All things in moderation...including moderation :D

patzi-it was you telling how you try one thing at a time and leave it out if it causes gain that has helped me develop the strategy of just adding in one thing at a time and not making big changes...it totally makes sense to me. When I got my stabilization plan and the list of starches opens up widely I at first was happy then thought "what if I start eating these and gain it all back"...so I'll try one new starch a week (when I first add to my noon meal I'm going to just do melba or bread since I know those don't cause me to gain).

What a great discussion about maintenance. I think I'm about a month away from stabilization. At my center they have stabilization once a month and it is usually the last Tuesday of the month. Well I have paid for program time through the month of March so does that mean I that I have to wait until the end of April to stabilize. I would be OK with that since it would give me extra time to get to my goal which is 5 pounds less than their goal for me. I'm not going to mention it unless they bring it up and try to cut me short.

I went to WI today and saw a number I haven't seen in a LONG time. 199! I made it to onederland! I lost a pound since Friday. It always worries me when I WI on Tuesday because the weekends are a little more difficult since I have more options available at home. At work I have what I bring and that's all. Sometimes when I'm home, I have the wondering mind and think I could have this or that to eat. Granted I don't usually eat what I'm thinking about but it's still easier when I'm at work.

Y-way to go! 199! 199!!

Had an emotional moment (opened a hornet's nest at work...figuratively, not literally)...had my "supper" melba to deal. Ugh...would have been better to just not give in at all.

I put a recipe called baked oatmeal in the recipe thread.. I have always made this in a pan and I double recipe as my hubby also eats it.. A friend of mine tried making it into muffins and said they came out great..

Patzi

Well I think I most definitely haven't taken adding foods slowly:(. I have been so excited that I am trying everything....obviously not wise since now I can't point to any one item in particular that may be a cause for gain. Well lesson learned from Tami ladies! There is no hurry...Maintenance means gradual additions. I just want to know what I can have and all that I can have right now...and it doesn't work like that. I am always in a hurry...lol
Maintenance is sorta hard...but once we figure out our own bodies, the better off we will be in the long run! The proble with Patzi's oatmeal bake is that it is too good to stop at one serving!! I need to stick with foods I don'tike so much...seriously:)

This is such a good conversation about maintenance! I think it should probably not look all that much different than the diet, really: more variety perhaps bit not a radically increased amount of anything. I am coming to see that a lot of carbs really are not worth it. And like Patzi. I gain when I eat them at night.

Hello march board! I am back after getting married, having a baby and now getting laid off. I figure I have the spare time I should take advantage of my time at home to work out, eat healthy and win this fight against fat! I need to change my name. I am thinking Not a Fat Mom? Or maybe FutureMILF? Maybe not the milf that might be a little weird. My center is completely different. Do they not take blood pressure anymore?

Does anyone have any new fun workout recommendations? Getting sick of pilates, yoga ahd stationary bike.

Looking forward to being a loser this month.

Susie-I posted earlier that I"m loving my Jackie WArner power circuit DVD for workouts...but the whole thing was too much when I was on metaslim...I could do the 15 minute total body. I also like any dance workout.

camaswa-you're exactly right...I think true maintenance that lasts doesn't look a ton different, just some bigger portions, a few more options (I mean they are really unlimited...but self-limiting to control overeating), and PLANNED splurges and then getting right back to healthy eating.

My interview is tomorrow. Ended up going with a pair of pants I already had and a button up I got at a consignment store. The pants I bought needed one of those thick belts (which I bought)...but then for shirts that hit a little longer it jut didn't look right. Taking them back and getting the ones I really liked even if I have to order them. Day 1 of stabilization was good. Big busy day tomorrow so I won't have much time to thinki about eating (that's when it's good for me to be in robot mode AND have stuff cooked and ready to go).

I'd like to join, I just signed up today, and go for my menu orientation this Friday. Honestly I could use all the encouragement I can get. (I have a love hate relationship with carbs and diets... :/)
Also I'm going out of town on the 14th AND will be hosting a birthday party this weeken, *willpower, don't fail me now!*

Thank you all for your kind and supportive words. It means a lot to me as I continue to process everything.

My supervisor sent me home for the week so I have been trying my best to keep a normal routine outside of working. Which means that I went and weighed in today... lost 3 pounds since last WI for a total of 13lbs in 16 days. Also lost a total of 15 inches, all in the torso so that is very gratifying.

@Tripletmom, I read your other post and I will be honest, I was very skeptical signing up (even tho a dear friend lost 80lbs on MRC) and still, despite obvious progess, have some doubt. Most of that is around my ability to continue to stay OP, not so much in the program itself. Good Luck :)

Suzie, you should totaly check out belldance with Neena and Veena. I use some of their older DVDs, Arms and Abs and Hips, Buns, and Thighs that I got years ago, and they are awesome. Most of the time, like with the rib slides you don't even realize you are working out your core, but the next day you do not want to move...so you may want to start out with their Basic Moves and Fat Burning DVD, each DVD comes with 2 workouts on it. Honestly the first time my husband tried doing the fat burning with me he made himself sick, it is really intense if you are not use to it.

I know you can get them at their website bellytwins.com, but I think you can also get them from amazon for alot cheaper. I love these things, but I want to steal their clothes. And they have awesome bellydance routines that run through the credits.

Good lord, I sound like an infomercial. Sorry! I just think these work well.

Welcome to all our newbies :wave:, congrats to all our "losers" :goodscale:, and
big hugs to those of you going through rough patchs :grouphug:.



Great quote from MRC on their FB page I thought was worth sharing if you hadn't seen it yet:


If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results. - Jack Dixon





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Sara, I am so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my prayers.

Congrats to all those on stabilization. I am amazed at your success!
An down 16 pounds since I started on Valentines Day. When I hit 20 I think i am planning a night out to the movies and to be honest - a Mexican food cheat. I did cheat last Thursday. I had a f&@$ it moment and got pizza on the way home. I only had 2 peices of pizza and still lost. I won't be repeating that hopefully. :o

For what it's worth, one of the biggest things our counselors have taught us is when you hit mini-goals do NOT reward yourself with food. As they've told me, rewarding yourself with food is setting yourself up for disaster. It's things like that that put us all in the position we're in. They taught us to try to find other ways to reward yourself. We had a thread on this a while back. Ladies were getting mani's or pedi's, a new outfit, things like that. It's totally your call, but I thought I'd share what we've been through.

I have been hunting for diet recipes that my husband will actually eat and like. He has been very supportive about my diet but gets bored with food very easily. I found a recipe for "Mock" mashed potatoes yesterday. When my husband tried it, he thought I had actually served him "real" mashed potatoes. Here's the recipe:

1 head cauliflower
1 tablespoon fat free cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon straight chicken base
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish
I Can't Believe Its Butter spray

Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat. Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels. In a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smooth.

Garnish with chives, and serve hot with I Can't Believe Its Butter spray.
Serves 4-6

I am gonna be honest, my husband and I have "date nughts" and on those nights I go OP, I don't go nuts and eat like crazy, but maybe order a pizza or go out and enjoy a burger before we go see a show. It does slow me down something fierce. But at the same time, on a night when I want to just relax and enjoy my husband's company I don't want to worry about how much or how little I am eating. I figure as long as I stay reasonable and understand that I will need to be accountable for what I eat then it is not a problem.

In truth I am saving up, I have a coupon for a free chocolate massage (90 minute deep tissue massage with coco oil) that my husband got me for Valentines day. I figure when I hit the 20 mark (maybe 30, I am only at 8 now) then I will go get a massage. It is alot more expensive than a night out and an ice cream cone, but damn it feels good.:devil:

Hi...
I was told the same as Jen from my consultant about rewarding myself with food when I lose... It is not a good thing and could lead to bad habits while on your journey... Best to stay OP , that is the way to getting to maintenance. Best to reward yourself with a manicure, some clothing, etc..

Want to say welcome to the newbies, and congrats to all that lost weight, and those that are struggling, hang in there, it is all worth it.

For you newbies, I am on maintenance 9 months now..

Patzi

Thanks for the advice and I know y'all are right. The way I quit smoking was to promise myself a cigarette after I had quit a week, and when I got there I didn't want one - then a month, a year , etc. finally it was in 3 years after I finish the bar exam I will have a drink and one glorious cigarette. I didn't want one. I guess when I think the option is off the table I tend to panic and backslide. Of I keep it my head that I can have it on special circumstances, I will work harder for it. I can't promise I won't partake. But that big plate of chicken tacos and black beans helps me get through the grilled chicken salads and cottage cheese.

But gracious I don't know!!! I guess we will see.

On the other hand a massage and a facial does sund awesome!

If you are gonna reward, why not reward big?

I'm with others that I haven't rewarded with food...my mom does after a good weight in and hasn't been as successful and I'm afraid she hasn't made the same life long changes. Maybe you still go out for mexican, but do chicken fajitas with only one shell and lots of the chicken/veggies. i actually didn't "reward" myself at all along the way, the weight going off itself was the reward (and now the clothes I have to buy since I've never been this size). I see my salads, veggies, protein as a way of life...yes, I'll be adding more, but the habits I'm adopting are going to follow me a long time.

so I had the strangest interview experience today. No questions about my strengths, weaknesses (I was expecting at least a little of the standard interview questions). As I expected, the director was really trying to convince me about why I should consider them...and after a rough morning at my current job it wasn't going to be hard to convince me:) (I didn't tip my hand). But it ends up being up to the athletic director at my school, but at last indication he's going to take my thoughts into strong consideration. I was hoping they'd ask something about some kind of difficulty I'd made it through and I would have talked about my 30+ pound loss (in my field, that would be considered "professional experience" as well). Lots to consider...I love my co-workers, but at the administrative level at my current job there is a lot of incompetence...I'm on the 4th CEO since I started 3 1/2 years ago...and he's just interim. And every new CEO I have to justify my job...and the other place is pursuing me.

Hi there:). I need you to know that I personally understand. I realize that we shouldn't reward ourselves with food....but there was a period of time in my personal journey when that worked for me and helped my progress...didn't hinder it. My progress was slower at times, but I was ok with that too so long as I wasn't feeling deprived. I became quickly unsuccessful when I felt deprived. Basically, I WI once per week and if I had a loss, I would treat myself to something that day only. I drive in for WI from out of town, so gave myself permission to go out to lunch. My counselor was fine with this plan and it worked for me. That is what is important in this journey...needs to work for you. If having a "cheat" keeps you from getting burnt out and quitting the program, then do it...sensibly. Obviously, not everyone agrees with this mentality, but we are all different:). I wanted a small Frosty, not a manicure...lol. Hang in there...one day and meal at a time. It is a marathon, not a foot race!!!

Are you all able to drink the water requirements daily? Have you noticed water consumption effects your weekly weight loss? I'm really struggling to drink it all, and I like water. :-(

Before starting the MRC diet, I drank over 64 oz. of diet coke everyday. When I quit drink diet coke, I had a difficult time with caffeine withdrawal. :yawn: I ended up buying a thermal cup with a straw. I keep the glass full of ice water so I can sip on water all day long. This seems to help.

That's a good idea. I was just at Walmart and I forgot to pick one of those up.

The lady at the center told me to drink 80oz rather than the 64 if I wanted to loose faster, anyone else heard of this???

Also what in the world do you all do when you get the munchies?

@tripletmom-I do lose better if I drink 80 oz per day (they didn't tell me that, I found it on my own)...some days I drink 100, some days 80, occasionally 64. When I'm hungry but it's not time to eat I find that hot tea helps with my hunger. If my mouth just needs to be busy, sugar free gum helps.

re: the discussion on whether to reward yourself with food...I think some people (like Tami) can do it and it helps them make it through. Part of my problem pre-MRC is I would a great and healthy eating plan that would help me lose if I stuck with it, but would tell myself I could have one cheat meal a week...and it would quickly turn into more than that even though I couldn't see that. So for me I knew I had to go no cheat meals. No cheat snacks. Now that I'm stabilizing, once I hit maintenance I'll be able to see how often I can have a meal that's on the less healthy side...and that is going to vary with everyone.

Thanks for the workout recommendations. I will definitely try them out.

I reward with food but I also emotional eat so I need to be careful to separate the two. For instance, just because I had a stressful week that does not mean that I can order a pizza and go to town. BUT if I know I have an event like a holiday or a wedding coming up where I can make a rational decision to eat off plan it helps keep me motivated. I try to limit the OP moments to once a month or less.

Today I went off plan. I was an emotional eater. My 6 mos little one didn't gain any weight between his 4 mos check up to now. It has me all stressed out. Plus he is teething, my house is a wreck, I think my husband has PMS, and the sky is falling. Okay overly dramatic but that's how I felt this morning. After a long night up with the kiddo and then an early morning my husband asked if I wanted drive thru breakfast. My emotional eating won on that account. I limited myself to one small sandwich and water so that was good. Then later in the day friends asked me to coffee. We were all coworkers who got laid off together. They were going on about all of the opportunities they were pursuing and how former colleagues were recommending them for jobs etc... I have been wait listed for a masters program and didn't tell anyone because I was expecting to be accepted so I am embarrassed. Now i have yo wait to see if i can get in through the waitlist. I feel a bit like my life is in a holding pattern. It upset me that I wasn't getting all if these job recommendations and made me feel like I wasn't as valued as others. I decided to emotional eat again. Mexican food. Tomorrow is another day. Sorry for the rant.

susie-I totally get the emotional eating. Sounds like you have a lot of things yesterday to trigger it...and number one for me is always sleep. When the kids have been up or I'm stressed about their health, I want to eat. Because I've been good about staying on plan at least now when I eat emotionally it has been a piece of melba toast or cheese:) I find a diet soda sometimes gets me through...and just reminding myself that food doesn't fix the problem. That's my biggest fear now that I'm stabilizing and soon on to maintenace...that my emotional food monster will rear it's head. Hoping I've learned some things along the way. Like you said, today is a new day!! And I like what you said about separating treat meals from emotional justification. That's what I was never good at so that's why I haven't had treat meals (I like to call them treat instead of cheat...cheating gives food a "bad" connotation, whereas a treat recognizes that all food can be okay in the right amounts and it is planned whereas a "cheat" I may be more likely to get a pizza on the whim of a hard day).

Katy, maybe this will help. You can still do Mexican and stay OP. Here's what my Restaurant Guide I received from my MRC center says about Mexican Food and eating out.
Believe me, I'm the queen of chips and it's no fun not eating them. Love, love, love them! But they also helped to land me at 220 pounds. :yikes:

Just remember, when you cheat, it interrupts the fat burn that you are in when you are OP. Not to mention, and these were 2 big things for me and I had to learn them the hard way: 1) it ends up taking much longer to get to goal. Every time you cheat, it takes about 3 days to get your body back into fat burning mode...and 2) all those cheats and 3 day delays to get back into fat burning mode end up costing you money in extra program time to get to your goal. In today's economy, that's a big deal to some people.

Good luck and I hope this helps some. You CAN do this!!! :)

Triplemom8

If you are getting munchies, tell center, they will adjust your diet so this does not happen..I have had cravings during my weight loss challenge, and center always restructured my diet and it worked. Bring in your journal to them.

I understand each person has their way of doing this diet, but I keep saying, if you make a habit of cheating while losing weight, it may work for you, but you will have a heck of a time when you hit maintenance.. I have two friends now, that made MRC their own diet, and cheated when they wanted, and they have both failed maintenance.They lost weight very slowly due to cheating, but it backfired. By staying on program, it disciplines you of what got you to the program in the first place.. However, if one feels that they want to cheat, and it is good for them, well, then that is their choice, and that is great..Each person is different. But I am just stating from what I have seen with friends and people weighing in at the center.. I have been told over and over again by consultant, you can get away with cheatng while on program at times, but it will catch up to you on maintenance as you have lost the course of bad habits. Hope this makes sense and hope this will make some make better choices.. Please don't think I am telling anyone what is right and what is wrong, as I am not, just giving you my opinion, which may not work for you. Just don't want any newcomers to get the wrong idea of it is ok to cheat, as aMRC says it is not, but no one is a poster child for MRC, so it is a personal decision how one does this program. It is not easy, I will be the first one to tell you this, but it is sooooo worth it.


Another suggestion on a restaurant ... Call before going and tell them you are on special diet and ask them what they can do for you.. I have done this over and over again.. I have never stopped myself from going to a restaurant, just made best choices I could.

I am worried about Cani.. She had so much on her plate and was doing so well on her diet.. Hope she is ok.

I am so reluctant to send this message, but I will send it anyway.

Patzi

Baked oatmeal... maintenance recipe

Tami, I know you liked this recipe I posted, wanted to let you know what I used in this last batch made last night

Mashed banana
blueberries
just a few fresh raspberries to give it some nice color
Anise spice
almond extract
chopped walnuts

It was very good.

Patzi

I think the 3 day setback would all depend on what you choose to eat during an off program "treat." I still lost weight each week...never gained while OP.

I agree that my losses weren't fast...1-2lbs per week rather than 3-5lbs...making my progress a bit slower, but worth it to me in the long run because I didn't give up from being soooo structured 24/7.

Again, it is individual...and the cost of additional weeks isn't fun....but I never had to buy more, either. There are many opportunities to receive free weeks OP throughout your journey, so take advantage of those! You can always "bank" the weeks you don't use and add them to Maintenance later!!

I did do things different sometimes...we "tweeked" my personal program to work for Tami...and it did work. I have lost 52lbs. and couldn't be more happy about that. Just like you go to your counselor for guidance on what to do when you are hungry OP...not everyone is hungry OP...that guidance would be unique for you, and that is OK. The goal is to make this program work for everyone and quites simply, we are all different.

A "real" lifestyle change for me that I can wrap my arms around is one that allows me to live a bit and be human at times. Pizza isn't out of my menu options, but it isn't something I eat everyday.

I do feel a little bit like I am defending myself here...and certainly don't need to. I just read these posts from some that sound a lot like where I have been and need them to know that this program isn't black or white. They do work with individual clients, which is what makes MRC a success. Good luck!

Thank you for the recipe, Patzi! I LOVE it!!

Hang in there ladies...work the program, because it does work!

Jen and Patzi, I know y'all are right - believe me I do. Its ridiculously sad that I am this addicted to food, but if I think that I won't have chips until June, I may kind of freak. ;). Sad but true. Anyway. I am hoping that I am strong enough when it comes to it that I will be resolved to stay op. but for me of I take it out of my head at this point I may just quit.
I'm sorry to have started all this controversy. I just want some chips people! Hee hee:o

You just need to think of alternatives. Find your 40-50 calorie tortilla, or chop an 80-100 calorie one in half. cut into chip sized bits, brush with olive oil and bake until crispy. Then make some tiny nachoes with ground turkey, taco seasoning, a little cheese, and go nuts on the fresh veggies like lettuce and tomato.

There are alternatives, you just have to thing creatively.

And if you have to have a chip, as in "I will absolutely, posotively drop dead without this chip" just realize there will be consequences and try to limit yourself. Say, ok, I can have that chip, heck, I can have 3 or 4 chips, but try to look for better options (baked lays anyone?). Just don't eat out of the bag and realize it will slow you down.

Everything works different for different people. Honestly my first week I cheated, but since the weight has started comming off this well I have no desire to. I want to hurry it up and leave so that I can relax and not have to eat so much meat. Do what you can, and do what works for you. If it takes you a bit longer becuase you have to have a chip once a week or so, that is fine. You have to be flexible or you will never make it through.

Another good one that my center was suggested was similar. I would cut the toritilla into chip sizes, spray with 0 calorie butter, and then sprinkle a packet of Splenda and Cinnamon on it. Bake and you have a great dessert! :)


WI at lunch and another 1/2 pound officially bites the dust. 2 pounds to go!!!!

I love all the ideas to feed those cravings without going off plan... I am going to have to try that tortilla with cinnamon Jenn!!
A couple of thoughts have come up while I read these wonderful threads about rewards. We are a society that rewards and celebrates using food, so much so that I have found myself (in the past) thinking "I have been watching what I eat and doing so well, I DESERVE to have that ____ (fill in the blank, often ice cream or Italian food.) This time around I am trying really hard to find non-food rewards. I lost 10lbs, I got a massage... 20lbs and I am getting a pedicure... goal weight and I get a new wardrobe for my trip to Hawaii... while food costs less monetarily, having a bigger reward in mind makes it all the more celebratory when I hit my goal. My previous attempts at losing the weight haven’t lasted so long without a cheat, I don’t know if it is my mindset this time, or if it is because I have had it with making excuses. I know that we are all different and if others have found rewards that are working for them that is great… I just wanted to share what has worked for me so far.
Also, I know there are a lot of ideas using Splenda… anyone use Truvia? I like it better but don’t know what the official MRC line on it is.

I use truvia, and my center basically said to use whatever artificial sweetener I want. However, I am not as yet sure how it effect most of the recipies. I just know it makes great cinnamon toast in the mornings :D

OH I love the chips too. I take a tortilla cut it up and then sprinkle the dry ranch seasoning on it. Bake until done. mmmmm mmmmmm good.

I use my mandolin slicer to thinly slice up an apple. I sprinkle each slice with a little splenda and cin. I bake them for an hour at a low temp. It makes crispy sweet apple chips. Sooo good! I also do this with zucchini and then dip them in cottage cheese blended with ranch seasoning. Those are my favorite snack type foods.