2020 Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp. The first week!

[BIWI]

Welcome all.

Well what a strange year this has been! If you're anything like me, food, meals and eating have been all over the place. And that's before we think about the booze.

I found lockdown an odd mix of feeling like I was on holiday but it was also the end of the world. So what was the point of worrying about my diet?

I am lucky, relatively, in that we don't have small children to worry about educating. We also have a nice house and garden, and as me and DH have recently retired, don't have to worry about work. So we were very much advantaged over many people.

But still, the diet/drinking was all to pot. And with the inevitable result.

So we're now in the run up to Christmas - traditionally a time when diets go out of the window, and we start to indulge ourselves. Who knows what's going to happen this year though?!

So with that in mind, it's a good time to try and be focused and aim to have a bit of discipline! This Bootcamp, as with most others, will last for 10 weeks, which will take us right up to Christmas week.

(I truly hope that we'll all be able to spend Christmas with our loved ones, but who knows?)

With grateful thanks to @AthelstaneTheUnready, here is the Spreadsheet of Exceptional Fabulousness .

You should find that you're on the spreadsheet. A couple of things:

• if you don't want to record your weight every week, that's absolutely fine. Just don't do it!
• if you're not on it, just add your name to the bottom - don't try and re-alphabatize it - we'll sort it out later

The spreadsheet isn't just a place to record your weight though - have a good look at it, and the tabs - there's loads of information on there, including a veg carb counter and lots of stuff about low carbing in general. You'll also find Bootcamp rules there.

I've just remembered I bought some Manchego as a snack to replace my mid morning nuts, forgot about it and haven't even noticed or missed the snack! If I can cure my mid morning boredom snack that will be a winner!

I can recommend Manchego though as the best cheese (in my opinion!) to eat purely on its own, as opposed to on crackers/with chutney. I recall I got a bit obsessed with a cheese from Sainsbury's on one of my last boot camps called Singleton Parlick. Turned out to be slightly higher in carbs than ideal for a cheese though.

@BIWI I left it longer and then let it cool for 10 mins which thickened everything up, I'm really not fussed on celeriac though, I think it tastes funny

I made the cheeseburger pie. Oh my! Thanks @BIWI! I put loads of jalapeños on it because I am addicted.

Only trouble is I now want to eat the entire thing

I'm sorry to read that so many of us are feeling down or stressed, or just having a bad day/time

We live in very uncertain times, and there doesn't seem to be much to be optimistic about over the next few weeks or months.

But as @Sunseed very wisely notes, what we put in our mouths is something we can control, and therefore we're in charge of our own health and weight.

I know that it's very tempting to reach for a glass of wine or two or a g&t (my own vice!), but it really won't be your friend if you do.

Alcohol is the easiest source of fuel for your body. So as well as the carbs that you might be consuming (especially if you're drinking wine), then your body will not be burning anything else other than the alcohol - leaving all that fat firmly in place on your body!

But he does really want to lose weight so I'm going to have to make meals where I can hide the fat in sauces...He also hates seafood and doesnt like to eat alot of meat. He's going to ruin this WOE for me

No he’s not! Give us examples of what he does like to eat and let the group help you LCHF the shit out of it. We’re genius at this sort of thing.

For example, even if he doesn’t like a lot of meat, make food with fatty meat. Mince at 15-20% fat; ribeye steak, chicken with skin on, everything with skin on! Even if he takes of the skin, the process of cooking with it will leave fat.

Obviously sauces are a dream—butter and cream etc.

If he doesn’t already, help him to learn to love avocados.

And don’t worry, my guess is even if he doesn’t do Bootcamp the perfect way, he’ll probably still lose weight, possibly quicker than you do. Blasted men always do.

Just made that spinach soup mentioned up thread, bloody lovely! My blender isn't really very good though, so it's a bit on the lumpy side, looks awful but tastes amazing.. Made veg curry for dinner, I'd usually put chickpeas and Jackfruit in it, but just did swede, courgettes, shallots and cauli rice, was banging 😁 opened the tins without thinking though, so might bulk some of it out for the kids and freeze it.

That's my lunch tomorrow too... I'll bf nervous all day as DD is doing the 11+... got to remember me eating chocolate will not influence her result in any way 😂

I'm trying to organise myself to boil eggs for breakkie so I have them sorted and tomorrow will try to stick to more water and herbal tea, less actual tea. I'm starting to get a headache and feeling sleepy, think I'll get an early night so I dont get tempted to snack.

I make a lovely low carb pork burger with high fat pork mince, an egg, olive oil and generous amount of Worcestershire sauce. Do you think your dh would like that Buffy ?

Needs to have some time in the fridge to "set" and then fried (or griddled ), allowing plenty of time on one side to firm it up before turning it.

Problem with all this water is waking up all night to pee! Thanks to the brats the bladder clearly isn’t what it once was!

Dinner was asparagus frittata and half an avocado, some Greek yogurt with a teeny weeny sprinkle of xylitol (i know no sweetener but it was the weeniest sprinkle and made such a difference).

When can we have the odd g&t/glass fizz? Please tell me it’s after this first two weeks? Seriously can’t get through the run up to Xmas without the odd glass...

@Totalshambles

Problem with all this water is waking up all night to pee! Thanks to the brats the bladder clearly isn’t what it once was!

Dinner was asparagus frittata and half an avocado, some Greek yogurt with a teeny weeny sprinkle of xylitol (i know no sweetener but it was the weeniest sprinkle and made such a difference).

When can we have the odd g&t/glass fizz? Please tell me it’s after this first two weeks? Seriously can’t get through the run up to Xmas without the odd glass...

You will get used to all the water, I promise! Meanwhile in the early days try and 'front load' the water so you're drinking more in the early part of the day.

Please try and knock the xylitol on the head - we are trying to break the hold that our sweet tooth has over us and you won't do this if you keep on adding sweeteners! (Never mind that they're artificial)

You can have a drink after the first two weeks! I wouldn't dare try to tell you all that it's ten weeks without the booze!

[quote ZiggZagg]@BIWI I left it longer and then let it cool for 10 mins which thickened everything up, I'm really not fussed on celeriac though, I think it tastes funny [/quote]
You may need to add other ingredients to help then! Add cheese to your dauphinoise, add leeks to your mash - or even curry powder/paste, and chilli flakes to your chips.

It's such a lovely, versatile low carb veg it would be shame to have to avoid it!

@BuffyTheBuffetSlayer

BIWI

@BuffyTheBuffetSlayer why does your DP hate fat?

He just doesnt like fat. At all. Hates the way it tastes and feels in his mouth. He particularly hates the smell of it cooking - frying anything, or grilling sausages for example and says it makes him feel sick. He is the type to cut the fat off his bacon

But he does really want to lose weight so I'm going to have to make meals where I can hide the fat in sauces.

He also hates seafood and doesnt like to eat alot of meat. He's going to ruin this WOE for me 😂

Well, if he really, really wants to lose weight - and he wants to do it on this WOE - he's really going to have to step up and change some of these habits!

I'd definitely get him to do some reading about low carbing, so he understand why it's important to eat fat.

And then if he still won't, then he has to make his own food!!!. No way should you be making two different things because he won't try anything different.

No he’s not! Give us examples of what he does like to eat and let the group help you LCHF the shit out of it. We’re genius at this sort of thing.

I'm totally loving the support of this group! Nobody gets to feel down for long because theres so many bringing you back up

What about cheese? Or olive oil-based dressings on salads?

He does likes cheese. He isn't an omelette fan though, they make him feel sick 🤦‍♀️ He hates salad stuff, it usually gets shuffled onto my plate when we eat out.

He loves steak, as long as I cook it properly unlike last time So I've been searching things I can do with steak.

He likes gammon. He likes eggs. I have managed to get him to start eating chicken but he hates chicken with the bones in but I do know an amazing recipe I could use boneless thighs in! Just need to try adapt it so its low carb.
He doesnt like pork chops/ medalions but does like lamb.

I have been telling him about the recipes everyone has posted to show him this WOE in no way means everything is dripping in grease which is what he thought. No idea where he got that idea from because he's loved the recipes iv'e tried so far.

Maybe it's time for him to start doing some cooking, @BuffyTheBuffetSlayer!

What about chicken breasts stuffed with Boursin and then wrapped in Parma ham? Drizzle with olive oil, tuck a few bashed garlic cloves around them and the. Roast for c25 minutes?

Maybe it's time for him to start doing some cooking

That's what I just told him 😂

He might also like to read Waist Disposal which is a book written specifically for men.

It's actually a different version of 'Escape the Diet Trap', but your DH might respond well to a book that's aimed specifically at men.

That sounds amazing @prettybird I bought chicken breasts last night so I'll give it a go tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

Bootcampers, BIWI’s recent post cannot be stressed enough:

as well as the carbs that you might be consuming (especially if you're drinking wine), then your body will not be burning anything else other than the alcohol

A. We’re not yet allowed alcohol and I would kindly suggest to anyone who can’t face two weeks without alcohol to have a little navel gaze. I say this as someone who struggles through this. There are many of us here.

B. It’s only once your body burns all the booze carbs that it moves on to the fat. Think about how slowly you’d like to lose weight, or how quickly.

C. Absolutely everyone of us knows that a bit much alcohol almost inevitably leads to poor judgment, especially with food (and sex, probably ). That late night curry, the kebab, the chocolate, the pizza, the crisps, of even the hangover “cure” of a full English with beans or whatever carbs are there for the taking.

I’m simply asking everyone to give it some thought. If alcohol is your Go To on a bad day, think of another place to visit. Your body will thank you.

Teddy that cheeseburger pie recipe looked amazing written down, even more amazing in your photo. I want to do this tomorrow night but have a boring old chicken roast planned. Hmm, Friday, maybe.

Buffy re fat, also pork belly. It’s an LCHF secret weapon and there are many competitive recipes for how to cook it (competitive in a good sense). My own specialty is using pork belly for a slow cooker pulled recipe that uses many more spices and fewer sugary ingredients—all the fatty bits eventually get swallowed writhing the pulled mixture, and it’s amazing on a celeriac remoulade or homemade coleslaw instead of on a traditional bun.

Also, streaky bacon rather than back bacon. More fat and no soft fat bits to cut off. Plus, tastes sooooo much better, in my opinion.

AwesomeDragon I love the occasional corned beef, especially if it’s made into corned beef hash. I used the tinned corned beef, cubed celeriac instead of potatoes, and diced shallots instead of onions, all fried up in butter to a crispy level, almost overcooked really. Usually with a fried egg on top. Delicious, and you won’t need to eat for hours after that. Could also add a bit of spinach or other veg to get vegetable intake higher.

Finally, Stegasaurus it’s awfully clever and clear-thinking of you to realise your Chocolate Eating Powers aren’t real.. (Unlike the Magic Socks I wear when Andy Murray is playing.)**

**I don’t have magic socks. I made that up for fun.

See, 52andblue? That is “I do go on.*

Thanks @BIWI I'll suggest it to him. I think he's just stuck in a rut of sweets and other rubbish as a comfort for hating his job, Covid ruining the amazing job he was about to switch over to and coping with a very high maintenance toddler who is being assessed for autism.

On a different note, I wonder if you're suspicions about the low carb bread are correct. I'm not in ketosis yet and the only thing I had which I dont normally was the low carb bread. I'd appreciate if you could let m know if you hear the glucose results of those testing after eating the bread. I really enjoyed it as an alternative and looking forward to being able to eat it again in future.

Buffy - cut a wee pocket in the thickest bit of the (skinless) chicken breast into which to put the Boursin (the Lidl whipped garlic and herb cheese also works). I usually find I need 1.5 to 2 slices of Parma (or Serrano) ham is needed to wrap each breast.

I'm sure mozzarella or feta would work too although it would be quite a different cheese imho

@BuffyTheBuffetSlayer

Thanks *@BIWI* I'll suggest it to him. I think he's just stuck in a rut of sweets and other rubbish as a comfort for hating his job, Covid ruining the amazing job he was about to switch over to and coping with a very high maintenance toddler who is being assessed for autism.

On a different note, I wonder if you're suspicions about the low carb bread are correct. I'm not in ketosis yet and the only thing I had which I dont normally was the low carb bread. I'd appreciate if you could let m know if you hear the glucose results of those testing after eating the bread. I really enjoyed it as an alternative and looking forward to being able to eat it again in future.

Sorry to hear he/you are having a tough time. But ultimately he is a grown up! If he wants to lose weight he has to take responsibility for what he puts in his mouth

The posters who were going to see what happened to their blood sugars haven't received their orders yet, I don't think. I'll check with them.

Having said that, I had one of the rolls yesterday and the day before, and I have lost weight this week (although not a massive amount), so hopefully they will be OK! I suspect probably the best way to use them (or the bread) is as something occasional, but we'll see.

@shagme that pork recipe sounds lush

@TeddyIsaHe

I made the cheeseburger pie. Oh my! Thanks *@BIWI*! I put loads of jalapeños on it because I am addicted.

Only trouble is I now want to eat the entire thing

@teddyisahe that looks epic - how does it taste???

@Sunseed

Another fed-up soul over here. Negative feedback on a report I'd put heart and soul into. But, on the plus side I am not going to drown my sorrows in a bottle of wine tonight. I can focus on the immediate things that I can control, i.e. food and water.

Sausages and creamy cabbage I think tonight.

@sunseed that sucks.... well done on resisting the wine though. On the flipside you could have been celebrating with the wine had it gone the other way so either way it would have been wine. I'm sure I had a point somewhere.... The answer is never wine. Enjoy your sausages and creamy cabbage and forget all about that one report its gone, its over and its no big deal in the grand scheme of things