Annabelle Joy's diary

[Annabelle Joy]

I’ve signed up and had my blood tests. I’m now waiting for my diet. I had hoped to start straight after New Year, but hadn’t allowed for people going on holiday. Maybe just as well to have a few extra days to return some hospitality before I start the diet. I figure that if things go well it’ll be six months before I can entertain again.

I’m quite nervous about this diet, but determined to give it my best effort. I’ve been dieting most of my life. Finally discovered with Atkins that if I stay clear of the high GI carbohydrates I can at least maintain my weight. Unfortunately, I love the high GI foods and once I get onto them I have difficulty getting back off them, and my weight skyrockets up. Christmas has been a disaster.

Usually I’m pretty good at sticking to a diet. Getting the incentive to actually start is a problem. Getting back onto it if I deviate for some reason (special event, or just a social occasion) is the other problem. I now have the incentive to get started on Cohen. Reading the forum posts has been a great help.

The other problems are related to my lifestyle. I do a bit of computer support work, mostly in people’s homes. Regular mealtimes can be difficult. I’m going to have to take water with me, and then I’ll be wanting to use their toilets. One day a week, sometimes more, I work in a winery. At the end of the day the owner and I have some wine and a chat. I like my wine! She’s already said to me “You’re not going to be much fun on a Tuesday.”

A couple of times a month I go out to lunch and to dinner (both with plenty of wine) with friends. That’s usually the only time I see them, so I don’t want to stop going. The dinners are to inexpensive ethnic restaurants, none of which will have food suitable for a Cohen diet. I might be able to eat at the restaurants with the lunch group if I’m careful. Every Friday evening my husband and I have champagne and seafood in our spa. Some days the work’s been difficult and demanding and I really look forward to a glass of wine or three when I arrive home.

So here’s what I’ve decided I need to do. All of this I decided before I found this forum. Not surprisingly, I see that others have had the same ideas.
a) I’ve decided that the only way to keep going is not to deviate – at all, ever – until I get to my target weight.
b) Pack lunch and plenty of water when I go out on a job. Or wait until I get home for late lunch and have a late dinner.
c) Eat before I go to the ethnic restaurants, and just drink mineral water there.
d) Take lunch and drink mineral water at the winery.
e) Prawns (weighed), salad and mineral water in the spa.
f) If I get invited out elsewhere I’m going to either take my meal with me or eat before I go and drink water while I’m there. I’ve taken note of comments in the forum about others not appreciating dieters who do that. I remember having similar feelings when my sister-in-law brought her own special food after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
g) I’ll start telling people that it’s doctor prescribed. I haven’t really done that yet, I’ll wait until I receive my personal diet.
h) I don’t have too much problem drinking water, but when I get busy I don’t get round to it. I’m going to put the water in bottles at the start of the day, and make sure I get my quota each day. I’m thinking of buying a water filtering system to get really clean water. Has anyone done that?
i) If I can see the results I hope I can stick with it. My husband (who can eat and drink whatever he likes, and does, without gaining) is a big help and support.
j) I’m telling everyone I know. That’s an incentive to stick with it. I don’t like failing.
k) I’ve noted that lots of you weigh the food and put it into bags. Sounds like a good idea.
Any additional advice would be most welcome, and please let me know if you think I’m taking the wrong approach on anything.

I’m thinking of going onto Atkins for a couple of days before starting Cohen in the hope that I might avoid the hunger. Pure protein, but as much as I like for a couple of days and I shouldn’t feel hungry when I start Cohen. Any thoughts from anyone who’s tried both?

I’m really pleased I found this forum. It’s great to see how successful you’ve all been, and to know that I can get advice and support from people who’ve been though it when things get tough.

Annabelle Joy