Peter 14.7 Diary : new me started 27 Feb 07

[Swannee]

Hey Peter, Have been reading your posts, as I have been away a while, just wanted to say I agree with you that this is not about who looses the most and completes refeed to perfection, this is about what you have achieved and learnt along the way and your health is always the important bottom line no matter what. Lets face it at some point we have to be brave and face the real world again of social living etc. as long as we take what we have learnt and eat what we now know is good for us, then hopefully we can enjoy life and just feel like one of the "normal"?? people, instead of being in the overweight class!! Go forth and prosper, Peter, you have not given up,you have succeeded and you have rejoined the real world!! Congratulations!!!!

[Peter 14.7]

Thanks Guys. I appreciate this support.

The real works is a challenge. Especially being interstate on business but I am doing ok. FYI Weight has plateued and I am doing more exercise and weights so I will reweigh in a week and see how I go Body Fat wise. Felling healthy and still getting heaps of good comments.

Peter

[Peter 14.7]

Hello Everyone

Well last post was “I am on a break” but that is over so I thought you may like an update.

Well I have settled around 85kg so a gain of 8kg from my lowest weight of 77kg.
Yes I have podge tummy but I still fit into my size 34 clothes and in fact some fit better. Is this bad. Well it is not 112kg or 98kg even 90kg so I look healthy and slim. As a male I noticed when I came of Cohens I put muscle bulk on my arms, legs, shoulders, etc..so Body Fat is up 3% so that is about half the gain.

I, my wife and cohens counsellor have been talking and we all agree the 77kg I got down to was too low. My body probably could have stayed there but I had not muscle and was pretty lean. Essentially I was weak. With the work I do, which can be physical it was too low without having muscle mass. But you cannot grow muscle on Cohens so it is catch 22.

Thus I have pretty much decided to as follows:

• diet on the original program down to 82kg and not the body fat on the scales.
• move directly to refeed last day system and then do weights, exercise etc.. as normal
• monitor my body fat not weight and see how I feel.
• If I feel good and strong etc.. CONSIDER 80kg

I also taken time to understand why I failed after the diet but cruised on the diet?

My conclusion is it perfectionist in me and my social norms.

Clear goals are clear to follow. Having the right to decide makes it hard when each day is unknown. When I bend the rules I went all the way and argue to myself well tomorrow I will be good. When I stayed pure I never wanted to break the perfect day with even a gram of extra spinach.

Such as if I coffee with one client for morning tea and their is food, do I snack and avoid lunch later with staff. What about early starts? Do I join staff in brekkie on the run when we work weekend (usually I shout the team)? On the diet they respected my decision but now they are confused. Does Peter eat? I saw him eat normal last night. Why won’t he eat with me?

So I have to recognise that I am a:

• social eater: I like to eat to excess with friends the same way others like to drink to excess with friends. Secret: recognise this weakness
• binge eater: I can eat too much of the wrong stuff because I don’t feel full - the key is protein in every meal. A sandwich is no good for me. Secret: don do this.
• 40 year old going 41 and I cannot over eat
• Hate Wastage eater: I don’t like to see waste so I finish plates even if full to not waste the food. Secret: order less or know the sizes of the order by asking.
• stress eater: I can eat too much when I and too busy as a treat to alleviate my stress, like drugs to chill out

Some of this seems silly, even to me. But I have thought about and realised that I was brought up pretty poor and food on the table was not to be wasted. As well if you visited someone and they offered food it was very offensive to refuse. Lastly my dad was a manual worker and hence he ate big meals. I am not but family and my self still think, better have a good brekkie I could need to chop some trees, etc.. Which I don’t do. I work a desktop.

Now that my blood tests have come back clear and I have had some hard thinking I have decided to take responsibility for the above and accept my weaknesses.

So as this website diary helped so much, I have decided to continue to use it as my own sounding board for my thoughts and actions. If those reading learn some as well then that is a bonus.

Laslty, I am going to modify my ticker to my new goals and work to that.

So, happy to be back, regards to all Peter

[Melissa]

It great to see you back Peter14.7 and its also good to see you have broken your own rod by arriving at conclusions regarding your food choices.

Thanks for keeping us up to date with whats happening and hope you are well.

Melissa

[asy]

Good to see you back, Peter.

Also good to see you've come to understand your body and wonts... I know that's the most difficult part of it all.

asy

[minime]

Hey Peter,

Good to hear from you. You are always very insightful in your entries.

So it's been a bit of a bumpy ride for you these last few months. I think it's fantastic that you look so completely into every aspect of what you are doing. You will be able to take this knowledge with you long after Cohens is finished.

All the best with this next step.

Cheers
MiniMe

[Ecogirl]

Hey Peter
What a great post - very inciteful and you are doing what I think is necessary to change a lifetime of eating habits and to maintain the new you. Without reflection you will do what you used to do unconsciously and end up where you were at the beginning.

great to hear that you are well.
Amanda

[Peter 14.7]

Hey Girls

Your posts are very, very welcome and it feels good to be back.

Will keep in touch and as time allows ,check your diaries and threads out as well.

Kind wishes, Peter.

[baloo]

I was going to say "I Win" but I thought I better not.

Welcome back Peter. I can tell you that being able to complete and say "finished" is a very satisfying and proud moment. You'll be glad you did it.

[Peter 14.7]

You win? Still 1.2kg to go I see. Ain't over yet.....Peter

[baloo]

Don't believe everything you see Peter

it was a target of 80. I hit that already and lowered it to 78.3 for the refeed process as I'd love to touch that. but my cut off goal of 80 has been done.

Equate it to I have finished the race, now I'm on the warm down lap

[Kristine..]

Originally Posted by Peter 14.7

So I have to recognise that I am a:

• social eater: I like to eat to excess with friends the same way others like to drink to excess with friends. Secret: recognise this weakness
• binge eater: I can eat too much of the wrong stuff because I don’t feel full - the key is protein in every meal. A sandwich is no good for me. Secret: don do this.
• 40 year old going 41 and I cannot over eat
• Hate Wastage eater: I don’t like to see waste so I finish plates even if full to not waste the food. Secret: order less or know the sizes of the order by asking.
• stress eater: I can eat too much when I and too busy as a treat to alleviate my stress, like drugs to chill out

Hi Peter

Interesting to note that you do not consider yourself a 'hungry' eater. It is all social / emotional stuff which triggers your eating.

I miss being hungry. I still do not experience hunger. The last time I felt hungry was in February, 2006 (sigh). I probably wasn't hungry then, either, but ate through habit and simply because I could.

Now, I value this slimness too much to force feed myself, but more importantly I simply do not get hungry.

With out hunger, there is no appetite. I put food on my plate, and it's always as if I am struggling to finish an overly large meal - and this is any meal, any time.

I am still eating protein three times each day, and in sufficient quantities to inhibit insulin and to release serotonin. My weight is stable - I am not losing nor gaining - and everything is steady. I have had to get excitement from other areas of my life, and not from just stuffing myself full of food.

So next time, before you start stuffing, just put your mind in your stomach for a few seconds and ask your stomach if it is hungry. I'll bet you find that it is not. As a recovering obesiac you cannot afford to swing backwards and forwards in how and what you eat. Remember what you have learned and more importantly, remember what it was like to be obese. Not a good look, not a good life.

Never mind the staff, they will get over it. Just because someone else is eating is no reason why you should, too. You must make a few decisions about this for yourself.

You have done amazingly well. You have every right to be very proud of yourself. Don't let this slimness just be an interlude between periods of obesity.

Cheers

Kristine

[minime]

Hey Peter,

You once told me not to worry about what others thought of my eating habits. That I was losing weight for me - not them. I couldn't give a rats about all the fattening morning teas, lunches, nibbles, dinners and drinks my workplace have on offer. I'm sure people think I am quite unsocial on that level - but while they are stuffing their faces on cakes, chocolates, lollies and the like, I'm happily sipping my water, eating my saladas and losing weight and not having to worry about what I'm going to eat next to account for the crap that I just put into my body. The worry of 'well now that I've eaten that I may as well just blow the rest of the day and start again to tomorrow' (the tomorow that never comes!!) You need to continue on with the food plan with your next meal. Not blow the whole day on account of one misdemeanour.

There are a couple of blokes, shall we say, 'on a diet' at the moment. They play footy on the weekends and they are wanting to shift a few kgs. Funny thing is that they are the prime suspects of always raiding the lolly jar. Or snacking on 'healthy' museli bars and rice snacks. And trying to sabotage my efforts.

Food is not what makes you a good friend. You can still have a good time with friends without putting crap into your mouth. Be more concerned with what comes out of it.

Waste belongs in the bin. Or do you consider yourself to be full of rubbish?

As for stress eating - I had a really stressful week at work and chocolate was in abundance around me. I so desperately wanted to 'treat' myself. My strength prevailed and I got my 'fix' by getting on with it and achieving what needed to be done. Instead of eating too much when stressed, go for a walk, take a break - usually the reason we turn to food is because it is something to get up and do to take your mind off things for a while. Not that you are hungry and that food will make you feel better. It's the 5 or 10 minutes break you take to prepare and eat it.

So now that you recognise your eating habits - understanding why is the key to future success of not falling back into bad habits.

Maybe it is a good thing for us girls that it takes us longer to complete the program - as my clinic explained to me - the longer you are on the program the more likely you are to succeed with mainaining your new body because you learn to develop new habits. That is why the recommend that you reach the goal set by Dr Cohen. If you are in it just for the quick weight loss then you are less likely to create the new lifestyle and just revert back to your old ways......

Any way just some 'food for thought'

Cheers
MiniMe

[Peter 14.7]

Wow, thankyou Minime and Kristine for such detailed and caring posts.

I know how much time these take to form so I will consider your thoughts and take the same time to reply.

Sorry about being absent of late with travel, investments, expansion of company, etc...

Regards, Peter

[pandora]

Hi Peter, I am fairly new to the forum so i am only now reading thru your journey. I particularly enjoyed when you "came Back" end August? i think and you summarised what you recognise about your eating / social habits. Enjoyed may not be the correct word but what i mean is i find this personal inventory you have done very valuable and i have copied out your comments for future reference, thank you.

Then, I also read (among others of course!) Kristine's comments. Music to my ears and i so hope i have the same experience as Kristine as she states she has not actually been hungry since Feb 2006! I have paid a lot of money "out there" on diet programs, books, seminars, etc for just that experience. I have in the past envied people like my dad and my husband who eat almost out of some sort of duty to their bodies and never had the cravings i had pre Cohens. So i have also copied Kristine's comments re continuing with protein 3 times a day to keep the hormones balanced. Thank you both for priceless advice.

I look forward to your ongoing updates. Pandora

[Peter 14.7]

Hello All

I am somewhat surprised and en-heartened by the many people here at newyou who are following my story. I guess my honesty means you all know the facts, both pretty and ugly are there to learn from.

So I have assessed my situation and decided I simply need to go back on the program 100%, do refeed and finish what I started. NO half measures, no factor in muscle etc.. simply get back to the basics.

This morning I made the commitment. So I weigh 88kg flat. Body Fat is 25.1%. I feel tight all over and I am 6kg over a comfortable weight.

It is actually very liberating and relieving to be 100% committed again as I find being 80% committed confusing and prone to activating my triggers. I know the diet so well, I can follow it easier than when not one it.

So I think when finished I need to learn a post diet regime and stick with that.

Anyhow, will post my usual daily updates .

Good to be back, Peter

[Debs]

HI Peter

Congratulations on your re commitment to Cohens....

I'm sure that you will find the success that you did last time.. hopefully without the medical emergency this time.

I look forward to your posts and thank you for all your encouragement and inspiration already!

Debs

[Peter 14.7]

Cohen Date:W0 D1 Monday 17th September
Today's Weight: 88.0kg (+10.0kg from lowest point)
Body Fat: 25.1% (+3.4% from lowest point)
Body Hydration: 54.6% (-2.5% from highest point)

Breakfast: 9:10am Yoghurt
Snack: 11:30am 2 Cracker
Lunch: 2:45pm Steak with Veg & 1 cracker
Snack: 5pm Apple
Dinner: 7:15pm Mushroom with Cheese & Crackers
Supper: 8:30pm Apple
Fluids: 3 decaf coffee, 1 black tea, 1.5 litre water
Deviations: Under 5 hours to dinner and not enough water

Welcome Back. It feels good to be noting my world again. As you can see I have gained 10kg of which (if you believe the Body Fat factor) around 3kg of the 10kg is fat. SO my goal is to lose the 3kg but keep the muscle.

Amazing the mindset change I have when on the diet. Only 15 minutes ago my wife offered it I wanted a homemade Danish as she was having one. I said no. If I was not on the diet but being good I would have said, yes because she made them and it was moment together whilst daughter was asleep.

All or nothing is my strength and weakness.

Time for shop to stock up for tonight.

Peter 14.7

[Melissa]

Hi Peter 14.7,

Good to hear you are well and now back here for the final hundred metres.

10kgs will be such an easy ride after all that you did before you will be finished before you know it. Home made danish will have to wait for special occasions or maybe if your wife makes them often you could take pleasure in knowing that she will enjoy them.

Well done for coming back before your weight got too out of hand. It will be interesting to see how long it takes.

Melissa

[Peter 14.7]

Cohen Date:W0 D2 Tuesday 18th September
Today's Weight: 85.8kg (-2.2.kg)
Body Fat: 24.4% (-0.7%)
Body Hydration: 55.1.6% (+0.5%)

Breakfast: 8:30am Yoghurt with ½ Apple
Snack: 11:00am 2 Cracker
Lunch: 1:45pm Chicken Veg Stir Fry with 2 cracker
Snack: 5pmApple
Dinner: 7:30 Baked Fish & Veg with 2 Crackers
Supper: Orange
Fluids: 3 decaf coffee, 1.5 litre water
Deviations: Extra ½ Apple, not enough water

With only one day back I am not getting too excited about the 2.2kg loss. Much must be water due to salt retention. Boy the average food must have a lot of salt. The loss seems too big so tomorrow is the test.

At this stage I will start refeed at 82kg with the plan to end at 80kg as per ticker. I have decided to not get anal about deviations due to travel and my daughter 2 year old birth day this Sunday. That what stuffed me last item with the collapse so I have accepted my lifestyle does not allow 100% pure and that 90% on the occasional day is ok. If not, I will fail again.

Peter 14.7