January Medifast Chat
 

Ooops...I just posted my welcome 2009 message in the December chat thread before I realized that we need a new chat thread for the new month and new year!

So welcome to the January 2009 Chat!

:welcome:

Here it is a new day and a new year! There are challenges before us all and it will be interesting to see how we all come through them.

beachy - I pray that good things come to your home very soon on the job front and that the work he gets is better pay and something he loves to do!

djay - wow! New babies on the horizon - how exciting! Nothing is better than a new life - you have even more reason to lose that weight and be around healthy and strong for those little ones.

Personally the scales are still cooperating with me. I have changed up my plan a bit this week. I was doing a soup at noon and I don't feel that I need it anymore so I am full fast now with a l&g at night plus I am starting to walk everyday. I have started with 15 minutes on my lunch break and will build from there. I plan to try out that Wii Fit this weekend too! Time to start firming the skin to go with the losses so far!

Yes, djay the clothes are just hanging on me and I am at a dilemna as to how to handle that. I hate to put too much into new clothes as I am sure I will go down more in size but my pants are going to fall off me soon! I am thinking the resale stores may be my best bet unless I find a really good sale at the retailers. Any ideas?

My first goal for the year (don't do resolutions!) is to be sure to stay on target and keep the losses going so I can be at goal by the end of May (charted expected goal date according to current weight loss pattern). My ultimate favorite performer is Keith Urban. I have seen him several times and he is supposed to be back my way this summer. I want to meet him this time and look good doing it!

Jacque

jakebabe - so glad the scales are cooperating with you! I'm proud & happy for you! :cheer3: :encore:

congrats on gran'ma time djay! - woo hoo! A boy! :cheer2:

On the good news front of the Beachy household, we FINALLY got our bonus room all cleaned out, took a BUNCH of stuff to Goodwill yesterday (that last-minute tax deduction, ya know!) and NOW we have room to put our GYM together! .... the one we bought in March last year.... the one that is STILL in the boxes it came in .... in our garage... gathering dust.... ;) ... and so anyway, the hubby will work on getting that put together over the weekend. I already have a treadmill, & we have a TV in there, complete with DVD & VHS players... so I can treadmill & watch fun stuff, & work out with the weights, & oh yeah... we have an Ab-Lounger XL, too, so I work off the chubby-chubb on my belly! :carrot:

HERE'S TO A BETTER 2009 FOR ALL OF US!
http://blog.core-ed.net/derekarchive...y_New_Year.jpg

Jakebabe- have you tried the clearance racks? It's the end of the season and I've gotten some great deals shopping clearance at Kohl's. You have to have time and patience though to sift through because it's like looking for a needle in a haystack.

beach- your quote is so true. I've been hiding from my life for so long! Skipping reunions, staying out of photos, not dancing at weddings. I always said I was too busy with nursing school, and I was but i never tried to make time either.

My medifast came yesterday as we were leaving for a family wedding. I'm cleaning up the kitchen this weekend and going on plan Sunday. AH!

MsFB - good luck! - I think once you get past those dreaded 3 first days, you'll like the MediFast. Be sure to come here often & let us know your progress!

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope Everyone Had Super Holidays! I had wonderful one's all On Plan! I lost 7 lbs over Thanksgiving Week and 3.2 over Christmas Week! YOU just gotta LOVE Medifast! I love it! I know you all do too! I just ordered the New Lemon Bars and look forward to trying them. My favorite is the Oatmeal Crunch Bar, but I like them all except the Caramel is my least favorite!

Well, Just wanted to say hello and catch up with everyone!

Here is to a Super On Plan Day for each of you! Dan-O

Hi Dan! Nice to see your smiling face again and to hear about your incredible progress! I can't say that I stayed OP over Thanksgiving or Christmas...but then...It was never my plan to do so...
The good news is that I actually lost about 3 lbs over the 2 holidays since I did my OP days and then jumped right back OP. So 3 lbs in a month may not impress anyone else...But I am THRILLED! and WooHoo for Medifast!
How is the job going?
DJ

Hi djay, Great to see you. If you are like me, you are here for yourself and no one else. I know I can only lose the weight for me and me alone. I cannot do it for anyone else! That I know! I say a loss is a loss! So Woo Hoo! Cool that you lost off plan! That Rocks!

The job is going ok, it's at least work and I am having lots of really good bites. 2009 is already looking VERY Promising! Woo Hoo! I plan to hit goal this year! And having a nice career, Wow, that would be a bonus! LOL!

Dan-O

Dan-I'm right with you! 2009 is the year that I WILL reach my goal! It is very exciting!

It sure is! I am lovin Life! WE can do this! Glad we are on this journey TOGETHER my friend! Dan-O

Hey Dan! - good to see you! - Happy New Year!!! :D

Hi BP! Super to see YOU too! Wow! 18 lbs. Gone! You are doing GREAT! Keep up your hard work! Happy New Year to you too! We CAN do this! Woo Hoo! Dan-O

I am glad that I maintained over the holidays. I will be on Medifast until the end of January and then I will transition over to Optifast. While MF has helped me shed quite a few pounds, I can't deal witht the taste anymore, especially the shakes. Pretty bad when I gag on the shakes now, even if I try to use some type of condiment like 1 T Torani SF syrup. Hopefully Optifast will get me on my way again.

Sorry the Medifast didn't work out for you. Hope the Optifast is more to your liking and continues to help you lose weight!

Good Luck!

HI all
Come Monday I am hoping to receive my first order of MF. I ordered 2 weeks worth of MF foods to try and see if this one is cheaper and a bit easier to live with. You see on Jan 13th I will have my SO moving in with me and I want to be able to enjoy our evening meal together. I am going to be 53 this year and have been unable to walk for the past 14 years. I had some surgeries this past year and wasn't able to exercise like I wanted to and I could no longer afford the meal delivery service I had been on thus gained back 53 pounds. I have an additional 100 more to lose and I am hoping this plan will be the last one for me.

Hi all! Well the holiday weekend is almost through and then we start January work weeks with no days off for most of us for some weeks to come! I for one and looking forward to getting back to normal! :carrot:

I calculated my loss beginning with Thanksgiving week through today to be sure and include the Christmas and New Years holidays and I lost 14.6 pounds for that time span! I am both proud and amazed that I did it! :dizzy:
This "vacation" from food has, if nothing else, taught me that food is not my friend and it is what got me in this mess to begin with! I will never be able to eat like a "normal" person again - but that is ok. I can pay that price for a fit body and hopefully no diabetes and blood pressure medication! I still have a little more than 50 pounds to go to my temp. goal and then we will see how much more I want to lost then. By current weight loss calculations, I should hit that goal in May!

Dan! - I am so happy to see your posts! I had been wondering how you were and where you had been. Your losses for the holidays were fantastic too! I am proud of you for just "saying NO"!!!!!

GTG - hope the Optifast is the answer for you. It is so important to have a program that you can live with and enjoy. It makes the journey so much easier.

ssflbelle - welcome to the board. We are here to help and support. Don't be a stranger!

djay - how are things with you? Looks like you and I will make goal together! You said your birthday is in February - so is mine! I am Feb 6, when is yours?

Beachy - hope all is well with you. Hang in there - 2009 is going to be a good year for you and yours!

Susan - where are you? I miss your shining face and upbeat posts.

Jacque

I had been living quite well with MF and as of today's weigh in I have lost 79.6lbs!:carrot:

MF is a GREAT plan and it has helped me a great deal. I just don't know why the taste is "getting" to me.:?: :dunno:

I totally love the MF scrambled eggs! :):hungry: In any event, I sure hope that I will reach my goal in 2009 as that is my "wish" and like my doctor said, maybe I just need a break from MF and I am not ready to do something like Weight Watchers.

Congratulations on your previous loss! That is great. What is also great is that you are taking control and doing something good for yourself. I know dealing with the regain can be difficult but you are catching it before it gets way out of control.

If you do the program, it will work. It has helped me lose almost 80lbs since March 08!

Good Luck to you and I wish you a Happy & Healthy 2009!!!:carrot:

WOW!
Just this morning I found another group I thought might be good for me since I weight over 300 pounds, and they had a challenge starting today. I posted I wasn't sure what to eat as I haven't gotten my MF foods yet and I feel like the the first poster basically shot down my desire to start the MF program. I guess I might just stay here where you don't criticize a program. Only I didn't see a weight loss challenge over here.
Thanks Jake Babe and getting to goal in 2009 that is the kind of encouragement I was hoping to get.

Hi Amanda and Welcome!
I know what you mean about some of the militant posters out there. I join alot of other challenges and discussions on other groups...but I rarely say what plan I am following for that very reason. There is alot of ignorance out there about Medifast...I think they see Fast in the name and think it is another new gimmick. They have no idea how long it has been around, the clinical trial results or the doctors that recomend it.

I liken some of the weightloss programs to religions...And there are some zealots who truly believe that if you do it any other way than the way their program preaches...You are doomed to weight loss ****.

So enjoy the other groups...but we are here to support you and cheer your Medifast success!

DJ

Thanks DJay As unfortunate as it is I do appreciate hearing that others had some problems in other groups as well. I wrote her back a post saying I had researched it but I wasn't thinking clearly enough to state the clinical trials and how long the program has been around and the wonderful results that people such as Dan and the rest of you have had with the program. Oh well I did say my peace over there so hopefully that will end it. But I so wanted to be in the challenge as that helps to keep in on track. Do you ever do any here?

I did the 3fc Biggest Looser Challenge last season...and won it actually!
I am doing it again for this season.
I also post on the 100lb points challenge each month. It has nothing to do with weight watchers and everyone is welcome. Here is the link.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=159654

Amanda:

The program that we choose is a personal and indiviual choice. I feel that WE ALL need to respect each others decisions. I think Weight Watchers is a GREAT program....for some people.....but.....it did NOT work for me. I could not lsoe weight no matter what! I started with having to lose 152lbs. I could NOT deal with the first week of a 2lb gain then the 2nd week a loss of .2! I needed something different and was Medifast. It worked and it has been working. I am choosing with the help of my doctor to transition to Optifast for a 12-20 weeks full fast. BUT...That is my decision and we all have to do what we have to do.

When I was waiting for my MF shipmement and one time when I was not sure I would have enough supplements to get me thru to my next shipment, MF Nutrition Support suggested following this meal plan:

the best suggestion would be to stick to the lean and green meal parameters and try to keep your calories, carbohydrates and protein as similiar to the Medifast 5 and 1 meal plan as possible (800-1000 calories; 80 to less than 100 grams carbohydrate; >72 grams of protein).

This may mean having approximately 12-15 ounces of lean protein in a day (consider having 3 meals with 4 ounces each and two "in-between" meals of 1-2 ounces each). Given your circumstance it seems reasonable to allow 9-12 servings of vegetables from the recommended vegetable choices. These very loose guidelines may need to be adjusted to stay within the nutritional parameters listed above. Take a multivitamin daily.


Calorieking.com is a great place to get calorie and carb values. Also, check out: http://www.medifast1.com/community/index.asp

This link is to a comprhensive guide that should be helpful:

http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/attac...0&d=1227651990



All the guides are there and they will help you should you choose to follow the above plan.

Again, Best of luck and IF YOU FOLLOW the plan as written, you will have amazing results!!! And DRINK YOUR WATER!!!!!!!:D

That is sad and believe it or not, there is a Team on the Medifast website that is very militant! They have a 100% on plan philosophy and literally "BASH" other MF users if they fall off plan or decide to have an off plan meal for WHATEVER reason. :devil:

I believe that evryone is entitled to follow whichever plan they choose and NOT be mistreated for that decision, isn't that what "FREEDOM" is all about? While I would NEVER encourage anyone to eat off plan, THAT also is a personal choice and NO ONE has the right to "BASH", "INSULT", "DEGRADE", or "HUMILIATE" anyone! PERIOD!!!!!! :)

Thanks Gettingtogoalin2009 for all the info and the links. I will follow what you have suggested here until I get my order. I ordered on Dec 23 but I guess the 2 Holidays slowed the delivery down. I saw a lot of recipes and I am hoping I don't have to do too much to the food to be able to eat it as I want to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen for breakfast and lunches.

Amanda,
You may want to check with MF. Mine was shipped on the 29th and I have already recieved my order. Could be because you are anew customer or further away...but I usually get my shipment in 2-3 days.

The recipes are for folks that want to have a treat now and then. I would not recommend that you start off using the recipes. In fact, I started March 08 and I ate the food as is, no recipes. I did not try a recipe til September and I made a "shake cake." I have tried and for the most part still try to eat the MF foods as is.

I also want to spend as little time as necessary in the kitchen. I try to make my Lean & Green as simple as possible too. I rarely "cook" anymore. I use vegetarian patties (Boca or Morningstar Farms), tuna in a pouch, the 7 oz family size is a Lean & Green serving! Hormel chicken, 1 6 oz pkg is 1 L&G serving. Sometimes I will cook up a bunch of boneless skinless chicken breasts and weigh out 6 oz and put them in ziplock bags. I used bagged salad or the veggies that come in a steam bag for the microwave. I also do this with ahi tuna steaks. The tuna steaks or chicken breast are great over a salad with Newmans Own light viniagrette dressing.

If you have any questions and if I can help, let me know! :)

I do wish everyone could see it your way. I think the advantage the 3fc forum has over the Medifast forum is that the Moderators here don't let it elevate to the point of bashing.
I for one have had enough bashing from people that I have to associate with in my life...No way I'm going to take it from a "support group"...It's to easy to take my unsupported booty elsewhere!;)

No so called "Support Forum" should allow anyone to be mistreated. At that point, it is no longer a support forum. The group on the Medifast Forum that is doing that has scared people away, got people kicked off the boards, made people afraid to ask for help or an opinion. And yes, Medifast allowed this to happen. I saw it happen and I was totally amazed. Many people do not have the time or the money to join a local support group or weight loss counseling and forums like 3fc are a great way for people to reach out to their peers and get help, ideas, support or just good conversation. Sadly, there is always at least one person to ruin it. We are human and we will have slip ups. It happens! What is important is that we learn why we had the slip and try to figure out how to avoid it or if we "choose" to eat off plan, then we have the strength not to fall down that slppery slope and get right back on plan.

A weight loss plan is a very personal choice and it needs to fit our needs. Personally, I think Weight Watchers is an excellent plan and I applaud it, however, I had to lose 152 pounds and I was NOT losing on WW! I needed something that worked for ME! Not my neighbor, not my sister, not anyone but me. I don't feel that I have to defend my choice of plan to ANYONE, they sure in heck aren't paying for it, I am! And no one has to explain their choice of plan to me! Last January a few people at work decided it was time to lose weight, the proverbial New Years resolution. My boss and her assistant chose South Beach, another oerson chose Jenny Craig. I chose Medifast and I started in March not January as everyone else. I needed to be ready and March 3, 2008 was when I was ready. To date, I am the ONLY one still on plan and I am the only one who is losing. Everyone else lost 10-30lbs and they have ALL abandoned their programs and gained back all the weight plus! But, I was supportive of all of them and will be when I go back to work tomorrow because they ALL said that in January they are starting a program! I am so glad that I started the New Year already on a program and 80 lbs lighter! And yes, I ate off plan on Christmas day because I wanted to!:D

Goal,
I was nodding and smiling all the way through your post. I can so relate! Every year my office does a Biggest Looser contest form Jan-May. They wanted me to join last year but I wasn't ready. In June I was and there is only 1 other person imn my office who has sustained any weight loss for the year.
I guess the biggest argument I've seen against Medifast is that it doesn't teach you how to eat for the rest of your life. I agree somewhat with that argument. But I do know I cannot go back to my old lifestyle. I feel more confident in learning my new relationship with food after I have lost some weight rather than before...I'm not sure why people think that we don't know that wecan't go back to our old lifestyle after we loose the weight nor why they completely ignore the fact that people from EVERY diet plan can and do often regain weight.
I am also a fan of WW. I just have a hard time loosing weight that slowly when I have so much to loose. I end up discouraged and go off plan. I like the healthy choices it promotes and the structure it provides. I plan to do weight watchers for Maintenance until I am very confident in my lifestyle.
Do you plan to keep posting here after you switch to Optifast? Do they even have an Optifast forum? We won't kick you out because your taste changed!;)
DJ

I don't feel that the Medifast 5&1 program teaches you how to eat but their Transition and Maintenance does a better job at it. If you have not yet read it, here is the link. http://www.medifast1.com/community/d...tion_guide.pdf

I like the ease of the MF program but I think the soy is getting to me! haha!!;)
I am OK with the chicken soups (both kinds), the scrambled eggs, chili and tropical fruit punch drinks. I am just having a hard time getting the shakes down but yes, I still drink them everyday. In the begining I loved the shakes, especially the Dutch Chocolate! I don't know why I gag on the shakes now. I got to use up a ton of Chai Latte and Oatmeal! I make a muffin with the oatmeal. It is good! I want to deplete my supply of MF before I transition. I paid money for the supplements and I intend to use them. I think MF is a great plan! It is backed by over 25 yrs of study by Johns Hopkins!

It does not matter what plan we use for weight loss, if we go back to our old fat ways then whether we do WW or MF we will gain the weight back. My niece just lost 108 lbs by following a semi-liquid diet. I told her that losing is the EASY part, keeping it off is the HARD part!

I plan to use WW for maintenance. I believe that I will always need a structured plan for the most part.

I don't think that there is an Optifast forum on 3fc. Well, I don't know if people will want me posting here once I transition to Optifast. I don't want to be disrespectful to anyone. I know there are a lot of people on the MF boards still posting there but using either Optifast or Wonderslim and just not saying it. Wonderslim and NewLifestyle are the same product and it is also the same product as Nutrimed by Robard. When done as Nutrimed, it is done under a doctors supervision and a lot more money! Another clinic will be offering their own "Optifast" but with their label and it can be purchased online as long as you do the modified fast not the full fast. It is made by the same chemist that originally made Optifast and it will be cheaper but it is the same formula. I have been doing my homework!

I tried some of the Wonderslim/New Lifestyle stuff and it is YUMMY! If I had know about it before Medifast, I would have done that instead. A few of my MF friends have transitioned to it and they totally love it.

I will post here til I start Optifast then you guys can decide if you want me around or not. Like I said, I don't want to disrepect anyone!!!;)

I agree that the transition plan does teach good eating habits...It just doesn't have the structure and accountability for me to be confident that I will do it long term. That is why I will do weight watchers afterward...Not because the Medifast program is flawed. I'm doing it for my own confidence.

Stick around Goal. Nobody here is going to be offended. We have a few wonderslim users here. And No one is going to bash anyone for going off plan! At least I hope not...because I went WAY off for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years as I had planned and I will go off plan on my birthday...I hope no one is offended by that...

Hi All,
3 days and still climbing the walls.
I have never gone on the Medifast Forum because I had heard that it was so critical. I work odd hours and do not have time for councelors phone calls, unless it would be 3 in the morning. haha
I do alot of things off plan, I eat celery and carrots everyday for the fiber, I eat a bar and a snack on the same day. I try and eat an apple once or twice a week. I do lose and it helps keep me sane. so there,
Remember the Medifast forum wants you to stay totally on plan so you buy their products.
Fab

Fab50- I'm not sure I understand your point about Medifast wanting you to not eat off plan so you will buy their products. If you are doing a 5-1 plan you will purchase 5 meals per day regardless of whether you eat additional food. Actually...if you are eating additional food...and slowing your progress...you would buy more food.

For me...if I can stay perfectly on plan for a couple of days...I no longer have problems with hunger or cravings so my goal is always to stay perfectly on plan. But I am human and for me many social occasions involve food that is not on plan. I do choose to go off plan for some occasions. I know it slows my progress and makes me have to go through those difficult couple of days to get back into the groove so I try not to do it often.

I will also be doing WW in maintenance. I think that is the best way for me. I think it is a more "doable" program. If I was able to lose weight on it, I would have loved it for a weight loss program too!

No one should be offended if you eat off plan. That is YOUR CHOICE! As I said, a good support forum should not bash anyone.

If no one minds, then I will hang out here with you guys. I am still officially on MF so I guess I am not trespassing yet!

Medifast takes some getting used to. The first 3-5 days are the toughest. If you don't want to get "SCATHED" then don't post on the MF site how you are doing the program. The fanatics will attack you! I know, I used to see it. While I agree that MF is a good program, some people treat it like a "religion" and they get down right rude! The funny thing is that many of the 100% on plan all the time people did VERY BADLY in maintenance. Many of those self proclaimed MF perfectionists have had to return to 5&1! So much for being 100%. Like I said, losing is the EASY part, maintaining is the HARD part! That is the real test, not being perfect in the weight loss phase. A lot of those folks talk the talk but they can't walk the walk! They just TALK!

I have done well with MF and I have eaten off plan, I apologize to no one for that. I chose to do it PERIOD! However, had I know about WOnderslim or New Lifestyle (same product), I probably would have done that as it tastes so much better.

However you chose to do the program, I wish you much success!

Woo HOO! -

today, I began my WORK OUT routine. 10 minutes on the treadmill this morning... and plan to do AT LEAST 10 more tonight.

Hey, gotta start somewhere. :D

Also plan to start lifting weights again, & doing some Yoga/Pilates as well.

New year, new me. :D

You go Beachy! You will be so fit and toned by 2010!
Let us know how it goes!

I finally got my order! It was sitting on the back steps when I got home from work tonight. So I shall be starting tomorrow to see if I can do this program.

Well, Hello folks. I'm a coming back!!!! Be afraid, Be veeery askeeered!!!:dracula: And, I'm bringing my DD for backup.:spid: She won't be on the boards, but we are gonna try being diet buddies. It'll help to not have the food around.

I've been thinking about the Wonderslim. Thanks for the word up on that Goal. I think I will go ahead and give it a try. With the recession and both of us doing it I can definitely afford to save the money. My backup investments have lost about 30%.:(

It's not just weight loss programs that develop "****es". Almost any self help program does. I've seen the same thing in AA. Not just about not drinking, but also people getting into each others personal lives, families, # of meetings, when to attend, etc.etc.etc. It seems as though when someone finds a way to lift themselves up, they get the attitude that everyone else has to do it just the way they did or somehow it isn't right. It's often referred to as "Pink Clouding". The experienced ones tend to just smile and let them ride it out while running interference with the newbies.

BTW, I saw the attack thread DJ was caught in, but it had been over for awhile. Look, after a couple of full days of research one of the searches I ran pulled up a trial that Suzanne did and that is how I found 3FC. So you could also throw down that little tidbit when people get uppity. Also, I could find almost nothing negative about the plan that didn't involve suspicion alone as the basis for rejection. Sorry, I'll take John's Hopkins research over "gut feelings" any day.

OK. I have to work tomorrow. I'm starting my 4 day shifts on blast crew. Hopefully, I won't be too worn out at the end of the day and can get things set up with Wonderslim here shortly. I be checking in with y'all soon, I think.:dizzy: