Low Carb Bootcamp challenge - lose half a stone before Christmas

[BIWI]

If we start next Monday, there are 6 weeks leading up to Christmas.

Hopefully that means that we can drop 7lbs in those weeks - but only if we're properly strict.

It's entirely up to you if you want to do strict Bootcamp, or Bootcamp Light across those 6 weeks, although I'd suggest that if you haven't got too much to lose, you veer towards a stricter approach.

It's also, we need to bear in mind, a more difficult time of the year to think about losing weight as there are likely to be more social occasions, so a stricter approach around all of those events is probably a good one!

Who's in?!

Those lasagnes look fabulous and I love the half and half idea. Also the flourless cauliflower cheese.

I don’t do particularly well with cheese (makes me sinusy) but it’s such a lovely comfort food when doing low carb. I sometimes use goat or sheep instead

In the office today so least I'll get more steps than at home! This is my meals for today has already done my shopping before joining so will need to make some changes with sauces etc next week

Breakfast- two boiled eggs and butter mashed up
Lunch - chicken avocado and feta salad with spring onion
Dinner - meatballs and pasta sauce
Snacks - fridge raiders and Babybel

Does this sound ok?

I've just weighed in a day late and have apparently put on 3.5lb in a week since the end of bootcamp!! I know it can't really be all fat but it's good motivation to knuckle down again this time round! I'm going to use this bootcamp to concentrate on being consistent with water (and pelvic floor exercises to help with the need for the loo!) as that helps with breastfeeding too (not sure how my little one is 3 months old already...!). And then also reducing/cutting out the middle of the night breastfeeding snacks if I can. Good luck everyone!

Morning, it was a bit mad yesterday, so didn’t get the chance to post. Had a good read through this morning though, some nice meal ideas thanks. That lasagne looks good. I usually do a Moussaka with aubergine I’ve grilled first for the layers, but might try lasagne with courgette instead next week.

I just had a coffee with cream for breakfast yesterday (never been very good at eating breakfast). A big chicken salad for lunch, and creamy sausage, mushroom and spinach florentine for dinner.

I also put the chicken carcass from Sundays roast in my slow cooker with some celery, onion and a carrot to make a stock, so I’ve had a cup of that this morning and it was rather good. I usually leave it going a couple of days before I strain it out and use some for soup, and freeze some for later.

Today I’m planning to make a cabbage and hotdog soup (purely because I need to use up a couple of left over hotdogs) for lunch, and chicken fajitas for dinner. I’ll have mine on a romaine leaf and aim to have mostly green peppers and leave the red ones for my DP to eat.

I think I achieved my water goals yesterday - 2x500 ml water bottles plus 1x 750 ml water bottle of tepid lemon water, 3 cups of coffee (900ml), 1 glass of water with dinner makes 3L and quite a few trips to the loo! Whaddyamean I have to do it all again today! It's remembering to drink rather than not wanting to drink is my problem I think.

@LiesDoNotBecomeUs you haven't entered anything on the spreadsheet - are you going to, or would you prefer me to take you off?

@prettybird ooh i'd have to substitute it for something else. Aubergine's are not my cup of tea at all. End result looks fantastic though. Especially since my breakfast lunch and dinner was all eggs. I have to do a shop today.

@thehoundschicken your menu sounds good to me. I think I might get some meatballs in today as well.

I did ok yesterday on the food front but almost 4 litres of water is not an easy feat. I barely made it to 2. I'll try and do better today

@MontyBooooojangles there's a lovely (low carb) recipe for moussaka on the meat recipe thread. It's from the Idiot Proof Diet recipe book (which was the low carb plan written originally by India Knight and Neris Thomas)

@N2022 - if you're buying meatballs, be careful - check the ingredients and the carb count. They usually have breadcrumbs or other ingredients to help bind them together, which will make them carby.

When I make meatballs I don't use anything like that - I just whizz up onions/shallots with garlic, sometimes a pepper, in the food processor and then add beef mince (or a mix of beef and pork mince) and whizz again until it's all well combined. Then roll them into balls and either fry or bake in the oven. They don't need anything else to bind them - especially if you use a high fat content mince.

Also - what pasta sauce are you buying? The carb counts of these can be much higher than you would expect (often they use sugar in their recipes)

I made the sweet version of the almond muffins yesterday and I used them to replace bread. Didn't want to cook last night so dinner was muffins and boiled eggs. Bit odd together but better than cooking!
I really need to stop buying cheese - I'm not sure the Brie is going to help me much.

Going to make a chicken that’s going to go off after today in the instant pot now and mostly live off that, some leftover savoy and celeriac reheated with grated cheddar today.

We're having cheeseburger pie tonight:

Cheeseburger pie

500g minced beef
50g finely chopped onion (or use shallots for a lower carb result)
150g chopped mushrooms
100mls double cream
2 heaped tablespoons of mayo
150g mature cheddar grated
3 eggs
Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper to taste

1.Fry mince, onion and mushrooms together until cooked; season to taste, add a sloosh of Worcestershire sauce

1. Place in a pie dish, flatten with spoon
2. Beat eggs and then add mayo, cream and cheese and stir together
3. Pour over the top of mince and bake in oven Gas mark 5/Oven 190/Fan assisted oven 170, for 20 to 25 mins until set and golden brown

I serve it usually with a green salad, with some thinly sliced shallot rings, and some gherkins to the side - as well as some American mustard* and low sugar ketchup * to keep the cheeseburger theme going.

*If you're going to do this, be sure to buy French's Classic Yellow mustard, and NOT a supermarket own label version! French's is 1.2g carbs per 100g whereas Sainsbury's is 22.3g carbs!

** and re the ketchup - the one I use is Heinz No Added Sugar or Salt, which is only 5.4g carbs per 100g, compared to their main brand which is 23.2g carbs.

Checking in, with a big thank you to @BIWI and everyone who contributes to this lovely space. 💐

I’m afraid I’m not a very happy camper just now...dealing with ongoing stressful situation and just having such a hard time with it. Won’t go into detail but I’ve been struggling for at least 6 months now.

Not sure how I’m going to navigate this challenge tbh - I’ve actually got to try not to be too on it with the LCing for the next few weeks until I can have a blood test as I need it to be properly reflective of what I’m able to do diet wise to help my condition. It would be nice to shave off half a stone in weight which would get me back down to my natural healthy weight, but it’s very much secondary to the health reasons for managing what I eat.

Day by day, I guess and tweaking where I can.

But just being on the thread helps a lot. Wishing you all heaps of luck (you won’t need it!) and may the Big Stick only be seen sparingly.

I'm very sorry to hear that @HappyLCHFCamper

I’ve actually got to try not to be too on it with the LCing for the next few weeks until I can have a blood test as I need it to be properly reflective of what I’m able to do diet wise to help my condition. It would be nice to shave off half a stone in weight which would get me back down to my natural healthy weight, but it’s very much secondary to the health reasons for managing what I eat

Obviously you don't have to say any more than this, but if you can - feel able to - can you say what your condition is? Generally speaking a low carb diet is beneficial to health, so I'm wondering why you feel it can't help you? But please don't feel you have to! I'm just wondering if we can help you in any way - other than just being here, of course!

Thanks BIWI-i will add something on return to my computer -the phone app isn't working well here.

I don't weigh every week as I can't bear the boom and bounce. Longer gaps make the downward trend easier to grasp.

@BIWI Guess i'll be making the meatballs then & I've got a lot of tinned tomatoes in the cupboard so I'll make my own sauce or just eat them dry. This diet is so fun!!😭

Thanks @BIWI, much appreciated! I’m a very longtime LCer (as in years and years by now) and have been on quite a few Bootcamps over the years. it is brilliant, have no qualms at all about it health wise or whether or not it works.

My only problem is me, in that whilst I can, and have, kept it going for long, long periods at a time, I’m not a natural moderator and when I’m off it I can easily go off the rails. The use of food as a coping mechanism is something I will never be able to truly conquer and so I have to try to be realistic about what I can manage. My condition is type 2, so LCing is brilliant for it. But I simply can’t be low carb enough consistently enough atm.

It’ll be okay. I just don’t feel strong enough right now to be all or nothing about it.

The Waitrose essentials pack of 24 meatballs look ok.

Checking in, I wasn't very good about posting in the last BC so trying to pop in at least daily to keep my head in the game and be more accountable! Water (mainly herbal tea tbh) was ok yesterday but I always still feel thirsty even though I drink litres of the stuff, DH & DD are on Taco Tuesday tonight but I have cauliflower, leeks and single cream in the fridge that needs using up so going to make a big cheesy bake and put the rest in the freezer for later in the week.
We're away tomorrow night meeting friends at a gig in Swansea - seemed like a good idea at the time! - and are going for indian first but going to have a tandoori dish so should be ok.
Right off for more herbal tea!

If you're still thirsty after drinking lots of water @TheOnlyMrsW, apparently thats a sign you need more sodium.

Hallo!

The lasagne chat has reminded me that I have two tubs of sauce in the freezer so lasagne may well be happening at the weekend. I've tried it with courgette strips twice. The second time I cooked them a little in the oven first and that was a big improvement - they'd been a bit watery the first time.

Still sipping the water, but cold water's not cutting it right now, need to move on the warm drinks ASAP! Brrr (been outside most of the day)🥶

Filled in the sheet - and the one from last time.
16lb down
33lb to go to reach the healthy weight range for my height.
I can't believe I've let it get so bad (again). If only there was an excuse.

Good ideas on how to maintain a healthy weight- in a world that is not at all 'bootcamp' - would be useful. (Managing my expectations is probably going to be a big part of that. Bootcamp lite - with occasional exceptons?)

@LiesDoNotBecomeUs the way I'm thinking of re-jigging Bootcamp will include a third stage, which will be more about maintenance/higher carb. I haven't quite figured out how that's going to work yet!

But I acknowledge, based on bitter experience, that keeping the weight off is actually harder than losing it.

Thanks BIWI I suffered badly with carb flu when I first started in the summer, and have noticed that I add more seasoning on this WoE, might need to up the saltiness some more.......

Inspired by everyone's recipes I stocked up on cauliflower, leeks, shallots, cheddar and plenty of salad today. Will make a leek soup tomorrow, too damp and chilly for salad! DH adds 3 x large double cream, 18 x eggs, 3 x full fat yoghurt to the list 😂. Our list looks so different from the bread, biscuits and golden sugar days. We've got fish tonight which I'll fry in butter and capers with lemon and serve with cauliflower. I measured out my beakers of water and 3 x beakers are 1 litre so I'm trying to get though at least 6 a day. But I try and stop by 8pm otherwise I'm up all night!

Hi all, it's been a good day today with a kind of homemade paneer curry for lunch and lamb kofta with Greek salad and garlic mayo for dinner. @islandtiger I like the sound of that fish! @LiesDoNotBecomeUs I agree. I still have a long way to go but recognise there will be times I need to relax a bit but not undo everything, and also maintain when I do reach a healthy weight.