January
13
2010
I’ve completed the first 4 days of Dr Ian K. Smith’s 4 day diet, induction period. I’m now doing the four day transition module.
After the first 4 days, my weight was about the same. That hasn’t discouraged me. At the start of day 3 it looked like I was down 3 pounds but then today my weight is the same (I don’t have a digital scale so it looks ‘about’ the same on my dial scale). I know the body can vary within 5 pounds and I’ve eaten a lot of fruit and vegetables in the last 4 days and so I am feeling a bit bloated.
I am looking forward to eating some meat today but am not really missing junk food all that much. I am, however, extremely gassy due to all the beans and cabbage soup I’ve eaten. I also haven’t gotten the recommended 3 x 40 minute cardio sessions in during the last few days, either so I’m sure that has slowed my progress a little.
Anyway, I’m forging forward with the plan so I can attempt to hit my goal weight (a 25-30 pound loss) within 3 or 4 months. I’ll post about each module as I complete them. The 4 day diet consists of 7 modules:
Induction
Transition
Protein
Smooth
Push
Pace
Vigorous
Feel free to subscribe if you’re interested in following along.
January
11
2010
Two days down and two to go on the induction period of the 4 day diet. I was reading some posts on the 50 Million Pounds website last night and read about people getting discouraged and / or claiming that day 2 made them REALLY hungry.
Well, there I was…doing fine near the end of day 2 and suddenly felt the same. Isn’t it amazing how the power of suggestion works? I walked away from the PC and announced that I’d better eat something ‘good’ before I eat something ‘bad’. I looked at the rest of my choices for the day and couldn’t manage 2 cups of cooked leafy vegetables. I almost gagged at the thought at that moment.
So I opted for a 2-3 oz serving of fat free yogurt with berries and 1/3 of a banana mixed in. It wasn’t a ‘legal’ choice but it had been a choice on day 1 so I figured it wasn’t the end of the world. It helped me without sabotaging my detox efforts and I went to bed feeling ok.
Today I’m making cabbage soup for dinner (even though I’m missing meat, it smells really good!) and planning to ensure I hit 40 minutes of cardio today. I only did 20 yesterday. Tomorrow is a ‘rest’ day on exercise so I’ll use that as motivation to ensure I do the full 40 minutes. My plan is to do 20 minutes on the exercise bike while working at the computer (I can twist the handlebars backwards so that my keyboard sits right on it and that makes the time sail by as I get engulfed in work) and then the other 20 on the elliptical. (I made a great playlist of girlie workout songs to see me through. I’m going to create an alternate rocker workout list as well so I can choose based on my mood)
Do I recommend the 4 day diet so far?
Yes. I think so. It’s too soon to really tell in terms of changes in my body but it is doable and Dr. Ian K. Smith is highly respected so I have faith. Beyond the meal plans, I’m reading all the chapters in the book and it’s extremely motivating. I did a check of calories and it looks like I’m hovering near the 1000 calorie mark for both days so far which I know is too low to be sustainable but for detox purposes, it makes sense. Today’s menu is a bit repetitive except for the addition of the soup but I’m confident that I can get through the next 2 days and then start the transition module)
January
10
2010
Yesterday, I started the 4 day diet. (Read about Day 1) Today’s menu looks similar except that I get to have some scrambled eggs for protein instead of a 1-cup serving of assorted beans.
Yesterday went fine. I had plenty of food. I didn’t love my dinner so much (brown rice with 2 cups of leafy vegetables) but probably because I ate it while my family ate meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I’ve decided we should eat dinner together when I’m on this plan and that I’ll just have to overcome jealousy. It’s a good opportunity to up their vegetable intake and improve my family’s eating habits, too. I did enjoy my ‘dessert’. My menu called for some yogurt so I froze some of the new Yoptimal Fat Free probiotic yogurt and added some fruit to it and my little boy loved it, too so that was proof that I didn’t need a ‘treat’ that night as we could consider that dessert to be our treat. Late night snacking was replaced with fresh orange slices which we all ate.
Today I need to make sure I meet the 4 Day Diet book‘s requirement of 40 minutes of cardio. Yesterday I think I only managed about 15 minutes on the stationary bike or so and then the rest of the day got away.
So…so far, so good.
(update: read about Day 3)
