Weekly Update Y2w26

Halfway through the year and I have lost 5.1 kg since January 1st; that's just over 11 lbs in old money.  That is a lot less than I would have hoped I would have lost by this point in the year, but I cannot get too disheartened.  My progress is steady, I am losing weight and I am forming new habits - that's a big win!

This week, I have been focusing on eating Veggies Most, as coined by the 2B Mindset, and it seems to be working.  I am feeling full and satisfied and genuinely am craving more vegetables in preference to other foods.  It's bizarre! lol

Here's a selection of the foods I've been eating:

Cabbage Steak with Piccalilli

 To bake the cabbage steak and the carrots, I simply lay them on a baking tray, coat with onion salt and garlic powder and a spritz of oil, before baking at 180C for 20+min, until they look soft and yummy.  I flip the cabbage steak halfway through baking, and the edges start to caramelise.

The topping for the first picture is sliced onions and chorizo, fried together.  As chorizo is a strong flavour, I kept to the basic for my baked veg.  Alternatives can be adding cumin, chilli or Mexican spices before baking the cabbage.  Then I added piccalilli mixed with a little yoghurt and thinned with vinegar so it goes further.

Naked Cheeseburger and Salad

By buying decent thick burgers, you honestly don't need the bread roll.  I've had burgers with cheese and BBQ sauce, or more piccalilli (I've only just discovered I like it), on a bed of spinach, cucumber, tomato, mushrooms etc and it is really filling and satisfying.  As a bread lover, this has been the main surprise for me, that I can enjoy traditionally breaded food without it!

Cabbage Steak with Mushrooms

The third picture shows cabbage steaks and carrots again (I love baked carrots - I feel like my eyes have been opened and atm I could eat them every day!), this time with mushrooms and spring onions on top.  I also made a sauce to accessorise them, of Korean BBQ sauce (which was too spicy for me) with Greek yoghurt and vinegar.  It was sweet, and tangy and spicy.  Despite having cabbage steaks twice this week, I don't love them, but with strong flavoured sauces, you can change what you're eating to keep it exciting and fresh.

This coming week, my plan is to keep eating the vegetables, and to keep off traditional carbs after lunchtime (I am still eating fruit and the occasional dessert or glass of wine in the evenings).  I am really noticing that this is making a difference (when I stick to it) to both my weight and to how my body feels in terms of bloatedness and hunger.

Exercise-wise, I have shifted my focus, so I am not worrying too much about getting the exercise done, but since lockdown has eased, I did walk 4.5km with a friend last Monday, and we plan to walk further this afternoon.  It may not be much, but this is a good habit for me to develop as it feels more like fun than hard work.