Hello from North Carolina! This is my first post, but I have been reading about you guys for months...I originally started in April, lost about 14 pounds (the first diet that has ever worked) but then I fell off the bandwagon...Started eating off plan, not calling in and now almost 2 months has passed and I started over today...OMG, I forgot how hard it is to stomach 8oz of salad!! I hope I can make it. I tell myself it is just for a few days but when I am faced with the mound of lettuce (plus some cucumbers, green peppers and almost nonexistent dressing), I really wonder if I can do it. Not much of a water drinker so that is a struggle too...Thing is, I know it will work and I just need to push past and remind myself that food shouldn't consume my every thought. Gained about 4-5 pounds off plan so I am thankful it wasn't more. Have a 20 year class reunion in Oct so I would like to stay on plan to be closer to my goal by then. I enjoy reading all the posts and have learned soooo much.

I guess we are in the same boat. I started in March lost 15lbs and then just quit. I am now back on it and on the yellow and blue menu (soon). I cannot eat all the raw veg it says too. I just dont really like much raw veg, I can eat brocoli and lettuce with lots of good dressing, LOL! Today i am going to eat 1/2 c cottage cheese with ranch seasoning mixed in and try to get in at least 4oz raw broccoli. I just know I will never get in the 8oz they ask me to. I am just trying to make it until next wednesday when i get the green menu. Good luck.

Hey all, I have been on MRC since the middle of april and have lost 31 lbs but it seems that the closer i get to my goal that harder it is to stay on plan! The last 2 weeks have been rough; some days on plan some days off (although I am making better choices when i go off plan, but it's really no excuse). Some suggestions would be really helpful. I only have 19 more lbs to go so I really REALLY dont want to quit now but getting back on that wagon again is soo difficult. Have any of ya'll experienced this? nd what helped get you motivated again? Any help would be MUCH appreciated.

It is hard to get back OP. I think it is a mindset really. My counselor suggested having a movtivor for your goal weight, such as a dress in your goal size-go buy so you can see it, touch it ect.

Ok, I know you all must be tired of hearing me complain about the yellow menu....but...Has anyone else here bee on it and not consumed the total 8oz of raw veg? I just want to know that me not eating it all will or will not slow down my loss? I am so frustrated...I just want to get to the green menu.

I've done the yellow menu and yeah.... it sucks. I dont think i ever ate ALL of the veggies. I hate raw veggies so I know how you feel. I think the most i ever ate was 5 oz and I did just fine. And just think, it's only what 4 days? it'll be over soon!

Lmickley....we are not tired of hearing you complain....we are your sounding board here and you are wanting advice. All I can say, didn't you listen to your mother when she said..."eat all your veggies"? Now....find a veggie you like and go after it. I seriously do not have that problem, I wish I could have more. Maybe you should eat them stir fried instead of raw....that may help?

Just hang in there....experiment and try some of the recipes....you can do it girl....right now the fresh garden veggies are to die for...enjoy them!

I have a question....has anyone felt light headed when first starting this diet? It's not the withdrawl from sugar and caffene, because I have been off that for 3 months now.

Another suggestion...I hate chicken breast, so today I cut up some cooked chicken and added Mrs. Dash for seasoning and shook it up....at lunch time, I put it over my salad with fresh veggies and it was yummy...maybe you could try that. Or put tuna with the salad, or cut up fish....it makes a plain salad just wonderful!!!

Thanks, that make me feel alot better since I know I can't get in 8oz. I think yesterday I got 2 or 3 oz of cucumbers and about 3.5 today of broccoli.

Thanks, fiftiesLady, I appreciate your support. I do love cooked veg, but when you go from precon to regular menu under 200lb you have to do 4 days on the yellow menu and 4 days on the blue menu before you move on to the green menu for the rest of the plan. The blue and yellow menu specify 8oz of raw veg at lunch (such as letter, peper, bamboo, broccoli, cucumber etc). Im just not a fan of many raw veg-I love home grown tomatoes but that is not OP for yellow and blue.

The mrs.dash sounds tasty I will have to try that. Thanks

The only time I have felt light headed is yesterday when exercising I felt a lack of energy. I guess it is being on the yellow and blue menus (my total calories for today is about 850 with 4 HNS)

Right now I am on the 8oz veggies...I didn't know that raw tomatoes will not be allowed after you are under 200...that is a bummer....I guess I am lucky since by then my garden will be all froze over. Hopefully they will be added back in during maintenance by the next garden season, or I will be terribly dissappointed.

Thanks for the info!!

Wow..that isn't very many calories!!! This doesn't sound right...it sounds like your body is put into starvation? I guess I had better enjoy my menu now, I don't think it changes until I am under 200, but really not even sure of that...I had better ask MRC at my next WI. So how many calories do you get on the green menu then, if that's the color that is next? I haven't figured out everything on this plan yet.