The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[cynben]

No harm, no foul. You are as entitled to your opinion as I am...they just happen to be a little different. I won't hold it against you ....I can't promise you, though, that I won't be defensive. I believe what I believe and will defend it to the death!! LOL I just don't EVER want to be one of those people who keep having to come back on MF after gaining all of their weight back...to me, those people haven't learned a thing. I have no intention of EVER losing these pounds I am losing again...NEVER.

And no...you weren't harsh.

[Marseilles]

Cindy and Hype, I believe you both have valid opinions on the topic, as does everyone else. I just want to clarify that I was not being preachy or anything, just speaking from my own experience and offering my own opinion. I like a good debate, this has been that. The point is to lose weight in a healthy manner and we are all working towards that common goal!

Cheers!
-M.

[Serendipity]

I don't have time to give this subject my long winded response. I will just say that my humble opinion concurs with Laurens, ljm's, Lisa's and Hypes. (hope I didn't forget anyone, lol)

I've been on Medifast for 4 months today and have not cheated or eaten off plan or even wanted to eat off plan since day one. That's the only way I can do it.

Hypes comment above about ketosis is very important, IMHO. Don't make this harder than it has to be. If only those of you who fall off plan knew......it's soooooo much easier to get through if you don't cheat.

Regards,

[Serendipity]

BTW Hey hype, Don't be a stranger, buddy!

[cynben]

WHITE FLAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agree with who you want, disagree with who you want....but whatever you do....do it for you and no one else.

As for the ketosis....diabetics have to be EXTREMELY careful with ketosis, too much can be extremely dangerous for me. So....as I said before...lets all do what's best for us as individuals and move on.

I've learned my lesson

[hollyhouse]

And look what i started here!hehe

Well, I realize the entire eating thing is all about control and its more of a mental thing then anything.

I used to have the opposite problem. i was anorexic for many many years.
And i use to have panic attacks when i would put food near my mouth. its amazing that im the complete opposite now.

for years i had a fear of becoming anorexic again and used that as an excuse to eat. and look where it got me! but i can tell you from seeing both sides its all the same "unhealthy" and in the mind.

some of the things i love in life is going out to nice restaurants and drinking wine or going to an island and having shrimp and daiquiris.
Now thats living to me! sooo how can i ever change my thinking permanently when these things are the pleasures of life.

the medifast i was looking to lose most of my weight and maintain it with the "body for life" way of thinking. Where you eat six meals a day and take one day off every week to enjoy. but you need to incorporate exercise and weight lifting as a major part of your life.

I believe i messed up my body and metabolism from years of abuse. but i believe the medifast will work if i can fight to do this right!


Thanks again for all your support it means alot!!

[MusicalMomma]

Guess I can't resist chiming in here again. This is a support forum. Up until today, I felt totally supported and well advised by every regular member of our medifast team This whole idea of those who have cheated have some how fallen from grace and are weak vs. those who have remained strong are superior isn't supportive and will drive people from using the board. I personally don't care if someone feels superior to me because I have "cheated" and they have not. I am comfortable in my skin, happy to be me and learning from EVERY experience, good and bad. However, there are those who feel really terrible for "cheating" and need a little love, acceptance and encouragement. There are times we need some tough love, but most of the time, we are our own worse critics. Yeah, there are those who think this is all a game and they will fall away from the boards as quickly as they appeared (probably fall from medifast too), but for the regulars, that we know and love and for the newbies that we need to give the benefit of the doubt....let's show some love, acceptance and understanding. I for one really need this board for constant support and guidance. I have come to feel close to some of you and really appreciate all of your insights. OK, guess I've rambled on long enough

[Ginabobina1969]

and anyone else...I hope I didn't come across as preachy. I surely didn't mean too and I apologize if it seemed that way.

Just sharing my experience with smoking as an example as to MY mindset. I agree Cyn...For anyone with medical/diabetic issues or really anyone..YOU know whats best for you and what works. Obviously, because your doing wonderfully!

I think too, I am trying very hard to stay pumped up about what I am getting ready to tackle so I imight come across as a know-it- all and I don't mean too..I apologize again.

I am learning as much as I can and you are all really inspirational to me.

With smoking, it took many slips for me to get it right and I guess I am trying to make sure that doesn't happen for me, in this "arena".


Musical I agree...Support is the number one thing/reason were all here. I do not plan on looking down on anyone for cheating...just myself(should that occur)I realize it's a real struggle and I guess I was trying to share my way of squelching (or trying to squelch) the struggle not that I wouldn't welcome anyone back into the "arms" of support..after all, you have only failed if you have completely given up!

I hope I have not offended anyone.

Lets get back to shaking our butts off!

HUgs,
Gina

[cydj21]

I will just simply say that today also marks one month for me and I am cheat free! For me, I am extremely proud for myself and I congratulate everyone on their successes regardless of whether or not you succeed with cheating, planned cheating, or no cheating. We are all winners with Medifast and that is what counts!

[lauradr]

Hi, I just wanted to put my thoughts in here, i went from Sep. untel mid Dec. without cheating and than I took my grandaughter to Disney and I cheated and it was soooo hard to get back to where I am now and I will do my best not to cheat again.

[Serendipity]

Musical, I'm not sure who you were referring to as feeling superior. I didn't read that in any of the posts I read although, with volatile issues, it's easy to misinterpret someones written words. I for one, feel anything but superior. We are all here for the same reason. We all need support getting our lives and health back in order. Yes, some of us feel strongly about our own commitment to the program and feel that sticking to the program is important to our success in the weight loss phase. But superior? No. In fact, I admire anyone who can cheat multiple times and jump right back on the wagon. I personally don't feel that it's productive for someone new to the program to plan on cheating, but that is my opinion. I want to get to my goal with the shortest path possible. To me that means sticking to the program 100%. That's my part. Medifast does the rest. I hope I didn't offend anyone with statements I made. I'm just very passionate about this program.

I have learned alot about this process, though, and I have read hundreds and hundreds of posts on this subject. One pattern I have seen is that those who eat off program, tend to fizzle out more often than those who don't. I see people who cheat struggling to get back on and failing time after time. In my last post, I was just trying to point out that the easy way to do this program, ironically, is to stick to the program. I'm not trying to critisize anyone for how they are doing the program. I was trying to offer food for thought - pardon the pun.

[SueInSLO]

I have chosen for myself to stick to the program with no cheats. I know myself and it would be too easy for me to say...oohhh....you can have one little nibble, it's OK and then do it again and again. I know my strengths and weaknesses. I know I feel empowered that I'm able to control my eating. Again, this is my choice.

Each individual knows what works for them and what doesn't. If you choose to have a reward with food and you know it will possibly slow your loss for a bit and you're OK with that, then go for it.

I have such a short time left until our wedding that there is no way in heck I am going to cheat and have to start over at getting my body back in ketosis. I'm frustrated enough with the stall with NO cheating at all.

That's my choice. I do plan on having a bite of my wedding cake. I do plan on having a glass of wine at the wedding and a serving of the food. That WILL be my 1st day off plan. I will allow myself that.

Sorry, didn't mean to ramble on. I just thing everyone should do what works for them, but be certain you know the consequences and can live with them.

Sue

Start: 1/07/06

[BerkshireGrl]

I just don't EVER want to be one of those people who keep having to come back on MF after gaining all of their weight back...to me, those people haven't learned a thing. I have no intention of EVER losing these pounds I am losing again...NEVER.

Hmm... I have to pipe in for this part...

I gained my weight back... plus a few. "Haven't learned a thing" are strong words! I would say at least I learned MF works very well.

For some of us, yes, it is going to take a restart or restarts, to get down to goal, and to stay there. It doesn't have to be a one-time process... in which if you don't succeed, you didn't "get it".

I would advise caution in tossing such blanket statements around... and promises to never have to lose again, well, from your keyboard to God's ears

No offense to you, cynben, but I think everyone here, or lurking, needs support. Be they first-timers, second-timers, or whatever. Tough love has its place, but we have to remember to keep the love with the tough

Losing weight is HARD, but maintaining it? MUCH HARDER. To be one of the select few (like 5%) that keep it off, it is a total mind-switch needed. Belief in the self is the main driving force I think... propelled by group support.

So... let's try and buoy people up, across the board!

[Jan]

Hmmmmm,
I see this is the "hot topic" for today. Well I know everyone knows that
when we cheat we in effect cheat ourselves. We are the only one who can control what goes in our mouth and we are ultimately the one who has to deal with the consequences. Our eating is a very individual thing. That said we must also figure in the human part. None of us has a weight problem because we were great at controlling our eating. If we did not make poor choices at one time or another we would not be here. And that human part of our nature comes right along with us to this program. We all have our own individual strenghts and weaknesses. Remember too that life is a learning process. In order to trully be successful we must carefully look at our own habits and decide with which ones we need to part. Also remember that this program is designed to help each person
part with the extra pounds in the safest and quickest way possible. All of us make individual choices each day. Now speaking strictly from a program viewpoint -- cheating is not a good thing. As many wise people have said it can open the door to a food "binge" The other major problem is that you can undo the balance of the program and end up hungry. Then you have a continual struggle. Most of us have grown up rewarding ourselves with food. "Oh I did sooo good -- I'll have an ice cream" and also trying to make ourselves feel better in the same way. I guess we have to learn to see food for exactly what it is -- fuel to fuel our bodies. Not a reward or a bandaide to help us out. Remember that our favorite treats are not going to become extinct. They will still be there when we reach our goal. Hopefully by then we will have learned how to incorporate them into a healthy eating lifestyle.
I can see that this was and is a very emotional issue. Please remember that we are all here just trying to help each other along the way. None of us means to be judgmental. We are all in the same boat. What we choose to put in our mouths is trully an individual decision and has individual consequences.
jan

[MusicalMomma]

Jan, you are a gem So well put! And hot topic or no, you guys are the greatest and I count myself fortunate to have this program and such wonderful people to journey with!!! If I miscommunicated anything in my post, I apologize. The thing I want to communicate the most is, our support of one another is vital to so many of us and I appreciate all I have learned from all of you and look forward to all I will learn as we reach out to one another.

Congratz to ALL who go without one single cheat! I admire each and every one of you and you give me something to aspire to!

Congratz to all who have fallen off the wagon, dusted yourselves off and got back on the wagon. You are an inspiration to others who will follow in your foot steps!

Congratz to all who have left medifast, but returned, knowing it is the best, fastest, safest and most delicious way to lose weight on the planet! You are a testiment of how effective this program is because you want to do it again and make it stick!

We are a melting pot of individuals and WE are the past, present and future MEDIFAST SUCCESS STORIES!!!!!!!!