The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[raederle]

I figured that posting my experiences in going thru transition will help keep me on the path (i.e., preventing forays into Dunkin Donuts) and will hopefully help others who come after me figure this stuff out without making my mistakes. (Donna, Catherine? I'm waitin'!)

I began transitioning on Sunday, March 27. I started, however, at what MF calls "Phase 4" because I was already doing lean & green and had already added an extra serving of vegetables (a bag of carrots, 40 calories) to try and keep my calories over the 800 mark because I wasn't eating the pickles, celery, or bouillion anymore. (I just got tired of these for some reason a few weeks ago, and didn't crave them anymore... weird.) So, for 4 days, I'll be on what I call "PHase A" and will add a serving of fruit to my day, which looks like this:

7 AM - Shake
10 AM - Oatmeal and 1/2 cup diced pears in juice, not syrup (70 calories)
1 PM - Soup; bag of baby carrots (30 calories); diet pepsi
4 PM - Bar
7 PM - Lean & Green (usually a quarter-pound turkey burger "fried" in Pam with 2 cups of salad greens and a tablespoon of low-fat dressing (15 cals)
9 PM - Workout. (I've increased my workout to half an hour on the treadmill (fast walking) every day and have added an easy weight-lifting routine. I used to do 20 minutes 4 days a week, with no lifting.)
10 PM - MF Hot cocoa
(Still drinking about 100 - 120 ounces of water a day.)

Although the MF transition Phase 4 calls for having only 4 MF supplements, I'm still having 5 because I'm usually *starving* by 10:00 at night and worry that 4 supps just won't provide enough calories. Maybe it's the increased workout, or maybe it's because I'm easing out of ketosis, but I'm HUNGRY again! (It's weird.) I'm also a bit sluggish in the morning, finding it harder to dash up the escalators and stairs in the AM. Probably also ketosis-related, not sure. But I'm sure as I add calories down the road, it'll pass.

Otherwise, I feel great. No stomach issues, no headaches. Just hunger! I may try taking some Tagamet to reduce stomach acid, which may help.

Anyway, the plan is to add a dairy serving and take away one MF supplement on March 31, which I'll do for 5 days; then on April 5 I'll add a whole-grain of some kind, for another 5 days. That ought to give me plenty of time to come up with some post-MF menus...!

I'll keep posting as I get to the next phases, so you guys can see what I'm up to.

So far I haven't been tempted in the least to derail myself with bad foods or binges, in part because I went shopping the other night and -- get this -- was told that the store "just didn't carry a size small enough to fit." Okay, granted, the store (J. Jill) tends to size things generously, but to hear that the Small was too big and they just didn't have an XS in the sweater I wanted felt GREAT! Can you believe I fit into an XS??? What *is* that??? I mean, you guys have seen pictures of me-- I'm thinnish, but Kate Moss I am not! What gives??? Later, I went to the Gap to find a skirt and some pants for work, and thinking they must size things smaller for little young people, I crossed my fingers and brought in 6's and 8's... Turns out even the 6's were too big! I don't know if manufacturers are just making their clothes bigger to make us feel better of what, but I'll be darned if I didn't have to venture back out to the floor and grab everything in a size 4... which fit perfectly! I never want to have to give those pants away because I get too much pleasure out of reading the tag! So I am NOT gaining this weight back!!! I WON'T!!!

Anyhoo, that's all the gloating for now. Gotta go nuke my soup and eat my baby carrots. I loooove baby carrots. Who on earth would trade these for nachos???

[24KaratGold]

Size 4??

If I didn't love ya so much, I'd have to kill ya.

Good luck with this phase; I always like to have somebody be the "experiment" before I get there.

[kassilou]

Yep, gotta agree with 24 on this one! If I didn't know how doggone hard you'd worked to get there I'd have to smack ya!

We're looking to you for inspiration and maintenance guidance, Rae. Keep us posted as to how it's going, even your shopping trips. We won't be toooo jealous! Too small, huh? Gotta love that!

[raederle]

I know-- I kinda wanted to smack *myself* when I wrote that. That's why I tried to bury it in a long, long post over on the Maintenance forum!

If it's any consolation, I'm on the short side, so although the 4's fit around the waist/hips, I really gotta take 'em to a tailor to get them shortened at the hem by an inch or two. Either that, or I gotta find some really high heels, which is definitely the least attractive option given my penchant for klutziness and random acts of gracelessness. Whether you're a size 4 or a 14 or a 24, you don't look good sprawled on the train platform, face down, at 7:30 AM...

[LilMsTexas]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

OUTFREAKINGSTANDING!! I am REALLY looking forward to following you in this transition. I am a "studier" and preparer so this will be my class on how to live happily ever after. No pressure here....but well....DO GREAT so I'll know what to do

Size 4..............just absolutely fantabulous!!!!! You and I will have to get together and do some shopping when I reach goal!

CHEERS TO YOU SUPERSTAR!

[doglover]

Rae - THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for posting this. It is just what I was looking for! I am so incredibly jealous on the size 4 thing! Makes the 140's seem WAY too much weight for me but we'll see. I am never sick of MF and if it weren't for absoulutely KNOWING I will eat in Jamaica (I cannot avoid their fresh fruit and breads) then I wouldn't even transition! But you go girl!!!!!

And don't worry, the wait won't be long. I am on my way!

Since you had the "Vegas trip", (now infamous!), do you have any suggestions for me to be able to keep going on MF and still eat within reason in Jamaica and not get sick? My biggest concern is not overdoing it but getting sick. I know I will eat in moderation and am planning to take some MF with me for quick snacks before boating, swimming, hiking and snorkeling, but I just don't want to have a belly ache. And I am so sensitive in the digestion area! Any ideas??? I really don't want to totally transition off MF in May. Any ideas would be great.

I am so glad you are here Rae! You're an inspiration and great friend!
Donna

[scrabbler7]

Great post Rae. We are all very excited watching your progress ... and of course, I'm sure that is helping to keep you accountable. Naturally, you will perform perfectly ... because YOU CAN.

Now - about that size 4 .... who wants to hold her down while I have at her ... size 4 ... ya gotta be kidding me ......

[bk]

that is just too cool for words!! congratulations!!

[raederle]

Ha ha haa... you guys are killing me. (Ummm.... literally??? )

Donna, I would say that you can absolutely stay "mostly" on MF in Jamaica. I gained only 5 pounds back in the almost 3 weeks that I spent off MF, and that was because I ate a LOT in Vegas for 4 days, then came back and ate too much (healthier foods, but still too much) and didn't exercise. My body didn't stand a chance! But the weight came back off (and then some!) quickly when I restarted, so you can certainly do things smarter than I did and have even fewer problems.

When I had stomac issues in Vegas for one night, it was definitely because I ate way too much in one sitting, and ate VERY rich foods at that "feeding." Seriously-- I downed 3 pieces of bread n' butter, a bowl of creamy soup, a BIG bowl full of scallops on a HUGE bed of very buttery risotto, and had a chocolate dessert. I was full to the GILLS and felt yucky even as I left. At all other times, when I ate lightly, I was completely fine. I had a shake for early AM breakfast, would have poached eggs and a slice of bread for 11 AM "real" breakfast with hubby, a light lunch of a small chicken caesar salad (no dressing), a bar at 4 PM, and then a fish or chicken dinner with greens and salad, sometimes also with a piece of bread. I'm certainly not proud of this menu because it's obviously not MF compliant, but it didn't make me sick at all. It was the enormous plate of butter, rice, scallops, soup, and chocolate cake that later did it!

Sooo... I was already on the 5 & 1 before Vegas, so for about 5 days before my trip I gradually added just a bit more food. I added a cup of ff yogurt to my lunches, made sure I had a bar every day for a snack in the afternoon (as opposed to a shake), and had a small serving of bread with my lean & green dinner (a slice of bread, or a half cup of couscous or rice). I'm not a fruit fan in general, but since you are, you could add in a small apple or banana instead of (or in addition to) the yogurt to test the waters and make sure you won't be unpleasantly surprised in Jamaica! Nancy may be better able to give you a foolproof plan, but this was what worked for me, anyway, when I winged it. I think the important thing is to use what you've already learned, and use it in Jamaica as practice for post-MF eating. Avoid foods that are very high in fat (jerk chicken that's still on the bone and fresh out of a fryer is bad, but if it's grilled white meat, that's better, for example). And just don't eat like a total piggie. Stick to mini-meals that are low-fat. You can certainly splurge on a some fruit and some great local seafood, just watch portions and listen to your bod when it tells you it's full. I think you'll do just fine-- I think you already know what to avoid, and the fear of gastric reprisal will keep you straight!

Hope this helps! Why don't you come up with a plan and post it? It'll force you to think through how many days you'll transition, what you'll need to stock in the house, and how much MF food you'll need to order so that it's ready when you return from Jamaica and hop back on the train!

[Sylvia]

Rae,

First - belated congratulations!

Second, your transition plan sounds perfect. It is almost identical to mine. I too had started adding an extra serving of veggies as my weight loss phase was winding down so I jumped into phase 4 of transition too. I believe I actually lost an additional 3 pounds or so during transition but gained that back as my fluid levels regulated after transition.

I started out after transition just being really careful and trying to eat pretty low carb. I exercised just about daily - about 30-40 mins on the bike and added weights twice a week at first. I found that I could eat pretty much anything within reason and not gain weight as long as I exercised regularly.

The hard part came after all of that ended. I have been struggling lately with my lifelong eating issues. I have them better under control now, to be sure, but not where they need to be to not worry about gaining weight. I have gained a few pounds - nothing too horrible but it seems horrible to me especially considering I want to lose a few more pounds.

I think I became too complacent. When I was losing the weight, my whole focus was there and I felt as if I had successfully changed the way I've always looked at food. Now, 5 months later, I feel as if i'm back-peddling a bit. As a result, I actually restarted the program again yesterday to get to where I want to be both mentally and physically.

So, try to bottle how you feel right now and let a little out when you are tempted to slip later. I know that even now I need to force myself to make a conscious decision about every bite I put into my mouth.

With respect to your clothes shopping - ENJOY!! Size 4 is awesome. And I absolutely don't want to burst your bubble (as if I could!), but I do think they are making the sizes larger than they used to. I am in a size 8 pants. Sometimes even a 6. I am 5'8" but far from skinny. I never wore an 8 before - even when I weighed less and was better toned way back when. Also, I shop at Chicos. I sometimes wear a ZERO there (their smallest size). Now there is no way I am the smallest person who shops there - I just don't get it.

Anyway, enjoy this part of the journey. You look great and are a huge inspiration to me and so many others here!

[raederle]

Sylvia, thank you so much for posting-- it is a great relief to get confirmation that I'm heading in the right direction, because it's hard to start wandering away from the "safety" of having every single meal planned out for me, packaged in a white paper packet... I hear you when you warn us to hold on to these feelings of elation, too, because I think always lurking in the back of my brain will be the Old Foody Me. I haven't killed it, just beaten it into remission like a chronic illness. I have a lot of work to do before I can ever say I am confident that the Old Me is totally under control; maybe I will never be able to say that. It's a long road.

And yes-- there is NO WAY that I am one of the smallest people who ever walks into the Gap or J. Jill! I actually laughed in the woman's face (hope I wasn't rude!) when she told me I was out of luck. I mean, where do all the *really* skinny people shop? All those 17-year-old Britney Spears wannabes? The ones with no hips, no boobs, and no butt??? Maybe they're all at Abercrombie & Fitch and Wet Seal. Only a 17-year-old could shop at a store called Wet Seal. Something about that name just *sounds* obscene....

[doglover]

Thanks again Rae. Once again they really need to put you on the payroll! I am going to sit down on April 1 and make a real plan. What to do when. I am still at that very apprehensive stage of having ANYTHING off MF plan! I just don't feel ready to make decisions. Maybe it's a good thing the trip is coming. It will be a testing the waters time for me. Like I said, depending on where my weight is after the trip I may decide to go back on 100% for some more poundage, but we just have to wait and see. One problem may be that I don't have a real goal number after my initial 150 goal. I have some mental blocks about being under 150 (as we discussed before) and I just don't know how I will feel and look. It's not really the number for me as much as how I feel/look. So we'll see. After I get to 150 I may just be floudering a bit until I figure it out. Floundering mentally that is while still shakin' away w/ MF!

Have a great afternoon!
Donna

[Dean0408]

Rae, that is an EXCELLENT plan you laid out there....very comprehensive and do-able.

If I were to change anything at all, it would be the time that you are doing your half hour of fast walking. Rather than doing it at night, I would try to do it first thing in the morning.......before getting ready for work or whatever. The reason I recommend this, is that if you get your heart rate up in the morning, it sets the tone for your body for the rest of the day. In other words, your metabolism will actually be raised, burning more calories throughout your daily activities.

As for lifting weights at night, this is fine, but if it is too close to bedtime, and you work your muscles hard, then totally shut them off while sleeping, they may get a little stiff and/or sore by morning. If you are not really stressing the muscle that hard, but rather doing toning type exercises.......you should be fine with the late night weight lifting.

At any rate, I really like your plan.........bathing suit season is coming too.........you will be the hit of the pool. Be prepared.........some of your lady friends won't want to stand next to you at the pool party........but their husbands will........hehe

[sister]

Rae~

Thank you soooo much for this post!!!
Following your progress will be such a great help. I look forward to being right there with you! I think your shopping surprises are FANTASTIC!! Enjoy it, you deserve it!

Sherri

[raederle]

Thanks for the encouragement. I need all I can get!

Dean, you're so right about the morning workout... I've read over and over that it's the best thing to do... Oh, if only I could drag my butt out of bed in the mornings!!! I tried to make myself do morning workouts several times over the years and ended up succeeding for about 3 days, after which I would throw up my hands and say, "Well, I'm too tired to get up. And if I can't go this morning, I might as well just give up and try again on Monday..." It was all or nothing, and always ended up at nothing! I was finally able to break out of that by telling myself, okay, I will just work out a little at night, when I have 4 hours of dead time (I'm "blessed" with no kids and a job that gets me home by 6 every night). That seems to work because I then have NO excuse to not hop on the treadmill at 8 pm.... But someday, I *sure* would like to get my butt out of bed at 6 am to get it done... Maybe I'll try going to bed at 9PM??? Suuuuuurrrre!

As for the pool party, it's funny, but I still "see" myself as fat most of the time... I think it's gonna take a long time before I stop shriveling at the thought of putting on a bathing suit! Yikes!!! But, hmmmm... I do have a few small, low-cut dresses I could traipse around in. I could stand by the pool sipping my MF martini and being aloof and alluring in my low-cut top.... And, well, my wedding bands *are* quite loose now; what if they accidentally fell into the pool just as a really cute guy walked by... ? Just kidding!!!! Darling husband, if you're reading this, I would never... Really. Honest.