Thanks Denise and Want2livelife for your encouraging words! I will definately check in here everyday. I have read so many good things so far!
oh, about that Sugar Cookie Tea...sounds good, but is it decaf?
Yes, the Sugar Cookie Tea is decaf and its heaven in a cup!!
But its just a holiday tea so its seasonal, so if you like it stock up while they still have it out! Its amazing.. and truly does help with cookie cravings I wish they made it year round. Maybe all of us could write Celestial Seasonings and ask to have it full time...
Great! I'm glad you got it! Order it online Amazon has it. That's where I got both....the 100days of Weight Loss is soooooo good. I actually like it better than Secrets. Mostly because every day you do a little activity. How I make it beneficial, is I record the activity in my food diary on the reverse page for the day. This way its all in one spot. if you don't use a seperate diary and use their food worksheets, try using a cute little notebook for all of it. The best part- it goes completely with our program.
Secrets of FF girl gives you good ideas, but also conflicting ideas in the MRC aspect. But I guess it's different for every reader's interpretation. I love the way she talks to you in the book though. The girl definitely knows how to make you think. Nonetheless, they are both very motivational and uplifting. I'm glad I could help. Stay up, and stay on program. We can do this.
i will look for that book...or order it. in "secrets of a ff", one thing that has helped me these past 2 days at work is....INO..."It's not an Option"...when i am tempted with junk food or not to drink my water...in my mind, i repeat the INO. the author is a good writer and realistic.
One of my pet peeves is when they start discouraging people from exercising "too much". Well, yeah, it CAN be overdone, but that's hardly the norm. And sure, it might slow down your weight loss on the scale, but it will certainly speed up your fat loss and you'll drop inches a lot faster. The scale isn't the only, or even the best, measure of success when you're trying to get smaller and healthier!
Okay, down off my ... again!
Amen, sister! I almost laughed in her face when she said to only do "like 5 pounds" of weights. Puhleeze.
Ladies (and any gents), I'd like your suggestions on what food to bring to a holiday party this weekend. I'm thinking about a bunch of raw veggies (green peppers, cucumbers, what else?) and an assortment of cheese. What else would go well w/ that and still be OP? Someone else is bringing shrimp so I can get my protein there. I'd like to bring enough safe stuff so that I'm not tempted by the other goodies there. Maybe a dessert? Thanks for any help!
Tis the season for those "bring a dish" party! The veggie tray sounds perfect. I would load it up with all kinds of crunchies. This may seem "corny" but it was hit at the party - a friend had made a Christmas tree on a tray with a bed of raw veggies - broccoli for the tree, cherry tomatoes for the lights, thin orange pepper slices for the base surrounding cauliflower pieces. I think I saw something like it in a women's magazine last year. You could make one of the dressings from the recipe thread for a dip.
Hi everyone! I just started MRC on Monday and I am on the pre-conditioning part (day 4). I am starting to get more excited about joining MRC the more
I read the threads here. I have to admit, when I signed my contract all I could think about was "here I go again, wasting money on another diet program I wont finish" but I am starting to realize that MRC has everything that no other diet program has...total support. They will hold me accountable, which something that Nutrisystem, Atkins, WW, and the MANY MANY others have not. I have lost and gained 100's of pounds in my life. I am either totally with a program or totally off and binge eating. I get obsessive either way, but when I cheat---its all over. I think the strict food journal, the constant weigh-ins and the support that their staff seems to be what I need.
I am desperate tho, with over 100 pounds to lose. They say I can lose it in 9 months...I really hope so! What do you think? Is that possible???
I have went through the initial steps to get lap-band surgery done, but that is NOT the route I really want to take. I was just feeling like a failure at everything i have tried so far. MRC is my last chance before I decide to have surgery. My last ditch effort.
So far, during pre-conditioning---no problems other than a withdrawl headache yesterday, but I don't feel very hungry. Just picking one item from A, B, C, and D for each meal and drinking all my water. I am also taking the flax oil, vitamin and MRC6. I actually feel pretty good right now. Looking at next weeks menu choices kind of scare me, but I know eventually I will get more food options and I NEVER want to eat the way I used to!
Because I am new to the board, I haven't had much time to snoop around, but any MRC people who have lost 100 pounds or more, I would love to hear from you!!!
Welcome BonnieMcC! I just barely hit the 100 lb mark. You can definately lose the weight in the time frame they give you if you are 100% on plan. Your body may not lose consistently, but don't get discouraged - you will lose!! I took a lot longer, but I kept sabotaging myself. In hindsight, I'm glad I went through that because I learned a lot of lessons about myself that will help me keep the weight off long term. There are plenty of people on here who lost over 100 lbs and did it without going off plan. What I love about MRC, is the total program. Take as many classes as your center offers - especially the behavior modification classes. Start your exercise slow, but just move every day for at least 30 minutes. Don't try to go crazy on the exercise because you will put yourself in starvation mode. But it's important to develope the healthy exercise habits that will lead to long term success. Go in twice a week - this is crucial to work through all the stumbling blocks, physical as well as emotional. Max out your HNS! It really does curb the appetite and help you stay in fat burning mode. Drink that water!! Try to drink half your body weight in ounces. For example, I started at 261 lbs so I drank 130 ounces per day. This board has been a huge part of my success. I would check in each day and it really helped keep me focused. Just hang in there - you can lose the weight without surgery!!!! This was my last atempt before caving in and taking my Dr. up on the bypass option. I'm so very happy I did it this way - I learned some very healthy habits along the way and it feels so wonderful to tell people I lose 100 lbs through diet & exercise - not surgery. There is a great sense of accomplishment. Again, welcome! We look forward to getting to know you on your journey.
Wow! I see lots of new faces tonight. Not sure if I missed you guys over the holiday last week, but welcome, everyone!
Quote:
Originally Posted by WooPigSooie
You may be right. I lift weights too and my center has warned against that. I don't lift nearly as much as I could, but more than the 5 lbs that they tell me to do I'm really enjoying the C25K right now because it's such a challenge for me, but I do need to vary my workouts. I started C25K b/c I was getting burned out on the elliptical, but maybe I need to start rotating a bit. I'm also going to start a yoga class after the holidays--I've really enjoyed my yoga videos so I think a class might be good for me. I've got to think that the excercise will benefit me in the long run even if it slows my loss a bit. Though I hate slow loss!!!
Yeah...the reward of the scale provides that instant gratification, but given the two, I'd rather be building muscle and losing on the scale slower. As long as you aren't doing so much that your body begins cannibalizing itself (the Tanita should tell you if you are), then it sounds like you are doing everything right to set yourself up to sustain your weight loss. I'd like to be strong and slender, not just slender.
I've been trying to recruit a local C25K partner, but I'm getting a lot of cold shoulders. Guess I'll have to go it solo...I bought a new pair of running shoes a week or so ago and left them in the present closet at my parents' house when I was home last week...hoping my mother remembers who wears the 10s in the fam.
Do you have any favorite yoga videos? I think I might get tired of the only one I've got before my yoga class resumes in January.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WooPigSooie
Ladies (and any gents), I'd like your suggestions on what food to bring to a holiday party this weekend. I'm thinking about a bunch of raw veggies (green peppers, cucumbers, what else?) and an assortment of cheese. What else would go well w/ that and still be OP? Someone else is bringing shrimp so I can get my protein there. I'd like to bring enough safe stuff so that I'm not tempted by the other goodies there. Maybe a dessert? Thanks for any help!
I'd be lost without a good source of protein. Maybe you could take some good Boar's Head sandwich meat and/or some high quality cheese? You could also take an MRC hot cocoa--Diet Direct has one that is mint favored, I think.
Yes, the Sugar Cookie Tea is decaf and its heaven in a cup!!
But its just a holiday tea so its seasonal, so if you like it stock up while they still have it out! Its amazing.. and truly does help with cookie cravings I wish they made it year round. Maybe all of us could write Celestial Seasonings and ask to have it full time...
Speaking of tea - I've already posted that I use hot water to make the cranberry green tea HNS (I add a little splenda).
Tonight I realized I hadn't had my last HNS for the day yet. And I wanted some hot tea. Didn't much want the cranberry green tea - so I checked my HNS stash. Peach Mango concentrate - . Made it with hot water & a little extra splenda. Excellent!
Also good - the orange HNS mixed either with some cinnamon, nutmeg, etc OR with a decaf/herbal spicy tea bag. A bit like that old recipe for spiced tea made with instant tea, Tang, and spices.
Amen, sister! I almost laughed in her face when she said to only do "like 5 pounds" of weights. Puhleeze.
I don't use a lot more than that here at home - I start with 3, 5 & 8 lb dumbbells & then add 10 lb when the 8 gets too easy for some of the exercises, but I do a routine that's specifically for women and specifically for the lower weights (you increase the weight of course once it gets too easy on the 3rd rep with the higher weight). And only for upper body - 5 lbs would be worthless for lower body, at least for me!
But to say "5 lbs max" is just, well, silly. (I'm trying to be nice...)
Ladies (and any gents), I'd like your suggestions on what food to bring to a holiday party this weekend. I'm thinking about a bunch of raw veggies (green peppers, cucumbers, what else?) and an assortment of cheese. What else would go well w/ that and still be OP? Someone else is bringing shrimp so I can get my protein there. I'd like to bring enough safe stuff so that I'm not tempted by the other goodies there. Maybe a dessert? Thanks for any help!
I'm not really a moron...just sleep deprived. You probably won't get too excited about sandwich meat if there is shrimp. Of that specific veggie combo, you left out tomatoes--my favorite! Would the MRC cheesecake be an appropriate dessert? Or the apple crisps found on the recipe thread?
Ladies (and any gents), I'd like your suggestions on what food to bring to a holiday party this weekend. I'm thinking about a bunch of raw veggies (green peppers, cucumbers, what else?) and an assortment of cheese. What else would go well w/ that and still be OP? Someone else is bringing shrimp so I can get my protein there. I'd like to bring enough safe stuff so that I'm not tempted by the other goodies there. Maybe a dessert? Thanks for any help!
The veggies are a good idea, or a nice big salad. There's a recipe for a dip floating around made with cottage cheese and ranch dressing, put in the blender I think, that would be good with the veggies.
Or this recipe that ilovekotilab posted a couple of days ago on the recipe thread, looks yummy (and I bet it would make a good hot dish too):
Spinach Artichoke Dip
3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
12 oz frozen spinach (thawed and water squeezed out)
1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix (powder form)
1 cup grated low-fat parmesan cheese
1 small can of water chestnuts
1 jar of artichoke hearts
1 tsp minced garlic clove (optional)
1 tbsp water
Directions
In blender, blend the cottage cheese, garlic, ranch mix and water till very smooth consistency. May add more water if needed.
Pour into mixing bowl and add thawed spinach.
Dice the water chestnuts and cut the artichoke hearts to preferred pieces.
Add the parmesan cheese, water chestnuts, and artichoke hearts.
Serve with melba toast or fresh cut veggies.
Makes 4-6 servings - remember if eating with melba toast rounds only for dinner and stay within 40-50 calories.
I'm so very happy I did it this way - I learned some very healthy habits along the way and it feels so wonderful to tell people I lose 100 lbs through diet & exercise - not surgery. There is a great sense of accomplishment. Again, welcome! We look forward to getting to know you on your journey.
For all you newbies, listen to Gina, she knows what she's talking about - check out her before & after pics on her profile (click on her picture to see them)!
I wish they made it year round. Maybe all of us could write Celestial Seasonings and ask to have it full time...
... again!
I'm really enjoying the C25K right now because it's such a challenge for me, but I do need to vary my workouts. I started C25K b/c I was getting burned out on the elliptical, but maybe I need to start rotating a bit. I'm also going to start a yoga class after the holidays--I've really enjoyed my yoga videos so I think a class might be good for me. I've got to think that the excercise will benefit me in the long run even if it slows my loss a bit. Though I hate slow loss!!! 
. Made it with hot water & a little extra splenda. Excellent! 
