Going on a diet and following it to the letter is kind of like going to college. If you’re going to do it right and get a degree and be successful in your ‘career’ you have to study it, learn it, live it and breathe it. That is how college was for me and that has been how following the Dukan Diet has been for me. I bought the book at the urging of my friend Lucy. I threw it in my carry on to read while on vacation in the States last August and didn’t pull it out until I was on the plane going back to Abu Dhabi having been at my class reunion and being horrified at how fat I was in the pictures. Did everyone love me just the same? Of course they did, but OH MY GOD I was fat.
At the very start of the trip I met with my a school colleague, John Geraghty, for some life coaching. My weight was just one of the issues I wanted to discuss and it wasn’t even a major one. I wanted to talk about my career, moving forward, opening myself up for relationships and my weight. I admitted to John at the session that I weighted 255 pounds. The words coming out of my mouth astounded me. How did I get there? John gave me many tools for making changes that needed to be made in order to move forward. In fact, I changed jobs (and countries) the following month and I read Dr. Dukan’s book, word for word on that plane on the way home.
I’ve read all the books… Seriously… ALL OF THEM… This one MADE SENSE. Dr. Dukan’s philosophy on low carb and low fat and learning how to eat well and stay healthy made sense. And so, I embarked on his program August 20, 2012… Dukan Diet 101….
THAT 101 STANDS FOR A LOSS of 101 POUNDS!!! That’s 45.9 KILOGRAMS and 7 STONES 3 POUNDS. A LOT 🙂 A side note… They sucked out 3.96 pounds of fat last Thursday.
I’ve exceeded my goal by one pound. Now, I know, I promised not to weigh for 10 days post op, but I just couldn’t do it. My scale is my friend. It’s literally been there through thick and thin… Literally 😀 I’m not sure what my true weight is, because I still have quite a bit of swelling and edema.
So, what does this mean? IM IN PHASE 3!!! CONSOLIDATION!!!! WOO HOO!!!! I’m actually Day 8 consolidation, as I added cheese and some fruit in my diet last Friday. I felt like I needed the extra good fat in the cheese and the little bit if fructose (I’ve only had 2 apples and 1 pear) for energy while healing. That’s Day 8 of 500 days. Dr. Dukan recommends that you do the consolidation phase 5 days for every pound you lose. In the Consolidation phase you can add back in 2 slices of bread per day… I will NOT be doing that. After reading Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis and just knowing how amazing my body feels without it, I plan on being wheat free for life. Since going wheat free due to the Dukan diet in August I have not had a migraine, vertigo, reflux (heartburn), allergies, joint pain or IBS. NONE. I will pretty much follow a Paleo type meal plan throughout my Dukan Phase 3. I have done extensive reading on all of it… Seriously, like going to college for nutrition, and I have figured out what is best for me.
I’m back to nightly walks, I will do yoga (gentle yoga) starting Monday (okayed by doctor) and can start running again next Thursday, thank God since my first 5K is only 3 weeks and 1 day away!
So that’s the update 😀 I cannot thank all of you enough for the support, love, cheering and good wishes. To my family and friends… You are the BEST… To my new blogging friends… I am so glad we’re on this journey together… You inspire me… All of you!
Ciao!
Parting shots:
Me in April 2011
Jan-April 2011
May-August 2011
Sept-Dec 2011
Today 154 pounds 🙂
