My Lifelong Diet Diary

I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in October 2012. My doctor told me that they discovered a number of small cysts in both my ovaries which are the cause of my menstrual irregularities. A further scan of my liver showed that I have fatty liver as well which confirm her suspicion that I have PCOS. Ahhh..a new term learned that day and my happy spinning world quickly came to a pause. Will I die????? With a laugh, my doctor explained that there is no medicine needed and the cure is pretty easy. Try to lose weight. Phewwwww...Ok sounds easy but wait, not for me! I love food and I live for them. What a dramatic sad day it is for me. The later half of the day, I was on a mission, searching the W.W.W for a cure for PCOS. End result was the same, no shortcut.. on a diet I must!

Let me tell you that I am a food lover and a diet expert. I have gone on many type of diets throughout my life. They are always successful, I lost weight and then when I am out of those diets, boom! I gain the weight lost back! Argghhh..the agony but this time round, my health is at risk. I must lose weight and sustain it! I chance upon a lady's blog and she have PCOS as well. She is also trying to lose weight and she recommended the Dukan diet. I read through her blog and hey the diet seemed to work for her. I read more on this diet and decided to give it a try in Nov 2012.

Attempt 1: The Dukan Diet

As per the official website, there are 4 stages (Attack, Cruise, Consolidation & Stabilisation) to this diet. I went on a week of attack phase eating only protein with as little fat or oil as possible. I am 74.4kgs when I started and I am down to 71.2kgs by end of the week. Not bad, total lost is 2.7kgs! Ha it really WORKS! The best thing about the diet is that I get to eat meat which is something I can never give up. However carbs is also on my favorite list! Imagine Stir-fry noodles, freshly baked bread, a bowl of steamed rice with thick curry gravy...yum. Yes, I might have some cravings but if I don't feel hungry, I will not stray from the diet. So I guess this diet really for me.

Jas's Typical Day Diet Plan
Breakast:
1 cup of skimmed milk
2 tablespoons of oat bran
1 multivitamin, vitamin C & E

Lunch:
1 thick slice of lean meat (chicken / pork / fish / tofu)
2 cups of steamed vegetables on PV days

Dinner:
1 medium slice of lean meat (chicken / pork / fish / tofu)
1 cup of steamed/soup vegetables on PV days

Dukan Weight Tracker
Attack Phase:
1 Nov 12 - 74.4 kgs
8 Nov 12 - 71.2 kgs

Cruise Phase:
20 Nov 12 - 69 kgs
1 Dec 12 - 67 kgs
18 Dec 12 - 65.4kgs
10 Jan 13 - 65.7kgs
21 Jan 13 - 63.3kgs

Consolidation Phase:
1 Mar 13 - 56kgs (ideal)
Stablisation Phase:16 Apr 13 - 58kgs (ideal)
25 December 2012 Update: What a sad lonely christmas this year! Did not go out for any parties to avoid binging on food. End up at home on christmas eve. Just me and my weighing machine. :(

10 January 2013 Update: Just came back from bangkok. Did not followed the diet strictly throughout the trip but tried reducing carbs intake. How do one resist rice from its homeland? :( Took me days before I dare to go on the weighing machine again. On the bright side, I only gain 0.5kgs. Wow, not bad!

21 January 2013 Update: I had to admit, I am pretty sick of eating only proteins all day. Now my knees ache and I suspect it is due to guts! Yikes! Plus I recently start lossing hair by bunches such that I develop a fear of washing or brushing my hair. I don't know that is the cause for this. I thought hair is made up of protein and since I am taking a high protein diet, this should not happen. Anyway I do not know whether this diet is the cause for my hair loss but one thing for sure, I need to find alternative.

4 Feburary 2013 Update: Ok. I have officially stopped my Dukan Diet and embark on a new diet journey.

Final verdict for Dukan: I would say this diet works if you are previously eating unhealthy (fat and carbs) and need a quick fix. Best is it's FREE OF CHARGE!

Attempt 2: TRA - The Right Approach

A colleague introduced me to the TRA (the right approach) programme. TRA is all about weight management as they stressed and not a weight loss programme. Hmmm.. anyway I am only 2 weeks into it so do not have much to update. The good thing is that the programme introduce me to the 3-3-3-3 concept. 3 servings each of carbs, proteins, fruits and vege per day and no skipping of meals. This definitely makes a more balance diet in term of nutrient intakes per day. Plus I got a TRA diet consultant who is constantly eyeing me and nagging me to eat correctly. The bad thing is I have to take 29 pills per day (Yikes x 3). Of cos they claim the pills are supplements and all natural but it just make me wonder if I am creating more harms than good. Only time will tell (or I lived to tell..haha).

The Eating Plan
Breakfast:
3 doulean & 3 TRA complex
1 glass of low fat milk with 1 tbs of oat bran
4 lifepak
1 apple or orange

Lunch:
3 doulean & 3 TRA complex
1 bowl of fish meehoon or similar
1 apple or pear
1 serving of stir fry veg

Dinner:
3 TRA complex & 6 D.O.L
2 tbs of Trimshake
2 serving of steam veg
4 lifepak
1 apple or kiwi

TRA Weight Tracker:
22 Jan 13 - 64.3kgs     (before TRA programme)
28 Jan 13 - 65kgs        (I lose 1.3kg of fats and the increase is due to muscle gain. maybe...)
3 Feb 13 - 62.7kgs       (woo hoo.. well done)
10 Mar 13 - 63kgs (need to stop for a month for china trip. This is not good.)
13 Apr 13 - 63kgs (well well, guess alk the walking negated all the eating)
6 Jun 13 - 64kgs (wait. Wwwhattt???!!!)

10 March 2013 Update: Ok. I was expecting a huge drop in weight since the consultant did promised big in yhe beginning. But she said I have hitted the plateau which meant I need extra effort to go down further. Uh ha, I guess there is always an explanation for everything if you trust those sale talks.

6 June 2013 Update: The glass is half full. The glass is half full. I had to keep reminding myself to look at the bright side but I had completed my TRA programme and still not losing any weight. Sigh. Problem with the programme was that it gave me a safety net. With all the carb blocker and fat burner pills, I tended to eat more than I wished. Portion portion portion. Control control control. I had loss the art of portioning. With the pills, I tended to eat out with my friends more often and outside food is oily, evil and bad. Ah who am I to blame? But on the full glass side, I am not gaining more weight. Oh wait, maybe I should not be too positive when on a diet. Jas, you fat bitch...shape up and take control of yourself.

Final verdict TRA: It is not working for me so I don't have good things to say about it. PLUS the consultant over-promised. She said I just needed to control my diet and exercise 30 mins per day. Towards the end when I was obviously not hitting the target, she changed her tone and said maybe I should start running. Yeah right! So for a expensive diet of $3k, its not worth it. Although the 3-3-3-3 portioning diet is good as it ensure that I am taking in all the nutrients. Its the reason why I stopped losing my hair and the diet is actually free of charge.

Attempt 3: Fitness First

Since all these dieting plans are not making me any thinner, I signed up for a 4 months gym membership with Fitness First in July. Since I am still in between my career break, I have plenty of time to hit the gym. Ok, time to shape up...Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa pa pa.

Fitness First Weight Tracker:
1 Jul 13 - 63.4kgs
1 Aug 13 - 62.5kgs
25 Aug 13 - 61.5kgs
5 Sep 13 - 59.6kgs

5 Sep 13 Update: I fell in love with Zumba dancing and the elliptical machine. Every alternative day, I make it a point to spent 1 hour doing cardio exercise plus 1 hour of dance or group exercise class. I am losing weight again...Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa pa pa. Although the weight lost seemed little but I lost mostly fat and gained muscle so I am now leaner and more toned. I am still sticking to the 3-3-3-3 portioning diet since I felt healthier eating this way and it makes me mindful of what I am putting in my mouth.