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

So finished the phase 1 here, and have lost 1 or 2 lb, hard to tell as my scales are crap and give a different reading every time I get off and on. So not spectacular, but I have lost something, not bad for 5 days and considering I slipped up once or twice. Am feeling good and got used to the food too.

We are off for a long weekend which is half-board, so god knows what I'll be eating. Will try and be moderate, and see you all on monday, I'll probably continue with phase 1 as I'm quite liking it!

Well done Sputnik!

Just back from a coffee morning where there were loads of lovely home-made cakes - I just sipped my peppermint tea virtuously

hambler is this the pinhead oatmeal??

Well done everyone for getting back on the wagon!

I'm joining today as well - had omelette for b/fast - a pork chop as a snack when tesco's turned up , well I'm hungry!
Lunch is roast chicken leg with roast veg (peppers, courgette, red onion)
Dinner - haven't decided, prob Salmon courgette and spinach.

So glad to be back on - had a whole big bar of aero last night as a send off to bad eating and felt totally sick after - could actually feel the rippling spare tyre of fat forming round my back! Yuk

I'm going to check out that pinhead porridge stuff - I've always wanted to like porridge as I know it's so good for you, but I just can't stand it!

Have a great day everyone

I know I'm a day early, but I have been such a rubbish follower of this diet that I wanted to share with you all the fact that I have nonetheless lost almost 6 pounds in 3 weeks, which I'm pretty chuffed with. I have been regularly (daily, if we're honest ) slipping up with coffee, red wine and dark chocolate. However, it seems like the other changes I've made are enough to get some of the weight off anyway.

Basically I'm having porridge, yoghurt and fruit for breakfast, soup or salad and a piece of bread for lunch, and then a dinner that is v light on the carbs. So I'm not sure I can even say I'm 'doing' Harcombe at all.

Just wanted to share! Well done the rest of you - you seem to be much better at sticking to the rules (most of the time anyway ) than I am.

Beonit

Welcome back fraggle Isn't it interesting how many of us keep coming back when we stray - somehow this diet is so much easier to return to than others.

And fantastic news beonit!! That's so encouraging - as geneo said the other day, it's a diet you can really play around with, and as you've proved it'll still work.

Oh god I have sucomed (?sp) to chocolate again. I will promise to start a fresh again tomorrow!!

Well done beonit

DP is on day 3 of this and suffering headaches but has lost 2kgs already.
He has 2 stones to lose
I am doing it loosely as my weight is ok but I fit the candida frame perfectly so explains a LOT.

I've dropped .5 a kg but am not in it to lose weight per se so will be doing a generous phase 2 to support DP

Hey Franch

Welcome piffle - great news about the weightloss - sorry I can't work in kgs but it sounds alot!

Don't worry Mto1 that's exactly how I've been feeling this last week, craving chocolate then giving in. Today (proper day 1) has been a little hard but not as bad as I thought. I've managed to stick with it - been snacking a lot though. Have pretty much had no carbs today and have a bit of a headache.

It's me and DD1's birthdays in 2 weeks time so I want to be looking fairly decent

Hi squid as well!! we're starting at the beginning again together

Beonit - that's great news you're losing while being fairly lax too!

can anyone give me the thai green curry recipe>

Tonight we are having stuffed pepper with a yog and galic dip. adn som eroast veg I think.

I do feel hungry most of the time though

I have lost 7lbs now! I am not following it religiously but I am when I can. I am also now going to aqua aerobics and yoga; the yoga is killing me but I am determined to tone up. I have about 21lbs to go...

Cesario you need to eat more at each meal - if you feel hungry the diet won't work. When you said you had carrots and broccoli with a dip the other day was that a meal?! That would definitely leave me hungry Have some hearty 'fat' meals to fill you up.

Well done Candlewax! I need to get toning too ...

Mammy and fraggle I'm now 2 days 'clean' of chocolate again and it's amazing how quickly the cravings have gone this time - stick with it

Today I had:
porridge, blueberries
spicy rice salad and NLY with nectarine (again)
cajun salmon; roast cherry tomatoes; green beans; NLY

Hooray. Weigh-in tomorrow ...!

cripes I forgot about weigh in tomorrow!!

Have eaten loads today and it has really helped get me through day 1. Could probably have drunk more water but I'll get into the flow again soon.

That's great news Candlewax congrats

I am being naughty. I have a bad cold/infection and have lost my voice so can't face cooking 2 meals for everyone. HAd spaghetti and meatballs earlier. Am naughty.
3 carb meals today.
Will start behaving when I feel better.
weigh in will not be pretty

cerario I get a thai green curry paste from the local Asian food store. It has nothing added apart from the spices.

Don't remind me about weigh in cuz it isn't going to be pretty!!!!

Morning all.

I have put 0.5lb on this week. Must give myself a kick to get started on the road to weight loss again

Today:
NLY
Thai green chicken curry
Homemade burgers with roasted butternut squash

I have ordered the cook book so hoping that will give me some new ideas!!

Hi everyone

Mto1 - that's really not bad at all! and your meals for today sound gorgeous. I really need to start cooking properly again - making interesting things rather than a piece of meat with veg every meal!

I've put on 1 pound and 3/4's after my almost week off the diet. So - it's not too bad and has made me even more determined.

This morning I actually managed to put an exercise DVD on for the first time in months! I managed to do the warm up and the cardio bit but then just sat and watched the tone up bit feeling pretty knackered! (it's only a quick half hour dvd as well) If I keep it up though it will hopefully get easier.

Have a great day everyone

Hi all, yes you're right fraggle, delicious meals are definitely the key

Good start with the exercise - that's more than I've managed!

I've managed to lose 1lb this week which I'm pretty pleased with considering I only actually stuck to the diet properly for the last 2 days.

So that's 9lb lost in total! The size of a rather large baby

Very pleased with myself - I'm now past the halfway mark - 8lb to go.

Franch, the one I use is made by a firm called Hamlyn , and is much cheaper that the one you linked to. Big supermarkets usually have it.

Had it agin this morning with apple and cinnamon. Absolutely delicious and nuttyish

Hm, not available on ocado then. Dyou think it'd be the same sort of stuff?

Not sure. It needs to be pinhead oatmeal - the chunks are larger so it does not go mushy.

this is the one I use. middle left in the picture

one of my all time fav recipies happens to be Harcombable.Very quick and impressive enough for a dinner party

KRISHNA SPICED PRAWNS
Fry 2 large finely chopped onions in a little olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add
I tsp ground coriander
Half teaspoon each of chilli , turmeric, and salt
2 inch stick of cinnamon
4 cloves
2 bay leaves.
2 tsp grated root ginger

Fry for 2 more minutes.

add a can of chopped tomatoes and simmer for ten minutes.

Add 450 g king prawns(frozen work well) and heat to a gentle simmer.Don't keep heating or the prawns will get tough
Add an inch cube of creamed coconut and stir till melted.

This is meant to serve 4, but without rice it is a fab meal for two greedy people

Stir in about an inch

Well done Franch on your weightloss - most impressive. I have lost a few more pounds and it is really helping to motivate me NOT to eat carbs. My tummy is flatter too which is a real incentive for me. I want to lose my baseball front.

Gah! everything's gone a bit wrong this weekend.

Was doing fine yesterday, it was day 2 of phase 1 and I was starting to get that feeling that I was really motivated and enjoying it all.....and then met a friend in the park after school - ended up going back to hers and having a few glasses of wine and crisps in her garden because it was friday and it was sunny.......and that was it - resolve gone, willpower gone

got home and stuffed my face on all the wrong things and it has continued today (was up a few times in the night, DD2 has a sick bug, DD1 wet the bed - excuses excuses!)

Today I have a huge spare tyre! Honestly, either this diet is really unforgiving on slip ups or it just goes to show the effect refined carbs have on your body.

I will start again tomorrow. I really want to feel slim on my birthday in 2 weeks.

Hello all can I re-join you please? I have the book and really like this diet, I did the 5 days before and felt crap for the first few days then miles better, lost about 5lbs but then fell completely off the wagon and am now very fat - I really need to lose at least a stone, probabaly two. None of my clothes fit and I have dry skin, look unhealthy and puffy. I think I score highly for all three issues - hypo, candida and wheat intolerance. Planning on starting Phase 1 tomorrow but so not looking forward to the headaches/nausea I experience last time - any tips to ease the pain?? I am very bad for starting diets and then going hugely off the rails, hope this will help me quash my cravings.