Maintainers Vol 9
 

Thanks Wuv :)

Thanks WUV. It has been a hectic few days..too many meetings.
I am working on getting a few pounds down so I am on the low end of my range.


Ishbel: I have no experience with spirulina. Your VIP is getting close to goal..Great.

Sonyainava: I would also consider quinoa a carb..but try it with the avocado..even if the avocado is a fat. If you go up I would take out the avocado or drop back to only one half cup of carbs..not one.

Evapet..See you soon! Good luck on your phases and getting where you want to go.

Hi Maintainers, I've been posting a lot in the reboot thread. I had a month of doing what I want and it caught up to me. It's all good 'cause it was fun! And now I know how to get it off (I love that part of this "diet").

Have a great day all!

Maggie

Maggie. Ip gives us the tools to reboot and lose when we need to. That is why I love IP. I am glad your reboot is going well!

Hello volume 9!
I went to another Christmas party last night. That was definitely my cheat day! Must drink lots of water today!

Wonder what ever happened to jellymae, pixlkitty, linden,itsabout time(lindsey)and where are you capricious????????

Yes. I hope they are all out there maintaining and enjoying life!

Hey Hey Everyone,

Hope you all had a great weekend. Put up the Christmas tree this weekend and numerous other decorations. Smushed the VIP's and my decorations together, I don't think Vadar (his decoration) intended on protecting a pink castle (my decoration)! But hey its cute and it works and it makes me laugh! :)

SO, not sure if anyone but maile saw my query - does anyone use spirulina??

New Englander - There is always Phase 1 to fall back on, I know you'll do well :)

Determinedat47 I often wonder that too, lindsey had a blog on her signature, maybe you can find it if you find one of her posts. I always insert 'Star Wars' in a hope to bring cap out of lurkdom (if she's there).:wave:

Here's a great quote from Beck Diet Solution:

Monday Motivation: There is a big difference between things that are really hard and things that are impossible. If you feel daunted by the prospect of losing and maintaining weight, remind yourself that it is a matter of learning and practicing (over and over again) necessary skills, not an impossible feat. Telling yourself it’s impossible is an excuse to give up. Telling yourself it’s hard but worth working on is a motivation to keep moving forward.

Isbel, that was a great quote from Beck.It is a matter of learning and practicing over and over again.

Determined: I also wonder how many of the people who do not post are doing.I wish them well and hope they are happy.

The Xmas parties are starting. I love the comment that Xmas is only one day..not a month of indulging.

Hello Maintainers,
I'm taking the plunge and dumping ALL my "way too big now" old clothes. They are having a professional clothing drive at my office this week so I'll be making a major contribution. But I've almost nothing left in my closet.
I've only been in maintenance about a month but I'm determined to maintain. It's scary getting rid of everything but I don't want to give myself any room to grow back into them.

Good morning! I'm coming out of 'lurkdom' on this thread now, as I am on my 2nd day of P3, and feeling good (other than a sinus infection). Have had LizRR's Peachy Bread Pudding these past 2 mornings (made a double batch) - mmmmm:D Still figuring out the rest of my breakfasts, but looking forward to maintenance in a couple of weeks!

Have to admit, up until about 3 weeks ago, really thought I had this program down and had learned how to control my urges to eat off program (emotional/stress eating. Even though I am post-menopausal, IP has played havoc with my hormones!). Lately it has been soooo hard to stay OP, and in fact I did have a couple of minor cheats. Goes to show that I have to ALWAYS be on my guard; and don't get over-confident. I'm going to check out some gyms in the area this week and get the schedule of classes at the Sportsplex. It's time to tone & strengthen these weak & flabby muscles - LOL.

Have a great Monday!

Greeniris: I think we will all always have those urges for food that need to be controlled. The other day I was depressed as I was sick of endless days of freezing fog. As I drove home I told myself that I wanted something very good to eat. Now this is comforting yourself with food. However, I was not bingeing or going off. I just made one of my favorite low carb meals.

cb170: Getting rid of those large clothes is a sign that you believe in yourself and your ability to maintain. Good for you!

Have a great day maintainers.

Hope everyones been well, i have suddenly found myself on the higher end of my safe zone! Tom is also over a week late, still surprising that my cycle is still off sometimes. I have been lax on some P4 guidelines, but havent gone off the deep end, i definitely need to plan and track my meals better though. It is easy to "lose count" when things get busy! I am running the Dallas Half Marathon Sunday morning and feel great!

I did my morning run today, might try to squeeze in a bootcamp tonight if i get home in time. I made butternut squash need & ricotta pancakes this morning...yum!

Hey maintainers. I am about to join you all here real soon. Starting p3 next Monday and planning in starting maintainence on Xmas eve. Have been bak on phase 1 since the 25th and am down another 6lbs after phasing off for three days to enjoy thanksgiving and then getting back in with it. My question is how long do you do phase 3 for before going to maintainence again? Do you do your time in phase 1 until you get to goal, two weeks of 3, and then onward or do some of you jump back into maintenance right away after phase 1? I am traveling for Xmas and would like to have a balance of eating what I enjoy within moderation and also maybe doing some phase 1 days to keep things in check and maybe even loose a pound or two.

Hi all - just thought I'd check in since I start my second week on P3 today which means uh oh for this day next week. I still kind of feel like IP just cuts you loose at the most important moment. I think I'll still be doing the P3 Meal Replacements (that I posted about earlier) and some restricteds for a while.

My Coach amazes me - she lost about an extra five pounds in maintenance and never gained a pound and it's been a year - and she doesn't work out. I am definitely working out again and I hope I can stay where I am at. But I'm scared - I do love to pig out and am afraid of the urges to do so. I'm having one right now and counting the minutes till I can have my IP soy snack - what is it going to be like am not restricted to having an IP snack - what will I reach for?

Hi, all! Finishing phase 3 this week and going to phase 4 on Monday. Can't wait! I am thinking I'll basically be doing phase 3, with some additions - nuts and fruit for snacks, a bit of cheese here and there... Loving my breakfast and it's going to be hard to give it up to do a phase 1 day following a cheat day.

I have learned so much from reading the maintenance threads - thank you!

Hi all. Phase 4 is going well. Just have a tmi question for you- my period has been mia since October when I started ip. I'm hoping its just my body adjusting to loosing weight so quickly. (Not pregnant!). I'm worried it might have to do with body fat % since my weight is in the healthy range. (Last weigh in body fat was 15.2%. I'm not a athlete and did not want to get too low). Any experience with this? I was going to give my body until January before I make a doctor appointment. I've never had cycle issues before and have weighed 121 most of my adult life up until the past 2 years. Thanks for your help!

Welcome new maintainers! :D

How old are you?
Besides the diet messing with things, sometimes our bodies make adjustments at various ages. Because 121 is arguably at the low end of the range for your height--even though it was your formal normal--AND your body fat is very low, the combination of the low weight and the low body fat % might be coming into play.

I did read where some girls/ladies lose their periods when they fall below the threshold for them -- in some cases that was 20% bodyfat (sorry, don't remember what site).

From Dr. Weil's site: For a woman of 25, a healthy range of body fat would be between 21-32 percent. This can increase slightly with age, to 23-33 percent for women between 40 and 59 and to 24 - 35 percent for those over 60.

That site also says that 12% is considered essential fat, and 13% to 18% is the minimum range that will support periods.

In general, if you have energy and your period is regular at a "low" bodyfat, then you are OK.

Others on this site have mentioned their periods taking some time to come back. To me, your plan to give it until January makes since as you were "dieting" for two months and you will then be eating on maintenance for two months.

In the meantime, lay off the cardio, assuming you are doing that.
What does a typical P4 day look like for you?

Infoplease- thanks so much for the reply. I'm 31. I stopped working out when I started ip in October. (I preveouosy did Yoga or barre method 2-3 times a week- nothing strenuous. I got burnt out running after my last half marathon in July)

When I started IP my body fat was at 22% so even though I weighed 136 my body fat wasn't too high. I want to have kiddos maybe in the next few years and don't want to mess with my fertility.

Tipical day- breakfast fage 2% yogurt with granola and a apple. Snack muscle milk light, lunch panera avocado chicken salad (dressing on side). Snack almonds or string cheese, dinner some sort of protein veggies & brown rice or other starch & red wine.

OK.
One theory is supported--things got a little out of whack for you at age 30.
There is something about the 5s (25, 30, 35...) where bodies make adjustments (or maybe just where we notice them).

I don't think 15% bodyfat is going to be compatible with fertility for you. Is your typical adult body fat at 22% or was it lower until about 2 years ago?

As an aside, with IP you definitely lost mostly body fat, 13 lbs worth!

I can do some looking but maybe you might want to shoot for a total lbs of fat, maybe 20 to 25lbs (my coach likes to see women no lower than that). You're at a little over 17.5 now and that would seem kind of low to support a baby, don't you think?

The body fat percent stuff isn't exact, of course. Do you feel great/energetic and love the way you look now or are you thinking it might be a little bit too thin? Do you think the body fat percentage numbers are about right, or too low or high?

Infoplease- I feel much better once I went to phase 2-4. I did phase 1 for 3 weeks and that last week my body was DONE. I was tired and didn't feel right. The problem is that I ended up losing more weight in phase 2 & 3. (I was expecting to gain back the 2-3lbs of glycogen or whatever) At 118 I look healthy- I'm probably a 4 in pants or maybe a tight unbuttoned 2 at the Gap down from a 6 so I'm not super skinny.

This is going to sound dumb but any suggestions to up my body fat a little?

YIPEE!! I'm officially here! Phase 4 starts NOW!!!

Sadly it's 7:00 and I have NO IDEA what to make myself for supper. I will have to look around for phase 4 - no IP recipes on 3FC tonight. For now - maybe eggs with toast and then a salad. I think writing down everything I eat and all the nutrition info. is going to be a HUGE pain. I had a hard time writing down my breakfast, and this is so much more.

Almost forgot - When can we stop using extra birth control. I told DH I would ask today but didn't think of it when I was with my coach.

I assume you can try to get pregnant any time now that you are in phase 4. If it happens than just stop the phase 1 days.

15% bodyfat is very low. I am under 20% and also rarely have Tom, and if I do it is very light. But I exercise a lot...and am quite muscular.

If you want to get pregnant you may have to reconsider your goal weight...you should discuss it with your doctor. 120 pounds at 5'6" is pretty thin.

Good luck!

Mom, I wasn't clear! No baby- I'm on BC pills but using back up. Do we still need the extra BC to avoid a baby?

I think they way to do it is to up your maintenance intake a little.
You could either do it by increasing the portion sizes of what you are currently eating or add something. Maybe a couple of tablespoons of ground flax seed on your yogurt at breakfast or a tablespoon or two of peanut butter? Add a fruit at dinner? Double the size of your snack (both nuts & cheese or 200 calories of nuts or cheese? Or, make sure you get a minimum of 150g of carbs?

Although quality of food really does count, there is still a calories in/calories out element as well.

I think adding fat could be done just by coming back up to the number of calories to support 121, which could be anywhere from 1210 to 1815/day.

I've also read where there is a kind of bonus week, where you've been in ketosis long enough that your body still burns fat even though you have added back sufficient carbs. Things might level out a little without any extras as you continue in P4, too, especially if you have a lot of "fun" on those "fun" days.

Not sure if any of that is more confusing than helpful. I am still working on the balance of food, exercise and timing, while not devoting the vast majority of my time to the whole thing.

slow2lose Welcome to maintenance! To respond to your question on the threads - I do a phase 1 immediately following my cheat day. I've found if I don't my body tends to hang onto the extra calories (and I've been told that the longer the glycogen stores are in your body the more change your body will assimilate them into fat...is that true or not?...if I don't have a good Ph 1 day then I see it on the scale...so for me it's true). I don't think you'll find one day of Phase 1 that hard with how busy you're going to be working on it. In fact, I find it hard when I'm doing it on a Sunday and have nothing to do. Good luck!

LoriKay Welcome to maintenance - personally I would stop the BC pills...your choice ultimately..have fun! :D LOL

Kate1188 Welcome to maintenance! Agree with infoplease reference your query about adding more cals.

Lizzy63 Welcome to maintenance!

So I'm up on the higher end of my range (not a usual number I see on a Wednesday morning) so it's a shake this morning...I find that when I don't have my usual breakfast I get kinda cranky about it. I had to do some internal talking today "it's ok, it's just something you have to do and it's only ONE morning". Anyone else get like that?

I think it's not a big deal but even after 7 months I still look forward to my Phase 3 breakfast that I eat EVERYDAY...(except for Phase 1 day on Sunday).

Hope everyone has a great day! :)

Potassium Question
 

The bottle says to use this one only if your needs are not met by a balanced diet. Feeling like I have a fairly balanced diet in phase 3. When did all of you stop taking this supplement?

I will likely continue with a multivitamin and calcium.

I stopped right after Phase 3 and continue taking one multivitamin, omega three and a calcium (personal choice though). :)

I stopped all the supplements as soon as I started Phase 3. Not on anyone's advice, I just hate taking pills. I also cut my water back to 6 a day.

I still take the supplements when I remember as I continue to eat very low carb.

Lol. I think you can stop the extra birth control. To be honest, I relied on the pill the entire time. I went through a lot of home pregnancy tests as my Tom has really been screwy.

I think the real problem time is during the initial fat loss when more estrogen is released.

Thanks mom, I don't like to take risks in that area!! I've heard about too many IP pregnancies!! I'll go back to the pill only and pray that's enough!

Good evening!

I know I'm not in the maintenance phase just yet...I still have 8 days left on phase 3. But I do have a question for you experts! I will be traveling (flying out of state) next week (I will be on my last 3 days of phase 3). My husband will be in the hospital, so it won't be a fun trip. I am very nervous about those last three days of breakfast. I'm going to pack some english muffins and some peanut butter. I'm just hoping that the hotel's continental breakfast has good, healthy items..like my strawberries, yogurt (or milk), and hard boiled eggs. If not, I may have to try & do some grocery shopping for those few days. I'm hoping that I can get by with my lunch & dinner by choosing lean protein + veggies. I might throw in a few extra IP foods just in case I don't come across anything healthy. Any ideas?? :?:

Sorry to hear that your DH has to be in the hospital.

I would call the hotel and ask what's available for breakfast so you can be prepared. They could also tell you if there's a grocery nearby. They might even be willing to accommodate if you tell them you're on a restricted diet.

You could also take IP cereal packets with you for breakfast. You do not have to always eat a P3 breakfast. Good luck. I hope your husband's surgery goes well.

So I was talking to my close friend yesterday about my self talk for breakfast (posted yesterday) "I miss my berries but I know it's only for one day". She looked me dead straight in the eyes "and now you know what its like to maintain" LMAO

As shocking as it may sound you can't hear her voice inflections and the laughter that occurred afterwards. She totally re-framed it for me...it was awesome to have that said to me. It's like I'm part of a club! lol

Thanks for your advice & well wishes Lizzy & Maile! My husband will be having back surgery, so I do hope that all goes well for him! :)

I did call the hotel early this morning...and I feel relieved! They do serve fresh fruit & 1% cottage cheese for breakfast (but he did say that a lot of the foods are higher carb). However...what REALLY made my morning is when he said that there was a Whole Foods & a Walmart within 2 miles (their shuttle will take us there!) So I'll just stock up on my healthy berries, Chobani yogurt & etc. while there. He also informed me of restaurant possibilities. I'll still take plenty of emergency supplies, but I do feel better! :D

Congrats Ishbel for being one of "the club!"

Sure hope his surgery goes well and that he has an excellent prognosis! Good luck. And it looks like you got some great advice, and have a plan in place now for your meals.

LOL - guess it is in how we look at it. And it's great that you have a good friend on the journey with you!

P3 is going really well; am on my 5th day of it. Just realized that I can have ALL veggies now! Whoo hoo - having corn tonight with my turkey burger, rutabaga fries and salad! (Sometimes I think I'm obsessed with food - between all the planning, shopping, prepping & preparing, plus occasional cravings for taboo stuff - it takes up a lot of my thinking time. Sure hope it all becomes 2nd nature in the near future so I feel like I have my life back:dizzy:)