I went to WI today--first time back since vacation & my first week of stabilization. I was down a pound which I'm happy with since I was up 4 when I got back from vacation!
Got week 2 menu and I'm looking forward to adding the fruit at breakfast. It wasn't busy at all this morning and I had a nice long chat with one of my favorite counselors who is also on stabilization.
Mentally, it IS hard to make diet changes--I've been on that green menu so long it seems like second nature to me now and I almost hate fooling with a formula that I know works! But I also know that you can't stay on it forever ;)

I agree. I had the green menu memorized. Now I have to pull the food sheet out and check the selections multiple times a day. I can never remember what I'm suppose to have. I'm really curious to see how much different the menu for maintenance will be. Just a few more days.

I'm really struggling with feelings of failure this week. Every since they said I'm starting maintenance on Saturday. I feel like they've given up on me since I can't shake this 170 - 173 range. I'm 12 lbs above my set goal - even though I hit it on October 10th. Then I give myself a pep talk and remind myself how far I've come. I have lost 90 lbs, that's no small task! Then I do also say it's really important to have a new mental set point. I said I didn't want to see the 170's on the scale ever again. So I'm just baby stepping past the line I drew, but I'm still there. I'm sure that will be the key to keeping the weight off - not allowing yourself to creep past the set point. Just a lot of noise in my head right now!!

We've been on this plan so long - especially me :). The green menu was such a nice routine and I think I just got really comfortable and didn't have to deal with all the emotional baggage for a while. I'm hoping I have time to have a nice chat with the center on Saturday. Every phase that changes seems to be scary to me. This one is the great unknown! I've tried to mentally prep myself for the last 6 months that losing weight is relatively easy, it's keeping it off that will be hard.

Meemo - I finally found steel cut oaks. Definately takes a lot longer to cook. I made a big batch and tried it in our favorite "oatmeal" recipe with cottage cheese. It did lend a completely different texture. I do like it a lot better than the standard oats - it seemed to blend in better.

Originally Posted by ShineOn:
I agree. I had the green menu memorized. Now I have to pull the food sheet out and check the selections multiple times a day. I can never remember what I'm suppose to have. I'm really curious to see how much different the menu for maintenance will be. Just a few more days.

I'm really struggling with feelings of failure this week. Every since they said I'm starting maintenance on Saturday. I feel like they've given up on me since I can't shake this 170 - 173 range. I'm 12 lbs above my set goal - even though I hit it on October 10th. Then I give myself a pep talk and remind myself how far I've come. I have lost 90 lbs, that's no small task! Then I do also say it's really important to have a new mental set point. I said I didn't want to see the 170's on the scale ever again. So I'm just baby stepping past the line I drew, but I'm still there. I'm sure that will be the key to keeping the weight off - not allowing yourself to creep past the set point. Just a lot of noise in my head right now!!

We've been on this plan so long - especially me :). The green menu was such a nice routine and I think I just got really comfortable and didn't have to deal with all the emotional baggage for a while. I'm hoping I have time to have a nice chat with the center on Saturday. Every phase that changes seems to be scary to me. This one is the great unknown! I've tried to mentally prep myself for the last 6 months that losing weight is relatively easy, it's keeping it off that will be hard.

I made copies of the week 1 & 2 additions to keep in my purse for when I go to the grocery store because I can't remember the choices :dizzy:
Gina, you can't beat yourself up--you have lost an incredible amount of weight and you have just gone through such a stressful time with your father's health scare. I think the holidays are just so hard to stick to a completely OP lifestyle, too. You're doing every thing right so try not to be hard on yourself!
I agree with you about the set point. Mine right now is 160, although I may reevaluate once I finish stabilization. I am almost at 155, which is a good weight for me. If I go a little lower, that would be OK, but I'm not unhappy at that number.
I'm excited about my 1/2 banana tomorrow! :D

Originally Posted by ShineOn:
Meemo - I finally found steel cut oaks. Definately takes a lot longer to cook. I made a big batch and tried it in our favorite "oatmeal" recipe with cottage cheese. It did lend a completely different texture. I do like it a lot better than the standard oats - it seemed to blend in better.

Glad you like them - I need to make another batch soon. You can let them sit overnight & they'll cook a lot quicker, I need to find my recipe for doing that. Some people even cook them in a crockpot overnight.
Oh, and don't make me come over there & give you a :kickbutt: - feeling like a failure indeed! No way, no how!

Thanks Meemo & Finz. Don't you find with great success it's hard to let your vulnerabilities show through? I wouldn't have the heart to post my inner battle on the main thread. I feel the need to be strong and supportive - which I am 98% of the time. Body distoration issues and momentary laps of self-confidence will be something I'll continue to battle. Sometimes, my self-confidence can be my greatest weakness. I don't notice the gain until it's too far gone. This time I'm trying to keep it in check. I have stopped weighing everyday - now that I'm no OP, it was just making me nuts. Twice a week is fine now. And the clothes don't lie!

Finz - How was your banana??? I still savor that taste! That was my favorite part of stabilization!! I give the other half to my DH right away, that way I'm not tempted to nibble.

The banana was wonderful! That was a nice change. I do feel like I am struggling a bit with the whole program right now. It's just my mental attitude is a bit different--I think it's a combination of the holiday season (parties,special foods,etc) and a bit of battle fatigue after being OP for 11 months now. I find myself indulging in BLT's where before I was strong enough to resist. And I have to struggle with compliments and not them make me over confident and think that I don't have to pay attention to what I'm eating and drinking. I think I'm seeing a lot of people that I haven't seen since last Christmas season so I'm getting a lot of notice on my weight loss and that can be a double edged sword.
Gina, I'm with you--there are some issues that I will always have to battle and some of those are starting to surface again. I need to work very hard to keep in mind all I learned at MRC over this last year.

Finz, I understand completely. I think it is a battle of the fatigue of being so strict for so long. I've been on this plan since the end of Aug . . . 2007! And the length is completely my fault. The plan works when you follow the plan. The end of this plan has been much harder for the same reasons you mentioned. During stabilization, your not in the chemical burn phase anymore so my BLT's started creaping in and all the compliments do get me a little over confident too.

I went into my maintenance apt this morning and asked for a strong counselor. I requested one of two people that I knew have lost a significant amount of weight and have kept it off. Then I just had a heart to heart. I just didn't feel good about starting maintenance when I'm carrying this extra weight. I wore in normal dress pants and they are tight and I've got a muffin top going on!! When we went through my chart, we realized I hadn't been measured since the 23rd of July. That's when I started my "6 weeks" of stabilization. I really felt like all my trips just messed up my stabilization phase. I hadn't filled out my testimony yet because my heart just wasn't in it. How can I tought how good I've done when I've mentally fallen short of the goal. To make a longer story a little shorter :grin: I re-signed to take 16 more lbs off. My sister-in-laws wedding is in Vegas next week, so I'm officially back in pre-conditioning and I'll start again on the 26th. I feel so much better!!! This gives me until the 8th of March, but they predict it will come off really fast. Then my year of maintenance goes from March on. It feels weird, but I'm actually very relieved and excited. I feel like I can complete this task correctly. Plus, I'm doing this above board. I told them I was flirting with the idea of starting back OP by myself the 1st of January.

Gina, I think that's a wonderful idea & I'm really glad you did it. I'm with you-- I don't think I could start maintenance until I was where I wanted be. And you're not! You know the program inside and out and you'll be able to get right back in the groove and drop those 16 pounds. So much of this can depend on the timing --what is going on in your life and things like that. And you were gone so much, coupled with the worry about your father, that diet just took a back a seat for a short while. Anyway, I think it's great that you've made that commitment & I have no doubt that you'll shed those 16 pounds quickly. :D

Originally Posted by Finz:
Gina, I think that's a wonderful idea & I'm really glad you did it. I'm with you-- I don't think I could start maintenance until I was where I wanted be. And you're not! You know the program inside and out and you'll be able to get right back in the groove and drop those 16 pounds. So much of this can depend on the timing --what is going on in your life and things like that. And you were gone so much, coupled with the worry about your father, that diet just took a back a seat for a short while. Anyway, I think it's great that you've made that commitment & I have no doubt that you'll shed those 16 pounds quickly. :D

Ditto what Finz said - timing is everything - like I said, I thought I could lose 15 lbs in 17 weeks with NO problem, in fact we set my goal weight 5 lbs lower than I'd gotten the first time around just because I had so long to lose them. Then the timing thing - having my daughter here, then just when she left my knee went out so no exercise, then just as my knee got better I had a couple of basal skin cancers that had to come off & I couldn't take any of the vitamins or herbs for 5 weeks. Of course my biggest obstacle was my brain. But all those other things made it easy for me to slack off and not eat right. Next time I go in I'm telling them I want to change my goal - honestly all I wanted to lose was the 15 lbs I'd gained - the extra 5 would've been a "cushion", and mentally, a cushion isn't a good thing for me anyway. So really (once I recover from this weekend's party) I have about 5 lbs to go. Which will be easy - except for the stinkin' Christmas parties. And the stress of my in-laws probably coming for Christmas. And, and, and...see how my brain gets in my way???

Anyway - :dizzy: - glad you're going to lose those lbs that are bugging you - you'll feel much better in the long run, Gina!

Life! Yes it does get in the way :lol: We're leaving on Wednesday for Vegas - my sister in law is getting married, so it's just a short 4 day trip. I really wanted to start January 1st, but the day after Christmas is ok - that will give me a jump on the new year. I'm really ready to be 100% compliant again. I think I just fought it too hard the last 50 lbs. Those, now 40 lbs, came off kicking and screaming. I just need to have the same attitude as when I started . . . . "I'll do exactely what you tell me to do". I just keep thinking about what Finz said. The second time was so much easier because she didn't fight it. We deserve to be at a healthy BMI!!! Let's fight the good fight Meemo!!

I really enjoyed reading your posts, Shine On, Finz, and Meemo. I've been visiting off and on over the last few months. I needed a little encouragement since it's the holiday and everything. I've been on maintenance since July. I have gained back about 6 pounds since then. It's been pretty hard with all the parties and all. I too want the oompah I had when I first started the program. I certainly don't want to gain the weight back and then some. It's good to read about your struggles and victories. That helps me too! Good luck to all of you and your goals. We are going on a trip the day after Christmas but when we get back I am going to set my goals again and really put effort into meeting them!

Hi everyone, I has been awhile since I last posted. I really have been having a hard time keeping my weight off. I gained back 9lbs since before Thanksgiving. I am still holding my weight at 185lbs. I have found I cannot eat carbs at all I am very carb senistive. I gained most of my weight during Christmas. I just got so depressed But I finally pul;led myself out of it. I started walking and got out of the house instead of worrying about everything. My contract with metabolic ended in dec and I didn't renew.
Well anyway Hope everyone is doing great on Maintance. Melanie:?:

How long is Stabilization?

Stabilization is 6 weeks. I am hoping to be able to start next Friday!

~Shannon

Originally Posted by Shan76:
Stabilization is 6 weeks. I am hoping to be able to start next Friday!

~Shannon

Shan...congrats...you can do it...good job!! :carrot:

Losingforhealth good for you for getting back on the wagon! That is what I try to do when I cheat - just start all over again the next day. Sometimes it is hard because I get so depressed at how much I gained on a little cheat, but you can usually kick your body back into fat-buring mode pretty quickly and get it off in a week or two.

Is there anyone on here who has not stuck to their stabilization? I am supposed to be on week 4, but I have not really done any of the menus correctly. I am not ready to stabilze yet - I want to lose more weight, so I find myself going back to my old menu. They don't know this at the center - I just keep "forgetting" my food sheet. Has anyone else not been ready to move on to the next menu?

Originally Posted by Fifties Lady:
Shan...congrats...you can do it...good job!! :carrot:

Thank you so much! It has been a hard journey, but I am pushing on through! :)
~Shannon

Originally Posted by sherryanncard:
Losingforhealth good for you for getting back on the wagon! That is what I try to do when I cheat - just start all over again the next day. Sometimes it is hard because I get so depressed at how much I gained on a little cheat, but you can usually kick your body back into fat-buring mode pretty quickly and get it off in a week or two.

Is there anyone on here who has not stuck to their stabilization? I am supposed to be on week 4, but I have not really done any of the menus correctly. I am not ready to stabilze yet - I want to lose more weight, so I find myself going back to my old menu. They don't know this at the center - I just keep "forgetting" my food sheet. Has anyone else not been ready to move on to the next menu?

Stabilization is really important for long term weight loss. When you mess up on a week, just repeat it. There was a week where I gained, so I just repeated too. I went through stabilization back in October then went off plan through the holidays. I just wasn't mentally ready to be off the diet yet. I signed back up to get my rebel weight off right after Christmas and went through stabilization right this time. I actually started maintenance at the end of April and it has worked out really good. I know it's hard, but just trust the plan and you'll be fine.

Thanks for the encouragment ShineOn! I will probably have to resign too because I know that I have already gained about 10 pounds back in three weeks. I just haven't gotten the courage up to go back into the center yet. I go to Mexico tomorrow for vacation and then will probably go back and face reality when I return next week. If you can do it again - I have faith that I can too! : )

Originally Posted by ShineOn:
Stabilization is really important for long term weight loss. When you mess up on a week, just repeat it. There was a week where I gained, so I just repeated too.

I wonder if I'm screwing up the whole point of stabilization. I started stabilization on June 1 and was really good through June 6th. I actually lost 3 lbs between June 1 and June 6. But the nights of June 6th and 7th I ate very off plan because it was my husband's 30th birthday weekend. I gained some weight (8.5 lbs to be exact) but I've jumped right back on the stabilization wagon and I'm already down 6 lbs since Monday morning. I hope to be back to 149 by Friday morning...I don't think that will be tough.

But anyway, the reason I'm worried if I'm screwing it up is that Saturday I have a wedding to go to and I'm going to eat off plan again. Probably will gain 5 lbs again, then lose those 5 lbs next week and then I go to ANOTHER wedding the following weekend where I'll probably regain 5 lbs and then lose the 5 lbs the following week. But after that, I have 3 weeks (the last three weeks of stabilization) to be 100% on plan because I have no special events or parties to go to. My husband is out of town July 4th so I plan on just being good that whole holiday weekend. But then July 11, 12, 17 and 18 I have special parties/weddings to attend.

I just hope I'm not screwing this up. One of the main reasons I wanted to take on the MRC plan was so that in the end I could sort of re-start my metabolism. I want to be able to eat the amount of calories a very active woman who is 6 foot tall and weighs 150 pounds should eat! For the last 5 years I've been starving myself to maintain my my weight (back when I was 165-170 lbs) and I just don't want to do that anymore.

I hope I'm not screwing this up.

I would check with the center - tell them exactly what you said here. They might just have you hold on your current week until you get through all the cellabrations. I know I played around the first time for about 12 weeks to get through the 6 weeks. Looking back, I wasn't mentally ready to fly yet - a lot of the fear of the unknown was holding me back. The 2nd time I went through like clock work and have been able to hold the line pretty well. With that said, we are in completly different situations - I was on forever - lol - and had a lot more weight to lose. Just be brutually honest with the center - they are there to guide you through.

Originally Posted by ShineOn:
I would check with the center - tell them exactly what you said here. They might just have you hold on your current week until you get through all the cellabrations. I know I played around the first time for about 12 weeks to get through the 6 weeks. Looking back, I wasn't mentally ready to fly yet - a lot of the fear of the unknown was holding me back. The 2nd time I went through like clock work and have been able to hold the line pretty well. With that said, we are in completly different situations - I was on forever - lol - and had a lot more weight to lose. Just be brutually honest with the center - they are there to guide you through.

Oh trust me...I have been brutally honest with the center. They know all about these parties/weddings and my plans to go off plan. They knew about my going off plan last Saturday too. They didn't seem too worried about it because I've shown the 3 times I've gone off plan that I gain a bunch of weight but I'm able to lose it within the week, plus lose more usually. That doesn't really seem like a healthy way to go through stablization or maintanence to me.

I'll bring it up again tomorrow when I go in for my WI.

The light at the end of the tunnel, at least for me, is my weight doesn't jump around on maintenance. It used swing wildly during the green menu & the first few weeks of stabilization if I had any off plan meals. When I venture outside of my calorie count on maintenance, I don't see a wild swing. I can have the occasional "bad" meal and not see a jump on the scale. Now, I have gone back to only weighing once a week. I monitor more now by how my clothes feel. I found the scale was messing with my head. My 10 lb gain was a result of slipping back into old habits and it came back gradually. Now I just need to get back to good habits and let it slip off gradually. :D

[QUOTE=ieduc8em;2249718]I'm on stabilization too. I am on week 5 so I've added back in just about everything. It hasn't been too bad. I was getting confused so I did me a little check list in a note book. It goes something like this:

1b 1b 1b (3 breads)
1f 1f (2 fruits, some days it's 1 fruit)
1v 1v (2 veggies)
1m (1 milk)
1ft (1 fat)
1p 1p 1p 1p 1p 1p 1p 1p 1p (9 proteins)

I just cross them off after each meal. It really helps me keep up with what I've eaten. I'll do this until I get used to it.


I know this is a really old thread/post, but I'm going to be starting stabilization soon & wanted to get some hints. I had to laugh to myself when I saw your post. Do you remember the old "Deal-a-Meal". There was a card for each amount you could have (3 cards for bread, 2 cards for fruit, etc.) What an oldie but a goodie! Good 'ole Richard Simmons!!! Bless his soul!

Originally Posted by exsquisit:
Hey....
I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share the food additions with me that are on the stabilization menus. I am 1/2 a point away on BMI and my program has ended. I cannot afford to resign again, and they won't let me stabilize because the BMI isn't right on 24. I just want to know what to add back in and when to do it so I can wean myself off this HNS. I think it really sux that I reached all my goals and can't stabilize because of 1/2 a point, but I guess they know what they are doing. Thanks.

Jennifer

what did you end up doing? i'm at the point right now where two ladies have told me they'll let me cuz i told them i was either going to do it or i was going to quit ok but they haven't given me anything as far as paperwork and they even gave me attitude like because the girl who told me that isn't there anymore i might not be able to do it. did you ever get the menus?

Ok, so thanks to some generous people I now have copies of all the paperwork. The mgr STILL has not called me from last Thursday so I don't expect a call any more. My question is, for example, week 1 is the starch three times at lunch. Now this list doesn't include all the previous starch list but the ones it does include are in different qty's ie 1/2 c rather than 1/4 now. Does this list update our normal list for breakfast & lunch or are the green menu starches still what you must stick to for breakfast & lunch? does that make any sense?

Originally Posted by ford4life69:
Ok, so thanks to some generous people I now have copies of all the paperwork. The mgr STILL has not called me from last Thursday so I don't expect a call any more. My question is, for example, week 1 is the starch three times at lunch. Now this list doesn't include all the previous starch list but the ones it does include are in different qty's ie 1/2 c rather than 1/4 now. Does this list update our normal list for breakfast & lunch or are the green menu starches still what you must stick to for breakfast & lunch? does that make any sense?

During Stabilization I was told to continue the green menu and add the stabilization additions to my diet. For example, the first week adds a starch for lunch in day 1,3, and 5. So I was doing the green menu every day and on days 1, 3, and 5 I also had a new starch for lunch. Does this make sense? I continued on the green menu, and every week more food was added to it. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by ford4life69:
Ok, so thanks to some generous people I now have copies of all the paperwork. The mgr STILL has not called me from last Thursday so I don't expect a call any more. My question is, for example, week 1 is the starch three times at lunch. Now this list doesn't include all the previous starch list but the ones it does include are in different qty's ie 1/2 c rather than 1/4 now. Does this list update our normal list for breakfast & lunch or are the green menu starches still what you must stick to for breakfast & lunch? does that make any sense?

When you are due for your starch in week 1 (let's say Monday, Wednesday, Friday) you add in the starch from the Week 1 Stabilization menu and the amount. Other than that you are following your Green Menu items and amounts. So at breakfast when you are to have a bread on the green menu, you can only pick from the green menu bread items and their serving sizes. You can only use the "starch" items from the Stabilization additions for the specific times mentioned on the menu. Does that make sense?

It gets more complex when you get further in to stabilization. Just remember that items on the stabilization menus can only be eaten at designated meals and are not to be replacements for anything on the green menu.

Hope that helps!

Yes that does help very much. I've been keeping my food sheets in a journal rather than the sheets and I've adjusted my journal to include what I can have. I didn't know there were specific days ie 1, 3, 5 and I didn't get the paperwork till Monday *which I kept on green* so I had my first starch on Tuesday, planned on having my second one tmw and then cooking spaghetti for my BF on sunday which is like 2, 4, 7 since I have it written out to start my weeks on Mondays. I'll make the 1, 3, 5 adjustment next week. I guess I thought the days were optional so I didn't look closely enough at the food sheets. I'll get all that fixed in my journal tonight so I can keep track of it. I'm SO looking forward to getting milk back! :-) All they ever told me about maintenance was that at the weight I was then *I'm only a couple lbs less now* that I wld have to have approximately a 1600 cal diet to maintain. I guess when I get closer to maintenance I'll hit those ladies up for any further information or if it's just a calorie counting game after the fact. I will admit I'm enjoying the fruit and have learned to like having the veggies. On the occasions where I've gotten the munchies at 10 and knew I was going to be up several more hours I've been munching on veggies which is a MUCH BETTER habit than the assorted junk food carbs that I used to keep in the house. :-)

Going to give it a shot
 

I would love to be able to get your stabilization and additions information when I get to that point. I live in OK with no place close, plus the $$$ issue is another problem, so I am venturing out there to do this on my own. I have the first three menus, ordered the drinks online and will pick up some supplements elsewhere. I really want to do this. I am sick of being fat. My bodyfat is 38% right now. I got measured at Curves and can keep track of that there.

Would anyone be willing to send me the stabilization and maintenance menus?
Im doing this on my own and didnt get that far before... so I dont have those particular menus.

Thanks so much!

asherdwn, If you get the stabilization menu would you please send it to me. THanks! [email protected]

Bump
 

Bump

Stabilization still seems far away.

I enjoy reading this thread since stabilization all seems a big mystery to me.

I'm an all or nothing girl so I'm afraid a little carbs will send me on a downward spiral. The pizza delivery man will greet me with open arms and say, "Girlfriend! Where ya been?!"

I have a while before I have to worry about that though.

im on week 6 of stabilization...still......and i think ill continue to stay on week 6 for a while.....
ive found that stabilization is hard and scary, especially here at the end.......on the one hand, i want to try and experiment a little, with little cheats here and there (like a bite of this or bite of that, nothing big, cuz HEY, once i enter the "real world" of eating, i wanna know my body can handle a bite of this and a bite of that). But on the other, im so terrified of gaining ANY of the weight back. Its also scary because since ive been on week 5, and now, 6, ive stopped losig, and i will go up and down every week. One week im up a pound and a half, the next im down half a pound, the next im UP a half a pound, then suddenly i DROP a pound, etc..its really obvious my body IS trying to find itd happy place...but its still scary... to any of you just starting stabilization, dont be suprised if you see the scale move UP once or twice.......

I'm on week 3 now. Love reading the threads. Any great food combo ideas you've enjoyed that you'd like to share? For me I love baked potato, broccoli and cheese for lunch on starch day, Angel food Cake and blueberries on starch day at lunch, whole grain pasta, cheese and veggie in a bowl.

Originally Posted by porchmom84:
I'm on week 3 now. Love reading the threads. Any great food combo ideas you've enjoyed that you'd like to share? For me I love baked potato, broccoli and cheese for lunch on starch day, Angel food Cake and blueberries on starch day at lunch, whole grain pasta, cheese and veggie in a bowl.

Oh Porchmom, That sounds wonderful. I just got week one of stabilization today and I am also looking for ideas. Thank you.

Originally Posted by porchmom84:
I'm on week 3 now. Love reading the threads. Any great food combo ideas you've enjoyed that you'd like to share? For me I love baked potato, broccoli and cheese for lunch on starch day, Angel food Cake and blueberries on starch day at lunch, whole grain pasta, cheese and veggie in a bowl.

But a 1" square cube of angel food cake doesn't seem like much. How much have you been eating?

Originally Posted by E4FEwife:
But a 1" square cube of angel food cake doesn't seem like much. How much have you been eating?

I measured--truly 1". You'll be surprised. When I saw we got 1/2 cup of pasta I made whole grain penne pasta and my first inclination was to CHEAT....but I didn't and truly it was enough. Give the serving sizes a chance....hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised like I was. Espeically with the blueberries on it...seemed like SUCH a treat:) Congrats to you!

By the way, I've enjoyed stabilization but when I first saw the menu I was disappointed...expected more of a change.....but I must say after I went through my mini funk....about a day....changed my outlook and I'm finding I'm getting plenty and enjoying it. What about you?