The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Soon2bFitSonja]

I really need your help and support. I started MF the beginning of February 2006, to my amaze I did well. (I have never been cable of sticking to an eating plan. Something eats at me and I get eating). Well I was scheduled to go on vacation about 2 ½ weeks after I started MF. While in vacation I stuck to a low carb WOE for about a day and a half and then I just went nuts. I have been back from vacation since March 3 and I just can’t get started again. I mean I don’t make it through a day. I am always starting tomorrow, and the day/night before I do some serious binging and well tomorrow never comes. It’s like a serious addiction. I almost feel like I need to go to a rehab center. No, I don’t almost feel like I should go to a rehab I feel like I should go to a rehab.

I am in serious pain emotionally about the control food has over me. I am obsessed with food, eating and my weight. I mean it’s really really bad. Anyone gone through this? If so how did you break the cycle? How did you gain control?

Sorry for this long pity party but I need some serious advice here.

[Arklahoma]

Soon2bFitSonja ... You have come to the right place and we're totally here for you! Try to focus on the positives. You have had success before so you can do it again. Reflect back and think about how you overcame prior hurdles and utilize positive selt-talk. Just tell yourself that you can do it and get any high carb things currently in your house promptly to the garbage can or donate to family and friends.

Post to the boards often so we can help.

[sheila]

Hi Sonja,
Im sorry you are having such a hard time. When I first started this, 2 months ago, and 30 lbs ago today, someone said that if you do anything for 12 days, it becomes a habit. Just like smoking, or anything bad for you, you can pick up good habits as well. Those words stuck with me every day in the beginning of my journey. And it really helped. Medifast has been the best habit I have ever had! Sometimes we just have to be very stern with ourselves. I remember thinking when I first started, ya ya ya, so I lost a little weight, but look how much FARTHER i still have to go! But as you get closer and closer to your goal, it does start to seem more achievable. AND THEN....when those pounds start to fall off, thats all the motivation you need.

[MISSANNE]

I went through the exact same thing for the last 3 weeks. Coming to this forum and the support is what helped me. I finally made the decision that I no longer wanted to be heavy.Once you make the commitment you will be ok. Its all mental, you CAN do this!

[DogMa]

A bit of tough love here, Sonja. There's no easy way to get back on the plan. You've done it before and you know it works. You also know the first few days are the hardest. I think pretty much the only way to do it is just MAKE yourself. No excuses, no delays, just DO it.

As an aside, I don't think I would have started the plan so soon before vacation. You weren't on it long enough for it to have become a habit for you yet. So are there any other big events coming up very soon? If not, now's a good time. Don't start tomorrow. Start NOW.

[falisamarie]

OH Sonja...big hug Honey Robin is right you just have to MAKE yourself do it. Next time the urge to binge hits you don't do it instead just tell yourself I will go and post and read the forum and see how I feel then, trust me there will be someone here to help you. PM people, write down your feelings, if you are willing to help yourself (and you sound like you are) then we are willing to help you! We can't do it for you only you have the power of what you put in your mouth but we can walk with you and hold your hand along the way!

Let us know how you are doing

Lisa

[Jan]

Hi Sonja,
The only way to start over is just that -- start over. Don't even give yourself the option of doing anything else. Put yourself on an hour by hour accountability if necessary. Make it thru each hour one at a time. The first three days are going to be your hardest. Find something else to do to occupy your time. I see others have suggested the forum. That's a great idea. Getting started on a special non- food activity may help too. It's hard to eat while putting pictures in a scrapbook. Unless of course sticky pics are ok I personally do needlepoint. It keeps me busy and I certainly don't want to risk getting food on it. It takes toooo long to do.
Don't worry -- pick yourself up and get going You can do it.
jan

[bzlife1967]

Wow do we have smart people here or what?? I totally agree it is all in the mind. Mind over matter!! Take it hour by hour, eat an extra supplement if you need to for the first couple of days. Think of some kind of reward you can give yourself for getting thru those first 3 days, a manacure, pedicure, facial whatever you want. You know from doing it before how each day gets easier.... Summer is around the corner you could be 20 or 30lbs lighter!!

You Can Do It!!

Geri

[Mom23]

I can't offer much more than what all of these wonderful supportive ladies have told you. For me, it's a mental struggle everyday -- sometimes more times a day than I'd like to admit. I just have to be conscious of what I do, talk to myself and remember that (in Nancy's famous words)-- NOTHING tastes as good as THIN feels! I also tell myself that the only one who is going to conquer this food addiction and temptation is me...I have to choose: be fat or be thin (through Medifast).

We all know the battles with food are difficult -- take one moment, one hour, one day at a time -- you can do it!

[Lizabette]

S.SONJA,

What more is there to say? You have come to the best "rehab center" you can find anywhere. Aside from being locked in a room with no food--- which is absolutely unnecessary, because you do have the power within yourself to do what you have to do.

Think about the other successes in your life...things you are good at. Build on that same strength ... and make that quiet, prayerful comittment to yourself that you will not binge or eat off program... and you will ' break the cycle!' Soon!

We believe in you!

Lizabette

[MusicalMomma]

Hi Sonja! Welcome back! I say that because I believe that after reading all of this WONDERFUL and inspiring advice, you ARE BACK and will stick with it! I can't add to any of the wonderful advice. Just come here and read posts often....post often....call your HA and get some encouragement. Like Jan said...take an hour by hour approach at first... "I CAN do ANYTHING for ONE HOUR!" Then soon you'll be on a day by day approach and then you'll be in the full swing...feeling great...loving medifast and loving life!!!!

We're all routing for you!!!!!

[Bonnie]

Welcome back Sonia

I know that all of us on the forum have simular struggles - we know the Medifast works if we use it properly - but getting through the first day is horrible. You really need a mind set.

My mind set was "NO EXCUSES". I finally realized that all the excuses were keeping me unhealthy and fat.

I hope this helps!!! Remember you are not alone in how you feel.

Please keep us informed of how you do (WE CARE)

[susan77]

Hi Sonja,

I took a look at the "Studio" on this forum and saw all the before and after pictures. It really motivated me. Also once you see some weight coming off, you should feel better.

Good luck. Susan77

[Linda]

Welcome back, Sonja. I think we all know the struggle you are going through. Before I started Medifast, I had tried to get started losing weight for 3 months! Every time, it would be...."I'll do it Monday"..."I'll do it after I finish all the goodies in the house (lol)"....I'll do it after I go to all my favorite restaurants".....etc.etc.

Here's what finally got me on track:

1. I made up my mind that I would start NOW and give it my all for 1 month and re-evaluate at the end of the month. This was the most important step to take....when my box arrived, I started immediately with the schedule I had set up...it was 3pm so I had a shake immediately and then a L&G meal at 6 and and a shake at 9pm. NO MORE WAITING until tomorrow or Monday or whatever.

2. We go out to eat a lot, so I decided that from the beginning, I had to learn how to do my L&G at restaurants. The first 3-4 days, I ate at home so I could measure and get a feel for the size of portions. Then everytime we went to dinner, I ate exactly half of the meat and half of the vegetable and took the rest home to weigh to make sure of the portion size for that restaurant, then I ate the remaining required amount for that meal. I recorded this info for future use and adjusted my order the next to reflect what I knew about their portion sizes (for example, ordering an extra grilled chicken breast if needed, or double vegetables instead of the starch side.)

3. Compiling this record of different restaurants took a lot of time at their websites and nutrition websites to calculate the perfect restaurant meal. This time kept me away from the kitchen and at my computer.

4. In the beginning, I would sip my shake, then drink water, then sip my shake....all of this very slowly, until I felt full, then I drank more water, hot tea, whatever to always keep something going into my stomach. (I only needed to do for about the first 7 days and then I didn't think about food between meal replacements.

5 By the end of week 1 - no cravings
By the end of week 2 - I knew I could go more than 1 month
By the end of week 3 - I was hooked, ordered a second month
By the end of week 4 - I began to feel for the first time that this was going to be the time I lost all the weight.
By the end of week 5 - I had my maintenance plan worked out for the future.

6. I started on Nov 6th and did this through Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas, multiple out-of-town trips and other events without feeling sorry for myself that I was missing something. The weight loss, the smaller clothes, the fitting in an airplane seat with the armrest DOWN!, and most importantly, the improved ability to walk and enjoy life were more than enough to make up for missing a few food items.

Best wishes to you in overcoming this hurdle, and BIG hugs of support from all of us. GO GIRL!

[StrivingSister]

Welcome Back Sonja!

I just want to say that you CAN get back on track. Do it. Start NOW.

I can totally relate with Linda's post about starting after certain things are out of the house or starting on a certain day...for me, that process stole so many months (years) away from really DOING something to help me lose weight.

I was so fortunate to find this forum before I started . I even asked a question about trying to get myself ready before the "dreaded" Day 1. They gave me some great suggestions, including reducing carbs, greeen veges & protein...then, the day I got my MF box, I went to Church's chicken and had a last hoorah (fried chicky, mac&cheese, swt pot pie), AND I bought some Little Debbie's treats lol! I had one piece of chicken left and all the Little Debbies and said to myself..."okay I'll finish this tmrw and then I'll start the pre-MF plan then go to MF"...

Honestly, no lie. After I heard myself say that, I almost cried. I sat with myself a bit and thought about what procrastination and giving in to the easy thing had done to me. I wasn't going to let MF be just another thing that I fail at.

I promised myself to stick to this until the end and I promised friend's kids the Lil Debbies.

Then, I started MF the very next day. I had to.

EVERY day is a struggle. I'm also one of those "rare" cases that still has a mild hunger, despite all of the tricks. But I keep in mind that I want to feel better about myself so much more than I want to eat my "favorite foods", and that I CAN DO ANYTHING for 2-3 HOURS.

Sonja, you can do this, you KNOW it works from your own experience AND from reading about other people's successes! I share everyone's sentiment that you need to just start now and FORGET the past in the sense of beating yourself up - BUT remember this bad feeling whenever it becomes hard to stick with the program!

YOu can do this, and I wish you the best!