January 2019 Low Carb Bootcamp - Week 1

[BIWI]

Well happy new year!

Here's a sparkling, brand new, Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for us all to get this new Bootcamp off to a good start.

Remember, you don't have to be on the spreadsheet if you don't want to - and if you don't want to declare your actual weight, you can index it - which means that your starting 'weight' is 100. Then for every pound you lose, you take off one. So if you lose 4lbs in week 1, then your 'weight' starting for week 2 will be 96.

There are over 170 people signed up, so the thread will move very quickly - but please, please, please read all the posts. Don't just jump on and post your own stuff without reading what other people have posted. That's especially the case if you're posting with a question - read the thread to make sure it hasn't already been asked.

Have a good look at the spreadsheet and all the tabs at the bottom, as there's a huge amount of information there - not just the rules, but also the list of vegetable carb counts, and some really interesting reading/videos too.

I hope everything there is clear, but if not - just shout.

Looking forward to getting going!

The bad breath should disappear soon but in the meantime keep drinking the water. If it's really bad, and you're really worried, you could use some sugar-free gum (but only in extremis!)

@KiteMarked I'm having steak, watercress and celeriac remoulade for dinner...and also dining from leftovers this morning!

Does anyone else have an item of clothing that hangs in the wardrobe which is far too small but can't be parted with? I once bought (at auction, fuelled by pinot noir) a khaki green Vivienne Westwood corset dress previously owned by Katie Melua (shows how long I've had it). I've never once been able to get into it...reckon either the camera adds more than 10lbs, or Ms Melua is a massive liar and couldn't either. Maybe this time...

Morning all, excited to hear the scales are moving for so many pps. It's very motivating! I don't want to jinx it, but I think I'm through the stabilising blood sugar as I can feel my appetite regulating.

@GerrysSuccessor hope you feel better soon. There's definitely something going round.

I'm doing a big Ocado order and I'm in need of inspiration. I'll be buying the ingredients of the curried cauliflower soup but I'm not a great cook so any things people recommend I buy, gratefully accepted!

@Dia12, could you post recipe for pancakes pls?

@Mimosa1 have you looked at the recipe threads? Loads of lovely stuff there to inspire you! They're all stickied at the top of the Bootcamp topic

Kite honestly, try not to be disheartened: I always spend the first few weeks of BC super-envious of every one losing pounds at a time, and wondering why this doesn't happen for me, when I have a whole other person to lose. The thing is, it's not linear, and also clothes show what the scales don't- and everyone's body is different. The point to hold on to is that it does work, and you just need to hang in there

Well done, toots - I know all about the seatbelt of shame You're rocking, though - thanks for the inspiration you've given me this morning!

I had celery and cheese for breakfast, with some left over veggie stir fry from yesterday: I'm going out to lunch so don't want to be starving.
L Grilled Portobello mushroom and halloumi stack with salad - popped into the restaurant on the way home yesterday to figure out a suitable option and make arrangements
D Probably little gem and some egg mayo

Woke up really early, even for me, so have managed 2l water already #winning

Are you veggie, @Hefzi? (Sorry, can't remember if you've already said that!)

nowlook I’m 106lbs heavier than I was in February, all my clothes are too small and if I part with them I will have virtually nothing left!

It's so wonderful to see all these losses!
Well done fellow bc'ers.

I'm going to have to splash out over the weekend and get a battery (or maybe ever a new set of scales) so I can join in next week. It's so frustrating

@Dia12 & @AandL seconded! I'm intrigued

@Threeminis have you been taking your measurements? In actual fact, that's a much more accurate way to measure progress anyway!

@SheldonTheWonderShlong

My stirfrys are very similar to your and always end up ok with those ingredients. i have learned that you need to remove the liquid after stir frying the prawns or it washes off the flavour though.

I put a small amount of sesame oil in initially to sweat the prawns. then pour off the liquid. add lots more oil then add the garlic and ginger for a quick fry then everything else. add the soy sauce in the last minute or so a decent amount so probably 3/4 tablespoons, soy sauce is your seasoning so it will make things less bland. Don't add any egg as it justs absorbs the flavour (imo). there should lot be a lot of liquid at the bottom of the wok, if there is raise the heat durng the whole process!!! its supposed to be very hot and quick!

Make sure you are using a really good quality and low carb soy sauce. lots of the own brand ones are quite high. the kikkoman one is good. XX

Not a convert to the delights of liver, I'm afraid.

Still, worth the experiment. I find it's important for me to keep experiment with new ingredients and recipes on this WOE - it's when I get bored with the same old things that temptation creeps back in.

Why did I weigh myself this morning? Am feeling grumpy and thought it would cheer me up. Am a pound up from yesterday. Even grumpier now.

Note to self - do not weigh daily.

Re the stir-fry, I find that marinating the meat/fish element always helps. And the other thing is that I add the ingredients separately, so each one gets a chance to actually fry. If you add everything at the same time, the temperature in the wok drops and you end up steaming everything rather than frying it.

Tapas was a bit of a disaster but I had ham and cheese for breakfast and have boiled eggs for lunch so today will be back on track and I'm not punishing myself. I did make some good choices re not drinking alcohol so I'm being kind to myself and scales were unchanged this morning from yesterday. I'm going to read through everyone's meals for inspiration.

...oh, and I use lime juice as a seasoning, as well as adding fresh coriander and (sometimes) finely chopped spring onion as a garnish, which adds a another layer of flavour

@BIWI yes - and I loathe tofu, tvp and other meat substitutes, unfortunately, so there's lots of eggs in my world

Though - I discovered yesterday that cauliflower has protein in: how did I get to middle age and not know that?!

There's protein in all/most veg I think!

Good day yesterday.

FF yoghurt
Veg, bacon and goats cheese soup
Fried lamb chunks with fried shallot, peppers, cucumber raita, green salad and tomato tapenade.

Another lb off today! :) that's 8lb in 10 days!

My OH is away next week which is really dangerous as i usually get a sneaky takeaway or three while i'm unsupervised. Im determined to stay on plan. i think i may get a 'safe' takeaway to help so was planning on going to our excellent local kebab place and having chicken kebab with salad and mayo. Apart from that was going to de an early big shop and fill the fridge with food that we don't eat often e.g. steaks so i have lots of delicious options i can have at home. Might be a very meat heavy couple of days.

I keep going through all the pros/cons to keep me on track.

Pros of going off plan
I get a momentary bit of pleasure.

Cons of going off plan.
BIWIs big stick
Stall in weight loss
Needing to start again - Carb flu
Hormones going out of wack again - hunger, skin etc
Yet another failure - depression/disappointment at self
Too ashamed to come back to thread (i like reading and posting!)
Likely gluten reaction
Not being proud of myself at the end of bootcamp.
BIWIs big stick :)

Can anyone else think of any more?

What?! I am now officially the most ignorant person on MN this morning, and probably also the world!

Pulses, yes, nut, yes, veg? Never even occurred to me.

@Hefzi you may like the recipes from this site then!

(Ignore the egg fast stuff)

Here's the cream pancakes recipe @AandL and @Cheeseandapple - enjoy!
ketokarma.com/cream-cheese-pancakes/

i omitted the sweetener and vanilla as I didn't have the carb-free stuff.
You can essentially remove the baking powder too if you want the thinner pancakes. Either way, it's super simple and super quick.

Ooh, brilliant - thanks so much @BIWI!

Yesterday was:

B: slices of pepperoni and Mexicana cheese (just a little, because I wasn’t feeling that hungry, and it was spicier than I was expecting)

L: leftover lamb keema - substituted onions and peas for leeks and mushrooms, with courgetti

D: slow cooker chicken with mashed buttery swede and Savoy cabbage

Perhaps not enough fat. If I’d roasted the chicken I would have eaten some crispy skin.

Breakfast has been yet more lamb keema leftovers (finished now ) and lunch will probably be tuna mayo in little gem leaves. Dinner will be cobbled together out of leftover roast chicken, leftover swede and whatever green veg I fancy.

Swerving my Friday night wine is going to be a challenge