Fifties Lady, I got a variety of both powdered and concentrated HNS when I signed up. I like the Grapefruit powder with the Fiber powder with my breakfast. I mix the Grape concentrate with Wild Cherry (sugar free, sodium free) Seltzer water and drink this like wine with my dinner. The Kiwi was good really cold in the afternoon. Because you will be using 3 to 5 HNS each day, and you can use them in cooking, you will find different uses for both the concentrates and powders. Choose the flavors you think you will like best for your first purchase. Use the Swap Basket if there are any you really can't stand. Good Luck, jeanette

Thank you Jeanette....everyone has been so good in telling me their favorite flavors....it always helps to kind of know before hand what to purchase. I was picturing something that tasted horrible and you just drank fast to get it down. I like your glass of wine idea... thank you.

Fifties Lady,

I'll be happy to send you one of my grape, berry, and kiwi supplements for you to try. I don't care for the powder ones because there's an aesthetic quality to the liquids I enjoy. Weird, I know. I don't have any orange but I can trade one of my others for it and mail it to you. I also have the vanilla and double chocolate pudding that I haven't even tried yet that you can sample. Just PM me if you like.

I was having a storage problem with all my HNS because I buy them in the bulk when I get a little extra cash. I finally took them out of their boxes and slipped them in this adorable recycleable duffel bag I bought. The bag sits on my dresser in my bedroom away from the enquiring minds of my children. A couple of times I just reached in and pull out a flavor like I was drawing out a prize. My daughter got a kick out of this. "And the today's winner is.....BERRY!"

I have more room now in my teeny tiny kitchen.

One of my friends just had bariatric surgery and let me tell you the MRC supplements are vastly superior to hers.

You are so kind Edie....I think I am going to take a gamble and go for a variety...with all the info I have learned, I guess I will go with the concentrates now for sure....I had no idea about the powders.....I am anxious to try them in the Diet Rite like some of the posters have suggested...I am not sure if I can do that when I first join or not...I will find out.

Here are some of my favorite tips from my first time around...

1. loved the concentrates, esp. mixed fruit and green tea. I didn't try the concentrates at first and quickly grew to hate the supplements, found the concentrates problem solved.

2. I second the suggestion of freezing the concentrates. Its kind of like taffy when you eat it!!!

3. For my variety of important. I tended to stall when I got to stuck on my menu. (My guess is I got to confident and didn't measure as much because I "knew" with those foods). When I would stall I always tried to mix it up a little. Ask you consultant for new food ideas...some of the consultants are great at this!

4. I can tell you what was the big this that contributed to me gaining my weight back...soda, I am a diet soda fiend and convinved myself that its calorie free so it doesn't matter. However, I am sensitive to the sodium and caffeine is an appetite stimulant for me. I know now that I can't go back that road.

5. The only pills I took the first time were flax, multi, B6. I took MRC6 for about a month but that was it. Do what you are confortable with in terms of pills. Just say no if you don't want it!!!!

6. Love yourself and deal with why you eat! This was my problem the first time. My grandmother passed away the end of Sept. At the time I was about 10 pounds from my goal and felt great. But, I can tell you how I dealt with the grief...I ate! I told my cousin this weekend that if you want to see how I dealt with grandma's death you should just look at my hips . It took me several months to realize that I was dealing with my stress and grief by eating. Lesson is learned, an this is an issue I plan to work on this time as I lose the weight!

Thelish, thank you for all your helpful hints. This is so very helpful. After talking with Jeannie yesterday, I have decided to wait till my summer vacations are done with....it is so very hard to diet during that time since I am enjoying myself and being around family and going out for dinner and all....I will continue on the SB plan for now, since I'm doing ok. Once I join, I want to take advantage of all the classes and the twice a week WI's.

I do know exactly what you are talking about eating while your time of grief....that can really take a toll on you...I have been in that haze now for almost 4 years, and I know now it's time to change and move forward....even though it is still very hard. Even with the food I was eating, I found no comfort!

Once I join, I hope we run into one another at the Lincoln center. I have only met with Jeannie so she is the only one I know right now, so I think I want to stick with her when I join, she seems very nice. And I think, if I heard her correctly, that I will sign with the 17 weeks and then sign for 17 or 24 weeks after that....it's quite a cost savings. Jeannie did say that I can still lose without taking all the pills the center has to offer....so most of everything but the HNS's I can buy over the counter. I am glad now that I waited to join, because I have learned so much from everyone that posts here....it has truly helped, and motivated me!

I am really enjoying this thread, seems to mirror my own progress in these issues. Last time I was at MRC they didn't have the concentrates and I resisted using the HNS except for the jello, which seemed like a treat. I LOVE the concentrates, especially frozen, and have been known to drive with one hanging from my mouth like a pacifier, ha ha! I like to sip them slow, frozen or not. I want to hear more from those of you who said the HSN's helped you lose faster, why do you think that was, since they do add calories?
I think the most helpful thing is to go to the classes. We have an exceptional counselor here who does a lot of them. Sharon.
Kathleen in Lakewood, CO (anyone else?)

In last Thursday evenings' class, I said I would give you my MRC water bottle. I left it with Sharon for you. It is a dubious gift, as it smells highly of plastic, and I couldn't get it past my nose. It has been thru the dishwasher twice, although I never used it. I was trying to get rid of the smell first. It occured to me after I left it with Sharon, that I should have tried baking soda or vinegar, but I will leave that to you.

I see many people using them, so there has to be a way to get rid of the smell. This is a national forum, so maybe others have an idea how to abolish the plastic-y stink.

Anyway, I won it in the last balloon pop contest, so maybe they were trying to get rid of old stock. There is another balloon pop contest going on over the 4th of July weekend. Weigh in on the Monday immediately following and if you have lost, you get to pop a balloon for a prize. Maybe you can win a less stinky one!

I just started at the Lakewood center, but from what I was told yesterday it seems like the Center does a lot of little contests for the clients in order to keep things interesting. Sounds like fun.

Me too Lori i love the ADW i have incredible insomnia and the first night i took these my whole body felt like jello and i was so relaxed and slept so well! since they are expensive LOL i am rationing them! for when i really need them next month! (moving stresses me a lot makes me sleep even less)