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Low-carb bootcamp

Join discussions about low-carb bootcamp plans, meals and progress. Consider speaking to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Happy Christmas Bootcampers!

493 replies

BIWI · 21/12/2020 08:38

Morning all.

We've completed our ten weeks - and I can see from the Spreadsheet just how well it's gone!

But just because the ten weeks are up, doesn't mean we have to stop. So here's a bright, shiny new chat thread for us to keep chatting and supporting each other.

Flowers
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Lyrata · 28/12/2020 12:07

Oh well done everyone! Impressive that so many are back on track.

WitchWandHasBaublesOn · 28/12/2020 14:28

@Lyrata

Oh well done everyone! Impressive that so many are back on track.
Hope you're doing ok Lyrata and that voice has calmed down now.
Lyrata · 28/12/2020 18:29

WitchWandHasBaublesOn Thank you - I think it’s just carb withdrawal. I felt really nauseous yesterday. It has got a little bit better. My massive plate of cauliflower “wings” has helped because they feel so crunchy and substantial.

WitchWandHasBaublesOn · 28/12/2020 21:44

@Lyrata

WitchWandHasBaublesOn Thank you - I think it’s just carb withdrawal. I felt really nauseous yesterday. It has got a little bit better. My massive plate of cauliflower “wings” has helped because they feel so crunchy and substantial.
The world is a good place when cauliflower wings abound Lyrata.Grin
ZiggZagg · 28/12/2020 23:31

I need Cauliflower Wings recipe, craving them (don't even know what they are Grin) but can't find them on the recipe threads!!

Lyrata · 29/12/2020 04:12

ZiggaZiggArrgggghhhh Hah, I first had them in Bill’s - I think - with my sister who is vegetarian. I was VERY skeptical but they were divine and I always hated the bones and gristle in standard chicken wings so it was a real revelation to be able to eat the whole thing.

www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/baked-healthy-buffalo-cauliflower-bites-wings-recipe/

I think I took a recipe like that for inspiration. Now I break my cauliflower into florets and then whisk a whole egg with a little salt and hot sauce. I then put some ground almonds in a bowl with a little more salt and garlic powder. I dip the florets in the egg mix and then into the almond mix.

Place them onto an oiled baking tray.

(Sometimes if I feel guilty about the carb content of the almonds, I do a sort of half-dip and submerge the floret in the egg hut just dunk the top in the almond - but this is nowhere near as good)

Then I bake at 180 for half an hour to 40 minutes until they are crispy.

Finally - the fun bit - you can create any toppings you like. The recipe linked suggests a hot sauce + butter drizzle, which is VERY good. I also like hot sauce mixed in with sour cream or creme fraiche and sometimes I also make a blue cheese dip of some ilk.

It’s not the lowest of carb dishes (depending on how much you eat - I tend to go a bit mad and eat the whole cauliflower) but it’s so tasty and good if you want a break from meat. Less good if you want a break from cauliflower!

Superspecs · 29/12/2020 08:48

That cauliflower wing recipe sounds awesome! Pleased to report my 5kg gain has reduced to 3kg so definitely on the way down, it seems much harder now with tier4, nice food around, lack of routine etc.

StuntNun · 29/12/2020 08:56

Lyrata a mix of two thirds mayonnaise to one third Frank's Hot Sauce makes an epic dip for cauliflower. I've been having it with the Lidl Bang Bang Cauliflower Bites but they're pretty pricey for the amount of cauliflower you get so I'm definitely going to try your recipe.

Totalshambles · 29/12/2020 10:04

Hey everyone, hope Christmasses were good and looking forward to next year bringing us all some easier times.

Not read through the thread yet - but just wanted to say hi and see if anyone else feels as gross as me. I have literally been eating everything I wanted and have been feeling the pounds piling on. Today I have had enough and am going back on bootcamp. Demoralised at my weight increase (5lbs in about 10 days). Hoping to see the sort of week 1 loss I saw last time which is very motivating.

I seem to only have two modes. Be very strict or eat everything. It doesn’t bode well for maintenance...

Anyway hope the rest of you are feeling happier with yourselves!! Bring on the January bootcamp!

venusandmars · 29/12/2020 10:25

totalshambles I like to thing of this whole hflc journey as an experiment. You've just discovered the consequences of unfettered eating (on your weight and on how you feel). Now you know, you don't have to repeat the same experiment. Just because you ate everything this Christmas doesn't necessarily mean you have to do it again.

I'm suffering with boredom... But inspired by the cauliflower wings. Thank you.

NotwatchingSpooks · 29/12/2020 11:08

Morning all
Yes venusandmars I agree, the biggest surprise to me was how after a couple of days off over Christmas I had to pull it all back, as I had such terrible indigestion, I went to bed vowing to get back on it the next day.

So for me it has not been so much about weight gain, but feeling lousy.

I am letting myself have the odd treat, but it is mostly LCHF and I feel so much better.

It has been a really interesting discovery for me. At some time over the next few days I am going to sit down and write down what we enjoyed, what I would do again and what not to bother with in the future. I did this a couple of years ago and it was great when I was planning this year.

Totalshambles · 29/12/2020 11:32

venusandmars and notwatchingspooks sensible thoughts thank you. It definitely doesn’t feel good when you crash off course and that is a worthwhile experiment. Hoping at least that it helps kickstart a decent loss as I had stalled at the end of last boot camp.

StuntNun · 29/12/2020 12:06

Inspired by Lyrata I made bang bang cauliflower bites. I love cauliflower but the rest of my family hate it the weirdos. I coated frozen cauliflower florets with a little olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli flakes, paprika, salt and pepper. Then did them in the air fryer for 22 minutes or could be roasted at 180C instead. Served with mayonnaise mixed with Franks Red Hot Sauce. They're so spicy my nose is running! Grin If you wanted a posher version you could swap the onion powder and chilli flakes for sliced spring onions and red chilli.

Happy Christmas Bootcampers!
BIWI · 29/12/2020 12:14

Yum!

Could you add that to the recipe thread as well, please?

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StuntNun · 29/12/2020 12:25

Yes but I'm going to check the ingredients of the Lidl ones first as they're really nice but a bit too expensive and you only get little pieces of cauliflower.

Lyrata · 29/12/2020 13:38

Oh @Totalshambles I felt totally the same way. I enjoyed the first breakfast Lindt, and the croissant, and I think the first handful of honey roasted cashews - and then it’s all a blur. I’m an abstainer through and through.

But so wonderful that you stopped - and much of the gain will be water weight and go in no time. Reminds me of something I read earlier this week - everyone expects dieting to be complicated and easy, but it’s actually simple and hard. These hard bits will be part of what helps us build lifelong healthy eating habits. It’s not over - it’s all part of the journey.

Haha - I hope people like the wings as much as I do. Thank god France re-opened the supply lines or all this cauliflower would be in short supply and I’d have to keep my recipe to myself. StuntNun I will look out for those in Lidl. I love spicy cauliflower!

Mixitupalot · 29/12/2020 17:41

@BIWI sorry to intrude just wondering when the next bootcamp starts? I usually need it to keep me spurred on especially after I’ve been off this for so long Blush

ZiggZagg · 29/12/2020 18:04

@Mixitupalot Mid January I think.

I'm having Dirty Cauliflower for tea today- roasted Cauliflower in Olive Oil and Chilli Flakes, with fried Beef Mince piled on top and lots of Cheese melted on it! Smile

Totalshambles · 29/12/2020 18:41

lyrata thanks, you are definitely right about it being hard but actually simple too. It’s just so so annoying that the pounds feel hard to shift (especially with weeks of stalling despite sticking with it very carefully) but then just a few days off the wagon and they pile straight on. It kind of gets to a point where you think would it just be a nicer time if you just eat all the food and accept you will be a bit more wobbly than being strict and slimmer. But actually it has showed me I think that it’s about more than just the pounds/wobbliness but eating all the food just doesn’t make you feel good in yourself....it is fun for a few days though!!

TGI2021 · 29/12/2020 23:22

Hi all. I'm afraid I've fallen off a wagon, down a ravine, into a hole at the bottom... But I will be back in January with my bright shiny new username - Thank God It's 2021.
I will goback and read all of your post for motivation (I'm actually scared to weigh myself). Be well and congratulations losers.

BIWI thanks for all that you do on here, and the rest of the team,

VeryLittleOwl · 30/12/2020 09:45

Morning - have had a week of eating ALL THE SUGAR and my eye bags have come back. I'm not getting on the scales until I've been back on LCHF for a week. I'm not restarting quite yet, because I still have just under half a loaf of lovely seeded farmhouse bread to finish, but I'm done with the sugary crap as of last night and in the unlikely event of there being any bread left on 1st January, it'll go out for the birds.

We still have a shedload of cheese to finish up, but that's Bootcamp-approved and I don't seem to have issues with dairy :)

Takingontheundead · 30/12/2020 09:58

I am struggling to pull it back but I managed a whole day yesterday and have an 18 hr fast under my belt, don't feel hungry so will push it to 20 if i can. So nice for my stomach not to feel achingly full!

I'm doing a massive roast today, beef, sprouts, cauli cheese etc i know I'll struggle to avoid the spuds which is odd because i was totally unphased by them pre-christmas but I know its just my mind playing tricks. I don't need nor care for them really.

.... guys, do cauli florets in tikka paste and oil, serve crispy with 5%yog, lime and cucumber and a bit of fresh coriander. My fave!!

BIWI · 30/12/2020 10:13

I'm considering starting the next Bootcamp slightly differently - the first week being an 'easing ourselves back in and making sure we've got rid of everything carby and had a chance to prepare properly' week.

So no weigh-in until after this first week, then we start 'properly' a week later.

How do you feel about that?

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MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 30/12/2020 10:40

That would be good for me. My house still has loads of sugary stuff - I really thought I'd bought less this year but it seems not!

StuntNun · 30/12/2020 10:47

BIWI maybe we could aim for the first week to be sugar-free or low sugar to ease ourselves in.