Saturday, 14-01-23: low spend/no spend January

 Good morning, everyone.

One and a half pounds off at group yesterday.  There were some big losses although quite a lot of them were new members.
The Slimmer of the Week didn't stay for the meeting and I was the next one down so got the hamper.   Well, to be honest, it was two of us but S insisted that I take it all because she had it last week - wasn't that nice of her.
Four cans of chopped tomatoes, a jar of Beanies coffee, a small can of baked beans, a can of ratatouille, a can of chickpeas and a lovely big orange.  That will help me stay low spend!

(It doesn't count if you lost weight last week, missed last week or it's your first weigh in which is why we were next in the line for the hamper, despite some much bigger losses than ours.)

I was happy with that!

I nearly forgot to say - I claimed my silver body magic award.  Because I did a complete restart, I can reclaim them all as it's points for the team so why not?  I'm exercising at platinum level anyway but have to wait eight weeks to get gold and then another eight weeks to get platinum (again).

Yesterday's meals:

The fruit was a mix of blackberries, a mix of pineapple, guava and papaya, and plums.  I was so pleased with the weigh in, I added a cheeky one and a half syns of Groovy Food chocolate and raspberry sauce.

I hanged lunch slightly.  Instead of cheesy croutons, I made a cheese toastie - exactly the same ingredients and nice to dunk.

Later on, I had an apple.

Oh, my!  It was a very nice steak, the chips did well in Nellie and I guess you could call it a third speed food.
I really enjoyed this.

I also opened a bottle of rose and, ooops, there's precious little left.  Oh, well, back on it now.

At least I had no room for the banana ice-cream - it hardly compensates but it is better than nothing!

Today's plans:

B:  fruit and yogurt

Maybe from the freezer, maybe fresh.  I will decide when the time comes.
SW:  syn free

L: lamb hotpot, green beans; fruit

The lamb casserole is from the freezer and I will just top it with some sliced, cooked potato, spray it and brown it off.
SW:  This isn't going to be a large portion and the sauce might need thickening a bit so let's say two syns which I can adjust, if necessary

D: chicken sausage and bacon pasta, little side salad; yogurt

Using up bits from the freezer.  To my shame, I found I had more chicken Italia sausages than I want to admit to and, at half a syn per sausage, they're pretty flexible.
I plan to spray fry some onion, pepper and mushroom (the usual), then add some chopped sausages and lean bacon and cook them before adding some roasted red pepper sauce (also from the freezer).  I might also add a bit of chorizo for the amazing flavour it gives.
When that's all cooked, I plan to add some cooked pasta, sprinkle over some grated cheese and bake it in Nellie to melt the cheese.  I have some lower fat mozzarella (guess where!) that I can use.

SW:  three sausages will be one and a half syns and I am estimating the chorizo at four syns and will adjust if necessary when I get it out and weigh it.  I will weigh the mozzarella and make it up to a healthy A with some cheddar, if necessary.  The yogurt is half a syn

E:  A Shimmy Snippet and, weather permitting, some gardening.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

no healthy extra B

eight syns

What is low spend, no spend?

All I will buy through January is essentials - and by that I mean food such as fresh fruit, veg and dairy/eggs.  All other foods will come out of my existing supplies and, to be honest, that may not be much of a challenge.  Also included in any low spend essentials are cleaning products and toiletries although I think I am fine for the latter.  
Also anything else essential that I won't think of until it lands!
That is the low spend part.

Everything else, unless it is either a regular bill/payment/commitment, will not happen.  No sneaky little Amazon purchases, no 'bargains' from the supermarket, certainly no clothes . . .
That's the no spend part.