I was so pleased with the program for the first month. I was able to lose 15 pounds in January, but since then it's been like pulling teeth to drop weight!
I've only lost 12 pounds since February 1st (1.5 pounds per week) even though I've been on plan. I talked to my center and they've tried to tweak my menu a bit but are unbelievably reluctant to switch menus or anything else. Each time I bring it up, they keep saying, "No, let's keep doing this. You'll have a big loss later this week." Well, it's been 8 weeks at a very slow pace (no big-later-in-the-week-loss), even though I'm on the Meta-Slim. I'm not cheating, my food diary "looks excellent" according to my center, and I'm not over- or under-exercising. I know it will be harder to lose closer to my goal, but I'm still over 20 pounds away (just over half-way from where I started). In fact, I've gained a pound this week. Plus, I'm craving stuff BIG TIME and I'm HUNGRY as all get out (and I've NOT given in and gone off-plan, plus I'm maxing out on HNS)! The ladies at my center keep saying, "That's weird. You shouldn't be hungry. Are you pregnant?" No! They even took my measurements and found that I wasn't dropping inches like I should be, either. In fact, I've gone up a half inch in some spots. I so wish I knew what was going on, but I feel like I need to try something different, like Meta-Quick or something. I'm frustrated! Sorry, but I'vce really needed to vent that for a couple weeks!

When I was about 15-20 lbs. from my goal, I stalled for two months. No cheats either. I think there are weights your body naturally 'likes', and sometimes it takes a while to get moving again. I've 'tweeked' the menu on my own a few times to get past a stall as my center was not much help either.
Oh, and I have ALWAYS been hungry on this diet. Don't believe anybody who says that you can lose weight without ever feeling hungry. I try to embrace the feeling. It is natural and a good sign, and it isn't bad or scary like people fear. Drink something and wait a bit and it goes away.

Now, the desire to chew something I have a much harder time handling..... :-(

How did you tweek your menu??? I'm wondering if I should go back and, just for a week or 4 days or something, do the blue menu again. I just need something to change, since I'm getting so worked up over this whole thing. Plus, I know the stress doesn't help. I've never been a high-stress person, so this feeling is unknown and incredibly irksome! Grr!
I'm glad it's okay to feel hungry, too. I was feeling like I must be doing something wrong, since I "wasn't supposed to be hungry." I went to bed last night with my stomach growling and I woke up with some major acid reflux, which is still going strong, even after breakfast. I swear, it's like my stomach is scratching my backbone because I'm so hungry
Also, thank you so much for responding and not offering simple platitudes! I've seen your other posts and must say that you're a total inspiration! It's really good to hear from people who have succeeded on this program and know the ins and outs of it. You've done a remarkable job and look amazing!

Have you tried a higher protein breakfast? I was all about the eggs and cheese. I started adding ground buffalo or ground turkey a few mornings a week and it really seemed to help. Are you varying your menu? Your veggies? Try adding some new ones or cooking them differently. Also, I stuck to citrusy fruits (clementines, oranges, berries) vs apples, especially on days I did not work out.

So sorry - I know it's frustrating. I was a slow loser as well, but now that I've been at goal for 5 months, all of that frustration seems like a distant memory.

I've been mixing up my menu big time (except for last week, when I ran out of groceries and lived on the same meals for about 4 days). I am trying to get more fresh vegetables in instead of sticking with cooked, because I've heard that can help boost weight loss. I've upped my protein at breakfast, but I didn't realize that would do much. Glad to know that maybe I'm on the right track ;P I'll definitely be trying to get higher protein for breakfast. Thanks for the tip!
I do eat loads of different vegetables, just because I get bored with the same thing pretty quickly. I typically do mushrooms, green beans, spinach (fresh and cooked), tomatoes, spaghetti squash, cabbage, and lettuce.
Fruit is the one I have trouble varying. I almost always eat oranges, though occasionally I'll have an apple. But, that's only because we're not exactly in fruit season right now, and my lovely pomegranates aren't allowed.
I can't wait for this stress to be a distant memory! I'm bummed that I won't reach my goal on time, but I guess signing up for a couple of extra weeks won't be awful, and I know I shouldn't feel like a failure. I asked if our center awarded extra weeks for losing over major holidays, but they don't. Boo!
Also, Debbie, thank you for all of the excellent advice you give on these boards! Your success is incredible!

I just got back from weigh in - and we just discussed stress! I hope I say this correctly - if not feel free to call my center and talk to Kim (Overland Park, KS)!!! So .. when we stress it activates a defense mechanism in our bodies that releases a stress hormone called cortisol. Too much cortisol will slow your metabolism & can cause weight gain - along with more stomach fat. I can't remember this part - there is something in the abdominal area that attracts cortisol and keeps it. It can also cause you to be hungry, have cravings, alter your blood sugar levels! All this will cause your program to be "off" and the longer you stress the more you gain.

The only reason I know is because I asked them this morning if they had a choice what would they choose either MRC-6 or Corti-Trim ... she said MRC-6 at first, but if stress was a factor she would switch to Corti-Trim.

I can't recommend any certain method to give you a jump start--everyone is different and it is really against program. I'm sure going back to the first two menus for a few days would work. I've thought of it, but just never tried it. What has worked for me (all against what they tell you, so again, no recommending it, just saying it worked for me): 1) cutting out the bread for a few days and replacing with the same amount of protein (I've never been partial to have the bread serving as it is such a small amount it hardly seems worth the effort) and 2) saving my fruit and having it as a late afternoon snack with a HNS. I am always hungry before dinner time; I don't know why just moving the timing works, but it does for me.

I get very hungry in the middle of the night. I'll even wake up and not be able to go back to sleep. I have found that if I get up and drink something (besides water or soda) then it will pass and I can sleep.

You should also try to save a HNS and have that just before you go to bed. I've found if I mix one with decaf tea and the fiber drink, it is much more filling.

If the acid reflux keeps up, you might want to consider taking Prevacid or Prilocec or something at nights before you go to bed. I had that for several months as well, but it seems to have gone away.

Everyone else had good recommendations as well. I hardly ever eat cooked veggies. You get more with the raw, they are more filling and take longer for your body to digest. The 'side effects' can be unpleasant at times though. I've noticed that as I've gotten older, my tolerance to a variety of veggies has decreased.

I'm afraid I'm not much help yet, but I was under the impression that when I signed up if I stayed OP and did not meet my weight loss goal on time, I would not have to buy more weeks and could continue for "free" until I reached my goal. I'm sure it is discouraging to not reach your goal weight when you thought you would, but this change is for a lifetime. You have already come so very far so hang in there, take the awesome advice given by others on this board and perhaps you could see a different consultant at your center. This is definately worth the effort. You are an inspiration to me.

Mariah

Isn't steamed veggies as good as raw?

Apparently, there's just a bit less fiber, but they're still fine. It's just recommended that, if you hit a plateau, eat all fresh instead of cooked. Your body will take longer to digest the raw veggies and you'll get more fiber.

I went to weigh-in today and was down a whole half pound from last Friday (yeah, can you feel the sarcasm?). FINALLY, the ladies at my center are listening. Of course, it could also be the fact that I told them I was going to try stuff on my own if they didn't give me a better option. Plus, I got a body composition test and have lost some muscle (more great news...NOT!). So, they told me to go all out exercise-wise this weekend, meeting (but not exceeding) the 4 hour weekly limit. Then, if the scale doesn't show mass improvement on Monday, I'm supposed to go back to the yellow and blue menus for 10 days. It really stinks to have to do that, but it's better than twiddling my thumbs!

I'm also toying with the idea of going off-plan all weekend to see if I can set something in motion, but I don't think I'll have the courage (would it be courageous?) to do that.

I'll keep you all updated.

my tips will be off-plan too,but thats waht works for me.I always lose on low-carb diets,but stalls or gains on low calorie ones.Myabe my body is very carb-sensitive.I would cut out all fruit and bread,and substitute with protein instead-not liquid protien,but chicken fish eggs etc.If nothng,I would go back to induction phase of Atkins-that way there is no hunger,you can eat more protein and last time I did this,I lost 3% bodyfat in less than two weeks.
I totally agree the MRC plan is a hunger plan,and I cannot tolerate much hunger.I do try to stay away from the creamies when possible.And maybe stop using cheese and see if that helps,I just know of a few including myself who don't lose weight when taking cottage or riccotta cheese.
You can also try metaquik on your own,you just need to buy the bars and shakesfrom them.although I have never tried them.
sorry for not being much help for OP
I am a very slow loser too.

Alrighty, everyone, here's the deal. Apparently I misunderstood one lady at my center on Friday. I mentioned going to the yellow and blue menus for a bit to see if that would help. She told me she'd put them in my folder for Monday if I hadn't lost. However, I had a different woman today and she said that the notes on my folder indicated that the consultant from Friday had been against the plan to do yellow and blue, which made me sound like a liar. Not happy about that...AT ALL!
So, I'm taking matters into my own hands. I'm not going to make goal in time anyway, so for all of you who wondered if going completely off-plan for a bit would jumpstart your loss, I'm about to offer up my body for the experiment. What have I got to lose?

1. I had Chinese for lunch - I ate chicken, broccoli, and green beans, which is sort of on plan, but of course the sauces would not be.

2. I ate 3 slices of cheese pizza for supper, and I dipped my crusts in nacho sauce.

3. I'm eating red velvet cake mix and chocolate chips right now.

***WARNING***: So far, this has not been anywhere near as pleasant as I'd anticipated. Plus, my stomach hasn't felt uncomfortably full since January, but I'm pushing it right now.
I'll keep you all up-to-date as far as any results, etc. Just know that so far, this off-plan-eating is sub-par as far as excitement. I don't think I can do it for 2 days.

I would not be happy either and I feel so badly for you. I don't really have any advice but do wish you luck and hope this works. I also hope your next consultant is more helpful than these 2 have been!

Mariah

Yeah, the ladies really are nice and stuff, but I think there's so many that wires get crossed. I feel like each individual should be assigned a standard consultant so there's some consistency.
Plus, I know that they don't know what to do with me, either. But, they aren't offering any solutions. Plus, they seem to be getting irritated with me (as you can well imagine) since I keep coming in with my "what am I supposed to do"-desperation attitude. I'm not going to "wait and see" any longer. I'm spending way too much money to "wait and see", which I've been doing for the 6th week now (if you don't count the 3 weeks of slow-down that precipitated my bad attitude). I figure, 3 weeks of really crappy loss would start sending off flares to someone besides me, you know? Now that I've had 9 consecutive weeks of crap loss, I'm SICK OF IT!

But, all bitterness aside, I hope that this little experiment can at least help someone else who's in the same predicament. We shall see!

Wow - I thought by going off plan people meant eating some chips or ice cream. I can't say that I feel your pain because until I lose over 100lbs, I'm no where near getting "close to target". I'm anxious to keep reading about your journey and I hope this is what your body needs to trigger the weight loss. Good luck!