The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[nickieluv]

Hi all. I wasn't a big name around here or anything but a few months ago I was trying Medifast for the first time, and then quit, then planned a restart but didn't have the funds to do it.

I'm very "all or nothing" and thought I was setting a bad example for my daughter by not eating "real food." But in the past month I have eaten out/ordered in so many times - I can't remember the last time I had a real home-cooked meal, unless the turkey sandwich I made tonight counts - anyway, I'm still not eating "real food." And now my daughter's habits are suffering. She's only 17 months old but she's already showing signs of over-loving food, stuffing herself until her little belly is so hard, and what a sweet tooth! So much like her Mommy and not in the good ways. So I really think the way I've been eating lately is skewing her nutrition, too, even though I've tried to keep the really bad stuff from her.

So we are going "healthy food shopping" for her this weekend, and I've ordered again and based on the shipping speed of last time, I figure I'll have it by Saturday - or if not, certainly just after Christmas, which is when I want to start anyway. I've read a lot tonight about the full fast or complete plan, and while I thought it seemed like a great idea at first, I don't think I should do it long-term based on all the advice about doctor's supervision etc. So I'll probably just try it for a few days, then add in a L&G, or try to, anyway. I didn't realize how extremely low-calorie having only 6 supplements a day would be, but I was attracted to the idea because I wouldn't have to prepare any meals for myself and I wouldn't have to even think about food for a while.

I tend to write with a lot of "buts" in my sentences. I think that's part of my problems in life in general. And I babble. Overthink, overexplain, overeat - over-rationalize bad behavior.

Anyway - where was I?

I am starting Medifast. I am not going to cheat. I may not always have my lean and green. If this happens it will not be a travesty or an excuse to give up. I can have extra supplements if I miss my L&G. I do not have to have ice cream to increase my calorie level.

Now, my question, for all who have been eagerly searching for a point to all this - in all my reading tonight I came across, frequently, mentions of Certified Health Advisors (with very impressive capital letters) and I wondered what that was and if there was some other helpful service here I should be clued into.

Sorry if this seemed too sarcastic. I do respect this plan but I'm scared and I tend to hide what I really feel behind this joking wall. I can't be alone in that, I'm sure - actually I know I'm not, if only because my whole family does this. This is my third time here in 4 or 5 months and I haven't made any real changes, so I'm doubting myself right now. I'm afraid of posting this and then disappearing again for a few months only to return later saying yet again that "this time I'll really stick with it." So here I am, as I am, and I guess we'll see what happens this time.

[bdg]

Don't doubt yourself. The first thing you need to do is write down your goals. Realize that while you may hit some roadblocks, if you have these goals written down where you can see them, you will have something to go back to. You will do well, you just have to believe that you will.

Certified health advisors are people who are there to be your support, and your accountability. They have been trained on helping people like you who are on the program, and also have been there themselves in most cases. These are people who will be able to answer your questions on a one-on-one basis and will help you find any current specials (from monthly product specials to coupons) that are currently available to you. This doesn't negate the importance of this forum, as the health advisors are only part of the support that you need. If you need help finding a health advisor, call the number at the top of your screen and MakeMeThinner will help you out.

KEep yourself accountable, post here often, admit your stumbles, and pick yourself up immediately after, most of all remember that you CAN do this and you WILL do this. You just have to believe in it.

[Sojourner]

Nickie.
Do you see the number under bdg's name? #160 club. That's One Hundred and Sixty Pounds that he's lost. Girl, he knows what the heck he's talking about!! The part where he says that you just have to believe in it??? That's for realz. No, but really...FOR REALZ. I believe that this is the most important aspect of this plan: you really have to believe that you can do this. Attitude is EVERYTHING. Yeah, I know, that seems like such a cliche, but it really, really means a great deal when you're talking about weight loss. Well, actually, I believe that it means a great deal no matter WHAT you're dealing with, but we're all about weight loss here, so...

Work the program and believe in what you're doing, and you will see great things happen. Check out the pics in the Studio and read people's journals, whether it be their struggles or successes...they're all very motivating. You will see that all of the people who are successful with this program are just everyday folk...people just like you and me. They have succeeded in achieving incredible goals. They have overcome SO much, and so can you.
Welcome! I eagerly await hearing of your successes!

[Jan]

Hmmmm,
There are lots of us who have been in your same boat. Some with less to lose some with more ... but all with a great desire to regain our health and then maintain. We want to say good bye to those pounds once and for all!!! You'll get lots and lots of help here.
As to the program -- I haven't noticed a tremendous difference weight loss wise among those who use the complete program ( under a Dr's supervision) and those who use the 5/1. You'll need to have routine blood work if you choose the complete program. The main difference is the 5/1 does keep some of what I'll call "regular food" in your eating program. That can be an advantage as it will teach you portion control and help you to learn to make good food choices. Plus it is easier to transition back from the 5/1 -- your system is still used to digesting things such as meat and veggies. As to your little one ... she will see you eating things like oatmeal, soup and scrambled eggs. That's real food!! The portions will be just right. I personally think we lead our children down the fooooody path when we offer cookies, candy and junk food as well as too large a portion of healthy things. Portion control plays a big part in weight control.
You'll make it... and the best way to do it is to be very compliant and drink your water. You'll have a nice thinny summer ahead!!
jan

[nickieluv]

Thnak you for the encouragement. I decided just to order the shakes this time around, actually, but I got a free week of food with my order so there will some "real" food in there in case I need a break. I just liked the shakes best last time and wanted to start with those.

I know my daughter's portions are way off. I just haven't worried too much about portions, more about keeping her away from junk food. She is perfect on her height/weight according to the doctor - tall and thin - so for now I'm just going to keep an eye on her and not fret too much. The last thing I want to do is go too far and give her food issues.

I have pretty much decided against the full fast. My doctor is tweaking my thyroid medication right now so my blood work is very up to date, but still after reading so much on this forum about what the fast really is, and does to your body long-term (not bad things, but just in terms of transitioning back to food) I don't want to sign on for that. I think I may do a full fast for the first three days just to make a clean break and then add back in the lean and green. That's the current plan.

This is a new question, now, though - what about diet sodas and Crystal Light and things - are they OK? I mean in moderation, not every day - I've already invested in a good water filter but for work I'm going to need to buy bottled water, and I wondered if I run out or get stuck if a diet soda will kill me. I need to plan ahead for things like this because my mentality would tend to lead me to just blow the diet completely if I forgot water or a shake one day. I need to be more forgiving of myself so I'm just checking in advance.

Well, I don't know if I'll get back on for a few days, so Merry Christmas everyone!

[Jan]

Hi There,
Yea, I wouldn't worry about your daughter either. She seems to be fine... If I remember correctly we add fat cells two times in our lives... as babies and as adolescents... the rest of the time we just puff them up... nasty little things. They have an unlimited abitlity to store fat ...gerrrr
Now as to the water/ crystal lite / diet soda question. Water is best, crystal lite would be next and last diet soda. The reason is the carbonation. It can effect our oxygen molecules. That's the reason serious body builders generally stay away from soda.. diet or otherwise.
I'd try to really limit the soda .. but crystal lite can be a life saver. Water is best because your body has to do the very least amount of work to process it. The more stuff we add the more our bodies have to do .. we want to flush your system. Fat cells store all kinds of things, hormones, toxins , etc.. Better to flush them out . Water works best..
Have a wonderful Christmas
jan

[Mike]

I was going to chime in here, but looks like Jan got to it first.

[Karli]

Hi, nickieluv .

We want to get in a lot of water (at least 64 oz -- and I drank twice that each day as I was starting and then restarting), but if I am doing well enough with water I will have a treat drink like a diet soda. I get a brand called "Hansens" that have no calories, no sugars, no sodium, no carbs, no nothin'. I was always under the impression that as long as we are getting in our water, we can have some other diet/sf drinks. And, as far as sodas go, I have always thought that it's mainly the sodium that is not desirable. If you have a soda with no sodium, that worry is not there.

Anyway, you will be great and you are so smart to get yourself squared away like this before you start .

Cheers,
Karli

[bikipatra]

Listen to the oldtimers, but I drink 100+ oz of water daily and don't count Crystal Light in my water count but do have 2-3 glasses a day. I also have 1 diet Cherry Coke every day. I checked my stash this morning because the corner store will have weird hours tomorrow!~

[Mike]

Listen to the oldtimers,

I think we might resemble that remark....

[bikipatra]

Listen to the oldtimers,

I think we might resemble that remark....

You know I mean the proven MF's of longer standing than my whopping month!

[Mike]

Of course Biki... exactly. I'm not that old in RL.

[bikipatra]

I am convinced we are all growing younger looking with each pound lost...

[nickieluv]

Thank you yet again. I haven't even started and, as was my experience last time, already this forum has given me a ton of answers and support. I am so glad this place exists in cyberspace!

Water used to be a real hard thing for me - I hated it, absolutely hated it. Couldn't stand it. Would rather die of thirst than drink it. But that's one hurdle finally gone. I transitioned at first (can't even remember if I was on a diet or not when I did this) to carbonated flavored water, then just flavored water, and finally just water. I really don't remember why I did that, but I'm glad I did because at least that's one hurdle I won't have to jump with this plan.

I like the idea of a soda a day as a treat, but I don't think I'll keep it in the house anyway because I doubt I could have just one at this point. I can drink 6 or more in a day right now. I did finally get myself from regular to diet a few years ago (I must have been on some sort of health kick or something with my drinks) but I can still really guzzle it down. So I think I should stay away for now. I am relieved that Crystal Light is pretty much OK - I think I may get some of the packets you mix right in your bottled water and make that my "treat." I need some sort of backup plan for if I suddenly want to bail on this, so that's what those packets will be for me. A treat that's not really a bad treat, you know?

I will admit that I'm kind of packing in all the forbidden foods right now. All my favorites - I won't mention them in case I spark a tempation for someone. And yet at the same time I keep wishing I had my shakes so I could get started already! I know I could be making better choices in the meantime, but somehow my mind won't go there yet. One last hurrah and all that, even though I know it's silly and will probably only put on a few more pounds I need to remove. But there you have it, silly or not - and at least I know what I'm doing with each bite. I'm thinking about it, even though I'm doing it anyway.

I really, really hope my delivery gets here soon. I have this whole week off of work and the parties are all done after tomorrow, so I wanted to have a few days to be on the program without any hassles, so I can relax if it's leaving me tired and have my husband (who also has the week off) here for support and to keep me honest in the first days. As it gets closer to starting I'm getting more nervous. I was very optimistic that it would be smooth sailing, I'd love every minute of it and never be tempted by food again - ha ha. Now with every fattening bite of something I wonder if I'll miss it, and if I can resist in the future.

I've made a mini-goal of getting through the month of January without going off plan for any reason or special event, and maybe not even to weigh myself in that month. I have scale issues, too, where if I do have a little cheat and then weigh myself the next day and still lost, or didn't gain, then I think that little cheat wasn't really a cheat after all and I do it again and again until suddenly I've gained 5 pounds seemingly overnight. From what I've been reading, once you're on program for a while your body tells you if you've gone off by making you feel sick and miserable - so it seems like I can rely on that feeling rather than the scale to know if I'm being honest. But then, maybe I won't be able to resist the scale, either.

So, the day after my order comes (here I go again, have to start in the morning, not the middle of the day, you know) I'll weigh, take my measurements, and dive in. Full fast for no more than three days unless it's killing me, then I'll add the L&G. And I've also read that due to circumstances, some people have occasional full fast days where they just have an extra supplement, so I'll have to remember that, too. Last time if I missed a supplement or my L&G, I figured I blew it and went completely off plan for the rest of the day. I must must MUST have alternatives already in place for myself. I am all about rules and routines and I drive myself (and others) crazy with them - but I know mentally I have to be prepared for every slip-up so if/when it happens, I have a game plan in place without wrecking all my progress.

Well, I'm going to go re-post this in my journal since that's what it turned into - a bit of a ramble/rant - Merry Christmas everyone!

[bikipatra]

Gee you sound as OCD as I am. Take that as a compliment. I am glad that you have such a self-awareness of how your mind works. Take it easy, though. And for heaven's sakes, drink as much Crystal Light as you want right now-don't ration that in the beginning too-less to obsess about-not more-is best. The plan is pretty simple and I haven't come up yet with a real excuse to give up and give into a binge or give up Medifast except that I wanted to at the time. All the other stuff is window dressing. It is just like people say in 12 step programs, we just stay on Medifast no matter what. And if you mess up, just start again. Immediately. People can stay on Medifast through wars, sickness, death of loved ones, temptation and then sometimes you run up against a can a ravioli in the night-and you give in. But not everyone does. Going "off-plan" is not a requirement for Medifast. Sometimes it happens. I would say it happens with most people, including myself. But it is not a requirement. Committment is. Simple but not easy, especially in the beginning. I don't blame you for eating your little heart out before starting. (I didn't do it, but my normal diet was pretty cheese-laden.) More water weight for you to drop your first weigh-in. I know a lady who relapsed in a 12 step program because everyone showed up to detox drunk and she came sober and she was pissed she never got her last binge like they did. Enjoy!