The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Unca_Tim]

I really don't want to get into a big technical debate here, but just like many controversial subjects, it depends on whos study and which journals you're reading.

Let just say that "for some people" food can be a very powerful force.

[BoPeep1]

Obsessed - that's probably it for me. Part of my OCD? Who knows. Maybe that's why I started medifast after my medication kicked in.

I just get SO annoyed when people say we're fat because we're lazy. I was at my lowest weight since high school about 6 years ago. I went on birth control pills because started dating who is now my husband. I gained 60 pounds, and I was working out until I couldn't no more, and the weight still would not come off. Then I get pregnant and gained 60 more. I worked out for six months after that and didn't lose weight either. I think by then I felt there was no hope and stopped dieting completely.

I don't pay attention to whether people look at me in any way when I walk by - I'm really more involved in what I'm doing and where I'm going, but once in a great while, I hear the comments, and that's what hurts the most.

[lauradr]

My name is Laura and I, too, am a recovering food addict. thanks Lisa for the post.

[falisamarie]

Robin~ I had to smile when I read your post about how with Atkins you did not have the cravings you have now. Before I started MF I made the Stunning.....NOT....realization that my problem was I ate too much. I never stopped eating. So I tell people Atkins could not work for me because if I am on a diet and someone tells me "on this diet you can eat a pound of bacon" guess what I am gonna do.....eat a pound of bacon. So I had to find something that seriously limited what I ate and when I ate and that is what MF has done for me. I have never been a sweets person either and I hope that I do not start to crave sweets! That is just what I would need.

Lisa

[ascicles]

FYI: I said that eating wasn't an addiction. I never said that you couldn't be addicted to it.

I just get SO annoyed when people say we're fat because we're lazy. I

In 90% of the cases (and there are obviously exceptions), I think that this is valid. I know that I am fat because I am lazy...and most of the fat people I know are in the same boat. People need to take responsibilty for their situations and stop blaming it on addiction or "disease". Just my opinion.

[ascicles]

Ascicles~

Really enjoyed your post! But I do have a question for you. And I'm really very serious here. When you open a bag of cookies or a box of Little Debbies, can you eat just one? I can't. Once I have one, my body actually craves more and more and more. Even if I'm as full as can be. I very easily can eat the whole box. I don't want to, and many times I don't even realize I'm doing it.

Honestly, I can. I've never been someone to eat a lot of snacks or anything like that, I just choose really bad meals. Prior to going on the plan, here is a typical day for me...

Breakfast - 4 eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuit and gravy from Biscuitville
Lunch - Teriyaki chicken wrap, french fries
Dinner - Sesame chicken, fried rice, egg roll

Add in about six 20oz. bottles of Dr. Pepper per day.

I have learned to eat in a better manner and to control the portions of my meals. I understand that once I leave the plan I will need to stick to what I have learned, and I can guarantee that I will not go back to the same eating habits.

I received a PM (from someone who shall remain nameless) telling me that I am setting myself up for failure by referring to this as a diet. Well, to me, it IS a diet. I am not going to eat five medifast meals for the remainder of my life. My eating habit are going to change, and I know that I will be able to occasionally eat a meal that isn't a perfect l&g and still stay healthy.

I know that some people have to take the hardline approach, and in fact, so do I. I didn't have any temptation to cheat at Easter, even though some of my favorite foods were there. During my grandmothers birthday, I wasn't tempted to eat my favorite dish that she made. However, I am going to be in Las Vegas for four days and I am going to go off plan. I knew this prior to starting the diet...and it's going to stay that way. I'm sure there are a few who think that I will not be back...but to them, I say that I'll see you on May 14th.

[DogMa]

All this just proves we're all different. And we're all here for different reasons. Some of us can cheat and come right back to the program, and some can't. Some of us got fat from being lazy, and some of us found that working out just didn't help us (I used to work out an hour a day, alternating weights and cardio). Some of us ate too many calories and some of us had destroyed our metabolisms so much that we ate too few. Some of us have problems with carbs and some don't.

At then end of the day, we all have to do what's best for US.

As for whether this is a diet, I know the Medifast folks don't like to call it a diet, but here are the definitions of the word (I'm a professional editor):

a prescribed selection of foods
a legislative assembly in certain countries (e.g., Japan)
the usual food and drink consumed by an organism (person or animal)
follow a regimen or a diet, as for health reasons; "He has high blood pressure and must stick to a low-salt diet"
the act of restricting your food intake (or your intake of particular foods)
eat sparingly, for health reasons or to lose weight

Other than the second one, all of these apply here.

[Tiolazz]

You know I read an article not too long ago about Atkins, and that the average weight loss on that "diet plan" has significantly lowered since it's inception.

The reasoning was as follows.

when Atkins initially came out, as a low carb diet, there were very little options to eat that were low in carbs. there was no "low carb bread", or milk, or desserts, or boxed products. Then everyone went on Atkins and all of the food manufacturers jumped on the band wagon to make their money. Low Carb chips for crying out loud, so those people who went on Atkins had more selections, more to eat, and whallah, less weight loss.

I personally believe that if you set me free in a room full of stuff and tell me that it was not bad for me and it tasted good, I would probably eat too much of it, and not lose weight.

That being said, I also believe that part of why I am fat, is because I overate, underexercised and that is my fault. not an addiction, maybe an obsession, but basically I was just stupid and let myself go...

Now, I am also getting older and that dreaded metabolism slowed down alot, and my body did it's normal getting older things, like storing fat in those horrible woman places that it stores fat, but had I kept up the exercise I did when i was younger and ate less, do i think I would be in better shape, of course... but I didn't, I am here now... and I am doing something about it...

Whatever this is that I have, I want to be done with it. Do I plan on eating m/f the rest of my life, absolutely not... Will I go back to it, if I need to, absolutely and i will also stick with it till I feel I am ready to be without it.

dieting, or not dieting, whatever you want to call it, this is a personal decision, for whatever reason you have. We all just want to be successful in being happier, healther and yes, thinner.

and good luck to us all.... AMEN.....

My name is Terri, and I am a fat person, but NOT FOR LONG.... hehe

[jump4joy]

I personally believe that if you set me free in a room full of stuff and tell me that it was not bad for me and it tasted good, I would probably eat too much of it, and not lose weight.

That being said, I also believe that part of why I am fat, is because I overate, underexercised and that is my fault. not an addiction, maybe an obsession, but basically I was just stupid and let myself go...

Now, I am also getting older and that dreaded metabolism slowed down alot, and my body did it's normal getting older things, like storing fat in those horrible woman places that it stores fat, but had I kept up the exercise I did when i was younger and ate less, do i think I would be in better shape, of course... but I didn't, I am here now... and I am doing something about it...

Whatever this is that I have, I want to be done with it.

Great post Terri! All I can say is ME TOO. I feel exactly the same way.

[Arklahoma]

[DogMa]

Terri, that's so true about the low-carb foods. It's the same as when they came out with all the low-fat foods. Atkins worked best for me when I followed it the way he originally wrote it, without all the sugar-free and low-carb stuff. Back then, basically every meal was a Lean and Green (or sometimes not so lean). I was in ketosis, so I wasn't hungry and didn't have cravings. I lost 50 pounds, got down to a size 5 and stayed there for years, till the low-fat people started talking about how unhealthy it supposedly was.

When I did Atkins later on, I had more trouble because of the low-carb foods out there; I tried to stay away from them, but had a hard time. It's why I suspect my maintenance plan will closely resemble Atkins, while incorporating a few lessons from Medifast (smaller, more frequent meals).

[Jan]

Hmmmm,
This has been a very very interesting discussion. The reason I don't like to call the Medifast program a "diet" -- though I do know the definitions of "diet"--- I myself had high blood pressure and was on a low sodium diet -- not a weight loss program. is because there seems to be a "diet mentality present in our society today. That is " Ok, I'm on a diet -- I'm parting with the pounds -- when I finally get rid of them I'm going to be able to eat" This is exactly why 85% of people gain back their lost weight. I've done it. I remember the exact day I got sick of watching what I ate and decided I was going to have a splurge when I wanted -- just little splurges. This was long before my MF program. But I fell right back into the habit of making poor choices. I'm not going to argue the "addiction" question but I will say food is extreamly tempting, and, the food industry is certainly not our friend . And yes, the weight re-gain, happens to people using MF too unless we change our perspective. We have to accept certain things about ourselves. For some reason each one of us has been unable to control what we eat. If it were not true -- we would not be here in the first place. For some reason each of us has made poor food choices. We all have the right to choose what we wish to eat -- but we need to realize that some choices are not the best and every choice involves consequences. MF is not magic -- it does help us part with the pounds but it is up to us to keep them off. I like to view it as the first part of a lifetime program. The first part is weight loss but the second and probably even more important part is weight maintenance. That is why those of us who have parted with the pounds and want to keep them off use about 3 MF products each day. We are eliminating some choices with food that is healthy and helps to maintain our loss. My greatest desire is that each of you who works soooo hard -- I know it's not easy -- to part with those pesky pounds --will lose them and will be able to keep them off -- that's not easy either -- we try to share our experiences and hope that we can learn from each other.
jan

[jump4joy]

Well said, Jan!