Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Diet blogging - more info

It appears TokenWoman and I have more in common than both just being absolutely fabulous - we're both doing the Tony Ferguson diet.

The basics are that you have a meal replacement shake for breakfast and lunch, a piece of low GI fruit for morning tea and afternoon tea, a certain amount of protein at dinner, at least 2 litres of water a day and as much as of the selected salads and veggies as you like . There are also certain bonuses you are allowed, such as a certain number of particular sweets, as much diet jelly as you like (no go for the vegan) and the ability to swap a piece of fruit for a portion of one of their chocolate bars or a glass of dry white wine. And no caffeine.

First things first - the reason for my lack of specifics in the last post. My old boss has been doing this for a few months and dropped almost 15 kilos - we both saw it advertised around Chirstmas time but it was a no go for me, being dairy based shakes. Earlier this year she advised that they were brining out soy shakes and after many weeks of nagging them and emailing them and dropping into the storefronts, I was finally able to go down and register with dadsy for my soy shakes. They ran us through the program (paying specific attention to what I could and couldn't eat as a vegan) and sent us on our way.

It wasn't until I got home that, after seeing them advertised as 'low lactose' shakes, I saw that the shake contained milk protein. I was gutted. And you can imagine what type of state I was in - ready to finally start (being urged on by seeing I am borderline overweight and that my 'perimeter' is a number that is higher than the number that indicates increased health risks and potential diabetes) and not being able to start.

Finally, I got more answers via email and the forum (which is a hellmaze absolutely COVERED in flashing jpgs, half-nekkid pics, charts and figures) that the product is produced on the same equipment as the non-soy shakes (machinery washed in between) so the product is the same as those 'may contain traces of dairy' products. Which I am fine with. Any vegan police wanna take it up with me, go find something better to do with your time.

So anyway, I'm doing okay. Both of my choices of shake flavor are good (not totally awesome, but good) and I'm enjoying my allocated sweets.

I can't say I'm enjoying the fibre powder because something about psylium husks sets my gag reflex to high - the only way I'm managing it is by using less water in my lunch shake and eating it like a cold custard. Which, again, isn't totally awesome (I always HATED custard!) but at least it's better than 'drinking' it. I should point out that the fibre isn't a necessary part of the diet, but I'm not a very, erm, 'regular' lass, so I figure I should take all the help I can get. There's also chromium tablets for 'taking the edge off' which I have one a day of but fear getting addicted to because it has a hardcore name and anything that 'takes the edge off' sounds totally addictive.

I haven't felt too much an urge for potato chips - I'm begining to realise they're not an 'everyday' food (as stupid as that sounds). However, the less we linger on thinking about hot turkish bread coated in nuttelex, the better.

I am enjoying eating so many fruits and veggies - more in the last 3 days than what I've had in the last 3 months, I'm sure. And yes, I realise that that is a really bad thing, but I'm choosing to look forward and look at it as a really good thing. According to The Hun, the stirfry I knocked up the other night was one of the best meals I've ever cooked - I guess I've tortured him enough with my dodgy excuses for dinners and it's about time he got to eat healthy again (he bulks his meals up with rice and bread. And cornetto's!).

So whilst I have my concerns about maintaining weightloss at the end of this (as with every diet), I do think that this is a step in the right direction - learning to appreciate a good nutritious meal, rather than craving the one that is high fat and high carb because 'I deserve it'. What I deserve is to reward my body by keeping it in good shape.

However - the detox? Is killing me. Caffeine must have me good and firm because I spend a lot of time feeling queasy, feeling fatigued, hot flushy and a constant headache (this proddly helps explain my lack of wanting chips or redeye - I just couldn't stomach it!). I left uni early yesterday for a half hour nap and left work at 3:30 today for a 2 hour sleep, just to try to be rid of this headache - I've had 6 nurofen today, of which 2 were migraine strength - it's still here.

Hopefully I'm in ketosis soon and my body stops being such a b!tch about it all.

First weigh in on Saturday *fingers crossed*

I promise to come up with something not diet related before then! Stick with me, buddies!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been losing a lot of weight lately.

As a vegan I would think it would be easy, but if you eat stir fry and sugar and lots of bread you will be overweight. Beans are the best, though. Not only do they have great protein (supresses hunger) and lots of fiber (obvious), they also take up a ton fo space. You're probably physically incapable of eating more than 1200 calories worth of beans in a day.

I'll have a big plate of about 500 calories worth for dinner and I won't be hungrey again for 18 hours.

Jen said...

Could you try another type of fibre supplement? I know they have their own type but what about one of the soluble ones? It might make it easier?

Upping the fruit and veggies is awesome, you'll forget about carbs soon enough :) I will send good vibes in the hope that the cravings won't be too bad!

Stiletto said...

you poor girl, diets are sooo boring. let's hope it works so you havent been put through this all for nothing =)

Deb said...

arrgh... misery chips are so evil!
I just sat on the couch and scoffed some myself, but at least it was only 50g... as opposed to the 250g i normally try and hoe through!!

i need some diet shakes too

Enny said...

Mr underhill - hullo! And that's part of the problem, I spend a lot of time thinking 'well, there's so much I'm not eating, I can't possibly get fat' and then a bag of chips and a tub of soy icecream and you're cringing at the scales. Mmm - my favourite beans (excluding dahl!) is burritos with refried beans - Mmmmmm!

d'jen - dear god I hope so. But metamucil tastes assy and contains too many kjs - I'll try and have it once a week in shake biscuits, otherwise I might have to count on Senoket to be my friend in times of need.

Stiletto - I hope so! I am feeling much better today though :o)

deb - ah but you see, you were able to stop at a small bag! In WW points, I think a medium vending machine pack was 5 pts? So not that bad all in all :o)

Cookie said...

I don't think you can get hooked on those chromium tablets, they're not an appetite supressant. I think they are meant to maintain you blood sugar/glucose level. Kinda like a nicotine patch.

Dot said...

i've tried quitting caffeine before and am always disturbed by how... i can't.

good luck with it all!

Enny said...

sp - Thankyou!

dot - Thanks - from the withdrawals, I can see how much of an obstical it can be. Plus it's fun!!!

Steph said...

My sister lost all her post baby weight on that programme. Good luck with it hun.

Enny said...

steph - hooray! I'm down 2.8 and dadsy is down 3.3 after our first week :o)