Day 80: The How To's of The Dukan Diet

Happy Friday My Friends,

Here we are sitting at day 80, I am down 25 pounds and I feel great!  I have become very motivated now that I have been successful with the first 25lbs but I know what this means and recognize that I will cheat if I don’t keep going.  So I have become more determined to lose the last 25.  It’s not going to come off as easily as the first, but I am hoping with more effort and more exercise I can become successful!  My goal is to hit the gym 2-3 times per week to get back into a routine, mixing it up with cardio, abs, weights etc.

I cheated two weekends in a row, the first was my best friends Bachelorette and Bridal shower.  I didn’t over indulge, I just had some cake and some nachos and some candy, and let me tell you in very small quantities.  This past weekend I had Gatorade and the icing off four cupcakes.  And I am done now, the ramifications of this are: 1. I have a headache today 2. I have not lost any weight and 3. I don’t feel good about myself.  So back on the strict band wagon I go and off to the races! 

Tairalyn and I have been very successful with this diet and we are fielding questions and requests, left right and center on how we did it, how to do it, how much does it cost, the list is endless.  SO, I thought I would dedicate this post to the How To’s of the Dukan Diet. (Check out Little Miss Mama's blog today for her tips and tricks)

Like most diets, they are a lifestyle change, just like quitting smoking; if you are not ready you will not be successful.  Trust me.  But Tairalyn and I were definitely ready for this and we read up and found recipes to help us through.  We used resources like Google and Pinterest.  The Dukan Diet consists mainly of cutting out all carbs including sugars and limiting the fat intake into your body, low fat milk products, no fruit, no breads, pastas, grains and no veggies (for the attack phase).

What Tairalyn and I did to prepare ourselves for this diet was to go on a cleanse for the first week.  We cut out carbs and sugars, mainly breads, candy, chocolate and drank THIS each day for the first 7 days.  After that we then started on Phase 1: Attack Phase. 

Like I have stated before PLAN PLAN PLAN! Tairalyn and I spent one whole day, 12 hours planning out every single meal including snacks, making every single meal including snacks and organizing each day.  We were beat, tired, bitchy, but we knew come Monday we would be successfully embarking on a new lifestyle and we were ready to welcome it with open arms.  Check out our PINTEREST here, here, and here for recipes used.  We did the attack phase for the maximum of 10 days, reasoning is that our goal is to lose 50lbs.

What is the Attack Phase?

High protein, basically only protein with non-fat milk and dairy, at least 3 liters of water a day to avoid overworking your kidneys and 20 minutes of light exercise a day!

Only allowed 2 egg yolks a day, unlimited egg whites

2 Tbs of Oat Bran every day, I mixed mine into my yogurt

Any seasonings must be sugar free 

NO VEGGIES - NO FRUIT - NO CARBS

It’s definitely an adjustment and you have to push through the cravings and the bad days.  Making sure you have an amazing support system will help for the low days and the high days!

What is the Cruise Phase?

There are different versions of this phase as to which days you eat what.  I followed the PP (pure protein) and PV (Protein Veg) alternating days.  But check out mydukandiet.com for the variation you feel will work for you.  You are still limited in the vegetables that you can eat but boy will you appreciate them more!

Approved Veggies:

1. Artichokes (Globe not Jerusalem)
2. Asparagus
3. Egg Plant
4. Beetroot
5. Broccoli
6. Cabbage (Broccoli and Cabbage are both a member of the Cole family and this allows you to eat a very wide variety of vegetables such as cauliflower, purple sprouting broccoli, red cabbage, white cabbage, collard greens, kale and brussel sprouts)
7. Carrots
8. Celery and Celeriac
9. Chicory
10. Zucchini
11. Cucumber
12. Fennel
13. French Beans/String Beans/Runner Beans/Mangetout
14. Leeks
15. Mushrooms ( all varieties including White Button, Shiitake, Oyster and Portabella)
16. Onions (Red, White, Salad or Spring)
17. Palm Hearts
18. Peppers
19. Pumpkins, Squashes and Marrows
20. Radishes
21. Salad Leaves (Of any sort including all types of Lettuce, Rocket and Watercress)
22. Sorrel
23. Soya Beans
24. Spinach
25. Swede
26. Swiss Chard
27. Tomatoes
28. Turnips

Now the possibilities are endless, it’s like a whole new world has opened up.  You can eat anyone of these however you like it.  Just remember to always check the ingredients to make sure there is no sugar, use skim milk products and try to add a little exercise into your diet. 

There are more phases to this diet but we aren’t there yet!Cost: Just a grocery bill.  As with many diets, when you start buying fresh foods you have to spend a little more but that is about it.

I have put together a list of the must-haves I have learned and wish I had known during the attack phase.  My secret tips and tricks that will help YOU be successful:

1. Go to shopdukandiet.ca and order some products here that will help seize those cravings you will have.  Promocodes youcandukan15 or youcandukan5
2. PUDDING.  Jello makes a fat free, sugar free pudding that you just add skim milk to; honestly it is better than sliced bread and a lifesaver.
3. Sugar twin.  The white sugar twin has proven its value in this diet as the best sugar replacement on the market.  We tried many varieties and found this one to be the best for baking and eating.
4. Greek Yogurt Lifesaver.  0% Greek plain yogurt, with some cinnamon and sugar twin, this will help you anytime, anywhere if you are having a craving.  Very satisfying.
5. Spend the money for the low fat cheese, it is worth it.  I have found that the marble is the best one that doesn’t lose much of the taste.
6. Mustard, the no calorie flavor booster
7. Save-On-Foods.  They have bulk foods and this is where I have found the cheapest Goji berries and bulk oat bran.

The internet is your oyster and Google is your best friend, use it to your full advantage to look anything up and become successful.

I hope this will help you on your way to a new better version of you.  If you have any questions please feel free to email me ohsolindz@gmail.com or leave a comment.  I would love to help each of you!

NOW, head on over to Little Miss Mama and read her secrets to success!

Have a fabulous weekend my friends!

Xoxo Lindsay

JOIN US: Okay come’on, we’re on day 80, I know there are a few of you that are lingering on the idea of jumping onboard! What are you waiting for folks? Buy your books {here or here}, plan and pin your favorite recipes from our weight loss journey board {here}, menu plan your attack phase, ensure you visit shopdukandiet.com {promocodes 15% off $100+ youcandukan15, or 5% off $50 youcandukan5}, and reach out to us letting us know you’re making a movement into health and happiness with us.

HASHTAG HANGOUT: Don’t forget to tag your posts with #youcandukan so Tairalyn and I can see the success of all of you, cheering you on along the way with great tips and tricks we have learned as we go.FIND US PINTERESTING?
My Weightloss Journey Pinterest Board Dukan Diet Recipe Pinterest Board
INSTAGRAM: I am constantly posting pics of my success and healthy snacks and meals add ohsolindsay for inspiration

Dukeing It Out With Little Miss Mama

Don't worry my friends,

We are not fighting, we are starting a new lifestyle called the Dukan Diet, please, don't let the word diet freak you out or come with any misconceptions, this is what we need to do to kick start our healthy lifestyle, it may not work for everyone but we know and feel it will for us. 
For those of you who follow Little Miss Mama you have seen the new lifestyle she has begun, all starting with the Dukan diet.  You may not know this little fact: Little Miss Mama and I have known each other since grade 3, so when my bestie text me to tell me her naturopath said she needed to lose 50lbs I said, with no hesitations: so will I!  (Actually the first thing I said was, 'Are you serious? I don't believe it' and then I said I'd do it with her)  That's right my friends, Little Miss Mama and I are going to lose FIFTY pounds, come hell or high water, we will get there. 
Doing something this big with a friend always makes it easier and in my opinion successful, especially with this girl.  She lets me be me and I let her be her, which brings comfort in knowing that we can both be hangry, irritable, cranky, bitchy, testy, sad and happy with each other and still have the support we need from each other at the end of the day! 

Be kind

Week 1:  Cleanse

We eased our bodies into this new diet/lifestyle by cutting out all out carbs meaning all breads, flours, and sugars and drinking 64 ounces a day of a cleansing drink for 7 days. 

This week started off easy peasy for me, I knew I could do this and then day 5 came and I could've killed for a chocolate bar or any sugar of any type, even just one little granule, but I stayed strong and was successful not cheating and with that hurdle I lost 5lbs!  FIVE POUNDS in one week, who would've thought, it was a very happy moment for me and gave me the drive to continue on with this new lifestyle.

Cleanse recipe :
64oz Water
1 Lemon | thinly sliced
1 Cucumber | peeled, sliced
1 to 2 tsp Gingers | grated
10 to 15 Mint Leaves

To optimize taste, steep the night before.

Be kind

Week 2: Attack

PLAN.PLAN.PLAN.  That's all I can say and my number one advice tip for the attack phase. Tairalyn and I spent one whole day, literally 12 hours, buying, making and prepping every single meal even snacks for our 10 day attack phase.  Thanks to Pinterest we were able to come up with some delicious and creative ideas for each meal. (check it out on interest here and here).  Out of all the choices available to us we made meatballs for days, burgers to feed a herd, stuffed chicken to feed a family of 20, Thai beef skewers to feed a whole ball team, Mongolian chicken and sesame chicken.  We also found some great 'dessert' recipes that have helped our sugar cravings; cheesecake cupcakes, yogurt drops and meringues.  I honestly believe this is the only thing that is helping me stay successful, because the first thing I do when I am starving is grab something quick and easy and for me it turns into one cheat, then another and then another and then here I am at 230 lbs.  So prep all your meals, each and every one and make some extra just in case you have an extra hungry day.

What does the attack phase consist of you ask?  High protein, basically only protein with non-fat milk and dairy, at least 3 liters of water a day to avoid overworking your kidneys and 20 minutes of light exercise a day!  Hard yes, can it be done? Yes.  It's been 5 days since we began the attack phase and I am doing okay, I am not craving sugar like the first week but definitely missing veggies and fruit.  I have noticed a definite decline in my hunger and I am not eating nearly as much as I did a week and a half ago.  Its been hard when the people around me are eating cookies, cakes and nachos, omg nachos would be delicious, but I will never make the 50 lb goal if I cheat now! 

I have also found a great blog to follow when I need to refresh my mind on the phases and what I can and can not have www.mydukandiet.com

Stay tuned for continued success from both myself and Little Miss Mama

Have a happy and healthy day my friends!

In The Beginning There Was ... Excitement (Not Rap)

Hi my friends,

I apologize for such a long hiatus but it was definitely hard to keep up with blogging while I was travelling Europe and by the time I came home from a busy day of walking and sightseeing my creative juices were all dried up.  All my good ideas came to me while we were out and about or at 3am when I was trying to get back to sleep.

I have decided to do a retro blog, meaning I am going to start from the beginning of my trip in order to make sure you all get the most out of my travels and the interesting things I have learned along the way, there may be some repeats but I will try my best to keep it exciting and new. 

I have also decided to change the direction of my blog a little, don’t you worry I will still be a television guru because I just love it, but I also just want to share my life and experiences as move into a new chapter in my life.

Here we go…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Okay, so it all started in July, I was talking to my mom about going away, maybe taking some time off work to travel a little, go to Berlin to visit my best friend and maybe a few other places.  And from there the idea took off, Kristina (best friend) came to Vancouver for a visit, where she announced her engagement to Konrad and I dropped a little bomb on her as well.  “Sooooo, I said, I was thinking… maybe I would come out for a visit this fall!”  The excitement in her voice was none I had ever heard before and then came the kickers; “ Well I was thinking I would come for 2 months and we could travel around Europe together?”  “But before you say anything, please be sure to talk to Konrad about it in private and see what he thinks”.  And we started to discuss plans.  Seriously this was a one day decision for me and an even lesser decision for Kristina.  So with that conversation, it was set and I was going to head to Berlin for a few months in the fall. 

Next task, asking my boss for a leave of absence and hope he approves it, knowing that if he did not I would have to make the decision to stay or go.  I had been a loyal employee for over 5 years and had a very hard year with my dad passing so I thought, of course it would be approved, it wasn't.  Shock ran through my body and before I knew it the words Okay, my last day will be October 11th came out of my mouth and I had no control.  I had prepared myself for this but it was still shocking.  Very unsure of my decision and on the verge of tears I left work early and talked to my parents about it, my biggest support system, who reaffirmed I was making the right decision.  So I leapt in with two feet and continued to plan, pack and book my trip and as my last days of work loomed I was sad to leave my colleagues I had grown to love but excited to start an amazing new chapter in my life.  Never having been way from home for more than two weeks I was nervous but I pushed those feelings down, waaaaaay down into the depths of my stomach and continued on with this last minute two month European adventure I was about to embark on. 

October 21^st my plane left and I was on my way!

I splurged on my trip (more than once as you will find out) and upgraded my seat and it was definitely worth it!  I was in the plane for a 9 hour jaunt, no big deal, over to Amsterdam and the extra leg room and slightly wider seat made all the difference!  I flew with KLM and was impressed with their friendliness and perks that came complimentary with my flight.  I sat down to a pillow and blanket on my seat, a hot towel when the flight commenced, a drink and dinner (all alcoholic beverages are free), free new released movies, lights off, a hot towel before breakfast, and a hot breakfast!  I would recommend KLM for any long distance flights.

My layover was in Amsterdam which is where I bought my first two Starbucks mugs of the trip (collection to come later).  The Amsterdam airport was a very easy airport to navigate as Amsterdam is an English friendly city.  From here I hopped on the KLM city hopper plane, which is a little older and smaller but all you need for the 1 hour flight to Berlin.  Before I left Canada I downloaded some movies and tv shows to my ipad, just in case there were any technical issues with my television on my flight, thankfully that was not the case. But definitely recommended as you can never be too prepared.

In Europe and most international destinations, you collect your luggage before you are greeted by your party, so be sure to snag a cart if you aren't travelling light.  Which you can guess I didn't, I  packed a suitcase within a suitcase, a suitcase full for Kristina and two carry-ons!

TIP #1:  Pack everything you want to take, I was trying to pack lightly so I axed a lot of heavier items I thought I could find in Europe.  I was wrong.  My lotion and soap were no where to be found, so we had to order them off of Amazon.de for quadruple the price.  LESSON LEARNED: Don't pack light, unless you are backpacking or taking short trips,  I wish I brought everything I wanted but I didn't realize how hard it would be to find certain items in a foreign country.

The first experience I had of Berlin was trying to get a taxi, Kristina yelled (later known as the Yeller) at the driver as he wouldn't take us to her house because it wasn't far enough.  She was yelling at everyone the driver, passer by-ers, other taxi drivers, while I kept saying its okay its okay as I am not very good with confrontation.  She yelled and made a scene until we got a taxi and this is why I love her, always standing up for herself and for me.

TIP #2:  Don't tell the taxi driver where you are going until you sit in the vehicle and everything is loaded in, he won't kick you out because he won't want to unload the vehicle.

After we lugged the luggage up six flights, catching my breathe and catching up with my best friend and denying my jet lag, I took a nap lol.  I slept for a good 3 hours in the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in and woke to dinner and Konrad home from work!  Konrad, Kristina and I always have so much fun together and they both welcomed me with open arms, literally, and this kicked off the trip of a lifetime.

Haben Sie einen großen Tag meine Freunde
(Have a great day my friends)

Retro blogging continues Sunday after the Superbowl