I am having trouble staying op and I was thinking about new members who ask for advice to get started or do things like get in enough water and how so many of us are 'experts' on this program.... Lets do a thread for tips and tricks for MRC to remind ourselves of just how much we know about doing this. Maybe we can learn from others as well.

*drink H2O with a straw
*take all vitamins with H2O
*premake several meals one day of the week and portion them out (soups, chili and the turkey lasanga are good examples)
*eat foods you like that are op to reward yourself (I love the snickerdoodle cookies for breakfast)
*buy the mini water bottles (8 oz) and premix 1 HNS with 1 Fiber so that they are ready to go. This also helps with the actual mixing of the powder HNS and makes it less gritty.

*drink H2O with a straw

Why? what does it help with?

I find I am able to drink more water (or whatever I am drinking) when I drink with a straw.

Nice Topic Daizy!

I'm pretty new to the MRC -- I began proconditioning July 16 2010. I've definitely learned a lot about just giving myself over to the program and listening to good advice, even if I don't really understand the science or significance.

If I had one tip to share, it would be to TRACK TRACK TRACK your eating. I use fitday.com.

It's easy to think you don't eat too much when you don't write it down. For me, I was able to recognize that I was "sweeting" and "snacking" myself to death. I'm not a big-sit-down-and-eat-a-meal person, but I will inhale a box of hot tamales and a bag of doritoes and sour cream without two thoughts. Once I noticed how much of my diet consisted of stuff I could get from the Stop 'n' Go, i was able to see that I put myself in this position. I didn't get here by accident or thyroid, or big bones. I got here because I was putting the worst things in my body as a primary fuel source. Of course my appearance was gonna change!

Also, i've found my 3fatchicks blog helps a bit. Thoughts are funny thing....sometimes the smallest most fleeting thought is the one that needs the most attention. I've found by writing my thoughts out...kind of crystalizing them, I can look at myself honestly and change what I don't like while emphazing the things I do like.

The straw has really been a big deal. Funny how the smallest things can reap the biggest rewards. I definitely drink more water using a straw! I also make sure the water is ice cold. : D !

P.S. I've also started my own diet blog on Blogspot. That's made a huge difference as well. It's that 'self-affirmation' that I'm OP and moving towards doing something good for myself! : )))) Plus I get to go back and read the funny little tid-bits of this crazy diet and how life changing it is... ! It also gives me an outlet for my photography so I can combine the diet with something I *love*! : )))

For me I need answers. I want to know the reasons I'm eating the way the program says and what my consequences are if I deviate from it. So I found to keep me motivated to stay OP I've been reading books that explain about ketosis and fat burning. This has helped me the most in understanding what's going on in my body and helps keep me on track. I look at a piece of cake and finally understand WHY I don't want it rather then feeling deprived of not having it.