LouLou's Diary

[lucylou]

Hi everybody

I've been checking out the forum for a few weeks now and it's one of the main reasons I've decided to do Cohen's. I've lost weight in the past only by following a food plan and having lots of support from people who are doing the same thing so this is just what I need. My downfall is sugar and that's the reason I've always put the weight back on.

I haven't received my food plan yet but it should arrive in the next day or so but today I start the pre-Cohen's plan and the sugar is gone. I'm sick of waking up feeling as though I've poisoned myself. I'm sick of the regret, the self loathing and feeling as though I have no control over what I put in my mouth.

I know that losing weight is an emotional journey as well as a physical one so I've started meditating again. I've recently returned from a 10 day silent meditation retreat which taught me how to control my thinking as well as help with craving but like all things that work it takes practise and that's what I need to do everyday, practise. One day at a time.

Right now I'm excited and nervous. I'm lucky in that I have a very supportive husband who loves me no matter what weight I am, which is just as well because I've put on over 30 kgs since we met! I've been blaming my thyroid condition for the last couple of years, a very handy excuse indeed. But now thanks to a doctor who specialises in natural thyroid health I'm out of excuses so it's time to let the weight go.I feel scared even writing that. I've used food and my weight as protection since I was 8 years old. When I've reached goal weight before I've never managed to maintain for long. I'm going to need a lot of help to do this but at least I'm aware of what I'm feeling, for so many years I didn't even have that.

I'm looking forward to meeting you all through the forum, I feel as though I know some of you already from reading your posts, you have inspired me to do this, so thank you.

lots of love

Loulou

[shell]

Hi LouLou,
Welcome to the forum
You will get lots of support and advice on here.

Congratulations on starting the Cohen's journey, and your new happier and healthier life!
Have a great day
Shell

[Trips]

Hi loulou,

Looking forward to sharing your journey with you!!
You are in the right place for encouragement and support.

Well done for already looking at your own truths and claiming them as yours!

Much love,

Trips xxxxx

[ConnieK..]

Welcome Lucy,

I hope you find the journey rewarding and not daunting........... after all it's the journey that makes the destination worthwhile ......... we need to address the emotional or we would not be happy even with a life change like Cohens

I too look forward to sharing your journey.

Connie

[Stoddy]

Hi and welcome LouLou

Everyone is very supportive here so drop in anytime if you need to ask questions, or just for a chat !!

Get ready for the ride of your life !!

Stoddy

[bruni]

Welcome LouLou..looks like you will have absolutely no problems at all with Cohens..you seem very centred..being in a retreat
mediating for 10 days in silence..that would be damn hard..the self control, you would have to feel great afterwards.

Look forward to reading your journey..

Jules x

[Time4Me]

Welcome Loulou,

Good on you for making such a great choice to join cohens and this forum, everyone is so supportive, informative but most of all you will find inspiration by the bucket load on here.

Im lookingf forward to folowwing your journey.

Cheers Barb ~!

[Annabelle Joy]

Welcome, Loulou. Like you, I've never managed to maintain my goal weight for very long, and like you I'm a sweet tooth. Since starting Cohen's I'm optimistic that I really will maintain my weight this time. I'm finding that my attitude to food has changed. For the first time ever I'm giving my clothes away as they become too big for me. Finally, I'm confident that I won't need them again. I have yet to test to this after refeed, but, as I said, I'm optimistic. Hopefully, you also will gain this confidence as you move through your own journey.

AJ

[bitten]

hello loulou-

so much of what you wrote really rings so true for me. i have a sugar addiction, be it in sweets or wine or other foods. i feel so, so much better without it.
i also have thyroid disease and i am curious about your holistic dr's findings. i no longer use synthetic replacement, but armour. i would love to hear more!!
what AJ wrote is also true for me. i have lost loads of weight in the past, but have never truly managed it properly and have yo yo'ed FOREVER!
i am thrilled to have you here.
your meditation sounds so truly wonderful.

you have the tools to succeed here.
welcome-
bitten

[samaras mum]

Hi LouLou

Welcome,

To the beginning of the rest of your life.

Use this forum for all your high's and low's and if there is one things that I know about being on here loulou, it is a good place to leave all of the excess baggage.

We are all here for you. Well Done on your choice.
Sonia xxx

[lucylou]

So wonderful to hear from you all, I got a bit teary reading your replies. I expect I'll be pretty emotional during this journey, I've used food to stuff down just about every emotion I've ever had from grief to joy and everything in between.

I received my eating plan today and I'm taking my first step tomorrow. I already feel as though I'm on the path, even after a day of no sugar and following the pre-Cohen's suggestions I'm tired, hungry and my head hurts! I know it won't last though and the change in me will be more than worth it.

Bitten, I'm on the same natural thyroid medication as you. I resisted using anything for years but in the end a heart specialist told me what would what would happen to my body over a period of time if I let the hypothyroidism continue unchecked and it wasn't pretty. The funny thing is that I've never liked taking prescription medication, I've always gone to naturopaths and medical herbalists and yet I've eaten every piece of sugary rubbish ever invented. I'm positive that the Cohen's eating plan, based on real food, will help my body recover.

I tried doing the shake based diet at the end of last year after a work colleague lost a lot of weight doing that, even though I knew the sugar in them would sabotage all of my endeavours, and I was right. I need real food and no sugar, and lots of help. I can't do this alone so thank you all so much.

x
Loulou

[Annabelle Joy]

One thing about this diet, LouLou, is that you eat real food. The food is great, and once you've settled down it's plenty. The headaches should stop very soon, the hunger probably will be around for a bit longer. After a few weeks on the diet you should notice all sorts of health benefits.

AJ

[makemeover]

Welcome Loulou,
Congrats on making the decision to change your life.
Welcome to the forum.
MMO

[lucylou]

Well Day One today. I'm on my way. Just tried to add a ticker to my signature so hopefully it's worked.

Yesterday I made yoghurt, 5 batches of AJ's chicken nuggets (thanks for the great recipe AJ) and also 5 batches of the chicken soup in the recipe book. I've been told that those that succeed are prepared, so now I have some meals in the freezer.

I drank 3 litres of water yesterday, I was amazed, it was easier than I thought. Mind you I've always loved my water Actually a medical herbalist told me once that I drank too much water, I was a water guzzler and put me on a regime to cut down my water intake. Another reason for me to love Cohen's I can drink as much water as I like.

The pre-Cohen's plan has left me feeling weak and the headaches are constant, I feel as though I'm detoxing which I am, from sugar and lots of carbs.

Onwards we go, one step at a time.

x

Loulou

[Bundy77]

Heyya Loulou
Dont worry the headache and hunger will pass. I was 198 when I started and ate huge meals. If I can subsist on these meal sizes then anyone can!
By the way if you get gastric reflux it should disappear soon.... mine did.
I want to wish you good luck but meh you won't need it! you have step by step exact instructions!
This diet is better than say WW because I found that lax rules in diets leads to exploitations of loop holes well at least for me anyway lol
Cheers
Matt

[Annabelle Joy]

I hope the headaches pass soon, LouLou. They should be gone in a day or two.

Congratulations on getting prepared. I need to make more nuggets (they're not actually my recipe, but I get the credit because I talked about them so much). It'd be much easier if we didn't have to weigh in individual meals when making up food for several days.

I agree with Matt about the diet. In some ways it's the most difficult one I've ever done, but it's also the easiest. You know exactly what you can eat and how much, no deviations.

AJ

[Time4Me]

hey there loulou,

Your headaches will pass soon, youre right it is just the detox from sugars and carbs, it wont be long before your body adjusts and you start feeling amazingly healthy.

Matt I love this one........

Originally Posted by Bundy77

I found that lax rules in diets leads to exploitations of loop holes

I believe I was exactly like that, but I used to just call it "cheating" I much prefer your wording on it

In all seriousness, Matt is right that this is better than other programs, simply because it is black and white with no grey. If its NOT on the program its NOT on the program, no guess work.

I wish you all the best for your journey and hope youre feeling much better really soon.

Cheers Barb ~!

[lucylou]

Howdy

I'm starting to feel better, but still a bit dizzy, mind you my morning meditation can have that effect sometimes!

Being new to this forum I'm going to have to learn that cut and paste thing with other people's quotes because I agree totally with Matt "lax rules in diets leads to exploitations of loop holes." I love the fact that I know exactly what I have to eat and when. Surprisingly it takes a great weight off my mind...and eventually off my body too.

On my last diet I stretched the boundaries so much that I just ended up bingeing on sugar, which is where I usually end up if I start eating that stuff.

I have done weighed and measured food plans before and lost a lot of weight. I never thought I could do the whole weighing and measuring thing again but here I am and I'm happy to be here. Where I've failed before was when I got to goal weight I literally didn't know what to do, I didn't know how to maintain and I was given no support for that, the whole focus was on losing weight once that was done what was the point of following a food plan. Also years ago I got down to 57 kg and completely freaked out, I couldn't wait to get the weight back on, I didn't feel like me, I didn't feel real, it was weird. This time I'm going to keep the meditation going, a tool I didn't have back then, and keep contributing to this forum. It helps me so much to see members who've reached goal, done their refeed and are maintaining continuing to help the rest of us. Thank you.

Love

Loulou

[Annabelle Joy]

I've had dizzy spells, still do sometimes if I shower as soon as I get out of bed, LouLou. However, mine are only occasional. I hope yours clear up soon.

To use the quotes, copy and paste as you have been doing, then drag across the quote and click on the quotes icon above where you are typing (two to the left of Hides part of ...).

I think the answer to maintenance is to pretty much stick with Cohen style eating, but know we can enjoy an evening out eating whatever we want. Most of us are here because we have a problem controlling our insulin levels. Carbs, and particularly sugar, throw this out of control and create cravings for more and then we can't get off the carbs. Therefore, we will always need to be careful or we will upset the levels again.

AJ

[lucylou]

Thanks for the tip AJ, I'm going to try that right now.

Now I need to see if that worked. I love this forum.