Insurance kicks in January 1st. How can I get started NOW?!!

My insurance has an exclusion, so I signed up for Dh's as a secondary which kicks in January 1st. I'm 150 lbs overweight, I have RA and am in terrible pain in my hips, and I'm SO done being obese and need to get started. I've filled out my paperwork, I obsessively research this site and a few others.  I've had a recent endoscopy, an EKG, lab work, and have an appointment for a psych eval. 

I feel like the days are crawling by, and I am so sick of being sick and in pain and unhealthy. I need to feel like I'm moving forward. What else can I be doing??  

I love reading all of your stories and am so grateful for this site. 

❤️

If it were me, is find out what sort of doctor supervised weight loss program time period is required. See if that is something that you can go ahead and get started on. I know the holidays are coming up and a new diet would suck right now, but I'd rather go ahead and get the ball rolling on documenting that. 

Good luck!

Thanks for your reply, Chrissy. I did already check with the insurance lady at the dr office and she said there is no dr supervised diet required. Only a detailed list of weight loss attempts and weight history, which I've provided. 

Anything else?

Good for you! I was told initially that I didn't have one either, then they (Cigna) suddenly said I did. Mine required 3 months, but my PCP was able to go back into my records and show that I'd seen her monthly for 3 consecutive months and that we'd just so happened to have talked about my weight each time, and we were able to sort of fudge it. I'd ask to see that in writing to be absolutely sure so you don't get screwed in the end if I were in your position. 

You are so lucky that they don't require all those supervised visits!  Check with your surgeons office, maybe there are things they would like you to do during this time.  Good luck!

I would say move forward with learning your post-surgery habits! You don't need to implement a super-restricted diet or anything, but stop drinking with your meals and for 30 minutes after. Eat slowly. Drink at least 64 oz. of water each day. Cut down on refined carbs and starchy vegetables. Start walking and build up to a couple miles a day if you can't do that right now. If your RA prevents walking, you may want to look into swimming or some other type of low/no impact exercise (does your surgeon have an exercise physiologist on staff who can give recommendations?).

I think this will ease your transition, plus become stronger and healthier will likely make your recovery from surgery a bit quicker.

Best wishes to you!

Good for you - sounds like you're ahead of the curve already!  If you haven't already, I would start using MyFitnessPal or another site to log your food, water, and exercise.  It really helps you understand what it is that you're putting in your body, and you might be surprised at food you think is healthy that is atrocious!  

I wonder if you've had a sleep study done?  If you suspect that you have sleep apnea it's a good co-morbidity for insurance so if you want a hedge, go for an overnight study in a sleep lab.  

And finally, start practicing now.  Chew your food into a pulp, don't drink with meals, and eat protein first, veggies second, starch last if at all.  If you can get into these habits it'll be less for you to learn come January!

Good luck to you - January will be in no time at all!