The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[carolannjeanette]

Hi,

I did so good on MF this summer, went from 185 to about 155! Felt awsome. But then I started cheating...a little here...a little there...and now I gain back at least 5 pounds, if not 10 pounds. Probably is 10 pounds, but I refuse to get on the scale right now.

I started this morning, but after only 2 hours found myself eating a candy bar that I did not get rid of before starting up again. And now that i cheated, I do what I was doing before, say oh well, I might as well just go for it and enjoy a day of yummy treats and eat whatever I want, get it out of my system, and then start fresh tomorrow.

Reality is setting in, tomorrow is going to be here soon. I am scared...scared I will fail again. Today I am going through my house and cleaning out all junk food. I am putting up my signs again. Last time when I was was successful I put up signs in each room in my house saying that I am 100% successful on MF--that helped me stay focus.

It is so hard to re-start. I don't want to go through those first two crappy weeks again! The times of craving sugar so dang bad and feeling my tummy grumble because it is not getting the constant intake of junk food it is used to, thus leaving me with an empty pit feeling in my stomach.

I am scared that I won't make it this time. I am scared I will start and not last very long. I am scared of what will happen to me if I don't start again and stick with it. I am afraid of gaining even more weight!!

I don't know if I can do this...but I want to do this so bad! Gosh, it is so dang hard.

[bikipatra]

I am so glad you posted. Your hardship is a service and lesson to us all even though you are miserable. It is hard. Which is why you should start this minute and get back on the program. You have hours before bed and I don't know when you ate last but could probably get in two supplements. Don't SAY you want to get back on track, do it by not waiting. Do it when you have this window of willingness and pain that you might not have tomorrow if you keep on eating "yummy treats." You can do it if you want to. You have done it before and have a whole board full of people who are doing it or have done it. Just have a shake instead of that next yummy treat.

[Charity]

I did the same thing and my best friend is going through the same thing at ~30 lb loss point. I don't know what it is about 30 lbs. Maybe it's because we are starting to see results and get too confident in how things are going. I don't know.

What finally worked for me is having a friend start with me. I was re-starting over and over again just like you before she got me to stay on the wagon with her excitment about starting.

Also, I love the saying "Nothing tastes as good as being proud of my actions feels" Try saying that one before biting the candy bar or add it to your signs

Good luck to you and I really really hope you figure it out and get back on the program and reach your goal of ~130.

When you do find out what worked, share it with me!!!!

[lifelovinaries]

Hi and welcome back. My suggestion as it is to a lot of people is take it hour by hour. If you eat off plan, jump right back on plan immediately, do not beat yourself up about it and do not give yourself permission to cheat for the rest of the day and start again tomorrow. START AGAIN IMMEDIATELY AND STICK TO IT. I have remained compliant (except Thanksgiving) and i still take it hour by hour. As each hour passes there is a greater sense of accomplishment and before you know it, the day is over and you do it again tomorrow! Good luck carolann.

[bikipatra]

How did the rest of your day go? We're pulling for you!

[carolannjeanette]

Thanks everybody for your support. I tried Bip, to start yesterday, but didn't work, I have this mentality that if I blow it, I get to eat all day long. I need to change that mentality. Today, Sunday, I am going to be 100% complient on MF. I feel much more confident this morning than I did yesterday morning. Last night I cleaned out my kitchen, got rid of all junk food, I put signs up in each room giving me reminders and encouragement, with a real big sign in the kitchen. It also helps that I decided to spill the beans about myself.

Yes, I think there is something about 30#, I did start to feel confident. At first if Icheated, I still lost weight. My brain is like that of a 2-year old, if I get away with something once, then I think I can get away with it again, and again, and again! Although that is not the case. I weighed myself this morning and I am at 164, that's approx. 10 pounds I gained since Sept. That is okay because I am going to be successful on MF and I will reach my goal weight.

Back when I was at a normal weight, I had an active lifestyle. One of my favorite sports was skydiving, which I had to quit for financial reasons, being a full-time student and all. Now I have graduated, and really want to get back into skydiving. I want to be at a normal weight before I get back into skydiving, so that is also one of my motivation--once I loose weight, I am going skydiving!!!!

[bikipatra]

Best of luck today. Just DO IT. 5-1-water. That simple.

[Out*With*The*Old]

Thanks everybody for your support. I tried Bip, to start yesterday, but didn't work, I have this mentality that if I blow it, I get to eat all day long. I need to change that mentality. Today, Sunday, I am going to be 100% complient on MF.

Welcome back to the forum and good luck! You CAN do it! Here's a bit of honest tough love - YOU can control your mentality and what you put in your body! YOU can do it and you have the power to put MF foods or junk foods into your body! Stop giving yourself the 'out' by falling off plan for one meal and then making it a binge day. If you fall of the horse, get back on with the very next meal. YOU control what goes in and you CAN do it - one meal, one day at a time! Set compliance goals and follow them! Shortly one day become two, two becomes two weeks, etc.

Its good that you cleaned out the bad food and set non-food rewards for your goal weight! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

Best of luck for a fully compliant day!

[LAwoman]

Hey carolannjeanette,

Well, I agree, SOMETIMES, it may FEEL impossible to restart and reach goal, but IT IS POSSIBLE!!!

I have many theories, but am not totally sure why restart is so difficult, I just know from experience it is. Like many people said: we start to feel/look better and let things slide, maybe the "constraints" of the plan get to people after a while, we know it works, so hey, we can always "start tomorrow"..., and many other theories.

I've had to talk to myself at times to get through this...
*When I want to eat something off plan I imagine I've eaten it (the taste, texture, smell...) and then I think about how I feel when I'm done eating it
*I imagine the scale the next morning being a higher, same, or lower number based on my choice to go off-plan or remain compliant
*I try to forget my previous success on MF so I don't compare and get frustrated, and just work in the moment towards this goal.
*I read this forum to share other's success which motivates me and reminds me this is possible.
*I imagine how I'm going to look and feel this summer after staying on plan.

When I read this forum I notice this plan is harder for some and easier for others. But the biggest thing I notice is when you stay on-plan, IT WORKS!!!

It's totally up to you, YOU CAN DO IT CAROLANNJEANETTE!!!

[CGal67]

Hey carolannjeanette,

Well, I agree, SOMETIMES, it may FEEL impossible to restart and reach goal, but IT IS POSSIBLE!!!

I have many theories, but am not totally sure why restart is so difficult, I just know from experience it is. Like many people said: we start to feel/look better and let things slide, maybe the "constraints" of the plan get to people after a while, we know it works, so hey, we can always "start tomorrow"..., and many other theories.

I've had to talk to myself at times to get through this...
*When I want to eat something off plan I imagine I've eaten it (the taste, texture, smell...) and then I think about how I feel when I'm done eating it
*I imagine the scale the next morning being a higher, same, or lower number based on my choice to go off-plan or remain compliant
*I try to forget my previous success on MF so I don't compare and get frustrated, and just work in the moment towards this goal.
*I read this forum to share other's success which motivates me and reminds me this is possible.
*I imagine how I'm going to look and feel this summer after staying on plan.

When I read this forum I notice this plan is harder for some and easier for others. But the biggest thing I notice is when you stay on-plan, IT WORKS!!!

It's totally up to you, YOU CAN DO IT CAROLANNJEANETTE!!!

Great advice!! I haven't been OFF PLAN and plan to be 100% compliant, but I have to admit that if for some reason I was off - you've given the best advice I've seen regarding re-starting!

C

[Diana]

Forgive me, I haven't read the entire thread, not even Carol's entire post, but I'm jumping in nonetheless.

Here's the thing. This is a journey and it's all about course corrections. Sometimes we take a pause -- like in hiking, we take a break. But when the break is over, we get back up and attack the trail. Maybe you'll make it all the way to the end in one uninterrupted stride, maybe you'll take another pause along the way. Take it from those who made it quickest, though -- keep that destination before you, take no prisoners, and make no excuses.

I say this to you as well as to myself...again...Treat the program like a prescription as it was in the very beginning. (Truly, that used to be the only way you could get your hands on MediFast shakes!) This is your "medication." You wouldn't monkey around with antibiotics or other prescriptions, so don't monkey around with this one, either.

Even as Health Advisors, Mike and I have struggled (and the struggle continues!). But we consider ourselves victorious even though we by no means are posterchildren for this program. We've messed it up every single possible way it can be messed up. Nonetheless, Mike weighs less than he did in high school and is about 50 lbs from his goal. I've shed about 120 lbs, am almost back to my high school weight, and am also about 50 lbs from my goal. Despite the victory, though, we don't deny that it would have much more efficient and rewarding to stay on it and just go for the end.

But the difference is, we get back on. Those pitstops along the side of the trail are getting less and less attractive, and we're able to go longer and longer periods resisting them. Sometimes I have to time myself when temptation's around. "Ok, I'm going to be compliant for the next 10 minutes and re-evaluate." Then the next 10, then the next 10 or maybe 30. Next thing you know, it's time to eat again. When you "blow it," blow it just for those 10 minutes and get right back on. Sometimes a day is just too dang long! There are days when I have to tell myself, "Self, 3:00 wasn't so good, but 3:15 is going to be perfect!" Don't worry about the consequences that are coming, and certainly don't compound them with more!

Support is VITAL!!! Accountability is VITAL!!! Self-respect and gentleness are PARAMOUNT!!! DO NOT by any means punish, demean or devalue yourself. It's only data. Remember pursuing health is the best gift you can give yourself and those you love -- it is not a punishment, it's also not a selfish act. On the contrary, this IS the good life! Embrace it!

Keep in contact with your Health Advisor. Stay connected to folks here on the forum. Find people in real life who will cheer you on, talk you down from the chocolate cake, and be straight with you when you're not acting with your own best interest at heart.

It WILL happen for you!! In fact, it IS happening for you -- you made the decision to return to what works for you despite your skepticism and self-doubt.

Go get, em, Carol!! We're with you all the way.

[Diana]

we start to feel/look better and let things slide,

Robert Fritz calls that an oscillating system, one in which we're trying to distance ourselves from an uncomfortable/negative/undesirable situation. We need to get proficient at developing and enacting an advancing system.

Visualize what you really, really want. Now realize what actually, actually is (don't make it emotional or dramatic, just focus on the facts). Hold both of those pictures in your head for about 30 seconds. That anxiety you feel is called structural tension -- the motivating factor.

Now, considering that structural tension, list out the step you need to take that will move you toward what is you really, really want. What must be done? What will you CHOOSE to do? Put dates and times on those actions.

Chunk it down into manageable steps. Create rewards for yourself along the way. I used to reward myself about every 25 lbs; now it's every 10 or so -- but I've also rewarded myself for things like sticking to my exercise routine. Usually something pampering like make-up or a massage -- sometimes clothes (like a pair of beaded jeans I had my eye on that were luckily still there...and by then they were on CLEARANCE!). These are souveineers (sp?) along the way to remind you of your accomplishments. Also, take those monthly pictures!! Talk about data collection! When the scale's getting you down, those pictures can say it all -- phoey on the scale!

[bikipatra]

Great advice. I agree about taking the monthly pictures. I probably took too many pictures along the way but it is just amazing to look at myself at different weights and see the progress and see where I never want to go again.

[DonnaS]

Wonderful advice that I definitely needed today. I'm struggling right now too so I'm glad this was here to read.

[lifelovinaries]

WOW! Diana's posts sound like they need to be sticky's...profound thoughts for starters OR restarters