This is a good idea -- I should try it. Do you have something like an egg sandwich? Or cold cuts? I know Liana sometimes has a breakfast "pizza" or the like. I've just really been craving tacos/burritos, etc. (not just the taco salad that I love and have every week) but would like to have them at lunch or dinner. Major no-no?
I use the Pepperidge Farm very thin whole wheat bread and have an open faced sandwich with a poached egg and cheese or with Canadian bacon and cheese. I've also had the bread with no sugar added nut butter and cut up banana (this was a big go to thing when I was nursing my kids so I see it as a "comfort food")
I purchased some low carb whole wheat tortillas so I think I will try some sort of "roll up" (I don't know if I would recommend the tortilla for taste. I am very picky about my breads) which I will let you know what I think.
Thank you, Shasta. I gave into my cravings and had fish tacos with the family last night, along with a few tortilla chips and salsa. Treated that as a fun meal, even though the macros didn't really add up to much more than normal, and so had a P1 day today. Tried the shiritaki noodles for the first time -- yum but kinda upset my stomach a little at first (churning) and then I just felt full for quite a while (maybe a good thing!). Have the other half of the package waiting for me tomorrow.
I think I will try your egg sandwich idea tomorrow for breakfast (with bacon and on this Ezekiel bread I picked up at Trader Joe's).... Though I have to say I really love my same ol' same ol' breakfast that I've had just about every day since P3: Alpen muesli, nonfat Greek yogurt, berries, and peanut or almond butter. Boring, I know Thanks for your ideas!
Hello Awesome Maintainers!
You guys keep me on track :-) I did IP over two years ago and have maintained my 30+ lb loss within +/- 5 lb. Over the last 6 months it has been consistently on the +5lb end...which I was not very happy with. Not wanting it to become +10 lb, I'm three weeks into a mini reboot and down 7 lb... putting me below my goal weight again.
Thanks to all that are posting here.
Grrrr I'm Grouchy Grateful today..... Scale/water retention up 2 lbs - I know it's TOM and also I did hot yoga yesterday which tends to cause water retention - the sweating bothers the body and it wants to hold onto water for the day. Nonetheless I had a nut butter attack last night - only 2 TB but that's 200 calories in a split second I think Andrea peanut butter triggers a little more than almond butter for me.... I thought I'd try having peanut but it may or may not work.
I know part of it is my body just seems to need a little more for these few days during TOM - do any of you have the same experience? If you eat a few hundred more calories during those few days, does it even out the week after, or do you do a P1 day at some point?
I'll see how it goes the next two days....I know right now I can't do a P1 during TOM I think.... it will just make me bonkers.
Of course I was super smart (not) and wore the tightest pants I have today so I'm enjoying my bloated muffin top ....
But...... I know this is a "first world problem" and I AM grateful that this is what I am worrying about, a bloated muffin top on a healthy body, that will be handled in a week, rather than a year's worth of weight loss in front of me. Counting my blessings during my simultaneous grouchiness.
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 04-21-2015 at 11:33 AM.
I have read a few pages to try to keep up with everyone. Everyone is working it!!!!!
We are still in crazy mode (um, as always) about to put our house on the market and house shopping. EEK...not a lot of resting!
I've noticed some questions about fun says. Now on maintenance since July, I find I rarely do fun days. Maybe more like fun meals...but even then i don't feel the need to indulge the way I did shortly after P1. Because of that, I do not do P1 days.
The good news for me is I don't need fun days because I eat what I want (haha...within reason!) every day. I feel like i have the food peace i lost for a long time!
I am also not practicing strict fat/carb separation. So long as I keep my calories in check, I am still maintaining my 125lbs (+or - a 1.5lb). My weight does not swing wildly any longer. If I find I start putting weight on, separating fats and carbs will be my first step to get in check instead of going back to P1.
I hope it's not offensive to anyone to post my experience going "off reservation". I'm certainly not trying to push or sway anyone. I just want to give my perspective and ecperience. Fear of the unknown often holds us back. In trying to find my limits of healthy eating, i have sought to keep exploring my boundaries. I feel when i do this, it gives me the best chance for long term success.
Take care all! I wish i could hang out more...sniff sniff...i miss everyone!
I have read a few pages to try to keep up with everyone. Everyone is working it!!!!!
We are still in crazy mode (um, as always) about to put our house on the market and house shopping. EEK...not a lot of resting!
I've noticed some questions about fun says. Now on maintenance since July, I find I rarely do fun days. Maybe more like fun meals...but even then i don't feel the need to indulge the way I did shortly after P1. Because of that, I do not do P1 days.
The good news for me is I don't need fun days because I eat what I want (haha...within reason!) every day. I feel like i have the food peace i lost for a long time!
I am also not practicing strict fat/carb separation. So long as I keep my calories in check, I am still maintaining my 125lbs (+or - a 1.5lb). My weight does not swing wildly any longer. If I find I start putting weight on, separating fats and carbs will be my first step to get in check instead of going back to P1.
I hope it's not offensive to anyone to post my experience going "off reservation". I'm certainly not trying to push or sway anyone. I just want to give my perspective and ecperience. Fear of the unknown often holds us back. In trying to find my limits of healthy eating, i have sought to keep exploring my boundaries. I feel when i do this, it gives me the best chance for long term success.
Take care all! I wish i could hang out more...sniff sniff...i miss everyone!
Thank you evemomma, being a new kid on P4, I love reading everyone's experiences. I am experimenting a little with mixing macros within certain things, esp. smaller snacks - seeing how it goes. For me it's mostly adding healthy fat here and there, particularly with fruit/nuts or yogurt and celery, as my body seems to be craving that combo at times. Great to hear how you are doing it.
Grateful: I remember something about sugar alcohols but I think I remember it in the Daily Chat when I was on P1. Some people subtract them along with the fiber from net carbs and some don't. I never did so I don't remember what the particulars were. I am watching my sugars via MFP and doing my best to keep intake below 25 gm. This includes all forms of sugar, I think.
Cbl70: Welcome. Yay for reboots! And the 7lb loss!
evemomma: Miss you girl! Glad to hear that you have found your food peace. That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you. Good luck on the house sale/hunt. That can be very stressful.
I took a bike ride on Sunday on the borrowed mountain bike. I only rode for 30 minutes on mostly flat surfaces. When I came to a hilly area I got off and walked as I didn't want to stress the knee too much. By late evening, it was bothering me quite a bit. Also my neck hurt. After doing some reading online, it seems that a different posture is required when riding a bike. It really isn't that easy. You're supposed to rely on your muscles to support your body, not your bones. So, I need to practice posture. At the same time, I have fallen in love with the Dutch style of bicycle. They are adorable. But my daughter, the Portland bike commuter for over 5 years, tells me they are fine for city/flat riding, but kind of useless on a hill. I'm going to go into a local bike shop and have a fitting done and talk to them about what the right kind of bike for me would be based on what I intend to do. I'll still keep riding the borrowed bike to see how it affects the knee. If it bothers me after every ride, then I think I will have my answer about whether I can be a bike rider. In the meantime, I have a lovely hike planned for Saturday and then maybe another bike ride on Sunday. I am also a bit grouchy today because of weight. Up 2.2 lb this morning. No excess salt or calories, but I did do a power walk last night at a much faster pace than usual, so it could just be water retention/inflammation. I know it's not TOM because, YAY, I'm done with that. My doc says I am officially post-menopausal.
I got my labs back and it was good/bad news. Fasting sugars were low, Vit. D was normal(it's usually very low). LDL is kind of high but my doc is not too worried about it. Still don't have the results from the echo cardiogram.
Hi Andrea I like hearing about your biking adventures.
If it helps, I had knee surgery in 1990 to repair a torn meniscus, and part of how they did my rehab is by me biking every day (I also had other exercises to do every day in addition). They said that biking helped strengthen the muscles around the knee. I'm sure everyone's situation is different though....
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 04-21-2015 at 02:47 PM.
Hi Andrea I like hearing about your biking adventures.
If it helps, I had knee surgery in 1990 to repair a torn meniscus, and part of how they did my rehab is by me biking every day (I also had other exercises to do every day in addition). They said that biking helped strengthen the muscles around the knee. I'm sure everyone's situation is different though....
I had the same surgery in 2013 for a torn meniscus. But in addition I have osteo-arthritis and no cartilage remaining in my left knee. My ortho told me to do biking after the surgery, so I got a stationary bike, but a recumbent one. This puts less stress on the knee than the normal position the knee is in on a regular bike. After my most recent knee injury, about 2 months ago, which was PES tendonitis, I just can't seem to get it well. I also do rehab exercises 2x a day for this, both stretching and strength. I guess it will just take a while this time too. I'm not a patient gal. There is only a small window of time for outdoor activity here. In another month and a half we will be in the 90-100 degree range every day and it's just too hot to do things outside.
Liana: A question for you. What is your plan for phasing back to Maint. after doing the reboot? Is it two weeks each of P2 and P3? or something a bit less? I'm not sure what to do about that.
Last edited by catlady1981; 04-21-2015 at 05:55 PM.
Hi Andrea: since I'm kind of doing P2 and Alternative P2 these days, I think I will just try to P3 for a week and see how it goes. I've had some issues these past few days (posted on another IP thread - 2015 rebooters) and am up to 136 today. I know it's not all fat, lol. But I have to get back to serious concentrating on my meal prep. When I am under pressure & in pain, it tends to slide into 'grab whatever I don't have to wash, cut up, and cook.' Which leaves cheese, fruit, and toast. Not a diet that fits into my reboot/maintenance right now. Also eating 120-240 extra fat calories from my Udo's Choice 3-6-9 for menopause hot flashes is a little tough (well actually it's easy, but tough on my actual food choices left calorically). I am trying to go with only 1 tablespoon of the oil and it seems to be working already... the 'hot flash' is just a couple times a day for about 30 seconds and it's really just a tingly warmth. Other than cranky mood swings once in a while (I swore - the BAD ONE - at my DH the other day, about something stupid, soooo not like me) I am doing OK with this and hoping it doesn't get worse .
On biking: it's a good idea to train the core as that is where your support for your upper body should come from, not 'leaning on the handlebars' but strong mindful abs and erector spinae. Hahaha, easier said than done though. A more upright posture will be easier on your neck. I can't ride my tri-bike as much anymore since I have arthritis in my neck - it's just too much extension for long periods of time. I have another bike - a hybrid - that I use when I go on a bit longer of a ride.
RE: Sugar alcohols... I know that not all the Quest bars have sugar alcohols in them - there are so many flavours it's good to check out the ingredients. I don't take sugar alcohols off my carbs total - that's just me - I only count the fibre. I do find I am a little gassier if I use the ones with more alcohols.
Evemomma! Good to 'see' you again, hope your house sale comes quickly. Great things are working for you foodwise.
Liana: I am going to stick to the Alternate P2 until the end of the month and then do a week of P3 and then ease back into Maint. I dropped 4 lbs. doing this but 2 of them are back and I'm hungry all the time. Ugh.
Hah! Core strength. I'm pretty sure I don't have any of that. I just feel stymied at this whole working out thing. It seems no matter what I try it causes more problems for me. I will continue with the walking and hope my plantar fasciitis doesn't act up and the knee holds up as well as doing the free weights and kettle bell for strength. I'll keep searching and trying until I find something that works and that I like to do, otherwise I won't keep at it. Sorry you are in the "hot flash zone". Been there, done that, hated it. I haven't had a "power surge" in a couple of months and it's such a relief. I hope your pain levels go down. Sending good thoughts your way.
Andrea have you tried Pilates? It's a bit of a commitment at first but it has been the perfect thing for me. One of it's "core tenets" (no pun intended) is focus on the core. I definitely can feel that area getting stronger. It's not outside, but I just go two or three times a week, sometimes just one, but it really helps.
Another point I posted elsewhere but wanted to capture on another thread for newer people or people having trouble with their clinics or coaches:
I had a monthly maintenance meeting with my clinic yesterday.
In the course of the discussion, we started talking more about the challenges of maintenance and P4. I mentioned to her that I am finding myself need more social support and information than I needed on P1, and that I found this thread and am learning for others. I also mentioned that it seemed at times I see on these threads that there are other clinics that possibly seemed uninformed or perhaps more financially motivated, and it seemed that people weren't getting the same level of support as I have been given, esp. medically or after P3 is over.
She said that Ideal Protein really does not want clinics to be financially motivated or lack support or knowledge. She encouraged people here to report their clinics to Ideal Protein headquarters if those things are happening. She also said if someone doesn't feel comfortable doing it themselves, to let her know and she will do it for you. You can private message me and I will send you her information.
I am going to post this on the daily chat also in case anyone would like to see it there.
Thanks for your ideas!
- at my DH the other day, about something stupid, soooo not like me) I am doing OK with this and hoping it doesn't get worse 
. 
