The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[volsfan199]

Hi everyone! I just received my Medifast supplies today. I am so excited to get started! I am also very glad to have found this mesage board. The one on the official medifast website is not very user friendly at all, and I was very disappointed in it.

I read through the entire booklet on getting started. I read that it is recommended that you have at least 3 packets done before 2:00 pm, and to take them every 3-4 hours (though I have read most take it 2-3 hours).
Do "packets" include oatmeal, bars, soups, etc. and not Just the shakes?

Also I read that you could double up on your packets at one time. So those 2 would count toward your total for the day? I would probably have to do this daily in order to get all of them in for the morning and afternoon, because I am a late sleeper (the kids are out of school for summer, so we sleep in)...

I also have another concern. Does anyone know the success rate of keeping off the weight after you stop the program? I havent done any major researching, but I havent really seen anyone say that have kept the weight off for long period of time. And most who slip up, say they gain all their weight back.

Thanks in advance, and I hope to become a regular and make some new weight loss buddies. It helps when you have others to support you!

[24KaratGold]

Welcome to the boards!

It's really better to put some space between your Medifast meals (and yes, when they say "packets" they mean any of the Medifast products; remember just one bar a day though) than to double them up, even if it's just an hour or so. The "three by 2:00" rule of thumb is just that -- a rule of thumb, not an absolute, and if you are on a different schedule then you should adjust accordingly, spacing your meals anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours as necessary. You should have your first shake or oatmeal or whatever within an hour of getting out of bed, and you may have your last one just before going to bed -- no problems with eating late at night, so long as what you are eating is your Medifast. (Don't have your bar as the first or last meal of the day, though -- it can spike the blood sugar a bit more.)

As for maintenance, Nancy has kept her weight (she lost 135 pounds!) off for more than two years now, and my understanding is that Terry lost 60 pounds and has kept that off that long or more as well. Medifast has a good transition program, and plans for maintenance.

I've been reading some research on weight loss and maintaining that weight loss lately, and two things jumped out at me. The first is that 80% of those who lost 30 pounds or more and have maintained that loss for at least a year eat breakfast (mom was right; it is "the most important meal of the day"). The second is that the two year mark seems to be magical; if one has successfully maintained their weight loss for two years, that correlates to continued maintenance.

Good luck to you here!

[Jan]

Hi there,
I generally eat every 2-3 hours in the morning and then every 3hrs the rest of the day. Everything except the "free items" (fast soups -tomato, chicken, beef and crackers) count as a meal. Don't confuse the "fast soups" with the regular soups which do count as a meal. You can mix two shakes , puddings, etc together to get in the 5 for the day. It's better if you don't but if that's the only way to get in the five then do it.
As far as keeping the weight off --our best example is Nancy -- check out her pictures and I see her probably 4-5 times every week and she looks even better in person. Medifast is not a majic bullet that all of a sudden changes things so we can lose our weight and then eat as we wish without gaining back the pounds Once you lose your weight (and you will) you need to "transistion back" to a healthy eating style. Most of us will continue to use a product or two a day - makes breakfast really easy for me. If you decide that a bag of potato chips is your best friend you will gain your weight back --we'll get it off, teach you how to keep it off, encourage you but ultimately you decide what to put in your mouth.
jan

[bk]

3 packets by 2pm is for people who get up at normal times!! I have my first within an hour of waking up, and every 3 hours after that. Sometimes I forget and go to 4 hours, but I don't like doing that. Usually I have my first at 11 or 11:30 a and then my last hits usually right before midnight. I have never doubled up. If I have something where its inconvenient, I usually have a bar or RTD shake available. The idea with spacing them like you're supposed to is to keep your blood sugar and energy levels constant so you don't get hungry. I think doubling is for emergencies!

[Nancy]

Do "packets" include oatmeal, bars, soups, etc. and not Just the shakes?

Yup, packets refer to meal replacements and include everything except packets of crackers and packets of Fast Soup which are NOT meal replacements but snacks – you may have ONE packet of crackers and two packets of Fast Soup per day.

Also I read that you could double up on your packets at one time

Uh, where did you read that and who wrote it? There is a comment in the Quick Start booklet that it is all right but please know that it is NOT in a person’s best interest to do so – the point we are trying to teach is to eat a small meal every three hours not a larger meal every 4 or 5 hours. Human nature is to always stretch the limits – that’s what used to stretch my pants.

Eating doubles gives your body more fuel than what it needs at any one time, possibly slowing your weight loss. Perhaps it will have no affect on you but it could on others. It is not the best habit to develop.

We all have different schedules so if you sleep late (you blessed person) just begin your day at a later time – have your first packet within the first hour of getting up and then space them out every 3 hours. Your third packet may not be consumed until 4 PM if you sleep later. You probably stay up later then.

I was awakened at 4:40 this morning with a phone call so I had French Vanilla Berry oatmeal at 5 AM, a shake at 8 AM and soup at 11 AM and will most likely have a shake at 2 PM – that’s 4 packets by 2 PM…schedule your day accordingly but I probably wouldn’t double up…I'd have my packets closer together if anything...

those 2 would count toward your total for the day?

Yes.

Does anyone know the success rate of keeping off the weight after you stop the program?

Nope, I sure don’t.

The success rate for most weight loss programs is about the same: about 20% keep it off. People who make lifestyle changes have good success; people who return to their former foody ways = their former foody weight plus more.

People who follow the Medifast protocol in conjunction with the Take Shape For Life Transition and Maintenance Programs and who follow Dr. Andersen’s BE SLIM philosophy have great success. Most of my clients have been very successful.

(Do a search for the BE SLIM philosophy I've written about it many times throughout the Forum.)

I have kept my weight off for two years and four months; my husband (who did not need to lose as much as I did) has kept his o for 2 years and 7 months.

Your success is dependent upon you. We provide all the tools necessary to get the job done and provide you with all the juicy info and success tips available now it is totally up to you to do it, to do it right - with all your might. People who follow the plan are totally successful.

Those who do not follow the plan are not at an optimal weight or health.

[volsfan199]

Thanks for all the info and advice. If I can eat as late as I want, I dont think I will have to double up on one serving. That is actually a relief, because I have stomach issues, and drinking two shakes at once wouldnt go over too well. I guess it has been drilled in my brain NOT to eat after a certain time, or dont eat at night, and I was still following that rule.

If doubling up is so bad, I think they should go in to more detail in the booklet that it is only for emergencies.

It is really hard for me to eat 4-6 small meals everyday, because of my stomach issues. I was on the South Beach diet for about 3 months (I started in July of last year), and really liked it, but I couldnt continue because all the food was really upsetting my stomach. I did lose about 17 pounds on it.

I thought I would give this a try, I know I will still be eating a lot of small meals, but since most of them are liquid, I could handle it better instead of solid food. I decided a couple of weeks ago, to go back on SBD and try to suffer through it, and I did lose about 4 more pounds. I then found this diet and thought I would try it instead. I really want to try and lose 20 more pounds before vacation.

I did order Chocolate lovers, and wish I would have went with the variety. I like the Chocolate, but I can see myself getting bored with it. Is there a place on here that gives reviews of the different foods and shakes that Medifast offers, which ones are good and which are bad?
I tried the Chicken Noodle soup today Blech!

[24KaratGold]

Couple of hints on the chicken noodle soup: Make it on the stovetop, in a pan, rather than in the nuke. Let it simmer a bit. Add some chicken bouillon to it to enrich the flavor. When it's almost ready, then add some vinegar and a couple drops of fire oil to it -- makes it a chinese soup treat!

Wander over to the Lean Cuisine forum -- you'll find inspiration, including how to make oatmeal cookies out of the Medifast oatmeal.

[DonicaB]

Your success is dependent upon you. We provide all the tools necessary to get the job done and provide you with all the juicy info and success tips available now it is totally up to you to do it, to do it right - with all your might. People who follow the plan are totally successful.

Those who do not follow the plan are not at an optimal weight or health.[/color]

Nancy, I am going to print this and put in on my fridge. It is so true that only I determine my success or my failure. Which is it going to be?

DonicaB

[dlr2424]

Volsfan..... ......so glad you are joining us...... ....WELCOME!!!!!!!!!..........much success and strength to you on this journey....... .....we are all here to support you
Donna........dlr2424

[martha]

Volsfan---- Welcome to our group.. This is the best program I have ever been on and the easiest too. I eat about every 2.5 hours and some days I have the 5and 1 and some days I have all shakes.. the support with this forum is GREAT!!!!!!!!!! anytime day or night.. welcome and have a great week..Martha

[volsfan199]

Thanks guys for the welcome. I am really excited about this program. I am on day 3 and I havent struggled at all with wanting to eat things outside the plan. I do need to work on trying to get all the water down in one day, that will be my biggest struggle.

[Nancy]

volsfan199 ~

Yeah, I hear ya on the water - that was a challenge for me, too. I did better when I heated the water and drank it hot with a few drops of lemon juice in it. I pretended it was tea...

I tried to drink 16 ounces between each Medifast packet and that helped me when I made it a goal for myself. My husband also nagged me.

Then I just put out four 16 ounce bottles of water on the counter or took them to work with me and they served as a physical reminder to slug it down! You’re doing great so far – you’ve made a lot of positive changes – just gradually increase your water intake and before you know it; you’ll be able to guzzle all 64 ounces a day with ease.