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

fraggle how do you do your fried courgettes?
Beonit, well done so far.

I was about to ask that hambler

Welcome wheredid

WELL DONE Gettingbusy, mammy & beonit on your losses!

Are you eating enough do you think mammy? I'd be wary of going under 3 meals a day on this diet. Although if you're genuinely too full to eat you can't force yourself.

Well I'm delighted to have lost another 2lb this week, considering I've been wandering into phase 2 a bit, plus of course my huge anniversary blowout. So that's 6lb lost (in under 3 weeks), 11lb to go.

Today I had:
porridge
tomato and red pepper soup; wheat-free sunflower seed rye bread; raspberries and yogurt
veg tortilla from the ZH recipe book (delicious, altho the instructions are a bit dodgy) with a few raw carrot sticks; yogurt

The coming week will be tricky with DD2's and my birthday so my goal is just not to gain anything.

Franch that sounds delicious. Is the ZH recipe book worth buying?

Today is day 5 for me and I must say I still feel terrible - just exhausted and out of sorts . The headache has gone though.

I am stupidly looking forward to shredded wheat and bananas for breakfast tomorrow

Sorry to hear you still feel bad hambler - you should be feeling better by now.

Yeah I'd say the recipe book is worth buying, mainly for inspiration when you're out of ideas. She has a good range, from fairly fancy dishes to baked potatoes - which is good I think when you need a reminder of the more basic things you can eat in the various phases.

Really hope you feel better tomorrow.

Hey Franch that's great news on the loss considering all the cheating!!

Sorry Hambler you're still feeling rubbish. I've had a headache all day as well so know how you feel.

Re the courgettes - I just slice a whole one into thin circles and fry them in olive so that both sides blacken a little bit in the pan - I'm addicted wierdly as I've never really been a fan of courgette, probably because my mum would cut them quite thickly and I'd find them a bit sludgy - but done this way they go a bit crispy and taste indulgent when they're not at all

Hope tomorrow's a better day!

I hope you feel better today hambler.

Franch - It really depends on what I have, I don't keep myself to 2 meals but now only eat if I am hungry. Yesterday I went out for lunch with my hubby and couldn't decide on what to have. I ended up having fish and chips, that then made me feel so ill and didn't eat for the rest of the day.

Last night was my hubbys birthday night out so I did have drinks galore and feel a bit worse for were - but all self inflicted

Hope you have a good weekend!

Thanks fellow Harcomers!
Actually I call it the Hardcore Diet.

I do feel better today thanks, in part due to having a huge bowl of shredded wheat and banana for breakfast. (day one, phase two)

And better still, I have lost 6lbs in phase one.
Dh has lost 7.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Hambler! That's brilliant

franch I am really pleased.
Today had cereal for breakfast,
fruit for lunch,
steak, green beans, mozarella and tomato salad, for tea.

Going to a party later and planning on having some wine for the first time in a week . Maybe lots.
Hope I don't regain half the weight!
How is everyone else doing?

I've had a bad few days for the diet- foreign friend came to stay with sweet desert cheese and speciality bread and chocolate and then my neighbour gave me a freshly baked loaf of WHITE BREAD!
Now DH is off on a trip for a week leaving me to fly the mother-ship solo with two little toddlers!
Sniff!

I need to find my way back to the waggon and clamber on again!

Hi everyone

That's really great news Hambler! For you and DH! Well done.

Rinky - don't worry! I had a bad week all last week. I ended up putting on 3lbs. As my mum quite rightly said, i'm not ready for 'weekends off' the diet yet, it's still too early. Was starting to get into the habit of eating crap again as was feeling a bit low, but then pulled myself together, reminded myself that a) I really want to lose this blinking baby weight once and for all (my baby is 14 months now!) and b) this is by far the best diet I've ever done and up until last week I was really enjoying it - but then, my aunt died unfortunately and we had family to stay and a funeral to do and a wake and obviously I wasn't going to say 'no drinks or sandwiches, i'm watching my weight' at someone's wake!

I'm on day 2 of phase 1 again and I'm loving it again. Had a headache yesterday but I took that as a good sign.

Today I had eggs & bacon for brekkie, rice and some fried veg and yoghurt for lunch and I made a moroccan lamb type stew which i had with, yep...more fried courgettes.

Loving it. Glad to be back on it. All you need to do is start it. And start again at phase 1 as I was half heartedly doing phase 2 but realised my cravings were back. You'll be fine

Thanks Fraggle- that helps and I'm sorry to hear about your aunt passing away.

My DD2 is 14 mnths now too and I do really want to get back into my pre- babies jeans and dresses.
I'm keen to start Phase 1 again. I wasn't too strict the first time

Thanks Rinky,

Once you get into the swing of things you'll love it - it's very quick phase 1, and you see results quickly too. If DH is going away for the week - you could be at least 5lbs lighter when he gets back! 2 things to look forward to!

Hey- I never thought of it that way!
I'm already planning a week of self-maintenance in his absence- have filed nails, waxed legs and ped-egged feet tonight!

Hi everyone and hi to all the newcomers!

Just had a skim through the thread. Good losses!

Well, I'm back from my sisters and although I tried to stick to phase 1 type meals (ie no carbs except at breakfast for me), I unfortunately ate lots of desserts and choc
The good news is that I didn't put on any weight. Phew! In fact . Its actually a miracle considering the amount of chocolate, icecream and cake I had.

The first thing my sister said to me was 'You've lost weight. In fact you've lost quite a bit'

I'm out to lunch today but I'm starting back on phase 1 again tomorrow. I can't wait

Hello all.

Great news about all the losses! Well done!

I am off to MIL for sunday lunch again today and I have decided that as I am on phase 2 now and as I am sticking to it quite well I am going to treat myself to potatoes and meat today!!!

I had a spoonful of ice cream last night - cant say I enjoyed it that much though Something strange seems to have happened to my taste buds! Also not craving bread which is AMAZING! Had a slice of my dh's homemade wholemeal bread yesterday with home made veg soup and it was ok, but I could have eaten it without it, really. this from someone who ate carbs at EVERY meal!!!

Am hoping to weight myself today on PIL's scales (I dont have any) so wll be intersting to see if I have lost any more after tuesdays indulgences and last nights ice cream.....

Hi all well I had another day off yesterday and ate out but again only had 2 meals for the day. I have put 2lbs on but think that is from firday nights drinking!

Go Rinky

Pleased with myself for negotiating a potential minefield yesterday: kids' party + meal out + cinema.

Breakfast: porridge
Party was 11-1 (danger time) - so had half a pot of yogurt before I left. Resisted the kettle chips, cake etc at party then dashed to the fridge on my return and polished off the leftover veg tortilla.
Dinner out: had an extremely hot Thai prawn curry, no rice. (I do find strong flavours stop me feeling too deprived.) Portion was a bit meagre without the rice and I did feel like a nice cold dessert to cool my mouth down but bypassed that and the popcorn at the cinema and had more yogurt when we got home.

Not ideal as I'm trying to avoid snacking, but quite an achievement under the circumstances I felt

Good luck back on phase 1 squid I may do the same after my & DD2's birthdays this week!

can anyone advise?
Dh is still feeling really really ill.
Phase 2, day 2.

He feels weak like there is no power in his muscles and can hardly walk up the stairs. He is a very fit person who does a fair bit of sport but has had to cancel all sporting stuff for now as he just can't do it.

He is eating plenty , not going hungry, and sticking rigidly to the diet. He has about 20 pounds to lose

Any thoughts?

I have to say I don't feel great either. There is none of the reported energy boost following phase 1.

hambler I had aches all through my body for 3 days when I hit about day 4 or 5 and not even painkillers helped.

I am now feeling great but she does say in the beginning every one gets affected differently it may mean you both have a bit longer before you notice a change in how you feel. ZH is on facebook as well as a harcombe diet club - you could try messaging her for advise. She does answer all questions personally.

mammy that's great advice, thanks

Good idea mammy. Sorry to hear you're both feeling so rubbish hambler. Hope it passes really soon.

Today I had:
porridge
kallo for lunch (sheer laziness as DH & the DDs were out! Probably not the best choice as I didn't feel great after)
dinner: 2 big portions of ZH's chicken korma from the recipe book + roasted veggies - very nice

Oh and a little bit of Greek yogurt + a few raspberries for pud

Well done y-day Franch. Zh's chicken korma sounds good- will look it up.

today wasn't too painful-
2-egg omelette
chicken salad w pepper, spring onions, olives etc
brown rice and stir-fry veggies
and snacks of NLY

no real cravings just missing fun-food