miss_nat's Diary

[miss_nat]

Thanks Koh! You're such a champ for visiting all our diaries and offering support, motivation and celebrating our wins. Your contributions really make this forum

I think I've hit my first plateau - I've been at 64kg for the last three days now. I know I shouldn't weigh in daily but I find that it boosts rather than detracts from my motivation. Even when I don't see a loss, just seeing those low numbers when I'm standing on the scales, it's still such a thrill!!

I'm pretty sure that the plateau has been caused by minor deviations such as not sleeping enough, falling asleep on the couch and having to wake up to go to bed properly, not drinking enough water. It's amazing that these all have an effect.

I made sure I slept well last night and I'm being really super strict today, as I am determined to see 63.something tomorrow morning. It's the last day of the current 10kg in six weeks challenge, and whilst I haven't lost 10kg I feel really proud of myself that I got so damn close.

Have a great day everyone!

Cheers,
Nat-xx

[Kohinoor]

Hi Nat,

That challenge was SO worth it, eh? There was a HUGE lesson in it for you, and you seem to have picked it up - memories of that will stand you in good stead for years to come.

I made sure I slept well last night and I'm being really super strict today, as I am determined to see 63.something tomorrow morning. It's the last day of the current 10kg in six weeks challenge, and whilst I haven't lost 10kg I feel really proud of myself that I got so damn close

.
Girl, you did REALLY good !! Feel VERY proud - and go to the top of the class, Miss 63.5

Hugs,

Koh

[miss_nat]

Gosh, it feels so good to be back! I've been off-plan for 6-7 weeks and the impact was huge - 5kg! That's more than half of the total loss I had managed.

I made the decision to go off plan confident that I would stay within 2kg of 63.5kg. Now I know that there is no such thing as a "pause" in this program, so I'm re-committed until the end.

Re-reading the last few posts in my diary made me rather angry and disappointed in myself, but there's nothing to do but pick myself up and move on. I am looking forward to reconnecting with people here and drawing some inspiration

My new goal is to start refeed on January 10, 2010. Bring it on!

[miss_nat]

Feeling really good today - like I can take on the world. I want to capture this feeling, bottle it and save it for those emotional rainy days where everything's too much. Not being able to that, the next best thing is to celebrate it and record it here for future reminders.

I have achieved my week's weightloss goal and had a wonderful time this morning updating my little spreadsheet. On top of that, I am now back in a healthy BMI range - woop woop!

Ok, let's see what I can before Friday for the challenges weigh in!

[miss_nat]

Welcome back me! *grin*

I've rescued my poor little diary from the depths of the forum where I abandoned it several weeks ago. I love that last post. I remember writing it as a reminder for when I was having tough days or fighting the chocolate battle, that its worth sticking it out for good days like those. Interesting that my last post was so positive and then I fell off the wagon. I'm not proud to admit that I succumbed to peer pressure and after a series of small deviations gave up entirely.

But now I'm back! And I have several strategies in place now to ensure that this time I am a cohens success Two of which rely on competition. I am competing against myself in the New Year Lose 10kg in 6 week challenge, plus I am coordinating it so I have to be extra committed and lead by example. The other little contest I am involved in is with friends of mine who are not on cohens but also wanting to lose weight. We're doing our own biggest loser! We're yet to set the exact terms and prizes, but we'll compete on weight loss as a % of start weight, body fat % reduction and waist line measurement (also done as a %). It'll be really interesting to see how the different strategies compare. One girls is on light and easy and doing some exercise. The other is a nutritionist and doing her own plan (similar to atkins) and exercising lots and doing personal training. She'll probably do better at body fat % than weight as I imagine she'll increase her muscle mass. We shall see...

This is day 4 back on plan so still fighting the hunger. Bring on lunch!!

[Belnatjas]

Good luck missnat, a bit of healthy competition does wonders!!!
And I totally relate about the lure of chocolate. I had dinner with my husband this week, and he said to me know that I have been without it for 6.5 weeks, I should stay away from it, as it is not my friend, he said I have it beat now...which is easy for him to say, as he has never needed chocolate, like an addiction!!!!!

So, I am way more cautious about how 'beat' I really have it. It is a danger food to me, and I think it will always be a temptation to me.

Good luck in the 6 week challenge!

[miss_nat]

Thanks Beljatnas, it's always comforting to hear that other people fight the same battles... and have husbands/partners that don't really understand no matter how much they think they do! My other nemisis is red wine. I think that's what I've missed most this week since getting back on plan but the results are worth it.

Today is day 5 and I feel as though I have broken through the starting barrier. The carb/fat/sugar withdrawal symptoms have disapated, the hunger is subsiding and I have got myself in to good habits regarding preparation of meals. My stomach feels flatter and the scales are showing those wonderful first week results, so the motivation is high!

One of my girlfriends who's in our Biggest Loser contest is giving me a hard time about my goal weight. She thinks its far too low and there's no way I could healthily lose 10kg more. It's so frustrating because I've explained to her how Dr Cohen works it out and assured her that my body will tell me when its done which is when I will stop, whether I've hit the top end of my goal range or not. She's comparing her goal weight to mine and failing to acknowledge that she's quite a bit taller than me - enough that if she's in flats and I'm in stilettos then we're the same height - and she's also bigger boned and very well endowed where I'm not! Oh well, all I can do is thank her for her concern and agree to disagree for now!

The other friend who's in the BL contest has invited me over to dinner tonight. She's so thoughtful and rang to make sure I could have calamari, chilli and coriander before going to the shops. Sounds yum! We're having a girly night of spa treatments, manicures and earcandling (!?!?!) to celebrate/survive our first friday night on diets without alcohol. That sounds terrible doesn't it? We're not alcoholics, just going out to dinner, drinks, anything really gets that much harder when you're on a restricted diet. I'd never really thought about how much our society revolves around food and alcohol until I removed those factors!

Off to fill up my water and ignore the chocolate biscuit tin that sits at eye level in front of the sink!! Never thought I'd see work provided chocolate buscuits as a bad thing!!

[hexi2]

In regards to your friend..let her know that it falls in NORMAL BMI and is a fair way off 'underweight' so there is NO NEED for her to worry - this is about you so stick to your guns

[lil_doll]

Mmm I agree with Hexi... and even if you look at other weight loss methods and their goal weight calculators, our ones compare. So, tell her that

Hope everything is going well!

I haven't done ear candling in ages... might do it as a total body clean up. hehe.

xoxo
Missy

[miss_nat]

Thanks Hexi, you're so right - both your point about BMI's and that it's all about me!!

Hey Missy, the ear candling was strange. Not what I was expecting at all. My friend was chatting to me whilst holding the candles in place but I couldn't concentrate on what she was saying, I was too busy looking out the corner of my eye at this massive flame only cms from my head! It does feel nice to cleanse the body though, doesn't it? When I'm close to my goal range, I'm going to give up the crackers, animal products, coffee and diet soft drink and turn my cohens eating plan in to a detox for a week (a week is probably all I can manage if I'm restricted to eating eggs, tofu and fish for protein!). I detoxed last year for three weeks and felt so good at the end of it.

Well, today marks one week that I've been back on plan and I feel great! I lost 3.1kg, 1.2% body fat and my BMI moved from 25.6 to 24.8 - I've been mentally patting myself on the back all day! I rewarded myself with a ticket to the Good Vibrations festival which is on February 13, although I'll still be on plan then, so it'll be another big exercise in restraint (not drinking). The normal festival staple is vodka red bull - oh so healthy! I couldn't miss it though, not once I realised Salt n Pepa are playing - what a blast from the past! Oh push it real good

Damn it, now I've got that song in my head!

I can't wait to weigh in for my biggest loser challenge this wednesday. Both of my friends/other contestants boozed it up on Saturday night. One was even with me at festival first night and drank in front of me, which her diet plan certainly doesn't allow. Her face when she brought a beer back to the table was hilarious! The other friend wasn't with us but admitted yesterday to drinking 2 bottles of champagne (BY HERSELF) on sat night, which was why she was cancelling our plans to catch up for a herbal tea last night. Oh well, I am sure my big week one loss will motivate them or at least awaken their competitive spirits!!

I also can't wait for the new season of Biggest Loser to start - I think its early Feb? Great for the motivation!

Time to eat lunch (cheese today - yay!) and fill the water bottle again. 1.8L down, 3.2L to go

[lil_doll]

Hey Miss_Nat!

That sounds like NORMAL BMI???!!!! huh huh huh???! Is it?

Woo Hooo!!!!!!

You are gonna have your competitors in the Biggest loser challenge sweating in their pants! Woo Hoo!

I too am looking forward to BL back on TV... I have always wanted to not be as big as the contestants, and this year it will happen!!! Yay!

[lil_doll]

Oh I just saw on the challenge thread that you are in the NORMAL or "IDEAL" (as the wii fit calls it) BMI! How cooool!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[miss_nat]

Thanks Missy!! It is VERY exciting to back in the normal/ideal BMI range

I'm feeling really good today, now that I am in to the second week. I think I'm in "the zone" so the fatigue and hunger is practically gone, thank goodness!

I had a mango smoothie for breakfast this morning and couldn't belive how GOOD it was! Yum, yum, yum. I found the recipe on this forum (need to go and thank whoever posted it) and had been meaning to try it for a while but had fallen in to the habit of always having an egg over easy with sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes for breakfast on weekdays, or a spinach omelette on weekends. Today there were no eggs, so I had to get the yoghurt and blender out and give it a try and I am so glad I did. I'll definitely be having that again.

Off to update the 6 week challenge posts now... look like we're all getting great results!

Cheers,
miss_nat

[lil_doll]

Hey Miss_Nat!

I still haven't managed to use a blender for anything Cohens... I want to though. Only once did I have fruit with my yogurt for breakfast and I was hungry till lunch, so I havne't done that since... but then again, I am hungry right now, and I didn't have fruit with my yogurt- so maybe itis unrelated... mmm, decisions

I want to try an "iced coffee" too.

Anyhoo, enough of my blabbing.. you are sounding really 'into it'... into the ZONE that is!!!! Yay!



xoxo
Missy

[miss_nat]

Thanks Missy! The irony is that you're my inspiration for being "in the zone"

I had a bit of a development today which I have already written about in lil_doll's diary as she was the one who inspired me to check... my height that is. I didn't check before I filled out the forms for Cohens as I knew I was 163cm tall. Well, I was wrong. I checked three times with the aid of my boyfriend and I am actually 165.5cm! Woo-hoo!!

So, I am now aiming for the top end of my goal range which is 58kg, rather than for the lower end which is 56kg. I'd wondered whether I really would manage 56kg as I think I was a bit too skinny last time I was that light. I was also only 56kg because I was heart broken, stressed out and not eating. I want to be happy AND thin please

My new goal means that as of today, I am now halfway there! Yay!! I can hit refeed at the end of the 6 week challenge if I lose 10.5kg, which ends on Monday 15th. Co-incidentally I have just been invited to see The Men Who Stare at Goats at the Open Air Cinema on Sydney Harbour that night by our BDM at The Intercontinental. Love the perks of being a PA! That will be a nice way to celebrate.

[lil_doll]

Oh Miss_Nat! How nice we are practically the same amount away from refeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!

Yip Yip Yipppppy!!!

And meanwhile,

Originally Posted by miss_nat

Thanks Missy! The irony is that you're my inspiration for being "in the zone"

*shucks*

That's so nice of you to say!

[miss_nat]

The only thing contribution I can make today is that I am glad this week is over!

I'm looking forward to weigh in on Monday and closing that gap some more to refeed. I'm feeling much more in the cohens groove now which makes it easier but also increases the anticipation of finishing. I am really looking forward to March (target finish) and being slim and heathly. I'm getting really excited about being able to cook again, as well as having the opportunity to create some fabulous and healthy meals that will help my long term maintainence of goal weight. A glass of wine now and again won't go amiss either!

Off home now to start the weekend xoxo

[lil_doll]

Oooh hey Miss_nat!

Hope you recovered from your working week, with a nice relaxing weekend!

And I also hope your weigh in went well this morning!!

We are on track to do refeed together!! (eeek!)

Catch up soon!

xoxo
Missy

[miss_nat]

Thanks Missy! I had a very relaxing weekend... perhaps a little too relaxing as I didn't go out at all! Well, except to visit Vince's parents for lunch on Saturday. Vince's Dad is Sri Lankan, so we bought them Peter Kuravita's "My Sri Lankan Kitchen" cookbook for Christmas. I have a copy too and it is divine. The invitation for lunch came about so Liz could cook something from the cookbook for us. We accepted but said I wouldn't be eating but they forgot and were surprised when I showed up with my own food. Liz's response was "oh Nat, you've got to stop all this dieting!" which shocked me considering that she has said some not very nice things about me being overweight. Not that she's nasty but she's a bit odd and sometimes a little socially inept. An example... we'd just arrived and were in the kitchen with Vince's parents and his sister and her boyfriend and everyone was commenting on how good Vince looked as he'd lost a few kg since they last saw him. Liz asked if I had lost weight too, to which I said no, but she persisted and said "Really? You look like you have. You know how I can tell? Your fat rolls are better". So tactful. Anyway, I'm not taking her comment to heart (easy to say now that I have whinged about it!) and just look foward to seeing her next time in six weeks when I have lost lots of weight!

I dug my bike out of the garage yesterday where it has been since we moved in last February. We had to walk it to the closest petrol station to pump up the very flat tyres, then we rode the long way home through Pyrmont and over the Anzac Bridge. It was probably only 20 minutes all up but a few hills and it really took it out of me. It felt good though. I didn't exercise at all when I was on the program last time, so nice to know that I can.

It was weigh in day this morning and I've lost 900g over the last week bringing me to a total of 4kg since getting back on plan. I'm very happy with that result as I wasn't expecting much after such a big first week loss.

Lunchtime! Cheese today, my favourite

Cheers,
miss_nat

[knickerless]

Another cheese fan, no wonder you get on so well with Missy hehe!

Just popping in to say thanks for the detox suggestion, will definintely give that a go! I have used Epsom Salts before on their own, yours sounds much nicer though!!