries. It makes for quite a special pud.
nano they do have a different texture and a slightly matte grainy finish but if you slightly undercook them they have a bit of softness if not quite the squidge of the real thing. They are pretty successful.

Thanks theway. Stupid cravings! I only get them once a month in an "I'm going to kill someone if I don't get some chocolate RIGHT NOW" sort of way. Others might make bad food choices after a glass of wine. I do it after a dose of natural oestrogen, or is it the other hormone? ah well who cares. It's a bitch either way.

and all this brownie talk when I haven't got any ingredient in the house .....You evil lot, you.

Gosh, there are times I'm glad I never got into baking!

Still no food eaten here (since Friday lunchtime) and surprisingly not feeling hungry at all, probably because I still feel a bit queasy. Leagues better than yesterday though. Could only keep down half a litre of water, and kept thinking how angry BIWI would be about water intake

BIWI. I agree re: TK. He is a larger frame fella to start with plus it will probably help that men are more muscular than woman.

BTW I made the Chocolate mouse from his book. It was just too rich. Can’t eat it and now trying to face throwing the lot away. (Recipe said it made 6 portions but more like 12 so seems a massive waste)

It’s the first dessert I’ve made this year for this woe but my buds have totally changed.

BIWI your food you posted yesterday sounds very delicious 😋

Hope you feel better soon Athel’.

I'm 58 and through and out the other side of the menopause. I have to say I think I've been very lucky. The only real problems I experienced, from peri menopause onwards, were the hot flushes. But these were noticeably reduced when I kept my carbs low - another, unexpected benefit of low carbing!

I also took Boots Menolieve, which really helped. As my mum died from breast cancer (and had also been taking HRT), I'm not going down the HRT route, so I'm very glad that it's been a fairly easy path for me.

I have no idea if it's related, but I suffered very rarely from PMT (occasionally used to have one very 'down' day beforehand), or period pains, and also very swift (and therefore relatively less painful) labours.

Now I'm post menopausal, the thing that does give me concern is bone density/thinning (and therefore osteoporosis), which is part of the reason for keeping up an exercise routine. Once the weather improves a bit I'm picking the running up again, as that is apparently a good weight-bearing exercise.

Breakfast 2 bacon and 2 eggs. Am realising that weight loss is verrry slow when you are near goal. I would be thrilled to lose another two pounds this bc

Had two glasses of red in front of Collateral last night. Weirdly wasn’t even that fussed about the second but that’s good cos I’ll remember that next time

Morning all. That brownie recipe looks great, I think I'll do some for Thursday - book group at mine. Any suggestions for yummy buffet style lchf recipes greatfully received (one veggie in the group of 6 and one who doesn't eat pork)

Friday was good but yesterday not so much. I gave blood for the first time in the morning, had a bit of a dizzy moment when it was done and the nurses said I had to eat some crisps and a biscuit before I could leave. Obviously I could have said no but I did feel pretty ropey, I'm cross that I didn't bring something from home to munch on. Then babysat for a friend and stupidly ate some popcorn and chocolate in a fuck it moment. Pissed off this morning as it so wasn't worth it and, again, I could have prevented it if I'd brought some snacks from home.

So onwards and upwards (or downwards). So frustrating as I'm finding this woe so doable and satisfying 95% of the time, meals are fine etc but then I sabotage myself in the most silly and small ways which are obviously having a big impact on my weight loss.

Sorry for the moan and happy birthday for yesterday BlackMozart

Hello low carbers im doing a more moderate carb diet. Try and stay around 100grams a day max. Works for me is really sustainable. Eat a fuckton of veg and don't have to cut out fruit ect. Just swerve rice/past usual suspects. However every once in a while I indulge and feel like shit the next day. Literal hangover. I had a not so innocent smoothie yesterday and I felt like my gums receeded from the sugar. I gave it my other half and didn't even enjoy it :/ any of you long term people able to enjoy previous foods or do your taste buds change forever?

I'm right at the beginning of my low carb journey and I'm struggling to find good lunch options - I'm currently a student nurse and in uni for the next three months and so need lunchbox-friendly low carb snacks and lunch ideas. I usually snack on sugar snap peas, carrots and piccolo tomatoes but I've been googling and apparently sugar snap peas are not suitable for a low carb diet? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

But these were noticeably reduced when I kept my carbs low - another, unexpected benefit of low carbing

That's interesting. I suspect I might be starting peri and I was getting night sweats and I'm not any more. Wonder if it's linked.

On the flip side I've decided to no longer be pissed off with myself about how much I had gained and the fact I'm still not quite there yet and focus on what I have achieved, I've shrunk quite considerably.

So focus on the positive really. Think how far some of us have come in the last couple of months or so...,

Almahart the Lidl roll was a round one. Couldn't even face weighing this morning, although surprisingly I am still in ketosis, but in the 'weak' category instead of 'strong'.

I've done a tonne of cooking today for the week ahead. Homemade mayo; moussaka concoction (with diced aubergine instead of sliced - so much easier; 2 x celeriac and leek dauphinoise; mashed boiled eggs using the mayo; and am roasting a chicken tonight with roasted parsnips for the carbivours.

For those of you craving chocolate I know we’re not supposed to eat processed foods...but the Atkins chocolate coconut bar is yummy, tastes just like a Bounty bar and is only 2.4 net carbs! Can get them in Boots for £1.55, so not cheap but a nice occasional treat 😀

So I had a slice of toast this morning. It wasn’t a fuck it moment and I don’t consider it a fall from the low carb wagon. I enjoyed it and it gave me an insight into how maintenance might be.

It also compounded my view that I’m an abstainer, I’ve made low carb bread and scones and, for me they don’t stack up so I’m happy to not have for now and look forward to enjoying such things occasionally once I’m maintaining. I totally get that low carb replacement things are vital for others. I’ve happily low carbed for the rest of the day and not descended into carby twattery. Which shows me that this woe has taught me some self control, which is largely down to this thread and you guys. Thanks

Hello everyone

Will there be a Week 9 thread?

Thanks!

@chaosisaladder have you found the spreadsheet of fabulousness yet? Link at the top of the thread, and also some "rules" in the bootcamp prep thread from the start of the year. Should be some ideas and guidance there.

You should find you need to snack less with this WoE (way of eating) as long as your meals are big enough and have enough fat, but things like babybel cheese or nuts are good along with your veg. I like a chunk of Aldi Manchego cheese.

Packed lunches: I have spinach based salad with oil and vinegar dressing and things like feta and olives or boiled eggs, or tuna mayo with chunky veg like toms and celery, or cold chicken and home made coleslaw are my favourites. I have a fridge at work but rarely use it, you'll just need some very secure Tupperware! And a refillable water bottle.

The week nine thread will be there in the morning terfsup, there will be a link from this thread.

Leftovers are a good lunch option if you have access to a microwave chaosisaladder

Thank you, rshard!

chaos I do similar to Rayna - I take in leftovers* to reheat or big salads: lots of spinach, cucumber, some tomato, slug of olive oil or dollop of good low carb mayo and some protein: chicken, tuna, egg etc.

I used to take in snacks as well - olives, Greek yoghurt, cheese, manchego cheese/Serrano ham wraps - but have found my appetite shrink and can now quite easily make my way through the working day without any (I sometimes have an afternoon creamy coffee)

*When I say left overs I often batch cook and freeze stuff to take in. E.g. I've just made 5 portions of LCHF chilli (use mushrooms instead of kidney beans) and 3 portions of celeriac risotto.

Good luck!

Thank you rayna and theway - so much to wrap my head around. I'm craving sweet stuff tonight so desperately trying to curb that!