What happened to all the Zoe Harcombe followers?

[youpirate]

Where did they all go? I became a non-fatty , now thanks to christmas feel rubbish! So........ have started Zoe Harcombe again today. Anyone else doing it?

shandyleer, YOTC and all of you who have had success thats really fantastic!

vezzie its a bit cheesey to admit to this but I really like Davina's dvd from last year total body workout, she is a little annoying but the workout with the female instructor feels like a good workout without being too difficult to follow. Some of the ten minute solution ones are good but I feel a bit uneasy about not getting proper warm up cool down. I have no experience of a pilates cardio workout but actually there is one I think on my bt vision on demand section but thats not much help unless you have bt vision. I just had a look and found this one on amazon which might be worth a try (I lurve amazon)pilates for weight loss or there is this but it has no reviews cardio pilates. Was given a pilates machine a couple of weeks ago for my birthday (made the mistake of telling dp I really wanted one), but the machine is incredibly heavy to get out of the understairs cupboard and its tricky to watch the dvd whilst lying down!

I love tofu with roasted veg (butternut squash is often delicious roasted if anyone hasnt tried it). Have also become really keen on quinoa so will have to check if thats allowed.

feel a bit of a fraud still not resumed phase 1 but will! At the moment, whilst procrastinating, I am reading a book by Marisa Peer which concentrates on positive thinking so we shouldnt be talking of losing wight (loss is negative) but shedding pounds or becoming slimmer. Not blown away by it so far but it cant hurt to be in a positive frame of mind when I resume harcome diet and to be honest the book is so airy fairy I am really beginning to have renewed respect for zoe harcombe!

shandyleer if you still want sweets that could suggest candida rather than the other two problems I guess?

Hello all,

Welldone TYOTC!

I too have got 2 packets of tofu in the fridge, that I dont know what to do with, despite having been a vegetarian for 9 years.
May do a curry with it.

Am doing the Davina workout this week pookey and have had good results with it in the past. Was planning to take up running again, but am not trying in these temperatures!

Have had some sugar cravings come back today, and would sell my granny for a carb free bar of dairy milk, but think Im due my period.

Vezzie - am also thinking of changing my weigh day to monday, as its easier as im in work. So I wont be weighing tomorrow, but next monday.

How are the people in phase 1 doing?
Have a nice lazy sunday everyone.

Hey everyone, hope you've all had a good weekend. Just checking in to say hi really, and to say that I'm definitely doing phase 1 again. I think you're right Pookey, my sugar cravings seem fairly undiminished so I guess another five days (well 3 now) won't hurt. Has anyone got the glowing skin we're supposed to be getting from all this healthy eating? And how about sleeping better? Have to say its a no from me on both counts.

I walked into town today (not very far) and its the first time since Tuesday that I've been out. It felt so good to have some time on my own away from all the demands of bored children and twitchy dh's! Unless we get more snow overnight, mine are all back at school tomorrow - they actually seem to be looking forward to it. Anyway, hope everyone's well, and for those of you braving the exercise dvd's , good luck!

HELP! Don't let me weigh myself!

I am trying to avoid the scales as I think it would be a mistake at this stage - like mrswill, trying to wait till next Monday.

I need to get sorted out for going back to work but am sitting here on the computer instead because I am nervous and dithering. Snow everywhere here still, our road is not salted so it is still like an ice rink and I don't want to take the car out - so I am relying on local shops which is getting a bit boring...

My head is all over the place. Focus! I have been a ditz for so long, unable to concentrate on anything because of the baby, and now DP has the baby I am a ditz because I am freaking out about it! I feel all over the place. Right come on Vezzie, get it together.

Hope you are all feeling less lunatic and having a good day - Shandyleer, hope the kids are back at school - mrswill, hope the chocolate cravings are fading. Have a good Monday, all.

Hi guys,

Well done TheYearOfTheCat, shandyleer and PrivetDancer, great weight losses!

I started Phase 1 yesterday. Going well so far, have made a vegetable soup which I am having for lunches, and last night had salmon and broccoli for dinner, which was quite filling. Not feeling any great temptation to cheat so far! Tonight I might have brown rice with veg in a tomato sauce ? I find that the amount of rice we?re allowed is actually plenty, I can have a full plate and it?s still a really healthy meal.

I?m going to keep on with Stage 1 until Saturday, I think, so 7 days. Then I?m having lunch and dinner at someone else?s house, so will need to be disciplined but polite! It?s very difficult when eating at other people?s, isn?t it!

I also need to do more exercise ? I going to try to use my mini trampoline again as it is very good exercise (apparently!). What does everyone else do? I barely do anything usually. The workout DVD sounds good, I might have to get something like that.

Keep up the good work everyone!

Hi all,

Everyone gets nervous going back to work vezzie, but once your there, you'll feel like you've never left! You'll probably find it gets you back into a weekly routine too, (if you havent got one already!), I used to find the days merged together on maternity! I too am resisting the call of the scales, and waiting til next monday. Just done my davina dvd which nearly killed me, so am hoping for a tidy few pounds loss.

Sorry Shandy, I didnt congratulate you on your loss in my last post! Brill result, how are you finding phase 2? Im going to do phase 1 again in a few weeks too, when the weight loss has slowed. My cravings still come back now and again, but not half as bad as they used to be, I would drive to tesco at 12 in the night to get ice cream! Bought dark chocolate today 90% cocoa to have a little bit of on the weekend. Will let you know if it stops the cravings for dairy milk!

Am cooking myself steak, garlic mushrooms and green beans tonight. I love this Diet!

Orchid, hope it all goes well, saturday will be here before you know it.

Hi all, how's everyone doing? Vezzie, keep away from those scales, if you don't get the result you want it might sabotage all your good work! Put them out of sight somewhere, or better still ask dp to hide them for you till Monday. Are you feeling any calmer this evening? Have you got yourself organised for work? Don't worry about it, do what you can go get yourself ready, and then forget about it till the day dawns. No matter how much worrying you do, what will be will be. You've done the job before (I presume), you will do it again just as well, if not better because now its going to provide you with an outlet from your other life as a mummy!

MediumOrchid, well done on getting to the end of day 1 and glad you're not finding it too bad. I haven't worked my way up to any exercise yet except a bit of walking. We do have a trampoline somewhere under the snow but I don't think it would be a good idea for me to go on that (judging by what happened last time!) It is hard when you have to go out to eat, but you should have made a good start by Saturday.

We haven't had any snow for a few days now but the roads are still pretty icy. I haven't driven since Tuesday, and despite having my walking boots on for the walk to school this morning, I was slipping all over the place Children were back at school today, youngest one started at usual time, 3 eldest ones at 10. Walked youngest to school and then went straight to friend's house. Got home at 12ish, started to do some cleaning, went into ds3's (16) room and found - HIM fast asleep in bed. Woke him up and about to read the riot act when he told me he hadn't had any sleep last night cos his heart was racing all night. Am now in panic mode but fortunately have an appointment at the doc tomorrow morning.

Anyway, enough of all that, hope everyone's ok and doing well.

Well done, more big losses!

I'm a bit fed up tonight, weighed myself this morning and am quarter of a pound heavier than on Friday. Aagh. Why did I weigh?! And why am I not lighter?! Especially as I got through a kids party on Saturday with not a single cake or hula hoop!

Also I vaguely remembered a desert from south beach diet (I am a diet whore!) and tried to buy the ingredients tonight but I got marscapone when it should have been ricotta, and ate some - it's like 3000 calories a pot! I know that's not supposed to matter but it must do a bit. Grr.

Sulk over. Definitely going to stick it out for the month though, not going to give up!

When do you go back to work vezzie?

I was terrified, but very soon got back in to the swing of it, and it's nice to come home again! I remember getting butterflies on the train home looking forward to seeing dd again

Shandyleer, I hope your DS is feeling better soon.

Vezzie - when do you go back to work? After a while I'm sure it won't feel like you were away! (tbh, I really enjoy my 2 days at work - I'd probably go mad if I was with my 2 dotes every day )

Yesterday was the first day in a week that I had any carbs & diary - porridge with skimmed milk for breakfast. I don't know if it is related, but I had really bad cravings yesterday. (Am too to say how much I had to eat yesterday afternoon, although I still stayed within the rules, cottage cheese, yoghurt & some ham).

I find that I am endlessly thinking about food. Hopefully that won't last once I get the hang of what I'm doing.

All, have a good week.

Privet - boo for your (very very tiny and certainly irreloevant!) gain - this is what I am scared of as I have started eating carbs again.

Pookey, thanks for the Davina recommendation. I have just seen a thread in Style and beauty where a personal trainer recommends the Davina DVDs - she says they are the best. I'm going to Amazon!

Thanks for all the good wishes about starting work again. I am back next Tuesday - a week today - gibber gibber

I have just sent DP away with a flea in his ear because he started peering over my shoulder when I was writing this and then trying to get me to go on kids' clothes sites because "it would be less stressful for me" than actually buying clothes. No it is not! All the sites have like single sleepsuits for £14; they deliver everything when you are out and you then have to go and get it back; and more to the point, I got up with DD this morning, changed her, bfd her, fed her porridge, entertained her, put her back for her nap and now this is my time on the internet, not time for me to do jobs with someone ordering me about over my shoulder! She will be awake soon, back to being sensible then.

Have a good day everyone

Coming late to the party, I've started Harcombe-ing and am just into phase 2. Only lost about 2lb so far, and have a huge distance to go :-(.
Had lost an enormous amount on Lighter Life a couple of years ago, but about 60% of it has crept back on (it wasn't me, honest! ), so needing to do something about this.
Has anyone tried the felafel recipe in the recipe book? Just did it and they turned out bright green and very wet: wondering if the 50g of parsley was too much?
Anyway, good luck to all and Yes We Can

Hello all

hows phase 2 going mrs will, and vezzie?

congrats TheYearOfTheCat, shandyleer and PrivetDancer brilliant losses. goodluck mediumorchid.

hope your ds doing ok shandyleer

welcome badmutha 2lb still a good loss, how are you finding phase 2.

i have finally stopped feeling headachy and aching all over, i still have some crisp cravings but am a little bit scared to give in to them in case i feel so crap again, also so i can carry on the diet too.

I am in pre pregnancy jeans, admittedly my biggest pair but still, the weight loss seems a little unreal as though i have cheated and not worked hard for it. but i have been doing an immense amount of walking which i have always found to help me lose the most weight.

i think one of my main aims is to wear a swimsuit in the summer and not look awful and want to cover up, cant do anything about stretchmarks or thread veins but lumps and bumps i can.

Phase 2 seems to be going OK so far. Finding, to my surprise, that cravings for crappy carbs have all but gone. I never thought I'd think that a plain wholemeal pitta was a treat!
Want to get back into my size 12's, currently languishing in 16-18's and hating myself .
Have a good day all!

Welcome Badmutha, hello everyone else,

Have you all got yet more snow?!

Well it sounds as if you are all doing really well on phase 2, well done. I have been keeping to it ok except for half an avocado which I didn't realise was verboten. I have managed to stay away from the scales, and am feeling slimmer, although that might be because I went for a bra fitting and am wearing my first real underwired bra since August 2008 - I paid a fortune for it, but I LOVE it as it creates a magical artificial approximation of my bust when I was 20.

My recipe book arrived, finally! I am going to have a flick through and choose something for dinner. I'll report back tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

What is really brilliant about this, and very very new to me, is that I can eat a light carb lunch and still keep going all afternoon. I think there really must be something in this hypoglycaemia business. If I can stay free for ever (free of headachesm hunger and sagging fatigue in the afternoons) my life could be so different!

Glad to hear you are feeling better too, monkeyfeet.

Do you mean having a small carb meal vezzie. I have been having a humous pitta with loads of veg, and surprisingly feel fine all afternoon, then always have a fat meal in the night, this seems to work for me. Have stayed away from the scales too, apart from a sneaky peak yesterday . It was a different scale though so I dont have a clue how much ive lost etc. Am nervous for monday, hope Ive lost something!

Welcome BadMutha, love your name!

Monkey feet, phase 2 going very well, I still cant believe I'll lose weight the way im eating! Am not really finding the diet restrictive at the moment, although I still fancy a packet of crisps and chocolate.

Have you started phase 2 yet?

Hi everyone and welcome Badmutha - congrats on your 2lb loss. Privet - quarter of a pound is nothing, but don't weigh again until Friday. Sounds as if everyone's doing ok? I remember vaguely from reading the original thread that a lot of people got confused on phase 2 with how much they should eat, but sounds as if everyone here is on track.

Those of you who work, do you mind me asking what it is you do? And vezzie, where did you get your bra from - it sounds brill! Yet more snow here again but strangely the senior school is closed whilst the infant school is open (although I have kept ds3 at home because the weather looked so grim this morning).

I'm on the last day of phase 1 again. I have to say this 2nd set of 5 days has gone a lot quicker than the first, but again, I don't feel as if I've lost anything. I know what you mean Privet about not feeling as if you've worked for the weight loss. I'm kind of expecting that all that I lost will be back on again when I next weigh.

Well, I had a really bad day yesterday. Ds went to the doc about his heart racing and when she felt his chest she said she thought she could feel that his heart might be a bit enlarged. So he went for an xray yesterday afternoon and has to go for blood tests and an ECG tomorrow. Ds is 16 and superfit, he's into just about any sport you can mention, especially rugby which he plays at county level, so to think there might be something wrong with him is scaring the life out of me. Ironically, Dh was also superfit, and played rugby at national level. He had a promising rugby career in front of him, alongside some others who went on to became really well known, but developed kidney failure in his early 20's and is now chronically ill. You can see where my mind is going with this maybe - although before we had children we were told by many different docs that dh's problems were not genetic or hereditary.

Anyway, Dh spends long spells in hospital, has had so many operations I can't remember, has had heart valve replacements, strokes etc - and I seem to take it all in my stride. Yesterday, when all this was happening with ds I practically went to pieces, I couldn't believe how I was feeling/behaving. Thankfully I'm much better today and able to (appear to) behave normally.

Well, sorry for spouting all that out, feel a bit better now though! Hope everyone's doing well and still going strong.

god shandyleer, that's horrible. It sounds like you will get results for DS soon though which must be a good thing I suppose.
I hope it all turns out to be nothing serious. That is a useless thing to say but I mean it.

Unfortunately I have not been able to stay away from the scales and my weight has been fluctuating wildly, but at least I have finished the mascarpone..

and hi BadMutha - we are the same size from the sounds of it - my size 12 trousers look unfeasibly small right now!

Welcome BadMutha ? it?s great that your cravings have gone, that?s half the battle!

Shandyleer, hope everything is alright with your ds. Your dh sounds like he?s had a tough time with his health. My dh has a medical condition too, but it hasn?t caused any problems in the time we?ve been together. What do I do ? well in fact I have just got a new job! It?s a sales role, only not really as it means writing technical quotes for people who send enquiries, so no actual selling. What does everyone else do?

PrivetDancer, don?t worry about weight fluctuating, it?s normal, even when losing weight. Don?t see it as a reason to give up though! This is what I do, one wobble and I just can?t be bothered any more. Not this time though! Also, do you weigh yourself at the same time each day? Weight can vary a lot over a day.

Is it worth getting the recipe book? I?m considering getting one so I don?t get bored of the same meals. I?m waiting for your report Vezzie!

I?m doing ok, no slip-ups yet! I?m weighing myself every day, although I forgot this morning, but I won?t post what I weigh until Saturday. I find I like to know how it?s going, but I can understand why other people don?t ? it would be easy to get discouraged if I?ve put any on.

Anyway, talk soon!

Oh yes, first thing every morning!

I'm only going to 'count' the friday one though, but won't really believe it until i've seen a low weight a few times

Sounds like your having a tough time shandyleer, and I hope your son comes out well, he sounds like a very sporty lad, when are the results coming back?. Its worrying when there is anything wrong with your children, I can worry myself sick. We had worries while TTC, as my twin has a very very rare syndrome which strangely Ive seemed to have escape although we are identical. And we had the whole genetic hereditary thing with the doctors. Sometimes I think they know what they were on about on times! Keeping my fingers crossed everything is good with your boy.

What do I do - , am a Social worker, working with families which is VERY interesting, in good and bad ways. Social workers can get a lot of bad crap thrown at them on MN, where people assume we come an take kids if the parents have fed them cold baked beans or something, but reality is very different. I do love my job though, although it is sometimes impossible for me to understand why people treat their children so badly.

Shandy - in the original thread, were people confused on how much they could eat? Ive been thinking the same thing, but have just been doing the eating til im full thing, instead of ramming it down like i usually would.

The recipe book is good. I more or less come up with my own stuff or have a look in the book to see if i fancy anything.

Did someone ask what do people do for lunchtime in work? I usually take a humous pitta in with salad veg and an orange. Or do scrambled eggs with peppers and onions in the micro, or soup.

Shandyleer, good thoughts to you - I hope things turn out well for your son, sounds like he is getting the best possible care.

mrswill - respect for being a social worker, what a tough job. Don't worry, some people know it is not like The Mail would have you believe.

What do I do? I work in product development for childrens' stuff - can't say any more as I am sure the company I work for would take a dim view of me talking about it on the web and I might get into trouble.

The recipe book is good, as mrswill says you can come up with a lot of stuff yourself, but it gives you ideas, and I like to have it because I am hoping that when DP says, "I'll cook... what would you like?" this will make it easier.
Having said that, the recipe we had tonight was not that great so I won't bother typing it out for you all, as I can't recommend it.

Oh yes, someone asked me about the bra - it's a Fantasie, which I had never heard of. I just googled it and it turns out to be a brand specialising in big cup sizes . I am wearing a 32 FF! I did not even know that size existed before I had dd. But the fitter is a genius, I look like a different person.