The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[junebug19]

Well. That is good to know about the don't eat the bar late or early thing. I had the bar with 24 oz of water at 5. Also I had a question do you count the time that u start to eat the food or when u finish it? Cuz I've been eating every 2.5 hours from the time that I finish my food. Is that good? Also. Why can't we eat the bars later in the day? Cuz I am definitely a night eater and I was wondering what would it to for my weightloss. I'm not that active. Usually watchin tv on my couch for now. But definitely going to the gym as my weight comes down. Soooo. One day down on mf. Nnnooo cchheaatiing. Yes! Even though I do have a migrane. That's ok. Right?

[Nancy]

Headaches are common during the first few days - usually day # 2 is when the killer headache arrives. Take an Advil, go to bed early!

Foods that are higher in calories and carbohydrates are best eaten earlier in the day when one is more active. Sittin' around vegin' on the couch doesn't burn many calories so that's why a shake or oatmeal or puddin' is a better evening choice.

Measuring time between meals...well, that can be up to your very own personal choice. We are supposed to learn to eat more slowly - most overweight people eat a lot of high fat calorie-dense food in a short amount of time and what we need to learn to do here is to eat nothing standing up in front of the cupboards or in front of the refrigerator but to prepare the food, sit at a table and do nothing else while we are eating - like not reading a magazine/book or watching television because when we eat mindlessly or unconsciously that way we can really shove in a huge load more of food than what we realize.

By eating slowly it allows our brain to get the message that our stomach is full and satisfied.

Eat you Medimeals s-l-o-w-l-y, don’t inhale them! Most likely you are not making your shake or your soup last more than a half an hour, right? In the scheme of things, counting the time between meals from when you begin them or end them (just a half an hour either way) probably won't make too much difference. I usually time my meals for when I begin them. If I have oatmeal at 7:30 am, then I begin to prepare a shake or Cappuccino at 10:30.

[junebug19]

well. i don't think i make my shake or soup last more than a half an hour. i make my shakes very cold with ice. and my soups very hot. so i am tempted to drink very slowly. or sip very slowly. i sometimes have to trick myself to not eat so quickly. also i use a fork with my oatmeal. so i don't eat it to quickly. well. this is the beginning of day two. and i can't say that i was really starving enough to cheat. to be honest i wasn't even thinking about cheating with real food. i was just thinking about getting an extra shake! so. it wouldn't be a good idea to have my lean and green meal as dinner than huh? well. yesterday i had my lean and green meal as dinner with the chili around 8 o clock. i went to sleep around 10 cause my head was KILLING me. i am generally not very that active. i mean. i do have a lot of stairs in my house. and sometimes do go out. especially around this time shopping and such. but this is what i am going to eat today:
breakfast-shake
midday-bar
lunch-lean and green with supplement
middle- oatmeal
dinner-oatmeal

or maybe i should take out the bar and put it in place of a pudding? i am having all of my water. roughly 80 oz a day. so this is my second day. and i do feel better oddly!
I love this post thing.

[junebug19]

so after reading some of the other past posts. i see that it is NOT a good idea to place my lean and green meal with my other supplements?
so i guess i will have my lean and green for lunch. and then my pudding 3 hours after lunch? yes. i will definitely try that.
cause i don't want to mess with the program if i don't HHHAVE to.

[Nancy]

Hey, Junebug ~

I am thankful that you are reading other posts - there is so much information woven throughout the MakeMeThinner Forum that will be of help to you. One of the important things to keep in mind is that our Take Shape For Life program is different from traditional weight loss programs in that we are learning the things now during the weight loss phase that will help us to maintain our weight and to manage a healthy lifestyle for years to come. We want you to get healthy and to reach your best weight and then to stay there - thus we are learning how to take shape not for a month or two but for life.

Your Quick Start booklet is an important publication and I recommend reading it through a number of times the first few weeks on the program and then periodically for a refresher.

Our program is based on the idea of portion-controlled meal replacements used in conjunction with one small low fat/low carb/low calorie regular food meal, each spaced out consistently throughout the day so as to maintain a normal blood glucose level which will prevent cravings, support good energy levels and enhance heart health and that of other body systems.

Each Medifast packet is nutritionally balanced with the protein, carbohydrates and fats in the correct ratio.

The Lean and Green meal is also designed to include the exact balance we need. In essence, we are eating 6 portion-controlled meals per day with plenty of water and a small snack, if needed.

With that said, we may have our Lean and Green at any time of the day because it is a balanced meal - protein/carbs/fat in the correct proportion. It may be eaten at any time of the day – for brunch, lunch, afternoon or supper or just before bedtime, if needed.

The Lean and Green meal is a bit higher in calories than the bar but the Lean and Green is in a balanced proportion; the bar is not. The bar is slightly higher in carbs in proportion to the protein -- it is due to the manufacturing process to get the soy into a solid form that will stick together and be palatable.

It is not 'wrong' to have the bar for breakfast or to have it in the evening it is just that for best weight loss success, we recommend that the bar be eaten during a more active time of the day.

(This is my own personal opinion here now - since people are generally less active in the evening and those bars are tasty and somewhat like a candy bar - the increase in carbs and calories can set some people off on a foody adventure in the evening when they are watching television because of the influence of commercials...)

Now I also want to thank Vicky for helping you with the Lean and Green and the supplement issue - when you eat them both at the same meal, you are in truth, eating two complete meals - we get one or the other, not both at the same time.

Using the meal plan you listed above,

breakfast-shake
midday-bar
lunch-lean and green with supplement
middle- oatmeal
dinner-oatmeal

I’d suggest this schedule to be sure you get all 5 Medifast packets plus your Lean and Green consistently spaced throughout the day:

Breakfast: Oatmeal or shake
Midmorning: bar or shake or soup or oatmeal
Lunch: shake or oatmeal or soup or chili OR Lean and Green
Mid-afternoon: shake or oatmeal or bar or soup or pudding or chili OR Lean and Green
Dinner: oatmeal or shake or chili or soup or Lean and Green
Evening: shake or oatmeal or pudding or soup

Have a great second day on the program. I hope your headache subsides and that you feel happy and confident inside for the choices you are making! Happy Day!

[junebug19]

i absolutely ADORE your prompt response. this forum definitely keeps me on track!!. i was thinkin about having tuna with mustard and brocolli and cautiflower. they are both frozen vegtables. so i have to be careful when measuring them right? i try as much as possible to cook them first. but i love them mushy together. so would be be better to cook them first? or chop them frozen and THEN measure it?

I love the little schedule that was planned out. It works out wonderfully. I am starving right now. ready for my lunch right now. its about 1:45.

[Nancy]

Go ahead and cook your veggies, then measure out one and a half cups of them. Your tuna and veggies for lunch will be perfect! Enjoy!

Meat for the Lean portion should be very lean, all visible fat and skin removed before cooking. Then after it is cooked, weigh it to be sure you get the full amount. Red meat & pork = 5 ounces cooked weight; fish, shellfish & poultry = 7 ounces cooked weight.