July '22 Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Welcome everybody!

Here, thinks to @FinallyHere, is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

This Bootcamp will last for eight weeks, with (as ever) the first two weeks being the most strict.

I'll post again tomorrow, but just wanted to get things underway for now

Welcome @Mumtothreeandadog and @teraculum29

You have been added to the spreadsheet. There is absolutely no implied pressure to fill in your stats., if you prefer not to. I couldn't bring myself to admit to my heaviest weight, in my early days. Now I'm just a tad regretful that i don't have a record of just how much i have lost.

This WoE works really well for me, no feeling of deprivation. Joy.

Thanks for the information on Aubergine Parmigiana @BIWI Mine won’t have cheese sauce, just cheese.

I have managed to create a huge obstacle for myself. I spotted a cancellation at CenterParcs here in Ireland and booked for myself and my 12 year old autistic DS for 4 nights next week.
Its a studio so some catering facilities but he already looked at the restaurants so we could book some including one breakfast in the pancake house. I will be strong and have an omelette.
I have also have the Indian restaurant, American restaurant and sports cafe booked for a night each in the hope that I can find appropriate food.
I will bring breakfast, lunch and snack food. My biggest concern is the pool because DS will want to be there for ages and I have vague memories of the food options being nuggets/pizza/chips type and I am not doing that.
iIf anyone has been to Centerparcs on BC some tips would be appreciated
Today will be same breakfast and lunch as I have had most days
breakfast-spinach, mushroom, tomatoes fried in butter
lunch-tuna mayo lettuce wraps
dinner plan- piri piri chicken, broccoli and celeriac fries.

I have never cooked celeriac before so this is an experiment.

Hey @ChimneyPot I've been to Centerparcs Ireland twice, it is fab you'll have an amazing time! I didn't eat in the pool bar so can't comment on that one, I'd imagine it's carby fast food crap tho so fill up before, bring some babybel/pepperami snacks and fill up on black coffee and water? The sports bar options are probably bunless burger, salad and mayo as your best bet and maybe bring some of your own pre cooked cauliflower or brocolli rice to have as a side with the Indian? There are also restaurants outside of CP that will deliver to the gate, we had pizza at the time so I wasn't on BC clearly! There's a really good supermarket on site with plenty of pre packed salads meats and veg so a lot there if you get stuck too. Enjoy!

Right. I'm finally caught up.

@Bunce1 I'm paranoid about getting hungry on BC. I become anxious when lunch runs late as at a certain point I suddenly get overhungry and want to dive into the carbs. I end up eating lunch even if i'm not hungry if I know I wont have time later. Have the LCHF (Low Carb Hi Fat) snacks for emergencies. In 2 weeks time that can be a spoon of peanut butter with Greek yogurt.

@greentrees9 I've had problems with LC and exercise. It is possible to train hard on low carb - it just isn't much fun. So I cheat just a little. Yesterday I did a 64KM cycle - at the break I had a coffee with milk (all that's available, I use cream at home), and half a protein bar. Half the bar was 6g of carb. I can happily do an hour of exercise in the morning fasting, But beyond 2hours, I need a boost. If I was doing a class after work, I'd make sure to have a snack in the afternoon, so I wasn't starting on a lull. You'll find what works for you.

@CarpetMollusc @Chocasaurus and others with low energy or Carb flu - I've had it and I absolutely swear by the Hi5 tabs mentioned. I love the pink grapefruit. I often have it in my last bottle (750ml) of the day, so it ticks the 'fancy something sweet' box as well - really a lifesaver. I get mine in sports shops.

I started Tuesday. I'm in a healthy BMI - just - with a waist of 32inches. I've put on 3lb since the end of last BC so not a total disaster, as we've been on holidays & I enjoyed ice cream & desserts & croissants, knowing BC was starting.
My first gaol is 160lbs (currently 165.2) - a fantastic number for me as I was stubbornly above 170lb before I started BC

Food (yesterday):
B. Spinach & feta omelette
L. Chicken & mayo, Shoogled sprouts. (From @prettybird ) - I had them from frozen. Nuke in the microwave for 5 mins with butter, give a shake/shoogle, then microwave again as needed. I did them covered, but I'd probably take off the cover for the second half as a bit of watr comes out.
D. Burger pattie with leaves and coleslaw and grated cheddar
S. Half a protein bar. Greek yogurt.

Today:
Probably the same again I lack imagination on the food front,

OMG @ChimneyPot you just had me racing to the CP site. How did you get that?! Well do
ne. It is heaven for little boys. Be sure to book any extras quickly. I loved the Pottery Painting - I was still painting my little lady pirate long after my DSs had gotten bored.

The pancake house is like an American SitCom. My memory is zero LCHF options. Bring as much with you as is feasible.

Bootcamp does unfortunately make me smelly. I know other on Keto who say it's temporary and you just have to get through it but I never seem to get past the smelly phases. It's the main downside of low carbing for me. I can handle the inconvenience of it, but I do hate the smell. My 8 year old frequently tells me I smell like cabbages. Hasn't happened yet this time but I'm expecting it in the next day or so

If anyone else has cracked losing the smell I would be very interested. I think probably reducing meat intake would help but i don't like tofu and lots of other non meat protein sources are either dairy (which we should limit) or also quite high carb (pulses etc).

Thanks for the butter mint tea recommendation StuntNun, I will dig it out, I definitely have some.

I'm new to this so apologies if this has been covered in a previous BC but I'm making a cream sauce and just realised I don't know how to thicken it. Any suggestions involving stuff in a typical cupboard, I can't get to the supermarket before dinner.

@GeorgeCat1 making a cream sauce and just realised I don't know how to thicken it

I'd just melt extra thick double creme, creme cheese and grated cheese, perhaps parmesan or whatever I had to hand, together to make a creme sauce, which wouldn't need much thickening

@SaSamhradh there was a 3 bed available for this weekend this morning. It was snapped up before I could decide whether to book it or not.
Just check randomly. I think there is still enough covid about to trigger a few cancellations.
We we’re able to book all the activities DS wanted even if it does mean doing the Aerial Adventure early in the morning.

Well I've put 2lb on since Monday ( I know , I know , there are fluctuations) . I managing to get through 2 litres of water but not more - I think I need to start carrying water bottle round with me - DH & DS have lots of the blighters so will relieve one of them of one of theirs. Woke up really hungry and had leftover salmon with avocado and creme fraiche with two scrambled eggs and butter. Felt quite listless but have just had a bowl of tuna mayonnaise with watercress and feeling much perkier. Going out this afternoon to pick up a surprise birthday present for Dh so that will cheer me up and a reasonable walk as well.

I think one thing may be, I am giving up smoking as well. With a slight blip on Friday evening when I had 2 I haven't had one since a week on Monday just gone - so I wonder if I'm letting myself feel deprived. Yesterday evening would have loved 1/2 hour in the garden with a cigarette and a G&T - BUT I did not do it. I think part of the problem was I left too long between an early lunch and a later dinner so was hungry and a bit irritable. Hope todays plan works out better and I am awash with feelings of smugness by tonight.

Anyway it is great to hear about everyone else and much better than doing it by myself. So, sorry about the whinge - normal service will be resumed . 😊

@ChimneyPot plan, plan as much as you can.

Look at the menus on-line and decide beforehand what you will have. If they don't have that, then just accept it and say no to anything else. Try not to start feeling hungry. Eat an avocado before you go out, or have a creamy coffee. I buy individual sachets of https://www.amazon.co.uk/24-Hellmanns-Mayonnaise-Individual-sachets/dp/B005OUWK7W mayonnaise and always ave a couple in my bag so I can add them to pathetic salads.

My friend (who was on a completely different type of diet) made herself a star chart for a similar holiday. Awarded herself a star for every meal where she stuck to plan, and rewarded herself with a manicure and pedicure for a complete star chart at the end of the week!

@GeorgeCat1 what kind of cream sauce for what purpose? Lemon/lime juice thickens cream. I find that one of the delights of this woe is not having to make a bechamel sauce - no stirring and faffing. If it's a cheese sauce then wamed double cream with loads of grated cheese, half a teaspoon of grain mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Had a lovely long walk with a friend this morning - sunshine, perfect temperature, breezy; walk out along the beach, returned through dappled shade in the woods.

B - avocado
L - left over shakshukka, followed by ham, cheese and cucumber 'sandwich' (a slice of cheese spread with butter and mayonnaise, slices of cucumber, a slice of ham - all cut into 'finger-piece' slices)
D - got aubergine in this week's veg box, so I'm making mousakka - the IDP (idiot proof diet) recipe is on the meat recipe thread, about 3 or 4 posts in, so really easy to find. I put sliced potatoes in dh's half of the mousakka. Served with broccoli, grated and fried courgette.

@GeorgeCat1 I use crème fraiche (?sp) with grated cheese for my cheese sauce and it works really well.

@BasiliskStare well done with stopping smoking and boot camping at the same time. It will be so worth it.

B. Greek Yogurt
L. Chicken salad
D. Spicy pork belly slices with brussles sprouts (possibly shoogled)
2L water so far.

I have a packet of pork scratchings but I haven’t been hungry at all so haven’t needed them.

@Mumtothreeandadog we might get muddled up!

Hi everyone, Mumsnet is playing up for me so I can't seem to tag anyone but sounds like we're all doing well so far
I'm not experiencing quite the same lack of appetite as yesterday but still feeling ok and sticking to the rules.
B - Greek yoghurt, coffee with cream
L - mozzarella salad, coffee with cream
S - kale crisps and a spoon of Greek yoghurt while my toddler had his tea (stopped me hoovering up his leftovers)
D - will be shakshouka with extra green veg on the side

So my super snacky day yesterday turned out to not be so snacky after all as I was so tired when I got home at 9pm that I didn't have dinner. Which means my toddlers left overs actually counted as dinner rather than another snack.

I wonder if eating breakfast is actually making me hungrier as I usually don't eat breakfast but have been doing so for this bootcamp. In the last bootcamp I was IF but that had dropped by the way side. I'm going to try making myself drink a pint of water when I think I'm hungry for the next few days and see if it's actually thirst.

B coffee with cream
S M&S prawns in Marie rose sauce
L more sausages (we've almost eaten them all up now I swear!) with avocado, tomato, cucumber, lettuce and mayo salad
D mackerel with whatever veggies need using up

Drinks: a few cups of tea (with milk... I was exhausted and couldn't face black tea but needed the caffeine!). Lots of water.

'Re shroogled sprouts (I can't remember the poster sorry!). I massively ballsed up the first time I made them as I had no real idea but had a delish result. I sliced them thinly, loads of butter, didn't cover them (think this is where I went "wrong"), stirred a few times and cooked much longer than i should have done. They came out a deliciously slightly caramelized flavour and gently browned. I've not ever got round to trying the right way!

@BIWI funnily enough, earlier today I was wondering how long you'd been running these bootcamps. 10years is an incredible committment. thank you so so much!

Today was up and down. I had a team
lunch and my manager bought us lunch!

B- ff Greek yogurt and cucumber
l- Greek salad with hummus- I didn’t know it was in there and I can’t remember if legumes like that are ok??
D- whipped feta and crudités

Can I check on Marie Rose sauce/prawn cocktail sauce? My absolute fave but thought it would be too sugar heavy? Some home made recipes suggest tomato ketchup added?

Tomato ketchup is 23.2g/100g and the third ingredient is sugar. Plus, it's boiled down so that ⅓ of the tomato mass is boiled away, so it increases the carbs of the tomatoes.

It's a definite no, I think.

I made a successful cheese sauce for cauliflower by boiling some cream and chucking in a generous handful of cheddar. Not quite as thick as a normal cheese sauce, but very tasty.

My day:

B - IF
L - 2 boiled eggs
D - BBQ lamb steak, BBQ peppers and mushrooms, lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, vinaigrette.

Fluids: 2 cups of tea. 3 litres water. I'll have another bottle between now and bed time.

As someone who Bootcamped 8-9 years ago and is now coming back to it after a big gap, it's fun to see what has and hasn't changed. Of course the fundamentals are the same but there have definitely been some smaller evolutions - tomatoes and red/yellow peppers on the green list, yippee!

Also happy to see that no-one is talking about oopsie rolls/cloud bread 🤢 are fathead pizza and egg in a cup still de rigueur?

Nooooooo!!!!! Please don’t tell me I’m doomed to smell vaguely like the food recycling bin for ever 😳. I’m still hoping it will fade. I’m not eating loads of meat either. Well chicken and fish but not loads of red meat.

Today has been a better day, only a slight headache and definitely feeling more energised.

B - Smoked salmon & scrambled egg
L - Chicken & avocado salad
D - Bolognese, green beans & cheese

Drank lots and lots of water today, I don't feel like I've been running to the bathroom as much and up just the once in the night.

I'm still amazed that 3 days in and haven't been hungry once

Aw BasiliskStare, stopping smoking and changing your eating at once is a big deal. Well done!

Are you drinking plenty of water?