I put on lots of weight last year by eating a large bad of chocolate every night - "because I deserved it due to the stress". But I remember my last few trips to an all-inclusive resort - I would eat lots and lots the first 2 or 3 days, then I just could not hold any more. They put really decadent chocolates in fancy forms and petit fors in our room each night. After the first few nights I couldn't even eat that. It seems that my body has a limit for the abuse I want to give it. I usually gain about 3 lbs on such a vacation. (I also enjoy lots of cocktails which I usually don't drink otherwise.) I'm going again on Valentines Day. No doubt I'll be in the reboot thread when I return. But I'm curious to see how IP may have changed my eating pattern.

Hi everyone, I have been dealing with moving my 92 year old mother into a retirement home. I have been stressed and spending time on this.

Fishette: I went to package plans in Cancun. It will be interesting to see hoe IP has affected you. I am so used to eating 2 cups of lettuce and 2 cs of veges that I miss them if I do not get them.

Ishbel: That was such an inspiring post! You have got this maintenance down, girl! 9 months and staying in a 5-6 pound range is a real accomplishment. You have found what works for you and are such a success. I plan ahead also! You are also very inspirational with carefully planning your calories due to your devreased exercsie. I am sorry your hip is still bothering you. I thought I was cold..but -27 is much colder! I agre that rebooting is part of maintenance.

Lizr: I am so excited for you and your baby! Plus you are in terrific shape..being thin and in great physical condition with your running. I hope your nausea is not too bad. I did like your custard!

LoriKay: that is great that your whole family has joined the gym. I was worried about gaining muscle..but now I really like see those shaped arms and legs!

Starshine, Momat 40, and Determined. I know I have a carb addiction. For me, it is a sugar addiction. I try to stay away from sugar as much as possible as well as refined carbs. The only way this has worked for me, was finding low carb foods that I really like. Last night I ate zuchini noodles, finely shredded with spaghetti sauce and turkey meatballs. I was very happy.

Becky81: There are so many maintainers who keep popping up. It is a wonderful support.

Sonyavaina: Costa Rica is sounding warm and wonderful. You seem to have your Phases planned.

Cbl70: 4 months and 6 pounds below your goal is such a success! That is inspirational.

Greeniris: I am going to the gym also. It is just too cold to exercise outside now.

Bubbleblower: Initially I was not happy giving up my packets. It was scary.
You do get used to it...and some people still use packets in maintenance.

Scorbette: Welcome. That is exciting that you are using up your last packets and are heading into Phase 4. Putting my IP shaker away was a symbol of maintenance for me.

I am in my range and still exercising even if it is freezing outside.

Maile, I hope that your mother's move goes well and is over soon.

Thank you so much for your response too. I was waiting to hear from you.

I'm sugar addicted too. Almost exclusively the chocolate variety, thus the M&M thoughts. I think I have to find foods that I adore too. I know they are out there, because I was Vegan and loved the foods I ate while I was on that diet, and was in the best shape of my life. It was stress that had me eating some junk chocolate, and that was the start of the spiral 8 years ago, that led me ultimately to IP.

Do you use things like stevia, or do you stay away from all sweets? I've eaten whole grains for a long time now, so simple carbs that way aren't something I'm worried about, thankfully.

I've had lots of stressful moments while on IP, and I've not really had any real desire to cheat, and certainly not with any of the junk chocolate that is my vice. So that is giving me a bit of confidence that I can stay away from my vices.

And I admire you so much on your journey, Maile. I only hope I can be as successful as you in maintenance, and find my path of lifelong health.

Thanks again!

Starshine..What a sweet supportive message. I spent most of my teen and adult life bingeing and yo-yo dieting..extremes. 3 years ago I began to lose my weight. I started reading about sugar addiction..plus I was worried about my blood sugar. I do stay away from sugar..my fun meals do not include my old triggers of sweets and high carbs. I do use splenda, stevia, and Walden Farms syrups if I want sweet. This may not be the healthiest thing, but it helps me. I do indulge now and then with eating Korean food that might have a small sugar soy marinaade or using a Thai peanut sauce. By eating low carb and low sugar,entering my third year..I have found that my desire for sweets and bingeing has mainly disappeared. I have not binged in 3 years.
I do find that cooking Indian foods using pureed tomatoes or making parmesan zuchini bites, satisfy my need to eat something that satisfies me. Plus I make pumpkin syrup with canned pumpkin.
I have been on that spiral where things got out of control. I wish you sucess in staying on track and finding out what works for you. Vegan eating can be very tasty and healthy!

Wow - great news, Liz! So happy for you!

Ishbel - thanks for your post. It's good to hear how someone that has been maintaining for a long period makes it work!

Maile - Sorry to hear that you have to move your Mom to a nursing home.

Big job interview coming up in a couple of weeks... And I am definitely a stress eater. Have to be extra careful about planning for meals so I don't slip.

Thank you so much, Maile! This helps me a lot, as we have similar backgrounds with the sugar addiction. I'll do my best to stay away from everything sugar. My two different neighbors said once that they just don't like sweet things, so I may take up that mantra. That would get people not to push the sweets, and it may get it into my brain that I don't want sweets.

I'll have to look up those Parmesan zuchini bites. I just bought a book that gives recipes just on preparing greens, so that will be fun to use when I hit maintenance also. I love learning and cooking, so maintenance will let me enjoy those things too.

Thanks to for the good wishes; I'll be using those. And I'll try to have my fun meals not include the junk that I know triggers me. I know that's a losing battle, and I've been there for too many decades.

Thanks again, Maile!

I'm thinking that will be the way I'll be going. It's definitely comforting knowing that I finally have something that works, in case my weight creeps up at all and I need it. I told DH I was getting rid of all of my larger clothes once I reached goal, so there will be no going back!

That is *absolutely* success!! You should be really proud of yourself, and it's definitely an inspiration for folks like me concerned about maintaining our losses for the long term. It's reassuring to know it *can* be done.

Yeah, that's what scares me as well. I'm doing great on IP - no cheats at all so far, and I really haven't had any cravings. I'm just concerned about falling back into the routine of having too many carbs, which seems to end up with me losing control over what I eat. It really doesn't even seem to be about hunger. I think I'll be forever on a somewhat carb restricted diet - especially since I seem to feel so much better when I am.

Oh, I feel for you and your mom. My mom turns 91 in March and she's been in assisted living for about the last year. She tells me every time I talk with her that she wants to go "home." Her condo is still nearby and my brother used to take her there every now and then but I don't think he does anymore. It doesn't help having her 1000 miles away from me but at least that will be changing soon given our planned move. Anyway, I know how stressful the whole situation can be - all around. Hang in there!

I think I may be one of the folks who continues to rely on packets even in maintenance to a certain extent, but at a minimum, I know I never want to get out of the habit of tracking what I eat. I don't want to obsess over it, but I do want to maintain a certain level of awareness since I think it was a lot of 'mindless eating' that allowed my weight to creep up and up for so long. I also know a lot had to do with having red wine with dinner all the time, and I've been giving serious thought to just eliminating alcohol from my diet permanently. I've gotten kind of used to enjoying my seltzer with lemon while everyone gets silly at parties anyway.

I just realized as I was looking at the calendar, that at this rate I should be within 4 pounds of goal by the time I go away in mid-February. I think I was actually a bit afraid that I might be at goal before then and would have to deal with adding in foods while away and facing all kinds of temptations. It's kind of comforting knowing that all I have to do is pack my foods, and I have the 'diet' excuse for not indulging along with everyone else. I do hope I can get myself to the point of not needing the excuse in order to say no, and will just make the right choices.

Maile - thanks! I kind of feel the same way - that putting away the boxes is symbolic more than anything - the next time I buy products it will be solely as snacks and to cover my P1 days when I need them, a totally different mindframe from where I'm at now. I can't wait!

Ishbel - I am totally stealing every one of LizRR's recipes, she is my roadmap through P3! You are also one that I will be looking toward as I figure out maintenance - you have done an amazing job!!! How awesome to maintain such a tight range for so long!

Maile, I hope your mom settles in well. We had to move my mom last year just after her 88th birthday.

It had been heartbreaking for the past several years because she just should not have been on her own and was far too stubborn to let anyone help her, wouldn't let caregivers in etc.
Then she had a heat attack on her 88th birthday and they would not release her from the hospital to go home and she had to accept that she had to go to assisted living. That will be a year ago in March.

To everyones surprise, including her own she loves it. She feels much safer and is much more social than she has been in years.

Now, if she knew how much it is costing her she would totally have a heart attack! She asks my sister once in a while to bring her bank statements but forgets about that quickly. But such a relief for everyone that she has settled so well.
Pat

That's really great! I think my mom really likes it much more than she'll ever admit. She has so many good friends right there with her now, and the food is great (she weighs more than she has in years!). She's also healthier in general since her medications are always monitored.

It's a tough thing for many of us in our generation to go through, but it is the right thing ...

My friend is a chef at an assisted living place. When he was first hired, he got rid of all the canned food and fired all the cooks who only wanted to heat up a can of whatever. Then he would adjust his recipes according to what was left uneaten. After a few months, he was in trouble with the head nurse because all the patients had gained weight! But the owners were happy with the rave reviews. He even has sell out crowds at special meals like Thanksgiving because the visiting families want to come there to eat. Wish I could get my mom to move in there!

Fishette - what a great chef! lovely human being to take care of our seniors so well.

Maile - I hope that your mom settles in well and just sending positive vibes your way.

Carb/Sugar Addiction - Is there a 12 step program where I can sign up? Sugar is my drug of choice. Not decided if I will completely stay off, or have a sliver on fun days.

I did notice that I still need to learn about PORTION CONTROL. The few times I had a gyro salad, I ate and I ate, I was full, but I was enjoying it so much that I could not stop, did not stop myself. I mistakenly thought it's protein, ok bad protein, full of fat and fillers. But I can eat the "allowed" foods.

In the P4 seminar the person stressed on portion control. I had for a while been under the false impression that if you ate the combinations suggested by IP you can eat away. Learning that is not so.

How important fillers/vegetables are going to be for me. I can see myself having some of the IP products to get good protein in.

Ishbel - Very happy to see you maintain in a range, gives me hope.

13 Days of P1 to go, no restricteds for me.

Every time I log on to 3FC...it is always a new group of maintainers. I wonder what everyone over the years is up to.

Patns....Maile....you know what I mean.

Losing the weight is such a minor and easy part of the journey compared to the maintenance...you just don't know it during the loss part.

The battle the battle the battle....I keep winning them....eventually I will win this war and conquer this territory and I will own the "land" not the diet.

In the meantime...holding steady at goal weight...almost 22 months

Hey Darbs and everyone! I have been super busy since the holiday's so it hasn't afforded me time to jump on here, but I am still around. I maintained fairly well through the holidays, coming off a 2 week P1 stint just to "get back to normal" and purge my system of all the junk I ate. I just felt like garbage so I wanted to get back to feeling good and nothing makes me feel as good as P1.

Other than that, just plugging along at life. Work, working out, sleeping, eating... Same stuff, different day

Jenny same with me...just did a 2 week phase 1 to get back to goal.