But first I took stock of the reasons why I ended up weighing over 270 lbs. I really thought it was important right from the beginning to understand what drove me and really do it for myself because that was the only way for me to remain motivated.
I bought the Dukan Diet book and read it in two evenings. But then I had all these questions… I knew that I could lose the weight…but how many pounds? Will I be able to keep up the same motivation throughout the diet or will frustration get the better of me? Won’t I grow weary of it all?
I had so many questions then, and some of them I can answer only now after months and months of dieting! What was a life-saver for me was that I set myself ATTAINABLE goasl! I told myself « First lose 30 pounds, then 10 more pounds, then get under 220 pounds… Keep on losing a little more and a little more until you get the figure you want. » I didn’t want to pressure myself too much or get impatient because knowing myself this would have lead to an inevitable failure. I turned getting through the stagnation periods into a game where I had to prove to myself that it’s me and my head that decide what is good for me and no longer my stomach!
The weather is miserable, the unemployment figures have gone up, the coffee machine ran out of coffee… All these sad news not so long ago would have been a great excuse to make myself a treat, a cake or a nice little dish of something, or both! I have not changed, rather it is what I prepare now that is different. I found joy in the 100 (!) allowed foods by the Dukan Diet, I am crafty with them! A little bran brownie with a gooey chocolate centre made with fat and sugar-free cocoa, a big piece of a delicious oven-baked salmon, tandoori turkey kebabs with a cucumber… I keep on trying to surprise my taste buds!
Don’t even think about cheating! In the beginning it’s a trial of personal will power, it’s you against the your old habits. I wish you could get inside my head so you can see how great it is not to give in to cravings caused by some annoyance, which is forgotten a moment later, how good it feels when at last you are really satisfied with the number on the scale. Once you’ve learned the new good habits you have to hang on to them: keep up the rhythm, and most of all remain positive and take pleasure in your daily life! If you treat yourself badly you’ll put a stop to all your good work and success.
When times were hard for me, I found a solution in writing down in a blog everything I don’t want to keep to myself, it’s a sort of safety valve which lets me share my feelings with people who like reading what I write and offer me support when I cannot offer it for myself. Until you start losing weight, you don’t actually realize just how tiring being overweight is, the inconveniences it causes, and I’m not even talking about appearance here because personally I never had a problem with being large and curvaceous, no doubt because the people I’m with are just too nice! Today I’ve got a body that fits with my determined, dynamic personality and enough energy to power even those around me.
I like this saying: « An athlete won’t be very motivated in a competition if he has never been put to the test.” May your tests give you the courage to fulfill your ambitions!
My favorite support Dukan food: Chocolate or coconut melt-in-the-mouth cake (thank goodness for flavoring).
My Dukan treat: My tandoori chicken kebabs and baked chicory wrapped in ham with Dukan béchamel sauce.
My favorite form of exercise: Getting off the bus 3 stations before my stop and going up the stairs.
The nicest compliment I’ve been paid: Here… I am stumped!
What keeps me going: My constantly improving results.
The advice I’d give to other « Dukanians »: HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF, LOVE YOURSELF!!!
