Some very sad news today. My dog died today. She was having complications from a tumor, and we had to put her to sleep. We had her for more than 12 years, and will miss her dearly. Those of you who have pets, give them some extra love and attention today. They make a big difference.
Robin, I think in some ways maintenance brings with it some boundary testing: like, what exactly can I get away with? But you learn from your mistakes and go onward. Posting a plan for the weekend sounds like a great idea.
I'm not having a maintenance blip. I've had a real gain. I had a perfectly on plan day yesterday so I've decided it's time to start losing this cigarette weight. I'm up 5-6 pounds (in 2 weeks!!!). I'm not sure how much I have to drop my calories to get back down to my goal weight, but I'm putting up a ticker and getting to work on it.
Anne, so sorry to hear about the loss of your dog.
I learned last night that my neighbors definitely didn't get rid of the Pit Bull like they said they would. I took Lucy out for a walk at midnight and in the dark it came running at us and scared me to death. I fell on the concrete walkway in front of my house and tore all the skin off my left knee and punctured the front of my left leg on a rock. I barely made it inside with Lucy while it jumped on my front door, growling at me. I was screaming hysterically and the neighbor lady ran over and got her dog. Of course she informed me it wouldn't have tried to attack me if I hadn't started running. My son heard me and came running to my aid.. I did call the police and they informed me to call them the next time I see it in my yard but since she already had it contained again there was nothing they could do this time. I even wonder now if I should have gone to the ER and had my wounds documented? Anyway, having a messed up leg isn't going to help this week while I try to do more remodeling! Now I'm scared to death to try to walk my dogs after dark. (which I always take them out one last time before I go to bed). I'm going to check into having a large security light installed in front of my house (there is already one at the back of the house).
Lily, I can't believe what you've put up with with your neighbor's dog! I hope you do get to call the police in time for them to come get it next time!
Anne, I am so sorry to hear about your dog. How very sad.
Baffled, I think you may have hit the nail on the head for me. Maintenance has definitely brought about boundary testing. And I've discovered I like, make that NEED, my boundaries a bit tighter as in the losing process, then I do while maintaining. I'm trying to look at this whole thing as a learning experience. I was okay in the begining, for a bunch of months in fact, when the splurge meal WAS once every couple of weeks, but then I had all of these weddings, engagement parties, Bar Mitzvahs and Saturday nights out with my friends. And I "decided" it was okay to splurge at every one of em'. I "decided" I COULD push it a bit further and apparently, well duh - I CAN'T.
I'm still chicken to step on that scale til Monday, but I believe once this blip is over with, I WILL go back to weighing every day. And if I ever cross my "red-line" again, I very much like the idea of putting up a ticker for it. I think that would be good for me.
Meg, I just may post my weekend plan. It certainly could be useful. I have no events planned for this weekend. But - and here's where I've been getting messed up, funny enough, since I've lost the weight, I've been WAY more social. When DH and I have nothing planned (engagment party, wedding, etc.) we usually wind up going out with friends, spur of the moment AKA - UNPLANNED - which means going to a restaurant. And these friends of ours LOVE to eat. It's usually 3 or 4 couples. We order tons of appetizers, drinks, main courses, and then tons of desserts. Not to mention the bread basket gets filled up umpteen times. It's sickening now that I think about it. If we do go out Saturday night, I will just have to be strong, like I was while losing and order a Diet Coke and a Salad. Because in actuality I AM in the losing stage again. And that's how I MUST think of it.
Robin, there's a little kid in all of us who wants to see how much she can get away with. The worst is when we cheat and the scale stays the same or actually goes down the next day, because then we think ah-ha! I can get away with a cheat. And then we push a bit more, and a bit more, and then we can find ourselves in big trouble. Fortunately you've caught yourself before you did any real damage!
I think you hit the nail on the head with your emphasis on UNPLANNED eating leading into trouble. We always, always have to plan, even when we're having a treat meal. Let's say it's Saturday night and you're going out with DH for a special dinner and you're going to enjoy some treats that you wouldn't usually have. We all still need to mentally walk through the menu and the evening ahead of time and decide what we'll indulge in and what is still off-limits.
What works for me is telling DH my plan in the car on the way to dinner. It's important to make myself accountable, not that he'd ever say anything if I messed up, but it means something for me just to say it out loud. I can't play games with myself that way and pretend that it's OK to suck down 5000 calories!! So usually I decide on no bread, salad with dressing on the side, a fish entree (without too much sauce), skipping any starch that comes with it, one glass of wine, and a shared dessert. It's either/or bread or wine, either/or starch or a few bites of dessert. Sometimes I'll get an appetizer as a entree.
So even if it's a special night and the rules are relaxed, it's never unplanned. I'm not sure how healthy it is, but I'm always conscious of the calories in the choices I'm making. I can't help it -- I mentally tally up everything!!
Maybe you don't have to be quite as drastic as diet Coke and salad, but could you make some either/or choices and make a plan?
It can be hard to accept, but I don't think it's ever safe to just let go and eat whatever we want, in the quantities that we want, when we want. For whatever reason, some of us have broken food cues and no "off" switch, so we have to make choices with our brains, not our stomachs.
Robin, I have absolutely no doubt that you will handle this weekend beautifully, face the scale on Monday, and stay on track. You've come too far to give it up now.
Anne, I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. It is very hard when our loving companions pass on.
Lily, oh my goodness, another terrifying story about that pit bull! Document everything! I hope your knee isn't hurt too badly.
Robin, I can totally relate to what you're going through. Though I've stopped my weight increase I haven't been able to get back to my maintenance weight, and I know some of it's to do with my lack of control during the social situations that are much more numerous in my life now. I think Meg offers a lot of sound advice. Perhaps we can figure out better maintenance "systems" at the same time. I would certainly rather be more social, and just learn some more self control, than stay in for fear of overeating. Sad that I can't just "make" myself do it! Something that really does help me, even though it seems counterintuitive, is to not go to a restaurant hungry.
I feel like a big moron, but I seriously just recently realized that it doesn't matter whether you're counting them or not, the calories are still there. I somehow duped myself into thinking before that if I wasn't paying attention to how many calories I was consuming that it wouldn't matter. As if I could only go over my required amount if I actually counted. I don't even know if that makes any sense, but I've realized that I'm always held responsible for my choices, whether they were made in sound mind or not!
And I also just realized that after I went off-plan on Sunday with ALL of those cookies, I got right back on the wagon on Monday. FOR THE FIRST TIME the day after I digressed. The first time! Just up and slapped myself back into gear. Psht! (That was me slapping myself.)
The worst is when we cheat and the scale stays the same or actually goes down the next day, because then we think ah-ha! I can get away with a cheat. And then we push a bit more, and a bit more, and then we can find ourselves in big trouble. 
Fortunately you've caught yourself before you did any real damage! 
The first time! Just up and slapped myself back into gear. Psht! (That was me slapping myself.)