What are people saying about the Comprehensive Weight Management program? Check out these 17 testimonials. Pretty cool, huh?
Stephanie was one of our winners in the Refresh You $5,000 Makeover for You and a Friend Contest. After starting the Very Low Calorie Diet Program and making it through the transition phases, she’s done very well. In fact, we changed her photo because the original one just doesn’t cut it anymore. Now she’s back to real food and ready to report more progress. Stephanie’s blog is 99.9% unedited. You’ll read it all, as it really is — the triumphs, the setbacks and the results. To read all of Stephanie’s blog entries, just use the word “Stephanie” in the search box in the upper right.
So it’s been a while since I wrote a post. Life certainly has a way of taking over and things have been a bit out of control for me. Work has been busy, I’m taking two classes right now, and let’s just throw a few holidays in for good measure. But that’s just real life.
At least part of the appeal of the weight management program was that it removed me from real life for a while. And while we all hope we can gain the skills to continue the journey in our every day world, we don’t actually know until we get there.
When I left you last, I was looking forward to starting back on real food. And when I did, it was just as great as I had hoped.
It wasn’t overwhelming, and it was very freeing to be making my own food choices again. I had lots of fun finding new ways to cook veggies and slowly, but surely, I added in other food groups.
Then, after three and a half weeks on real food, I had my first real test–a meeting and weigh-in with Toni the Nutritionist. And again, it was great. I hit 51.3 pounds lost! I have lost weight before, but I have never hit 50 pounds. I was proud of what I had done and determined to keep working towards my goals.
And then it happened. The first big derailment.
I’m not talking about a few extra calories. I’m talking about nearly two weeks of veering off the plan. It started the weekend before Thanksgiving with a night out with friends. You know, dinner and drinks. And while it should have ended there, it continued the next day. And the next. And then I thought, “Well, as soon as Thanksgiving is over, I’ll get back on my eating plan and start exercising again.”
It is truly terrifying how quickly old thought patterns can creep back into your life. And so here I am. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, promising myself that tomorrow is a new day and the perfect day to get back on track.
I know mistakes and bad decisions will happen. After all, being healthy will be something I need to work on every day for the rest of my life. The real test is how I handle these mistakes. Will I let myself spiral out of control until I’ve gained back that 50 pounds and then some? Or will I forgive myself, stay with it, and permanently change my life? (And hopefully next time, not wait two weeks to get back on track!)
Stay tuned to find out.
Oh and one more thing…I haven’t weighed myself since I met with Toni, and I don’t think I’m going to for a while. I meet with her again in two weeks, hopefully enough time to undo any damage I did. I need to keep pushing and continue to lose weight, but if I can maintain over the holidays, I will be in good shape. Wish me luck!
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 and doing remarkably well. In fact, she’s doing so well that we changed her photo — the original one just doesn’t cut it anymore. Stephanie’s blog is 99.9% unedited. You’ll read it all, as it really is — the triumphs, the setbacks and the results.
As I said in my last entry, my husband and I started a Couch to 5K program. It is basically a very slow and conservative program that helps you build up to running a 5K. (Do a Google search on C25K and you’ll find dozens of customizable programs. Actually, just click here and I’ll Google it for you in a new window. )
As well as I’ve been doing on my calorie intake, my calorie burning has been off to a slower start. Since I’m only on straight VLCD for another few weeks, I’m starting to panic about my lack of activity. Some of you might say that running a 5K is pretty ambitious. Why not start with a walking program?
So I am going to divulge the real reason. And stay with me, because I promise I have a point.
Summer in Wisconsin, in certain circles, is also known as beer tent season. Now I don’t plan my entire summer around which beer tent is hosted in which town. (Some of you do – you know who you are). But there are two or three that I like to attend with friends.
I was wondering… How can I justify spending an entire evening at a beer tent drinking and eating? Can I just never go again? Because to be completely honest, a beer tent is not the kind of activity that would still be fun if I were drinking soda. Amiright?
However, beer tents are generally tied to a community festival of sorts. And nearly every community festival includes some sort of fun run/walk. I’d feel a lot better about spending the night at a beer tent if I had run a 5K or even 10K earlier in the day.
If I complete this program, I should have no problem running in these events next summer. Eventually, I will meet my goal and I need to find ways to maintain that goal while living my life.
OK, the beer tent thing isn’t the only reason I want to run these events. It would also be a really big accomplishment for me — something I set out to do and finished. Something tangible that my family could watch me do and maybe even be involved in.
I’m already seeing results. After doing the program for one week, I lost 4.8 pounds. I’ve been averaging around 3 pounds per week throughout the entire VLCD, so it’s no mystery what gave me the extra push last week.
Now my grand total weight loss is just under 40 pounds. (I’m almost there!) Two more weeks until I get to eat real food! I’ll keep you posted!
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.
Last time I promised I’d tell you about a great resource that has helped me a lot. In fact, it’s been absolutely golden.
Ladies and gentlemen, CalorieKing.com.
One of the ways I can gain weight easily is by going into pretty powerful denial about what and how much I am actually eating. CalorieKing is a really easy (and free) program that helps you track exactly what you are eating – and subtract calories burned exercising – so you can’t get away with denial. It’s really helpful. When I am working on my laptop at night or checking Facebook after dinner, I just jump over to CalorieKing and enter the info. It’s quick and really simple. And it doesn’t let you get away with anything!
So I continue on, in maintenance mode. Ideally, in maintenance, you continue to lose weight since the calorie levels are still low. Because I have been struggling (and perhaps because I am exercising) I have put on five pounds. Not what I’d like to report, but I am still winning the battle.
At times I wish I was back in the low-calorie part of the program. No decisions to make. No portions sizes to worry about. I loved having all that extra energy to redirect to other parts of my life. But – I’m here. I keep learning. And I have the support of the program staff whenever I need it. If you are considering the program—DO IT! You won’t regret it.
Stay tuned… there’s much more to tell you about my adventure.
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.
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