Sander's Dukan Diary

Sander23

Chronic Recidivist
I decided to give this diary a go instead of posting my status into the general list.

So today is Day 5 of Attack. Yesterday I felt pretty horrible and thought about moving to Cruise early, but then I decided to modify my Attack plan a little bit an see if I could make it through the 7 days. Here's why --

I have a milk protein allergy. I have normally been able to tolerate cheeses and yoghurts, but milk, cream, ice cream, whipped cream, puddings, custards, etc. all make me very ill - my throat closes up, my nose clogs, and I start vomiting. Not fun. I read that many people with this situation still succeed on Dukan, in fact soemtimes their allergies resolve and no longer trouble them, so I thought I would try. For my attack phase I incorporated non-fat cottage cheese and non-fat plain greek yogurt. I didn't try to do the custards or cremes. I used the cottage cheese in my gallettes, which were very good. I didn't have any allergic reaction that I noticed so I thought this would be doable. However, looking at the last 4 days I am fairly certain that my body has been reacting to the milk proteins because they are so much higher a percentage of the food that I am eating than they are normally.

So yesterday I cut out all of the milk based items (except for the gallette which I had already eaten before coming to this decision) and I feel much better. Just eggs, oat bran, and splenda was not near as tasty, this morning though.

So I'm wondering - Is anyone else doing this non-dairy?
 
Attack Day 6 - OK, fine, whatever

Feeling pretty good, slept well, but dreamed I was eating peanut butter toast and then afterwards in my dream was aghast at myself when I'm not supposed to eat that :eek: Am drinking a ton of water and taking the extra fiber supplements, but still having a constipation problem (55 hours) which is annoying. I am hoping that when I switch to cruise on Monday the veggies will sort it out.
 
Hi and welcome - sounds like you're doing just fab. Tricky about the dairy - soya milk is an 'allowed' item, strictly rationed to one glass a day I think, but Tofu is allowed. If you buy the 'silken' type you can whizz it up in a blender and it comes out lovely and creamy with a minimal flavour (hard to describe), and you can use it like yoghurt or fromage frais for example in anything sweet or savoury. Even though we all knew tofu existed and was another protein source on the diet, collectively the forum group has just 'discovered' it when one of us (Maintainer) was looking to reduce egg consumption. So some of us are experimenting with it at the moment and like what we find (me at least)

As for the constipation issue - there is also less waste to come out if all you're eating is protein, so your transit slows, it's not constipation per se. While in cruise it's not unusual nor anything to worry about to only 'go' ever few days. In emergencies you can use Senna tablets (you can also get Senna herbal tea), but try not to make it a habit.
Once in Cruise - you're also allowed to eat Rhubarb - technically a Vegetable, and also helpful with transit issues! And currently in season too (or get it frozen from Asda)
 
Attack Day 7 - OMG, I'm going to make it

Last day of attack - and I am finally getting used to this new pattern of eating. Getting rid of the dairy really helped. I actually ate out yesterday, which was a really weird experience. I got a chpped sirloin steak with no sauce. It came with onions and mushroom (which I love) but I pushed them to the side and they gave me a ton of broccoli since I said no potato - it looked lovely. But I also didn't eat it. I had the waiter put it and the onions and mushrooms in a box to tke home for eating on Monday :) I drank only water and felt really satisfied. Weirdest meal I've ever had out though. My parent sent me 5 pounds of smoked salmon for mother's day instead of chocolates. so I've had that for snacks and treats around the house. Feeling pretty happy, and my clothes are looser and my face less puffy. YAY!
 
Day 1- Cruise

OK - this phase lasts 272 days. I lost a total of 7 lbs on attack - I was really hoping for double-digits, but a pound a day isn't shabby! For cruise I am moving to weekly weigh-ins, so hopefully Friday mornings will be kind to me. I went out and bought a bunch of veg at the market last night, my refrigerator is stuffed. I picked out 4 recipes from the Dukan book to try - the hamburger/cauliflower thing (sounds like a variation on shepherd's pie), the butternut squash soup, the tuna and peppers, and the chicken marengo. Hopefully my son enjoys them because my hubby is out of town this week.
 
Any more food porn dreams? I know exactly what you're talking about when you mentioned that peanut butter dream...

Glad to hear you're feeling better. Prior to Dukan, I ate little dairy (no intolerance though) and even now I rarely go over 200ml a day (one yoghurt and a splodge of fromage blanc somewhere or other).

One thing to remember in Cruise, if it's not clear enough in the book, is to ensure that your meals remain protein biased. Try to picture your plate with two thirds protein to one third veg/salad and that's about right.

Good luck!
 
Food porn dreams -heh. I've always been an active dreamer, but now I am dreaming about food, which is sad in a way. The last one went like this:

I was at a fancy dress banquet, but the courses were being served in a different way. The maitre d' would come out and announce the item to be served, describe its preparation, nutrients, and statistics - then we would have to raise our hand if we wanted it and the server would come and put it on our plate. The first item up was steamed spring pea pods. I raised my hand and was given 3 pea pods. Then my cell buzzed and I had to step out of the banquet into the hall. In the hallway I could hear them anouncing; steak, lobster, prawns, crab, chicken... but I couldn't get back in. When I finally was permitted back in the room the server was clearing my plate away -with my three pea pods that I didn't have a chance to eat. I asked if I could get any other items and was told they were starting the desert course. I had missed out on all the food that I was allowed. I was so hungry! As they brought past chocolate tortes, mousecakes, fruit puddings, all so aromatic and tempting I kept my hand down and just drank water. Then I woke up - famished and dissatisfied!!!

While I am somewhat pleased that even my subconscious is committed to this program, I do wish I had gotten to have some of the forbidden foods in my dreams :D
 
Wow what a dream! And congratulations on being so disciplined even in your dreams! And another lessons - switch off your phone (which I assume is what you refer to by 'cell')!!
 
The funy thing about the phone is that I am horrible at carrying one and it is normally off. I only keep it for emergencies and when I travel for work. If you try and call me on it you'll get voicemail and I probably won't return it for weeks. Putting on my pyrchiatrist hat - I'd say the cell represents work - I eat when I need a break from work and I use my work as an excuse to eat unhealthfully. I normally eat at my desk in front of my computer so I don't have to take time away. One of my behavior changes that I've done as part of this process, is not eat at the computer. I still do other things, like read a book or listen to news, so I'm not completely on the "mindful eating" behavior, I'm taking baby steps towards it.
 
wow! that's a real vivid one for you and I'm so glad you couldn't eat those "pea pods" - definitely not Dukan!! But how frustrating at not being able to get in for the tasty stuff!!!

How are things today?!
 
(we posted simultaneously there...)

I was just thinking ref your food/work thing. I remember when I first started my serious diet (not Dukan), I made a point of making FOOD the focus when I ate. ie, no TV. I concentrated on my plate, treasured it, appreciated the flavours/textures etc.

Whereas when I'm overeating, food just gets shovelled own and is barely chewed let alone savoured!
 
Crusin' day 2: PP

Gosh it feels just like day 1 of attack - I am hungry! Food for today
Breakfast:
Gallette
3 oz extra lean ham

Lunch:
Hard boiled egg
3 oz roasted turkey

Tea:
3 oz smoked salmon

Dinner:
3 oz sirloin steak
3 oz shrimp
2 deviled eggs
1 sugar-free jello

I break my meats into 3 oz servings because that's what I was taught to do during one of my many diet adventures - that one involved a nutritionist, a behaviorist, a medical doctor, and a personal trainer. So I tend to follow those skills I was taught during that program - it cost my medical insurance a lot and my portion took my bonus for the year. But for all of the good things I learned, I didn't get enough maintenance skills to keep the weight off. That's one of the reasons I chose Dukan for this time. I almost plunked down my credit card for the coaching, but then I read their forums and saw Jess's posts about how poor the current coaching was going and her recommendation to come to this site for support. So I did, and so far I think I am doing OK without the coaching.

I did join a local weight loss support group that gives me some face-to-face accountability, but since they aren't Dukan I don't plan on discussing the methods and menus with them. I see that group as more of a moral support and an ego boost, I want to come to the weigh-in each week and post losses and bask in the adulation and envy :p This forum is the group of people I am willing to spill all my thoughts and fears to!

Confession Time:
I messed up a bit yesterday on my first PV day because I didn't keep up on the fluid intake, I didn't feel as thirsty, so I didn't think to drink - I had my water bottle sitting next to me and I only drank half of it, plus my 3 cups of coffee and 3 cups of tea (when I'm not dieting my hydration is almost purely coffee and tea, but only one caffeinated coffee and 2 caffeinated teas) On the attack phase I was drinking all my coffee and tea, plus another 3 litres of water (I was really thristy). I woke up at 3 this morning with a major pain in my bladder, and realized what I'd done. Today I drank 4 litres of water and am feeling no more pain!
 
Things I have noticed about being on Dukan

Pros:
1) Clean teeth
2) Food tastes a lot better
3) Overall, I smell better
4) More energy
5) Better mood
6) More ability to focus and think clearly
7) Able to wear a size down
8) Complexion is improved

Cons:
1) Tolerance to other people eating food not on my list is not very high. I have to exit gatherings with nibbles and have my other family members clean up leftovers from the dishes I made for them that I can't eat.
2) Can't sleep through the night. Love all the water :)
3) Bad breath comes on quickly and unexpectedly, must always carry gum/mints
4) I get really tired during exercise and my muscles burn more during exercise.
 
Keep on keeping on...

I made the Dukan recipe butternut squash soup for supper yesterday - wow, it was delicious! My son ate 3 bowls, I had 1, but wanted to have 3 :) Had Turkey rollups on the side with spinach. I also had a shrimp salad for lunch which I enjoyed immensely, but today it is back to PP. I think I will cook up some chicken breasts and put them in a soup for my son, while I just munch on the chicken :) He's been home with a virus for the last two days, so chicken soup is definitely called for.

The first day he was sick, I caved and broke my diet, sigh... But, it was bound to happen over the course of this stage I guess (although I don't think that way about cheating on my hubby and we've been together 24 years, why can't I be true to a diet for longer than a week!!!!) But it was not such a horrible cave and I don't think it ruined the process... I ate a marshmallow. My son has been running a high fever and he was super chilled and he desperately wanted hot cocoa with marshmallows, so I went in the kitchen to make it and I just popped the marshmallow in my mouth and it was gone before my brain could stop it! So I looked at the number of carbs (22g) on a pure protein day and went back to the time I did atkins and thought, I won't be above 30, if I drink lots of water and keep shoving down the protein I should be okay. It was definitely not satisfying enough to be repeated and it brought back the sugar cravings like mad (I still have those, they have gotten less, but every day around 3 pm I prowl around wishing for a sweet. If it gets too strong I go for a tea with Splenda along with my chosen protein, but I don't care much for the aftertaste - I normally take my tea plain)
 
3 bowls! Wow, he definitely enjoyed it, then! :)

Sorry to hear that he's poorly at the moment. Just as well that he has a lovely mum to look after him. Hope he's feeling better soon.

I'll...ahem...pretend I didn't read the naughty bit about the m*********w. ;-)
 
Thank you for your discretion ;> I have a horrible problem with cheating on diets - I self-sabotage as soon as something seems to work. Part of what I am trying to do this time is figure out how to forgive myself and not binge when that happens - because its not the one naughty bit that caused me to gain 100 pounds! Like many of the people on this board I had a rough childhood/adolescence/young adulthood. When I gained the weight, everything got more stable and better from my perspective. I was safe and insulated. I think that core piece of my personality that is still scarred by those earlier experiences is fighting to keep the weight.
 
A little bit at a time

Since I started Cruise on Monday I have lost 1.5 lbs. I am hoping for 2 lbs a week during cruise, so I think I am on target, since this is not a full week.

It's really hard for me to give up the veggies every other day - I have always enjoyed fruits and veg and not having them is difficult, but I wonder how much of my continual yo-yo is caused by overdoing the fruits, which sets my body up for more sugar cravings and then landslides into cookies, pastries, & tarts as I get more depressed.

Some of my friends think I should be doing a more balanced diet and worry about this plan. But I have tried the balanced food groups, portion control, calorie counting approach so many times, that I just can't do it anymore - not until I have lost the weight and am looking at maintenance.

I'm tend to be a binge eater, so when I get started eating when I'm in that state, I don't stop. On Dukan, I have eaten many servings of protein, right after another, well past where I think I should be full. But it hasn't made me sick and I haven't gained. Maybe I would have lost more, but I am learning control and the cravings and non-stop eating urges are starting to subside.
 
I'm tend to be a binge eater, so when I get started eating when I'm in that state, I don't stop. On Dukan, I have eaten many servings of protein, right after another, well past where I think I should be full. But it hasn't made me sick and I haven't gained. Maybe I would have lost more, but I am learning control and the cravings and non-stop eating urges are starting to subside.

That's such an important part of consolidation and stabilisation - changing the way you think about food. It's really good that you've recognised this and are beginning to make changes. It all bodes well for the future. :)
 
Many of us have had our best successes on dukan on protein heavy days. But do keep an eye on what you tum is telling you v what your head is telling you.

With appetite so suppressed on dukan it can be hard to judge how much to eat and when to start eating, learning when to stop is obviously what will be key to long term success.
 
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