The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[BiggerInTexas]

I'd already eaten all the lean at the earlier L&G, so that's why I didn't eat it again at the second meal. I don't mean to starve myself - it's just as the day goes on I get less hungry, especially after midnight. I should set a timer after midnight so I don't forget.

[SharonR]

Hey girl, you have been busy!! wow, how do you do that? I love my sleep!

It seems to me that you should have a little more lean with the green, doesn't have to be full lean, but if you are skipping MF meals, then yes. I am sure your body is like...WHAT are you doing to me?? hehe

Don't you get a rush when you work out? Good for you, keep it up! Did you take your measurements before you started?

[DogMa]

Yeah, other folks have had to do that, too. A lot of people seem to forget meals, and it's important to get them all in.

I never had that problem for some reason. I might have been a little late occasionally, but I never just wasn't hungry and skipped a meal. Maybe because it's such a light state of ketosis, and I was used to being on a lower carb level.

But if you just had salad by itself, it's not even enough calories to count as a meal. You really need to try to have more than that, whether it's splitting up the protein from your Lean and Green or just going ahead and having another Medifast meal.

[BiggerInTexas]

Sharon - I do miss sleeping! But it's really a kick-as$ job for a part-time job. 'Cause it's at night they pay really well, plus it's almost always slow. I take a book, and I walk around the building during lunch so I get in a little exercise, too. It's just for a year - in a year we'll have hit some financial goals we've set for this year.

I think both you and Robin must me right. I'll be sure to set a timer so I'm having a shake every 3-4 hours and don't forget them towards the end of the night. I'll break up the lean with the green, too. It just seems so backwards to eat more to lose more! I can't wrap my mind around it.

[rodeomom]

I had a hard time remembering to get in all the meals back when I was fully on the plan. It is important to get them in though. When you are up for longer periods of time, you may even end up getting more than 5 supplements in since you should be consuming something every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remember the program is very carefully balanced so that you are getting just the right nutrition at the right time. Skip a meal and you are not just skipping the calories, you are skipping all the other nutrients too. Your body doesn't like that, thinks you aren't going to ever feed it again and starts to save for the famine. As for the L&G it is best to have equal amounts if you are going to split it up. If you are doing half a lean you should have half a green then half and half later, or if you are having a 1/3 green then 1/3 lean then the other 2/3 of both later. Much of the MF program is about balance so you should try to keep everything as even as possible.

Glad to hear your soreness is getting better. Moving is the key. Now don't let all of that go to waste. Make sure you do some of the exercises the trainer showed you so that when you go in again you don't get as sore.

[BiggerInTexas]

I hit the gym and ran the program from the trainer this evening after work. Rodeo, you were totally right - it felt so much better to just get moving! And then I forgot a shake again. I'll record my meals on the MF website from now on so I don't miss one again.

[DogMa]

Some folks set an alarm to remind them. Or so I hear. Like I said, I've never been one to miss a meal. Not on Medifast, anyway.

[BiggerInTexas]

The scale is still stubbornly stuck on 203. I'm staying on plan and going to keep exercising. I did the whole routine set up by the trainer yesterday, and I got up early and did 30 min on the treadmill this morning. It's so important to me to make exercising a habit before I reach my goal and transition into maintenance. I know I'm going to need it for the rest of my life!

I'm discouraged, though! I really, really wanted to be below 200 before I have surgery July 30th. And that goal is only 3lbs away! I lost so much so quickly, now it's been a whole week of compliance and the scale hasn't moved.

[DogMa]

How long have you been on plan? A plateau or slowdown is VERY common three weeks to a month in.

[rodeomom]

Hang in there chickadee! Those 3 pounds might just be holding on while you adjust to the new exercise routine. Make sure you are getting all your water in and GET ALL OF THOSE SUPPLEMENTS!!! You are adding workouts and cheating yourself the nutrition - not a good combo!

Thanks for your kind words in my journal. It was just what I needed when I needed it!

Blessings!

[BiggerInTexas]

Reading a bit about others' experience with exercise and MF has really helped me gain some perspective. Robin, I didn't realize how common a plateau was towards the end of the first month, but you were right, lotsa folks seem to run into the same thing. And Bren, everyone stressed how important it is to get all the supplements in! It's mostly at the end of the day that I forget the very last one. I've been making my pudding into ice cream, which I really look forward to, and that has really helped me to remember that last treat before bedtime.

There are also many who experience this same exercise plateau who decide that for the time being, the most important goal to achieve is the most rapid weight loss possible, so they choose to suspend the exercise until they reach their goal. I considered this as an option. But after giving it a lot of thought, I know that the right choice for me is to choose to exercise now and to practice patience. It's ok to choose to add exercise into my plan now and lose more slowly, while sticking to the MF plan all the way.

I made the decision after giving a lot of thought to why I didn't make my goal with MF last summer. I think if I had made exercise a habit last year I wouldn't have back slid so easily. When I put out the effort to work out, I don't want to loose what I've put into it by eating badly. And I don't wanna just lose weight, I want my % body fat to be lower.

If I lose 8 1/2 lbs per month, it'll take 10 months to reach my goal. That's just over 2 lbs/week. That seems completely reasonable and do-able. That way I'll be schmokin' by next April. My little bro is getting married then, and his wonderful fiancee has asked me to be a bridesmaid. All her other girlfriends are tiny, skinny little things, and I don't wanna be "the fat one" in all the pics.

To help me achieve this goal, I wrote it out into a mission statement and stuck it to my bathroom mirror. I also bought a scale that measures both weight and % body fat so I can follow my progress and stay motivated. My personal trainer, Allie, also takes my measurements periodically, too.

[rodeomom]

I've been making my pudding into ice cream, which I really look forward to, and that has really helped me to remember that last treat before bedtime..

I LOVE to make my pudding with a little non-fat cream cheese in my Magic Bullet and freeze it. It comes out soooo creamy and even tricks my tastes buds into thinking I am eating ice cream. Now, if they will come out with a MF Moose Tracks pudding I will be set!

But after giving it a lot of thought, I know that the right choice for me is to choose to exercise now and to practice patience. It's ok to choose to add exercise into my plan now and lose more slowly, while sticking to the MF plan all the way.

YAY you TEX! You are making such a healthy decision. There was someone on here back in the winter that absolutely REFUSED to exercise because she tried for a couple of days and she felt it put her into a stall. The thing with this program is that your body cannot hold onto the fat when you are 100% compliant. After the body adjusts to the routine you have started (which may take a week or so) it will realize that it is OK to release those reserves and all will be well again.

To help me achieve this goal, I wrote it out into a mission statement and stuck it to my bathroom mirror. I also bought a scale that measures both weight and % body fat so I can follow my progress and stay motivated. My personal trainer, Allie, also takes my measurements periodically, too.

You are on a role chickadee! Memorize that mission statement and repeat it to yourself anytime you feel discouraged!

[BiggerInTexas]

Wow, Rodeo! Thanks SO much for the encouragement! I really needed it. I actually gained a pound, but I know it doesn't mean a thing so I'm not even worried about it! I haven't strayed at all, so I know you're right that eventually my body will make peace with the activity and I'll head in the right direction!

I've worked thru the soreness now, mostly. I'm definitely still achy, but I'm not hurting like I was the first two days. I've been going to the gym at least every other day, and sometimes several days in a row. A few times I've felt like hanging with the hubby in the evening, so I've been doing an exercise CD called Slim in 6 on the days I don't go to the gym. It's a program that gets progressively harder - as one program starts to get easy, then it's time to move to the next more challenging program. I've never gotten past the 1st level, and never got thru the whole routine before. Last night I made it thru the whole thing! WooHoo me! It's definitely still challenging and I'm not ready for the next level yet, but it's really shocking to me to see that doing Allie's routine has actually started changing me already!

Next goal: to do 30 min of cardio every morning. I've read that if I do cardio before work, it'll keep my metabolism running higher all day. Yesterday I did the treadmill for 30 min (and caught up on Gene Simmon's Family Jewels - I can't believe DH got me into a reality show). This morning I did the Slim in 6, which is 20 min, and their 10 min Abs program. The only downer to the abs routine is that my belly makes a roll that's hard to reach over!

[rodeomom]

Next goal: to do 30 min of cardio every morning. I've read that if I do cardio before work, it'll keep my metabolism running higher all day. Yesterday I did the treadmill for 30 min (and caught up on Gene Simmon's Family Jewels - I can't believe DH got me into a reality show). This morning I did the Slim in 6, which is 20 min, and their 10 min Abs program. The only downer to the abs routine is that my belly makes a roll that's hard to reach over!

Remember that TSFL recommends a max 30 minutes of cardio a day. I do more in PT because it is manditory and I have revised my plan according to Dr A's personal recommendations because of that. I also think I heard somewhere that TSFL suggests no more than 45 minutes a day of a full work-out. I will need to verify that, but it makes sense. I know about the whole belly roll thing. Too many jelly rolls will produce a belly roll! (funny eh? I just made that up!) I crack myself up!

[BiggerInTexas]

I think it mighta been too many Mexican Martinis and pints of Chubby Hubby .. *sigh* I really miss both of those! You're too funny!

Yeah, I'll figure out the exercise groove so it's not too much but still enough. I'm still figuring out a good routine for me!