What a great post topic. I wish I'd been told about this board sooner. I had a terrible time in the beginning, and it would have been nice to have a sounding board. I go to a clinic where they shut the door and do it all in private, and there's no one to share your success with. Luckily, I did have a friend who went with me and I could talk to her, but I needed a group too. I don't know why, given the number of people at the clinic who do it, they don't have some kind of support group like Weight Watchers does. I have been thinking of starting one on Craigslist or something, but not sure if I have to get permission. In this day and age of everyone being so politically correct and not even asking "have you been on a diet?" it can be hard to get encouragement when no one seems to notice.
The other one is hair loss. I didn't learn about that one either until I found this board. THAT was horrible for me. My hair has always been my thing (and something I always had when I felt awful for being overweight). I started the diet because my husband have a big trip to Europe planned for our vow renewal, and I'm going with half my hair. I realize I should be happy I'm going as a shadow of my former self, but I can't get over the hair loss. My friend had to photoshop hair into a photo of me taken at Christmas time. Ugh. I wasn't told of any side effects - only the constipation, but "they have a pill for that."
I am restarting the diet on Monday after a one-month hiatus. I plateaued 10 pounds shy of my goal, for an entire month. Couldn't even lose half a pound. I didn't veer off track or anything - so I don't know what happened - but I couldn't justify the cost of the food anymore if it wasn't working. So I get to go back to phase 1 and see what happens. I'm also going to the gym.
And ditto the comment about gagging on salad - isn't that the truth! I never want to eat another salad again. Or drink another gallon of water. I HATE water now. And it used to be my favorite! Thank goodness for Mio :-)