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

Welcome TDMIC! As it happens I've just cooked 200g brown rice and it came out as 400g. (I weighed it and divided it into portions so I could do a rice salad or two a la fraggle.) So go for 100g I'd say.

fraggle - I may have said already but I have (or had) 1st 3lbs to lose. 5lb down, 12 to go (if my maths is right!).

Franch you might only be on this for the next week or so at your rate

Hi all, I have been so inspired by all your stories that I have bought the book today and hope to join you in the next few days

Welcome Mammyto1 and good luck. I would like to lose almost 2 stone (1 stone 12lbs to be exact). Have lost 5lbs so far.. 1.5 stones to go. Unfortunately, am on holiday next week camping so am a bit nervous about whether I will be able to stick to it as food is provided. But I plan to do my best and keep to the rules as much as possible.

Hi Mammyto1 welcome hope you enjoy the book!

Fimbles we've got the same amount of weight to go! What sorts of foods do you think they'll provide when you're camping? If its simple things like fry ups and meat and veg you'll be fine.

I had a sneaky weigh-in today and have lost two-and-a-quarter pounds since Monday. My stomach is flatter!

So, hopefully, on to Phase 2 next week. I've sent for the book, but it'll take a few days to arrive - the She magazine article isn't very clear about what's different in Phase 2 - can anyone give me any hints?

What sort of dairy/dairy substitutes are allowed on Phase 2 for instance?

Does minced beef count as "unprocessed food"?

Thanks, and good luck to everyone else.

Welcome Mammyto1

fimbles I thought the bit in the book about cheating/special occasions during phase 2 was quite helpful. But yes it'll be a challenge - stay strong, it'll be worth it

nice thought fraggles, but I was right not to be too smug - yesterday I somehow put those 3lbs I lost on Tue back on again! So I'm back to 2lb lost. Serves me right for weighing myself daily as I know how weight fluctuates, but I can't resist at this stage.

The other problem has been just not having the right foods in the house - am going to do another order this week using the ideas and recipes from the book.

Yesterday I had:
Kallo with soy milk
homemade tomato & pepper soup, brown rice and yogurt
homemade lamb curry, green veg and yogurt.

The curry was out of the freezer and had lentils in it which are not mentioned in phase 1 but are not to be combined with meat in phase 2 so probably not the best idea, but it was the best I had. The freezer seems to be full of chillis & curries that combine meat with pulses!

hmmm...does this work if you have only about 1.5/2 stone to lose? I put on 4 stone with my last pregnancy and am still 2 stone over what I was

What does she say about exercise???

You can have low-fat dairy products at any meal, TDMIC, and high-fat ones with 'fat meals' (ie meat etc). This is a useful table.

I'd've thought mince would be fine as it's just a way of chopping up the meat really, isn't it? As long as it has nothing added. She says all meat from the butchers is ok, and butchers do mince meat, so I'd say yes.

I only have 1st 3lb (now 1st 1lb) to lose, becaroo. No exercise required She explains why in the book - of course she recommends exercise for toning and general health, but not for weight loss - e.g. this article.

Duff link, sorry, hang on

Here you go - exercise

Hi everyone

welcome becaroo - don't be - give this a go and you'll see results within days, it doesn't matter how much or little weight you have to lose - it shifts the weight while reprogramming you at the same time to not desire all the junk and crap that makes us fat......plus it's enjoyable at the same time

And like Franch has linked for you, exercise is something she recommends for toning and general health but it has been proved to be ineffective for weight loss (which I know all about - half killing myself with sleb fitness dvds with no effect)

Franch!! Yep you need to have all the right ingredients in before starting this I think - no matter though you know it's working for you when you do it right, but meat and lentils together is a no-no til phase 3!

I'm going to try and save my weigh in til Monday morning as that will be the end of phase 1 and start of phase 2. It's difficult not to be tempted though!

Have just ordered the book from amazon...will start it when it arrives!!! Thanks!!

Thanks franch. One more question - is there a minimum fat/carb meals you can have in a day or a week?

The meat and eggs are getting a bit tedious - I'd prefer two carbs and one fat meal.

I'm guessing that's ok otherwise vegetarians would have little to eat.

Thanks for the welcome ladies. Shall be back when I get my book

TDMIC - Phase 1 can get a bit tedious but it is only for 5 days!! and you are so nearly there. You can do it. I had eggs and bacon for breakfast everyday, then either tuna or ham with loads of salad for lunch, and then either chicken, pork, steak etc with varied veg for tea. I don't know whether that helps. I also did a massive batch of soup which I had instead of the salad if I got bored at lunchtimes.

Welcome Becaroo - You've come to the right place. The results from this diet are amazing..I have never known anything like it before. Trust me I am the binge eater and have tried everything under the sun and one of these people who weighs themselves two to three times a day in the hope of a weightloss. Every day I am weighing myself first thing (I know I shouldn't), but so far everyday the scales are reading a loss. Happy days!!!

Next week could be different as food is provided on camp. However, I am in a better frame of mind to deal with this. So plan to stick where possible to the rules, but am afraid everything else is usually white (bread, rice etc) so I feel I am letting myself down a little.

Anyone else having trouble reintroducing foods on phase 2. ZH says that this sometimes happens. I had a plum for the first time today and once again had stomach cramps for half an hour afterwards. Really makes you think what you are eating, but then I suppose that is a good thing. But.. a plum is that really that bad for you?

Welcome becaroo

TDMIC - not sure what you mean by the minimum, but it's interesting what you say about having 2 fat meals a day. Having looked at day 4 of the Bikini Blitz Diet, I thought you could have Kallo or porridge plus a carb meal in phase 1, but in her response to a reader's query here, she says "I would advise only having one brown rice/porridge meal a day for phase 1 - so don't have brown rice on top of this." So you're right - and that's another thing I've been doing wrong! I'm lucky to have lost anything really!

As fimbles says tho you can do pretty much anything for 5 days so I'm going to be really strict from now on and try to keep it going a few days longer. (Weekends are always difficult of course, and it's our 10th wedding anniversary on the 28th so I won't be on phase 1 that day!)

fimbles ZH definitely reckons fruit is a good thing - I wonder why you're getting cramps, how horrible.

Today I've had so far:
Kallo with soy milk
tomato & pepper soup again, this time with a fried egg (bit random but still haven't done a shop)
was planning rice salad for dinner, but now I know I'm not allowed rice again I'll have to have a rethink - tricky

... probably something from a tin like sardines (am not a big tuna fan) and some salad ... Unless anyone has any delicious storecupboard Phase 1 Fat Meal ideas?!

Oh - I left yogurt out of my list for today. BTW my cravings haven't gone but are dramatically diminished. Only getting a chocolate craving after meals now when I'm used to having fruit plus something sweet (usually very dark chocolate). Having yogurt instead and then brushing my teeth which seems to help!

Hi everyone

TDMIS - you can have 3 carb meals a day in Phase 2 if you like - so long as you don't have fat with them.

So you could have porridge or kallo cereal skimmed milk/yoghurt

Then baked potato or pasta with cottage cheese/salad

Then veg curry and and rice for dinner.

The weight loss will continue as Phase 2 is 'Food combining'

Personally I like a bit of fat so I'm happier with one carb meal and 2 fats. It's personal preference.

Just a thought - has anybody got the blue recipe book that goes with the green diet book? There's loads in there.

No I haven't got the recipe book fraggle, have you? Do you recommend it?

I've noted that I seem to have a hard time giving up the morning cereal and I guess that should ring warning bells so for phase 1 I'm going to try just yogurt at least some of the time, which means I can have a carb meal for lunch or dinner.

Thanks for all the advice - I'm looking ahead to phase 2 as only one day left (tomorrow) of phase 1. Phase 2 is when I'd like to substitute carb meals for fat ones.

Fimble - it sounds like you' had 3 fat meals a day in Phase 1 then? So no carb meals?

I'm thinking about the opposite - don't think I'll want another egg after tomorrow!

Today is the first day I've felt hungry, but my period is due. However, normally I'd be craving chocolate too.

The upside is that I feel as though I've lost weight throughout the day -
I feel slimmer now than I did this morning!

Also, my head and sinuses are clear - I know from doing detoxes before that I probably have a mild wheat and dairy intolerence.

I hope the book arrives soon, although the earliest date the website said it may come is 25 August, so no doubt I'll have lots more questions to post in the meantime.

I have another query already - do you have to be strict with weighing carbs in Phase 2?

So limited to 50g brown rice, 75g porridge etc? thanks!

No after Phase 1 there is no weighing of anything - the new rule simply being just don't mix carbs with fat (other than olive oil and low fat dairy)

Franch I got the recipe book and haven't used it yet but was flicking through it today for inspiration for phase 2 and there's loads. Loads of soups, casseroles, currys, risottos - and puddings. Actually there are chocolate truffles you can have in phase 2 (as dark chocolate 70-85% s allowed then).

Look pretty simple to make and reading it perked me up a little as I'm really due on!

I'd say def worth getting - It was a fiver on amazon.