Monday, October 10, 2011

My Dukan Diet Journey

Well after my last child moved from the family home, I had one of two choices.  To go through empty nest or be happy for my children and pull my socks up and start taking care of myself.  So I chose the second option.  A friend suggested I read this Diet book, the Dukan Diet.  Well being on a lot of diets years ago, I wasn't really interested in doing another.  But being on 3 meds and my health slipping, I figured why not.  So I read the book and I was hooked.  The diet pretty much cuts carbs and fat out of your diet.  Which having so many celiac people in the family and myself with IBD, I will give it a go, since I have been in a flare since last December and I was willing to try anything to stop these pills.  I lost 7 lbs in the first week.  That has never happened before!  I know it was quick, but they only have you on pure protein for a few days and then add a protein/veg day everyother day.  So on the veg day I enjoy.  And you are only on this until you loose the desired weight then you gradually add a few carbs back in until you are eating normally again, but have a pure protein day every Thursday and eat oat bran everyday for life.  The one part I liked was the exercise, at first they only required 20 minutes a day, hey, I could handle that, then up to 30 minutes, now we look forward to our walk.  Before I thought you had to get in an hour to have benefit.  People may say it is too restrictive, but we are eating better than we were, with lots of fish, steak, lean meats.  No can or processed foods.  The first week alone I was able to discontinue my colitis meds!  Then I figured I would try the stomach meds, and so far so good!  Two down, now do I have the nerve to drop my bp meds?  Yes I do, I know the doc would not be happy with me, but I have no doc and I have to look out for me.  So far so good, I have my own machine and I will keep an eye on my numbers, but there is no harm in trying, right?  I started this on Sept 2 and it is now Oct 10th and I am down 14 lbs.  My hubby isn't following my diet, but by me eating better and him changing his eating habits, he is also losing, so it makes it better, working together.  We are way more active, we have always been busy, but I guess not so active.  And with this diet they don't want you to get stick figure thin, which is something that just can't be maintained.  This has given me something to look forward to.  I may be aging but why rush it when there is something you can do to help yourself.  How long the remission will last, who knows, I take one day at a time and go from there.

This was just in August.  I had finally came to the point where I was uncomfortable in my own skin.

This in October, 14 lbs lighter and happier!

Hubby before.

Now he is under 200 for the first time in years!