The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Lulie]

OK,

I don't mean to sound whiney, but I am reaaaalllly discouraged here. I am starving myself for this! I only lost 1lb this week. I haven't been on the plan that long, so I shouldn't be slowing down already. I only had a 2lb loss last week. It is very expensive for me to pay the $300 a month for this program and buy groceries for the family too. I just can't justify the cost if I am not going to lose more than this. I was only going to be able to afford to stay on for a limited time anyway, and now I am not losing like I thought we were supposed to.

I don't want to quit, but I am really wondering if this is worth it or not. I read all these success stories, but then I get this. And I am one of the one's who has a tremendous amount to lose, so I thought we lost better than the others who had less to lose. I just don't understand. I haven't cheated, I am drinking my water, limiting snacks, etc. I just don't know what to do, and all I want to do is cry. Please give me some advice. I would really appreciate it.

[ascicles]

Plateaus are common. You've lost 20 pounds in about 40 days.

[gillian]

You have lost 20 lbs!!! Holy toledo!!! That is not enough to keep you going? Soon, you will see the curve where your hip meets your waist. Then you will feel you knee caps. The most amazing thing is to realize you have a beutiful neck and jaw line. I do not think you should quit. Blow the candles out that you have made at the shrine you call your scale, put it away for a week or two, and just WATCH your body.
You CAN do this. You are WORTH the money.

G

PS Please forgive my spelling. Still waiting for the spell check feature...

[Denise]

I agree with the others...you have lost 20lbs already! That is alot of weight! I think we see such big numbers on this board that you can easily lose the scope of what 20lbs actually is! No other diet is going to give you those results so quickly! You should not be starving...if you are that hungry have another shake and remember..if you stick with it..the scale will move! Feel better soon!

[Ct. Yankee]

Hi Lulie, I can certainly understand the financial burden that this program places on a budget, especially when having to shop for your family, as well. However, you are proof that MF works, having lost 20 lbs already!

It didn't take us overnight to gain all the weight we did, and it won't take us overnight to lose it all, either. I think, that going into this program, also requires us to be realistic, as well. This MF diet gives us more rapid losses, but still, it is not a 'miracle' diet, although many of us, including myself, are totally amazed at our results. Also, I think that MF is a most useful tool, for teaching us portion control, as well as the nutrients that are best for us, and those nutrients which are 'empty' and should be unnecessary for our good health.

Please reconsider and stay with us. As one poster mentioned, plateaus are normal and unavoidable. Just try to look to tomorrow and visualize the new person emerging. Best wishes, Lulie

Joan

[Mom23]

Wow! You've lost 20 pounds in since mid-April! Where else could you lose 4 big cans of Crisco shortening that fast?! I know it can be discouraging when you don't see those poundages falling off as fast as they did at first, but if you are following the program, they will fall off...

Remember, the first week or so you have a bigger loss because you are losing all the water you've been holding onto (didn't know you were a camel did you? )... your body is now trying to adjust itself and maybe holding on because it's trying to "protect" itself. If you follow the plan the way you should, your body will eventually get the message that you mean business and give up those poundages. Like someone else said, you probably didn't gain the weight in a few weeks, so you won't take it off that fast either...

Oh, and are you keeping track of your measurements? My weight loss has slowed, but my inches are dropping. I also know that my clothes are getting baggy, so I think of it this way -- people don't see how much I weigh, but they sure see how I look -- if I look thinner then that's an accomplishment...

I sure hope you don't give up now -- there's so many benefits to Medifast. Not only weight loss benefits. It is expensive, but the alternative (being overweight) is expensive not only money wise (due to medical costs incurred from being over-weight) but also health wise...

[VTGirlie]

Please don't quit love!

I know what you mean about the expense. I struggle with that also.

As far as that goes, I'm not sure if you experience it or not, but after only a week on program I'm finding that I AM saving money elsewhere- buying less junk at the store AND not eating out at lunchtime! I'm hoping in the end it will balance out.

As to the weight loss, I know it can be hard to look at the week to week, but look at what amazing progress you've made. Did you ever think a month ago that today you'd be 20 pounds lighter? That's AMAZING!!!

Someone once told me that plateaus should never be seen as negative. They said that it is your body adjusting to maintain a permanent weight at that spot. Have you ever gained weight and realized that there is a weight that you easily stick at? Apparently our bodies have natural weight marks where it is easier to maintain a certain weight. And a plateau means that you are AT that weight for this stage of weight loss. It also means that once you get past it, it is harder to gain back past that point!

I'm not sure if it is true, but I do know that I hit that spot at 206- it was hard to go up or down from there and I stayed there for a couple of years. Back when I was gaining weight I was at 185 for a long time. I'll be interested to see if I plateau there again at some point.

Please don't quit. You can do this!!!

[Sarya]

If I have calculated correctly you've lost an average of 3 1/3 pounds a week for the past six weeks! I realize it probably didn't come off that way (I know mine isn't), but in the end you are averaging a loss of more than double what most diets will be willing to claim. (1 - 1.5 pounds per week). You are right in the middle of the average loss expected on MF which is 2-5.

I am a little concerned though that you say you are starving. Can you explain more? Is your tummy grumbling madly or is your head grumbling madly? I've noticed that my head takes a lot longer to realize I'm not actually starving. I'm just missing an old comfort (ie: food).

Also, can you post a typical schedule of what you eat and when? what snacks? etc? Maybe one of us will see something that we know causes us a problem, and we can let you know.

*hugs*

good luck!

--S

[Tiolazz]

Lulie,

I am going to second every word everyone else said, but would like to add one thing...

for me personally, I went through the same thoughts you are having now. The first two weeks were like WOW, 5lbs per week if not more, and I thought, cool, I will have lost the 80lbs I need to lose in 4 months... well, I have been on mf now for almost 8 weeks and have lost about 26 lbs... Now I am starting to realize that I am not going to lose 80lbs in 4 months, but guess what. I have lost 26lb in less than 8 weeks. That is 3.25lbs per week...

I started telling myself , that is not that great, I could do that without Medifast, but if that were true, why didn't I do that before Medifast???

I have tried every diet out there, just like most of the people on this forum. I would stick with them for 1 week, 2 weeks, at the most a month, and yes they would work, but they were too difficult for me, too much work, and I would quit. I needed help, I needed some regiment that was easy for me, that was strict, and that would take all the guess work out of my way.

It takes me 5 minutes in the morning to grab my baggie full of my products for that day and head off to work. On Sundays, I package a week of supplements up and that takes me maybe an hour at most.... This.... I CAN DO!!! and it works... of course there are other things out there that work too, but they didn't work for me, and probably didn't work for you either.

I know that it is expensive, I am feeling that part right now more than you can know, but I am wracking my brain trying to figure out how I can continue, and I would suggest the same for you. I just want to ride this pony until the end, and look back and say, WOW!!! glad I stuck with it, Look at me now...

I hope you can figure out a way to continue, and I hope I can too.

Terri

[Linda]

Lulie, how about saying to yourself that you will try for at least 2 more weeks, then do as others have suggested with posting your meals, schedules, etc and let us see if we make suggestions for you. Try putting the scale away for that 2 weeks, dedicate yourself to solving the hunger problem and make your decision then.

In the meantime, try to stay relaxed and heres a big hug for you!

[mommaof3boys]

Just one more thing . . .

I know the finances can be hard, but think of the last time you actually spent money on yourself? If you are like most mothers (or most women for that matter), you spend lots of time and money on others and not so much on yourself.

I am very guilty of that so I know of what I speak!

This is for YOU and you are worth it.

[Ketann]

Wow I never thought of 20 pounds of fat being 4 big cans of Crisco...

Lulie, I don't really know how to talk you out of quitting, but agree that you should try to stick with it a couple more weeks. I was skeptical before I put the first shake in my mouth. Thirteen days after being on Medifast $40 worth of diabetic pills were removed from our monthly expenses. And I know before Medifast I was eating at least $20 or more a week of junk food. Think of those things when you say you can't afford it. Most (if not all) of us here have abused our bodies for years. We've overstuffed our tummies, gotten obese, diabetes, high blood pressure, ect. To me Medifast is my medicine. It is healing me from obesity and all the problems that have come with it.

With just hubby working, it's an expense for us too. We budgeted it our expenses, and I cut back on a few things (I now make my own household cleaners ) Hubby says I'm worth it.

I hope you can stick with it longer Lulie. Please don't give up.

Hugs,

Keturah

[Guest]

Hi there,
I picked up on the statement that you're starving yourself also. You should not be feeling hungry at this point. Are you getting in all your meals ??-- I don't want you to be in starvation mode. How about water consumption ... are you drinking lots and lots??
Your weight loss is fine -- 3 pounds a week is not bad at all. I know we all want it to come off faster but really our individual system decides how fast we will lose. Just remember you are losing in the safest and quickest way possible. I see you said you are one with lots of weight to lose. I want you to also realize that for you and many others of us .. it's not just about parting with the pounds. It's about getting healthy and avoiding weight related illnesses. They will come you know-- diabetes is on the rampage. There is really no price when health is involved. I know we all have to live within our budgets but please budget in for your health .
jan

[Jan]

Whoops,
Wouldn't you think that by now I'd remember to log in??? Where is my Medimemory???
jan

[DogMa]

What everyone else said. And if you're starving, definitely add a supplement. It might even help you lose; it seems to be helping me.