Tips for success

[Maya]

I'm new here, but 25th day on Cohen ...

I too was trying to be 150%, avoiding crackers, fruit, but I realized it's stupid and will not make me lose weight any faster...

The consultant advised me to eat crackers and fruit between meals, but I realized it's too complicated - counting minutes, hours, .... I simply have them with meals and that was meal satisfies me (Oh, boy, where are those "feeling full" days?)...and I don't think about food so much - the rest of the time can be spend for sth else...

So, for it works better just to have 3 meals with crackers and fruit as desert...

AND!

I am soooooo bloody happy to find you guys ...have been very lonely on some other forums ...

YOu are ALL my inspiration!

[polka_dots]

one main point no one made...

when bored, waiting for your next meal, or need someone to talk to,

visit the new you forum

there's always someone on heheh...

right now im sitting on an exercise ball doing sit ups and typing when i have to hold each sit up

[boof3865]

Try knitting or crocheting or some other craft work that requires using your hands and your brain. So you don't think about eating

[Lulu]

Originally Posted by MamaK

Some of my tips to add to the rest:

- Every time I have a hunger pang I tell myself 'That's my body switching into fat burning mode'

- If I have a craving that seems so strong it'll drive me nuts, I tell myself "wait 15 minutes and if the craving is still there, then decide what to do about it then". 100% of the time it's gone within minutes.

- If I feel hungry at home and it's not mealtime and it just won't go away, I do my nails (fingers and toes). Keeps me busy and distracted until the urge passes and even better, when you've got wet nailpolish it's hard to eat!

- I pack my lunchbox every evening, so that in the morning I can just grab it and run

- I keep a 2L bottle of water on my desk at work and another 1.25L bottle at home, so that I know exactly how much I've drunk during the day

- I usually cook 2 portions of steak or chicken (weighed carefully) at the same time, so that I can have one serve for dinner, and the second serve for lunch the next day (loving my Thai Beef salad for lunch right now!)

- I bought a lunchbox which has a little freezer block to keep everything nice and fresh and cool till lunchtime

- I use little ziplock bags for everything!!!! Crackers, salads/ veg, half tomatoes, meat/chicken/cheese/ boiled egg portions.

- If I'm going out around mealtime I'll pack a boiled egg and a cucumber (allowance) - easy to eat on the run without skipping meals

- Every time I don't succumb to the temptation of something not allowed, I put the money that it would have cost me to buy it, into a jar. I can then use that to spoil myself in other ways (massage, hair, facial, new clothes!)

- I take extra time to take care of my body, to thank it for going through these changes for me (moisturise, exfoliate, massages, etc) and so that when I do lose this weight it's in 'tip top' condition, ready to show off!

- I bought a charm bracelet and for every 5kg I lose, I buy myself a new charm. It's a great reward and also a great personal and visual reminder about my progress. It will look so pretty when it's full! And only you need to know what those charms really mean - unless of course you're so proud you want to share it with the world

These are all great pieces of advice - I do have a question - I seem to be fine but get hungry around 4 hours after eating and at night, I wake up in the night and am very hungry - it's hard to get back to sleep - I don't want to drink lots of water because then I'll have to wake up again late - does anyone else get this and what do you do?

Lulu

[Andy46]

Chromium is the supplement that they recommend -it is also found in pepper - but I think it is also about planning as well - and getting it right more time than wrong - by that I mean plan your meals and sleep etc and also change your plans around so the bigger amounts are when you need the most energy.

Also yogurt is a very good hunger killer as well so maybe a yogurt meal at night and steak for breakfast type of change may be in order.

Andy

[Annabelle Joy]

Your body takes about four hours to empty out, Lulu. This is the reason our meals are five hours apart -- so the protein from the previous meal is out of our stomachs before we put more protein in. Are you having your snacks mid meal? They can help a bit. Also, chromium as Andy says.

AJ

[princess_sunbeam]

I buy a whole rib eye fillet once a month. It is only about 7cm across, so you can cut a nice thick steak, still eating the steak allowance. Use onions and mushrooms as your vegie topper or salt & pepper asparagus cooked on the BBQ and I dont feel deprived at all. IT IS SENSATIONAL!!!

I freeze my meat in meal sized portions- with 1 2 or 3 written on them, so I know which meal they are for.

I always have a container of vegies in the fridge, chopped with my well used V slicer (my fave is zuccini, mushroom, onion, capsicum & asparagus) and a container of fruit salad.

I buy 1 kg tubs of yoghurt. When cracking a new one open, I dissolve 18 sugarine pills in 1/2 egg cupfull of boiling water, then tip into the yoghurt. Mix it up, and then weight out portions each day- no messing around with sweetener.

Buy the best quality food you can afford, Mangoes are in season and they seem decadent!

Buy an outfit 2 sizes smaller than you currently are. Hang it in a visible place. Once you can fit into that outfit, go buy another one 2 sizes smaller. I have a little black dress that I bought over 15 years ago, which still has the tags on. It hangs where I can see it, and I am going to wear it! (when I win slimmer of the year )

Finally, at my initial consultation, my consultant told me 5 things that have really stuck with me
1. stop seeing food as entertainment, it is fuel.
2. If you had cancer and the doctor told you to do these things for 6 months and you will live, you would do it without question.
3.If you were pregnant- you would stop eating/doing things that would jeopoardise you pregnancy without question.
4. Like pregnancy- you are either pregnant or not pregnant. You are either on Cohens or not on it. Dont lie to yourself.
5. Remember this is a time limited thing. Christmas will always be there next year.

The thing I like most about Cohens is that there isnt any grey areas. It is all spelt out very clearly and it works! I have joined WW 3 times and strayed within a couple of months. You can justify eating anything.

This is your health for the rest of your life we are talking about here- is a binge worth dying early for?

[thenewvee]

Thanks PS, your tips came at a time when I needed some inspiration and a pick-me-up, and they have been a great help, especially the 2nd half of your tips. I also like the yoghurt and sweetner tip, makes a great deal of sense!

Vee

[Jiggsy]

I only joined Cohen's today, and have not even started the weight loss plan. A friend told me about the forum. What can I say, you are all incredibly courageous and inspirational. A truly amazing and generous group of people - the support I read in these pages is truly something else. I thank you.

[km64]

great tips PS - love the idea that if you were pregnant or had cancer you'd just do what was necessary. Had a couple of poor readings from my first blood test which show me I may not have been far off a more chronic illness than just stuffing too much food in my face all the time.

Thanks for that.

cheers - Kay.

[Ms. Jiggles]

I did a brief scan and I may have missed it, but I don't think anyone mentioned this.

Smelling things helped me SO MUCH. If someone was having a cookie or frito chips, I would smell it and it would help me not want to eat it.

I would cook for others and smell the rich aromas and REALLY ENJOY the pleasure of inhaling the scents.

It sounds weird and people said that it should drive me crazy to do that but it really does help me!!!!!!!

Ms. Jiggles

[gunnlakes]

Krissy is right, you need to have your head sorted to fully committ. Also make little goals on the way. I have a passion for this diet, and the only regrets is that I wish I knew about it years ago. But then again maybe back then I didnt have the time for "me". And now I do. I am all about "me" now. My children all grown up and I dont have the problem of feeding the family as well. For all those people on Dr. Cohens who have young family and doing well, you are a LEGEND. Stay focused and you will get there.

[Lizbeth]

Hi Everyone - thanks for those tips - I'm on day 12 and really appreciate anything that will keep the food interesting.

[carrieanne_c]

Boiling onion with with salt and spices and then taking out the onion makes like a broth type hot drink to have before or after meals can fool the stomach, take into consideration allowances.

[battler]

crush one square salada then measure it to see how many teaspoons one square is. Then you can crush heaps and put it in a jar ready for when you want to thicken something up a bit but don't need or want to use, your full quota of crackers. (can save the other 2 or 3 squares for snack later on) Just a thought that this could be quite handy to have on hand.

[Bushy]

Hi, has anyone got any tips on how to leave the red wine alone after a hard day at work. I'm having trouble trying to find something to replace it with.

[jlou]

Bushy, try this: http://newyouforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10151

You could also use rooibos for the red colour.

Have you been actually having the wine or just wanting it?

jlou

[dissociative_identity]

Great tips guys, thank you for sharing! I shouldn't be sharing tips cause I haven't started yert but I am trying to be healthy right now by following a similar cohens diet (eating similar foods without the measurements) before I actually start, that way it won't be too hard the day my program arrives.

I am going through major cravings right now but here is what I do when I feel really tempted and am battling the evil voice in my head.

*Brush my teeth/use mouth wash. Sometimes a sweet craving is due to a bad taste in the mouth. After I clean my teeth, I find that I don't want to eat.

*I have placed a hook in my bedroom wall and have hung up a size 12 outfit I really want to fit in. Im a size 18 at the moment and seeing that dress motivates me.

*Drink tea. I'm not a fan of black tea but I love oolong, green, white, rooibos. I have a kettle on my desk and I drink 4-5 cups easily while I am studying or reading or video editing. Before I would be snacking on chips, chocolates etc It's great that I am enjoying the taste of something that is actually healthy for me. (I know I need to avoid the fruit flavored teas once I start cohens and I should without any problems) It doesn't have to be tea of course, it can be whatever allowed drink you want.

*Speaking of video editing, find a hobby that requires alot of focus and is something you enjoy. Photography and video editing is something I'm teaching myself and it's something that you can't do while eating food. I usually tell people that when editing things an hour flies by as you focus on a second. I am a bookholic as well but I find myself eating while I read which is something I am trying to change.

* Not to sound negative or anything but the next tip that works well for me is looking in the mirror. I look at my body head to toe whenever I'm craving the wrong foods and tell myself that the way I've been thinking all these years has caused me to abuse my body and become the way it is now. The craving for a two minute sugar hit evaporates instantly.

[Kohinoor]

Hi DI,

Seems to me there are some REALLY GOOD insights there !!

You rock on, DI - you seem to be doing some serious good for yourself,

Koh

[WellFit]

Ohh I am a BIG red wine drinker.. but when my partner has a red wine i pour myself a nice glass of coke zero in a wine glass.. and pretend its my glass of red and to get my red wine fix I sniff his haha.. its not quite the same but it works for me.