The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[FORMOMMY]

Hi guys - it's been 3 weeks since my surgery and I am really having a hard time. If you recall, I gained 5 pounds the week of the knee surgery, took it off the second week and this week maintained. Ugh!

As much as I want to lose, I am more frustrated by the fact that I am extremely hungry!!! I mean grumblies in the tummblies kind of hungry...and I crave salty things. In the entire almost 4 months that I've been on MF, I never remember being hungry but a couple of times and really never had any cravings.

I am still on pain meds, having quite a bit of pain, still have swelling and still cannot drive yet. I am extremely tired as well. So I know I am still healing but I am really struggling with not eating - then I think, what's the difference because I am not losing anyway.....

HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Michelle,
What is your diet right now?

You may have to go on a higher calorie diet for a while to heal up. You may have hunger probs, if you're over the ketosis level.

I'd suggest raising your calories a bit. Try to eat sensible balance meals similar to the lean/green meals you would regularly use on the plan, and mix in some medifast meals with it. Dont be afraid to eat, if you're hungry. You may require more fuel to heal up.

Just try to eat regular (still try to eat every 3 hours), balanced, portion controlled meals, and you should be able to maintain and still get enough fuel to heal up.

[FORMOMMY]

Unca,

Right now I am doing the 5/1 plan as best as I can. My schedule is usuallyas follows:

9:00 - oatmeal
12:00 - soup
3:00p - bar
5:00p - shake
7:00p - lean and green
9:00p - shake

I have been adding an extra shake every now and again to try and help the hungries. But it just doesn't seem to help. I don't want to wimp out but I don't want to prolong the healing either. I want to be sensible but don't want everyone to think I am a quitter either - I know, I know, I am over analyzing this!!!

THanks Unca for your advice and thanks Vicky for your concern.

[supermom]

They are absolutely correct. You need more protein. Protein is the fuel the body needs to function properly. If you think about it, your body is like a car. If you drive it faster, it needs more gas. If you run the AC, it needs more gas. If you do a lot of stopping and starting, it needs more gas. Well, right now you are healing. ie: going faster. You are burning way more calories trying to heal than you are consuming. Like your car won't go without gas in the tank, your body won't either. Your rumblies are simply the fuel light turning on. Listen to your body. Choose your foods wisely. You can get back on the plan "properly" once healed completely. We are here for you. Don't give up. Just give yourself a chance to heal up.

[falisamarie]

Michelle~

I think that Unca's suggestion was right on. Maybe adding an extra L&G is just what you need. Like I said before do whatever you need to in order to get through this.

Vicky said something that I had not even thought about and that is that you are doing Physical Therapy right now so I am sure you need some extra calories added in.

You are no quitter and we are all here for you!

Lisa

[FORMOMMY]

Thanks everyone - you all made a lot of sense (you guys are so smart ).

Maybe I will try and add more protein to my diet right now and see what happens. I guess you just don't realize what your body goes through when it has been "invaded" by surgery or illness. I consider myself a fairly intelligent person but when it comes to things dealing with me - I am a really dummy!!! HA!

Thanks for the encouragement about not being a quitter - I needed that.

You guys are the best!

[Ct. Yankee]

Geez, Michelle, you are by no means a quitter, for sure!!! I so admire your resolve to keep trying to be compliant even when being post-op. That is totally commendable, girl!

I agree with everyone that it is important to place your healing above all. You still, as many have suggested, can be compliant, but, have that extra shake, etc.. and make a toast, dedicated to your knee, as you slurp it down! Everyone here is supporting you, and so is Medifast. It is much better to maintain your current weight, than to'drag out' the healing process of your knee. Good nutrition is vital to healing, as everyone knows, and I am sure that some extra nutrients would benefit you greatly. Great nutrients in Medifast, so have one or two extra supplements a day. Your calorie count will still be low enough to maintain your current weight. You are an inspiration!

Joan

[FORMOMMY]

Thanks Joan....I am going to set my mind on healing and maintaining my weight as much as possible. Who knows, I may be surprised and still lose a pound here or there And if not, I know that once I am 100% back to the program and 100% healthy - it WILL come off!

My race to Thinnsville isn't over - just hit a detour that will make the journey a little longer than anticipated. I will have to keep saying that over and over so I don't get depressed.

[Ct. Yankee]

And, what one of us won't hit a detour or two as we travel on this journey! As long as we never lose sight of our long term goals! Bless you!

Joan

[Tiolazz]

Hey Michelle,

I asked a friend of mine who is a registered physical therapist about you this morning, he agreed with everyone about the more protein thing. He said when your body is trying to heal itself, whether it be after surgery or even after just exercise it needs more proteins.

He said that he suggests to the people that he is working with in PT that they buy those Tyson chicken strips that are already cooked and throw about 3ozs on some salad and eat it that way. He said that considering the mf plan that if you were to eat that maybe twice a day and then have your regular lean and green at dinner, and your mf supplements that you should be getting enough added proteins to help in your healing process.

Just wanted to let you know what a "semi-expert" told me for what it is worth....

Terri

[FORMOMMY]

Terri - how sweet are you!!!!!! Thank you so much for checking on that for me. That is a great idea about the chicken strips - those are good too. I will pick some up and do that.

Again, thanks so much

[FORMOMMY]

Terri - I know I am not supposed to worry but do you think that by adding the additional chicken I will gain weight?

[Tiolazz]

Michelle,

If I understood Matt right, he says that your body is burning up more calories during your recooperation, which actually makes alot of sense. You know how they say that after workouts that your metabolism is up for like 8 hours, all that means is that you are burning calories for that long, so if your body is using more calories during healing, that would be like after workouts, so basically your metabolism should be speeding up during your recoop...

I am of course, no expert, but if you are having the hungries then I would think that your body is needing something, you might want to check with one of the HA's, but I think that the extra protein in the chicken couldn't really hurt, but again, I am no expert, heck I am stuck at 200 forever now, so I obviously don't know much.... LOL

[FORMOMMY]

HA! You are too funny. You'll be in onderland next roll call for sure!

Well, we shall see if it makes a difference. I do agree that the type of hungries that I am getting HAVE to mean something. When you can hear it over the TV you know you are in trouble!!!