At the risk of being harrassed by those who don't like optifast..here's what I am doing LOL This is not the same as what Oprah did..she was doing all liquid and only 800 calories a day. I am working with a doctor who has excellent creditials (state board of bariatrics, did her residency at Mount Sinai, been doing this for 20 years, so on and so forth.. I checked her out well!
and a dietician who used to work for our local cardiac prevention center. I had been trying to diet since I was in my teens..weight watchers, south beach, body for life..you name it I tried it. Not to mention all those 300 calorie a day diets in my teens. Now, I am working with the doc and dietician to re-learn how to eat, and what to eat. (And here I thought I knew how!)
The optifast basically takes food out of the equation for a while. I only have to concentrate on one meal a day. Having the many small meals a day "shrinks" my stomach so I will feel full faster, and ups my metabolism. I've been doing this about 3 weeks and have lost 8lbs. That will slow down. In about 6-8 weeks, I will start adding back in more "real" food. Probably starting with breakfast. I know a lot of people don't approve, but it's working for me when nothing else did.
Time Plan Event Calories
7:15 wake up
7:30 take pill
8:00 optifast shake 160
10 optifast shake 160
12 bar / drink 230 (like a protein bar, and the drink is a protein drink that tasts like koolaid..sorta lol)
3 shake 160
4:30 optional drink 0
5:00 shake 160
7:00 dinner 350 - 400(real food)
10:30 drink 70
11:30 bed
Total 1250-1300ish I can have more on the days I work out more
exercise 60 min of jazzercise 3 times a week, weights m, w, f, several hours of tennis on Sundays
water 100 ounces
Dinner is a lean protein, lots of veggies and small portion of carbs. For example last night was chicken and cashew stir fry (yum!) with broccoli, cauliflower, onions, celery, and those stir fry beans Ican'trememberthenameof rightthismoment.
I am also on a very low dose appetite supressant.
My mom had congestive heart failure in her 50's and I am built just like her. My mom, her father, my great grandmother, and many aunts and uncles and cousins have diabeties. I have to get this weight off, and couldn't do it on my own. It took a lot for me to admit I needed help. I fought it tooth and nail! Why couldn't I just eat healthy and exercise more.. like a normal person
I am thrilled with my progress so far! but I have a long way to go, so you might want to just stand back and let me be the guinie pig
edit: I do want to mention they gave me a complete physical (complete blood work up) before I started this program.