The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[GucciGoo]

In week 1 I lost 5 pounds. Last week Aunt Flo was visiting, but I lost 3 pounds. I weighed in at 167 last Friday. I was hoping that right after my period, I would lose a bunch of water weight or something---but my weight has not changed since Friday. I am starting to get annoyed at this. It is easy to drink medi-meals when I am losing, but when I am staying the same it seems worthless. I know you guys deal with this a lot, but I am only on week 3 and I don't want this to slow down yet.

Here is my typical schedule:

7:00 Oatmeal with added cinnamon & 2 packets splenda, 16 oz water
10:00 Shake, 16 oz water
12:00 Soup, 16 oz water (add 1 salt packet)
2:30 Bar, 16-32 oz water (on the way home)
4:30 Shake
6:30 Chicken with asparagus OR salmon with peppers OR flounder with spinach OR hamburger with onions & peppers (my 4 favorite meals)

If I am feeling lightheaded I will have a cup of bouillion (about 1-2 times per week only) or Jell-O (once per week).

I have 3-5 sugar-free mints per day.

I have a lot of problems with constipation. Last night and the night before ONLY I have used a small amount of olive oil to cook my veggies, in order to "speed things along".

Do you see any glaring mistakes I am making? I know you might say to avoidn any extras at all- like broth, but can that REALLY prevent me from losing anything? I mean, this is such a restrictive diet. How can broth or Jello slow things down considerably?

Thanks for any suggestions!

[Sarya]

I, too am in week 3 and haven't lost anything for the past week. I think our bodies are adjusting to the routine. I don't see anything glaringly obvious in your schedule and from what I've read a fair number of people hit a small bump around week 3 or 4.

Are you adding in any exercise yet?

[Pashta]

Week 3 is when most people hit a small plateau. Just hang in there another week, it will definitely be worth it! I am retaining water big time right now and I hate it so I know how you feel.

[GucciGoo]

Sarya- before Medifast I was going to the gym 4-5 days a week. Since starting, I am down to 2 days a week. I am about to raise that to 3 days per week. I hope that exercise is not the problem.

I didn't realize there was a Week 3 plateau. It's frustrating becuase I feel like I am just starting and should keep seeing great results... and maybe plateau in week 8 or something.

[Ketann]

I just got to week 2 and I'm still losing, but from all the posts I've seen, people seem to lose inches if they don't lose weight.
I look at it that your body is catching up with the fat you are shedding.

BeachBaby, you are doing great. Just keep doing what you're doing and the weight will start coming off again. You'll be in that bikini in no time

Hugs,

Keturah

[Pashta]

Week 3 seems to be when your body actually starts using your fat for most of your energy is what I think I heard somewhere. If it really bothers you that much, stop weighing daily and only do it once a week. You will still see it drop.

[GucciGoo]

LOL- Pashta I think I need to throw my scale out the window. I weigh in morning and night and then obsess! I need to stop! It is an illness!!!!!!!!!

[TooManyBooks]

The worst thing you can do is compare your loss to what others have done. It took me weeks to figure that out -- I was very discouraged as well. I'll be on Medifast seven weeks tomorrow, but I am finally over halfway there (yay me!)

You may have to make minor adjustments once your body settles into its new routine. I added an additional supplement/calories last week after a LONG plateau to see if that made any difference and it did -- I started losing again. Too FEW calories can shut it down.

FWIW, and easier said than done, try not to stress about it. Follow the plan, don't overthink it. The ladies here have helped me loads!

Tara =^..^=

[mommaof3boys]

Having the same frustration!

I got on the scale this morning = end of week 2 = and had actually put on a couple of pounds! (146)!!!

I am down to the last 20 and expect them to come off slower than the first 20 did but STILL!!!

I had visions of being 10 pounds down (141) by June 16th (we are going away for the weekend with 3 other couples, no kids! HOORAY) but now I am beginning to wonder . . . I have a new sundress hanging in my closet which I can zip but it is NOT CUTE and I was hoping to be able to fit in it nicely by that weekend.

I am going to stick with it, drink lots of water and see. I may start taking some sort of fiber supplement too - maybe that is the problem!

I did eat two light string cheeses yesterday afternoon because I was STARVING and thought maybe I was not getting enough protein but maybe I should not do that again . . .

FRUSTRATED!

[GucciGoo]

The worst thing you can do is compare your loss to what others have done. It took me weeks to figure that out -- I was very discouraged as well.

I know--- but when I see that people close to my weight have dropped 20 pounds their first month I get my hopes up. At this rate I will be lucky to have lost 8 pounds at the end of my first month (which I am at now).

I was really hoping to have lost 30 pounds by my vacation on July 15th...but I don't see that happening

[Crystal]

I know that you are frustrated. I have been there more times than I like to admit. I feel more deprived of the foods I love when the scale shows no results. Normally it doesn't bother me too much. But when the scale refuses to budge, I can get really bent out of shape about it.

As others have said please keep in mind that you are only in your 3rd week, even though it may feel like you have been doing this for an eternity. Most everyone has a slow 3rd week. See Carmel's post today:
http://www.makemethinner.com/forum/diet-7203.html
You have to look at the big picture. I would recommend not weighing again until Friday, the official end of your 3rd week. Then only weigh once or twice a week. I too, obsess about what the scale says. If I see that I have lost something, I get all excited and my mind races to compute: "At this rate, I'll be done on this day". Conversely, I get depressed if I lose nothing and think: "This is stupid, why am I doing this, I will never lose it all". I have found that I don't get upset or excited about what it says if I don't get on it. For my emotional well-being, I have had to learn that I will be done when I am done, regardless of the day. No other diet will get me there sooner.

I also recommend commiting to finish a whole month, then look at your total loss for the month and find your weekly average. Even if you don't lose anything during your week 3 (which is unlikely) your weekly average would still be 2.67lbs per week, which is still very good! At that rate you would be within 5 lbs of your mini-goal for 7/15.

I never know which day will be the day my body will release the weight. I have learned that I cannot predict what my body is going to do, sometimes it surprises me. But I do know that if I stick it out, my body will reward me; but, I must be patient! I have had to learn not to get obsessive or bent out of shape when my body doesn't meet my self-imposed deadlines.

I see in your schedule that you are only drinking about 64oz of water. Most of us have found that the more water we drink, the better our loss. I do best with around 100oz. Each one of us is different, but increasing your water may help.

The only other thing I see with your schedule is really a question to the more knowledgeable people out there. Could eating your last meal of the day at 6:30, and then nothing for almost 12 hours be causing a problem? That is a long time for your body to go without any fuel. Should any of your meals during the day be spread out a little more so that you have something between dinner and bedtime? Or should you consider having another shake or something between dinner and bedtime?

Sorry for the long post. I hope it was helpful.

[DogMa]

BTW, mommaof3boys, if you're starving or think you need more protein, you'd be much better off having an extra supplement rather than eating off plan.

[Nancy]

Hullo there ~

Slow weight loss bugs all of us - People that are new, as well as people that have been working at the losing game for a while. Once we make the big decision to go for it, to swear off all our favorite fatty foods and start the program, we want it all off when we have our first shake and we want it off now. The truth of the matter is weight loss takes time. We all know that old adage, it didn't come on overnight and it's not gonna come off overnight.

Let me make a few comments here to soothe your furrowed brows.

Week 1 and 2 are typically the best weight loss weeks.

Week 3 for many of us (week 4 for others) can be a let down. This is when the body is finalizing its adjustment to using the stored energy and becomes more efficient at converting the flabbage to fuel. Rest up, eat and drink on time and keep on going. Put the scale away – don’t give it power over your thought processes. The scale does not know how compliant you have been. It is merely a hunk of metal and plastic. You know if you have been doing the right thing. The scale is one tool we use to measure our losses but it does not pat us on the back and say, “Good Job” for following the program.

There are some people that lose very little during the first few weeks compared to the 'average' person but over the long haul, their weight loss and inch loss is just about the same as others - women average about three pounds per week.

When we say they 'average' that can mean they lose 1 pound one week, 5 pounds the next, 3 pounds, 1 pounds 6 pounds, etc. There are some medical issues (diabetes, thyroid), hormonal influences, medications, family genetics, height, age, stress factors and lack of sleep that can all affect our weight loss.

With that said, we can have some weeks when we see NOTHING on the scale – when that happens (and it will) we need to look at the big picture. When the scale is not cheering us on, drag out the tape measure or take a good look at your pants - are they loser? If so, we need to chill out. It is gonna happen IF we are program-compliant.

If we can eliminate eating less than what we are supposed to (it will slow down our weight loss when we skip packets), if we can eliminate the issue of having extra bites, licks and tastes of non-program food or inflated meal portions, then we just have to trust the program. I know it is hard to have faith in it when you are just beginning – this is when we need to trust others that have gone before us and link in with our health coach/advisor and the great MakeMeThinner forum members for encouragement.

Actually from looking over your meal schedule, I see that you are going for nearly 12 hours with no food. I would stretch my meals apart a little bit so there is not such a long period from the end of supper to breakfast. Your schedule shows that you are going from 6:30 PM to 7 Am - too long between meals. I would have a packet after supper.

If you have regularly exercised before you started Medifasting, no need to cut down on the number of days you exercise, just the intensity and length of time. We do not want people sweating, puffing and panting during the first month. It is best to be consistently active.
Get plenty of rest, keep on drinking your water and space your packets out a bit.

Suggestion
7:00 Oatmeal (this should happen within an hour of getting up in the morning)
10:00 Shake
1:00 Soup
4:00 Bar
6:30 Chicken, veggies, etc.
9:30 PM Shake

(Youy schedule way way ^ there does not indicate that you drink water after your 4 PM bar but I assume that you just didn't list it and that you are drinking throughout the evening...)

It’s gonna happen! Don’t give up, you’ll be glad you stuck it out.

[Mike]

In November of 2003 I had gastric bypass surgery. I was over 400 lbs at that point and was eating or rather drinking next to nothing. The first month I lost 48 lbs and then it slowed down as my body adjusted. I had entire months where I lost nothing or maybe 1 lb. Then the next month I would drop 10-15. Our bodies need to adjust to changes every once in a while. Eventually, I got frustrated and decided heck with it, and I began eating more carbs than I should have. Over the next year and a half I gained back 45 lbs.
Thanks to Medifast, I am now on a program that I can follow, and I have lost back almost 35 of those pounds so far (in 6 weeks). I have plateaus, but I know what causes them and I know that they won't last long, then I will drop big. A week ago I didn't lose for most of the week, then in two days I dropped 4 lbs. Just remember that no matter how hard you try, sometimes your body doesn't want to do what you want it to do.
Hang in there, it will get better. Good luck. Cheers..

[mommaof3boys]

BTW, mommaof3boys, if you're starving or think you need more protein, you'd be much better off having an extra supplement rather than eating off plan.

I know that is right in theory but I do get concerned by all the added corn syrup/honey/sugar in the supplements - some sort of simple sugar seems to be one of the first ingredients in all of them!

I know it has worked for some but I am afraid an additional supplement will put me out of ketosis. . .