Jan '23 Low Carb Bootcamp - Week 2 - how did you get on?!

[BIWI]

Evening all! I'm posting the week 2 chat thread this evening, as I know how keen everyone will be to post tomorrow. As I'm retired now, I no longer have to set an alarm to wake up, so I don't want to keep everyone waiting tomorrow morning to post.

I love this week. It's when we see how much people have lost, and it can be a significant amount. It can be a real leap of faith for anyone who hasn't low carbed before, and all those who really don't believe you can eat that much fat and still lose weight!

I'm really hoping that you've all had a good first week, and that your commitment 'to the cause' has been rewarded with a good result - be that on the scales, with your tape measure, or the currently-too-tight clothes that you've been trying on.

Here's the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

I hope very much that you've had a good first week, and that you're feeling supermotivated for the rest of Bootcamp.

However - if you haven't lost, or you have even gained, please don't be downhearted. We're all different, and there may be lots of reasons why this is the case for you. It's also really important to note that it's not a competition. We all lose at different rates - plus, anyone who is bigger will lose more/faster than someone who is smaller.

Hopefully there are other benefits to this WOE that will keep you on track - at the very least, I hope that you have been enjoying the food, and that you don't feel deprived, like you would be on a low calorie/fat diet.

@Nugg it's funny you should say about being in a stressy situation and not having the peaks and troughs. I've found the same, I suffer from anxiety so on medication but just this last week I've had a lot on my plate (no pun intended!) with my teen DD and normally at this stage I'd be feeling so strung out, not sleeping and reaching for all the chocolate.

Morning all.

Long post incoming ...

@Lalalalalaaaa Maybe I missed a post, but what's the issue with caffeine? You can still have coffee. Just drink it black, or with cream - or if you want milk, just a small splash of milk (and don't have too many cups)

@moleeye just be wary - if you're not buying and cooking those sausages, you won't know how carby they are. And most 'ordinary' sausages are VERY high in carbs

Well done for braving the scales @Pleaseandthankyou - and I'm glad they gave you a positive result!

@Greatly stop worrying about calories/eating too much! Trust the process. From next week, when we can move on to Bootcamp Light, you'll be able to drop a meal if you want - so if breakfast doesn't suit you, then do that. Also, remember, you have been poorly. Your body needs decent nutrition to recover.

@Brassbumblebee

Hungry this morning too which was weird, maybe down to the poor sleep? So I've had breakfast

You should be eating breakfast every day anyway, during this fortnight. Controlling your hunger (and your hormones) is a key part of this first two weeks, which is why rule 1 is about eating 3 meals a day.

On milk, we still get silver top from the milkman for all of us: DH, DS and myself. I aim to get the cream from the top into one of my morning coffees! I buy the Jersey milk sometimes at the supermarket if we're running low.

I aim to limit myself to 3 caffeinated drinks per day but don't over-think it or worry too much about the carbs in milk. If it was 8 mugs a day or I was drinking lattes/cappuccino/flat whites it would be different but at about 3 cups, I don't think it matters. I like my tea strong but milky. I am thinking about trying to switch to black coffee... haven't got much further than just thinking about it yet though!

I had a nice Americano with cream out yesterday- it's worth remembering the big chains generally have pouring cream available.

@StuntNun I believe it was you who advised me to do this a long long time ago, I couldn't remember all the science behind it though. Definitely works for me. Thanks as always, I'm always amazing how much knowledge you have on all things low carb.

@prettybird maybe I should just bite the bullet and get used to it.

@BIWI I don't actually like coffee! My main source of caffeine was previously from diet coke (serious habit and no diet coke is far and away the hardest part of bootcamp for me!) or tea with low fat milk.

I remember gold and silver top @Rayna37 . We used to fight for the cream on top. Mum would be very cross if she found more than one open bottle in the fridge! I find I'm settling on a boiled egg for breakfast, knob of butter and seasalt. With a sliver of cheddar on the side to make up for lack of soldiers. FF greek yoghurt is just too rich for me first thing. Lunch will be veg drawer soup with maybe a salad on the side for crunch. Dinner Spag bol minus spag, probably cauliflower rice. The frozen steamer packs are a great suggestion. I'm so lazy, I can't be bothered blitzing a cauli 🙄.

OK @Lalalalalaaaa - but now I'm confused! Why do you think you need caffeine?!

I'm really struggling with breakfast.
Even the cream in my coffee is making me heave.
Period has arrived (I feel like all I've spoke about on this board is my period haha)
So for me my appetite drops massively and I nauseous. The joys.

Added to the keto drop in appetite I'm struggling a bit.
I got up at 7am and had some halloumi fried in the airfryer as more of a brunch about an hour ago and felt like I had to force it down.

I'll have a snack this pm. Maybe an egg and some mayo.

Then dinner this evening is mushroom curry and cauliflower rice.

If you're feeling sick, then I wouldn't force any food down @katesbushh. Just make sure you're keeping your fluids up, and eat a little bit later, when you can face food.

@StuntNun @ditavonteesed as I’m on day 14 I think I’ll have a bit of brown rice with my bol this evening (not for everyone, it’s a thyroid thing in case anyone is wondering). Just checking what is a good portion though? Was thinking 2 tbsp of cooked - does that sound ok? Or should I have more
or less? Thank you in advance, your advice is really helpful

@AllTheBlackCoffee if it's a carb refeed for health reasons, i.e. hypothyroid, then I would have a reasonable portion but not a huge portion iyswim. Maybe half of what you would get in a restaurant would be a good amount to go for.

@AllTheBlackCoffee I tend to have a fairly small portion, less than you'd get in a ready meal, I'm terrible at portioning rice tough always end up with either a bucket full or none and can't seem to find a middle point 😂. And I only do one meal so not a whole days food. I find evening meal best else it sets the carb cravings off.

@Jenasaurus - I remember gold and silver top bottles and them being delivered to the house

My mum had a sooky thing that she could use to extract the cream from the top of the bottle (we only ever got silver top but it still separated).

Random one. Has anyone done BC whilst doing acupuncture?

I had a session last night and felt really weird afterwards. Today I am really struggling with sugar and carb cravings, and haven’t eaten anything different to the last 10 days (ie it’s all first 2 weeks of BC food guidance) I’m trying v hard not to give in to it but it’s harder than first few days!

Thanks @ditavonteesed and @StuntNun will give it a go tonight and see how I feel.

I used to hate the creamy bit on top of the milk. Oh how times have changed

I'll try and remember that it's allowed @AllTheBlackCoffee and will leave The Big Stick in the cupboard

Hope that it helps you.

I think that's an interesting question - I'm permanently tired (busy job, kids, the usual) but I'm not sure that caffeine actually helps much more than the initial hit.

I think @Lalalalalaaaa that low carbing should help you then, as it should give you a lot more energy.

How well do you sleep? Because increasing your caffeine intake won't help that!

I have no idea what your diet was like before Bootcamp, but I'm guess it was probably - like most people - carb-heavy, and about grabbing quick snacks on the run? (Apologies if that isn't true).

Bootcamp - low carbing generally - should ensure that you're not only feeling more energetic, but you're also feeding your body much more nutritious food, which will also help you.

(With apologies for low carbing not being able to help with busy job and kids )

My diet was rubbish and yes the core issue is I just don't get enough sleep. I've been tired for about 14 years now 😄

@LittleMy77 I had acupuncture yesterday and have had lots of cravings today. I’d been putting them down to pms but am questioning if it might be the acupuncture now

Thanks @BIWI I’ll make sure I caveat any talk of verboten carbs with mention of my dicky thyroid so as not to derail anyone.

Afternoon all. Just had to come in to share a recipe I tried last night. I was making a creamy curry to go with some pan fried sea bass, and had planned to make cauli rice with it, but decided to try a roasted curry cauliflower recipe I’d seen a few weeks ago. It was really nice. I used a couple of shallots rather than a regular onion, and the spice mix I used was Bart’s punjab masala. Very nice.
www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_curried_cauliflower/

todays plan..
B: creamy coffee (and pain killers for a migraine)
L: celeriac and cauli soup, crispy streaky bacon crumbled on top
D: a big chicken stir fry/Thai curry concoction with a ton of veggies in.

@Lalalalalaaaa do you take a vitamin D supplement at all? Might be worth a try if you don’t.

Ooo that curried Cauli sounds lovely!

I'm trying the dirty Celeriac fries tonight - quite looking forward to it though I've never had Celeriac before so not sure what to expect.

We ended up eating at MIL last night as she had some bad news and needed some company, she had made a tikka masala (from a tesco Jar) I turned down ALL rice and naan, added some cream to my curry sauce and still woke up feeling so bloated and crampy this morning, it tasted sooo sweet too which I remember from the last time I did LCHF, I soon adapted to tasting the sugar in things and realising just how much is put into shop bought sauces!

Really back on it now but the bloating seems to be here for the day - so frustrating!

Thanks for the tips @LittleMy77 Unfortunately, it’s just me in the house that will eat veg besides broccoli, peas and carrots so I’ll definitely be trying celeriac mash, roasted and chips. Does the mash reheat?