WEEK 12 - 143 Pounds Lighter, Relationship Even Tighter

I can't believe this challenge is over already. It seems like we just started. My total weight loss since starting on the Medifast Program is 58 pounds. Thirty of those pounds have melted off since starting the Mother-Daughter Challenge in June. I am losing an average of ten pounds per month. Isn't that awesome? It is enough to keep me highly motivated on Medifast. I am not losing it so fast that it makes me worry that I won't be able to keep it off.

Since this is my last blog I must thank all of my family, friends, colleagues, Women Who Care and Medifast buddies for the votes you have cast on Kristin's and my behalf. You have also done a phenomenal job encouraging us. Please keep supporting us during this last week of voting which is Monday, August 27, 2007 through Monday, September 3, 2007 at 11:59 PM. I would also like to thank the creators and coordinators of the Mother-Daughter Challenge. Thank you for selecting Kristin and I for one of the participants. We are thrilled that we had this opportunity.

I cannot end this phase of my weight loss without sharing some of my thoughts with my beautiful daughter, Kristin.

Dear Kristin,
We make a wonderful team. You are my rock and my weight-loss confidant. I feel so much closer to you now, than we were before we joined Medifast. Instead of skirting around the issues, afraid to talk about being overweight, we now know many intimate details about each other. Can you imagine discussing those things three months ago?

You inspire me by not wavering and staying committed to the Medifast Program. You even had to live through looking at weekly photos of yourself. I know that was very hard for you. Your tears told me volumes. It felt so good today when we took the last photos. The next time we post pictures on the Medifast site, they will hopefully be our before and after shots when we reach our goal.

We both have new beginnings as we start back teaching. It is so much fun trying "new" clothes on with you. I am thrilled that some of the outfits I will be wearing came from your college wardrobe and that you raided my closet when you were here today. We've lost all of this weight and we don't have to invest in lots of new things. I am ecstatic that you can use the clothes that I can no longer wear. Don't forget to check at rummage sales, thrift shops, and yard sales. Jeans that fit and cost $1.00 are fun to wear!

I didn't know it was possible to love you even more. I do though. I am thankful every single day that you are my daughter.

Love,
Mom

WEEK 11
This was a wonderful week for self-esteem building. Summer vacation is over and I started back to work for the school year. My first morning back was spent in a business meeting learning about the changes that happened over the summer. It was my first chance to see all of the other Technology Resource teachers in the county. It was also the first time most of them saw me. I was a little apprehensive about going, but I heard compliment after compliment throughout the day. Of course lunch was catered, but I brought my trusty Medifast pudding and shakes to have throughout the day. I felt so empowered.

The next day was spent at my school. Only the administrative staff, the guidance counselors, the secretaries, and myself are back at work. Our teachers will be returning this Wednesday. Anyway, I was thrilled that my co-workers could really see the difference. It made all of the times I have had to say no to foods that I love, really worth it. I am more determined then ever to lose all the way down to my goal weight.

Sunday is my day to weigh and see how much weight I lost for the week. I was pleased that another 2.2 pounds has melted off. As of this morning I have lost 55.2 pounds. I am smaller then I have been in twenty-five years. I just want to keep on going and stay on Cloud Nine forever.

WEEK 10
Well, I’ve finally jumped over the 50 pound hump. My three pound loss this week has me down a total of 52 pounds since starting Medifast. Being able to do things quicker and easier is a great bonus I’ve already received from this weight loss journey.

One of the Medifast tools that has been very useful to me is the *Online Discussion Forum* on the *My Medifast* website. In July, I joined a challenge that would last the entire month. I ended up on the *Green Team*. Each week we worked on certain tasks to hopefully end up with the most weight lost at the end of the week. The weekly totals accumulated for a final tally at the end of the month. We drank more water one week, exercised more another week, and so on. Our team did so well that we that we scored more percentage points then the other six teams. The challenge was so successful that more people wanted in for the August Challenge. So now there is a total of 14 teams, or 201 people, competing. This has been so motivational because you really want to do well so you won’t let your teammates down. This month our team has even added a question of the day for each of us to reflect on. The team concept has helped me get to know other Medifast users. We cheer each other on, talk about our daily lives, and just plain have fun. *Go Greenies! You rock!*

WEEK 9
First, I’d like to thank my supporters: my family, my MyMedifast friends, the Women Who Care on Communispace, the Douglass Staff, my fellow TRTs, and other Loudoun County teachers and staff. I really appreciate all of your efforts.

I lost two pounds this week (49 pounds total since starting Medifast). I still love this weight loss plan and my commitment is stronger then it was when I started. My husband and I traveled through Virginia over the weekend and I did have some eating challenges. I could have gone off plan very easily, but I was determined to do the best I could in spite of the circumstances. We made a mistake and didn't screen the restaurant we ended up at the first night. It was late and we were both very hungry. It turned out to be a sandwich restaurant. I looked at all of the choices and ended up ordering part of two choices: the chicken breast sandwich with lettuce and tomato (no bread or mayo) and the portabella mushroom with lettuce and tomato (no bread or sauce). I asked the waiter to put both meals on one plate. So when my meal came it looked like it was meant to be that way. Of course it didn't hurt that I told the waiter I was dieting and didn't want to spoil my almost 50 pound loss. When he served my meal he let me know that he left off the chips to help me out!

WEEK 8 - Revelations
This was a fantastic Medifast week. Why would I say that? Because I’m three pounds away from losing fifty pounds since starting the Medifast Plan. That would be ten 5-pound bags of potatoes. How did I ever carry around that much more weight? This past week also brought some other surprises. I am now wearing three sizes smaller then when I started. One day I went to a store just to try on clothes. I know that is hard for people I know to believe, because they know how much I love to shop. It was easy to restrain myself, because it made me happy just to know that I was fitting into sizes I haven't worn since I started teaching about 34 years ago. My husband is noticing the changes in me. Yesterday he commented that I was really starting to get a figure. It was evident to me as well. I could see it when I put on my bathing suit. I guess that means I no longer look like a blob! Now that is an accomplishment.

My favorite Medifast Meals are the Chocolate Diabetic Shakes and the Chocolate Pudding. I don't think I’ll ever get tired of them. I'm spending the night as Kristin's tonight and I brought my waffle maker to show her how good the oatmeal is when it's turned into waffles. Mmmmm I can taste it already.

I hope everyone in the challenge stays true to the plan and does well this week.

WEEK 7
This past week was fantastic. Another 2.7 pounds is gone and my sizes keep dropping. My wonderful husband wants to share his feelings:
I am Rodney, Elaine's husband. It’s time you hear from someone else besides Elaine. Here are my thoughts on how she is doing on the Medifast Program. Since she started Elaine has lost 43.7 pounds. She really cares about her health and plans to make changes needed to improve her well being. Instead of being asked how she looks, I hear the following statements: "I haven't been able to wear this size in years." "Look what I found in my closet that I can wear now." "Look I just bought some new jeans that are the smallest zip-up jeans I've worn in 28 years." Her comments are not just about clothes, they also include, "I am sleeping better." I have more energy." "I feel better about myself." "I really enjoy the Medifast food."

Elaine has accomplished some other remarkable feats since starting Medifast. She's exercising, kicked a diet Coke addiction, and drinks water like a fish. Even her style of cooking improved. I've always loved vegetables but the new changes get my vote. The Lean & Green Meals, Medifast term I think, are hopefully here to stay. Sharing those meals and supporting her by not bringing any more goodies into the house, has helped me drop about ten pounds as well. This program gets my full support without a question. Way to go honey!

WEEK 6 - Humility and Pride
  This morning my scale said 247. I was thrilled with that, because I am now down a total of 41 pounds since I started the Medifast Plan on April 29th. Can you tell I LOVE this plan? Well I do! It is so easy to follow and the Medifast foods I eat most of the time taste very good. My favorites are the Chocolate Shakes; the Vanilla and Chocolate Pudding; the Caramel Nut and Peanut Butter Bars; the Blueberry, Apple Cinnamon, and Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal; and the Cream of Tomato Soup. I also use those products to make some of the muffins, cookies and breads that are legal on the plan.

  Last week I was humbled by the blog entry Kristin wrote about me. It moved me to tears. You go through your life and hope that you are a good person and that you do right by your children. It's odd how you tell your family members that you love them but you never really share your deep thoughts and feelings with them. You learn about each other on the surface for the most part. Every now and then something will happen, usually a crisis, and you get to see a little glimpse of the real person that they are, because they are vulnerable at the time. By doing Medifast with Kristin, I have learned so much more about her. The first time I realized this was when she poured out her heart in a blog she wrote on Sunday, May 6, 2007. (Part of that same blog was shared on the Medifast Mother-Daughter Challenge Blog during Week One.) When Kristin wrote about those feelings I learned that we had very similar feelings and desires. I felt like I was a fly in her brain learning about private stuff that normally would not have been shared with me. Doing this program as a team has brought us so much closer together. As I look back on our journey so far I know that the team approach has helped with my success. Whenever I have been tempted to veer from the 5 & 1 Plan, I decide that I wouldn't want Kristin to be disappointed. Of course I also don't want to disappoint myself, but a little Kristin sits on my shoulder all the time. We are fabulous individuals, but are much more powerful as a team.

  This week I would like to share a mother's pride in her daughter. As far as Medifast goes she is doing an amazing job. She has already lost 68.4 pounds. She is also doing the couch to 5k training program and has challenged her dad to join her in a race this November. Kristin began training when she still weighed over 300 pounds. Sometimes when she visits on the weekends she makes recipes with Medifast products for our breakfast like pancakes and muffins. I am thankful that she is an earlier riser and willing to make some of the recipes for us to share. Kristin is also a compassionate human being. She became a Special Education teacher because she worked with mentally challenged adults when she was in college. While other college kids were out partying, Kristin was staying overnight supervising these adults in the group home where they lived. She also volunteered as an Assistant Basketball Coach for Special Olympics when she was at the University of Virginia. Kristin's teaching career began just over five years ago and last year she earned the prestigious honor of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher. She is the only teacher to earn this honor while teaching at her school.

Kristin is a phenomenal teacher. Her dad is a Middle School Administrator and I am a Technology Resource Teacher. Both of us see teachers at work in the classroom. We have also had the opportunity to observe Kristin working with the autistic 15-21 year old students she teaches at Rockville HS. You can tell the moment you step into her classroom that Kristin is one of those people that is truly meant to teach. (I am not just saying this because I am her mother!) In addition to her regular classroom duties, Kristin has started a Best Buddies chapter at her school. She communicates with the parents of her students on a daily basis and makes home visits. Because she worries about how much her students could regress in the summer, Kristin teaches them in summer school. Kristin also initiated a special graduation celebration for her students, whom she continues to keep in contact with once they have graduated. In her spare time Kristin also tutors autistic kids through a privately funded grant program, works for PAW, dog rescue group, conducts training for other Special Education teachers and mentors teachers that are working towards National Board Certification. Yes I am proud, wouldn't you be?

WEEK 5 - Making Some Needed Modifications
  I am happy to report that the scale moved down a total of four pounds. The new scale I bought last weekend weighed me higher than the old broken one. So my current weight is 249.8. Finally I moved below that anticipated 250 mark. My progress has been slow the past three weeks and I have racked my brain trying to figure out what the cause could be. Kristin has continued to lose at a nice steady rate and my progress has been more like a trickle. I have narrowed my problem down to a few possibilities.

  Even though I hate to admit this, I stopped taking the medications my doctor prescribed for my diabetes about three weeks ago. It was wrong to do that because I am not a doctor. My excuse for doing it is lame. At one point my doctor said that once I was on the correct level of medication, my weight would stabilize or I would gain some weight. He was right. His predictions came true and I stopped losing weight when I reached the correct therapeutic level. My thinking was that if I came off the medicine I would be able to lose more quickly. Boy was I wrong! I also thought that because my consumption of calories had dropped by two-thirds of the calories I used to consume and I am not eating any refined sugar anymore, I wouldn't need the medication. Yesterday I started taking it again and I will continue to take it until I go for my checkup in August.

  After the third week on Medifast, it is time to add in the exercise component. I have tried to add it every week. I start with great intentions and do not follow through. My goal is to walk three days a week and do strength training for two days. I have purchased a cassette player and a walking tape, multiple DVDs with walking routines, and some three and five pound weights. We also have a jump rope I can use. Last week I walked one mile on Sunday. Then while we were away for a few days, I didn't walk again. I planned to walk on Friday and Saturday evenings and a family crisis got in the way both days. I know that stepping up my exercise will help me lose weight more quickly. Why is it so hard for me to do? This week I will include it at least three days.

  When I first started Medifast I was consuming more calories. I followed the mid to high range of calories that can be consumed by type 2 diabetics. When I started the Mother-Daughter Challenge I cut back my total calories because I wanted to lose quicker. It has not worked for me. I am going to call Nutrition Support tomorrow and discuss my issues with them. I know they will be able to set me straight and give me some suggestions. I am also going use the online area for logging what I eat. I was religious about doing it in the beginning. As I became more comfortable with the program I stopped logging in my food. I need to start it up again so I can see if there are any patterns.

  My educated guess is that if I change all of the issues I talked about above, I will see greater losses. I am going to do my best to make those changes if it takes all the effort I have. Success is my only option.

WEEK 4 - The Scale...Friend or Foe
I have had it with scales. Well, not really, but I am a little miffed that I am using Scale #4 since I started this program. The first scale belonged to my doctor. I used the weight I weighed in his office as my starting weight. Then I weighed on my son Andrew's scale to verify my starting weight. It was close so I started weighing weekly on Andrew's scale. Why did I use his? Well I haven't owned a scale in about eight years. I didn't want one because if I had one I would be forced to weigh myself every now and then. It was just easier not to have one at all for those years.

Once I started Medifast I had to weigh weekly. I didn't realize till the about my fourth or fifth week on the program that Andrew's scale gave me a different weight every time I stepped on it. Of course that wouldn't do. Since his scale was digital I was convinced that going back to the kind of scale I used to own, the non-battery operated kind, was the answer. One afternoon my husband and I visited a few stores before I finally found the right one. I proudly brought it home and started using it. Even though I work as a Technology Resource Teacher and part of my job is to work with all of the latest and greatest gadgets and software, I was quite satisfied going back to the "tried and true" when it came to scales. So for about two or three weeks I was happy with the new scale.

Then last week when I weighed on Sunday, I discovered that is wasn't working. I couldn't get it to start at zero. I gave my best estimate for the weight I lost (BIG MISTAKE!). I felt like it was about three pounds. The scale showed that I gained ten and I knew that was totally wrong. Especially when Kristin and Rodney both weighed themselves and they also gained 10 pounds each. So on Friday I went to Kohl's and bought two scales. I read in the Medifast Forum that people were very happy with the Weight Watcher's scales. I took that advice. I would keep one at the same place in my bathroom and the other would travel with me. So last night Kristin and Rodney weighed on both. They weighed the same on both scales. That convinced me the scales were accurate. I am one of those people that only weighs once a week and didn't want to jinx myself by weighing the day before. So this morning I got up and weighed on the new scale. It was the least pleasant Sunday morning I have had on Medifast so far. The new scale said 253.6. That would be 3.6 pounds heavier then I thought I was last week. Oh well. I learned a big lesson from this. Never guess your weight and make sure you have a very good scale when you first start trying to lose weight.

There is some great news though. A challenge was put out there on the MyMedifast forums to participate in a competition against other teams. Each team has 14 people on it that are trying to lost weight like me. At the end of July the goal is to be the team that loses the biggest percentage of weight. My name was sent in before the first two teams were fully formed. So I am a proud member of the Green Team. We are all trying to kick up the amount of exercise we do. That is always the hardest part for me. Well this morning after I finished packing for the trip to Tennessee we left on today, I walked a mile to a "Walk to the Beat" tape. I felt quite proud of myself. It meant that we left an hour later then we planned but I am committed to keeping up my part of the bargain for the Greenies. Another force that is nudging me is the fact that Kristin and her Dad are doing a Couch Potato to 5K exercise routine they listen to on their IPods. They are planning to do the 5K in November. I may just join them as a walker. I've never, ever done anything like that in my life. I think it's about time I try.

I came up with a recipe that others might like. Especially true if they are from the south. It is for Fried Green Tomatoes, Medifast-style. Slice the tomatoes very thin. Take one package of Multi-Grain Crackers and one package of Soy Crisps and turn them into crumbs in the food processor. Put the tomato slices in the crumbs. Spray olive oil in the frying pan. Cook until the tomatoes are soft. If you share this with another Medifast user you would each have to count it as a Green and a Snack. Mmmmmm...delicious

WEEK 3 - What Finally Drove Me To Medifast
I gained my last 30 lbs over the last year and a half and hated the way I looked and felt. The physical limitations kept mounting and I just couldn't stand it any more. Luckily I found a full page Medifast ad on the back of a magazine I bought and checked out the information on the website. Since being on this program I've discovered that I am an emotional eater. The following narration explains some of the life changes that contributed to my extra weight. 

   Rodney and I became empty nesters after our son Andrew enlisted in the Air Force. It was a wonderful peaceful time in our life. In the beginning we spent time rediscovering ourselves, it was mighty quiet in our home. Eventually we began relishing having the freedom to be ourselves and do what we wanted to do whenever we felt like doing something. We loved being empty nesters, we went on Friday night dinner dates, attended occasional concerts, and began a wonderful phase in our lives. During this time, both of our children were married within a 6 month period. I suppose that isn't that unusual, when your children are only 22 months apart in age. Well, like all good things our flirtation with being empty nesters came to a crashing halt. Andrew and his wife split up about the same time that his military career ended. Without knowing what career path he would follow, or where he would live, Andrew needed the support of his family again. Being the parents that we are, Andrew was welcomed back into our home. In fact, Rodney flew out to Nebraska to meet Andrew half way on his cross country trip home from California. At the same time that Andrew was making preparations to move home, I learned that my nephew Jared had become homeless.

Jared dropped out of high school at 16, and spent 5 years drifting between menial jobs. When he was 21, he moved out of his mother's home; nine months later he was homeless. Jared hit bottom when he was living in his car and begging for food from local churches. Eventually he even lost his car. Once I heard of situation, there was no looking back, Jared would come to live with us. Rodney and I talked it over and it was a done deal.

Jared and Andrew moved in within two weeks of each other. That was in October of 2006. Both young men are still living with us. Alas, after totally customizing his car, Andrew has begun his focused job search. After six months of him converting our dining room to a second garage, we are excited to see him back on the job market. As usual, the finished project is outstanding. Jared is working in the same school system as both Rodney and myself. Recently he received his GED, and saved enough money to purchase a car on his own for the first time. He's looking for his own place before the fall. Just as both men have come along way, I am on my way to a new life as well.

WEEK 2 - Families and Medifast Go Together
I love Medifast for many reasons. The most obvious is how quickly I am losing weight. Thirty-two pounds have disappeared since I started this plan seven weeks ago. Dropping sizes sure does boost my self-esteem. I also like this plan because the software on the MyMedifast site is awesome. We keep track of the food we eat, the weight we lose, the exercise we do, and we learn so much from participating in the forums and the blogs. There are even new friendships we've formed with other Medifast members. It's also very easy to order food when running low. But by far the best benefit I have realized so far is the opportunity to see my daughter every weekend.

Kristin and her husband Dede live a little over an hour's drive from here. Since they bought the house and were married, our visits have not been as often as I would like them to be. Some months we couldn't get together at all. Other times we might have a chance to visit once a month. Being a part of the Mother/Daughter challenge brings us together weekly. One of the challenge requirements is to take a photo of the two of us together each week. What a bonus this has turned out to be! It give us a chance to compare notes about our progress, see how great the other one looks, share Medifast Meals with each other, pass clothes back and forth, and sneak in a little shopping every now and then.

This past weekend was extra great. Kristin and Dede came on Friday night and we all went out to celebrate my birthday (it was number 56 for anyone who is wondering). I am proud to say that both of us stayed on plan. We supplemented our entree with one of the vegetable choices and ordered a second one to make sure we had the correct portions for our green. We both ate broccoli and asparagus. After dinner we went back to our house to visit for a couple of hours. Because today was Father's Day, Kristin and her brother Andrew planned to cook a barbecue lunch for the family.   Andrew created a dry rub for the steak and made sure it was on the plan so Kristin and I could have it. Kristin took care of preparing the two green components of our meal, which were fresh green beans and sautéed mushrooms. It was so nice being together with our family twice in one weekend. Andrew took our challenge pictures before the two of them left to attend an outdoor concert. What a great weekend!

WEEK 1 - Progress is Powerful
At the end of the first official week of the Medifast Mother/Daughter challenge I am proud to say that I lost another 4 pounds. When you add that to the 25 pounds I lost my first 5 weeks on the plan, 29 pounds have disappeared in my six weeks on the program. For me that is incredible! Consider the fact that I have Type II Diabetes and that at 55 years old, 5 days from turning 56, I am not in the easy losers group. That certainly is powerful progress. So right now I am feeling very empowered. I know I will be successful. I believe with every fiber of my being that this is the last "diet" I will ever be on in my life because I am never going to need to be on another one.

When I reach my goal weight so many of the obstacles I have faced all of my life will no longer be in the way or force me to do things the way a FAT person would do them. I am talking about things like never having to shop for clothes in a plus-size store, about not being so out of shape that I can't participate in physical activities, as well as dreading it when I have to go to the doctor's office for a physical and step on the scale to find out the dreaded number that will haunt me until the next time I go back. I will no longer have to try on five or six outfits each morning to select the one I look the least FAT in that day. It will be great to eat and not feel guilty about every bite of food I put into my mouth. If I have to be hospitalized it will be wonderful to have the hospital gown fit. It is so embarrassing to have to wear two gowns so that my modesty is intact.

I'll add a few more of these gems each week as I uncover them from my repressed memories. In the meantime I would like to list a few things I discovered this week:
1. You can make marble pudding if you prepare one packet of chocolate and one of vanilla and you swirl equal parts of one into the other. Of course the two marbled puddings would be equal to two Medifast Meals.
2. I can go out to eat if I check out the menu and make sure they have foods that work for the Lean & Green Meal. If the green portion is lacking it is okay to ask the kitchen for a serving of steamed broccoli or two. (Thanks Kristin for sharing that tip!)
3. Anytime I travel anywhere I must be prepared to throw together a Medifast Meal in case I cannot get home in time for my next scheduled meal. That means taking water, cups, Medifast packets and disposable silverware everywhere I go. But that is way better then getting overly hungry and having nothing to eat.
4. Rhubarb is a vegetable that is okay to eat if you measure 1.5 cups of raw rhubarb and cook it down in water with liquid sweetener. (I felt like I was having dessert with my meal.)
5. Reading the forums on MyMedifast is as important as eating all five (5) Medifast Meals plus the one (1) Lean & Green Meal each day. I am strengthened by the stories that others share.

Background

Elaine grew up on Long Island, the daughter of delicatessen owning parents. She was the oldest of 3 overweight siblings, and learned early how it feels to be the fat kid in class. Carrying this dubious honor helped her to become the fattest kid in high school, the heaviest student in college, and the most plus-sized faculty member on staff at every school she worked at.

Being the most overweight person around became a part of life for Elaine, even when she became the largest mom-to-be in her circle of friends. The pain and sorrow Elaine’s weight had always caused her was at the forefront of her thoughts during her pregnancy; she prayed often that her own daughter would not have to suffer what she had been through.