Hi, I am new too this forum and really need some motivation/help. I have started on this program and have lost 3kg in my first week. I really struggled on my first weekend and had a small cheat with a bigger portion of salad. In my second week I only lost 0.5kg. I am now in my third week and have not weighed myself yet. I constantly have cravings for chocolates and am really struggeling with the small portions. Can someone please give me some advice on what to do. Thankyou
Cohen's Lifestyle koekie
- Thread starter koekie
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Cate
Long term member
koeki- Are you eating everything on your program, including the fruit & crackers? Are you eating red meat or mostly fish? Drinking all of your water is very important. Apples can make you feel hungry. Tell us a little more about what your eating plan looks like for a day. When do you eat your crackers & fruit etc? I'll have a look at what you are doing & see if anything stands out. You should be over the cravings by now. Are you just feeling deprived & wanting chocolate or are you really craving sugar. Blackmores sugar balance chromium can help take away sugar cravings if that's what they are. Sleep is also essential. Make sure you take it easy & get lots of sleep.
I'll come back later today & tomorrow to see how you are going. Cheers for now, Cate
I'll come back later today & tomorrow to see how you are going. Cheers for now, Cate
Hi Cate, thankyou for your response. I really appreciate it. In the morning I eat 2 crackers with 55g Ricotta or Cottage cheese. I also drink coffee without sweetner. Later in the morning I either eat a peach or a apple. Lunchtime I choose between the fish,meat,chicken and my portion of vegetables. In the afternoon I eat the other fruit. Sometimes I eat the other crackers and sometimes I don't. Supper I choose between the fish,chicken,meat and my choice of vegetables. I drink atleast 2 - 3 litres of water a day. Mostly I only drink 500ml of diet cooldrink per day. Somewhere I must be doing something wrong. My vegetables consist of asparagus, baby marrow, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, green pepper, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, parsley, patty pans, spinach, squash, tomato. Why don't they include pumpkin or carrots in the diet? I was used to eating something sweet mostly everyday and now I really still feel the need. At times I feel my blood sugar levels really drop and have the symptoms that go with it. I really appreciate your time assisting me in this regard.
Cate
Long term member
Koeki, I think it's important to eat all of your allowance & that includes the crackers. Try not eating crackers with your meals & using them as a snack instead. I used to often eat my crackers about an hour before my next meal & that helps with hunger. I find having yoghurt & a little fruit, especially mango, for breakfast is very filling & satisfying & I don't feel hungry for ages. Apples make me hungry so I avoided them unless it was after dinner at night. Pumpkin & carrot are high in Carbohydrate (ie sugar.) so that's why they are not included. Red meat & chicken I find much more filling than fish. Are you taking a good multivitamin? It may help to take an extra one in the afternoon. Try the Chromium. I'm in a bit of a hurry today but will catch up again soon. Cheers, Cate
dietgrrl
New member
hey koekie,
I find that when I shred boiled chicken and add veggies to make a chicken salad, it looks rather large and tricks the mind to think that you're eating a larger portion!
Also, are you eating cheese every day? It would help to space it out - like 3 times a week (I know it doesn't say that on the programme) because it could be slowing your weight loss due to its salt content. Although I have to say that 3 kg in one week is *amazing*!!!
I am in my third week too and unfortunately I don't have scales so I have no idea how much I weigh other than the 2 kg (before I started the programme).
Sorry, I have no idea how to help with the sugar cravings but I have read that it would eventually go away. Hang on!!
I find that when I shred boiled chicken and add veggies to make a chicken salad, it looks rather large and tricks the mind to think that you're eating a larger portion!
Also, are you eating cheese every day? It would help to space it out - like 3 times a week (I know it doesn't say that on the programme) because it could be slowing your weight loss due to its salt content. Although I have to say that 3 kg in one week is *amazing*!!!
I am in my third week too and unfortunately I don't have scales so I have no idea how much I weigh other than the 2 kg (before I started the programme).
Sorry, I have no idea how to help with the sugar cravings but I have read that it would eventually go away. Hang on!!
Hiya!
I agree with spacing out your snacks so you can always snack on something. I used to have 1/2 piece of fruit at a time and also space out my crackers over the day.
I always found that having egg with veges in the morning filled me up more than my yoghurt... you say that you just have the cheese in the morning, do you also mix it up and have yoghurt/egg? As dietgrrl mentioned above, remember that cheese should be kept to a maximum of 3 times a week as this can cause fluid retention....it does say that in our program and my consultant always reiterated that with me so it is important, it will slow down your weight loss if you have it too much.
Sometimes it just takes awhile to break out of the routine of picking up and eating whatever you like, whenever you like...like we would have done pre-cohens. It can take some time to train yourself to restrain but soon it will all come naturally and the results will motivate you further. Just remember the food is your medicine and do your absolute best to stick to your program 100% to enable the full results you deserve!!!
Hang in there, and you have come to the right place for support. Hope to hear more about your journey soon.
K xo
I agree with spacing out your snacks so you can always snack on something. I used to have 1/2 piece of fruit at a time and also space out my crackers over the day.
I always found that having egg with veges in the morning filled me up more than my yoghurt... you say that you just have the cheese in the morning, do you also mix it up and have yoghurt/egg? As dietgrrl mentioned above, remember that cheese should be kept to a maximum of 3 times a week as this can cause fluid retention....it does say that in our program and my consultant always reiterated that with me so it is important, it will slow down your weight loss if you have it too much.
Sometimes it just takes awhile to break out of the routine of picking up and eating whatever you like, whenever you like...like we would have done pre-cohens. It can take some time to train yourself to restrain but soon it will all come naturally and the results will motivate you further. Just remember the food is your medicine and do your absolute best to stick to your program 100% to enable the full results you deserve!!!
Hang in there, and you have come to the right place for support. Hope to hear more about your journey soon.
K xo
Hi, Thankyou for your response and also your inputs. I really appreciate it very much. I am very new so all of these eating less is a little hard for me. I have now lost 5kg and still have 18kg to go. I wish I have lost what you have lost. It is great to see other people loose these amounts and to know that I will eventually get there. I am taking it day by day and I am cutting out the cheese in the mornings. I have started eating the egg in the morning with the vegetables. I am only allowed soya joghurt and that is not nice at all, so I don't eat it. I have started eating my breakfast a little bit later in the morning. Do you think it is okay? I am taking the crackers and also the fruit in between. Like you said I will eventually learn to cope with the food. Thankx once agin for your advice and help in this regard.
Cate
Long term member
Koeki- Having your food a little bit later in the morning should be ok but remember to leave 5 hours between your meals. Never skip a meal. It will all get easier as you go & before you know it you will be one of the ones who has only a couple of kgs to go. You'll get there. Cheers Cate.
Hi koekie..
I fully understand about your hunger pangs.. my consultant was telling me about eating onions makes you much more hungry.. I kindda noticed that with myself.. but I'm on my 12th day today and there are times when I feel really lethargic and very hungry.. I wonder if I'm getting my period.. I'm kindda cranky as well..
Hmmm, I don't know about you guys.. but are you not allowed sugarfree gum up to 5 pieces a day? That kindda helps me.. scewing on gum that is.. although not for too long.. the mind tricks my belly that I'm eating
I fully understand about your hunger pangs.. my consultant was telling me about eating onions makes you much more hungry.. I kindda noticed that with myself.. but I'm on my 12th day today and there are times when I feel really lethargic and very hungry.. I wonder if I'm getting my period.. I'm kindda cranky as well..
Hmmm, I don't know about you guys.. but are you not allowed sugarfree gum up to 5 pieces a day? That kindda helps me.. scewing on gum that is.. although not for too long.. the mind tricks my belly that I'm eating
Hi, Thankyou for responding. I am trying all the suggestions I get. I am now in my third week. I am trying to eat a little bit later in the mornings so that I don't get that hungry before I go to sleep. I think that I am okay now. It is just the lust for chocolates that still haunts me. My husband is a chocoholic and if I see him eat chocolates I am very tempted. How much must you loose and how do you feel so far?
Cate
Long term member
Hi Koeki, Just checking up to see how you are going. Would your husband consider not eating chocolate in front of you while you are on the program if you asked him not to? Perhaps if you tell him how important it is to you to lose your excess weight. It is good that you recognise that it is a craving(lust) for chocolate, rather than any real need. Nothing, including chocolate, tastes as good as slim feels!
Take care & happy losing koeki, xo Cate
Take care & happy losing koeki, xo Cate
Hi Cate,
In the beginning it was definately a craving for something sweet. Now it is just a lust for chocolates. I think I am okay now. My husband does not think to eat it when he is alone. He thinks it makes me stronger to see him eat and knowing I can do without it. It is very hard for me but it is okay. He must still do the things he wants to. It is my own fault that I must diet. Thankyou once again
In the beginning it was definately a craving for something sweet. Now it is just a lust for chocolates. I think I am okay now. My husband does not think to eat it when he is alone. He thinks it makes me stronger to see him eat and knowing I can do without it. It is very hard for me but it is okay. He must still do the things he wants to. It is my own fault that I must diet. Thankyou once again
I really feel for you koekie...and what makes it worse, the minute you tell yourself you can't have it, the more your mind tells you you must have it. I know exactly how you feel, I've been through it more than once. But give yourself credit, you're going along great now. I wish you all the strength and power to get through this...your body will thank you later.
Losing weight takes guts, and you sure have plenty of it!!!
Mands
New member
Hey Koekie, I was the same with the chocolates. I used to have a chocolate everyday before Cohen's.
Here's what helped me - as you know you are allowed a litre of Tab or Sprite zero a day. Now I have always loved Tab - so I'm so grateful that I didn't have to give it up. Whenever I feel for a chocie I just have a glass of Tab and my craving dissappears.
Now 5 weeks in my craving is gone - my husband would have a chocie right next to me and I would be ok. If it really bugs me then I would grab a fruit.
What you can also try in the morning for breakfast is your yoghurt and cut up a peach/any fruit with some sweetener. I really keeps me satisfied for the 5 hours until lunch.
Hope this helps a bit!
Just keep strong and focused. The feeling of shedding the weight is so rewarding and soooo worth skipping that chocolate!!
Here's what helped me - as you know you are allowed a litre of Tab or Sprite zero a day. Now I have always loved Tab - so I'm so grateful that I didn't have to give it up. Whenever I feel for a chocie I just have a glass of Tab and my craving dissappears.
Now 5 weeks in my craving is gone - my husband would have a chocie right next to me and I would be ok. If it really bugs me then I would grab a fruit.
What you can also try in the morning for breakfast is your yoghurt and cut up a peach/any fruit with some sweetener. I really keeps me satisfied for the 5 hours until lunch.
Hope this helps a bit!
Just keep strong and focused. The feeling of shedding the weight is so rewarding and soooo worth skipping that chocolate!!
You can do it
Hi
I can understand your struggle. The first two weeks were the most difficult for me as for years I have been feeding my body with the wrong or too large portions of food.
Your body craves and screams out when you try to get on the right track. When you have the cravings just tell yourself that your body is just having to learn to deal with it. Trust me the cravings do go away. You will be encouraged when you see a big weight loss.
Hi
I can understand your struggle. The first two weeks were the most difficult for me as for years I have been feeding my body with the wrong or too large portions of food.
Your body craves and screams out when you try to get on the right track. When you have the cravings just tell yourself that your body is just having to learn to deal with it. Trust me the cravings do go away. You will be encouraged when you see a big weight loss.