Cohen's Lifestyle Cohens Lifestyle Support

[heavenlylamb]

That reminds me. I had the privilege of minding my beautiful granddaughter the other weekend and carrying her 8Ks up and down the stairs all the time was exhausting. Imagine carrying that all the time. He, he he. Go on borrow a child, if you don't have one, pick them up and carry them around and just internalise what you have already achieved.

Hey guys, I know that there has been some discussion about the principles of Cohen's and why some foods and not others. I agree with the thought that not all have been tested so it is easier for them to say no. But really what does it matter, if it works then just do it. There are heaps of different ways to do each meal, you do it for everyone else you cook for, so just get used to doing it for yourselves. I bet you used to buy basically the same things each week at the supermarket for your family - you just came home and put them together differently, so they didn't complain about the same old same old.

I had just thought the same thing this morning about my son..... I've lost half his body weight.. last time I lost weight, he was only a baby and he was growing at about the same rate I was losing which was funny. He's very excited because he can fit his arms around my waist now!

In relation to the foods we can eat, our consultants have said that it takes a couple of years to test each food to see its effect. But they also gave us an extra list of foods that isn't in the main handbook that they say are approved. A lot of them are supplements, so I won't list them. But the others are

ostrich, venison and crocodile (as red meat), tempeh in place of tofu, mustard seeds, tabasco sauce in small quantities, lemon grass, brown rice vinegar, 7 seas spice, garlic salt, peri peri, vegetable salt in place of salt, soya mayonnaise if low fat and no sugar, rocket, spring onions, picked onions as long as no sugar oil and not heavily salted, exotic mushrooms, provita crispbread in place of ryvita.

Hope that helps some to liven up their routine!
Pen

 

[Jr_Mint]

I have the same problem as you Bam; I dont feel hungry and sometimes, leave food unfinished. I am kinda scared of this re-feed thing, cuz I know there's an increase in portions and if I'm not hungry now, how am i gonna finish all that food? Was reading one of the old posts by Tash* about the re-feeding process. Seems like alot of food!

Anyway, slinkee: My weddings comng up too, 2nd Dec. am all excited, and really hope I can keep the weight off even after that. Most of my friends think i'm just doing this to look good on the wedding day and then will let it all go after. NO WAY!!!! I've come this far, dont wanna go thru this again

 

[lessfatty]

ostrich, venison and crocodile (as red meat), tempeh in place of tofu, mustard seeds, tabasco sauce in small quantities, lemon grass, brown rice vinegar, 7 seas spice, garlic salt, peri peri, vegetable salt in place of salt, soya mayonnaise if low fat and no sugar, rocket, spring onions, picked onions as long as no sugar oil and not heavily salted, exotic mushrooms, provita crispbread in place of ryvita.

Anybody experienced peri peri? Looks kinda interesting...particularly with chicken. Flame grilled chicken breast, peri-peri sauce with lemon, a spinkle of little salt; served with some briefly steamed still a little crisp asparagus and a little green salad with a slice of fresh tomato (not those evil mini-tomatos) !

Do they really? But do you dare enter the Nando's chicken takeaway to buy some?
Seems a little bit "odd" for Cohen's very strict requirements.

 

[slinkee]

HI There Jr Mint

I'll be getting married 17 days after you. And I agree with you, I'm not just doing this for a wedding, I'm doing it for the rest of my life, and so I can be healthy when it comes time to have a bub too.

My ultimate goal would be to lose 30kg in the next 3+ months, but I'll be very happy just losing 20kg, it will still have me a the lightest weight I would've been at for at least 5 years.

You haven't got far to go, so stick to it and you'll be at goal before you know it.

 

[Princessoz]

Hi all, I have my first (official) weigh in on Friday. This is the first time I will have seen my consultant since starting. I can't believe that on Saturday I have been on the diet four weeks!!! It's actually gone a lot faster than I thought it would.

Bam, I still can't seem to get MSN to work. Can you give me your email address and I will try and activate it from this end?

I hope everyone had a wonderful day. Take Care.

 

[gayegel]

Hi all, jude Love the idea of "borrowing" a child. Can see everyone popping over to the neighbours and saying "can I borrow your kid for awhile". Sure the mom's would be happy to have them babysat for the arvo. LOL. I too laughed at the paprika and cheese debate. Programe is quite detailed in what you can and cann't have, so maybe we are trying to talk ourselves into thinking that we can have these yummy things when we really know that we CAN'NT.
lizzi You are really going great gun's. Keep it up. I think you may have passed me by now. I'm still there but going very slowly. I know I'm not doing it 100% but can 't seem to stop myself. Will have to try and come up with some sort of new motivation or time frame.
jude Just love your philosophy - life is too short - let's just do it!!!
heavenlylamb Where did you get your extra list of approved foods? I haven't got one. Has anyone else got this list? What is peri peri? Haven't heard of this before. Would be interested to know if we are allowed it. Sounds devine on chicken.
theold me Where are you girl? Are you still loosing or like me, I seem to have gone into hibernation.

I am a little worried as next week I am going away with 18 fellow golfers for country week and it means 3nights of dining out and also lunches at different clubs where the main thing will be sandwiches. Brekky will be ok as I can cook my omelet easily enough but am freaking out about the rest. Is there anyone else that has got through a problem like this, I would really like some help here guy's. They all know I'm doing this diet so I guess it's really up to me to make the best choice possible. Keeping my fingers crossed. Oh and the alchohol!!!!!!! there's always plenty of that ( we only pretend to go for the golf but it's the social side we all look forward to) Oh well will just have to try, try, try really hard for 3 days.

To everyone here who's doing so well, keep it up and looking forward to the end, which really isn't too far away now. Don't think I can update my ticker just yet. Yes I can, just checked on my last one and can wipe 900gm's off. Here goes.

Cheers.

 

[cherub1]

1 day down, 90? to go

Well, today was day 1 and I survived! Had a few rumbles before lunch, but apart from that, did ok...even had 2.5 litres of water! Did have a slight headache and quite tired now.

Must take the batteries out of the scales so I'm not tempted to weigh too often.

Off to the city tomorrow for work conference, staying in a hotel with yummy smorgasbord breaky (which is included in room rate!) but I WILL order room service...maybe a boiled egg to have with my crackers and fruit.

So proud of myself!

 

[Minxy]

Starting again.

Hi people - so many newbies here - I'm Minxy, I lost almost half of my weight a while back and for some stupid reason I turned into a binge eating animal. I don't know why. I think it's because I found it so easy to lose the weight on Cohen's that I just told myself "it's ok a few days back on the diet and I'll have lost the little bit I've regained". Unfortunately I never tried hard to get back on the diet for more than a day or so. This time I am determined!

It's such a great programme that I just want to get my bum into gear and finish it before Summer arrives. I really don't want to be carrying the excess 30kg's around this Summer like I was last year - it was awful.

So here I am again - almost back at square one and more determined than ever - wish me luck. And for anybody contemplating cheating - DO NOT DO IT because it's bloody hard to get back on board!

Keep up the great work everybody and drink that water!

xx

 

[Fishy]

Minxy - I think I'm doing your trick. That is, losing some weight then going crazy and eating bad food again!!!

The biggest problem I'm struggling with is nibbling whilst trying to feed my 12 month old! It is incredible how being restricted with what you eat can make a piece of breadcrust so appealing....I've only got myself to blame - I wouldn't even normally eat bread

Has anyone else had to deal with this? Perhaps you could share any strategies with me.

Lizzi - would you be comfortable telling me how tall you are? We have the same goal weight so I was just wondering. I'm 152cm.

I'm really enjoying reading everyone's posts - I check in everyday to stay up to date but haven't posted much myself yet.

Ciao

 

[lessfatty]

I am a little worried as next week I am going away with 18 fellow golfers for country week and it means 3nights of dining out and also lunches at different clubs where the main thing will be sandwiches. Brekky will be ok as I can cook my omelet easily enough but am freaking out about the rest. Is there anyone else that has got through a problem like this, I would really like some help here guy's. They all know I'm doing this diet so I guess it's really up to me to make the best choice possible.

I think this highlights the most frustrating side of the program, if I am at home or just one meal (5 hours) from the house then I am fine I can 100% comply with the program by taking a meal with me. But when I am out of the house 15 hours then I need to have 2 meals or if I stay overnight then I need to eat out. For example my family and I was out of the house the full day, we visited a steak restaurant, I ate a "diet" steak (it had no fat) which I estimated was a bit more than my allowance so I left some, and some of a salad (I picked out just the vegitables on the program) again I ate my best estimate of 100gms of vegitables (my allowance). I didnt have scales but I did my best to choose foods that matched the program as best I could. Now the Cohens consultants say "NO NO NO" just drink tea or water if you go to a restaurant...I have no idea about what to do!!! The choice for me is no meal (breaking the program) or my best estimate of a 100% cohen program kosher meal (eg right ingredients but no way to ensure exact weights) . I suppose this is where my B.S. detector is starting to register some yellow lights. It seems to be a world of midnight black and whiter-than-white, no grey, no off white. On the wagon 100% or off the wagon 100%

Of course there are just "blacklist" eats like hot chips, chunky bacon and starbucks latte's.

Here is what I would do if I was lucky enough to have a 3 day golf trip. Lunch; I would pick out some lean chicken breast (my mums golf club always seem to have some kind of cold or warm chicken), some pick out some green vegitables and a bit of tomato (not those evil mini-tomatos ), just do you best to make build up a meal that is your best estimate of the meals you prepared at home.

Evening: The dinner meal will probably be prepared and you wont have any choice or very limited and just probably wont be possible to eat any of it. Thus before the meal I recommend do your best to visit a supermarket and buy some prepackage baby spinach leaves, some rare roast beef from the deli just a bit less 10gms less than your raw steak allowance because it has been partially cooked, eat it in the car. At dinner just say you have eating or not hungry. Buy some mineral water in 500ml bottles for your hotel room and around the course.

Breakfast: Egg, some tomato, fruit and coffee. Breakfest seems the easiest meal to get right even if you are away.

If people are pestering you about drinking, drink sparkling mineral water with a few drops of "bitters", it looks like you are drinking something. Otherwise just water.

We just need to make the best choices we can in the place we find ourselves. Pragmatic best we can do choices rather than zealot black and white thinking.

 

[lessfatty]

Minxy - I think I'm doing your trick. That is, losing some weight then going crazy and eating bad food again!!!

The biggest problem I'm struggling with is nibbling whilst trying to feed my 12 month old! It is incredible how being restricted with what you eat can make a piece of breadcrust so appealing....I've only got myself to blame - I wouldn't even normally eat bread

Has anyone else had to deal with this? Perhaps you could share any strategies with me.

You nibbled a piece of a crust of bread, is that it? no buckets of KFC, no supersized chips, no giant packets of timtams dipped in hot chocolate, what about 2 litres of cherry chunk icecream???....DONT get on a guilt trip its just a crust of bread! The crust of a bread has around the same carbs as a cracker or two. Solution just dont eat a cracker allowance, and just decide you are not going to do it again...then move on! No point going *oh my god I have fallen off the wagon, I feel so bad, I may as well just head for pizzahut!

Nibble little bits of your cracker allowance.

 

[Guest]

Ruminations and Rumblings

i get hungry before meals, even if i haven't "deviated" (terrible word). Most particularly, in the 45 minutes leading up to hour 5 (i can never go over!!) ususally I gulp down as much water as I can, or if desperate I'll have some soft drink - bubbles help fill the void for a while.

On the issue of eating out - my consultant (before the mitcham clinic closed down) seemed to think that guesstimating whilst out is ok (if you really have to) - you have to eat and once we are into it, we have a good visual of what our weights equal. And really, if minor changes are going to impact that significantly, then its not realistic. You have to live in real life, and sometimes its NOT black and white - IF ONLY!!! Imagine if things always went smoothly and to plan!

I'm finding it difficult at the moment - have come off night shift and this time round, my body just AINT kicking back to my normal hours. I'm not sleeping nearly as much, therefore i'm up for many more hours than I normally would be. I end up either having some extra crackers or an extra meal. My consulstant also advised that either of those were fine if I have some long shift extensions. This disturbance in my sleep patterns seems to come around every 9 months or so for some reason. Hopefully tonight I'll sleep longer than 5 hours. Considering I normally sleep for about 10 hours!!!

Keep up the good work everyone!

 

[lizzi1]

Just the quickest post,
I think with the peri peri it would be the dried spices that you could buy in the supermarket (if just pure spices) rather than the sauce. Don't know but that is my guess.

And gayegel - you are still ahead of me although you should be finished.Don't put it off forever! You can do it. Mayby straight after this week of eating?
lizzi

 

[~BAM~]

Princessoz

You can get to my email address by clicking the little blue man beside my post on the right Hope it works!!

We are at the same amount of time down on Cohen's.. Got a question for you...?

Is your weight going really slow at the moment? Mine has come to an extreme Holt and its not good!!!

It truely feels like im going nowhere..

 

[slinkee]

Just a few thoughts I've had after reading some of the posts.

Cohen's is a fantastic programme, and really does get the weight off, there is no denying that, but it is just impossible to stick to it 100%. If you can stick to it 90% you are still doing great. Of course, if there are people reading this that HAVE stuck to it 100%, i applaud you wholeheartedly, and wish i had your commitment, determination and courage.

I wish that I could go and live in a cave for the next 6 months, and only have my kosher Cohen's foods with me, and then I would be able to stick to it 100%. but even if i was living in this imaginary cave, who is to say that I wouldn't be having an extra crispbread each day, or what would be stopping me from having 68g of veg, instead of 65g.

As long as we are as vigilant with ourselves as we possibly can be, we will lose weight. I know that my habit for my whole dieting life (which is approx for the past 15 years) has been the second I have "broken" my diet, I HAVE rushed off to Pizza Hut and scoffed down a pizza or two. This diet is so easy to break, so if you're going to deviate, do it healthily, have some extra vegies with your meat, or an extra piece of fruit, just do it with the foods that we are allowed to eat, not with an 8-pack of saucy wings from PH, and a family-sized block of hazelnut chocolate.

As I have said before, this is my restart, and it's even harder the second time, so don't deviate, stay on the wagon, look at this weightloss journey 1 day at time, then break that day into each meal of the day. If you have your Cohen's breakfast, make sure you have your Cohen's lunch, and if you've done both of those two, it will make it that much easier to have a Cohen's dinner, then that will be the day done 100%.

Possibly I wrote this post for myself, cos reading that bit back now makes a lot of sense to me.

hope we can all stay strong today
NO DEVIATIONS!!!
slinkee

 

[4ukids]

Hi all, I am just popping in to report my 8 week weigh in which is not all that fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have lost 5.8 kg this month bringing the total to 18kg since I started. I have lost 57cm from my body . I have cried this morning and feel so sorry for myself, then angry for going to the social functions that I deviated at.When I look at the whole picture of 18kg I dont feel so bad but if I didnt eat the crap I did a couple of weeks ago I am sure I could have lost 8kg for the month. I am no where near giving up but I feel sad that because of my greed and lust for food I will not reach my goal to loose 45kg by december. I dont go out very often now that I have 2 small children and I have found it no too hard to do when home but when you are out and not home it is nearly impossible. I take my hat off to all you people who work and also have to go away for work or have alot of social engagements for sticking to it like you do, you are all amazing. I go to 5 social things try and eat good but it is so hard. I think I absorb fat through my pores while cooking my family foood lol.anyway thanks for reading my moan for the day, and keep up the fantastic work you are all doing.

cheers for now.

 

[lessfatty]

On the issue of eating out - my consultant (before the mitcham clinic closed down) seemed to think that guesstimating whilst out is ok (if you really have to) - you have to eat and once we are into it, we have a good visual of what our weights equal. And really, if minor changes are going to impact that significantly, then its not realistic. You have to live in real life, and sometimes its NOT black and white - IF ONLY!!! Imagine if things always went smoothly and to plan!

Sounds like the Mitcham (thats in Melbourne Australia for those who dont know) clinic consultant lived in the real world and was dealing with real people who live real lives. My consultant made me feel like I am failing, when from my perspective I couldnt possibly be happier with the results of the program; losing weight feeling fine!

BTW Scales another -0.5KG this morning...great!

 

[lessfatty]

Hi all, I am just popping in to report my 8 week weigh in which is not all that fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have lost 5.8 kg this month bringing the total to 18kg since I started. I have lost 57cm from my body . I have cried this morning and feel so sorry for myself, then angry for going to the social functions that I deviated at.When I look at the whole picture of 18kg I dont feel so bad but if I didnt eat the crap I did a couple of weeks ago I am sure I could have lost 8kg for the month. I am no where near giving up but I feel sad that because of my greed and lust for food I will not reach my goal to loose 45kg by december. I dont go out very often now that I have 2 small children and I have found it no too hard to do when home but when you are out and not home it is nearly impossible. I take my hat off to all you people who work and also have to go away for work or have alot of social engagements for sticking to it like you do, you are all amazing. I go to 5 social things try and eat good but it is so hard. I think I absorb fat through my pores while cooking my family foood lol.anyway thanks for reading my moan for the day, and keep up the fantastic work you are all doing.

cheers for now.

Did I read the information correctly; YOU HAVE LOST 18KG in 8weeks!!!
THAT'S FANTASTIC!!!

You are feeling sorry for yourself and you cried? Who the made you feel that bad? You are not failing, even a tiny bit!!! YOU ARE SUCCEEDING! Did you ever get better results on other diets? I bet the answer is NO!

Take a look at a 100gm chunk of chicken or cow fat. Every 100gms you lose is better for you, you will look better and feel better! You lost 56 of those 100gm globs of fat last month...well done!

So what you nibbled on some food at a social event, that just proved you are human rather than "wondergirl the perfect".

I just very very strongly doubt that your nibble on food resulted in you losing 5.6KG rather than the goal of 8KG.
Are any of the ladies on this forum losing on average 2KG a week after the first month? I didnt notice that any of the ladies are losing that much. I suggest that 8KG every 4 weeks (2KG a week) is maybe a goal that is out of reach for your metabolism and you will always be "failing" to achieve it. Set yourself the goal of 5KG for the next 4 weeks and see if you can exceed that goal. Imagine reaching that goal and then having a total of lost of 23KG, that's huge, fantastic, how many dieters ever get to that result ! Jump for joy, not tears on the pillow!

...my comments are those of a man...remember men seek solutions and answers rather than bonding though discussion of problems like the ladies.

 

[~BAM~]

I just got my first "WOW LOOK AT YOU!!!" And my golly it felt good.. i was smiling like a kid in a candy shop!!

Just thought id share it will you all, you guys are my rock!

 

[jude]

I am in the middle of writing another post but..........

4uKids you are doing wonderfully well. I fell really sad that you are not recognising your achievements. Look at what you have done 18K!! OMG I bet you couldn't have imagined that when you first started. Don't worry about the 'deviations' you have lost 18K.

I was thinking earlier that we are our own harshest judge. Give yourself a break and recognise the achievements you have made. FYI I only averaged 6K per month so you are doing exceptionally well and I have no little uns to take care of. I admire that you can do all this as well as love and care for a young family. This is another achievement you must recognise.

Take heart we admire your courage and are with you all the way.