Mars....we must have been posting at the same time since I missed your discussion of euphoria/P1 the first time. I think SOOOO much goes into our reactions to weight loss on P1:

1) eating healthy feels good!
2) ketosis suppresses hunger and boosts mood
3) clothes start getting loose
4) our bodies are changing rapidly
5) our bodies can do things we haven't been able to do for a long time
6) people notice and (hopefully) give positive feedback
7) P1 has a clear "right" and "wrong"
8) the scale and measurements give us constant positive feedback

No wonder we are feeling so great!!!!! It's like playing a slot machine and getting all cherries with every pull.....but alas, no one can (or should) lose forever.

I feel like human beings are fickle. What we pined for soon becomes normal - and we start becoming dissatisfied with ourselves again (maybe about our loose skin, stubborn problem areas, or OTHER parts of ourselves).

As an emotional eater, I am bound to have to find other coping skills if I plan to maintain my weight loss AND deal with stress in a healthy way. I read an article recently on the increased risk of alcoholism in surgical weight-loss patients.....the thought is that one addiction/negative coping skill is replaced for another.

I find that the statement, "I'll be happy when...(fill in the circumstance)" is such a foolish thought. I used to remind myself of that even when I was heavy, because I CLEARLY remember being quite miserable as a young adult with a very fit and trim body.

Someone posted a question on the main thread (sorry, not remembering who) about what the NEXT goal was after losing weight. I find this to be an important thought to ponder....what is my next way of getting that positive reinforcement that I will not be getting with weight maintenance? I need to work on that as I get more comfortable in maintenance.

Thank you to everyone who has chimed in to answer my question. Once again I am amazed to be part of a community that is so willing to help & educate others. I hope to be posting here regularly soon!

That was me! And the traffic was so bad waiting to get in, I had to leave! I'm going back tomorrow but just buying ready picked.

I'm thinking of the same thing. If I can maintain here, I might try and take off another 10-15. I didn't have a slow down getting to this point so I figure my body is still ready to let go of more.

My P3 breakfast starts Thursday. I won't be doing anything exciting. Other than the sheet I have had no guidance for my clinic. So much for the IP direction to have the client bring their menu in. Oh well, I didn't push it as I figure 3FC has given me lots of guidance. She was more than willing to sell me the ideal complete shake if I found it too difficult.

WI past my goal today. Woohoo. Once I hit P4, I will switch to my home scale weight which is even lower since it is before breakfast and naked!

This is the lowest I have been in over 15 years but weirdly on some days I don't really feel any different.

ChipnDip.....How exciting to be almost on P3!!!!! My coach was NO HELP on P3 also...ridiculous isn't it? ESPECIALLY seeing how a few hours on a site such as this means we have more training than the person who's JOB it is to teach IP to clients!

I SO enjoyed P3 breakfasts (and still do...it's what I miss the most when I do my P1 day after a fun day). Be adventurous I say! Once you get the hang of it, it's fun to try different combinations of foods and really treat yourself in a way that you may not be used to. And it's part of the protocol....NOT cheating. Wahoo!!!!!

Chipndip- congratulations on surpassing your goal:carrot:
I weigh in naked at home but with coach bra and underwear right from day one I didn't want the weight with the clothes. My coach doesn't care and I figure she has seen it all.:D

Pishposh- I have never been this low and really can't imagine going any lower. I can see losing inches with exercise but not lbs. You talked may find your body changes with the exercise you add in.

Mars, Sylviesgirl, Eve - so interesting to hear about P1 "high" and I agree Eve that when dieting like that we get constant positive feedback from people, the scale, coaches, our own self talk. In the book "refuse to regain" they talked about how over time people will forget you are a POW, their term for previously overweight person, and you'll stop getting compliments ect..
The book also talked about the importance of goal setting beyond weightloss because it gives you something to keep working towards. So for me it has been the running goals. Next year triathlons ( if I don't break my body this year).

Saw my Dr. today and she said my period will likely return in a few months when my body gets used to the change and it may have to do with all the working out and lean muscles mass and not enough body fat. That's a first for me. I'll do more blood work i a couple months to check hormone levels if needed.

Congrats to you on your below-goal WI, Chip!!! That's fantastic! :hat:

I fell in love with the P3 breakfasts, and I had never thought of myself as a breakfast enthusiast before that. Hope you enjoy them, too.

Hi everyone,

Chip- congrats on being below your goal! Hope you get that apple soon!

Such interesting discussion on the euphoria and finding the next goal to focus upon. So much of life was consumed by the angst of being overweight that there is a void when it is gone. I have chosen to focus my current goal on maintaining. It can be hard work, don't you agree? I have two motivating factors: the rewards that I am giving myself at 6 months and a year and a family wedding next August. I am determined not to be the fat girl in the pictures!

pishposhappelsauce - congrats on P3! I loved P3 and still eat pretty much the same breakfast now. Such a good way to start the day.

I have thought about going down another 10 pounds but haven't decided yet. I kind of want to see how I do at this weight now that surgery is over and I should be released back to physical therapy in a few weeks.

Eve - DH hasn't been up to eating out much since I started maintenance so I'm not much help on restaurant meals, the most we usually do is take out teryiaki chicken. I sometimes go out to lunch for work and just stick to grilled meats and salad mostly. Although sis and I are planning on hitting our favorite Greek restaurant next week for lunch.

ChipnDip - hooray for surpassing your goal, that is awesome!

I get the change in motivation, attitude, etc. going from P1 to maintenance. P1 was so easy - I knew what to eat and what to expect and then hit maintenance and it was, well, now what? I agree with setting non weight loss related goals. Once I get healed up more exercise is my next goal - want to firm up some and get generally healthier. I like slipfree's rewards at 6 and 12 months - may have to plan something good for myself.

Trying hard not to overdo - amazing how much we reach for stuff over our heads, etc. And for me that's quite a lot! I have all kinds of stuff down on counters in the kitchen and bathroom where I don't have to reach - very cluttered which drives me nuts. Oh well, it's not forever.

Hi all you maintainers!

Congrads Maile on your 3 years of maintenance! You are my inspiration. And it sounds like the healing is going well Ruth Ann, happy to hear.

Maintenance is a tough journey in a lot of ways. I've enjoyed reading everyones thoughts on the challenge but it can be done with much effort and planning. Its true about the P1 euphoria. I was so excited to jump on the scale every day and see it go down! And all I had to do was follow those rules of eating, which I did 100% right through all phases.

So, goal setting is what I think works for me in maintenance and as you know for me, exercise is very much apart of it. I definately apply what I have learned as far as carb consumption and combining with fats, drinking my water and eating lots of vegies. This eating plan is what has worked for me when others haven't. What I also learned was portion, that is a big lesson and realizing I really don't have to eat a lot to feel satisfied. Protein is what makes me feel the most content and this plan is what taught me that.

As far as setting a goal weight, I'm seriously thinking of upping my goal 5lbs, but I'm not quite there yet. Whenever I was losing weight, it seemed I'd get to around 160lbs and sit there. My body wanted to hang onto that weight and I'd be so frustrated. But, I've always been a big exerciser so I'm wondering if that is where I should stay. Even in maintenance, a person continues to try and decide. I don't want to always feel like I have to lose 5-10lbs so the conflict continues but my new clothes still fit me with the exception of one skirt that I can get on but its a bit too snug. I'm determined that I will wear that. But, its a healthy thing to continue on working, working at staying at a healthy weight and for me, keep working at exercising which I call my therapy, it really helps me in more ways than just physical.

There are my thoughts for the day! Kinda long but this forum helps a person think out loud so to speak and the feedback is always helpful and supportive and its great to know that I'm not alone in this day to day challenge of maintenance.

Good Wednesday Morning Maintainers!!!!!

Love how active this thread is lately.....since it is my own personal sanity!!!!!!

Jenny....Glad your doctor didn't feel there was need for concern yet. What an amazing concept to think your body fat is TOO LOW???????? I am interested to determine where I am at with body composition as I never got remeasured by my coach. I think I started out at about 30% BF....but who knows how accurate that is? I know I really still have a lot of work ahead of me with building the muscle I lost through two pregnancies on bed rest and several years of a sedentary lifestyle.

Slipfree and Hawaii.... (and others!) I love how you have both incorporated exercise as a means of meeting challenges and setting goals in maintenance. I still really need to work on making exercise a way of life for me. I am doing it....but it's more like a chore for me right now. Before having my kiddos, being fit was something I ENJOYED.

RuthAnn....I TOTALLY know what you mean about needing to reach things all the time! My hubby gets so sick of me asking to reach things especially in our kitchen (which must've been built by Amazons?). Keep up the healing!

I am having a good self-esteem day today! I am wearing my new skinny jeans (who, me????) and a blousy peasant top that I got with my online personal shopping service. I have shied away from things loose because I have no idea how to wear them. But wearing a size SMALL top like this paired with slender fitting pants is a nice change. Yesterday, I had three people say very kind things about my weight loss (and now that I've been at goal weight for over a month, that's a big thing!). One told me I looked younger, and I could've kissed her!
I find that I am easily too hard on myself - so today I am forgiving all flaws and just rocking this outfit!

Take care all, will check in later!

Good Morning, Evemomma! I am loving your enthusiasm today. It's contagious. Your new outfit sounds lovely. I like that "skinny on the bottom, blousy on top" look. Nice when we're trim enough to wear that look without the risk of something thinking it is a maternity top. Rock on!

Well, I weighed today, and it was rather mortifying. I am taking it with a couple grains of salt, though, because I woke up very crampy and I know AF is practically walking up my sidewalk for a visit, so things will look better in a couple of days . . . better, but not "best." Must keep head down and keep going. I started wavering majorly yesterday -- SO hungry. Today's cramps tell me why, and I'm so glad I didn't cave.

Getting back to the P1 euphoria . . . I think it could also be induced somewhat by a hormonal swing/deficit/abundance/imbalance -- whatever the ratios are when you are in ketosis for a while. I feel like it is almost a chemical thing beyond the compliments, new clothes, etc.

Okay, off to finish my breakfast shake . . . I am hoarding the last bit to "fluff out" into a big cup of coffee. ;)

Hang in there SylviesGirl! Way to go with sticking through the hungries! :bravo: I too hoard my bkfst shkae--we do indeed share much in common :) I had the same thing with no drop on scale, tho my body feels smaller. I feel ragged today, no ketophoria, and had to eat my dinner portion of chicken and then some for breakfast--starting to come to life a little.

So many great comments that I will reread when I get my blood sugar (or whatever it is) back up enough to think coherently...Of course I have lots to add!

evemomma---just a big Hooray for You in that outfit!

Aww ChipnDip, looks like I owe you a virtual apple!

Morning everybody... Yeah it's 10 am where I am, and I am supposed to be working overnight 8:30 pm to 4 am so this isn't really enough sleep as I went to bed at 2 am this morning and have been up for an hour. I'm not sure how to work my food today... I may just wait a bit and have a late breakfast at 11/11:30, a midday snack, then dinner with DH and a protein snack in the patrol car at 1 am.
Tonight is my first alarm patrol by myself after the training and I admit I am a little nervous. I did take notes and have codes for the stores stashed away in my phone, but I hope there are no callouts tonight. Just getting around to all the businesses and stores I have to cover multiple random times through the night, and closing up the washrooms at the parks and then remembering to reopen them in the morning just before I finish will be a bit of planning & stress. Part of the problem of course, is that I can't just do a regular schedule each time I go out or it is no longer random and thieves can do some planning. For instance, if I always check the jewellery store at 1:15 am and 3:00 am, they could plan something for when I'm regularly NOT there. So I have to mix things up a bit.
My NSV for tonight will be just getting my comp green tea at Timmies (Tim Horton's for you US people, lol) and NOT getting the GF Macaroons which are drizzled with chocolate. Is it right to plan your NSV?....:?: I guess that's only possible in maintenance, :chin:

Liana

Hi all,

Exhausted today after a very positive parent night yesterday. The cherubs were pushing their luck today though. Sometimes their behaviors just ping off of each other. oYe! Hope tomorrow is a better day.

Ruth Ann, take it easy friend. Every thing in it's own time. Am thinking of your husband and wishing him well too. Lunch with your sis sounds fun.

Liana, we had Tim Horton's in CT for a while. Some of my students have gone to a great camp sponsored by TH in Canada. Good luck tonight, I know you will be fine.

Hawaii, try to see how fall shakes out for you in regards to your goal. It may be okay once the summer fun slows down. Love your can-do spirit.

Jenny, hope things get back in sync for you soon. May be time to add a bit more healthy fat.

Mars, how did the rest of your day go? Did your protein help with your blood sugar level? That does not sound fun. :(

Eve, glad your having a "feeling cute day"! As for exercise, I am a work in progress, lol. I do not enjoy it yet. Gardening is my favorite work out because my yard is three hill levels so it involves lots of lifting, stairs, digging and carrying. Once summer ends and school starts, I have to force myself to move.

Sylvie, way to power through. Look at that scale number as a blessing. You have Phase 1 to fix your mini slide in no time.

Phase 1 for me today. Working to stay in my range and waiting for TOM. The weather here is rainy and raw, a reminder that hot tea was my friend last fall.

Eve-:bravo: skinny jeans. I can't wait to start wearing my new fall clothes. I can feel your good mood coming off the page.:)

Liana- love my Timmies, I hit the drive thru for the dark roast and when they ask if I want anthing else I drive away commenting about the bagels, cookies, and donuts I want. I feel those macaroons are right in your face when you walk in. Good for you for resisting.
Good luck with your first solo patrol. It sounds a little nerve wracking but you will be awesome. No thief is going to want to mess with you.

Slip free- glad your parents night was a success, sounds like a long day. Hope tomorrow is better and those gr 7's behave themselves.

Sylviesgirl- hang in and good work not caving.

TOM started this morning, my not having enough body fat didn't last long :D. I had to self talk my self right upstairs after dinner to avoid going to the basement where I hid the Halloween candy from myself. I probably need someone to hide it again.