I started about three weeks ago at 170 and now I just weighed myself and I'm 165. If I tried dieting without it the scale would have said 170 (believe me). I'm not a Meridia salesperson but this stuff is something that actually works for me. Yes, it costs $3 a day but, let's be honest, a trip through McDonald's that I'm not doing costs more than that! A good weight for me is 143 and I think I will be able to do it this time. I had been gaining and losing the same 8 - 10 pounds for about five years and finally had enough of that. I'm looking for a dieting buddy.

I just started Meridia on 2/21/01. I'm a phen-fen vetern who gained it all back (plus 20). I've been doing WW (still am) since January and exercising 3 times a week. I started at 210 and got to 202 by then end of January, but got stuck there. I'm currently at about 198. I'm hopeful that the Meridia will help keep things moving along. I'd like to get to somewhere around 175-180 by May when I go to Mexico on vacation. I have to admit that I'm a little afraid that I'll gain all the weight back as soon as I stop the Meridia. That's why I'm trying to make sure to stick to the WW plan and keep exercising. This has to be a lifestyle change for me - Meridia only a tool.

elliott
210/198/140

I'm glad to see someone else out there taking Meridia. I have two teenagers 15 and almost 17. I had them in 1984 and 1985 and played around with losing weight after they were born and in 1991 I got down to 140 with Weight Watchers. I kept it off for two years and then gradually got lazy with the exercise and diet and it very gradually crept up. I think if I religiously keep up with exercising three times a week this won't happen again after I lose the weight. Weekly weigh-ins are important too. I only plan to use the Meridia to get down to the 140 range and once I'm there just continue to eat healthy. If I don't I might be just like my parents and have a heart attack. Luckily my mother survived her mild heart attack but my father died at age 52.

I'm sorry to hear about your parents. I'm 26 and I'll probably use Meridia to help me get down to around 140-150 (if it works that long), and then keep up with the diet & exercise. My husband & I hope to get pregnant this year & I'd really like to get my weight low enough before then that I'll never have to see 200 lbs on the scale again. I'm only on the beginning of my second week, but I'm having pretty good results so far. My weekly weigh in showed I was 3 lbs down. Yipee!! How are you doing? I find that I still get hungry, but less food satisfies me. I also don't feel speedy like I did on phen-fen. In fact - so far - no side effects. keep me posted on your progress.

elliott
210/196/140

I'm glad to have found both of you. I just started taking Merida at the end of January. I had the prescription for a month before I got it filled---was afraid to take it. So far no side effects except for dry mouth (very) and it has helped me tremendously. Have lost 19 pounds in five weeks

I agree it is only a tool. I am a part of an obesity clinic at one of the major Boston hospitals. I go to a behavior modification group, led by a psychologist, once a week, monthly visists with a nutrionist, and every six weeks, visits with my doc (an endricronologist).

There are no forbidden foods....just try and eat low fat. My biggest problem is with exercise. I am on again, off again.

I too am the mom of teens---no wonder I have a weight problem. Look forward to keeping in touch with you both.

Wow! I'm really impressed with your success!!! I'm having a hard time with exercise right now due to some schedule changes - not lack of desire. I think that's a first for me. My second week isn't going as well as my first, but then again it's also TOM and that could be contributing.

How much are you trying to lose? Your program sounds very interesting. I keep meaning to go to a nutritionist, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm just trying to get in all my fruits & veggies and maybe a bit more protein. Have you found anything really surprising in your meetings with the group or nutritionist?

I am trying to lose 100lbs---well now 81lbs. I was in a serious car accident 5 years ago (Feb,96) and literally had to sit in my house for one year....and gained the whole 100 in those 5 years--my doctor was very impressed, lol
I think what is so different about the behavior modification group is that the physicologist makes us think about all aspects of eating. For example one night we discussed what we would eat when having friends over for Sunday football. From there we discussed what were the short term effects of eating lots of junk i.e pleasure, social etc. and then discussed the long term effects...i.e. depression, weight gain, risk of high blood pressure etc. In short the group found that the long term effects of overeating totally outnumbered the short term effects. Have also learned about the hunger curve. Anyway, it obviously hard to tell all that goes on in a group that meets once a week for 1 1/2 hours but for me it is an awakening.
However, as I said, the Merida has really helped. I am on 10mg. What dosage are you on?

Also 10mg. Its been 2 weeks now and I'm down 6lbs. It hasn't been easy though. The mental desire to eat is still there, but it's becoming more manageable. I'm starting to vary my exercise because I was starting to get bored. I'm really enjoying weight lifting. I love that my arms are becoming firm.

I still need to work on meal planning though. I've been eating a lot of easy foods. Applesauce cups, yogurt, baby carrots, raisins. Good things - but I need to work more on actual meals. I've been using www.fitday.com for planning and so far it's working well.

How do you do meal planning? What happened to Don'tWorry BeHappy?

elliott
210/193/140

Congratulations on your 6 lb in two weeks weight loss. Everyone says that if you lose two pounds a week you are doing good so you are doing super.

I have never met anyone who took PhenFen. Obviously you had no side effects, thank goodness. From what I heard about PhenFen it was like "speed". Did it curb your appetite more than Merida?

Sounds like you are eating healthy quick things. Because of the psychologist (more than the nutrionist) I went out and bought a low fat cookbook which is amazing since I only own one other cookbook. I learn to cook one new meal every weekend and then rotate them thoughout the week. So far, I have stuck to the fairly easy things--tonight was scallops, red onion, green pepper and rice.
Don't know what happened to "Don't worry" Keep up the good work. I intend to join WW when I'm done with my group. Do you enjoy the meetings? Is there an initial cost?

Thanks! Phen-fen did curb my appetite more than merida, but I (now) don't think that was such a good thing. I didn't learn to eat healthy - I just didn't eat hardly anything. It definately made me feel speedy - very hyper - couldn't sleep.

Congrats on learning to cook some new things!! I love to cook & have TONS of cook books. You dinner last night sounds really good.

I'm doing Weight Watchers on my own. I joined last year when there was no initial fee & it was $8.95 a week. I liked the meetings for the most part, but I'm not really much of a joiner. Now I just keep track of my points and the breakdown of carbs/protein/fat. I try to get the bulk of my carbs from vegetables because I tend to go nuts on sweets and breads if I don't watch it. Overall, I think WW is a great program. It's very user friendly and emphasises maintenence.

Well - the weekend is here. It's always a challange for me. It's the habit of eating badly then. I did well last Saturday, but not so well Sunday. I'm going to plan it out tonight, so hopefully I won't have any temptations that I'm not prepared for.

I know what you mean about weekends. They can be so HARD. I always allow myself several planned treats including a blow pop (I know, sounds childish) on Friday and Saturday nights. My weekends never feel quite the same without junk food. That's hard for some people to understand. Think it helps me to cook a new meal every weekend. I have not, in the past six weeks, gone out to dinner. That will be the real test of Merida and my will power.

I was talking to a friend in work today about WW and quess here in Massachusetts it is now $12 a week. Suppose it's a small price to pay if it helps.

Having my weekly Dunkin Donuts Coffee Coolada tonight. It's the only thing that I have for dinner on Fridays. Get my chocolate and caffine together.

Have a good Saturday...hope we can both stay OP.

P.S I am sooooo jealous of you and your veggies. I hate almost all of them. Keep eating them and drink your water.

...have you tried eating vegetable soup?

I used to HATE almost all veggies myself (still, don't get any Brussels Sprouts NEAR me - ick!). One of the ways I got my veggies in (and still do sometimes) is with a nice bowl of vegetable soup, like a good minestrone, preferably homemade (but even canned is good - just check the sodium). In fact, the eating plan "Volumetrics" (book by Barbara Rolls) suggests eating soup before meals as a way to fill your tummy a bit...

Another way to train yourself to at least tolerate veggies is to mix them in a casserole, or stir fry them and serve them with rice. At my previous job, I used to eat regularly at a local Chinese restaurant - the proprietors got to know me as the "no-oil" lady! With a light sauce and little or no oil, some crisp-tender veggies served over a mound of steamed rice is guaranteed to fill you up...now I'M craving them!

Also, check your area to see if there's a farmer's market you can go to - seeing all the freshly-harvested veggies on the farmer's stands (as opposed to the supermarket) may make you change your mind about them...there's nothing like the taste of fruits and veggies that were harvested hours before you ate them! Mmmmm....

MrsJim, first congratulations on your weight loss. You must have really changed your eating habits. Thank your for your advice on the veggies.

I am a hopeless case because, I don't like soup either. So you can see the reason that I am where I am today. Not enough veggies and soup. Actually, I do like salad and had one for dinner last night. Do like green beans, carrots and of course, corn so maybe there's so hope.

We have wonderful farm stands around here and I will take you suggestion and look around for some veggies I can slice and cook with some soy sauce and a tiny amount of oil. Since I like rice that seems like a good idea also. I really am trying to eat new things.

Elliott, hope you had a good weekend. It is almost 10 here on Sunday night and I have managed to stay OP all weekend. For some reason this weekend was easy while last weekend I wanted to EAT junk. However, no exercise since Friday---got to get motivated.

WHAT?!? From Mass. and you don't like soup? I thought New Englanders LIVED on soup!

I should have also suggested a couple more things that might work...

First, how about V8 juice - which is actually a suspension (it does have some fiber in it). I really like the regular kind - the low-sodium is just not that flavorful to me!

Also, pick up a copy of "Vegetarian Times" magazine, or check out their cookbook from the library. You'll find a lot of good recipes in each issue - not all low-calorie, but most are. Experiment - take a vegetarian cooking class - or just browse the recipes until you find one that sounds yummy!

Happy Monday! Sorry I didn't have a chance to check in this weekend. I did okay - not great, but better than usual. I know exactly what you mean about the weekend not being the same without junk food.

Friday night I had Chinese - shrimp egg foo yung, rice, & a real coke. That's it though! Usually I would have had 2 eggrolls & Mongolian Beef. Saturday - I was really busy & probably didn't eat enough. Very weird for me. I had to laugh when I read your message though - Dinner was a XL skim mocha from Caribou Coffee. YUM!!! I also went to the gym & worked out. Sunday was a good day - no problems. For a change I finished the weekend at the same weight I started, instead of 3 lbs up.

Veggies - I guess you should just work in the ones you like, and keep experimenting. You may be surprised.