This time around with MRC, I've met up with some amazing counselors. They've given me some tips and tricks to help me along my journey. Here's a few of them:

Just curious if anyone else has learned tips or tricks that have helped them stay OP and get the most out of it.

I love to use frozen fruit for lunch. I pack it frozen in my lunchbox..then microwave for 15-30 seconds to take the chill off. It keeps my lunchbox cold, and always tastes fresh. Nothing is more sad on MRC than biting into a bad piece of fruit. Yesterday at lunch, I packed an apple. Bit into it, and it was mealy and mushy. I wasn't going to eat it. Then I was short my fruit. Frozen all the way!

I'm just starting out and don't have any tips of my own yet, but want to say THANK YOU for sharing your tips. I am learning so much on this board!

Mariah

I have learned a few things as well. I find that being organized is one of the most helpful things for me anyways. I take all my pills and divide them up in little snack size bags that are labeled for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also cut up my veggies ahead of time, sometimes make extra food so if I'm rushed for time I don't have to cook and weighing out/packaging up food ahead of time helps out too. I'm pretty busy most of the time so I find that whenever I can save some extra time for myself it helps out a lot.

Splenda has become my new best friend. I use it in everything from chili to sprinkling it on cut up fruit. I also use it in water with fresh lemon, so it is like lemonade.

My quick breakfast meal ..

2 wheat melba toasts
2 (1 oz) mozzerella string cheese

Tear string cheese in half lengthwise, put on top of melba toasts and microwave 20 seconds. I usually put it on wax paper as its easy to remove melted cheese. Quick n' easy! And it keeps me full until lunch (which really surprised me).

I always keep a supply of both melba toast (a variety of flavors) and string cheese in my refrigerator.

I do the same thing. I got pill bags at Wal-Mart (50 for $1.99) and divided my pills up: breakfast, lunch, & dinner for the entire week. Then I got a quart size Ziploc bag and divided the pill bags into those, one Ziploc bag for each day of the week. In addition to the pills, I put my HNS. So, in one bag I have all my pills and HNS for the day. Makes life a lot easier. Just throw it in my purse and go.

Thanks for all the tips, ladies! Keep em coming.

Great tips! Can't wait to see what else helps with this journey!

Instead of all those ziplocs, I use a 4 serving pill holder from Walgreens. It has morning, noon, dinner, and evening daily.

Save the plastic bags for leftovers!

LOL So true, but I use the same Ziplocs every week, so no waste. I save the pill holders for my blood pressure pills.

I made ranch dip or dressing out of cottage cheese (1 container the larger one) and a packet of dry HV ranch dressing mix, I add a little milk (Skim) to make it thinner for dressing. Tastes amazing.

I buy chicken in bulk, weigh and portion in ziplock bags, I flatten them thin grill them up for the week so lunch is fast anyplace.

I learned this tip the hard way yesterday. Always, always, always keep a meal replacement bar in your purse in case of an emergency. I won't make that mistake again.

To replace my fiber drink one of the local consultants helped me around purchasing them by using crystal light and a tsp of bennefiber (same 5 grams) It is like drinking heaven when I need something sweet. It uses splenda so falls into the program nicely. (saves about $10 off my MRC bills too)

I've never realized this one, and I've been on the plan over 9 months. I am sure they told me at the beginning, but it didn't sink in!