follow the plan or cheat a little

[Sharon_p]

Hello everyone,

just curious really do you all rigidly follow the plan or have you cheated now and then? how do you deal with your cravings? and what do you do to get back on track or stay on track?

Can you tell i'm thinking about eating/ drinking things i shouldn't

 

[charlies mummy]

Hi Sharon

As you know I have been doing this a similar length of time as you. I have had cravings, cereal especially, but I have distracted myself so I have not gone through and eaten it.


For me, and probably many more, once I slip off the wagon I tend to keep going. Its even worse if I 'get away with it' - I have done tons of diets so got to know all the cheats. I want to have the best start I can here and go as long as possible without deviating.

If you do plan to deviate and have something I would say keep it controlled. Have the one thing and then get back to it - otherwise it may be a slippy slope and you are doing fab at the moment

 

[slimdreamer]

Didn't the Dr say that a cheat is like puncturing a balloon. It isn't like cheating on a calorie controlled diet.

Having said that I know how difficult it is especially in the beginning. Good luck.

 

[Sharon_p]

thank you Charlies mum

your totally right. if i cheat now i'll feel even worse in the morning. i'm finding it hard. its evenings i struggle with especially when the husband is sat eating or drinking the things i'd love to be having.
think i'll go to bed to remove my self from temptation. i know i won't be so restricted for ever and in time i'll be able to join him but with a better and well balanced approach as well as a fabulously lean and healthy bod

 

[bijouxdolly]

I've cheated and only gained at most 6lbs (no idea why so much!) and normally a PP day sorts it out. She says as she types with one hand on the keyboard and one hand in a bag of Hershey's kisses... Waiting for a big Tesco shop to be delivered, then it's Dukan Dukan Dukan! I wish I had more motivation!

If I do cheat it's always with food, I still drink lots of water which I think really helps, rather than drinking coke and sugary drinks. Before I started the diet I could easily live off cranberry juice (we're talking ~2-3 cartons a DAY!) and I haven't touched a drop since I started. I'm proud of myself for staying off that.

 

[Maintainer]

The first cheat is the easiest to avoid.

After succumbing to that first one, the others follow smoothly...

As my (ex but she always talks in the present tense) alcoholic friend says: "one drink is too many, and 20 are never enough!"

 

[kerryashton]

I've had what i see as minor cheats (if there is such a thing);if hungry and couldn't face any more meat, chicken or dairy (anything Dukan related) i would have a ryvita with philli extra light-max 2 in a day, I also had some blueberries with my fat free Onken youghurt a few weeks back. I once kept a funsize bag of chocolate buttons in my bag and had one button melted on the tongue and that gave me my chocolate fix, the bag lasted days :-D. I have also had lean thin cut pork escalopes from M&S just to have something different! I've never had big cheat - i'm so desperate to eat normally again that i know i would be destroyed by a large gain that pushed my goal date back... and i'm pleased to say i had email off Dukan Uk today to say start Conso Phase Waaaahoooo!

 

[Atropos]

As Joanne says, don't cheat, because the first cheat is the easiest to avoid.

But -

If you must cheat -

Cheat with fat rather than carbs.

Because fat will make you gain weight, but carbs will a.) stop the diet from working and b.) stimulate your appetite and make it harder to stop dipping into the cheat food.

So

If you must cheat...

Pork, cheese, butter, nuts

NOT

cakes, ryvita, chocolate....

OR

BETTER STILL

Work out what you are craving and find the DUKAN equivalent.

 

[kerryashton]

As Joanne says, don't cheat, because the first cheat is the easiest to avoid.

But -

If you must cheat -

Cheat with fat rather than carbs.

Because fat will make you gain weight, but carbs will a.) stop the diet from working and b.) stimulate your appetite and make it harder to stop dipping into the cheat food.

So

If you must cheat...

Pork, cheese, butter, nuts

NOT

cakes, ryvita, chocolate....

OR

BETTER STILL

Work out what you are craving and find the DUKAN equivalent.

Ah you're so wise Atropos!! You're right of course!

 

[Sharon_p]

is there a dukan equivalent to red wine? lol

 

[Maintainer]

H20 with red food colouring

 

[Atropos]

is there a dukan equivalent to red wine? lol

Hibiscus tea

 

[Supertonic]

I'm afraid to say I'm well naughty - which probably explains why I'm still hovering around my target weight, still on cruise when I should (according to Dr D's magic calendar) have moved into conso a couple of weeks ago.

So far its not affected the weight loss, which has been a respectable 2lb average per week, but it could be better I know. Story of my life - could do better!

I half wonder if I'm trying to prolong cruise because conso sounds really scary - at least I know what I'm supposed to be doing with cruise, even if I don't always do it.

My latest battle is with goji berries - I think I've taken a liking to these and I know they are tolerated items, so I think I'll just remove those for now, cut out the wicked grape juice which has crept into the odd meal, and have a final push at getting down to target weight. I'll get into those party frocks at Xmas yet...

 

[Sander23]

I think once you work "cheating" into a diet you are planning a self-sabotage. I haven't been perfect - but I try really hard to establish limits and behavior patterns as part of this experience. I think those of that are on cruise for a long time have a harder time being especially strict because it is such a long journey to conso. I have given into the cravings occasionally but have fought them off successfully many more times.

I believe that if a person is getting into a pattern of regular cheats, I think it would best for that person to move to conso early where one could integrate more food choices and not get into a negative feedback loop with Dukan.

 

[Maintainer]

I wholeheartedly agree with Sander... (and I've got the tshirt to prove that this diet never quite works as well as the first few times we shock our system...)

 

[ellie1969]

the only cheating so far that ive done was a few drinks the other weekend when out with friends but i limited it to around 5 drinks whereas normally id have half a dozen pints of lager or fruity ciders or a couple of bottles of wine then start on alchopops or shots vodka etc ...i never drink in the house now or when out with hubby for dinner

 

[Sharon_p]

so far i've stuck to the plan rigidly. and intend to keep doing so. with one concession that while on holiday i'll allow myself 2meals out off plan and perhaps a drink or 2. then i will allow myself christmas eve, day and boxing day to be naughty then straight back to it. according to Dr D its going to take me till next june to get to true weight.

which is a very long time to think that thete won't be the odd occasion where my willpower fails.

i also agree that if i start cheating on a regular basis then i'll just go straight to conso phase to try and stabilise what i have already achieved.

 

[Supertonic]

I totally admire all of you who can stick to the plan. I've got much worse over the last 3 weeks, up til then this has been the best way for me to lose weight - never got hungry, still enjoyed my meals and have fitted it into my life & family well. And it's worked, brilliantly. I'd never have believed it possible. But these dark mornings, dark evenings, and me getting bored are playing havoc with my will power - and I can resist everything but temptation.
Probably it is time to move on. Better read the next chapter in the book then

 

[trudyc]

An interesting thread!!! I decided that if I was going to stray it would be with fat and not with carbs as I have worked so hard to get into ketosis and that one piece of bread, pizza or pasta would be a killer. I have almost 10 months left on cruise, all being well, and I know I won't be perfect all the time but I will try. This weekend we have a huge party planned and if I slip up by drinking vodka and diet coke I know that I will be backing it up with a couple of pp days to compensate, I know it doesn't make it right but giving myself that 'get out' relaxes me and doesn't put me into a spin about being restricted!! Maybe just maybe I will amaze myself and not drink at all!!

 

[Maintainer]

I totally admire all of you who can stick to the plan. I've got much worse over the last 3 weeks, up til then this has been the best way for me to lose weight - never got hungry, still enjoyed my meals and have fitted it into my life & family well. And it's worked, brilliantly. I'd never have believed it possible. But these dark mornings, dark evenings, and me getting bored are playing havoc with my will power - and I can resist everything but temptation.
Probably it is time to move on. Better read the next chapter in the book then

Good idea... as we've said, the first cheat is the easiest to refuse... and the others just follow unfortunately.

Your weight looks good now! Get yourself into Conso!