The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Petunia]

In May 2006 I started Medifast almost on a whim and lost ~110 pounds. I was still shy of my goal by ~20 pounds late this winter...and then I hit the skids in March due to a series of personal & work catastrophes and have regained ~35-40 lbs.

I am feeling a little defeated and certainly self destructive, so I thought I'd better get back on the wagon again. Trouble is that I am having more trouble staying compliant then I ever did the first time. I am not sure of the psychology of this, and maybe it doesn't matter, but to be honest during the several months of compliance I never lost the hunger and never lost the cravings...I just maintained on the diet by sheer will power. To make matters worse, I am one of those slippery slopes folks. I can't cheat a little...I cheat big, so for me it's the either the Medifast way or the highway.

Although I am not much of a writer, I thought maybe putting it out here in cyberspace with you all might give me the encouragement and focus I need to get on track again. I certainly feel less lonely after reading about everyone's successes and struggles.

[katieb920]

Welcome back Petunia,

We are all here for you.

1 shake at a time. You did it once before you can do it again I'm cheering for you my friend

Katie

[hulagirlfromhawaii]

Welcome to the forum!

Just to let you know, you are not alone in all of this. There are many of us who have had great success and have backslided, and are on the MF journey for the second or maybe third time.

As for my own experience, the second time around is much, much harder than it was the first time. I am like you... it's all or nothing. So staying compliant has been much more difficult for me. There are some who have tried a second time, come back to the forum and then they disappear. But then there are those like Lauren, Serendipity and Lizabette who accomplished their goals and properly went through the maintanancie program , and have kept the weight off. These are the ladies that inspire us to continue because the plan works if we work the plan like it was intended.

Good luck to you! We're here for you!

[Mike]

Welcome. We totally understand the restart being harder. Its our experience also.

You can do it, we know you can.

[bikipatra]

Welcome!

[Tawanda]

Welcome!

[aquarianskye]

Welcome to the board. With support it is easier. Come back here and make some friends to help you through it!

[Petunia]

Thank you for the welcome. Although family, friends, neighbors and coworkers knew I was on a diet last year (and were mostly supportive), it has never been something that I was keen to discuss. Some of the negatives included insistence that I needed to join Weight Watcher's instead and the constant queries about how much weight had I lost and how much more was I planning to lose (which embarrassed me since I had sooooooo much weight to lose to begin with). I just kept my head down and plugged away.

This time is different and so much harder with compliance, and I think the welcome and support here may be what I need to be successful. I have read back through some of Serendipity's, Lizbeth's and others posts to help inspire me to stay on track. Thank you all for your responses & support.

[katesmom]

Welcome !
I too, was on Medifast last summer and stopped due to major stress in my life...I have started again and it is much harder the second time around...But ya know what? It's worth it ! YOUR"E WORTH IT ! We all are...that's what is so great about being here...All support and no one is judgemental...

Good Luck and don't let the food monster win !!!

[Yworry]

I am also in the boat of starting and stopping and coming back. I started Jan 05 and lost 70lbs. I just stopped doing it for whatever excuse I gave myself, you know there is always one of them. I have tried and tried to get back on program since (God bless my HA for her patience lol) but have always found a reason to stop, so in so is having a party, we are suppose to go out this weekend, whatever holiday is coming up. Finally I said enough is enough. I am committed to losing the weight this time and if I screw up one day then I will just get back on the next day or the next shake. I just turned 34 I have two wonderful boys ages 5 and 9 months. My five year old is Always Always Always ready to go and play and I am sick and tired of sitting on the sidelines while he plays either by himself or with other family members who are in shape and can keep up. I am also tired of giving him excuse after excuse why we can't go to Disney or ride the rides at Sea World when we go. And I figure if I can't stay on this for me do it for them.

Whatever it is that motivates you find it and embrace it. If you need friends get them active, and vice-versa if they aggravated you just don't let them know until they notice. I know growing up, while I know my mom was trying to be an encouragement, it always seemed to have the opposite effect. I can tell you I have been on WW since I was about 15, and always I would hear are you suppose to eat that and sure enough I would eat that and normally the rest of whatever it was. So again just try and find that one thing that will keep you motivated and JUST DO IT

[dede4wd]

Anyone who just met me this year would consider me a professional restarter. I just keep making ridiculous excuses or do good for a while, decide the whole day was blown, the whole week was blown, etc.

Is it harder to restart than start fresh? YES! I don't understand the psychology either because WE KNOW IT WORKS, it works good and it works fast! I'm finishing this time...I want to be in the group of maintainers, that is my main priority right now!

Lean on these boards, many of us are re-starters, we know what you are going through. We know the excuses because we've used them.

Let's DO THIS!

D

[dede4wd]

Btw,

Since you lost a ton of weight with sheer willpower (having the hungries and the cravings), we KNOW what you are made of, and what you can do if you put your mind to it! So, let's put our minds to finishing this and PUSH through it!

[Petunia]

Well, so far, so good. I appreciate the support. Honestly, it helps to know others experienced the increased difficulty of starting again. It makes me feel more normal.

It is day 4 now(which honestly never feels much different from days 1-3), but I feel like things are looking much more optimistic for me getting back into the groove of things.

I was the master of excuses...

... but I feel like I am in the company of winners now, and I have lots of good examples to inspire me. What a blessing!! Thanks folks.

[bikipatra]

Glad you're feeling optimistic!~ I feel blessed to have this board as support as well. I have never thrown anything out there-and believe me, I've posted some strange stuff-that this crew wasn't able to handle in some capacity.

[2BHealthy]

Pentunia,

I too understand what you are going through. I lost about 45lbs beginning february of last year and have pretty much just maintained for the last 7 months. restarting over and over! I committed again about a week ago and finally feel I'm back on track. It is much harder to get back on, i'm not sure why that is. anyway, still have a long way to go and even though I don't post a whole lot I'm here reading the forum. It's nice to know there is so much support out there.