Day 1

I'm Colin Muddimer and it's the last day of January 2011.
I just turned 60 on the 16th of the month.

19 stone 1 pound and aching hips after a few hundred yards.
When I think about this fact I find it amazing that at the age of 16 I was cycling over a hundred miles every Sunday just for a training run. What happened?

44 years happened.

11 stone happened.

I was 10 stone when I started as a teacher in '76 at the age of 25. Arrrrgh!

I have never had to 'diet' before and so I am looking forward to the experience like a hole in the head, but, having seen what Chris, our very good friend has achieved since he started last September, I'm almost happy to give it a go. He got shut of 4 stone by Xmas.

I was always one to say "If you don't put it in your mouth, it can't make you fat...." but I was ignoring the difficulty of not putting it in my mouth. Now I know.

19st 1lb. Bugger!

Just a week ago I hit 19st 4lb - the heaviest I've ever been.
BMI of oh-cor-blimey and about 3 tons heavier than I should be.

So here goes. No, I'd rather not be doing it. I'm gonna miss the booze and the butter, not to mention the biscuits. It's gonna be a long haul, but, if my progress is anything like Chris', well, I'll be over the moon.

My target? A sensible 15stone. I could try to get back to 10 stone to be as thin as when I was a rookie teacher, or back to 11 stone in '80 when I married for the second time but I'm not that stupid. 15 stone will be fine.

4 st 1 lb. That's what's gotta go.

I am intending to keep this blog up to date so that anyone else trying this unconventional and somewhat controversial regime may read what it is like at any stage.
I don't know if it will be successful - I hope it will be but.......

My lovely wife is trying to do the same, so at least we'll have each other for support. She has nowhere near as much to lose as I but she is as resigned as I am to experience success.

But this blog will be about how I feel and how I am progressing. The pangs of withdrawal from Friday's 5 o'clock club at the local pub and other luxuries will be laid out in real terms so that others may not be surprised by how things go when they try Dukan.

And if I fail, it will be included here. But I won't fail because if I fail I will continue to get heavier and someday someone will poke me with a pin and I'll go POP!

TODAY..... DAY 1.

First thing - scales. 19 stone 1 pound. Well, I was 3lbs heavier a few days ago, so that's 3lbs less to lose.

Breakfast. Hmmmm. Normally have either cereal (not allowed), bread or toast (not allowed), crumpets or English muffins (not allowed) or boiled eggs (allowed). However, I am going to try this Dukan thing of fat-free yogurt sprinkled with oat bran... sounds yummy (not).

Ok, so it's not that bad. Chris has the oat bran on fat-free fromage frais - sounds just as appealing to me but I couldn't get any when I went shopping so f/f yogurt will just have to do. And drink water... must remember the water. I have a litre and a half to guzzle today, so I'd best start early. Tea's fine too. Several cups.

During the morning I drink more water. Come lunchtime I'm not that hungry, surprisingly. Two pig's kidneys de-cored and pan-fried (well, pan-cooked anyway, as I used one of these spray oil things to oil the pan) with onions and plain water. No veg; not even a single petits pois.

A bit of computer work and then take the dog (5 month-old Springer) onto the airfield for a run. She can run; I'll content myself with waddling. I look forward to the day when I can at least march again - running's orf! My plan is eventually to ride my bike around the airfield perimeter and Bella can run next to the bike. Just at the moment the thought of getting on my bike fills me with dread. 19 stone on a lightweight aluminium frame....? Anyway, it's too bloody cold.

I suppose I walked (and Bella ran) for about 25 minutes.

More computer work and then it was on to dinner. Jan had taken a very Dukan-friendly lunch with her and was still surprisingly well sated when she came back at about 5. I aimed dinner at 6 as we were due to be out by 7. Pan-poached salmon steaks, Dukan gallette comprising 4 egg-whites, 1 whole egg, a little f/f yogurt, 5 tablespoons oat bran and the skimmed milk from the paching all mixed up and (again) 'fried' to a thick pancake. Added to that 'fried' red onion with the flaked, skin-free salmon and a couple of conichons. And water.

Out to auditions and back at 10:30. Jan had a little more salmon with yogurt and bits (all permitted) whilst I contented myself with fat-free quark rolled into low-fat ham rolls. And water. And tea.

This 'attack' phase is set to last until next Sunday; a period of seven days. I decided that I couldn't manage with a 5 day attack as I need to lose so much. So, let's see what happens. In the book, which it is necessary to read and digest BEFORE you start the regime, says that I should weigh myself each day. Dunno. Might do, might not.

Anyway, Day 1 done and noted. Other days won't involve so many words, I hope.

Onwards and....... downwards (hopefully).