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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.

Week 5 - Low Carb Bootcamp - time to get rid of all the Valentine's treats!

750 replies

BIWI · 15/02/2021 00:04

I rather suspect that a lot of us have been so far off the wagon this weekend that it's disappeared over the far horizon!

having to post on the spreadsheet may sober us all up, in more ways than one!

I hope any cheats were enjoyable. There's nothing worse than deciding to cheat and then not liking it.

But from now, it's time to buckle down and get back into the swing of things. If you did cheat, please don't complain that the scales aren't being kind to you. It's an inevitable consequence.

So let's focus on a really strict week, recognising that this is the end of our first half of Bootcamp.

Good luck to us all Flowers

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pelosi · 17/02/2021 09:11

He says it from my mouth. I think it'll pass soon, hopefully.

Bestbees · 17/02/2021 09:14

So busy here I can't keep up!

Made the sausage hash from the riverford book I posted up thread. It was nice enough, but to be honest not worth the faff. Would make it it I had left overs from a roast I guess as it was basically bubble and squeak.

First day of lent aka no cheese or sugar for me.
L big salad with some tinned fish, mayo, slaw, olives.
D beek ramen with boiled egg. Will have greek yog after for extra fat.

Water water water!

ouchmyfeet · 17/02/2021 09:22

Does anyone know if coconut milk (the tinned kind) is too high carb for bootcamp? A friend recommended a lovely sounding curry but it has a whole tin of coconut milk in it

Ninkanink · 17/02/2021 09:23

It should be fine. It can vary a little between different brands but I use it all the time.

ZiggZagg · 17/02/2021 09:24

Ooh I also made cream cheese pancakes last night and they were delicious 🤤

60g cream cheese, I used Mascarpone
2eggs
1tsp xylitol (🙈, i in know)
1tsp vanilla essence

Whipped it all together until smooth then fried in butter, they aren't pancakes but a very good substitute and I worked it out at less than 1g carbs for one Grin

ListenLinda · 17/02/2021 09:28

@ouchmyfeet it was body odour for me apparently, I couldn’t smell it until he pointed it out and then I couldn’t help but notice!

Bestbees · 17/02/2021 09:34

Catching up!

@VeryLittleOwl your sheep are beautiful! I live in a small town and teach lots of farmers kids. It can be a tough life.

@BIWI that pie looks brill. Thank you so much for the recipe challenge as it has really got me thinking, searching through recipe books. I am planning much more interesting veg side dishes as a result. Tomorrow I will try Janssons temptation with swede instead of potatoes to have with tuna steak and some green. Friday I am having salmon which I will do with some green beans in a tomato sauce (I know a bit carby).

I have the Delia complete cookery book, which I feel everyone has! There are quite a lot of simple, sensible family meals that can be easily adapted, often a tbsp of flour to thicken a sauce or something. Any good recipe book recommendations? I am not really interested in baking treats or whatever, just family friendly meals. I think someone mentioned a Jamie one?

@ZiggZagg glad the pancakes were good. Did you turn them OK? Always find low carb of this kind fall apart for me!

nowlook · 17/02/2021 09:34

@ouchmyfeet

I've been looking at a lamb curry in an old book this morning. Helpfully suggests Greek Yoghurt can be substituted for the coconut milk and then ovened covered with foil and lid for the last 15 mins of cooking. Weird coincidence!

nowlook · 17/02/2021 09:36

(This one had 750ml coconut and the same amount of Greek yoghurt)

venusandmars · 17/02/2021 09:51

I started looking at old cookery books but then got waylaid by 'Jamie's 5 Ingredients' which actually has lots of recipes which are already suitable for this woe. Tonight we're having his sorta-salmon-nicoise and tomorrow this salad but I need to find a lower carb alternative to the broad beans.

nowlook · 17/02/2021 09:56

I got bogged down in a Sonia Stevenson book Venus. Had completely forgotten her!

ZiggZagg · 17/02/2021 09:57

@Bestbees the first one was fine but subsequent ones were a big pile of pancake pieces Grin

WitchWand · 17/02/2021 10:02

@BIWI With regards to the spoonful of flour in a recipe, are you meaning to reduce the flour to 1 spoonful ? Or are you meaning to remove the spoonful of flour completely ?

If it's the second, does anyone have any ideas of what else can be used to thicken sauces that's LC ?

WitchWand · 17/02/2021 10:04

@Jollyholibobs

Bad day yesterday. Struggling with cystitis (regular problem post menopause) and took myself back to bed despite having masses of work to do. Ended up feeling sorry for myself and overeating big time including carby stuff I would never normally look at. I must just put it behind me and get back to normal today. Hoping the cystitis has subsided a bit too. Have a lot of work to catch up.
Hope you have a better day today.Thanks
Bestbees · 17/02/2021 10:12

@WitchWand I tend just to whizz up some of the veg and stock to thicken. It depends on the recipes a bit.

Doilooklikeatourist · 17/02/2021 10:21

Just posting the meal I’m adapting tonight , then I’m going to see what everyone else has been up to
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/salmon-and-couscous/

LittleMy77 · 17/02/2021 10:28

Spicy tacos here tonight on little gem lettuce for me with avo, cheese and sour cream and additional tacos for the rest of the family. Stir fry or salmon with veggies tomorrow I think.

Is anyone struggling mood wise atm? I don’t know whether it’s LC or just a combo of many smaller events that have come to a head but this week is hard (and for once it’s not cycle related)

nowlook · 17/02/2021 10:31

Yep @LittleMy77
Up and down like the proverbial bride's nightie here. Don't think it's this woe, but rather all the other stuff that's going on Thanks

MarmaladeTeepee · 17/02/2021 10:31

@Jollyholibobs hope you're feeling better today.

All you smelly people have made me smile. I've got a whiff of goat about me, very alluring Grin

Doilooklikeatourist · 17/02/2021 10:38

@WitchWand, to thicken a sauce either add a knob of cold butter ( about 25g ) in small bits and whisk like mad ,
Or add double cream and reduce
Or add some celariac / swede to the ingredients , then blitz the sauce and add back to main ingredients
@BIWI a very nice gastropub near us used to make a duck cottage pie as one of their specialties
@Jollyholibobs , hope you’re feeling better , lots of water to flush the cystitis away ?
@Bestbees I’ve got ( in my huge collection of recipe books ) Jamie’s 30 minute meals though my favourite is anything by Yotam Ottolenghi
Which reminds me to look through Plenty as it’s all veggie and I need some inspiration

LittleMy77 · 17/02/2021 10:42

@nowlook I think you’re right tbh. That and I’ve just realised I’m not eating or drinking my feelings like I would normally

Which is good, but at the same time, I’m like ‘now what do I do with them?!’ Hmm

WitchWand · 17/02/2021 10:43

@Bestbees @Doilooklikeatourist , thanks a lot for your sauce thickening ideas. They're great. Smile

NotwatchingSpooks · 17/02/2021 10:46

Morning all

@VeryLittleOwl thank you for posting that photo, it has really cheered me up, I never knew that sheep would follow like that. So now thinking of all phrases about sheep with renewed understanding. Is there any chance that you could pm me a link to your holiday cottages, it looks like exactly the kind of place that we would love.

Sorry to those having tough time at home.

When I was struggling with sleep I tried several things; sleeping tablets, night nurse, herbal night tablets ( ones in the pharmacy), all worked at different stages. I was also told to get up and have a wee as that can break the cycle. I still struggle, I have ptsd, but not as badly. My other tip if you are struggling with images is to mentally put the image onto a tv screen, then in your mind reach out to the tv and change the Chanel to something calming, I usually mentally flick to a beach, but I may add verylittleowl ‘s sheep to my “program list”.

Today
B Greek yogurt
L lettuce wraps
D salmon with flgv

BIWI · 17/02/2021 10:59

Time for my mega morning update!

Love the photo of your sheep @VeryLittleOwl. And concur with others about the landscape/view. How beautiful. I'm very envious of those of you who live in such lovely countryside and/or by the sea.

@ChristMyArse and @venusandmars sorry to hear about family woes. It's tough isn't it? When they're babies/toddlers you think it's hard. No-one actually tells you that it's hard (sometimes harder?) when they're teens/adults! And I absolutely agree that 'you're only as happy as your unhappiest child' is true. We have DS1 back home with us (since we went into tiers at the beginning of November). He'll soon turn 29, and isn't a very happy boy man, but beyond making sure he's safe, well fed and watered, it's very hard for us to make things better for him. Thankfully we do all get on living together, which is one thing. (And the house is big enough for us not to be on top of each other all the time).

Hopefully family woes can be resolved soon Flowers

I very much identify with the desire to wake up svelte as well! I don't sleep brilliantly, which I am assuming is just a menopausal thing. But at least I don't have to worry about getting up/going to work, which did used to put a huge amount more stress on me. The whole lying awake at 2/3/4 am thinking 'I have to get to sleep because I have to get up soon'! I genuinely thought, though, that once I'd retired, the removal of any work stress would help me sleep better, but sadly that hasn't happened. I know that I need to re-introduce some exercise during the day to help here, but just can't bring myself to do it when the weather is so bad. Might try that tea though - even though I don't like tea and hate the taste of valerian!

@CaptainOmelette sorry to hear about the headaches. I'd definitely go for more electrolytes. I might even try upping your carbs for a day or so, just to see if that helps. A slice of wholemeal toast, perhaps? Maybe a milky drink before bed?

@ouchmyfeet

I'm constantly dry mouthed despite drinking 4.5-5 litres per day

What are you doing/taking for the electrolytes? The dry mouth does suggest you need more sodium, so are you getting enough salt? I might also suggest that you cut down on the water for a day or so, to see if that helps.

If you're getting the smell, along with @ListenLinda and @pelosi, that does suggest ketosis - but it could also signal that your carbs are a little too low. Although it should temporary, remember that we don't need to be in ketosis to lose weight - and this isn't a keto diet.

@Jollyholibobs sorry to hear about the cystitis - it's horrible. Make sure you keep an eye on it and get to the Dr if it hasn't gone away - you don't want it to become an infection. Be aware, though, that carby stuff can make it worse - I don't know what you ate, but simple carbs (sugar, rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, chocolate) are all things that would make it worse!

@Dreamqueen well done for resisting the lure of the carbs!

@ouchmyfeet

From a carb point of view, tinned coconut milk is fine on the WOE - just avoid the light ones

Here are some carb counts - per 100ml/100g:

Sainsbury's 5.7g carbs
KTC 2.2g carbs
Dunn's River 1.1g carbs
Amoy 3.3g carbs
Gold 2.2g carbs

Also - be aware that this is a very processed food. All of these brands use thickeners and emulsifiers, so it's not really something to use every day!

@WitchWand

With regards to the spoonful of flour in a recipe, are you meaning to reduce the flour to 1 spoonful ? Or are you meaning to remove the spoonful of flour completely?

If it's the second, does anyone have any ideas of what else can be used to thicken sauces that's LC?

I very, very, VERY rarely thicken sauces with flour or cornflour. You can thicken a sauce by cooking it down - or just have it as it comes, obviously depending on what the dish is.

Sometimes you can use any veg that's in the sauce to thicken it, by blending it in - if I'm roasting meat I'll put it onto a trivet that I make by slicing up shallots or onions and a carrot, adding some water/lemon juice or wine into the roasting tin, and then blend the cooked veg into the juices to make a thick/thicker gravy.

Lots of Chinese recipes thicken their sauces, or coat their meat before cooking, in cornflour. (Chicken, for example, is often dipped/soaked in a mixture of egg white and cornflour, which gives it a sort-of coating when it's cooked). This, I would avoid.

But generally, just use your common sense. If it's a tablespoon (15g) of plain flour in a dish that's going to serve 4 people, that would make 2.7g carbs for each person - so not a lot in the great scheme of things.

A tablespoon of plain flour is 10.8g carbs
A tablespoon of cornflour is 13.2g carbs

@LittleMy77 sorry you're struggling mood-wise. I think, personally, it's a combination of the weather and the current pandemic. It seems like our way out of this is stretching further and further away, despite the good news such as cases and deaths coming down, and the rate of vaccination rising. It's very unlike Boris to be so pessimistic and cautious, and so I think this is his way of preparing us for less-than-positive news on 22 February.

However - the sun is shining, and there are flowers appearing in my garden - spring is definitely on the way!

Why not try to do something extra nice for yourself today? Whether that's something lovely (low carb!) to eat, or something hugely indulgent to read/watch/listen to?

I don't know if you've watched Bridgerton, but I can highly recommend that as a really enjoyable piece of visual fluff! Real escapist stuff.

OP posts:
BIWI · 17/02/2021 11:04

Can I also ask anyone who is taking part in the recipe challenge, to post their recipe in the relevant recipe thread?

Assuming you liked it/it was successful, of course!

I have a huge library of cookery books; DH and my DC often buy me one at Christmas or for my birthday. Delia's Complete Cookery course is the one I turn to for the classics, or when I need basic information/help. I'm now on my second copy as mine fell apart! Thankfully my mum had one, so I've inherited hers.

I love Rick Stein's books, but usually that's also because I've watched the TV series that they relate to. Ottolenghi I'm less keen on because his recipes are, I think, often way too complicated as well as using ingredients that are hard to get, even in London. I've cooked a few of his recipes and then afterwards realised I could have reached exactly the same result in fewer steps!

Nigel Slater's books are great, especially as he uses a lot of straightforward ingredients, and also a lot of veg.

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