So I am nearly 3 weeks in and I have some rather exciting news.
The damn scale in the bathroom is talking to me again !!!!
I will be honest with you too ....the number it stated was rather exciting in and of itself. (drum roll) 3...5..6.
yeah, 356. I am down 20 or so pounds in a matter of a couple of weeks. The pills effects are pretty much becoming normal. I don't have that excitable feeling or jittery feeling anymore. I am noticing that there are days though where if I don't eat "enough" I start to feel some hunger pangs late in the day (that's about the time the phentermine starts leaching out). I am eating "better" but it's by no means a real change in overall diet that I think the Old Doc wanted. I have reduced my intake of food more than anything. I won't lie, I have had some soda. Sprite/7up (I am still caffeine free). But even then, compared to the near 2 liters I was probably drinking a day, I would say that's a pretty good improvement. Given the choice, I try to go for water first. Water and Pizza just don't mix in my mouth though (relax, one or two slices of cheese isn't all that bad overall).
I have found an awesome breakfast though that I wish I could have every day. A handful of Cheerios, a sliced banana, 3 sliced up strawberries, a little milk and 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar. Overall math has the total calories at 450-500. And I am totally full afterwards.
Lunches I tend to try and eat a small portion of something from the night before or a sandwich (no chips, no dessert). This is the easiest meal for me to "skip" persay but I have something to add about that.
Eating on this pill is kind of important. I find that eating a late morning breakfast (if I get up at 6 and wait till 10am to eat or so) tends to cause trouble in a way. Your body still needs to "start" metabolizing as early as possible and NOT eating actually delays that response and as such your body actually stores fat instead of burn it. Mornings where I eat no later than 8am I notice the burn effect by 10 (the feverish hot feeling amplified by the thyroid pills I think). So eating a small meal throughout the day helps keep your metabolism going.
I don't eat after 7 if at all possible at all. I have a "cheat" day where I will eat at 9 with Chelle (she eats a little late snack as she usually skips breakfast herself).
I was also VERY excited about feeling well enough and even light enough to do a little working out. I did 15 min on an elliptical and 30 min or so of light weight lifting on arms, chest, and a little on the legs. I felt like a million bucks after doing that. I only wish I had the time to do it more often honestly but if you know me, you know that Time is the one luxury I never EVER have.
Next update, I will let you know the effect of stress on me under these pills and diet because I have started school again (college online courses) and already on week 1 I am ready for May 15th (last day)
Friday, January 20, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Ahh ...so me and Jacob Black have something in common
Week 2 update:
I mentioned in the last post about an object that caused a little confusion. So while I am on my medication, nothing new really happening there, I get in the mail this past weekend a prescription for Thyroid medicine.
The Old Doctor mentioned that he has learned over the many years of this "program" that my thyroid needs to be running over an 8 in order to lose weight. He did tell me that based on my results that I might get this script in the mail and to take it with my Phentermine as prescribed. Now what he sent was Thyroxine which is just synthetic Thyroid hormone. From a medical standpoint, the Thyroid gland produces the "oil" for the engine. It regulates metabolism, it helps do alot for the nervous system, every cell in the body needs a little of this hormone to convert food into energy and so forth. It's why people with low thyroid tend to have trouble losing weight and why people with high metabolisms can eat a whole pizza and lose 3 pounds anyways. So the doctor after taking my blood in office noted my gland number was below an (8) which is where he has come to find over the many years to be the magic number for people to lose weight.
Ok, so I get a little worried about my number being low. I start looking into it and find that thyroid medicine is a tricky thing. It's definitely a booster to losing weight. Imagine it's like the werewolves in Twilight. They run hot, like almost feverish as a result of a heightened metabolism. My body is about to start running the same way, I am gonna be hot natured for a while apparently.
I hesitated taking them actually. Wikipedia and WEBMD and most sites about thyroid medicine often say DON"T TAKE IT. Alot like Phentermine I guess. After weighing the odds, which means I asked Chelle for her opinion about what I should do and she said that this Dr. knows what he's doing and wouldn't do anything to endanger you. She trusts him.....so I guess I should as well.
I called the Doctor's office for my numbers just to know. I am running a 7.0. She said that if I wanted I could take my pill after breakfast which is an hour after my Phentermine and I shouldn't have any problems. Actually,
Miss Sue went on to say, "We do this all the time honey...we know what we're doing" .
I guess it doesn't get any plainer than that. I took the dose this morning and haven't noticed much difference really.
Is it hot in here though ? or just me ?
I mentioned in the last post about an object that caused a little confusion. So while I am on my medication, nothing new really happening there, I get in the mail this past weekend a prescription for Thyroid medicine.
The Old Doctor mentioned that he has learned over the many years of this "program" that my thyroid needs to be running over an 8 in order to lose weight. He did tell me that based on my results that I might get this script in the mail and to take it with my Phentermine as prescribed. Now what he sent was Thyroxine which is just synthetic Thyroid hormone. From a medical standpoint, the Thyroid gland produces the "oil" for the engine. It regulates metabolism, it helps do alot for the nervous system, every cell in the body needs a little of this hormone to convert food into energy and so forth. It's why people with low thyroid tend to have trouble losing weight and why people with high metabolisms can eat a whole pizza and lose 3 pounds anyways. So the doctor after taking my blood in office noted my gland number was below an (8) which is where he has come to find over the many years to be the magic number for people to lose weight.
Ok, so I get a little worried about my number being low. I start looking into it and find that thyroid medicine is a tricky thing. It's definitely a booster to losing weight. Imagine it's like the werewolves in Twilight. They run hot, like almost feverish as a result of a heightened metabolism. My body is about to start running the same way, I am gonna be hot natured for a while apparently.
I hesitated taking them actually. Wikipedia and WEBMD and most sites about thyroid medicine often say DON"T TAKE IT. Alot like Phentermine I guess. After weighing the odds, which means I asked Chelle for her opinion about what I should do and she said that this Dr. knows what he's doing and wouldn't do anything to endanger you. She trusts him.....so I guess I should as well.
I called the Doctor's office for my numbers just to know. I am running a 7.0. She said that if I wanted I could take my pill after breakfast which is an hour after my Phentermine and I shouldn't have any problems. Actually,
Miss Sue went on to say, "We do this all the time honey...we know what we're doing" .
I guess it doesn't get any plainer than that. I took the dose this morning and haven't noticed much difference really.
Is it hot in here though ? or just me ?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
One a day .....
Week 1
Weight: Scale is mad at me for trying
It's a week in and I can already tell you that effects started day one. I took the first dose shortly after the doctors visit. My hunger the rest of the day was gone and instead I was wound up. Phentermine isn't speed. The adrenaline rush kinda is. The epi (adrenaline) tells my body to start using more fat as energy to support our need for "Fight or Flight" as a result, my metabolism starts using more fat stores and in turn increases energy (your body burns this fat molecule more efficiently than a glucose or sugar version.)
So, I cleaned house alot on that first day. I found myself to be active but not freaking out persay. I definitely wasn't hungry.
It's here I found out how little there really is documented online about Phentermine and it's effects. Most of what's out there is either propaganda from websites selling Phentermine or a natural copy of it or the skull and crossbones warning sites. I thought maybe having a documented blog about my weight loss and the pills will help someone else who might take this path and want to know what's going to happen.
The rest of the week goes by pretty well uneventful. My diet improves but not to the point of 500 calories a meal or anything. I do start cutting out soda and being a little more mindful of what I am eating. I am spending money on this program and the pills. All the help they provide can and WILL be undone by eating poorly during the time I am on them. These diet pills aren't speed, you won't lose weight without "some" changes. You can eat the food you want but be mindful of the portions. I am eating less and cutting out as much sugar water (cokes, lemonade etc) that I can and eating smart during the day. Gone are the days of swinging by the local convenience store for a hamburger lunch with chips and 2 sodas and a cupcake dessert. I am doing this to live my life not undermine it.
The pills prevent both hunger AND satisfication. You won't know when your full just like you don't know when your hungry. Without that factor, it makes it easier to pick and choose your meals and be more conscious of your choices.
By day 3 or 4 or so, I notice a little difference in my shirts fitting and pants fitting. I estimate I have lost 10 or so pounds but the scales still won't talk to me so I am still classified as "Effing House". Other noticeable changes are that I am no longer as drowsy or sleepy anymore. I was having an issue where when I was driving home (30 min commute) or sitting in a chair watching TV too long that I would pass out pretty easy. I noticed this week that I am more alert and awake. I haven't changed sleeping habits so I can only assume that the pills are helping.
The weirdest thing about this week was probably my realization that these pills DO alter your perception a bit and give you a lack of fear. Since I have gotten so big and unathletic, I have been afraid of climbing ladders or any height really as I have lost confidence in my ability to hang off the side of stuff and be a daredevil like I was in high school. Sunday before a good spell of rain hit, Chelle wanted to clean out some limbs out of our Oak and Pecan tree. I am usually pretty lazy about stuff like this but I knew she would love it. She (despite her MS and having a back injury of which she is in therapy for) decided SHE would climb the ladder and the tree to clear limbs since she is aware of my fear of ladders. I call bulls@#$t and get up the ladder myself. One limb I saw with a handsaw from the ladder, the next I actually got off the ladder and up into the tree. I was amazed, I wasn't nervous at all. There I was, big giant 375 pound guy climbing a tree like a 10 year old and wearing my flip flops no less. I actually had fun with it :) I worked a good workout sawing limbs and stuff for a good hour and a half or so. I thought it was pretty wild for me to be up there and took notice of my new lack of fear.
So week one is in the books, I feel different and excited. No major losses to report or heart palpatations or death. Call it a good week :)
I did get one sort of odd thing in the mail Saturday......
Weight: Scale is mad at me for trying
It's a week in and I can already tell you that effects started day one. I took the first dose shortly after the doctors visit. My hunger the rest of the day was gone and instead I was wound up. Phentermine isn't speed. The adrenaline rush kinda is. The epi (adrenaline) tells my body to start using more fat as energy to support our need for "Fight or Flight" as a result, my metabolism starts using more fat stores and in turn increases energy (your body burns this fat molecule more efficiently than a glucose or sugar version.)
So, I cleaned house alot on that first day. I found myself to be active but not freaking out persay. I definitely wasn't hungry.
It's here I found out how little there really is documented online about Phentermine and it's effects. Most of what's out there is either propaganda from websites selling Phentermine or a natural copy of it or the skull and crossbones warning sites. I thought maybe having a documented blog about my weight loss and the pills will help someone else who might take this path and want to know what's going to happen.
The rest of the week goes by pretty well uneventful. My diet improves but not to the point of 500 calories a meal or anything. I do start cutting out soda and being a little more mindful of what I am eating. I am spending money on this program and the pills. All the help they provide can and WILL be undone by eating poorly during the time I am on them. These diet pills aren't speed, you won't lose weight without "some" changes. You can eat the food you want but be mindful of the portions. I am eating less and cutting out as much sugar water (cokes, lemonade etc) that I can and eating smart during the day. Gone are the days of swinging by the local convenience store for a hamburger lunch with chips and 2 sodas and a cupcake dessert. I am doing this to live my life not undermine it.
The pills prevent both hunger AND satisfication. You won't know when your full just like you don't know when your hungry. Without that factor, it makes it easier to pick and choose your meals and be more conscious of your choices.
By day 3 or 4 or so, I notice a little difference in my shirts fitting and pants fitting. I estimate I have lost 10 or so pounds but the scales still won't talk to me so I am still classified as "Effing House". Other noticeable changes are that I am no longer as drowsy or sleepy anymore. I was having an issue where when I was driving home (30 min commute) or sitting in a chair watching TV too long that I would pass out pretty easy. I noticed this week that I am more alert and awake. I haven't changed sleeping habits so I can only assume that the pills are helping.
The weirdest thing about this week was probably my realization that these pills DO alter your perception a bit and give you a lack of fear. Since I have gotten so big and unathletic, I have been afraid of climbing ladders or any height really as I have lost confidence in my ability to hang off the side of stuff and be a daredevil like I was in high school. Sunday before a good spell of rain hit, Chelle wanted to clean out some limbs out of our Oak and Pecan tree. I am usually pretty lazy about stuff like this but I knew she would love it. She (despite her MS and having a back injury of which she is in therapy for) decided SHE would climb the ladder and the tree to clear limbs since she is aware of my fear of ladders. I call bulls@#$t and get up the ladder myself. One limb I saw with a handsaw from the ladder, the next I actually got off the ladder and up into the tree. I was amazed, I wasn't nervous at all. There I was, big giant 375 pound guy climbing a tree like a 10 year old and wearing my flip flops no less. I actually had fun with it :) I worked a good workout sawing limbs and stuff for a good hour and a half or so. I thought it was pretty wild for me to be up there and took notice of my new lack of fear.
So week one is in the books, I feel different and excited. No major losses to report or heart palpatations or death. Call it a good week :)
I did get one sort of odd thing in the mail Saturday......
Sunday, January 8, 2012
"You've got a long way to go Big Boy...."
In the Beginning
I noticed this week that when I googled information about my new diet pills that outside of seemingly doctored testimonials and highly technical jargon that there was little true documentation of the effects on people and how they truly work and make people feel. With my apparent new found enthusiasm and energy, I thought I would embrace the concept of blogging. I have really come to embrace the Google Plus mentality of sharing for the sake of truly educating strangers and teaching others.
I noticed this week that when I googled information about my new diet pills that outside of seemingly doctored testimonials and highly technical jargon that there was little true documentation of the effects on people and how they truly work and make people feel. With my apparent new found enthusiasm and energy, I thought I would embrace the concept of blogging. I have really come to embrace the Google Plus mentality of sharing for the sake of truly educating strangers and teaching others.
Let me start with formalities: My name is J.P. Harvey, I am 34 years old. I am happily married to my soulmate Michelle Harvey. We together have the most amazing daughter in the world, Kylen. Kylen is probably the main reason I decided not long ago that I had to do something or she might have to live her life only talking to portraits of her daddy. I just can't do that to her. I also can't leave Michelle. She has MS (multiple sclerosis) and I refuse to leave her to deal with that on her own. Not to mention I dont want her to have the burden of taking care of Kylen on her own.. I work in an office at an oilfield equipment manufacturing plant. Started in the parts warehouse and have steadily worked my way up to my own office with a door. ( I am proud of that door and like to mention it when I can). hmm ...what else....I have two dogs,Sara and Tilly.
That paragraph didn't sound like a 3rd grader wrote it when I had it in my head. Maybe hopefully in the rest of this post and future post I can sound a little more accomplished as a writer. Now, the something that I mentioned in the previous 3rd grader paragraph is what this writing is all about. I am 34 years old and last week I weighed in at the doctor's office at 375 pounds. Yeah, I said Holy S%$t too. Over the past year, I had noticed my weight going up and up, pant sizes kept getting bigger and bigger. I had let stress eating and over indulgence in food take over. It's hard to fight that sometimes when I work in a semi-stressful job (jobs where you don't physically work hard are usually more stressful mentally in my opinion) and I would come home and find it easier to go out to eat and enjoy some mexican food rather than cook anything at all.
Then it's Starbucks, Ice Cream runs, everything requiring cheese on it and a habit of downing 5 or 6 glasses of soda at Chili's. THEN add to that is the fact that I was so physically exhausted just from moving from point A to point B that exercise was out of the question.
I digress, the weight was taking a heavy toll on me. And I kept having bad visions of me dying or having a sudden heart attack and not being around for Kylen and more importantly, Chelle. Back in July, I consulted a friend and got on a diet plan. A crash diet of zero carb, fat, sugar. My body took to it well but after a week or so, my body rebelled and started making me feel downright horrible, beyond the Atkins feeling from before that. I was authentically feeling absolutely beyond horrible. I came off of it and ate better for a week or two. Then a GIANT stress bomb landed on me and i WON'T retell that story here. Let's just say there was ALOT of stress eating.
I told my buddy that I felt like I was carrying around an extra person on me. I named him : Phil.
I effing hate Phil.
Anyways, flash forward to December 2011 and the scale has stopped talking to me. No pants are fitting. Shirts that were swallowing me in the summer are now tight. This has GOT to stop.
Enter the WiZaRd.
Michelle had at one time got involved with a doctor in a nearby town. He's an OLD doctor but he's still in the business of seeing so many patients a day, not charging an arm and a leg, and taking no insurance. THAT kind of old doctor. He's like 97. The Dr. of course is famous locally for prescribing a diet pill and medically monitored program to lose weight. Everyone has tried it, it works. It's MaGic in a pill form.
Better living through chemistry right ? Let me introduce you to my magic trick:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phentermine
Phentermine. Back in the 90's it caught some flack for being combined with Fen something or other. Phen-Fen killed people ....JUST Phen is relatively harmless.
In basic terms, it causes your body to simulate an andrenaline rush at all times. It's called Fight or Flight hormone response. When you get an andrenaline rush your body shuts down the "hunger" hormone that your brain looks for to indicate your appetite and replaces it with this Fight or Flight hormone. So....long story short. You don't get hungry.
Disclaimer: I read alot and talked about this before I got involved with it so while you are welcome to leave comments saying (DON"T DO IT , IT WILL JACK WITH YOUR HEART or DON"T CHEAT YOU CAN DO IT) ...I can't do it....this is helping...if I didn't have help I was probably going to have a heart attack at 35.
The doctor came in to see me after my blood test and the first thing out of his mouth was, "You've got a long way to go big boy".
This is me in August. Add 20 pounds. You get the idea.....
I digress, the weight was taking a heavy toll on me. And I kept having bad visions of me dying or having a sudden heart attack and not being around for Kylen and more importantly, Chelle. Back in July, I consulted a friend and got on a diet plan. A crash diet of zero carb, fat, sugar. My body took to it well but after a week or so, my body rebelled and started making me feel downright horrible, beyond the Atkins feeling from before that. I was authentically feeling absolutely beyond horrible. I came off of it and ate better for a week or two. Then a GIANT stress bomb landed on me and i WON'T retell that story here. Let's just say there was ALOT of stress eating.
I told my buddy that I felt like I was carrying around an extra person on me. I named him : Phil.
I effing hate Phil.
Anyways, flash forward to December 2011 and the scale has stopped talking to me. No pants are fitting. Shirts that were swallowing me in the summer are now tight. This has GOT to stop.
Enter the WiZaRd.
Michelle had at one time got involved with a doctor in a nearby town. He's an OLD doctor but he's still in the business of seeing so many patients a day, not charging an arm and a leg, and taking no insurance. THAT kind of old doctor. He's like 97. The Dr. of course is famous locally for prescribing a diet pill and medically monitored program to lose weight. Everyone has tried it, it works. It's MaGic in a pill form.
Better living through chemistry right ? Let me introduce you to my magic trick:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phentermine
Phentermine. Back in the 90's it caught some flack for being combined with Fen something or other. Phen-Fen killed people ....JUST Phen is relatively harmless.
In basic terms, it causes your body to simulate an andrenaline rush at all times. It's called Fight or Flight hormone response. When you get an andrenaline rush your body shuts down the "hunger" hormone that your brain looks for to indicate your appetite and replaces it with this Fight or Flight hormone. So....long story short. You don't get hungry.
Disclaimer: I read alot and talked about this before I got involved with it so while you are welcome to leave comments saying (DON"T DO IT , IT WILL JACK WITH YOUR HEART or DON"T CHEAT YOU CAN DO IT) ...I can't do it....this is helping...if I didn't have help I was probably going to have a heart attack at 35.
The doctor came in to see me after my blood test and the first thing out of his mouth was, "You've got a long way to go big boy".
This is me in August. Add 20 pounds. You get the idea.....
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