Week 6 - Leaving Lockdown Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Morning campers

As ever, here is the spreadsheet

So we start the second half of this Bootcamp.

I sense that things are quietening down a little on the threads, but I hope that doesn't reflect commitment and progress?

It's interesting to hear the chat about maintenance, and very positive that people are starting to realise that it might not be long before they have reached that stage.

Glad to hear you're feeling a bit more positive @FusionChefGeoff

@NigellaAwesom - your cloakroom looks lovely. Love the need to provide for the cat as well

@Moonswimmer and @venusandmars - sailing sounds, to me, like a week/weekend from hell! I'd rather do an SAS outward bound course than be stuck on a tiny boat worrying about how I might go to the loo!

@StuntNun - very impressed that you could just get up and run 2K without training for it! I've completed my C25K so I'm running now for 30 minutes at a time, but I know that I'm nowhere near 5K yet, and it took 9 weeks to reach this stage!

Very envious of you @Andi2020 - wish we were near a beach somewhere.

@ElasticFirecrackers those cheese things sound lovely. What kind of cheese is Maasdam?

@ListenLinda - what do you have in your fridge/freezer/cupboards? We can try and do some kind of 'ready steady cook' for you! Tonight we're going to have a stir-fry, with pork tenderloin and either egg-fried cauliflower rice, or a sort-of pho, using Bare Naked Noodles.

@BSky I'm afraid it's inevitable that too much wine won't help. Bloating is generally dealt with by drinking more water, but I'm sorry that you're having issues with that. If it doesn't resolve itself soon, and you're still having the abdominal ache, I'd get that checked out with your GP. Just to be on the safe side.

Busy next few days here - we're having our Christmas this weekend! Off to pick up SIL from Cardiff and BIL from Bath (DH's brother and sister) and bring them back to us - along with DS2 who will come and join us. So lots of prep work to do to keep us all fed and entertained.

Presents are under the 'tree'; all the beds now have Christmas bedding and we have a couple of Christmas candle ornaments on the mantlepiece as well as little stash of Christmas loo paper in the bathrooms

(Oh, and plenty of Champagne and fizz in the fridge)

Guys, I'm going to need a lot of help for my sailing holiday!! I need a recipe and some strategies...

We had our crew meeting tonight. Topic one: food (and drink). In the discussion about allergies / can't or won't eat, I declared that I don't eat pasta. For me that's always the easiest way to avoid the macaroni cheese or pasta bake, and usually with other meals I can eat the protein and veg and have a small portion of rice / potato which I then leave on the side of my plate

So, the issues...
3 couples, we are each providing 2 main meals. One will be 'fresh' (so cooked at home beforehand, and reheated from cool or frozen), the other has to be created from mainly non-perishable goods because we will have limits on the fridge capacity and if we take the remote island routes there might not be much access to shops / supplies.

I'm going to make beef rendang for my 'fresh' meal. Is there anything I can make for my storecupboard meal? Tinned veg? tinned fish, some long-lasting veg like marrow, courgette, tomato, spinach... I can add tins of beans for the other and rice. But I'd like it to be tasty and rich and glorious too. Help, please!

The general eating plan was porridge or muesli for breakfast, with occasional eggs. I think I can navigate that with a couple of avocados, some nutty granola, and eggs when that's on offer.

Lunch is soup - Cup-a-soup plus rolls with various fillings.

I think I just have to accept the mug of soup and tip it over board, and eat the filling from the rolls. I wonder if there are any ideas about what I could eat instead? Maybe I'll just be hiding in my bunk eating pilchards from a tin and hoping not to spill anything on my bedding!!

Dinner, I'll just have to manage my way through. It helps that in general I'm known for having a 'child-portion' size appetite. So I can have a full portion and then leave the carb elements.

And then the snacks! Crisps, nuts, biscuits, chocolate brownies, tablet - all the 'energy rich' stuff that cold sailors survive on. I just have to say: No, no, no. And nibble a square of 90% Lindt chocolate as needed.

I suppose my dilemma is whether to try to minimise carbs (as above) and to add in fats where I can, or whether to go to the other extreme of carb counting and restricting, and just have really tiny portions of whatever is on offer. I worry that the first option will have me eating lots of carb and supplementing it with lots of fat. The second option is workable but doesn't make me feel so good. But it's only a week...

Opinions and suggestions welcome.

Could you make a duck (or beef) confit in advance and keep it stored under its fat? So sort of "store cupboard"?

@venusandmars when we go camping the M&S tinned curries are really nice and low carb. Obviously everyone else can have rice but not sure if you'd be ok with just curry?? All
The veg we're allowed doesn't tend to come
In tins does it?!!

Could you have lots of tinned tuna in oil for snacks / lunches?

Corned beef??? No idea if it's low carb guess it might be padded with rusk

I'm sure I've seen vacuum packed olives that could be good for snacks.

Could you bring some SLC rolls with you??

I'll keep thinking!!

My initial thoughts are corned beef hash or steak with mushrooms @venusandmars

Would be easy to swerve the tinned new potatoes in the hash and even if you didn't, they're the best of the potatoes from a BC perspective , as you know!

For the steak, Princes do a Beef Stew which you can get anywhere. Add seasoning, red wine and tinned mushrooms and you can have tinned green beans/ carrots/ onions whatever.

I envy you this challenge, but not the sailing

Red and white cabbage lasts forever and Mayo / mustard / lemon juice is pretty shelf stable so that opens up coleslaw... with pickled gherkins, BBQ beans for them and I'm still working on the rest of that for you..

Morning all!

How are you doing today @MrsKoala?

Has DH highlighted his dyslexia to them? If not, he should flag that right now. They have to make reasonable adjustments (assistive software, say). Dyslexia is a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act. If dismissed for not being able to spell/ report well, he has a potential claim. No qualifying period needed as a protected characteristic.

Might allow him to string the situation out for a couple of months so he can find something else.

Does his dyslexia also cause more issues later in the day? I bet it does. Keeping appointments within 9-5 also a reasonable adjustment.

Need to put shot across their bows quickly if that's an approach you fancy.

Here's a template:

request letter

Happy to help if you need it, but traveling today. Can knock something up tonight obvs

Hope you have a wonderful time on your sailing holiday, venusandmars, despite the challenges of meal planning.
Sailing horrifies me slightly because my dad had a sailing boat the size of a tea tray that he used to force us children into every now and again for character building exercise.
I have memories of a long day spent sailing the wrong way along an estuary waiting for an open sea that never came. Cold, bored, frightened and periodically almost whacked on the head by the swingy around pole bit (as I believe it is called).

I seemed to eat loads yesterday, but at the end of the day I was still hungry enough to relish cold cauliflower so I think it was genuine appetite not carby craving.

B: two boiled eggs mashed with spreadable goats cheese
L: Halloumi fries, avocado, mixed leaves and tomato
D: Pork loin chop in cream/lemon/thyme sauce, cauiflower.
Pud: 100g mascarpone sprinkled with cocoa.

3 coffees with cream during the day

@venusandmars
Lots of great ideas above. I would go for a tinned curry or stew and then add pots for others. Pack prok scratchings, olives, macademias fmand tinned fish for lunches. Slaw is a good call too. Would people go for tinned soup over cuppa soup? Might be able to get lower carb options that way. Could you take some SLC bread?

To all those with children in exam years, I feel you. As a teacher it is rubbish too. It's not good for anyone.

Plan for today:
L tuna mayo and crudite
D roast veg and meatballs. Greek yog and flax seed
Mim will be a hiit class.

Grrrrr I was visited by the Fridge Snack Attack monster again last night. Something to do with being last one up?? Plus DH came home with the most delicious smelling pizza so possibly felt a bit deprived.

I was going to make this no grazing week - grrrrr!!!!

It was all on plan but not necessary - ham and lots of cheese with Mayo.

. Line drawn

Onwards!

L: Katsu chicken salad with yoghurt and mint dressing
D: leftover gammon, cauli cheese, celeriac dauphinois, red cabbage

No SNACKS
NO SNACKS
NO SNACKS

I'm definitely in the 'calories count' zone now and snacking is by far the easiest way to get rid of them logically - but seems to be the hardest psychologically!!

Just jotting some stuff down @MrsKoala before I dash down to Chichester for the day!

This is what I'd put in the para about describing the situation:

I suffer from dyslexia, which is a recognised disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010. As such, I am disadvantaged versus my colleagues in the following areas:

• It will take me longer to write detailed reports;

-My reports will contain spelling/grammatical errors.

In addition, my ability to report information in detail to a high standard reduces significantly in the late afternoon and evenings.

At the moment, calls are being scheduled for me far later in the day than I expected when I joined you two months ago. I am also regularly criticized for my (acknowledged) spelling and grammatical errors."

Then in the reasonable adjustments request section, I would say:

"1. Assistive software to enable dictation of my reports;

1. [Extended reporting deadlines];
2. A work schedule that operates between [9] am and [5]pm."

Or similar.

Of course, you may not want to do this. Completely up to you. Reason for the suggestion is:

• DH doesn't otherwise qualify for protection owing to his length of service;

-They have to make reasonable adjustments. The above (obviously tailored by you depending on the detail) is reasonable and he might even enjoy it afterwards... -Buys you time. HR department will tread carefully with potential disability discrimination claims.

Sorry to derail all! As you were!

I really am going now , but this is for @FusionChefGeoff

Love that @nowlook!

@venusandmars what a challenging week!

TBH, given the amount of energy you will be expending, I wouldn't worry too much about the carbs. Do what you can, but don't go hungry.

And if it helps, a 2-finger KitKat, a McVities Gold Bar and a Fox's chocolate Rocky bar are all around 12g carbs per biscuit - so not too bad in the circumstances!

Have only got to @venusandmars post last night, but wanted to say: puttanesca!

For four, it's 2tins of anchovies, two tins of tomatoes, shallots, garlic, one jar of black olives, capers (which I leave out because I don't like them), chilli and pesto.

You use the oil from the anchovy tins to soften the onion, add the garlic & chilli, then the tomatoes, capers, olives and some black pepper. No salt, because of the anchovies.

Leave it to reduce (and until the anchovies have broken up), then stir through the jar of pesto.

You can have yours with fried cabbage, with pasta for everyone else.

Forgot to say: obvs put the anchovies in at the same time as the olives etc. I am no Delia.

Thanks so much @nowlook I’ll message you as it’s boring for everyone else to read.

That’s a tough brief @venusandmars I make a tinned corned beef hash with onions and swede (which last for ever without needing refrigeration) and lots of Worcestershire sauce. I serve it for others with baked beans. Lidl are currently doing their Greek week and they have things like tinned aubergines or green beans or even meatballs in tomato sauce which are quite nice. Which you could serve with fried (tinned) new potatoes for the others.

Flooded on to my period yesterday and felt ill all night but now just low level stomach pain. Had some ibuprofen and will keep taking as per advice on previous threads. Needed something to eat at about 9am so had a bit of yogurt as I can’t face anything else atm.

Had a good leftovers dinner last night. Had pork from Sunday to use so did a stroganoff. Fried thinly sliced shallots, garlic, green pepper and mushrooms, when soft and a little browned at the edges added 1tsp each, smoked and hot paprika and cayenne pepper cooked thru a added thin sliced pork and cooked till a bit browned and gnarly looking. Added sour cream and heated thru (thinned with a little water as was very thick). Served with cauliflower rice and steamed green beans and asparagus.

@venusandmars I'd do a corned beef hash with celeriac, or a pasta dish (like the puttanesca mentioned above) and have mine with a packet of konjac noodles instead.

Loving all the exercise chat including buttcamp. I do heavy lifting for my bum (eg deadlifts, barbell hip thrusts) but my quads always end up taking over!

Bulgarian split squats are great - if you want to target your glutes, have your front foot further away. Also if you're just starting out with them, your back foot doesn't have to be that high off the ground, in case balance is an issue like it is for me.

@venusandmars Green Giant do heart of palm, artichoke hearts and asparagus in tins (the asparagus may be jars now). We've found them quite enjoyable when camping low carb and will bulk out the meal.

Anyone made Rose Elliotts wheat and bran low carb bread @ 2.2g per slice? Uses soya protein isolate powder & wheat gluten powder - would you get these from health food shop?? Not familiar with these ingredients.

I have the recipe for her cheese and almond bread so going to whip that up for lunch. 3g per slice & can freeze in slices. Apparently.

Just caught up on the last day here, so much good stuff! The sailing meal chat has given me ideas for food for the campervan where it will keep if we don't eat it- reserves for if we can't get a table or find anywhere we fancy. Got lots of lovely meals booked in for next week!

Have let my yoga slip a bit recently so have promised myself I will do some tonight. DH away for the last night so I can have my cheeseburger pie and Cavolo nero early and do yoga once DS is asleep.

Had some lovely meals recently. Harissa salmon from Sainsbury's was a hit last night with tenderstem broccoli roasted next to it in the oven and spring greens sautéed on the hob. Scrambled eggs and asparagus for breakfast today but once again having breakfast has made me hungrier so I'm definitely going to increase the number of days I bring breakfast to eat later on at work.

I've had a very busy time and been very distracted and feel like I haven't been eating enough veg today . I've been hot and miss with meal recording.

Yesterday:
B - nothing just forgot
L - omelette with cheese and 3 eggs
D - chicken stir fry with grease beans peppers courgettes.

Unauthorised late night snack : Greek yoghurt.

Plenty of water.

Today so far
B: chopped liver & celery
L: 2 poached eggs
D will be poached cod and hopefully lots of veg with BUTTER.

Suppose it's not too bad. I've just been feeling unfocused, scatty and preoccupied and not in any way mindful. I even forgot to attend a Zoom meeting yesterday. I knew I had to do it but it just slipped my mind.

I haven't caught up with any posts since I posted yesterday will catch up after running tonight.

I'm glad I stopped to post because my food hasn't been anywhere near as bad as I thought it was.

@Rayna37 on the Pacolito website under 'puppies' you can see my dog's father. He's at the top and the name on the pic is Simple (which I don't like).

Attaching a pic of my dog.

Merry Christmas @BIWI

And ouch for you @ditavonteesed

@MrsKoala handhold for you. So hard to have to watch it happening to someone you love

@cheeseisthebest I've started my 'new regime' promising myself to have a walk every morning. Minimum baseline is 5 mins out and then back so min 10mins. Been doing it since the clocks changed this year and find that I most do much more than ten mins. Might something along those lines work for your bike sessions?

Ohh, and gratters for staring down the creme cakes in the garage.

@Oneborneverydecade It does seem implausible , compared to conventional advice, doesn't it 😁

Evening campers!

L Chicken Sandwiches on SLCR
D Morrocan Chicken and FLGV

All the water has been consumed today too which I'm very proud of!

NSV- today I did my first successful cartwheel and handstand in 20 years! Every time I've tried previously, my arms buckled under my weight

That’s a fantastic NSV, @ZiggZagg! Unusual and brilliant :)