I'm a good cook but hate to do it...mainly because of all the dirty dishes at the end LOL...I too have only lost a couple pounds since starting. I weighed in about 150 at night when i started and I weight myself at the gym on thier nice tanita scale and weight 148 the other day...but my scale at home says I'm about 144-145 but it hasn't moved since day 2 or 3 or preconditioning...so now I'm in day 9 on the blue menu and no change...that's about 2 weeks without a change...so i got sick of the scale and didn't weigh myself the last couple days...

I will say though that my body shape has been changing...and I feel good...I feel happy...I feel in control...

I've done this before...both times I started at about 150...but gosh it seems like my weight loss was so much faster in the beginning then it has been this time around.

So I'm determined to stick with it...I know it works...this is the winning formula!!

I dont weigh myself personally-never have. Of course, im REQUIRED to weigh myself at the center once a week...
This 1 a day Creamy is the most delicious thing IN THE WORLD at this exact moment!! I wonder why we cant have more than one a day...its the vanilla pudding....Its funny, 2 weeks ago i would have found the flavor bland and a little odd....

Ok, so just to share an amusing little story with you guys.... This should fully adress just how STARVING i feel sometimes (day 8 now of 5-10 menu plan)....
Last night at the store I bought our hamster some delicious new treats and went home to feed him one. I opened the bag and it was ALL I COULD DO NOT to eat some of his food!! It looked SO DELICIOUS !! It was full of pistachios and cashews, and dried pieces of fruit and even what looked to be a candy melt (have you seen those? by Wilson cake decorating) I was so hungry and had never wanted anything more at that moment! How ridiculous is that?!

BTW, I consider myself to have overcome 2 recent "challenges" in the past couple days.. We went to a BBQ Sat, and I HAD NOTHING...no BEER, no CHIPS and Salsa, and no burgers or dogs...I sat there with my cup of ice water....wasnt exactly life of the party, but heh, i didnt cheat. Then this AM a coworker brought in the dreaded box of donuts...... Did not even LOOK at them...other than to close the lid and push them further away from me down the counter!! However, by 10 am, those donuts were calling me something fierce, so instead of eating one, i cheated with a Wuerthers hard candy...i think maybe 15 calories....but REAL sugar... i am SO bad.....

Last night i came down with the BLTs pretty bad.....didnt eat antything TOO bad, but a bite here and there..you KNow.....The BAD one was that my BF made homemade pizza from scratch, dough and all, And i couldnt resist breaking off a SMALL piece of the crust to try a bite, and then picking a couple green peppers off the top too......
Do any of you find yourselves to be "grazers"? That will be my biggest downfall, i think.... i KNOW im not going to go to MCDs for a burger, or have a Donut or something big, but all those little tiny bites, even if they are of healthy things, add up.....at this point though, i Have not lost control like i normally do....literally a COUPLE small BITES off plan over the course of 8 days... What do you guys think? are those minimal bites completely destroying any chance of success?

Oh my goodness that is too funny!! I've seen hamster food and it is just as described...and your description was making me want some too...then I remembered the smell...LOL

My kids school is having a Chicken Barbeque this weekend and I'm already craving it...I am in love with Chicken Barbeque...oh and speaking of beer my husband plays softball and so I'm constantly being tempted in that regards...

Good thing this is only a temporary road bump...soon enough I'll be back on track and back to eating in moderation but things I really like....soon enough...

I know what you mean by being STARVING. I've been really hungry on this plan too. Yesterday I started stabilization and got 1/2 cup of black beans with lunch...you have no idea how much that helped with my sense of fullness and energy.

As for being a grazer...I would say that's a no-no. The issue with even tiny bites of off plan items every day (or even every other day) is it throws off the chemical balance in your body and throws you out of ketosis (fat burning mode). If you want this plan to work as planned, you really do need to stop the small cheats here and there.

I'm the first to admit that this diet is HARD. I've missed the treats and snacks and yummy foods. I had two days in my two months on the plan that I went crazy and cheated (REALLY cheated). But every other day during those two months I was 110% committed to the plan and didn't even lick something that wasn't on my MRC menu. It takes just a bite for your body to get out of ketosis and 2-3 days for it to get back in. Do you really want to waste 2-3 days of potential fat burn for a cheat every day?

ICmaly- WOW 2-3 DAYS to get back into ketosis?!?! Speaking of ketosis, i dont even think ive hit it yet (most people say their mouths tast funny, among other things). In any case, maybe my tiny cheats are WHY... I hope that darned Wuerthers i had today doesnt set me back any more....
Also ICmaly, Ive been reading some of your other posts in other threads, and i saw the one where they changed how the scale read your body fat, from "normal" person to "athlete".. WOW!! what a HUGE difference that must have made for you, psychologically at LEAST... I'm thinking that might be part of the problem now with what MY body fat read as when i initially went iin.... 28%!! Thats HIGH for me! and my trainer measures it around 24-25% also using the electro-pulsing technique, but this one is hand held instead. Do i just tell them to enter me in as athlete??? I am a runner... WAS running about 52 miles a week (marathon training) plus 3x a week with personal trainer. Im POSITIVE that puts me in the athlete category. However, since i started OP just recently (im on day 9 now) ive cut back the running per their request, and am trying to only run 20-25 miles per week....plus personal training sessions..With the amount of food they are allowing us, my body couldnt even HANDLE that much exercise!! How has this diet affected your training?? What Sports or exercise activities do you do?? Im finiding i just dont have the energy for anything too intense right now-- no long runs, no speed work, just easy 4-5 miles... With my personal level of activity and fitness, ive been told i really should be closer to 20 or 21 % BF.

DietingAgain.... Im with on missing the "little" treats we indulge in, like BEER!! However, Ive been trying to talk myself through it in the same way...this is only temporary, and it wont be long beofre i will be able to indulge in MODERATION.....I suppose thats the key..... I couldnt stand going through life if i could never have a beer again, or a piece of birthday cake. This will all be worth it in the end... Hopefully i can reach my goal before summers out so theres still time to enjoy summer festivities!!

My husband is a personal trainer...and I was certified myself a couple years ago...from what I understand of the the scales and your situation it sounds like you should be choosing the athletic function on the bf% scale...but I know there are guidelines set forth in each manual b/c each scale may make this determination at different levels...definetly worth checking into...although I think the athletic programming works best for those who are way down on the bf% scale...

Thanks!! I will go ask about that tongiht when i pick up my NEXT MENU!!! Wahoos!! I get off this darn menu Thursday--tomorrow is my last day...super excited anyway...

Me too!! one last day on yellow...I can't wait for Thursday b/c you can have cottage cheese with lunch...let it be known I HATE cottage cheese...BUT if you blend it with Lemon Chiffon Pudding in the blender high speed until it's smoothed with some water to thin it to your prefered thin-ness...YUMMMMMM!!! I bet you could substitute with Vanilla or Chocolate Pudding...it's like a delicious cheesecake filling....take that with a grain of salt because I know these things probably aren't nearly as delicious if you were to eat them out of the blue when eating a normal diet...but man it's a little piece of heaven on program.

Oh and there's a texas chili that's delicious...

But that's future forward...Friday WI 148.2...today's WI 149.2!!!! ahhhhhhhhh!!! I know this works...I know this works...I know this works....that's my mantra lately to keep me on program with such dismal results...I know this works...I follow the program to the T...I know my reward is just around the corner...

On a happy note my mood is very up-beat...I've been in a very good mood lately...not that I'm terrible off program but the highs and lows that excess sugar gives me can be a little irritable...LOL So for no other reason then I physically feel better, healthier, happier I continue...

This is a hard diet. I do think that a little cheat on a daily basis will hamper your bodies ability to burn fat... I think that if you aren't cleansing your body of these items that you still have that internal craving and your day to day will be a lot harder... You're going to remember the taste of real sugar so much more vividly...If stuck to when this diet it over the taste of sugary foods and drinks are down right overwhelming...I NEVER minded sugary sodas (pepsi, orange pop, rootbeer)....after doing this program the first time in 2001 I haven't looked at soda the same...taste is way too sweet for me....I buy a tropicana orange juice that has I think 50% less sugar than regular orange juice...I water down regular juices, like apple juice... Oh and it does take 2-3 days to get back into fat burning mode....

But this is a hard diet to stick to completely...I have moments where I just want to eat something off program...and I have other equally hard moments where if I see another piece of chicken I think I'll vomit LOL

As for ketosis...this is a physiological state associated with chronic starvation....extreme ketosis is something to avoid ...most locations will have you pee on a stick to measure the level of ketones in your urine...if your ketone level is too high they usually recommend that you eat a 1/2 an orange...it pretty much just means that your body is burning too much fat at once and isn't getting enough fuel to run your body...you want to burn fat at a healthy level because processing fat as fuel is much harder on your liver than if your liver is processing food for fuel...if you google ketosis there is a good explanation on wikipedia...

Well ladies...good luck...tomorrow's another day and another weigh in just around the corner...fingers crossed next time I lose weight instead of gaining a pound...one mocking pound...mocking me and all my efforts...one pound to fuel the negativity of those diet sabotagers around me...funny how everyone supports you to have another piece of cake...or a yummy dinner out but little support to eat on plan...LOL!!

Dietingagain--
I went to the center last night to pick up my new menu-- theyweighed me, and i had ALSO gained!!!! Just a little (1/2 lb) but still!! Like you, i have NOT let this set me back, and in fact am looking at today with a much more positive attitude..THis WILL Work!! who KNOWS why im up 1/2 pound...maybe it was cuz i went straight from a Personal training/strength session, maybe it was becasue of that one DARNED wuerthers!! In any case, today WILL be 100% OP!! NO EXCUSES, and no BLTS!!

I really like your Positive attitude!! i will DEFinitely try and feed off that and keep your words of encouragement in mind....Good for you for not letting it get to you that you are up 1 measely little pound!!! Did you weigh in at the same time/same day as last time? That could have something to do with the discrepancy as well... as for me...TOM is only days away, so if i STILL havent lost weight by Friday, my "official" weigh-in, i wont let it get to me ONE BIT!!
BTW, whats this Texas Chili you speak of??

You know I write about ketosis but the funny thing is I don't know if I ever went in to true ketosis on this diet. Every time I did the ketone sticks in the center, it measured negative. Oh well...I still think cheats every day and grazing hurts the fat burn potential.

As for them entering me as an athlete on the tanita...YES definitely ask them about it. If you think you've been putting in 1.5+ hours of working out (running/lifting/other cardio) 6-7x a week for the last 2 years, you are an athlete! It does really make a difference in how the tanita measures your body fat as you read with my situation (33% all the way down to 22% just by changing from normal to athlete). Ask them and even use my example if you need to.

They also cut my workouts down. I use to work out 1.5-2 hours a day 6-7x a week doing basic cardio (I love the "gauntlet" which is the stairmaster machine that has the actual rotating stairs) for 45-50 minutes and then lifting free weights and some circuit training 45-60 minutes a day. I'd lift upper body one day and lower body the next. I'm also an adult competitive volleyball player so during my season I was playing volleyball 10-20 hours a week in addition to my workouts. Luckily, my season ended in May. There is NO WAY I could have played at my normal intensity on this diet. So instead of 540-840 minutes of working out a week(plus the 10-20 hours of volleyball), they cut me down to 200 minutes a week (max of 25 mins of cardio a day)! It's been really tough for me mostly because I have nothing to do! I don't have kids or anything so without my time in the gym at night, my nights are so uneventful!

During my cardio and lifting I feel so much weaker on the diet. I'm down about 8 levels in cardio (use to do the gauntlet at level 18 and now I'm at level 10) and the weight I can lift is the lowest weights I use to warm up with! For example, I use to be able to bench press 90 lbs but now I can only bench press 70 lbs. Hopefully I'll get my strength back once I'm through Stabilization. My volleyball season starts back up in September so I definitely need to be back to where I was for that.

Thank you for sharing Icmaly!!
Im sure the decrease in performance is only temporary. Youre as strong and as fit as you ever were!! I'm trying to look at it ("it" being the restrictions and reductions in exercise) as my time to RECOVER... I beat myself up pretty bad, in terms of how hard i work, and i never allow myself adequate, if ANY recovery time between workouts (sounds like you are the same way!!) I suffer sometimes from extreme overuse symptoms and injuries, and yet, i still keep going!! Especially, i find, as the "running" season nears its end. Im so burnt out by that point, but im still always working towards a goal race.. Take just this year for instance-- i started ramping up training in Mid February for an ealry May Half Marathon, did too much too fast, and ended by Mid April I had given myself a stress frcture in my foot, and tendonitis in my calf!! They are both better now, so im really tring to be positive about the cut back in exercise, even if its DRIVING ME CRAZY!! its SO GOOD for my body, and its good for yours too.... You will prob come back so much stronger and more refreshed, after such a long time you will be ready to treat those strenuous workouts with more energy and stamina than before!!!!

I know exactly what you are saying! I never allow myself recovery time which I know is bad. I KNOW my body needs to recover between workouts but it's like I'm adicted. And I've played volleyball/worked out on severly sprained ankles before. I went to a sports medicine doctor a few years ago and he suggested that I get surgery on my right ankle (I've rolled/sprained it probably 20 times in my volleyball career) but I haven't because I don't want the down time! I found some awesome ankle braces 2 years ago and haven't spained it (too bad) since.

I see you're in Denver? What part? I'm in Highlands Ranch, going to the Highlands Ranch location.

OH! tough break about the ankle (LITERALLY!!) Once you get an injury like that it is SO easy to reinjure it over and over again!! The idea of any forced down time is a very hard pill to swallow indeed... I workout through my injuries as well! not SMART i know!! But like you, i am an Exercise ADDICT....if i dont get in a really great run in the am, i feel like ive wasted the day, and im giong to gain 5 pounds!
I actually go to the center in Westminster... I went to Highlands for the initial consultation.... not sure why they made me go there, considering the Westy one is tight by my house, and literally right across the street from my GYM! I met with Sherry in Highlands Ranch...did NOT like her at all.....she was very pushy, and i think the reason i didnt immediately join... I hope you have different experiences with her, as im sure youve had the opportunity to meet with her. SHE is the one, BTW who chose NOT to measure my body comp as an athlete!

Wow...I can't believe it...you think exactly like I do! When you wrote "if i dont get in a really great run in the am, i feel like ive wasted the day, and im giong to gain 5 pounds!"...that is EXACTLY how I feel and that's why I work out so much. It's tough thinking like that though. My husband wants to go to a movie Friday night and I initially said no because it would mean I'd have to cancel my workout. But I convinced myself 1 night of not working out won't hurt me. I really want to change my mentality towards working out but it's just so tough!


I initially met with Judy and somehow migrated to Shery. Shery is very hardcore. I think she kind of stole me from Judy because she was excited about my potential. Shery is a competitive fitness chick and she's rock solid (although I think she's TOO skinny). I think she really wanted to turn me in to her. Well, I don't want to be her! She was pretty rude to me at times, especially when I kept arguing with her how the scale wasn't measuring my body fat correctly (this was back when I was being inputed at normal). She just kept saying "no, this scale is a $2500 scale and it's right. Your body fat percetage IS 33%. We need to get you down to 21%". If I was really 33% at that time, the tanita was saying I needed to get down to 130 lbs to be 21%. At 6 foot tall, 130 lbs is NOT healthy. Then one week when I hit the 18 lb loss mark and my body fat was STILL at 33% (I had "started" at 34%) I finally was able to convince her it wasn't right. She did some research and the next time I was there, low and behold, they agreed said I needed to be entered in as an athlete.

One time Shery actually said to me that my BMI should be between 14 and 18. I KNOW FOR A FACT that my BMI (or ANYONE'S BMI) shouldn't be below 18. I think sometimes she has unrealistic expectations for people because of her own body image.

And even though she's been rude sometimes and she rubs me and others the wrong way often...I think she knows what she's talking about MOST of the time and I think she's generally a nice person. She actually does listen to me and she remembers stuff I tell her that I don't even remember telling her.