Category Archives: Dukan Diet

Not moving… just yet

03 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in Dukan Diet, miscellaneous, Self Improvement, Update

≈ 2 Comments

Hey Everyone,

So, it was a much busier week visiting my parents then I expected and so I haven’t gotten my blog moved yet.  I wanted to get my Dukan Diet series better situated so it was easier to navigate, and that hasn’t happened yet either.  This week I’ve been sick.  I’m getting better!  WooHoo!  Then there is school.  So enough with the excuses already!  And guess what else is almost up…. the Dukan Diet!


Before I get on to the Dukan Diet let me just say I love blogging and I am going to get things underway again as soon as I can.  I need to make sure that school work is getting done too, which right now is a little bit more important.  I might have to post once a week for now and hold off on the switch for a bit…  The switch will come, just at a later date.  It will be here before you know it, that you won’t even know it!

All righty then, there you have it.  You will just have to wait for WordPress… really it won’t affect you much at all, but it will be better for me, which means better for you!

And Guess what!?  One Week from tomorrow and I will be on the final phase of the Dukan Diet!  Say What!?  That’s right!  I’m pretty sure that I will be able to squeeze in a blog next Saturday to tell you all how this phase has been going.  Especially the last couple of weeks… yikes… has not been easy!   What hasn’t been easy is finding posts on the Dukan Diet.  If you go to the right side of my blog and look for “Labels” and click on “Dukan Diet” the posts should come up.  I will be making it easier to find them, but for now, that’s where you can go.  I learned all about how to do a blog series so that it is more organized…now I just have to put it in to practice!

No question today – it’s a freebie!  But I would still love to hear from you!

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Dukan Diet: Food Substitution

03 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in baking, Dukan Diet, recipe, Update

≈ 4 Comments

I’m on the third phase of the Dukan Diet, which means I can have a few more foods than on the previous phase.  I’m really enjoying this phase much better, and I am still losing the weight.  Not as fast as in the first two phases, but that is all right with me.

I was looking through a recipe book to find a whole wheat pizza dough recipe (because tomorrow I am having a celebration meal of home made pizza – I’m excited) and I found a good muffin recipe.  They taste good, but one does have to remember they are a very healthy recipe.  If you are looking for a muffin filled with sugar this is not the right recipe for you!

Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

Can you see how healthy they look.  They are from “The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno.  I picked it up last Spring when visiting a friend in Muskoka.  I browsed through the book and it seemed to have a lot of healthy recipes in it, so I was sold.  I think
this is the first recipe I’ve made from the book … it’s a start.  I know you want to run right into your kitchen and make these yummy healthy muffins, so I will share the recipe with you and my recommendations after making them myself.  I feel like I can substitute one of these muffins for a piece of bread that I am allowed in this phase.

Ingredients:
1 c old-fashioned oatmeal, not instant
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 canned pumpkin
2 large egg whites + one yolk, lightly beaten
2 tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup of milk or milk alternative or 1/2 c apple juice
1 tbsp double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c amaranth or quinoa flour or flour of your choice
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c maple sugar flakes
1/2 c dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Line muffin pan with paper or silicon liners or coat with cooking spray.  (Let’s face it, paper is the easiest way to go for clean up after!)
2. Combine oatmeal, pumpkin, applesauce, juice or milk, eggs and oil.  Mix until all ingredients are blended.
3. Measure and mix all dry ingredients.  Make a well in the centre and pour wet ingredients into dry.  Add dried fruit if using.  mix until dry ingredients are just moistened.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 15 – 20 min or until lightly browned on top.

Suggestions:
The book suggests to have some light cream cheese with them.  They seem to be like they would be a good breakfast treat.

My Recommendations:
The only thing I did differently to the recipe is that I forgot the extra 1 tsp of oil.  I also used fresh-frozen cooked pumpkin instead of canned.  I used skim milk.  I used normal baking powder.  I used flax flour as “your choice”.  I didn’t have maple sugar flakes but I had maple sugar pearls, so I used some of those but I didn’t use a full 1/4 cup, so my muffins have very very little sugar.  You could leave out this step or if you don’t have the flakes you could probably use real maple syrup or honey instead.  I will try one of those options next time.  I also did not add any raisons or cranberries.  Mine took about 25 min to cook.

Dukan Diet Consolidation Phase Update:
I don’t have much new to report but that I am 9 lbs away from my goal weight.  How exciting is that?  I went to the grocery store today to buy 1 thing and came out with one thing not even thinking about buying chips or any of that junk (even thought it still tastes good).  When this phase is over all that is left is the last phase that is there for the rest of my life – 1 protein day a week.  I’ll be glad when I get to that phase.  It’s not too far off now.  It definitely has been an interesting process for me.

[This is part of the Dukan Diet series.  Check out the rest of the posts by clicking HERE.]

Dukan Diet: Consolidation Phase

27 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in Dukan Diet, Update

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It’s been a week since I have been on the Consolidation Phase for the Dukan Diet.  That’s the third phase, if anyone is following.  I must say I enjoy being on this phase a lot better!  I feel less constricted with eating.  I ended up using my 1 celebration meal on Monday night with Delissio Pizza.  Although, going on this phase has made me realize that I still need to be careful as I choose what I eat and make wise decisions.  It could be that fact that I am adding things back into my eating plan that I haven’t had for a while and this is an adjustment week for my body or that now I know what foods cause me to gain weight – bread, carbs, and other stuff!


2 Carb Meals
My first one was on Saturday at Tim Hortons.  I had a bowl of beef noodle soup.
My second one was on Wednesday.  I had a big bowl of spelt spaghetti .  It was really good.  I probably ate a little too much of it.  Mmmm… pasta.

1 Celebration Meal
On the first half of the consolidation phase you are only allowed 1 celebration meal per week.  I had mine early in the week – on Monday.  It was a Delissio Pizza.  You can take as much as you want on your plate and it can be whatever you want.  The only catch (there is always a catch) is that you can’t go back for seconds.  And guess what, I didn’t!  Win!  I did eat three slices though.  But it was delissio!

Fruit
I have been having 1 apple a day.  Yum!  I have some grapefruit in the fridge I need to eat up too.  That will be tomorrow.  Except on Wed night I hadn’t had a fruit yet so I had a grapefruit.  It was so juicy and delicious.  Half of it I squeezed and drank the juice, the other half I ate like you would regularly eat a grapefruit.  When I was a kid I would load it with so much sugar that you wouldn’t be able to see the grapefruit through the stuff.  Now I am happy to say I enjoy it better without any sugar at all!

2 Slices of Whole Wheat Grain Bread
I found some in the grocery store.  It is a little chewier then normal whole wheat bread, but it is still good. Hello, you are talking to the girl who bakes with whole wheat flour so I think I can handle a little extra grain in my bread.  Yes, there is a difference.  I’ve been having a sandwich almost everyday, or a slice with some eggs in the morning.  It’s so nice to eat sandwiches again.  But, I don’t think I could get away with eating more bread then this in one day.  I do remember when I was away at a Bible College for a year, they had bread at every meal … which I probably ate it at 2 out of the 3 meals in the day.  That year I gained 15 lbs.  I’m sure it wasn’t just the bread, but I am now aware that putting too much of it in my body is not good, even if it is whole wheat grain.

Protein Day / Weight loss … or should I say gain
On Thursday’s I have a protein day.  This is recommended by Dr. Dukan.  Even when I am done this phase I am suppose to have this day for the rest of my life so that I will maintain my true weight.  I thought I was going to have a hard time through the protein day since I hadn’t had one for a while and I was enjoying eating some of the new foods.  But I made it through the day (besides the 1 bite of lasagna I took from the supper for the “other” people in the house).  This morning I was 1.6 lbs lighter.  This is important to me because throughout the week I didn’t loose any weight.  I know that Dr. Dukan says weight loss will slow down, but I was hoping for at least 1 lb.  In a sense I got that pound, but in another way I didn’t because I actually gained 3.4 lbs by Thursday morning.  There are many factors that can play in this weight gain and with today’s weight is really only 2 lbs in the end, but It would have been nice to have at least stayed the same weight.  This week has showed me that the protein day that works as a detox day is important for me.  I will say I’m not going to get all worried about those 2 lbs because I feel a heck of a lot better then I did 26 days ago when I started this thing!

At this very moment I can say that I am happy where I am and the success that I have made.  Did you know that I have gone 26 days without chips!  That is huge for me!!  Win!

Oh, quick story about the Gingerbread Man.  You might have caught it on FB, but for those of you who didn’t I will share it before I close off this lengthy post.

I made probably the most healthy gingerbread men (a future post will have the recipe) you can get for class this passed week because we were talking about sin and humanity in Theology class.  I called the cookies “little sinners”.  So of course I had to eat one to be sure that they were edible for other people.  The next day I went to class and came home without any cookies.  But there were a few that I left behind for a certain someone in our household.  I was craving for something….anything that I could get my hands on.

I thought, “Just eating a head of one will be ok.  I ate a full one last night, so a head won’t be bad.”  My sister was in the kitchen.  Talk about keeping me accountable.  Sometimes we are each others will power!

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing…it’s just the head.”

“NO!  Spit it out.”

So I did.  I spit it out right onto the floor.  I was actually trying to spit it at her but it got caught between my lips and feel to the floor instead.  Not because I was mad, I just thought it would be funny.  We did laugh…. a lot.  Something that you need to do while on this Dukan Diet journey!

How do you face temptation, whatever it is?  You know what to do, leave me a comment below! I would love to hear from you.

[This is part of the Dukan Diet series.  Check out the rest of the posts by clicking HERE.]

Dukan Diet: Not Quitting, Just Moving On

20 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in Dukan Diet, Self Improvement

≈ 5 Comments

Wow, is the Dukan Diet ever hard to stick to!  This week I want to quit.  The funny thing, that’s what Dr. Dukan said might happen.  He gave advice for those who were able to stick to the diet because of motivation.  He also gave advice to those who have a hard time sticking to something like this. The Advice: Move on to the consolidation phase now!
So that is what I am going to do.  On Saturday I will start on the consolidation phase.  I’m supposed to stay on that phase 5 days for every pound lost.  For me, that’s 50 days (5 days x 10lbs = 50 days).  Maybe you are thinking, “Well she couldn’t stick with this phase, what’s to say she will stick to the next one?”  I can’t guarantee that I will stay on the next phase that long.  I really want to get to a point that I can say NO to certain foods and be ok with that and be able to have just one of something and not go back for more.
What’s in the consolidation phase?  Basically it is eating healthy.  I’m allowed to incorporate 2 starchy meals per week – for example I can have pasta, rice, potatoes, and beans.  I’m not interested in the others on the list, so I will stop with these.  I need to maintain 1 protein day a week.  I can have 2 celebration meals a week (basically eating whatever I want).  I can have 1 serving of fruit a day (I’m excited to have this – can’t you tell by the picture of the apple?).  I am also allowed 2 pieces of whole-wheat grain bread a day.  Other than that I keep eating the protein and veggies I have been eating.
Why the change to the next phase?  I am having ridiculous cravings. I’m hoping this will help by being able to have a few more of these things, but still leaving out chips, French fries, sugary sweets/candy, and white flour.  Basically this plan is healthy eating, so it should work for me.  I also will step up my exercise routine as well. 
I think that if you have a big goal that you are fighting to complete and you have tried a lot of other things to loose weight but haven’t been successful then this could be a diet for you.  I’m motivated, but I am going skip to the Consolidation phase and hope that I will loose those last pesky 10 pounds that way. I am learning that I can say NO to food.  I don’t see this as a failure but as a small achievement towards my true weight. 
If you don’t quite achieve your goal, but have gotten a good start at it do you think of yourself as failing or as achieving something?  What is that you achieved?  Let me know by leaving a comment below.

[This is part of the Dukan Diet series.  Check out the rest of the posts by clicking HERE.]

Dukan Diet: Candies, Cookies, and Chips. Oh My!

13 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in Dukan Diet, Self Improvement

≈ 4 Comments

I love candy.  I enjoy a good cookie.  I crave chips!
Don’t you?  I know some people who have no problem saying “NO” to these goodies, but for some of us it’s nearly impossible.  The past 2 weeks is probably the first time in about a year that I have said “NO” to all of these tasty junk foods.  That’s probably the main reason for my weight gain and now the realization that I need to get control of it so I can feel better physically and about myself.

Do you see those Toblerone?  One of my favourite chocolate bars!  I like having suckers around while I study.  The only candy that was left in the candy dish when I started this diet were the suckers and some candy kisses (the ones that only come out at halloween).  Guess where the leftovers are now?  Not in this body!  They are in zip lock bags out of sight waiting to be given to a 16 year old who can freely eat what he wants.

What about the cookies left from New Year’s Eve?
In the freezer for the guy in the house that can eat them.  Out of sight, out of mind!  That’s one way to deal with cravings.  Get it out of sight or out of the house!  Be lazy.

What?  Be lazy?  Yes.  Be lazy.  When you get a craving and you don’t have that candy or chips or whatever is your down fall in the house, be lazy and don’t get in your car to drive to the store to buy it.  I’ve done that before.  It helps that I live up on the mountain and it takes a bit more effort to get to the store.  But I have in the past craved chips and got in my car and drove to the store to get some.  I usually bought the small size because then I felt like I was eating less, but sometimes I would buy two bags of the small ones and eat them both.  That way I could get two different kinds.  I was probably better off getting one large bag and spreading it out over a few days.

So far to recap: Out of sight out of mind.  Be lazy!

I mentioned I crave chips.  When I went for groceries or gas I would normally get chips.  This past week was the first time that I went to the grocery store by myself while I was on this diet.  I could have cheated without anyone knowing, but I’ve boughten and eaten in secret too many times to do that again.  I walked passed the chip isle, witch isn’t that bad because you don’t have to go down the isle or even look at it.  Then I was standing in line waiting to pay.  And there it was.  The rack of chips!  Mmmm…. Doritos and dill pickle chips.  That’s what I would have chosen.  Instead I took a picture of them and said a big “NO”.  I was very happy with myself.  Win!  As hard as it is, just say no and walk away.

Cookies!  I love the ones from superstore.  You know what I am talking about.  The Ultimate chocolate chip or chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies.  I went to small group and they had them there.  So delicious looking and tempting.  Again, I managed to say “NO”.  It helped that I had someone who is very encouraging by my side.  I also felt full from supper and realized I didn’t really need the cookie anyway, no matter how good it looked.  If you feel full don’t eat it.  When I am hungry, that is when I am tempted the most to eat cookies, or candy, or chips.  I need to make sure that I am getting enough good foods to fight the bad ones!

How am I fighting the cravings?

Out of Sight and Out of the House
Be Lazy
Just Say No and Walk Away
Eat Enough Good Foods to Fight the Bad Ones

… and lots of prayer!

How do you fight your cravings for the bad foods?  Let me know by commenting below.

[This is part of the Dukan Diet series.  Check out the rest of the posts by clicking HERE.]

Spinach Dip

10 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Dukan Diet

≈ 2 Comments

Hot-Out-of-the-Oven Spinach Dip

I had a few friends over for New Year’s Eve and I decided to make a spinach dip.  I have a little recipe book that I write my favourite recipes or ones that look really great that I want to try one day.  Finally I tried the spinach dip.  It turned out amazingly good!  We had crackers, purple corn chips, and veggies to eat it with.  I preferred the purple corn chips, but it was nice with the others too.

Next time you are having some friends over or going somewhere that you need a finger good to take, I highly recommend this appetizer!  You can even make it fancy by cooking it in pumpernickel bread.  That is how it is originally suppose to be done, but of course I left it until the day off to find bread and I wasn’t going to drive 20 minutes just for one thing.  So as you can see it can also be made in a dish suitable for the oven.

The Recipe:

2 pkg (250g) cream cheese softened
1 C                grated cheddar cheese
2 tsp              dill
1 C                mayo
1/4 C             diced onion
1/2 C             bacon bits
1 pkg             chopped spinach
1 large round loaf of pumpernickel bread

1) mix cream cheese, cheddar cheese, dill, mayo, onion, and bacon bits together.
2) Put spinach dip in the pumpernickel bread (with a knife cut out or pull out a majority of the centre of the bread and cube the leftover bread for later).  Wrap in foil.
3) Back at 325 for 1 hour.
4) Serve with leftover cubed bread or any kind of tortilla or corn chips, or crackers.

Note: If you do not have pumpernickel bread, place into a casserole dish or other oven safe dish.  Do not cover and keep same cooking temp and time.

Unfortunately I can’t have this recipe again for another few months because I am following a new dieting program (Follow my series starting with Dukan Diet: Intro and Attack Phase)  But we can actually have most of what is in the recipe during our second phase with some modifications.

Things that need to be modified:
The cream cheese needs to be fat free.  We have been finding it difficult to find no fat cream cheese in Canada, but they have it in the States.  We are heading there at some point before our third phase so we will definitely be picking some up while we are there.  We could use light cream cheese, but fat free would be better.

The cheddar cheese also needs to be fat free or maybe by this phase we can have low fat or regular cheese (I’ll have to double check on that one).

We are not allowed to have mayo (I don’t even think in the third phase – another thing to double check) but Greek yogurt is a great substitute for mayo or there is a recipe for Mayo in the Dukan Diet book.

Bacon bits are a no because we can’t have real bacon!  But we could make our own bacon bits with chicken or turkey bacon, which we are allowed to have.

No pumpernickel bread on the second phase, but we can have some whole wheat grain bread on the third phase!  But the dip is really good with veggies anyways which we can have after we are done the first phase.

Things we can have without modification:
Dill, onion, spinach.

I think on the third phase we can have this without as much modification, but I would have to check on that.  For sure I will be able to eat it on the fourth phase, because that is the phase for life.  You will hear all about it when I start it.  But not until then… except for maybe some hints here and there!

Don’t worry, eventually when I get into the other phases my Tuesday post won’t revolve around the Dukan Diet.  I don’t want you to get sick of hearing about it!  If you want to hear about it then look for my Friday posts, which will be a weekly update on my progress of the Dukan Diet.

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