Hi Emily...welcome to the Forum!
This Forum is a great place to find support, accountability, encouragement, advice, an understanding ear and even a bit of inspiration!
Your goal is achievable...but only if you are prepared to work hard for it!
I personally can't understand the attraction for such things as Optifast. They and their kin are too faddish for my liking. They promise quick success but can't deliver permanent weight loss success. Those that are successful must grow and move on from such products...thus in reality they delay the person's true road to a healthy permanent lifestyle. There is no "gut" satisfaction in these products and it doesn't help you learn how to eat proper food in true portion sizes so the failure rate is very high. It also doesn't address the important issue of moving your butt off the couch in any meaningful way!
True permanent weight loss occurs when a person shifts their head space from wishing to lose weight, then to wanting to lose weight (this is where most dieters stop)...all the way to MUST lose the weight. The key to successful weight loss isn't in a magic shortcut program but in each person's head space. Once the head is right then the food and the exercise will fall into place.
When people ask me how the heck I managed to lose 87 kilos they are always disappointed with the answer. They expect me to advocate for a program like Optifast, the latest fad diet (the more obscure and difficult the better) or some fanatical exercise kit or program but I don't. No magic bullet or short cut...just common sense eating, solid exercise and the right frame of mind.
I recommend you learn how to make a healthy lifestyle that works for you. I suspect you won't follow my advice (which you are free to do)...but please know that you have chosen the tough road and will need support - and we will be there for you.
Kim
