Congrats on that PB time, Jenny! Wow!!! I have such respect for you real runners -- have you always been one?
And I don't care much for tofu either but I keep buying packets (because every so often DD proclaims she may return to being a vegetarian), and they keep expiring in my fridge before I use them. Was determined to use this one on time.
Liana, this is such a big time for you. Like Jenny, I don't have a lot to say, just support. I find myself thinking of you as I read through the boards and sending thoughts of well wishes. I don't do well either on strange schedules - it's hard on the overall hormone balance, not just female type hormones but adrenaline, cortisol, etc.
Jenny, I am still down the pounds this morning. I just went back to my normal calorie range yesterday but didn't do the higher density carb at dinner, just did a protein/fat dinner and lunch. I had fruit a few times though so it balanced out the carbs. I'm doing to do the same the next few days, I'm still working out and don't want to limit my calories anymore than needed. Since I'm back at goal I just need to keep it steady now, which likely will mean inches lost since I'm gaining muscle. I still have some toning I would like to do this year.
Emotions - yes, I relate of course. I do a meditation practice where at the beginning of meditation there is a time for releasing any emotions, and then calming happens after that - it is so helpful. They have streaming meditation once a week or so, if anyone is every interested let me know, you can send me a PM and I can send the links.
Andrea, let us know how things go this week.
Hello to Mimi, Shasta, mars, murrcat, everyone else - have a good week.
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 05-04-2015 at 10:58 AM.
Liana, thank you for the links. I've used a few of these calculators and still have not been able to achieve calorie balance. Liana, I hope you have a better week, and are able to go easy on yourself. It sounds like you have a lot happening right now.
I'm waiting to see if my new thyroid dosage affects my metabolism, and pending that may go to one of the fitness places that test RMR, (usually by breath) since I can't seem to figure out what mine actually is. It probably is below what the calculators estimate it to be.
Mimi you asked what I meant by unexplained weight gain--what I meant is that my average weight over a six week period went up a couple of pounds, and my average calorie intake for that period, according to what I "should" be able to eat, indicates that I should not have gained any weight. Since I have issues with my thyroid, and am trying to get all that worked out, I am closely watching averages over time--at least a month or more. I am not referring to day to day fluctuations, or even weekly fluctuations.
In positive thyroid balance news for me...I actually have been hungry lately, which I wasn't before. I see that as a sign that something is working.
Jenny congrats on all the running.
Catlady, I hope your surgery goes smoothly this week and brings you positive changes.
A solid clean eating week down. Happy to know that I can get back on track after a slip. Am trying to add reg. exercise to my plan to cope with my school stress. Our weather has been beautiful, so being outside is filling up my soul.
Andrea, wanted to send happy and healing thoughts to you. Wishing you an easy surgery tomorrow.
Liana, sending you a hug for being such a good daughter.
Jenny, how wonderful that your coach helped you get your PB! I love that you are feeling so joyful about the changes IP has helped you make in your life. Sometimes, when maintenance is a struggle, I forget the simple and wonderful changes. Thanks for the reminder
Murrcat, hope your thyroid levels balance out soon and that your hunger is a good sign. I was starving today! When I was losing that usually meant that I would see a whoosh on the scale.
Mimi, I would never have thought to make tofu croutons! Must have been yummy, if your kids did not notice.
Amber, seems like you have an overall great plan for success. Meditation on a regular basis sounds like a great addition and is something I want to incorporate into my journey.
Slip- sounds like you are in totally control. I'm glad you're enjoying the great weather.
Murrcat - good to hear thyroid is working.
Mimi - started running in Feb of 2014 half way thru P1. I never ran as a teen and was always over weight.
Amber -good work getting back to goal.
I'm still sore and find that I'm drinking lots of water still. Enjoying a nice day off from working out today. Still working at eating clean P4. Today was better, ate more protein.
Andrea, I hope your surgery goes really well tomorrow.
Liana, hope your week and evenings and schedule are starting to get better.
Jenny, I love reading how things are going with your workout.
Murrcat, I am inspired by how you keep going even with thyroid issues to figure out. I still am adjusting thyroid also.
Mimi, we’re still hanging in there
I had a good day with macros and protein, higher calories due to a more extended and intense workout. I don’t like walking into the workout, but I am happy during (for the most part and walking out. I am happy I am starting to work on my core. I have never had strength in my abs and always felt shy and uncomfortable about my tummy, so it’s nice for me to feel like I am doing something positive for it. It’s also really good for me to keep trying new things and see myself in the mirror. It continues to stun me a little - I’m just really not used to how I look, and need to continue to adjust and get used to it.
Have a good Wednesday - Andrea all the best tomorrow.
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 05-06-2015 at 12:58 AM.
I'm about 2 months into maintenance and am happy to say I have maintained within a 2-3 pound range from my lowest weight (I never made it to goal exactly). But, now I find myself in a weird place. I recently went to a wedding and had lots of family see me for the first time since the diet and they couldn't get over how good I looked etc. But, then I got the pictures and I see a fat person in the picture. I still don't really look skinny. My arms are still icky and my stomach is not flat. I saw these pictures and just about died. My brother who hasn't seen me since Christmas commented on how good I looked (and he never does that) but I just couldn't get past the arms and tummy. I went to the mall yesterday and was able to buy some size small linen pants (victory) but when I tried on the maxi-skirts. Heck no, all I saw was bulges.
Don't get me wrong. I'm still thrilled to be 40 pounds lighter. But I'm not now in some super skinny club and probably never will be. I have been contemplating a jump back to P1 but I just don't think I'll be able to maintain anything much lower then I am now. I am also most definitely signing up for a pilates class to work on those arms and tummy.
Did this happen to anyone else? The euphoria wore off? I'll try to post the picture I was talking about so you can see what I mean. Boo hoo.
I'm about 2 months into maintenance and am happy to say I have maintained within a 2-3 pound range from my lowest weight (I never made it to goal exactly). But, now I find myself in a weird place. I recently went to a wedding and had lots of family see me for the first time since the diet and they couldn't get over how good I looked etc. But, then I got the pictures and I see a fat person in the picture. I still don't really look skinny. My arms are still icky and my stomach is not flat. I saw these pictures and just about died. My brother who hasn't seen me since Christmas commented on how good I looked (and he never does that) but I just couldn't get past the arms and tummy. I went to the mall yesterday and was able to buy some size small linen pants (victory) but when I tried on the maxi-skirts. Heck no, all I saw was bulges.
Don't get me wrong. I'm still thrilled to be 40 pounds lighter. But I'm not now in some super skinny club and probably never will be. I have been contemplating a jump back to P1 but I just don't think I'll be able to maintain anything much lower then I am now. I am also most definitely signing up for a pilates class to work on those arms and tummy.
Did this happen to anyone else? The euphoria wore off? I'll try to post the picture I was talking about so you can see what I mean. Boo hoo.
Hang on Shasta! And may I say, lovely new profile picture for your avatar. It will take your body around a year to finish tightening up the extra skin that held your poundage, try to be patient... Also not sure of your age - you don't look that old though, - we may be picturing ourselves at our teen/early 20's weight and let's face it, we will NEVER look like that again with skin that taut. If you are already at your maintenance weight, more P1 will not help. Try to get into a resistance exercise regimen to help the muscles underlying the skin to firm & tighten your look. You can use weights, resistance bands or cords, or use resistance through the water to train.
Just take a breather on your body image issues and if you want, buy the spanx if it makes you feel better, lol. The celebrities you see on the red carpet in their slinky dressed are spanxed to the max, lol. It's just hidden...
Heck, even at my maintenance weight I use em for my jersey/lycra-cotton maxis. And I take size A (extra small). There's a reason they come in that size. Anyhow try to focus on the nice comments from your family & friends, they are seeing a healthier you, and not just seeing parts of you like arms or tummy.
You have been focusing on the fat loss for so long, and now it's like "OK, what do I focus on now..." Patience, my friend....
Liana
Last edited by canadjineh; 05-08-2015 at 02:46 PM.
Shasta I love everything Liana wrote.
I have felt or am feeling most of everything you wrote.
It helped me to read Liana's comments.
You look, by the way, fantastic. Very healthy and vibrant. I noticed nothing but that and to be honest didn't even see anything that looks unhealthy.
My coach did tell me though it is good to take pictures and work out with a mirror and really get to know yourself again. I'm definitely not there yet. I don't have a clear sense of how my body takes up space or how it looks. I didn't have a clear sense of it when I was overweight either, so I figure this is the better problem.
My skin even in the last few months has gotten a little tighter in my problem areas. In the areas where I lost weight first, chin arms etc., it already started tightening during P1.
The more problematic areas where there was the most weight - for me mostly tummy and some upper thigh, my doctor thought might not tone all the way up (extra skin) but to give it a year as Liana said. He also said that going on P1 again would not correct the issue. It does however seem that they are toning up some. I am doing resistance training focused on the core about 3 times a week, and also doing hiking/walking for mild cardio and doing hot yoga for both toning, stretching and detox.
I'll let you know how it goes along these next months.
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 05-08-2015 at 03:16 PM.
Shasta -- First of all, just as Liana and Amber said, I think you look amazing in your new pic! What has helped me quite a bit is to go back and look at photos of myself before I started IP. Ewwww! I have made a commitment to myself (and am now restating that here) that I will never let myself go like that again. You, too, have come such a long way in these past few months on IP -- try to stop and appreciate all the effort and angst you put into it. And be proud of yourself
All that being said, I understand what you're saying. I don't think my euphoria has necessarily worn off (in fact, I'm just so excited everyday to don a new summer outfit that I never would've even considered a year ago). However, I can feel that the 2-3 pounds of glycogen stores have returned (interestingly, though, I have not seen the number bump up on the scale), and my tummy, arms and the backs of my thighs no longer feel as lean as they did before P4. You mentioned your tummy not being flat -- well, at almost 49 and after C-sections, etc., I have resigned myself to never again having a flat enough tummy for a bikini (unlike Liana!). But, at least there is not the perpetual muffin top that I had no matter what I wore before! And at least I dare to wear spaghetti straps again (hated baring my arms a year ago). Just stop and think of how far you've come!
Lastly, I know both Liana and Amber mentioned that going back to P1 would not help tighten things up a this point, and I believe that's right. However, another P1 stint at some point could help in reducing your BFP (not sure where you're at on that -- I know I, at some point, might want to go a little lower), which may help in those pesky tummy and arms areas. Again, though, you have come so, so far already and should be very proud. You really look spectacular!
I'm recovering nicely from my surgery. Everything went very well. I had a bit of a rough time with the Big C, but that is not unusual. Yesterday all I did was sleep. Today I feel much better. I just took a shower and that felt wonderful. They put me on the BRAT diet which is all carbs, so that was making me a little crazy. And because I just had to know, I did weigh myself the day after and I was only up 4.5 lbs. I was expecting it to be quite a bit more. I'm down 1.5 from that today. Eating P3 now and moving around a bit more today. I'm looking forward to taking a short walk to take out the trash and check my mail.
Shasta: I experienced the same thing. My logical brain knows that I was not going to look like Heidi Klum when I was done. But when I look in the mirror and see all the saggy skin, apron around my stomach, major sagginess on my inner thighs and buttocks, bat wings that are at least 3 inches, it's disheartening. I'm 5 months into maintenance and I haven't seen any tightening of the skin. At 56 years old, I may not ever see it. But, I would rather have the saggy skin than be fat. I was thrilled when I went to my company Christmas party in mid-December and I didn't have to wear Spanx. I don't feel as "lean" now as I did then, so I would probably get some to wear with that dress now. So I guess the point is, we both need to give it time and remember that the fat affects our health in so many ways. Saggy skin, as far as I know, doesn't have any affect on our physical health. And I agree with all here, you look fabulous. Take a moment to reflect on how far you have come. Congratulate yourself on a job well done. You've done the physical work, now it's time for the mental work.
Thank you everyone for the kind words. I know that you're all right and I even told myself I should do one of those before and after thingies so I didn't focus on the after and not being perfect. More on how far I have come. But, I keep looking at that picture and it's killing me. I did that same night take a selfie in the brides mirror. It was one of those old fashioned mirrors and I thought I looked so good and I was happy with all the attention and my size 8 dress!! So, I changed my avatar to that one as I want to remember the euphoria and not the negative.
Andrea -- so glad to hear all went smoothly and you're on the mend. And Shasta -- love this pic too! Can you rotate it so we can have an even better view?
Andrea -- so glad to hear all went smoothly and you're on the mend. And Shasta -- love this pic too! Can you rotate it so we can have an even better view?
I didn't realize that the picture was rotated. It's strange as the picture I took was upright and the view on my computer is the right way. Too funny. I'll try to fix it.
Andrea - so glad to hear the surgery went well and you're up and about. I hope the healing process is quick for you and you'll be back to your active self in co time.
Shasta- you look super healthy and beautiful in your picture. I think it can take a while for us to really start seeing ourselves without the distortions. You are beautiful on the inside and the out. I think my sagging skin maps my journey and a reminder of where I don't want to journey to again. I agree with Liana suggestions, try some resistance training of some type and build your lean muscle. I've got the bat wings, loose skin on thighs and my stomachs skin hangs when I do a push up or plank. Pilates is a great idea.
Amber - sounds like you are getting super fit. It always feels great to be done. How often do you work out?
Hi Liana, Mimi, Slip, Murcat, Eve, hope everyone had a good weekend.
I was up 2 lb on Friday, don't think any come off this weekend, so will happ even to buckle down this week to get those up lbs down. I find the heat is making me a little swollen but I can't blame it all on that. I see it in my stomach rrr
If you are already at your maintenance weight, more P1 will not help. Try to get into a resistance exercise regimen to help the muscles underlying the skin to firm & tighten your look. You can use weights, resistance bands or cords, or use resistance through the water to train. 
