Day 12 Cruise - FAT!

Morning Weigh-in: 75.4 kgs

Daily Loss: 0.7 kgs


I have been reading like crazy these past few days, trying to make up my mind about FAT! I got my new scale on Thursday, and not surprisingly my body composition is far from ideal with a whopping 36.8% fat. 
The American Council on Exercise establishes the following:

Classification	Women (% fat)	Men (% fat)
Essential Fat	10-12%	2-4%
Athletes	14-20%	6-13%
Fitness	21-24%	14-17%
Acceptable	25-31%	18-25%
Obese	32% plus	25% plus

Which of course means that although my BMI is below 30 (barely) I am still obese. SIGH!
If you want to establish your fat percentage from your BMI you can use the following formula:


Adult body fat % = (1.20 × BMI) + (0.23 × Age) − (10.8 × sex*) − 5.4 
* sex is male=1 ; female=0


Which in my case gave me a Fat % of 37,57%, which is not so far from what my super expensive and cool scale gave me. I guess what this formula tells you though, is that when you lose weight you are losing fat. Which is not always the case. At least not from all I have been reading. 


Reading all I can on fitness and weight loss is giving me a headache. I studied Economics, and I must say, weight loss is much a science as Economics. In the sense that it isn't an exact science, and that everyone has a different opinion. 


The reason I have been reading up so much is because I am REALLY committed this time and I must admit I am a geek. For now I am pretty confused on the best way to lose weight while changing my body composition i.e. losing those fat kilos and increasing the lean kilos in my body. Hopefully when my research is done I will have a clearer idea and will post my findings.

Day 9 Cruise - Measuring

Morning Weigh-in: 75.5 kgs

Daily Loss: 0.6 kgs


When I saw my weight yesterday I really didn't think I had much to say. I didn't want to keep on complaining about the roller coaster that is my weight. I KNOW that after a loss, especially a big one, my weight is going to go up. It is almost like if my body is trying to test me, trying to see how bad I want it. In truth, it probably just wants to know I am not starving myself. Which sometimes I worry I might. Not on purpose of course. 


By 6pm this afternoon I had only consumed around 600 calories. I had also done Jillian Michaels 30 day shred Level 1, which burns around 200 calories. When I came home tonight I had beef with mushrooms and aubergine and some lettuce, along with a little non-fat cheese wrapped in low fat ham. I don't know if that will account for 600 - 800 more calories. I hope so. For a healthy weight loss I should consume 1200 calories net. That will allow me to lose 2 pounds a week. That would be ok for me. I don't want to lose more than 1kg a week. I doubt it is too healthy, and also I doubt it would give my skin enough time to keep up. I don't wanna be fat, but I want to be tight.

The one thing I decided to do to feel more in control of my weight's ups and downs is buy an extravagant scale. It is a Whitings Wi-Fi scale which tells you your weight but also your BMI, and your fat %. Now that I am exercising, I will be able to know if my daily gain or loss is muscle or fat. This makes me incredibly happy and I can't wait to weigh myself with it probably Friday morning.


I know I am not alone in these small "stagnation crises", which definitely helps me not freak out. All I want to know is that the hard work will pay off, so reading other people's experiences is helping me more than I can ever say. 
I hope I can help someone who is feeling frustrated at some point in their journey by successfully reaching my goal. 

Day 8 Cruise - no comment

Morning Weigh-in: 76.1 kgs

Daily Gain: 0.5 kgs


GRRRRRRRRRRR

Day 7 Cruise - same old same old

Morning Weigh-in: 75.6 kgs

Daily Gain: 0.1 kgs


Nothing much to report on the weight loss front. It was supposed to be a PV day, but I had none at home, so my vegetables were olives, and I am not sure they were allowed. In the afternoon I did Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1. That made me proud, because I am definitely stronger. I probably won't see a loss tomorrow, or for the immediate future if I continue to exercise every day. But in the long run it will go down. 


In the meantime I continue. It is a bit overwhelming to think I am only 25% there. I keep on weighing myself and obsessing about it. I keep on thinking about at what moment in time I will reach a particular weight. I am pretty sure that is not so healthy. I am longing for the day this will no longer feel like a diet. That I won't have to think about it so much. 


I am going to India in May. As the date approaches I am longing to be thinner and stronger. I am already thinking of the clothes I need to buy, and hoping to look great in them. We will see.


For now... I keep on Dukaning.

Day 6 Attack - No change and some walking

Morning Weigh-in: 75.5 kgs

Daily Loss: 0 kgs


No change today. But I don't care. I am still very hopeful and really excited of where I am right now. I am happy that I came back to Dukan, after I had basically decided to quit it for good. Even today I heard from someone that the diet was very unhealthy, and that always gives me pause. But how unhealthy can it be? I mean, yes, protein (especially beef) is not good for you in such large quantities, but that is why we have to drink all the water, to help our kidneys. And it is not forever. I am sure I am not going to harm myself with this diet. Tomorrow starts the Cruise phase, and with it all those delicious vegetables. 

Michelangelo's Moses part of Papa Giulio II Mausoleum

I have already lost 5.5 kgs since January, which is the most I have ever lost on a diet, back when that was all I actually needed to lose. Now it is only the beginning of my journey, but given all my previous problems, I am just happy to be on my way.

Today I went on a tour of Michelangelo's Rome, excluding the Vatican. We visited San Pietro in Vincoli, the church that holds the famous Moses by Michelangelo. After that we headed to Piazza del Campidoglio, which he designed, and la Basilica sopra Minerva, which holds Michelangelo's Christ the Redeemer. Finally we headed to Palazzo Farnese, of which he was one of the architects. All in all a very pleasurable afternoon which involved a 3.7 km walk, and a whole lot of standing. Not really exercise.. but close enough!

Day 5 Attack - Determination brings hope, eventually

Swordfish Carpaccio dinner

Morning Weigh-in: 75.5 kgs

Daily Loss: 1.4 kgs


Pretty big loss today. Now I feel dumb for complaining! I guess all this does is teach me that if I continue being constant then the weight will go down. It is very hard for me to think that my body actually works that way. For a long time I would diet and nothing would happen. I would even gain weight in the beginning and then maybe after a month I would have lost 1 kg, maybe 2 at the most. But then demoralized I would quit the diet and the weight would creep up again.


Since 2005 I have been battling with my weight, more than ever before. I have never been able to eat normally. Not only since I have had problems with my thyroid, but even before. My metabolism has never been very fast. Sluggish doesn't begin to describe it. I wouldn't help it either though. Exercise can help speed up your  metabolism, but it was not a word in my vocabulary. So slowly but surely my weight continued increasing. 


Late last year I finally got the thyroid under control (hopefully it will stay that way). It also coincided with me moving to Italy, so I continued gaining weight. I did notice my body reverting to its former self though. WIth the thyroid problems I had become more apple shaped than I had ever been. I thought it was normal because of the increased weight. However, since successfully "solving" my thyroid problem I lost a lot of the pudge around my waist, reverting to my former pear shape. I thought I was losing weight. I was actually gaining, it was just redistributing somehow. 


January 2012 came along, and with it the usual new year's resolutions. I downloaded the Dukan book on my kindle and on January 8th, at 81 kgs, the heaviest I have ever been, my Dukan journey started. After some loss and a few weeks "forced" break, I am back.


I need to remember this big loss when my weight will surely stagnate at some point. I need to remember that even if somedays I have a gain, if I continue to follow the diet faithfully I  WILL lose weight, eventually. I must say that reading other people's blogs, especially those on my blog list, has really helped me. They are living proof that the weight will come off and give me hope that I too can be successful. So thanks to them I am back, and I have a new found determination.

Day 4 Attack - Starving myself and Fear

Morning Weigh-in: 76.9 kgs

Daily Gain: 0.1 kgs


Another gain today :( A tiny one, but still a gain. I try very hard not to take too much notice, I know my body and how irrationally it behaves. Sometimes while on a diet I might actually gain a few kgs, before going further down. I can't say I think it is the food. It can't be.  12 ounces of fat free milk and a few spoons of fat free plain yogurt CANNOT be making me gain weight. I am more thinking it could be the salt in the bresaola. Or something.


I did go to bootcamp yesterday, so I might have sore swollen muscles. In any case I am determined NOT TO GIVE UP. Hence I basically have avoided dairy after breakfast and have only had chicken for lunch and meat for dinner. This time around I am way too determined to be the best I can possibly be, and I can't be my best carrying around more than 15 kgs of overweight. Besides, I am a strong person, I fight for what I want. 


For some reason though I have always been scared to be the best I can be. When I was in my teens I was always told by older boys to call them up when I was older. Everyone has always told me I am beautiful but I have never really felt it. I was even told recently by a friend that I was pretty now, but I would be stunning if I lost the extra-weight. I am not so sure though. I know 90% of beauty comes from attitude, so what good is it really to be beautiful if you don't act like it? And also, if I COULD be beautiful, why am I so scared of it?


Part of me thinks that I rather not be loved because I am ugly, than because I am unlovable. It hurts just to write that. But I guess that is why I decided to write this blog. Maybe if I exorcise my monsters it will be easier to stay on my path. 


Hopefully the scale will be my friend again tomorrow.

Day 3 Attack - Exercise and food choices

Morning Weigh-in: 76.8 kgs

Daily Gain: 0.4 kgs


I woke up to a gain. That never makes me happy of course, especially since this is the Attack phase, but I can't say I didn't see it coming. It's the dairy. But the thing is, how can I not have dairy, if all I can have is protein and dairy? I can't eat eggs, meat, fish or chicken all day long. I just can't.


Today was not much different from yesterday. I might have slightly over done it with the dairy today too. I am not sure though. I am pretty much within what the Dukan book prescribes, but I think my body doesn't take it well. I should be permanently in a no carb, no diary diet. I am pretty sure I can live without carbs, but dairy is another story. My morning latte makes me way too happy.

on my walk home from Boot Camp

The good thing is I went to Boot Camp today. Painful, glorious Boot Camp. I must say I never thought I would like it this much. I am not an exercise kind of person. But knowing that each week I get stronger and stronger makes me happy, and makes me work as hard as I can. Now I have to work at exercising the other 5 days of the week. 


All in all I think I the scale should show a lower number tomorrow. We will see. I am trying to not to feel I am depriving myself. I am glad to be doing something good for my body, and I want to feel like this is normal, not count the days until it is over (which I inevitably do of course).

Day 2 Attack - Rest and probably too much dairy

Morning Weigh-in: 76.4 kgs

Daily Loss: 1 kgs

I love the first day of a diet, you always start with a BANG!! That said, I know I didn't really lose much, I probably just shed a lot of water weight. But I will take what I can, especially because I doubt I will be very successful tomorrow. The great thing is I am were I left off when I left the Dukan diet in February and that I reached my first mini-goal!

I went shopping for groceries today, trying to keep in mind also the lessons learnt from "Wheat Belly". I was going to buy the fake crab but when I read the label it said it contained gluten, so I passed. I bought bresaola again, but that one is gluten free. The problem with today might be too much dairy. I am not completely sure I over did it. I will just have to wait and see.

My activity level today was limited to walking to the supermarket and back, so only a few blocks each way. In my defense I woke up at 6 am to see my dad off, and I had barely slept. So today I just lounged all day doing mostly nothing and sleeping. I really needed that.

Day 1 Attack - Starting with Spring

Morning Weigh-in: 77.4 kgs

Daily Loss: 0.4 kgs

Good news on my first weigh-in. I lost 400 grams before even starting the diet. My weight fluctuates a lot, so I am not really surprised, it is just more likely I was bloated when I stepped on the scale on saturday. 

The first day has been ok, until now. I am getting the 6pm angst. This is the time I normally reach for the carbs. I know I just need to be strong, cook something, eat something healthy, pure protein healthy. Not so easy because I have been reaching for gorgeous blood oranges these days when the hunger attacks, and now they are sadly off limits. I am sticking to my two yogurts a day, and also no more late night decaf non-fat lattes for me. 

Today is the first calendar day of spring, and I have been a bit stuck inside spending time with my dad who is visiting and not feeling too well. I would like to think I would have taken advantage of the beautiful day and taken a long fast walk, maybe even going as far as jogging, if he wasn't here. I am not sure that is 100% true though. 

I did manage to get him out of the house for a short stroll and to buy small easter eggs so he can take them to my niece who he is visiting next. Stopping at the piazza afterwards I did get to experience a bit of spring. It made me happy and gave me the hope for a new beginning.

Living without Wheat?

I, like many others, have been reading "Wheat Belly", the book by William Davis, MD, that talks about the evil that is modern "Triticum Aestivum", better known as wheat.

I must admit I only skimmed the super science-y stuff, and only read the parts that directly interested me. In a nut-shell, the book explains how wheat has been changed over the years to offer a more efficient higher-yielding crop, and that because of these changes, wheat consumption is the underlying cause of obesity, and different ailments including high blood pressure, triglycerides, diabetes, celiac disease and even the exacerbation of autism and schizophrenia.

As a Dukaneer, I have of course gone through a period of no-wheat consumption and I must say I have experienced the benefits the Dr describes. I am not the typical "Wheat Belly" case, as I don't collect fat around my abdomen, and I don't suffer any of the more serious ailments described in the book, but I am still in my mid-thirties, so if I continue consuming wheat I might just end up there. What I do know, and have known for a while, is that I am a "wheat addict". While on Dukan though, I experienced the relief of not needing to gorge on carbs at 6pm every night. I read on the Dukan book, as well as in many blogs, that reduced hunger and cravings were a result of "ketosis". "Wheat Belly" explains that once you give up wheat, you forgo the addiction and you no longer eat irrationally, but as a result of actual hunger.  Additionally, during the break from the diet I have returned to my usual ways, experiencing a void in the pit of my stomach that I wish to fill with carbs, but that can never really be filled. I also find it harder to get up in the morning and I am back to having morning headaches.

What now though? Knowing that wheat is not only the cause of my extra kilos but an evil, evil crop, am I really contemplating never eating anything containing wheat ever again? Is it even possible? As the book explains, wheat is in EVERYTHING, not only cookies, cereal and bread, it is in pills and soups, and many other processed foods. I must say I am definitely willing to give it a try, but I will have to wait for the Consolidation Phase to truly test my resolve. I do live in Italy after all. The good news is that pasta is made of "Triticum durum", which apparently is not as bad.

Getting Ready to Dukan

Having done the Dukan diet already I am taking a few days to get ready. That does NOT mean I am going crazy eating everything left and right. In fact, during my break I have not gone particularly overboard, except for those two days in Calabria... my family there tends to overfeed you, plus it is the best food you will ever have. In fact I pretty much think my 1.7 kgs surplus comes from just those two days.

The first step to get ready involves recalculating my program on the Dukan website. If I started today, this would be it, I just need to slide it down two days.

Looking at this, it kind of scares me I won't be done until next year!! But having already lost a few weeks of precious time, I think it is nothing compared to being and feeling like this any longer.

Hopefully the "Attack Phase" will really mean a loss of 2.2 kgs, I heard it isn't as effective the second time around.

My second step will be to buy all the necessary foods for my first week:

Eggs, non fat yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, bresaola. This time around I plan to buy my proteins on a daily basis at the butcher or fishmonger.  Also, this time around I will try to keep the dairy to the minimum as I KNOW I overdid it last time around, causing my plateau.

I am excited about getting back to this. During my "break" I tried other types of diets, but I find myself really needing the type of restrictions the Dukan Diet requires. I feel stronger on it. I just hope I won't be too exhausted during my Bootcamp class.

Hello Dukan, Again!

Long story short: I am fat. Overweight to be exact. Obese when I started Dukan in January.

I stopped because of a dairy induced plateau (I figured it out later) and a kitchen problem. After 3 weeks break and a 1.7 kgs gain, I am ready to get back to it.

I have my concerns of course. I am exercising for one, and on the other hand I am afraid of such massive protein consumption. But I should be done with Phase 1 & 2 by Mid-July, so I guess it won't be too bad.

This blog is to keep myself on track. Even if nobody reads it.

Estimated start date: Tuesday March 20th.