I used CortiTrim during program and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I actually still take it. For one, amazing for the inches in the belly! Second, it is great for reducing stress! Wonderful product!

Have you heard of cortisol? Well, it's a hormone and it's produced in your pituitary gland. It regulates your blood sugar, but it also effects energy, inflammation and healing.
Too little cortisol and you get really wiped out..... Too much cortisol and you gain weight (in the belly especially). What happens when you get stressed is that your adrenal glands enlarge and release large quantities of cortical hormones. This sends a message out to the body that you need to go into "survival" mode. The body starts to store whatever it needs to assist you at this point to go through "survival" mode; it diverts energy, suppresses the immune system, raises blood sugar, etc.... This worked well in the old old days, but not in modern times. We become stressed over things that like parking, traffic, etc; things that are not in those "olden" times true stressors (like survival issues). So, the final outcome is that we are left with high cortisol levels.... What I've recently learned is that all forms of stress produce the same consequences so; environmental (heat, cold, noise), chemical (pollution), physical (trauma, infection), psychological (worry, fear).
The best way to combat this "cortisol" issue is:
1) Stress reduction! Meditate, exercise, etc....
2) REST!
3) A low glycemic diet. Sugar handling stress increases cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol turns to the feeling that you want sugar.... and so on....
4) Supplements (CortiTrim, along with a good Multi Vitamin, B6/B12, Essential Minerals) to help regulate your levels

So? It short.... lol.... it will reduce your belly fat but it does so much more! ;)

Namaste, thank you for that great overview of the corti-trim I was wondering if I should purchase it. My energy level has been a bit low and I did not want to purchase something that may not work. Also anything to help the stomach.
sexyrene

Holiday Break has started and I SURVIVED THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE and all the food presents!!! I don't think it gets any worse than that!! Raise my HNS wine glass of grape concentrate, hoooorahhh! Big breath in...big breath out, ahhhhhh! Weighed in & lost 1/2 pd. and I am happy with that. Happy Friday MRCers!!

I figure the cheese sauce just needs less water. The recipe says 6oz. There's only 2oz of cheese so it's quite thin. Maybe just reduce it down some. I'll try it again sometime. I tried the "ranch dressing" made from cottage cheese tonight. Probably would be better if it sat for awhile before eating it but it wasn't bad.

I got your card today! Thanks so much for that! I'm glad I made the decision to join MRC and I hope to get to know you a lot more through my 24 weeks!

After weigh in today...down 2 lbs. this week; 43 total; 67 inches. Holy Moly! 6.5 lbs to go! I was honest with my consultant and told her that I planned to eat with my family on the holidays and enjoy. My goal is to just maintain throughout the holidays...then back to the hardcore dieting. I"m so happy to be so close to goal! Woohoo!

Weighed in today and I lost 5 pounds. Yeah! Almost ready to start the green menu. Does anybody know where in Omaha to buy diet chocolate soda? I looked at HyVee and Super Target and couldn't find any. I want to try some of the drink recipes in the cookbook. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

WI yesterday before leaving for my vacation and was down 1 lb...didn't quite make my goal of 20 lbs before vacation, but that's alright. Now to maintain while away from home and I will be happy! 20 lb board will be my new years gift!

Hello! I am new to MRC & I am on Day 2 of pre-conditioning. I was reading some of the forums & I wonder if you all have the MRC Cookbook & would you say that it is worth the $$ ? I found the cookbook online for about $6-$10 on Amazon but I don't know what is a good price. I am one of those that can't afford every little thing at the center :) Thank u! -Kristy

I like the cook book, however if you can find it for less go for it. Also check out the menu thread because if you really want to save money...get recipes from there. I have found that these are some of the best because they are tried and true with many good cooking tips and substitutions. I say, save your money and check out this thread first. :)

ok, went to my last holiday party last night and I made my ooohhh soooo yummy bars! I didn't do any taste-testing until they were done and my husband tried them and said, "oh my god...these are sooo good." So, I had a little sample. Then, my "martha stewart" neighbor brought her plate of goodies over and I sampled her peanut brittle w/ way to good stuff on top. You know what though, I don't feel guilty. I felt in control and was satisfied with a taste. Last year, I would of ate the goodies and the plate (lil' exaggeration there)! I will post my WI results on Monday to see if it effected anything..... Happy Sunday MCRers!! :)

I found this blog by reading through some of the posts, you may want to check it out first as it has a lot of recipes and a lot from the cookbook.
http://www.mrcrecipes.blogspot.com/

Hope this helps you, I think the cookbook at my center costs $12, fyi.

Congrats! That's great. Keep up the good work! I know it's hard not to partake in the holiday celebrations when everyone all around you is! I know, I hosted a Christmas brunch today and managed to come out almost completely unscathed. I'll be honest and say I did eat a homemade pineapple muffin. I suppose it's not the end of the world. :) I just went right back on plan after.

Exactly! I told my consultant that they would just have to trust that at this point in my plan I know what to do! I'm not going to undo everything I've worked so hard for. However, I will enjoy some holiday foods with my family! Then, like you said...get right back on plan! Happy Holidays!

My contract is up tomorrow.. I got sick last week and ate too many things I know I shouldn't. So my plan is to re sign and start again the day after Xmas.. I only had a lousy 7 pounds to go too. But I was also told I still had too much body fat so they weren't going to let me to to stablization until I got rid of some of it.. I think that may be what sent me on the downward spiral for a minute there.. I am not fond of the center's manager. She is kind of trite and I just don't care for the way she told me how it was going to go. I hope they don't give me any hassle over this. Xmas can be stressful enough without the added guilt of having ate things you shouldn't then have to deal with them telling you what you are doing all wrong.. I need a quick break from this and then after the holiday just get it done.. I am not going to eat a bunch of stuff either.. I just need a break from going to the center twice a week.. I hope all of you have a wonderful Holiday.. Whatever you choose to celebrate!

Cheers
Ronnie

Hang in there! Things happen and we get off track...the important thing is getting back on. I'm sorry to hear that you aren't happy with your center. Mine tends to stalk me and call all the time and it nearly drives me nuts. I told my consultant about my plan to eat with my family and that I'd be out of town a lot and wouldn't be back in the center for a couple of weeks. She still tried to pressure me into coming the day before Christmas. I told her that I just honestly needed a break from analyzing and discussing what I ate and "how I felt about my decisions"...yadda yadda yadda. I'm sure they mean well, but I sometimes feel like a small child who has to be watched carefully so that she doesn't mess up anything. LOL. Enjoy your holidays!