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

Prettybird - I make my shoogled sprouts with frozen ones, so can have them all year round. But we don't have a microwave, so I have to basically roast them in the oven.

Nowlook - oh, have I misread the spreadsheet? I thought 140lbs and under was 2.5l, then 140-160lbs was 3l. @BIWI could you clarify please?

@nowlook now that’s an interesting contraption!
My commute entirely depends on what DH is working if i’m honest and varies week by week, so good to have options :)

@prettybird

I like peppermint & liquorice tea - and you don't need to worry about it tasting sweet as it doesn't have any sugar in it. When I have a box (at the moment I'm working through other herb teas as I had a plethora of boxes of different varieties) I'll drink 2 cups a day - but only using one tea bag as the 2nd cup re-uses the old tea bag

Can't comment on any medical issues.

I knew I'd regret the DM link!

www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0021/ea0021p75#:~:text=Liquorice%20consumption%20is%20an%20unusual,to%20cardiac%20arrhythmias%20and%20myopathy.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480140/

instead. Whether your liquorice and peppermint teabag does deliver the dose they're discussing, I don't know.

Does anyone have any useful LC substitutes for mayonnaise? I just absolutely hate the stuff, it's the slimy texture that makes me shudder. Oddly, butter and oil are both still ok!

Checking in..horrible headache today and brain fog so could be carb flu or Covid!
Stuck to the plan and drank loads. Lots of eggs and salads and mayo.

Question- anything I can add to Greek yogurt apart from cinnamon?

@JimmyJabs

Does anyone have any useful LC substitutes for mayonnaise? I just absolutely hate the stuff, it's the slimy texture that makes me shudder. Oddly, butter and oil are both still ok!

How about creme fraiche or sour cream instead of mayo? Depends what it's to go on/with I guess!

Breakfast (late) eggs, smoked salmon, sour cream and chives

Lunch Philadelphia, celery

Dinner celery, chicken liver pate, an avocado and olive oil.

Drank lots of black coffee, water, tea and spearmint tea.

@JimmyJabs I feel the same about shop bough mayo, but like homemade, is that worth a go? Sour cream is a good call, but if you don't like it there are plenty of other ways to add fat, stick with oils and butters.

@Nateismine I have added mixed spice, or almond essence, or both! Is it because you are missing sweetness? I find that passes and I now enjoy yoghurt on its own.

@Thinnerlikeachickendinner

Breakfast (late) eggs, smoked salmon, sour cream and chives

Lunch Philadelphia, celery

Dinner celery, chicken liver pate, an avocado and olive oil.

Drank lots of black coffee, water, tea and spearmint tea.

That doesn't sound like much food! Your lunch and dinner aren't proper meals and not much fat!

Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and sour cream sounds gorgeous though, might make that tomorrow.

I was glad to read your post about carb flu Biwi. I'm raging this evening. I'm fit to kill DH just for existing.

@Nateismine a little bit of vanilla paste is nice (just check because some have sugar in), cinnamon or nutmeg is also nice but just a tiny touch of nutmeg because it can be very strong.

@ListenLinda I love meat loaf (it's on the meat recipe thread at 5th Feb 2021). Lovely served with kimchi, or with a celery, cucumber and walnut 'raita', or a tomato, olive and courgette ratatouille. All lovely cold.

@Random789 I love it when people post their food - it gives me so many ideas. Also at this stage in BC people are more likely to be told off for eating too little. We have been so programmed to cut back, to feel deprived (which results in the temptation to snack on the wrong things). This way of eating is a revelation, enjoy your meal, and go on, share...

I think that liquorice can raise blood pressure and tea bags often have a warning about limiting how much you have if you have hypertension.

@Nateismine every time I see your name I misread it as 'Namaste' and I do a little head bow 🙏

Playing game of ‘You know when you low-carb when..,’

...you are in bed thinking how much you really fancy a bowl of Brussels sprouts. 😆

[quote venusandmars]@Nateismine every time I see your name I misread it as 'Namaste' and I do a little head bow 🙏[/quote]
😆

Today has gone well, I’ve resisted the kids chocolate and almost finished my water quota for the day. I like the sound of the Egyptian courgette recipe, might give that a try.
Today I’ve had,
B scrambled eggs
L chicken salad with Mayo
D sausage casserole with veg

@FusionChefGeoff here is the guacamole recipe. I used a bag of frozen advocado 👍

WATER - I just wanted to add a little bit about my understanding of the importance of water...

Firstly, excess glucose is stored as fat and as glycogen. Glycogen is a ready source of energy for the body to use. Each g of glycogen in muscle or the liver, is associated with 2-3g of water. As we reduce carbs and use up stored glycogen we also lose the attached water. That's why there can be some big weight losses in the first week and also why you might be peeing SO much (it's even more than you are drinking!), and it's a great sign that your body is using up stored glucose and is ready to move on to fat-burning.

Once our bodies move on to that phase, the first step in breaking down fat (lipolysis) is hydrolysis which essentially adds water to fat to break it down. We need plenty of water to help this process happen efficiently.

Lots of water also helps to maintain kidney function. Both the liver and the kidneys have a role in burning fat. If the kidneys are not performing effectively because of lack of water, then the liver has to do the work of both organs, and fat burning takes a back seat.

Mmmm brussels sprouts. I love them even when I'm not low carbing. Lovely firm nutty little fun-size cabbages.

Since venusandmars has been kind enough to encourage me, I will go ahead and post what I ate today! It will help me get the measure of it:

Breakfast: Two eggs, scrambled, with mushrooms, rocket, olive oil and spoonful of mascarpone.
Lunch: Tin of sardines in oil with half a courgette fried in oil
Dinner: Two small cod fillets fried in butter, with the other half of the courgette (fried in a smidge of olive oil) and salad leaves in a dressing made of oil, cider vinegar and mascarpone (again!)

Also one cup of milky coffee (full fat) and two cups of cocoa made with water and no milk.

Is cocoa ok? I chose it because I can bear it without milk. Black coffee makes me feel like crying because it is so stern. I know I could choose herbal teas but I am much better at buying them than I am at drinking them.

I like to visualise all that water and consequent trips to the loo as peeing away the fat

@venusandmars thank you, that is very helpful to me.

Here’s today’s menyoooouuuu

Breakfast bacon eggs tomatoes and a slice of halloumi and some green salad
Lunch- sauerkraut, smoked mackerel a bit of salmon cabbage - I did have a carrot and a bit of beetroot so not perfect and a lovely oily dressing
Dinner tuna steak prawns and cheddar. Pepper soup. Random.

Late night smoked tofu snack-
Because I didn’t have proper sot down dinner was just noshing while feeding the baby. I will sit down and have salad tomorrow.

I'm still struggling with water!! But I measured my bottle today, and it's 500ml, so 4 of those and I won't count the coffees and teas. Actually I drank 3 pints, 1 coffee, and a herbal tea, so I probably did make the 2 L by the skin of my teeth.
Yes, to peeing too. I went to the shop nearby after work, and had to go back to the office to pee before ging home. That was a first.
B: Omlette with chees & mushroom. Creamy coffee.
L: 2 mini cheese portions
D: Steak, courgettes and green salad with oil dressing.
Greek yogurt for dessert.

I'm trying to keep this in the day, and it wasn't my best. On working days, I'm not hungry at lunch time, but I'm overhungry by the time I get home and feed the family. I need to have a LC afternoon lunch (leftovers or soup) and not 2 pieces of cheese in the car on the way home.

Sounds like a good day for most. All good here too although I didn't manage all the water so need to try a bit harder tomorrow.
B - creamy coffee
L - hm watercress soup and ham, courgette and feta frittata with Mayo
D - chilli con carne (no beans) with salad, leftover ts broccoli, cheese and sour cream
Electrolytes helped with carb flu headache but I was exasperated by tween behaviour earlier, and looking forward to the more even moods that I know LC brings.
Sleep well and here's to a good day tomorrow x