Welcome! This board is so inspiring. I just joined the program last week and I love hearing about everyone's journeys! Good luck!

Ugh computer viruses are awful. That recipe is intriguing, I will have to try it. I love the peach mango supplement and I planned on trying the orange tomorrow. Congrats on stabilization, your posts are always so inspirational

I used to go out with my friends every tuesday for wing night; have some wings, put down a couple beers, etc. Tonight, I went after eating dinner and an HNS. Even with the wings, nachos, beer, and chocolate cake all around me, I managed to just have water. I am really surprised that I could hold out and honestly, I am beginning to feel better and happier since I have been eating healthier. It makes me sad to think part of my poorer mood in the past might have been directly linked to something as simple as my food choices. Definitely got me thinking and reaffirmed my present and future goals.

This is great..Be proud of yoruself..I found as we go on this journey , identifying situations that might ruin our progress and think about avoiding them, is great, as we have formed new eating habits. I go to a place that has wings, etc.. and what I do is order a plain salad, order the shrimp cocktail appetizer and put shrimp on salad, I always have a packet of ff dressing in my pocket book and a gel HNS, and then I am all set. You will do great.

Patzi

I'm so sorry you are feeling so discouraged right now!! It's very hard when the scales aren't moving...esp if you are staying 100% on plan. I too lost the first 25 lbs very fast and have now slowed wayyyy down and am having a hard time making it to 30 lbs! Have you looked back at your menu journals to see if you were eating differently when you were losing faster? When I looked at mine, I realized I had started eating more bars (in place of meals) and not drinking as much water. I think the bars stall me, so I haven't eaten one for the past 3 days.
Just try to keep focusing on the good things: 1) that you feel better, 2) that your clothes are loser, and 3) that if you stay on plan the lbs WILL come off eventually! Hope your weigh-in goes well!

I'm having a really hard time responding to this. I can't imagine being in Candy-land and not being able to have the candy lol. Esp with all those kit-kats laying around . I probably would have decided my MRC plan needed a "Break time. Anytime."
You are doing an AWESOME job resisting!!! Keep it up!

Great job!!! My personal favorites in the powder HNS are Wild Berry and Pink lemonade and Kiwi-melon in the gels (I really like this one poured over shaved ice). Of course everyone's tastes are different. I'm sure you will find one or two you really like. The powder HNS mixes up 100% better if you have a shaker cup/blender bottle (has the little whisk ball in it). If you can't get one at your center they have them on-line at dietdirect.com.

I just went to my consultation yesterday and I am excited!!!

I have tried Medifast, Weight Watchers, The Diet Center, personal trainer, etc. What I like about this program is the support. (There are classes and different outings (parties)).This time I am going to keep this weight off. I currently weigh 257 lbs and would like to be at least 164 lbs. My food class is this Friday. Can anyone tell me what I should expect from the food class?

Well, lost only .4lbs since Friday. Actually, I'm surprised I lost at all since I'm perpetually at TTOM and had a great loss last week.

I did catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and noticed that it looks like my stomach is protruding. So I'm hanging on to fat there and I think I've got some Cortitrim from a year and a half ago.

I'm not able to do ab exercises yet because of back problems and I can't wait until I'm able to tone my waist.

I'm going to ask my daughter to start measuring me so I have some feedback besides the scale.

First of all, thank you all to have responded to my LONG post while I was at the Candy show.. Yes, Wonka World, Candy Land... indeed, it was very challenging but I made it out of there without touching ANYTHING! Except for water and my HNS!
I flew back last night (what an amazing exercise if we could actually fly) And was able to have a normal OP plan.

I was a little nervous about going in today for WI. All sorts of thoughts were going through my head.. what if I gained, what if I didn't but wouldn't it be great if I lost. I was going in all sorts of directions. I made it up to the center and talked with the consultant and they were all so proud of me. Then it was time for the scale. DEEP Breath in... and Release... I LOST 3.5lbs!!!! Couldn't believe it! I went to a free for all candy & snack show, on the road, had 4 meals "out" and lost the weight. I am so proud of myself and ecstatic! Willpower is the key! Now I have to figure out how to reward myself.. I'm thinking a massage might be nice. I no longer want to go get an ice cream or buy a slice of cake with extra butter cream icing to celebrate something! It's AMAZING!

With that 3.5lbs down... I'm only 1.5lbs away from the 40lb board! Hot Diggity Dog! If they had a dancing weiner on here!

And to all the new comers.. this DOES work!! For all the losses this week - Congrats and keep it up and if you're close to signing the boards.. just keep a positive attitude and you will get there!

I'm off to change my ticker!

Basically you will go over what you can and can't eat and why. They will go over the grocery menu and your selected menu plan you are on. Any questions, this is the time to ask!

My center is doing this and it appears FL too - but you might check yours.

In observance of Memorial Day, we will be closed on Monday, May 30th. To guarantee all of our amazing client's success through the holiday, we will be offering free weeks of program just for weighing in!

What you need to do:

Come into the Overland Park center to weigh in sometime between Thursday, May 26th, and Saturday, May 28th. Then come in to weigh in again on Tuesday, May 31st!

Just for coming in on Tuesday, you will receive ONE FREE WEEK of program!

FLORIDA ADDED:
If you are down from your last weigh in, you will also receive an additional THREE FREE WEEKS of program! It's madness!

I didn't hear the same from Overland Park but I can ask when I go in Saturday.

Yes, they said it was similar to the pina colada from the cookbook--they just changed it up a little. Yum!

Well, the graduation party was a great success. The center outdid itself. I can't believe I left my recipes there, but when I pick them up on Tuesday, will post them. The lunch was delicious and quite a feast.

There was green iced tea and a pink lemonade mixed drink that was delicious.

Barbecued chicken in crockpot
tortillas( these were used to put barbecue chicken in(chicken was like a pulled chicken)
chips made from tortillas
string beans
spinach salad with strawberries and a delicious dressing
coleslaw
watermelon..
a tray of raw veggies with a dip
cheese cubes( 2) on a toothpick
I think that was it.. Everything was delcious
Everyone had their picture taken with their graduation certificate, then we had a group picture.. I would say there were 25 people.

It was wonderful talking to other people and talking about all the different challenges.. I really enjoyed myself.

Patzi

Momoffour -- It sucks that not all your friends are very supportive. Downright childish, even.

One thing that really helped me (although it's not for everyone) is to chart my calorie intake and weight loss on livestrong.com. When I would hit a stall, I would look over the weight loss chart, which also allows you to map your net calories (intake after exercise) over the weight chart. One pattern I noticed for myself was that my best drops occurred when my net calories had a drastic variance. For example, if I ate at the top edge of my MRC caloric intake for a day (say, 800-1000 calories when I was on beige menu), then eat lower-cal OP foods and do my exercise the next day, then I would have a 2-4lb drop at the next weigh-in. If I net approximately the same number of calories every day, my body tends to hang on to the weight.

Knowing your body, it's patterns, and what works best for it is the best thing you can do to help yourself when you hit a slump and regular MRC plateau-busting tactics (metaquick, changing up proteins/veggies from what you regularly eat, adjusting or adding supplements/pills) don't seem to be working.

Don't give up! We believe in you!