DAY ONE and DAY TWO not so good.

I am day two, I am feeling really lousy.  I had a great weekend away. half business and half pleasure.  I ate whatever I wanted, slept great, walked through the botanical gardens and visited our favorite restaurants, rested.
Monday I started and that night I came home from work so exhausted that I went to bed and slept 12 hours.  I woke up this morning having hot flashes...I don't have those.  Night sweats, yes, but NEVER hot flashes.  All morning.  Had to reapply my makeup 3 times and was late for work.
I was having doubts as to whether I would even make it 3 days on the fasting part.  I hate the way I feel.  I mixed it with Silk Organic soy milk because it is disgusting in water.  I would throw up and never drink it again if I had to do that.  The diet would so be over.  I don't expect that I would have lost anything so I haven't even looked at the scales and I won't for a week.
I can make it for 3 days, but I am definitely NOT going past that.  I am light headed, no energy at all NONE.  Headaches really bad and I am drinking coffee without cream and sugar. 
The best I can say is this sucks.
I would not recommend this to anyone.

Hello av8rtech,
 
I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time with Almased.
The fasting phase can be a drastic diet change that the body needs to adjust to. That is why it is important to drink plenty of liquids, such as water, tea and very important vegetable broth/juice. Have you been drinking vegetable broth? This can help with headaches. In addition, magnesium and vitamin C alleviate headache pain. Headaches are not unusual on a liquid diet because of the free radicals that build up in the body. The veggie broth has lots of antioxidants that can fight off the radicals.
You don't have to do the fasting phase if it is giving you such a hard time. You can start with the 2nd phase, having Almased twice per day and eating one regular meal.
If you decide to stay on the fast and for Almased recipe ideas, I encourage you to read the Almased Fasting Figure Plan on our website: http://www.almased.com/files/cm/Figure%20Plan_Fasting_book%20view.pdf
 
After a few shakes, you do get used to the taste of Almased. You may also want to read through some of the posts on this forum where people talk about how they mix Almased and what has helped them through the fast.
 
Keep us posted on how you are doing.
 
 
Silke

I am drinking the vegetable broth.  Instead of making it, I bought a carton of it at a health food store insuring that it didn't have added fats, sugars or sodium.  I have such a hectic life as IT Support on an Enterprise business account that I barely have time to breathe.  Day three I felt a little better, but still trying to get used to the grit, I use a blender in the morning and the evening, but at work, I have to just take my water bottle and shake it vigorously.  Ugh.
My past habits have been so bad, not eating breakfast, not stopping for lunch because I am in high demand.  I am told by my mangers that it is essential to stop and take a break whether you eat or not. 
However, I am told that breakfast is the most important meal.  Is it important to replace the evening meal or can you choose which one you replace with real food?  I made through 3 fasting days and I don't think I will try any more of those.  But I am wondering if you can have normal (lean) food for just any meal?
I am not a quitter, just have a hard time when I feel lousy. 
I do drink tons of water, most of my day is spent getting rid of the water I drink!  It is great for the skin.  I am still having coffee with a sugar sub or nothing at all in it.
My friends are shocked that I am not schlepping with them to lunch for a belt buster of a meal.
I am 125.  I just don't feel good at that weight.  It is like I am a doublewide vehicle....I get in my own way.  I am constantly moving, lifting and getting things done fast all day.  Some of it is spent sitting at my desk, on those days I just don't really want a lot to eat.
I am a "feel good" food person.  For instance, Sweet potatoes are awesome.  They make me feel good when I eat them, I mean after I eat them, just like water makes you feel hydrated and energize.  Sweet potatoes make me feel comforted. 
So let me know if there is any hope for the 12 pounds I want to lose.
Thank you for all your encouragement!

Hello av8rtech,
 
Instead of buying vegetable broth from the store, try 100% vegetable juice. You can also dilute it with some water and have it throughout the day.
I think you will feel better once you start incorporating a regular meal into your diet. Since your lifestyle seems to be a little different, you can chose the meal you want to eat. We usually suggest having Almased for breakfast and dinner and eat a sensible lunch but I want you to be able to stick with this diet plan, so if you prefer to have your regular meal for dinner or breakfast you can do so.
You can read our Figure Plan for more information on this diet phase and what foods to eat (http://www.almased.com/files/cm/Figure%20Plan_Regular_book%20view.pdf). In general, your regular meal should have about 500-700 calories and should consist of some protein (usually meat, fish, tofu, beans etc), lots of veggies and some whole grain products such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta. You will find more recipe ideas in the Figure Plan.
I strongly agree with your managers to take the time to eat something and slow down some. I know it can be hard especially if your lifestyle dictates otherwise but it is so important for your body.
How tall are you and how much Almased do you take per shake?
 
I hope the 2nd phase will be better for you
Let me know how you are doing.
 
 
Silke

I also wanted to ask if it is advisable to go back to 3 shakes a day every now and then?  I know that we are supposed to begin that way to "reset" our metabolism and I am sure that my body probably had some free radicals to chase away and toxins to throw off.  I know that sometimes in my crazy busy life, it would be more practical oddly enough to grab my Almased and get a "quick fix". 
 
I did feel better on day 3 later on when I got home that evening.  Yesterday, day four I had the "safe parts" of my husband's taco salad fixings.  I took plain ground beef placed it on a bed of lettuce, NO CHEESE, a handful (I measure in handfuls..my hands are not very big) of low fat  tortilla chip strips, (.5g per cup) and 1/3 cup of salsa, restaurant style, watery but tasty.  I missed romaine lettuce so badly that I made another small salad with 1 tblsp (yes, one was quite enough) of low fat caesar dressing.  Water water and water.  Some soy milk and I looked at the apples, but maintained my distance.  I did munch on 4 baby carrots, 4 broccoli flowerets and 4 snow pea pods all raw on my way home.  I bought them for soup I am making this weekend.
 
On the vegetable broth front, I bought the broth for my office, we have a dorm fridge on our floor and a microwave.  (I work at ..of all places the Jello plant where they make pudding and cheesecake treats.  I am allergic to chocolate and I almost always have to go out on the plant floor to repair a computer system when they are making a huge batch of chocolate pudding and it makes my eyes burn!)
 
I am mostly depending on Almased to make me feel better, more energized through this menopause slumpy dump.  I am a runner and I have not been able to get enough energy to get back to that.  The weather will soon be too bad to do that outside, so it will be back to the treadmill.
 
Thank you.

Hello av8rtech,
 
You can go back to the fasting phase every 3 months if needed. I don't necessarily recommend fasting more often for weight loss reasons. In that case, the 2nd phase (having Almased twice per day with one regular meal) would be the best phase for weight loss. And you can stay on it until you reach your ideal body weight.
If it fits your lifestyle better every so often to have an extra Almased shake instead of skipping a meal, then yes, go for it!
 
You are doing a good job with your meals and staying away from all the temptations at work
 
 
Silke