The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[scatter]

Week 1
* Down 16lbs in the first week. Obviously that's not sustainable - I would more expect 2-3lbs a week
* The first day and a half, I was pissing like a racehorse. Medifast must really reduce the water a body retains. That's probably responsible for the big change above. A gallon of water is 8lbs.
* Medifast is best eaten as a paste. This next part is gross, but hopefully useful to someone: If I mix a day's meals pretty watery (I was tempted to fill my 16oz cup each time and make everything soupy), I get diarrhea or loose stools. If I only use enough to make a paste, and if I wait a while before drinking anything, I have proper bowel movements. Your experience may be similar.
* An electric water pot is really helpful. This keeps water ready all day at 208 degrees. Google for "japanese elctric water pot" - you can find units on Amazon, etc. Luckily, I already had one for making tea.
* I set my iPhone to remind me to eat at 8am, 10am, noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and 8pm. No fancy app - just the built in alarm. It's helpful.
* I'm trying to pay attention to when I'm most hungry. It's late in the day. I may move some of those times forward so they come closer together at the end.
* I'm not on the approved list for the "+1" meal. I'm using a mix of berries for antioxidants. I get 12oz bags of frozen berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries), divide them into four tiny tupperware containers, and have one 3oz thing of berries each day.
* I'm moving down from 11 packets the first day - I gave myself permission to have extra whenever I was still hungry while I got started. Now I'm trying to work my way down. "7+1" is pretty tolerable, hunger-wise. I may not go all the way to "5+1" if I'm getting reasonable results here. I'm experimenting with replacing the last meal with a slow-release casein protein powder to see if that staunches the late-night hunger.
* I picked up some of those Atkins ketosis testing strips. According to that, I'm not in ketosis. But my morning breath is something awful on Medifast. I'm buying a good mouthwash and maybe even a tongue scraper.
* Tired, I absentmindedly put hot water in the pudding mix. It works out surprisingly well - absolutely bringing the chocolate to life. It was almost like eating brownie dough. Will do it again.

[MyComplete180]

Scatter you are awesome....not sure if you are a dude or dudette...will read posts better. I am glad to see ya here. I myself start Weds....no Medi grub til then. 16 lbs is 16 lbs, I don't care if it's water or fat, it ain't on you! I really think the program definately can be tweeked for your personal taste, I MUST hot sauce the soups and I will splenda 1 pack and a pinch of cinnamon my oatmeal. I was lucky enough to get to go to a Medifast taste party, so we learned a few things. God Bless those who can take it like a man/woman and do the food straight. I hear your taste buds change with the plan.

Again WAY TO GO Dude/Dudette

[scatter]

Ha! Were I a chick, that 240 target weight would be pretty scary.

Nah, I'm a guy. I'm about 6'5" with shoulders too wide for some doors. I've been over 300 since the 4th grade, so I have no clue what my real healthy weight would be. If it turns out to be more like 220, then that last 20lbs can be my victory lap.

+1 awesome sauce on the Calvin & Hobbes icon, and thanks for making me feel welcome.

[nickieluv]

Great job on the first week!

5&1 is the goal, technically, but I think it's far better for you to make the program work for you than to give up altogether. MediFast won't be using you in any commercials but I'm not going to be their spokesperson either!

Mmmmm, berries - maybe after six months on plan for me, fruit will be my new candy bar....

[MyComplete180]

I am tickled Scatter, I suppose 240 would be scary for a dudette, but you are a he, don't suppose from Texas??? The term built like a brick sh**house comes to mind. Yeah I like Calvin, naughty little ones that they are, but in times of great stress I honestly will listen to Hank Sr. (Williams) and read a Calvin and Hobbes. Be sure to hang out this week with all us gals...

Keep Shakin

By the way, if you get a chance look at TonyR 's before and after, he did a great job quickly 161 lb loss in 10 months, I just bumped his photos , look in studio, the post is called Goal Pics

[MyComplete180]

Hey Scatter, Just dropping in to see how you are....hope this is proving to be a good week. The second week for some is harder than the first, for others it's easier. I hope you have an easier one.

Chat later!

[scatter]

Week 2
Ha, well north of Texas. I love the place though, and have often considered a move. I could do without one more winter up here, and I've decent friends in Texas.

Anyway, this week's miscellany:
* As I make my last meal of the day, I line up the next day's meals in one of the empty boxes. Oatmeal in front, soup at the end, and a mix of stuff in-between.
* Having the pre-selected meal set in front of me while I work is helpful. Hunger sets in, and eating the next packet a little early becomes the easiest fix. I've got the packet in hand before I leave my chair.
* I mentioned the electric water pot last week. If you get an electric water pot too, stick with gallon jugs of distilled water. No minerals in distilled water means no scale build up. That means no cleaning. Ever. It also makes better tea IMHO.
* I've grouped my boxes into three columns. Breakfast things, drinks/puddings, and dinner things. 3 of each kind open is enough for variety.
* Whatever creature it is that secretes wallpaper paste - its milk is used to make the oatmeal. It is strangely filling, however. (Thanks for the flavoring idea, 180)
* Pepper. Put LOTS of pepper in the "eggs." I still think they taste more like grits than eggs. Like most of the flavors, they grow on you over time.
* I'm drinking a lot of diet soda. I don't plan to stop so long as I'm losing, but I'm mostly sticking to Pepsi One. It's the only mainstream drink I know with Splenda. Splenda is supposed to be less disruptive to ketosis than aspartame (NutraSweet).
* I'm trying Stevia (natural alternative sweetener) in my tea now and then. Verdict is still out.
* I'm still always hungry. Seeing people eat in ads or mention food on Twitter, etc is growl-inducing. Growls from me and my stomach both.
* Severe leg cramps for a couple days. Normally I'd wolf down a bunch of bananas for potassium. Bought some potassium gluconate pills instead. I'm having one each morning in case I'm not getting enough from Medifast.
* Tried some Atkins meal bars. Too sweet - just make me crave more. Threw them away, just like the Medifast ones.
* I can't believe how easily winded I am right now. Exercise is right out - a quick trip down and back up the stairs (3rd story walk-up) actually leave me panting.

[nickieluv]

I'm feeling pretty weak this week, too. I think it will pass - I don't remember it from last time, though.

I remember the hunger going away sooner for me last time. I'm still hungry now but I had a bad day yesterday and have been tweaking the plan a bit so it's probably my own fault. My mom has been on for several weeks and she is still hungry all the time, too - but she has one meal off plan every week which includes a baked potato. I've heard some say that the diet soda keeps them hungry, too - but it's hard to give up, I know.

Keep it up and can't wait to hear the continuing saga next week.

[katieb920]

* Severe leg cramps for a couple days. Normally I'd wolf down a bunch of bananas for potassium. Bought some potassium gluconate pills instead. I'm having one each morning in case I'm not getting enough from Medifast.

I used to get leg cramps all of the time. It could be that you are not getting enough sodium. I usually eat a pickle once a day. That has helped me and I have not had any more leg cramps.

[scatter]

I used to get leg cramps all of the time. It could be that you are not getting enough sodium. I usually eat a pickle once a day. That has helped me and I have not had any more leg cramps.

Ah hey, good call. I went with potassium since that's what helped with cramps and soreness when lifting weights. Looking over the labels, Medifast does include a bit of potassium... but not much salt.

[MyComplete180]

I second the sodium idea for the cramps...seems I have heard the complaint esp. from those with more to lose. Meanwhile again Scatter you rock... You are doing awesome.

The hunger will pass, I really believe that, we inhale as much food as possible for the longest time, tell our stomachs stretch darn you stretch!, it will not be long at all and the reverse will be true.

Tea is wonderful, my mother was Dutch and I do so remember her wonderful tea. I am over the whole food thing, you eat what you crave thanks to some commercial or trip out and about and suddenly you just want more, not very satisfying.

Glad to see you again, love hearing from you on Sunday's, come join us during the week.

Keep at it, and I personally think you will have a nice weigh in surprise again next week!

[sidrah]

You could do Diet Rite, too. White Grape is good. Also the pre-made/mixed Crystal Lite bottles have liquid splenda.

You pre-plan, something I suck at. Good for you! I have to do that more.

[scatter]

Week 3

This week's miscellany:
* The breath thing isn't quite as bad as it was. Still - I could be convinced that I'm getting half my calories from flavored mouthwash right now. Ha.
* The "Maryland Crab" is pretty foul without a ton of pepper. I'm thinking of sending a box to a proud New Englander friend, just to hear the horrified reaction.
* Really, I have to pepper the hell out of the Maryland crab, chili, and chicken soup all to make them interesting. Cajun 'em up.
* Still feeling pretty weak. I don't think it's enough that it's dangerous or a sign of a problem, just something to get used to.
* I'm not winded by the stairs quite so much as a couple weeks ago. Maybe I'm adjusting to the reduced calories. Maybe hauling a little less weight is compensating.
* I need a bit less sleep than normal. I've experienced this on reduced calorie diets before... 5-6 hours will cut it, instead of the normal 7.
* Cramping muscles hasn't been a problem this week. I've been grinding a lot of sea salt into two of the meals daily, and I'm sticking with the daily potassium tablet too.
* I cut back a bit on the Pepsi One and the ambient hunger is down a bit. I'm not sure if those are related, but it's a few 12 oz cans each day instead of a 2 liter.
* Stevia sweetener sucks. After trying it with a few types of tea, I'm going back to Splenda.
* I'm finding that I'm more reactive to hunger. A tiny Medifast serving is enough to make the stomach shut up for an hour or more. It used to just reduce the hunger a bit. And if I miss a scheduled meal, I start to feel it pretty quickly.
* I'm still at 7 packets plus the berries each day. I'm sticking with that for so long as I'm still losing. I don't see any value in knocking another 100-200 calories off. I may even add one more.

[scatter]

Glad to see you again, love hearing from you on Sunday's, come join us during the week.

Keep at it, and I personally think you will have a nice weigh in surprise again next week!

Ha! Guess you were right. It was another 8 this week. Looks like people with a lot less to lose are still losing 3lbs a week, so maybe I get to keep this up for another 10 weeks or so. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Ah - I'd check in during the week, but I think I might do myself a disservice. The more I can do this thing by rote and not think about it daily, the easier it should be. I'm using the Sunday weigh-ins as a chance to evaluate what is and isn't working and make tweaks.

[scatter]

You could do Diet Rite, too. White Grape is good. Also the pre-made/mixed Crystal Lite bottles have liquid splenda.

You pre-plan, something I suck at. Good for you! I have to do that more.

I tried the Diet Rite. Too sweet! The Pepsi One is already way up there. Sometimes I water it down a bit. I'm really after the quick caffeine boost, more than I am the flavor.

I wonder if they still make Water Joe - the caffeinated bottled water... (insert five minutes here) ...they do! I'll fetch a bit of that. Hell, maybe I can make some of the shakes or puddings with it.

And yeah. The pre-planning is essential, I think. I'm trying to undo tens of years of bad habits here. Having the right things sitting out in front of me all the time is pretty valuable.