The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Lisa145]

I am very confused. I have read Nancy's post on the forum that we do not need to count carbs because the Medifast plan makes things easy and that as long as we stick to it, it works. I have also seen her post that we are not supposed to go over grams of carbs a day. So which is it? I ask because I have been following the plan to a tee (Lean & Green measured, 5 & 1, only 1 bar per day, etc), and still go over 85 every time. This is only my 4th day and I am logging everything with the Support in Motion planner, but always go over 85...with an average of around 95. My green is in the "moderate" carb category, usually zucchini.

I have a significant amount of weight to lose and would like to do it quickly and am concerned that I am eating too many carbs according to Nancy's post. But I am following the Quick Start plan perfectly. I don't understand????

Can someone please shed some light on my confusion?? Which is more important...being at 85 or less carbs/day or following the plan (which allows for veggies that are higher in carbs than lettuce)?

Thank you!!
~Lisa

[Mike]

Hi Lisa,

I really feel that Nancy's recommendation regarding the 85 gms of carbs is so that people won't be overzealous when adding things to their program. Some folks like to add a teaspoon of this or that, or an extra bag of soy crisps, or things like that.

If you read through the forum, you will see that people who stick to the program and follow the Quick Start guide lose weight. Its that simple. When you go off plan and add too many extras, the loss can slow or you can gain.

So, keep at it, do the 5 products, the lean and green, drink all of the water, and you will do fine.

[Lisa145]

Perfect! Thanks, Mike! I searched the forum for answers to my questions before posting. But I found conflicting information, which is why I asked. I'm not adding anything, no snacks, not even condiments (because I do not desire them), so I should be fine then.

~Lisa

[Nancy]

Hi, Lisa ~

Uh, oh! We do not want people to be unnecessarily confused. One of the best things about the 5 & 1 Program is its simplicity; for me, the ease of the program was ideal because I didn’t have to haul around a calculator, a tablet and pencil and do the dreaded math! The structure of the meals with the high nutrition content and low calories makes it possible to use any combination of packets – shakes/soup/oatmeal/pudding/ etc.

We find great energy and ‘power over tempting foods’ when we are in the fat-burning state’ - when our carb intake is in the 80-85 gram range. Some people have consistent weight loss, great energy and experience virtually no hunger when their carb limit is slightly higher than that. The great Support in Motion meal plan tracker helps us all to keep track of our daily intake. Some people seem to be more sensitive to carbs than others and for that reason; they can use the Support in Motion meal plan tracker to make better food choices. Now that the vegetables have been further broken down into three categories, there are times that some people may choose a green salad consisting of fresh spinach, romaine and cucumber rather than 1.5 cups of stewed crookneck summer squash and tomatoes.

Every time we reach for a food item, it is important to consider how it will affect our daily intake. Some meal replacements are higher in carbs than others and when we take a look at our meal plan in advance- add up the carbs before we eat them, sometimes we can make adjustments to our daily plan that will assure the we are within the suggested carb range for fat-burning.

I have been managing my weight for four and half years now and I always consider before I eat something how it will affect my daily intake. I wanted pizza yesterday – it is high in fat, high in carbs, and high in calories so I made sure that the other things I ate were low in carbs, fat and calories and what I eat today will definitely be lower in fat, carbs and cals. It is like spending money – if I shoot four days’ worth in one day, then I need to be on an austerity program for several days!

Some people are more sensitive to extra carbs than others and having a daily snack can put some people out of the fat-burning state, making it more difficult to stick to the program because cravings are strong, and hunger returns. Mike, you are so right; adding an extra tablespoon of sugar-free syrups, salad dressing, a packet of soy crisps, etc. all add to our daily carb intake and we can snack our way right out of the fat-burning state or slow our progress.

Don’tcha wish there was a gatekeeper stationed at our mouth’s doorway and once we’ve reached our caloric and carb limit for the day, the doorway would automatically shut down? I’d need to have several in position round the clock!

Lisa, it sounds like you are doing well by not adding condiments or snacks. Keep up the good work!

[Lisa145]

Thank you so much, Nancy!!! Your post was very helpful and clarified the carb question for me.

If I see my weight loss stalling, I'll choose veggies and MF foods with lower carb counts.

[alpha femme]

it's not just slowing weightloss. if you find yourself getting excessively "munchie" or fighting cravings more than usual, that's a good indicator that you should drop the carbs a bit. just a thought.

[Lisa145]

Thanks, Alphafemme. I'll definitely keep an eye out for those munchies.

[Nancy]

Lisa ~

Atta Girl! That's the way to do it. Many people enjoy the meal bars for their convenience and taste - they seem to be very much like a candy bar and make ya feel like you're cheatin' but they also have a down-side: they are higher in calories and carbohydrates; some of us have faster weight loss when we use them only occasionally.

During my weight loss phase, I rarely used bars; my daily program was primarily shakes. For three of the seven months I was in the weight loss phase, I used shakes exclusively. I then used three shakes, one packet of oatmeal and one packet of the creamy broccoli soup – I always used a minimum of three shakes a day. I had no cravings and no hunger, making it easy to stick to my meal plan. My energy level was great and cheatin’ was never an option for me – I wanted to enjoy optimal health more than I wanted cheesecake.

Even now, I use bar only on the days I work out and I use the diabetic bars (usually I eat two bars spaced about two hours apart). The diabetic bars may not offer as much ready energy for some people because they are lower in sugar. The Diabetic PB have no added sugar at all and some people may need more ‘gas’ than they provide. I am not diabetic but now realize that I certainly am sensitive to sugars and I feel so much better and am in control of what goes in my mouth when I limit my sugar intake.

As time goes by, you will be able to judge what works best for you. Use the Support in Motion Meal Planner to track your daily food intake and record your weight to determine your best course of action.

While the 5 & 1 Program is basically a one size fits all program, there is room within the guidelines for individualization. The 5 & 1 Program provides the structure we need and yet because our health situations, activity level, musculature, genetics, etc. vary and are part of our personal picture, one must determine which product combinations serve us best. Some people feel they cannot survive without a daily meal bar and they are personally satisfied, able to stick to the program and make consistent progress week after week because of their crunchy meal treat.

Some view fences as a negative barrier, obstructing one’s freedoms. They continually press up against the fences, sometimes tearing their flesh on the barbed wire, looking for weak areas to trample down and to escape as it were. When we view the structure of the 5 & 1 program as being favorable, a positive plan that enables us to attain our healthiest best, it will serve us well and get us to our goal. I gladly live within the boundaries established for me because it has transformed my health and my life in every way. No longer a prisoner of a decaying body with self-imposed limitations, I now enjoy doing new things and experiencing life to the fullest extent; it is like being reborn.

I now realize all my former diets were like tourniquets, temporary ways to stop the gushing and serious geysers. Once the wound was relieved a bit, I returned to my former ways, eating without serious thought and the cycle of regaining began once again. This is not a DIEt but rather a new way to live – new ways to eat, new ways to view food, new ways to move, new foods to eat, new ways to deal with the stresses of life, new relationships and new adventures! Whee!

[Diana]

Wow, Nancy, what a great post!

Lisa -- I've just started using the Support in Motion site on a regular basis and, boy, does it make a difference. I've noticed as I've progressed that I've become more sensitive to carbs and to sugars. Like Nancy mentioned, using the site sure makes it clear the impact of my choices and simple changes (shakes instead of other MF meals; salad instead of my beloved yellow crooked neck squash) are making a huge difference.

Bottom line, STAY ON PROGRAM! I've spent a lot of time this year either traveling the cloverleaf or simply sitting in the gutter and my lack of progress shows it. Don't do it! Stay the course and you'll be at your goal in no time. It's not always easy, but it is that simple.

Go get 'em, Lisa!

[Serendipity]

With all the above said.......

I never counted carbs, had a bar EVERY day, and lost 146 pounds in 13 months. I'm sure there were days when I could have decreased the carbs and maybe lost a little bit faster, but what I absolutely loved about Medifast was that I didn't need to think. I just followed the program and lost the weight. I never cheated and never felt hunger.....it's just a great program.

I realize that some are more sensitive to carbs, but some of us are lucky, too.

[bikipatra]

Instead of the Support in Motion, I have used Fitday from the beginning. It counts and tracks everything for me. JMHO, I don't want to go over 80 carbs so I make sure I don't. A carb could have snuck in somewhere that I wasn't aware of, expecially in restaurants. I enjoy doing this. I was an acccount executive for years when I was sober in the 90's and I love tracking!!! I guess for me it is just one of the daily things I do to stay on the path and feel accountable. However, I am a housewife with no children and a husband as a maid, so I have lots of free time. That is what is so wonderful about Medifast, you don't have to track but you can if you want to!

[Lisa145]

Thank you, Nancy! And everyone else for chiming in. Especially, Serendipity! It's great to hear that weight loss will happen no matter what as long as I stay on plan. And if I want to speed things up a bit I will eat less bars and more shakes. I love the shakes, so I don't think that will be a problem at all.