As I have gotten a little more used to Phase 4, I am finding the need to have the ultimate splurge day lessens, especially as I read the horror stories of overdoing it. One great meal, not a whole day of it!

What I am also trying is the mental game of limits. To not have the half/half in every mug of coffee, even if allowed, feels like an inverse cheat and really boosts my confidence and pride that I am going to choose the right things. To not have the animal protein twice a day, even if allowed, or the complex carbs every single night, also gives that sense of control. To pay more attention to when I'm full. The unlimited vegees are great, but I still can't do much more than the 2 cups in a stir-fry before I'm full, so perhaps I'll do the snack items to get more roughage in. After not getting struck by the scale-bolt-of-lightening and eating the allowed stuff, the intuitive part seems to want to kick in...

Of course, I promised to take a friend out for lunch for her birthday and use a splurge day for it, so it may be a different story after that!

hello all. thinking i need to pop in. maint. is going well. ( 3 weeks in) i haven't really done a relaxed day, ( don't like the term cheat) maybe just a meal. kashi pizza, subway sub. i find i am so happy with the vegs that i can have now i am really content with my diet. i also not able to trust in myself. i have girl scout cookies in the freezer that i am thinking of giving away because they are getting in my head and don't want to leave, sigh. when i went to phase 3, 139# currently at 136#. as is 2ride i am currently having to really watch my coffee intake i used to not have an issue with this,replacing one addiction with another, wth.

lise

[QUOTE=patns;4298226]I agree too. Have more salad dressing! Eat some ribs or burgers.
My clinic also sells mct oil. Look it up. I think it has been helping me, although I keep forgetting it.

[quote=Momto2cs;4298573]Momto2cs,
Are you using coconut oil? I bought some before I started IP and perhaps I'll swap olive oil for coconut oil. What is in the mct oil your clinic sells?

I'm not in maintenance yet but read these posts to learn as much as I can. I don't have a coach and use the wisdom from these pages to guide me.

Thanks and have a great day!

Morning everyone. I've been reading your thread for awhile now and its very motivating and also very real that maintenance is not going to be a walk in the park but its going to take work as well. I'm on my 6th day of Phase 3 and I was wondering if you are supposed to lose weight as well on this phase. My coach said that this is when you gain your glycogen reserves back but so far I've lost 3lbs since my WI and I was wondering if I'm doing something wrong.
A typical breakfast is
2 slices homemade multigrain toast
1 egg
2 turkey sausage
1 cup strawberries
8oz greek non fat plain yogurt
water
Any advice would be great! Thanks

Dianne

It's perfectly normal to continue to lose in P3. Just make sure your calories, carbs and fat intake are within the P3 guidelines. I'm sure you're doing perfect!!! Enjoy!

Mct is medium chain triglyceride oil, which is made from coconut oil.

I drink a tbsp before I work out. It is supposed to help with fat burning in ketosis.

I use olive oil and coconut oil, depending.

Momto2cs,
Thanks but if you don't mind my asking, "depending" on what?
thanks!

I use coconut oil for cooking. Olive oil for salad dressing.
Although I do put olive oil on my asparagus and roast it in the oven.

I have really found the need to add fat to my diet as I have lost body fat.

Do you think you lose more weight using coconut oil over olive oil?

thanks,
Chloe

Hmmm. No. I think the fats are similar for weight loss. I think I have been burning more fat using the mct oil, though. I have leaned up a bit more and my bodyfat was 15.5 at my last weigh in.

I think those scales are in accurate, but I believe the downward trend.

Miomto2cs,
Thanks for taking the time to respond on this. Question though, if you are burning more fat, wouldn't weight loss follow?

I think I might have to lock the sugar monster up forever too! That description fits me perfectly. It starts with sugary treats on my "free" day, then it slowly and insidiously expands into almost a daily thing. I'm reaching the point where I have to exercise to offset the sugar. I must be just too prone to that particular addiction and need to cut it out all together except for maybe Christmas! When I think back to Halloween and not eating one piece of candy and compare it with a full week of gobbling Easter candy, it's a sad reality check. I won't be hitting my year of maintenance on track if I keep this up.

Thanks for the Old Navy tip Jelly. You are looking great! Are you still going to Danita? I haven't been in for a long time. I need to stop in. The clinic is on my run route anyway.

I work out pretty intensely. I think I continue to gain muscle. That's what the tanita scale shows as well.
Perhaps the burning fat/ingesting fat is compensating by providing me with an energy balance....

There are so many hormones involved in weight loss it is difficult to tell what's happening.