Summer Low Carb Bootcamp - The Questions Thread

[BIWI]

If you have any questions, just ask them here. From experience, the chat thread moves so quickly, posters' questions often get missed.

Picking up on some that have already been asked today:

Can we eat dairy in Bootcamp?

Yes you can, but be aware that for some people dairy can impede weight loss. Butter is fine - you don't have to worry about that, and yoghurt is apparently better tolerated than milk, cream or cheese.

Cheese is a great low carb food and it's lovely to not have to worry about being able to eat it on the basis of it being a fat.

Milk can become quite carby quite quickly, so if you're having several cups of tea/coffee a day, you need to keep an eye on this. If you can, it's best to have your tea/coffee black - or to substitute cream (double) for the milk.

Cream can be used in cooking (always double, as it has a higher fat content), but again be aware that it might be an issue for you.

The best way to find out if it's a problem for you is to keep a food diary, and then you will be able to see the impact of dairy on your weight loss.

Yes, I find it harder to make go as smooth and use LOTS of butter and a bit of cream to help!

So far seem to have lost 5 lbs this week. Feeling very pleased. Managed a hard gym session yesterday and today as well. Even though I still don't see this as a life long WOE (due to my fussy eating habits I find it very restrictive as I don't like a lot of the foods discussed on here) I think it has changed the way I see carbs and I will continue to try to limit carb portion control. It's also helped me to think about blood sugar levels and if I do have bigger carb meal in the future it has helped me to see that I need to do some exercise afterwards to bring the blood sugar level down more quickly.

Thanks for all your support so far.

thanks for that MrsHerculePoirot - can hardly wait for dinnertime!

I bought some gorgeous caesar salad dressing from Ocado/ Waitrose which is very low carb (2g per 100ml). No sugar in it - rapeseed oil is not ideal but just a tbsp makes all the difference to a big bowl of lettuce.

kiwi That is my very favourite dressing too! Another very good one is the tesco one with the orange label (cannot seem to find it on the website).

It is still processed food though! Look at the ingredients:

Rapeseed Oil, Pasteurised Free Range Egg (27%), Water, Lemon Juice from Concentrate, Mustard Flour, Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (1.5%), Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Preservative Potassium Sorbate, Black Pepper.

Why not make your own dressing? You can make it in large quantities so that you're not having to do it every day.

(I keep seeing 'kiwi' and thinking people are talking about me )

Here's a recipe, from delicious.com, for caesar salad dressing:

1 large free-range egg
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
10 anchovies in olive oil
100ml extra-virgin olive oil

In a small food processor, whizz together the egg with the garlic clove, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and 2 of the anchovies. Season well with sea salt and black pepper, then keep the food processor running and gradually pour in the extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing becomes really thick and glossy.

This makes enough for a salad for 4 people.

(Personally I'd leave the anchovies out because I can't bear them)

I use the bottled stuff at work BIWI. Its easy to pick up a bottle on my way in on a Monday. It lasts me a full week of lunches and doesn't take up a lot of space in the small work fridge.

Ruby I think celeriac is especially gorgeous if you roast it first - cut all the outer stuff off then dice it into small cubes. Heat a roasting pan with lots of olive oil and a touch of butter, then you can add herbs or spices, whatever you fancy, to the oil first, giving them a moment to sizzle and swirl them around a bit to flavour the oil. Then add the diced celeriac and toss it until it's coated thoroughly. Roast for a an hour or so - it'll be soft inside and browned on the outside. Then when you're ready for the mash, food process it with a bit of butter and plenty of creme fraiche, and fry it a little if you need to reheat it. You can roast it ahead of time too - I've been making twice as much each time.

decaff that's exactly where my head's been at this week too. I've been wanting to find out more about the saturated fat and heart disease link, particularly. This is a very interesting review of the evidence, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1108492#COMMENT

decaff/Crabby

It's long (54 minutes) and is really worth watching, but the first ten minutes should give you the information that you need.

And a piece from Dr Briffa

Thanks for all the reasssuring health stories from various posters above.
And the link to the articles, the studies in the Briffa one are actually very reassuring too. Have loaded the video up to watch tonight, Thanks.

Well, I've been muddling through with a lower carb 'diet' for 4 days now and my IBS has settled down. Bloating has gone too. I've had some carbs, mainly because I'm largely veggie but I'm trying to steer towards protein for snacks instead of biscuits.

It's weird because I really don't feel hungry. I seem to have more time because I'm not on the loo or snacking.

Now I just have to figure out how I can do this as veggie as possible and afford the naice organic meat that I will only eat. I'll get back to you when I've got it sussed!

I can recommend the Rose Elliot book if you haven't already got it? The Vegetarian Low-Carb Diet Cookbook

Ok I am joining in 4+ stone to lose. Done 3 days although I am struggling to stop drinking (albeit vodka and diet coke).

AngryFeet - welcome! Please knock the alcohol on the head. It will really make a difference. And Diet Coke is verboten on Bootcamp! (along with any other drinks that use artificial sweeteners).

Alcohol is the easiest source of fuel for the body, so it will burn that first before anything else. So you won't be burning up any of your fat stores. This is why it's important - especially when we're trying switch the body from burning carbs to burning fat - not to drink.

thanks for that crabby! celeriac night is tonight as i unexpectedly didn't get home in time early enough to cook last night...

i must say, am disappointed with how little vegetable i was left with once i'd cut away all the outside and the soily bits!

it's in the oven as i write...

I know BIWI I am trying. Life is very very stressful right now and eating crap and/or drinking are my normal coping mechanisms. Hard to give up both right now. I know it sounds incredibly pathetic!

Sigh.
I am back BIWI. I am sorry I strayed :)
I can't do 5:2 or fasting. I have tried. The book and tv programme made it look so easy...
The facts are that I lost a stone (dh lost more) last summer on low carb/John briffa and I need to get back in the horse (so to speak)
I would like to lose anther stone ideally but would also like to help my GERD symptoms which wheat seems to aggravate (my mum is coeliac)
I don't really drink so not an issue but what can I hAve as a "treat"?
I like berries and cream but merangue is a no no isn't it?
Also like dark choc.
Have ordered a graze box today (free) as they are mostly berries and nuts.
I did so well last year.
Why can't I do it again? :(

Hi all, have been a long time reader, but not posted before. Thank you so much to BIWI, and all others, who invest so much of their time and knowledge in these threads.

Like Badvoc, I lost about 18 pounds over the summer last year, then for some reason (really don't know why) went off-piste, buggered about with other ideas/eating plans and am now basically back where I started. Determined to do it again though, starting tomorrow.

I know there is a very wonderful recipe thread, but is there a thread anywhere where low carbers post their daily eating plans? I find it really hard to choose what to eat and, basically, want to copy what others are doing?!

Wow, 18lbs? That amazing!
I don't think I have put mine back on - or if I have it isn't much - but I am getting to the point where all I am eating is sugary crap.
Last night the acid in my throat was burning me :(
And it's my own fault.
I know what you mean farley I also struggle for meal ideas. I end up eating the same sorts of stuff again and again.
I am going to get my HFW veg book out and see what I can cook from that.

BIWI thanks for reminding me about the Rose Elliot book. I'll see if they have it in the library. I can cope with a bit of meat, but I fear we will be bankrupt if I keep buying it.

farley i think quite a few people post their meals on the main threads, so you could just scroll through:

week 1

week 2

week 3

Thank you Willie, will have a look through.

Badvoc - thank you for admiration but it felt so easy at the time! It's the only woe that's ever worked for me and I think I've probably tried them all! Don't be me and put it all back on, chuck that sugary crap out NOW!