Taking it off | Week 2

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability,
but comes through continuous struggle…”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

I’d love to say that my second week on the Medifast plan was easier than the first, but it was harder, actually. The hunger pangs have all but disappeared, but I’m finding myself thinking about food constantly!

I’ve been home most of the week, so that hasn’t helped, since I tend to hang out in the kitchen and family room for much of the day. I catch myself walking over to the fridge or opening the pantry all the time, for no reason, really. I’ve been good – giving myself a mental slap in the face a few times – but I feel like my willpower is only so strong… how much longer will I be able to resist?

I realize I’m doing this out of habit. I used to eat out of boredom, or when I was stressed, tired, mad, lonely, [insert random emotion here]… and this pattern of emotional eating isn’t going to be an easy thing to break. The key has been to not let my mind wander towards food. I’ll only watch TV if I’m doing something else… like walking on the treadmill, folding laundry, or sorting through mail. I do something with my hands – like paint my daughters’ nails or braid their hair. Cleaning is a great distraction, too, since the last thing I want to do is think about food when I’m on my hands and knees scrubbing the toilet.

Tracking my food intake has been a big part of why I’ve been able to stay on plan. First thing in the morning, after I pull out all my Medifast meals, I’ll enter them into SparkPeople, so I know what I’m working with for the day. Medifast also has an online community (MyMedifast) but I’ve been using SparkPeople for a while, plus I have an app for it on my iPad and cellphone, so I’m going to stick with it for food logging.

I’ve stocked up on Medifast-friendly snacks – Popsicles, celery, SF Jell-o, dill pickles, and almonds – so that I’ll be less likely to make a bad choice when I’m looking to munch on something. Sugar-free gum is a lifesaver. I’m trying to not chew more than one piece a day, but I make it last. Chewing on an ice cube or two is also surprisingly satisfying, and a good distraction.

THE FOOD

I tried the Medifast pancake for the first time this past weekend – chocolate chip! – and it was quite good, actually, and that was without any syrup! I made buttermilk pancakes for the rest of the family on the electric griddle, and prepared mine last, so we could all sit down and eat at the same time. The pancake came out really thin, and all the chocolate kind of made its way to the middle, but I enjoyed it and will make it a weekend tradition.

LEAN & GREEN

Last week I cooked kale for the first time, and sticking with the greens, this week I went for collards. Not a fan. I found them to be bitter and just not very appetizing. I may add the leftovers to chicken soup.

I did come to find that cauliflower and eggplant are a yummy combo! I chopped a whole eggplant and a head of cauliflower and drizzled it with a tiny bit of olive oil, tossed in a few garlic cloves, some salt and pepper, and roasted it all for, oh, maybe 35-40 minutes, and the result was amazing! Next time I may add a little red bell pepper just for some color.

EXERCISE

I’ve signed up for a 5K at the end of March, so I’m slowly working on building up my running… indoors, as I’m not a fan of the cold. The elliptical is growing on me. And so is Zumba. Yay!

MY WEIGHT

I weighed in at 201.8 lbs on Saturday morning. The lowest I’ve been in a long time! I’m incredibly close to the 100′s, which is awesome, but even more exciting is that I’ve gone down from ‘Obese’ to ‘Overweight’ as far as my BMI is concerned. That means I’m that much closer to being at a normal, healthy weight!

• Starting weight: 211.6 lbs
• Weight lost week one: 7 lbs
• Weight lost week two: 2.8 lbs
• Still to go: 41.8 lbs

REWARDS

My first reward, as you may recall from last week’s update, was a pair of silver earrings. I’ve thought long and hard about the rest of my rewards, as I really need them to be significant. A visual reminder of my accomplishments. Something that I can look at and reflect on how far I’ve come, whether it be 10, 25, or 40 lbs down the line. A manicure or a massage just won’t do that for me, and I definitely don’t want anything food-related. So… here’s my list:

• -5lbs: Silver earrings DONE!
• -10lbs: EARBUDi clips
• -15lbs: Makeup palette from Sephora
• -20lbs: Tickets to a Broadway show (TBA)
• -25lbs: Striiv
• -30lbs: “Great things lie within” necklace, to match my earrings
• -35lbs: $25 iTunes card for new workout music
• -40lbs: Custom Havaianas
• -45lbs: Nativity set (I know… random. But now that my kids are bigger and not likely to break stuff, I really want a nice one!)
• -50lbs: Swimsuit
• Goal met: Beach vacation + new wardrobe

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT MEDIFAST?

As I mentioned last week, Medifast recently introduced a new customer savings program. If you use my coupon code, BUZZ56, and sign up for Medifast Advantage, when you order $250+, you’ll receive 56 free Medifast Meals and free shipping! Medifast Advantage has a lot of perks, including free customizable meals and a free BlenderBottle with minimum purchase.

The details: For your first order of $250+, use my code, and enroll in Medifast Advantage to receive 28 free meals. Do the same on your next order and you’ll receive ANOTHER 28 free meals! This offer is only valid if you enroll in Medifast Advantage, and it’s limited to one per customer. It’s not valid with prior purchases, any other promotions or discounts, or for Medifast Ready-to-Drink Shakes. Check out Medifast’s website for complete details on the program and discounts.

Also blogging about their Medifast journeys:

Kelly at The Turnip Farmer
Jenni at Jenni From the Blog
Stephanie at Goober Monkey
Alison at O My Family
Jessica at The Unemployed Mom
Stephanie at A Grande Life

Disclosure: I receive free product in order to evaluate and comment on my experiences on the Medifast Program. Medifast products and the Medifast Program are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Any medical improvements noted while on the program are related to weight loss in general, and not to Medifast products or programs.