June Nutritionist Visit

I had not seen the nutritionist, Mr. B. since two weeks into the 3-month long liquid/protein bar diet. It has been a long haul. I am now just over half way through the process.

At the rehab class, the RN has delighted in my weight loss and wants to weigh me every Tuesday. She is stunned at how quickly the weight is coming off. I have tried not to weigh myself every moment as the scale will seem to be stuck on a number for a few days. That can be frustrating. It is also a lesson. When I am on my own and keeping track of my own weight, I will step on a scale the same day of every week. I have learned that it is not the day-to-day weight but the long view is the truer indicator of loss or gain.

So going into the appointment yesterday, I knew that I had lost 20 pounds during the previous six weeks. I now have lost a grand total of 45 pounds.

Mr. B. was happy to see the dramatic loss as well as the subsiding of some of the side effects. I am no longer losing hair. I no longer have some issues with being cold. I also told him about the downturn with my lungs and the visit to the Lung Transplant Clinic which would not have been possible without the weight loss to get me under the required 30 BMI. 

The weight loss goal for the next five weeks is 15-20 pounds.

We agreed on a stopping date of the full diet and the beginning of the transition back to real food and my low-carb diet. I can’t wait. Imagine, real food for the first time in three months! The downside is that I will find it impossible to lose any more weight once I am off the meal supplements. I had wanted to lose just ten pounds more than the expected weight loss during the next five weeks.

That is really scary to me. If I want to lose more weight, I have to go back on the liquid/protein bar diet for a shorter period of time. It is imperative that I do not gain any weight during this transition to food or afterwards. I was also shocked to learn that during the transition back to food, all weigh loss would stop. So, I have to eat that horrible food and still not lose any weight! Seems so wrong.

So, here I go. It is the final countdown to July 21^st when I can add one meal a day of real food to the meal supplement program.