Summer 2023 Boot Camp, Week 5: into the 2nd half

[prettybird]

Apologies for being AWOL - life git in the way, wrote a big long post which I lost and then never got round to re-writing it .

Anyway, here we are into Week 5, the 2nd half already . Hopefully you’ll have got beyond the “Stall” period of Weeks 3 and 4 but be aware, it sometimes it lasts into Week 5

Keep the faith, keep focussed, keep drinking the water and you will see progress. Remember all the other benefits you're enjoying

@FinallyHere will be along shortly to link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

Water, water, water

As much as I adore my children, one thing I do enjoy when they move out (they tend to boomerang a bit at the moment) is being freed from the tyranny of cooking!
Even the bloody cats eyeball me every time I go into the kitchen in the hope that snacks will follow!

@EversoDetermined you have my sympathy. I have not dissimilar challenges with trying to find things that they'll all eat that aren't just beige carbs. One won't eat anything where meat is minced and one will only eat meat when it's minced.

My quick and/or easy things are either a whole block of feta and some veg diced up and roasted with olive oil (it needs to go in the oven but it's quick to assemble), an omlette, or even a steak.

@cardboardbox24 - great that you've now knuckled down and are seeing the results . It's not a forgiving WoE if you're wanting to lose weight - but it does work as long as you follow the Rules.

For those that are struggling integrating this WoE into everyday fussy family eating and/or a dc who needs feeding up or who is challenged with disordered eating, would it help to look at the strict phase (once you've reached or are close to target) as temporary and once achieved, you can have at least one "integrated with carbs" family meal? So you can have that as an incentive to get to target more quickly. I think it's John Briffa in "Escape the Diet Trap" (which advocates a very similar way of eating to Boot Camp) who talks about "Pizza Friday".

I'm not articulating that very well and BIWI would probably get the Big Stick out on me for even suggesting it but hopefully you get my gist.

@Whicker - great progress. I now definitely need to get on with buffing my nails maybe today while watching the Tour Time Trial so that I can achieve my own self care challenge. Hair cut is a sore point: when I had my cut'n'colour back in May (for my 25th anniversary), I talked with my lovely hairdresser about getting my next appointment on 11 September, the day before we go on holiday - a long haul flight, so it would still look nice when we arrive at our destination on the 13th.

I rang last week to make the appointment and the bitch she herself goes on holiday on the 11th . So I've had to make the appointment for the 9th

Still, we can swap "holiday preparation" stories

@Baystard Yes, I eat a lot of omelettes. I'm not a huge fan of roasted veg (I dislike the oiliness and that it makes them sweeter) but do love baked feta, I could bake that and have it with salad.

@prettybird I will be having pizza Friday this week, we have one of those wood-fired ovens and had invited friends round before the BC started. I actually find the strict stage of BC easier day to day as once I start allowing fruit, seeds, nuts etc I eat too many of them. I'm not giving up by any means but it helps to offload the challenges here.

@EversoDetermined - have you tried the roasted broccoli and halloumi tray bake (on the vegetarian recipe thread)? You could reduce the amount of oil in the dressing. The capers and finely chopped Chili make it very flavoursome. I also like it cold.

I never realised you could roast feta. I think that might be today's dinner, so thanks for that @Baystard

No, I haven't @prettybird but that sounds nice, I like capers, like halloumi, and brocolli is definitely one of the better veg for roasting as it doesn't sweeten up, I'll give that a try.

@LadyBird1973 roasted feta is amazing, a bit of olive oil and herbs/chilli etc.

I'm looking forward to that now. Poor dh thought he was getting roast pork for dinner but maybe not

@EversoDetermined - from memory, it also has Parmesan (which you sprinkle on after it's cooked), lemon zest and lemon juice. It's very tasty

Memo to self: must put it on the menu for the near future as it's something that ds' girlfriend will enjoy even if I have to do something separate for ds as he hates broccoli

I've got old friends coming to stay for a few days, including their teenage kids. Planning for meals has been stressful. I need to find meals that can include carbs for them, but I can eat without. I also know I'm going to find having bread and potatoes in the house a temptation. Especially the bread.

So far I'm planning a pork casserole for dinner (with rice for the visitors) and lots of veg. Then roast chicken and veg (with potatoes for visitors) the following day. I've bought cake that I don't like for desserts 😬.

And while they're staying with us, I have to plan and pack for a week-long camping trip 🤯. Any ideas for good camping food that is low-carb? It has to be simple. The main problem is not having a fridge. And probably only one chance for a top up shop, in a small Co-op. I'm thinking a frozen chilli brought from home, barbecued sausages...and then I'm stuck.

So...I'm feeling stressed by food. Every pound I lose is hard-won and I don't want to mess it all up with a week of carbohydrates.

@Lucienandjean - there are a few low carb desserts suitable for guests and for you in the "Desserts and other sweet things" recipe thread. Memo to self: really must write up my adaptation of the keto lemon posset recipe. It's lovely

Camping food ideas bearing in mind I don't "do" camping : Pepperami, babybels, some boiled eggs and cooked sausages (will last a couple of days in a cool bag), Salami Milano (I've found it keeps well out of the fridge), make some of the almond muffins (cheesy and herby ones probably, rather than the vanilla ones).

I'm up in weight this week 😩
It's a combination of TOTM (stupid hormones) and camping (a case of the fuck-its) so overindulgence was at play. I slept like crap the 2nd night because of too much food, alcohol and chocolate 🤦‍♀️
Although, according to my scales app (withings) I've lost 2% of my body fat over the last 2 weeks (as of last Friday, I'm a daily weigher). I know I've gained water weight.
We are camping again this weekend, but do not want to do that again. I'll make better choices, I have BC friendly snacks (although I don't usually snack). I don't usually eat breakfast either, just my coffee. That'll be harder as we're going with my ILs this time, although I really don't know why as they know I don't eat breakfast!

Alcohol has crept back in during the week, stress is at an all time high. Restoration company are dragging their feet, we just got the cheque from the insurance to pay them, so really no excuse to not start 😤 I really need a reset. I'm going strict again until Thursday night (when we leave to go camping) and try my best to avoid too many carbs and alcohol while away this time.

Tonight we'll be having chicken tikka masala. I'll have mine with cauliflower rice (DH actually prefers this over regular rice now) as well as homemade keto naan bread. I'll warm up regular naan for the others.

Before we had a camper we had coolers with ice, everything in sealed bags, some frozen before leaving. Burgers, hotdogs, sausages are a staple for us for camping (I just eat mine without the bun, use lettuce instead). Now we have a camper with a fridge etc it is easier. We'll be having chicken thighs this trip too.
(Sorry that was a long post!)

Hi all - 20% discount on Cheesies if you follow the link below. Hope it works!!

Link for discount on cheesies which should be useable by anyone

The chilli ones are my favourite and then Red Leicester. I find the emmental ones gopping but presumably some people like them 😂

@EversoDetermined we went to a local Italian last weekend, they have a wood fired oven but they also do roast chicken which is cooked first and crisped up in the wood, I donated the potatoes to DH and ordered a side of veg😊@prettybird I've been getting pretty good with just adding roast veg to whatever is the main element, but DC has a strict rota of foods (goodness help them when uni comes round!!!) which tend to be wet so adding veg doesn't quite hit the spot that garlic bread/nachos/chips do. I find myself missing a bit of crunch...........
Step count us largely to do with London, up to 14k today, out for dinner in Canary Wharf and it's extremely confusing! We're in a sports bar type place where DC can watch cricket and indulge their love of all things beige (chicken goujons, garlic bread and my fries!), I have ordered a burger with extra field mushrooms and will leave the bun. Yoghurt and poached eggs for breakfast so a bit difficult on the veg front but not caved yet on the carbs!

Checking in with todays food. B - one egg on one slice low carb toast. Small handful of walnuts. The nuts are all gone now and I'll hold off on buying more for a while.

Lunch - 2 cold roast chicken drumsticks and 2 squares of chocolate.

Dinner - went shopping too late to buy feta so ended up roasting some pork with green veg.

My low carb vegetarian cookbook arrived today, so will give that a read later - I'm getting quite a collection of cookbooks and books about healthy living but still seem to make the same things on a loop all the time!

Plus small amount of cream in a coffee.

@LadyBird1973 lowcarb vegetarian cookbook sounds interesting, let us know what it is and if there are any great recipes.

@TheOnlyMrsW sounds like you are doing great in navigating the carbs - interesting that burger and extra mushroom and whatever accompaniments will fill you up, and you can happily donate your bun and fries to others.

For those dealing with complicated family meals, I have some clear things where I replace the carbs for my plate - cauli rice with a curry, courgetti with bolognaise, mushroom base with pizza toppings. When I'm in a maintenance phase I have one day a week where I eat carbs, but it's usually the delicious ones that I miss the most - puy lentils, beetroot, peas, corn on the cob. The ones where I can't find a substitute.

Camping food: things in tins are your friend. Corn beef (for corn beef hash made with leeks and cauliflower instead of potatoes) with tinned green beans. Wander the tinned / jarred aisles in the supermarket and see what you can find - artichokes, peppers, tomatoes stuffed with chilli and cheese. Great for any kind of salad. Tinned hot dogs. Sardines. Tuna.

Make salad nicoise with tunned tuna ( I like this ) boiled eggs, fresh green beans, chopped tomato, lettuce, cucumber. Delicious.

Like @BloomingHazel we now have a campervan but I still take frozen 'green' soup, frozen veg curry to start us off for the first few days. On the basis that a balanced diet happens over a period, it tends to be veg heavy at the start with pre-pepared things, and a bit more veg lite at the end unless you are in France during asparagus season when every second day was fresh green asparagus

The cheese and almond muffins last a long time in a cool box. I like them with low carb peanut butter. Or with smoked salmon and cream cheese on the day that you re-stock.

The Rose Elliot low carb granola is great with ffgy (mixed with cream it's even better). It's on the recipie threads. I don't add any sweetener, but sometimes add a few dried raspberries.

For snacks, buy a couple of avaocados, peel them and eat them - sort of like you might peel and eat a banana. I gaurantee that people will look at you as if you're weird

I had a TERRIBLE day today. Started well with a little left over avocado salad and a half cup of coffee with cream, 15 hours after I'd last eaten, so almost maintining my usual I/F regime.

Went to a meeting where we concluded an important stage of a project. Refused sandwich lunch / cakes etc and drank only peppermint tea and water.

Then as a 'thank you' surprise, they arranged to take me HERE for an afternoon tea.

In all honesty, even when not on bootcamp or following this woe, I just don't like cake. And I've never liked scones.

OMG I did my best - ate the sausage from the sausage roll, the goats cheese and onion from the quiche. A tiny morsel of scone, slathered in cream, the strawberry from the strawberry tart. My plate was a pile of uneaten pastry. I blamed my previous wisdom tooth extraction and subsequent jaw stiffness for not munching into all the cakes. The empire biscuit, raspberry chocolate brownie, carrot and walnut cake, macaron, scone and jam, and cheese sandwich were put into a doggy bag, subsequently deposited in a bin on the outskirts of Glasgow.

Tonight. Nothing but water. And an uncomfortably tummy.

My camping 'go to' things are:

• boiled eggs
• barenaked noodles/spaghetti/rice with spaghetti Bol, curry, chilli etc. at home I'd eat with veg but not easy when camping
• halloumi
• pepperami/salami
• burgers with bacon, gherkins, salad, cheese
• smoked salmon and Philadelphia crustless quiches
• cooked smoked salmon fillets
• roast chicken legs
• coleslaw
• FFGY and berries
• cheesies and pork puffs
• salad!!!

@venusandmars it's the Rose Elliot one. Just had a quick skim and I'm quite intrigued by the idea of making protein shakes with tofu and almond butter!

Thank you to everyone who has posted camping food ideas. I'm meal planning right now!

@EversoDetermined and @NotDonna

I had these difficulties as well. With so many activities in the evening, If I go out for football, then end up not having anything to eat, if I stay in I would end up cooking for the whole Britain. 😒
somehow after a long slog on LC, my family now knows not to eat my fried chicken/whatever I made for myslef and eat their rice and carbs with the rest of veggies. It would take a looong time. I would back in the same situation come Sep, now that the activities are a bit slow, I try to cook something in air fryer 2 times a week and leave them with it.

My salty chicken bake is still in fridge, so I cooked some pasta and served it for kids 😀
I don’t like eating feta, but eat anyway on salads, never tried roasted version. I def need to have a look at the recipe threads when I am on laptop.
I am determined to continue with this this summer anyway, as we are stuck at home with various reasons. I may as well utilise the no visitors/no party/holiday 6 weeks 🙄
And I definitely have more than 10kg to loose ( not braving the scales yet )

Thank you for the thread and I realise once again having this threads keep me going, rather than doing it all alone :)
My ultimate aim is to start eating one “whatever I love” meal every week, but it’s a looong journey until I reach that point. But that gives me hope 😍

Good evening all. I didn't get a chance to post yesterday but I did update the spreadsheet and am delighted to report that my weight was down to 79.4kg so I have exceeded my first target of 80kg. According to the conversion function since last week I have gone from 176.4lbs to 174.7lbs. I am fairly happy with that. Food wise I am doing ok but think I might need to look at portion size. I need to up my exercise as well but honestly four weeks post shingles I am still wrecked. 🥱

I've been walking a lot, 28 km so far the last 2 days according to my iphone pedometer

Food wise has been ok actually because I'm in Paris so can't cook my own food so we had buffet breakfast so mainly cheese, ham and eggs. I did have a couple of bites of carb related items but I held back remarkably well.

No lunch as full from breakfast and dinner yesterday was a goats cheese and bacon salad and today was chicken and salad and prawns and Mayo. A few carb related items.

On the train here I had an apple and a packet of charcuterie and some cheese my DM had in the fridge because we stayed at my parents before we left as it shortened the journey.

I have had a few cold beers because it's very warm here but not uncomfortably so. Perfect weather actually. I still hate seeing my reflection but I'm comfortable enough to wear a loose tunic dress to my knees so that's a positive step for me not trying to cover up loads and boiling in the process