Summer Low Carb mini-Bootcamp - week 1

[StuntNun]

Welcome to the 2021 Summer Low Carb mini-Bootcamp lasting for the next six weeks and run by myself and @Oneborneverydecade. If you're an old hand at eating low carb then please do chip in with your experiences to help motivate our newbies. Every Monday is weigh-in day and you can log your weight on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness to keep track of your progress. If you can't add your weight for any reason then please post it on here and someone will add you to the spreadsheet.

Make sure you've read the ten Low Carb Bootcamp rules on the preparation thread either for strict Bootcamp or Bootcamp Light depending on which one you choose. There are also some meal ideas and shopping suggestions on the preparation thread if you need some tips. As always, if you have any questions or concerns then please do ask. We have lots of experience between us.

A quick reminder of the rules for strict Bootcamp (first two weeks):

1. Eat three meals a day (plus snacks if hungry)
2. Avoid processed foods
3. Eat lots of fat
4. Eat plenty of vegetables and salad
5. Be careful about dairy (apart from butter which is unlimited)
6. Drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day
7. No alcohol
8. No fruit
9. No nut/seeds

10. No sugar or artificial sweeteners

And for Bootcamp Light:

1. Eat when you are hungry
2. Avoid processed foods
3. Eat lots of fat
4. Eat plenty of vegetables and salad
5. Be careful about dairy (apart from butter which is unlimited)
6. Drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day
7. Alcohol is allowed occasionally
8. Up to one portion of (low carb) fruit per day
9. Nut and seeds in small quantities

10. No sugar except dark chocolate, and limit artificial sweeteners

B: sauerkraut, corned beef and cheese with EVOO drizzled over - I know I know but I love it

L: two roast chicken thighs with skin, FLGV, butter and EVOO
Greek yogurt with strawbs

D: pasta with pancetta, savoy cabbage, mozzarella, pine nuts. I'll have finely shredded green beans instead of pasta.

B. Avocados and tomatoes sautéed in olive oil, splash of rice vinegar, two fried eggs on top.

L. Leftover curry over left over roast cabbage.

D. Am going to the pizza restaurant with friend and combined kids, going to have chicken salad, water and a tea

Is it normal to feel so thirsty?
Had 1.5L (half of my target) but feel like I can’t quench my thirst (did have a bouillon drink too)

I just want to say that I've been doing this WOE for 2 months now and I think I feel really good. Like, really really well. I have more energy and my mood is far more stable, despite having come off HRT for a break. I'm deliberating not bothering going back on it. Could it be the lack of sugar?!

@Kerplunkk

Is it normal to feel so thirsty? Had 1.5L (half of my target) but feel like I can’t quench my thirst (did have a bouillon drink too)

You need more salt. Honestly! Are you cooking it AND adding it to your meals?

No I’ve only been one or the other, notes will start cooking with and adding to!
Thank you

There’s a thread of FAQs I put together a while ago, which might be useful:

Here

Noted**

I now recognise "still being thirsty despite drinking loads of water" as evidence that I need more salt/electrolytes .

I remembered to add avocado to my lunch today .

Today's food has been/will be:
B coffee with double cream
L avocado, basil and mozzarella salad with mayonnaise
D Moroccan lamb (minus the apricots and couscous) with a veg or two from the fridge.

Yesterday went better than expected. I jad my second ever exercise class since giving birth 12 months ago (and nearly died). I did eat a few of my daughter's potato sticks at dinner time without thinking though so I need to be more alert for that from now on! I'm also finding the water requirements tough. I should be on 3l per day. Previously I didn't drink much and on a day of real effort I'd get to 2l. Yesterday I managed 2.25l (750ml x 3), and It was a bit odd to not be pleased with myself for that! Even with that amount of water, I still felt like spent all day going for a wee

I've seen lots of people saying they're having creamed veg for dinner. Can someone give me a recipe for that (assume I'm an idiot and have toddler level cooking abilities!).

And how do you make courgetti? Can I do it easily at home (with either no special equipment or something I can buy quite cheaply) or should I just buy a bag pre-prepared?

I'm struggling with the low carbs. I was eating out for breakfast and had toast -how do you do a breakfast out without??

Have had a ham salad for lunch
Burger and salad for dinner.....

Thanks BIWI

Pink if you search how to make courgette without a spiraliser there’s video from Tesco that is useful, shows you how to do it with a potato peeler if you have one of those (sorry can’t link for some reason)

@2021V2

I'm struggling with the low carbs. I was eating out for breakfast and had toast -how do you do a breakfast out without??

Have had a ham salad for lunch
Burger and salad for dinner.....

If you're having breakfast out, a cooked breakfast without the toast/fried bread is a good option. I've ordered scrambled eggs and smoked salmon without the toast before, or Eggs Benedict without the muffins.

At home breakfast is sometimes Greek yoghurt with a few raspberries and walk nuts (Bootcamp Light only), or scrambled egg and smoked salmon, or soft eggs with asparagus "soldiers."

Or have a continental breakfast of cooked meats and cheese.

When you get into bootcamp lite you can order some decent low carb bread online

@2021V2 if I'm eating out I'd have a cooked breakfast any time it was available, just leave the toast. I'm staying in a hotel at the moment and had sausage, beans, poached egg, hash browns and mushrooms for breakfast this morning. Not perfect (beans and hash browns ) but better than having toast

@pinknsparkly I find shop bought courgetti has a really short shelf life. Personally, I prefer just normal chopped courgette, fried, and then used as the base for sauce instead of the carbs. I think this works particularly well with things like bolognaise and chilli.

Re breakfast: if I'm out, I'll have whatever eggy based dish is on offer (scrambled eggs/bacon and eggs/poached eggs) and give any carbs (like the toast) to dh.

At home there are loads of options: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon, boiled eggs, left over veg from the night before, left over frittata from the night before (that was today's breakfast: a lovely leek and Parmesan one), cold meat or an avocado. But in fact, once you're ketogenically adapted, you might find you don't need breakfast and can comfortably IF (intermittently fast) for 16 or more hours.

Re courgetti, I just slice my courgettes with a cheese slice (a potato peeler would be even thinner), working my way around the courgette and discarding the seedy core.

Day two - forgotten how delightful butter is
Today has gone well I think:
B - mushrooms fried in butter
L - 2 x chicken legs, celery and cottage cheese
D - pork steak with a creamy, cheesey broccoli bake
Little bit of a headache/brain fog but managed a spin class this morning

Omg had celeriac ‘chips’ in cooked in the air fryer in olive oil with seasonings along with crispy kale done in the oven with Aldi’s chilli infused olive oil and salt. It was soooo good!! 😋 Never used the air fryer for celeriac chips but they went lovely and crispy.

Like others, I find breakfast out pretty easy. Lots of places will let you sub an extra sausage instead of toast.

Attempted to make cauliflower fritters for dinner but they didn’t stick together very well, so we ended up with a hash type thing. Was gorgeous.

I have talked my DH into starting this time and he is moaning away about been hungry so don't think he will last the week.

Ideas for flavouring Greek yoghurt please?
All the vanilla extracts seem to be v.high in carbs/sugar (70 per 100 for the Dr.Oetker version)

If he's hungry he should eat. Meat. Cheese. Eggs. Full fat yoghurt. Guacamole. Olives. Pork stratchings. Chicken legs with the skin on. Butter is unlimited on this WOE and added to your veggies etc make them tastier and fill you up.

There's absolutely no need to be feeling hungry. If he's hungry, he should eat - otherwise yes, he will fall off the wagon, probably straight into the biscuit barrel!