[thewomanwithin67]

Just a bit about my habits and what I've done so far:

From 6/15/05 - 12/31/05 296-299 pounds - followed a low fat diet
1/16/06 289 pounds -- had a Drs appt BM
3/1/06 272.0 Hydroxycut (bleh!)
3/31/06 274.5 Low Carb/High Protein Diet plus I cut out ALL carbonated beverages and drink only water/tea/coffee and switched to artifical sweeteners.
4/1/06 Exercise 1-2 times per week
6/1/06 Exercise 4-6 times per week

8/1/06 264.5 Started Phen and Low Cal Diet -
EAS carb control shakes (lots of vitaimins & minerals); Chicken Salads & a small dinner
10/4/06 244 Started Low Fat Diet again (didn't stay with it)
11/18/06 Restarted Phen (10 day break)
11/25/06 231.5
12/2/06 227.5 (stomach virus)
12/9/06 227.0
12/16/06 225.0

From March until August, I was eating about 1400-1700 calories and exercising 4-6 times a week. I lost from 274 down to 264.5 from March to August.

It was so painstakingly slow I was ready to give up. I went to the Medi weight loss Clinic and about passed out when they told me 500 calorie diet, since I had already cut my calories almost in half.

When I started Phen on August 1st, I could not eat for 3 days. I drank like mad and felt like I was floating from all the water and protein shakes (EAS). At that point I was so exhausted there was no way I could exercise. I was loving it though, I was losing weight consistently and didn't realize I was losing much needed muscle also.

It all went down hill from there - I started losing massive amounts of hair, my nails and skin were horrible. When I went in Oct for my checkup my pcp was going to take me off and not give me a prescription again :( I have a severe nutrition defiency that shows up in my nails (white bands across the beds).

I went to get my hair done and my friend that has done my hair for 8 years said I had MAJOR damage to my hair & nails already.

Since August, when I have tried to exercise I have problems with muscle aches pains and just overall malaise (sp). Sometimes it was really painful just to go grocery shopping.

I went from 264.5 to 235 from Aug - Nov. and lost about 40 inches overall. I forced myself to eat the 500-750 calories I was eating at that point. Luckily I like EAS shakes and salads.

After 6 or 7 years of being overweight and not being able to lose, I got caught up in the thrill of losing weight daily/weekly. I thought if my pcp advised this, then it must be ok, until I started noticing the muscle loss.

Even as much as I weighed, I still had muscle definition and no problems with anything I wanted to do. It wasn't until my medication ran out and I had problems in Nov ordering and went without Phen for 12-14 days that I saw what was really happening.

My weightloss came to a standstill and I was tired of the "jello" look and feel, so when I ordered in Nov and got meds that didnt work as well, I was glad.

The other thing I noticed was I blanked out alot of times - sometimes I would stare and wonder what my next word was going to be and my family noticed it so much they started asking if I was developing Alzheimer's Disease.

I know Medi Weight Loss Center and my PcP's office insist on a plan like this:

here's their link: ReNew Institute Medical Spa
[If however, your BMI is greater than 30 you will placed immediately on a very low calorie, low carbohydrate diet and the appetite suppressants.]

I've gone to this PCP for 8 or 9 years, and Florida Medical Clinic has been around for years. Of course, this plan is monitored by them at their office weekly.

The great thing is, I started disliking the way I was feeling and my legs looking like jello, so I started searching about exercise when I joined this forum.

I just want to say THANK YOU to whoever recommended incline walking. I found an article/post here about it and decided to try it since I have upped my caloric intake and still want to lose weight.

A few years ago I got a nice treadmill as a gift and never realized the incline button lol I had to get my oldest daughter to show me where it was and how to use it :P

On Jan 2, I started out at 10-12 min 1/4 incline @ 1.5 mph. and worked my way up to where yesterday I did 35 min; 50% incline @2.3 mph. After all the problems Ive had the past few months, I wanted to take it slow and exercise to get "healthy".

After the 2nd or 3rd day, I could see a major difference in my legs and hips - some of the muscle I have lost is returning.

I took the battery out of my scale and put it away until Feb 1st. At some point I may go back to a low cal or low carb plan, but not for more than 2 weeks.

I just wanted to caution anyone who is doing this or thinking of doing this to be careful.