I Don't Understand Why This Isn't Working!

Aside from my every-other-nightly glass of red wine, my extra goat cheese on my salads, and the TBSP of pine-nuts I add daily, I'm for the most part spot on plan!

I mean, I'm a lot better than I used to be, I don't eat as MUCH cheese, drink as MUCH wine, or use as MANY pine nuts every day! 

My calories are still very close to 1000 most days, because I've substituted the goat cheese, wine and pine nuts calorically for 2 of my Medifast meals, and I eyeball my protein but I'm SURE I'm getting at least 3-4 ounces per day in my Lean and Green.

Lentils are OK for my Green, right?  They are green.

But all that to say that this just doesn't seem to be working for me.  Why does nothing seem to work?  I  must have a screwed up metabolism.  Or maybe, I know, maybe it is the fact that we can't have fruit on this plan.  I mean that is kinda whacked.  How can it be healthy if there is no fruit?  Isn't lots of soy supposed to be bad for you or something?

I don't know, I'm thinking of quitting and doing my own thing.

Did I get you?  =)  Sorry about that, but I wanted to highlight some of the things that have, in the past, run through even MY head about how we convince ourselves that we ARE doing the plan when what we are actually doing doesn't match up with the Quick Start Guide.

I especially liked that last "I'm thinking of quitting and doing my own thing."  Because what I just described WAS somebody ALREADY doing their own thing, convincing themselves that because they were opening 3 little packets of food that said "Medifast" on them that somehow they were "Doing" the Medifast 5&1 Plan.  Far from it.

The plan works, folks.  THE PLAN.  Not OUR plan.  So here is my Sunday suggestion.  Dig out that Quick Start Guide.  Dust off your kitchen scale to weigh your cooked protein.  Get out those teaspoons to measure your healthy fat depending on what protein you choose to have that day.  Grab those measuring cups for your greens, and make sure any vegetable, protein, or fat that you choose is listed as approved in the Quick Start Guide.  ONLY have it in the amount that is listed in the Quick Start Guide.  Yes, that means measuring and weighing it.  KEEP TRACK of your water intake, and have 40 ounces BEFORE noon and 50 ounces AFTER noon.  Limit your condiments, if you have them, to 3 per day.  Don't utilize your optional snack unless you truly need it.  Remember, this Medifast 5&1 Plan was made for 6 foot 4 ex-linebackers who have active jobs just as well as it was designed for us 5 foot 3 short ladies who are sedentary.  Perhaps us shortie short gals don't require that optional snack, but the linebacker does.  =) 

Are you stuck and doing lots of cheesy tomatoey recipes?  Are you stuck and adding a laughing cow wedge to multiple meals each day?  Are you stuck and NOT measuring your half and half in your coffee in the morning? 

Switch it up.  Stick to the Quick Start Guide.  Ditch the cheese if you are not a vegetarian and stick to lean proteins as discussed in the Quick Start Guide.  Just a suggestion.  "Are you suggesting that my weight loss may be stalled because of the cheese?  It is allowed you know!"  Yes, so it is.  But if you are stalled, ditch it for a week and see what happens!

Just some suggestions to bring the best success into your life as you possibly can.

Rinse and Repeat!