My success/failure/success/ failure/ 1/2 Success on the Dr. Bernstein Diet

MOUNTAIN · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 8

Oh, I wish I could post a photo of me from behind just so people could see the difference. ! I started the Dr. Bernstein Diet March 2004. I went from 278 to 168 in less than one year. I figure it cost me $ 3500.00/4000.00 but, man was it worth it. I have struggled with weight due to child birth mostly. It has been a struggle. I work so hard to keep it off, and I have recently had to return after a 60 lb weight gain, with good success, 23 lbs lost in my first month. I have 40 lbs to go again. I know I will get there. I do not have a problem losing weight, but keeping it off is another story.

I have one nurse who I like, she is very nice, the others...ah, I do not feel that they like me that much. I feel like they are just waiting for me to fail, so I will get kicked off the diet. I want to get to my goal weight this time and keep it off!! They have recommended that I see a counselor, I appreciate that, she has told me I need to learn how to express my emotions in an alternative way to food! I grew up in an emotionally stifled family, and she suggests that is the root of my problem.

The other change I need to make is completely give up alcohol.

When I went back they told me they thought I had an eating disorder. NO GUFF/REALLY!!! Sorry but, I was morbidly obese, there is no doubt that I have an eating disorder. I eat when I am happy, sad, mad, glad, tired, energetic, partying, not partying, !!!!!!!

Anyway, I am anxious to get to my goal weight, and keep it off!

Jenny · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 495

Hi Mountain,

Keep up with the good work, be persistent and don't make food your major satisfaction!!!Let us know how it went! And don't let Dr. Berstein's staff get on your nerves....they seem like an annoying crowd. Are they all fit? I suppose they have to be?

MOUNTAIN · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 8

I do not want to be critical of those who work at the clinic. I have spent my life feeling like people judge me for being fat, obese really. Like I eat a cake, extra large pizza, and sit on the couch all day! NOT true, but I often feel the judgment, so I do not want to judge anyone else. I can physically work circles around any fit person and I am carrying 40lbs on my body. I do not want to judge them and lower myself to thier level!

We are in a society where fat is ugly, skinny Beautiful! I know that those who work at the clinic and are overweight have to have alot to struggle with mentally. Imagine seeing people day in , day out, drop lbs like crazy! Thay must have to exist in a a serious work hazzard mentally! Apparently (I read) that it is free to them, and that must make it even worse! Imagine having this "candy" of skinniness hanging over your head while you work, and for medical reasons, or otherwise, you do not partake in the weightloss fruit! GOD. I cannot imagine how they feel.

Who bugs me at the clinic: The skinny ones who judge you for gaining weight with thier eyes when you go back. They sit perched like a vulcture waiting for you to slip out of ketosis, or not meet the demanded goal they give you. Who get this wierd blissful voice and are happy to see you not come back! THEY are there, and those are the ones who I use to pshycologically pumb myself up to lose weight for. HA!! I say in my mind, you did not win today you creapy vulcture!!!! (Wow: That sounds a bit crazy!!!) But it is true, it is what I do.

I have to admit: I did not eat for two days because I was afraid I would not meet the goal they set for me and get kicked out. It feels really good to confess this on a message board, as I could never admit it verbally to anyone.

Thank You for your encouragement Jenny.

Jenny · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 495

I don't think you sound crazy by saying "you did not win today you creapy vulcture!!!!". It sounds to me like a normal reaction to the torture these guys are putting people through.

At least you found a good way to use their bad attitude for your own benefits.

By the way, is not eating for two days also recomended by the clinic or something you decided to do own your own.

Maybe you could send us before and after pictures once you are satisfied with your weight or show us your progress???

That would be great! Thanks for your time and for sharing your story!

MOUNTAIN · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 8

Thanks AGAIN!! I think I am crazy being on this diet, especially now after reading so many people's testimonials. This is a brutal process, I remember when I first started, I felt so vulnerable. Being told you are "morbidly obese" and realizing exactly how dangerous a situation you are in makes you buy into the program fast. You are told that you could die of a heart attack, and that you need to think of the message you are sending to your children. You are told you will get to play with them like a normal person. The fast results give you a sense of euphoria. You start to feel like you have control over yourself for the first time, and you are seeing fast, immediate results.

Everyone begins to notice, you get the "wow" how are you losing so much weight, they start to watch you because they think you are losing too fast. Then, the remarks, the "oh, I am so worried", are you okay? Then you really buy into the program and say, oh do not worry, I am being totally medically supervised! I encouraged someone to join! Imagine that! He has this referral system where if you recommend someone he gives you a week of free treatment! (I do not recommend this diet to anyone!) I take all the support I ever gave this diet back 100%!

I have been really thinking a lot since all this has happened. ( The return to the diet, the contract, the threat to kick me off, and then getting onto this message board.) Dr. Bernstein diet takes your voice of being a human being away! The diet stacks the deck against those who try to return after gaining weight.

I was told when I started that the "maintenance" and "tune up" program was in place to help me on my journey to weight loss. That is garbage!! I have achieved my goal 2 times. The maintenance program is insane. If you gain weight, you have 2 weeks to lose it, if you do not lose it then they force you back onto the strict program, and you have to start buying the full injection package again. You gain weight in the first two weeks when you are allowed to eat unlimited vegetables off the strict diet allowed list! There are no calories in those vegetables!

I was told that if I wanted to keep it off, I had to exercise, so, Did I exercise! An average of 2 hours a day, but I was constantly bonking because I did not have enough nutrition in me to sustain the exercise I was doing.

I am treated like crap right now. There is no support and no encouragement to return and keep on trying. I have read on these message boards that getting kicked off is for "your safety." I dropped in and out of ketosis many times when I was first on the program, and spent upwards of $4,000.00, if it was safe the first time, and allowed the first time, then it should be safe and allowed the second, and third time! It is an unbelievable contradiction to the facts of the program.

Okay: back to what I have decided. I have a funny suspicion that I am one of the few who have not let them win. I am staying on this diet, and I am documenting the entire process. The diet has taken away many peoples voices, and hurt a lot of people, by blaming them for the inevitable failure of keeping the weight off! I am going to do everything that I can to continue to meet their insane restrictions until I hit a place where they finally get me. I will post, I will keep photo's, I will keep a record of how extreme a place they send you to. I hope that this information keeps as many people away from this diet as possible.

This diet has neglected to consider the power of information! I would be happy to post photo's but, what if they find out who I am? I will keep the photo's until I am off the diet, and then post them!

Today's Weigh In: 198.8 lbs ( no weight loss since Wed) Ketosis: Evening Urine ++++4

I ATE: (WED) 1 power bar, 1 cup of low fat bullion, 2 oz onions, 8 oz of broccoli, onions, and cauliflower, 3.5 oz of grilled chicken. (THURS) I envelope of DR. B Porridge, 1 apple, 1 cup of low fat bullion, 2 oz tuna, 6 oz of broccoli, onions, peppers, 1 tsp ultra low fat mayo.

NO: They do not tell you not to eat, but if you do not lose weight, you get kicked off the program, so you do not eat out of fear of not losing weight.

Thanks Again Jenny!

MOUNTAIN · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 8

Okay, so, I just realized that if I do not post photo's no one will believe that this story is true, so, ok. I will but how do you do it? I clicked on the img tag [img] it gives me this prompt, but what then? [/img]

dlkenny · Newbie Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

My girlfriend is also on the Dr. Bernstein diet. She started at over 300 lbs, has lost almost 50 (in three and a half months) and she also is giving the people there the middle finger because they keep telling her that she's going to get kicked out. She says that they're so critical and if she gains any weight they almost scream at her. I feel badly for her though because the diet is so strict that aside from a few things she can buy at the clinic (for a small fortune) all she can eat are chicken and green beans.
She's had to quit for a while though because she had her wisdom teeth out and was on doctor's orders to not be dieting. Well, that was about two weeks before christmas and she decided to stay off of her diet until after new years. She ate like a normal person (like I do, I'm a competitive martial artist and eat quite healthily) and we went for a walk every day and to our surprise she only gained 3 pounds in that month! It was all water weight too so as soon as she started drinking tons of water again and using lemon again she actually lost it. Since then though she's slipped once and knocked herself out of ketosis and they've kicked her out until she can go get a medical checkup from her doctor, then she can go back on the diet. Last weekend though we were skiing with some friends and one of them, Tara, is on the South Beach diet so since then and until she can go for her checkup she's following the South Beach diet just to keep the momentum going. The advantage of this is that the South Beach isn't a starvation diet but works very similar to Dr. Bernstein without the injections...it also allows a greater intake of food so that you can work out.

Remember too that if you work out too hard your body doesn't burn fat. It takes whatever energy (carbs) it can from your liver and burns that instead. Your body requires some carbs to function (your cells need it to function) and if you burn up all of your carbs working out you'll feel ill and won't lose any weight. The idea of working out is to increase your metabolism and I would recommend an activity such as kickboxing (the fitness classes, not competitive), briskly walking, jogging, swimming or even soccer. Circuit training is good but if you're going to do this I'd recommend finding a good personal trainer and just work with him/her once in a while to make sure you're working out in the proper range for increasing your metabolism and burning fat. If you don't, you will get your heart and muscles into shape but you won't accomplish anything in terms of your weight.

Good luck. I know it's tough.

UNLIMITED · Newbie Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 2

any thoughts

Guest · Guest

Hello Everyone,

I to was on the Dr B diet and it did work and I dropped 35 pounds and felt great. I have really bad TOM every month and seem to really crave sweets at this time. I went up on a vacation and was put on the agreement plan that if I did not lose 2 pounds a week I would be kicked off the program which did end up happening because I had a bad TOM and ate some bad stuff ( life happens) Anyway it has been about 1 year since that happened and I was wondering if they ever let you join again or once you are out that is it? Does anyone know? The diet did work and I would like to try again.

3boys no girls but the Queen of the house!

Jenny · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 495

My success/failure/success/ failure/ 1/2 Success on the Dr. Bernstein Diet

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