New to MRC
 

Today is my 5 day on program and I am so excited that I have found something that will work. I weighed in this past Saturday and lost 4.5 lbs. since June 2nd, 2008..if that doesn't get you excited nothing will.

My sister and I are doing this journey together and are very excited about becoming part of this website as well as losing weight.

I have a couple of questions being new at this...how/where do you get the cute weight loss tickers to display at the bottom of your posts?

Can't wait to make new friends and hopefully encourage some other new starters.

JodiAnn

Welcome JodiAnn!!! Congrats on an awesome weight loss!!! WOO HOO!! You are able to get the cute weight tickers after 30 posts and being on the website for 30 days. Hope that helps!

Sharisse

Hi! Today is my 5th day on program and I am so excited to have finally found something that will get me to my goal weight. I have a great support system and feel grateful for the opportunity to do this program. I weighed in on saturday and lost 5.5 lbs so far.

My sister (JodiAnn) is doing the program with me and it is so awesome to be doing it together.

I am looking for some different ways to cooking my vegetables to make them more flavorful. I have been steaming my broccoli and string beans and it is getting a little boring. Any suggestions?

Dawn

Pink
 

Hey Pink. welcome3: Try checking out the recipe threads and get the cookbook. Also, FYI, check out the MCR.. redo20 thread. That is the "main" blog page where everyone talks and gives support. Have you tried spraying a little ICBINB spray on them? Also, try roasting your veggies like asparagus, squash and zucchini in the oven with a little olive oil and sprinkle with some seasoning and sea salt. That is really good.

Day 15
 

Hello All, Is this where the newbies gather? I've been trying to get familiar with this site, I'm still somewhat lost. I think I have built my profile correctly - but not sure since this is my first post.

Day 15 on MRC, I love it, haven't felt this great in years. My last WI was not a gain or a loss, I think I'm stuck in that 2 week holding pattern that I have read about from Meemo (hope that is correct) Thanks for posting that, as I was concerned and discouraged because I was seeing a loss each time I went. I shall remain dedicated and patient, I am a work in progress. Besides the fact that I feel so good is a very encouraging factor.

:)

Hey everyone Today is day 9 for me...and at my first weigh in I lost 10 lbs!! I am so excited about that...I really seem to feel better on this diet--I do not get tired during the day like I used to.

Welcome newbies! Today is day 4 for me, tomorrow I start the blue menu woo hoo! I weighed in yesterday, 3 days and down 4 pounds. I know that the weight falls off easy in the beginning though, I know that in a few weeks I'll be in a plateau. I just need to stick with it.

I'm loving the support here, it really helps...

Wow! 10lbs....good for you!! :carrot: Keep up the good work!

How long does the plateau usually last?

How long is the average plateau and what days does it usually start in? I think I should be hitting mine anytime now...Today is day 10 for me...
Anybody know?

I was just going through my paperwork from MRC recently - one of the sheets they'd given me was about plateauing early on. I think it happens after the first week or two - but we're all different. Same thing with how long it lasts - we're all different but I think the average is about a week to 10 days. Mine started after 7 days & lasted 8 or 9 days, I think. (I bounced up & down half a pound during that time.)

Thanks Meemo that was encouraging, I go tomorrow to my WI and I do feel better about it since this is day 8, I too have been up and down that .5 It seems that even though you know that plateau is coming that it was scarey that I would get stuck there because that is where I always get stuck on every thing I have tried, then I give up. I'm Not Giving Up!!!

I hit my plateau later than most (about six weeks in) and have been fighting it for the last two weeks, gaining and losing the same few pounds. At weigh in today, I was down 3 so hopefully I will be able to bust out of it over the weekend!

You're right, don't give up!! It is great to know in advance that this will probably happen and your center will work with you to adjust your HNS, exercise, water, etc. to find what your body needs to get back in full fat-burning mode. That's part of the reason why MRC works, all of the fine losers on this board are a testament to that! :) Good luck!

:welcome3: Welcome to all newbies: I was in your shoes back in APR.! For me, my Broccolli, Asparagus, and Green Beans (like the whole), I steam them and or blanch them then put them in a frying pan with either some EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) or ICBINBS (I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray), a little crushed or diced Garlic and little Sea Salt and Pepper - stir fry a little so as to keep it crisp! Yummy!! :hun:

Keep up the good work! We are all rooting for you! :cheer:

WOW 10 lbs.!!! :dancer::dancer::dancer: From what I remember, most hit there plateaus around the second week! The duration has varied for all! As for myself, I have been lucky and have not hit one yet and am at the 12 week mark 29 lbs. down at an avg of 2.4 a week! Some have been better than others and I have not been completly on plan for the past 2 1/2 weeks - some high, some low! Stay dedicated/determined for a change for a healthier/happier you and it will work!

That sounds really yummy Ms. Gigi! Can I have that on my days 1 thru 4? I just got my menu's tonight and I think they look pretty boring - although I suppose I was hoping for just one day of pizza or a cookie.:(

You could have them (cooked veggies) for dinner on days 1-4. Won't be any pizza or cookies on plan - well, not regular pizza or cookies. ;)

I was surprised days 1-4 flew by with as much ease as it was, the food is at such a minimum I thought I would be starving but I wasn't hungry at all. Maybe because I was taking so many pills with each meal hehe. As for pizza I use tortilla as pizza crust and funny thing is I have been doing that for a couple of years in my attempt to get healthier on my own. The only change is when making BBQ chicken pizza with veggies, switch the BBQ for texas sauce. Another issue was my favorite pizza is jalapeno and pineapple. I rethought this to meet the plan requirements and now use ground turkey and slip a little slenda on various places under the cheese to get that sweet taste, and still have nice texture, throw some veggies on there with cheese and have a salad with it. I brush the tortilla with a touch of EVOO instead of using sauce, an alternative to a BBQ pizza. YUMMO it's very delicious

Welcome to all the newbies! Meemo told you what their is to know about the plateaus. Mine was exactly @ 10 days. It lasted about a week to week and a half. It's discouraging, but good to know that it's gonna happen. I just think it messes with our heads!:) We're thinking about how great we're doing and then BAM..Plateau! You'll get through it though. Just keep at it.

To Sopink and jodiann..It's so great that you have each other for support. I have my hubby doing the plan with me now and it's really helping. He understands more what I'm going through and he's way more helpful because of it. Do you two live close to each other too?

Good luck everyone!

I'll experiment with those recipes one day.:) I do have a question though - Is is bad if I don't eat all the food they tell me to eat? Like if I can only choke down 4oz or 6oz of salad instead of 8??

I was pretty hungry the first few days, but I wasn't taking hoodia or anything else, just a multi-vitamin and fish oil pills. It wasn't until just recently, day 7 or 8 on the plan, that I started to not have cravings or be hungry anymore. Actually, last night I didn't even want to eat dinner, I was still full from lunch! Granted it was a late lunch, 3 pm, since I slept in and didn't have breakfast until 10. I ended up eating a small dinner around 9:30 pm. But in my old life, I would get hungry every 2-3 hours. I would never have imagined that I would be able to eat every 5-6 hours! craziness...

p.s. I can't wait to be able to start making pizza with the tortillas!

You should try to choke down as much as you can because that is going to make you feel fuller longer. Try to find a combination that works best for you. Maybe use your 1/2 cup of cottage cheese as dressing. I have found that building my salad using only cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers and other heavy stuff and using a vinegar/1 tsp olive oil/mrs.dash mixture works best for me. 2 tablespoons of dressing does not go far!

You can still use the pineapple if you do that for lunch if you did a big portobello mushroom for the "crust" - that's an old low-carbing trick.

Cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes - use the heavy veggies & add a little greens instead of the other way around. But you should eat everything - this is already a low-calorie plan, don't cheat yourself of the calories you are allowed. ;)

I was just thinking the same??????? thanks

OMG! You so crack me up! I, too, often feel like I am choking down the salads. I am a repeat MRC offender and the volumes of salad were one of the reasons it took me so long to get back OP. When I did it before, I finally started weighing out 8 oz. of salad veggies like cucumbers, celery, broccoli or cauliflower or green peppers rather than choke down a nasty pile of weed-like lettuces, or doing 4 oz. of those and only 4 oz. of grass clippings. It worked just fine and I didn't loathe lunch and dinner nearly as much. :) :dizzy:

You can go to www.tickerfactory.com.

I guess I'm one of the weirdos who LIKES a big salad ;-) Romaine, bibb & butter lettuce, spring mix. I have a huge serving bowl that I use. Top with tuna, flax oil (I don't take the pills) and ff italian dressing. That's my lunch most days.

Going for my consultation
 

I am going for my consultation MRC tomorrow. I am so excited and ready to regain my body and self confidence. I know the money, time and dedication will be worth it in the long run. I want to be a good role model to my children and a sexy wife. Wish me luck.:carrot:

I just finally gave up on the salads - I'll eat a cucumber instead for my raw veggie (8oz is usually one average size cuc) But when I finally got to have cooked veggies as an option I was all over that! :D

You should try grilled veggies- I LOVE asparagus that way. Spray it with a little olive oil and add some Mrs. Dash and throw it on the BBQ for about 8 minutes. I have to limit how much I make or I'll gobble it all up like candy. Grilled summer squash/ tomatoes/ etc. are all good, too.

Hi all I am officially on the program and am on day 9. I have now lost a total of 6.5 lbs. I am so excited. Although the raw veggies can be bit difficult to choke back at times. I believe it will be worth it.

Weight Change from Cycle, Planes and Pizza?
 

I am on week 2 of MRC. I am paying in 2 installments, so I am still on pre-conditioning (until this Friday). The first 3 days I dropped 6.5 pounds. I wasn't weighed again for another 7 days . . . gained 4 pounds.

I went out of town for 4 days and ate pizza in Chicago. Travel = bad news. However, I had also been weighed having just flown 5 hours on a plane AND I was in the middle of my period.

Does anyone have any knowledge on - how much water weight you generally retain on planes AND how much you retain during your monthly cycle. Also, did I really gain weight from having a couple pieces of pizza and a couple of glasses of wine???

Please share your travel, period and "off the diet for a day" weight change stories.

Thanks!

I really don't know since today is my first day of the actual program. My preconditioning was not real strict. I'll be interested to know how fast it comes back off though. Hang in there. We're all in this together!

Hi all - my first post. I'm on day 14 of the plan. Is anyone on the Metabalance program? That's what I'm on. I only have one kidney (the other donated to sister in 1996), so they said I need to be on this "special" plan. Am curious to compare notes with anyone who is on this. I don't see a whole lot of difference in the diet plans from what I've read on here (been lurking a week or so). I'm more curious to know about what your initial charge was and what they told you it covered. I'm a little discouraged with the blaise attitude at my center, but have seen the same gal everytime I've been in with the exception of my initial food counseling.

Thanks for any info and look forward to being an active member.

martini30 - you're off to a great start! cp33 - you can see a 2 -3 lb gain during travel and TOM depending on how salt sensitive you are. Just drink a lot of water over the next couple days and stay on plan and you should be fine. Everytime you are tempted to cheat, just ask yourself if it is worth a 3 day set back. That's how long it will take you to get back into fat burning mode. This is a very chemically balanced food program, so make sure to check your food sheet at every meals and weigh & measure everything. It gets to be habit after a while! It also helps to pre-measure for quick meals on the go. kismet78 - Don't be afraid to ask for a different counselor!! Remember, they work for us. Your initial charge is based on how much you have to lose. It includes private sessions twice a week, weigh in and blood pressure at each meeting as well as review of your food sheet. You will get measured at the 2 week mark and every month anniversary from there on out - if they forget, just remind them. There are some really good counselors at the Bellevue office (that's where I go and I feel like I've been there forever :lol:) Oh, it also includes 1 year of maintenance counselling. It's really, really important to go through stabilization and maintenance. That's the key to long term weight loss.

Welcome everyone! Feel free to join us on the main blog page too. We just got our own "category" on 3 fat chicks about a month ago. Most of us post on the main thread "MRC take XX" You'll find a lot of positive support with this group - feel free to ask us anything!

Way to go! Congratulaitons on your weight loss. I am new to MRC as well and new to 3fc.. I just started a few days ago as well... 4 days on the pre conditoning diet and I gained 4 pounds. Today is the first day on the plan.. so off I go to a new me Yes it is a journey and I am a bit scared, although hopefully can do this too. good luck to you and your sister.

Hello there Shine On... I knew if I looked hard enough I would fine you on this board. You look terrific! I am lost on this board, but will check it out somemore after work tomorrow. Thank you for all of your encouragement. Doing this over the phone is going to be a challenge, but with support from this board, you, my wonderful niece and the phone meetings with my coach in Beaverton, I pray to be okay....

Hi Kismet, I am on the metal balance level 1 plan. Is that what you are on? I am diabetic on oral meds and have some other health challenges, so I guess this is the plan for me. I am on the first day of the plan today, gained 4 pounds on the conditioning diet. I am not aware of any other diet plan since I am so new, however, I read what Shine On shared and I will take her advice. I saw her a year ago (she is my niece) and I am AMAZED at how well she looks and knows the program. She is a true inspiration.

What a blessing you are to your sister to have given her your kidney.

I am looking forward to finding a healthier me and being an active member too. Good luck!

Hi all - Gina and Rocky49 - I asked about the Metabalance plan cost because in re-reading my contract, which I should have done within the first 3 days, I noticed they only put me down for 48 lbs, at a cost of $398. I asked about it again yesterday and I was told that was all they could guarentee in the 24 week timeframe they work off of. I guess my main question would be to everyone, are your contracts all 24 weeks at a time? I was told that I could extend for 24 weeks at a time for an additional $99 until I lost the amount of weight I wanted to lose. The maintenance is included and follows for a year after you've lost the desired amount. I intend to follow it all through, I am just curious about the various contracts. I don't need specifics, don't want to be too nosey. ;D

I think that upfront, you're so excited to be there and are motivated to lose this stuff (still am, by the way) that you overlook or don't hear everything they're telling you. Either way, I'm losing and that's what counts.

Have a great day!

I am fairly new to MRC an how it works in our bodies but.. I do know that in the past if I go out for a few days and have high sodium foods/drinks (like pizza and alcohol) my body usually waits a day then balloons a few pounds. I have learned to keep the water flowing pretty heavily on those instances and try to flush out my system! Good luck and welcome!