I've started a diet plan through our insurance company and I've had some success so far. Twenty-two pounds since May 9. Whether that impresses you or not, I'm happy with it. I've got a long way to go, but I will make it.
I'm not having any health problems, thank God. I've always said, give me a reason to lose weight and I will. I'm the kind of person who has to come to my own conclusion that I need to do something or I have to have a specific reason to do it. Very seldom will I say, "Okay, that sounds good, let's do it." Just telling me that I will develop diabetes or heart problems "later on" won't do it. "Later on" is too nebulous. Not even a more specific "in five years" will work because anything can happen "later on" or "in five years".
I've always been offensively healthy. I say offensively because while I have chronic sinusitis, I haven't been sick in years. At a physical a few years ago, my doctor told me, as they always do, "You need to lose weight." Like I didn't know I was overweight. I told him I needed a specific reason. Tell me I have diabetes and losing weight may "cure" it, I'll do it. Tell me my blood pressure is dangerously high and I have to go on medication, but losing weight will remove the need for meds, and I'll do it.
So Dr. D tried like crazy to find something to prove to me that I had to lose weight. He looked at my cholesterol and found I was right dead center of healthy. The bad cholesterol wasn't high and the good wasn't low. The triglycerides were good. My blood pressure was a little on the high side of normal but he couldn't complain about it. He even looked at the blood fat. He said that would be the ticket. And that fell flat. My blood fat was perfect. He admitted he couldn't give me the reason I needed. My current health was fine and he couldn't tell me that it would deteriorate if I didn't lose weight.
I had a physical about two months ago. Same old, same old. The doctor (a new one since my previous doctor retired) said I had to lose weight. No problems but I needed to lose. I just agree with the doctors now. I got tired of going over the same thing every year. They can't tell me why, just that I "need" to lose weight.
For some time, I've been mulling my health over. My blood pressure is still good, but I've been watching it inch up over the years. I've had some knee and back problems. Nothing big, just annoying from time to time. I've also been reading and hearing news reports of how the American population is over-weight and obese, more and more are becoming morbidly obese everyday. I know that obesity can lead to life-threatening health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, and stokes, to name a few. My husband was diabetic, had circulation issues, and died from heart problems. He was morbidly obese and had been for years. As I said, while I had the weight problem, my health was otherwise just fine. Even seeing his problems didn't change my mind about my own obesity, although it apparently was in the back of my mind, working with all the other things I had been reading and seeing. I'd become dissatisfied with my weight. I knew that because I am the way I am, I needed a "reason" to lose. And I had finally found my reason.
We live in a country that has an abundance of everything. And we Americans love anything that is bigger. If it's bigger, it must be better. Well, that's not always the truth. When you weigh in, bigger numbers are not better. The opposite is also true. Those who are under weight or have eating disorders have health problems too. But that's another issue for another time. I think I read that there are more obese or overweight Americans than there are who have normal weight or who are underweight.
It might be a stupid reason, but I decided that I didn't want to be the *typical*, overweight, obese, American. I love my country, but I will no longer be the typical American in that sense. I want to be different.
So when a co-worker told me about the diet program through our insurance, I knew this was what I was looking for. I got the information I needed, made the appointments I had to make and did everything required to enroll. And so I went for my first consultation.
At my first consultation, I met with Dr. M, the doctor in charge of the program. We talked about my goals and reasons for wanting to be in the program. I was told that because of my BMI, I would be a candidate for gastric bypass surgery. I don't want to go that route unless it becomes a matter of life and death. I know people who did that and they have had so many health issues since the surgery that it's not something I want to do unless it becomes a medical necessity.
In my opinion, gastric bypass surgery ruined the health of the people I know. They are always getting sick, they are sick, or getting over being sick with something. Several are in and out of the hospital, seemingly all the time. And seeing that they can't eat more than a few ounces at a time, I don't think they can really enjoy food anymore. I like food (obviously). I don't live to eat (never did), but I want to enjoy what I do eat. Please don't tell me how wrong I am. I know there are people who had the surgery to save their lives. That's a different matter than people who had the surgery because it was "easier" than diet and exercise. I also know there are people who had the surgery and had no complications and no problems since then. I'm happy for them. It's just not been something I've seen very often.
I was told that I would receive a shot every week, I would take Phentermine before breakfast and Trim Slim tablets twice a day (before breakfast and dinner). I had to keep food and exercise journals and go for a weekly weigh in. This is a 24 week program. I had to keep all the appointments except for the one or two I could miss (with a rescheduled appointment). The cost to me is $60 a month for five months and a final $75 payment the last month. If I continue in the program for 24 weeks and lose the weight, I will be reimbursed $350 of what I paid out. I'm not sure, but that repayment might be at the end of another 24 week maintenance program. No matter. Being reimbursed is just icing on the cake for me. If I don't quite meet the target goal at the end of the first 24 weeks, I can get an extension.
I lose weight, and get reimbursed for what I paid out? That's a win-win situation in my book!
At my consultation, I had to stand barefoot on a device that measured my weight, body mass index (yikes! everytime I see that number I shudder), hydration, and a number of other things. It even gives a target weight. I'm not going to give you my starting weight now, or the even the target weight suggested or the pounds I need to lose to meet that target. You'll just have to come back and see what I've posted on my current progress. I'm not really a vain person, but I'm vain enough that it's just not something I want to reveal here. When I get to *my* target weight, I'll be more than happy to reveal all. You might notice that I emphasized "my" target weight. The device I stood on suggested a target weight of about 40 pounds more than I want to weight. Okay...I have a "first" target. Depending on how I look and feel when I hit that target will depend on whether I choose to try for "my" target.
Here it is, eight weeks later and I'm down 22 pounds. I have several pairs of jeans I haven't been able to wear. I try them on every week and I'm getting closer. I have a pair of shorts I wasn't able to wear and now I can. They are even just a little loose on me. They aren't going to fall off anytime in the near future, but they fit and I can wear them. I have a pair of white jeans that I've been dying to get into and now I can. They are just a little tight, but soon, they won't be.
I wish I had taken a "before" photo to put with an "after" photo. But I have photos I can use as a "before", they just weren't taken just before I started this program.
So, this is the beginning of another change in my life. Over the last two years my life has been full of changes. Change can be good (my job change) or not so good (my husband's death). I'll be posting on my success (and it will be) on this program. I hope that if you need encouragement in your losing efforts, you'll find it here.
I'm not having any health problems, thank God. I've always said, give me a reason to lose weight and I will. I'm the kind of person who has to come to my own conclusion that I need to do something or I have to have a specific reason to do it. Very seldom will I say, "Okay, that sounds good, let's do it." Just telling me that I will develop diabetes or heart problems "later on" won't do it. "Later on" is too nebulous. Not even a more specific "in five years" will work because anything can happen "later on" or "in five years".
I've always been offensively healthy. I say offensively because while I have chronic sinusitis, I haven't been sick in years. At a physical a few years ago, my doctor told me, as they always do, "You need to lose weight." Like I didn't know I was overweight. I told him I needed a specific reason. Tell me I have diabetes and losing weight may "cure" it, I'll do it. Tell me my blood pressure is dangerously high and I have to go on medication, but losing weight will remove the need for meds, and I'll do it.
So Dr. D tried like crazy to find something to prove to me that I had to lose weight. He looked at my cholesterol and found I was right dead center of healthy. The bad cholesterol wasn't high and the good wasn't low. The triglycerides were good. My blood pressure was a little on the high side of normal but he couldn't complain about it. He even looked at the blood fat. He said that would be the ticket. And that fell flat. My blood fat was perfect. He admitted he couldn't give me the reason I needed. My current health was fine and he couldn't tell me that it would deteriorate if I didn't lose weight.
I had a physical about two months ago. Same old, same old. The doctor (a new one since my previous doctor retired) said I had to lose weight. No problems but I needed to lose. I just agree with the doctors now. I got tired of going over the same thing every year. They can't tell me why, just that I "need" to lose weight.
For some time, I've been mulling my health over. My blood pressure is still good, but I've been watching it inch up over the years. I've had some knee and back problems. Nothing big, just annoying from time to time. I've also been reading and hearing news reports of how the American population is over-weight and obese, more and more are becoming morbidly obese everyday. I know that obesity can lead to life-threatening health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, and stokes, to name a few. My husband was diabetic, had circulation issues, and died from heart problems. He was morbidly obese and had been for years. As I said, while I had the weight problem, my health was otherwise just fine. Even seeing his problems didn't change my mind about my own obesity, although it apparently was in the back of my mind, working with all the other things I had been reading and seeing. I'd become dissatisfied with my weight. I knew that because I am the way I am, I needed a "reason" to lose. And I had finally found my reason.
We live in a country that has an abundance of everything. And we Americans love anything that is bigger. If it's bigger, it must be better. Well, that's not always the truth. When you weigh in, bigger numbers are not better. The opposite is also true. Those who are under weight or have eating disorders have health problems too. But that's another issue for another time. I think I read that there are more obese or overweight Americans than there are who have normal weight or who are underweight.
It might be a stupid reason, but I decided that I didn't want to be the *typical*, overweight, obese, American. I love my country, but I will no longer be the typical American in that sense. I want to be different.
So when a co-worker told me about the diet program through our insurance, I knew this was what I was looking for. I got the information I needed, made the appointments I had to make and did everything required to enroll. And so I went for my first consultation.
At my first consultation, I met with Dr. M, the doctor in charge of the program. We talked about my goals and reasons for wanting to be in the program. I was told that because of my BMI, I would be a candidate for gastric bypass surgery. I don't want to go that route unless it becomes a matter of life and death. I know people who did that and they have had so many health issues since the surgery that it's not something I want to do unless it becomes a medical necessity.
In my opinion, gastric bypass surgery ruined the health of the people I know. They are always getting sick, they are sick, or getting over being sick with something. Several are in and out of the hospital, seemingly all the time. And seeing that they can't eat more than a few ounces at a time, I don't think they can really enjoy food anymore. I like food (obviously). I don't live to eat (never did), but I want to enjoy what I do eat. Please don't tell me how wrong I am. I know there are people who had the surgery to save their lives. That's a different matter than people who had the surgery because it was "easier" than diet and exercise. I also know there are people who had the surgery and had no complications and no problems since then. I'm happy for them. It's just not been something I've seen very often.
I was told that I would receive a shot every week, I would take Phentermine before breakfast and Trim Slim tablets twice a day (before breakfast and dinner). I had to keep food and exercise journals and go for a weekly weigh in. This is a 24 week program. I had to keep all the appointments except for the one or two I could miss (with a rescheduled appointment). The cost to me is $60 a month for five months and a final $75 payment the last month. If I continue in the program for 24 weeks and lose the weight, I will be reimbursed $350 of what I paid out. I'm not sure, but that repayment might be at the end of another 24 week maintenance program. No matter. Being reimbursed is just icing on the cake for me. If I don't quite meet the target goal at the end of the first 24 weeks, I can get an extension.
I lose weight, and get reimbursed for what I paid out? That's a win-win situation in my book!
At my consultation, I had to stand barefoot on a device that measured my weight, body mass index (yikes! everytime I see that number I shudder), hydration, and a number of other things. It even gives a target weight. I'm not going to give you my starting weight now, or the even the target weight suggested or the pounds I need to lose to meet that target. You'll just have to come back and see what I've posted on my current progress. I'm not really a vain person, but I'm vain enough that it's just not something I want to reveal here. When I get to *my* target weight, I'll be more than happy to reveal all. You might notice that I emphasized "my" target weight. The device I stood on suggested a target weight of about 40 pounds more than I want to weight. Okay...I have a "first" target. Depending on how I look and feel when I hit that target will depend on whether I choose to try for "my" target.
Here it is, eight weeks later and I'm down 22 pounds. I have several pairs of jeans I haven't been able to wear. I try them on every week and I'm getting closer. I have a pair of shorts I wasn't able to wear and now I can. They are even just a little loose on me. They aren't going to fall off anytime in the near future, but they fit and I can wear them. I have a pair of white jeans that I've been dying to get into and now I can. They are just a little tight, but soon, they won't be.
I wish I had taken a "before" photo to put with an "after" photo. But I have photos I can use as a "before", they just weren't taken just before I started this program.
So, this is the beginning of another change in my life. Over the last two years my life has been full of changes. Change can be good (my job change) or not so good (my husband's death). I'll be posting on my success (and it will be) on this program. I hope that if you need encouragement in your losing efforts, you'll find it here.
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