September 23, 2007
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So we have a lot to catch up on. As you can tell by my last distant post I got pretty discouraged. I lost 20 pounds in just over a year on weight watchers. Not that WW is bad, but for some people who have the cards stacked against them, it is pretty tough. For most of the 12 months I was on a couple of medications that make weight loss difficult at best and for most of that 12 months I followed the points exactly, many weeks I didn’t lose anything, others I remember losing a whooping 0.2 pounds and the WW counselors getting all excited at my “loss”. Seriously, at those moments I could have strangled them, I was miserable, giving up things I really wanted and for what 0.2 pounds. It just wasn’t worth it. At one point I was working out 2-3 hours a day 5 days a week, I had no life and I couldn’t even eat what I wanted cause if I did I would gain.
To go back in time about 18 years, my doctor was using a product Medifast and suggested I might like the results, but it was hard and required a doctor to watch over you. I did it and I lost about 70 pounds in a very short amount of time, roughly 3 months, it was as good as having bypass surgery, but 10 times harder! 5 little shakes a day nothing else. Nobody could sustain this for long but it worked and it worked great!
Fast forward 18 years, I was finally desperate, I visited a surgeon, said I wanted gastric bypass, we did all the work talked to the insurance company (I work for them, you would think it would be easier), they refused! I found out they (we) are one of two insurance providers that will not do it and I am a member of both companies. So I was desperate, I decided to find Medifast doctor again and just tough it out. Boy, was I surprised! Medifast has changed! And boy is it better. Now there are shakes, and soups and chili and “candy” bars (that’s how I think of them) and oatmeal and I know, it sounds crazy but once a day you get to eat a lean and green meal (protein and veggies). Wow, this was not the Medifast, this was a totally do-able thing, so I placed my first order and it came in the mail and I started on June 28th!
My life has changed drastically, the weight loss is not fast as the first time around, but it is so much easier. I have lost 38 pounds in 10 weeks…boy that is a far cry from 20 pounds in 1 year! I will never go back to weight watcher’s or any other diet. This is a plan I can live with and use forever. When I do reach my goal, I will continue to keep MF on hand so that I have it when I need to take a few pounds off if my weight starts to creep up. I suddenly have a ton of energy and best of all, that horrible diagnosis of diabetes, well I am beating it! I am no longer on any of the 5 medications that I had been on, no more shots, no more pills that make me gain weight but keep my blood sugar down, no more having to plan my life around a refrigerator to keep my medication in or coolers so that they don’t go bad when I travel. I am off of all medications and my blood tests are normal, the doctor (a different one than the one who originally showed medifast) is thrilled, can’t believe I am doing so well. This is the best thing ever. (For more information check out Take Shape For Life Medifast!)
Think skinny thoughts and have a great day!
Cathy Medifast review from a dietitian’s perspective.