Week 4 (or 5!) Jan '25 Low Carb Bootcamp

[BIWI]

Morning all.

Spreadsheet, as ever

Although we're coming to the end of this particular Bootcamp, you'll see that @FinallyHere has added enough columns to the spreadsheet so that you can keep going, should you wish.

We'll also keep this thread going too, past the end of the week, for general low carb/Bootcamp chat and support - although I won't be starting a weigh-in thread each Monday after this one.

I know it's only been a short one this time, but looking at the spreadsheet, it looks like there have been some great results, even before today's weigh-in.

I find that Gaviscon works better, if I'm suffering. Although I have to say, your symptoms sound quite serious, and I'd definitely get those check out with your GP.

It's definitely carbs that sets it off for me along with, weirdly, yoghurt. No idea why!

Thanks @floralnomad @BIWI, slightly better yesterday evening and overnight, accompanied by the worst start to a period I've had in years so wonder if it's all linked. Haven't eaten anything yet but weirdly don't feel hungry at all, if nothing improves over today I'll get in touch with the gp. Had more bloods on Monday as well so will need to speak to them again anyway.

Also had a veg box delivery yesterday which will need careful consideration.......I now have:
3 butternut squash
2 broccoli heads
1 cauliflower
Loads of carrots
Big spring onions
Courgettes
Kale
2 Bags green beans
2 Bags sugar snaps
2 punnets chestnut mushrooms

Fish pie mix, burgers, beef joint, chicken breast, chicken thighs, pork mince and smoked salmon in the freezer so will need to do some very thorough meal planning! Thinking if I can use the squash and carrots to make soup for DH's lunches and use sparingly in other meals can minimise the "red" effect! We're away in just 2 1/2 weeks so hoping to not really shop with that lot in 😊

OMG that sounds delicious! Thanks for the recipe 💛

Do you just dump the cream in @ColouringPencils or whip it? Add any cheese? I

@NoCarbsForMe the best one I made was in the air fryer (in a container). I did it in the oven this week, but it was a bit watery - I should probably have cooked it longer.

But anyway, I did 1 head of cauliflower, steamed. 1-2 leeks, chopped and sautéed in butter. Remove leeks from pan and pour in 1 pot of double cream, warm then add in a load of grated extra mature cheddar and a squirt of Frank's mustard (which is low carb). When that has all melted in, put cauliflower in dish, top with leeks and then pour the cream mixture over. I think I cooked it for about 20-30 mins in airfyer (or do a bit longer in the oven). Stir it after a while, then add more cheese on top for a crust if you want. Delicious!

@TheOnlyMrsW I find omeprazole (you can buy it OTC) makes an almost instant difference. Try it for a few days then stop and see if your symptoms have calmed down. But I agree with others about seeing your doctor.

Thank you, have picked some up today but pharmacist said the same about Dr. Soonest I can get an appointment is early March so will mention then.
Roast pork for dinner with yummy crackling, roasties fir DH and broccoli bake for us both.........

I'm shrinking and I'm delighted

There are some summer dresses I love that I'm now determined to fit into again when it's warmer

So far today FFGY and some melon

I fell off yesterday and fell into a bowl of spaghetti 🍝 bolognaise

KOKO

I had a tooth out this afternoon so haven't eaten anything since my last post

I'm making some veggie soup which I'll blend up once I'm less numb so it doesn't dribble down my face

Sounds delicious @ColouringPencils thanks ☺️

Had a lovely meal last night for Valentine's Day: slow roasted duck leg, with some red wine duck jus that I'd made ages ago, celeriac chips and creamy leeks. Next time I'll take the time to make some red cabbage as it maybe needed something tarter to cut through the richness - but that's really quibbling.

Can't post the photo as they've been disabled again after another CSA attack last night

@prettybird sounds delicious

I think we can now post pictures....

Supper last night: we have a romantic tradition of enjoying a "Full Scottish 'breakfast'" with bubbly. As we didn't have it on Valentine's Day, we had it yesterday instead

Good quality square sausage, so should be relatively low-carb and ditto with proper Stornaway Black Pudding

Oh those look delicious @prettybird

With I had thought to take a snap of our seafood platter. I love the idea of a platter and have only every been disappointed by the selection included in bough in platters' so made my own

Samphire (I prefer raw, DH's is stir fried in butter, quartered lemons, jumbo prawns, smoked salmon, smoked trout, poached salmon and tada ... roast celeriac.

It might not be romantic to need roughage even in a romantic setting : I get v v grumpy if not 'regular' so there it is. Happy bowel happy life in our household.

Dip 50:50 mayo and Greek yoghurt flavoured with hot smoked paprika (sweet smoked paprika for DH).

Hallo everyone. I disappeared to go on a long yoga retreat where the food was vegan and super carby. However, I don't seem to have put that much weight back on, which is amazing. I have a funeral to go to on Wednesday, so am going to go back onto strict bootcamp from Thursday. I have stocked up on BC basics and am really looking forward to getting back onto it.

@Almahart I imagine it was probably quite low fat (unless you had lots of avocado, olives and coconut / other nuts).

At that kind of event, find that I can more or less maintain for a week on a vegan carb and veg diet (3 bean chilli, dahl, veg soups etc), the challenge is adding fats - even healthy ones - into that carb heavy diet. Your gut microbiome has possibly had a boost from eating a range of pulses and veg that you wouldn't have on a low carb woe.

What I can't do (on a personal basis) is eat veg food long term. Plus I find that vegan catering often goes big on puddings!

Yes I think you are right. Lots of soup and salads and no snacking.

That sounds lovely @FinallyHere

We had lovely lamb leg steaks last night: fit once I remembered to get them out the fridge a few hours in advance and squoosh a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and dried oregano on them

In good news, I have finally got under 11st 10lb I'm now 11st 8.75lb - which is the same weight I was when I went to South Africa c.18 months ago. 1.5lb to go to get back to where I was when we went to Madeira last March.

I might even make it to under 11.5 stone (which was my ambitious target) before we leave on 2 March

It certainly helps keep me focussed!

Good going @prettybird!

I cooked something different last night that didn't quite work out, so it's still 'work in progress' so to speak!

Courgette and Halloumi fritters

2 courgettes
1 pack full fat halloumi
1/2 onion
red chilli

I was trying to make it without flour, and was hoping that the moisture in the courgettes, along with a degree of melt from the cheese, might help to keep it all stuck together, but the fritters still fell apart even though I cooked them relatively gently.

Anyway, this is what I did:

• grate the halloumi
• grate the courgettes finely, and then put into a sieve; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of fine salt, stir through and leave for 30 minutes or so, till the moisture starts to leak out
• grate the onion and chop the chilli

In a small frying pan, with some butter and olive oil, fry the onion and chilli, seasoning with salt (a little, not too much as the cheese is salty and you will already have salted the courgettes), pepper and dried oregano - or any other herb of your choice

Once lightly browned, tip into a large bowl and let it cool

Squeeze most of the moisture out of the courgettes, then mix them with the cheese, and the onion and chilli. Mix together well, then form into patties. This quantity should make 5 or 6.

Then fry gently in a large frying pan, in a little olive oil. When browned on the underside, carefully flip over to brown the other side.

Served with lime quarters to squeeze over.

They were very tasty, even though they did fall apart a bit! So things I might try next time:

• possibly using a bit of ground almond to help binding them, or an egg
• putting the patties into the fridge to firm up before cooking
• baking rather than frying
• fresh coriander and/or mint might make a good addition

Will definitely do them again as they were very tasty and would make a good accompaniment to some roast chicken thighs or pork steaks

That sounds nice @BIWI - I might make that as ds' veggie girlfriend's option when they come over for dinner next Wednesday. Going to do a simple chicken brick roast chicken for the rest of us, which is one of ds' favourite meals - and nice and quick for me to prepare while we're getting ready to go off.

One thing I did also think of, @prettybird, was to make it more like a sort-of tian - i.e. one large fritter, a bit like a tortilla. Then it would be easier to slide on to a serving plate. And if you were just making it for one person, even easier to do that.