Yesterday, Saturday, was the day I'd been waiting for - the first meeting.
I was a little early and saw this overweight girl hovvering about around the corner. We looked at each other and seemed to know we were going to the same place! There's a bench outside the counsellor's house, so I sat there and chatted to another new person (we're all new; the way it works is that we all start and stay together from the beginning for at least 14 weeks with no-one new joining). When the earlier meeting came out, she recognised a couple of them from the initial meeting she'd attended a few months before.
Both of them were really happy, finding it easy going and had lost over 35lb each (in 8 weeks!). That filled us both with hope; hearing it from the horse's mouth rather than as part of a sales pitch.
Once in and settled we each took our turn to be weighed privately. I was 20st and either .9 of a lb or 9lb - I'm thinking the latter, and that is shocking. I always said if I hit 20st (that's 280lb) then..... :o/. But I'm doing something about it now, NOW, so I will not dwell. It's not going to get any worse, thank God for that.
Most of the women seem really nice; I only really got talking to a few of them (there's 11 of us). I'm looking forward to sharing our journeys, and I am sure some of them will piss me off before too long (and vice versa!).
We then watched a video very similar to the one they showed at the, "initial meeting". I hadn't sat in a position to be able to see it, so I made sure this time I did! After that the counsellor talked us through stuff we kind of knew and then some finer details of what we could expect in the first week or so. The first four days are going to be hell basically, whilst we detox and get used to a brand new way of fuelling our bodies. Apart from the food packs, we are allowed pepper and tabasco. That's it. We will need to get through 4 litres of water a day (I've almost done 3 since noon and it's now 10 hours later!), and she promises that this will become easier after a few days, when ketosis sets in, and our bodies will be, "asking for it". We're allowed black tea or coffee, as long as it's only flavoured with sweetener in tablet form, not spooned. We are okay with painkillers and tablets as long as they are not coloured or have a shiny coating on. Nurofen Liquid Tablets are fine, thank goodness!
We were then shown the foodpack list. Soups, shakes and bars, a bit like Slimfast. A lot like Slimfast in fact. We had to pick a week's meals from that; I just got two of everything. They recommend you don't have the bars until the fourth day, so I'll stick to that.
Then we tried a couple of little exercises (not physical ones!), where we understood more about Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and we talked about our reasons for doing this. We then picked up our carrier bags with the foodpacks, paid our £46.50 and after arranging a "pop-in" during the week (we have to do that for the first 3 weeks) that was that.
I offered a lift to the station (it's a 20 minute bus ride away) and agreed to pick them up at the station next Saturday. I don't mind, I would have appreciated it if it were me.
By then I was starving so I went to Pizza Express for what was essentially my last food meal. I've made my peace and said goodbye to all my favourite foods these last two weeks. It's been easier to do that than I thought. It's not forever, just until I am healthy and fit enough to enjoy them again. Rather than wolf down as much of it as I could, I decided instead just to enjoy every morsel. So, for my last real meal I had olives and garlic bread with cheese, some new pizza they do which is essentially a big garlic bread with mozzerella salad on top. I had a diet coke, an Americano (espresso with water) and a slice of delicious cheesecake.
We did a gig last night and I had some of the buffet - not loads and loads but some cheese, pate and a couple of mini sausages. I said goodbye to Krispy Kreme, with sour cream, original glazed and chocolate cake donuts and a double chocolate ice-blend with coffee. I didn't finish it.
I was going to have something when we got back, but I was too tired and didn't know what to have, so I just went to bed. One thing I haven't done is just eat for the sake of eating. I tried that on Friday with a massive ice cream dessert meant for sharing. I ate about four spoonfuls and couldn't eat any more. These are good signs!
DAY 1/300
I didn't want to have breakfast until I was hungry, and after getting up at 1015am that meant around 1130am. I had a chocolate shake, blended with ice in the liquidizer. It's exactly like Slimfast. I used a straw to drink it, but didn't guzzle. I knew I had to stretch it out!
I spent the day at my brother's house and took a thai chicken chili soup with me, and a 2l bottle of water. Despite the fact that they had a roast I was fine. His 3 daughters (all aged 8 and under) kept me busy enough to take my mind of it. The youngest was having a "tea party", so I pretended to enjoy the plastic foods and invisible drink. It helped....!
I was only really distracted by the odd food advert and time of day really. Although I kept getting hunger pangs (I am STARVING right now!). The sort of pang where normally I'd get up and get a slice of bread or something. I have to just learn to ignore that. It will go apparently after no more than about a week (a week?!). I guess it's a habit/craving that will go. I had my soup when they had dinner. Again, very Slimfast-y. I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it was fine, and I added plenty of pepper. My sister-in-law was very helpful in reminding me to drink and kept refilling my glass. I left at about 8pm, after having my last sip from that bottle. I've just literallly finished another pint and going for another! I didn't need the toilet until about 6.45pm and since then I've been 5 times!
The hunger pangs come and go. I'm desperately hungry enough to give in for a few minutes, then nothing. It's a bit of a see-saw. Next week we can pay a bit more to get flavourings for the water, which I'll try but I'm not too bothered about. Fortunately I can still have my nice french coffee espressos/Americanos, so I'll probably use that to break up the boredom. I don't have milk with coffee anyway, so there's no change there!
End of day one. Phew! Only about 299 to go!
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