Right that's it -I'm going to diet using Zoe harcombe the lard must go...

[Stylelostinlabour]

Well I think it's time to stop moaning and get on with losing 3 stone so I've been reading up on diet and have decided the ZH one is for me.

I'm starting on Sunday 1st January if anyone wants to join me?

I'll do phase 1 for 5 days then I'm going to build in couch to 5k as well.

Anyone fancy joining me on the journey and sharing ideas and motivation?

[BerylStreep]

I had the most delicious lunch today - blt wraps in iceberg lettuce 'wraps'.

Currently in the midst of my afternoon low, so tucking into yoghurt and nuts (I suspect that nuts aren't allowed, but it helps me feel I am having something more substantial).

I struggle with plain porridge, I like it with milk. I have bought some rice milk, but haven't used it yet, want to wait until phase 2 before I try it.

[TheGoddessBlossom]

Went to gym today.

Porridge, meat and salad and cheese for lunch, vegetable bake for tea tonight.

Beryl, I have just had a week's skiing where the chalet host made the porridge with milk and it was divine, I couldn't believe people felt the need to add milk and sugar to it, compared to it with water it was soooooo creamy. But I actually don't mind it with water thankfully. I'd really struggle with brekkie if I couldn't have that.

[muttimalzwei]

have had porridge and skimmed milk
banana
chips from the chippy!
sandwich with low fat cottage cheese
pork veg stir fry for tea, tiny bit of rice
white wine
uh oh!
still 'preparing' for phase one which I am going to do week beginning 16th. Getting caffeine down first.

[BerylStreep]

Tomorrow is last day of phase 1 for me. Can't wait to weigh myself on Sat morning, DH say a he notices a difference already.

Who else is finishing phase 1 tomorrow?

Mutti, just do it, after 2 days of cold turkey without caffeine I was fine, and I used to drink loads of tea and coffee. That was 2 years ago, and I have never really gone back to caffeine - when I have it now I feel awful, really jittery and anxious.

[TheGoddessBlossom]

How much are you hoping to lose overall Beryl?

[Stylelostinlabour]

Well that's phase 1 completed didn't have any side effects and don't crave carbs at all do going to carry on for a bit with phase one.

Weighted in today and I've lost 8lbs this week so that's fantastic for me.

Right off for a run the steak and salad for tea yummy

Here's to another week of good weight loss - only another 30lbs to go...

[Hathall]

I was lurking on this as I planned to do Harcombe as a quick start but didn't get myself organised. I've done it before. I wasn't too strict and had a coffee a day but still lost 6lbs in 1 week.

Stylelostinlabour thats an impressive loss. I'm inspired to do this next week now. Well done.

[muttimalzwei]

That's brilliant Style, well done. Keep it up, you won't regret it.

[Stylelostinlabour]

Thanks - did really well today took kids to pizza hut and not a carb past my lips

[BerylStreep]

Well I weighed myself this morning, down from 96kg to 91.8 over the course of a week.

Goddess, I wanted to lose 16kg (2 1/2 stone) in total, so I'm quarter of the way there already. Thing is I know it slows down after the first couple of weeks, but it's a great start.

Style, well done! It's really gratifying isn't it? It sounds like you have the same amount of weight to lose as I do. I'm impressed you are out running.

Everyone, let's look forward to a good week ahead.

[Stylelostinlabour]

Well after not eating any carbs at all and being reallyt strict I was hoping to lose another lb or so on the scales this morning but it's still the same. I've reintroduced milk in my tea so wondering if that's not helping.

Also the odd cup from my dolce gusto machine of skinny latte...

Well done on the weight loss here's to another great week for us all

[eatingdust]

I'm a big Harcombe fan, but find it very hard to combine with a normal life for any length of time. Phase 2 didn't work for me at all, but I think that's because I didn't have a lot of weight to lose.

After reaching goal weight, if I see my weight creeping up again by a few pounds (like now, after the excesses of Christmas), I go back on it for Phase 1 for a maximum of 5 days, then switch to MyFitnessPal, but try to keep to many of the Harcombe principles - e.g. I avoid processed food, wheat and caffeine (the odd glass of wine is my only vice), and I don't eat carbs after 7pm.

I find the few days of Harcombe deal with my "I want to eat a lot" mindset because I can eat a lot, just of the allowed foods, and by day 5 I've lost my cravings for processed food, so can switch back to calorie counting without feeling deprived or wanting large portions.

Not eating carbs after 7pm is, I find, a very good principle to live by generally as is not snacking between meals and drinking loads of water.

[eatingdust]

Oh - and some menu ideas for Phase 1...

Roast chicken and roast veg, followed a few days later with the chicken leftovers in:

Butternut squash curry made with with coconut milk and chicken

Meat or fish kebabs with veggies like aubergine, courgette and onion

Prawn, fish or chicken paella with wholegrain rice (health food shops sell shortgrain whole rice)..or if you're really feeling Spanish, rabbit and snails ;)

Porridge with water, but with cardomom(sp?) and cinnamon.

Rice cakes with butter for breakfast (I know she doesn't allow dairy in Phase 1, but it works for me, and I was sick of bacon & egg and found porridge and rice cereal tedious too)

Use iceberg lettuce as a "wrap" for a Mexican meal with minced beef - the rest of the family can have taco shells

Stir-fried meat/poultry/fish and veg - the ready-prepared veg is great if you avoid mushrooms.

[Stylelostinlabour]

Hi eatingdust great advice and ideas for meals. Today I had porridge and water and gain I have bloated up even my mother commented! So I think porridge is out for me as well as milk.

Right off for prawn salad for tea and more lovely water, mind my skin after a week looks great I must say.

Can you have soya milk on phase 2?

[muttimalzwei]

I've started phase 1, kind of, as I wasfeeling crap.
Porridge and skimmed milk (I know not allowed but only decided after I'd eaten it)
Lunch carrot and coriander soup - lots
Tea tuna salad
Snack olives
Lots of peppermint tea and fizzy water.
Do not feel hungry at all and bloating already going!

[WomanwiththeYellowHat]

Can I join? I have 1.5 stones to lose but would like it to be Gone for Good this time and not to reappear within 6 months! I amm on Day 3 of Phase 1 and am finnding it fine - had a hideous caffeine crash yesterday but that is a useful lesson in itself and i feel fine today!

My husband is a great fan of Dr Briffa so he is also low carbing which makes it easier. He is fine excpet for an enormous tummy so he know he needs to sort it out and i can definitely see a difference already in him, which is quite inspiring. Love the brown rice allowance - that makes all the difference to me. Did Pig to Twig last year and did lose weight, but felt that gorging on cheese all the time was not really helping and really missed any kind of carbs ata ll, so the rice is just enough to keep me going. I am planning on doing phase 1 through to next Monday (1 week) and seeing how I feel then.

I have an extra motivation as want to TTC 3 this year and have produced huge babies both times, although allegedly withough GD. I have always suspected that I must be on the borderline for it though, so am trying to tackle the problem before it appears IYSWIM.

[TheGoddessBlossom]

Porridge for breakfast with water.

Ran for 40 minutes at the gym.

3 egg, ham and cheese omelette with some baby tomatoes.

last night DH cooked salmon with cabbage and leeks and broccolli with a cheese sauce. Divine.

Thing that suits me most about this way of eating is the fact that I love the food and am never hungry.

[BerylStreep]

Hi Womanwithayellowhat, welcome.

Mutti, well done for starting.

Yes, you can have soya milk in phase 2, but I suppose you just need to check it isn't sweetened.

I feel great! Have been doing Dance Star party on the PS3 for exercise, and it's really good fun.

[muttimalzwei]

TheGoddess, well done you sound like you are doing really well. The food is lovely isn't it? Unfortunately after a good day yesterday I ended up eating my kids chips and then eating biscuits this morning. I was very irritable yesterday because of sugar cravings. I think I have to wait until I can do this wholeheartedly. I have earmarked the weekend to start as I am visiting friends and will want wine. So Saturday it is. (excuses, excuses). But I am still eating healthily compared to before I even did this diet.

[WomanwiththeYellowHat]

I am on day 4 now and still going strong! Had lovely prawn and chilli stir fry last night with my brown rice and was genuinely lovely!

Feel thinner so hoping it is working!

[BerylStreep]

Tried having a decaff latte made with rice milk today. It's quite nice, but doesn't froth in the aerocinno. It tastes very sweet though, even though I have checked that there is no added sugar.

Had squid and salad for lunch today, but used the french dressing that came with the salad and I think there was sugar in it - I could really taste it.

Annoyingly I have had the same reading on the scales for 3 days now. I know things can plateau, but really, this quick?

[Stylelostinlabour]

Hi

I'm the same nothing lost since losing 9lbs in the first week but going to go back to phase 1 with no milk from sunday again to see if i can kick start again.

Gutting when you are being really good and those digits on the scales don't bloody move!

[muttimalzwei]

Don't worry, keep on doing it and it will happen

[BerylStreep]

Style, I agree with Mutti - don't lose heart. I've edged down slightly, so I have lost 5 kilos (11 lb) in total.

My DH has started today on phase 1.

Our bodies are probably trying to hold on to our fat for dear life!

I'm still sticking to phase 1 rigidly (apart from a splash of milk and some goats cheese) - am too worried about introducing carbs. I am also still managing to keep the exercise up.

We go skiing in 6 weeks, so I'd really like to lose a further 3 kilos by then. Should be achievable.

[BerylStreep]

Well although I thought I had plateaued, I have actually lost 1.2kg since last Sunday, so I'm happy with that.

How has everyone else done?