When should I start refeed

[Tuberose]

Hi all

if i'm taking the upper range of my goal weight (GW: 55 to 57kg), i'm now about 3kgs away from the blood test to prepare for refeed. as in, i could make an appointment to prepare for refeed once i reach 59kg.

however, i have read about how fellow dieters' weight is stabilized at the weight just before starting on refeed, honestly, i do not wish to be stabilized at 59kg as i know i do not have the discipline in the whole world to ensure i could keep my weight below 60kg post Cohen's.

i hope my weight can be stabilized at around 56kg for long term maintainence.

my question is, can i go & make an appointment for refeed at 59kg and after getting the refeed guide, i wait till i reach 56kg then start my refeed? is that possible? potentially based on the rate of my weekly weight loss, i might need to wait for 3 to 4 weeks after doing the final blood test to start refeed proper.

another reason is i read that quite a number of you mentioned that refeed is quite complicated. i thought i should get hold of the refeed guide, and give myself enough time to study and prepare for it.

in actual fact, i do feel hungrier recently and have been taking chromium supplement to counter my hunger, it has helped me to a certain extent... but i can stll feel weak & very hungry at times.

any advice will be greatly appreciated

Cheers, Tuberose

[baloo]

I believe we are advused to order the refeed two weeks before the top of the range to ensure we get it by the time we are ready to refeed. There is nothing to stop you starting refeed once you hit 56kg, or whatever weight you feel good at.

[Jo]

you've got 4 weeks to commence refeed after you've received it.

I did exactly what you're suggeting; ordered refeed, then waited till i was ready before commencing.

[Tuberose]

Thanks Baloo & Jo for the very useful info!

Baloo, I thought we can go to at least 4 restaurants in Singapore?

[Maya]

Hi, everybody!

So hard to get online, got 5 minutes left here...I just wanna ask this...
I know it is SO important to do it at the right time, but - what is the right time? How do you know?
Is it that WANNA EAT A HORSE hunger the best sign?
Is it weakness?

My goal that dr.Cohen suggested was 52kg, but I was 51.9 kg (you should have seen my happiness to see those numbers, Oh, my dear God..!!!!!) llast week and I still dont feel any more hungrier than I was before... I will weigh myself in port again, when my scale will work... I just would like to know when do we come to that hormonal equillibrium?

Thanks so much for any experiences...how did you know, how did you decide it's time?

BIG BIG HUGS,

Maya

[Kohinoor]

Hey Maya,

Little dolphin mermaid There aren't many around over here at this time of night. But, as I recall, "back pain" was one of the signs, and the "wanting to eat a horse" was another - and, there was a third, but I can't remember it right now.

I'll look around, and post if I see it....

Hugs,

Koh

[Maya]

You're the sweetest, thank You so much, Koh!
Hoping to check on you all this next week, I have a week off, hopefully I will catch up on everything....

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!!!

HUGS AND KISSES!!!!!!

Maya

[Kohinoor]

Hi Maya,

In case your 5 minutes has not elapsed....

http://newyouforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4483

I'm not sure if THAT was the third sign - from the post, maybe it is, maybe it isn't - but I wanted to throw it into the mix.

Not sure if I'll find another as a third reason .... but hey, who knows?

Hugs,

Koh

[shell]

Hi Maya,

Sleeplessness is another way your body tells you, you have had enough.

Great going Maya!!
Sounds like you are getting closer!!
Shell

[Almost Eden]

Ok so I am about 300gms from the top Cohens Goal weight and I am getting hungry and clock watching between meals. I know that I am supposed to get hungry but how hungry is hungry? Does that make sense?

I am cold all the time and find that I can't warm up wich is making it difficult to go to sleep at night...especially my feet. I know this is something that a lot of people had trouble with befor refeed so I am guessing that it is a sign I am close. I think I am going to start using a hot water bottle to ease my poor little feet at night when I get into bed...hopefully that will help.

Do I or do I not need to have another blood test befor I order refeed...I am at week 14 now so I am due another blood test in 2 weeks. Should I just wait till then or what should I do? Any suggestions???

What are some of the other symptoms of refeed approaching? I have heard that back pain was something that a few of the ladies had a problem with toward the end...but is this the same for guys??? The only pain I have had through the program has been in my hips which I am assuming was more to do with a change in my posture rather than anything else. Any suggestions from the guys out there that have finnished? Or anyone who might know for that matter?

I have been deviation free throiughout the program so will I still need to wait the 2 weeks...I guess that's a silly question as I haven't deviated.

What am I supposed to be looking for and how long will it take to happen?

Should I wait untill I get to the bottom end of goal...because although I am hungry and so on on...it is not unbarable hunger and I don't know that I should stop the program if I still have weight to loose? Is it detramental to the success of the program if I do wait or indeed go under the suggested goal weight?

Why is it that the goal weight I have been given has the top end in the overweight range of the BMI?

Am I asking to many questions?

HELP!!!

Almost Eden (aka Eamon)

[Faithy]

Hey AE..

Awesome job on getting so close to goal.. I think it's worth a call to your clinic .. you have to contact them anyway to order your refeed.. I dont think you need to have another blood test if you're ordering it now.. & even though by the sounds of it you may be ready, even if you're not quite sure you still have to wait for it.. & when you do have it if you want it to just sit there for a while it can .. I experienced a hunger that was horrid.. I was cranky & sooky & it just wouldn't go away..

As far as your BMI is concerned I dont know.. have you gone to the Cohen's web site to the goal weight calculator & entered your height & shoe size? You can confirm your goal weight there..

Good luck!

[kagiesen]

Hi AE

I reckon if you can still say the hunger is not unbearable, then wait. Talk to your consultant. It took me for ever to lose the last few kilos (I went below lowerst target weight cos I still had fat to lose and I am so glad I did, cos losing some more later will most lkley not happen). If you're happy with your body, and hunger really hits, then order re-feed. I'd wait til the next blood test.

At the end ofs the' day, it is about whether YOU feel comfortable the way you are. Look at yourself, assess what you have achieved. Let someone else have a look as well.

The goal weight is an estimate. I mean, height and length of feet IS an indicator, but nothing more. There are other websites to help you calculate your BMI with measurements of hips and thights etc etc. I suggest you google some.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/waist-...io-calculator/ is one which lists all kinds of calculators.

Cheers

Katrin

[Tuti]

Hi AE,

You can always order your refeed and then wait untill you are ready to start. My consultant ordered my refeed when I was 2kgs away from the top of my weight range but I wasn't hungry and actually lost another 5kgs before I started refeed.

I found that when I stopped having yoghurt for brekky and stuck to eggs and vegies I wasn't as hungry.

I am glad that I waited until reaching the low end of my goal weight range.

Cheers

Tuti

[Almost Eden]

Thanks Tuti, Kagiesen, and Faithy...

I have contacted my clinic by email and I have had a few answers given to my questions...I guess I am just apprehensive about ordering as the safety of the program will be gone. But I am looking for more and I don't want to deviate now...not when I am so close.

I am not happy with my body shape yet and I can still see area that are bigger than I would like...like my love handles and boobs and I still have a tummy. Small though they might be they are all still there.

I am so torn as to what to do.

AE.

[krabi]

Hi there, I know this kind of thing has been discussed but wanted to run my scenario by your experienced refeed people.

My Cohen's goal weight was set at 59-62kg and I have had my refeed plan for about a week now (ordered at 65kg) and my consultant said I could start it any time. I really want to get to 62kg before I start it though (currently 62.8 so getting very close). My losses have been so slow lately too!

My question is around feelings of intense hunger.

I haven't yet had the incredible hunger that others have mentioned, although i am certainly getting hungrier between meals and have been waking up hungry some days. Speaking of waking up, for the last 10 days or so I have been waking up at 5am regardless of when I go to bed or how tired I am (and cannot get back to sleep) and have been feeling the cold like crazy. Do you think these are signs that I can start refeed (once i get to 62) or do I need to wait for that "incredibly hungry, i could eat a horse" feeling?

Thanks!

[shell]

Hi Krabi,
Welcome to the re feed waking up time!
I remember it well.

If you are happy to get to where you want to go to, and are not extremely hungry I would keep going.

You have your re feed plan there for when you need it, so there wont be a problem in waiting for it.

Your body will let you know when it is time to start.

How exciting for you, well done!

Shell

[Annabelle Joy]

Krabi, I have the same numbers as you. My goal was set at 65 by my clinic, my range is 59 to 62. I'd really like to get this over as soon as I can. However, if necessary I plan to go down to 59 if I don't get really hungry before then. I hate the thought of having to wait that long (and don't think I will need to) but I want to make maintenance as easy as I can, and it's my understanding that we should go to our equilibrium point to give ourselves the best chance of maintaining our weight.

AJ

[Cheral]

HI Krabi

My goal weight is 62kgs too, I started refeed on 62.9 and dropped to 62.0 after about a week on refeed. I am now a day from finishing and seem to be settling in at around 62.5.

I am happy with my weight now and dont want to go any lower. The cold weather has also been making me very miserable.

So if youre happy with where you are, start if not then if you are not drop dead hungry then hang off for a few days to get to the magical 62.

[KyMMy]

Hi Krabi, my goal weight is meant to be at 52kg. I'm 58.4kg. I rang my consultant when I was experiencing all my hunger and she reordered my refeed for me. If you look at me, I'm a size 8-10. Theres bugger all fat on me, I dont even reckon I have 2kg to loose let along 6kg.

If you think you have more fat to loose, then I suggest you speak to your consultant about taking some Blackmores Sugar Balance tablets. They're damn good! My consultant recommended them to me in my final days up to refeed. They're chromium tablets and it blocks hunger and appetite. I love those things....I know I'm hungry but I don't feel the very bad hunger pains....

[kagiesen]

Hi all

there seem to be a lot of threads that deal with the question of 'when should I start refeed?. Off course, the main advice is: talk to you clinic, they are the professionals, and it depends on your blood test, which they have. Just a few thoughts:

1) The Cohens target weight is a good starting point. However, bear in mind that it is calculated by using height, gender and shoe size. I have always had very large (long and narrow) feet, so my target weight came up first at 64 to 67 (I do like my shoes with lots of space), then adjusted to 62 to 65, which was the size that I really have. Some people even lose a shoe size while on the diet. In other words: It is a good indicator, not more. I went to 58 and I still have some fat reservoirs on my belly and bum which I am not happy with!

2) If you feel so hungry you could eat the proverbial horse, then you should start.

3) The clinics want you to start rather earlier than later. The reason is that the hunger may hit in a real pang, and if you haven't ordered you program yet, you might stray and deviate. However, if you think that you can be strong no matter how hungry, until you program arrives, I'd only order it once you start to get significantly hungrier.

4) If you are not hungrier than usual, I would not start refeed, even if you've reached the target weight bottom. There are many people on the program who went below their target weight bottom, or who regretted not having done so. It's much more difficult to get back on the program after refeed to lose that extra 2 kilos than to stay on it for a little longer, believe me! You're just so over it.

5) If you are not happy with you body yet, putting aside unreasonable expectations, then keep going. BUT: make sure you have a true and honest friend monitor you, one that will tell you when they think you are getting obsessive. A friend who is not envious of your success (hence will not say what a lot of us have heard, ie "it's about time you stopped").

Bear in mind: if you were overweight, any loss is great, and to some might seem 'enough', but again from experience, we do tend to look more gaunt right at the end than about 2 months into maintenance. You deserve to look your best, you deserve to look perfect naked.

6) In order to succeed in maintenance, I reckon it's also a very valuable exercise to test your feelings and levels of hunger on a scale of 1 to 10. With 10 being ready to eat the horse, 5 comfortably filled etc. Because the challenge remains on maintenance to only eat when you are hungry, and to only eat as long as you are hungry. Hunger will go away!

That's my 2 cents worth of knowledge. Feel free to correct me, add something etc.

Cheers

Katrin