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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Week 7 - New Year Low Carb Bootcamp - Where We Get Tough!

449 replies

BIWI · 18/02/2013 08:30

Morning campers

Here is the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness

This week sees the start of Ubercamp. This is entirely optional, by the way!

The idea is that we have three very strict days, keeping our carbs under 20g each day and consuming no dairy.

If you want to take part, I have put together three days' worth of meals as a guide - one which includes eggs and one which is an egg-free plan for those of you who don't like eggs. I'll also do one today which is purely fish-based.

As well as the meal plans, I've also written shopping lists and some recipes, where necessary, and the lovely Willie has put these on the spreadsheet - just look at the tabs at the bottom.

OP posts:
ScillyCow · 23/02/2013 15:54

DH and I have a (very rare) night to ourselves tonight. I will be drinking (dry) Cava to celebrate. Having tuna steak and veg for tea. Am blimmin freezing as the boiler has broken. grrrr

thatgirlsevil · 23/02/2013 16:10

Just popped in to confess my sins...

I've had a shitty day and I've just caved in to the 'treats cupcoard' and had a Time Out (9.3g carbs) with a cup of tea. I must admit that it tasted bloody divine...but I've slapped my own wrists already and it won't happen again, I promise. So far today,

B - 2 rashers grilled bacon, fried egg and mushrooms in butter, 1/4 tin of tomatoes (3g carbs)
L - Leftover chicken from yesterdays roast
S - Cup of tea and Time Out Blush
T - Homemade Bolognese with salad (pasta for DP and DS)

Wheresmylifegone · 23/02/2013 16:31

Now I know I'm only a lurker but could you all please STOP using the abbreviation 'delish' ?! It's like fingernails down a blackboard for me.. Use 'lovely', 'gorgeous' or even try writing 'delicious' once in a while, but PLEASE stop with that horrid word!!!
Other than that, love the threads & have lost 16 lbs since Jan 2, Happy days!
Grin

pyjamalover · 23/02/2013 16:33

Grin BIWI

Thanks guys!

BIWI · 23/02/2013 16:45

Here's an interesting post

OP posts:
JakeBullet · 23/02/2013 17:10

It's sort of Day 1 for me although I plan to start properly on Monday. This weekend is a kind of gentle intro ...... so far I've had:

Breakfast: Total yoghurt with a tablespoon of cream....different but okay and filled me up.
Had a slice of Lerdammer cheese...but no more of that today.
Lunch was prawns, avocado, salad leaves and full fat Mayo
After that I felt a bit weird and out it down to a caffeine withdrawal so had a mug of coffee with cream instead of milk....that was fine and seemed to sort out the weird feeling.
Have drunk plenty if water but no more squash after the one this morning ...no more sweetners now.
Dinner this evening is rainbow trout and veggies...planning 100g of carrots plus cabbage and broccoli with butter. Have a recipe for a cream and butter sauce for the fish...aware I need to be careful with the cream so am going to crush some garlic etc into the butter and minimise the cream bit.

Does it pass okay BIWI Grin

So far it has been fine...haven't felt too deprived at all. It will be easier when school returns next week.

BTW is this way of eating more expensive? Just thinking about all the meat etc.

BIWI · 23/02/2013 17:12

Hmm. I'd avoid the carrots, personally - and be careful about the cream. But apart from that, all good!

It can be more expensive, but no need to buy fillet steak! In actual fact, the way I eat/cook these days is little different from how it used to be. I serve a meal up and I just avoid the carby element.

And cuts of meat like chicken thighs, pork belly and lamb breast are very cheap.

OP posts:
JakeBullet · 23/02/2013 18:08

Won't eat the carrots then. :)

spilttheteaagain · 23/02/2013 19:20

Just had the most delicious fish pie of my life for dinner. Have posted the recipe on the recipe thread. Sooo much nicer than my old carby one. We used sliced turnips for the topping.

spilttheteaagain · 23/02/2013 19:33

Jake I think this woe certainly has the potential to very easily be more costly, but I say that as someone who was always feeding the family very cheaply before and carbs were a huuuge part of our diet. We also got them very cheap, bought spuds by the 25kg sack for example. Replacing those with swede/celeriac/turnips is a lot more expensive, but much much tastier and nice to have the variety.
Similarly we bought basmati rice for £1/kilo in massive 10kg sacks, and cauliflower or whatever is naturally more expensive as it is fresh.

To be fair, I don't think my eggy breakfasts cost any more than porridge with milk, cream, raisins and syrup did.

And again in the past we ate loads of onions, carrots, peas and tin toms are they are really cheap veg. Broccoli, fennel etc is more costly. However, stuff like mushrooms, cabbage, radishes (I now have these instead of cherry toms/carrots in salad, lovely crunch too), frozen spinach etc is actually pretty cheap per helping.

However I think it depends where you are starting from and I think as we get used to the woe we will find ways to make it more economical (at the moment I am excitedly trying loads of new recipes and that is always more expensive).

For eg, there are a number of soups on the recipe thread based on broccoli/cauliflower or spinach, and actually I;m sure the frozen veg would be perfectly fine for this, or in a curry.

And whilst say cream/cream cheese is more pricy than butter per litre I certainly do not replace like for like. Say in the past I made cauliflower cheese, I might make 1 pint cheese sauce. Now I would make a sauce of cream/cream cheese and it would be more like 1/4 pint, partly because it's a thinner sauce and goes farther, partly because it's so much more satisfying you don't need as much.

Meat wise, mince is really good value and you can do pork/beef/turkey and make all sorts with it.
Bacon and chorizo pack a lot of flavour.
Frozen fish is very cheap. Tinned can be good value.
Value prawns aren't too pricey.

But undeniably, we are eating more meat and fish than we used to. Used to have a lot of pasta & pesto type meals with a sprinkling of bacon. So yes, in summary, I am finding this more expensive (but tastier!) but suspect there are ways to reduce the difference.

Think what you will save on biscuits, cakes, fizzy drinks, fruit juices, crisps, booze!, sugar, flour, pasta, rice, spuds etc and remember that that money is there to be now be spent on much better food.

spilttheteaagain · 23/02/2013 19:35

... of course I meant to say "cream/cream cheese is more pricey than milk per litre..." !

JakeBullet · 23/02/2013 19:41

Autistic DS has just fed me with a milk chocolate covred turkkish delight. He INSISTED Grin .

When DS insists it is extremely hard to say no...without a meltdown. Ah well. ....no more left now..it was the last one left in the box.

JakeBullet · 23/02/2013 19:44

Thank you spilt, feel I have so much to learn about this. Am going to go for the cheaper cuts of meat.

DS had seabass this evening as it was on special offer. I didnt think to ask the fishmonger to gut it for me. Let me tell you that gutting fish hhas to be the most disgusting job ever [vomit emoticon]. Let that be a lesson to me Grin .

spilttheteaagain · 23/02/2013 20:25

Oh god seabass, that is divine! Bream is it's cheaper cousin, if DS likes it, tastes very similar.

If you have a butcher you can often get all sorts of cheap cuts for slow cooking. Probably many are also available in the supermarket, but often they just call stuff "stewing" or "casserole" steak and you have no idea what it really is.

Beef wise: Brisket, shin and skirt are beautiful if slow cooked, the fat and sinew melts and makes the sauce really rich. Great in stews, casseroles, curries

Pork wise: Shoulder is our favourite, really good fat marbling, much much cheaper than leg if you want a roast joint. Great crackling. Again, a long slow roast. Belly also very good, probably a bit more fat to meat in that.

Lamb: Breast is the really cheap one, again, shove it in the slow cooker for 5 hours then crisp the skin under the grill for a cheap roast. Our butchers is often selling these off for about £1.99 for a joint that would serve 3-4 people.
Shoulder is also good value and a slightly prettier joint with a bit more meat on it. I believe Jamie oliver has some good lamb shoulder recipes.
I think neck is a cheaper cut too.
I have always wondered what exactly scrag end is!

Gammon/bacon: Gammon is the posh cut, a bacon joint is much cheaper and equally lovely, though may have a fat run or two through the joint so won't make quite such pretty slices. We shove bacon joints in the slow cooker for about 5 hours and then have cold meat for all sorts, just use when you might otherwise have wanted ham or lumps of bacon.

And obviously with poultry, legs are the cheap bit, and tastier, and have the fat, and are higher in iron, so win win win.

Offal. Usually very good value if you like it. Pate is a good one for using liver. It's basically 50/50 liver/butter with a bit of seasoning/herbs to taste so very good on this diet! Chicken livers aree ridiculously cheap.

Hope that helps and isn't teaching you to suck eggs! (If so, I apologise Grin)

spilttheteaagain · 23/02/2013 20:29

Oh and Lidl is your friend. All their dairy stuff is so much cheaper. Failing that Iceland is good with eggs £1 for 6 large free range, they do a butter for £1 a pat too. It's not a great eating butter, but when you are cooking with it, absolutely fine.

Speaking of butter, ladies...
It;s not the bread I miss, it's the taste of a cold slice of butter ON the bread. Cooking with it is all well and lovely, but I miss the taste of cold butter. Inspire me, what can I spread it on so I can enjoy it again please?

JakeBullet · 23/02/2013 20:42

Bites fingers to stop self from typing "warm crusty bread".

Grin
ScillyCow · 23/02/2013 20:50

Cold butter on celery?
COld butter with peanut butter

spilttheteaagain · 23/02/2013 20:57

jake

I wondered about butter on cheese. Celery has potential. I tried buttered ham but can't say I noticed the butter really. maybe I didn't put enough on

JakeBullet · 23/02/2013 21:12

Celery would be my best guess....I have always found celery to be the work of the devil though.

What about lettuce?

catinboots · 23/02/2013 21:24

Oh FUCK BANANAS.

I drank wine.

Been steadily resisting and losing for weeks now. Was on track to be below the 11st barrier on Monday.

My name is Cat and I am a fat basstad wine drinker.

thenightsky · 23/02/2013 21:45
MrsHerculePoirot · 23/02/2013 22:09

Butter, frankly, can be eaten on ANYTHING. Cheese, cold meats, cucumber, celery, vegetables, cheese crisps straight off a teaspoon, salami etc...

spilttheteaagain · 23/02/2013 22:22

I like your enthusiasm MrsHP Grin

JakeBullet · 23/02/2013 22:29

Grin @cat

Never mind. ...its just the one glass I am sureWink

JakeBullet · 23/02/2013 23:02

My last post today.

One day in...been interesting, a coupe of small errors but basically low carb all day and.......

It's just after 11pm and I still have energy....I cannot tell you how rare that is.

Bed now though.