Week 3 - Summer Low Carb Bootcamp - When the Going Gets Unexpectedly Tough

[BIWI]

I'm starting this thread a little earlier than usual, as I have to be at work at dawn's crack tomorrow

Come and confess all on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

So from tomorrow, you can move on to Bootcamp Light, if you want. (Rules on the tabs on the spreadsheet). That means that you can introduce fruits (berries only) and nuts (in small quantities), as well as alcohol (albeit in moderation!)

You don't have to, if you don't want to. You could continue to do Bootcamp if it's suiting you - or do Bootcamp during the week and Bootcamp Light at the weekend. Whatever suits you.

Whatever you decide here is something really important that you need to know about weeks 3 and 4 (and possibly 5):

It is very common for weight loss to stop at this point in the diet. You may even find that you gain a pound or two. DON'T PANIC! It is entirely normal. Your body is switching from carb-burning to fat-burning, and is re-adjusting to your new WOE. You have jettisoned a lot of water weight, and have emptied your glycogen stores. You will also have lost some fat. Now, your body is working on just burning fat.

PLEASE DON'T PANIC AND START TO TRY AND CHANGE ANYTHING. THIS IS ENTIRELY NORMAL AND HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY LOW CARBERS BEFORE YOU. STICK WITH THE KNITTING, AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED BY SEEING THE SCALES MOVE AGAIN IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO

Good luck for next week. As ever, post any questions on the questions thread, and keep us all updated as to what you're doing/eating.

morning all and happy birthday Buda hope you have a lovely day!

had spag bol on little gem leaves for dinner last night, the usual for breakfast (egg based ) and plan a salad for lunch. will hopefully get to the shops today at some point to stock up as my low carb supplies are running low (though i have cheerily been chucking out low-fat yoghurts etc with abandon).

agree with LilyAmaryllis that it's just amazing not to feel HUNGRY any more, ever, at all! (if you eat three meals a day). the only times i have felt compromised is when we've been running late at activities and i've missed a mealtime.

tried taking pepperami and babybel out with me for such occasions but neither really appeal - must say i am really missing fruit at the minute. will catch up with the recommended reading one of these days - but for now, just delighted to be sticking with the plan, and so grateful to everyone (and the big stick) for the support...

Happy Anniversary badvoc

I've lost 6lb since starting on 9th May. I'm really chuffed as had hysterectomy in March and was worried that with HRT and all that, I would find it really hard to lose weight.
I've also finally committed to adding myself to spreadsheet . I was 213lbs when starting - I am 6 foot 3 though so that's not as bad as it sounds!
I want to get down to 85kg (188lbs) with a view to finally getting to 80kg (176lbs). I want to make sure my face doesn't look too scrawny at that weight!

does anyone else find themselves not motivated to eat? I feel so full most of time I'm finding it difficult to decide to cook something.

and happy anniversary badvoc

happy birthday ciderwithbuda!

i just tried a bulletproof coffee, it was quite nice and satisfying, it was a bit like a strong latte but not as sweet

i have to admit i used decaf instant which goes against the bulletproof instructions

doesn't it have to be unsalted butter? my kerrygold unf is salty... but the coconut oil in coffee is quite delicious

... and happy birthday ciderwithbuda!

Must google bulletproof coffee...

yes ruby, definitely, salty coffee would be horrid

i'm not joking when i say i haven't a clue in the kitchen...

Posted this is week two, not realizing we'd moved on:

This is witchcraft! I am quite a pig, but have stuck to this except for a piece of birthday cake and some wine on DS2's birthday last week, and I am now back to my 34 in bra strap size, instead of my fat 36 inch bra strap size.

I was too ashamed to put my 14 stone 4/5 on the spread sheet, but now I am 13' 8 and am just overweight instead of "obese*! . I will put my starting weight in soon.

I am too scared to start on the nuts and berries, I keep thinking about them and thinking, "I can if I really want to.." I will save the wine for the weekends only.

I am still eating good sized portions, so I can't believe I am having less calories than normal.

The only thing I really, really miss is chick peas . I love chick peas.

I do fart so much less on this WOE and was always quite a windy person. I couldn't summon up a trump if you paid me .

Thank you :)
14 years!
Dh has asked if we can go out for lunch on Friday...but I have suggested a coffee instead at a lovely little cafe in the village.
I use I salted block butter but slowly salted spreadable.
The co op have an offer on kerrygold ATM - 2 for £2.50 and their very nice beef meatballs are 12 for £1.25!!
In stead of pasta I have been having courgette ribbons which are yum.
Can i ask you all - where do you get your naice ham from!? :)

Slowly salted?
Slightly salted!

Feeling bloated, exhausted and tummy-achey. I could be 5 days before my period or 15!

My cycles have been unpredictable since I started keeping a note last summer. I feel really low too which is a sure sign of PMT (but life is crap at the moment too). This is a classic time for me to dive head first into a pile of carbs

badvoc - naice ham from butcher, M&S, Waitrose - anything that has no added water etc is decent ham I think.

Me too change.
I crave carbs when in my period and after migraines.
I am hoping that this woe means I won't get such bad pmt or migraines!
I will check out ocado for Ham, thanks.

Panic over, it seems I have a virus-caused rash that is not harmful or contagious and will go away on its own... So nothing to do with LC-ing!

Happy birthday and anniversary to the various celebrating types

Oh goodness. Feeling a bit wired and mental today think it might be the coffee and coconut oil...
Not usually affected too much by caffeine though! Think I'm gonna go for a run.

Happy Birthday CiderwithBuda

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BADVOC!

BobblyGussets - brilliant! for you too!

Don't worry about calories. You're probably eating more than you were before. But it matters much less when you're low carbing.

Hello, can I join you?

I've been following bootcamp since last Tues and although I have no scales so cannot post my loss, I have definitely shifted some pounds and inches!

BIWI - thank you so much for making this so easy to follow. I've wanted to low-carb for a while but am rubbish at seeking out advice/plans etc so this has been an absolute godsend.

My tummy is the flattest it's been since pre-pregnancy (still a way to go though!), my cheekbones have reappeared, and my skin looks much healthier for cutting out sugar and alcohol

I'm also really chuffed that as my period has arrived, I've had chocolate cravings but not given in! Had a couple of teaspoons of neat double cream instead which did the trick nicely (and even tasted a bit sweet).

Today's food has been:

B: 2 babybels
L: Omelette with cream cheese, spring onion and 3 baby tomatoes, lots of lettuce and mayo
S: will be olives
D: will be something with courgette fried in butter and herbs, probably salmon

Thanks for all the inspiration

Welcome, cupid, and thank you!

Lunch was smoked salmon pâté on little gem leaves, some big fat olives and my new staple - feta, asparagus and courgette salad from M&S! Bloody lovely. I feel as if I could do with a bit more fat though...totm has arrived and I am a wee bit cravey. Some full fat Greek yog would be nice but I cba to leave the office and go out in the cold . I do have some strawberries calling me from the other side of the room but it's not quite the same.

Dinner will be spag bol without the spag, or chili without the kidney beans.

toomuchtoask

Low Carb Shepherd's Pie (serves 6)

5 leeks (about the number you will get in a pack from Sainsbury) sliced
1/2 head of celery, sliced
500g beef mince
1 OXO cube
1 whole celeriac, peeled and chopped into chunks
2 Echalion shallots (Sainsbury's sell these - long and thin rather than round - but I guess ordinary shallots would be find - you need around 75g)
Grated cheese (optional)

• Fry your beef first, in olive oil in a large frying pan, and season with salt, pepper and when browned, crumble in the OXO cube
• In a large saucepan, fry the leeks and celery in butter with a splash of olive oil (Adding the oil helps to prevent the butter from burning)
• When softened, add the mince and then cover with water and simmer for 30 minutes, with the pan lid on
• After 30 minutes, take the lid off and reduce the amount of liquid (it needs to be reasonably dry - but do this to your own taste)
• While the meat is cooking, boil your celeriac in a large pan of salted water, till tender - this will take 20-25 minutes
• Drain and mash - either by hand or with a stick blender.
• Thinly slice the shallots and fry gently till nicely browned, in butter with a splash of oil, then mix into the mash
• Put the meat into an oven-proof dish and spread the mash on top of it. Top with the grated cheese and bake for around 20 minutes in a hot oven until the cheese is browned.

32g carbs for the whole thing; 5.4g carbs per portion if serving 6 people.

toomuchtoask

Marinated Chicken

Chicken breast per person

Marinade:

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsps sesame oil
2 tbsps light soy sauce
juice of a lemon or lime
black pepper
sprinkling of dried oregano
sprinkling of dried chilli flakes (optional)

Mix together.

Skin the chicken breast - then slice each breast into 2 or 3 long pieces (depending on the size of the breast)

Marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Before cooking, thread each piece on to a skewer and then grill or cook on an oiled griddle for c. 10 minutes, or until properly cooked through (i.e. no sign of any pinkness)

The chicken skewers work really well on the barbecue.

toomuchtoask

This recipe uses pork, but you could easily substitute chicken for this:

Oriental stuffed cabbage parcels

This quantity will make enough for 4 generous portions.

1 large savoy cabbage (or 2 smaller ones)

1 pack 4 pork steaks (currently on offer at Sainsbury - the fatty ones), cut into small dice instead, use 4 large chicken thighs, skinned and boned and cut into dice
1 tin water chestnuts, chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 large spring onion or 2 ordinary sized ones, sliced
4 baby sweetcorn, sliced
4 mushrooms, finely chopped
packet fresh coriander, finely chopped

light soy sauce (a good quality brand like Kikkoman)
2 teaspoons Chinese 5 Spice powder
black pepper
sesame oil

Put the meat and the vegetables (not the cabbage!) into a large plastic/Tupperware box. Sprinkle with the Chinese 5 Spice powder, then add a generous sloosh of soy sauce and sesame oil. (I'm guessing at least 4 tablespoons of each) and season with black pepper. (Don't add any salt - the soy is salty enough). Leave to marinade for at least half an hour.

Heat a wok until it is very hot, then tip the meat mixture in and stir fry for about 5 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink. Leave to cool

Then prepare the cabbage - cut the stalk end off, and peel away the leaves. Cut away the bottom part of the tough stalk - this will make a sort of V-shaped cut up the centre of each leaf. You will need 2-3 leaves per person, and they need to be a reasonably decent size, hence why you may need 2 cabbages. Blanch the leaves for 2 minutes, then drain and leave to cool.

When everything is cool enough to handle, stuff the leaves with the meat mixture and put the rolled up parcels into a steamer. Steam for 10 minutes.

Serve with shiratake noodles