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

Hi Mrspnut - your coleslaw idea is a good one. I'm going to whip some up too.

Just thinking though - I think quorn is not recommended during the first 5 days as it is made of microscopic fungus, therefore counts as mushroom-like and can feed candida.

I have manged to stay off the chocolate. It is hard I do crave sweet things

I was confused about it too, because she mentions not having mushrooms but later in the book she mentions being able to have quorn in phase 1 (what we actually had was textured vegetable protein) which is made from soya but it's similar.

I sympathise Cesario, I'm finding it very hard. I know that I use sugary things and choc as mood lifters, so it feels depressing until I get used to it. Well done for not caving.

mrspnut - yes it is confusing as I read a comment of hers on her website where she specifically says you should avoid it. Not that I mind, I hate quorn! I quite like TVP though, esp. when you cook it like you did in a sauce and it absorbs all the flavours.

Mammyto1 hope you're ok.

I am starting a 10 day phase 1 program. I have to do this as I've gained a bit of weight and want to lose it before ds2's birthday party in a couple of weeks. All the people attending saw me a couple of weeks ago and remarked on how good I looked as I'd obviously lost weight.
I'd feel so embarassed to see them again after gaining weight

Hopefully, I can have access to the laptop so I can keep up with this thread (dh has been using it for work)

Mrspnut I love the coleslaw idea. I think that makes a nice change from steamed veg or salad. I also like making a batch of salsa to have as a side.

So day 1
porridge
tomato soup
nly
chicken and coleslaw

Hello. I've been a bit of an infrequent poster here, but just wanted to say that I'm now bowing out. Not because I didn't find the diet good - I lost half a stone in 4 weeks and was delighted (especially as I was a bit of a slacker), but because I have just found out I'm pregnant.

I intend to try to be sensible during the pregnancy (rather than eating every sweet thing in sight, as I did last time), but I don't think I can be bothered to follow a proper diet.

So I just wanted to say good luck to you all. I imagine (all being well)that I will be hunting out this thread in about 18 months time to jog my memory about the Harcombe pearls of wisdom.

Good luck and may you all enjoy long and fruitful relationships with Kallo and NLY!

Beonit
x

Congratulations Beonit!

Is ready brek the same thing as porridge? I can't bear the lumpy, bitty consitency of porridge and need something smoother and thinner.

Also how can I sweeten it without sugar?

Hi all just popping in to say I'm still alive and still just about on the wagon although had a bit of a cakey day on Sun.

Will post properly asap.

nikki no ready brek is def processed. You can get quite 'fine' porridge though (as opposed to the jumbo oats) - check the ingredients to make sure it is just porridge. And cook it for ages so that it 'dissolves' - soaking it first can work too I think.

I put blueberries on mine.

Hi all just popping in to say I'm still alive and still just about on the wagon although had a bit of a cakey day on Sun.

Will post properly asap.

nikki no ready brek is def processed. You can get quite 'fine' porridge though (as opposed to the jumbo oats) - check the ingredients to make sure it is just porridge. And cook it for ages so that it 'dissolves' - soaking it first can work too I think.

I put blueberries on mine.

Oops

Nikki I heard someone suggest putting oats into a grinder to make 'home made' ready brek.

Franch good to see youre still around
I think we need to get back to daily posting to keep us on the straight and narrow.

Today was good. I made some anzac biscuits and had a little taste but apart from that, I stuck to my plan.

Thats day 1 done with. 9 more to go.

Nikki if you cook banana in with your porridge it sweetens it and is very tasty too.

still off the chocolate

hard when I am out and about with work though

Good for you Cesario, stick with it I had some (G&B 85%) the last couple of days as I was so exhausted but am off it again now.

Yesterday I had:
porridge & blueberries
kallo (sheer laziness and tiredness)
oven 'jacket chips' and roasted veg with chilli

Very carby day but still OK I think. Been a bit complacent this week after my 3lb loss last week - plus I've been working so out of my normal routine, but took a packed lunch every day despite lunch being provided: rice pasta; tortilla; rice salad. And NLY.

Where is everyone?! It's weigh-in day folks!!

Not surprisingly I put 2lb back on this week - I know exactly why - the week before I lost 3lb without keeping strictly to the diet, so this week I pushed the boundaries just a little bit more, subconsciously seeing what I could get away with.

So now I know! Will have to have a really good week next week.

Anyway I'm still 10lb down, 7lb to go.

Hi Franch I haven't been really following it at present and still managed to lose so I am back to my 7lbs.

Hope you all have a good weekend

hi everyone

haven't been following this week due to 2 birthdays. Got a big lunch out tomorrow and then it'll be PHase 1 all over again for me next week! I'm really looking forward to it actually - Yet again I've really enjoyed snacking on junk, eating naughty meals and drinking copious amounts of booze but I think then it just catches up on you and today I just feel really empty and totally lacking in energy.

Congrats Beonit! That's great news (you know Zoe says you can follow the diet when pregnant and breastfeeding as you're not denying your body of anything) - although that sounds good in theory, i've used my last 2 pregnancies as a licence to stuff my face so I don't know if I could behave any differently with a 3rd

Hi everyone else xx

I am still losing weight slowly but sort of established a routine now and feeling alot better for it.

Hi mammy, fraggle and Cesario.

Squid where are you? Let's get back to daily posting!!!

I do sense a bit of loss of momentum around here ... fraggle, I think I might join you back on phase 1 tomorrow to get things kickstarted again.

What's your routine Cesario? Slow weightloss is fine I'd say.

Yesterday I had porridge with blueberries; cold roast chicken & raw veg; spicy chicken salad at Wagamama ..... Then stupidly had choc fudge cake which wasn't even that great.

Today's going to be a bit erratic so I'd better get something planned.

Let's keep up the daily support and encouragement! We've got this far - let's see it through

I am still here too just not posting much. I feel so much better for this diet and although not losing much on phase 2, I am sure this is because of weekends away/meals out where I can't seem to keep to it. Meals out don't inspire as often the choice is a salad only and I am not that keen. When I have days keeping to it I feel lighter and better. My mood is better too, I don't get as uptight. Anyone else find this?

On a normal day I have for breakfast wholemeal/sourdough bread drizzled with olive oil and that french jam with no sugar. Perhaps once or twice a week I will have eggs and bacon and mushrooms.
Then for a packed lunch, any kind of cheese with tomatoes, cuke, onions or a homemade soup. Or fruit then oatcakes with humuus.
And dinner is usually chicken or beef or fish with a sauce of somekind/or herbs and spices and lots of veggies followed by the no sugar icecream in the recipe book. Although as I have a veggie son a favourite meal too is courgettes and aubergines with a tomato sauce and mozzeralla and basil done in the oven.

I am sure I can do this for a long time and feel good about it. I have lost 11 lbs in total and it is staying off. I still would like to lose another 14 but don't care how slow it is.

It is the best diet I have ever found and suits me perfectly. Hope others are finding the same.

can i join this thread? do i really need to buy the book or can someone just list what is and isn't allowed in the different phases? i have found with diet books in the past that i just can't be arsed to read them even tho they contain the plan i want to follow.....

i have 24 lbs to lose having put on a ridiculous amount of weight since marrying this feb....

actually i have just bought the harcombe diet recipes book so hopefully that wlil inspire me more than a straightforward diet book....

i aim to start tomorro tho so can anyone tell me the things that i should be really avoiding til the book arrives. say do perhaps a little menu for me? i am a pescatarian in that i eat fish but no other kind of meat at all.

if someone could take me under their wing til my book arrives i'd be reaaaaaaaaallly grateful.....

I am just staying on phase 2 and finding it easy now.
Occasional drink
no chocolate
lost 7 pound in 3 weeks which is good I think. Only another 5 to lose .

Boodleboot on Phase 1 (5 days) you can eat:

Unlimited unprocessed meat, fish, vegetables (but no mushrooms or potatoes) and eggs.

No fruit at all.

No dairy apart from natural live yogurt (which can be full fat at this stage). Consumption of NLY is encouraged as it fights candida in the body.

No starchy foods apart from 50g (dry weight) of brown rice OR 100g Kallo puffed brown rice a day. If you are a veggie you can have 150g dry weight brown rice.

A small amount of olive oil and butter for cooking.

No caffeine, no sugar, no milk in decaff tea or coffee.

No vinegar or pickled foods.

All food must be natural and unprocessed.

HTH