You can Dukan!

So, I'm giving the Dukan diet a whirl.  I'm not overweight, not really. I'm just you know, 40 and going through a mid-life crisis.

All my life up until I had my Lish Losh, the scales never tipped over 48/50 kilos and for the longest time I maintained a steady 45 kilos or 7 and a half stone despite being well, a bit of a lush in my 20s and a slave to carbs since being weened onto solids.  In this sense, I've really done ok.  One could say I've been lucky with my metabolism.  I would be doing myself a great injustice if I didn't also admit to being fairly sporty - or is that vain?  And I went through a phase of vegetarianism too. 

Today, I weigh in the region of 55 - 58 kilos which on a frame as small as mine shows.  And it simply will not do.  After a week at the Ashram on 2 meals a day, it was no surprise to find that I'd lost over 5 kilos and was almost back to the "worse case" old self.  However I will say this - age (and no doubt that thing that stretches your body into shapes you last saw a clown make with long balloons - what's it called? ) Oh, yes. Pregnancy -  does things to your body which means even at my "worse case" old self weight, I still don't cut the same old figure. 

Still, I cut a much nicer figure than at 58 kilos.  And I mean, not to sound conceited (though of course I am, very) I do yoga almost every day - so I'm far from being "out of shape".  So yeah.  Age. 

Anyway dieting was the furthest thing from my mind.  While I do have a very unhealthy obsession with macadamia nuts, I'm certainly not a glutton so really, I'm not your obvious diet candidate.  But during a mind-numbing sleep-walk through my trusty row of charity shops in West End Lane on poopy weathered Bank Holiday Monday, I found The Dukan Diet book for a couple of quid.  It was a lazy purchase motivated by boredom and disappointment with "The British Weather" but goddamit! Dr. Dukan talks a good game.  He had me after just 2 pages.  Before I knew it I was making a shopping list of "allowed" foods. 

Today is day 2 of the DD and I have to say, it's totally sustainable.  I'm not in the slightest bit hungry, though I will admit to finding the first "attack" phase a little prescriptive.  This is the phase where you are only allowed lean protein, which the clever Dr. D describes as "72 protein -rich foods".  In reality it means you'll be eating fish, chicken or beef and nothing else for the next week.  So you see, while it's all really very filling and for the most part quite satisfying, by day 6 you will start to hallucinate broccoli. After this phase which the Doc recommends you keep up for 5 days, you are allowed veggies - 28 different kinds of the little darlings but not potatoes, rice or corn and avocado is punishable by 100 lashes in the town square.

The downside and of course there always is one when it comes to diets, is that it takes the spontaneity (and fun) out of lunchtimes and when you work in Soho, that is a problem.  There is temptation on every corner and I'm not talking about the type that trot about in mini skirts and fishnets.

So tomorrow I can start adding a selection of 28 veggies to my 72 protein-rich foods which basically means I can have carrots with me chicken.  I shall look forward to that.