Cohen's Lifestyle Cohens Lifestyle Support

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MellyP said:
Hi Chelsea,
Thanks!:) The headaches arnt the same as the first day headache, they go from the back of my neck(base of skull) and wrap around to my eyes. I have been taking some asprin and it seems to releive it. But I must say I have been feeling cold to the core lately, I hope it's not because a cold is lurking!!:mad:
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Hi Melly,
This is exactly the type of headache I get when my neck is out of whack. In fact, I have one right now! try some gentle neck stretches and if it gets worse in one position, and better in another, then it is probably actually a muscle spasm. I've found nurofen really good for getting rid of them quickly. plus I lie down and find the position that relieves the spasm and rest there for a while. Often it's lying on one side, but sometimes its on my back with a small pillow in the point where they "start" down in the middle of my back.
If they continue, see a physio,
 
Don't quit!!!!

Hi MellyP: thanks for the quote. I read it and it is so true and can relate to it. Have copied to put it on the fridge. :)

Hope your headache is gone.

Have a good day
 
Thanks, Chelsea. Living It Heavenly Lamb and Feeling Frumpy, I've woken this morning and it looks like the Headache has vamoosed!! YAY!! It could have been caused by a few thing now I come to think of it and with your help to see past the fog. Living it, yes I have been under a little pressue at work, I am in events management and we do an Awards program the WA Regional Achievement and Community of the Year Awards and I am just putting the final touches on the presentation, and I do the whole program for WA on my own, so it has to be perfect, so yeah a little stressful and I haven't been wearing my reading glasses anywhere near as often as I should be, so some straining is definaltely been involved. And Feeling Frumpy I have been kinda sleeping a bit strange - newish pillow. I usually do take Nurefen or Herron Blue but I have been hearing lots on the news lately that Ibeprofen (sp??) or whatever it is that they are made up of is detrimental to your health,(heart) so I switched to Asprin. Anyway come to think of it looking back No Wonder I had a bloody headache!!!:rolleyes:

Feeling Frumpy, I'm glad you liked the quote, I love it too, It helps us realise we are only human, but it is only ourselves that can pick us up, dust us off and get going again and that we can all do it! I have a few of them that I found really inspirational so I will post them from time to time, I don't want to bombard you as theat could be a little bloody annoying!:mad:

LucyQ On the topic of Fish Oil, my consultant in Perth said we absolutely MUST have them!! I went in there for a chat after my first week and she said to me -" your not taking your fish oil are you?" she said she could tell because my skin looked really dry... She was damn right, no matter how much moisterising I did my skin couldn't seem to get enough. So I went and bought the one they recommended - it's Natures Own Multivitamin Plus Omega 3 Fish Oil, (big horse tablets) and I must admit my skin is nowhere near as dry as it was. I'm not sure about it slowing weight loss, I seem to be going ok, but I don't weigh in again until the 23rd, so time will tell I suppose. I measure myself again tomorrow so I will let you know how much I have lost in 3 weeks. I do know I have lost some as a pair of my pants that where seriously tight on me before starting Cohen's are now so loose and have to roll them over at the waist so they don't hang down so much!! All this weight loss stuff is very exciting!! It's soo good to finally see the wight go down in stead of up!:D
Have a great day everyone, I know some of you hate weekends because of all the tempatation, try and just think of it as a week day and plan and prepare your meals the same, if you have to go to a party, bbq or out socialising, drink your fizzy drink in a wine glass, then it doesn't feel so bad to be missing out, it's all in your head, you CAN do it!;)

Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork. ~English Proverb
 
Fish Oil

Thank you heavenly lamb and Melly re; the fish oils. That is a good point about the potentially mixing proteins but since Melly's consultant told her it was ok, I think I might go ahead and try to get some. They are sooo good for skin as well as for lifting mood. I think the mood lifting effects are really helpful during times of dieting.

Melly -- that is great about the pants almost falling off! you must be so excited. I am on Day 4 of my third week and I cannot wait to weigh myself. I won't last a month but maybe until Sunday!! It is very motivating when you see the scales move but also a little upsetting if you get on and there has been no change at all. My clothes are fitting so much better and I am wearing a pair of pants that i have not been able to get on for about 3 years! I don't even care that they are probably out of style.

Thanks again and keep up the Good Work Everyone!!!!!!!!!
 
12 week update

12 weeks today..... I had a good weight loss week this week - 2.5 kgs! But I have to say I was very hungry most days. I couldn't work out why. I tried cutting out apples, increasing water, switching to mainly beef etc. But no success. It seems to have settled again now, so maybe it was just the large weight loss during the week?

I've attached some photos of my progress. Still a long way to go but I am very happy so far.

I have to go to a cocktail party tonight, which will be a challenge food wise, but I'm going to wear a black sleeveless dress with high heeled shoes that would have been simply impossible to wear 3 months ago!

Yippee!
 
Good afternoon everyone,

Heavenlylamb i must say your photos look great you have changed all over and i must say i think you look about 10 yrs younger as well. i hope this doesn't offend you :D

Melly p i loved your little poem

Karol your photos also look great you can really see the difference:)
 
Hi everyone, I hope you are all enjoying the weekend.
I took my kids to the movies today and a friend who I have not seen since starting Cohens was there and as soon as she saw me said " You look hot". Well, as you could imagine I couldn't wipe the smile of my face! Then she said I should be careful not to lose too much more because it would be silly to go overboard! I'm 168cm tall and weig 77kilos. I certainly don't think I'm at the overboard stage!!! Anyway, I feel great and will power on to lose what I can before Christmas. I appreciate people are concerned and just want what is best for us all.

Karol and Heavenlylamb - the photo's look amazing. Karol, you look like a teenager again. I ca't believe the transformation.
Heavenlylamb - I agree with Reb you also look so much younger and you can really tell you are well on your way. Isn't it amazing how quickly it can make a difference?

Can anyone tell me if it is safe to have St.Johns wort and fish oil capsules together? I was taking Fish oil but stopped because I started taking St.Johns wort.

I really wanted some chocolate today, so I went and had a fantastic 2 hour sleep instead. I never sleep during the day but today it made me feel fantastic!:D

Take Care everyone
 
Good evening all.

Hope the weekend is going well for you all.

I must extend another big THANK YOU to you all for sending your thoughts and encouragement re: my 8 week loss. You are right of course - 13 kilo's in 8 weeks is pretty damn good! I seriously would be lost with out your help!
Thanks.

WOW! I am absolutely blown away by the before and after pictures! If anything will keep me going they will! I admire you so much - congratulations! I of course can not find a really fat photo of me as I never allowed myself to be pictured. But in a way I wish I did have a before photo just to see how far I've come. Thanks for the inspiration ladies - keep going! You're looking great.

Have a 2 year old's b'day party in the morning - so that will be fun - avoiding all the cake, cheerios and chips! But I WILL DO IT!

Stay strong - enjoying the reading value of the forum. Keeps me going.

Sleep well.
Night night.
 
Weight loss!

Hey everyone!!

So sorry I haven't posted in ages! Been losing weight quickly - well quickly for me!! I started Cohen's on the 11th of September, and in that time I have lost 11.5kg. Not bad for 5 weeks!! My family and partner are behind me 110%, which is really good. the weight loss is starting to show, my pants are all getting too big for me - but was just wondering, what happens with arms? in 5 weeks, i've only lost 2cm off them???

Have noticed that am getting into clothes I haven't been able to get into for a couple of years now. i also used to not be able to sleep all the way through the night, but lately, have been sleeping 8-10 hours straight. but am also used to getting up early for work therefore brekkie is pretty much at the same time 7 days a week.

i'm in adelaide and the weather is starting to fine up, bring on summer! can't wait, i bought some goal clothes, but i think they'll be too big soon!!

hope everyone has a great weekend, and an awesome summer, will try and post some more. big thanks to Bam who has been the most awesome inspiration to me and is so helpful every day when i'm hungry and need help!!!

<3 leni
 
Day 47

Just updating ticker....so happy...have now lost 7.8kg in 6.5 weeks (slowish cos I deviated twice)...I actually moved the scales to 6 different locations to be sure!!! I couldn't quite believe it the first time. I'm almost not prepared to lose this weight so quickly...and my wardrobe is definitely not prepared...I couldn't find a belt to hold my only pair of jeans up today, so spent the day hitching them up so they wouldn't drag on the ground! We are renting whilst building at the moment and I only brought my "comfy" clothes...the rest are in storage (my stored clothes range from 11s to 16s) I only have 16s here...darn...will have to go and treat my self!

Deviators will still lose...just believe that you can get back on track and think of the $680 you've spent.

You can eat whatever you want...but not yet! (who said that? I love it!)
 
but was just wondering, what happens with arms? in 5 weeks, i've only lost 2cm off them???

Eleni_chrys - I was only complaining about losing 2cms off my arms to my Husband today. He reminded me that 2cms is actually nearly an inch and that 2cms off one arm is a huge amount. I must admit even 2cms makes my arms look a lot better than they used to.

Comgratulations on your huge loss. Well done
 
Hello people. You might not remember me, but I started this thread what seems like a lifetime ago. I'm back. AGAIN! Let's hope it's 3rd time lucky for me. I started the program in July last year (weighing 110kg), and by November last year had lost 35kg and completed re-feed (weighing 75kg and feeling terrific). I went on a couple of holidays and maintained my weight with no problems. Early in the New Year I decided to go back on the program to lose the last bit of weight. I lasted a couple of weeks and then stopped without doing the refeed which started my weight increase again. By July I weighed 89kg so I went back on the program again, and lasted till I weighed 78.5kg and completed refeed again, but have struggled with my weight again since. I can't believe that in just 3 months my weight has returned to 94kg (which is a gain of 15.5kg). I think I really need a new program, but unfortunately I can't afford the $600 at the moment, so I am again doing my old program and am hoping I have better luck this time than the last time I did it. I have started this morning and am determined that I will never again spend another summer fat. Yesterday the Sydney temperature was into the high 30's and I really felt the heat terribly (which I have not done since I lost the weight last year), so I'm back and I hope you don't mind me joining in again.
Lisa, it was great to see a while back that you are still going so well. Wish I could say the same for myself and congratulations Lizzi on finishing. You are a champion!!
 
Welcome back rjm

Hi everyone,

rjm: welcome back to the forum. I'm sorry that this has happened but you have done it before and I'm sure you will achieve this again. :D It just shows that we're all human and need to constantly monitor our struggles with weightloss. Good luck with the program.

Heavenlylamb: Your photos are fantastic. You can really see the weightloss in your face and your your shoulders look so much smaller. Congratulations on what you have achieved. Look forward to seeing more photos in the future.

eleni_chrys: congratulations on your achievement in the last 5 weeks. You better get a good belt to hold on to those pants or they soon will be falling down to your ankles!!! Read a true story this actually happened to someone. Lost so much weight her pants fell down to the floor in the shopping centre. :eek:

I had my sister's birthday last night and was continually being encouraged to try a little bit of cake, or some sweets, chocolate or ice cream. Being from an italian family is so hard sometimes. My mum has now learnt if I say no not to try to persuade me any further. Today I'm attending a 1st birthday party and helping prepare the party treats. Too many tests for my willpower in one weekend!!! I prefer being at work where I am in control of my actions. A new day and a new beginning......:)

Hope everyone has a good Cohen and wonderful day.
 
Hey Beck, it's great to hear from you again, (not so great about the weight gain, but you WILL do it). I decided to go with a new program, as it became financially viable all of a sudden, and its the best thing I could have done. My 2nd plan is quite different from the 1st in many respects, and knowing I'll be having the blood tests, and contact with my consultant has made all the difference. I hope you dont mind me asking, but if you did the refeed, why is the weight coming back?
I went up to 99.5, and most of that in the last 8 weeks, and I feel it working already, after 3 days. I had the headache, irritability and tiredness Friday, but that was all.
I believe my old program still worked for me, but doing it without the regular appointments made it less appealing. So I'm wishing you all the success with it, and it wont be long and you will be feeling so much better. I worked out, I usually average 14kg loss every two months, so that is something to look forward to.
Have a great day!
 
Hi again,
feeling frumpy, thanks for the welcome back. I agree, I will always have to monitor what I eat. It is a bit like when I stopped smoking. I know that I can never again have even 1 cigarette or I will start again. I will ALWAYS have to watch what I eat.
L-Jay, it's so nice to have some old regulars here. I put on weight because I was eating nothing but crap. Recently my children have banned everything bad (ie chips, chocolate etc) from our house, and they have also refused to eat any take away again which has helped me to stabilise my weight. I'm very lucky to have such wonderful, supportive kids. I think that the weight takes a little while before it starts to go back on, but once it does it is incredibly fast, so we need to watch very carefully how invincible we feel. Great that you have a new program. I would be interested to hear how it differs from your old program. Is it just weights etc? Looks like we will be doing it again together with similar starting points. Good Luck. Talk to you all soon.
 
Just keep swimming!!

Everyone's doing great!! I only just started taking fish oil tablets and
primrose oil. I also take 2 of the 1 tab womens vitamin split morning and afternoon, just to keep me going.. Christmas is looking good. I've been a bit slack and lately been naughty more!! No more than 1 meal, 2 weeks apart, but it is annoying losing the same weight twice!! Now I WILL stick to it 100% and finish next month - YES!!
All the best to everyone starting out, it is the quickest and best way to lose!
On Nov 1st my consulant asked me to talk at a meeting of how far I've come, at first I said no, but now I'm going to! Hopefully by then I will be 80!

Hope this week is one of the best weeks yet!:) Power to ya!!

Mitmary:D
 
Life After / Weight Gain

I was just reading the recent posts re: gaining weight back and I have a question that I have been dying to ask the people who have been on this before or are now done and "graduated" to regular eating.

What is life after like in general? How strict do you need to be after the program in order to keep at this weight? I know its much too detailed to share it all but maybe, have you all found it to be easy?

Ofcourse, I am going to keep charging along regardless because this is the only thing that has worked for me ever but maybe you all can share a few pointers about how you have made the long-term changes after Cohen.

Thanks!!!! PS - I am hoping this could be motivating for all of us still on the program to have some idea of what to look forward to.
 
Day 6

Hello everyone

Today was my first weekend on Cohens. And i managed to get through it. But it has been tough. Tomorrow will be my first week. I am still getting some hunger pains though and these generally start about 4 hours after i have eaten. I then hang for the last hour to go so i can eat again.

And seeing friends who want to drink and snack makes life really really hard. Some are understanding. And some, don't quite get it. They think that if they offer me a drink or something they are being hospitable. I guess this Cohens experience is something that everyone around me has to get use to, not just me. So i will not get angry with people.

But i weighed myself and i was i think about 3kg lighter..... i may be hitting the 90's soon and i just want to get to 85kg by Christmas.... That would be a steady weight loss of approximately 1.5kg per week. I think that is achievable. This was the weight i was when i got married. Still 25kg higher than my 'recommended weight', but i am the type of body that carried weight well, so even at 85kg, i do not look obese.

Ultimately, i would love to reach my goal weight by Valentines Day. But somehow i do not think that would happen. Thats like 16 weeks weeks away and i do not think i can lose 42kg in 16 weeks. the maths doesn't add up. That would mean i need to lose 2.5kg a week and that seems a little steep.

But then i look at you guys and some of you have lost huge amounts of weight very quickly..... gives me hope.

How much weight do you guys lose on average a month, without any deviations?

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!
 
Hi everyone,
Living it,stick with it , the first week or two are always the hardest. Your goals might be a little ambitious, so don't be disappointed if you don't get there. I'm sure you won't be far away from your goal by valentines day, however, stranger things have happened you never know.
LucyQ, regarding the weight gain. I completed Cohens refeed in November last year weighing 75kg and was pretty happy with myself. I maintained my weight with no problems till February this year eating pretty much what I wanted (within reason). I was on holidays for most of this time and would occasionally have hot chips or McDonalds for lunch and eat out for dinner, but I did try to monitor what I was eating a bit, and no weight went back on at all.
In February this year I decided I wanted to lose another 10kg and so I went back on Cohens for 1 week, decided it was too hard to do it again, and went off the program without completing the refeed. This was the start of my problems. I had gained 14kgs by about June when I went back on the program again for about 6 weeks. I lost 10.5kgs and went back down to 78.5kgs, but since then have been on a bit of an "I'm invincible" binge, and have been eating everything in sight. Not surprisingly, I have gained back 15.5kgs in about 3 months, and although I had managed to stop my binge (thanks to a lot of help from my children), but I still weigh 94kgs, so I'm back, feeling great and determined that this will be my last journey on Cohens. I will always have to remember that I will always be and think like a fat person (hopefully soon in a skinny body), and a bit like an alcoholic or smoker will never again be able to touch the stuff that I am addicted to (ie sugar). Please don't anyone be dicouraged because I have gained weight, because it is totally my own fault. "Life After" Cohens is very lenient and easy as long as you remember what made you fat in the first place and don't return to that way of eating like I did.
Mitmary7, you are doing so well. Don't let a couple of slip ups get to you. Focus on a skinny Christmas and summer. It is the best feeling to go out in public with swimmers on and not feel at all self conscious. How exciting to be asked to talk at a meeting and encourage others to start on this journey.
Well, to anyone who knows me, I am a compulsive weigher and weigh myself every day. On Cohens I find this so encouraging because there is rarely a day when the scales don't move. After my first day back on Cohens I am down 1.5kgs!!!!!! I know it is probably all fluid, but better off than on I say.
Have a great day everyone. Talk to you all soon.
 
Welcome back rjm!! Living it stick to it and it could be feb that you reach your goal. - have you set some mini goals that you can cross of as well?
I like to weigh myself every couple of days. i find it keeps me on track and i can actually SEE changes happening. So far i've noticed (and i haven't been on Cohen's for long) that i have lost rapid weight, but not size, then the weight loss slows and the cm fall off!!
My favorite pair of jeans (which have been getting progressively tighter) are now requiring a belt, and are also loose around the leg..... before Cohen's i was peeling them on! My belt has also gone in 3 (yes thats right THREE) holes! I keep saying to my other half "Look at me, i'm melting!!" which usually illicts a "Yes dear, but you've still got more to go" Oh well.......!
I feel greeeeeaat! and really positive about the whole thing.
It's really pleasurable to watch the weight melting off. to wake up in the morning and go....."Hmmmm, what shirt shall i wear today that didn't fit me yesterday?" and then be pleasantly surprised that not only does it fit, but it's starting to get loose!!!!
i went to a party on the weekend, every one was drinking and there was heaps of food. i had my dinner before we went and also took a bottle of water and a packet of Chewy with me. i found this helped heaps, cause not only was i able to chew while every one was eating, but i had something to do with my hands (hold the water & drink!) They had the most fantastic platters -with all my favorites- and the smells were amazing, i found that because i wasn't hungry and i knew i couldn't have any, i just sat back and inhaled. it was awesome! i got to "taste" everything without putting it to my lips and hips!!!!

I would like to share with you all my motivator, which may work for others too.
My fridge has a whole door dedicated to my weight loss. it consists of:
(1) 3 before photo's (front, side and back)
(2) a laminated copy of the types of foods i CAN eat
(3) a "Menu" - my personalised eating plan along with eating times & meal choices
and most importantly...
(4) a weight loss check list! this is an A4 page which has my starting weight at the top, then goes down the page kilo by kilo till it reaches my ultimate goal weight of 58 kg. Along the way (at 10-12kg intervals) are rewards for reaching that level, eg at 92kg (first mini goal) i am going to have a girly day and get a spray tan!
I find that seeing all this in my face every morning is a wonderful motivator. it also gives concrete proof that i am getting somewhere and it feels so good to cross off each kilo as i leave it behind!
Out of all the thing on the fridge, the weight loss check list is my favorite. When i first did it, i was ashamed of my weight, i thought "oh no, people will see how fat i really am", but now i don't care, i look at it as "wow, look how much weight i'm loosing!"
congratulations everyone on your journey so far, does any one else have a little motivational trick up their sleeve?
 
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