Question for Shasha

[Maya]

I read this: is it true?

NEW ALTERATION:

SUGARLESS sweetener is no longer allowed on the programme.

Apparently the ingredients have changed at some time since Dr C first examined it, so now NO sugarless, powder or liquid is allowed.Does that mean Stevia is not allowed, either?

Thanks:party1:

[Shasha]

{hi} there Maya

Please note the following guidelines from Dr Cohen with regards to sweeteners:

Saccharin (Sweet'N Low) – unlimited (*)
Aspartame (Equal) – unlimited (*)
Sucralose (Splenda) – up to five packets of 1 gram each per day not including your diet soda.
Stevia – up to five packets of 1 gram each per day not including your diet soda.

(*) To the best of our knowledge these artificial sweeteners are regulated by the FDA. However, we suggest that you generally try to minimize the use of artificial sweetener because of claims related to possible damage that might be caused by artificial sweeteners and the public awareness regarding these issues.

I'm not sure where you found the NEW ALTERATION info, but as far as I know this is not accurate.

[Maya]

THANK YOU SHASHA, THANK YOU!!!!

Well, I got it from women in Australia... I asked my consultant why we have such different instructions and rules and she said (or he?) that they will inform dr.Cohen to check and make them the same... after all - it is the same diet... I understand some ingridients in States, Europe...are different, but when it comes to artificial sweeteners... kind of the same (except Splenda).

THANK YOU! :party1:

[Shasha]

{hi} there Maya

Not to throw any sticks in any fires anywhere, but normally clients are advised to check with Consultants or Moderators, not with fellow dieters...

In this case I would not be surprised if the mistake lies with a Dieter.

I remember a while back, a friend was arguing with me that Dr Cohen had allowed her to have strawberries on her diet - I told her I didn't believe her because strawberries only come back on the Re-feeding Program as bad fruit. She was adamant and sure of her facts so she marched out to the car only to find her New Customer Guide and that {oops} strawberries were not allowed. {sorry}

Now, this Dieter could have confused many other Dieters as to being allowed to eat strawberries...

People can sometimes get tempted to add in their own little bit to the story. Today someone in one of the posts was asking my specific opinion on cuts of red meat to eat. Imagine I now say: choose lean fillet steak. It can be taken in two ways: either: 1) you are only allowed to have lean fillet steak on the 1st Personal Diet Program or, in Shasha's opinion you can choose to have lean fillet steak as your meat because it is both lean and nice.

Same with fruit - Dr Cohen does not say: xx grams of apple or orange. He says to have a medium size fruit no larger than a ladies fist (except for mango and fruits where he has indicated weight). This makes going to the shop easy. But, some clients insist on having a grams weight. Then in order to try to help them a consultant can walk to her lunchbox, take out a medium size apple and weigh it and send the client the weight.

Imagine two consultants do this, on different days for different clients, each weighing the different medium apples he or she has bought. Then clients come to the internet and complain, I'm allowed 180 grams of apple and another says I'm allowed 170 grams of apple.

Both 170 and 180 grams of apples fall into the MEDIUM size category.

See how easy it is to cause confusion?

In the same way, I can understand why Dr Cohen will not limit apples to 170 grams because if someone had an apple of 175 grams it would be ridiculous to cut off the 5 grams. If a client can only find apples weighing 140 grams, then, the 140 gram apple will do the same as the 180 size apple - it would count as 1 fruit from your fruit allowance and you should not add more fruit from another apple to make up more grams.

In this case the problem did not lie with Dr Cohen's instructions, they were clear to begin with.

[Maya]

Thank You Shasha...well, gotta tell you - I am a little surprised now... I would not ask for sth I heard from someone - but it was the moderator on Australian forum that said that...and it came from the clinic...Besides - my consultant doesnt answer a lot of questions anyway.

Well, I certainly thought there is more big of a deal about the fruit - I mean, medium size can be very different in people's eyes...now you're saying dr.Cohen says "medium size", then consultant weighs the medium fruit "she or he" thinks is the medium and tells us the weight??? Well, not to be mean here, but if mine says 200g apple is medium, that is absolutely more than women's fist??? I have never heard saying medium fruit is a ladies fist?!?!?!?!

Oh, god...See? This is where I think we deserve a little more specific information. I am sorry...

I am not in the best mood right now, because my last three weeks with trying to stick with this diet 100%, I have lost:
0.7kg, then 0.6kg and this week 0.0kg, so I'm a little frustrated now... :sadeyes:

I am leaving Europe today - made all these meals and counted time to make sure everything will be on time (crackers, fruit, meals)... my work will be a wonder for me - I didnt know we will have to limit our activity so much and no, I still dont feel the "happiness" after meals that are suppose to leave you happy? So, I'm kind of close to giving up, to be honest:sadeyes:.

I'm glad I know to use my fist for buying fruit now...
And again - thank you for your answer, I really appreciate it, I'm just very frustrated right now...

[Hugentobler]

Maya- Hang in there. I too went through a period of not losing ANY weight for over 2 week and I was so FRUSTRATED!!! I keep saying that I should be loosing so much weight because I eat very little. (I knew in my mind that my body was still breaking down the fat...but it's hard to believe what you can't see.) I PROMISE it gets better. Keep with it and the weight will start to pick back up. You are doing the right thing. Stick with it. It will be worth it. It's like childbirth...the pain will soon be a distant memory and look what you will have....a beautiful new body. Also it is okay to get frustrated/ be in a bad mood/get angry. Yesterday, I sat at the dinner table and had a good cry because I was just sick of this diet....Then I wiped my tears, got up and took a long bath with a trashy novel....And started the next day with a better outlook. I hope you get to enjoy your trip.

[Shasha]

{hi} there Maya & AmyLynn

:bighug: I know that dieting can be VERY DIFFICULT!! girls :bighug:

I wish I could just wave a magic wand and make all those pounds float away INSTANTLY! :innocent2: But, that's not going to happen...

So I'm sending you some love and saying: BE STRONG and know that this too will come to an end...

I leave you with a quote from Winston Churchhill who said: "NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!"


Have a safe trip!