The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Katie]

Hello! I'm from Ohio, and just made the decision to start Medifast. I received my order on Monday and decided to begin this morning (Monday). I am about 5'9 1/2 and weighed in this morning at 199, and am a comfortable size 14. I am fairly active (did a triathlon a week ago), and walked a marathon last spring, and play tennis weekly.

When I married my husband 12 1/2 years ago, I weighed about 150, and thought I was fat then! Twelve years, three kids, and three years of grad school later, I ballooned up to 225. Reality has kicked in, and even though I have lost 25-30 pounds (I've stayed between 195-200 for several months), I am having a hard time losing the rest of the weight. My husband complains alot, and I will not tell him I am doing this diet (he finds something wrong with most diets I do - hates low carb, etc., but expects me to lose weight!). I'm usually very much a talker, but I haven't even told my best friend, so I need some encouragement, and a place to go. I told my husband last summer that I would weigh 165 by Halloween, and it isn't happening. I have to make serious changes and do something drastic to lose the weight.

This morning, I began Medifast with one of the Orange Shakes, and I thought it was the most awful thing that had ever passed through my mouth! I will try the orange diet soda volcano that I read about. For lunch I LOVED the Devine Chocolate bar. It was very encouraging to realize that something on this was going to be "good", after the orange experience!

I have big family party to attend in two weeks, and I want to look like I've lost something by then. And by the time I see other family at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I need to have some positive results. I would love to get back to 150 pounds, I'd be thrilled to weigh 140. Heck, at this point, I'd even settle for 160! If you have any encouragement or advice (or recipes), I'd love to try them.

I plan on combining the total and the modified versions of the diet. When my husband is home for dinner during the week, I will plan to eat with the family (meat and veggies). When he is not home, I will have a Medifast shake, or soup, or oatmeal. On the weekends, I will most likely do the modified.

I understand that exercising right now might not be the best thing to do when I begin the diet. If I am wrong, please correct me. My usual exercising consists of Monday night tennis, Thursday bike rides, and Friday walking, with an occasional Curves visit (women's exercise facility) and some at home squats with weights mixed in. I was planning on starting a weight lifting program for women on Mondays and Wednesdays, replacing Curves and Tennis next week, but may hold off for a while, unless you think I should go ahead with it.

I hope to have 14 pounds off by Halloween, which would make me 185, and only 20 pounds more than I promised!!! Then lose another 15 by Christmas, which would be 170, then lose another 10 by my birthday in mid January (160), then another 10 by Valentines Day (150). That may be pushing it a bit, but I guess it doesn't hurt to dream.

Thanks for listening!

[Nancy]

Katie,

Welcome to the Forum! Yeah, you'll do just fine IF you follow all the directions. Gosh, you are about the fifth person I've talked to THIS week that is keeping your weight loss plan a secret. There are a lot of well-meaning people that certainly seem to sabotage us, eh?

About the Orange shake - frankly, I think that all of the FRUIT shakes need to be made in the blender. They can taste downright nasty unless they are well- mixed and icy cold. My husband would eat just about anything but not mois. Try it in the blender, with some crushed ice and I think you'll like it so much better.

The bars are great! One comment: ONLY one per day and DO NOT have them for breakfast - they are asimilated better when you have them in the afternoon or after at least one shake.

You are right about holding off on your new exercise program. Cut what you have been doing in half for three weeks. Then gradually increase to your former level of exercise. I'd suggest that you have either a bar or a shake PRIOR to exercise and one afterwards. Sandwich exercise in between two supplements.

Keep on keepin' on! You'll make it to your goal - one shake at a time. Just keep reminding yourself WHY you are doing this. Seeing your weight drop will be a great motivator!

PS I think the fruit shakes are good when made with Diet Pop - Shasta makes a diet raspberry pop, diet strawberry, diet chocolate (sortta yucky unless the shake mix is added - it is a watery weak chocolate flavor unless you add the Dutch Choc packet) and diet orange, to name a few.

When making a shake with diet pop, put the pop into the shaker jar or the blender first. Add the packet of shake mix and whirl away. I use 1 cup of pop with the packet. I really don't drink diet pop very often - I get headaches sometimes. I like Diet rootbeer pop with a vanilla shake - it tastes like a good rootbeer float. Again, the fruit shakes are best when made in the blender and crushed ice is added.

[Ellen]

Hi Katie and welcome!
I'm from Ohio too -- near Toledo.

Congrats on getting started, it gets easier and easier. I'm into my second week and finding things to be not so bad. I still don't like any of the powdered shakes and I make them all in the blender. I drink them anyway, but I don't really like them. My kids have started calling them shudder shakes because I take a sip and shudder, take another sip and shudder again, and wash it all down with a glug of diet Pepsi. I have found that the chalky taste gets a little better if you mix the powder and water in the shaker jar, and shake it up, then put the jar in the fridge for an hour or so. When I'm ready to drink it, I pour it in the blender and add about 3 or 4 ice cubes and blend. It gets a little too "airy" this way, but not as chalky and bitter.

I have ordered some sugar free syrups from Davinci which we can add to the shakes, this is supposed to make them much better, but it seems to take about two weeks to get an order in to Ohio from them. I'll let you know what I think after it comes in.

I love the bars also. I ordered the Chocolate, Lemon and Oatmeal Raisin bars and all three of them are great! Lemon is my least favorite, but I still like it just fine. The pre-mixed ready to drink shakes are great! They are better than slim fast and much much better than the powdered drinks. My only problem with them is the price. I will be ordering many more of the ready to drink shakes next time.

I haven't repeated the orange volcano experiment yet, as I have ordered some orange syrup from Davinci and am hoping that will prove to be a better bet.

I have really been enjoying bouillon as a snack. I got some of the granulated type and have that twice a day. I look forward to my bouillon and my lunch time Medifast bar much more than anything else.

As for the Diet Pop, I personally, keep at least three flavors in the house all the time. I am a diet pop addict. Personally, I don't care for Faygo too much, but LOOOVE Diet Sunkist Orange, A&W's cream and root beer and Pepsi One.

Good Luck and hang in there, I think you'll make your goals ahead of schedule!! Feel free to PM me if you ever need some support.
Ellen

[Donna]

Hi everyone. My name is Donna and I just started with my medifast. I started Saturday Oct 11th. I started at 220lbs. So far I am doing ok. They said the first 3 days are the worst. Well let me tell you , it was day 3. I thought I was gonna hurt someone. Everytime I turned around I was hungry. I did more laundry, cleaned my house, even helped my husband with lawn work to help get my mind off it. Someone told me to drink water it would help. 2 gallons of water later, the only thing I got was sores from going potty so much. But today is day 4 and I seem to be doing alot better today. I cheated and stepped on the scale this morning and much to my suprise I was at 217lbs. :P. I am just one of those people that need people to tell me I am doing ok and will get through this. I was wondering if anyone had some recipes that I could use, or ideas how to mix and match things. Even ideas on what to eat for a regular meal (for those days I need one). Thanks everyone. Donna

[Ellen]

Hi Donna and welcome!! Sounds like you are doing a terrific job. Down three pounds already!! Isn't that a great feeling. The one thing I love most about this diet is that I can know with certainty that I WILL lose weight if I stick to the plan, and I am sticking!!

I can't help you with the meal ideas since I'm doing the full fast, but I'm sure that one of our health advisors will be along with some advice for you in that department. My best hints that have worked for me are:
1. Stay busy- I've been running around taking care of outside errands and this really seems to help distract me from thinking about how hungry I am. If I get absolutely starving, I stop and treat myself to a bottle of diet soda.
2. Get extra rest. I've been going to bed an hour early. Sunday I was very cranky and irritable, so I told my family that if I didn't go to bed I was going to start picking them off one by one and eating them. Since my husband knows that the boys can out-run him, he encouraged me to go to bed early and get some extra rest. So I retired at 9 PM and dreamed about wearing my new tiny bathing suit next summer!
3. Drink, drink, and drink some more. I'm treating myself to Crystal Light Pink Lemonade this week.
4. Bouillon is your friend. When I feel that I absolutely must eat something, a cup of bouillon really works.

The hunger gets better. The success really motivates. I'm trying so hard not to peek at that scale till the weekend.
Welcome again and keep up the great work!
Ellen

[explorthis]

Hi Katie, and Donna (and of course Ellen)

Mike here from San Bernardino... Semi regular poster (lurking more than posting)

Today marks 37 days for me. IT WORKS. Trust me when I say, it gets easier. From my other posts you will realize I was (W-A-S) well over 300# and now (rarely stepping on the scale) have lost in excess of 40#

Can I see the difference? YES. Can I feel the difference? YES. The best part is everyone at work, and most friends (except those macho men) want to know how I am doing it. It is hard not to notice now (what a nice rush to have people notice (secret vanity I guess) Atkins, is the most common query... (Makes me laugh) NO ATKINS.

I have to agree the shakes are not my favorite either, though the Dutch Chocolate (I am on Medifast 70) is tolerable. Each shake MUST be I-C-E cold to make them acceptable.

I am on the full fast still, not one shred of lettuce has hit my tongue, and I can tell you the easy part is here, I am soooooo used to NOT eating, it is second nature. I plan to see this through till the END. I am too far to go back now.

It will become easier as time passes. My hardest (food want) time is when the kids and wife are preparing dinner for themselves, and the TV commercials. I have learned to leave the room during dinner time, and avoid TV (not a huge fan anyway) at most costs.

Keep it up, it works I promise!!!!!

Mike

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Donna and Katie - welcome aboard!

You're off to a great start, and you took the tough part (1st three days) like a trooper. Nancy should be along soon with some ideas on things to mix into your diet. Crunchies and the like. There is the "Bean Dip" recipe in the "lean Cuisine" topic on this forum, and i'm trying to find time to get some more recipes posted there for everyone. Also, anyone else that has some recipes, is more than welcome to post them there for everyone to see.

Keep hanging in there and it gets easier as you see the results and your body gets back in balance. In the meantime we'll get a discussion going here on how transition and maintain once you meet your goal. One note of encouragement is, that if you follow the plan, it will work.

Great goals Katie!...and very attainable...

All the best to everyone and it's soooooooo good to see you all doing so well.

Unca Tim

[Donna501]

OK, today is day number 7.. Weigh in day.. 7.5lbs
I have been doing very well. (for me) Day 3 was the worse. But I seem to be doing better. I have not been hungry at all. I been grabbing a fast soup in the afternoon when I feel that I cant make it. At night when my family eats , I have been eating oatmeal. It makes me feel full and not feel left out of dinner time. Just one time this week I ate a small garden salad, well I ate lettuce. No dressing, just some salt and pepper. That got me through the night. But I have everyone at my job helping me out and that has been a great help. I have even got a few people looking into the diet to do themselves. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Talk to you in a few days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ellen]

Hey Donna -- Congratulations!!! Sounds like you're doing great. The first week is the hardest and you've made it through that! Doesn't it feel amazing to see those kinds of results?!!

Congrats again on all the hard work and keep on going!
-Ellen

[Donna501]

The was on my shoulder today. My family went out to dinner tonight. I only ate salad with no dressing, a pickle and some lean roast. Within 10 minutes after I ate. I WAS SICK!!!!! I was sitting there drinking water and,, , next moment I was running across the resturant. I guess that will teach me. I was trying to be good by just eating a little bit and nothing that was high carbs or high in fat. NOPE did not matter. I guess that was my bodies was of telling me. NO NO Donna, you did wrong. I did weigh in this morning and I have lost 10lbs now. I have been sicke for a few hours now so I hope I stay at the 10lb mark. I have learned my lesson. I wont stray again. Mercy.. Anyone out there thinking of falling off the path for a night and has never done it before. DONT DO IT!!!! I hope everyone else has been doing good this week so far. Talk to you later...

[Unca_Tim]

Yikes Donna..........

How's things now?

Unca

[Donna501]

I am doint much better today. I started back this morning like normal. Shakes!!!! I have drank alot of water today trying to get my self back to normal.. I have seen the dark side and wont go back Ha Ha

[Nancy]

Falling off the wagon, eh?

I know how you feel when you said that you got sick and felt ick after having foods not on the plan. I felt like I had a hangover the first time I ate anything really sugary or sweet. My blood sugar level twanged up and then it crashed. I felt like a Duncan Yo-Yo! Giddy, silly and then needed a nap…There are a few things to keep in mind. When one has had low levels of fat and controlled sugars on the full fast plan, it is VITAL to not pork out and have a load of greasy fatty foods – your stomach will in essence, go into a hibernation mode since Medifast virtually does not have fat in it. So when you have something with fat – meat, salad dressings, your stomach, liver and gall bladder cannot handle that load of fat and it lets you know it! That’s why we have a transition PLAN – you don’t stop using Medifast the day you reach your goal weight and go to a buffet the next day! Trust me, you’ll have a crap attack!