Week 8 - Our final week! - Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Evening/morning all

So this is our last week. It's been a shorter Bootcamp than normal, but I hope it's worked for you. Something a bit of an experiment too! Let me know (by PM) if it's worked or not worked for you.

As ever, here's the link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

There are some seriously great results here!

We're now in the run up to Christmas, which I know can be very difficult if you're trying to maintain a low carb diet. But we will always have a chat thread going here, so please post if you need help or just want to vent.

And remember, of course, that we still have another week to wrest with the scales/the tape measure!

Here's to a successful, final week

@Learningtofeminist I usually do about three in a normal year. The last couple of years have been anything but normal though!

When we finish this one, we always keep the chat thread going, so there will still be plenty of support and people to chat to.

Not sure when the next one will be, but it's usually some time in January.

One of the things I've long had a hanker to try making is low carb gnocchi. But my attempts so far have failed completely. So I was very interested to come across this recipe from ibreatheimhungry (who I follow on Facebook).

I may have to try this today, once I've worked out the cup measurements and what they mean in English!

LearningtoFeminist low carb shouldn't affect your supply unless you're eating too few calorie. Could your appetite have dropped when you first started Bootcamp?

I fancy making the fish pie from upthread. I think I will make mini versions and freeze a couple, for days when I cba to cook.
Having a decent day today - my son passed some exams which is a huge relief and I've done some Christmas wrapping, which has kept me out of the fridge!
Trying to feel Christmassy but not really there yet. It might be because I haven't been drinking Baileys and mainlining Quality Street, as in normal years! How is everyone else feeling?

@BIWI I can't even make normal gnocchi, not even from a packet, always been awful.

I definitely have a self sabotage in me. The not being hungry from low carb and fasting helps but once I slip up I'm gone. Since doing low carb I've been able to get back on it the next day though rather than weeks down the line. So all going in the right direction.
@Learningtofeminist glad your thanksgiving meal was lovely.
@Jollyholibobs what's the social event? Hope it's fun.
Got my hair cut today and while I absolutely hate the experience of hairdressers it looks fab.

Aderyn re Christmas feelings, faint stirrings ATM. I will be doing a minimal Xmas & all the happier for it. Just too much wifework! The house is still a tumult, most items in boxes, paint cans, newspapers, brushes, all the skirting boards up in the hall. Said environment not conducive to Christmas creativity! I am enjoying upcycling some old furniture & am now getting the hang of Annie Sloan chalk paint & wax. Will be looking for a crappy old brown dining table to transform.
All being well (& that might be a big ask!) we recarpet on Monday & I can get rooms back in order. We might go cut a Christmas tree in 10 days or so, I am thinking of making some gingerbread ornaments. Or I might do sweet FA. DP imprisoned in spare room, sort of amusing.
Today barely hungry. Daylight meal so far was 2 Heck 97% sausages, Cole slaw, spring green gratinee, 1LC brownie, 1LC bread slice with a sprinkle of mozzarella. Herb tea later

Had lunch today with another MNer - she's done Boot Camp before (and thinks @BIWI is wonderful and deserves an award for her services to weight loss over the years ) and although she's not currently doing it but will be joining us in the New Year as she's fallen off the wagon big time due to a particularly stressful time , she's gluten free so I was able to put together a lovely lunch which included a gluten-free and BootCamp compatible bread (from Tom Kerridge's Dopamine Diet recipe book).

Sounds - and looks - lovely @prettybird!

@prettybird that looks lovely.

Well great timing. My credit card has been cloned and the bank have put a stop on it. New one on its way will take a few days. But is a pain Christmas shopping as a result. And ridiculous shenanigans with Ocado who delivered before taking payment! Then discovered payment was declined.

Last nights event was rather unglamorous but fun @ditavonteesed. Just a get together with quiz in the gym but turned out pizza was delivered and I ate a piece as felt awkward not. Not sure why. I didn’t enjoy it. This morning weight up 2 lbs on yesterday. Hopefully just a blip. Annoying way to end bootcamp and all my own fault. Anyway it was good to get out and catch up with gym buddies and meet a few new people too.

Not sure what to do with myself today. Need to really get prepped for Xmas. DH is very focussed on our ongoing project which will involve building a new house next year. He is seeing prep for Christmas as an unwanted distraction. He did come home with a few gifts bought earlier in the week. Mainly for people who have asked that we scale back or stop exchanging gifts with. So no help at all. We are hosting for 9. Everyone staying over so whole house needs to be sorted and extra beds organised. Gifts and food and decorations to sort too. I think I will start writing lists. Will colour my hair this weekend too. Oh and write Christmas cards.

Not sure what food will be today after yesterday will be keeping it light.

To be honest I’m a bit down in the dumps.

Sniffly cold here (not Covid, negative test) but colds always make me hungry so I’ve been craving porridge. Have resisted and tried nuts and flax seeds with some Greek yoghurt but it didn’t really hit the spot.

On the plus side, I always shed water when I have a cold, am weeing like mad so hoping for a whoosh.

Contemplating doing some wrapping today. I usually leave it until the last minute and have a marathon session but trying to be more organised this year.

@Jollyholibobs sorry to hear you’re down in the dumps. Maybe just scale down on plans for the day and do something for yourself.

Thanks @BestIsWest hope your cold clears up soon.

Oh @Jollyholibobs I know that feeling well.

Does it help to know that it will pass? It's horrible to sit with feelings instead of trying to eat them away so distraction is usually my best strategy.

Lists for Xmas sound good - I did mine yesterday and felt much more in control.

Can you ask DH to take back the presents? And then create a shared list / Google doc so when he's feeling useful he has something to work through?

I've just made my Grandmas famous fish pate which is super Bc friendly.

*Fusion's Grandma's Fish Pate
*
200g smoked trout
80g melted butter
60g cream cheese
1/2 juice lemon, black pepper
Dill would be nice

170g smoked salmon
100g melted butter
80g cream cheese
1/2 juice lemon, black pepper
Handful of chopped parsley

200g smoked mackerel (this gave a portion left for fridge for next week!)
100g melted butter
60g cream cheese
1tsp horseradish
1/2 juice lemon, black pepper

200g smoked salmon slices

Line a load tin with cling film.
Lay smoked salmon pieces around the edge and hanging over the top
Process and layer each pate - leaving it to chill between layers
Fold salmon over the top

Can be frozen.

And in other news I just persuaded DH to forgo the carbs I usually add to his plate so he joined me in Thai baked salmon, a red prawn & spinach curry and a huge veg stir fry.

I also am deep into Why We Eat So Much which is enlightening and terrifying in equal measure so hoping he will read it after me.

@prettybird that looks delicious.
@Jollyholibobs I hope your feeling a bit better today, sending positive vibes. I would say remember Christmas doesn't have to be about making everything perfect but then I know I put the same pressure on myself. What a nightmare with your credit card and what awful timing.
@BestIsWest hope the cold disappears soon, it's yucky and well done on resisting the carbs. Colds always make me hungry as well, I wonder why. Lots of hot drinks is what I prescribe.
@FusionChefGeoff would you recommend the book, or does it just make you feel bad and anxious about eating habits. I know mine are very messed up.
I had a lovely meal out last night with a group of friends I met at playgroup 18 years ago, everyone was very glamorous and I wore a dress I would never have even looked at. I tried it on for a joke and dh said I should buy it as it looks lovely, very sparkly, very tight and very short. I also wore a really long dark wig, I am embracing wigs I can make myself look like a totally different person every time I go out and I feel all glamorous.

@ditavonteesed yes I think I would.

One of my issues is that I have a deep rooted, programmed judgement from childhood that fat people = bad / lazy / less than. I absolutely hate this and it drives a lot of my disordered eating. The first few chapters look at all the reasons people are overweight including genetics which was very helpful at unlocking that.

I love understanding the science behind stuff as until now I've just had absolute faith in Stuntnun and BIWI et Al but to hear the full explanation of why fat is GOOD for us really helps to cement it.

Admittedly and inevitably there are now contradictions

I'm also aware not to get too obsessive but work on progress not perfection! So if I can reduce the bad oils by 80% I'm not going to stress about the 20% I can't control for example.

I'm also hoping that it's another nail in the coffin for the ingrained belief that sweet = treat!!

Sorry to hear of those who are struggling and hope today brings new resolve.

I'm on a pre-Christmas family visit tour. The group breakfast today is.... Croissants filled with ham and cheese. Yesterday was a creme-brulee whisky porridge

Actually yesterday was easy, I cracked the top, swirled it around the bowl then apologised that it was too sweet for my tastes (without having even tasted it). Also avoided the cinnamon bun and only ate crispy bacon and devilled eggs.

This morning I will just be too busy chatting to eat...

The rest of the food is mainly tapas type meats, cheese olives so I fill up on that. Tonight is Christmas Dinner, and I'm well used to navigating round potatoes.

Joliholibobs sorry you are bit down, the credit card cloning is a pain.

I need to write lists too. Have had bad dreams 3 nights in a row, no idea why. I do go through phases of this from time to time. I prescribe a walk in the cold fresh air for myself.

Roast chicken today, I will have celeriac while the others have potatoes. Can’t believe bootcamp is almost over.

I need to get organised too. Most of my presents have been ordered online. Just need something for DM and some stocking fillers. Plus have to buy DMs presents to us...
Food today will be leftovers from last nights curry. The only thing that would fulfil the demands of my cold were cheddar cheese and butter sandwiches without the bread. Then I was too full to eat the curry when it arrived.
Craving crispy bacon though so might have to send out DH for some.

I’d definitely recommend that book @ditavonteesed - it’s well written and gives very clear explanations of the science.

I agree @FusionChefGeoff though, that there’s no point in stressing about the times/situations you can’t control - that way madness lies!

I’m away in Wales this weekend having an early Christmas with my SIL as she’s flying off to Oz next week to be with her daughters and their partners, and her grandchildren. I must remember to start the final chat thread tomorrow!

Morning all thanks for kind wishes. I’ve just woke up and drunk a cold black coffee which DH must have put by the bed hours ago. Shocked by how late it is. I must have needed the sleep. Have also had weird dreams. At a work meeting where someone had put a sticker on the window naming and shaming me for not shutting it last time. Then I was lost, had lost my phone and car key. Was asking random strangers if they knew the way to toys r us where my car was parked. It was an unknown seaside town in North East hence everyone I spoke to had an accent. It was difficult to find a stranger to ask because they were all asleep on the beach. It was sunny. When I did find someone to ask they spent ages rooting in a beach bag for a phone which when retrieved was an archaic non smart phone and no good to help me find my car as no google maps. Hah, hah. Quite ridiculous but symptomatic of how overwhelmed I’m feeling at the moment I think.

@venusandChristmars you are so good at this. I’m sure I’d have eaten the creme brûlée porridge. ( Was tempted to keep the autocorrect there that had crime for creme!) enjoy your lovely family time.

I really got a lot from why we eat too much.

@FusionChefGeoff love the sound of your grandmas fish pate. I assume it slices into pretty striped slices. Would be lovely for a Christmas Day starter I think. Made the day before.

Email from SLC this morning to say credit card has been declined. I’m going to be doing a lot of click here to manage your account over the next few days.

Christmas tree to decorate today. It’s wedged in a corner of our sitting room uncomfortably. I have clearly bought one that is too big and since conversion of rooms to home offices the traditional Christmas tree location has a sofa in it and we have no spare space. Last year we removed a chair as nobody was coming anyway. This year I hope to need all our chairs in the sitting room. Time to get on with the day I’ve already slept through my weekly call with my mother.

B cold black coffee- not recommended
L green soup and cheese side salad.
D smoked haddock and flgv

Water and water and water

That sounds a lot like my anxiety dreams @Jollyholibobs. Definitely sounds like you’re overwhelmed

I was semi-good at my posh lunch with my Pilates Pals on Thursday: first time we'd seen each other since March 2020

I chose the tempura fish on a cauliflower purée with roasted cauliflower (but left some of the batter), then lamb croquettes on a bed of kale with a rosemary jus (Brian Maule's specialism is intensely flavoured jus ) and creamed potatoes (which I left, along with some of the coating of the croquettes ) and roasted parsnips (which I ate )

I did however have the dessert of white chocolate mousse with strawberry sorbet rather than the selection of Scottish cheeses

I gave the other 8 there a wee bag of tablet each. That's two whole batches now that I've made without having a single piece - not even the soft ball test I'd also sent up two large bags of tablet to Skye with my SIL who was visiting my other SIL. Another bag given to the MNer who came to lunch (who isn't back on Boot Camp yet ) and that's the latest batch all gone

I am very impressed with the cooking & food choices of previous posters. My life is quite serene, isolated & somewhat austere. Mostly I work, do things with my ponio or fret about building work.
But of course no carpeting tomorrow. The carpeting team won’t come until DP has had a negative COVID test, and his official isolation doesn’t end til next Thurs. I am philosophical - what will be, will be. I LF test daily (negative).
My sole contribution to Xmas at this point is stamping & addressing 11 Xmas cards; I am then writing messages in each, three are finished.
My Xmas present to DP is re-matting & re-framing a painting for him, I need to go & collect it. DP has bought me a new fireplace grate - I know, as I got it from the deliveryman-heavy! I have a few noblesse oblige presents to buy, otherwise, that’s it. I have indulged a hankering for new nightwear, I now have a pale blue with clouds onesie from Pretty Little things, and got gray velour jammies from TKMaxx. I am waiting from Germany some Giesswein slippers.
Food today, avo SLC toast plus 1 bacon rasher for daylight meal; buttered green beans almondine & salad with avo & Caesar dressing for nighttime meal.

Hello - am poorly - awful few weeks of D&V, ear infections and waiting now for a PCR :-(

Looking to join a January boot camp when Xmas and illness finished. Big fan of this WOE and want to continue on in NY.

Not achieved much in terms of weight loss and all gone to pot past two weeks but want to build on the NSVs into 2022 and beyond