Annabelle Joy's diary

[shell]

YEA AJ !!


So close...I hope you get a drop tomorrow......SHOVE!!!

Shell

[ceburoo]

With all the running around you are doing AJ your energy is a testament to this programme. I am feeling so good on this, not tired just a feeling of wellness within. The pains are diminishing as the flab goes. That feels so good. Especially first thing in the morning at work on the cold winters day when my arthritis combined with the excess baggage used to make work a real drag.
Congrats I really am enjoying your journey, with all its detours etc etc.

[ropemaha]

you are just a bloody legend aj....a bloody legend....

so close now, ignore the advice although you already know that....

what an effort you have made....queen of persistence ...

pen

[Ana]

Hey AJ

Just wanted to pop in your diary and say Hello and Congratulation… I think I can speak for a lot of people on this forum when I say that you’re an inspiration... your kind words of wisdom, experience and motivation have touched my heart and I sincerely wish and hope the best for you…

Lots of love
Ana

[*Kate*]

YAY AJ!!! Well done on the normal BMI - such a massive achievement. And the 60's are so bloody close, I can smell them for you! Fingers crossed it happens tomorrow.

[Annabelle Joy]

Tomorrow will be rather more relaxed, but my friend has a lot of things she would like to do, so again I will write a bit tonight.

This morning turned into rather a rush getting everything packed, since I hadn't done any of it. DH helped, and I have excellent check lists to work from. We managed to get away only a few minutes late. If I hadn't been so busy with our visitor the past few days I would have been much more organised.

The demo went reasonably well for the first one. The host is a very good friend, who talks a lot, and more so and louder after she's had a couple of glasses of wine, but I'm likely to have to have others like that. I missed a lot of things I should have remembered, but that's why I'm using friends for the first few. I didn't convince any of them that they might like to buy one, but two of the three will probably host another demo, dates as yet undecided.

We drove from the demo to Melbourne for the dinner. I enjoyed that as I met up with a number of women that I knew back when I was in academia, and was told by several that my work (done with today's host) was still being used and quoted.

I had lunch at 3 and dinner at 8, so sat through most of the dinner with nothing to eat. I'm clearly not ready for refeed yet, as I have no difficulty at the moment in waiting for meals. As usual when I am busy, the plumbing shut down for much of the day, so am likely to be up a bit tomorrow. I'm not sure how much water I'm drinking, think I'm getting about the right quantity.

Thanks for stopping by, shell, Ceburoo, Penny, Ana, Kate and anyone reading this.

Thanks, shell. All these milestones are not helping move me along, and this is very old fat.

Ceburoo, I think that the health benefits of this diet are amazing. I think it's as much about not eating food with 'numbers' in it as it is the weight loss itself.

You're right, Penny, I'm not going to listen to anyone who thinks I should stop. I've said this previously, but I consider that I'm lucky rather than dedicated as I am simply not tempted to deviate, which makes it easy to stay on track. I understand completely how difficult it can be for others, from many precious diets where I gave in to temptation.

Thank you so much for that, Ana.

Thanks, Kate. I'm thrilled with normal BMI. I never thought (pre-Cohen) that I would ever achieve it again.

Have a lovely day tomorrow, everyone.

AJ

[Francesca]

Hey AJ

Just stopping by to get inspiration from you, my dear Superwoman!! I really don't know how you manage to get so much done and lead such a full, wonderful life....and on top of all that, still find the energy and love to help us out in our own diaries.

I'm sure you'll be into the 60s in no time! It must be a wonderful feeling to have achieved such wonderful results.

[AlmostHappy]

Hi Aj

I think you are the strongest will powered person I have met. You make it look so easy!

Please help, as you know I have lost 8kgs in my first 4 weeks and 13kg in 8 weeks if I include pre-cohens. I see people (even friends) and they ask me whether I am ill having lost so much in a short time.... I need a strong answer I can give to them as I feel quite offended by this. I know you will know the answer.

Thank you.

Helen

[Annabelle Joy]

Up 400 gms this morning, as expected. I hope it might come back down today, which should be a lot more relaxed.

Thanks for stopping by, Francesca, Helen and anyone reading this.

Thanks, Francesca. I'm afraid other diaries have been dropped this week. I've been wondering how you all are getting on, but mostly haven't had time to look. Looking forward to doing a lot of catching up starting Friday.

For me, it is easy, Helen. I don't know why this time is different to all my other diets but it is. Somehow I seem to have changed my thinking and I am not tempted by food I can't eat. I wish I could package the feeling and pass it on. Thanks for your confidence, although I'm not sure what the answer is. Number one, don't let them get to you. I also was somewhat offended by the waitress the other day -- none of her business and she shouldn't have been making it so plain right though the meal -- but letting what she thinks bother me creates stress, so forget it.

Respond by including your 'doctor'. That usually shuts people up. "My doctor has put me on a very restricted diet to identify food allergies." It's true, but not in the way they might interpret it. "I'm having hormone problems and my specialist has put me on a very restricted diet to help sort them out." Then "Thanks for your concern, but I'm very healthy apart from that." You're aiming to stop the conversation as soon as possible. At my age, many people wonder if it's a health problem but don't comment in case I have cancer, so much easier for me. It's interesting how people are so keen to comment when they think we are too thin, but no one comments on us being too fat, which is a far more serious problem.

Have a lovely, stress free, day everyone.

AJ

[SOON TO BE]

Hope the next few days are a little more relaxed for you AJ,
Getting so close now.
happy days
Tara x

[Tina]

Hi Aj,

Just a quick pop-in, when I feel down, and have lost my willpower, I just open you diary, and I'm back on track.

A big thank you.

[lindy]

Hi AJ,
Just popped in to see how you are going. Congratulations on the BMI - It took me a while to chat up you have one very busy life and diary as well.

Glad to hear that today is going to be a quiet day for you - time to rest and relax. Have a great day.

[lucylou]

Hi AJ

Glad to hear you're not getting any of those 'close to refeed hunger pangs". I know that a few people with as little to lose as you have, have had a few around now. I'm hoping the hunger stays away for as long as possible but I keep monitoring myself. I should probably not worry about it yet and just get on with it, most of the time I'm fine and still have plenty of fat left on the body to get rid of.

I'm glad you've got your first demo out of the way, and with a friendly if talkative audience. They'll just get easier and better from here on, it sounds as though there's a lot to remember.

I'm giving you a little push to get you into the '60's. You did the same for me a little while ago and it worked a treat.

x

Loulou

[bruni]

Hi AJ..my - you have been busy..when do you order your refeed..

Do you ever stop AJ?? - was just thinking about you as I'm having tuna and
salad for lunch and I'm not really enjoying it..it so damn dry ( I love tuna raw
fresh of course) ..not sure if I can come at your tuna soup..any other suggestions.

[sheree]

hi lovely lady
called in to say hi
sending some more pushes your way
all the best sheree

[Annabelle Joy]

Today we did some more geocaching, found some, didn't find others. We went to the Anglesea golf club so my friend could see kangaroos (always plenty there) and to Anakie Gorge to try to see a koala, but we arrived late and didn't find any in the time we had available. It was a relaxed day, nothing much to do. I'm feeling tired tonight, going to bed early.

Thanks for stopping by, Tara, Tina, Lindy, LouLou, Jules, Sheree and anyone reading.

I'm hoping that life will settle down a bit soon, Tara. Not sure it will though. That never seems to happen.

Thank you so much, Tina.

Thanks, Lindy. I'm in need of a rest. Looking forward to the end of the diet and maybe a break away.

I also think that I have quite a lot of fat still to go, LouLou. However, I suspect that it's not all going to disappear. We do need a bit of fat under the skin. Thanks for the push. I have another demo tomorrow evening with another group of friends. There is a lot to remember.

Jules, I'm assuming that refeed is still a while away for me. I have another appointment with my consultant towards the end of the month, will talk about it with her then. Don't squeeze all the water out of your tuna. Fresh tuna still has some fluid content, so I assume that tinned tuna should have a bit of fluid left also. Try my soup once, add mixed herbs, salt and pepper to give the flavour. Reduce the water and make it more like a stew if you prefer. I find it very tasty, and easy to do.

Thanks, Sheree. I hope that they do the trick, added to LouLou's.

Have a lovely day tomorrow, everyone.

AJ

[Jenniwren]

Hi AJ,
I hope you find some time soon to relax a little
while you shed these last few kilo's your so close
to re-feed now and it must be getting very exciting
for you. Take care thinking of you.
Cheers Jenni

[Annabelle Joy]

Up another 200 gms today, 400 gms up on my low. Yesterday wasn't a stressful day, but once again I was out of my routine and I always seem to retain fluid when that happens. Not too sure how today will go. Most of the day should be relaxed but we are having friends in this evening so I can practise my Thermomix demo again with them. I will be spending the morning trying to reorganise the house to tidy away Thermomix 'stuff', which is everywhere. I'm looking forward to having time to myself to get back to the forum and spend some study time on Thermomix.

My brother told me yesterday that Dad is back at the hostel and they believe they can care for him, so that's good. Dad is still trying to get out of bed on his own, then falling, but I doubt that would be any different in a nursing home.

Thanks, Jenni. Apart from ensuring that I'm eating my Cohen meals, I've almost forgotten about the diet and refeed this week. I'm really looking forward to being able to relax a bit this weekend.

Have a lovely, stress free, day everyone.

AJ

[Lilamay]

Hi AJ,
Been unable to catch up on your diary for a while. Great to see you're at Normal BMI. Fantastic achievement. I'm going slow at the moment. Hoping it will pick up now and again to keep me motivated. Have a lovely day.

[enough!]

Hi AJ, just popping in again (like I said I read your diary every day but rarely post as its all said for me before I get here) lol
Just had to let you know that I dreamt about the thermomix last night
I find that when I am on a downer I need to be on the forum as much as I can to help me stay focused. Hence I am thinking of all my forum friends every waking minute.
Now it seems I’m even dreaming about your lives too.

I have never been part of a forum and am surprised at the 'friendships' that are created.
You find yourself genuinely caring for and thinking about all these people that you get involved with!!

Dreams are powerful messengers too so maybe its a subliminal message that I need a thermomix.


Thinking of you AJ with all that is happening. My dad is also in a nursing home as of only recently and not coping, it seem every day we got more bad news and mum is worried out of her head while recovering from an operation (hence why dad is in the home)
Anyway a Wonderful wedding around the corner for you and the end of Cohen’s too.
So well deserved.
Cheers
Kate