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

Well done Franch on your weight loss! You're doing well.

I don't know what happened to me but I really strayed. Its ridiculous as I was really enjoying feeling slimmer and hearing everyones comments and now, stupidly, I think I've put loads on.
I dare not weigh myself.

I've started my day with porridge and intend to stick to the diet from now on. I've had a couple of weeks off work and I think the change in routine made me slack.

At least it seems I'm not the only one. Shall we get back to it this week and drop a few lbs?

Hey welcome bigpantywoman!

It's quiet here this weekend but you'll find loads of support as the week gets going.

I'm with you in starting again tomorrow. Thought i'd do it today but just couldn't manage it this morning when DH started cooking up bacon sarnies

Candida's my thing and I think wine is what sets it all off for me (I know that wine being vinegary feeds candida) after my slip up on friday evening my cravings/hunger were insatiable, it was quite alarming actually.

Chat to you later, good luck tomorrow and remember the headaches/nausea are a good sign

Hey squid! Yep I'm in the same boat as you.

I'm guessing because the diet feels quite easy once you get going that it makes you think you can just get away with being naughty, and that you can start whenever you want.

I've definitely gained a couple more pounds - it feels awful after feeling so much slimmer of recent. A good reminder again of how I just want to be slim but in control.

Hello everyone and wel done for the weig=ht loss

I have lost 5 pounds now in 5 days.
we have family here all weekend so I have cheated a little but still trying not to mix carbs and fat - a little red wine a little dark chocolate

The prawns look fab
and I will find the curry paste - do you just add it to the veg?

Hi all and thanks for the welcome, well one day down of the 5 day kick start and I feel fine, haven't even been hungry. Had bacon and eggs, tuna salad, and then beef bourgignone for supper with loads of veggies, plus some yogurt for snacks, no fruit, no caffeine. I find the caffeine thing quite hard actually - remind me why that's a no-no, isn't it to do with insulin? Anyway feel glad that I have actually started again. Onward and upwards (well hopefully downwards)

Hello everyone, I'm starting tomorrow having got the book a while ago, and edged myself up to the point where I'm gonna bite the bullet and do it.

I've got about two stone to lose to get back within the healthy weight bracket, but would like to eventually get back to my previous stable weight before pregnancy etc so aiming for long term loss of about three and a half stone. However, not really wanting to focus on the poundage at the moment, so much as re-educating myself into eating sanely and healthily and in a sustainable way rather than the boom and bust of the binge/diet cycle.

You've all done fantastically and I'm feeling very positive about this due to all your posts.

Hi all, and welcome bigpantywoman and wildstrawberryplace

Well like you fraggle and squid I was a bit stupid at the weekend - I'm premenstrual and succumbed to that tin of biscuits that DH bought me weeks ago (ate pretty much the whole lot) PLUS a big slab of fudge that a visiting friend brought. Felt awful after that.

And that was after Friday night when we went to a gastropub and I had lovely mussels followed by a gorgeous lamb dish and only a teeny weeny taste of DH's (sickly sweet) sticky toffee pud. I actually thought that was my only danger zone this weekend so I think I let my guard down after that.

Anyway yes squid I'm with you to really go for it this week.

It takes constant planning, doesn't it .... I think my other problem at the weekend was I was trying to improvise meals out of leftovers etc, and left feeling unsatisfied. Whereas if you can fill yourself up with delicious stuff there just isn't the motivation to stray.

Hello! After reading this thread I bought the book yesterday abnd have started the diet today. Since I did the whole thing in such a rush I wasn't prepared so had to have a tin of mackerel that I found at the back of my cupboard for breakfast . Have been shopping now and have had my bacon and eggs with tomatoes for lunch and have a steak with lots of veg for dinner. Are we allowed stock on this diet? I love sauces and gravy which I will miss so was wondering if a bit of meat stock would be ok on my steak?

Feels like the food is too fatty to be losing weight.... still, if everyone else says it works it must do

I lost 4 stone last year through calorie counting but have put on a stone since my wedding and am struggling to get back on the counting cals (plus I feel a bit bloated and horrible a lot and keep getting thrush) so thought this diet would work well for me.

Am 10st 11 at 5ft 3 so really would like to lose 2 stone to be at BMI of 21-22.

Another question.... does anyone smoke while doing this diet? Yes I know it is bad for you but since it mentioned something about smoking and candida I was wondering if it would spoil things if I smoked?

Stupid question maybe

Welcome nikki

I hadn't thought about the smoking thing but yes I think there is a link between smoking and candida, and as you're prone to thrush I'd've thought smoking would definitely interfere with this diet as it's based on ridding your body of conditions that cause cravings.

You could ask Zoe tho? Her websites & facebook page are posted somewhere on this thread.

Still, I'm one to talk about unhealthy habits. I've just polished off the rest of that bloody fudge. Stuff like that just calls to me from the cupboard till it's all gone. I should've chucked it really.

Right, NOW I'm joining you Squid.

hello again
I relaxed a bit at the wkeend had a couple glasses of wine and a roast diner and have now lost 6 pounds.!

am very happy and am trying to do phase 1 but adding a bit of phase 2 as I was getting bored with the food.

6lb! Well done cesario!

Hi all and welcome to the new comers.

I really tried today but still managed to sneak in some chocolate

I had:
NLY
Chicken salad
roasted veg with a chicken breast stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in ham

I had about 3 chocolates and 1 slice of toast with butter

Cesario well done on the weight loss

Most of the way through day one and I am STARVING! This is what I have eaten so far today:-

B: Half a small tin of mackerel in brine for breakfast - was not prepared properly for starting diet and was also in a rush!

L: 4 rashers of streaky bacon
2 fried eggs
4 cherry tomatoes

Snack: 1 boiled egg

Will be having steak and veg for dinner.

Why am I so hungry?

Keep eating, nikki, till your system gets used to this. Do not go hungry. I ate huge amounts (especially yogurt - whole family-sized tubs in one sitting) in phase 1 but it settled down. And I lost several pounds while eating like that

Am shamefully coming back on thread as had a distasrtous weekend, have had laryngitisand felt like shit so have been eating and drinking way too much. Didn't feel like cooking but was starving so had chinese and chippy meals over weekend and DH cooked for girls and have put on 3lb. AM still at net loss but it isn't good really.

Starting phase 1 again today except DD2 put a bit forkful of couscous in my mouth earlier and I ate that, so oops.
Need to do another shop tomorrow for veg. PITA having to shop all the time, isn't it?

Sorry to hear you've been ill JB. And I definitely sympathise on the shopping! I seem to stumble whenever I start running out of decent food, which seems to happen fairly regularly.

Well today I've eaten:
porridge with blueberries
veg curry; NLY
fudge
crab and salad; NLY

Green and Black dark choc is lovely

done okay today...
Nice ot be able to eat porridge now with a bit of salt and some fruit during the day

Ok, back from my mini-break. Wasn't too virtuous food wise but it could've been worse.
I slipped up when the wine came out too, so maybe there is a connection there, maybe to do with being more likely to say "what the hey!" when confronted by biscuits.

Anyway, back on track, I have started the carb and fat separation and will see how I get on with that. If it works I will be very happy as it's really no big deal for me to eat like that.

Plus plus plus, I really think this has worked for me with the candida. I am bf and had thrush in my nipples when I started this. Bloody painful but it has now cleared up, and I'm no longer craving sweet things. Thinking back the worse the thrush was the more sweet stuff I was eating, which must have been making it worse.

So brilliant result just from that point of view.

Anyone else having stomach pains? I am on day 2 of phase 1 and keep getting pains in my lower abdomen. Like when you have dodgy guts . Am definitely sticking to it so not sure what it can be.....

Nikki it's likely to be candida die-off - it's fighting back!! Are you eating enough fibre (veggies) and drinking lots of water?

nikki, that sounds similar to what I went through, fricking agony. I went to bed early on Day 2 and had cramps and fever all night as I felt so awful. It did clear teh enxt day though,