Dukan, Diabetes and Dinner Suits

[Andi75]

Well done Matt!! You've hit a big milestone I often find that if I have a small loss one week it will be a big one next & vice versa.... Reading my old diaries, the weeks I did 30 mins walk 7 days in a row my losses were fab...it's easier said than done but so worth the effort, waterproof coat & headphones and you're good to go!

 

[MattR]

Well - a pleasant surprise at my weekly weigh in today - at "oh my god" o'clock.

A four pounds drop on the week - so now weighing in at 19st 9.3lbs - tantalisingly close to the two stone barrier. (19st 5.9lbs)

I'm really pleased to have survived a weekend at my Mums house - who loves good food, and cooking for me (I swerved bacon sandwiches by having no bread and a couple of leaner pieces of bacon - although I forgot to take skimmed milk so had my oatbran 'full fat' on Saturday), and a meal out on Saturday night in a new Italian restaurant (I had a massive steak, spinach, and two tiny potatoes for show). I even managed a roast dinner yesterday by having no potatoes, roast beef, cabbage, carrots saved me, although I might have teared up when I saw my Mums roasties in goose fat!

I put in bags of effort last week to keep to PP/PV days and maintain my water and exercise levels so I could prepare for any wagon-falling at Mum - and I think it paid off.

This week - am starting with two attack days, then PV, PP, PV - in order to go out for a meal for my Dads's birthday on Friday...

For now, I shall be happy with being the lightest I have been for 12 or 15 years... and well into the 19's!

 

[Andi75]

Wow....nice feeling isn't it all those good food choices (declining roast potatoes) all add up to a great loss on the scales....well done Matt!!

 

[MattR]

Interim update - no official weigh in till Monday.... but jumped on this morning and hit 19st6lbs!

Thats two stone lost in anyones book...and I'm really pleased.

Just need to get through the weekend sensibly now, and I'll be very happy on Monday!

 

[MattR]

Well - Monday Morning weigh in... 19st6lbs - at exactly 8 weeks since starting this journey (feels like longer really)

Have been sticking to alternating PP/PV days - although not always perfect, celebrated a family birthday on Friday with an off the rails plate of charcuterie in a local restaurant - but largely I am sticking to it.

Need to really amp up my exercise now, It's going to get harder to keep this all up unless I keep the effort up.

Happy Mondays all!

 

[Maintainer]

Good for you, Matt. You've really knuckled down, faced the challenges, and come out the other side with a great loss. Exercise certainly is the key to keeping it off, in my humble opinion, so it's good to have the routine established before the so difficult consolidation and stabilisation phases. Was your Mum thrilled?

 

[Dukanista]

Brilliant result, Matt. You should be proud of yourself.

 

[MattR]

I'm back - after a week away from home at a conference in spain.... and it hasn't been great news for my Dukan effort. I *really* struggled last week, very little choice on the food, with conference food for three hundred meaning a lot of wheat based, cheese based and no opportunity for my daily oatbran porridge - impossible for me to keep Dukan focused without trips to shops/supermarkets.

So - I tried to keep it lean, but ended up making some bad choices ( I even ate sweets and crisps - WTF) - and this morning I have 19st 8lbs on the scales - a net gain of two pounds over the week. I know two pounds is not the end of the world, but after such solid work - I feel a bit guilty not being able to keep the good work up for a week.

This morning I am back in attack mode - I'll stay PP until Thursday to try and get back to losing ways... lots of water, and I'm going back to regular gym sessions to help a bit more (I have missed that since starting Dukan). I will be pushing hard until Christmas - and then taking a couple of weeks off to enjoy the festivities - I'll be off work, so off my diet too - thats how I am thinking of it.

Can I hit 18's before Christmas? I really hope so. 5 weigh ins to go before I clock off for the break...

 

[Andi75]

Your first gain is always hard to swallow....but ....you have been away with no food choices, and when you have to eat non dukan stuff it makes you crave all the wrong things like crisps and chocolates....so don't be too hard on yourself...look at the bigger picture of how amazing you have done!! If you do 1 strict PP day with loads of water & your walk you will lose that 2lbs in one day...liking your signature weeks...very motivating..

 

[MattR]

Thanks Andi - was a bit disheartened this morning - but you are right, I can get rid of this quickly.

 

[MattR]

Well - that was a tough week... my lapse at conference the previous week gave me my first gain, so I went back "on the attack" for the first half of last week. Then PP/PV for the weekend.

This mornings weigh-in was 19st4lbs - so a good recovery. Net/Net - I am 2 pounds down for the month... which doesn't feel bad, but 4 lbs down for the week feels great.

All of that keeps me on target for 18st something by Christmas.

The only downside is that I cracked/broke a rib in a freak DIY accident (I always said it was bad for you, and should be avoided at all costs) - so my planned return to the gym is a little bit hindered, but I can walk OK so will be stepping (geddit?) that up this week. Just nothing too exerting!

Going to go PP/PV this week... would like to get back to a steady 1 or 2 pounds off per week... and keep with the plan!

Now - quick question - can anyone recommend some sugar free sweets? I have been eating SF polos for a while, just a few a day to take the edge off appetite cravings - but I'm wondering what recommendations people have for alternatives.

Till next week my Dukan darlings!

 

[Andi75]

Well - that was a tough week... my lapse at conference the previous week gave me my first gain, so I went back "on the attack" for the first half of last week. Then PP/PV for the weekend.

This mornings weigh-in was 19st4lbs - so a good recovery. Net/Net - I am 2 pounds down for the month... which doesn't feel bad, but 4 lbs down for the week feels great.

All of that keeps me on target for 18st something by Christmas.

The only downside is that I cracked/broke a rib in a freak DIY accident (I always said it was bad for you, and should be avoided at all costs) - so my planned return to the gym is a little bit hindered, but I can walk OK so will be stepping (geddit?) that up this week. Just nothing too exerting!

Going to go PP/PV this week... would like to get back to a steady 1 or 2 pounds off per week... and keep with the plan!

Now - quick question - can anyone recommend some sugar free sweets? I have been eating SF polos for a while, just a few a day to take the edge off appetite cravings - but I'm wondering what recommendations people have for alternatives.

Till next week my Dukan darlings!

ah well done!!! Been wondering how your attack went! Fantastic loss after your lapse!

sugar free sweets are literally my life savers, especially in work. I know werthers originals sugar free are allowed (officially no more than 5 per day), and I also eat M&S strawberry & cream sugar free sweets, they are usually at the tills, they do butterscotch (I'm not keen) but my husband loves them. I've also discovered Aldis Cola sugar free sweets which are gorgeous & I bought 4 boxes of them last week!!

happy sweet eating!!

 

[MattR]

ah well done!!! Been wondering how your attack went! Fantastic loss after your lapse!

sugar free sweets are literally my life savers, especially in work. I know werthers originals sugar free are allowed (officially no more than 5 per day), and I also eat M&S strawberry & cream sugar free sweets, they are usually at the tills, they do butterscotch (I'm not keen) but my husband loves them. I've also discovered Aldis Cola sugar free sweets which are gorgeous & I bought 4 boxes of them last week!!

happy sweet eating!!

Thanks - am pleased this morning.

Yes - it's work where I eat a sweet or two... I spent most of yesterday working on a website for someone at home... the craving is strong there so a polo or two keeps me from heading for bad things.

I shall try the werthers ones - I saw those in sainsbury last week... I shall have to find my nearest aldi for Cola sweets.... I used to love cola bottles.

Thanks Andi!

 

[Dukanista]

Hi Matt,

My favourites are the ones from sula - mint humbug is the best! Holland & Barrett stocks a wide range. Also the ricola ones, which are more fruity.

Be careful not to overdose on them, though - you'll pay for it!

 

[MattR]

Well - a step backwards this week... one pound gained, but to be fair it was all down to me. Self sabotage!

Mid Week weigh-in on Thursday showed me on 19st 2lbs - good progress... but a weekend without any control didn't help me at all.

Went to a party on Friday night, nibbled crisps and ate a burger (first bread since I started the diet). Had people round for dinner on Saturday night - I was in control, but still munched bread over a really nice meal. Sunday - was better, but I still managed to eat crisps whilst watching the grand prix. In a final act of implosion, I went out to buy petrol, and ate a bar of Dairy Milk. Idiot.

All in all - a lack of self discipline has set me back... and I knew it all along.

So - am back on the wagon as of yesterday evening - had a PP dinner of steak, with a side of steak - and I'll do four days of attack to get myself back on the straight and narrow. I have ham and turkey sitting beside me on my desk, and a big bottle of water.

I know I can fix this, but I need to regain my control quickly and get back on track to be UNDER 19st by Christmas.

I definitely don't like seeing a gain on my timeline.

 

[Maintainer]

Hi there Matt. It's true that it's so easy for the lapses to come hard and fast once the first one has happened. Good for you to be so strong to pull back, although hopefully you won't have to do that tough 4 x PP day thing very often (as it can be counterproductive).

I know you'll reach your target for Christmas... and, after all, we can still eat very well at Christmas without necessarily totally losing the plot.

x

 

[MattR]

Well - getting past this stage is proving harder than I expected. Morning weigh in today, 19st4lbs... a pound lighter than last week, so it's something, but last week was a real week of fluctuation - I was between 19st3lb (yay) and 19st8lb (boo) on different days.

Staying on course to get below 19st by Christmas is starting to feel a little bit further away - but I am staying focused and keeping the faith.

I decided to motivate myself by comparing two pictures. This is me a year ago, and taken last week - it is really helping me, because now I can see the progress.



I have decided today that I am going to bite the bullet and get a personal trainer, this should keep me more focused on the gym and also mean I can get a workout that is tailored for me.

Till next week dukan darlings!

 

[Andi75]

Fantastic pics!! You've done amazing
Everyone's progress slows and speeds up for all sorts of reasons & a lot of the time unknown reasons...the main thing is its a downward slope on the whole..
Hard keeping the motivation but the scales only show half the story...it's how you feel that is such a good motivator...
Tricky time for all of us this month, but we've all come such a long way....roll on January

 

[MattR]

Feels like I am back on course this Monday - week 14 of Dukan, and my early morning weigh in has me at 19st 0lbs exactly - a much much better week!

I have figured out, it is Friday, Saturday and Sunday that really kill me - I can easily stick to PP/PV days from Monday to Thursday - my work routine is simple I can itemise it in my head. Oatbran porridge, some ham in the morning, chicken for lunch, steak or chicken for dinner... loads of water, and at least 5/6k steps on my fitbit.

I come to Friday - and all the associated temptations kick in. This weekend, I took a different tactic, had a wobbly Friday - and then on Saturday/Sunday, kept really busy, focused on pure protein during the day and then going a bit off piste in the evenings, but minimising/eliminating the carbs.

It worked a treat this week - I reached Sunday within striking distance on my 19st target - and then had a very sensible day yesterday to wake up exactly on the button at 19st. First time in 20 years.

I now know that this week I will see 18 at the start of my weight - and despite having a challenging week of meals out (christmas meals etc) I can achieve my 18-something target my Christmas.

Oh yeah - and I wore a 36 inch pair of new jeans on Friday night - I reckon for the first time since I was 20 something!

Till next week Dukan Darlings!

 

[MattR]

Double update for the week - managed to hit my Christmas target today. 18st 13lbs on the scales.

I promised myself that I would have an 18 in front of things by Christmas, and I thought it might take right up until the reindeers were in motion... I am 15 days early, and well pleased!

Pushing myself to get about 4 or 5 pounds off by the 19th now, when I stop working, and relax the diet a bit.

Happy days!