Cohen's Lifestyle Cohens Lifestyle Support

[Tasm82]

Yoyoing

I seem to be yoyoing at the moment ... one minute i am 300g heavier the nes 500gms lighter and so on... i think i am just in one of those moods... and i haven't been drinking my water for the last few months so today i have made a firm decision that i will start to drink 2l a day... So here goes nothing...

Don't worry bout me today just in a huffy...

Prolly cause hubby recieved his refeed last night... so proud of him but also very jealous

Tam

 

[jools]

Thanks rjm, I get onto it tonight

Jody, could i have you your recipe book too. I'm into my thrid week and I am very busy as we all are but I am having trouble mixing it up. Any help would be great.

 

[8-2much!]

Goodmorning,

Thought I would share a couple of recipes as well. Hope they help.

Meatballs - great for chicken and seafood
Chook/Seafood allowance
Fresh herbs - I recommend sage/basil for chook and coriander for seafood
(fresh chilli is great to and you only need a little bit)
teaspoon of finely diced onion or spring onion for seafood
Grated zuchinni (adds moisture)
garlic ( 1/4 clove or a pinch of powder)
salt n pepper to taste
*Add all ingredients into a belnder and pulverise til well mixed.
Roll into small balls - makes more if you make them bite size! (Try rolling them in your crushed crispbread for a crunchy coating)
Fry in non stick pan until cooked. Use remaining vege allowance to create a bed of lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. Enjoy!

An easy dressing for all meats with an Asian influence...
Vinegar
Sweetner
Salt
Chilli flakes
Garlic powder
Mix altogether - you may need to play around for a while to get the balance right. An even taste of sweet sour salty.

Veal
Hammer out veal allowance to create a schnitzel
Fresh Asparagus
Garlic powder mixed with dried Italian herb mix & salt and pepper
*Gently rub herb mixture onto veal evenly coating (not too thick) Place fresh asparagus inside veal and roll veal around to make a little parcel.
Place on a non stick pan and fry or alternately bake in alfoil in the oven - this way you at least capture the juices to pour over your remaining vege allwance. I use zuchinni and mushrooms. Bon Apetite!

I like to blend together lots of different flavours and herbs to create pastes to baste meats in. Blending mushrooms, onions, asparagus and herbs or mustard is great to roll up into beef/veal. Makes the meals feel a little bit special!

Cauliflower is a great additive to soup. I sometimes just use it with a little onion and dried herbs and blend to form a creamy textured soup. I then add my strips of hot cooked chicken. Yum!

Anyway, if I come up with anything else I'll post it. But I would love anyone elses ideas as well. Makes meal time a little more exciting!

Hope everyone has a great Cohen's day.

 

[rjm]

Thanks for those recipes less of me and Brieziel, I can't wait to try them.
Capeachee, welcome and good luck. Soon you too will be melting before our eyes. Just remember that the first few days can be quite hard, and don't expect too much of yourself for a couple of days. After that you should go into ketosis and then the hunger and any cravings will disappear (if you stick to it 100%), and it becomes quite easy. For your ticker, you need to copy the "BB Code" and then paste that into the signature area.
Tasm82, you and hubby are both doing great, but I sympathise with you. It will be hard watching hubby doing refeed and tasting all those new foods again, but stick with it, you're not far behind and it will be you on refeed before you know it. Drink the water, I swear by it!! It does really help.
This morning I am down another .5kg, which now makes it 4kg in 5 days, and also this morning I am finally back in ketosis, so I know that I am now burning fat. Yayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!! I am also back to the stage of feeling really good, so I'd better utilise it, and get some of my housework done, my house is ATROCIOUS.
Have a great day everyone. Talk to you soon.

 

[less of me]

Blood Tests & Positive Thinking

My blood test is due today but I am going to do it tomorrow AM. Do you need to fast for ten hours like the first test?

Hevenly Lamb - I'm not sure what you mean by pass. Do they tell you about your progress? THat would be interesting. Imagine if they could see what you had been eating!

Louise -Only the first blood test requires fasting...none of the subsequent tests do, but I'm pretty sure this information should be in your program. There is a section on blood tests and the time intervals at which you should have them.

Heavenly Lamb - I am confused about your comment that you recieved a 'borderline' pass on your blood tests. The whole time I was on my program, I didn't ask for, or receive any feedback on my blood test results...not that it matters really - because I'm finished!!! YAAAHHHOOOOOO!!!!! (Sorry about that!). But, I am assuming you did. What kind of things were you told?

Thank you to eveyone for all the comments on the soup recipes...I just think that this is a fantastic program and if a recipe or two helps someone out there who is struggling with the meals, than that is wonderful! I'm glad to help.

And speaking of helping - I am proud to say that I made it through the duration of my program with only one deviation (intentional & carefully considered as it was). But one thing I made sure I did EVERYDAY at EVERY MEAL was to sit down before I ate, and tell my self that WHAT I AM ABOUT TO EAT IS GOING TO HELP ME LOOSE A LITTLE MORE WEIGHT! Just doing this really helped me because then I was excited about eating the meal. Affirmations work - I am a true believer in them. I was excited just to be on the program...it gave me a rush to know that I was doing it and it was working. Like Mama Pyjama, I was thrilled to be on the program...it wasn't a 'chore' to stick with the program 100%. It was fun and exhilarating and rewarding. If any of you out there can try and convince yourselves of the same type of thinking...then I truely believe you will find success and what's more - it will be easy!

Have a magical day!

P.S. A big welcome to Capeachee...I see you are from Bribie as well! I wish you all the best for your journey ahead!

P.P.S Jools - I just PM'd you!

 

[Louise1]

Is everyone taking vitamins and suppliments? Does it make any difference?

 

[Mitmary7]

Great to hear from you Tasm

Great to hear from you again! The meeting is on Wed 1st Nov - They said they would ring me back and confirm. I'm hoping to be 80kg by then. I too find myself in the plus sizes! I was about 22-24 paints and 24-26 tops. Now I'm 14 paints and 16 tops!! I love it!! My brother inlaw did his refeed ages ago and we started the same time. It was hard at first, but I'm still heading towards the goal!!

Today I made it to 50kg loss - WooHoo!!

Mitmary

 

[zsheldon]

More Great Cohen Recipes on this website

Hi Everyone

Zelda here - I recently completed the Cohen program and still loving the new way of eating. I love those recipes you all posted and would love for you to submit these to my Healthy Weight Loss Now website.

And anyone who wants more recipes - check out this link below which takes you to the page for Cohen Lifestyle Clinic weight loss recipes.



I'm adding more recipes to this site all the time and would love to post any other recipes submitted by all those great cooks on the Cohen diet.

It's now 86 days after completing my refeeding and I'm still at 61.5 - just within 1.5 kilos of my goal weight of 60 kilos.

Regards

Zelda

 

[Mermaid_sister]

Hey everyone!

Tasm, STOP WEIGHING YOURSELF!! it must suck watching ur hubby finished and you want to be finished already, stay focused and you will be there too soon enough, but leave weighing yourself to fortnightly or weekly if you can't hold out because alot of things affect the scales- the time of day, water, cycles etc. etc weighing yourself sporatically means a nice surprise when you do it. Also not drinking enough water is a big no no. When fat burns up, it has to go somewhere- thats right you guessed it down the toilet so drink up girl- the more you drink the more you loose!

Louise- The vitamins contain important ingredients for your program- chronium to help suppress sugar cravings and appetite, magnisium and zinc to help with skin elasticity (really really important for rapid weight loss) and calcium for... I'm not sure what but its definetely worth while taking them, that way you can be sure you will feel 100% (most of the time anyway)

Well, you would all be so proud- today I had an almost deviation. I am a film student and it is that time of the semester when my production is happening- 4 days straight of filming and paper work and editing- no sleep and bad bad food. Today was first day of production, and whatdaya know? I forgot my lunch! so instead of declaring it too hard and getting some sort of takeaway I dragged my crew (who all now think I'm a complete loon) into the markets (they were nearby) and went to the small goods stall, asked the guy for exactly 65gms of motzarella (and I very much emphasised no more, no less, to the gram, really important blah blah blah) then went to the organic groccer and went back and forth back and forth to the register to use the scales until I had the EXACT amount of lettuce! now everyone thinks I'm crazy or obsessive compulsive and I have successfully completed another day without any deviations!

Have a lovely weekend everyone and THINK SKINNY! xx

Oh, and another small victory, I can now sit with my legs crossed yay! only noticed today on the train, but I've probably been doing it for a week or so It only just occured to me that I couldn't do it for ages before

from little things big things grow- Paul Kelly

 

[feeling frumpy]

Chicken and asparagus soup

Hi everyone, I see everyone is doing so well. I haven't been on as my computer seems to have problems. The uninvited gremlins keep coming to visit to create havoc with everything.

Rjm: the chicken and asparagus soup is also from the recipe section of the program and like Jody I have also tweaked this. I find you can add as much water as you like and the meal is quite satisfying and filling. I was buying Woolworths Homebrand asparagus cuts and realised they contain sugar in the water. I now buy Woolworth Select brand which contains no sugar at all. You are supposed to blend after cooking but I prefer not to do this as I like the chunky texture and feel I am eating something substantial. The recipe I use is:

Chicken (allowance)
Cauliflower (allowance)
Onion (allowance)
Asparagus (allowance)
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
Dash of chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash of salt

Add 2 to 3 cups water with chicken and vegetables.I bring this to the boil and cook for about 10-15 mins and can't wait to eat......very yummy.

It was my mum's birthday today and another event where it was difficult. I was so good until the chips and sweets were put on the table. Had a little taste of plain cake and and a couple of chips.....can't do much about it now.

Jody, your recipes sound great...maybe you need to get copyright for it. Keep posting the grat recipes.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Oops I meant to mention to Mermaid Sister: What a fantastic effort to get your lunch and avoid a deviation.....great motivation and very inspiring. Congratulations.

 

[Babyegg]

Deviation!!!

First time since I started the interim and cohen program that I deviated.. I had attended a wedding dinner tonight and i was at this table with my colleagues... and i took a bit of this and that.. and they were just really a bit but i DEVIATED!!! I do not wish to have ppl asking me why are you not eating this or that.. so i just took a bit... i am guilty and really making me feel bloated now... i am so guilty... how do i let this guilt go away.. can someone help???
This morning when i woke up.. i weigh myself and i see the incredible 75.8kg which make me so happy... cos my weight is moving down.. but with this deviation, i do not know if it will shoot up tomoro...

 

[Chelsea1]

Hi Babyegg

Three times during my program I went out to dinner and just ate whatever.

I didn't even do the 'nibble' thing, I drank wine and ate three courses including milky coffee, and for each of those weeks I did not lose any weight.

Each meal 'cost' me a week. If not for those meals - which, really, weren't even all that particularly nice - I would have been finished three weeks earlier or finished three kilos lower.

But - sometimes 'making other people happy' is what we have been socially conditioned to do, yet really, it doesn't matter one cent to anyone else what is on our plates or in our mouths.

If they were really your friends and had your best interests at heart, they would not have quizzed you, but would have congratulated you and encouraged you to enjoy the wedding without drawing attention to what you are eating.

They have all gone home and have not given it another thought. You are sitting up, feeling that you have let yourself down, full of wind and remorse.

Well, as Scarlett O'Hara so memorably said at the end of Gone With The Wind - 'Tomorrow is another day!'. So go to bed now, forgive yourself and send blessings to the ignorant people who hurt you today, release this into the light, and also send happy, loving thoughts to the Bride and Groom as they start their life together.

Babyegg, you did fine, you did OK. Tomorrow, try and fit in a couple of glasses more of water and see if you can get some extra night time sleep, let the body repair itself. It will be OK but remember that one day equals one week. You have done really well and will continue to do really well.

Hugs and kisses

Chelsea

 

[living it]

one more time

Hi everyone

this is my second weekend coming up on Cohens.....

Do i sound like a broken record, because i am still struggling....

I found myself incredibly hungry tonight. even after my third meal? and i am really craving something bad.... something i shouldn't have.... and just to make sure i did not have it, i threw it out.....

had a bottle of water instead.

i have still not weighed myself, but it does not feel like there has been much happening. My clothes do not feel any looser but i keep telling myself that it is just the beginning and things will start happening soon.

Maybe i am just down today....
anyway, on a lighter note, hope you all have a wonderful weekend and your losses are enourmous!

 

[Sydgal]

Hey everyone,

I'm a newbie to this forum, but not a newbie to Cohens, it's been 5 weeks and I'm down 12 kgs (with one major major deviation along the way = P otherwise it would be 13kgs), so only 18kgs to go, yay!

Anyways I just wanted to say hi, and add my contribution to your fabulous forum. If anyone is having trouble with their weight loss slowing down, or if you really want to speed it up, try drinking 3 cups of green tea everyday (or if you can't handle the flavour of the green tea, try 100% green tea capsules, and yes these are allowed). You will have more energy and they definantly burn more fat! There is only half the amount of caffeine in a cup of green tea/capsule as there is in a cup of coffee, and the antioxidants make your skin glow = ) AND MAKE SURE YOU DRINK HEAPS OF WATER!!! Try and aim for 4 litres. Also, you may find that a half hr walk at moderate pace helps alot too, and should not increase hunger. Hehe whoops this is a long post for my first post (I just love cohens, I could talk about it all day)

Before I go I just wanted to say congratulations to everyone losing weight, you are all doing so well, and for all the cohens beginners get ready because the weight will fly off sooo quick!

Have a great weekend!

 

[rjm]

Hi everyone,
living it this message was sent to me yesterday from the clinic in Parramatta and I thought some of their tips might help you with the hunger.

GETTING HUNGRY OR CRAVING? Check the list below



Are you………………..



Following the eating plan 100%? If you are deviating/cheating even if it doesn’t seem that dramatic to you, you will not trigger the Human Growth Hormone, and you will experience hunger. You must not skip meals or even have more or less than what is on your eating plan
Eating Apple? If so leave the apple out, and replace with another fruit as Apples can trigger hunger
Having more than 2 crispbreads together at the same time? This will register in your body as starch and result in interference with the growth hormone
Drinking minimum 2lts of water per day? If you are not the toxin build up will interfere with Human Growth Hormone and cause hunger
Having hidden starch? Check your herbs, spices, curry powder etc to see that you are not having hidden starch, modified starch, gluten, wheat-flour, crushed cereal, MSG and preservatives, and any such additives.
Having too much fruit? Fruit contain sugar, so having more than you are allowed will trigger insulin and interfere with the processes taking place in your body due to the Eating Plan. Remember do not have 2 small fruits in place of 1 medium, or any dried fruit or fruit juices. Don’t squeeze lemon into your tea or water.
Exercising too much? Your body can cope with certain levels of exercise, but excessive amounts of exercise, or sudden bursts of activity (that the body is not used to) can trigger hunger
Is the weather abnormally cold? (Yes we all say) A cold spell will trigger hunger
Pre menstrual? Fluctuating hormones can trigger hunger (having an extra vitamin in the afternoon will help)
Taking a good multi-vitamin supplement? It is essential to supplement the body while on the Eating Plan. Ensure that your supplement doesn’t have any hidden starch, lactose etc plus that it has the right levels of ingredients, check with us at the clinic if you are unsure about your supplement as the correct vitamin is crucial. Centrum and some others are not recommended while on the program.
Are you close to goal weight? Hunger will come back when you are close to goal weight. It is a sign that you need to order you’re refeed.
Having Yoghurt in the morning? Change to Egg & Veg
Cottage or Ricotta Cheese for lunch? Change to Mozzarella
Any new medication? Check with the clinic
Draining Tuna? It is important to make sure that you drain the fluid before weighing tuna otherwise you will not be having enough protein. John West tuna slices state 185gm on the box but once drained it weighs between 110 – 115gm.

Some other points of interest she sent that I thought some of you may be interested in are:

So now I’m back with the latest from us here at the clinic……………………………



BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Dr Cohen has now removed brussel sprouts from the program as he has found that they seem to be causing a slower weight loss, so we highly recommend that you stop eating them straight away.



CRISPBREADS

There seems to be a little bit of confusion with the new crispbread and the size and what allowance you can have. Salada comes in bread size, 4 little squares = 1 crispbread. A bread size crispbread = 2 crispbreads. So 1 Salada = 2 crispbreads. If you are still confused give us a call.



REPEAT BLOOD TESTS

It has come to our attention that many clients are missing their repeat blood test because they have either deviated or been off the program.



Just a reminder as to why you have to have repeat blood test, as they are CRUCIAL:

Dr Cohen uses each follow up blood test to monitor your progress and build a continuing blood profile to produce your Refeeding Plan, doing the tests on the correct dates will ensure an accurate profile as your body operates on a 4 week cycle, this will ensure a CORRECT stabilizing/refeeding program is created for you.

If you go longer than 12 weeks between tests, Dr Cohen will be unable to prepare your Refeeding Plan, it is not physically possible. Repeat blood tests are done week 4, 12, 16, 20 then every 8 weeks there after. If you are not sure about your dates, or don’t have the forms just contact the clinic and we will give them to you.

It is your responsibility to make sure you have the test, if you do not you will jeopardize your program, so even if you have cheated you MUST still have your tests. Our clinic is not responsible for you not having your test and the impact it has on your program. We will send you a reminder e-mail and if you don’t have an e-mail address we will try and give you a call or send a sms to your mobile but you must note the dates and keep up with them.

This has made for a rather big post, but I found all this info very interesting and hope you all get something from it.

I've achieved my first goal of under 90kg this morning. I have now lost 4.5kg in 6 days. I just love Cohens.
Have a great day all. Talk to you soon.

 

[Capeachee]

I survived my first day....

I survived my first day of Cohens and this morning I woke up with a raging headache, just like when I go off caffeine. I'm determined that I will overcome this and all the weighing of food....did anyone else struggle with getting use to weighing just everthing you put in your mouth?
Ok enough whingeing here, Thank you Jody my fellow neighbor, we will have to meet sometime soon and have a chat about life before and after Cohen's. I love your recipe book, what a girl! Nice job.
BabyEgg....Hang in there I know we will all have our frustrations as I have today.
Thank you so much to everyone who welcomed me to the forum and I really appreciate it, now you can watch my progress as I go on my journey to a really new me and lose this extra person I'm carrying...50 is alot of kilo's to lose...But I will DO IT!
Hang tough everyone and I'll chat with you tomorrow.
CAP @Bribie

 

[Brieziel]

Living it are you taking the proper multivitamins?? that can make a difference. Make sure you call your consultant on monday, cause you shouldn't be feeling hungry!

 

[Babyegg]

Guilt....

I know what have been done cannot be undone.. well the point is i have deviated that will make me lose one whole week of my hardwork. Of course i am going to be following close to my program in double efforts... i really do not want to ruin my hard work so far.... Anyway i went to sleep telling myself that there is no turning back... got a good night rest.. THanks Chelsea for that post...

 

[Chelsea1]

Four Months

Hello Every body

Just for those who are interested -

It's four months today since finishing the weight loss part of the program (24th June - 21st October), and still holding at 59.5kilos.

The fluctuation is one (1) kilo maximum. I started the refeeding at 60 kilos exactly, dropped to 58.5 kilos during the reconditioning, and have not been above 61 kilos on any particular day since completing the refeeding.

So does Cohen's produce a reliable result? I think, after four months, it is safe to say that yes, it certainly does!

The body has also stabilised in terms of shrinkage, in fact I am really feeling in peak condition. Just decided to measure, and actually the tape shows that a further shrinkage has occured. Overall measurement at the completion of the weight loss was 413cm, down from 511cm at commencement, and today's tally is 401 cms, so sizing is also reliable, down from size 16-18 to size 8-10.

I am still surprised when I look in the mirror at the slim person looking back at me. Mental image is much more firmly entrenched than we perhaps realise. Anyway, nothing tastes as good as being slim feels, and although I do not deny myself anything, eating and drinking 'whatever I want' has taken on new meaning as 'what I want' has definitely changed.

Trouble is, I am so impressed with the Cohen's program that even now I can talk about it for hours. If more people realised that 'losing weight' is not a moral issue, you are not a 'fat slob' just because you are obese, but probably have a simple malfunction of metabolism which is easy to correct, I am sure that many people would be encouraged to take advantage of this truly amazing program. At 56, I sincerely believe I have dropped my biological age by perhaps as much as ten years, I have the energy, health and confidence to take on the new business and the zest and enjoyment of presenting myself in a different way.

For those of you who are 'older', let me reassure you. I have lost the 'turkey gobble' that hung under my chin, the slight increase in lines at the edge of my mouth have smoothed back over again, my skin is really clear and glowing, and during the program my hair and nails grew faster than usual.

If you thought that reaching your ideal weight would cause you to look old, skinny or gaunt, it wont. You will be able to wear sleeveless singlet tops and not have canteen arms or 'spare tyres' distracting from a pretty outfit. You will look, and feel, at least ten years younger.

For those of you thinking about cutting the program short, and compromising by deciding to quite when five or ten kilos above your ideal weight, please reconsider. This is just great, being the 'right weight'. I can defy gravity, cross my legs, tie my shoelaces and with a touch of mascara and a dob of lipstick I can look good, too. I don't wear face powder 'cos my skin looks so good, why hide it!

Keep on keeping on, ladies and gents! The Holy Grail awaits you. It is just so wonderful being slim.

Love & kisses

Chelsea

 

[wildskyz]

Hello all,

Boy oh Boy! Not a good day today. Weighed myself this morning. Yesterday I weighed in at 96.7kg. Monday was 2 weeks since I started and decided I couldnt wait for a month. Weighed in at 98kg. Decided to weigh myself this morning. Bad move. 98.7kg. How does that work? A gain of 2.7kg in 24hrs. Didnt get home till 1am this morning from work, so woke up tired and not overly happy at 6.30am when I had to drive my sons to work. Needless to say, finding out Id gained 2.7kg in 24hrs, having done everything the way I should, drinking 4 ltrs of water, not what I was hoping for. Very depressing. It really doesnt pay to weigh every day. Curiosity really got the better of me Im afraid. Oh well. Monday is measuring day, so will have to be strong and not give in to the scale monster for another week and a bit till my 4 wks is up.

RJM: I did just check a herb seasoning I have been using after you mentioned the things to look out for. It has made my meals so much more interesting. I brought it back from the USA. Its called "Cavanders All Purpose Greek Seasoning". Soooooooo yummy. Awesome on steak. Problem is, it contains MSG. Thats gotta go it seems. Dang! Need to find something else to use now.
I cut and pasted the info you shared with us to keep on hand with other stuff I browse through every so often to keep me on track. Thank you for sharing it with us. Oh, by the way, I was wondering if we could take extra zinc and magnesium, on top of the multi vitamin? I dont think it should hurt do you?

Another day tomorrow so need to focus on that. Wishing everyone excellent progress with their weight loss and continued success.

Regina