Month 2, Week 1, Day 1

Well, I have officially made it through one month of Medifast! As of today, I have lost 8 lbs. That averages out to be 2 lbs per week. I am pretty please with this result, considering that this month brought me 1) the Superbowl, 2) a yummy trip to New Orleans, 3) Valentine's day, 4) Pasta Night with my girl friends, and 5) dinner at the Rendezvous with some very good friends.

With the exception of those 5 events, I have stayed pretty true to the Medifast diet (plus cocktails!). One thing that I have noticed that is bad is that I am eating more salt. I think I started using more salt b/c I thought the Medifast meals were bland and it gave more flavor to my daily snack of raw celery (snoooooze). Now that I know that I can stick to the plan, this month will be focused on drinking more water (very, very hard for me) and using less salt.

Also, I am going to try to be more cognizant about measuring my lean and green. So far, I have been just eating a pile of greens and whatever size serving meat that is already in the meat package. Only a few times have I actually gotten out the food scale to weigh the cooked meat or used a measuring cup to see if I am truly eating 2-3 cups. I think there have been plenty of days that I have eaten less meat than suggested by the Medifast diet.

People are really noticing me "shrinking" which makes me feel great. Most people say that they can tell I've lost weight by looking at my face and my booty. Though I don't have one of my boo-tay (trust me, be thankful) here is a recent picture of my face:

Those are the two places that really seemed to "blow up" when I got pregnant, so I'm not surprised that they are shrinking first. I can also tell in my stomach, but since it is still not back to fighting shape, I have been wearing blousy shirts most days, so that is not evident to most other people. I'm hoping that by July, I will have a tummy that is fit to be bared on the beach.  I would love to have pictures of me and my little baby girl, proudly smiling in swim suits together on a beautiful beach. 

Well, I'm off to go drink MORE water.  My least favorite part of Medifast, or any diet for that matter... drinking all that dang water and having to go to the bathroom a million times a day.

through thick and thin, Artsy Fartsy

Week 4, day 1 - Plateau?

So, today is the beginning of my 4th week on Medifast.  Generally, I think sticking to this diet is easy for me.  I have very defined boundaries, and know what I can and cannot eat.  I know some people say that as soon as they know they cannot eat something, they crave it, but for me that is not the case.  If it is forbidden, I don't even go there.  I think that was the hardest part for me when I was on Weight Watchers.  They say you "can" eat whatever you want, so long as you stay within your points.  Well, for me sometimes that led to ultimately poor food decisions, which would leave me starving!

So, sticking to the diet is pretty easy.  There have been a few times that I have cheated (I had a roll with my lean and green last week, and hubby and I ate at an amazing restaurant this weekend.  I tasted the bread and one piece of bruschetta).  I have also resumed exercise.  On Thursday, I ran 2 miles, and biked 5.  This weekend, I ran 3 miles on Saturday and 3 on Sunday.

All this to say, I've been feeling energized, strong, and like I'm getting smaller.  Even people at my work and my friends have noticed that I have lost weight.  So, I weighed myself this morning expecting a huge weight loss.  INSTEAD, I had actually gained 2 lbs from last week.  Last week, I had lost 8 lbs!  This week, the numbers say 6. 

I am a disappointed, but that is okay.  I will just stay true to the system and hope that next week has some better results.  I did order my next month's food, and it should arrive in a couple of days.

The first month, I ordered the variety pack for women.  It was a good way to try several different foods, but this time I decided to order things that I liked.  This is what I ordered this month:

70 Shakes
Servings per box: 7
Base price $15.50
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Dutch Chocolate [52110]
Quantity: 2
Price: $31.00

Crunch Bars
Servings per box: 7
Base price $16.25
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Caramel Crunch [65445]
Quantity: 2
Price: $32.50

Crunch Bars
Servings per box: 7
Base price $16.25
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Oatmeal Raisin Crunch [65405]
Quantity: 2
Price: $32.50

Crunch Bars
Servings per box: 7
Base price $16.25
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Cinnamon Roll Crunch [65510]
Quantity: 2
Price: $32.50

Crunch Bars
Servings per box: 7
Base price $16.25
Features/Options:
Select Flavor S'more Crunch [65455]
Quantity: 1
Price: $16.25

Crunch Bars
Servings per box: 7
Base price $16.25
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Strawberry Crunch [65520]
Quantity: 2
Price: $32.50

Soft Serve
Servings per box: 7
Base price $16.25
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Coffee [57600]
Quantity: 1
Price: $16.25

Soups
Servings per box: 7
Base price $15.50
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Chicken Noodle [69600]
Quantity: 1
Price: $15.50

Creamy Soups
Servings per box: 7
Base price $15.50
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Cream of Broccoli [57000]
Quantity: 1
Price: $15.50

Beef Vegetable Stew
Servings per box: 7
Quantity: 1
Price: $15.50

Hot Cocoa
Servings per box: 7
Quantity: 1
Price: $15.50

Cappuccino
Servings per box: 7
Quantity: 1
Price: $15.50

Pancakes
Servings per box: 7
Base price $15.50
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Chocolate Chip [57710]
Quantity: 1
Price: $15.50

Cheese Puffs
Servings per box: 7
Base price $15.50
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Parmesan [67230]
Quantity: 1
Price: $15.50

Pretzel Sticks
Servings per box: 7
Base price $15.50
Features/Options:
Select Flavor Cinnamon [68250]
Quantity: 1
Price: $15.50

Soy Crisps
Servings Per Box: 7
Base price $6.75
Features/Options:
Select Flavor White Cheddar [57250]
Quantity: 1
Price: $6.75

I also used a coupon code and got $50 off my order (FEB28H).

Hopefully, I'll have better news next Monday! At least, I'll have some yummier food!

through thick and thin,

Day 12

So far, I'm still going strong!  A couple of days this week I have been pretty hungry by the end of the day, but I think that might have something to do with the fact that I ate higher carbohydrate vegetables on those days (which means less veggies overall).

I am really starting to see a difference in my body, which is so motivating.  Even the Knight can tell a difference.  That is a first in my life.  Normally, I can lose 10 lbs and he doesn't notice.  So far, my stomach and behind have shrunk the most.

The best feeling?  Two weeks ago, I could barely squeeze into these jeans and had to use a rubberband looped through the button hole and around the button to keep them from being uncomfortable (an early pregnancy trick). 

Yesterday, we had a snow day and I decided to wear those jeans to work.  Guess what?  NO NEED for the rubberband and NO MUFFIN TOP!  I felt so svelte all day. :)

I don't know exactly how much weight I have lost so far, but I think it is between 6-8 lbs.  I think that is pretty amazing considering I have only been at this for 12 days!  I know it will slow down at some point, but I'm going to celebrate every pound lost, whether it melts off or takes a week.

Some of you have asked me if I am still nursing Baby C.  The answer is no.  I weaned her right at 6 months.  She wasn't really digging the whole breastfeeding thing anymore (she preferred the bottle once she started day care), so except for the feeding in the wee hours of the morning, I was having to pump 5 times a day to keep her satisfied.  Plus, she got a razor sharp tooth and boy did that hurt!  Medifast does have a diet for nursing mothers which I looked into, but it seemed a little too complicated for me.  I chose to finish weaning her and then start the diet. 

This weekend, the Knight and I are heading to NOLA to visit Daisy and her boyfriend.

Just hanging out naked...with roses! Just kidding.  Blame the bridesmaid dresses.  They were beautiful, but a little camera shy. :)

I know that NOLA is famous for its Creole cuisine, so I'm going to indulge, but not go overboard.  Here are some of the restaurants that Daisy suggested and that we have been considering. If you have any suggestions, let me know!

Dinner on Saturday night:

http://www.herbsaint.com/

 

http://www.mrbsbistro.com/

 

http://dickandjennys.com/

 

Brunch on Sunday morning:
http://www.patoisnola.com/

 

http://www.commanderspalace.com/


through thick and thin, Artsy Fartsy

Day 8 - one week down

So, I made it through my first weekend on Medifast.  *hurrah*  Yesterday was Superbowl Sunday.  I wasn't sure how I would be able to stay on track with all of that tempting food around, but I managed to do ... okay.

Yesterday, this is what I ate:
Medifast Oatmeal/raisin bar
Lean and green - baked chicken (with just the teeniest bit of 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup baked on top), 1.5 cups of broccoli
Medifast 2 Dutch Chocolate shakes (mixed together, then blended with crushed ice and water to make a delicious chocolate shake)
Medifast  Honey Mustard Pretzels
Medifast Peanut Butter bar

I made these teeny cupcakes for the Superbowl party we attended.

I nibbled the top of one (sans frosting) to make sure they tasted okay (it was a new recipe), and of course, during the course of baking, I licked the errant frosting off of my fingers.  Other than that, I resisted the temptation of that glorious chocolate smell.  In some ways, baking them curbed my urge to eat them.  Weird, huh? 

At the party is where the cheating began:
I ate about 7-8 cocktail weenies, and 2-3 baby carrots dipped in hummus.  I also had a glass of red wine and 1/2 a beer, but since I've been drinking cocktails about every other night on Medifast, I don't really considered this cheating. 

So, it definitely was a day of cheating, but if I were to compare that day to how I would have eaten at a Superbowl party without being on Medifast, it would have probably looked more like this:
1-2 hearty servings of BBQ nachos
3-4 pieces of bread dipped in Rotel
3-5 baby carrots with hummus
7-8 cocktail weenies
1 cupcake
1 piece of German Chocolate cake
1 piece of cantaloupe
Anything else that I could graze, nibble, etc throughout the night.

All in all, I feel pretty good about it.  It doesn't hurt to know that I stepped on the scale this week and discovered that I have lost 4.6 lbs in one week!  Yay for me!

I know the weight loss will slow down at some point, but that is a great start.  Only 25.4 more lbs to go in 13 more weeks.  I hope I can do it!

Medifast Day 3 - truckin' along, but still hungry.

Yesterday was better.  I was not as hungry and I found a couple of things that I actually liked.  The Medifast blueberry oatmeal and banana pudding were okay.  The granola type bars are what I eat in the morning, and they are as good as any bar you can buy at a grocery store.  They are just not as big.

Last night we ate at Central BBQ.  I did my best - ate pulled pork and two sides of turnip greens.  Later I realized that eating the pork with so much BBQ sauce was not allowed, and I probably ate too many ounces of the pork. 

All in all, this is what I ate yesterday:

Peanut Butter Crunch bar
Blueberry Oatmeal
Cream of Broccoli soup with 3 stalks of celery
Banana Pudding
Vanilla Shake
Lean and Green: pulled pork, 2 servings of turnip greens, 2 dill pickle spears.
Cocktail:  cranberry vodka and diet sprite (not allowed ever, but I'm not giving it up completely)

I think my issue is with the condiments/optional snacks.  I typically put 2 splendas in my coffee, plus one creamer.  Then later in the day, I like to have a stick or two of gum.  In the evening, if I am having a veggie, I would probably use spray butter.  I also ate 3 stalks of celery and 2 dill pickle spears.  I don't think I am allowed to have all of these in one day. 

I weighed myself this morning, and the scale says that I weigh 3 lbs less than two days ago.  I'm sure this is water weight, but at least my weight isn't more than it was two days ago!

So far today, I have eaten a fruit and nut bar and honey mustard pretzels.  The bar was good, the pretzels were just okay.  I am very hungry, and I have a headache.  Hopefully my lunch of chicken and wild rice soup with 3 stalks of celery will help. 

Tonight, I have friends coming over, and they are going to eat pizza.  I am going to eat my chicken and veggies while they nosh on yummy pizza.  I think I will make it, but it will be hard.