June 2025 Low Carb Bootcamp Week 2

[Just4June]

If you've changed name for bootcamp, remember to post using your changed name!

Well, we've all survived week 1 and hopefully everyone is back in the groove. There has been some great progress and people have navigated the challenges of real life.

Here's the spreadsheet link to spreadsheet If you don't want to be on the spreadsheet, let @FinallyHere know and your name can be removed.

Here's to another good week of delicious food and healthy losses.

Managed to keep the 5lb off through a combination of not being very hungry (still) and lots of water, last day at work today and got soooo much to do that I've barely thought about packing yet - going to be a late one! Thanks for all of the jeans love, I liked the way they looked but weren't very comfortable for sitting down in as the waistband digs in, hopefully further good work on BC will help with that.
@Just4June your weekend sounds so interesting, hope the walking was done mainly in the dry! I agree on the weighing, I fully expected to have gone up on the scales this morning due to weekend slips and felt really sluggish and bloated but stayed where I was before. @FinallyHere I've always been a daily weigher but lurked on these threads for a long time before actually joining in so I wonder if trusting the process was a bit ingrained before I even started it? Something to think about (not sure I should be quite that susceptible to things on the internet!!!!!). Loving the drop of rain 💧
@lastchancesalmon I've only tried cauliflower rice once and it was very wet so really put me off, will pick up some of the frozen ones and give them a try.

A measly 0.5lb down! I know it's in the right direction but sheeeesh...it's the worst week one BC ever for me. Anyway I shall KOKO - I'm definitely feeling better for the change in diet and increase in water consumption, so that's the motivation I'm clinging on to.

@ChocolateGanache welcome. Do you have specific goals for this short bootcamp?

@CleanQueen123 how about a curry with the pork and veg? add tomatoes, coconut milk and curry spices.

@TheOnlyMrsW I got used to either wearing loose clothes (to hide behind) or clothes with a lot of elastic. Now my body hates the feeling of things being too tight. Last week I wore a top that I can fit into again but I didn't like the feel of it , and it is years since I've worn a skirt with a tight waistband.

@CrystalTits that is frustrating, although good to focus on feeling better for the water and the good food choices. I once chatted with a expert nutritionist (at a party) who said that the healthiest sustainable long-term weight loss is about 0.6% of your total body weight per week (which you're close to), but that the challenge with that was that it felt horrible slow for most people who'd become accustomed to 'miracle cures'. Are you small and slight, and do you have much that you'd like to lose?

I make my own cauliflower rice, I find the frozen stuff has a 'vegetably' smell. I blitz it in the blender, add some oil, crushed spices (cumin, corriander, caraway) and salt and pepper and roast it. Or I fry it with chopped shallot, garlic and curry spices and use it as a base for kedgeree with smoked fish and boiled egg. Now that I've thought about that, I'll put it on my plan for this week.

B - coffee with cream
L - caprese salad (tomato, basil, mozzarella) with avocado and extra salad, lots of evoo
D - chicken with vegetable ragout (tomato, fennel, peppers, shallot), buttery cabbage.

Good idea @Just4June. I'm going to need a nice dinner to cheer me up this evening.

I foolishly didn't bring lunch to the office today so ended up with the only carb free item in the canteen which was a pre-made Caesar salad pot. It was the smallest and most battered salad I've ever seen. I actually had to take the cucumber slices out because they were so limp 🤢 consequently I'm still starving and will be leaving work as early as possible to get home for a substantial dinner.

I am really short (5'0", verging on four-foot-something denial) which means even a few pounds' gain shows. I would like to lose 5kg but not all during this short BC - I was just hoping that my strict compliance this last week would have more effect. I guess my body is just getting used to switching over from the high-sugar high-tiredness diet I was existing on! I'm going to be optimistic and say I'll have lost another pound by the weekend, which I would be content with.

I did have caprese salad with avocado (and avocado oil) for dinner last night too, it was really gooood and reminded me to add that to my menu more often.

It's good being here for the ups (losses!) as well as the downs (gains!) :)

Hello everyone - back from my trip and survived all the temptations. JUST!

Didn't drink enough water but was on my feet all day so certainly got the steps in.

Glad to be back in the routine and hope everyone is well.

Well done @50FootWave

Enjoying a sunny day here in Scotland, and have just had some creamy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and mushrooms with herbs from the garden. Going to a friend's for dinner tonight but she is recently into lowcarb so I imagine everything will be well on plan. She has the Libre2 glucose monitoring system and won't want her results going off track. I'm taking her a lovely bunch of lavender and a couple of tomato plants - not chocolate or wine.

Didn't get a chance to weigh in this week until this morning, and seem to have managed a kilo off, which I'm happy with given a couple of cheats here and there (gelato) (I'm glad you're more merciful with the big stick, @Just4June!). It might be gelato season, but that means it's also gazpacho season, so made up a big batch yesterday and have been having it on and off while working my way through leftover roast chicken and tons of salads. For a change from plain water, I have been making pots of herbal tea and then refrigerating it.

For the last couple of weeks I've been taking long daily walks, usually 5-6 km, bar a couple of days where it just bucketed down.

The lavender and tomato plants are a lovely idea as a hostess gift!

@quashsquash I love gazpacho! When we were in Spain last summer we ate so much of it - they have so many variations.

Inspired by a social media post I made 'yogurt clafoutis' : ffgy, egg, vanilla, lemon zest, coconut flour, frozen berries. It's OK. A bit grainy because of the coconut flour.

I think simple yogurtvand berries would be better.

Exactly this. This is the wisdom that I need and this is why I love BC. The shared support and journey makes all the difference.

I went out for lunch yesterday with my daughter to celebrate surviving a very gruelling interview and her surviving the first days of her exams ( she has two more next week but the hardest and most stressful are finished). We went to the restaurant of her choice and everything had carbohydrates served in some form. I ordered wild mushrooms with kale and two poached eggs served on gluten free bread. I should have told them not to serve the bread because I did end up nibbling on the bits drizzled with truffle oil and I did eat some of the home fries my daughter ordered. And because I had already 'sinned' I had a little piece of my daughter's chocolate and hazelnut tart. It was all delicious but today is another day and I plan to get back on track.

I have just had my coffee with cream and will have a green smoothie around 11 with a boiled egg.

Lunch today is poached salmon and salad.

I have to attend a work event later so will probably bring a sandwich. I buy a low carb bread from a bakery and I usually keep some in the freezer for days like these.

I need to make sure I get all the water in today and hopefully yesterday's indulgence will not show up on the scales.

Have a great day all.

This week has gone well but I've got two bbq events at the weekend with alcohol on offer :-( will be a tough one!
Looking forward to having fruit again next week.
B scrambled eggs with spinach tomato and mushroom
L tuna salad
D aubergine lasagne

Went to our favourite farm and butcher shop. There's now a lamb casserole in the slow cooker, lamb kidneys to add to it tomorrow.

Had a bizarre experience walking with a friend today, Passed people with ferrets on leads - one of the ferrets came across to me and bit my foot! Just like that! Blood and everything. Fortunately tetanus injections up to date, also had rabies jab last year.

@YourFairCyanReader do you have a strategy for the BBQ? Driving, so you can't have a drink? Lowest carb drink - vodka and soda? Take a fabulous low carb high fat coleslaw and have that with sausage or burger or steak or chicken. Honestly you don;t want to spoil that with a rubbish white bread roll! Eat more protein, and don't even look at the puddings.

I’m finding things a bit dispiriting this week. I steadily climbed a lb a day from my Sunday weight for no obvious reason (possibly lack of water might be it tbf) - I’m trying not to be too harsh since still new job, new commute, wfh day today was not relaxing bc cleaning day and one DD to drop and pick up from exam and take to prom dress fitting…

I did manage to cook a LC moussaka for dinner and lunch was 2 boiled eggs, smoked salmon and leaves with Caesar dressing.

Yesterday was rubbish food in comparison but not awful - first time that school lunch didn’t deliver (sweet and sour chicken or risotto were the choices!) I ate the chicken with as little sauce as I could manage, then in the evening was v v late so ended up eating olives, nuts and scratching on the train AND leftover curry with salad when I got home.

Sorry I’ve had a big whinge (although I do feel better for sharing so thanks!) but I was making such great progress and now the holiday (and the swimsuit) is looming 😬

Please can you share your LC moussaka recipe @lastchancesalmon?

@Just4Junethanks for the welcome and apologies for joining late!

I have been bobbing up and down with the same 3lbs for months!

Goals :

1. to go to the gym 3 x a week minimum
2. to low carb more strictly (it’s been slipping and have really noticed the difference
3. to cut down alcohol consumption - I only drink at the weekend but think I may be sabotaging myself here!

CW 14.4st
TW 11st

Thank you so much ☺️

@ChocolateGanache Moussaka lastchancesalmon style:
Fry (x 500g) lamb mince until brown, then add shallots, garlic & celery, fry until soft. Add (1-2tsp) dried mint, dried oregano and black pepper, then (1 can or jar) chopped tomatoes or passata, a lamb stock pot, some red wine and worcestershire sauce and simmer for at least 30 mins. Can make this in advance and keep for a few days in the fridge or freeze.

Meanwhile, thickly slice aubergine and/or courgettes and lay out on a baking sheet with avocado (or other veg) oil and bake in the oven until softened and golden brown. Layer in a baking tray (v thin layer of mince, then aubergine, then mince, then courgette then final thin layer mince is how I go) You can also keep in the fridge or freeze at this point.

When you want to eat, in a bowl beat together 2 - 3 eggs, a big spoonful of greek yoghurt, black pepper and grated nutmeg then crumble in half a block of feta and stir together. Spread over the top of your mince/veg layers and bake for 30-40 mins until the egg is set and browned on top.
Serve with dressed salad leaves, or ts broccoli or just on its own. Reheats beautifully for leftovers for lunch the next day.

Two days in a row at the same lowest weight this bootcamp, and 1 more lb off will see me under 9 stone (short, small frame). That leaves half a stone to go.
Off to Body Pump shortly, and managed both a run and yoga yesterday. Eating out tonight and on Sunday though so will need to be super careful the rest of the time!
Really enjoying scrambled eggs with asparagus for breakfasts right now, salads for lunch.

There’s a lovely recipe for low carb moussaka in the Low Carb Recipe section (the meat thread)

I'm focusing on good salads and meat, I don't think I'll be tempted by breadbuns, I'm sort of past bread now I think. But wine is a different matter .... I am being very strict at the moment and to be honest feel a slight relaxation coming on!

@cyan Danger danger! That feeling of slight relaxation - honestly, resist it. This bootcamp is only one month. You can do it. There will be other BBQs, there will be other bottles of wine...

That is my truly fantastic favourite bootcamp recipe. Thanks @BIWI

Food today:
B - coffee with cream and the strange yogurt clafoutie
L- egg mayonnaise salad
D - Slow cooked lamb casserole with buttered leeks, mange toot, green beans

@Rayna well done. I know some people might read your weight and think 'I wish' but for anyone short in stature and with a slender frame the extra pounds are unforgiving visually, and importantly they can be unforgiving metabolically.

My friend has (her description) Child Bearing Hips. Realistically she's never going to get into size 10 jeans. But her blood pressure, cholesterol, heart stats are all fabulous. Mine (at 9.5 stone) not so good. I've got slim hips, the much longed for thigh gap, but all my fat is in my middle. And still high BP.

This was for @YourFairCyanReader