Hey Sweetheart,

Got one thing to say to you DONT DO IT! Ive been "off Cohen's" for 2 weeks now.. havent had one Cohen's meal.. havent put on any weight, but i feel like crap!

Im scared ill put on a heap soon.. it'll catch up with me..

But with moving out and settling in and all that, i have been a very naughty girl!

I dont think i will finish by xmas.. but if i dont.. im happy with the way i look now and im sure ill get back to it in the new year.. bit dissapointed in myself actually

Just dont do it Bec, seriously you wont just have one meal.. thats what i said but i ended up eating normal food for 2 weeks.. Please dont do it, be the "good one" out of the two of us!

Hope all is going well for everyone, im still here just not being a true Cohens girl at the moment.. ill get there xxx Take care all xxx

Hi all,
Sorry, I won't join you on the scale free week. I am a serial weigher and always will be, and won't even pretend that I could go a week without weighing myself. I also like to know quickly if the weight loss slows down so I can do something to shake it up again (ie change around my meals, more water, less salt etc). I also know what I expect to lose each week, and I don't usually overestimate. I usually have really good loss in the first week, then I lose well for 2 weeks of the month and not so much for the other 2 weeks of the month.
I have just completed my first week back on, and I am down 4kgs and 12.5cms which I am thrilled with. I just love Cohens soooo much.
Asy, thanks for the link to FlyLady, I am so addicted to it. I have had all this excess energy and now it's getting put to good use.
L-Jay, haven't heard from you in a while, how are you going??
Have a great day all. Talk to you soon.

Hi,
I think you need to do some more investigation into the tiredness. I personally find that I'm buzzing with energy on the diet. and I know that is others experience as well. So, it sounds to me like there is something going wrong.
Are you eating your crispbread allowance? It is really important to get some carbohydrates for energy, so make sure you are eating all of them each day.
Are you eating your fruit allowance? That will also give you energy.
Have you rung your consultant? What you are experiencing is not normal, so you need to get some advice about it. It sounds to me like your blood sugar levels are low........

Having one meal out will not do great damage..... as others have said you will likely slow your weight loss down for a week.

But I wouldn't do it while I was feeling like you are, because you will probably eat too much, and continue to want to eat regular food.

When I eat out, I try to make a "non-emotional" decision about what I'm going to eat. But if eating out or eating non-Cohen food is triggered by emotions/ tiredness etc, I always find I eat more, don't stop when I'm full and tend to get myself in a cycle of overeating.

Hello,

I have been following your fantastic forum for a couple of weeks now and thought I would share my experience.

I had around 13 kilos to lose. I lost around 4 kilos in my first week on Cohens...then deviated and deviated and deviated for a week. At first I didnt' put on any weight and then after about day 5 of deviating, I felt my clothes - well, not becoming tight - but not as loose as they were.

So, I am back again and on day four today. It is hard to get back on the wagon, but now I am, I feel great - in control and have heaps more energy.

So here I am now trying to lose my last 8 kilos. I am hoping to achieve this in a month but have a feeling it is going to be a hard 8 kilos. I dont think I am going to get the initial burst of weight loss.

I am a terrible weigher. I weigh every morning and if I haven't dropped, I get low.

So I am for the one week ban on weighing myself. As of today I will not bring out the scales - which is a pity as I just bought some fandangled expensive scales that practically talk to me and I wanna use them!

So thanks for making this forum inspirational, motivating and a great deviation.........from work :-)

Off to take another gulp.

P.s I love the recipe below - it is hearty and filling - a great dinner :-) YUM!

Diced beef (allowance)
Mushrooms, small, halved (veggie allowance)
Onion, left in large chunks (veggie allowance)
Zuchinni and/or cauliflower (veggie allowance)
Bouquet Garni
1 bay leaves
Black peppercorns (I use 6)
Thyme - dried or fresh (part of veggie allowance if fresh)
2 crispbreads - processed into fine crumbs
Approx 1 cup water

Heat saucepan sprayed with a little oil and add beef and onion. Cook until browned. Add water and crispbread and stir. Simmer until thickened. Meanwhile place mushrooms, spices and herbs in a small ovenproof dish. Pour beef and onion mixture over the top. Cover and cook in moderate over for 25 minutes. Add steamed zuchinni and/or cauliflower, recover and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove bouquet garni, peppercorns and bay leaves. YUM!

Hi all
I haven't visited the site for a while. I have been out of the office shearing. It took me a while to catch up on the chats. I love to hear what other people have to say. I have reached my first goal (under 100kg). My next big goal is the 20kg loss mark. So far so good. Feeling great and have been getting great support from my clinic. I'll just keep reading your posts. I don't get much time to put any on as I can only do it at work.

LOL

way to go ata on the 12kg loss

Is it normal not to hear from your Cohen's consultant at all in the first week?

I've got to say I'm bitterly disappointed in the support from my clinic. I sent an email on day two asking a question and got a reply the next day. That's the only contact I've had.

i think you'll find if you request mega contact and follow up they will happily oblige, and if you email/call they will respond pretty quickly, otherwise they will just contact you to remind you about blood tests & that sort of thing.
everyone is different.

I know when i first started i told my consultant that i wanted her to be a Nazi and follow me up constantly and harrass me about following the program/deviations etc.
However i have found that i don't need that at all, i am accountable to no-one but myself and i'm quite content cruising along contacting her only when i have a question - or just feel like a chat!

I'm losing weight again! My body went into "shrink and think" mode for a while and it's now back into "melting mode" (1kg overnight) which is pretty cool considering i stayed the same weight for about 1.5 weeks, then it just dropped again.
I am a regular weigher, i find it keeps me motivated and i like watching the changes - no matter how minimal. (i'm a bit of a weirdo in that i just HAVE to watch the dentist drilling in my mouth, needles, stiches that sort of thing, i JUST HAVE TO KNOW AND SEE for myself!!)
I don't get stressed or worried about my weight if it dosen't move, cause it's just my body aligning itself to it's new weight and thinking about it's next step. Which is losing MORE weight!! (sometimes sooner, sometimes later but it will ALWAYS HAPPEN!)
so yee hah, drink up and happy melting peoples!

I weigh daily, it keeps me focused and it really is a boost to see the scales shifting downwards . Not much movement last week and not so great last month overall but that is sorted, didn't know about the change in crispbread, and I'm back on the yoghurt smoothies for brekky everyday. I've also upped my water intake to 4 litres, thought I was doing well to make it over the 2.5 litres. So now I'm up to the loo during the night, I'll settle down soon I hope. Have been trying to get as much in as possible before I get home from work so that there is less sitting in my system when I hit the sack.
Keep up the good work all.

Just wondering which centres the Brissie Girls go to? and how is the support that you have been getting?

It will be my 1 month on Cohen's on Monday coming and I have not heard from my consultant at all, is this normal. At the meeting when I was given my program it was made to sound like they would be in touch and I would be checked in on regularly, but nothing! I suppose it doesn't really matter, I am doing OK without the contact/checks but I should be going in on Monday to get weighed, etc.

I find now that I am struggling to get through all of the protien and veges/salad for each meal and sometimes wish I could just have my cheese allowance on my saladas and ditch the salad!

Cheers
Janine

I went to the one on Lytton Road and ditto no contact at all. You'd think paying $680 for a program that they push as personalised that there'd be some sort of duty of care to support you or even just good business sense to call you to see how you're doing in the first week. What's one local call a week? I find it very odd that Sue and karin don't contact us at all, and have found emails very curt and straight to the point. Regretting going to that clinic as I've since heard otehrs are very supportive.

I'm doing okay too without the support and contact but the contact and support would be nice. Cause to be honest it feels like they've taken my blood and money and dont' care til they have to see me again.

whinge over.... where's that steak and veg for dinner.

hey everyone,

thanks so much for your advice, heavanlylamb I think you are right about the blood sugar levels, for the last few days I have started eating my entire crispbread allowance and fruit allowance to try and get energy, and taking extra vitamins but I'm still tired, dizzy and shakey. Last night I had 12 hours sleep and I still fell asleep on the couch after my photo shoot for 3 hours this afternoon. I can't cope with it as it is crunch time at uni and I have a series of photographs, a short film and a 5000 word essay due on friday, none of which are even close to being finished because I keep sleeping and can't concentrate. I will call my concultant tomorrow, as for tonight I don't know what I'm going to do as I have to put my study first and if eating something normal will give me energy to do it I'm going to go with that option- Cohens cost me 680 but uni has cost me 25'000 so far

ok, so I have called my consultant, she said that what I'm experiencing is very unusual and she will contact Dr. Cohen tomorrow and I may need to have another blood test. In the meantime I deviated for the first time since starting this program- I had pad thai. and while usually I could eat a large serving, I only managed a quarter of it before my full signal came on and I feel 100% better. I don't feel bad about it at all tomorrow is a new day and hopefully they will fix whatever is wrong with my program. I'm not condoning deviation- but I feel I really needed it and I'm ready to attempt weightloss again. With that in mind I won't be weighing myself for a few weeks.

Hi Everyone,
Nothing good to report here. My week last week was so busy I got caught up in having no time to eat. I put in very very long hours at work and did not have any energy to cook properly. I am averaging 1000 kms a week at the moment and it's killing me. Once I get home I still have to deal with three kids, a non supportive partner and all the housework etc. Not to mention our busy lives outside of all this.

My one comfort (and its a small one) is that I didn't eat junk food. Normally when I am busy at work like hat I will grab choclate to give me a buzz. Not easy to resist when your car is full of it either.

Busy again this week, but I took onboard the suggestion that I keep crackers and fruit in the car which has helped.

No additional weightloss. Same as last time - very very slow. Don't think I will make it to my 5 kilo goal fo the weekend wedding. Have lost nothing cm wise either. (my face is thinner - great..... )

Good to see you are all hard at it....keep up the great work!!

Myshy

Myshy: sorry to hear about your crap run. But you really need to make the time. I find I'm time poor all the time, but when I can spare a bit, I make up as many meals as possible to make it easy.

If you are on the run and can't heat food. Opt for easy - measure out your cheese (in manageable slices) and keep them in plastic bags in the fridge - along with measured slices of cucumber or capsicum (things that can be eaten with fingers and even though not inspiring - are fast food).

If you don't have time for breakfast, boil a few eggs and have them handy - with some portioned cucumber or tinned mushrooms.

It all may be a bit boring, but it's better than not eating anything and slowing down your loss - and making you feel worse by missing meals.

When I was working 70 hour weeks - I pretty much did the above and boring as it was, being in that kind of routine - I actually didn't notice all the weight dropping off. Working hard can be a great distraction. But you really must take the time for yourself to do this.

I won't give advice regarding the unsupportive hubby as it might offend. But your housework - who cares! Are your kids young enough to not notice? You might need to chill a little and ignore the pile of laundry for a day or so and give yourself a bit of a break.

lilsaintly1: good to hear you're back on track. Not that I should be asking during national no scales week, but what brand of scales do you have? My scales are really dodgy, as I can get 5 different readings in one go.

rjm: that kind of mindset isn't really healthy - from what my consultant told me. If you rely on seeing numbers every day it can lead to a really obsessive habit. According to our plan, we are only supposed to weigh ourselves once a month. You can't do anything wrong on the plan if you just stick to it. In the end, if you are happy, who am I to say anything about it!

asy: I have no clinic anymore. My contract is technically up as I have gone too long without a blood test. Plus my consultant really wasn't much help when I was seeing her. I have poached chicken in just water before and it icks me out. I'll stick with steaming!

night all!



Goal 1: Day 1 Monday (started 2nd time around 6 Nov 06)
Goal 2: No deviations for 1 week (so stay tuned for next Sunday).
Goal 3: Drop 10kg stat.
Goal 4: Be under 100kg by Christmas!