I might give that a try, i did WW before also and lost 32 lbs, on MRC i never reached my goal weight but my body pretty much said enough so I just went into stablization, i'm 57 yrs old and i very active in the summer, they have me on 1300 calories a day i always seem to go over. What calories a day does everyone have?
Skelley - I feel you pain........I am in the same place as you - so, so, so sick of eating the same foods. I did another diet plan back in 2007 that was very similar to MRC (Slim4Life - I think it is called Slimgenics now). Same thing, lost the weight - got sick of eating the same foods and gained most of it back. I have not been back to the center in a while and I am up 7 pounds from my lowest weight. I am trying to find my motivation to get rid of the 7 pounds before it turns into 14! I struggled through the weight loss period so I know it's not going to be easy. Anyway, hope you get some good advice from your counselor on your next visit.
faerychic: Yes that's what i'm afraid of if i don't get control that my 6lbs will turn to 12 lbs, its at night and weekends that i'm at my worst, during the day i do so well!!!
I went through a week or so of eating sweets, ice cream cake at work and an apple pie that a friend brought over for my husband. I just had little pieces but a little piece every day adds up. I put on 3 lbs but I'm still 5 lbs under my goal. Lots of salads and fish for me this week.
skelley331, I'm not sure if your center is helping you much...? You're in maintenance now - you can eat whatever you want! No need to be sick of eating the same old foods. Just keep it in your calorie range. (And to answer your question, they started me at 1200 calories, then increased it to 1300, then 1500). I mean obviously your calories will go further with leaner and healthier choices, but it's still up to you. My center just advises to keep it about 80% lean. Or one counselor advises following a "dirty" day by at least two "clean" days.
My advice earlier was about how to lose weight on maintenance - going down to 1200 calories and using the green menu for your main meals so you could also enjoy snacks and treats midday and at night. No need to live that way if not trying to lose. I've started slowly but have added a wide variety of foods to my diet already. What kinds of things did you eat before? I have a cookbook I cooked from frequently before joining MRC. All of the recipes have the nutrition facts. I've started cooking from it again and just watch the portions so I can keep in my calorie range.
skelley331, I'm not sure if your center is helping you much...? You're in maintenance now - you can eat whatever you want! No need to be sick of eating the same old foods. Just keep it in your calorie range. (And to answer your question, they started me at 1200 calories, then increased it to 1300, then 1500). I mean obviously your calories will go further with leaner and healthier choices, but it's still up to you. My center just advises to keep it about 80% lean. Or one counselor advises following a "dirty" day by at least two "clean" days.
My advice earlier was about how to lose weight on maintenance - going down to 1200 calories and using the green menu for your main meals so you could also enjoy snacks and treats midday and at night. No need to live that way if not trying to lose. I've started slowly but have added a wide variety of foods to my diet already. What kinds of things did you eat before? I have a cookbook I cooked from frequently before joining MRC. All of the recipes have the nutrition facts. I've started cooking from it again and just watch the portions so I can keep in my calorie range.
going4fit: They still have me fill out a food journal and my center gave me a maintenance menu to choose from. I've been pretty much eating 80% lean during the day and week, it's the nights and weekends where i seem to have the problem, it seems at night i'm so hungry: Here is a example of what I eat:
Breakfast: 1c plain cheerios, 1/2c skim milk, 1/2 banana, and for protein i usually eat one egg or will have a protein shake
Lunch: Salad, cottage cheese, strawberries
Dinner: grilled tilapia, 1c steamed vegetable, melba toast
This is what i'm suppose to go by:
The snack is suppose to be 100 calorie or less (then they gave me a list of foods to choose from)
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
DAY PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN
FRUIT FRUIT VEGETABLE
DAIRY VEGETABLE
STARCH STARCH STARCH
SNACK SNACK SNACK
If i'm on maintenance why do i have to still show them my food journal? I feel guilty if i put on there that i ate at the olive garden?
Last edited by skelley331; 03-20-2013 at 04:51 PM.
I've been on maintenance since October. Gained 5 lbs Jan/Feb but got them off at last weeks weigh-in. My center told me that if I wanted to bring in food journal they would look at it but I haven't done that since my first month on maintenance.
If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you
I've been on maintenance since October. Gained 5 lbs Jan/Feb but got them off at last weeks weigh-in. My center told me that if I wanted to bring in food journal they would look at it but I haven't done that since my first month on maintenance.
If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you
Loveofishandrun: thanks for posting, i was wondering why i still had to bring in my food journal when i was on maintenance, i go tomorrow to weigh in so i think i'll leave my food journal at home and see what my counselor says. I'm only 1.5 lbs above my goal and i know tomorrow i should be back at my goal weight, when i go weigh in at the center i'm always up by 1-1.5 lbs from my scales at home, i go by my home scales anyway. thanks again
For what it is worth..I think the food journal is a good idea regardless of what stage we are in. It really helps me stay accountable, and also helps me to identify why a gain may have happened. No embarrassment about what or where I eat...just a way to daily face the truth about what I am putting in my mouth. This simple effort could help to identify patterns (healthy and unhealthy), etc...and I believe will be important in maintaining my weight for the long haul. I guess I don't see it as doing it for MRC anymore...and have no problem sharing it with my counselor. In fact, she gets some darn good meal ideas from me sometimes!! LOL
For what it is worth..I think the food journal is a good idea regardless of what stage we are in. It really helps me stay accountable, and also helps me to identify why a gain may have happened. No embarrassment about what or where I eat...just a way to daily face the truth about what I am putting in my mouth. This simple effort could help to identify patterns (healthy and unhealthy), etc...and I believe will be important in maintaining my weight for the long haul. I guess I don't see it as doing it for MRC anymore...and have no problem sharing it with my counselor. In fact, she gets some darn good meal ideas from me sometimes!! LOL
did you get a MRC Maintenance Menu - Smart Selections when you started maintenance?
did you get a MRC Maintenance Menu - Smart Selections when you started maintenance?
No specific menu...just handouts of different calorie goals and how many servings per day of various foods...along with some calories of foods. Heck, I was hung out to dry is how I felt...went straight from complete structure to freedom to choose whatever and it made my personal transition feel pretty unorganized.
No specific menu...just handouts of different calorie goals and how many servings per day of various foods...along with some calories of foods. Heck, I was hung out to dry is how I felt...went straight from complete structure to freedom to choose whatever and it made my personal transition feel pretty unorganized.
That was me too, although I didn't get any handouts. I haven't actually been in to my center in over 2 months. I'm still 6-8 lbs under my goal so I don't feel like I need to and they haven't contacted me. I did learn a lot and I know what u can eat and how much.
No specific menu...just handouts of different calorie goals and how many servings per day of various foods...along with some calories of foods. Heck, I was hung out to dry is how I felt...went straight from complete structure to freedom to choose whatever and it made my personal transition feel pretty unorganized.
I felt the same.............hung out to dry! When I started maintenance I actually would bring my food journal in and the counselors would not look at them. I was given 2 maintenance food lists, one for 1200 calories and one for 1500 and told to eat some where in between them.
Okay so i go in to my center today and weigh in, and guess what? I'm maintaining yeah!!! I really do like my counselor she really understands me. I think i'm finally getting it in my head that i'm not there to weigh in to lose but to maintain, it has taken me awhile to get out of that mode. I do feel great and now i'm motivated. She told me that i didn't have to bring in my food journal, she said that i was doing great. Finally i feel like i'm actually free!!! I am going to continue to go to my center to weigh in but i only go every two weeks. Thank you to everyone for all your support and now i officially feel like a maintainer!!!
And oh i forgot that my counselor did tell me i was free to eat whatever i wanted within my 1300 calorie range but they do suggest eating 80% clean and to just be smart about my choices. YAHOO!!! I never want to go back to where i was, i eat really good thru the week and most of the part on weekends, but now at least i don't have to feel guilty if i want a small bowl of carb smart ice cream!!
I never want to go back to where i was, i eat really good thru the week and most of the part on weekends, but now at least i don't have to feel guilty if i want a small bowl of carb smart ice cream!!
