[neimanmarxist]

I just ordered medifast today!I have about 30 lbs. to lose. I've been trying and failing to lose weight by counting calories for a while so I'm looking forward to trying something new and very effective. I'm a little apprehensive because the problem I have with calorie counting is really just self-control, but I figure having fewer options will help with that...? Anyway I'm going to browse this forum for experiences etc, if anyone feels like weighing in feel free! I will report back when my food gets here and I get started So excited to have finally bitten the bullet and decided I can't go this alone, and it's time to try something different.

[neimanmarxist]

Also, quick question for those of you who have done this... were you super hungry on the plan? did you eventually get used to the hunger? I really struggle with portion control and am wondering what people's experiences with the tiny amounts of food have been.

[Riddy]

Hi neimanmarxist and welcome!

In general, you will be very hungry for the first 3-5 days as your body adjusts and goes into mild ketosis. After that, Medifast says you won't be hungry. Bulls**t. I am hungry a lot, but it's usually right about when it's time to eat. The hardest times for me hunger-wise are when I'm trying to make it 3 hours between meals instead of 2. Some days I work 7:30-6, and lunch is at 1:30, so on those days I'm really hungry right before my 10:30 medifast meal and right before lunch. But compared to my expectations, this is not bad at all. I thought I'd be so hungry I'd want to gnaw my own arm off, and I am not.

If anything, medifast has taught me just how mental losing weight is.

Good luck - you can do it!

[neimanmarxist]

Thanks Riddy!
UPS didn't manage to deliver my stuff yesterday even though it is here so I am just going to get started tomorrow anyway, using the medifast substitutes from the thread on this forum. I am going to get a can of that HC chicken noodle soup from the store, and I'll use that and regular whey protein shake for my meals in addition to the L&G meal that I'm allowed, and egg whites for breakfast. I just can't wait anymore to get started! I should have my stuff by midday monday in any event, so this will be like a little kick start .

[neimanmarxist]

well, this is day 1.
My food doesn't arrive til tomorrow, but I just decided that it's time. I can substitute egg whites for bfast, whey protein shake for lunch, chicken noodle soup for meal 3, the other half of the soup for meal 4, lean and green, and then maybe another whey protein shake .
I'm keeping a log here of how i do. My weight was higher this morning than i thought it would be which is kind of depressing, but that's why I'm changing now.

[Riddy]

You should have a good drop the first 2 weeks as you go into ketosis. If the broth you bought is not low sodium, your water weight drop will be delayed til you flush the salt out.

Great job on starting now! It would be easy to delay your start date because the food hasn't arrived. Congratulations for sticking to your start date.

And whatever your issue is at the beginning, the answer is almost always drink more water.

Keep positive - the first few days can be rough, but it DOES get better.

[neimanmarxist]

day 1 is in the books! it was hard, but maybe not as hard as I thought ? This is what my meals looked like:

1) 1 cup egg whites , salt + pepper
2) 1 protein powder shake made with water
3) 2 servings HC chick.noodle soup. This is actually 2 "mini-meals" but it worked out because I felt like I got to eat a lunch.
4) L&G: arugula salad (1 c) + 1c. sauteéd broccoli raab with olive oil and 6 oz. chicken breast
5) 1 protein powder shake made with water.

I should not have looked at the scale this morning but I couldn't help myself. Down 3 lbs! I know a lot of that is water, but whatever.

I made my own oatmeal this morning, the nutritional profile isn't perfect: 1/3 c. oatmeal, 1/4 cup egg white (19 g. carb, 8 g. protein). My medifast stuff gets here in the afternoon, I think.

I really need for this diet to work so I can fit into my work clothes by the time work starts.

[neimanmarxist]

So excited! I weighed in and my weight was down another 3 lbs. this a.m. I know this slows but it really is exciting to see those numbers drop! Especially since yesterday was really hard. I felt dizzy and fatigued, I had mad food cravings, I had a hard time concentrating on work. Hopefully my body is getting into a groove and getting used to this and today will be a little easier.

Food for today:

1) oatmeal - hope it's not as bad as everyone says !
2) chocolate shake
3) tomato soup
4) bar
5) L&G- steak, broccoli raab sautéed with garlic, arugula salad
6) MF brownie.

I'm going to buy some pretzels, sloppy joes, and more bars for the 3 meals I'll need to eat in the office. I start my job in a week and a half and I should fit into a large proportion of my office clothes by then! This is such good motivation to keep going even though this is really hard.

[neimanmarxist]

3 days ! Oh my gosh. Yesterday afternoon was REALLY hard. I was soooo dizzy and fatigued. I've been working really hard at my job lately too, which doesn't help the "brain can't function because I"m so hungry" feeling.

That said I have actually been finding the tiny MF meals to be somewhat satisfying. Last night i had an extra (6th) meal at around 11 p.m. and it really did the trick. I know that that's not ideal, but if this gets any harder I won't be able to do it.

The EASIEST part of the day is the morning, when I get on the scale and see my weight. So far I am down 8 lbs in 3 days, which is kind of ridiculous. It's 25% of my goal.

This is easier now because I am working from home all the time. When I start my job I won't be, and there will be a ton of social events/meals that will pose challenges to me. I have 10 more days before that happens, give or take, and I should be able to make significant progress by then. Then I plan to use the social meal as my L&G and.... avoid alcohol as much as possible? I love wine, but I'm sure it would totally derail my efforts on this front. Not to mention, having a drink on this plan that affords roughly 800 kcal/day would be disastrous! I'd be drunk right away. Ha.

OK. So I'm just going to focus on progress in the next 10 days. This plan is amazing (well, and really hard) but I know that maintenance is probably the biggest challenge. I'm committed to following the program until I stabilize my weight at the end (do you like my blind optimism on day 4? Pretty ridiculous.) No but seriously, I'm flabbergasted by the pace of this, even though I know it's at least 70% water weight.

OK. Enough rambling...

[aviva5675]

Wow that sounds so awesome! Im on day 4 and have lost only about 1 1/2 pounds, but am hoping that means I enter the fat burning stage soon and more comes off this first week.

I was off work the first 3 days and was at work today- was worried about being full there. I took a cookie I had made for my first snack,then had pudding mid morning, lunch was 1/2 lean and grean with the pretzels and 1/2 lite Lauging Cow wedge...then a soft bake cookie when I got home (not great, have to cook less maybe next time), planning 1/2 lean/green for dinner and a bar later.

I feel like I eat all day long and have only been a little hungry in the afternoons...

Im a little worried I wont lose much...

[neimanmarxist]

Hi Aviva, thanks for posting. I'm not an expert by any means, but my advice would be to stick to it. Even 2 lbs. a week like they promise is a great rate to lose, and it's still early on, so you won't know what your body is going to do.

I bounced out of bed excited to know what my weight was going to be this morning and it was exactly the same as yesterday. While that was disappointing, one can't expect to lose 2 lbs. every day! I think I'm going to stay off the scale until I weigh in for week 1 on Sunday. I have a cycle with weight loss. When I don't see the progress I want, I quit. Well, I'm not quitting this. This is working. So I'm also going to avoid the frustrating triggers that cause me to do something I shouldn't be doing.

Yesterday was the best day yet in terms of hunger and cravings. I had a shake in the morning, 1 c. scrambled egg whites, tomato soup, then a bar. Then L&G (steak and broccoli rabe) and then in the evening a soft serve. The soft serve is a PITA to make but I find it to be pretty tasty .

[neimanmarxist]

Also- I forgot to add that yesterday was my easiest day so far. Fewer headaches/dizziness/fatigue. I was really hungry at nighttime when it was time for L&G but otherwise I think it's getting better.

Of course I didn't lose yesterday...

[aviva5675]

Thats great- glad youre feeling better. Today was pretty good for me too-- I lost 1 lb since yesterday so that was a good feeling. Im starting to think it might be harder figuring out L/Gs that arent the same boring thing day after day. Going to have to shake it up a bit.

Found some of the MF recipes online that are really good- I like the french toast shake alot, the cookie you make mixing brownie/crunch bar and the shake cakes.

[Riddy]

I've had a couple days where I ate a 6th medifast meal. My coach says it's better to do that than overeat real food when I'm starving. Some days just by telling myself I'm allowed to have it, and even getting out a bar and looking at it, I can decide I don't really need it.

Keep it up - you're both doing great!

[neimanmarxist]

ok, time for my daily check in. no scale movement again this morning, but I'm just going to keep at it. I will post a loss of 8 lbs. this week if I weigh in on Sun. morning at the same weight I was this a.m., and that's pretty amazing, so no complaints.

I have been a lot less hungry and fatigued, so I think I must be getting used to this. I'm pretty starving by the time it's time for L&G, but that's to be expected. I'll post more tomorrow when I have time.