Week 2 - New Year Low Carb Bootcamp - Half way there!

[BigStickBIWI]

Sorry to be a bit late this morning - no doubt you're all chomping at the bit to declare all on the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

stupid phone, obviously meant bug

Halfthesize. Pretty sure it's not a bug. The DC have not had anything and DH hasn't either.

I am taking supplements and getting plenty of salty food to counteract the water I am drinking. And I get thru between 3 and 4l a day.

Strange thing is most of you are reporting to be cold. I am hot. I am sweating and feel clammy. I have checked my temp is completely normal.

Perhaps it is the candida die off? Yikes. I read it can be unpleasant and last for weeks.

skand1 - sorry to hear you're still not feeling great. I would echo half's post - are you keeping your sodium/potassium/magnesium levels up?

Are you a candida sufferer? It could be that, I suppose.

List out for me what you have been eating over the last 3 or 4 days.

skandi I Had never actually heard Candida, just looked it up. looks like it covers a lot of symptoms hope you feel better soon.

Hi BIWI

Sat:
B- omelette cooked in coconut oil
L-leftover roast chicken with lettuce cucumber and avocado (just 1 avocado this time!) w mayo
D:salmon with broccoli in garlic butter
S- M&S pork crackling

Sun:
B- lie in so missed it.
L: eggs x3 fried in butter with spinach and smoked salmon
D:confit duck leg (x1) with celeriac chips
S: yog and pork crackling

Mon:
B-tiny bit of yog with vanilla powder
L:salad of lettuce cucumber and avocado (1/2 avocado) and crab w mayo
D:grilled halloumi cheese with salad and spinach and olives.
S: pork crackling

I am drinking 3 coffees with cream a day. 3 to 4l of water and herb tea such as chamomile, green tea and peppermint.

I have not had a single cheat of any kind.

I wasn't aware that I may have candida but I suffer from rosacea and I have just discovered online that the two are linked. High sugar/carb diet can lead to intestinal candida overgrowth which can show on face as rosacea. Charming. Whether this is what is ailing me, I guess only time will tell as the rosacea should improve if I stick to the diet and kill off the overgrowth.

Your meals look good, but how much fat are you eating? I can see a bit in your diet, but you may need to eat a bit more. When you are eating salad at lunchtime, are you putting an oily dressing on the leaves? It could be that you're not eating enough as well.

If it is candida - which it could be, if you are a rosacea sufferer - then I suppose die-off is a strong possibility, in which case, it's about 'keeping on keeping on'.

Be kind to yourself - don't push it if you're doing any exercise - and hopefully by this time next week you will be feeling a lot better.

Thanks BIWI. I generally use olive oil on salads.

To up fat intake I have started putting a teaspoon full of coconut oil in my herbal teas. It sounds gross but its absolutely lovely and I can recommend it. It gives it the fuller taste and a satisfying aaahhhh when you drink it.

Morning all, just checking it with my slight NC to reflect my onwards and downwards attitude :) Win of the day was my coat which I ordered a size down from what I normally take (because I am an idiot and WANTED it like a child despite it being limited stock) actually fits! SIZE 12!!

Morning mummies

B- was scrambled eggs... I actually couldnt eat it all!
L- leftovers from last nights stir fry
D- is undecided!

Im gona have my work cut out for me this next week as DS2 whos 18 months has got a chicken pok on him ahhhh! I thought hed got away with it but obviously not...its going to be hell and another week confined to the house, i duno how im going to get DS1 to school if DS2 cant go out!

Oh goodness, sorry to hear that, Princess

I just want to second what BIWI said about sugar and sweet stuff. The more you give into temptation, the more you'll crave sweet things. It's like trying to give up smoking, but having one or two cigs a day - it just prolongs the agony.

I gave up all sweeteners in my second week low carbing - I went from having sweeteners in white coffee to drinking plain black unsweetened, dropped all 'pretend' low carb food (eg Atkins bars, low carb cheesecake, Splenda in my cream etc.) and just white-knuckled it through. Three weeks later, I accidentally put a sweetener in my morning coffee (due to not actually being awake) and it tasted AWFUL - which was a revelation.

Honestly, if you can just resist anything sweet for two weeks, you'll lose you cravings for sweetness. I never would have believed it until I did it myself. Please give it a go - it makes this way of eating so much easier, and your chance of long term success that much higher. You're not depriving yourself, you're doing yourself a huge favour.

Im thinkin today will be ok and tomorrow night/ tonight will be the worst with fever if hes anything like DS1 was. So im feeeding him up now before he doesnt wana eat!

Oh Princess sorry to hear DS2 has now come down with them, bet you are climbing the walls Fingers crossed he gets a mild case x

Morning all

Just here to record the rest of my food from yesterday

L: 3 low carb sausages, celery & full fat philly
D: Celeriac soup
Snacks: a bit of brie, sugar free lemon & lime jelly

I managed 6 pints of water too!

HavinganOffDay - ^ see previous posts for wagging finger about sugar-free jelly!

I see you lot are still chatting away.

I cannot keep up!

Real life is getting in the way at the moment.

Hi BIWI and you fantasic lot.

Please can I join, I have been lurking since last week when I started looking for ideas (I didn't join in as I didn't know how well I'd be able to manage without carbs- a HUGE part of my old diet). I started at 13st 12 3/4 last wednesday and already weight is coming off (about 6lbs yesterday!). For the first few days I really did feel like poo (I was giving up my can of coke a day habit at the same time!). Still getting headaches in the last 24-48 hrs.

However I am feeling better and my skin feels healthier, I need to do more exercise but 2 of dd's are home today. I've also got the Rose Elliot veggie low carb book for ideas (need to find the time to read it!)

Due to weigh in tomorrow so please can I be added to the spreadsheet.

Just to add to BIWI's message about not giving in to the sweet cravings in the first two weeks - LISTEN TO HER WARNINGS, because it is really important.

In the first two weeks, you are trying to get your body to change gear - out of its old ways of depending on a constant supply of carbs & sugar for energy, into using up your own blubber to get its energy source. This requires your body to stop pumping out insulin to store all those carbs & start using ketones, which is what the body uses for fuel, when there isn't sugar flowing through your veins.

This can be a bit of a shock to the system, specially if like most of us, you have been chowing through carby foods for most of your life. Everytime you think about food, your body reacts by pumping out a whole load of insulin, the sweeter the food you are thinking about, the more insulin is produced. So, stop thinking about cheats & treats & stop eating them.

This is your chance to find your inner sylph - so give it your best shot & don't cheat!!!!!!

[wonder if I can kick my sweeteners in my tea and coffee]

Sitting here in my gym stuff but don't actually think i am going to have time to go to the gym after all! Does wearing the clothes count?

Greek yog for brekkie. Going to have eggs and bacon and mushrooms for lunch - drool.

at 'does wearing the clothes count' doshu

Quick question - what are people's thoughts on slow cookers?

Now my diet is getting more meat and veg (as opposed to pasta, pasta, pasta), am thinking a slow cooker could really come into its own with this WOE (obviously minus the pots and carrots). But you hear so many people complaining about them / saying they just sit in the cupboard.

Any devotees?

Is frying shallots at 7am a mug's game / does that way madness lie? I just love the idea of coming home to some tender meat falling off the bone on these cold wintry nights.

Princess sorry to hear about DS2

NoveltySlippers I'm a massive slow cooker fan. It works really well with cheap cuts of meat too so its perfect for low-carbing on a budget. I use mine at least twice a week, or did until I broke the ceramic bowl. Doh! Must look for a replacement.

I'm a stay at home/work from home mum so I usually don't fry the shallots and meat till late morning or lunch time. But I have heard of people doing the frying the night before, putting it in the fridge and then chucking everything into the slow cooker in the morning.

I love using the slow cooker for low carb stuff - my recipes are probably for the stage AFTER the first two weeks, but I cook things like Paprika Chicken (with sour cream), Steak and Kidney (like a pie filling, but with no pie!), Coq au Vin, Chicken Chasseur, Irish Stew and Chilli. I d quite a bit of pre-cooking on the stove before adding to the slow cooker, 'cos I like to brown my meat for flavour, and also burn off the alcohol in any wine I'm using.

I do the same FDM re preparation - I have a ''sear and stew'' thing so I can use the slow cooker pan on the hob

I love love my slow cooker for low carbing - shin beef is fabulous in it