Annabelle Joy's diary

[Wendy9]

Hi AJ, just checked out your pics - thanks for posting them. Very noticeable difference and I look forward to following your journey.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hey AJ,

I see you finally bit the bullet and posted Pics! Good on ya! That's the ultimate commitment from my POV. As Koh said, you are almost down 2 stone. In addition, considering that men are supposed to lose it easier, I'm only 2 days behind you in the program and have lost only 1 kg more. In reality I'm behind you in losses as I've only actually lost 10.9 Kg on the program proper. I lost 1.6kg on the one week pre-Cohen so you are doing fantastic.

Keep on truckin' gal.

[becca]

Hi AJ,

Keep up the good work you are doing great, thank you for always posting in my diary. I will go look at your pic's now.

becca xx

[Annabelle Joy]

Day 1, Week 9
Well, I'm down, the question is how much? The scales wouldn't sync again this morning so I'm going with the higher number (lower loss) of 300 gms, which, for me, is a great end to the week. I'm down 4.2 kg for the four weeks, and still have four days to the end of the second month. At least I did scrape past the four kilos, and in the four weeks; Might even make 4.5 kgs this month. Nowhere near as good as some of you, but, as I said above, I have to stop comparing myself with others. Compared with anything I've done in the past, it's a fantastic loss for the second four weeks Main measurements are down 2 cms this week, and the others are down 2.5 cm. Doesn't seem much, but looking at the overall falls, and projecting forward, by the time I reach target my measurements should be about what I'd like

Yesterday I saw a dressmaker I know and talked with her about my dress for son's wedding in October. I know it's a long way ahead, but then I'm the sort who plans ahead (mostly). After yesterday's discussion, that shouldn't surprise any of you She's given me a pattern I like so now I know what I'm heading towards. Will go and look at fabrics sometime in Melbourne.

I've decided to take some photos in something I'm currently wearing each time too. Will do that later today. Don't expect haute couture from me.

Thanks, everyone, for stopping by and posting. I won't name you all today, lovely to see so many messages Sha22y, I also find my weight goes up when I have a busy day. In my case, it's because my body seems to be too busy to carry out its normal functions, and doesn't process all my water intake. It drops away again fairly quickly as soon as things quieten down.

Have a great day, everyone.

AJ

[~Ang~]

I'm glad you had a positive result today AJ You so deserve it for your perseverance alone! Have a great weekend

[Jeannie]

AJ, just think if you were having the losses that you are having and were on WW, you would be their STAR, you are doing an awesome job! For the life of me I dont know how you manage 4 litres of water each day though.. I really have to plan ahead for 2 litres.

BTW I took Pens test and scored 30, we are both in the same bracket...

[eskimokiss]

Hi AJ Just popped into thank you so much for the chicken rissoles recipe.....they sound great and an easy option for when you are out. I will be trying them out for sure.

Your photos look great and yep can really see a big difference. Looking forward to seeing some more photos too in some...umm, more fitting clothes!

Cheers,
eskimokiss

[Wendy9]

Hi AJ, chicken rissoles - yummy - I'll have to check that recipe out! You're new pic is fab and you're doing so marvellous

[~Ang~]

I can vouch for AJ's chicken recipe also ... I love it!!!!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hey AJ,

Good overnight I'd say. We both had a good 'un! Nice to finish off the 8th week with a decent loss. Keep up the good work. I sure wish I knew how you manage to drink so much water though.

[SassyK]

Hi AJ. Just saw your other progress photos. Love the new avatar too. I'm looking forward to seeing you all dressed up for your son's wedding.

Those scales of yours would be doing my head in by now. I don't know how you cope!

Oh... I was wondering if you'd consider changing your ticker to show your start and end weights (it's a simple change of setting) so we can all cheer you on through the major milestones.

You're going great. 4-5kg a month is nothing to sneeze at! Like Jeannie said, on WW you would be a super-star loser!

Have a great weekend.

SassyK

[Annabelle Joy]

Day 2, Week 9

After another fight with the scales this morning we agreed on no change. I took both sets with me to my appointment at the clinic yesterday, found the old ones (which my ticker's set to) are correct, the new ones weigh me low.

As mentioned, I had my 8-week appointment yesterday. My consultant is just terrific. I came away feeling great and it lasted all day. She is so encouraging, full of enthusiasm and a fountain of knowledge. I also collected a recipe book and my blood test results. A quick check of the recipe book seems to indicate that all of the recipes come from either the lifestyle.com.au recipes or the recipes in your Personal Eating Plan book. This is a nicer book, with some coloured photos. My blood test results indicate my sodium and chloride readings are below average, which I assume means I should add a little more salt to my meals. I've mainly avoided salt so far.

My husband and I have discovered we now have a basic incompatibility in bed. No, it's nothing to do with whatever it is you're all thinking We have a waterbed (absolutely love it). Since being on Cohen's, I've been too cold. We turned the temperature up two degrees. Perfect! He started having nights when he woke covered in sweat. Didn't at first associate it with the change in bed temperature, as it didn't happen every night. He got to the point of giving up alcohol as it seemed to happen nights he drank and not other nights. He eventually worked out that the alcohol was coinciding with warmer nights. The temperature's gone back down and I'm wearing a warm singlet and have a couple of extra blankets, and he's back on the wine Hopefully, in a month or two, I can have the temperature up again.

I posted another photo late yesterday afternoon in something that I'm currently wearing. As you can see from the photo, my big problem is my hips, and more that I have a relatively small waist then immediately expand out then down. I really can't wear anything too fitted. Sassy, for the wedding, I'm planning a long dress, simple style that curves into my waist but not too fitted, then out, fairly straight down from the hips with a jacket that follows the same line, fairly long and curved at the bottom towards the back. My dressmaker has suggested satin for the dress and a matching brocade for the jacket. She told me of somewhere I can get shoes covered in the brocade and I think I know someone who can make me a matching bag. I'll ask my future daughter-in-law to go shopping for material for me so I don't get that wrong

I'm still reluctant to put my weight on my ticker. I'm still sensitive about it, particularly where I've been. No one I know well is seriously overweight except me, and I wouldn't want anyone I know to stumble across this site and see my ticker. Right now I'm 92.8 kg. I'm still thinking in stones, so 92 is actually my next minor milestone as it's a loss of 2 stone since I started. I'm closing in on 90 kg and my next nominated goal in my ticker is at 14 stone. My highest ever weight was about 110 kg and I wouldn't even tell my husband what that was I started Cohen's at 104.6.

SMS and Jeannie, I have no difficulty with the water. For most of it, I fill two 750 ml drink bottles twice a day, add a couple of slices of lemon, and keep them with me all the time, sip on them constantly. I find my mouth gets very dry on Cohen's.

Seems the main thing we're both likely to be risky about is our health, Jeannie Thankfully, we found Cohen's and can get back on track there.

Thanks, Ang, Jeannie, eskimokiss, Wendy, SMS and Sassy for stopping by and posting, and for the nice things you've said about my photos and that recipe that's not really mine. Thanks also to others who read my diary regularly without posting. I've certainly had a lot to say today.

AJ

[Kays Creation]

Hi AJ, where can I view your photo's? This forum is still new to me so not sure where to go.

Just as a matter of interest, when using salt, use celtic sea salt, you can buy it either unrefined or refined at health shops. It is a better salt for our bodies as it has extra minerals that aren't lost during the processing like normal table salts are.

Kay

[Kohinoor]

Hi Kay,

Hi AJ, where can I view your photo's? This forum is still new to me so not sure where to go

Go to the top of this page, look to the to left area, and click on "New You Community Forum" (or Home - same place).

Once it has loaded, check down about 4 or 5 forums - you'll see "Photos - Before and After" - click on that.
Once that has loaded, go looking for "Annabelle Joy" as the poster (look in "started by" column).
Then look to the left and you'll see "AJ's before, during and (eventually) after photos" - click on that.

While in that forum, have a good look around - there are so many inspiring photos ....

Koh

[Annabelle Joy]

I posted then found Koh got in ahead of me with exactly what I was saying. However, he doesn't know how it feels to look at fat photos when you're starting, so I've kept the next bit. Do have a look through as many pages from others as you can. I was so encouraged when I started by those brave members who posted their 'no warts and all' early photos. It's really great to see when you are starting out that there are others who have (had) loads of excess fat exactly where you have it.

AJ

[ConnieK..]

Hey AJ,

I love your avatar pic, you look so much happier!

What are you going to do with the scales? if the old ones match the clinic are you keeping them?

I love your pics and am glad to see you are feeling more confident about posting them. Good luck for a good loss this week.

Connie

[Trips]

You are looking great!!

There is such a change in only 8 weeks!

I only hope I find the same results.

Interesting point about the salt too...

Take care AJ and have a great Sunday

Love Trips xxxx

[eskimokiss]

AJ you new avatar picture is gorgeous!! You look so happy!!!

Thanks for the chicken rissole link...I made them tonight and they were delicious

[Annabelle Joy]

Day 3, Week 9
Down 600 gms this morning. I expect to stay here for a few days now.

Thanks, for the salt tip, Kay.

Koh, I think the word that might apply to you (I didn't want to take any more of shell's diary) is groupie rather than addict Three times I hit the Post button, only to find that you'd got in ahead of me while I was typing

Thanks for the compliments, Connie, Trips and eskimokiss. I always try to put on a relaxed smile when I have my photo taken. I look so much better in the photo if I'm smiling. I'm keeping both sets of scales, Connie. The new ones also show % water, and various other things. I use them at night as an indication of how much of the day's water I've still retained. Also, neither seems particularly reliable, but they are mostly 2 kg apart (originally 1.8 kg). If I can get a reading on each that differs by 2 kg I'm pretty confident that it's right

Have a great day, everyone.

AJ

[Kohinoor]

Hi AJ,

Koh, I think the word that might apply to you is groupie rather than addict

Hehe - could be right - if "groupie" means "wanting to be part of a place that gives off positive vibes", then yep, that's me !!!

And, hey, love your new avatar pic, AJ - keep on steaming,

Koh