7.31.2010 - I decided to start the Bios Life Slim on this date.  To accelerate the weight loss, I decided to use the Slim product twice a day and use the meal replacement shake for the other meal.  I chose to use a meal replacement shake for breakfast because I always seem to wake up hungry.  In the past, I would immediately open a Pepsi and eat a couple of cookies or muffin for breakfast.  Needless to say, I was looking for a quick sugar fix and setting myself up for sugar spikes throughout the day.  I'm a diabetic.  I know that it is not good for me but I needed a way to start my day and not feel hungry.  I tried using the vanilla shake, mixing it with skim milk.  I was surprised that it was actually quite tasty.  For lunch and dinner, I drank the Bios Life Slim prior to the meal.  I tried mixing it with 8 ounces orange juice but that was a little strong.  For dinner, I mixed it with 4 ounces of orange juice and 4 ounces of water.  The result taste like an Orange Julius - very tasty and easy to swallow.

The reason I decided to start Bios Life Slim has to do with the medical research behind the product.  First of all, it is in the PDR - that is unusual for a nutraceutical company; it takes quality medical research to be listed in the PDR.  In addition, the product addresses two of my medical conditions in addition to obesity: high cholesterol and high sugar counts.  It is even purported to help high blood pressure.  Since I recently had blood work drawn and have the results of the blood work, I will be able to monitor my progress.  God, I would love to get off some of these drugs for diabetes and cholesterol.  As a result of my last blood work, prior to the diet, my prescription for cholesterol medications was lowered to a less potent drug because my cholesterol was actually quite low.  My goal is to be off cholesterol medications entirely and lessen the diabetic medications.  If I lose weight in addition to all of that, what a great result!

Whenever I start a new diet, I am always excited the first few days.  I'm hoping that I can get the momentum to continue beyond the first few days.  I ate normal meals today, except for the meal replacement shake.  One thing I noticed, I didn't feel hungry all day.  That was a pleasant surprise.

8.1.2010 - day two begins.  I decided that if I really wanted to take this seriously, I needed to enter the Get Slim Challenge.  I read through all of the rules on the Internet and realized that I've hit a major stumbling block.  To participate, you have to enter a starting weight as well as measurements.  There is no problem with measurements but I can't use a traditional scale.  In fact, I can't stand nor can I bear weight in any way.  How am I going to get weighed?

One of the things that I like already... I don't feel hungry all the time.  In fact, most of the time I feel full even before eating a meal.  That is a weird sensation.  I hate diets because I always feel starved.  I'm sure that's partly psychological and partly physiological.  In the past, I've hated going to the grocery stores when I'm on a diet.  It seems that food falls off the shelf into my lap... even stuff that I would not normally eat but it looks attractive when I'm on a diet.  Because I feel full and satisfied, I don't have a problem going to the grocery store.  Interesting.

8.2.2010 - we found a way to get a starting weight but it is somewhat embarrassing.  We can go to a company that sells rocks and landscape slate.  They have a commercial scale where they measure their dump trucks unloaded and then loaded.  I can get in line with the dump trucks and measure my weight including my power chair; then we had to suspend me in the air using a Hoyer while we measured the way to the chair itself.  Unfortunately, the scale measures in increments of 10, not too accurate.  According to the woman running the scale, the total weight was 540 pounds.  The weight of the chair was 300 pounds.  You do the math.

For the last few days, my stomach and intestines have rumbled after drinking the Bios Life Slim.  According to the company website, if you experience gastric problems, you should increase your water intake.  I am acting on their suggestion.  In addition, this is the first day at a long time that I did not drink a single Pepsi.  For me, that is monumental.  I love my soda.

8.3.2010 - Feeling tired today because I haven't slept well the last two nights.  I am awaking every hour with an urgent need to urinate.  Bottom line, I am peeing copious amounts!  according to the literature I've read, this isn't a side effect of the diet - it doesn't concentrate on eliminating water weight.  On the other hand, I have lots of edema because I'm chair bound.  Maybe that's why I'm losing so much water?

8.4.2010 - The rumblings in my stomach and intestines are subsiding.  I am not experiencing sugar cravings.  Every once in a while, I want to have potato chips or something as an afternoon snack.  If I tell myself "No", the urge goes away quite quickly.

When my caregiver was giving me a bath today, she lifted up my leg and said "look at your ankle.  I can see it."  Apparently, I have lost so much water weight in my legs and feet that they actually are starting to look normal instead of looking like blowfish.  Very interesting.

8.5.2010 - I listened in to the managers' meeting for Unicity today; I wasn't aware that the video I had seen was brand-new.  it was one of the most professional videos I have ever seen from a network marketing company and one of the reasons that I decided to use the Bios Life Slim product.  From a marketing perspective, it is an excellent marketing tool.  It was also interesting to hear the interview of someone who had won the Get Slim Challenge.  When I first decided to take the plunge, I wanted to wait until I had my own personal results before I shared this with anyone.  I've decided to go ahead and share the journey and not wait until the final destination.

8.6.2010 - In the middle of the night, I realized that I could weigh myself if I could find a meat scale that would hook up between my overhead lift and my straps.  I found one and ordered it immediately.  Today I received the chocolate meal replacement shake that I ordered.  I like it even better than the vanilla.  Maybe that's because I'm a chocolate freak!

Tonight, my caregiver was giving me a leg massage prior to going to bed.  "Marilyn, you have normal feet."  "What does that mean?" I asked.  "The bottoms of your feet have always been flat, probably from so much edema.  Now you actually have an arch and they look normal."  Hmmm... interesting development.

8.8.2010 - since all my immediate relatives have type 2 diabetes, I decided to share the videos with them.  If they want to order products, I will help them.  If they want to wait until they see my results, that's up to them.  I love being able to diet without feeling deprived... hungry... starved all the time.  I can't wait for the poundage to drop off!  People sometimes say to me that I must've learned patience from being in the wheelchair or chairbound the majority of my adult life.  When they say that, I realize how little they know about me.  I'm one of the most impatient people in the world; when I want something, I want it right now, not tomorrow, not next week, not next month.  I want it now - I want to weigh 145 pounds again.  If I can get to that goal, considering that I can do very limited exercise, then anyone can lose weight.  No excuses.  That is my challenge to the "walkies" of the world.

8.10.2010 - the scale arrived today.  Imagine my disappointment when it didn't work - it was defective.  We called the company and had another one shipped out immediately and are returning this one.  What a disappointment!  I was ready to learn my true weight... even if it was only accurate within 2 pounds.  I think I have already dropped a couple of pounds from my starting weight, whatever that was.  Now I have to wait again.  What did I say about being an impatient?

I decided to try mixing the Slim with V8 Fusion instead of orange juice.  It was wonderful.  I will probably use this mixture most of the time.

8.11.2010 - After two weeks of no junk food, I splurged tonight: 1/2 of a McDonalds burger and fries - of course - drinking Slim before I ate.  I am noticing an increase in my energy level.  Fatigue is part of multiple sclerosis; I usually took a nap every day.  Now I'm not feeling tired.  Hmmmmm....interesting.

When we were in the pool day, I decided to try to make my body balance - in other words, force my propreioceptors to work.   My caregiver, Bama, has created a life jacket of sorts  by stringing together two noodles to go under in my arms.  Then, she holds on to me to make sure that I do not go face forward into the pool or fall back.  Today, I asked her to let go and only catch me if need be.  Surprisingly, I was able to balance.  I could feel the muscles of my back and spine reacting to the need to achieve balance.  I imagine I might be sore from this.

8.13.2010 this was indeed a different day in the pool.  After only two days of forcing my body to react, I was able to start to use my arms to bounce in the pool with my body compensating every time.  I was amazed! So was Bama.  I exercised like this for at least 10 minutes.  It felt really good.  My legs were not doing anything but my arms were certainly active.  I don't know what has made this possible, whether it is the new nutrition or the Bax Aura machine that my chiropractor has started to use on me.  Maybe it's a combination of both.  In either case, it makes me anxious to get back into the pool.

On the other hand, the new scale arrived today.  It was also defective!  I was so angry I couldn't even speak.  I wanted to take a hammer and smash it to tiny pieces; instead, I have to package it up and send it back with the first one.  Needless to say, the company is going to get a piece of my mind and it will not be a pleasant piece.

8.15.2010 what a day this has been, what a fine mood I'm in.  I just worked out in the pool.  For the first time in years, I was actually able to do exercising that resulted in a cardiovascular workout.  I have energy for the first time in a very long time.  I love how this feels... I love the fact that I am not hungry all the time.  I craved sugar for about five minutes last night but I was able to ignore it and it went away.  This is great!  I am anxious to see my blood work in a month.

8.16.2010 - another fantastic day in the pool.  I worked on arms, trunk strength, sitting on the first step of the pool.  More than that, I took 10 steps today.  The only way that I could move my feet is to shift my weight with my hips.  But I took 10 steps! I have not been able to move like that for at least 10 years.  Considering how hard I worked out, I wasn't even tired.  Bios Life Slim is giving me tremendous energy; I am no longer taking an afternoon nap at all.

I talked with Kim, my physician's assistant, about stopping my Statin cholesterol medication.  we agreed to give it a 45 day trial; if my cholesterol level remains low or within the acceptable range, we can assume that the Bios Life Slim is keeping it low.  Of course, I am not satisfied just getting off Statin medication; I want to cut back and eliminate the diabetic medication if possible.  Why not go for the whole enchilada?

8.17.2010 -  my body was tired today but I still took a few steps two different times.  Tomorrow, we are going to try a less supportive vest and see if my body can balance and right itself.   I really need parallel bars in the pool.  Anybody know how to do them?  That would allow me to get my arms and legs coordinated and working together.  I am still not hungry when I am taking Slim; it's marvelous to be on a diet without feeling like you're dieting.

8.18.2010 - I decided to let myself rest in the pool today.  My body had taken a beating in the last two days doing the things that everybody takes for granted.  That is what is so ironic... I can't take any of it for granted.  Sitting without any support is still a struggle.  I keep telling myself that weebles wobble but they don't fall down; I'm still not a very good weeble!  My good friend, Fran, thinks that my journal is little on the crazy side.  Like me, perhaps?  Yesterday afternoon we went to Sedona MedPlus and talked with Steve about a rollator to try in the pool.  Will it float up to the top?  Will I be able to control it at all underwater?  This should be an interesting experience.

Last night I was craving super greasy, KFC chicken.  I usually order a three-piece.  I decided to order a two piece since I have been less hungry.  After I finished the leg, a few potato wedges and the coleslaw, I was uncomfortably full.  I felt full all night and still feel full this morning.  My capacity seems to be shrinking even if my body isn't!

8.19.2010 - we talked with Steve today and he gave us an old rollator.  We are going to put it in the pool and see if I can use it to walk.  I've never heard of anyone using a rollator in a pool, but why not?  Will it float to the surface?  We'll see.

8.20.2010 - I guess the rollator was premature; I can't use it to walk.  The other woman that sometimes uses my pool was able to use it to walk; I was so jealous.  Now I have to gain more strength so that I can use it also.  I did use it to do push-ups of sorts and to strengthen my arms.  of course, I got a little too ambitious and jammed my index finger.  Ow!

8.24.2010 - my new scales finally arrived.  Good news, bad news.  The good news is that they work; the bad news is that they work... now I know my actual weight!   Yikes.  Now I know the truth... I need to lose 100 pounds.

8.25.2010 - today was a one-noodle day.   Until today, I was using a two- noodle contraption that Bama made to keep me afloat.  I was balancing within that contraption.  Today, we went down to one noodle.  it totally changed the balancing points and made it much more difficult for me to balance.   As a consequence, it was more of a workout

than I had realized. Just one small step toward being able to balance myself. Unfortunately, I still can't feel my legs or know when my feet are on the bottom of the pool.

9.07.2010 - using one noodle every day.  Tried to use the walker but I can't move it yet.  I know they say 'Rome wasn't built in a day' but ..... how about two?

9.21.2010 - I knew I'd been losing inches because my clothes were looser - today I took the plunge and weighed myself.  I've lost 5.5 pounds - wahoo!  Only 93 more to go!  Seems like a lot but  I don't care how long it takes.  I just want to get there.

9.24.2010  official weigh-in day.  I have lost 6.5 pounds and a total of 7.5 inches from the waist, a hips and chest.

10.7.2010  My mother is losing weight, my friends are losing weight, I'm losing weight.  It's not fast but it's going down.  I switched to V8 Fusion Light as a mix - a lot less sugar.  In the pool, we put double weights on my legs.  I tried pushing up with them since my feet were flat.  They activated a little.

10.22.2010  Official weigh-in day.  Lost a total of 11 pounds and 10 inches.  That's a lot for a person who can't exercise.

11.09.2010  Decided to weigh myself today. I have lost a total of 15 pounds.  Because the weather is a little cold for going in the pool, we are starting to do land exercises to build my core strength and my upper body.  When one of my caregivers, Jorge, is on duty, he works with building the strength of my legs. My left leg is responding quite well. My right leg lags behind.

12.06.10  Weighed in today.  I have lost a total of 19.5 pounds. In addition, my latest blood work with a less statin shows that my cholesterol levels are too low!  I'm going to ask my healthcare provider to take me off my statin medication entirely.

12.07.10  Because my cholesterol levels were so low, we've started a 90 day trial without a statin medication at all. We will recheck the lab results in 90 days.  in addition, I am now only on one diabetic medication, Metformin. The other two medications have been discontinued.