April Leaving Lockdown Low Carb Bootcamp - week 1

[BIWI]

Welcome everyone!

Here, as ever, is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness created and lovingly managed by the wonderful @AthelstaneTheUnready

Hopefully you should find that you're already on the spreadsheet - but if not, just add your name to the bottom of the list. Don't try to insert it in the right alphabetical place - Athelstane will do that for you. And don't touch the blue cells or try to enter any other data or comments!

For those that are new, each week I'll start a new chat thread, on Monday, and we'll start off with recording our weight.

However

You don't have to use your weight to measure your progress - and you don't have to be on the spreadsheet if you don't want to be. Instead, take your measurements each week (bust/upper arms/waist/hips/thighs), or find an item of clothing that's just too tight/small right now, and keep trying it on each week.

The rules of Bootcamp are on the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet - but here's a quick summary of the rules for the first two weeks:

1. Eat three meals a day
2. Avoid processed foods
3. Eat lots of fat
4. Make sure you're eating vegetables and salad with your food
5. Be careful about dairy, apart from butter which is unlimited
6. You must drink a minimum of 2 litres of water a day
7. No alcohol
8. No fruit
9. No nuts/seeds

10. No sugar/artificial sweeteners

Make sure you have a really good read of the spreadsheet for the full detail of the rules. Also, check out the tabs at the bottom - there's a huge amount of information that will really help you, especially if you're new to low carbing/Bootcamp.

There's also a thread here of FAQs which should be helpful.

Some thread etiquette

The thread will move really quickly - especially at the beginning.

But please take the time to read everyone's posts, rather than just plopping on with your own comments/thoughts/questions. It's very frustrating when someone comes on to the thread to ask a question that's been posed and answered already!

Don't lurk!

I know that not everyone is confident about posting - and also that there are a lot of posters who are regular Bootcampers, and who know other Bootcampers. Please don't think this is a cliquey thread. It couldn't be further from the truth!

Everyone's views and experiences are welcome and valid, so jump in and post.

Any questions, please just post. Or PM me. There's always someone here who can help - and if I or they can't, then we can always find someone who can!

Above all, very good luck to everyone.

I very much hope that by the time we come to the end of these ten weeks, that we really are (as a country) completely ready to leave Lockdown well behind.

Wishing everyone all the luck

Morning all!
For those strugglingvwith meal planning I found it helpful to make a list of say 10 lunches and 10 dinners, worst case scenario you just repeat...

Mine are v basic and easy

Lunches:

• I've treated myself to nice m&s cold roast chicken, marinated prawns, some of their deli veg in oil. These plus green salad and a fatty dressing are great for lunches. One day I'll roast a whole chicken....

• Omlettes are your friend: plain, cheese and onion, with veg like mushrooms, green peppers, small amount of tomato...

• Homemade chicken soup (broth style) with double cream, low carb veg
• Tuna mayo on cuc slices
• English breakfast combos with green salad
• Avocado, prawns, rosemarie type topping (mayo and ketchup)

Dinners:
I mainly cook one thing and substitute kids carbs with veg for me.
Sains frozen chargrilled veg are an excellent cheat. I have these with spag bol sauce, chilli etc
Cauliflower/broccoli chopped up tiny instead of rice, great with curries.
Sauteed courgette with oregano is another good pasta subsitute.
Other dinners: cauli cheese with green veg
Chicken pie mix without the pastry (like the fish casserole recipe above) plus green veg...
Baked fish with a spinach and creme fraiche side
Pan fried aubergine with an onion and tomato "sauce" (watch carbs) with mozzarella, green salad/veg
Cheeseburger with big mushrooms instead of bap...
Good sausages with FLGV

Bottle of fizzy water with fresh lime in for evenings on sofa...

1 lb down this morning 🤣
Best of luck everyone.

Doilooklikeatourist that Alfredo recipe looks amazing! thanks

Also delicious

thefast800.com/low-carb-mediterranean-mozzarella-chicken/

This is a really helpful thread

Links to/photos of some great low carb products - feel free to add any that you spot, preferably with photos of the front of the pack and the ingredients/nutrition panel on the back

@AthelstaneTheUnready there seem to be a few empty sheets on the spreadsheet. I was going to delete them, but am afeared of messing up your work!

Oops, sorry, @BIWI, totally forgot - glad I posted food for accountability! And I'll up my water.

See, this is why I'm here, because I've got a bit complacent about what I can have, having lost a chunk already...

Apologies for causing any confusion....

Went to bed at 8pm last night - helped avoid snacking or watching the husband eat. Slightly headachy but had got through just over 2 litres of water.

Today will be
B: Greek yogurt
L: Massive tuna salad
D: Lamb steaks and courgettes - what can I do with courgettes to make them more interesting? I’d been thinking pesto but can’t because of nuts!

Arghh I am such a pillock, I stupidly unplugged the freezer plug rather than the hoover plug - however, I am not sure which day I did it on.

It could have been off for 72 hours or it could have been off for half an hour!

It did feel semi cool still but I am not sure.

@Makegoodchoices for courgettes you can add a sauce (think pasta style) or some garlic and herbs too.

Hope everyone is well.

I slice courgettes into circles, about a pound coin thickness. Melt a load of butter in a frying pan. Add courgettes one layer thick, don't touch, let them brown a bit, turn over and repeat. Remove from pan and sprinkle with salt and oregano. Yum. From someone who used to hate courgettes!

B - greek yog
L - avo and prawns and homemade marie rose (mayo + ketchup)
D - pork chops pan fried with butter s+p, FLGV
Need to drink more water- have headache.
Right must put phone down now!!!

[quote BIWI]@AthelstaneTheUnready there seem to be a few empty sheets on the spreadsheet. I was going to delete them, but am afeared of messing up your work![/quote]
All done - it's a fairly regular occurrence if people are trying to move along the tabs, and completely harmless. I just take them out again every now and again.

@Squidelicious bummer! Have done that before. Is there any 'crunch' left in any of the bags inside?

I pan fry courgettes - sometimes with shallots, sometimes with some red pepper, sometimes with chilli flakes. Makes them much more enjoyable!

@colouringindoors be careful with that Marie Rose sauce. There could be quite a lot of carbs in the mayo and the ketchup.

I’m reading this over breakfast and it’s making me v hungry to read about everyone’s great dinner plans 😬🤣

One thing I find goes down well with kids, and is boot camp ready , is chilli (obvs no beans) made with lots of cumin, flaked chilli and red pepper - served with cheese, sour cream and mashed avo w/lime. And some pickled sliced jalapeños on top for more heat. So yummy. I do brown rice for kids but DH and I have a massive salad. It’s lush!

I found a new ‘keto’ channel/website which is UK based and have tried some of the recipes. For bread lovers, they have some alternative recipes which use uk ingredients. It’s quite useful and seems like a down to earth sort of approach that BC-ers might enjoy too.it’s called Keto Fitness Club. I found on you tube. I find it quite motivating sometimes to see what other people are doing (although there’s nothing as brilliant as Bootcamp out there!) but I get a bit annoyed that everyone is shrill and American and swimming in sweeteners...

@Makegoodchoices

Went to bed at 8pm last night - helped avoid snacking or watching the husband eat. Slightly headachy but had got through just over 2 litres of water.

Today will be
B: Greek yogurt
L: Massive tuna salad
D: Lamb steaks and courgettes - what can I do with courgettes to make them more interesting? I’d been thinking pesto but can’t because of nuts!

I grate parmesan over my courgettes- but I've never met a cheese I didn't like.

Casually chucking ketchup in there, I see, @colouringindoors. What are you trying to do to BIWI?

Hope you all have productive days. Off to do a bit of work grudgingly

Perfect thanks @nowlook

Just measured my "waist" 40 inches

A NOTE ABOUT CARB FLU

Some of you, especially those new to low carbing, may find that over the next few days you start to experience what's been called carb or keto flu.

Key symptoms are:

Fatigue
Headache
Irritability
Difficulty focusing (“brain fog”)
Lack of motivation
Dizziness
Sugar cravings
Nausea
Muscle cramps

Don't worry if this happens to you - it's perfectly normal and par for the course - but will soon disappear!

Here's an explanation from The Diet Doctor :

The keto flu occurs as your body transitions from burning sugar to burning fat for most of its energy needs

Switching from a high-carb diet to a very-low-carb diet lowers insulin levels in your body, one of the primary goals of a ketogenic diet

When insulin levels are very low, your liver begins converting fat into ketones, which most of your cells can use in place of glucose

When your body is mainly using ketones and fat for energy, you’re in a state of ketosis

However, it takes your brain and other organs some time to adapt to using this new fuel. When your insulin levels drop, your body responds by excreting more sodium in the urine, along with water

Because of this, you’ll likely find yourself urinating a lot more often in the first week or so of keto eating

This change is responsible for some of the rapid – and usually very welcome! – weight loss that happens in the early stages of a keto diet. However, losing a lot of water and sodium is responsible for many of the unpleasant symptoms of keto flu

It’s well known that response to the keto transition is very individual. Some people may feel fine or slightly tired for a day or two after starting keto. At the other extreme, there are those who develop symptoms that strongly impact their ability to function for several days

However, the keto flu doesn’t have to be unbearable for anyone if the proper steps are taken to remedy it

Although Bootcamp isn't a keto plan, cutting down our carbs can still lead to carb or keto flu for some

The most important thing you can do to deal with carb flu is to consume more salt. Sodium, along with magnesium and potassium, is a key electrolyte. So cook with salt, add it to your food - and in the short term, if you're really not feeling great, make up a hot drink with Oxo or Bovril or Marmite. The Diet Doctor suggests drinking a glass of water with half a teaspoon of salt dissolved in it.

@prettybird makes up a drink with salt and lemon juice too

You could also buy a supplement - the one I recommend is Zero by High5 . You can buy this from their website, or from Amazon, Holland & Barrett, Evans Cycles.

If your symptoms are really bad, it could be that you've cut your carbs too much to start with, so try having a slice of wholemeal toast (just one!) and see if that helps.

nowlook half a teaspoon of low sugar stuff honest 🤣

biwi will do. will check mayo again... 👍

I’ve just gone to put my SLC stuff in the freezer and the hot cross buns are mouldy, the bread and rolls are fine (and safely frozen now) but surely the hot cross buns should have been fine the day after delivery? I’ve emailed them and will see what they say, but disappointing to say the least.

Nightmare of a morning, been on the phone to my bank due to an unrecognised/unauthorised debit on my account. I managed to eat my breakfast beforehand though which was some greek yogurt. Roasted a chicken for sunday dinner on sunday so going to have a chicken sandwich in SLCB for lunch. Tea is steaks and salad and probably the last portion of tenderstem broccoli.

@Jellycatspyjamas

I’ve just gone to put my SLC stuff in the freezer and the hot cross buns are mouldy, the bread and rolls are fine (and safely frozen now) but surely the hot cross buns should have been fine the day after delivery? I’ve emailed them and will see what they say, but disappointing to say the least.

I've had that problem before @Jellycatspyjamas - I think it's a Royal Mail issue, rather than the SLC company. They were great though, and replaced it immediately.

I always put mine in the freezer as soon as I get it though.

@Jellycatspyjamas

I’ve just gone to put my SLC stuff in the freezer and the hot cross buns are mouldy, the bread and rolls are fine (and safely frozen now) but surely the hot cross buns should have been fine the day after delivery? I’ve emailed them and will see what they say, but disappointing to say the least.

I had this happen twice, complained and they resent the products again. Its meant to be ok for a few days but I now put it straight in the freezer.

Morning!
Well I’m down 3 lbs this morning which just shows how bloated I was and how much water I was carrying yesterday!

Today’s food:
B - Greek yoghurt
L - two poached eggs and an avocado smothered in olive oil
D - Dan Dan noodles (with a big pile of courgetti instead of noodles!) made with beef mince and Pam Choi with chilli oil etc.