Week 5 - May 22 Low Carb Bootcamp. The second half!

[BIWI]

Morning all.

I was going to link, as usual, to the spreadsheet, but it doesn't appear to be working for me this morning . Will have to call on @Baystard to help out!

I was glad to read on the other thread, though, about continuing losses - which is great to hear, especially as we have just finished the dreaded weeks 3 and 4. Hopefully the losses will continue from now on.

This week is likely to offer challenges with the Jubilee weekend, and the inevitable parties (sorry, work meetings)

Like many others, I expect, we're planning on a barbecue - but thankfully barbecue food is probably the most low-carb friendly way to eat at a social gathering. As long as you avoid burger buns or hot dog buns, it's usually all pretty low carb fare - especially when you're making your own salads and marinades etc.

So this week's challenge is to share your favourite barbecue recipes and tips!

@prettybird they're little buggers aren't they I wonder how many carbs are in a kilt

Thank you @venusandmars I was meaning I was trying to be virtuous about what I was eating rather than the quantity, which was quite alot (it was a lump of brie larger than DDog for example and for fried eggs read '4' 😄) but you are spot on about needing to get over the panic of eating too much. My pattern is that I get on famously with LC and then one day I just find my off switch is broken and I'm ravenous (and wildly craving carbs) all day, for several days (or weeks), and I just slide out of the healthy eating. I'm beginning to realise that for me it's probably related to perimenopause and is associated with a major hormone dip. This time I tried putting my HRT up a bit which helped enormously. I will KOKO.

Variety of veg is a challenge for me. I eat lots of green cabbage (and in winter brussels sprouts) plus carrots/parsnips/onions/cucumber/peppers/tomatoes/cauliflower/broccoli. I get a good quantity but i think i lack real variety. Experimented with red cabbage (the colour pigment is apparently good for the gut) but not convinced, it's OK as a dish on it's own but I find the way it makes other veggies blue-tinged a bit off putting. What other veg could I put in a tray bake? 🤔

I've never had butter chicken @UnOeufIsEnough I'll need to add it to my bucket list for next time we have takeaway!

Nice NSV in the bra shop @Lougle 👌

Have a lovely Saturday everyone.

@Baystard Mediterranean veg in a tray bake is pretty yum, things like radishes, courgettes, aubergine, mushrooms and peppers with loads of oil, chilli, garlic, herbs and can bung a load of cheese to melt at the end. I use my spiraliser a lot for courgetti. Trick with that is once it's spiralised to let it sit with a ton of salt on it to draw the moisture out and then squeeze it before adding to to your pan was a sub for noodles or spaghetti

I'm having my creamy coffee now and then off to hot yoga, brunch later of eggs, spinach, mushrooms, chorizo and cheese. Day is mostly errands, dog walking etc
Been invited to brothers later for homemade curry, alas I cannot control how it's made but going to make myself some nice buttery fried turmeric cauliflower rice with mushrooms as a side and bring my soda water and limes. STEP AWAY FROM THE WINE!! 🙈🙈🙈

Anyone else find dinner in other peoples houses quite stressful? Think it's the lack of choice combined with the willpower required to keep saying no to things you're being offered mixed with the self consciousness of doing something different. My family already think I'm a big weirdo because I barely drink anymore and now I've another "thing" to add into the mix 🙈

Yes @bella1426 ! I not only don’t drink at all but don’t eat meat. I still want to see friends and family but have had some pretty hurtful things said about my WOE. I try to avoid discussing my preferences and try not to draw attention but I’m already stressed about forthcoming week with extended family.

Have been very hungry this morning. Usually IF until lunchtime but had a breakfast of butter fried mushrooms and creamy scrambled egg but I am still hungry and out of sorts.

L tuna salad
D pan fried salmon and cauliflower cheese and asparagus.

More water might make me feel better.

Have a good day everyone.

I have managed to stay on the LC wagon, more or less.

Family over for lunch yesterday. I made a Coronation Chicken, pasta salad, green salad and baked some olive and garlic rolls. I just ignored the pasta and bread.

I even baked scones for our local fete cream teas and didn't have any. (Was bloody sorely tempted, though).

My only concession has been the sultanas in the Coronation Chicken, and having some gin in my low cal tonic.

KOKO :)

I went to Town today to buy some new bras, then we all went to visit my parents. On impulse, we decided that we would go and join Costco so that I could buy some delicious goats cheese. What a mistake!! I'd had no food or drink for 5 hours and there were beautiful, amazing, carbs everywhere.

DH and the kids had a 3 scoop ice-cream waffle cone. For context, I only ever used to have ice-cream for the waffle cone it came in. I stoically ignored it all. However, the other carbs were just yelling at me and I almost cried when I saw the peanut butter stuffed pretzels!!

All good, though. I got home and had a nice slice of goats cheese.

Well done on staying strong @Lougle

L: nicoise salad - leaves, green beans, tomatoes, olives, onion, cucumber, haddock and lots of dressing
S: 5 little mozzarella balls, 2 strawberries, 5 hazelnuts. 1 creamy coffee
D: lamb kebabs, side of saag paneer & leftover cauliflower cheese from last night
S: 2 squares Lindt 99% choc. 4L of water today

Drank all my water. Haven't had any wine since I started BC and feeling it this weekend!

Tbh today has been a real low point. I'm still bobbing around the weight that I put on again after dropping to 64.7 last week. I'm back down to 65.1 but still likely to register a gain on Monday, I think.

DH and the kids had a mixed grill with pancakes for dinner. I just skipped the pancake and black pudding (both favourites!) but I felt a bit cheated. I could have made myself some almond flour pancakes and did buy some almond flour, but I knew that really, I didn't need to eat them and I would be satisfied physically with the mixed grill. Mentally, the pancakes might have helped!!

B - two egg omelette with mushrooms fried in butter.
L - slice of goats cheese
D - mixed grill: 1 chipolata sausage, 1 slice bacon, 1 fried egg, fried mushrooms and tomatoes.

Fluids: 3 X 750 ml electrolyte water, 4 cups of tea.

Happy Sunday everyone!

I'm having a busy day catching up on work, ready for a 6.30am start tomorrow.

B - coffee with cream
L - avocado, egg, salad
D - slow cooked chicken thighs, caulflower, green beans

Happy Sunday!

Sorry you've been feeling down @Lougle How are things today?

It's very grey and damp here in Sarf Lunnun. Almost had to put the heating on earlier

Thanks @BIWI . I went to the Harvester for lunch today (really almost never eat out but we were in town doing an errand). Not much on the menu that was low carb but decided to have halloumi fries and unlimited salad. The halloumi came out breaded, so I told them that the menu didn't say they were breaded. The got me some halloumi strips instead. The salad was really basic. It was basically lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, and olives. Everything else was really carby (potato salad, sweetcorn, pasta, etc).
It was ok, but not worth the money.

I'll be ok, just grumbling.

We need a low carb menu campaign. There's a serious gap in the market for a low carb cafe.

Well done to everyone who has stayed strong over the bank holiday. And for everyone like me who wobbled and then fell off the wagon, well let’s get back on it ASAP!!!

Im just back from a family holiday and tried realllllly hard. But I had toast one day when I ran out of yogurt and there was far more wine drunk than probably advisable!

Back on it today.
Brunch - bacon and eggs on buttery spinach
D - Cottage pie (made mine with Swede and cheese topping), big pile of cabbage.

I might have some Greek yogurt for supper in a bit

Hello all,

L: I blended egg with spinach and phildelphia, was hoping it would make a 'wrap' but ended up like scrambled eggs. Melted some mozzarella that was going off and then had tomatoes, avo, red onion, coriander salad with it.. it was grand but didn't hit the spot
D: was meant to go out for dinner but in the end we had to stay in so DH ordered double cheeseburger for me that I had without bun followed by big bowl bowl of greek yoghurt, strawberries and handful of nuts

Food was all fine just a bit meh. I know I tend to overeat when I'm not hungry but feel unsatisfied to mindful of that tonight. Must finish off more water so will have some if I feel tempted.

I just feel food that doesn't hit the spot is such a missed opportunity!

Feeling a bit more positive after a nice dinner.

B - Avocado
L - lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, olives, halloumi.
D - ¼ pounder Aberdeen Angus 99% beef burger, slice of grilled goats cheese, roasted cabbage and leeks. Raspberries and double cream.

This is so true! We had a weekend in the lakes and I spent several evenings cooking as eating out was an impossible task! We found a nice pub on the last day that did sharing platters ( charcuterie, cheese or veggie options) which were mostly perfect, ignoring the bread!
It would be great to have a low carb option in all restaurants or pubs!

There's a low carb cafe in Hove - £5 for one cookie 😮

Many thanks for my birthday good wishes , and the lighting of the beacons ! Had a great weekend but
i fell off the wagon with , wine, cocktails and carbs . Scales will tell tomorrow, tbh I will be glad to get back on this woe , I feel better in it , so hope to drop asap whatever I’ve put on and refocus

Just checking in after our 'courtyard' street party on Friday which was an absolute carb fest. I had good quality sausages on standby but was having too much fun just chatting to people and bop-Ing to music I recognised to bother about food.

L: Cabbage & lardons/creme fraiche
Party 125ml champagne for the loyal toast and which I didn't even finish plus all.the.water.

Simply love being content to eat good quality food when it is available and perfectly happy with water at any other time. It feels so sophisticated. I've always been the person falling face first into the ice creme or whatever.

The idea of a low carb cafe sounds ideal. Mostly, though, I've noticed that the cheaper the place, the more prevalent will be carb based food.

Fresh veg and meat just don't keep anything like as well as the shelf life of highly processed foods.

Another wagon faller-offer here 👋 I very virtuously rocked up to family curry evening with my precooked brocolli rice but within 5 minutes of my mothers company I found myself reaching for the wine 🙈🙈🙈 slippery slope ensued of having no willpower to resist desert (even though I did skip naan and rice) and then me and DP having a couple of cocktails when we came home. With munchies. This morning I had some bacon and eggs and an early dinner of chicken wings in a restaurant but couldn't resist ordering the brownie with Baileys ice cream..absolute fail!! On the plus side it was utterly delicious. Oh well, off to bed now and tomorrow is a fresh start, these long weekends can be full of temptations 🫤🫤🫤

I'm beginning to wish I'd jumped off the wagon 🤣

I think this has probably been a very difficult weekend for lots of us!

That said, there are still 4 weeks left, so hopefully we can pretend that these indiscretions never happened

I'm going to face the scales in the morning. I'm giving myself a lot of negative self talk this evening which I don't think is the right approach and tends to lead me further into the fuck-it phase.

I will not attempt to eat nothing tomorrow in an attempt to undo my carbs.
I will stay focussed on moving forward and KOKO.
I will plan a week of good quality LCHF food.
I do need a strategy to deal with school holidays and being out of my work routine. Lack of planning has been my downfall I think.

Correction

Next week is week 6, so there are three weeks left.

I've had an ok few days. Thankfully no 🍷or 🍦but not enough veg or water.
My wt is bouncing around & I'm away tonight. I might have to pick the middle of my bounces for tomorrow.
I'll get back on it then.