The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Botticelli'sMuse]

Alright, I am a novice. My problem is that I am not really fat, I just need to lose 15 lbs. But I decided to try MediFast because, well, because I've tried everything and nothing is working. I am on my third day now. I haven't experienced any weightloss. I follow the 5 and 1 plan. I haven't cheated on it (I have pretty good self-discipline). How long does it take before you see results in the first week? What could I be doing wrong?

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Bot and welcome,
Could you describe one of your typical day's menu?
Are you getting a minimum of 64 oz water?
Are you on any meds?
Any excess stress in your life right now?
Are you getting at least 5 meal replacements, 3 of which are shakes, regularly throughout the day?
What are you eating for your lean/green?

We're glad you found us,
Unca

[Botticelli'sMuse]

Typical day's menu is
6am- shake
9am-shake
12pm-shake
3pm-shake
5pm-dinner (2-3 ounces of baked chicken, and a light salad with romaine lettuce)
7.30-shake
I drink water like crazy, I always have. I carry a water bottle around with me all the time and I fill it up a lot as well. I am not on any medication and my life is pretty low-stress.

[Jeanette]

Hello:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was my understanding that Medifast isn't really formulated for people that only have a few pounds to lose.

Can I get an official answer from a CHA, please? Thanks!

Regardless, welcome to our community!

[Tonya]

I do know that the rate of loss is slower the closer you are to your goal weight. My first week I only lost 3 pounds and have averaged about 2 a week. The water is definitely the key!

The fact is that there is no way for you not to lose weight on this, regardless of how much (or little) you need to lose. You are keeping yourself on a 500-800 calorie diet and there is no way your body can sustain itself on that without dropping the fat.

Just keep with it and I promise you'll see results. Drink tons of water (I try for 96 oz a day) and gradually add exercise. Other than that, it just takes time! Good luck!!!

[explorthis]

Tonya:
I do know that the rate of loss is slower the closer you are to your goal weight. My first week I only lost 3 pounds and have averaged about 2 a week. The water is definitely the key!

I am not sure is this is a myth or not. Is it something we have fabricated in our heads, that because we only have a few to go, or are within a few of our goal, we assume that we lose slower? (See below comment to Jeanette’s post)

Jeanette:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was my understanding that Medifast isn't really formulated for people that only have a few pounds to lose.

How can this be? I could understand maybe losing 3-5 pounds, Medifast not being worth the time, or is it? If you look at Nancy, she (and so is Tim from what I understand) taking on a regular basis Medifast products, weather they need to lose weight or not, just for health. I know Nancy has gained a few pounds, and wants to get back to Leopard skin wearing weight. I think with the stuff in Medifast, weather you have 10 or 100# to lose, Medifast is the answer. As stated above, a substantially reduced calorie/fat diet such as Medifast, WILL cause you to lose weight.

Botticelli'sMuse said she had to lose 15# and I think with her listed schedule, within a very short-religious time she will lose the desired (or un-desired) 15 pounds.

Tell me why Medifast would NOT be a logical choice? This would mean once we get close to our goal, we should cease taking it, because we only have “a few pounds” to lose?

I am curious also…

-Mike

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Guys,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was my understanding that Medifast isn't really formulated for people that only have a few pounds to lose.

Medifast is prescribed for anyone. There's even a maintenance plan and a sports plan for atheletes. What isn't recommended is the full fast, unless you have a substantial amount of weight to lose. The 5-1 has been shown to be nearly as affective as the full fast.

My "guess" at Botticelli's case is that if she's following the plan as she described, it's just a matter of a day or two and she'll enter ketosis and the lbs will start melting away.

Keep us posted.
Unca

[Jeanette]

Well I *DID* say "Correct me if I'm wrong!" And you did!!

Thanks for the info!

[Tonya]

I sure hope you're right, Mike!!!!

Actually, I think that people just lose at different rates according to their bodies. Sometimes, you reach a plateau and it just takes an extra effort to get over...but once you do, it keeps sliding for awhile until you reach your next plateau. (that's what I tell myself anyway) It also might just seem slow to me cuz I'm being impatient!

Boticelli's Muse, I would say just hold tight to it and you should start seeing results in the next few days! Good luck!!!

[Carrie]

My 2 cents:

I started at 266.5 pounds. I was eating enough calories to have gained that much weight and kept it on. I have no idea what my daily caloric intake was but it had to be thousands and thousands. All of a sudden I start Medifast and dropped my intake to 500-600 calories. My body must have been thrown for a loop. Not only that but there was a few thousand difference in calories ..... hence an 11 pound loss the first week. I have since stabilized to 2-3-4 a week.

I watched a 'nightline' type program that showed a segment on weight loss. One part of it had that subway guy Jared on it and it showed his story. They laid out his daily intake before dieting and I was totally, TOTALLY astounded. I can't remember it exactly, but it was to the effect of Breakfast: Two (2) boxes of cereal, etc. Lunch: THREE (3) McDonalds Extra Value Meals. Dinner: A whole large pizza, 2 cheeseburgers, and a bunch of other stuff. And then a nightly 'snack'. Any ONE of his meals was more than I've ever eaten in an entire day. Can you imagine if Jared at 400+, eating that way, went on Medifast one day????? He'd probably lose 30 pounds the first week.

I'm assuming that since Muse is 'only' 15 pounds overweight, his/her eating habits aren't 'that' bad, and going on Medifast isn't the total shocker it is to the body, as it was to those of us that were eating really badly.

It will come off, it can't not come off, but I really wouldn't have expected a great big number up front.

Anyway, for what it's worth that's what I think.
Carrie

[explorthis]

Tonya:
Actually, I think that people just lose at different rates according to their bodies. Sometimes, you reach a plateau

Carrie:
Any ONE of his meals was more than I've ever eaten in an entire day. Can you imagine if Jared at 400+, eating that way, went on Medifast one day????? He'd probably lose 30 pounds the first week.

I don’t know about plateaus, as I have never seen a down spiral of one, only the continual demise and rise, until Medifast came along.

Also understand in the beginning, you lose more rapidly than you continue to lose from that point on, because you are ridding yourself of all the impurities, and a ton of water you are probably retaining.

I think it interesting, what does the body do? If we speak of this Jared guy, eating a small town Africa’s GNP for a day, and then literally slamming on the brakes to 400-600 a day, I doubt he would instantly drop 30. I think its all relative. If he is (or any of us) consuming a ton, we gain a ton. He might weigh 500, where as someone else weighs 100. Fat is fat, 150# or 15# to lose. It will take much longer for a person with 150# to lose, than a person with 15# to lose, obviously. If you have 15 to lose, and it’s FAT, then 600 calories will cause you to lose, no matter what. Define plateau in theory, I now it’s a “bump in the road” But, I know from past experience, if we are plateau-ing, we are probably not being a true Medifaster… Correct me (as Jeanette says) if I am wrong…

My thoughts (1.9 cents)...

-Mike

[Carrie]

I'm not arguing that you will evenutally lose the weight. And of course, the more you have to lose the longer it will take.

What I am saying is that at 400 pounds you are eating a whole lot of calories to maintain that weight. And cutting it to a fraction is going to create a bigger calorie deficit than it would on a 150 pound person, therefore showing a bigger initial loss. But I do believe that if you are eating 9,000 calories a day (and jared had to be eating way more than that) and start medifast vs. eating 2,000 a day and starting medifast - there's gonna be a more dramatic initial drop. Factor in the facts that the larger you are the more calories it takes daily to keep you that large, the more water weight you're carrying ..... you're gonna lose more that first week or two.

It's basically the same as the fact that if I, at 230, lose ten pounds it will have a less dramatic change in my appearance than if a 120lb person loses 10. I've gotta spread mine over 230 pounds, but each subsequent time I lose 10 pounds, it makes more and more of difference in my 'inches'. Ex: My first 17 pounds of loss only took 1/2 inch off my hips, but the next 10 took 1.5 inches off my hips.

If we compared our beginning stats, I think it would show that people with more weight to lose have a bigger 1st week number.

Muse only has 15 pounds to lose. It isn't gonna take that long, but I still would not expect him/her to lose 11 the first week like I did.

[Botticelli'sMuse]

Thank you very much for all your responses. They helped me a ton. Have a great day!

[Alison]

This is what I have been told and as Jeanette says 'correct me if I'm wrong.'
It takes between 12 & 15 calories to maintain 1 lb of weight depending on whether that pound is muscle or fat. Therefore a 100 lb. person must consume 1200-1500 cal. per day to maintain their weight. This does not account for exercise which would mean more cal intake. So if you start at say 400 lbs you would need to consume 4800-6000 cals a day to maintain. Not to mention a 400 lb person burns more cals exercising for 10 minutes than does a 100 lb person. If the 400lb. person consumed 450 as we do on full fast he would be at a 4350-5550 deficit for the day. Given that 1 pound = 3500 cals. You can understand rapid weightloss. Now the 100lb. person trying to get down to 95lb. will be at a 750-1050 cal deficit. Again given that 1lb.=3500cals it would take roughly 5days to loose a pound while the 400 lb person would loose roughly 1.5 lbs. a day. That's why as the 400lb. person looses more and more weight the slower the weightloss will be. Of course everyone has varying metabolisms.

This comes directly from the FAQ section:
What is Take Shape Weight Maintenance?

Take Shape Weight Maintenance products are recommended for use as a part of a weight maintenance or transition plan, but can also be used in a weight loss program for people with less than 15 pounds to lose.
Good luck Alison

[Carrie]

Thanks Alison!

That was the reasoning behind my 'side of the story' but I was too lazy to back up my hypothesis with reference material ....... <sigh> hee hee