IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, try try try again and again (and again...)

[dukandebut]

I know how hard it can be to ignore that head hunger, Jo. It's incessant at times. Try and keep your mind occupied when it strikes, doing something where you can get lost in your work or other activity. It can also help you to put your stresses on hold. I find easy, repetitive jobs to be the worst during times like this as the auto-pilot mentality lets your cravings have full reign.

Or keep remembering how great it feels to be able to get into smaller sizes. That can keep me on track when I'm sorely tempted.

And Vicky's absolutely right about your visit. My family are terrible for trying to make me eat loads of non-Dukan food. I just try to do my best to choose the most Dukan-friendly option possible and have as little as I can of the other stuff. Of course, I wasn't entirely successful on my visit there a couple of weekends ago, but I think (hope) that I didn't do too much damage.

Could you perhaps buy in your own breakfast food and maybe lunch food whilst there? That would mean just one possibly dodgy meal a day. As Vicky also says, eating out could be a very good option, too, as there's usually something reasonably Dukan-friendly on many menus.

 

[Maintainer]

Thanks ladies... you made me smile. (That boxing idea sounds great!!)

I'm "better" today... but I guess one message that I'll have to underline so that normal people such as you understand me... I WANT to overeat in England. If I've been so good since Jan 3, with no slip ups, it's because I told myself from the outset that I would be a trooper... until England... and now it's getting nearer, "Maintainer" wants to keep getting slimmer and slimmer (remember I'm under my true weight now)... but I... the other me who some of you have met, fully intend to do exactly what I did at Christmas, and the thought of not doing it <saddens? upsets? horrifies? need a stronger word... errr...>, makes me not even want to go.

When I tell myself, "just eat what you like in England, enjoy yourself, and sort it out on your return. No need to weigh in to quantify the increase, just get back in the saddle as usual" I feel the pressure lifting, and I feel happier.

With five weeks' holiday a year. 52 weeks in a year... that would have me running back at my 90/10% to maintain!

Can anyone argue with that?!!


I fear I'll be coming to England sooner than Easter as my cousin is doing very badly now... and while no one has a crystal ball, the end seems nigh...

 

[LVLLM]

aww Jo sad news re your cousin x thinking of you x

Holidays are as they are called holidays, a break from the norm, time to enjoy, drink, eat and relax so what if you have a week off eating whatever you want. You KNOW you can get back on the wagon. and you KNOW most of the gain will be water. so go for it enjoy yourself xxx

 

[jaqys]

Sorry about your cousin.

I totally understand on the food front and have the same attitude about holidays(and its my downfall clearly).

Just remember its hard to get back on plan after a break (says me months and months after my holiday finding stringing 2 good weeks together almost impossible), it takes longer to re-lose the weight the 2nd, 4th, 10th time, especially when its those last few pounds.

You will be at conso(right? - roughly speaking) and so should be able to fit treats in legally even if you are planning a stricter conso on return.

Youve worked really really really hard to overcome your binging, you're listening really well right now so as to not feed head hunger, are you really going to chuck that out the door?

I just hope you're not planning to go off course to sabotage yourself, because you dont want to be at goal and working on maintenance, because you dont believe you can. Because you can.

 

[Maintainer]

Jaqys... you've just raised a point I hadn't thought of (and I'm not sure yet whether to love you or hate you!!!). I'll be in Conso ish, won't I, by then... (unless I keep gaining as I have this week, but last week's big loss was partly stress oriented, I'm sure)

"BING BONG".

Need to digest that one...

<over and out>

Talk among yourselves

I've a sugar free jelly waiting for me...

 

[Emmma]

I'm sorry about your cousin Jo, that is sad news.

You sound like you're sorted with a plan for England and as long as you're happy with it then that's all that matters.

 

[scrumper]

Thanks ladies... you made me smile. (That boxing idea sounds great!!)

I'm "better" today... but I guess one message that I'll have to underline so that normal people such as you understand me... I WANT to overeat in England. If I've been so good since Jan 3, with no slip ups, it's because I told myself from the outset that I would be a trooper... until England... and now it's getting nearer, "Maintainer" wants to keep getting slimmer and slimmer (remember I'm under my true weight now)... but I... the other me who some of you have met, fully intend to do exactly what I did at Christmas, and the thought of not doing it <saddens? upsets? horrifies? need a stronger word... errr...>, makes me not even want to go.

When I tell myself, "just eat what you like in England, enjoy yourself, and sort it out on your return. No need to weigh in to quantify the increase, just get back in the saddle as usual" I feel the pressure lifting, and I feel happier.

With five weeks' holiday a year. 52 weeks in a year... that would have me running back at my 90/10% to maintain!

Can anyone argue with that?!!


I fear I'll be coming to England sooner than Easter as my cousin is doing very badly now... and while no one has a crystal ball, the end seems nigh...

hun thats all head work ....in the real world , which we cant live in for our food demons most people would have their holidays eat like a pig then be happy to watch the weight for a few weeks to get back to their pre hols weight ...sadly we have a button that wont switch to that mode ....food is a drug and were the junkies so we need the headwork to deal with it !! ]
I can sit and plan easter if i was going to let my body do what my head wanted but im already having to do the headwork to say "is it really worth the misery after "....
Sadly our issues with food will never be "normal "

 

[m-mouse]

I'm sorry to hear about your Cousin Jo. Hopefully Conso is beckoning you to help banish those demons?

 

[scrumper]

sorry about your cousin xxx

 

[Maintainer]

Morning, and +200g after that smoked salmon but I do love my ss + prawn salad (on tea plate, so hardly large, and I weighed out 70g smoked salmon so not a tonne!)

Thanks for your input ladies - as Scrumps says, it's all head work. (I only disagree with the "misery afterwards" thing, cos I'm a happy bunny on Cruise as you all know... suits me down to the ground!).

My poor sister leaving for holiday last night got to Heathrow, waved Dad off, went to check in and... no passport. aaah! Dad had left his mobile at home (it lives there, turned off, rarely getting an outing). So she spent the evening there, waiting for someone else to come to pick her up, worried as to where said passport actually is... since, like all travellers, she'd checked several times it was where it should be before setting out! aaaah! Waiting to hear whether it's been found safely at home, but I couldn't sit up any longer...

Nice to have something else to think about

 

[dukandebut]

So sorry to hear about your cousin, Jo.

I hope your sister's passport turns up okay, too.

 

[robinhood]

Hope that your cousin is comfortable, Jo. So sorry to read that.

Has the passport turned up - where is your sister going? That is one of my worst nightmares when travelling (especially when we all go).

Jo, you gave me very good advice when I was going on holiday last summer (a mere few weeks after starting this diet) and it worked. I did conso (albeit a very generous conso - did PP/PV when I could and gala meals/carbs when I couldn't so more than 2 x weekly plus extra booze) and came back from holiday slightly lighter - probably down to extra walking, etc. Can only wish you the same.

 

[Maintainer]

The passport has turned up, at the foot of her stairs at home, BUT no confirmation yet re tonight's flight so she's not haring up to HRW for nothing again just yet. Fingers crossed. She was supposed to be going to S. Africa!

I'm good at giving advice Robin... I think I'd sooner not go actually.

 

[anjuschka]

Glad to hear about the passport - every travellers nightmare...

I'm "better" today... but I guess one message that I'll have to underline so that normal people such as you understand me... I WANT to overeat in England. If I've been so good since Jan 3, with no slip ups, it's because I told myself from the outset that I would be a trooper... until England... and now it's getting nearer, "Maintainer" wants to keep getting slimmer and slimmer (remember I'm under my true weight now)... but I... the other me who some of you have met, fully intend to do exactly what I did at Christmas, and the thought of not doing it <saddens? upsets? horrifies? need a stronger word... errr...>, makes me not even want to go.

When I tell myself, "just eat what you like in England, enjoy yourself, and sort it out on your return. No need to weigh in to quantify the increase, just get back in the saddle as usual" I feel the pressure lifting, and I feel happier.

So, is the fact that you will be in Conso going to help? I agree that you need some days off - I will certainly be having Easter Sunday off because I want to cook a nice lamb roast (probably) for everyone and be 100% part of it.
Can you manage giving yourself days off and stick the rest of the time with Conso?
OR even better - properly plan you whole stay as conso, there you have your very clear rules that you can stick to whilst not saying no to all the food that's offered. Admittedly more work.

The 90/10 approach *seems* okay on the surface however it's pretty stressful on all counts (mind AND body) when concentrated into holiday weeks. If you would spread the 10% around a bit more that would help so much, and be more like conso/stab anyway!

 

[LVLLM]

hey Jo x

 

[Maintainer]

After three failed consos, and a failed stab, the spreading around a bit so doesn't work for me. Pure concentration appeals. As ever. And I'm top of the class for clambering straight back in the saddle on day 1 back at work. (Never understood why some found that hard!)

It's not just one meal Anja. There's so much going on that week. Easter is actually the easiest bit. Roast + veg. Easy.

 

[Maintainer]

Hey Vicky - I've just read pages and pages of your Alcoholics Anonymous Meet!! Tomorrow yes? You're off work? How many of you are going, and have you met any before? No Cheryl?

 

[robinhood]

Jo, I can understand the difficulty in a way. When we go (went? - don't know now that my Mum is no longer there) to Scotland, everyone (friends and family alike) goes all out with homebakes, sweets for the kids, crunchies (for me!), etc, etc, then there's the nice malt bought specially, a glass of wine with dinner, huge variety of cheese, puddings, etc, etc, etc on a daily basis. As everyone makes such an effort, it is harder to say no.

Last year was a bit different for me as my Mum was so ill, so I was either on my own, with my Auntie (who doesn't go for sweet stuff), or in charge of the cooking with my Mum. But the usual scenario is probably the same as you are facing.

Useless waffle again, but I do understand.

 

[robinhood]

Enjoy your meet, Vicky. Tell us all about it.

 

[anjuschka]

After three failed consos, and a failed stab, the spreading around a bit so doesn't work for me. Pure concentration appeals. As ever. And I'm top of the class for clambering straight back in the saddle on day 1 back at work. (Never understood why some found that hard!)

It's not just one meal Anja. There's so much going on that week. Easter is actually the easiest bit. Roast + veg. Easy.

Aha I didn't realise HOW MANY 'failed' consos you'd started! Well, you *know* what works for you though it's a shame it has to be this way. But really you didn't even want to talk about it did you? So feel free to cut this off by not commenting again & I won't raise it.
Ok, so if you can limit your 'non-Dukan holidays' to a week or less at a time (and not two), minimizing the damage and accepting you'll probably be cruising the rest of the time - would that be a better plan? I know you have been exceedingly strict since Jan, but how will you deal with social occasions in the long term. Take food 'holidays' for life?