is 5 meals of cheese really too much a week?

[melaniej]

Hello everyone!

This is my very first post and i have been doing cohens for 3 months now. I started off at 91.1kgs and lost 10kgs in the first month, 6.5kgs in the second and 5.3kgs in my third month. So i am thrilled to put it mildly, this for me was my last chance or be overweight for the rest of my life. For years i have had the "all or nothing mentallity" and "oh i wasnt perfect so will have to start tomorrow" Since doing cohens suprisingly i have left those behind, i think its being accountable each month and far too much money not to be 100% commited.

I do have a question if anyone can help, after talking last week during my app with my consultant about what a usual day is i mentioned that i love ricotta and cooked grated zuchini and spring onions mixed into ricotta and put on 2 crispbreads averaging 5 times a week. She said that i wasnt allowed but i knew it was ok and pointed out that in the book it says max once a day. She said no it must be 3 times or it will effect my weightloss and if i was eating it 3 times a week i would of had a better weightloss this month. I actually felt really disapointed as i pride myself for being deviation free i am always so careful and felt like i had broken the rules and mostly upset because i felt that was a great weightloss - 5.3kgs.

Is it really bad to have the cheese option more than 3 times? Will it really effect my weightloss? Any thoughts would be greatly appriecated. Thanks

[jlou]

Hi melaniej and welcome

cheese used to be once a day but if you read the Important Tips for New Members thread (new members stickies) you will see the current recommendation is no more than 3 times per week. I just double checked my program itself and it does say "max once per day. Try to limit to no more than 3 times per week. So you are NOT deviating. However from what I have observed Around here it is clear that for SOME people cheese can slow their weight loss. Some people can't eat it at all. However, you are going well and I would be pretty happy with 5.3kg in a month at the point you are at!! Yoghurt is another one - some people are affected by inulin. I didn't know about the inulin when I started so I ate vaalia. Didn't affect my weight loss so my clinic said to keep going as it is not a problem for me.

It is your decision - if you are happy with your weight loss to date and it stays at that rate and you can't live without the cheese then....
However it wouldn't hurt to perhaps try throwing in a few cheese free days a week and see if it makes a difference? At least then you would know for sure?

jlou

[melaniej]

Thanks for the info Jlou i will do cheese three days a week and see how it goes as i can go without it but do really love it. It will be interesting to see what the results will be like next month. And right now im going to read the important tips for new members to make sure im completely updated. thanks again

[Mum Chum]

Hi Melanie.
I am 1 of those who CAN"T have mozzarella as I have immediate gain - have tried it a couple of times to prove the point.

However - 4 times a week I have stuffed mushrooms for lunch at work - with cottage cheese & onion, tomato & zucchini. (Yum) I mentioned it to my clinic and their comment was, "that shouldn't hurt". I have done it now for the last 2 weeks and those 2 weeks have been better than average losses for me. (I always lose, but some weeks have been 200 gr. I think a loss is a loss, but I do prefer the 'over 1kg' weeks
I guess it really does depend on how each individual body handles the different foods, and you have to be the judge. I'd be happy with your losses, if it was my body lol.

[melaniej]

Thankyou Mum Chum, thats sound advice and really interesting how different foods effect different people. I must count myself lucky i have had no gains.

Jlou i just read the important tips for new members and currently have clive of india curry powder in meals so that wont be happening any more.

Thankyou both

[jlou]

Happy to help Melanie!

Have you considered starting a diary?

And now that I am on a laptop I will put the link to the Important Tips here:
http://newyouforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9808

So you and anyone else reading who is interested can find them easily (I was on iphone before so tricky to do links!)

Cheers
jlou

[shuki]

I adore my cheese meals Melanie so totally get the It would be great to eat it every day thing - however the programme does say only 3 times a week so that is what I do. Boo Hoo....would be so yummy to have it more - but I prefer to do what the good doc says and let my food be the medecine in the doses he recommends.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The main reason cheese is recommended only a maximum of three times a week is actually the same reason that feta can only be eaten once a week. Cheese has a lot of sodium (salt) in it. This causes water retention. Water retention isn't what we want is it. You gals have enough of a problem with water retention already every month without adding to it to further slow down your loss.

[jlou]

You gals have enough of a problem with water retention already every month without adding to it to further slow down your loss.

Damn straight SMS!!!!

[melaniej]

Thanks all i agree unfortunately for the first 3 months (up to a few days ago}i was following what was in my book saying max once a day so thats what i was doing i did see that it says try to have 3 times a week but when it said its ok to have everyday (i only had it max 5 times a week) i didnt think i was breaking the rules. Its not until after telling my consultant in passing what i usually eat that we came across this. Jlou also gave me the link for the important rules so now im up to date. So far have only had cheese 2 times this week and will wait till next week to have more. Good luck with you weightlosses this week warm regards Melaniej

[jlou]

Melaniej, let us know if there is a difference in the scales!

[WSM]

Originally Posted by melaniej

Its not until after telling my consultant in passing what i usually eat that we came across this.

Hi Melanie

Sounds like you have been going great guns and your head is really in the right space! Good for you sweetheart!!!

I don't think you'll find many people on the forum who haven't (BY ACCIDENT) eaten or done something they shouldn't have - I certainly have! Wasn't happy when I found out but we live and learn. Personally, I eat cheese maybe once or twice a week as I'm intolerant to 'cow' dairy, good for goat and sheep but it's impossible to find low fat yoghurt/mozarella/cottage cheese etc... I have a brilliant goats fetta which I adore but will still treat myself to mozarella maybe once a fortnight. As per jlou's comment - I'm really interested in finding out how you go on the scales. Keep us updated!

Oh, and welcome!

[melaniej]

hi everyone

So here is the stats....last month (my 3rd month} i lost 5.3kgs averaging 1.3kgs per week. This was while i was having cheese 5 times a week, well this week just gone i only had cheese twice and the scales say a 2.1kg loss!!!!!It is true cheese more than 3 times a week can be detrimental to your weightloss. I'm absolutely thrilled and completely think its worth the sacrifice (to tell you the truth i actually dont miss it that much i think it was more out of convenience) So i could almost say i have lost an extra 0.8kg because i limited my cheese. I urge anyone who does have it more than 3 times (i think i have seen it on the forums before} a week limit to less than 3 just for a week and see if there is a difference. There cant be anything bad about reaching goal that little bit sooner!
thanks to all that commented, see you in the forums!

[jlou]

well dopne Melanie - glad it paid off!

[WSM]

Wow! Interesting! Happy you though! Guess we'll see more weight coming off you now? Good on you!!!

Have you looked at the tickers?

[RachyF]

Am I correct in my assumption that cheese doesn't affect one's fat loss, as the weight is only water.

So theoretically whatever weight you may retain from having cheese 5 times a week you'd lose as soon as you stopped eating the cheese..

If you complete refeed and enjoy eating cheese 5 times a week you'll put that water weight back on.

So if you really like cheese and you're in the zone with those meals, you can just keep going as you were and there is no change in how much fat you're carrying, or you're losing.

Another thing - I haven't had cheese more than 3 times a week yet (I've thought about it, i LOVE my cheese meals!!) but I have always LOVED salt, and put a LOT on my food.. I'm not sure how much more salt related water weight my body could take

[mcpsych]

1/ cheese is not water , it is a milk product and thus contains fats which are processed by the body.
as refeed and maintenance are personal, it may well be possible for someone to eat cheese 5 times a week and not gain weight. If you gain weight it will be your fat cells ( which remain the same in number) increasing in size. You will then need to use whatever method you choose to increase metabolisation of fat in order to lose the weight.
2/ the amount of salt you use will affect you - salts are necessary to the body ,excess salt will cause water retention, too little will cause physiological effects like cramps etc.
you need to consult your clinic about the amount and type of salt you use and its appropriateness for you.

[RachyF]

Originally Posted by mcpsych

1/ cheese is not water , it is a milk product and thus contains fats which are processed by the body.
.

Hi. Sorry if I was unclear. I didn't think cheese was water. I thought the issue with having cheese more than 3 times in a week was due to the sodium level (salt?) leading to water retention.

[mcpsych]

as sms said, that is one reason too much is discouraged, also one reason salt intake in general is regulated
in maintenance it is an individual choice and then comes down to how much fat you think you can injest without harm

[ConnieK..]

I also need to add that Cheese is a 'lighter' option and doesn't tend to fill you up for as long so a lot of people get hungry when eating cheese as a main choice.

Connie