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

Oh and back on phase 1 today, and I take my hat off to anyone who can eat Kalloo and NLY. I can not remember the last time I ate something so bad!

RnB - I've been on phase 1 for ages now. I just dip in and out of phase 2 when I feel like I need a bit more.

I had been stuck in a plateau last week but found that was because I wasn't eating enough. I was eating big meals but going hours between eating them. So since I've started snacking on NLY or other allowed foods and making sure I drink my 1.5litre bottle of water every day I can feel that I'm starting to slim again. Apparently you need to keep your metabolism ticking over by feeding it every 3 hours. Not weighing myself til Friday though.

After the weekend I'll start eating fruit again as haven't been.

Welcome stopshouting - the fried rice sounds delish!!

How much have you lost so far? Do you know I hated kello when I did phase 1 for the 1st time and now it has grown on me NLY - I buy sainsburys low fat natural live greek yogurt - I don't think you are allowed greek but figured since its low fat and live then you can't go to fair wrong. Plus it is milder and creamier than the other ones.

RnB I can't see it would be a problem as it is very healthy

Thanks mammy. I dont know how much I've lost - not weighed myself in years! I usually go on how my clothes feel. They are looser now - size 16, but I would like to be a size less. I will try the Sainsburys yog though - thanks.

I have been lurking for ages but didn't join as my kids are not kids any more but this thread is so helpful I hope it is okay to join.
I lost 9lbs in 5days on phase 1 - was delighted - but have been yo-yoing a bit since and put on 3 of the 9 after having a weekend of "usual" eating. I then went back on 1 and lost the 3 after 3 days so am now on phase 2 and hoping it will work. I seem to be getting the idea on here that phase 2 is not working so well. Has it worked great for anyone. Maybe you just have to really stick at it?

Today,
wholemeal bread with no sugar jam
egg salad and homemade tom soup from book
whitefish and I am going to concoct some white sauce with milk/cornflour and put crab in it.plus green vegs.

Hi Geneo and Stopshouting - welcome and congratulations on all the losses

Geneo I would say that mistakes can happen with phase 2 - because she allows carbs - people can start eating too much - which she does warn of in her book especially if you have 1 of the 3 conditions she talks about.

It's a bit trial and error and more about tailoring it to what suits you.

So after being on the ZH plan for an age now with various ups and downs, I have worked out that I am better with 1 carb meal and 2 proteins a day. That I have a wheat intolerance (felt weird after a bowl of shredded wheat on my first day of phase 2 after a long phase 1) so I avoid all wheat.

I'm doing phase 1 but food combining at the same time, but if I feel like a bit of stodge, I'll have a bowl of rice pasta or a baked potato. It's suiting me fine - though I must start fruit again next week.

Thanks for the welcome! One thing I have found is that my heartburn is gone. Used to blame butter for it but was the combination of butter and bread that did it. In a strange sort of way that comfirms Zoe's ideas if anyone follows my garbled way of thinking.
I think like you fraggletits I am better keeping off wheat as much as I can. When I ate wholemeal bread for the first time after phase 1, I too, felt terrible but this time I seem okay with a slice or two in the morning.

Welcome Geneo and Stopshouting.

Talking of blips, I've had a bit of one today. I'm such an emotional eater. I heard some news today (which isn't bad but affected me anyway) and I turned straight to junk

I feel really, really, annoyed and feel like I'm going to be stuck at this weight forever

So, I had

porridge
bowl of shredded wheat fruitful
4 fruit shortcake biscuits
2 boxes mini smarties
4 tablespoons of pasta
packet of ready salted crips

That looks so bad now I've written it down

What shall I have for dinner? I wondered if I should just have some soup or chicken and salad. I'm looking to limit the damage and get back on track. Help please!

Hi mammyto1. I haven't disappeared, just lurking in a slightly ashamed way because I don't have your sticking power.

However, after a couple of days 'off' over the weekend (white bread abd butter, chocolate cake, and 4 pounds heavier thanks very much) I have now got sort of back on track and am still down 4 pounds altogether in the first two weeks.

I can't pretend I'm sticking to it religiously but I am finding that for me the thing that makes the most difference is not loading up on bread, potatoes or pasta. I really feel lighter on the days that I manage to keep those foods to a minimum.

However, I am having lots of fruit - can't live without it, some dark chocolate, coffee and wine, so I am cheating quite a lot really. Just hoping that I can slowly slowly keep shedding a few more pounds - I don't mind if it takes a while as long as I can keep it off afterwards.

Welcome to the other newbies and congrats to those who already have such great losses - I hope you will inspire me to greater efforts!

Beonit

Welcome back beonit I thought you were a goner
At least you have made some changes and like you say if you lose a small amount you will be happy each week. Good luck for Friday!!

Squid it might look bad but you probably would have done worse damage if you weren't doing this diet. Have a chicken salad for dinner and it will even it out. If you count up the cals it's not that big of a dent

Also welcome geneo

I've fallen off the healthy eating wagon recently, so gave phase 1 a whirl earlier this week. I caved after 2 days, I've never felt so bad in all my life!

I had some pasta and a cup of tea and went to bed after day 2, and woke up feeling less like death but I still had horrendous joint pains.

I wonder if it's realistic to pop a Canesten and ease myself gradually off the wheat?!

Fairmidden I had really bad joint pains too and felt crap until around day 6. Try and stay away from the pasta for phase one. I found after phase 1 I can't stand pasta now and the thought of makes me feel sick. Good luck and keep us posted!!!

I'll need to try again because I know wheat makes me feel terrible. I honestly couldn't bear knowingly making myself that unwell though, it seems crazy. I may have to adapt it to a gentler version because I can't take time off work just because I am eating differently!

Have you tried eating porridge Fairmidden? I felt awful until I started eating porridge for breakfast. It really helped.

Thanks mammyto1. I'm off shopping this afternoon so I'll stock up on salad and veg. An hour ago, I was thinking what cakes and chocolate to buy!

Nice to see people back

Had a big bowl to start the day then caved in and had a Toffee Pop

I am going to adopt the principles of food combining for main meals and try to reappraise my snacking situation. I really see how this works, nutritionally, but just can't spare 5 or more days of my life to spend being completely out of it.

I'm lurking though

That sounds like a good plan Fairmidden. If you cut out snacks, you'll lose weight eating normal meals too (as long as they're fairly healthy and portion controlled)

Don't worry squid I'm sure your mini blip won't cause any damage

Hi Fairmidden and welcome back beonit.

Hope you're right Fraggle!

I've done a deal with myself that I'm going to get down to a normal weight by the end of this year. I'm going by BMI and at the moment its 28. I need to get down to 25 at least.
Its really hard though, isn't it? I am really trying but sometimes its like an outside force takes over me.

I'm going to have some nly in a bit (its a good job I love the stuff!) then I'll have chicken and salad for dinner.

Oh and instead of an edible treat, I bought a weight loss magazine so I can be inspired by all the positive articles and success stories in there. How sad am I?

Hi again

Do I understand it correctly that bread/wheat can be re-introduced in phase 2 then?

And the rice dish mentioned meat, so is it OK to introduce meat and carbs to each other again then?

Obviously if Amazon would send either blardy book to me, I'd know

No that's a good idea squid - I like those mags sometimes.

And you're right it is hard at times. I almost bought a bar of dark chocolate today as really feel I deserve a treat. Had it in my hands at the till but then decided against it and bought some NLY instead....i mean, how sad is that???

I also weighed myself thinking it would be an incentive to keep going til the weekend but obviously it's not the best time of day to weigh yourself so it wasn't exactly the best result.

Got to keep going til Friday weigh day. I'll be good all day saturday and then I'm going to let my hair down.

It's not like we have to lose the weight in a short amount of time or anything (I don't think?) so you can afford to be strict in the week and relax a little at weekends I think. Keeps you sane

Hey offs

you can only mix meat and carbs in phase 1. Phase 2 is where the food combining starts. And yes bread and wheat can be re-introduced in phase 2 HTH

Thanks Fraggletits, but I thought it was either a fat meal or a carb meal, you couldn't mix them in the same meal? And that is the same for both phase 1 and 2.

TBH i've always food combined since starting at the very start of phase 1 as was desperate to see results.

She says in her book that in phase 1 it's more about cutting cravings so she eliminates sugar, wheat, dairy but says the food combining can wait til phase 2 as phase 1 is hard enough - so you can have meat and rice and things like that if you want - I just never did.

Phase 2 is then about reintroducing wheat and dairy and other carbs, but from then you can only eat fat meals or carb meals and not mix the two.