The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[raederle]

Morning all... Another phase, another menu! I spent 5 days at Phase "B", which is equivalent to MF's Phase 5. I'm now doing 5 days of MF Phase 6, which tells us to add a serving of grain. I found out, after doing some research, that "serving" can mean one thing according to the USDA food guide / food pyramid, and another when it comes to reading nutrition facts on food labels. I decided to go with the food pyramid, which basically says one serving of grain = 1 slice of bread or 1/2 cup cooked rice or cereal. (This is also what the MF Transition Guide says is a serving.) For comparison's sake, a "serving" of real oatmeal according to the package information is 1/2 cup dry, which cooks up to about 1 cup and has 150 calories. Not bad, but I didn't want to go too crazy with adding calories just yet, so I'm sticking with measuring after cooking.

I'm also taking away 1 MF packet, which leaves me with 3 per day now. I figured the easiest thing to do was cut out my MF oatmeal (oh, the heartache!)-- for now. I think I may reincorporate it once I figure out my post-transition plan... I do love my oatmeal!!! Anyway, here's the new menu:

7 AM - 1 cup ff sf vanilla yogurt (120 cals)
10 AM - 1 small banana and 1/2 cup cooked oat groats (I buy these unprocessed oats, which have more fiber than rolled oats, at a gourmet grocery store; I cooked up a batch in the rice cooker, divide into 1/2 cup portions, and put into single-serving tupperware bowls. This way I'm not tempted to eat more than a serving size at work! Oat groats might be an acquired taste-- they're plump and chewy kinda like barley-- but I love 'em!)
1 PM - MF Soup; little bag of baby carrots (30 calories); diet pepsi
4 PM - Bar
7 PM - Lean & Green
8:30 PM - Workout
10 PM - MF Hot cocoa
(Plus 100 ounces of water throughout the day)

Looooove the groats! (I also love just saying the word "groats"! ) Eventually I'd like to have a grain with my lean & green dinner, but right now I know I couldn't trust myself to eat just a half cup, or even 1 cup, of rice or pasta... I wanna first practice drilling myself on what a half cup looks like by eating these individually-portioned "groat bowls to go" for a while...

Happy shakin' everyone!

[want2Bthin]

Rae-
It is so great that you post your maintenance for us. That way when we get there we will know what to expect.

You should be very proud of yourself for hitting your goal. Keep us posted.

Angelia

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Rae,
Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress.

Don't groats live in the deep, dark, recesses under bridges?

[raederle]

Yes, and they can be harvested only by the light of a full, red moon, by descendants of the Brothers Grimm.

They're *quite* rare and expensive, as you can imagine....

[24KaratGold]

I was in John O'Groats last year. Wonder how he got the name....

[raederle]

Perhaps he was one of the fabled Grimm Reapers, who harvest the groats under the bridge by the light of the full, red moon....

[24KaratGold]

We need a tomato-splatter smiley....

[bk]

all i gotta say is that my roommate eats EXCLUSIVELY (not kidding) irish oatmeal (for about the last 5-6 months). it's weird. smells like hot cheerios.

hot.

cheerios.

[doglover]

Thanks again Rae for keeping us informed of your transitional progress. I am so happy for you

One question - are you experiencing any hunger or has the changes seemed to go smoothly on how you are feeling physically?

Donna

[raederle]

Hmmm.... Hot cheerios. I can't tell if that would be remarkably unpleasant, or perhaps marginally tantalizing. I think I'll have to buy some just to toss 'em in the microwave and see what happens...

Donna, thanks for your encouragement! As for hunger, etc., I guess I would say I'm more aware of my hunger this week, but I hafta qualify that by saying that I never completely lost my hunger on MF, even when 100% compliant. (It wasn't so bad as to be debilitating or distracting; I just learned to ignore it, drink water, drink tea, take Tagamet, etc.) Plus, this is the week before Aunt Flo arrives, when I am normally more hungry than usual even when I don't really need more food. So I'm trying not to focus on it! Thanks for bringing it up!!!!

Seriously, I feel good, though; I actually feel like I have a bit more energy in the mornings than I had when 100% on MF (the extra carbs, I assume?), still am thirsty as ever (thought that might go away, but nope-- I'm now addicted to 100 oz of water a day, apparently!), and am no hungrier, really, than before. I guess since I still eat 6 times a day, my body doesn't have too much time to become ravenously hungry, which I suppose is the whole idea... And all the foods I'm adding are pretty low on the glycemic index, meaning they don't have a big effect on blood sugar levels and shouldn't cause sugar highs/crashes and bad hunger attacks.

The nice thing is that, since the transition is really almost as regimented as MF is (6 meals per day, x servings of this, y servings of that...), I don't really have cravings to go careening off plan and eat a pizza, even if I am a little hungry this week, because I still feel like I'm on a plan. It also helps, of course, to be accountable here... I know the whole board is watching! It keeps me honest!

[bk]

hot cheerios smell is remarkably disgusting. do not try this at home.

however, as we have already established in another thread that i think cucumbers taste like dirt, your smellies could be different than mine.

i would also like to note that while whole grains are good for you, don't be silly and rely on an all grain (or overly grain) diet. i know people can get really into it (and then, like a friend i know, start losing hair!). variety!