Cookie Diet???......... Are You Taking The Biscuit???

Monday 17th March (Day 1)

So today I start trialling/testing "The Cookie Diet" with the "Cinnamon Oatmeal" cookies. This should be interesting, as I have a savoury, and NOT a sweet tooth, so I never have cake, cookies, or biscuits in the house. At the most, I may have a Plain Digestive, or a Hobnob, if I'm having a coffee & a chat, round a friends place. The Yanks seem to be, Cookie & Cookie Dough, crazy!! So it's no wonder, that this is an American Diet. The format is, that you have, 9 Cookies a day, plus a dinner of 500-700 calories. Which should be, high in lean protein, salad & veggies, with not too many carbs & no sugar if possible. Fizzy sodas (even DIET ones) are to be avoided, as well as fruit juice & alcohol. If you must have a boozy drink, it is better that it's a spirit, and low cal mixer, rather than wine or beer etc. So basically they're leaving you with water (YUCK!!!!) it will have to be soda water, or sparkling, spring water then, as I HATE still water!!

Tea & Coffee is allowed, with sweeteners, I HATE TEA, so COFFEE it is. They say avoid, milk, cream & sugar if possible.... BUT I'm NOT a fan, of Black Coffee, I like it milky, but cappuccino milky (not latte) style!! So I doubt I'll switch to black, because if I can't have, the diet sodas, or the fruit juice, I enjoy, I might as well have my Coffee the way I enjoy it!! They also say, to avoid, too much exercise. Well I'm not cutting down, on my gym habits, unless this diet leaves me too weak to, which any good diet shouldn't!!!... But I have to say, that I would think, that just cutting out milk/cream, sugar, fruit juice, non diet/diet sodas & alcohol, plus cutting down on carbs, would make you drop, at least 2lb, a week with or without, the Cookie meal swap, but I will remain open minded!!

The Cookies, are meant to be full of fibre, to keep you full & act as an appetite suppressant. Although they say, that the 1st three days, are the toughest, and after that it gets easier! You should eat your Cookies, at 2hr intervals, even if you don't feel hungry, to avoid you pigging to excess, for your main meal. Average weight loss, on this diet, is reported to be 3-4lb a week, 12-14lb a month. Well fingers crossed, that it's better than Vi. Which is rubbish & I "gained"weight on it, despite only having two shakes & a low cal meal. Which is quite a feat, as before trying Vi I'd dropped a stone, without being on a diet, just my normal gym. My normal gym & Vi actually made me gain weight..... Even when I tried, replacing 3 meals with Vi (Cambridge Diet style) Vi also had Cookies!!! Those Vi Cookies, actually made me more hungry all day & made me gain weight too!!

The 'Cookie Diet' pattern should be as follows:-

Breakfast - 2 Cookies
2 hour gap
Morning tea/coffee - 1 Cookie
2 hour gap
Snack = 1 Cookie
2 hour gap
Lunch - 2 Cookies
2 hour gap
Afternoon tea/coffee - 1 Cookie
2 hour gap
Snack - 1 Cookie
2 hour gap
Dinner - 500-700 lean protein, plus salad/veg
2 hour gap
Snack - 1 Cookie
Bed 

So today, the diet begins, in preparation, I weighed myself & took a bunch of measurements, to chart my progress (Or lack of it!!) as I progress, with the diet. I measured my bust, upper chest, waist, hips, upper arms & thighs. Today I started with, the resealable, 9 Cookie pack, of 'Cinnamon Oatmeal' cookies, rather than the 'Chocolate Brownies' in the multi pack, box, and had two for breakfast at 9am. They are much smaller than what I expected & taste of 'texture' By that, I mean, they are devoid of all flavour, a kind of hard, crumbly, cardboard!! The texture itself is akin to hard, crumbly, clay & I can't even taste the oats, that are meant to be in it. Plus, if it didn't actually say so, on the pack, I'd of had, no idea, that it contained Cinnamon!! The Cinnamon quota, definitely needs to be increased x5, for them to have any taste. But on the plus side, no flavour/taste, is better, than a bad taste, in the mouth & it's the results, I'm more interested in!!

So following the instructions, 1 had my 3rd "bland" Cookie, with a tasty coffee, at 11am, while at a meeting. I tried dipping it into the coffee, to give it some flavour, but it didn't work, as it's so dense, it's not absorbent. I was peckish, by the time I had my 4th Cookie, 2hrs later at 1pm (Which is unusual) as I normally, often forget to eat, until 3pm, as I'm not hungry. This 4th one, tasted a bit more cinnamonish, or maybe, I'd quickly become accustomed to their blandness? Then it was off to the gym.... Cookies in my gym bag!! I went to my opticians en route, to pick up info for my eye surgeon, then once in the gym, I went on the cycle, with a bottle of spring water, for 30 min, so I'd be perfectly timed, ready for my 2 Cookie lunch, at 3pm, at the end of the cycle program!! This program, is already making me think about food "MORE" than I normally would. As in general, I never really think of food at all, until I feel hungry! NOW I'm looking at my watch every so often, to see if it's time to take my 1, or 2 Cookies yet? I could taste the cinnamon a bit more, with my lunch Cookie duo, maybe the gyms, vending machine, cappuccino, helped my taste buds? Then I did some power plate exercises, plus 10 reps of ten, on the  hip adductor on 40kg, the hip abductor is broken, so couldn't do the same, on that today. So I did 15mins on the cross trainer, before heading home. 

I did less in the gym, as usual, as the program said, to take it gently, exercise wise, and I did feel a tad light headed. My one snack Cookie, was due at 5pm & I was feeling hungry by 4.45pm, but I drank some more spring water & tried ignoring my hunger until 5pm, when I had my 7th & 8th Cookie of the day, rather than just my 7th. I could taste a faint hint of cinnamon, but it was still "super bland" I was meant to have, just the one Cookie, then one more, in two hours, then my actual dinner, in another 2hrs.... But that would mean, that dinner would be at 9pm tonight, then I'd have, the last snack Cookie, at 11pm... Normally that would be OK, but I have had, a hectic, tiring, two to three weeks, so may be ready to flake out, before then!! By 6pm, I was feeling hungry, with a rumbling tummy, I had some more spring water with a tsp of food supplement FOUNTAIN The Hyaluronic Molecule (below) in it as the diet advises you (to take a daily multivitamin of any brand) as well as, at least 8 glasses of water. Then I tried watching "Home & Away" to distract me from my hunger! Come 7pm I had my dinner I'd decided, I'd use up what leftovers I had, in the fridge, before my ASDA delivery arrives tomorrow evening. So I had pea & courgette soup, with one slice, of un-buttered, wholemeal bread, followed by an unbuttered scone. Which came to 716 cals (16 more cals, than the top end of the 500-700cal. Meals) But I'm not going to chastise myself, or lose any sleep over it. 

By the time I ate it, I was so hungry, my stomach was growling loudly!! But I did my best to eat it slowly & savour, rather than shove it down my throat, in a ravenous frenzie!!! I watched the TV for the rest of the evening, and as I did less in the gym than usual. I ran up and down my stairs, during every Ad break, to make up for it, as I need to be bikini ready for July!! I ate the final Cookie at 11pm, then I got ready for bed, as I have a busy day Tuesday. Plus if I'm sleeping I don't feel hungry!! So here is hoping that the "Chocolate Brownie" Cookie, is more chocolate tasty & less bland clay/cardboard!!! Fingers crossed!! One thing I did notice today is I peed a hell of a lot!! Some people will say it's because, I drank a lot of water, but I always drink a lot of fluids, water, fruit juice (dilated with water) diet decaf coke, plus coffee's. BUT I didn't do any No2's which is unusual for two reasons... 1) Because the Cookies are meant to be FULL OF FIBRE, so surely encourage deification? 2) Because I normally go, around 3 times a day, on my normal, mostly vegetarian, piscaterian diet!! Hmmm so why am I bunged up & constipated today??

Tuesday 18th March (Day 2)

Today I woke at 7am & jumped in the bath, made myself a hot water & lemon, to sip as I got ready to go out & run some errands, I realised while out at 8am, I'd forgotten to have, my 2 Cookies for breakfast, but I got home at 9am & had them with a coffee. It's a Chocolate Cookie breakfast, they are definitely an improvement, on yesterday's bland ones, as in they do actually have some flavour!!! They do taste chocolatey, but they still have that, dense, hard, dry, clay texture. Which actually, if I'm honest, makes them like Chocolate Brownies, which are rather dry. Which is one of the reasons, I'm not a brownie fan, or a cake fan, in general. I did some household chores, with my 2lb gym weights, around each ankle, and my 1lb gym weights round each wrist... Yes I'm on a mission!!!... Then I had my snack Cookie, with a black coffee (I forced myself not to have milk) at 11am & eventually at 11.39am I had my 1st poo since Sunday (Seen more impressive stools, in numerous baby's nappies!!) Funnily I had a dream last night, where I did a massive poo, from the top of my mums stairs, down to the bottom stair (My unexpected constipation, must of been on my subconscious mind!!) My ASDA delivery arrived, then at noon I had a trial FREE Bailine session, at a local Beauty Clinic, which is meant to help tone skin, encourage muscle development & break down any cellulite. 

The two women, running the clinic are lovely, both Persian. The salon has been open 6 weeks, and knock spots off the awful one, that was there before. So I'd recommend any woman, in the St Albans area, try out Beauty Secret, at 5 Catherine Street, if they get a chance. They have lots of special offers or freebees at the moment, you can call them on 01727 569 616 they also have a Facebook page. I had a load of measurements taken as well as my weight (I was 2lb less than yesterday) but I will not put that down to The Cookie Diet, as my weight often goes up & down daily, between 2-4lb. My measurements were put onto a computer & a computerised my body appeared (Above) it wasn't as bad as I expected (Guess I'm my own biggest critic!!) My BMI is 26.1 which is only just over normal, and at start of overweight, my target BMI is 20.5 (My BMI was 21, two years ago) so that should be achievable by July, when I need to be bikini perfect!! 

BMI LIST

19 & Under = Underweight 

19 - 25 = Normal Weight

25 - 30 = Overweight 

30 - 40 = Obese 

40 + = Morbidly Obese 

The woman, said my body, didn't have a high fat content, it was mainly water retention (The steroid medication I was on for years, due to having no immune system, after almost dying from double pneumonia, caused that gain) Hopefully now I'm recently off the steroid medication, that should help, with me, losing the water retention & going back to my old BMI of 21 again, then I only have a short distance to go to a perfect (For me) BMI of 20.5. The tests said what I already knew, that I'm small boned & I have a medium, hourglass figure. But I didn't know I came under the category of Triangular Hour Glass. The procedure itself was very simple, rather like, the strapped on pads, of Slendertone back in the 80s. But unlike Slendertones, spiralling, electronic pulses, these felt more like, 100's of teeny tiny, sharp, hands, doing fast karate chops, all over the body. Probably an odd sensation, for anyone who's never experienced Slendertone, or Pins & Needles, but not unpleasant, and strangely relaxing. After my trial  session, the woman gave me some, info, including some exercises and dietary advice, based on my weigh in & measurements, that had been fed into the Bailine computer program. And said that the areas needing targeting, were hips, thighs, & upper trunk, which were pretty much the same areas, that I wanted tackled. I'll ignore the dietary info, until I've finished the cookie diet trial. 

I decided that, along with the gym & Cookie Diet the program, would enhance my chances, of getting back into, my size 8, skinny jeans, by July 2014!! So I booked myself in, for another session Friday & also on Sunday, when they are opening just for me (Now that's what I call service!!) I went home & had another hot water, with lemon juice (To try flush out my colon) with my 2nd snack Cookie at 1pm, while I read the paper. Then later I went out to pay my rent & then onto the gym. I did some exercises on the power plate to start. Still peeing like a mad parrot, wondering if the Cookies have any type of diuretic in them?? I did 30 mins on the stationary bike, then ten sets of ten, on the hip adductor on 40kg. At 3pm, still in the gym, I had 2 Lunch Cookies, with a gym, coffee machine, cappuccino. The chocolate ones, are definitely better, even if they are still so dense, like charcoal biscuits/clay & non porous, so not good for coffee dipping!! Then I did 15mins on the cross trainer, before I headed home (still in ankle & wrist weights) Still peeing like crazy, but still no more No2's!!!...

I had my evening snack Cookie, at 5pm watching Millionaire Matchmaker, with some sparkling mineral water with lemon juice & a drop of Fountain, in it. Again my stomach was growling, by 7pm so I had my Dinner a salmon salad, with noodles & a slice of butterless, wholemeal bread, amassing a total of 676cals. Then I pottered around the house, plus I spent some time online. By 8.30pm I was feeling tired (unlike my normal, insomniac self) I don't know if that is down to The Cookie Diet or not?? By 8.45pm I finally had a poo, better than this mornings, scant offering, but not impressive!! I had my evening tea snack Cookie at 9pm, wondering if I'd be able to stay awake for my 11pm one & felt I had a bit of a headache, coming on!! I watched a documentary, in bed, then had my final snack Cookie with a decaf coffee at 11pm. I'm still filling in my food diary, in My Fitness Pal while I do this Cookie diet. According to that, for my weight & height, re my ideal goal, to lose weight, with what I ate today, I'm 534cals under my goal, 100g under in carbs, 21g under in fat, 18g under in saturated fat, 13g under in protein, BUT 38g over in sugar!! Mostly from the Cookies (No doubt, that's why we are asked to avoid it, on the Cookie Diet!!!)

While in bed watching TV, I had a read through my Bailine paperwork & chart, according to that, to be my Perfect self, I need to lose 16.5kg (2.5 stone) which oddly, is EXACTLY the amount, I was wanting to lose!! That would be 12cm (4.75") off my bust (Don't mind if that stays lol) 12cm (4.75") off my back, 15cm (6") off my waist, 15cm (6") off my hips, 16cm (6.5) off my butt, 8cm (3.25") off my thighs, 8cm (3.25) off my knees, 2cm (0.75") off my calf's & 3cm (1.25") off my arms & none off my tiny 14cm (5.5") wrists? I'm curious to see if these figures match up, once I've lost the 2.5st. Mind you it sounds right, my waist was 6-7" smaller two years ago!! I went to bed to sleep at 11.15pm shattered, they say the 1st 3 days of the diet are the worst, I wonder if that is due to hunger?? Or due to tiredness & headaches?? 

Wednesday 19th March (Day 3) 

I had a lay in until 10am, as I'm going to be traveling, in the wee hours, tonight/tomorrow, so I don't know, if I will be getting any more sleep, for the next 24 - 48hrs.... I had a bit of a aching pain, in my lower stomach, when I woke, which I hoped meant, the constipation was due to end!! But when I got up and went to the loo, all I offered up, was another, pathetic, nappy offering. Oh dear!!! I got on my scales another lb dropped, that's 3lb, in 3 days (but like I say I fluctuate by 2-4lbs daily anyway, so will only take the result, after 7 days into account!!) I opened up a bag of chocolate brownie cookies & a bag of oatmeal cinnamon cookies & took 4 out of each & swapped the bags, and shook them up, to have a less boring mixed bag. I don't know why they don't do that? As there are apparently 3 Cookie flavours, why not also produce a mixed bag of 9, three of each flavour?? So my breakfast was a lucky dip & I ended up, with one of each of the Cookies above. While packing my case, for yet another day away (Sloan Ranger Gypsy) I logged online, one of the other, diet trial girls Naomi tweeted to the rest of us girls (Luna, Julie, Sharran, Gaynor & I) with this below, which made me laugh!! 

I asked the other girls, if they had problems, with constipation, tiredness or headaches?? The two that answered Luna & Naomi said NO. Hmmmm maybe their diet before, wasn't as HIGH in roughage & fibre, as my veggie/piscaterian one? So in their case, the Cookies, upped their roughage for them?? Hence no constipation problems!? Also they were probably doing, as they were told & avoiding exercise. So that's probably, why they are not tired, or having headaches? I can't be a A1 student and not exercise, as I know exercise has more of a effect on your body, than any diet, could ever hope to! Also the naturally suspicious in me, also wondered, if part of the reason, you are told to avoid exercise, is because muscle weighs more than fat!! So if you lost weight, on the diet, but gained muscle, by exercise, the results on the scales, could be less dramatic & could even go up, weight wise. Even though you'd be losing weight & gaining lean muscle, which in turn, burns more calories!!! But maybe I'm too suspicious, for my own good!! I had my morning coffee, snack Cookie at noon, with a coffee & a green tea & 2 omega 6 fish oil capsules, to wake me up (head still muzzy & sleepy, with headache threatening!!) plus to help with the constipation. My lucky dip snack Cookie, at noon was a 'Oatmeal Cinnamon' one, I could taste the cinnamon more today, maybe my taste buds, are coming accustomed, to their blandness? 

Later Gaynor & Julie, got back to me, re my tweet, they were also experiencing, constipation, tiredness & headaches, but said it was getting better!! So now awaiting Sharran's feedback. I had another scant nappie offering at 1.30pm no doubt aided by my fish oil/green tea capsules. My 2nd snack Cookie at 2pm was also a 'Oatmeal Cinnamon' one, to be honest, the faint taste is more like ginger than cinnamon. I had it with some sparkling spring water flavoured with a squeeze of lemon. Did a double check of my case & put in the other mixed bag of Cookies in for tomorrow, to ensure I didn't forget them. After I walked to the gym, weights on wrists & ankles, same as yesterday, I did my set of exercises on the power plate then, 30mins on the fixed cycle, on random, level 9. After that I did 10 reps of ten on 40g, on the hip adductor, after that it was 4pm, so time for my 2 lunch Cookies. My lucky dip produced 2 chocolate brownies, this time, which I had with a vending machine cappuccino. Then it was back to working out, with 15mins on the cross trainer. While plodding away on the cross trainer, I was pondering the headache thing. It can't be down to diet coke withdrawal, as I have the decaf type, and it's the caffeine that can cause withdrawal symptoms!! So I'm wondering if it's the increase in sugar in my diet, via the Cookies?? After the cross trainer I left the gym & walked home, buying a few toiletries en route. 

Got home & watched some TV while I did a load of online applications, still pissing like a mad parrot, but not shifting anything else!! I had a cinnamon snack Cookie at 6pm with some spring water & lemon juice. By 7pm I was bloody starving so had my 2nd snack Cookie, a chocolate brownie & put the oven on, so I could have my dinner at 8pm, when I was meant to have, my 2nd evening, snack Cookie. I was too hungry to wait until 10pm!! I had a veggie moussaka, with wilted spinach & a slice of un-buttered, wholemeal bread, to try help out my bowels. Which at 679cals, I ravenously ate, while watching Secret Eaters. Surly going from 3 healthy bowel movements a day, to 0-2 pathetic efforts a day is not a good sign?? Hopefully the pasta & faux mince plus tomatoes & aubergine will have some effect on my gut? By 9.30pm my bowels moved... The earth didn't, better than previous, but wouldn't win any prizes at a poo fair!!! The 1st 2nd & 3rd rosettes, would defo be going to, my pre diet, 3 poo's a day!!! For both style & content!! At 10pm I had my final cinnamon Cookie & went to bed. I have a bunch of spots coming up on my face, I don't know if that is due to the diet? One above & one below the right side of my lip, one on my right temple, one on my jaw on the right & one on my chin to the left!!! Hmmmm sexy!!!! Not!!! Sadly I failed to sleep, until I had to be up 2.5hrs later at 12.30am, I was itchy all over (is that the diet?) it wasn't the sheets I changed them Monday & they were fine Monday & Tuesday!! 

Thursday 20th March (Day 4)

Thursday was a very early start, so after 90mins of walking, plus 120mins of commuting, with heavy luggage, I had 1 Cinnamon & 1 Chocolate Brownie Cookie, for breakfast at 5am, with a coffee, to try wake me up. At 7am & 9am I had my snack Cookies (chocolate) with a glass of water, by 10.30am I had a massive headache & had to take 2 Sophadol 30mg/500mg tablets at 11am I took my 2 lunch Cookies (chocolate) plus two more Solphodol tablets. As my headache was threatening to turn into a migraine, which I had with a decaf cappuccino. I chatted a bit to some friends, then had my cinnamon snack Cookie at 1pm, chatted to some more friends. Picked up a heavy package & walked for 60mins lugging that plus my luggage (I don't need the gym, for a work out today!!) by then the headache was dying down thanks to the Solphodol. A tube, then a train ensued, where I read today's paper & had some more walking, between each, mode of transport. Finally I was back in St Albans, laden down with luggage & packages, feeling shattered, as I have done all week. As I got home at 3pm I had a cinnamon snack Cookie, then shattered, I laid on my bed to have some rest, after all the traveling, walking & heavy lifting!!! 

The EE network was down, so I didn't have the distraction of Twitter or Facebook. But sadly tired as I was, the hairdressers downstairs, was very, VERY NOISY!!! So by 5pm I'd had some physical rest, but no sleep. It was now 5pm when I should now be having my dinner, but I was more exhausted than hungry, and did not feel like cooking!! So as not to skip a meal, I made a honey sandwich (with butter) 329 cals plus drank some mineral water, with a squeeze of lemon juice & then I laid on my bed again, to try get some much needed sleep. Still no luck, due to bloody noisy hairdressers, so at 6pm I went to the bathroom, to make an offering to the "Stool Gods"....... I doubt the gods were pleased, with my pitiful offering, I expect, to get, a poor crop harvest, this year!!! The Hairdressers, finally closed & went silent around 7pm, and I finally got some sleep until 9pm. When I woke again, I watched some TV, I'll go through all my packages tomorrow. I had my night snack cinnamon Cookie at 11pm then went to bed. 

Friday 21st March (Day 5)

Today was a morning of doing battle, re my home broadband (Orange/EE) being out for a week now, and re no EE service on my iPad yesterday. Plus anger at a few other company's, who felt my wroth, re their incompetence & errors!!! So at 9am I was ready for a decaf coffee & my two chocolate breakfast Cookies. Considering I practically ate bugger all yesterday, I'm not ravenous, but I was peckish by 11am when my 1st snack Cookie was due. Seems from looking at Twitter manic peeing is the norm, Sharran said she is experiencing bloating, I don't have that, but probably due to the fact, that unlike some, I'm NOW eating, a fraction of the fibre, that I normally do. Some others said they had that also, but now have noticeable flatter stomachs. I don't have that either, but I never have had a big belly, no matter what I weigh, it goes in my hips & thighs & upper arms, not my belly!! My delivery of several weeks supply of Cookies arrived, which contained a 3rd flavour, as I was reading the updates, of the other girls, who are also trailing the diet, before it arrives in the UK. Had my 2nd snack Cookie, at 1pm, then at 2pm I had my 1st tailored Bailine session. Today it's concentrating on my abdomen, the area I have the least fat on, but which would benefit, from more intense, muscle toning & tighter skin!! It was really relaxing, I nearly fell asleep, the tiny, sharp, electric shock, karate chops, felt less odd, the 2nd time round.

After that, I chilled with a glass of water & had my 2 lunch Cookies. I left the salon & treated myself to a sun bed, then I went home & opened a load of mail. For once it was nice mail to open & not bills!! I had my snack Cookie at 5pm, but by 6pm, I was really hungry. So I decided to have dinner, not my 2nd snack Cookie, at 7pm. I had the leftover moussaka & spinach from Wednesday, with a slice of buttered bread!! 679cals. Later I had the last two snack Cookies at 9pm, as I had to have an early night, as I had to be on a train at 2am. So I wasn't going to stay up until 11pm, to have the last one, I had them with a decaf coffee & a pint of mineral water. Today, I did not make a single offering,to the Stool Gods!!! Not even a nappy sized effort!!!.... I thought with all the Bailine stomach crunches, there'd bound to be some movement..... But no!!!! Layed in bed at 9.30pm & prayed for sleep. 

Saturday 22nd March (Day 6) 

I got up at 12.30am, rested, but without sleep, AGAIN!! I had a shower, packed a case, then got dressed while having a hot water, with lemon juice, to try get a colon reaction!! No joy!! I took two headache tablets as another was looming. I got to the train station at 2.10am & caught the 2.21am train to Blackfriars, hungry, I had one of the "Maple Pancakes" Cookies, that came in delivery yesterday (as I will probably be too tired tonight to have an evening snack Cookie) I arrived at my destination at 4.30am tired & hungry. So I had a 2nd evening snack Cookie, while everyone around me, tucked into full English breakfasts, big bowls of porridge or big bowls of muesli, with fresh fruit.... Talk about testing my resolve!!... At 6.30am I had my 2 breakfast Cookies with a (much needed) coffee! The Maple Pancake ones are definitely the best tasting, followed by the chocolate brownie ones!! I had my next snack one at 8.30am & 2nd snack one at 9.30am, around the time, Julie tweeted that she's lost 7lb (half a stone) so far! Will await my results with interest, tomorrow!!

By 10am another headache was coming on & I took some Nurofen with a glass of water. At 11.30am I should of taken my two lunch Cookies but with only 1 evening snack cookie left, I decided to stretch it out. So I had them at 1.30pm when I was hungry again & my final snack Cookie at 3.30pm. At 4.30pm I had the commute home, but thankfully at this hour I could use the tube, instead of the lengthy night bus!! I got home at 5.50pm tired, but just in time, to have a quick freshen up & meet the girls (Julia & Julie) for a catch up & dinner out. We got to No7 Restaurant at 6.30pm, the girls said I looked really good, my skin & hair, plus I looked like I'd lost weight, I laughed & said I'd actually gained it since I'd last seen them (for a role) & was now trialling the cookie diet to lose it again, plus some more. They asked what I'd lost? I said "3lb in the 1st three days but I haven't, been on the scales since, as I've been too busy running around!!" They said they couldn't believe I was now without sleep for around 38+ hrs as I looked so glowing, plus they didn't know how I did it? Sheer willpower & determination, pushing through the exhaustion!! Mind you I need to pull myself up having a full time day job & a full time night job, is how I got myself so exhausted, I contracted pneumonia in the 1st place!! 

It was funny, all three of us have names starting with J, our birthdays run consecutively, May - June and July & today all 3 of us, chose to wear a heart pendant & none of us normally do. I had a lovely, small but VERY tasty salmon starter, plus a white wine (not a spirit, sorry cookie diet) as we shared a bottle with dinner. Followed by 5 yummy scallops (not on their black pudding bases) with a few hand cut chips, followed by a decaf cappuccino & 4 mini profiteroles & a few small tasters, of cheese, on the cheese board we shared. According to my fitness pal, that came to 693cals (just under the top end of meal limit) Then at 9.30pm, we headed home & I checked my Facebook & Twitter, before bed. I left a couple of voice messages, on Facebook, as I was just too tired, by then to type. I got undressed, had a wash then I crashed out, in bed around 10pm... I made absolutely NO offerings to the "Stool Gods" today & peeing has slowed a bit!!! At this rate I'm going to need Exlax, or one day, I'm going to do one almighty poo & find I'm instantly a stone lighter!!! 

Sunday 23rd March (Day 7) 

I woke at 8am, and had my 1st weekly weigh in, I have lost 3lb, the amount I lost, in the 1st 3 days, it's in step, with the diets claim of 3-4lb a week, but it seems a scant return, for the hunger pangs, repetitiveness & the constipation in return!! But being a trooper I will persevere! I had 2 Maple breakfast Cookies at 8.30am, with some mineral water & a decaf coffee with milk. Then put the Cookie bag in my handbag, as I had some errands, a meeting, a Bailine session, plus some shopping to do, so they would be there when my snack times arose. I had my snack one at 10.30am at my meeting, then another snack one at 12.30pm, while relaxing, during my Bailine session, concentrating on my thighs & the love handles, on my hips today (Below) I had my snack Cookie with a black coffee, and actually, I didn't dislike the black coffee, as much as usual. So maybe next week, all my home coffees will be black, and only my (on the run coffees) white cappuccinos!! Yalda is such a lovely girl, she gave me an extra 5mins, on the Bailine machine, despite coming in on her day off, for me. Her lovely fiancé was there too, and we were chatting about a scene in one of my favourite comedy films "Skin Deep" which has either a Slendertone, or a Bailine machine, in it. The scene always makes me laugh, even though I must of seen it 20 times. 

I went to the loo, I made a half decent effort, thanks to dinner yesterday, but pathetic, compared to my usual 3 a day standards, if these Cookies are supposedly full of fibre, they are NOT having the effect, that my usual, high fibre, everyday diet has!! I listened to the radio on my iPad, as I chilled during my Bailine session & while I was being zapped I checked twitter, for the other girls, diet results. Luna said she didn't start until Tuesday so she is going to weigh herself Tuesday. Naomi has lost 7lb like Julie, Gaynor has lost 3-3.5lb like me, so now we are just awaiting Sharran's results, she is a BIG Sumo Wrestler, so her results will be interesting!! I laughed to myself as I lay on the beauty salon bed 'only a woman' would pay to be electrocuted for 45mins or more!! 

I went into M&S for a few bits, and only 2 tills, out of 6, were manned, plus none of the 4-5 express tills..... But there was a queue of over 20, for the DIY tills (obviously, they have too many till staff, with a problem with handling pork/alcohol, in the store today!!) Also, a scrawny bitch, in front of me, in the till queue, who was putting her stuff on conveyor belt, swung her handbag back, smacking me, full force in the face & nearly knocking, the three food items, I was holding, out of my hands. Not a word, of an apology, not even when I said LOUDLY, "Thanks I needed a slap in the face & to almost drop all my shopping!!" I checked her out, as she stood there, ignoring me & she had no hearing aid, or earphones in.... So I guess she wasn't unable to hear me, just a rude, thoroughbred C**T!!!!... I was left standing there enraged, while my mind was wondering, just how many calories I'd burn, punching her (repeatedly) in the face??? But somehow I resisted the urge!!! 

I popped into River Island, and exchanged two bikini tops, for another size, as one was too small, the other too big. I'm so set bikini wise, for July. I had two lunch Cookies, at 2.30pm with a coffee with milk as I was hungry, I was planning to go to the gym, but I'm feeling tired, and have another early start. So I'll exercise, trying to get my flat back in order, it's gone back to a pigs sty, after me sorting it only last weekend. Next week is going to be another crazy one, so I need to do it now, or it's only going to get worse!! I'll do some dry brushing later instead, as that's good for the circulation & flushing out toxins. My friend Mike called me from Holland, to say he had reserved my single hotel room, for his wedding in Holland in August, I can't wait!! At 4.30pm I had my 1st evening snack Cookie, but by 5.30pm my 2nd snack Cookie, a hour early, was not going to sate it!!! So I had dinner, as I'd not last to 6.30pm, let alone 8.30pm!!! So I gratefully tucked into a tuna, tomato, basil & pasta salad, at 625cals, which normally would bloat me, due to the pasta, but I could of eaten it two times over, I was so hungry!! Housework must of worked up a hunger!! 

My spice rack had come off the wall, spilling herbs & spices everywhere!! Great!! I wasn't in the mood to clearing up spilt spices. Feeling tired, not sure if it's the diet or my long hours lately? On a break from chores, I text a message to a friend, as I felt our friendship was slipping & I didn't want that, as I value my friends greatly. At 7.30pm I had my evening snack Cookie & a diet, decaf, Coke, as I was so BORED, of just coffee, or water to drink!! At 8pm I went to bed, as I have another early start, to start my stupidly busy week ahead. I decided to save my final snack Cookie, for when I wake & get ready to head out at 12.30am (if I manage to sleep) I've already placed a mixed bag of Cookies in my case (3 cinnamon 3 chocolate & 3 maple) just to make it less repetitive. So that's week one of The Cookie Diet over, tune in next Sunday for week two!!