The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[just_julie]

Isn't that what Olestra was supposed to be? How many of us ate a bag of chips (and regretted it later at the sandbox) when that stuff came out (on the market - )?

OK... What happened to my nice cheese thread? Can we or can we not have a smaller portion of meat and add cheese?

[RID]

Yes...cheese, please

[Pashta]

Maybe try to email medifast and ask them directly? If you find out, please post here.

[RID]

Good idea!

Will do...

[Nancy]

Hi there, Just_Julie ~

Sure, you can use a combination of meat and cheese for the Lean Portion. It is important not to cut yourself short so be sure that you consume all of protein portion. It is fine to use 1/4 cup of low-fat cheese and 5 ounces of chicken or 5 ounces of shrimp and three ounces of cheese.

I often have a shrimp salad with a hard-boiled egg. I use one egg and 4 ounces of shrimp. Shrimp is very lean and low in fat.

Regarding the Fat Free Kraft Cheese:

Kraft makes a wide variety of Fat Free Cheeses (American, Cheddar, White Cheddar, Mozzarella, Swiss, etc.) and they all have 30 calories per slice but the carbs are a tad high. I contacted the nutritionist and she nixed the fat-free versions. She suggested the low-fat cheeses as they have fewer carbs.

[FORMOMMY]

Thanks Nancy - this was a good question and I was waiting to hear (or rather read) the answer. I didn't even realize that you could use cheese at all! Guess I need to pay more attention to what I can and cannot eat

[RID]

Thank you, thank you!

I have been going CRAZY trying to figure this one out, also!

[Nancy]

Yup, ya can use cheese. If you do a search using the search feature, you'll find other postings I've made regarding cheese.

I occasionally use Lisanatti Soysation soy cheese. It actually melts. Many of the low-fat versions of cheese are very rubbery and frankly do not tastes too cheesy to me, more like plastic.

I love the jalapeño (it is VERY hot!) and the garlic and herb is great, too.

The fat content is a little high. Even though I am on maintenance, I do not use cheese very often. My Daddy and Granddaddy had a massive heart attacks, I have eaten enough cheese and butter in my lifetime for several generations to come so I avoid fats and artery-cloggers as much as possible.

I never used cheese of any kind during the weight loss phase. If it was not on the approved vegetable list or the meat list, I did not eat it.

I know that there are readers who want to enjoy the food journey as they reach their goal.

I just was so desperate to lose weight that I was willing to make some major changes in the way I view food as well as in the kinds of foods that I eat.

I decided for the last time that I would never travel the path of yo-yo dieting again. July 15th, 2002 was the last time I went on a weight loss program. To keep it off, I choose foods that are heart-healthy and that keep me lookin’ and feelin’ great. I don’t need those former foods any more.

[FORMOMMY]

I agree with you on that - I want to make healthy choices from here on in. My hubby and I were talking about this the other night. We were talking about WHEN not IF I make my goal weight; I want to continue to put "good" calories, carbs, etc. into my body. The occasional Reese's bar (if you (Nancy) can do it so can I - nanner....nanner - hee hee) will be the exception not the rule. Although sweets have never been my downfall; it's starches/carbs.

I am rambling - just wanted to thank you again Nancy for the answer - it's always good to be able to add a bit of variety to your meals. I won't necessarily use cheese often; but it is nice to know that I can.

[Dayna]

Woohoo! Egg Beaters veggie omlette with a sprinkling (not a mountain) of low-fat mozzerella, here I come!

It will be an experiment. One of the things I need to learn is to moderate the foods I really enjoy. If I find that a taste of mozzerella is the path to the dark side, then I will cease and desist. However, I'm hoping that I'll be able to train my taste buds and my brain to savor just a little cheese, without the compulsion to keep adding more.

What an educational journey this whole process is! I almost feel like I'm back in college.

- Dayna

[Marseilles]

Dayna, I would personally suggest that if it becomes a path to the dark side that you definitely cheese and desist! :P

[FORMOMMY]

Marseilles - that was bad.....really bad.....but I still laughed!

[Nancy]

Hah! Very good, Marseilles!

Dayna, maintenance IS a new learning curve.

I thought once I reached my goal weight that there would be no problems regarding what and how much to eat. Wrong-a-rooney. Every day I must apply what I practiced during the weight loss phase.

The majority of my life I ate with wanton foody abandonment. To maintain my weight, I must consciously choose to eat the right foods in the right portions...I'm just a forkful away from flabdom so I keep things in check. I have learned to enjoy the pleasure that comes from having a small bite or a sliver of something.

Sometimes I can even appreciate the way something looks and smells without always having to taste it. Sometimes.

[just_julie]

Thank you, Nancy!

I can see how this could get pretty tricky. We'll need to be very careful to get the portion size right. I'm gonna try to figure out an egg beater omlette with a little bit of cheese... I think MF is wishy washy on this one: 1/2 - 1 cup of egg substitute = a serving. That's a 100% difference!

[FORMOMMY]

So if we are using egg beaters for our lean - how much can we have? Is it 1/2 or 1 cup???