The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[BerkshireGrl]

Hello everyone!

I have not checked in since my 3-day weekend in Maryland... missed you all. I brought some MF bars with me and shared them with my friend that I stayed with, and raved about MF. She is now a convert as well She may appear later on this forum as I have said you all are great sources of support and wisdom... which is the gospel truth.

While in Maryland, I did succumb to eating low-fat potato chips, low-fat dip, apples and cheddar cheese that surrounded a game of Trivial Pursuit. As a result, I puffed up 2 pounds but have since lost 5 pounds (in 6 days!) once home. This MF stuff really is da bomb.

My daily plan of action: When I wake up, I am making myself 3 shakes in a big Nalgene bottle, and that is my food at work. Before that, I have oatmeal and coffee for breakfast, and then soup at night with 4-5 oz. of meat mixed in, and extra veggies on the side. Plus water water water. And the weight is sure coming off. Not at a rocket pace, but definitely faster than any other plan I've been on. I'm sure it would be faster if I never strayed, so I know the path to true thinness, heh!

I really noticed that my head is better on this plan than any other. More confident, relaxed, and take-charge. And when I fall off plan, which thankfully has not been often, I feel like dunga. A good incentive to get right back on.

I am planning on placing my next 28-day order Monday or Tuesday... and I am looking forward to trying out new foods that weren't in my 1-month Starter Kit. Like more soups, more oatmeals, the hot cocoa, the cappuccino, the crackers. But no bars this time. I found I liked the bars a bit TOO MUCH I don't want to look at a box of food and easily picture myself eating it all.... and when I had the bars, I had 2 a day sometimes, or even 3

Better to have other things this time around I think! Maybe when I'm more on top of this, I can try new bars. Right now, I'm sticking to "sweet" drinks like the cocoa instead for my treat fix.

Happy MF night to you all...

[Nancy]

Welcome Berk ~

Isn't Maryland a great place to visit? I really enjoyed the Aquarium at the harbor - did you get to go? They have sharks! Yikes!!

I'd like to make a comment about your supper. It is best to not combine two Medifast meals at once but rather to space the meals three hours apart. Your description sounds like you are having Medifast soup and lean meat and veggies at the same meal. I may not have understood it correctly so if I messed up, consider it a senior moment. We are learning about portion size while on the weight loss plan and it is better to eat smaller meals more frequently than larger meals.

You made some good low fat choices while on your trip. Yeah, that cheese does tend to plump us up. Good for you for getting right back into the swing of things, too! I think you are smart to avoid the bars for a while. I tell ya, I have a real problem with the caramel nut...I mean a SERIOUS problem with them. I have to hide them from myself!

[fedup]

Ahhh, those caramel nut bars.... I'm with ya there Nancy! I feel like I get a daily candy bar "cheat" with those beautiful bars! I've never "cheated" and had 2 in one day, but oh, would I LIKE to! I also LOVE the chocolate divine bars, like getting to eat chocolate truffle or fudge... too too good! I have a "pen pal" of sorts whose on MF and she doesn't like the bars so I bought hers from her for later on, figured during maintenance they'd be good snacks too!

Good job getting back on track Berkshire girl. It's tough when you're travelling, I think it's great you didn't let it send you into a "downward spiral", which is what I probably would do if I ever had a little "stray." Keep up your great progress!

[BerkshireGrl]

Nancy,

You got me I was indeed combining two meals into one for dinner. You're absolutely right, I should space them out 3 hours, since I've noticed that when I go to bed, my stomach is growling. And that would be about 3 hours after dinner... It's tough to sleep when your stomach is playing the bongos.

I have not been to the Baltimore Aquarium, but it is very cool looking from the exterior hehehe! Seriously, I lived there 3 years and that is one of the few places I did not get to. I have really enjoyed the Aquarium in Boston though! Baltimore and of course nearby DC has a lot of great museums, which I did go to. Love art, love history. Love animals too. Speaking of which, the seals at the Boston Aquarium are a lot of fun to watch... they swim alongside the outside, in a clear tank, so while you wait to get in, you can watch them swim to the end, do a flip and swim the other way. They like to check people out too and will pause and study you

For next week, I have decided to go Full Fast, and see how I do. I expect to be hungry, but I know it's going to get less and less as the week goes on. Along with this, I am planning on going into the doc for a check-up and advice.

I'm losing at a good pace, but want to get going a bit quicker. Plus I am really enjoying the not going to the grocery store as much and wouldn't mind getting that down to buying stuff like paper towels and fat-free creamer only It's weird and I never ever thought I'd say this but it is good to take a vacation from food!

It takes up SO MUCH time and energy, thinking about it, wandering aisles and buying it, prepping it, cooking it, cleaning up afterwards.

Not that I'll mind when I can make full healthy meals again, but right now, it's nice.

I've also noticed that my cravings are going away. I used to be able to spend the afternoon fantasizing about what tasty things I was going to pig out on that night, and those dreams were really persuasive and detailed. Now, my mind will sometimes get on the thought of my old favorite foods, and the joy is just not there anymore. It's like my brain goes "yeah, so what? pizza? eh... soggy grease and bloat-causing dough."

And I can tell you I NEVER thought I'd say that about pizza. I used to say I could live on the stuff... and I practically did!

I have a cholesterol screening next Wednesday that I'm looking forward to. I expect MF will have dropped it a good bit. Last December when I had it tested, it was 303! I think this had a lot to do with the fact that I had been on Atkins 1 month at the time. I got off Atkins ASAP after that. My doc was suggesting that I stay on, because that it would most likely drop a lot soon, but OVER 300!? Forget it. Over 200 is bad enough.

My mom's side of the family has high cholesterol and heart disease, and I don't think I've ever tested under 200, even when in college... but this MF could get it down there! That would be great. I kind of live in fear of a heart attack sooner rather than later, and I'd like to reduce that fear. Admittedly, something like 50% of heart attack victims have "normal" cholesterol results, but hey, why not reduce the risk factors where ya can, right?

Fedup, thanks for the support! Yep, I'm positive if I had super tasty caramel nut bars in my kitchen, they would call out to me in their tiny sweet voices. I've heard that the Oatmeal Raisin bars are like eating cookie dough. Gaaa... no way could I have those unless I was in lock-down and was given 1 a day on a little platter. Way too easy to over-indulge. The strange thing is, usually, eating whatever I want, I don't buy that much sweet stuff. No ice cream, no cakes or cookies. But when on a low-cal diet, my body REALLY wants them.... Kudos to MF for making a meal bar so good though!

[gr8views]

It's weird and I never ever thought I'd say this but it is good to take a vacation from food!

That made me laugh. You're right. This is a bit like a vacation from food. Preparing MF doesn't take much effort or thought. Knowing I won't need to shop except for soda and that infamous non-fat/low-fat creamer is very cool! I used to take 3-4 hours on a Saturday to shop since I'd go both to a large super-discount store and a grocery store to get foodstuff. (Don't forget Target, but that will continue since I still need things like toothpaste and soap!)

The full fast seems to be easy. But what do I know? I'm only on day two!

Let us know how your visit with your doctor goes. I hope your cholesterol has been affected. I also have a family history that I'm away from.

[Nancy]

Berkshiregrrl ~

It is always interesting for me to read about the different phases we go through while Medifasting our weigh/way to better health.

There's the anger phase when we feel 'put upon' to HAVE to give up our foody friends, the phase where we become aware of how much of our time truly was wasted dreaming and thinking about food, the awareness of the fact that we CAN avoid temptation, the grateful period when we are truly thankful for the extra time we discover when we do not have to shop, chop and prepare and then clean up after foody events and then the time we become aware of how good we feel when we are not living in a purple sugar haze or a deep foody overload funk.

Life with Medifast IS good!

P.S.

For next week, I have decided to go Full Fast, and see how I do. I expect to be hungry, but I know it's going to get less and less as the week goes on.

Remember, there is NO reason to fear that you may experience hunger - you may have another shake anytime you feel hunger pangs.

Try to fend it off first by having a glass of water, a cup of warm tea or coffee or some bouillon. Try to distract yourself - read a magazine, go for a short walk and if the hunger remains after a real concerted effort and 20-30 minutes, then just have another shake.

I know that before I started using Medifast I was afraid that I would be hungry as I had been hungry on diets before. I also thought that I would try to just stick it out, you know, to just buck up and deal with it.

Well, that kind of thinking is pure bunk. So is this thought: that if I can lose weight with five meal replacements, then I ought to be able to lose more weight if I cut back to four meal replacements, or three. Uh, uh! El-wrong-oh thinking!

We MUST not skip any of the meals, nada, zip, none. Drink/eat 'em ALL. If you are hungry, have another shake - do not have DOUBLE meals but if you've had your meal and an hour later you're still a Starvin' Marvin, mix up another shake. It will not slow your weight loss, skipping meals will.

[RareBear]

Those MF bars were my saving grace on Halloween! I confess I ate two, but that's way better than two Sni87ers, if you know what I mean.
RB

[Nancy]

Oh yeah!

You are so right, it IS better to have two bars or two puddings or two oatmeals than it is to have something on the temporarily 'No No List', aka the 'Not Right Now List.'

You are all so creative - it's amazing what the mind can conceive when it is not under the influence of sugar and trans fatty acids, eh?

We're getting rid of the flab AND taking back our minds!

Ahh...Medifast, it's a beautiful thing...

[TamiL]

Berkshire girl...my New England medifast buddy...
When I first started medifast..if you look thru the old archives on my posts..youll see one that I confessed to eating half a box of bars..or maybe it was a whole box!! I COULD not have just one!! they to me were like candy...and anything that tasted that good..was a NO NO...that is part of my "disease" as I call it...I truly beleive that overeating is just like any other addiction...except WORSE..cuz you have to EAT to live!! and we cant hide our overeating..it just SHOWS UP ON US in buldges and rolls!! Im like the classic alcoholic..they cant stop at just one drink...just as I cant stop at one chip, or bite of candy...Ive got to devour the whole damn box/bag!! so the bars quickly became a no no for me!! then I tried the diabetic bars...and was not as fond of those as the normal bars!! so that was the end of my bar days!! the HOT COCOA is GREAT..especially NOW cuz its CHILLY outside!! I put a packet of splenda in mine to sweeten it up a bit..and it does the job!! sugar free Jello usually helps me with my sweet tooth as well!!
IM BANNED FROM BARS!!

Tam

[fedup]

I'd say stay away from the bars if you know they'll "get ya!" Every person has to figure out what would work/ or not work for them. For me, those bars are help me stay sane! I know that once a day I get this great little treat. But I feel that way about the soup too! Since the other 3 supplements are shake, this "variety" keeps me going.

"Oh MF bars, how I love you, let me count the ways... chocolate caramel, peanut butter, chocolate divine...with your creamy goodness, fruit and nut granola with your tangy chewy texture... " oops, sorry, think I dazed out for awhile with my ode to chocolate. Actually Berkshire, I'm like you in that I really don't eat a lot of sweets when I wasn't watching my weight... I like them, but could easily do without. It was the grainy carbs that got me! They aimed right for my hips and thighs!

[gr8views]

Sarah,

You said you were having a cholesterol screening today. How did it go? (Or did I get my dates messed up?) I'm hoping you'll see positive movement for you. Go, good cholesterol! Zap the bad cholesterol!

How is the full fast working for you?

Di

[BerkshireGrl]

Di, check out my "You want another reason to stay on Medifast?" post in the Weight Room about my results! VERY EXCITING

The Full Fast is going well... easier than I thought it would be! I did add a teeny bit of meat to Monday night, but only because I was crazy with hunger, and ended up with 6 MF meals. Yesterday I was ok with only 5, so progress on the hunger front! I think I might need to add a fiber supplement though heh! (TMI probably... but not having the extra veggies at night is making a difference in ye ol' digestive tract.)

Also found out from the clinic nurse Weds. that if you DO have high cholesterol, and low HDL (the "good" cholesterol), supplementing with Omega-3s helps to boost the HDL! Huh, I did not know that... I have a little bottle of fish oil capsules in my frig that I had forgotten about, but I took some this morning!

Tami, I did end up getting some bars with my next order. We will see if I have developed more self-control hehehe! I could not resist the fact that the Oatmeal Raisin were in, and so highly recommended. I think I will be able to portion out 1 a day faithfully!

[fedup]

Hey Sarah! You can do it with the bars! They really are a lifesaver! Why not portion out all your supplements for the day and put them in your purse or on your counter... that way you're not "grazing" through your cupboard of MF, thinking it's a "buffet of bars! " If you sit out your daily stuff, it's easier, then if you change your mind about a flavor later you can always swap. Just an idea.

[Nancy]

Sarah,

Thank you for posting your good results.
It always amazes people when they get the results of their blood tests and BP.

My doctor wrote a note to me telling me that my cholesterol was in excellent shape – she said “it is totally protective of your heart health.”

I’d like to address some things that may be helpful for you.

The dreaded “C” can occur in the early stages for people on the full fast. Medifast is virtually a vitamin premix and the body utilizes nearly all that it consumes, leaving very little waste by-products. Our products do contain fiber but for some of us, it seems to not be quite as much as we would like!

I know from which I speak as I was on shakes only for three months. I thought I was gonna die… (once I started having Creamy Broccoli Soup and a bag of crackers, that helped somewhat.)

It is really important to drink a lot of water. Exercise and increased fluid intake can help if you have hard poopage.

The oatmeal is helpful as it does have some bulk.

The Medifast Plus for Women’s Health has a little bit of hiney helper in it. (Natural fiber)
Having a small green salad is a good idea because it provides something for the stomach to digest and then it moves on down…

Then there is everyone’s Grandma’s favorite toddy: into a glass of water mix 1-2 teaspoons of smooth-textured over the lips and over the gums, look out stomach, here it comes!

Some clients use stool softeners as they are not habit forming like some laxatives can be.

Now let me say one more thing here, and please know this is strictly off the record (as much as something on the www can be ‘off the record’). This is NOT part of the Medifast protocol.

I had the Big “C” a lot and I was MOST miserable. A cranky Leopard Woman is not a beautiful thing.

Even though I was on the full fast – all Medimeals and virtually no regular food I ate one (1) Wasa cracker every few days. Wasa is usually sold in the cracker section of most markets.

It tastes like cardboard. It is rough – sheesh! You could get a serious cracker burn on your tongue and throat if you don’t have a glass of water nearby to wash it down. I scarfed the Wasa with a cup of Medifast Fast Soup – I rather liked to experience the luxury of dunkage with my Wasa into the Robust Tomato.

I personally think that for people going on the Complete Program for weight loss, a small green salad with a small amount of low-fat salad dressing is a good way to go. Particulary if you are female and in your forties and above. People on the Complete or Full Fast Proram, eating no regular foods for a substantial amount of time MUST follow the transition program exactly right. See my November 2003 Newsletter for the 'how to do transition' instructions.
http://www.makemethinner.com/newsletter/medifast-november-newsletter.htm

If a person who is on the Complete Medifast Weight Loss Program and has no regular foods and then porks out - and this is what some of you are wont to do - you are now on notice: you can wreak MAJOR problems with your gallbladder. You may have to take a trip to the urgent care clinic if you pork-out after having had a very low fat, low calorie eating plan for a period of time and then dump a load of fat down there.

The gallbladder is the little organ that deals with fat and helps your liver. When you are not sending fatty foods down there for it to process, it gets lazy and sludgy in there. So if you snarf down something greasy and fatty and all that FAT shows up on the front porch of the gallbladder, it freaks out, as it just cannot handle that much grease all of a sudden so it let's you know it is NOT HAPPY...

I have addressed this issue in previous posts and I do not wish to have you all start a new thread about this subject. So please do a search using the little button at the top of the page. Enough said, just consider this fair warning.
I am not a physician and therefore I am not able to diagnose, treat or provide therapy.

Thus said, it was in my best interest (and perhaps yours, too…t)o take a capsule of Oil of Evening Primrose or a capsule of Flaxseed oil. Terry and I take Omega 3 Fatty Acids capsule daily.

Taking supplements that contain Biotin; Zinc and B vitamins are beneficial for some people who will be on the weight loss program for three months or longer to fortify hair.

[BerkshireGrl]

Sarah, I’d like to address some things that may be helpful for you.

Wowie LW, thank you for such an info-packed, extremely helpful post! I saved it for reference Especially the 'how to do transition' instructions! (And I also do not want to upset the delicate gallbladder... having a sludge dump into circulation does NOT sound fun!)

Christy, that portioning out ahead of time could be a lifesaver hehehe! I really enjoy the bars, so I'm going to give it another shot. I'll eat them veeeery slowly so as to really savor them... give my taste buds time to realize what they're getting, rather than just inhaling it! Though the image of 2 Oatmeal Raisin bars stuck in my nostrils could be amusing...