Starting Medifast tomorrow

Hello my OH family, Ok well since I have been being so off track and have gained 30 lbs back I am starting the Medifast plan tomorrow. I got all my supplies (shakes, soups and such). I will do it for 1 week and maybe even a 2nd but I will take it one week at a time. I hope I can get through this since I was been eating so bad but I guess maybe my body will need this to jump start my system and get myself back into the healthiest eating. Please keep your fingers crossed for me. ~hugs~

Good luck!! I am on it now, just the shakes, and lost 15 lbs last week!  it is very hard, but totally worth it...you will do GREAT!

I have my finnners crossed, sweetie!  I know you'll do whatever you set your mind to!  I don't know too much about this medifast stuff.  What's it all about?

Love ya!

Good luck Deb!!

I let my eating go crazy over the holidays, and have started Atkins last friday. Im down 4lbs!!! The carbs are bad for me and lead to more cravings. They also cause my reactive hypoglycemia. Its best for me to just stay away from them.

All the best to you on Medifast!!

Hey Lovey!

Long time no hear! I am sorry to hear about your regain, but it's all part of the process. Just keep working what you know how to and learn from your mistakes. It's a lifelong struggle, isn't it? I gained back 7 pounds over the holidays and just started back on the South Beach Diet today. I had been having a bit too much red wine with dinner every night to soothe my aching heart (I am going through a horrific divorce--not that any divorce is particularly nice!) and was self medicating with food and wine.

Time to stop. REassess. REgenerate. REnew.

Happy New Year. Hopefully, we'll find our own personal power again.

xox
Amy

Ahhh, yes... Medifast... I remember it well... the shakes anyway!!!! Good luck - not that you'll need it... you can do this!!!!!

Deb

 

Hello, THANK YOU for this topic, it hits so close to home. (Although I see this in a different manner, not one where you need luck at all!) Perhaps some self care while doing introspection in addition! You haven't been 'so bad dear' I bet you just have been challenged by things!

 

 

 

I wonder are things quite challenging for you right now? In sharing my journey/challenges/successes I hope to provide understanding, support, guidance if possible and avoid judgment, guilt or shame for anyone. (This is why I am seemingly focused on myself here, as I cannot speak for anyone else). Although getting a grip on cravings can help (5 day pouch test, Atkins or South beach induction, Medifast etc), many find long-term returning to the seemingly endless roller coaster of ‘diets’ not as beneficial as they hoped or placing them in a emotional spot that triggers old emotions stronger than the ones they are avoiding at the time! (Many also have discussed feeling sad, frustrated & angry among many emotions that after WLS they have to ‘diet’ or even have the need after feeling like ‘XX amount of pounds gone forever”) This is from support groups online and in person and partially why I am facilitating my support group in person group and myself through the journey of using the “Food and Feelings Workbook: A full course meal on emotional health” by Karen R. Keonig LCSWR, M. Ed. ISBN 978-0936-0772-8. The regain is common and knowing we are not alone helps some.

 

 

 

I find my weight fluctuates according to my emotional status, stress level, coping choices. For me weight gain is tied closely to emotional or disordered eating patterns (purely reflective of my choices to cope in not the best way over time). Old patterns and habits can be challenging to overcome, despite the efforts I have made and many inroads into healthier and more adaptive skills over time I discovered and utilized. When I attempt to find happiness/peace/safety/control in my seemingly stressful or out of control life (personal/social/occupational wise) by using food as a way to soothe my strong/seemingly difficult or overwhelming emotions such as: fear, loneliness, sadness, anger, shame, guilt, hurt the weight is up. When this happens for me I attempt to (at least eventually!) look within myself asking what am I FEELING and why? I know my emotions are a internal compass alerting me to things I should be aware of, instead at times I avoid by stuffing them, avoiding them and hoping food will take care of me/them! I know better intellectually but alas I succumb. I just know for myself the road of my destructive emotional eating as a dangerous and unhealthy/unfulfilling one that leads me further down a path of self-destruction/hate *doesn’t always top me.  I am learning to let go of judgment of myself so I can move forward and not stay stuck.

 

 

 

I decided  a few years ago along my journey that to be truly at peace and as healthy/successful as possible I needed to stop hating my body and love it as it was at that moment (or as it is today) and know I am loveable at this moment REGARDLESS OF MY WEIGHT (regain)....

 

 

 

For me happiness and success never did/will NEVER EVER come from an external source (person, object, number on the scale). It can and will ONLY come from internal self-discovery and love. Listening to my BODY is key, my natural physical hunger, my body knows and will not let me down; the mantra I embrace as I am able and find is truly the way....When I take on the helpless victim personality (I will never be good enough, thin enough etc) and have overwhelming feelings of guilt, shame, helpless and out of control I learned that I am trying to control an external thing (i.e. food) as a means to control my inner turmoil.. For me these feelings spill over into an addiction with food and at one time exercise as well *years 1 to 4*(it could be alcohol, drugs, sex etc for others). Food in a way that is restricting (counting calories, carbs, watching the scale daily, ‘dieting’) or permitting (like the overeating out of control binge eating you have described) seems to be always be the wrong path for myself.

 

 

 

I continually am wrapping my brain around: ’DIETS NEVER WORK’, they tend to lead to a binge....Over/under/controlled eating is a symptom of the internal out of control feelings I have...I want to be happy and healthy yet I can not if I continue to punish myself w/ food (by restricting or permitting)..

 

I have found however that I can move out of the victim role, and heal and thrive! It takes much (worthwhile) work to look within, feel my feelings, see how I am involved in areas of my life that reinforce a victim personality, healing my inner child, seeing how that hurt has permeated my current life/personality and relationships w/ food and others. Having the healthy adult allows me balance and growth and protection for my hurt child, so I can be safe and not need to control food or have those emotions spill over into an external control that will never fix the internal out of control feeling. Only working on the internal self-talk, emotions can do that I have found. This is my ONGOING current journey as years 3-now for me have been quite different than years 1-3!!! So as I have shared before for me it is about taking a look at the deep inner child work I never have done, the emotional issues because it is my choice and I choose no longer to be a victim and I choose today to love me as I am.

 

 

 

This is what a good therapist who understands WLS and eating disorders can help, as can reading, support groups, etc.

 

 

 

NOW I am not perfect, for me to see things in others is far easier for me than seeing it in myself. I am on a personal journey for wellness and I am only offering what is working for me, diets never worked because they were an external control that could never heal my internal self...I hope this makes sense and it not taken negatively. It is my way of letting u know what is working for ME and maybe it can reframe your thoughts and work for you!I am sure I have posted this before but I find it so helpful to me and hope it may ring helpful to others (you)!

 

 

 

Sometimes we consume our lives with food, thinking about what we can and can not have, when we can eat or should eat, how much, how often, how it should be cooked, when to buy it, how much, etc that we occupy so much time and do not even realize that we have no time left to feel (the point) in an addiction, it takes over us so we can forget us and what we are scared/fearful of feeling/being.

 

 

 

Think of today as just another NEEDED step in your million mile journey to health and long-term success; which WLS is one of the million as well *it is not the destination*! Which we mourn long after we have it! Those that have goals that are health focused and functionally focused do the best (vs. those that are scale or weight/number focused). I am such a firm believer in not allowing the scale (or hunkametal that it is) to rule or dictate ones life/thoughts/feelings any longer, I agree we want to lose wt but gaining our health and ability to function in life are far more important than any number the scale can read; otherwise if it never reads the number we think, others say, a chart suggests we fail and that is simply not true!!!

 

 

 

Most of our lives we have set RIGID, UNREALISTIC WEIGHT LOSS GOALS for ourselves that are BOTH UNATTAINABLE and CHRONICALLY DISAPPOINTING and lead to DEVASTATION & the slippery slope of self-sabotage...Reviewing the UNDERLYING lifestyle change such as exercise, food choices, self-awareness/monitoring, avoidance of emotional eating, adherence to living self responsibly in a CONSISTENT way that is the foundation to our long-term success.

 

 

 

For me I keep telling myself daily that***THE GOAL SHOULD NEVER BE A NUMBER*** These choices are what makes WLS work long-term and not be another failed diet attempt (and believe me it is for MANY! So I use that fear to keep plugging along)...It is a wonderful tool to build the foundation and sadly one that has ways to be defeated/broken down as we all can discover (grazing etc).

 

 

 

Consider writing all the 'supports' of diet/exercise/lifestyle changes, coping skills etc for non-emotional eating (i.e through individual therapy, support groups) you have worked on, now where do you need to add reinforcements? You now are seeing it can collapse and the WLS tool if not used properly/consistently can be defeated w/o the extra supporting structures...Like having only one wall of your basement in place before putting the house on top.. what happens? it can crumble w/ the weight of the house (your life/the worlds challenges), but if you have the 4 walls in place (food choices/planning/healthy and consistent choices, exercise, self awareness/monitoring, support); then the WLS tool can just reinforce that foundation and make the house stand strong for a long long time! :-) Your tool will be back soon, but the tool to work on now may be the brain! For me it is anyways!

 

 

 

I continue to take some VERY NEEDED time for wellness and myself. I have needed to stop avoiding taking care of myself by taking care of everyone else! I am understanding and learning that loving ourselves is not selfish, that I need to feel loved inside so I have love to give others; if I continued not taking care of me and only having self hate and anger then that is all I would have to give others....We are all learning and growing, keep growing and learning with us here!

 

 

 

I have been using mediation, positive affirmations, reading, groups, individual work to work on my recovery, and accepting my imperfections! It is a journey and progress not perfection is a good MANTRA I use,

 

 

 

Here are a few references for you if interested....(worth a repost!)

 

These are guidelines i am working on fitting into my life..not rules which are rigid, but guidelines which are flexible! I have 3X5 cards I take w/ me and place at different strategic spots such as fridge, computer to remind me!

 

 

 

EATING GUIDELINES

 

(*To avoid emotional or unconscious eating)

 

 

 

1. Eat when you are hungry

 

2. Eat sitting down in a calm environment *NOT THE CAR!

 

3. Eat w/o distractions, including radio, TV, newspapers, books, magazines, intense anxiety producing conversations or music.

 

4. Eat only what your body wants.

 

5. Eat until satisfied.

 

6. Eat (with the intention of being) in full view of others.

 

7. Eat with enjoyment, gusto and pleasure.

 

© Geneen Roth

 

http://www.geneenroth.com/

 

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Daily Affirmations for Compulsive Eaters (Paperback)

 

by Susan Ward List Price: $7.95  ISBN: 1558740767  (*Avail on amazon and probably any bookstore!) I have used this yr after yr!

 

 

 

''It's Not about Food: Change Your Mind; Change Your Life; End Your Obsession with Food and Weight'' By: Carol Emery Normandi, Laurelee Roark $9.72 ISBN: 0399525025

 

 

 

''Life Is Hard, Food Is Easy : The 5-Step Plan to Overcome Emotional Eating and Lose Weight on Any Diet'' By: Linda Spangle $9.72 ISBN: 0895260573

 

 

 

''Choices: Taking Control of Your Life and Making It Matter'' (Paperback)

 

by Melody Beattie $10.17 ISBN: 0060507225

 

 

 

''The Language of Letting Go'' (Hazelden Meditation Series) (Paperback)

 

by Melody Beattie "This is a book of meditations..." ISBN: 0894866370 $11.53

 

 

 

''Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself'' (Paperback) by Melody Beattie ISBN: 0894864025 $10.85

 

 

 

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http://www.centerforholisticoptions.com/products.htm

 

I bought the Stress management, Body Image and self esteem CDs all are short and can be done even during lunch!

 

 

 

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Elaine Simione has 2 great CD's that are self hypnosis for emotional eating 2/$25

 

CD1 Track 1 Affirmations, Hunger Level & Stomach awareness, Track 2 Being present in your body, your physical routine: CD 2 Track 1 The emotional aspects of eating, medicating the inner child’s emotions, track 2 your story and the underlying feelings, embracing your feelings.

 

 

 

http://holisticcounselingcenter.com/

 

 

 

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Breaking Free from the Victim Trap $9.95

 

https://store.wellness-institute.org/Details.cfm?ProdID=36&category=6

 

An easy-to-read book on Healing Codependency by Diane Zimberoff, newly revised in 2004. (Softcover)

 

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Consider CODA meetings *if this is an issues for you* www.coda.org  for a meeting near you, of OA www.OA.org  both can be great supports and are free for your recovery journey!

 

 

 

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AND I am journaling almost daily my EMOTIONS...I guess my point is we al need a toolbox, and our success may be based on how many tools we have! Not any one thing works for recovery (the band, the RNY) therapy, support groups, meditation, journaling, exercise etc it is a combo of any one/all that assists and eases the journey I guess! Or at least that is HOW I SEE it! :-) Be well.

 

 

 

YOU most certainly are not alone!!! Consider the definition below for addiction and how it may for you. Consider seeing the food addiction is getting a strong grip on you...,I know it is what I needed to read in black and white to help me make different choices...

 

http://www.hms.harvard.edu/doa/html/whatisaddiction.htm

 

One simple model for understanding addiction is to apply the three Cs:

 

·Behavior that is motivated by emotions ranging along the Craving to Compulsion spectrum

 

·Continued use in spite of adverse consequences

 

·Loss of Control.

 

Feel free to write me off list a always if I can support you (or to tell me I am way off base!) HUGS

 

 

 

Take Care, Jamie

 

 

Jamie,
Hey there hun ~Hugs~ Long time no talk to! I am glad you posted and I would never take what you have to say badly, I know you CARE! I have many reasons why I have gained weight, I know things are not in place right now and I am working on changing it ALL! I know some will take me time to work out and I now know this is something I will have to deal with FOREVER! I will never be  "normal", I have an addiction and I always have to be on top of this!

I am not working off my scale though I have jumped on the scale to confirm my weight gain, I know from my body that it is telling me enough is enough so here I am again! I am using the Medifast as a detox and hoping it will jump start what I need to do while working on my inside. I have set up some things in place to help me get through until I can make some other needed changes so I can get my mind back in the "place" it needs to be everyday!

Oh yeah I have just received 2 books by Geneen Roth and I am looking forward to getting back into them (I was using them while with my therapist).

Thanks again hun and miss reading your posts! ~Hugs~

I am glad to hear you are working on you the total package! HUGS! You are succeeding just by being aware, responsible, self accountable!

You will love Geneens work! Jamie

Good Luck and my fingers are crossed for ya...but, I can see that you are determined!  Keep us updated...you will succeed!  Rosemary