Feel like an idiot!!!

Hey, everyone.  I have been on calorie count for a good while.  I went from 252 to 205 in one year.  I have not been doing too good counting calories for a while, just got tired of counting I guess.  So since Jan I have bought 1 medifast package to loose the rest of my weight fast and medifast sucks.  Then about three weeks ago I joined Metabolic research center.  It was VERY expensive.  They want you to buy supplements and drink up to 5 of their high nurtrient supplements a day.  Well the diet is pretty healthy, but too restrictive.  I beleive you are in a mild state of ketosis on the diet, so if you eat anything off plan you can see it on the scale.  Anyway, now I feel so dumb for spending all that money! I would rather just count my calories and eat healthy, but now I have put so much money in the diet plan.  Any advice to ease my conscious of quitting and wasting the money?  I know if I stay on the plan I wil continue to spend more on the supplements.  Ugghhh, this makes me feel really horrible.  Help!!!

You're not an idiot...  Who wouldn't leap at the option to speed up the weight-loss?  These things make money because they're well-marketed and they know overweight people are desperate to see a difference.   However, chances are that if you delegate weight-loss to the programme that you've paid for and lose a lot of weight relatively quickly, you will regain a lot of  it equally quickly once you stop taking supplements and/or  following their low-carb regime to the letter.  So it's better to stop earlier rather than later.... even if you waste some money in the short-term.  Cutting your losses.  Cutting the inevitable disappointment.

Counting calories was working for you... 50lbs is amazing.  If it has got tiring (or boring) try other ways to inject some interest in what you're doing.   Doing the same things all the time gets dreary... goes without saying.  Learning new recipes, trying new foods, finding other ways to get exercise.... when your weight-loss is going to take quite a long time it's important to keep it fresh and fun so that you can stay with it for as long as it takes, and beyond.

If you lose weight slowly by eating better food, eating less of it and getting more active you are more likely to be able to maintain your lower weight because you will have retrained your eating habits and tailored them to your lifestyle.  You're more likely to keep it up and that's better for your long-term health than a quick-fix.

Thanks, GI Jane.  I have thought about just cutting my losses and I could always add the protien drinks into my daily diet plan as I see fit as not to waste those even more.  I normally have a protien drink of some sort after working out.  I can tell over the past year I have changed my habits a lot just counting cals and eating healthy.  I have also developed good habits in the process such as breakfast.  To me you have to be able to function in the real world when losing weight.  Family going out for pizza, traveling , a busy day etc.  That is the real work and your have to learn how to work those things into to your eating plan.  It is almost impossible doing the center's plan unless you eat a grilled chicken salad everytime you go out.  I really appreciate your helpl.

What you say about the 'real world' and 'real work' is spot on and exactly why things like medifast are ultimately never going to help.  If we were lab rats in an insolated environment... maybe.  But we're not in isolation and we can't go into protein-shake purdah hoping the world goes away until we emerge, slimmer, blinking in the sunlight!

Pity about the money but I think you're making the right call.  Good luck

Yes, I agree.  You have made me feel alot better about dropping out of the center plan and cutting my losses on the money.  If I don't do it, then I will just feel worse later after I spend even more money on supplements; not to mention that it has been difficult for me to even stick to the program for a whole week and I have only been on it for three weeks!  Ok, so back to Calorie count!

Has anyone else when through this?  If so please share?

I think you are better off eating real food.  After all, that what you'll be doing after you have finished the programme, so why not learn how to lose or maintain eating real food right now instead!

Plus for me personally, I'd rather eat 200 calories of food rather than a shake any day!  (that's a lot of fruit or veges, or even a couple of eggs and a slice of low cal toast!)

Yes real food...I wouldn't waste my money on that prepackaged stuff.  However, look on the bright side....You have lost almost 50 lbs!  That is awesome! 

Take a deep breath and stay focused!  You can do this the right way!  I don't know how much weight (if any) you still plan on losing however, it is very attainable!  Calorie counting isn't really 'fun' but now for myself it is now just a part of life.  It comes second nature and I do it without really even thinking about it!  I tend to stay focused when I see actual numbers and a real 'plan' in action.

Stay positive!  50 lbs is HUGE!

~H~

Original Post by haley_2008:

Yes real food...I wouldn't waste my money on that prepackaged stuff.  However, look on the bright side....You have lost almost 50 lbs!  That is awesome! 

Take a deep breath and stay focused!  You can do this the right way!  I don't know how much weight (if any) you still plan on losing however, it is very attainable!  Calorie counting isn't really 'fun' but now for myself it is now just a part of life.  It comes second nature and I do it without really even thinking about it!  I tend to stay focused when I see actual numbers and a real 'plan' in action.

Stay positive!  50 lbs is HUGE!

~H~

 Thanks!  I plan on loosing around 50 more.  With the Metabolic plan you eat the  drinks/supplements in addition to three meals a day.  The meals include protien, very little carbs, one fruit and some veg.  It is just too difficult to maintain for me since sometimes you have to stray from that menu and factor other meals into your diet.  Like like the fact, when calorie counting, I can eat a slice of pizza and just add it into my calorie allotment for the day.  One other thing that really put me off was they kept talking about your body being in chemical balance-like the foods combos they give you help loose weight.  I don't know if this is really factual.  I thought calories in and calories out.  Anyway, thanks for the support here!

I've lost about 50 pounds too and I've tried everything and this is the only thing that works.  Personally for me its all about the journey and not the end result.  While the end result will be nice I hope when I get there I'm healthier and not just smaller.  No worries, you tried something different and it didn't work.  That doesn't make you an idiot really it just make you human.  Keep going 50 pounds is a big accomplishment!

i don't personally have experience with these types of diets, but i have a friend who is on one now. in '07 she first joined and had great success (and as you mentioned a lighter pocket book) but as soon as she went back to "regular" eating the weight came right back. so she decided to give it another go. this time it's not going so well, but i can't get her to stop. i've even offered to take her $ and put her on my diet, but that didn't go over well. LOL

hopefully she like you will come over to the light side soon. :o)

Original Post by satyrswoman:

i don't personally have experience with these types of diets, but i have a friend who is on one now. in '07 she first joined and had great success (and as you mentioned a lighter pocket book) but as soon as she went back to "regular" eating the weight came right back. so she decided to give it another go. this time it's not going so well, but i can't get her to stop. i've even offered to take her $ and put her on my diet, but that didn't go over well. LOL

hopefully she like you will come over to the light side soon. :o)

  Thanks!  I am actually much happier just counting calories for one day than I was doing that diet.  It is much less pressure on me and I can stick with my plan so much better.  I hope your friend realizes this very soon!

Original Post by lsam31:

  Thanks!  I am actually much happier just counting calories for one day than I was doing that diet.  It is much less pressure on me and I can stick with my plan so much better.  I hope your friend realizes this very soon!

i'm glad to hear you're doing what makes you happier. honestly i started calorie counting more as a lark than anything. i never expected it to make a difference. i lost 35 pounds just by counting alone (that means no exercise!)

good luck!!!!

Hello - I want to THANK YOU for your post and your honesty. I had placed an order last night and I am still doing a lot of research and cancelled my order this morning. I was feeling desperate and reaching for dreams. I checked out here the doctor response and then searched for some forum post.

Thanks, I will continue to work on my weight loss journey through this site.

You probably saved my mind from horrible thoughts as I tried to eat through $300 dollars of what I hear can be awful food.

Also you probably saved me from awful side effects in my health.

Thank you and bless you!

Original Post by grandmatree:

Hello - I want to THANK YOU for your post and your honesty. I had placed an order last night and I am still doing a lot of research and cancelled my order this morning. I was feeling desperate and reaching for dreams. I checked out here the doctor response and then searched for some forum post.

Thanks, I will continue to work on my weight loss journey through this site.

You probably saved my mind from horrible thoughts as I tried to eat through $300 dollars of what I hear can be awful food.

Also you probably saved me from awful side effects in my health.

Thank you and bless you!

 Thanks! Glad to have helped you make the decision.  It can be frustrating to count calories sometimes but it is well worth it.