A New Challenge

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012

Current Weight: 76,6 kg (168,52 lbs)

Starting weight: 97, 8 kg (215,16 kg)

Weight lost since July 2011: -21,2 kg (- 46,64 lbs)

CHALLENGE until July 5th:
arrive at normal BMI:  6,1 kg  (13,42 lbs) to go

On July 5th I will be on Dukan for an entire year (not following the diet rigidly at times, taking off for vacations etc.) So the time has come to challenge myself: I want to be at a normale BMI by that date! I was supposed to reach my true weight of 67 kg (147,50 lbs) in November, but that didn't happen and is ok. I think the projections Dukan makes only come true when you really, truly stick to his plan. And I admit I didn't always faithfully do so. But I am fine with that, as in the meantime I learned damage control, how to slip but not to fall, how to get right back onto my feet, and how even after some weeks off not to let my weight get the better of me. The most I have gained back so far is 3 kg, and although that might seem a lot, once you go off all-protein, you will immediately start retaining water - so 3 kg is not 3 kg of fat.


Anyways, to hit my goal I will have to be sticking to the plan as written, I know that! But I am in for it. I would also like to keep on working out! Last week I faithfully clocked in my three workouts, yesterday I took the pouring rain as an excuse to not even get into my car and drive to the gym (I totall managed to convince myself!)


I think I'll also start the Couch to 5K program! Seems a lot of you are having fun with it. Plus I found a site that has free mp3 cues, so I can also do it outside, when the weather is nice (I had a great workout at the beach on Saturday.


Happy Dukaning, everybody!

Perceptions about our bodies

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

Current Weight: 76,9 kg (169,18 lbs)

Starting weight: 97, 8 kg (215,16 kg)

Weight lost since July 2011: -20,9 kg (- 45,98 lbs)
Kg left to lose to normal BMI:  6,4 kg (14,08 lbs)

No weight changes to report, although I have been good. But that might be TTOM's fault.
Today I logged my second exercise session - and I am feeling GOOD about it. Amazing what a little exercise can do for your confidence and for your self-esteem.

BTW: let's talk about perception!

I remember feeling super skinny at this exact weight when I first hit it a while back.

Now that I am back at this weight after having been at a lower weight (even if it's just a 2,5 kg weight gain), I suddenly feel flabby and kind of gross.

How's that?

I still fit into the exact same clothes as I did the first time at this weight. There is nothing different ... except my perception.

I think that this is really, really important, at whatever weight we are at.
Even when we are starting off at a really high weight - most likely we are at a weight that somebody else wishes they were at. Crazy as it seems to us at the time!
That's why mini-goals are so important. Looking at them again and again makes you realize how far you have come, especially when you get stuck. I mean, a few months ago, I only dreamed of being where I am at now. So why wallow in misery? (I am not, as a matter of fact!)

Happy Dukaning and see you after the weekend ... if the weather stays beautiful I might not be able to avoid putting on a costume and hanging out at the sea! I am not quite mentally ready for that :-)

I'm back ...!

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

Current Weight: 76,9 kg (169,18 lbs)

Starting weight: 97, 8 kg (215,16 kg)

Weight lost since July 2011: -20,9 kg (- 45,98 lbs)
Kg left to lose to normal BMI:  6,4 kg (14,08 lbs)

Hello everybody ... I'm back. With a Ph.D. and 2.5 kg more than before. I can handle that!

I didn't fall off the wagon in the U.S. ... I jumped off with joy into all the ethnic culinary delights that are not available here. Thai food, Indian food, Mexican, take-out Chinese ... and blue corn chips! I forgot how much I love blue corn chips.
Anyways, I didn't even try resisting the temptations, as it was for a short time only - my excuse was that I only had a short amount of time to eat food that otherwise simply isn't available. I think if I were surrounded by it all the time, it would become as uninteresting to me as Italian food has become over the years.

So now I am back and back on track. But I have decided that I have to do something about the flab as well. So I will try to take up going to the gym again. I mean, I pay premium membership each month and haven't set foot inside that gym in months ... that's such a waste of time. My excuse is always that I am too tired and burned out - but I know for a fact that I get more energetic if I work out, and that the energy lasts all day long. So even when I think I am tired and I don't have the time to work out - the energy boost I get helps me do my work better and stay awake and alert more. I also have to do something about my "batwings" - my loose skin under the upper arms. I am not into showing much skin, but at least I'd like to wear tank tops when it gets hot without being too embarassed.

So how did everybody else do? I am going to check in on your blogs now ... 

Off until May 9th!

Tuesday, April 25th, 2012

Current Weight: 74,5 kg (163,90 lbs)

Starting weight: 97, 8 kg (215,16 kg)

Weight lost since July 2011: -23,3 kg (- 51,26 lbs)
Kg left to lose to normal BMI:  4,0 kg (8,8 lbs)

Goodby everybody until May 9th!

I'm off getting my Ph.D. :-) 

2 mini-goals hit!!!

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Current Weight: 74,3 kg (163,46 lbs)

Starting weight: 97, 8 kg (215,16 kg)

Weight lost since July 2011: -23,5 kg (- 51,70 lbs)
Kg left to lose to normal BMI:  3,8 kg (8,36 lbs)
So I guess mental activity does burn calories - I was sitting in front of the computer all day yesterday, slaving away. Oh, ok, I did forget to eat and fell into bed too tired to feed myself. I just managed to eat some cottage cheese before my eyes closed. But the result certainly did not disappoint me! FINALLY the scale deigned to drop below 75 kg! I did have to fight for that ... ok, I wasn't consistent in my dieting (read a few posts ago, where my weight peaked at 78,2 kg - wait, that was less than a week ago, how did I lose so fast!?)

Anyway, I have lost almost 25% of my starting bodyweight. That's crazy!
That's 1/4 of me ...
Quite a bit more than my 5-year old weighs!!! 

Ok, back to work. I will check in once more tomorrow before this blog will momentarily be on vacation!

Just missed mini-goal by a hair!

Monday, April 23th, 2012

Current Weight: 75,1 kg (165,22 lbs)

Starting weight: 97, 8 kg (215,16 kg)

Weight lost since July 2011: -22,7 kg (- 49,94 lbs)
Kg left to lose to normal BMI:  4,6 kg (10,12 lbs)

Hah, cute. I didn't hit my next mini-goal (50 lbs lost) by 0,06 lbs this morning! But possibly I will kill two birds with one stone tomorrow morning (poor birds!): finally less than 75 kg and 50 lbs lost. Or, much more likely, my scale won't cooperate and jump upwards!!

So I am going back to the US after a 5 year absence on Thursday! Only for  12 days, but I can't wait, I am so excited. The reason: one week from now I will be defending my Ph.D dissertation at that little known third rate school in Cambridge, MA!!! :-)
Usually it takes 6-8 years to get a Ph.D in my field - I have been working on it for 10 (thanks also to my baby and other life challenges, such as getting stuck in Italy) ... and I still can't believe I actually pulled myself together and finished! I think I have mentioned it before, but I started finishing the dissertation when I went on Dukan, and one thing inspired the other for sure. I just sort of got my act together, and losing weight on a continuous basis kept me working on my dissertation, too. And now that I have finished my dissertation - I will also reach goal weight. Are you kidding? ... although I will probably come back from the US having gained some weight, as I can't wait to eat certain things again (mostly ethnic foods) that I haven't tasted in so many years.

Dukan News ...

Thank you, scale!

After a PP day yesterday, I was down a whopping 1,8 kg (3,96 lbs), which brings me back into my "ballpark". Within  a week I will be back where I was or below, I know it! I want to hit that next mini-goal, I am so close to it!!!

So, updates from the new Dukan book, that just came out in Italy. (BTW: kind of ironic how he says in his original book that you have to stick to his diet "to the letter" and may not vary from it one bit, or all will be lost, but then he goes on changing the rules in his online coaching and with each new edition! ... although I like that the diet is evolving!)

- sesame seeds are allowed to season protein on PP days! Yeah!!!

- tomatoes / tomatoe sauce are allowed as flavoring on PP days for protein
- 1 teaspoon olive oil is allowed after the Attack phase
- 1 tablespoon of wheat bran is allowed in addition to the oat bran
- 1 tablespoon of soy flour is tollerated per day

Oh, and he has "always" been interested in and convinced of the amazing properties of Shirataki Konjac noodles ... I must have missed that in all the previous editions! But his website now sells them! Which of course has nothing to do with his longtime interest and conviction in the amazing properties of that item ... (has anybody tried these, by the way? any good? they are quite expensive!)

since "always" a staple of the Dukan Diet

Oh, and since I am being pissy, the story of his daughter Maya and the invention of the galette recipe is also quite different in the new book than in the old one.

 (I know this has no bearing on the validity of the diet ... but I get testy when I feel my leg is being pulled!)

Happy Dukaning ...