Week 8 - Leaving Lockdown Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Our last 2 weeks!

Here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

Only two weeks to go!

I'm feeling that a lot of us are struggling. But it's all about how to integrate what we're learning about low carbing and how that fits with day to day eating/meals.

Above all, though, who could possibly say that the meals we're eating could not be the mainstay of family meals?!

Let's see this last fortnight as a challenge: what's your most enjoyable/family-friendly meal, that they would never realise was a 'diet' meal?!!!

@ditavonteesed sorry to hear your daughter got mugged hope your all ok.

Very interested in the family meals.
Thank you @BIWI for the list there's a lot of good suggestions there.

The cauliflower base pizza always goes down really well.

Also the Tom Kerridge chilli was really popular.

Generally I've found that I'm making things that I can have extra veg and they can have rice/potatoes/pasta.

I'd never thought of just using fine beans or shredded cabbage instead of pasta, and had always used the spiraliser. I hate washing up the wretched spiraliser so that's been great for me.

I'm really enjoying eating more vegetable too. Last night I had some salmon and had mushrooms and black olives fried in butter with added spinach and cubed aubergine baked in oil. I would have had the veg as a meal on its own.

Great recipes @Biwi. I’ll be pinching the sausage traybake.
I did a version of nachos the other day using thinly cut roasted celeriac instead of tortilla chips with chilli, guacamole, sour cream and cheese on top and it was a hit.
I often do fajitas too and DS and DH have wraps and I have lettuce. Messy though.

If you do the sausage traybake, brown the sausages first. (They don't need to be cooked, but it gives them colour, and then they'll cook with the veg - 40 minutes overall. Stir them around after 20 minutes (which is when you can add the tomatoes/halloumi).

Just be aware, though, that if you're serving the rest of the family what you're eating, and then adding carbs, that they will be eating something that's high in fat and high in carbs - which isn't a great idea. And no-one is going to die if they don't have rice/pasta/potatoes!

That sounds scary @ditavonteesed was she hurt? DS1 is 14 and very tall, I worry that he's going to be a target when he starts going out later.

I'm up this week so going to record tomorrow's weight. We met up for MIL's bday and I ate smallish quantities of several off plan things. Plus period is in full flow.

@Cactusowl 50lb is fantastic

Thanks all for your lovely messages! I hope you "know" me well enough by now to understand that I'm not the grabby type. This is my own fault for unconsciously banking on an inheritance rather than planning my pension meticulously . Shake it off.

Thank you for confirming the extra week @BIWI! I'm two pounds away from a 2 stone loss since January and my pattern means that I need that third week to hit it

Sending lots of support to my BC buddy @cheeseisthebest. Is there anything we can do to help? I know from personal experience that if your head's not in the game, it's just not in the game. But it will be again soon.

Sorry about your feckless dimwit neighbour @VeryLittleOwl. He should know better this time of year

And so sorry about your DD @ditavonteesed. Hope she's not too shaken up by the experience

It's been a while since we had a confession. I haven't fallen head-first into a vat of pasta or anything, but I always nod along when BIWI says that everyone can eat what's being cooked. It's absolutely true, but I don't do it. We have three different meals here and I need to do better.

1.5lbs off for me (I don't really deserve it after too much booze and 2 wobbly days but heigh-ho, I'll take the win).

little owl - what a prize pr*. I hope he was suitably contrite and appreciative of you all helping out to fix his mess.

nowlook selfish siblings are inFURiating. SIL and her husband are of that ilk and I can completely imagine them pulling that trick regarding FIL. They are the type that cannot afford anything (e.g. presents, paying their fair share at restaurants) because all their cash is committed to monthly payments for their new 4x4, summer trips to florida, grandiose birthday presents for their kids etc).

Verylittleowl, sorry to hear about the gorse fire. That sounds frightening and infuriating. And dita, so sorry to hear about your poor daughter. How horrible.

I have a tiny weight loss to report. I'm65.3 kg at the moment (jsut shy of 144 pounds), which is good compared to the last couple of weeks but only 0.5 lb lower than my previous bootcamp low. So I'm on a downward trend but only just. I'm tempted to say that that is ok. I've lost 6.5% of my bodyweight diring the bootcamp and my BMI is around 23ish , which isn't a number that is very readily going to fall. I think I need to focus on sticking with the woe, eating healthily and happily and not making weight loss my main objective (but still hoping for the loss to come ).

Congratulations to all of the losers. There are some very impressive results around. And to all of you who have reported lovely social occasions and consequent indulgence ... I think those occasions are important as we come out of lockdown and perhaps it is ok to mark them with a little feasting. So I hope you can be happy, regardless of any chiding from the scales.

Dd is ok she wasn't hurt, just scared. she won't go out without me or dh but I'm hoping that will pass. We took her into town for a treat which turned expensive very quickly. I bought a new dress which it turns out is a hell of a lot shorter than I thought. Not sure if I look like a right plobker in it.
I don't tend to cook for the family anymore as the dc just don't like what I'm eating so dh eats with the girls.

@Cactusowl wow 50lbs is amazing.
@cheeseisthebest I agree with what now look said, your heads either in the game or it's not, but you can start again every new day. That's how I've been dealing with these days/weeks and remember over all your winning.
@Random789 very jealous of the 23 bmi, mine hit 25 something today which is a bonus though.

@ditavonteesed I think we need to see the dress to help judge

I had an nsv this week. Ordered a M skirt from Monki and I've had to return it for a S. I'd expect a S to be a 8/10 whereas I'm a 12 so it must be vanity sizing but I'll take it

Signing in so I don't continue to try to hide

Had a lovely meal out on the patio last night of lamb kebabs, my special pork burgers and asparagus all cooked on the braai, served with tzatziki, green salad and tomato & basil salad.

Can someone talk some sense into me?

I live in a tourist seaside town. The harbour and beach will be absolutely rammed with drunk locals and purple tourists.
I have a lovely private quiet patio, birdsong and late afternoon sun.
So why in gods name do I feel like I need to go down to said harbour with a distinct teenage sense of fomo?

I’m being pathetic right? @prettybird your bbq looks lovely, why can’t I relax and do something like that? I’m all antsy.

You don't even need to have a BBQ @Ifeelmuchlessfat - pour yourself a jug of water, add in some slices of cucumber, mint, strawberries, raspberries whatever you have and some ice and go and sit and chill out on your lovely private patio.

And tell yourself you're not missing out . All those people on that crowded beach front and harbour are the ones that are missing out on your haven of tranquility

Thanks @prettybird, I’m in my hammock with a spritzer —glass of white wine— and mumsnet. Lovely.

There you go, I've chopped my face off because I appear to have the face of a gremlin when a camera goes anywhere near me.

On the fussy family/young kids thing, I don't really think of them as fussy, but I have probably adapted what we all eat to suit them as I can't be arsed with mealtime drama. We previously ate a lot of pasta, rice and potatoes so moving to bootcamp friendly food has been a change for us all and they often ask for pasta based meals in particular.

The veg they like are at the carbier end of the spectrum (peas, corn, carrots, broccoli, red peppers) so I often end up cooking different veg for myself . It's just a general pain in the arse. Lots of our previous family favourites, particularly the veggie ones, are now too carby for me.

Tonight they're having steak and chips and my steak will be served with creamed spinach saved from yesterday.

I think I'll keep on with the cooking extra veggies and try to ease them into it. Some good suggestions already so I will try to expand my repertoire next week, just need to get moved first.

Sorry to hear you are feeling glum @cheeseisthebest , agree with a PP that it's very hard to snap out of it when your head's not in the zone. I felt like the crap weather was making it hard to eat well, and now that the weather is nice I feel too tempted to go out and eat and drink the wrong stuff

@prettybird that looks and sounds wonderful.
@Ifeelmuchlessfat I would also get the fomo. Don't know the answer.

Using up some lowish carb fresh soup when we get home tonight then planning a quick shop to get us through the week- lots of eggs, salad lunches and summery dinners like fish/chops with FLGV for the weeknights. Back on the wagon! Better skincare at home, lots of water, no booze and very low carb should see me right soon enough.

@Ifeelmuchlessfat we’re on the edge of the Gower and my brother has just come back fm his caravan down there saying it was absolutely manic today. I do feel I am missing out too.

So instead I am on my patio painting plastic pots. (I want blue planters but the garden centres are out of them so I’m having a go with some pva and acrylics. This could get messy. )

@ditavonteesed - so sorry to hear about your daughter. What a horrible experience - hope she’s ok. And you- shock for you all. I think the dress looks really nice. Love the colour.

@cheeseisthebest - tricky when your head is not in it. New day.....

@Ifeelmuchlessfat - hammock & wine - heaven! Enjoy - don’t worry about the folk at the harbour. You’re in the right place.

I’ve veered off a bit this weekend - survived saturday’s misdemeanour- slight flirtation with some fish & chips by the coast & we’ll see how lunch at the pub today has faired me tomorrow. I shared cheese board with crackers & ‘helped’ my DS with his chocolate dessert. Trying to drink all the water to wash the carbs out! I’m hovering at a weight I’m excited to be at just need to stay focused to get the last few pounds off (& then stay off!). Entertaining a couple of times this week so need to get my menus and resolve sorted.

@BestIsWest - photos of painting the pva pots please. I might give that a go. I like it - very creative!

Thank you everyone. Actually had a really good day today.
Breakfast- low carb toast with buttery scrambled eggs and spinach.
Lunch - courgette, mint and feta salad with advocado. Some lemon juice and olive oil on top. Loved this! Hadn't had it before.
Dinner- chicken tray bake with cherry tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, onion, garlic and chorizo, green beans and greek yoghurt.
Also had a few slices of cheese.
One tea, one creamy coffee, not enough water!

Thank you for the support everyone, I've also done some exercise. My daughter has designed a fitness programme for me!

Dita your poor daughter. Xx

@cheeseisthebest that sounds like an excellent food day, I always find the link between eating well and exercise very close. They feed off each other so as long as I'm doing one I find the other easier

Thank you, was still hungry so having some blueberries with cream. That's it then!

Well done @cheeseisthebest - menu for the day looks good & bonus exercise too.