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

Well done everyone 👏

Doing well on the veg front the last couple of days and feel energised and happy. Also my eye bags have improved dramatically (due to the water I imagine).

As an apple shape this way of eating works really well for me as it flattens my stomach and also my face looks a lot tighter and less bloated which I'm pleased about.

I think apple-shaped people really struggle to hide their weight gain (well I certainly do) as I can have skinny arms and legs but a really big tummy and hamster cheeks so it's been great doing this (since 3rd January) and becoming happier with my shape and face again whilst eating lots of nice food. Thanks @BIWI and everyone else on here!

Happy Monday all.

Well, having had a great week food-wise, I was coming on to report a loss of 7lbs, but I was convinced my electronic scales were off... so sent my DH to buy mechanical ones.

And unfortunately they were - by about 12lbs! So I've amended my starting weight upwards and will just KOKO and try not to be too despondent about it

@NoraEphronsNeck Well that's a bugger! But on the plus side you have still lost 7 lbs, all it means is you have a few weeks longer to your target. Still for the shock!

Thanks Willow

I'm not sure I have lost 7lbs though as each time I weighed they were showing a completely different figure. They really were all over the place but were absolutely fine last week.

On the bright side my clothes are definitely looser and belly less flabby so changes are happening.

I've had a pretty good day foodwise, eggs and avocado for breakfast and leftover cream of broccoli soup and for dinner I've made a lasagna with pasta on one side and slices of aubergine on the other, with cottage cheese mixed in. Very excited!

It was much easier to cook a FTGV when not working so i think i better shoogle some sprouts to up that fibre!

Ive drunk 2L of water so better get cracking. I had my first review since returning from maternity leave it was sort of underwhelming especially as i'd been really nervous about it. Over now at least!

@Jezzballs2000 - I am craving a lasagne now.

A low carb tip: cottage (or ricotta but I can't tell the different once it cooked ) cheese mixed with beaten egg makes a good substitute to Béchamel sauce if you're making something like lasagne or moussaka. Especially if you add in some slices of mozzarella if you're layering

Jesus, Mary and Joseph @Jezzballs2000 that looks AWESOME 😋

I got some baby aubergines reduced but I don't know what to do with them , any suggestions oh wise ones?

Thanks guys

I am happy with this one, i fried the mince and put it aside and then cooked the sauce with big chunks of lazily cut random veg then blended when the veg was soft, and mixed the whole lot. I added a beef stock cube this time which seasoned it nicely. For the aubergine i cut them in slices and drizzled with oil and precooked in the oven for a while. I mixed a pot of the cottage cheese straight and then layered up on one side with the aubergines and broken up lasagne sheets to make it fit on the other side. I cooked it for 40 mins at 180. Toddler had an eighth i had a half

Checking in with thanks for a new thread and a 7lb loss.

Focus is on water this week as I'm put to shame by those without easy access to a loo in work.

Ohhhh and I tried lots of my clothes on which all look consistently dreadful but I'm excited at the prospect of wearing my new old wardrobe going forward.

B 2 x creamy coffees as it was an early one with DS, small bit of cheddar
L Cheese, Ham, Salad, Pickles
D Tandori chicken, Saag Paneer

Good tip on the cheese sauce Prettybird

thebestfreefrom.com/product/keto-wrap-mix/

This is an Irish website with low carb baked goods. I've just ordered now - my attempts at baking are useless.

B: Creamy coffee
3 eggs baked with courgette & peppers & cheddar.

L. HM Tomato soup with philladelphia
D. Salmon & coleslaw.

Yes to folks commenting on energy. I skipped swimming last Monday, too tired, but I'm just going now. NSV!

@RagzRebooted YWA is great isn't it! I've never done it before but it being short and sharp is great for fitting in before work, making feel like you've done something worthwhile, but also means I don't dread the hard work. It feels really doable. High five for excellent self care, here and there!

Evening all

Just 1lb off for me. A little bit disappointed but I'll KOKO.

Foodwise today was

B - black coffee and water (16:8)
L - Roast chicken, green veg stir fried in butter and swede mash
D - Chicken curry and sprouts

@StuntNun that loaf looks fantastic. What sort of a bread maker do you recommend? I have never used one and some seem very expensive. The SLC bread has a soft chewy crust. Is yours more like a normal loaf? I wonder how long it will keep or does it have to go into the freezer. In the first lockdown I made a lot of delicious bread but those days are gone.
I do take low carb sandwiches to work. The tiny slices probably help to keep the carbs and the calories down.
No loss for me. Have been working very long hours with no access to low carb food. Should be more like normal from today.

It's an old Panasonic breadmaker @Pleaseandthankyou from when my DS3 and DS4 had soya intolerance and we had to make all our own bread. You could make the low carb loaf with a normal loaf tin I'm sure. It came out similar to the ready made one, just in a better size for proper slices.

I made a lovely soup from lunch .. with a shallot softly fried in butter , a carrot and a courgette .
Then , the secret ingredient leftover cauliflower cheese ( the @BIWI recipe for sauce ) chicken stock ( from a cube ) and S & P , then blended
Ribs sticking and delicious

( note to self , find favourite dress from back of wardrobe and try it on for size and see progress )

@H1Drangea your soup sounds delicious!

Food today:

B: 2 coffees across the morning
L: asparagus & leek soup. Chicken salad with little gem, tomato & cucumber with mayo
D: taco beef with mexican cauli rice and homemade guacamole.

I bought tonnes of avocados yesterday as they were reduced to 19p each in Sainsburys.

Hello all
There are some great losses on the thread.
I weigh on a Friday and I am now in week 3. I've lost 4lb so far, which I'm thrilled with. I have stopped craving sweet stuff which is good, because I have a house guest who is bringing home chocolate and crisps everyday despite being asked not to.
Onwards and downwards

Also my eye bags have improved dramatically (due to the water I imagine)

Due to the lack of alcohol, I imagine, byebyecarbs!

Well I didn't lose anything this week, weighed in at 149lbs, it was 148 last week 😭 I had wine, and possibly too much milk. Also not drinking enough water. I thought I'd done ok though 🙁

Going to try to be strict, did well today, then a discussion with bf just discovered it's a visit to his parents tomorrow night, they want to get Chinese takeaway for his dad's birthday...😭
He said oh duck pancakes are healthy aren't they? Yeah, if I literally have duck, cucumber and spring onions and nothing else😬 no idea what to have. A takeaway is such a rare treat but I've never been a massive fan of Chinese apart from duck pancakes..seems such a waste! Can't think what else I can eat though. It'll just be endless questions about why I don't want rice 😭
They'll be cake too. I just have no idea how to say no without drawing attention to myself and making it awkward...I've only known them 6 months and they're lovely but very old and his dad has dementia, I don't want to seem ungrateful. Just after I'd been out to get a few things to keep in his fridge too, to make the mornings easier and had planned to suggest a chicken traybake for tea, thought I had it sorted 🙁

So todays food:
B: Yoghurt and cinnamon
S: Creamy coffee, boiled egg, half a pepperoni
L: Salad, tuna, mayo, avocado and olives
D: Moussaka
Had a couple of tiny bits of chorizo too.
At least two teas today, but all other drinks were herbal teas.

I have a snack because breakfast is at 6, I don't get a break for lunch till 2pm...my stomach was rumbling away this morning until lunch. I can't eat more than a little pot of yoghurt at that hour, or even at 8 am at my desk.

@theghostofchristmasarse

I sometimes have veg spring rolls and sort of discard the outside so I'm mainly eating filling. Chop suey seems like not too sweet, but don't eat much sauce which can be thickened with starch. Could you take just a spoonful or two of rice but then not eat it - they'll see you take some, and if it's a small quantity to start with it'll not be obvious if it's left?