Suzie's last leg....

[SuzieQ]

Well here I am, thought I'd finish this properly by doing a refeed diary, it should keep me on the straight and narrow .

So today is day 3 of refeed and I'm doing good, enjoying my extra food and lost 200g overnight which was a nice surprise.

Refeed Start Date: 8/12/08
Refeed is for 20 days
Starting weight: 53.4kg
Todays Weight: 53.2kg

I'm getting extra protein and veg, a good fruit and I can have bread if I wish but have decided not to go down that road yet. Just sticking with the crackers for now.

I do feel much better within myself now that I've started refeed, I was really feeling weird for a while there and obsessing too much about getting to goal was doing my head in.

Went to a morning tea this morning with lots of yummy cake, cheese, chips, biscuits etc I wasn't tempted which was great. Everyone else was tucking in and offering me this and that, I felt a little self concious as I'm sure some people were wondering why I didn't eat anything. I guess when we get to goal or close to it people think we have done our job and can have a little of this or that now that we aren't trying to lose anymore, bit hard to explain refeed without going into the whole Cohens story. It will be nice to just get back to 'normal' in social situations, which to the new me means just being able to have a little of something not a lot of everything .

I started doing some toning excercises yesterday at home and my thighs are SO sore, I've been so inactive the last few months that I am totally out of shape so I'm really looking forward to getting some level of fitness back. I just did some squats and arm presses, not over doing it while still on refeed.

Anyway, that's where I'm at.

Suzie

[Francesca]

Woohoo! A refeed diary! (I just posted in your other one)

Welcome to Refeed Land, Suzie! It's a fun place where you get to experiment with new foods and combinations and figure out what works for you (and what just doesn't). Do check out the refeed recipes if you have a chance - lots of yummo stuff can be had on refeed!

I found it hard to explain refeed to my friends as well. They all wanted to know why I still had to stick to a set programme when I had already reached my goal weight. But I used it as an opportunity to explain Cohens to them and most people seemed to conclude that it was a good system since the doctor gradually reintroduces stuff back into your diet.

[thenewvee]

Congrats on starting refeed Suzie!
I'm sure you will do it with as much style as you did the program!
20 days is interesting! Means you will be still doing it over Christmas!
That means you will have to focus more on family and presents and stuff!! All the good stuff!!
It's great that you've already been dropping weight on refeed!
I do hope it all goes well for you and that you keep feeling better!
Be a bit careful with the exercises, even if they are toning, cause when the muscles get sore, they retain water (or so I've read somewhere)!

Well done on resisting all the stuff at the morning tea! A good start to your refeed!

Vee

[rocks]

Welcome to refeed Suzie, the time will fly so quickly and you'll be in maintainence in no time. Good luck, have fun and i look forward to following your journey.

[lucylou]

Well done Suzie, you little rippper!

Enjoy the extra food, refeed is complicated but it's a blast.

Congratulations.

x

Loulou

[louise41]

Congratulations on starting refeed Suzie. Im pleased to see you had a drop since starting as I know you were worried in case this didnt happened - enjoy the new foods and I hope your legs are feeling better soon!

[Annabelle Joy]

Congratulations on reaching refeed, Suzie. I think that still being in refeed over Christmas, and therefore having to restrict what you eat, is a much better situation than finishing just before Christmas, and having to work out the early stages of maintenance with the complication of all the Christmas food. It can be easy to eat more, then just keep on eating and destroy a lot of your good work.

AJ

[SuzieQ]

Down to 52.8kg this morning! I was very surprised and very happy about that .

I get 2 good fruits today so will enjoy my lovely pineapple. I haven't been doing anything special for my meals just more of the same. I guess when I can mix proteins it will get more complicated and I'll have to try out some new stuff.

Question, when we can mix proteins that means the 5 hour rule is out right. Does that mean I could then have say tuna on my crackers at morning tea and then chicken or whatever at lunch? I don't have to have my 2 proteins in the one meal do I? I'd prefer to spread them out. I know it's a silly question but just thought I'd check.

Ooops nearly forgot, thanks to everyone who has popped in with your well wishes I appreciate it.

Anyway, must go things to do.

Take it easy.

Suzie

[Francesca]

Great news on the continued weight loss, Suzie! You're just breezing through this!

The first few days of refeed are quite straightforward but yes, it does take a bit more planning once protein mixing happens. It's great fun though. My favourite meal was a prawn-scallop aglio olio pasta (when you can have carbs) for lunch. Yummmmmmos!

Hmm, good question you posted there. I stuck to proteins only at meal times so I can't help with this question but just off the top of my head, I don't see why you couldn't have a snack with proteins. Best to check with your consultant? It's Friday so go check now!

[Annabelle Joy]

I'm like Francesca, ate my proteins with meals. I think that in general that's the way it should be done, so you really are mixing your proteins. However, logically it seems to me that what you are suggesting would be okay sometimes.

AJ

[new_ruby]

Hi Suzie,
Just dropping in to see how you're going with yr program.
20 days ! WOW you must have been naughty !! ( kidding)
I am up to day 10 now(of 18 min), and it is getting easier to sort it all out.. though I have a hundred and one questions too! Hence I did start a refeed diary afterall... just hoping to get through without messing it up really.
Good luck, and glad for you that your weight is still going down!
cheers,
Ruby

[SuzieQ]

Ahhh busy busy busy, finally got a chance to hop on the puter.

52.4kg yesterday and today so down 1kg from start of refeed weight. I am enjoying my extra food but the portions are getting a little silly now and they are only going to grow more, I don't know how I'm going to manage eating it all. I seem to have been eating all day today which is a stark contrast to the original plan. On the upside my energy levels have been great so I've been able to do more without getting totally fatigued like I have been the last few months.

I have started getting a few pimples as well, I haven't had a pimple in 5 months so I don't know what that's about, maybe it's the extra carbs or fruit? Still haven't had bread and don't plan to, I don't miss it so I don't see the point really.

Thanks for stopping in AJ, Francesca and Ruby, I'll have to check how you are all doing, I've had zero time for the computer so I have no idea what anyone is up to.

Seeya

Suzie

[Mette]

I was wondering where you had gone! I leave for a week and I come back and you've disappeared! Good thing I found you! Congrats on reaching refeed! You've done so amazingly well on your journey, you must be so happy and proud! And you're still doing amazingly well, I see!
Stay strong and keep smiling!

[SuzieQ]

I'm still at 52.4kg no changes in that department, happy about that.

I have to say I found it extremely difficult to consume all the food yesterday. As a result I didn't eat everything as I felt so full and thought it was just ridiculous to force myself to eat to the point where I would be sick.

I'm going to call my clinic today and ask them what I can do, I refuse to stuff myself beyond the point that I'm enjoying it. I remember reading somewhere that others have cut down the fruit or cracker allowances on refeed so maybe that is an option. I think yesterday I made the mistake of having 2 fruits and 4 crackers before lunch and then I just couldn't bring myself to eat my full lunch. I think eating the 3 main meals is more important than the fruit so I'll see what the clinic says.

Anyone else had issues with the amount of food? Seems so weird, talk about one extreme to the other , never thought I'd say I can't eat it all!

I'm also a bit concerned about my TOM cycles which have been all but non existent the last couple of months. It starts but is just very light for a couple of days and then finishes. I want to try for another baby very soon so I'm hoping this rectifies itself, I've never had this problem before so I think it is related to being on Cohens, maybe I've gone too low and my body just doesn't like it? Hard to say but I hope it fixes itself soon.

Must go, things to do.

Take it easy.

Suzie

[shell]

Hi Suzie,
I was told by my clinic that if I was to omit anything that it be the "old" food, not the new foods you are introducing.
But double check with your clinic.

Shell

[Mette]

I dont' think you should be too worried about TOM, Suzie. Mine's decided to not appear at the moment. It'll come right once you've finished refeed, I'm sure!

I can't really say that I know the problem of too much food, but hopefully one of the old hands can answer that one!

[SuzieQ]

Thanks Shell, yeah I figured as much, I was going to keep the 'new fruits' and ditch the 'old fruits'. Still waiting to hear from the clinic.

Oh Mette, you will know all about it girlfriend...the amounts really are just crazy and I'm only on day 10 of 20! I know we have to do it but part of my brain is just screaming STOP!! Said to hubby last night it seems strange to have to eat all this food that I really don't even feel like when I'm trying to get myself in the headspace that I should only eat when I'm hungry and smaller amounts....it's a really weird sensation. Part of me is scared that my body will get used to eating this much food and won't want to cut back once I'm finished refeed if that makes any sense.

Having said that it is great to have bigger portions and different foods, I just don't like being told I have to eat all of it whether I want to or not. Like a kid at dinner time being told off by mum....finish your plate!! hahaa.

Suzie

[shell]

Hi Suzie,
I was also told once you were at the mixing protein stage I could have my veg/salad at any time of the day- which helped.
Shell

[katiefrank70]

Hi Suzie

Just popped in to see how you are going. Your posts gave me questions to ask my clinic if they ever call

I agree, just reading my newly arrived Refeed and Im worrying about all the food amounts and the bread.

I also want to thank you for your wonderful support during my "crisis". It's nice to hear from people who know exactly where I am coming from. So a big big thank you.

Hope you get it all settled and quickly, I hear you about not wanting the body to get used to all that food.

Katie

[SuzieQ]

Well I decided instead of having a heap of crackers I would have another piece of bread today, so I had banana on toast....it was good. I don't want to get used to having the bread but thought while on refeed I guess I should try everything out.

I also had tinned salmon on a couple of crackers and mmmmm that was delicious as well...I like my food today can you tell??!!

Went up 400g today to 52.8kg which I'm fine with, not stressing. I was looking for a website yesterday that would help me figure out if I have a small, medium or large frame as apparently this has a lot to do with what weight we should be at. For my height the healthy range is 48-62kg which is a very big range. I found out by my wrist measurement that I have a medium to large frame so at the very minimum I should be 53kg - 58kg max, so I am happy with where I'm at now and sure don't want to go any lower.

Thanks Katie for stopping in. I'm glad I could help out a bit, I really felt what you were going through and it's not nice. Don't worry about the food amounts, your body will get used to them and it is all healthy so nothing to fear - it's just hard to fit it all in some days so I don't force it, although today I'm not having any problems at all could eat the horse and the cart as well! I wasn't planning on having the bread but had a piece yesterday and again today, was up 400g today to 52.8kg but it's normal to fluctuate so not worried. I realise now I was worried about nothing before starting refeed, got my knickers all in a knot for what? Us girls think too much I say. It's all good, you'll enjoy it, just take it one day at a time.

Shell, thanks for the advice. I have been spreading out my food more today and it has helped. I had my yummy salmon on crackers for morning tea sooooo good. I still want to keep the 5 hour rule for main meals though, I think it's a good rule to stick with most of the time.

Gotta go.

Have a great afternoon evreyone.

Suzie