Low Carb Bootcamp - our final weigh in (but ongoing chat thread)

[BIWI]

Morning all!

Another wet and dreary day. What happened to summer?!

Anyway, for its final outing, here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

It's not the end, of course - and I know many of you are keen to keep going until whenever the next Bootcamp starts. So post here for all the usual chat, banter, recipes, etc.

Oh it's tomorrow that's ok they don't take long!

@Rayna37 where's the low carb bahjee recipe pls??

It's from the Idiot Proof Diet I'll dig it out...

@Oneborneverydecade Oh I also have my fuck it moments! In general I find that being prepared is the best way for me to stick to plan. Being prepared for I/F by having lots to do out of the house, being prepared by having lots of water available, being prepared by keeping out of dh's enormous snack cupboard, and having things around ready for temptation. Just off now to make cheese and almond muffins - thanks for the reminder @FusionChefGeoff I make mini ones and then eat them topped with butter and peanut butter. This is why it is good that we don't count calories But calorific as they are, if I have one with my creamy coffee at 11/11.30 am (which is often the 16 hours of fasting) then I can carry on working right through to early afternoon. Some pre-prepared salad (already made and in the fridge so I don't go grazing in dh's cupboard) with a bit of ham / egg / avocado, and then a proper dinner with flgv
It doesn't work all the time, but this is real life.

@FusionChefGeoff recipe attached. The Idiot Proof Diet and its cookbook both available cheaply used online (Abebooks my go-to) and worth a look for anyone needing a bit of inspiration.

I swap the onions for big echalion shallots (though CANNOT understand why these would be lower carb than an onion) chopped finely/diced as easier to cook if you do, and make big ones. I do include seeds from at least one chilli, seems to improve the result even if you're not a chilli head. Freezes well or just adjust the quantities!

I'm up to 11st 11 on the scales this morning from my lowest of 11st 3. I really need to refocus otherwise I'm going to regain it all.

Had a bad night after my 2nd jab yesterday though. I wasn't expecting it after no side effects after the first. Has anyone found the same?

Still feel shite. Had a migraine type headache yesterday and feel utterly drained. I've got to go out all day so packed some boiled eggs, ham and cheese.

Today's food
2 x boiled eggs
Slice of ham and slice of cheese with mayo

Keto meatballs with spinach and broccoli. Dollop full fat Greek yogurt with macadamia nuts and a slug of cream. About 2 litres of water.

Luckily I feel so poorly I didn't want to drink at all this weekend. I might do a Covid test actually despite being double jabbed.

Lovely evening with friends - turns out she eats quite similarly during the week so did 2 very BC friendly curries, I took roasted cauli and then had half a gluten free naan as she'd gone to the trouble of making them.

Are way way way too much though and felt quite sick which was stupid.

Avoided temptation of DS chocolate birthday cake all weekend which I'm very proud of!

Ran a virtual half marathon today - completely fat adapted no fuel before or during and achieved my 2nd ever fastest time!!

Then had my 2nd jab.

It's been a hell of a day.

Finished off with a gorgeous creamy / chicken / bacon invention with broccoli, leeks and some carrots. Small slice of watermelon.

I'm starting to get my head around maintenance a bit more - introducing small quantities of things I've really missed rather than an insaelne sugar binge as I've done previously!!

@Bryonyshcmyony I'm sorry you're still feeling shitty. Definitely keep up on the water - do you need to add some electrolytes maybe if you're getting migraines?? I don't get them so don't know but it took me ages to get my electrolytes sorted when I started this.

Well done @FusionChefGeoff you must be so pleased with yourself.

@Oneborneverydecade it's supposed to depend which vaccine you get. I've heard Pfizer can be bad after the second dose.

@Bryonyshcmyony

Today's food 2 x boiled eggs Slice of ham and slice of cheese with mayo

Keto meatballs with spinach and broccoli. Dollop full fat Greek yogurt with macadamia nuts and a slug of cream. About 2 litres of water.

Luckily I feel so poorly I didn't want to drink at all this weekend. I might do a Covid test actually despite being double jabbed.

I'm sorry you're still not feeling well - good idea to get a test.

I'd also echo what @FusionChefGeoff has said, and suggest that you get hold of some electrolyte supplements. this is the one I usually recommend

However, the other thing I'd say to you is that you aren't eating enough veg - I know you weren't feeling well the other day, so I didn't make any comments, but today's menu - although you have some veg in it - doesn't have anything like enough.

This is not a WOE that's about cutting out all carbs. It's essential for good nutrition that you eat plenty of veg and salad - that's why it's in the rules.

And you aren't drinking enough water! That also won't be helping with the headaches.

I'm feeling very off food. Normally eat plenty of green veg. Hopefully that will improve in a couple of days. My head is now making a weird grating noise when I move it from side to side! I'll look into the electrolytes thank you

I have some Sis tablets (or dh does) are they OK?

I think they're OK - just check the carb count.

Hope they do the trick!

Thanks I have just had one and ordered the ones you recommended. Thank you. My low carb bread arrived today and I've just had a slice with butter and peanut butter. Nice but no where near as filling as usual eggy low carb breakfast!

The weight is dropping off very rapidly now so I am going to try and eat a bit more once I am feeling better (never thought I'd be typing that )

Any nice recipes utilising as much veg as possible very welcome!

OK just had a big piece of salmon pan fried with spinach broccoli and butter. Feel ridiculously full now.

@Bryonyshcmyony

Any nice recipes utilising as much veg as possible very welcome!

Have you checked out the Bootcamp recipe threads? (They're all stickied at the top of the Low Carb Bootcamp topic)

Any nice recipes utilising as much veg as possible very welcome!

I usually try to have veg with every meal (and snack). That way I'm not having to try and stuff in lots later in the day. So breakfast might be avocado, tomato and mozzarella, or an omelette with shallot, broccoli and cheese, or poached egg on spinach. A snack might be olives or celery with blue cheese spread. Lunch might be tuna mayo with a big salad, or a vegetable soup. Then dinner would be a small amount of meat (maybe duck or steak) plus roasted veg. Or a thai green vegetable curry served with cauliflower rice...

Having said that, yesterday I was away from home, I had cheese and almond muffins spread with butter and peanut butter. Then nothing else (apart from water). I had enough energy to walk 44,000 steps - about 17 or 18 miles. Then dinner was home-made lamb burgers with salad and mayonnaise. Followed by a few strawberries and cream.

I'm going to be working away for a few days (on a trip where one of the meetings includes afternoon tea - the worst of all possible low carb options!!). I'm having brunch of avocado, egg and salad, then I'll navigate my way around menus in restaurants and hotels. Most of them look OK and I'm well used to ditching the fries / rice / potato and ordering a couple of side portions of veg. One of my colleagues flirts half-heartedly with low carb and I find it quite motivating to set an example of how easy it can be...

One of my favourite veggie meals is to just chuck a load of veg into a cheese sauce and bake it in the oven.

Cook the veg first, so:

• steam or boil e.g. cauliflower and/or broccoli and/or asparagus and/or green beans
• sauté some onions or shallots, possibly some garlic and even the odd chilli (tbh I add chilli to a lot of things, but I know not everyone likes it!)

Mix all the veg in shallow baking dish and season with salt and black pepper, then make the cheese sauce

Cheese sauce:

• bring 300ml double cream up to the boil in a small pan
• chuck in at least half a small block of mature cheddar, grated (that would be about 175g, but frankly you can use as much cheese as you like)
• turn the heat down and stir till all the cheese has melted
• season with black pepper and the juice of half a lemon

Put the veg into a shallow baking dish and pour the cheese sauce over the top, and stir to mix. Then bake in a hot oven for around 20 minutes

You can also scatter more grated cheese on the top for a lovely, crispy topping. I sometimes also put some slices of tomato on the top too.

You may find it better to make double the quantity of sauce - it's yummy and you can use it on something else!

NB you could use any other low carb veg that takes your fancy. It's also lovely with some chopped, fried bacon added, or even some chorizo.