Jezebella's Journal

Your food sounds lovely Jez! :) Even though I'm not on RTM anymore (and god, what a painful experience it was the first time around!!), I still like to keep my menu's fairly simple - it's amazing how every flavour has so much resonance still! I don't like to over-complicate - because if I can't taste it (and often; over complicated food becomes a jumble of too much STUFF) - then it's not worth wasting calories on. I actually separate quite a lot of my choices into seperate piles, so that I pick at each one, mix and match in my mouth, with my trusty chop-sticks! ... yes, I eat my food with chopsticks, all of it, unless I eat soup! :p It's amazing what this approach truly does - food becomes an art. You taste the individual flavours, textures and each mouthful will be different than the last. :)

And; I'd say, don't worry too much about the time scale of when you eat. You will become a bit more hungry as the weeks go by (especially when the ketosis cycle breaks properly) - I still eat my main meal of the day at about 10:30pm, and pudding at 12!

- And in answer to your question: My menu's... Sometimes I plan the night ahead when I'm in bed (takes me about an hour to actually FALL asleep... ugh), sometimes, I chuck a whole bunch of ingredients on to the counter and sort of look at them and invent something on the spot... Mostly for dinner I think about what 'base-meal' I fancy (stir-fry, traditional (bake/pie/casserole), soup, curry, or chilli) and work the ingredients that I have towards that goal - playing with the quantities and calories in each.
I don't have the organisational skills to plan for a week ahead - or anywhere near enough space in my fridge/freezer for that much food! Having a tiny broken under-counter fridge freezer sucks. !!!

What do you do for a living by the way? :)
 
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Hello Everyone, thanks for the fabby posts!!

TI and Morticia, lets organise something for later this year for sure!!!
Ken, I am not at the point of steaming veg yet, lol only week 2 so all raw currently, thought I am seriously looking forward to some cooked veg.
Morticia, so glad you think the red suits me. I have never owned or worn anything bright like this before, just never had the balls to stand out so much whenI was larger I guess, but I have really loved how it made me feel.
Kat darling, so good to hear from you, glad you are enjoying the blog so far, cannot wait to read yours, you must be so close to goal now, we must catch up on MSN asap for a good chat.

Right to the blog!
 
RTM Day 10 (Week 2)

Wow, today was a whole lot better than expected. First days back at work are usually painful and I knew I was going into a busy and long day (event at science museum for 200 in the evening) so was very conscious of fitting all my food in.

Did not love the getting up early and driving to work in the dark, but was in just before 7am and enjoyed catching up with my boys. They all did so brilliantly while I was away and I am so proud of all of them. Nice to have been missed though :)

I had a black coffee on the way in, then a cup of tea with a splash of milk. Was quite busy catching up in the morning, and managed to sneak my bar in at about 11, the time really ran away with me. I had decided to try a cranberry bar again - the first bar I ever had and hated, and it was actually delicious. Had another black coffee ( very small) with this. At 2pm had a tomato soup pack - probably drank it a bit fast because I was really busy. Finally got the work done and had a bit of time on my hands before leaving for the event, so sat down and had a good catch up with Tom outside with smokes and 2 small cups of tea with literally a splash of milk. I also prepared my dinner for tonight to eat later.

So dinner which I told everyone I was sitting down to eat at 7:30 - lol and I did - very strange on an event!! Recipe as follows, 75g tinned tuna in spring water drained, 20g chopped red pepper, 25g chopped cucumber, 1 spring onion chopped, 1/2 stick of celery chopped 2 tsp of chives chopped. Zest and juice of half a lemon, spinkle of s&p. 2 tsp fat free lime and coriander dressing and 1 tbs fat free greek yoghurt. I mixed all these ingredients together and popped it in the fridge for later. When I sat down to eat this had had time for the flavours to blend really well, served it on about 25g of rocket. Absolutely divine, the yoghurt in the tuna was such a revelation!!! Why did I never try this before?????? I managed to eat quite slowly about 20 minutes, - not as slow as usual, but for work not bad.

The event went really well and made it home by 10:30. Really enjoyed my sugar free strawberry jelly with a pot of muller light fruits of the forest. I cannot believe I ever found this stuff sour before, now it just tastes hugely sweet. Going to have an iced strawberry shake before bed.

I was also really pleased to have got loads of water in today, have been a bit short on the 4l in the past few days.

Min once again thanks for your brilliant posts, I learn so much from you and from your RTM journey. Re the eating times, I know it is partly due to the ketosis, but I have always been in the habit of eating nothing all day coming home starving, then having crap to eat because I am starving, then having a meal - usually large and carb loaded and going to sleep on a full stomach. I really want to break this habit and normalise the hours a bit. I know I will never be brilliant at eating much before 9 or 10, but I guess if I can save just the snack till later I will be happier. Re what I do, I am the Head Chef for an events company here in London :) I was just curious as to how far ahead you planned, because you always have such fab menus, and lots of things I would not have considered putting together. I would love to plan ahead for a week, shop it, cook it etc. Realistically if I can have a vague idea for a few days, or shop and make sure I only use what is in the house and don't keep topping up at the shops because i "feel" like something else, I will be really happy.

Had a listen to some of the RTM1 cd this morning on the way into work, probably not ideal to listen whilst driving, but will have a proper listen tomorrow when I get in from work. Going to log my food on food focus now so I can check out my calorie count for today. Am trying to keep it in the 700 mark which I think is about right for this week.

More tomorrow, think I will put some Turkey on the menu, not something I ever eat (Cooking them all at Xmas kills it for me, and I usually find it quite dry and boring) However I am loving a whole lot of things I would never have touched before, so perhaps it is a whole new thing opening up for me. Am going to try your chopstick trick Min, will help me to eat more slowly I think.

Until tomorrow
 
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Hey Jez

I want to lose another 17lb before I go into RTM so carrying on. I am hoping to do that by 27th Oct or 3rd Nov to be able to start RTM but we will see how the losses go over the next few weeks!

We defo must have a catch on MSN soon honey!

Kat xx
 
Gosh Jez, you work such long hours.....:(

I know what you mean about the turkey. I've always hated eggs, something about the texture. However, when away the weekend we went out to a lovely little place for breakfast and on the menu they had smoked salmon and scrammbled egg, and for some reason in a split second I fancied egg...odd. And when it came I loved it.....:)

Also have always disliked peaches, same thing, did not like the texture of the skin. When I came home from my weekend my hubby had done the shopping and bought them instead of nectarines, so like the egg I decided to try them, and loved them too.....I'm liking this being more open to food choices instead of being stuck in my normal old narrow routines....:)
 
Day 11 RTM (Week 2)

Another delicious set of food choices today. I can honestly say I have enjoyed every single meal since I have been cooking. Bar the first which was a bit too scary, and probably didnt live up to my high expectations.

So today was great. Managed to get my food in much more on time today, but probably too little water, though currently trying to make up for that with my trusty buxton bottle by my side.

Black coffee first thing, then at 10am a tea with splash of skimmed milk and my toffee bar at 11am. Was busy at Queens House doing a wedding - really fabulous and romantic for only 20 people and the weather could not have been better. Really enjoyed the day, and doing this job, weddings are always special but some more so than others. I had even made their wedding cake for them which looked totally delish! At 2pm after they had all eaten, settled down with my Veg soup, was feeling a little peckish. Finished at about 3 and headed off to the shops to pick up some more lettuce and some fish for later in the week. Found some fabulous trout which I will try over the weekend and yay for me, finally found the quark, so looking forward to trying that.

The lovely sister bliss prepared dinner tonight and we had "jerky turkey" hehehe. She batted out a 95g portion of turkey into an escalope which actually looked huge but was still under a 100g portion. Marinaded this in lemon, fat free yoghurt, chili, corriander, ground cumin and jerk spice. Salad was 25g mixed leaf, 20g cucumber, 20g celery, 5g spring onion, 10g yellow pepper and 15g of raddish. Did the veggie ceviche as per usual (little marinade of lemon, chili and a bit of s&p) popped that onto the leaf. Topped with the turkey which we had done on a chargrill (non stick) with a tbs of fat free creme fraiche on it. I was really impressed the turkey was so moist and tender and such a wonderful low calorie meal. My tastes are expanding and I am really enjoying trying new things I usually wouldnt have bothered with before. Pud was some sugar free orange jelly with 2 tbs fat free vanilla yoghurt - really loving this yoghurt (yeo valley) at the moment. Going to end off with a coffee/vanilla shake which brings my total cals for today to 693. I feel more than satisfied.

Have had a thought about how I would feel about going back onto packs full time and realised that as much as I enjoy them and I am glad I have the security of them, I am really enjoying the food I am cooking.

Also to note, found some fab fat free dressings in Sainsburys all less than 1% fat and only 88p a bottle - from the sainsburys be good to yourself range. Some fab flavours - french, caesar, red pepper, honey mustard, balsamic and smoked garlic and raspberry. So stocked up on those for the coming weeks. I also tried my hand at another dip although I have not had any snack apart from the jelly and yoghurt. This one is fat free creme fraiche, with a few drops of tabasco, 1 tsp sweet chilli sauce, zest of half a lemon, which I chopped with a few sprigs of flat leaf parsley, few sprigs corriander and 1 clove smoked garlic. Had a little taste and it is gorgeous. Looking forward to having some with a tuna steak or some prawns.

Have another late night tomorrow and lo and behold it is another wedding. So planning to pack my evening meal and will make a point of sitting down with it as I did last night. Really does make a difference. Had a good look at fruit today and am looking forward to it but am a bit scared of it too. All that sweetness, also the fact that I am down to 2 packs next week and have to start to add another snack. Well one day at a time I reckon. How much fruit do you more experienced RTMers feel is appropriate? I had been thinking of having a smoothie for breakfast - bar or soup for lunch with come cucumber and dip or another piece of fruit, meal in the evening, then jelly and yoghurt or similar, and last pack to be a shake either hot or cold. Does this sound ok?
 
Oooh Jez, can I come round to yours for dinner?! Your meals sound fab and I will definitely be coming back to this thread to steal ideas!
Perhaps you should add to the recipes thread?
Try not to worry too much about the fruit in advance and then just play it by ear and do what seems sensible (says me freaking out over chicken!)
 
Ahh, Job wise: I believe my LLC does something similar to you! She organises catering for large events, I remember she was doing one for Royal Albert Hall a while ago! Probably a whole different company to you though; though it'd have been freaky if you'd actually know her... :rolleyes: Her name is Rachel Coombs just in case! :p


Apart from that: Snacks. I remember my week 3, when we went down to 2 packs per day, my LLC told me that the snacks did not go up. It was a tough week food wise, but I grinned and beared it on two foodpacks, 1 snack and a meal. To be fair, it was enough. Seemed a little strange, but at the same time it's keeping that 'discipline' side of things still active. Giving you a little more in Week 2, but Week 3 taking a little bit away. Have a go listening to that rebel inside, that dialogue is quite interesting. I still play with that, I give myself enough and then one or two days I take away, just to reinforce what I'm learning and making sure that I'm not going to get complacent about certain trigger substances. Because if we get too comfortable by having something: we are very prone to increase amounts, or frequency without even thinking about it.
I'll give you an example of what did happen the first time I finished RTM after abstinence. I hadn't quite learned it all back then; but I swore I'd never get into my bad habits again because I'd be more 'aware'. Little did I know that the 'carb' portions in my evening meals grew that little bit bigger and that little bit more compulsary after a while. I stopped measuring the portion... then I couldn't even imagine a stir-fry without noodles to go with it (even though in RTM I was pleasantly surprised how nice it was without!). Or the rice with the chilli. And so on. The sandwiches, the toast came back. Cookies. Sometimes on a daily basis. ... it's so easy to fall back. That's why it's important to always go back and reinforce the lessons. Even if it's for the rest of our lives.

So, my suggestion, perhaps have a go at just cutting that foodpack out for this week, and having a light fruit based snack where you'd have the foodpack. Gauge your reaction to the fruit on it's own, and see how it makes you feel. :D And then in Week 4 increase it to two snacks in the day because I reckon by then you'll definitely find another time in the day where you can fit another snack in!

xx
 
RTM Day 12 (Week 2)

Well I finally made it home. Got in about an hour ago and have just been on the couch trying to chill, so technically this is being posted on Saturday instead of Friday, but as I am still awake it is Friday in my head <G>

Pretty good day calorie wise - 701 to be exact and I am not hungry so it must be enough :)
Very long old day today, was in work at 7 and got in at 11:30pm so I suppose calorie burning wise, that is a long time to be on your feet. Ok 2 hours were office based and half an hour at the event I was sitting. Stunning wedding agian and perfect weather for it, this is obviously THE time of year to get married!

Black coffee to start the day, followed by a small tea with a little milk when I got to work - was freezing - cold obviously influences me. Hd my bar at 10amish, which was great, but I really didn't eat it as slowly as I would have liked, was eating whilst working so not concentrating on it and ate it too fast. It tasted fab though. Decided to have my soup slightly earlier than usual - 1:30pm as I was leaving for the event at 2 and by the time I got there, got to hot water and made the soup after unpacking and sorting my kit it would have been 4pm which would have been too late. Realistically I would have been fine, but since I am trying to work on more regular eating hours I thought this was the best decision under the circs. Felt under pressure to eat it fast as I knew we had to leave, so flavour wise it was fine but otherwise not that fab as the whole time I was sitting having it I was thinking ooh you have to go now so hurry. Knew I would be having dinner tonight after the main service and before the late evening service which would be after 8 so had taken a jelly with me. Decided I would have some at 4pm. The function was a lot of hurry up and wait because of their timings and their delays - had another cup of coffee with a bit of milk (skimmed) when I got to Chiswick. Got my bits set up so had half the jelly at 4:30pm. Felt very odd eating it infront of my colleagues, and also felt hugely guilty as it felt far too treaty. Dinner tonight - which I pre made at work today was as follows:
75g tuna in spring water drained
40g cucumber large dice
20g red pepper brunoise
zest and juice of half a lemon
pinch of maldon and cracked pepper
3/4 spring onion sliced
20g courgette brunoise
5g mushroom thinly sliced
5ml sweet chili
15ml fat free yoghurt
1g fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
2g capers in brine
20g rocket

It was yummy and seemed huge on the plate. Sat down and ate it slowly. Really enjoyed it. Had quite a lightbulb moment whilst eating. It amazes me how you can have a lovely portion of great tasting food that is in effect very low in cals. Had about 100ml of diet coke then switched back to water- found it way to fizzy. After dinner, had another small cup of coffee with milk. We were sitting outside and it was absolutely freezing and I needed the comfort of coffee. Not sure if this is a good path for my head to go down or not?

Finished work at 10:30 and drove across town. When I got home, had the other half a jelly plus about another 100g of raspberry jelly with 2 tbs fat free vanilla yoghurt. Have yet to fit in my shake, which will be a hot chocolate tonight as I am still absolutely freezing, really cannot seem to get warm once I get cold these days. Have included this shake in my daily cals, so still sitting at 701. Day off tomorrow but going to Hever to give my sister a hand, so will leave here at about midday and only be back late at night again.

Min thanks for the info re snacks. Am I supposed to try and increase my cal intake to 800 next week or do I try to keep to the 700 mark?

I am not sure if I know Rachel min, but my colleague at the RAH probably does. Will ask about. We do a fair bit at the hall as another division of our company does all the in house catering there. I will be there in December for the Masters Tennis. Used to work there full time but hated it so just go back for events.

Pretty knackered now, so going to make my hot choc and head for bed.

More tomorrow
 
Wow Jez! That sure is one very long day - you'll definitely be OK with all of the that activity. You mentioned not feeling like you want another pack - are you getting hungry yet or are you still in ketosis?
Hope you have a restful weekend!
 
I think I must still be in ketosis in some form, as I really havn't had any huge hunger pangs yet, have had moments when I have felt nibblish, but no more than when I was on full abstinence and needed to have a pack, not that stomach churning, I am really hungry I need to eat feeling yet. Tomorrow will be restful, today more work - off to Hever Castle shortly to help there. Hahahhahaha I am a sucker for punishment.

Have a fantastic day!!! Off to read your blog now :)

Jez
xx
 
Jezz - you are doing so well!!! Good on ya gal!! Its hard to keep up with you - you are one busy lady!!! :)

Well done on all your efforts and enjoyment, nerves and triumphs etc., in RTM!! Keep rockin it!! :D

Your salad tonight sound scrummY!!!!
 
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Phew Jez. you are doing really well to keep everything going and stay focused on your aims for RTM.

Please, please, keep your detailed food descriptions coming. I have never heard or thought of many of your ideas. Please excuse my ignorance, but what is brunoise?

Any dates you free to get back to Scotland this year? A mini meet in Glasgow with Morticia?

Ta. xx
 
Spot on BL, it is a small dice :) about half a cm by half a cm square! Sorry I forget I bandy about these odd terms on occasion, chop it into small chunks in laymans terms!!!

Jez
xx
 
RTM Day 13 (Week 2)

Ok, yet again this is realistically posted the day after, but I only got home a short time ago. Food wise it was delicious, but my timings for eating went totally out the window and this is what I am so afraid of.

Woke up at 10am this morning, but going to bed at 2am will do that for a girl. My problem is, when I get home from work late like last night or tonight, even though I am exhausted, it takes me at least an hour or two to wind down enough to go to bed!! I suffer for it the next morning, but if I went to bed I would just lie there with things spinning round in my head. Lol a bit like asking someone who works regular hours to come home and go to bed straight away. You need the wind down time. So food wise, black coffee x 2 this morning, then left for Hever about midday, nibbled my toffee bar en route and finished it off when I got there. At about 2pm had my cup of tea with milk, but only ended up drinking half of it. It was a very, very, very busy day, 2 lots of functions going on one after the other. I had planned to eat my soup at about 4pm - realising it would be a late night, but we literally did not stop. At this point I started feeling anxious and pissed off!!! Work was getting in the way of my life and my diet!!. Once the wedding was served, I managed to sit down and have the soup at about 6:50pm. No rest for the wicked, straight into another service for 110 people - another 3 courser. Finished that about 9:30, then clean down and cutting of wedding cake and sending of evening food for the wedding. Finally got to escape at about 10:10pm and had an hours drive home. I really was anxious about the food. I really did not want to eat too much too late, but knew I needed to eat at the same time. Planned the food in the car on the way and omg divine !!!

BL, I was inspired by your lettuce sarmie idea, and by thoughts of Min's sushi yesterday. So made a lettuce, fat free cream cheese and smoked salmon wrap with veg and some crayfish tail!!! Why did I never eat stuff like this before, why did I always think I had to have bread and mayo and other things that are great, but not always good for one calorifically???? Had a Jelley and Yoghurt after that, because by this stage I was feeling hungry. Now no space for the final food pack. Have decided to skip it, as it is not worth the pain of a bloated stomach when I feel full enough. This means my cal intake today is only just over 600. Still not the worst outcome in the world.

It was awkward working in another kitchen, so not being able to do things when I want to do them - which I can in my own environment, also because it was another kitchen and different food, the craving to taste was much bigger than usual. I don't think that this has anything to do with hunger, or anything. Just because it is different food. I noticed this whilst in abstinence, even the very early days. As soon as I was in a different kitchen, I wanted to taste. I did however resist so very proud of myself for that.

Should end this off and head for bed, it is nearly 1am again and don't want to waste my whole day off sleeping it away. Recipe for Smoked Salmon and lettuce "sushi" is as follows

1 x large iceberg lettuce leaf, washed and trimmed
30g fat free soft cheese ( the chive variety if poss)
50g sliced smoked salmon
20g red pepper sliced
20g celery cut julienne ( the long thing matchstick slices)
20g cucumber cut julienne
20g fat free cottage cheese
Salt and cracked black pepper
Wedge of lemon
5g mixed leaf
20g crayfish in brine
2.5ml sweet chili sauce

Method:

Lay out lettuce leaf, spread thinly with soft cheese, top this with salmon and cover evenly
Lay the julienne vegetables at one end, top with cracked pepper and a little salt. Spoon onto this the cottage cheese.
Roll up as for a swiss roll, (The tigher you roll the better it looks)
Cut in half on the diagonal and stand up on the plate in the center. Scatter a few mixed leaves around this and dot with the few crayfish. Drizzle them with the sweet chilli, sprinkle again with cracked pepper and serve with a lemon wedge and a little coriander for garnish! Et Voila
 
You are most definitely a RTM food guru! That sounds lovely - will definitely be trying that next week as I LOVED my smoked salmon last night...
 
I enjoy reading about the presentation aspect - LOL it feels like a restaurant meal. I have started considering presentation so much more when feeding the kids - they now think I'm wierd hehe. But how true! :p
 
You eat with your eyes first :) lol well that is what we were taught. I love making the food look great on the plate, it makes it so much more exciting to eat, even prior to LL I took a lot of time over presentation. I am also quite into different plates for different dishes. Things that will showcase the food so to speak. Even the most humble things can look fantastic if presented right. Hahaha, this diet seems to bring out everyone's inner chef. How are things with you anyway TI, whats the weather like up there, lovely and sunny in London today, having a lazy one after all the work the past few days, done the housework, now on the couch with my pregnant kitty, about to watch grand prix and start her pregnancy diary :) Need to snap a few piccies of her for it, but she really isn't in the mood. I will make a point of taking pictures of the food from now on to post with the recipes.

Hugs from London

Jez
xx
 
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