AJ has moved to refeed!

[bruni]

Morning AJ - you look absolutely stunning in your dress, and to reach your goal sensibily in 9 months is a reward in itself - I wish I had your will power and determination - I do with everything else I do..just not the fighting fat battle that I have going on!! ..

Congrat once again and enjoy the wedding

[thenewvee]

Hi AJ

Dropping in to see how refeed is going! Sounds like it's going great, especially as you have still been dropping the weight.

You look absolutely SENSATIONAL in your wedding outfit! It definitely suits you and yes, your waist is tiny! 40kgs is a terrific achievement and you have every right to be proud of yourself and to keep checking yourself out in the mirror!

I think you have touched a whole lot more lives than just the one here in this forum!!!

You are a true legend!

Vee

[honeybuns]

Beautiful AJ, just beautiful

[janine]

Hi AJ. Mixing proteins is such a wonderful stage - freedome! No more 5 hour rules! yah! Congratulations.

[KitKat]

Hi Aj - short and sweet tonight just wanted to call by and say hi and catch up on your diary. All is going really well and your outfit looks divine - great colour for you.
Thanks for being calling by my diary - I know you are busy and really appreciate it. Have a great week and enjoy this wonderful time on re-feed - you certainly deserve it.
Kath

[Annabelle Joy]

Same weight as yesterday, still up 200 gms on my low.

Today I replace a new 'good fruit' with a 'bad fruit'. This means I have my original three fruit, plus two bad fruit. I have an appointment with my consultant this afternoon to talk about my progress to date and the second half of refeed. I've been mixing proteins for a couple of days. I'm not trying to think of interesting recipes, just cooking two proteins for a stirfry or salad so far. I still like yoghurt and fruit for breakfast, so sticking with that.

Currently:
Additional protein in a day roughly the same as in one diet meal.
Additional vegetables, one and a bit diet meals.
Three slices of bread.
Two 'bad fruits'.
I can mix my proteins.
Bad fruits are more readily available at the moment than good fruits. Bananas I'm not crazy about. I have been eating pears, am going to add strawberries today. I love figs, but they're not around at the moment. My consultant suggested I make up fruit salads and eat them as snacks, but I enjoy the taste of individual fruits so are just spreading them across the day. I love the orange juice made from peeled orange, plus a little water and ice cubes that we are now making in the Thermomix. I wish we'd tried it earlier as I could have had it as one of my fruits all along.

I'm getting more than enough to eat at the moment. We went to a NHW meeting yesterday evening, so I moved my lunch in a bit so I could fit dinner in before I went, then decided that I'd wait until after the meeting for my dinner as I wasn't hungry. I usually not too full, but definitely never hungry.

Yesterday was fairly busy but spent at home, apart from NHW meeting in the evening. I finally pinpointed the problem on the computer as faulty memory. Messages that it couldn't find files on the CD when loading Windows didn't exactly pinpoint the problem. I tried replacing the DVD and the hard drive first, and lots of other things. I had a disaster while spending an hour on the phone with Microsoft, who were totally unhelpful. Halfway through I had to take a cake I was baking for the meeting out of the oven. I tried doing it with one hand, and it slipped and upended on the oven door. Fortunately, DH cleaned up the mess (he's a gem) while I kept talking with Microsoft. However, the cake was ruined in terms of taking to the meeting. The bits still taste okay, I tried some (delicious) then spat and rinsed. The other reason for making it is that I'm planning on serving that cake (flourless chocolate and almond cake) as one of the desserts at the rehearsal dinner and I wanted to see how it would turn out. It looked great prior to being tipped upside down, so I'm happy about that. DH has eaten some and put the rest of the pieces in the deep freeze.

Winery today, then the appointment at the clinic.

Thanks for stopping by, Karen, Jules, Vee, Honeybuns, Janine, Kath and anyone reading this.

Karen, I would definitely eat less if quantities were up to me. However, the aim of refeed is to prepare us for eating normal meals again, and I suspect that most of us would be eating too little if it was left to us because our stomachs have adjusted to much smaller serves. Given that we have been eating about 800 calories a day, and most of you will need to be eating about 2000 calories a day when you finish, you will need to increase meal sizes to about 2 1/2 times what you are now eating. It's doing this over 2-3 weeks that's a bit of a struggle. What I'm nervous about is putting on a kilo and having to go back two days, as I'm currently due to finish the day before we go to Melbourne to stay for the wedding. The tiredness lasted only the one day, so not sure what caused it.

Jules, I so relate to your comment about weight control not being in line with control over everything else you do. I have always wondered why I never gave up on anything I started except losing weight. I think I have it right this time, but it's taken me a lot of years to work it out. I have PMed you.

Thank you, Vee. My waist measurement now is about 69 cms, a big drop from the 100.5 I started with.

Thanks, Honeybuns.

Janine, no more 5 hours gives much more flexibility with meals when I have to go out. However, I'm finding that I need at least five hours for my stomach to feel like welcoming another meal.

Thanks, Kath. I'm way behind with diaries, but still trying to call in on everyone in turn when I can.

Have a lovely, stress free, day, everyone.

AJ

[SOON TO BE]

You will look stunning AJ, beautiful dress.
Glad your refeed is going well & will be great to be finished by the time the wedding comes around.
Happy days
Tara x

[Shanara]

Hi AJ - wow - you are just powering with all that is happening in your life. I am amazed at all you fit in.

Lol - the life drawing class sounds like such fun - fancy not inviting mothers. Many of the mums I know would probably be more outrageous than their daughters - only the daughters don't know it ! Hope he was great eye candy.

Somehow it feels good that you will be watching my journey - keep me on the straight and narrow .....and deviation free.

Aj - you sound really busy at the momment - just remember to give to oyurself as well - I can tell you are great at giving to everyone else - don't forget you in the mix.

As I have already said - you are truly inspriational.
Blessings
Shanara

[Kimmyk1]

Hi AJ

I wanted to check in and say congratulations, you are doing so well with the refeed and you look amazing in your wedding outfit.

You are a huge inspiration to me and I love reading your diary. I think I will have to re-read it when I start my refeed!

All the best for the wedding.

Regards Kim

[lou102]

Hi AJ,
It sounds as though you are doing refeed at the right time. Looks as though it will be all over by the time of the wedding, which is fantastic.

There seems to be a lot of food in refeed and it sounds complicated. I am very interested in your progress.

Have a great day.

[Karen67]

WOW, 2.5 times the amount of food sounds HUGE AJ !! Its no wonder your struggling with it !!! I bet your weighing yourself all the time to make sure your not putting on any weight.....

This thermomix has me intrigued.... I googled it the other day, it looks pretty amazing really...... there wasnt alot of info on the site though, including the price $$ ?? I guess they want you to book a home demo to get all that info ??.....

Anyway, have a great day, and happy eating

Karen

[Annabelle Joy]

Back down to my low this morning. Very happy with that, particularly as no BM for a couple of days. Both protein and vegetables are increased a bit today. Also, I get to add new protein (lamb, pork, other seafood). Two 'bad fruits' again, and three slices of bread. I can add some milk also, and deduct some of the protein.

Yesterday was busy, but not stressful. I didn't get to the winery until late as I had a number of other matters to deal with. It was quite a busy day, with several groups in for tastings, and a group in from Australian Idol doing a photo shoot. Sorry, don't know who they were, but one lovely young Asian looking girl. She was changing clothes, came out in one really short dress with a long dress held in front of her because she was embarrassed about how short it was. I thought it was funny, as she looked lovely. If I had legs like hers I'd wear dresses like that all the time. Last night I spent a while talking with MotB about wedding arrangements, mainly rehearsal dinner which is at her house but catering arranged by me, and we need to deliver food, wines, etc. at the weekend and on the day, and collect some things the following day, so need access to the house.

My clinic appointment was changed to today. I'm meeting my Thermomix group leader this morning for coffee and chat in Geelong, then the clinic appointment. I have a bit of shopping I need to do, mainly underwear, pantyhose, etc. and also some food shopping for refeed and for a demo tomorrow. A friend phoned to say that a Malaysian student from 15 years ago is staying with them until tomorrow and would like to see me, so I'm calling in on them. I still have a computer to finish off, plus another one arrived yesterday, and I have to prepare for the demo tomorrow, so too full a day I think.

Thanks everyone for stopping by. I'll come back this evening and respond to messages.

Have a lovely, stress free, day, everyone.

AJ

[shell]

Good one AJ,
Sounds like your body is reacting well to all the extra food!
Have a great day
Shell

[Cheral]

Hello AJ

Your life seems to be getting busier and busier, and your body seems to be adapting well to the extra food.
I finally weighed myself this morning after two weeks of not really watching what I was eating. suprised to be only 1kg up from goal.
My family leave on Friday and husband also away in Mildura for four days from Friday, so plan on being very Cohen friendly for those days. Should lose that pesky kilo in no time.
Keep Well

Cheral

[Francesca]

I haven't been able to stop by your diaries for a couple of days, AJ, but I've caught up with all your entries. You are sailing through refeed with such style! And doing really well. Well done on getting back to your all-time low, despite all that food - which I'm plenty jealous about, by the way

And most importantly, you look SMASHING in that gorgeous dress! Kinda makes all the hard work over the last year worth it, don't you think?

[ceburoo]

Hi AJ and congrats on your journey through refeed. You are going great guns and te timing of the wedding to the refeed couldnt be more perfect even if you had planned it.
I got my refeed last Tuesday and have started to look through it. I will make some notes and then contact the clinic for them to answer my queries. My refeed looks very similar to yours obviously only some of the items coming in earlier than what you are experiencing. The mindset to refeed should be no different to the program and if all is in place then the results will follow just as we experienced on the program.
If I go full term (have been reading about your reverse pregnancy) on the program then I still believe that I will get to start refeed around November 11. You will be out of here by then but still around.

[Shanara]

HI AJ

So glad to see your refeed is going so well - you sure are a lady of grace. Just flowing with this process as it unfolds - beautiful.

I am amazed by how busy you are yet still so centred. Hope all continues well.

Blessings
Shanara

[Annabelle Joy]

Tomorrow DH and I am going to Melbourne to give a demo to my niece and her family (husband, 4 yo to whom I am going to pitch the demo , and 2 yo). Anyway, won't have much time in the morning, so will update here tonight.

I struggled to get through the food today. I missed one of my fruits, a timing problem, and one of my breads, just decided I couldn't fit it in. I had a cup of milk coffee with lunch, which I ate late at the friends'. When I first started Cohen's I thought I would really miss my milk coffee. Today I didn't enjoy it much. I'm going to continue drinking black coffee in maintenance. My consultant said that some people get extreme reactions in their digestive system from milk. I don't know if it was the milk or the senna tablet I took this morning, but this afternoon my tummy had pains, similar to senna pains. Also, the gas that gets expelled which has been odourless was smelly today (may be too much info). I'm skipping the milk tomorrow, will try again on Friday.

Tomorrow I continue with two bad fruits plus the old three, mixed proteins, same quantities but more new protein and less old, and some new veg replacing old veg, three slices of bread, milk which I will skip tomorrow and a small serve of carbs.

Today was a busy day. I met my group leader for coffee and chat. While with her the dressmaker phoned to say she was ready for a fitting. Next stop was my consultant, who was her usual enthusiastic self. I saw a different consultant last time (they're all great). I explained that the other consultant had asked if I used to feel hunger prior to Cohen's then, when I said no, suggested that I probably wouldn't get hungry and I was probably ready for refeed, based on other indicators. My consultant today said she wouldn't have thought of that. I feel so lucky that she wasn't available last time or I still wouldn't be on refeed, and I'm sure I did start at the right time.

I then did some shopping; new bras (the women at Bras 'n' Things are just great, so helpful and even remember me from one visit to another), underpants, pantyhose, and some comfort sandals from the chemist. Pen, if you read this, I have what I need for the body stocking photo, just need to find the time to do it. Next stop the visit to see the visiting student and our friends she is staying with. Came home to collect wedding shoes, called in on client to collect some CDs, then on to the fitting. The dress and jacket are looking terrific. She is almost finished, needs to hem the dress and make a couple of adjustments to the jacket. I love it, although it will be very hot if we have a hot day. On to the supermarket to buy a few things for the demo and new proteins. After dinner I prepared and packed food for the demo (takes an hour or more even with DH's help) then prepared the food I need to take for my lunch and snacks tomorrow. This will be my last demo before the wedding. I didn't get to the two computers, they will have to wait until Friday, which otherwise is fairly free.

I hope I'm okay weight-wise tomorrow. With such a busy day and evening I haven't had many toilet visits, so have fluid retention.

Thanks for stopping by, Tara, Shanara (x 2), Kimmy, Lou, Karen, shell, Cheryl, Francesca, Ceb and anyone reading this.

It's perfect timing, Tara. My consultant thinks I shouldn't have to go back, two days anywhere, given what's happened to date. I'm hoping she's right.

Shanara, I'm hoping to just concentrate on the wedding starting at the weekend. I'm waking in the night and thinking of little details that I need to get done/taken/etc.

Thanks, Kimmy. I've tried to give others an indication of what to expect in refeed without going into the detail of what I can eat that you can't have yet. Most of the new food isn't all that interesting anyway, although I have enjoyed the new fruits.

Lou, I'm not finding it particularly complicated, apart from the problem of having to prepare ahead when I'm not going to be home. However, it does seem a lot of food, although compared with what we used to eat, meals are still fairly small and simple. Mostly, I've been too busy to prepare interesting meals, just doing salads and stirfries, and ensuring that I'm eating the right quantities of everything.

Karen, the main Thermomix brochure is here: http://thermomix.com.au/tm31-brochure12.pdf and it gives quite of lot of info on what it can do. It really is an incredible piece of equipment, and the food tastes fantastic and is so in line with the wholesome food that we are expected to eat in the future. Yes, they want you to have a home demo because no one would buy one if they hadn't seen for themselves what it can do. The price is four digits, but the first digit is still a '1' (it's cheaper than a large, flat screen TV and it can save you it's price). Do PM me if you would like more details or a demo.

My body has coped very well with new foods, shell. I've been pleasantly surprised with how well I've done.

Cheral, you've done really well on maintenance. I hope it works as well for me as it has for you. I'm sure you will lose that kilo very quickly.

Francesca, I had expected to have more trouble with refeed than I have. I think that I started at the right time, and some who have trouble start too early according to my consultant. Also, Dr Cohen designs our refeed for us individually, and he's already shown with the diet that he understands what our bodies need. Yes, the dress really does show me how much I've achieved.

Ceb, how long is your refeed? I'm assuming a bit shorter than mine if you introduce foods earlier. It can be a bit difficult to keep remembering that even though we have finished the diet we still have to eat only what's been weighed according to the plan. Mind tends to get ahead of fact.

Have a lovely, stress free, day tomorrow, everyone.

AJ

[janine]

H AJ. Isn't Refeed amazing in that you can eat so much more and not gain weight. I love it. However, I do remember the constipation once I started mixing proteins...

I used to be a latte person, then cut back to flat whites, then just a dash of milk pre-Cohens. Now I can't stand the taste of milk in coffee. I used to hate long blacks! I work with another Cohenite who says the same thing.

Well done, you progress is fantastic.

[lucylou]

Hi AJ

I feel dizzy just reading about your busy life. I finally have my laptop back, it's been over a week and I've felt quite lost without it, a brand new keyboard fixed the problem and all under warranty. I am looking forward to the extra food but not the extra gas!! In the "too much information" vein, I've been happy that any gas I have had on Cohen's has been benign! It will be interesting to see if milk has the same effect on me.

Thanks to your observations I've bought some very simple bread for refeed, all organic and just flour, water and salt using a leven made of the same 3 ingredients so I'll see how I go with that. Not long now, counting down the days.

I'm so glad everything has worked out so well for you in time for the wedding. Can't wait to see those shots of you in the body stocking, just don't get the dress and the body stocking mixed up on the big day otherwise you will be getting all the attention!

x

Loulou