Week 1 2/27 Monday -Last day of week one

It has gotten easier and easier to drink 1 gallon of water every day.

Tonight, we got our food replacement products for week 2 after our meeting.

Before the meeting tonight we all had our blood pressure taken, our weight taken and paid for our week 1 food.  This will happen every week.

My blood pressure was down, my weight was up 3 lbs. but considering a gallon of water weighs 8.36 lbs.  I think that is why!    I visited the bathroom 2 times before I left tonight.

Then we went down to our meeting.

We first all received our food for week 2 and filled out our order for week 3.

We have some homework so I will talk about that tomorrow when I do it.


This will be my schedule for eating:

7:30 AM      shake
10:30 or 11  soup
1 PM            shake
3 PM            snack
6 PM            shake
8 PM            snack


Simone and I walked this morning and so today's steps are 10,300.

Week 1 day 3 Friday

 I feel like I spend all day drinking water.  Not that it is that hard, but it does take time and I am not getting much done.  It is constant remembering to do it.  Going and getting the glass, filling it and then actually drinking it, repeat.  I have 2 glasses, each with a rubber band on them to show they are my glasses.  That helps cut the number of times to refill by half.  I have my gallon jug that I fill in the morning and tells me how much I have to go.  The last three glasses are the hardest.  The jug looks so empty that I under estimate how much I have to finish.

Week 1 day 2 Thursday

I forgot to mention yesterday that I decided to drop my water pill and potassium pill.  I have been questioning the need for the water pill since I have been on it, about 16 years.  I will be watching for water retention, so far, 1 day in, I don't see any problem.  I decided to do this because I will be dropping them anyway next week when I do my med change per doctor when I start the "meal replacement".  By the way, the potassium goes with the water pill because as you use a diuretic  you can loose potassium as well, so the potassium pill replaces it.

So, since I managed to drink the gallon of water yesterday and I started a bit late I ended around 8:30pm and I was concerned I would be up many times during the night in the bathroom.  Nope. I got up only once and had a good sleep 8 hours 14 min according to fitbit.   AND I was thirsty at 1:30 when I go up, and I mean thirsty.  Also, in the morning I was thirsty when I got up and by 9am I have had 2 tall glasses of water!

I wasn't starving this morning and had breakfast, 1 egg and potato hash.
Lunch- small roast beef sandwich, mango
dinner - small chicken breast, seared with asparagus
snack - cantolupe

1 gallon of water - done
plus 1 cup of milk

5100 steps

Week 1 Day 1 Officially!

Last night we met for the first time all those that will be in our class.  There were around 30 people, pretty much half and half men and women.  The men are mostly heavy and look like if they don't succeed at this it will be really not good for their health.  The women are various weights, though none really really heavy.  I am probably on the thinner end of the spectrum.

We met upstairs first, registering and for each of us to have our beginning photos taken, front view and side view.  Then we each had our blood pressure taken.  Mine was higher than normal even though she took it twice.  I think I was anxious and excited about starting the program.  She said it was still ok. The first time it was 151/96, the second it was 150/90.

Then we were weighed.  They have a fancy scale that measures all kinds of things  with a printout.

I was nervous, I couldn't even remember how old I was. That is partly because I said I was 72 for a full year before I realized I was 71 so now I get another year of 72!

February 21, 2017

Body Type      Standard

Gender            Female

Age                 72

Height             5 ft 1.5 inches

Weight            184.0 lb

BMI                34.2

BMR              5892  kj

                       1408  kcal

Impedence      520

Fat%               47.3

Fat Mass         87.0 lbs=

FFM               97.0 lb

TBW              71.01 lb

Desirable Range

Fat%               24 - 46%

Fat Mass         30.5 - 54.5 lb

The last number, I would assume, means how much is acceptable loss.  My doctor set my goal at 40 lbs.

Then we went downstairs to our meeting room and met each other and the staff.  Our "Leader"  is a nurse/nutritionist that when through this years ago.  Her assistants are Karen, an Exercizoligist, who is also a pescatarian, a vegetarian that eats fish. And Junia, who is expertise at Natural Medicine, Hypnotheropy, and Stress Management. 

We went through paperwork signing, and our first payment.

Junia led us through a stress release exercise and then we got down to business.

This first week is a transition of mind and body to get ready for next week - liquid diet.

 1. We are supposed to start our water drinking - 1 gallon per day. In the water we can put lemon, Crystal Light (under 5 calories).

2.  We can have decaffenated coffee or tea - 2 cups max per day.  Nothing in it that has calories.  Once we are on the "product" we can use a bit of our vanilla shake to flavor the decaf coffee to replace milk or cream or chocolate shake to latte.

3.  This week we will be going back to basics on calories.  They didn't say just how much to cut back. 

4.  A chart was passed out of our schedule for the weeks of "Full replacement Meals", "Transition", "Maintenance".   It shows when we have our Medical Checkups and when Lab work is due.  We need to have the Lab work done several days ahead of the class & lab results.  We will be given a yellow card to present to Lab so results will be expedited to the program.

If we can't come to our Tuesday meeting we need to let them know 2 weeks before to order food.

So then we filled out our order form for our food for week 2.  We have to have 6 products each for 7 days =  42 individual items.

The products are:

Each in a box of 7:

Tomato Soup

Chicken Soup

Individual servings Ready to Serve Shakes:

Chocolate Shake

Vanilla Shake

Strawberry Shake

Each in a box of 7 Dry You-mix shakes:

Chocolate Shake

Vanilla Shake

Strawberry Shake

Each in a box of 7 each:  (forgot to copy all the names of the bars)

___________

___________

chocolate

peanut crunch

___________

___________

About this time I was zoning out. When I got home I realized I hadn't had dinner and I really was hungry.  That made me feel better because I had a heck of a time figuring out what I should order for next week.  A lady next to me had been on this program several years ago, did just the first 4 months, and she knew just what to order.  So I copied hers.  

So next week I will be picking up my order of:

7 Chocolate Shakes

7 Vanilla Shakes

7 Strawberry Shakes

7 chicken soups

7 chocolate bars

7 peanut crunch bars

Equals 42 total servings

I went out this morning and bought 2 1 gallon bottles of water.  I was going to do 16 oz water bottles but I think this will be easier to track.  So far I am through half the gallon at 2pm.  This is going to be

the hard part I think.  Though the water doesn't leave much room for thinking of food.

Our electricity was out all morning so I made a sandwich for breakfast.

For lunch I think I will have my breakfast, maybe oatmeal, that should be filling.

For dinner I have chicken breasts and veggies to figure something out.  I have lots of Blue Apron spices left over to season them with.

But for now, I have to go get on that treadmill, I have 2,800 steps so far.

PS: I didn't walk long on the treadmill, by bedtime I was at 5050 steps.

The Program Starts This Evening! Test results

This evening is the start of the weight program!  I am excited to get this on the road.

Tonight we will check in, get weighed and have a class with all the instructions for next week when the liquid diet starts

This is all the blood work I had done:

All of them were just fine except for the first time it showed that I am pre-diabetic!

What timing!  The doctor said this diet will take care of that!

My problems are:

Hyperlipidemia

Hypertension

Osteoarthritis of first CMC joint

Osteoarthritis of knee

She doesn't mention Osteoarthritis of the hip.

My meds are:

Indapamide

Potassium Chloride

Lisinopril

The first 2 are for water retention, Lisimopril is for high blood pressure

The doctor will have me stop the Indapamide an Potassium Chloride when the meal replacement starts and will a new medicine, amiodipine, will take the place of them. 

All vaccines are up to date.

Feb. 19, 2017 Getting anxious!

Everyone is waiting for me to get started on this diet, but I am more than anyone!

I spent time on the treadmill this morning trying to work off the French Toast I had for breakfast.  I am still working on the Madi Gras syndrome.

 I had bought a jar of extra chunky peanut butter about a week and a half ago and had eaten it down pretty darn low.  While talking to my friend, Simone, about the "fear" that I would not be able to eat these things for a long time, it dawned on me that I could just get rid of that peanut butter jar and not worry about getting into it again.  So she held on the phone while I ran to get the jar, fill it with water, empty it out and dump it in the trash.  Ahhhhhh!  I don't have to worry about fighting that any more!

I just get this thing that if I am eating something I shouldn't I should keep going to just finish it off.  So Psychy!

And there is the thought that I will never be able to eat certain things again so I have to have them all before this diet starts.  At least I don't feel like I really have to binge on them.

I am so ready for this program to start.  The first week will be lessons on how the whole thing works. Each week we have to have blood pressure taken, weight taken with a special scale and sign in before class.  The Dr will make sure we are doing ok, following the diet, and no problems.

 The "liquid" food consists of 3 kinds of shakes, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and 6 kinds of bars and 2 soups, a vegetable and a chicken.  We are supposed to have one of these items for each of the 6 times we eat per day.  The soups, we are supposed to keep to a minimum because they have salt in them. Plus one gallon of water per day.

Tuesday evening will be WEEK ONE,  when my meeting is so will be writing a follow-up on Wednesday.

Feb. 16 The psychology of going on a weight loss diet

I really would like to avoid the little games half of me plays when it comes to food.  So, I know I am going to be giving up the foods I have been eating so what does the little devil on my shoulder say? " "This is your last chance at this taste so do it now or you will just die!"

I know I could give up a lot of foods for forever and not die because of it.  It is just silly, but that is one of the head games played.

I did well on just a normal diet until evening.  I wasn't really hungry but the though popped into my head that for a snack I will have a sliced apple )
(REALLY healthy) and chunky peanutbutter, just beause.  I love the chunks in peanut butter.  All was good except a bit over the top on the peanutbutter.  I am going to have to toss that!

And then there is, you have to watch your health!  Well, if I had really been doing that I wouldn't be in the spot of having to go on this diet.  Since I will be having so many medical people keeping an eye on my health, I just have to let this one go.

That is the thing about the psychology aspect is that it is so one sided, against you.  I have to really spend time to think it out and push against what is not true.

I am hoping that at the end of the first 4 months (liquid diet) I will have it engrained in my brain, portion control and health food.  And the reward will be so many things: less hip pain and joint pain in general, more energy, clothes fitting better and feeling better about myself.

Right now I feel huge.  Looking forward to some good news soon.  I can't even imagine what 40 lbs off will look like....Oh, I am really believing in those 40 lbs right now!

I am writing this today because I know I will have hard times ahead and I will be able to come back to this to see where I was at this point!

February 14, 2017 The Date of the Start of the Program is Next Week - 2/21/17

I received by email the letter that meeting that starts week 1 of the program will be February 21.

These are the pertinent detail:



Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Time: 5:00 – 7:00 PM (check – in 5:00 – 6:00 and class is from 6:00 – 7:00 PM)

(Check-in includes: registration, weigh in, and blood pressure monitoring.

We will be using a special scale (body composition analyzer
goal setter) which requires standing on the scale bare footed.

Medical checkups and lab work are also done 5-6 times during the entire 30 week

program)

Photos will be taken during check-in time.


You will start meal replacement products on week two (Tue, Feb 28th).


So far I have gone through a couple of sessions of "Maudi Gras" and regretted it and felt foolish after a little binge.  I really can't wait until the program starts. The little devil and little angel on my shoulders are breaking out in battles every so often.  I would love to have a hypnosis session to curb a couple of my bad habits!

It just so happens that the weather has been great the last few days so a friend and I have been walking.  We hadn't really been walking since the beginning of Nov.  It is due to rain tomorrow evening so I am going to try to push myself on the treadmill.

 Blue Apron has been cancelled, last meals will be delivered Thurs, Feb. 16.

February 13th, 2017 The Doctor Appointment

Today I went to the Dr appointment to get the medical ok to participate in the program.

I really enjoyed the Dr.  We really hit it off.  Anyhow, all my bloodwork came back fine, except the glucose...  Well, what timing, I have crossed to line to pre-diabetic.  It is time for this diet.

She is discontinuing the prescriptions I have taken for years of a water pill and potassium that goes with it.  Because I will be drinking 1 gallon of water per day she doesn't want me to be on a diuretic.

She is discontinuing the prescription I have taken for years for high blood pressure and will be giving me another prescription that I am not to start until I start the diet food.

My weight was taken, with shoes and clothes  189
My height - 5'1"
A picture of me was taken.

We went over all the info  on the diet and the Doctor has given her ok.  She will be following me, along with another doctor through the whole process.  She has set a goal of 150 lbs to reach.  She said I should not have any problems reaching that goal and maybe more.  She will be monitoring to make sure I am not loosing too fast or too slowly as per my health.


I will be getting a card in the mail for the meeting that actually starts the diet.  One person mentioned will won't be starting on the diet food until the next week.  This meeting will lay out all the practical things we will need to do starting the next week.

February 9, 2017 Tests needed

They require that a whole list of blood work and an ekg done before seeing the doctor for an ok to be able to participate in the program.

After 5 vials of blood drawn and the ekg done I am ready for the Doctor Appointment on the 13th.

February 7, 2017 THE MEETING!

A couple weeks ago Kaiser sent me a letter on this Health Management Program.  I felt like it was time to try again because I was putting on weight faster than I had been.  It was out of control and I really needed to have someone beat me into submission....well at least to help me for a period of time. They didn't say how much the program cost, so I called them.

They said I should go to their meeting and I would find out all details there.  So, I signed up for the meeting.

The meeting, held at Union City Kaiser was rather interesting. It is an 82 week program, a year and a half.  It is medically controlled and the liquid diet part is a prescription.  The liquid diet lasts for the first 4 months, meanwhile you are being medically monitored and training starts for transition to normal food.

The little show and tell was rather interesting.  There are lots of health issued that can be cured or lessened. I was impressed by the amount of monitoring they will do.

The daily diet food is 960 calories per  day. plus 1 gallon of water per day.
The food consists of 3 flavors of shakes, many kinds of bars and a couple kinds of soup. They gave us samples of all the shakes and bars.  The bars were very good, especially the chocolate mint.   The shakes were room temperature and I think would be better cold.  I didn't try the strawberry shake but the vanilla was ok, the chocolate was rather tasty.

The cost is $90 per week for the diet food which is needed for 4 months.  Then the other fees add up to about $1200 for the year and a half.  It is expensive but so is the loss of health.

With the idea that this is going to be a big change in my life and if it helps the pain of the arthritic hip that will be a bonus to the weight loss.  Most all people in this program loose 40 lbs that first 4 months.  A few keep loosing for a while in transition.

 So, I signed up