Cohen's Lifestyle Life's Good's journy to life being even better!!!

Prefix for Cohen's Lifestyle
You made it.....hip hip hooray


Congratulations on completing refeed........Lauren:D:D:D

I can't wait for the photo's. You must look and feel wonderful.

By the way thanks for the milk shake recipe I will go out on Friday and buy the ingredients and try it out. It sounds delicious.:jump:

Check back again here later.

Sam:waving:
 
Well what a week my first week off of Cohen's plan and refeed has been!!! It has been a manic week on top of other things and it has been a huge learning curve.

I have finally posted some before and after piccies on the forum so for those of you who are just starting out or are struggling I hope they can be some sort of motivation or inspiration to you…

For all of those who didn't like what I wrote the other week regarding what we cant wait to get etc if you keep reading you will see why I wrote what I did in the way I did...

Monday I was struggling after the dinner on Sunday night a bit and it did show on the scales. Because I know nothing else though these days I got up and had my yoghurt and fruit for breakfast and made myself a chicken salad for lunch. I had saladas and cheese and yoghurt and fruit as snacks. LB and I went for a lovely walk on Monday evening which was nice and I wasn’t finding anything too daunting yet… Then Tuesday happened!!!

Yoghurt and fruit for breakfast again and chicken salad for lunch and the same for snacks and then I got home to do the last of my Christmas cooking and baking and the when weighing out the dark chocolate for the rocky road there was one sqaure left. MMMMMMM…. Yum…. So then I had a row of 4 squares. At this stage I was still only at 30-32g of chocolate which yes I am allowed but I got very angry at myself. Not because I ate the chocolate, again in the maintenance guidelines it states you can have up to 2 lots of 50g after carbs, and not because I was tempted by it because in actual fact I wasn’t. I was angry at myself, furious in fact, because of the reason I ate the chocolate. If I had felt like the chocolate or was in fact tempted and decided to eat it I wouldn’t have had a problem but the reason I ate it was purely because it was there. I didn’t feel like it, I didn’t want it, I just thought ‘what the heck’. Well as far as I am concerned that’s not ok for me. I am extremely realistic in knowing that I will be tempted by food and I will at times actually want a food that is a sometimes food and I can have them as long as I maintain control of my portions, but eating something just because it’s there is not what I want to go back to. Unfortunately I am the cook / baker of the family and because I have continued this role the whole way through being on the program without a single lick of a beating wisk or spatula / bowl I realised it is all completely in the mind. If I have been able to be in control for the last 7 months and choose to remain in control then what’s changed. Well something in my mind obviously changed and I didn’t like it one little bit. So what did I do??? I stepped back from the counter and said out loud to myself you have two options…
1. Allow my old mindsets to come into play since they were there sitting on my left shoulder egging me on and continue to be angry at myself and let that anger turn into guilt and depressive thoughts and sit down with the rest of the block of chocolate and probably the other 4 blocks that were there and the bag of marshmallows and nuts and behave in such a way that is no longer acceptable to me; or
2. Put on my new running outfit and start running today, not in two weeks as first planned, and at least burn what I have just consumed and also while running use the time to evaluate what happened and take responsibility for it rather than being in denile.

So you ask… What did you do Lauren???

I RAN. AND RAN AND RAN AND RAN. During my warm up brisk walk I thought this is going to kill me because I’ve not exercised at all during the program and my fitness is poor only to find at the start of my first run (I have a 10 week couch to 5K running program where they build you up gradually by doing intervals of walking and running on my iPod), which also so happened to coinside with me being at the bottom of a mighty steep hill, was like I was running on clouds. I actually felt fitter than ever before and wow has that weight made a difference! Ha I was so light on my feet and my joints (I have a bad knee) felt great. I ended up putting in 2 more intervals to make home on the loop I did which ended up as being 4.58km. While running I went through what I can do for the rest of the week as the family is expecting this stuff on Saturday to assist the situation before our house is completely treat and temptation free again. And then I told LB that I’m not doing any more cooking or baking until I have established myself in my new life and therefore his family will be missing out this year on a L&L hamper. And then to make it worse, even though I hid the rocky road and truffles I have made I have only had to fridge to hide them in because it’s been well over 30 here everyday LB has gone and eaten some of it before I have been able to package it… GRRRR….

Anyway, every night this week has been 1 cake and 2 slices (rocky road, truffles, almond bread etc) and I cant wait for tonight to finish already because by bed time tonight they will all be in their little boxes with ribbon ready to be given tomorrow. It’s my Mum’s side of the family Christmas get together tomorrow and with both my grandparents passing this year it will be a very sad day but that’s why I also haven’t wanted to give up on the baking because what I have actually been making have been my Oma’s traditional eastern european family recipes which means a lot to me also.

So how have I resisted the temptation for the rest of the week??? Eating dinner before starting to cook and then chewing gum while cooking, nothing tastes good with a minty freshness in your mouth. And on top of that my first run exhilerated me so so much that I have been up at 5.30am every morning since to go out for my run!

My weight has been going up and down 1-2kg each day so yesterday and today I also cut back my snack to just being crackers and fruit as I think I may have been overdoing to cheese and yoghurt (I don’t think the extra yoghurt serve or cheese with crackers is supposed to be what you can have for snacks every day!) I’ve not had any bread since Sunday night and am leaving that to just when I really actually feel like it i.e. if we are out for dinner etc). I’m just finding it easier to stick with my yoghurt and fruit for breakfast Monday to Friday and then will have egg and veg on weekends (2 eggs make a much nicer omelette) and my salads for lunch which I what I had pre-cohens. Dinner this week I have been enjoying. Tuesday night we had baked chicken breast with broccoli, asparagus and baby carrots with a mustard sauce (1/2 cup chicken stock, whole grain mustard and ¼ cup light and creamy evaporated milk – that’s for 2 people) which was a delicious carb free meal. Wednesday night I made a quiche with some fresh ham and asparagus. Last night I did a beef and veggie stirfry (no rice) and tonight is still undecided but I’m sure will be delicious. Really when it comes down to it the only thing changed with dinner are the herbs, spices and condiments to add dimensions and flavours but in proper amounts.

I feel great, I noticed the difference the most yesterday / last night after having a day with a carb meal (quiche) to one without. We have a big day tomorrow with lunch at the pub for christmas then pudding and presents afterward at my folks then out again for dinner with friends for pre-christmas. Lunch is at our family pub so I know the menu well and therefore I have already decided that lunch will be salt and pepper calamari because they do a really nice light version there that’s served just on a bed of salad so there wont be any chips etc temptation and then dinner is going to be at a café so maybe a nice gormet salad with the dressing on the side… hmmm we’ll have to see. Sunday I cant wait to collapse on the couch for a rest since I have been baking till 10pm most nights this week and then it will be a big clean up since I haven’t had much time for that either and then I also have to pack my bags as I’m off to Sydney on Tuesday until Friday late.

In the mean time I will keep on running, I am assuming that the running is part of my fluctuations also, and I will pop back Sunday to write about my first dining out expereinces (trust me to give myself 2 in one day! Ha).

Oh how we test ourselves….

Lauren
 
WOW Lauren

As if your photo's weren't big enough of an inspiration........well this post is so poignant.
It definitely ask the question why we go back to our old habits once we have completed this weightloss process. I did the same thing a bit here, a nibble there......and before you know it we have those unwanted kilo's again. I was really proud of you when I read what you're outcome to the problem was.......it's weird I don't even know you personnly but some how on this forum you form attachments and relationships......and I just felt so proud when you actually confronted the issue and decided to change the behaviour and went for your run instead. I suppose I wished I had taken that road after refeed but I went the other way.

Congratulations Lauren you are very inspiring. I hope you stick around this forum like cate and i and let us know how it all goes post Cohens.......we would all appreciate it I am sure.

Sam:)
 
Hi Sam

Thank you for your post. I couldn't believe it either and still am struggling to actually work out how my mental thought processes changed from baking a slice and cake last Thursday and be able look at what I was doing as if it wasn't food to Tuesday where doing a batch of the same foods, even though still unappealing in thought, having some end up in my mouth.

I was very proud also of how I addressed it but still just have to take the responsibility for it before putting it in my mouth rather than after. The exercise is very important to me but at the same time every time I eat inappropriately I dont want to then make myself feel like I have to go out and do more if you know what I mean... really it's just replacing one addiction with another in a way and neither are particularily healthy to have as addictions. The last thing I need is to induce an unnecessary injury and not be able to do anything at all!!!

Oh boy... at the end of the day I must be grateful as life could be chucking much worse things my way!

Here's to healthy lifestyle balance!

L
 
You Look Awesome!

Congrats on finishing Lauren! You look absolutely fantastic! I have a bit more to lose than you did... and I hope I look as amazing... I look at your photos and think... OMG :eek: I could look like that!! Totally Inspirational!! Thanks SO MUCH FOR SHARING!

CONGRATULATIONS MATE!!! :party:

Good luck for the future journey of discovery...

Blessya
Kannadew
 
Hi Lauren, wow your photos were sensational, you look fantastic!! You must be so proud of your achievement. By the way - love the Ball dress, I bet you knocked them dead.

Cheers


Hapi_girl :santa:
 
Thank you Kannadew and Hapi-Girl for your messages. Yes I am proud and feel amazing and am enjoying things I used to love like running even more because it's actually easy to do now... The journey is worth every up and down and moment!

I am still completely knackered from the weekend. On Saturday we had my mum’s side of the family Christmas which was good but also quite sad and just felt not quite the same. Having lost both my Opa and Oma (grandparents) in the last year really did have a huge impact. We all had a lovely day and were joyous and the rest but it did feel different, understandably. As discussed last week I had made one of my Oma’s cakes plus some other treats for everyone which I normally wouldn’t do but because it was going to be the first year without them it was just a token jesture of their memory and appreciation for what thay have given us. That went down really well but one of my cousins felt terrible because she didn’t have gifts for anyone (my sister and her sister got eachother’s children gifts), I tried to explain to her that it was just because of the year it has been that I decided to do this and it wasn’t necessarily the start of a new tradition, to which she replied it would be nice if it was though because she did miss Oma’s cooking and now wishes she had paid more attention like me to beable to cook like her.

Foodwise - it was a lovely day which started at the pub for lunch where I had salt and pepper squid, which was delicious. Sometime when they do the salt and pepper squid they might have well have just actually crumbed it but this didn’t have any flour at all it was just pressed into really chuncky cracked pepper and sea salt. It was so light and full of flavour. I had about 3 chips but that was more to just remind myself that yes they do taste the same, I’m not missing out on anything special so therefore you don’t need to eat them just because they are served with the meal, and the bowl of salad that was also on the plate. I just sat on Soda Water all day and then we went back to my parents for ‘pudding and presents’ where I did indulge in a couple of snack foods and I did it without guilt. My aunite had baked some traditional biccies I hadn’t tried before and my sister wanted to try them too so we went with a small paper plate each and broke one of each, there were 4 including almond bread which is a Christmas favourite of mine, in half and had half each. She did go back for more of the kifflers (I think that’s what they are called) but I was happy with what I had. I was still full from lunch which I didn’t finish so it was more just to taste and enjoy the event. We are up with LB’s family in Clare for Christmas and they are the most untraditional people I know when it comes to Christmas. They don’t even do a roast or ham or anything, it’s just a BBQ with the normal BBQ food and snack like any other weekend. We had it at our house for his family a couple of years ago and I laid it on like I only know it and they couldn’t believe it and thought it was wonderful but both LB’s brother and sister sat their and kept saying how it was like they were in one of those TV adverts and they had never expereinced Christmas to be like that. Every 3 years it’s our year to hold his family Christmas and as long as it’s at my house that’s how it will be but since it’s up there I knew that Saturday was pretty much my Christmas Day for traditional food and flavours. I had a sliver of pudding and a little custard, the serving size both because of how full I was already feeling and also because of the fact I knew we were still to go out to another pub for dinner with friends that had also been organised a while back. I was very proud of myself though because I didn’t restrain from gorging myself because I thought I better had to, because people were watching to see what I would eat, because of the Cohen’s guidelines or anything like that – it was purely because I was listening to my body and eating appropriately regarding that.

We then played with the kids and their new toys and sat around and talked and caught up and then it was time for LB and I to get ready for stage 2 of Saturday. I grabbed a slice of cheese from Ma and Pa’s fridge on the way out the door and we headed to the pub where we were meeting our friends. I had a glass of champange and we sat and chatted for a half hour or so and then we moved to our table and checked out the menu. It was an Irish pub so a lot on the menu was quite heavy or winter type food so I went for the burger which was a homemade pattie etc etc and when it arrived I nearly died… It sat 5-6 inches high… it was hilarious. My girlfriend and I both ordered the burger and the boys had a steak and schnitzel, both of which were also massive! My friend and I both just looked at eachother in shock. So basically I pulled mine apart which I intended on doing anyway and she just pushed hers down as far as she could to be able to eat it with some dignity left. The pattie itself was nearly 2 inches thick. I ate my pattie with the lettuce, tomato, tomato chutney sauce and cheese and left the bacon, egg and bread roll and chips on the plate. I was stuffed! A 2 piece band soon after fired up in main bar so we headed back in there to have a bit of a bop and some more drinks. I stuck with soda water, the one drink was enough, but I was even struggling to get the water into my belly!

Since Thursday last week I have been progressively deteriorating with a sinus infection and trying to prevent it from also becoming bronchitis and with how busy I was all last week till late every night and also as I’m off to Sydney for the rest of the week tomorrow we just decided to have a relax day. Well it’s been months since we have just had just a chill out day and it was wonderful! I got up, still feeling very heavy and bloated and weighed accordingly at 70.8kg and had my yoghurt for breakfast. I did some work on the computer since I stuffed some stuff up the previous week when we got our external hard drive with the links etc and then when and kicked the boy to get up as I needed to go and get some medicine from the chemist and thought maybe we could get a DVD on the way back, he likes picking.

So we got ready and headed out and since we were out we went to the outdoors shop to get some prices for the extras we need for our Tassie trek. We ended up getting some pants and thermals each as they were in the clearance area for great prices and then headed home. I just had some chicken for lunch and he had a sandwich and then we vegged on the couch to watch our DVD.

When dinner came around I cooked LB up a steak and eggs and I just had some veggies with my bolognaise sauce. Waking up this morning after cutting my carbs yesterday I felt so much better and saw the difference on the scales too with being down to 69.7kg. I have kept today carb free also with my yoghurt and fruit for breaky, just crackers for snacks and a chicken salad for lunch and I just had some more crackers then. I think I might just chuck together a stirfry for dinner and tomorrow I hope the scales have returned to my 1kg bracket! I just love the fact that I now have the tools to not on have control of my weight but also feel in control of my life without feeling like I’m missing out. I have decided to go carb free tomorrow too since I will be in Sydney for the rest of the week just to buffer myself. I have already decided that my dinner tomorrow night will be a Sumo Salad from the Sydney Airport Terminal and I will also get myself a berry yoghurt from there for my breakfast Wednesday morning as I will be too late to the hotel to organise my breakfast. I don’t know what is near the depot (work) over there for lunch etc so I will take a packet of crackers for my snacks and hope for the best and then we are going out to dinner Wednesday night. At least I will know what’s around by Wednesday after lunch so Thursday and Friday I can be more prepared since there is a Sumo Salad right near the hotel I’m staying at and if need be I can go through there and pick up my lunch for the following day if need be. I already feel frustrated by Wednesday by not knowing what’s around for options… I think I am getting too addicted to this ‘in control’ feeling!

It’s funny because dinners I’m not stressing about because there are usually many options and I would say Thursday night I will just order room service but lunch is frustrating. I guess working in transport and knowing that the depots are usually out of the way somewhere where there is just some greasy roadhouse or at best a deli where they just have pies and pasties because that’s what the truckies like for the road is slightly stressful! I have to remember that Sydney is much more spread out and for all I know the depot could be right near a shopping centre or complex where there is a vast choice of take away outlets, including the healthy ones! It’s just the unknown and I really must have faith in myself.

Anyway – yet again another long post… I guess I have a lot to say! Ha ha

I hope everyone’s weekend was great.

Lauren
 
Lauren, You are going great! Our brains were so in tune with the program that when we had that leeway it took some getting used to I think. You will make constant adjustments but sound to me like you have it under control. I am so looking forward to meeting you. How exciting! I had better go type something in my diary. It's great to see the activity. Love your diary! Cheers, Cate
 
Hello hello hello

Well am I glad to be back here!!! As you can probably tell I didn't actually get around to doing this when I said in the main thread but I'm here now!!!

Sydney was... hmmm... well frustrating to say the least. Being out of my routine is something I have always found frustrating but having to conform with someone else's and having them control so much of my day I really dont cope with. It would be too much to go into too much detail but all in all I did weigh in heavier than I would have liked to when I returned! Taken for lunch here and then dinner there and then dropped off to my hotel and left to my own devices of being hungry because I had consumed too many or the wrong types of carbs did not leave me feeling strong enough to resist temptation on one night in particular. I tried to do the right thing the following day by walking down to get a subway salad for lunch later that day but the time I got to it that afternoon the lettuce was brown in some places, transparent in others and had a somewhat putrid smell and it has put me off to say the least... good intentions! huh!

THe weather was humid, which I do not cope with at all, dry heat is one thing but the humidity really played with my asthma. I had a sinus infection which meant I struggled when trying to counteract my food intake and my sleep suffered due to being in strange surroundings. I only managed 1 litre of water a day and my stress, due to all the frustrations, was through the roof. At least when you are on holidays you are still in control of what you do and see and how you spend your time but when you travel for work you just seem to put out so much.

Saturday I made many healthy choices but ended up having 3 naps throughout the day because I was so knackered and then on top of being tired anyway my flight which was supposed to arrive back into Adelaide at 8.25pm on Friday ended up landing at 12.15am Saturday due to the storms in Sydney delay's. Was not impressed and I know eating and sleeping and eating then sleeping isn't great.

Sunday we had my immediate family's Christmas day (both my sister and I are with the in-laws this year well away from Adelaide so mum and dad still needed their fix!) where I ate too much but too my credit I chose very well, I just had too larger portions of the 'good / right' foods. My niece, who from my parents received a jumping castle for Christmas, ran me ragged since I am now the smallest in the family it was apparently my duty to play on it with her. Oh boy was I knackered Sunday night and Monday morning. My body clock and functions have been out of wack since Tuesday last week and I have to admit that today is the first time I have felt somewhat myself again.

Yesterday I made the conscience decision to go back on the plan since I was 4kg over ARGH, much to my disappointment, but in saying that also I could tell most of it was just fluid at this stage. My clothes weren't feeling tight as such, but I could feel a difference, and I could certainly see the difference. My cute sexy-curvy belly all of a sudden looked like a beach ball and my waist seemed much thicker to look at. But then I have had the problem where I am also still running at least every second day, which was hard while in Sydney for previous reasons, so I have been finding that I have actually been quite hungry. For the past week, until yesterday, I couldn't tell if the hunger was from the exercise or carb-laden foods (am presuming the foods since there were much more 'sometimes / in moderation' foods that were not being consumed in moderation) so I have decided to keep just the 50g cooked carbs as per refeed while restabilising to see how I go. Yesterday I did my 'as normal' of yoghurt and fruit for breaky, crackers and fruit for snacks and chicken / tuna salad for lunch but by the time I got home I was ravashed so just had 2 more crackers with some cheese which then allowed me to push dinner back a couple of hours so LB and I could eat together like a civilized couple. Then for dinner we had garlic prawn skewers with steamed vegetables and I had 1/4 cup of rice. I didn't feel hungry afterwards or into the night but when I was running this morning I did feel the difference in stamina and endurance. When I stepped on the scales this morning I was 1.1kg down so I figured it didn't do me too much damage.

I have restricted the bread and processed carbs all together. They are what I put how I was feeling physically and mentally over the last week down too and am surprisingly not fussed to do that. I really noticed with the processed carbs that my mood moved back to a more depressive and reactive than what I have grown used to over the past 6-8 months which has been the most positive, pro-active and able in my whole life. So when I am choosing my carbs to have I am only selecting those that are as close to how mother nature intended i.e. vegetables, brown rice, couscous etc. With my mood change I also felt irrational and out of control and I cant believe how focused and incontrol I felt from breakfast yesterday morning and just feeling that spurred me on to do myself the same justice today. I feel so much happier and content when the processed foods are restricted. I just keep telling myself that I cant go wrong as long as where possible and as much as possible choose foods and eat foods as close to their natural existance as possible.

I have printed off a heap of sayings, quotes and affirmations that really hit me in the right spot for my goals, dreams and desires and have posted them around the house and put a couple in my bag... I will share some of them tomorrow maybe... I find they help me to remember where I have come from, where I want to go and why it feels so good to adopt these principals as a long term lifestyle change...

Anyway... that's my update since I last posted... here is to continuing to do those things that keep me in this frame of mind and not those of self sabotage and creation of poor thoughts and feelings.

I"ve probably written 3 pages or something...

I hope everyone is well, I'm sorry as I haven't had a chance to check diaries as yet. I have had not personal internet access for well over a week so it will take me a couple of days to get up to date with what's been going on!

Take care everyone.

Lauren

P.S. Cate... 68 days till we're in Tassie!!! We are so excited... Sorry I haven't emailed you the plans yet, I will endeavour to do that this week - we haven't booked flights yet but will be able to give a rough idea to organise a catch up!
 
Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I was very happy with myself this morning when I got on the scales. Another 1.1kg down and then when I looked in the mirror to my amazement my waist had returned!!! Very happy about this and in the future I will make sure I actually dont let it get this far. When I hit my 2kg I will just adjust accordingly. But I'm not going to beat myself up about this occassion because Sydney was on top of Christmas lunch and then another Christmas lunch was on top of Sydney and for 5 days straight I had no access to scales to get a true assessment of where I was kg-wise. I knew I was bloated and I did feel heavier and when I looked in the mirror I could see the rubber-ring-esk appearance around my waist and belly but just didn't think it would have been that much. So looking forward now and feeling great knowing that by the end of the week I will be back to normal and for here on in.

Just being back into routine makes me feel great. I plan to just keep my M-F quite strict in my routine as it means all parts of my life works in somewhat of a harmony and actually also Saturday and that just happens because I still get up at 5.15am to go for a run so my body and mind set have been established and Sunday is generally my rest day but this should give me a good balance, one would hope.

I didn't do my yoga and pilates this morning as I set my alarm for 5.15am instead of 5am and had to have LB bring me to work as I am having a couple of problems with my car which will be fixed this weekend but it meant I had to be ready by 6.30am to leave not 7.00am and my tape is 50mins. But all is not lost as he actually said that he will do it with me when we get home... I'm quite looking forward to it!

I hope everyone has a great day...

Lauren
 
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday and today I have been so so so hungry. I am obviously not balancing what I need to be eating against the exercise I'm doing...! I have lost 3 of my kilos which is great but I am also obviously not eating enough for what my body needs.

Yesterday I kept drinking water thinking it may be thirst too because of the exercise but my stomach just wouldn't stop it's empty grumbling! Its so frustrating because I'm also only too aware of how easy it is to be unbalanced in the other direction which is even less desirable!

I know it's going to take time to work it out and yesterday I worked through it but today I just feel like I haven't stopped eating! I have surrounded myself with 'good / everyday choices' but too much of anything really isn't good!

Any advise, guidance, support would be appreciated!

L
 
Lauren, Same thing happened to me Lauren when I really started exercising. It will settle down. If you are eating extra 'good foods' you should be ok. Try upping your protein. That helped with me. When I go bush-walking I am usually ravenous. That is the only time I eat a sandwich as I find it takes away my hunger. Some-one else might have some advice. Experiment with things & you'll find what works for you. I think we will have an adjustment period where it's all abit scary & unknown. My day went much better thank goodness, cheers Cate
 
Snack on good proteins

Life's Good said:
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday and today I have been so so so hungry. I am obviously not balancing what I need to be eating against the exercise I'm doing...! I have lost 3 of my kilos which is great but I am also obviously not eating enough for what my body needs.

Yesterday I kept drinking water thinking it may be thirst too because of the exercise but my stomach just wouldn't stop it's empty grumbling! Its so frustrating because I'm also only too aware of how easy it is to be unbalanced in the other direction which is even less desirable!

I know it's going to take time to work it out and yesterday I worked through it but today I just feel like I haven't stopped eating! I have surrounded myself with 'good / everyday choices' but too much of anything really isn't good!

Any advise, guidance, support would be appreciated!

L
Click to expand...

Hi Lauren

Have you read through that ebook I sent you? If you follow this way of eating you will not feel hungry. You are eating small amounts of good proteins every few hours and you are suppose to do at least 2X 30 minute of walking everyday. You are still drinking your 2 litres of water so I never felt hungry at all and lost weight in the process.
On this plan you can have a cheese slice,a little nuts and some deli meats.

I hope this helps.

Sam:)
 
Thanks for the inspiration

Hi Lauren

I was so impressed by your before & after photos I decided to come and find your diary. Your transformation is just amazing! I am in awe of your dedication to zero deviations. Your results have inspired me to do the same.

I havent started Cohens yet. Im pretty certain I will when the clinics open back up in January.

My stats are the same as you, we have the same starting weight and my weight to lose is around 45kg.

I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for inspiring me to do Cohens and to do it with zero deviations. Im certainly glad I chose to read your diary first, instead of a diary of someone losing weight with deviations. I'd have convinced myself deviations were ok. The goal is definately ZERO deviations!!

Kristy
xx
 
Good for you Kristy! Lauren was(is) very strong. No deviations is the best way to go! Like you I read many posts & the people who had the most problems with motivation were the ones that deviated so I took that on board & stuck to the program "religiously" I loved the program-still do. The maintenence guidelines are excellent! Cheers, Cate.
 
Hi Kristy

Thank you so much for your kind words, WOW - I inspired you... that really is just so great to hear and know. Thank you also for reading my diary. I really do believe the 100% made 100% difference to my journey and getting into that mindset is important. I actually makes it so easy - I wish it was still like that in a way! :)

Thanks again Kristy - it really does mean so much...

WHEN IS ALL THIS CHRISTMAS STUFF GOING TO BE OVER!!!!!!!!!!!

I must admit (again...) that now being on the maintainene it's harder than the losing and it's becoming a constant struggle for me on weekends. I dont know if I am being too hard on myself because of the time of year it is but I am only too conscience of the consequences. As is every, we are out and about a lot more than usual at the moment with Christmas functions / socialising etc and for example on Friday night I felt like a sour puss declining wine because I hadn't had my protein. It was an unique situation we were in on Friday but on the way home I asked LB if he thought I was no longer fun or enjoyable company because tonight that's how I felt about myself. I know I need to stop beating myself up about it also though and just give myself the time and patients I deserve to learn to balance and get used to my thought and decision processes.

I have been running my 5km everyday and then on Sunday I also went for a hike which was just glorious as the sun was rising... and then on Sunday I also spent most of the day out in the garden weeding and planting. I cant seem to get below 70kg but I just dont know what is muscle and what is 'fat' weight as I have been eating a bit more but it's been because I'm hungry and OH MY GOD I HATE THIS CONSTANT ANALYSING!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry everyone but I just need to get this out because it is doing my head in (as it's now probably doing yours in because it's so stupid!). I've taken my measurements and they are all basically the same as when I finished, some are slightly up and others slightly down which I put to the exercise and difference of toning up in some area's quicker than others i.e. legs. But I just hate this constant self analyisation and paranoia. Monday to Friday 6am-5.30pm I am fine and everything just happens and there's none of this crap but bam as soon as I walk in the door I seem to just want to eat everything in sight and then all this comes into play as I try to decifer what is reasonable, what isn't, what I can allow for, what I cant, if I really need it or if I want it, if I am choosing to have it or its just because it's there, if I'm hungry or just thirsty and this is even to have a chicken breast and vegetables... And then the weekend... well we dont have till next weekend to read it! ha ha

My scales are jumping up and down but that may be due to TTOM also as fingers crossed it may just come this week which would just be amazing in itself because as much as I hate it and always have I really do think it will help me feel normal, functioning and human again and could also explain why I am being irrational with everything. Isn't it funny how I know I'm being irrational and silly and over the top with it all but knowing that doesn't matter...

I might try and come back this afternoon where I can hopefully be more proactive and inspirational... AND NORMAL!!!!!!!!!!!! ha

I hope everyone had a good weekend.

Lauren
 
Hi Lauren

I like you struggled after following Cohens strickt regime. But I remember my cohens consultant saying she sticks to the Cohens way of eating during the week days and has a break on the weekends.

I did follow this for awhile but I found come Friday evening the red wine would be opened and the nibbles would come out and over time it was extending to Monday and beyond.

Lauren there is no easy solutions......I like you am focused on food all the time and at the moment instead of focusing on having a good family holiday i am worried about what I will eat..... and when i return i will need to lose the weight I have gained while away.

I think for me the prospect of putting all that 15kg plus more scares the hell out of me....so I try to focus on my Cohens goal of being trim and fit by 40 which is next year.

Don't stress too much Lauren (says me who does) we are meant to also enjoy our life.
It sounds like you are doing all the right things to maintain your weight. Don't hop on those scales too much they can play havoc with your mind. As long as your clothes are fitting (thats how I judge) and your measurements are low......don't panic!!!!!.

Like I have stated in my diary I would like to get down to 63kg my Cohens final weight after refeed. But I am happy to stay in the high 60's.....once i drift into the 70's I panic and know I have to do something quickly to get those kilos off. Like i mentioned before and I don't want to become {repititive} but that calorie plan I emailed you was brilliant for that and i will be doing this again once I return from my holidays.....I have told my hubby I am putting him on it as well......not sure if he agrees.

Lauren I hope you and your family have a lovely christmas and new year.
Look forward to catching up on the forum when we return in 2008.

Merry Christmas

Sam:)
 
Hi Sam

Thanks for your post… I have been reading some articles on how to ‘think slim’ and how slim people stay slim and we have all the answers and right intentions, it really is in the mind and sometimes I just think that we like to test ourselves!

I think my focus for the week is going to be changing my mindset to remove ‘good foods’ and ‘bad foods’ from my vocabulary and replace them with ‘everyday foods’ and ‘sometimes or occassional foods’ to remove the bahaviour from the terminology. I have been doing this over the past few weeks but havent been consistant and I have noticed how when I use the latter terminology I do respond in a much more positive manner. On Saturday I said to LB I have been naughty today with my food and have had a lot of bad foods and then because I had told myself out loud that I had been bad and naughty my attitude towards myself was so negative for the rest of the evening which is when my old mindsets and opinions of myself crept in. It was like I had put it out there and therefore that’s what I was going to get in return. Each week I will create myself a new postive focus to retrain my body, mind and soul to be the inner godess of life, love and fun that I know is there - somewhere!

I am very grateful that I am loving my running and exercise so much as it takes that chore feeling that I used to treat it as out of the equasion! I think this is one of the reason’s I am so frustrated though because what I have gained through muscle doesn’t bother me as it’s positive and helps me to be the strong woman I am but it’s that not knowing… I have been very much keeping to what you were saying about your consultant but I have been doing more Monday to Saturday Cohen’s breakfast, lunch and snacks, dinner is not strict Cohen’s but certainly low fat and low carb and then Sunday giving myself a day off. Because I run in the mornings from Monday to Saturday it’s quite easy because I’m putting myself into that frame of mind first thing in the morning but again, this time of year with functions and catch up it’s just ridiculous and I haven’t been making the absolute best choices every time. I have been making good choices most of the time but on a couple of occasions there have been better.

Anyway… thanks again Sam and I hope you have a wonderful wonderful holiday!!!

Take care of yourself and be kind to yourself.

Lauren
 
Lauren, I think we all have to step back a little when we reach goal & learn to relax & enjoy life. I think you, Sam & myself are going through a similar phase. We must stop beating ourselves up & relax about ourselves, be proud of what we have achieved & realise that we will not change our mind-sets overnight. It's a gradual process. We have had a life-time of hearing good girl, here's a treat; good food/bad food etc & there are so many hang-ups associated with body image. We've done this. We will settle down & relax & will learn to stay slim without so much brow-beating. It will just take time. There is a lot of negative stuff to get rid of.
Enjoy the season, relax with your family & friends & your lovely boyfriend.
Have a wonderful, festive season, knowing that you have had a wonderful year to be very happy about.
Cheers, Cate.
 
I thought I would pop in for a minute and just write as I'm feeling frustrated and flat and am trying to distract myself! I just feel blah emotionally and have no real reason why... I guess it may still be hormonal as TTOM has come and gone again (this was month 6) but it was only meant to start on Tuesday so I guess there's still hope! That's how I feel and I really thought that this was the month because my pre-symptoms were there again and stronger than last month and the one before, well 5 before!

I also haven't done my run this morning so hopefully when I get home from that today after work I will pep up a bit. It's been hard this week to go in the mornings as I have been at work at the crack of dawn each day with the belt starting up at 4.30am so I have been getting here around 6am so I have been going of an evening. It's quite hot out there today so I will make my afternoon goal to drink an extra litre of water before I go home so that I am super hydrated!

I feel a bit bloated from last night's dinner still too so that probably isn't helping my mood at all! By the time I got home from running around I was too knackered to cook our dinner and we had some lovely freshly cut ham off the bone in the fridge so we just had toasted sandwiches for dinner. I dont think I've had a toasted sandwich for 2 or 3 years. With fresh cut ham though it really hit the spot after a huge day at work etc.

Yesterday I got back on my orange addiction and have been enjoying my 2 oranges cut into 8 wedges all day. It really is a great feeling to eat nutritionally!

Anyway... flat chat and feel better just coming in and getting some words down and taking a fiver from the frustration!

Better go fill my water bottle up!

Lauren
 
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