Dukan – Day 56

Posted on October 16, 2011 by flamidwyfe

Today was a PV Day

Daily Weight Loss: 0.4 lb/0.2 kg
Total Weight Loss: 32.1 lb/14.61 kg

Well, the day was suppose to be a PP day, but I had to travel out of the city to do some community education and didn’t prepare well enough. Alls good, I still lost nearly a 1/2 pound.

Breakfast: On the go… 1 boiled egg and 3 slices of ham
Lunch: At the elementary school I was teaching at… Boiled cabbage with some type of meat crumbles in it 😀 and green beans with red hot chili pepper pieces in it. There were snails, but I didn’t partake (1. not sure if they are Dukan and 2. I love escargot… from a nice fancy restaurant, smothered in garlic and mozzarella!)
Snack: Some lamb on a stick… teeny pieces of lamb, cooked on a long toothpick type thingy over charcoals… street food (let’s just say I’m not constipated anymore!!!)
Dinner: I made the tofu fries recommended by fellow Dukaner, Kath. Her recipe calls for baking them, but I only have a hot plate and a fry pan… so they were fried in the one thing I refuse to give up for Dukan… OLIVE OIL… just a tad, mind you. I coated them in Trader Joe’s Lemon Pepper and a teeny bit of sea salt. I also stirred in some garlic cloves and asparagus… YUMMY! You can find Kath’s recipe here: Kath’s Tofu Fries
It was a delicious dinner! And I went to bed feeling very satisfied!

I hope everyone has a fabulous day… I have, and I’ll write about it in my next blog… for now, here’s some pics of my kitchen and my Tofu Fries Dinner!

My Galley Kitchen

My hot plate!

Yum! Tofu Fries with the Garlic cloves added in!

Dinner, tofu fries, asparagus and garlic cloves... YUM!

Dukan – Day 55

Posted on October 15, 2011 by flamidwyfe

Today was a PV day!

No weight change at all! Stepped on, stepped off, stepped on, stepped off… took deep breath, stepped on, blew it all out, same same… LOL… It’s all good.

Exercise: Still walking every day to and from work… about a 17 minute walk, 1.5 km (9/10th of a mile) each way. It is often drizzling while I take these walks, that annoying drizzle where you aren’t sure if you need an umbrella or not… but it sure is a lot cooler here than in the desert! Low last night was 59F. I’m also taking a 20 minute walk in the evenings after dinner.

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs
Lunch: Shaved roast beef, avoided the fat and some type of green bean (not sure of all the veggies here in China!!!) with these very spicy, hot chili peppers, sliced very thin… they definitely pack a punch! And some crumbly stuff that looks like teeny bits of ground beef, but I think it is tofu… again, not sure 🙂
Dinner: Steak salad… Steak, salad greens, cucumbers, sauteed mushrooms and garlic cloves… yummy.

I drank more than 1.5 liters of water today, along with 2 cups of coffee and 2 diet cokes.

Now I’m off to do a marketing event out in the countryside… should be a pretty drive!

Ciao!

Dukan – Day 48

Posted on October 8, 2011 by flamidwyfe

Today was suppose to be a PP day but turned out to be a PV day. I had so many leftover veggies in the fridge, that I didn’t want them to go to waste. It turned out that it was OK, because I still lost weight, which is a good thing. The other good thing…
my BMI is under 40! YAY!

Daily Weight Loss: 0.7 lb/0.30 kg
Total Weight Loss: 29.5 lb/13.41 kg

I want to post this again, because it’s been SO helpful! Charlotte is a fellow Dukaner who created this amazing spreadsheet… I love it and recommend it to anyone doing a diet program…. http://charlottesdukandiet.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/the-progress-tracker/

The one nice thing about having so many parameters to watch is that as long as you are losing, every few days there is a new milestone. When I read Dr. Dukan’s book, I didn’t think weighing in everyday was a good idea. I am totally converted on that now. It is a great idea for many reasons:

You see on a daily basis whether you’ve gained or loss. This helps you get back on track. I was worried while in Shanghai this week that I wouldn’t be weighing myself everyday. That “worry” made me stay on track, because the only person I’m doing this program for is ME, and I sure don’t want to disappoint ME 🙂
You see milestones hit every week, as long as you’re losing. Last week I hit 25 pounds gone AND 2 stone! Today my BMI is under 40… YAY for me 🙂 These little milestones make the small sacrifices worth it!
In combination with blogging, it keeps you accountable. If not to anyone else, to yourself. Blogging is like journaling, but making it public. The benefit of blogging is that your mom and your friends and your Dukaners and your cyber-friends can check in on you and cheer you on. For me, this cheering has made a WORLD of difference. Because even though first and foremost I want to make ME happy, it is so nice to see other peoples enthusiasm for what you are doing. We all love receiving positive feedback… and at least for me, it has made this journey much easier!

Now, for my worries… I worry that I’ll hit a plateau, I mean seriously, how long can the losing go on before my body says… “um, we’re taking a break here”. I still have A LOT of weight to lose. My cynical side says that it’s going to happen. But, as I lie in bed at night and read Dr. Dukan’s book, I realize that even though there may be some small bumps in the road, the program is sound. If you eat frequent, small meals, that are the prescribed foods for the day, you may not plateau too much for too long. Why? Because your body doesn’t think you’re starving it like it does when you fast or seriously reduce calories. It takes those meals and uses up the calories for energy and you keep losing weight.

For now, I’m going to just try not to worry about it. Keep sticking to the program and see day by day what that scale says. So far, so good. And thanks to all of you that pop in and read and leave messages… they help… A LOT… especially this girl who is so far from home, in a country that eats lots of RICE 🙂 heheh

Ciao!

Dukan – Day 47

Posted on October 6, 2011 by flamidwyfe

Today and the previous 2 days were PV Days:
3 Day Weight Loss: 0.7 lb/0.30 kg
Total Weight Loss: 28.8 lb/13/11 kg

Well, I have to say I’m not surprised or disappointed that I only lost 0.7 lb over the 3 days in Shanghai. It’s SO difficult to know what’s in the food you aren’t eating. For example, I had some yummy street food 2 mornings in a row. There were fried eggs and some fatty pork (I left the fat) but it was in brown, thin, sauce… soy sauce? I think… which is on the Dukan, but can’t be 100% sure… what to do. Additionally, I had veggies all three days and forgot my bran! Argh! But I did get my water in and walked and walked and walked!

Got some new clothes (3 pants, 3 tops) to get me through the next few months. Didn’t buy a lot because I plan on losing a lot more!!! I’m down 2 pants sizes, yippee!

Let’s see what happens when I restrict my body to pure protein for a couple of days 🙂
Keep ya posted 🙂

Sandi

Travel – Three days away from scale

Posted on October 4, 2011 by flamidwyfe

I’m in Shanghai for 3 days of shopping (new clothes… Not too many, but my pants are falling off!!!) and a few days away.
So, no scale for 3 days.
I was very good today.
Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, lean ham, 1/2 liter water and coffee
Lunch: Burger and salad greens, diet coke
Dinner: Shashimi and a plate of cucumber, cut up so beautifully I almost didn’t want to eat it! Green tea.
I’ve walked well over an hour tramping about the streets of Shanghai… Didn’t get my water all in… I’ll make up for it tomorrow 🙂

Dukan – Day 42… 6 weeks down!

Posted on October 2, 2011 by flamidwyfe

Today was a PP day 🙂

Daily Weight Loss: 0.2 lb/0.1 kg
Total Weight Loss: 26.2 lb/11.91 kg

So today is the celebration of 6 weeks on Dukan. Wow! I can’t believe how fast time has gone by. Technically, I started the program on Monday, Aug 22nd, but I did my initial weigh in and did all my shopping for the first week on Saturday, Aug 20th, so when I count my days, I do it from there. Funny, instead of eating all my faves on that Saturday and Sunday, I actually ate better, and by Monday had lost a little bit 🙂

I hesitate writing this next bit, because I don’t want to be called a jammy git by my Brit friends. But I am proud of myself. Even though I’ve been traveling for most of this 6 week Dukan journey, I have NOT, to my knowledge, eaten a single thing NOT on the program. No bread, no rice, no potatoes, no pasta. It hasn’t been that difficult actually. No sweets, either. Tempted, somewhat, but I’ve got that big ass picture from my class reunion where it’s easily accessible (desktop of lap top, desktop in iPhone, it’s own file in my iPad photos) and if I even think of it… I yank that picture in front my eyes 😀 To remind you of that picture, here it is: https://flamidwyfe.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/i-can-dukan/ While rereading that initial blog I got such a happy feeling with the positive feedback I got from those that commented… I think it is SO important to have that encouragement. To empower one another and cheer each other on! Isn’t that what life SHOULD be about, supporting each other!

So here’s my day:

Walked 1 hour 8 minutes… yup… I’ve got a timer. Did it in 2 different segments, one in the early afternoon, one in the evening.

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, 1/2 liter water, coffee… funny note here. I’m making sure I get my water in by drinking it BEFORE I allow myself coffee or diet coke. I’ve actually found that for most meals, I don’t want the coffee or diet coke because the water has satiated my thirst and filled up my tummy… my consumption of such beverages has diminished considerably in the last 6 weeks!

Lunch: 4 slices of ham, pot of yogurt w/oat brand and splenda, 1/2 liter water

Snack (eaten while shopping for more food) 1 boiled egg. People look at you funny when you peel and eat a boiled egg from your backpack 😉 Sipping water while shopping.

Dinner: Sirloin strips with onion and garlic, sauteed with some herbs on top. I only ate half of this… just not as hungry as I used to be… this would be a good thing 😀

Snack: AND THE BEST PART OF THE DAY!!! I found FAT FREE cottage cheese at the market… WOO HOO!!! Had 1/2 a pot, savored it, swirled it around my mouth like a fine wine… it was YUMMY! Actually, divine… a divine little snack and a 1/2 liter of water.

I want to thank those of you that comment consistently and infrequently… it is a HUGE encouragement to me… keep it up… I go back and read them nearly every day!

Ciao!

What 5 books have influenced you the most?

Posted on September 30, 2011 by flamidwyfe

This is an interesting topic for the WordPress postaday2011. I rarely do the suggested blog because I’m busy blogging about my Dukan journey… but here goes.

The 5 books that have influenced me the most:

The Bible … not just because it’s the Bible… but because it’s a historical retelling and even more influencing to me, it’s a life guide, and I like that 🙂
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume… Wow… my mom checked it out of the Martin Co. Library for me when I was in sixth grade. It wasn’t in our school library… GOD FORBID!!! LOL. This book shows girls that all those weird gooey things we’re feeling are all normal… and yes, even though we think boys are handsome, they really do have cooties! 😀
The Five People You Meet In Heaven, by Mitch Albom. To get the answers of the questions that we so often ask would be phenomenal!
The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield. I have looked at life WAY differently since reading The Celestine Prophecy. One of the most influential lessons in the book for me was that there are no coincidences. Every single person we come into contact with, has a purpose in our lives… sometimes good, sometimes not so good, but a purpose none the less. One thing that I do is acknowledge people, nearly always, when they look at me. Might be was a nod, might be with a smile, might be with a kind word, but I always acknowledge. I have met some really awesome people in some awesome places, simply by acknowledging them and they have made my life richer simply from that gesture… I could go on and on about those non-coincidental contacts, but that would be a LONG blog!
The Pursuit of Happyness, by Chris Gardner. If you think your life is shitty, read this book! Chris puts things into perspective. His pull up your big boy panties attitude took him far in life… And he’s an amazing ROLE MODEL for fathers and where their priorities should be. READ the book, then watch Will Smith play the part in the movie of the same title… PHENOMENAL!

There are so many other books I could list… a few dozen actually… some from my childhood, some from my young adulthood and some from now. But I have to say after writing them all down, these 5 stick out in my head.

So… take your time. Take out a pen and write down the books that have influenced you and then pick the Top 5… Looking forward to your comments!

Edit: I wanted to add something here. Although it isn’t a “book”, The Road Not Taken, a poem written by Robert Frost was a mandatory memorization poem in 8th grade. It absolutely, completely and thoroughly has influenced me probably more than any of the above books… I have definitely taken the one less traveled by and it HAS made ALL the difference!

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Dukan – Day 40

Posted on September 30, 2011 by flamidwyfe

Today was a PP day!

Weight Loss (last 2 days): 1.8 lb/0.80 kg

Total Loss: 25.8 lb/11.71 kg Just cruisin’ along on this program. Had a plateful of yummy looking french fries brought with my “no bun” burger and didn’t touch a one of them… HARD, but I did it.

It’s been a couple of busy days, so I’m only going to recap the days meals:

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, 1/2 liter water, coffee
Snack: 1 boiled egg, coffee
Lunch: 3 slices boiled ham, 1/2 liter water, Diet Coke
Dinner: Two pieces of talapia with herbs, pot of yogurt

I’m walking… A LOT! Over an hour a day. It’s really enjoyable. Walked in a slight drizzle this evening… wonderful. I had a health check yesterday morning and my blood pressure was 111/55 … pulse 62. Waiting on the blood results… can’t wait to see if my cholesterol, which was 184 (normal) has come down anymore. I’ll keep ya posted 🙂

Ciao!

Dukan – Day 36 & 37

Posted on September 27, 2011 by flamidwyfe

PV Day x 2
Weight Loss: 0.7 lb/0.3 kg
Total Loss: 24.2 lb/11.01 kg

Great couple of days… had a slight weight rise on Day 36 (gain = 0.4 lb/0.2 kg), but didn’t veer off the diet:
Day 37 was suppose to be a PP day because Day 36 was a PV, but I had some veggies that were going to spoil if they weren’t eaten, so here’s the breakdown:

Breakfast: Boiled egg, coffee, 1/2 liter water
Snack: Boiled egg, 1/2 liter water
Lunch: Beef patty with handful of salad greens, Diet Coke
Snack: a bit hungry so drank 1/2 liter water
Dinner: 5 oz steak, sauteed onion and the rest of the salad greens, Diet Coke
Snack: Pot of homemade yogurt with 1 diet sweetner and 2 TBS oat bran

Tommorow… a PP day… no greens… I’ll survive. Might have to do 2 PP days to make up for the 2 PV days… we’ll see. Still have some asparagus and mushrooms in the fridge 🙂

Ciao!

Dukan – Day 37

Posted on September 25, 2011 by flamidwyfe

Today was a PP day (Pure Protein)
Weight Loss: 0.9 lb/0.4 kg
Total Loss: 24 lbs/10.91 kg!

Today was a pajama day… literally. I never got out of them, but had a productive day, none the less. I think that pajama days are important. It a day where we give ourselves permission to lounge around, where comfie clothes and still get things done… if we want.

I did a couple of loads of laundry, fixed myself 3 nutritious meals, chatted with lots of people on the internet, did 3 sets of squats and tricep pushups, but no walk. Which is OK, because I’m doing an hour a day, and one day off isn’t a big deal! Love, love, love PJ Days!

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs w/ spices on them, 1/2 liter water, coffee
Snack: Pot of HOMEMADE yogurt… yum! With oat bran & splenda, coffee
Lunch: Leftover chicken from the other night, sauteed with a teeny amt of olive oil, a diet coke and 1/2 liter water.
Dinner: 2 small talapia fillets with garlic and onions. I made a “gravy” with FF yogurt and dijon mustard… could not eat all of this… 1/2 liter of water.

So, that’s what I had… wonderful loungy day… feelin’ groovy 🙂

Ciao!

Pic of the day… This is circa 1986, after having had 3 kids… not so bad!