I like to make up some stuffed peppers in advance, then I have several meals that just need to be popped in the microwave. Use ground turkey instead of hamburger. Then you have your 4 oz. of cooked veg., & 4 oz. of meat at once.

I love the steam bags. They are great for sticking a piece of seasoned frozen fish or chicken in and putting in the microwave. Also good for some steamed veggies.

Sometimes I will take a couple of boiled eggs for lunch and cut up cucumbers, tomato, etc... and a fruit.

You can always do a MRB or shake if you are short on time. I keep both on hand at work just in case I forget my lunch, don't have time to sit down, etc...

I'm so glad you went in, and were able to get that loss/motivation.... GREAT JOB! Keep it up!

I pack my lunch every day.....
For breakfast, I usually have:
cottage cheese and melba toast
breakfast burritos
hardboiled eggs and melba toast
egg salad and melba toast
MRC breakfast sausage and a tortilla or toast

For lunch, it's usually leftovers from the night before but as an example:
taco salad and a fruit
grilled chicken, with zucchini and fruit
tuna with salad and fruit
ground turkey, green peppers, and fruit

Hope that helps....

OH MY GOSH, GREAT JOB!!!! Whoa! Congratulations!!!!

That's WONDERFUL!!!! You are on your way!


**YEA CRYSTAL** I changed my goal, too, when I signed back up last month. Congrats on the loss

Plateau? Yep, they happen, first one usually hits after the first 2-3 weeks & can last a week or two. But you frequently continue to lose inches even when the scale isn't moving. You should have a sheet with your paperwork talking about why plateaus happen & why they're actually good news.

The only thing that will happen if you get discouraged & fall off the wagon is that you won't lose weight. Hardly worth it, eh? So just stick with it - if you stay on plan the scale will start to go down again - but just remember - it isn't the best way to measure your success. But the way your pants are falling off you - now that's a sign that this is working!

Since it is confession time, I screwed up yesterday as well I was doing so good all day; I don't know what got into me. Fixed myself a margarita around 7 and that was the end. I KNOW that I can't handle liquor at all on this diet. Another margarita, then some black beans (not so bad a choice). Then I don't remember.....there was a hamburger missing this morning. I have not idea if I ate it? I found an empty bag of chips under my bed this morning.

I felt sick this morning obviously. I KNOW BETTER It's amazing what just two drinks will do to me on this diet. I KNOW BETTER I have friends who have done the program and had a glass of wine with dinner every night. They lost and could handle it. NOT me. No sireeee. I KNOW BETTER

Got right back on it this morning. I can do this. I am grateful I have folks who I can talk to and who understand.

Here's the thing - MRC is a pretty low carb plan. So if you fall off the wagon, especially with something carby like a sandwich & Capn Crunch - you're gonna pick up a couple of lbs of water weight overnight - the carbs really contribute to water retention. (That's why most of us have the big water weight drop in the beginning.)

The reason I DO like to weight every day is just that - it shows me what a slip up can do to my weight, and it's helped me learn what things make me retain water. Just consider it a lesson learned - and if you really can't handle the disappointment, don't weigh at home. But hey - no reason to be disgusted with yourself - just make one of Denise's U-turns & get back on track. Drink some extra water to get those couple of lbs of water weight off, and consider it a lesson learned.

Ok, looks like I finally got my 'ticker priviledges' So, do I use my start weight as my original weight at MRC from 4+ years ago, or do I use my new weight this time around as the start?

What do others who've been through this before do?

It's just a personal preference thing - I used my original start weight with MRC just to show that you "can get there from here". Of course I haven't stayed there...but I've done better than any other time I've lose a fair amount of weight. You could also do 2 tickers - one to show your original loss, another to track your current journey.

Do you have a recipe for the peppers??? I'm not one who cooks well without a recipe

Denise thanks for your ideas as well...

I am glad you asked this question. I am a teacher too and have to bring my lunch every day. My 27 minute lunch period include bathroom time, heating up lunch and eating. Then I have to beat the kiddos back to class. I teach HS, so I need to be there or they will be late too! LOL

Keep those ideas coming everyone!! Those stuffed peppers sound yummy! I can't wait to hear the recipe!

Well...I kinda just make up my own recipes. From what I've found - most large green peppers weigh about 4 oz. So, that part is easy. I buy a pound of ground turkey breast and fry it all with some chopped green onions, sometimes I add a chopped chili pepper too, some pepper & garlic. I mix up a tomato HNS and stir half in the meat mixture. Fill the 4 peppers. Pour the rest of the HNS over them. Cover with foil and bake. Yummo!!

I've also made them with out HNS, but dont like that as well. And, I've used 3.5 oz. of meat mixture and .5 oz. of cheese in them, too.

I've never had a stuffed tomato, but tonight that sounds so tasty for lunch tomorrow! Does anyone know how you fix one? What do you fill it with? I've know I've seen it on menus.

Chicken salad is good too. (I use a little fat free mayo.) You can use up some leftovers this way! Good at lunch with some cucumbers and celery. And, at night you can have a slice of bread so it takes care of a sandwich craving!

I used my start weight from the day I started MRC this time around. Ironically, it was pretty darn close to the first time around. BUT, my 3FC start weight isn't the same as my center's start weight because I was on plan two weeks before I went in and signed up. Also, I had already lost about 13 lbs from what I think was my highest weight prior to starting MRC (mostly by walking, giving up sodas for Lent, and learning to sleep again--I literally forgot how to sleep during the first two years of grad school, and it stunk!)

Regarding your margarita episode, I feel your pain. You didn't tell any of your friends that their baby brother was a big hairy crybaby, did you? Oh wait...that was me.