Dr. Bernstein Diet - Happenings and Updates

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 from friend, family an

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 and marveled at how I

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 lack of amin

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,