Feb '24 Bootcamp - week 3 - time for a boot up the ...

[BIWI]

It feels like there's a lack of focus right now, going by the posts so far today!

Low carbing is not a forgiving way of eating, and while the odd 'lapse' here and there can usually be accommodated, anything more than that really will show on the scales.

The week 2 thread was also suspiciously quiet, which leads me to wonder how many people are still actually Bootcamping?!

So let's re-set things

Forget about last week, and start afresh. Focus on what you're going to cook/eat this week, and make sure it's Bootcamp-compliant. Perhaps consider going back to strict Bootcamp, rather than moving on to Bootcamp Light.

If you're wavering about low carbing, go to the spreadsheet and read some of the resources there, or to a site like https://www.dietdoctor.com/news The Diet Doctor, as a reminder of the benefits of eating like this, beyond weight loss.

Here's the spreadsheet

You don't have to enter your weight if you don't want to - or if you're taking a break from weighing - but it's good to do so for the accountability.

And good luck! We can do this!

Thanks @BIWI - appreciate the reset! I think this WOE can be long term for me. Drank this weekend and realised that booze and carbs are inextricably linked so am thinking about joining the oh on his year long pause on booze to see if I can change this and keep on an even keel with health at the centre.

Half a pound down, but I really haven't been strict enough with nuts and fruit and have had the odd chip or cracker when I've been out. Am going to knuckle down this week.

And to start us all thinking, here's a challenge for this week.

Your best, Bootcamp-friendly, recipe for chicken

Go ... !

Thanks BIWI 😊

Very timely @BIWI as I have chicken thighs roasting in the oven as we speak, some are going to be used for pie filling for the carbies later, and I'm looking for inspiration for the rest.............

Up 0.4 lb this week which I was expecting, for me water seems to be the key, I'm still recovering from this bug and the headaches are much worse if I don't have enough water as well. I'm also getting to the point where I don't have much to lose (at my lowest weight during the week it left me with 10lb to get to a healthy BMI) so I'm not expecting any big losses, and need to think about maintaining the WOE as well.

Mushroom omelette for breakfast today, and I've got peppers, spinach, shallot and chorizo prepped in the fridge ready to be heated up for lunch. Dinner is pie for DH & DD later with broccoli and peas, I'll have something chicken-y with broccoli and cauliflower instead.

Have a blissfully quiet week ahead, DD is working both nights at the weekend so that will curb any urge for alcohol as she needs to be picked up, lots of cleaning done yesterday and think I'll have a declutter and restart my Vinted selling while we have nothing on................

STS this week but think my period is due so suspect that's why. I was almost an lb lighter during the week. I'm still pretty on it, but there has been a bit too much wine this week and some dark chocolate creeping in.

We're going away today til Friday today so there will be wine but I am armed with so much LC food there's no reason for me to slip. I've got pork puffs, cheesies, seed crackers and posh cheese, SLC rolls, some treats from Deliciously Guilt Free and I'm also taking my scales. Determined that I won't come back from holiday half a stone heavier like I normally do. Will also try to check in on the thread too to keep me accountable.

Still here, but have been exhausted this week - TOM plus lots of extra work stuff on. Forgot to weigh myself this morning, but I did make moussaka over the weekend so I will mostly be eating that this week to help me keep on track.

Thanks for the reset BIWI. I'm away this weekend and while I've chosen mostly BC friendly restaurants there is one Chinese (DH's fave) so I'll be strict BC before then and really try and make that the one planned lapse of the weekend, rather than fall head first into the fuckits.

Down a pound. Still happy.
4lb needed to get to 11 stone.
Went out for breakfast yesterday morning.
Massive shout out to the bagel place in Cardiff. Gave me the breakfast bagel without the bagel. Couldn't eat it all 😂 then steak with butter fried courgette and kale for tea

Fav chicken recipe is creamy mushroom chicken. We all know I can't cook so it's easy
Fry chicken remove from pan
Fry mushrooms in same pan
Add double cream and Parmesan cheese.
And other veg if you fancy.
Combine. And eat.
I'll warn you it's quite grey. But the creamy loveliness makes up for it.
Happy Monday all and KOKO

That sounds good @poorbuthappy! (To counter the grey, btw, you could add a squidge of tomato purée?)

I have the lurgy too - suspiciously chesty-sounding cough (not too bad at the moment, but definitely there), and a dry throat that's starting to get sore. Along with a horrible crop of mouth ulcers

Don't know where this has come from as everyone else in the house is fine.

Thanks for wielding that stick Biwi!

After three weeks STS I've lost 1lb! Just a pound but definite progress at last. I think it's a combo of lower carb Siracha, less milk and having lacto free and less wine too.

I'm in the middle of the healthy weight zone now and just want to lose another two or three lbs so clothes fit well. So it's slooow progress but I'm eating much better food on boot camp and DH is appreciating all the new recipes I'm trying too.

Chicken paprika- cut up chicken ( and some chorizo chunks if you fancy) season and seal in a frying pan until golden
Cover in passata and add a 2/3 heaped spoons of paprika ( as you prefer) and a few chilli flakes too if you like heat.
Let it bubble in the oven/ on the surface for 30mins or so.
Stir a large dollop of sour cream or FFGY before serving and sprinkle with chopped chives before serving.

That sounds good @cathyandclaire

Thanks for the boot with the stick @BIWI. I'm up a pound due to wine which definitely wasn't worth it.

Hmm, chicken recipes. Cajun chicken thighs served with coleslaw and salad is a winner in my house.

I'm a creamy cajun chicken kinda gal -
Chicken, red pepper, shallot, mushrooms (I also add courgette) all fried together in a pan with Cajun spices
Splash of Veg or chicken stock
Large dash of double cream,

simmer to thicken.

Serve in a pile on a plate topped with Grated cheese, sliced avocado and a large dollop of sour cream.

1.5 off this week, my only slip really was Sat nights couple of mini pork pies on the buffet - I think the lord that the buffet was otherwise BC friendly. I'll take a total of a 2lb loss so far. Now at 12stone 2. Long term goal is in the 10s, short term is around 7lbs off total by the end of March.

Ooh that sounds lovely Q. We are away this week (and have planned meals out as best we can to keep on track) but that's Saturday's dinner sorted 😋

It helps that our kids have left home and my husband is also following this WOE.

Forgot that I also

Forgot that I add a stock cube/ spoon of marigold boullion as well!

@cathyandclaire @poorbuthappy @QforCucumber all sounding lovely, think my dinner this evening will have a cajun theme!!!!

@catwithflowers my DH is very on board with LC too but DD is a confirmed carbie and here half of the time so quite difficult at times, but she's off to uni in September. Will miss her like crazy but will definitely make mealtimes easier 😀.
@BIWI that sounds rotten, hopefully you'll get over it fairly quickly

A nice dinner we had a few days ago was belly pork strips, cooked for 4 hours in a low oven (could use a slow cooker) in stock, a bit of soy sauce, 5 spice powder, a little Chinese rice vinegar, garlic and ginger and a bit of salt. I used a heavy casserole dish with a lid to keep the juices in.

Then when ready to eat I cut the strips of pork into large chunks then fried them briefly in a hot pan with a bit of sesame oil to crisp the fat. Served with stir fried red pepper and broccoli with garlic and some of the juices from the pan which I reduced to thicken. Very tasty and filling.

Probably. But as we are all aware my brain just doesn't work that way! 😂😂😂

STS which I'm delighted about! Despite keeping to plan I was 2 lb up one morning and a further lb up the following morning. I stopped looking at the scales for a coupole of days, drank all the water, and today all 3 of those extra lbs have gone.

I know that our weight fluctuates but it can be hard. Key thing for me is reminding myself of all the NSVs - quiet gut, more energy, delicious food, and all the support on here. Thanks @BIWI and all others.

We've got friends coming for lunch to plans a holiday in Sweden in the summer, so I've gone Swedish themed: A starter of chilled pork and dill meatball served with sour cream, dill and cornichon dipping sauce. Main is smoked salmon fillets and prawns on a bed of spinach, covered in cream and baked in the oven. I've also made a Swedish cheesecake, which has no biscuit base, and no sugar - basically a cottage cheese/egg/cream baked mix, with cinnamon and cardamon. Topped with a few sstrawberries.

Breakfast - nothing
Dinner - chicken and veg soup

Later this week I'm off to London for a few days, with an old school friend. I've been doing this woe for long enough that I know I can make careful choices in most places. I just have to stick to my resolve and plan for what I can. The food on the train looks awful for low carb so I'll stock up with M&S treats beforehand. And there will be dancing! so hopefully that will burn of any accidental carbs that are hidden in sauces.

@catwithflowers that sounds lovely too - and you've reminded me of something I was going to post about soy sauce.

If you're cooking with soy sauce, or using it as a condiment, be very sure to check the carb counts first!

They vary enormously. For example:

Sainsbury's Light Soy Sauce is 15.5g carbs per 100 ml * (NB it's light in colour, not because of any fat/calorie/health claim)
Sainsbury's Dark Soy Sauce is 25.2g carbs per 100ml
Lee Kum Kee Premium Light Soy Sauce is 14g carbs per 100ml
Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce is 31g carbs per 100ml
Amoy Light Soy Sauce is 11.8g carbs per 100ml
Amoy Dark Soy Sauce is 28.6g carbs per 100ml

However

Kikkoman's Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce is only 3.2g carbs per 100ml

I was so surprised by the difference there, that I checked both Sainsbury's and Tesco's website, and they both give that carb count. As does Kikkoman's own website.

Thankfully it's my favourite brand anyway, but definitely worth knowing!

*BTW - a tablespoon = 15ml, so there are just less than 7 tablespoons in 100ml. Very easy to use up to that amount in some recipes.

@BIWI fortunately I used kikoman 😂