What does the future hold?

  • Are you happy or sad with the approaching end of the diet?

    Myself, I'm unsure. I'm afraid of re-gaining weight. It's happened before, never mind that I haven't been this low in years, decades even...

    Part of me wants to be on this forever. In the grand scheme of things, it's relatively easy to follow a specific plan. The more choices, the harder it is (at least for me).

    I finally am pretty much where I want to be. And if that changes? I don't know if I would be able to get back here again. I'm an "all or nothing" kind of girl...


    But I know I have to return to some sort of regular eating at some time...

    (and by regular, I mean more than the non-restricted list from IP)
  • Transitioning to Phase 3 and then 4 was definitely scary for me. I liked the comfort of knowing exactly what I could and could not eat in Phase 1 and 2. I've taken the same approach in maintenance though with lots of food prep ahead of time, planned menus, filling my fridge with lots of healthy options like fruit, veggies and whole grains, etc. Some days I treat myself (notice I didn't say cheat), but for the most part the discipline learned in Phase 1 remains a part of me and guides my food choices. You've had such success on this program Sgorny, I have no doubt that you'll also succeed in maintenance.
  • I think getting rid of that negative voice is one of the hardest things to do! I've consisitently lost weight on this program and I still have days where I think I might be the exception and not lose any more weight on the plan. I think the best way to go about maintenance is to slowly allow foods into your life again. See how your body reacts and then decide if that food needs to be a part of your life anymore. I know for me before I started IP I just ate whatever I was craving. In the rare times I wasn't craving something I'd freak out because I didn't know what to eat. So we just have to keep working on planning and organizing our meals according to what our body needs, not what our cravings are telling us we need.

    There is no reason you should fail, you've succeeded thus far and I think you will continue to succeed as long as you keep paying attention to what your eating.
  • If you approach phase 4 and maintenance with the same attitude and tenacity that you applied to phase 1 you will be fine.

    This program only works when it is followed. Just like all things in life when you go back to old tactics you get old results. SO, staying with the program in phase 4 and applying all you learn to a maintenance lifestyle will work.

    If you decide to finish phase 4 and then chuck the lifestyle changes you might have an issue. The issue being you could be inclined to go back to old habits and those old habits are what helped put the original weight on.

    This diet does not "work itself". It does not offer a miracle cure. It will not cure you so that you never, ever gain weight again. It DOES teach you that your body doesn't process carbs or insulin as well as a naturally thin person. It gives you a chance to learn how to eat in a way that benefits you staying thin and healthy. It gives you the opportunity to lose the weight and, when applying what you learn, stay thin.

    As someone else here once said, " I wish they had explained I would never go back to eating the way I did". Well, you won't. Like Christina says, you can occasionally treat yourself. You won't be going back to the "all" approach.

    Given how dedicated you were to this plan, I believe if you apply that attitude to phase 4 and beyond, you won't have any maintenance issues.