Day 21: I made it! Total weight loss was 15 lbs in 21 days. I think that is a great accomplishment. I never expected to loose 25 or 30 pounds as I was not interested in dehydrating 10 lbs off - what was the point I am not getting in the octagon. So 15 lbs was exactly where I wanted to be.
I had a tough start dealing with the emotional aspect of letting go of some crutches. But once I was through that things got a lot easier. I made a few other mistakes along the way that hindered my ability to loose weight. One was not adjusting the portions fast enough to account for my size and activity level. Clearly I am not a 200 lbs professional fighter that works out 30 hours a week and therefore I should not have been eating like one. I also had a slip up whereby I consumed a large amount of alcohol one weekend. I also made the mistake of skipping snacks in week two, which I thought would help me loose more weight, but all that did was slow down my metabolism. All in all, not horrible mistakes, but definitely costly ones. However, at least I learned from the experience and after a few weeks rest I will try the diet again. I think I will do much better the second time around.
I learned a lot of great lessons about diet, nutrition, body chemistry and myself while on this program. They were all valuable lessons and ones I won't soon forget. I also discovered a few foods that I never really ate before, which are now some of my favorites. I also found that some of my old time favorites are now gone out of my life. Food shopping for me and my family is a whole new experience. There are things I will eat fewer of going forward such as egg yolks and red meat. There are things I will probably never eat again such as white bread and bacon. And there are things that I will continue eating forever such as raw spinach, whole grain breads & pastas, dried cranberries and green tea.
A lot of people watched me take this journey; family, friends, co-workers, strangers and even Mike Dolce himself checked in on me a few times. I received words of encouragement from all over the world, and strangely enough most of the encouragement came from complete strangers. I used everything I could to make the best of this experience and appreciate every one's kind words. I tried to be completely honest about my experience so that if you are like me and are wondering if this Diet could work for you, then at least this documentary will give you an idea of how the Diet works, as well as the obstacles I encountered as a 30-something, working, mother of three children. These were real results which included mistakes, cheating and regrets. It also included great results, improved energy levels, more efficient training sessions and clearer thinking.
I am proud of myself for sticking to it (mostly) and for getting the results that I expected. I would encourage anyone even slightly interested in the Dolce Diet to try it. It is not nearly as hard as you may think and you certainly learn a lot, especially about yourself. Plus you actually loose some real weight without feeling hungry. Mike Dolce has changed the way I approach diet and exercise. I was active before, but now I know how to fuel my body correctly to get the maximum calorie burn and muscle build during my training sessions. I will certainly purchase his new book in the spring in the hopes that it will continue to help me learn little ways to take better care of myself and my family.
Thanks again to everyone that encouraged me and especially to Mike Dolce for making permanent positive changes to my life. I will be watching the weigh-ins for UFC 126 on Friday and will certainly raise my glass to him in a toast. I wish him continued success in his life and career and wish everyone else good luck and good health!
Best Regards,
Fightergirl53
