Week 4 - Low Carb Bootcamp - how much chatting?!

[BIWI]

So much chatting, I've had to start a new thread.

here's the Spreadsheet of Absolute Fabulousness

Remember, this week (like week 3) is notorious for seeing little or no weight gain, so please don't panic if the scales aren't moving for you - always assuming, of course, that you have been following the rules 100%!

Also, the Very Amazing @StuntNun has started a thread about fasting. Fasting isn't a regular part of Bootcamp, but it's a tool that you can use in your weight loss 'journey' (sorry for the cliché!)

have a look here, and think about if it's something you might want to incorporate into Bootcamp

I hope very much that things are going well for you, and that you're into the swing of things low carb by now; but as ever, post any questions/issue here and let's see if we can help.

Aargh my sixteen year old has just made Spell Cake, is going to be hurt, I fear, if I don’t have any. I have a good relationship with her, hoping she’ll understand.

I know the answer already but a little bit of bisto in my scouse? No! Any ideas to thicken it up a bit?

@StuntNun Wow that is v reasonable electrolyte powder!

@ZiggZagg Either cook for longer with the lid off to thicken, or cook some low carb veg (eg cauli), blitz, and mix in to the stew.

Roast some onions/shallots/carrots/celeriac/neeps/garlic with whatever meat you're roasting, in some oil.

While the meat is resting, deglaze the pan with some water or wine and mush and squish the softened veg while you do so. If you have a hand blender, mush it up with that. Then push it through a sieve.

If you want to add to the fat content, just before serving, whisk in some diced butter in to the hot gravy/jus, a piece at a time.

Thank you, I've just blended half of it and added an oxo

Wow - just finished our takeaway - I got the duck and they had deboned it beautifully and sliced it all up, but left all the fat and crispy skin. I only ate half so plenty left for tomorrow. Had it in lettuce with a little salt added and some asparagus in butter. Absolutely delicious and I am stuffed! Also had a glass of fizz - my first drink for 6 weeks...!

Hope everyone else has lovely weekends and valentines meals if you are doing something special (@venusandmars your menu sounds amazing!).

@BIWI that’s great news about your vaccine!

Ohhhh that sounds delicious. I love crispy duck.

Today I had a slice of pizza. DH made it for the first time and since we aren’t having a special dinner tomorrow, I indulged.

Tomorrow we will make a chicken curry because there are thighs that need to be used. We’ll make a dahl to go with it. I’ll just have a small serving of that.

Happy weekend everyone! Cheers (with the tiniest sip of port)!

I had Ragz's celeriac dirty fries for dinner. Abso-bloody-lutely delicious! Celeriac cut into chips and fried, tossed in Cajun seasoning, mixed with (pre-fried) onion and bacon plus jalapeños and cheese then ovened for long enough for the cheese to melt. Highly recommended!

@wanderlove

Shop arriving tomorrow.

B: streaky bacon and egg.
L: homemade chilli with 20% fats meat no beans, cauliflower, halloumi.
D: Chinese New Year takeaway. Gonna go for egg foo young, hot and sour soup and fried mushrooms .

Enjoying this way of eating but haven't lost anything after the first week. After week 2 I really cut down dairy so only one coffee with milk and meal with cheese. Drinking lots of water. I am enjoying it and have definitely broken some habitual ways of eating like snacking and I feel satisfied with the food but I am feeling pretty disappointed with the weight loss. I'm going to koko for another 2 weeks to give it a real go but if my weight remains the same I might have to have a rethink.

Just reading back and saw this... and definitely KOKO! You really don’t need to cut down too much on cheese etc at this early stage. That’s your dieting mindset kicking in. If you make this about restriction and deprivation you will likely not get in the right headspace. Also don’t do that ‘trying it for two weeks and then giving up’ thing. Stick with it. It can take a while sometimes for your system to catch up, especially if you have dieted a lot or eaten far too much of the wrong things for a long time. Or if there are underlying hormonal or other issues. As you say in your next comment, your period is due so you are likely retaining extra water. It’s great that you’re drinking all the water, but are you eating all the fat too? That’s vital. Don’t start cutting back on everything. Just bide your time and your whoosh will come.

Hi BIWI, please may I have some advice? I have been doing this WOE, 2nd Bootcamp and have gained again. Feeling a bit low about lack of loss. This is what a typical day looks like:-

Breakfast - black coffee or green tea as I fast until lunchtime.

Lunch - rocket with a few olives, baby plum tomatoes, a couple of hard boiled eggs, mayo and a dollop of coleslaw.

Dinner - Chicken breast stuffed with garlic and herb cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, served with green salad. Greek yoghurt with a few raspberries.

I also drink green or peppermint tea and lots of water.

Should I keep going or am I doing something wrong, no loss last week and so far nearly a lb up, no reason why, not time of month or anything.

I felt a bit of a prat posting my Valentine's meal. I know not everyone is in a happy relationship, or a relationship at all, or can afford to splurge. Didn't intend to be insensitive. Eating at glorious restaurants really is my thing it's my passion and hobby, and I'd wear rags and old shoes to be able to keep doing it. It's what inspires my own cooking too.

@BIWI great to hear about your vaccine. I haven't even been called for my flu' vaccine yet. Our local gps and our health board are the lowest if the low in terms of covid vaccinations.

@Almahart

Nothing for Valentine's Day here, kids going to ex's for the weekend for the first time. Sounds worse than it is, we have been separated for a while but have been swapping about so one of us is always in the house. Quite looking forward to having my home to myself.

Dinner is a spatchcocked poussin and some fennel baked in cream courtesy of my veg box. I also got a butternut squash which I think is a bit carby for boot camp? Will have a little search and see what the verdict is

I got divorced when my girls were quite young and the first couple of times they stayed away it felt a bit strange, but I soon got to really appreciate having some time on my own, in my own space, to just be.

I hope you’ll have a fab weekend. Did you get some treats in to enjoy? If not there’s still time to get yourself something nice!

@SilverStarburst eat more and eat more fat. Try having breakfast occasionally - avocado smashed with olive oil, half a tomato, corriander and chilli. Have scrambled eggs cooked in butter with added cream. Have vegetables with your chicken, smothered in butter. Add double cream to your yogurt. Have chicken thighs, or other fatty cuts, have pork belly. Your bid needs to know that it's not going to starve.

@SilverStarburst don’t know if @BIWI is enjoying her Saturday night to the full and has checked out of the thread for tonight, so I thought I’d just post to say less than a pound on is not actually a gain in the grand scheme of things, is it. It’s a temporary blip, and is quite natural and normal for your weight to fluctuate. Keep the faith. If it’s your week 3/4/5 then as we all know, it’s very normal to see no loss or even a ‘gain’.

Are you getting plenty of fat? Are you eating enough? Your meals look almost like diet meals to me...a dollop of coleslaw? Why only a dollop (unless it’s store bought, in which case why not make your own instead so you can have a proper serving? A salad? That’s really just a few leaves isn’t. You need to eat well. I would up the veg, up the fat and drink more water. Have a lovely evening!

VenusandMars, Ninkanink, thank you. I think I eat loads of fat - just making a cream of mushroom soup made with a whole carton of double cream and butter, my coleslaw dollops are around a heaped tablespoon. I will koko.

@SilverStarburst

Sorry - in the middle of cooking/eating right now - I promise I'll come back and read your post properly and will reply later!

Can't remember who posted this mousse but we've just had it and it was amazing

www.delscookingtwist.com/dark-chocolate-mousse-the-one-and-only/

I made it with 70% dark and it wasn't too dark at all. Kids loved it too.

I won't be making a habit of it but that was brilliant for an occasional treat.

Today's food:

L: leftover celeriac dauphinoise with a random corned beef hash (CB, cabbage, shallot, spinach)
D: minced beef tacos with cheese, sour cream, avocado. I had mine in lettuce wraps. Followed by the incredible mousse.

Drinking all the water. Really want to shift another pound by Monday to get me to a stone off. No more treats this weekend.

I don’t think anyone thought that @venusandmars! It’s lovely to hear about people’s exciting meals. Now if you were eating lobster creme brûlée every day I might get jealous...

I didn't think that venus! Restaurants are your thing, so I imagine you're quite giddy about it

Just had the most glorious, warming, lamb and leek hotpot (celeriac instead of potatoes). Enough left for lunch.

Hope you all enjoy Valentines Day! I don't bother with it, but have very much enjoyed looking at your menus and the fact Lyrata is gamely soldiering on with the whole gig

venus I thoroughly enjoyed reading your menu! The joy people take in food is, to me, a huge part of what makes bootcamp different to any diet out there!

Homemade pizza tonight 😫I had the tiniest base I could make and tons of mozzarella , cheddar , mushrooms , chorizo slices , with avocado , home made coleslaw and some salad leaves

I have to agree with @ouchmyfeet the chocolate mousse is so good , easy to make and delicious

Though if someone did have a problem, they should do the decent thing and flounce about it

Venus I loved reading your menu. I agree many of us are foodies on here!
I've not ordered electrolyte tablets yet, should i?

How are you feeling cheese?

Had to have a nap earlier. Couldnt keep my eyes open.