As I mentioned in a previous post, I have started doing Optifast again, which is a medically supervised, calorie restricted diet. And, as I write this, I have been at it for about three and a half weeks. I wanted to take the time in this post to share what I have felt and how it is going so far.
Although I can’t prove it, my thought is that this time around I am more observant about my feelings around food and my diet. Because of this, I have been amazed at how much emotional stock I put into food. I am also surprised at how much I have used food as a reward – and I have rewarded myself a lot it seems. I am not beating myself up about it, but I have realized that food has played a big role in what I think makes me happy. Of course, that has led to a lot of weight gain, and now I am working to change that.
The other trend this time around is that I live with two guys that are not on this diet. My husband is actually going to start with me soon, but so far I have been doing it on my own. Last time, my husband and I did it together the entire time. Needless to say, the temptations have been almost overwhelming. My son especially should not have to suffer because I am on a diet, and his leftovers sometimes are hard not to “clean up” by having me eat it. That has also helped me to reflect on how hard this journey can be for me. It’s a heck of a lot easier when those temptations are not in the house. However, by having them around I have to be even stronger in my resolve to stick to the plan.
Overall, though, things have been going well. The official total is I am down 17.8 pounds! I call that a victory, and hope that the weight loss continues. My exercise is also starting to ramp up, so that should help too. Here’s to continued improvement and success!