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Old 02-28-2010, 01:58 PM   #1  
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Unhappy Please HELP Me Find a New Plan

OK chicks I need some serious input here so I'm going to give you a long rambling story and then ask for help.

In Sept. I had a physical and was high risk obese so my insurance covered a visit to a bariatric doctor. I saw the bariatric doctor on Dec 8 and started the full fast version of the medifast diet. This is 5 shakes a day for a total of 500 calories along with supplements they give you. After 4 weeks I was no longer "high risk" obese just obese so I moved to the regular medifast program. I have been on it since then.

I've lost about 55lb in the last 3 months and I used to be thrilled with my plan. Lately though I am miserable. I have been more and more hungry all the time. Plus my monthly cycle is totally messed up and this month I did not have a period at all. I want to move to a less restrictive diet and continue to lose.

I don't mind if I gain a little weight back when I make the transition and don't mind if I lose slowly after the transition. I just don't want to give up.

I know calorie counting and logging are the most common tools recommended in this forum but I feel very negative about those. When I was growing up my mother put me on calorie counting diets from a very young age and was extremely cruel about weight issues. For me calorie counting is associated with being treated badly.

On the plus side I am active and I exercise moderately 6 days a week (20m stair stepper, 20m resistance training). I love vegetables and lean fish and complex carbohydrates and I am a pretty good cook. So please give me suggestions for a new plan.
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Old 02-28-2010, 02:25 PM   #2  
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Liz, it sounds like an exchange diet might be right for you.

An exchange diet tells you how many servings of protein, fruit, carbs, veggies etc to eat for each of your meals and snacks. You get lists of foods that equal a serving of protein, a serving of fat, a serving of fruit etc. and you get to pick and choose what you like to put together each meal. Even though exchange diets are based on calories, all the calorie counting is done for you. You won't ever have to count a calorie, only exchanges.

Here's an article discussing the pros and cons of exchange diets: Exchange Diet Plans

Here's a breakdown of exchanges for different calorie levels: Daily Meal Plans from 1200 - 2500 Calories If you click on the different exchanges listed at the top of the article (like "Fruit Exchanges") it will give you a list of the amounts and types of fruits that equal one exchange (1/2 banana = 1 exchange, 3/4 cup blueberries = 1 exchange).

If you ever did Weight Watchers before the Points system, it was an exchange diet. There are many diabetic exchange diets on the Internet, with predetermined calorie levels. I think one of them might work for you.

Google "exchange diet" and see if you think that might be a good fit for you.
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Old 02-28-2010, 04:43 PM   #3  
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Meg's idea is great because it gets past your issues with calorie counting while giving you the ability to monitor what you eat. I don't think calorie counting is so important as self-monitoring whatever plan you have chosen. Stick to your own discipline (get your mom out of your head, if possible) Wow, you are doing so great by being physically active on a routine and eating healthy.

I will be eager to hear what you decide to do.
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Old 02-28-2010, 11:43 PM   #4  
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I agree that an exchange program could be a good choice for you, but start introducing it SLOWLY.

For example, replace your dinner shake with real food for a week, then add in the afternoon snack for a week, then the next week replace your lunch shake too etc. I would have a chat to your doctor or a nutritionist, but you probably want to take at least a month to transition to a higher food intake, and then you probably won't see any downward movement on the scale for another month.
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Old 02-28-2010, 11:50 PM   #5  
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The Mayo Diet book is based on exchanges. You can always check that out
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Old 03-01-2010, 11:46 AM   #6  
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Thanks You everyone.

I am very excited about converting to an exchange system. It seems like it has most of the advantages of calorie counting and it automatically balances things out nutritionally. Many of my cookbooks have exchange values for recipes. For others it will take a little work to calculate the exchanges but I only have to do that once. I think this may be a plan I can live with long term.

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Old 03-01-2010, 01:21 PM   #7  
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Liz, I'm so happy that an exchange plan sounds workable to you!! Be sure to let us know how it's going.
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