I Tried the 28 Day Boost Camp - Here's what happened during Week 2

My thoughts | My results | The ups & downs | My likes & dislikes

I tried Bridget’s 28 Day Boost Camp for the first time and documented my journey. I tell you everything, from the highs and the lows to toilet times and periods (just a warning for the squeamish). 

I took photos and measurements before the Camp started. Although I'm not entirely comfortable sharing such personal details, I want you, the reader, to take this journey with me. 

First things first, If you haven’t already, make sure to read what happened during week 1 of Boost Camp. You can find it HERE. 

For more information on the next Boost Camp, please email boost@bridgetshealthykitchen.com 

Pre-Camp | Saturday

Here are my pre-camp measurements 

• Start weight: 77.7 kg [171 lbs] 
• Start BMI: 26.3
• Start measurements: 
• Neck 33 cm [13 inches]
• Hips 106 cm [42 inches]
• Waist 93 cm [37 inches]
• Left thigh 67 cm [26.5 inches]
• Left arm 30 cm [12.2 inches]

Week 2 of the 28 Day Boost Camp

I’ve started this week on a high. I’m still buzzing over my results from last week (3kg down and sleeping much better at night), so I’m really excited for what’s to come. Although, I’ve been told that week 2 of Boost Camp is always the hardest out of the 4 weeks, that’s not stopping my high… yet. 

Day 8 | Monday

Morning: I woke up around 6: 30 am, half an hour before my alarm, in a fantastic mood. One of the learnings from Boost Camp is to listen to your body, so this is what I did. I got up and started my day on a high. 

I started some lightweight training. I did around 20 minutes worth. I did this before eating any food (so during a fasted state), and I am a little out of practice, but I physically felt good and not weak.

First meal: I'm not very hungry today, so I fasted for 18 hours and only broke my fast when I started to feel peckish. I did, however, look forward to a new breakfast dish. 

Afternoon: I'm still not very hungry, So I've skipped lunch today. 

Last meal: When I was cooking dinner, I noticed I could make it faster than on previous nights and realised that many meal plan recipes use Bridget's foundation ingredients. The cooking methods for each recipe are also similar, so I found myself just skimming through the recipe and just cooking - I enjoyed it. 

Notes: Reading the daily emails, watching the informative videos and joining the weekly zooms have been beneficial. This information has helped me learn about the ingredients featured in the meal plan and what happens when I eat them. 

Now that I understand, I feel as if I can make better choices. It's also helping to keep me on track. 

The private Boost Camp Facebook page is also a really good space. Engaging with others on the same journey has helped me immensely. 

Seeing people's success stories and little wins keeps me motivated. I love the Boost Camp community. 

Day 9 | Tuesday

Morning: I enjoy being regular each morning instead of my "normal" once every 2 to 3 days. I'm highly focused this morning and am ready to get up and complete all my tasks for the day. 

First meal: I'm still not feeling overly hungry today, which is strange because I didn't eat all my food yesterday. We'll just see how I feel as the day progresses. I usually eat at 1 pm, but it's currently 3:30 pm, and I'm only making my lunch now. I decided to skip breakfast and make lunch instead. The Teriyaki Meatball Salad Wraps were divine. 

Afternoon: I still feel motivated. Although, I've been keeping myself really busy so as not to get "bored".  

Dinner: On the menu tonight is Sweet & Sour Curry with a side salad. Although tasty, I did find myself thinking about hot chips and a burger. 

Evening: I was a lot more tired than usual by early evening. I haven't eaten all the recommended food, so I think this could possibly be why. I also found myself less focused late in the afternoon and was easily distracted. 

Notes: I didn't drink my recommended water intake - I believe it was only around half. I think this, plus skipping lunch, was the reason for my lack of focus towards the end of the day. Upon reflection, I realise that the plan is to help create healthy eating habits. 

Day 10 | Wednesday

Morning: I woke up at around 8 am and still felt tired, which was the first day since starting the Boost Camp, and it reminded me of how I felt many mornings before camp. It was tough to get out of bed today.

First meal: I'm still not hungry today, but I know I need to eat. Luckily my breakfast is already prepared, so all I need to do is reheat it. 

Afternoon: I feel sluggish today, and I haven't done much. Most of today has been spent on the couch, and I have no focus whatsoever. I just want to sleep and completely start fresh tomorrow. 

Second meal: I really enjoyed yesterday's meatballs, so I'm happy I get to have them today in a Gut Healing Bowl. I don't have much of an appetite, but I'm making an effort to stick to the plan and eat all my meals. 

Evening: Today, I felt I was in a rut, and I wasn't in the mood to eat and just felt overall flat. Minor things started to irritate me more than they would normally. I was very low on energy today, and it seemed to worsen throughout the day.  

Last meal: Although I have no energy, I'm currently making dinner, which is Jamaican pulled pork. Once I've eaten, I will take a bath and then head to bed. 

Notes: Today was the most challenging day since starting Boost Camp. I now understand why people say that Week 2 is the hardest. I'm tired, moody, and irritable, and I really wouldn't mind a packet of chips or a chocolate bar to quickly boost my mood. 

Day 11 | Thursday

Morning: I woke up feeling better this morning than I did yesterday. I also weighed myself and have lost 450 grams since my last weigh-in. Although that's not a significant number, I tried on a pair of jeans that were always snug, and they fit comfortably now. Winning! 

First meal: I fasted for 16 hours today and broke it with week 2s breakfast, Break-Fast Hash. I was starving, so it went down a treat. 

Afternoon: I've been on a high all day. The weight loss and fitting nicely into my jeans have contributed, and it's also encouraged me to keep to the plan because I can clearly see that it's working. My mood has also drastically improved from yesterday.   

Second meal: A lot of the lunch meals, including today's, usually consist of leftover dinner plus gut-healthy ingredients (of your choosing). Today I added lettuce, sauerkraut, pickled onion, and salad sprinkles to my leftover Pulled Pork - I forgot to take a photo because I was so hungry.     

Evening: Upon reflection, I realised that not eating the right amount these last few days or not eating at a consistent time made me feel the lowest I've felt since starting. Yesterday I felt the Boost Camp "crash", people I felt more myself today. 

Last meal: Tonight's dinner was a hot, comforting bowl of Tom Yum Goong, something I don't think I would ever have made. It was delicious!  

Day 12 | Friday 

Morning: looking in the mirror, I see my skin is clearer. It's also softer, and my clothes are looser. Thanks to these little but noticeable changes, I'm excited to get up in the mornings to see what else may have changed. 

First meal: I was hungry before my fast ended, but I still waited until after 12 to eat, which meant I fasted for 16 hours. I'm enjoying the Break-Fast Hash, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow's change. 

Afternoon: I'm in a fantastic mood today! My energy levels are high. My motivation is back! 

Second meal: I get to make another Muffet for lunch, which I'm excited about. I will use it to sop up my leftover Tom Yum Goong. 

Last meal: I'm excited about dinner tonight as there's Chicken Tikka Masala on the menu! I would typically eat a lot of Indian takeaways but feel a bit "blah" afterwards (probably due to the dairy). Who would think that eating a curry would help you lose weight and fight bloating?! 

Notes: I've learnt quite a lot about myself and how my body responds to food and sleep. I'm really enjoying this process of learning, cooking, eating and then seeing results. 

Day 13 | Saturday 30th April 

Morning: Usually, I'd wake up quite late on a Saturday morning, usually due to my being late the night before. From either scrolling through my phone or struggling to fall asleep. 

Now that I'm sleeping better, my body clock has reset itself, and I'm waking up when I should be.

First meal: I was very excited about today's breakfast that I broke my fast a little earlier than usual. I thought I read it wrong when I first saw the meal plan because who would believe that Protein Waffles + Candy Floss Syrup would feature in a weight loss plan?! They were delicious. 

Afternoon: As this is the second Saturday of the camp, I'm starting to get a bit of cabin fever, and I really want to go out and socialise. However, my socialising usually involves meeting up with people for food and drinks. Even if I organise an activity that doesn't revolve around food, eating will always occur. I believe it's this "I must eat out while I'm out" mentality that I need to overcome.  

Last meal: I was quite busy today, so I skipped lunch and decided to have dinner a bit earlier. On the menu was Chimichurri Steak with Miso-Glazed Zucchini, and I made extra for the family. 

Day 14 | Sunday

Morning: I decided to weigh in again, but the number on the scales didn't change. As the scales haven't moved, I wasn't feeling very motivated. 

However, we're taught that we shouldn't rely solely on the number of scales. So to help brighten my mood, I reminded myself how well my clothes are now fitting and how soft and clear my skin looks and feels. 

First meal: Another delicious meal to break my fast today. Flaxseed Porridge with berries. 

Afternoon: My energy and focus levels were high throughout the day, so I went for a long walk.  

Second meal: The Nori Omelette for lunch was satisfying and surprisingly quite filling. I enjoyed the flavours thanks to the added Nori. A lot of the recipes, although simple, are very flavoursome! 

Last meal: I was so excited about dinner tonight. Bridget's Shepherd's Pie is a fan favourite, and for great reason. I've made it in the past, so I knew I was in for a treat. 

Evening: I'm delighted with all the food I get to eat. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. Eating within my eating window leaves me very full until the next day. 

Week 2 Summary

This week was more complicated than the first week for me emotionally. We're told that there's a crash that you could experience in the first few days, but I seem to have felt it in the second week around day 3. When I reflect on what I had done differently from the first week, a few things come to mind.  

1. Not eating all my meals or eating at a consistent time. I either skipped meals or I ate too late in the day. The meal plan is set out, so there's a nice balance, 
2.  Not sleeping at my regular time and staying up later threw me off a little.

What I have found extremely helpful is the weekly zoom calls Bridget hosts. The information we get from the zoom calls explains why the meal plan is set out like it is, and I understand why I'm eating at a specific time, what I am eating and what that does to my body. The daily emails are also a big help and are packed with so much helpful information, which helps me make better choices. 

Meal prepping felt a lot easier. And although it does take a couple of hours out of your day, once it's done, it saves you so much time during the week. I'm also starting to actually enjoy this process because I know what I am doing will benefit me greatly. I'm caring enough about myself to make an effort, and it's this new mindset that's helping me.  

Although the scales didn't move much this week, there are still a lot of impressive wins:

• My skin is clearer, and I now have fewer acne breakouts
• My energy levels have maintained (besides the dip mid-week)
• My overall mood is excellent
• I have no brain fog, which was quite common for me pre Boost Camp
• My bloating has reduced drastically 
• My toilet trips are regular (once a day at the same time)
• My clothes feel looser, and I can fit the jeans that were snug before camp 
• I enjoy cooking now, and I'm always excited for my next meal
• I like learning about how my body works and identifying all my triggers 

This week was more of a challenge, and I think what contributed to it was the novelty or excitement of starting something new wearing off and not seeing a big difference on the scale. However, I need to remind myself of the non-scale victories mentioned above. 

Another thing that I found that boosts my mood is the food! Every dish I create through the meal plan is so good that I sometimes forget that it's good for you. I usually tell myself that if something tastes good, it must be bad for me, and that's definitely not the case here. 

Want to see my results? Then check out my post about weeks 3 & 4 HERE. 

If you would like to join the next Boost Camp, please email boost@bridgetshealthykitchen.com