Hi Sam

You are doing well and staying positive which is so important!

At the end of the day from what you said first up is you're not going back on to your original plan but are going to try to eat heathily and exercise. So far that's what you have been doing, except for the KFC nibbles but hey - everything in moderation. As long as we're not eating it everyday or even every week there is nothing wrong with having some occasional food occasionally!

Keep up the good work!

Lauren

Hi Faithie and Lifegood

I am vey focused this time and for some reason i am making this more a lifestyle choice then just another diet. I think that's where I went wrong intially. When I discovered Cohen's I new this was the perfect weightloss programme(I don't know how)? but after researching and trying so many other diets this was the one for me. And with only 2 weeks into the plan I felt the difference, my clothes became loose and that spurred me on even more no deviations and no exercise and the weight came off - But I think with everything going on in my life during Cohen's and getting closer to refeed I started to waver a bit and I became tired of of the restrictiveness of plan so once I'd finished I didn't conciously start going back to old habits but it happen gradually........so gradual that one day i woke and I had put on 8kg.

So I think this has made me realise that.....yes I will nibble on the kids chips but I won't eat a whole portion, yes I will have that glass of wine but just one or space it out - I want to enjoy my life and not refuse the coffee mornings or dinner parties any more or worry about food all the time. My life from a young age has been consumed with food and I think it 's time I stopped and started to refocus my life. I don't expect this to happen over night of course but it's a start.

Sam

Back again. Kept busy with jobs around the house and running errands. Exercised for 30 minutes, cleaned the bathrooms, showered myself and had a lunch of left over vegie pasta and yoghurt. Cooked dinner early made a lentil soup, busy afternoon with kids so won't get in till late tonight so as not to be tempted by takeaway. Dessert will be an orange again and a herbal tea.
Looking forward to watching my ABC show's tonight I've missed it the last fortnight.
Take Care All
Sam

Hey Sam,

I wish I was as strong willed as you. I find that when I'm on Cohen's I can follow it but when I'm left to my own devices, even though I know that I'm only sabotaging myself I just can't restrict myself. I guess maybe because I didn't get to the refeed and thus know the rules for the life after cohens. This time however I plan on getting there in one piece. Then I too hopefully will be as strong as you and be able to trust myself being able to eat just a few chips and not a whole portion etc.

Thanks for the motivational posts Sam they do mean a lot to me.

Night

Faithie

Hi Faithie

You'll get there eventually Faithie, I am by no means perfect and I know at the moment I am very focused but there will come a day where I know I will lose the plot and all my good intentions will sail out the window and that is coming nearer......if you catch my drift.......YES!!!!! that dreaded time of the month, where someone else enters my body and makes me manic and uncontrollable in every possible way.
My hubby cringes my kids must hate me at this time - it doesn't take much to set me off and I find sanctuary in food, especially chocolate.

Hi again I disappeared to the gym there for awhile the vibration machines are so good I and can feel myself getting stronger and the workout easier, the instructor is going to increase my times next time. The other great thing is you only do 15 minutes each time, it's not taking up your whole day.

So where was I ......um yes TOM well this time I am ready and waiting to try and combat their effects. HOPE it works.

Anyway woke up feeling lousy today I think it's because of TOM!!!!! approaching.
I am very anxious at the moment and I am finding it hard to relax going to bed late has not helped either. Ever since I took those diet pills my whole system has been screwed up, and it feels like I have constant heartburn. I only took them for aobut 3 days. Lesson learnt here check woith your Doctor first before doing anything like this.

Anyway will catch up with the rest of the forum tonight.

See ya
Sam

Hi Sam

Ohhh that time of month.. gee I hate that the week before I'm so strong willed the week after the same but for some reason the first 2 days I'm like a person possessed. Just ask my family... LOL

I read that your going to the gym for only 15 minutes what sort of gym is it?

Sounds good..... we have a place called Curves up here, was thinking of taking a look see...

Faithie

Well just a quick entry I need to get my weight loss sleep....hehehe!!!!!
Dinner was a stirfry prawn and vegie dish and an orange lots of water and herbal tea.
Oh...and a yoghurt for pm tea.

My PMT cravings have started people not good craving choccie and general rubbish, being on this forum has diverted my mind so far.

Faithie I will answer your question tomorrow and catch up on everyone else's post's.
I was too busy today.

Sweet dreams everyone.

Sam

Hi everyone

I had a lovely coffee morning with Mum's from our School. I enjoyed a fruit tart and a latte. Breakfast was a piece of fruit and a cup of hot water.

After coffee I did some retail therapy and did lot's walking. Lunch was left over prawn and vegie stirfry with lots of water.

I haven't planned dinner yet but I have had my treat today so tonight may be a salad with a little fish. It is School break up for us today here so kids may have a treat tonight.

Faithie -The exercise programme I attend is called "Whole Body Vibrations" WBV.
They have a website. Just type the name into google and it should come up I attend the one at Hawthorne. It will give all the info about it.

Bye for now

Sam

My food update.

For dinner I had a 2 pieces of wholemeal bread with chicken,salad and mayo (1 vegie springroll) sneaked it from my son's plate. No dessert i had that for morning tea.

Tea and water. At the moment I am experiencing terrible headaches this alway happens prior to my P's arriving. So have had a couple of panadol.

That is me. I will check back here tomorrow.

Sam

Hi Sam
I see you're sorta in the same position as me...but a bit ahead....I don't know how to get the ball rolling! I always say...tomorrow and ....you know the rest of the story...we all do!
A word of advice for anyone on cohens (i swear by it!):
20-30 grams of bran plus or all bran for breaky (EVERY DAY) with some grated apple & yoghurt and you'll be going like a trouper (give it time...around about 4 - 7 days to get your system happening) constipation is extremely bad for your health...my cohen adviser told me to take bran/dates and said it is a very common problem with the cohen lifestyle!!!
Do you mind me asking...what your goal weight is and how far away from it you are?
cheers

Bran plus for breakfast! On Cohen's? Recommended by a Cohen's "advisor"?
Goes against everything I've been told, even on maintenance. No carb's for breakfast is one of the key recommendations after reaching goal.
Hi Sam!! How's life? xo Cate

Hi Cherub

Today I lost 200g. I am happy with this result especially since my TOM is nearing and I have so far stuck to a healthy eating and exercise plan.

My ideal goal weight is 60kg.
I am currently 68.6kg.
On refeed i managed to get down to 63kg but no more.
Thanks also for the all bran hint.

Up early this morn the kids have friends over to play. Made a quich for the lunch it was yummy and lowfat.

I didn't do Cohens at all today. So yes I know I will be paying for this later.
I am away this weekend and usually I would be building myself up for drinking and eating out but this time my focus has changed, I am just looking forward to catching up with everyone and having time out from the kids......and having a bit of a lie in on Sunday morn.

Back Sunday and then out again Monday with kids friends and then my sister and family arrive for a week so i am really looking forward to showing them around our suburb. Who says School holidays is restful.

Anyway that is me I will report back either Sunday evening or Monday.
Have a wonderful weekend all and to all the Mum's out their who have the kids home for the holidays hope you keep it together food wise and don't get too stressed with them at home.

Sam

Hi Cate

I am doing really well thank you. I know Cherub is going to cope a bit of backlash over her views - I have been here and seen it done before and it can get real nasty. I know Cohen's advises no carb's for breakfast but I have to admit I do have ceral on the odd occassion and at the moment I am on the all bran due to my cons....p you know the rest.

Variety is so improtant in a diet and people do tend to gain weight after diets due to this reason, which is why people tend to go back to WW and other programmes. Now I will probably get some backlash

But first and foremost we must remember this is an open forum for everyone to read and post, you do not need to be on Cohen's to access this thread and if we disagree with anything anybody says well you can delete ot not read it.

Cherub has admitted cohen's is a wonderful plan and she lost successfully but through her own admission she allowed herself to get back into old habits and regained it all plus more. This can happen with any diet.

I think we should support her as best we can just like we do for each other.
We may not agree with some of her ideas or anyone else's but we shouldn't judge and be vindictive about it.

Sorry about that Cate I wasn't pointing the finger at you or anyone in particuliar but I know how it is when you do this diet you get so focused and anyone that forms a contradictory opinion to Cohen's get's blasted. We are a loyal bunch. I put up my hand to doing this while on plan myself but I realised that it doesn't matter what other's say or do we know what is working for us and it is Cohens'.

Bye again all.

Sam

Hi Sam
It's interesting to know that there are other people who slip up after refeed. I know I will struggle with my weight for life, because I can't seem to stick to any healthy regime for more than 3 months at a time. As the years go by (I'm nearly 39) my body copes less and less with the unhealthy food (eg the yummy stuff that starts with ch) and I do make healthier choices more often now when out and about (subway rather than HJs)

We are in our new house now (was building it when last on cohen's) and hubby has planted heaps of vegies...looking forward to the whole family eating healthier!

TTOM can be tough, but from memory, cohen's food reduces symptoms? I can remember not gaining as much weight (a good trick is to not weigh anytime near TTOM if you can avoid it - then you don't even see the up-down thing happen and psychologically, that's a good thing!) You have done well to lose 200g!

Have a great weekend

PS
Thanks so much for your support, we must have posted at the same time!
Yes, gentle advice /inoffensive opinions are welcome but outright criticism belongs in the school yard!

Here's a link to my diary from last year....I'm about to read it myself for some inspiration http://weight-loss.fitness.com/weigh...countdown.html