My name is Jacqueline, and I'd like to share with others on the internet an experience which has meant that I could take huge pleasure in changing my wardrobe and enjoying the way that people look at me differently...

My Dukan story...

To be absolutely honest with you, I have never been slim, always coping with a few extra pounds by using different diets one after another, that I came across here and there. However, once I got to the menopause, despite all my best efforts losing these pounds proved to be impossible. This was how the pounds kept quietly accumulating until by the time I had reached 60 I was carrying an extra 3 stone and 2 pounds! I couldn't bear to look at myself any more in the mirror or catch salesgirls in clothes shops looking me up and down.

One morning just after I had retired, as I was connecting onto my internet provider's home page, an advert caught my eye. It was for a diet book written by someone called Pierre Dukan: "The Dukan Diet".

My favorite support Dukan food: Dukan vinaigrette which means I can eat raw vegetables, even my friends enjoy it when they eat at my house!

My Dukan treat:
veal in white sauce (blanquette de veau)

My favourite form of exercise:
biking at the gym where the atmosphere is friendly

The nicest compliment I've been paid:
"you're melting away like snow in the sun" ... (from a man at the gym) 

What keeps me going:
my new look wardrobe, the way others look at me ... and also how I see myself. Better in my body, better inside my head

The advice I'd give to others "Dukanians":
only start this diet if you are really motivated and talk to your family and friends about it, this will give you sure support and ... why don't you start it with your partner ... It's the ideal time!

I was very taken by the summary of the 4 stages you follow to lose weight because there was no need to weigh any food, no counting the calories you eat and there was some freedom to choose your food and recipes. 
What's more, the diet wasn't expensive, no costly tasteless packets to eat. All in all I wasn't risking anything by trying it out. No sooner said than done.

I started the diet in June... one month late, I was 13 pounds lighter (the first pounds always go quickest, afterwards they go at a steady rate), I was delighted and determined to get down again to the weight I had once been (yes, it was such a long time ago) i.e. 9 stone and 2 pounds, which meant losing 3 stone and 2 pounds. Spurred on by this intial success, I set down a few principles to help me: 
First of all, I told my family and friends that I was starting this new diet and I asked them to understand that from now I would always come and eat if I was invited out as I didn't want to cut myself off from my friends but that I would bring along my own food, and in fact that is exactly what I did for 6 months.
Next, a weighing session every morning (it's great for your morale!) and what was really important I recorded my weight every 5 days on a graph. As the graph was going down steadily I was even able to more or less guess the date when I would reach my goal of losing over 3 stone: end of December 2007. And so it was.

A few months later I sold my clothes that were far too big on the internet as I am a very determined person; there is no going back for me, ever! I imagine that you can see that once you start this diet you have to be really motivated and have the strength of character to resist temptation, but it does pay off: what a fantastic reward to be able at long last to wear a pair of size 12 trousers and feel comfortable!

What I did miss a little at the start was my glass of fresh orange juice at breakfast time along with the couple of slices of toast and jam and in general fruit from my "former life". However, after 5 days of pure proteins, I was delighted to be able to eat vegetables again! I'll let you into a secret: I ate more (so I didn't feel hungry in between meals) with this diet than I did before, but I ate differently, carefully choosing what I ate, and I have quite naturally stuck to this habit as well as to the Pure Protein Thursdays and the oat bran.

What I liked about the "consolidation phase" was the 2 "celebration" meals each week, which let me satisfy my cravings without feeling guilty, I've also kept this mindset for my permanent stabilization. Take note, although you are not dieting for the rest of your life, all the same you still have to avoid falling back into bad old habits and instead you must stick to the new ones you've acquired! I would add that I've followed this diet only by sticking carefully to my instructions.

After reaching my goal I went to see my GP (I hadn't seen her for a year) to get my medical certificate renewed so that I could use the gym. Interested in my explanations, she ran some tests including blood and everything was OK! I go to the gym 4 times a week and use the exercise bike, rowing machine and do body building and lots of the other women there seeing for themselves that I had lost weight and had then stabilized it have come up to me and asked for ... "my secret"! ... which I was all too happy to share with them, as I am doing with you.

To sum up by december I had achieved my goal of being 3 stone 2 lbs lighter as I weighed 9 stone 2 lbs. I have stayed at this weight for one year and four months and I'll stay at it for good!

A big thank you to Pierre Dukan!