Are the new optavia products giving you the same results and the original Medifast products? I see the ingredients changed quite a bit. Just wondering if the results were still the same.

Hey Steph! Glad you're feeling better. It may be a case of 'carb flu' that happens when someone goes into a low carb diet; like a hangover. Try not to set too high expectations on the loss. I know I did and while I thought I lost nine pounds my first week, by the weigh in day, my system had balanced itself and settled at 7.4 instead. I was really disappointed because I expected to see a higher number. Be patient and know that huge losses are not constant. You haven't noted how much you're looking to lose and the more you have the more you lose at first.

I was looking at my notes from when I was on the medically supervised VLCD from a few years back and even then I was losing 4lbs a week most weeks and sometimes 2lbs. If I can repeat that success I'll be happy.

If you feel lighter and your clothes are looser, focus on that feeling!!

Cheers,
Laura

Thanks for the encouragement, Laura. I would like to lose 130 pounds which is half my body weight (yikes!) I do tend to get my hopes up for "big" losses but this time around I am going to weigh once a week and if there is ANY loss I will count it a success. But I do hope for a bigger number the first week

Maybe it IS that carb flu. I remember that now. This is Day 6. I just had my second meal (Wonderslim drink, which isn't exactly MF but I have some to use up). The liquids are settling nicely today so I will go with it. I'm going to make a Lean and Green soup for my dinner. What do you think, can I just measure 1.5 cups of on plan vegetables and the appropriate ounces of an approved Lean, then cook them in some broth? I think I will actually make that at lunch time and split it between lunch and dinner because it sounds like a lot of volume. Wish I had some MF chicken noodle soup right now but I don't think I do.

Happy Friday all! Good work everyone on sticking with it and any weight loss large or small. They are all victories. We all have our issues from day to day or even hour to hour but coming here and recommitting is the important thing. Soon we'll have the weight loss, the looser clothes, the healthier bodies and minds. Kudos!

BamTam Thanks for the advice with the MF Cappuccino. I'm trying but its not been my favorite. I've been adding black coffee to it which helps but maybe making as a cold drink will help.

Karen I have always walked especially to help me sleep better so I didn't stop when I started MF. What I have noticed is that once I dropped the first few pounds, my endurance when way up again and I'm able to go faster and raise the elevation on the treadmill. I think it has helped with the weight loss because it hasn't leveled off like I expected. A happy thing. I'll bet some light cardio will help you too.

Stay the course!

Sheila

I have some of the new Optavia products and I like them. They have a bit more of a sophisticated favor and supposedly they are all natural with no artificial sweeteners etc. They seem to work just the same and if you look at the box, they are made in the same factory. The difference is they are a bit more expensive. That's a pain because this is already expensive. But they are quite nice for the most part.

Sheila

Thank you. I was just very successful with Medifast in the past. I tried other brands with less success. So I'm a little leery about spending money on new products if I don't lose the same.

Just checking in at the end of another successful 100% on plan day! I had a mint chocolate bar mid afternoon and some beef stew I made for dinner. It was 5 oz cubed beef, and a cup and a half of on plan vegetables, simmered in a cup of broth and a little of the MF gravy packet to thicken it. I have one more MF meal to enjoy tonight. I am feeling much better than I did this morning! Hope you all are doing great too.

Glad you're better and your meal sounds YUMMY!!!

Happy Saturday all!

Well I weighed in and was down 9.6 lbs. Whoa! I was looking for 4 so this was a pleasant surprise. I had a feeling since my clothes are looser. Total so far is 15.2 lost. Wow.

Had a mental wobble yesterday that is hard to describe. We were at Costco late in the afternoon and while I actually didn't WANT the samples I was too conscious that I couldn't have them. Plus, in the past, we would have ate dinner there, having pizza or Italian sausage. I felt guilty that I had taken this opportunity away with my new way of living. The ridiculous bit is that all this is in my head. My husband has not complained once. In fact, he's lost 10lbs on his own using his Fitbit food diary.

In the past, we enabled each other to make bad choices and I feel like subconsciously I'm trying to get back there. I journalled about it and that helped straighten my mind out.

I'm also rethinking the weekly weigh in. I felt a lack of reinforcement this week. I'm thinking of weighing on Wednesday between the weekly weigh in.

On with a great day!

Cheers,
Laura

BanTan ~

This looks mighty good. I used many packets of MF Capuccino and then I decided to go caffeine free so I stopped using them. I used to mix it up in my morning coffee and loved it --- so filling. You're sure creative to mix it up like this!

Karen

Laura, First and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS! 9.6 is huge and must really feel great. You likely shocked yourself.

I think you hit the nail on the head as to why I weigh myself everyday. Once a week is just not enough for me. I don't like not having that visual reinforcement. If I stay at the same weight or even just lose the smallest amount, I feel empowered to keep doing what I'm doing. If I should gain (which luckily has only happen once in a month), it strengthens my resolve to work harder. I know this causes stress for many people but I think you may have found a good compromise between the ends of the spectrum. Twice a week. I'll be interested to hear how it works for you.

I also understand how you feel about the Costco mental state of mind. I was at Sam's Club last weekend and had zero desire to eat any samples. Absolutely no problem but I do find myself in situations where I think, in the past I would have done this or that. My husband and I also enabled each others bad decisions and behaviors regarding food. It's easier now that we are both dieting but I'm seeing him starting to slip ever so slightly. I think my challenge both to encourage him to stay "clean" and not to slide backwards with him even in the least.

Last night, I went to a friend's for dinner with her mother and sister. All 3 of them are naturally small people. Even though I'd spent a lot of time with them in the past, I found myself watching more closely at their relationship to food. We split a 1lb piece of salmon that was lightly cooked in olive oil and then had a wasabi, soy sauce, honey glaze over the top, asian slaw with very minimal dressing and rice. I skipped the rice but ate the rest. They ate slowly while we chatted. Dinner was more about fueling your body and spending the time together talking than it was about the actual food served. They had each had the smallest piece of apple crisp pie for dessert and at most of it but not all. I passed on the pie. Everyone was satisfied and moved on from dinner. I think I need to view food more as fuel for my body than something that gives me emotional satisfaction. More food/fuel for thought!

Steph, Way to go for sticking with it another day! One day at a time.

Hitting the movies this afternoon for the first time in a long time. I'm hoping to have popcorn avoidance strength!

Stay the course!

Sheila

Laura ~

Wow just Wow! What an great loss!

I know too well that guilt you feel when you think you are taking eating opportunities away from others. Please try to let that go. It can be mental sabotage. In the months that I have been on Medifast I've been faced with similar situations so I make sure to always have a Medifast ready-to-eat meal in my purse AT ALL TIMES! I've sat down at many pizzza places and enjoyed a restaurant meal with my family happily content to eat my bar. It really comes down to changing our thought process with food. I've discovered nobody really is paying attention to what you are and what you are not eating. I'm convinced we are the only ones thinking about this cause everyone else is eating!!

Carve THIS time out for you! Keep your path straight ahead with your goals and your eating plan as the number one priority. The ones who love and care for us want us to succeed and most will do anything for us to make that happen.

I've found I have gotten stronger and more determined as I've continued. The first month I cleared my calendar of all entertainment that revolved around food. I just felt I wouldn't be strong enough. I've added all that back in over the months and find that other's food does not bother me nor make me crave any longer.

Doing Medifast can be a pretty emotional journey because we are dealing with how we got to where we are and how to get back. I'm glad you journal, it helps to look back on the days when we struggle with our mind set. There will be highs and lows. Enjoy your high Laura. You've lost a ton of weight. Celebrate that!

I'm rooting for you and celebrating what you've achieved!

Karen

Sheila ~

I'm really trying to wrap my head around "food as fuel" too. I find myself observing how others eat, especially the thin-er ones.

I have a sister who has always been thin. She mentally sees food as fuel for her body. I am consciously aware now that she NEVER cleans her plate. She is just satisfied and then moves on. Doesn't dwell on food. She volunteers a lot for all sorts of things. She said that is the single best thing she does because it gives her something to focus on outside of herself and probably food.

I finally stopped worrying about failing. Boy does that use up so much energy and kept me from seeing my own strength.

Karen

Joyce ~

I've been thinking about you. How did your weight in go today?

Karen

Good morning everyone. This morning I had MF pancakes for breakfast and I remembered that peanut butter used to be on plan, then I think off plan, then on? I used 1 Tbsp on the pancakes. I think that is ok and counts as a snack, right? If I made a mistake I will count it as my fat serving.

I have a birthday party to go to today right at dinnertime. I don't really know what they are serving, but it's not a dinner. It could be anything from a buffet of food, to just cake. I was worried about how to handle it, this is what I came up with. I'll have half of my Lean and Green for lunch, and then if they have things like a veggie tray or anything else on plan I can have some of my Lean and Green there, but if not I will have the other half when I get home. Also I will eat a MF bar right before I go in case there is nothing there I can eat. The bars are so filling and satisfying that I think it will take away the temptation.

Tomorrow is my 1 week weigh in so I am very motivated to make today a great day.