Hey Niecey! I may be that person on SparkPeople! I definitely will be back (in fact I'm going to be posting this information here.

I'm in both the HMR and Simple Diet Teams.

Ok for the "news", Turns out I've been spouting false information. Turns out the book DOES acknowledge the HMR connection!

On (logically) the Acknowledgements page at the beginning of the book.

I almost NEVER read the acknowledgement page, and wouldn't have today if it hadn't "jumped off the page" for me this morning.

Hi Niecy-

I may have to discontinue HMR because briefly because of the government shut down, I am a federal employee.

I haven't read the simple diet yet, downloaded the kindle app this week but didn't want to buy it because of the shut down.. but are smoothies nutritionally sound? IE do they have as much protein as necessary?

I am just like you... I have NO problem eating Meal Replacements at all. I do not understand when people get on my case about it. As long as it is nutritionally sound what is the difference? Not to mention that you lose weight so fast it is only a short period.

But I actually think for the rest of my life I will use meal replacements in part. I just like them.

I actually don't care much for the term "meal replacement," because that almost makes it sound like it's not a "real" meal.

I think that's even why people often hassle us for using them. Somehow a danish or coffee cake is a "real" breakfast (even though it may contain no protein and be higher in calories, fat, and sugar than a piece of birthday cake), but somehow a protein shake isn't?

I know drinking calories is generally not recommended for satiety, but that really only applies to high carb,.nutritionally empty beverages like juices and sodas. Beverages containing protein (even milk) are much more filling than other forms of "liquid" calories.

I laughed when I heard that Dr. Kovorkian had gone on a "hunger strike" in prison, but was accepting milk, juice and other beverages. A person can live on milk and juice and maintain a healthy body weight for YEARS (and of course the doctor would have known that).

There I go, rambling again.

Great point. Keep rambling cause that is good sense.

Now I can't imagine how I ever thought a muffin was a nutritionally sound breakfast. Or most cereals.

kaplods - yippee!!! Glad you're back!

AnnRue - I actually use the shakes. I did do smoothies at one time and I thought they were just fine. I would add a protein powder which was 26 g of protein per scoop. (So I'd say it's just as good as a shake.) And I would also add fruit and spinach in them. Couldn't taste the spinach, thank goodness.

I started the Simple Diet today. So far, I got to say, it's been a no brainer. I still have two shakes, fruit/veggies and an entree to get down before the day is over. Where O where has this been all my life! lol

Today was kind of crazy. I'm in a BAD PMS and Fibro flare - Achey, Angry, Bloated, and maybe just a tad Irrational. I ended up eating off plan for no good reason except to carb-medicate my agitated emotions.

Hubby tries to be supportive, but sometimes that tees me off worse (heck the way he breathes ticks me off).

I know the mood swings are all "me" (or at least my biochemistry), buut emotionally it still feels like it's his fault.

I also have to employ the "white knuckle" willpower, because all I want to do is eat the sedating and pain-relieving carbs. If I didn't find the carbs so effective as a pain reliever, mood elevator, and anxiety dampener (in the short term) they wouldn't be so darn tempting.


Anyway, just needed to rant and rave a bit (to someone who won't be tempted to throw chocolate at me in self-defense).

I find PMS can compel me to eat. I actually take natural progesterone to take the edge off the PMS and generally make the Period time better. I am conservative but I really recommend it.

I have to give HMR props. I told them about being furloughed and they will let me go ahead with the program only paying $25 and just the minimum for food. I am willing to go along with that because the food never goes bad. But next week if it doesn't resolve I will have to stop. I just cannot justify paying for it.

Just wanted to jump in and say hi! I found this site by looking for folks who are doing HMR. I am on day 45 of HMR and have lost 34lbs so far. Still have a long way to go but am enjoying the ease of not thinking so hard. Over-thinking was often my downfall in dieting.

I'm about to start HMR as well. I don't know how sustainable it is (I'm a poor student) but I think if I even lose fifty pounds, I can move on to something else and be motivated by that initial bit of progress...I hope anyway.

Healthy Academic, your scree name intrigues me. Are you in academia?

I've been on HMR healthy solutions since November and I love it. I have PCOS and I am actually losing weight - almost 35 pounds.

Hi I am new and I have been on HmR since 8/12/13 and have lost 52.5 pounds so far. I am on the Healthy Solutions plan. There is no way I could have done Decision Free. I have tried all the popular plans, you name it, I tried it.I think this is the best plan I have ever tried. I started at 255 lbs and I am 5'6". I am 59 yrs old so And if it works for me it should work for you all. I made it through the holidays and even lost 7 lbs in December. I had some regular food on the holidays but limited to smart choices no junk. Didn't stop my weight loss.

@Dagny Are you still in phase one or have you transitioned to phase two? I am going to stay in phase one until I get to the fifty pound mark or so.

Hi Lumpy, I am in phase two, but I try to stay in the box most of the time.

I am!

I am still on decision-free and am now two days into my 17th week. Down 64lbs. Sometimes I get some serious cravings for outside foods (I wanted to steal a french fry off a plate earlier and then realized I only wanted it because I hadn't had lunch - ate some BBQ chicken with red beans and rice and I am satiated and good now).

I am now out of the Core 12 weeks and in the general phase one classes where we are learning a lot more about ourselves and our eating patterns. I don't think I have ever really confronted a lot my food issues before.