The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[GucciGoo]

I have had a really long week at work and on Medifast. Today my co-workers all ordered Chinese food- and I went outside and cried. The smell was so overpowering and tempting.

I am dying for a slice of pizza. My teeth are actually aching to chew bread........ I don't know if I am miserable because I have lost no weight since Friday- but every time I think of pizza I start drooling....

My question: HOW bad would one night of cheating be? The desire right now is taking over.......would 2 slices of pizza kill me? Someone who understands help!

[Sarya]

Will two slices of pizza kill you? I certainly hope not!
Will they throw you out of ketosis? I would guess so.
Will you gain 5 pounds from eating two slices of pizza? They'd have to be really big slices!!

I know exactly where you are coming from. I "die" when I see bread. I love bread. I miss it terribly. I love pizza!!! I long to have some yummy pizza.

I've thought about this quite a bit because I have this craving too. Making "pizza bites" on those medifast crackers. Making cauliflower potatos and then trying to make a crisp "pizza shell" with them. Or heck having a meal of low fat mozzarella melted over grilled onions, mushrooms, and peppers with some home made (or sugar free) tomato sauce. I haven't done any of this yet, but believe me the day will come.

If you're going to give in, I would suggest trying to be as healthy as possible about it. Make the pizza yourself with a whole grain crust, sf sauce, low fat mozz, and veggies. Try to keep as closely as possibly to your L&G requirements. Have a salad before you eat the pizza and a big glass of water. Maybe you'll find you only need a taste.

--S

[Lauraly]

There is a trick I used for dealing with food cravings. I actually first used it when I quit smoking and it works for both.

Just think of the last time you had a cold. Just a regular ol' don't-need-antibiotics cold. You knew it was just a cold so odds are you did not take to your bed in utter helplessness for the time it took you to shake it. You went about your life. You took care of the kids and/or went to work, did errands, etc. You took things a little easier, kept tissues in your purse, but overall you did not sit around focusing on the fact you had a cold, you have stuff to do!

Cravings are like that. They are an annoyance, but should not cause your life to grind to a standstill. Hunger and cravings are no more physically stressful than a mild cold. Obsessing over them is what will do you in. Acknowledge that they are there, they are a bummer, but they wont last forever and you are far too cool and busy to crumple into a heap because of them. We are made of strong stuff, and a little sniffle...er, craving is not gonna slow us down!

- Lauraly

[Crystal]

From someone who has been there, done that...

I ask you this question...how badly do you want to meet your mini goal of 7/15? One night of cheating will cost you at least 4 days. It will take that long to get back into ketosis and start the process all over again. If you are in a plateau right now, I have noticed that most don't last much more than 10-14 days. You have been in it for about 6. You are soooo close to your scale rewarding you....if you stick with it!

So, no the pizza will not kill you...but the thought of not making your goal for your trip might.

[Serendipity]

Ok, it's pizza today. What's it gonna be tomorrow? There will be another temptation tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. Food is everywhere so we have to learn how to resist temptation.

I'm sorry, but you won't get the go ahead from this corner. You just need to decide which you want more, the pizza, or the knowledge that you stayed with the plan and reached your goal. (Hint: The pizza will be there waiting after you reach your goal.)

BTW, I love your example, lauraly.

[mommaof3boys]

Pizza would not kill you.

It would however put you out of ketosis. It is too hard to get in ketosis to do this!!!!!!!

If you MUST have pizza, thin thin thin whole wheat crust only. Still out of ketosis but at least you are eating whole grains so your insulin levels won't spike.

Even better, get pizza and eat the toppings only with a salad. Not precisely on plan but better than the alternative.

I say this as I cheat on plan by having a glass of red wine to celebrate the birth of my niece today and morn the passing of my friends premature baby boy, also today. I have had my lean and my "green"/carbs is a glass of wine, so who am I to give advice!

[gillian]

Dude,
Listen. I pray that you will look at the Easter thread. I got TORE UP (it felt like) when I suggested a cheat. I cheated anyway. Honestly, I have not been as diligant since my dreaded Easter cheat. I am still at 49 pounds- sorry but that is not 50. With the amount of time you have "clean" why would you go back now?????????? How about the amout of money you have spent?
Whatever you want to do is up to you, but coming from someone who cheated- do not do it. What, is six months with no pizza gonna kill you? Stop crying, drink a chocolate shake, and be proud of yourself. Talk to FALSAMARIE that there is a trooper, and I wish I would have been a little stronger. Do what you will.
Good luck.

Oh! If you want to stay in ketosis, just eat the top. Bread free. Still good stuff.

G.

[WillDoIt]

I suggest not eating the pizza at this point in your weight loss journey. I thought I could have some intentional cheats, and I was easily able to get back on plan following the first three cheats. The first cheat was a piece of pizza - I was doing 9 hours of hard manual labor, and it didn't hurt me at all. The next time was two days somewhat off plan. Got back on with no problem and only about 1 pound weight gain. The next time was a three day cheat, much more seriously off plan. Had a three pound weight gain, but got back on, although less seriously. I SLOWLY got to within four pounds of my weight goal, and then started cheating at least some every day. The pounds stopped coming off, and while I knew slow weight loss was to be expected because I was close to goal, etc., I was pretty much off plan for 3-4 weeks. After being within 4 pounds of goal, I was then at least 8.2 pounds from goal. I am now 5 pounds from goal, and have only 14 days to make my weight goal by my self-imposed date goal. I probably won't do it as I am a slow loser. Not making my goal by a given date is not a major thing in the course of life, but irritating as I have no one to blame but myself.

Think about your Bermuda vacation, wearing a bikini, and forego the pizza.

[Diana]

If you're aching to chew, make the oatmeal into cookies or muffins (recipes are on the boxes of Apple Cinnamon and Peach).

My new favorite Medichew: SOY CRISPS!!! I heard Terry dips the Apple Cinnamon ones in his nanner puddin'.

Remember, this isn't forever. We've got to see food as fuel, not entertainment and comfort. That's what friends are for. Chinese food will still be there, so will pizza (so will brownies and homemade chocolate cake with fudge frosting).

When it gets really bad, vow not to have it during the next 10 minutes. Then make it the next 10 minutes. Drink water, have some Medicrackers, some broth or a pickle, and review your list of why you're on Medifast in the first place and what you're looking forward to when you're thin.

We all get cravings. Even thin people get cravings (right, gold star people?) The difference between our old selves and our new selves is determination and persistance.

[deszignerchick]

Ok, it's pizza today. What's it gonna be tomorrow? There will be another temptation tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. Food is everywhere so we have to learn how to resist temptation.
I'm sorry, but you won't get the go ahead from this corner. You just need to decide which you want more, the pizza, or the knowledge that you stayed with the plan and reached your goal. (Hint: The pizza will be there waiting after you reach your goal.)

BTW, I love your example, lauraly.

I really needed to read this today ...I'm going to print this and put it in my kitchen....

Thanks
Gayle

[dede4wd]

Lauraly and Jo,

I LOVED your posts! I'm printing both of them out too!

For me, NOTHING is worth slowing down this train, but that's me. Tuesday was my 3-month anniversary...I realized that I haven't had a french fry since February 27...And I don't care because I'm over 50lbs lighter! For me there's NOTHING worth it to me to slow down this process. Last year one cheat on MF turned to nearly a year planning to restart the program every monday. I never did. I also had a really rough first 4 days and DON'T want to do that again.

For me, cravings only last 10 minutes, then they're gone. I just find something else to do.

I have chinese all the time...I have the steamed chicken & the steamed veggies. I have to pick out the carrots and that's it. It's all about working WITH the program, not against it. Want pizza, try the pizza recipe with the Medi-crackers. I haven't, but pizza isn't what I miss.

I remember the Easter Thread well Gillian, I'm so glad you got back with us! It's up to you, just make a conscious decision. For me, there's nothing worth it!

DeDe

[GucciGoo]

I am printing out this thread and keeping it next to me at work.

Did I cheat? Yes, by the time I read the posts, the cravings had taken over my thought process. I accidentally forgot to defrost anything for dinner, and I knew it would take a while to eat.

I had two pieces of Papa John's Veggie Pizza- ordered with minimal cheese. I also had some soda.

Was it a good decision? NO. I felt horribly guilty after and did not have the overwhelming feeling of joy after eating the pizza that I had expected.

But I am not being hard on myself. If you see other posts of mine, you will see that I have tried many other diets. I never lose anything. So when I plateaued this week, I started having the same failure feelings as before. I said to myself- why have a shake and NOT lose? I should have PIZZA and not lose!

You guys don't realize how hard it is to see that I have lost nothing this week- when there are people skinnier than me that have lost 15 pounds by their second week of medifasting. I know I should not compare- but it does drive me crazy. I wanted to see the same great results as others did- losing 20 pounds their first month, 15 the next and so on...I guess I expected too much.

I know you will all argue with this, but after being on so many other diets that did not work, I saw that I was already plateauing 3 weeks into Medifasting, so I got angry and ate.

Will I do it again? No- because the pizza was really not worth it. I'm over it and shaking again. I plan on doing all shakes today- no bars or oatmeal. And then just the L&G tonight.

[GucciGoo]

PS Dede- if I was losing 25 pounds per month like you were, I would have a lot more willpower! It is harder to enjoy the shakes when you see a slow loss

[Serendipity]

You guys don't realize how hard it is to see that I have lost nothing this week-

I realize it because I have lived it. I am the queen of plateaus, BeachBaby. I have gone as many as 14 days without a budge on the scales several times in the 7 months I've been on program. I have just learned that this is how my body works and I have accepted it. I don't know why we think that we know so much about how our weight loss is supposed to work.....That we are supposed to lose X number of pounds each week or else. What else in your life is so predictable?

I get on the scale every morning, read the number, get off and get on with things. As long as I am compliant with the Medifast program as stated in the Quick Start Guide, I am at peace with whatever shows up on the scales. If you don't make cheating an option, amazingly it doesn't happen and you don't constantly think about it. I urge you to try it.....it's a good place to be.

Please don't read anger into my post. I am just very passionate about this program. If I didn't care about your success, I wouldn't post.....honest

[GucciGoo]

Jo, I am not reading anger at all. I am angry at myself!!!

In my own bizarre way I was mad at my own body. I was mad because I was being SO good and trying SO hard and my body would not lose. So I basically said F.U. to my non-compliant body, and ate pizza.

It will not happen again!