Hi everyone!

Just a very quick post to say that since I'd snuck up slightly over my maintenance weight ceiling (no doubt water retention due to the sodium in Sunday's pizza) I've done a couple of P1-P2 eating-style days. I'm really pleased to see that my weight had dropped back down (about 1.5lbs) into an acceptable 'under ceiling' level this morning. It works!

Like Evepet, I skipped phase 2, but did 2 full weeks of phase 3. No problems with that approach, though I have heard some say they need to reintroduce more food slowly... I've always had a cast iron stomach - didn't bother my tummy a bit!

Of course, by that time I'd been dreaming about phase 3 breakfasts for quite a while...

Evepet: Great going and getting down.

Lizzy63: I also have a strong stomach and may not follow everything as planned.

Ishbel: I am glad you are healing.

Scorbette: That was interesting about choosing a weight that fit your workout plan.

I thought this was though provoking for you Beck Fans.(Not written by me.)

Here is Judith Beck’s take (from her blog (I also highly recommend, you can get her free newsletter there) at www.beckdietsolution.co
m/diet-solution-blog/ ):
“[the] concept of ‘ideal weight’ – it’s the weight that you get down to when you’re eating and exercising in a healthy way that you can maintain. Now this weight may not the weight of your thinnest friend, it may not be the weight you were at in college, and it almost definitely isn’t the weight of the celebrities we see on television. In our minds, your ideal weight is the weight that you can get down to and stay at, not the weight that you can get down to, then gain some weight back, then work on losing it again, then gaining it back again. We just don’t believe that it’s worth getting down to a weight that you ultimately can’t maintain (by either exercising or eating in a way that is not sustainable) because you’ll just gain it back and then feel very discouraged.”

My note:

This is exactly what I’ve been experiencing. Though I can get to 120 or less when I’m obsessively focused on it, it’s not sustainable because it takes too much restriction.

She then goes on to say, “It’s also important to know that most people, when they lose weight, get down to what we call their lowest achievable weight. However, most people don’t stay there! They eventually end up relaxing their habits just a bit and gaining a few pounds back and end up leveling off at we call their lowest maintainable weight. Their lowest achievable weight is probably not their lowest maintainable weight because it would require intense focus on their eating and exercise.”

My note:

Yes, when I’m at 120, I have to focus intensely. I’ve was there when I got married, and for a few weeks each year, but never for a long period of time. I’ve never been able to maintain it.

Finally Beck gives very practical ways to learn to accept ourselves at this lowest maintainable weight, which for me, isn’t the weight I’ve been telling myself I should weigh:

She says, “… you [don’t] have to be at all unhappy with where you are now. In fact, you should be extremely proud of yourself for the weight you did lose and for all of the hard work and dedication you put into it. Instead of focusing on the 10 pounds you didn’t lose, think instead about all of the weight you did lose. Even if you’re not quite at the weight you wanted to get down to starting out, think about…Do you feel better about yourself?...”

She continues, “You can also ask yourself: How would my life really be different if I lost another 10 pounds? Would the differences be so significant? Is it possible that I’m already experiencing many of the things I wanted to achieve, even though the number on the scale isn’t what I initially had in mind? It sounds like it may be worth working on changing your concept of your own ideal weight, feeling proud about where you are, and move forward appreciating all the wonderful changes that have come about as a result of losing weight."

Maile
That is an excellent post. It rings so true for me. 145 was my lowest achievable weight. 150 is probably my low maintainable weight. I continue to put a significant amount of effort into getting back to 145. I expect not one person except me will notice the difference, unless I show you my bikini pictures. Even then...

I am going to print this out and think about it more over this year. I would really like to find some more satisfaction in my weight and body image by the end of the year.

Thank you!

Anne

I agree, Maile and Anne. I got down to almost 140 at one point but settled at 145 and was able to maintain it until I started relaxing my eating habits...I gained about 5 pounds so up to 150 which isn't unreasonable for my height of 5'10". However, I have spent the past 3-4 months or so bouncing up and down from 145-150. I am wondering if I need to rethink my sustainable, maintainable weight?! Hmmm. Like Anne, I don't think it makes a big difference in how I look to others...except that my clothes are a tad too tight and I would probably need to go up a size to feel more comfortable in them, not all of them, depends upon the style and cut. I am going to see what happens over the next few months, spring and summer are always easier times for me in terms of more exercise (longer and warmer days=going outside to run which is much more appealing to me than the treadmill or exercise DVD's) and because I teach online in the summer and don't have to get to campus, my days are much easier to manage especially in terms of what I eat.

I don't have a very strong stomach and sometimes my whacked eating means my system is all messed up--not fun.

I do know I feel better when I eat more restricted=limiting the carbs.

I need to find a better balancing act and quit the extremes of being so restrictive and then going crazy.

Hi

Just popping in to ask a quick question - starting my 2nd week of P2 today, I realized I forgot my meat, so I had a packet - should I have meat for dinner and snack tonight or just for dinner & my packet for snack? I'm not sure how to handle it.

P1 and P2 are very close both in nutrition and calories - I would just finish your day as normal. If you find that you're hungry at your evening snack, have a little extra protein then (maybe a HB egg), and just make sure you get all your veggies in.

maile Thanks for posting that, I didn't see that one. Her thoughts and website and book have definately been a godsend to me.

I picked my goal weight because I watched my mom struggle hard with a lower weight. I got the stink eye when I suggested she move up 5 lbs lol. I think I could go lower but I'm comfortable with who I see in the mirror and happy with the daily choices afforded to me. I still have a mental struggle but if I was 20 lbs lighter there would be more stress I know. I also wanted to take in consideration my biological make up, I was 140 lbs over weight...I need to factor that into my ultimate goal weight. At 160 between an 10-8 and sometimes a 6....I'm in a much better place then I have ever been.

She makes very terrific points! Thanks for sharing.

*wave* to everyone....off to TOPS PRD this weekend, going to make a speech...here's hoping I'll get through it without getting emotional! :/

Thanks Scorbett - you're always so helpfull and full of ides and insparation.

i'm very exceited to move to P3 - those breakfasts are yummy - i got hooked on the cranbery custard, need to see if I can find some cranberries, I tried it with blueberries, but it didnt turn out well at all - too much water I think. I think I might go shopping for P3 food on Friday night and start on Saturday, that will be about a week and a half of P2. I will stay on P3 for the full two weeks. I think that's important.

This was such an interesting post, Maile. Thanks for posting it! I'm going to think about this one.

All is well with me! Still on P3. I'll stay on P3 through the weekend and probably through Tuesday. Some time next week I'll move to P4. I'm almost ready and by then it will be almost 3 weeks on P3 and time to move on. It's very exciting!

I am glad people here liked the post. I love the attainable verses maintainable weight. I am also interested in it as I have gained muscle weight, but do not know exactly how much..so I changed my goal weight up two pounds. Do I want to be very thin and not muscled..or thin with muscles. I am choosing the later. I am still learning but liked her realistic insights.

Here is an interesting view of how women see their bodies: The Dove Beauty Sketches.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=
XpaOjMXyJGk

That video is unsettling, but great.
I also have quite a bit of muscle. My bodyfat is at aroun 18%.
At one point my goal weight was 140. To get there I seriously think I would have to stop exercising and sacrifice muscle. And what would that prove?!

Great info, Maile! I couldn't agree more. Having been at 130 ten to fifteen years ago, I knew that wasn't maintainable for me. (I was at 200+ when I started IP, so I clearly did not maintain!)

Gave it a lot of thought and settled on a higher weight and I am having a much easier time maintaining! I do not feel deprived.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

I love the discussion about maintainable weight levels. ITA with the points made. I weighed around 125-135 from my teen to 30s. Then started gaining a few lbs, and doing the yo-yo thing. Got down to around 140 during my early 40s and maintained for a while... then it started creeping up again. Got down to 148 10 yrs ago... and it crept up again. Reached my highest in early 2012 at 209 lbs, which is what I weighed when I started the IP protocol. I'd have real difficulties maintaining anywere close to 130 - and my Dr. definitely didn't recommend anything below where I am. I knew I'd felt and looked good 10 yrs ago around the 150lb mark, and decided to aim for that again. I'm finding it relatively easy to maintain at this level (although admittedly it's early days). I do think it would be a lot harder and more stressful if I'd tried to go lower though. Plus, I'm already quite bony and lean through most of my body at this weight. The only extra fat I have on me is through the stomach, and I keep reading that it's normal for menopausal women. I wouldn't mind toning and reducing still a bit through the tummy, but don't know how to 'spot reduce' --- is there even such a thing?
----

Had a splurge on frozen greek yogourt tonight - key lime. Yum. Even with a considerable yogurt splurge, I still only had about 1800 cals today - the rest of the day was pretty low carb, and (accidentally) pretty much a P2 type of eating day. It was just what I had at hand to eat. Did my vibracize this am before work, and got some walking in by going to the local supermarket to see if I could find frozen greek yogourt. Had a nice 40 minute walk, to the store and back. So I 'sort of' earned my yogourt. Plus we finally got some spring-like weather today, so I really enjoyed being outside.

Have a good weekend everyone. Cheers for now.

Evepet: My pinch test was fine on the legs and arms, not so tight on the stomach! I think the idea of finding a maintainable weight makes sense and seems to be working for you as well as others.

Momsto2cs: It is so helpful to have your input. I am impressed with that 18 percent lean muscle. That is amazing. I agree with you..keep fit with the muscles and exercising. I found that video to be fascinating but depressing also. Women can be very critical of their bodies..I was amazed at the drawing ability of the artist.

Lizzy63: I agree with you. Find a weight that you can maintain and not feel deprived. That could be a key to maintenance.

Off to clean the house as my son is coming in for a visit. Have a great weekend everyone.