3 months later....

and I am still here.... and I am still following the Cohen's Lifestyle program.... and am feeling rough about not updating for sometime especially given that Lynda has just done an update on me on her blog and a few bloggers have commented how they were readers of my blog and that I hadn't updated for sometime!  Oooops!  Sorry people!  I guess I have lost the love of blogging and now update Facebook (private page) instead.

So for those that haven't read Lynda's update or read my Facebook page - yesterday I reached a very high milestone in my journey - it was day 205 of my journey and I reached a total loss of 50.1 kilos!!!  I have my good days and tough/rough days but hey I am doing it and I WILL reach my goal!!  The latest I can reach goal is 4th Feb but am really hoping that I will do it before then!  It would be nice to be there by Christmas time but that could be pushing it a bit to much... otherwise I will be happy to be there by my birthday (mid Jan).

Here are some latest photos to show off:

Will hopefully do more regular updates from now on - even if it is only monthly :)

Sorry

Shit, hadn't realised it had been so long since I last posted on here... wasn't until I got a friend on FB from someone who is a blog reader and wanted to know how I was doing and wanted to follow my personal FB page which of course I update regularly :)

So where am I now - well I am still definitely on the program 100%!  My loss this morning was 2 kilos which brings my total loss for 13 weeks to 27.8 kilos.  Oh I did my measurements last night - total centimetres lost = 56.5cm!  Pretty pleased with that!!!

Here is a graph that my friend Lynda created for me showing my losses:

And here is another picture that Lynda did up for me over the weekend, showing my weight loss in blocks of butter:

Both of these going by my former weigh in which was last Monday when I had lost 25.8 kilos.

I am hoping to get to the 30 kilo mark next week - would mean a loss of 2.2 kilos but in reality it will probably take me 2 weeks but only time will tell.  And of course I am now only 10.3 kilos away from being in the double digits club!!  I can still recall how good that felt last time I got there (approx Sept 2005) so I can't wait to feel that good again!!!

Right, I will try to update each week - though sometimes I just do forget and other times I just don't have the energy.....

*edited* I just reread one of the messages from my last update - and wwangel asked me what a typical days menu looked like for me. I will share that but not the quantities as that is part of the copyright as such and what works for me may actually harm others if they were to copy it.

Breakfast
1 egg omlete with mushroom, tomato and grated corgette

Lunch
Salad (lettuce, cucumber and tomato) with some protein - beef, chicken or fish.

Dinner
Panfried fish with steamed veggies (usually cabbage and cauliflower)
OR
Steak and veggies
OR
Pan seared prawns with salad

Snacks
Salada crackers
2 pieces of fruit.

NB Can incorporate the fruit into the meals - ie mango salad.  There are other proteins that I can eat like turkey, venison and ostrich.  Just waiting for Stephan to get a deer so I can some have fresh venison.  There are limited fruit and veggies that I am allowed - both in weight and what I am allowed to eat.

Hope this answers your question wwangel - please feel free to email me if you want to know more.

SECOND UPDATE
Just realised I hadn't shared my 20 kilo loss photos on here - so here they are:

Facebook...

Hi ya
Just a quick question to those that read my blog - I have two friend requests waiting (for the last wee while) on FB from people who I have no friends in common with so am wondering if they may be from people who read here and want to be my friend on FB - perhaps to follow my page there?

So if you're either Nicole or Cecily, please send me a message on FB identifying yourselves and I can then accept your friend requests.

Thanks :)

Week 8

Well, I definitely had a shock this morning when I jumped on the scales - week 8's loss = 2.9 kilos!!! This brings my total loss on the program to 19.4 kilos (in just 8 weeks)!!  Or as Lynda converted for me - that is 43 pounds of butter!!!

Tried on a pair of jeans this morning that used to fit comfortably - here is a photo of what they look like now.... 

And here is a photo of Miss Rachel (now 6) for those that haven't seen her for awhile.  This was taken last night after a day of Easter Eggs (for her) and she was finishing the day with a Ice Cream Pink Panther drink that I made her (which she said was to sweet for her).

I have survived the Easter break well - Stephan got 1 egg (from me) and then Rachel had her collection from the Easter Bunny, us and one of her Nana's.  Though on saying that, chocolate has never been a weak point for me (unless it is combined with mint/peppermint) - but Hot Cross Buns - a totally different story altogether!!!  I just drawl at the thought of them and survived Stephan eating 1/2 dozen of them but then 4 of them were eater while I was out of the house.  But the 2 he did have while I was home was murder for me!  But I did not deviate at all!!

Week 7....

Yeap, we are up to week 7 already on the Cohen's program. 

Am pleased to report in with a better loss this week of 1.8 kilos which brings my total loss up to 16.5 kilos!   I also did my measurements and since starting the program on 4th Feb, I have lost a total of 39.5cms around various parts of my body.

Next lot of photos will be shared when I reach the 20 kilo mark which will hopefully be in the next 2/3 weeks.

I do wish I could get my blog back to be being the chatty blog that I had years ago... but I just struggle to do an update these days.  Time to change my back ground too I think.....

Sorry....

Just reaslised I hadn't updated last week at all - sorry about that.

Last week's loss was 1.9 kilos which I was very happy with and that took my total loss to 14.4 kilos.

I then got AF/TOM and a head cold at the same time - my coach warned me that I could have a very small loss this week due to my body fighting the bugs & germs.... well she was right - today's weigh in was only 300 grams!  I had been telling myself that by small - she meant oh about a kilo or so... so I was so excited to be reaching the 15 kilo mark!  But that wasn't to be - total loss now after 6 weeks = 14.7 kilos!

I was initally upset (as per my Facebook posts); however I have now accepted it and this week will be a new week!  I am so glad I took more photos last night, as I can now really see the difference that 6 weeks has made!!!  I will next share photos on here when I reach the 20 kilo mark so hopefully that won't be to far away.

I am getting more and more people commenting and I do learn how to accept compliments as I never know what to say really - ok I know I say "thank you" but sometimes that doesn't seem enough.

Right better get back to work - will try to update more frequently this week.

Week 4's result

Ooooops so sorry that it's been a whole week since I last updated.... have meant to do a couple of updates during the week but never quite made it obviously.

Today's weigh in totally blew me away with a fabulous loss of 2.7 kilos which brings my total loss down to 12.5 kilos!  I am extremely happy with that and am looking forward to the 2nd month on the program.  I have not deviated off the program at all so have worked bloody hard to get this loss!!

Believe me I have had some challenges and there have been a couple of days where Rachel has driven me to drink - well water it is for me!  But fark I came bloody close to alcohol on those days!

Oh here are my 4 week photos.  The one on the left is my beginning photo, the right hand one is 4 weeks later.

Sorry for the brief posts, having trouble blogging these days so keep it simple and straight to the point  :)  Hopefully I can get back to blogging like the old days where I used to be very chatty!

Week 3 result

As much as I really wanted to reach the 10 kilo mark today it wasn't meant to be!

This weeks loss was 1.6 kilos which means a total loss of 9.8 kilos in 3 weeks.

I was initially disappointed but then told myself that I have no reason to be disappointed given that I have not deviated off the program at all!  So have accepted the loss and roll on week 4 and the 10 kilo mark!

Am hanging out for Stephan to go and get me some venison so I can have something different on  my menu!   Also, am going to treat myself to some fresh tuna steaks to give me a break from tinned tuna!

Had a very stressful weekend due to a number of things and came very close to deviating but I was strong and stayed 100% on track!

Still going strong

Yeap, still here and plodding on day by day. 

Must remember not to forget to update here as there are still some people who prefer to read here than Facebook. 

Got a bit stressed yesterday morning when I got on the scales and was 100grams UP from the day before!  Totally threw me and initially made me upset but then realised that I had eaten dinner almost 2 hrs later than normal the night before (as I was out) and I hadn't stayed up the recommended 2.5hrs after finishing eating.  But rest assured I did not go off track or anything like that! I picked myself up and went on to have a great day. 

Then at work I had another curveball thrown at me when I an auto reminder popped up on my computer reminding me of a 2hr meeting in 15mins time... so I quickly ate my bread snack before heading upstairs.  Then got up there to find a HUGE morning tea put on for everyone - fresh bread, cheeses, salami, humus, dips, chippies etc!  I immediately retreated to the back corner of the room with my water bottle so I would avoid all temptations BUT it wasn't long before plates of food found themselves on the table down the back!  Many a time the thought of "just one won't hurt me" but I did NOT give in!!!  I resisted all and did not deviate at all!

Stephan has gone away for the weekend leaving Rachel and I to have a girly weekend - things are not going that well at the moment as her behaviour has been atrocious and unacceptable for a 6yr old!!  I'm just sipping on my water taking lots of deep breaths right now!  In the past when Stephan has been away, I have always had an indulgent night on the Saturday with bourbon & cokes, chips and dips once Rachel had gone to bed!  But this won't be happening for me tonight despite the fact that her behaviour makes me feel like drinking big time!

Weigh is due on Monday morning, so I will be back on Monday with results :)  Won't be doing measurements this week but will probably still do photos though but won't be sharing them as yet...

Plodding on

Yesterday was a real bad day.... I struggled continously all day between meals and snacks!  But the main thing is that I didn't deviate off the program at all!  I stayed on plan and survived the day!  A bit of chewing gum (allowed 5 pieces sugar & fruit free per day) definitely made things a bit easier.

For those that I don't have on FB, I have now set up a private group on FB for those to follow my journey on as a lot of people don't have time to read blogs these days or they just forget.... so if you would like to be part of the group - supporters only are welcome - losers need not apply.... just flick me an email - find me on FB (through one of our mutual friends) and let me know who you are and that you read my blog and we can go from there.

Today was a much better day, and I am feeling a lot more positive about it all. I must admit all the time spent in the kitchen can be a bit much... weighing every bit of food but if it means I will get to goal then I will do it for the time it takes me (approx 12mths).  I find when I get home, I get changed, do my vegetables organised for breakfast (omelet each day), get my vegetables and meat cooked for lunch the next day, and then finally prepare and cook dinner for me!    Thank god Stephan has usually prepared his and Rachel's meal by the time I get home.

Week 2 weigh in...

Well week 2 weigh in has been and gone.... and the result is a loss of 2.3 kilos bringing my total loss to 8.2 kilos in 2 weeks.

I was initially a bit down with that result and then after talking to my consultant, I realised how well I had done.  She advised me to expect a loss of between 1-2.5 kilos each week now bearing in mind that there may be weeks with less than 1 kilo and I may even get the occasional "amazing" week thrown in as well.

I got a couple of tips from her re some of the foods I have been eating so hopefully they will aid me along - I had been eating a bit to much of tomato and onion.

Measurements and photos - well they are going to be monthly from now on due to the frustration of not being able to get the same spot for the measurements and I was also getting down from looking at the photos.  So next lot will be in 2 weeks time and then monthly..... which also conicides with the "official" weigh in's as well.

I know I have recently given the link for my blog out to a few "new" readers so please don't be shy - leave a comment even if it's just saying "Hi" :)

Almost 2 weeks down..

2 down - 50 odd to go!  I know it's probably not the best way to look at it and in reality, even once I have reached goal and done my maintenance program this will be a way of living for me! No regular take aways, no daily soft drink, lollies, chocolate, chips etc...  These foods will indeed be VERY limited and will be a true and proper treat!  And even when I do have something (that is if I still like them which I don't think I will) it will only be a minimal amount that I eat.

Just did some baking for Rachel and Stephan's lunch boxes during the week.  Was supposed to be biscuits and cupcakes (Rachel's choice of course) however only had enough butter to do one or the other so biscuits it was.  Very tempting to lick the beaters and spatula but I resisted and feel so proud of myself in doing so!

I know I mentioned treats in Friday's post, one thing I forgot to mention was if I was to have a "treat"  and whether it be a glass of wine, some chippies, some chocolate or whatever - it would basically mean an extra week on the program for me!  So yes, one wee slip up could see my goal pushed out another week!  And is that worth it? No it's not! 

Bit slack in the water department today - decided to take Rachel to Mass this morning and that just totally threw me in my timing of drinking my water.  So will need to work around that one for Sunday mornings for when I take her.

Will be back tomorrow with an update on week 2 results - measurements and photos tonight - scales in the morning :)

Friday...

Still plodding on slowly..... struggling at times as I adjust to everything and keep thinking of the year ahead but I know I can do this as I am determined to reach my goal!  But every now and then, I am having cravings for some of my "old" favourite foods but just tell myself that eating those foods is how I got big in the 1st place! 

I haven't deviated/cheated at all and don't plan to but boy oh boy it is hard at times!  And unlike other weight loss programs - I don't have access to unlimited fruit and vegetables!  I am only allowed certain amounts of them and only allowed to eat at certain times - certain time frames between meals and snacks and not being allowed to eat a certain period of time before going to bed.  So I do need to be rather organised at all times as I am not a late night person so need to make sure I am eating my dinner no later than about 7.30pm.

My boss at work today bought a bag of jet planes (yum yum), and called out to me that there were some on his desk if I wanted one.  I replied "no thank you V, I am not allowed them". His response to that - "Surely won't one won't hurt you as a treat"!  He can't get his head around the strictness of it all (and I guess there are a few others in the same boat).  Yes, I could have had just one - but would I have been able to stop at one.... and why undo all the good work off the last 12 days?  It has now been 12 days since I had sugar, bread, diary products etc.... The more I think about it - this is very similar to the Paleo lifestyle that Lynda (and her family) now live.   Only of course, they don't have the strictness of times and the restriction of the amount allowed.  So am really wanting to be able to continue this lifestyle once I have reached goal and done the refeed program.

Oh, I messaged a few of my friends on Facebook last night - friends that are similar height to me (short) and who I thought weighed roughly what my goal is (70kgs). All bar one came back to me with either their weight or weight range - gives me a good idea of sizes.  One of them is 1" taller than me (same age) and weighs 69 kilos so am going to print a photo of her to give me a visual idea of me being at goal.

The weight has been coming off a lot slower this week - slower than I was expecting.  I spoke to my niece yesterday and I have promised her that I would stay off the scales until Monday!  And she told me all about the water retention etc.... When she was doing the program she would have 2 fantastic weeks of weight loss and then 2 slow weeks and the pattern just repeated itself over while she was doing it.

Not a lot on this weekend which is good - nice to have a quiet one occasionally.  Though knowing us, we will end up doing a few bits and pieces.

Plodding along...

3 days done and dusted for week 2 and still going well.

Ended up having a big discussion about the program at work with my team who were rather interested in it all.... It started when G asked me if I had deviated from the program at all since starting and wouldn't believe me when I said no!  Then before I knew it, S & M were chatting away with us too.  Felt really good chatting about it all and answering their questions about it.  The boss just sat there listening with the odd smile :) 

There have been times when I have thought "Oh just one won't hurt" but it will!  Basically, any deviation from the program can add up to an extra week on the program... and I don't want that!  I want to get to goal quickly :)

I have been doing the daily weighing.... and the last 2 days I have been getting despondent with the scales as things have slowed down.  I emailed my niece today and asked her about things and her reply was it was all about the water retention and how everyone is different.  When she was doing it - she would have two great losses, then 2 very minimal weeks, and so and so on...

Am also hanging out for the moment when someone who knows nothing about what I am doing comments on my loss.... but been told that could take about 4 weeks so time will tell.  Also, am really hoping that this healthy eating will improve my sleep!  Sleeping like shit at the moment and have been since about early Dec.  All to do with the mugginess I think, but I tend to wake up and have what I call a "mini panic attack" with lots of shallow breathing.... so often it takes me a good couple of hours before I fall back asleep.

Week 1 completed!!!

Well for those of you who I don't have on Facebook - my first week's result on the Cohen's program is............................ 5.9 kilos lost!!!!  I am pretty happy with that to say the least!!  Also lost 17cm around various parts of my body though as Stephan is doing the measuring I wouldn't say that they are that accurate as it is hard to get the same place each time but hey it gives me a rough idea anyway!

I had a great chat with my niece/consultant this afternoon (our weekly catch up) and she is really proud of me and my efforts this week especially given that fact that my period had arrived on Friday (and it's pretty bad - sorry if TMI).

Am loving trying the new recipes in the Cohen's recipe book!  Some real yummy food in there! Tonight I had "crumbed " fish (crumbed with crushed salada biscuit - my bread allowance) and Zuchini "chips" - very delicious so will be having that again!  What I love about this book is that anyone can use at all and just use their own portion sizes of the meat and vegetables! 

A lady at work says her daughter did Sure Slim (very similar to Cohen's) some time ago and has kept the weight off (through 2 pregnancies as well) but has always said that those 6 months that she had to do it were the hardest 6mths of her life but so doesn't regret it one wee bit!  So am sure that will be in a year or so!

5 & 6 done and dusted

Yeap boring titles I know but am sure that they will change as the year goes on....

Right days 5 & 6 - all went ok especially given that I have got my period (sorry if to much info)!  Have recently come off the pill (and no it is NOT so I can get pregnant but for other reasons) and boy I haven't had a period like this for a long time!  Friday I was hanging out for chocolate or anything sweet but I worked my way through it and was very proud of myself!!! 

Saturday, had to face my first social outing as we had a family BBQ lunch in Masterton as my niece Alex was out from the UK.  I survived and did really well but boy oh boy sitting at the table with my wee salad and piece of steak (which I had taken with me but got it cooked on the BBQ) was real hard when there so many yummy foods on the table (sausages, chicken kebabs, scrumptious looking salads and fresh bread rolls) so after I had eaten mine, I excused myself and went & sat inside while the others finished their meals as I was getting tempted.... I know the others wouldn't have let me have anything but it was having them all sitting there in front of me and the smell etc!  I did treat myself to a diet coke to take over there but only had about a third of the bottle!

Will be doing measurements/photos tonight and then weighing in tomorrow!  Am pretty happy with the scales so far!  Officially they only like you to weigh in once a month, however they do realise that a lot of people that do the program are "serial dieters" so accept that some people do weigh daily/weekly.  I am still checking in daily but hoping to wean myself off that to weekly slowly.  I know I could put the scales away but no, I just need to trust myself!

Right off to work - bugger but that is life! 

Days 3 & 4 done and dusted...

Ooooops realised during the night that I had forgotten to update last night - did contemplate getting up to do an update but decided not to :)

How did yesterday and today go??  Really well thanks!!  Am really getting in to the hang of things now, probably need to be a bit more adventurous at times but baby steps for me...

Garlic has now become one of my favourite condiment/herbs and using it in both lunch and dinner each day :)  Oh well apart from the days I have tuna that is...  Am starting to experiment with other herbs as well which so far has gone well.

Work was totally shit today, and will be tomorrow too!  I worked late tonight, so it was a tough job calculating meal/snack times as with Cohen's you need to have set times between meals (protein) and then again between snacks.... Then I had to drop off eggs to my sister in law - got home to find Rachel still awake (and very over tired), and all I wanted to do is cook my dinner because not only was I hungry, I didn't want to stay up to late (not supposed to eat for 2/2.5hrs prior to going to bed) either.  And I also had to cook the beef for my salad tomorrow so it was all go.  Then trying to get Stephan to get the washing in (which he did but didn't fold it as he took it off the line as I do, so there is another job that needs doing at some stage) and for him to make Rachel's lunch!    I am going to have to be a lot more organised when working late which will be a few times this month - perhaps try to get a few of the dinners in the freezer so I can have them at work (or as soon as I walk in the door) without the stress!  In the past, I often decided that I would work late at the last minute but there will be no doing that for me this year!

I have my first real social challenge on Saturday when we head to Masterton for a family BBQ as my niece from the UK is out in NZ on holiday and is only in Wgtn for about 5 days so we are all catching up with her then.  I have told my sister that I will bring along my bits and pieces with me which I think she finds strange given that we are having a BBQ with salad but as everything needs to be weighed down to the last gram; I would rather play it safe :)  My consultant has also given me a wee dessert recipe I can have using my fruit/crispbread allowance so am keen to try that and to take it to Masterton with me as my treat.  I have also taken a liking to Soda Water so am having a small glass of that each dinner time so will take a small bottle of that with me over the hill on Saturday :)

Oh I asked my niece (my consultant) are the Nurofen VS Ibprofen situation - the reason that the Cohen's Lifestyle doesn't really allow Nurofen is the fact that Nurofen is almost always sugar coated where as Ibprofen is just a plain tablet.... 

Day 2 done and dusted....

Have now competed two days and am doing well! Have had a slight headache but thanks to some reading I did on a new forum I belong to, I remembered that Nurofen was a no go, so dug out my Ibprofen and after a couple of doses of that, the headache went.

Feel like I have done well today and am proud of it!  There have been a couple of close call's but I have stopped myself and said to myself "that is cheating Karen - that won't get you to 70 kilos"!!! 

I couldn't get over how fast everything added up when having my veggies on the scales but slowly adjusting to that.

And OMG to the number of toilet stops I am having to do!  It is at least 2 before leaving home in the morning, then about 7 times during the day at work, then I run (well fast walk) in the door after getting off the train and straight to the loo!  Then another couple before heading to bed... and last night there were 3 during the night!!  

Bit annoyed with Stephan right now - he is sitting beside me (well in the next chair) eating a large bag of chips (something I USED to do regularly) despite me asking him not to given that it is only Day 2 and I am still craving those things! I have tried talking to him but he is still eating them!!!  Bloody men!!!!

Day 1 done and dusted...

Well I have competed day 1 without to many hiccups.... only two wee mistakes - I had egg with my beef at lunch time which is mixing two different proteins and that is a no no on the program.  Oh well, I now know for future :)  The other wee mistake - well not really a mistake as such - was making Rachel's lunch and putting some grapes in her lunch box and 3 found their way in my mouth!  Something that I used to do all the time but as grapes are not on my "allowed" fruits list so must make sure I am more of aware of what goes in my mouth!

Lunch was devine (see photo in last nights post) so will definitely be having that again! Just wish I could have had more of it but that's all part of the program - limiting/reducing our food intake!  Tomorrows lunch is a beef salad so hopefully that will be just as nice! 

Got a slight headache but just taken something for that and will head to bed shortly as am really tired (after a crappy nights sleep last night).  Managed to drink 2.4 litres of water at work plus about another 500mls at home so all up I managed 2.5 litres so am pleased with that as they recommend 2-3 litres a day and the more the better as it flushes all the toxins out of the body!    I am actually allowed limited diet drinks but trying to avoid them as if I have any of those, I still need to drink the 2-3 litres water as well!  They will be my treat drink for any parties etc that we may go to.

Right - bring on day 2!!!

1 more sleep...

Yeap - tomorrow is the day where I start my new program!

I know I said in my last post that I was "preparing" myself this week by increasing water etc but unfortunately that turned to custard and I have in fact ended up just enjoying myself and having a few things that perhaps I shouldn't have. But oh well - never mind :)

Got all my meat, cut up, weighed and in the freezer for the week ahead.  Got the fridge fill of vegetables and fruit.  Got my multi vitamins and fish oil capsules all ready to go....

Just need to get Stephan to help me with the measurements later on, and then will photos tonight as well... they will all be shared either later tonight or tomorrow.

I am hoping to be blogging every day (or every 2nd day) while on this program so there will be lots of updates for me this year!  Will be nice to have all the support here and on the weight loss support FB group that I belong to!

Oh here are the "before" photos - I will put there here for now as I can't work out the photo's tab across the top of this page as yet...

Back view

Side on

Front view (excuse the water marks - had just finished the dishes)

All my meat, cut, measured and in freezer

My lunch for tomorrow - chicken with a bit of S&P, chilli powder and garlic rubbed in before being tossed in a minimum amount of pure olive oil.