Oh yuck!!!! We have had two light snows and expecting 1-3 inches tonight. Then warm again.

Its been a steady march down the scale this week since my weekend trip to the OK wedding. 146+ to 145 yesterday and 143 this morning. Still at the higher end of my safe zone, so another day or 2 of P2-ish since i feel tom coming soon and exercise has been last on my list with my new schedule. I have Thur, Sat, & Sun as "free" for exercise, so i have to be more diligent on my eating, where in the past i would "make up" with a 5-mile run.

Hey lizRR, is there somewhere I can find your recipes in one spot? My coworker is gluten free and I thought she might like to try some of them. They always look delicious-if only I wasn't too lazy!!!

Thanks

It's cold up here in northern Alberta too. Lots of snow and kids are wearing their snow pants to school! I'm hoping for a warm from before Halloween!

Sigh...I don't know what to eat. I was so excited to have my first phase 4 dinner yesterday but after standing in the grocery aisle feeling clueless I just went home and ate chicken and broccoli. (Also due to a lack of time, I only had my usual bar for lunch)

Maybe my brain is telling me I feel safer sticking to phase 3 for the most part?

Do you experienced maintainers think following phase 3 during the week, a cheat day on Saturday and a phase 1 day on Sunday (and possibly Monday) is an acceptable maintenance plan?

CoolChick:
I understand that feeling. Now you can eat anything, but what you really want is the comfort of Phase 1 (or 2) and that Phase 3 breakfast.

As you read thru this thread, you will see that many people do Phase 4 in many different ways. Unless you have some health condition (wheat or dairy intolerance, for example), my suggestion is to try Phase 4 as written, at least for the first month.

You get to keep your Phase 3 breakfast or you can modify it by changing portion sizes up or down, or leaving out what you don't want in the morning.

For lunch, you get your Phase 2 protein & veggie "comfort foods". And, you can have real salad dressing or cheese or nuts or sour cream. Basically, you get to add more than a tsp of fat and it can be a fat beyond olive oil.

For dinner, you get your basic Phase 2 protein & veggie "comfort foods" but now you can supplement with a "real" or "heavy" carb. Try rice or quinoa or beans or potato or even popcorn. Think in terms of a cup of cooked (popcorn I use 1/4 cup raw, air-popped).

If you feel terrible because you've added in some food that you don't tolerate well, then don't eat that food!

Some heavy carbs are good sources of nutrients and fiber.

I am still working to figure things out. But I really like the pattern of having nuts/cheese/coconut & dressing (even tho it's only 1T of lite) then getting to have a serving of carbs for dinner, plus the Phase 3 breakfast.

Now, the fun day is another one that is odd at first, too, unless you have a specific event. It almost seemed like eating just because I could. Then I had a crazy sugary treat day where I felt AWFUL and swore I would not do that again until Christmas, if ever. But you take the Phase 1 day after, then back to Phase 4 and it usually works itself down over the course of the week.

Did your coach give you a phase 4 worksheet?
I attached one like mine that I must have found on this site (I'm not in Fairbanks!).

Maintenance is the hard part. You can do it!

Sounds like good advice. You can keep the bar too if you like it. Snacks are allowed.

Infoplease, thanks for your response. True...I do need to give the proper phase 4 program a spin. It is going to require a lot of thought and planning. Phase 3 was too comfortable for me I guess.

My coach did not give me that phase 4 worksheet. Thanks. I think it will be helpful.

I have dragged my heels through all of the phases. Phase 1 is just so easy.

Loco polo love the pic.

Love your new pic. 125ish looks great on 5'2"!

coolchick: my first week in Phase 4 I was on vacation and practically afraid to eat. Plus, husband was doing this two meal a day thing (I don't know why) so I was living off shakes and salads. I think I lost nearly as much that week as I did my first week in Phase 1. We found this delightful breakfast place with these sort of phase 3 like breakfast plate & a health food store with a salad bar. It got much better when I got home and could follow the menu sheet, plus go to the store and pick out the healthy carbs to try. Still trying to find the balance as I have gotten a little too involved in MFP tracking and need to back off to make it more about real life.

locopollo: I love that pic too! It's like you are the tired mom in the first picture and the hot daughter in the second.

Maile (& the other longer term maintainers): Does the loose skin seem to improve incrementally over the course of the year?

Everyone: What is the "groove" you use for exercise? Basically, if you are not training for a 5k or pushing things to get back within your goal range, how often do you exercise, how long, & what do you do? Do you adjust your food intake on workout days or on the day after?

Can you tell I'm trying to figure some stuff out? Hard to believe next week will be 12 weeks at or below goal.

Thanks for the comments on my photo, guys! I love 125!!! Anything under 130 is good. I hope to stay under that on vacation next week.

On exercise, I usually workout 5-6x a week. When I start to slack, I know it's time to change up my routine. That would be now.

I work out 6 days a week, for at least an hour a day. I have been doing this for about 4 years. I like it best when my workout is just before dinner. I do it for the social and stress relief aspects. Extra exercise does not help me with weight loss/gains.

Most week days I eat phase 1/2, with either an extra packet or 2 hb eggs if I am hungry. I experiment with adding nuts, but if they aren't in those 100 calorie bgs I am inclined to way over indulge!

I do everything, but most days are bootcamp, hiit, spin, etc.