Weigh in was yesterday....
I am down a total of 42 lbs!!!
Dad is down 46 lbs!!
We have only been doing this for 48 days... Wow! Not too much longer left on the fast.
We were also measured this during this visit too... I'm down a total of 28.5 inches overall since we have started. I'M MELTING! LOL
I am finally getting past my problem of wanting to self-sabbotage and feeling good about getting the weight off. I am 8 lbs away from my 50 lb mini goal with a reward of a pedicure (I've never had one). I am wearing clothes that I haven't worn in 2 years or so, and I am finally getting rid of my size 28s and 26s. It is very...relieving and very crazy at the same time

Congrats, Amanda, great progress! So glad to hear you're mentally back in the game! And fitting into smaller clothes (a reward in itself!) Keep us posted as you transition out of Optifast!

That's awesome Amanda!
Congrats to you and your dad for doing so well.
You'll love the pedicure, what a great reward.

Amanda congradulations on the weight loos, though now I am confused as I haven't heard of optifast before, guess I have some more reading to do. Maybe you could make a suggestion? WTG
Anna

I would send this as a pm, but I can't pm you... Optifast is a medically supervised, very low calorie, (mostly) liquid diet... it is designed for rapid weight loss.
I am doing this with my dad, he offered to pay for me to do this back in April. It is VERY expensive (which is why I think more people don't try it). You can find some info at www.optifast.com, including the closest health care provider who offers the program.
I consume between 550-650 calories per day. I eat 5-6 times per day - all the products are high protein, low/no carb. I can choose between powders (mix to make shakes), ready to drink shakes, soups (some are nasty, some are pretty good), and bars - we get sugar free jello as a free food. We also have lab work done every month. It completely takes away making food choices (the biggest choice I have is what flavor of sugar free jello do I want). The idea is to stop the train in its tracks and turn it around. The break from food is allowing me to work on my emotional eating issues and create a new mindset/relationship with food. I see a counselor weekly (I don't feel that this can be very effective with out a counselor, but for some it could be). After this fasting phase, we will start to add food back in - like adding in 2 cups of veggies per day for 2 weeks, then adding a serving of lean protein, etc - until we are weaned off the shakes and back onto food while learning appropriate portion sizes and proprotions of protein/fat/carbs.
This is the hardest thing I have ever done. For anyone who wants to embark on the Optifast journey, I highly recommend getting a personal counselor and getting into the right mindset to make it through the program. On the surface it doesn't seem that it could be that difficult (drink shakes, lose weight fast), but for me it is a mental struggle everyday and so far everyday I win the struggle. I also know that I don't want to give up, and I NEVER want to eat like I used to. If you are obese, it is something to consider with your doctor.

Amanda,
Thanks for the update, and I just turned on the PM section. I am still learning the site. I have a MD appointment in about 2.5 weeks so I will check with him about the program and see if he knows anything about it. Since I already told him the surgery idea was out ( I have a friend who is dying from it) I need to try something else. Insurance might also be a possibility for partial coverage, they seem to help cover the cost of the gym memberships and equipment I might buy to help.
curently have a little machine that tracks body fat percentage and horrified to say mine is about 49.5% aacckkk. ah well enough for now, I tend to ramble, alot.
Anna

Amanda -- Oh my gosh, on the surface even it doesn't sound easy to me. In fact, it would be the hardest thing I've ever done too. I absolutely believe it is a struggle every single day. I think I've said before it's not a choice I think I would have made, and that wasn't a judgement. It's just that I think for me, depriving myself like that would not have had positive consequences. I am really glad it's working out for you, though! Just shows that there are a number of different ways to embark on this journey.

Anna -- I have no idea what my body fat is or was, but when I started an estimate based just on mesurements had me over 70% fat! And now, I think still over 50%

WTG Amanda! That's quite an accomplishment. The fact that you're working on both the inside and outside will help you maintain your success. Thanks for sharing the information with us.

Good job amanda. When I got back from my vacation, I did a 3 day liquid diet of my own design (trying to incorporate a proper balance of nutrients, protein, carbs, etc) but no where as low in calories. It was interesting to see what happened as I removed the choice from myself and how often I tend to put food in my mouth, even scraps (when making lunches, etc). I am glad it is helping you.

Wyllenn, measuring fat% from measurements is really hard to do. I'm not sure you can say you were 70% fat just from measurements. Even the best fat % machines out there aren't perfect, only perfect way is from a buoyancy test.

Anna, the machine is giving you a starting point. I remember when I used those machines and my number came up to 49%. It was startling. Last time I used one (about 20 lbs ago), it said I was down to 43%. My estimate now has me at about 38/39%. So it is possible to move the number.

You would be surprised how many people have said to me "well, this must be so easy for you" or "it must be easy because you are losing weight so fast"
or whatever nonsensical remark... LOL I suppose if I didn't have such internal/emotional issues, it might be easier. As far as eating everyday, it doesn't bother me physically to just have shakes or my bars... I'm not hungry, and I respond appropriately to my body's cues to eat now; I don't usually feel tired and I am physically satisfied and full with my "meal"... but mentally, there isn't a day that I get up that I don't want to eat. I can't wait to eat again, but I am also thinking about eating healthy and how I want to eat chicken or zuchini or PICKLES LOL I am getting excited about preparing delicious healthy food, and I don't care that there are things I can never eat again (twinkies).
This program definitely isn't for everyone, and I feel lucky that I have persevered thus far. Although I went into this was a very positive attitude, I still thought in the back of my head that I didn't know if I had the inner strength to follow through, since everything else I have tried either didn't work or I didn't work it. I agree that this is one of those things that show that weight loss is not a one-size-fits all process.

What great progress, Amanda! I really admire you for having stuck with the programme--it sounds far from easy to me.

Congrats on your loss, Amanda!

People can be so clueless. I don't think I'd have the tenacity to stick to it, so I admire you so much for your inner strength. Also your honesty in talking about your process and struggles here. Thank you for sharing, and congratulations on coming this far!

Yes, I too want to thank you for coming here and talking about your process and struggles!

nelie -- I was guessing it wasn't that accurate -- thanks for confirming it! I don't know that I would have had the guts to take a buoyancy test when I started (too scared to even take good "before" pics!), but I might do it now.

I was just thinking that people who have weight loss surgery also get told how "easy" it is, but I think it's anything but!