Jan '20 - Low Carb Bootcamp - The finish line!

[StuntNun]

We've reached the end of the Low Carb Bootcamp so how did you do overall? Add your weigh-in to the Spreadsheet and let us know your plans. Would you like to keep losing weight over the coming week and months? Are you thinking about giving weight maintenance a go? Have you considered introducing intermittent fasting? This thread will continue until the next Bootcamp starts so there will be plenty of support for you.

Cheese and nuts should work, but not if you’re expecting halloumi “fries.” I suppose. The sweetness of almonds would feel more platter than fry.

Thanks for the experiment StuntNun and thanks for advice re deep frying oils.

I’m happy to stick with olive but will have to preserve it for future use—expensive!

Meanwhile, I’m spending the day in a makeshift strapless tunic and airy skirt, my hair in braids, trying to be as NOT HOT as I can be.

Love the sunshine, though. Drink your water, y’all. ALL OF IT.

Had an online consult with a peri and menopause specialist today. Young ish lady, specialist, finger on the pulse etc All good generally. But she's a plant based food advocate. Her eyebrows raised a bit at LCHF. Apparently high meat diets can affect hormone levels, I should have at least one day a week effectively vegan and should introduce pulses etc. Not sure how I feel. Probably won't change want I'm doing. Hey ho.

And HRT patches are coming my way. (Forgot to ask if they are likely to cause weight gain). So hopefully I can stop feeling pissed off ALL OF THE TIME

It's amazing they can do that online Brassica I'd have thought they would need to do blood tests for your hormone levels. I suspect I'm perimenopausal as I've been having a few ishoos but my periods have gone like clockwork every 28 days after a lifetime of being irregular so I don't think any doctor would believe I'm heading for menopause.

BIWI I'd already read that blood tests aren't necessary so I didn't challenge it which means I can't quite remember the reason they don't test. I think hormone levels fluctuate so much a single test doesn't prove much. Plus I was interested in HRT for its protective qualities (heart and bone health). My peri symptoms aren't all encompassing.

Dr Hannah Short vis FB if you fancy a read.

Apparently high meat diets can affect hormone levels

Bit this isn’t a high meat diet. This isn’t Atkins. This isn’t about massive consumption of meat protein.

I’ve not done the level of research as many others but we have experts here.

Honestly, Brassica, follow what is best for you. Some days I eat Vegan (plant-based) by accident.

My emoji would have a head to the side (not necessarily tilted), a down turned mouth (not necessarily pouty), and only one hand raised.

My emoji just might be wearing a beret so everyone could experience cultural stereotype signalling.

I suspect she's a secret vegan doing her best not to show it. So anything in comparison is high meat I'm not sure I ever do vegan to be honest. Everything would have meat or egg or cheese 🤷‍♀️(French shrug good). Got any vegan recipes you can share?

Oh, and she called me out on my wine consumption. But I'm glossing over that for the moment. But it's definitely filled under "needs dealing with"!

All alcohol consumption needs to be dealt with for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sloppy or alcoholic, or any of my old alcohol abuse ways.

But dang if I didn’t crack open a vodka/soda at around 4pm this afternoon. Just the one. But...really?

I am now, five hours later, on a second.

But here’s the thing:

1. why did I do that?

2. I absolutely know that one and this one don’t help with weight loss via LCHF;

3. how easy would it be for me to slip into old ways?

I haven’t, I won’t, it was a byproduct of other mental health (depression), and I have support systems in place.

So the real question goes back to number 1: why did I do that?

Meanwhile, for the record, I am soooo not a Vegan.

What she said.

I had a two glasses of wine earlier, and it wasn't all that, frankly. Still had the second.

There are true carnivores kicking around who seem to thrive on never touching a plant. (do NOT go searching on reddit...)

If high meat is the problem, why go vegan? She could have said vegetarian? Hard to overdo the protein as a veggie, I would have thought?

Personally I think you are doing v well to only be on the second after 5 hours shag

We need to get some of this chat out of our systems don't we. We can't be talking like this on our brand new Ultra BC thread next week can we?! We'll be derailing newbies

Also, on the flip side. What happens on Jan BC stays in Jan BC right?!! No bringing up past transgressions next week

I did not "had a two glasses" like some 70's sitcom Italian cafe owner.

Ooh, not, no never contemplating vegan. Was just pondering the occasional meal once in a blue moon. Curious

Past transgressions?

I'm transgressing as fast as I'm able this week, while I still can!

brassica vegan options: for breakfast - the low carb granola (from the recipe page) with a few berries and a coconut cream (you can get it in a little carton), or avocado smash on low carb bread; for lunch - veg soup, or courgette and walnut salad; dinner - vegetable curry with coconut milk, or a Bolognese sauce made with a meat alternative served with celeriac chips or courgetti noodles? You only need a couple of ideas...

Transgressions? Moi? [French shrug] you did not see me eating fish-fingers with baked beans and Heinz tomato ketchup

Today though:
B - avocado, creamy coffee
L - green soup (made with all the leaves, stalks, etc from cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, radishes, a big bunch of herbs from the garden, and half a left over camembert. Blended into a big green bowl of loveliness)
D - shakshukka

What transgressions?

@BrassicaBabe did she explain how/why meat causes hormone problems? Sounds a bit vague/spurious to me, although I'd like to know more!

BIWI I'd imagine it's based on the idea that meat animals are pumped full of growth promoters and antibiotics like they are in the US.

Here's what she sent:

NUTRITION
• Centre diet around plant-based whole-foods: women who follow a plant-based diet have a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. Recent evidence suggests that they may also suffer fewer menopausal symptoms, and that leafy greens and dark-coloured berries are particularly beneficial.
• Think “right carbs, good fats” not “low-carb, high fat” or “no fat”: complex carbohydrates (e.g. root vegetables, beans, oats, wholegrains) and plant-based fats (e.g. nuts, seeds, avocado, good quality olive oil) are essential for good hormonal health.
• Eat the rainbow AND the alphabet: fill your plate with a wide variety of brightly coloured fruit & veg. Aim to include at least ten different types of vegetable in your meals each week (aim for 30 varieties over the month). Diversity is key to a healthy gut microbiome (and good hormonal & emotional health).
• Include a serving (or two) of beans/lentils/hummus in your daily diet – a fantastic source of fibre, protein and micronutrients. If you do not already regularly consume these and/or suffer with bloating, build up intake slowly and consider short-term digestive enzymes (e.g. BeanAssist); see also Dr Megan Rossi’s excellent book: Eat Yourself Healthy (focuses on improving gut health).
• Consider switching cow’s milk for fortified soya/oat/hemp milk (more heart-healthy)
• Include minimally processed soya foods in your diet: e.g. edamame beans, tofu, tempeh, miso – helpful for
menopausal symptoms, heart and breast health.
• Flavour your food with a multitude of herbs & spices (rich in polyphenols – plant-based micronutrients)
• Minimise refined carbohydrates and junk food (e.g. added sugars, white bread, baked goods, take-aways)
• Avoid processed meats and all factory-farmed (intensively-reared) meat, fish, dairy & eggs.
• Aim to eat all meals within a 12-hour window e.g. between 7am & 7pm. This helps with weight control.

Actually quite vague when you read it back. I respect her as a specialist in her field, going to take her HRT, but going to have to agree to disagree on LCHF.

TBH most of that dovetails reasonably well with Bootcamp though - although beans/legumes/pulses would need to wait a bit. Having said that, I think they're by far the best carbs to be introducing alongside a good intake of vegetables.

I'm having plant based slow cooked belly pork for dinner tonight

@BrassicaBabe That’s interesting re hormones and peri /menopause. I’m entering that territory and do find mood swings -well actually more low dips in mood - are an issue. What the specialist said sounds pretty similar to a decent Lchf diet to me - most advice about animal products and paleo/lchf style diets is to use raw and grass fed innit? Obvs where you can afford it. I think lots of people think of bacon and cheese when they think lchf, not good fats and loads of greens! Im def eating more veg doing this than I did before. Hope the hrt helps 🙂

I think it's difficult to get the control groups right for vegan versus meat based. The vegan group (particularly if they're avoiding processed carbs) may often include a high proportion of people who take a keen interest in diet and health, while the meat eating group may also include a percentage who love a sausage roll, a coke or a stuffed crust pizza

Very true!

I think what that list is missing, is a big Your Mileage May Vary sign.

With the exception of some root veg, if I eat anything from her 'essential' complex carb list, it's tornado in a bulging barrel time for my abdomen.

It just seems a bit one-sided - sure, "a couple of servings of beans/lentils/hummus in your daily diet" may be "a fantastic source of fibre, protein and micronutrients", but so is a fuck-off big chicken salad, or meat and green/leafy veg, or eggs with asparagus, etc etc, none of which make me worry I'm going to start hissing air.

Her list implies these are the only source of these good things, whereas other options are available. I agree that fats are essential for good hormonal health, but I don't agree they need to come from a plant.

Anecdote: I was anaemic for decades - GP advice was lots of steak, spinach and Guinness. Marginal difference until I gave up grains and legumes, which it turned out were blocking the steak/spinach benefits as fast as I could eat them. I haven't been anaemic since I gave up grains back in 2012.

Which reminds me, time for the second sowing of spinach!