Jezebella's Journal

[Jezebella]

RTM Day 47 (Week 7)

As much as I want to make this long and interesting, I am falling asleep here and it has been a very long day. So will do a brief sum up of the food intake, head for bed, and spend some time tomorrow journalling the rest.

Breakfast of yoghurt with banana, raspberry, blueberry and compote sprinkled with a few raisins. Managed to sneak lunch in at about 2pm of lovely rocket, tomato, cucumber and celery with some lemon pepper gravadlax and a dressing made of 1tsp lemon juice and some fat free plain yoghurt. Went off to the food tasting for this evening and was a bit nibblish so had a snack of a few blackberries and raspberries. Dinner was another salad based meal - kindly prepared by Sister Bliss. A scrummy salad with mixed leaves, tomato, cucumber, onion, artichoke, beans, peppers and beetroot. Topped this off with a grilled chicken breast with some smokey marinade, and a few sprinkles of crisped lean bacon (Sainsburys BGTY range and wonderfully flavoursome)

Pud was mixed fruit compote again with pistachio and raisin, a jelly and some vanila yoghurt. Should have a bar to try ad get at least one of my packs in but feel so full I could burst.

Will end this here, as I have made hundreds of typos in just this short amount of text, so need to sleep!

Jez
xx

 

[Jezebella]

PS Morticia, will give you a compote recipe tomorrow

Jez
xx

 

[kenshin112]

Hi jez cAn you tell me any thing I can do or add to fromaige frais
please

 

[slendablenda]

Ken, I know jez will get back to you, but in the meantime - you can use it as a substitute for anywhere you might have had mayonnaise previously.
Use it as a base for cold dishes, e.g. tuna salad.
Put a dollop of it on top of fish fillet, salmon, plaice etc.
Add tomato puree, lemon juice, curry powder, chopped cucumber, anchovies, choped red onion.
If you make soup, stir some in to make it smooth and creamy.

It's also lovely on porridge for breakfast, with fresh fruit as a dessert. You can add fresh pineapple, pine nuts and some cinnamon, yum.
You can also use it in cooked dishes. I'll leave some space for Jez to reply.
Basically as Del Boy would have said
"The world is your lobster! Now there's an idea..........

 

[kenshin112]

thank you so much SB

 

[Jezebella]

RTM Day 48 (Week 7)

Apologies for such a short and dull blog last night. Tiredness really got the better of me. Had a little lie in this morning - aaaaaaaaaah divine, so lovely that bed of mine, and Mz Lily is even more cuddly than usual now that her due date is so near. Got up spent some time doing the housework, then had a gorgeous breakfast of fruit (banana and berries) with yoghurt - this really is my sunshine breakfast and never fails to make me smile - it looks happy and sunny!! Tastes great too. Have realised I am finding raisins quite addictive atm, have been adding a sprinkle to any fruit and yoghurt I have, so must watch for that, but my calorie intake still needs upping so I guess it is no bad thing. Pistachio nuts are a revelation too - great flavour and just a few sprinkled on breakfast give amazing colour, texture and taste.
Headed out to meet up with a friend who I havent seen since early LL days. She was gobsmacked and said she really would not have recognised me. We had a fantastic time catching up and she wanted to know all about the diet, how I was feeling, and was so full of praise, it made such a huge change to Thurdsay night. This diet really shows the true friends from those who really should just pass through our lives. We had a wander around the little open air food market, amazing stuff but most of it not on plan so decided to skip buying anything until after RTM as they will be there monthly from now on.

Headed home to feed the pregnant one and have some lunch myself. I really find it helps to eat before I go out as then I am not tempted in anyway. I knew I was heading out to do grocery shopping with the sister bliss, so did not want to be hungry whilst in a supermarket!!

Lunch was some rocket, tomato, cucumber and onion, with beetroot gravalax - heaven total heaven that stuff!! with a dollop of fat free yoghurt and some lemon juice. Had just finished that when Sister Bliss arrived, so we had a lovely cup of tea and a natter, then headed off to Pets at Home to purchase last minute kitten bits and the parrot food. OMG they cuted Xmas pressies for animals there. Had to restrain myself and keep in mind that the babies are not yet born!!! Found a brilliant climbing post for them which I will get at the end of this month. *bounce bounce* am so excited about the babies. She is so very pregnant now and her eating has slowed right down so her time is drawing close.

After the pets at home extravaganza we headed to the supermarket. I was sooooo restrained - still ended up costing a fortune as it was the huge chemical buy - all those cleaning products cost a bomb!!! And remarkably restrained in the clothes department. Tried on the one jersy shirt I adore but put it down for another day.

Came home for the great unpack - well bliss unpacked and I made dinner. Seared Lamb Cannon rubbed with garlic and rosemary, mint jus, baby carrot, baby beetroot, fine beans asparagus and cauliflower puree. Omg I just love cauliflower puree. The whole meal was a triumph and I simply love the fact that I cook in smaller quantities now and then use up left overs properly - feel like a total frugal housewife and I love it!!! Very french, no wastage!!! So much better on the current economy gastronomy budget. I also made 2 big batches of fruit compote with left over fruits. One berry and pear with vanilla (redcurrants, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry totaly berry fest) and another one of Apples (cox pippin and granny smith) with plum, orange and raisin. Orange zest just intensifies the orangey flavour. So pud was a spoon of each compot, blackcurrant jelly and blueberry muller light. I feel like I am getting into a bit of a rut dessert wise (ok I totally love my fruit, yoghurt and jelly) So tomorrow will do a roasted banana with some banana custard yoghurt, might also throw in a few pecans so it is a bit like a banana split!!!

Morticia, for compote, I take any fruits I fancy, but usually similar types, cut them up into chunks or slices, chuck into a pot with spices if I fancy (cinnamon, cardamom cloves etc) a bit of water or fruit juice. Maybe some orange zest and cook until the fruit is just soft, then add a bit of sweetner if necessary. Berries go really well with vanilla so always put that in with them. I make up big tubs of various flavours, keep in the fridge to heat for breakfast and cannot wait to have some with some porridge!! It is so warming and filling at this time of year and is absolutely treaty with a bit of yoghurt. When I get oats shortly, I plan on making a bit of a crumble topping to put on top of the fruit.

Ken quark is such a multi tasking item. Great for making dips. I used it to make some puds. As a simple suggsestion, whizz some up with a blender or whisk with a bit of sweetner and vanilla if you fancy, stir in a few berries. Prepare your jelly mix without adding the cold water, mix this into the quark then set it. A gorgeous dessert.

Well will sit up a bit tonight as am not as sleepy as last night. Planning my toffee bar and a hot chocolate later. Yummmmmmmmmm. Cannot believe I am now feeling so calm about eating but I guess the weight is not piling back on and I am gaining experience of this now and I seem to be managing my food intake calorifically it ends up pretty similar at the end of each day. Have some fresh linguine in for pasta next week, and have about a million things I want to try with potatoes, cous cous etc.

Might have a wee pop into primark tomorrow heheheheheheehee

Jez
xx

 

[thin_inside]

Hi Jez. Reading through your last post I have to say I thought you sounded really relaxed and chilled about your food - the shopping, the calorie intake, the mix of food types. It is a definite contrast to some of your posts a week or two ago. Well done you.

Again, I am not familiar with quark and am loving the tips you give ons uch things. Is quark the same as fromage frais?

xx

 

[slendablenda]

Lovely post Jez

I agree with TI.You sound more chilled about the food - could have something to do with the excitement of the impending babies..........
When my 3 were little kittens, about 10 weeks was perfect, their favourite toy was one of those little pyramids mmade of carpet with a hole and a dangly mouse.
They played in it, under it, climbed up it, knocked it over, moved it around, attacked each other under the edges, played hide and seek. It was a time of sheer joy and many wasted hours.

 

[Jezebella]

Kittens are totaly time wasters!! I am so glad I will have a large chunk of time off at that exciting point in their little lives. January is quiet too so lots of time to be wasted. I just want them to arrive now!! I cannot wait to see what comes out, it's like the lotto but better!!!!

I am feeling more relaxed about the food, perhaps seeing the girl I considered to be really skinny shocked me, or the fact that I am eating and not putting on weight??? Still it is better to not be quite so analytical about it all. I think I will have a few more issues when the safety of RTM is gone, but at least I know if I take the time to work through them I can come to a resolution.

Have some exciting dishes planned for next week, so many to cook only 6 days to eat them in!!! Still I have the rest of my life to look forward to eating all these exciting healthy choices. Am going to make a big old bean and tomato casserole with smoked gammon and cabbage, probably have this with some fine beans and a cauli puree (my current addiction).

This weathaer is really making me lust for warming food. I had a little spree in primark - god I love that shop, so many things for such a small amount of cash!! Only thing I cannot get there is bras as they do not stock 32D in their range, but found some fabby wooly things, little belts and the most amazing winter dress which will look so cute with tights and boots or tights and pumps.

TI so exciting to hear your news, how many weeks till RTM for you now, you must be almost there??

Well better save something to blog about later

Jez
xx

 

[thin_inside]

I had a little spree in primark - god I love that shop, so many things for such a small amount of cash!!

I agree . Fab place to pick up some great outfits. And cheap enough to try out some new styles to go with the new body. :flirt2:

TI so exciting to hear your news, how many weeks till RTM for you now, you must be almost there??

Definitely starting RTM w/b 23 Nov, which is 3 weeks . Don't think I'll lose the whole 8lb by then, but I'll be close enough. Getting loads of comments about 'enough is enough' now, but I want to maintain between 9.7 and 10.7 so working on the buffer. I seem to be a consistent size 10 in most places now and am very happy to stay at that long term.

Emotions all over the place at the thought of starting to eat food again after 100% abstinence for 10 months. And a little concerned that, although I will make my meeting this week, I will be away for the following two weeks. I will have to try and get a pop-in appointment so I know where I am for starting RTM.

I will start rereading your thread from scratch in a couple of weeks time. I am so pleased I have people to cook for as I have turned into a real homemaker in the kitchen using fresh ingredients, making wholesome meals and yes, using up all the leftovers instead of them sitting about until they go off. xx

 

[Jezebella]

RTM Day 49 (Week 7)

Lighter Life it seems equips us with so many more skills than just that of loosing weight and then maintaining at a slimmer size. Reading some of the posts above, it is unbelievable how many changes we have all gone through in what is relatively such a short space of time. I bet most shrinks wish they could achieve the results in terms of mental, emotional, physical and in some cases spiritual growth we have all gone through.

Changes in our bodies, our heads, the way we cook, the way we eat, the way we live our lives. It really is remarkable, no wonder we feel so evangelical about it. I am so proud of myself and every other person I have met on this journey, we have all experienced such highs, sometimes lows, and ended up as winners!!!!!

So the food today.... It was such a really miserable, cold morning, staying in bed really seemed like the best option, but oh no, there was shopping to be done! I am trying to be really organised and get a fair bit of the Xmas stuff out of the way early, so Christmas itself can be more relaxed and less expensive! I used to be such a last minute dot com girl. I was freezing so had some lovely hot compote with yoghurt, stirred it all together, so it was wonderful and warming.

The rain was torrential and the wind howling... why oh why was I doing this??? Warm stores with lovely clothes soon perked me up though As mentioned above I found some fantastic bargains in old Primark... total result, I really am starting to look like quite a trendy thing these days - woohoo!

By the time I got home I was starving, and usually would have ignored my hunger and carried on with the housework, I thought stuff it, I owe it to myself to eat when I am hungry as I promised I would do. So sat down with a bowl of carrot and orange soup - lovely and filling, but still felt a little gap so had an apple which I really enjoyed. The carrot soup is suprisingly low in calories. Did a few more bits around the house then had a lovely cup of tea with a cranberry bar at about 4pm. Felt light a good old high tea - those cranberry bars rock, can't believe they never appealed to me in abstinence! Had a little snuggle on the couch with Miss Lily who was purring so loudly that sleep was impossible. So I decided to get up and prepare dinner. A fabby casserole of beans and chickpeas with tomato and a bit of bbq seasoning to create a smokey flavour. Boiled some gammon with the fat removed, blanched off some beans and broccoli and made another batch of cauli puree ( i could eat this by the bowl!) Felt rather stressed thinking of all the work ahead this week and ended up having a good old whinge to my sis when she woke up, wasn't quite sure what was bugging me, but have since realised it is a general feeling of being overwhelmed and knowing I have loads to do and not being sure how I will fit it all in. I must thank her later for her patience with me and the help she gave me afterwards - I am such a bloody control freak and try to do everything and get it all perfect all the time. I must learn to ask for help when I am feeling like this- she knows me well, so just did a few things and now I feel heaps better. We really enjoyed dinner at the table with our lovely scented candles - hahahah such a girly flat we have here.

Pudding was a winner of note!!!!! Infact I am so excited about it I want to have it again tomorrow night. So what was this wonder pudding to get Jez so excited I hear you ask? Wait no longer...... Bananas flamed in rum with sultanas and pecan nuts, with our toffee muller light - It sounds a lot duller than it was - a complete and utter flavour sensation and I want more - well mentally I do, I am far too full to fit any more in. Still need to fit in a pack or 2, so will squeeze something in later. I am very much looking forward to trying loads of dishes with the new ingredients. Tomorrow is probably going to be a risotto of some nature. Cannot wait for that, especially since it is due to be chilly. Working late tomorrow night so at least it is quick and easy to make.

Week 8 starts tomorrow, so it is the first of the trigger weeks, will see how I fare with it all, but trying to take my new more relaxed attitude in with me. Am trying to up my calories still so the new carbs will help.

Nighty Night and have a fantastic week!

Jez
xx

 

[Morticia]

Ohh your pudding sounds fab Jez.

Good luck with the start of your first trigger week. Not that you will need it.....

 

[Jezebella]

Thanks hunni bunz, just a bit shocked that 15g of pecan nuts is over 100 cal!!!! arrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and they were so nice too :/

Jez
xx

 

[thin_inside]

Week 8 Jez. Wow. How time flies.

Enjoy your risotto tonight. I've never made one so when you say it's quick and easy my brain whirls as I wouldn't know where to begin .

 

[katalena]

Week 8 Jez - wow! xxxxx

 

[Jezebella]

RTM Day 50 (Week 8)

Whey hey, whey hey Week 8 has started today Busy old day at work, not helped by oversleeping for 20 minutes, the bed was just too warm and Miss Lily was far too cuddlesome. Dragged my ass off to work with a cup of black coffee to wake me up and put the tunes on at fair volume to keep me awake.

Managed to ge breakfast in at about 10 of some apple baked in orange juice with raisins, almonds and a little dried pineapple, topped this all off with cranberry yoghurt - yummmmmmmm.

I had planned to try and have my main meal at lunch time because I knew I was working tonight. The boys were making roast pork and begged me to have some, but I declined, they made roasties, veg, roast onion and yorkshire puds!! The temptation was big but resisted. Tom very kindly boiled me some potato to have with chicken, - which was still frozen. Was actually hungry so had a lovely salad with some houmous and thinly sliced ham and the usual lettucy, tomato, cucumber bits. Got to the event at 5:30 and was hungry again - not sure if this is because of the cold or because I am somewhat stessed this week due to babies arriving and huge amounts of work ahead. Had my peanut bar. I had taken the chicken and mash with me with some ratatouille. Didn't really get the chance to put it through the oven so had 2 canape lamb skewers - lean lamb with moroccan spice, pepper and onion. Really tasty.

Had been thinking about the carbs all day and wondered how it would affect me. Called Sister Bliss and told her to hold some dinner for me. It was super good. Wild mushroom risotto with a small leaf side salad and some marinated lamb loin. It was very filling in a different way, you feel it much lower down in your belly. Am trying to ascertain if the tiredness I am now feeling is from being awake for 18 hours or from the carb. Possibly a combination of the 2? It was absolutely wonderful to eat though and I thoroughly enjoyed every morsel. Will see if I have any weird cravings tonight. Had really not planned to eat it so late, but work schmirk, better to have eaten it properly sitting down and with enjoyment than shovelling something in whilst sitting on a box in a weird little kitchen with no cutlery or crockery (finger buffet tonight!) Pud is some warm berries with jelly and yoghurt and then a quickie bath and heading for bed. Looking forward to class tomorrow, think I have managed to maintain my weight, or hopefully done as LLC wishes and put on a pound. MMM that sounds bad because it sounds like I am doing it to please him and not me. Need to work on that.

Anyway more tomorrow, think it will be salmon with pasta for dinner and a much earlier dinner tomorrow.

Hugs to all, especially you Kat, will be thinking of ya on your last few hours of abstinence

Jez
xx

 

[kenshin112]

Jez what is this sainsburys bgty
dip? And where would I find it

 

[katalena]

Thank you honey and well done on your first day of week 8

I love reading your journey and will use your recipes, hints and tips through out RTM!

I almost text you this morning when I was on the bus to say wow I feel emotional but it was very early so I thought best not in case you were sleeping!

Speak to you later and good luck for WI tonight hun.

Kat xx

 

[Jezebella]

Kat Chicken Licken, you should have called I leave home at 6am, always keen for a chat on the dull drive to work in the dark

Jez
xx

 

[Jezebella]

RTM Day 51 (Week 8)

So another day done, and a very very busy one indeed. No real lasting affects from the risotto. Darling cat kept me awake, because she was so restless, so only 3 hours sleep was had. The only real noticable change was, that when I get my usual little hunger pang whilst driving to work (this is stemmed when I have my cup of coffee) I felt more crampy today, as in a real physical pain of hunger. Once I had had the coffee it dissapeared. Very busy all day today. Had a lighter breakfast than usual, half a small apple, with some raspberries and a teaspoon of raisins with half a pot of yoghurt. Perhaps I have been eating a breakfast that is too big as this was more than sufficient. Average breakfast is about 200 to 250 cal depending on the amount of nuts and raisins added. Did not stop at all today, trying to get a million things done for all these tastings. Everything needs to be very perfect and very precise. Had a bit of a shock with one of my meat bills - 2 whole aged fillet of beef ended up at £45 a kilo so 300 squids for 2 whole fillet!! Ok it was air aged and probably the most beautiful meat I have seen in ages, but omg, what did they feed that cow???? Other pretty things from my fruit and veg people including some little tom berries which are the tiniest little tomatoes, smaller than a fingernail and so sweet!!
Didn't have time to stop and make lunch as I needed to get home earlyish to do work paperwork - still no working computer at the office, so needed to get the figures in for the week. Ended up having a Thai chili soup and had forgotten how much I loved them and how much they filled me up. Raced home, got some work done with a hot cup of cha in hand. Headed for class just before 6, and it was fab to catch up with the girls and have a good old natter. My weight was STS so he was happy with that, and I felt happier that I didn't have the worry of coming home and wondering how to eat yet more. It seems every time I have to up the cals I have a small panic. I realised that I am quite proud of myself, for lots of the adult decisions I have made in the past week, and the lightbulb moments. I am trying to be a bit kinder to me and not be such a CP all the time. Nibbled on one of the peanut bars from my new stash as I was quite peckish again in class. Dinner was some fresh egg tagliatelle with salmon and a bit of hot smoked salmon, dill and philly fat free cream cheese to make sauce. This partered with a gorgeous side salad. The pasta was great, but I could only manage half of it, and even before that I felt full. I definately felt bloated after eating it, and did not think I could eat anything else today. The lovely baked apple with some pistachio crumbles, raisins and crazens topped with vanilla yoghurt. Gorgeous but now I really am full.

Am going to try and get an early one, as very little sleep was had last night and I have a very long day tomorrow, this is not helped by the fact that Lily is now due and I am panicing about her all the time.

More tomorrow

Jez
xx