Thank you!
I thought I'd update my thread with what I've just posted in the IP Maintainers thread. Friday was my 3 month in maintenance and I weighed in at the exact same weight as what I started my maintenance with, 158....which is actually low for me BUT I'm pretty happy with that.
I'm off on a vacation starting on the 22 August and I'm pretty pumped! I'll feel comfortable with how I eat now and if I over indulge there is a plan to 'nip it in the bud'.
Things that I have learned in 3 months in maintenance:
- indulging once in a while won't hurt me (ie having a small piece of cake during the week)
- running is important to me...I'm in love with it...that surprises me!
- I must NOT run on fun day as it makes me hungry the next day (although running actually cuts my hunger)...no one wants to be hungry on a Phase 1 day...so I run on a Phase 1 day so I'm not as hungry BONUS is I use up glycogen stores from the day before and I can jump right back into Phase 4 the next day and deal with any potential hunger.
- I need to keep myself busy on a Phase 1 day so I plan activities and that could be just going for a walk at a specific time of day or even just making phase 1 day my cleaning day...
- chocolate...I just can't have it..I limit it even on fun day, that much sugar now makes my tummy feel bad AND I get the instant sugar crash and will fall immediately to sleep (which I never do now and I hate that feeling). I was pre-diabetic before I started IP so perhaps I'm ultra sensitive but I because I highly dislike the 'upset tummy/falling asleep symptom" I just avoid it
- nutz...I'm in love with nutz and would NEVER be able to have a jar in my house so I save them for fun day and go to Nutters (pun not intended but I laughed as I typed it ) and get a serving and enjoy them without guilt! (the ladies at the counter already know my schedule and will say "you're here for your weekly treat! lol)
- fruit...I love fruit...when I'm at work I can schedule them into my daily plan (twice a day) so as part of my fun day I'm allowed to have as much fruit as I want...I have probably 3-4 fruits on fun day.
- journaling, I still journal but will only journal Monday to Friday, I don't need to journal fun day (who wants to really know) and I don't journal Phase 1 day...so really I do essentially take the weekends off. I use a journaling app, I eat the same breakfasts everyday (same one I chose for Phase 3) and type in my plan right before I go to bed. Because I eat generally the same food (cycled throughout the month) the ap already knows what I'm typing almost before I type it. Takes me seconds to punch it in.
- the app also shows me the natural swing of my weight so I find my anxiety level on the scale is much reduced...I can see the swing and that gives me confidence in what I'm doing is right.
- and finally - water...I must MUST keep the same amount of water EVERYDAY, including fun day...this helps keep me on track and not over indulge on fun day...and also helps me with my running plans for the next day.