First day of P3 today. Was nervous this morning about breaking ketosis (especially now that I finally started seeing some losses in P2) but decided to go for it. Breakfast was good, not great. Kind of like my first day of IP P1....I have a lot to learn.

But I also fell off the wagon tonight. Had my monthly book club, which I usually go to and do fine skipping the junk. But there was cake. Cake, people! I ate 1.5 pieces of cake, some chocolate turtles and nuts. Lots of nuts. At the time I knew what I was doing and was okay with it. Now the guilt and full tummy has hit and I am trying to figure out what the heck happened.

My bigger question now is what do I do tomorrow? P3 breakfast?...go back to P1? WWYD? Yikes!

Help!

- I daytime snack only if I feel like it, not as a hard & fast rule.
- Sometimes I have a protein snack after dinner, but that can be a problem for me as post dinner snacks haven't always been about hunger in the past, but habit and companionship with DH or friends who snack in the evening. If I'm going to fall off the wagon, lol, it's as a night snack. I'm not talking about my diary food under snacks when I'm working nights, as I have a small meal at midnight-1am, it is my 3rd meal of the day.
- I make sure I have a protein snack after exercise (usually a Quest bar, a Vega Protein Shake, or a couple HB eggs - since I'm on the road/away from home at that time) I need it or I feel weak and hangry later.

Sometimes my snacks aren't protein, they might be a piece of fruit (if I have 'extra' carb allowance in that day), or very fatty nuts like raw walnuts or macadamias or pecans.
I know the other gals snack too. Can't remember their food choices though,
you'd be able to get more ideas from the Maintainers What Are You Eating thread with posted menus.

Liana

CenTXChk: Hmmmm, this is a scary part to read: 'At the time I knew what I was doing and was okay with it.'
Just a bit of food for thought... why were you OK with cake, candy, and lots of nuts while in P3? Was it perhaps that inner brat telling you that now you've made it, so you deserve the cake, turtles, and excess nuts? I can understand that feeling and have been through that too. Time now to give the brat a spanking and send her to bed, so to speak. Go right back to P3 but use lower carb choices tomorrow, it will work out. Don't forget that icky tummy and remorseful feeling for the next time 'the brat' comes out.
You can do this! Hop back on the horse and carry on as usual, just make it a learning experience!

Liana

Good morning maintainers! Just sticking my head in, as it looks like I'll be heading to P2 in the next week or two. It seems hard to believe that this part of my journey is almost over, and after a mild freak-out yesterday morning I'm becoming more at peace with it.

Looking forward to joining you on the path to maintenance and beyond, I remember many of you writing about phasing off and maintenance when I started on the boards, and how far-off and inspirational it was to read of your successes!

Jen

Lianna- Thanks for the input about snacking, exercise and evening protein. This will be my third time in maintenance, but I NEVER followed it well or for very long. My bad eating habits crept right back after a few back to back cheat days. I really HATED a P1 day after a cheat day so I would start off strong with a shake and then by lunch I was so hungry I would eat a full salad with all the wrong stuff on it. I have GOT TO DO THIS RIGHT.

CenTXChk- I like what Liana said. Just hang in there and wait for your first cheat day to indulge again. And know that most social gatherings involve cake or sweets. Be mentally prepared next time you go out like that. I hear ya though- I love cake too! That and chocolate chip cookies are my favorite.

Welcome JJTx- I have been a silent reader for a little while on this thread and have been posting lots of questions as I have been phasing off. Don't freak out about the new phases. Just take one meal at a time (but keep planning ahead!)

AMBER - Love the bikini photos. You look great! Some others have posted that they wouldn't get in a bikini again. I am originally from Florida and everyone wears a bikini there. So those of you out there who want to wear one, go for it. Do what makes you happy!

Hello all-

Do any of you maintainers have any good book suggestions for maintenance? Ones that you read almost all of it and use often? I never bought the Dr. Tran (is that the spelling?) book. Should I? I have a book about the glycemic index with recipes. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!

if you do some digging online you can find a pdf copy of his basic principles and writings. I liked reading it to understand the ideas behind ideal protein, it really gives you the light bulb moment on why the diet works and is necessary. I dont know if it is awesome on explaining the maintenance on side of things.

Hi Everyone

Bootros, I do some snacks, I try to keep my portions including meals a little smaller, because I seem to do better with the grazing feeling - 5 or 6 mini meals rather than 3 large meals. I keep the same macros and calories for the day in total, just more spread out. I try to do less at night than morning. Sometimes though I do a larger evening snack but it’s often for comfort rather than hunger so I usually will be up a little the next day when I do that. So it’s not an everyday thing.
But I’m really still in the trial and error part of maintenance, finding out what works for me and also what I can maintain without too much effort or blood sugar swings.

The book that has helped me in maintenance is “Refuse to Regain”. I read Dr. Tran’s book at the beginning of P1 and it really helped me then, I glanced through it when I started maintenance but it didn’t really help for that part.

Things here are good, just going along as usual….nothing exciting to report

oh and on a frivolous note - Jenny are you caught up on GOT? I just saw the finale last night….

Read your post, don’t have a lot of wisdom to share.

I think we just have to keep on keeping on - and learn from trial and error without too much negativity but also clear assessment. For me, sugar more than a few bites just doesn’t work, it’s really a lot on my body. Even the glass of wine and few bites of dessert, though it didn’t cause gain, did cause some sluggishness and retention for a few days, and I’ve been feeling cravings for the first time in a long time this week, and I think it’s the sugars going through my system…. I still want to have a few treats like this from time to time within reason, but also be honest with myself about the effect it has on me, and is it worth it. Sometimes it will feel worth it I’m sure. But also have a clear limit for myself - 1 glass, maybe a few bites, or a taste, and fill up with healthy low sugar things that I like. And, having that defined, it was really nice to have the freedom and a nice night out.

I think the tricky thing for you is that you don’t want to slam your body into too much right away - P3 is designed to teach your pancreas how to secrete insulin again …. and only every 24 hours (breakfast) …. so just be kind to your body and wait for two weeks, is my suggestion, until you go off plan.

What I am always watching for is - am I doing something destructive? Like one day about a month ago I wasn’t feeling well, and my reaction was to eat bigger portions and more snacks that day than I needed because it felt comforting, but then my stomach hurt and I didn’t feel any less tired or better. So that was not a good decision. But I learned, and the next time I remembered. Today I’m tired so rather than eating more to boost myself up, I cancelled my evening plans and came home. Better decision from past lesson learned….

Let us know how it’s going.

Thanks Amber! Your reply helps a lot.

I am a GOT watcher as well. Just saw the finale two days ago- UG!!!! I think I want to watch it again. So good! And sad .

I know. Booooooooooo.

lol finally a chance to use all the "bad” emoticons

Oh Bootros I meant to mention also that I haven’t done well with the P1 day either for the most part - maybe later once my body catches up from having done P1 for so long…. mostly I start starving and even if I make it through the P1 day I eat too much the day after because my body is so hungry. So I’ve learned after heavier days to do lighter days, but not over the top - kind of a low calorie P3, or a P2 with a little more fat. I’m still experimenting with it. I want to do a lighter weekend, but within reason - I’ll let you know how it turns out next week.


And quick question for everyone - I just got my bloodwork back, thyroid, Vit D & B12 and iron are finally good, yay … but blood sugar low and cholesterol way off (both were fine when I finished P1).
I don’t have a history of cholesterol issues…. Curious is anyone else has seen cholesterol spikes or blood sugar dips going into maintenance… occurred to me that maybe it takes the body some time to learn to process the added fat and carbs.
They asked me to call next week and talk it through and they want to recommend some things. I really don’t want to take statins - has anyone else taken them? I don’t like the idea at all, and I know cholesterol is mostly genetic, but surprised to see it surface now.

Amber- I really need P1 days to work for me. That will be my challenge for sure because I LOVE a cheat day. But perhaps just modifying my p1 days and planning ahead (which I never did before), I can be somewhat successful. And I know nothing about cholesterol. Sorry

Amber: I had blood work done a few months after going into Maintenance. I experienced a cholesterol spike as well. My doctor isn't worried. She was so thrilled with my weight loss. We talked about what I was eating at the time. We'll test it again next year to see. I've voluntarily reduced my animal fat intake and replaced it with good fats, i.e., avocados, coconut oil, nuts. I was eating a lot of salami and cheese so I'm not doing that nearly as much. Although many studies have shown that saturated animal fat does not contribute to the numbers, I decided to cut back a bit and see what happens. My blood sugars were very good though.

I once had a doctor try to put me on statins and I said NO. Let me try to reduce it with diet first. That was a long time ago when I was still obese and well before IP. I reduced my fat intake then by cutting down on eggs, mostly fatty meats and cheese(read cheeseburgers!) and got it down. But it's never been at the numbers they want to see. I'm usually at the 200 total amount and I'm ok with that and apparently my current doctor is too since my LDL numbers were quite good. I also have no family history of heart disease.

Bootros: I also did P1 days at the beginning of Maint. but I no longer do them. If I go up a few lbs. due to overindulging (read Margaritas and co-worker birthday cake yesterday) then the next day I do VLC and reduce calorie. I don't always see an immediate drop but eventually it goes away. I am too used to my 1700 calorie days and like Amber, I wouldn't make it through a P1 day because I would just be too hungry. I experienced the same thing later in Maint., trying to make it P1 the day after and then the next day eating more than 1700 to make up for it. Isn't worth it.

BTW also a GoT fan. I have time now to finish the last book before the next season starts. I'm glad Tyrion and Dany are still around. They are my two favorites. I have both of the Funko Pop figures for them on my desk at work.