Week 11 - Cruise Phase

Start:  179.4

Day 1 - 179.4.  Well, this is a first.  Starting my 12th week on this here Dukan Diet and it's the first time I didn't end a week with a lower number.  Oh well.  The past is the past.  I didn't eat corndogs...nor cotton candy...nor caramel corn...I need to remember successes.  AND...I am in the 170's.  Barely, but still.  I'll take it.  Do this week the best I can and see what happens.  Perseverance.  And...I do know, that even though the last half of the past week was very frustrating, I'm not throwing in the towel.  Made myself some chicken vegetable soup.  I missed my homemade noodles only for a moment...I loved it that much.  The leftover soup is in the fridge awaiting my next veggie day.

Day 2 - 180.0.  Maybe it's the salt from yesterday's soup?  There was more salt in the broth than I'm used to, even though it was the reduced sodium.  I'll go with that.  Blame it on the salt.  Today, I'm going to enjoy my protein.  Take care of business and just "enjoy" being at my wedding weight.  And not weighing more.  And look forward to when the weight drops again.  

Day 3 - 178.4.  Yeah...I'm not going to get REAL excited...cuz last week we did this and then it didn't end so well.  But, I'm happy to not see a 180 number.  Real happy.  And happy to eat my soup this afternoon.  Last night, while eating my "fake cookies", I accepted that I just need to munch on stuff.  On protein days, that gets trickier.  On PV days, it's easier...I can get some celery or something.  

Day 4 - 180.something.  Yeah.  Just what I thought.  I really really don't want to be on this number for two weeks.  Text conversation between me and my husband:  me - I really really really really want a hamburger and fries for dinner.  him - NO!  me - You're supposed to say: you've done so good sweets, you can have a night off.  him - you done so good I don't want you to feel terrible by doing this.  me - I think you should get to know me better. :)  Long story short...I had a hamburger, fries, and ice water for dinner.  I don't feel guilty and we're not to talk about it...cuz I don't want a guilt trip from him.  It's not a reason to "fall off the band wagon", which I have no intention of doing.  I still have an outfit to get into, and that's at my goal weight.  I'll read what Dr. Dukan has to say and I shall follow his words of wisdom.  And cringe when I get on the scale in the morning.  Good news is that I don't have to wake up to an alarm for the next two mornings...that's the good news.  Oh, wait...I've lost 25 pounds!  Good for me.  Now...no more hamburgers for long time.  Beginning of December?  Beginning of December.  p.s...i have a stinking headache...and i don't think it's from the ice water...

Day 5 - 179.4 again.  I thought for sure it'd be 185 or something.  Perhaps it was the stress from last night?  My dad is in the hospital.  Hopefully, it's just something that changing his medications can fix.  My brother, sister and daughter are on their way there and I'll know more in just over an hour.  As to food.  I don't feel bad about dinner last night.  I feel bad about the chance I took with gaining back some weight, but the way the past 1 1/2 weeks have been going...who knows when I'll get away from this 180 number.  So.  I'll deal.  I'll cope.  I'll not go buy a Mounds candy bar.  But, I fully intend on asking for one to be in my Christmas stocking.  Here's to a most excellent protein day.  But mostly, here's to good news about my dad.

Day 6 - 179.0.  Hmmm...I'll try to not get excited.  But I'll not lie and pretend that I wasn't happy with that number.  Here's the deal:  last week threw me.  I don't know what's going on.  I'll just do the best I can.  Eat right today, do my T-Tapps, smile, pray for my dad, and spend some time with my husband.  Oh.  And watch Survivor tonight...cuz we have to keep our priorities straight.  Oh.  And I'm grateful for my fake cookies to munch on at nighttime.

Day 7 - 178.8.  Dare I hope?  Tonight is a board meeting 1 1/2 hours away...we go to this location a few times a year, and whenever we go, they always barbecue us quite the spread.  Ribs or steaks...grilled veggies...rolls, etc.  I've been thinking that I'll drive myself down so I "miss" the dinner and don't have to do the whole: Oh, no...sorry...can't have that... Sure you can...  Well, no, but thanks...  And then distract.  So.  Do good today an have a good number on the scale in the morning...I can do that.  But a bad thing?  I am NOT liking my boobs.  That's not a regular thing that has happened in my life.  But I'm not too impressed with the changes that are a-happenin' there.

Official weigh in from the end of my eleventh week in the Cruise Phase:  176.6

Week eleven weight loss:  2.8

Total weight loss:  28.4

Week 10 - Cruise Phase

Start:  179.0

Day 1 - 179.0.  Look at that!  I stared at my ticker when I updated it this week (it's at the bottom of my blog).  It says I have 20 more pounds to go to my goal.  26 pounds lost.  Holy smokes.  I can do this!  I can lose another 20, I've lost 26... Last night, I stopped to pick up a salad on my way home from a board meeting and got my husband something also since he hadn't eaten dinner while I was gone (dunno what's up with that...wait, I do...he was into his puzzle and KillZone3), and I was half-tempted to eat one of his french fries.  I thought I was tempted, but upon further reflection, I think it was a habit tempt.  Talking with my daughter later, I told her about it..told her I thought that I had two options...1 - eat the fry...and enjoy it and move along.  2 - eat the fry and fall off the wagon.  A french fry isn't worth it.  Even a delicious salty McDonalds one.  So, I didn't.  Now, thinking about it, I realize it for what it was:  habit.  I'm used to ordering, buying, and eating them.  So, it was "normal" to want to eat one.  But...I'm okay, because I didn't want to blow it.  I mean, if I'm going to cheat, let's face it.  It'll be a cookie or bread.  lol...sigh...okay.  Time to reread my blue book.  Here's to week 10 and seeing what happens this week!  Hopefully, I'll lose 1-2 pounds and get better.

Day 2 - 178.8.  I'm in a bad bad mood this morning.  I want to hike and sit on a rock.  It's now evening...let me tell you...I survived this evening.  I went to a church party.  I thought for sure there'd be salad..safe for me to eat.  There's always salad at church parties, right?  Well, not anymore.  This was a fun party.  Let me tell you.  For dinner, there were corndogs and french fries.  I LOVE CORNDOGS!!!  I like french fries, but..I LOVE CORNDOGS!!!  So NOT on my list.  There was caramel popcorn.  I LOVE CARMEL POPCORN!!!  I mean, that's on my list of things to eat in December.  Don't know how I'll work that into a celebration meal, but I'm making my caramel popcorn that is so very good.  And there were two big things of that delicious stuff...and the breeze was making it's delicious smell go all over the yard.  Oh, just when you think my brain is going to pop or something...it got worse.  About as bad as it could get.  The ONLY way to make this worse would be to have some fresh hot homemade bread come toting out.  But no...it was worse.  A lady came with...a...cotton candy machine.  *sigh*  I sighed as I typed that.  Because, if there is something that makes me happy while eating it...if there is something that I love love love...*sigh*...that would be cotton candy.  Because corndogs and caramel corn do not even come close.  In fact, if the choice was given between hot homemade bread with melted butter and honey on it...and some cotton candy...I'd probably choose the cotton candy...because you don't get that chance very often.  So grab it when you can.  Right?  *sigh*  I didn't even get a small bit of it.  Of any of it.  And they had bubble gum flavored cotton candy.  *sigh*  I miss bubble gum.  Instead, I came home and ate some beans and cottage cheese...because I'm too tired to cook anything.  I had a late lunch, it's okay.  So.  Congratulations to me.  I did bring home some cinnamon bears for the husband.  But me?  I had water.  

Day 3 - 177.something.  I tell you, I weigh in the morning and if I don't get online, the chances of me remembering all the numbers...well, not very good.  I'm pretty sure it was 177.something.  Today hasn't been a good day for my body.  It started out okay.  Had my hot oat bran cereal (with cinnamon today) and turkey sausage.  Didn't want to get hungry at church so was going to drink one of those Atkins protein drinks before leaving, but ran out of time so brought it with me.  Ended up not drinking it.  And since I've been home?  Hmmm...had a boiled egg w/paprika & ground mustard...some lemon Propel water...a cheese stick...yup.  That's it.  I keep thinking about a chicken breast, but.  Not so sure.  Had an urgly gurgly tummy.  Not hungry.  I seriously need to kick this bug or whatever it is.

Day 4 - 180.something.  Yes, it's evening...I remember seeing the 180...and thinking, "What?"  Perhaps it's my results from not eating much yesterday?  I need to eat every couple of hours even if I'm not hungry?  I don't know.  I don't like that it went up.  Especially a few numbers.  I mean, what's up with that?  Today is a PV day...I rather enjoyed my homemade salsa on top of a chicken breast.  Then, had chopped up chicken over a salad for dinner...guess I was wanting chicken today, because normally, I can have issues with chicken.  Like, I get grossed out...don't know why.  Here's hoping the scale is 180 and/or below tomorrow!  And...good news, I think I'm almost better.  At least, I can hope so.  Had a meeting tonight...it was brief.  Board training tomorrow...I'll need to eat dinner early because I know they'll have stuff tomorrow that I'll need to stay away from...

Day 5 - 180.2.  I am officially frustrated.  Don't know what's up with the weight.  It has two days to shape up...I don't want to be 11 weeks into this process and then have a bad week.  I feel a bad attitude coming on...and making my husband's lunch this morning...he had sandwiches...I was handling that wonderful feeling whole grain bread and I just wanted to dive into the sack.  I didn't, but I wanted to.  I want to hit my goal weight when Dr. Dukan said I would.  So I can have some bread.  And to do that, I need to lose 1-2 pounds a week.  Not go up for some weird freaky reason.  Here's to feeling better (I have NO medication in me!!!) and getting back on track with my T-Tapps.  And here's hoping that tomorrow morning's number is better than todays...perseverance...perseverance...perseverance...  I'll make some lotion after my meeting tonight to sooth my soul a little.

Day 6 - 180.0.  For crying out loud.  That number.  I do NOT want to end the week higher than I started.  I mean, I haven't even had any cake...nor that bread...nor those potato chips...nor "red" milk.  Sigh.  Is this a plateau and the 7-numbers were just a fluke?  Dunno.  But I did make myself a bottle of ylang ylang lotion last night.  I think it did help me sleep...we'll try again tonight.  Made some grapefruit lotion to send to some folks. Tomorrow, I'll make some with my perfume in it so I can use it during the day and not clash.  And now I shall do some hoe-downs and then get myself to bed.  And hope again for a lower number in the morning.  Yes, I'll be okay if it doesn't go up, but I don't actually want to officially write that down because I seem to jinx myself.

Day 7 - 180.frustrationcity.  No, seriously, it was 180.0 again.  And, seriously, how frustrating is this?  I will probably google "plateau" and "Dukan".  For motivational words.  And I will pretend to be happy that at least the number didn't go up.  If I pretend enough, perhaps it'll come true...what I know is that it's a lot more fun getting on the scale in the morning when it just keeps on going down.  :)

Official weigh in from the end of my tenth week in the Cruise Phase: 179.4

Week ten weight loss:  +.4 

Total weight loss:  25.6

Week 9 - Cruise Phase

Start:  182.8

Day 1 -  I was a bit nervous about getting on the scale this morning.  And when I write: "a bit nervous", I mean, really really nervous.  But only a bit came through because I am sick.  My youngest daughter is sick...I think we got the same thing.  It's no fun.  So not only did I eat stuff I shouldn't have eaten while out of town last week, but I didn't T-Tapp yesterday.  I meant to.  I started to.  But I just felt too miserable.  So I get on the scale today, and I actually saw 181!  Thought..hmmm...got back on and 182.8 stuck.  I'm good with that. I might be at wedding weight at the end of this week...that would be awesome.  In the meantime, I just want to pop pills to relieve the pressure in my head and sleep.  There will be no T-Tapps today.  If I do them, my head may explode.  I don't even want veggies.  I don't want to eat, but I will.  

Day 2 - 181.4.  I am THISCLOSE to wedding weight!  And...drumroll please...this morning, I was a tad more than half way to my goal weight!  Oh my.  This may be possible.  Now.  For my confession:  In the midst of my feeling lousy, I didn't get dinner started early enough last night.  So I'm here, with an incredible amount of head pressure and achy going on and my hubby calls.  During that conversation, he mentions how Denny's is now open and we could meet there since he's still 1/2 hour out from town (we live in a small town in the middle of nowhere...having a Denny's is BIG news..and he drives 1 1/2 hour to get to his work site)...I say, "YES PLEASE!!!"  He thought I was being sarcastic since I'm miserable.  I wasn't.  So I meet him there.  I order fish with sauteed spinach.  The man brings out 4 little hot rolls.  I'm giving them the stare down.  Finally, I tell my husband that I'm having one.  He says okay...then asks if I've had bread since starting this (bread is my all-time favorite food), I say, only the bread at sacrament at church.  He is amazed.  Then feels bad because he said okay...I said, nope.  This is my call...you've been extremely supportive.  So.  That's my confession.  I ate a small roll.  Seriously small.  And I ate it slowly.  And I enjoyed it.  And I ate no more of them...perhaps practice for the future?  Brought the last two home (he ate one) for his lunch today.  I didn't touch them until putting them in a baggie this morning.  Sigh.  Another nine weeks and we'll be getting close to Thanksgiving.  I'm eating Thanksgiving...whether or not I'm at goal weight...but I will eat like I'm in the consolidation stage and one serving.  Control.  Maybe I'll be at goal weight...who knows...it's just over 11 weeks away.  Anyway...my point is:  I cheated.  The world didn't fall apart.  Had my oat bran cereal this morning (is it wrong to like it as much as I do?  something comforting about it)...got my husband off to work...took a long nap...woke up still miserable and it's time for another dose of pills.  Didn't do my T-Tapps yesterday, but did do the Hoe-Downs before bed, that pushed it.  We'll see how it goes today.

Day 3 - 180.8.  Holy cow.  Okay, so Hoe-Downs before bed is sticking in my head as a good thing to do.  Actually...I read on their website to do it after each meal?  Something to think about.  Today, I'm choosing not to fast.  Because I'm still sick.  But the sneezes have come on, so I'm going to take that as a sign that I'm getting better.

Day 4 - 180.4.  Still head pressured.  Can't do any exercise movements...almost did a walk last night but I'm just beyond tuckered out.  Did my Hoe-Downs.  Methinks that I'll keep that part of my day, no matter how I'm feeling, cuz my head stays still.  Last night, I enjoyed my veggies...posted a picture of them.  Today, I shall enjoy my lean proteins and nonfat cottage cheese.  Get some chores done around the house while I have a little bit of energy...haven't taken any pills today, and it's bearable...I think I'm on the upswing!  Plus...WEDDING WEIGHT!!!  I'm just happy about that.  Very happy.  Although, I still expect to see a '200' number on the scale.  Somehow, I need to get it into my head that I'm 20 pounds away from that number and it won't just appear overnight.

Day 5 - 179.0.  I need to digest this number...it's going to take me awhile.  Does this mean I've left the 180's behind?  My mind is completely boggled...unreal.  I need to have some quiet time.

Day 6 - 178.6.  Don't know what's going on with the numbers here...makes me a bit nervous.  I ate normal yesterday...didn't go berserk on veggies, just had two salads with my lunch and dinner...dunno.  Just hoping the numbers don't go up.  I'm almost ready to sort through clothing and get rid of things that are getting too baggy.  *GASP*  Yes, it's true.  I'm almost ready to do that.  Almost.  Tonight, I tried a new ice cream thing.  It fit my dietary guidelines...but oh my...was it nasty?  Yup.  It was nasty.  And then some extra nastiness thrown in for good measure.  I believe that I'll stick with my CarbSmart Breyers...I'm not big into ice cream, but those things are just WAY good.  Even shared with my dad and his wife when I saw them...they were hesitant about a sugar-free ice cream bar that I can eat right now.  Ha!  They both loved them, she asked it's name so they could get some.  ALWAYS trust the chunky girl on what treats are good.  Even when said chunky girl is losing her chunk.

Day 7 - 179.something...I forget what the point number was... Perhaps, just perhaps, by the end of the month I will be off the "Obese" part of the BMI scale.  That would be nice.  Perhaps, just perhaps, I'll weigh 178 or 177 at the end of week 10.  But...tomorrow is the official week's end weigh in.  Hopefully, I'll still be in the 170's, and I need to stop and celebrate that victory.  Because that's a victory.  A few months ago, I was in the 200's.  I need to recognize that.  And realize that I'm not going to gain 25+ pounds overnight.  Perhaps it is time to reread my book and see what I pick up on this time...now that I'm trusting what he says because I see the proof in the numbers.  Even if my eyes don't always see it in the mirror.  Trust my hands while I'm washing my face...cuz I feel the difference in my face.  Trust my clothes..because there is a difference there.  I shall get there.  But I'll need every minute of phase 2 and phase 3 to get my head all straightened out.

Official weigh in from the end of my ninth week in the Cruise Phase:  179.0

Week nine weight loss:  3.8

Total weight loss:  26

Food...

I was just happy with my food this evening...

Made my husband chicken enchiladas..

I had my turkey patties and had veggies from my future-son-in-law's mother's garden...I sure love these green beans, tomatoes, and garlic side.

Then, later on, made some baked zucchini that was dredged in egg, then a little oat bran and Parmesan.

Week 8 - Cruise Phase

Start:  184.6

Day 1 - 184.6!  That is past the 20 pounds mark!!!  Hoorah!!!  Now...today I'll be going out of town.  I have two daughters with birthdays coming up in the next few days, and a husband who is supportive of me going..so..I'm going.  I'm not taking my scale.  I will be checking in on my sister's, but not putting the numbers here since it's probably not the same.  But I will be keeping track of my "progress".  Meeting up with three friends on my way to my sister's...they haven't seen me since I started this Dukan way of eating...I'm hoping there's a reaction... (they mostly commented on the face and hiney...lol...)

Day 2 - Yup...fell off the wagon.  Had sugar.  Oh well.  I shall survive.  Did my T-Tapps...didn't eat any of the party food at my daughter's Audrey Hepburn party...had my own supplies.  Made oat bran cereal and had a packet of tuna.  Discovered that low sodium is WAY WORSE than no sugar.  I think I'll just do my own label sodium shopping instead of buying because they're broadcasting low sodium.  The sad thing is that I bought two of these tuna packets...which means I have to suffer through another one.  It's pure fuel for my body...no enjoyment there.

Day 3 - P/V day for my daughter's birthday...we went to Texas Roadhouse.  I "enjoyed" my salad, green beans and pork chops.  Actually, the salad and beans were great.  The pork chops were overcooked.  That was sad.  Keep the bread basket away from me...and I survive.

Day 4 - Visited siblings today.  Brought my yogurt and that nasty tuna with me to keep on track.

Day 5 - Kept to proteins for all day until dinner cuz I was eating with two of my daughters, my future son-in-law and his best friend.  And Olive Garden is NOT Dukan-friendly.  I asked for the special menu.  Ordered a gluten free meal...ate my meat and grilled veggies.

Day 6 - Did protein all day except when eating my youngest daughter's birthday meal.  Did some justification that I ate veggies last night and lunch was fairly close so it was a 24 hour period?  Yeah...reaching...but...I sure enjoyed a lettuce wrapped hamburger.  And...had sugar in the car driving home...bit nervous about getting on my scale in the morning.

Day 7 - 183.8  I'm home!  Yeah!  Doing a protein day.  An apology for the sugar I had while out of town.  Fell off the wagon a little.  But am not quitting this.  My brain still is "overweight".  Okay, so is my body.  But...I didn't have a perfect week.  And I've done so good for more than two months.  And yet, there's a big part of me that stepped on the scale this morning and expected to see 205 again.  That may take awhile to get out of my system.  I shall do my T-Tapps and get ready for my meeting and not partake of any of the snacks or dinner they provide.  I'll bring my own...tomorrow is the official weigh in for this week.  I'd like it to be a lower number than what I started this week with...and I am back on track.

Official weigh in from the end of my eighth week in the Cruise Phase:  182.8

Week eight weight loss:  1.8

Total weight loss:  22.2