Welcome to the forum. I work full time in a job that requires regular socialising, so I find I am surrounded by temptation on a regular basis.
I think there are some keys to managing it. As Lessfatty said, preparation is a key. I don't cook food ahead of time, but I do weigh out all my meat and freeze it into appropriate portions. I'm very fortunate to have a nanny who cooks for the rest of the family. But it only takes me a matter of minutes to defrost, chop and cook my meal.
I try to get hold of menus/ or find out from the host what they are cooking ahead of time. That helps me to plan what I can/ will eat.
If I am going to be surrounded by temptation for every meal for a week or so, which I quite often am when I'm travelling for work, I decide ahead of time which meal I am going to deviate for. Because its almost certain that my will power won't last for the whole time and I find a planned deviation does less damage than an out of control deviation, where I might eat everything on the menu!!!!!!! It also helps me to put off deviating in each meal prior to that time. So, my deviating meal is generally at the end of the trip. I also make sure that if I am going to deviate, I have the very best thing I can - I don't waste the deviation! (Sometimes we are used to eating cardboard food which isn't satisfying. While if you choose great food, you can usually eat a lot less and be satisfied)
But the most important thing about deviations is that you don't see them as failures, or excuses to just go out of control for the rest of the day/ week/ month etc. You ate something you weren't supposed to. Learn from it. How could you have planned your baby shower differently. Why did one deviation lead to you feeling like you couldn't keep going on the program, for a time at least.
To me, its interesting that you didn't deviate at the party itself, but afterwards! I wonder if you feel like you failed, rather than seeing that you survived the party without deviating. Maybe if you change your thought processes, then you would also change the outcome.
HL

Hi Everyone and Merry Christmas to all.

I didn't survive christmas without deviating but I am not beating myself up about it, I am back on the Cohens wagon and determined to keep my weight loss happening.

I must admit that the food didn't taste as delicious as I thought that it would, don't get me wrong it was still yummy but not as yummy as I remembered it. It has made me feel like I am not missing out on so much by sticking to the diet.

Has anyone else found that the food isn't as great as you remember or your mind makes you think that it is?

I am looking forward to starting 2007 as a newer skinnier me with even better things to come.

hello all

well the food all tasted as good as i remembered, i no longer want pasta'a, or breads though, but i can't pass up a lolly or chocolate, ggrr wish i could but after xmas i am not letting ,myself deviate until after refeed.
anyway cya di

Hi everyone,

It's been a while and there is so much to read. Well done to everyone who has stuck to their plan during these tough days.

I can't say I'm one of those people. But I'm going to pick myself up and also make 2007 with a new me.... need to change the thought processes and stick with it.

Happy new year to everyone and look forward to be shrinking and being a loser

Ciao for now.

I must admit I am one of the very few ppl who deviated but i am not going to be getting upset becos of that... well.. I am back on the program after only one day of indulge... I am ready to lose the remaining weight!!!

Ha I definitly deviated over christmas - BIG TIME. But to be honest I dont care, im on the wagon again which feels really good and I wont be deviating again, I will be sticking through to the finish line....even on my bday on jan 4th. I think the best bday present i can give myself is not cake....but a healthier 2007.

I think everyone is doing fab-o and for all those that did indulge over chrissy, its ok just get back on the wagon and melt away in 2007

Hi to all! Have been reading the forum for a few weeks. WOW! So inspiring! I started the program on 24th Nov and have lost about 10 kilos. I got to a point where I was as heavy as I was when I was 9 months pregnant, YUK! The time has come. I love the program, and am very suprised at how easy it is. I work fulltime and am married with 4 kids, so ease of preparation is vital! I did have a few forbidden foods on Christmas Day, but I have to agree, even chocolate didn't taste as good as I remember. I just want to commend everyone on the positive outlook you all have. It's so refreshing to read positive and encouraging words. There's not enough around these days! Anyway, looking forward to more chats!
If anyone is in Wollongong area let me know. I'd love to meet some fellow Cohenites!:

Hey hotmama welcome. Congratulations on your loss to date. As a working Mum of 2 teenagers, being organised and preparing ahead is certainly a key to success with this program. I love it and have also found it surprisingly easy. Keep up the good work.
Lauren

Hi everyone, Just updating my tracker with my new weight. This is the best darn diet that I have ever been on, I am eating healthy and never hungry and feel the best I have in a very long time.... Thank you Dr. Cohen, you are a life saver.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and got thru it without any temptations. It was hard going to parties and out to dinner during Christmas but I made it.

I know that this is a NO NO but I couldn't sign on under Capeachee and had to create a new sign in name. Somewhere along the line my email address with Capeachee has been lost in the forum's data base. So all that know me now I am Bribie IslandJO.

Take care everyone and keep up all the good work!

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!!
Cheers,
Bribie IslandJO

I know it's been in the forum before, but how do I paste my ticker?? I know I need to copy and paste but when I try to manage attachments it tells me it's invalid???

Hey Hotmama.

Make sure you're copying over the BB Code. Plus our signatures cant be more than a 100 (?) characters now, so make sure there is nothing else in there,

Thankyou! It's simpler than I thought.

Hi Everyone
Nice to read that everyone had fairly controlled Christmases. A gold star to me - I did not deviate! Yay! Actually lost .6 of a kilo on Xmas day - that would have to be a first ever.
I'm not feeling great however, I feel quite flat a lot of the time. I'm hoping this will turn around soon, as I'm only 2.5 weeks in (and have unofficially lost 6.1 kg). It doesn't help having had to do a massive spring clean and reorganization of rooms as we have visitors staying for the New Year weekend. I feel like I'm running on empty.
Take care everyone.
Will update the ticker when I have the official weigh-in in early Jan.
Cath
PS Have any of the people who are finished or are nearly there have days of feeling flat, with absolutely no energy? I might have to ring my clinic about it on 2nd Jan when they re-open.

WELCOME cath i think youve made a fantastic desicion joining cohens, youll see some awesome results from this program

today is my 6th week exactly being on cohens and yes i can tell you that when i started i did have some really flat days, turns out it was my body detoxing and churning out all that unwanted fat..therefore due to the minimal food and lots of fat to disolve my body was using heaps of energy.

The feeling should pass soon as your body adjusts to cohens but you should talk to your consultant too just in case...

also are you taking your vitamins daily? I found Blackmores Multi-Vitamin really does help, i also take extra calcium ,Magnesium and B6 tablets. There should be a section in your book about how important it is to take them as your body uses the vitamins for energy.

hope that was of some help!!

ALSO wanted to say i tried on a denim(not very stretchy as i always used to wear) pair of work-type pants today size 16 n it fit AWESOME and comfortable!! i usually get stretchy size 18 denims OMGSH i cant wait till i can fit into 12's or better yet 10's!! woooo hoooo i will forever be a cohens girl!!

happy losing everyone!!! xx

Hi Cath

Yep I had flat days - really strange was that I had a successful weigh in and the next day had a really flat day- it does pass and I really don't find too many flat moments anymore - when I do I just get my hubby to make my dinner and it makes me feel better. Just think of the FLAT tummy you will have soon. God I look forward to that kind of flatness.

I also had massive pimple breakouts on my face for the first 5 weeks and that certainly provided for a few moments. I find my energy levels can dip about an hour before I am due to eat again. Been on Cohens for 6 weeks and 2 days now, and know it was a great decision .

Also if you are feeling flat hop onto the forum - there is always plenty of support on here and I have found it really helpful.

Best of luck