2015 Starters - Summer lovin'
 

Our little chatty bunch hit the 500+ plus mark in our other thread. :D

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I don't know who sent you the PMs, but if it was one of the admins, I'm sure they didn't intend for the tone to be ugly. They really are kind women. I'm probably the least tolerant of off-protocol posts of any of them, lol.

Linda, you need to get those old clothes into consignment and make you some $$$! And, YES, thrifting is the way to go! This week I found some cute polka dot Ralph Lauren shorts for $4, and a pair of pretty Talbot's sandals for $11. Oh, and a Victoria's Secret top for $3.

Still hanging in there with P1. Not weighing is helping; I can't justify a cheat if I don't know if I've lost any weight. Yesterday I didn't exercise at all and that really made a difference in my hunger. But I can't stand just sitting around, so today I'm going to the gym again (more rain in the forecast). Might try a recumbent bike if I find one that can give me a good workout. I'm going to eat super-cautiously today, and probably have a BITE of cake tonight, but take the rest home and put it in the freezer for later.

Oh, and I have MORE motivation to stay the course: the hospital's marketing department wants to do a promotional story on me and my orthopedic doctor and the sports medicine department. Including photos of me in my running gear, wearing my medals. Lord have mercy. I told my daughter (who's our graphic artist) that she needs to photo shop me to look like Catherine Zeta Jones. ;)

Hi all,
Welcome to the new thread.

First day of p1 today, I will likely cut it short by 1 or 2 days and start p3 on my days off to move.

Did some packing this morning and then my husband wanted to look at a lawn tracker a good hour away. I didn't work out so we are now on way home.

I split my protein and 1 packet uo today between breakfast and lunch. Felt hunger this am, but I really think this is just stress and not wanting to pack.too much to do.

More later

Sue

Blue - my assessment about P1 days is they really should be saved for after indulgences (you have to decide what this entails...) otherwise I really think we risk overusing it - and for me, with the exercise, want to test and see if I've been overdoing it / cutting calories too hard and leading to these binges. I wasn't a binger before IP and I'm not crazy about how my body responds - and generally it's when I've cut back to a P1 day.
I figure now is a good time to test with 6 weeks to go to reboot. I'll keep an eye on my weight to make sure it doesn't go ape sh1t - I'd rather have 5/6 pounds to clean up than 10 or 15

Thank you for starting the new thread. I'm pretty sure it wasn't an admin either time. I do hope tonight went well. That sounds so exciting,
I'm sorry that the trip for the mower was a waste of time I know how stressed you are- I think you are right- the stressors have to be playing with you. I hope that tomorrow is better for you.

I agree that there is the risk of overusing P1. I'm interested to hear how things go with your experiment.
DOn't know about you guys, but it's still flipping freezing here....need some spring man- I can't deal!!lol-

Linda, spring may be heading your way...it arrived by us today:)

So, I’ve settled down after my “candy monster” incident. :eek:The P1 day got me back on track.
But it did get me doing a lot of thinking.
I’ve been coasting along on P4, it’s actually been going very smoothly, even through vacation, without tracking, and back at home, with tracking, it’s been holding steady, 132-133-ish. Been feeling pretty cocky, actually. Well, even if not exactly cocky, them maybe complacent.
So I’ve been thinking, I’ve got this! Until the candy.
I have to keep remembering, I am still the same person who got into this with bad behaviours, they are still lurking there in me, and I can’t be thinking that just because I’ve lost all this weight that I’m somehow immune. Funny that during the diet phase, I didn’t really have those sugar cravings, but back to normal eating…and yes, there they are, still there. So…a learning experience for me.

Who mentioned awhile ago about their fat macros being high? That’s what I’ve been finding, I was looking over the last month on MFP, and carbs are usually under, no problem there, but fats are almost always over. It doesn’t seem to be having an effect, though.

HIS – how exciting for you, and a great affirmation of your progress!!! that hospital story should be great fun to do, and you’ll look GREAT!! Hope you’ll send us a link (if you're not comfortable doing that in the open forum, then maybe by PM ??)

Sue – that moving day is getting so close, you must be getting so excited. You sound super-organized, I’m sure it’ll all go smoothly! Glad to hear you’re getting through P2 with no problems. You’re going to love P3!!

Beth – it’s a temptation to throw in those P1 days, I have to admit to wondering if it would be good to have them on a more regular basis. And keeping calories low, maybe even lower than we’ve allowed ourselves, I’m guilty of that, I confess. But I think it’s not a good thing. Can’t remember where I read it, but I think our bodies get used to getting less, and maybe it’s better to fluctuate the calorie level more.
Only think I can equate it to, is back on P1, adding in some fattier beef (like prime rib, a good steak) seemed to shake things up. I have to admit, I haven’t been having many splurge days (still a bit nervous to do that) but I think I have to consciously have maybe one splurge meal each week. ..with a following P1 day, of course. Just to prove to myself that I can.

It'll be interesting to see what changes you make, and the effects, over the next six weeks

DH decided to sleep in this morning, but it sounds like he's moving around now, so I think I'll take him out for a coffee this morning, need to go to the grocery store, I'm thinking we might grill a chicken for dinner. Any day now, it's going to be warm enough to have dinner on the patio (not quite there yet, but maybe a cup of tea out there this afternoon!!)

HIS - thanks for starting the new thread :) the photo shoot sounds fun - and what a great reason to stay on the straight and narrow :)

Sue - ugh, how frustrating! You've been doing really well with all the stress you've been under - keep rocking it lady! :broc:

Linda - wow, our weather is generally kind-of close...guess not this weekend :( - we had gorgeous spring weather (72 Sat and 76 today) hope this gets your way very soon

Blue - I thought about tossing it out there on the P2-3-4 FB page...but I really don't think its advised unless you truly indulge - but again, what that means isn't defined and I know now that is because we are just all too different for IP to say "if you do x-y-z in P4, then you absolutely must do P1 the next day" What you've been doing is working. "If its not broke, don't fix it" ;) If it makes you feel good to rein it in once in awhile, go for it - there is a train of thought that doing semi-regular reboots help folks maintain...but every week - that I would be careful about. Sounds like a pleasant Sunday :)

Had a fantastic weekend (other than the taxes Friday night)
Saturday was rest day - and I took a 2.5 hour nap! OMG, felt so amazingly good! I was still able to go to bed at a decent hour too.
We were up at 6am for the 5 / 10K airport run. It was a beautiful morning. I ran my middle-ish pace ;) but! finished in 59:02 - I've run plenty of 6+ training runs for the 13.1 & 10 miler but never broke less-than 1:00 :D New PR - and I went out feeling pretty blah this morning - honestly thought I was going to have to turn around the first mile b/c of how upset my stomach was (nauseous...not the "other" for once). Not sure why - had fish and a bland baked potato for dinner - but I pushed through :broc: It was really cool running the runways too!

We will see how the scale looks Wednesday. Not planning on doing anything special other than clean up my evenings a bit (had B&J fro yo 2 nights in a row) - but no severe calorie restrictions unless something unexpected happens.

Hi all pretty productive day today. Since our Saturday got messed up, we decided to go to church last evening so that we could relax a bit this morning. Slept a little longer this morning. Ate a nice breakfast, IP CC pancakes plus an egg. Grabbed 1/2 can of kirkland chicken for lunch with raw veggies and made pork and chayote in crockpot for supper. My folks were here today helping and I really feel that we made some progress :). Dad replaced some counter on the book shelves in our family room and the lighter color makes the room look so much bigger. Mom and I powered through some packing.

Beth - glad you had a fantastic weekend. You deserve it.
Congrats on the new PR:carrot:. I read this article and thought it might be something that you would be interested in- especially seeing your are winding down your racing season. http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well...acebook.com%2F

Blue - No sugar cravings is one of the thingsI love about IP. You are doing great. I hope that 3FC is helping you reflect and grow. I know that it is for me. Nice to have a morning out for coffee. (even though I don't drink coffee).

Linda - another nice day in Wisconsin. I hope the weather is heading your way.

HIS - I hope your Sunday was good. The marketing gig sounds fun. You will do great and having an in with the graphic artist doesn't hurt either.

Sue

I remember my coach mentioning to be careful as I was introducing some new foods back in to P4 (though I have to look back in my journal to see exactly what they were- but she said be cautious re-awakening the sugar cravings....It's been hard here too- I won't lie, at times- especially when DBF has a "brick" it's a marbled cake covered in a chocolate and white frosting that is more like a hard shelled coating - I have a bite or 2 and I could totally see myself eating the whole piece-I think the food she mentioned was the combat bars and nut butter-about the sugar cravings- I can see that----Like you, as I have been so very lucky to stay in my 125 range-there are fleeting moments when I get a bit cocky, but then reign myself in and remember that in the past, that is the same behavior that got me in to trouble before..I can vividly remember sitting at the dinner table with DBF, his family and mine shortly after we began dating (the end of my divorce period and I was about 145, which at that point I was in my 12's-so equate to good shape) and I was having a piece of montillios (a phenomanal bakery) double chocolate cake-(which he and I indulged in frequently) and thinking- it hasn't hurt me so far....and in the blink of an eye that thinking got me up to 240 lbs....I have resigned myself to "I am going to have to be forever diligent in what goes in to my mouth" It could have been me about the fat- I know that I have mentioned it before, not sure if I have seen it froom others...but so far, that has been ok, I'm just keeping an eye on it.


----awww crapadoodle-5:20 late starting my morning...be back later to finish this up....

Linda – you’re right, it’s easy to get complacent at this stage, when weight is holding steady. But yes, sugar is a problem. I do want to have sweet things, usually a protein bar or some fruit does the trick. But I have to learn to have ice cream/cake/cookies ---in small amounts. I don’t want to deny myself those things. I have to start telling myself it’s OK to have them. And when there are people around, or even just DH, I can do that. But when I’m by myself…well, you all know what can happen.
But I am going to start allowing myself some of those things, not enough to call it a splurge, but just so that it doesn’t stay in the “forbidden” realm – those things that, if you aren’t allowed to have them, it just makes you want them, you know.

Sue – countdown to moving day – this week? Hope it all goes smoothly!

Beth - fantastic race! Congrats on the new PR! Especially if you weren’t feeling great. Saw the FB pic, such a great smile. You SHOULD be proud and happy!
Hope the next few days go well, you seem to be getting a handle on after-race eating, I’m sure Wed weight will be right where you expect it.

Thanks for the thoughts on P1 – as you can tell it’s been on my mind a bit. I agree, I don’t think having a weekly P1 day for no reason is the right thing to do. Actually, I’ve only had a couple of P1 days in the last 2 months, after what I thought was a splurge, but truth be told, I haven’t really been having many splurges. IP encourages having splurges, I’ve heard even one a week, and I need to get comfortable having them and knowing it won’t derail me. That’s why I was thinking a planned splurge day each week, with a following P1 day. But like you said, what exactly is a splurge? And is once a week too often?
Maybe that’s the real question. Ok, ladies – tell me, what were your last few splurges where you followed with a P1 day?

Sue - thank you! This article popped up on Runner's World this weekend - great read!
I started running again on a lark and at first was like 'oh, idc about my times, or getting faster, etc...' - the only thing I really was concerned about was injury. Now my train of thought has shifted a bit and while avoiding injury is still #1, the more I read, the more I realize how much everything in running (training, speed work, strength training) is entwined and critical to remaining pain-free.

Linda - oh your posts make me smile :D - love that 'crapadoodle' makes it through the cuss blockers ;)
Fwiw in regards to fat - I don't believe it is the 'enemy' so-to-speak. Look at what has happened to obesity rates since they turned the food pyramid upside-down in the 70's :(
Ketogenic based diets, such as Atkins, work for a lot of people - and at the end of the day, the basic formula is: High (healthy) fat, moderate protein, low carb. Fat is what keeps us satiated. I think even IP is starting to realize a little additional fat in the plan doesn't offset weight loss (ie, the trail mix)
Personally, I am still moderating my breakfasts during the weekday (keeping it at 350 k/cal), & have learned I control hunger MUCH better when I have foods that are higher in fat at breakfast (eggs, nut butters) mixed with some carbs / protein, than just carb / protein alone. I think this is why I did better with 2 hard boiled eggs for breakfast in P1 (yah yah...not protocol ;) ) than just a shake, or god-forbid, the oatmeal - I would usually get the low blood sugar shakes by 10:30 am!
I'm not a nutritionist though...& obviously if we had all been making the best food choices, we wouldn't have ended up needing IP...but imvho, what gets the majority of us in trouble is the mixing of fat / carbs (especially SUGAR) continuously. We can all find 100's of articles on why sugar is the :devil:
For me (and others I'm sure) there was also beer & other alcoholic beverages that got me up to 230#'s.
My long winded way of saying it's probably a lot more important to be uber-vigilent of the amount of sugar we are in-taking, vs fats (unless you are drinking vegetable oil or something...)

Blue - nut butters, Nuetella, dark chocolate, & ice cream (last weeks binge) - and I went into the *red* on both MFP and Fitbit...and I certainly wasn't measuring how much nut butter I was spooning :eek:

Happy Monday!
Another happy / sad piece of news - DD19 got her drivers license Friday!
Happy that she is taking the steps necessary to gain independence...sad because she's still my baby and I'm scared to death of her driving in the crazy-@$$ DMV area! She's a very good kid though and I know will do her best.
I took last Thursday off to get her car inspected - that was my one "had-to-do" that fell through, so now I am hoping the service station we have our inspections done at is open this afternoon - if so, I am leaving early to get that done for her. Then it just needs brakes and she can roll :eek:

Did really well yesterday - "clean" P4 day & no problem sticking to a combat bar for evening snack. Had a good dinner too - grilled chicken with red pepper-cauliflower soup and a small serving of quinoa. I spooned a little of the soup over the quinoa & it was amazing!!! I was also within my calorie range macro.

I just need to retrain my brain to forget the cans of nuts are around :p

beth, congrats again on the run and PR! You look so tiny in your photo. :) How's Roy's foot?

Sue, sounds like thing are moving along swiftly with the move. I don't envy you. I hate moving. I plan to die in this house. hahaha

Linda, gosh, I can so relate on the sugar thing. I'm finding more and more than I just have to avoid places where I'm tempted - the break room at work, the kitchen at church, etc.

blue, I'm probably not a good person to answer your P1 question since here I am doing a reboot. :/ But I've tried various things, with and without exercise in the mix, and basically I'm finding that a splurge for me is a big dessert - wedge of cake, handful of cookies, etc. I don't consider a serving of mac and cheese, or two pieces of pizza a splurge, you know? I can usually eat a carb/fat combo meal food, like pizza, without going overboard or triggering bad behavior. But sugars definitely set me off, so I HAVE to limit them to occasional choices.

Saturday birthday dinner.... I failed. I had forgotten to tell them I was back on my diet, and didn't take food. So I didn't have good options; they served grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and potato chips, and pasta salad - and I was HUNGRY. I ended up eating a hot dog (no bun), a few forkfuls of pasta salad, and then you can guess what happened with the cake. For the day, calorie wise, I was fine, but way too many carbs. :( BUT - I went right back to protocol yesterday, and I'm determined to see this through. I'm not weighing until the end of April, but I measured today and I've lost an inch in my waist and hips, so I'm happy about that. I think I'm going to try that Pilates class this week, maybe today if I can get myself in gear.

We've had a week of rain. My grass looks like a jungle. But we'll be thankful for the rise in the water table come July when it's hot and dry.

Oh my gosh! I missed so much!!!

HIS It's hard to be in a tough situation when you're hungry and there is a bunch of yummy food staring at you. You did well considering the challenges and you are back OP today. That's not a failure...just a minor blip in the road. You rock!!!
Beth Wow! Rock on with your running self!!! You are amazing. Awesome. Congrats to your daughter for getting her license. I understand why you are worried. The DMV is nuts! But I learned to drive here and she'll do great! I agree about your comments regarding fat. Fat is filling. I think IP will become more flexible about fats with time. Also many coaches recommend hard boiled eggs on Phase 1. There seems to be some flexibility with protocol...for good and for bad.
Linda I'm in Phase 3 again now and I am starting to get worried about introducing stuff into my diet. I already feel like I crave things after three days. Oh well. That's why we are trying to phase off into maintenance for a couple of weeks before vacation so we are in the habit of eating healthy carbs. I need to be thoughtful about what goes into my mouth just like you. You are such an inspiration to me.
Sue Moving is stressful. Ugh. Stress leads to hunger. That's a fact. Hope you make it through smoothly.
blue You are doing so well!!! And the fact that you noticed the candy day and did something about it is a sign of health. AND you told us all about it so it wasn't like you were hiding it. Like the other ladies on this board, I hope I can be like you in maintenance.

Oh no! My hair started falling out in clumps this weekend. What? Not sure why that is. Phase 3? Going out of ketosis? It never fell out like that before. Kinda' has me worried. My little guy turned 2 yesterday. We went to the National Zoo on Saturday and they had a lot of good lunch choices. We had a grilled chicken salad. I was impressed. The new nanny started today. She seems to be doing well. She came over last night for dinner and had some steak and salad with us. I can't believe that in less than 2 weeks I'll be in maintenance. I don't know if I'm ready.

About the 'high' fat macros in maintenance.... not a problem at all. In fact, one of the P4 videos way back in 2013, from the Doc (can't remember his name now, lol, the blond one), when I was just getting to maintenance talked about a study that added 7000 calories a day (mainly fat) to participants diets while low carb and they still kept weight off or even lost if they needed to. I did have the link bookmarked to this PubMed study (it is legit, but now on Chrome browser I can't find anything). Anyhow, the point is keeping the carbs low. That may mean under 150 net g a day, or could be as low as 20 net g. You have to experiment with your sweet spot. Of course keeping the carbs complex and natural as opposed to processed sugars would be best.
I'm pretty certain someone eating 150 g of table sugar or HFCS carbs wouldn't have the same results as someone eating 150 g of beans, sweet potato, berries, whole grains, apple, etc carbs.

I've been maintaining at quite a high fat ratio.... full fat cheeses and lots of them, avocados, tablespoons of Udo's Oil for menopausal hot flashes (which works like a charm, btw), 11% plain yogourt, tuna canned in olive oil, etc. To lose a little bit of pudge, I need to cut back on the alcohol and carbs (mainly tortilla chips in my case which is a bad combo food). I belong to a Low Carber Ladies over 50 MFP Group for a bit of support in that direction.

Liana

I found that I maintained pretty well with a 30/30/30 carb/fat/protein macro balance. It surprised me that I could consume that much fat and not gain. (I think my eventual gain was due to calories overall, not excessive carbs or fat, coupled with activity restriction.)

I'm beginning to think we'll never see the sun again. :/ So I'm going to the gym today, and then the grocery store afterward to get the cheesecake makings. For some reason, I think I can avoid the cheesecake a lot easier than regular cake. But son also wants homemade pepperoni rolls for dinner, and I have no idea what I can have that's a reasonable P1 substitute for that. Might have to just eat a hamburger. By the time I make a bunch of pepperoni rolls and then some gluten-free ones for my daughter, I won't be in the mood to make yet a 3rd version. LOL.

My new P1 treat: I found Belgian Cookie flavored sugar-free syrup and have been adding it to my coffee with my WF vanilla creamer. SO GOOD. Wish I could indulge in more than one cup. I've always been a coffee fiend and have said more than once that if I could live on coffee, I would.

Candi, I don't know what to think about hair loss in P3! Usually it's a problem in P1. Thyroid??

HIS – thanks :o
Congrats on the inches! I am looking forward to see how well this reboot goes!
I agree with Candi – just a bump and you got right back on track. Sorry you will probably have to go through the keto-flu again, but you got this!
Not to be internet-stalker(ish) :lol: but are you near where the crazy flooding has been taking place? After so many years of severe drought I am glad for the state the water tables are getting filled again…but :yikes:
Any thoughts on Janeva’s “Pizza Burger” casserole? Very filling and satisfied my ‘itch’ for Italian / pizza when I needed it. I know it’s not a pepperoni roll…a distant cousin maybe ;)

Candi – The zoo is always a good time :) & thanks…DD19 will be ok – I’ve lived in NoVa my entire life and also learned to drive around here.
yes, my hair loss started towards the tail end of P1, got worse through P3 and then leveled off a couple weeks into P4 – for some reason I remember thinking about it around New Year’s, about 3 weeks into maintenance, and it had slacked off. 5 months in maintenance and I have TONS of new growth – just have to get through the ‘growing pains’ so to speak.

Liana – ugh! :lol: while I am a proponent of LCHF, always wonder a bit about some the the ‘studies’ where people are ingesting 5,000+ calories. I try to be open minded and get everyone is different, but calories are energy – and that is a lot of energy to expend! There is a huge difference though between having 1,000 calories of MCT oil vs chocolate brownies

So glad the weather is finally improving and we are going to have spring for a couple weeks (per TWC). Got out this morning for an easy 5 miles – felt so good to get up early and head out…I actually had only planned on 4 miles, but felt really good so tacked on the extra.
I am finding some of the FB P2,3,4 discussions timely and helpful – both the one questioning P4 / maintenance and the lack of attention on the part of corporate IP and also the lady who said she is getting rid of the nut butters. The one discussion, an off-shoot thread started with a poster mentioning they were doing terrible with maintenance & binging until they worked with a nutritionist to figure out what was going on…& it appears a LOT of IP’ers are having problems with the nuts & nut butters in maintenance (like a couple of us here).
I found it very interesting the lady who posted about peanut butter mentioned later in her post she binged after a 10 mile bike ride…
I certainly don’t disagree that binging on a food is a healthy habit and there has to be underlying causes. As I mentioned, I wasn’t a binger (of FOOD) pre IP…I had binging tendencies though (with alcohol)
I still wonder a little bit though if binging isn’t my body’s way to combat what it is perceiving as ‘famine’…I don’t want to blow smoke up my own butt, but maybe also it is why my body has clung for dear life to any extra calories I am eating – which is why I am experimenting with cutting out P1.
I am also adding a morning snack - at least on running days.
Thinking more and more finding a good sports nutritionist would probably be in my best interests ;)

One of the mods on the alt FB page said that her former coach said the two things that drive people back to P1 are cheese and peanut butter.

Quick hello to all of you. It seems like my hair has stopped falling out so much, so that's good. I can eat cheese in moderation but nut butters? They are the most delicious, addictive substances on the planet. *sigh* DH and I spent an hour or more talking about maintenance this morning. We are a bit anxious about doing better this year.

Hope everyone is doing well.

I had a great workout yesterday and although we finally had sun late in the day, we've got another storm system parked over us so I'll be at the gym again today.

I decided to weigh this morning because my willpower is sagging. Down 6 pounds! I just need to hang in there for about 10 more days and maybe get another 3-5 pounds off.

Beth - that was an interesting discussion on FB. For people that are doing a lot more than normal exercise, like you and HIS with the running, really it's more like a sport training program - it just makes sense that nutrition should be an important part of the training. Seeing a nutritionist sounds like a great idea - I wouldn't think you would have to abandon the P4 principles, but maybe adjust them to meet your more specific needs.

HIS - down 6!!:cp::cp: P1 is working really fast for you. Must feel so good, and the next few lb will drop off quickly too, you'll be all set for vacay!

Candi - glad to hear no more hair loss! Mine didn't fall out in clumps in P1, but definitely thinned -- and I have thin, fine hair to start with, so no fun there! Seems a bit better now, but not much.

Don't worry about maintenance, after all, we've all gotten there, and haven't crashed and burned ;) And don't forget, we're all here to hold your hand whenever you need it.

I'm with you on cheese, I can take it or leave it usually, unless it's essential to a dish (like pizza :D ). I like the nut butters, and have to restrain myself from using too much - I used to just slather the PB on toast, w-a-a-a-y to much, and am learning to use much less- but I haven't had the urge to dive into a jar. I think any binge-ing episodes will probably be sugar-based, so I'm making an effort to not have those things in the house.

The guys are coming to put the new floor in the FR tomorrow, which means moving everything out of the way this afternoon. The built-ins are all painted white (looks way better, DH did a great job!) I'm sure it's going to make a huge difference!
I had to be out all morning, just got back. Trying to decide whether to go out for a walk before lunch, or wait till after. Nice day, coolish but sunny.

Not sure if I agree with the cheese & nut butters driving people back to P1.... I think it may be more related to the accompaniments to said nut butters or cheese, such as crackers to eat it with, or chips in the case of cheese, or toast to put the nut butter or cheese on, or combo type foods such as pizza....
I personally have difficulty eating more than 2 tbsp of nut butters without tsps of jam in between.... in that case I can eat half a jar of each.

hys: there is a big difference between MCT oil in large amounts and combo foods again like chocolate brownies, I agree. :lol: and it ain't all about the energy expenditure, either.
Interesting study done in 2015.... quoted in "Obesity Research & Clinical Practice"
here's the abstract:
"Summary
Background
To determine whether the relationship between caloric intake, macronutrient intake, and physical activity with obesity has changed over time.

Methods
Dietary data from 36,377 U.S. adults from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) between 1971 and 2008 was used. Physical activity frequency data was only available in 14,419 adults between 1988 and 2006. Generalised linear models were used to examine if the association between total caloric intake, percent dietary macronutrient intake and physical activity with body mass index (BMI) was different over time.

Results
Between 1971 and 2008, BMI, total caloric intake and carbohydrate intake increased 10–14%, and fat and protein intake decreased 5–9%. Between 1988 and 2006, frequency of leisure time physical activity increased 47–120%. However, for a given amount of caloric intake, macronutrient intake or leisure time physical activity, the predicted BMI was up to 2.3 kg/m2 higher in 2006 that in 1988 in the mutually adjusted model (P < 0.05).

Conclusions
Factors other than diet and physical activity may be contributing to the increase in BMI over time. Further research is necessary to identify these factors and to determine the mechanisms through which they affect body weight."

Gut biome was mentioned as a big difference in obese people eating lower calories and yet still maintaining or gaining as compared to healthy weight persons.

HIS Great success! Glad you lost the 6 lbs. You got this.

blue Your home improvements sound great. My DH put in some new floors a few months back and it makes a big difference. Hope you love it!

Liana Thanks for the article. Gut biomes...I think as we gain greater understanding of these, we are going to unlock the secrets to a lot of health problems...

Beth Thanks for the advice about the hair loss/growth. I just noticed some loss again, but not the chunks this past weekend. I ate some carbs and my hair said, "Goodbye!" Good to know the hair will come back.

Phase 3 keeps rolling along. I have pretty much maintained my weight...I notice I keep going up and down the same pound this past week. I am feeling pretty good. I took a mystery leftover from the freezer today for lunch, so that's exciting. DH has created a stack of frozen leftovers for me for lunch or dinner when he's out of town...all IP friendly of course. It could be anything!!! The things that make a me happy.

OMG :yikes: I have mystery packages in my freezer too!!! But in my case, it was me who put them there --note to self: labels are your friend.
On my job list: clean out freezer.:D

:cool::love: You are one lucky lady!! What a guy!!
Of course I can't complain, DH brought me flowers yesterday, no occasion, I asked what for, he said it's just his way of telling me how great I've been doing, and just because I'm not dropping lbs every week, I still deserve someone to notice how well I'm doing.

Nice NSV too, we went to a gardening lecture last night (I drool over the speakers gardens btw) - a lot of people there I hadn't seen since last fall, and lots of nice comments about my loss!!

hahaha, I have unlabeled 'mystery' packages in my chest freezer too, but I just put them there this week. My fur coats go into the freezer for summer storage, no mistaking THOSE for leftovers, lol. They won't come out til late November or early December.
We tend to eat leftovers the very next day or sometimes with a day for something different in between. Or DH will take them for lunch tweaked a bit for the next day (like stew - which is pretty good cold actually, lol). I don't do huge batch cooks as I am a pretty last minute sort of gal. I'd do well in Europe where you have to shop for your food every couple of days. I normally do that now and just see what's on sale that day for dinner protein and throw assorted veggies at it that evening.

So nice to get flowers for no special reason. Sometimes I buy myself some to perk me up, sometimes DH will think about it too, especially if I've had a hard week.
Here's a virtual bouquet for all the gals workin' it IP:
http://fyf.tac-cdn.net/images/produc.../BF263-11K.jpg
Liana

Oooh, flowers! It's bluebonnet season in TX; the pastures along the roadways are full of them.

Wow, I had a workout this morning. Got up at 5:00 am to take DD to the airport. (She flew to Boston for a wedding.) Then to the gym: stationary bike, elliptical, and a few minutes on the treadmill. Then I tried a yoga class. LORD HAVE MERCY. I'm going to be in pain tomorrow. My "downward dog" looked more like "dog who needs to be put down." Sheesh.

Then a quick bit of shopping. Son and DIL had bought me a top for my birthday that was just way too big, so I had to do an exchange. Ended up with a cute tunic thing that's flared out at the bottom, very comfy and swishy. I'll wear it over leggings. I just got home at noon and gobbled down an egg and some veggies and am about to make a protein wrap into baked chips.

Ordered two swimsuits from Land's End (they have long sizes - yay!) so I'm set for our Florida trip and then the cruise. Really hoping I drop 3-5 more pounds before we leave on May 1 or 2.

Rain, rain, go away (from TX) :) :yikes:
Congrats :broc: on the great loss! Just curious - are you doing this one on the "straight and narrow" as opposed to adding extra fats, etc...? Just curious for my own preparation.

Blue - in regards to a nutritionist - yes, I'm not doing myself any favors continuing to beat myself up week-in, week-out. I'm already on a nasty roller coaster of emotions with things at home and of course, work. Somethings gotta give

Liana - yes, absolutely agree with your post - A calorie isn't just a calorie. I really dislike the blanket statement "eat less, exercise more" when people discuss weight loss.
Fwiw, I've been 'studying' LCHF / Atkins / Paleo & the new buzzword "ketogenic" science since 2002. I lost a lot of weight too - but truthfully, not until I reigned in my portions. We didn't have 'smart phones' and apps like MFP 13 years ago either ;) So while I was eating low carb / keto, I certainly wasn't eating 2,000+ a day. How do I know this...during my weight loss phase, here was a typical day:
B - Green Tea w/ 1T butter or oil
L - 8oz protein in a salad with Buttermilk Ranch
D - protein / veggies - and I got into the habit of leaving 1/2 on my plate
Evening snack may have been 'low carb' ice cream (Breyers I believe :lol:), cream cheese mixed with peanut butter...a slice of low carb cheesecake

I may have already been having thyroid issues too, but was unaware.
Nut butters are my kryptonite...& with that said...

I've discovered "Fluffbutter" ;)
I went to The Vitamin Shoppe last night since I needed some Quest salted caramel and had a few minutes to walk around - I was looking for BCAA's but will be buying them online from bodybuilder.com or amazon - holy cow they are ripping people on that stuff!!! :mad:
Near the BCAA's was a shelf of various 'healthy' nut butters with protein. Fluffbutter (tried the smores) is really good (https://dnaturals.com/shop/smores-fluffbutter/) & expensive enough that I think I should be able to moderate myself ;) If not, it's expensive enough to justify never purchasing again ($9 for 10oz)
What I really like is that it is sugar-free & uses xylitol & stevia instead. Maybe it can help with the cravings / binging...?

I did find last night that going out for a 4 miler right at dusk seemed to prevent evening snacking...I don't particularly like running after dinner though - my stomach was still sloshy even though it had been 2 hours since I ate.

Wow - another music legend passes today :( RIP Prince

Beth - straight and narrow. I do have a 4th packet on the days I exercise. The only small exception I have made is that I allow myself two restricted items on exercise days - BUT, the 2nd restricted is a Mission 1 bar. They are actually low in net carbs (4 or 5 g) but the calorie count of 200 - 210 makes them restricted. Because of the caloric burn from exercise, I have the Mission bar after my workout but still stay in ketosis because of the low carb count.

My day has been pretty much this, with little variation:

B - coffee, WF creamer, Toriani SF syrup, Quest shake + spinach
S - Mission 1 bar
L - protein oatmeal with chayote apples, or a protein wrap with lettuce + tuna.
S - pickles, hot green tea
D - 8 oz lean protein, veggies
S - bar (usually Combat or Oatmega)

And I'm consuming BCAAs during exercise. Maybe that's helping preserve muscle, which in turn burns fat? At the thrift store today, I fit into several size 6 and 8 dresses, so something is working.

Aack! Had a response typed out and then good-ol' system issues

HIS - looks like the BCAA's are giving you some benefit. I want to try them but refused to pay TVS prices when I saw them online a LOT cheaper!
Thank you also for the feedback & fwiw, given that IP now has an unrestricted that is 200+ calories, it may be time to go back and review the alternate 'cheat sheet' kwim? I'm not as active as I was on the P1 boards, but wonder if more people are having issues...?

Liana - the flowers are beautiful :) I also hope the research on gut flora continues - at the end of the day, the closer to nature you eat, the better for your overall system

Candi - awww, what a great guy!

With the weather changing, I am finding an evening run feels great! It's light until 8(ish) and getting longer every day. Figure I'd better take advantage while I can - the dog days of summer aren't too far away and I will definitely want to be running in the early mornings.
I am also using it as a stress release at the end of the day - and it's helped with the evening munchies (KNOCK ON WOOD :lol:)

& just for a little cattiness... more 1/2 naked folks on FB I see. C'mon folks - thats what sports bra's are for. Call me jealous - I'm not a prude by any stretch & it's great to be proud of your accomplishments & fwiw, I think she looks fantastic - but ... :tape: looks like something I'd send my husband via Snapchat ;)

Linda - how's it going? Can only imagine how busy you are right now... :hug:

Howdy folks! I am glad to see you all posting here - when I saw 27,000 members on the Ideal Protein FB group page... there are several that were set up by someone in September 2015...


And you are right [ folks are SO willing to post half nude photos there - I am having 2nd thoughts about having posted pics of my husband after his passing... but, what's done is done.


I am finding the activity there on FB to be good at helping me stay on track. I spent hours posting here on 3FC, but now there is so little activity that it does not take very long.


So- I am glad to see you all here and to be able to connect with you from time to time.


I began on Sunday, and on the morning of day 5 I have lost 4.3 lbs - this is a good start to my reboot. Really trying to get into that rhythm that wards off cravings and cheats.


You all seem be doing well - and I commend you for hanging in with this program.
I'll be back periodically to check in!
cheryl

Just wondering if the nutbutters causing problems all have sugars added?? Shouldn't they be just ground nuts, perhaps with salt? They seem to be very easy to find in my part of Canada, in fact it's harder to find the Skippy's or Kraft with added starches or sugars, not that I'd look for those :eek:!

Good Saturday morning everyone!!!
I've been keeping up with reading the board, but not a lot of time to post! Tis the season in the landscape industry. For some reason my routine is all racked up- I don't know why or how- but I find that I am hitting the shower about 10 minutes later than I should-(please understand I have everything perfectly timed...lol-so fri**ing COD/AR here,,,not that anyone has noticed I'm sure...lol) so I'm trying to regain my rhythm. Trying to find that routine/balance-in the morning-I expect the 9-10 hours that I am at work to be a sh^tshow filled with the need to prioritize, then reprioritize, and the cycle goes on through the day....then having the energy to get to the gym (this is after trying my damndest to make sure I leave the office by 5-so no more Yoga :( ) get home and eat dinner- and have a few minutes at the end of the day of QT with Tony- (the reason I make sure to be up by 415-430 is to get 20 minutes of QT with him before he leaves for work at 10 of 5) Anyhow- that's my b*^ch for the morning. Even lunch time (which is half hour and I spend at my desk-and help answer phones seems askew---again the spring in landscaping industry....ok- enough!
So, as I said, I have been reading along and seeing everyone's challenges, successes, laments, information, and I am so happy/excited to see the good that's happening, keeping my fingers crossed with the struggles, interested in the "research (not sure I am using proper term-more like education for me) Welcome back Cheryl- we have missed you and hope that you are okay. :hugs: HIS so excited to read the thrifting post!!! I hope that the rain leaves soon for you- I've been seeing it on the news and then there are the posts with the snakes and the gators in the flooded streets..nothankyouverymuch! Stay safe!!! Beth, re FB post- ANOTHER reason you inspire me! I just started working with weights again and am hoping that things "shape up" a bit- no make that a lot....I do believe that that Vital Proteins is helping with the elasticity of my skin- it's only been a couple of weeks and maybe I'm just imagining it- but I do believe it's working. I do one scoop instead of 2 (for caloric and financial savings) Candi, you must be close to P4 today? Just don't overthink and stress like I did- retrospect, I put WAY too much stress on myself. If you could have seen the mess I made with my 1st lunch.... Trying to get the macros to line up -it's almost comical as I look back. Liana-interesting about the nut butters and makes perfect sense - I think before I open the next jar (of course I have 2 different types open in the cabinet right now and got some vanilla AB last night) maybe I should hit WF's or TJ's and grab some fresh nothing added nut butter...experiment - it makes sense. Kind of another duh moment for me. And the flowers were beautiful!! :smile: Candi-what a sweetheart! It's so sweet when they do something like that-especially with so much going on- I sure hope that I didn't leave anyone out. I'm thinking of you all, always keeping good thoughts your way for continued success and all that that brings. Time for breaky, have to be out of the house for a funeral at 9, and then HOPEFULLY the rain will have stopped and we can get started getting some work done to prep the boat for launch- and it's a lot every year- but worth it when I am in my happy place.....We're late starting again this year- thank you Mother Nature....the shrink wrap is still on her. Dawn is breaking and the Turkeys are waking...listening to them coming down from the trees-hunting season starts Monday...sorry - but that's fine with me - the little (actually huge) bahstahds have been pooping all over one of my decks- so I am hesitant to get the furniture for that deck out....just another task to add to the list.....Ok- fingers crossed this posts....(I wish it were as easy to keep up here as it is on "the book" oh and yeah- if I post a "bra-lady" like picture- somebody call me out on it please...lol Love y'all :hugs"

One last thing I forgot to mention- went to WF's the other day and bought some Quark (they only had strawberry and plain) I think I am going to order some online....quite yummy- and I also got some Icelandic Skyr- vanilla flavor...maybe a hair higher in (of course I can't remember which) than I would like- a gram or 2-but oh so delicious-

Oh okay LAST thing....fortunately scale has been behaving...which means I must be too....I am dealing with the mid week flux of 126 point something, but the majority of the time I am 125 point something and I am good with that. THANKING MY LUCKY STARS, and knowing that for today ok I can do this, but if I am not careful it could change in an instant....and I need to always remember that. I posted a pic on the book the other day for TBT and it was from Jimmy Buffet when we went in 2012....yeah, pretty certain I was pushing about 240....so I need to make a "before/after" pic and -**** - great idea...put it on the cabinet with the nut butters...lol Ok, I'll go now, I've been here long enough.... Have a GREAT DAY everyone!!!

Liana, I can only speak for myself, but ALL nut butters are a problem for me.

cheryl - love seeing you post here again. :hug:

beth - ugh, the bra photos are really getting out of hand. I know people are proud of their losses, but c'mon. One lady posted a nice photo of herself in a little black dress yesterday, and it was such a classy change from all the semi-nudity.

re: the higher calorie items. IMO, people who exercise have a little more wiggle room for higher calorie foods as long as they are very low carb. But the average protocol dieter should probably stick with the packets that are under 160 calories.

________________

I've been struggling to stay on protocol the last few days. Yesterday was much better - but I didn't do any cardio outside of a 5 mile walk. I picked a bad month to do a reboot. Too many birthday parties, anniversaries, and today a wedding.

I finally got to walk outside yesterday, the weather was perfect. I'll do another 5-miler today, then we're supposed to have rain again for most of next week. (Can't remember if I answered this earlier: I'm in north Texas, near Dallas/Ft. Worth. Houston, which is getting flooded, is about 5 hours south of me.) I'm starting to feel the effects of the yoga class on Thursday - oh my glutes!!

I'm trying a new protein powder today, chocolate peanut butter from Eat The Bear. My health food store had a sample pack. It's about the same macros as Quest, it's a whey protein.

Starting to think about clothes for FL and the cruise. I've been trying on my size 8 shorts every day for motivation. I have 4 pair, and 3 of them fit, so I think I'll hit the thrift store this week for another pair in case I don't lose enough to get into those tight ones. I also need a sun dress or something casual but "nice" to wear to dinner. Otherwise, I'll be set once my swimsuits and cover-up arrive.

A weird dilemma I'm having on this reboot: something has changed in my perception of my body. When I got down to goal in November, I felt thin and trim and had a pretty realistic perception of my size, and was satisfied. This time (and remember I'm within 2 pounds of that same weight), I feel fat and unhappy with my size and shape. My belly and thighs bother me. I look in the mirror and see curves where I don't want them. Is it body dysmorphia, or was I just more easily satisfied back in November? Or has my body changed THAT MUCH since I haven't been running?

Cheryl – it’s good to see you posting here. Great news on the loss this week, your reboot is off to a great start.
Interesting what you say about FB, and yes, there is a huge amount of people there, and certainly a lot of good information (and some not so good :()…but, there doesn’t seem to be the sense of community that there is here. For myself, I feel I have made “friends” here, and I think we all have more of a sense of who each other are, what our struggles and achievements are, it’s somehow more personal. And there is more continuity…we have all held hands on this journey, and followed each other’s progress, in our lives as well as the weight loss part of it. I don’t think I would have gotten that from FB.
You’re also right that some of the threads here aren’t getting much action, but we have a small but fairly active little group here on this 2015 Starters thread… some of us are still losing, some rebooting, some maintaining, so come let us know how you’re getting along, we’re here to cheer you on!!

Linda – glad you had some time to get caught up, your life sounds crazy busy right now. But good to hear it’s all going well. WTG on maintaining, I think you’ve got the hang of it!!! Are you still journaling every day? I’ve been wondering how long to keep doing doing it? I’m thinking I might try to do it till 6 months into maintenance (I’m just 2 months now) and then maybe stop, unless I see a gain.
Wish we had a WF close by (closest is almost 2 hrs). I’ve heard of Quark, would love to try it, the Skyr sounds good too. darnitall:(

HIS I had to chuckle to myself when you said this has been a bad month to reboot. Is there ever a good time? There’s always something going on that’s going to throw a monkey wrench into it, kwim?? But you’ve been doing amazingly well, you’ll be at or below goal by the end of the month, and maybe even down inches from before.
That’s an interesting observation about your perception of your body. I don’t know why, I doubt if you’ve lost much muscle definition since your injury, but maybe some? Or maybe, during P1, we are all so thrilled with the changes, and they have been dramatic, that we overlooked the “flaws” - if we can call them that, though I don’t like that word, but you know what I mean, the belly and skin issues. Now that you’ve lived with your “new and improved” body for awhile, it has become the new normal, and you’re starting to become more critical – well we women seem to be conditioned to be critical of how we look anyway, so why should this phase of our lives be different.

Oh, and BTW, can’t wait to see that picture of you in your new swimsuit ….oh I do hope it’s a 2piece, you know, with a bra top
:rofl::rofl::lol3::lol3:
Heck, those FB peeps got nuthin on us!!!
Seriously tho, I have to agree, even though they're proud of their bodies, and rightly so, some of the pictures are best left for personal albums.

The new floor is in, looks so good, we’re really glad we got rid of the old carpet. Still have some trim to do along the edges, but we’ll get that next week. We’re away for a few days, off to see Santana, it’s fun to get out of town, mini-holiday. When we get back, have to get all the furniture back into the room, amazing how much stuff was in there, never seems like much until you have to move it somewhere.
Went to a church sale this morning, DH made me buy butter tarts, I might treat myself to one tomorrow, they are my kryptonite for sure, so the rest will go into the freezer! Actually, he'll probably eat them before I get to them ;)

Have a great wk/end

mmmmm, Santana!! I am jealous. We just finished watching the DVD of the 2011 Montreux jazz festival where he and his awesome band put on an amazing show. I am thinking of making plans to get tickets to 2017 as it's the 50th anni. for Montreux and I haven't been to Switzerland before. Carlos Santana is a very good friend of the organizer and often puts on a special show there. I will be tracking the Festival to see who's scheduled and when we can start to buy tickets. Probably not til after this year's show anyhow.

I guess nut butters for you are just like cheese to me, HIS, lol. Do actual raw nuts do the same thing, or just when they are butters? Just wondering.

http://www3.iconcerts.com/sites/defa...11-363x250.jpg
Liana

Hi Everyone! Happy Saturday. Hi Cheryl! Woo hoo. Glad to see you back.

I have one more week of Phase 3, so next weekend at this time, I will be a Phase 4 gal again. So I see you all mentioning different kinds of alternative bars. Mission 1 and Combat were in HIS's last post. Can you remind me AGAIN which flavors are best and whether or not you have found some more affordable options? I just want to make sure I am not paying more than I need to, but I am willing to pay...I've been paying for flippin IP food. Also anyone like the Protidiet oatmeal? Thinking of ordering that too for breakfast.

DH and I were in a bad mood this morning, but the sun has come up and we are feeling better. Looking forward to a yummy dinner of shrimp and vegetables. My microbiomes must have been messed up. I am so into the microbiomes since Liana sent that link.

TTFN

Hi everyone,

Another busy week...humming along on P2 - for the most part. We had consultants in at work this week and that with trying to get stuff ready to close on the house it had been crazy. I know once we get the consultant report it will be more work that I don't have time to do...

We did the walk through on the house on Thursday night and then closed on Friday. :carrot::carrot: Its a nice house, but has a big lawn. DH had to cut the lawn already on Friday (using a push mower). We met our neighbor to the right and he offered to finish the lawn for us today. I like our next door neighbors already. We took the bikes, a few stools and a few boxes up today and then came back to work on our old house.

My nephews have first communion tomorrow, Monday to work and Tuesday / Wednesday to a meeting in chicago and then moving day...ugh.

MIWI -- seems I am a couple of weeks behind you. How is the nanny working out?

LIana -- I think cheese maybe my carb free kryponite. I have never been much for nut butters (unless it is in a PB cup), but nuts (raw or roasted) is something that I need to portion out rather than eating handfuls.

Blue - glad to hear that the flooring is in. congrats on month 2 of maintenance (my how time flys). Enjoy the concert.

Linda - turkeys are in season here already and some of my FB friends are posting the fruits of the season. Glad you are holding own on P4. Your days sound even more hectic than mine.

One - sorry to hear about your husband. While not as active a FB, I really count on this group of friends to hold me accountable. I use the FB threads of new ideas and entertainment - plus a bit of motivation when I need a little extra.

Beth - glad you are enjoying the extra daylight. Interesting that evening exercise is helping tame the nb beast. I know that exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity and lower BG, I wonder if that might have anything to do with it -- or if it is the endorphins and stress release.

HIS- I understand the struggles with staying OP with events. I am tired of having to worry about bringing emergency food with me if I can't eat what is provided. Each day I get closer to Maintenance it seems to get harder.

Tomorrow we are off to my twin nephews first communion. So another one of those events... then the meeting this week...I think I will need to bring my own breakfast / lunch and snacks with me even though food is provided.

I missed my weigh in this week with my coach, but the scale at home is still moving down. It is interesting, I have been seeing larger losses when I get more sleep. I am getting close to crossing from the 180's to the 170's. It would be great to see a weight beginning with 17 (It has been a very long time since I remember being at that weight.

Have a great Sunday all.

Sue

Good Morning All!!
HIS I have the same feelings as I look in the mirror. It started slowly as I transitioned. Remember how we had those "flat" stomachs, so to speak- I could sit and not see a "roll" over my waistband - once I went in to 3, and especially in to maintenance it really really threw me for a loop- I still hate it and see it as a flaw - Dismorphia - for me, is huge - I look at my arse, my thighs, my stomach (the apron as my friend used to call it) and it's like I am looking at my 200+ lb. self. My logical brain tells me "snap out of it" but- well, I think that we all know what goes on with the other half. Yesterday, I was siting in my parents kitchen while my dad was cooking a lobster for my mom and spaghetti for him, and something came up about a shirt I had gotten that puckered in the front, and Icouldn't believe that it didn't fit my mom- she couldn't button it (she has ALWAYS been smaller than me) so I was going to give it to a girlfriend- but that before I did that I was going to try it on with a different bra and see if that made a difference. Well, he launched in to a "don't lose any more weight" schpiel. Understand that weight was always an issue for me and don't lose anymore was NEVER something he has said to me. Don't misunderstand , my dad and I have a great relationship, but honestly, I hate to acknowledge it, but I think that he is a big cause of my looking at myself so critically....okay now that that cat is out of the bag....but the point is, I stood up and said I'm not as skinny as you think I am, and grabbed a hunk of crap on my thighs (saddlebagish area) and he still said - no more!....so I thnk that Blue hit the nail on the head-
***see this is what I love about our little group and our self discovery along with one another and comfort in sharing- the good, the bad, the ugly....and I am so grateful to have our little 3FC family***
I am glad to see that the flooding isn't having the impact on you that it is South of you. I hope that it stays that way!! I'm glad you've been able to get outside and get the fresh air now and again. I think that no matter what, there are never "good times" to have to do it, but we know that the end result is worth it. Glad to see it's working- and you've done the really hard part- this - well, this is super temporary, compared to the original journey- and look at you making it work for you- just like they tell us it does! I love seeing that things are fitting better and the scale is going down for you- keep up the great work!!! You got this!!! How is the injury feeling? Hoping that the healing process is moving along great and before you realize it, this past couple I months will be a distant memory and you'll be running again before you know it.
Blue for me, I expect that I will be journaling forever.....lol....crazy as that may sound, Back around 2009, I had lost about 40 lbs, I kept an excel spreadsheet with everything I was eating, calories, fat, carbs- the whole 9 yards, what I was doing for exercise, the hacks version of MFP- I don't think MFP was around yet- (??) and then I stopped- I think that keeping that log had a positive effect and so that lesson is leading me to think that I need to journal always- and it's so darn rote now- that most of what I eat is already in my database and it's helpful when I am somewhere -(like a memorial service yesterday) and eat in an "unrepared situation" so that I know what/if I need to adjust at my next meal or for the next day. If I was hand writing everything- would I probably throw it out the window in the future? Probably, but like I said, it's so darn easy now....I also make sure that I put everything in to it- after all- I am accountable to myself....oh, you know, like last nights pre go to bed almond butter snack....yeah- I fell prey, brought it in to the house even when I said I wouldn't.....(yet we have wine and stuff in the basement for company and I don't ever give that a second thought- could give 2 sh*ts about it- go figure) The Icelandic stuff was delicious- I'm a vanilla junkie- as for the Quark- I think I am going to put together an order and have it shipped. Same thing going forward with the combat bars- 3 bucks a bar- that's kinda stupid.....when I can order the buy 2 get 1 free and if I recall, they are like 250 a bar when you do the math and then throw the extra box in, brings it down even more...can't remember the exact numbers but it's better than ala cartel at the Vitamin Shop. It sounds like the room is coming along nicely - ENJOY your getaway and I'm a bit jealous! Santana- love love love Santana!
Lianna was cheese always that way for you? Before IP I could/would/did eat cheese all the time- aside from Laughing Cow wedges and a rare occasion of shredded parm or Asiago, I don't really seem to give it much of a thought. I am surprised by that, as I am with the nut butters - they weren't something I gave much thought to before (well, exception to that would be Nutella) but now...well, we have all heard my tired story and lack of willpower when it comes to them. It's just strange- I thought cheese would have been the one......
Candi Sun is coming up here this morning - finally- didn't show up yesterday until about 645 as it was beginning to set....naturally- So, next weekend you officially become a maintainer!!! YAY!!!!! Ok, my opinion- Mission bars are ok- I have some on hand, the cookies and cream, oatmeal and choc chip- BUT Combat Bars.....O...M......G........... That's all I can say - it's like the heavens opened and Angels sang- (that MIGHT be an exaggeration -no no it's not...lol) my favorites (in no particular order) are chocolate chip, peanut butter cup, cookies and cream. Those are the 3 I always have on hand. The cinnamon, and the white chocolate raspberry are good- but the others are my faves- probably because the chocolate is more like a milk chocolate, (I wonder at times though if they don't stir cravings for more carby/sweet/junkie foods) I have found a site called bodybuilder.com to order them online and they usually have a buy 2 boxes get one free deal I tend to eat 1 a day in the afternoon as my snack before I go to the gym. Sometimes, it's just my snack at night on the weekends like dessert. As for Quest bars.....god how I loved them in P1, especially the apple pie which I stocked up on before they changed the recipe....omg SO not in love with them anymore....lol. How is the new nanny working out? Hope that it's all good!!!!
Sue talk about hectic- holy smokes....congratulations on passing papers! I'm sorry to see the added stress at work. If it's not one thing it's another.....boy you really have a full plate ! I am so happy for you that the scale continues to move down even under all that stress you are faced with. I remember reading a study about the impact of sleep on weight loss. I know for me, the better my sleep patterns were (gosh I love my Fitbit) the better my losses were. A couple of the weeks that I was only point something down it was usually coinciding with a week that my sleep average was less than 6 per night- so even if I slept a lot of nights over 6 (I can't remember sleeping more than 7 in an eon) but had one or two that were 5 something...my loss was on the lower side.
Cheryl how are you doing? Hope everything is going well lady- check in and just say hey :)
Well, sun has come up, so I probably should get up and have breakfast. A lot to accomplish today-a bit nervous about DBF- he asked me to drive home from my folks last night- just said he didn't feel like driving. I knew something was up, but he's like that- won't ever tell me what's going on .... So this morning when I got up to get my coffee and feed the cat he got up to use the bathroom. I asked him how he was feeling and he let it slip - so I delved and apparently his having a fibrulation (?) episode - it's skipping a beat- he said he gets them sometimes, but they tend to self correct- his father lived with them for about 25 years and blah blah blah- to which I started in on the taking control of things and getting the excess weight off- not harsh or anything but told him I don't want to be the widowed girlfriend. Naturally, once I got back in to bed with my coffee- googling and reading a bunch of stuff about it- now I'm worried sick. I'm not going to want him to be doing anything - lifting, carrying, straining, I'm thinking of us on the boat and if anything were to happen while we were offshore sailing...(THIS is the way my brain works) so that's what my head is going to be faced with today and how to avoid fighting over his weight and not getting angry when he overdoes something....

Liana - Santana was amazing! They played for 2 hours, small venue, only about 5000, great seats. Awesome band too, and OMG the drummers! His wife on drums, she's as big as a minute, and she hammered those drums almost nonstop. Bet her arms are like steel..hmmm...maybe that's what we need to do to get rid of the armflab/flaps, take up drums :dizzy: Hope you get to Switzerland, what a fun trip that would be. We got there on a vacation, but prob 25 years ago, we took our son when he was 12, I remember we stopped at a beach, not realizing the local custom of women going topless... needles to say, he got an eyeful that day. ;)..although a lot of them were old grannies

Sue, I am in awe of you, you have been doing so well, with everything that's been going on with work and the house. When do you actually move in?

Candi - Phase 4!!:carrot::carrot: It's getting here fast, hope you've been enjoying breakfast. I agree about the Combat bars, best of the bunch, I think, though I liked some of the protithin bars too. But why, may I ask, are you wanting the Protidiet oatmeal...you can have REAL oatmeal!

Linda - thanks for the bodybuilder link for the bars, I am running low,on bars and have to get more... though I still have some Quest. Agree, I used to really like them but I had a couple this week, and not so much now. Even the Quest shakes, used to love them, less so now, though I still use them, but have been adding coconut/almond milk.
You're probably right about the journalling, it does keep me honest, and makes me accountable to myself. So I'll keep doing it through the summer, and see how the maintaining goes before I think about taking a break from it to see what happens.
Scary episode with your DBF - and I agree, not something to ignore. Anything with heart issues scares the p**p out of me, I know too many people who have had problems. Hope he gets it checked out, and it's nothing serious.

It was just a quick trip away, mostly just for the concert, we got back this aft, and spent a few hours getting the furniture back in, have to do all the other stuff, tomorrow.
Oh, and, remember I mentioned we go those butter tarts at the church sale? DH had one when we took a tea break this aft and, as he put it...meh...So that's good news for me, now they won't tempt me :D

Hope you're all having a great wk/end