The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[BerkshireGrl]

Hello all my Medifast buddies! I missed you all!

I am here to give you a little update on how things have been going for me. This summer has been rough, with my uncle dying August 14th, and then my grandmother dying on September 18th (exactly 1 month after she attended my uncle's/her son's funeral.)

My mother has been through the wringer, and I have been trying to add as much support to her life as I could. In the midst of this, I turned to my old comforts (drugs) of food and booze. I don't even like to type that stuff, must less think I bailed on myself again.

But... I told Nancy that once I got myself back in the groove, I would be here, and I am.

I had a huge surprise this past Thursday night.

As I have shared before, I had been foolhardy enough to rack up A LOT of credit card debt over years, about $12,000, plus a couple grand remaining in old student loans left over from 1996. I struggled to pay it off, chipping away at it with my monthly payments. I worked like a dog extra hours to have extra money to toss at it. It followed my thoughts like a dark shadow every day.

Last Thursday night, my parents invited me to their home, and along with a lovely steak dinner, presented me with two checks, one from my uncle and one from my grandmother. The resulting total was more than enough to pay off ALL MY DEBTS, and left several thousand to invest. I was floored!

WOW! I felt incredibly blessed, humbled, and like I had been given a new life that night. I am still getting used to the idea that my debts are gone... I have lived with them and their painful payments for years! My credit cards... no longer dunning me... my car... done... Sallie Mae.... gone... even a loan from my parents for a brake job on my car... paid off.

As I wrote out a check Friday to my mother, she tried to round it down to the nearest hundred, which I had ABSOLUTELY NONE OF! Every person and corporation got their repayment down to the last PENNY.

Over the past two days, I have tried to get it into my head - zero debt. I have spent so much of my life in this hole, it is hard to fathom!

So, I admit I bought a couple new things for myself with this fortune over the weekend: a SIGG water bottle, and a month of Medifast. HA! Yes, THAT is my big spending spree, folks! That's right!

With this new life I have been blessed with, I am no longer going to be able to justify sedating myself with food gorges and wine soakings.

I am no longer able to stand being almost 220 pounds because food and drink were the only things that helped me forget my terrible finances.

Yes, I am going to be struggling through the next week to re-adjust to this Medifast healthy lifestyle! Taking bad habits away from a body that demands its cravings be fulfilled daily, I expect I will encounter temptations... "voices" will whisper to me of the delights of full-fat foods and the warm haze of wine drunk while I zone out on the couch...

But with this fresh start on my finances, I am also cleaning my life of all self-destruction I piled on through the years! Spending... eating... drinking... all were attempts to achieve happiness... or at least forget stress or sadness... but none of these things makes one truly happy.

Through the grace of my family, I am going to repay them with recreating my life as it should be... and that includes a healthy body and mind.

So... that is my news from Western Massachusetts!

I have a bit of MF left to take me through the next week, and I should be getting my new box by Thursday the 29th. But I will see you all this coming Sunday to add my first week weight loss into the total!

I'm glad to be back... and wish you all success!

[Lisa Renee]

WOW, that was a great post! Good for you!! Youa re on the road to a whole new brand new life!!! Take it for all it's worth and make a new you!

[joysea]

Dearest Sarah~
I have been wondering how you are...gosh, what wonderful news...a clean slate - financially and mentally....new beginnings....you and I are starting at the same time...your description of indulgences DID describe me to a "T." But no more....don't look back...you have been given a new lease on life....take it and run. I know you can do this...

Here's to a wonderful journey a MEDIFAST cheer! God speed!

Joyce

[martha]

Hi--

I too am glad to see you back with us.. That was a great post.. isn't GOD GREAT?? he surely works in mysterious ways.. I am so proud of you for telling it like it is.. You have been given a wonderful gift--no financial burdens- Take your new lease on life and MF and let's make it to your finish line.. all of us will cross it together..smiling from ear to ear YOU CAN DO IT!!--

Joyce--

You ARE going to cross that finish line too. I am so proud of you too for restarting your MF journey.. I like your attitude..don't look back--YEAH that's the way to do it..hope to see less of you this week..Martha

[dlr2424]

Sarah..... ....my prayers are with you for much strength on this journey...... ..as far as support.....you already know..... ....we're all here for you....... ........

Donna....dlr2424

[Lady Bug]

Sarah:

What a story!!!! Just think, you have that financial burden off your shoulders and a clear mind to think of your future as something other than bills, and now you can get on with your life. What a wonderful feeling!!

I've always been interested in your posts and this one was no exception. Congratulations on your new start on MF. I'm very very happy for you and your "new beginning".

,
Evie

[BerkshireGrl]

Lisa, Joyce, Martha, Donna & Evie,

Thank you!!

I am indeed in the midst of temptations the first few days back on, but just had some apple & cinnamon oatmeal, and I am chugging along!

Warning: long armchair self-analysis follows, heheh!

There is a really persistent part of me that says, "come on... you don't need this powdered stuff! Eat real food! Just control your portions! You did it before... what's up with you?"

But you know, the way I "managed" before to lose 52 pounds, from 208 to 156, was through Weight Watchers, yes, but um, I was living at home. Can't exactly pork out on a large pizza and vino with Mom & Dad there, right?

Honestly, I cannot control my portions. Can't do it. Nope. I try... but to me, a "portion" is a can, a bag, or a box. Once they are empty, then that "portion" is gone!

I have this book, The Fat Fallacy, by an American MD who spent some time in France, ate all those fatty French foods, and lost weight... along with the rest of his family that went with him. The secret is, well, there are a few of them... First, portion control. Second, no eating on the run - the French take their time and let themselves know they are full without going overboard in a stressed-out rush. Third, lots of walking is a normal part of life there.

On portions: one point he makes is that the croissants here in the USA are 3 times the size they are in France. That's a BIG difference!

So anyway, I was intrigued by this book, and loved the idea of eating 'the French way' but I know for me, right now, it would be just pure gluttony. I'd have no problem inhaling three of those USA-triple-sized croissants in the morning if left to my own devices!

When I was on WW out on my own, sure, I tracked my Points, and tracked merrily along even when I was writing stuff like "DiGornio's Supreme Pizza, 52 Points" down... when I got 26 Points allowed per day. Way to go with the portion control, eh? (Eat 1 piece of the 8? If only!)

Medifast is not an easy diet. It doesn't allow many extras. It's socially unusual to follow... like drinking out of a plastic jar at work, or eating one-quarter what your friends are at dinner, and avoiding their appetizers like the plague.

On MF, I find the tastes and textures good for the most part, but is it as great as X food, my favorite from the past? OK, honestly, no.

But at the ripe old age of 34, what did my "favorites" do for me?

* Gave me high cholesterol, 250-300+
* Gave me 43-37-48 measurements
* Gave me thighs that measures 29.5 around at the top
* Gave me a weight that is wearing down my hips and knees (I now have pain in my hips even sleeping in bed.)
* Gave me heartburn
* Gave me a flabby jawline... Heck, flabby everything
* Gave me a body that huffs and puffs going up stairs, or even making the bed
* Made me feel so ill the next day that I called out of work to recover, 1-3 times a month

I have to ask myself, Is X food worth it?

The obvious answer is NO.

Trying to justify that it IS all right is just the same as a drug addict saying one more hit won't hurt them.

Ok, I'm not saying pizza = crack, it won't kill you on the spot, but carrying a lot of extra flab can erode, and HAS, my quality of life... and I'm sure I speak for others here.

For those on the fence, or struggling, when are you going to say Enough is enough?

[Lisa Renee]

The part about the 52 point Digornio's made me pee my pants! I also have been on WW and the points weren't "Winning Points" for me....I too worked my way around every portion you could imagine...With MF packets, I have a really hard time opening up a second one, so rarely am I ever tempted to overeat at one sitting. It just seems so drastic to open up two packets instead of one, so I just don't do it.

You are doing the right thing. Stick with this, you can do it.

[dlr2424]

Trying to justify that it IS all right is just the same as a drug addict saying one more hit won't hurt them.


For those on the fence, or struggling, when are you going to say Enough is enough?

Berk..............that post was amazing....... ......pee your pants funny as Strawberry put it.........................but just what I need to be reminded of lately........I could so relate to "a "portion" is a can, a bag, or a box. Once they are empty, then that "portion" is gone! " ........... ..........good for you for staying on track...... ......your efforts will be rewarded

Donna...dlr2424

[jenn161012]

I too can relate to the problems controling portion size. Because I live alone (not including my two furball doggies), everything becomes a serving for one. An entire box of mac & cheese, an entire bag of popcorn, etc...

That is one reason I am enjoying Medifast so much. The portions are completely controlled, to get me used to eating small frequent meals.

Ok, I need to get going now so I can pound my ceiling with a broomstick to let the fool living above my apartment know that he is walking like bigfoot again.

228/218/140

[martha]

Hi everyone--

I definetely understand about the portion thing too.YEAP!!! 1 portion is the whole box or can or package here too.I recently thought I had won the portion control thing since MF but learned fast WRONG I still have no control.. but am still willing to try again.. I am always willing to try but never seem to win at this.. I know I use food as a comfort when I am overwhelmed and lately it has been a very very close friend of mine.. I hate FOOD and keep hiding away but some how it still finds me I need to find a new game to play when i am sad or lonely or just darn right angry ..It amazes me to say I HATE FOOD and mean it BUT I do.. It doesn't even taste good anymore but I still find myself reaching for it in certain times.. it seems like a never ending cycle..I NEED TO GET CONTROL OF MY LIFE AND MY BELLY --sorry about the rambling again..Martha

[dlr2424]

Oh Martha............. ..........I believe that post holds true for many of us........ ......at least me for sure..... .....I have always had a hate relationship for food and just this very moment ....... .......it occured to me that maybe the reason I hate it is because it has always had ...........or better put........I have allowed it to have control over me ........... ..........instead of me over it..........on MF I have had control ....... .....however I still at times find it to take over........ ....how ridiculous am I..... ......I, like many of us can have unbelievable strength to weather many challenges...... ....and yet I succumb to food that isn't even worthy of the ill effects it brings about...... ....... wouldn't it be amazing if our brains could be surgically reprogramed....... ......shame on me..........That's the weenie way out.... ........ okay so I need to work harder on my relationship with food... ......maybe it's the little child within me that hears a voice saying........ ....you can't have that.... ...and the defiant part thinks:..... ...oh yea wanna see me...........We all can overcome this FOODY FOOLISHNESS..... ...one shake..... .....and one prayer.......at a time..........

Donna....dlr2424