Dr. Bernstein Diet - Happenings and Updates

A little blurb on the supplements you take on the Bernstein diet.  Because the diet itself is only 800-900 calories per day, you need to ensure that you take extra multivitamins, minerals and potassium supplements. The clinic recommends Swiss One 50 timed release caplets with 36 minerals and supplements. It includes extra B vitamins and lutein - a supplement to the B-complex injections you receive.  You can get these in any drug store in the natural brands section. The clinic sells for $16 per bottle. Not bad for 72 caplets. You take one per day, so you've got a good 2+ months worth there.  Take your vitamins first thing with breakfast to kick-start your body throughout the day. Along with the multivitamin, take your potassium supplement.  The clinic usually starts off with a low dose prescription, but will regularly touch base with you on your visits whether you need to increase your dosage. Symptoms include headaches, coldness in your hands/feet, tingling,...

CONSTIPATION  Because there is no fats in the diet, constipation does occur. I've always had a lazy bowel to begin with, so I knew it was going to happen.  I bought the Senokot.S laxative they recommend, and with after 2 tablets, you go. You then take 1 tablet daily (I just put it with my morning multi vit and potassium) and now I'm regular like clockwork. Whew! ;-)  The doctor recommended Wheat Bran; the nurses said Metamucil or Benefibre (no salt versions) but I just stuck with the Senokot.S. Works for me, and it does the job beautifully. The bran did nothing for me... Image by mlhradio via Flickr I just hit on something - a pattern that works for my body. I noted that once a month, I would get a windfall 4 lb loss over the course of a couple of days. I wasn't quite sure how it happened, since I didn't seem to do anything special. However, recall that I said that constipation is a problem on the diet? Well, I have found that by taking two (2) Senokot.S tablets be...

Image by MoToMo via Flickr EXERCISE  Is discouraged on the diet.  Unless you fully disclose what you do on a daily basis, they can adjust for it. The diet and calorie intake is based on folks with no exercise regime. I mean really. I wasn't running marathons prior to joining the diet, so why would I fool myself to think that I would become physically active while trying to diet. It's enough for me to just manage working an 8-hour day, manage a household (equitably with my husband of course!), support my kids' activities, and try to squeeze in an hour of t.v. for rest and relaxation. Running? Cycling? The gym? Good luck...  That's the reason I'm in the 65+lbs overweight situation I'm in. Lack of "me" time.  If you are exercising, be sure to get your protein and potassium on time, and have some veggies/breads with you in case you feels your blood sugar is dropping. I had it today where we had our office retreat. I forgot, in all the morning r...

Image via Wikipedia MONTH 2 MUSINGS  I must say, the needles aren't the most pleasant thing, but they sure do help. I remember the first real day that the diet started. You get a single dose of B vitamin complex, and I felt such a rush of energy and balance. There's really something to be said for the injections. I hadn't slept so well in a long time than that first evening after I got the injections. Probably largely psychological but I don't care.  I don't mind the injections at all. They first take the buttocks as the main site. Stay there for a week or two and venture into door #2 or door #3 from there.  I chose door #2 - the thighs. I chuckle when even some of the nurses on the program say they just won't go there. Sure it stings - for about 3 minutes - then you're off!  I've had a chance to go back over my last 6 weeks on the program, and my biggest weight loss was during the "thigh phase." Somewhere along the way, I was cajoled...

The first week is always a large drop in weight - a lot of water released and some fat. It's a great motivation.   On average though, by following the diet with your preferred foods (and cut down the salt) you should lose 1 pound every 2 days. You are guaranteed 16-20 lbs per month by following the diet strictly. I average around 15 lbs per month, and that's having tried a few different approaches, but always staying strict.   I found in the first couple of weeks I was trying a bunch of the recipes and trying to get really creative. However, I found that I actually just prefer my meals simple and fast, so I don't do many of the recipes now. I don't need to, but you might want to.  The nurses advise against changing your diet all the time though; stick with a pattern for a week to let the body start the ketosis/burning. Too many sudden changes of food can throw it out of whack.  It's always a good idea if you're traveling or expecting to be delayed from...

Image by keltickelton via Flickr I can still remember the day. We ladies, kibitzing in the boardroom eating our lunches and engaging in random thoughts of the day and opinions on this or that. When to my surprise we started chatting about weight loss. My dreaded topic. I was peaking at 207 lbs - the equivalent from my highest weight during the pregnancy of my second child. However, the problem was, she came into the world three years ago and I still couldn't shed the weight. This success photo of another patient shows roughly what I started at, and where I'm progressing to. Somewhere between the rum & cokes, Mike's Hard Lemonade, red wine and rich foods, I lost my figure and sense of self. I tried to lose it the usual way; reduce portions, load up veggies and even hired a private in-home trainer to whip my ever-expanding ass into shape. Nothing worked. So my curiosity peaked when a colleague talked about Dr. Bernstein . Everyone else knew about the weight loss...