Findingme's Diary,

[findingme]

Hi all

I just meant there must be great eye rolling & sighs of exacerbation when you all see I've posted something else 🤗

Luv
Jen

[findingme]

Glad holidays are coming to an end. School terms usually mean I'm on plan 100%, so I'm glad. Continuing my journey at last & planning on finishing and doing refeed.
Take care all
Luv Jen

[blondetastic]

School holidays do make it harder. Its just this time of the year. Everyone is in holiday mode and doing and eating what they want. I had to get past December to be in the zone again. Wishing you all the best with a fresh start.

[Soon2BSlim]

You're over the half way mark Jen! It's also nice to have company in the forum and I will be watching your progress as you head towards goal I'm so looking forward to being skinny again and I'm sure you are too, not to mention just the general feeling of health and vitality that comes with eating properly!

Have a great weekend!

Louise

[findingme]

Thanks Louise
I definitely feel better when lighter, so looking forward to dropping the weight I've put on, plus the extra to get to goal. All the best ❤

So, kiddies, 2 anyway off to school today, so that's my cue for being on plan, so I am. Nice to have peace & quiet & school routines again!

Take care everyone
Jen

[blondetastic]

Sending good vibes for the week Jen!! A couple of days into it 100% and you will be feeling a difference. I can relate to your comment about the wheels falling off after 9. The first night or 2 I was hungry, but stuck to the rules and I wake up looking forward to breakfast but not ravenously hungry and don't get hungry overnight. Hope you find the same. It makes breakfast taste even better anyway haha.

[findingme]

Hi all

I'm going to be kind to myself & get myself off this rollercoaster I have made for myself.

I love the guidelines from Cohens and the food always. Take care everyone 🤗❤

[jessy]

Well done on the loss Finding me... the rollercoaster is annoying . You will find your footing again.. Keep on chick its good inspiration to all of us either starting or returning yet again

[blondetastic]

All the best hun x

[findingme]

Hi everyone

Having learnt a few things, things I don't like knowing mind you, I'm taking up my journey, again.

After my ups and downs of last year and weight wise bit quite at my biggest, I'm writing again and realising that really, for me, my health I need to go back on the diet plan.

What I've come to accept is that for me to ever be in control of my weight, I have to follow Cohens forever. I mean, we all know that right, but do we ever really accept it? Think about it, fruit, protein and veg and limited specific carbs forever. People do it all the time. I need to get that in my head with all the aspects Of The program though.

Not drinking milk is easy done for me and I'll never go back to it. It was keeping up the veg, protein and fruit that was where I was slipping but carbs made me completely unstuck. I thought I could eat low gi carbs and be fine. I couldn't. Luckily, processed, junk or takeaway foods just don't do it for me. Having 2 hotcross buns a day even with no butter did it for me, same as raisin toast does for me now. That was what threw the spanner in the works for me. I wanted to eat normally again, but I've learnt I never can and that this program is my normal eating. FOREVER. I know refeed and M will change things, but Cohens is it for me. And it will have to be.

So, the implications of this can of course be overwhelming. Everyone pretty much wants an eating plan to be short term, but life long? Really.? That's what I need for me.

Take care
Jen

[Imfef]

Hi Jen,
I’ve just started back again after graduating in 2009. I didn’t do well on maintenance and your comment about Cohens forever really resonated with me.
I have probably a few months to get down to my goal and in that time I need to work out how I manage to incorporate Cohens lifestyle into my life forever. I don’t want to keep starting from scratch - because I fear each time I’ll be starting even heavier than the previous high point, like now for me. And it certainly can’t be good to keep yo-yo ing in any case.
Maybe it’s a simple as accepting this is a life long journey. But that doesn’t mean we can’t, on the odd occasion, allow ourselves or reward ourselves to indulge, knowing we go strict for a couple of days immediately after to reset. Thereby retaining control. And if can learn to control it, then a life-long commitment isn’t that daunting.
Hope you’re doing well and will return soon.
Marc

[justakiwig]

Hey

I find it disturbing that it’s a forever thing - but I guess it’s about making good choices along the same lines as a cohens diet(?) but balancing it with the occasional off the wagon treat. I don’t want to be this strict on myself forever lol - I never reached my refeed stage but this time I’m ready and way more determined

Good luck for your journey

Just

[findingme]

Thanks Marc and Just

I think it is realising that it will, ultimately be a lifelong thing that is sort of the kicker🤔 I mean we all know we have to do Maintenance, but it is the vigilance and allowing a few indulgences in our life that is important.

Like you Marc, I'm over starting from scratch and the yo-yo thing. Well done for starting again, you will be glad you did!😊
For me, it's my head that needs to be in the right place, when it is, I certainly know it, if it's not then it makes the EP a real struggle. So, of course, I'm hoping my head will catch up with me real soon!

Take care

[Imfef]

Hi Jen,

How's it going?

I think I'm going to try to gather maintenance recipes into my own recipe book in time for when it comes around.

There are some really great recipes that if we stick to for the majority of time will keep us thin and won't feel like we're on the EP plan. Saying that, as a family, we do eat healthy- my problem is MY snacking over and above those meals is what let's me down.

So maybe designing some really healthy light snacks and rules (how often, when etc.) will stand me in really good stead. And of course some rules around what I allow myself as an indulgence food (chocolate? ice cream? fries? curry?) once in a while (every week, 2 weeks etc..), and what I should decide to cut from my diet forever.


There are some great recipes that wouldn't be allowed on EP but would make world of difference on maintenance vs the normal/unhealthy version. This is also when we can be really, really creative (we can be creative on EP of course, but let's face it we are very limited).

As you say FM, it's about getting the head in the right place - that applies to everyone. It's not always as easy to 'get in the zone' as it is to 'stay in the zone'. So now that I'm here, I intend to stay here, forever.

For me maintenance is my problem, I left the zone and then it was always going to be downhill after that.

By having a plan laid out for the ongoing maintenance (recipes, rules, weekly weighing in order to stay in control, contingency plans i.e. 2 day reset after an indulgence/ small weight increase) will, I think, keep me in the zone forever and never return to my old ways.

That's the theory at least LOL.

Have a great day!

Marc

[findingme]

Thank you Marc, I wholeheartedly agree with you. The funny thing is, when I was on the EP, I was collecting recipes like crazy for Maintenance😅

Allowing non Cohen food in then, once in a while has to be a given. The website How To eat like A normal person is great for this.

I'm so glad you're in the zone Marc, that and the headspace are the key to doing this plan, do run with it😄

The silly, thing is, I love eating the food on Cohens and I always feel so much better within for doing it. So keep going everyone, it is so worth it.

Take care
Jen

[findingme]

Well, here I am again, oh well. Seems to happen to a few of us I’ve noticed. I am currently 95 planning to get to 65 once and for all😔 Mind you, I would kill to be 75 kgs again like at the start of this diary.
I know what to do, headspace finally right and so over the frumpy look and feeling. Will use this to keep myself accountable. My real goal really is to get to refeed, finish and then maintain. My 2 other attempts I never made it to refeed, so ultimately my undoing.

Jen

[Imfef]

Hi Jen,
I'm back again. I started properly 18 days ago, same goal as you 30kg! This is probably my 4th attempt since I succeeded back in 2009. I've learned that if you can stick it more that two weeks solid the staying power is much stronger. When I thought I was in the zone last time after the first few days, I wasn't. The weight loss after that two week period is too much to give up on and I'm now confident I'll complete my journey this time. I also needed to set up all my goals, mini-goals and have a big ambition at the end (I have a holiday around the time I think I'll reach my goal weight). Perhaps you could work out the expected date to get to your target and add a buffer then go and book a little holiday to provide that extra drive.
Today, I just reached 100g below my 'starting ' weight back in 2009. Yep, not proud, but at least it's something.
Good luck Jen, lets do this together!

[findingme]

Hi Marc

Absolutely and I think Wendy is joining us!

I agree with you, it is definitely seeming harder and taking longer to get into the zone, but one meal at a time and we have to make sure our choices will give us what we want!

So last week was really me getting into headspace of being on and doing Cohens, which I am. I did have a few added extras, but not going forward. I was down 1.7kg, so a good start. My struggle is at night when I have trouble getting to sleep and dinner was a long time ago!

Anyway, take care everyone
Jen

[Wendym1221]

Yes Jen
I m going to do this with you and Mark we all have close yo same amount to loose so lets all kick fat in the butt and do this

[findingme]

Hi Wendy

That would be great, the three of us! I want my Cohens body and to keep it this time, lol