Well, I had my physical and my EKG and everything else today. No big surprises, other than my vitamin D deficiency for which I'll need suppliments. I got all of my first weeks product. Tomorrow I officially begin my journey.

So, I reached my initial weight goal and the PA moved me from VLCD to LCD. Eating 1 meal and 1 snack a day. It is hard! I'm really struggling with making decisions about what to eat. My Dr. said I should do LCD for about 6 weeks and get my metabolism back up and then maybe do another round of shakes.... has anyone done that?! It was news to me that I would go off, and then back on again. I'm just under 200, and at my skinniest adult weight (training half marathon - running 5-8 miles a day) I was 175lbs.

Kate: I had trouble going down to 3 replacements a day -- so I would do a couple days at 3, then have a 4 day, and then get back on 3. I was misunderstanding thirst for hunger - so keep drinking, and I was allowed to eat calorie free dill pickles and a diet soda, which would substitute as a snack when I was dying around 4pm every day. I'm not a soda drinker, but a diet cream soda felt like a treat! Good luck!

Welcome Michell! I hope you've had a good start!

Wow! Michell, Kate, Maraal and Lisa all have said you are supposed to go down to 3 shakes. I asked about going down to 3 because some days I'd sleep later in the mornings on my days off or get busy in the afternoon doing errands or I wasn't that hungry. The dietician said "If it happens that's fine but don't let it happen often. It's very important that you get 4 shakes a day."

I have been tracking my body fat at home on a monitor I bought on Amazon and was concerned because I was losing lean body weight on the weeks I had more "3 shake days" than "4 shake days". I was worried about that. If I exercise and don't have enough calories it will go after muscle but I need to exercise to keep the muscle!

I didn't "go down" to three shakes. That how I was started: 3 shakes and 1 bar. I didn't realize so many of the clinics do things differently. I was told if I felt I needed more than the 3/1 I can have celery, cucumbers or a few pickles. Boullion broth if I feel salt depleted. So far I've not had to do any of those. I've been tempted with the celery and I have pre cut celery "snack packs" in my fridge waiting if I need them. I realize though that my temptation to have them comes more from the desire to snack and munch than from any hunger. So far I've resisted because I want to break my habit of wanting to snack. I'm sure I'll break down at some point, but right now while my will is strong, I'm trying to resist. I feel like I'm detoxing, in a way, so I hope to throw those old habits out the window as well.

Julie, you're right. I went in for my 2nd check up a few days ago. I was told I pushed myself too hard with the exercise. Even though I physically CAN do those heavier exercises, I wasn't taking my caloric intake and bodily changes into account- thus being wiped out of energy. I was told to slow it down to a more relaxed level and build up slowly. So instead of trying to do a full areobics video and 2 miles on a treadmill followed by 50 laps in the pool, I went with my adult daughter to the park and took a nice stroll on the trail, a mile and a half, but we did it leisurely. Even with that I had to sit down towards the end because I got dizzy. It's weird to be so limited, but it's temporary, right?

You've done so great with your weight loss, Julie! I hope I can get similar results. I was down 10lbs at my Tuesday appointment. I'm down 2 more since then. I had to go to the goodwill and buy 2 pair of jeans in a smaller size. It had to be a thrift store because I know I won't be wearing them long, right? I was so happy! I had lost about 10 pounds last spring before I went to Europe, so my jeans were already saggy. This recent -10 made it a necessity in order to avoid a wardrobe malfunction, ha ha! It was such a great feeling and a wonderful motivator. This is a lovely RESULT! I carry most of my weight in my upper body, so I'll be extra happy when I start shrinking shirt sizes!

I'm not saving any of my outgrown clothes. I'm hoping to either sell them and/or give them away. I don't want to make it easy for myself to gain back! Congrats on going down 3 sizes! That is so amazing- I'm very happy for you!

Exactly! I'm so happy now that I'm seeing results. My doctor was very happy at my last visit. I'm not weaning off of my blood pressure meds- WOOT! I'm also allowed one regular meal now, and by regular, I mean a 3-4oz piece of grilled meat seasoned with salt and pepper, and a plain salad with green veggies and a sprinkle of lowfat cheese. But it's nice to be chewing again, lol!

The first week of meals is going better than I thought! I never thought I would be so excited about a salad! I bought two different kinds of pre-mixed, pre-washed greens. I'll have a bowl of them with a fair sized "pinch" of low-fat cheddar cheese and a sliced, hard boiled, egg. Delish! I bought a cucumber and some celery to cut up on the salads as well. I'll usually have my meat on the side, as I like it hot and it's a treat after my salad. So far, lean steak and chicken breast. It's really calmed my cravings for, well, pretty much for everything else, lol. I save my protein bar to eat a couple of hours after supper as my snack. On Friday I smuggled it into the movie theater to munch on during the movie with a bottle of water. Perfect!

The BP med weaning is going well too. I'm taking my own PB readings 2-3 times a day and they're usually in the low to average range. No side effects after the first two days. Better yet, no more dizzy spells!

I'm rarely hungry anymore. Sometimes I have to force myself to drink my shake. It's so weird for me. Once your food choices are eliminated and you're eating for the sake of fueling your body and giving it nutrition (as opposed to false pleasure or serving to ease boredom/depression, etc.) it's just not a big deal anymore. It's a strange state of mind to be in! Now I understand more how some skinny people can easily skip meals- because food is just a means to an end. For me, it was something else entirely. I don't even know if I can describe what it was for me, I only know that much of my time (without even realizing it) was spent thinking about my next meal or my next snack- true additction style, I guess!

Question for you all. Have any of you experienced numbness in your legs as you lost weight? I was warned there could be numbness with crossing your legs. What I'm finding is that when I sleep on my side, my bottom leg goes numb and my hips are tender. I have to keep flip flopping during the night to restore circulation! Freaky!

Hello today is day three for me and I'm on here reading everyone's stories while I'm at Friday's with my family (I'm the only one not eating) it's hard being here and not eating but I'll make it through. I'm currently on five meal replacements a day I break them up. Three shakes and two soups. For some reason I can't keep the soups down. It's not like they taste bad my body just rejects it for some reason. I can't wait till I'm able to see progress.

Are you doing maintenance or are you continuing the program. How much exercise do you do and what kind?