Taking it off | Week 4

Now I become myself. It’s taken
Time, many years and places;
I have been dissolved and shaken,
Worn other people’s faces…
– from a poem by May Sarton

You hear “you’ve let yourself go…” and 99% of the time think of the visual aspect of that, no? Someone who doesn’t care about their physical appearance. I think it’s so much more than this, though.

It hit me on Saturday, when after fixing my husband lunch, I asked him if he needed anything else. It probably goes back to my waitressing days, but I just can’t help it. I was kind of taken aback when he snapped at me: “You don’t have to ask me that! If I needed anything else, I would get up and get it myself! Now come sit down and eat!” Ouch. I do this every day. I’ve gotten lost in the shuffle of pleasing others.

• I put everyone else’s needs before my own.
• I push my feelings aside so as not to upset anyone.
• I let other people’s burdens weigh me down.
• I’ve let myself go.

Wife and mother… those may be my two main roles, but I know that I am more than that. This journey isn’t just about weight loss; it’s giving me an understanding of who I was, who I am, and who I can become.

___________________________________________________

 THE PLAN

I’ve been on the Medifast 5&1 plan for 4 weeks now. I’m still going strong and find that pretty amazing. I’ve never been on ANY diet for more than 4 weeks. (Read about weeks 1, 2, and 3 if you haven’t already!)

I just placed my second order. This time I chose some of the ready-to-eat ‘bites’ and pretzels because of the convenience factor. I’m going to NYC for a few days and want to be sure I’m stocked with effortless Medifast foods so I’m not tempted to buy something off the street or order from room service. I might make a few batches of Medifast oatmeal granola to take with me, too, after finding this recipe that sounds really good.

I had my first chat with my dietitian last week. She’s so nice, and the fact that I can contact her practically anytime is reassuring. We talked about my goals and she answered a couple of my questions. My main concern was whether I should take a supplement since I’m on such a low calorie diet. I’ve been hearing so much about Vitamin D3, for instance. She told me that all Medifast meals are fortified with 24 vitamins and minerals, which is basically equivalent to taking a multi-vitamin. So… as long as I’m eating my 5 Medifast meals and 1 L&G meal a day, a supplement isn’t necessary.

She also recommended that I take my measurements so that I can see my progress off the scale when my weight loss starts to slow down (which it has). I hadn’t measured since November and feel so dumb for not writing the numbers down on paper. I put them into SparkPeople instead, and when I reset my goals at the beginning of January, all my data disappeared. Poof! But of course I didn’t realize this until last week. I did take my measurements at that point, though, so I’ll give you an update on that next month.

While I may not have inches to compare, I’ve noticed other little things.

• My wedding ring is loose.
• I don’t feel the need to tear my bra off at the end of the day because it’s too tight.
• My favorite jeans are falling off me. Literally.
• The elliptical is getting easier (and I’m actually starting to enjoy it!)

MY WEIGHT

YES! I’m finally in the 100’s… but I only lost a pound, I thought to myself when I weighed myself on Sunday. I let myself feel disappointed for about one second before appreciating that I still lost weight. Maybe not the 2-3 lbs I was hoping for, but something. The scale is moving in the right direction and I’ll never let myself go back to where I was. I’ve lost almost 25% of my goal of 52 lbs, and with every milestone I conquer, I feel empowered.

• Starting weight: 211.6 lbs
• Weight lost week one: 7 lbs
• Weight lost week two: 2.8 lbs
• Weight lost week three: 1.8 lbs
• Weight lost week four: 1 lb
• Current weight: 199 lbs
• Still to go: 39 lbs

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT MEDIFAST?

Medifast recently introduced a new customer savings program. If you use my coupon code, BUZZ56, and sign up for Medifast Advantage, when you order $250+, you’ll receive 56 free Medifast Meals and free shipping! Medifast Advantage has a lot of perks, including free customizable meals and a free BlenderBottle with minimum purchase.

The details: For your first order of $250+, use my code, and enroll in Medifast Advantage to receive 28 free meals. Do the same on your next order and you’ll receive ANOTHER 28 free meals! This offer is only valid if you enroll in Medifast Advantage, and it’s limited to one per customer. It’s not valid with prior purchases, any other promotions or discounts, or for Medifast Ready-to-Drink Shakes. Check out Medifast’s website for complete details on the program and discounts.

Disclosure: I receive free product in order to evaluate and comment on my experiences on the Medifast Program. Medifast products and the Medifast Program are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Any medical improvements noted while on the program are related to weight loss in general, and not to Medifast products or programs.