Well, it is the 1st day of October, so I thought I would initiate it so we can all get started on our monthly goals!!!

It is also a very special day for me....2 years SMOKE FREE!!!

I also turn the big "40" this month, and while I had planned to be at a certain weight by then, I will just keep plucking along, know that I will be almost 40 lbs down from last year!!!!

I am going to shoot for 7lbs this month....I am at 176 right now....

Make a goal! It really does seem to help...even if you don't make it. It is like positive accountability to eachother in this journey.

Hang in there, ladies...and good luck to all with our monthly goals!!!

Tami

Tami...
I have been smoke free for a long time, now, so salute you , as it is not easy

I agree, make a goal, try to make it with all you have, and most of the times we do.. I helps to have a motivation like that, it really does.

Have a great day.. Quiet weekend on the forum.

Patzi

Well, I set a nice low goal for the month of October. I guess I've been having a pity party for myself today and am trying to figure out my next steps.

I woke up this morning and at 7:30 it said my weight was back up to 158! What the heck?! About an hour later, it was at 157.2! I ate out last night and when I went to get my F&C blockers from my purse, they weren't there. Not sure when I took them out. All I had was a grilled chicken salad, pretty basic, with just a bit of honey mustard which I am guessing is what did me in.

I was thinking about it and I guess I should be happy I've gotten as far as I did with minimal exercise. When I was walking 3-4 days a week strong in April, I easily lost 10 pounds in one month. I've gotten three walks in this week, so it's a start.

I'm guessing I'm stuck right now because of the lack of exercise. Maybe if I can kick that into gear, things will start moving faster on the scales again.

It's October! That means holidays will be here before we know it- and staying OP will get tough. I have just been prescribed a 12 day course of prednazone for bad shoulder and hip bursitis and I have heard it really screws up weight loss. I'm setting a 7 pound goal and crossing my fingers.

And Jen, it's easier to give advice than take it, but could I suggest you consider weighing less often, to avoid going out of your mind? We have all done this and seen the progress of a week seem to disappear with one milligram of sodium too much. The fact that you got on the scale again an hour later says you may be torturing yourself. Look how far you have come! I tend to get motivation from the scale and when it is not good news, I am more likely to feel unmotivated to continue and go off program. My center urges people not to weigh at home, but of course I do, and sometimes I get obsessed. If this feels at all like you, maybe shoving those scales under the bed wouldn't be a bad idea. Focus on what you can control- your behaviors- and the results WILL come in time.

Jen, my counselor goes nuts when i tell him how much i weigh myself!! he said he'd love to throw my scales away - LOL!!! i just know how fast i gain back when i've lost before so wanted to make that doesn't happen again.
i even took them on vacation w/ me haha!! walking more has really helped me... i do try to just weigh when i get up in the am :-) maybe i could try every 2 days? i really seriously doubt it but could try

Tami - I just want to say GREAT JOB! My husband has been smoke free for several years now and I saw the battle he went through and still fights sometimes when things get stressful.

Jen - I've been down on myself too. I have no one to blame but myself of course. I haven't strayed far off program, but a little here and a little there has added up on the scale. I haven't lost in a month now. It's lack of exercise too. I was all motivated in the beginning and was diligent about exercising. Now with fall set in and winter coming on, I think the bear in me is coming out to hibernate. Well - enough of that! I set a smaller goal for myself this month and by God I am going to make it (if He lets me).

Say what you will about the scale - I can't give it up. Although I do limit myself to once a day. First thing in the morning & if I miss it then I don't get to weigh that day.

I'm starting a new job tomorrow, so I used nervous as my excuse for eating out tonight. Didn't do to bad, but like I said - a little here, a little there. I've got to kick myself in the butt and get back on track starting NOW!

Let's go ladies...Oct can be another new beginning!

Hello,
I'm new here but I have been on the MRC diet for 6 weeks. I am going to set my goal as 7 lbs for this month. So far I have lost 9 lbs and want to keep the ball rolling. Good luck to everyone on their goals!!!!

I'm on preconditioning until Friday and then starting program on Friday. So I'm going to set a goal of eight pounds for October. Is that realistic?

camaswa - Normally, I just weigh myself once in the morning and that's it. I'm probably the opposite of most people in that if I don't, I tend to go off plan. Kinda like shoving my head in the sand. This is just my way of staying accountable to myself. Weighing myself twice on Saturday actually has a story behind it. When I was on bedrest in the hospital before my daughter was born, the nurses would wake me up at 4 AM every morning to do vitals and weight (and sometimes draw blood). As if being pregnant and huge wasn't bad enough, let's remind her how big she is at 4 AM! Anyway, I was on a pretty strick low-sodium diet because of my pre-eclampsia and overnight my weight went up a pound. I told the nurse to let me use the restroom and let's try it again. She said, "Do you really think you can pee away a pound?" Turns out, I did. So, Saturday morning, after moving around a bit and using the bathroom again, I wanted to see if that was still the case and it was. LOL

bigdog - I've thought about weighing myself every other day, but I don't know if I could do that.

coarkkayaker - I got in almost 3 miles of walking on Saturday, so I'm happy about that. I've been getting it in about every other day. Hopefully I can start getting more days in this week. Good luck on the new job!

jen916 -Welcome to the board! Hope to see you posting often and feel free to ask any questions. It's a great place and incredibly supportive!

joanie830 -I think 8 pounds is doable provided you follow the program as written and try to get some light exercise in several times a week . Best of luck!

Hi! I'm new here but I just started the program Oct. 1st. My weight loss goal is 40lbs. so for October I'm hoping to lose 10 lbs. I used to work for MRC, so I have done the program before and lost 20 lbs. I just had my first baby, so after a few months I am ready to get back on program and get my baby weigth (plus more) off!! I hope since I'm starting on the yellow menu that will help kick start my weight loss and I will reach my October goal


**queesy stomach alert**
My only problem is I got really sick on day 2. This never happened to me the entire year I worked at MRC and drank and took the supplements. It's been over a year, though, that I have done program so I'm worried my body is not liking something... Maybe I just ate something bad, but I threw up everything I ate the past day after lunch and got queesy again after supper. So far this morning all is going well! Hope maybe it was a bug and I can continue to do the diet!

Jen...
I weigh in once a day only, same time each morning, 7 days a week. I weigh in before breakfast. If in stall try eating more eggs and fish.. That is what I was told and it works most of the time.



annaedwet, Jen 916 welcome... Best of luck on your challenge

joanie830 Welcome and I hope you meet your goal.. Remember, any loss is a good thing, and a goal is an incentive.

Everyone have a great day.
Patzi

Weighed in at lunch and I maintained at 156. I just told my counselor that I feel bad because I don't want them thinking I leave and go load up on chocolate and ice cream and play dumb when I get to my next weigh in. He was so funny. Let's just definitely say they can see through the...ahem...crap and know who's cheating and who's not. He reassured me that it would be difficult to maintain and cheat at the same time. Not impossible, but difficult. However, and this is why food journals are a good thing, my diet needs some tweaking (after all this time, I guess I just wasn't thinking about some choices) and we'll see what happens. And, tonight is my walking night. Hopefully, Wednesday will show a decrease if I do what he says.

annaedwet -I totally feel for you! I tried starting back up again last year after having my first baby (who turns two on 10/15). Unfortunately, I was going through some pretty bad Post Partem Depression and was on "happy pills." It just didn't work. I started again February 23 of this year and not only did I get ALL the pregnancy weight off, I'm now 14 pounds under that. Woohoo! You can do it too! How old is your little one?

Patzi - That's pretty much how I do it too. Weigh in when I wake up before putting anything in my system. I wish I could do the fish and eggs thing, but I'm not a fan of eggs and I have a fish phobia. I know...I'm a weirdo. LOL

I started MRC back up today. My goal this month is to lose. Just lose. If I only lose 5 lbs that is fine, that means I am going in the right direction.

Jen, I wish I could pee away a pound! Ha!

There is such a fine line with this scale thing, isn't there? I get that head in the sand mentality totally! In fact I rationalized 20 pounds before I faced the scale to see it in black and white. Would have been much better to have acknowledged the truth at 5 or even 10 pounds. So I'm really not against weighing- just against beating ourselves up. You are so committed, and are a big reason I come back to these boards. I bet others will agree.

Rrag: great attitude: just lose, period!