The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[DogMa]

Hi, guys. I'm just finishing Day 2 (one more shake to go), and I feel just fine. No headaches, no fatigue, no anything since I started. So ... do you think it's OK to resume my workouts tomorrow, or do I really need to wait another day? I don't care about the treadmill, but I miss lifting.

Also, does anyone do this without having shakes every day? I don't mind the soups and even the chili, but so far the shakes just taste nasty to me. I've added ice, I've added DaVinci's, I've used the Magic Bullet ... and they still taste horrible. I've ordered a different flavor in case it's just the chocolate that I hate. But does anyone just use all the other meal replacements and skip the shakes?

[kassilou]

I'm one of the few who don't care for the choco shakes. My favorite is banana...I add some crystal light powder, ice, and a dash of davinci and then they are soooo good. Vanilla is nice, too, cuz you can add any flavoring you like. I pretty much stick to the banana shakes, oatmeal and bars (mmm, peanut butter!)

[tnanock]

I can't stand the chocolate either. I found that mixing it with Diet Cherry 7-up makes it tolerable. But to answer your question, I think you can have any supplements with the only limitation being one bar per day. At least I don't think it would hurt until you get to order some other kind of shake.

[martha]

Hi-- My husband swears by the banana blitz and the Strawberry shakes.. also loves the oatmeal .. he eats it everyday.. We both love the soups..The chicken and rice is our favorite and I try to eat it as much as possible as I really don't like any of the shakes as much as I do the chocolate.. I thought we were not suppose to lift weights on this plan till we were at goal or close to it?? maybe you should ask Nancy or Tim.. they would know for sure.. I thought it was only suppose to be 30-45 minutes of some type of cardio exercise.. I am curious myself now.. Good to see you are not having the headaches or hunger pains that most of us had.. that's a good sign.. Good luck this week--Martha

[DogMa]

Thanks, you guys.

Martha, that's funny because those are the two flavors I ordered (strawberry and banana). I don't drink coffee, so no mocha for me!

As for weights, I e-mailed the Medi-Fast folks before I started, to ask about the workouts. Increasing muscle increases your metabolism, which burns fat (all day, as opposed to just when you're exercising, the way cardio does), so I want to continue lifting. They told me to do nothing the first three days, then go back to whatever I was doing but only do half for a few weeks.

It's true that muscle is heavier than fat, but I don't mind if the pound loss slows down when I start back up. The size/fat loss is usually a bit faster (and last time I started lifting, people really noticed a difference right away). My arms stopped waving when I stopped, instead of going a few extra seconds the way they do now!

Robin

[martha]

ROBIN--- thanks for the advice.. my arms do the same waving thing now and I hate it.. i gained more in my arms this time than ever before.. I thought we couldn't use the weights.. I stand corrected and am sooo glad because now I can start too-- thanks again--Martha

[Nancy]

Gentle Readers ~

On page 11 of the Quick Start Booklet regarding exercise it says,

It takes three to four weeks for the body to adapt to the Medifast plan and use the fat stores for energy. During this time, too much exercise can cause dehydration as well as decrease your weight loss and harm your muscle tissue. Use the following guidelines to determine your exercise program goals.

• If you haven’t been exercising at all, wait three to four weeks until you have adapted to the Medifast program. Then start your exercise plan very slowly. Begin with gentle walking, 10 to 20 minutes per day, and then gradually increase the amount.
• If you have been exercising, cut your current plan by half during the first three weeks, then gradually build it back up.
• While you are on Medifast, limit intense exercise such as running, biking or swimming to a total of 45 minutes a day. Over exercising will actually slow your weight-loss progress.

Folks, Medifast is not the usual weight loss product and our Take Shape for Life Program is designed to help people lose weight safely and quickly when people follow the protocol. We have the clinicals to back up our program – it is proven to work when you follow the program.

Resistance training is always good for toning, improving bone density and developing muscles. Yes, muscle mass weighs more than flab mass. Yes, sustaining muscle mass utilizes more calories than sustaining flab.

We recommend that you do everything possible to follow the plan as it is designed to help you to reach optimal health. Our weight loss program is not designed for people who intend to deflab while simultaneously training for a marathon or for people who are in training to compete in a lift-off.

P.S. Shakes are the heart of our program. They have the highest amount of soy of all our products. Since soy has natural appetite suppression attributes, it provides an excellent source for heart health with good ability to keep hunger away and to help prevent cravings.

You do not HAVE to have shakes, the full range of the meal replacement products are nutritionally balanced and provide the necessary macronutrients. If you want to, have five packets of puddin' or five packets of chili a day.

[martha]

NANCY---
Thanks again... I did read the booklet plenty of times and know what it says and you must know for me to be this size again I haven't been lifting weights for a couple of years.. but when I read where someone is working out those old thoughts come back again.. I hate the wavy arms and thought what could it hurt but I know that you know whats best.. Thanks for setting my mind back on earth again and out of the clouds Martha


P.S.--Patience has never been one of my better qualities... Yes I know it took years to gain it and it won't just fall off over night BUT -- thanks again--

[Nancy]

Martha ~

If a person hasn't been exercising prior to beginning their weight loss, it is not necessary to begin quite yet - waiting three more weeks to ease into it will prevent their body from being harmed will actually enhance their weight loss success and preserve their health.

Not everyone who posts in the MakeMeThinner Forum is a Health Advisor and not everyone follows the protocols properly. There are some folks who are truly jeopardizing their success and their health because they exercise excessively - that can be just as unhealthy as overeating.

There are people who do not drink the water, who skip meals; who eat less than what their body needs, who eat more than what their body needs. They are woefully unteachable. The Take Shape Programs are proven over a long period of time.

It is a different program than what most people have come to believe is the right thing to do. All I can do is to try to provide the tools and the necessary honest information that people need to be successful and then it is up to the folks to trust the program and to do it.

I really appreciate your willingness to be a student and to be teachable, Little Darlin’ and you just increased your likelihood of graduating and earning a 4.0 in your quest for improved health and reaching an appropriate weight! Yahoo for you!

Then once your reach your ‘senior’ year, your next course will be to enroll in transition and then maintenance ad to stay the course for a life of optimal health! You can do it, Martha!

[martha]

THANKS NANCY-------------------
This is why I truely love ya I am willing to learn and want to do it right this time and with this forum and your encouragement I KNOW I CAN!!!!! Can't wait till I graguate thanks again--Martha

[Nancy]

Oh, Little darlin' GRADUATION DAY is coming for those who follow the guidelines, do the healthy way things every day, who stay the course, go through transition properly and follow Dr. Andersen's BE SLIM philosophy - Thinville waits for those who put in the time and do their homework NOW.

Yippy for you! You truly are teachable, Cutie!

[oregonrose]

Dear Martha and Nancy, Thanks for your openess and honesty. I learn so much from all of you and an constantly inspired. I have gone to the Gym consistently for the past 18 months and stopped when I got serious about the MDF program. It has been long enough now that I am now taking walks in the evenings with my hubby a couple of times a week and a couple of evenings of gentle cardio at the gym. Lots of stretches and some weight work on arms and legs. I feel confident that I am doing what is right for my body. thanks again, I always learn something here. nancy

[Nancy]

You are welcome!

Our goal here is to get people safely into the fat burning state, to reach a healthy weight so that they can exercise without blowing out their joints and without harming themselves and then to gradually increase their activity level. Fitness comes into the equation but we do not do it all the first week of the program. It is VITAL for life-long weight management.

You met me, you saw me - I did virtually NO exercise whatsoever until after I reached my goal weight and then I began to work on toning, improving my heart health and developing my muscle...

[DogMa]

Wow. Didn't mean to start anything. I was working out before I started the program, as I said. So I was following exactly what the book said (I even e-mailed the company before starting to clarify). I've waited the requisite three days, so I should be all clear to get back to my workouts. Cut in half, of course.

And thanks on the shake info. I'm trying to do at least one a day, but so far I'm still trying to find a flavor I can stand. (I'm also not quite so fond of the soy; it can inhibit thyroid function, according to some studies, so having a little less each day doesn't concern me too much.)

Anyway, I didn't mean to stir anything up. I'm 100 percent compliant so far (5 things a day plus a lean/green meal, only 1 bar a day, about 8-10 glasses of water a day in addition to what's added to the packets, everything spaced out about 3 hours) and following the company's instructions on exercise to the letter. (I'm also no bodybuilder or anything. I don't lift much, but whatever I do sure seems to make a difference. And it's nice to be able to carry my cases of bottled water without straining.)

[Nancy]

If you take thyroid medication it is best to take it 1-2 hours before eating soy or 2-3 hours after eating or have a non-soy MF product for breakfast such as the Cappuccino or Chai Latte.