Great discussions, I am everyday accepting that my eating choices will forever change. This diet is showing me that my body is very sensitive to sugar and carbs and it is toxic for my health.
For me, age makes a difference, my body is less forgiving at 50 as it was at 30. I am forever committed. It is too hard emotionally and physically to be overweight.
I always wondered about maintenance after stopping a strict diet. I was not following a certain diet before but stopped doing what I was and regained everything plus some. That is why this time I decided it was better for me to just learn to cook healthy meals that I can make forever. My weight averaged 8-9 lbs a month but it just wasnt a pain to just make almost the same things I used to make with minor adjustments and add cardio to the mix. Just my opinion don't wanna discourage or slam ip.
Actually this is what maintenance is about following any plan. Healthy meals with some exercise. Amounts and types of foods will vary from person to person so it does take adjustment.
No matter what the plan people who have lost weight will gain faster than people who are the same weight without dieting so for quite awhile you have to be very vigilant. The key is the healthy meals and taking the time to prepare them. The lure of just grapping what is convenient is very strong in the hectic lifestyle most of us lead.
Ummmm, not to be crazy but its allot harder to maintain at 120lbs than at 140 or 160 no? Just saying
Lexi, I'm not sure how to take this comment...I'm slightly offended...'just saying'...I will once again, point out maile to you, who has maintained beautifully for almost a year and a half in the 120's and she's 5.6.
Thank you for a comment that seems to make my success and accomplishment less so because I'm not at a weight that perhaps you think wouldn't be difficult to maintain. As far as I know, this is peer support on these threads...before you pass judgement think about what shoes people have worn.
I'm having a difficult time with some of your comments over the last month(s). You've posted in the 100% "why do many people in here just gain it back". THEN made a thread asking deperately for help Phasing off for a wedding. Now, you've posted in this thread people who do Phase 1 for 5 days is 'nutty'...then to the reboot thread to ask for help. You do know when you cross post we can all see it...right?
Don't expect a lot of help if you have many judgements...."just saying".
Good luck to whatever you do and how ever you handle your maintenance phase (as I typed this I re-read it and I want you to know that I'm truly not being snarky I do wish you well). I believe that you'll be great at it because you are so concerned with doing well and doing it right. I'm sure you'll pay attention to your body and figure out your own maintenance path.
Ummmm, not to be crazy but its allot harder to maintain at 120lbs than at 140 or 160 no? Just saying
Depends on your height and BMI. The truth is at 5'1" I always should have been eating less than my taller friends. The other component as someone mentioned is age. Every decade makes it harder and your 40s is not old. It is after about 55 for women when it gets tougher and tougher so do yourself a favor if you get it off when you are younger, really focus on keeping it off.
Ummmm, not to be crazy but its allot harder to maintain at 120lbs than at 140 or 160 no? Just saying
I would think it depends at least to some extent on whether the 120lbs, 140lbs, or 160lbs is in line with one's body type and height. It's harder to maintain an unrealistic weight, that's for sure. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as a 'youngster' in my teens through mid-40s, weight maintenance was much more do-able. (As was weight loss, when a few extra lbs did sneak on). For me, it was hitting the peri-menopausal (mid 40's ) & post-menopausal years where I've found it most difficult to maintain.
Ummmm, not to be crazy but its allot harder to maintain at 120lbs than at 140 or 160 no? Just saying
Just saying, you know that answer is going to be different for everyone.
Age, health, height, body type/bone structure all factor into what is a healthy, maintainable weight for each person.
That is why when I chose my "goal" it wasn't really a hard number. It was based more on my body shape, how I felt, and what I felt was maintainable based on the level of activity I want to keep up.
Could I have gotten down to 145? Probably. But I would have had to adopt an eating style and level of exercise that would not have made me happy. I don't care that much about the actual number to sacrifice my mental well-being for it. So I stopped and phased off when I felt good about my shape, and was at a place I could maintain with a healthy diet of foods I liked, balance between eating and exercise, and not stressing myself out over what the scale was telling me.
Part of maintaining is deciding where that "happy" place is for you, personally...including what you would have to do to stay there.
I'm interested in this thread because I've been maintaining since the end of January. I was a bit disheartened because the gal who inspired me by losing 100 pounds has gained quite a bit of it back. I know it is going to take constant vigilance on my part for the rest of my life, to avoid falling into the same place. I've lost large amounts of weight before, but I've never been successful in keeping it off. At my age of 66, I tell myself it's a matter of life and death. I want to continue the improved quality of life that my weight loss has given me. I feel that IP has given me the tools that I need, if I choose to use them, to continue a healthier lifestyle. It has also given me insights into the trigger foods and what I need to avoid.
That being said, I've found the splurge day a bit difficult to handle. For one thing, it is hard to schedule it. I want it to be for special occasions, but various things have caused the schedule to get screwed up and I find that a day I had planned isn't happening. Or sometimes there will be two special occasions in a week, and I have to make choices.
Usually when I have the splurge day, I eat basic IP Phase 2 or 3 for two meals and splurge on a main meal. Even then, the splurge isn't "whole hog" but rather maybe ordering one splurge item from a menu and adding a dessert. Even with the limited splurge my weight skyrockets the following day and I have to go back on program for at least 2 days to get the weight off.
My normal routine is weighing myself every day. If my weight goes up above my goal weight, I get right back on the program, or at least Phase 2, until it comes down. I've been hovering at a pound or two below goal for most of the past two months.
My routine seems a bit odd, maybe not exactly what I expected, but so far it seems to be working. I visit my clinic once a month now, and will continue that for at least a year. I continue to depend on protein bars and shakes--I know I will never be able to eat the way I used to. As I said, I consider it a matter of life and death. And also I've gotten rid of my fat clothes and I can't afford a new wardrobe!
So now I'm going to head over to the maintainer's thread and see how everyone is doing. It is great to have this forum to encourage one another!
I thought I would just point out that from a health perspective one can be overweight and extremely healthy just as you can be very skinny and unhealthy. Whether one chooses to maintain at 20% body fat or 28% body fat really has little bearing on their health.
Regular exercise is a huge contributor to one's health. It doesn't take a large amount of exercise to be healthy but focusing on a specific number on the scale is taking the focus away from where it should be, on your health.
The other contributor is diet. So long as your diet is comprised primarily of a variety whole foods you're probably doing just fine.
But yes - maintaining at 20% (for a woman) is certainly not as easy as maintaining at 28% body fat for a number of reasons. Note: I'm not using scale weight which is a meaningless figure by itself.
I am 5 foot 120, nt 5"7". If I was very tall I would obviously raise my goal weight. My body fat right now is 19%. Very healthy. My weight is not low at all. I was trying to make the point that someone that weighs 140 can eat upwards of 1800 calories a day to maintain. Someone who weighs 120 like me for example has to exercise and eat healthy allot more than that due to the calories to maintain being extremely low. I have to eat less than 1200 calories if I am not exercising. I do choose to exercise 5-6 days a week therefore I am in phase 3 and tracking at 1500-1600 cal a day and maintaining for now For me health is number 1. I am stating a fact, no need to hate on me so much I am a short mediocre woman, no need to hate.
I maintained from Labor day to New years at 140lbs, I ate everything, I mean everything...... didnt really diet at all Ended my pregnancy at 154. Lost 14 on my own, went on IP to lose another 22 lbs, Hindsight is 20/20.
Thank you for pointing that out about the person thats 5'4' and 120.....So you see that my goal is quite healthy at 5 feet. You have been following me very closely, which flatters me and makes me feel thankful for your kind words
Lexi, it's hard to miss ya...you'll be fine, good luck!
Thank you for pointing that out about the person thats 5'4' and 120.....So you see that my goal is quite healthy at 5 feet. You have been following me very closely, which flatters me and makes me feel thankful for your kind words
no? Just saying
