Marc's Diary

Imfef · #1 16-01-2009, 03:03

A quick glance down the new members diary list and I can see I'm one of the rare variety on here. I'm male.
I haven't actually gone to the clinic yet but I've decided 100% to do this.
Quick background, I'll keep it short as possible so not to bore you all.
I'm 40, from UK. I guess I'm about 95kg, I've been scared to get on the scales for the first time in my life. I don't know what my ideal weight should be but I'm guessing around 75-80kg.
I used to play a lot of sport and felt that I never really needed to diet. I could eat and drink as much as I liked and work it off. However, the older I got this approach never really rang true. I used to be a rugby player at a decent standard, and have quite a broad frame and that has helped me hide my weight for a few years.
Not now. And that's why I've decided to try this.
The inspiration came from reading about Sundaymorningstaple's great success on another forum.
There are so many other motivations for joining this program but none more important than me becoming a father. I have a 5 month old son, but I hate having my photo taken with him, which is a really sad but true fact.
I hope to return here regularly to document my progress, talk about my experience, garner support from you guys - I'm impresssed with the support you give each other, and provide any motivation I can to others, if or when I reach my own goals.
I'm excited and scared at the same time. I don't think I really know what I'm in for. I guess I have to wait til I see the doctor and receive my program.
I've read all the websites and as many posts on the forum I've had time for.
There are a few contradictions: aren't you supposed to weigh yourself every 4 weeks? some do it every day, as far as I can make out. I would have thought the process of seeing the weight drop on a daily/weekly basis would highly motivating?
Anyway, if anyone has any tips, pre-appointment, it would great to hear.
Well, that wasn't such a short intro, so sorry for that.
I look forward to speaking to you all very soon.
All the best,
Marc

fair rose_za · #2 16-01-2009, 03:17

Hi Marc and Welcome

I reckon being a guy and all, you'l be at refeed in no time at all.

As for the weighing..it's personal i guess..I like seeing the daily/weekly drops in weight so i weigh everyday but i also know how frustrating and demotivating it can be to reach a plateau. If u've read some of the diaries you'd have seen how bad it can really be. To the point u'll feel if the effort is even worth it. So, if u can deal with those issues then u can weigh yourself how often you pls. Good luck

New Kel Coming · #3 16-01-2009, 04:54

Hi Marc,

Welcome to the lifestyle. I'm familiar with the idea of avoiding photo opportunities...

Let me tell you now from my vast 6 day experience on the program, the only time I'm feeling hungry is when I'm due for a meal. And then the meal satisfies! Drinking loads of water really helps too. I've found already that if I don't drink 3 litres, I only have a very minor loss. We gotta flush all that bad junk away!

I really like to see the daily result at this stage. Until I'm in the habit properly, and everything becomes second nature, I'm hopping on those scales every morning to see the results of yesterday. I might slow down once the program is ingrained, but for now, it's every morning.

Cheers and good luck.

Kel

Liddie · #4 16-01-2009, 06:10

Hi Marc

I'm also new here, but I've been on the diet a month. I know that makes me still a diet spring chicken but I can at least tell you this, it can be very enjoyable. Just be positive!

I haven't read the other replies to your post but if I'm repeating something I apologize in advance. As far as the weighing goes, I think they advice us (especially the ladies) not to weigh everyday as we go through different cycles. And as we approach THAT time of the month

we ladies retain more water than other times.

I've followed the advice to only weigh after 4 weeks and I came to the following conclusion:

1. It was a nice and unsuspected surprise to see how much weight I lost in a month and
2. It totally eliminated the normal diet stress of "yay I lost a kilo today" to only be followed by "oh no I haven't lost anything in 2 days, what did I do wrong?!"

Anyways, I do believe your mindset is the most important key to your dieting success and I wish you all the best!

Liddie

ConnieK.. · #5 16-01-2009, 10:45

Hey Marc,

As an addicted daily weigher I can honestly say ..... DONT DO IT .... it is motivating ... but as the body loses in cycles it is also demoralising and quite soul destroying when things don't move.

I weighed daily throughout and had days where I wanted to crawl back into bed and cry because I had gone up or stayed the same for no reason at all.

I wish you luck and welcome to the forum .... have fun!

Connie

Mette · #6 16-01-2009, 13:20

Welcome to the forum, Marc! You are one of the lucky ones, seeing as how guys lose a lot faster than girls (SO not fair!

) so you will be done and dusted in no time! The best advice I can give is simply do it 100% and your body and your health will thank you for it!

Good luck, I look forward to hearing more about your journey!

perthwoman · #7 16-01-2009, 16:51

Hi Marc,
welcome to the forum!
We will soon be very envious of you haha because men seem to lose it alot faster then us women but all in all in a few months time you'll be looking like a new person and you'll be WANTING photos taken!!
I hope u have a great wkend!

Annabelle Joy · #8 16-01-2009, 20:31

Good to see a few new men on here, Marc (and Kel). Welcome.

Have a look at my daily weighing chart here: . If you become despondent if you don't lose something, or your weight actually rises, daily weighing is not for you.

AJ

Caroline2009 · #9 17-01-2009, 15:56

Welcome, Marc.
All the best.

Caroline

sundaymorningstaple · #10 10-02-2009, 20:12

Hey Mark. Got your message on SingaporeExpats. Enjoy your Holiday in SA and once you get back it looks like you'll be off and running (or walking for the time being!

). You'll be down and dusted like Barczar in no time. And yeah, we're gonna have to catch up with him at the club were he's jamming on Thursday nights real soon. So looking for a March start from you!

Welcome aboard!

SMS

sussi · #11 11-02-2009, 00:01

Hi Marc

I thought I should say a quick hello, from another person who is about to start as well. I am off next week to get my program so it looks like we shall be taking this journey together. If your looking for inspiration for recipes have a look at lucylou's, connie's and babytimes recipes, opps also Andy's recipes, they have some truly great idea's so will never get bored of having the same thing. Don't forget that water and hope to see lots of photo's of you and your son soon

Cheers Sussi
From all the way down under

Daffodil · #12 11-02-2009, 02:57

Welcome Marc!

I am also a Cohens newby - I am just into my third week.

I can so identify with not wanting photos taken - its one of the sore points in my life. My son is 2 and if I go through all the photos its like I don't exist

But I am on my way to tons and tons of photo sessions with my son and I know you will be too.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Imfef · #13 08-03-2009, 06:25

Thank you to all of you for the warm welcomes and supportive messages.

I arrived back from my holiday on Friday and have been out to buy my scales, new tefal pan and food rations for the week. I start tomorrow. Chooosing a Sunday to start so that I'm in the groove by Monday.

Aiming to have my ticker up and working by end of play tomorrow.

So bye to the old me! This is it.

And good luck Sussi - I'll be looking out for you too as we're going to start around the same time!

Kohinoor · #14 08-03-2009, 07:19

Hi Marc,

Since you've been away, there have been a couple of changes. Read about one of them here:-

This was added so that blokes could more easily identify other blokes - as sometimes Usernames are no help at all (and even confusing...)

At the moment, you have been granted the "default gender" (set to female, to suit the majority). Note (in that link) Asy also requests you check your birthday while in your Profile.

Any probs, give me a Hoi and we'll sort it out,

Koh

PS The other change is detailed in the Announcement box at the top of every page....

Imfef · #15 09-03-2009, 06:00

I know I said I'd start today but hadn't found all the food stuff I needed, so Monday is as good a start date as any I suppose.

Planning to have a boiled egg on a rye cracker in the morning, I've packed my lunchbox which is a tuna salad, but unfortunately all the supermarkets that I've been to this weekend have run out of Low cal Mayo! That's a big disappointment because that would've made my lunch a whole lot better!

Anyway, I should be able to stomach that with celery, cucumber and chilli and wil work out a dressing at some stage - probably a spray of olive oil and lemon juice (forfeiting one of my fruit). Looking forward to very nice piece of fresh Tuna steak for tomorrow's dinner. I'll have that with tomato and mushrooms I think. A very Tunefishy first day, ah well.

Glad to be finally underway....almost.

Imfef · #16 10-03-2009, 03:19

Well that's the first day out the way!

Not too bad by all accounts: the hardest thing was drinking the water. I think I did two litres, but I find it hard. I had a water bottle with me all day and as advised have been sipping rather than gulping. Hopefully the watre drinking will get easier as I need to be having 3 litres.

I'm not so imaginative when it comes to the food and I spend a lot of time thinking about what to prepare for next days lunch. Tomorrow it will be simple chicken salad with a bit of balsamic vinegar.

I have flicked through some of the recipes and like the sound of the mango cvhicken curry. I will get round to trying them once I've found 1. Sprite Zero - hard to get in Singapore and 2. Low fat may - still cannot find it.

Anyway, tonight I had a great fresh tuna kebab. I cubed the tuna, and skewered it alternating with peppers, onions, chillies and mushrooms, sprinkled with balsamic. Then grilled. It was not bad at all!

Good luck to you all.

Marc

Imfef · #17 10-03-2009, 12:15

Okay, so I jumped on the scales this morning, and to my delight 1.5Kg lost in the first day!!! I know...probably just water loss or something and I'm not expecting to see this everyday, in fact I'm not going to weigh myself everyday, but just keen to see the first day's effects.

Had a pot of 0% fat Greek yogurt and a peach this morning and black coffee with touch of sweetener.

Have a good day folks!

Dedeemay · #18 10-03-2009, 16:46

Thats the way to go Marc!

Do try to mix things up a little so you don't get too Tuna'ed out!

The water is a bit of a struggle for me at times...i find having a bottle with me...and planning..ok I need to drink 1 litre by lunchtime, then another before dinner, and another after dinner...works the best for me....I am sure you will find a system that works for you too.

Sounds like you haven't had any probs with the dreaded detox as yet...good work!

A lot of the recipes are just great, really helps to keep things interesting.

Good luck to you!

Imfef · #19 10-03-2009, 19:26

Thanks for writing Dedeemay. You seem to be doing fantastically well, congrats!

So what is the dreaded Detox? Or shouldn't I ask?

Imfef · #20 11-03-2009, 11:58

Day 3.

Another 0.9kg lost this morning - that's 2.4kg in 2 days. How long can this impressive reduction keep up, I'm not sure. What I am sure is that I'm enjoying it! I managed 3 litres of water yesterday - the reason I managed that - I had no diet cokes to fill me up! Amazing, I think that could be a first.
Physically, I'm seeing a difference already - a tightening up around the waist - or at least not bloated as usual.

Had the beef stir friy last night - the veg shrunk to almost nothing but it was enjoyable! I had my last piece of fruit around half past nine (yellow Thai Mango) delicious. But I thn fell asleep within 30 mins, which i hadn't intended on.

Must remember to have the fruit before dinner in future.

Anyway, I'm encouraged so far.

Hope you all are doing well too! Have a great day.