September - 2010 - Dean Refresh You

Stephanie’s blog, part 7: Want to see her progress? Prepare to be impressed.

By Stephanie Category: Refreshing Stories , Weight

Stephanie was one of our winners in the Refresh You $5,000 Makeover for You and a Friend Contest. She’s in the midst of the Very Low Calorie Diet Program. As she and her husband Aaron journey through their makeovers, we’ll share their updates. Their blogs are 99.9% unedited. You’ll read it all, as it really is — the triumphs, the setbacks and the results.

The last few weeks have been fairly uneventful. No crazy parties to attend, no family in town, and no work functions with giant spreads of food and drinks. So to spice up this entry, I’m including a photo. It’s not an after photo, because I’m not finished with this journey. It’s a progress photo. And it shows progress that I am very proud of. Check it out:

To date I have lost 35 pounds on VLCD!! I have gone down 2-3 pants sizes (depending on the manufacturer). I have more energy and I am happier. I still have a lot of ground to cover, but for now, I’m focusing on my accomplishments and these are all very big accomplishments for me.

That being said, I have to admit, I’m getting pretty sick of shakes and bars. I only have three weeks left of nothing but shakes and bars, and then I head on to the dreaded transition. A lot of people in class are very worried about transition and past participants have shared with me how difficult transition is.

Maybe I’m being naïve, but I’m really looking forward to transition. It works by slowly swapping out bars and shakes for real food. In Week One, I will be allowed to eat 4 ounces of lean meat and a cup of vegetables with my reduced number of shakes and bars. Week Two, I’ll add fruit. Week Three, dairy. On so on. The bars and shakes were great for rapid weight loss and some mental reprogramming, but obviously, it isn’t permanent. I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned in class to real life. And I’ve definitely learned a lot.

Toni the Nutritionist, yet again, dropped a little gem on me last week that really hit home. She said calories should be treated like money – more specifically a checkbook. You have a limited number of dollars in your checking account (or calories per day). You can spend them however you’d like. But the best plan is usually to pay your bills first and then use what’s left for fun. When applied to food, you should always “spend” your calories on nutritious food that’s full of the things you need to be healthy. If you have calories left over, you can go ahead and have that cookie, or chips, or whatever. And of course, when you’ve spent all of your calories for the day, you’re done eating.

I suppose it is no surprise to anyone that I’ve never balanced my checkbook in my life and I really just ballpark it when it comes to how much money I have left to spend on things. Clearly, I have let that way of thinking dictate my eating habits as well.

That’s all for now. My husband and I started a Couch to 5K program this morning. In the next entry, I’ll fill you all in on how it’s going and why we chose that program (the reason may surprise you). Stay tuned!

If you’re thinking about making a healthy change to improve your weight, getting started with the Dean Comprehensive Weight Management Program is easy. You begin by attending a free no-pressure-whatsoever information session. Here’s the schedule of times and locations. Y0u can also call (608) 824-4457 or (800) 808-1190 for more information, or check out the Comprehensive Weight Management section of the Deancare.com website.

The last few weeks have been fairly uneventful. No crazy parties to attend, no family in town, and no work functions with giant spreads of food and drinks. So to spice up this entry, I’m including a photo. It’s not an after photo, because I’m not finished with this journey. It’s a progress photo. And it shows progress that I am very proud of. To date I have lost 35 pounds on VLCD!!! I have gone down 2-3 pants sizes (depending on the manufacturer). I have more energy and I am happier. I still have a lot of ground to cover, but for now, I’m focusing on my accomplishments and these are all very big accomplishments for me.

That being said, I have to admit, I’m getting pretty sick of shakes and bars. I only have three weeks left of shakes and bars only and then I head on to the dreaded transition. A lot of people in class are very worried about transition and past participants have shared with me how difficult transition is. Maybe I’m being naïve, but I’m really looking forward to transition. It works by slow swapping out bars and shakes for real food. In week one, I will be allowed to eat 4 oz of lean meat and a cup of vegetables with my reduced number of shakes and bars. Week two, I’ll add fruit. Week three, dairy. On so on. The bars and shakes were great for rapid weight loss and some mental reprogramming, but obviously, it isn’t permanent. I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned in class to real life. And I’ve definitely learned a lot.

Toni the nutritionist, yet again, dropped a little gem on me last week that really hit home. She said calories should be treated like money – more specifically a checkbook. You have a limited number of dollars in your checking account (or calories per day). You can spend them however you’d like. But the best plan is usually to pay your bills first and then use what’s left for fun. When applied to food, you should always “spend” your calories on nutritious food that’s full of the things you need to be healthy. If you have calories left over, you can go ahead and have that cookie, or chips, or whatever. And of course, when you’ve spent all of your calories for the day, you’re done eating. I suppose it is no surprise to anyone that I’ve never balanced my checkbook in my life and I really just ballpark it when it comes to how much money I have left to spend on things. Clearly, I have let that way of thinking dictate my eating habits as well.

That’s all for now. My husband and I started a Couch to 5K program this morning. In the next entry, I’ll fill you all in on how it’s going and why we chose that program (the reason may surprise you). Stay tuned!

Football food: You need a game plan or your diet gets penalized.

By The Refresh You Staff Category: Gallery , Weight

Football is brutal, especially on diets. And when you live in a state filled with rich pregame traditions (and by rich pregame traditions we mean creamy fat-laden cheese-globbed bacon-covered traditions), a good game plan is essential.

So this fall, whether you’re attending a tailgate on Regent Street, hitting the local sports pub in Monona or entertaining fellow fans at your home, don’t let your diet get, um, sacked.

We’re not suggesting you nosh on salad and drink ice water in a sea of burgers and beer, but there are some ways to keep things under control.

PERSONAL FOUL: UNNECESSARY CALORIES.

Items labeled as fried, crispy, creamy and cheesy aren’t going to be the most healthful options. Before your festivities get under way, try eating an apple (or another fiber-filled snack) to avoid showing up hungry. And it really does make a difference when you sub out a side of deep-fried onion rings for steamed broccoli or opt for the no-cheese, no-mayo version of a sandwich.

PERSONAL FOUL: HARD-TO-MONITOR PORTION SIZES.

When you’re with a bunch of people, it’s easy to chow down on a appetizer and assume you didn’t consume many calories because everybody’s eating it. For example, an order of hot spinach and artichoke dip with chips packs as much as 1,200 calories and 90 grams of fat. So even if you split it four ways, that’s 300 calories per person. Ouch. Instead, opt for foods you can eat by the piece.

PERSONAL FOUL: NOT SPLITTING.

OK, so you don’t want your friends to give you a hard time for ordering a tiny salad with light dressing, but you know you don’t really need a big ol’ hamburger with fries, especially if you’ve snacked on the appetizer. See if a friend wants to split your meal with you or ask the waiter to put half in a to-go box before bringing it out. You won’t miss the calories one bit, especially with the destraction of the game.

PERSONAL FOUL: FAILURE TO PLAN AHEAD.

If you know where you’re going ahead of time, check out the nutrition information, choose what you’re going to order and then do it. Most restaurants have some healthful, lower-calorie, non-salad options available. For example, Buffalo Wild Wings has a grilled chicken sandwich that weighs in at only 470 calories and 7 grams of fat (without fries, of course). Not the greatest, but way better than huge sandwiches.

PERSONAL FOUL: FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN THE DRINKS. We all know that football and beer go hand in hand, but those empty calories can add up quickly. With light beers, you can be well under 100 calories for a 12-ounce serving — not bad if you limit yourself to one or two over the course of the event. Microbrews, on the other hand, can get close to 200 calories per serving. With other types of alcohol, especially when mixed with a sugary base, the calories per serving can be outrageous. Just do some investigation and planning before the event, and you’ll instantly know your limits.

With these tips, football season doesn’t have to be the end of diet season. For your next tailgate, see if you can make some healthy, positive changes.

Enjoy the game!

What happened to Tricia? What about her diet? Where has she been? What’s going on?

By tricia Category: Refreshing Stories , Weight

Our guest blogger, Tricia, provides a word-for-word account of the Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) program at Dean Clinic, part of the Comprehensive Weight Management program. If you’ve been reading along, you know that’s a fake name, but she’s absolutely a real person.

When we last heard from Tricia way back in June, her progress was remarkable. Sure, she had a few setbacks, but the combination of expert support and a new way of thinking about food has continued to show results. As she mentioned, it’s the mental part that triggers the eventual undoing. Let’s see how she fared through the summer.

September 14. It’s been a while! There’s a lot to tell.

Several months ago I officially entered the maintenance stage of my program after losing 42 pounds. As I mentioned in my last post, it proved to be more challenging than I had expected, despite warnings from the staff to approach this next phase soberly. Here’s what I know: having learned about better eating habits in my classes is VERY different from applying those habit in real life. The default, if I am not paying very close attention, is to revert back to the eating habits that I had long ago put on autopilot.

I am still having shakes for breakfast and for lunch I have soup every day — takes the guesswork out of the formula. I have a small bowl on my desk that I try to keep filled with fresh fruit or baby carrots or grape tomatoes. That part of my day is manageable.

It’s night that threatens to undo my success! When I get home I am tired and pretty wound up from work. I generally cook dinner for my spouse, who eats different things than I do. And it’s while I am grilling him a steak to go with his potato smothered in 1/3 a stick of butter that I start to want to nibble. That’s my undoing. The witching hour. I have to say I struggle with that daily. A few tricks are helping: I sometimes have a shake or a piece of fruit at my office late afternoon to tame the hunger beast. It also helps to drink a large glass of water when I get home.

My desperation tactic when all else fails is to pop in my Invisalign retainer! I can’t eat when I am wearing it. Plus, it’s easier and more socially acceptable than wiring my jaw or donning elbow locks so I can’t get food to my mouth! One clear and painful lesson is that losing weight with the very low calorie diet holds no guarantee unless you really, really put into action everything the staff tells you while your weight is disappearing. If not, those pounds are standing right outside your front door waiting to get in.

Now to the fun, upbeat news!

One day in June something snapped and I just put on running shoes, walked out the door and started running. Unlike previous attempts long, long ago, I did not run half a block and then walk. I kept running! I ran for about a half mile straight. Not pretty. Not fast. But there I was doing it. And I have kept it up ever since. I used to joke with my runner friends that running was to be reserved for those rare occasions when you were being chased. Now I get it! It is really tough going when you start a run, but when you get in the zone it becomes almost hypnotic. I went to a runners’ store and had a foot-strike analysis to determine the best running shoe for me and got some quality running shoes. I found MapMyRun online, which helps me determine distance anywhere I may run.

I’m still not fast. The other day a guy walking ahead of me (we’re talking normal walking) kept pace with me while I was running. I will never win a race. But a year ago I would not even have considered running, in part due to my weight. Now I am running my first 5K at the end of this month. Look. Over there… Monkeys are flying! I also did a fair amount of biking and kayaking over the summer. It felt good to do those things minus the weight I had the previous summer.

OK, that’s it for now. Next week I’ll tell you about an incredibly valuable resource I’ve been using to help me along the way. Talk to ya then!

To see all of Tricia’s posts and her complete journey through the Very Low Calorie Diet at Dean Clinic’s Comprehensive Weight Management Program, use the search word “Tricia” in the search box in the upper right. To learn more about the program or get started yourself, click here and have a look.

This just in: Dean Clinic launches the nation’s first iPhone app for MyChart.

By The Refresh You Staff Category: Refreshing Experts

Everyone here at Refresh You is always on the lookout for something cool and fun. This morning, we found out that Dean Clinic just released an app for Apple mobile devices (like the iPhone) which provides access to your MyChart account.

Go have a look at the new MyChart app.

As you’d expect, the interface is slick and intuitive and just darned cool. Here’s the best part: Dean is the first healthcare organization in the country to offer it!

As you know, we’re big on the traditional web-based MyChart system because the convenience and information are remarkable. (If you’re a Dean patient, you ARE taking advantage of this, right? If not, you can click here to get signed up for MyChart. It’s free.)

But now, this new MyChart app offers true mobility, instant access and optimized convenience. That means you’re no longer required to be in front of a traditional desktop or laptop computer to access the benefits of the MyChart system. Instead, you’ll have access to MyChart anywhere your Apple mobile device works. How cool is that?

Answers to questions that haven’t been asked yet:

1. Yes, it’s free.

2. Of course it’s secure. Very secure.

3. You can ONLY get it at the App Store. You know, the app on your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch. Just search for “MyChart.” (Alternatively, you can get it through the iTunes interface and then sync it to your device.)

4. With the MyChart app, you can view your health information, stay in touch with your physician with secure messaging, manage your appointments, get lab results the instant they’re available, access your family’s health information and much more.

5. Yeah, only for Apple products like the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

6. No, it’s not just mobile web. It’s an actual app. A very well-designed app.

7. If you have an iPad and install this, your coolness factor will be higher than we can possibly imagine. (We’re soooooo jealous.)

8. Here’s complete information over at the Dean Clinic site.

Stephanie’s blog, part 6: Sure, I’m on the Very Low Calorie Diet, but my family isn’t.

By Stephanie Category: Refreshing Stories , Weight

Stephanie was one of our winners in the Refresh You $5,000 Makeover for You and a Friend Contest. She’s in the midst of the Very Low Calorie Diet Program. As she and her husband Aaron journey through their makeovers, we’ll share their updates. Their blogs are 99.9% unedited. You’ll read it all, as it really is — the triumphs, the setbacks and the results.

So my husband’s family is about to arrive. This should be interesting.

Everything was going great. I was on the right track and feeling good about it. But as usual, life has a way of testing you. I’m guessing this will be one of those times.

My husband grew up in Wyoming and his entire family still lives out west. So a couple of times a year, they come out to visit and this time it was his parents, brother, and sister.

I was nervous about them coming since, like most people, when on vacation we normally spend a lot of time eating. This was like a vacation for them–they got on an airplane and everything. So I knew there would be lots of things they would want to eat. I tried to plan some activities that didn’t involve food, like hiking at Devil’s Lake or checking out some local outlet malls.

When they arrived, it became clear that they had already made some plans of their own, and just like I feared, almost all of them involved eating. In fact, I’m pretty sure we drove six hours round trip just so we could eat authentic Chicago deep dish pizza, hot dogs, and Italian beef sandwiches.

Here is a list of things I sat and watched people eat (and drink) during the four days they were here:

Wings, beer, deep-fried pickles, and other things from Quaker Steak and Lube
Assorted pastries from the New Glarus Bakery
Cheese and chocolate at the Cheese and Chocolate Haus
Beer tasting at the New Glarus Brewery
Burgers, chicken, fries, cheese curds and frozen custard at Culver’s
Cheese curds from the Cheese Cottage
Assorted sausages and other dried meat products
Fish fry
Brats, burgers, scallops, shrimp, beer, and other things while tailgating at Miller Park (not to mention cheese fries inside AGAIN!)
Deep dish pizza, hot dogs and Italian beef

I really do love my in-laws and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with them, but I was relieved to go back to my routine. And I am proud to say that with the exception of ONE scallop and TWO cheese curds, I stayed completely on the plan.

My next meeting is tomorrow and I’m really hoping that my perseverance paid off. Stick around. I’ll keep you posted.

If you’re thinking about making a healthy change to improve your weight, getting started with the Dean Comprehensive Weight Management Program is easy. You begin by attending a free no-pressure-whatsoever information session. Here’s the schedule of times and locations. Y0u can also call (608) 824-4457 or (800) 808-1190 for more information, or check out the Comprehensive Weight Management section of the Deancare.com website.

Everything was going great. I was on the right track and feeling good about it. But as usual, life has a way of testing you. This time, the test came in the form of family visiting from out of state. My husband grew up in Wyoming and his entire family still lives out west. So a couple of times a year, they come out to visit and this time it was his parents, brother, and sister. I was nervous about them coming since, like most people, when on vacation we normally spend a lot of time eating. This was like a vacation for them – they got on an airplane and everything. So I knew there would be lots of things they would want to eat. I tried to plan some activities that didn’t involve food like hiking at Devil’s Lake or checking out some local outlet malls. But when they arrived, it became clear that they had already made some plans of their own and just like I feared, almost all of them involved eating. In fact, I’m pretty sure we drove six hours round trip just so we could eat authentic Chicago deep dish pizza, hot dogs, and Italian beef sandwiches.

Here is a list of things I sat and watched people eat over the four days they were here:

Wings, Beer, Deep Fried Pickles, etc at Quaker Steak and Lube

Assorted Pastries from the New Glarus Bakery

Cheese and Chocolate at the Cheese and Chocolate Haus

Beer Tasting at the New Glarus Brewery

Burgers, Chicken, Fries, Cheese curds, Ice Cream at Culver’s

Cheese curds from the Cheese Cottage

Assorted sausage and other dried meat products

Fish Fry

Brats, Burgers, Scallops, Shrimp, Beer, etc. tailgating at Miller Park (not to mention cheese fries inside AGAIN!)

Deep Dish Pizza, etc.

I really do love my in-laws and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with them, but I was relieved to go back to my routine. And I am proud to say that with the exception of ONE scallop and TWO cheese curds, I stayed completely on plan. My next meeting is tomorrow and I’m really hoping that my perseverance paid off. Stick around. I’ll keep you posted.

Stephanie’s blog, part 5: The breakdown arrives.

By Stephanie Category: Refreshing Stories , Weight

Stephanie was one of our winners in the Refresh You $5,000 Makeover for You and a Friend Contest. She’s in the midst of the Very Low Calorie Diet Program. As she and her husband Aaron journey through their makeovers, we’ll share their updates. Their blogs are 99.9% unedited. You’ll read it all, as it really is — the triumphs, the setbacks and the results.

A lot has happened in the last few weeks. For the first time, I got a little off track, and probably not in the way you’d expect. I was skipping shakes. I’m supposed to have five a day and I was averaging about four, sometimes three. I was legitimately having a hard time fitting them in and I figured it couldn’t hurt too much, right? Wrong.
It showed up on weigh day. I lost two more pounds. That’s it. Two pounds.
I talked a lot with my doctor that day. (She’s actually quite entertaining and I’m not just saying that because I know she’ll read this.) She really stressed the importance of getting all of my product in and the importance of exercise. We set small goals: Get in every shake and take my son for a walk. They were easy, attainable goals and I left feeling like I had some work to do, but it would be OK.

Then I went home and cried. I was so frustrated with the results that I really started to question the program. The changes I’ve made are so extreme that I felt entitled to extreme results.

Oh, did I mention that my husband started watching what he was eating when I started the program? No? Well, he did, and he has already lost 20 pounds. I was coming in at about 17 pounds lost and he was at 20. It didn’t seem fair. No, it just plain wasn’t fair. He was eating real food and even had a two-beer-per-week allowance! I was eating shakes and bars.

So after I told him how much I hated him and he wasn’t allowed to lose anymore weight, I started to calm down and we talked. I know this is a long road. I’ve done this successfully before, but nothing ever stuck. I need this to be a permanent change. So I made up my mind to quit whining and push forward.

And it worked. I got all my shakes in over the next week and started getting more exercise in. Not necessarily formal exercise, but I started taking the stairs at work and went out of my way to take more steps. I was really feeling good and the scale was responding. At my next meeting I had lost over five more pounds!

At this point, my total pounds lost was 22.3! And I surpassed my husband!

But something even cooler started happening that week. I started getting comments. People who hadn’t seen me started asking if I’d lost weight. And those who knew about the program starting saying things like “I can tell you’ve lost weight” and “your hard work is really paying off.”

Some of my coworkers started to harass me about the pants I was wearing, calling them clown pants because they were clearly too big. I started pulling clothes out of the far back of the closet that hadn’t seen the light of day for months or even years. And I felt smaller. It was amazing. Nothing like progress to keep a girl motivated.

My husband’s family is going to be visiting soon. That’ll be a real test. I’ll tell you all about it soon, OK?

If you’re thinking about making a healthy change to improve your weight, getting started with the Dean Comprehensive Weight Management Program is easy. You begin by attending a free no-pressure-whatsoever information session. Here’s the schedule of times and locations. Y0u can also call (608) 824-4457 or (800) 808-1190 for more information, or check out the Comprehensive Weight Management section of the Deancare.com website.