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Floralshorts that is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Onederland is such a great place to be!!!! High-5's! I'm sure the 10 lbs will just slide off and then happy dances all around!
Floralshorts, you've lost 36 pounds in 5 weeks?! Amazing. I am hopeful that I lose that quickly. I'm at the end of my second week and am down ten pounds. Keep up the good work!
Hi everyone! Hope you are all having a great week!
Fawks, unfortunately the weather did not cooperate with my walks outside this week, but I did find another way to avoid part of meal time. Once everyone was seated and served, I make my shake - or as I like to call it, my "frozen mocha" (5-6 ice cubes, chocolate powder, and 6 oz of cold coffee whirred in the blender). Yum! By the time that is done and I've washed out the blender, much of the eating is done at the table.
Even without as much exercise this week, I lost 3 pounds for a 4 week total of 21 pounds! Woo hoo!! :-)
That is GREAT News Wannabechef! I just had my weigh in last night and I'm officially OUT of the 320's!!!! I've lost 35.5 lbs now to date (8 weeks) So excited!
Just peekin' in to see how you all are doing and I must say that I'm mighty impressed!
Hopefully I'll be joining you all very soon .... I start full fast the first week in July and I'm so, so ready!
Going to informational meeting about Opti-Fast tomorrow
I'm nervous. I'm scared. I'm praying that I can stick with whatever method I choose to lose weight.
My doctor recently told me that in addition to my current health problems likely getting worse T2D, HBP, Sleep Apnea, High cholesterol, etc., my current limited mobility due to back pain will also likely get worse if I don't lose a significant amount of weight soon. She recommended Opti-Fast over bariatric surgery, though I am considering and researching both.
I went to an introductory class about weight loss surgery, which was ok. I think I learned one or two things, but mostly it covered things I heard about from friends, my niece who is a dietician in Southern Cal and works with bariatric patients, and info I found online. Anyway, the class is required as a first step for anyone considering weight loss surgery. The next step is get a referral for surgery from my primary physician and then to take the surgery overview class which is conducted by a dietician and goes into more details, then to meet with the surgeon, and all that stuff. I'm going to wait to ask my doc for a referral until next week after I complete the intro class tomorrow for the "Medical Weight Management Program" (Opti-Fast).
My bf really wants me to try Opti-Fast first as he doesn't think it's smart to have surgery to resize, reroute and remove my internal organs without first trying to lose weight by any means (meaning Opti-Fast or any other means) while keeping my body in-tact. I understand his concern. I also know that he has not been with me through my weight loss struggles and increasing pain these past 10 years since I hurt my back. It's a lot to think about. I didn't fall asleep until nearly midnight last night because I was thinking about this.
I understand my bf's concern is because he loves me, and I appreciate his concern. My sister, who did Opti-Fast successfully and kept nearly 100 lbs off for 3 years (and then gained some of it back), said she'd recommend having surgery over Opti-Fast. Her daughter (my niece) had gastric bypass (RNY) and it saved her life. My niece is 5'2" (same as me) and was around 300 lbs. I don't know how much my niece lost, but she looks and feels great, and is having a very healthy pregnancy (she's due in a couple weeks). Another difference between Opti-Fast and surgery is that my insurance covers surgery (out of pocket would be around $100, maybe slightly more). My insurance doesn't cover Opti-Fast (out of pocket would be around $4,000 or more). My bf thinks it doesn't make sense to have organs resized, rerouted and removed to save money. I understand his concern. I am giving this careful and serious consideration...there is so much to think about and research.
My back specialist is recommending I start with Opti-Fast because for my insurance/medical group patients who want bariatric surgery are required to lose 10% of their body weight prior to surgery.
I just want to make the right decision for me, and to have the strength and determination to stick with it.
I read your post and just want to say that I understand where you're coming from. Either option requires a huge personal commitment for the rest of your life.
It seems you are doing a great job researching and exploring both Optifast and bariatric surgery. I did the same and I wrote down the pros and cons of both options. For me it became clear that the medical weight loss is what I need to do. Hopefully which direction you should go will become clear soon.
Hi Diyana. I commend you on giving this thought. It's a hard choice to make, especially when you factor in the money too! The different between 100 and 4000 is A LOT.
Here's my 2 cents for what it's worth.
Neither route is 100% guaranteed. It all depends on YOU and how well you commit to the program (Whichever you decide). Both have health risks.. however the health risks are MUCH lower with Optifast, which is why I went that route over surgery. I decided much like your BF to go the non-surgical route first because if that works... I avoided surgery and putting myself at such great risk.
That isn't to say Optifast is for everyone. But I can highly recommend it.
It truly works.. from the bottom of my heart I'm telling you that if you follow program, it DOES work and it will help. My health wasn't as bad as yours... but before I started program I needed a cane to walk... within the first 2 weeks on program, I no longer needed the cane... 8 weeks later my BP was text book perfect (It was high before), and I've dropped 35 lbs so far.
There are other people in my course who by week 8 have been removed from insulin for their diabetes because of the weight they lost... It's such a great feeling!
It's not pain free.. as we lose weight, our internal organs and spines shift to accomodate our new walking gaits and increased physical activity and all that jazz... but with stretching and the proper medical care whatever pain you feel now will lessen as time goes on.
This isn't a cure all... and I can't speak on behalf of gastric because I haven't gone through it, nor was I interested in it because I was afraid of the health risks... but I can speak to the benefits of Optifast.. It's a life saver.
OH And also, don't forget while you're on product.. you aren't buying groceries, or going out for dinner etc etc. So the money you save on groceries can be put towards the Optifast money
Anyway, that's my thoughts for what it's worth. I wish you the best of luck whichever route you choose *Hugs*
When my husband and I sat down after doing the program for a couple months, we found it only added about $150-200 to our total average bills. The money I am NOT spending adds up - Dunkin Donuts, going out to dinner, buying groceries, buying lunch, alcohol (I was a light drinker to begin with!), snacks.... As it is, buying a coffee and a bagel every day at Dunkin was costing nearly $100 a month....and that is such a little, everyday habit that you don't even pay attention to.
Since I am not eating, my husband decided he could at least try eating BETTER - and the costs have gone down even more since neither of us is drinking soda or really snacking anymore.
You cannot just look at this program as what it costs to do with out taking into consideration what you will not longer be spending money on - there is definitely room in most people's budgets once you do the math.
I agree with Nibog wholeheartedly! The money you save just by not having to do groceries or go out, heck even the GAS to get to and from the grocery store It all adds up and in the end I fully believe this is worth it 100%
Thanks so much to those who responded to me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your insight.
I've made my decision. And what I've decided is essentially what several people, including my doctor, have suggested.
Tomorrow, I'm going to ask my doctor for a referral for bariatric surgery. Once she submits the referral, I'll have a surgery orientation with the dietician and possibly others from the bariatric program staff. At that orientation, my weight will be taken...the starting weight...of which I have to lose 10% before I can have surgery. To lose that 10%, I have signed up for the Medical Weight Management Program (Opti-Fast). Once I've lost the initial 10%, which will take roughly a month, I'll decide whether to do the surgery or continue with the Opti-Fast. One of the doctors of the Opti-Fast program says that bariatric surgery patients frequently use the Opti-Fast to lose the 10% and then some of them end up cancelling their surgery. I figure by 3-4 weeks into the Opti-Fast, I'll know whether I can do another 3 months of Opti-Fast, or if surgery would be the best option.
I've sought out opinions of lots of people and done some soul searching. Yes, it would be preferable to lose weight without having any internal organs altered. The question that I keep asking myself is...will I be able to keep my food healthy and portions small if I don't surgically alter my stomach? And honestly, I don't know.
What I do know is that however I lose the weight, is going to require discipline. Discipline and commitment that I'll need for the rest of my life.
Question for those who are either in the transition to food phase or in the "full-food" phase. How much did you regain? How diligent are you with your healthy eating and portion control? How many calories a day do you eat?
Diyana I'm so happy for you That's a great choice and it's awesome to know you are still keeping options open and not closing yourself off to one avenue until you are sure. I think you made an excellent choice
On my end I'm SOOOOOO Excited! Just got out of my week 10 meeting.. and I've hit the 40 lbs mark! WOOOOOOOOOOOOT Insert oodles of happy dances here!
I dyed my hair purple when I hit 30.. something I've ALWAYS wanted to do but have never had the guts to do... now wondering what to do for 40.. or if I should wait until 60 LOL. It took me until 30 lbs gone to get up the guts to dye my hair... and now I have no clue haha. Non-food rewards are still a challenge for me, but I'm working on it
Either option requires a huge personal commitment for the rest of your life. 
It all adds up and in the end I fully believe this is worth it 100%
