Monday 23 April 2012

My Modified Phase 3: Day 77/550 (Also New Before/After Picture!)

One of my best and dearest friends sent me this before picture. Nuts! I had no idea I was this big, like really no idea. Can you imagine? That is 264.8 lbs me. Bad. This 'After' pic was taken really recently before I hit the gym, you can really see the tummy difference eh?



So I have been following phase 3 for a while now, not nearly making a dent in my 550 day consolidation, but it’s something.

Start Weight: 264.8 lbs
Consolidation Weight: 154.8 lbs
Weight At 77 Days: 158.6 lbs


This slight weight gain doesn't bother me, the entire Consolidation phase I have been teetering between 155 lbs and 161 lbs, but I have never gone over this and I plan on it staying that way.


Now I have not been following Consolidation nearly as strictly as I followed the first 2 phases. Here are my modified phase 3 rules and habits:

I eat over a serving of fruit a day. Sometimes eating 3-4 servings of fruit within the day. I don’t eat grapes, cherries, or bananas though, as instructed in the book.

I will sometimes eat over my limit for oat bran going from 3tbsp allowed and eating over 9tbsp on some days.

I do not eat the 2 slices of whole grain bread a day. Or rather, I eat it rarely. In the past month following phase 3 I have eaten the bread maybe three times. I eat it when I want it, and I know I am allowed. I just don’t crave the bread or feel the need for it, so I don’t force myself.

I have not eaten a pasta meal since mid-March. Once again, I just don’t want it. I’m not a fan of whole wheat pasta and I don’t want to force myself. I’m just not in the mood most weeks to make a pasta meal so I don’t eat any.

I rarely eat the daily serving of cheese allowed in Consolidation. I eat the cheese more often then the bread, but it's really just when I crave it, which is maybe once a week.


Long-time readers will know that I put in place my own alcohol rules with regards to phase 3, I have been half-following those rules. I do not have my weekly drink but have been strictly following my 'one binge drink maximum' a month rule. Success!

I have been eating one celebration meal a week. I want to cut down on it but once you get that one cheat meal a week in it's hard to let go. Friends invite me out or dinner with my family and I have a hard time using my phase 1 and 2 excuses. So I celebrate and have my one meal.

Sometimes I overeat during these celebration meals and feel really sick the day after. I think on weeks where I have no invites or plans I will try to skip it and not force the celebration meal on myself.

So that's that. I have not been following it... at all really. What I am really doing is following a modified phase 2 where I eat as much fruit as I want, up my daily oat bran, and include a weekly celebration meal. 


I feel like this way is more of a lifestyle change and less of a diet. I am happy eating this way and know I can have the bread, the cheese, the weekly starch meal. I choose not to and don't feel deprived. Maybe I was in Cruise too long and don't feel like changing the eating habits I made over 8 months, maybe I have matured when it comes to food and I realize I don't need to fill my body with junk.


Is this sustainable long term? Should I start my 'Consolidation' countdown (550 days) when I start eating the bread and cheese daily, or should I start it where I hit my consolidation weight (February 6th 2012). I'm not sure.


xoxo

10 comments:

  1. Congrats on your success DD! The pics and numbers are great.
    I think you get to know yourself during cruise phase and find what fits you, it sounds like you have a great routine going, you have your eating habits under control, dont overthink it - "eat to live, not live to eat". As long as you are happy, healthy and a weight you are comfortable at - be confident that you are doing what is right for you.
    I think you should start counting from when you hit your target weight. Great job xoxo

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  2. I don't see any reason to force yourself to eat bread or cheese. One of the purposes of Consolidation is to get the body used to being its new size and stay there, and to add in foods that resemble your "rest of your life" diet. If that doesn't include bread, that's fine. Why not consider the fruit as a replacement for the bread and pasta? In most instances, you're getting much more nutritional value from fruit than any grains you would be ingesting. Great pictures, btw!

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  3. You're doing fantastic, and proving that Dukan works long-term!

    Hmmm... tummy difference, just a bit, dontcha think? :)

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  4. You are one of my inspirations! You look fantastic!

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  5. Hm, I think you do need to go through a phase of Dukan consolidation before jumping ahead to Phase 4. So I would be careful and say yes, start counting consolidation once you move beyond your modified phase 2! I don't think that what you are doing for right now is wrong in any way ... but unless you have real wheat issues or something like that, I would follow Dukan's recommendations. Just my thoughts.

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    Replies
    1. Now, I don’t think I would even want to go to Phase 4, in the sense that I don’t want to go back to eating ‘normal’ foods, or rather, foods that I used to consider normal, right?

      I think eating the way I am currently eating is something I want to hold onto long term. So technically, am I in Phase 4 now?

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  6. I am nearly at phase 3 and I'm not a fan of eating bread (after reading wheat belly) so don't intend to. I might up the cheese and fruit a bit and add some nuts. I'm going to be making up the rules a bit for myself too. You're an inspiration

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