Day 241: Bad News! Dukan Diet Two-Week Update

Date: 2010.10.20 | Category: Uncategorized | Tags:

So after one week on the Dukan diet, I lost four pounds. Yay!

Now, I did have the feeling just before I hopped on the scale for the two week weigh-in yesterday that I hadn’t lost much, maybe even nothing.

However, I was not prepared for the devastating read-out: I had gained almost two pounds. Yes, you read that right. GAINED.

So let’s review: two weeks of nothing but protein, some vegetables, fat-free/sugar-free yogurt and I lose a TOTAL of two pounds?

As I wrote in all upper-case in a furious email to a friend:

I MIGHT AS WELL BE HAVING A HOT FUDGE SUNDAE WASHED DOWN WITH SUPER-SIZE FRIES AND SEVERAL BLOCKS OF HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE FOR EVERY MEAL!

Yes, I’ve cheated. I must admit this as I have witnesses, who’d rather not be identified on this blog…

Do you want to know how I’ve cheated?

I’ve had butter with my hard-boiled eggs and ketchup with my steak and hamburger. I use some olive oil in the pan when cooking the meat. (Butter and oil are banned on Dukan.) I’ve had at the most two glasses of red wine with dinner on maybe two occasions. Wow. Call the Dukan police. Bring the leg irons!

Does the above cheating make you then lose one pound a week rather than the 5 to 6 pounds per week everyone else loses?

I felt very discouraged. To make myself feel worse, I called a friend who had effortlessly lost 22 pounds in three months on Dukan.

“Poor you,” she cooed, with that awful tone as if she realized I was somehow not part of the Dukan winners inner circle - and clearly have the unfortunate metabolism of an alien life form.

She was just trying to be nice but just FYI, “Poor you” might be my least two favorite words in the English language.

So what do I do? Normally this is when I would quit. But like the no-candy year, having this blog helps me stay straight.

Because I went public with going on the Dukan diet, I’d rather not bail on it.

But even if I didn’t have this blog, I thought, what if I just continued – even though this diet doesn’t seem to be working for me.

It’s a metaphor for many things in life. You know, you try something and you work at it – and nothing happens. And you have to out yourself as not being successful (so far) at the venture.

I have a friend on Long Island who loves men and loves being married. But she had the worst luck with guys. She was married three times and each marriage ended badly, with the guy often being a jerk and dumping her in a devastating way.

I marveled at how she would talk about it openly, since it seemed to me the experiences were so humiliating. She’d be upset, then get over it and literally get right back on the horse. She’s now married for the fourth time, happily.

So what if you acknowledge a certain type of failure with what you’re trying to do – and then continue it anyway? What lies down the road? More failure or eventual success?

The second week of Dukan was easier psychologically and physically for me. I’ve had less bad dreams and more energy.

So I’m now starting my third week on the Dukan diet.

That’s the good news!

Stay tuned,

7 Responses to “Day 241: Bad News! Dukan Diet Two-Week Update”

Karyn 10/10/20 20:18

Not to be discouraging, but I don’t think I would keep going. Yes, there are some benefits to persevering, when you know you’re headed in the right direction. Like you friend, it’s noble to not give up on marriage, but it’s foolish to do it the same way four times (like picking the same kind of guys). Maybe your body thinks it’s starving and so it’s slowing your metabolism. Why not try Atkins or something that allows somewhat more normal eating? BTW, I’m not bs- ing; judging from your picture below, you don’t look like you need to lose weight, and that might be why your weight isn’t coming off as quickly.
DanaK 10/10/21 06:42

Thanks, Karyn. I totally get what you’re saying. However I oddly feel great today and I plan to continue until I decide… not to continue. I never meant to imply I was heavy. I’m not but I’ve gained 20 pounds in the last 5 years and that isn’t good. I guess I carry the extra poundage well but I don’t like it. I’m also aware of the whole body thinking it’s in starvation mode and slowing down the metabolism – but that hasn’t been the case with friends who have done the Dukan diet who had less to lose than I do. I appreciate your concern but then I am often most likely to press on when people advise against it!
Mary-Jo 10/10/21 07:00

You crack me up….and where do you find your photos?!!!! Honestly! i mean, I just got up! I haven’t even had my morning cup of tea yet. Hang in there, pussycat. Patience…you will succeed.
Victoria 10/10/21 12:44

Do not give up. Technically, you have not started the Dukan diet as of yet. You need to ditch the wine and oil for a week and make sure your ketchup is sugar free. Wine and ketchup will cause a blood sugar response which makes you store fat. If you have not eaten enough to have extra fat to store, you will store water to hold the place for the fat your body thinks is coming back. In the second week, you have probably burned fat but put on water weight for not following the rules to a “T”. How about trying ONE WEEK sticking 100% to the diet. You CAN do this! Hang in there.
DanaK 10/10/21 13:04

Wow — I never thought those minute amounts of oil, wine, ketchup etc. would matter so much! I think I probably can stick to it for at least one week. Even though it’s frustrating to have lost so little weight, it’s not at all a struggle the way it was the first week and in fact I feel wonderful. Thanks so much for the feedback, Victoria. Dana
Chris 10/10/29 07:20

I enjoy your writing. I’m also an American ex pat living in Europe. I stumbled across the Dukan diet and started it last week. I dropped five pounds last week and nothing this week. So, I feel your frustration. I look forward to reading more!
Chris
sammy 12/03/28 13:08

Your post make me laught ,shame they have not contuined