It has been a time!

 I took a leap...

Back in March, I was feeling SO under the weather and felt uncomfortable in everything I wore.  I'd gained 30 pounds since Robb passed and wow, did it show!

My bestie is a coach with Optavia and she knew I needed some help so I finally said OKEY DOKEY, LET'S DO THIS! and joined up.  The prepackaged food arrived and I kept putting off starting.  It was St. Patrick's Day or it was lunch with Ada, it was this, it was that.  If I kept putting it off, I'd never start.  No sense keeping it a secret from everyone. Maybe they'd support me!  

So I decided that 3/19 was THE day to start!!!  And I did!!!  I lost 9 pounds in 24 hours.  I know it's water weight but cripes!  I didn't think that would EVER come off!  Still on my journey to a waist line, but more on that later.

Also on 3/19, after several attempts to get over a chest cold that Aggie gave me, I was feeling miserable.  Coughing all the time, etc, etc.  But hoped that maybe some antibiotics would help me kick it, so I went to the doctor that day.  I came home with a few different types of meds, bronchitis, pneumonia and a sinus infection.

The kids were so concerned that Maddy took the rest of the day off to come sit on my bed with me and in her words, "nag me back to health." :)  When she left, Meri came over and stayed with me overnight for at least 2 nights.  That part is pretty blurry. A lot of coughing through the night and  I went through several boxes of kleenex. I have no idea how Meri got any sleep!

The whole situation gave us all PTSD from 3 years prior, so I totally get their concern.

I was somewhat better when the meds ran out, but my teeth and jaw were still killing me.  Apparently the sinus infection was still going strong so I went back and the doctor put me on a different kind of med and that finally kicked it.  However she WAS concerned that I'd lost 12 pounds between visits and freaked a little checking EVERYTHING over before I happened to mention my diet.  She practically hugged me with relief!

So anyway, back to the health plan!  I have 5 fuelings per day plus one "lean & green" meal.  I can do a variety of recipes for the lean and green, but my go to is a salad with some shredded chicken that I keep already weighed out in the freezer in little baggies.  Every 2.5-3 hours, I rip one of the packets open and either eat the variety of foods straight out of the packaging or mix it with water and microwave.  I haven't determined yet if heating up the oven for a few cookies is worth it yet but you never know what I'll do tomorrow.  I keep all the packets in an over the door shoe holder.  And I drink at least 64 ounces of water every day.  I've gotten used to that by now and typically have 3 cups down before 9am.

I have lost 26.4 pounds as of this morning and losing roughly 3 pounds a week.  I plan to start transitioning to regular food on June 1st and be completely done with the prepackaged things by mid to late June.  And with the knowledge that I've learned over the last couple months, I believe that I can keep it off!

It has been an adventure.  I feel so much better now and Julie has been an awesome coach!  We still have our virtual movie nights at least once a week and talk every day.  

I'll still be slightly above what the doctor's office chart says is "overweight" but as soon as I'm able to start walking again (haven't lately because of the rain), that will come off too.

Baby steps!