Blake's Blog on her adventures in recovering a better version of herself...

Week 5:

Not a Numbers Person
Wow- what a week! 6 lbs!!! I have no idea where that came from (actually, there is less junk in trunk, come to think of it). Without really doing anything different, my body is really responding to the protein-rich diet and exercise-rich regimen. I know this week’s hefty weight loss is the exception and not the rule, but man I feel lighter!

And I feel healthy too. As mentioned previously, I have joined an inspiring, endearing (and a lotta crazy) group of women to participate in the 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk this November. As my shoes show the wear and team from the many training miles (73 miles as of June 22), I feel my body getting leaner and stronger. And I see it too. Since embarking on the Medi program I have lost an inch a week in the waist. I am starting to visit that dark and long-forgotten section in my closet that I haven’t seen in a few years.

So while I don’t understand the numbers on the scale each week (but I’ll gratefully accept this weeks, thank you very much), I am enjoying other numbers. From the ones that go up each week—the miles I walk, the weight reps at the gym, the friends and supporters I have met through this experience and the number of calories from adding fruits and veggies back to my diet. To the shrinking numbers—the waistline, the percentage of body fat and, alas, the lbs on the scale; I guess it really is a numbers game.

Week 4: 

So I am completing my first month on the Medi program and, as promised in its marketing materials, I have lost 20 pounds! It really feels like the lbs have seemed to fall off. Just tweaking my diet (ok overhauling but it was long overdue) and incorporating exercise. But my success is a testament to the Medi program and a sign of how desperate my body was to shed the abundance (wow, if only I figured that out 40 pounds ago!)

They (meaning the chick magazines) say that the key to successful weight loss is to set and celebrate mini-milestones along the way. Well, my first mini-milestone is a trip back to South Carolina for a cousin’s wedding. With a week to spare before the trip, I am thrilled to have met my “I want to lose weight before  I get on the plane” goal.  Not that the friends and family don’t love me “as I am” but I was dreading the “Wow, life in Texas sure agrees with you” quip.

I guess I’ll celebrate this milestone with some new clothes… and shoes… and maybe a facial… and a spray tan … oh and that purse… and that necklace…..

Week 3:

Water Water Everywhere
Ahhh water, that ubiquitous refreshment is one of the key tenets to healthy living, and life on the Medi program is no exception. While the rest of Southlake may be adjusting to cutback in water use (except for a few neighborhoods on Continental that routinely water their green space at 4 in the afternoon), I am getting used to the vast quantities of water I am (or at least should be) consuming.  The Medi program suggests that I drink between 64-128 ounces of water. That’s a lot of H20; especially if Diet Cokes do not count… And they don’t.

I know water is good for me and not just to lose weight. Prior to this journey , there were weeks that when I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a glass of water. I will readily admit I would rather a fountain Diet Coke any day of the week over a bottle of water, no matter how wonderful water is for me. And it’s not the caffeine; it’s bubbly, it’s refreshing and actually tastes like something. Water—not so much.

But maybe the adage is true that the healthier you eat, your body starts to crave healthier things.  Or maybe it’s the Texas summer and the all the walking in preparation for the Breast Cancer 3- Day Walk but I just can’t get enough agua these days. Cold or tepid, with flavoring or not, I  amjust thirsting for water. And it’s certainly helping. The lbs keep falling off. I wouldn’t necessarily call it effortless, but it’s been a fairly easy task so far. And I am thrilled to say the least.
Now, if I could just create an aversion to Diet Coke I would be all set.

Week 2:

I have a feeling that the scale isn’t going to be as generous as it was last week. In addition my son’s second birthday (which is now a weekend long festivus), the in-laws were in town and a lot was going on this week. In a last ditch effort to shed any weak ounces that are hanging on I walked last night before weighing in. And I’ll probably want to wear my lightest outfit and no jewelry. Every bit helps right?

And so begins that slippery slope of obsession that creeps up when trying to lose weight. Where was this beast two years ago when a milkshake was not necessarily a part of a special occasion? Not that this week was a bad week by all means. Considering I survived the Tex-Mex family outing and a birthday party without a chip and salsa or slice of cake to my lips, I would put 2 points in my willpower column. But as the week wears on, the adrenaline that kept me chugging along on my to-do list last week is beginning to wane and even my bosses have inquired if I had had my B12 shot this week.

Of course with being tired come the cravings. Sure sign I probably need a really big glass of water, but instead I opt for, in a true Lifetime Original Movie moment, a shot (or two or three) of Reddi Whip straight out of the can. Hindsight: I probably didn’t focus enough attention on what I was eating and actually writing it down. This week was all about quick and easy.

But I am down 2 lbs and an inch in the middle (though secretly I was hoping for 3 lbs). The clothes are definitely getting looser so as long as it’s a loss, it’s a gain to me. I did stick to the eating plan and I did walk five days this week, but there are definitely areas of improvement for next week.

Note to self… throw out the Reddi Whip.

Week 1:

Pounds lost:  10 lbs
My friend commented that it’s brave of me to start Medi during the Memorial Day weekend. I didn’t even realize it at the time.  Besides there never being a great time to start a diet, I think I was focused on my cousin’s wedding back East at the end of June and wanted to be a slimmer version of me. I was dreading the “Well, Texas and motherhood look like they agree with you ha-ha!” comments from well-meaning family and friends. The Medi program boasted 20 pounds in a month and my all-or-nothing mentality had already calculated that I had over a month. And I like to consider myself an overachiever (or probably more accurately overly-obsessive) so I was betting on myself to exceed expectations. Not the healthiest of mindset, admittedly, but if it’s the motivation I need then the end justifies the mean.
 
The long holiday weekend and Medi week 1 came and went and I feel great. I know that I am losing some poundage (the clothes are already getting looser and knowing that I am only consuming 500 calories, it would be mathematically impossible NOT to lose). The question is how much and is it really this easy? I am definitely not hungry and I don’t feel anxious or jittery or noticeably tired. Bedtime is a little later this week than usual, but I think that’s because I am getting ready for my son’s birthday and my in-laws visit.  I am tempted to step on the scale, but since I am convinced that my scale is broken (a convenient excuse for years) I am resist the urge and munch happily on a strip of turkey bacon.

So far so I’ve even kept up with my walking five times this week. While the Medi staff counsels against hard core exercising if it isn’t a part of your normal routine, I have signed up to participate in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk in November and have begun training with my team a couple of times a week and walking or exercising on my own as well. I am not going to win any speed walking competitions this week but at least I kept up with it and I feel fine.

I’ve never been a fan of eggs, so breakfast is eating turkey deli meat. Lunch is more of the same-- just out of convenience. Dinner is chicken breast or chicken tenderloins which is nice since the rest of the family can add it to a salad or pasta and make it a “normal” meal. And I don’t even mind making the pasta, that’s just how good I feel.  And any program that allows cheese works for me. I just have to watch it because those cubes of cheese can add up calorie-wise. I am actually looking forward to stepping on the scale on Thursday.

Meanwhile a montage of me in my skinny wardrobe flashes in my head. 

Day 1:

The waiting room at Medi is packed… and I mean standing room only.  And it’s the middle of Thursday afternoon. The men and women are all shapes and sizes—it makes you wonder how long have they been on the program? Are they at their goal and only maintaining? Or: do they pay skinny people to loiter so the program looks successful?
Eventually, they call my name and the initial assessment (aka 30, 000 mile check-up) begins. After a comprehensive blood panel (aka urinalysis), blood pressure check and an EKG, I step on the scale. Part scale, part NASA instrument, the scale does everything but issue a drivers license. It tells you your weight, Body Mass Index (BMI); Basal Metabolic Rate (the number of calories you would burn if you stayed in bed all day); percentage of Body Fat (a nauseating revelation by the way); and even the percentage of water weight (not sufficient enough to recover from the Body Fat %). After that, the staff member measures my waist and gives my first 2 injections. The B-6 Injection goes in the arm without pinch. The B12 injection is another story. No amount of cush in the tush can head off the sting of that shot.

After feeling completely deflated about myself (or feeling rather “inflated” technically speaking), I sat down with the Medical Director, Dr. Isabel Lopez, who reviewed the handouts and explained the program (or at least the first week of it anyway). Then she presents me with my starter kit. I feel less skeptical about the program. I think I understand all the rules and guidelines until I get to the grocery store. Her spiel now sounds like the Charlie Brown teacher in my head. All I remember in “NO CARBS” and “500 Calories”.  Needless to say, the grocery store visit was a light one. Armed with turkey and chicken, I am ready to dive in.

email Blake your thoughts or just cheer her on!

 

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