thinking of cohen..need advice

[shuki]

Hi there,
I have just been doing the Weight Watchers programme for about a year and that went really well initially and then I lost my way. It is time for me to restart and I feel a change of focus may be really helpful.
I have looked into some of the Cohen concept and my question is this..
It seems to be fairly restrictive in amount and type of foods you can eat. Is that so?
How does it go once you are off the programme...ie. does the weight stack back on?
How difficult is it to stick to?
Thanks and really looking forward to your advice.
shuki

[lou102]

Hi Shuki,
Before I started Cohens, I did WW for 12 weeks and did 1 hour strenuous exercise each day. I lost 3 kilos in that time and then in one weekend I put it all back on.
I have been doing Cohens for 5 weeks now and have already lost 9 kilos. I have been on every other diet known to man. With all of the other diets there is room to deviate and not know you are doing it. With this program, it does not allow you to deviate unknowingly, if you read and re-read your program thoroughly and understand what you have to do. Also, it is designed specifically for you and you only, from the results of your blood test and the information that you give Dr Cohen. I have found it restrictive mentally, not physically. I am never really starving hungry or craving any particular food. It is just that I THINK that I want other foods. I have also found that you get your taste buds back.

The other night I went out for my sister-in-laws 50th birthday dinner. I took my own food (king prawns and salad) and everyone there was very impressed by what I was able to eat.

I am trying not to make this diet my only focus. I have everything I need in the fridge. I also pre prepare the weight of the meat I can eat and freeze it. It only takes me one minute to defrost it in the microwave before cooking it. I also find that I am eating the best cuts of meat because the cost of eating on this diet is minimal.

Hope this helps.

Louise

[shuki]

thanks Louise,
I guess I am a little concerned that being so restrictive while on it means that once you come off it you just bounce back to bad habits or your body just puts the weight back on.

[lou102]

Hi,

I too was worried about it being too restrictive, but after the first 3 horrid day (detox) I have not had a problem with Cohens. It depends on how much you really want to lose the weight. I am at my wits end.

I find if I just take it a day at a time and not look too far ahead, I am fine and don't feel deprived.

I have been eating, prawns, eye fillet steak, fish, chicken fillets, eggs, cheese. If you have an imagination or use the recipes in the recipe book or on the website you can make a lot of yummy food.
It is meant to reset you hormones that have been stuffed up from yo yo dieting. There is refeed that you go on at the end so that you add more food in and also maintenance so that you can maintain.

Louise

[louise41]

Hi, I too was concerned about the restrictions as i had been on other restrictive diets and struggled with hunger. On this program I find that if I stick to the program I am not hungry. I cannot have all the little extras that are allowed on weight watchers, but then I have much better weight loss on this program. I am averaging about 1.3 kgs per week even 6 weeks into the program, on weight watchers I found the progress much slower.
Its up to you, but personally Im an impatient person and like to see quick results.
Good luck wiht your decision
Louise

[Annabelle Joy]

Shuki, Cohen's is restrictive in the sense that you must weigh all your food, and you do have a fairly restrictive list of foods you can eat. However, the results are amazing, we feel great, most of us are super healthy, although not a lot left over for doing anything physical. Have a look here: http://newyouforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5249

The weight stacks back on with any diet if you go back to eating as you did before. That's not got anything to do with the diet. However, on Cohen's you go through a special refeeding programme at the end to prepare you for normal eating, and a set of guidelines that aim to help you stay slim. You are given all the tools, it depends on what you choose to do with them that will determine whether you put the weight back on or not.

I tell people this is both the most difficult and the easiest diet I have ever done. It's difficult in the sense that it is more restrictive. However, having accepted that, it is the easiest because there is no room for variation, and the weight just keeps falling away. I am now at a weight that I believed I would never reach again, prior to starting Cohen's.

Have you visited a clinic? It might help you decide whether Cohen's is for you if you could talk with someone face-to-face. It's a lot of money to pay if you don't think it's for you, and most consultants understand this.

AJ

[SassyK]

Hi Shuki,

I also did WW, and managed to lose about 40kg in about 1.5 years before hitting a plateau. It didn't matter what I did I couldn't seem to lose any more. As a result, I lost my motivation and gained about 10kg back. At that stage I was working out for 2 hours a day and still following WW principles (I'd given up going to meetings because I found the leader so uninspiring) and still managing to gain weight.

In October this year I started Cohens and lost 56kg in 41 weeks, and have reached my goal weight. I have never felt better or more in control of my weight in my life.

What has been highlighted to me from both experiences is:

• WW does not address hormonal imbalances or identify food intolerances (from doing refeed I know that carbs are not going to be part of my diet in the future - I put weight on just by looking at them) that underly weight problems for so many people.
• WW doesn't teach you about portion control - in fact all I learnt was how to cram as much 'low calorie', preservative ridden, processed and generally high carb food into my daily points allowance. The leader was always telling us about tricks that we could use to get more food for your points allowance and encouraging us to find ways to 'cheat the system'. I didn't learn any good habits on WW... and I learnt nothing about listening to my body, understanding the difference between hunger and cravings, and eating to feel satisfied rather than full.
• The quick results on Cohens are far more motivating than the slow ones on WW.
• The food on Cohens is restrictive, but you'll never feel better. I've just done refeed and in the past couple of days I've eaten foods like chocolate, chips and bread (all of which are allowed on WW, but not on Cohens) that I haven't had since I started, and I feel terrible. My skin feels awful, I'm bloated and lethargic... I'm going back to Cohens foods because they make me feel great and I have so much more energy when I eat them.
• WW is damn expensive. I spent thousands of dollars with them to lose a fraction of what I lost on Cohens for a one of payment of $700.
  

I could keep going, but I'm kind of busy... but I think you get which one I'm more of a fan of.

[KyMMy]

Hello,
I've tried everything under the sun too diet wise.

I've lost all my weight and completed my refeed. After this refeed, you get given guidelines on how to eat your food. Eg you can eat desserts and cakes again, and chocolates - and they will tell you how to eat these with guidelines so you dont put on weight, and if you do, what you can do to loose it easily.

If you follow their guidelines, then you can be fat free!

[Andy46]

As with anything you only get what you are prepared to put into it ------- including your mouth !!!!

If you do Cohen's and complete your plan and then after loosing the weight start eating again the same as before you started Cohen's - you can only put the weight back on - nothing but your left and right hands can stop that happening ...... you need to do Cohen's not so much as a diet but as a Change of Lifestyle and Lifestyle Focus - for your life forever more - you need to get your mental focus around that if not prior but defiantly before you finish the program.

Every diet will work - some are fast and some are slow - but at the end of any weight loss you then need to maintain a healthy eating regime of good sensible proportions with variance for your health and lifestyle - so if you over eat you need to over expend your output.

But at many kilo's overweight you can not do it and wont do it - so use Cohen's to get down to your goal or proper weight, sort your lifestyle and mental ability to understand your eating disorder - use Cohen's as a tool for YOU - and the loss generally is around 1 to 2 kilos of loss per week - then adjust your eating habits and your lifestyle accordingly.

It is not restrictive - if it works.


IT WORKS - I KNOW FOR SURE !!!!!!!!! .....AND CAN PROVE IT FOR YOU.

Andy

[shuki]

tHanks so much for this everyone. It helps to hear from those of you who are on it rather than have to depend on the advice given from those paid to give it. I probably will pick up with Cohen's but will decide after a GP visit tomorrow.
I am desperate to feel better about myself....15 years of being overweight is long enough.
hope to keep in contact with you all.
shuki