I got on the scale that morning and I nearly had a heart attack when I saw my current weight. In denial, I jumped on my battered older scale and the figure was only slightly lower. The verdict? I was obese according to the law of weights and unhealthy, according to common sense.
But what happened? How did I get here? Well I knew my shape was sort of “comely” – you know, like a “Traditional Figure”, compared to a skeletal size zero, but I didn’t think it was this bad. Who or what made me this fat? Could it be the kitchen’s fault: regular fried plantain with rice or beans; fried or pounded yam; hot bread, fresh from the oven; ice cream; pizza; and all those other yummy comforting carbohydrates? Cheese cake? Chocolates?
Perhaps it’s the terrible traffic going home (or is it Fashola, our state Governor) – I keep my sanity by munching as many packets of plantain chips as possible to see me through the sheer agony of doing a 30minute drive in three hours. Now I remember, it may also be the effect of the PCO’s that piled on the excess fat on my abdomen, giving the appearance of three layers of stomach. And let’s face it the weather had been too wet for my usual daily walk for some time now.
I blamed everything under the sun, but myself and resolved the situation by changing dress sizes and adjusting my statistics at the tailor’s. Then I went for a routine check-up and my blood sugar level was not what it used to be. I had to confront reality. It was the burning platform I needed to get me off my big butt and start applying Personal Accountability to my health. I stopped pointing fingers and took full responsibility for my actions (the love of sweet, fried, fatty food) and the consequences – obesity.
I started asking the question behind the question, such as “what can I do to lose weight” and “how can I improve my health”? The obvious answers were diet and exercise. But which of the diets? Then I came across an article on the Dukan Diet. I went to the web site, got the book and tried to make sense of it. Some reviews/people said it was difficult but I gave it a shot and after 32 days, I went down a dress size and my three layers of stomach shrunk to one and a half.
The Dukan Diet was created by French physician Pierre Dukan more than 10 years ago as a treatment for obese people. Basically, it is a four-phase, high-protein, low-calorie diet plan. You can eat as much as you want, at any time - as long as what you’re eating is lean protein, at least initially.
Phase 1, of the diet is called the "Attack" phase, and you can eat all you want of lean protein, along with 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran and 1.5 litres of water daily. You can choose from all types of fish, prawns, crabs, chicken, lean/low-fat meats (avoid hump, pork, lamb), poultry (except duck), eggs and non-fat Milk or yoghurt. You also need to walk for 20mins daily. This phase normally lasts from six to 10 days depending on how much you want to lose. I did it for 10 days.
The "Cruise" phase is the second part, which allows unlimited amounts of non-starchy vegetables every other day along with a core diet of unlimited lean/low-fat protein and 2 tablespoons of oat bran. A 30 minute daily walk is highly recommended. The length of this phase depends on how much you want to lose – basically three days for each pound (0.45kilograms) you want to lose. For instance if you want to lose a total of 10kilograms (22pounds) your Cruise phase would last 66days!
Phase 3, "Consolidation," is to ensure that the weight loss from the cruise phase stays away. This is a period of high vulnerability when the body has a tendency to very easily regain those lost kilograms. It has a very precise timescale – five days for every pound (0.45kg) lost. So if you lost 22 pounds (10kg) at the end of your Cruise phase, your Consolidation phase will be another 110days. You can eat unlimited protein (including pork and lamb) and vegetables every day, along with one piece of low-sugar fruit, two slices of whole-grain bread, and 1 portion of hard cheese. Dieters can also have 1-2 servings of starchy foods and 1-2 "celebration" meals (in which you can eat whatever you want) per week during this phase. In this phase, you begin the lifetime commitment of eating the core diet of pure protein one day each week, preferably the same day.
Phase 4, "Stabilization," is the maintenance portion of the plan. The author promises you can eat whatever you like without regaining the lost weight if you follow his rules - one day a week, follow the same all-protein diet as in Phase 1; eat 3 tablespoons of oat bran a day; walk for 20 minutes daily and never take elevators or lifts again! The book encourages dieters to take a daily multivitamin with minerals.
And my honest verdict? Even though there are some knocks on the diet and its nutritional value, it is working for me – as I am still in the Cruise Phase. I am incredibly happy I can fit into outfits that were resting in a suitcase because I became too fat before I could wear them! More importantly, I feel healthier and I am more determined and disciplined to change to a healthier Lifestyle and complete the remaining phases of the diet. I have a long way to go but ain’t no stopping me now! I am amazed at the kind of interesting and delicious low calorie recipes and dishes I create without a drop of oil or rice or plantain or yam or bread! And even the healthy cookies I make with no flour, sugar or butter still taste yummy.
But the greatest lesson has been: when there is a will, there is a way – in anything actually. Dukan? Yes you CAN! ( November 2011)
