Week 4 - Pre-Christmas Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Morning all.

Sorry for the late posting this morning. I had a bad night but managed eventually to get to sleep and have only just woken up!

As ever, here's the link to the spreadsheet

The plan for this week is as for last week, i.e. strict Bootcamp during the week but relaxing into Bootcamp Light at the weekend (if you wish).

Hopefully by now it's becoming more of a habit to eat this way, and the urge to snack has receded, and you're finding that you're no longer hungry between meals.

And channelling @ShagMeRiggins, I hope you're remembering the WATER, WATER, WATER! As well as all the fat

Here's to a good week for us all

I've officially started, I'm trying to cut carbs rather than adhere to strict low carb to prevent myself having a mad binge panic.

Also trying to do 14:10 or some days 16:8 if I can manage it! Did 16 hours today so feeling productive

You're on the spreadsheet @moanranger. Hopefully @ouchmyfeet will be able to re-alphabetise the list at some point!

So this is the recipe for this week (it's what we're having at some point this week). It's really easy and super tasty.

Perfect Pulled Pork

This is from the Fast800 recipe book:

1kg pork shoulder joint, trimmed of fat I keep this and make it into crackling

Marinade:

45g tomato purée (about 3tbsps)
30g chipotle paste (about 2 tbsps)
juice of 2 medium oranges
juice of 2 limes
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground black pepper

• Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large non-metallic bowl

• Take any string off the pork and add it to the bowl and cover in the marinade; cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours

• Pre-heat your oven to 170/150 fan/Gas 3

• Place the pork and its marinade in a medium casserole, cover and bake for 3-4 hours, or until the pork falls apart when prodded with a fork

• Transfer the pork to a board or warmed platter and shred with two forks. Serve with a little of the spicy cooking juices spooned over

Serves 6 (3g carbs per serving/171 cals per serving)

Jollyholibobs you can call it vegetable lasagne all you like. Pay no attention to me!

venus as others have noted, you look marvellous. I especially appreciate the end of evening photo. . And honestly, if I were attending a proper charity ball/auction I would plan a massive day of The Fuckits and just enjoy all the wine and canapés charity spirit.

Unless, of course, I were on the daily/weekly charity ball circuit, in which case there would be a strategy rethink. Alas, I am not.

Assiduously reading labels, tho I find the 2point text size challenging. I found a Caesar dressing called Cardinis at Tesco, only 1.5 carbs/100g. It’s nice, tangy, so not sweet.

moanranger I love Cardini’s Caesar dressing! To me it’s pretty authentic (not that I have an ounce of Italian in me, though there was that one time in Florence...)

Anyway, great choice. As for the labels, have you a magnifying glass function on your phone? Very, very handy.

Today was husband’s funeral—46, hit by a car while jogging*—and swerved Carb’s entirely. Went to a carvery (my second time ever!) before the service and I had a prawn cocktail salad and tomato soup, didn’t attend the after event.

Low on WATER WATER WATER intake, though, so trying to catch up. Now to catch up on this new thread...

**told you nothing much good comes from jogging

ayooplass definitely take maintaining your weight in a positive light. If it’s for a month and you’re perfectly on plan, then that’s something to examine, but after Week 3 it’s absolutely normal. You’ve made many adjustments to your daily diet; your body might need a minute or two to catch up.

Rayna how tall are you? If I were anywhere in the vicinity of the 120s I’d be completely unworried, and I like to tell myself that I am 5’4”.

It does depend on body type and how weight is carried, plus we all have different goals. And this might have come up in previous bootcamps but I don’t keep a spreadsheet.

Actually, what does everyone think about adding a height category to the spreadsheet? Optional, of course, but I remember that website that showed women of similar heights and weights with completely different body shapes. It was enlightening and, for me, encouraging. It helped reinforce what I already know:

1. we are all imperfectly beautiful
2. we are all different
3. most of us take rubbish selfies

I forgot to eat lunch today. This has never happened to me before 🤣. I'm definitely feeling less hungry.

B: scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms
D: I've just made a low carb Philly cheese steak with leftover roast beef rather than mince. We'll have it with broccoli as the thought of salad is making me feel cold!

Evening all!

Good day today!

Ended up having green chili soup and SLCR with loads of butter.

Just visiting my mum then having a Chicken Madras with buttered cabbage.

@ShagMeRiggins thanks for the warning about jogging, i was feeling tempted, although how incredibly sad for his poor family.

Very sorry for your loss @ShagMeRiggins. Terribly unlucky to be killed out jogging.

I'm down 4.8lbs this week and enjoying not feeling hungry. Been trying my best to keep up the water intake, it really does feel good.

Breakfast - creamy coffee
lunch - chicken ceasar salad with grated parmesan
Dinner - Meatballs with grated cheddar.

low on veg today but will be better tomorrow!

I've got a special afternoon tea at the weekend that's been booked for months so a bit wary as it's still on week 2 for me. It's going to be carby but I'll aim to get back on it after a blip.

My challenge at the moment is that water tastes awful - metallic and nasty

Sorry about the funeral you had to attend Shag - I'm presuming you meant your dh's friend's funeral rather than actually your dh's funeral Still a very sad event

Shagme I'm 5'3" but with a very small frame. I carry weight on my stomach and boobs mainly. Lots of "subcutaneous fat" as the Renpho scales like to call it, I look better in the lower half of the healthy BMI range. Though you did hit the nail on the head without realising- as I'm normally within half a stone of my goal I'm also not that worried, which is why I'm so rubbish at following the rules! I would like to get the last bit off before Christmas so my dressy clothes are comfortable.

@BIWI

You're on the spreadsheet *@moanranger. Hopefully @ouchmyfeet* will be able to re-alphabetise the list at some point!

Thanks! I didn’t realise it wasn’t alphabetical. Stopped looking after failing to see it in the “M”s

@prettybird

My challenge at the moment is that water tastes awful - metallic and nasty

Sorry about the funeral you had to attend Shag - I'm presuming you meant your dh's friend's funeral rather than actually your dh's funeral Still a very sad event

SHIT!! Not at all my husband’s funeral. It was of his only two cousins who died.

Man, how wrong did I get that?

Anyway, thanks to all for condolences. That’s very kind. Tragic, but it made me remember that people die every day through accidents (as opposed to illness or old age or being part of the mafia etc).

It’s just life. Which I’m using Bootcamp to make the most of mine!

Evening all. I forgot to weight myself this morning so I'll do it tomorrow.

My tip for marks and Spencers is that their roast chicken breasts are actually quite nice. If I'm out and about I can have that and some salad. If I'm feeling lazy I'll take some home and slice it thinly and cook it in a cream and mushroom sauce

ShagMeRiggins thanks for the warning about jogging, i was feeling tempted, although how incredibly sad for his poor family.

I genuinely didn’t mean to denigrate the achievements of runners, especially not the runners in our midst! It’s my own dark humour regarding my in ability to run. I’d have been eaten by some wild creature on the savannah...

You only need to be faster than the person you're running alongside on the veldt

@ShagMeRiggins I'd wondered the same... wow her dh has died and she's here posting about drinking water... that's some hardcore bootcamp babe! Seriously, deep condolences, that is sad and tragic and you and everyone involved must feel devastated.

@mrshoho afternoon tea is the thing of the devil!!!! It is tempting to try and eat not-very-much beforehand to miniminse the damage. But in my experience this just leads you into feeling hungry and eating ALL the sandwiches (which are 90% bread and 2% filling) and ALL the savouries (which are 80% pastry and 9% filling). Then still leave you room for a scone (or two) with jam, and the most delightful sugar filled 'things'.

Better to fill up before on avocado, egg, mayonnaise, and then nibble round the edges of all the supposed delights on offer.

Someone (shag?) posted this:

1. we are all imperfectly beautiful
2. we are all different
3. most of us take rubbish selfies

I thank everyone for the lovely things they said about my Charity Ball pics (previous thread). But know that this is how I feel: that I am imperfect ( rather than imperfectly beautiful); that I am different (and not in a good way); and that every picture ever taken of me is rubbish.

I look at what I posted and I know that if anyone else had done that I would be amazed and delighted. But all I can see in my own photos, is my own imperfections...

However, this woe has the potantial to take us all to where we want to be. Not just our weight, but our complextion, our shape, our body confidence. And the support of all others who are on this journey with us.

I don't tend to post my food as I'm a rubbish cook and so won't be inspiring anyone. Particularly atm, as I'm working my way through the second week of a mumsnet chicken. It's currently reincarnated as a leek/mushroom/ham/cream pie

Athelstane, you’ve turned chicken into ham. Are you Jesus?**

Rayna how much of this body shape you want is weight, or age, exercise, or related to other?

There can come a time when it’s okay to say Fuckit. Not to give up, but to decide what we want.

As an example, my glorious and wonderful Mother-in-Law (best MiL ever) is now 80. She was recently advised to reduce alcohol (minimal, in her case—the occasional glass or two of wine during the week) or go on meds for cholesterol or something.

She decided to take the meds. She said she quite likes her life, thank you, and plans to accept and enjoy it.

I try to think about her and my own mother when it comes to weight loss, health, fitness, and smokin’ hot goals.

What is important to you?

**yes, I left out the last bit of your sentence (filling) for comic effect.

ps—lost 2.4lbs and feel pretty good about it.

WATER WATER WATER

Hi, another half pound off (although it was more before the weekend 😫), but it still 4 1/2 lbs. Then I remembered it’s week 3, and this always happens.

In other news, I loved @biwi ‘s tart recipe , it was delicious and the almond pastry was so good. I actually think I preferred it to normal pastry.

Tonight’s was supposed to be “low meat Monday “ instead of no meat we have whatever is left over from Sunday.😉
Well I have renamed it to “try and find the meat Monday”, as my family ate so much of the Sunday roast (which was a bit small anyway) that it was very meagre pickings. Next week I may have to rethink my plan and hide some 😂

ShagMeRiggins so glad that’s been cleared up, I didn’t know what to think!

I don’t mind putting my height on the spread sheet but my two closest friends are heavier than me but in smaller size clothes - I think weight vs height is a funny one, I am small boned so ideally look better at the lower end of my BMI.

@MilkywayMonarch22 someone more knowledgeable will probably be able to guide you better than me but I've found that this WOE is not easy to 'tone down'. (There is a tipping point and if your carbs aren't low enough, it won't work at all. Mixing a few to many carbs with high fat eating... leads to bad news on weigh-day.)

However, on the cheery side of things, the high fat is amazingly effective in preventing cravings. Once you get going, the urge to eat all the time just goes. I can make/share out cake/bread etc. and not feel inclined to have a taste; this is not normal for me. It is wonderfully peaceful!

(I know quite quickly if somehow I've eaten carbs because I start to get hungry. This leads to cravings and all the usual deprived feelings.)

@ShagMeRiggins 💐 sorry you have had such a tough day
@venusandmars they are lovely photos and what an amazing amount the event raised

Found you! I am back after a weekend away which involved tacos and a bagel and lots of wine but could definitely have been worse food wise. Have managed to stay the same weight as last week so must have done something right earlier in the week.

Shopping done last night. Ready for the week.

What do people tend to have as a pasta substitute?

I'm trying really hard not to have to make separate meals for myself and my lot love pasta and it's so easy. Last night we had a roasted veg and tomato sauce, me with fried mushrooms and spinach instead of pasta. I normally go for leeks but dinner was pre- shopping so didn't have any. It just felt like eating a really unsatisfying pile of vegetable mush. Tried courgetti but that's always mush too. When other people eat pasta it's one of the few times I do actually feel deprived on this WOE. Maybe I should just stop cooking it for other people.

@ouchmyfeet, Holland & Barrett have some of the zero carb pasta in the penny sale, it’s £2-something for one pack, so not cheap, but adding another pack for 1p isn’t too bad. Tesco and other supermarkets stock it too. It’s a passable substitute.

I steam a bag of cauliflower rice for me when the rest are having pasta. I've also used the bare naked noodles. I'm going to look out for the pasta mentioned above!

@ouchmyfeet I use tagliatelle made from slices of sweetheart cabbage. It’s lovely steamed with butter melted onto it. Yum. The pasta eaters in the family sometimes need to be reminded not to eat all the cabbage as it’s my pasta alternative.