Cohen's Lifestyle Nicole's London weight-loss Journey

Prefix for Cohen's Lifestyle
ooooooowwwwwww Thanks so much Nik and Cate your both very very sweet and it gives me such a BIG smile to read those wonderful comments:)

If I can just inspire one person to stay true to themeselves and to follow the program 100% then I would write a hundred more posts! I just LOVE seeing other people succeed and sharing with them how much Cohen's has changed my life. There is just NOTHING else out there that can give you the same results, in the same time without starvation and mental deteriation. I feel like I have learnt a "lifestyle" and am not just on a "diet" for a few months and then return to "normal living". I love the food that I am eating and know that I will really enjoy it still even when I am finished with the program.

Nik- SO fantastic that you have started your journey. Yes the results are just STUNNING and when I go back to Australia my family are going to be horrified ha ha ha ha (well my Dad will be) as I will be close to half the person I left as. It's kind of nice to be honest as although they know I am on the program they wont expect me to loose all the weight. he he he then it will be skinny minni nicky and the same goes for you too!
I think we can really do anything that we put our mind and heart into and it's just about wanting something enough to really go the extra mile for it!
Nik are you in SA as in South Africa, or SA as in South Australia? If you ever make it to London we should meet up, my husband is South African and is also a Graphic Design how bizzar that both of us are married to them? Would love to hear some more of your journey or read your diary if you decide to get one. Take care Nik and thanks for your post.

Cate- you are the original inspiration and the fact that you made it to the end and are maintaining is really such a big deal of inspiration to me! I can look to the future and realise that being slim forever is not just a pipe dream but it can be a reality. Thank you for always being here and inspiring everyone to keep going, and showing us all that it is possible! Your an angel :)

xxxnicole
 
I just thought I would post this here as I wrote it in Jim's diary but it has a few thing's in it that I think deserve to be in my diary as well. It was written to Jim but it applies to everyone on the program!
xx

Fantastic!!!!

Wow Jim you got your program back SO fast! I know it's so exciting when your close to starting- it's like someone has given you the magic forumla to use to change your life FOREVER! I know when I started Cohen's I was really at my end in regards to diets and I could eat really well and excersise like crazy but loose nothing, so getting the program and following it was just SO easy. Even now after months and months on the program I am sitting here and thinking "Wow is that all that it takes to loose weight, this is just so easy". I think it has a lot to do with your thinking though but for me trying so many things and having no results was enough to keep me going on this program. I acctually cant wait to maintain my new weight and eat very similarly to what I am now as I just feel so good on the program. The only problem I have is that I feel weak when I move too much as I live in London catching the tube, walking to the shops (and carrying all those vegies and DC-Diet Coke home) is like a workout. Not many people have cars so busses and the tube are what I have to deal with on a daily basis (you probably already know that though as you like in the UK).

Just remember that this program is a real journey and it is just amazing how much you will learn about yourself and your thinking. To make this journey the best my advice would be to make food you really enjoy and WANT to eat. I was coming home from work and thinking about the yummy chilli, ginger beef stir-fry I was going to eat and how much I love it followed by my Honeydew Melon on crackers.... he he he I think it is vital to find your "stables" the meals you can enjoy on a daily basis. I would be really intereted to have a look at your plan if you dont mind sending me it through this forum as a Private message (I am sure you can attach files). As I have purchsed my program I dont see that there would be any copright violation and I promise not to show anyone else- being that you dont mind i I have a look? I just would like to see what they give you when you sign-up online and I can tell you the difference in the clinic program if you like? If your not comfortable in sharing just let me know and I am fine with that too, I am just curious :)

Anyway this has become a MEGA post lol (more like a diary entry) so I will stop taking up space in your diary and let you get back to sharing your thoughts :)

Take care Jim, and I am just SO excited for you starting the program this week! Remeber not to weight everyday as this will be very confusing and could even be demotivating if you loose 1 kg in a day and then nothing for a week. The best way to do it is to take a monthly average of your weightloss as your body looses weight in cycles.

:) nicole
 
Wow, Nickychick, you are going to be overtaking me soon if you keep up this rate of loss! You are really motoring along, which is great to see, despite all the difficulties you've had during and since the move. You'll be eyeing off the 70's before you know it.
 
!

Hey Nic

I'm from South Africa. Wow your husband it from SA as well that's awesome have you ever been to visit?My Gran was born in Australia and i've always wanted to visit!

I'm sure when your dad see's you he's going to be so proud! Sham my boyfriend has been the pillar of strength for me and he's been giving me so much motivation, every night he comes home he cannot believe his shrinking girl... He's really amazing that he never made me feel like I had a weight issue and still loved me all the world but for me it was really starting to effect our relationship as i felt "GROSS"! lately i just feel that our relationship is getting back on track because i'm feeling better about myself!

Had such a tough day my amazing secretary's husband was killed in a car crash last night and i'm devastated for her , just yesterday we were chatting about how she's going to be joining me on this Cohens adventure and her husband was going to pay for her. We started filling out the forms and she was about to go for her bloodtests. I was so excited as i know this is something she needs to do for herself as she's always putting everyone else's needs before hers. She has also been giving me so much support lately and was so happy for me when she started seeing the results and she knows what an uphill battle i've had trying to find out what's wrong with me and why i was not loosing weight despite eating correctly. So Feeling all down my business partner and i went to our special little coffee shop that has these DIVINE muffins and i was so tempted but somehow i manged to resist and rather had a cup of black coffee but showee was it hard! Glad i did not comfort eat!

Well need to get some work out so chat soon!
 
Hey Nik

I am so sorry to hear about your secretary's husband being killed, how dreadful the poor women I cant even IMAGINE what she must be going through :-(

I haven't been to SA yet but I cant wait to go. My husband is from East London and keep's telling me how stunning it was and how fantastic the surfing is. I would love to go to capetown and see table mountain and go to all the wineries (I have a weakness for white wine).

So what is your business and what do you do? I would love to know a bit more about you :) Your boyfriend sounds AMAZING what a sweetie- make sure you hold onto that one he sounds like a rare man. Most men seem to pass over women who aren't "skinny" and I think if I hadn't found my husband I might not have bothered with men for a while lol. I just hate the mentality behind how they are such visual creatures. Dont get me wrong I loved having "guy friends" but just didn't like what they thought or said about women- like they are just some kind of object.

You should start yourself up a ticker, it really motivates me and now that I see I only have 15kg's to loose it keeps me on track. There are a few girls from SA on the forum if you haven't already found out? Luvbug and Starfish are there handels and I see that your already familiar with Sue :) I just love this forum as it is so inspiring to see other people on the same journey as me and how they are making such positive changes to their lifes. Something you must try when you go to a cafe next time is an iced black americano. Just a double shot of esspresso pored over ice in a glass filled up with water. I have one a day and I have converted my husband to drink them with me (he even prefers it over a capaccuino)!!!

Take care Nik and it was lovely to hear from you again
xx nicole
 
Hi Nicole,

How has your week been?? As you know i have made a start now!!
Its so great to have people here like you that give support and i can see also doing the diet with great results!!!!!
Looking forward to my first weigh in!! I am going to try and hold off till the 4 week mark! I hope curiosity dont get the better of me!! We will see if i can hold out!! lol...

Take care!
Jim
 
Some egg ideas for all the newbies :)

Veg Omelette
Mushrooms, capsicum, zucchini, onion and tomato all chopped up finely.
Beat the egg with salt and peper (S&P) and half an egg shell of water.
Cook in a small pan and turn once it gets stiff.


Curried egg
Boil an egg and add mayo
Use about half a tspn of curry powder
Mix together and mash the egg with a fork.
I like to serve it on crackers and eat some cooked zucchini seperately.

Zucchini pancakes
Beat egg with S&P and add grated zucchini (80% of allowance) with finely chopped onion (20% of allowance). Mix together and make into a pancake- it tastes DIVINE!!! Serve with crackers or you can crush crackers (before cooking) into the mix to make it thicker.

Egg delish
I love eating this one as it is so fresh and yummy.
Boil an egg and chop into thin slices (about 6 pieces).
Prep your crackers with some iceberg lettuce still in one piece and put your whole cracker inside it, chop some slices of tomato and lay on top of crackers with a squeeze of mayo, put egg slices on top and add S&P. Fold the lettus around the cracker to make a pocket and eat! YUM!

Gourmet egg
Boil an egg and slice (like egg delish)
Cook half a small tomato in a frypan and some mushroom if you desire with a little spray oil. Wilt some spinach alongside it.
Serve on top of crackers and assemble as before.
 
Hey Jim

I am doing really well thanks :) My week has been good just working in the cirt doing some freelance design work at the moment. I am looking for a full-time job at the moment so juggling them both can be a little tricky. What do you do for a job? I am a Graphic Designer.

Your more than welcome for the support, it encourages me to encourage others and I am so excited with the change your making to your life it is just overwhelming :)

Good thinking holding off till 4 weeks till you weigh-in that way it will be a fantastic suprise!!! Hope your having a great weekend, isn't the weather just gorgeous today!

:) nicole
 
The weather has been great the last few days! But i am sure it wont last too long! lol Not in the UK!!!!

I work for a credit card company as a Training Consultant... I enjoy my job so much!! How ever standing in front of a group of people when you are so uncomfortable with the way you look does put a downer on it..... BUT that isnt going to be the case for long!! lol

Good luck with the job hunt...... Its hard getting a job right now in the UK. I dont know what your industry is like right now but i hope its better than mine! lol
You must feel more confident now you have lost the weight!! Nothing worse than being in an interview when you feel fat and uncomfortable!! The weight loss must increase confidence by miles!!

I hope to wait for my weigh in, but 4 weeks is a long time.. i just hope the loss in inches will satisfy me until then....lol...

Enjoy your weekend!!!
 
Hey Jim

he he he... I know how hard it is to wait for the 4 weeks to be up but it is worth it just for the first 4 weeks as that's when there is the most fluctuation on the scales- you dont want to loose 5kg's one week and then the next only loose 1kg as your body looses weight in stages (especally in the begining) and I know how disapointing that can be lol. Trust me save it for 4 weeks time and it will help you stay on track! I now weigh every week as it is much more consistant- but I still take it as a monthly average.

Stunning weather weekend!!! Went to the park today and a gazillion people were there in there speedo's and bikini's sun bathing lol, London is a VERY funny place when the sun comes out. I thought I was at the beach with all these mostly naked people around. lol SO funny. My husband and I just got an iced americano and chilled on the grass which was so nice.
I do feel much more confident now that I have lost so much weight- it's weird though as I dont "feel" any different and I have to look at my reflection a few times to know that it's me. It was strange at work the other day I was in the ladies and there is a full length mirror, I caught a glimpes of myself side on and I swear it was one of those slimming mirrors. Then I realised it wasn't and I had to look twice to believe it was actually me. ha ha ha it's a nice feeling though.

Hope the rest of your weekend went well and you are feeling fine!
 
Hey Nicky!

Haha about the slimming mirror double take! I know what you mean! I have had that a few times too. I find myself walking down the street looking into all the shop windows to find my reflection. Sometimes I'm shocked at what I see and other times the reflection looks just the same as what I'm used to seeing.

How are you doing with your wardrobe? Are you throwing things out? My friend came over and told me she cannot believe how few clothes I have. It's still two closets full but there's definitely not much. I am donating clothes as I go. I don't plan to keep any of my fat suits except a pair of jeans that are literally huge on me now. I mean, I couldn't possibly wear them if I wanted to. I could actually probably fit both legs into one leg of the jeans! That is an awesome feeling.

You know, everyone in NYC is the same as the Londoners. When the sun comes out, everyone heads to the park in their swimming costumes (or trunks over here). It's so funny to see b/c that just doesn't go on in Australia. It's because we have such proximity to amazing beaches. I love the beach.

Well, just wanted to say hi again :)
I am meeting up with a friend early this evening for a tea. I wish it was a latte. I miss them. Not to the point of desperation or anything but I do love milky drinks. I find them sooo nurturing.

I am going to eat some fruit now and maybe some crackers.

Lots of lovin'

28+1 x
 
Hi Nicole, I can just see you doing that double take in the mirror. I'm still doing it. It will never cease to amaze you & will help you with maintenance. I look & look & almost pinch myself when I realise that is how I really do look now. It takes so long for the brain to actually believe it's real. Remember that & take pleasure in it & what you have done.
That sounds so funny that people get out in their bathers in the parks. I didn't know that! That would be hilarious here!
Re the milky drinks. I was looking forward to having cappuccinos again but they make me feel queasy now. Even the thought of milky drinks makes me so. The things you think you miss the most you may find no longer appeal when you can have them again. That's good though. Now if red wine had not tasted delicious I would have been very disappointed. Cheers, Cate.
 
Well, I think London has sent it's bleak and dreary grey days and drizzle to Perth - we seem to be having nothing else! OK, I know it's "winter" here, but I'm getting tired of it!

Great when you have the confidence to just be around people, in and out of shops and not worry about what you look like. I really have that feeling back now, which is great! In shopping for wedding clothes, I didn't feel ashamed to slink around the "nice clothes" waiting for some shop assistant to tell me they 'don't have my size' etc. Liberation!
 
Good work ladies!!!
I think we all deserve a big pat on the back for all our efforts. Cohen's as easy as it can seem when your into it is a sacrifice for however many months your on it and to come through and all loose so much weight is really just Fantastic, so here's a drink to all your dedication! <GULP, virtual Chenin Blanc lol> he he he

Thanks to you all for popping by it's so lovely to know your all still here and on the forums

xxx
 
Wow Nicky you are such an inspiration. Forgive me if I repeat myself, but I can't help it, you all keep me going. Sometimes it feels like I have been doing this for forever and it's only 2 weeks.

About the mirror, having avoided looking at myself except from the neck up, it will be great to look in a full length mirror and like what I see. I look forward to the day.

As for the weather, my brother used to live in Canada and he used to say that when it was 16 or 17 degrees everyone used to be in t-shirts and shorts. Here in South Africa that's a cold winter's day!

Well done!

Sue
 
Woo hoo everyone some good news for me!

I got a 4 week contract working in Central London for a large international banking group. The pay is fantastic and the role is a carbon copy to my previous position so it wont be hard to fit in. I am loving doing Freelance and getting interviews in between. It's so nice to get double what I would be if I was locked in a full-time job. I have another interview tomorrow and then another couple next week so things are really looking up.
My recruitment agents that are looking after me have been fab and they are saying the economy and jobs are starting to turn around. I am so glad that my husband and I decided to come to London amongst all the doom and gloom as I really think it will pay off for us- this is now the third big International Corporate company I can add to my CV and this makes me even more valuable YAY!!!!

Also with my slower weight-loss I am feeling alright about it. The last 3 weeks have been slower than usual being 900g, 1.1kg's, 800g and I spoke to my consultant and she thinks it might be my body going through some old fat or just adjusting or it could just be fluid retention. She recommends only weighing every 4 weeks still even though I have been on the program since March. I am thinking maybe next Monday my losses might be a bit better but I wont get my hopes up just yet. I am really enjoying being on the program right now!

I was in Starbucks today with my husband having a black americano and watching all the people order cakes, muffins and HUGE milkie coffee's. As much as I was a Flat white addict in Aus it doesn't hold the same power over me anymore. I think hmmm would I prefer a calorie free option (like a black coffee) or a calorie laden quick fix??? I thought about it and I dont really want to spend that many calories on just a drink. I think Cate what you have said is very true- that your tastes change. Also all those muffins dont do ANYTHING for me anymore, just looking at them makes me think they are just empty calories with nothing in them but fat, sugar and carbs <Why again would we want to eat them???>

I find it so strange to think like this but I know it has to do with my Insulin levels being balanced now. I suffered from very crazy sugar craving's before Cohen's (due to PCOS and Insulin resistance) and now I dont care for sugar AT ALL!!! Ow what a feeling, I dont feel a slave to food anymore- I eat to live and make my food work FOR me, not against me.

I know I CAN and WILL do this I am so much stronger now. I can see and taste my goal ahead and I tell you it isn't sweet it's savory lol. Cohen's has really changed my life. I know before when I did it I would be constantly craving the day to finish and thinking like that will just cause you to fail and fail in a big way. Also thinking about all the bad food your going to eat when you finish is not a good thing. This means your associating Cohen's as a bad restrictive program and not a lifestyle change so you will rebel once finishing and eat all you can causing your body to go wacky. All I can say is the most important thing you get from cohen's is not really the weight-loss it's the lifestyle change. That is what is going to kep you thin (or slim for you Cate) as loosing the weight isn't really the goal nor should it be, keeping the weight off is the ultimate goal and what we should be doing this for.

Anyway <exhale> I have said my little piece for the day.. ha ha ha

All the best on your weight-loss journies all, and keep posting (you never know who you just might effect/ speak to by doing so

xxxx night night from your London darling :)
 
Hellooo London darling!! Your words are music to my ears. Excellent!! I loved every word of your post. Well done on gaining the new contract. You are one very strong, very smart woman & should be very proud of yourself! I love your attitude & your insights. Thanks for sharing them with us, xo Cate.
 
Hi Nicole,

Congrats on the job!! I am so pleased your doing well over here and getting the work you need!! Its great that you have done so well in when its all in such a bad state!! Well at least things are picking up, and when things get going again you will have a great CV to be head in the game!!

Its a shame your weight loss has slowed down, but like you say there are reasons for this and i am sure your body knows what it is doing!! When you get to goal weight you will be SOOO pleased you done this diet!! I cant wait until i have the "New Mindset" when i no longer want these sugar loaded food and drinks!! I am sure i will get there, and seeing that you are there just helps me see that it is possible!!!

Have a great day!!!! (Even with the rubbish weather! lol)
Jim
 
Thanks guys it helps me to be here and real all your lovely posts. I think being around like minded people and having people like Cate who have changed their thinking has helped me also.

Thank you to everyone on this forum making it so fantastic and supportive! Have a wonderful weekend (and long weekend to you Jim).

xxx nicole
 
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