Cruising for Eternity

[jaqys]

My last roommate has PCOS and she seemed to get the symptoms of TOTM whether it actually happened or not. And as you'll know that could be pretty erratic timing wise.

I'd forgotten about your PCOS when you were starting conso, were your symptoms much better when on cruise? Sugar and bread could be an issue for you healthwise if not weightwise.

Do have a good think on alternatives rather than cutting things out.

Best of luck and hope things even out soon.

 

[Emmma]

I'm sorry you're still struggling with this BE, I so wanted you to have a smooth transition to conso. Hopefully you'll find a way to make it work for you and things will settle down soon...

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

Jaqys - I had not realised until recently about the sugar issue with PCOS. Apparently there's a higher risk of developing diabetes with the syndrome, so if the diet has taught me something it is that it may we worthwhile to get used to Splenda... since I started the diet my symptoms generally have been totally out of whack, with the weightloss everything else has become much worse, but I gather that is not unusual, and the weightloss is definitely advised.
I am at the end of my tether with the whole thing as for me it's been going on for years and it's so hard to get any type of practical advice.

Thanks for the responses again.. Emma I had hoped it would be smooth too, after the stopping and starting!

Unfortunately I am off the diet full stop this weekend as yet again my stomach bug has returned and if I can eat anything it's not going to be Dukan-friendly! I was doing well yesterday, yoga and a a decent walk and run -always the way that something else comes along to undo my good work!

 

[Maintainer]

oh no BE - not again... I "hope" it is a tummy bug and not a food intolerance or something like that. Take care of yourself and feel free to eat rice etc if it helps...

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

Been a while since an update - ill for the duration of the Easter weekend so yet again had to go on to an Anti-Dukan regime until I was more stable. I'm now considering as to whether my issue is, like Jo suggests, an allergy rather than a bug.

Anyway, I weighed in today and am actually below target weight, again, after weighing in quite a bit over target weight last week.

So, I imagine that once I get back into conso properly, I will probably see the same fluctuation.

So I'm still thinking out loud here - can anything be said for doing more than one protein day a week during conso as a way to stabilise the weight and keep the possibility of gaining down?

Just wondering, now I am back by my target I dread to have a celebration this weekend and see another gain, but I know this process is the whole point of the diet!!!

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

Hmm, I guess not!

Well anyway I will go ahead with another celebration meal tomorrow and possibly do a couple of protein days afterwards instead of just the one and see how I fare after that.

Yesterday:

B: Galette
L: Salmon Fillet and Salad
D: Steak Chilli with Peppers, Mushrooms and Salad plus Pinto Beans - starch portion, I made them refried (no frying required) and so much better than the canned variety!
S: Galette

Exercise: Yoga, Walk

 

[Maintainer]

Hi there BE... I'm just back, but have read your last posts, and the first time I did Conso I was constantly trying adding in extra PPs and taking away starch portions and gala meals after a bad weigh in, so pretty much ended up on the diet, without ketosis, and lost the plot pretty quickly!

Now that there is just the one portion of starch per week and just the one gala, in your place, I'd go for it more openly. Do you still use the wheatmeal? Perhaps not a good thing with your recent tummy problems?

 

[dukandebut]

Brownie - I'm really hoping you can make this work. There must be a way.

If only they could make a hybrid of you and me (with all my unwanted weight loss), we'd be the perfect Dukan Stabiliser!

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

I wish, DD!

Well, I was thinking of doing a couple of protein days, then the bread/cheese/fruit days the rest of the week, add in the starch on one weekend day and the gala on the other weekend day, try that for a while and see how well I go with the weigh-in, and if it's working, reduce to just the one protein day.

Maybe it's more difficult because I inevitably have dairy as part of my gala meal which leaves me feeling/looking larger, but celebration meals are hardly celebratory if you're limited to cooking without dairy!

I haven't had wheatbran in a couple of weeks now, I only added it occasionally but am steering clear!

Sunday:

Breakfast: Galette
Lunch: Apple and Salad (no protein I know, but only wanted something light)
Dinner: Prawn Cocktail, Baked Stuffed Salmon with Arabbiata Red Wine Sauce, Strawberry Cream Cheesecake... plus more than a few Easter Eggs 1 tiny glass champagne - supposed to complement the meal but as I don't drink it didn't really add anything!

I'm also going to start on a course of probiotics that I picked up in a health shop - it's supposed to help with food intolerance etc. and I hope it may help!

 

[dukandebut]

Good luck with your new approach, Brownie. Keeping my fingers very tightly crossed that it will work for you.

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

It's just a thought really, based on the idea of that I probably should avoid sugar and dairy fullstop, but it's not possible with a celebration... I'm only thinking that could be why I see such an excess gain.

Monday:

B: Egg White Omelette
L: Grilled Chicken
D: Salmon - I know we're not supposed to for PP, but there was so much left and I didn't think it was the worst thing!
S: Galette

Exercise: Super Long Walk

Tuesday:

B: Galette
D: Grilled Chicken with Prawns and Broth
S: Galette

Exercise: Walk/Run

 

[jaqys]

I think salmon is okay on conso pp, just in stab that youre meant to be super strict.

How are you feeling now? All better?

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

Jaqys - I think I am fairly recovered (touch wood) from being ill again, thanks I do have a cold now though, I must have the immune system of E.T.

Wednesday:

B: Galette
L: Roast Chicken Breast (took this to work but left the salad on the side at home )
D: Grilled Chicken, Squash, Courgettes and Spinach
S: Galette

Exercise: Walk

Thursday:

B: Galette
L: McDonalds Grilled Chicken Salad No dressing and no bacon.
D: Grilled Chicken, Courgettes, Mushrooms and Spinach
S: Apple and Galette

Exercise: About 6 hours wandering around the highstreet counts, right?!

Started my probiotics yesterday... it's a 7 day course so we'll see how it goes.

So I did my weekly weigh in today, unfortunately after 1 1/2 pints of water and breakfast, but I weighed in at 9st 1 1/2lbs. So, take of 1lb for the water and I am just about on target... fingers crossed!

 

[dukandebut]

Well done, Brownie. Whilst it sounds as though Conso is likely to be a more difficult process for you, I really think that you will manage to make it work - even if it has to be adapted to suit your particular needs.

You can rightly be proud of yourself for not giving up.

 

[Maintainer]

Absolutely BE... I'm watching, reading and learning... that gala meal had one course too many though!! (The Easter Egg course!!) I do recall swapping dessert for chocolate a couple of times myself, against the advice of those coaching me at the time!!

Jaq is right re salmon - ok on Conso PP. Just not on Stab.

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

I'd happily swap the celebration 'meal' for a three course chocolate feast

It's funny (not haha) that now I have started conso I find myself itching for the celebration meal by Friday and it's not planned till Sunday - whereas the rest of the past year I found it much easier (within reason) to abstain completely.

 

[dukandebut]

I'd happily swap the celebration 'meal' for a three course chocolate feast

It's funny (not haha) that now I have started conso I find myself itching for the celebration meal by Friday and it's not planned till Sunday - whereas the rest of the past year I found it much easier (within reason) to abstain completely.

Yes to both points.

I count the days, hours, minutes and seconds until my galas, which is really not a very good idea, I suppose.

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

Me too! I find that I probably obsess over dinner a little too much, I plan for tomorrow's before I have eaten today's!

So yesterday I actually ended up having a cheats day, by accident at first, which made me mad, but after which point I thought oh well, I may as well accept it and go with it, so I added some extras in. Not how I wanted it to turn out but I haven't slipped up so far (i.e. haven't desperately and binged on a tin of biscuits or whatever) and this was a mishap and then fairly concerted, so, despite the fact I have been struggling with maintaining and actually had a good weigh in yesterday which I should not have messed up, I'm strangely unpeturbed at the moment.

I would have gone ahead and made it my full-stop celebration meal but unfortunately that is well and truly planned for tomorrow and there is no getting out of it!

Yesterday:

B: Galette
L: Salmon Fillet and Salad
...plus my accident
D: Grilled Chicken, Cheese and Mushroom Quesadilla with Courgettes and Peppers
S: Galette

Exercise: Really long walk

 

[dukandebut]

That's the danger of having one little treat - it becomes so much easier for it to turn into a binge. You sound like me, Brownie. That's why I have to be careful when what Jo so accurately describes as "head hunger" comes into play. At times like that, I could easily and absentmindedly eat a whole big box of chocolates.

The important thing is for us to learn from our mistakes. Drink plenty of water and maybe go a little stricter for a while. I think that giving ourselves a sense of balance, just as Anja and Laura often brilliantly demonstrate, will help to make things work - cutting back after overdoing things so that it all evens out.

Hope the scales will be kind on your next weigh-in, Brownie.

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

I totally agree with what Dr. D says in the book about 'just this once' and how that often turns out. I have realised that I am very binge-prone

The thing yesterday was that I accidently had something with my lunch that someone else made that turned out to be totally un-Dukan friendly and after I realised the slip I just went with it.
Apart from that, I think I have been pretty steely when it comes to determination - I have often cooked for others, especially making pizzas and desserts and so forth without cheating, so because yesterday was accidental to start with (and then by design) I don't feel AS bad as if it had been because I buckled, you know? I think if I had struggled like that during the diet I wouldn't have lasted very long on it.

The only thing that sucks is tomorrow is a big planned event so I still have to go ahead with the celebration as planned, it's not worth the aggravation not to!