The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[JuliaMejia]

I log on occasionally and see how some of you are doing and am glad to see familiar faces My last post was in March 2005 before I had a nasty car accident, at the time I was at my lowest weight in years mostly from the help of Medifast and this websites support! My life was forever changed though I didn't realize at the time. Whiplash...it's so much more than what you hear. It's a nightmare for some. Ive enver recovered and have numbness to my arms, neck, daily spasms, constant HA since the accident - mainly pain. As a registered nurse - I can't do that job anymore I lost my brand new home in May, luckily I sold it before it was forclosed upon...After being denied for Gastric Bypass in May of this year by SWMC insurance I quit my job as a RN. I had been on a medical leave for 4 months anyway. I went to mexico and got the lap band because it is safer the gastric bypass and had been wanting to do it for years. I got to 250 right after and slooooowly have gone to 235 and had 3 fills. I can still eat 1.5 cups of solid food. With more fills I may be able to get to 1 cup...I know that the band will help me to not get up to 300lbs, but I need to lose faster than this. I know I could get 1-3 more fills but I need to take off weight faster than 1 pound a week because ...lucky me...I now have gall stones. A little trip to the hospital suprised me because I had none 3 months after my car accident. The doc said because of my abdominal girth this surgery can easily turn to open abdominal - which I do not want and I convinced him to gimme some time to lose. Because Im in so much pain - well let me restate, when I do exercise it makes my exhisting pain much worse...and that's ok because Im not working as a nurse anymore...BUT Im having the nerve numbness get a lot worse the last week and it's pretty scary...I paid an old bill that I didn't know wasn't paid and so I will call to get in with the neuro doc tomorrow


I know with the lap band - ur not supposed to drink calories or do soft foods...The band works because you eat solid food, in small amounts. and with the smaller stomach and outlet, you stay full longer and faster. Well this is fine and Im not at the proper fill level yet...But for now I need something that I know works and will help me to have planned, calorie counted meals...I need to really restrict my calories if Im not able to exercise and Im more sedentary than I used to be...

Doing medifast won't harm my wls at all. I think that it will be easier for me now secondary to the bars and shakes being able to satisfy my hunger now that my stomach is a lot smaller. I never stuck to MF religiously for more than 2-3 weeks. I always cheated or quit around PMS time. I never gave it a chance - though in the spurts of MF I did lose 30lbs...Ive been thinking of going on Medifast for a couple weeks, I can't find any protien shakes online or at GNC that are low in calories & fat! So Ill turn to my old friend MF

I already ordered a big supply today. I would love to stay on MF too. Im not sure how this will play out because of my band - though I know it's perfectly safe...Right now I feel like a WLS failure. Whatever the reason, medifast is the only thing that has ever been tried & true. If I do it , I lose!

Thanks for reading all of this I look forward to getting to know you all again

From 265 in May Im about 235-240lbs

[dede4wd]

Hi Julia,
It's nice to meet you! Wow, sounds like you've been through A LOT! I just wanted to say welcome back to the forums! The names may have changed, but the love and support hasn't!

DeDe

[Jan]

Hi there Julia,
It's great to see someone in our neck of the woods!! Don't worry the members of the forum here will help you right along. Just keep posting and we'll all encourage you as you part with the pesky pounds.
jan

[bikipatra]

You sound very brave. Welcome!

[Nancy]

Hi, Julia ~

You have the desire to reach a healthier weight and we encourage you to hang in there. Your poor body has certainly been through a lot. Emotionally it must have been difficult to deal with the change in your career and the financial issues that occur due to the changes. We know that Medifast products are nutritionally balanced and fortified with the vitamins and minerals that help so many of us to feel great. We wish the best to you!

I often look for you when I am out and about!

[JuliaMejia]

dede4wd, Nice to meet you! Ur doing great and have lost more than 2/3 to be at your goal!! I look forward to seeing you get there!!

Jan & Bikipatra, nice to meet you both too!! We can all use a little support!

Jan, Im local That's cool - I moved on evergreen hwy. Are you close?


Nancy, ur right's it's been tough. After the surgery in May I moved to Ohio where it is cheaper but my kids and hubby did not like it there and we moved back Nov. 1st. There's a chance Ill run into you! Ill be hanging out with my 4 year old princess! I dont go to the Y anymore, I got an elliptical 2 weeks ago though but I can only do 5 minutes at a time! I think it will be easier for me to do medifast diet now. Ive had a lot of changes and Here I am still in the mid 200's. My WLS was end of May. Im know Ill keep losing 1/2 -1 pound a week on my own but with my neck getting worse and Ive had more pain I have stayed about 236lbs for about 2 months, mainly becasue Im not exercising a lot...Moving back here we had to try all of our favorite foods again too...even though I eat much smaller portions (1.5 cups) Idon't always behave well when I go out to eat. But Ive been eating too many calories - with the lap band, you can still eat fried or sugary foods! Im excited that I am lucky enough to be able to afford the medifast now and maybe even drop 15 lbs by my 31st Bday I should ge tthe MF Wednesday or Thursday, I ordered last night.

My game plan is Shakes In the earlier part of the day and a bar in the after noon and then soup for dinner when Im probably getting the urge for a warm meal. Also I think I should cook earlier in the day for my kids so it's not in my face in the evening when I usually feel weaker!

Nancy, nursing was a very stressful career. I may go back to it when and if My neck problems allow it but not as a floor nurse. For now Ive been blessed with a career I created that I do from home and Im really happy with it

God please give me some willpower Im roaring to go now but I know there will be tough times ahead

Can't wait to get my stuff

Gnite

[PJinCali]

Welcome Julia!




PJ

[Nancy]

Julia ~

I am sorry Ohio didn't work out for you and your family but glad to know you are back in the northwest. You have gone through so much - quitting a career, moving, family upset, surgery, moving, etc. - one of those things would be enough for a person to deal with - we pray that your life truly settles down and that you can focus on getting you healthy.

Although I am not a nurse, I spent a lot of time in the hospital and the doctor's offices this year due to parental surgeries and recoveries. I had a first-hand peek into the world of nursing. I slept at the hospital beside my Daddy in July and my Mom in August - nurses take a lot of abuse from patients and their families. We appreciated the nurses that cared for my parents!

Now to get you healthy -
Make and keep a journal - record the time & item you choose to eat for your Medifast packets and list the lean and green meal.

Plan your meals in advance - at the minimum, the day before so you have the ingredients for your lean and green meal on hand.

Weigh and measure your lean and green meal.

Record your water consumption.

Take your before picture, record your measurements.

Monitor your weight but don't obsess over it - it is what it is; some days the scale WILL go up even though you are totally program-compliant. There will be days that the scale won't budge. There will be days the scale may go up. That's the way of the body. Don't get bent out of shape when it happens because it WILL happen, just do your best to do the right thing every three hours and move on to the next day.

Record how you are feeling when you eat. When you have the 'hongries' ask yourself if you are truly hungry or are you bored, angry, lonely, etc. Food is not our friend; it is fuel. Sometimes we want to eat because we are honked off at someone, because we are terribly lonely, because we feel like it will make things better but it never does - food is fickle. It won't make us feel better, it won't take away the loneliness, the anger, it won't cure us, heal us, or salve us - it is what it is, fuel. That's all.

Take care and take shape, Julia! We want you to succeed as much as you do.

[casma500]

WElcome Back Julia! We are SO very glad to have another loser with us!

Nancy! wow -- you continue to amaze me!!! How is it you always write just what i need to hear! I have been pre-packing my daily ziplocks like you suggested but have not been great about pre-planning my l&g the last 2 weeks... so glad you wrote this as i have bookmarked it and will be reading it often!

[JuliaMejia]

TY TY TY Nancy, wow what great advice! Every bit of it will help I am not really that upset that Im not working as a nurse right now, I dont need or want that stress anymore! I hope your parents are ok now I got my box today suprisingly so will count to morrow as the first day It will be fine!

Nice to meet you Casma!

[dede4wd]

Yay, starting tomorrow! We're here if you need us!

DeDe

[bikipatra]

TY TY TY Nancy, wow what great advice! Every bit of it will help I am not really that upset that Im not working as a nurse right now, I dont need or want that stress anymore! I hope your parents are ok now I got my box today suprisingly so will count to morrow as the first day It will be fine!

I am sure it will be! Have a great first day back!

[Mike]

Welcome Julia to a fellow WLS alumnus. I has WLS 3 years ago. It worked great for a year, then I began to eat wrong and voila... started gaining it back. Its a constant struggle with me, even on Medifast, to not have foods that I shouldn't.
I know what to do, and on Medifast have lost almost 70 lbs after gaining 45 of my original loss after surgery.
Just want to welcome you and let you know that you aren't alone.
Check out my journal and my wife's (Diana).

[LadyT]

Welcome Julia!! We are all here with you walking the same path. I look forward to watching you succed with your weight loss, and lessen your neck pain!

[JuliaMejia]

Thank you to each and every one of you for your support! I started this morning and weigh in at 236.8lbs. I want to do only medifast for at least a while, I really need a jumpstart As always the products are tasty and easy to use, I love that. I went out and bought that magic bullet last night since Ive wanted it for a loooooong time, it makes mixing & clean up a breeze and fun for the whole family!

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