"How are you feeling ... hungry?"

Today I saw someone that I haven't seen in quite some time, definitely before I started doing Optifast.  She said to me, "Hi Kathy!  I heard you look different, but wow!  How are you feeling ... hungry?"

Grrrrrrrr.

That is probably the most frequently asked question when people talk to me about my weight loss.  They can't believe I'm not starving all the time.  Thinking about it from their perspective, imagining someone surviving on just drinks all day, I suppose you could go to the place of assuming that doing Optifast leaves you feeling starving.  But think this through people.  Gandhi went once without eating for 21 days and I remember reading about IRA members going on a hunger strike for as long as 73 days.  Seriously, I have been doing this for over six months.  Doesn't it stand to reason that I would be dead by now if I was truly starving? 

Setting the record straight, nope, I'm not hungry.  Most of the time, I make my shakes frothy with lots of ice in a blender so that I'm feeling more satisfied.  It really fills up the tummy, surprisingly enough.  Each shake has a certain amount of nutrients the body needs for the entire day, so if you have the minimum of five shakes that are required while doing Optifast 70, you will meet all of your daily dietary needs.  I do take a Potassium supplement and half a Calcium supplement as well, putting me over the top.  If I didn't make frothy shakes, I don't think I would feel nearly as satisfied.  Regardless, though, I have found the method that works for me.  If I do get hungry, it's just because I've gone too long in between shakes.  Otherwise, I function normally and feel good.  I do have some other physical issues, including a work injury that's been ongoing, back pain and a knee issue, but those are not associated with Optifast.  My overall health leaves me feeling pretty terrific these days, despite the pain of the items above. 

So don't worry, I'm not starving, nor is anybody else who is following the program to the letter.  If you're reading this and considering going on Optifast, but you're a little afraid that you'll feel hungry most of the time, rest assured that you will not be hungry.  You will actually feel fantastic and might even start wondering why it took you so long to embrace this journey.  It really is worth it.