The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Derasta]

Hi,

I just wanted to introduce myself to the group. I started MF about 2 weeks ago...but I had only lasted 2 days that first week and then went off it...it had been hard for me and I didn't give it enough time. I'm now back on, it had been struggle, but my Health Advisor Sherri really pulled me thru with her constant encouragement and now I am over that hump and doing great with it...

I have about 100 pounds to lose, but I do believe I will see my goals accomplished with this program. I am on the 5-1 since I am diabetic. My question is, will I lose at the same rate as someone who is on the full fast? I'm also scared to eat those bars, fearing I will not lose weight as well as if I didn't eat them at all...so I have all these boxes just sitting on a self collecting dust.

[Debbie]

That message was from me, sorry...I wasn't logged in and it wouldn't let me post with my Debbie username so I had to use that one...hope I am not confusing anyone!

[LeeannNH]

hi debbie! welcome to the forum

good for you gor deciding to get back on the mf wagon!

i look forward to seeing you melt away
leeann

[Nancy]

Hi, Debbie ~

We are glad that you are here and that you have a Health Advisor.

Since you are diabetic, you may not even entertain the idea of the Complete Meal Replacement program.

There are certain protocols for people who are seniors (70 years old and older) and for people with diabetes.

You MAY not be on the Full Fast or Complete Meal Replacement Program.

People with diabetes and people with thyroid disease and people on certain medications may lose weight slower than people who do not have those issues but they will lose weight and lose it faster than with any other program.

We all lose weight at different rates, depending upon many factors beyond our control.

If you carefully follow the program, eat all of your prescribed meals on time, do not skip any packets, drink at least 64 ounces of water every day, measure the meat and vegetable portion and do not super-size them, do not eat any extra foods or nibbles, you will lose weight, you will lose it quickly and lose it safely.

There are no other programs that work quite like this and for some who are used to eating minimal food, this may seem like a lot of food at first. This is exactly what your body needs - small meals eaten frequently throughout the day to normalize your blood glucose. Our products are nutritionally balanced and contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals for a healthy body and mind. This is a nutritional approach to losing weight and there are no nasty side-effects like a person gets from taking pills.

Do not mess around with your health, Debbie.

We all want you to be successful and to lose your weight as fast as possible. I understand the fact that once a person is fed up with fatness and they want to become thin, they want it to happen NOW.

We are not in a race here.

We must take all the time that it takes to get to a healthier place.

It took time to become overweight and the damage it does to our arteries, to our hearts, and to our joints is tremendous but the plain truth of the matter is this: it takes time to get well and it takes time to get healthy.

If you do it right - follow the program exactly right, you cannot fail.

People who mess around with the program by adding more food, eating a chunk of read or cheese, having a few crackers, etc. frankly mess up – they slow their progress, hunger returns, and they go of the program and fight to get it back mentally.

If you don’t eat all the packets, you will feel lousy, lack energy, be hungry and may not stick to the program, let alone jeopardize your health. We want you to be another success story.

[LuzInIt]

Testing... my very long post just got an invalid session and I don't want to type the whole thing again if it's not gonna take.

[LuzInIt]

Ok, I'll try again...

Hi & Welcome Debbie! We are glad to have you here and congratulations on your decision to get yourself well (not to mention slim and sexy, right?). I, too, am a diabetic. I also am hypothyroid, have a mild heart condition, and a few other health issues. Here's my experience with MF so far:

Started 3/22/05, and now at day 173 (week 24), have lost 80 pounds.

My sugar was running high at the time I started. I was injecting about 60 units of Novolog with each meal and at bedtime, it was a shot of Lantus. In addition, I was using Metformin (Glucophage). By the second week of Medifasting, I was off my insulins, my sugar readings from 96 to 160 throughout the day. Before beginning Medifast and while taking insulin, my readings were mid 200's to low 300's.

Because I still have about 100 pounds to lose, my endocrinologist wants me to remain on Metformin for now. I see him in two weeks and have lost an additional 35 pounds since my last appointment about 3.5 months ago. Because my weight loss averages a bit over 3 pounds a week, I should be at least 40 pounds lighter when I see him.

I am also very excited about my annual visit to the cardiologist in October. At my current rate of loss, I will have lost over 100 pounds when I see him - can't wait to see his eyes pop!

I do a combination of full fast (against the strong recommendation of Medifast) and 5/1. Some days, it's just too inconvenient for me to prepare or buy a meal out. I love my Medifoods and am content to eat just them. But heeding Nancy's advice, I am careful to have several meals throughout the week. I also make sure to take in a bit of fat (dressings, etc) to keep my gall bladder chugging along properly.

The truth is, I see no difference in the rate of loss, whether Lean/Greening or Complete. My food choices are based solely on the circumstances of the day.

Having said my average loss is 3+ pounds a week - be aware that is truly an average. I had only one week of a zero loss (thank goodness), but have had many weeks of less than a one pound loss. I have also had weeks of 5, 6 & 8 pound losses. I have suffered through quite a few plateaus (as we almost all have) where I thought not one more pound would leave this body. If (and probably when) this happens to you, be encouraged. If you persevere and stick to the plan, you will continue to lose your weight and make it to goal.

Finally, when I started Medifast, I didn't think I would last this long. I loved the product, but thought it would be too hard or too inconvenient to do for the long haul. I was so surprised to find myself at the end of week one, and then month one. And it kept getting easier as time went by. I now have little desire to return to my former way of eating. Occasionally hunger will still hit - I will either drink some boullion, have an approved snack - or ignore it - it does go away.

I hope it helps to have the experience of another diabetic to examine. I was hungry for information when I started, and needed as much inspiration and motivation as I could get my hands on. Thank God, I found this forum. I believe it made the difference between success and failure in the beginning.

So, come often for all the staying power you need, especially in the beginning. You will soon feel so much like a family member - and oh, by the way... you will also be experiencing successful weight loss like you've never known before... Guaranteed!

[Debbie]

Thanks Linda, I appreciate you sharing your experience with me...it sure did get easier for me as the days went by...just like Sherri had told me it would...and from what I've been reading here in this great forum.

[dlr2424]

Debbie..... .....welcome to you....... ..You can do this and it will get easier..... ....not that it is easy all the time ..... ...but what is?....... .......stay compliant and in a very short time you will be reaping the rewards........

Donna...dlr2424

[Debbie]

Thank you so much for the welcome...I've been doing wonderful on the program...except for last night....I sort of went on an eating binge. I felt horrible with myself afterwards...but this morning, I went right back on my program and I've been doing great all day today. I don't know what got into me last night...

Does that happen to others who have been on the program for awhile? Do you have moments where you just binge on something....or is everyone 100% straight on the program with no cheating? I hope this doesn't come across as a stupid question, because for me, I find I do have these moments and wonder how many others have them as well...

[Nancy]

Debbie ~

I am happy to hear about your good success. Yes, others go bonkers occasionally and have random acts of eatage and yes, some of us are totally compliant.

In most cases, when people go off-program and eat temporarily off-limits food, it is because they have skipped meals, skipped water or waited too long between meals.

Prevent binges by eating all of your packets and not waiting too long between packets.

[martha]

HI DEBBIE--

WELCOME!!!!!!! so glad to have you with us.. You will do great with the program.. before the hurricane hit I was on a roll and doing really great.. I have restarted this week and hope to lose the remaining weight.. YOU CAN DO THIS.. the health advisors are great and so are the people on this forum.. THE BEST AROUND Martha

[Debbie]

Thank you Martha...I'm really doing great and with the help of my Health Advisor, she's an angel to me...and reading this forum it keeps me so motivated....I'm finding it easier each day to stay on my program and I am enjoying it so much. This is by far, the best program I have been on and it keeps my sugars under control. Not only that, I've never felt better, and have more energy in a long time.

I do not post often, I'm more of a reader...but I get so much out of reading everyones posts and how well they are doing and feeling. I can relate to a lot of things too. This forum is a blessing and I thank Nancy for having this for us....

[Nancy]

Debbie ~

You comments blessed my leopardy socks off this morning! More than anything, it is so wonderful to hear that you are feeling good, confident in the plan and hopeful. Every day I see people who are without hope and I want so much for them to feel the way we do.

Yesterday when I took my Daddy to the convalescent home where my Momma is recovering from knee replacement surgery I listened and watched two nurses talking about their own diabetes. One was eating a plate of Pasta Alfredo and garlic bread and getting out her meds for herself...the nurses are both very very overweight. The caregivers need someone to give care to them.

I meet people all the time that need to know what we are learning; people who need what we have and how do I tell them? I know that I wanted so desperately to know how to lose weight but would have totally croaked had some smaller sized person walked up to me and told me about a weight loss program - I'dda decked 'em!

Every day we must keep on doing the right things to get ourselves healthy and then one at a time, we must tell others about how they an do it, too!

Life is precious. It is a gift. Given one time. Enjoy it to the max!

[betz]

Debbie,

I'm not diabetic but I thought I'd post this to help you wipe out that idea of the complete program over the 5&1...

I guess old patterns die hard because I thought a few times I'd do the complete to lose faster (not slamming the Complete program mind you, just describing my old mindset of "less food is better"). Back then I weighed in every day...and you know what? Without fail, everytime I did the complete instead of the 5/1 I actually either didn't lose at all or I gained! I have no idea why it worked this way for me.

The 5/1 is great! I think it's what makes the whole thing work for me in my everyday life. This way I can still go to restaurants, make dinner for my guy,and attend social functions. THe only change is I have to pick the right food, now. It's a learning/conditioning thing but I'm getting better at staying with the program.

Which is the other great thing. You learn how to eat right while you're doing this so that by the time you reach your weight, you've got a plan! Use the time on the 5/1 to educate yourself and get good cooking habits. It's been a real eye opener for me.

(Again, I don't mean to suggest the complete isn't healthy or doesn't work best for some...just trying to sing the praises of the 5/1.)

[Nancy]

Betz ~

Perfect reply! Yes, you must learn during the weight loss phase how to live the rest of your life thin - small meals, lean and low calorie, eat frequently throughout the day, etc.

Learn now - live long - in the thin...