Day 5 - Cruise Phase

Day 5, Cruise Phase
Thursday

Stats:
Weight: 160.8
BMI: 21.8
Fat %:  24.0
Water %: 54.6

I'm holding steady at 160 (ok so I went up .4 but that's not a whole pound so it doesn't count!).  I was just happy not to gain a whole pound back.  My mom went up a pound and she was disappointed but I reminded her of the book...it SAID this would happen with the introduction of vegetables (hence, WATER) into the diet.  So I don't feel discouraged and I hope she doesn't either.

I can't remember what hubby's total was this morning but I don't think he went up a whole pound. 

So I write this blog during lunch time, before the afternoon.  Well let me tell you, yesterday from about 5 to 10 was ROUGH.  I don't know if others on this diet have experienced this, but yesterday I was hungrier than ever before.  My uneducated hypothesis on this effect...I think that the veggies just don't "stick to the ribs" and make you feel more hungry.  For lunch I had a salad with balsamic and chicken, but I had about 1/2 of the chicken from the previous protein day.  So replacing a chicken breast with lettuce did not do the trick.  I was starving around 3 and ate some cottage cheese.  Then I decided to go to the gym here at work and worked out with weights/cardio for about 1 hr.  THEN the real hunger hit!!!  Wow I was more hungry than I have been in a very long time.  I had about a 1 hour commute home and by that time I was so thirsty and hungry! 

My mom had decided to make the Cauliflower Gratin (Cauliflower/ground beef/onions/cheese) recipe in the Dukan Diet Book, so she was at the house.  I just went straight for the fridge and said "I need a snack."  Like any mom would do (no matter what age you are), she said "but dinner is almost ready."  Well I felt like a kid again and just snapped at her "I CAN'T MAKE IT!!  I'm having some cottage cheese!"  So ok, that was kinda mean.  Then she starts talking about the recipe..."gosh it asked for a whole two onions, and to just lay them on top and cook it in the oven for 20 minutes.  I don't think those onions will be done..."  Well I snapped again, "Well of course not!  Those onions aren't going to be cooked!!" She said "Well that's what the recipe said to do..."  and then my husband says "looks like someone needs to learn the art of improvisation."  Now my mother has been cooking for probably 60 years and you'd think she'd know whether an onion would cook or not.  She just can't deviate from the recipe and that's usually what makes her the best cook I know.  I know that this was irritating me because I was so hungry and looking forward to that meal.  I was mad because she didn't think about sauteing onions in the beef first!  I was way more upset about this than I usually would be, because I was thinking about that delicious dish all day.  The hunger had really made me moody and I took it out on my poor mother who was only trying to help! 

As you can imagine the onions were raw and crunchy.  So here's my tip:  SAUTE onions that are in these recipes if you don't like them raw and crunchy!!  I don't care what the recipe says.  And also, there are different sizes of onions.  "Two onions" assumes you are not using a gigantic Texas Sweet Onion.  Also...the fat free cheese does not melt well.  Put it on after you cook it or right at the very end, or mix it in to the dish.  Don't put the whole cup of cheese on top like it says or you will have a hard cheese shell that you have to cut with a knife.  My kids didn't even know it was cheese.

I love my mom so much and I feel bad that I got mad at her about all this...it was the hunger talking.  Afterward I thanked her many times for cooking for us. 

After dinner I had to go to choir practice and when I got home the hunger hit again in a big way.  My hubby and I were both in the kitchen eating meat like barbarians right out of the package.  I was spreading cream cheese on everything, eating yogurt straight out of the carton...out of control!

So the moral of this story is, keep your protein levels up, even on the veggie + protein days.  Or else you will turn into an ugly green monster like I did.

Today is an all protein day and I feel great.  I put less splenda in my galette this morning and it was much better.  Had some eggs and diced ham on the side with some turkey sausages.  best breakfast yet.  Lunch was two rotisserie chicken breasts (oh and a cottage cheese snack).  I feel SO much better today.  Also went shopping over lunch for Mother's day and ended up trying some shorts on myself which probably wouldn't have buttoned last week...awesome feeling!!!