Oh sheesh, no offense taken whatsoever :dizzy:. I am always interested in learning (or relearning) more!

Well, one more physio appointment on the 14th and then the consult with the orthodontist on the 28th....
Worried that this will cost a bundle in the end. Already it's $50 each physio visit and the consult is free but there will be other charges for the jaw splint and follow-ups.
Just when you think you are getting ahead, something else crops up...

*sigh* :shrug: Whatcha gonna do?

Liana

Ain't that the truth, (((Liana))). I hope the TMJ issues get under control quickly. I have TMJ and am a bruxer, but haven't had any issues in years. My dentist is always aghast, when he checks my joints, that I don't have more problems. --knocks on wood -- Feel better soon, Hon. :hug:


So, I have really been thinking about my maintenance journey so far. It is a bit over 3 months. As I have said, I feel like I have spent almost the entire 3 months reacting to something and almost never simply "being." What I just realized is that I think my struggles are stemming from under-eating and not overeating. Meaning, I perceive myself to have overeaten and then I overreact by P1ing too often and for too long which eventually leads to another binge and on and on. My weight has crept up a little at a time, but steadily due to this process. Despite being a bit past my "scream weight," I have decided to just stop, calm down, relax, and work on successfully maintaining this weight. I need to catch myself up on just eating to eat and to maintain, not constantly trying to lose by cutting back, skimping, etc. Once I "stop the bleeding" and learn how to find a balance with eating without wild swings like that while maintaining my current weight, I will have a good road map of how much I need to cut back and get back to my goal weight. Make sense? I keep thinking I need to get back down to goal and then work on maintaining, but, as I have said, I keep creeping upward. Time to just stop and work on maintaining here first, I think.

One observation I have made this past week is that I almost always feel like I have overeaten and am almost always subconsciously planning on how to make up for that and quickly. I feel this way even when I haven't overeaten, but am just satisfied. I think after being on P1 for 15 months, I grew accustomed to being in a constant state of mild hunger and when I don't feel that way, I am misidentifying it as having overeaten (and that leads me to panic and cut too far back and thus begins the cycle). So, I am also working on dismantling that little misfiring mechanism and feeling fine about eating enough to be satisfied without thinking I now need a P1 day (or 3).

As someone said upthread, it really helps to write these things out. What a great forum full of intelligent and thoughtful people. Thanks everyone and keep up the good work!

All this talk about sewing makes me jealous - never learned more than straight seams, buttons, etc. I always admire people who can do renovations on clothes.

Sylviesgirl, sounds like you have a great plan. Bravo for you for recognizing what you're doing and coming up with a strategy for dealing with it! After we worked so long and hard to get the weight off I think it's kind of natural to panic at the thought that we've overeaten or gained weight. It was really hard for me to not think that if I ate normally for a few days or even overindulged that I was instantly going to put 125 pounds back on.

Morning lovelies,

I had to re the CICO twice to get my head around it and what I gather is it's not that easy when there are a who,e bu ch of different factors to contribute to how one burns the energy. I echo that the first year would be the learning curve.

Mars - I think changing those old patterns of eating, stress, emotional, boredom whatever will be the harder ones to change for me to but l like the AA model of one day at a time. I find if I go off plan now it doesn't last more or I make more of a conscious decision rather than impulsive

Liana - TMJ sucks and mouth pain is the worst. Hope the treatments help and stress goes down. Sending you energy and :hug:

Sylviesgirl- sounds like you are having some great aha moments about yourself. I think writing down your reflections is a great idea. 15 months is a long time on P1 and I imagine it takes a while to settle into maintainence. Trust your body and plan your food each day. Do you use MFP?

Ruth Ann - from reading your posts over the year you sound like you've always been a busy lady. I'm glad you are slowing down this week. I think eating extra protien is a great ide to help your body heal.

Hope everyone else is doing well. The sun is out and it's beautiful here. Hope the weather holds for Thanksgiving. My kids are going to cottage with my parents and I leave for Florida Friday afternoon. Looking forward to bathing suit weather.

Maintainers, I have a question....I am looking at moving to P2 in a couple of weeks then of course P3 and then maintenance~I am having some anxiety about maintenance, so I wanted to ask here...what is the BEST way I can prepare for maintenance? I get overwhelmed when I think about where to start "figuring out" maintenance! Just looking for some of you to point me in the right direction. I want to be really prepared!! Thanks for any insight!

Hi Sally,
Congrats on your weightloss. I'm a newbie to maintanance but found it really helpful to start reading this thread a few weeks before P2 ect. There are a lot of people with lots of experience and great suggestions. Feel free to post your questions.

I found it helpful to follow the IP protocal and read the menu ideas. My Fitnesspal is great for tracking food.
Good luck

I can totally relate. I am dealing with up lbs and go into panic mode. All that hard work and losing the weight seemed easier in some ways. Maintenance is all about balance and trying to use control in portion and staying away from the bad food. I love to exercise but maintenance is about food intake. Exercise can help but I can't rely on it to maintain the weight. Its all good. I just need to keep at it. And it helps to know that there are others going through the same challenges!

Hi Sally,

my keys for maintenance so far:

1. I read almost all of the old maintainer threads to learn.
2. I have one free meal a week and follow it with a Phase 1 day.
3. I post on 3 fc every day.
4. I weigh every morning whether I want to/or not.
5. I drink only water, tea, coffee or unsweetened almond milk (except wine on a free meal day) I used to drink a lot of sugary liquids.
6. I have certain foods that I will not have in the house and will only indulge with company.

Hope these help. Maintenance is a very individual process, but the people here are helpful and supportive.

Thank you! Great list--I am going to write these down!

I second the suggestion to start tracking your food on My Fitness Pal. It will help you start toundetstand your food macronutrients better.

Your list, Slip, is very similar to mine, lol.
I only drink water (sometimes laced with lime juice and a tiny pinch of Mio), tea/herbal tea, and black coffee. Very occasionally I have a skim cafe latte- no sweetener, or a diet pepsi or fresca (usually if I'm out with a friend). Liquor on a funday in moderation. :cofdate:
I weigh 2x week. :goodscale
I post on here a lot, lol. :comp:
I read all the other maintainer menus for ideas. :idea:
P1 or 2 after a funday, or immediately back to lower end maintenance menus if I only had a funmeal the day previous. :burger:
And yep, some foods are just not allowed in my house, unless the company brings it themselves. :no:
I try to do some form of exercise every day (I don't always make that - depends how I'm feeling -since I don't count my stretching routine) :exercise:

Liana

Jenny - enjoy Florida! I try to plan a few days someplace sunny in about mid-March when I'm sick of rain and gray - didn't make it last year but it's on my list of "must do" for this year.

Great ideas you got already Sally. I agree that tracking your food is really important!

I would also put together a few days worth of menus before you start maintenance. Don't go too fast - you don't have to instantly up your calories and add all the food all at once. It's okay to up your calories until you find a good number for you. I think a lot of people go nuts with "now I can eat this" at the beginning of maintenance when it's really alright to be leery of adding in all your old favorites (which aren't necessarily your favorites any more). You have to make maintenance sustainable for you and it takes a while to figure out what the best way for you is.

This is great advice. I used a calorie calculator to figure out how much I'd need to maintain a 165 weight at a moderate level of activity and it said 2050. That seems like so much after 6 months after eating ~900 calories a day. It's funny to try to wrap my brain around that and then think back to pre-IP when I wouldn't think twice about eating all of that food plus lots more.

Thank you all SO MUCH for the great advice! I do already track my food on MFP and plan on continuing so that will help out! I really appreciate all of your feedback!