The journey begins ...

[nicolac]

I have struggled with weight gain over the last 15 years - it has steadily gone up & up. I have tried different diets but weight less has always been slow and minimal and my will power weak so never successful. I have poly cystic ovaries which makes it more difficult to lose weight but my sugar addiction doesn't help much either!
I'm now on day 4 of the programme and pleasantly surprised at how I am coping. The first day was hard - very hungry and day 2 was a slight improvement. It didn't help that we went to a friend's for a BBQ and there was lots of yummy food to say no to! I also made a bad call with my lunch, I took prawns and veg allowance on skewers but prawns were on too long and were just hard and crispy so a bit of a depressing lunch! Yesterday, seemed a lot easier, not as hungry and baking some apple slices in the evening was lush! Today is better again and I am feeling really positive & hopeful. It almost seems impossible to imagine myself slim after all these years but reading all the successes is so super encouraging. I have also been inspired by my awesome friend JulieD who has done incredibly on Cohens and is looking amazing!
I haven't had the detox headaches yet but I know it is still early days! It feels great to finally be taking control of my weight. Please Lord let me succeed!!!

[toothfairy]

Keep up the positive thoughts and it will happen. You are doing great.

[Cazspaz]

Oh just you wait! I love seeing newbies around here because I was just as nervous and worried about whether the program would actually work for me too... But it gets easier and it really doesn't take long for you to FEEL amazing!

Don't get me wrong - there are mental challenges along the way but it's different to what I first imagined it be... I thought it would be hunger, cravings and struggling day by day but it's not! It won't take too long for you to start feeling really good. You will feel full after your meals and energetic throughout the whole day. It's a really fresh, clean feeling as your hormones balance out and your body adjusts.

It's very exciting that you have started, you are going to do great!

[chickagirldonk]

Hello

So great to hear all of these positive stories on here as I too have just embarked on the 'Cohen' journey..... well i have had my bloods done and am awaiting my plan..... exciting and scary.

Having done a lot of research, it is sometimes hard to know if you have done the right thing, especially when you read negative stuff..... however, I have committed and therefore reading the threads makes me feel much better

So glad I found this forum, I'm sure it will help me get through the difficult bits..... oohh hope theres not too many...lol!!

[mcbell]

Hi Nic!

Welcome - and congrats you have made a fantastic choice - so glad you are finding it fairly easy so far too.

There are a bunch of us in Chch - if you ever want to catch up start a thread or comment on the Chch catchups thread in the Get Togethers forum area.

I am a second-timer , but it was my own actions that meant I had to redo my programme - I fully support the Cohens programme. I love the black and white rules - makes it easy to say no to things that will take you further away from your goal!

[Javanilla]

Welcome to the board! Hope you find the support and inspiration you are looking for.

You're doing great so far. My first week was the most difficult. I was literally counting the days when it would be over. I'm still doing that, kinda, but I'm in Week 16 and I had no idea I could stick to this diet for this long, and I can. I don't think I stuck to anything for this long! Haha. So you hang in there, and you'll do great.

Cheers!

[JulieD]

Welcome Nicola! So great to see you on here

I am so excited for your first weigh in! It is gonna be epic!

I can tell everyone out there this woman is going to look AMAZING at goal. She is already a stunner!!

xx

[lil_doll]

Welcome Welcome!!

Like Caz, I love watching newbies!! In a non-stalker way, I swear!

You just don't believe it will work for you! But it will!!! Stick with it and your blood sugars and hormones will level out and you just sail through cravings!!

I hope you did some starting measurements, cos they kind of blow your mind!!

Enjoy!!

[nicolac]

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments and encouragement. It really is great to read all your messages. I am now on day 6 (will weigh & measure myself tomorrow -eek!). I am not as hungry now which is great and so far have not had the headaches but I have been soooo grumpy and emotional the last couple of days. It hasn't helped that my period started yesterday but definitely more pms than usual! My usual way of coping is chocolate and although baked apple is good ... its not that good! Do long timers on Cohens still crave chocolate or does that go after a while?
Would be great to meet up with some of the ChCh Cohen dieters. Thanks for that tip mcbell -I'll have a look at the thread =)

[EDungey1]

Hi Nic, welcome. Sounds like you're off to a great start. Well done and welcome to the new you! one day at a time.

[marg]

Welcome to Cohens Nicholac , you will be so glad that you found Cohens & this amazing site.I don`t write on here very often but I actually look at this site every day for inspiration . Looking at how much you have to lose is quite small to alot of us , I have lost 43kgs since Feb , 35 of those kilos are from the Cohens Program since April .I also don`t lose weight easily,but 35 kilos since April to me is amazing , so you will lose your`s in no time, keep strong & 100% deviation free.

[nicolac]

Thanks so much everyone. I weighed myself yesterday and lost 3kg. So pleased - I am usually so slow to lose any weight. What I was really chuffed about was my tummy was 7cm less which seems incredible for just one week. Feeling more stable yesterday & today too. Not so emotional like I was day 4 & 5.
35kg since April is amazing Marg - its really motivating when you hear stories of such incredible weight loss over a short time period.

[JulieD]

Congrats Nicola!!!



Remember to take some before photo's! They are a very powerful way to show change

[Cazspaz]

Hi Nicola!

Glad to hear some of the emotions have settled - sugar cravings can be difficult! Have you tried chromium tablets? They are great for sugar cravings and re-stabilising those mood swings!

Keep at it - you're doing a fabulous job!

[nicolac]

Thanks Julie & Cazspaz. I am taking chronium - think sugar cravings are starting to calm down =)

[1and1and1is3]

Just caught up on your diary

The chocolate cravings do go away... there is hope haha! I've found (5 weeks in) I've actually forgotten what chocolate tastes like, so I don't crave it. To be honest though, I don't seem to be craving sugar at all (I'm lucky in that regard) - It's more cheese and bacon that are constantly entering my head. Mmmm... pizza *drools*

[lil_doll]

Yep, the choc cravings go away!!

But sometimes I do get a little peckish before my period, but then I realise why and I laugh and laugh! haha, or is that cry and cry?! haha. Stupid PMS!! Nah often once you recognise it's a craving, it's not too hard to squash!

The other day my mum left some milk choc in the lounge room and I was like 'muhahahaha, time for me to get my sniff on!!'... I breathed in deeply and it smelt... kinda yuck! I was disappointed, I was expecting that have a big inner battle/wrestle match, but I just thought it smelt sickly sweet... I have other things on my list I'd rather eat before that crap! Like cheesecake for example (which is recommended in maintenance. yay!).

Ooops, shouldn't talk so much about food.

You are doing so well! 3 kilos and all those cms is a seriously great result!!!

[nicolac]

ha ha now you guys have me drooling thinking about bacon, pizza and cheesecake mmmmmmm! It is such a relatively short period of time though in the context of things to not have these foods and feeling happy about my size will be worth even the yummiest of cheesecakes ..... just!

[mcbell]

Great attitude!

Like others, once I am in the zone (and I didn't believe it till I hit day 21 this time around), I can witness people eat whatever they want, I can cook and bake off plan food for others, and sniff to my nose is content those sweet lolly and chocolate smells, and not feel like there is any chance that I will actually eat the forbidden foods.

At this stage though (where my body is refusing to drop any more weight, so I will start refeed in just under a week), I am not willing to tempt myself. My birthday biscuits have remained sealed, as have the bulk choc almonds and pineapple lumps intended as token Christmas gifts to others. No point in tempting the sugar devil inside me when I am at this stage.

I am looking forward to lamb, salmon and avocado! Must remember to start with those foods, rather than the choc biscuits in maintenance.

[nicolac]

Wow, I can't imagine being able to bake cakes etc whilst on Cohens. Too much torture. But I'm only on day 9 so you never know I might be surprise myself later on! I told my children & hubby no bacon sandwiches while I'm doing this either! Got to say, each day I'm finding it easier and wasn't clock watching today for the next meal - definitely no where near as hungry which is awesome. You are so close Mcbell. I imagine this must be quite a difficult time, so close but still needing to remain on plan. How long do you think until refeed? Lamb, salmon and avocado all sound very yummy!