Tips for beginners?

[Maya]

I havent been so long on this diet, but I think it would be helpful if we all post some experiences and maybe helpful tips for people that just started...
I read whole forum to find some really helpful advices that dont come in the "book" we get....

like...

* that the apple should not weigh more than 175 g

* that hitting the plateu is necessary and is a good sign, so dont give up when you think you are not losing any weight

* constipation is common

* not all multivitamin pills are OK - you have to check it with consultant

*if you get tired, SLEEP and take some more CaMgZn - it helps!

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[Maya]

oh, and that it needs to past 2 hours and half from eating crackers

so if you have crackers at 2pm, the next portion of crackers you can have at 4.30pm

[LesKiya]

those are some excellent tips maya! thank you so much. And good to know about that one, cough problem... cause I sure am having it! :)

[GailStout]

Hi there!

The best tip I can give is that when you do 1PD you CANNOT do ANYTHING else!

There are a lot of rules on 1PD which directly conflict with "what you know"; especially from other diets like Atkins, South Beach, etc. SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ONLY DOING WHAT DR. COHEN SAYS TO DO, no matter "what you know" or "what other people say" or "my mom says that..." or ANYTHING ELSE. This diet works if you do it as written. It doesn't work if you do something ELSE.

Ask your consultant if you're not sure about a meaning of something in your 1PD guide, or ask here on the forum...but be sure the answers you get are confirmed as truth from folks like SASHA and our other moderators before you DO them. The "personal" part of 1PD means that everyone's diet is PERSONAL to you; what works for you might not be correct for another dieter.

That said, the most important things for me while on the diet were these:

1. EVERY CHEAT COSTS YOU A WEEK ON THE DIET. (You don't want to diet for a year if you can be done in 12 weeks!...believe me, life after re-feeding is GOOD!)

2. DRINK YOUR WATER!!!! ALL OF IT, EVERY DAY!!! If you don't drink the amount you're required to drink, it's a CHEAT, and EVERY CHEAT COSTS YOU A WEEK ON THE DIET.

We all care that everyone on the diet does well and succeeds! SO, ask those questions!!!

Luv, Gail

[Shasha]

{hi} there Everyone

My best tip would be to study your New Customer Guide and by that I mean read it, read it again and read it yet again… and go over it again every so often to make sure that you are taking your program correctly, having the right fruits, the right veggies, etc in fact everything exactly as Dr Cohen prescribed…{cheerleader}

Then come to the Forum to share your progress and experiences with everyone!

Remember this is for a limited time only, yes, the diet may be difficult, BUT IT IS WORTH IT!

In the words of Dr Cohen: JUST DO IT, THEN LIVE A NORMAL HEALTHY LIFE AGAIN!!!

Believe in yourself!!! If so many thousands of successful customers from all over the world could do it through the years, SO CAN YOU!!!

It's not just about loosing weight and feeling great, but about being healthier and forming a healthy Lifestyle after your diet. Obesity syndrome is treatable - not curable, so you will need to learn and maintain healthy eating patterns after your diet...

[bitten]

hi there,

i am a brand newbie.
i am starting my food plan tomorrow and i am thrilled!!!

i hope to visit here often for support and ideas-

bitten

[Bronwyn]

Welcome Bitten! Glad you have joined us! Be sure to keep us up to date on your progress and let us know your joys and sorrows as you're going through this transformation.

Maya - I love this thread and think it's a great idea!!

One tip from me is regarding your spices. Be sure you are only using pure spices and nothing pre-bottled or pre-mixed. I was using my favorite "garlic pepper" for the first month on the diet and then realized it had sugar as the last ingredient. I agree with Gail that every little deviation, no matter how tiny, will hinder your progress so READ YOUR LABELS and know exactly what you are using.

Happy slimming!

[Maya]

Bitten - am glad you got everything you need:party1:!!!!
Wanna help you go through first days - dont give up if it gets rough...I thought I'd be cool in first 3 days, but I wasnt...
Being on here, helps, really!

Bronwyn (I dont know why I always wanna write brownie - sorry, my thoughts are all about food now.:eyebrow:..) - this is really true - about spices!!!
There are many mixtures that you might think are just pure herbs, but are not! MSG is the worse, I think. I made sure I had it all cleared out before putting anything on my food...

There's another thing I read on some other forum, but might be helpful (someone else wrote it, I hope it's ok, just as a reminder - my dad just had gallstones and he is OFF all the meat now..so when I saw this, made sense):

Gallstones
I have seen a few too many gallbladder removals by those on the Cohen program for there not to be a link. As with almost all rapid weight loss diets, gallstones may "suddenly" make themselves apparent. This is not to say that 2 weeks of Cohen diet "caused" the gallstones that would have been building up silently for years in the obese. On Cohen due the rapid breakdown of fat (in you) during Cohen the bile will thicken and gallstones may grow, this may cause problems. Also see this link .Before you start Cohen if you ever have experience some "twinges" in your right side below the diaphragm I suggest you talk with a GP. I had a gallstone attack during the Cohen program and was prescribed a drug called Urso (Ursodiol)
I am also interested in this:

Essential Fatty AcidsFor those on the Internet program and it appears at some clinics there some overlooking of the fact that some supplemention of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids is required. If you are on Cohen and not taking Omega-3 and 6 supplements please talk with your Cohen consultant about taking them! Note the "Fatty" in essential fatty acids is not the same as the "fat" stored in your body. Dry skin is one of the first signs of the lack of EFA's.
I am not taking any yet...usually my skin is too oily anyway...but might be an idea???

[Shasha]

{hi} there Bitten

A very Warm Welcome to you!!! :bighug:

We hope to hear more about you, where you are from and how much you would like to loose really soon…

I wish you all the very best with the start of your program and recommend that you avoid the yogurt and cheese food options in the first week – during this time lots of clients can feel a bit hungry and choosing the more filling meals are a great help! It also helps to take a second multi-vitamin each day at lunchtime for the first few days… Hoping to see your progress soon!!!

{cheerleader}

[bitten]

hello all-
thanks for the wonderful welcomes!

i am in NY, on long island- 30 mins from manhattan. i just returned 18 months ago after 10 years in the UK. i am a recovering bulimic. i have almost 100 lbs to lose. i am 41. i have 2 dd's (4 and 9.5) and a lovely DH.
i am a lactation specialist and SAHM. i am also the VP of the PTO at our dd's school.

i am have a very flawed relationship with food and chose cohen's to help me heal this. i have been on a VLCD before (2005) and lost 75 lbs in 100 days. sadly i gained that all back plus.....and here i am. desperate to be healthy and to LIVE my life, not just exists.

i am not taking any vitamins or fatty acids at the moment and am at aloss as to what to chose to buy, etc.

any and all hep is SO appreciated.

i am committed 100% to this. no deviation allowed for me. i want to get where i am going asap.

bitten

[Maya]

You can do it, you can do it!
Bitten, you can{boing}!
If it gets hard, come on here... I've been bothering people here a lot :eyebrow:, but it helps!

I wanna help you as much as I can.

I really advise you to have your crackers if you feel hungry...I was trying to be 150% and not have them, but I was almost giving up on diet... Now I'm glad I am having them.

I wish you would start loving your body.
Honestly - my relationship with my body is getting so much better... I never thought I would love my body. I would torture it with so much gym and workouts and diets and... I decided that THIS IS THE LAST diet EVER.{taz}

And with food - we were never friends. Either I ate too much or diet. Studying nutrition didn't help much - it's just a cover to be able to deal with it a lot.
But now - I wanna get myself back to normal person who eats to live and doesnt live to eat...

Yes, it gets hard, some days are hard, but the next day can be so much better!!!!

Oh, boy, I just wanna hug you and give you some strength... I needed it so badly - and I'm sooo glad I didnt give up... I know its hard and I admire everybody on here...I know I don't have so many pounds to lose and it's easier for me to talk... But you can do it and just take one step at a time. Day by day.

Everbody on here is wonderful.

Good luck!!!!!!!{grouphug1}

[bitten]

thank you maya-
your post is so, so appreciated.
i am on day 3 and still wobbly, but strong and certain that i am DOING this, and i will succeed and i will never have to lose this weight again....i am eating all my fruit and all my crackers. that is the advice i have been given, especially during the first week or 2.
i know it says optional: but i have heard and read that it does not affect your loss...
what do you think?
bitten

[Maya]

EAT YOUR CRACKERS AND FRUIT!!!!
I realized I was trying to be good and it didnt make any difference!
Eat it. Some people aren't hungry, so that's why it's optional - not to push yourself to eat them if you're not hungry...

Well, I had one evening I wasnt hungry - I was surprised - my brother had birthday and the table was full of smoked salmon, warm toast, all the goodies...I had my dinner (cold) in my room and came to the table... and REALLY wasnt hungry...but that was the only time:sadeyes:.

All the rest - I have been thinking about food constantly.
Maybe, if I had crackers and all the fruit before, that wouldnt happen.
I also have the allowance of diet coke. That helps too. But now, now I'm also cooking teas - just to fill me up.
Our weather doesnt help either - it's raining raining raining.

So, I would suggest you to have your crackers, yes - just make sure they are 2,5 hours apart. Fruit can be eaten any time. They told me to eat 175g of apple at a time, not more.

You go girl!:party1: Once you're over first week, you'll get it done - you'll get the routine...

[Bronwyn]

Hi Bitten,

I'm sorry you've had such a history with food and related issues but am so happy that you've found this program and these message boards. BTW - You are absolutely gorgeous in your avatar! Yes, eat all your crackers and fruit. There are days that I get really busy and forget to eat them and/or am just not hungry so don't need them and those are the times I go without. Otherwise, they are yours and eating them or not eating them doesn't seem to make a difference. Really listen to your body and give it what it needs. Best of luck to you & we're all here if you need us!

[Shiftergal]

Dang. After reading this thread I'm realizing how bad my mistakes are. On the third day of the 1PD I got the "flu-like symptoms" and had no appetite. I barely managed to choke down some raw cauliflower for my veggies but was completely unable to eat any chicken. Then there was a mix-up in my plans yesterday evening and I didn't get to come home until 9:30. Not only was I not supposed to eat after 9:00, I was ten grams short on my fish intake because I only had time to heat up a leftover fillet. Dang, dang, dang!

[Shiftergal]

But other than that I have followed everything 100%, and yes, I eat all my crackers and fruit. I have to have an after-school snack, and when I eat them with lunch and dinner, my meal is so much more filling. Fruits are the perfect dessert, too. I don't use sweeteners or any kind of diet soda because it triggers my sweet tooth way too bad. So fruits are the best!

[cyberella]

the metamorphosis of our maya!!
great that u r in2 having your "optionals" now!! i agree 1000%- y make your life harder than the diet is already? and y jeopardize your success when a restriction like this might make u deviate out of hunger and frustration?
and IF one loses weight faster without f&c- well, iz lost 2 fast anyway!!! this diet comes close 2 a crash-diet already and we all know how hard it is 2 keep a weight-loss off if it was reached (gained!haha!) 2 fast!!! :thinking:
havent we all been down this avenue? :rolleyes:

about loving your body i agree with maya and like 2 state something else: there were times when i was slim and times i was bigger, but my body didnt change, really-
i always knew what the beautiful slim sculpture under my fat looked like and it was me and my mind who had 2 set it free again-
my body always just follows my lead and craves 4 food and "bad" stuff if i dont nourish it well-
so once more: UP 2 ME!!!!
it never was my bodies "fault" and it always served me well and devoted!
i also punished my body with xessive diez and traininx -like a maniac at times-... and am sorry bout that 2day!

"it" beared 2 wonderful children with each 10 fingers and toes, sweet smiles & sweet smells (2 b interupted every now and then) aso-
have i had 2 create those humans with my mind and thinking- wow!

our bodies deserve so much more respect than we give them, that we actually should b at least a little ashamed!!!

-sorry 4 being so melodramatic, but it has 2 b said once- i sense some devaluation of our "present selves"= bodies sometimes-- we wont change in2 something we r not rite now, we'll just get slimmer and healthier, (hopefully)- WE R OK already!!
hey, that loox like "WE ROcK already" *g*
as i posted long ago and somewhere else: we r the david's, the sculptures in the rock- only 2 b released by "michelangelo cohen".. and our willpower of course!

hi, bitten!
i read some other posts of u b4 and am happy your journey of struggle and despair- which i can relate 2 a lot- has come 2 an end rite here and now (or soon 2 come)..

what is a SAHM and what r u in your dd's school?

so far noone has seemed 2 answer your questions about fatty aciz and vitamins:
"pure encapsulation 365-all-in-one-formula" suit the program and r in the rite molecular structure 2 also b used by the body and not stored again in the tissue-
the fish-oil capsules i'd recommend as well, as hormones need fat 2 work well and the skin takx a while 2 shrivel, but once it has started u need long intakx of the oil 2 recover skin texture-
mine is still looking real bad!
i bought oil caps in a strenght where i only have 2 take one a day, as we r only allowed one.

hope that helps- just in case u havent found answers or the rite product yet..

u really look so very great on your avatar!!!
iz very nice "meeting" u!! {bighug}

btw. i'm also 41!!
(giggle..)

[cyberella]

And with food - we were never friends. Either I ate too much or diet. Studying nutrition didn't help much - it's just a cover to be able to deal with it a lot.
But now - I wanna get myself back to normal person who eats to live and doesnt live to eat...

cant xpress how much i love these worz!!!
coulnt have put them any better...

bronny is rite: we really r "relatives" somehow... :kiss::love7: :kiss:

:bighug:
babi

ps: i can bcalm u: i ate my fruiz and crackers always and thought about food loooooz!! at times also constantly (the vegetarian menue is very lite and fast digested, so hunger was my closest enemy these days)..

[Maya]

Austrian girl, you da best:party8:!

Wir sind doch nachbaren oder???
Jawol, jawol...

You are absolutely right! I can hear you completely!!!!!!
With other diets, I could lose some fat, but knew this isn't it, I knew there is some nicer shape underneath me!!!

And there's sth else, too... You know how we see ourselves as certain figure? Well, sometimes we HAVE to change that. Because if a thought is energy, then we're giving that energy as a picture to our body- if we think:
"I am fat."
My body will say - OK, you are fat.
And store fat.

I was working out and starving of course like crazy in the winter and suddenly I saw myself in a mirror and felt sooo tiny. I felt fragile. I felt like... please, someone, hug me:sadeyes:???

And of course, my body started putting weight on.

We HAVE to be ready to accept our new bodies, too! Say - yes, I am ready, I love myself, and I kiss every pound of fat goodbye. It was protecting me all this time, but it's time for a new me, that doesnt need all those layers of fat - that probably came from anger and frustrations and saddness anyway.

And it gets sooo much easier once you see the fat melting...

Well, talking about me - I haven't noticed ANY change in last 2 weeks... I am almost done with 1st month, but kind of worried Thursday scale wont show much lost:eyebrow:???

Hey, any suggestions when is the best time to take the second blood test? My consultant (pssst, I found out she's 25!) told me I can do it earlier if I want to - she thought I had birthday tomorrow, but we figured it out - it was her birthday (?!). She's nice, though. Allows me lots of fruit [/COLOR]

[cyberella]

lucky neighbour has a good girl as consul!
jawoll-ja!!
mine doesnt tell me zinx about herself, eventhough i keep asking!!
and mine also didnt allow up 2 200g of apple- like yours {chucks}....

ya, iz the energy and the focus that make all the difference!!

and we sure need 2 appreciate what comes with the whole package of getting rid of the "protecting" layers- the complimenz, the loox and intrusiveness that might also come along, the own beauty we obviously were 2 scared of b4 or didnt concede 2 ourselves and the xcuses 2 not get going with whatever has 2 b taken care of NOW!!!
aso aso aso..
some smartass neez 2 hit the sheez now!
(not so much bcause of fatigue, but my stomach is singing the song of hungry whales!)

luv ya'all!!! :innocent3:
nitynite!!! :kiss::love5:

ohoh, btw: 2nd test after 4 weex- the xact day's not so important, it seems!

[Maya]

thanks, about the test... I will do it tomorrow, on my 1st day of second month... YUP, my last day of first month today!!!!

YEEEAH!

Hey, how come you speak (write) so good in english? I know your sis is in LA, my best friend is from LA, too... Did you live there?

[cyberella]

well, most likely i lived there as an indian squaw or warrior in my past life... :thinking:
which doesnt xplain y i speak english, i guess!!
hmm. well, i lived in capetown, johannisburg, fiji and the caribbean 4 some time and i just happen 2 looove the language-
thaz y i picked it up (besides the stuff u learn in school)

good girl!! has gone through the first and hardest month!!
i'm very very proud of u and cant wait 2 hear your weigh in resulz!!