Week 2 - Jan 22 Low Carb Bootcamp Thread

[BIWI]

As I'm doing more and more often, I'm starting the next week's thread on a Sunday evening.

This is because, since I've retired, I am no longer controlled by the tyranny of my alarm clock, and so will often sleep too late on a Monday morning for all the keen Bootcampers!

I love the first post of week 2, because for all those who are new and/or are sceptics about low carbing, this is the point at which they may realise just how effective a low carb WOE can be.

Anyway, here is the spreadsheet, and I really look forward to seeing everyone's progress

for us all

@Glenthebattleostrich I didn't use a recipe but it turned out pretty well

• roasted a big pack of tomatoes and some garlic cloves (did this while I had a tray bake already in the oven)
• put tomatoes and squeezed garlic into a saucepan, added salt, pepper, fresh basil, chicken stock
• blitzed with hand blender

(you could add double cream to get your fat up)

These are the seed crackers that I accidentally had today. I highly recommend them for bootcamp light. There are also recipes online to make your own. I like a couple crumbled onto soups or salads for a bit of crunch.

They sound delicious thanks @Hopeislost and @MrsTerryPratchett

I'm a bit late to this weeks post sorry. 2.2lbs off for me. Well done everyone on the weight loss, keep going if it hasn't quite happened for you yet, it will.

that meal looks amazing @prettybird

I agree about the apple shape being a nightmare, i often look like a balloon with stick legs and arms! I do find this WOE leads to much less bloating though. I have a dress i bought for a wedding last year that I didn't wear as it was just a bit too snug. im hoping to be able to put it on and not feel like I'm wearing a victorian corset soon!

@DearZoom would hot soup in a thermos (or heated at work if you have a microwave there) help with keeping full and warmer?

I've been making my own low carb bread for a while now (panasonic breadmaker) and find it pretty straight forward. I don't often have it myself, but the DP likes to have a slice of toast sometimes, or a bacon butty, so it is the easiest way to do that. I'll often make the dough in the machine, and then make rolls, freezing most so they are always there for when he has a craving. eating this way certainly changes the way you approach food I think. DP was a die hard carbaholic and didn't think he would last long this way, but he rarely misses having a traditional "carb" portion in a main meal anymore, and enjoys the alternative workarounds we use. one of his favourites is the "suspiciously delicious creamed cabbage" I make. Never did I think id hear him say that

Can I ask - are chia seeds ok on bootcamp or are they bootcamp light ? Fancied some with Greek yoghurt and cream for after dinner ...

I've very recently discovered Maple porky puffs (a crackling type snack, LC) but it has alot of flavourings including an E number that I'm not thrilled about, and a bit sweet tasting. I decided to order some unseasoned puffs instead (basically just plain puffed pork rind).

Does anyone have good ideas about how I could sweeten them? I've got a pestle and mortar so could grind down some salt very finely (I don't like crunchy grainy salt) and mix in anything else. I've not opened the bag yet so I'm not sure if they'll be oily enough for the seasoning to stick to.

No huge overthinking of porky puffs here, no sir

I know I can’t have it in the first two weeks, but is stone age bread better than low carb bread, do you think? It’s made of uncrushed nuts and seeds with olive oil and egg. It doesn’t feel like eating bread, so a bit different maybe and it’s really easy to make.

nordicfoodliving.com/stone-age-bread/

Had a disaster on Monday. Was visiting a remote office teaching a course and came out to find someone had made a huge pile of waffles. I ate one to be polite, but then had another, so a complete falling off the wagon.

Back on it now, which is good. I thought afterwards I’d monitor how I felt and try to use it as a learning experience that I CAN restart, even if I’ve messed up.

@Baystard I assume you mean season rather than sweeten

For roast veg I grind salt, pepper, fennel seeds, caraway seeds and cumin seeds. Or you could try smoked paprika?

Argh yes, thanks @venusandmars I mean seasoned, sorry!

Smoked paprika sounds good. I don't think I've tried fennel or caraway seeds but will pick some up on my next shop.

I just need to have a little scream - AARGHHHH!!!!!

MiL is in her 90's, housebound, increasingly immobile, unable to shower on her own (even in the newly installed wet room). Lives with FiL who has poor eyesight and dementia. They live in a small rural village about 2 hours drive from us. An assesment at the end of last year agreed that they needed social care support but 'that there were no staff available'. After lots of searching her dds found a private carer who will come in for 4 hours a week. She's a chiropodist by training but will help with whatever is needed - cooking, bathing, helping to deal with the recycling, companionship, shopping...

All going fine in week 1. Week 2, MiL decides she doesn't like her - apparently the carer 'shrugged' when asked a quesion. Now MiL has told her not to come back. AARGHHHH!!!!

dh is retired but it's a 4 hour round trip to visit, worse if there's traffic, and of course he can't help her with showering. One of their dds lives slightly closer (still 1.5 hours), but both of the dds work full time. Collectively we cannot continue to provide the level of care that is becoming needed. We thought we had a good solution. It is so frustrating. dh is furious.

It's not the first time - she sent the physio packing last year, and put the phone down mid-way through the social care assesment because they asked about her toiletting habits. I understand that it must feel horrible to be losing your independence but realisticially PiL's independence is increasingly fragile anyway and only works because were all stepping in.

My role is the feeding! MiL was feeling tired and lacking energy so her doctor advised her to eat a couple of biscuits everytime she had a cup of tea. Now she's eating a lot of biscuits but is then too full to each much lunch or dinner! Seems like a bit of a flawed strategy. I'm trying to counteract all that by making dishes for the freezer that are full of meat, chock full of veg, and also high fat. In tiny portions so she's not overwhelmed.

It's all so sad, they say there is no pleasure in their lives except my delicious meals, of course

Just catching up, rough week with my daughter refusing school again, I'd usually comfort eat but I didn't which is something..
I failed a lot at Chinese birthday dinner though...the menu was on just eat, so very little info..had duck pancakes ingredients with no pancake, a tiny drizzle of hoisin which I know is too sweet but it was so boring without...then had mushroom chop suey, beef in ginger with spring onions...thought that might be all good, but it just felt like it was massively carby..so sweet. Didn't really enjoy it, it wasn't great. Drank fizzy water even though we were offered wine and took a bit of cake, tried the tiniest crumb to be polite but God it was sweet! Horrible 🙁

Better today though, couple of hours at work doing art therapy sessions, which is a new thing for me, then home to try to sort the house out and take DS for his chicken pox vaccine...he hated it, was so traumatic, got him cake after, I wasn't even tempted.

B. Creamy coffee and pot of full fat Greek yogurt
L. Scrambled eggs
D. Chicken thighs in Thai seasoning (traybake from Aldi), cauli rice. The chicken was under a quid as reduced on Sunday, straight in the freezer and defrosted today, was delicious! Cauli rice not so much, think I'll stick to FLGV next time.

Had about two teas all day, so not so bad. Made a load of egg muffins for work breakfasts, still got a fuckton of Moussaka left so will freeze that for later dinners, pretty sorted for the week.

I've long suspected I have IBS, but I thought it was lactose setting it off. However, I can now see that wine, or and sugar/carbs seems to be the culprit, as after the Chinese last night, I had a horrible morning, needing the loo every 5 mins until lunchtime. Another very good reason for sticking to this WOE.

That sounds really tough @venusandmars

bad day for me today, super busy at work so no time to cook. today's food was a cheese string and two bags of fridge raiders, and i don't think i can be bothered making any dinner since I'm tired and not hungry.

@Glenthebattleostrich A great and easy soup is curried cauliflower.
Soften chopped onion or shallots in butter, add a dollop of curry powder of your choice and warm through. Add a full bag of frozen cauliflower, stir through then add chicken or veg stock to just cover. Cook till soft, blend then add cream
You can vary it by leaving out the curry, using cauliflower and broccoli mix or adding cheese

@venusandmars that sounds so difficult when they're so far away. We're lucky that MIL is in good health at nearly 80 and only lives a few miles away, although DH can't drive so one day that will be my job...

@Theghostofchristmasarse sorry to hear your DD is struggling with school. My DD16 was doing about an hour a week last spring/summer (she had post viral fatigue and now massive anxiety) but she has got back up to about 4.5 hours most days so there is hope. It's so hard isn't it, for them and us, anyway just so you know, I feel your pain.

Made the diet doctor pesto chicken casserole for tea, was absolutely delish. Couldn't decide which pesto to use so made two lots, one red one green. Think the red edged it. I used 200ml overall of double cream instead of 300ml, which was plenty. Think I'd put a bit more pesto in next time but other than that was lush.

@Icaru

bad day for me today, super busy at work so no time to cook. today's food was a cheese string and two bags of fridge raiders, and i don't think i can be bothered making any dinner since I'm tired and not hungry.

I'm sorry you've had a bad day

But ...

... if you don't feed yourself properly, you won't give yourself the energy (mental and physical) that you need to deal with tomorrow!

And CheeseStrings and Fridge Raiders?! Have you read Bootcamp rules about not eating processed food?

You're in a vicious circle - can't/won't cook because you're tired/because you're tired you can't cook.

It's really important that you plan ahead and make sure you have stuff in your fridge/cupboards that you can grab easily that will be not only low carb but also good for you!

@venusandmars that sounds incredibly frustrating. Can your DH or his sisters explain to your MIL that her options are narrowing each time she takes against someone?

I made the frittata tonight. It was absolutely divine, and not at all like those horrible egg muffins I tried to make. Me & DS scoffed the lot!

Recipe attached if anyone is interested. I used half spinach half basil leaves which was good. The lemon zest and juice sprinkled on top make all the difference.

On the soup front, my favourite is spiced cauliflower soup from Produce on Parade. The ratio of spices is just perfect and it is velvety smooth.

@NigellaAwesome I think dh is being dispatched tomorrow to try and broker a further visit. He'll be laying it on thick how it's not fair on MiL's dds (especially the golden child) and how reassured they were to know someone was visiting and helping out.

The obious answer would be for them to move nearer to us all, but with FiL's dementia any change of scene would be terribly unsettling. Although it will come eventually, at least for one of them...

It all makes me think seriously about what I might do if I reach old age... I hope I'll be more willing to accept (and pay for) help. Anything to keep me out of hospital and away from dire hospital catering! I had a short spell in hospital a couple of years ago, the food choices were truly terrible and dh was bringing me M&S food, much to the envy of other patients, and staff!

Anyway on to cheerier topics, we are going to an Italian wine tasting evening this week (thanks Lidl). 6 reds. So I've devised an accompanying 6 course menu, which with the exception of 'il dolce' which I'll be avoiding anyway, is all very bc compatible There's olives, nuts, cold meats and green salad, fish salads (octopus, prawns, anchovies), meatballs in tomato sugo, italian cheeses. Although with it being a wine tasting, I expect some wine will be consumed.

Thanks for the article on mental health @BIWI - interesting reading.
All the best sorting out those difficult situations @venusandmars and @Theghostofchristmasarse .

Here, ending the day with the smell of slowly cooking duck drifting around the house. It's going to be gently cooking all through the night and will be delicious to eat tomorrow.

Like some PPs, I'm beginning to get thirstier now. So I've also upped the salt. And tomorrow I'm going to be adding lemon to fizzy water to sort out the electrolyte situation. Fingers crossed.

Hi all

It’s so helpful reading all of your threads. Some great ideas and strategies to keep on track. I have not weighed yet psychologically not ready! I do worry about gaining more weight because of the fat! I know I have been encultured into LCal diets!

Such an Interesting article about LC diet and mental health BIWI.

I have a big pack of chicken thighs that I, going to roast today, does anyone know how I can ensure they go all crispy skinned and yummy?
@venusandmars that sounds incredibly difficult. Wish there was an easy solution.
@Theghostofchristmasarse school refusal is so stressful you have my full sympathy, dd was quite bad until recently, she is in y11 now and this year seems better so far (touch wood).

@ditavonteesed this is my go to for chicken thighs, without the salad usually but it would be good too (minus the mango).

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/rachel-khoo-there-s-the-rub-8667290.html%3famp

It's basically cover the thighs in a lovely mix of dry spices, drizzle with oil and cook at 200c for 25mins. It's so good!

@ditavonteesed - love your spa at home.
^^I'm at a health spa, if only it wasn't full of stroppy teenagers they really should vet who can come to these places). - made me chuckle!

@prettybird - your burns meal and table decor looked amazing. Hope you had a fab evening.

@fitflopqueen - those lentil wraps sound lovely. Will make a note for non BC times.

@BIWI thanks for explaining flaxseed & almond flour as something to have with caution due to carb count.

Yesterday:
B: coffee with cream
L: tuna Mayo with celery
D: chicken roasted in butter with leek & mushroom in cream sauce. Greek yog.
Snacks: cucumber, ham slice & celery.
All the water.

Focus on more greens today.

@ditavonteesed roast them on a grill pan so the juices drip through the wire at 220C for 35-40 minutes. Make sure you spread the skin out so it will crisp up. If you want to marinade them, put them in a plastic bag or a container with a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic purée or powder, mixed herbs, extra basil (fresh if you have it is better.) I would also add a splash of balsamic vinegar but it's not essential if you're being strict. They don't need a long marinade; 20 minutes will do if that's all you have.

Weight has been unchanged all week but NSV. I went out last night and so wore something other than joggers for a while I'm still in my fat jeans BUT I needed a belt. I still look too much like a badly stuffed sausage for my less-fat jeans.