Though I didn't speak to the "newbies" leaving for their first week of the program, I wondered to myself what advice I had to give to these people just starting out. Is there anything I could have been told at the beginning that would have helped? Some of them looked pretty apprehensive.
Here's what I might have said:
1) It's normal to be nervous, even panicky. I had to fight panic attacks over the small pile of food for each day. I imagined eating it all by 1 or 2 and starving the rest of the day. But for me at least, that never happened. In fact, sometimes I skipped (against orders) the last product!
2) Some groups or group members are going to be much more athletic than others. If you're a couch potato don't panic. Any movement is good, you don't have to go to a spin class. As you lose weight moving will get easier. Don't give up because you aren't doing as much exercise as the leader might want. Baby steps.
3) Sixteen weeks (of product-only) sounds like forever. Like impossible to get through. But here I am at week 13, practically on the home stretch, and it's gone really fast. Which is what they said would happen. But it's hard to believe starting out.
4) Losing weight, getting smaller, feeling better, is all so good that it's worth the inconvenience and stress of skipping parties, passing on treats offered, saying no to alcohol, avoiding restaurants in general, and eating weird when the rest of the world seems to eat whatever they want. The reward is how you will look and feel, and the sense of accomplishment in getting the number on the scale to go down, whether it's fast, or as in my case, slow and steady.
To those just starting out on this program (or any regime to improve your body and develop healthy habits to take better care of yourself), stick with it, good luck, blessings and best wishes!
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the newbie post; I started a 12 week Optifast program up here in Canada just this past Wednesday. I don't have a group to attend so your words of wisdom this first week are very welcome and helpful - thank you for taking the time to post them.
All the best, Suzie
That would make it a little more challenging, not having a support group. But you have a medical provider or someone who you are seeing regularly about the program? Do you have weekly weigh-ins? For most of us that accountability helped. But if you are on your own I'm sure you can do it! Good luck and keep me posted on your success. :-)
DeleteHi Sharon,
DeleteYes, I'm doing the Optifast through a hospital in Hamilton and I have a doctor, a social worker, dietician and OT available to me. I see them about once/month (the doctor 2X month). I travel a lot for work so the group really isn't an option as I wouldn't be there all the time; it wouldn't be fair to other members. I have a friend who went through the same program in Ottawa so he's been supportive and a good resource. And having the online groups has been informative and helpful, I don't feel so alone and it's been a good place to get questions asked.
I weigh in at home and do my first weigh in at the hospital next week since starting the program. According to my home scale I'm down 9.8lbs since starting - goes to show how much junk I've been eating!
Thanks again for your support and I will keep you posted. And I hope your journey is going well, too! Cheers, Suzie
That's great Suzie. I know my home scale was different from the "official" one but I used it to see relative loss, not absolute numbers. Traveling must be a challenge - I know it is for me. Good luck with your support, both in person and online. How long do you plan to be on product only?
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon! My program is for 3 months so until September 7th. Then it'll be 3 shakes, 1 meal, but I'm not sure how they break the timeline down for re-entry of food (3 shakes/1 meal; 2 shakes/2 meals, etc..). :-)
DeleteFor us, every transition move was supposed to be sustained for two or three weeks, but our leader wanted us to go very slowly. I got a little impatient! But going back to "real food" is the hardest part. Good luck with the next three months and transition!!!
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