Jan '23 Low Carb Bootcamp - Week 8 - we reach the finishing line [grin]

[BIWI]

Morning all. Up bright and early today, because insomnia

Anyway it gives me the chance to get this week's chat going nice and early.

Here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for its final outing this Bootcamp.

Let's give it a final push this week, and see what we can do. Any cheats, or fallings off the wagon should be forgotten - let's have a good, strict last week.

Hi all, congrats on all the losses!

A second week of no loss for me, despite being strict! I am keeping positive though, I saw some family after 2 months and they all noticed the weight loss so I was pleased!

Not sure why I have plateaued but I have faith it will kick back in at some point if I keep going.

I stuck with the plan yesterday and didn't have any sweeteners or fanta zero which I had consumed previously. So that's my aim this week, along with the water and less cheese.
Im 56 so perhaps I can get away with less. I WILL CRACK THIS. I managed to resist bedtime munching.

#toothbrushingalltheway

@Glorianna but you've lost every week this Bootcamp, and have now lost almost a stone!

That's definitely not a plateau.

You've done brilliantly - you need to remind yourself of that. We always say, here, that weight loss isn't linear - but actually yours has been so far. Stands to reason that things might slow down occasionally.

Feeling all over the place today, anxious, stressed, finding it hard to concentrate. Not sure if it’s hormones, work dramas (of which there are always many) or my body getting used to the lack of sugar after a few days off piste last week. Either way, I’m not sure I’ll make it through the day without a few tears!!

As well as the above I’m feeling incredibly disorganised this week. So food is a bit all over the place too. Pattern maybe?! Disorganised = Stressed
and Stressed = Disorganised???

B: bit of cheese on between mtgs
L: salad with some protein and oil
M: might make a chilli later. I have some mince. Cauli rice.

Sorry @FinallyHere but it’s definitely brushing teeth here. Washing them brings up all kinds of weird mental images for me, I’m afraid!!

Me too @AllTheBlackCoffee. Solidarity extended, and a cup of really good tea/coffee/other warm and soothing beverage of your choosing!

I'm sorry, I still haven't read back as then I would want to comment/congratulate/commiserate as appropriate and I'm honestly so overwhelmed already and on the verge of tears for a few days now that I just couldn't keep track of it all. Lack of sleep/night time anxiety over the last week hasn't helped. But no toast eaten which I'm taking as a real win - it works so well at soothing in the moment which, frankly, helps the immediate problem. But of course it sets off all sorts of other negative consequences. So I will persist in resisting.

I hope your day improves. I hope your mind and body can be soothed somehow.

It's brushed or cleaned in our house @FinallyHere, sorry

Can I join the hormonal/anxious/overwhelmed club please@AllTheBlackCoffee and @TangledUpInDreams, I've really struggled this week. Couldn't get to sleep and then woke before 5am. Hopefully it's hormones and will be over soon. A good cry can be quite therapeutic though so I might give that a go, I'm sure that a cry does something positive to brain chemistry. Just remembered to take some magnesium too. The only positive today is that I've no desire to eat my way out of it (in fact after a very modest healthy lunch I feel a bit bleurgh and wish I'd skipped it).

Hello boot campers, I'm a previous camper under a different name and hope you won't mind me asking you for some slightly off topic help? My daughter eats LCHF and has just had braces fitted (very painful, finding chewing difficult). Everything that people have suggested she eat is sugary or carby! Would you lovely people have any suggestions for sloppy food? I've thought of things like soup and scrambled egg but could do with some more ideas to tempt her. Thank you so much for any suggestions and for indulging my interruption. 🙏

Sorry to hear I'm not alone @Baystard an @TangledUpInDreams hope you're both feeling a bit better soon. I've just had an inside out omelette and have cup of raspberry tea on the go before my afternoon of meetings starts. I might book in a good cry later and see if that helps!

@twinteenwrangler maybe something with mince might work? A low carb cottage pie or cheeseburger pie can be pretty soft. Hope she's feeling better soon.

@twinteenwrangler I think I'd do squash soups with cheese added (slightly higher carbs would be okay under these circumstances, I think) and S.E. Asian style broths thickened with eggs (boil first, then mash 'til very fine, or beat a couple of eggs, then pour slowly into boiling broth - they fluff up like scrambled eggs). Very soft veg mash with blended/pulsed protein added (beef mince, or chicken, or maybe cheese again?). I'll try to think of some more...

Thank you @AllTheBlackCoffee and @TangledUpInDreams those are good ideas, she might like the idea of a eggy broth (which I always find very comforting) and I managed to get her to eat some beef ragu with cheese on (almost cheeseburger pie!) for lunch 😊

@twinteenwrangler mashed / pureed cauliflower cheese? Mashed celeric with leeks and butter? Maybe a spoon of softened low carb nut butter? Boiled eggs mashed with butter? This could be a time for bullet proof coffee or cocoa: butter and cream for the coffee (whizzed with a hand held blender to emulsify); or cocoa powder hot water, coconut oil and cream - again whizzed in a blender. The cocoa in particular is very comforting.

Yoghurt mixed with peanut (or other nut) butter.

Yoghurt with puréed berries

Yoghurt with finely grated cucumber and garam masala as a thicker take on raita for a savoury snack/meal

Yoghurt with tahini, lemon or lime and ras el hanout or sumac or other Middle Eastern-style herbs/spices for another savoury snack/meal

Dal blended down with extra tinned tomatoes to make a thinner soup (again, higher carb but I wouldn’t necessarily worry too much as she does need the nutrients)

Well-cooked low carb cauliflower cheese?

@twinteenwrangler

The Idiot Proof Diet Moussaka might work - the topping is a savoury custard, made from Feta, eggs and cream:

IPD (Idiot Proof Diet) Moussaka

500g lamb mince
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons tomato puree
100ml water
1 large aubergine
olive or groundnut oil
3 eggs
300ml double cream
200g Feta cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 180/GM4
Fry the lamb mince until starting to brown, breaking up lumps as it fries
Add the onion and garlic and continue frying until the onion has softened
Stir in the oregano, cinnamon, tomato puree and water. Bring to a simmer and then cover and cook for 20 mins over a low heat
Slice the aubergine, brush with oil and grill, fry or griddle until softened but not mushy - it should be golden coloured
Stir the meat and if it still looks a bit too liquid, simmer with the lid off for 5 minutes or so
Beat together the eggs and cream and stir in the crumbled Feta
Layer the aubergine over the meat and pour the Feta custard over the top
Bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown

In the book it says that this serves 2 - but I would make this quantity for 4. I'm sure it's a typo!

You could chop the aubergine up small, so that it goes very soft when it's cooked

Omg I am buzzing that was so much fun, turns out I like hitting people, especially my pt.

No ideas other than soup I'm afraid or good old scrambled eggs.

@twinteenwrangler

There's also a nice-sounding recipe cheesy keto 'polenta' which uses cauliflower and superfine almond flour that could be worth a try?

Thank you so much everyone- have done a trip to the farm shop for some ingredients and snacks (and also to the pharmacy for some codeine ) and things are looking up. Moussaka on the go here for tonight. I like the look of that polenta too may give that a try some time. Thanks again

@twinteenwrangler fish should be ok? I'm just making a cauliflower mash topped fish pie which might be the sort of thing for another day? I would strongly caution against peanut butter still a bit scarred from the memory of eating a marathon bar while wearing braces

Good point - Should have clarified i meant watered down/whipped peanut butter! oh no you would not want that stuck in your teeth/braces!

Same for tahini...

@Rayna37 yum. Good idea.

Sorry the mental image of the Marathon bar (which ages both of us) made me laugh - luckily she doesn't like nuts so we haven't attempted that...

For soft lowcarbing, there's classic shakshuka or huevos rancheros. I also like a keema curry with cauli rice, although that might have too many bits.

Fantastic progress here everyone and congratulations. I am sad that we are getting near to the end of bootcamp, although not this woe. I had day surgery today,and fortunately, I remembered some nuts to have afterwards instead of biscuits. I'm swilling down water too, as I had a princely small cup between 11 and 4, and feel like a piece of dessicated coconut.

Amusing NSV yesterday. I got off my regular train on time and headed to the building for the day, only to struggle to get in. Turns out that my access pass only activates at 9, and I normally walk so much slower that I arrive about 10 past. Liking my newly speedy walking.

I’m going to the theatre with DD tomorrow and we are going to Knoops for hot chocolate. I can choose 96% or even 100% chocolate but was wondering which is the best milk from this list

Dairy milk
We make our drinks with whole milk, but we also offer semi-skimmed, skimmed and lacto-free.

Plant-based milk
Oat

Almond
Soya
Coconut
Hazelnut

DD has also chosen my dinner for me - Flat iron steak and creamed spinach

Who’ve you been hitting @ditavonteesed?

@NotDonna my personal trainer, I bought some boxing gloves so we did some boxing stuff in my session. Im a bit sire this morning.

@Skiphopbump I would chose almond, it has the lowest carb count I think.