Scared to go beyond refeed.

[TheGoldBelt]

I'm on day 7 of the refeed and doing pretty well. My upper limit is 117lbs and on day 5 I dropped down to 115.6 but during the night I weighed myself before bed and I weighed at 124lbs!!!! I freaked out about the weight gain. Like I seriously prayed to every single thing that can be worshiped to let me lose the weight and not make me go back 2 days because I wanted my refeeding to go smoothly. I woke up to 117.2lbs the next day. I still freaked out. I'm blaming it on water retention due to my upcoming period.

So anyway, I started researching on Cohen's and life after it and all I've seen are how most people just gained all the weight back and this scares me and makes me sad. I'm so scared to go beyond refeeding. I saw that some people's metabolism just couldn't handle normal food even though they were exercising already and eating less. What's up with that?

To the people who gained weight after Cohen's: Please, tell me your lifestyle. Did you eat more? Which foods did you indulge in? Did you exercise? How long until you gained weight again?

I am totally freaking out.

[Blommie]

Hi there Goldbelt and well done on reaching refeed. How long is your refeed period? I would strongly sugges that you start a refeed diary for yourself in the Refeed diary section in order for all of us to you on http://newyouforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=60
I am on day 20 of refeed and I do believe what you are feeling is felt by most people during refeed. Espesially if we suddenlty pick up weight after following our program to the T! Just trust your program like you have done for the full journey. The whole purpose of refeed is to see what your body does with the new food. A number of things might be impacting your weight gain and TOM will def play a big role. For you to go back 2 days you will have had to gain more than 3 lb. This gain is from the previous days weight and not your starting weight on refeed.
See the funny thing is that you will hardly read about success stories when Googling people in life after Dr Cohen. Most people who are successfully keeping of their weight hardly post about it and just go on with their lifes. People who do NOT follow the principles as provided by the clinic and then pick up weight is quick to point out that the program doesnt work. They need to blame something for the gain and not willling to acknoledge that it was their own fault. That is why this Forum is such an amazing place. There are so many examples of people who successfully kept of their weight and some who show us what to do if you do pick up a couple of pounds. Have a look at the Maintenence diary section. Viva for example finished Refeed a couple of weeks ago and a good person to have a read through. JayCee, Clairebelle, Busybee and Ciors are also excellent examples http://newyouforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=62
Just trust in yourself

[jessy]

Hi Gold Belt

I am so happy you have asked this question, I just had the same conversation with my worker this morning.....I think it does come down to choices.....maintenance is another extension of the program, and we are given guide lines and the tools to maintain. Fee just got back from the States and maintained really well

Wonder if Koh would be able to shed some light on the subject as has a more objective view ( I feel )

[JayCee]

I think Blommie summed it up pretty good - it is usually only the bad that we read about. There are many many successes out there, we just don't hear a lot about them.

But what is success? To me it is not just maintaining, but knowing when to break out the tool kit to do some repairs; it is not giving up.

I am one of those who did not do a great job in the first 6 months in maintenance, but I still call where I am a success. I pulled myself up. I am addressing those mental issues that have been holding me back. And most importantly I have never given up.

Blommie gave you a couple of diaries to look at, I'd like to add a couple more: SlimK does a great job and is balancing life and maintenance really well. Collie who is one of the busiest ladies I know has the best attitude and is doing a cracking job. But look also at Winterboots who always pops back onto the forum to check in; a great lady who is managing to balance through trial and feedback.

Honestly, there is no need to be worried about maintenance. You will have the tools. You have already got a lot of knowledge. And you will always have the support of the forum. Take a deep breath and concentrate on the now. One day at a time. One step at a time.

[KerryW]

Yip I think everyone probably freaks out a bit coming off refeed. I think the important thing to remember is that when we started this programme it was about a lifestyle change, so really the programme doesn't really end just because refeed is finished. For me, I am totally satisfied with the food I have been having on refeed and will continue to follow refeed guidelines. I like the food, so I will continue to eat it. I will probably even continue to weigh my food lol. But I also won't get in a tiz if I go out for a meal etc and I can't weight etc. They will be the treats I allow myself, and the rest of the time it will be as Dr Cohen has taught us You will be fine...we are all here for support

[Almost Eden]

You're a winner...hugs

AE

[TheGoldBelt]

Hi Blommmie! Thank you for the reply. My reeding is 15 days long. I'm on my 8th day today and this morning I was 116.5lbs. I have been browsing through diaries and just a bit shy to start one myself! Afraid that I may not be able to update it as often. I really have been freaking out about gaining. Lol. It's crazy!

Google is an evil thing sometimes. As they say, you really can't believe everything you read on the internet. Some may just want to put the program down because they don't want to blame their own mistakes. Thank you for reminding me about that. It's just that I know some people who have finished the program and they're just gaining and gaining and gaining. It just makes me think I need to eat Cohen food forever. Lol Thank you so much for the support. I will check those out.

Jessy, hello! Yeah, I've been having this conversation with a friend of mine as well because we saw someone who was doing Cohen as well and he's finished with the program but now he's gained it back. I'm just scared that the "normal" kinds of foods wont agree with my body and would cause me to gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain big time. The other day weight gain was just traumatic for me. LOL It really was. Thank you so much for the reply.

JayCee, thank you for that. I guess I really just got scared that going back 2 days because of the weight gain would mean that I would gain forever and ever and ever. A bit paranoid now, I think. Lol And you ARE a success, congratulations! I will check those diaries out too. I just needed some assurance that if I do this right, all will be well. I've just seen too many negative things about life after Cohen online. It stressed me out!

KerryW, I actually am satisfied with the refeed food as well! I don't mind eating it everyday. Actually, since the portions get bigger and bigger, I notice I get more energy but maaaannn, those are huge portions! Lol I'm still on day 8 and whenever I browse to like day 10 onwards, I feel my tummy get bigger already from all the food I need to finish! Lol It just makes me sad I need to take out pineapple soon. No more good fruits. Also, I can't wait to eat out without panicking over not being able to weigh my food or not have something to eat!


Thank you all for your kind replies and words of encouragement! I shall take this one day at a time. Good luck to all your journeys as well. We can do this!

[KerryW]

Don't worry if you can't update everyday TheGoldBelt, I can be a bit sporadic, just depends how much time I have (which isn't much sometimes). I don't list everything I ate, but it's nice knowing others are their to bounce questions off and just chat with

[Kohinoor]

Hi GB,

To the people who gained weight after Cohen's: Please, tell me your lifestyle. Did you eat more? Which foods did you indulge in? Did you exercise? How long until you gained weight again?

Welcome here - and great that you have asked such questions. Wehave many with us who can shed a lot of light on this (as you have already found)...

It just makes me think I need to eat Cohen food forever. Lol

Umm, and why not? See, if you feel WAY better than you have in years, have shed all of the weight you wanted to shed, and are looking great, WHY would you want to return to foods that can re-start the "fat factory"?

Main thing is, learn from the Refeed - take notes of which meals you ate on the day before you gained (and sometimes two days). These can be warning signs for your future. e.g. if you gain in days after having bread, leave bread out and just eat crackers to watch what happens.

And, when entering Maintenance, take "baby steps" !! Treat maintenance as an extension of Refeed by "trying" other foods (one at a time, about 3 days apart) and watch what happens. Some might have you bloat, some might generate "wind", and some might have you retain water, etc. Learn what these foods do, and leave them alone for a while.

If you WANT to retain this new slim body, it CAN be done. We have some "old regulars" popping in from time to time to let us know how they are travelling. And, as someone said - those that have succeeded often don't come on back, as they are "moving on the next challenge", or just living their lives as Normal people.

Search for Little_Miss - she shared a great story just a few weeks ago....

Koh

[TheGoldBelt]

Kohinoor, nothing wrong with it. It's just that, I cannot bring my Cohen prepared food every single time I'm out. Not anymore. That's the part I hated about Cohen. The need to bring food everywhere and eat it in restaurants with people I'm with or somewhere. I just miss being able to have the option to eat where I am at. Reasonable and not fatty food of course. Cohen food takes time to prepare and I'm approaching a time in my life when I won't have as much time as I do now to do all these things. I was just curious as to how other people's eating habits were after Cohen. Eating out and stuff! Thanks for the reply!

[Kohinoor]

Hi GB,

It's just that, I cannot bring my Cohen prepared food every single time I'm out. Not anymore.

Ah, OK - then the maintenance guidelines should give you some hope re that...

I'm not sure just WHEN you receive those - whether you get them when you pick up your Refeed, or when you complete it.

So, you may, or may not, have these yet. Others can confirm just when they received theirs....

What I do recall is that there are "ways" to be able to eat out without taking your own meal, and without putting yourself at undue risk. Once you have them (the guidelines), I reckon it will put your mind at ease somewhat (or maybe after you have lived through a few such meals with little/no ill-effect)

Rock on GB,

Koh

[TheGoldBelt]

Thank you Koh!!!