The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[MerryMary]

Lauren, you wrote this in Biki's journal:

The best thing I did, specifically worked for me, not recommending it necessarily to everyone else, was really extending transition periods. I made the whole process last longer to let my body acclimate, sure, but more importantly, to let my MIND acclimate to the adjustments...it made it a much more seamless (and less scary) endeavor.
lauren

I think you make a wise and valid point and was wondering how much longer you extended the transition? It makes sense especially when one loses over 100#.

[DogMa]

Mary, you reached goal today???? Congratulations!!!!!

[MerryMary]

Mary, you reached goal today???? Congratulations!!!!!

I did! I DID! <img src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w153/maizak/happy.gif" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket">
Thanks for the Congrats ... now to the REAL work ... mainenance!

[Lauren]

Hey, Mary! If you go to the post in Maintenance titled "So Far So Great," back in December of last year, you'll see what I meant about dragging out transition.

To be honest, I still haven't incorporate many, many foods back into my world. You'll see in the post I mentioned above that I was wary of introducing bread (even whole wheat), grains, pasta, rice, etc, and to date, I still haven't eaten carbs like that. I need a lot of carbs in my diet, especially because of how much running I do (you must get carbs to refuel after a long run), but I get my carbs through sweet potatoes (which I only introduced about 6 weeks ago), beans, and loads of fruit and veggies (as well as MF oatmeals, bars, and such). Basically, I just transitioned with food groups that I felt wouldn't send me on a feeding frenzy, and then I took my time during each new food group stage. It was easy prolonging the stages because each stage brought me so much pleasure (I can't even begin to explain the sheer joy that fruit brought me), so I felt like I was indulging every day, and it was easy to sustain that. Does that make sense?

I mentally felt that the longer I was "in transition," the more prepared I'd be for maintenance. And, to be completely frank, I still sort of feel "in transition." I still very much eat like a person on a plan. I eat every 3 hours, I am still totally and completely cognizant of everything I put in my mouth every day, I eat MF meals (as part of my meals or as snacks) 3-4 times a day, and really don't "indulge" in off-plan foods (besides higher carb veggies, and, of course, fruit). I still generally don't eat hard cheese, because I love it and it could set me off. However, I will eat skim ricotta, but that's new for me. I only very recently added Peanut Butter, but only on days when I have a very long run and workout planned, I'll eat it with MF Oatmeal and an apple beforehand to give me the necessary energy stores to make it through the run. I am SHOCKED that MF has allowed Peanut Butter into its plan, considering both the high calories AND the fact that it is a binge food for sooo many people, I think that is just asking for trouble...but I digress. :-)

Anyway, my point? It doesn't have to be, nor should it be, all or nothing, on MF or off. Jo, Nancy, and myself (Robin, I think you don't like the meals, so you opted out) and I am sure others have chosen to incorporate MF foods and general plan into our daily lives. It makes me feel in control of my day, my weight, and my future.

Does that help?

Lauren

[DogMa]

You're right about me, Lauren. I haven't had a Medifast meal in at least six months, because I just plain don't like them.

I also eat carbier foods than you do, and indulge in unhealthful foods on occasion. I'm constantly impressed by the way you eat; if I ate that way every day without indulging occasionally in something completely horrible for me, I'd most likely end up on a huge binge and eventually gain back everything I lost. I just like food - and a lot of ethnic cuisines and things like hummus and Mexican food, etc. - way too much to not have it once in a while.

But I think a slow transition, especially for people who've lost more than 100 pounds, is a smart way to go.

[Lauren]

I think the thing is, Robin, is that I do feel like I'm indulging. I pretty much never feel disappointed in a meal or deprived. I always eat ethnic cuisines - heck, I'm having Afghani food this weekend, I eat Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Turkish, French, Mexican, etc...The difference is that I just adjust the menus to suit my needs. Granted, Indian has been the one food "genre" that's most difficult to get the "full" experience, since so much of the flavor comes from the sauces, and so many dishes are about the rice and naan (yummm), but I do "indulge" in small amounts of sauce when it is part of the flavoring, and for most dishes, regardless of ethnicity, it's the spices and cooking style that makes the taste.

But, again, I think it's great that you can have a day where you "treat" yourself. I guess - thus far - I don't feel like I haven't been treated. Does that make sense? When everyone's at a restaurant ordering desserts, if I can get a beautiful fruit plate with berries, you'd see my eyes light up as if it were chocolate. And, pathetically, I sometimes dip my MF choco mint bar into hot mint tea, and I swear, I think I'm eating something evil! I guess, for me, the benefit to not eating these other treats is that my palette doesn't need them, it's totally adjusted to MF, so the craving isn't there.

The only craving I have had, consistently, since the start of MF, and still today, is for a hot soft pretzel, Philly style. And I was just in Philly (twice!) for the high holidays, and I seriously debated. But, well, I opted out. Because that's just opening a door for me that I think should remain closed...

:-)

Lauren

[DogMa]

Don't get me wrong. It's GREAT that you love that stuff. Heck, it's great that you love Medifast foods. But I just don't. I was on the program for a year and a half, and I got to where I could stand to eat them, but I never actually liked them (except the oatmeal, for a few months, and then I got kind of sick of it).

Asian food is easy, of course. And sure, I can go for, say, Middle Eastern food and have a chicken kabob and a salad or maybe some veggies. But I want hummus, I want a taste of pita, etc. I can go for Greek and have the same - but it's basically grilled chicken and veggies, just like I'd have at home. I want grape leaves, and spanakopita and tiropita and all the things I grew up eating. So do I eat that stuff all the time? No, of course not. But I DO eat it, and if I have to make adjustments the rest of the time (heck, maybe that's why I have to eat so few calories most days), I'm willing to do that.

I enjoy fruit, too, but as much as a real dessert? Nope. And a Medifast bar? Honestly, I'd rather just not eat. But I wouldn't call the rest of it cravings. I don't sit and think about it and just HAVE to have it. But if I'm out at a Greek restaurant, I don't WANT my normal grilled chicken and veggies that I can have at home. I want the real stuff. And every once in a very long while, I even want a slice of pizza or a little piece of dark chocolate.

Whatever works. If you can be happy eating the way you do, that's great. I wish I could, to be honest. But it's just not for me.