**Jumping Joyously into a MWL January**

[betty_going_85]

Good for you, Deb. We can do this. It's one day at a time.

[fd1019]

This thread is too dead! DH and I went out of town this weekend and successfully stuck to our diet plan! All our friends ate pasta and bread! haha... We didn't mind because he has lost 17 lbs already and I have lost 12. We will end week 3 on Tuesday and weigh in on Wednesday... Can't wait to see our results! I start back to work tomorrow after a long break, but am planning on continuing to wake up early to get my workout in! Let's do this people!

[Fit2010]

Those are amazing losses for less than 3 weeks fd!! My DH yesterday was talking about getting a zucchini "pasta" maker....he said he heard about it and would check it out online. I would be so happy to be DONE with regular pasta and change our home eating instead of having mine and his meals! DH is only about 10 lbs overweight but he doesn't like the midsection spread he says he has developed in the past 1 1/2 years....he still continues in 34X34 pants as always....guess he just wants to be a little less puffy. I know for me, my body really balloons up with the simple or complex carbs of breads/potatoes/corn/pasta....I feel like the Michelin man....but without the muscles, just the layers of inflation!

I have stuck with my plan for the past 5 days and have lost 6.7 lbs so far.....MANY more to go!

And I agree....where is everybody?! =)

[Cynder]

I am now in week 3. I lost 8 lbs in week 1 and 5 in week 2. I feel better than I have in a long time!!

[jennytang]

@Cynder - good for yo U! 13 pounds in 2 weeks is awesome! I am on day 5 of Week 2 - interested to see how much i lose the second week. My loss on week 1 wasn't what i hoped - 6 pounds. But it's still a loss! Hoping for good results on Wednesday.

Jenny

[MaraMom]

Week 24 or so...weigh in that is!

Down 3.2 pounds and couldn't be happier. 2.2 pounds of fat. I am now 3.8 pounds from goal!!!

As I mentioned, my clinic is across the sidewalk from my work but is moving in maybe 2 weeks so I am really motivated to be in maintenance in two weeks. Then I will go every two weeks over the next month and hope to increase cal/carb enough to still lose but not as much. I cannot do the metabolism test til Wellness, so I am motivated by that carrot dangling in front of me too!

Well, maybe not a carrot! (too many carbs?)...maybe a big ole' mushroom!

The new clinic will be almost a 25 min trip round trip...not bad, but I'm spoiled now. For financial reasons I need to get to Wellness soon too. So far, this has been worth every penny, but as I have been saying, the real work comes in maintaining for me. Hope everyone has a great week. Hang in there!

[Fit2010]

Do you have an online blog where you write what you are eating that we could see? Losing 3.2 lbs when so close to goal is AWESOME!!

Originally Posted by MaraMom

Week 24 or so...weigh in that is!

Down 3.2 pounds and couldn't be happier. 2.2 pounds of fat. I am now 3.8 pounds from goal!!!

As I mentioned, my clinic is across the sidewalk from my work but is moving in maybe 2 weeks so I am really motivated to be in maintenance in two weeks. Then I will go every two weeks over the next month and hope to increase cal/carb enough to still lose but not as much. I cannot do the metabolism test til Wellness, so I am motivated by that carrot dangling in front of me too!

Well, maybe not a carrot! (too many carbs?)...maybe a big ole' mushroom!

The new clinic will be almost a 25 min trip round trip...not bad, but I'm spoiled now. For financial reasons I need to get to Wellness soon too. So far, this has been worth every penny, but as I have been saying, the real work comes in maintaining for me. Hope everyone has a great week. Hang in there!

[aim in Fla*working]

Originally Posted by fd1019

Way to go "aim in Fla!" Those are awesome results! What is your ultimate goal?

125 I was 131 this a.m.

[lose4life2]

Week 1 weigh in.....-8 lbs, 7.3 of just FAT!!! Love this forums!!

[Fit2010]

lose4life2 - Great job!

[MaraMom]

Originally Posted by Fit2010

Do you have an online blog where you write what you are eating that we could see? Losing 3.2 lbs when so close to goal is AWESOME!!

Noooo! No online blog . It would be pretty boring. I really don't know why I haven't hit a plateau. Every once in awhile I have a week loss of under two pounds but only once did I only lose a pound. HOWEVER, that was maybe two months ago and the fat loss measured 4 pounds!...its just that my water was up three... So really, its been good.

I did drop my calories down a bit the past two weeks. Usually I eat around 725 to 750 calories but dropped to 625-650 by the advice from one of the clinic staff...so maybe that helped. I keep my carbs under 15 most days...is that normal for most of you?

I wish I could say that I am an exercise fiend but I am not. I haven't been walking as much the past month but try to a few times a week. When I hit goal I really need to up up up my exercise to tone up my much smaller but saggy body! I hope skin still tones up at my age (50+)! And my hair finally started falling out quite a bit more this month! I thought I had dodged that bullet...

When I think how few calories I have consumed over the past 6 months, I get alittle nervous wondering how my body will respond to more cals/more carbs. It doesn't feel like "starvation" at all....but the calories ARE low.

I hope you are having a good week, Fit2010!

[Fit2010]

Thanks MaraMom! I just finished my re-do week one, loss is 7 lbs. Oh well. The first time I did it two years ago I lost about 11 lbs that first week. This is a start anyways.

In the past I created the Energy In/Energy Out thread, and you'd be welcome to post what you are eating there if you like (I would like to see that, personally). I'm recording in a spiral book here at home to keep track this time, cuz I'm really trying to figure out how to have a plan I can live with, not just lose weight with. I'm doing a combination of MWL LC & Weight Watchers. I'm just adding up the "points" so I can see that concept too, and then if I do have an off day regarding MWL/LC I can truly see that I am still staying within a point system and truly didn't blow it all together!! I have NOT been doing the regular current WW plan of endless fruits and veggies....I know my body cannot handle those fructose carbs without making me hungrier, but when I have eaten something it's a mind thing and I "didn't BLOW it" so I won't have to put being good off til tomorrow...I just count it and go on. I haven't started exercising yet. It's so cold here (27 degrees) and even being indoors it makes me want to bundle up....I know I just need to get moving pretty soon!! But really, for you to have those great losses week after week, I'd be curious to see what you are eating. BTW, I too am 50+

[fd1019]

Hello LCF... I am a dedicated low carber but I'm having issues!

Well, I have been waking up every morning and exercising for about 40 mins (one day upper body weights, next day cardio, next day lower body weights, etc). I have a HR monitor so I usually find that I end up burning about 700 cals most mornings. I do a lot of interval and circuit training... I eat egg whites with a few cut up peppers and coffee for breakfast, salad with a wedge of laughing cow cheese and cut up meat (usually chicken or turkey) and veggies for lunch (I use salsa as dressing), and then for dinner something like a lean burger patty or chicken and broccoli. I have been adding a couple of the EAS shakes every day since I am working out so much and I have a fairly active job. Total calories have never exceeded 1200 though and my basal metabolic rate burns at least 1500. I sleep pretty well most nights (6-8 hrs on the weekdays and 9-10 on weekends) and take my vitamins, fiber pills, and drink about a gallon of water (more or less) every day.

The problem is... For the past two weeks I can't get below 153!!! I have gone up to 154.8 and as low as 153, but it's not budging below that! Now before you say it's muscle or water weight... It isn't! The only change has been in body fat which as gone up and down 0.1 or 0.2%. I do have some propel zero every day, add splenda to my coffee, sugar free gum, etc, but nothing too crazy... What's going on?!

Oh and btw, DH (who has also been on the diet for 3.5 weeks) has lost about 19 lbs! Go him!

[Swirveegrl]

Sometimes, if you increase your calorie intake it will help drop the lbs. Sounds like you are very active, and you may not be consuming adequate calories; which would cause your body to go into preservation mode and not burn fat. I hope this helps.

[fd1019]

Originally Posted by Swirveegrl

Sometimes, if you increase your calorie intake it will help drop the lbs. Sounds like you are very active, and you may not be consuming adequate calories; which would cause your body to go into preservation mode and not burn fat. I hope this helps.

Thanks Swirveegirl... I had been thinking along the same lines after the first week of not losing... hoping my body wasn't in "famine" mode. So, I upped the calories with a few added protein shakes a day and a bit more veggies than we are allowed. Like I said, still never over 1200 cals. Still no change. I was getting so frustrated that I thought maybe my carbs were just too low! So then, I added a 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats and 1/4 cup frozen blueberries to my egg whites in the morning. That didn't change anything except it knocked me out of ketosis. Now, I am back in ketosis still weighing in at 153.8 lbs. I have considered the fact that I began my TOM during the second week of the diet (was four days early) and maybe I was retaining water, but that ended four days after it started and I am finishing up my fourth week of the diet at the same weight I was after 1.5 weeks. My measurements haven't changed either...

Should I continue to stick it out and just wait on this plateau to end? Should I move on to a moderate carb lifestyle? Is there something else I should change? What are y'alls opinions? Thanks in advance for any replies!

[Michelynn]

Originally Posted by fd1019

Thanks Swirveegirl... I had been thinking along the same lines after the first week of not losing... hoping my body wasn't in "famine" mode. So, I upped the calories with a few added protein shakes a day and a bit more veggies than we are allowed. Like I said, still never over 1200 cals. Still no change. I was getting so frustrated that I thought maybe my carbs were just too low! So then, I added a 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats and 1/4 cup frozen blueberries to my egg whites in the morning. That didn't change anything except it knocked me out of ketosis. Now, I am back in ketosis still weighing in at 153.8 lbs. I have considered the fact that I began my TOM during the second week of the diet (was four days early) and maybe I was retaining water, but that ended four days after it started and I am finishing up my fourth week of the diet at the same weight I was after 1.5 weeks. My measurements haven't changed either...

Should I continue to stick it out and just wait on this plateau to end? Should I move on to a moderate carb lifestyle? Is there something else I should change? What are y'alls opinions? Thanks in advance for any replies!

Have you asked your clinic staff?

I know there have been others who have exercised quite a bit, but I'm not sure if they're around now. You might search older posts and see if there has been discussion about it. (I'm not one of those people. )

Are your clothes getting looser and/or fitting differently?

I see from your stats that you're pretty tall. Do you mind sharing your body fat % and clothing size? I'm just wondering if your body is telling you that you're close to where you should be.

[Swirveegrl]

I agree with Michelynn's post. You may also need to have your thryroid tested; however, it is possible that you have lost what you need to lose, and your body is content

[Regatta]

Hello All,

I had good news again on Saturday. Down 3.4 and 3.2 of that was fat. I am so happy that this is working. I have struggled for many years to no avail.

FD1019, I can relate to your situation. Last year I worked out with a personal trainer 3x a week and did a 4 days of cardio. I ended up gaining 12 pounds in 6 weeks..... so, what I learned is that my Thyroid level had gone up and was affecting my metabolism via blood test at the doctors office. ( I took a medication to put me into menopause at 37 to determine if I would be pain free). I was pain free, but now I was heavier and depressed about it. Nothing I did worked!

MWL, however, IS working........ Since all of that I have been put into Surgical Menopause at 38 and am so happy the weight is coming off with all of this hard work. My doctor said I didn't have a thyroid disease, but a sluggish thyroid. So, I would say, go have it checked...... just in case. It will put your mind at ease knowing you are really doing all the right things to lose the weight, but your body is not cooperating.

Hope you find an answer....

149.5/140.2/120 (new goal as of 1/21)

Weight Loss: 9.3 lbs.
Fat loss: 8.4 lbs.

[MaraMom]

Down 2.2 pounds this week...and 2# of this is fat! Yipee! Hopefully next Monday is THE day I reach goal and start maintenance. Counselor put it in my chart to start then so I need a good week here folks!

Hope everyone else is doing well. I'm sure being in maintenance will add many challenges so I am glad to have this forum to know I am not alone wherever you all are on the spectrum of this WOE.

[irabeslim]

Originally Posted by MaraMom

Down 2.2 pounds this week...and 2# of this is fat! Yipee! Hopefully next Monday is THE day I reach goal and start maintenance. Counselor put it in my chart to start then so I need a good week here folks!

Hope everyone else is doing well. I'm sure being in maintenance will add many challenges so I am glad to have this forum to know I am not alone wherever you all are on the spectrum of this WOE.

MaraMom, you are doing extremely well. Just losing every week and almost at the goal. Congratulations! Can you share what your eating looks like?

[MaraMom]

Originally Posted by irabeslim

MaraMom, you are doing extremely well. Just losing every week and almost at the goal. Congratulations! Can you share what your eating looks like?

Thank you! I was asked a similar question by Fit2010 but I don't think I have any real secrets to share. I only started cutting back to around 650 calories in the past two weeks in anticipation of a possible slow down. But for the past 5.5 months I usually ate around 725 to 750 calories a day and keep my carbs to below 15 on most days. My average is probably 12 or 13 carbs...so maybe that is different from some of you? Not sure.

I eat yogurt in the AM and bring a mozzeralla stick to work that gets eaten maybe half of my mornings, if I get hungry. For lunch I eat protein in the form of omelets or other eggs, cheese, meat...the usual low carb stuff. Supper is more protein with veggies. I do drink more than 100 ounces of water a day and I don't count any other drinks as "water" so maybe that has been helpful.

I always get my mid week shot of B12. My exercising has been nominal the past month but normally walk 3-4 times a week and ride my bike 3-4 times a week but only to work and back (30 minutes total?)

If I "cheat", I keep track of my calories anyway and the carbs stay low. I am not promoting cheating by any means but I will say, if I do cheat we are talking about calories in the 800-900 calorie range, not binging and this has happened rarely. I had two vacation times since July where I ate carefully but definitely out of range for calories and carbs but each totaled a few days each and reined back in immediately following.

So see? Not real helpful but there it is. I would be thrilled to do so well in maintenance so I am trying to come up with some strategies ahead of time. Lastly, my "goal weight" is not low as you can see. 150 for 5'4" is barely in the Normal range so maybe thats why I havent hit a plateau as I am not trying to go to low. I DO hope to drop 5 to 10 pounds below 150 during maintenance and beyond as I increase my exercise and tone up. Hope something here helps...

[afunfish]

Hi All, I am back after a 25lb gain, ugh I have only myself to blame. The clinic closed near me and I am not driving to the out of my state, with taxes, tolls, and the price of medi. However I am recommitting myself to the program. I wanted to ask if anyone does medi on their own, what supplements, fat burner, you may suggest to me. Off to week one again, hope you all are doing well.

[jdh9208]

Someone asked me if I was wearing shape wear....took it as a compliment. I guess after 4 weeks, others are really starting to notice. That is the motivation I need to keep going. I love this woe.

[fd1019]

Hey ladies,

Thanks for the replies... I had my thyroid checked before I started the diet and it was fine, so I'm pretty sure that's not what slowed me down. Thanks for the concerns though! I am actually down a pound finally! I think I just had to sit down and think a minute to realize that of course my rapid weight loss is gonna catch up with me! I have lost 13 pounds in four weeks! Most people struggle to lose 1-2 lbs a week! The closer we get to our goal, of course weight loss will slow down. I am at a pretty good weight now... My BMI is within range, I am wearing a size 8, etc, so the rest is really just fine tuning. My goal is actually aimed more at lowering my body fat percentage, not so much the number on the scale... I am tall, but I have a small frame and a good bit of flab... I am just basing the "goal weight" off of what I weighed before marriage and grad school, but like I said, it would just be nice to see my BF% decrease.

[Bre94]

Originally Posted by fd1019

Hey ladies,

Thanks for the replies... I had my thyroid checked before I started the diet and it was fine, so I'm pretty sure that's not what slowed me down. Thanks for the concerns though! I am actually down a pound finally! I think I just had to sit down and think a minute to realize that of course my rapid weight loss is gonna catch up with me! I have lost 13 pounds in four weeks! Most people struggle to lose 1-2 lbs a week! The closer we get to our goal, of course weight loss will slow down. I am at a pretty good weight now... My BMI is within range, I am wearing a size 8, etc, so the rest is really just fine tuning. My goal is actually aimed more at lowering my body fat percentage, not so much the number on the scale... I am tall, but I have a small frame and a good bit of flab... I am just basing the "goal weight" off of what I weighed before marriage and grad school, but like I said, it would just be nice to see my BF% decrease.

Well stated and something for all of us to remember about BF%. Thanks for posting.
Bre

[losing in Ftm]

Ok I don't want to stir anything up but I would like other people input. When I sign in to catch up on everyone I am lost in all the new threads constantly being started. When I try to sort through them alot seem like repeats. In the past that is what this thread was for, to post ANY questions, frustations etc. and then get feed back from everyone. I worry for the newbies more than anything because I think alot of us oldtimers are skipping reading all the new threads and they end up missing out on valuable advice. Please let me know how the rest of you feel.

[Bre94]

Originally Posted by losing in Ftm

Ok I don't want to stir anything up but I would like other people input. When I sign in to catch up on everyone I am lost in all the new threads constantly being started. When I try to sort through them alot seem like repeats. In the past that is what this thread was for, to post ANY questions, frustations etc. and then get feed back from everyone. I worry for the newbies more than anything because I think alot of us oldtimers are skipping reading all the new threads and they end up missing out on valuable advice. Please let me know how the rest of you feel.

I concur with you losing in Ftm, I tried to read them but stopped and just stick to reading the monthly, exercise and/or recipe threads.

Bre

[Mary T8M]

Hey all,
I'm just popping in to say Happy New Year.

We went on our first (and probably our last) cruise over Thanksgiving. It was OK, but I didn't like the days at sea much.....too much time to do nothing but eat and or drink.....since I'm not much of a drinker, that translates to EATING. My MAIN negativity about the cruise is that I lost my diamond rings! My own fault, but that doesn't make me feel any better.

I gained back a total of 14 pounds over the holidays. DH continued to have back problems so that was an easy excuse for me not to go to the gym (alone).....but the good news is that his back is better and I'm back at the gym running again.......I hate to admit it (and I'll always deny it) but I really like going to the gym, AND I really like running!

Just a few more pounds to go.....doing a modified Medi at home on my own, and so far so good

[sweetdulcelife]

Originally Posted by chanlynn42

Sweetdulcelife:
I am going to the Lake Mary Clinic

Me too! I generally go Wed. and Fri.

[MaraMom]

My goal is 150, my weight today 150.2! I decided to begin the maintenance stage as the first week is only an increase to 800 calories. I usually eat around 700 to 750 anyway so hopefully I will still lose a few more pounds during maintenance.

While I am VERY PLEASED with my body's response to this diet and the time frame of losing almost 70 pounds in 6 months, I am soooo nervous about maintenance. Today I ate normally....around 625 so far and maybe 10 carbs. So sitting here full from my delicious supper of the "Barnyard Chicken" recipe from Medi over miracle noodles and a salad of shredded lettuce, tomato and gorgonzola cheese with Maple Farms Raspberry Vinigrette- 5 calories for 2 T!

(I only added some curry and lemon juice to the barnyard dish and my husband told me if I made this in the future to NOT CHANGE A THING. He loved it and no, is not on the medi diet, lol. Try it!) That is...sitting here wondering what to add to bring me up at least to 725. Can we say "nervous"??

So... hoping I can figure out my true WOE for life now that the acute stage is over.