Week 4 - Summer Low Carb Bootcamp - Wherein we totes commit

[BigStickBIWI]

OK. It has come to my attention that there has been a lot of slippage going on over the last few days

Low carbing is not a very forgiving way of eating. It isn't like following a low calorie diet, where one meal or one day can compensate for another.

If you're low carbing then you have to commit to low carbing all the time.

Once you reach your target weight, then this isn't necessarily the case, but whilst you're losing weight, you really do have to keep your carbs low. If you don't, then all you're doing is constantly messing with your blood sugars.

And, if you have a massive increase in carbs, you are constantly re-filling your glycogen stores, which means your weight could go up by as much as 7lbs. And you're stopping your body shifting from carb-burning to fat-burning, because you're having to deal with all those pesky carbs.

So, here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness for you to confess all

Let's make sure that we really commit and get shot of that weight.

[LilyAmaryllis]

BlackAffronted also want to say I am thinking of you with the £19 challenge. I have no idea how I would do that. Are there any tins at the back of the cupboard/frozen food you can improvise with. Good luck.

[Yoghurty]

Cauliflower ‘Chowder’

Feeds 4- generously

1 head cauliflower
1.5 Litres Chicken stock
2 banana shallots
1 Ball mozzarella
1 Cup of cream (approx half a medium tub)
1 cup grated cheddar (or generous handful)
1tsp garlic powder/granules
Salt and pepper
Bacon lardons
5/6 Spring onions- chopped

Slice the shallots and sweat in a pan with a generous knob of butter and a splash of OO to stop the butter burning.

Once the shallots have softened, add the cauliflower florets and fry them until they have achieved some colour. Add the chicken stock and simmer until the cauliflower goes soft.

With a potato masher, mash the cauliflower in the stock (be careful of the hot liquid!) You should only need to do this by hand and you do not want it smooth- you want small chunks of the cauliflower intact to keep it thick.

Add the cream then simmer and stir until it is incorporated into the stock. Add the cheddar and stir until it is melted. Chop up the mozzarella into small chunks and add it to the pan. Season with S&P.

In a small frying pan, fry the bacon lardons and until crispy and brown then add the chopped spring onions.

Ladle the chowder into bowls and either sprinkle the bacon/onion mixture on top or stir though.

[Yoghurty]

Meant to say, this is super cheap.

I use sainos basics cauli, bacon lardons (£1.09) and mozzarella ball (55p).

[Yoghurty]

Oops! Add the garlic powder before you mash!

[BigStickBIWI]

Aw, Black, that sounds really tough.

I guess it's time to raid the cupboards and the freezer! Don't be snobby about frozen veg though, it's often surprisingly good. Frozen whole leaf spinach is amazing.

£19 for 3 days is just over £6 a day. Does that have to cover all meals or are you just talking about evening meals?

A couple of cheap and (reasonably) low carb meals:

Veg curry (you could always bulk everyone else's out with extra pulses as well as giving them lots of rice)

Egg-based dishes - the frittata would be a good one. One dish we had a lot when I was a child was eggs mornay - hard-boiled eggs, halved, with a cheese poured over the top, then baked in the oven (grated cheese on top) till the cheese browns. Obviously not great for you, but you can do the same except spoon some natural yoghurt over your eggs, then top with grated cheese and bake in the same way

[kiwigirl42]

sorry to everyone who is struggling at present or have sick relatives. I hope things improve quickly

I've just weighed myself (on week 3 as started one week behind) and I've lost another 2lb so have lost 9lb in total so far. Really pleased.

My DH is very supportive but I didn't tell him I was eating this way for first week as as soon as he thinks I am on a diet he starts buying me weird shit and worries that I am missing out. Like a litre of cottage cheese! and huge bunch of grapes!
So we've had a chat (again) and I've told him just to buy Total. Only Total.

had a bad day yesterday bawling about my migraines so this has really pleased me. feel fine today about migraines by the way - back to normal fucked off mode ;0)

[KatoPotato]

Thanks to LilyAmaryllis for pointing me in the right direction! - pasted from old thread:

Hi everyone.

Okay, I'm taking the plunge and would love to join. I've lost 4.5 stone so far through calorie reduction and exercising 5 times per week but I've stalled! big time!

But I'm a lazy mare when it comes to cooking and often succumb to convenience, would a supermarket jar of thai curry sauce that has 7g of carbs per 100g be really bad if i made with chicken?

I know sweet treats are my downfall and my MFP is peppered with biscuits and chocolate and peanut butter...

Can you do low carb if you're a lazy cook? Do i have to give up pepsi max??

[QueenofDreams]

Thanks for the support everyone.

lily going to the shops for my bits is not an option for several reasons:

1. I have no money in my account - I don't work and DP gives me a little each month but not enough to be able to feed myself!
   
2. I don't drive and we have no supermarkets in easily walkable distance, which is why we do internet groceries in the first place.
   

I will try and works something out with this though. It's just that DP is totally fixed into the conventional wisdom when it comes to diet. I was too until about 3 months ago when I started reading on all this. Nothing will change his mind that this is 'faddy eating' though. I was talking to SIL about food a couple of weeks ago, and he heard me say 'fat keeps you fuller for longer' and said 'fat keeps you fatter for longer' in response. He also holds the charming view that 'men don't bother with stupid diets, if they need to lose weight they just eat less' ( I don't believe that for a moment)

SIL was complaining to me that she's been restricting how much she eats. She says there's no way she can eat any less than she is at the moment, but she's not losing weight. DP just thinks she's obviously not eating as little as she thinks she is.

[Bessie123]

I have sts this week, although I really didn't deserve to.

blackaffronted sorry to hear you're having a tough time. Xx

[BlackAffronted]

Managed to get a whole chicken for £2.25! Im now going to be one of those people who make 16 meals from one chicken no idea how though!

The money is for 3 main meals, plus lunch for just me. I have a few eggs, some frozen veg and a small amount of cheese so breakfasts are covered. Theres tins of carby stuff I can feed the others, plus lentils.

I think as long as I keep my carbs under 60g, as per Dr Clarke, rather than strict bootcamp, I should come out the other end ok :)

Welcome Kato! Huge well done on your weightloss so far. That sauce would be ok if you used it sparingly & topped up with coconut milk. I have thai curry now & again usng a jar.


Queen, Im sorry to say your DP sounds a bit too controlling :( Do you have children? Also, did you know you can adde xtras to your online shop even after you have submitted it? up until the evening before delivery I believe!

[BlackAffronted]

Yog, that chowder sounds lovely!

[LilyAmaryllis]

Kato: Lazy cook - yes no problem. Pepsi Max - no you can't!

The rules are here: www.mumsnet.com/health/diet-and-fitness/low-carb-bootcamp

QueenofDreams! OMG no money. This makes me feel shocked and upset. He doesn't give you enough money or your freedom of choice.

[WillieWaggledagger]

welcome kato!

sorry, lily's right about the pepsi max - have a look here for a good reason why you should give it up (among others)

re "lazy" cooking, technically jarred sauces that have a low enough number of carbs per portion (do check this, and as blackaffronted says you can make it go further to reduce the carbs per portion) would be ok, but they can contain lots of artificial ingredients, added sugar or sweeteners, wheat etc and the aim of bootcamp is to reduce this if you can. that said, i happily use bought mayonnaise!

have you had a look at the recipe thread for ideas - most are pretty easy

[Bessie123]

queenofdreams I have been trying to mind my own business but I keep thinking about you and your husband. I didn't understand why it matters whether he agrees with low carbing - surely if you want to have low carb food in the house you can have it, whether he thinks you will lose weight or not. If he fancied a ready meal lasagne, would you refuse to let him have it? I think it's much the same thing; regardless of whether you agree over the health benefits, as an adult you are allowed to choose what you eat. Do you do any of the cooking at home? Could you ask him to buy fresh food that you will cook from scratch? It would make it easier to eat low carb. Sorry, I'm sure someone has suggested all this already.

[HeirToTheIronThrone]

Ooh, cauliflower chowder looks AMAZING - might give it a go at the weekend. Can you use frozen cauliflower as I've got tonnes of it...

I'm not sure about 16 meals Black, but three from a big chicken is doable - one roast with veg etc, one stir fry using leftover meat and other bits (carbers can add rice/noodles) and then use the carcass for a big soup, which you could have for lunch too.

I have a very odd end-of-fridge lunch - pate on cucumber slices, a hard boiled egg, and some pretty tired lettuce shredded up with a dollop of mayo...

[KatoPotato]

Thanks guys!

I've taken the plunge, finished my can of pepsi max, and added myself to the spreadsheet.

I prefer to weigh on a friday, would that still be added to the following Monday or should I just change that day as well? - My scales are linked to MFP by wifi... it's scary!

So far for breakfast I've had a protein shake - but it has 10g of carbs... have I blown it?

[newlark]

Signing in on the new thread - my weigh in day is Thursday but I am weighing every day to see the trend - this morning I am back up the 2lb I lost last week - I suspect in part due to yesterdays peanut butter sandwich - back on the low carb wagon this morning...

[WillieWaggledagger]

kato weigh in whenever you like tbh, quite a few people don't use monday as their weigh-in day because it doesn't work for them or because they started on a different day of the week. i tend to do a round-up of the 'biggest loser' at the end of the week, usually on a friday, but sometimes saturday or sunday if i forget i'm busy, so you might want to make sure you've recorded your weight on there before i do that, but otherwise there are no hard and fast rules on this one

[KatoPotato]

Thanks again,

I do understand the point of this WOE, and I know whenever I eat anything carby or super sugary, I just feel hungry again in no time! Whenever I have a protein shake breakfast It fills me right up until lunch. I have to take a protein shake in the mornings after my workout as I do a lot of weight work now, but I'll look into a lower-carb alternative!

[teaandthorazine]

Queen - I'm wary of adding to the chorus but... how come your dp gets to decide what you eat? He controls the money, and the food, you don't work or drive...massive apologies if I've got completely the wrong end of the stick here (I don't know if you've got eg small children at home!) but it sounds a bit...difficult?

[colette]

Your opening post definitely applies to me Biwi !
Have lost 0.5 lb so am pleased as I know I can do better. Have also been eating too much the same so will read thro' this thread - the economy recipes are really useful. Veggie friend coming to stay so will be looking out for lc ,veggie , easy , suits kids recipes - not much too ask

[captainmummy]

Kato - your scales are linked to MFP? How spooky! What does it do if you go up? Does it shout at you? or go all hurt?
And hungry-after-a-sugary-meal is the reason why we are all low-carbing - because that just doesn't happen ! (and I'm talking as someone who had to eat every couple of hours, beacuse i would feel faint, as a carb-queen)

Queen, I have to say, he does sounds rather a bit controlling. Why do you let him dole out 'a bit of' money to you, and tell you what you can eat? I know this is not the 'Relationship' thread, but you are a grown woman, and should be an equal in your partnershop.
I'd tell him that he is eating the fish pie (or whatever else high-carb he's bought) over 2 days, you are going to eat what you want.


But that's just me.

[QueenofDreams]

Just to clarify:

We eat mostly fresh food made from scratch, but this fish pie is a bit of a family favourite and the kids demolish it
I generally do the food orders, but he sometimes does it if I haven't got my finger out and done it. This has happened this week
As for money, well we've been in a bit of a financial pit, and for a long while we couldn't afford for him to give me any money at all, now he gives me about £100 per month but that goes on allsorts (including some stops at the shop to pick up odd bits and bobs) I think we've been in financially dire straits for so long that I've developed a real fear of spending money!

Things are difficult, but partly because I've become quite low due to all the crap, and I'm struggling with it. hopefully things are turning around now, just hope we don't get made to move house again because that would just kill us.

Anyway, going to stop moaning now :)

Just had a lovely soup. we're a bit low on foodstuffs, but I managed to cobble something together.

[captainmummy]

BlackAff - well done on getting a chicken, that's exactly what i was going to suggest! I'd roast it for one meal with veg and potatoes for the non-LCers, then pick that carcass and make stock for soup.
Day 2 I'd make thin egg-omellettes and use to wrap the leftover chicken, with veg or mushrooms if you have them. Cover with cream/cheese sauce and serve with veg.
Day 3 - soup from the stock, with a few bits chicken in, and bread. Bulk out with lots of veg. Noodles in for the non-LCers.

[BigStickBIWI]

Kato - welcome!

Ditch the protein shake. That's way, way, way too carby for Bootcamp. And you should be getting most of your carbs from veg/salad.