10 replies to this topic

[mrsstupek]

I am struggling terribly. my sister has started medifast and after 6 weeks she is down 18.6lbs and hasn't worked out even. I have been on Jenny for 16 weeks and I am down 22lbs with way more to lose than her and I have been working out some and watching everything that goes in my mouth. I am starting to lack the confidence in this program. I know my consultant says that my chances of keeping it off are better than my sister's on that program, but that is really hard to listen to when she is getting the results I want and spending about the same amount of money. can someone shed some motivation light here for me?

[nycgirlkat]

I know its easier said than done, but don't lose motivation!!! (Being said from some one who just whined about not reaching double digit weight loss in 6 weeks).

22 pounds down is an awesome accomplishment. My sister and I have done Medifast before, have you ever been on it??? My sister dropped 40 pounds and gained it all back and then attempted to go back on it a few weeks ago and was miserable, so she quit. I didn't even make it through week 2 before quitting. Not saying that you will have the same experience (because a friend of mine lost over 100 pounds on Medifast and is keeping most of the weight off).

However, I've been a "dieter" all my life and I think its programs like Jenny Craig that help you put your relationship with food into perspective. I know I'd love a quick weight loss fix, but for some reason this time around I am understanding my weight loss journey much better.

I say hang in there!!!!

[vfish]

Mrsstupek, I don't know anything about the medifast diet, but there could be several reasons why she is losing more quickly than you are. Her average is a little over 2 lbs a week and yours is 1.4 lbs per week. I agree with JC when they say it's safer, more healthy and you have a better chance at keeping the weight off if you lose it slower. It's not healthy to lose too fast, plus it comes off differently if you lose too fast. 22 lbs is a lot of weight and I can't wait until I reach 22 lbs!

I always think about all of the things I am learning on Jenny like volumizing, making really substantial snacks with fruits and healthy fats that actually fill you up instead of munching cookies and candy which just make you want more and more and never seem to make you feel full. I have a good friend who lost 75 lbs on jenny over a year ago and has kept it off using the jenny volumizing tips!

So, I feel that as long as I am losing and not feeling like I'm depriving myself that this program is the one for me! I know I will be able to eat like this once I get to the maintenence part of my journey. I really enjoy the volumizing. I'm not a great cook and was always eating out, so this is just what I need to learn to live a healthy life!

I'm doing the body medial armband with the Jenny diet and I just think that it will change my life! I'm very happy with my results and the program philosopy.

Hang in there! It's the end result you want as much as the ongoing success, and this program is easy compared to others!

Good luck! Congrats on 22 lbs gone forever!

[CMECRZN]

I HAVE done Medifast.. and Optifast and.....

I am here now. Why is that? because on other programs I was CRAVING food. By the time I lost my weight I was SO in BINGING mode. I wanted to eat everything. And I did. Nothing taught me how to stop the binges. On Optifast, I talked to the Dietician about my thoughts wrt binging and she just suggested I go talk to a psychologist. REALLY??? Oh yeah.

Here, I am not deprived of anything. I don't have those same binging thoughts. Those same cravings. I am losing about 1 pound per week. But I am learning what a plate of food should look like. Nothing like the piles of spaghetti that used to fill up my plate.... twice. I really feel like I am learning how to keep it off. I am here to tell you that your sister is not. She is only learning how to lose.

[mrsstupek]

thank you all for the encouragement. I really appreciate it. I think i am going to have to have a talk with my consultant and really look over what I am eating every day. maybe I am sabotaging myself wiithout realizing it. It is just hard when i have about 75 more lbs to lose and to see the scale barely ticking away when I am working so hard. I know it will come off if I just stick to it. thanks again for the encouragement. i see a glimmer of motivation light.....

[nycgirlkat]

I know, mrsstupek! I've got just about 90 pounds to go and I understand the feeling of impatience. It feels like we gained the weight over night and it takes forever to take it off.

But I am with Debbie. I too did the two mountains of pasta with sauce and meatballs as well as tons of other food. With Jenny you have the luxury of learning while not having to think about it all (very Yogi Berra of me).

[Dshireman]

I will offer my two cents on the topic of siblings loosing weight more than us. My brother has been on this ... well ... i don't remember what diet it is but he eats lots of beans, follows these instructions, never exercises except for a little bit of these reach down and touch your toes stuff, and then gorges on sundays. so yes, over the last six months he has lost a lot of "weight" but the problem is that the majority of the weight was muscle mass. So yes, he is 180 lbs but his belly looks like its all fat and his limbs are just bone no muscle. He looks like he is sick half the time, but he thinks he is doing great. And i don't wish him ill but i don't want to look like that. Plus i don't want to eat all those beans ... gas problems and all, enough said.

But here is the other two cents I'll add to try and help you feel motivated. there is a wonderful feeling in having "power" and "control" over our own bodies. It makes me feel good to turn down bad foods, to control my hunger, and to know that I am the one making the progress. Seeing the numbers drop on the scale feel oh so good, be it 7 lbs or 1.5 lbs. taking self control is oh so important and feels oh so good. With jenny craig, I feel i am gaining more control ... however with those other "miracle" plans you have to use their stuff and just their stuff and once you stop using their stuff BOOM back to rapid weight gain. Why? because the pattern of behavior just changed from one extreme to the next. Build good habits, learn to eat well, learn the right amount. for someone like me who never learned these things this program is great. i don't want to have to always be drinking or eating stuff from this program or that, and while right now with Jenny yes i eat their food but I do well when I move off the menu and survive on my own by keeping the calorie count down, the fat content low, and the serving size right.

And with these forums I never feel alone. i can go anywhere and still find support and friendship to help me stay true. and i love the armband, enjoing having it back to full working order this week, so if you don't have a metabolic armband then you should consider getting one.

[happineff]

The only other diet I've ever been on was an Optifast diet. And sure, it works quickly, because your daily caloric intake is something crazy like 800 calories and the formula contains an appetite suppressant that keeps you from wanting more food. But what happens the second you go off the formula? Yep, you guessed it -- hunger pangs, food bingeing, and MORE weight gain!

Programs like that don't teach you practical, long-lasting lessons in healthy food consumption. They gloss over the importance of portion control and maintenance. So what's the point of a quick-fix diet if it leaves you so susceptible to rebounding back to where you were (or worse)? STICK WITH JENNY. You are getting the right advice about "slow and steady wins the race" from your JCC and others here. It's much healthier, both for you body and your mind, to lose the weight slowly as you gain a better understanding of what correct eating is all about! I'd take a Jenny Rising Crust Pizza or a Jenny Chicken Fettuccine over an 8 oz. shake any day!!!

Keep up the great work, you have made amazing progress and will continue to do so using the lessons you've already learned!

[Blessed4Life2]

The only thing I can add to ALL this wonderful advice and tips is to be PATIENT!!!! This is all about lifestyle change....as cliche as it sounds, its the truth. Medifast teaches you nothing about eating healthy... not zilch.....JC teaches you portion control, healthy eating and give you the tools to maintain FOREVER!!!

Hang in there.....its totally worth it!

[ocmimi]

mrsstupek, on 18 January 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

I am struggling terribly. my sister has started medifast and after 6 weeks she is down 18.6lbs and hasn't worked out even. I have been on Jenny for 16 weeks and I am down 22lbs with way more to lose than her and I have been working out some and watching everything that goes in my mouth. I am starting to lack the confidence in this program. I know my consultant says that my chances of keeping it off are better than my sister's on that program, but that is really hard to listen to when she is getting the results I want and spending about the same amount of money. can someone shed some motivation light here for me?

Mrsstupek. You received great advice in the responses above. I'd like to add that it is great that you and your sister are working to improve your health. What may help you with reaching "your" goal is to remember that this is your journey and you made the decision to use Jenny to help with that journey. You will succeed if you only concentrate on "your" goals, utilizing whatever you need to succeed.

You, your sister, or any one of us here on Jenny, or on other plans, are going to lose weight, exercise, and maintain our weight loses differently. I know it is frustrating to see other folks lose more than you are, or at a faster pace,but IMO I think you are doing a great job and 22 pounds in 16 weeks is an amazing loss.

Good luck to you.

[I Called Jenny]

I'm going to have to agree with everyone on this one. In fact, just the other day I wrote "my diatribe" on being too concerned about what the scale says on the forums.

Look, you didn't gain it overnight and you're not going to lose it overnight and that is actually a GREAT thing because you will (and so will your body) have more time to get used to what it is that you're doing to lose the weight but more importantly to KEEP IT OFF.

EVERYONE I've ever known who has been on ANY type of "quick weight loss" plan (including me) has lost the weight and then gained it back because these plans don't teach you anything but how to lose weight. So ALL of us put it all back (and usually more).

You are doing GREAT!!! I know you don't believe it, but you are. The AVERAGE weight loss is 1-2 lbs. a week and you're well within the average. I wasn't. I lost in ounces so I envy YOU!!!!

Anyway, the point is, now on JC, I lost the 45 lbs. and have kept it off for about four years. (I didhave a weird period where I quickly gained back 10 by doing something stupid earlier last year but I returned to JC, dropped that and now for about 6 months my weight is within a 1lb. of goal. How great is that! I never was able to do that before.

YOU are the smart one because YOU have the opportunity to develop a new relationship with food for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. Your sister, on the other hand, may not do as well as you. But then you can always steer her toward JC when she sees that you not only will lose the weight but will keep it off. Yippeee!!!! (Success is the best revenge! LOL)

As for your weight loss goals, DO NOT look at the big picture. Instead set up small goals for yourself - usually around 10 lbs. - and each time you hit that target, treat yourself to a mani-pedi, a new piece of clothing, an accessory or something fun (just not food - yikes - LOL).

Trust me, those mini goals add up to BIG numbers.

Hang in there. You are doing FANTASTIC!!!