I love sugar in my tea can i substitute with xylobrit it is a natural sweetner not artificial?????

By jo.. Posted January 20 2010 at 11:37 AM.

Hi Zoe

Im on day 4 of the diet im going to weigh myself tonight... its going ok exept im dying for a glass of wine and a chocolate. chocolate is something i have never craved before??

I accidently had smoked turkey for my lunch with salad, i didnt know it was smoked until i ate it.
i bought it from the deli in the supermarket. Will this really affect phase 1? im gutted!

Thanks
Lara

By Lara.. Posted October 1 2009 at 12:22 PM.

i don't like fish what can i substitute it for

By jacs.. Posted August 25 2009 at 10:48 AM.

Hi Zoe!

your books are great! and I can´t wait to get started with the diet plan.

But I was wondering a couple of things.

I actually have milk kefir grains (I got them 2 months ago and love to make banana smoothies with the resulting yogurt)

I know that no sugar or fruit is allowed, at least during phase 1, but is KEFIR ok? I think that qualifies as live yogurt right?

Second.... and VERY important...

is it ok to drink homemade unsweetened almond milk during phase 1? And what is your general consensus on almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.?

thanks a million Zoe! I can´t wait to get a slim little tush :)

you rock!

By Fern.. Posted August 25 2009 at 5:14 AM.

Hi Zoe,just finished day 5 on phase 1 and I've lost 7 lb, I'm finding it very easy after having done Atkins. I'm going to stay on phase 1 for a while as I have a long way to go but I'm confident that I'll stick to it quite easily. I was wondering if you could clarify if I can put a little bit of butter on corn on the cob and if roasted carrot &parsnip is ok on phase 1,
Cheers Geri

By Geri.. Posted August 2 2009 at 9:55 PM.

Hi Zoe,

Just wondering if soy sauce and chillies are allowed in stir frys? Starting phase 1 this week and I love cooking and love strong flavours especially spicy food any help would be appreciated.
Karen.

By Karen.. Posted July 27 2009 at 8:39 PM.

Hi Katie - I'm so sorry - I haven't been on the site for ages - I've just been so busy!

On the sweetcorn question - the first principle of The Harcombe Diet is to eat food in the form that nature intends us to eat it. This means eat corn on the cob and not tinned sweetcorn. You will always eat a more appropriate amount if you eat food in the original form (e.g. try eating 12 apricots and then 12 dried apricots! The second is much easier, so that's why we need to eat food in the original form).

On the porridge etc, this is one of the problems doing a 5 day carnivore plan for a magazine without being able to give people all the flexible options that can be explained where there is more room (in a book!) The porridge is mentioned on p279/280 where someone asked a specific question on flexible breakfast options. Porridge with water or brown rice cereal are fine as options in Phase 1 - especially for veggie/non meat eaters - who have less choice anyway. I will add this in with a future update of the book.

If you are a fish eater 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. The fewer carbs you have, the less risk of feeding Candida and triggering hypoglycaemia.
Hope this helps!
Best wishes - Zoe
p.s. I am on facebook!

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted July 24 2009 at 11:55 AM.

Does anyone know if Zoe is still answering questions?

I have bought the book now. No where is porridge included as a breakfast in phaze 1 - only in phaze 2 - but here it's included in this 5 day plan. I am a veggie of sorts - I eat fish. So if I have porrigge for breakfast on phaze 1 is that my carb meal for the day and then should not have 50g of brown rice? It's getting a bit confusing!

By Katie.. Posted July 13 2009 at 3:00 PM.

Hi,
Please can you clarify if sweetcorn qualifies as part of the vegetables you can have as much of as you like? I have already had some corn on the cob. Can you also have tinned sweetcorn provided it's not salted or sweetened? Can you also confirm where peas come into this as I know peas and sweetcorn are highter in carbs. I am about to start day 4 of the diet.
Thanks
Katie

By Katie.. Posted July 9 2009 at 7:50 PM.

Hi Mari
Have you got the book, so you can follow the rules for how to 'cheat' on this diet without putting anything back on? It is such a shame to put it all back on so quickly.

The diet is so different to other ways of eating that even if you aren't 'overdoing' it in terms of how much you eat, it will still stop the whole thing working. This diet is all about what you eat, and how often you eat and what you eat with what, not how much. If you go back to caffeine, sweeteners - even things with no calories - you can stimulate the release of insulin and start that fattening hormone sloshing round your body again. You may go back to quite a higher carb intake at the weekend (even 'good' carbs like fruit) and all this will make a difference.

Phase 3 in the book will help you understand how to 'cheat' and get away with it, how to manage that insulin mechanism all the time etc.

Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted July 7 2009 at 6:55 PM.

This 5 day diet really works and i have tried lots! it's easy to follow and i actually enjoy it!

Big dilemma though - when i finish the 5 day plan (and lost 5lbs!!!!!) and start the weekend (don't follow diet as i thought i could have 2 days off), i put the weight back on again. I have tried this twice; losing the weight then it comes back on again. I really don't overdo it at weekends and I wonder what I can do to stop all my hard work in the week going down the drain!!?

By mari.. Posted July 6 2009 at 10:58 AM.

Hi Whitney,
You can substitute any meat or eggs for any fish meal. Have chicken salad for lunch or pork/lamb chops for dinner or steak. Or an omelette (you can take cold omelette to work like a Frittata)
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted July 5 2009 at 5:23 PM.

Hi Jackie
You don't have to eat low fat yoghurt in Phase 1. The key thing is to get the live/bio yoghurt, as this has good bacteria that help kill off Candida.
Go for a higher fat, creamier version - it really is delicious. If you hate it, don't have it - just stick to the meat/fish/veg/salad/eggs/brown rice instead.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted July 5 2009 at 5:15 PM.

Hi,
Just looking at the menu, and wondered what the substitute for fish would be in the diet? I don't eat fish so a few of the lunches are out for me, and also the dinner whcih calls for a whole large fish!
Any suggestions welcome please......

By Whitney.. Posted July 2 2009 at 4:03 PM.

Hiya Zoe, my second day is going well on the diet. Just one query. I tried the natural live yogurt and hated it. I did buy one though by accident which had a hint of vanilla which tasted lovely but it wasn't low fat. Its got probiotic culture but I'm concerned that its definitely not low fat and had a hint of vanilla to take the edge off. If I can't have that I won't be able to stomach the yogurt side of the diet I'm afraid!

By Jackie.. Posted June 30 2009 at 7:05 PM.

Hi Jackie
I hope this may inspire you - I was invited to speak at a local cafe in the evening yesterday. The event had been organised by someone who was a total stranger to me until April this year. She had also tried Weight Watchers and calorie counting and "every other diet under the sun". She was given a copy of the book by a friend and has now lost 3 stone and is well on the way to her target weight of 10 stone 7lbs (she's much taller than you and me!)

Best still she has cleared up a multitude of other complaints (food cravings, candida, bloating, IBS, flushed cheeks, skin rashes, mood swings, period problems, water retention and the list goes on).

This could be you in a couple of month's time!
Very best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 30 2009 at 5:14 PM.

My second day on this diet and i think have made a faux pas! Where do we stand with pulses such as lentils, black eyed beans etc? So far I have used this as a substitute for the 50g allowance of brown rice/pasta. Is that incorrect?

By H.. Posted June 30 2009 at 3:59 PM.

Thanks for the speedy response about the tomatoes. It sounded a silly question but thought I better ask. Its my first day on your diet and I'm going to stick to it this week to see if it really works. At 5ft 1" and 13 stone I'm obese and need to sort my weight out as I know I'm in real danger of having serious health problems. None of the other diets are working I've tried (Weightwatchers, counting calories etc) and I'm scared of using slimming pills so I'm hoping this can turn my eating habits around finally. I've sent for your book as well so hopefully should get that within the next 10 days or so

By Jackie.. Posted June 29 2009 at 12:00 PM.

Hi Jackie
Real tomatoes are fine with bacon & eggs for breakfast at any stage of the diet. (It's tomato sauce you need to avoid!)
Vegetables (except potatoes and mushrooms) and any salads are fine with any meal. They are relatively low in carbohydrate and provide so many nutrients and great fibre, so we don't limit veg and salad with meals.
Potatoes can form the basis of a carb meal in Phase 2.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 29 2009 at 9:47 AM.

Can you let me know if I can add a tomato to the eggs and bacon for breakfast or is that altering the diet too much?

Thank you

By Jackie.. Posted June 29 2009 at 9:09 AM.

Hi Aimi

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with other people - this could really encourage others to try something different. Well done on the weight loss too!

Best wishes - Zoe
p.s. I'm so sorry I didn't reply sooner - I've been at an obesity conference last week - fascinating!

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 29 2009 at 8:50 AM.

Just thought i'd leave my opinion on the diet for anyone else reading!
I've tried a few other diets and never had any luck. Saw this one and the good reviews it had and thought i'd give it a go!

I'm pleased to say I didn't cheat at all and was really surprised that by 2nd and 3rd days I wasn't craving anything sweet or snacking on anything at all!
I love the fact that it doesn't encourage starvation, but instead promotes eating three main meals a day - which really filled me up.

I lost 6 pounds in 5 days and was really pleased!

Thanks :)

By Aimi.. Posted June 23 2009 at 11:34 PM.

Hi Amanda!
Glad you're enjoying it so far!
Yes you can add curry powder to anything (any spices, herbs, seasoning is all fine).

Good question on the timing! The general rule is 3-4 hours between carb and fat meals, as this is how long it takes most food to digest. This happens automatically if you go for the three big meals a day, and no snacks, as is recommended. Give the body time to digest food and don't keep chucking snacks in!
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 23 2009 at 6:54 PM.

Hi Deborah
This is the number 1 most frequently asked question! I've just cut and pasted it from the Q&A's on my web site, therefore! Also look at the answer to "Debbie", a couple below yours, about the FOS.
Best wishes - Zoe

Q1) Can I have sweeteners/sugar substitutes?

A1) My advice would be not to eat artificial sweeteners because this book is all about a) eating healthily and b) getting rid of cravings. Let us look at each of these two points:

a) I can't see how artificial anything fits in with healthy eating. We don't know enough about sweeteners yet to be sure that they are harmful, but we do know enough about them to know that they don't do any good (because they have no nutrients – the same as sugar).

b) The second key thing is that we are trying to get rid of cravings and the most common cravings are for sweet foods, whether as a result of Candida, Food Intolerance, Hypoglycaemia, or all three. If you continue to feed your body artificially sweet things, you will continue to want artificially sweet things and the cravings won't disappear.

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 23 2009 at 6:51 PM.

Today is my first day on first phase.Loved the bacon and eggs,had some peppermint tea (surprisingly liked it!).Books are ordered but just wondered about a few things.Can I add curry powder to my rice and veg?Also is there a certain time needed to wait between eating carb and protein meals?
Thanks

By amanda.. Posted June 23 2009 at 2:49 PM.

Can i use sweetener in my yogurt and porridge??

By Deborah.. Posted June 23 2009 at 1:13 PM.

Hi Zoe

Thanks for the response. I had my suspicions about avacado but ate it today with my salad :( Thought I'd done so well today too - I've only had peppermint tea instead of my usual tons of builders tea with sugar.

Guess I'll have to start again tomorrow!

Thanks again

By Tasha.. Posted June 22 2009 at 8:10 PM.

Hi Debbie
It's lovely to hear you're working out how to fit this into your lifestyle - that's when it works best.

Honey is not OK (it's not as bad as sugar, but it's still a refined product and too sweet for Phase 2). Popcorn is not OK either! It's over 80% carb and is essentially puffed air and carbohydrate! It can mess up your blood sugar and start cravings off again.

What you can have, as an alternative to a sweetener, is something called FOS (Fructooligosaccharide). This is a non-digestible, soluble-fibre carbohydrate that supports the growth of good bacteria in our guts. It passes through our intestines and is cleverly used by lactobacilli and other friendly flora to aid their growth. You can buy it in health food shops and sprinkle it on porridge, or other cereal, if you really long for something sweet. I actually take a tablespoon of it most days, after taking my tablespoons of essential fatty acids, just to take away the taste of the oil. When you have a spoon just on its own, it turns into a chewy, toffee like substance in your mouth and it is a nice reward for having taken your ‘medicine’!
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 22 2009 at 7:20 PM.

Hi Tasha
Salt is fine - it's a real food. The avocado question is the third most frequently asked, so I've just cut and pasted it from the questions page from my web site!
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

Q3) Can I eat avocados?

A3) In Phase 1, no, because an avocado is a fruit.

In Phase 2, in a 150g portion of avocado, there are 23g of fat and 11g of carbohydrate. Avocados are, therefore, higher in fat than carbs, but have quite high levels of both. This means you should eat them in moderation in Phase 2 and have them as part of a fat meal on the occasions when you do have them.

In Phase 3 – cheat with them as much as you can and want to.

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 22 2009 at 7:10 PM.

Hi

I started this diet today. Just wondered, does anyone know if you can add salt to meals? Just a little bit to give it flavour. And also, does an avacado count as a fruit, or can I eat it with my salad?

Thanks

By Tasha.. Posted June 22 2009 at 3:04 PM.

Hi Zoe
Thank you for your advise. I have never liked rice, white or brown unless with a sauce, so looking forward to the curry.
My meals have always been home cooked so that part of the diet is easy for me, I'm even looking at recipes I often cook and adapting them to follow the guidelines of this diet. I don't think of this as a diet just a change in lifestyle.
This diet has helped me understand what I am eating and cut out the cravings for sweets and biscuits which has always been my problem. I'm surprised how easy it is.
I have your book on order, but in the meantime please can you also let me know if honey is OK and homemade popcorn in the next phases.
Thank you.

By Debbie .. Posted June 19 2009 at 6:50 PM.

Hi Sam - I'm sorry if we've confused you. It is so difficult to try and get the principles of a 350 page book into one article!

You don't have to have the carb meal every day - the more 'fat' meals you have, the quicker you will lose weight, but you need to balance this with the nutrition and fibre that comes from (good) carbs.
In phase 2 you can have couscous instead of rice. It is a 'distant relative' in the wheat family, so most people are fine with it.
The total yoghurt sounds fine - it's the live active cultures you're looking for - so looks like you've found them!

Hope this helps!
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 19 2009 at 5:40 PM.

Hi Janice
This shouldn't have made the difference. In Phase 2 we don't mix fats and carbs, but Phase 1 is usually effective enough without this rule. I hope this has sorted itself out while I've been away for a couple of days. With women it can be hormones and time of the month etc, so best to weight at the end of the 5 days.

Any yoghurt is fine - it's a good idea to get used to having any yoghurt with fat meals and only low fat yoghurt with carb meals.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 19 2009 at 12:09 PM.

Hi Debbie - you can try getting the recipe book - this has loads of options for all phases (there are some recipes on the Fabulous site, as examples). We have to put simple options (like meat/omelette) on a general 5 day plan, as there isn't room to detail all the recipes.

The first 5 days can be quite bland - the idea is to attack these 3 health conditions, get you off all processed food and lose a good few pounds. The idea isn't for this to be the tastiest 5 days ever! (Having said that - check out the Butternut squash recipe on the Fabulous pages)!

Cous cous you can have in Phase 2 - it's a great base for a carb meal. Brown rice is so tasty, that I'm so surprised you don't like it - your taste buds may be a bit messed up with processed food. Cherry tomatoes should taste like 'sweets' when your taste buds are working well.

Rice milk is not OK - it is processed from brown rice and usually contains rice syrup, evaporated cane juice or some other natural sweetener. Rice milk is basically a big dose of carbs, therefore, and should be avoided.
If your partner is doing this a bit longer - you can still add in a couple of things from Phase 2. Add porridge in as an option (with skimmed milk will be fine). He can move onto skimmed milk with the rice cereal also.

Corn on the cob is OK - it needs to be on the cob and not sweetcorn out of a tin - then you're eating the whole food and the body handles this better from an insulin perspective.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 19 2009 at 12:04 PM.

Zoe
I posted this yesterday but it didn't go on so not sure what happened there! I'm really enjoying the diet and have lost 6lbs already although 3 of them were late weight - put on over a short space of time.
I can't find answers to a couple of questions that I have and wondered if you might help:
1. Can we have ryvita, spelt bread, rye bread etc in phase 2 and 3? We have a local german bakery that makes fabulous fresh bread
2. Can we have caffeinated tea and coffee now? I don't miss normal teas but i do miss a good coffee - I now believe my husband that decaf is not the same!
3. I was diagnosed with a dairy intolerance a few years ago. Although my symptoms have declined over the years, should I still omit it from my diary? Will my weight loss be affected if I continue to eat it?
Many thanks - and thanks too for a fabulous diet - I have recommended it to quite a few people!
Laura

By Laura.. Posted June 17 2009 at 9:43 PM.

Hi - what would happen if you don't have the carb meal every day? Or can you have Cous Cous instead of rice? Is TOTAL yogurt Live? It says it is natural greek yogurt, on the web site it says: TOTAL Greek Yoghurt is made with live active cultures. ‘Live’ means that the yoghurt cultures are added after the milk has been heat-treated to remove any bacteria. ?? CONFUSED!

By Sam.. Posted June 17 2009 at 1:46 PM.

Hi Zoe- lost 3 pounds on day 1 and then put it back on again-think its because i mixed the 50 grams of brown rice with fresh pork in a stir fry-have i nailed the problem? was so pleased after day 1. also can it be any live natural yog including low fat?- JANICE

By Janice .. Posted June 17 2009 at 10:48 AM.

I started the diet yesterday and although I'm not hungry, I am concerned that some of the meal choices are really bland. I have never really liked rice, so can you have cous cous or millet instead, also what about rice milk, is that OK? My partner is doing the diet with me and he really struggled eating the cereal with the yogurt. Planning on sticking to phase one for an additional five days so want to make meals as pleasant for him as I can. I would like him to have variation in his meals otherwise he would have eggs and bacon everyday.
Is corn on the cob OK to?
Thanks for your help

By Debbie .. Posted June 17 2009 at 7:02 AM.

Hi, i started this diet on monday 8th and by the 13th i had lost 3lbs. its now the 16th and iv,e stayed on week 1 as i want to see if i lose any more weight. I was 10st 7lb when i started and this morning i was 10st 4lbs. so i haven't lost any more weight yet but im happy that i have'nt put any back on. Iv'e been very careful with seperating carbs and protien and haven't been naughty once. Iv'e mixed and matched what i eat and the only drink that has passed my lips is water. It did say you could have beetroot but i didn't realise you could'nt have it pickled so iv'e made a blunder there, but i still lost 3lbs so i cannot complain. I think 3lbs in a week is good and im hopeing to lose a stone x

By marie.. Posted June 16 2009 at 7:40 PM.

Hi June
No to squash in water - see the answer to Lorraine on sweeteners above.

Hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea, so this is the main ingredient in Hummus. Chickpeas are carbs, but Hummus is often made in a base of (olive) oil, so it also has a measurable fat content. In 100g of Hummus there are 20g of carbohydrate and 9g of fat. The fat is almost entirely what we call ‘good’ fat – hardly any saturated fat and no manufactured (trans) fats, which are the worst fats of all.

Think of Hummus as a carb meal, therefore, but don’t have ‘lashings’ of it with lots of brown bread, for example, or the fat content will start to add up. A good carb meal would be a wholemeal pita bread stuffed with grated carrot, salad leaves, pepper slices and Hummus.
Hummus is full of protein, fibre and nutrients, so it is a great healthy food. In 100g of Hummus, there are 4g of fibre and 5g of protein – so this is a good source of protein for Vegetarians.

No white rice! You need to eat food as 'unrefined' as possible and white rice is refined. It is far less nutritious than brown rice, won't fill you up, could mess up your blood sugar and doesn't taste as nice?!
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 16 2009 at 4:28 PM.

Hi Franca - what a rule! Doesn't work want you eating real food?!

Phase 1 you're into hard boiled eggs, crudites, natural live yoghurt (presumably spoons are OK?!) Not very exciting at all.

Phase 2 you could try wholemeal pita bread (if you are OK with wheat). Pita does tends to be OK even for some people with a problem with other bread and pasta. It usually has only real ingredients in (wholemeal flour, olive oil and not much else). You could then stuff the pita with lots of salads and low fat cottage cheese or salads and hummus - keeping this as a carb meal. You can have fruit in Phase 2 for lunch (if Candida and Hypoglycaemia are not problems for you). Can you have lunch outside?!

Hope this helps a bit
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 16 2009 at 1:42 PM.

Hi Lou - so sorry I seem to have missed this comments page for a day or so. There are about 3 that I think I need to check!
Soya milk is not strictly on the list of allowed foods for Phase 1. The idea of Phase 1 is to get people off the foods they have been eating regularly in case of food intolerance. If you can honestly say you've never craved soya milk, you should be fine having it. Some in drinks is better than lots in drinks and lots in porridge. Soy is one of the most common food intolerances in the US (much rarer in the UK), so this is why we see what happens without it for 5 days.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe
Lou x

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 16 2009 at 1:36 PM.

Hi Zoe

Can I have squash in my water? also can where can I have hummous??? can't figure out what category?? and can I have sushi (vegetable) for my carb/protein meal? I know it's white rice so just checking?

By June.. Posted June 16 2009 at 8:18 AM.

love this food! no problems sticking to the breakfasts & dinners but what alternatives do I have for lunch? we are only allowed "finger foods" in the office (no plates or cutlery)!

By Franca.. Posted June 16 2009 at 6:48 AM.

Hi, i am about to start this diet, can i still have soya milk? instead of the water with the porridge? and in my decaffe coffee? as i use soya instead of cows milk anyway

Lou x

By Louise.. Posted June 15 2009 at 7:39 PM.

Hi Carly
Phase 1 is tough for veggies (I'm a veggie, so I should know!) Veggies do have extra brown rice to help with food options, but this is a carb so it can 'feed' Candida (and Hypoglycaemia) more than the non-veggies feed this.

Quorn is not ideal as it comes from a fungus and can, therefore, feed Candida.

Check out if Candida may be a problem for you - there is a questionnaire on theharcombediet web site, under conditions/Candida. If it is, you need to avoid Quorn and try and limit even the brown rice carbs for the 5 days. If you don't think you have dairy intolerance (i.e. you have never craved milk/cheese etc) add dairy into Phase 1 straight away. Then you can have porridge with skimmed milk for breakfast and large cheese salads and all the cheese dishes in the recipe book (aubergine boats etc)

Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 15 2009 at 5:31 PM.

Hi June - you've raised a really interesting one here. The reason I talk about fats and carbs is that fats have no impact on insulin and carbs do. So, you can think of food as stuff that causes insulin to be released (carbs) and stuff that doesn't (fats) . I don't talk about protein because protein is in everything. Lettuce has protein, bread has protein, apples have protein etc. Strictly, we should say carb/proteins and fat/proteins, but I just shorten it.
So - on to your question - protein is in everything so we need to know are you having a carb/protein meal or a fat/protein meal?! You can have veg/salad with either. A fat/protein meal will be meat/fish/eggs/dairy. A carb/protein meal will be brown rice, baked potatoes, fruit, beans & pulses etc
Hope this helps!
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 15 2009 at 5:23 PM.

Dear Zoe

I am preparing to begin phase 1 of your diet. However I have been a vegetarian for 10 years so not quite sure where I stand. For example the bacon and eggs breakfast, would it be ok to eat quorn bacon instead?The lamb chops...would it be ok to have a quorn fillet of chicken instead?Just wondered as am not sure whether or not quorn products would be classified as 'processed' foods.Also what would be a sufficient replacement for fish?

Many thanks

Carly

By Carly.. Posted June 15 2009 at 4:51 PM.

Can I also ask if you don't want to have your carb meal...can you just have a protein and vegetable meal instead?

By June.. Posted June 15 2009 at 3:02 PM.

Hi kaarina
For Phase 2 - you need to enter your details on this Fabulous web page (where it says "register" in blue up above). You don't need to send pics or join in the bikini challenge - just put in your details and it will take you through to another page with the 7 day plan,
Or you can get it on theharcombediet web site - put your email in on the home page and it takes you to the members' page with free download diet sheetsw.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 12 2009 at 3:52 PM.

How long do I have to wait for phase 2 as I am on friday and after today I shall be stuck.l

By kaarina.. Posted June 12 2009 at 2:47 PM.

Hi Deborah - eating out is really easy with this diet - you just go for meat, fish, eggs, veg, salads in abundance! In Phase 2 you can be having cheese and dairy as well.

For your Chinese - you're right to have spotted no rice! )(no noodles either). Go for any meat, fish and vegetables dishes. Avoid sweet and sour ones, as these do contain sugar. Go for the spicier options, as these will be flavoured with spices, not sugars. Great options will be prawns and vegetables, roast duck, beef with oyster sauce, chicken dishes. Chinese and Indian cuisine works really well for meat, fish and veg.

Eat with chopsticks and then most sauce falls off - there will be no rice to absorb the sauce, so, if there is a bit of sugar in any of the sauces, you will hardly get any. If anything tastes sweet, it probably is, so try another dish.
No one will even know you're 'on a diet' as you'll be tucking in like the rest of them.
No one needs a dessert after a Chinese meal, so they won't be any pressure there either. A lovely Chinese or peppermint tea to end will really help digestion.
Have a good time!
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 12 2009 at 11:07 AM.

Hi Nicola - me again! On theharcombediet web site I've got a link down the left hand side to "conditions" and under this is "candida" and there are two free downloads there for questionnaires - 1 on causes of Candida (so that you can see if you have got factors likely to have given you Candida overgrowth) and the 2nd is on symptoms of Candida (so you can do a checklist of all the other things that you could be suffering from, as a result of this horrible little parasite!)
All this great info that Fabulous and I are trying to make available for you!
Hope it helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 12 2009 at 10:57 AM.

day 5 feel good ,really enjoyed what i have eaten this week thanks

By julie chandler.. Posted June 12 2009 at 10:26 AM.

Hi,

I'm on day 4 of the five day plan and I plan to start phase 2 when the five days are complete. I have to go for a chinese meal next week with colleagues from work and I'm worried that I may undo the good work by unwittingly eating food that has sugar added. Please can you give me an idea of suitable choices to make sure I keep on the straight and narrow?? I obviously won't be eating rice.

Thanks

By Deborah.. Posted June 12 2009 at 9:04 AM.

Hi Kirsty - Phase 2 is on the Fabulous web site - you need to fill in your email and other details but you don't need to send in pics or join in the challenge - it just takes you to the 7 day plan when you fill in address and email etc.
Or try theharcombediet web site and just stick your email in there and it will take you to a members club page with free downloads for phase 1 and 2 - for 'flexis' and 'planners'. You can also then get my monthly diet news from around the world.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 12 2009 at 8:56 AM.

Hi Zoe
Thanks very much for your reply about the mushrooms. Your comments regarding Candida and the symptons it causes could possibly explain some of the problems I suffer with.
If I may just ask a couple of questions, I have looked on your website and Phase 1 for flexis shows mushrooms on the list of what you can eat as much as you want of - is this an error as it contradicts what you said in your reply?
Also what does the R stand for on the menus? (NLY = Natural Live Yogurt, but I cannot work out what R is).
Many thanks

By Nicola Burg.. Posted June 11 2009 at 8:30 PM.

Hi there. I started this diet plan on monday and iv'e stuck to the rules but swapped the meals around a bit. iv'e made sure i have,nt mixed carbs and protien. Im full on what im eating and i eat it any time i like. Im up really early so breakfast is late for me but iv'e been grabbing a couple of slices of bacon at work (im a cook). Im 5ft 5in and weighed 10st 7lbs. I want to lose a stone. Iv'e already lost two pounds since monday on thid diet and im chuffed to bits. I dont think iv'e made any mistakes doing this plan but im learning new things everyday on how to handle it so im going to stay on week one for another week marie x

By Marie.. Posted June 11 2009 at 8:03 PM.

I'm still waiting to receive my phase 2 of the diet. do i ned to send a picture of myself before i can get it? HELP!

By kirsty seeds.. Posted June 11 2009 at 6:32 PM.

Hi Louise
I've never bought this 'don't eat at night' advice. Any energy you need after tea the body will get most easily from the carbs you've just eaten. If you don't use them all up, the body puts them in the 'glycogen larder' (the storage room for energy in the body) and then you use them when you wake up.

It's more important not to eat fat at the same time as the carbs. In simple terms this is because fat needs insulin to be stored and carbs ensure that insulin is released. So have your carb meal in the evening and no fat can be stored - the glycogen larder may fill up and it's there for you when you wake up.

Carbs also help you relax and sleep (related to serotonin etc)

Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 11 2009 at 5:20 PM.

Hiya

I have hectic day and usually dont get to sit down to eat till around 8/9pm? people keep telling me not to eat carbs at night - can I still have the rice or pasta meals at night in phase 1?

Ta

By Louise.. Posted June 11 2009 at 12:59 PM.

i started the diet monday ands it thurday morning and i have lost 2 1/2 pounds already !!

By justine ive .. Posted June 11 2009 at 9:28 AM.

Thanks for reasurrance re. breastfeeding, i have started (and a few classes at the gym ) and feel great, having piles of veg and salad and feeling full but not bloated..and not even reaching for any biccies and i dont even miss bread..although i have cheated a little and had abit of skimmed milk in my 2 cups of tea a day just to make sure i dont miss out on too much, cause all the health visitors say "not too diet" so this is great, my two year old couldnt belive how many veggies were on my plate and even made her think about eating hers...result!
good luck to everyone x

By Jenny.. Posted June 10 2009 at 10:41 PM.

Hi Debs - you can snack on any of the allowed foods: meat, fish, eggs, Natural Live (Bio) Yoghurt, Crudités (sticks of carrots, celery, peppers etc).

Try to eat substantial main meals, so that you get used to not needing to snack. The body likes time to digest food in between. You also want to avoid snacking on carbs, as this wakes up the insulin mechanism. These snacks above are all zero or low carb, so will help with this 'principle' if you need them.

Try a drink first whenever you feel hungry. Most people are dehydrated for much of the time and a glass of water, or a peppermint tea, can often take away the desire for food - you could be thirsty, not hungry.

I have never yet had someone fail on Phase 1 (this 5 day plan), so be confident! The web site has corrected the missed word in the article - the pasta on day 5 must be rice pasta - we need to stay off wheat, as it is the most common food intolerance.
Good luck! Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 10 2009 at 8:37 PM.

Hi Im about to start phase 1 - the 5 day plan - I dont know how Ill react to just having 3 main meals per day, what snacks are allowed in phase 1?
I think this website will help me along this diet im feeling really confident about this one!
Debs

By Debs.. Posted June 10 2009 at 8:10 PM.

Thank you Zoe! No, I'm not in phase 2 yet, just planning the shopping for next week! :)

By Leanne.. Posted June 10 2009 at 6:22 PM.

Hi Jo - I'm pretty sure to be eligible to win the make over, you need to send in a pic of you in a bikini (before and after). I'm sure Fabulous would welcome good before and after pics - even not in a bikini - just to show other readers how well you've done, but the makeover winner is going to be a bikini gal (or guy!)
If you've got quite a bit to lose, you could always send pics in when you're at target weight and you may even get a feature just about you. Fabulous often features great diet stories.
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 9 2009 at 8:42 PM.

Hi Jo - great to hear that the cravings are subsiding already. Yes - headaches are quite normal. There could be a number of reasons for this. Sugar withdrawal is probably the most likely - sugar is in just about every processed food you can think of from low fat yoghurts to bread to almost all cereals. Many crisps also have sugar added. We eat, on average, 1.6lbs of sugar per person per week in the UK - that's 400 (empty) calories of sugar per person each day! We don't put as much in our tea or coffee anymore, so we're getting it 'hidden' in everything else. Giving up processed foods will have taken you off sugar and this would be the most likely reason for the headaches.

Number 2 reason is probably Candida being killed off (this is good!), as you have starved the parasite of sugar and fruit. A chap called Herxheimer documented this and it has become known as the Herxheimers reaction and headaches are a common symptom.

The wine could be reason number 3 (you can go back to the odd glass of, ideally red, wine in Phase 2, but not really a few glasses a day!). Coming off anything that you consume daily can cause withdrawal symptoms and headaches are one of the most common withdrawal sypmtoms.

See the headaches as a good sign that your body has been having too much of the same things too often and it is welcoming the break. Your normal headache tablets will help ease any discomfort. Drink plenty of water and herbal teas etc to flush your system out.

Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 9 2009 at 8:32 PM.

Even if I lose quite a bit of weight, I`m never going to wear a bikini in the timescales that the Fabulous challenge says. Can I stil take part in the challenge though?

By jo.. Posted June 9 2009 at 7:17 PM.

I`m on day 2 and doing just fine. My tummy feels much more relaxed and I`m not constantly on teh search for food.
However, I am getting REALLY bad headaches.....is it normal?
I haven`t reduced my caffeine intake (which is not really high anyway). The main changes that I made have been seperating the fats/carbs from the protein and not having any low-fat crisps/yoghurts etc; And of course no fruit. The major change that I have made is not to drink any wine on the last 3 evenings. I usually drink a few glasses everyday - even though I know it`s much much really!
Could it be a sugar-withdrawal thing from not having the wine?

By Jo.. Posted June 9 2009 at 7:15 PM.

Hi Rosie - you're right to be aware that you're still growing and to take this sensible approach.

The first thing you should check is - do you really need to lose even a few pounds? Put in "BMI calculator" on a search engine (there's one on theharcombediet site) and see what your BMI is (it will ask your weight and weight). If you are in the normal range at the moment (18.5-24.9) you don't really need to lose any weight. See where your height settles down and then you can always lose some weight when you know your 'full height' BMI.

Having said this, because The Harcombe Diet doesn't limit quantities, it is safe for anyone with a weight problem - whatever age. It is simply based on eating real food and not eating processed food - what can be healthier than that?!

I firmly believe that people have a natural weight, which they will reach naturally when they eat real food and stop eating the processed stuff that our bodies are just not used to. If you do have a BMI above normal and you try the diet (thereby avoiding sweets, biscuits, cakes and the stuff you don't need) you should lose the pounds that you need to and feel much more nourished in the process.
(Please note that these are the views of the diet author and not Fabulous Magazine).
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 9 2009 at 6:57 PM.

hi im 14 so im still growing
but i feel i need to loose a few pounds
i've started running but it isnt working
will this work
or will it only work with adults ??
Thanks x

By Rosie.. Posted June 9 2009 at 6:01 PM.

Hi Kerry - don't worry - you haven't failed! We don't want to think of failing with this diet because sometimes we then give up and say "I may as well eat everything including the kitchen sink" Sounds familiar?! You've done well to spot it so soon, so no more vinegar from now - it feeds that nasty Candida.
No potatoes in Phase 1 - they are too high in carbs for Candida and Hypoglycaemia (2 of these conditions that cause food cravings). In Phase 2 you think of potatoes as a staple carb and not a veg. So - a carb meal would be a baked potato with veggie chilli or low fat cottage cheese.
The books explain why we shouldn't mix fats and carbs for weight loss - there's only so much info I can get into the comment boxes!
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 9 2009 at 4:34 PM.

Hi, it says to stay on phase 1 if you need to loose more weight. Like how much is more? And how is one more week the ideal or more?

By debbie.. Posted June 9 2009 at 3:55 PM.

i have been following this since yesturday,i didnt realise i couldnt have vinagar and i have had it in my salad,does that mean i have failed already also are potatoes allowed

By kerry.. Posted June 9 2009 at 12:31 PM.

Hi all - please note that the pasta on day 5 dinner should be rice pasta - not wheat pasta. You can get rice pasta from the gluten free section in most supermarkets.
Wheat is one of the most common food intolerances, so you need to stay off wheat for these 5 days.
Hope this helps & please tell your friends doing it - we'll hopefully get the web copy updated later
Best wishes - Zoe Harcombe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 9 2009 at 8:09 AM.

Hi Johanne
You don't have to eat all that, but you can eat that much - the key thing on this diet is to get used to eating 3 substantial meals a day of real food (not processed food). Then your body stops storing food, as it knows that a good meal is only a few hours a way.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 9 2009 at 8:06 AM.

Hi Nicola
Mushrooms are not allowed because they feed Candida. Candida is a parasite that lives in all of us, but gets out of control so easily and causes all kinds of horrible symptoms from bloating, muscle aches, dandruff, feeling foggy. The thing that most interested me, as an obesity researcher, was that Candida causes cravings for quite particular foods - to literally feed the parasite. Candida loves mushrooms, all sugars (including fruit), pickled foods, blue cheese, bread - anything yeasty or mouldy. You may well have Candida if you "can eat mushrooms all the time". No mushrooms, therefore, for at least 5 days and then longer if Candida is a problem
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe Harcombe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 9 2009 at 8:04 AM.

i really like the the gold bikini thats at the top of the page and also the black swiming suit with the black boe where are they from ?

By melissa mccann.. Posted June 9 2009 at 10:30 AM.

hi,just started today, is it really 100g of puffed rice I need to eat tomorrow, it seams such alot, half the bag I bought infact!

By johanne.. Posted June 8 2009 at 10:14 PM.

I am looking to do this diet but am curious as to why mushrooms are not allowed. I am not a great lover of vegetables but can eat mushrooms all the time.

By Nicola Burg.. Posted June 8 2009 at 9:37 PM.

Hi Leanne - I've just checked the ones in our cupboard and they are Tesco's own brand. I'm sure all the supermarkets do their own. Nairns is another well known brand.
The ingredients on these ones are oatmeal, vegetable fat (usually olive or sunflower oil) water, salt and sodium bicarb (this is fine - it's a raising agent). You can get some with cracked black pepper - these are very tasty.

Are you in Phase 2 already or planning ahead?!
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 8 2009 at 8:45 PM.

first day of the diet and not hungry at all.

By debra.. Posted June 8 2009 at 7:39 PM.

I am trying to find the oat biscuits, but cant seem to find any that only contain oats, oil and salt/papper. Could you please advise where I could buy these from?

By Leanne.. Posted June 8 2009 at 7:13 PM.

Hi Vikki
Salt, pepper and all herbs & spices are great. Vinegar is not, sadly, as Candida loves it! One of the classic symptoms of Candida is craving vinegary and pickled foods. Olive oil is the best salad dressing for the diet.
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 8 2009 at 6:03 PM.

Hi how about seasoning? Is it ok to have salt/ pepper or even a little vinegar? Thanks x

By Vikki Tate.. Posted June 8 2009 at 5:24 PM.

Hi Les - sadly no fruit in the first 5 days. Fruit feeds 2 of the 3 conditions that cause food cravings (Candida and Hypoglycaemia) so we need to come off it for Phase 1.
If you have bad Candida (symptoms = dandruff, feeling foggy, bloating, cravings for sweet foods, carbs generally - including fruit - and vinegary/pickled foods) you need to have no more than 1-2 pieces of lower sugar fruits when you go into Phase 2. Candida is a nasty little parasite inside us and it needs to be kept under control!
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe Harcombe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 8 2009 at 3:50 PM.

Hi Lorraine

Sweeteners are really best avoided a) because research experiments have shown that they have a similar impact on insulin and blood sugar levels as normal sugar - and we don't want insulin to be released unnecessarily. (It's not called the fattening hormone for nothing!) and b) because sweeteners will just perpetuate your taste for sweet things and we're going to try and change you taste buds back to liking real food.
You should get to the point that cherry tomatoes and mango are the sweetest things you can imagine eating - sweets and sweetened products will taste horrible when you start eating well! Trust me!

Best wishes - Zoe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 8 2009 at 4:06 PM.

Hi Alleasha
Yes - definitely! If there is one breakfast that works for you - have it for each of the 5 days, if you want. The same with the main meals, or mix them as you like. Fabulous and I just worked together to give you as many examples of meals as possible and variety.

Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe Harcombe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 8 2009 at 4:03 PM.

Hi Louise
I tend to think of food as either real or processed and the best way I remember it is that real food is the form in which nature intended us to eat it and processed food is NOT in the form that nature intended us to eat it.

So steak is real, packaged meat sticks are processed; Whole oranges are real, cartons of orange juice are processed; Baked potatoes are real, chips are processed. Hope that gives you the idea!

Baked potatoes are a great carb - they are not from the wheat family. They are a real food.

Wheat is the most common food intolerance and therefore the most commonly craved food. Wheat is in normal pasta (the diet will be recommending rice pasta), biscuits, cakes, cereal, bread, pizza, beer etc - our most regularly eaten foods in the British diet.

Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe Harcombe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 8 2009 at 4:00 PM.

Hi Tina - beans/pulses are different to vegetables. They are seen as carbs in Phase 2 and not allowed in the first 5 days.
Normal (garden) peas, sweetcorn and green beans are vegetables, so they are all fine for the first 5 days.

Lentils, kidney beans, aduki beans, split peas, broad beans, chick peas etc are all in the beans/pulses category and they go with carb meals in Phase 2 (afetr 5 days).
Hope this helps
Best wishes - Zoe Harcombe

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 8 2009 at 3:53 PM.

Can I eat fruit ?

By Les Thomas.. Posted June 8 2009 at 1:17 PM.

Does Vegetables include pulses, such as sweetcorn,peas, beans etc?

By TINA.. Posted June 8 2009 at 12:19 PM.

Hi,

Apart from packet food what else is defined as a processed ? also for wheat is it just Potatoes, bread, pasta, and rice to avoid? I see pasta in the first diet sheet .

Thanks
Louise

By louise.. Posted June 8 2009 at 12:02 PM.

Can we mix it up and change breakfasts/lunches & dinners on different days?

By Alleasha.. Posted June 8 2009 at 10:35 AM.

Can you use sweeteners in coffee, porridge etc?

By Lorraine.. Posted June 8 2009 at 9:10 AM.

Hi Jenny - the answer is 'yes' - because the whole idea of the diet is that you eat real (good) food in unlimited quantities and stay away from everything processed (all those transfats, sugars and other things that neither you, nor the little one, need). You may like to check out Phase 2, as you can also add dairy and fruit into Phase 2 - still staying away from stuff you don't need.
Hope this helps - Zoe Harcombe x

By Zoe Harcombe.. Posted June 8 2009 at 9:01 AM.

Can i do this diet if im breastfeeding?

By Jenny.. Posted June 8 2009 at 8:27 AM.

Hi Emma,

If you look Zoe's website up online there area lot of vegetarian alternatives to the diet. Zoe herself is a vegie and if you have any queries you can email and ask her. The diet has really worlked for me and it hasn't been too much of a challenge. x

By jonathan Kirkby.. Posted June 7 2009 at 8:44 PM.

Is there a vegaterian option please?

By Julie Smith.. Posted June 7 2009 at 8:42 PM.