Week 6 - Jan 22 Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

As ever, here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

We're now in the last three weeks. It might not seem that there's much time left, but there's still a chance to lose as much as half a stone if you're really disciplined!

Hopefully you've all settled into low carbing by now. People have been posting some really great recipes, which should not only be appetising, but also persuading us all that low carbing is a joyful and satisfying way of eating for all the family.

One of the things that always thrills me - genuinely - is how many other benefits (beyond weight loss) there are from low carbing. For me, it was the sudden absence of my IBS. What about you? How have you found that low carbing is helping your general health?

Next week's challenge is a bit of throwing down the gauntlet - all those of you who are lurking! Post something about how you're feeling about low carbing/Bootcamp. Anything!

I hope you all have a good week

Covid has completely wiped out my appetite but I'm trying to eat a decent meal once a day.

My NSV, assisted by covid I suspect, is that my bit-chubby jeans will now fasten (just) though they're a skinny-ish style so they look like they've been painted on

More excitingly my favourite slim cut Levi's that are my goal weight jeans, whilst still about 2" away from fastening, can be persuaded past both my thighs and my hips and just need my belly to shrink a bit and they'll look pretty respectable.

B- black coffee
L-no appetite
D-big salad- avocado, 1" square grated cheese, pepper, tomato, cucumber, souple tbsp soured cream and a couple of chicken goujons (not LC but wheat free and only had 2). Followed by couple tbsp blueberries and lots of double cream.

Bit concerned I'm slipping into OMAD a bit too easily so will try to have lunch tomorrow regardless of appetite, maybe a few boiled eggs mashed with butter if I can stomach them.

@FinallyHere in the end DD wasn't feeling that well so we called in to say hello then made our excuses. I bought M&S crackling sticks on the way home.

@NigellaAwesome 😀

@venusandmars I would live to get my blood pressure correct. My gp told me I will be on medication for rest of life. Last check up 6 weeks ago was still high

I don't have as many headaches since I started this WOE

@ShangPie enjoy your trip to France

@Andi2020 I just had a quick look at the spreadsheet (apologies if that feels a bit stalkerish) and it doesn't look like you are massively overweight so it's not going to be a simple as 'loose some weight and your blood pressure might drop'.

And of course for some of us (and I include myself in this) there might be a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure. And that might mean that we can count ourselves lucky to have medication to help regulate it (unlike my granddad who died aged 54).

I also have some other family illnesses with genetic links so I want to limit what medication I take, and to leave as much space as possible for whatever meds might be needed in the future.

When my bp was really, really high, I first lost a bit of weight (I was overweight, not obese [only just avoiding obese]), I cut out alcohol, coffee, sugar, salt, dairy. It helped a bit and I could stop one of the bp meds.

The no salt, dairy etc approach was tough and miserable and didn't feel very sustainable. And I was still taking a hefty dose of bp meds.

But it was hflc that made the difference. Cutting out carbs and being in a 'fat burning' state means that I have added back some coffee, salt, moderate dairy. The things that for me make life worthwhile I now take a 'sub-clinical' dose of my bp meds. I've dropped another medication. The only drug I take has been reduced from 10mg to 5mg, and now I break each tablet in half. I asked for 2.5mg prescription but apparently it is not available in such a low dose as it is clinically ineffective. [I still take the half dose, as otherwise my bp becomes unstable at times, so on personal basis I find it clinically effective]

Good luck!

Had an ok couple of days but due to go and stay with family until the end of the week so need to think about how to KOKO.

Visiting a relative who has always eaten a very low fat diet and lots of fruit. They’re not too big (in my opinion), but are constantly trying to shift weight and complaining how unfair it is that they have such a healthy diet and yet they’re not stick thin. They won’t be converted and I’m not interested in trying, just hoping I can eat my own food without too much criticism. They have offered to cook, but I suspect it will be small low fat portions, where I would just have to choose to leave the carbs, and end up feeling hungry. Think I’ll take a few pre-prepped dinners with me instead or I’ll be starving and end up tempted to raid the choccies.

On a more positive note, my extra veggies are slowly encroaching on the children’s beloved plates of beige.

Meant to catch up but mid term break took over. Sitting here with a cup of tea and breathing in relief that my cherubs go back to school tomorrow and I don’t need to open the bottle to come to my senses after spending 3 days with them.
It’s not too bad any other time but DS2 has ASD and being cooped inside whole day today didn’t help. Seems like every other day we have strong winds and horizontal rain which prevents us from going out.Mental.

How did the party go @NigellaAwesome? Did you manage to stay off the cake?

@Wilkolampshade good luck with your father’s visit 🙂 we (me and kids) visited MIL yesterday as FIL is in the hospital and heck knows when he’s coming home. She is a difficult character and I bit my tongue several times but she mellowed a bit with age and doesn’t make any nasty remarks anymore,even manages the compliment now and again.

She got homemade curry sauce, divine cake(I licked the knife after cutting it) and home made sourdough so nothing to complain about.
I haven’t had bread since we started. Do I miss it? I would have some but decided not to.

Weight wise- something strange happened.

I jumped on my wonky scales on Monday morning and they showed 64kg (started with 67 kg). Yet at MIL.s her digital scales showed 65.8 kg 🙁 I think scales don’t like me but I’m just going to srug it off and carry on.
Managed to put my old bra to work last week and lasted whole night in it(my only decent one has to come off at my last break as it feels like iron cage). Not much change to waist,chest and arm measurement but… despite my weight not going down much my thigh circumference is 4cm less.

@Andi2020 how long have you been low carb? It usually brings blood pressure down pretty quickly.

@FrenchBoule - everyone's scales are different. Best thing to do is to only use the same scales each time you weigh. What you're looking to track, really, is the difference more so than the actual weight. (Although clearly that number is important!)

Lunch today is bacon, eggs, fried mushrooms.

I've got a celeriac in my veg box - where can I find @RagzRebooted 's recipe for dirty celeriac fries?

Bonjour from a warm but cloudy SW France!

So far so good, but I realised that I forgot to pack my beloved M&S seeded crackers

Of course French supermarkets are all at the idea of low carb and free-from eating generally, and I am sad to learn that the cafés serving terrible French coffee “grand crème” don’t actually use cream.

Still, I am KOKO with my family who only forget and offer me carbs every few hours NSV - I managed to buy a fresh warm baguette and break off the end for my toddler without eating it myself.

Hello everyone,

I'm slinking back in after 2.5w we shall NOT SPEAK OF and am now full of enthusiasm again. I've been back on track since Tuesday and very much enjoying not feeling so slow and sluggish and all the lovely food. I've taken a few days to catch up with all the threads (what a treat!) - I came off track midway through wk3, so lots of reading, ideas, recipes - thank you all!

I've been enjoying the Schneider Brot protein bread at lunchtime after an extended fast - I allow myself one toasted slice per day (or none, its not compulsory, I just dont have more than one slice per day). So yesterday I spread my slice with squished garlic and then chopped up avo (avo was too hard to smash!), chilli flakes and fresh lime juice and 2 poached eggs. Today I spread the slice with butter then topped with mushrooms & garlic cooked in cream cheese and single cream and served with butterhead leaves.

Evening meals wise, I had shoogled brussels, fried with more butter and chopped up bacon; chicken, cheese and coleslaw salad and tonight, I am having saag paneer - yum!

I'm morbidly obese so am on 4l water a day which I do manage most days, but having ready access to a loo can be problematic. I take my kids to different activities at different locations on a Tuesday between 4.30-7.30pm so I really have to plan in my water intake/potential loo visits on Tuesdays!

I am enjoying my £1.50 for 3 x packs Cheesies, they are much nicer than I was expecting!

@Benvolio - this was many threads ago but please would you mind sharing more info, a photo or tell me how to buy a pattern for the raspberry pink angora top you are knitting please? Or can any other knitters help with any nice knits for females please? I want to get back into knitting but only have patterns for baby knits and want to try a larger project and something for me.

Thanks for all the support and chat, I love BC!

PS I am going for a fancy lunch on Saturday and would like to stay on track. I would appreciate your thoughts on what I should order from this menu please (steak out due to ££).

That’s impressive @ShangPie I think a warm French baguette would really test me!

Thanks @BIWI 🙂 where would we be without you? Always encouraging,cheering and upbeat.65kg on MY scales but that’s midday and have some water inside me 🙂

Uh oh @BaconOmelette can you take over the cooking or is it not an option? I have one of these at work,she’s always about SW or WW(can’t remember which one). Her lunch last week was “approved” popcorn and biscuit. She was on the same diet a few years back.

Not sure who mentioned health professionals and their advice. Surely different advice would apply to maintain the weight and to weight loss?

Bonjour Madame @ShangPie,surely they have cheese? Lots and lots of fat cheeses? Stay away from boulangeries though and enjoy your trip

@queenofcauliflower Schneider Brot is carb high.Other than that your menu looks like mine- had chicken quarters and coleslaw last night. Chicken must have been a marathon runner as the meat was tough so I left half of it and popped into into veg soup that is bubbling on the cooker.

Lunch- ask for main minus potatoes/chips/rice/pasta. Pastry is not good either. Lots of veg and braised cabbage for side 😋

Thanks French. I was thinking of the parfait then beef burger with no bun or chips.

I think Schneider Brot is OK, it's the protein bread so less than 4g carbs per slice:-
groceries.asda.com/product/speciality-bread/schneider-brot-protein-bread/910003058887

@queenofcauliflower I had a look at Schneider Brot at Sainsbury’s and it was definitely different one.
This one…. Looks interesting

I’ve spent all morning prepping lots of yummy-ness to take with me

@ShangPie you are doing brilliantly, carrying a fresh baguette without indulging is pretty hardcore and commendable.

Hope you get lots of delicious French food to enjoy within bootcamp guidelines.

Commiserations to @queenofcauliflower re the need to plan water breaks, I do know what you mean.

That menu looks great @queenofcauliflower . I'd be tempted by the pigs ears bar snacks to encourage me to drink more water early on in the meal

Then oysters or parfait.

Burger without the bun and salad or cabbage on the side.

Having drunk enough water I would then genuinely be too full to be tempted by anything sweet, maybe have an espresso to finish. Enjoy xx

Re steak being pricy. I don't know many places where the steak is better than we can cook ourselves, where we can control the quality of the meat involved, so would never or seldom order steak in a restaurent. I like to have something kept as a treat at home.

@FrenchBoule @queenofcauliflower I also like the schneider brot proein bread (they also do another kind but it is 35g carb per 100g). I think it's a bit like rye bread so I like it with scandanavian type open smorgasbord - cream cheese and smoked salmon with cucumber and cress; cream cheese with salami and gherkins; hard boiled egg smashed with prawns and mayonnaise. And of course with avocado (and tabasco)!

That looks like a difficult menu. I'd go for the cured salmon without the bread and with a green side salad instead, or endive with blue cheese and walnuts, or oysters (but ££). For main I'd agree with the burger with no bun / chips. See what else they will add - cheese? crispy bacon? avocado?

@BaconOmelette isn't it lovely to plan for this delightful way of eating If I'm away I often take cheese and almond muffins and some peanut butter to spread on them. Yogurt (pre-mixed with double cream) and some berries. A chef's salad (as upthread with chicken, ham, grated cheese, chopped cornichons, celery and lots of mayonnaise) with a side salad. Chicken thighs in Thai green curry (with cauliflower rice). They all look very 'normal' not high fat and low carb, even though they are. I have also been know to secretly lob a chunk of butter into my morning coffee, if I've had to eat a lot of low-fat food items!

@FinallyHere 100% with you on not ordering steak when I'm out. I swear no-one can cook it like me [embarrased brag] with just the right amount of seasoning, some herbs, lotss of butter to colour it... Plus shallots fried in the cooking juices while the steak rests, with some sliced mushrooms and a swirl of cream added in at the end.

Plus often restaurant steaks are just too enormous.

D'accord @venusandmars re steak @home

Oops, sorry, it was @ShangPie in France with the baguette.

I agree @venusandmars, we cook it with butter, garlic and Rosemary and left to rest for just the right time!

@Baystard well done on the jeans - nearly there! And I hope covid passes soon.

I am tantalising close to a stone off - 1 more pound which needs to go before BUPA trip on Tuesday 🤞

I went out for lunch today and had cod with leeks and caviar (probably not real) in beurre blanc sauce. I switched out saffron potatoes for broccoli and it was delicious. It was that or steak 😉

Just musing on my nearly stone off and it's c.6kg. Thinking back to my marmalade making and 6 1 kg bags of sugar weigh A LOT when you pick them up! Although I don't 'feel' so much lighter I was carrying that around and am not now. Another stone after this one and I'd be in the normal weight category which would be fab. I'm going to continue as I am for as long as possible. Hopefully I'll do ok without this thread accountability, @BIWI, @StuntNun and gorgeous recipe ideas.

Just saw this and it made me laugh 🤣