Day One, In the Box

Today was my 'strong start' day (first day after a meeting).

I actually felt pretty good, no headaches or hunger pains.

I ate 4 shakes and 2 entrees for approximately 1200 calories.  Plenty of protein (over 100 grams) so it makes sense I didn't feel hungry.

Drinking the shake for a snack mid afternoon was a really good idea.  By the time I got around to dinner tonight it was 7pm and I would have been super cranky if the last time I  had eaten was 11AM.

Morning and Night shakes are done in my Magic Bullet blender with lots of ice.  I also add 2 teaspoons of Benefiber, and take my HMR multivitamin and a Actigall capsule.  I used Vanilla 800 shakes for the blended ones and Chocolate at the office.  I also added 1 Tablespoon of PB2 (powdered peanut butter) to my evening shake.  Yummy!

Lunch:  HMR Beef Stroganoff with Noodles.  Surprisingly tasty.  I was afraid it would be either bland or too salty.  There was a definite hint of Worcestershire in the sauce.  Noodle were a little mushy, but I wasn't expecting just-out-of-the-pot al dente.  Overall a keeper.

Dinner:  HMR Lasagna with Meat Sauce.  I remember this from my last time on HMR.  Nice flavors with spinach in the filling and a definite meat sauce taste.  I cut it up into squares after heating and mix it all up in a bowl.  Glad to see it hasn't changed much!

Tonight is Halloween.  We never get trick-or-treaters as our street has no lights or sidewalks.  We just keep the lights off and basically hide.  However that also means we don't have candy hanging around, so that is a bonus!

 

 
 
 



Introduction Meeting

Today was the Introduction Meeting for the beginning of my program with the HMR Diet.  The next 12 weeks will be the "Core" meetings where we learn how to make this diet work for us. 

I'm on the 'Decision Free" program, which means no outside food.  My minimum 'prescription' is 3 shakes and 2 entrees a day.  They highly recommend (and patient data supports) that 1-2 more shakes/entrees are eaten a day for best weight loss.

I'm so tired of food.  I'm tired of trying to figure out what to buy, what to cook, what to eat.  Since my husband is home earlier than me and totally capable of cooking for himself, I don't feel the least bit guilty about opting out of the whole cooking game.

So the food plan:
5:00 AM  Coffee with part of a vanilla shake for creamer
5:30 AM  Breakfast:  Full shake blended for maximum volume
8:30 AM  Second Breakfast: (yeah, I'm a Hobbit!) Shake in shaker bottle (after four weeks I can substitute the hot cereal for a shake and I'll use that for my 'work breakfast')
11:00 AM Lunch:  Hot Entrée
3:00 PM  Afternoon Snack: Shake in shaker bottle
6:30 PM Dinner:  Hot Entrée
8:00 PM Snack:  Full shake blended for maximum volume.

Miscellaneous water, diet soda during the day.

The idea is to not have too many hours between meals/snacks.  Many programs suggest 6 or so smaller meals versus 3 big ones, so this eating plan certainly supports that.

So yes, I have been here before.  The difference this time is that I have nowhere left to go.  My slipped band and emergency removal makes a gastric bypass too dangerous for me to consider.  I will drink the kool-aid here and will make this work.

Counting down....

In two days I start my medically-supervised weight loss program (HMR Diet) which is run by one of our local hospitals.  I actually have been on this same program before, but didn't take it very seriously.  I was getting my lap-band and I was never going to have to diet again and I would magically become a 'normal' weight.

Um, not so much. 

I did get the lap-band and after a couple of years my stomach tried to turn itself inside out.  Major band slip.  I had to have an emergency removal of the band and, of course, all the weight came back.   Hey, I could eat bagels again without "getting stuck" and tossing them right back up! 

I am now currently the highest weight I have ever been, and my body is telling me all about it.

Not just the normal fat-girl problems, such as finding clothes that are somewhat flattering and not liking stairs or chairs with arms.  I would not fly on a plane right now even if my life depended on it.  I always have to ask for a table at a restaurant, rather than a booth.

My knees and ankles are always sore and clicking when I  walk.  In fact, I fear I am walking like the Mondoshawans on Fifth Element.  More of a trundle than a walk.  Very depressing considering I was a belly dancer for years and even heavy, I was graceful.  If I don't get this weight off I know I am looking at a knee replacement or two in my future. 

My neck has filled out to meet my chin.  Not a great look.  Not as bad as Honey Boo-Boo's child molester dating mother, June, but bad enough.

I cannot 'reach' everything that needs to be reached.  I have to become a contortionist in the bathroom and have actually gotten muscle cramps just attending to basic body hygiene.  I always look for the handicapped stall in a public bathroom as I need enough room to get between my legs as my thighs are huge.

And speaking of hygiene, having parts of your body constantly pressing against other parts is not good for your skin.  Skin needs air to breathe and stay dry.  I have rolls at the back of my waist that I can always feel as they have folded over to touch.  I have notice the start of skin breakdown under my belly, especially where my C-section scar is.

I see a mommy-makeover in my future with a breast lift (or maybe augment depending on how flat I get), tummy tuck and mons lift.

Rolling over at night is especially fun.  I have to lever myself up on an elbow to make sure I spin in place.  Rolling would actually take up too much space and I would be pushing my husband off the bed.  Somehow I strained a groin muscle leveraging myself around.  I'm scared to death I might have actually caused a hernia.

Amazingly, I'm healthy otherwise.  I had to have a bunch of blood work done to start the program and my cholesterol is 155, I don't have diabetes and my thyroid is just fine.  I have some high blood pressure that is controlled with mild medication.  I also was diagnosed with sleep apnea when I was going for the lap-band and do use a CPAP machine at night. 

I love my CPAP, and I love not waking up my spouse, or myself with snoring!

October 30, 2014 is my intake appointment.  I am going on the "Decision Free" program which consists of three shakes and two entrees (at a minimum).  I will be picking up my first week's food at that appointment and will start the program on Halloween.  There are weekly classes (behavioral and lifestyle change) and weekly medical monitoring (for the first month, then I go to monthly as I have so few co-morbidities). 

I cannot wait.  October 31st cannot come soon enough.  Next year I want to be something cuter for Halloween than a Mondoshawan.

 



Why Venus?

There have been many images of Venus, from Willendorf to Botticelli and beyond.  I don't need to be the Venus of the computer age, but I would like to be more Botticelli  than Willendorf.

Willendorf

Botticelli

 

See what I mean?