Jess' Journey

Usually it suffices to breath out onto a friendly other half and he/she'll soon tell you if you're in ketosis. Save your money!!

So how did it go Jess?
 
Ha, ha Joanne - that's so funny you say that! My hubby actually told me yesterday to pick up mints from the shop!! I was like for what? He said I'm on the verge (barely, just...) of being offensive :eek: :eek: but that its good because it means the diet is working. Cheeky monkey!!

And yes, all went well on Saturday though the wine did NOT agree with me at all. Party was great and I looked absolutely ridiculous in my 70's Fancy Dress and stayed out far too late. Made it to Zumba anyway yesterday and did my final PV day perfectly before a new variation (Mon-Thurs PP and Fri-Sun PV).

Foodwise today has been a standard PP day (nothing too exciting!). Weight was STS last week I'm afraid - but it was bound to happen. Had two really good weeks of losses and I'm working out loads. Keeping the faith though and haven't posted as there are loads of nervous newbies out there and don't want to scare anyone!!
 
Plan to Break the Stall!

Morning all and diary!

Well, another STS... its been about 9 days with hardly any weight movement - just a slight fluctuation up and down a pound (187-188).

So, considering my food adherance has been perfect with the exception of a couple of wine slip-ups (but lapse didn't affect my ketosis and calorie count for that day still remained quite low) I'm trying a new strategy.

First, here's yesterdays PP menu:

  • 1 x egg, 6oz Chicken breast, Quark, coffee w/skimmed milk
  • Prawn, tsp cornflour, 1/2 cube chicken stock, 1/2 small onion
  • 200g extra lean mince meatballs, turkey meat, and 1/2 cube beef stock
  • 1xVanilla Mueller Light
  • 40g of fat-free cottage cheese
  • 1x Oat Bran Gallette
So, here's my plan... I'm going to continue exercising nearly every day - the muscle issue will work itself out. I'm here to lose fat, not just weight.

I'm also doing PP Mon-Thurs and PV Fri-Sun (unless it starts to seem that I'm getting frustrated or in a rut).


I've had a couple of bad patterns since starting Dukan. So, while food has been perfect, I still:
  1. Eat breakfast far too late in the morning. Just not hungry and always rushing, but its getting later and later (like 3 hours after getting up). Will resolve to eat something (even small) within 1 hour of waking up.
  2. I've had my Gallette as a snack in evening - but same as 1)... its usually late (almost an hour before bed) as I'm just not hungry and I'm like "oh, I need my oatbran!". Will resolve to have a yogurt w/oatbran or gallette BEFORE tea time so I don't have food sitting on my belly when I go to bed.
We'll see if that does the trick! Wish me luck all :)!
Open to any and all suggestions!!!
 
Hi Jess

For stalling weight, maybe lower dairy slightly if you have a lot of milk in coffee, etc that could stall you? Otherwise, measure yourself - you may be building muscle (probable with all the exercise) so losing in real terms.

As for breakfast, I take a while to wake up, so have a cup of tea or coffee first thing, then breakfast with more tea or coffee about half an hour later, I know it's hard to eat when not hungry though. How about making some muffins to snack on throughout the day to get your oatbran in earlier (you could even have one as breakfast)? Some great recipes on recipe thread for inspiration.

By the way, I'm from NE Scotland (don't live there now though).
 
Hi Robinhood - thanks for the tips! Funny you mention the measurements because I just logged this weeks and I'm very impressed. My waist has NEVER been size (34.5inches). I started at about 38, so I'm well-pleased :) I've got a couple inches of each thigh and nearly 4 from hips... so yes, you're totally right.

Will watch the dairy, though I really don't do much I think (1 yogurt, 1 serving of Quark, and maybe 30mls of coffee... just a splash). Will maybe drink one less coffee and instead have a green tea.

Thanks again!!
 
and cottage cheese isn't fat free surely? which one are you buying and from where please? (I'm on a mission! I searched high and low last week for it while in England and never found it!)

Watch 1/2 onion on PP... just a bit for flavour. Also the stock cube - 1/2 cube could be overly salty... just nits to see if we can get you going again. You are officially in a stall now - but the wine makes me think you need to continue a little - and there are things to do when stalling. First, cut out tolerateds. Second, have a couple of whiter than white days (think bland colour). Just to give yourself a kick start.

Are you exercising at all?

I won't berate you for the late breakfast cos I'm the same. I eat about 4.5 hours after getting up!
 
Will take it all on board Joanne - thanks for the nits :)

I'm definitely exercising - almost every day (5-6 days). That's an increase from my previous level.

You're right - the cottage cheese is 1% Fat.

I've got pretty low blood pressure, so I've not worried about the salt, but it can be contributing to retention now. I'll keep an eye.

I don't actually use anything close to my Tolerated allowance (I use about 5g of the allowed 20g of the Cornflour when I do use and have had a smear of the Extra Light Philly a few times but not every day). Think I'll forgo the Cornflour for a few days :) I was hoping that because I work out so much that I would be able to not worry, but lo-and-behold...
 
Those are great measurements! With your activity level I bet you are building some muscle which weighs more, so even though your scale is staying the same your are really making huge strides. When I was on a physician supervised weight loss plan the doctor told me that all alcohol had to be avoided for the duration of the weight loss because alcohol interfered with the metabolization of fat. He said for each glass of wine I should be prepared for 3 days of STS. I stayed away from the wine :)
 
Gosh that's interesting Sander. I personally learned years ago that I preferred to eat my calories than drink them! But I know we're all different, and because we're not counting calories here, it's harder.

<but I am reliably informed, for the drinkers among us, that vodka + diet coke is the lowest carb drink on the market! Or so the very boozy Atkins ladies tell us!>
 
Heehee - I tried the boozy Atkins approach after I had regained about 30 lbs. I am not a heavy drinker, but my hubby and I like to have a nightcap after the kid has gone to sleep. The thing I like about Dukan is that he doesn't try and give you any slack until you have reached your goal. I figure with all the other stuff I am giving up, why should I risk the possible alcohol effect...
 
and, with me and most of the other old timers here, we don't give much slack either! we've seen what happens when we, or others take it!
 
Well, that was quick... ha, ha!! Scale moved nearly 2lbs down this a.m. as I expected it would.

I was a bit conflicted yesterday as one of the reasons I decided to chose Dukan for my only diet in over 10years was that it was something I thought I could adhere to with relative ease. I was right. But yesterday after posting about my stall, I began obsessing about what I was eating (dairy, onion, yogurt, chicken stock!) and I was feeling exactly how I previously felt on a diet... obsessing, means focusing on food, and I wound up being hungrier than I had been in weeks! I did eat more than usual and perhaps that was the trigger to move on.

So, after careful deliberation, I think I will just do Dukan as Dukan says regardless of any stalls... I have to keep the faith that it will work and my body knows its own pace. I have to remember that I am developing lots of new muscles as I've been working out nearly every day for 3 weeks... that's more than before. The last thing I want to do is feel like the way I'm eating is a chore become I've become so obsessed with the scales! Remember, I has a STS but my waist lost an inch in that exact same time. Not to say I'll stay off scales, but I will not stress or obsess, I will not stress or obsess, I will not stress or obsess! ;)

On a good note - I'm officially "overweight!" Woohoo :D!!!

PS - please don't take my new resolve as any criticism for the wonderful feedback I received yesterday - it was all much appreciated and solicited for sure... this is just my own thing and how I view food and restriction (I like the former and hate the latter!! :))
 
Well done Jess!! :bliss:

And yes, just stick with it, trust the system and try not to obsess - it WILL come off. thanks for proving the point :cool::cool:

If I'm feeling brave I'll repost my actual weight-loss curve one day (it must be lurking somewhere on here already!) and you'll see it's a zigzag, with a downwards trend but plenty of 'ups' too.

And finally, you're working out so much - yes muscle weight more than fat so you've probably lost a lot more fat anyway. Love the detail about the STS accompanied by an inch off the waist - a PERFECT example.

Keep up the good work and in times of stress and obsess come here to offload! (I do!)
 
Pleased to report another move today so I'm officially now down 17.5lbs in less than 4 weeks!! :D I couldn't more pleased with that.

I was presented a challenge yesterday in that I got a last minute-invite to a charity dinner (1st "set" meal that I'd be having.) I knew I couldn't be absolutely perfect as I wouldn't ask the event organisers to ensure my food was cooked with no oil! But I was lucky in that the starter was a salmon terrinne (avoided sauce) and the main was a filet mignon (again avoided sauce) and both dishes had beets which I allowed myself. I did skip the starchier veg (carrots, parsnips, etc. as I already felt I was overdoing it a bit). I also didn't work out yesterday so I didn't want to run the risk of screwing anything up.

Plan for today is do another PP as my hubby is going to a charity dinner himself tonight and so I can sort my own meal. Then we have a ball to go to tomorrow and I'm hoping for a menu similar to yesterday :)! I wil do same as I did last night though - grabbed a gallette and yogurt to sit on my tum before going out. Did the trick.

Having a small very lean steak just now and one egg as I'm going to Step class soon and I struggled last week as I didn't have any energy (because of little food!) Definitely getting my iron in! Will lay off the red meats again, but since I've eaten fish/prawns nearly every night for tea, I figured I was okay.

As for next week, I'm going to have to rethink the 4xPP days and then weekend of PV. I was feeling pretty uninspired this week and I'm concerned as next week is a time for me which in which I usually have "cravings" - sure you catch my drift. Will see how I get on this weekend & decide Sunday.

Bit of an exercise fiend just now - have Step and/or Zumba booked 5x this week and I'm actually excited for it... already bopping around with 17lbs less has made a HUGE difference.

Thanks again for all your support -it really helps! I wish you all super-success and a fabby weekend!
 
Well done, Jess! And good work on staying as Dukan-friendly as possible during the meal. (Makes you feel ever so virtuous, doesn't it! :) )

I know what you mean about losing weight making you feel even more raring to go, exercise-wise. Gives you such a boost.

Have fun at the ball.
 
I bought a cognitive therapy book at the end of last year. I've not read much, I admit, but one thing I read which has stuck with me: "each time you resist, you are strengthening your resistance muscle and it will be that much easier to resist the next time". Each time we crack, however, we facilitate the ease at which we'll do that again.

So well done you!

For "those times", perhaps you might dabble in a little Dukan dessert cookery. I can recommend the tofu yoghurt cake myself...
http://www.minimins.com/dukan-recipes/206944-not-attack-tofu-yoghurt-cake.html

or even just the yoghurt cake.
http://www.minimins.com/dukan-recipes/201181-yoghurt-cake-not-attack.html

I cut it into five and have a piece each evening.

NOT a recipe for Attack... and only if happy with weight loss and/or "in need" of a sweet fix because it does contain cornflour (tolerated)
 
Appreciate the recipes Joanne! That may help. I'm not much of sweets person, but I do like cake-stuff. Was thinking of finally trying to make the Dukan cheesecake but every time I remember, I realise I've already had an egg that day. Going to get back to being more creative so I don't fall into a rut.

I appreciate the kind words as well ladies - I do feel a bit chuffed :) THANKS!
 
Yes, very lucky options... fingers crossed for tomorrow :) I do have to say though, given no other option I really think I'd go without eating. Not a morsel of food that shouldn't has passed my lips in nearly 4 weeks... why would I start messing things up now?

As for food today - think I'm nearly PP again but will be definitely eat some vegs this weekend!

B= 1 x egg; 1 x small lean steak; bit of skimmed milk & coffee
L= 3 x extra lean mince meatballs covered lightly in my Cioppino sauce; Quark, Cottage Chs, & Fromage Frais mixture baked on top
T= 1 x Cod Loin; 250g of Prawns; 1/2 cube chicken stock, 1/2 very small onion & some Quark again
S= 1x Cinnamon Oatbran Gallette; 1 x Muller Light Vanilla; 1x slice of roast beef & handful of my turkey strips that I make up by the batch
 
Wow! You have done fantastic! Well done x
 
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