Hi all I am officially on the program and am on day 9. I have now lost a total of 6.5 lbs. I am so excited. Although the raw veggies can be bit difficult to choke back at times. I believe it will be worth it.

I am on week 2 of MRC. I am paying in 2 installments, so I am still on pre-conditioning (until this Friday). The first 3 days I dropped 6.5 pounds. I wasn't weighed again for another 7 days . . . gained 4 pounds.

I went out of town for 4 days and ate pizza in Chicago. Travel = bad news. However, I had also been weighed having just flown 5 hours on a plane AND I was in the middle of my period.

Does anyone have any knowledge on - how much water weight you generally retain on planes AND how much you retain during your monthly cycle. Also, did I really gain weight from having a couple pieces of pizza and a couple of glasses of wine???

Please share your travel, period and "off the diet for a day" weight change stories.

Thanks!

I really don't know since today is my first day of the actual program. My preconditioning was not real strict. I'll be interested to know how fast it comes back off though. Hang in there. We're all in this together!

Hi all - my first post. I'm on day 14 of the plan. Is anyone on the Metabalance program? That's what I'm on. I only have one kidney (the other donated to sister in 1996), so they said I need to be on this "special" plan. Am curious to compare notes with anyone who is on this. I don't see a whole lot of difference in the diet plans from what I've read on here (been lurking a week or so). I'm more curious to know about what your initial charge was and what they told you it covered. I'm a little discouraged with the blaise attitude at my center, but have seen the same gal everytime I've been in with the exception of my initial food counseling.

Thanks for any info and look forward to being an active member.

martini30 - you're off to a great start! cp33 - you can see a 2 -3 lb gain during travel and TOM depending on how salt sensitive you are. Just drink a lot of water over the next couple days and stay on plan and you should be fine. Everytime you are tempted to cheat, just ask yourself if it is worth a 3 day set back. That's how long it will take you to get back into fat burning mode. This is a very chemically balanced food program, so make sure to check your food sheet at every meals and weigh & measure everything. It gets to be habit after a while! It also helps to pre-measure for quick meals on the go. kismet78 - Don't be afraid to ask for a different counselor!! Remember, they work for us. Your initial charge is based on how much you have to lose. It includes private sessions twice a week, weigh in and blood pressure at each meeting as well as review of your food sheet. You will get measured at the 2 week mark and every month anniversary from there on out - if they forget, just remind them. There are some really good counselors at the Bellevue office (that's where I go and I feel like I've been there forever ) Oh, it also includes 1 year of maintenance counselling. It's really, really important to go through stabilization and maintenance. That's the key to long term weight loss.

Welcome everyone! Feel free to join us on the main blog page too. We just got our own "category" on 3 fat chicks about a month ago. Most of us post on the main thread "MRC take XX" You'll find a lot of positive support with this group - feel free to ask us anything!

Way to go! Congratulaitons on your weight loss. I am new to MRC as well and new to 3fc.. I just started a few days ago as well... 4 days on the pre conditoning diet and I gained 4 pounds. Today is the first day on the plan.. so off I go to a new me Yes it is a journey and I am a bit scared, although hopefully can do this too. good luck to you and your sister.

Hello there Shine On... I knew if I looked hard enough I would fine you on this board. You look terrific! I am lost on this board, but will check it out somemore after work tomorrow. Thank you for all of your encouragement. Doing this over the phone is going to be a challenge, but with support from this board, you, my wonderful niece and the phone meetings with my coach in Beaverton, I pray to be okay....

Hi Kismet, I am on the metal balance level 1 plan. Is that what you are on? I am diabetic on oral meds and have some other health challenges, so I guess this is the plan for me. I am on the first day of the plan today, gained 4 pounds on the conditioning diet. I am not aware of any other diet plan since I am so new, however, I read what Shine On shared and I will take her advice. I saw her a year ago (she is my niece) and I am AMAZED at how well she looks and knows the program. She is a true inspiration.

What a blessing you are to your sister to have given her your kidney.

I am looking forward to finding a healthier me and being an active member too. Good luck!

Hi all - Gina and Rocky49 - I asked about the Metabalance plan cost because in re-reading my contract, which I should have done within the first 3 days, I noticed they only put me down for 48 lbs, at a cost of $398. I asked about it again yesterday and I was told that was all they could guarentee in the 24 week timeframe they work off of. I guess my main question would be to everyone, are your contracts all 24 weeks at a time? I was told that I could extend for 24 weeks at a time for an additional $99 until I lost the amount of weight I wanted to lose. The maintenance is included and follows for a year after you've lost the desired amount. I intend to follow it all through, I am just curious about the various contracts. I don't need specifics, don't want to be too nosey. ;D

I think that upfront, you're so excited to be there and are motivated to lose this stuff (still am, by the way) that you overlook or don't hear everything they're telling you. Either way, I'm losing and that's what counts.

Have a great day!

I am fairly new to MRC an how it works in our bodies but.. I do know that in the past if I go out for a few days and have high sodium foods/drinks (like pizza and alcohol) my body usually waits a day then balloons a few pounds. I have learned to keep the water flowing pretty heavily on those instances and try to flush out my system! Good luck and welcome!

Four pounds is entirely possible when you hit the "trifecta" like that - TOM, travel & pizza. Travel always means a little water retention for me. TOM means water retention for most women. And since you're still in pre-conditioning, the weight you initially lost was mostly water weight. So when you went off plan with pizza & wine (carby stuff), your body sucked that water right back up. Get back on plan, drink some extra water, maybe take an extra B6 (it helps with water retention), and those 4 lbs will be gone pretty quickly.
And welcome!

Cucumbers! Remember to load up your raw veggies with cukes & it's a lot less volume of food to eat - but still your 8 oz worth. Try mixing cukes, grape tomatoes, green onions, sprinkle with some sea salt & a little Splenda, a little dill & a sprinkle of vinegar. Yum-O!

Hi All today is my birthday and since I am only on day 11 of my meal plan no cake. However, I can feel happiness in knowing that next year at this time I will be wearing a bikini and loving my new self. : Maybe even planning a trip to Miami to show myself off.

Also can anyone tell me how to put weightoss tracker on your profile?

Happy birthday and congratulations on joining the plan!

In answer to your question about trackers - you have to be on the forum for 30 days with 30 posts before they will enable that feature for you. I'm still waiting! It's a good reason to support our friends on the MRC forum.

Have a great birthday!