The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Hyperion]

Hi folks!

I'm following the complete fast, which is:

Shake
Oatmeal / Shake
Soup
Shake
Bar
Shake

No hunger, no fatigue, no headache, etc... However, I noticed those 4 last days that my weight loss has slowed down significantly. I did some research on this forum, and I found something about bars.

1. What are carbs exactly and what do they do to organism that is different from shake/soup/oatmeal?
2. I don't LOVE bars. I like them. However, I could easily replace them with another shake, and have a bar only once / 3-4 days. Would that be a good decision in order to OPTIMIZE weight loss?

Thanks for the info (I hope I get a reply from Nancy!)

[Hyperion]

Anyone?

[Shellster]

Hi Hyperion,

I don't know if I will be any help but, i'll try. I'm new too, i'm just finishing my 2nd week but here goes. The only thing I can say is that the plan says we can eat 1 bar a day so I have to believe that it's ok and what I have read on here sometimes weight loss stalls but hang in there. Also the only thing that I notice that is different is that the bars have 70 calories more. If you don't care for them that much, try and only eat them every once in awhile for variety. I hope that helps, I know i'm not nancy but I thought someone should say something.

[Hyperion]

Thanks Shelster,

I feel a little less lonely on this thread with your post I really hope Nancy will come and answer the question.

It's not much about if it's bad or not, it's just about what exactly is the difference (besides numbers)? I mean less carbs, less calories, but replace with a shake (different nutritive specs), would that OPTIMIZE weight loss?

I tried yesterday to replace bar with a shake, and it was great

[Lisa in NY]

Can't remember which one but I know I read alot about this in one of Nancy's newsletters - check the newsletter archives - there's a link on the MakeMeThinner homepage. If you have time, start reading them - there's a wealth of information there.

Re bars, I think we are all different. I choose to have the bars and really look forward to my one bar a day. Maybe I would lose faster if I didn't have a bar, but I do not want to deprive myself of that luxury, and I am satisfied with losing 1-2 lbs. a week. If I were you, I'd try all different combinations (5 shakes, 3 shakes+2 soups, etc.) until you get the results you will be satisfied with! Have fun !

Lisa

[Jan]

Ok Hyperion
Lets get a little technical. Carbohydrates (a compound of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen) provide much of our energy for day to day functioning. Carbohydrates are mainly formed by green plants. When you eat foods which are high in carbohydrates -- pasta, bread, sugars etc. your body converts the molecules into glucose -- a very desirable easy to use fuel. When limiting the amount of carbohydrates you injest, your body must look other places for energy. Eventually your body must burn your fat storages (just what we want!!) When your bodies begins to look to your fat storages for energy you then enter a stage called ketosis. Your fat stores release molecules called "free fatty acids" These are transported to your liver where they are converted into "ketones". Ketones are energy molecules similar to glucose. The influx of "free fatty acids" encourages your liver to produce ketones. Ketones are then used by your brain and muscle tissue for energy.
Thats the facts -- now the application.
On our program everything is balanced. This is most important because it is a very bad thing to burn muscle tissue. Not only do you look saggy after a loss but it is almost impossible to maintain the new weight. (Muscle tissue burns calories ---less muscle means you must eat fewer and fewer calories to maintain a give weight-- a very vicious cycle) That is why the program is so strict about adding little "extras" The balance insures you are not burning muscle.
Now to the bar and shake question. Both the bar and the shake are perfectly balanced for our program. However the bars do contain a few more carbohydrates. We limit your bars to one per day because of the increase in carbs. One is fine. If you ingest toooo many carbs your body of course will burn the additional carbohydrates and save the fat for another day. Thus, weight loss is slowed, ended or if you consume too many -- you gain. The old adage calories in vs those expended still holds true. If your weight loss stalls -- you may consider having a shake rather than a bar because a shake has a few less carbs. The extra carbs are also the reason we ask you not to have a bar first thing in the morning. It can give you a sugar push. I have known a few people who have given up bars because they feel they are not losing fast enough. However, don't skip a meal-- just substitute a shake. It is really up to you.
I personally haven't noticed a great difference either way. Our meals are still, low calorie, low fat and most importantly balanced.
Hope this helps
jan

[shellwipp]

The extra carbs are also the reason we ask you not to have a bar first thing in the morning. It can give you a sugar push.

I am glad this thread was started. I have been on the program for four weeks now and losing an average of 4 pounds a week with a total weight loss of 17 pounds. I have been having a bar for my first meal every morning with my coffee, but only one bar a day. I enjoy nibbling on a bar as I sip my morning coffee. My second meal I usually have oatmeal or a shake, which is mid-morning. It sounds like I shouldn't be doing this. Do you think if I continue to have a bar first thing in the morning my weight loss will slow down? I'm wondering if I don't have my bar first thing in the morning if my weight loss will be even more each week?

[Jan]

Hi Shelley,
Your weight loss is terrific. Four pounds a week -- wow!!! You may want to have your oatmeal or shake first in the morning and then for your second meal nibble a bar with your coffee. Your body will have a little time to "wake up" this way, kick in your metabolism and you'll be off and running for the day!! That sugar push first thing in the morning may delay this a little. All our bodies are different however and we all lose weight at our own rate. The early morning bar may or may not be making a difference for you. I'd switch it and see what happens.
jan

[mama2benandrachel]

When I was having difficulty with binging the week before last, I tried quitting bars thinking that the extra carbs might be what was causing my carb attacks at night. I have always had my bar in the afternoon, around 3 o'clock. Anyway, last weekend I had a bad binge on Friday night, and I decided to start bars again, just like I had been doing. I was 100% on program last Saturday and Sunday and ALL last week, plus, I had a 6 lbs. weight loss!!!!!!!! I think my body needs a bar every day (at least for now any way!)

[Lisa in NY]

I've debated with myself over the bars. But I've come to the conclusion that I need the bar everyday because I think it helps me STAY AWAY from stuff like peanut butter and candy bars. As long as I am losing weight consistently, I figure it's better not to deprive myself of the bar treat because I might give in to other temptations that are ALOT more than 160 cals. !!!

One of the things I LOVE about Medifast is that the diet is DESIGNED for quick weight loss. If weight loss is not possible with consuming a bar every day, then I would hope that the MF powers-that-be would eliminate the bars altogether.

[Jan]

Hi Everyone,
I want everyone to know that the M.F. Bars are great!!! They have exactly the right balance of proteins, fats and carbs to help us with a healthy weight loss. They are a part of the program. And, those of you who have said they are a "treat" can join me in cheering!!! I think they are a treat too!!! They are something to look forward to. Some of them taste sooooo good we think they must be off program. But they're not!!
I lost all of my weight merrily munching a bar everyday!!! Oh those chocolate mint ones -- yummmmy
Now with that said, please don't have the bar first thing in the morning. And, if your weight loss stalls you can try not having one for a few days to see if that helps ( sometimes we tell people to have an additional shake -- up it to 6 replacements and that helps too) The best thing to do if you find yourself in a "stall" is to talk with you HA and let that person help you to decide what is best for you. All of us are individuals. We lose at our own rate.
The bars are great!! There is no reason to worry about them. They are part of the program.
jan

[Nancy]

Hello ~

Sorry to be so late to chime in here, Folks. Yes, we have been busy...packing, moving, preparing a house for sale, selling a house, etc. Here I am - late... but here!

Hyperion, your meal plan really looks very good - I see nothing to be concerned about by having that bar of yours if you enjoy it.

re:

what do they [bars] do to organism that is different from shake/soup/oatmeal

All the research and the weight loss rates advertised by Medifast for men and women are based on the 5 and 1 Program, not the complete meal replacement program. The bars do have more calories and carbohydrates than the shakes. Weight loss may be slightly faster if bars are eliminated and I'd suspect that it would benefit women more so than men because our metabolisms are somewhat slower due to our lower muscle mass.

Psychologically, however, I think women feel the 'need' for bars more than men. Those guys for the most part are able to separate themselves from food emotionally easier than women do. Yes, this is a generalization...

The bars have more calories than the shakes/soups/oatmeal. Higher calories = more fuel for the body to burn. If we are sedentary, we burn less fuel and if we are ingesting more food/fuel, it will take a little longer to burn it off or we must expend more energy (exercise) to get rid of it.

Well now I am going to do my best here in a short form to answer your question. Jan and others have already done so and very well, I might add.

This is for discussion and educational purposes only and not to be considered medical advice as I am not a doctor.

In a nutshell, carbohydrates are sugars and they provide the body with energy.

All carbohydrates are not the same in the degree to which they raise the blood glucose. You may have heard about the glycemic index or the “GI.” The GI was devised to quantify the differences to which carbohydrates raise the blood glucose level. Good old fashioned white bread is used as the food indicator and is assigned a value of 100. Another carbohydrate of equal calories is compared to white bread in its ability to raise blood glucose and assigned a value in comparison to white bread.

The Glycemic Index is not a perfect measure but for people with diabetes, those who eat the foods with the lowest glycemic index carbohydrates, have the lowest blood glucose. That’s why Medifast is so good for people with diabetes – many of our products have earned the Glycemic Research Institute’s seal of approval as a “Low Glycemic” food.

Diabetics are taught to view foods in terms of their protein, carbohydrate and fat content. Plus they need to pay particular attention to consuming between 20 and 35 grams of fiber a day – fiber slows down the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream.

Foods are sorted into Exchange Lists, enabling Diabetics to construct menus or meal plans so they can maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

Carbohydrates are divided into two categories - simple sugars like table sugar that are found in candy, cake, syrups, donuts, Twinkies, cookies, sweetened cereals, etc. and other foods of concentrated sugar contribute what we call "empty calories." They are mighty tasty and provide energy, but very little or no nutrients to our body.

Complex carbohydrates are what we typically refer to as “starches.” Both types of carbohydrates end up as glucose. Foods that are high in complex carbohydrates like vegetables and grains, usually supply a us with a wealth of health because they hold vitamins, minerals and fiber. It is best to avoid colorless carbs – white potatoes and rice. Sweet potatoes and yams and whole wheat are better choices for us. Fruits, honey, molasses and milk also contain carbohydrates. Although they may be absorbed differently, all sugars eventually break down in the body and end up as glucose. While diabetics are advised to avoid carbs that excessively raise blood glucose, most of us benefit from maintaining a healthy glucose level, too. Avoid foods with simple sugars – they are often high in fat content, too.

Scientists estimate that American adults get about 20 percent of their daily calories from sugar. On a 2,000-calorie diet, that's about 400 calories (100 grams) or the equivalent of 25 teaspoons of sugar each day! That amounts to about 130 pounds of sugar being consumed by the typical American adult each year. I am sure that I ate a whole lot more than that before Medifast! I was half sugar and half fat as I ate a cube of butter a day!

The Medifast products are all nutritionally balanced and other than the bars, the footprint of the various products - shakes/soups/oatmeal is just about the same in terms of the ratio of protein to carbohydrates to fats. Again, the bar is slightly higher in carbohydrates and fats - thus the calories are higher, too.

There are some people who can 'get away' with eating two bars a day and they still lose weight at a consistent rate. For maximum weight loss (and that's why many people are using Medifast - for the fast results), we gently suggest ONE bar per day, not to be used for breakfast and best to not to be used for a late evening snack - it is ideal for use in the late morning, early afternoon when energy expenditure is maximized and the likelihood of burning it off is greatest.

To optimize weight loss, do not skip packets, eat on time, do not eat one bite more than on the meal plan, drink all the water and get 8 hours of sleep every night. We cannot make our body lose weight faster than it feels safe enough to drop. Some people try to force their body to release at faster than it is capable of doing.

We are hand-fashioned and created in a unique way. Our body is constantly repairing itself and renewing its cells, fighting disease and working. It does more than melt away fat. We can try to whip it (and the scale) into submission by short-changing it some days but it will rebel and that may not be worth it. Allow your body to maximize its weight loss, optimize its health and to do so, utilize the program as the years of research demonstrate - its effectiveness is the result of following the plan as it is written.

Hyp, your weight loss is really great. It is amazing how much you have lost and I am impressed by your desire to know all you can. Keep reading, stay focused and soon you will be exactly where you want to be!

[Hyperion]

Wow Nancy,

I must really say, you are great!

I was waiting at some kind of scolding or some kind of "don't do that"

Now I really understand the difference between a shake and a bar, and I must say that everything you posted here is true.

I understand that some people (women mostly) must have their bar once a day, but I really can manage with a shake. In fact, I almost enjoy the shake more than the bar! It's really not a sentimental issue here!

Thanks for the tip on how to manage my plan. Indeed, I feel eating at regular intervals, drinking enough water, sleeping 8 hours every night, all of this is very important and are my top priorities. While on MF, I no longer have problems when I'm out to say to people that I have to go now to get my evening shake.

In other words, I understand that I have to work together with my body, and not against it, to achieve our goal.

Oh, and I'm indeed a lot curious about nutrition. I always find it helpful and interesting to see how our body reacts to what we feed it.

On those words, thanks a lot and see you next question [/b]

[Nancy]

You are very welcome!

Oh, I see that you are very close to walking in the door to the 20 pound Club! That is very cool!

That's like a whole bag of dog food!

Hey. that's part of a bale of hay!

[Hyperion]

Thanks Nancy!!!!

In fact I didn't replace the ticker, but I reached 20 pounds TODAY!!!

Let's celebrate that with pizza!!! uh... no... with a delicious new flavor I discovered yesterday, orange delicious shake!!!!!!

You are part of the reason I succeed, and for that I'm very but VERY grateful!!!