New Fish and a Miracle

New threadfishies in the etsy shop.

And now for the miracle! 12 lbs gone in one month -- no willpower required! My two friends, Rollanda, the menopause midriff above the belly button, and Bellinda, the pooch below the belly button, are almost gone! my co-worker and I are doing the Dukan Diet -- it's high-protein, and very, very low sugar and carbs.

Unlike Atkins and South Beach, no high-fat meats and cheeses or nuts are allowed. Go to the site and answer the questionnaire to find out what schedule you should follow. I had to do three days of the protein- only "attack" phase. If I got hungry I ate, as often as every two hours, as long as it was on the allowed list. By the end of the three days I was stunned to discover my sugar cravings were gone and I was not hungry.
and I had rid myself of 5lbs of water that Rollanda and Bellinda had been holding.

At work we always have snacks and I ate whatever was around, and if I wasn't eating any, I was thinking about tyring to resist it. In the last three weeks at work we've had bagels, cupcakes, cookies, chocolate, and birthday cake, and I didn't have one bite, and was not even tempted! It's not that I've "decided" I'm not going to have them, it's that the urge for them has disappeared.

I do miss bread, but haven't had trouble going without. Eggs, Eggbeaters, chicken, lean beef, fish, tofu, and turkey bacon are my new best friends. Your fiber comes from 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran per day. I mix mine in my omelette. It has no weird taste and it gives the eggs a little more heft that does fill you up.

If I need "dessert" I have the sugar free jello snacks (tasty and only 10 calories...I splurge and have 2!) or a chocolate flavored protein drink on ice that actually tastes pretty good (EAS dark chocolate), or a latte with sugar-free syrup. The protein drink is not technically allowed on the Dukan diet but it's the only chocolate option I have so I have one every few days. After the attack phase you can have as many non-starchy vegetables as you want on alternating days so a big salad with fat-free dressing or side dishes of broccoli, green beans, squash, etc add variety.

I also joined the gym and have been going every day. Planet Fitness...it was only $40 to join, and $10 per month. I don't know how they can stay in business! But they have a zillion machines so no waiting. Better yet, they're open 24 hours a day during the week, so even if I work late, I can still go and do 30 minutes. I mix it up and do something different everyday. But what seems to work best for me is the elliptical set on a high "step" and high resistance. There is a row of TVs set on every channel to take your mind off the boring exercise.

I know that it's easier for me to work the new menu and exercise into my schedule because I don't have a family to work around so it may be more of a challenge for those of you who do. The pounds may come off slower but they will come off!

Twelve more pounds and I'll be at my goal weight but I actually think I might be able to go 5 lbs lower! That would put me at a weight not seen since the early-1990s! Anyhow, if you had told me a month ago that I would not be hungry, and not have sugar cravings, I would have said you were carzy. But it's true!