Hi guys! I am starting phase 4 next week. I had reached my initial goal awhile ago but decided to lower it. I think I am finally there. I'm very nervous about maintenance. Not that I will cheat but more that I get so excited about losing, that I won't feel defeated by just not gaining. Sounds strange I know but it's a head game....

I am going to try a p2/3 type day and add a fat at lunch and a carb at supper. I will give it a shot and see how it goes.

I'm the lowest weight I have ever been in the last 35 years of my life! I have no plans of screwing that up!

I hope to stay posted and get great advice from all you "maintainers"!

Maxxy: I am also the lowest weight I have been in many years. You have done well and I know you will be a success on maintenance. It is scary at first but it gets easier.

Epap: I hope your new plan goes well. Thanks for sharing that hot chocolate idea with the almond milk. Nice low carb food.

Evepet: Hawaii was sunny and warm. I am not adjusting well to the ice and cold.

Epap, I just love almond milk with granola. I never even thought of making hot chocolate with it! Thanks for the tip. I am going to try it this weekend. It is minus 6 right now, with a minus 28 wind chill. Hot chocolate sounds good.

Maxxy, congratulations on reaching maintenance. I agree with Maile, it is scary but gets easier. I have been able to maintain so far and realize it is an ongoing journey and I must be diligent and not get lazy. The important thing is to continue to keep good foods in your fridge and pantry.

Have a great day all!

Awesome explanation! Thank you!

Another question. Has anyone been told approximately how many calories to eat in Maintenance?

Women: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men: 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Next, take that number and multiply it by the number that corresponds to your daily activity level:

Sedentary (little or no exercise) - 1.2
Lightly active (light exercise/work 1-3 days per week) - 1.375
Moderately active (moderate exercise/work 3-5 days per week) - 1.55
Very active (hard exercise/work 6-7 days a week) - 1.725
Extra active (very hard exercise/work 6-7 days a week) - 1.9
The final number you have is the number of calories you need per day to maintain your current weight. If you want to gain weight, you'll need to consume more calories, or burn fewer calories; and if you want to lose weight, you'll need to eat fewer calories or burn more calories by increasing your physical activity.

Sarita....I started with this (found it on the maintenance section of 3FC but someone at my TOPS group mentioned the same thing),

Weight x 10 for Sedentary persons.
Weight x 11 for a little exercise.
Weight x 12 for moderately active persons.
Weight x 13 for fairly active people.
Weight x 14 for very active people.
Weight x 15 for extremely active athletes.

And figured out what was good for me, mine was on average right with the above. Some days I was higher and so the other days I'd bring it lower thru good choices.

Sarita - I just picked a reasonable place to start, using a formula like Ishbel's. Then I monitored my eating on MFP and weighed weekly. If I was going up, then clearly I needed to cut back on calories and vice versa. By doing this, you will find the right calorie level before too long.

Hot chocolate sounds great! I love my almond milk!

Day 1 of maintenance....scary! I did manage to lose a pound through phase 3, which is strange but I will take it.

I plan on doing a phase 3 type day as a normal routine and add a little fat at lunch and carb at dinner and see how it goes. I need to do some research on phase 4 meal planning. I'm excited but oh so scared! I've worked way too hard to regain. I may have a million questions, so look out!

Maxxy: I was also terrified and had to tell myself that a one pound gain did not mean I had gained all of my weight back. It felt like it though for awhile. It helps to give yourself a range to stay in instead of one exact weight as you will fluctuate. I lost weight in Phase 3 also. I think EPAP's advice to Sarita was right on and simple. Remember this is a learning process.

It is exciting. The best thing about IP is that it gives you tools to maintain.

Is it ok now to add other veggies like carrots etc? Do I have them only at certain times? And fruit more than once a day is ok or not recommended?

My phase 4 sheet says that there should be 3 snacks a day. Does anyone do this?

Maxxy - any veggies are fine - I was so excited about carrots! That was in my plan for my first day of maintenance.

I also lost in phase 3. They tell you that you will gain, but there are many here who did not.

It's all up to you. I often do have 3 snacks a day, and sometimes fruit more than once, but not every day. It's just a process of figuring out what works for you. Try different things and see how it goes. I find it's easier to eat healthy when I eat frequently. If I have a healthy snack, cookies and junk I don't need are easier to resist.

Maile -

I think it was you that mentioned being binge free for a long length of time. I know you also read a variety of books on maintaining and often have helpful quotes.

I've have been struggling the last week or so with some binging behavior. I have been maintaining for about 3 months and then had a planned fun day: I had a dinner that was higher in carbs including wheat which I avoid and a dessert after my dinner. after that I found/allowed myself to make poor choices frequently for almost a week.

I know the carbs fuel cravings I just can't figure out why I couldn't hold strong and resist like I had been doing. I also just rejoined the Y and have been working out daily but find it makes me hungry and I have found some healthy snack foods that I like too much and end up eating too much of lately. I'm going to need to keep them out of the house.

I've gone back to Ph 2 like eating for a few days now and feel much more in control again.

Any advice from you or anyone else may have would be greatly appreciated.

This thread is a great inspiration!

On my way - someone somewhere had recommended the beck diet solution for sabatoging thinking and binge eating its cognitive therapy to help train your brain I have bought it and am slowly working through it. I've only been in maintenance for a couple of weeks and hope this book helps. I've been doing pretty well but did have one bad night of poor choices which wasn't a "fun" day. I chose not to let it get the best of me and have decided to just carry on and not dwell. But to try and understand why that night I just couldn't hold it together.

I am wondering what people do for snacks. Big breakfast holds me till lunch, and lunch seems to hold me till after work. But I do find I am hungry after work and on weekends which I realize might be more psychological then actual hunger.

I know the recommendations are cheese fruit veggies nuts ect. But if supper is carbs Can I have some cheese after work or is that to close to the carb meal, how much time should there be in between. Any examples of what and when people snack on would be helpful.

Sorry for the long post.

Onmyway - sad to say, but there are some things that are very difficult for me to handle - I just don't know when to stop - cocoa roast almonds and most any variety of Ben & Jerry's come to mind. I feel like I should be able to have small portions, but never works out that way, so I just don't have them in the house, or only rarely. And I know what you mean about the carb cravings - one bad choice seems to lead to others. Not sure why, but I know it's true.

Wesstrom - have not read Beck Diet Solution yet. Snacks for me are generally between meals and in the evening before bed. I have not found that the timing of carbs and fats makes much difference. (Sorry, I know this is not the rule.) Some snack ideas - a shake (sometimes with PB2) or bar, celery (sometimes with hummus), Granny Smith apple, greek yogurt with berries, 1/4 cup of nuts, baby carrots, pepper slices. Oh - almost forgot - sometimes homemade frozen yogurt or ice cream with no sugar.

Maybe Patns will put Beck Diet Solution on her list for the book discussion thread soon.

Lizzy thanks so much the snack ideas that's the info I was looking for. As of yet I haven't really snacked, a pickle or some kale chips has been about it, but I think an after work snack would help, and I like variety and being prepared.