Senior Citz - Not The First Time Around!

[Kristine..]

G'Day

OK, so here I am again for the Third Time!

I do not see this as a problem with the program.

I see this as what happens to us – we realise that we are obese, not happy about it, maybe try a few different ‘diets’ over the years, come across Cohen’s and bingo! Not only lose weight, but achieve our Ideal Weight, and swan off into the sunset never to be heard of again.

Right?

Wrong!

What happens, of course, is Life.

And, remember, we now have all those trillions of fat cells, sitting there empty, just waiting for the opportunity to plump up again. We never lose them, and once there they will always be there!

It took me twelve years to put on 28 kilos, but then only 5 months to put on 15 kilos in 2008 (in UK, not a good time for me), and since stopping smoking – and I was already bumping around 68 – 70 kilos depending on the weather – 8 weeks to put on 8 kilos in 2011!

So I am back for the third time with this wonderful program

Aiming to lose 15 kilos – which I will, by Cup Day (first week in November).


So if you are Second, or Third Time Around, and have achieved Goal Weight previously, but are now actually back on the program (as distinct from a sprint or a bit of a tidy up), it may be interesting to share our experiences

Not just me, but my family is also more familiar with Cohen’s but that’s another post.

Any takers?

Cheers
Kristine

[pandora]

I love it Kristine and thank you for starting this! You are so right, what happens? Life! The last 12 months of my life have been extraordinary! My husband and i bought a business he successfully built up over 20 years and its been a bit of a rags to riches tale! Only downside of that, i was thrown in at the deep end, now work part time but every day running one of the businesses so from bored housewife to boss!

All of that has taken its toll on my body with on again off again diets, too much wine to "relax" and my weight and muffin top put on hold until i have time for me! But, there is never really a right time - its that old adage in fact, one day at a time, just for today, do my very best and as we know Cohens sure does roll out the red carpet with fast weight loss, loose clothes, almost instant obvious results, i crave that feeling of personal self discipline!

Lets see who joins us! Pandora

[missparker]

I am third time lucky as well - welcome back!! Have been back on the program now for 4 weeks as of today. It takes a bit of a hit for me on the social life but it works so I can't complain and the social life goes into the cupboard for a few months.

Welcome back!!

[carrieanne_c]

i am in I am almost a week back on plan, trying to whittle away a few kilos inorder to start refeed at 65k.It has been up and down for me since 5 months after starting maintenance but I feel really focused lets see how us old agers do.

[BoxingKanga]

Hi there,

Im starting for 3rd time also, first time i lost 25 kilos and stopped before i got to goal weight, then 2nd time lost 15 and stopped again. Only one to blame is myself. Just at the point now where im sick and tired of being fat and tired! Anyway im doing a "weening off carbs" for one week (like i did last 2 times on Cohens) then FULL, no deviation, Cohens ONLY eating plan/treatment from next Monday. I will post back next monday with start weight and stats.

Cheers guys, nice to be here.

LETS DO THIS!

[thenewvee]

I'm with you guys!
No more excuses for me.

Vee

[Kristine..]

Great! A happy crew of grizzled sea-persons

Or should that be C-persons?

(oh, dear!)

As the Senior Citz of this process, we have a lot to share

Given that we have all done this before, the 'fire in the belly' burns in the coals, not in the flames

My experiences:

C#1: Extremely pedantic about what I could eat - in 25 weeks I think there were only 3 deviations, all deliberate such as Wedding Anniversary, 56th Birthday - actually, that was probably it: Two deviations in six months! Not bad, take a bow!

But I didn't get the hang of refeed, that confused the daylights out of me, nonetheless I maintained the weight easily and was rather smug about it all

C#2: Different time of year, started in October so there were a few functions in the lead up to Christmas, and Christmas itself, but I still managed to stick to the program for most of the time and maintained that weight, too, within reasonable limits for a year - eighteen months

I got the knack of refeed doing it the second time, and it was then great fun and I actually enjoyed that part of the program a lot more.

So how am I doing with C#3?

First week, lunch out with friends. I had planned for this when I decided to start. There will never be a perfect week - I don't expect to leave the house this week until Saturday (I work from home) so this week should be deviation free until then, when there is dinner with a very dear friend who is a great cook and also a great hostess. Dinner is likely to be rare roast beef with a tossed salad so that I am able to enjoy her cooking without it causing me problems!

I intend to adhere to the program to the best of my ability and this will mean probably a 98% compliance rate. The other 2% I will just live with.

What are you doing differently now that you didn't do before? Eating now that you didn't on the previous runs? Are you more strict or more lenient with yourself now - and I don't mean deviating more, just your own attitude towards yourself

I know that I will achieve goal weight in the week that I have decided to achieve it. What have you decided to do?


Cheers
Kristine

[missparker]

From my perspective I'm not as stick as I was the first time around. When I did my program the first time you were only allowed caffine free diet coke but now (and it's allowed now) I have diet coke. I've also been to dinners with friends and had the odd glass of wine but still stuck to my program and wine doesn't impact my weight so I guess I'm lucky in that regard. At the start of the program I used to also have the odd piece of dark chocolate which also didn't effect my weight but have stopped that for now. I'm being super strict at the moment cause I just want to get back into the 60's - that means no wine or chocolate

Other than that I've been pretty good.

The first time I did the program I lost 15.5 kgs but messed up my refeed completely. I kept the weight off for a year or so and it slowly crept up on me. Also last time I got right down near my Cohen's goal weight but to be honest I was just as happy being 65kg so that is my goal for now.

Good luck with it all!!

[battler]

Did you ladies start doing your old program or did you re-join and get a new program?
If you did start a "new" program, how much did it differ from the first?
Just curious

[Bronwyn1955]

HI all

I am back for the 2nd time, but when I read my diary through again its like I have tried to get back on the wagon more. So anyway back on from Friday this week. Had blood tests today. The first time I lost 25 kgs in 6 months. I didnt get to my goal weight which was to lose anohter 5kgs (dum). I just lost my way, drinking and eating again thinking I would be ok but naturally we all know thats not true.

This time I need to lose 24kg to goal. I just hope it doesnt take me 6 months again. I was very slow loser even though in that 6 months I never deviated. Might be an age thing. I kept the weight off for 6 months then bang on it crept. Its funny you put on 2 or 3kg and think oh thats ok and then youve put on 6kg, etc, etc, so its not ok to think that. I should have jumped straight back on plan.

Battler I have bought a new plan as they said mine was too old. I dont pick it up till tomorrow so will let you know how different it is. Mind you if I had of finished and got refeed plan I wouldnt have bought a new one!

Good luck everyone, we know all the rules and tricks so its up to us.

Cheers Bron

[carrieanne_c]

I am using my old program!It is working fine. I am even less hungry than the first time!I farted around all last year trying plan for a couple weeks, trying refeed weights and eyeballing for like 5 weeks but this year in april I went back on strict plan for a month, then went to the states and strayed gained 3k came back and got back on plan and I am more focused.

[missparker]

I am also using my old plan and it's working the same as it did the first time around so I'm pleased!

[thenewvee]

I'll be using my old plan because I have a refeed to go with it, so I can do the whole thing.

Vee

[carrieanne_c]

I guess the trick to reusing an old plan is getting the hormones as screwed up as they were when you started,lol.

[Bronwyn1955]

I just picked up my new plan and its a lot different to old plan. More choices of meals (not food thats still the same) and more protein, less veg in most. She said our blood profile changes thats why the difference.

[thenewvee]

hahahahaha Carrieanne, judging by all the weight I've put back on, I'll say I've achieved that!

[Kristine..]

Hello Everyone

Thanks for joining the thread

I am using my original program. Yes, I appreciate that I am a different person than I was in January, 2006 - for one thing, I am five years older (but, it seems, none the wiser!), but so far it is working quite well for me.

I am intrigued to see that the first week’s drop was not as significant as in C#1 and C#2. Perhaps I don’t eat as much rubbish as I think that I do.

C#1 I was very strict, very diligent. I used no cooking sprays or seasonings except, for some strange reason, dried oregano. Had never used it before and could not guess how old it was, but I started using it and used it all the way through the program.

After reefed, I never used it again, until C#2, when out came the dried oregano for nearly every red meat meal!

C#1 I used apple cider vinegar, which was too sharp for my taste, and balsamic which I liked only when casseroling red meat

C#2 I discovered white wine vinegar, which is delicious, and started using balsamic and mustard powder to marinate meat prior to wok frying.

I also used cooking spray and herbs and spices with almost every meal except, of course, yoghurt!

Weight loss was somewhat slower with C#2 than with C#1 and this was probably due to my craving for spicy food. I was more adventurous with C#2, trying to make muffins and other baked versions of things.

However, with C#3 my taste has changed again. It’s winter, plus I now, despite using Sensodene, have sensitive teeth (probably the mouth still adjusting from not smoking) so have no interest in eating cold salads. The Household has also changed.

C#1 was a full house. Mike, me, three strapping teenagers plus their friends and squeezes made for a full house with lots of knees under the table. Mike does all the family cooking and I cooked my meals separately although always sat at table with fruit or crispbread and water even if my timing was out to share a meal with them

C#2 the household had shrunk a little, I still ate according to the 5 hour requirement

C#3 and we are now Empty Nesters. I am cooking for me, but it seems rude to not offer to cook for Mike, so I am doing that but finding it hard to get the quantities right when cooking a standard meal for one person.

Mike took over the household shopping and cooking when I bought a child care centre, back in 1989 so for me to be cooking for him now is a bit of a turn around and we are both adjusting to how I think food should taste. Mind you, I have said ‘Thank you, Dear, that looks lovely’ for 22 years and eaten whatever was put in front of me, but Mike is so used to planning and shopping and cooking for what he wants to eat that he is a bit like a fish out of water. But we will adjust

So here I am, now wanting a bit of spice and a bit of this and that, and the last two days have felt so without any hunger at all that I know that the program has now settled in.

We need to eat remarkably little provided that it is the right food. The program seems to be the right food for me and I am starting to feel quite good. Hopefully by 05/10/2011 I will not only be at my first Goal Weight of 65 kilos (well, I know that I will be) but that the sensitive teeth will have settled down and the remaining vestiges of my career as a smoker will have left the system.

My next personal goal would be to get my eyes done, if possible. We are eventually moving close to the beach and I want to be able to beon the beach or in the water without having to wear prescription goggles. With my new, slim body I will look great in ‘board shorts’ and the goggles may otherwise spoil the look!!

So C#3 on Program #1 seems to be doing just fine and in fact, apart from the occasional diversion for variation such as roast lamb or pork with plum sauce, I reckon the Cohen’s Food Groups are the right types of foods to be eating all the time, not just when wanting to lose weight.

Some of my observations about changing patterns across the years. All these things influence us 'Like The Sand Through An Hour Glass, These Are The Days Of Our Lives' Remember that soapie? Great stuff!!

Cheers
Kristine

[hexi2]

I am a senior citizen alright lol....

I have 2 programs one from 2007 and one in 2009, I am just going with my second one which works a treat so far...

This time around I am not as 'anal' not sure whether that is a good thing or not but overall I am blessed that the obsession and binges cycle have been greatly reduced in the last 12 months. I also find that self-love is important. First time at goal with cohens program one was such a shock to my whole core...

There was much self work I needed to do which included dealing with demons from my past, my childhood and my patterns in life. I have done the big stuff there since July last year but its a constant retraining of the brain to love one self and change thoughts into positives.

So over the past 9 months my weight has been stable - First time in at least 5 years (yo yo - binge) and that is such a winning thing for me. I am much more relaxed in who I am and above all that is the biggest gift I have learned with Cohens....to get to know who I really am - the real me without the fat protection and distraction around me and it has been fascinating! The weight is just a secondary bonus to that!

[Kristine..]

Hi hexi

Thanks for that post. Self love, self acceptance, are perhaps the key ingredients for a happy life. If we are not happy with our own self, we can never be happy with anyone else – partner, parents, children, workmates, neighbours etc the list goes on

It all comes back to us.

But eating is not like eg smoking, which is an optional extra. We all do have to eat, we are encouraged to eat and praised for eating, it is a difficult pattern to change

So this is your third time, my third time: I have a greater understanding of the program and of my own motivations this time than previously, also a greater understanding of how I put on the extra weight to start with

No, not the obvious post-smoking weight but the 8 kilos / 3 kilos / 5 kilos before that! The amount of extra weight I was carrying varied according to my mood – was I 3 kilos over, or 5 kilos over, or 8 kilos over? My perception of the weight varied as much as the weight itself

Self delusion is a powerful force. Hey, I’ve weighed more, sure, I liked weighing 60 kilos but hey! 63 isn’t so bad ... 65 isn’t so bad ... 68? I can get rid of that easily!

So here we are again, older, wiser and determined to be thinner – again!

I can’t give myself any guarantees but I do know that I would rather be slim and would rather admire my profile in tee shirts than feel that I was trying to walk / sit / pretend the bulges weren’t there

I had to wear braces to hold up my jeans yesterday, and the profile in the mirror told me that even after 3 weeks on the program the difference is now obvious. All these things remind me that nothing tastes as good as being slim feels – but within that statement, I have to actually want to ‘feel’ slim.

And that's a whole other story!

Cheers
Kristine

[BoxingKanga]

Originally Posted by BoxingKanga

Hi there,

Im starting for 3rd time also, first time i lost 25 kilos and stopped before i got to goal weight, then 2nd time lost 15 and stopped again. Only one to blame is myself. Just at the point now where im sick and tired of being fat and tired! Anyway im doing a "weening off carbs" for one week (like i did last 2 times on Cohens) then FULL, no deviation, Cohens ONLY eating plan/treatment from next Monday. I will post back next monday with start weight and stats.

Cheers guys, nice to be here.

LETS DO THIS!

OMG! What have i done?!! Hi guys, as you can tell by my not posting since last year, i stuffed my 3rd attempt!!

THIS IS my 4TH so here i go again.

Oh, need to tell you i've already started (2/2/2012) and lost bit more than 3 kilos (yaaaaay!) here are my stats:

SW: 96.5 Kilos 2/2/12
CW: 93.1 "" 9/2/12

Oh, by the way, im on a Cohens Plan from 2005, so yep, im still on old one. YES i know i should go back and do a new one with new blood test etc, but just cant right now. Anyway, here i go again. Motivated and ready for a new (social) life! Good luck all. Keep up the faith and keep up the fight! LETS GO!