How I Lost 15 Pounds

OK... I have really hesitated to share, but in hopes it could encourage someone else, here goes.

I have never had a weight problem and can be thankful to have eaten as many desserts and and drank as many Dr. Peppers without the worry of gaining weight. Having Hannah at age 42, I was at a great weight and felt healthier than ever. I rode my bike often and at my peak of my ideal size.

I unleashed a problem with an imbalance in my thyroids once she was born and my weight started the roller coaster ride. Also, due to hitting my soon to be 50's, hormones kicked around and a struggle with weight actually became a problem. I always knew if I just reduced the amount of sweets, I would surely reduce quickly.

Very long story short...my sister in law, Shelley, also going through the similarities after many children and now metabolism also beginning to change, put on some pounds. She discovered a weight loss plan she tried and reached her weight goal extremely quickly.

I have never dieted in my life, but committed to myself to try for 3 days. I actually thought I would loose extremely fast because I loved sweets and this diet as well as all others will not allow. Learning that after 3 days, I had overcome the very hardest part of the diet, I pressed on.

In 6 weeks, I reached my weight goal of 15 pounds lost. More than the pounds, the inches began to fall off from head to toe. I have gone from size 12 to wearing 8 and 10 skirts!

Here is how it was done. With Shelley as my coach and using my primary care physician to monitor my blood levels, I used the Medifast Weight Loss System. I purchased 5 medifast products to eat each day along with 64 ounces of water, and one lean and green meal a day.

The one meal a day was more than I could eat in one meal. I split the amounts and ate half of it for lunch. It was hard to get in all of the medifast meals. I had to learn to drink one shake which was a high protein drink to kick off my metabolism early. Drinking the water was the challenge, but absolutely a must for weight loss. The one meal a day was a good amount of lean meat and veggies other than carrots, beans and potatoes. The key was, you starve your body from all carbs so it is forced to use the stored carbs you have for energy.

If I got hungry, I would eat a small amount of almonds, a celery stick with peanut butter, sugar free jello, olives or a pickle. I will say that I did not beat myself up for the small moments I may have cheated a little. It was such a drastic diet change that I just had to be proud of myself for

every moment I did the right thing.

The Medifast meals were: shakes, ready mix or powder which made thick shakes with ice in a blender, a pancake you make, bars which are delicious and filling, pretzels, which I did not like, soups, which I did not like but many others did. I mostly had the shakes, bars and pancakes.

Here I am late Fall of 2010, camouflaged in this coat.

This was taken just before I began the diet. At hospital to visit Josh, Josie and their new baby, Louis.

This was about one week into diet. Several couples in our family went to Ouisy's on Westheirmer. This was hard. The bread looked out of this world. I had salad and grilled salmon. If my coach had not been there with me, believe me, I am quiet sure I would have cheated. lol

This was 3 weeks into my diet. I was thrilled I could tuck in a top without looking enormous. Now, I can not wear this skirt...huge!

Week 4, size 10 skirt.
Present. I need a better flattering pic.

I can say my main goal was to overcome a very potential deadly problem with sleep apnea. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a couple of years ago. For me, I obviously could not tolerate much weight to prevent it. I am sleeping better and do not feel the symptoms of the apnea any more. My doctor says my blood sugar level has gone down and all of my levels are perfect. I am just needing to increase my good cholesteral which is being done by taking fish oil. One trick to that: freeze the capsules, then take. You don't get the after taste nearly as bad.

It is a great thing to look in the mirror and not beat myself up for being over weight. Shopping is so much more fun as it was increasingly being a challenge to get the right fit.

More info:

Contact Michelle Piatt who is a counselor for Medifast and can get the products for you:

Michelle Piatt