DogMa wrote:...I don't think I'm terribly helpful to anyone ELSE here anymore, either. I just don't know.
Whoa! You -- not helpful? I TOTALLY disagree!
Robin, I really value your presence on this board as a Maintainer. Please don't leave, unless of course you really are gung ho to... but I can assure you that I think you belong here 100%.
Using Medifast packets after reaching goal, in order to maintain, is in no way required... Heck, sure they would be helpful if a person had some gains to take off, but surely using "real" food in the real world is a very important thing to learn!
To be honest, I am looking at you as someone who's showing us all how to do it. You're struggling to lose a few pounds left, and playing around with your exercise and your food balance to get that done. That's something I am getting educated reading, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
As far as your running goes, I am impressed as heck that you do it. Just today as I read your journal, I saw the picture of you speeding along in your hat and shades
The last time I ran for more than a minute was 1993 I think. So please don't think you need to be burning up the road daily to inspire us.
And mixed feelings about Medifast... Yeah... I know there is a tendency here to hold back on those mixed feelings and I have seen some strife here caused by people venting their difficulties in the 3 years I've been hanging around.
All diets are hard work. Medifast is unusual in that it's so low-calorie and outside the norm for the public at large. Drinking protein shakes for most or all meals has a bad rep in the media as being a temporary escape that "teaches nothing" about how to eat in the real world afterwards. Also the speed of the weight loss itself on plans like Medifast gets knocked -- the establishment says the longer the loss takes, the higher the chances that it will stick.
The only thing I can personally agree with in all that is that I worry about the low calorie level tanking out my metabolism for a lingering period of time afterwards. I'm hopeful that exercise that I add on and gear up in intensity as I lose will prevent that from happening.
I really wonder how many calories the Maintainers are getting after they subtract their burn-off from exercise... It's no secret that metabolism can take a dip on this (or other) diets, but I'd like to see the nitty gritty tracked out for us... among the varied members here who maintain.
But I don't want to hijack your journal with a "Is Medifast A Real Solution To Obesity?" debate though, heh!
I don't want newbies to think MF doesn't work. IT WORKS. The hard part is mental, and that happens with all diets. I mean, it took me 26 months to lose 52 pounds on Weight Watchers; works out to be 2 pounds a month. Pretty snail-like. Yet I gained it back. So, at least in my experience, slowness did not equal success. What's the answer? Mental adjustment I think. One big part of that is learning from Maintainers, and seeing them keep at it every day... knowing they are here, that they exist, and to have them to point to and say "They are beating the war on fat." (Not to get all Koop-like on you.)
I'm just saying... Honestly, you are an incredibly helpful resource here and I see you supporting members left and right. I'd be very sad to wave good-bye to you... but if it is best for you and your health... then you certainly have my best wishes!