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

Hey everyone

Hambler - me, DH and DD1 have all had a bug over the weekend. dh and dd were sick, I wasn't but I've had aches all over and persistent headache for the last 3 days - wonder if it's a combination of the diet and maybe bugs going round for you and DH?

Everyone's foods sounds yum! Franch I'll have to check out the chicken korma.

Didn't eat any dinner yesterday and so far have had no breakfast either. Just haven't felt up to it but will have lunch (ham salad - nice and safe) and something light for dinner as well.

Well done Rinky - that's your first day down then!

Have a good day everyone

Now on Day 2 Phase 2. Am so pleased with my weight loss on this diet - I haven't weighed myself but I can see that I have lost a considerable amount. I'm back in my jeans without huge rolls of flab falling over the top of them, which in my book is positive...

I cheated a bit last night at a BBQ - had a tiny bite of my sons burger some coleslaw with raisins in it, and a sausage. O and a glass of wine but I don't think I did too badly.

AM going to get the recipe book to make things a bit more interesting.

Can you have vinegar in Phase 2?

Hi, can I also join please?
I am on day 1 of phase 1 and have 3 stone (gulp) of baby weight to lose
I have been on the RC diet for what seems like forever and have not really lost much even tho I stuck to it (mostly). Whatever did come off has gone back on.
I have my friends hen weekend coming up end of this week (70's fancy dress) and I'm hoping that I can lose a little bit so I feel a bit better about myself in my outfit (at the moment I look a bit like a beached whale) .
I have a couple of questions if anyone can help - can you eat different flavour pro-biotic yoghurt instead of just natural? and is there any sauces I can use for the stir-fry (not sure I can eat it dry)?
Congratulations to all the losses so far they have been fantastic and hopefully I can add to them
TIA

Welcome Dizzy

No, don't have flavoured yogurt. AFAIK they all have sugar in. Not sure about sauces for stirfry - I just used olive oil and added chilli (fresh/flakes/few drops Tabasco) for flavour.

Good luck

Thanks franch, olive oil and tabasco sound good to me. I had the Kallo this morning with loads of natural yoghurt, it didn't taste great . Think I'll have eggs and bacon for the rest of the week

Of course tabasco does have vinegar in it - you may want to avoid it but I can't imagine it would do much harm if you're only using a drop or two.

Welcome Dizzy as Franch said it can only be natural yoghurt in phase 1 and no vinegar or sauces I should think as everything is totally unprocessed.

That's great news RnB - often best to go by how your clothes feel rather than weight.

I just had a ham salad and then realised the ham was smoked. Can't remember why that's bad but I know she doesn't allow it. Oh well. I'll consider that a cheat

Yeah Dizzy fraggle's right - I'd probably stick with fresh chillies if you want to be on the safe side.

God I feel crap today, i have a very sore chest and feel really exhausted. Diet is out the window completely at the moment

RnB well done. It feels so great when you see all your flab disappearing.

Hi Dizzy. You'll definitely notice a difference by the end of the week if you stick with it.

Mammyto1 Sorry to hear you're feeling crap. Just focus on getting better. Hope you get well soon.

Today I had
Porridge
tuna salad
chicken salad
NLY

I'm going to stick with phase 1 for 2 weeks. I have a couple of evenings out over the 2 weeks so I'll cheat on those days but I'm going to stick with phase 1 for the rest of the time.

Hi Dizzy- my top tip is to get some flavoured olive oil from the supermkt. They have olive oil infused w basil or chili or garlic. or use a bit of sesame oil with stir-fry.

Day 2- not too painful:
2 egg omelette
chicken salad
steamed salmon and lots of veg
NLY and decaf coffee

and a naughty bit of dark chocolate, oops (prob why toady wasn't too painful!)

Anyone know where ZH stands on soy sauce??

Thanks for the welcomes I will get some of the olive oil with infused flavours, thanks Rinky!
Day 1 nearly over and I've had:
Kallo and natural yoghurt for breakfast
Egg salad for lunch
Salmon and veg for tea.
Not too bad so far, can I just ask if we are allowed green olives and beetroot in our salad? I thought I read somewhere they were ok as long as the beetroot wasn't pickled? I am missing hot drinks so am drinking decaff green leaf tea - is this allowed?
What does NLY mean?
Questions, questions!!

That's a good idea with the oils Rinky.

On her blog ZH says: "On the soy sauce - yes, this is fine in Phase 2 so long as no other processed stuff is added. If you were soy intolerant (this is much more common in the US) you would likely know by now, as you would have been craving the stuff quite specifically before Phase 1."

Hi Dizzy. NLY is natural live yoghurt.

I have a confession. I've not really stuck to the diet as strictly as is required and I've still lost lots of weight.
I haven't given up coffee and have been having one cup of black coffee a day at home and a cappuccino in the mornings at work. I've been having balsamic vinegar on my salads. I've had beetroot from the salad bar at work and I'm pretty sure its pickled.

I've probably not helped. Sorry!

I think all decaff tea is allowed but someone may correct me....

Dizzy well done today!
I think olives are ok; non-pickled beets def ok.
Decaff green leaf tea prob ok I imagine?
NLY = natural live yogurt.

Today I had:
porridge
leftover chicken korma with griddled courgettes (thanks for the tip fraggle - I dressed mine with salt, lemon juice and some parsley from the garden ); yogurt & blueberries
cajun salmon with broccoli; yogurt & blueberries again

Really fancied a bit of dark chocolate but will wait till I stabilise a bit after the birthdays this week!

Cross posts squid

I think that makes sense squid - I guess those things are just not a problem for you. She's very into people 'playing' with the diet in ways that work for them and enable them to sustain it, so I don't think you're really 'off diet' as such. Anyway who cares - you're losing weight!

Thanks Franch- good news re: soy sauce

Squid- I find your confession encouraging

Hi everyone

Everyone's foods sound so lovely! Franch your courgettes sound gorgeous - think I'll do the same with mine next time.

I'm really enjoying phase 1 and so glad I got started again. Had a sneaky look on the scales this morning and I'm down 3lbs since Friday. I thought I'd weigh myself because I just felt slimmer - will weigh again on Friday with everyone...hoping for another 2lbs by then if I'm really strict. Not that being strict is hard

Today so far bacon and egg - decaff pg tips
Will have rice salad for lunch
Roast chicken, roast butternut squash spinach and runner beans for dinner. Yum!

Hope you and DH feeling a bit better Hambler.

Wonder if Fimbles will come back?? Maybe she's still camping

HI everyone-
Well I am on day 2 of Phase 1 and so far so good.

A few queries though-

can I have corn on the cob in phase 1

and the no fat with carbs rule in phase 2 is confusing me.

Does that rule out any met with pasta or rice?

So no spag bol or chili and rice then?

You are all very inspirational!! Have bought the book, but think will follow the quick start in last months SHE mag.
Am worried abbout my addiction to chocolate and diet coke,thinking i will feel truly awful without caffiene!
Have about 2 stone to lose, baby no.2 now 8 weeks and had not really managed to lose baby weight from no.1 and he is now 21 months. Will keep on the thread...seems to be good form of encouragemnet!!!Keep up the good work!

Welcome moomonkey - don't worry about the caffeine - it seems to take only a couple of days for the addiction to pass. You should find 2 stone easy to shift once you get going.

Hi ggirl - that's great you've got started. You can't have corn in phase 1 as it's very carby - and then in phase 2 you can only have it with a carb meal. And yes, phase 2 is about food combining - so no fats/meats with carbs.

So you can have veggie chilli with rice or quorn mince bolognaise with pasta. Or if you prefer meat then you could have meat bolognaise or chilli but with extra veg on the side instead of pasta/rice. Might sound a bit wierd to you now but this way of eating seems to suit my new appetite fine.

I have the book and have been following this thread - people seem to be loving the plan and getting results. The proof of the pudding and all that.

I am going on holiday on Saturday and realistically I don't think there is any point in starting until I get back, though of course my days of nihilistic blow outs on crisps, cake and choc are behind me.

I am concerned about my willpower though - I do find it hard to deal with cravings and I think I have some serious food addiction issues - mainly sugar and to a lesser extent, caffeine. I've weaned myself down to one cup of fresh coffee a day but I think I'm going to find it very difficult to give up that one cup...

Anyway, just marking my place on the thread and hope to join you on 21st September.

Welcome smultronstallet! Looking forward to seeing you here after your holiday.

And welcome moomonkey too!

I definitely had addiction issues before starting this - the first few days are tricky but it's amazing how quickly the detox works. I think ZH's tip of eating something that, erm, gets your system moving the day before you start the diet might be useful for you both, to speed things along IYKWIM