Hello. I'm new to posting in this group and fairly new to 3FC. I am currently following the Metabolic Research Center plan (2 1/2 weeks) and interested to find out what plans others are successfully following. How long have you been on your plan? What are some pros and cons of your plan?

What I like about MRC is that I am eating real food that I prepare or that I can order at restaurants when out with family and friends. And though there isn't an unlimited selection, there are choices in each food group that I can eat.

What I'm NOT crazy about on the MRC plan is how frickin' expensive it is. Also, I'm not a vegetable lover and of course, veggies are a large part of the plan. Also, if you do not eat the exact prescribed amount of food, 'they say' you jeopardize your results.

Many, many years ago, I had success following the WeightWatchers plan (lost 110 lbs) - but I also attribute that to walking 1 1/2 to 2 hours per day to campus, while on campus, and home from work/campus at the end of the day while I was an undergraduate student. Unfortunately, I gained all of the weight back, plus more. I've tried WW again since then and became super frustrated with the up down, up down results and gave it up.

I took phentermine, kind of followed WW, and walked consistently for about 2 years and lost almost 100 lbs, then I got pregnant, stopped taking the pills and slacked up on walking. I actually did well while pregnant, but since delivering my daughter, I've gained 40+ lbs. It's very depressing, but I am once again motivated and committed to being healthier. This time, for health reasons and for my daughter, I never want her to be picked on or ashamed of me because of my weight.

Okay, sorry it's so long...I can "talk" a lot.

Hi there =) Welcome!

Well, I am following Weight Watchers Points Plus to keep my portions and usual food choices in control. I am also currently working out for 20 minutes a day. Been doing all that for 3 months now (since April 18th). I like it, because very simply it fits my life. It encourages healthier choices, while being flexible enough to allow moderated higher calorie foods. And the exercise is amazing on its own. I just feel so much stronger!

3FC is also an important component in my plans. It keeps me open-minded about trying new things, and surrounding myself with others on this journey for the long-haul is an incredibly healthy thing to do. It keeps me balanced and patient.

However, I had lost over 100 pounds using a similar combination a couple of years ago. To keep the story short, I ended up quitting and gaining it all back. Owning up: The plan was great, I alone was the one at fault for quitting.

So, I've returned to the healthier normal that works for my life, doing well and taking it one day at a time. NO GOING BACK!

I follow WW points plus as well and take a "modified" South Beach diet approach in how I use my points each day. I limit my carbs (one serving of whole grains a day) and watch how much fruit I eat. I do not have any refined carbs.

I jog for 30 mins 4-5 days a week and also do power yoga twice a week to build muscle and flexibility.

I have lost 68 lbs since December. As I added some carbs back in to my diet a month or so ago, my weight loss has slowed from 2-3 lbs a week to 1-1/12 lbs a week, but I am losing inches quickly.

I'm counting calories (using Sparkpeople) and doing 30 minutes or a little more of cardio daily. I had to build very gradually to 30 minutes--took me from March until June. I'm also gradually changing my eating habits. Right now my goal is to eat at least 2 servings of vegetables a day and at least 20 grams of fiber. My plan is to continue gradually adjusting: as I lose weight, I'll gradually lower my daily calorie limit. I'll increase my exercise time as I feel able to do so; I'd like to be at an hour of walking a day plus a couple hours of other activity each week. And I'll build up those veggies.

I'm losing slowly, but I believe I'm actually changing my habits and maybe even my relationship to food and exercise. I feel more fit and generally more comfortable in my body, and I feel most of the time like it's all very do-able.

Best wishes as you get re-started.

Angela

I personally calorie count. I keep my cals (as best I can) between 1200 and 1500 day. I normally eat 1500 one day 1200 the next then 1500 and so on and so forth. I also limit my carbs to approx. 45% of my daily cals. You say you don't like veggies. The sad part is that veggies are actually required in ANY healthy diet. You can't be healthy without veggies, they provide most of the nutrients, phytoestrogens and minerals among other things that our bodies need! I love my plan, it has worked so far. I tweak it every so often when I need a jump start. Hopefully you find one that suits you if you leave MRC. Good luck on your journey!

Edit: I also ride my bike/walk do calisthenics, etc throughout the week. Basically I do whatever I feel like. I mix up the activity to my body doesn't get used to one thing.

PS: Does MRC allow for any flexibility in how you prepare veggies? Surely we can find some recipes that will make them more acceptable for you.

Great to see that you have a plan. I've learned over many years that the only way I ever get positive results is if I have a defined plan. No plan, is what let me eat/drink my way to 350.

Right now I'm starting slow-carb, in which I eat protein, beans, and veg at every meal. It cuts out flour/sugar/rice/etc, but I find that the meals always leave me satisfied - haven't been hungry in the 5 days since I started.

I'm going to be supplementing body-weight exercises (simple ones, not the crazy one-legged squats yet) with a kettlebell routine.

I'm impressed by all the positivity on this forum, and I wish you all the luck in the world.

We Can do it!!

I'm eating vegetables and I'm committed to the program. I asked my MRC counselor on Tuesday if it mattered if I like put the vegetables in the food processor in order to help get my servings in. I've incorporated some more vegetables into my diet (adding mushrooms, spinach, green onions, and bell peppers to my eggs to make an omelet - using those veggies in other ways also) to help get my veggies in. So, I'm doing better, I just have to figure out how to get things like squash, zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, and cauliflower in. There are no restrictions on how they're prepared.

Thanks for sharing your plans with me. I'm learning a lot and of course I've always known that there is no one way to lose weight, it is just finding the plan/program that works best for you and your lifestyle.

What are your favorite flavors? Me, I like mildly spicy things, so when I cook veggies I make sure to get some heat in there. Squash and zucchini I love to saute in olive oil with garlic and a few red pepper flakes. (You can go really light on the olive oil if you spray the pan with pam first.) I also love ginger, so I do ginger-garlic stir fry (whatever veggies you like). You can make that fat free if you want by using vegetable stock instead of fat (or do the traditional oil, just keep it light).

My mom, on the other hand, didn't like spicy, but she loved the taste of meat, so I tended to braise veggies in beef stock for her. You can do that with or without oil, as well; just make sure to keep the veggies wet if you go oil-free. This would work great with squash, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, carrots.

I love broccoli just steamed, so I don't have any great advice for broccoli Though I think it does fine in omelettes, too.

The main thing, though, I think, is to find recipes that involve flavors you like along with whatever veggie you're not so wild about.

I am just starting out but I am going to try a low carb diet and counting calories. So far I really like caloriecount.com. Counts your calories as well as adds up your carbs, fat, protein, ect for the day. Good luck to you! We can do this!!

Vortex - thanks for the ideas. Spicy does tend to help me get veggies in. I made a turkey chili and I added lots of veggies - mushrooms, green peppers, green onions, spinach - and red pepper flakes. The red pepper really spiced it up and with the focus on that, I could forget that I was taking in so many vegetables.

I've heard a lot of people referring to roasting vegetables, so I guess I'll have to give it a try.

Also, I see a lot of people on here doing calorie counting...I'm amazed, to me it seems complicated, but I see a lot of you having success. That's great. I am also encouraged by the focus on getting healthy and changing habits but not running a sprint to lose weight. Because in the long run, if you don't change your behaviors, the weight is going to come back...hey, I'm living proof of that.

I am on no eating plan.. Just am working on IE ,way of eating healthier when am hungry and stop when full, not bloated..I use an hunger scale/eating every 3 hours.Good luck with your efforts!