Anyone want to join me in getting swimsuit fit using Harcombe diet?

[msripley]

We have enough time to look svelte in time for the school hols ladies.
I want to lose my spare tyre - probably 5-8 lbs and look a little less out of place alongside continental mummies.
I have done the Harcombe diet before - phase 1 worked well and I lost 5lb in a week but I didn"t lose anything on phase 2.
so I"m thinking a series of bursts of phase 1 with plateaus of phase 2 in between.
Anyone out there want to join for moral support?
it's a low carb diet in phase 1 and you can mainly eat as much as you like... I'm posting from my phone so perhaps someone else can post a link to the details?

Is that a no then??? Where are all you Harcombe fans? Or have you stuck with it and don't need to repeat it?

Hi msripley

I did the Harcombe diet ages ago. I have been hoping from one diet to the next and can't seem to stick to them.

Will give this a go with you again. I think I will start on Monday as have a lot going on this weekend and want to be focused

I was the same as you lost 5lb on phase one and nothing on phase 2 also found phase 2 quite hard to stick too so maybe do phase one for 5 days and phase 2 for 2 wks and so on..

Hi short&sweet,

Glad to have someone to compare notes with.

What impressed me when I did the Harcombe diet before was how dramatic the results were very quickly, and yet I didn't feel hungry at all.

As I don't need/want to lose much weight it is an ideal one for me - it's a too restrictive imho for long-term loss if Phase 2 doesn't work - I suspect it doesn't work for me because Phase 1 will take me into a healthy bmi and my body doesn't let me lose any more.

Either that or it's my portions are too big on Phase 2 - I love food, so "unlimited" doesn't work for me.

I think the key to it is stocking up on the right foods and being prepared - so I did a big shop last night and have meal plans to stop it being boring.

I boiled up some brown rice which is in the fridge for salads every day, and have made a big bowl of coleslaw - I'll add some olive oil to it as a I need it. I had two poached eggs with tomato for breakfast, chicken salad with brown rice and coleslaw for lunch and will have a stir-fry this evening. I've just had some yogurt with a few seeds as a snack.

On the list of meals for me are:

Tofu & veg stir-fry (I found eating too much meat and eggs a bit off-putting the first time).

Fish or chicken tikka - homemade tikka sauce with spices and natural live yogurt

Stir-fried garlic prawns - yum!

Kebabs - with lamb and veg like aubergine, tomatoes and courgettes

Mexican minced beef "wraps" - using iceberg lettuce instead of tortillas for the "wrap" - the rest of the family can have the proper tortillas.

Good luck for Monday - I'll let you know how I get on, especially over the weekend when I have a couple of social events.

Wow your menu looks so yummy. Are you aloud seeds in phase 1??

I have about 1.5st to lose so quite a bit more than you but to be honest it has taken me 3 yrs to lose 3st so I have learnt just to let it come off on its own time

Have you found any stock that doesn't have a load of crap added to it?

Tomorrow will be spinach, tomato & eggs for breakfast, lunch is a tuna salad with olivies, NLY for snack, dinner is going to be a BBQ so lean meat and salad.

What do you have for breakfast? the thought of eggs is already turning my stomach!

I think she says you can have a few seeds in NLY for breakfast in Phase 1. I've lost 1.5lb since yesterday, so it must be ok.

I'm also having skimmed milk in drinks - that "cheat" still meant it worked for me yesterday, and I don't have much of it.

Marigold bouillon stock might be ok - I've used it previously, but tbh didn't check the ingredients.

I'm afraid I've had 2 eggs both mornings for breakfast - this morning I poached them in a tin of chopped tomatoes - it seems to keep me going well until lunchtime. By the end of day 5 I'll be sick of them though.

I might have haddock kedegeree for breakfast tomorrow though - I'll have a bit more time on Saturday morning.

I have a huge tuna salad with me for lunch (with olives) & probably the Mexican wraps tonight.

I have lost 2lbs this week, so happy!!

Of to a picnic today so will have to be careful

Well done - how did you cope with the picnic? If it's one where you've been able to prepare the food it's easier, isn't it - we had a beach picnic at lunchtime today and that was easy because I took a salad and a flask of decaffinated coffee.

I have fallen off the wagon a bit this weekend - but have still lost about two-and-a-half pounds since starting on Thursday.

The glass of Pimms I was offered yesterday was just too tempting, and then two gin & tonics at a party last night - but I did play tennis for over three hours yesterday. I know that's not the Harcombe way of looking at things, but it's bound to help with speeding up metabolism.

I'm almost back on track today, but had a few strawberries with cream at lunchtime - which of course would be ok if Phase 2 worked for me!

Let me know how you're getting on - I think I'll keep going for the rest of today and until Wednesday, but will switch to Phase 2 for at least a few days after that, then return to Phase 1 - I don't go on holiday for over a month, so there's enough time to get where I want to be.

Hello both, after a brief flirtation with the dukan diet, which I was unable to stick to, I'm starting harcombe again tomorrow. I lost 17lb earlier this year with harcombe diet, and have kept it off. I'd like to lose another 7lb and tone up a bit too. Bacon and eggs for breakfast tomorrow it is then! You both sound as if you're doing really well. When I've got time il put some nice recipes on which have helped me enjoy the diet, has anyone made the butternut squash curry yet?

Hi Mrswill and welcome.

The picnic went well, my problem was on sunday night and had pizza and wine. Back on it again now.

Well done on your weight loss msripley.

No I haven't tried the butternut squash curry yet, is it nice??

Butternut squash curry is lovely, Theres a forum on the web that has recipes for phase 1&2. It's www.theharcombedietclub.com/forum.
I'm currently doing a bunk on Thai red curry as I'm on phase 1, with the blue dragon paste an coconut milk.
Zoe harcombe has revised her phase1 too, to include porridge oats, so you can have 50 gms of them instead of the brown rice. I have oats in the morning with a bit of coconut milk, cardamom an cinnamon in it. It's very nice for breakfast. Am going to stick to phase 1 until this last half a stone is off me, with the occasional bit of dairy an berries. Unfortunately unless I do a bit if exercise my weight loss seems non existant, so going to have to get my arse in gear on that front too.

Shortandsweet, I generally found the weight came off very quickly on this diet, only took me about nearly 3 months to lose 17 lb. I was being strict though and following it to the letter. Once I started cheating, a bit here and there, I couldn't stop, hence the back to phase 1. Think the wine will be hardest!

The coconut milk and porridge sounds soooo good!!

I know about the cheating just was away all weekend and wasn't really going to start until yesterday. I had done this when the original threat started and think we were both doing it then. My problem is I have been 'dieting' for 3yrs and has taken me that long to lose 3st 4lbs so I am at the stage of getting bored and not keeping at it for more than a couple of weeks. I really do need a big kick up my bum

Just reread my post and it sounds like Im telling you off for cheating!! Assure you Im not, its just that once I start cheating, I cant stop. Although Ive cheated with some cheese today, it was only a bit though.

Am hoping the last 7lb comes off in the next month, ready for my 31st in August. Ive done my Davina dvd tonight, and am planning my run tomorrow, feeling very virtuous!

We're allowed to put some seeds in the porridge too, which Im excited about, unbelieveably. But after dealing with eggs and bacon for breakfast the last time, Im happy we can actually eat something palatable for breakfast.

I know what you mean about the long time dieting. Even though I lost the weight quickly Ive been 'dieting' since December, Ive been stuck in a rut with being good for a few days, then ramming loads of crap in for another couple of days, which makes me feel ill with sugar. Why is there so many things around that taste so nice!! I went down my sisters today, and they had krispy kreme donuts there... so unfair....

I've had five weeks on Harcombe and lost 9lbs of my 1st target. It's so easy! I rarely have a cooked breakfast as I tend to eat when I get to work, so I have mixed berries and double cream about 8.30 and it keeps me full till lunch.

I am avoiding wheat as I gain overnight if I eat it, but I'm ok with brown rice. Can't bear porridge though!

The Harcombe diet club is invaluable, people are very friendly and helpful and Zoe and her husband are on there regularly too.

It must be the only diet where you can lose weight eating bacon and double cream!

Mrswill do not worry, I didn't take it that way

Well done lilac on your 9lb loss.

I have had some dry porridge with natural yoghurt it was so yummy after eggs.

My diet is a bit harcombe and a bit the diet solution. The 2nd doesn't allow wheat and have been avoiding it as best I can and have to say I feel a lot better for not having it. Will be having no carbs this week apart from the porridge

Welcome mrswill and lilac.

I've been away with work for the last few days so have had to switch to phase2 which I've more or less stuck to, apart from a few cups of caffeinated tea and one of coffee. I was very proud that I had a roast dinner last night and just ate the fresh veg and meat with no potatoes nor the bread that the waitress put on the table. As a treat I had strawberries and cream!

The porridge with coconut milk sounds lovely - I think I'll try that tomorrow. I may stay on Phase 2 now for a week and then go back to Phase 1 - I just find Phase 1 too restrictive for more than 5 days at a time.

I'm going to avoid bread as much as I can though, ditto potatoes, as I think my body definitely prefers low-carb.

Haven't had chance to weigh again yet, will do so tomorrow.

Phase 1 is a bit restrictive, I'm going to do something like 3 days on phase 1, 3 on phase 2. So I have strawberries and cream to look forward to with a hot chocolate.

A nice gravy with meat and roast veg, a la roast dinner is some juices of the meat, a stock cube, boiled up onion and parsnip, whizz it up an it makes a lovely gravy, even my dp prefers it.

Had meatballs with tomato an carrot sauce and a little bit of cheese on top today with was lovely, am now eyeing up my yogurt.

Will be weighing next Monday I think misriplet, so good luck for tomorrow.

Well done lilac!

mrswill, how are you going to make hot chocolate? I used to often buy them in Costa but don't now because of the sugar. If you have a Harcombe-friendly hot choc recipe, please share!

Green and blacks organic fairtrade cocoa powder. Ingredients state 100% cocoa beans. Checked nutitional info, and it states, 10 gm fat per serving, and 0gm of sugar. So it should be fine, as part of a fat meal. It's very rich so you don't need much either.

One of the girls over at the harcombe club, has whipped cream on her hot chocolate too!!

Lilac, I'm liking your berries and cream for breakfast idea very much. Porridge or eggs quickly get boring.

Did you weigh msripley, [nosy emoticon]

Hi ladies

I am really off it this week. Have just found out my DH will be getting made reduntant in March so was a big shock and haven't really bothered about the diet.

Hope you are all doing better than me.

I've just been shopping but I have to go and buy some Green and Black's now! Full fat or skimmed milk?

Sorry to hear your news shortandsweet, and good luck to your DH in finding a new job.

I'm going to weigh tomorrow and hope that 9lbs loss has turned into 10lbs. I saw a friend today for the first time in a month and he went 'wow!'

Hello all, I'm weighing in tomorrow too. Had a few slip ups with some chocolate buttons, was unthinkingly eating them before I remembered I was on a diet!

Sorry to hear about your dh shortandsweet, I hope he finds something in the meantime.

It's great when the compliments start coming in isn't it. Spurs you on, and stops you eating cake!

Just a quick message to say I've lost 2lb this week, hurrah! Even though I've had a few slip ups with chocolate and pizza, I've stuck to harcombe mostly. Only 6lb left to go now. Good luck those who are weighing also.

Well done mrswill thats fantastic.

I have put on but have kick myself up the bum and starting again.

10lbs down this morning in total, that has taken 6 weeks which is fine with me! I go to Italy in 4 weeks time and I want to reach my 1st target by then, it's looking very possible right now.

Well done mrswill