I've been struggling with this diet lately... mentally and - apparently - physically as my weight has not changed in about a week. I've not cheated at all... but I have been mentally unfaithful to the plan... maybe that inner doubt is manifesting on the scale? I don't know...
In any case, I went back to the book - and saw that, for people with only a little weight to lose, a more doable rhythm for the Cruise phase is the 2/5 rhythm: 2 days of Pure Protein (Mondays and Thursdays), 5 days of Protein + Vegetables. For some reason, I feel more successful on the PV days - perhaps because its easier to stick to it and feel satisfied... PP days end up being a hodgepodge of whatever meat products I can throw together on a plate. Not very appetizing. The 2/5 rhythm will also set me up for both the Consolidation and Stabilization phases where Pure Protein only happens a few times/ once a week.
In addition to my struggles with the diet portion - I've been REALLY struggling with the daily activity component. It's difficult to get out for a walk every day - I know that sounds pathetic and unbelievable, but it's true. SO - I'm going back to my daily Jillian Michaels regimen - probably going to do the 30 Day Shred again. Originally, when I began the Dukan Diet, I wanted to do everything exactly as Dr. Dukan described... since, in addition to losing weight, I was interested to see if the plan actually worked as written. But, it's getting to the point now where I want to get OFF the cruise stage... and anything I can do to speed that process along, I'm going to do ..... purity of the experiment be damned!! I'm also starting to lose some of the muscle definition in my arms that I had gained while doing Jillian workouts consistently before beginning Dukan - and I don't just want to be thin, I want to be TONED.
So - to recap - we're now doing Mondays and Thursdays PP, and the remaining days of the week PV - with 30 Day Shred daily. Hopefully that will kick this process into high gear.
Menu:
Breakfast
Oat Bran Porridge
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad with chicken breast chunks and 1 hardboiled egg
Dukan Balsamic Vinaigrette
Passion Tea - Cold.
Snack:
Coconut Pineapple non-fat Yogurt
1/4 cup Lobster Chunks
Passtion Tea/ Ginger Ale Spritzer
Dinner:
Leftover pork tenderloin w/ sour cream over french style green beans (pasta/ rice stand-in.. I'm making it work)
Sauteed Kale
Passion Tea
Activity/ Exercise: Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred - Level 1 - 25 minutes
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Day 26 - PP - Happy Memorial Day!
I hesitate to say "summer has arrived!" in Chicago.. since we've had more than a few false starts this Spring - but today - the "unofficial start of summer" - certainly seemed summery to me! I didn't happen to see what the temperature topped out at - I think it was forecasted to be 92 degrees at the warmest part of the day. Very sultry! BF and I took a short walk around noon - it was beautiful outside, but my fair skin and the elevated humidity made a longer walk difficult.
Thankfully, the electrical woes of yesterday seem to have abated - just in time, too! If I hadn't been able to turn on the AC in the living room today, I never would've lasted... I'm hoping that it was just a glitch yesterday - a side-effect of the torrential rain storms and not a black omen of more electrical problems to come. I know my landlady will join me on that one!
Tonight was yet another thrilling installment of "The Bachelorette" (BTW, get used to it guys, every Monday night for the next 10 weeks you're going to have to hear about Ashley and her hoards of strapping lads... sorry) I really do live for Mondays - although I'm finding that I'm not enjoying this season as much as Brad "The Wombat" Womack's season... it is early yet.
The most compelling "character" right now is Bentley the Villain - who, in an unexpected twist, couldn't really give a crap about the Bachelorette and has actually said as much! Fascinating! Way to keep us on our TOES ABC execs! You see, NORMALLY the Villain/ Villainess of the season is the one who is certifiably crazy, maybe just a bit trashy, and completely believes that this person that they met 3.5 minutes ago is legitimately the one for them..... Bentley is a new breed of Villain who is the opposite of all those things (except for maybe the trashy part.... I believe he said his daughter's name was Coozy... or Coochy ... or something- TRA-SHY!!) and is really just staying in the game to amuse himself and get some free publicity. He is pretty cute though.. perfect fodder for lots of lady "hate". Scrumptious.
Who needs CARBS when there's the never-ending drama of The Bachelorette to keep me entertained!?!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Cherry Vanilla non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Seafood Trifecta (lobster, shrimp crab - cold)
1 hard-boiled egg
Cottage Cheese
Ginger Ale
Snack:
Vanilla non-fat yogurt
Passion Tea/ Ginger Ale Spritzer
Dinner:
Pork Tenderloin w/ sour cream Garlic Sauce
scrambled egg whites w/ chives
cottage cheese
OH! I almost forgot!
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
A big thank you to our service men and women - past, present, and future - Thank You for reminding us that FREEDOM ISN'T FREE!!!
Thankfully, the electrical woes of yesterday seem to have abated - just in time, too! If I hadn't been able to turn on the AC in the living room today, I never would've lasted... I'm hoping that it was just a glitch yesterday - a side-effect of the torrential rain storms and not a black omen of more electrical problems to come. I know my landlady will join me on that one!
Tonight was yet another thrilling installment of "The Bachelorette" (BTW, get used to it guys, every Monday night for the next 10 weeks you're going to have to hear about Ashley and her hoards of strapping lads... sorry) I really do live for Mondays - although I'm finding that I'm not enjoying this season as much as Brad "The Wombat" Womack's season... it is early yet.
The most compelling "character" right now is Bentley the Villain - who, in an unexpected twist, couldn't really give a crap about the Bachelorette and has actually said as much! Fascinating! Way to keep us on our TOES ABC execs! You see, NORMALLY the Villain/ Villainess of the season is the one who is certifiably crazy, maybe just a bit trashy, and completely believes that this person that they met 3.5 minutes ago is legitimately the one for them..... Bentley is a new breed of Villain who is the opposite of all those things (except for maybe the trashy part.... I believe he said his daughter's name was Coozy... or Coochy ... or something- TRA-SHY!!) and is really just staying in the game to amuse himself and get some free publicity. He is pretty cute though.. perfect fodder for lots of lady "hate". Scrumptious.
Who needs CARBS when there's the never-ending drama of The Bachelorette to keep me entertained!?!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Cherry Vanilla non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Seafood Trifecta (lobster, shrimp crab - cold)
1 hard-boiled egg
Cottage Cheese
Ginger Ale
Snack:
Vanilla non-fat yogurt
Passion Tea/ Ginger Ale Spritzer
Dinner:
Pork Tenderloin w/ sour cream Garlic Sauce
scrambled egg whites w/ chives
cottage cheese
OH! I almost forgot!
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
A big thank you to our service men and women - past, present, and future - Thank You for reminding us that FREEDOM ISN'T FREE!!!
Day 25 - PV - who needs electricity anyway?
I had great intentions for today - I really did. You know those days where you get up and you say to yourself "self, we're going to do this, this, and this today... being productive is awesome! Go US!" and then promptly upon getting up out of bed... everything, and I do mean everything, conspires against your perfect, productive plan? Today was one of those days.
The morning? Not so bad... except for the fact that it was raining and overcast, so much so that it felt like night time.... I took BF to church, then came home with every intention of working on homework. This was not to be. As soon as I sat down to eat some lunch.... the power went off. Thinking that it had something to do with the torrential rainstorm, I channeled my inner zen master, finished my lunch... and went down into the creepiest of creepy basements to investigate. It turned out to be a tripped circuit... breathing a sigh of relief, I reset the circuit and tromped back up the stairs determined to get back on track.
I settled myself on the couch ready to delve into some history... when... yep, you guessed it... the power goes off again. Now, I wouldn't say that I'm necessarily like an energy hog.... I mean, I'm not running every major appliance in the house, the lights, and all that stuff at once... I really only had a lamp, some twinkle lights that we decorate with, and the tv going... not enough to trip a circuit.... so the fact that the circuit was repeatedly tripping was troubling to say the least...
Well, to make a long story short, the circuit ended up tripping 4-5 times total in the space of 30-45 minutes. This is most definitely not normal... and it is probably a warning sign of bad electrical juju floating in the walls. Bad News Bears ... The last time it tripped, I just decided to leave it off. After text and phone conversations with my landlady and some troubleshooting... the power did come back on and stay on, but I'm anxiously awaiting the electrician's visit tomorrow or Tuesday - at which point I will be sure to ask what sort of idiocy inspired the idea to put over half the apartment's outlets on ONE 15 AMP CIRCUIT. STOOPID!!!
So yes, my plans were thwarted by electricity ninjas.... it's a good thing that tomorrow is Memorial Day and I don't have class. Because of this, I'm ending my day on a note of "mildly annoyed" instead of "irate"... as Martha Stewart would say: "It's a good thing!"
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Small NY Strip Steak - leftover
Sour Creme/ Garlic dipping sauce
Brussels Sprouts
Cottage Cheese
Snack:
1 hard boiled egg
Vanilla non-fat Yogurt
Dinner:
Tilapia Filet
1 salmon burger pattie
Green Beans
The morning? Not so bad... except for the fact that it was raining and overcast, so much so that it felt like night time.... I took BF to church, then came home with every intention of working on homework. This was not to be. As soon as I sat down to eat some lunch.... the power went off. Thinking that it had something to do with the torrential rainstorm, I channeled my inner zen master, finished my lunch... and went down into the creepiest of creepy basements to investigate. It turned out to be a tripped circuit... breathing a sigh of relief, I reset the circuit and tromped back up the stairs determined to get back on track.
I settled myself on the couch ready to delve into some history... when... yep, you guessed it... the power goes off again. Now, I wouldn't say that I'm necessarily like an energy hog.... I mean, I'm not running every major appliance in the house, the lights, and all that stuff at once... I really only had a lamp, some twinkle lights that we decorate with, and the tv going... not enough to trip a circuit.... so the fact that the circuit was repeatedly tripping was troubling to say the least...
Well, to make a long story short, the circuit ended up tripping 4-5 times total in the space of 30-45 minutes. This is most definitely not normal... and it is probably a warning sign of bad electrical juju floating in the walls. Bad News Bears ... The last time it tripped, I just decided to leave it off. After text and phone conversations with my landlady and some troubleshooting... the power did come back on and stay on, but I'm anxiously awaiting the electrician's visit tomorrow or Tuesday - at which point I will be sure to ask what sort of idiocy inspired the idea to put over half the apartment's outlets on ONE 15 AMP CIRCUIT. STOOPID!!!
So yes, my plans were thwarted by electricity ninjas.... it's a good thing that tomorrow is Memorial Day and I don't have class. Because of this, I'm ending my day on a note of "mildly annoyed" instead of "irate"... as Martha Stewart would say: "It's a good thing!"
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Small NY Strip Steak - leftover
Sour Creme/ Garlic dipping sauce
Brussels Sprouts
Cottage Cheese
Snack:
1 hard boiled egg
Vanilla non-fat Yogurt
Dinner:
Tilapia Filet
1 salmon burger pattie
Green Beans
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Day 24 - PP
PP days are the worst... I'm just not even going to sugar-coat it. I dread PP days. It's hard ya'll.... but I'm powering through. Today - I feel like I've been eating non-stop... I'm eating all the approved stuff, and I know unlimited quantities are allowed, but my rational brain ( or maybe it's my IRRATIONAL brain) doesn't want to believe that that's ok...
I've never been one for emotional eating really... but eating out of boredom? Now, THAT is definitely a problem. One that the Dukan plan is really devoid of is really good go-to snacking food. Portable, easy, satisfying... ya know like chips, nuts, or a cookie... those kinds of things. This is where I run into trouble, and why I inevitably end up eating 4 things of yogurt or 3 hard-boiled eggs over the course of a day.
Sigh - so this, to me, is definitely a flaw of the plan. Maybe the French don't snack?
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Caramel non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Turkey Lunchmeat
2 turkey hot dogs with spicy mustard
cottage cheese
fat-free vanilla fro-yo
Snack:
Strawberry Cheesecake non-fat Yogurt.
Diet Rite Soda
Dinner:
NY Strip Steak w/ sour cream and garlic dipping sauce
Sauteed Shrimp
Cottage Cheese
I've never been one for emotional eating really... but eating out of boredom? Now, THAT is definitely a problem. One that the Dukan plan is really devoid of is really good go-to snacking food. Portable, easy, satisfying... ya know like chips, nuts, or a cookie... those kinds of things. This is where I run into trouble, and why I inevitably end up eating 4 things of yogurt or 3 hard-boiled eggs over the course of a day.
Sigh - so this, to me, is definitely a flaw of the plan. Maybe the French don't snack?
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Caramel non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Turkey Lunchmeat
2 turkey hot dogs with spicy mustard
cottage cheese
fat-free vanilla fro-yo
Snack:
Strawberry Cheesecake non-fat Yogurt.
Diet Rite Soda
Dinner:
NY Strip Steak w/ sour cream and garlic dipping sauce
Sauteed Shrimp
Cottage Cheese
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Day 23 - PV - Dinner with Friends
Sorry for the late post all! Got home last night and was so tired that I just couldn't fathom doing anything!
Fairly uneventful day yesterday - BF and I stayed around home for most of the day, poor thing - he's finally starting to feel some jet lag from his 13 hour time switch. We were talking yesterday and have decided to make a morning walk part of our daily routine. I'm expecting that this will start on Monday though... as this weekend is sort of busy for us!
Last night, we had dinner with some friends. We had a great time - good food, good company - but my willpower and resolve was severely tested throughout the course of the evening. I'm very proud to say that - even in the face of Doritos, pasta salad, and S'mores - I did not cheat. Not one unapproved morsel passed my lips. Knowing that we were going to be having hot dogs with all the traditional accompaniments, I even packed myself a nice big salad and ate hot dogs with mustard and no bun. I'm not going to lie and tell you that it wasn't a little sad.... but I felt good nonetheless that I was able to resist all those yummy things. :)
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Coconut Pineapple non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Salmon Filet w/ mushroom sour cream sauce
2 Eggs - sunny-side up
Brussels sprouts
Dinner:
Romaine Lettuce Salad w/ Shrimp and hard boiled egg
Dukan Balsamic Vinaigrette
hot dogs with mustard and relish
Diet Rite Soda
Snack:
Chicken lunchmeat
Passion/ Earl Grey tea with sweetener
Fairly uneventful day yesterday - BF and I stayed around home for most of the day, poor thing - he's finally starting to feel some jet lag from his 13 hour time switch. We were talking yesterday and have decided to make a morning walk part of our daily routine. I'm expecting that this will start on Monday though... as this weekend is sort of busy for us!
Last night, we had dinner with some friends. We had a great time - good food, good company - but my willpower and resolve was severely tested throughout the course of the evening. I'm very proud to say that - even in the face of Doritos, pasta salad, and S'mores - I did not cheat. Not one unapproved morsel passed my lips. Knowing that we were going to be having hot dogs with all the traditional accompaniments, I even packed myself a nice big salad and ate hot dogs with mustard and no bun. I'm not going to lie and tell you that it wasn't a little sad.... but I felt good nonetheless that I was able to resist all those yummy things. :)
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Coconut Pineapple non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Salmon Filet w/ mushroom sour cream sauce
2 Eggs - sunny-side up
Brussels sprouts
Dinner:
Romaine Lettuce Salad w/ Shrimp and hard boiled egg
Dukan Balsamic Vinaigrette
hot dogs with mustard and relish
Diet Rite Soda
Snack:
Chicken lunchmeat
Passion/ Earl Grey tea with sweetener
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Day 22 - PP - Strolling in Andersonville
Man alive! Chicago weather has been REALLY bipolar lately. One day it's hot... the next day, its not just cool... it's COLD. It is 48 degrees today. This is just not right!! I mean, I don't want it to be 100 with 80% humidity or something... but c'mon! This is just a little bit ridiculous.
Ugh, well - despite the unseasonable weather - BF and I managed to have a very nice day! We decided, after lazing around for the first half of the day to go explore a Persian Tea shop that a friend had told me about in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. It was fantastic! probably 30-40 different types of tea - green, black, herbal, fruit teas... a veritable tea drinker's heaven. Also, very reasonably priced - for 4-5 oz of loose tea - $2.95. NOT BAD!!!
After perusing the tea shop... and making a few purchases.... we decided to walk around Andersonville - originally a Swedish neighborhood on the North side of Chicago. Discovered a couple more cute little shops - including a lovely, if somewhat poorly presented, antique shop where we purchased a cute olive green teapot with a kitschy bamboo handle! All in all, very nice day. :)
Now we're sitting in our chilly apartment (because we put our ACs in when it hit 95 a few weeks ago) enjoying some Spring Melody (Green tea with Strawberry and Orange bits) in our new teapot - and watching the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance - or, Dance BITCH! as BF calls it. LOL!!
As far as the diet goes, I've been sort of hitting an emotional brick wall. I am losing weight - so its working - and I haven't cheated at all. But it is now getting to that inevitable part in every diet when I start to really miss eating normal food (like Pizza, potatoes, canned soup, strawberries for God's sake!!) and when I start to seriously doubt whether I can last until the end of the summer without ice cream, hot dogs, potato salad, and all the yummy summer staples that I live for during warm weather.
According to my calculations, I'm going to be on Cruise until July 10th.... and then I have to be in Consolidation until early September - which means that basically the entire summer is wasted. SO - I need to get REALLY creative and figure out ways to re-tool my summer faves to be Dukan Friendly - I also need to hurry up and reach my desired Cruise weight so that I can move on to Consolidation - when I believe I get to add whole grains and some fruit back in... plus one "celebration meal" a week. In the meantime - any advice/ words of encouragement for me?? I'm pining for junk food!! Help!!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
2 leftover chicken thingies from last night
2 hard boiled eggs
Kiwi-Strawberry Sparkling Water
Snack
Chicken lunchmeat
Vanilla non-fat yogurt
Spring Melody tea w/ sweetener
Dinner:
Chicken Breast with herbs (baked)
Cottage Cheese
cold shrimp
Passion Tea w/ sweetener
Ugh, well - despite the unseasonable weather - BF and I managed to have a very nice day! We decided, after lazing around for the first half of the day to go explore a Persian Tea shop that a friend had told me about in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. It was fantastic! probably 30-40 different types of tea - green, black, herbal, fruit teas... a veritable tea drinker's heaven. Also, very reasonably priced - for 4-5 oz of loose tea - $2.95. NOT BAD!!!
After perusing the tea shop... and making a few purchases.... we decided to walk around Andersonville - originally a Swedish neighborhood on the North side of Chicago. Discovered a couple more cute little shops - including a lovely, if somewhat poorly presented, antique shop where we purchased a cute olive green teapot with a kitschy bamboo handle! All in all, very nice day. :)
Now we're sitting in our chilly apartment (because we put our ACs in when it hit 95 a few weeks ago) enjoying some Spring Melody (Green tea with Strawberry and Orange bits) in our new teapot - and watching the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance - or, Dance BITCH! as BF calls it. LOL!!
As far as the diet goes, I've been sort of hitting an emotional brick wall. I am losing weight - so its working - and I haven't cheated at all. But it is now getting to that inevitable part in every diet when I start to really miss eating normal food (like Pizza, potatoes, canned soup, strawberries for God's sake!!) and when I start to seriously doubt whether I can last until the end of the summer without ice cream, hot dogs, potato salad, and all the yummy summer staples that I live for during warm weather.
According to my calculations, I'm going to be on Cruise until July 10th.... and then I have to be in Consolidation until early September - which means that basically the entire summer is wasted. SO - I need to get REALLY creative and figure out ways to re-tool my summer faves to be Dukan Friendly - I also need to hurry up and reach my desired Cruise weight so that I can move on to Consolidation - when I believe I get to add whole grains and some fruit back in... plus one "celebration meal" a week. In the meantime - any advice/ words of encouragement for me?? I'm pining for junk food!! Help!!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
2 leftover chicken thingies from last night
2 hard boiled eggs
Kiwi-Strawberry Sparkling Water
Snack
Chicken lunchmeat
Vanilla non-fat yogurt
Spring Melody tea w/ sweetener
Dinner:
Chicken Breast with herbs (baked)
Cottage Cheese
cold shrimp
Passion Tea w/ sweetener
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Day 21 - PV - BF is HOME!!!! :)
Yes, everyone, BF has returned from the wilds of Taiwan. Surprisingly, not as crabby as I thought he was going to be after 3 airports, 2 3-hour layovers, and 22 total hours of travel time. :) What a trooper my man is! I'm very glad to have him home. I also introduced him to our newly CLEAN apartment - and promptly threatened him with bodily harm if he messed it up! HA! Such love....
Obviously, since BF is back.... I'm not going to write a lot tonight.... So, here's the good stuff:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana Creme non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad with hard boiled egg and crab
Dukan Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dinner:
2 chicken breast filets (not a whole breast- they're these super flat breast things... idk)
Mushroom Sour Cream Sauce
sauteed spinach
cottage cheese
1/2 Diet Rite Soda
Snack:
Green Tea with lemon and sweetener
Fat Free Vanilla Fro-Yo
Obviously, since BF is back.... I'm not going to write a lot tonight.... So, here's the good stuff:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana Creme non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad with hard boiled egg and crab
Dukan Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dinner:
2 chicken breast filets (not a whole breast- they're these super flat breast things... idk)
Mushroom Sour Cream Sauce
sauteed spinach
cottage cheese
1/2 Diet Rite Soda
Snack:
Green Tea with lemon and sweetener
Fat Free Vanilla Fro-Yo
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Day 20 - PP - Talk pretty to me!
I don't know about the rest of you... but for me, one of the best compliments I can get is that I look thin (or thinner!). I'm going to go out on a limb and say that MOST women love hearing this. We like being told we're thin more than being told our hair/shoes/ clothes/ kids are cute..... it is like.. the ULTIMATE compliment.. ESPECIALLY if you've been carb-deprived for over 2 weeks. Somehow outside acknowledgement that your body is responding is more gratifying than a number on a scale....
Today I got told 2 separate times by 2 different people that I looked markedly thinner than the last time they'd seen me. The first was even a GUY.... and not a very observant guy. (And, no - it wasn't BF - he's still in Taiwan) He walked in the door to my apartment today - and literally the first words out of his mouth were "Whoa, are you on a diet or something?! You look way thinner!" My outward reaction was to wave my hand dismissively and play it down - inwardly, I sounded something like this: "EEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" :)
I have been noticing in the last few days especially that my clothes are much looser. The cropped jeans I'm wearing now for instance, when I bought them last summer they were a tad snug - now I can take them off without unbuttoning/ unzipping them.... and that's FRESH from the wash - not after 2 days of being worn and stretched out. Progress? I think so!
Oddly, I weighed myself this morning - and there has been no change on the scale. I'm thinking that this might be partly due to the fact that my scale is... frankly, a cheap piece of crap... due to budgetary constraints, however, I'm dealing with it.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Strawberry Banana non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Imitation Crab
1 Hard Boiled Egg
Snack:
Cherry Vanilla non-fat Yogurt
Dinner:
Leftover Pork Tenderloin/ Turkey Meatballs w/ cream sauce (cheated a little - it's a PP day, but there were mushrooms in the sauce - oops!!)
Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
Fat-Free Vanilla Fro-Yo
Did anyone else watch the Season Finale of The Biggest Loser tonight?! I loved the fact that sisters Hannah and Olivia made it to the top three together - I found them very inspirational. I connected with Olivia since she too is a classical singer - but, I'll admit that I was rooting for Hannah to win!! I won't spoil the ending for anyone who's planning on Hulu-ing it tomorrow. But for anyone trying to motivate themselves to lose weight and get fit - BL is great inspirational/ motivational show to watch with great fitness/diet tips. I'm SO going to miss Jillian next season - I'm sort of disappointed that they've chosen Anna Kournikova to take Jill's place. (I know... WTF?! RIGHT!?) - Anna's got some mighty big shoes to fill. MIGHTY BIG!
Today I got told 2 separate times by 2 different people that I looked markedly thinner than the last time they'd seen me. The first was even a GUY.... and not a very observant guy. (And, no - it wasn't BF - he's still in Taiwan) He walked in the door to my apartment today - and literally the first words out of his mouth were "Whoa, are you on a diet or something?! You look way thinner!" My outward reaction was to wave my hand dismissively and play it down - inwardly, I sounded something like this: "EEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" :)
I have been noticing in the last few days especially that my clothes are much looser. The cropped jeans I'm wearing now for instance, when I bought them last summer they were a tad snug - now I can take them off without unbuttoning/ unzipping them.... and that's FRESH from the wash - not after 2 days of being worn and stretched out. Progress? I think so!
Oddly, I weighed myself this morning - and there has been no change on the scale. I'm thinking that this might be partly due to the fact that my scale is... frankly, a cheap piece of crap... due to budgetary constraints, however, I'm dealing with it.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Strawberry Banana non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Imitation Crab
1 Hard Boiled Egg
Snack:
Cherry Vanilla non-fat Yogurt
Dinner:
Leftover Pork Tenderloin/ Turkey Meatballs w/ cream sauce (cheated a little - it's a PP day, but there were mushrooms in the sauce - oops!!)
Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
Fat-Free Vanilla Fro-Yo
Did anyone else watch the Season Finale of The Biggest Loser tonight?! I loved the fact that sisters Hannah and Olivia made it to the top three together - I found them very inspirational. I connected with Olivia since she too is a classical singer - but, I'll admit that I was rooting for Hannah to win!! I won't spoil the ending for anyone who's planning on Hulu-ing it tomorrow. But for anyone trying to motivate themselves to lose weight and get fit - BL is great inspirational/ motivational show to watch with great fitness/diet tips. I'm SO going to miss Jillian next season - I'm sort of disappointed that they've chosen Anna Kournikova to take Jill's place. (I know... WTF?! RIGHT!?) - Anna's got some mighty big shoes to fill. MIGHTY BIG!
 |
| CAN ANNA KOURNIKOVA DO THIS?!?!!?! |
Monday, May 23, 2011
Day 19 - PV - Just another Manic Monday...
Hello my people! I'm going to be completely honest and just say that I'm far too tired right now to write a whole lot.... so my witty, charming banter and funny anecdotes about dieting and life will have to wait for tomorrow.
Here's the basics:
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Coffee w/ fixins
Banana Creme non fat yogurt
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad with Crab and Shrimp
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Venti Starbucks Passion Tea w/ sweetener
Snack in between classes:
turkey lunchmeat
2 hard boiled eggs
Orange Bliss non-fat yogurt (Isn't that a great name for yogurt?! It WAS rather blissful.)
Dinner:
leftover Pork Tenderloin with mushroom cream sauce
leftover Green Beans
leftover Brussels Sprouts
Fat Free Vanilla Fro-Yo
More tomorrow... once I've slept!!!
Night all!
Here's the basics:
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Coffee w/ fixins
Banana Creme non fat yogurt
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad with Crab and Shrimp
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Venti Starbucks Passion Tea w/ sweetener
Snack in between classes:
turkey lunchmeat
2 hard boiled eggs
Orange Bliss non-fat yogurt (Isn't that a great name for yogurt?! It WAS rather blissful.)
Dinner:
leftover Pork Tenderloin with mushroom cream sauce
leftover Green Beans
leftover Brussels Sprouts
Fat Free Vanilla Fro-Yo
More tomorrow... once I've slept!!!
Night all!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Day 18 - PV - Super Sunday
What a nice day! Spring finally returned to Chicago - it was a sultry 83 degrees at the peak of the day. Perfect sundress weather! Sadly, I had to spend most of the day inside doing homework - but I did wear a sundress and open the windows and the blinds to take full advantage of the sunlight and warmth.
Despite my reticence towards remaining indoors all day, I was able to get a TON of work done. A fact that I'm quite happy about.... will make going to class tomorrow a much more pleasant experience. Speaking of class, tomorrow is actually my last official class meeting day! Very excited about that! Then it's just finishing up projects and papers and handing things in. FUN.
There is another reason why I'm not exactly dreading tomorrow... tomorrow night is the premiere of The Bachelorette!!! The Bachelor/ Bachelorette franchise is one of my guilty pleasures... I cannot get enough of it... even though the relationships rarely work out in the real world, I love to see the drama... and the cheesy one liners. It's awesome. What makes it even better is that each week I have an online gab-fest with my good friend Kathryn while we both watch in our respective locations (Me in Chicago, her in Minnesota)... its not quite as good as she were here with me drinking Moscato and eating popcorn (neither of which, due to Dukan, I can currently have!) but it's the next best thing!!
Planning on weighing myself tomorrow - hoping to see 139 or 138 ... I've been doing a good job of sticking to the plan and have, thus far, not been too tempted to cheat. Going to the movies and smelling the movie theatre popcorn was about as bad as it has gotten... and I withstood that!! :)
Going to be doing another day of PV tomorrow - it's just easier with class and everything.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oatbran Porridge
Coffee w/ fixins - drank this throughout the day - had to let it chill in fridge, too hot outside to drink hot!!
Noon snack:
Key Lime non-fat Yogurt
Lunch:
Spinach and Broccoli Slaw salad w/ crab and hardboiled egg
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dinner:
Pork Tenderloin w/ Sour Cream Mushroom sauce
Green Beans
Brussels Sprouts
Evening Snack:
Fat-Free Vanilla Fro-Yo
Despite my reticence towards remaining indoors all day, I was able to get a TON of work done. A fact that I'm quite happy about.... will make going to class tomorrow a much more pleasant experience. Speaking of class, tomorrow is actually my last official class meeting day! Very excited about that! Then it's just finishing up projects and papers and handing things in. FUN.
There is another reason why I'm not exactly dreading tomorrow... tomorrow night is the premiere of The Bachelorette!!! The Bachelor/ Bachelorette franchise is one of my guilty pleasures... I cannot get enough of it... even though the relationships rarely work out in the real world, I love to see the drama... and the cheesy one liners. It's awesome. What makes it even better is that each week I have an online gab-fest with my good friend Kathryn while we both watch in our respective locations (Me in Chicago, her in Minnesota)... its not quite as good as she were here with me drinking Moscato and eating popcorn (neither of which, due to Dukan, I can currently have!) but it's the next best thing!!
Planning on weighing myself tomorrow - hoping to see 139 or 138 ... I've been doing a good job of sticking to the plan and have, thus far, not been too tempted to cheat. Going to the movies and smelling the movie theatre popcorn was about as bad as it has gotten... and I withstood that!! :)
Going to be doing another day of PV tomorrow - it's just easier with class and everything.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oatbran Porridge
Coffee w/ fixins - drank this throughout the day - had to let it chill in fridge, too hot outside to drink hot!!
Noon snack:
Key Lime non-fat Yogurt
Lunch:
Spinach and Broccoli Slaw salad w/ crab and hardboiled egg
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dinner:
Pork Tenderloin w/ Sour Cream Mushroom sauce
Green Beans
Brussels Sprouts
Evening Snack:
Fat-Free Vanilla Fro-Yo
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Day 17 - PP - I'm still here!
Well, for good or for bad... I wasn't raptured today. If you're reading this, I guess that means you weren't either. I'll admit, as 6pm drew closer I was little nervous - even though I knew that 6pm had come and gone in countless time zones around the globe with no extraordinary happenings - it's that "what if" factor.. gets me every time. Today was pretty uneventful though... disappointing for a purported "doomsday" really...
Decided to spend what potentially could have been my last day on Earth going to a movie with a friend. Saw "Bridesmaids" which was HILARIOUS! I thoroughly enjoyed it... and I'm quite proud of myself - I had a Coke Zero but resisted the movie theatre popcorn. My friend had a small popcorn - and I didn't even THINK of reaching over to steal a handful. The embodiment of will-power and restraint, that's me!!
So yes, now I'm enjoying a quiet, Rapture-free evening at home with the cat - was going to do some homework - but decided to put it off until tomorrow. Fashion Magazines, America's Next Top Model, and my mondo jug of water it is! Happy Saturday everyone!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Overnight Oat Bran - tried this based on a recipe I found online - not that great - going back to porridge tomorrow!!
Coffee w/ fixins
Mid-Morning Snack:
Cappuccino non-fat Yogurt
Coke Zero
Late Lunch:
leftover Tilapia Filets
imitation crab sticks
cottage cheese
vanilla fro-yo
Late Dinner:
Cold Shrimp
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Citron Sonata/ Earl Grey Tea
Decided to spend what potentially could have been my last day on Earth going to a movie with a friend. Saw "Bridesmaids" which was HILARIOUS! I thoroughly enjoyed it... and I'm quite proud of myself - I had a Coke Zero but resisted the movie theatre popcorn. My friend had a small popcorn - and I didn't even THINK of reaching over to steal a handful. The embodiment of will-power and restraint, that's me!!
So yes, now I'm enjoying a quiet, Rapture-free evening at home with the cat - was going to do some homework - but decided to put it off until tomorrow. Fashion Magazines, America's Next Top Model, and my mondo jug of water it is! Happy Saturday everyone!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Overnight Oat Bran - tried this based on a recipe I found online - not that great - going back to porridge tomorrow!!
Coffee w/ fixins
Mid-Morning Snack:
Cappuccino non-fat Yogurt
Coke Zero
Late Lunch:
leftover Tilapia Filets
imitation crab sticks
cottage cheese
vanilla fro-yo
Late Dinner:
Cold Shrimp
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Citron Sonata/ Earl Grey Tea
Friday, May 20, 2011
Day 16 - PV - It's the end of the world as we know it... and I feel fine...
Have ya'll heard?? The RAPTURE is happening tomorrow. Yes folks, I'm afraid this is it.... at 6pm (CST) tomorrow (so nice of Jesus to give an exact time of arrival right?! And it's even in Central time - so considerate!) Judgement Day will be underway. It's all very exciting...
......
Yea, so I think we can all safely assume (based on 2000 years of people predicting the Rapture/ Apocalypse and being absolutely WRONG) that at 6pm tomorrow night... we'll all be watching Wheel of Fortune like normal. (oh, wait... maybe that's just me with the Wheel of Fortune - geeky music aside: Whenever I watch Wheel of Fortune, I sing "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana in my head... you should try it sometime, it REALLY heightens the drama.... ) But, ridiculousness aside - there is always that small part of you that still says "what if they're right??"..... that part of ME responds with: "If they ARE right, I better have some freaking CARBS on standby.... just in case!!!"
In all likelihood, I'm not going to need to stuff myself with last minute Carbs as the Four Horsemen ride in on clouds of fire and doom.... good thing too, because I think my body might have a really ugly adverse reaction to Carb overload after being on Dukan for so long. As my sister said this morning: "You might think the world is ending for an entirely different reason!".... (GROSS!)
Ok, enough about the NOT end of the world. On to the diet. You might notice from the ticker up top that I've lost another 1.5 lbs - I've crossed back into the 130s (just barely! but we're going to count it). I'm very excited by that - as it has been quite a while since I've seen the 130s. So, obviously, the diet is going well.
From my observation and practice, Dukan is a system where you MUST innovate. You're given a list of raw ingredients.... and you have to make interesting, good-tasting foods out of those ingredients. This is easier said than done when you take away all the standard go-to things (like cheese, garlic salt, regular salt, etc) that make food taste good. This forces you to come up with things and use unusual ingredients (like balsamic vinegar and plain yogurt) to create flavors and dishes. If I couldn't cook, this would be an almost impossible program for me to follow. You have to have a relatively good sense of how flavors combine and basic cooking techniques. Thankfully, some recipes are provided in the book - and it is rather easy to create variations from those.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad w/ Crab and Hard Boiled Egg
Dukan Balsamic Vinaigrette
Diet Rite Cola
Dinner:
Tilapia Filets
Sauteed Spinach and Mushrooms
leftover Sour Cream/ Garlic Sauce
Snack:
Banana Creme non-fat yogurt
Fat Free vanilla Frozen Yogurt
......
Yea, so I think we can all safely assume (based on 2000 years of people predicting the Rapture/ Apocalypse and being absolutely WRONG) that at 6pm tomorrow night... we'll all be watching Wheel of Fortune like normal. (oh, wait... maybe that's just me with the Wheel of Fortune - geeky music aside: Whenever I watch Wheel of Fortune, I sing "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana in my head... you should try it sometime, it REALLY heightens the drama.... ) But, ridiculousness aside - there is always that small part of you that still says "what if they're right??"..... that part of ME responds with: "If they ARE right, I better have some freaking CARBS on standby.... just in case!!!"
In all likelihood, I'm not going to need to stuff myself with last minute Carbs as the Four Horsemen ride in on clouds of fire and doom.... good thing too, because I think my body might have a really ugly adverse reaction to Carb overload after being on Dukan for so long. As my sister said this morning: "You might think the world is ending for an entirely different reason!".... (GROSS!)
Ok, enough about the NOT end of the world. On to the diet. You might notice from the ticker up top that I've lost another 1.5 lbs - I've crossed back into the 130s (just barely! but we're going to count it). I'm very excited by that - as it has been quite a while since I've seen the 130s. So, obviously, the diet is going well.
From my observation and practice, Dukan is a system where you MUST innovate. You're given a list of raw ingredients.... and you have to make interesting, good-tasting foods out of those ingredients. This is easier said than done when you take away all the standard go-to things (like cheese, garlic salt, regular salt, etc) that make food taste good. This forces you to come up with things and use unusual ingredients (like balsamic vinegar and plain yogurt) to create flavors and dishes. If I couldn't cook, this would be an almost impossible program for me to follow. You have to have a relatively good sense of how flavors combine and basic cooking techniques. Thankfully, some recipes are provided in the book - and it is rather easy to create variations from those.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad w/ Crab and Hard Boiled Egg
Dukan Balsamic Vinaigrette
Diet Rite Cola
Dinner:
Tilapia Filets
Sauteed Spinach and Mushrooms
leftover Sour Cream/ Garlic Sauce
Snack:
Banana Creme non-fat yogurt
Fat Free vanilla Frozen Yogurt
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Day 15 - PP - Organizing Continues.....
3:30pm - I am currently taking a break from tackling the kitchen. As with yesterday, I really had no idea just how much crap I actually had in there. Crap in cabinets, crap stuffed underneath the table, crap in drawers.... CRAP, CRAP, CRAP!!!! ACK!!!! I'm seeing a light at the end of the kitchen tunnel however, and I feel a lot better about things... 2 30-gallon trash bags full of crap later... (working on a third)....
Planning on just powering through and getting the living room and bathroom (Shudder) decluttered today too... don't know if I can do another full day of this. Plus, I really do have homework and other things that I need to be doing as well. Next week - possibly Tuesday, I'm also going to tidy BF's room and do his laundry and whatnot (AW, I'm such a nice girlfriend). I'm learning that in an apartment as small as ours - everything needs to have a specific spot. When you're done using an item - it needs to RETURN to that spot... and that spot only. (Easier said than done, I know!)
Overall observations about organizing:
1. Tupperware is an invention of Satan. I think it procreates... seriously. Or, rather, just the CONTAINERS procreate.... the lids, not so much. I must've inherited the "I can't get rid of plastic containers regardless of how unlikely I am to ever use them again" disease from my mother... this disease, like plastic containers, is ALSO an invention of Satan.
2. Cat hair is an insidious monster. How does it get in places?!?! Does my cat climb inside obscure nooks, crannies, and cupboards (?!?!) and just like.... deposit massive amounts of fur on things?! SERIOUSLY.
3. Life would be a lot easier if there were a chute from one of my windows directly to the dumpster out back. 3 flights of stairs + 4-6 bags of trash = UGH. (Of course, all those stairs + all those trips up and down with trash = my 30 minutes of Dukan Activity for the day - so maybe I should shut up.... haha)
4. I HATE MAGAZINES. Ok, perhaps I should qualify that... I actually love magazines. I love to read them, I love their glossy wonderful pages full of fashion and makeup and hair tips... but once I've had that reading experience... they all pile up... I wish that I could digitize all my magazine subscriptions. I can handle cyber-clutter a lot better than actual clutter. If someone knows a way to do this - please comment and let me know!! PLEASE!!!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Coffee with fixins
Noon Snack:
Peach non-fat Yogurt
Lunch:
Leftover Salmon Burger Pattie
2 Hard-Boiled Eggs
Cottage Cheese
Dinner:
Grilled Chicken Breast
Sour Cream/ Cream Cheese/ Chive Sauce
Cottage Cheese
Evening Snack:
1 hard-boiled egg
Evening Update: Right after I finished writing this afternoon - BF CALLED!!! I was very excited - he was using a Magic Jack to call me from Taiwan (I guess we can add the MJ to the list of hokey infomercial products that DO work). We had a nice long conversation - and he told me about everything he's been doing and the places they've been going. It was very, very good to hear from him... even though we've been emailing regularly I felt much better after I heard his voice. :)
Also - Miracle of Miracles - my organization mission is complete!! I powered through and finished both the living room and the bathroom.... and ended up carrying out 6 30-gallon bags of trash! I'm now exhausted, but I can physically feel that my space is more open and clean. Does anyone else feel that when they've cleaned and organized?? Oh, it's a glorious feeling if you've never experienced it. So, to say that I feel gratified and much more calm would be something of an understatement. Now, for the remainder of the week, I can focus on school work and enjoying my fresh, clean apartment! Yahoo!!!
Planning on just powering through and getting the living room and bathroom (Shudder) decluttered today too... don't know if I can do another full day of this. Plus, I really do have homework and other things that I need to be doing as well. Next week - possibly Tuesday, I'm also going to tidy BF's room and do his laundry and whatnot (AW, I'm such a nice girlfriend). I'm learning that in an apartment as small as ours - everything needs to have a specific spot. When you're done using an item - it needs to RETURN to that spot... and that spot only. (Easier said than done, I know!)
Overall observations about organizing:
1. Tupperware is an invention of Satan. I think it procreates... seriously. Or, rather, just the CONTAINERS procreate.... the lids, not so much. I must've inherited the "I can't get rid of plastic containers regardless of how unlikely I am to ever use them again" disease from my mother... this disease, like plastic containers, is ALSO an invention of Satan.
2. Cat hair is an insidious monster. How does it get in places?!?! Does my cat climb inside obscure nooks, crannies, and cupboards (?!?!) and just like.... deposit massive amounts of fur on things?! SERIOUSLY.
3. Life would be a lot easier if there were a chute from one of my windows directly to the dumpster out back. 3 flights of stairs + 4-6 bags of trash = UGH. (Of course, all those stairs + all those trips up and down with trash = my 30 minutes of Dukan Activity for the day - so maybe I should shut up.... haha)
4. I HATE MAGAZINES. Ok, perhaps I should qualify that... I actually love magazines. I love to read them, I love their glossy wonderful pages full of fashion and makeup and hair tips... but once I've had that reading experience... they all pile up... I wish that I could digitize all my magazine subscriptions. I can handle cyber-clutter a lot better than actual clutter. If someone knows a way to do this - please comment and let me know!! PLEASE!!!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Coffee with fixins
Noon Snack:
Peach non-fat Yogurt
Lunch:
Leftover Salmon Burger Pattie
2 Hard-Boiled Eggs
Cottage Cheese
Dinner:
Grilled Chicken Breast
Sour Cream/ Cream Cheese/ Chive Sauce
Cottage Cheese
Evening Snack:
1 hard-boiled egg
Evening Update: Right after I finished writing this afternoon - BF CALLED!!! I was very excited - he was using a Magic Jack to call me from Taiwan (I guess we can add the MJ to the list of hokey infomercial products that DO work). We had a nice long conversation - and he told me about everything he's been doing and the places they've been going. It was very, very good to hear from him... even though we've been emailing regularly I felt much better after I heard his voice. :)
Also - Miracle of Miracles - my organization mission is complete!! I powered through and finished both the living room and the bathroom.... and ended up carrying out 6 30-gallon bags of trash! I'm now exhausted, but I can physically feel that my space is more open and clean. Does anyone else feel that when they've cleaned and organized?? Oh, it's a glorious feeling if you've never experienced it. So, to say that I feel gratified and much more calm would be something of an understatement. Now, for the remainder of the week, I can focus on school work and enjoying my fresh, clean apartment! Yahoo!!!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Day 14 - PV - Organizing Begins!!!
Today I began the organizational process on my apartment with my bedroom. What is supposed to be a serene haven of restfulness, in this apartment at least, often becomes the dumping ground for anything and everything I don't want cluttering up OTHER rooms in the house. Not to mention the fact that apparently I have absolutely no conception of just how many clothes I actually own... when I am out purchasing more. A circumstance that, after today, I've decided must be curtailed (And yes, BF, if you're reading this - you did tell me so!!).
Case in point: I spent a full 15 minutes organizing my dresses today. I discovered that I have no fewer than TWENTY dresses. This is insanity. Pure insanity.... I won't even go into the number of shirts, cardigans, and jeans I have... I am basically the Imelda Marcos of clothing. (If you don't know who Imelda Marcos is, google it.) Oh my Lord... the humanity!!!
Despite the fact that I have what appears to be ridiculous amounts of clothing - I guarantee you, I will get up tomorrow morning and still lament how I have "nothing to wear".... however categorically untrue that statement may be, my irrational brain still believes it. Hence the shopping....
It is a vicious circle my friends. VICIOUS.
My disgust at my own hoarding behaviors notwithstanding - I am nonetheless delighted that my closet is now optimized for Spring. Yes, I just said OPTIMIZED. Getting out my spring/ summer wardrobe after a long Winter of sweaters and boots is sort of like getting a brand-new wardrobe all together. It is always fun to see one's collection in the light of new trends... reinvent old classics in trendy, fashion forward new ways. C'est Magnifique!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Strawberry Banana non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Leftover Turkey Meatballs with Sour Cream/ Garlic Sauce
Green Beans
Water
Dinner:
Salmon Burger Pattie
Sauteed Kale
Banana Creme non-fat Yogurt
Snack:
2 Turkey Dogs
Turkey Lunch meat
1/2 Diet Rite Soda (leftover from last night)
I've had a request to post the recipe for the Sour Cream Garlic Sauce, so here it is!
Sour Cream/ Garlic Sauce:
Minced Garlic
Diced Onion
Fat-Free Sour Cream
Water
bullion or broth (chicken or beef) - OPTIONAL
dried Parsley
1. Start by sauteing (I have no idea how to correctly spell that) some minced garlic in a skillet - small or large, depending on how much you're making.
2. Add onions (I used frozen diced onion from Target- genius, I tell you) and add a little bit of water to deglaze the pan. (You should get a slightly browned liquid color from the semi-burned bits of garlic - it's very satisfying)
3. Saute onion and garlic together (adding little bits of water as needed) until onions are sufficiently browned... then add between an 1/8 - 1/4 cup of water (depending on how thin you want the sauce) and stir in some fat-free sour cream. I never measure the sour cream - I just take a couple big spoonfuls.
4. Obviously, once you add the sour cream, you want to reduce the heat - Really, if it's a small skillet, you never need to cook above a solid "medium" setting - but reduce to low once you add SC - otherwise your sauce will scorch.
5. If you want to add a bit more flavor - you can use some reduced sodium chicken or beef broth instead of water, or even some dry white wine (or red if you want to make a good wine sauce) - last night I used a cube of beef bullion. (I've been known to stir in a bit of fat-free cream cheese as well - for added creaminess)
6. Spoon over the top of whatever meat you're having - could be used to top veggies as well (I'm thinking Brussels Sprouts or cooked spinach would taste good with this) - garnish with dried parsley. You could also use this as a dipping sauce - we had it the other night with NY Strip steak - BF enjoyed it too! :)
Case in point: I spent a full 15 minutes organizing my dresses today. I discovered that I have no fewer than TWENTY dresses. This is insanity. Pure insanity.... I won't even go into the number of shirts, cardigans, and jeans I have... I am basically the Imelda Marcos of clothing. (If you don't know who Imelda Marcos is, google it.) Oh my Lord... the humanity!!!
Despite the fact that I have what appears to be ridiculous amounts of clothing - I guarantee you, I will get up tomorrow morning and still lament how I have "nothing to wear".... however categorically untrue that statement may be, my irrational brain still believes it. Hence the shopping....
It is a vicious circle my friends. VICIOUS.
My disgust at my own hoarding behaviors notwithstanding - I am nonetheless delighted that my closet is now optimized for Spring. Yes, I just said OPTIMIZED. Getting out my spring/ summer wardrobe after a long Winter of sweaters and boots is sort of like getting a brand-new wardrobe all together. It is always fun to see one's collection in the light of new trends... reinvent old classics in trendy, fashion forward new ways. C'est Magnifique!
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Strawberry Banana non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Leftover Turkey Meatballs with Sour Cream/ Garlic Sauce
Green Beans
Water
Dinner:
Salmon Burger Pattie
Sauteed Kale
Banana Creme non-fat Yogurt
Snack:
2 Turkey Dogs
Turkey Lunch meat
1/2 Diet Rite Soda (leftover from last night)
I've had a request to post the recipe for the Sour Cream Garlic Sauce, so here it is!
Sour Cream/ Garlic Sauce:
Minced Garlic
Diced Onion
Fat-Free Sour Cream
Water
bullion or broth (chicken or beef) - OPTIONAL
dried Parsley
1. Start by sauteing (I have no idea how to correctly spell that) some minced garlic in a skillet - small or large, depending on how much you're making.
2. Add onions (I used frozen diced onion from Target- genius, I tell you) and add a little bit of water to deglaze the pan. (You should get a slightly browned liquid color from the semi-burned bits of garlic - it's very satisfying)
3. Saute onion and garlic together (adding little bits of water as needed) until onions are sufficiently browned... then add between an 1/8 - 1/4 cup of water (depending on how thin you want the sauce) and stir in some fat-free sour cream. I never measure the sour cream - I just take a couple big spoonfuls.
4. Obviously, once you add the sour cream, you want to reduce the heat - Really, if it's a small skillet, you never need to cook above a solid "medium" setting - but reduce to low once you add SC - otherwise your sauce will scorch.
5. If you want to add a bit more flavor - you can use some reduced sodium chicken or beef broth instead of water, or even some dry white wine (or red if you want to make a good wine sauce) - last night I used a cube of beef bullion. (I've been known to stir in a bit of fat-free cream cheese as well - for added creaminess)
6. Spoon over the top of whatever meat you're having - could be used to top veggies as well (I'm thinking Brussels Sprouts or cooked spinach would taste good with this) - garnish with dried parsley. You could also use this as a dipping sauce - we had it the other night with NY Strip steak - BF enjoyed it too! :)
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Day 13 - PP - I can't think of a good title... LOL!
I was so tired last night that I fell asleep on the couch almost immediately after posting yesterday's blog post - woke up at 3am to my cat climbing on my chest (not really a pleasant way to wake up if you're not used to that kind of thing) .... I can't really blame her, I fell asleep before giving her dinner! Poor kitty!
So, I let myself sleep in a little bit this morning... even though I technically went to bed earlier than I normally would (fell asleep around 10ish) I don't feel like sleep actually "counts" if it doesn't happen in my bed... LOL!
BF made it safely to Taiwan - I got an email from him earlier today. It's like getting an email from the future... because in Taiwan time it was already tomorrow there... :) BF always jokes that he's jumping in the time machine to go there... hee hee.
Other than that, the day was pretty uneventful. I don't really have too much to say.... Diet's still going well. I'm going to amp up the activity level tomorrow and really get on the water consumption too! Still struggling with those things.... will keep everyone posted! :)
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Toasted Coconut Vanilla nonfat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
2 Turkey Hotdogs
2 Eggs Sunny-Side Up.
Water
Dinner:
Turkey Meatballs with Sour Cream and garlic sauce
Cottage Cheese
Diet Rite Cola
Snack:
1 Cappuccino non-fat Yogurt
Strawberry-Kiwi Sparkling Water
So, I let myself sleep in a little bit this morning... even though I technically went to bed earlier than I normally would (fell asleep around 10ish) I don't feel like sleep actually "counts" if it doesn't happen in my bed... LOL!
BF made it safely to Taiwan - I got an email from him earlier today. It's like getting an email from the future... because in Taiwan time it was already tomorrow there... :) BF always jokes that he's jumping in the time machine to go there... hee hee.
Other than that, the day was pretty uneventful. I don't really have too much to say.... Diet's still going well. I'm going to amp up the activity level tomorrow and really get on the water consumption too! Still struggling with those things.... will keep everyone posted! :)
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Toasted Coconut Vanilla nonfat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
2 Turkey Hotdogs
2 Eggs Sunny-Side Up.
Water
Dinner:
Turkey Meatballs with Sour Cream and garlic sauce
Cottage Cheese
Diet Rite Cola
Snack:
1 Cappuccino non-fat Yogurt
Strawberry-Kiwi Sparkling Water
Monday, May 16, 2011
Day 12 - PV - LONGEST. DAY. EVER.
Oh my Lord... I barely have the strength to write this. So tired. It has been, as the post title might imply, a VERY long day. BF left this morning.. very sad.. so we had to get up early (like 5:45am early) so that we could get him to the airport in enough time for the TSA to sufficiently grope/ violate him.... and for him to spend too much money on bad airport food. Fun times. So, I dropped him off... and made my way back to the apartment where I had literally ten minutes to eat a quick breakfast and gather my stuff for class....
Everything sort of just snowballed from there... blah!
Got home this evening and received a lovely warm, affectionate greeting from the cat (bless her little furry heart!) ... it's not quite the same as a welcome home hug and kiss from BF, but it works in a pinch. :) I think kitty's been lonely all day too... poor little gal. So now we're both bagged out.. me on the couch, kitty on "her chair"... watching SNL from this past weekend. (BTW: What on Earth has happened to Paul Simon??!?! Did his head seem disproportionately large compared to his body to anyone else?? Or was that just me noticing that?! Someone go back and look at it and tell me if I'm nuts... seriously! - Also - his new music? Not so great... just go back to singing "Cecelia" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water".... k, thx, bai! )
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana Creme non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce and Broccoli Slaw Salad
w/ Shrimp and Balsamic Dressing
Venti Starbucks Passion Tea w/ sweetener (highly recommended! caffeine-free!)
Dinner:
Chicken Pinwheel (leg and thigh portion)
Brussels Sprouts
Cottage Cheese
Snack:
2 Hardboiled Eggs
Banana non-fat Yogurt
Everything sort of just snowballed from there... blah!
Got home this evening and received a lovely warm, affectionate greeting from the cat (bless her little furry heart!) ... it's not quite the same as a welcome home hug and kiss from BF, but it works in a pinch. :) I think kitty's been lonely all day too... poor little gal. So now we're both bagged out.. me on the couch, kitty on "her chair"... watching SNL from this past weekend. (BTW: What on Earth has happened to Paul Simon??!?! Did his head seem disproportionately large compared to his body to anyone else?? Or was that just me noticing that?! Someone go back and look at it and tell me if I'm nuts... seriously! - Also - his new music? Not so great... just go back to singing "Cecelia" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water".... k, thx, bai! )
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana Creme non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce and Broccoli Slaw Salad
w/ Shrimp and Balsamic Dressing
Venti Starbucks Passion Tea w/ sweetener (highly recommended! caffeine-free!)
Dinner:
Chicken Pinwheel (leg and thigh portion)
Brussels Sprouts
Cottage Cheese
Snack:
2 Hardboiled Eggs
Banana non-fat Yogurt
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Day 11 - PP - "It's like the British West Wing!"
I'm dreading going to class tomorrow. Normally this isn't the case for me... but as I have done basically nothing in the way of homework in the past week... yea, not so much looking forward to it. Add my epic level of inactivity to the fact that I'm going to have to wake up uber early to take BF to the airport... you have the perfect storm of a bad morning brewing.
My potential homework-doing was further inhibited today by the discovery of a delightful British Dramedy called "The Palace" on Hulu... sadly, it appears to have had a rather short run on British television (only 8 episodes)... so, of course, I felt compelled to watch all 8 episodes today. The show centers around a group of fictitious royals... not unlike the real royals I suppose... and it is sort of similar, in premise, to the West Wing. In fact, when I IMDB'd the show - the creator basically admitted that he liked The West Wing so much that he wanted to create a British version of it. I'm not so sure he succeeded ... but the show was entertaining and I sincerely wished that they had made more than just 8 episodes. Alas...
So, yea... not much happening today.... I'll probably be in a bad/ sad mood tomorrow, just warning everyone. I don't like it when BF leaves... and the fact that he's going to be unreachable by cell (thus rendering him unable to call me and tell me he's landed safely in Taiwan) is going to make me even crankier. *Sigh* Thank God for Skype - that's all I can say.
Diet's going well - still "Cruisin". Weighed myself this morning, no change from the other day - still 141. I guess it's good that I've not GAINED anything.... but I think the stagnation is partly because I've been lax about both my water consumption and the daily walk. Since BF will be gone for the next 9-10 days I'll probably substitute Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred or 6 Week 6 Pack for the walk - our neighborhood isn't UNsafe.... but I'm probably not going to want to go walking by myself. It's all good though, because if anything, Jillian will improve the chances of weight loss - moreso than a walk. And, I enjoy her daily ass-kicking - glutton for punishment that I am. :)
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Black Forest Cake non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
2 Turkey Hot Dogs w/ spicy mustard
Turkey Lunchmeat
Cottage Cheese
Toasted Coconut Vanilla non-fat yogurt
Dinner:
NY Strip Steak w/ sour cream/ garlic sauce
Cottage Cheese
Hardboiled Egg
Snack:
Earl Grey Tea w/ lemon
My potential homework-doing was further inhibited today by the discovery of a delightful British Dramedy called "The Palace" on Hulu... sadly, it appears to have had a rather short run on British television (only 8 episodes)... so, of course, I felt compelled to watch all 8 episodes today. The show centers around a group of fictitious royals... not unlike the real royals I suppose... and it is sort of similar, in premise, to the West Wing. In fact, when I IMDB'd the show - the creator basically admitted that he liked The West Wing so much that he wanted to create a British version of it. I'm not so sure he succeeded ... but the show was entertaining and I sincerely wished that they had made more than just 8 episodes. Alas...
So, yea... not much happening today.... I'll probably be in a bad/ sad mood tomorrow, just warning everyone. I don't like it when BF leaves... and the fact that he's going to be unreachable by cell (thus rendering him unable to call me and tell me he's landed safely in Taiwan) is going to make me even crankier. *Sigh* Thank God for Skype - that's all I can say.
Diet's going well - still "Cruisin". Weighed myself this morning, no change from the other day - still 141. I guess it's good that I've not GAINED anything.... but I think the stagnation is partly because I've been lax about both my water consumption and the daily walk. Since BF will be gone for the next 9-10 days I'll probably substitute Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred or 6 Week 6 Pack for the walk - our neighborhood isn't UNsafe.... but I'm probably not going to want to go walking by myself. It's all good though, because if anything, Jillian will improve the chances of weight loss - moreso than a walk. And, I enjoy her daily ass-kicking - glutton for punishment that I am. :)
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Black Forest Cake non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
2 Turkey Hot Dogs w/ spicy mustard
Turkey Lunchmeat
Cottage Cheese
Toasted Coconut Vanilla non-fat yogurt
Dinner:
NY Strip Steak w/ sour cream/ garlic sauce
Cottage Cheese
Hardboiled Egg
Snack:
Earl Grey Tea w/ lemon
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Day 10 - Rain, Rain, Go away!!
Boy, is it gloomy today... and COLD!! I was complaining earlier in the week about it being too hot (it hit 95 on Tuesday/ Wednesday) .... but 48 is a bit too big of a rebound for me. Couldn't we just have some nice mid-60's or low 70's?? Geez Mother Nature.. it is cold... and rainy... and drab. I'm not feeling very motivated to do anything to be honest. Add to that the fact that BF is leaving for Taiwan on Monday and will be gone for 9 whole days.... *sigh*... it's all got me feeling a little blue.
If I were to try to find a silver lining - it would definitely be that BF's absence is going to give me the opportunity to deep-clean and de-clutter the house. IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. I'm feeling completely smothered by crap... and when BF is around, I never get a chance to immerse myself in the organizational process like I need to in order to affect REAL change. So- over the next 9 days, in addition to homework and work and all the usual suspects, I will be working on making my house decluttered and beautiful.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Boston Cream Pie non-fat yogurt
coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Scrambled Egg w/ chives
Lobster chunks
Dinner:
Chicken Pinwheel (leg and thigh portion - no skin)
Sauteed Spinach w/ minced garlic
Green Beans
Snack:
Banana non-fat yogurt
Earl Grey Tea w/ lemon
Despite the rain today, it has been enjoyable - I got to spend some quality time with BF. Now we're going to sit down, eat a VERY late dinner and watch a movie! G'night all!!
If I were to try to find a silver lining - it would definitely be that BF's absence is going to give me the opportunity to deep-clean and de-clutter the house. IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. I'm feeling completely smothered by crap... and when BF is around, I never get a chance to immerse myself in the organizational process like I need to in order to affect REAL change. So- over the next 9 days, in addition to homework and work and all the usual suspects, I will be working on making my house decluttered and beautiful.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Boston Cream Pie non-fat yogurt
coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Scrambled Egg w/ chives
Lobster chunks
Dinner:
Chicken Pinwheel (leg and thigh portion - no skin)
Sauteed Spinach w/ minced garlic
Green Beans
Snack:
Banana non-fat yogurt
Earl Grey Tea w/ lemon
Despite the rain today, it has been enjoyable - I got to spend some quality time with BF. Now we're going to sit down, eat a VERY late dinner and watch a movie! G'night all!!
Day 7 - PV - Going Back to Community College
Today, I had to go downtown to complete the registration process for some summer courses I'm taking at one of the City Colleges of Chicago. After spending the better part of a decade in a college of some type... I thought I knew what to expect from an admissions/ registration process.... I. WAS. WRONG.
What should have been a 20 minute online process, was a three-hour in-person ordeal... I had to stand in at least 5 different lines... drag different forms here and there.... sit through an hour and 15 minute new student orientation very obviously geared toward people who had never set foot in a college environment before. The best word I can use to describe the whole thing ... Asinine. And this was day 2 of the process... Day 1 was another day of lines and waiting and unnecessary bureaucracy. If the price of three courses at this particular institution weren't equal to HALF the price of ONE course at DePaul... I seriously wouldn't have bothered.... but obviously, that's an insane monetary incentive to deal with the bullshit... so, I did..
UGH
I did make a friend though - Maggie - a 27 year old Architecture Graduate student at IIT who also wrote on her "exit survey" that she was pissed that they had arbitrarily wasted 3 hours of her day with what could have been accomplished from the comfort of one's home in 15 minutes. We bonded over our mutual rage... and probably sounded like snooty bitches to the other 15 people standing in the line - a fact that we mutually decided that we didn't care about. It was glorious. So, I guess the day was not a complete waste. :)
In other news, my apartment is a complete and utter disaster. And no, I'm not exaggerating. Every night I try to stay on top of stuff... dishes.. mail.... just random clutter everywhere... it's got a mind of its own. We're not even going to talk about my bedroom. It's too mentally painful to even think about it... I turn off the lights and feel my way into bed each night, it's that horrifying (Ok, now I AM exaggerating.. but you get the idea) Needless to say... a deep clean of the house is very much on the top of my priority list for next week when BF is out of town. Oh my Lord... I hope I can last until then with my sanity intact....
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce
shredded hard boiled egg
lobster chunks
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dinner:
Baked Chicken Breast w/ herbs, onion and garlic
Brussels Sprouts
Diet Ginger Ale
Snack:
Hard boiled egg
Dukan Custard
Vanilla Non-Fat Yogurt
What should have been a 20 minute online process, was a three-hour in-person ordeal... I had to stand in at least 5 different lines... drag different forms here and there.... sit through an hour and 15 minute new student orientation very obviously geared toward people who had never set foot in a college environment before. The best word I can use to describe the whole thing ... Asinine. And this was day 2 of the process... Day 1 was another day of lines and waiting and unnecessary bureaucracy. If the price of three courses at this particular institution weren't equal to HALF the price of ONE course at DePaul... I seriously wouldn't have bothered.... but obviously, that's an insane monetary incentive to deal with the bullshit... so, I did..
UGH
I did make a friend though - Maggie - a 27 year old Architecture Graduate student at IIT who also wrote on her "exit survey" that she was pissed that they had arbitrarily wasted 3 hours of her day with what could have been accomplished from the comfort of one's home in 15 minutes. We bonded over our mutual rage... and probably sounded like snooty bitches to the other 15 people standing in the line - a fact that we mutually decided that we didn't care about. It was glorious. So, I guess the day was not a complete waste. :)
In other news, my apartment is a complete and utter disaster. And no, I'm not exaggerating. Every night I try to stay on top of stuff... dishes.. mail.... just random clutter everywhere... it's got a mind of its own. We're not even going to talk about my bedroom. It's too mentally painful to even think about it... I turn off the lights and feel my way into bed each night, it's that horrifying (Ok, now I AM exaggerating.. but you get the idea) Needless to say... a deep clean of the house is very much on the top of my priority list for next week when BF is out of town. Oh my Lord... I hope I can last until then with my sanity intact....
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Banana non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce
shredded hard boiled egg
lobster chunks
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dinner:
Baked Chicken Breast w/ herbs, onion and garlic
Brussels Sprouts
Diet Ginger Ale
Snack:
Hard boiled egg
Dukan Custard
Vanilla Non-Fat Yogurt
Day 9 - 5 Pounds!!!
Yesterday was sort of an unusual day - as you may have read.... I was nervous as I went to bed that eating out unexpectedly and my "piggery" in the afternoon might've set me back.
I'm happy to report that I had no reason to fear. :)
I got up this morning and weighed myself - I have avoided weighing myself daily since starting Cruise, as I was told that the weight loss would be slower and less noticeable from day-to-day- and there it was.. 141. I was very happy! Losing 5 pounds in a little over a week - for someone who doesn't really have too much weight to lose - is nothing short of a miracle. When you are many pounds overweight, your body is willing to give up pounds... when you're only 10-15 pounds above your goal weight, bodies tend to be a bit more stubborn. Turns out, they like that padding.... me? Not so much!
So yes, I have now officially lost 5 pounds... I am a third of the way to my goal. I feel very smug and self-satisfied. :) If I hadn't stupidly given all my size 4 jeans to my neighbor about a month before starting this... I would be excitedly trying them on right now to see if they would fit.. but alas, they are now in someone else's possession. Who thinks it would be awkward to walk across the hall and ask her if I can try them on? Anyone?.... :-S...
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Toasted Coconut Vanilla non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch... (I was very naughty and skipped lunch... got very busy.... Pierre says never to do this, so I will be having an extra big dinner)
Dinner:
Turkey lunchmeat
2 Salmon Filets
Scrambled Egg Whites with Chives
Vanilla non fat Yogurt
Snack:
Pineapple Upside Down Cake non-fat Yogurt
Green Tea with Lemon and Sweetener.
BTW - My sister was curious today about the recipe for Oat Bran Porridge, so I thought I'd post it for all of you!
Oat Bran Porridge:
2 Tbsp Oat Bran
Skim Milk (I never measure it, but if I had to guess - I'd say about 1/2 cup)
1 packet of sweetener (optional)
Microwave:
1. mix all ingredients together
2. microwave 1 minute, stir
3. microwave another minute - watching carefully and stirring frequently!! It will boil over if you don't stir about every 10 seconds.
Stove:
1. mix all ingredients together in small saucepan
2. cook over low-medium heat until desired consistency stirring constantly.
(this is my desired method of cooking! I think it's faster and it's honestly easier than stopping the microwave every 10 seconds to prevent nuclear oat bran meltdown)
Once the porridge is cooked, I like to stir in a couple spoonfuls of yogurt - vanilla is what I've had on hand in a big tub, so that's what I've been using. But you could really use any flavor.
This is a really yummy, very filling breakfast. If you're not on Dukan you could put fruit or anything else in/on it. Oftentimes, I'll have this around 8:30-9am... and I won't be seriously hungry again until 1pm or so! Try it and let me know what you think! :)
I'm happy to report that I had no reason to fear. :)
I got up this morning and weighed myself - I have avoided weighing myself daily since starting Cruise, as I was told that the weight loss would be slower and less noticeable from day-to-day- and there it was.. 141. I was very happy! Losing 5 pounds in a little over a week - for someone who doesn't really have too much weight to lose - is nothing short of a miracle. When you are many pounds overweight, your body is willing to give up pounds... when you're only 10-15 pounds above your goal weight, bodies tend to be a bit more stubborn. Turns out, they like that padding.... me? Not so much!
So yes, I have now officially lost 5 pounds... I am a third of the way to my goal. I feel very smug and self-satisfied. :) If I hadn't stupidly given all my size 4 jeans to my neighbor about a month before starting this... I would be excitedly trying them on right now to see if they would fit.. but alas, they are now in someone else's possession. Who thinks it would be awkward to walk across the hall and ask her if I can try them on? Anyone?.... :-S...
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge
Toasted Coconut Vanilla non-fat yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch... (I was very naughty and skipped lunch... got very busy.... Pierre says never to do this, so I will be having an extra big dinner)
Dinner:
Turkey lunchmeat
2 Salmon Filets
Scrambled Egg Whites with Chives
Vanilla non fat Yogurt
Snack:
Pineapple Upside Down Cake non-fat Yogurt
Green Tea with Lemon and Sweetener.
BTW - My sister was curious today about the recipe for Oat Bran Porridge, so I thought I'd post it for all of you!
Oat Bran Porridge:
2 Tbsp Oat Bran
Skim Milk (I never measure it, but if I had to guess - I'd say about 1/2 cup)
1 packet of sweetener (optional)
Microwave:
1. mix all ingredients together
2. microwave 1 minute, stir
3. microwave another minute - watching carefully and stirring frequently!! It will boil over if you don't stir about every 10 seconds.
Stove:
1. mix all ingredients together in small saucepan
2. cook over low-medium heat until desired consistency stirring constantly.
(this is my desired method of cooking! I think it's faster and it's honestly easier than stopping the microwave every 10 seconds to prevent nuclear oat bran meltdown)
Once the porridge is cooked, I like to stir in a couple spoonfuls of yogurt - vanilla is what I've had on hand in a big tub, so that's what I've been using. But you could really use any flavor.
This is a really yummy, very filling breakfast. If you're not on Dukan you could put fruit or anything else in/on it. Oftentimes, I'll have this around 8:30-9am... and I won't be seriously hungry again until 1pm or so! Try it and let me know what you think! :)
Friday, May 13, 2011
Day 8 - A (sweaty) walk in the Garden
I apologize for the lateness of this post ... Blogger was having a small (?) issue yesterday which prevented me from even logging in to my account. SO, I will post yesterday's post now, and today's post this evening.
Yesterday, BF and I had the wonderful opportunity to accompany my good friend Sarah Jane and her adorable little son Matthew Henry to the Chicago Botanical Garden for the morning. Sarah Jane had a meeting there, so BF and I were on Matthew Duty. BF was, despite his usual morning crabbiness (which, I must say, is extreme even for the least morning oriented person), excited to go ... as, in addition to being crabby, he is a confirmed nature-lover. He had been wanting to explore the Garden for a long time - but we had always been prevented by the distance and the fact that, although admission to the Garden is free, the parking fee for the day is a steep $25.. YIKES!
The morning turned out to be nice for a walk - we had MH in the stroller (which BF pushed most of the time - he even "popped wheelies" with it, much to MH's delight!... so cute!!)- and we got to explore an English Walled Garden (sort of like the Secret Garden!!), a Japanese Garden, a Waterfall Garden, and many many more. I loved the fact that there were tulips of every shade pretty much covering the grounds. It was very beautiful. Toward the end of our time there, however, it started to get very warm and humid... BF, MH, and I were all starting to wilt a little. And... I did end up with my first sunburn of the year... just a little one on the back of my neck. I put sunblock on... apparently not enough. We were all happy when Sarah Jane joined us and we got to return to the air conditioned comfort of the car. Ha!
Going out for the morning, into the afternoon presented a challenge to me: eating out while still adhering to Dukan Principles. Lucky for me, Sarah Jane suggested Subway for lunch - an option that I was confident would have something to suit my dietary constraints. All in all it worked out well I think.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge with vanilla and strawberry yogurt stirred in
Strawberry non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Subway Baby Spinach and Chicken Salad w/ vinegar and a tiny bit of oil (paid $1 extra and got double the chicken!!)
Strawberry non-fat Yogurt
Dinner:
1/2 Whiting Fish Filet - grilled w/ herbs
1/2 Chicken Thigh (maybe less, because I didn't eat it all)
Brussels Sprouts sauteed with minced garlic
Diet Ginger Ale
Snack:
Vanilla non-fat Yogurt
2 Turkey Hot Dogs w/ a side of cottage cheese
turkey lunchmeat
So.... I sort of ate a lot... especially between lunch and dinner. Got very hungry in the afternoon for some reason. Lucky for me, the Dukan Diet places no limitation on the AMOUNT of food, just the types of foods that are allowed. Because we were out, I had to change my plans a little bit - yesterday was supposed to have been a pure protein day. I improvised and let it be a protein and veggie day. I was a bit nervous that my improvisation might have derailed my progress.... tune in for the next post to see whether I fared well or not! :)
Yesterday, BF and I had the wonderful opportunity to accompany my good friend Sarah Jane and her adorable little son Matthew Henry to the Chicago Botanical Garden for the morning. Sarah Jane had a meeting there, so BF and I were on Matthew Duty. BF was, despite his usual morning crabbiness (which, I must say, is extreme even for the least morning oriented person), excited to go ... as, in addition to being crabby, he is a confirmed nature-lover. He had been wanting to explore the Garden for a long time - but we had always been prevented by the distance and the fact that, although admission to the Garden is free, the parking fee for the day is a steep $25.. YIKES!
The morning turned out to be nice for a walk - we had MH in the stroller (which BF pushed most of the time - he even "popped wheelies" with it, much to MH's delight!... so cute!!)- and we got to explore an English Walled Garden (sort of like the Secret Garden!!), a Japanese Garden, a Waterfall Garden, and many many more. I loved the fact that there were tulips of every shade pretty much covering the grounds. It was very beautiful. Toward the end of our time there, however, it started to get very warm and humid... BF, MH, and I were all starting to wilt a little. And... I did end up with my first sunburn of the year... just a little one on the back of my neck. I put sunblock on... apparently not enough. We were all happy when Sarah Jane joined us and we got to return to the air conditioned comfort of the car. Ha!
Going out for the morning, into the afternoon presented a challenge to me: eating out while still adhering to Dukan Principles. Lucky for me, Sarah Jane suggested Subway for lunch - an option that I was confident would have something to suit my dietary constraints. All in all it worked out well I think.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge with vanilla and strawberry yogurt stirred in
Strawberry non-fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Subway Baby Spinach and Chicken Salad w/ vinegar and a tiny bit of oil (paid $1 extra and got double the chicken!!)
Strawberry non-fat Yogurt
Dinner:
1/2 Whiting Fish Filet - grilled w/ herbs
1/2 Chicken Thigh (maybe less, because I didn't eat it all)
Brussels Sprouts sauteed with minced garlic
Diet Ginger Ale
Snack:
Vanilla non-fat Yogurt
2 Turkey Hot Dogs w/ a side of cottage cheese
turkey lunchmeat
So.... I sort of ate a lot... especially between lunch and dinner. Got very hungry in the afternoon for some reason. Lucky for me, the Dukan Diet places no limitation on the AMOUNT of food, just the types of foods that are allowed. Because we were out, I had to change my plans a little bit - yesterday was supposed to have been a pure protein day. I improvised and let it be a protein and veggie day. I was a bit nervous that my improvisation might have derailed my progress.... tune in for the next post to see whether I fared well or not! :)
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Day 6 - PP - Shopping fun (again!)
I just realized that it probably looks like I shop a lot... well, to be honest... I sort of do. But as we've already established, I am a bargainista (which is basically a fashionista who is also a tightwad - for any of you wondering).... so my many shopping trips don't put too great a dent in my very limited budget. :) Today - while out and about - I stopped into the Tarjay (that's french for Target)... and found some great little dresses, which I'm very excited about.
Not only were these dresses bargain priced (one moreso than the other.. but it all worked out in the end)... but their acquisition is perfectly timed with the arrival of truly balmy weather in Chicago. When I was outside about an hour ago (11:30am) it was 83 degrees and I have reason to believe that we have not yet hit peak temperature. So, this week, in addition to spending every spare moment soaking up Vitamin D (don't worry, I will be covered in SPF 800), I will be putting away my sweaters and boots and getting out my collection of breezy maxi dresses, sundresses, skirts, capris, tank-tops, and flip-flops for the summer. :) And the villagers rejoiced!!!
Not only was my dress purchase well-timed - but it would appear that my dieting was well-timed as well. There is so much more intrinsic motivation to lose a few extra pounds and tone up when shorts and tank top weather is upon us. And sometimes, I'll be honest, I need all the extra reasons I can get. Also - I have started a regimen of applying tanning lotion... it is amazing what a little color on the legs and arms does for one's self image.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge (my new favorite breakfast!)
Peach non fat Yogurt
coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Cold Shrimp
Scrambled Egg Whites with Chives
Dinner:
Grilled Boneless Porkchops w/ sour cream sauce
Hardboiled Egg
Cottage Cheese
Snack:
Dukan Custard
Imitation Crab
Didn't get my "walk" in today... But I will be going downtown tomorrow and will likely walk more than 30 minutes. Just in case, I'm going to do some Jillian Michaels tonight... I feel like some 30 Day Shred is in order. Also, we've made the executive decision to put the ACs in tonight... oh, the joys of apartment living... someday I'll have Central Air.... someday....
Not only were these dresses bargain priced (one moreso than the other.. but it all worked out in the end)... but their acquisition is perfectly timed with the arrival of truly balmy weather in Chicago. When I was outside about an hour ago (11:30am) it was 83 degrees and I have reason to believe that we have not yet hit peak temperature. So, this week, in addition to spending every spare moment soaking up Vitamin D (don't worry, I will be covered in SPF 800), I will be putting away my sweaters and boots and getting out my collection of breezy maxi dresses, sundresses, skirts, capris, tank-tops, and flip-flops for the summer. :) And the villagers rejoiced!!!
Not only was my dress purchase well-timed - but it would appear that my dieting was well-timed as well. There is so much more intrinsic motivation to lose a few extra pounds and tone up when shorts and tank top weather is upon us. And sometimes, I'll be honest, I need all the extra reasons I can get. Also - I have started a regimen of applying tanning lotion... it is amazing what a little color on the legs and arms does for one's self image.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge (my new favorite breakfast!)
Peach non fat Yogurt
coffee w/ fixins
Lunch:
Cold Shrimp
Scrambled Egg Whites with Chives
Dinner:
Grilled Boneless Porkchops w/ sour cream sauce
Hardboiled Egg
Cottage Cheese
Snack:
Dukan Custard
Imitation Crab
Didn't get my "walk" in today... But I will be going downtown tomorrow and will likely walk more than 30 minutes. Just in case, I'm going to do some Jillian Michaels tonight... I feel like some 30 Day Shred is in order. Also, we've made the executive decision to put the ACs in tonight... oh, the joys of apartment living... someday I'll have Central Air.... someday....
Monday, May 9, 2011
Day 5 - The Return of The Vegi
I never thought, in my whole life that I'd be as happy to eat a salad as I was today. Yes, folks... I did well enough yesterday weight-loss wise to move on to the Cruise Phase of the Dukan program (Note: I had to stop myself just there from writing "programme"... which is the much prettier, British way).
The Cruise Phase alternates days of Pure Protein (PP) and Protein + Vegetables (PV) - hereafter I will be using the abbreviations... so everyone note what they are and what they mean. This phase, according to my Homeboy Pierre, is where the bulk of weight loss happens. So, buckle up kids, we're "Cruisin'" for the next 42 days. (I think I just threw up a little... it's the excitement, I swear).
Today, was my first official day of Cruise. Unfortunately, I didn't get to fully enjoy it... as I was at school all day. But I took the opportunity to pack myself a lovely salad for lunch... and then to pick up another not so lovely salad before class this evening. Not much protein in the mix today... largely due to lack of time.
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge w/ 2 tbsp of Vanilla non-fat yogurt stirred in.
Toasted Coconut Vanilla non-fat yogurt
coffee w/ fixins (I'm sick of writing all that stuff.. if it changes you'll know)
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad with Shrimp and Lobster chunks.
Dukan Balsamic Vinegarette
Decaf Starbucks Passion tea w/ 1 sweet 'n' low
Dinner:
Huge Salad from Dominick's.... lots of veggies, hardboiled egg, etc.
Salmon Filet w/ onion and garlic.
Class days are tough... not a lot of time to make food really. Days like this make me miss the ease of granola bars, dry roasted almonds, and fruit... all of which were easy to throw into my bag and munch on throughout the day. Lunch meat, cottage cheese, and imitation crab are not exactly cool to snack on in the middle of class.... although... it might be sort of hilarious to whip out my imitation crab and start chowing in class. If I weren't opposed to being a social pariah I might try it.
Ugh, too tired to be witty and charming... so this post is going to end awkwardly... riiiigggghhhtt..... now.
The Cruise Phase alternates days of Pure Protein (PP) and Protein + Vegetables (PV) - hereafter I will be using the abbreviations... so everyone note what they are and what they mean. This phase, according to my Homeboy Pierre, is where the bulk of weight loss happens. So, buckle up kids, we're "Cruisin'" for the next 42 days. (I think I just threw up a little... it's the excitement, I swear).
Today, was my first official day of Cruise. Unfortunately, I didn't get to fully enjoy it... as I was at school all day. But I took the opportunity to pack myself a lovely salad for lunch... and then to pick up another not so lovely salad before class this evening. Not much protein in the mix today... largely due to lack of time.
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge w/ 2 tbsp of Vanilla non-fat yogurt stirred in.
Toasted Coconut Vanilla non-fat yogurt
coffee w/ fixins (I'm sick of writing all that stuff.. if it changes you'll know)
Lunch:
Romaine Lettuce Salad with Shrimp and Lobster chunks.
Dukan Balsamic Vinegarette
Decaf Starbucks Passion tea w/ 1 sweet 'n' low
Dinner:
Huge Salad from Dominick's.... lots of veggies, hardboiled egg, etc.
Salmon Filet w/ onion and garlic.
Class days are tough... not a lot of time to make food really. Days like this make me miss the ease of granola bars, dry roasted almonds, and fruit... all of which were easy to throw into my bag and munch on throughout the day. Lunch meat, cottage cheese, and imitation crab are not exactly cool to snack on in the middle of class.... although... it might be sort of hilarious to whip out my imitation crab and start chowing in class. If I weren't opposed to being a social pariah I might try it.
Ugh, too tired to be witty and charming... so this post is going to end awkwardly... riiiigggghhhtt..... now.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Day 4 - The Wild Wacky World of Fitness and Diet Infomercials
You've probably all noticed by now, that I'm trying to discuss more than just the diet in each blog post... I do this not only to inform and educate (I AM an educator, after all) but also because I'm just so damn witty and delightful that it would be wrong of me not to give you my take on a variety of issues... (I'm joking.. for those of you who are now staring at your computer screen with that "Psh... " expression on your faces - you know the one I'm talking about). No, in all seriousness... there are certain matters that I cannot force myself to keep quiet about. Take for instance, fitness and diet infomercials.
I would be lying if I said that I never fell for those gimmicky fitness/diet infomercials from time to time. I've been nurturing a theory that they use some form of CIA style hypnosis or subliminal messaging that inhibits your ability to think rationally... can't prove anything yet, but it's a work in progress. In any case, they suck you in with promises of a beach body (cue the swimsuit model who NEVER HAS A FACE getting out of the hot-tub), promises that said beach body can be attained with no effort/ restraint/ will-power... etc. Then there's the real clincher.. where they offer you the amazing program (that will turn you into a faceless swimsuit model) for the low low price of "insert low low price here" ..... BUT WAIT!!!! THERE'S MORE!!!
You get the idea...
Some of these infomercials are hilarious... (Hawaii Chair anyone?) some are just preposterous (Sensa... really??)... but the proliferation of these gimmicks speaks to a major issue which, I believe, is one of the main reasons why we have an obesity epidemic in America. The issue is that people want maximum results for minimum effort, they want to be thin and beautiful and fit... but they still want to eat fat-laden dinners off plates the size of turkey platters while guzzling alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) beverages with more calories in them than you should have in an entire day. We live in a society of instant gratification... anything that takes effort and hard work or that requires a certain amount of self-restraint or self-deprivation is too hard, too slow... etc. We prefer the "magic pill", the cosmetic surgery, and the belt that you strap on that zaps your abs into rock-hard submission. Ridiculous!
Weight loss is work. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. You cannot lose 100 lbs by sprinkling Sensa on your bowl of deep fried lard while watching monster truck rallies in your lazyboy.... the Sensa people may tell you that you can... but you can't, I'm sorry.
Now I realize that, to many, The Dukan Diet seems like just as much of a gimmick as any of those infomercial products... that may be true. Having lost weight in my adolescence with hard work and self-control and kept most of it off throughout my 20's through similar means... I know that any diet, in order to be ultimately successful in the long term, must be something that is sustainable as a lifestyle. In this regard, Dukan can be seen as a jumpstart... which provides you with the necessary success you need to stay motivated and also transitions you from a highly restrictive diet back to one where you can eat from a variety of food groups with a new sense of restraint (hopefully). In education, we would call this a scaffolded approach... just FYI...
In any case (hopping off my soap box)... on to Day 4:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge (doesn't that sound delightfully British??!? I love it.)
Vanilla Non-Fat Yogurt
Coffee with non-fat vanilla creamer
Water - 16 oz.
Lunch:
Salmon Filet with a quite good improvised Garlic, Balsamic, Sour Cream Sauce.
1 hard boiled egg
1/4 cup cottage cheese
Dinner:
Pork Tenderloin in a sour cream/ garlic sauce - also my own improvised recipe. :)
Cottage (EFFING) Cheese
Dukan Custard with 1 packet of sweetener on top. (I could seriously eat 6 of these in a day... so good)
Snack:
Banana non-fat yogurt (this particular one was Dannon Light & Fit - highly recommended!! Have I mentioned how much I adore banana flavored things? )
Imitation Crab
*PS - I'm not going to be noting anymore... but I am drinking the required 1.5 liters of water daily. To facilitate this, I got a slightly embarrassing mondo-jug at the store today which is actually 2.2 liters. It is crazy big... I've seriously been peeing every five minutes. I wish I was joking.
The way I've structured the blog it looks at though I'm having 3 meals a day.. but really, I'm just eating whenever I'm hungry. Small little snacks here and there... lots of water and de-caffeinated beverages (except for my morning coffee). According to Dr. Pierre (I'm going to call him by his given name now.. since we are obviously close... duh) it is important to eat BEFORE you're ravenous... because that will lessen the chances that you'll eat something that is not on the approved list of foods. Makes sense to me.
In the past two days, I will admit to being bad about taking the compulsory 20 minute walk... and by "being bad" I mean not doing it at all. This lapse, in addition to the salt issue... could be why I'm experiencing a "stagnation" (Dr. Pierre's word, not mine) in my weight loss. In my defense, it was raining yesterday and I had a paper to write... I really have no excuse for Friday. This just goes to show all of us that, in order for this diet to work the way it is supposed to, you cannot skip or work around any of the requirements.
I would be lying if I said that I never fell for those gimmicky fitness/diet infomercials from time to time. I've been nurturing a theory that they use some form of CIA style hypnosis or subliminal messaging that inhibits your ability to think rationally... can't prove anything yet, but it's a work in progress. In any case, they suck you in with promises of a beach body (cue the swimsuit model who NEVER HAS A FACE getting out of the hot-tub), promises that said beach body can be attained with no effort/ restraint/ will-power... etc. Then there's the real clincher.. where they offer you the amazing program (that will turn you into a faceless swimsuit model) for the low low price of "insert low low price here" ..... BUT WAIT!!!! THERE'S MORE!!!
You get the idea...
Some of these infomercials are hilarious... (Hawaii Chair anyone?) some are just preposterous (Sensa... really??)... but the proliferation of these gimmicks speaks to a major issue which, I believe, is one of the main reasons why we have an obesity epidemic in America. The issue is that people want maximum results for minimum effort, they want to be thin and beautiful and fit... but they still want to eat fat-laden dinners off plates the size of turkey platters while guzzling alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) beverages with more calories in them than you should have in an entire day. We live in a society of instant gratification... anything that takes effort and hard work or that requires a certain amount of self-restraint or self-deprivation is too hard, too slow... etc. We prefer the "magic pill", the cosmetic surgery, and the belt that you strap on that zaps your abs into rock-hard submission. Ridiculous!
Weight loss is work. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. You cannot lose 100 lbs by sprinkling Sensa on your bowl of deep fried lard while watching monster truck rallies in your lazyboy.... the Sensa people may tell you that you can... but you can't, I'm sorry.
Now I realize that, to many, The Dukan Diet seems like just as much of a gimmick as any of those infomercial products... that may be true. Having lost weight in my adolescence with hard work and self-control and kept most of it off throughout my 20's through similar means... I know that any diet, in order to be ultimately successful in the long term, must be something that is sustainable as a lifestyle. In this regard, Dukan can be seen as a jumpstart... which provides you with the necessary success you need to stay motivated and also transitions you from a highly restrictive diet back to one where you can eat from a variety of food groups with a new sense of restraint (hopefully). In education, we would call this a scaffolded approach... just FYI...
In any case (hopping off my soap box)... on to Day 4:
Breakfast:
Oat Bran Porridge (doesn't that sound delightfully British??!? I love it.)
Vanilla Non-Fat Yogurt
Coffee with non-fat vanilla creamer
Water - 16 oz.
Lunch:
Salmon Filet with a quite good improvised Garlic, Balsamic, Sour Cream Sauce.
1 hard boiled egg
1/4 cup cottage cheese
Dinner:
Pork Tenderloin in a sour cream/ garlic sauce - also my own improvised recipe. :)
Cottage (EFFING) Cheese
Dukan Custard with 1 packet of sweetener on top. (I could seriously eat 6 of these in a day... so good)
Snack:
Banana non-fat yogurt (this particular one was Dannon Light & Fit - highly recommended!! Have I mentioned how much I adore banana flavored things? )
Imitation Crab
*PS - I'm not going to be noting anymore... but I am drinking the required 1.5 liters of water daily. To facilitate this, I got a slightly embarrassing mondo-jug at the store today which is actually 2.2 liters. It is crazy big... I've seriously been peeing every five minutes. I wish I was joking.
The way I've structured the blog it looks at though I'm having 3 meals a day.. but really, I'm just eating whenever I'm hungry. Small little snacks here and there... lots of water and de-caffeinated beverages (except for my morning coffee). According to Dr. Pierre (I'm going to call him by his given name now.. since we are obviously close... duh) it is important to eat BEFORE you're ravenous... because that will lessen the chances that you'll eat something that is not on the approved list of foods. Makes sense to me.
In the past two days, I will admit to being bad about taking the compulsory 20 minute walk... and by "being bad" I mean not doing it at all. This lapse, in addition to the salt issue... could be why I'm experiencing a "stagnation" (Dr. Pierre's word, not mine) in my weight loss. In my defense, it was raining yesterday and I had a paper to write... I really have no excuse for Friday. This just goes to show all of us that, in order for this diet to work the way it is supposed to, you cannot skip or work around any of the requirements.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Lets Talk about salt...
When I read the specifics for this diet.... one thing that Dr. Dukan stressed was the perils of salt consumption. We all know (or we should know) that excessive salt consumption can lead to bloating/water-retention, cardiovascular issues... etc. Those effects (minus the Cardio stuff) seemed to be magnified within the context of the Dukan Diet.
Yesterday I made the mistake of putting a little bit of salt on my meat... not a terribly great amount, mind you... but enough to add some much needed flavor. I did not realize, until I got up this morning and weighed myself... what a major no-no that was. Now, granted... the fall-out on the scale was not anything drastic... but it was enough to make me want to go back in and read again about salt intake.
Apparently, as little as ONE TEASPOON of salt (we're talking regular table salt here people) is enough to make you retain TWO POUNDS of fluids.... this is just insanity ya'll...
So, today... I obviously refrained from salt use. (Although, at dinner, I couldn't resist a tiny tiny molecule of adobo seasoning... you'll see why in a minute). Lesson learned, Dr. Pierre... lesson learned.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Key Lime non-fat Yogurt
Coffee with 2 tbps fat-free vanilla coffee creamer
Water 10 oz
Lunch:
Shrimp
Cottage Cheese
Diet Ginger Ale
Water 17 oz
Dinner:
Tofu and Chicken Scramble w/ egg (w/ a tiny smidge of adobo seasoning... c'mon.. it's TOFU....)
Dukan Oat Bran Galette (had another FAIL today... damn you Dr. Dukan and your no cooking spray rule!!)
Skim Milk
Water 10 oz
Snack:
Ham Deli Meat
Cherry non-fat Yogurt
Water 10oz
I'm doing my last day of ATTACK!!?!?! tomorrow.... then on Monday, I get to have VEGETABLES. You have no idea how much this excites me. Seriously. I'm going to go out tomorrow and load up on lots of lovely veggies (of course Dr. Pierre has provided a thorough list of approved veggies... and no, potatoes aren't on it.. sad panda)... it will be heavenly to have some green beans with my meat... instead of... meat.. with my meat.. (awkward face....)
Hopefully, we've all learned something from the salt debacle... I know I have... effing salt...
Yesterday I made the mistake of putting a little bit of salt on my meat... not a terribly great amount, mind you... but enough to add some much needed flavor. I did not realize, until I got up this morning and weighed myself... what a major no-no that was. Now, granted... the fall-out on the scale was not anything drastic... but it was enough to make me want to go back in and read again about salt intake.
Apparently, as little as ONE TEASPOON of salt (we're talking regular table salt here people) is enough to make you retain TWO POUNDS of fluids.... this is just insanity ya'll...
So, today... I obviously refrained from salt use. (Although, at dinner, I couldn't resist a tiny tiny molecule of adobo seasoning... you'll see why in a minute). Lesson learned, Dr. Pierre... lesson learned.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Key Lime non-fat Yogurt
Coffee with 2 tbps fat-free vanilla coffee creamer
Water 10 oz
Lunch:
Shrimp
Cottage Cheese
Diet Ginger Ale
Water 17 oz
Dinner:
Tofu and Chicken Scramble w/ egg (w/ a tiny smidge of adobo seasoning... c'mon.. it's TOFU....)
Dukan Oat Bran Galette (had another FAIL today... damn you Dr. Dukan and your no cooking spray rule!!)
Skim Milk
Water 10 oz
Snack:
Ham Deli Meat
Cherry non-fat Yogurt
Water 10oz
I'm doing my last day of ATTACK!!?!?! tomorrow.... then on Monday, I get to have VEGETABLES. You have no idea how much this excites me. Seriously. I'm going to go out tomorrow and load up on lots of lovely veggies (of course Dr. Pierre has provided a thorough list of approved veggies... and no, potatoes aren't on it.. sad panda)... it will be heavenly to have some green beans with my meat... instead of... meat.. with my meat.. (awkward face....)
Hopefully, we've all learned something from the salt debacle... I know I have... effing salt...
Friday, May 6, 2011
Dukan Recipes
Custard
5 Eggs
1.5 cups nonfat milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tsp nutmeg
2 packets of sweetener
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. In a large heatproof bowl, beat eggs until smooth
(I used my bullet blender with a flat whipping blade)
3. Heat milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until bubbles
appear around edges of pan - don't let milk boil!
4. Remove from heat, and slowly add egg mixture to hot milk - stirring constantly.
5. Add vanilla extract, nutmeg, and sweetener (I added some cinnamon too!)
6. Divide mixture into 6 oven-safe ramekins - garnish each with a pinch of nutmeg
7. Place ramekins in a cake pan - and pour boiling water in the pan until it reaches 3/4
of the way up the sides of the ramekins
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes
9. Allow to cool for 30 minutes in pan, then cover each dish and place in the fridge
to cool for an additional 2 hours.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oil Free Mayonnaise
1 hardboiled egg
1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese OR fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1. chop the hard boiled egg (I used an egg slicer and my bullet blender)
2. add the sour cream and mustard - stir (or blend...)
3. add salt and pepper/ other herbs as desired.
* This didn't really taste like REAL mayo - however, it was a close enough approximation for tuna salad.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yogurt Dressing
6-8 oz. fat-free plain yogurt
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
dash of vinegar
salt, pepper, and herbs to taste
1. just mix everything together
*I used this as a dipping sauce for fish - it was pretty good. It could probably use a
little bit of sweetener or something.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oat Bran Galette
1.5 - 2 Tbsp Oat Bran
1 egg (white only or whole)
2 Tbsp non fat plain yogurt (could use Greek Yogurt)
1 packet of sweetener
*Or add garlic/ herbs for a savory pancake
1. mix egg and yogurt together until smooth - (I've tried both
egg white and whole egg - I much prefer whole egg. But if you
have cholesterol issues opt for egg white)
2. add oat bran, mix well
3. pour mixture into a small frying pan (I strongly suggest using a fat-free cooking
spray to grease the pan.. trust me)
4. cook on each side until golden brown
Day 2 - shopping advice
As I mentioned yesterday, I had the opportunity while I was downtown to do a little shopping. Most people who know me well, know that I am ... how shall I put this nicely.... well, a bargain whore. I simply cannot pass up a good deal - like with the "goal skirt." So when I found some bargain-priced leggings (a must have for me) I had to snap them up!
Although I have long been critical of the leggings trend... I have been recently converted. (I still have reservations about the wearing of leggings in public without the benefit of a tunic or other long shirt or a stylish trench... but the comfort and versatility of the legging is something that I can no longer deny.) Yesterday, while in one of my favorite stores - Forever21 - I bought what I would consider to be THE BEST PAIR OF LEGGINGS IN THE WORLD. I am wearing them right now, as I type this. I heartily recommend that you all go out and purchase several pairs of these leggings immediately (they have a similar style in the plus-size section as well) Even my pregnant friends. They are forgiving and tres confortable... just remember, while leggings are a versatile style-staple and a definite boon to any urban wardrobe. They are still NOT PANTS. So please, wear a long shirt.... for the benefit of mankind... :)
Now, on to Day 2 of the diet:
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs with NY Strip chunks and chives
6 oz. Banana Creme Non-Fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ 2 Tbsp fat-free vanilla coffee creamer (12 oz)
Water 10oz
Lunch:
Tuna Salad made with Dukan Oil Free "Mayonaisse"
Oat Bran Galette (had a major Galette FAIL today - due to lack of fat-free cooking spray.... very sad)
Water 10 oz
Dinner:
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs w/ herbs and a tiny amount of garlic salt.
cottage cheese w/ chives
cream cheese (for dipping chicken in)
Water 20 oz
Snack:
1/4 cup imitation crab pieces (sounds gross, I know - actually quite tasty! gotta love imitation KRAB. LOL!)
1 Dukan Custard :) YUMM!!!
Water 10 oz
Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi - 20 oz.
As I write this, I have Dukan Vanilla Custard baking in the oven. :) They'll have to cool for another two hours before I can eat one and tell you how it is... but they smelled creamy and heavenly. I love that vanilla, cinnamon, milk smell... very comforting and homey. I will post the recipe for that tomorrow after I've taste tested. *UPDATE: I decided to eat one warm - soooo creamy and wonderful. The consistency was awesome. It needed a bit of sweetness though, which I remedied by sprinkling a bit of Sweet 'n' Low on top. I've amended the recipe from the book to include some sweetener in my subsequent post! These are great! Highly Recommended!
All in all, Day 2 went well. I was less hungry than yesterday - and I had an easier time figuring out what to eat. I can see now why the initial pure protein phase is so short... because eating all protein with no side dishes (except cottage FREAKING cheese... which gets old REAL fast - let me tell ya) is incredibly tedious. Maybe the real trick to the Dukan Diet is that you get so bored with eating protein that you don't even want to eat at all.. haha...
I do feel thinner... and my clothes are fitting better (in fact, they're verging on too big... a problem I had not fully anticipated before beginning the diet...) and my energy level is not too greatly diminished. Two more days of ATTACK!!?!?! and then I can FINALLY have some veggies again! :)
Although I have long been critical of the leggings trend... I have been recently converted. (I still have reservations about the wearing of leggings in public without the benefit of a tunic or other long shirt or a stylish trench... but the comfort and versatility of the legging is something that I can no longer deny.) Yesterday, while in one of my favorite stores - Forever21 - I bought what I would consider to be THE BEST PAIR OF LEGGINGS IN THE WORLD. I am wearing them right now, as I type this. I heartily recommend that you all go out and purchase several pairs of these leggings immediately (they have a similar style in the plus-size section as well) Even my pregnant friends. They are forgiving and tres confortable... just remember, while leggings are a versatile style-staple and a definite boon to any urban wardrobe. They are still NOT PANTS. So please, wear a long shirt.... for the benefit of mankind... :)
Now, on to Day 2 of the diet:
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs with NY Strip chunks and chives
6 oz. Banana Creme Non-Fat Yogurt
Coffee w/ 2 Tbsp fat-free vanilla coffee creamer (12 oz)
Water 10oz
Lunch:
Tuna Salad made with Dukan Oil Free "Mayonaisse"
Oat Bran Galette (had a major Galette FAIL today - due to lack of fat-free cooking spray.... very sad)
Water 10 oz
Dinner:
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs w/ herbs and a tiny amount of garlic salt.
cottage cheese w/ chives
cream cheese (for dipping chicken in)
Water 20 oz
Snack:
1/4 cup imitation crab pieces (sounds gross, I know - actually quite tasty! gotta love imitation KRAB. LOL!)
1 Dukan Custard :) YUMM!!!
Water 10 oz
Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi - 20 oz.
As I write this, I have Dukan Vanilla Custard baking in the oven. :) They'll have to cool for another two hours before I can eat one and tell you how it is... but they smelled creamy and heavenly. I love that vanilla, cinnamon, milk smell... very comforting and homey. I will post the recipe for that tomorrow after I've taste tested. *UPDATE: I decided to eat one warm - soooo creamy and wonderful. The consistency was awesome. It needed a bit of sweetness though, which I remedied by sprinkling a bit of Sweet 'n' Low on top. I've amended the recipe from the book to include some sweetener in my subsequent post! These are great! Highly Recommended!
All in all, Day 2 went well. I was less hungry than yesterday - and I had an easier time figuring out what to eat. I can see now why the initial pure protein phase is so short... because eating all protein with no side dishes (except cottage FREAKING cheese... which gets old REAL fast - let me tell ya) is incredibly tedious. Maybe the real trick to the Dukan Diet is that you get so bored with eating protein that you don't even want to eat at all.. haha...
I do feel thinner... and my clothes are fitting better (in fact, they're verging on too big... a problem I had not fully anticipated before beginning the diet...) and my energy level is not too greatly diminished. Two more days of ATTACK!!?!?! and then I can FINALLY have some veggies again! :)
Correct Time to Weigh and Dukan "schedule thingy"
I obtained the above graph from www.dukandiet.com - I went and redid my questionnaire after reading some interesting information about what time of day is best to weigh one's self. This has always been a question of mine... and I'm sure other people have been confused about it as well. SO - I thought I'd post the results of my brief internet inquiry into the issue.
Most of the sites that I read said that weighing yourself in the morning - before you've eaten anything and after you've gone to the bathroom - is the best, most accurate indication of your true weight. When I first read that, I sort of scoffed.... thinking "of course they would say that! The morning is when you weigh the least! It's like cheating!". But as I thought about it and kept reading it began to make sense:
"During the night the body enters a fasting period where our kidneys filter waste and the digestive system works throughout. Because our bodies are in a state of rest, the heart doesn’t have to pump as fast or any extra and the kidneys can efficiently move unwanted water into the bladder. This means that in the morning we don't have extra water and bulked up blood in your system and it is also why in general most people feel the urge to go to the bathroom as soon as they wake. Hence this is also why weighing yourself in the morning may be the best time to do it. During the day our weight fluctuates depending on the activity, food, fluid and emotion’s we encounter but in the morning upon first rising you’re waking from a fast and your body is at equilibrium."
So, after reading that I have amended my ticker at the top of the page and my Dukan Diet Schedule - because I was actually 4 pounds lighter starting out than I initially thought! You'll also notice that yesterday, I lost 1 pound! Not bad for only one day! :)
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Day 1 - ATTACK!!!! Phase
First off, I'd like to begin by telling you all that last night I felt oddly like a death row prisoner eating their last meal.... this occurred to me while I was shoveling down mac and cheese like a starving person... not one of my prouder moments, I must say.
However, I'm beginning Day 1 with a fully stocked fridge - the only Dukan Contraband in the house is for the BF who is very lean and doesn't need to resort to slightly ridiculous restrictive diets in order to maintain his physique - lucky devil.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Dukan Oat Bran Galette - Surprisingly good!!
6 oz. Strawberry Banana Non-Fat Yogurt
Coffee (12 oz) with 2 tbsp. Fat-Free Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Water - 10 oz
Lunch:
Filet of Salmon w/ yogurt sauce (recipe to come)
2 oz turkey lunchmeat
Cottage cheese
Skim Milk
Water - drank another 10 oz. while walking around downtown!
Dinner:
NY Strip Steak - 8 oz
1 Hardboiled egg - sliced
Fat Free Cream Cheese with Chives
Water 10 oz
Snack(s):
Green Tea with lemon and sweetener - 8 oz
Earl Grey Tea with lemon and sweetener
20 oz Water
As luck would have it, I didn't have to go out of my way to get my required 20 minutes of exercise - in fact, I got MUCH more than 20 minutes strolling around downtown and doing some necessary errands. Toward the end of my time downtown, though, I did start to feel slightly lightheaded. I had breakfast at 8:30am... and didn't eat anything else until I got home at 3pm....so, tomorrow I will endeavor not to go as long between meals.
During the course of my errands, I happened to stop in the Gap Outlet down the street.... and a skirt that I had been lusting after for a while was on sale!! $7.99 down from $49.99! Obviously that was too great a deal to pass up - et viola! I now have a "goal skirt". The picture below is not the ACTUAL skirt - it is a close approximation. Think- fewer sequins... maybe a bit longer. :) I have absolutely no clue where I will wear said skirt... but I will enjoy having it nonetheless.
Overall, I feel like day 1 went rather smoothly. With any diet plan, especially restrictive ones, there's a period of adjustment... and I did feel slightly hungry... up until dinner when I was suddenly and inexplicably not that hungry. But it's all for a good cause right?! Hopefully the scale will show some results tomorrow! ;)
However, I'm beginning Day 1 with a fully stocked fridge - the only Dukan Contraband in the house is for the BF who is very lean and doesn't need to resort to slightly ridiculous restrictive diets in order to maintain his physique - lucky devil.
Menu:
Breakfast:
Dukan Oat Bran Galette - Surprisingly good!!
6 oz. Strawberry Banana Non-Fat Yogurt
Coffee (12 oz) with 2 tbsp. Fat-Free Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Water - 10 oz
Lunch:
Filet of Salmon w/ yogurt sauce (recipe to come)
2 oz turkey lunchmeat
Cottage cheese
Skim Milk
Water - drank another 10 oz. while walking around downtown!
Dinner:
NY Strip Steak - 8 oz
1 Hardboiled egg - sliced
Fat Free Cream Cheese with Chives
Water 10 oz
Snack(s):
Green Tea with lemon and sweetener - 8 oz
Earl Grey Tea with lemon and sweetener
20 oz Water
As luck would have it, I didn't have to go out of my way to get my required 20 minutes of exercise - in fact, I got MUCH more than 20 minutes strolling around downtown and doing some necessary errands. Toward the end of my time downtown, though, I did start to feel slightly lightheaded. I had breakfast at 8:30am... and didn't eat anything else until I got home at 3pm....so, tomorrow I will endeavor not to go as long between meals.
During the course of my errands, I happened to stop in the Gap Outlet down the street.... and a skirt that I had been lusting after for a while was on sale!! $7.99 down from $49.99! Obviously that was too great a deal to pass up - et viola! I now have a "goal skirt". The picture below is not the ACTUAL skirt - it is a close approximation. Think- fewer sequins... maybe a bit longer. :) I have absolutely no clue where I will wear said skirt... but I will enjoy having it nonetheless.
Overall, I feel like day 1 went rather smoothly. With any diet plan, especially restrictive ones, there's a period of adjustment... and I did feel slightly hungry... up until dinner when I was suddenly and inexplicably not that hungry. But it's all for a good cause right?! Hopefully the scale will show some results tomorrow! ;)
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Preliminary Grocery List
After reviewing the chapters on the "ATTACK!!" phase (BTW... I'm sorry... but whenever I say "attack phase" it sound like a battle cry in my head and I therefore have to write it that way.. and then giggle... there is also, incidentally, a facial expression that accompanies the inward battle cry... but I won't bore you with describing that) I have formulated a preliminary grocery list.
As you'll notice... it is TRULY, the meat-stravaganza. There are sample "recipes" in the book... but, in my estimation they are just trying to distract you from the reality that you are in fact eating the equivalent of an entire cow in three - four days time. I will, however, for the sake of getting the FULL EXPERIENCE attempt some of these recipes and report back on which ones are good and which ones are not. More to come!!
Grocery List:
Low-Sodium Turkey/ Ham Deli Meat
Pork Tenderloin
Chicken
Turkey Hot Dogs
Whiting Filets
Salmon
Crab
Lobster
Eggs and Egg Substitute
Fat Free Cottage Cheese
Fat Free Cream Cheese
Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
Fat Free Sour Cream
Skim Milk
Fat Free Half and Half (for coffee)
Non-Fat Yogurt
Tofu
Oat Bran
Soy Sauce
Plain Yogurt
As you'll notice... it is TRULY, the meat-stravaganza. There are sample "recipes" in the book... but, in my estimation they are just trying to distract you from the reality that you are in fact eating the equivalent of an entire cow in three - four days time. I will, however, for the sake of getting the FULL EXPERIENCE attempt some of these recipes and report back on which ones are good and which ones are not. More to come!!
Grocery List:
Low-Sodium Turkey/ Ham Deli Meat
Pork Tenderloin
Chicken
Turkey Hot Dogs
Whiting Filets
Salmon
Crab
Lobster
Eggs and Egg Substitute
Fat Free Cottage Cheese
Fat Free Cream Cheese
Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
Fat Free Sour Cream
Skim Milk
Fat Free Half and Half (for coffee)
Non-Fat Yogurt
Tofu
Oat Bran
Soy Sauce
Plain Yogurt
Welcome!
So, I've decided to do The Dukan Diet... as you might notice from that nifty little weight loss ticker up top, I'm currently at a "healthy" weight (at least according to my BMI) ... but, after seeing the fabulous and stylish Kate Middleton in her wedding gown, I was overcome with the desire to get back down to my college weight of 130.
I bought "The Dukan Diet" book by Dr. Pierre Dukan - apparently some sort of nutrition guru in France (although, I have to question this status... since what self-respecting French person endorses a diet that denies cheese, bread, and alcohol?! Quel Horror!!) and am reading the book cover to cover before I officially begin the diet tomorrow.
The first phase - rather hilariously named the "ATTACK!!" phase... is basically an all protein diet. Dr. Dukan dictates that one may consume LEAN meats in unlimited quantities as well as fat-free dairy and some soy products including tofu and seitan (whatever the hell THAT is). In addition to what I've surreptitiously labelled the "meat-stravaganza" - you must consume 1.5 liters of water - but some of this may be consumed in the form of tea or coffee, and you must eat 1.5 tbsp of Oat Bran a day. Dukan recommends a delightfully French sounding concoction known as the Dukan Oat Bran Galette... it remains to be seen if said "Galette" tastes as delightful as its name sounds. (My initial guess would be probably not!)
The "ATTACK!!!" phase can last anywhere from 2 - 7 days - depending on how much weight you need/ want to lose. In order to calculate how long my "ATTACK!!!" (giggle!) should last I visited the Dukan Diet Website and answered a short questionnaire. According to the True Weight Calculator ... I should do this first phase for 3 days whereupon, I should lose roughly 4 lbs. We'll see about that I guess.
I am currently formulating my grocery list... and will head to the store later today. I will upload that list when finalized... and provide a daily menu list for anyone wishing to try this themselves. I will also update daily as I weigh myself. Let's hope that this Dukan guy is legit! :)
I bought "The Dukan Diet" book by Dr. Pierre Dukan - apparently some sort of nutrition guru in France (although, I have to question this status... since what self-respecting French person endorses a diet that denies cheese, bread, and alcohol?! Quel Horror!!) and am reading the book cover to cover before I officially begin the diet tomorrow.
The first phase - rather hilariously named the "ATTACK!!" phase... is basically an all protein diet. Dr. Dukan dictates that one may consume LEAN meats in unlimited quantities as well as fat-free dairy and some soy products including tofu and seitan (whatever the hell THAT is). In addition to what I've surreptitiously labelled the "meat-stravaganza" - you must consume 1.5 liters of water - but some of this may be consumed in the form of tea or coffee, and you must eat 1.5 tbsp of Oat Bran a day. Dukan recommends a delightfully French sounding concoction known as the Dukan Oat Bran Galette... it remains to be seen if said "Galette" tastes as delightful as its name sounds. (My initial guess would be probably not!)
The "ATTACK!!!" phase can last anywhere from 2 - 7 days - depending on how much weight you need/ want to lose. In order to calculate how long my "ATTACK!!!" (giggle!) should last I visited the Dukan Diet Website and answered a short questionnaire. According to the True Weight Calculator ... I should do this first phase for 3 days whereupon, I should lose roughly 4 lbs. We'll see about that I guess.
I am currently formulating my grocery list... and will head to the store later today. I will upload that list when finalized... and provide a daily menu list for anyone wishing to try this themselves. I will also update daily as I weigh myself. Let's hope that this Dukan guy is legit! :)
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