HI All -
Ive been checking in but finally the kids are back to school so I have some extra time. I've been inspired by all of your maintaining. I started maintenance in July and had two vacations which went really well. I got a bit derailed and am up about 5 lbs from my lowest and trying to get lower in the range. It's hard not to panic - every little thing feels like the beginning of a slide to me.
How long does it take to trust the system? I'm feeling a bit unsettled by the ups and downs and went to weekly weigh-ins instead of everyday because it was starting to mess with my head.
I'm also missing the super lean feel - the problem areas pre-weight loss are feeling a little fluffier and I'm not a fan. This morning I went to Spinning class and was lamenting the little bit of inner thigh fluff I could spot Maybe I just need some more compression in my workout clothes - sigh.
I also think I don't really know what I"m doing in maintenance. I feel like 'cheat days' are unplanned and then the 'atonement' days seem inadequate. I really would like to stay in P3 forever - and maybe that's doable with a few extra carbs now and again?
I feel like doing a reboot but it's ridiculous right? Take a deep breath and calm down is what I'm thinking, but is that a cop-out?
I should be able to exercise more regularly now that school's back in - I'm hoping that helps with some of the fluffiness.
Grateful: Congrats on the additional losses. I've still got about 4-6 lbs to go to get to my happy place. Not being totally strict on P1 is not helping me lose any faster. But today is a new day.
Your observations on calorie reduction when not exercising was very insightful. I will have to try that out when I get back down to goal. I was just sticking with 1700 no matter what.
Andrea: The fluffiness does come back and it's annoying. I haven't been as diligent about working out because every time I do I seem to hurt myself. But I know I have to keep at it. I would give Maint. a bit more time to settle in. Going back to P1, from what I understand, this soon, will mess with your metabolism. You do have to eat in "the real world" and bouncing back to P1 is not going to help with that. Things do seem to even out at about 4-6 months. So just give it some more time and trust in yourself.
Last edited by catlady1981; 09-08-2015 at 01:23 PM.
Down 3 lbs on the third week of the reboot, that's awesome as I expected to be more like 1 lb a week - last week it was just 1 lb after the first week whoosh. So yes, I"ll take it
Hi Andrea.
I'm just 6 months into maintenance. I agree with Andrea (the catlady Andrea 's thoughts. I think it was better for me to spend those months really learning how to adjust my weight in the up and down 5 lbs without going crazy on P1. Also the few P1 days I tried my body reacted very negatively to - it was too few calories.
I did have some issues come up in July with my hormones which caused extra gain, so I am on a short P1 now, and after 6 months my body is handling it fine. I won't have to stay on it long but it's a good tool to have.
I think a lot of maintenance for me has been about body image, and learning to know my body again, and get used to what it looks like. Several people have told me at the end of P1 I got too gaunt, and what I considered the "fluffiness" that came back with the glycogen actually made me look better. I can see that now in pictures, but I couldn't see it in the mirror. It took them a while to mention it though.
I have asked those friends to please give me feedback over time when they think I am looking under or over weight, as most people don't want to say it for fear of offending, but I actually need the feedback from people I trust.
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 09-09-2015 at 11:33 AM.
Thank you for your advice. I am a bit panicked but trying to calm down my mind and make a plan. I think it is very wrapped up in body image for me - the gaunt look felt successful and in control but it is also a bit disordered thinking.
I think I just need to focus on a game plan, make sure I'm tracking the good and not so good consistently. I am hoping that working out will make a difference in some of the extra flab I'm seeing - the inner thighs and the muffin top. I was thinking about a tummy tuck, but the past few days I've been giving it far more serious thought but I'll certainly wait a year before doing any surgery.
It's been hard to shake the feeling that some friends want me to regain and fail, but I need to get them out of my head and ignore them. Other friends of course have been great supports. It's really a mental game at the moment but I trust in everyone's experience and very much appreciate the counsel.
It's very much a mental game, many of us have been going through the same thing.
The skin on the tummy has also been my nemesis, I did go ahead and do three different plastic surgeon consultations just so I had all the information. It really helped me. I was very clear I would wait a year before taking action, but it helped to have the information.
It helps me to keep my food tracked on my tracking app - no matter what I eat - it just helps me get a sense of what is happening, and then when an upward trend appears to be happening, to really assess what might be causing it, without judgment. For example I realized that I was starting to feel hungrier, and then I could see I wasn't getting enough protein. Also, interestingly enough, the days I was having the biggest losses where the day AFTER I ate red meat. Interesting, huh?
I think it's a really good point you make about "thinner means more success" - this has been a really tricky one for me.
p.s. the website "realself.com" has some good before and after pictures and review, etc. of plastic surgery.
One of the things one of my friends told me when I got too "gaunt" was that I lost my butt and when the glycogen came back my butt and boobs looked much better. If you want to get a kick, look at that website at the Brazilian butt lifts. People are paying big bucks to get their butts bigger!
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 09-09-2015 at 02:34 PM.
I'm posting a lot today - slow day between appts - just found another quote from someone that lost a few hundred pounds on another program and has maintained for a while now:
"The maintenance:
My diet is full of healthy foods like salmon, chicken, veggies, fruits, avocado, nonfat Greek yogurt, Quest bars, and skim milk. That’s what I’m eating 90 percent of the time. I use MyFitnessPal to track my daily intake (I average anywhere between 1,500 and 2,000 calories). I try not to eat out more than once a week and avoid keeping junk food in the house. My motto is: Out of sight, out of mind. If I want a treat, I’ll have it, but I make sure to log it and fit it into my daily calorie goal. I’m mindful that treats aren’t supposed to become habits, so one meal or treat is fine, but then it’s back to normal eating.
For exercise, I aim to do one hour of cardio daily and some type of weight-bearing exercise two to three times per week. I use a FitBit to track the calories I burn, and I love how motivated it makes me to log more miles! On average, I cover six miles a day.
Maintenance has taught me that I have to keep my body guessing if I want to continue to see results. The body is so efficient, and it quickly adapts to what we eat and how we move. I’m always open to changing the types and amounts of foods I eat and varying my workout routine in order to keep my body guessing."
Amber..that is very similar to how I have been dealing with maintenance. I have been on maintenance since May and have gone up no more than 2 lbs all summer. I keep my calories around 1700 but have been pretty active all summer so have been able to up them to as high as 2000 cal. I log daily on MFP and try for at least an hour of activity a day.
I try to stay with the "whole food" philosophy, staying away from sugar and most processed foods. I have allowed myself wine..that's been my biggest indulgence but it hasn't affected my weight negatively.
I have battled the battle for so many years and lost and regained on IP but am working through the mindset that this needs to be my new lifestyle in order to stay healthy and not keep doing the yoyo thing.
I strongly feel that tracking what I eat(at least for now), and exercise are key.
Amber - I enjoyed your post if the long time maintainer. They have such a good mindset about food and they have got that balance around living to be healthy and not living to eat. I have found that if I keep my food too strict I get bored and then ver to far off plan.
Lori - good for you for sticking within 2 lb range all summer.
Today is my 1 year anniversary on maintence . I have run 2 1/2 marathons, a 30km race, and a du ahalon. This weekend will be my first triathalon. I'm up 7lbs from the top of my range, inches are up 1 around the waist but I'm not panicing.....ok I am having a minor freak out, but I'm working at getting back on track and to my goal in the next 4 weeks. This year has been hard but if I didnt do the work I would gain and those bad old habits would be back. I often think of the quote "pick your hard" and I have picked maintaining.
I need to get back to racing and posting here as this has been a huge part of my support. Thank you to a great bunch of strong, smart and beautiful women xo
I am not in Maintenance, so don't regularly check this thread - but I am changing that, as I find so much experience and wisdom is shared and it gives me a glimpse into my future (hopefully!)
I have a question for all of you who have successfully reached goal and are now maintaining your losses. During your journey, BEFORE you reached your goal, how did you keep yourself from falling into the "I look and feel so much better, am getting lots of compliments, am now in a size <n>, my Dr. is happy.......maybe I don't really need to lose that additional 10, or 15..." or whatever is needed to reach goal, "so maybe this is good enough" trap?? I lately have found it harder to keep my motivation because I am feeling so good about what I have accomplished and where I am NOW! So silly and self-defeating! I have not set an unreasonable goal (I need to lose 20 more lbs - my 145 goal - to put me in the 'healthy BMI' range), so I can't use that as an 'excuse'. I've not given up for sure - I'm still losing and still following the program - but I can feel the rationalization starting for why where I am is "good enough".
I'd imagine most of you have gone through this phase on your way to goal. How did you get past it and keep your eye on the ultimate prize - reaching your goal weight?
Well, it seems my dream of living on a tropical island has come to an end. For the third time now when we've had a week of unusually hot/humid temperatures I've gained between 10-15lbs - which has the very unpleasant side effect of making my clothes no longer fit!
The previous two times this happened I was able to take most of the weight (all but 1-2lbs) off in a week by drinking tons of water and reverting back to P1. This time however, I seem to be stuck up 11lbs up from where I was when I finished the diet, and 9lbs up from where I'd been comfortably maintaining.
I've gone a week of strict P1 using approved alternatives (including none of the reformulated Quest bars) and have actually gained an additional pound - ugh.
Not really looking for advice, more just needed a good vent at how frustrating it can be sometimes to deal with your own body. Here's hoping next week I see a big whoosh (8lbs would be nice... lol).
I am not in Maintenance, so don't regularly check this thread - but I am changing that, as I find so much experience and wisdom is shared and it gives me a glimpse into my future (hopefully!)
I have a question for all of you who have successfully reached goal and are now maintaining your losses. During your journey, BEFORE you reached your goal, how did you keep yourself from falling into the "I look and feel so much better, am getting lots of compliments, am now in a size <n>, my Dr. is happy.......maybe I don't really need to lose that additional 10, or 15..." or whatever is needed to reach goal, "so maybe this is good enough" trap?? I lately have found it harder to keep my motivation because I am feeling so good about what I have accomplished and where I am NOW! So silly and self-defeating! I have not set an unreasonable goal (I need to lose 20 more lbs - my 145 goal - to put me in the 'healthy BMI' range), so I can't use that as an 'excuse'. I've not given up for sure - I'm still losing and still following the program - but I can feel the rationalization starting for why where I am is "good enough".
I'd imagine most of you have gone through this phase on your way to goal. How did you get past it and keep your eye on the ultimate prize - reaching your goal weight?
Here is my story...
I always viewed my journey on Ideal Protein as "training for maintenance". So I wasn't going to get "the ultimate prize" but rather I was getting improved health and better eating habits. When I started IP I set an initial timeframe that I planned to stick with the program. When that timeframe was over I was still several lbs over my weight goal but it was "good enough" for me.
I phased off anyway...2 weeks Phase 2 and 2 weeks of Phase 3. I continued to lose through both phases. Although they were small weekly losses, I eventually reached my weight loss goal . Maintenance for me was generally Phase 3 type eating with a fun meal or two each week and some cheese on my daily salad.
Using this maintenance plan I eventually went 10 lbs BELOW my goal. I felt great and maintained the additional loss for about 1 year. Then I started getting a little loose with wine, extra cheese, adding back some bread, choco chip cookies and ice cream. These were added back in more than a few times per week. Slowly the weight crept back. This time last year I was fighting to stay at goal and now (prior to my current reboot) I'm 8 lbs over goal.
So I guess my advice is to really develop your Maintenance Plan. Your long term weight will fall in line with your long term maintenance plan.
Andrea (catlady) I hope things are going well this week for you.
Jenny congratulations!!!! 1 year on maintenance, successfully. That is a HUGE win statistically. I just finished 7 months and am looking forward to the 1 year mark. For me, 2 years is the big statistical milestone, and after 3 years I'm going to scream from a mountaintop. But even then, not let down the vigilance for the rest of my life.
3sisters, I don't have a lot to share this morning about your question.... but the website and book "Refuse to Regain" has really excellent, excellent advice about the area of your questions, and great statistics. I highly recommend it. What you are describing is part of what we all share a lot about here - what is the accurate goal, and how to sustain it. Many of us have found that our original goal was not quite right - for some too high, for some too low. But the only way to know it is trial and error. I am giving myself 2 years to really sort it out, and the "win" is if I just continue to try to figure out the same up and down 15 lbs for the rest of my life - great. That is a healthy range.
Lori, I love reading your posts when you pop in here and there on the different threads. Thank you. I learn a lot from your experiences.
Liana I saw your post over on another thread, glad to hear you are well though busy and trucking along like the rest of us as always.
Hello to everyone else.
I am doing OK, have had two days now of up calories, so not surprisingly no loss. Just 200 extra - I know it's because next week is going to be esp. stressful plus TOM is a few days away. So I'm just keeping my mind in check and not expecting a lot for this week, if I can keep it steady and let myself have woosh next week after TOM ends, great.
Just sucks on a reboot to hit TOM as it really affects me more when I am on P1 - the hormones are pretty steady when I'm on maintenance.
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 09-11-2015 at 12:08 PM.
.....So I guess my advice is to really develop your Maintenance Plan. Your long term weight will fall in line with your long term maintenance plan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grateful4Health
3sisters.....the website and book "Refuse to Regain" has really excellent, excellent advice about the area of your questions, and great statistics. I highly recommend it.
Thank you both for your insight and advice! I downloaded "Refuse to Regain" on my Kindle - I am hooked and second your recommendation! What a GREAT book, chock full science as well as terrific advice! This will be my new bible as I navigate achieving and maintaining my weight loss, and taking on the unique challenges of (what she terms) a "POW" ('Previous Over Weight' person).
. But today is a new day.
, but I'm working at getting back on track and to my goal in the next 4 weeks. This year has been hard but if I didnt do the work I would gain and those bad old habits would be back. I often think of the quote "pick your hard" and I have picked maintaining. 
