yay for you! I was wondering how you had been doing since I have been "lost" for a few months. I am so proud of you and your pics look amazing! You are gorgeous, girl!

Thanks!

I've been wondering about you as well! I'm glad you're back! Thank you.... I'm so happy!

I haven't logged on to this site in a while because I have been so busy and doing so well OP! But I am wondering if anyone has any advice for me...I am in the middle of my 5th week and the ladies at MRC are acting like I'm not losing weight fast enough...and frankly, I'm thinking the same thing. I'm down 11 pounds and compared to where I'd hoped to be based on the initial meeting...I'm a little short. But here is the deal...they did my measurements last Saturday (4 days ago) and I've lost 20 inches! I think that is amazing and my clothes are fitting differently, etc. So, I'm a little conflicted. I'm wishing for better scale results (but certainly trying not to be fixated on that) and I'm happy with the way my body is changing.

I am committed to completing the 17 week program - although I may not be as close to my goal as I had hoped - but they have me trying some different things to kick start my weight loss. Like MetaQuick. I did that for 3 days this week and weighed today and lost .5 pounds. The MRC counselor sort of acted disappointed with those results. :} I'm not sure what to think????

Any thoughts??

Those are great inches lost girl!!!! Congratulations! I'm thinking that you shouldn't worry, as your inches are really reflective of the work you've been doing and just keep doing your thing. It will even out, and you'll start to see the lb's match up.....

I agree with Namaste,
Inches lost are better than lbs dropped. The truth of the matter is that we want to look thinner who cares what the weight is. I have only lost 8 lbs but have lost a pant size already in two weeks. I am so thrilled with that. Also, I don't have the huge muffin top like I used to

The counselor at MRC told me that she usually sees an average of 1" per pound lost and that since I've lost 20 inches and 11 pounds that is unusual...so she was encouraging about my progress, but I could see her acting a little surprised at my slow weight loss. I guess sometimes we just read too much into what the counselor is saying or their expression. I suppose I do that because I'm looking for confirmation that I'm going to be successful. When in reality, I need to just focus on staying OP one day at a time...just try to enjoy the journey.

Honestly, this is the first weight loss effort where I have enjoyed the process. it is restrictive and sometimes challenging but I feel so much better eating like this that I can't help but be optomistic, even when things are moving a little slower than I want. Patience isn't a dominant trait for me .

Thanks for the encouragement Nameste, you are great! Plus, your success is a huge motivator. I feel like a whiney baby complaining about losing 11 pounds towards a 50 pound loss goal when YOU have accomplished so much!

I have to agree...I would much rather lose the inches vs the pounds. That way you can brag that you are size ___! Keep up the good work and dont worry about the numbers on the scale!

Islandhopper, have you lost 16 lbs in one month? That is amazing!

You and I must be cut from the same cloth! I have been at this a lot longer than I wanted to be, but I have lost almost 30 inches, but only 11 pounds. Hmmm!

I STARTED THE PRE CONDITION ON FEB 18 WEIGHT 218
WHEN I WENT BACK TO WEIGH AND ACTUALLY START THE PROGRAM ON FEB 27TH I HAD LOST 4 POUNDS DOWN TO 214.

ON MARCH 6TH 1 WEEK LATTER I WEIGHED 208.5 GREAT I THOUGHT

BUT THEN I WENT IN ON MARCH 9 TO WEIGH IN AND I HAD GAINED 1.5 LBS BACK UP TO 210.0 I WAS DEFINATELY NOT HAPPY

AND LET ME TELL YA THE COUNSELOR STARTED DRILLING ME ON WHAT IVE BEEN EATING AND WHEN IVE BEEN DOING MY POTEIN DRINKS.

WEEKENDS ARE REALLY HARD FOR ME, I STARTED TAKING SOME VITIMIN B-6 TO HELP WITH ANY EXCESS WATER IM CARRYING AROUND.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Just to hang in there and do not let yourself get too discouraged. If the counselor is being a pest about it and you don't feel supported, ask for a different counselor when you go. There was one at my center for a while who would chastise me when I gained or didn't lose. I had to remind her that I was there because I obviously have a problem with food and need her help, not for her to make me feel like I am a loser! You are paying too much money so get what you want out of the experience! You are doing well, just keep your chin up!

I decided I wasn't losing fast enough, and the counselors finally told me about MetaQuick. So I did that for several days and lost 4 pounds in a week. I was so excited. The told me you could only do it for 7 days in a month, so I went back to the Green Menu, very carefully. Got in all my water, didn't cheat, and gained 2 pounds! So, did my body think it was in starvation mode and then decided to store food when I went back to Green?

I'm discouraged, since my program ends in a week and I still have 7 pounds to lose! Any suggestions?

as for the splitting meat and cheese you have to do it proportionately. if you're doing 4 oz of meat and 2 oz of cheese = 6 oz that's not right. If you do 4 oz meat you've only got 1/3 of a protein serving left which wld be 1 oz of cheese. my center recommended sticking to halves 3 oz of meat and 1.5 oz of cheese = 1 serving protein at lunch or breakfast. you can still only have cheese once a day though even if you're only having 1/2 the amt at any given meal. i also do 3 oz of meat and 1 egg or 2 oz meat, 1 oz cheese, and 1 egg which is 1/3rds and works because the place we always go for lunch after church on sundays has just about that proportion in the only salad i can order.

same with your cooked vs raw veggies - do 4 oz raw and 2 oz cooked for a half and half = 1 serving. i asked because 6 oz of tuna is a can and a half so i have a half can leftover abt 2 oz. sometimes my chicken is too big so i end up cutting off an oz or 2 and having that in the fridge so after a couple days i've got 2 oz of this that and the other and that makes my 6 oz and they said that's ok.

that's how i understood it....

We lose an average of 5-7 lbs during stabilization, so you're good. There are so many reasons we can go up - if you weren't cheating you're retaining water for some reason, and stressing over your weigh-ins is just one of the bazillion things that can make you retain water. Just keep on sticking with it & you'll be fine.