Harcombe - anyone want to join in?

[kazzawazzawoo]

Is anyone else following the Harcombe way of eating?

I've been following this on and off for about two years, but recently lost the plot and dived into a pile of crisps and milk chocolate

I need to get back on track and wondered if anyone would like to keep me company and also inspire me with meal plans, recipes etc as I get bored sometimes of the same old thing.

Hello all, I did the Harcombe diet a few years ago, and it was absolutely brilliant. Having put on a PILE of weight since, I am back on it, currently on day 5 of Phase 1. I had always sailed through phase 1 before, but I have found it really tough this time. Have felt really weak, no energy at all, headaches.

Can I join the thread?

Hi Beryl Please do join the thread. There aren't many around at present.

If you're on day 5 hopefully the headaches etc will pass soon, I think for me it was 5 or 6 days then they went.

I'm not doing well at all at present, but am extremely stressed at work, so have decided I'll start again next week Wednesday when I start my holiday.

I think I have managed to put so much weight on because I had deluded myself that the following things are ok for me, when really they are not:

Caffeine - especially lattes, or coffee with double cream in (see below)
Dairy - I have real thing for double cream, cheese, and milk
Oatcakes
Rice cakes
Dark chocolate. Even the 85% or 90% stuff is still quite high in sugars
Wine - I drink far too much wine. Could comfortably down a bottle a night. I have switched to gin with sparkling water. Tiny amount of gin, in a huge glass topped with water and ice.
Crisps - err, yes, of course

I started back to Pilates last night, after not going for almost a year.

Beryl

I have to get back on track as I've just found out I'm going away for 4 days in 2 weeks time! I'm so overweight, it's unbelievable So from now the chocolate has to go and it's back to healthy eating.

What do you have for breakfast?

This morning I had smoked salmon with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce which I made leaving out the white wine vinegar

(60g butter melted, 1 egg yolk, 1 tbs lemon juice. Whizz the yolk, add the lemon juice, whizz some more, then slowly add the melted butter) - this lasts me for days.

Other favourites are eggs & spinach (put a massive handful of fresh spinach in a breakfast bowl, crack an egg in, add a knob of butter, and blast in the microwave for about 2 minutes on 500w). Low wattage is important. You can also add some grated cheese, emmental is nice or cheddar. Alternatively you could spoon some hollandaise over.

Spinach again, this time mixed in with scrambled egg, done on the hob.

That all sounds lovely

Hello all,

I have completed 5 days on phase 1 and feeling much better! I couldn't believe the lack of energy I had during the week. Having said that, I didn't sleep well last night, restless legs and joint pain, so I spent the time awake reading about candida overgrowth and die-off.

Candida is a nasty little bugger, isn't it? I suspect that I have all 3 conditions, but it seems that it can take months, if not years, to successfully combat a candida overgrowth.

I have a list of supplements I am going to get at the health food shop tomorrow, and hopefully the scales will be kind too. Have a good weekend.

Well done Beryl Hope the scales are kind.

I've done ok today, had an omelette for breakfast, egg salad for lunch and crustless quiche with coleslaw and cauliflower for dinner with a little snack of smoked salmon mid afternoon.

Today I had omelette for breakfast, bacon and eggs and salad for lunch and for dinner we're having chicken stirfry.

Sounds lovely, Imlike. Are we the only 2 here? Where have the OP and the others gone?

So this is me starting my 2nd week of phase 1. I feel quite good.

I have high hopes for anti-candida treatment. I have been convinced for years that I have low thyroid, however candida has many of the same symptoms. I got some supplements yesterday to kill the candida, psyllium husk to clean my intestines, and acidophilus to repopulate with good bacteria. TMI, but I am also contemplating colonic hydrotherapy.

Having homemade coleslaw and chicken burgers for dinner later.

I'm taking physillium capsules too. I've run out of probiotics.

Yes we seemto be the only ones posting at the moment

Today I had omelette for breakfast, smoked salmon with coleslaw for lunch and we're having roast pork for dinner with some sort of veg, not sure what yet. Just had a snack of babybel cheese- I know cheese isn't allowed on phase one but it's a lot better than the alternative!

Today I had omelette for breakfast, egg and bacon mayo with salad for lunch, a snack of a babybel and some olives and for dinner we're having cold roast pork with coleslaw.

Today I didn't do as well I had omelette for breakfast, egg mayo salad for lunch and chilli with cheese for dinner, but my son invited me out in my lunch break and I had a slice of lemon cake. Then this afternoon I had a cereal bar.

I can't lose the plot now, this seems to always happen on day 5.

Put it behind you, it's done now, no need to go off the rails completely. Do you know why you had the cake? Was it dehydration?

I have felt quite cravy today, but I had a spoonful (or 3) of almond butter, thinking it was the least worst option.

Scales have been kind so far - 3.2kg off in 10 days.

Forgot to say - I made ZH lamb burgers for dinner, which were delicious, served with homemade crunchy coleslaw.

Hi Beryl.

Sorry I disappeared. I did indeed go off the rails completely

At the moment I hate myself for having no willpower, for eating junk and piling on the weight.

I have to start eating sensibly again, not sure if it will be strictly Harcombe, as I'm going to be visiting relatives over the next 2 weeks, but I have to ditch the chocolate

I'mlike don't worry, these things happen.

I'm still doing well, although had wine last night, and again tonight, after not having any for the last couple of weeks. I have been doing loads of reading about candida, and I am convinced that this is an issue for me.

Keep it up. Better to do 'almost Harcombe' than not at all.

I have lost 4kg in the last 2 weeks, which I am ecstatic about. I probably need to lose at least another 10 kg, but ideally 16kg or more to be at a good weight.

Well done, Beryl, that is great. I can't think in kgs, but know that a kg is just over 2lbs [proud emoticon]

I think I have issues with body image. Sometimes I look in the mirror and am quite happy with what I see. I am overweight, but probably not as much as I think. I weigh just over 11.5 stone (about 74 kg?) and am 5 feet 7, I think if I could get down to 10.5 I'd be reasonably happy and fit into my clothes, 10 stone would be better, so just over 10 kg to lose if possible.

At the moment I look in the mirror and hate what I see, I have lots of bulges and no waist - I measure 36 inches around my waist and know that isn't healthy. However, even when I get down to 10.5 stone I still have a waist measurement of 32 inches. I lost weight off my hips first.

I know my issue is emotional eating, I'm very unhappy and stressed at the moment and have no willpower to withstand the temptation of chocolate. I wish I could work out how to deal with this.

It doesn't help that I don't want to cook and don't have much money.

Sorry, I'm a miserable old goat at the moment and keep ranting on.

I'mLike Your weight is a pretty healthy weight for your height. Your BMI is 25, which is spot on.

Do you think your waist measurement may be down to bloating / food intolerance?

Would it be worth speaking to your GP to rule out any medical reason, for example an ovarian cyst?

I have started back to pilates, which is really good for toning up the tummy. Do you have DC? Might your tummy muscles be stretched after DC?

I suffer with IBS so am trying to be careful what I eat. I have definitely put on weight around my middle. I've just had lots of scans, no cysts.

it could be bloating as my diet has been poor recently though.

Might be worth cutting out wheat and diary for a bit (although you maybe have already if on ZH?)

I am going for my colonic hydrotherapy today. I am ridiculously excited.

How's everyone doing?

I'm starting today. Just stepped on the scales - 11.08 . All my own fault. I am a cake/carb (sugar) addict.

I need to think positively. This is not a terrible diet ment to punish me. This is healthy, good eating which will make me feel better and get rid of my wobbly arse, chub rub thighs and jiggly tum :-)

2st loss target or size 10 - which ever feels right. I'm 5'4 and any weight gain goes straight to my arse, thighs and tum (especially).

Off to make porridge with water this morning - yum :-). I'm veggie, so any breakfast recommendations gratefully received.

At the moment I just can't eat this way, I feel too restricted. I can't bear porridge made with water and without sugar, it makes me gag. I can't eat any more eggs!

I am still cutting down on carbs though.

I'm doing ok. Wine is creeping back in, and I was away last week, so didn't have much control over my food (am therefore avoiding the scales this week).

On the whole, I feel much better, although probably not much thinner.

Welcome & good luck this week CerealMom.

I'mliketotallyummm have you got the ZH cookbook? It has some great ideas in it. I also use the Idiot Proof Diet cookbook, and Gillian McKeith's 'You Are What You Eat' cookbook. They also have brilliant recipes.

The plan this week is to make:
lamb burgers (delicious);
Pork & apricot salad;
olive, feta & butternut squash salad;
greek salad with tuna mayo

So made it through day 1.

Ended up eating 2 portions of porridge for my breakfast and lunch. I only came back from holiday yesterday so I was Old Mother Hubbard. Did a big shop and am now 10s of pounds lighter!

Made the butternut squash curry - lovely. I roasted the squash though before adding it to the base sauce. Have enough for several more meals if I cook more veg.

I'll be cooking more curry sauces to leave in fridge/freezer. Anything to cut down on veg prep time. Also, I can separate out some sauce and add meat for DH.

I'mLike - porridge with water is a bit sad. Normally I have it with almond or hazelnut milk. I put a pinch of all spice in with it, but I think I'll be giving it a miss for the time being. I might have curry for breakfast. Rather a good meal than sad porridge.
I'm sure I read somewhere you could have almond milk in P2. I find the EcoMil brand the nicest (but not the unsweetened), comparable to milk for carbs/sugars. I'd need to check this though.

I've also started some supplements.
Garlic capsules
Friendly bacteria capsules - I've been on antibiotics recently.
Either magnesium or chromium (can't remember which without looking). Health food shop said it would help with my sugar cravings.