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Low-carb bootcamp

Join discussions about low-carb bootcamp plans, meals and progress. Consider speaking to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Summer Low Carb Mini Bootcamp - final weigh in and ongoing chat thread

224 replies

StuntNun · 13/09/2021 06:22

Hello! Our final weigh in at last! Thank you for joining @Oneborneverydecade and I for our first ever mini-Bootcamp. And big thanks to @ouchmyfeet for taking over Spreadsheet duties.

Speaking of... here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness on its final outing.

Normal service will be resumed next month by @BIWI for the run-up-to-Christmas Bootcamp. So no falling off the wagon stick with Bootcamp Light until the new Bootcamp starts. A sign up thread will be started in due course.

OP posts:
colouringindoors · 21/09/2021 22:20

i seem to have missed the steak!

Jollyholibobs · 22/09/2021 06:53

@venusandmars thanks for lovely wise words. Sometimes others wish I would give my mouth a rest from talking! Yesterday was lovely and all on plan. Had a second of salad when others hit the deserts. Today we have noticed that there is no cloakroom at Chelsea this year so we are now planning to grab something there. DH excited at the prospect of fish snd chips but I have just packed up a lovely avo salad, cheese and Greek yog as I know I’ll be disappointed by what’s on offer food wise.

@colouringindoors I’d have the aubergine followed by the sea bass but I don’t eat meat. Enjoy.

Have a lovely day everyone.

StuntNun · 22/09/2021 07:23

Colouringindoors if you're hungry in the afternoon then I suggest eating more at lunch time. Also try having a cup of tea or coffee (decaf is fine) when you want a snack and see whether that gets you through to dinner time.

OP posts:
venusandmars · 22/09/2021 09:00

So I'm back from holiday, and stayed the same. That's not a surprise really (I've been stuck here for a while). The holiday was pretty active and there was no snacking for me. The first couple of weeks were pretty much on bootcamp lite, with a few stolen chips or a small piece of toast with breakfast. Since then though it's been a bit more variable.

Yesterday was terrible. And a terribel disappointment. After weeks of eating in tiny rural cafes - where the fish is straight out of the sea, the meat is from local butcher, the veg from the garden, and everything prepped and cooked in the kitchen - it was a shock to be back in a city centre pub. It was an iconic venue and dh's request for the final day of hids holiday, so I agreed.

The menu looked quite nice and I thought I'd go off plan 'for a treat' and chose the tempura prawns, followed by a bunless chicken burger.
So there I was, expecting some plump juicy prawns in a crispy light-as-a-feather batter exploding with flavour... Nope! I couldd tell by looking that it wasn't going to be good with each a uniform factory shape. The batter was thick, stodgy, greasy and disgusting. I ate one and said to dh that I didn't think I could eat any more. Anyway I decided to disect the things, eat the prawns and discard the batter. The prawns was as far from fresh, juicy and plump as you can get. In fact they were like thin pink worms.

Dh's leek and potato soup didn't look much better, blended grey-green, apparently tasteless and accompanied by 2 slices of out-of-the packet white bread.

The waitress asked if everything was OK with my starter and it was a a bit difficult to pretend that all was fine (what with the heap of disgusting mush left on my plate). I said the batter had been a bit thick for my liking. She apologised and said she coule mention it to the chef if I wanted. But what was the point? The chef had absoloutely nothing to do with those prawns apart from taking the abominations out of the freezer and dunking them in the fryer!! Anyway I was offered a drink on the house (nice sparkling water, thank you).

My chicken burger, and dh's chicken and 'avocado' salad came. We both got stuck in, and just laughed. The chicken was the toughest, driest old bird I have ever had. And dh's avocado was a smear of some greenish thing out of a bottle. I doubt there were any actual avocados in the kitchen. We both managed to carve out a few edible bits of chicken from the middle. And we ended up each wrapping some of the waste in a napkin and taking it away to dispose of in a bin later. It was so awful it was funny.

I should have stopped at a shop for some better choice of snacks, but didn't, and on the ferry resorted to some pretzels and peanuts. Then when we got home late, and hungry, we ate cheese and biscuits - all that we had in the house.

So although my weight has stayed the same, after last week, and especially yesterday I feel sort of bloated and lumpen. So I am joining anyone who is on strict bootcamp this week. In 6 weeks time I have a very posh ball to attend and I am determined to be feeling at my best. I know that this way of eating suits me, makes my skin better and my mood, so I feel motivated for the weeks ahead.

B - boiled egg (once I've been to the shops)
L - avocado salad (a real avocado!)
D - salmon with FLGV

BIWI · 22/09/2021 10:11

@colouringindoors

Lovely menu!

I'd choose from the following:

Starters - melanzane alla parmigiana or Caprese or antipasto Italiano or Burrata

Mains - filleto di spigola or bistecca alla Toscana or filetto di Manzo (but this without the potatoes!)

Salads - insalata mista or insalata di pomodori or ruccola e Parmigiano

colouringindoors · 22/09/2021 14:13

venusandmars oh how disappointing re that meal out! The food sounds appalling.

Personally I think if you've been on holiday for 2 weeks and not gained weight that's a resut. Imho it's far harder on holiday not to slip.

You can definitely do the next 6 weeks with a ball as a motivation!

Thanks very much biwi. I was initially "oh no not a pizza place" but now am really enthusiastic (esp now I've read the menu properly!) It's going to be quite a bit more than I'd normally spend, but I'm sure it will be delicious.

I am thoroughly enjoying my mozz and sundried tomato salad (thanks m and s)

It's a gorgeous day here so am feeling like something prawny for dinner. I've done a homemade red thai curry before with a small amount of curry paste and cream/coconut milk, so will go label reading in Waitrose later.

I had this morning, what I am cautiously optimistic, was a game-changing appt with my ds's consultant and my sbexh where the consultant emphasised something critical I've been telling my ex for the last 3 years but he's disregarded (the f*cker). He can't disregard it now. I may spash out on a mini bottle of prosecco to celebrate. Not enough alcohol to give me the munchies, but I really have to celebrate this. Please God it's a turning point 🙏🙏🙏

Rayna37 · 22/09/2021 14:28

Off for swim later. I was meant to go first thing but since the holidays I really haven't adapted to the early mornings yet, especially now it's so dark- it's amazing the difference 2 weeks made!

Planning a mushroom curry based on a recipe from this month's Waitrose food magazine so will report back. DH away a bit with work in the next couple of weeks so going to try to have less meat (which he favours) and more veggie based meals to broaden the repertoire.

Dellabob123 · 22/09/2021 14:45

Hello everyone.

Back on track after my little slip yesterday!
Scrambled eggs, left over cheesy taco beef bake with salad and that pesky chicken Alfredo that I was supposed to make yesterday!!

TweenWrangler · 22/09/2021 16:53

Checking in. Things have been a bit hectic with work and home (we are trying to buy/sell a house) so I've not been able to post as often as I would have liked but I've been keeping up and keeping on! 5lb loss first week which is motivating and I'm very proud at having refused a piece of birthday cake on Sunday. I'm away for work tonight, eating out in a Greek restaurant for dinner and hotel buffet for breakfast (I don't usually eat any anyway) and lunch so should be fine to keep on track. Having stayed in this hotel before I know to pop over to Waitrose for a carton of cream for coffee before the meeting starts tomorrow!

venusandmars · 22/09/2021 19:04

@Rayna37 I like this recipe for Jamie's Mushroom Curry with a coule of adaptations (full fat coconut milk, and only a teaspoon of mango chutney, cauli rice). Before this I'd never have thought of mushroom as a main curry ingredient.

I'm trying to have much less meat and less dairy over the next few weeks. Will still have fish. And butter. The less meat is a choice, the less dairy is beacuse I have a strange itchy rash on one foot / ankle. Eczema? Psoriasis? Allergy? Something else?

@TweenWrangler good idea about the cream. I asked for coffee with cream last week and it came with squirty sugared cream! Yuk!!

colouringindoors · 22/09/2021 19:07

Wow. 50g Waitrose Red Thai Curry paste plus 1/4 can of coconut milk (Asian brand, 2g carb/100g). Tastes A MAY ZING!

colouringindoors · 22/09/2021 19:08

Oh with king prawn, mushrooms and purple sprouting broccoli..And I'm full Grin

Rayna37 · 22/09/2021 19:51

@venusandmars that sounds good, and not dissimilar to what I made actually. Not sure of the point of 30g paneer though, surely if you open a pack it's all going in (and then it's not just a "mushroom" curry). Enjoyed mine, will hopefully have time to make a cabbage side to accompany the other half tomorrow; used frozen cauli rice tonight.

ZiggZagg · 22/09/2021 20:55

Evening campers!

Day 3 done and dusted!

L was leftover Lamb (divine) with cauliflower bites dipped in mayo

D was really good quality Algerian Sausage again with cauliflower bites and mayo.

All the water.

Looking to increase my veg count so have made some lovely curry cauliflower soup will have that tomorrow for lunch with more leftover Lamb.

Hope everyone has a great evening!

TweenWrangler · 22/09/2021 22:36

Back from dinner and mixed success. I ordered melted goats cheese for a starter and it came with a creme brûlée top and full of candied walnuts! Avoided as much as possible but still.. Kleftico for main was brilliant - beef, veg and halloumi slow cooked in paper. Potatoes too but I didn't eat those. @venusandmars Asked for coffee with cream but they didn't have any cream... they did have both oat and almond milk though! There's an imbalance in the world - vegans are being catered for everywhere but low carb is regarded as some sort or extreme view Sad

BestIsWest · 23/09/2021 11:40

Aargh, I’d bought a butternut squash thinking I could roast it and have it with chilli but just checked the carb count and it’s 8g per 100g on our list and 7.4g on Sainsbury’s site. Gutted by that. I was really looking forward to it.

Will make the chilli anyway and see if I can get a celeriac somewhere.

BestIsWest · 23/09/2021 11:43

@venusandmars I have a strange itchiness on my elbow and knee. Not connected it with diet...until now.

Rayna37 · 23/09/2021 13:32

I don't normally get to WFH but I have a double treat today as I'm at home while DH is unusually not here! Had a fantastic lunch:

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red onion and half a block of halloumi diced and roasted in oil and harissa. Gorgeous. I really should try it with frozen veg as that would make a super convenient meal but I'm scarred by my Mum's frozen boiled to death Brussels and mushy broccoli

KateF · 23/09/2021 19:42

That sounds delicious Rayna37. Definitely going to try it. I would also love the recipe for the curry cauliflower soup.
Today
B scrambled eggs and sausage
L tuna mayo salad
Snack 2slices ham with egg mayo
D 2sausages, mushrooms, spinach, cherry tomatoes and fried egg (cupboard is a bit bare, pay day tomorrow!)

FusionChefGeoff · 23/09/2021 20:15

@colouringindoors great news on the breakthrough. Enjoy your celebration and can't wait to hear how your meal was.

Wonderful to hear how positive everyone is sounding too.

I love veggie food but the rest of my family aren't that keen so I end up eating far more meat than I'd like but this woe has 'allowed' me to indulge in all the veg I liked but had stopped having as they didn't like it. Mushrooms, aubergine and courgette are the obvious ones.

@venusandmars classic Jamie throwing fenugreek in there! Couldn't he use something a tiny bit more commonplace???

@ZiggZagg cauliflower bites?! Sound intriguing can you elaborate pls?

@KateF that's a very normal and tasty looking dinner if you ask me.

I'm due to weigh tomorrow but I feel so good and think I can see a real difference since I started my strict BC reset I'm almost tempted not to in case the scales try to tell me something different?!? But equally I don't want to launch back into light rules too soon.

Im drinking gallons of water - have a huge jug permanently on the go and topped it up twice today.

L: hm coleslaw with cheese and extra cucumber and celery. Some leftover stir fry veg
D: Italian style lamb meatballs with griddled aubergine steaks and more cheese
Greek yog with cream

agnesmartin · 23/09/2021 20:55

Just popping in to say that I’m still here but obviously need a bit of a run up to starting again proper. Blush Planning for Monday. Have made a cheeseburger pie though!

Curry cauliflower soup sounds lovely. One of my favourite breakfasts is a plain cauli soup with some cream and lots of crispy streaky bacon crumbled into it. Yum!

Jollyholibobs · 24/09/2021 08:43

Morning all. Everyone is doing so well it’s great.

@agnesmartin just start!!

@FusionChefGeoff good luck with the weigh in.

I’m off for a long weekend away this evening. Taking MIL and as she has dementia we will be arranging our itinerary around her to keep things steady.

Made an aubergine parmigiana last night to pop in the oven when we get there tonight and serve with FLGV.

Busy day at work first.

colouringindoors · 24/09/2021 09:19

FusionChef thanks so much.

Very, very unusually I am eating out 3 days in a row! Delicious, expensive Tapas at Iberico in London last night. Ideal for low carbing to be honest and a real treat. Incredible hams, pork, cheese, lamb...!!

Lunch out today with friends - will have a salad

Tomorrow lunch at that Italian!

And today I am down to 11,1!!! Couldn't believe it when I got on the scales. Delighted Grin

L salad
D the thai curry i made on Wed was delicious and really low carb so will do that again.

Hope everyone has a good Friday.

agnesmartin · 24/09/2021 09:57

jollyholibobs - I'm still recovering from covid so energy levels are a bit up and down meaning takes a bit longer to prep stuff / get organised. Am happy that I am getting in the swing of things (loving the cheeseburger pie) and will start proper on Monday.

StripyTShirt · 24/09/2021 12:35

@FusionChefGeoff nothing exciting, just single cauliflower florets roasted and dipped in mayo Wink