Well......... I CAN & I DID!!
Today is the first day of maintaining this beautiful new body I have worked so hard to get....**Mental note** - MUST NEVER FORGET HOW MUCH I PUT INTO THIS NEW LIFESTYLE, EVER!!!!

I have not even thought about eating anything remotely sickly, nor do I want to! NOW THATS A BONUS!!!

Yoghurt is my new best friend, LOVE that in the mornings, it's soooooo devine, I don't want toast, cereal etc.....GIVE ME YOGHURT!!

I am SO proud of myself to get to where I am, I've never been this committed or healthy ever!! And wow, hasn't it all been worth it!! I am rapped!!

ICIW I am sooo happy for you!!! You should be so happy to be at goal. Now that you have finished refeed what guidence do you get from the clinic to keep the weight off. Do you have to report in now and then to track your maintenance.

I had a terrible binge yesterday, I know that it is self sebotage. I am pre-menstral acting like a crazy woman. Today I have picked my self up and followed through with the plan. I feel so embarrased that I have been on the program for almost a month and I have already broken it several times.

Keep posting I love to hear about what life is like on the otherside. Lets hope some of the other people start posting.

Hi Karol!!


The clinic will call me in 4 weeks to see how I'm going, but my consultant said, whenever I feel the need or am curious about something no matter what - to phone or pop in the clinic for some guidence. They are only to willing & able to help out if help is needed, that makes me feel a lot more confident. I must say not being on the strict program now is a little daunting!! But I am now SO aware of what my body likes / dislikes & what is & is not a healthy choice, so I guess I am in control.....as I typed that I thought, wow.."that sounds nice!!" I have never felt in control before now, that in itself is just amazing!!

Pre Mens' is a horrid time in a womans life, I SOOOOO feel for you. For some weird reason something triggers in our brain to act totally irrational & crave EVERYTHING we should never eat!! Why don't men get this??????? NOT FAIR!!!! I'm sure we would see more men more sensitive to our 'extreme behaviours" that's for sure!!!!!

Think of tomorrow as your fresh start & your day to take back control, you can do it, your a strong woman & have now admitted that you made a mistake, it's ok - you can succeed!! Keep me posted, thinking of you XX

Oh My Goodness, I have had the worst tummy pains ever!!!!! I have been very careful with the 'carb's' but ---me oh MY.... I won't be going near bread again in a hurry!! I could barely drag myself off the couch on the weekend - I'm glad I didn't have too much bread otherwise I would have been a LOT worse!! Has anyone else been in THAT much pain in the tum in 'Life After Cohen's'????

Please beware of bread when you come off of this program, it really can hurt BIG time!!

Hi there!

Woo HOO!!! I think I may have done it! I can't believe it!!!

Today is Day 14 of the refeed and I have not put any weight on so I am officially DONE!!!!! Yeah!!!!

I can't believe it! The refeed has been really interesting. Seemed like I was eating so much food, but still not putting on weight! My weight fluctuated from 57.8 to 57.3 throughout the whole time, and my body fat from 27% to 25% (my scales measure body fat!). So it seems that adding more food gradually is the way to go! It is not something I have ever done with a diet before, usually I just go back to normal food straight away and wonder why it all comes back on!

However the quantities have been tricky, 225g of meat and 225g of vegies at once is sooo much food! And my tummy had trouble digesting it all! And the 3 slices of bread made me sleepy!!

However, it is fun to add more food everyday!!

It is funny too, I was thinking of all these things I could eat after Cohens, and now I am not that excited about it. I realise I have my whole life to have croissants with jam, pancakes and maple syrup, cheesecake, chocolate, pasta, pizza etc.

I don't have to eat it all on the first day!!!!

I am a bit worried about my trip to Morocco for a family wedding, will be little say over what I eat with all the family stuff but hopefully I can keep carbs to a minimum and see how I go. My consultant said to just have no carbs for 48 hours when I get back if I have gained any weight. So will have to see!

But I am just going to enjoy myself, I am on holidays now, my parents are here on Tuesday, can't wait! They will be so surpised to see their slim daughter at the airport!!

Hope you are all doing well,

Kathy

Hey there,
I have been meaning to post for ages....but I have been soooo busy (had to make up for the social life I didn't have whilst on Cohens!!) Congrats to ICanIWill and Miss Kath, hope you guys are enjoying our new found freedom, and more importantly that wonderful feeling of control, and knowing that even if I eat a mars bar at morning tea, I know how to lose it again!!!
My weight has sat the whole time since at around 67-68 (I finished around end of April I think at 66.6 kilos - goal weight 64-67) And my god, if you guys saw half of the crap I have eaten since you would string me up by my neck!!!! I remember one day (hungover mind you...) I had McDonalds, Hungry Jacks and KFC all in one day!!! (Only one thing from each place, but still!!!) Apart from the odd binge I have been reasonably good, haven't put on any weight so I am not too fussed. Boy, are all my friends jealous now when they see the skinny mini me eating whatever I like!!!!
What are you guys still doing 'Cohen's style'? I am still having my baked apple and yoghurt for breaky every day, trying to keep a reasonable distance between meals, having fruit for snacks, a 'cohens style' lunch, and dinner more like I did pre-cohens. I am definitely steering clear of the carbs as much as poss though, I only have rice once a week and pasta once a week for main meals. Avoiding bread totally, always makes me feel fat!! (even though I'm not!!) I still haven't got back into milk, think I've only ever had it about three times since.

Would love to hear how you guys are going!! It took me at least the first month to get over the paranoia that I was going to put it all back on again without that strictness.... I'm thinking that I may go back on for a week or two though(no more as I don't want the hassle of refeed again) just to see what I look like at the bottom end of my goal weight. I'm quite happy now (still a comfortable size 10), just thinking that that last couple of kilos may be the bit that's sitting around my love handle area!!!
Are you guys doing any fitness now that you've finished? I've just renewed my gym membership - getting right back into Bodypump which is fantastic for toning.

Hope to hear from you soon!
Tash

So glad to read how you're going!!!!!! Missed you !!!!!

This new life after cohen's is beautiful!!!! Control, freedom, choice, enjoyment.......need I say more?!!

Fitness - I haven't been down that path fully let, **Used to be a gym junky!! I've been for a jog a few times, but the last time (Saturday) realised just how 'out of condition' I am & thought about stepping up my fitness again from the bottom!!!! It won't take long for my fitness level to increase again, I dare say........as I have my fingers crossed behind my back!!

The funniest thing I've found is trying on new clothes & still being SHOCKED to the core that these teeny weeny sizes actually fit & FIT WELL!!!! I'm still getting my head around that!!

I had a 'knowing giggle' when I read about your paranoid thoughts about putting on the kilo's after cohen's..... I'm still there - in that stage..... but I have had a few things out of the 'Cohen's Realm'. But like you, I think we are well equiped with what we can do to help stabilise & control our weigh / lives that we can handle anything!!! BRING IT ON... I say!!!

My eye's are fast closing...need sleep!!!! So happy to hear from you & so very pleased that all is going g8!!

Help!!

I am so scared, just got back from Morocco, after a week of solid eating of mostly carbs and the worst kinds of food!!!! And I feel so bloated and I am sure I have put on loads of weight, I am too scared to weigh myself, even though I know I must! The two-day Moroccan wedding involved so much food and most of it sweets and biscuits and stuff. And ate loads of bread and croissants at other times. At least there was no alcohol. Am hoping that I am retaining a lot of water, feeling a bit like that - a bit pre-mentrual too! I feel like my hormones are all haywire, was quite a stressful week to be honest, all the family stuff and a strange country and stuff.

Mum did notice the skinny new me and gave me lots of nice compliments when I saw her at the airport though!

I did not fit into my benchmark green skirt last night!! I feel so mad at myself, even though there was not much I could do about it! It was so hard getting here, I can't believe I have stuffed up so soon!

But it has only been a week! I can't have put it all on again so soon!

Am back on the original plan today and feeling better already, going to do that for a few days to see if I can drop the weight....However...off to France for a week on Friday!!!! Oh my gosh!!! It will be the same deal there although should be able to keep carbs for one meal only!! And less food!

I will weigh myself tomorrow morning. Hopefully the damage is not too much, surely I can't have gained 8kg in a week!!! Then I will really know what I am dealing with...

Would really appreciate your support right now, feeling really down about it all.

Kathy

BTW Tash, so great to hear from you and hear that you are doing so well!

RE: exercise, I was just planning to go back to my usual running routine, 3-4 times a week, but I want to start increasing the distance.

Need to get back into my pilates and yoga for toning as well.

When i get back from France I will get myself back into a routine! Let's hope I don't have to do the diet all over again!

Kathy

Hi Guys. It's Beck (rjm) here from the other forum. Just wanted to say BE CAREFUL about going back on the program and not doing the re-feed. I finished Cohens in November last year and maintained my weight until the beginning of February this year without any trouble. As I hadn't gone right down to my goal weight, I decided to go back on the program to shift the last bit of weight. I went back on it for one week, and then stopped it, but didn't do the re-feed again (as you all know, you only have to do it if you are back on the program for 2 weeks or more). Since then the weight has started to creep back on, and as of last Saturday I had gained 14kg!!! I am now back on the program to get this weight off, and will make sure I complete the re-feed this time. I am also hoping to lose the other bit that I hadn't lost last time, so I am now wanting to lose 19kg. Just wanted to say, if you do go back on the program, make sure you go on for 2 weeks and then do the re-feed. I think it is the most imortant part of the program.
Anyway, great to see you are all doing so well. Hopefully I'll be posting on here regularly in the not too distant future.

Just to quickly say I weighed myself this morning and I have only put on 3kg! What a relief and I think I am losing it really quickly by not eating carbs, fit into the benchmark skirt again! Rang my consultant and she said to keep up the no carbs and it should all come off.

I am off to France for a week on Friday, she said just to be careful of the carbs and reassess when I come back, then either cut back on carbs for a few days. Or if needed do 7 days of the program, she said you only needed to redo the refeed if you are on program for more than two weeks.

I feel much more in control and better now. This diet is awesome, it really does give you the tools to manage your weight! Forever!

Hope you are all well!

Take care

Kathy

hi miss kath,
now that you have finished the program and the refeed can you give me a example of what you eat in day now ? thanks:

rjm & reb - So great to hear from you guys!!!! rjm, very appreciative of your advice, I think your suggestion of doing the whole "2 weeks of program & 2 weeks refeed" is spot on, thanks XX

Miss Kath - France....ENJOY, good on you for having the courage to weigh yourself & staying positive, it's so lovely to be in control!!!! Have the best trip!! Wish I was going with you!

I was advised by my consultant to try & limit my "Carb" meal to once a day, I have managed to do this easily, having too many carbs has not sat well with my tummy - or mentally. I feel excessively bloated, tummy cramps & .....yuck - excessive gas!!!!! Not pleasant I know, but it's the truth. Mentally, it basically does my head right in, I start thinking how it's upsetting all that I have done to get this healthy body!! Not to mention what would be needed to get 'rid' of the excess baggage it may pile back on me!!!! So with that in mind, my day of eating would consist of......

Breaky

Natural Yoghurt - Vaalia (sometimes I'll have fruit with it, but I found it made me feel hungry??!!!)
Green Tea

Mid Morning

Crackers X2 (Paradise Lites Wholemeal with thinly sliced cheddar cheese)
Black Coffee

Lunch

Tuna Salad
or Chicken Salad
Green Tea

Mid Afternoon
Apple or Manadrin
2 Scotch Finger or Yo-Yo biscuits
Black Coffee

Tea

Lamb Shanks
Mash Potato (made with olive oil & low fat milk)-Not too much
Carrots, Zucchini & Cauliflower.

Dessert

Cheesecake or "Carb Smart Ice-Cream"-Peters brand
Green Tea

Now I have typed that, I realise just how much I eat!!!!!