Cohen's Lifestyle BIGjim's (Soon to be SLIMjim's) Diary!

Prefix for Cohen's Lifestyle
BIGjim26

BIGjim26

New member
Hi every one,

Welcome to my Diary! Its time for me to start recording my journey!

Well its 9th August 2009, I weight 26st (364lb) and i have just paid for my Cohen’s diet plan. A little earlier than planned...... but well over due!! I have 154lb’s to loose.
I have been doing lots of research into Cohen’s and have been looking forward to starting and giving myself the new life i have dreamed off.
The strangest thing is, now i have paid for the diet i am feeling really nervous.... I can’t believe how scary this is, knowing that i am now going to do the diet!! Fear of failure i think. I have failed so many diets in the past that i fear failing this one!! This isn’t an option!

I know i have a lot of emotional things i have to deal with,:nopity:
most of which i thought i had dealt with already, but now i am not as sure! I have always said i am not an emotional eater, but i don’t believe this is the case any more! But i am sure this is some thing i can over come.

So this is the start of my journey! Wish me luck, and i look forward t sharing my ups and my downs with you!
 
Jim, You have made such a good decision. I understand that you are fearful. Funny thing is you are probably as scared of succeeding as you are of failing. The hardest part will be dealing with the mental issues but you seem aware of that already. I think that you are ready and I feel sure that you can do it. We'll support you along the way.
Preparation is the key & reading your plan over & over & over. Don't start until you are prepared. Get rid of anything in your home that will tempt you off plan. Throw it out or give it away. Try to start when you can have a quiet few days at home. You will probably feel a little exhausted & have headaches (detox). Make sure you get lots of sleep and get into the habit of having a water bottle nearby & drink from it often. I make sure I drink 3 x750ml water bottles every day. At the start I think the most important things to do, other than eating exactly how much you are meant to, are reading your plan often, being prepared, getting plenty of sleep & getting used to drinking over 2 litres of water a day.
I haven't had my 1 morning coffee yet so my brain hasn't quite kicked into gear. I'll be back soon when I think of anything else. The main thing is Yee Har Jim!!!! You've done it! Being fearful is quite normal. It's a big step deciding to change your life, even though it's for the better. Well done. You deserve to be slim & happy! Cheers, Cate
 
Jim, I remember the first time round when I paid up for Cohen's, I felt the same. Ulp!!!! Now I'm committed! What will my husband think if the money is wasted? Blah blah. Now, I'm much calmer because I KNOW it works for me, but I guess that first time round there are lots of doubts and insecurities.

It does represent that commitment to ourselves to do it properly, and that's what we need to get on track.

Good luck and happy journeying - hope the next few days go well for you. As Cate said, give yourself a "start day", and psyche yourself into it. Clean pantry, stock up so you don't have to pass shops too soon, and just hang in there for a week till you are "over the hump". It DOES PASS!!!!!
 
Thanks Cate - All this advice is being noted! I hope to make a start as soon as i can. Reading your story and others like you, and the people doing the diet now makes it seem much more achievable! I love hearing tips from those that have done it and are doing it. Just reading different problems that people have had, so I know what I may be up against.
Also Cate I think the point you made about fear of success. I can see this since you have mentioned it. I have never been thin, in fact I am sure I was born at 16stone!!
(I can just see all the mums here wincing at the thought!) But I don’t have any memories of being thin. I know I was when I was a child as I have seen photos. Its strange to think that I can be thin again, and in my mind it almost seems like a ridiculous idea that I could do that! Although I know I can, the thought seems stupid to even think that I can do it. It’s hard to explain but I am sure most of you can understand!!!

Thanks Niyah – It’s nice to know that others that are doing well have felt the same! For me the first few weeks aren’t the problem… Its when I get comfortable and start think of cheating! My main problem is when I cheat, I kinda start to think “Oh well I have blown it now… might as well give up it isnt going to work for me!”
The number of diets I have done, lost a lot of weight and then done this. But the difference is now I am aware of this and will do my utmost to not fall in that trap. If I do cheat, then I need to pick myself up and carry on with the diet the same as before! Also having the support of this forum will be a great help!!

Jim
 
Hello in your diary. We really are in this together. I start tomorrow. I got the plan and was all excited to start and I have been weighing and measuring and making chicken soup etc. Now I am feeling nervous, now that I will actually start. But together we can do it and with the fantastic support that we will get here we will succeed.

Yesterday I managed to do the 2 lit water and it wasn't so bad. I actually had 5 500ml bottles, so I am going to try do that all the time.

So good luck Jim, I will be watching you! We have to do it, there is no choice.

When will you get your plan? I hit a bit of a wobble (actually I pretty much wobble most of the time ;)) when I saw the portion sizes. But when you weigh them out, they are not so bad especially if you add in light stuff like lettuce, spinach, cabbage or mushrooms.

Will keep ya posted.

Sue
 
Hi Sue,
Its great we are starting together (or very close) and support will be great! I have to get my blood test done, i have a doctors appointment on Wednesday so i will hopefully have the test done some times this week... Then a few days for the results..... Then a week for the diet plan! Suppose i am looking at about 2 weeks until i start! I wish it was sooner! I really want to start soon!
If i go to a lab in London i imagine it will be sooner, but its hard to drive in to London after work! I will see..... Plus i hope that the doc will do it for free!!!

I have been drinking between 2 and 3 lit of water yesterday and today and haven't found it that hard to do... so i am happy about that!

I just want to start now.....
Good luck Sue.... Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life! Make it worth it!
Cant wait to see how you have got on your first day!!!

Jim
 
So excited for you Jim!!! The next few weeks will fly by and you will have your plan before you know it :)

I know you can do this just remember it is all in the mind. You need to think positively and distract yourself if you start to obsess over food or think about all the things you love and cant have. I find that as being one of the people who is on the program for a longer period of time, that it is helpful to establish the meals that you really enjoy- for me it's chicken and vegie soup. Try to avoid the yoghurt or cheese option inicially as this really isn't as filling as the chicken or beef option. I find that helps.

Go Jim we are all chearing for you. Would love to know what the online program says so when you get it it would be intersting to compare notes (it will be 99% much the same I'm sure) cause your in the UK they might say you can have rabbit or game meat so I would love to know :)

Take care and be good to yourself
:) nicole
 
Thanks Nicole!
All this support is amazing, and i know with this support i can do it!
Its an amazing opportunity to be able to do this, and i dont know any one else in the UK that has even heard of this diet. Only you Nicole and you joined in aus. Its not advertised any where here, and i cant believe i came across it on this site!

As soon as i have my diet i will let you all know what i have on it! I hope that rabbit and game are not on the diet... lol... Chicken and beef is just fine!! lol

Jim
 
Hi Jim, We are all excited for you I think! I think it would be interesting to hear if rabbit & other game meat is on the UK version as well. I asked my consultant when I first started Cohen's & she asked Dr Cohen who said no. They do a lot of research before adding anything & sometimes allowed foods change, like crackers.
Jim, It's good that you are upping your water intake. It will help you with detox when you start if you also cut down your caffeine now. I think you are mentally preparing yourself to succeed and that's half the battle.
By the way, when I did Cohen's no-one I knew had ever heard of it,including me. Since then it's gone gangbusters in Australia!
Cheers for now, Cate
 
Hey All,

I have been drinking over 2lts of water a day the last few days! A lot of which has been drunk later in the day. Then i have been waking up thru the night with really bad heart burn that has been keeping we awake!!
Are these connected or is it in my head!!! lol

Thanks
Jim
 
Hi Cate!
I am interested to see what food i am allowed to eat! Hopefully i like most of it!
I did the lighter life programme a little while ago (its 4 food packs a day - milk shake and soup) and the detox part wasn't too bad for me! I didn't find it hard at all getting over the first week! That was an easy diet as you didn't feel hungry but i only like the choc milkshake and trying to drink 4 of these a day was VERY HARD - and they was mixed with water not milk! YUCK!!

So i am not worrying about the detox or the first few weeks, its the time after that i need to be prepared for, making sure i stick to what the diet says! That is where i normally fail! BUT NOT THIS TIME!!!

Well i hope that i can show people in the UK how great this diet is and see how many more people will hear about it!!!

Jim
 
This time you will eat much more normal food. All you have to do is plan, plan, plan - at least for the first good while. After that it will be second nature. As they say "Those who fail to plan plan to fail". So, study up when you get the plan, take it to the shops, only go down the aisles you NEED to, and write out what you are going to eat each day for the first while. You won't go wrong if you do this.

Am looking forward to your progress!
 
Just popping in to say Hi my fellow UK diet buddy :) Everyone I have spoken to over here has never heard of Cohen's either- although they call it 1st Personal over here. You will also get access to the 1st P chat page so I am sure you will find other who are in the UK on it. In Aus we can eat Kangaroo and in South Africa they have another different meat so it will be interesting to find out if they offer anything different over here for you?

Take care Jim and I cant wait to hear all your good news when you start the plan!
:) nicole
 
Thanks Nicole!!
I am looking forward to seeing whats on my diet plan!

Well i had my blood test today!!!!! I hope to pick the results up on friday but its more than likely going to be on monday! Then i can email them the results and it will be a week from then.......... I am nervous now, and hope that my results will allow me to do the diet and that i dont get turned down! I would be SOOO gutted! But i am sure i will be fine!!!

Jim
 
Hey Jim

As long as you dont have diabeties, heart conditions, take some obscure types of medication and a few other things (which I am sure were in the form you filled out before you went for your blood test and handed over the money) then I'm sure you will be fine :) Dont stress too much, but I know how you might feel just having the chance you might not be able to do the program :-( I dont think there are too many people that get rejected.

Best of luck and I guess if you can or cant then it's just ment (or not ment) to be.

:) nicole
 
Hi Jim, Answering your questions in the other thread-
1) What spices can i use in my food and am i limited on how much i can use.
All limited-max of one teaspoon collectively of all of these- try to really limit those marked with a *
*Salt, black pepper, all dried herbs(Basil, Oregano, Rosemary etc), *garlic powder, *ginger powder,*curry or *mustard powders, *pure spices (paprika, turmeric, etc)
Allowed daily-
1 level teaspoon of low-fat mayonnaise
Vinegar- including balsamic, apple cider vinegar, red & white wine vinegars
Not allowed-
Anything with added sugar, starches, MSG or preservatives
Blended spices, such as BBQ seasoning, Chinese 5 spice
Bottled minced garlic or ginger
Cayenne pepper
Vanilla beans or vanilla essence
If you choose to have fresh herbs you must weigh them as part of your vegetable allowance for that meal. Fresh garlic is so worth adding I think!
2) What vitamins should i be using?
The clinic will recommend these & someone else will have to help me out here. I was recommended to use the Blackmores slow release multi. They will give you a list of what it should include & this may have changed since I got my program in 2007. They must not have any gluten or wheat, lactose, sugar, preservatives or yeast. I also took (still do) Omega 3 or flaxseed oil.
3) Can i drink Tea and Coffee with no sugar or milk?
Yes, but keep to <3 cups a day. I think I saw that you don't like peppermint tea. Now might also be a great time to try some different ones out.
4) How much water should i be drinking?
8-12 glasses or 2-3 litres
5) Can i fry with minimal oil??
No oil, margarine, butter or fat of any kind may be used.
You may use- Canola or Olive oil sprays(limited in amount)

Jim, It may be easier to wait until you get your plan, go out shopping & then start, rather than try to work it out without your plan sitting in front of you. It may be too confusing otherwise. Also my plan is not the current one & things do vary. I had my program for about 10 days before I actually started it & i read it over & over & did so for the whole 28 weeks. It's amazing what you think you know but actually don't. You'll be right Jim. I hope you get your plan very soon. I'm getting excited for you!!
I had better scoot as I have my grandson here & I'm trying to encourage him to get off my other computer! LOL. So I had better set an example. Cheers for now, Cate.
 
nickychick said:
Hey Jim

As long as you dont have diabeties, heart conditions, take some obscure types of medication and a few other things (which I am sure were in the form you filled out before you went for your blood test and handed over the money) then I'm sure you will be fine :) Dont stress too much, but I know how you might feel just having the chance you might not be able to do the program :-( I dont think there are too many people that get rejected.

Best of luck and I guess if you can or cant then it's just ment (or not ment) to be.

:) nicole
Click to expand...

Here's hoping i dont get turned down! I have no serious problems that i know off, so unless there is some thing i dont know about i should be fine!
It is hard thinking that there is a possibility that i could be rejected now! I am so ready to do this and so want to do this that if i did get turned down i would be completely gutted!!!
But like you say i am sure i wont!!!

Will find out soon enough!! lol
Thanks
Jim
 
Thanks for the tips cate!!
I will wait to see my diet plan then before i go shopping for any thing!
I am really excited about starting and just want to be ready!
I really need this, and i have to do it!! I am missing out on so much in my life that if i dont loose the weight now i will not have a life at all.... This has to and will work for me! But i guess its just the waiting game for my plan now!! lol

I am not going to be telling people that i am dieting! My family know and a few friends but that is all.... WHEN people start to ask me about my weight loss i will say that i am, but i wont tell them what diet yet.... not that they would have heard of it!
One of my best friends know that i will be doing the diet and she has had a little read on what its all about and she is very positive for me and has been telling me all benefits of loosing the weight and how great it will be for me! She seems truly excited for me! I mentioned that i will keep an online diary here to record my progress. She suggested that i do a hard copy for my self full off pictures and my weight and so on..... I am not much of an emotions person and so i wouldnt put my thoughts and feeling in there like i may do here (where no one knows me!) but think a record of my weight lose with photos may be a good idea!! Any way she came round, and has brought me a book that i can do this with!! Its soo nice to have some one that wants this for me as much as i do!!

I should have the results early next week so just over a week now until i get my plan!!!!
Very excited!!

Jim
 
Jim, That is fantastic that you have such a good friend who will provide you with positive support. Writing stuff down really does help you to think clearer I find. I don't write it down elsewhere though I must admit. Typing how you feel in your online diary is quite liberating. Since doing so I have learned to be more open towards other people & not so fearful of rejection & subsequently have made some lovely new friends. It is exciting Jim. I'm excited for you & I don't even know you!! I am going to love reading about your journey I can tell already! Cheers, Cate.
 
Hi Jim

Well so far it's going well. Today is the start of the weekend and I will have to see how it goes. I am having the family over for supper tonight. The big test. I am just going to say I am not hungry or I have been nibbling the whole day as I don't want to make an issue out of the diet. In fact I don't want anyone to know. My hubby does and one of my boys but no one else and I want to keep it that way for the meantime.

I was also so excited to start and I must say that being prepared in terms of pre-weighing and freezing meat, chicken, fish and cheese has been a lifesaver. I have not really had a headache except for the first day. I am also not really hungry except for close to meal times

I have been drinking most of my water earlier in the day and the afternoon so that I am not up all night peeing. I don't drink coffee really, I used to have the odd cappucino so I don't miss that.

I am not finding it that hard so far, but I have to try new recipes as I think I could get bored if I stick with what I am making all the time.

I got a ticker as you can see. I will have to see once I get to goal, if I am happy, I may try to go lower.

Keep us posted.

Sue
 
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