The Ideal Patient

I have just finished my first week on the Ideal Protein weight loss plan. Touted as the last diet you will ever be on. I lost 8 lbs! Yipee!!! This program was recommended to David by a good friend of ours (Bill Waites for those who know him) who has lost about 60 pounds on this program. He is a P.A. and so his personal endorsement along with his medical expertise piqued our interest. He suggested that David consider running the program out of this office for those who were interested. David checked it out and decided to do it.

I suggested to David if he is going to recommend it to his patients, that we ought to try it ourselves so that he would be that much better informed. We are both doing okay in the weight department but we are both about 25 lbs. heavier than when we got married. My body has not been the same since I had my intestinal blockage and surgery 2 years ago. I lost 18 lbs. because I couldn't eat for two weeks but it seemed that all of the 18 lbs. I lost was my lean muscle and when I gained it back it was fat (or at least that's how it felt.) My body has never quite been the same and I just about decided that I was old enough not to care anymore, but dangit I do care.

Curse that Demi Moore who is my age and looking so good! She ruins the curve for the rest of us. Aaargh! I know I shouldn't compare myself to a celebrity with all the air brushing and cosmetic work and air brushing, yada, yada but she and I have a lot in common...

• We are both married to devastatingly handsome younger men (David is 2 1/2 months younger than I am)
• We both have 3 daughters (I just happen to have 2 spares)
• We both love the movie "Ghost" (It was more profitable for her than it was for me)
  
• We both love Rob Lowe (one of us loved him more intimately)
  
• We are both willing to shave our heads for money (I've just never been asked)

So you can see why I naturally compare myself to her!

So I am committed to following this plan with the promise of high proteins that will take the weight from my fat storage and not from my muscles. So far it honestly feels like that is what it is doing. (I realize it could be the power of suggestion - I'm not an idiot.) But so far so good. It involves eating the pre-packaged foods they provide and one of your own meals. I've never done any program like this before but it seems to be working.

I do have to say, though, that I am the ideal patient. I have not strayed from the plan one iota. David and I are headed to Paris on Sept. 10th and my goal is to stay on this until we leave and then eat my way through Paris. Even if I gain it all back, it's totally going to be worth it!

My other goal is to fit into a pair of Miss Me jeans. I think it's just plain wrong to spend over $75 for a pair of jeans - but who can resist those sparkly pockets? They are so darn cute!... on everyone but me!! I'm not sure I have the build for them and I don't do well with anything low-rise (because I'm old... I'm the crypt keeper!) But we'll see if losing 15 lbs. gets me into a pair. I'm not sure they will still be in style this year but, hec, that's never stopped me before. If they go out of style that just means the price will go down! Yay!! I've never been a cutting edge fashionista so wearing last year's or even last decade's styles are okay with me as long as the price is right!

If you want to know more about Ideal Protein, you can check out their website at idealprotein.com. It originated in France and has only been in the United States for a short time. I think it costs $200 initially for consultation and food and $90/week for the food. It actually pays for itself when you consider how much you save not eating all of the food you normally eat, depending on how you normally eat. The program is not based on exercise, though it is always recommended. The food is powdered and you mix it with water. The first two days were the hardest and then I started to get the hang of it and found which foods I liked and which I didn't. The weight comes off so fast which makes it easier to stick with it. At least that was my experience and it sounds like that is typical from everyone else I know who has done it.

Now, don't get the idea that these foods are nearly as delicious as what you are currently eating because they're not! But I was ready for a change and willing to give it a try and this program is so simple and black and white that I have found it fairly easy to be all in. Obviously everyone's situation is different. And it's easier to stay on track some days more than others depending on what you have going on. Being out socially is tough because the foods you can eat are pretty restrictive. But I can still go out to eat and usually find something that falls within the guidelines. I'm a rookie, though, so I only have a week's worth of knowledge and experience. Emily West is my "coach." She has been on the program for about a month and I think she's lost 20 lbs. She's looking great! She's my inspiration. (Well, her and Demi!)

Wish me luck...