Hi all, my name is Adrian (31 years old, male) and I've now been on Lipotrim for just over 29 days and lost 14 kilos. I began my diet at 115.3kilos, am now around 100kgs and my target is 80kg. Whilst I was never massive, I was obese and wanted that to stop.
I've been reading all your stories, so I thought it a good time to start contributing myself as I have benefited so much from reading other peoples stories. I recognise that I’ve not been on this diet too long, nor lost a massive amount (compared to some of my heroes on this site) but hope that someone finds my experience interesting and helpful to their weight campaign. I also write this entry as an outlet for myself (like a diary entry). Most of my friends, colleagues and family believe I am stupid to be on this diet so I often feel quite unsupported and isolated. No one seems to understand how I feel, how I want to be and the hardship that this diet entails. I guess, only time will tell whether they or I are correct.
I started the diet after a holiday to New Zealand when my weight became an issue. It was affecting my life. The flight was painful as my jeans dug into my belly on the 36 hours of travel, putting the tight travel socks on required plenty of huff and puff as I struggled to fit them on. Then I was prevented from doing the activities during the trip such as the bungee jumping, aerobatic flying and horse riding due to the weight restrictions. It was clear that something needed to be done.
Back home, my weight was making me really depressed to be so unfit and large. Obviously clothes no longer fitted and shopping for those clothes became harder. I could no longer look at myself in the mirror and hated being referred to as 'big man.' Whilst everyone at home likes the way I am / was ... ' cuddly' and 'teddy bear' like - I hated myself.
I knew I was better than what I was displaying to the world. In my earlier years I had always struggled with my weight but had always been active with some success in quite a few sports and was always quite adventurous. However, as the pressures of work (school teacher) overloaded me and as I lost my drive to achieve, I ate, worked and put on the weight forgetting who I formerly was. I became the person I didn't want to be (lazy, fat and directionless). As I hated myself, I couldn't see how anyone else could like me either. This is of course especially with regard to attracting the opposite sex. My self esteem / confidence had dropped so much and I’m a shy person anyway with regards to women. So I felt unlovable, unattractive and doomed to single life. Whilst this is still the case, I do feel a lot better and more confident in myself.
So, whilst I'm not at my goal yet (in both weight and direction), I feel I'm making good progress.
When I began the lipotrim, I continued with a few sachets I had from an earlier attempt (when I lost about 2 stone but stopped too early for it to make enough of a difference to my life). I had also tried and failed the lipotrim about 3 times previous where I would go on for a day and then talk myself out of it. I consequently only had a few sachets left. After I successfully completed 3 days I managed to get a repeat prescription from the doctors for a further months worth of shakes for which I will finish this week.
To accomplish this diet I have set myself a strong structure which I feel is sustainable post lipotrim. I wake early and weigh myself daily. I know most people advice against this, but I love it. I look forward to the regular and instant satisfaction or if I put on weight which I have bizarrely done twice now, it motivates me further. I then plot the weight on a excel spreadsheet. This is the heart of my weight loss programme. This spreadsheet plots my loss on a graph, calculates my average daily weight loss (0.48kg a day (I recognise that this will inevitably slow down) and it even predicts how many days till I should reach my target weight if I were to continue at that average daily loss. I have given myself up to Christmas to be on Lipotrim which is 115 days however it is really motivational to know that I may achieve my target early. The spreadsheet is really important to me as it allows me to quantify in time and weight what I have done and still need to do. If anyone would like a copy of it, email me and I’m sure I can send it on to you (it’s nothing special but so useful to me).
After I've weighed myself and I have my first shake of the day (strawberry shake), blended, lots of ice and made up with 2.5 pints of water so afterwards I'm full. I also have a multi vitamin tablet.
I then walk to work which takes 45minutes, then begin classes. At first break (remembering I'm a school teacher) I have a Berocca dissolvable tablet and then at second break I have a Vitamin C dissolvable tablet. I don't know if either really helps (or whether I should have them), but I like the structure of it, they're refreshing, something to look forward to and it replaces my packed lunch.
At work my energy levels, mood etc. have been fine. I walk around everywhere with a sports water bottle and the sheet mouth fresheners.
After work, I walk home, have my second shake (chocolate) then try to do some exercise. I either go to the gym (which I'm slowly building up from just 20minutes to now 1.5 hours), or play hockey, go surfing or just do something other than vegetate on the sofa or work. This weekend I did a rather strenuous twenty mile walk along the northern coast of Jersey (where I live) which certainly made me huff and puff (plus ache).
At the weekends, I still go out with the boys be it to bars or restaurants. I'm fine just watching them eat and drink. Whilst the smell and idea is attractive, I just think of my weight graph and look forward to seeing my weight drop that little bit more (plus the satisfaction I'd feel to have ignored temptation). The only food I ever really get drawn to is my nemesis - take away pizza, 12 inch, all meat with chips and cheese - I crave it so much yet know it is the reason I am in the state I am now.
I have also begun colonics. The idea of a pipe being stuck up your backside by a stranger frightened the hell out of me. But I thought I should do everything I could to achieve my goal, so I booked an appointment. If I was going for a clean inside which Lipotrim attempts to do, I thought that this would benefit too. It was good. I look the attitude of no shame when I arrive, followed the instructions and watched the contents of my colon flow down a tube. I go again tomorrow as apparently I’m 'blocked up' and 'full of gas.' It seems to work by the warm water melting the scum attached to the 1.2m of colon and through pressure and gravity washing it out. Whilst I feel no massive benefit yet, and does cost £65 a go, I presume it is doing some good in making my body and maybe absorbtion / metabolic rate better.
I don't generally feel hungry but the diet dominates my life. It dominates my thoughts and lifestyle. I never want to quit but do think of it. I've started researching the re-feed programme and it daunts me to change from what is working. I don't want to eat properly again through fear of putting it all back on. I have also looked into going on Atkins as I know this works in similar ways (ketosis). I do know that whatever I do, it will be harder than what I am doing now. I know that I have to change my 'normal' lifestyle and from now on be far more aware of what I'm doing and eating.
So, I think that is all now. I’m sorry to have ranted on. I just know that I would have found the above story interesting and maybe even useful as I did when reading all your inspirational stories. I have certainly found it useful to write to you all and tell you how I am.
I have some way still to go till I reach my personal aims and weight targets and hope that I'll be able to write once more on this forum to proclaim my victory over my belly.
Thank you for listening and I wish you all luck.
Adrian