The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Shana]

Okay ladies and gents, I know this is probably going to sound whiney, but... I don't care - I have to get it out.

I'm down a total of 12.2lbs, but that's over the course of my first 24 days when most people are down lots more, so, I'm frustrated, I think my fat burner is broken, and I don't want to be the darn tortoise!!!

I have followed the Medifast Plan to a T.
I haven't used DaVinci Syrup since I finished the banana shakes more than a week ago (I had to make them edible)
All of my drinks are water & ice only.
All of my soups are water & a 1/4tsp of boullion only.
All of my oatmeals are water & a pinch of salt only.
I rarely eat my entire allotment of pickles.
I drink a gallon of water a day (on average).
I only have one bar a WEEK!!
I weigh & measure my L&G obsessively (My cats get any excess Lean, so they think Medifast is the cats meow! )

And still, my losses have gone like this:
Week 1: 6.8 - woohoo!
Week 2: 1.4 - what the heck??
Week 3: 3.4 - yay! Back on track! Week 2 must have been a fluke!
Present: 1.8 - what the heck!!! Bleeeeeeeeep( that would be me editing the naughty words flying around in my head)

I get that the scale will (hopefully) go down again by Thursday, and I KNOW I shouldn't compare myself to anyone else, but it's so frustrating when I haven't cheated at ALL (unless you count the extra pickle I had 2 wednesdays ago) and I'm only down 12.2lbs when there are other people who've had all sorts of yummy off plan things & are down more than I am in the same amount of time.

It makes me want to go make stops at BurgerKing & McDonalds & TacoBell & Arbys, and pick up Doritos and Sunchips and a bag each of M&M's & Reeses Pieces to mix together.... UGH I'm not actually going to go ahead & eat any of those things, but I'm frustrated to the point that it almost sounds like a good idea. lol

[lifelovinaries]

Girl, I feel your pain...I have been on MF for 3 weeks and haven't made it to the 10lb club yet. When you want to think of all the fast food and junk, learn from the mistakes of others - namely ME! (Check out the WEIGHT ROOM under STRUGGLING...) that's me. My problem has been cheats. 12.2 lbs is still a great weight loss. You're right, we can't compare ourselves to others. Just think, you could still be at your starting weight. Why don't you try having a bar a day, maybe you need the extra calories to shake up the weight loss. Have you incorporated any exercise yet? You have consistently lost weight, week after week so everything is working fine. No plateaus, no gains, you're doing great!! Keep up the good work.

[Ct. Yankee]

I don't know if this would help to get the loss moving, but, have you tried to completely eliminate the salt, boullion and the pickles to see how that may go? Just a suggestion. Shana, you sure are doing everything by the book, maybe you just have to tweak it a little. I hope this might work for you.

Joan

[BoPeep1]

I got this theory from reading about Atkins when I was looking at what diet to go on.

We all have a certain formula that our body wants to lose weight, it's just a matter of finding your specific formula. For me it was adding a bar, it worked like a charm!

[mmob]

Don't give up - everyone is different - you just can't compare yourself to everyone else~ I am a slow loser - but a loser and that's the important part.

I also saw everyone losing tons and was a tad disheartened. I only lost between 10 and 12lbs my first month - But then I though - that's still NOT BAD!!!

I've been on this since late January - and I've only lost 30 lbs - however I am also THRILLED to be rid of those 30lbs. For me - it's just going to have to be OK to go slow and steady - at least it's still losing!!

I know there are a few others here that were slow losers too - just hang in there - it will eventually all come off - I had to re-adjust my expectations - but that's ok, I am rid of 30 lbs that I kept thinking I would never be rid of!!!

HUGS!

Maria OB.

[Ginabobina1969]

Hey girl, don't get down. There are so many variables...Are you excercising at all? And, if so maybe just back off it for now...just till your body completely adjust too the lower calories.

Maybe you overmeasuring and not getting "enough" of what your supposed too with the lean and green..I am a "loose" meausurer. I don't go crazy or anything but I do err on the side of a little extra instead of not enough. Are you measuring your LEAN meat After cooking? Maybe your not getting enough?

I don't use bouillion at all anymore. I also add splenda and a kazillion sprinkles of cinnamon, to my oatmeals but no salt.(the salty stuff does baddd stuff to me weightloss) With my chicken soups I use Mrs Dash, and tons of garlic pepper(it has a sodium level in it so I do not add any extra salt) I drink about 130 oz of water a day on avg. sometimes more sometimes less. I eat pickles too..usually a small dill or some hamburger dill chips, not every day but most days. The only other snacks I have is sometimes a stick of celery and the mf crackers almost everyday. I am out of bars and I have noticed the scale moveing a littttle faster.

Ok, too much info I know I guess I am digging through my own plan to see if there is anything in there that would benefit you.. You are doing great and I can totally understand why you would get frustrated..I do too when I start comparing my rate of loss(generally) to others in the same amount of time. But, if the scale is moving down...no matter how slowly..isn't that way better then it going up?

Hang in there woman!
Hugs,
Gina

[mellowmom]

Hi Shana,

It's interesting that you mentioned that you're only adding a little boullion and only eating some of the pickles to the plan. I recently started keeping track of all the nutrients I've been taking since starting on Medifast, including sodium.

As I understand it, the recommended sodium per day is only around 1500 mg. You can go as high as 2400 and still be within the normal range. Since I started keeping track of my sodium, I've been able to compare the stalls and plateaus with the days/week that my sodium was over "the norm". I was shocked that during one day I actually had 5000 mg of sodium. (Which incidentally, is what the average American consumes!).

My calories and carbs were all in line...but I find that sodium has been a real problem for me. On the days that I go over 2000 mg I know that the following day I'll show no weight loss, and usually gain some. And the effect lasts for more than just a day.

So maybe you might try some less salty snacks or avoid salty L& G meals. (I love Salmon...but I have to monitor the sodium intake for the day, if I want to have it for a meal.) <img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_8_6.gif' border=0>


Just a suggestion. Hope it works. Hang in there. We're all pulling for you and know you'll succeed.

[MusicalMomma]

Hi Shana I'm sorry you're feeling frustrated. I'm with the two who suggested adding a bar each day...maybe try that all this week and see what the scale says. You're still losing at .5 pounds per day! You can't get those results on conventional diets. I know it's hard when you have an idea of losing 'such n such' amount and it isn't going that way.

I'm sure you won't give in to the call of Burger King or Sun Chips, but if you do get tempted for that stuff, I want you to know, you will be MUCH MORE miserable than you feel now. That same "voice" that calls us to cheat, is the same "voice" that beats us over the head after we've cheated and it's the same voice that condems us on weigh in day. So try shaking up the routine a little. You're doing great! Here's hoping for a HUGE loss next roll call!

[krissss]

I hear ya!!!!!!!!

Well I started 4 days after you and I am down 13.5.

week 1- 8.5lbs
week 2- 1.5....(but it all happened at the begining for the week)
week 3- 3.5....(but it all happened at the end of the week)
I had like 10 days of nothing .I was like gezzzzzzzzz.....why me.

I am going to start incorporating exercise now.

I too have had no cheating ...no snacks...tons of water.

I am going to weigh in tomorrow morning for my final 3 week weigh in ...then I will FOR SURE HAVE MY HUSBAND HIDE MY SCALE FOR A WEEK.I just hate the ups and downs and stalls of it....Drives me nuts .

Just hang in there.....Just think about 3 months from now....when we are down ALOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kriss

[just_julie]

From what I understand weeks 3 and 4 are slow for a LOT of people. They were for me. I'd keep doing what you're doing and keep track of it. I bet you pick up speed in the next couple of weeks without making changes. Hang in there!

[DogMa]

I'm an EXTREMELY slow loser; someone at one point said it seems more common among us diminutive types (I'm 5-foot-2, withOUT that extra quarter-inch, thankyouverymuch).

I almost never eat pickles or any snacks other than the crackers (I have a pack probably five days out of the week; I've tried less and it doesn't make a difference). I don't add much salt to my lean and green, so that's not it. I've tried having a bar every day or NOT having one every day; no difference. I recently cut out DaVinci syrups, which seemed to speed things up for a while, but it's slowed down again after just a week, so the jury's still out on that one. One thing that ALWAYS slows me down is exercise, so I've stopped until I'm closer to goal (but that might have caused my most recent slowdown; I'm not working out, per se, but I'm more active because I'm in the process of moving).

Hang in there! Slow isn't all that bad; it gives you time to get used to the lessons we're supposed to be learning on Medifast, and it decreases the chance of having saggy extra skin. It's hard when you see others losing so quickly, but try not to compare. I usually don't even LOOK at the roll call every week; it's just too hard for me.

I still think a "turtle club" area of the forum for the slow losers might be nice.

[Shana]

Well, at 730pm EST I made a decision to go off plan for the evening.

I went to the grocery store & bought a small bag of doritos, an almond poppy seed muffin and a pint of skim milk (I know, I'm a freak, I "cheat" with milk lol). I also picked up a taco salad from Taco Bell.

I got everything home, ate the salad & doritos - neither tasted great, and when I had my muffin for dessert, it was disappointly dry. I've been sick twice since I ate off plan, and it feels like there is broken glass in my tummy - instant IBS flare up!

This may sound crazy, but I'm glad I did it. I'm not likely to forget how I feel right now, and it was a thought out, planned "cheat" rather than an out of control binge.

I am honestly THRILLED every time someone a loss, makes it into a new club, fits into a smaller size jeans or says that someone almost didn't recognize them. I'm a tad envious, but so happy for each individual enjoying success - however they define it... I just wish it would happen faster for me. Don't get me wrong, I am really happy with the 12.2lbs I've lost so far, and I know they'd still be there if I hadn't started and I also know I lost them fast than I would have with pretty much any other program. But, I keep hearing (from others) the saying 'you didn't put the weight on overnight!", only I DID put 30lbs on in under 30days (woohoo quitting smoking!), so part of me wants it to come off just as quickly lol.

I appreciate the suggestions and will keep them in mind if things don't pick up. I'm not really fond of the bars, so adding a daily bar would kind of be a last resort I will think about removing the pickles, but I track every little thing that goes into my mouth & the time down to the quarter pickle (yeah, I know how special I am), and I don't think I"m exceeding the sodium allotment, plus I drink so much water it probably balances out, but again - definately something to think about!

I haven't started exercising again yet - I'm looking forward to incorporating a trip to the dog park into my daily schedule (my new neighbor has a GREAT dog & he's letting me borrow the cutie) - hopefully that won't slow me down, because I'm really really looking forward to it.

Um... Robin, I hate to say it, but I don't particularly WANT to have time to learn the lessons we're supposed to learn right now (kidding, sort of), I think the idea of a Turtle of Tortoise section is terrific, and can I borrow someones husband to hide my scale for me please?

I want to thank you ALL for your thoughts and ideas and support today - I promise I'll be back on track tomorrow, shaking my way to thinness on day at a time

[DogMa]

Shana, I know what you mean, but I think learning the lessons (eating six small meals a day, etc.) is key to maintaining the weight loss. I've lost and gained the weight before, and it's not something I want to do again. We all know the long-term success rate of all weight-loss programs, and unfortunately Medifast is no different.

And don't get me wrong. I'm happy for those who are losing quickly and easily. But I've been here for nearly 11 months now, and reading posts every week about all the people losing 5 or more pounds a week - when I've NEVER seen that kind of success - can get discouraging, especially in roll call when it's just one after another. I'm happy for everyone, but reading through those makes it a lot harder for me not to compare my loss (on the weeks I even HAVE one) to others'.

[Shana]

Robin, I absolutely agree that Medifast offers some great lessons that need to be learned in order to maintain weight loss. I've maintained my weight, but I've never been THIN, and I'm impatient to maintain a size 6 rather than a 16.

[Jan]

Hmmmm Shana,
I know it can be very very frustrating. I too am a slooooow loser -- but I did manage to part with almost 50 pounds -- Whooo Hooo. I finally hid my scale because I wanted to throw it right through the window !!! My hubby would not have appreciated that tooooo much at all.
The truth of the matter is we all lose at our very own rate. It can be the pits but that's the way it is. Weight loss is also not linear so we never know how much we are going to lose that week. Some weeks I lost nothing -- that's when the scale left!! Just concentrate on the fact that you now weigh less than you did and at least the scale is moving in the right direction -- you know it could be going the other way. It's not easy but you'll make it.
jan