Originally Posted by Pxlkitty4:
So... new routine is up and running. Pilates on Tuesdays at 6am, then shower at the gym, off to get car checked at dealership and now already at work (and I've worked out!) at 8:15am. It's been a long time since I showered at the gym. It was nice not feeling self conscious. It was even nicer that those stupid little gym towels now fit around me.

So, in a nutshell, I am going to beat this hormone thing!

Looking at Halloween pictures last night with hubby and I actually had to say "Wait, go back. Is that me? Do I really look like that?"

His reply, "Yes, sweetie. You got skinny..."

Laughing as I drink my coffee this morning... :coffee:

That is AWESOME...love it! Congrats on getting skinny, hormone slayer. :) I'm actually on week 2 of the Cellulite Protocol (NOT for the faint of heart, by the way) and paying close attention to not getting too skinny...very funny paradigm shift.

Survived Halloween night without eating candy!!! First time ever. Now we'll see if I survive a business trip to our nation's capital with conference food and expense account eating. I am packing shakes and bars so at least 2 meals per day will be reasonable.

Good morning all, here is the start of my last phase 2 week, starting next Tuesday for phase 3 for sure this time. I seem to be continuing my roller coaster ride of losing, gaining, losing, gaining... this week was a gain week... so it is on to better things, have my dvds ready to go and my ball pumped up and am ready for tonight after walking will do some pilates at home and see how that goes. Ran a little last week, felt good but legs are a little sore... getting excited just to have poached eggs and toast... my weekend fave... during the week will probably stick to peanut butter and toast and yogurt and fruit..
Have a great day.

Originally Posted by Lilivonshtupp:
That is AWESOME...love it! Congrats on getting skinny, hormone slayer. :) I'm actually on week 2 of the Cellulite Protocol (NOT for the faint of heart, by the way) and paying close attention to not getting too skinny...very funny paradigm shift.

OK PXLKITTY---Hormone slayer...I'm dealing with mine and not very well. What's working for you?

Lily and the cellulite conqueror...do tell????? Besides the dry brushing what else is involved.
Thanks ladies, flabby and flashing sunnymae :o

Originally Posted by Lilivonshtupp:
That is AWESOME...love it! Congrats on getting skinny, hormone slayer. :) I'm actually on week 2 of the Cellulite Protocol (NOT for the faint of heart, by the way) and paying close attention to not getting too skinny...very funny paradigm shift.

Originally Posted by Lilivonshtupp:
Brain...hurts...from trying to think of how to make that jive. I think it seriously depends on how you lose the weight. By the time you get to Phase 4 on IP, you HAVE reset and stabilized your hormones, from the masters (insulin and glucagon) on down...that's what the protocol is designed to do. Weight loss is just a nice side effect of what you're really doing, which is healing your body on the inside.

Back to hormones though, insulin is the key to storing fat, glucagon is the key to releasing it. Insulin lowers blood sugar when it's too high by unlocking your fat cells so it can store glucose. Glucagon raises blood sugar when it's too low by releasing the stored glucose in your fat cells so your body can use it as energy. Glucagon is your friend on IP. :)

Estrogen, leptin, and cortisol also play roles in fat storage, but the two biggies are the ones drivin' the bus, so they bring the other guys in line on IP as well...I'd say what you put in your mouth on a daily basis determines what they do, not a predetermined timeframe. That just doesn't jive.

And not to be a Debbie-Downer, but...the human body is programmed to store fat for survival based on millions of years of evolution, so it WANTS to put on weight...it doesn't know you have access to Dunkin' Donuts 24/7. You're going to have hormones for the rest of your life, not just the next two years, so maintenance requires vigilance, but it doesn't feel like work after the first few months...it gets to be intuitive.

Hope that helps!

Thanks...that does help and I agree. I think losing the fat/weight is a benefit of all the resetting and cleansing we have done, therefore offsetting (to a degree) the bodies ancient urge to store fat. Still 1000's of years of survival dna would have us stockpiling for famine (they didn't know America runs on Dunkin :0)
So...the real challenge is finding a flow that can be more relaxed and less military, so we can have fun in maintenance and not feel like we're in constant vigil. That produces stress and only compounds hormone levels and the chain reaction that follows. I think that explains the reason for the Dr's "free" "cheat" day. It mimics ancient pre-winter/scarcity hoarding, so the body is tricked into feeling satisfied that it's gathering and stockpiling needs are being met.
Always amazed by this group and this thread in particular. Wow...we humans are amazing creatures!

Well all the talk of 2 years at maintenance = body stabilizing as this weight, had me googling it to find out more. http://www.ajcn.org/content/82/1/222S.full
This was the site that while it didn't give any hormonal reasoning just stated data and interpretation of said data.
That individuals who maintain within five pounds of their baseline weight after two years are more likely to be successful in the long term for a variety of reasons- please see link.
I found it interesting that so many of the things that we were taught to do through the IP program, having the cheat/ recovery day, eating est. 1800cal/day, fit in so nicely with what this article had to say. And hey good for us for getting the challenges going to keep us on board with the physical activity because that also seems to be a major predictor. That and not forgetting where you came from. To participate on this thread keeps the memory alive. Cheers to everyone for being here and to maintenance! It is worth the vigil. It is worth the exercise. It is worth the penance day. Because self esteem is priceless. (Cheesy I know ;) but true nonetheless)

I have been lurking around here on your thread as I am getting ready to move to P2 tomorrow. :)

I wanted to mention to anyone who wants to start running you can google "couch to 5k" and find a great start up running program that will have you running 30 minutes or 3 miles non-stop in 8 weeks. If you don't want to do that running class that 2ride was talking about.

I am so stoked to start phasing off. Reading about your P3 breakfasts and P4 cheat days have got me drooling ;)

Oh- I wanted to mention to whomever said they were doing the greek yogurt and kashi cereal for breakfast but not adding fat. If you DO want to add the fat but keep bfast simple, you could look for a greek yogurt with more fat in it or you can just eat a tablespoon or 2 of peanut or almond butter. For me, I would eat it right out of the jar on a spoon :)

I will definitely be back around as I get closer to maintaining. A quick question, does anyone follow more a P3 style of eating in maintenance or do you strictly follow P4 as written?

Good Morning!! :)
I really need HELP here...I had my first cheat day on Halloween,needless to say I had all JUNK that day I was up all night sick as a dog,felt like I was drunk,couldn't get enough water into me!!WI the next morning up 3 lbs,I went on phase 1 yesterday,WI this morning only down .6 I am so upset with myself..I will NEVER do this again!! What can I do to reset my mind? Is this O K?All that sugar...OMG...PLZ tell me it's going to be fine....Thank-You :)

I am frustrated... This last weekend was my third free day, and I indulged. The other weeks, my weight was back down to goal by the Tuesday. This week, it is not... I'm at 149.0 this morning. Something is terribly, terribly wrong.

I know that I am gaining muscle, fighting a cold, and haven't had enough sleep... But I'm up, and it stinks. I'm going to be extra careful the next few days and see what happens. If it doesn't budge, I'm going back on Phase 1.

Here is what I think went wrong... I treated penance day a little more like carb-free day than Phase 1 day. Also, I had Chinese for dinner that night (sodium). I've been eating out more. I think I got comfortable with the idea of maintenance and have been pushing the envelope a little, maybe even thinking I know what's in things that I order when I don't really. I haven't been eating as many eggs, because I got sick of cooking them and I was loving the toast/yogurt.

So, back to home cooking. No more Chinese on penance day. I NEED TO SLEEP MORE! Back to eating eggs with breakfast.

WOW, this is hard. I feel like a failure today.

Originally Posted by sunnymae:
OK PXLKITTY---Hormone slayer...I'm dealing with mine and not very well. What's working for you?

Lily and the cellulite conqueror...do tell????? Besides the dry brushing what else is involved.
Thanks ladies, flabby and flashing sunnymae :o

Hey. See above. I'm not doing too well, apparently. Something is up. Maybe it's the stuff I'm taking for my cold?

Originally Posted by capricious:
Well all the talk of 2 years at maintenance = body stabilizing as this weight, had me googling it to find out more. http://www.ajcn.org/content/82/1/222S.full

Thanks for sending this... Interesting stuff.

Originally Posted by jennydoodle:
I will definitely be back around as I get closer to maintaining. A quick question, does anyone follow more a P3 style of eating in maintenance or do you strictly follow P4 as written?

It really depends on the day. I've had a few P3 days here and there, but really like the cheese at lunchtime and the grain at dinner, so have been doing more P4. I'm going to backtrack on that this week since my weight is up. I'm not happy with what's going on right now.

PixlKitty..I am sorry you are having a slow recovery from the cheat day. It very well could be your cold and the stress on your body..That is frustrating. At least you have the Phase 1 tool ready to go back to if things do not start moving. Hope you feel better. I am up with you in the dark exercising before work. It is very dark and cold heading to the gym.

Sheena.. You did what you were supposed to do and had a cheat day. Maybe your body has changed and you just can't handle as much sugar. It has taken others more than one day to go back down..sometimes 3-5. Keep telling yourself you are learning about what you can do to maintain. There is always Phase 1 to get back on for a kick start. Good luck today..

Jennydoodle..I am totally enjoying my peanut butter on Phase 3. I forgot how much I loved it! You are very close to goal!!!!

Capricious: Self esteem is priceless. I am very much happier with myself at this weight. I really am starting to believe in myself that I can do this and that I deserve to live a healthy happy life. I like your site.

2Riderollercoaster. Hang in there.Maybe your body loses for awhile and then goes through the up and down cycle. Hope you like your Pilates tape. At least you will be able to eat your favorite breakfast and PB on Phase 3.

Pauley: I said the same thing yesterday. This is the first Halloween that I have not had candy in years. Hope the snow storm has finished when you are in DC. Dress warm..It is cold over there. I am heading to San Francisco next Sat and figure I must take packets also..maybe do a Phase 1.

Sunnymae: I like the term Hormone slayers! Hormone conquerors?

Originally Posted by Lilivonshtupp:
Brain...hurts...from trying to think of how to make that jive. I think it seriously depends on how you lose the weight. By the time you get to Phase 4 on IP, you HAVE reset and stabilized your hormones, from the masters (insulin and glucagon) on down...that's what the protocol is designed to do. Weight loss is just a nice side effect of what you're really doing, which is healing your body on the inside.

Back to hormones though, insulin is the key to storing fat, glucagon is the key to releasing it. Insulin lowers blood sugar when it's too high by unlocking your fat cells so it can store glucose. Glucagon raises blood sugar when it's too low by releasing the stored glucose in your fat cells so your body can use it as energy. Glucagon is your friend on IP. :)

Estrogen, leptin, and cortisol also play roles in fat storage, but the two biggies are the ones drivin' the bus, so they bring the other guys in line on IP as well...I'd say what you put in your mouth on a daily basis determines what they do, not a predetermined timeframe. That just doesn't jive.

And not to be a Debbie-Downer, but...the human body is programmed to store fat for survival based on millions of years of evolution, so it WANTS to put on weight...it doesn't know you have access to Dunkin' Donuts 24/7. You're going to have hormones for the rest of your life, not just the next two years, so maintenance requires vigilance, but it doesn't feel like work after the first few months...it gets to be intuitive.

Hope that helps!

Beth..Thanks for such an informative comment. I was wondering how the hormones worked in with the whole glucagon/insulin operation. Our bodies are complicated. I like the idea that we already may have altered these hormones by being on Ideal Protein.
You are right..we have to live with these hormones for life..not just two years.

What is this cellulite program you are doing?

Originally Posted by sheenasg1:
Good Morning!! :)
I really need HELP here...I had my first cheat day on Halloween,needless to say I had all JUNK that day I was up all night sick as a dog,felt like I was drunk,couldn't get enough water into me!!WI the next morning up 3 lbs,I went on phase 1 yesterday,WI this morning only down .6 I am so upset with myself..I will NEVER do this again!! What can I do to reset my mind? Is this O K?All that sugar...OMG...PLZ tell me it's going to be fine....Thank-You :)

You will be fine... Just don't throw everything away and start cheating left and right. Having slip ups is normal. How you react to them will determine your success at maintenance. Just go back to maintenance and watch the scale for the next few days. If it's not coming down, try Phase 3 and/or cutting out more of the sugar/starch.

I too am worried, but my cheat day was Saturday and now it's Wednesday and I'm still up 4 lbs. I obviously have some other stuff going on. Cold, stress, lack of sleep, etc. My rule is that I don't get a cheat day if I'm closer to 150 than 145. Looks like that might be the case this weekend... for the first time, since hitting maintenace almost a month ago. So, for me it's a few days of being extra careful now and making sure that I get enough sleep and fluids to help me kick this cold. Then, I will cross whatever bridge on Saturday morning depending on my weight.

Originally Posted by Pxlkitty4:
You will be fine... Just don't throw everything away and start cheating left and right. Having slip ups is normal. How you react to them will determine your success at maintenance. Just go back to maintenance and watch the scale for the next few days. If it's not coming down, try Phase 3 and/or cutting out more of the sugar/starch.

I too am worried, but my cheat day was Saturday and now it's Wednesday and I'm still up 4 lbs. I obviously have some other stuff going on. Cold, stress, lack of sleep, etc. My rule is that I don't get a cheat day if I'm closer to 150 than 145. Looks like that might be the case this weekend... for the first time, since hitting maintenace almost a month ago. So, for me it's a few days of being extra careful now and making sure that I get enough sleep and fluids to help me kick this cold. Then, I will cross whatever bridge on Saturday morning depending on my weight.

Thank-You Pxlkitty4
I will keep an eye on the scales. I too have stress,vertigo,etc.going on here.No more cheat days for a while!!

I hope that you are feeling much better soon and you will see results on your scale as will.Sending a ''virtual hug'' and ''positive energy''your way!!

Originally Posted by Pxlkitty4:
So... new routine is up and running. Pilates on Tuesdays at 6am, then shower at the gym, off to get car checked at dealership and now already at work (and I've worked out!) at 8:15am. It's been a long time since I showered at the gym. It was nice not feeling self conscious. It was even nicer that those stupid little gym towels now fit around me.

So, in a nutshell, I am going to beat this hormone thing!

Looking at Halloween pictures last night with hubby and I actually had to say "Wait, go back. Is that me? Do I really look like that?"

His reply, "Yes, sweetie. You got skinny..."

Laughing as I drink my coffee this morning... :coffee:

What an exciting moment when you don't even recognize yourself. And what a great husband!

Originally Posted by jennydoodle:
I have been lurking around here on your thread as I am getting ready to move to P2 tomorrow. :)

I wanted to mention to anyone who wants to start running you can google "couch to 5k" and find a great start up running program that will have you running 30 minutes or 3 miles non-stop in 8 weeks. If you don't want to do that running class that 2ride was talking about.

I am so stoked to start phasing off. Reading about your P3 breakfasts and P4 cheat days have got me drooling ;)

Oh- I wanted to mention to whomever said they were doing the greek yogurt and kashi cereal for breakfast but not adding fat. If you DO want to add the fat but keep bfast simple, you could look for a greek yogurt with more fat in it or you can just eat a tablespoon or 2 of peanut or almond butter. For me, I would eat it right out of the jar on a spoon :)

I will definitely be back around as I get closer to maintaining. A quick question, does anyone follow more a P3 style of eating in maintenance or do you strictly follow P4 as written?

I did the Cto5K before running my first 5K last year. Loved it. I will do a modified version once I'm back into running. I don't feel I'll need to start at square 1 but I may since it's been awhile.

Originally Posted by Pxlkitty4:
I am frustrated... This last weekend was my third free day, and I indulged. The other weeks, my weight was back down to goal by the Tuesday. This week, it is not... I'm at 149.0 this morning. Something is terribly, terribly wrong.

I know that I am gaining muscle, fighting a cold, and haven't had enough sleep... But I'm up, and it stinks. I'm going to be extra careful the next few days and see what happens. If it doesn't budge, I'm going back on Phase 1.

Here is what I think went wrong... I treated penance day a little more like carb-free day than Phase 1 day. Also, I had Chinese for dinner that night (sodium). I've been eating out more. I think I got comfortable with the idea of maintenance and have been pushing the envelope a little, maybe even thinking I know what's in things that I order when I don't really. I haven't been eating as many eggs, because I got sick of cooking them and I was loving the toast/yogurt.

So, back to home cooking. No more Chinese on penance day. I NEED TO SLEEP MORE! Back to eating eggs with breakfast.

WOW, this is hard. I feel like a failure today.



Hey. See above. I'm not doing too well, apparently. Something is up. Maybe it's the stuff I'm taking for my cold?



Thanks for sending this... Interesting stuff.



It really depends on the day. I've had a few P3 days here and there, but really like the cheese at lunchtime and the grain at dinner, so have been doing more P4. I'm going to backtrack on that this week since my weight is up. I'm not happy with what's going on right now.

I had a "free" night on Friday and I'm still up .6 today and I only gained 2.4 total. (I had a few beers for my husband's bday.) I have been in a funk all week because of this gain. I know not the same circumstances but just wanted to let you know I get how you feel.

Originally Posted by Pxlkitty4:
You will be fine... Just don't throw everything away and start cheating left and right. Having slip ups is normal. How you react to them will determine your success at maintenance. Just go back to maintenance and watch the scale for the next few days. If it's not coming down, try Phase 3 and/or cutting out more of the sugar/starch.

I too am worried, but my cheat day was Saturday and now it's Wednesday and I'm still up 4 lbs. I obviously have some other stuff going on. Cold, stress, lack of sleep, etc. My rule is that I don't get a cheat day if I'm closer to 150 than 145. Looks like that might be the case this weekend... for the first time, since hitting maintenace almost a month ago. So, for me it's a few days of being extra careful now and making sure that I get enough sleep and fluids to help me kick this cold. Then, I will cross whatever bridge on Saturday morning depending on my weight.

Love the no cheat day rule. I will keep this in mind for when I'm in maintenace. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Pxlkitty4:
I am frustrated... This last weekend was my third free day, and I indulged. The other weeks, my weight was back down to goal by the Tuesday. This week, it is not... I'm at 149.0 this morning. Something is terribly, terribly wrong.

I know that I am gaining muscle, fighting a cold, and haven't had enough sleep... But I'm up, and it stinks. I'm going to be extra careful the next few days and see what happens. If it doesn't budge, I'm going back on Phase 1.

Here is what I think went wrong... I treated penance day a little more like carb-free day than Phase 1 day. Also, I had Chinese for dinner that night (sodium). I've been eating out more. I think I got comfortable with the idea of maintenance and have been pushing the envelope a little, maybe even thinking I know what's in things that I order when I don't really. I haven't been eating as many eggs, because I got sick of cooking them and I was loving the toast/yogurt.

So, back to home cooking. No more Chinese on penance day. I NEED TO SLEEP MORE! Back to eating eggs with breakfast.

WOW, this is hard. I feel like a failure today.



Hey. See above. I'm not doing too well, apparently. Something is up. Maybe it's the stuff I'm taking for my cold?



Thanks for sending this... Interesting stuff.



It really depends on the day. I've had a few P3 days here and there, but really like the cheese at lunchtime and the grain at dinner, so have been doing more P4. I'm going to backtrack on that this week since my weight is up. I'm not happy with what's going on right now.

Awww Pxlkitty, this is the first time I read you having a real little little hissy fit. It made me laugh, I could just see you there with your lower lip out as you were typing. Now you know you and I know you, you will be back to your weight real soon, I am sure it was just the combination of eating out, chinese food, your cold and TOM ganging up on you. Don't be so hard on yourself, it just shows us all we still have a lot to learn and we still have to be careful. Have a great day.:hug:

Originally Posted by 2RIDEROLLERCOAST:
Awww Pxlkitty, this is the first time I read you having a real little little hissy fit. It made me laugh, I could just see you there with your lower lip out as you were typing. Now you know you and I know you, you will be back to your weight real soon, I am sure it was just the combination of eating out, chinese food, your cold and TOM ganging up on you. Don't be so hard on yourself, it just shows us all we still have a lot to learn and we still have to be careful. Have a great day.:hug:

Thanks... I'll get over it. :hug:

Originally Posted by capricious:
pxlkitty- have you chosen a particular ceiling number? Is it 150? Or 148? It is comforting to have one because when you hit it you know. And there's no need to worry until you hit it.

- 147.5 is my "uh oh, i don't get a cheat day" number
- 148 is my "hmmm, what is going on" number
- 150 is my "expletive! what the @#$@#$ is going on" number...

Hence my hissy fit this morning when I saw 149.0...

This thread is making me very nervous :(.

I simply can't see myself having a "cheat" day (I've only had one, movie theatre popcorn - yumm) and following that up with guilt each week - that's WAY too much emotional power to give food.

I'm going to keep an eye on it, but if this is a rollercoaster of binging and shame it seems way more like my sister's battle with bulimia than a healthy lifestyle.

To explain - one of the reasons why I've never dieted is having spent 25 years with a sister who was seriously (in a life threatening way) ill with an eating disorder, it terrifies me to connect my self worth to my size.

This diet has worked SO well in getting me back to a healthy weight. For me, a cycle like that above is not a healthy emotional way to live, so if I see myself feeling bad about what I've eaten, I'm planning to move away from the "diet six days, gorge the 7th" and try watching my intake 7 days a week with MFP or another tracker, and making better choices all week but spreading my indulgences through the week.

Does anyone else struggle with this issue?

Originally Posted by BCGirl:
This thread is making me very nervous :(.

I simply can't see myself having a "cheat" day (I've only had one, movie theatre popcorn - yumm) and following that up with guilt each week - that's WAY too much emotional power to give food.

I'm going to keep an eye on it, but if this is a rollercoaster of binging and shame it seems way more like my sister's battle with bulimia than a healthy lifestyle.

I once heard a thin person talk about the way she approaches food. She said that she watched what she ate in general, saved up for special occasions, had fun from time to time, but then scaled back for a few days after a special occasion. I think that the IP way of approach things is healthy and sounds very similar to this...

I think I probably feel guilty because I've been steering clear of those foods for so long, and now it's just a matter of time before I can reintroduce those things (in moderation) back and feel emotionally OK with it. I've only been in maintenance for almost a month, so I'm still figuring all this out.

That said, it's up to each of us to figure out how to do maintenance. As long as you find something that works for you, it doesn't matter what it is... What I did last weekend definitely did NOT work for me, so I'm tweaking... The learning continues.

Heck, some people lose weight on other programs and keep it off. Those never worked for me, but this has...

If you want to watch what you eat and spread the indulgences throughout the week, try it and see what happens. If it works, great! If not, try something else.

Originally Posted by Pxlkitty4:
I once heard a thin person talk about the way she approaches food. She said that she watched what she ate in general, saved up for special occasions, had fun from time to time, but then scaled back for a few days after a special occasion. I think that the IP way of approach things is healthy and sounds very similar to this...

I think I probably feel guilty because I've been steering clear of those foods for so long, and now it's just a matter of time before I can reintroduce those things (in moderation) back and feel emotionally OK with it. I've only been in maintenance for almost a month, so I'm still figuring all this out.

That said, it's up to each of us to figure out how to do maintenance. As long as you find something that works for you, it doesn't matter what it is... What I did last weekend definitely did NOT work for me, so I'm tweaking... The learning continues.

Heck, some people lose weight on other programs and keep it off. Those never worked for me, but this has...

If you want to watch what you eat and spread the indulgences throughout the week, try it and see what happens. If it works, great! If not, try something else.

I think that's really good advice - I know this plan works for weight loss, I have no doubt it works for maintenance as well!

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone else have trouble coming up with snack ideas? I need a snack because I'm hungry between 3 and 4 p.m. Other than that, I don't usually snack because I'm not hungry. I've been eating Greek yogurt and Torani SF syrup and a small Atkins snack bar (2-3 net carbs each). I like those things but I'm getting kinda tired of them. I don't think I should eat anything too carby and I can only eat so many deviled or hard boiled eggs... What do you all do for snacks?

Thanks,

Karen

Originally Posted by karenfromtexas:
Hi Everyone,

Does anyone else have trouble coming up with snack ideas? I need a snack because I'm hungry between 3 and 4 p.m. Other than that, I don't usually snack because I'm not hungry. I've been eating Greek yogurt and Torani SF syrup and a small Atkins snack bar (2-3 net carbs each). I like those things but I'm getting kinda tired of them. I don't think I should eat anything too carby and I can only eat so many deviled or hard boiled eggs... What do you all do for snacks?

Thanks,

Karen

100 calorie pack cocoa flavored roasted Emerald almonds. Delicious and VERY satisfying.

Originally Posted by BCGirl:
This thread is making me very nervous :(.

I simply can't see myself having a "cheat" day (I've only had one, movie theatre popcorn - yumm) and following that up with guilt each week - that's WAY too much emotional power to give food.

I'm going to keep an eye on it, but if this is a rollercoaster of binging and shame it seems way more like my sister's battle with bulimia than a healthy lifestyle.

To explain - one of the reasons why I've never dieted is having spent 25 years with a sister who was seriously (in a life threatening way) ill with an eating disorder, it terrifies me to connect my self worth to my size.

This diet has worked SO well in getting me back to a healthy weight. For me, a cycle like that above is not a healthy emotional way to live, so if I see myself feeling bad about what I've eaten, I'm planning to move away from the "diet six days, gorge the 7th" and try watching my intake 7 days a week with MFP or another tracker, and making better choices all week but spreading my indulgences through the week.

Does anyone else struggle with this issue?

I think you've answered your own question brilliantly! This is the learning part of the program where you figure out what works for you. I can sympathize with your family history and the concern that comes out of that. Thoughts like gorging and then shaming yourself into a day of penance are very powerful and evoke strong images despair, self deprecation, of black and white, all or nothing. Here's what works for me:
I have treat days, not cheat or gorge days
I have loving myself for all my hard work days, the day after. Why do I say that? Because eating clean healthy food is an act of self love, not self loathe, so If I have indulged, I treat myself to a beautiful tasty day after. I think of it as a conscious and mindful meditation. The day becomes very peaceful for me as a result. It's personal and it's just for me.

On regular maintenance days we can have dairy, fats,fruits, other carbs and snacks, so it's not all that austere. I have some nice cheese with my lunch almost everyday. Sometimes I switch it around (OMG) yep I do and have cheese with my dinner. I just switch meals is all. My husband is French and I'll be darned if I'm not going to have a glass of wine and some cheese, even on a regular day. I use the fatsecret tracker to add up my calories/fat /carbs, so if I'm planning french cheese and red wine, it simply has to come out of my calorie allowance for the day. So I think my approach is similar to what you have in mind. It works for me and I'm way less stressed than I used to be. I have gained the proverbial 5-7 pounds of glycogen etc...that you're supposed to afger phasing off completely and I'm maintaining at 127-8 since last Feb. If I want to lose that extra weight one day, I will, but I've learned to be very happy at this weight too.

I agree completely with your approach of eating sensibly, have little indulgences along the way, but just keeping track of them, so you don't go overboard. I found once I started tracking my calories on the website, that after a time, since my indulgences are repetitive, I don't worry about the calories too much as I've committed most of them to memory.
We are most of us extreme in our thinking, so finding balance, which can be challenging at first, will be your best friend once you start tracking your numbers and start relaxing knowing you're doing just fine.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I relate very much and sure lot's of us out there do as well. This is just how we all help each other with new thoughts and writing new endings to old stories. Keep up the great work and keep turning over your thoughts and concerns so we can all bear witness and help you along. It helps us too!

I am 2 pounds from my goal weight. Just curious did anyone lose weight on phase 3? Or did you stay on phase 2 till you reached your goal? Did you aim for losing a couple more pounds past your goal? How much did you gain when you went on maintenence? I keep hearing about gaining anywhere from3-7 pounds when you are restoring your glycogen, is this really true? So afraid to move to phase 3 and maintenance. Was hoping to phase off so I could enjoy thanksgiving which means I am going to need to move to Phase 3 by next Wednesday if I want to do that. Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by BCGirl:
This thread is making me very nervous :(.

I simply can't see myself having a "cheat" day (I've only had one, movie theatre popcorn - yumm) and following that up with guilt each week - that's WAY too much emotional power to give food.

I'm going to keep an eye on it, but if this is a rollercoaster of binging and shame it seems way more like my sister's battle with bulimia than a healthy lifestyle.

To explain - one of the reasons why I've never dieted is having spent 25 years with a sister who was seriously (in a life threatening way) ill with an eating disorder, it terrifies me to connect my self worth to my size.

This diet has worked SO well in getting me back to a healthy weight. For me, a cycle like that above is not a healthy emotional way to live, so if I see myself feeling bad about what I've eaten, I'm planning to move away from the "diet six days, gorge the 7th" and try watching my intake 7 days a week with MFP or another tracker, and making better choices all week but spreading my indulgences through the week.

Does anyone else struggle with this issue?

Sorry to hear about your sister BCgirl. And having a healthy mentality, to go with the healthy eating is very important. It is odd how much our emotions are tied into our eating habits. I do not mean to promote overindulging (or gorging) on the free day. It is of course better to indulge without going overboard, but it does happen and I think it's best to just move on. Your practice for maintenance seems very sound... :hug:

Pxlkitty & sunny thank you you give us such great advise and I love how you word things it makes it easier to look so forward to maintenance.

Originally Posted by sunnymae:
I think you've answered your own question brilliantly! This is the learning part of the program where you figure out what works for you. I can sympathize with your family history and the concern that comes out of that. Thoughts like gorging and then shaming yourself into a day of penance are very powerful and evoke strong images despair, self deprecation, of black and white, all or nothing. Here's what works for me:
I have treat days, not cheat or gorge days
I have loving myself for all my hard work days, the day after. Why do I say that? Because eating clean healthy food is an act of self love, not self loathe, so If I have indulged, I treat myself to a beautiful tasty day after. I think of it as a conscious and mindful meditation. The day becomes very peaceful for me as a result. It's personal and it's just for me.

On regular maintenance days we can have dairy, fats,fruits, other carbs and snacks, so it's not all that austere. I have some nice cheese with my lunch almost everyday. Sometimes I switch it around (OMG) yep I do and have cheese with my dinner. I just switch meals is all. My husband is French and I'll be darned if I'm not going to have a glass of wine and some cheese, even on a regular day. I use the fatsecret tracker to add up my calories/fat /carbs, so if I'm planning french cheese and red wine, it simply has to come out of my calorie allowance for the day. So I think my approach is similar to what you have in mind. It works for me and I'm way less stressed than I used to be. I have gained the proverbial 5-7 pounds of glycogen etc...that you're supposed to afger phasing off completely and I'm maintaining at 127-8 since last Feb. If I want to lose that extra weight one day, I will, but I've learned to be very happy at this weight too.

I agree completely with your approach of eating sensibly, have little indulgences along the way, but just keeping track of them, so you don't go overboard. I found once I started tracking my calories on the website, that after a time, since my indulgences are repetitive, I don't worry about the calories too much as I've committed most of them to memory.
We are most of us extreme in our thinking, so finding balance, which can be challenging at first, will be your best friend once you start tracking your numbers and start relaxing knowing you're doing just fine.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I relate very much and sure lot's of us out there do as well. This is just how we all help each other with new thoughts and writing new endings to old stories. Keep up the great work and keep turning over your thoughts and concerns so we can all bear witness and help you along. It helps us too!

Love this post sunnymae. So encouraging. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Determinedat47:
100 calorie pack cocoa flavored roasted Emerald almonds. Delicious and VERY satisfying.

Determined I'm still trying to track down those nuts here in Canada- they just sound so darn good!
Karen I like a tablespoon of peanut butter with an apple, or veggies & hummus...

Thanks so much to those of you that commented - I really appreciate your feedback and advice :)

Originally Posted by Granby:
I am 2 pounds from my goal weight. Just curious did anyone lose weight on phase 3? Or did you stay on phase 2 till you reached your goal? Did you aim for losing a couple more pounds past your goal? How much did you gain when you went on maintenence? I keep hearing about gaining anywhere from3-7 pounds when you are restoring your glycogen, is this really true? So afraid to move to phase 3 and maintenance. Was hoping to phase off so I could enjoy thanksgiving which means I am going to need to move to Phase 3 by next Wednesday if I want to do that. Any suggestions?

If you look at people's trackers you will see that some people went below their goal weight for a safety zone. I reached goal weight in Phase 2. I was also very afraid of gaining weight back in Phase 3 and 4, so I went 4 pounds under my goal. You might want to go a few pounds under if that worries you. There are conflicting thoughts about how much you gain on maintenance..3-7 sounds about right.
Howevr, some people want change and go into Phase 4 at goal weight and are comfortable if the scale goes up a few pounds. I would say listen to yourself and see what you want to do in the next weeks.

Bc Girl: I like your approach of eating sensibly with little indulgences. Really we are all trying to make maintenance work for our life styles. Also keeping yourself emotionally healthy in relationship to food is so important. I am trying to keep a positive attitude towards food..and as you said..don't let yourself be defined by food.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You learn so much about yourself from the posts here!

Well.my coach gave me Phase 4. I am still losing inches...hooray and .4 pound.
I definitely like the idea of no treat day unless you are back at a certain weight!

My big box of Sf syrups arrived. I am very excited!

I am going to San Francisco for 4 days next week to see my daughter. It will be a totally eat out vacation. I am already thinking I should just stick to Phase 2 again as I cannot see restaurants offering me Chobani yogurt and low carb bread..LOL.
However, I love that city and hopefully will walk up those hills to make up for any eating!

Originally Posted by Maile:
Well.my coach gave me Phase 4. I am still losing inches...hooray and .4 pound.
I definitely like the idea of no treat day unless you are back at a certain weight!

My big box of Sf syrups arrived. I am very excited!

I am going to San Francisco for 4 days next week to see my daughter. It will be a totally eat out vacation. I am already thinking I should just stick to Phase 2 again as I cannot see restaurants offering me Chobani yogurt and low carb bread..LOL.
However, I love that city and hopefully will walk up those hills to make up for any eating!

Yay you! Phase 4 is great. If you're visiting family my suggestion is to make a quick grocery stop then all is easy because you can really control your "in home" and the eating out part is way easier (chicken caesar for lunch, pasta for dinner etc. = the big thing I've found eating out is to watch portions, usually sharing an entree is enough food for one :).

Originally Posted by Granby:
I am 2 pounds from my goal weight. Just curious did anyone lose weight on phase 3? Or did you stay on phase 2 till you reached your goal? Did you aim for losing a couple more pounds past your goal? How much did you gain when you went on maintenence? I keep hearing about gaining anywhere from3-7 pounds when you are restoring your glycogen, is this really true? So afraid to move to phase 3 and maintenance. Was hoping to phase off so I could enjoy thanksgiving which means I am going to need to move to Phase 3 by next Wednesday if I want to do that. Any suggestions?

I was one who has kept losing, even into phase 4. I have been tracking my eating on MyFitnessPal and have upped my intake to 2000 calories a day and I'm staying at one weight now.

I just joined a gym today - had a great workout (it's amazing how losing the fat around our muscles actually makes them show up!)

Aloha Linden. I'm thinking of you :)!

[QUOTE=woolberger;4095764]Aloha Linden. I'm thinking of you :)![/QUOTE]

Mahalo! What a nice thing to read first thing in the morning. :) I hope you're having an absolutely splendid time. Oops, it's raining in both Hilo and Kailua Kona. It NEVER rains in Kona. Did I mention Hilo is the rainiest city in the United States?

But there's a silver lining. The thunder and lightening storms are spectacular AND they mean there will be snow on Mauna Kea. So you can lie on a beach and see a snow-capped mountain. ;)

Originally Posted by BCGirl:
Yay you! Phase 4 is great. If you're visiting family my suggestion is to make a quick grocery stop then all is easy because you can really control your "in home" and the eating out part is way easier (chicken caesar for lunch, pasta for dinner etc. = the big thing I've found eating out is to watch portions, usually sharing an entree is enough food for one :).

Thanks for the travel advice. I swear that caesar salads are one of the safest things to order without cheese or dressing..when traveling. Good idea on picking stuff up on the way to places.
I have not gained on Phase 3 so far either.

Upon reading Phase 4..I do not understand the grouping of cheese and yogurt under fats.
Also..does this mean that I cannot stir fry my vegetables at night?

Originally Posted by woolberger:
Aloha Linden. I'm thinking of you :)!

Aloha nui Woolberger! Even if it is raining it is warm over and you can go swimming! Kona is the sunniest spot on the island and should clear up!
Have a wonderful trip.

maile- in regards to Phase 4 fat in the evening- you can still have it just in a very limited quantity. I still use it for searing vegetables in the evening and haven't run into any troubles with it. So excited for you to have 'officially' reached maintenance- great job!
woolberger- aloha! So good to hear from you- all this talk and thoughts of Hawaii have perma-seared a stupid grin on my face :D
bcgirl- I know what you mean about the muscle definition. Can actually believe that I have them now that I can see them ;) They were covered in too many layers before. One of the greatest aspects of IP is how much muscle it leaves you with after the diet. Every other diet I've ever been on robbed me quite a bit by the end. So nice to get to goal and still have muscle. Thank you Dr. Tran!
pxlkitty- has the cold & tom passed? Hope you are feeling better for the weekend- no fun to be on days off sick...
granby- I lost in Phase 3 & 4...
I'm going to Calgary this weekend to visit with family. It really does present a bit more challenge when you're away from home as tracking is unavailable (as I'm writing this I'm remembering pxlkitty saying 'there's an ap for that'- will have to download it) and food choices are sometimes less than ideal. Thank you Maile & BCgirl for having already just had this conversation cause now I can use the tips too! Have a great weekend all!

Originally Posted by capricious:
pxlkitty- has the cold & tom passed? Hope you are feeling better for the weekend- no fun to be on days off sick...

I didn't have TOM this week, not sure how that rumor got started. I'm happily back at 146.0 (1 lb over goal) and unhappily have antibiotics for my sinus infection/ear infection. Hopefully I can rest this weekend.

I am interviewing people all day in 30-minute increments, and it was easier to sit through all the calls than reschedule.

Originally Posted by capricious:
maile- in regards to Phase 4 fat in the evening- you can still have it just in a very limited quantity. I still use it for searing vegetables in the evening and haven't run into any troubles with it. So excited for you to have 'officially' reached maintenance- great job!
woolberger- aloha! So good to hear from you- all this talk and thoughts of Hawaii have perma-seared a stupid grin on my face :D
bcgirl- I know what you mean about the muscle definition. Can actually believe that I have them now that I can see them ;) They were covered in too many layers before. One of the greatest aspects of IP is how much muscle it leaves you with after the diet. Every other diet I've ever been on robbed me quite a bit by the end. So nice to get to goal and still have muscle. Thank you Dr. Tran!
pxlkitty- has the cold & tom passed? Hope you are feeling better for the weekend- no fun to be on days off sick...
granby- I lost in Phase 3 & 4...
I'm going to Calgary this weekend to visit with family. It really does present a bit more challenge when you're away from home as tracking is unavailable (as I'm writing this I'm remembering pxlkitty saying 'there's an ap for that'- will have to download it) and food choices are sometimes less than ideal. Thank you Maile & BCgirl for having already just had this conversation cause now I can use the tips too! Have a great weekend all!

Drive Careful, the roads from Ponoka south are horrible cars and Semis in the ditch everywhere... hopefully it will be gone by the time you get on the road... and my gosh is it cold out here today.... this weekend must get thermo undies socks and a winter coat... I miss not being able to throw on 2 hoodies and a coat and be warm... but I do like being skinnier more...

Originally Posted by Pxlkitty4:
I didn't have TOM this week, not sure how that rumor got started. I'm happily back at 146.0 (1 lb over goal) and unhappily have antibiotics for my sinus infection/ear infection. Hopefully I can rest this weekend.

I am interviewing people all day in 30-minute increments, and it was easier to sit through all the calls than reschedule.

TOM could have been me... as I whined on Monday about my yo yo life. Glad you are back, I am hoping I will be back there so I can start phase 3 on Tuesday... I also have been having sinus headaches which I hate because nothing really works for them... and been drinking tea like a mad woman... today Pumpkin Spice from Tim Hortons, rather good and is finally warming me up....
get some rest Pxlkitty...