advice/tips/motivation for a 1st timer
 

Hello all!
I recently found this forum and it has been great reading the posts from others who are using MRC.
I started on Nov 7th and have lost 5.5lbs with another 50-60 lbs to go. This is much slower than I had anticipated but I haven't completely followed the program everyday either.
I did the saliva hormone testing. I'm currently taking ADWL, EFAs, Total Woman Oil, MRC MultiVitamin, 7 Keto DHEA, and CortiTrim which seems like a lot of supplements to me. They have also recommended that I try their hormone cream but I haven't purchased it yet.
I'd love to hear what supplements you are taking. Which ones you pruchase from MRC and which ones you purchase elsewhere.
Also, has anyone used the hormone cream? If so, what are you thoughts?

I lost most of my weight on MRC while only taking a vitamin (prenatals prescribed by my doctor) and the MRC krill oil. The last 10 lbs got stubborn, so I bought MRC Phentatrim and used that for the last 3-4 weeks of my program.

I'm not saying the supplements are bad (the phentatrim did help me get those last pounds off!), but I do think 1) it's easy to get on the supplements and then get the mindset that they will help you so much that it won't matter if you cheat or don't follow the plan 100% (I caught myself thinking that way more than once), and 2) they aren't totally necessary for effective weight loss--they can help, but the plan is strong enough to stand alone without them. Also, the program is waaaay cheaper without them.

Honestly, I would not start messing with hormone creams without a doctor's supervision. Even with the MRC saliva test--because I wouldn't trust a non-medically trained person to do the test/read the results correctly, let alone determine what my medical/hormonal needs are. Yes, they want to help you lose the weight, but they also want to make money--and some consultants do that by pushing supplements and creams that people don't really need. To me, though, messing with hormone balances in your body without consulting a doctor and having bloodwork done is sketchy and can be dangerous.

Just my 2 cents--but I hope it helps. :)

I'm with teacherlady...leave hormone testing and subsequent hormone replacement via cream or oral meds to the docs. My mom did it and they told her she needed all this stuff...when I looked at her results (i have a small bit of medical training), it was all "normal".

I just take a multi-vitamin, enteric coated fish oil, and started taking a B complex vitamin for more energy (it has helped some with my hunger). I get them all at Walmart. I wanted anything I took beyond the protein supplements to be something I could get on my own after I'm done with the program.

Sticking to the program 100% is the best way to lose. Cheating/going off plan will only stall and set you back. Once i learned that...and to be honest with my tracking, I've lost 20 lbs in 2 months...this coming from someone who had tried for a year and a half with diet and exercise to lose and couldn't lose a pound! My problem before is I would cheat too much!

Hi Jenrummie,
I also don't take many supplements. I do my own multi-vitamin and I bought the MRC trace minerals, although I'm not sure why! I'll probably just stick with the multi and my thyroid pill everyday. I started 11/7 too! My advice to you is to try to follow your program perfectly for one day. I find that a good day helps the next day go better and they kind of build on each other.

Chickadee

Welcome Jenrummie! I am a slow loser as well (10 lbs. in 2 months). I am currently on the meta-balance plan and the expected weight loss is more like 1-2 pounds a week. Anyway, my center keeps bugging me about doing the saliva test (I just turned 51 on 12/22 and they think my loss is slow due to whacked out hormones). I tend to agree with what the others have said - leave the hormone replacement to the medical professionals. The only supplements I have purchased from MRC is the Big 3 (cortitrim, phentatrim and MRC6) not sure I will purchase again as I am not certain they are doing anything for me. I purchase my own multi vitamins and EFA's for women and have been for a number of years. I just added B complex at the suggestion of one of the counselors (instead of the B12 shots).

Thanks everybody!