The trick with losing weight – no matter what program you choose to follow – is to keep the weight off and stabilise at the new goal weight that you have achieved.
How often do we hear that a person has lost 20 kilos only to have returned to their original weight (and often more!) within months of losing the weight.
Skiing is great fun and good exercise for keeping the weight off
This is why the Dukan program works. First you lose the weight, then you need to consolidate that weight reduction over a period of time as your body recognises that this is the new ‘correct’ weight – otherwise the body thinks you are starving and stacks on any reserves that it can from your food/beverage intake.
We’ve been following the Dukan Diet (our modified version that allows some alcoholic beverages and more leeway with celebration meals) for over a year now and it’s clear that the consolidation phase which we have done for about six months has worked.
Recently we spent some time in Canada in the ski fields and, while we were doing lots of exercise, we were also eating lots of cinnamon buns and other treats like chocolate, hamburgers, spaghetti with creamy sauces and a bit more alcohol than usual! We tempered this with protein meals where we could fit them into the regimen. It worked! I remained at my 60 kilos and my husband actually lost some fat and gained muscle.
Exercise is mandatory for us. While in Canada, this was part of the fun. Now back in Sydney Australia, we walk every morning and sometimes in the early evening as well. We also are back on to our one day pure protein a week.
The secret is training your body to recognise your new reduced weight as the new correct weight for you. The Dukan Diet does this which is why I think it’s the best way to keep a slim figure as we get older.
