[namaste]

Originally Posted by COKimBee

well, I had WI on Friday and lost another pound. I was hoping for 2 pounds so I could sign the 30 pound board, but alas I'm at 29 pounds. I think I will get it at tomorrow's WI. The last couple of months have been sooo slow for me. I hadn't been taking enhancer, so I got back on it and I think it has been helping. My DH hit 40 pounds at WI on Friday, so at least one of us got to celebrate. We're really working hard to get to our goals by the end of the year (and the end of our program), but if I have to add a couple more weeks on, no big deal. I've only got 18.5 pounds to go. I can do it!

to everyone!

Great job! You will be signing that 30lb board in no time!

[namaste]

Originally Posted by Hvnlymzic

The girls at work today declared that we're going to start a Biggest Loser competition here at work. I'm so excited! I, of course, won't change anything that I'm already doing. I know Donuts won a biggest loser challenge at his workplace sometime earlier in the year. I don't know if I'll win, honestly. We're going by percentage lost and while I put up steady losses, there are some others who might be right up there with me with a couple big losses. Anyway, there's a cash pot to win at the end (we have to put $1 in the pot for every pound gained during the challenge) so I don't see how it has a down side. I don't plan on gaining much if anything, so I'll never have to pay, but I'll have a shot at winning! Bring it on!!

That sounds like a blast! Go win some $$$$! You'll need it for your new wardrobe!

[namaste]

Originally Posted by graduatethin

Goal4Life Great idea! I will do that, besides she is only going to be 11-- who's in charge anyway! Ha!

That is a great idea! Then, it sounds like they are making the decision but you don't have to suffer!!!! Nice one!

[namaste]

Originally Posted by graduatethin

Goal4Life: I am getting close to that 30 pound mark, too--- I wi tomorrow and since I missed on Friday, I am hoping for a big loss

Good luck!!!! I'm thinking you are going to make it on that 30 lb board really soon!!!!

[alexiah]

Hi ladies i have not been on the thread since 11/26/07 due to my computer crashing but i bought a new one today and here i am !! I appreciate the response about my question about making the decision to join mrc. I need to lose about 70 pounds to be at my ideal wt i was wondering how long did it take all of you to lose inchesm not really the wt i mean did you notice a differeance in your clothes right away or the scale? One last question i hope you can help with.. when you say real foods are on plan does that mean i can by them at the grocery store can you have fruits and veggies/dairy? Also the lady at the center told me that i would have to buy the mr6?and the flax from the center no exceptions does that sound right? I was hoping to buy the flax from elsewhere cant i do that? I really appreciate all the help i really want and NEED to lose wt i just want to be sure this is somthing i can work in with my everyday routine (I have 3 girls) thanks in advance god bless

[alexiah]

I almost forgot to ask what kind of foods can you eat on plan? i weigh 238 and i am 5 '2 i once was on the 6 week body makeover and lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks i got to eat every 2-3 hours which was good i liked that but it was VERY restrictive no salt at all (which i can do )but also no dairy and being that i am on the depo provera shot my doc says i need the calcium is any one else have to modify the plan to meet your needs?

[losingweightnow]

Hi alexiah! The foods are real food you buy at the grocery store. I'm not sure about the "requirent" of MRC-6 and flax pills. I buy my flax at CVS when they have buy one get one free sales (and my center knows this). MRC-6 is available only at MRC. The food variety depends on what menu they assign to you when you sign up. I eat 3 times a day (B, L, D), and have my HNS as "snacks". I noticed both right away - clothes and scale. As for the calcium - take extra supplements. (you do get dairy, but limited).

If you are willing to make a lifestyle change, which becomes your routine, then this will work for you. ANY "diet" will work as long as you stick to the lifestyle change. If you change your eating habits and lose weight, then go back to eating crappy then it won't work.

Make an appointment with a counselor and ask them all the questions you have asked us. They will be more than happy to answer all of them. (it's hard for them to explain everything over the phone because there is SO much info!). Good luck!

[Lilyannas Mom]

DJAEBBS I was wondering about the Hoodia too. I was also wondering what vitamins people have to buy a MRC. I have already spent too much money, so I need to start cutting somewhere. I was looking through my Puritan's Pride catalogue. I found Hoodia Gordonii 800 mg tablets there. They are 9.99 for 30. 29.97 for 90. And you can buy as many as you like at a time. I know that the hoodia also has cayenne in it. They sell 200 for 5.64. Plus you get free shipping on anything over 75 dollars. I found my B vitamins there and other things. What other things do people on the MRC program buy elsewhere?

Thanks bunches!

[steph0320]

In reference to the supplement purchased at the center. I only buy MRC6 and my HNS from the center. I take Flax, MSM, Multi-vitamin, chromium and 5HTP. I buy everything at Walgreens or CVS when they have the buy one get one free sales. I was told it was mandatory to take flax and my counselor suggested to me to go elsewhere and get it. I was never told it was required to take MRC6, I just started taking that a few days ago.

I hope this helps those that asked.

[Mary V]

WI tonight and I lost 1/2 lb but I'm still above the weight I started my second program at. It's very discouraging because I've been totally on plan. Even though it's TOM, and I know that affects everything (we did a Tanita and it was way off, so not valid), I am just disappointed that I have not only stopped losing but have gained. My body just really doesn't seem to want to weigh less than 150. I'm continuing my plan to increase my exercise a little, and hope for the best. I'm going to do MetaQuick for a few days and see if that will jump-start me back into weight loss mode.

Chopingirl - Amazing how our bones have been in there all this time and we never noticed them, isn't it?! That's so cool!

Hvnly - Congrats on your new friend, Gazoo! And your contest at work sounds like another great motivator. You've got the MRC advantage over everyone else Good luck!

Lilyana's mom - Welcome from a fellow Oregonian! I go to the Beaverton center; which center do you go to?

Great job, texdoc! - Recognizing and avoiding emotional eating is a real struggle.

mefirst - When I "had to" go to a Mexican restaurant, I ordered carne asada. It's just grilled steak. I avoid Mexican restaurants like the plague, however, because of that ever-present basket of chips. I am afraid I won't be able to turn them down. I made a deal with a friend before we ever entered the restaurant that we would tell them "no chips" and it worked out fine. Hope this helps

Donuts - Again, another lesson in perspective...... you've lost more than your Gazelle weighs! What a great observation! I'm moving soon and was thinking of all the boxes I'll be carrying that will weigh less than the flab I was carrying around. Playing those little mental games is always fun!


Have a great MRC week everyone, and send good vibes my way for a loss at WI on Friday! Thanks for being here!!

[Nan11]

Nan here, reporting in from week 1 of Stabilization! People, I had a small slice of ANGEL FOOD CAKE today! Week 1 adds starch, 3 times a week. On it you can have 1/2 bagel, a small potato, 1/2 cup rice or grits, 1/2 cup pasta...

The food sheet is a tad different from the one we use, but the meal plan is the same, you just add an extra starch, and you have to eat it before 2 p.m., so that your body can metabolize it fully.

Lost another lb in WI today...the closer I get the longer it seems to take. Oh well, it's a lifestyle change, I can wait.

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by DJAEBBS

I have to be honest I wish the weight would fall off faster. I have lost 9.5 pounds and 13 inches.

For my December goal I decided to that if I could loose another 8 pounds that would be great. Anyone else have goals to share?

Also, anyone taking non MRC hoodia? Any suggestions? 75.00 is way too much for a supplement that only has 180 pills. (Remember both my hubby and I do the diet).

Hey - 13 inches is great - & 9.5 lbs is nothing to sneeze at. I think with your level of exercise you're going to see inches go faster than lbs, and really, isn't that the point? To get smaller & healthier? Go by how your clothes are fitting, not so much by the scale. (That's one of the downsides of MRC, I think, the goal weight & the weigh-in's, and our contract-ending dates, keep us so hyper-focused on the scale that sometimes we lose sight of the other signs of our success.)
Hoodia - I've been using DEX-L10 hoodia. Seems to be working pretty well, and it was cheaper than the MRC brand (don't remember exactly how much tho). It did come with a "seal of authenticity", for what that's worth, which probably isn't much. And you only take one (MRC is two, right?) I have no idea where all it's available, I got mine in a military commissary, so I can't help much with that.
My goal for December is to lose the weight I gained in November & get back to close to where I was LAST December when I started maintenance!

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by alexiah

I need to lose about 70 pounds to be at my ideal wt i was wondering how long did it take all of you to lose inchesm not really the wt i mean did you notice a differeance in your clothes right away or the scale? One last question i hope you can help with.. when you say real foods are on plan does that mean i can by them at the grocery store can you have fruits and veggies/dairy? Also the lady at the center told me that i would have to buy the mr6?and the flax from the center no exceptions does that sound right? I was hoping to buy the flax from elsewhere cant i do that? I really appreciate all the help i really want and NEED to lose wt i just want to be sure this is somthing i can work in with my everyday routine (I have 3 girls) thanks in advance god bless

I noticed a difference on the scale & in my clothes pretty quickly. In general, the more weight you have to lose, the quicker it will come off in the beginning, especially if you're retaining a lot of water.
You can buy everything you eat at the grocery store - your family can eat everything you eat, just bigger portions (you'll weigh & measure your food). There are meal replacement bars & drinks, but you aren't supposed to use them often & I rarely used them (they aren't required at all, they're available as a convenience). There's a supplemental protein drink (HNS - short for High Nutrient Supplement) that is required, a minimum of 2 of those a day.
The MRC-6 is only available at MRC. Flax you can buy anywhere - I bought theirs initially as part of an "introductory package deal" my center offered, once it was gone I bought it elsewhere for MUCH less. She might have been talking about the "Total Woman", which has flax in it, and is an MRC product, but it isn't required. Neither is the MRC-6, for that matter.
You also asked about dairy, you can have cottage cheese, and a couple of oz of hard cheese daily. You could add a calcium supplement to that. More dairy is allowed once you get to maintenance. There are also good sources of dietary calcium outside of dairy products that are allowed on plan.
Good luck with your decision - hope you're getting the answers you're looking for here!

[Hvnlymzic]

Mexican Food - I order fajitas when I go to Mexican restaunts, which has been only twice since May when i started. I also order a salad. Then I eat one tortilla (or half of one if it's big), the meat and veggies from the fajitas and the salad (which isn't ever big) and then I feel pretty good about it. I have no problem with the chips...just not a big deal to me. I don't really like salsa (too spicy), so chips weren't a big deal. I'm pretty brave about eating out. I've done Italian places (olive garden among others) and several other challenging places getting braver as I go along. At first I wouldn't go into a restraunt that I thought would be a temptation, which eliminated alot of places, but now I've begun to realize that if I don't go in now while I'm restricted, when I'm done and on my own I'll go in a make mistakes. Might as well go now rather than later. Learn what a good choice might look like at that particular place and then I know. Plus, I'm gonna be on plan for another year or so and I don't want to be the party pooper for a year when we talk about where to go eat. It was really discouraging when someone would mention a place and then say "oh wait...you can't eat there...". Now I feel confident enough to say "Sure I can...let's go!". My advice is go in, ask to see the menu, decide if you can live with something on the menu and then leave if you can't. (I've done that at Zio's...an Italian place). Also, don't be afraid to ask if they have something not on the menu. Alot of times, they'll offer different dietary options that aren't necessarily listed. The customer is always right, right?

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by losingweightnow

If you are willing to make a lifestyle change, which becomes your routine, then this will work for you. ANY "diet" will work as long as you stick to the lifestyle change. If you change your eating habits and lose weight, then go back to eating crappy then it won't work.

Boy howdy, that's the truth. I've always said "If you go back to eating the way you did, you'll go back to weighing what you did."
Occasionally I seem to feel compelled to prove it to myself (again) - November was a bad month, starting with getting semi-sick (not real bad, just enough to throw me off), then having a party here AND Thanksgiving here within a week. (Neither was MRC-friendly!) That set me on a Cavalcade of Carbs (the bad ones - not fruits & veggies) that's lasted a couple of weeks.
So I'm trying to get back to normal this week, which ain't easy, there's WAY too much going on here - we're having a pool put in & construction started today, we installed laminate flooring in one of our bedrooms over the weekend so now that bedroom has to be put back together by Wednesday when the grandkids will be here again & I'll need their room clear, and oh, yeah - it's DECEMBER! I've done a little decorating and my cards are ready (as soon as I get envelopes & stamps) - but there's still a LOT I need to do. Luckily, not so much shopping as decorating, getting out my Christmas dishes, etc, etc.
Which reminds me - everyone who seems to be losing a little less these days - don't forget the stress of the holidays - it DOES affect you on the scales!