Lonniecee's Ongoing Journey-Bring on 2008

[Lonniecee]

Monday is usually measurement and ticker change day but woke up feeling so bloated and crappy from constipation I've decided to hold off until tomorrow. Hopefully things will have moved and I'll feel more comfortable putting a tape measure around myself.
Lunch out with hubby yesterday after wandering around the motor show. So nice sitting on the outside of a southbank restaurant enjoying the view of Melbourne and tucking into the most delicious calamari and salad. It feels amazing to be sitting eating in a (very) public place and feel confident that I'm just a 'normal' person who eats healthy, not someone very overweight who should be on a diet. It's the small (and big) positives that make this so worthwhile and rewarding.
I seem to be spreading the Cohen's word more and more these days. We are the best advertisement, of that I'm sure. Now when I get to maintenance and like Kristine can say I've been at this weight for 6/8/12 months, that will truly be the best.

[Brieziel]

hey chick! i was looking at your ticker in a different thread and i thought OMG look at how much weight she has lost, almost at re feed, HOW AWESOME!!!
You go girl!!!

I know what you mean about the cold, i really feel it as well. especially at night. My other half wants to put the aircon on when we go to bed, so i am all wrapped up in the Duvet/doona like a cocoon!
I also find i am putting more layers on..... (well i suppose the fat was an insulator to keep you warm and now it's gone!)

Congratulations on loosing so much weight and you keep going strong girl!

[Lonniecee]

Haven't felt like adding much for the past week or so, cos I don't feel like I've made much progress. Still feeling bloated and very 'windy' even though my bowels have moved (sorry) but still not entirely satisfied. What more do I want? Don't know really.

Anyway my weight loss seems to me to have slowed right down but over the past 4 week period it is still a 4.4kg loss which deep down I know is good...........just not good enough for me I think. Obviously my expectations at this stage are too high and we really are getting down to the stubborn fat that has been there God knows how long. As of this morning my weight is 62.2kg, a total loss of 42.6kg, how good is that? It is bloody terrific! So close to my top goal range of 57kg. I guess I had hoped I would be finished by now. I'm off to Brissie next Saturday and had wanted to be able to 'kick back' a little but that just can't happen at this point so maybe that is the reason for feeling a little out of sorts, (that and my TOM).

On a positive note (sort of). Hubby and I attended the funeral of a friend's mother yesterday. These are friends who we live an hour from and don't get much opportunity to catch up with. There were other old school mates etc there too that I hadn't seen in quite a while, pre cohens anyway. Well, it was a bit of a debut for me really, many surprised faces and compliments from people who I have known 25+ yrs and only know me as being overweight to some degree or another, never having seen me trim and slim or size 12 (lol). It was lovely but not where I had planned on 'coming out' as you can imagine.

Last Monday marked 28 weeks on this wonderful program, so had my phone consult with Karen on Thursday, she was very positive and happy with my loss and we've ordered refeed so I can go down to Geelong during my holidays to have my 45 min consult. It is a little early weight wise but it will mean that I can be well prepared and ready when the time comes without having to juggle a time around work or having an expensive phone call to go through it all. It will be nice to finally meet Karen face to face and I will take my before photo down with me as well.

A Drs visit for me this week, just a check up and maintenance for all the 'girly bits' as well. I saw a new doctor who I was very happy with. Blood pressure has improved(?) from 120/80 to 110/65. I was stunned, my BP has always been perfect and stable, even when pregnant and 109kg, didn't think it could get much better. This morning I had my fasting bloods taken so that will also be interesting as I have my previous results and will be able to compare some of the tests pre and post cohens. My main concern is my iron levels which have always been low, that will be the interesting one, hopefully the low amount of red meat over the past 6+months hasn't been a problem there even though I've been on supplements for years. I'll see her later this week for the results.

So, as I gather myself together and prepare for at least another month on the plan I have to be grateful for where I am at this stage and how far I've come in such a short time. There are many out there in Cohens land who have been on the journey a lot longer than I have and continue to be a source of inspiration, encouragement and enlightenment (sounds like a religious conversion) to me and to so many others. I can't conceive of deviating or giving up at this point so that is not the challenge for me. My challenge is the acceptance of where I've come from, where I am and where I'm heading and that it will take as long as it will take, it isn't a quick fix or something that can be rushed, it took a long time to get to where I was at the start of the program, so I can't expect a lifetime of damage and neglect to be 'cured' in 6 months just cos that was what I wanted.

Will update my ticker on Monday as per usual and I hope everyone has a great week.
Lauren

[Lonniecee]

YAYYYY, my BMI is now officially within healthy limits, I am no longer obese or overweight. Bloody marvellous!!

My weight this morning was 61.7kg so a loss of 1.1kg this week, not too shabby considering the movement on the scales was pretty slow and has slowwed from 1.5kg per week , but let's not get too picky, 1.1 is very good at this stage.

Have a good week all, love reading everyone's diaries as well as the rest of the forum.

Lauren

[asy]

Yeah, the BMI is exciting!

Mine's done some amazing things!

I love the new ticker thing where it gives the BMI too!

asy

[Lonniecee]

[size=18px] Holidays are here!![/size]

[size=12px]Off to Brissie in the morning so, I'm organising how many of my meat and chicken portions to take tonight, and then removing from the freezer in the morning. Will buy fresh fruit and veg on my shopping trip tomarrow afternoon.

I received my refeed in the mail on Wednesday. WOW! It does look complicated, my appointment is set for April 12th so I'll have plenty of time to have a better read of it before then. Still 4.5kg away from top of my goal range and won't be able to weigh myself for the week (dry weigh anyway) we're away, but I doid get my travel scales for the kitchen in the post Wednesday as well so I'm geared up there too.

Have put in as order for Easter eggs from my family , they can go aside with my little stash of post Cohen's treats, I've never been a huge Choccie eater in fact diodn't get much of last years goodies so, I can't see that the temptation will be too much of a problem, the 2 bottles of 'flavoured' Baileys and the 52 bottles of wine have been untouched by moi to date (hubby has been warned off the Baileys :twisted: ) so all should go well there. Must freeze a couple of hot cross buns too for PC... must mention that to hubby.

Got the results of my blood tests from the Dr today, iron level is up (hooray it's only taken 3 years) BUT my cholesterol has risen, I was stunned, I guess the eggs and the red meat have had an effect but it isn't at a serious level so I will tackle that once I'm finished the program . [/size]

Well, wishing you all a good week of loss. Have got to explain to a few dinner dates why I'm not partaking in a vino or two but I guess they'll know when I turn up....... I've not told anyone so the shock factor should be about 10/10 .
Lauren

[banana split]

Cholesterol up. I'm stunned too. The whole egg/cholesterol thing was all misinformation. And there is not enough red meat on plan to have an effect. Did your Doc have any explanation?

[jools]

Well done Lonnicee. Very inspirational. Enjoy your hols and keep us posted on your journey with your refeed. It is all very exciting. Cheers

[Lonniecee]

Well we're back. Arrived home on Saturday after a very relaxing week away and couldn't wait to get on the scales yesterday morning (daily weigher that I am) having left the previous Saturday at 61.1 I was down to 59.8kg . So pleased with that.
Took all my meat and chicken portions with me on the plane frozen and had a shop on arrival in Redcliffe and was able to cook my own meals in the apartment which was great. I even managed a couple of meals out and ate lunch out at two shopping centres, buying a small kebab salad plate with marinated chicken, probably not kosher cohen's but delicious and way too much so had to throw at least half of it out.
Met up with a few friends while away and gave tham such a shock, they were amazed and so pleased for me, genuinely pleased. . To see the double takes was such a hoot. One friend kept apologising for staring, she just couldn't stop herself.
My sister-in-law (who stared Cohen's 5 weeks ago) inherited some of my clothes and then "forced" me to go shopping and to buy some new ones for myself. I have a new addiction. It was wonderful. I was trying on size 10 and they looked damn good, even managed to fit into some size 8! OMG was that a buzz. So now I need shoes, that will be a trial cos I've always had wide feet (any bloody wonder?) so I have never, ever, ever enjoyed shopping for shoes. We shall see what becomes of that.
I received my refeed before I went on hols and my appointment with Karen to go over it all is on Thursday, so I'm looking forward to that. I have noticed the odd rare sense of 'hunger' in the last week so figure maybe the bottom goal of 54kg is not where I'm headed afterall. I'll certainly try to hang on for as long as I can when the hunger well and truly hits but will be happy anywhere within the range of 54-57kg given to me. If you'd said to me 31 weeks ago that I would be wearing size 10 let alone size 8, I would have told you you were mad and that I'd be happy as a 12 or 14. Whoo! I am thrilled with the results.
Well I hope everyone has a great week.
Lauren

[Jo]

congratulations Lauren; what a fantastic achievement!

[Lonniecee]

Thanks Jo. Pretty damn pleased with myself that is for sure. Took advantage of being off work to go to the local aquatic centre's gym and do a Bodybalance class, a combo of yoga, tai chi and pilates. Ooh I think it's gonna hurt tomorrow . Never mind, it will help to strenghten and tone, both which I am in need of. I'll talk to Karen about it on thursday, hopefully it won't have any detrimental effects on appetite. I'd like to go twice a week and then build it up to the bodypump which uses weights, but that won't be until refeed that's for sure.
Lauren

[Jo]

I can't wait to get back to my pump classes! I used to love that hard feel my muscles had the night and the next day after I did a class!

Before I met my husband i was a gym junkie, 2 hours a day, 6 days a week....then it all went to crap!

[reb]

wow wow wow lonniece,
I have just realized you have lost 45 kg wow

sorry had to laugh at your previous post about the lady that couldn't stop staring at you that is so funny . i bet you get that a lot now when people haven.t seen you for a while? :P

are you going to share some before and now photo's with us all ? these are so motivating to see :mrgreen:

[Lonniecee]

Reb I'm so close to refeed that I thought I'd wait until then to post any photos, haven't taken any for about 15 kgs so the difference is quite significant yet again. Just printed off a few before and during photos to take to the clinic tomorrow. That should be interesting as the only time I've been in is to have the info session before I started. Another success story to add to their collection.
Lauren

[Brieziel]

Lonniecee Almost at refeed !!! WOW!!!
You go girl!
Can't wait to see the photo's!

[Lonniecee]

WOW, am I blown away!!
Weighed myself yesterday morning when I got up and was surprised to see 59.0kgs on the knocker.
My refeed appointment was at 12.00pm and as I toddled, no make that strode, into the Geelong clinic, I was looking forward to what was ahead. Going through the refeed was interesting and having read others progress on this site and the other Cohen's related forum made it easier to follow. Having discussed it all and when I need to contact Karen again she asked what my weight was, how much water was I having (3.5-4.0 litres) and had I been feeling hungry (just the odd fleeting feeling)?

So in a nutshell, I can reduce my water to 2.5 litres (thank you God, I may get a full nights sleep), and it was likely that the hunger would kick in pretty quickly with the decrease so I could start refeed today!! What!! Well, to say I was shocked was an understatement cos I was thinking at least another week or 2 until I hit that point. Have to admit, there were a few tears too . This new me, a slim 'attractive' woman, is totally new to me, my husband, my children, my parents, my brothers............you get the picture I'm sure, and, I like her, I really do. I have waited a long time to meet this butterfly, she is certainly well overdue, but she is here and here to stay.

I've decided to wait out the weekend before starting refeed. This morning I sat down and planned meals and snacks for the whole 17 days (subject to change as I progress along). I still have another week of annual leave so this will give me a good opportunity to get into the swing of it all without the worry of getting organised for work. I noticed a stirring in the gut as I lay in bed this morning and lunch is due as I type, how I go over the weekend will be a fair indication of where I'm at I feel, rather than diving headlong into it all.

This morning I decided to change my ticker goal to the top of the range as I am happy that this maybe my 'natural weight' and anything below that will be a bonus. I also updated my weight and will continue to over the next 3 weeks or so just as a visual reminder to myself of my progress.

Well better go and feed the worms, brekky was at 7.00ish and 1 cracker at 10.35 so am feeling that the time is nigh. I do hope it isn't wishful thinking but I have cut the water back to 1.5 litres so far whereas I'm usually somewhere between 2.5-3 litres by this time. Well, we'll see how it all goes.

Oh, and the broadband gods are smiling on this household I'm hoping, have previously been told that it is unavailable in our street but it would appear they were wrong or just misinformed . Shame on them.

Lauren

[jools]

Great stuff Lauren. What a super job you have done.
I do all my clinic stuff by phone as I live 3 hours from Geelong. When I get to refeed do you think it would be advsiable to actually go to the clinic to work out refeed or will it be ok to do it by phone?

[baloo]

Well done Lonniecee. 46Kg lost in 7 months. Fantastic effort.

[Lonniecee]

Thanks Jools & Baloo. Pretty awesome isn't it?

Jools I normally do all my 4 weekly consults by phone but Karen recommended I go into the clinic because it is a 45min appointment. 45 mins on STD or mobile rates is a little steep as far as I'm concerned so I organised it to coincide with my annual leave. I also have the added benefit of having parents, parents-in-law and a brother and his family in Geelong so it was a full day yesterday combining taking my M-I-Law clothes shopping, my Cohen's appointment, calling in to see Mum & Dad and having lunch as well as having my 14 yr old son trail along. Geelong itself is only 80 mins from my home and tha family all live in Lara so we are up and down there frequently.

I think (to finally answer your question ) that if you can tie the trip down in with some other activity/chore/jaunt, then it is probably worth your while. There is a bit of detail involved and it does make it easier if you are both looking at the same piece of paper and menu. Flashing the before and during photos around the clinic was a buzz too and putting faces to names was nice (finally meeting Karen in person).

Oh I forgot, treated myself to a pair of long boots to wear with jeans as well as one of the skirts I bought last week. Looks very swisho, never been able to fit into any before, my calves and ankles were always too .......... hmmm ............ muscular? Those days are long gone now.

cheers to all, hope you all have a great weekend.

Lauren

[SOS]

Congratulations Lonniecee on your awesome achievement. You are in the final stages of the program....enjoy all the retail therapy that you can. The world and shops are at your feet.... I admire your strength and inspiration.. the photos would be amazing.