Welcome to 2022's first Low Carb Bootcamp!

[BIWI]

Almost 200 of us signed up, so it's going to be a busy one.

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Here's a link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness lovingly managed by @ouchmyfeet.

I've added a couple of names that I've spotted this evening, but they're at the bottom of the list not alphabetised - if your name isn't on the list, add yours at the bottom, and we'll re-alphabetise it once we get going.

@RagzRebooted, what about saag paneer? I LOVE this recipe - www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/sides/saag-paneer - it uses frozen spinach but you could substitute steamed fresh spinach.

Frozen spinach works really well though. I know there are some vegetables that don't freeze well, but if you buy the whole leaf chopped spinach, when it's defrosted it really is just like using fresh spinach.

Just a note that buttermint tea bags usually do 2 cups.

We bought an air fryer yesterday and I can't wait to use it. I think I am going to do pork chops for dinner tonight.

I seem to have limited conversation topics at the moment, which only extend to ski wear, tea bags, and milk alternatives. So in that vein, I read the back of my Alpro no sugar almond milk today, and have discovered it has quite a few nasties in it. We have a considerable family history of IBD - I have UC and a couple of near relatives have crohns. There is emerging research that emulsifiers are extremely inflammatory for the gut (and they are in everything!), and Alpro almond has lecithins and locust bean gum, both no nos for anyone with IBD. So that may explain a lot for me. I have 2 'milky' coffees a day. The Linda McCartney organic soy, or coconut milks look promising, and are on offer in Sainsburys at the moment.

Good luck everyone for tomorrow!

@missfliss I think where the Mumsnet Low Carb Bootcamp wins out over other low carb/keto approaches is its emphasis on real food. American keto websites in particular are full of artificial sweeteners, coconut flour and flaxseeds so you can have all the same shit you used to eat on the Standard American Diet (SAD) but magically made keto. Whereas Bootcamp will tell you to eat a load of green veg, avoid artificial sweeteners as much as possible, increase your healthy fats, drink A LOT of water and minimise processed foods. One is a keto-friendly version of a shoddy diet and one is a healthy, sustainable way of eating. I think there's now sufficient reason to stop using ultra processed "heart healthy" polyunsaturated vegetable oils and go back to saturated animal fats (butter, lard, dripping, goose fat) and monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado oil, nut oils.) It's not necessary to cut out polyunsaturated fats entirely, for example when eating out, but it's a good idea to emphasise healthy fats that will give you a healthy omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. Weston A. Price's research is very informative here. He found that adding healthy fats into an otherwise unhealthy diet in school children had a protective effect against dental caries.

@NigellaAwesome I love our air fryer! Especially good for chicken wings - they go super crispy and are v economical!

@StuntNun that is all so interesting and fits with everything else I hear about research into dietary science.

I am not a scientist (English teacher) but I have a passion for sciency podcasts and read a lot about nutrition and psychology etc whenever a trustworthy academic writes something that is understandable by an interested lay woman. The ultra processed food thing is so important, I think, and only just appearing in public consciousness as manufacturers will continue to pooh pooh the research and put evasive bollocks on their packaging for some time yet.

I like Giles Yeo, Tim Spector, the Van Tullechen brothers (amazing podcast on UPF on BBC can't remember what it's called). I'm also keen to find out how really we can stop the damage our food industry does to the environment. It's far more complex than becoming vegan, though the flood of new vegan ultra processed packaged foods suggest it's that simple.

I read the latest Michael Moseley ''keto" version of his fasting diet (which is very low cal as well) and did find a new idea: that protein intake can affect satiation. It seems obvious because protein is filling , but apparently if you eat lots of calories but are still low on protein, your body keeps you feeling snacky until you have found some.

DH made low carb bread in the breadmaker using the Seriously Low Carb Loaf Mix. I'm looking forward to "normal" size slices of bread rather than the usual mini thin ones of the ready-made Seriously Low Carb Loaf.

I completely agree about vegetable oils and try to avoid them wherever possible, but I've yet to find a 'good oil' that works in home made Mayo.

Because of that I tend to stick to sunflower oil even though I know it's not great for me. I've tried all manner of olive oils, light, mild, to no avail, really pricey avocado oil and others that I've forgotten but none seem to work.

If anyone can recommend a brand/type that works, I'd be really grateful.

Today's food:
B: coffee (IFer)
L: cheese crusted omelette with chorizo, mushrooms, spinach and a bit of philly
D: roast beef, cauli cheese, broccoli, mange tout and one baby corn (not sure where they fit on the carb scale but DS loves them!)

My appetite has been non-existent today, I've really had to force myself to eat. Feels so weird to 'know' you're hungry but also have absolutely zero urge to eat!!

Took DS and DM down to the beach today for a wall, I had prepped my left over soup in a flask and threw some mini pepperami in the bag. DS and DM shared fish fingers and chips, I had soup and a sausage. I swerved the chips - although the crispy ones looked lovely.

B Baked eggs with spinach, red pesto, dash of cream and cheese
L Left over soup and sausage
D Pork chop with celeriac mash, leaks and spring greens

No Snacks

Interesting @Benvolio and @StuntNun

Here's a similar passage from Why We Eat Too Much about protein satiety

I'm embarrassed to say I don't remotely have a grip of what oils/fats are "good" to cook with. I find the low/high smoke point discussions around what oils to use vs mono/poly/unsaturated/saturated a complete minefield. If anyone feels able to put it simply in laywoman's terms, I'd be most grateful.

I agree, mayo not good for olive oil. I did use cold pressed rapeseed the other day which is why I'm hoping it's OK.

Spiralizers passed me by, but I just got this little peeler to shred strands of courgette. It's completely addictive (making them, I mean. It's exactly as you would imagine to eat them).

www.amazon.co.uk/OXO-11259100MLNYK-Julienne-Peeler-Stainless/dp/B07L5D3QQ8/ref=asc_df_B07L5D3QQ8/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292358935135&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7055044255608507904&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007152&hvtargid=pla-645324068158&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

I also feel like my appetite has dropped off a cliff today. I ate lunch because DH had prepared it but could have managed without. I'm going to drop breakfast from tomorrow.

B: bacon and scrambled eggs with boursin and spring onion
L: H/made creamy chicken soup
D: 2 sausages, broccoli and celeriac/leek mash

I'm going to double check the alt milks currently in the fridge
And reread the section on omega 3 and 6 as I feel completely in the dark

B - coffee (IFer)
L - an avacado and a cup of tea with whole milk
D - roast pork, 1/4 cooking apple, 1 slice roast onion, and FGLV, packet porky puffs (crackling type)

I haven't been wildly hungry today either, I had the avacado at lunchtime because I thought I ought to.

@Mimosa1

Interesting *@Benvolio and @StuntNun*

Here's a similar passage from Why We Eat Too Much about protein satiety

I'm embarrassed to say I don't remotely have a grip of what oils/fats are "good" to cook with. I find the low/high smoke point discussions around what oils to use vs mono/poly/unsaturated/saturated a complete minefield. If anyone feels able to put it simply in laywoman's terms, I'd be most grateful.

Good fats to cook with: butter (add a little oil for frying at higher temperatures so it doesn't burn/brown), lard, dripping/tallow, goose fat, duck fat, olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, cold-pressed rapeseed oil.

Good fats to use at room temperature: butter, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), avocado oil, walnut oil, macadamia oil, other nut oils except peanut (which is actually a legume rather than a nut.)

Bad fats to be avoided as much as possible: vegetable oil, sunflower oil, corn/canola oil, standard rapeseed oil, peanut/groundnut oil, soybean oil, margarine.

Fatty fish (tuna, salmon, trout etc.) are an excellent source of healthy omega-3 rich fat. The natural fats found on meat are also healthy but it does depend on how the animal is raised to wild-caught salmon is better than farmed salmon, free range chicken is better than barn-raised chicken etc. HOWEVER, don't get too hung up on these differences. It's better to eat unprocessed meat and get all those lovely fat-soluble vitamins than to worry over whether your beef is grass-finished or not.

Hey everyone, I've finally caught up with the thread. I've loved this first week doing low carb and can't quite believe I've not had bread or pasta. I haven't even missed it which is incredible.
The one thing I am finding is even though I am eating so much green veg/salad I am just not getting enough fibre. Sorry TMI but I am terribly constipated. Does anyone have any tips. I'm drinking my 3 litres daily maybe I need more?

Thanks @StuntNun.
I've screenshot your post. I cook much much more on this WOE so it's good to have to hand.

@AllTheBlackCoffee, I can helpl you with a brand but I compromise and use the cheapest olive oil in the supermarket as it has a less harsh taste than pricier olive oils.

I bought some cacao nibs for an after-dinner nibble. I don't think they are really low enough in carbs to be a permitted bootcamp food, but I really felt the need for something healthsome and treaty to nibble on in the evenings, and I am only planning to have a very tiny amount each day (a tablespoon). Plus they are SO ram-packed with nutrients (including some that can help blood sugar control according to Dr Google).

I haven't had them for years and I was blown away by how lovely they taste. Not everyon'es cup of tea because they are bitter. But the taste is complex and AMAZINGLY like red wine. So much so that I googled "why do cacao nibs taste like red wine?" Surprisingly I couldn't find relevant results.

The ones I bought are roasted, and I might look for unroasted ones in case they are even better for you. Meanwhile, I am loving the experience of tasting red wine without drinking red wine. And I am relieved to find a fairly positive way of channeling my evening snackiness. I know it is a bit of a compromise of the purest bootcamp ideals, but I hope it can work for me.

Kirstyr455 I became horribly constipated for a couple of weeks when I did my first bootcamp and transitioned from a very high-carb diet. I don't know why it happened, but it was uncomfortable and demoralising. To reassure you, it did go away after those first couple of weeks. I think it was just the sudden change, rather than any long-term feature of the WOE.

@NigellaAwesome we unpackaged our air fryer today too! I did chicken thighs in chilli oil with garlic, oregano and paprika and they were delicious! Loved the really crispy skin on them!

@BIWI that's the recipe I used, the bechamel was ok but did go a bit scrambled eggy..🤔

Not sure how I'm going to eat it all, will try freezing portions so I've got lots of easy meals.

I weighed myself today and haven't lost anything 🙁 but since Xmas I have lost 5lbs, just not drinking. So it's a start at least.

I feel like I've eased myself in this week and when I've been paid I can plan ahead and buy more low carb food in, I've just been surviving off the freezer and what was handy this past week. Not sure what to do about dinner at the BFs, he does love chicken breast wrapped in bacon, maybe I can suggest that with lots of veg. He won't eat chicken thighs. No butter there, he's of the opinion that all fat is bad, plus salt...it's a bit tiresome, hes not picky but his dad has heart problems, had a bypass when he was only about 7, so he's very scared I think.
I might take butter to keep in the fridge, I'm only there once a week at most but it'll last, could also take cream for my morning coffee in my lidded mug to take to work the next day I guess..
Planning, urgh.

@Kirstyr455

Hey everyone, I've finally caught up with the thread. I've loved this first week doing low carb and can't quite believe I've not had bread or pasta. I haven't even missed it which is incredible. The one thing I am finding is even though I am eating so much green veg/salad I am just not getting enough fibre. Sorry TMI but I am terribly constipated. Does anyone have any tips. I'm drinking my 3 litres daily maybe I need more?

@Kirstyr455

Firstly, when you say you're constipated - do you mean you just haven't been, or that you're having trouble going? If the former then no need to worry! If the latter, then ...

Second, are you eating plenty of fat? Re the water, you haven't entered your weight on the spreadsheet, so I'm not sure how much you should be drinking.

If you are eating all the fat, drinking all the water etc, then how about exercise? No idea how much you're doing now, but just up whatever you're doing. So if it's nothing - just get up and go for a walk for half an hour. If you're already exercising, try and do a bit more.

Fats wise, we filled our deep fryer with beef dripping and I roast potatoes etc in lard. DH uses lard for frying eggs etc and butter and lard for curries (ghee is expensive!). I use butter, cold pressed rapeseed oil or olive oil, depending on what I'm doing.

Oh and our deep fryer has an exposed element but it's been absolutely fine. We melted the far when we filled it. It last ages, and is a lot more stable than vegetable oil. Actually we haven't changed it yet and we did this several months ago but it still smells and tastes fine! (DH is in charge of the fryer)

Yes I'm keen on avoiding seed oils these days too. Inflammation issues seem to be related to causes of lots of health concerns.

I had a strange day yesterday, I felt hungry all day and kept eating, I felt like I couldn't get full - low carb but not entirely bootcamp. Quite a lot of almond butter, with actual butter on the same spoon. Some cheesies. I wouldn't recommend it, but it's happened to me before and I was still 6lbs down today. Hormones? Fighting off Covid (everyone in the house has it, I had it over Christmas instead)? Last minute carb flu?

To keep costs down, cheaper cuts of chicken are a good way forward, and I'm also a great fan of frozen veg: green beans, sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, Mediterranean veg, unchopped spinach.

All this talk of milk substitutes - have you all tried double cream in your coffee? It's delish. Not so good in tea, granted.

B: Creamy coffee
L: Eggs w spinach and Boursin
D: cauliflower and broccoli cheese, med veg, chicken breast (leftover from roast chicken) fried in butter with salt and pepper.