This could change your life

[fraggletits]

Anyone doing Zoe Harcombe?

I would never have known about her had I not tried her diet that was serialised in the news of the world magazine 3 months ago.

It appealed to me because it was proper food, no calorie counting - but I was going away on hols so decided to do a kerry katona last blow out and then I'd start it when I got back.

I've bought the book and am so far 5lbs lighter and I am only on day 4 of the 5 day kickstart. Phase 2 looks really good and Phase 3 is a return to completely normal eating and drinking with just a couple of simple rules to follow.

It's brilliant. I can't recommend it highly enough. I thought I was a hopeless big dinner portion fan - a crisp and chocolate addict with alcoholic tendencies. But she has just blown all that apart for me. (It's more than just a diet - it's an explanation of why we crave things and why we feel helpless - phase 1 and 2 eliminate these cravings pretty painlessly so that by phase 3 you can eat all the things you used to but with a couple of simple rules and with a new found awareness and control over food, gained from phase 1 and 2)

She's got a couple of websites - one under zoe harcombe, one under thedietguru I think.

Hope this helps anyone struggling with calorie counting and exercise

becca that is really interesting about reacting badly to carbs.
well done on your half stone loss
in phase one.

How did everyone feel in phase one? I am coming to the end of day 3 and feel ghastly with the most awful headache right up the back of my neck

ok haven't read the whole thread but have bought the book and am about half way through

so can I join in guys?

I felt the same for at least 3 days hambler. Fine by day 5 although not craving-free. Keep it up, it's worth it (and a lot more mild than I experienced on an Atkins-style plan)

Do join us ggirl

thanks franch, it is good to know it is to be expected and she is at pains to point this out in the book.

I did Atkins a few years back and did not feel unwell at any point which is why I am surprised how bad I feel .
ggirl you are most welcome.

Have some painkillers and an early night hambler - you'll feel great really soon.

thanks for the support Franch. I am completely determined to last these five days!

Welcome ggirl and good luck!

hambler you will start to feel better around today or tomorrow. Keep at it.

I cheated a bit last night and had 2 homemade gingerbread men. My DD calls them jimmy jammy men

Good luck for today. I have no idea what I am going to have today, anyone have any ideas thats a bit different?

Thanks for the messages of support - I'll let you know how I get on by returning to calorie counting. So I'll be on the Food Focus thread too!

Last week I didn't have as much exercise as normal and although ZH says that shouldn't matter, I think it does for me. I think the only way I would lose more weight with her system would be to stay on Phase 1 - but I would find that too restrictive longer-term.

It might be that I am at my "natural" weight for my age too which is why my body is refusing to shed any more via Phase 2. But that's still a stone over my pre-dc weight and I'm not ready to slip into middle-aged spread just yet!

Good luck to everyone else - I do think it's an excellent, healthy eating scheme which will set people up with good habits for life - I'm trying to stick to many of her principles and didn't have any carbs with my steak last night.

In fact the food I had yesterday was mostly in line with ZH, apart from one custard cream and mixing fats and carbs at lunch (chicken salad and 75g brown rice)

Hello ladies, I am also doing this. Currently day 3 of Phase 1. Am going to roast a chicken for dinner tonight - now can I have this with roast parsnips? Parsnip are on the OK list but they seem too luxuriously to me...

And I suppose gluten free gravy is out of the question?

Am loveing this diet - I already feel like I've lost alot of weight!

Hi. I'm on day 3 of phase 1 now. I've stuck to the rules at meal times but have been a bit rubbish with having little nibbles e.g. when feeding my daughter a piece of toast, I just had a little bite, and then a taste of her cheese. Stupid I know - I once saw the phrase 'eating behind your own back' on here somewhere, and it sums up exactly what I have been doing.

Anyway, despite my cheating I think it is working a bit - I know it's only early days, but I have lost a pound and a half - the big test will be whether I can continue to go down - my weight regularly fluctuates by 3-4 pounds anyway. I am determined to do better for the next 3 days!

Welcome to ggirl and RnB. I hope you have more willpower than I do! Becaroo and Hambler I hope you feel better soon.

Onwards and updwards

Beonit

Hi RnB, welcome

Parsnips with chicken are fine - if worried, keep them to a minimum as they are very carby, but of course mixing fats and carbs isn't an issue in phase 1 anyway.

Dunno about gluten free gravy. Is it homemade? If all the ingredients are on the allowed list you'll be fine.

Hi beonit, keep at it and yes, try not to sabotage yourself - it's only 5 days, you can do it It's really important not to cheat the 1st week I think, in order to detox and kill the cravings.

Been very good today...

Had fruit fro breakfast as still felt a bit horrid from yesterday.

Then omlette and salad for lunch and THEN strawberries and whipped cream!!!! (In my defence they both needed using by today {grin})

Am really not hungry yet so not sure what to have to tea/supper....

Cant beleive how bad I felt yesterday after the few bits of garlic bread and bites of doughnut....its just not worth it to feel that bad....

Welcome to the new ladies x

Thank you! I've just enjoyed the most delicious roast chicken and parsnips Hard to believe that I'm going to lose weight eating that!

erm...I hesitate to mention this but has anyone hd constipation on this diet?

I havent been since last friday! Ok to take a laxative????

beca, yes I have had the same problem.

I am coming to the end of day 4 and still have a headache but it is not so bad.
DH made a fab dinner - roast veg , king prawns, brown rice and a small amount of tomato puree and lots of pepper

beca, yes I have had the same problem.

I am coming to the end of day 4 and still have a headache but it is not so bad.
DH made a fab dinner - roast veg , king prawns, brown rice and a small amount of tomato puree and lots of pepper

What do you think of this reaction? I had some wholemeal rye/ wheat and buckwheat bread with LF cottage cheese on for a quick tea and was suddenly taken by an urge to eat muesli. Before I knew it I had scoffed a big bowl of it!

I had planned on doing some veggies or a salad and am really and at my sudden muesli "need". Is this a reaction to wheat?

I've done well so far- lost 6lb in a week and I need to punch an extra whole in my belt as it's become too loose.

I'm just really surprised at what happened. I suppose looking back I have often had a taste for toast, pastries or oatcakes (which also contain wheat). I am a bit pushed for time at the moment. DH is away on business and a friend is coming to stay tonight from abroad and I'm possibly slightly stressed.

Any advice?
Should I go back to Phase 1? (I didn't do it terribly strictly since I had some friends over for dinner & wine...)

becaroo try psyllium husks if you want to keep it natural

Yep sounds like a wheat problem rinky. I have/had a bit of a muesli/general cereal addiction. Really well done with the loss! I don't think you need to go back to phase 1, just stay wheat-free for a few more weeks then try reintroducing it slowly.

Well I'm still being annoyingly erratic - the DDs went back to school (well, DD2 actually started school) today so I've been focusing totally on them, in food terms and everything else.

I did plan today (despite being low on food): porridge for breakfast, bolognese sauce & veggies for lunch; veggie curry for dinner.

Stuck to it as far as dinner, then realised while heating the curry (a bought one - as I say, I was low on food - but Cranks, so nothing processed in it) that it had double cream in it as well as chickpeas. Eek. Took a couple of mouthfuls and realised I didn't even like it (tho I'd had it before and enjoyed it) and it just wasn't worth cheating for.

So, fried a couple of eggs instead and, while serving the DDs fish fingers, burnt them. Agh!

Gave up at this point and in sheer desperation ate about 3 bowls of kallo with soy milk and some fat-free yogurt. Felt a bit miserable and deprived, and bad that I've had 2 carb meals a day the last couple of days. Urgh.

The upside is that I'm sure I'm slimmer - I keep feeling my muffin top and I'm sure it's diminished - but I've felt that before and then the scales have brought me down to earth, so we'll see tomorrow. It's been such an odd week (including my anniversary feast) that I'll be ok as long as I haven't put anything on. Though of course I really am secretly hoping for a little loss ...

Started this on Tuesday after reading all the amazing things here about healthy weight loss - but now it's the end of day 3, lost 4 lbs but am craving chocolate for the first time so far - my DS's Choc Buttons are only in the cupboard - just a matter of steps away from where I sit. Urgh! Maybe I'll have a carrot instead!

Yay! This is the end of day 5 for me

I started on Sunday so I could have chips tomorrow evening. Am absolutely gagging for cheese . And startled to be missing Quorn, when I'd never eaten that much before, but definitely egged-out this week.

And I've lost 5 pounds and no cheating - apart from a couple of cups of proper coffee over the week. In fact, today, I have made white bread rolls from scratch and not eaten one (and they really did look good) and sat next to DH while he ate a mahoosive bag of crisps.

Have been feeling as if something was missing, and I'm wondering if it's salt, as I don't usually add it to food, and mostly get it from cheese. Any other vegetarians experience this?

Am also a bit worried that wheat may well be a trigger food, so will test tomorrow with a pitta bread of salad to go with my chips

And I know 5 pounds isn't in the high losses, but first day of period today so I'm hoping it's more significant for that?

Helpful stuff - have been making a reasonable salad dressing with a teaspoon of olive oil, a dessert spoon of ff yoghurt, a teaspoon of warm water, and a teaspoon of mixed herbs (depending on the salad) and black pepper. Any use to anyone? I figure it's a Phase 1 compatible and therefore works with a carb or a fat meal?

And does anyone know whether vinegar and mustard are allowed, and if so, carb or free?

gettingbusy, well done on your phase one losses. That's great.
I am going to try your salad dressing.

Vinegar is ok in phase 2 so long as you don't think candida is a problem. Mustard is fine too and I can't see why it should be anything other then carb free.

Hello all the new comers and hope you are doing well on the diet.

Well done gettingbusy thats great!!

I have lost 1.5lbs this week which brings me to a half a stone and have finally hit the 3 stone mark (only taken 2yrs)

Heres hoping I have a big loss next week!

Yesterday I had
Shredded wheat and milk
Lunch I went out for dinner to a chinese and had a fat meal
I didn't eat again at dinner.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Hi all. Well, I'm on day 4 of phase 1 and have lost 2 lbs. I know it doesn't sound a lot compared to many of you, but since I have cheated a fair bit I'm quite pleased and hoping that if I stick to it more strictly for a couple of days I might still lose 3 or even 4lbs. Well done to gettingbusy, wheredidmyoldlife go, and mammyto1!

Hi everyone! welcome all newcomers. Great to hear so many losses.

Phase 1 officially starts for me today. I've been half heartedly attempting phase 2 for the last couple of days after having almost a weeks break from all of this but have decided that it has to be phase 1 to kill the cravings again!

Have to say - even though I've been eating what I want these last few days, it's not made me happy in the least. I know it never did anyway, but it has really been obvious to me this time how 'empty' you feel after eating something bad.

Feeling happy and positive again this morning and back on it. So -

Natural yoghurt for breakfast
Rice and ham salad for lunch
Pork Chops and fried courgettes for dinner I think - yum!