Week 3 - Jan '21 Low Carb Bootcamp - time for Light?

[BIWI]

Well thanks to all the chat, I've had to start this week's thread earlier than usual

Here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for you to declare all

You now have a choice: you can move on to Bootcamp Light, which means you can re-introduce nuts and seeds, some fruit and alcohol - all in moderation.

However, also bear in mind that weeks 3 & 4 are notorious for little or not weight loss and this is nothing to do with moving on to Bootcamp Light. It's just something that seems to happen.

So it's up to you. You can stay on Bootcamp if you wish, or move on to Bootcamp Light, or a hybrid - so you do Bootcamp during the week but relax into Bootcamp Light at the weekend.

Whatever you decide - good luck! Here's to a good week ahead.

Re fat, there's a short piece here from www.lowcarbfood.co.uk that's helpful.

Why high fat? Isn't fat bad for me?

We’ve been told for decades that fat is detrimental to our health. Meanwhile, low-fat “diet” products, often full of sugar, have flooded supermarket shelves. It’s been a factor that coincided with the start of the obesity epidemic. While this doesn’t prove causation, it’s clear the low-fat message didn’t prevent the obesity increase, and it’s possible and likely it contributed

Studies now show that there’s no reason to fear natural fats. Instead, on a low-carb diet, fat is your friend. Simply minimise your intake of sugar and starches and increase the fat you need to feel satisfied. When you avoid sugar and starches, your blood sugar tends to stabilise and the levels of the fat-storing hormone, insulin, drop. This increases fat burning and makes you feel more satiated, reducing food intake and causing weight loss

How long is your fast for, @StuntNun? Also, I don’t know if you’ve shared this before but how do you balance bulking with LC eating? Do you just eat more - do you focus on protein?

My steamer should be here tomorrow and I have some nice eggs coming on Friday so I think I’ll try it then. If you get there before me then let me know how it tastes!

What can i do with half a celeriac? I tried chips yesterday and they were a bit meh. My hands still smell of celeriac and I've washed my hands at least 6 times Could I cube it, par boil it and then stick in a stew in the slow cooker?

So 2 new vegetables tried this week. Asparagus was much nicer than I remember. I just fried it with the butter. Any other suggestions for it?

You can generally use celeriac exactly as you would use any root veg.

Thank you @BIWI - it's just so ingrained isn't it! When I said I gained a lb my husband said sometjing about frying in butter all the time and it knocked me a bit.

Your grandma sounds very wise @nowlook I've not heard them at all. I declare she is a sage.

@cheeseisbest the diabetes info is dire! The gestational diabetes stuff as well. Luckily I joined a very active community on Facebook who gave great advice and recipes including much of what we say here - upping fats and proteins and lots of pairing foods to assist with sugars. I think some of those recipes might work here as well. I'll need to go back and see.

We seem to have cauliflower and aubergine shortages here too, but I got broccoli as a substitute which was great. Even though it looks like I will be having broccoli with every meal this week.

I think that I am technically in week 5 now, so I am hoping for steady even if it’s slow, weight loss going forward.

Dd2 who is CEV had her jab yesterday, it was a very emotional moment. We have been told not to change any of our behaviours for the time being, And to continue shielding her, which is fine. She is quite happy at home and is already asking if she can have the day off (from her 2 zoom lessons!!!! No flies on her 😀).

My dd1 is having an academic interview today, so if we could have collective Bootcamp fingers crossed for her at 12:15, I would be very grateful.

christmyarse I was a bit 🙀 at your breakfast Bacardi chaser, so glad that your dc is okay and that it was an autocorrect 😀 , it was your breezy I had my breakfast and alcoholic drink 🍸 that made me 🤭.

stuntnun thanks for your tip re if salt tastes nice

Today
B Greek yogurt with teaspoon double cream
L homemade leek and bacon soup, with some extra ham if hungry
D beef fried with veg and spices , then served in lettuce wraps with avocado and grated cheese

1 or 2 coffees, Teapigs and water, water, water

You can wrap asparagus in pancetta, Parma ham, prosciutto or streaky bacon, then fry or grill, and dip into soft boiled eggs.

The thing with high fat is that for me it just makes sense. It’s obvious that humans evolved to thrive on lot of protein and fat from hunted meat, plus foraged plants, rather than refined grains or reduced fat yoghurt!

@WellityWellityWellity I felt better by day 2!

@DulcetMoans

Thank you @BIWI - it's just so ingrained isn't it! When I said I gained a lb my husband said sometjing about frying in butter all the time and it knocked me a bit

Please, please, please have a read of the resources on the spreadsheet. It's really important that you understand how low carbing works, so that you can counter arguments like this and not allow them to undermine you.

@Pandoraslastchance

What can i do with half a celeriac? I tried chips yesterday and they were a bit meh. My hands still smell of celeriac and I've washed my hands at least 6 times Could I cube it, par boil it and then stick in a stew in the slow cooker?

So 2 new vegetables tried this week. Asparagus was much nicer than I remember. I just fried it with the butter. Any other suggestions for it?

Make it into a mash - but before you mash it, add into it some chopped leeks that you've sautéed in butter. It adds a lovely silky texture to the mash and makes it more like potato mash.

You're lucky you have the celeriac - can't get it here right now!

Morning, just wanted to share what we had for dinner last night as it was delicious - even the children said so!
Cod loins on a baking tray, covered in single cream, slices of avocado on top and then covered in grated cheese. Baked in the oven for 20 minutes, yummy and very indulgent. We had it with asparagus, mushrooms and braised leeks and fennel - another first for us. I put sliced leeks and fennel in an oven proof dish, poured some stock over, some butter, covered with foil and cooked for 20 minutes, then uncovered and put grated parmesan on it, back in the over for 10 minutes until brown.
Hope everyone has a better day and good luck to your daughter @NotwatchingSpooks

That cod dish sound lovely pink. I have all the ingredients for that. Did you back it in a little foil packet or just naked? There's been some really great-sounding quick and easy recipes recently. I hope you're all adding them to the recipe threads!

Fingers and toes crossed for your daughter spooks!

^How long is your fast for, StuntNun? Also, I don’t know if you’ve shared this before but how do you balance bulking with LC eating? Do you just eat more - do you focus on protein?

My steamer should be here tomorrow and I have some nice eggs coming on Friday so I think I’ll try it then. If you get there before me then let me know how it tastes!^

I don't like to set a time for fasting Lyrata I let my body tell me when it needs food again. I'm currently 40 hours in. I've taken up extended fasting once a month as I'm hoping it will have an effect on my osteoarthritis which I have in four joints now. I'm also using the Weston A. Price approach which involves no sugar, no grains, no legumes, no nuts, no vegetable oils but plenty of fermented foods, unpasteurised dairy, fish and liver. I'm not sure whether there's been much effect on my osteoarthritis but I have seen some remarkable healing of a keloid scar, other scars, varicose veins and cellulite. The most striking thing was one of my ear piercings starting to heal up. It goes to show how powerful fasting can be if a decades old piercing can begin healing. It also has a beneficial effect on my insulin sensitivity and I feel less hungry when I fast regularly.

I haven't made any dietary changes from my usual way of eating for working out - I eat as much as I feel like and I get plenty of protein. I'm only starting out with weight training so I'm not lifting heavy enough to build much muscle at this point plus I'm a total weakling hardgainer so it takes ages to see any difference. I'm not doing Bootcamp this time because don't think there's any point weighing when I know it's going to be affected by water retention and (hopefully) a bit of muscle mass increase. My BMI is 22 so I don't really need to lose any weight although I think I could do with losing another 6 lb or so.

I nipped down to Sainsburys but the naice eggs were a bit pricey so it will have to be Lidl eggs for the steamed eggs whenever I get round to it.

That sounds delicious @pinkpinkeverywhere. Have never topped fish with Avocado. I’m also going to try Chinese steamed eggs @Lyrata.

I am loving the way food can be so enjoyable on this WOE. Such a relief and pleasure after a lifetime of yo yo dieting, restriction and guilt.

@pinkpinkeverywhere that sounds lovely. There is a great diet doctor recipe for fish casserole which is similar. I have fennel a d leeks to go tmwith sausages later this week so will steal that recipe immediately!

@nowlook yes we put it onto foil just to save the washing up but nothing on top.
Glad you all like the sound of it, I'll add it to the fish recipe thread too.

The steamed eggs sound delicious. I will have a go. Although our steamer has holes in the bottom so will have to work out how the egg mixture doesn't drop through.

Have put on half a pound. No period. Am telling myself I am not in any way miserable eating like this so even if I'm losing no weight at all, it doesn't massively matter.

Oh thanks StuntNun - that’s cool to know. Good luck with gaining the muscle! I’m interested in trying it after I finish losing but I’m not sure if I could do it with home weights or if I’d need to wait for gyms to open. Fermented foods are an interesting area - I haven’t ever read much about them, but I do love kefir.

Dailyhandtowelwash I think you’re meant to put them in a little dish or pot in the steamer rather than directly in!

@Ninkanink

You can wrap asparagus in pancetta, Parma ham, prosciutto or streaky bacon, then fry or grill, and dip into soft boiled eggs.

Omg that sounds so nice!!!

Lunch is looking like salad with eggs and mayo.
Pork chops with celeriac and leeks for tea.

You don't need anything special, Lyrata you can achieve a lot with bodyweight exercises. I'm a big fan of the 30-Day Shred which takes about 20 minutes and only needs a pair of light hand weights. My physiotherapist has me doing weights for my shoulder problem so it seemed sensible to add in extra weights exercises to target other areas as well. I have a hodge podge home gym in the garage made of bits and pieces acquired over the years so everything is tatty and nothing matches. Some of the weights are in kilograms and some in pounds so it can be a challenge working out how much I'm actually lifting lol!

@Dailyhandtowelwash

The steamed eggs sound delicious. I will have a go. Although our steamer has holes in the bottom so will have to work out how the egg mixture doesn't drop through.

Have put on half a pound. No period. Am telling myself I am not in any way miserable eating like this so even if I'm losing no weight at all, it doesn't massively matter.

@Dailyhandtowelwashi Half a pound is nothing though! Your body will fluctuate on a daily basis. And just because the scales aren't 'behaving' it doesn't mean you aren't losing fat.

@BIWI I do know that but my scales have been essentially the same for nine days now, and last week was meant to fall into the early loss timescale. The daily ups and downs don't particularly bother me other than it would make a massive difference to my morale to see some sort of loss. The weight I lost in week one was the weight I'd put on immediately beforehand, so really, two weeks in, I'm pretty much where I was when I started. I am gritting my teeth and carrying on as it's not much of a hardship, but I so need to lose weight for my health that I need some sort of recognition on the scales at some point. I measured myself and no change there either.

@Lyrata

Oh thanks StuntNun - that’s cool to know. Good luck with gaining the muscle! I’m interested in trying it after I finish losing but I’m not sure if I could do it with home weights or if I’d need to wait for gyms to open. Fermented foods are an interesting area - I haven’t ever read much about them, but I do love kefir.

Dailyhandtowelwash I think you’re meant to put them in a little dish or pot in the steamer rather than directly in!

My brain did work that one out shortly after I posted!

[quote Dailyhandtowelwash]@BIWI I do know that but my scales have been essentially the same for nine days now, and last week was meant to fall into the early loss timescale. The daily ups and downs don't particularly bother me other than it would make a massive difference to my morale to see some sort of loss. The weight I lost in week one was the weight I'd put on immediately beforehand, so really, two weeks in, I'm pretty much where I was when I started. I am gritting my teeth and carrying on as it's not much of a hardship, but I so need to lose weight for my health that I need some sort of recognition on the scales at some point. I measured myself and no change there either.[/quote]
OK - so yes, I agree, you should have seen a loss by now.

List out for me your meals (and drinks) over the last few days and let's see if we can spot anything that will help.

Please can anyone recommend a good almond flour, preferably from Amazon?