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

You're so right fraggle. I'll join you on phase 1 on Mon.

Cold weather def doesn't help. Great you've got a goal tho. I'm up north in the middle of nowhere at the moment, we never see anyone when I'm at my mum and dad's - not even DH is here to motivate me to look good plus I'm all covered up in woollies anyway. This doesn't combine well with the gorgeous comfort food my mum keeps dishing up ...

sounds great Franch! Sounds like a deserved holiday and I'll be with you Monday to start phase 1 again properly.

Gives me a chance to shop properly and prepare as well.

i'm with you both.....monday is the day for a proper start. i really loathe the thought of phase 1 as veggie and just struggle with the ridiculous amount of veg i have to have rather than meat....balls balls balls. its just excuses isn't it....right thats it now i am really going to commit to doing it....monday. but i won't binge or anything before then just keep eating sensibly til i get all the proper ingredients in again and try and plan a vaguely tasty menu in advance....

this self loathing lark is more common than most people admit i reckon....our own worst critics....my DH thinks i am gorgeous, why isn't that enough?? Lets try and be kinder to ourselves ok girls....xxx

I'm guessing no-one's got back on the wagon yet

Don't worry, we'll get into it again. Was actually thinking of re-reading the whole thread again from the start as a little pep talk!

This really is my last week of eating badly. I can really feel and see that I've put weight back on. I haven't dared weigh myself. Still, I've had good reason but now I have to focus on the wedding we're going to in December and get back on it on Monday - seriously, or else I'm going to feel miserable and fat when I'm there and that would be horrible

Hello ladies, I'm back. I went out today and bought EVERYTHING I needed for the 5 day plan. I got an example menu online from She Magazine. I am ready to hit this with a vengance from tomorrow morning.

Now I just need to wade my way back through this thread to see how you have all been doing...

I've been offline for a while as dh has been using the pc for work but a have my own brand new shiny laptop. Hooray!
This means I can join everyone on this thread again and restart phase 1 (obviously I couldn't follow the diet while unable to post on this thread )

Candlewax I'm with you
I'm following the diet from an online sample too. I lost 5lbs when I did it at the beginning of the thread (think I must have put it all back on again )

Good luck to us!

Hi all

Squid - my excuse is that my scales haven't been working!! Rubbish isn't it.

Will join you all this week and do my best - and will go back on phase 1 as soon as I've done a food order

Hi - can I join please? I got the book and read it over the weekend and am starting today.

I want to lose a stone before Christmas.

Am thinking about buying the recipe book as I am finding some of the rules a bit confusing.

So far today I have had a ham omelette - will have ham (again) salad for lunch and then roast chicken and salad for dinner.

Hello - can I join please?
I did phase 1 the week before last and have been on phase 2 for about 10 days. I have no scales (am going to get some) but think I am smaller although I don't think I lost much in phase 1.

This diet is just what I need, a lovely mner recommended it to me when I was whining about being fat in Chat and, yes, it is changing my life - it has been a long time since I have felt well, apart from the shocking fattitude. It is great to have a little energy back!

I have about 2 and a half stone to lose, I think. Immediate goals: I can't lose all that instantly, I just want to look ok at xmas and to go back to work in the middle of January; and then to be slim in the Spring.

Good luck all Harcombettes!

Hi Franch nice to see you're still around.

Welcome, welcome newcomers.

My day started off well. I had porridge and water for breakfast. Carrot and ginger soup and roast veg for lunch and then I asked dh to bring some fresh fish and veg from the supermarket on his way home for dinner.
He bought back a bag of steam in the micro veg and some expensive freshly breaded haddock from Waitrose. I'm afraid I had to eat it as I was really hungry and it was very fresh and delicious.

That'll teach me not to plan properly.

I've planned tomorrow a bit better so hopefully I'll still lose weight by the end of the week.

How are you all doing?

hello ladies - may I join?

Am waiting for the books to come from Amazon as I have no idea what is required but what I have read makes a lot of sense. I need to lose 4 stone by next June as I am a brides maid at my sister's wedding and am currently huge.

Welcome Sammy vezzie and mrsboogie

I'm not back on phase 1 yet - will have to shop first - but have behaved myself so far today

You can still be good without being on phase 1 Franch The best way is to have no carbs in your eve meal.

Today was good

porridge
tomato soup, roasted veg, salad, coleslaw
chicken koftas, salsa, nly

I'm planning on doing my exercise dvd tomorrow. I did it twice last week and felt very good. I should try to keep the momentum going.

I went shopping over the weekend and bought a couple of tops, a couple of necklaces, a pair of boots and a bag. I didn't spend much but all of a sudden I feel less frumpy and more motivated to lose weight. I would really recommend buying a little something to perk yourself up a bit and get some motivation.

Hi everyone I started this diet three weeks ago after reading the thread.I don't have any scales but today I tried on a size 14 skirt from Next that I could only just squeeze on over my hips and bum and had no chance of zipping and it went on easily and zipped up

However I feel that the real benefit is how I feel.I am almost 45 with a 2.7yr old and a job and was waking up every morning feeling totally wiped out before I had even started my day.

The first week and a half were dreadful it was almost like flu but now I feel fab and have bags of energy.I have also had loads of comments on how fresh my complexion is looking.

I am planning to stick to the plan without cheating til Christmas,allow my self a little leeway over the festive period and then restart phase one.

I do feel like this has changed my life

lillypie thats so inspiring and well done

I do think its mad how we all feel and look so much better when we eat healthily and exercise yet we can still give up, turn back to the junk and feel crap again. Its so not worth it but I find so difficult at times.

I'm definitely sticking to it now
I want to be able to zip up the clothes in my wardrobe easily too!

Well done Lillypie!

Squidmission - I agree, buying something nice is good inspiration - I have a new dress to wear to a party this weekend and will be prancing around as if I have lost all the weight already.

I am going to weigh myself tomorrow in the machine in Boots - a week on from last time. Wish me luck.

Where are all the Harcombettes?! Are you all away somewhere making exquisite raw vegetable salads to have with your lovely light creamy omelettes?

Well something snapped in my brane today and I bought bathroom scales. To show I am committed, or something. Anyway, partly by having lost 4 lb since last Thursday (!) and partly by weighing myself nekkid, it now seems that I have something more like 2 stone to lose. That seems much more possible! Somehow that seems within the realms of possibility, and not a life long uphill Sisyphean struggle.

Today I had leftover pasta with tomato sauce for lunch and it was a big mistake. By 3 my knees were buckling under me and I was desperately hungry. Lesson learnt: do not try to make it through the afternoon on a low fat carb meal. (I am pretty sure I got into this mess through silly v.v.v. low fat dieting in the first place and my body is overreacting to perceived scarcity.)

Sorry about the me me me me me post! Come and tell me more about how you are getting on so I can redeem myself by showing an interest!

Good luck everyone

Vezzie well done on the loss so far.

Yes, I'm wondering where everyone is. Get back here and lose weight, You Lot!!

Yesterday was not good. I was extremely tired from a very sleepless night. I cannot diet if I'm very tired. I had 2 slices of toast and marmalade and a packet of crisps for lunch because I couldn't be bothered to sort out any food

Today is better as I had a better night.

I had nly with a small amount of rinsed off tinned clemetines (not perfect but didn't have much of a choice) for breakfast. Lunch was left over chicken casserole.
I've got chicken saag for dinner.

How's everyone else doing?

Hi I am still on track with porridge for breakfast and bacon and eggs for lunch.I will have turkey salad for tea.

I am not finding it hard to resist goodies (or baddies lol) as I find I have no craving for them and if I find self weakening I eat some NLY and that sorts me out.

Feeling so good is my motivation to keep going.DP says I am much less grumpy too

You sound very motivated and happy lillypie
I've started off well today but have had hardly any sleep (up since 2.30!)
I know its going to be really hard for me to try to get through the day without toast and biscuits. I really have to try and must remember that the struggle will be worth it.

So far today I have nly and 2 cheese slices.

I'm going on holiday on the 15th December. How much weight can I lose by then?

Squidmission - a whole month - you can look and feel different in that time, definitely enough to enjoy your holiday more.

Bad sleep last night here too! dd screamed her head off. I am going to try to be strong.

Wrong thread, but... why won't she sleep?

I'm determined to lose some weight before I go on holiday so this it for me.
I've also got a friend to join me and we're meeting up every friday to have a weigh-in
I know I need to lose weight now. I couldn't bear it if my friend started losing weight a and I didn't! (bit of competitiveness plus I really want to get rid of this awful extra weight!)
How are you all doing. Come back here and talk to me you lot!

oh man oh man.....serious blimp-idge going on here.....i am back. gotta lost stone for christmas.....need to if i want to indulge in all the nice chjristmas treaty bits....

will post tomorr with food that i will be eating.....xxxx