Dr. Bernstein Diet - Happenings and Updates

 Okay - 2025 to 2030 Vision Board goal. Reach my 140 lb goal weight - again! This time I’m not going o rely on Bernstein. Every time those injectibles come in the mail, and the credit card charge and phone rings for the weekly nurse touch-base call, I shudder. The daily task of entering the meal portions, exercise, etc... between my business, I don’t have that kind of time! I know  should, I need to, but I can’t. So I need to relearn what works for me and just do it.

When I first started Bernstein in 2009, I had to hop in my car, find parking, pray that I plugged the meter enough, wait in the clinic and rush to work. Today, with the pandemic changes, I'm happily on the At Home program for the diet. Apart from having to find bloodwork vampires for regular bloodwork and reporting, I think I'm finally ready to knock this weight off.   It's also reaffirming that my 22 year old son, who's getting back into healthy eating and working out, has lovingly offered to slap any malfeasance foods out of my hands, to support my success. Ahh kids...! Apart from finding the time to prep my meals and have enough variety to keep me from eating my weiner dogs, then all should be well. Day 2 and feeling fine! See you in a week.

Wow - it's a little chagrining to see my physical state-of-play 14 years after my first foray with Dr. Bernstein. I'm the heaviest I've ever been, and enough is enough. At my heaviest in July 2022: weighing in at a mighty 230 lbs.  I just can't take it anymore.   I'm 54 years old and dreading going clothing shopping, when I'm maxing out at the 2X size for tops and sweaters, and size 18/20 for pants.  How did this happen - again?! Okay, so after retiring from public service in 2012, I embarked on my own consulting business.  Amazing success and rewarding work, but the stress, long hours, travel and the regular challenges of business ownership have resulted in zero time for work/life balance.   Not a good executive I guess: I haven't managed to implement that aspect of my life.  I don't even blame the pandemic for my weight gain: I've just been totally consumed with my work, and ingesting the stress of it all - and of my clients, their issues, etc. Tha...

Well, the ultimate test of my willpower and ability to stay away from those pitfall foods and manage stress shows is evidenced in the photos.  I'm at my heaviest - 214 - and am rejoining my Ottawa clinic on January 5th. Enough is enough! While I have tried to restart a few times, the last two years were very stressful and active.  I left my job to start my own consulting business, and also work in a very emotionally charged field of anti-human trafficking.  Suffice to say, having the luxury to spend a large amount of time for myself and on my personal health needs was not front and centre. However, enough is enough. I had to bag up all of my beautiful clothes that I purchased when I reached my previous goal weight of 140 lbs/Size 8/10, give them away and over the last 2 years, replenish my closet with 12, 14, 16, 18 and the odd size 20 items.  It was heart breaking.   I was just elated when I bought gorgeous clothes from JCrew - received compliments fr...

Okay, so remember when I said I am part of my BFF's wedding in August.  Well, I ordered the dress with a size 30 waist...and I'm currently at 36" in my waist. The dress - but with a champagne sash - d-gorgeous! $*%&!! I have been so bad with my diet over the last month - just eating what I want and my weight be damned. So, tomorrow I'll be hauling my butt to the clinic for a marathon 30 lb weight-loss challenge to ensure I fit into my bloody beautiful dress.  No more BBQ, wine (which given my Canada Day pre-festivities party yesterday, I don't need the hangover!) or eating with abandon.  I'm back on strict and going to look hot for that wedding. If anyone is joining a clinic, feel free to mention my name and clinic (Bank/L'Esplanade in Ottawa) - I'm happy to get a free week to help me through the financial hump and kick-start my motivation! Cheers - and here comes the bride - smaid.

I did so well for a few weeks - honestly! I was down 12 pounds, then sabotaged it with a glorious party.  Why is it so hard to be strict now? Well, rather than bemoan my lack of willpower lately, I had to go pay for the bridesmaid dress for my friend's August wedding.  A $300 incentive (for a gorgeous gown) in size 12 (which in the bridal world means a size 8...have you seen those corsets?!)  has me staying strict to the letter.  I can't afford not to fit into the dress when there will be no way to get a new one before the wedding when it arrives. So - I'm down 15 lbs since the last week and half.  170 again - on my way to 140 by July 30th.  Totally doable! Okay, so I have a plan. I rejoined the clinic last week, but finally got in to see my family physician today.  Now, if it's anything like the rest of Canada, it takes me 3 months to get an appointment here in Gatineau.  Craziness...! She knew I was on the Dr. B program a few years ago...

Okay - I've been nervous about the thinning hair experience I had in my last major go-round.  So, I've pulled out the NIOXIN and have started using it again. I've been feeling a slight thinning texture to my hair.  After one-week though, this stuff seems to be combating the problem and helping add volume and thickness to my hair. Is it stimulating hair growth?  I'm not sure - but hopefully it's staving off hair loss.  That would not be good... No - this is not me, but is a Nioxin client. I learned about this product from my hairdresser who was also a Bernstein client years ago and recommended Nioxin.  She swears by it.  Little did I know that rapid weight loss causes hair thinning.  According to the Nioxin website (see http://nioxin.com/en-US/the-causes-and-the-facts-page.aspx?id=236 ) "What you eat can play a significant role in hair thinning. A high consumption of animal fats, rapid weight loss and liquid protein diets can result in a lac...

Vegeta, that is.  The seemingly elusive special ingredient that seems to be a staple in 90% of the recipes in the Bernstein recipe book. I couldn't find it for the life of me over the past two years here in the National Capital Region.  I've scoured every grocery store and specialty store trying to find the stuff. Finally, whilst on my latest work travel jaunt to London, I found the creature. As I picked up some staples for my hotel room, I found it tucked in the soup section.  Eureka! I made my first vegetable soup with it from "the book" and it was good.  Of course, it's a sodium salt lick, but I've made a few of the soups in the book, and they are just too bland for words.  Stripping them recipe of Vegeta makes the Cheddar Cauliflower soup pretty gross. Vegeta has saved the day - though will retain the water. I've used it in the big pot of homemade chicken soup though that I've made for the family.  The kids are raving about the soup, ...

Now - while I was traveling last week for work and being oh-so-good and burning a consistent 2+, I planted myself at the bar with my iPad and ordered a Perrier. That was hardest thing to do, with a lovely globe of Rosemount Zinfandel taunting me... However, as I was reading up on Low Glycemic diets (for fun...) I came across an interesting product that claims zero calories and non-carb. Miracle Noodle  http://www.miraclenoodle.com/default.aspx Now - noodles in a stir fry is my downfall.  I love Pad Thai and all things rice noodle.  I was intrigued about this product and its claim. The noodles are made of Shirataki - a naturally water soluble fiber with no fat, sugar, or starch. The noodles and rice: * contain zero net carbohydrates and zero calories, no gluten -made of a healthy natural fiber called Glucomannan. * are wheat & gluten free and kosher . * easily absorbs the flavors of any soup, dish, or sauce. * are instant and come in a variety of styles...

I'm trying to introduce a few new recipes and elements this time around, just to keep the diet fresh and fun. As I was perusing the food list again - trying to remember whether red wine was an eligible liquid (but alas, it is not...) I came across the litany of Walden Farms products. Now, I am quite suspicious of products that claim a zero calorie content, but I thought I'd try it.  Since I'm such a nut-freak and love peanut butter, I thought I'd try their brand.  Just as my luck would have it though, they were sold out. So, I ordered some other products to see if they would work for me.  $78 dollars and 5 days later, I received a neatly packed box replete with: Apple butter Raspberry "jam" BBQ sauce 4 types of salad dressings, and Chocolate sauce  I used the BBQ sauce for a chicken recipe, and while the smell is sweet and a little odd, the flavour is quite good.  Even the family liked it - though they don't know it was Walden Farms. I like t...

One of my big motivators this year is that I'm in my BFF's wedding party.  On Saturday, the best-gals along with the bride and groom, went dress hunting.  After pulling 6 optional dresses, we found the winner.  A princess cut ballroom gown, shape hugging with a ribbon at the waist.  Classic and lovely.  I felt great in the dress - it's going to be stunning. While I was the model for the initial model (with the dress at a loose 14) I can't wait to get down to my fighting size 8 and rock this dress - and the wedding. So - lots of No-Fat Jello for me now - for lots of champagne later!

Well, since I re-signed up, I'm down 18 lbs.  Yahoo!  I've been extremely strict - to the letter - and I've had consistent 2+ and 3+ burns.  I've ensured that any fruit and breads that I eat are first thing in the morning, so I can burn them off throughout the day.  My meat is spaced out - though I'm keeping the portions on the smaller side.  Veggies are the supper and evening snack staple. While I've gone to bed with a pretty light belly, I'm neither hungry nor craving anything. What I have done is removed any caffeine (coffee, diet drinks or tea) and moved strictly to caffeine-free.  Caffeine really holds water, so that's gone.  I do still use some salt, but I do see the water-retention difference.  However, I can't remove all the things I love... I've returned to my Vanilla Proti shake and strawberries (or mixed berries) routine for the morning. However, when I do, I don't have as much of a drop as when I stick to egg whites in the...

So my colleague (a 30-year retired diplomat) and fab-u-lous, amazing, worldly and grounded woman, tipped me off to her secret. The Montignac diet. Now, we all know that the women in France have a different approach to eating.  Everything in moderation, a glass of good red wine per day (not tetrapack swill) and eating very slowly. Well, how anyone can refuse the gastronomique delights courtesy of Le Cordon Bleu when it's right under your apartment balcony and on every street corner is beyond me, but these broads can manage the temptation. Well, my friend (who was posted to Paris for 5 years in the mid-90's...yeah, rough life!) said that everyone there swears by the Montignac approach, and was her weight loss regime then, and maintains it to this day. For the uninitiated to Monsieur Michel Montignac, it's a similar Bernstein approach - a low glycemic diet that removes the carbs and ups the proteins.  For more info see http://www.montignac.com/ I like the concept, ...

Okay, so the going on strict during the holidays was a courageous effort, but short lived.  Instead, the program went on hold as the realization that with family coming and hosting over 40 people (over the course of 4 evenings straight) was going to require a few glasses of wine...for my sanity alone. So, I rejoined the clinic this Tuesday. With a weigh-in of 180, I'm happy to report that I'm at 171.6 today.  Not bad!  Obviously there was lots of sodium and water weight, and I'm burning a 2++ on the old pee-sticks. I thought I would have more of a problem this week, but honestly, I'm not craving anything.  I've reverted back to my solid diet (see one of the many postings above which breaks down my daily intake and food combination) and I'm cooking with gas now! I must admit, a key motivation for me is that I am a bridesmaid in my BFF's wedding in August.  I just refuse to feel like a blob in chiffon next to her svelte body.  Plus, the groomsman that...

Well, since my last post, I was able to get to 160.  A very good result after 1 month being on the program. Sure enough though, as my work travel increased, and the dreaded temptation of the hotel restaurant and post-negotiations tipple at the bar, I couldn't continue on strict.  I just couldn't bear packing a week's worth of hard boiled eggs and protein shakes to sustain myself on the travels. What a lame excuse though.  I was two blocks from a Loblaws, and three blocks from a Benstein clinic.  What was wrong with me!! So here I am, two weeks before Christmas and going to enrol back on strict.  I still have one month's prepaid credits sitting waiting to be used, and I crept back up 10 pounds.  I just can't seem to resist certain foods - but I have to drop this weight.  My skinny clothes were not just relegated to the far-end of my closet, but have now been returned to my daughter's closet so I can get down the 4 sizes (yes, I'm in 14 and need to...

Well, as I read over the last scant entries over the past year or so, I'm bemused and humbled by my weight loss journey. Since reaching my BMI in Sept 2009 of 140, I reached 180 lbs (I know, I know!) in August of this year. Call it dietary laziness and greed.  I reverted back to my same old bad habits and paid for it dearly. Back came the unlimited quantities of wine and spirits - especially during the summers around the pool.  Be damned were the healthy portions and food selections, when pizza and carbs abounded in the work cafeteria. It's amazing how arrogant you become when you shed the pounds, look and feel great, and think that you're invincible to the almighty calorie. So, after spending this summer feeling ugly in my own skin - with back flab and muffin-top rolls casting an unsightly silhouette on my bikini-clad frame, I enrolled back on the strict diet. As you faithful readers know, I dabbled back on and off Bernstein a few times over the last year.  I...

Well, there was no chocolate for me, but the roses from hubby was great. I met my 2 week goL, but I couldn't resist the Friday night evening with friends. Don't tell, but I imbibed in some wine and some nibblies. Though it was highly satisfying, it took 2 days to get back into ketosis. Argghhhh. I'm back swinging though. I picked up a new veggie steamer. I prefer it to using the Ziploc steamer bags now. H.

Happy 2011 folks!  Well, apart form my attempt to do it solo in December, the diet didn't yield much.  The Walmart Vitamin B Complex or Vit B6/12 pills do squat.  Can't say it any more plain language than that. So, on January 14th I returned to the clinic to do it the right way. Of course, within 2 days I was burning ++ (yahoo!) and within 1 week I'm down 8 lbs.  Ah, it feels great to be eating cleanly again and the pants are already loosening up. I was worried that I wouldn't have the willpower like I did the first time, but it's there.  I can easily resist the goodies and temptations around me, so I'm back on track to losing the 15 lbs that crept on and get back to my BMI. I am traveling again this week, so I'm just going to be strong and grin and bear the ridiculous buffet prices to get the breakfast I need BREAKFAST 6 egg white omelette - Pam spray only - with tomatoes, green pepper, mushroom and onion; 5 oz cantaloupe; decaf coffee with Spl...

So, it was really difficult to get back on the diet bandwagon yesterday.  When you've let yourself slip to grab some popcorn here, and starches and carbs there; a few sweets thrown in for good measure, it requires a real kick in the ass to resurrect some self discipline. However, it's back baby! And while I can't say it's back with a vengeance, me sitting here in my size 10 jeans with a muffin top hanging over the edge is motivation enough to say, "Bring on the veggies and egg whites!" So, I was dutiful today and have stayed within the Bernstein proteins, 16 oz veggies, 2 melba toasts, an apple and 1 Jello cup, with lots of water and decaf coffee, which is making my heart happy. Yup, I'm actually feeling a bit of the hunger pang starting to develop (so I know I'm in the right zone.) I've pulled out the Daily Multi vitamin; picked up some Vit B complex pills at the pharmacy; taking a few Senokot S with my meals (wow - was that a shock when...

Wow - I actually had a day off today and spent some time on the computer, and I realized I haven't posted on the blog since - what - May!  Oh my - that won't do. Well, a moment to reflect and confess.  I did get down to 143 since my last posting, but I'm now up to 160.  I know - 20 lbs over the summer and fall.  I tell you, it's been quite a lesson in weight mis-management. I even tried to get back on strict at the clinic in September, but failed miserably in large part due to my hectic work/travel schedule.  It's brutal trying to stick to strict when you're traveling outside of a Bernstein-zone where you can't get to a clinic every other day for your shots, and trying to eat in restaurants or you can't take your own foods with you due to no fridge. It's also ridiculous to think that I can eat what I want, when I want, and not pack on the pounds.  I mean really - bread, starches, wine/booze - you just can't win with those in the house.  For...